ã€ŠUndying Empire (1st Draft; Volume 3 Released on Amazon!)ã€‹


 B1 â€” 0. Humanitarian Aid Sucks!

    Elinor leaned back in her seat, wiping away the sweat that dripped down her brow. Her dark makeup had long since been rubbed away, adding fuel to her already irritated mind. An itch inside her ear made her growl, and she pulled out her left earbud to scratch it.

    This is just great, she internally grumbled. What a perfect vacation¡­ No air conditioning for two days in this hellhole. We couldn¡¯t wait one flippin¡¯ week to get a closer flight, and they still won¡¯t give me back my SIM card!

    She turned away from the window to her right to glare at her parents sitting next to her; both of their light-hazel eyes were centered on their phones with disinterest, taunting her as they swiped through some news channels.

    She knew her mom was beautiful, which was where she¡¯d gotten much of her looks, and currently, she had her thick black hair tied back into a ponytail and pulled over her shoulder.

    She wore a blue spaghetti-strap shirt, one of her black bra straps poking out from under the right side, and her dark-brown shorts and sandals went well with her tan. Driving out in the middle of a random dirt road in Colombia didn¡¯t fit her soft complexion, however.

    On the other hand, she could see her father fitting into the wilderness quite well. His thick, well-maintained hair was swept back to expose his forehead; the cream button-up shirt with flowers on it was a disguise because he was anything but chill, and his brown shorts that fell just past his knees was his staple comfort wear.

    Elinor could see why her mother had fallen for him. He was handsome in a rough sort of way with his toned muscles, but he was the most aggravating man in her entire life.

    Huffing out a drawn-out sigh, she glanced out of the bus window, looking at the small town they were coming up on; it seemed to just appear out of nowhere, an entire community in the jungle, and her frustration hit its peak.

    This is so dumb¡­ Do any buses in South America have air conditioning?

    The long vehicle was alight with several conversations, almost all of them boring. The majority of the passengers were on the bus to travel to C¨²cuta for the humanitarian aid efforts at the border of Colombia and Venezuela; they¡¯d had to take a detour because of backed-up traffic.

    They were pulling a small trailer full of goods that were supposed to go to the humanitarian gathering on some bridge her father had shown her; the downside being they had to move really slow with it on the dirt roads.

    She looked down at her phone, scowling at the thirty percent battery icon. Taking out her other wireless headphone, she stuffed both into her tight, black latex trousers and listened to the chatter for a minute.

    Running a hand through her raven locks, she directed a pointed groan in her parents¡¯ direction. ¡°It¡¯s so hot¡­ My mascara literally melted off! How long do we have to be here?¡±

    Tiffany shifted a little to smile at her, her mother¡¯s arm reaching around her shoulders to lean into a half-hug. ¡°I told you applying that much makeup in this heat was a bad idea, and bringing an entire wardrobe of goth clothes was basically suicide.¡±

    She looked down at her black tank top that revealed her stomach. It had a spine pattern cut down the back and a skeletal unicorn with flowers, vines, skulls, and candles in front of a full moon. Her boots had made her feet too hot, so she¡¯d kicked them off long ago.

    ¡°It¡¯s my look, though¡­¡±

    Edmon frowned as he leaned forward, her dad scrutinizing her appearance with the disapproving eye she hated. ¡°Right, like getting your friend to give you five black butterfly tattoos on your shoulder and a raven feather on your collarbone¡­ without our permission. You know that¡¯s illegal.¡±

    Elinor huffed, leaning back with a pout as she glared at the shops they passed. ¡°It¡¯s not just a raven feather¡­ Shows how much you know. It¡¯s a raven feather transforming into an unkindness! It¡¯s symbolic, something you wouldn¡¯t understand, and T thought it was cool. Mom promised you wouldn¡¯t press charges, too. It¡¯s my choice!¡±

    ¡°Tanner¡­¡± her dad snarled, nose twisting.

    Her mother put a hand on her dad¡¯s lap. ¡°C¡¯mon, Edmon, we both had our fair share of rebellious behavior. Remember our punk-rock phase?¡±

    ¡°We didn¡¯t get any damn tattoos,¡± he growled.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the end of the world, Dear,¡± her mom sighed, turning back to her. ¡°Elinor, honey, I understand why you thought you couldn¡¯t come to us about this, but you should before making these kinds of body-altering decisions.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± her dad grunted, glaring down at his phone.

    ¡°Why?¡± she huffed, pulling away a little from her mom. ¡°It¡¯s my body.¡±

    Her mother¡¯s lips pursed as she squeezed her father¡¯s leg. ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re still only sixteen¡ªyou¡¯re a minor, under our care¡ªand you go through phases during these years; you know we¡¯ve talked about this. You may be into gothic stuff now, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll like gothic stuff in ten years. I used to like dinosaurs and wanted to be an archeologist because of Jurassic Park, but I grew out of that. If I had a dinosaur tattoo, then I¡¯d die now.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know¡­¡± Elinor muttered.

    ¡°You know what¡­ you¡¯re right,¡± her mother hummed, scratching the side of her scalp. ¡°We haven¡¯t asked you what they mean to you, but you can¡¯t blame us¡­ you¡¯ve been hiding them for weeks. Why did you get them; it wasn¡¯t just for that boy, right?¡±

    Her cheeks flushed, and she looked down at her pants, pressing her phone into her thighs. ¡°No! It¡¯s not like that!¡± She fumed. ¡°T¡¯s just cool, okay? Geez.¡±

    ¡°Just cool, then; got it,¡± her mother smirked in an annoyingly knowing way. ¡°So¡­ what do they mean?¡± she asked, pulling back her hair to look at the raven feather on her left collarbone.

    Brushing her hand away, Elinor covered it protectively as she looked at one of her boots. ¡°It¡­ Ugh. A flock of ravens is called ¡®unkindness,¡¯ but they¡¯re actually really kind toward each other¡ªlike a team¡­ friends. In mythology, they¡¯re protectors, even omens¡­ you know, don¡¯t make me mad because that¡¯s a bad omen.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± her mother smiled, and her dad rolled his eyes.

    ¡°What?¡± she defensively challenged.

    ¡°No, I like it! Continue,¡± her mother insisted.

    ¡°Humph. Yeah, whatever, Dad¡­ I wasn¡¯t talking to you anyway.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± he returned, mirroring her tone.

    ¡°Uh-huh¡­ Ugh,¡± she relented as her mother¡¯s hopeful smile blocked her view of him. ¡°Well, T told me that in Norse mythology, ravens were like divine messengers, and even some believe they¡¯re exorcised spirits and evil¡ªthat¡¯s pretty cool, too. The bible even has a raven that went and found land for Noah¡ªI don¡¯t think it found it, but whatever¡­ so, yeah, not all bad. In Buddhism, they¡¯re like¡­ holy birds.¡±

    ¡°Are you a Buddhist or Catholic goth now?¡± her dad groaned.

    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s just cool,¡± she grunted, pursing her lips into a pout.

    ¡°Edmon, let her explain,¡± her mother pleaded.

    ¡°Tiffany, I just¡ªfine,¡± he breathed out heavily, throwing up his arms. ¡°Tell us all about your tattoos.¡±

    Elinor sniffed. ¡°Whatever¡­¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tiffany moaned. ¡°Honey, please, I want to understand. Tell me about it,¡± she reached back around, pulling her into a hug.

    She closed her eyes, breathing in the lavender fragrance of her mother¡¯s hair, and her anger started to dissipate as she hugged her mother back with a groan. ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°Victory,¡± her mother cheered, making her chuckle as she pulled back and waited patiently for her to continue.

    ¡°So,¡± Elinor paused, collecting her thoughts. ¡°I mean, T told me all these amazing stories; he showed me all these awesome sketches of the tattoos he¡¯d been working on, and these ones I liked the most,¡± she mumbled, playing with the fake Onix ring on her middle finger. ¡°He first did the butterflies¡­ they¡¯re really my favorite.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, okay. Did he also get you those black stone earrings I¡¯ve seen you wear the past couple of weeks?¡±

    Elinor swallowed, feet twisting nervously as she rubbed her phone. ¡°You, umm, you noticed?¡±

    ¡°Wait¡ªwhat earrings?¡± Edmon whispered, leaning forward to look at her ears and hands. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen any new earrings. Tanner gave you jewelry?¡±

    ¡°Of course I noticed; I¡¯m your mother. I haven¡¯t been able to get a good look at them, though; you¡¯ve been avoiding me recently¡­ probably because of the tattoos.¡±

    ¡°They were a gift for my first tat,¡± she muttered.

    Tiffany rubbed her leg comfortingly. ¡°I bet they were; can I see them?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªthey¡¯re in my bag,¡± she stammered. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to lose them on the ride¡­ No, Dad¡­¡± she groaned as he pocketed his phone and got up to take her bag out of the overhead compartment.

    Her mother chuckled. ¡°Honey, it¡¯s fine. I think it¡¯s sweet that he gave you a gift.¡±

    ¡°Unless you know what goes on in a boy¡¯s mind,¡± her dad muttered.

    Elinor rolled her eyes. ¡°Video games and food? Terrifying, Dad.¡±

    Sitting back down with her black leather shoulder bag, he examined it with a frown; it had the appearance of a grimoire with a pentagram on the front and ¡®Book of Spirits¡¯ written across the cover. ¡°Which pocket is it in?¡±

    Her mother reached over and took the bag from him, making Elinor breathe out a sigh of relief. ¡°Let her show us, dear; this is important to her.¡±

    Edmon rubbed his eyes with a low moan. ¡°I know¡­ I know I¡¯m like¡­ the super overprotective dad right now, but you have no idea what goes through guys¡¯ minds at that age, and it¡¯s a lot more than video games and food. Now he¡¯s giving her jewelry? He¡¯s eighteen, and she¡¯s still a minor.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Mom,¡± Elinor whispered, hugging her bag protectively while trying to ignore her dad¡¯s unreasonable attitude and archaic position. Taking a deep breath, she undid the latches and opened the flap before unbuttoning one of the small inner pockets and taking out the velvet bag carrying her earrings.

    Tiffany¡¯s breath seemed to lock in her chest, and a lump fell down her throat as Elinor opened it and dropped the jewelry into her palm; her dad leaned closer to get a better look.

    ¡°Honey¡­ can I see those for a moment?¡± her mother whispered.

    Feeling a little unsure about their reactions, Elinor reluctantly gave one up.

    Her mother lifted the earring up to inspect it with her father. ¡°This is¡­ beautiful,¡± her mother muttered.

    ¡°I knew it¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s really pretty,¡± Elinor agreed, ¡°but it¡¯s not real or anything. It¡¯s just a fake; T said he found a box with them inside when he was taking diving lessons with his family in Hawaii.¡±

    Tiffany twisted it around, carefully studying the piece. ¡°Basket-stud earrings¡ªa four-prong setting¡ªand look at the way it catches the light¡­ It¡¯s probably five to six carats each... round black diamonds¡ªthey don¡¯t look or feel fake. If they are black diamonds, then the metal is probably black gold and something this size¡­ 14k, no doubt. If these are real¡­ they¡¯d be, like¡­ fifteen to twenty thousand dollars, potentially more.¡±

    Elinor mouthed her mother¡¯s estimate in bewilderment. ¡°Wait? No! No way! T works at a tattoo shop¡­ they¡¯re just fake earrings he found in the ocean.¡±

    Her father shook his head with a serious expression. ¡°No, if his story is true, and it wasn¡¯t a lie, then those earrings were probably accidentally dropped by a couple on a trip or honeymoon.¡±

    Her skin bristled. ¡°No! T¡¯s not a liar!¡± she shouted, drawing other passengers¡¯ attention. ¡°He found them in the ocean and gave them to me as a gift for my first tat!¡±

    ¡°Shh¡ªsettle down,¡± her mother said, forcing a chuckle and pursing her lips as she looked back down at the earring, clearly not wanting to make a scene. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to get them appraised to be sure, but¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure this is the real thing, Honey. If that¡¯s true, we might have to see if there¡¯s any way to track down the owner and return it.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re mine, though,¡± Elinor huffed, snatching it out of her mother¡¯s hand. ¡°T gave them to me!¡± She pressed up against the window, clutching the earrings against her chest protectively.

    Tiffany held up her hand as her father¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Honey, think about the woman who owned those before Tanner found it; the memories they hold for her. Think about how happy she¡¯d be if they were returned to her. How would you feel if something extremely important to you was lost?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips fell into a deep frown. ¡°I¡ªI know, but¡­ they¡¯re T¡¯s first gift to me¡­¡±

    Her mother breathed a deep sigh, and after a moment, she smiled. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s discuss this then. If we can find the owner, then it would be the right thing to do to return them; just like how that nice boy returned your shoulder bag to you when you lost it on our European trip last year. Am I right?¡±

    She looked down at her hand, fingers rubbing against the cool metal pieces. ¡°I guess¡­ it would be the right thing to do.¡±

    ¡°If Tanner did find them, then the owners would probably want to thank him themselves. As I said, if those are the real things, then returning them would hold real value to the couple that lost them; I know I¡¯d be beside myself if I lost my engagement ring or something important your father gave me.¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Elinor hummed. ¡°If they are real¡ªa big if¡­ then we¡¯ll try and find the real owners, and if we can¡¯t¡­ then I get to keep them?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Honey,¡± her mother soothed, speaking before her father could interject. ¡°I know it¡¯s important to you, but, umm, this doesn¡¯t mean anything more than a friendly gift, right?¡± she asked, her eyebrow lifted as she studied her reaction.

    ¡°What? No¡ªnot at all,¡± Elinor blustered. ¡°I¡¯m too young to get married or anything like that¡­¡± she muttered, but her heart fluttered at the prospect.

    Could this be a subtle hint by T? No¡­ he¡¯s too cool. If he wanted to date me, then he¡¯d say it, no problem. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s into younger girls anyways. He did break up with Tonya last year, though¡­ he didn¡¯t date all of senior year, either, and since graduating, he hasn¡¯t been seeing anyone¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face?¡± her mom hummed.

    Her eyes shot open. ¡°What look? I¡¯m just¡ªI¡¯m happy I get to keep them because¡­ Because there¡¯s no way they¡¯re real!¡±

    ¡°Mmhm,¡± her mother said with a small smirk.

    Her dad grunted as he sat back in his chair, closing his eyes and folding his arms. ¡°You¡¯re sixteen¡­ you have to get through high school and college before thinking about marriage.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± her mother shoved him mischievously. ¡°You were working two jobs and living out of your mother¡¯s basement when you proposed to me. If I remember correctly, you were twenty, and I was nineteen, right?¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    He coughed, clearing his throat. ¡°Yeah, well¡­ it¡¯s a different age.¡±

    Her mother giggled, turning back to her. ¡°Hey, as long as you wait until you¡¯re at least eighteen¡ªpreferably twenty¡ªthen you have my full support¡­ as long as he¡¯s a decent guy.

    ¡°Yeah, okay¡­¡± Elinor smiled, looking down at her earrings with her ears still burning.

    There¡¯s no way they¡¯re real¡­ but what if they are?

    ¡°Wait,¡± Tiffany smirked. ¡°You haven¡¯t even gone on any dates since turning sixteen, have you? Even though we said it was fine when you were fifteen.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind froze. ¡°Mom¡­ I don¡¯t want to talk about it!¡± she snapped, doing her best to turn away from her.

    Her mother just giggled.

    She¡¯s so¡­

    ¡°Grrh.¡±

    ¡°Anyways,¡± her mother settled back into her seat, pulling out her phone. ¡°We¡¯ll be staying in a hotel in this town tonight. Unfortunately, the original one we were supposed to stay at wouldn¡¯t return our money,¡± she hummed irritably. ¡°Anyways, tomorrow we should reach C¨²cuta.¡±

    ¡°Finally,¡± Elinor moaned. Figuring her dad would snatch her earrings up while she wasn¡¯t looking, she slid them into the pocket with her headphones for safekeeping.

    ¡°So¡­¡± her mom trailed off.

    ¡°So¡ªwhat?¡±

    ¡°You were telling me what your tattoos meant.¡±

    ¡°You still want to hear it?¡±

    ¡°Mhm,¡± she shifted to face her with a sincere smile.

    ¡°Well¡ªokay¡­ umm, which do you want to know about?¡±

    ¡°You said the butterflies were your favorite, right?¡±

    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, I love black butterflies.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± her mother glared at the seat in front of her, deep in thought. ¡°You liked butterflies and fairies around the same time when you were eight¡­ what¡¯s different about black butterflies that separates them from the rest?¡±

    ¡°Something edgy¡ªlike death¡ªright?¡± her dad asked, looking at something on his phone.

    Elinor rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve got me, Dad; this is all some mask to hide my suicidal desires!¡±

    Her mother huffed, lightly slapping his knee with her left hand. ¡°C¡¯mon, Edmon; you know I used to wear that stuff too.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Elinor shifted to face her mother, blindsided by the news. ¡°You did?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it was a short phase,¡± her mother smiled softly with a slight shrug. ¡°I had a friend in Junior High that was a goth. Your grandparents had to move us, though, so I didn¡¯t get to know her that well.¡±

    Her dad scratched his left eyebrow. ¡°I know, Tiff, but does she have to wear the belly shirts? You really have no clue what guys think about when they see a girl¡¯s belly¡­ young and old.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the male mind is a dismal sphere,¡± her mother grunted. ¡°She also needs to have the space to express herself, and if she¡¯s going through a goth phase, then what¡¯s the harm?¡±

    ¡°But, Mom¡­ it¡¯s not a phase.¡±

    She giggled. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re sixteen¡ªeverything¡¯s a phase.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡ªokay,¡± her dad groaned, rubbing his shoulder. ¡°This is bad for my blood pressure¡­ as long as it¡¯s not anything worse.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and what¡¯s worse?¡± Elinor hummed, eyebrow-raising as she challenged her father.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the butterflies,¡± her mother redirected, smile turning forced.

    ¡°Fine¡­ so, black butterflies can mean transition, rebirth, and renewal. It can also mean death, Dad, but it can be, like, the death of a relationship, idea, or topic¡ªyou know, darkness before the dawn type of stuff.

    ¡°In Irish legends, they say black butterflies are the souls of the deceased, unable or unwilling to move on to the afterlife. It can also be linked with witchcraft,¡± she giggled. ¡°A witch that transformed into a black butterfly to steal your food. Oh, there¡¯s the Aztec myth of a goddess that can change into a black butterfly to devour the souls of people during eclipses! That one¡¯s kinda cool.¡±

    ¡°What about some positive things?¡± her mother questioned, folding her legs.

    ¡°Umm, well, they can symbolize freedom and the death of misfortune, but¡­ let me think. Okay, it¡¯s like this¡­ the butterfly itself is a symbol of death, rebirth, and transformation; while in its cocoon, the caterpillar seems to die but soon lives again as a butterfly.¡±

    She began counting on her fingers as she tried remembering everything she¡¯d read. ¡°The color black is linked with power, authority, mystery, sophistication¡ªI don¡¯t completely know if that¡¯s a word, though¡ªelegance, anger, fear, evil, sadness, death, mourning, remorse, and even the unknown! The black butterfly itself symbolizes new life from an old one¡ªthe new, strong, but subtle life after a period of transformation.¡±

    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s so much,¡± her mother said with a bright smile. ¡°It seems like you really have taken a liking to butterflies. Transformation, eh? I like it, but can you please promise me that you¡¯ll talk to us before you get a tattoo next time?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, still on about that?¡± Elinor grumbled, cheer dampening.

    ¡°Please?¡± her mother pleaded.

    ¡°Fine¡­ okay¡ªI won¡¯t get a new one for a while anyway¡­ The raven one hurt¡ªa lot¡­ I even cried in front of T,¡± she whispered, feeling shame run down her spine.

    ¡°Hey,¡± her mother pulled her in again. ¡°You¡¯re a girl, okay? No guy¡¯s going to blame you for crying.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but¡­ it¡¯s not cool.¡±

    Their attention moved to the front of the bus as the driver pulled into a hotel. ¡°Alright, folks,¡± he said in English¡ªdespite a robust Colombian accent¡ªas he surveyed them. ¡°There are a few restaurants nearby if you get hungry. Be careful about what you bring with you; there¡¯s been a lot of pick-pockets in this town lately.¡±

    A woman wearing a white dress lifted her hand, speaking before the driver could acknowledge her question. ¡°Umm, are there any souvenir shops around? And what¡¯s with that giant crystal in the middle of the parking lot?¡±

    Elinor rose a little bit in her seat to follow everyone else¡¯s gaze to a sectioned-off area in the hotel they were staying at, and a police car was parked in front of the giant, conal sapphire; it was at least the size of the trees she¡¯d seen through the jungle¡ª15-meters-tall¡ªand almost looked ethereal.

    ¡°I have no idea about the, uh, crystal¡­ I¡¯ll ask around, but perhaps it would be a good photo for social media! As to souvenirs, yes, down the street to the left of the hotel; just turn right at the second street, and you¡¯ll find some shops.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± she beamed, turning to whisper to a friend. ¡°It almost looks like an illusion, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    A chubby man with a large, brown beard spoke up next. ¡°Uh. What time are we heading to C¨²cuta? Is there any more news about the border?¡±

    ¡°Nothing from the other drivers. We¡¯ll be leaving at eight in the morning, so set your alarms. We leave at eight sharp, so don¡¯t miss it, or you be left without a bus.¡±

    Elinor groaned as she got to her feet, stretching out her legs and lower back before wiping away the sweat on her brow again and staring at her wet fingers with a deep frown. She put the crystal in the back of her mind; it was probably some stunt to get them to pay more money.

    This sucks.

    She picked up her phone that had slid to the back of her seat and put it in her bag. Glancing at her mom, stretching beside her, she pursed her lips. ¡°Mom, I heard someone say the Venezuelan National Guard is keeping everyone out and not allowing people to help¡­ So, why are we even going?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s more complicated than that,¡± her dad said, but his tone was tired as he glared at the crystal before pulling down his luggage. ¡°Venezuela is going through a really tough time, and we have the means to help out a bit.¡±

    ¡°The means to help out?¡± she huffed. ¡°We drove, like¡ªlike, days to get here¡­ I see homeless people all the time back home in Cali¡­ poop on the streets. Why don¡¯t we help those people instead of leaving the USA to come to this hellhole.¡±

    ¡°Language,¡± her father frowned.

    Sighing, she pressed against her mom¡¯s right arm before brushing her bangs back. ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡­ How long are we going to be here? They don¡¯t even want help.¡±

    Tiffany squeezed her shoulder. ¡°You have Venezuelan blood in you, honey. Your grandma immigrated to the USA, and we were able to live the American Dream. Now we need to give some back.¡±

    ¡°Mom¡­ you¡¯re French, and Dad moved away from Venezuela to the USA when he was a teen for a reason, so why are we even going near the place; we don¡¯t even talk to Uncle Cristian anymore.¡±

    ¡°See,¡± her dad said, pointing outside at the small town and hotel. ¡°This is why getting out of the country is good for you; you live in the safest country in the world with the most opportunities to succeed. The Venezuelans are starving; they¡¯re literally breaking into zoos to kill and eat animals.¡±

    ¡°Safest¡­ right, Dad,¡± Elinor pouted, sinking back against the wall as she rolled her eyes. ¡°Some random crystal attraction in the parking lot. Wooh, amazing. And yeah, they must be starving if they won¡¯t allow any food in.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because of that dictator!¡± her dad seethed.

    ¡°Dear,¡± her mom soothingly rubbed his chest. ¡°She¡¯s a teenager in all black, burning up, and forced to join her parents on a humanitarian mission¡­ What teen would want to be with her parents for something like this? Also, see if you can discover anything about that weird crystal.¡±

    ¡°See, Mom gets it,¡± Elinor fumed. Digging out her headphones, she put them in and turned on the music she¡¯d downloaded off her Itunes account; she¡¯d created a few playlists for the trip and turned on The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy, Aviators, and Siouxsie and the Banshees playlist before zoning out her parent¡¯s discussion.

    Exiting the bus in seat order, Elinor put her handbag over her shoulder and did her best to follow her parents as she lugged her suitcase ahead of her, using her feet to force it along the aisle. She grunted as she dropped the bag down the last step of the bus, huffing and puffing.

    Man¡­ maybe I should work out a little like Mom¡­ I¡¯m freaking weak! Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have stopped cheer and gymnastics.

    Pulling up the lever to her bag, she wheeled it after her parents; they seemed to be talking about something serious¡ªpossibly the unusual crystal¡ªbecause they had that look on their faces that they usually had when discussing bills. She tried her best to ignore it and listened to her music. Her earrings started digging into her thigh¡ªsqueezed by her tight pants¡ªso she shifted them in her pocket, trying to find a good position.

    Walking into the hotel lobby, she and her mother waited by the couches as her father went to check in. Elinor leaned up against the wall, closing her eyes and pressing her head against the cool sheetrock, tracing the outline of the earrings in her pocket as she did so.

    Does this mean T wants to date me, and I was just too dense to realize it? I mean, it was earrings, but it¡¯s not like he like-likes me¡­ C¡¯mon, be real! Of course, he doesn¡¯t love me¡­ I¡¯m just his friend. He just thought these earrings would fit my look, and if it¡¯s expensive, it¡¯s not like he bought it¡­ That¡¯d be stupid.

    She lightly hit her head against the wall a few times, letting go of a low moan.

    Why can¡¯t I stop thinking about it, then?

    Her lips pursed as someone nudged her; opening her eyes, she glanced right at her mother¡¯s soft smile. She groaned as her mother pointed at her right ear, so she took it out.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Is it really that bad?¡±

    ¡°What, this trip? Yeah, it sucks. Why¡ªcan I go home?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s mouth pursed as she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, My Little Vampire; we checked you out of school for the entire week¡­ This can be fun if you just let it.¡±

    ¡°Fun,¡± Elinor rolled her eyes. ¡°I love being stuck on a bus with a ton of sweaty, smelly old people¡­ It¡¯s been a blast. Why would I want to be back home, where there¡¯s AC, friends, and oh, I don¡¯t know¡­ good food?¡±

    ¡°The food hasn¡¯t been, eh¡­ terrible.¡±

    ¡°No? Heh. Dad was in the toilet all yesterday.¡± She looked over at her dad; he was impatiently tapping his foot as he waited in line behind a few people that got ahead of them. ¡°He was like this in Europe, too¡­ Why does he want to leave home if he has such a weak stomach?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s for¡ª¡± her mother started to say before Elinor cut her off irritably.

    ¡°Yeah, I know¡­ for the humanitarian garbage. I get it. It just sucks¡­¡±

    Her mother hummed. ¡°Is this about something else? You knew we¡¯d take away your SIM card when you got that tattoo and didn¡¯t consult us, and I¡¯m not saying that it¡¯s bad, okay.¡± Tiffany sighed at her sour expression. ¡°I wanted to get a tattoo once¡ªback when I was twenty-two¡ªbut I decided not to after seeing what it looked like when you get old and wrinkled.¡±

    ¡°Old and wrinkled?¡± Elinor chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll just die young.¡±

    ¡°No, honey¡­ you can¡¯t do that to us,¡± her mother pleaded with a worried expression.

    ¡°Geez, Mom,¡± she rolled her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about suicide¡­ I just don¡¯t think I¡¯ll live that long after my thirties. You know¡­ a car crash or something.¡±

    Her mother shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t make decisions based on the dream of living young¡­ If your dad did that, then we¡¯d be broke and on the streets, and you wouldn¡¯t even have a cell phone to be angry about losing.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not just the cellphone, Mom,¡± she whispered spitefully.

    Tiffany scratched her scalp. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bite. What is it, then?¡±

    Elinor scratched her arm, feeling the light sweat under her armpits with dissatisfaction. ¡°I just¡ªit¡¯s complicated, okay.¡± She looked down at her boots, shifting her toes. ¡°Katie said she couldn¡¯t hang out with me anymore.¡±

    ¡°What¡ªwhy?¡± her mother asked, scooting a little closer. ¡°You¡¯ve been friends since fourth grade.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well¡ªI¡¯m just not cool enough for her¡­ not anymore, I guess,¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Is this about your decision to quit gymnastics and cheerleading last year?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Being a goth and a cheerleader apparently don¡¯t mix well¡­ She also doesn¡¯t like my tattoos.¡± Her emotions started to spike as a tear fell down her cheek. ¡°I showed her first¡­ I thought she¡¯d like it, too; I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± her mother sighed, pulling her in. ¡°Friendships can be mended. Maybe we can have her over for a movie night or something and try to smooth it over; I won¡¯t even join in¡­ Well, not that much,¡± she giggled.

    Fighting to regain control of her eyes, Elinor sniffed back her tears. ¡°Thanks, Mom¡­ I didn¡¯t think these tats would cause so much trouble. It¡¯s just, like, I don¡¯t know, the black butterflies just brought me misfortune.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tiffany soothed, pulling back her hair to look at the butterflies on the back of her right shoulder. ¡°They¡¯re beautiful; Tanner is a great artist. Even though he shouldn¡¯t have done it without our permission¡ªhe is a great artist. This one almost seems like it¡¯s alive,¡± she whispered, poking the top right one.

    ¡°Hey, stop it,¡± Elinor smiled, swallowing the built-up saliva in her mouth and turning to hug her. ¡°Thanks for being there for me, Mom.¡±

    She gently returned the embrace. ¡°Of course, honey; I¡¯ll always be in your corner. So, consult me next time?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­ If it¡¯s just us.¡±

    ¡°Promise!¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    After a minute, she pulled away, blushing as a few people gave them compassionate looks. She quickly put her headphones back in, hugging herself as she pressed up against the wall. Her mother seemed to giggle softly but closed her eyes and rested her head against the wall next to her.

    After a while, her dad came back and guided them to their room. It was all the way to the right of the building¡ªon the first floor. It looked extremely cheap: the walls were cream-colored, and the carpet was stained with a few brown spots, but the place seemed mostly clean.

    On further inspection, there was a small bathroom with a shower at the back, the two beds were singles, and there wasn¡¯t even a TV. It was extremely bare and poor compared to the hotels she¡¯d stayed at in the past.

    ¡°Your mother and I will take the bed closest to the door,¡± her dad said with a quick study of the room. ¡°The owner had a lot of weird things to say about that crystal.¡±

    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Elinor dully mumbled, more interested in the shabby room.

    Her mother¡¯s smile became strained. ¡°I know it¡¯s not the most luxurious hotel we¡¯ve stayed in, but it¡¯ll do what we need; we¡¯re only here for a night, anyway. The driver needs to check the bus before we drive all day tomorrow. What was that about the crystal, Dear?¡±

    ¡°All day!¡± she groaned. Trudging over to the bed, she sank into it face-first. ¡°Will it have AC this time?¡±

    Her dad mirrored her sigh as he sat down on his chosen bed. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t think so. Maybe I¡¯ll go buy a portable fan for us; today was¡­ pretty bad. Umm. I don¡¯t know; they were saying it just appeared last week one night like a ghost¡­ and people think it¡¯s a bad omen.¡±

    Tiffany sat beside him, patting his knee. ¡°Eh-heh. Right. Anyways, that¡¯d be nice,¡± she chuckled and looked over at the slide-out window air conditioning and heating unit. ¡°At least we can make it a little cooler in here.¡±

    She got up to mess with the unit as her dad began unpacking some of their hotel items. Elinor rolled to her back, brushing her hair out of the way. ¡°We¡¯re only going to stay in that bridge town for two days max, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± her mother sighed with relief as the unit flipped on, supplying the room with a chilled breeze. ¡°We¡¯ll only be there for two days at the most. It might only be one, depending on how things turn out.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Elinor groaned as she stretched out. ¡°What are we going to do for food; are we going to try some new stuff, like yesterday?¡±

    ¡°No¡­ No, we are not,¡± her dad grimaced, shaking his head. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m going to go look for something familiar. That last thing we ate¡ªwhatever it was¡ªI¡¯m done with trying new things here¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that¡­ It smelled as bad as it tasted.¡±

    Her mother came over and sat next to her. ¡°You can unpack and freshen up while your father and I go grab something to eat. Just make sure to keep the door locked; we have a key to get inside.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me that; this place is sketchy,¡± she said, closing her eyes.

    ¡°Well,¡± her dad grunted. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go look for something before everyone on the bus clogs up the lines?¡±

    Her mother got up, stretching her arms. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll be back in a bit.¡±

    ¡°Please bring back something edible this time,¡± Elinor pleaded, stomach growling with the thought of food.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see what we can find,¡± her mother said, adding a hat before following her dad out the door.

    She heard both locks click; staring at the door for several seconds, she groaned, scratching the back of her sweaty neck. The room was beginning to cool down, but it would be a while before it was comfortable. Taking her purse to the bathroom, she shut it and cleaned herself up, changing her tampon while she was at it.

    How can a place be so hot and humid? I thought Cali was bad in the summer, but being without any air conditioning for days on end¡­ this place is literal hell. It rains like twice a day, and then it all turns to steam and boils you!

    Finished washing her face and tasting a bit of the nasty water, she looked up at her reflection in the surprisingly clean mirror. Her light-hazel eyes slowly moved down her features.

    Her body had filled out well this year; she was blessed by her mother¡¯s good genetics, not to mention the aunts she¡¯d met on her father¡¯s side were pretty. She knew she was beautiful, at least an eight, from the whispered talk she¡¯d heard from boys, but they didn¡¯t interest her. They were all too immature; she liked to hang out with the cool older guys.

    She¡¯d slowly grown more distant from her female friends as they¡¯d gotten boyfriends and moved on to different cliques. She didn¡¯t really hang out with the goth crowd because they all still saw her as the preppy middle school cheerleader, so her circle of friends kept dwindling. She told herself that it didn¡¯t bug her, but it did. Truth was, she liked hanging out and being in a crowd, but she also didn¡¯t feel comfortable with the cheerleaders anymore.

    A moan reverberated in her throat as she let her forehead fall against the mirror. ¡°My life¡¯s a mess.¡±

    Walking out of the bathroom with her bag, she dropped it on the bed, noticing the light bleeding through the curtains was dwindling as the sun continued to dip below the horizon. Sighing, she fell beside her bag and flipped to her back, brushing her ponytail out of the way before staring up at the ceiling. Fatigue suddenly struck her mind.

    What could make this day worse? I just hope Mom and Dad come back soon.

    Getting up, she dressed in her nightwear, a blue silk shirt, and soft black trunks. She debated putting her earrings in her bag, but still didn¡¯t trust her parents wouldn¡¯t take them, so she put the velvet bag that carried them inside one of her shorts¡¯ small pockets.

    I¡¯ll just catch a short nap before they come back with dinner.

    Getting into bed, she closed her eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.

    * * *

    Elinor tensed as something sharp pricked her arm; she jerked awake, eyes shooting open, but everything was a blur. Her mind was fuzzy as she looked around, but she couldn¡¯t find any light. There was some kind of soft shuffling next to her, but her thoughts grew duller by the second, and her senses soon washed out.

 B1 â€” 1. In Death, Do We Part?

    Elinor¡¯s mind snapped into focus, but she felt odd; her senses were dulled.  A soft breath came in and out of her lips at an even tempo.  She opened her eyes to find the world surprisingly visible for it being near pitch-black, but her vision was blurred, and there seemed to be a hot pressure against her chest.  She looked down at her silk shirt and soft black shorts in confusion.  What was I ¡­ was I asleep?

    Her vision centered on a long strand of grayish-white hair; her eyes widened as she lifted her arm, and watched an emerald green light flow down her veins to her fingers, shifting to a chartreuse green at the tips before fading.  The light fluctuated with the rhythm of her heart.

    She glanced around, frantically looking for help as her heartbeat increased with the pulsing light, but all she saw was an empty room; the walls were concrete, and the ceiling showed old wooden planks.  There was a barred window to the left of the room that was boarded up, and a wooden staircase leading up out of the basement.

    There were dust and dirt patches spread across the ground and boot prints that lead to her current position.  She was a little surprised with how bright the room was considering there were only slight slivers of sunlight poking through the boarded window.

    Reflexively she tried to swallow but found no saliva in her mouth.  Grasping at her throat, her chest pounding, but all other thoughts vanished from her mind as she watched the flesh on her right arm start disintegrating.

    Glowing green veins appeared, illuminating her red muscle and white sinew, but there was no blood; parts of her bones began to poke through the decaying tissue.  The green light pulsing through her veins continued to brighten as more of her flesh and muscle vanished.  She felt no pain, but could still feel her skin breaking down before her eyes; the pressure against her heart, however, increased.

    ¡°Wha¡ªwhat¡¯s happening to me?¡±  She wheezed a shrill cry, voice a hollow rasp that was unfamiliar to her ears, and that was when the knowledge came with every question.

    I¡¯m withering away because my spirit is corrupted; it¡¯s no longer bound to my body.  I need to create a phylactery.  I don¡¯t know what that is!  What¡¯s a phylactery ¡­ a vessel that stores my spirit.  How do I do it ¡­ I need to pour my desire into an object.

    Despite her panicking mind, she found a sense of peace within herself that allowed her to reason; her horror was gradually replaced with temperance.  She got to her feet, brushing back her tangled grayish-white hair with a partially rotted hand, mind working on the problem at hand.

    I need something to pour my spirit into, but it can¡¯t be just anything; it must be something that will endure the test of time ¡­ I left my earrings in my pocket.  Are they still there?  If they are real black diamonds, then they¡¯ll work.

    She felt the skin and muscles across her chest beginning to wither, moving down to her stomach.  Ignoring the small spark in her brain that told her to scream, she brought the back of her fingers to her shorts; even though most of her skin and muscle was gone, she could feel the velvet pouch press against her bony fingers and thigh.

    Plucking the pouch out of her pocket, she took a moment to untie the binding before dropping to her butt.  She dumped the contents of the bag in front of her crossed legs, starting to see the muscle, fat, and skin of her legs disintegrate as the pulsing lights increased down her thighs to her toes.

    I know I should be freaking out, but ¡­ it feels like I need to really push myself to actually scream ¡­ it¡¯s hard to feel scared at all.  Why is that ¡­ ah, Emotional Loss.  What does it do to me ¡­ it¡¯s a Lich Racial Trait that dulls joy, fear, sadness, and trust, but leaves surprise, disgust, anger, and anticipation.  Is there any way to turn it off?  I guess not.  It can be overpowered, though.

    Elinor stared down at the jewelry for a moment.  She couldn¡¯t explain what she was experiencing.  Her body was collapsing on her; she was freaking out and completely calm at the same time.

    I was in my room, waiting for my parents, and I woke up here.  I woke up dying, and somehow I know that it¡¯s related to my spirit no longer being accepted by my body.  It¡¯s clear I was kidnapped, but I shouldn¡¯t be concerned about that right now; I¡¯m literally withering away ¡­ my body¡¯s being destroyed by my own corrupted spirit.

    She heard movement upstairs; the creaking floorboards overhead snatching her attention.  The voices were panicked and faint to her fading mind; she couldn¡¯t make them out.

    Her focus returned to the jewelry before her, and she willed herself to make these stones her new home.  The world went black as her spirit left her decomposing corpse; the cold stones that welcomed her felt like a tomb, but that didn¡¯t bother her.  After a moment, the tight space even felt right, safe, her own personal sanctuary.

    The one thing she didn¡¯t expect was how immobile she was; she was formless, trapped in an endless void, yet pressed on all sides by an unseen force.  She needn''t panic, though, she had time.  Her senses were nigh utterly null.  There was no sound, light, taste, or scent, but there was a pressure that kept her inside this space.  She floated in an abyss with no end.

    So, I suppose I¡¯m dead ¡­ wow, what a thought.  Wait!  Mom ¡­ I can¡¯t do that to her; she¡¯d break ¡­ is this what it¡¯s like when you¡¯re dead?  Do I just float in an endless purgatory in some stones?  That doesn¡¯t make sense at all ¡­ am I really dead?

    No ¡­ my spirit was corrupted.  How did it get corrupted?  I don¡¯t know ¡­ all I remember is going to sleep and waking up here ¡­ well, in that basement.  What now?  Now I¡¯m a rock ¡­ or am I?

    What am I ¡­ A Lich Empress.  I remember reading something about a Lich somewhere ¡­ was it a game?  I¡¯m an Empress, too?  Huh?  Will you at least tell me what a Lich is ¡­ a being that utilizes the death elemental type magic to bind their spirit to an object to obtain immortality.  Okay ¡­ so, I¡¯m like, the Empress of Immortality?  Does becoming a Lich corrupt your spirit ¡­ it does.  Well, dammit ¡­ how the hell did that happen?

    The image of her father scolding her about her language flashed across her mind, causing a burst of sadness to break past Emotional Loss.  Her thoughts skipped back and forth, her emotion breaking past her Racial Trait from time to time.

    I hope they¡¯re okay.  What if they were killed by my kidnappers?  But I don¡¯t know ¡­ don¡¯t they usually ask for like ¡­ money or something?  That¡¯s how it is in the movies, but what if ¡­ what if it¡¯s like that Taken movie?  What if they¡¯re trying to force me to ¡­ no, no, no, don¡¯t think about that!  Just take a deep breath ¡­ with no lungs, and think!

    Hmm, okay, I bound my spirit to both earrings, but ¡­ no, not the metal, just the stones, but wait a damn second!  I can¡¯t just stick my spirit in any old rock.  That means mom must be right.  These are real freaking diamonds, and now my spirit¡¯s trapped in them ¡­ I can¡¯t give them back now...

    Crap, okay, deep breaths ¡­ how does that even work?  So, my corrupted spirit is inside two diamonds.  Hmm, what does that mean if one is broken?  Really ¡­ that seems like a really important answer to not give me!

    What do I know?  I¡¯m a Lich Empress, and therefore my spirit is corrupted.  My body¡¯s freaking ash, I¡¯m stuck in two diamonds, and I¡¯ve got some kind of computer in my head ¡­ spirit ¡­ whatever, that¡¯s answering my questions, or not.  I¡¯m stuck in this place and have no clue what¡¯s happening outside.  I was kidnapped ¡­ probably, and they¡¯re upstairs.

    What if some jungle voodoo-people kidnapped me and they did some crazy soul ritual on me?  Dammit!  I knew we shouldn¡¯t have gone on this stupid trip!  I also like feeling emotion; is there a way I can get rid of Emotional Loss?  Fine ¡­ don¡¯t tell me; at least it¡¯s not exactly a no.

    Think, think, think ¡­ I¡¯m freaking sixteen-years-old!  This is bullcrap!  Freaking jungle-people, freaking humanitarian crap, freaking Lich crap, I don¡¯t want to be in here; I want a body!

    Her thoughts died as a heat rose within her core; it wasn¡¯t anywhere specifically, but she knew it was somewhere within her.  She felt as if her mind was expanding as a white light filled her vision; she tried to shut off the light by somehow closing non-existent eyes, but the light wouldn¡¯t fade.

    A pressure began to form at her back, and slowly sounds filtered into her mind¡ªa wet sensation permeated her mouth, making her swallow.  A dusty scent birthed into her now awakening senses, and color exploded into sight.

    Stunned, she lay in silence as her newly discovered faculties overloaded her mind.  She stared up at the floorboards of the basement she was in before.  A man was shouting, shortly followed by a second voice, both in Spanish.

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I didn¡¯t see it?¡±

    ¡°What the hell happened to her?  She¡¯s a damn rotting corpse!  The white hair, man!¡±

    ¡°Dammit, I know; calm down, Raul.  They don¡¯t know she¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that light, man; that light in the sky, and that crystal that appeared in the middle of town!  There¡¯s some supernatural shit happenin¡¯ here, man!  Let¡¯s just tell Armando what happened; we can¡¯t get him back the money.¡±

    ¡°You shittin¡¯ me?  Do you want your mother turned into a rug?  Americans are loaded; we¡¯ll get what we need ¡­ we just need to figure out how to get¡ªdammit, how the hell did she turn into a half-rotten corpse in fifteen minutes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the light, man; the light¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut the hell up,¡± the man shouted.  ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here; we¡¯ll tell them to give us any valuables they have before telling them she¡¯s here.  Get your mask and clean up anything we¡¯ve left.  I¡¯ll get the truck ready, so we can ditch this hell-hole.¡±

    Elinor listened to their conversation with a wave of deep-rooted anger that flared inside her; she could smell her decaying carcass, but the smell didn¡¯t spark her distaste.  They kidnapped me to pay off some debt?  They¡¯re going to rob my parents and tell them I¡¯m here ¡­ without even telling them I¡¯m dead?

    The thought of her mother and father finding her half-rotten corpse in a random basement filled her with hate.  The emotional scars it would leave on her parents and the blame she knew they¡¯d feel.

    Her mind was shockingly clear, despite fire burning within her.  She lifted herself with her left hand, examining her right; she saw perfectly smooth white skin.  Looking down at her body, she studied her appearance, gauging its functionality.

    She was naked, and her figure was nearly a replica of her previous subtracting all the scars she¡¯d obtained throughout her life; even her tattoos were still in their exact places.  In fact, she thought her curves were even more symmetrical than before, and even showed evidence of light exercise.

    One notable change was her hair; it was even thicker than her previous body.  Her bangs were cut evenly just above her eye line, and was perfectly straight, hanging down to her lower back.  The oddest part being the color, her hair was the same grayish-white shade that her previous body reflected.

    Getting to her feet, she pulled back her hair and stared down at her remains.  That¡¯s really my body ¡­ I suppose I should probably get dressed, but¡­

    She lifted her arm, twisting it around to examine her skin.  What is this body ¡­ Artificial Body ¡­ a magical construct formed to replicate the user¡¯s desire.  It¡¯s easily destroyed, but I guess I could just reconstruct it if it¡¯s ruined.

    Elinor pulled back her hair to brush her fingers against her ears; she felt the cold surface of her earrings in place.  So, these are my real body ¡­ not this construct.  That¡¯s so strange.

    Looking back down at her previous body, she pursed her lips to the side; the green glow of her veins had vanished, but there was still no blood, only rotting flesh.  I know it¡¯s not the most important thing, but I¡¯d rather have clothes.  I should be glad that there¡¯s no liquid to stain them.

    She bent down and shifted her stiffening corpse around to remove her shirt, bra, shorts, and panties, putting them on.  The expression on her corpse was neutral as if dying wasn¡¯t even that big of a deal.  Humming lightly, she sat down, staring at her partially rotted naked body.

    That¡¯s me?  I don¡¯t know how this is possible, but I can¡¯t worry about that right now; what I do know, is that the two men upstairs plan to hurt my mom and dad.  How do I stop them, though?

    Am I like a necromancer?  Can I raise the dead ¡­ I can ... Raise Skeleton.  Can I make stronger skeletons?  I suppose not yet.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    She licked her lower lip, biting the corner as a soft smile lit her cheeks.  I¡¯m like a necromancer; I control the dead, huh?  Is that what a Lich does?  Control the element of death.  Alright, then ¡­ I¡¯m an Empress of the Dead ¡­ me and what army?

    Holding out her left hand, she fed the desire for her old body to rise as a skeleton, and rise it did; she watched in fascination as a green flame seemed to birth from her arm, engulfing her hand as it flowed down to her corpse-like smoke.

    The carcass twitched in front of her as the bright green fire burned away the flesh, leaving only her skeleton behind.  The fire seemed to have a life of its own as it fused with the bones, licking off with a silent, menacing glow.  The skull lit with light as its jaw unhinged and a deep eerie breath came from inside.

    The skeleton began to rise in a smooth motion; she was a little surprised how fluid it moved.  The soft tapping of bone against concrete echoed around the empty room as it stood still in front of her.

    Elinor¡¯s smile turned curious, head tilting slightly; she walked around the skeletal form of her previous body.  It was a little unnerving to see her ribcage and pelvis, linked with her spine; bound by the cold fire that clung to the bones.

    This isn¡¯t a dream, right?  I brought my corpse back to life.  That¡¯s actually kind of cool.

    She licked her molars, humming softly, but a strange pulse shot through her that sent a warning signal off in her mind.  What¡¯s that feeling?  It feels like something¡¯s warning me to leave; no, it¡¯s more like a command ¡­ there it is again.

    She lifted her left hand as a tremor ran down her artificial bones with the pulse¡¯s return.  Closing her fist, she heard the man upstairs curse, running out of the building.  Damn, I missed my opportunity, but it seems like he¡¯s feeling the same drive to run from something behind the house.

    Taking one last look around the basement, she walked up the wooden steps; her skeleton followed, the soft patter of its bony feet clicking behind her.  She proceeded through the open door, surveying the kitchen she entered; the pressure she felt from the pulse kept getting stronger, and she started to notice a second warning signal going off in her head.

    If I don¡¯t leave soon, then that pulse will force my skeleton to flee outside my control; so, my minions can be wrestled outside of my control.  That¡¯s not good ¡­ I¡¯m basically defenseless without it; this magical construct is just as weak as my human body.

    She walked out of the kitchen towards the front door but paused for a moment in front of a living room mirror.  Her eye and lip color had changed; her eyes were now glowing with an eerie green light, her lips were healthy, but pale, and her facial structure had altered slightly.

    Well, I¡¯m like a ghostly supermodel, damn, and I thought I was beautiful before.  I look really good considering I¡¯m dead, and why does my default expression look like I¡¯m utterly bored with life?  It¡¯s like whatever I¡¯m looking at isn¡¯t worth my time...

    She puffed up her cheeks before letting go of a soft breath.  Honestly, where has my mind gone since dying?  Well, my body died, but I suppose my spirit is immortal as long as it¡¯s contained inside these diamonds.  I¡¯m immortal...

    Fighting past the pulsing warnings, she pulled back her hair for a second to view the glittering black diamonds.  Who knew black diamonds were a real thing?

    The ominous waves increased, making her wince; she walked out of the open front door, her new follower in-tow.  The dark starry sky met her, but her vision pierced the night as if it was midday.  Oh, look at that; I have night vision ¡­ better than night vision!

    She seemed to be on the edge of town; there were a few abandoned houses that were beginning to be overtaken by the jungle.  This town must be in hard times; no wonder the building was so bare.  I¡¯m a little shocked that there was a mirror left on the wall, but it doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s been abandoned for that long.

    The threatening feeling she was receiving was coming from behind the house, toward the center of town.  She noticed small crowds of panicked people running out of the area, fleeing into the jungle.  Proceeding into town, she curved away from the ominous waves, and they were quickly diminishing the further she went.

    I should find my parents first; if I find them, then those men won¡¯t have any leverage.

    She glanced back at her reanimated corpse with a slight frown.  I don¡¯t know how durable it is in a fight, but I guess we might find out soon enough.

    Several people caught sight of her, flanked by a blazing skeleton; naturally, they screamed and ran the opposite direction.  She saw a few of the tourists that she remembered on the bus, but they were just as panicked as the townsfolk.

    Her lips bunched to the side as she made it to what seemed the market district of the town.  I didn¡¯t really give this any thought, did I?  What are my parents going to think if I¡¯ve got this thing following me?

    She turned to stare at her burning bag of bones.  Man, you really are creepy looking ¡­ ironic, since it used to be my skeleton.  That¡¯s really me ¡­ I turned my own body into a skeleton.  Is this really okay?

    Scratching her forehead, she hummed lowly, trying to figure out how to disguise the eerie spectacle; however, before she came up with anything, the sky lit with lights as the heavens seemed to fracture.  The cracks ran down all sides into a dome; the bright flares shining through the cracks shifted between thousands of colors across the bubble, but the starry sky was still visible with the rising moon.

    Elinor groaned.  Wonderful, what¡¯s happening now?  That guy was talking about bright lights in the sky; well, there are bright cracks of lights¡­

    Her thoughts froze as a massive pulse seemed to ripple through her, and the ominous waves ceased.  What was that?  She looked toward what she assumed was the center of town, but she couldn¡¯t see anything beyond the buildings.

    Deciding she should first worry about finding her parents, she broke into a jog, her skeletal companion following behind her.  She didn¡¯t feel tired at all as she kept an even pace; passing dozens of buildings, she saw very few occupants still inside.  All the lights in the buildings she passed were dead, but she did see several with people lighting candles.

    Making it back to the hotel, she was a little disappointed to find it mostly empty.  There were a few screaming people that ran away from her as if she was a white-haired ghost, but it wasn¡¯t her parents, and it seemed most of the townsfolk had already fled this area because of the pulse.

    She tried opening their hotel door, but it was locked.  She knocked and listening, but only heard soft scuffling inside, making her frown.  Are mom and dad hiding or something?  I mean, if they looked out, would they even recognize me?  Probably not at first glance...

    Taking a quick peek at her skeleton to her left, she judged that it wasn¡¯t in sight of the peephole.  What should I do?  I haven¡¯t even tried to speak yet...

    Her vision wandered around the parking lot for answers, cheeks bunched to the side before her vision fixated on a still-running truck just beside the edge of the building.  Mind flashing back to her kidnappers¡¯ conversation, she felt the heat in her chest rise.

    Without even being ordered, her skeleton moved to her desires; it bolted forward as she walked out of the way and slammed its bony form against the door, but it merely bounced back.  The bony visage of her previous body ceaselessly hurling itself at the wood put a frown on Elinor¡¯s lips.  I guess it weighs like nothing ¡­ there¡¯s no way it can get through it.

    She heard shouting inside; it was the men¡¯s voices she¡¯d heard before.

    ¡°Hell¡¯s wrong with you?¡±

    ¡°Get out of here before we blow your damn head off!¡±

    Her bright green eyes moved to the front window and her skeleton complied.  Retreating several feet, it ran full force at the window and smashed into it; it gave way, shattered glass showering across the pavement as the men cursed.  She lost sight of her minion, but her desire was clear; save her parents and restrain at least one of the men.

    She was about to climb through the window when the door burst open, and a tall, bony man ran out, screaming at the top of his lungs.

    ¡°What the ¡­ Javier, don¡¯t leave me!  Help!¡±

    Elinor was about to walk inside when a bizarre scene made her freeze; even with Emotional Loss, fear flashed across her artificial body.  A loud thud shook the building as a massive creature seemed to drop out of the sky, sliding down the roof with shingles falling around it.

    Javier saw it out of the corner of his eye, causing him to trip and throw up his hands in a futile defense as the creature opened its enormous jaws to engulf two-thirds of the man¡¯s body; Elinor heard the snap of bones as the beast opened and closed its mouth, crushing the man.  She was paralyzed as she watched the creature feast.

    It had thick and scaly grayish-brown skin with a lighter undertone to its belly; the creature resembled a mix between a toad and alligator.  Short spikes curved along its back, and webbed, powerful clawed arms and legs tensed as they shifted across the dirt.  It twisted its short-muzzled head to find better positions to chew the still screaming man inside its mouth, blood dripping down its chin to soak into the hard dirt road, nostrils flaring.

    The creature¡¯s head and body were shorter than an alligator but longer than a toad¡¯s.  Its sharp fangs glistening red; large yellow eyes swiveled to examine the area as its horizontal pupils dilating.  Its thick, long alligator-like tail flipped to the left, indenting the rear side door of the still running truck, and making the shocks creak as it rocked back and forth.

    The sheer horror of the sight and confusion Elinor felt rippled through her mind.  What ¡­ what is that?  A monster?

    Emotional Loss quickly subdued her panic; she darted inside, shutting the door behind her.  She assumed the man her skeleton was clinging to with a death-grip was Raul; he was screaming bloody murder, but Elinor found her curiosity spike a little at how the green fire didn¡¯t burn or move to him.

    The emotion soon faded as the threat outside returned to mind, and she realized her parents weren¡¯t in the room.  She quickly moved around the two flailing figures to check the bathroom; all their luggage was thrown out, and it was apparent that they were trying to find anything valuable in their belongings.  Where did they go?  Did that light bring those creatures?

    Raul seemed to be getting tired because his struggles slowed as he caught sight of her.  ¡°What ¡­ you¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re that¡ªthat girl?¡±  He wheezed.

    Elinor frowned as she looked down at the slightly overweight man.  Let¡¯s see if I can speak.

    ¡°A-eh,¡± she opened her mouth and tried to speak, but her throat was dry.  Clearing her throat, she found a bit of saliva entering her mouth.  ¡°Sh-shut¡ªup,¡± she rasped, massaging her throat.

    The man instantly clamped his lips shut, face white.

    Creeping to the window, Elinor was careful to not step on any of the glass shards littering the floor, and peered outside; the creature was still chowing down on Javier¡¯s corpse.  He¡¯d stopped screaming.  There were cries down the opposite street, but she couldn¡¯t see anyone from her angle.

    She watched the creature step on Javier¡¯s legs, causing a squelching noise as it ripped off his right arm with its jaws; sinew twisted off the bone as she heard soft popping sounds.  It chewed a few times before swallowing.  After a few minutes, a second figure leaped down from the roof.

    This new creature had the familiar shape of a man, but was closer to a toad, and was at least five foot tall, but if it extended its legs it would be much taller; it had dark green and gray stripes that spread across its thick skin in a pattern.  Its forearms were much thicker than its toned biceps and heavy shoulders.  Its muscular toad legs bowed as it crouched next to Javier¡¯s corpse, studying it.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t see the front of the creature, but it wore some kind of plant garb that was sewn together into a makeshift vest, and a small backpack of the same material was strapped to its back; two sheathed bone-hilted curved daggers were attached to the jacket.  A large dark brown wooden spear in its right hand glinted with a black stone like tip; the wooden shaft near the blade was stained red.

    Two more toad-men jumped down from the building, joining it, and she saw three large serrated teeth on both sides of their mouths.  They wore a sinister expression and put unease in her stomach.  One of the newcomers had amber eyes while the other had purple with each having different skin markings.  Both carried similar clothing and weaponry as the first.

    Their throats seemed to bulge in complex ways as strange sounds rumbled in their throats, obviously communicating with one another.  After a moment the first reached up to rub under the toad-alligator¡¯s bloody chin.  Each one had different facial tattoos or paint, but every design was a glistening red.

    She watched with a hint of subdued fear and fascination as the first toad-man reached down and spread its five fingers, dipping them in the blood that flowed from Javier; it then used its webbed thumb to smear a curved cross pattern on its shoulder and pressed its palm against the side of the monster next to it, leaving a bloody palm-print.

    Elinor ducked further into the shadows of the curtains as their heads swiveled to observe the lightly lit area, cast with the glowing colors of the overhead phenomenon.  I don¡¯t know if this is a dream or reality!  I¡¯ve never had a dream like this, but if this is real, then this really sucks.  Monsters are attacking¡­

    She turned, putting a finger to her lips as the man grunted, trying to shift his bodyweight; her skeleton kept him pinned on the floor.  I don¡¯t want to know what these things might do to us if we¡¯re found out.  Did mom and dad make it to the jungle?  I get the feeling these things thrive in the jungle, though¡­

    The three toad-men and their creature moved off toward more screams at the edge of town.  It¡¯s like we¡¯ve entered a fairytale warzone.

    Turning back to the man, she bunched her lips to the side, pulling her hair out of her line-of-sight.  What to do?  There are monsters outside, it looks like there¡¯s a force field or something around the town, and I have no clue where my parents are ¡­ oh, and I¡¯m a Lich Empress, that¡¯s a pretty important detail, but at least I¡¯m royalty.

    Slowly moving back toward the man, she sat down before him.  Rubbing her throat, she whispered, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m still getting used to speaking¡ªso give me a second.¡±

    The man looked terrified as he glanced at his right shoulder where he could make out a burning skull.  He cleared his throat, swallowing hard before nodding.

    A sad smile touched her cheeks.  ¡°Yes¡ªI¡¯m the girl you¡ªyou kidnapped, but apparently, I turned into a¡ªa Lich Empress.¡±  She said, testing the words out; her voice was becoming more normal as she continued to speak.

    ¡°Your friend was just eaten by¡ªsome toad¡ªtoad-alligator monster thingy¡ªoutside, and there are some scary looking toad-men out there too.  I don¡¯t know what¡ªwhat the hell is going on¡ªI just woke up to my body¡ªmy body rotting.  Do you have any ideas?¡±

    He shook his head, swallowing again.  ¡°N-no¡ªI don¡¯t,¡± he whispered.  ¡°There was a ton of lights¡ªthey were all over the sky, kind of like the lights up there now ¡­ then a crystal appeared in town.  That¡¯s all I know.  I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m so sorry about¡ªabout kidnapping you.  I just¡­¡±

    Elinor cut him off.  ¡°Yeah, well, regretting bad decisions in hindsight; am I right?  Anyways, what about my parents?  Where are they?¡±

    He shook his head.  ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡±  He cut off as Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed and a low eerie growl emanated from her skeletal minion, green light flickering across his face.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªthey weren¡¯t here ¡­ w-we were just going to try and find enough stuff to pay back our¡ªour d-debts and¡ªand ditch t-town¡­¡±

    ¡°Leaving my parents to search around blindly until what¡ªthey found my rotting corpse?¡±  Elinor growled.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m sorry¡­¡±  He squeaked.

    A low growl rumbled in her throat as she looked down at her crossed legs.  What should I do?

 B1 â€” 2. Arenâ€™t Undead Scary?

    Elinor¡¯s lips became a line as she looked at the limp man before her, locked in place by her skeleton.  I don¡¯t know how many of those toad people are out there, but it¡¯s pretty obvious that they¡¯re not friendly.  If they find my parents, then they¡¯re dead; there¡¯s no way they could escape creatures that can jump up roofs and have killer alligator-toad pets.

    Her attention was pulled back to Raul as he began crying.

    ¡°Seriously?  You¡¯re crying?¡±  She stated with a dull expression, grayish-white hair partially obscuring her vision.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªit wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this,¡± he babbled.  ¡°Javier¡ªyou ¡­ he¡¯s¡ªhe¡¯s dead?¡±

    Her cold ghostly green eyes stared at him for several seconds.  ¡°Yes¡ªand if you don¡¯t want to be, then you¡¯ll shut-up.¡±

    It took him a moment, but he slowly regained control of his emotions, head lying limp against the floor.  His chest heaved, eyes closed as he seemed to be mumbling some kind of prayer.

    Wow, that was so cold, but I just can¡¯t find it in myself to really care about him.  No ... chilling with this guy won¡¯t help me get back to my parents or deal with this toad problem.  If I¡¯m a necromancer ¡­ I should bolster my army.

    She hummed thoughtfully as she studied Raul and her skeleton; her vision slid down her previous bony figure, green flames smoothly flowing down the polished white bone of her former arms.

    Is it strong enough to snap his neck?  Maybe I could turn him into a skeleton while he¡¯s alive, though?  It¡¯s not saying I can¡¯t, but ¡­ that doesn¡¯t mean I can.  Am I really contemplating killing this man?  He has a name, and he¡¯s crying about his dead friend, but at the same time, they did kidnap me.  How am I considering this an option?  I don¡¯t necessarily want to kill him, but it¡¯s not like I¡¯d really feel bad about it either¡­

    Her luminant eyes moved to the broken window.  He¡¯ll eventually die if I let him go ¡­ which would be a waste.  He could make a good decoy; it¡¯s not like I¡¯m killing him myself ¡­ is that how I justify it?  I mean, I guess, it¡¯s either him or me that tests the waters, and I¡¯d rather it not be me or my skeleton.  I should give my old body a name!  How about ¡­ Ms. Bones?  Yeah, I like it.

    A grim smile lit Elinor¡¯s cheeks as she willed Ms. Bones to let Raul go; he tensed as his skeletal prison released its grip and rose to its feet.

    ¡°What¡ªare you going to do to me?¡±  He muttered, rising with his left arm as his right rubbed his sore shoulders.

    She pointed at the door while rising to her feet.  ¡°Nothing, you¡¯re free to go.  I have my own things to worry about, and if you don¡¯t know where my parents are, then I don¡¯t need you.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  He muttered, scooting back against an open dresser.  His vision shifted between her and the door with uncertainty.

    Acting like she was ignoring him, she moved to the back of the room, staring at the mirror; Ms. Bones followed her, standing a few feet behind her.  She frowned at her nightwear, dimly lit by Ms. Bones¡¯ flames.

    I should probably put on some real clothes; I need to wait for him to build up the courage to run anyways.  If he doesn¡¯t go by the time I¡¯m done, I could have Ms. Bones chase him out.

    She turned and walked over to her open and rummaged through suitcase; Raul hurriedly scooted closer to the door, breath held.

    Elinor ignored the action and smiled ruefully as she extracted a dress that fit her previous body perfectly with a front and back black leather tie to tighten where needed.  The hoodie had a witch''s point at the end, and the inside had a gothic patterned mesh fabric with a wood stitching design.

    I can¡¯t believe I took this on the trip.  Mom was right; it would have been suicide to wear it in this heat, but ¡­ what about now?  Is this artificial body affected by temperature ¡­ I¡¯m very resistant to thermal changes, but my cold resistance is less than heat.  Cool, I don¡¯t have to worry about getting hot anymore.  I don¡¯t have any liquid in my body, so there¡¯s no chance at sweat.

    Her smile fell a little at the sight of the two black boots that she¡¯d brought, her only pair of footwear.  Man, that was such a bad idea.

    Gathering the items along with a pair of black moon design socks, she went into the bathroom, Ms. Bones posting itself as a guard outside.  She quickly changed, noting that she probably didn¡¯t have to use tampons anymore; finished putting on the dress, she was halfway done with her boots when the door opened.  Hmm, toad-people, or Raul running?

    Doing a quick knot, she opened the door and hurried to the front opening; she slowly closed the door, trying her best to be unseen.  Moving back to the curtains, she almost jumped as she heard a loud crack.  Her head snapped back to find Ms. Bones waltzing on the glass without a care in the world.

    Stop!  Ms. Bones froze.  Now that I think of it, she¡¯s a freaking bonfire; they¡¯ll be able to see the glow through the curtain.  Go back into the bathroom and wait, and be careful!  She added as it stepped on another chunk of glass.

    Rolling her eyes, she looked outside; the night was still.  The backs of several buildings faced the hotel, and there was a cross-street beside her building.  Raul had tripped and was on his hands and knees beside Javier¡¯s corpse, to the left of the window.

    She could see the bright headlights of the truck.  Raul was trying to cry, vomit, and speak at the same time which came out in a jumbled mess.  The wind was almost still; there was only a slight rustle that touched the curtains Elinor hid behind.

    Maybe this wasn¡¯t the best idea.  With the racket he¡¯s creating, he¡¯ll draw every toad here, but it¡¯s not like I can go out and stop him now.

    She looked around the visible area, lit by the low hanging moon overhead and dome of cracked multi-colored lights; it was surprisingly quiet as she examined the soft lights and humming truck next to Javier¡¯s body, Raul crying next to him.

    All the screams stopped, but they could have run down the road or into the jungle.  If there are any toads nearby, then they¡¯d probably come running to kill this idiot, but I guess he doesn¡¯t know what happened to his friend.  He didn¡¯t see that monster; so, naturally, he probably thinks I did it.

    Those toads, though ¡­ what if they¡¯re smart?  They seemed to be communicating, and he even smeared Javier¡¯s blood on his body, like some kind of Indian ritual or something.  Could they be waiting to see if anyone else comes out?

    After a minute, Raul started to settle down and curled up next to the truck, gazing at the sky with a zoned-out expression.  He shook and whimpered every once in a while, but for the most part, seemed to be conflicted on what to do.

    Well, this is boring; how long should I wait?

    Releasing a soft sigh, she knelt down to finish tying her boots; just as she was finishing the last knot, she heard Raul start stammering something unintelligible.  Slowly getting to her feet, she peeked out from behind the drapes, lips becoming a line as she saw one of the toad-men.

    This creature was a little bit shorter than the previous ones, and had no vest, showing a dozen bloody palm prints on his shoulders, chest, and left thigh.  Its tough looking slick skin was dark greenish-brown with a different pattern to it than the previous toads she¡¯d seen.  There was a necklace strapped around its thick neck that seemed to round with its back; three black beads were above a glistening reverse arrowhead-shaped stone that dangled between its muscular chest.

    One of the biggest differences about this toad-man was his weaponry.  This one carried a battle-ax in its left hand; one side of it had a sharp pointed end and the other a curved razor¡¯s edge.  It seemed to be comprised entirely of a dull silver-colored metal that had a faint gray glow that pulsed weakly.  On its back was a circular shield that was the same color as the previous toad-men¡¯s spears.

    It was crouching down several feet away from the man, amber eyes studying his fidgets as it shifted its jaw, three protruding fangs on each side folded its bottom lips back on every motion, and its nostrils flared every so often.

    Raul had somehow managed to get a handgun from somewhere; Elinor noticed the bloody corpse of Javier was flipped over, and Raul¡¯s hands and arms were stained red.  He was backed up against the front truck wheel, the gun shaking in his hand as he aimed it at the creature.

    Well, I guess there was someone nearby.  Javier had a gun this entire time?  Raul might have been waiting for me to come out and shoot me; he could have been trying to work up the courage to do it.  How will a gun work against these creatures, though?

    There were several seconds of silence as Raul, and the toad-man stared at each other.  After a time, the creature lifted its ax and dropped it against the ground, making a soft thud.  It did this a few more times before making a low vibrating rumble with its throat.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    What¡¯s it doing?  It doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s threatening him, but that sound seems threatening.  Is it telling him to show him something?

    ¡°Wha-what¡ªwhat are you?¡±  Raul questioned in Spanish.  ¡°Are¡ªare you like that girl inside?  Did the light change you?  It¡ªthat girl, she¡ªshe killed my best friend¡­¡±

    Crap ¡­ well, I didn¡¯t expect that.  I thought they¡¯d just jump on him and eat him or something.  It would need to have night-vision to actually see me, though ¡­ well, my eyes glow a bit, but they¡¯re so small that ¡­ I don¡¯t know how good toad vision is, though.  This could be a problem, but if he¡­

    Raul lifted his empty hand and pointed right at the window she was in.  ¡°There¡ªshe¡¯s in there!  She¡¯s a ghost-zombie!¡±

    The toad-man¡¯s head tilted toward the building.  It ceased its pounding and opened its mouth, showing no teeth other than the three protruding fangs on both sides of the upper jaw.  A large pink tongue slid around its wet mouth before its jaws closed again and it seemed to swallow, but turned its head back to Raul.

    Elinor breathed a sigh of relief.  Is it even intelligent?  Maybe it¡¯s more animal-like.

    Raul¡¯s voice began to quiver.  ¡°What¡ªno, there¡¯s¡­¡±

    The toad lifted his ax and threw it in one fluid motion; it sailed through the air and smashed through the side of the building; wood struck Elinor¡¯s face as it splintered under the force.  The ax spun right by her head, but she didn¡¯t flinch.  The sound of the mirror shattering cut past the other sounds.

    She looked down at the floor as a long lock of her hair, just above her ear, dropped to the ground.  Her head lifted to glance at the toad before turning to follow the ax¡¯s path; she saw it through a hole it had created in the bathroom sheetrock and wood, shattering the mirror and embedding itself in the brick wall behind it.  A lump dropped down her throat as she felt a bit of her energy being used to reconstruct the lost hair, slowly growing back to its original length.

    She felt a little panicked, but it was quickly subdued as her mind worked on the situation.  Ms. Bones was fine, but she had to mentally force it not to jump out and attack the toad.

    That throw was precise; it knew exactly where it was throwing that ax.  I bet it was really close to Ms. Bones too.

    Her ghostly eyes widened as she watched the light glow around the ax increase and it shot back, forcing her to move further right into the open window, exposing herself to the toad; it spun through the air at a rapid pace before stopping in the toad-man¡¯s grip.

    Elinor took a deep breath, cold eyes centering on the creature as it continued to stare at Raul; the moment the ax was back in its hand, he began tapping it again.

    This thing is definitely intelligent.  That was a warning shot; it wants me to come out.  Well, this was a terrible plan ¡­ have the kidnapper lure the creatures away, but no, he just ratted me out.  I guess I don¡¯t have much of a choice, but how many more might be hiding around the area?

    Telling Ms. Bones to accompany her, Elinor moved to the door and opened it, walking through.  She didn¡¯t feel nearly as nervous as she should have.

    Raul swapped his weapon to her as she exited.  ¡°You¡ªyou monster ¡­ you did this; you killed Javier!¡±  He yelled, pulling the trigger.  He shot at random; hands quaking, he emptied the entire clip.

    Elinor kept walking forward as he shot, feeling an odd sense of security.  I know I should be scared, but at the same time, it¡¯s not like shooting a magical construct will do anything.

    The toad-man jumped back eight feet as the firing started, whipping out his shield from around his back within a second; he stood still watching the man shooting her, screaming his grief.

    She stopped several feet away from Raul; every shot missed but one, and it so happened to hit her left temple.  A light sigh left Elinor¡¯s lips as a hopeful smile lit his lips which soon fell as the bullet was ejected from her skull through the hollow opening before closing up; her hand lifted, visually telling Ms. Bones not to attack.

    ¡°H-how?  I¡ªright in the¡ªthe head?¡±  He seemed to lose strength in his body as his arm fell, but not before a blur snatched the gun out of the air as it left his hand.

    Elinor glanced left; the gun seemed to be stuck to the toad¡¯s long tongue as he fluidly slipped his shield strap back on over his shoulders to free up his hand.  He squatted down, studying the piece of metal.

    Her lips bunched as she looked down at her clothes.  ¡°Well, at least you didn¡¯t ruin my clothes.¡±

    ¡°H-how?¡±

    She huffed, glaring down at the babbling man.  ¡°I¡¯m not a zombie¡ªidiot.¡±  She muttered, now able to speak almost fluently; however, her tone was much more detached and cold than she remembered.  ¡°Also,¡± her vision moved back to the toad.  ¡°Those toad creatures killed your friend, not me.  You¡¯re making me regret not killing you back there.¡±

    Elinor hummed softly as she watched the toad-man flip the gun around in its hand; it was surprisingly dexterous.

    He has a super-fast tongue, can throw an ax through two walls and embed it in brick, and he seems to have fast reflexes.  Well, this is a shitty situation.  If I can get Ms. Bones close to him and lock him in a¡­

    Her thoughts broke as the toad¡¯s head snapped up and a loud threatening rumble shot through its throat, but at the same time, something smashed into her head, burrowing into her skull.  Mentally she recognized that something else had struck Ms. Bones at near the same time.  Out of the corner of her eyes, she watched Raul collapse as blood spurt out of his head, spraying across the truck door above him.

    Not only was something in her head, but she felt something squirming; however, it shortly ceased, and she felt her body rejecting it.  She looked down at Raul as she watched what seemed like red vines squirming out of the opening where blood pooled.

    What the hell was that?

    She looked back at the building, lifting her head to see five toad-men crouching atop the roof.  These toads were more green than gray or brown and had spiral patterned slick skin.  Their eyes were purple, and they seemed to be of slimmer stock than the toad with the ax or the previous toads with the spears.

    Three of them held two-foot long sticks in their hands that gave her the impression of bamboo and seemed hollow, while two had small flute-like instruments in their hands.  They each had a big pouch sewn on their vest that appeared to be carrying small objects.  On their sides were similar daggers as the first group she¡¯d seen, but the bone hilts were painted with black spiral patterns that matched their skin.

    A new group of toads?  How many different types and groups are there?

    She looked down at the ground, searching for whatever had been ejected from her head but couldn¡¯t find anything.  Pulling around her dress¡¯ large witch¡¯s hood, she found a small yellow spiked ball the size of a marble; it was pulsing gently.

    On closer inspection, she saw that each spike had a small hair-like tendril on the end that quivered.  Her vision returned to Raul as he began to convulse, causing her lips to purse; the tendrils of red vines seemed to be closing up the entry wound.

    These things must need some kind of liquid to grow.  What¡¯s their purpose, though?  To burrow in and kill someone if the first blow doesn¡¯t do it?

    Elinor almost was too stunned to notice Ms. Bones running off toward the building to give the toads a piece of its mind; she forced Ms. Bones back, feeling a little bad that she kept restricting it from the one thing it wanted to do¡ªattack anything that attacked her.  She needed her skeleton close in case she needed to run, though.  She noticed a hole in the back of Ms. Bones¡¯ skull with a deep frown.

    They hurt my original body ¡­ why does that make me so mad?  Is it just because ¡­ well, it¡¯s the last thing of me.  I don¡¯t want it to get hurt, but I don¡¯t see me getting out of this without a show of force.  I can heal this artificial body, no problem, ¡­ well, there is that energy loss I felt earlier, but it¡¯s not that bad.  However, if my skeleton gets damaged ¡­ it stays damaged.

    Her attention was pulled back to the toads as each of them began to communicate, and it didn¡¯t seem like they were that friendly.  The battle-ax toad took a step forward, brandishing the gun at them before slamming his ax on the ground with loud thumps while the blowgun toads responded by making strange swimming gestures in what almost seemed a mocking way; both looked like they¡¯d completely forgotten about her.

    A chill ran down her spine as she felt Ms. Bones detect another threat; a high-pitched musical noise began to play as she turned to see Raul twitch before getting to his feet.  He lurched toward her, veins popping with a dull red glow.

    You have to be kidding me!  Zombie plant musicians?  I mean, if he¡¯s dead, though¡­

    The dull expression on Elinor¡¯s face didn¡¯t falter as she lifted her hand, green fire licking down its length.  Easily dodging around zombie Raul¡¯s jerky lunge, she tapped his head with the flames, and he lit like a turkey doused in lighter fluid.

    Zombie Raul collapsed at her feet as the high-pitched music ceased.  She coldly examined the burning corpse as she bent down, knowing the fire wouldn¡¯t burn her clothes.  The flames consumed the flesh, blood, muscle, and fat, but left the plant completely unharmed.  She watched in fascination as the plant seemed to wither as it was exposed to open air.

    ¡°Hmm, fascinating,¡± she mumbled, poking at a vibrating piece.  A portion of her energy was used in creating this new skeleton that was much more apparent than her previous reanimation of Ms. Bones.

    Her glowing green eyes moved to Javier¡¯s corpse.  I might as well raise it while I can; I¡¯d rather use their skeletons to attack than Ms. Bones.

    Throwing out several small sparks of green flames by waving her hand in Javier¡¯s direction, the embers struck and lit the body aflame.  Within a matter of seconds, they were rising, green fire attached to their bones.

    How many skeletons can I control at once ¡­ three, perfect.  What about this energy drain?  Hmm, what about ¡­ how do I get energy back ¡­ by absorbing the remaining Life Energy from the deceased.  If I do that, then I can¡¯t raise them from the dead, though.

    Getting the energy from the recently deceased is weak energy; what about the living ¡­ yes, Life Tap.  I can drain the life force from someone alive, but they aren¡¯t paralyzed while I do it and can fight back.  It might be fairly easy to interrupt, then.  Still, at least it¡¯s something.

    Rising to her feet, she looked back at the toads; each of them was in a cautious stance as they focused on her.  She couldn¡¯t help but smile a little at the withering vines weakly clinging onto Raul¡¯s skeleton, and with a thought, the skeleton ripped the plants off of its bones and tossed them aside.

    I¡¯m pretty creepy now; maybe I can scare the toad-men off.  They did see me shrug off that spikeball attack like it was nothing, and I just raised the dead, taking control of their puppet.  That¡¯s scary, right?

    Her voice was ice, but her insides squirmed with hope.  ¡°How will you deal with me when I can raise the dead?¡±

    The toad with the ax dropped the gun on the ground and pulled the shield off his back, making thunderous threatening sounds that seemed to be more directed at the toads above them than at her.  As he lifted his ax to throw it, there was only one thought going through her head.

    Crap.

    He threw the ax, and it smashed right through Javier¡¯s skeleton as it jumped in front of the path; the weapon cleaved her neck from her body before she could even duck, and her senses went back to the void.

 B1 â€” 3. What If I Get Captured?

    Elinor felt her connection to her magical construct fade.

    Well, crap ¡­ back to my diamond encased void home.  I come back if my magical construct takes too much damage, eh?  I mean, the earrings are my body, so that makes sense, but it feels strange not worrying if my body gets cut up.  Wait, what is this?

    She felt two weak threads linking her energy to Raul and Ms. Bones; however, she couldn¡¯t feel any connection to Javier¡¯s skeleton.

    I guess they¡¯re attached to me, not my magical construct; that¡¯s cool.  Okay, so, can I control them myself ¡­ Lesser Possession.  Sweet!  It only works on unintelligent Undead that I create ¡­ that means I can make intelligent Undead!  It¡¯s probably a good idea to get myself out of this situation before experimenting, though.

    Activating Lesser Possession on Ms. Bones, she felt a weakened version of the five senses she experienced in her magically constructed body illuminate her surroundings.

    She didn¡¯t have to blink, or it would be more accurate to say that she couldn¡¯t blink; however, the world that greeted her was far dimmer than what she experienced in her artificial body.  It soon became apparent that she was using two different senses; she knew the toad-men above her were moving to the edge of the roof to look down, even though they weren¡¯t in her line of sight.

    What senses do I have ¡­ Weakened Senses and Minor Life Detection.  So, that¡¯s how they knew about the toads on the roof.  Well, that¡¯s fantastic; the battle-ax toad has his ax back.  He can crush my skeletons with a single hit.  Why are they standing around, though?  Are they confused¡­

    The thought trailed off as she looked to her left, where her magical body was beginning to decompose.  She couldn¡¯t help but feel a flash of fascination as she watched her magical construct slowly turn a ghostly green color before dispersing into an emerald fog; it started with her skin, moving to her muscles to reveal patches of luminescent green veins before her muscles began to fade.

    Her head was degrading at the same pace; the piercing ghostly light in her eyes gradually dying.  The thousands of hair strands that were severed from her corpse had fallen across the ground, turning into green smoke before vanishing.  It was a haunting yet oddly beautiful sight to see herself being enveloped by different shades of green fog.

    Okay, making another magical construct will probably take a decent amount of my ¡­ what do I even call it ¡­ Life Force.  I gather Life Force and use it.  Can I die if I run out of Life Force ¡­ no, I¡¯ll just be trapped in my diamonds until I can suck some Life Force out from something that¡¯s nearby.  I¡¯m like a freakin¡¯ vampire, and that sounds worse than death, floating in an endless purgatory, not being able to do anything until some random creature sleeps next to me; no thanks!

    Her attention was pulled out of her horrifying reverie as she heard the dull humming of the toads communicating.  It sounded completely different than what she heard as her magical construct.  The toads on the roof were talking with the toad with the ax, but Elinor had already made up her mind.

    She dashed forward, scooping up her disappearing severed head; she cursed as she noticed the trail of green fog following them, and commanded skeleton Raul to do his best to hold off the battle-ax toad.

    Dodge, run, throw stuff, I don¡¯t care!  Just make sure he is focused on you and not me, and don¡¯t let him hit you with that ax!  I don¡¯t care about the roof toads, they can hurt me, but they don¡¯t have anything to crush me.  Do your best, skeletal...

    Her encouraging thoughts were dashed as she felt her connection to skeleton Raul vanish.  You have to be kidding me; he didn¡¯t last like eight seconds!

    The slight pressure she felt from her bony fingers was becoming less and less apparent as her head continued to disperse into smoke.  Looking down, she was grateful that her earrings were still attached and it seemed like it would be the last part of the head to disintegrate.

    She ran back along the street, retracing the path she¡¯d taken by bus that morning; she sensed both groups of toad following but keeping their distance.  The battle-ax toad seemed to be keeping an even pace with her, holding back several meters to her left as a group of four kept a similar distance to her right.

    What are they doing?  One stayed behind, but they could easily crush ¡­ what am I doing?  Why don¡¯t I ditch my head somewhere and reform my body?  But that would mean ¡­ I don¡¯t want to sacrifice Ms. Bones, though!  I don¡¯t think I have much of a choice; she needs to lead them away¡­

    Fighting past the strange discomfort within her diamond palace; she had Ms. Bones turn left at the next corner and throw her head into an open doorway before breaking Lesser Possession to let her former body continue leading them away to her almost inevitable demise.

    The black senselessness returned as she withdrew to her last bastion.  She didn¡¯t know if she rolled or hit something as she waited with trepidation.  Her spirit sat inside her sanctuary, waiting for her skeleton to disappear; she didn¡¯t want to see the end of her body, sensing it was bad enough.  However, after a time, Ms. Bones stopped.  Elinor tried to push her former body to keep running, but it wouldn¡¯t.  She tried to activate Lesser Possession, but that was barred as well.

    What¡¯s happening?  Why can¡¯t I use Lesser Possession ¡­ because I¡¯m too far away.  Well, why didn¡¯t you tell me there was a limited distance?  Man, can you tell me this stuff?  I guess not ¡­ you suck.  Then, why did Ms. Bones stop ¡­ because it reached the limited sphere of my control.  Great, just great, another distance limit that you didn¡¯t tell me about.  You¡¯re the worst counselor, ever!

    So, Ms. Bones is just going to wait there.  I could tell it to come back, but why haven¡¯t they destroyed it?  Maybe they¡¯re as confused as I am.  I don¡¯t want Ms. Bones to lead them back to me, though ¡­ I don¡¯t even know if they caught on and already found my head!  I guess this gives me some time to think, though.  I¡¯m probably not in any danger at the moment.

    Recalling Ms. Bones a bit, she had it sit down a few blocks away from her; Ms. Bones was still completely unharmed and unimpeded, other than the hole in its head.

    Okay, this is an odd situation; I¡¯m a Mythickin Lich Empress.  A Mythickin is like my Type, and Lich is my Race, and Empress is my Kind; I¡¯m really not human ¡­ I¡¯m like Voldemort.  Wait, I really am like Voldemort, but royalty!  I have a little object that keeps my spirit inside, but he had freaking seven!  Freakin¡¯ hax!

    Voldemort had his crucks-things forever away, but it¡¯s not like he could just duck inside them whenever he was scared.  It was just like ¡­ a failsafe?  If that¡¯s the case, then what would happen if my earrings were separated ¡­ I¡¯d be unable to concentrate Life Force to perform any abilities.  Well, that¡¯s bullcrap!

    Voldemort could still do stuff; well, I guess once his body was destroyed, it was a little different, but my body completely rejected me.  How¡¯s any of this fair?  He had his original body, but I got stuck with an artificial one ¡­ it¡¯s not fair at all.

    She felt something poking Ms. Bones, which activated her counter-attack function.  She managed to stop it from completing the action, but she knew it had at least been close to retaliating; however, nothing happened.

    What in the world is happening over there?  This is so frustrating!  Alright ¡­ just chill¡ªdeep breaths.  Okay, so, my parents are still missing; they must have went looking for me when they saw I wasn¡¯t at the hotel, but where would they go?  Is that dome a barrier?  Did they escape the dome before it closed?  No, that wouldn¡¯t make any sense.  They¡¯d look for me before running into the jungle.

    Grr, I¡¯m not getting any answers like this, and if I tell Ms. Bones to come back, then they¡¯ll follow it to me.  At least they aren¡¯t destroying it.  What should I do, then?  I think I escaped.  So, the next thing would be to get information?  Find out what the crap is going on?

    She activated Artificial Body and watched the world slowly return as her senses connected to her spirit.  She frowned as she shifted to her side; again, she was completely naked.  Pulling her hair back to get to her feet, she looked around.  She was in the front room of a house; the door had been knocked off its hinges, and it was clear that one of the toad-men¡¯s pets had forced its way inside.  She seemed alone, though.

    The room was a mess with broken furniture and glass.  There were a few photos that were all in some way damaged, but she couldn¡¯t see any dead bodies or blood.  Her head tilted toward the right wall of the house as she heard loud crashes further up the street and more toads making grunting noises.

    Alright, I think if I go back the way I came, then that would be the best option; they did leave a toad behind, but once it sees my body¡¯s completely gone then it should leave.  They¡¯re not going to search a place they¡¯ve already been, and Ms. Bones is distracting at least some of them.  It¡¯s not far, and I would like to get my clothes back.

    She peeked outside, looking around the area; there were no signs of movement.  Deciding she needed to really start moving and reassured with the fact that she was mostly immortal, she ran back the way she¡¯d come.

    The entire way back, she didn¡¯t see a single toad-man or their pets, making sure to keep a close eye on the roofs¡ªone annoying detail that she didn¡¯t experience as Ms. Bones, her long bouncing hair and bare chest.

    Peeking around the corner of the building before the hotel, she scanned the area; there wasn¡¯t a single toad in sight, on the roof or in the street.  She listened carefully, but only heard the grunting of toads beyond the buildings to her left.

    She spotted her clothes in the same place she¡¯d left them.  Quickly running to the spot, she eyed her surroundings, but couldn¡¯t see anything staring back.  Scooping them off the ground, she darted into her hotel room, partially closing the door to hide herself.

    Trying to make as little noise as possible, she began changing.  It took her a bit longer to get ready; halfway through, she froze as a loud thump hit the roof, likely one of the pets by the heavy sounds.

    Elinor stayed as still as possible, but it seemed to be using the hotel as a traveling point because it quickly moved further across the hotel roof.  After the sounds of its crawling disappeared, she managed to get everything tightened.

    Taking a deep breath, she looked outside, lips pursed; she watched a toad-man with a flute and a blow-pipe run across the rooftop across the street, but they seemed to be going in the direction of Ms. Bones.

    The town¡¯s a freakin¡¯ hotspot for these things!  Maybe I should try moving through the jungle ¡­ to go where, though?  But what other options do I have?  I need to find my parents and get out of this hellhole.

    Her vision shifted to the still humming brown truck.  Maybe we can use this truck to get out of town?  Should I get in and drive through the streets shouting their names?  You¡¯re kidding!  She rapped her knuckles against the side of her head.  That¡¯s a stupid idea!  I need to be quiet.

    After a second¡¯s thought, the jungle was the best plan she could come up with.  She ran out of the building and turned left instead of right, running toward the closest part of the jungle that she could see over the houses.  When she turned the final corner, she almost tripped.

    Ahead of her were four pools of blood, no bodies.  Her shock was quickly subdued by her racial, giving her the courage to walk around the small patches of what she could only describe as organs and blood that were splattered across the poorly paved street.

    I need to hurry and find them¡­

    Turning away from the gore, she broke into a sprint; it was a lot easier to move when she didn¡¯t feel any pain or discomfort from the impractical dress and boots she was wearing.  Making it to the dense jungle, she paused, hiding in the brush.  The dense foliage was surprisingly quiet compared to the previous night, and all the movies she¡¯d seen told her that was a bad thing.

    Is this a good idea?  What if I get lost or they¡¯re waiting to ambush me?  How can I even get lost when I¡¯m this close to town?  I¡¯m immortal, though, what¡¯s there to be worried about?  Calm the flip down!  Deep breaths ¡­ deep breaths.  Just stay close to the town, and it will be fine.  The toads are running the streets having a party; why would they be in the jungle¡­

    She crept out of the brush, trying to keep the town at least partially visible.  After two minutes, she saw two toads running atop the rooftops, one jumping down to explore a cream-colored house; they were fast, way faster than she thought they should be, and these two held spears.

    Elinor paused, pulling her hair around her front as she ducked closer to the ground to be less visible.  She studied the building, but the toad didn¡¯t come out after a few minutes.  Backing up, she looked around the dense foliage.  She couldn¡¯t see the town any longer; only small fragments of colors from the overhead cracks of light as she peered into the jungle.

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    This is actually a pretty good place to hide; even if they can see in the dark like I can, then the foliage itself is a good deterrent.  Maybe mom and dad are hiding in the jungle, looking for me, just like I¡¯m looking for them?  It would be so easy to miss each other; they¡¯d need to¡­

    Her thoughts trailed off as she saw something shift in a hanging tree, and on closer inspection, confirmed it; a toad was staring right at her.  She hadn¡¯t noticed it at first since its green skin blended into the scenery so well, and it had dark green eyes.  This one didn¡¯t wear a vest like the others, making it even less visible.

    The moment it became clear she¡¯d noticed it, its tongue shot out, sticking to the tip of her hair at her front like glue.  All she could do was gasp as it pulled her up into the air.  Her feet dangled six-feet off the ground, the tongue attached to the ends of her hair; even if she was trying to extend her arms as high as they could go, the tongue was barely out of reach, and to make it worse, her dress restricted her arms from extending to their full length.

    ¡°What is your problem with me, creep?¡±  She growled, lightly swinging back and forth, fingers gripping several locks that were stuck to the toad¡¯s tongue.

    She felt the pressure of being suspended by her hair, but there was no pain.  Grunting softly, she struggled for several seconds, trying to use her hair as a rope to pull herself up, but her artificial body wasn¡¯t strong enough.

    Cursing softly, she gave up, wearing a deep grimace as she slowly swung in place.  She crossed her arms, looking around dully, teeth lightly grinding against each other.  After a minute, her tone turned dry.  ¡°So, what?  We just going to hang here all night?¡±

    The toad responded by letting go of a deep rumble in its throat that carried surprisingly far.  Elinor released a loud sigh; it only released a single cry and returned to silence, so she returned to staring down at the leafy floor.

    This is ridiculous.  They can¡¯t kill me, but they certainly can keep me pinned.  It¡¯s not like I have anything to cut my hair off with either, and this body is stupidly weak ¡­ of course, I couldn¡¯t do a pull-up at school either after dropping out of gymnastics.  Ripping my hair out isn¡¯t that practical; I don¡¯t even know how strong I¡¯d need to be to start tearing my hair off my scalp ¡­ I have a lot of hair.  Maybe¡­

    Emerald flames lit across her hands, moving up her long black sleeves; the fabric didn¡¯t show any indication that it was on fire.  She tried swiping threateningly at the toad¡¯s tongue with the flames, but the only reaction she got was a slight flinch as it stiffened.

    What¡¯s wrong with these things?  I guess they¡¯re pretty intelligent, but it¡¯s fire; I¡¯d be freaking out if someone was waving a hand filled with green fire at my tongue!

    Out of options, she puffed out a long breath.  Ms. Bones ¡­ help me.

    She felt her former body rise and start making its way toward her; the poking had ceased a few minutes ago.  Her lips became a line as she glanced down where three toads seemed to appear from the brush; they were all but silent.  Two of the toads were blue and had spears while the third was the battle-ax toad.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ wonderful.  When the heck did you three get here?¡±  Elinor asked dully.  ¡°What¡¯s your deal anyway?  You just show up and start killing people, or are you just changed humans like me?  Although I guess, that means there are more of me ¡­ now that¡¯s pretty terrifying.¡±

    They just stared up at her, mirroring her blank expression.

    Ms. Bones will be here in a minute, but who knows¡­

    One of the toads with the spears jabbed up suddenly, putting the point through her left eye.

    ¡°Oh, no ¡­ please, no, it hurts,¡± she mumbled dryly before latching onto the spearhead with both hands.  ¡°Wait, this is actually pretty good.  You can pull me¡­¡±  She grunted as it simply jerked the spear out of her grip with a powerful tug.

    ¡°Dammit¡­¡±  She muttered, looking down at her sliced open palms, fire still burning across her arms.  The wounds started to close with the damage to her face.

    At least my construct doesn¡¯t break when my head is damaged.  Maybe it was destroyed because my entire neck was severed from my body?  So, it can¡¯t heal massive damage.

    She studied the toads as they started to hum at each other.  What will they do if I start swaying?  I could use my hair like a rope and start swinging instead of ¡­ Life Tap, do I have to touch people to use it ¡­ no, it can be used from a very short distance away!

    Grunting, she lifted her hands, the fire dying as she activated Life Tap.  The veins along her arms began to glow lime green as the toad above her stiffened; a ghostly shamrock green mist started to froth off its tongue.  It seemed to be pulled toward her in a slow stream as it was absorbed into her skin; the lime-colored light of her veins pulsed emerald as she continued to drain the toad¡¯s Life Force.

    Her body tensed with exhilaration as she felt the energy being pulled from her fingertips, up her arm, and move toward her head and ears; the intoxicating feeling spreading through her diamond void home was unlike anything she¡¯d ever experienced.  It was warm, and it wasn¡¯t until this point that she realized how cold she actually felt.

    Just as quickly as the heat came, it ceased; the toad released her, breaking the distance needed to drain its Life Force.  She dropped to the ground; her legs almost buckled, and she would have fallen if not for the two spears that pierced her shoulders, keeping her arms from moving.

    She clicked her tongue with annoyance as she looked down at the spears.  ¡°Man ¡­ I really liked these clothes.¡±

    Her ghostly vision studied the battle-ax toad with indifference as he sallied up to her; the two spear-toads parted to let him in, grinding their spears against her artificial bones and popping her joints out of place.  Still, she felt no need to cry out in pain as she dully watched him approach.

    She extinguished the fire along her hands.  Wasting energy probably isn¡¯t the best idea ¡­ I don¡¯t want to get too low if they decide to keep stabbing me, and then I¡¯ll be stuck until they put me in their ears or something ¡­ that isn¡¯t a bad idea, actually.  Oh, and Ms. Bones is just about here; I just need to stall a bit longer.  If I can take out the boss, then the others should run.  I¡¯ll just have Ms. Bones run at him and use its bony hand like a spear!

    ¡°So,¡± she said with a small smile.  ¡°What are you going to do with me?  You already killed me once, and that didn¡¯t stick, remember?¡±

    The toad lifted his free hand and pressed it against her left shoulder wound; the two other toads looked at each other with what appeared concern, and she finally got a look at the toad in the trees.  It had dropped down and was staring at her with caution, tongue licking its three large teeth on either side of its lips nervously.

    Hmm, it seems like they don¡¯t know what to make of me.  I¡¯m not like the other humans they¡¯ve dealt with here; for one, I don¡¯t bleed, and this guy was supposed to have already killed me.

    An edge of excitement touched her as Ms. Bones shot through the undergrowth.

    Finally!  Take him...

    Without glancing back, the toad flung its ax at Ms. Bones; it smashed straight through her previous body¡¯s skull, shattering it to pieces as her link broke.

    ¡°What?¡±  Elinor¡¯s eyes widened; she wanted to cry, but no tears came.  ¡°How¡¯s that ¡­ that¡¯s not fair ¡­ you didn¡¯t even look.¡±  She mumbled; the toads seemed confused by her reaction as they turned to study her previous body and then her expression.

    I ¡­ my body ¡­ it¡¯s gone; I don¡¯t ¡­ how can I ¡­ am I stuck like this now?  I¡¯m a Lich Empress forever?  Why¡¯s that a problem?  I¡¯m so confused ¡­ if I felt like this, then why did I even turn my body into a skeleton ¡­ Lich Bane, a Racial Trait that splits my humanity.  It forces a split between my previous Human Nature and Lich Nature, putting them at odds.

    Does being an Empress have any kind of trait ¡­ Imperial Presence and Royal Temper ¡­ well, great.  What does Imperial Presence do ¡­ I exude a regal posture and aura that can cause those that are in my presence to become cowed or awestruck.

    That¡¯s kind of cool.  Maybe that¡¯s why the toads paused a few times, but it can¡¯t be that powerful with how they¡¯ve been treating me.  Why is it not that effective ¡­ it¡¯s level one ¡­ my abilities have levels?  Holy crap ¡­ that¡¯s crazy.  What level is Raise Skeleton ¡­ two.  Wow, okay.

    What about Royal Temper, what does it do ¡­ a Trait that makes me haughty and bore easily.  That¡¯s complete crap ¡­ well, I have been getting a bit bored with these ridiculous circumstances recently.  Fantastic ¡­ I¡¯m like a spoiled brat.  Let¡¯s just not think about that one.

    I got pretty emotional about Ms. Bones.  The loss of my human body must be tied to my Human Nature clinging onto it as an anchor.  This is real; I¡¯m not human anymore ¡­ what will my parents think?  Will they still love me?  Why wouldn¡¯t they love me?  Are they still alive?  Did these creatures kill them?  No, I have to believe they¡¯re alive!

    Her vision returned to the toads as Emotional Loss slowly calmed her twisted mind, shock turning into cold rage.  They took something of mine ¡­ that was my body.  They¡¯ll regret that eventually.  What should I do in the meantime?  I don¡¯t see any way out of this situation, but I don¡¯t really want to deal with this crap.  They¡¯re smart enough to lock my movements down, seeing as they can¡¯t kill me.  Next ¡­ yup, they¡¯ll tie me up.  Could they come up with anything less clever?

    She watched the creeper-toad step forward with a few vines in hand, likely gathered from the jungle itself.  It cautiously approached her but quickened its work as the battle-ax toad grunted, lifting his hand to recall its ax.

    Elinor¡¯s vision settled on what remained of her skeletal body; it had collapsed into a scattered mess of bones, fragments of her skull strewn around the area.

    If I want to get out of this and save my parents, assuming they¡¯re still alive, then I need to learn more about being a Lich Empress.  What I really need is something better than this nameless thing in my head that gives me answers ¡­ wow, I really do sound a lot more haughty and royal-like.  Anyways, knowledge-thing, how do I get a better advisor than you?  Ah, I get it, so, you don¡¯t want to be replaced, eh?

    She hummed lowly, causing the toads to stiffen, and the creeper-toad tying her up to drop the vine, leaping back a few feet.

    Her eyebrow lifted, giggling, ¡°Jumpy, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    The battle-ax toad grunted, slapping the creeper-toad on the shoulder; probably telling him to get on with it, and Elinor returned to her thoughts as he inched forward.

    I want another advisor; someone that can actually hold a conversation.  Can you give me something like that ¡­ Royal Court Titles.  What is this?  As a Lich Empress, I can bestow a title to an undead candidate that will advance into a Special Undead unit.  They¡¯ll gain special abilities based on the specific title they¡¯re designated with and grow accordingly, eh?  It looks like you aren¡¯t so useless after all.

    Royal Court ¡­ now that sounds like an Empress.  Okay, at least we¡¯re getting somewhere, being an Empress is cool, I guess.  Royal Court Titles, though.  I did ask for a better advisor, and it gave me this.

    An Empress has a bunch of subjects, so that means that the Royal Court is the leadership that helps me rule, but I¡¯m above them.  If I give someone a title, then they are brought into my Royal Court.  I can work with that.  I can¡¯t just use it on anyone, though, can I ¡­ thought so.

    Her attention was pulled back to reality as the spear-toads jerked their weapons out of her shoulders.  The creeper-toad had finished tying her up, and quickly brought the end of the vine to the battle-ax toad.  The jumpy-toad had wrapped the vine around her body from her shoulders to her elbows and had a lead that they could pull her along with.

    I need nicknames for these things.  The toad that was creeping around in the jungle ¡­ he¡¯ll be Creeper.  Ax-toad ¡­ Boss; he¡¯s definitely the Boss.  Spear twins ¡­ they really are like twins, same patterns and everything; they can be ¡­ left will be Kirby and right will be Shirly ¡­ I don¡¯t even know if you¡¯re a boy or girl.  I¡¯ll come up with better names later if I ever find out.

    Back to my abilities, though; what spells do I have?  You won¡¯t tell me big questions ¡­ hmm.

    The Boss tugged on the rope, indicating that she was supposed to follow.  ¡°Hey, give me a second, Boss.¡±  She growled.  Her boots had sunk a little into the wet soil, making her grunt to pull them out.

    How many skeletons can I make now ¡­ nine ¡­ holy crap!  That¡¯s like three times what I could back at the hotel!  One level can make a big difference?  Can I sense dead things around me ¡­ Lesser Corpse Detection; if I activate it, I can sense all the things I can raise within a ten-foot radius.  I can¡¯t reanimate them if I can¡¯t light them on fire¡­

    Boss tugged on her vine a little harder, making her stumble forward and almost trip.  ¡°Is it impossible to be a little gentler,¡± she grumbled, slowly walking behind him as Kirby and Shirly took up either side of her and Creeper followed behind.

    She passed by her scattered bones with a deep frown as she activated Detect Corpses.  I can¡¯t raise my skeleton again ¡­ once they¡¯re destroyed, it¡¯s over for them.

    Creeper tied her hair up with her body, so it was a little hard to look around.  There¡¯s over a dozen small dead creatures in the area.  Can I have little green butterflies of fire go reanimate them ¡­ I can; Herald of the Empress!  That was pretty specific and cool!  It¡¯s almost like it¡¯s responding to my desires, for the most part.

    Using Herald of the Empress, she watched green fire appear on her hands, licking up her black sleeved arms; nine burning emerald and shamrock-colored butterflies materialized out of the flames, quickly flapping their wings toward the closest corpses of the creatures hidden underneath the thick foliage.

    Wow ... they¡¯re actually really beautiful¡­

    Boss reacted in an instant, ax swiping at two of the fiery messengers and causing them to disperse while Kirby and Shirly readied their spears to stab her shoulders again.  Creeper just jumped into a nearby tree, sticking to the branches.

    Elinor lifted an eyebrow at the frightened toad.  ¡°I must say, even I¡¯m a little embarrassed for you.¡±

    The remaining butterflies lowered to the ground and disappeared, causing Boss to grunt with apparent annoyance as he turned toward her.  Her lips curled into an innocent smile as she shrugged, extinguishing the flames as her new miniature force began to stir.

    Boss lifted his ax and in two swift motions, cleaved through both of her forearms, somehow managing to stop the blow before they struck her waist.  Both Kirby and Shirly shifted a step to get a better look.

    Elinor frowned as she looked down at her severed arms, already starting to decompose.  ¡°Rude.¡±  She huffed, glancing at her cut sleeves; chartreuse-colored veins shot out of her stumps to take the shape of hands before bone, muscle, fat, and skin formed out of dense green mist released within the framework.

    Should I just release my Artificial Body and retreat to my diamond?  I could wait it out in there and see what happens...

    The energy used was about the same amount she took from Creeper, but she kept a mildly indignant demeanor, glaring up at Boss while flexing her new fingers.  ¡°All you¡¯re doing is damaging my clothes and annoying me; could you please stop.¡±

    Boss¡¯ face darkened, but he took a step back as he looked down at her regrown and decaying hands before a low rumble echoed in his throat; both Kirby and Shirly mirrored him.  It was obvious that her complete composure in the face of having her arms chopped off and then regrown had intimidated them.

    No ¡­ an Empress doesn¡¯t run and hide; she faces her foes head-on.

    Elinor felt a joyful burst of pride at finally getting Boss to acknowledge her otherworldly power as she directed her rodent army to keep hidden, following from a safe distance.

    After a moment, Boss tugged on her vine, urging them back toward the town, but not before telling Kirby and Shirly something that set them on edge, spears ready to strike her at a moment¡¯s notice.

    Just you wait, Boss.  I¡¯m slowly learning the ropes, and when I get a chance, you¡¯ll join my growing army.

 B1 â€” 4. Birth Of An Empress

    Elinor walked behind Boss, trying her best to keep a straight posture.  Her undead creatures followed in the foliage to shroud the soft glow of their burning bones, keeping their distance; they used their natural connection to her to stay hidden while in pursuit.

    She examined the deathly silent surroundings with mild interest.  The streets were mostly empty, which surprised her; every road they walked down housed a few cars and evidence of violence.  Blood was splattered across sections of the streets, and belongings were tossed out onto the pavement; there were signs of panic all around her.

    Boss and the other toads kept a watchful eye on their surroundings while ushering her on, guiding their small group further into the town.  Elinor began to hear sounds in the distance; at first, it was high-pitched shrieks of women and children, car horns, gunfire, and breaking glass, but the further they walked, the more she heard.  After a time, she began to hear men shouting and the dull hum of toads communicating.

    Rounding a corner, she had her first glimpse of the crystal she¡¯d heard Raul mention.  There was an olive-green glow surrounding the amber-colored object.  It was oval-shaped, and at least five meters tall and two and a half meters wide.  The smooth stone hovered a few inches off the roughly paved road and gave the appearance of being transparent; she could see into it as if she were gazing into a window.  Inside was a small clearing, large clumps of grass, lush trees, and water; she knew it was nighttime, even if her vision could pierce the night, and it appeared to be an untamed jungle wetland.

    At first, her curiosity got the better of her; she watched groups of various patterned and colored toads escort the giant alligator-toads to and from the crystal, loaded up with different local items inside massive baskets strapped to their backs.

    On closer inspection, even the creatures had their own colors and patterns that seemed to distinguish between the parties; the blood markings on their heads and bodies, the basket material on pet¡¯s backs, and the types of items they carried all seemed to signify something.

    They walked right into the crystal as if it wouldn¡¯t impede them in the least, and it didn¡¯t; the moment they came into contact with the stone, they walked into it as if it were a doorway.  There was no change in light, no sound, not a single apparent shift in the structure; they stepped into it and were gone.  After a moment, a new group of toads with a different creature would appear.  There seemed to be a pattern to the exported materials and the types of toads that returned to get more.

    Boss moved them toward the crystal without delay, but they slowed as a group of people came into the street from around the corner.  There was a long line of humans, tied together with vines that were attached to the back of a massive creature, and on its back was a basket full of dead bodies.

    Elinor felt the hair on her neck rise for a moment before her racial slowly suppressed her fear and sadness, leaving her surprise, disgust, and cold anger to fester; it was the green toads with the spiral pattern.  The toads with flutes were playing a soft melody that seemed to put the humans into a stupor-like state; they trudged along with dull expressions as the creature moved toward the crystal, tugging on the prisoner¡¯s bindings.

    One of the green toads broke off from the escort group, another blowgun toad by his side; they marched right for them, cheeks bulging as it communicated with Boss.  It was clear that these two were not friends as Boss¡¯ cheeks puffed up with his posture, and Elinor took the opportunity to examine her situation.

    They¡¯re killing people and taking back prisoners; there¡¯s also food, belongings, and ¡­ is that a street sign?  An alien attack?  Aliens that turned me into a Lich?  Okay ¡­ maybe something else?  This is just insane ¡­ the attack of the toad people; what a movie title that would be.  The crystal is their warp gate, and this cracked dome is a prison field to keep everyone in ¡­ probably.

    What do alien toads want with people and ¡­ street signs; they¡¯re taking the dogs and cats, too?  They even have an anteater and jaguar tied up; did they already explore the surrounding jungle that much?  Wouldn¡¯t they get more resources out of harvesting a moon or something?  This is so confusing.

    At least I can¡¯t see mom and dad in that group, but that means they might have already gone through the crystal¡­

    Her thoughts were temporarily interrupted as Boss tugged on her bindings, forcing her a little closer as the conversation seemed to get more heated.  The green toad pointed at her, then the group of prisoners that were being fed through the crystal.  Boss shook his head, gesturing at her and making a dismissive wave to the toad with his ax.  It was apparent that negotiations or demands had failed because they both stared each other down as silence fell.

    I guess the green toad wants me to join the other group and Boss doesn¡¯t want to give me up.  They could be from different tribes or something; there seems to be a lot that¡¯s different about each group, but there are multiple blue and green parties.

    I shouldn¡¯t be worried about them right now, though.  I can have my rats grab my earrings and rush me to safety if I need it, but that might also give up my true body.  It¡¯ll probably be best to do that when everyone¡¯s disoriented on the other side.  Can I control my rat if I send it to the other side?

    Elinor sent the command, and one of her minions shot out of its hiding place.  It shrouded itself below an alligator-toad¡¯s belly as it moved toward the crystal.  When the creature entered, she had it run straight at the object, passing into the world beyond.  She grimaced as her visual and mental connection was lost; the rat was still linked to her, but it was unresponsive.

    The distance thing, eh ¡­ yup, out of range.  If I go beyond the¡­

    Her neutral gaze shifted from the crystal to another group of dark gray toads with spears and hammers; they were leading a group of five humans, her mother among them.

    Crap ¡­ what do I do?  Do I have any attack spells or abilities to blast the toads with?  No?  What the hell?  Why ¡­ Empress.  My Kind?  What does being an Empress have to do with me not having attack spells?  What does Empress do ¡­ grants me the Eternal Ruler Title, allowing me to distribute ranks among my minions, and locks me out of all offensive and defensive Lich abilities.  It also gives me the Spectral Monarch Passive.  I¡¯m just a summoner, then?  That¡¯s bullshit!  How am I supposed to build an army when I can¡¯t kill anything?

    Elinor¡¯s jaw locked as her attention returned to her mother; she was being prompted toward the portal.  Her hair was matted with sweat, mud, and blood; it was cut unevenly in a few places and stuck to the blood that ran down her face.  Black bumps and cuts marred her once stunning complexion; her nose was broken, the crimson liquid mixing with a cut on her lip.  All she could see was the pain and loss in her posture.  She was cradling her left arm and walking with a limp.

    Her mother¡¯s clothes were torn and cut in several places, showing more bruising and wet blood.  Elinor could feel a ravenous beast crawling inside her chest as Emotional Loss suppressed her fearful impulses, leaving her hatred of the Toads to fester; she watched her mother vanish with the group beyond the crystal.

    Whatever this is, it¡¯s real, and they have my mom.  I don¡¯t know where my dad is, but I have to save my mom.  If there are dead bodies on the other side, then I can raise them, but I need to be patient and bide my time.  If these aliens want to kill, harm, and take from us, then I¡¯ll use them just the same.

    She glanced toward the postulating toads; Boss seemed to win as the green toad backed off, shooting a sharp glare in her direction as he moved toward another group of green toads that emerged from the crystal.  Boss jerked on her rope with a satisfied grunt.

    I need to follow after her.

    Elinor held her head high, posture straightening; she increased her pace, causing the toads to shift a little as she took the lead, walking around Boss.  He lifted his ax threateningly, but she simply turned her cold ghostly green eyes to him and said, ¡°Hurry up.¡±

    Growing more accustomed to the strange way their faces creased, she recognized their uncertainty as the others looked toward Boss.  She reached the edge of her rope and turned to stare at them expectantly; he grunted something before reluctantly following.

    If she weren¡¯t bound it might look like she was leading the toads; Kirby and Shirly kept their spears ready to strike, but her cool demeanor and regal posture caused every other toad to stop and watch them approach the crystal.

    She released all her rats, excluding the one beyond the crystal, knowing she needed something stronger for combat.  The links faded as a part of their energy returned to her.

    Interesting, if I release them on my own, then a portion of that energy is returned.

    Boss croaked something in a commanding tone and a group of toads with a creature laden with dead bodies stopped.  They glanced between each other with confusion, prompting the beast to back away.  Elinor turned her head to give Boss a cold smirk before returning her focus to the crystal.

    No, these toads are far more intelligent than I gave them credit for.  That¡¯s fine, though.  There are dead things everywhere; what beasts lie below the surface of this new place?

    She didn¡¯t hesitate, walking through the crystal; it didn¡¯t give her any strange sensation other than her left boot pressing into the soft dirt on the other side as she felt her body¡¯s momentum being kept at a constant, forced to emerge at the same pace as she was moving.  The unnatural feeling of being forced through almost caused her to trip, but she managed to catch her balance as she slowly walked forward.

    Elinor observed her new environment, boots making squelching sounds with every step; her undead rat burst back into life as she exited.  It was nighttime, and the sky was ablaze with stars and two visible blue moons.  The scene was vastly different than what she¡¯d observed in the crystal; the area was sectioned off between four toad camps.

    To her left was where the green toads were based; she could see the flutes, blowpipes, daggers, and even spears that resembled their colors.  They seemed to be the most distinct of the four groups with some kind of banner that held a purple serpent on it.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    The green toads were well organized with many boats that housed prisoners and goods already claimed.  They strode around with an almost proud demeanor as they herded humans to specific locations.  Every person she saw held some kind of injury, obviously given to force subservience, and most had downcast eyes.  It was apparent that they were confused, but most didn¡¯t resist.

    There were a few humans that showed defiance despite their injuries; these prisoners seemed to be dumped at the base directly facing her.  These toads were blue with black spots and appeared to be the smallest tribe.  They had the least supplies, and she saw most of the more lively humans tied up and gagged with the remaining being women.

    The toads to her right were a mix of dull shades of green and gray; they showed a variety of spot shapes, and there were a few that resembled the green tribe to her left.  Despite the resemblance in skin color, these appeared to be much more savage.

    They had more of the alligator-toads than the other tribes, at least a dozen more in their camp compared to the green tribe.  They seemed to focus on the pure size of the humans; most of the male population was in their faction, and many corpses that their pets were already feasting on.  She assumed that Boss was a part of this faction since several held similar battle-axes.

    Behind her, she could see an orange toad encampment.  They seemed to be less interested in the bodies, humans, and objects, focusing on the food and plants brought back.  The thinnest of the tribes, she couldn¡¯t see many weapons on them besides knives and wooden spears.

    She watched as all the goods she¡¯d seen go through piled together; each tribe appeared to have representatives with colored vests sifting through the contents.  They chose different items to be returned to their respective camps, and similarly dressed individuals were directing where people and food were to go.

    Elinor told her rat to hide in the undergrowth; it righted itself and shot into a short brush to her left.  In scanning the area, she found her mom; she was being tugged toward the human selection area, eyes wild as she heard the cries, screams, and moaning of the people around the clearing.

    Boss appeared behind her with Kirby, Shirly, and Creeper in-tow.  She hummed while bunching her lips to the side, eyes continuing to study her environment.

    This might be tough.  My skeletons aren¡¯t that strong; Boss took one out with a single throw.  How do my skeletons get stronger ¡­ by leveling up.  Well, that¡¯s a genius answer; how do they level up ¡­ by gaining experience.  So, it¡¯s like a game?  Don¡¯t want to be compared to a game, eh?  Alright, so, if it is like a game, then killing crap.  Sounds like the perfect job for an Empress of the Dead, but how to get started when I¡¯m a freaking prisoner?

    Boss moved past her, taking the lead as he looked around and tugged on her bindings.  She followed with her tense guards taking up the rear.  Turning slightly, Boss grunted a few things, which caused Shirly to run off at a shocking speed.  Shirly respectfully moved to one of the blue tribe¡¯s representatives, directing its attention toward them.

    The toad representatives returned to their discussion, but it seemed like a rushed decision; they were debating between the group her mother was in, and it was quickly decided that her mother would be taken to the blue-tribe.  Her binding was grabbed and yanked toward the human groups that were forming in each camp.

    Each toad paused as they returned their attention to Shirly; croaking a few times, they shifted to face Boss, and it was immediately apparent that Boss held some weight with the other tribes.  They made loud grunts, lifting both hands into the air in his direction before pounding their chest twice.

    Her mother glanced up at them, pausing to try and get a better view of her.  ¡°El-Elinor?¡±  She asked in a stunned tone; her question followed the slight pause between the toad¡¯s calls, making them turn to face Tiffany, but she didn¡¯t seem to notice.  ¡°Elinor, is¡ªis that you?  Please, God, please¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t know if these toads understand our language, but they might be able to pick up on our emotions.  Boss might use her if he¡¯s taken a liking to me.

    ¡°Act like we don¡¯t know each other,¡± Elinor said in a cold tone,  ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to get back to you; just try to survive.¡±  She turned away from her mother dismissively, staring around the site with an arid expression.

    Tiffany swallowed nervously, looking around at the toads glancing between them.  Her vision dropped to the dark jungle mud.  There were no lights in the camps, so normal humans would be almost blind; the moons and stars brightened the clearing, but the jungle would have been pitch black.

    ¡°Y-your father¡ªI don¡¯t know...¡±

    Elinor ignored her weak response, trying to show Boss and the others that there was no connection and that this was just some plea for help.

    Boss lifted his ax toward her mother and waved towards the camp; he seemed annoyed at the interruption.  One of the blue-toads complied, slapping her mother across the face, causing her to whimper.  It made a threatening sound in its throat as it grabbed each of their vines and tugged, directing her mother¡¯s group to follow.  The other humans saw the treatment and stayed silent, only broken by a few whimpers of teens and adults alike around the clearing.

    Elinor¡¯s cold hatred boiled as she watched her mother be taken and tied to a thick root that bulged out of the ground.  The toad shoved her down beside a few weeping girls, tongue shooting out to slap her on the back of the head before walking off.  Her mother quaked, head bowed to press her bound wrists against the strike.

    The girls that were ungagged seemed to be whispering to each other with terrified expressions, but Elinor was too far away to hear what was being said.

    I want to kill them, but ¡­ bide my time.  I need to find a solution.  Think ¡­ stay calm.

    Her focus returned to the camp.

    Four tribes ¡­ they¡¯re probably in some kind of alliance, but it seems like the green faction is the least liked.  The blue toads and Boss¡¯ tribe seem to be on pretty good terms, though.  If they¡¯re taking people back alive, then mom should be fine for at least a bit if she does what they say.  As long as they¡¯re alive...

    Elinor caught many of the toads listening to Boss¡¯ conversation with the representatives.  They glanced her way every once in a while; trepidation seemed to be sweeping each faction as the discussion continued; the orange-toads appeared particularly perturbed by what was said, but the blue-tribe¡¯s representative seemed fascinated.

    She assumed the leader of the blue faction was the representative; he had several strings with different colored stones around his neck, and a blue cap of red feathers on his head.  There were four tattoos spaced across his body that resembled different kinds of creatures, and his only clothing was a belt with several small pouches on it.  Elinor decided to call him Chief because of the feathers.

    Chief turned to Shirly and grunted a few things, pointing at an alligator-toad with bodies inside the basket.  He extended a hand toward Boss and croaked once.  Boss responded with a nod, face grave as he glared at her.

    Three of the blue toads raced toward it and started taking down a body each, hauling the broken and chewed up corpses back toward the group; three of the ax-wielding grayish-green toads from Boss¡¯ camp moved up to the group.  By their readied shields and axes, it was clear they were expecting a fight.

    So, they want a demonstration?  This could work out to my advantage, but why would they willingly give me weapons?  In any case, I need practice with my units.

    She activated Lesser Corpse Detection; there were two skeletons below her, buried in the soil three feet below and five feet apart.  There was one more, but she sensed the bones weren¡¯t complete enough to reanimate.

    What would happen if I try to reanimate it?  If I have the opportunity, then I might as well try, but I might have bigger problems.

    She examined the dead men being carried on the backs of the toads with pursed lips.

    Alright, I have hidden units I can create, but can I bring things back to life underground?  I have to rely on my butterflies and hope they can do it.

    They dropped the bodies in front of her and quickly retreated.  Chief was staring at her expectantly, two guards with spears running up from the camp to guard him.  Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing to stare at the spectacle, and it struck her.

    What if I cause a distraction for mom to sneak away?  With so many humans being brought back, they might not notice if she¡¯s gone.  However, others might plead for her to free them and draw their attention back, and that could get her killed.  No, it¡¯s better if she keeps her head down and waits for me to get strong enough to take her back by force.  I should keep my rat close to her, so I know where she¡¯s at.

    Ordering her undead rodent to keep an eye on her mom, she directed a lofty smirk in Chief¡¯s direction as her hands lit with unearthly emerald flames.  Every toad took a step back as they watched her hands spontaneously burst with fire, grunting with tones of surprise; their shock increased when the fire didn¡¯t spread or burn her clothes.

    Elinor spoke with an elevated tone to draw attention away from her mother¡¯s choked cry of terror.  ¡°Are you still scared of me?  I suppose confronting a being that can return from the dead is quite terrifying.¡±

    Boss nodded with a grave expression at the warrior-toads, causing them to shift stances and tighten their grips on their shields and axes.  They spread out, surrounding her as the other toads backed off.

    Her haunting eyes shifted between each of the toads in a cavalier manner as her posture straightened, a light smirk rising.  ¡°Three of your finest, I assume.¡±

    Elinor instructed her undead rodent to start writing a message in the mud by her mother¡¯s feet, telling her that she¡¯d be okay; she could come back to life, and that as long as the rat was alive, then she was alright.

    Eight emerald and shamrock-colored butterflies materialized from the fire, flaming bodies rising slowly into the air; they circled her with leisurely flaps of their immaterial wings, and slowly descended to the ground¡ªshe had them light upon the three corpses of the large men they¡¯d brought her.

    The bodies burst into flames as three of the butterflies landed on their flesh; the spectral sparks ignited each corpse, bright light causing eerie shadows to darken the area.  The noise of the toads increased with panic as the bodies started to move, and the purple tribe that had just entered the world through the crystal froze.

    Amidst the chaos, her rodent had gained her mother¡¯s attention as it slowly began writing out the message, and her remaining butterflies slipped into the earth as if it were open-air, moving to their specified targets.  She recalled the two remaining butterflies from the ground to circle her if more minions became available.

    The flesh, blood, muscle, and fat were consumed, and the bodies twitched, rising to their bony feet; the toads took another step back as the hollows of their polished skulls lit with emerald light, and an unearthly sound resembling a sharp breath pierced the air with their open jaws.

    With the rise of the skeletal forms, the reanimation of the long-forgotten bones beneath the soil began; the unsuitable reanimation target also caught fire, and she felt a new spectral unit rising.  Her smile grew while watching the building dread of the surrounding toads, and with it came a new skill as they retreated to the edge of the clearing, Monarch of Death.

    Her mind opened as something surrounded her head and belied voices rose around the area in a mass of incoherency; the item fit perfectly, was nearly weightless, and felt natural to wear.  She lifted her hand to grip the smooth metallic surface of the object, lifting it off to examine.  The moment it left her, the enlightened feeling faded, the loud voices dissipated, replaced by human cries.

    It was a black crown, dark as night to her own eyes; three pieces were fused, the bottom arches spaced by thirteen barbed spikes, each barb mirroring the opposite nail surrounding the framework.  The visage of the crown was a reverse heart, resembling a ribcage, and the three linking bodies of the piece met in the front, augmenting into a miniature six-spiked symbol of the crown as a whole.

    It released an unhallowed aura as black mist moved along the back, dropping into a ghostly veil that flowed like silk down to her shoulder-blades.

    Monarch of Death ¡­ a physical construct that represents my dominion over the dead.  It¡¯s a Cluster Set ¡­ a skill that branches into several links.  A pretty complicated one.  What are the attached skills ¡­ Lesser Aura of Supremacy, Lesser Minion Mastery, Imperial Presence, Prose of the Potentate, and Call of the Empress.

    The only toads still left surrounding her was Creeper, hiding behind Boss, Kirby, Shirly, Chief, his two shaking guards, and the three warriors Boss had called out.

    Elinor fluidly replaced the crown, mind-expanding; it formed perfectly to her skull, barely disturbing her hair, yet she knew that it would not fall without her direct influence.  Without warning, she understood the language of the toads surrounding her, and her supply of Life Force began draining rapidly.

 B1 â€” 5. My Secret Weapon!

    Elinor was a little shocked to hear a mass of voices shouting around her; after a moment, it became apparent that it was the toads.

    How can I understand them ¡­ Prose of the Potentate I; if I have a minion under my control that has an understanding of a language, then it is instantly translated both ways.  Does that even work with animals ¡­ it does.

    Her three new skeletons quickly moved to her side as Boss and his warriors kept their distance.  She could feel the two creatures below her; one most certainly was a reanimated toad-man.  She could feel the difference in their body type; the humans felt weaker and had a distinguishable physical structure that differed from the two below.

    Even the two buried in the ground were distinctly different; the toad-man felt strong, but the other was even stronger, larger; this new creature was something else entirely from what she¡¯d seen.

    I have a secret weapon if things go south.  What I really need to do is get a better understanding of these new skills I have, but I need time.

    Boss¡¯ voice gave her the impression that he was in his forties.  ¡°Keep it steady, boys, and keep any other bodies away from her.  We¡¯re in control, but that can change at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±  He shouted back at the others.

    The toad to her right shifted his ax and shield a little.  ¡°Sir Fennel, are there more creatures like this beyond the gate?¡±

    So, Boss¡¯ name is Fennel, but I think I¡¯ll stick with Boss.

    ¡°Don¡¯t focus on that now, Denral,¡± Boss grunted.  ¡°This one has strange powers; if you get too close, it will pull green mist out of you.¡±

    Creeper¡¯s tone was feminine, fearful, and young.  ¡°It feels cold; it¡¯s like a blizzard is running through your body.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Elinor asked.  ¡°Good to know.¡±

    Every toad present froze except for Chief; he hurried forward, his two guards hesitating before following.  He stopped beside Denral as Boss barked, ¡°Valdar, keep your distance; if you die, then everything we¡¯ve forged will fall with it!¡±

    ¡°It speaks, though!¡±  Valdar¡¯s voice was more aged than Elinor would have guessed.  ¡°It knows our language!¡±

    ¡°That, I do,¡± Elinor said with a slight smirk as her guards kept a close formation.  She kept her vision on Valdar, identifying him as her link to time.  ¡°My name is Elinor.  Valdar, was it?  An interesting name.  It¡¯s definitely not a name I¡¯d hear back¡­¡±

    Her focus was diverted as the crystal let out a low hum, and another group of green toads entered the clearing.  The company consisted of five blow-gun toads and their pet, carrying corpses in the basket on its back, and a second creature pulling a cage.

    Inside the cage was a snake woman; she had the upper body of a woman in her twenties and the lower body of a vibrant, green, and black patterned serpent.  The color more than identified it as a dangerous looking snake; Elinor would have shrunk away from any serpent that put off that color.

    The snake-woman wore a green dress, and was quite beautiful; her long moss-green hair was wet, sticking to her tear struck face.  The dress she wore showed signs of struggle, cuts, and gashes were evident; black blood staining the fabric, but she didn¡¯t seem hurt.  She was bound by multiple vines, each one tied to the cage bars to keep her in place, and unable to struggle.

    Valdar hummed thoughtfully as he turned to look at the caged woman.  ¡°Ah, it looks like the Clavex Clan has captured their own interesting creature.  It¡¯s similar to the Nalvean Great Chief; no wonder they focused so heavily on that one.¡±  Noticing Elinor¡¯s shifted focus, he asked, ¡°Do you happen to know that creature?  Can it speak our language, as well?¡±

    Elinor paid him no mind; her focus wasn¡¯t on the snake-woman but centered on the first creature.  There were several bodies of toads, clearly separated from the human corpses by a divider.  She swallowed nervously, mind numb; in the basket full of humans, she found the face of her father.  He was alive, but it looked like he was mortally wounded.  She knew just by seeing the blood running down his left arm, hanging over the basket, and the red stains across his visible stomach that he wouldn¡¯t make it.

    They killed my father ¡­ he¡¯s going to die.  My dad¡¯s dead?  That¡¯s not possible; he can¡¯t die ¡­ my dad¡¯s invincible ¡­ he¡¯s supposed to be invincible.  He¡¯s my dad ¡­ what about mom?

    Her thoughts spiraled out of control; Emotional Loss unable to suppress the fear and misery that ran through her mind, but her body was unaffected by her emotional struggle.  She stood stock-still, glowing green irises darting between her father¡¯s soon to be corpse and her oblivious mother.  Tiffany was looking down at her rat; she could see the relief on her mother¡¯s face as she read the message.

    She hasn¡¯t seen dad¡¯s ¡­ no, she can¡¯t see him; it¡¯s too dark.  What do I do?  What can I do?  He¡¯s going to die; there¡¯s nothing I can do to stop it¡­ no, there has to be something!  Do I have a healing spell?  What about something that can heal ¡­ Skeletal Priest!  Can I make one of my skeletons one?  Why won¡¯t you answer me?

    I can¡¯t, but why?  What are the requirements to make a Skeletal Priest ¡­ experience; they need to gain enough experience to select a Class and Subclass.  Shit!  If I can kill these toads, but ¡­ I can¡¯t kill them like I am, they¡¯re an army.  It¡¯s not fair!  What did I do to deserve this?  Tell me what I can do!  Tell me, dammit!  You¡¯re useless!

    What can I do?  What can I ¡­ no, I¡¯m a Necromancer, right?  I¡¯m a Lich!  I can bring him back.  No!  Why would I even think about that?  That means he dies, and I can¡¯t ¡­ dad wouldn¡¯t want to be a skeleton or zombie ¡­  it¡¯s not right.  I can¡¯t do it ¡­ I can¡¯t, but ¡­ but what¡¯s the alternative?  What can I do?  Is turning my dad into an undead the only option?

    Necromancers do it in movies ¡­ they can bring back their loved ones, but ¡­ but it¡¯s usually bad ¡­ there¡¯s a catch, or it isn¡¯t really them.  I can¡¯t ¡­ am I really thinking about doing it?  I¡¯m running out of time; he¡¯s dying, and I can¡¯t save him ¡­ not while he¡¯s alive.  This is messed up ¡­ screwed up ¡­ wrong, but ¡­ but it has to work!  These bastards are forcing me!  I don¡¯t want to!  I don¡¯t ¡­ but ¡­ but I have to...

    Emotional Loss soon brought her panic attack under control, leaving rage to fill its place.  She turned her cool features toward Valdar; with his deep hums and gestures, she was beginning to understand their physical behaviors.  His fingers rubbed his chin thoughtfully as his legs bowed to squat a little.

    He nudged Denral next to him.  ¡°Hey, boy, did you see that crease in its face?  I think it recognized that creature.  What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Eh, I don¡¯t know, Elder Sage,¡± Danral mumbled, tightening his grip on his weapon and shield.

    ¡°Valdar,¡± Boss barked.  ¡°This isn¡¯t time for your experiments!  This creature is dangerous, and the warriors need to understand how to deal with it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, come now,¡± Valdar grumbled.  ¡°It seems fairly intelligent; we could learn much from it.  Perhaps we could attain the key to controlling the dead, similar to the Clavex Clan¡¯s Minstrels.¡±

    ¡°I want nothing to do with the Clavex Clan, Valdar,¡± Boss stated dangerously.

    ¡°Ah, right, right.  Not the best subject with you,¡± Valdar sighed, tapping his chin.  ¡°Still, its Mysticism would be quite beneficial for the tribes.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s cold eyes stayed on her father as the creature stopped in the Clavex Clan¡¯s camp, waiting for the workers to unload its cargo.  They were slow about it, keeping a watchful eye on her and the grieving snake-woman.

    Before anything, I need to escape with mom and dad.  To do that, I¡¯ll need to learn the extent of my new abilities.  Focus ¡­ I can think about the awful possibilities later.

    She took a deep breath; the action helped to calm her fractured mind.  She was split with doubts that she could bring her father back, doubts about escaping with her mother and father alive, if this was all a nightmare, and if she was strong enough; the list was endless.

    Monarch of Death seems to be one of my most powerful upgrades.  The spells and abilities it gave me are Lesser Aura of Supremacy, Lesser Minion Mastery, Imperial Presence, Prose of the Potentate, and Call of the Empress.

    I know what Prose of the Potentate does now; I can even understand animals to a certain extent with it.  Talking to the local wildlife or even talking to any of the other local creatures might be an option later, but that skill won¡¯t help me out of this situation.  I can¡¯t barter with these creatures; they hold all the cards, and Boss is too cautious.

    What is Lesser Aura of Supremacy ¡­ an Aura Skill that is released upon donning the crown.  It¡¯s like a domination spell that imprints my superiority on the minds of weak-willed individuals.  It doesn¡¯t necessarily make them serve me but puts fear in their hearts.  To the weakest willed creatures, I¡¯m like a god, a being far superior to their pathetic existence.  I can level this skill up, correct ¡­ yes.  There must be a better way of learning about these skills.  What if I ask ¡­ tell me everything you can about Lesser Aura of Supremacy.

    Elinor¡¯s vision shifted back to the snake-woman as her cries escalated, drawing everyone¡¯s attention, but Boss barked orders at the three warriors, and the skill¡¯s information filled her mind.

    ¡°Keep your guard up!  You have brothers in arms around you; focus on the task ahead of you while your brothers watch your back.  If it moves, kill it.  If it makes more fire, kill it.  If its undead soldiers move, kill them.¡±

    Boss turned to the elderly toad.  ¡°Now, Valdar, we need to discuss what we want to do with this creature; so, can you quit gawking and tell me what you know.¡±

    All of the distractions gave Elinor the time to identify her new abilities, and the information that downloaded into her mind was almost instantaneous, causing little time to pass to fully understand her skills.

    Lesser Aura of Supremacy I; Passive Aura Skill, Magical Type, Mental Attack, Constant, No Cost, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank One.  It activates from my crown, extending outward in a twenty-foot radius.  If someone sees me beyond its effects, then they will obviously not have any reaction, but once they enter that radius, then it will attack their minds.

    By wearing the crown, the proficiency of the skill will increase, expanding its ability to influence people with stronger wills.  Proficiencies can only function so far, though; I¡¯ll need to upgrade the skill level to better the multipliable function of high proficiency.

    It has no cost besides what Monarch of Death drains, and has no cooldown.  It basically always casts Horrify around me; a mental attack that mentally paralyzes my foes, but it does have a lesser Fear Sub-Skill that causes unease if Horrify fails.  If it can¡¯t stomp out a target¡¯s will, then it will attempt to instill fear.  It seems fairly simple; the status and leveling systems might be complicated, but the skill itself is clear.

    It¡¯s linked to Imperial Presence; it sounded similar.  Tell me everything you can about it.

    Imperial Presence; Reactive Skill, Linked to Monarch of Death, Racial Ability Type, Mental Attack, Constant, No Cost, Level Five, Novice Grade, Rank Four.  It activates from me, not the crown, but is linked to Monarch of Death and by proxy Lesser Aura of Supremacy to enhance its effects.  It has no cost as a Racial Trait, and it is constantly active, even without Monarch of Death.

    Everyone that sees me, no matter the distance, will know that I hold power.  It also affects me, my posture, and the way I present myself.  It basically forces me to be more dignified.  I have felt a lot different since changing.

    It¡¯s not a comforting thought, being controlled by these skills, but I could consider it like gravity; it¡¯s a natural force that is just another part of the universe, and I must deal with it.  I find it distasteful to accept, which is likely another natural part of me being a Lich, but I also see no reasonable cause to fight against it when my attention could be better spent.

    Her decision to accept this new person she¡¯d become was swift and decisive as she moved onto the next skill.  Tell me everything about Call of the Empress.

    Call of the Empress I; Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Seven Day Cooldown, Costs Ten Percent, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero.  Sends a nova of life energy out that raises all corpses within a thirty meter radius from my current position.  It bypasses my summoning limit, being completely independent.

    The summons will last ten minutes and are equivalent to the strongest base skeleton I can create, mixed with a portion of their previous living stats, and best-suited class, determined by The System.  The Undead of the summoner cannot be revived; once the flames of life have been extinguished, the corpse is unusable, and that includes those brought back with this spell.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    That¡¯s a bit disappointing, but it¡¯s perfect; just what I needed.  However, a seven-day cooldown?  How am I supposed to raise its proficiency level with a delay like that?  Although, I guess it¡¯s my big panic spell.  Still, it requires usable corpses nearby.  If I¡¯m being overwhelmed, but my forces are causing some casualties, then I suppose it might be useful, but it is a really niche spell.  Base skeleton, though ¡­ that means there are stronger skeletons I can create than base, more than just Skeletal Priests.  I do have my Royal Court, too.  That¡¯s for later.

    Call of the Empress would be best used during a state of shock, and it makes the mindless kind of soldiers; if the corpse of a person cannot be used again, then I have to use this spell before my dad dies.

    Her heart ached at the thought, but Emotional Loss quickly subdued the feelings, replacing it with reasoning.

    Even if mom and dad die, I might be able to bring them back, but I¡¯ll need a stronger type of summoning spell to bring them back as they are, something like the Royal Court Titles; however, before any of that, we need to escape.  The last skill is Lesser Minion Mastery; tell me everything about it.

    Lesser Minion Mastery I; Passive Skill, Magical Type, Enhancement, Constant, Cost is Monarch of Death being active, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Zero.  Doubles the Lich''s base minion amount, not stacking with other minion increases.  It awards all minions in range with 5% bonus stats, excluding Tenacity, and awards an extra 15% experience.

    Alright, what does Tenacity cover ¡­ weaknesses and penetration.  I suppose that means they won¡¯t scale their resilience against status effects, elemental, and physical damage, and won¡¯t have the best penetration.  Still, all other stats, and bonus experience; it¡¯s a useful skill.  This should be enough to...

    A turn in Boss¡¯ and Valdar¡¯s conversation brought her attention back to the toads.

    ¡°If you want to bring it back to your clan, then you can experiment there, but in a controlled environment.  No bodies,¡± he turned to examine the area, ¡°this is asking for ¡­ Nadraca!¡±  He barked, catching sight of the new load of bodies being unloaded.

    The other clan representatives froze at this sharp tone, stopping what they were doing to look at Boss puffing himself up threateningly.

    One of the slim green toads with a purple glowing necklace exited the small group surrounding the snake-woman¡¯s cage, flanked by three toads carrying small shields and daggers, and one blow-gun toad that kept a bit of a distance.

    The important looking toad replied, and its voice was feminine.  ¡°Fennel, I heard that you stole one of the odd ones.¡±

    ¡°Stole,¡± Boss growled.  ¡°Lacord tried to swoop in and claim part in the capture, but he was overstepping his bounds, just as your other group is.  All things are to be split between the clans; tell your men to bring the bodies to the representatives for distribution.¡±

    ¡°The gate¡¯s closing,¡± Nadraca chuckled, ¡°and I see you¡¯ve taken a liking to your own little prey.¡±  She mused, glancing in her direction.  ¡°Some of my men were getting restless, thinking you¡¯d try and take it all for yourself.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll pay the appropriate price for the exception, Priestess of the Nalvea,¡± Valdar interjected as he moved in a wide circle around her to join the conversation.  Stroking his chin, he eyed the cage.  ¡°I can understand why you¡¯d take an interest in such a specimen, and wish to do the same, claiming rights as finder, and the loss to your forces, but¡­¡±

    He paused as he glanced back at the mortally wounded and already dead people in the baskets in the Clavex Clan¡¯s camp, her dad still inside, panting weakly.  ¡°However, I think Sir Fennel saw you were bringing back all those creatures without being processed, but¡± he shook his head, tone mournful, ¡°I think we both know you wouldn¡¯t do that, correct?  You were just returning the bodies of your fallen comrades before bringing the spoils to be sorted.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Nadraca said in an amused tone.  ¡°Ever the wise one, the Great Sage Elder, Valdar.  I see you¡¯re just as High Priestess Korina described.¡±

    An annoyed hum shot through Boss¡¯ throat, causing the guards around Nadraca to lower their bodies, ready for action, but it was clear that they were a bit distracted by her.

    After a moment, Nadraca giggled.  ¡°Yes, indeed, Elder,¡± she said, waving her hand.  The blow-gun toad returned to the camp, husky voice hard.

    ¡°Just as the Priestess planned, take the corpses of our fallen warriors and put them on the Boat of Remembrance; once that is complete, bring the creatures excluding the offering to be sorted.¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s attention shifted to her.  ¡°I must say, Valdar, from what Lacord told me, this creature is most fascinating.¡±  She glanced between her skeletons.  ¡°A controller of the¡­¡±

    Elinor shifted from her stationary position, causing the others to pause, focus sharpening.  Her ghostly green eyes moved to the humming crystal; the image of the town was becoming hazy as cracks started appearing.  Her tone was cold, but her insides were squirming.  ¡°You said the gate was closing?  Is there no way back once it¡¯s gone?¡±

    ¡°It speaks our language?¡±  Nadraca¡¯s tone held shock.

    Boss¡¯ tone grew even sharper.  ¡°Denral, Grem, Forva, keep your guard up; one move from the skeletons.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s features creased with mild irritation.  ¡°I asked you a question.¡±  Turning her head to Valdar, she asked again.  ¡°Is there no way back once it¡¯s gone?¡±

    The old toad¡¯s face creased, and his tone was thoughtful.  ¡°Why do you ask, Elinor?  Were you perhaps hoping to go back through to your world?  You have the air of a ruler; is that what makes you different?  Are you the ruler of that world?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think of that,¡± Boss muttered.  ¡°If it was a ruler, then its defenses were weak.  That world must be new to the gateways.¡±

    ¡°What of the other creature?¡±  Nadraca asked, unable to hide her excitement.  ¡°Is that a ruler, as well?¡±

    They aren¡¯t answering my question, and they¡¯re smart enough not to, but at the same time, by all appearances, this gate will close.  Boss¡¯ response makes it clear that more will open, but that¡¯s not a guarantee that they¡¯ll lead back to Earth.  This was some kind of alien invasion, but by their response, I doubt they know how to create or open these crystals.

    What can I learn?  Boss is too focused on keeping me contained, Nadraca is just looking for information, and Valdar is probing to understand my mind and past.  The information I can gain from them will be minimal at best, and time is running out.  My mom and dad are separated, but if I raise skeletons near them, then they can bring them to me.

    The issue is these three and their bodyguards.  It¡¯s very likely that the group between me and the crystal are their strongest.  The safest option would be to have my skeletons carry mom and dad into the jungle during the initial chaos and pull all the focus toward me.

    Her eyes darted back to the crystal as more cracks appeared.  I don¡¯t have time to plan everything.  I need to act now.

    The camps were spaced eighty feet from the crystal, but the distribution area was closer to the Valdar and Nadrac¡¯s tribes, both clans within her ability¡¯s one-hundred-foot range.

    Opening her mouth, she turned her cold eyes to Valdar, ¡°Come forth,¡± activating Call of the Empress as she told her two awaiting minions below to surface.

    She felt her total energy plummet, and without warning, a nova of green fire erupted from around her body.  Nearly every toad flinched, throwing up their hands or shields as the flames passed through them.  However, there were three exceptions.

    Boss darted forward at a sharp pace, shield off his back within seconds; he charged through the flames with his shield raised defensively, moving to run her over.

    Valdar muttered, ¡°Maleda,¡± throwing up his hands; a pale blue light surrounded Denral and him, causing the flames to flow around it, but continue unhindered.

    Nadraca smoothly touched her necklace, causing a bright light to emit from her body.

    Just before Boss smashed into her, the earth exploded underneath them; chunks of dirt pelted the toads and her alike.  A bony, massive clawed hand, the size of Boss himself, smashed into his shield, shattering it like kindling.  He grunted as he was sent flying back toward the crystal.  He disappeared, slipping through the cracking structure.

    ¡°Sir Fennel!¡±  Valdar and Denral yelled, backing up as her skeletal beast exposed its flaming body.

    Elinor had retreated a bit, knowing where her new minion was going to emerge and commanded it to pick her up.  She watched its bony left hand race toward her, but the grip was gentle; its fingers closed around her frail body, lifting her up as it rose to its full height.  She got her first good look at the new creature under her control, and she heard the gasps of the toads around her.

    Nadraca took several steps back, the white glow around her shining as she stared up at the monster.  She gasped, ¡°A Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ it¡ªprepare for battle!¡±  She yelled, but her ranks were already devolving into chaos.

    Over eight dozen skeletal forms began to rise, including Nadraca¡¯s deceased toads, still within the range of her spell.  Nadraca looked back at the now brightly lit clearing as the flames devoured flesh, muscles, and organs, leaving the ghastly white boned visage of the burning undead.

    The beast that held its Empress was over fifteen feet tall; clumps of dirt dropped off its white bones as the fire raged along its frame, and it used one of its four arms to balance itself as it rose.  The skeletal beast resembled a massive gorilla with thick bones, but this beast had two ape-like heads and two long tails that whipped at Boss¡¯ men.

    They tried to defend, but the strike took them off their feet, shattered their shields, and threw them back several paces, rolling across the shallow water.  Valdar nimbly jumped over the tails, retreating a few paces.  More toads recovered, rushing in to surround her.

    Valdar was laughing.  ¡°Marvelous; to bring back this devil ¡­ truly, marvelous!¡±

    ¡°Valdar,¡± Nadraca yelled.  ¡°This is no time to admire it; if this thing can bring back the Quen¡¯Talrat army, then our entire race is at risk!  How ¡­ how do we stop it?  It¡¯s already dead...¡±

    Without hesitation, Valdar¡¯s long tongue shot out, aimed at her crown; it was nearly too quick for Elinor to follow, but the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s right hand was like lightning, blocking the strike.

    ¡°The crown,¡± Valdar called out as his tongue returned.  His tone was off; clearly, the swat had damaged the organ.  ¡°It seems to grant her power; remove the crown!  Gah, this¡¯ll be a little more difficult than I thought.  It¡¯s not at full strength; else broken shields would be the least of our worries.¡±  He grumped as he caught sight of her rising army.

    ¡°Ze¡¯latrha!¡±  He shouted, causing blue mist to surround them and vines to shoot out from the surrounding jungle to entangle her creature, but the skeletal beast snapped them with ease; its three free arms, two legs, and two tails were a whirlwind of activity as it forced the throng back.

    Both heads turned to stare between Valdar and Nadraca, identifying them as the threats, and causing the female toad to trip and fall back.  She was tensing with horror as its burning eye sockets hounded her, and the creature opened both mouths, letting out a thunderous roar that shot down Elinor¡¯s frame, but she couldn¡¯t help but let a smile play at the corners of her lips.

    Perfect.  She glanced around the area; the path to the crystal was blocked by several toads, and the threat of Boss, likely recovering and on his way back; it wasn¡¯t the best direction to take.  Quickly identifying the closest minions to her parents, she directed them to free and escort them into the forest.

    Two of the skeletal toads carried her likely delirious father into the jungle as two human skeletons helped free her mother, escorting her and a few other women into the dense foliage that followed with her mother¡¯s prompts.  The rest of her troop was finding weapons and battling toads.

    What¡¯s mom thinking?  Bringing more with her is going to make her a target¡­

    The thought froze as she caught Valdar¡¯s sharp eyes surveying the scene; he began to take charge with Boss gone.  ¡°All clans, battle plan B, and if you see the skeletons ¡­ there, those two groups, pursue them.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s heart dropped, he¡¯d pointed right at her parents.  He was looking to see if I cared enough to save anyone ¡­ he really is smart.  Then I need to cause a bigger distraction that will force his men back.

    Valdar cursed as her Quen¡¯Talrat swiped at him again, causing him to retreat.  ¡°Dammit, Nadraca, is this your first real battle?  Quit panicking!  You¡¯re supposed to be a Priestess; so lock the bloody thing down!  This is a Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter, but from what I¡¯ve seen, it¡¯s not even a fifth of its original strength¡­¡±

    Her vision centered on the cage with the snake-woman inside.  Bingo.  She ordered her skeletons to fight their way to the cage and release the woman, her guardian included.

    She couldn¡¯t help but feel her stomach twist as the strange ape-like creature bent its legs low and jumped forty feet into the air, launching toward the massive surrounding trees.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Valdar spat as two more tongues shot out from some of his tribesmen, but their strike was deflected by her creature¡¯s two tails, splitting to defend both sides.

    The creature¡¯s three free arms, legs, and two tails found grip wherever they swung, climbing further into the trees as Valdar screamed orders, and she heard Boss¡¯ voice joining his.  The surprising thing about the creature was how silent it was while doing its acrobatics.  She felt her hair rise with the ghostly veil, but her crown was secure.

    The undead creature was interpreting her desires in a way to better cause panic, and an unseen fifteen-foot tall gorilla monster that could drop down at any moment was definitely a threat as it moved them further up the trees, breaking through the canopy for a moment to position them over the snake woman¡¯s cage before it hit her.  She had her powerful minion halt at the treetops.  She sensed the guards she¡¯d sent to protect her parents were not yet under attack.

    Is this my first semi-intelligent Undead?  It certainly seems a lot more powerful.  With how quick it is, I can use this opportunity to save them myself.  They don¡¯t know where I¡¯m going; I could be going to save my parents, waiting to drop down to assassinate one of them, drop down on the crystal to escape, release the snake-woman and a million other objectives.  They don¡¯t know what my goals are.

    No ¡­ I did give them some hints.  From my question, they could interpret it that I don¡¯t want to go back, and I¡¯m happy the crystal¡¯s breaking.  Now, I¡¯m escaping into the jungle since I¡¯ve gotten rid of Boss, a threat that initially captured me.

    Another option is that I¡¯m playing them, and everything¡¯s a distraction, and once Boss comes back through, I¡¯ll jump in, but that would be less likely since I could have had my ape jump back in instead of up.  They¡¯ll definitely figure out that I¡¯m either escaping or trying to save these two random humans.  At least they don¡¯t know our connection.

    She took a glance around the area, now able to see the full extent of the jungle.

    It¡¯s massive ¡­ I don¡¯t think I can get my parents back before the crystal closes.  We¡¯re going to be stuck here ¡­ and I thought the humanitarian trip sucked...

    Within sight, there were rolling hills that spiked into the sky, entirely covered by foliage, and there were massive mountains to her right that soared into the heavens; they might have been as tall as the Great Rocky Mountains.  Part of the range was green while the other half was scarred and rocky.  A barren waste seemed to extend beyond the rocky mountains, and it seemed as if plumes of smoke billowed up from fissures in its side.

    I doubt the toads function well in that kind of environment.  It¡¯s the best option I can see to try and sort everything out ¡­ I just have to not think about the crystal breaking.  There¡¯s likely more ¡­ there has to be.

    Her minions communicated to her that they¡¯d successfully freed the snake-woman, and she told them to start a fire if they could, giving them the task to cause as much mayhem as possible and to support the snake-woman if she decided to stay and kill.

    With that taken care of, she told her minions carrying her parents to turn toward the scarred landscape she¡¯d seen and told her guardian to bring them to her mother since she had the weakest guards.

    This is all one massive nightmare!

 B1 â€” 6. Is There Hope?

    Elinor watched the foliage race by her as the Undead Quen¡¯Talrat soundlessly swung through the dense jungle; responding to her desires to guard her mother, it followed the link to her minions defending her.

    The forest sounds were faint, but the sheens of light from the two blue moons found its way into the undergrowth, illuminating the many types of creatures that lived there, many she¡¯d never dreamed could exist; she¡¯d literally stepped into another world.  There were a few dangerous looking monsters, from insectile to beast-like, but none seemed brave enough to confront her burning Undead sixteen feet tall ape.

    The creatures weren¡¯t the only outlandish sight; the yellow, orange, and green foliage gave off a sickly vibe but teemed with life.  The black trees grew at least a hundred and twenty meters into the sky, and her gorilla-monster moved through it like a native.

    Her surprise and interest tickled her mind with the wonder of it all, further quelling the swirl of negative emotions inside her.  A light smile touched her lips as a swarm of violet and pink insects gently flowed around them before moving toward the treetops; they had eight oddly shaped wings that carried them along the soft breeze that cut through the thick jungle.

    The wind was one of the few sounds she recognized, the others were foreign, mostly in the distance.  Loud squawks, far off whirring, and low cackling noises below caught her attention.  It was all new, and she wasn¡¯t scared of anything, gently wrapped in her minion¡¯s strong hand.

    Focusing on the skeletal toads carrying her father, she told them to gently find cover and treat his wounds, imparting basic first aid instructions that she¡¯d learned in school.  She breathed a sigh of relief as she sensed his life force through the skeletal toads; he was still somewhat stable but seemed unconscious.  Her minion¡¯s constant presence reassured her that he still had life in him.

    She pulled her grayish hair back as it obscured her vision, looking up at her two-headed Undead.  What should I call you?  How about Quin.  Quen and Quin sound similar enough.  The toads seem really scared of you, and I can see why.  Once I get mom and dad back, maybe we can fight our way back through the crystal; if we can get a first aid kit and get to a hospital, then he should be okay.

    Her head lowered to stare at the jungle floor with worry.  It¡¯s a long way to a hospital, but if Quin takes me, then it should be really fast.  Of course, I¡¯ll have to hide him once we get into town, but that¡¯ll be fine.  Once we get back to civilization, everything will work out.

    After a minute away from the camp, she was just about to reach her mom; she had chosen to move high in the trees to obscure the bright green fire licking across Quin¡¯s bones.

    She felt something change on the battlefield; her parents were still fine, and their guards seemed to scare off any wildlife that sensed them.  However, this development chilled her, dampening the fascination she felt about her surroundings.  Using Lesser Possession, she confirmed it.

    The dulled senses of the Skeletal Toads seemed to be better than the Human Skeletons.  It wasn¡¯t nearly as sharp as her own vision but gave her a decent understanding of the situation.  She stared at where the glowing crystal had been; her path home was gone.

    No, no, no, no ¡­ this can¡¯t be happening.  It actually broke ¡­ it¡¯s gone.  Our world is ¡­ it¡¯s gone.  This is all because of stupid humanitarian aid!  Stupid Venezuelan Revolution!  Kidnappers!  Damn toads!  Everything¡¯s against me!  Why do I¡­

    Her thoughts paused as three blunt objects struck her skeletal skull, throwing her possessed minion off balance.  She returned control to her minion, watching from its burning eyes.  Panic and loss were subdued by her Racial, leaving hate and malice.

    The bitter taste she felt was mixed with the sweet flavor of vengeance with every wound her minions made upon the toads that had cursed her to this hostile, alien world, but to her frustration, her forces were quickly being decimated.  The only thing keeping her weak minions from collapsing under the toad¡¯s superior forces was the initial surprise, human resistance, and the snake-woman.

    The human captives were set free with her minions¡¯ raid against the toad equipment areas, weapons being distributed among the prisoners.  Her new soldiers defended them while the humans collected themselves; they¡¯d quickly utilized the opportunity, taking the chance to fight back.  They were no match physically to the toads, but they had numbers mixed with her skeletons.  There were a few men and women that ran at the first opportunity and would likely be killed by the surrounding wildlife, but most fought.

    The serpent-woman¡¯s face was a mask of fury as she ripped toads apart with her bare hands, slithering across the ground in strange patterns to strangle others, sprayed acidic fog from her mouth at those in reach, causing their skin to melt off their bones, and she manipulated the wet terrain, causing mud and water to throw her enemies off-balance before striking.

    Tears stained the woman¡¯s bloody eyes as she screamed her wrath.  ¡°You took everything from me!  Turned me into a monster!  Killed my husband¡ªmy baby boys!¡±

    She must be someone that¡¯s changed, similar to me.  Although, I highly doubt they¡¯re the ones that changed us.  They don¡¯t seem to have that kind of power.

    Elinor became more and more adept at killing the toad-people as she commanded her minions; her army kept the toads from organizing.  She spread the ranks and funneled the scattered creatures in specific directions to make them easy targets for the serpent¡¯s wrath.  The freed humans were now doing their part, going for the toad¡¯s legs, throats, and bellies.

    However, order was returning to the toads; Boss was back, and it seemed like the fearful Priestess had regained her bearings after she¡¯d left.  Between Valdar, Boss, and Nadraca, accompanied by their stronger followers, they were dismantling her horde, and it appeared like they were setting up a trap for the enraged woman.

    Shit ¡­ I hoped Boss was trapped on the other side; this sucks.  Ironic, it takes something like this for them to join forces.  Still, they aren¡¯t entirely united.

    She¡¯d reached her mother, but chose to stay high in the trees, telling Quin to keep a watchful eye out for threats.  Her desperation was fading, and reality setting in.  The priority was her parents, everything else could take a back seat, and her father¡¯s group was catching up with her mother¡¯s.

    She listened to Boss, Valdar, and Nadraca talk as the minion she possessed fought a toad that didn¡¯t seem to have the same combat skills as the warriors.  Boss¡¯ group was joined by a short orange-toad and his attendants, wielding mauls; he appeared to be the leader of the fourth clan.  He wore a string of bead-like stones around his neck with three feathers tied to it.

    Boss had another shield in hand, taken from the reserves inside his own encampment.  ¡°What a disaster, Valdar.  This brings shame to the tribe.¡±

    ¡°Shame?¡±  The orange-toad chuckled.  His voice seemed as old as Valdar¡¯s.  He eyed one of her Human Undead charging him, but it was quickly crushed by two of his guards holding thick black stone mauls.  ¡°You¡¯re still young for a warrior; are you aware that you took a full blow from a Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter, and lived to tell the tale?  They¡¯ll be singing your name in the Songs of Remembrance.¡±

    They shifted their position to the left of the snake-woman, keeping their distance.  Her skeletons took up the woman¡¯s defense, guarding her unprotected sides against assault.

    Nadraca barked orders.  ¡°Lacord, take the men and surround it with the enchanted vines.  Once Valdar and I lock its movements, rush in and tie it to the posts we¡¯ve set up, and watch out for its breath, it¡¯s getting stronger.  Teams three and four, cut a line between the creatures and the dead, separate them from the long one.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Priestess, but ¡­ why are we working with ¡­ them,¡± he pointed at the three other faction leaders.  ¡°We can do this¡­¡±  he growled with unease, but Nadraca quickly interjected.

    ¡°Lacord,¡± she snapped.  ¡°This is no time for petty feuds!  A Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter is out there ¡­ somewhere,¡± she muttered, looking up into the trees.  ¡°You have not heard the tales from the Mother Superior; a single Elite Hunter was responsible for the deaths of two Nalvean generals¡ªten Seaweavers¡ªten, Lacord, and five hundred of their elite soldiers, in addition to hundreds more of our clan ¡­ In a single night!¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI did not know, Priestess¡­¡±

    Boss grunted, flexing his arms; they showed black spots and cuts.  ¡°That thing would have snapped you in two, Lacord.  I¡¯ve trained my whole life trying to live up to that standard ¡­ I have a long way to go.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t sell yourself short,¡± Valdar hummed with interest.  ¡°It may be many times weaker than when it was alive, but that is still in the realms of our mythical warriors.  We must be thankful it does not hold any of its original abilities ¡­ purple flames, shadow movement, and fur more durable than the strongest metal, to name a few.¡±

    He stared around as squad leaders organized their troops, boxing in her forces, and using long-ranged weapons to weaken the humans while pelting the snake-woman.

    Valdar¡¯s tone was low, but just high enough that she could hear it.  ¡°I took part in the last raids, during the end of the Fire Wars; we hunted every last one to extinction, but the Elites were of a class of their own.  It took the finest of every race, bound in parties of twenty to handle the beasts ¡­ while still sustaining casualties.  The combined efforts of all our clans; not only that, but the Nalveans, and the united might of eight other races to bring that terrifying kingdom down.¡±

    He glanced around at the toads present, treating their wounded, repelling her minions¡¯ attacks, and regrouping.  ¡°Slow ¡­ too slow.  What a sorry state we are in; treaties lost, power and tradition squandered, and this generation is soft as clay.  Krava, did you send for the Xaria?¡±

    The orange-toad chuckled darkly.  ¡°Word has been sent to Dalria; it was wise to bring her along in case of trouble, and to have my men on standby.  If you hadn¡¯t made a fit about her being present, then this might not have happened, Nadraca.¡±

    ¡°You cannot be serious,¡± she huffed.  ¡°We all agreed to keep our forces to similar strength, and now I discover you kept one in the distance.  That¡¯s dirty, old man, where is your pride in your word?¡±

    ¡°Pride, coming from a Clavex?¡±  Boss spat in disgust.

    Nadraca¡¯s face scrunched a little as she glanced at the progressing battle.  ¡°Yes, well ¡­ some things are worth more than pride, and we could not spare any elite warriors for this venture ¡­ you were even a stretch.¡±

    Boss grunted mirthlessly in response.

    ¡°In any case,¡± Krava muttered, ¡°Dalria should be hunting them now.  She wished to rush to my defense, but I trusted in your judgment, Valdar.  If you think hunting those creatures is the key to finding the beast, then I¡¯ll follow your lead.  You¡¯ve earned that.  We cannot let this creature bring more Quen¡¯Talrat back, much less something else long forgotten.¡±

    ¡°That is something I fear; all fascination aside,¡± Valdar¡¯s tone was low as he glared at her skeletons.  ¡°We may have brought the next great threat to our doorstep.  Let us hope that a Xaria can deal with it alone.¡±

    ¡°I know the strength of your Xaria more than most, Krava,¡± Boss stated.  ¡°They rank among our race¡¯s strongest, but does she know about that creature¡¯s ability to revive?  We have not faced such foes in my knowledge of history.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the information you provided has been sent,¡± Krava replied.

    ¡°I just hope the title of Xaria is not just your talk of generations past,¡± Nadraca muttered.  ¡°For all our clans¡¯ sake.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind ran cold.  They sent some kind of elite warrior after my parents.  I should have been more subtle about their escape!  I guess it doesn¡¯t matter that much since I¡¯m with my mom.  Quin seems to have a larger sensing radius than my other minions, and he doesn¡¯t sense anything really threatening nearby.

    She told Quin to drop down to her mother as she canceled the possession, and he rushed to comply, silently dropping out of the trees with ease; she told her mother¡¯s skeletal escort to halt.  There were three other women with her mother, and they screamed as Quin softly landed before them.

    ¡°Hey, quit it,¡± Elinor snapped as Quin lowered his body, unfolding his hands to allow her to sit on his bony fingers.

    The women quickly snapped their mouths shut, but they couldn¡¯t stop their quivers.  They each had some kind of injury, from bruises to cuts, but none of them were serious enough to hinder movement.

    ¡°Honey,¡± her mother swallowed nervously, stepping forward to run her fingers through her hair.  ¡°What¡ªhappened?  Your hair, and¡ªthese skeletons?¡±  she asked, looking over at the flaming rat on her shoulder.

    Elinor shook her head, letting out a soft sigh as she pulled her mother¡¯s hands down to her lap.  The three other women couldn¡¯t help but look up at the burning two-headed Undead gorilla monster; she¡¯d seen the red-haired woman on their bus.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, mom; I was kidnapped by two men looking to extort you for money, but then¡ªall those lights appeared in the sky, and I changed into this.¡±

    ¡°Kidnapped ¡­ What about your father?¡±

    ¡°I have my minions bringing dad here; he should be here in the next several minutes.  They¡¯re having to be careful carrying him; he¡¯s badly injured, but I was able to do some basic first aid on him, dressing his wounds with some of his shirt and pants.¡±

    Her mother looked down at her lap with worry.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of diseases are here ¡­ we¡¯ll probably need to cauterize his wounds.  What about those toads?¡±  she asked, looking back up at her before glancing at Quin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know; the crystal brought them to our world, but¡ªit shattered.  I don¡¯t think we can go back.¡±

    One of the black-haired women collapsed to her knees.  ¡°What ¡­ we can¡¯t¡ªwe can¡¯t go back?¡±  she bawled in Spanish.

    The other two followed her action, crying into their muddy hands.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    Her mother took a shuddering breath before breaking away from her and kneeling beside the women.  ¡°Hey¡ªwe¡¯ll find a way to get through this, okay?  Just be strong, but¡ªwe need to be quiet.  They could still be out there.¡±

    Looking around the jungle, Elinor hummed darkly.  ¡°The toads sent some kind of elite warrior after us.  They called it a Xaria; they¡¯re putting their hopes in her to kill me since I¡¯m a threat.  I¡¯m like a Necromancer now, I can¡­¡±  She paused, breath catching in her lungs.  ¡°No,¡± she gasped.

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    Quin¡¯s free hand gently wrapped around her body before launching back into the trees, rushing toward her father; her hair whipped past her cheeks, tickling her ears as they dashed through the jungle, foregoing stealth.  She¡¯d lost contact with both his skeletal guards at almost the same time.

    No, no, no, no!  They didn¡¯t even sense any life nearby; did she destroy them from a distance?  There¡¯s no way she knows about their ability to detect life; I¡¯m a complete mystery to these toads.  Was she just being cautious?  She must be nearby then.  If I can deal with her, then the toads will have nothing left to chase us with, but please ¡­ please be okay!

    It took Quin forty-five seconds to reach her father; he dropped her beside her father¡¯s motionless body.  Quin didn¡¯t sense anything resembling the toad-people within a forty-foot radius.  Her heart was about to break when Quin recognized life inside her father¡¯s body.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡±  she cried.

    Quin set her down on command, moving to circle them protectively as she knelt beside her father.  She bit her lip as Quin¡¯s Minor Life Detection analyzed the area; her father¡¯s life force was draining quickly.

    She searched his body, looking for what was causing the issue.  The bleeding in his side was under control, but there was a new wound that she hadn¡¯t noticed before; a small puncture wound to his chest dribbled a small pool of blood.  Rubbing her hand next to it, she found a sharp black thorn poking through the hole.

    ¡°This wasn¡¯t ¡­ it must have been her, but why?  Isn¡¯t she going after me?  Why kill my dad?  It¡¯s not fair!  I just wanted to leave!  Why hunt us?  I don¡¯t understand!  Why us?¡±  Her jaw locked as Emotional Loss quelled her grief and terror, leaving loathing and rage.

    He¡¯s going to die.  She killed him.  There¡¯s nothing I can do to save his life.  If we were in America, then he¡¯d live, but here ¡­ if I remove the thorn, he dies.  If I leave him, he dies.  I can¡¯t make a healer yet, can I ¡­ yes, I can; I can ascend a Basic Unit to the Clergy Class.  I must have enough points from killing the toads and assisting the snake-woman in killing them!  I just need a suitable candidate.  One of the units around mom ¡­ yes!

    Elinor looked to the side and saw her broken skeletal toads; both of their skulls were crushed.  The dagger that one of them carried was still gripped in its lifeless hand.  She took the knife, skeletal fingers still attached, and commanded Quin to pick her up.  He carefully lifted her dad in his free hand before hurrying back to the site.

    Her minion¡¯s response was instant, gently picking them both up and moving through the dense foliage toward her mother, but her heart skipped a beat when she felt the thread to both Human Undead and rat cut.

    No!

    Quin picked up his pace, causing her dad to groan.  Her panic was rising.

    She¡¯s there!  Why?  I¡¯m over here!  Why?  Why?  Why?  She bypassed me to attack my parents; she had to hear Quin rushing through the jungle to my dad, but she skipped us?

    The screams of the women around her mother made her teeth grind.

    If you hurt her¡­

    Gravity slammed against her chest as they broke through the undergrowth, Quin skipping to a halt.  Her wide eyes darted around, assessing the scene as Quin¡¯s Minor Life Detection fed back information.

    Five life signatures stood in front of her, four women, and one toad.  Dalria was dark orange with lightly glowing blue spots pattering her skin, and she wore a vest with multiple odd weapons and pouches attached.  She was leaner than most of the other toads she¡¯d seen; other than that, she didn¡¯t seem any different.

    She held a black serrated knife to her mother¡¯s neck, staring at Elinor as she emerged from the foliage.  Two of the women had already started running, leaving her mother and the red-haired woman behind.

    Dalria¡¯s tongue shot out, poking inside a pouch at her side.  She brought it out and shot her tongue out twice, both times quick as lightning; the women dropped to the ground with light gasps, unmoving, and Quin¡¯s ability told her that their life was quickly fading.

    The black thorn in my dad¡¯s heart; how does she know human hearts are a fatal point for us?

    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t worry¡­¡± her mother gasped as Dalria tightened her grip around her chest, and the knife drew a sliver of blood from her neck, wet tongue sliding across her lips.

    ¡°Shh.  It¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.  Elinor, I presume.¡±  Dalria¡¯s tone was more succulent than she anticipated.  ¡°I was told you understand our language.  Ah,¡± she tightened her grip again, making her mother cough a little, drawing more blood, ¡°no moving.  I understand this creature is important to you.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s teeth ground together as Quin¡¯s double heads let out a threatening growl that vibrated the air.  ¡°All we want is to leave; why are you doing this?¡±

    Dalria made a few popping sounds in her throat.  ¡°Interesting, so the Elder was right; you do hold emotion.  He¡¯s sharp, that one.¡±  Elinor grimaced, glancing at her dying father, which caused the toad to hum.  ¡°Regrettably, that one didn¡¯t serve as a good hostage; it¡¯s as good as dead.¡±

    Her mother didn¡¯t seem to be able to talk without the sharp knife digging into her throat, but her pleading eyes told Elinor that she wanted her to run; she would not abandon her mother.  The red-haired woman swallowed nervously, sitting on her butt in the mud; her fearful eyes darted between the dying women, Elinor, and the toad.

    ¡°Y-you understand them?¡±  she asked, voice quivering.  ¡°Why¡ªwhy are they doing this?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Dalria¡¯s eyes shifted to the woman.  ¡°Tell it to shut-up.¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­ hey, she said to not talk; got it?¡±  The woman tensed, nodding frantically.  Turning back to the toad, she asked, ¡°Just let me heal my dad, okay?  I can heal him, and then we¡¯ll go back with you.  We¡¯ll¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh.  Your father, eh?¡± Her mouth seemed to curve.

    Shit!  Why¡¯d I tell her that?  I¡¯m stupid!

    ¡°I see; so, this must be your mother, and can both your parents raise the dead, too?¡±

    Elinor shook her head.  ¡°N-no, they can¡¯t.  I¡¯m the only one that can raise the dead.¡±

    Realizing her communication link would be severed if all the toad-people under her control died, she instructed two of her remaining five to run into the forest; however, she made one of them pause as a thought struck her, and she directed it to return to battle.

    If all my toads are destroyed, then I won¡¯t be able to talk to ¡­ wait, all of them ¡­ how long until Call of the Empress runs out ¡­ twenty seconds.  Shit!  Ten minutes are already up?  They¡¯re just about to launch their trap on the snake-woman too.  At least the toad-person I raised is still up, as long as it¡¯s alive, then I can talk to them.

    The Skeletal Toad managed to make it into the jungle, and she told it to leap up the trees and find cover.

    It¡¯s too dangerous to have it come to me; it could lead back a horde of toads from the camp.  At least Dalria seems reasonable.

    ¡°Why is that?¡±  Dalria asked with a fascinated tone.  ¡°Why is it that you cannot die, but they can?  Aren¡¯t they the same as you, and why are you afraid of them dying if you can bring back the dead?  Does it not return the lost one, and they¡¯re simple puppets?¡±

    I don¡¯t know why she¡¯s looking for answers; maybe I can bargain with her.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±  Elinor asked, shifting a little in Quin¡¯s secure grip.

    ¡°Me?¡±  Dalria asked innocently.  ¡°I¡¯m just following orders,¡± she chuckled, ¡°but the Elders do want some information.  Are there more like you?¡±

    She resisted a curse as Call of the Empress ended, and what remained of her undead horde collapsed.  ¡°Not that I¡¯m aware of.  I only just started bringing the dead back to life; it happened when the cracks in the sky appeared, and the crystal showed up.¡±

    ¡°Lights in the sky?¡±  Dalria hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°What do the cracks in the sky have to do with you getting that power¡ªthe crystals do not grant abilities?  All it indicates is an assault is imminent and gives us time to prepare a defense.  So, that answer sounds like a lise,¡± she made another popping sound in her throat before her blade seemed to vanish before returning to her mother¡¯s throat.

    Her mother cried out a moment later, tensing in Dalria¡¯s arms, but the toad kept her mother firmly pressed against her body.  After a moment''s study, she noticed a gash across her mother¡¯s belly, light enough to not be serious, but deep enough to draw blood.

    ¡°Damn, you!¡±  Elinor seethed as her emotions flowed past Emotional Loss; her Skill was having a difficult time controlling her fear.  ¡°I¡¯m not lying; so, don¡¯t hurt her!¡±

    ¡°Run ¡­ please,¡± her mother choked, but Dalria quickly returned the blade to her throat, cutting off her ability to speak.

    ¡°Hush, now, mommy,¡± Dalria huffed.  ¡°Now, can you get rid of that towering brute at your back?  His growls are a bit annoying.¡±

    Elinor glared at the toad.  ¡°The moment I do that, then you¡¯ll just kill my mom and try to kill me.  I¡¯m not that stupid.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, a shame,¡± Dalria said with light humor.  ¡°You know, I could just continue slicing your mother up until you decide to comply.  Even if that brute is pretty fast, I doubt it¡¯s as fast as me,¡± her tone turned deadly.  ¡°I gutted one of you before heading out, messy things you are, and there are so many ways to kill you.¡±

    A thought seemed to strike the toad.  ¡°Oh, I know!  Why don¡¯t you release the brute, and I let you heal your father.  Sound good?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Elinor sighed with frustration, ¡°not good!  He¡¯s the only reason why you¡¯ve taken a hostage!¡±

    ¡°Seems you are somewhat intelligent,¡± she sighed.  ¡°I suppose that¡¯s how you were able to catch the Elders off-guard.  Hmm ¡­ What to do?¡±

    Elinor glanced left at her father, still held protectively in Quin¡¯s hand; his life force was reaching critically low.  Her lips pulled in as her panicked mind started to ebb past the dampening force of Emotional Loss.

    I don¡¯t even know if a newly ascended healer would be able to heal him at this rate.  This is taking too long, but ¡­ she¡¯s got my mom¡¯s life at knife¡¯s point!  What can I do?  Is there anything I can resurrect close by ¡­ only rodent and dog-sized creatures, and I don¡¯t feel like they¡¯re anything like Quin.

    ¡°Well,¡± Dalria took a deep breath.  ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll have to do this the hard way; what a pain, but you¡¯re supposed to be super weak.  If I take you out, then perhaps the brute falls, but it¡¯s fine; it doesn¡¯t have to.¡±  She stated brightly.

    ¡°Huh?¡±  Elinor¡¯s eyes widened as the knife vanished from her sight.  Looking down at her mother¡¯s chest, she saw the hilt, blade stuck between her mother¡¯s ribs, piercing her heart.

    Her mother choked as she twisted the blade, the sound of snapping bones assaulting her mind.  Blood bubbled through her mom¡¯s mouth as Dalria slid the weapon out, leaving her to collapse in the mud.

    ¡°So that¡¯s how you look when in shock,¡± Dalria commented before vanishing.

    That was more than her Skill could take.  Gravity slammed against Elinor¡¯s frail body as Quin pulled her back, and she heard the clang of metal on bone.  She blinked as Quin¡¯s body became a whirlwind of activity, darting forward, it dropped her and her father beside her dying mother, positioning itself over them.

    The sharp sounds of metal and bone ringing throughout the area for several seconds as sharp gusts of air pressure blew around them, Quin¡¯s tails, arms, and legs a blur as it changed positions to defend them.  Trying to recover, Elinor got to her hands and knees, realizing several objects had penetrated her body and were in the process of being rejected.

    Her world was falling apart.

    She hit me ¡­ even with Quin defending me?

    More objects continued to pelt her, biting through her clothes and skin, lodging into her bones and penetrating her body, but the only pain she felt was in her heart.  She dropped the knife, crawling to her mother¡¯s side.  Her hands fumbled at her chest, trying to apply pressure to her mother¡¯s wound, but there was too much blood; it pumped past her trembling fingers as her mother convulsed.

    ¡°No, this can¡¯t be¡ªthis isn¡¯t happening!  No, it can¡¯t be ¡­ why?  Because I was taking too long?  What did I do wrong?  Why?¡±

    The red-haired woman held her hand to her mouth, tears falling down her cheeks as she lay on her stomach, staring at Elinor¡¯s dying mother.

    Elinor looked up at Quin in desperation, but he was busy keeping them safe, body a blur.  After several more successful throws, Dalria appeared a few meters away, tapping her left cheek with the back of her blade.

    ¡°How strange, you really do seem immortal.  I¡¯ve struck you in so many places where your kind has shown to be vulnerable, but you don¡¯t even cry out.  I¡¯ve heard that even destroying your head will only temporarily stop you, and doesn¡¯t necessarily get rid of your minions.  How would burning work, I wonder?¡±

    ¡°Why ¡­ we¡ªwe were still t-talking¡­¡± she mumbled, tears leaking out of her eyes, vision fixated on the blood flowing through her fingers as objects were ejected from her body; there was no way her new transformation could contain the horror filling her breast.

    ¡°Because you told me you were the only one of your kind.  Silly thing.  That was the one question I wanted answered; it¡¯s all I needed to know,¡± she stated brightly.  ¡°Now, I would have loved to know how to truly kill you, but I don¡¯t expect that kind of information,¡± she giggled.  ¡°That¡¯s just a waste of our time.  I didn¡¯t even think you¡¯d get rid of the brute, but I needed to know if you were being truthful, and I think you were.  Such an honest thing.  A shame, really.¡±

    Elinor looked up and felt her throat catch as she studied Quin; there were chips in his bones, and a few of the toad¡¯s black thorns were sticking into his right thigh bone.

    She can hurt Quin ¡­ How long can he last?  He can¡¯t hurt her if he can¡¯t catch her, and she¡¯s ¡­ she¡¯s just too fast.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had the pleasure of seeing a Quen¡¯Talrat,¡± she mused with a soft sigh of regret.  ¡°It would have been fun to see the real thing; an Elite Hunter ¡­ crazy.  Are you just pushing out all the things I shot into you?  Well ¡­ that¡¯s kind of unnerving; a thing that can¡¯t die.  I¡¯ll just have to try other methods once the brute¡¯s been disposed of.  Anyways, this imitation is fairly disappointing, to be honest, Elinor.  I expected more ¡­ oh, are they finally dead?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s blood ran cold as she looked down at her mother, eyes lifeless.  Not seconds after, her father¡¯s life ended, and that was when she noticed the barb in his neck, blood oozing out of the wound.

    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s for the best; best not to suffer, that is,¡± Dalria shook her head before vanishing again.  Quin launched into motion, continuing to defend her against the hail of projectiles.

    Her Passives slowly reigning her emotions in a little, Elinor felt a pulse to do something she knew was likely a horrible idea, but what option did she have?

    No, this can¡¯t be the end!  It can¡¯t be!  If I bring them back ¡­ I can make them strong, right?  The titles ¡­ What are the Royal Titles?  Royal Titles are given to the royal stewards of the Empress.  Are the royal stewards strong?  Are they special ¡­ they¡¯re different from my standard units and are given certain perks that allow them to govern as the regent over their field.  So, they are the strongest.

    I want to bring back my mom and dad!  I want them to be royal stewards!  I want my parents back!  I want them to be strong!  I want them to take care of me!  I need them!  I don¡¯t care what it takes!  Bring them back!

    Feeding her desires into their corpses, she felt her life energy plummet as green flames engulfed them, Quin continuing to block more projectiles from pelting them.

    However, something was different with this rising; only specific parts of her mother and father¡¯s bodies were being drowned in flames, and Elinor felt her energy reserves nearing dangerous levels.  If any more energy left her, she would be forced to release her body, and she¡¯d be stuck inside her diamond sanctuary.

    Her mother and father opened their eyes; her mother glowed with a ghostly orange light, while her father¡¯s burned a haunting light blue, shining in the dark jungle.

    The pelting rain of projectiles ceased as Dalria reappeared several paces beside her previous location.  ¡°Well, Lydrima¡¯s claw ¡­ you actually brought back your parents.  That¡¯s disturbing ¡­ maybe I should finish this up...¡±

    ¡°Mom!¡±  Elinor cried, throwing her arms around her shoulders; the blood pumping out of her chest had ceased as her previous wounds were now closed.

    Tiffany¡¯s upper forearms, biceps, and some of her stomach and back were partially rotted, illuminating orange veins showing through, but most of her appearance hadn¡¯t changed.  The same rotted spots were mirrored on her father¡¯s body, but the color of his veins was blue.

    ¡°Mom?¡±  Tiffany whispered, fingers rising to press against Elinor¡¯s back as her crown and veil dispersed into black flames.

    The world seemed to fade as darkness clouded her vision, and a deep, infernal voice echoed in her mind.  ¡°Most fascinating ¡­ a Life Bringer?¡±  Whatever this was, it was cold and shockingly numbed the ranging emotions inside her.

    Elinor opened her eyes; she didn¡¯t remember closing them.  Confused, she looked around at the endless abyss she floated in; whatever this was, it was not her mother or father, this was something sinister.  Worse, she was having a hard time even feeling her minions from inside this expanse, and that was when the unhallowed voice returned like embers flicking skin.

    ¡°You forged two new lives into this world.  Tell me about yourself, little Life Bringer.¡±

    And that was when she noticed the dark presence surrounding her; she wasn¡¯t in a void, but an endless expanse enclosed by this being.

 B1 â€” 7. Birth of the Royal Court

    Tiffany opened her eyes to an alien world and the image of Empress Elinor, her beloved master; the scenery filled her with joy at the possible ingredients that she had the opportunity to discover and work with.  She knew her duty and knew her magic well.  However, several things were wrong, and that confused her.

    She sat up as her Empress threw her arms around her, ¡°Mom!¡±

    Her fingers twitched as she tentatively placed her left hand on her Empress¡¯ back, ghostly veil sliding past her fingers; she blinked a few times in confusion.  ¡°Mom?¡±

    What in the Dark Arts is happening?  I¡¯m ¡­ the Empress is...

    Tiffany¡¯s mild shock was overshadowed by concern; her charge collapsed in her arms, crown fading.  Her jaw locked, knowing something was wrong; with her skills, her well-adjusted vision pierced the dark space.

    We¡¯re in a jungle, and there¡¯s a Mount Class, Skeletal Steed above us ¡­ it¡¯s damaged, but it appears to have exceptionally high Base Stats for a first-rank.  A wonderful candidate for my Empress.  Are we under attack?  Edmon is here; I believe he was formed at the same time as I, which means¡­

    Her vision shot between a red-haired woman and some kind of toad creature; the creature was holding a wicked-looking knife and was making strange noises, brandishing the blade at her Empress.

    ¡°Edmon ¡­ she¡¯s so low on Life Energy.¡±  Her words died as Elinor¡¯s body began to deteriorate, green flames licking at her skin.

    ¡°I assume we¡¯re under assault,¡± Edmon¡¯s deep, rugged tone held an edge as he rose to his feet.

    His blue eyes frothed blue energy as he activated his Class and Rank features.  Edmon held the Royal Title Royal Gatekeeper and was in charge of their Empress¡¯ safety; the title gave him defensive bonuses, control over all units during assault, and as a third-rank with the Doom Guard Subclass, in the Elite Defender Class, he held certain perks, in addition to whatever skill path he chose to follow in order to protect his charge.

    Metallic-black platemail appeared out of the blue mist that licked off his body; it formed perfectly to his frame, showing sharp edges at points in case anything wished to ram him or the reverse.  Not a single glimpse of skin could be seen as the eye sockets, and visor foamed sapphire fog; he wore a demonic themed helm.

    In his left hand was his only item, an intimidating, massive cross-shaped shield with what seemed to be a smaller, circular shield on the inside that could be detached.  The smaller piece¡¯s edges were razor-sharp, meant for throwing while the ends of the cross-shield branched out into sharp cloves, and it stood from his feet to his chin, its sides one-third the width of its height.

    Every part of his metal suit seemed forged by an expert craftsman; its rigid design shaped to take damage and deliver a sharp gift in return.  A faint blue snowflake pattern glowed across the front of the first shield, the smaller shield showing the same design at its edges.

    Interesting, he chose the Heavy Punisher and Frost paths.

    Tiffany turned away from him to examine her Empress as she heard a few sharp clangs around her, and the Skeletal Steed above blurred into action to defend them.  Not one thrown object touched them as a faint frosted shell encircled their bodies, including the red-haired woman, Transient Frost Wall.  She knew what Edmon desired.

    Motioning for the woman to come near without looking at her, she scanned over the rips in her master¡¯s clothing with narrowed eyes.  The trembling woman drew near, glancing at their transparent blue shields as they merged.  Tiffany swiftly removed her Empress¡¯ earrings from her temporary body; her clothes dropped to the mud as the magical construct turned to dust.

    ¡°Tell me your name, and the current situation,¡± she instructed.

    The woman flinched as the towering steed jumped into action, barreling into the foliage to chase the frog-like creature, going on the offensive by Edmon¡¯s telepathic command.  He took up their primary defense, but it appeared the creature drew the steed further away to separate them.

    Good, it¡¯s trying to deal with it first; oh, what¡¯s this, he¡¯s named.  The Empress called him Quin, how cute.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯m called¡ªthey call me¡­¡±

    ¡°Deep breaths, dear.  Be calm ¡­ what is this?¡±  she muttered, tone darkening as her fingers caressed Elinor¡¯s true body; there was sinister energy billowing up from the ground all around them, seeping into the diamond sanctuary of her master.

    There¡¯s dark energy constraining our Empress?  Our communication is being blocked; who dares separate our Empress¡¯ voice from us?  This is unnatural ¡­ another assailant, but this is much stronger than the prancing frog.

    Her eyes widened with horror as she analyzed the force, and she interrupted the woman¡¯s attempt at reintroducing herself.  ¡°Edmon, there is a dark presence attacking our Empress!  Some kind of ethereal being.  It¡¯s trying to corrupt her spirit with its influence...¡±

    The heavily armored man turned slightly to look at her, tone cold.  ¡°You¡¯re the Royal Ritualist, Master of Witchcraft.  This is what you are for.  Deal with it!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not that simple,¡± Tiffany snapped.  ¡°I can¡¯t just wave my hand and fix everything; Witchcraft doesn¡¯t work like that.  Surely you understand a little of how my skills operate?  I need to study our environment and prepare a quick Protection Charm to stem its current progress.  Are we safe in this location; will we need to move?¡±

    ¡°No, the Skeletal Steed has extraordinary stats for its rank and level; the toad is now on the defensive, and I can¡¯t sense any significant danger that will require repositioning,¡± he paused, momentarily following the fight too quick for Tiffany¡¯s vision.  ¡°It should keep the creature busy for at least fifteen minutes before becoming impaired.  I¡¯d rather it not collapse, if possible.¡±

    ¡°More than enough, and the steed¡¯s name is Quin; didn¡¯t you sense it?¡±  she chided.

    ¡°It sounds ¡­ too cute.¡±

    Tiffany chuckled.  ¡°The Empress chose it; we should use it.  Now, I¡¯ll prepare a Protection Charm for the Empress to buy us time.  Once the Empress is safe, I will join the fight; then, we can move to a more suitable location for a permanent solution.¡±

    Without acknowledging his short grunt, she got to work, scanning the brush for usable materials, and the knife a few feet away immediately caught her attention.

    She held the Royal Ritualist Royal Title, and was in charge of the Dark Arts of the Empire; it was her duty to advise the Empress on ritualistic options to advance her aims.  The title gave her the understanding to analyze and comprehend the intricate components of materials and a wealth of early to mid-grade rituals.  She was of the Witchery Class and a third-rank Subclass Hexer, which allowed her to branch into offensive magical forces.

    Her grimoire appeared beside her from orange flames, causing her to breathe out a heavy sigh as she slid it to her side; the book resisted all forms of tarnish, including mud and dirt.  She wanted to use it, but didn¡¯t have the proper tools to utilize the more permanent solution her grimoire provided at the moment.

    ¡°Name, quick,¡± Tiffany snapped.  Analyzing the large shrub next to her, she smiled.  Pulling it up by the roots, she moved to pick up the knife, cutting the top half from the base before dropping them both beside her grimoire.

    ¡°It¡¯s Gwen,¡± the woman mumbled.  ¡°Y-You¡¯re a¡ªa Witch?¡±

    ¡°You could say that,¡± Tiffany mumbled as she examined the knife hilt, faint smile still in place.  ¡°This will do wonders.¡±  Orange flames sparked at her fingers, engulfing the knife.

    ¡°F-Fire?¡±  Gwen shrank away, wincing as the fire illuminated the area.

    ¡°Witch¡¯s Fire,¡± Tiffany corrected, using the magic-infused flames to separate the bony hand from the hilt.  The fingers released their death grip, and she tossed the blade to her side; the orange fire surrounding the hand grew as she fed more magic into it, and it floated in midair beside her.  ¡°I can manipulate materials with it to a certain extent, but I need more practice to do more intricate divisions.¡±

    She hummed, looking down at her shirt with delight.  ¡°I do love clothes; they always provide a fundamental material for Witches.¡±

    Gwen eyed her uncertainly as she removed her shirt, leaving her only covered by her bra and shorts.  Using the knife, she cut out a decent sized square out of the fabric, tossing it into the floating flame; it hovered next to the open bony hand.

    Holding out the knife to Gwen, she said, ¡°I assume you wish to live, yes?¡±

    Gwen nodded frantically, eyes darting between the sounds of battle, concealed by the foliage and dense night jungle before returning to the knife hilt being offered her.

    ¡°Good, then please do as I say,¡± her smile was bright.  ¡°Over there,¡± she pointed at the bottom of a massive tree, four meters to their left, ¡°is a pinkish flower called Athemia¡¯s Gift, I need you to cut their base with this knife, that¡¯s important, cut them with the blade, and bring me ten of them.

    ¡°After that, carve out a chunk of the tree root beside it; it shouldn¡¯t be too hard with the Witch¡¯s Fire surrounding the blade, and not too much, just a pinky¡¯s worth.  After that, find me fifteen of these thorns,¡± she instructed, picking up one of the black thorns the toad had been throwing.  ¡°Can you do that for me?¡±  she asked, tossing the barb to her.

    The woman nodded, catching it; her long, muddy red hair bouncing a little as she tentatively took the burning knife.  ¡°It¡ªit doesn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    ¡°Of course not,¡± Tiffany stated, turning her eyes to the jungle floor.  ¡°Witch¡¯s Fire only burns what the caster wishes and has many other properties depending on the Witch¡¯s skills.  Now hurry along; we¡¯re on the clock.¡±

    She took one more fervent glance at the clashing sound of bone and wood on metal before scrambling to her feet and running to accomplish her instructed tasks, but not soon after she rose, Edmon blurred into action, separating the smaller shield with his free right hand.

    Without warning or moving his feet, he threw it with surprising strength five feet to Gwen¡¯s left.  She choked, tripping into the mud.  Blue mist followed the shield, and wherever it touched, thick, jagged ice formed.  The disk vanished into the foliage like a bullet, leaving a trail of ice behind it, and Quin darted that way shortly after, his thunderous footsteps vibrating the ground.

    ¡°It is a quick creature,¡± Edmon commented with a short grunt; an icy replica of the disk formed in his outstretched hand before it shattered, leaving behind his circular shield in its place.  He smoothly reattached the two pieces, head following the fight as they moved a little deeper into the jungle.

    Tiffany directed a quick smile at her trembling assistant as she shakily got back to her feet and moved to accomplish her task.

    Good girl.  It¡¯s nice having an aide.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    She hummed while plucking two different types of mushrooms, tossing three of each into her fire; it kept an even distance from her body, housing her ingredients.

    This place is ripe with lovely ingredients!  I just need an acting agent now ¡­ if only there were Death Caps nearby, but I can¡¯t see anything similar to it ¡­ hold on.

    A glowing, light yellow moss caught her attention; it was growing on a small rock several feet away.  That has the same properties as ground Kelser Root!  Fascinating...

    Getting to her feet, she briskly walked toward it and knelt as Edmon communicated his skill parameters to her telepathically.

    I can see Transient Frost Wall being inconvenient at times, but at the same time, it does have a good field of defensive capabilities against projectiles, which this assailant seems to favor.

    He had stood in the same location for a reason; Transient Frost Wall had a few caveats.  He must stand in the same spot while using it, or it will break, starting its five-minute cooldown.  It only defended against ranged attacks, and only protected those within a five-meter radius that he wished to support.  Lastly, it could only take a certain amount of damage before going on cooldown.  Tiffany wasn¡¯t concerned, though; even if this shield broke, she knew he¡¯d defend them with some other skills.

    She took a deep breath as she held up her master¡¯s diamond cores.  ¡°I apologize, my Empress; I would not do such a thing if it were not necessary.¡±

    Regretfully, she tucked the diamonds into her shorts left pocket, and carefully pulled back the moss; she made sure to touch it in only specific dark yellow locations, humming thoughtfully as she appraised it.

    So, this is called Snaptoe Moss, likely because it has internal barbs that shoot up if stepped on.  How fun!  The poison spreads through the body quickly and gives similar symptoms as the Yellow Fever virus.  Yes, this will work as an acting agent!

    Holding the earthy bottom, she tossed it into the fire and returned to Edmon¡¯s side.  Sitting beside her book, she manipulated the flames to lower and examined her ingredients with pursed lips.

    ¡°Is that all you need to protect the Empress?¡±  Edmon asked, head still moving with the fight obscured from Tiffany¡¯s field of view.

    She talked while preparing the ingredients for the quick Protection Charm.  ¡°Yes, in the short run.  It will give us at most an hour to find a safe location for me to perform a more extensive cleansing ritual.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s sinister full helm moved to look at the red-haired women, frantically crawling along the ground, searching for the thorns.  ¡°Woman, tell us what happened.¡±

    Gwen tensed at his harsh tone, continuing to scavenge for her tasked items.  ¡°I¡ªI was just going on a trip ¡­ it was for humanitarian aid¡­¡±

    ¡°Summarize it,¡± Edmon stated dryly.

    ¡°Be gentle,¡± Tiffany huffed, using her flames to extract the water from the mushrooms before coating the moss with the liquid.  ¡°We need her.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Edmon muttered.  ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°N-Need me?¡±  Gwen¡¯s arms began to tremble as she halted in her action, looking up at her.

    ¡°No, no, dear,¡± Tiffany chuckled, plucking the cloth out of the flames to spread a line of mud across it with her thumb.  ¡°Yes, I could use your life for many rituals, but no, not for this one; besides, we have other creatures to use for those kinds of things.  Why get rid of helpful hands?  Now continue searching, my dear, and answer the good man¡¯s questions.  He may appear gruff and intolerable, but he is the one protecting you.¡±

    Gwen cleared her dry throat.  ¡°I¡ªokay¡­¡±  Her voice trembled as she resumed her search.  ¡°Lights appeared all over the sky, and then a crystal appeared.  It¡ªit felt really e-evil ¡­ everyone started running.  The toad-frog-things came¡ªthey came out of the crystal.  We didn¡¯t know what to do; everyone panicked, but they just started¡ªthey killed us,¡± she rubbed at her eyes with the back of her wrist before continuing.

    Swallowing, and sniffing back some snot, she found another thorn, placing it in her other hand that held the gathered ingredients.  ¡°They tied me up, and¡ªand they forced us to walk into the crystal ¡­ we came here.  It¡¯s like a whole new world,¡± she muttered, glancing around the dark foliage, dimly lit by the Witch¡¯s Fire.  ¡°The girl¡­¡±

    ¡°Empress Elinor,¡± Tiffany sharply corrected, crumbling the dehydrated mushrooms into the cloth on her lap.

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Gwen choked, wincing as she tightened her left hand, causing a thorn to poke through her skin.  She refrained from crying out, choosing to bite her lip, and opened her palm a little to extract the barb.  ¡°Empress Elinor¡ªshe¡ªshe was your¡ªyour daughter ¡­ she helped us escape with that monster, and¡ªand then they sent that toad-thing after us.  The Empress, she talked to it, and it¡ªit took you hostage¡ªit killed you, and¡ªand she brought you back.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Tiffany whispered, tone sad.

    ¡°This makes things complicated,¡± Edmon sighed.  ¡°And the toad seems to be more skilled than I anticipated.  It¡¯s harming Quin faster than expected by focusing on already damaged areas.  How soon until you can join the fight?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hurrying,¡± Tiffany growled, tossing up another orange body of fire into the air.  ¡°Gwen, stick your ingredients into that flame; it won¡¯t burn you.¡±  She turned back to her work, a low rumble in her throat.  ¡°Yes, this makes our relationship complicated with the young Empress.  Our charge is not aware of the scope of her abilities and what she did when creating us.¡±

    ¡°Still, it was a masterful move considering her circumstances; although, it would have been difficult for her if she knew the process of what she performed.¡±

    Gwen tucked her lower lip under her teeth as she finished collecting the scattered thorns and tossed her listed items into the flame.  She collapsed to her butt to stare at the ground, waiting for further instruction.

    Tiffany brought both the skeletal hand and moss together in the flame, molding the plant to the outer edges of the bone.  Gently holding up the cloth, filled with the mixed mushroom dust, she blew it into the flames.  Directing her magic through the fire, she layered the bone with the powder, saying, ¡°Spore and body of two mixed Lesser Panacea toadstools, coat this vessel with the mark of thy protection.¡±

    She lowered the flame and shifted her legs to retrieve her master¡¯s diamond bodies, turning to Gwen.  ¡°Take the knife and cut three of the flowers at their head, and carefully twist them around each other into a rope.¡±

    Gwen nodded, following her instructions without a word.

    Putting the fabric back into the orange flame, she guided the open palm onto the center of the piece before gently placing the two diamond earrings within the skeletal palm.  ¡°Close thy protective fingers around my master; defend her against the blight that seeks to corrupt her spirit.¡±

    Weaving her magic into the mushroom-dust and moss coated skeletal hand, she watched the black burn marks of the spell wrap around the fingers, and the yellow moss¡¯ pale glow increased as the hand closed around the diamonds.  She took the cloth carrying the items out of the fire and swiftly folded its sides.  Taking the braided stems from Gwen, she tied the cloth bag shut.

    Tiffany held it up, muttering, ¡°Burn back the corruption.¡±  She watched satisfactorily as it burst into orange flames before breathing a sigh of relief as she brought the bag close to her chest.  ¡°This Protection Charm should last an hour.  Now for the toad, and we¡¯ll be taking it alive.¡±

    ¡°Alive?¡±  Edmon growled.  ¡°For what purpose?  It assaulted our Empress.  It forfeited its life.¡±

    ¡°Gwen,¡± Tiffany smiled at the still trembling woman.  ¡°You said that our Empress could speak to the creature, did you not?¡±

    Gwen nodded.  ¡°Yes,¡± she cleared her throat.  ¡°The Empress talked to her¡ªI don¡¯t know exactly what they were talking about¡ªI only understood Empress Elinor, but¡ªbut it seemed like a hostage negotiation.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tiffany nodded.  ¡°I thought as much, and she, is it?  Interesting, a female of the species.  Good to know.¡±  She turned back to the intimidating Doom Guard above her.  ¡°As you heard, our Empress has not finished with her, and she will be the one to decide her fate.¡±

    ¡°A reasonable deduction,¡± Edmon grunted.  ¡°How do you plan to subdue her?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s already in the works,¡± Tiffany chimed, putting the Protection Charm housing her Empress on her grimoire and placing the gathered root into her flame.  ¡°Calgar Root; if it is crushed, the juices act as a low-tier sleeping alchemic agent.  However, if you take the pollen of Athemia¡¯s Gift, that acts the same as Wind Vivri, such as the flowers Gwen collected, and use them as a dispersal agent,¡± she brought both flames together, ¡°then you can create a sort of sleeping gas¡ªbut that won¡¯t be enough.¡±

    ¡°This is¡ªis Witchcraft?¡±  Gwen asked, clearly beginning to feel a little safer with them.

    ¡°Crude Witchcraft; just a simple Hex with decent ingredients,¡± Tiffany stated, extracting the pollen from inside the flowers with her magic, using the flames as a medium.  ¡°We must enhance the strength of the Calgar Root with a tiny bit of sap from the root of an Elder-Class tree ¡­ there it is, and pierce the root with Black Thorn Barbs.  Normally, if you¡¯d crush Black Thorn Barbs into dust and mixed it with water, then it would be mildly poisonous; however, what we need is its link to the Black Thorn Tree.

    ¡°Wonderful, they¡¯ve been plucked recently, which means I can draw on its remaining root energy.  You could use these barbs to grow a Black Thorn Tree, but we¡¯ll be using that vitality to bridge the link with the Elder Tree¡¯s sap and the Calgar Root.  We just need to stick these into the root ¡­ slip the sap through the puncture points, and ¡­ done.

    ¡°Now I just need to activate the magical connection between the objects, and boom, a burst of mild-grade sleeping mist that will put most creatures under for at least forty minutes.  On another note, it would be longer if ingested and not diluted into a fog.  However, it should provide us with some cover to escape if any more toads are leaping about.¡±

    ¡°Marvel at your work later,¡± Edmon said, turning toward the dark jungle.  ¡°I¡¯ll bring Quin back.  Activate it when ready; I assume once the toad has reached striking distance of us again, it will attack.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tiffany giggled.  ¡°Oh, and by the way, Gwen, this will also put you to sleep; it works against anything living.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±  Her throat constricted as the massive gorilla-like monster burst through the jungle, polished bones reflecting the orange light of the fire, and the light blue shield around them flashed several times, more barbs dropping to the floor as if losing all momentum.

    ¡°Oh, poor thing,¡± Tiffany muttered as the bright blue shield surrounded the beast; its legs seemed to have been the primary focus for the assailant.  The bones were chipped, and a few cracks were evident in several places.

    Dozens of blue flashes struck across their dull blue shield before the toad appeared a few meters from them.  It could have been Tiffany¡¯s imagination, but she was sure the creature was frustrated as her chest puffed out, and she let out several loud croaks.

    Tiffany¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter as she rose to her feet, taking the root out of the fire.  She brought her flames with her, but removed the now useless flowers, dropping them to the dirt; the only thing left in the orange magical energy was the pollen.

    She held up the root to the toad as if offering her a gift; as she spoke, black patterns began to trace down its length.  ¡°Root of the dream, linked to the seed, and given power by the sap of an Elder Tree, become one, and bloom with the wind.¡±

    Manipulating the flame in-between herself and the hexed root, she blew, and the fire extinguished as the pollen gently flowed into the dark glowing designs.  Gwen and the toad seemed confused as they stared at the root in her hands.  A few seconds passed in silence.

    ¡°Was something¡­¡±

    The root exploded into thick white mist, carried by a massive surge of wind; the toad vanished from sight, but it would be too late.  Gwen took one breath; her eyes rolled back, and she began to collapse.  Before she struck the ground, Edmon ordered Quin to catch her.  Despite his injuries the giant ape swiftly reached down, picking her up in his massive left hand.

    ¡°Nicely executed,¡± Edmon said with a humored tone, moving to their left; his armor was nearly silent.  The shell around them faded with the dimly lit snowflake on his shield.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Tiffany turned to smirk at him, brushing back her thick black hair.  ¡°Is it just me, or are you grinning?¡±  Without expecting a response, she shifted her attention to the dense fog that would spread half a mile, and stay for twenty minutes.

    He bypassed her teasing remark.  ¡°We must find a suitable place to defend.¡±

    Tiffany huffed.  ¡°Sure, but I need to gather a few more ingredients.  Does our little Quin know where our Empress was initially heading?  I also assume she must have other Undead elsewhere, at least one of these toad-people to communicate with them.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Edmon stated telepathically to her, moving out of casual conversation range.  ¡°Once our Empress has returned, we can get answers, and speak to this toad-woman ourselves.  She will answer for the crime of attacking the Empress.¡±

    You¡¯re just being overprotective ¡­ it¡¯s the Defender in you.  It will be the Empress that decides her fate.

    ¡°Of course, but I will request the Empress allow me time with the creature ¡­ examples must be made.¡±  His tone was dark as he returned from the thick mist with the sleeping toad-woman under his armored right arm, her feet dragging along the floor.

    In his left hand, his shield was gone, and in its place he held the toad¡¯s dagger, offering it to her.  ¡°I assume you can use this?¡±

    ¡°Oh, you do love me.¡±  Tiffany giggled with excitement.  Taking it, she examined the fine craftsmanship.  She took the sheath that was attached to the toad-woman''s jacket, cutting it off.

    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself,¡± he grunted.  ¡°Let¡¯s mount,¡± he paused before grumbling, ¡°Quin.  Why would she choose such a ridiculous name?¡±  he mumbled before continuing, ¡°we¡¯ll follow the path the Empress last directed him.¡±

    ¡°Avoiding the name?¡±  Tiffany asked with amusement, placing the sheathed knife inside her makeshift sack where the other blade rested.  ¡°It¡¯s a real shame the pouch ripped in her fall.  Very well; just give me a moment to gather a few more materials.¡±

    She spent three minutes collecting several different types of plants, flowers, sap, and fungus.  Once finished, she wrapped them in what remained of her shirt and tied it together.  Walking over to her book and Protective Charm, housing their Empress, she picked them up, saying, ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Edmon had stood by their Empress the entire time.  Nodding, he commanded Quin to pick them both up and set them on his shoulders before gently wrapping the toad-woman and Gwen in his massive hands.  He began moving in a specific direction and was surprisingly stealthy for his size.

    They continued through the silent fog, every creature sleeping soundly around them as they moved to the last safe location their Empress had directed her Skeletal Steed.

 B1 â€” 8. Demon

    Elinor swallowed as she tried to turn, but there was nowhere to turn; she was a spirit¡ªno body to use¡ªand this colossal being surrounded her.  It emitted an ominous presence that compressed her on all sides which somehow forced her emotions into a box, or it could have been Emotional Loss, for all she knew.

    This thing wants me to talk to it?  Who the crap is this?  Am I back in my diamonds?

    ¡°What an interesting power you have; to imbue one¡¯s spirit into a gem as a medium, trading a weak, fragile body for a more durable substitute, or was it another that did this to you?¡±

    I guess that solves that question, but why can¡¯t I reach my minions ¡­ Mom and Dad.

    ¡°Who are you?¡±  she asked with irritation.  The only thing she could feel was its seemingly infinite presence, swirling around her as it spoke, and she did not like the sound of its voice.

    ¡°I have no name.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not creepy,¡± Elinor mumbled.  ¡°I¡¯m busy right now, so if you could just leave, then that¡¯d be great ¡­ How are you even talking to me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m going to have to decline your invitation to leave, little life forger.  I have not found such a fascinating creature, such as yourself in ¡­ ages.¡±  His laughter painted the scene of volcanoes in her head; it would almost be comical had she not felt as if she were standing right next to said exploding mountains.

    ¡°I make it a point not to speak to people that sound like demons,¡± Elinor stated dryly, Emotional Loss helping to keep her panicked emotions in check as they filtered back, but it was a difficult fight; her Skill could only do so much.  This being pulsed warning signals through her entire spirit.  If she didn¡¯t know any better, it felt like her spirit was trembling.

    ¡°Understandable.  Does this help?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes widened as a jungle exploded across her vision; she was in a clearing, standing on a hardwood deck.  She looked up at the sky, a large orange sun in the heavens, partially blocked by puffy clouds, gently moving across the atmosphere.

    Swallowing the nervous jitters that crawled up her body, she looked down; she actually had a body, but she knew it was still a spirit.  She wore the same clothes she¡¯d picked out earlier; a Punk Rave long-sleeve black Renaissance-style dress.  However, she couldn¡¯t deny the warm touch of the sun heated her skin, and the scent of lilies floated up her nose.

    She glanced around the deck, noticing two chairs and a table that hadn¡¯t been there before.  The table was glass, framed by metal, and the black chairs were padded.

    The being¡¯s voice was now smooth, mature, and male.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we sit and have a proper conversation?¡±

    ¡°W-What did you do to me?¡±  Elinor asked, stepping back as she turned to face the direction of the voice; the mixture of emotions swirling in her heart was at war with her new powers.

    A handsome, blonde-haired man stood a few feet away, causing her to back up further.  He wore a white business suit, and his facial structure resembled her father¡¯s a little, but this man was far more attractive.

    He gestured toward the table, his voice and features kind.  ¡°Would you join me?¡±

    ¡°You¡ªyou haven¡¯t answered my question!  What¡ªthis isn¡¯t real ¡­ It can¡¯t be.  I¡¯m still inside my diamonds...¡±  She stopped, realizing this man¡ªthis creature¡ªonly cared about what he wanted to answer.  She glanced around the clearing as a soft breeze gently pulled at her grayish-white hair, forcing her to tame it.

    Why does it feel so real ¡­ What is this thing, if not a man?

    ¡°I am simply here to understand, Elinor; I will explain everything once you are seated.¡±  He walked over to the chair, pulling it out for her to take it.

    She didn¡¯t move; this was definitely some kind of trick.  Eyeing the man suspiciously, she shifted toward the side of the deck, but paused.

    Where can I go?  I don¡¯t think I have much of a choice.  If he can generate this ¡­ whatever this is, then he could be a lot more handsy.

    Taking a deep, calming breath, Elinor tried to act more dignified with the aid of her new abilities, but it was challenging in this unusual field the creature created.  She added a slight frown to her lips while moving to take the seat.

    With his changed appearance, the warning signals had faded, allowing Emotional Loss and her other passives the chance to catch up after the hurricane it battled before.  She cleared her throat.  ¡°Very well.¡±

    He pushed her chair in before taking his seat, crossing his long legs.

    Elinor initiated, eyes slowly analyzing the small tamed section of the jungle they were in; the trees were black and deep brown, mirroring the new world¡¯s sickly color scheme.  ¡°I assume this is some form of a ploy to make me feel more comfortable.  Standard demon tactics.¡±

    ¡°I assure you, he-he-he, your visual representation of a demon is not what I am in the least.  Although, yes,¡± he glanced around them, ¡°this is just an impression to help the conversation move along.¡±

    ¡°What should I call you?¡±

    ¡°Anything will suffice.¡±

    ¡°Demon?¡±

    He shrugged, a smile giving her the impression he thought she was being childish.  ¡°If that is what you choose, I have no objections.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed.  ¡°Then, I will use it; you give me no reason not to believe you¡¯ll behave as such.¡±

    ¡°What reasons have I displayed to give you such a notion?¡±  he asked, head tilting slightly.

    She crossed her legs, green eyes locking onto his blue irises with a glare.  ¡°Are you joking?¡±

    ¡°On the contrary, I feel as if I have been most accommodating.¡±

    The silence stretched for several seconds as Elinor composed her thoughts.

    If I take his earlier comment about not being as I imagined, he can read my mind to a certain extent.  If that¡¯s the case, why ask such a blatantly obvious question?  Perhaps it''s not quite mind reading and more reaction reading, or he could be playing some elaborate game of chess and trying to make me second-guess myself.  Either way, I¡¯ll stick with my initial reaction; this thing is dangerous.

    ¡°Invading my mind during a critical event in my life is not accommodating.  In any case, let¡¯s bypass any of the games.  What is it that you¡¯re after?  Me?  My spirit?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± the man thoughtfully looked up at the sky.  ¡°How do I convince you?¡±  His vision returned to her.  ¡°I am merely here to explore; I am an explorer, and you have caught my interest.  At least, at this moment, that is what I am doing.  Surely, where you¡¯re from, being an explorer is not a foreign concept.¡±

    This leads to the belief that he can¡¯t read my mind, but he could be just using this as a trap ¡­ unless his entire plan was for me to second-guess everything I did; what a dirty tactic, but I¡¯d expect nothing less from a demon.  If he can read my mind, then it doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m already twenty steps behind, depending on how deep he can reach.

    Her eyes slowly moved from the table to the chair he sat on.

    Something isn¡¯t right with this.  How could he make something like this?  It¡¯s so familiar to me and Earth, but still basic.  Could this be a reflection of my desires?  I¡¯m wishing for some structure, and he uses that desire to fabricate this by my subconscious design?  That¡¯d be super Inception.

    Can I even test it?  He might be able to tamper with my tests, making it pointless.  He could just wait for my desire and alter it to what I¡¯m trying.  How ¡­ fascinating.  I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve ever been pushed to think like this before.

    Focused on the wooden deck, she hummed; Demon retained his patient smile as he awaited answers.  She licked her lips, head rising with her eyes.  ¡°You wish to talk to me, correct?¡±

    ¡°That is the purpose of all this,¡± he stated, gesturing around them.  Elinor didn¡¯t hear a single creature; the only sound was the wind and their slight movements against the chairs.

    I need to take a step back.  He wishes to talk; I am interesting to him.  Reading my mind to play a short lived game of doubt would be rather dull, in my opinion.  Why ask if he knows everything?  Purpose ¡­ I need to analyze his goal.  Before that¡­

    A slight smile moved her eyes as she folded her hands in her lap.  ¡°I appreciate your patience.  Might I trouble you a bit further?  I wish to sort some things out in my mind.  This is all quite unexpected.¡±

    ¡°Of course, take your time; I am in no rush,¡± Demon replied, retaining his complete mask.

    ¡°I appreciate your civility.¡±

    He¡¯s in no rush, and he¡¯s interested in me.  Is there the possibility that he¡¯ll let me go if I tell him I am in danger?  That would bring me closer to his aims.  If I can leave and he allows me to return, that¡¯ll build my confidence in him.  He¡¯d be playing a longer con; however, if he doesn¡¯t, then there¡¯s something darker happening behind this pretty scene.  Seriously, when did I start thinking like this?

    I don¡¯t have an ounce of trust for this creature, but I suppose that has something to do with Emotional Loss.  I¡¯d like to believe I wouldn¡¯t trust him without Emotional Loss¡¯ influence, but who can say ¡­ my old self is mostly gone.  I just wish to preserve my parents ¡­ as long as they¡¯re alright.

    ¡°I have a request.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Do tell.¡±  he said, leaning forward a little.

    ¡°When you contacted me, I was in the middle of a rather deadly situation.  It would be intriguing to discuss more with you, but I am afraid I must first deal with the enemies at the gate.  Do you understand that reference?¡±

    ¡°I believe I do,¡± Demon hummed, his smile dropping for the first time.  ¡°This space moves quicker than the normal flow of time; we should be able to finish conducting our discussion and perhaps identify a solution for your circumstance.  Wouldn¡¯t that be the most logical decision?¡±  he asked, grin returning.

    ¡°I¡ªsuppose it does.¡±  Elinor kept her mask from falling, but this was not the answer she expected.

    Shoot!  Well played, Demon ¡­ damn well played.  He gave me nothing and even threw it back in my face.  I have no way of knowing if time moves quicker.  I don¡¯t think it does from my experience in my diamonds earlier, but this could be an entirely different circumstance.  All I have is his word, and if I question it, he¡¯ll wonder what warrants doubt.  I suppose I could push it.

    ¡°As I stated, your entrance was not accommodating in the least.  I do not wish to doubt your words, but you must understand my position¡ªif you wish to understand me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I can see that perspective.  However,¡± his smile fell a little at her addition, ¡°I would feel safer if this issue was dealt with first.¡±

    Her eyebrows pulled together.  ¡°What issue?¡±

    ¡°I am sure you are aware of ¡­ How enticing¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes widened as a burst of orange flames erupted out of her body, and a massive skeletal hand seemed to reach right through the deck as if ethereal, closing her into a sort of cage.  The energy expanded to the brown bones as moss grew down its length, releasing a dull glow and light fog extended several feet around the structure.

    Demon was gone, but after a moment he reappeared at the edge of the deck; he seemed slightly surprised.  ¡°What ¡­ sort of force is this?¡±  he muttered, pressing his hand through the yellow mist; his skin, muscle, and bone seemed to melt before reforming once back outside the fog.  ¡°Some kind of dissolving or disruptive force?  I have not encountered such energy before.¡±

    This has got to be something related to me ¡­ I mean, I¡¯m a Lich, and this is a massive friggin¡¯ skeleton hand.  It doesn¡¯t seem that safe, though.  I could just walk out of it; a hand doesn¡¯t make the best prison if it¡¯s loose like this.  I suppose the light and mist are the real forces used to push Demon back, so that¡¯s good.

    A dark smile replaced Demon¡¯s mask as he glanced past his reforming hand.  ¡°You have some capable minions, little Life Forger ¡­ Most impressive.¡±

    Elinor leered at Demon, shifting to rest her cheek against the back of her hand, elbow pressed against the arm of her chair.  ¡°Showing your true colors?¡±

    Mom and Dad must have figured out what¡¯s happening!  They made this to protect me.  Does that mean that the Royal Titles worked?  They¡¯re no longer human, but at least we can still be a family.

    He folded his arms.  ¡°I¡¯m interested in the power at the Core of your spirit, Elinor.  What is it?¡±

    Her lips twitched a little.  ¡°Hmm?  A power in the Core of my spirit, you say.  What do you know about it?¡±

    Demon¡¯s smile returned with his chair, and he retook it while legs crossed.  ¡°My answers end without an exchange; don¡¯t you wish to know more about your mother and father?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s amusement was doused in cold water, a smirk dropping with her eyebrows; he knew they were her parents.  ¡°What about my mother and father?¡±

    Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    ¡°Tell me how you obtained the seed in your spirit; exchange is a wonderful concept, yes?  We both seek answers; answers to questions that you do not even know you have.¡±

    Her jaw locked for a moment as she glared at the unknown creature.  ¡°You¡¯re bluffing.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not; I was able to glimpse a portion of that little seed within you; I have the power.  How else would I be able to disrupt your ability to leave and communicate with your minions?  They seemed to discover what was happening much sooner than I anticipated, but no matter.  It will take them time to remove me; how long I wonder?  Months, perhaps years.  We both know you can wait that long, but why not trade information in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°A dance with the devil,¡± Elinor whispered.

    ¡°Demon to devil; such interesting concepts you have.¡±

    He was doing something to my spirit, and that¡¯s probably how he was able to create this space.  It seems Mom or Dad bought me some time¡ªunless this is a trick, but if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing I can do, in any case.  I bet he does know something about my abilities; bringing back Mom and Dad appears to be the big trigger that drew his notice.

    Oddly enough, his proposal interested her.   Why ¡­ I¡¯m naturally curious about things I don¡¯t understand, and that can even lead to me losing my temper ¡­ wonderful.  I need to play it smart, though.

    ¡°You must give a little to get something in return,¡± Elinor¡¯s voice was cold.  ¡°How can I be certain you will even tell the truth?¡±

    His smile widened.  ¡°It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve had this much fun.  You cannot, but I am not a creature of lies¡ªalthough I can sense if you are being deceitful.  Test it, if you wish.¡±

    Elinor resituated herself, feeling a bit uncomfortable in the fact she had to put a modicum of trust in this thing.  ¡°I was a cheerleader when I left California.¡±

    ¡°False.  California and a ¡­ cheerleader?  I look forward to learning more about those.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ My mother is French.¡±

    ¡°True.¡±

    ¡°My father Native American.¡±

    ¡°False.¡±

    ¡°My hair was black.¡±

    ¡°Subjective,¡± Demon snickered.  ¡°Both true and false.  Do tell.¡±

    He knew it was dark enough to be black but I still dyed it a deeper shade.  He really can tell how honest I am.  Dirty.

    ¡°You won¡¯t lie to me?¡±

    ¡°He-he-he.  You couldn¡¯t tell otherwise, but I will not, and as a show of good faith, I will start ¡­ It is clear from your minion¡¯s conversation that you wished to bring back your mother and father, but what if I were to tell you that they didn¡¯t come back how they were?¡±

    How foul!  He picked up on my weak point that fast?  Although, if he can listen in on Mom and Dad¡¯s conversation ¡­ he might even be able to listen in through the link he¡¯s interrupting.  Is there anything I can do to counter him?  There¡¯s really no skill I can use?  Nothing, huh ¡­ damn.

    ¡°What proof do you have?¡±  she challenged.

    He folded his hands across his knee, pressing his back against the chair with a smug grin.  ¡°Give it a moment¡¯s thought.  Think back to how your mother responded to your passionate cry.¡±

    She didn¡¯t like how he phrased it but turned her gaze to one of the large brown bone fingers of the hand surrounding her.

    She was confused, but of course, she would be confused; I¡¯d just brought her back from the dead.  She said ¡­ Why would she question me calling her Mom?  That can¡¯t be right ¡­ I must have misheard her.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, why don¡¯t you listen to the conversation they had earlier, straight from their mouths.¡±

    She heard an unfamiliar voice; it was clear that she was shaken.  ¡°Empress Elinor¡ªshe¡ªshe was your¡ªyour daughter ¡­ she helped us escape with that monster, and¡ªand then they sent that toad-thing after us.  The Empress, she talked to it, and it¡ªit took you hostage¡ªit killed you, and¡ªand she brought you back.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Her mother¡¯s whisper held a sad tone.

    ¡°This makes things complicated,¡± her father sighed.  ¡°And the toad seems to be more skilled than I anticipated.  It¡¯s harming Quin faster than expected by focusing on already damaged areas.  How soon until you can join the fight?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m hurrying,¡± her mother growled, pausing for a moment.  ¡°Gwen, stick your ingredients into that flame; it won¡¯t burn you.¡±  A low rumble shot through her mother¡¯s throat.  ¡°Yes, this makes our relationship complicated with the young Empress.  Our charge is not aware of the scope of her abilities and what she did when creating us.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s body felt like ice as she listened; she couldn¡¯t believe it.  ¡°That ¡­ could be forged.¡±  She wasn¡¯t confident in that scenario, though, and she hated that Emotional Loss didn¡¯t put more doubt in his words.  Demon let her stew in silence, smiling as if he¡¯d already won.

    That can¡¯t be ¡­ I told it to bring them back.  I told it to bring back my parents ¡­ If what he¡¯s saying is true, why didn¡¯t it do it properly?  Is there the possibility it didn¡¯t?  Gwen¡¯s probably one of the girls my Mom brought with her.  Their conversation ¡­ it fits the circumstance.  They even know about Quin ¡­ How would they know, though?

    Bitterly, it was the informative thing in her mind that responded.

    They were granted certain knowledge about the minions I rose that they can now control.

    Demon allowed another conversation to pass through to sink the scenario in.

    ¡°No,¡± her father stated.  ¡°The Skeletal Steed has extraordinary stats for its rank and level; since the toad has switched to the defensive, and is having a more difficult time,¡± he paused.  ¡°It should keep the creature busy for at least fifteen minutes before becoming impaired.  I¡¯d rather it not collapse, if possible.¡±

    ¡°More than enough, and the steed¡¯s name is Quin; didn¡¯t you sense it?¡±  her mother chided.

    ¡°It sounds ¡­ too cute.¡±

    Her mother giggled.  ¡°The Empress chose the name; we should use it.¡±

    They sound ¡­ Why do they sound so similar to my parents if they¡¯re not?  The way Mom teases Dad, and Dad¡¯s always so serious but can dish it back sometimes.  Could Demon just copy that?  Could something have actually gone wrong when I brought them back?  Was I not strong enough?  No¡­

    ¡°No¡­¡±  Elinor¡¯s fingers curled into a shaking fist; her cool persona was cracking but Emotional Loss helped to keep her voice in check.  ¡°I brought them back ¡­ My Mom and Dad didn¡¯t die.¡±  Her chest burned with her nose as she glared at the smug handsome man; control was hard, but she refused to let the tears fall.  ¡°You¡¯re a liar ¡­ It¡¯s a trick.¡±

    The thoughts rolling through her mind and heart were tearing her apart.

    ¡°I must say, does your species always behave so erratically?  The way you fight against your own powers is beyond me.  I assure you, that was real, and what you did was forge new spirits using your parents as a blueprint, not simply bring them back.¡±

    Elinor swallowed, doubt blazing in her chest; she drew in a long breath before letting Emotional Loss help her ask the terrifying question.

    Did I bring back my parents the exact same¡­

    It was like two hands wrapped around her throat, suffocating her as Elinor¡¯s heart bled empty with the haunting realization that Demon told her the truth.  The only thing left for her to cling onto hope was to doubt her own powers.

    Mom ¡­ Dad ¡­ I failed ¡­ I didn¡¯t ¡­ It makes our relationship complicated.  What did they mean by that?  How could that be complicated?  They called me Empress ¡­ the human called me Empress ¡­ is she human anymore?  I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening outside ¡­ I just ¡­ I don¡¯t know.  Is Demon a part of my new powers?  Was he always there?  I don¡¯t know.

    ¡°Your turn, Life Forger,¡± Demon said with glee.  ¡°How did you obtain the seed inside your spirit?¡±

    She ignored him, mind spiralling out of control

    What should I do?  What can I do?  Can I fix them ¡­ no ¡­ Why?  Give me an answer!  Maybe it can¡¯t because Demon¡¯s blocking it, too?  I can fix it; I have to.  There has to be a way ¡­ Demon could be manipulating everything it tells me ¡­ But if Mom and Dad put this protective shield around me ¡­ Can he influence me anymore?  If I¡¯m going to remain sane, I have to continue ¡­ I have to get beyond this.

    Mom and Dad ¡­ Can I even call them that?  What else would I call them?  I don¡¯t know.  If they aren¡¯t my parents, who are they?  Did I throw some random spirits into my parents¡¯ bodies?  Could I have done  ¡­ No ¡­ thank god, but ¡­ they¡¯re not the same.  What would grandma think ¡­ how ¡­ how ¡­ how¡­

    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Demon snapped his fingers with a deep frown; Emotional Loss was slowly bringing her mind back from the spiral it had taken.  ¡°Is this that hard to handle?  You seem to be such emotional creatures.  I¡¯d expect someone with your spirit to be more level-headed; although, I suppose your spirit is still in flux with the change.  Such a fascinating metamorphosis.¡±

    ¡°You,¡± she muttered, eyes wide as she realized her fingers were pressed against her temple.  ¡°How do I fix it?  How do I fix my parents ¡­ You must have an answer.¡±

    His grin returned.  ¡°Finally noticing me again, are we?  I gave you one answer, and it is your turn to give me one in return.  Once that finishes, we can move on to the next exchange.  I was honest and fair.¡±

    Elinor took several deep breaths as she reigned herself in; her fear and guilt were slowly being brought back under heel.  Pulling back her hair, she pressed her thighs together, feet wrapped around each other.

    That¡¯s not a no ¡­ There might be a way.  I have to be honest with him ¡­ He proved that trying to lie would be a waste of both our time.

    Closing her eyes, she took one more breath before her vision opened, glaring at Demon¡¯s casual demeanor.  ¡°I come from another world.  I was drugged, kidnapped, and woke up in a basement with these powers.  I was told that everything started to change the moment lights appeared in the sky.  That¡¯s all I know.  Now, tell me how to get my parents back.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, true ¡­ but somewhat ambiguous,¡± Demon thoughtfully tapped his lower lip, ¡°you didn¡¯t tell me which gave you the powers.  Was it a drug, the light, or something else?¡±

    Elinor shook her head.  ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because I don¡¯t know.  That¡¯s the only information I have to go on.  My parents.¡±

    Demon folded his arms, vision low, as if pondering something disconnected to their discussion.  A few seconds passed, grinding against Elinor¡¯s nerves.  ¡°I assume these lights appeared with the crystal that transported you into this world.  Yes?¡±

    ¡°I thought this was an exchange,¡± Elinor said with iron in her tone.

    A smirk lit his face.  ¡°That it is.  What was your question again?¡±

    ¡°How do I bring my parents back to their original selves?¡±

    If this information thing inside her head wouldn¡¯t tell her how, surely a demon wanting something from her could; it might cost her soul or whatever else creatures like this liked, but for her parents, she would entertain anything.

    Unsurprisingly, his answer was prompt.  ¡°You can¡¯t.  The lights came with the crystal.  Yes?¡±

    The swiftness of his reply left Elinor¡¯s mind blank.  ¡°I¡ªmust have been mistaken,¡± A humorless chuckle shook Elinor¡¯s chest.  ¡°I thought you said ¡®I couldn¡¯t.¡¯  What was that again?¡±

    A light sigh left Demon¡¯s lips.  ¡°Are you going to shut down again?  You can¡¯t¡ªit¡¯s impossible¡ªyou already used their spirits to forge your current versions.  Should I go on?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Elinor¡¯s voice cracked.  ¡°You¡¯re a Demon, though ¡­ You¡¯re supposed to say you can do anything for a price.¡±

    ¡°Such emotional attachments,¡± Demon muttered, ¡°and of course, I can do most things quite simply for the proper price, but I am telling you that this is impossible.  Look, you have one shot with how you use someone¡¯s spirit¡ªit is their spirit.  You chose to subtract, add, and mix a lot of aspects into your parents¡¯ spirits.  That was your choice, Life Forger.  You forged a new spirit out of existing material as a base; it was so masterful that it drew my notice, and that ¡­ Ah,¡± he smiled, ¡°my question.¡±

    Elinor slumped back into her chair, vision out of focus; she felt hollow.

    I basically killed Mom and Dad ¡­ my own abilities confirmed it ¡­ Like a computer file ¡­ I wrote over their information.  How ¡­ why?  He¡¯s being truthful ¡­ I can¡¯t see any reason he wouldn¡¯t take this opportunity to force me into some insane deal but ¡­ but he¡¯s not.  It doesn¡¯t make sense ¡­ My parents are gone.  If even this thing won¡¯t lie to me to get me to do something stupid then ¡­ maybe he¡¯s waiting for something else to pull me in?

    Demon snapped his fingers several times.  ¡°Hey!  My turn.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the point?¡±  Elinor mumbled.  ¡°What do I have left to live for?  I¡¯m lost in a new world ¡­ I have no clue how to even get back, and there¡¯s no hope for my parents.¡±

    He was silent for several seconds before releasing a drawn out sigh.  ¡°I would love for you to give up, give me your spirit, and allow me to use that seed to its fullest potential.  It would accelerate my plans by ages.  However, as I said, I will not lie to you, and I cannot do the one thing you wish.  Also, I doubt your minions will stand for you giving up, and I still need answers.¡±

    Demon ruffled his hair with a somewhat awkward look that Elinor wondered if he was really faking or not.  ¡°Look, Elinor, it¡¯s not as bad as you appear to be taking it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, allowing her abilities to stabilize her hollow heart.  ¡°Emotional life-forms are so difficult to deal with¡ªit is not like your parents disappeared, but were ¡­ transformed.  They still have many of the characteristics that they had when you were alive, but they¡¯ve been reforged.¡±

    ¡°Same characteristics¡­¡±  Elinor muttered, Demon¡¯s words dropped in a spark that perhaps not all was lost.  She couldn¡¯t trust everything he said, but when her own abilities confirmed what he was saying, how delusional could she be?

    They may not remember their past, but they still have many of their characteristics ¡­ I heard it in their voices¡ªif that was true.  I know they aren¡¯t the same, though.  They¡¯ll always take care of me, protect me¡ªlike they¡¯re doing against Demon.  They love me ¡­ They need me ¡­ I need them.  I¡¯m not alone¡­

    ¡°Maybe I haven¡¯t lost them completely.¡±  she said, looking up at Demon.  ¡°I can try to accept that.  Is there any way to get them back ¡­ not fully, but just ¡­ closer to how they were?¡±

    Demon¡¯s grin turned wicked.  ¡°That¡¯s a question.¡±

    ¡°Yes, the crystal that transported me here appeared with the lights.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Demon¡¯s vision shifted to the right.  ¡°I am familiar with the Crystals; that gives me a clue, but they do not grant powers¡ªthat is new.  My answer in regards to your question, treat them like family, Elinor.  I don¡¯t understand the draw of such a concept, but it is the answer you seek.  If you wish to continue building that familial bond, then treat them like family.¡±

    ¡°Oddly ¡­ wholesome, for a Demon,¡± Elinor whispered, slightly confused about how helpful he was being.  ¡°Family ¡­ I can do that.¡±  A soft smile lightened her cheeks.  ¡°You¡¯ve been shockingly helpful, for a devil that¡¯s trying to take my spirit.¡±

    He bypassed her jab.  ¡°Were there others that were given powers?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips pursed as she leaned back, folding her arms.

    How should I answer?  This only works if I¡¯m honest because he can tell when I¡¯m lying, but would I be throwing that snake-woman under the bus if I let Demon know about her?  He¡¯s not all-powerful, but he seems to have quite a bit of power ¡­ It felt endless before he made this illusion.  He must have some kind of restrictions.

    Although ¡­ should I care about the snake-woman?  Do I need any answers from him to follow up on?  My mind says it¡¯s a little wrong, but if I can get answers to my questions, then I don¡¯t feel that bad about telling him.  Another Lich change, probably.  In any case, do I have any more questions?  No.  Not really.

    Her composure soon returned, and she said, ¡°I don¡¯t believe I have any more questions.  So, what else could you provide to receive such information?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Demon crossed his legs in the opposite direction.  ¡°I could tell you what I know about the seed inside you.¡±

    Elinor was a little shocked with her instant response.  ¡°Yes, there was at least one other person that changed, and the toads brought her here.  There may be more, but that¡¯s the only one I know for certain.¡±

    ¡°The toads,¡± Demon chuckled.  ¡°You have such fun concepts for creatures; this has been most enjoyable.¡±  She waited; it took several seconds as he seemed to be collecting his thoughts.  ¡°They placed a weak barrier around a creature, but I¡¯m patient.  They¡¯ll move her out of it in time.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve already found her?¡±  Elinor asked with a slight frown.

    ¡°Not for a certainty, but it¡¯s the only real option in the area and I¡¯ve been ¡­ preoccupied by you.¡±  Demon said conversationally.  ¡°In regards to your seed, it¡¯s like a little pocket of information, incredibly dense and burns with one of the most neutral powers I¡¯ve ever encountered.  It could attach to just about anything, and if fed, has the ability to grow exponentially.

    ¡°However, it appears to latch onto a particular set of structural parameters on its own; it¡¯s quite sophisticated¡ªfar more than I can currently see ¡­ almost like it has a life of its own.  One thing is for certain; it is well beyond any mythical artifact I¡¯ve encountered.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s interest peaked.  ¡°Mythical artifact?¡±

    Demon¡¯s elbows moved to the arms of the chair.  ¡°I have enough material to satisfy me, so, instead of a question, how about a deed?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡­ Here we go,¡± Elinor mused, feeling in control again as her eyes narrowed.  ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not a devil or demon, because you act exactly like one.  First, seemingly harmless questions, second, actionable information that could lead to someone¡¯s spirit being taken over, and now you want me to do something.  You¡¯re leading me down quite the road.¡±

    ¡°Yet, you did give me the information.¡±

    ¡°I did ¡­ and I believe you know that this seed has something to do with it; you left some of that information out, did you not?¡±

    ¡°No, the answer is within the information I gave,¡± he said with a smirk.

    ¡°Of course it is,¡± Elinor grunted.  ¡°What is it you¡¯d want me to do, and I believe action is worth a much higher price than simple information.  What can you offer in return?¡±

    Knowing what he wanted was important to dissecting his character, and if it didn¡¯t really affect her, then it really didn¡¯t matter to her if it hurt this world.

    Demon¡¯s smile turned malevolent.

 B1 â€” 9. Coming To Terms

    Elinor glared at Demon as his head tilted with his smile, keeping the pleasant chime in his voice.  ¡°I want you to order Tiffany or Edmon to go to a certain mountain; I will guide them down its depths.  Within that maze is a glowing fist-sized stone; they must simply break it.¡±

    A low note left Elinor¡¯s throat; she held her hand against her chest as her laughter grew stronger.  Demon didn¡¯t seem to think her response was appropriate, his smile faded.

    ¡°Is such a request entertaining?¡±

    She slowly regained control of her mirth; her eyes gradually opened to study him, and there was a deadly glint in her ghostly green irises.  ¡°Do you think I am a naive little girl?¡±

    Demon¡¯s perfect features creased as he shifted to a different position in his chair.  ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    ¡°Do I really need to repeat myself?  If there is one good thing that has come from this seed inside of me, it¡¯s the clarity and bite it instilled.  I don¡¯t know what kind of society you¡¯ve explored, but where I come from, we have countless legends and myths.  Fiction that could fill the world an immeasurable number of times.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Demon¡¯s tone died with uncertainty.  ¡°What¡ªdoes that have to do with you laughing at my request, and asking me if I think you are a naive little girl?¡±

    ¡°A puzzle, Demon,¡± Elinor responded with a smirk.  ¡°All of your questions, everything you¡¯re searching for, such as this seed inside me.  It¡¯s all a part of a puzzle and a fairly obvious one at that.  I must thank you for your first appearance.  First impressions really are as important as my father taught me.¡±

    ¡°What¡ªis a puzzle?  How can I be doing this¡ªpuzzle when I do not know what it is?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re serious,¡± Elinor giggled, cold eyes fixated on the man in front of her.  ¡°How long have you been an explorer?  How many civilizations have you truly watched, trying to understand?¡±

    ¡°If you want¡­¡±

    ¡°If I want to know, then I¡¯ll need to offer something in return?¡±  Elinor asked with mirth.  ¡°I¡¯m not asking a question; I¡¯m accusing you of lying.¡±

    Demon¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°I am no liar.¡±

    Elinor huffed with a weak shrug.  ¡°Then, a mistranslation.  In any case, I do not believe your definition of an explorer and mine are the same.  To me, an explorer is a person that goes to many places; they learn and understand different cultures to document, experience, and seek new horizons.  With what you¡¯ve explained to me about yourself, and what I¡¯ve seen, you mask yourself as an explorer.  What you truly are, I don¡¯t quite know, but I have some ideas.¡±

    His smile returned, and he let a light laugh slide through his throat.  ¡°I see, a mistranslation, that is possible.  I am communicating with you through the weak link I was able to create before your servant locked my progress.  Is that why you laughed?  You recognized that our communication was a little faulty?¡±

    ¡°It really interests me what kind of civilizations you¡¯ve observed, Demon.  How could you not know what a puzzle is?  A puzzle is a game to pass the time in my world, but at its base, it is just an object in pieces that must be put together to create a whole, or to complete something.  You talked about a plan; well, a puzzle is similar but different.  There are many pieces to this conversation that fits into a whole ¡­ the grand plan.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating ¡­ a puzzle, you say, and you¡¯ve figured out how all my pieces fit to uncover my grand plan?  I think your world would be the most wonderful place to visit.  From what little I have observed from your memories, it is advanced in many unconventional ways.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sealed, trapped by something, and you need someone¡¯s help to break free.  It¡¯s obvious, which is why I asked if you think I am naive.  You¡¯re a hidden monster in the soil, a mist of darkness seeking freedom, and what could you possibly offer to compel me to release such a threat?¡±

    Demon¡¯s wicked smile returned as his eyes creased.  ¡°Oh, you are so delicious.  I have not met many creatures that would think of such a concept.  I am a hidden monster in the soil ¡­ a mist of darkness seeking freedom ¡­ such imagery.  Now it is I that wonders what kind of history your world has experienced to produce such creatures?¡±

    Elinor looked down upon the man, eyes challenging him to present anything worth her interest.  Demon mirrored her posture, arm resting on his chair¡¯s side while propping up his head with the back of his hand, and after several seconds of silence, his smile grew.

    ¡°I did not expect the seed to draw out of your past experiences this kind of personality.  Your world¡¯s history must be filled with contrasting colors; that expression is simply divine.  Your definition of an empress ¡­ one that rules above all ¡­ it¡¯s fitting.  The more that seed grows¡­¡±

    He went silent again as he studied her; his tongue slid past his teeth to glaze his lips.  ¡°Whatever or whoever created such an event that caused this phenomenon to take place on your planet ¡­ What have they created?  To attach such power to creatures with a history and base nature like yours is ¡­ reckless.  The fusion of that seed to such spirits ¡­ such mutations and there is another that was brought back to this world.  Such an exciting period in this planet¡¯s history and I have seen much.¡±

    ¡°Are you going to keep wasting my time with this flattery?¡±  Elinor asked with a dry tone.  ¡°You¡¯re far from powerless or some weak creature; I felt your real presence.  I¡¯m dancing with the devil, but you seem to be a rather ill-informed demon.  Now, I¡¯m waiting.¡±  she stated, tapping her right index finger against the armrest.

    ¡°For my offer?  You call me a creature of evil, yet are still open for negotiations,¡± he mused, showing glossy teeth.  ¡°I have not experienced creatures with such hubris ¡­ most fascinating.¡±

    He sat back, folding his fingers across his lap.  ¡°What I am asking is nothing so grand as what you described.  Do I have a plan?  Yes.  Are there pieces, like in this puzzle you described?  Yes, and I find that concept wonderful.  A game on your planet, you say?¡±

    When she didn¡¯t respond, he huffed with a slight smirk.  ¡°I suppose you¡¯re¡­¡±  He cut off as most of the scenery around them seemed to disperse in a burst of wind, leaving darkness around the clearing.

    Elinor¡¯s focus shifted to her surroundings, gazing past the burning skeletal hand encircling her.  The sickly colored flowers and grass still held their shape with the platform and furniture, but the jungle and sky had vanished with the wind.

    She leered at the man in front of her, some of his composure faltering.  ¡°Losing control?  I suppose this is the extent to which your sealed power can manifest.¡±

    She hummed as she looked up at the blackness.  ¡°Although, is it a seal?  The feeling I had when you first attached to my spirit ¡­ it was as if a vast power was scattered.  You can¡¯t fully manifest due to something, and that glowing fist-sized stone is connected to that process.¡±

    Demon¡¯s faltering smile turned strained.  ¡°You have a rather suspicious and calculating mind.  Could you be overthinking it?¡±

    ¡°Then tell me, what would breaking the stone do?¡±  Elinor challenged.

    ¡°Why should I tell you?¡±

    She rolled her eyes.  ¡°This is pointless.  You can¡¯t even present an equivalent option for compensation.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Demon¡¯s composure returned.  ¡°Tiffany¡¯s Protection Charm is nearing its end.  Are you sure you can stay calm?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes slid to the flames surrounding her.

    The fire is dimming, and it has been shrinking steadily.  He¡¯s likely not bluffing; perhaps he doesn¡¯t lie.  I doubt I can stop him from taking over my spirit or taking the seed inside me for himself.

    Her smirk returned as she glared at the smug man across from her.  ¡°What good will panicking do me?  If there¡¯s one thing I trust, it¡¯s my parents, and while Tiffany and Edmon aren¡¯t them, they¡¯re the closest thing there is.  I trust them to handle what I cannot; it¡¯s what I raised them to do.¡±

    ¡°Such trust, yet your emotions are not flaring as they were.  This has something to do with the seed ¡­ it¡¯s changing you.¡±  When Elinor responded with a bored expression, he chuckled.  ¡°I suppose that doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±

    ¡°Are we over?¡±  Elinor asked, eyes wondering to find something of more interest.  ¡°I was sure you¡¯d have some counter offer.  Perhaps I overestimated you.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Demon smirked, tilting his head the opposite direction.  ¡°What about a way home?¡±

    Her eyes locked on him, narrowing slightly.  ¡°So, there is a way.¡±

    ¡°With my knowledge, yes, but for you, no.  You have lingering sentiment for your world.  How would you like to return?¡±  he offered, spreading his fingers.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor crossed her legs the opposite way.  ¡°That is something I did not expect you to offer.¡±  Her eyes dropped to the deck as she thought.

    Do I want to return?  I should be shouting for joy that it¡¯s even a possibility.  Why am I not?  What is there to return to?  I can assume that this change happened worldwide, which would most definitely alter the place I remember ¡­ it won¡¯t be the same place I left.  Another issue is the price.  What will it cost?

    Her focus moved to Demon¡¯s innocent smile, welcoming her to take the deal.

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    I won¡¯t free him until I know he cannot harm me or my ¡­ Tiffany and Edmon, but do I want to go back?  My extended family is there, and I am sad that I can¡¯t see them again, but I¡¯m already at the point of no return.  I¡¯ve already reconciled to living here the rest of my life with my parents, and living in an organized society that could view my parents and me as abominations is not a good situation to put myself in.

    I can¡¯t stop thinking of them as my parents ¡­ it will probably take some time.  I¡¯m a Mythickin Lich Empress, made this way by a seed somehow placed inside my spirit.  Demon is already extremely powerful ¡­ he¡¯s beyond powerful, but he still wants it.

    Whatever is keeping him dispersed into this energy state must be ¡­ if there¡¯s something that powerful on this planet, then who knows what I can do with it?  He mentioned Mythical Artifacts and linked this seed to one, but that¡¯s likely because even he doesn¡¯t know what this is, it¡¯s the closest thing he can relate it to.

    What do I want, though?  My parents are lost, that¡¯s confirmed.  My way home is accessible through this devil¡¯s contract, but my previous world would shun me, experiment on me, and if it has changed, then it¡¯s completely unknown.  It would be no different living in this world than my previous one if this seed affected everyone around the world.  It could even be in the other humans that were captured.

    It took me bringing ¡­ reforging my parents¡¯ spirits to gain Demon¡¯s attention.  He¡¯s limited in his actions.  It probably took a substantial effort for him to manifest himself like this to me and try to take me over.  He¡¯s after sure bets, that¡¯s why he asked me if there was someone that changed and what they were like.

    He can¡¯t do much himself; he needs someone to accomplish his goals.  I don¡¯t know if he can muster the strength to take the snake-woman over as he did me, and he¡¯s still digging his heels in, hoping Tiffany won¡¯t cleanse him in time.  This is a risky play for him, and he¡¯s all in.

    What about me?  I don¡¯t want to go home.  I don¡¯t have much there, and even the thought of seeing Tanner doesn¡¯t have the same heat in my chest as it once did.  I¡¯m different.  I¡¯ve lost a lot of what I used to desire, which begs the question, what do I want?  I¡¯m not truly the human Elinor anymore ¡­ so, what should I live for now?

    Demon waited patiently, but she knew it was a facade; Tiffany was working to expel him, and she was making progress.  She drew in a deep breath before letting it out; she¡¯d made up her mind.  ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe returning is something that I want.¡±

    His confidence faltered.  ¡°Are you positive?  How odd ¡­ your seed must be sprouting much faster than I anticipated.  What is it that you want?  I can most likely grant it.¡±  he pressed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can ¡­ because I do not fully understand myself.  I want to discover what Tiffany and Edmon are like ¡­ to see how much of my parents are left.  After that, I don¡¯t know, but I don¡¯t find it particularly pressing to return home.  Might I want that in the future?  Perhaps, however, you¡¯ve confirmed that it is possible, and I believe I have the life-expectancy to figure out how once I wish to.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, then?  A shame.¡±  He sighed, scratching his head.  ¡°My intervention may have accelerated the seeding process.¡±

    ¡°You needn¡¯t be too disappointed,¡± Elinor smirked.  ¡°I now know you exist.  If I do desire something and need your cooperation, I¡¯m sure I can find you again.  I doubt this will be the last time we meet, and if you somehow manage to complete whatever it is you¡¯re doing to me, then I lost.  What more can I say?¡±

    Demon chuckled.  ¡°I must say, I rather enjoy this new you, despite the potential setback.  The emotional creature you were before was ¡­ unpleasant.¡±

    ¡°I was a teenager,¡± Elinor shrugged, ¡°and for despising emotions, you exhibit the signs of having them.¡±  she commented.

    He rubbed his chin with a thoughtful expression.  ¡°Oh?  Perhaps I do.  Now, how interesting is that?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Elinor glanced around the dark space surrounding them.  ¡°How long must we wait for this game to end?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Demon smoothly rose to his feet, walking forward a few steps to slide his hand through the dimming flames.  The skin, muscle, and bone dispersed upon contact, rematerializing as he returned to his chair.  ¡°Eight minutes or so.  That is, assuming Tiffany doesn¡¯t perform some other strange ritual to prevent me from reaching you.¡±  He sighed.  ¡°A competent woman ¡­ that¡¯s what you call your female species, correct?  The one that carries the next generation?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Elinor stated with a slight smile.  ¡°What about yourself?  Could you at least tell me some stories to pass the time?  Silence is incredibly dull.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and what would I get out of such an interaction?¡±

    ¡°My reaction, my questions.  Aren¡¯t you curious to see how I might respond to your stories?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± he sat back, cupping his chin with his left hand.  ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about that.  Is storytelling something your species often does?¡±

    ¡°Extensively.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ I have come across creatures that recount their history through such methods.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not only about knowing history,¡± Elinor huffed.  ¡°It¡¯s about learning from history, and not repeating the same mistakes.¡±

    ¡°Learning from history ¡­ such a rare concept.  No wonder you creatures are so quick to advance, and your adaptability is astounding.  Even though that seed is quite neutral, it would take a highly adaptable being to link with it.  I hadn¡¯t considered that until you mentioned it.  Yes, I might just learn more from interacting with you.  Very well, we have a little time.  What do you wish to know?¡±

    ¡°The Toads and the Quen¡¯Talrat; tell me about their war.  I¡¯ve heard how terrifying the Elite Hunters were, and I raised one to my ranks ¡­ huh, I probably wouldn¡¯t have used that word before changing.  Anyways, what¡¯s the history behind that?¡±

    ¡°Really, you wish to discuss such a small event?  Fascinating.  Although, I suppose you also feared I wouldn¡¯t speak of great events that could give you powerful soldiers or minions.  I do know a vast amount of history upon this planet.¡±

    Elinor shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m sure you do, but I¡¯m content with the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    ¡°Very well, I suppose this would be interesting to you based on your recent experiences.  The Toads have a much longer history than the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±  He grinned malevolently.  ¡°In the past, the Toads mutated another race into the Quen¡¯Talrat to act as their slaves ¡­ that was millennia ago ¡­ The Searing Concord; that was one of the more interesting periods in history.

    ¡°This planet is quite old, and there are many intelligent races on just this continent alone.  That must be important information.¡±  He chuckled.

    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Elinor replied.  ¡°So, the Quen¡¯Talrat were genetically modified, and the Toads did that to them a long time ago?  They must have been quite advanced in the distant past.  Did they hold a grudge against the Toads for that?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± Demon shifted his legs in the opposite direction, gazing into the darkness with a smirk.  ¡°Even the Toads have forgotten their history going back that far, and many creatures rose in power and fell in that time, including the Quen¡¯Talrat.  They were vicious and kept in check by many other creatures that shunned them to the desolate lands around you.¡±

    ¡°The volcanic zone I saw before?¡±

    ¡°I suppose.  Your minions have taken you to that location, escaping your Toad pursuers.  You are on the edge of the former Quen¡¯Talrat Empire ¡­ of course, to the Toads, they were collectively known as the Burning Shadow¡ªa reference to their abilities.  Shunned by all their neighbors, starved, and left with few resources, and hostile creatures struggling for dominance below their very feet; their anger grew generation by generation.

    ¡°They fought amongst themselves in tribal conquest and against the denizens below the surface for many centuries for subterranean resources.  It was after their fifth attempt to build a place of their own in this world.  It was then that an ancient prophecy was fulfilled, one of their seers foretold an awakening during the second attempt at unification.

    ¡±It¡¯s a simple prophecy, really, and could be broadly interpreted.  One Quen¡¯Talrat, inheriting all their unique gifts, would become Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, their savior and chief leader.  The Ke represented him being over all other leaders, Thra was his mother¡¯s name, and Ma his given.

    ¡°He united the warring tribes through sheer power, built up their resources, conquered their subterranean foes with a personal guard, and trained his soldiers, helping them to develop their abilities.

    ¡°These Elite Hunters are the ones you mentioned, and they were vastly more powerful than the other races¡¯ top warriors surrounding their land; of course, they¡¯d grown lax over centuries, and their military might had fallen into decay.  Has that happened in your world?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  Most nations never survive four-hundred years without going through a sharp decline, according to one of my history teachers, that is.¡±

    ¡°Four-hundred years ¡­ told by a history teacher, eh?¡±  Demon mused before returning to his story.  ¡°Years passed as Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma prepared to move against the northern Trelmere race, and he crushed them within a week.  It was a slaughter.

    ¡°You see, they were on conquest for resources, not servants; almost the entire race was destroyed.  It was the remaining Trelmere that went to other nations for help, but their alliance was slow to form.  The politics were ¡­ delicious.¡±  He chuckled.  ¡°It takes a lot of work to gather many different kingdoms, and Quen¡¯Talrat were growing stronger every day.  Is your world filled with such debates, or is there a powerful singular leader?¡±

    Brushing her hair to the left as she looked at the meadow, Elinor hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t much into politics.  My parents were, but I found it boring.  However, from what I¡¯ve seen of this world and what you¡¯ve told me, yes, my world was filled with complex political agendas.¡±

    ¡°The more I hear, the more I wish to experience such a race,¡± Demon swallowed, wetting his lips.  ¡°The Burning Shadow ¡­ within that time of debates, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was expanding, experimenting, preparing.  He conquered four of the eight great kingdoms of this land before his armies finally fell, and it was with his death.¡±

    ¡°Typical,¡± Elinor sighed.  ¡°The leader falls, and the nation crumbles under the power gap.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, I suppose you have similar cases in your own history.  I¡¯m in quite a positive mood, Elinor.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Near the very place you currently rest, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was pushed back to one of their most heavily defended strongholds, but it eventually fell.  It was no small feat and would not have been possible had not their subterranean foe joined the battle.  Much of the allied forces lost a majority of their fighting strength on this mountain; however, I suppose in this harsh environment, bodies wouldn¡¯t last long.

    ¡°After Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s death, the Quen¡¯Talrat broke back into tribes, lead by the Elite Hunters, and thus, began the Fire Wars.  Try as they might, the broken Empire kept losing ground, and eventually, just about every Quen¡¯Talrat was exterminated.¡±

    ¡°Just about?  I was under the impression they¡¯d all died?¡±  Elinor asked, remembering back to Valdar¡¯s statement.

    Demon chuckled.  ¡°It¡¯s not so easy to destroy an entire race; even the Quen¡¯Talrat couldn¡¯t accomplish it.  They survive across the continent, some across the sea, building a new empire.  There are many continents and islands throughout this world, caving systems, and secrets long since forgotten by all, but I have a long memory.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Elinor mumbled, tilting her head back to look into the abyss.  ¡°You¡¯ve referenced a lot of historical accounts in that story.  So, this world is filled with dangers and many different kingdoms.¡±

    ¡°Quite dangerous,¡± Demon stated.  ¡°If you made me an ally, then none could stand against you, Elinor.  I have only offered this deal to a select few in my vast existence, Empress of the Dead.  An Undying Empire awaits you with my power.¡±

    ¡°You act as if I need you for that,¡± she smirked.

    Demon reflected her smile.  ¡°Only time will tell, and allies can quickly become foes.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes dropped to the deck as cracks appeared in the wood, causing her lips to curve into a frown.  Her vision lifted to Demon as his countenance darkened, and his wicked grin widened.  The searing pressure of his voice slowly returned as fractures spiderwebbed down the bones surrounding her, moss decaying before her eyes.

    ¡°Your spirit smolders beneath that calm facade ¡­ your protection wanes.  The hate in those green eyes you have yet to even fully acknowledge lies in wait; love replaced by fear, security shattered, and now you stand upon the precipice of the burning coals underneath.¡±

    He licked his lips.  ¡°How will you respond when that fury rises?  How will the dredges of your wrath forge that malleable seed?  I¡¯ve grown to love your race ¡­ the depths of the madness within.  I will watch from the infinite and vast; there is much I wish to teach you, but that will come in time.  The moment has arrived.¡±

 B1 â€” 10. The Binding

    Tiffany glanced across Quin¡¯s bony shoulders at Edmon, dense mist swirling around them; he still wore his armor, massive shield in hand as he dexterously stood on the creature¡¯s back, searching for signs of danger around them.

    She sighed, turning her focus to the burning bag in her lap, atop her black covered grimoire; she communicated to Edmon through their telepathic link. ¡°You know we¡¯ll be leaving a trail they can follow?¡±

    Edmon was silent a moment. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do about it, but be prepared. Your hex will hold off any search parties for at least twenty minutes, and if they are cautious, even longer. Depending on how this toad-woman¡¯s strength compared to the rest, they may abandon their search for us and cut their losses or wait for reinforcements. By that time, we should have enough of a head start. How long will the cleansing take?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s orange eyes scanned the silent fog that blew past them with Quin¡¯s swift movements. She rather enjoyed the quiet jungle; the atmosphere almost seemed dead, not a creature stirring.

    ¡°Hard to say; it really depends on the place we stop, and what¡¯s around. I wasn¡¯t able to get everything I needed, but a healthy chunk of it. I¡¯ll first need to lock down the toad-woman so she won¡¯t cause problems. That could bring its own issues, though.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Her tongue is the primary issue. Most the binding rituals I know leave the mouth open, giving the caster the chance to interrogate them for information or just talk to pass the time. I do have a few complete paralysis rituals, excluding the vital functions such as lungs, but that would require more time and preparation with the ingredients we have.¡±

    ¡°Are there any alternatives? If worse comes to worst, then we can cut off her tongue.¡±

    Tiffany glared over at him. ¡°You¡¯d like that; just eliminate the threat altogether, but that defeats the purpose of the Empress talking with her. We don¡¯t know how their voice box functions. That would be fun to puzzle out,¡± she mused.

    ¡°I¡¯d prioritize the Empress¡¯ safety over talking to one toad.¡± He grunted. ¡°What other options do you have? Can¡¯t the Empress just bring the toad back and question it?¡±

    ¡°No, she can¡¯t. Our charge is new to her abilities, and she¡¯s already extremely weak after creating us. I do have a spell that could work, but ¡­ I¡¯m a little nervous about that option since it involves Gwen.¡±

    ¡°The human? What about her, and what makes you nervous about her?¡±

    They both fell silent for a moment as they exited the fog, sounds of the jungle filtering back. It was subdued as Quin drew near, surprising many creatures with how stealthy the skeletal ape-like beast could be.

    ¡°I¡¯m not nervous about her ¡­ nevermind,¡± Tiffany grumbled, speaking aloud. ¡°It¡¯s the best option I have, and you won¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Then tell me.¡±

    ¡°Na. You just worry about external threats, and I¡¯ll deal with the others.¡±

    Edmon sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t like it that much, huh?¡±

    ¡°Look at that six-legged cat-like animal! We¡¯ll need Quin to get something like that once we settle down. His arms are a bit full at the moment, the poor thing ¡­ we¡¯re working him to the bone.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re hilarious¡­¡±

    Tiffany noted everything they passed, trying to identify anything that could be of future use.

    Jungles are the best; there are so many types of materials, but most of these medium-grade rituals take too much time and preparation. If we could find a cave, then maybe we could get some decent minerals to substitute for some of the more complex ingredients. Who knows how far Quin was told to go, though.

    They traveled in silence for several more minutes before the scenery began to change. The jungle was thinning, and Tiffany¡¯s lips turned into a smile as a rotten scent blew their way with the wind.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Edmon asked.

    ¡°Hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide!¡± Tiffany squealed. ¡°I think that means we¡¯re nearing a volcanic region; if we can find some hydrothermal pools or mud pots with hot clay, then we can get some amazing ingredients, and the acidic compounds would help with so many rituals.

    ¡°There¡¯s bound to be hot springs with high mineral content such as calcium, magnesium, silica, lithium, and maybe even traces of radium and uranium! There could be iron, copper, and all sorts of ore found nearby in caves, too. This is a wonderful place to stop off at, and we¡¯re so close to the jungle for more materials.¡±

    Edmon hummed as she paused, cutting into her fantasies. ¡°A cave would be a good place to defend. There could also be other lifeforms nearby; stay on your guard.¡±

    She waved her hand dismissively. ¡°That¡¯s your job. Mine is to discover and adapt rituals for our circumstances.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a defensive unit,¡± Edmon grumbled. ¡°You have much higher attack capability.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it takes time and ingredients,¡± Tiffany huffed, scanning the foliage with fascination. ¡°We¡¯ll have to be careful of soft spots that Quin could fall into. I¡¯m sure we could get out, but the toad-woman and poor Gwen would be cooked alive.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Quin; he has Minor Environmental Awareness.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s so reliable,¡± Tiffany praised, stroking his shoulder.

    Edmon grunted at the implication that he was less reliable. ¡°The jungle ends up ahead.¡±

    She waited with anticipation; they broke through the brush to a large copper and brown-colored plain. Massive dead and decaying trees could be seen along the edges of the clearing, and vibrant pools of liquid bubbled around them, steam rising off their turbulent surface.

    With the break in tree cover, it was apparent that they were in a valley; massive mountains covered in greenery spiked up to their left, but the place they were at, extending to their right, were barren rocky giants with little tree cover. The scene made Tiffany¡¯s skin tingle with joy; the edges of the clearing had sections of the jungle that pushed in a little further, but the red and brown soil killed most vegetation.

    She pointed into the distance, drawing Edmon¡¯s attention to several damaged structures further up the rocky slopes of the barren mountain ahead of them; the remains of a colossal keep was evident, long fallen into decay. ¡°Look at that; it¡¯s massive. That would be a wonderful place to set up base in this new world, and it looks abandoned from here.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not for certain, and we should first cleanse the Empress.¡± Edmon stated, scanning the area. ¡°I liked your previous comment about a cave; I¡¯ll have Quin search for something like that nearby ¡­ he¡¯s found a system below us.¡±

    ¡°Wait, wait, wait,¡± Tiffany looked down at the reddish clay Quin stood on, sinking a bit into the mud. ¡°That could be a geyser vent; let¡¯s look for something that could be less dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Very well; how will this smell affect these two?¡±

    Quin moved to their left, heading to a small rigid cliff that rose up with the greenery, leaving the bottom a mass of bubbling clay; he seemed to know which places he could step as he drew nearer to the rocky wall.

    ¡°No effect; they¡¯ve been subjected to a hex, most natural scents won¡¯t wake them. This is such a treat! Has he found something? Why¡¯s he going this way?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s following a string of tunnels underground.¡±

    She watched in anticipation as he positioned himself between two mud pots and turned; his two tails shot out like a spear, piercing the stone and opening an entrance large enough for him to enter with five more strikes.

    ¡°Most impressive,¡± Tiffany praised. ¡°Did you have him learn the appropriate skills to survey his environment?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but for how much destructive power he has, he didn¡¯t have that many Skill Points to utilize; the Empress must not have had him engage many enemies. Is there anything you can do about covering the entrance and our tracks in the mud?¡±

    ¡°Geez,¡± Tiffany huffed as Quin entered the dark cave, their vision easily piercing the space. ¡°It¡¯s like you expect I can do anything, but ¡­ perhaps I can create a weak illusion with the materials around us.¡± She muttered, glancing around at the large cavern they¡¯d entered. The floor was stone, and there were five branching tunnels, but only one that Quin could fit through.

    ¡°I can make it appear like the wall is solid ¡­ maybe for a week; however, it won¡¯t hold up under close inspection, and it¡¯s a trick of the light, so you can just walk right through it. Not to mention that I can¡¯t do anything about Quin¡¯s footprints with him coming and going.¡±

    ¡°You need him to go back out?¡± Edmon sighed, hopping off Quin¡¯s shoulder; he landed without effort, glancing between the cavities. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any creatures nearby.¡±

    Quin set both Gwen and the toad-woman beside each other near the cave he could squeeze through before putting his hand up for Tiffany to transfer to, bringing her to the ground.

    She tested the floor with her bare feet, humming thoughtfully. ¡°Of course I need him to go back out; don¡¯t you remember me telling you about that cat-like beast? I need something with blood. It¡¯s so fun exploring,¡± she whispered, glancing between the holes as she squeezed her book against her chest, Protective Charm still in her grip.

    ¡°Right,¡± Edmon said, and Quin left back through the hole.

    She watched him go with a fond smile. ¡°It needs to be pretty big; we have a lot of rituals to do.¡± Her lips pursed to the side as she turned back to Edmon. ¡°What about the tracks?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll have Quin run around randomly to lead them astray if someone does come looking; that way, they won¡¯t catch us off-guard, and they¡¯ll have to study multiple trails to determine our location.¡±

    ¡°I like that,¡± Tiffany commented, going between each cave system to peer down each one.

    Three that lead further back and seem to get narrow further down. The big one appears to open up to a smaller room, and it has a small stream ¡­ that¡¯ll be important. Quin could fit, but he¡¯d have to crawl on all sixes; that should be the best one. I¡¯ll have to test what kind of minerals are in the water¡ªnot a bad temporary location. The other one is a dead-end fifteen feet in, pitty.

    ¡°How soon can you make the illusion?¡±

    ¡°With your help, not that long,¡± Tiffany face beamed.

    ¡°Oh? What do you need?¡± He asked, walking beside her to the entrance.

    She pursed her cheeks to the right, studying the width of the hole; Quin had made a twelve-foot cavity in the gray stone, chunks of rock littered the uneven cave floor. ¡°If you could move all these broken stones along the wall, then that would be a start.¡±

    ¡°You need me to clean up?¡± His tone was dull as his armored helm surveyed the mess.

    ¡°Well, they might be useful later, and I need a clean space to work with,¡± she smirked. ¡°So, yes, I need you to clean up.¡±

    He got to work with a low growl. ¡°This is what Low-Rank Skeletons are for.¡±

    Tiffany called upon her Witch¡¯s Fire, tossing it into the bubbling clay beside the entrance. ¡°Yes, Low-Rank Skeletons would be nice, which is why I¡¯m happy to have Gwen as an assistant.¡± She chimed.

    ¡°Assistant? When did she become your assistant; she¡¯s just a normal human?¡±

    Tiffany hummed with an innocent smile as she pulled her Witch¡¯s Fire out of the pool with a gentle tug of her magic. ¡°Yes, well, normal humans have their uses.¡±

    She walked along the edge, orange flames filled with clay sliding across the floor, leaving a line an inch across smoothly painted along the ground; she brushed away a few small stones in her way with her feet. ¡°Don¡¯t disrupt this line until I¡¯m done!¡± She snapped as Edmon¡¯s foot got dangerously close to it.

    ¡°Did I?¡± He muttered, tone leaving the impression that he was rolling his eyes, but all she could see of his handsome face was the black armored helmet spewing sapphire-colored mist. Tiffany shot a glare at him before tying the Protection Charm to a loop on her shorts, making sure it was secure.

    He¡¯s so stiff! At least I¡¯m getting a bit of sarcasm out of him. It¡¯s a start.

    Setting down her sack, she pulled out one of the Calgar Roots she¡¯d harvested and the metal knife. Calling upon another ball of flame, she tossed the root inside while getting on her knees, glowing energy following her down. She pressed the hilt of the dagger against the root, causing juice to be expelled; her magic pulled at the extract, directing it to the opposite side of the fire.

    Rising with a soft huff, she looked back at the Doom Guard, picking up a rock the size of her torso to haul it across the room. ¡°Alright, I need your help now.¡±

    Finishing his task, he moved toward her as she walked to the front entrance. ¡°What do you need? More grunt work? Perhaps having the human around wasn¡¯t such a bad idea,¡± he mumbled.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°Please, this is nothing,¡± Tiffany scoffed. ¡°This is the temporary and shody form of Witchcraft. Once I begin work on the Cleansing Ritual ¡­ that¡¯s a bit more complicated; I don¡¯t want this dark energy ever connecting to the Empress¡¯ spirit again.¡± She growled, handing him the knife.

    ¡°What¡¯s this for?¡± He asked, black helmet tilting to look at the blade in his hand.

    ¡°A mirror!¡± She said, mood brightening. ¡°I need a light source, and the light of the two moons are the best we¡¯ve got.¡±

    ¡°You want me to sit outside, in the open, and reflect moonlight onto what ¡­ that line of clay you made?¡±

    Tiffany nodded innocently, smile bright.

    ¡°What about your fire?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t use Witch¡¯s Fire for rituals; it¡¯s a part of my magic, so it disturbs the process. I need natural sources.¡±

    He let go of a tired sigh, staring down at the line. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not that¡­¡±

    ¡°For five minutes,¡± Tiffany added.

    ¡°Five¡ªminutes?¡± Edmon slowly repeated before making a sound like he was sucking on his lip.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct! Oh, and any sudden movements where the light breaks contact make the ritual a dud ¡­ so, don¡¯t move!¡± She stated, eyeing him. ¡°You might think I¡¯m just waving my hands and throwing out magic like nobody¡¯s business, but it requires a lot of concentration and precision. I have to direct all the energies being gathered. So, don¡¯t mess it up! Shall we begin?¡±

    She guided Edmon several feet out of the cave and showed him where to tilt the blade to reflect the moonlight; he bounced the light off the edge, and the moment it touched the wet mud, it never left.

    ¡°Ho,¡± Tiffany chuckled as she moved to each side of the line, adding half the extracted juice to both sides while preparing the link. ¡°Your hands are actually pretty steady, Edmon; now we just have to hope no clouds block us.¡± She giggled, causing him to release an annoyed growl.

    Ignoring it, she said, ¡°Once I begin the process, you¡¯ll have to keep it there. The light is basically the energy, sap the battery, and mud the wiring; it needs a set amount of power before activating. That¡¯s the five-minute mark.¡±

    ¡°Just get it over with,¡± Edmon grumbled. ¡°We don¡¯t know what kind of sentient creatures inhabit this land.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t rush art,¡± she chided. ¡°Witchcraft is complicated and dangerous if not done right.¡± Clearing her throat, she opened her mouth. ¡°Foundation of stone, drawn by mud, and linked to the dream, shimmer with light and cast the walled image of concealment.¡±

    She watched the black lines of her magical weave start to burn black across the mud line, linking both ends of the Calgar Root extract before sparkling lights appeared, lifting off the wet mud. The glimmering white specks slowly lifted toward the ceiling and would eventually become the illusion.

    ¡°There we go,¡± Tiffany smiled at her work. ¡°Once it has reached the right power threshold, the hole will appear like a solid wall. On closer inspection, it¡¯ll look way off, though.¡±

    ¡°This cheap parlor trick is the best the Royal Ritualist can do?¡± Edmon huffed, communicating telepathically.

    ¡°You can be so rude!¡± She snapped, stomping off to the stream in the next room. ¡°Yes, this is simple Witchcraft, but it¡¯s not like I have much to work with. I don¡¯t have mirrors or even a table to work on. You should be thankful I am the Royal Ritualist and not some random Skeletal Mage the Empress rose from scratch. Do you have any clue how much a raw unit would have to experiment to learn what I already know?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Edmon muttered dryly. ¡°You¡¯re little Ms. Important. All jokes aside, I am glad you are the Royal Ritualist. It makes my job a lot easier ¡­ I would have had no clue how to handle the energy assaulting the Empress.¡± He stated bitterly.

    ¡°Your jokes need work; it didn¡¯t even sound like you were joking at all!¡± Tiffany snapped. ¡°Yes, well ¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, too. I would have been little help against that toad-woman without the time you bought me. I¡¯m not that well versed in defense unit skills or tactics, either.¡±

    She knelt beside the water, feeling it with her left hand; it was warm.

    This must come from a hot spring further in; the Empress might enjoy it later.

    Glancing around the ample, uneven space, she crossed her arms.

    What to use ¡­ the mud could work as a medium for the design. Sulfur can be the activator ¡­ could I find mercury outside? I¡¯ll need a passive ingredient for the control hex to mix with the blood ¡­ blood would be way better than clay for the medium.

    The question is what I want the host to be ¡­ making a clay artifact link would be too fragile, but I¡¯d need a life to link it otherwise. I suppose Gwen is the best bet, binding the connection with my grimoire. This could also give us all the information we need about this area, but it¡¯ll take some training; I can leave that to Gwen, though ¡­ or I could seal the deal if the proper requirements are met...

    Making up her mind, she walked back to the front of the cave; Edmon was in the same spot, and the partial image of the cliff and cave wall had formed.

    ¡°It¡¯s coming along; you¡¯re doing great for your first time taking part in a ritual.¡± Tiffany praised.

    ¡°What about the Cleansing Ritual?¡±

    ¡°We still have time; I need the animal to continue with the next two rituals. The tricky part is that I need it alive for both, which means Quin will need to keep it pinned.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that a problem?¡±

    Tiffany walked over to the toad-woman and Gwen, bending down to brush Gwen¡¯s hair back. ¡°Because I¡¯ll need a lot of blood.¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡­ could we just have Quin get another animal?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± she rose back to her feet. ¡°It would be preferred, but I don¡¯t think we have the time. These two will wake up in the next fifteen minutes, and I still need to draw the design for both rituals. How soon until he¡¯s back?¡±

    Edmon was silent a moment. ¡°Possibly three minutes. He¡¯s subduing a large animal right now.¡±

    ¡°Good, that¡¯ll finish the time needed on the illusion, and then I can go out and see about some mercury.¡± She walked back to the stream, igniting her Witch¡¯s Fire, she dropped it into the water, attracting Salt, Calcium Carbonate, and Sulfur within it.

    After a few minutes passed, Edmon¡¯s voice entered her mind. ¡°Is the wall finished?¡±

    She frowned as she pulled her fire out, studying the three piles within it.

    I¡¯ll need to get a bit more Calcium Carbonate for the chalk, but that should be enough Salt and Sulfur.

    Setting the fire down, she dispersed it, leaving the pile of materials by the stream¡¯s edge. Walking back to the front, she studied the wall; it was acceptable. If they wanted it to last longer than a week, then he¡¯d need to keep feeding it light, but she doubted they¡¯d be in the cave that long.

    ¡°It¡¯s an illusion of a wall, not a wall,¡± She smirked. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s enough; it¡¯ll last a week.¡±

    ¡°Finally,¡± he grunted, walking through the illusion. He turned, helmet looking up and down the long clay line, black markings traced down its length. ¡°I assume we shouldn¡¯t disturb the line?¡±

    Tiffany shrugged. ¡°The spell is active, and the anchor is the two extracts on the sides. As long as the sides aren¡¯t disrupted, then it¡¯ll function just fine. The clay has served its purpose.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± he glanced left, toward one of the tunnels before setting her knife down on her makeshift sack. ¡°Quin¡¯s on his way back. Also ¡­ it¡¯s faint, but I can sense another unit; I believe that dark force is disrupting some of our abilities linked to the Empress. I can¡¯t communicate with it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a possibility,¡± she muttered. ¡°The force is within the earth, spread out seemingly everywhere, and it¡¯s acting intelligently. That¡¯s why this Ritual must be done right; I don¡¯t want it to have a second chance at attacking the Empress¡¯ spirit.¡±

    ¡°Good. What¡¯s next?¡±

    She walked out of the cave, motioning for him to follow. ¡°I need to go to one of those steaming pools; there are tons of bacteria inside of them, producing all kinds of things.¡±

    They followed Quin¡¯s footprints, back to the nearest pool of water. Her bare feet sunk into the hot moist ground, but it didn¡¯t bother her. Stopping at the edge, she dropped her Witch¡¯s Fire and began searching for the slimy sections of the pool.

    Edmon let go of a low hum as he looked down at the liquid seeping around their feet. ¡°We cannot stay in this environment for long, Tiffany. Most of our body can regenerate, but our bones cannot.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I know that?¡± She huffed. ¡°These pools are teeming with thermoacidophiles, millions of different types in different layers. A slight shift in temperature can kill all of them, but they produce some interesting things. We¡¯re looking for microbial mats or spots where the microorganisms secreted a substance that keeps themselves together, and that traps methylmercury.¡± She stated with glee.

    ¡°The bacteria have done all our work for us, breaking down mercury; it¡¯s a potent ingredient since it¡¯s so difficult for most witches to create. However, if you know how microorganisms function, it¡¯s simple; you can thank my host¡¯s education for providing me with such information. Everything she¡¯d even glanced through in chemistry was given to me; even if she had forgotten it, it was still housed in her brain, buried deep in her memory.¡±

    Edmon grunted. ¡°Great, now can we get out of this acid?¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Tiffany huffed. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten enough for what is needed.¡± She left the steaming ground, feet making squelching sounds as she exited the moist soil. Entering the cave, she looked down at her blistering and red feet; it wasn¡¯t healing.

    She sighed, walking to the warm spa water running into a small fissure in the wall; stepping into the edge, by the hole, she quickly washed her feet in it.

    Edmon watched her silently.

    ¡°It¡¯s as you suspect,¡± Tiffany growled. ¡°The force is sealing our linked ability to heal since it is linked to the Empress¡¯ energy. However, our master is already low on Life Force, and this won¡¯t impede my movement.¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond, moving to the exit as Quin returned. The sounds of whimpering filled the cave, making Tiffany rush to follow Edmon, fire housing the methylmercury close beside her.

    ¡°Oh, he brought the sacrifice! What does it look like?¡±

    The creature held in Quin¡¯s massive hands was at least eight feet tall and had the appearance of a large raccoon. Its yellow and red fur held a dull tone, but its belly was black; the hairy creature squirmed, but it could do nothing but whine and bite fruitlessly at the bony arms surrounding it. Two of its four appendages struggled to find a hold, but even with leverage, Quin would not let go, leaving its long tail to beat between Quin¡¯s ribs.

    ¡°How cute,¡± Tiffany cooed as she promptly picked up the metal dagger Edmon had left by her sack of herbs and flowers. ¡°We don¡¯t want to nick an artery or organ ¡­ we want it to bleed out slowly so we can extract it for all our needs. So, a wound to a leg should suffice.¡± She stated cheerily while moving closer to slash at its pinned left thigh, orange energy encircling the blade.

    However, when she made the cut, the only thing that fell was a large patch of fur. Her lips pursed as she tried again. ¡°Some tough hair this thing has,¡± she mumbled. ¡°How about piercing?¡±

    Flipping the knife around dexterously in her fingers, she put some force into stabbing along the fur¡¯s length. The creature screamed, muscles tensing, but Quin held it fast as the red blood slid down the blade¡¯s length, collecting in the fire.

    ¡°Wonderful, and it¡¯s red; how pretty,¡± Tiffany wiggled the knife, opening a larger gap for the blood to collect. ¡°We have just about five minutes before our lovely girls awaken. This should be enough blood for that.¡±

    She split her flame, collecting blood, making sure to keep oxygen out of the fire. She left the blade lodged in the animal¡¯s leg to continue extracting the vital ingredient.

    ¡°Quin, dear, I can¡¯t be too far away from my flames, so, if you could follow me. Make sure to be within ten feet of me, but not too close.¡± She prompted, moving back to the toad-woman and Gwen.

    Quin did as instructed, Edmon following her with interest. ¡°So, this is what I¡¯m not going to like?¡±

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Tiffany knelt beside the toad-woman, bringing the glob of blood into the flames housing the methylmercury. ¡°You see how this stuff is now liquid?¡±

    ¡°The meth-whatever it is?¡±

    ¡°The methylmercury, and yes. Once it is cooled to room temperature, it becomes a liquid. It is a very poisonous form of mercury; liquid metal, which has endless uses in Witchcraft and is even very potent in Alchemy ¡­ to be honest, Witchcraft and Alchemy share many links. Anyways, this is a powerful multipurpose ingredient, and we¡¯ll be using it to perform a Blood Subservience Ritual. It will act as the binding element ¡­ an extremely durable binding agent.¡±

    While she talked, she examined the creature¡¯s blood; it wasn¡¯t toxic like she¡¯d feared and was still linked to the creature¡¯s vitality.

    ¡°Alright, Edmon, lift the toad-woman up for me.¡±

    He quickly followed her instructions, forcing her to sit in an upright position as the beast continued to thrash and moan behind them.

    She traced the blood around the toad¡¯s neck in a thin chain-like pattern, crossing the two parallel lines. Once finished, she shifted a little to their left to her makeshift sack, extracting the bone knife, she pricked between the chain at the toad-woman¡¯s collar bones, drawing a dot of green blood that mixed with the red.

    Moving to the stream several meters away, she washed her hands and the knife before returning. She drew two reverse crescent shapes with a line bridging them on the back of Gwen¡¯s hand with the creature¡¯s blood before cutting two vertical lines at its center, breaking Gwen¡¯s skin and drawing crimson.

    Extending the fire housing the methylmercury between them, she called her grimoire; it appeared out of orange flames in the air before her. The book flipped open to the first blank page as she spoke. ¡°Two bound by blood, slave and master, anchored by poison and metal, seal this union by an exchange of vitality.¡±

    The methylmercury shot out of the fire as she directed the ritual, latching onto the toad-woman¡¯s throat and Gwen¡¯s wrist like a serpent. The blood dripping down Gwen¡¯s hand and the green blood sliding down the toad-woman''s chest snaked up, spiraling around the mercury until they ran in parallel, feeding into each other¡¯s skin in a short exchange of blood.

    The symbols she¡¯d drawn on both women flashed silver before the toad-woman¡¯s turned red and Gwen¡¯s turned green; both their wounds closed as the ritual finished and the mercury split in three, lining the edges of the symbols in a thin outline and sealing the Ritual Contract in her grimoire with the Witch¡¯s Language.

    Tiffany took a deep breath before smiling at Edmon. ¡°There we go; the toad-woman is a certified slave to our little Gwen.¡±

    Edmon dropped the creature with a disgusted huff. ¡°A Blood Subservience Ritual ¡­ so, we couldn¡¯t be the master since we don¡¯t have blood. Still, putting that thing in a traumatized woman¡¯s control. Is that the best plan?¡±

    ¡°Think about the pros,¡± she chimed. ¡°The toad must follow every instruction or else suffer extreme pain; consider it like your blood boiling and every nerve being flayed. Of course, it won¡¯t kill her, but she cannot even think about harming or disobeying her master without such a result.¡±

    ¡°She should have been the Empress¡¯ slave,¡± Edmon grunted.

    ¡°Well,¡± Tiffany hummed thoughtfully, ¡°she is, technically. Gwen owes her life to us and thereby, in extension, our master. She¡¯ll pledge herself to the Empress and become part of the Empire. You¡¯ll see.¡± She said brightly. ¡°And Gwen will even seal it with a consensual contract.¡±

    Both of the women began to stir as her hex wore off, causing Edmon to call upon his shield.

    ¡°No, no,¡± Tiffany mumbled. ¡°Hold the toad down. Just give me a second with Gwen.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right ¡­ I don¡¯t like this,¡± Edmon grumbled as his shield dispersed into ice shards. He knelt down and held the toad-woman in a death grip; she soon began to struggle, making loud sounds in her throat before her tongue shot out, trying to beat at Edmon¡¯s armored helmet, but doing no apparent damage.

    ¡°Can you hurry this up,¡± Edmon asked with a dry tone.

    ¡°Gwen,¡± Tiffany soothingly prompted, lifting the groggy women to a sitting position.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ what,¡± her eyes opened, and she looked around, clearly confused. ¡°It¡ªit wasn¡¯t¡ªthis is real?¡± Panic began to creep into her voice as she watched the toad struggling before her.

    ¡°Yes, dear,¡± Tiffany smirked at the toad as she stopped struggling, eyes wide as she stared at Gwen; she¡¯d thought about attacking her master, likely to use as a hostage. ¡°Now repeat after me, calm down, and sit against the wall. Do not attack anyone, and follow all our orders.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªokay¡­¡± She repeated the statement, and after several seconds of tense muscles, the toad-woman sagged in Edmon¡¯s grip, body trembling.

    Gwen swallowed nervously as she stared at the toad-woman, dully illuminated by the Witch¡¯s Fire. ¡°I¡ªI can¡ªunderstand her?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tiffany whispered, pulling back her tangled hair. ¡°I¡¯ve performed a Blood Subservience Ritual between you two; she¡¯s now your slave.¡±

    ¡°M-my¡ªs-slave?¡± She stammered.

    Releasing a bit of pressure against Gwen¡¯s shoulders to indicate she was going to let go, Tiffany got to her feet, brushing off her knees. ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re on a clock. We have less than fifteen minutes to prepare the Cleansing Ritual. Once that is done, then we can move to the next step of getting to know each other.¡±

    Gwen¡¯s eyes fell to the ground, tone timid. ¡°Do¡ªyou need my help again?¡± Her focus snapped back to the toad-woman as Edmon let go, and she slowly crawled toward the wall, huddling against it while glaring at Gwen.

    ¡°No, this is a bit too complex for you, dear, but could you ask the toad her name?¡±

    Gwen licked her lips nervously before taking a deep breath and asking the question. The toad made a few grunts in her throat, purple eyes sliding to Tiffany. ¡°She said¡ªher name¡¯s Dalria.¡±

    ¡°A pretty name; there¡¯s a short roll with the tongue, I assume.¡± Tiffany hummed, picking up her supplies before moving to the stream¡¯s edge, where she¡¯d left her extracted ingredients. ¡°You can watch if you want, or talk to Dalria, I¡¯m sure you have a lot of questions, and she can¡¯t lie to¡­¡±

    Her piles of minerals were gone.

 B1 â€” 11. The Cleansing

    Tiffany¡¯s brow creased as her eyes swept the cave; she couldn¡¯t see anything that would indicate something took her materials. ¡°Edmon, is there anything nearby?¡± She asked through their telepathic link.

    Edmon swiftly walked further into the cave, helmet turning to survey the area, massive shield appearing out of sapphire fog in his left hand.

    Gwen tensed as she watched him leave the flame¡¯s glow, moving outside her field of view. ¡°S-something wrong?¡± They didn¡¯t respond.

    Tiffany bunched her cheeks to the right as she quickly took inventory of the items in her makeshift sack; nothing was missing. Her glowing orange irises lifted to Edmon as he responded.

    ¡°No, I have not sensed anything living enter the area, and neither has Quin. Why? Did you ¡­ I don¡¯t see the pile of salts. Is that what has you concerned?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she responded, moving to the stream¡¯s edge to examine the spot; her Witch Fire followed her, keeping an even pace. ¡°There hasn¡¯t been a wind current strong enough to scatter it ¡­ there¡¯s not a grain left.¡± She hummed darkly while dropping two flames back into the mineral-rich water to regather the materials, one holding nothing, while the other contained the remaining blood and methylmercury.

    ¡°Do you still have time to perform the Cleansing?¡±

    ¡°I should, but this worries me; I doubt this is a coincidence.¡± She quickly manipulated her energy, gathering what salt she could in the empty Witch Fire before taking it. She dropped its content beside the stream¡¯s edge in the same place, manipulating the energy to form a random symbol. Once complete, she returned the orange fire to the water to collect more.

    Edmon watched her while Quin moved a bit closer, the shift causing the creature to whimper again. ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±

    Getting up, Tiffany motioned for him to join her further down the stream, dragging her flames through the water. ¡°Just keep watch, make sure nothing living enters the cave.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing that,¡± his tone was a growl in her mind. ¡°Both Quin and I can sense the living ¡­ unless, are you concerned about that dark energy?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a possibility,¡± Tiffany said, kneeling to study the materials she was gathering. ¡°I don¡¯t need a whole lot of these minerals. They¡¯re important, but removing the amount I gathered before isn¡¯t much of a problem. The issue is if something can interrupt the process while I¡¯m in the middle of the ritual.¡±

    Edmon shifted uncomfortably. ¡°I don¡¯t know if any of my defenses can counter that energy. I could gamble on a few abilities, but that would require an expenditure of Skill Points; I¡¯m hesitant to sacrifice them if you can guarantee a method of dealing with it yourself.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, but I first must understand ¡­ ah, there you are.¡± She giggled, quickly rising to return to the symbol she¡¯d made, Edmon following. Gwen was whispering to Dalria, but Tiffany was too focused on her discovery to pay her any mind.

    ¡°I see,¡± Edmon bent down to examine the floor. ¡°The small pebbles around the area have changed position, and your symbol has been destroyed.¡±

    A smirk lit her cheeks as she lifted a stone. ¡°How fascinating. No wonder you didn¡¯t sense anything; these aren¡¯t alive, but merely tools.¡±

    Edmon didn¡¯t seem amused. ¡°It seems I need to heighten my sensory abilities; if something like this can escape my notice, then I cannot defend against similar methods to attack our Empress.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Tiffany mused. Detaching a small section of her flame, she tossed the rock into it, thoroughly examining its properties. ¡°It¡¯s quite proficient, and similar to Witchcraft, but utilizes a different channeling method. I suspect that anyone that understands how to pull its strings can operate them.¡±

    Finding a sort of embedded seal within the pebble, she infused her magic into it, experimenting with the circuits that branched into several directions. With testing, she discovered several behaviors she could activate. Ten legs sprout out of the rock, and they began alternating within her fire.

    ¡°This is actually quite sophisticated. I¡¯m only scratching the surface of these little things ¡­ I wonder who created them. They¡¯d make excellent spies and workers, but it doesn¡¯t function well with Witchcraft, and that could also be the case with this entity''s energy.

    ¡°It has a place for internal power and even transmitting capability along an odd wavelength. It¡¯s similar to Drones on our Empress¡¯ planet but doesn¡¯t utilize the same technology or electricity. I can infuse my magic into it, but I couldn¡¯t use it remotely, as it¡¯s designed.¡±

    She tossed the rock out, sending it bouncing across the ground before returning the fire to its main body. ¡°Extremely durable, too, by the technology standards of humans.¡±

    ¡°Will it be an issue?¡±

    ¡°Not now, since I know what I¡¯m dealing with.¡± She smiled as she looked around at the hundreds of stones surrounding them. ¡°It seems my window will be tight, though, and that¡¯s what this energy being wants. Too bad, it has underestimated me.¡±

    She held out her makeshift sack to Edmon; he let out a low groan as his shield vanished, and he held it open for her. She extracted the pinkish flower from the jungle, Athemia¡¯s Gift, and tossed it into the third ball of fire she conjured.

    Bringing up her orange energy from the water, she took out a healthy chunk of salt from the pile that she¡¯d been collecting with a cup of blood, and placed them in with the flower. Humming thoughtfully, she also added a handful of sulfur to the flame before returning the collection ball into the water for extraction.

    She examined her ingredients of salt, blood, flower, and sulfur, judging if she had the proper amount. ¡°This being of dark energy has us at a disadvantage. It knows much about this world and many of its workings; I suspect these tools were from some distant past, created by another civilization.¡±

    ¡°How do you know it didn¡¯t create them?¡± Edmon asked, glaring at a small cluster of pebbles.

    Tiffany began separating the pollen from the Athemia¡¯s Gift as she spoke through their telepathic link and fed more magic to the flame housing her ingredients, expanding it. She manipulated the energy to create a hexagon shape with the sulfur, and the blood linked the edges, symbols curling between the sections.

    ¡°By the design and power source. I was able to take control of the device¡¯s functions with my magic, and so could this dark entity. As I stated before, it is probably limited in its actions; although, my manipulations would likely be much more limited considering my lack of knowledge.

    ¡°So, before I can start on the Empress¡¯ cleansing, I must cleanse this entire area. The seal I must do is much larger than what my Witch Fire can sustain; therefore, I need to work with the floor, but if these things are disrupting the process, then it will fail, and I will not fail. Let¡¯s see how this entity likes this...

    ¡°Sulfur as the activator, vitality as the power and directed with the symbols. Salt as the purifying catalyst with the Athemia¡¯s Gift pollen as the dispersal agent. It¡¯s a quick fix, and will only keep the dark energy out for thirty minutes. This can¡¯t purify the entity from the Empress¡¯ phylactery ¡­ but will cut him off from his power, and give me space to work.¡±

    Edmon folded the sack before crossing his arms. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll make it in time?¡±

    ¡°Cut off from the rest of its power, yes, but the energy already inside ¡­ it might be able to dig a little deeper into the Empress¡¯ spirit for a short instant. It won¡¯t be an issue, but it could gain access to a few of our master¡¯s memories. I can¡¯t think of what it might gain from that, but we should ask the Empress what she remembers when she awakens.¡±

    ¡°I feel useless,¡± Edmon growled.

    ¡°Patience,¡± Tiffany soothed. Gwen and Dalria jumped as she broke the silence. ¡°A dark corruption fills this area, and with the purifying element of salt, powered by life, and given wings by the wind. Begone.¡±

    She dropped the mixed salt and pollen onto the ritual; the symbols began to glow crimson as the mixture attached to the blood. After a few seconds, an explosion of wind shot past them.

    Gwen tried to suppress a scream as she ducked, burying her head in her knees and shielding her face. Dalria tucked into a protective ball as Tiffany guarded the Protective Charm at her waist with her hands. The gust passed, and the dark energy was carried with the gale, the small pebbles blown with it.

    Tiffany calmly fixed her bra and hair that had been blown out of place. She made sure the presence had been expelled before quickly starting to work. Extracting her spheres of energy from the stream, she motioned to Edmon to follow her further into the room.

    ¡°What a mess,¡± she mumbled, taking the sack out of his hands. Moving in straight lines, she dragged the Witch¡¯s Fire housing the sulfur across the ground, creating a large octagon with it; there was plenty leftover, so she dropped it in a pile outside the ritual.

    ¡°Umm¡ªT-Tiffany,¡± Gwen mumbled, glancing over at Dalria.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little busy right now, dear,¡± Tiffany stated, sucking on her lip as she glanced at what remained of the blood in her fire. ¡°It¡¯s not enough ¡­ not nearly enough¡­¡±

    I wanted to feed some of the beast¡¯s vitality to the Empress to give her some Life Force back, but it seems I¡¯ll have to use nearly every drop on this ritual. There won¡¯t be much vitality left ¡­ what a miscalculation, and that includes the methylmercury I have left. Will there be enough to seal the ritual? If so, then it¡¯ll be close ¡­ I just don¡¯t have time. Perhaps the entity knows a little about what I plan through our link with the Empress.

    Growling lowly, Tiffany scratched her forehead as she looked down at the bag attached to her waist; its orange glow was fading rapidly.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    This entity ¡­ Dalria ¡­ they¡¯re such a pain! They¡¯ve made me waste so much time...

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a choice,¡± she groaned, setting her pack down beside the octagon. ¡°I need to use the beast to be positive. Quin, move out for a second.¡± He backed up, causing Dalria and Gwen to scoot further toward the entrance.

    Edmon¡¯s tone deepened. ¡°I thought there wasn¡¯t a problem with the ritual?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ going to be a bit messier and more complicated than I thought.¡± She barked. ¡°I¡¯m being rushed to complete a fairly complicated ritual ¡­ there were bound to be some snags once I started working on it. Give me some credit ¡­ this is technically the first time I¡¯ve done something of this scale.¡±

    She took another deep breath as she looked at the whimpering large raccoon-like animal. ¡°Alright, Edmon, cut it open, from the stomach, and don¡¯t crush the organs.¡±

    He released a low hum but walked forward without hesitation, his massive shield appearing from the fog. Separating the circular portion with his right hand, he walked toward the creature as Quin held it sideways in the air. The creature¡¯s tail thrashed but did nothing to the giant.

    Edmon pulled back his arm before his speed increased and he blurred in Tiffany¡¯s eyes; he became clear, walking back toward her, shields collapsing into mist as he recalled them. The creature stiffened as a clean red line appeared on its stomach, and blood seeped through the open wound.

    ¡°Is that enough?¡± He asked.

    She nodded while walking toward the dying creature. ¡°Yes, now, Quin, could you open it up for me.¡± It released sharp jagged whimpers as Quin shifted to peel back its stomach. The stench of its innards spilling out made Gwen gag, and Dalria release a few croaks.

    Tiffany combined the remaining ingredients into a single ball of Witch Fire, using the other two to collect the mess, gathering the pools of blood and organs that gushed out.

    She listed the items she needed. ¡°Two hearts? Interesting. That will come in handy.¡± She mused, feeling a bit of excitement return. ¡°A liver that I can cut in two ¡­ wonderful, but only a single kidney. Hmm ¡­ I can make do with the extra heart instead.¡±

    ¡°W-what are you doing?¡± Gwen squeaked. ¡°Dalria,¡± she cleared her throat, ¡°Dalria thinks this is¡ªis wrong ¡­ she thinks the ancestors will curse us for¡ªfor this type of worship.¡±

    ¡°Worship?¡± Tiffany chuckled. ¡°Let her believe what she wishes.¡± She moved around the creature to the head, using her flames to pluck out its eyes. ¡°Oh, Edmon, I actually need its brain too ¡­ I just hope it has two halves like humans.¡±

    Edmon walked back to her sack, extracting the knife. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me to do that before?¡± He growled, returning to slice open the flesh hiding the skull. Pressing the knife down, he carefully sliced open the bone before inserting his armored fingers and breaking it apart.

    ¡°Because I¡¯m having to work in the field, Edmon. How many times do I ¡­ oh, it does have two halves!¡± She cheered, removing it with her energy. ¡°Okay, this should work now.¡±

    Moving back to the sulfur octagon, she cleaned off the organs of blood, separating the ingredients before painting a thick line with the blood, making two rings, an inner and outer layer. Using the third Witch Fire on the rings, she spread out the liquid, drawing the lines between the eight points and creating the intricate symbols and designs that linked each.

    We have two minutes before the protection fails. I need to hurry, but I can¡¯t make a mistake¡­

    Removing the Protective Charm from her waist strap, she summoned her grimoire, placing the book at the center of the ritual and turned it to the second page. Tiffany set the charm housing Elinor on the blank page, circling it with the methylmercury.

    Stepping back, she took great care in marking each section with blood, placing an organ on the activation point of each, near the center, each one facing its counterpart. Reaching the outer edges, she did the same on the outer ring, placing the salt on the corresponding catalyst points, and using the calcium carbonate to bridge each section and organ with a thin white line.

    She bit her lower lip as she watched the charm¡¯s fire fade, and all the ingredients inside evaporate into an orange fog, leaving the two black diamond earrings in the center of the mercury.

    Swallowing, she stepped back to complete the ritual. ¡°By eight paths of blood, linked with the base of bone, and powered by life; extract the evil found within to purify the host, and return it to the soil from which it came.¡±

    The air began to hum as a pressure shot from the seal, and the lines burst into orange light; both diamond earrings lifted off the ground with her book, and though it couldn¡¯t be seen by the naked eye, Tiffany could sense the dark entity being extracted as she directed the magic. Half the pinkish-white salt around the octagon slowly turned black.

    ¡°Darkness lost, and purity gained; protect these sacred artifacts with impunity that will ward off all infestations.¡±

    The slight hum in the air gradually increased, releasing a stream of wind that howled through the tunnels. It sent her makeshift bag filled with ingredients flying back against a wall, materials scattering, and threw back Tiffany and Gwen¡¯s hair as the gale increased. Each white line of calcium spiderwebbed with black symbols as the magic burned the design into the stone floor.

    ¡°Bind this spell with liquid metal and in the Witch¡¯s language, be cinched in the pages of an eternal artifact.¡± Using her magic, she wrote the spell in her grimoire, using the methylmercury.

    The organs started to wither as the linked vitality they still held was consumed, and the dark salt scattered with the wind as the octagon ritual sunk into the floor, blackening the stone three inches deep with its design.

    After several more seconds, the wind and vibrating air died down. Her grimoire closed, finishing the ritual as the diamond earrings slowly dropped to the leather cover.

    Tiffany took a deep breath before dropping to her butt and stretching out her neck. ¡°That was a bit more intense than I thought it would be.¡± She moaned, still feeling the coursing magic rushing through her veins.

    Bringing her free hand up, she watched it tremble for a moment. ¡°I haven¡¯t experienced channeling that much energy before; it¡¯s to be expected, I am fairly young.¡± A bright smile lit her cheeks. ¡°It was exhilarating.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s done?¡± Edmon asked, moving to the edge of the faintly glowing design, burned into the stone floor.

    ¡°Yes, the Empress is free¡­¡±

    ¡°Tiffany, Edmon,¡± Elinor¡¯s relieved voice spoke in their minds.

    Tiffany shivered slightly as she quickly rose to her feet, moving over the complete ritual to stand in front of her master. Yes, Empress, we are here.

    ¡°You¡¯ve managed to completely remove it?¡±

    Yes, I have constructed a permanent protective ward that is linked to my grimoire. So long as the page is intact, the ward will remain. That dark entity will not be able to take possession of you again.

    ¡°My Empress,¡± Edmon interjected. ¡°We have a prisoner, and a human with us; we are currently inside a cave. Tiffany has constructed an illusion to provide us a temporary base for safety. I recommend we send Quin out to retrieve another creature for you to regain some strength.¡±

    Tiffany swallowed nervously as Elinor went silent for a moment. ¡°Thank you, Edmon, I think that would be wise. I leave the details to you.¡±

    Edmon nodded, and Quin swiftly left the cave.

    Clearing her throat, Tiffany took a deep breath. Empress ¡­ I, umm, I don¡¯t know exactly how to tell you this, but¡­

    ¡°Yes, Tiffany,¡± Elinor¡¯s sad tone struck at her heart, ¡°I understand. You are not the parents I remember. Please, take a seat and relax.¡±

    ¡°It is still too soon, my Empress,¡± Edmon replied. ¡°We are unable to communicate with the toad-woman, Dalria, without your abilities restored. However, Tiffany has linked the creature to the human, Gwen. I am uncomfortable having such an enemy in the hands of a human outside our direct control.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s brow creased. Edmon, I told you, I¡¯ll prepare a ritual to bind her to the Empress¡¯ will. She will not refuse; her survival depends on our Empress¡¯ grace.

    They both fell silent as Elinor hummed. ¡°I see, so you have managed to subdue Dalria ¡­ yes, I¡¯ll speak with her myself. Thank you, Tiffany.¡±

    Tiffany shot a smirk at Edmon; she knew he must be grinding his teeth, but her pleasant thoughts were soon brought to an even higher state.

    ¡°And Edmon, I completely understand your discomfort. I trust Tiffany knows what she¡¯s doing, and to be sure; I¡¯d like you to guard the two. I¡¯ve got a lot to sort through, and I need some time to think. Please take care of things until Quin comes back.¡±

    They both responded with enthusiasm. ¡°Of course, my Empress.¡±

    Edmon quickly moved back to the entrance to stand beside Gwen and Dalria; Gwen¡¯s trembling voice echoing in the cave. ¡°Umm¡ªT-Tiffany, are¡ªare you still there? Is everything okay?¡±

    She responded with a happy chime. ¡°Yes, Gwen, it was a success. Be a little more patient. Let me gather my materials, and I¡¯ll come over to talk.¡±

    Looking down at her Empress¡¯ black earrings atop her book, she asked, Umm, Empress, I¡¯m sorry to bother you, but what should I do with your phylactery while we wait for Quin?

    ¡°Ah,¡± Elinor sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right. Eh ¡­ just carry me in your hands. Thank you, Tiffany.¡±

    It is my honor, Tiffany replied, bending down to pick up the earrings. She unsummoned her book and walked to the back of the cave. Using her one free hand, she began gathering her materials, humming softly.

    She jumped when Elinor whispered in her mind; it was a personal communication. ¡°My mom used to hum that when she was cooking ¡­ it¡¯s a French song.¡±

    Oh ¡­ does it bother you, my Empress?

    ¡°No ¡­ it¡¯s soothing. Also, please refer to me as Elinor. I understand I¡¯m an Empress now, but there are many types of Empresses, right? I¡¯d like my subjects to view this Empire like ¡­ like a home ¡­ a family.¡±

    I can, Elinor, Tiffany hesitated, but we will never be equals. You are the Empress, and there is nothing that can change that. We are merely units to command. If one of us were to fall, ten more¡­

    ¡°No!¡± Elinor yelled, this time broadcast to everyone.

    Edmon stiffened. ¡°Is something wrong, my Empress?¡±

    ¡°No, sorry, I just¡­¡±

    ¡°An Empress never apologizes,¡± Edmon stated. ¡°Anything you command is right and must be followed.¡±

    Elinor was silent for several more seconds, causing Tiffany to bite her lower lip. After a time, her tone softened. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to be that type of Empress, Edmon. I want you to think for yourselves, to be a support to me ¡­ isn¡¯t that what I raised you for?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ of course, you are right, my Empress, but ¡­ you cannot show weakness to the enemy, or they will use that against you. I must defend you against all threats.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Elinor whispered; Tiffany¡¯s chest burned as her master spoke. ¡°I want to lay down some rules ¡­ as your Empress. First, I know you will never see yourselves as my equal, and I¡¯m actually alright with that, but I want you to understand your worth to me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see you as disposable soldiers ¡­ I could never see you like that. You aren¡¯t my parents, but you have pieces of them inside you. I cannot lose that. Call me Elinor, not my Empress, or anything of the like.

    ¡°Second, I need a family ¡­ why else would I even want to live? I am interested in this new world, but I want to experience it with both of you, and whoever else we add. I don¡¯t know what will happen in the future, but I know this ¡­ I need you. So, live knowing that I cannot lose you; that¡¯s how precious you are to me ¡­ worth my own life.¡±

    Edmon seemed to be struggling with that command. ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ understand how I can feel nervous about your command ¡­ Elinor. I will follow your every desire, but ¡­ this puts you at great risk.¡±

    Tiffany smiled down at the two earrings in her palm. Come now, Edmon! It¡¯s not that difficult to wrap your head around. It just means we cannot die. She¡¯s ordering us not to die, and to treat her like the new and growing Empress she is. To help her blossom like any normal parent would desire.

    He chuckled tiredly. ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right, Tiffany ¡­ as much as I hate to admit it.¡± Taking a deep breath, he said, ¡°If that is your command, Elinor, then we shall obey.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s voice brightened. ¡°I¡¯m glad we could sort that out, and it looks like Quin¡¯s fairly happy too. He just found another creature and is bringing it back. I also told my skeletal toad to return. I¡¯m having him be cautious since he¡¯s my only link to being able to speak to the toads. He¡¯ll be here before long.¡±

    Tiffany couldn¡¯t repress the joy she felt in her core. Thank you for being so patient with us, Elinor. We will do our best to live up to your expectations.

 B1 â€” 12. The Great Chain In Motion

    Elinor breathed a sigh of relief inside her void-like sanctuary.  That was a lot scarier than I thought it would be.  Mom and dad aren¡¯t completely gone; they¡¯re not the same, but just hearing them bicker like that brings back memories.  I used to hate it when mom would tease dad, but it always brought out a different side of him ¡­ I kind of see that now.  She coaxed him out of his hard shell.

    Her attention moved back to her minions as she felt Quin¡¯s excitement.  He was moving at a rapid pace back to them; he¡¯d scaled the cliff to get some kind of creature above them and was coming back down.

    What if I use Lesser Possession?  It doesn¡¯t work on intelligent Undead, so it wouldn¡¯t work if he¡¯s growing.

    She tried to activate the skill, but it didn¡¯t work.  A little curious about her growing bond with Quin, she asked, Tiffany.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Will Quin be more vocal in the future, like Edmon and you?

    ¡°Hmm, as I understand it, the higher rank a minion reaches, the more of their past returns to them.  There¡¯s a reason why we are so vocal; when creating us, you advanced us to the third-rank, although, that was a product of our Grade.¡±  She mused.

    ¡°Anyways, I suppose you could say that their personality will grow as they rank up, until the third rank where they¡¯ve reached a sort of undead maturity.¡±

    Interesting, undead maturity.  Ranking up ¡­ I have skill levels, too; it almost seems like a game.

    Edmon¡¯s businesslike tone responded.  ¡°You could see it like that phone game I recall; it is a good comparison.  Although, the way your abilities function is far more intricate.  We Undead have multiple branches we can specialize in to support you in whatever means is necessary.¡±

    So, if it¡¯s like that phone game, does that mean there are different rarities in Undead?  Not just ranks and levels of skills?

    Tiffany answered her question.  ¡°We were given the appropriate information to help advise you, which includes how your abilities function.  Are you unaware of your abilities or how they work?¡±

    No, not at all; I¡¯ve been randomly trying things and hoping they¡¯ll work.

    ¡°Before that, Elinor,¡± Edmon cleared his throat.  ¡°I¡¯d feel much more at ease if we could assure your safety.  Could I ask you to inform us on that dark energy-like being?¡±

    Of course, Elinor sighed.  Don¡¯t feel like you need to get my permission to ask me questions.  I rely on your judgment ¡­ I¡¯m just a sixteen-year-old Undead girl.  I may have changed a bit by becoming a Lich Empress, but I¡¯m still pretty inexperienced and not that knowledgeable.

    Edmon¡¯s tone seemed to brighten.  ¡°It is our pleasure to be of service.  Did it communicate with you or threaten you in any way?¡±

    Yes, it did talk to me, and I suppose you could say it was threatening ¡­ it was trying to either steal my power or possess me.

    ¡°It will pay for such insolence.¡±  He growled.

    ¡°I agree, Edmon,¡± Tiffany paused.  ¡°However, it is not an enemy we can fight ¡­ at least at this point.¡±

    ¡°I understand, but it has shown itself as our enemy.  I will not stand for anything turning its fangs on Elinor.¡±

    She was beginning to feel a little choked up by his fervent desire to keep her safe.  Thank you, Edmon, but I¡¯m with Tiffany; I felt his power when he first attached to my spirit and invaded my phylactery ¡­ Quin¡¯s returned.

    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s such a cute boy; I like his enthusiasm,¡± Tiffany cooed.  ¡°He¡¯s presenting a creature for you to gather energy from.  Would you like me to put your phylactery close to it?¡±

    Butterflies fluttered in Elinor¡¯s imaginary stomach.  Give me a moment.  She cut their communication to sort out her feelings.

    This is the first time I¡¯ll be taking something¡¯s life ¡­ well, there was Creeper, but that was more self-defense, and I didn¡¯t kill him.  I suppose I did kill a bunch of toads by proxy.  Wow ¡­ I¡¯d be like a mass murderer on Earth; no, no, no, that¡¯s just self-defense.  They attacked us; it was like war ¡­ this is war.

    Still ¡­ an innocent creature that I just snatched out of the jungle.  That¡¯s like what the toads did to me.  Is that why I¡¯m a little hesitant?  But still ¡­ I know I could do it.  This must be my remaining human gut telling me this isn¡¯t right.  A gut?  I don¡¯t even have one right now!  What should I do?

    Well, thinking about it ¡­ back on Earth ¡­ how many hamburgers did I eat?  A whole lot in my life.  I mean, that¡¯s the law of the jungle.  Other animals eat other animals ¡­ that¡¯s the circle of life ¡­ Lion King.

    Amusement replaced her hesitation.  I guess those stories I used to read about goddesses of the sea protecting the fish against humans seem kind of silly.  Do they protect fish against sharks or whales?  Why single out humanity?  Humans need food, and so do Liches.  The law of the jungle ¡­ I¡¯m in a new world, and it is hostile.  This is a jungle.

    Analyzing her actions over the past few hours, she mapped out her emotions.  I¡¯ve been getting colder and colder; Demon did say he¡¯d accelerated my change, and that even shocked him.  It¡¯s a little concerning, but what can I do about it?  Perhaps I¡¯m not the same Elinor I remember ¡­ I died in that basement, and this is what lingered.  I¡¯m a Lich now; I¡¯m not a human any longer, and neither is what¡¯s left of my parents.

    Communicating with Edmon and Tiffany, she said, Okay, I¡¯m ready.

    Her spirit quaked; it was like she was salivating in front of a big steaming steak dinner as Life Force appeared around her.  Activating Life Tap, she sucked out every drop and reconstructed her artificial body.  She opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was her mother¡¯s smiling face; she was holding up her undergarments and Punk Rave long-sleeve black Renaissance-style dress.

    ¡°Welcome back, Elinor!  While we waited for Quin, I cleaned your clothes with my Witch Fire.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, she looked down at her naked body with a rueful grin, noticing her socks and boots placed neatly beside her.  ¡°Convenient.  Thanks, Tiffany.¡±

    She brushed her middle and index finger across the tattoo on her collarbone, unable to see it without a mirror, but knowing it was there.  ¡°A body that I desire¡­¡±  She mused before smiling at the woman in front of her.  ¡°I suppose an Empress shouldn¡¯t be so exposed.¡±

    Taking her black bra and panties from Tiffany, she put them on while glancing around the cave, and that was when she noticed Dalria and the surviving woman her mother had saved.  Throwing her hair back, Elinor smiled at the woman.  ¡°It seems my mother¡¯s efforts weren¡¯t in vain.¡±

    The woman bit her lip, red hair obscuring her face as she bowed.  ¡°Thank you, Empress Elinor.¡±

    ¡°Elinor¡¯s fine.  What¡¯s your name?¡±

    ¡°Gwen.¡±  She pulled back her hair while looking up at Tiffany.  ¡°Umm ¡­ is it okay for me to call her ¡­ the Empress, Elinor?¡±

    ¡°Whatever Elinor says is law,¡± Tiffany stated with a bright smile.

    ¡°What¡¯s the situation with Dalria?¡±  Elinor asked, fire burning in her eyes as her vision shifted to the toad woman.

    ¡°Bound as a slave to our dear Gwen; I have further plans to tighten the noose once I get the time,¡± Tiffany replied while helping her slip the dress on; it was a snug fit, but had a slight stretch to the comfy fabric.  Is this new body a slightly different size than my original?

    ¡°Good work,¡± Elinor whispered, noticing Edmon standing guard beside their prisoner.  Flipping her long grayish-white hair back, Tiffany helped her straighten it before she donned her socks and boots.  ¡°I suppose we have a lot to talk about.  How safe are we?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how many soldiers they have,¡± Edmon promptly responded.  ¡°If they have many near Dalria¡¯s strength, then it could be troublesome.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have to worry much about that.¡±  Elinor¡¯s smile lifted as she leered at Dalria; the toad grunted a few times, avoiding eye contact.

    Gwen stiffened, eyeing her uncertainly, but Elinor ignored her.  ¡°There are three noteworthy toads that I¡¯ve seen, and several dozen other random thugs, but they¡¯re nowhere near Dalria.  She was the ace in their sleeve.¡±

    ¡°Then we are safe for the moment,¡± Edmon stated, breathing a sigh of relief.  ¡°I was concerned they might have an army pursuing us.¡±

    ¡°Do you not have any memories of being captured?¡±

    Tiffany shook her head.  ¡°Regrettably not; the last few days are a blank, and much of your mother¡¯s life is fragmented in my mind.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the same for me,¡± Edmon confirmed.

    Elinor plucked at her sleeves to straighten them.  ¡°That¡¯s¡ªunfortunate.¡±

    Noticing Quin¡¯s stationary form to her right in a larger section of the cave, she smiled.  He was standing over one of the alligator-like creatures the toads had used as pets; this one was half their size, and its eyes were lifeless.   Not a mark on him.

    Walking over to him, she stroked his large shin bone.  ¡°You did wonderful, Quin.¡±  Her black crown appeared as she activated Monarch of Death, and the ghostly veil cascaded down her hair.

    Her cold green eyes moved to Dalria as she huffed.  ¡°There¡¯s that head-thing again, trying to imitate the Calth¡¯ra leaders?¡±

    ¡°Calth¡¯ra leaders?  I assume that¡¯s one of the eight races you allied yourselves with to dismantle the Burning Shadow.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s jaw locked, eyes widening.

    ¡°Oh?  You know something about this land, Elinor?¡±  Tiffany asked with interest.

    ¡°Demon gave me a rundown of a few events.¡±

    Edmon folded his armored arms.  ¡°Demon ¡­ was that what you called that dark energy being?¡±

    Dalria cleared her throat.  ¡°I can¡ªunderstand them¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut your filthy mouth; you pollute the room with your filthy tongue,¡± Edmon growled.

    Elinor smirked.  ¡°It¡¯s alright, Edmon.  She¡¯s a sinner, and we¡¯re the devil; we own her.¡±

    The toad-woman shifted her jaw around with disgust in her purple eyes.  ¡°What did you do to me, and who is this Demon that gave you information about the Burning Shadow?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re in no position to be asking questions,¡± Tiffany said with a bright smile.  ¡°Your only job right now is to answer when asked.  Understand?¡±

    Dalria stiffened, a few tears dripping down her cheeks as she began panting; after a few seconds, she stiffly nodded.  ¡°Y-yes,¡± she mumbled, clearly in intense pain but trying to hide it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move to those rocks in the corner.¡±  Elinor pointed at the spot while moving to a large stone to sit.

    The others followed her; Dalria¡¯s body jerked a few times as she complied.  A few more tears dropped to the dusty floor, but before she was able to sit, Elinor shook her head, causing her to stiffen.  ¡°No, you sit on the floor.¡±  Expecting the order to be followed, she turned to Edmon.  ¡°Could you set some of these stones in a circle so we can talk?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Edmon bowed, effortlessly rolling the larger stones into a partial circle; once finished, he asked, ¡°May I stand?¡±

    ¡°Do what you please,¡± Elinor responded affectionately as she sat.  ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re getting a bit itchy to find out what Demon did.¡±

    Both Tiffany and Edmon nodded.  Gwen waited for Tiffany and her to sit before taking a stone to Elinor¡¯s right.  She raised her left hand a little as if waiting for a teacher¡¯s permission to speak.

    ¡°Go ahead, Gwen, and it¡¯ll get a bit exhausting if I have to permit you to do everything.  Please, speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°Politely, of course,¡± Tiffany added.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Gwen swallowed before taking a deep breath.  She rubbed her chest for a moment, keeping her hazel irises locked on the floor.  ¡°I¡¯m a little lost, and to be honest ¡­ I¡¯m scared.  Everything¡¯s ¡­ it¡¯s like I¡¯m stuck in a nightmare.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips fell with her gaze.  ¡°I can relate.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°I mean ¡­ I remember you and your parents on the bus.  I remember you being angry with your parents the most.¡±  She whispered.

    ¡°It all seems pretty pathetic now,¡± Elinor chuckled softly.  ¡°I was like a completely different person ¡­ I suppose I am.¡±

    Gwen sucked on her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°Did it¡ªwas it those cracks in the sky?  It seems like that changed everything.¡±

    ¡°The cracks,¡± Elinor hummed.  ¡°Edmon, Tiffany, do you know anything about the sky cracking and showing a lot of colors?¡±

    They both shook their heads.

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t have any knowledge about such a thing,¡± Tiffany said, releasing a soft sigh.

    ¡°Me neither,¡± Edmon said, arms folded again.

    ¡°I suspect Demon knows something about it,¡± she frowned as her frosty gaze shifted to Dalria.  ¡°What do you know about an energy creature that lives in the ground?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t¡ªhaven¡¯t heard any stories about such a thing,¡± Dalria mumbled, wiping away a new set of tears.

    ¡°Do you know anyone that might?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªdamn your Mysticism,¡± she cried.  She struggled for several seconds before mumbling, ¡°Valdar ¡­ would know; any of the¡ªthe P-Plant Callers would.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s quite persistent through the pain; perhaps I¡¯ll need to move to the next stage sooner than later.¡±  She hummed.  ¡°Plant Callers, huh.  What are they?¡±  Tiffany shifted topics with fascination.

    Dalria¡¯s cheeks were glistening at this point as she hiccuped.  ¡°One of the types of¡­¡±  She dropped to her side, curling into a ball as she quaked; it lasted for a minute before she began stammering.  ¡°Th-The ¡­ one o-of the branches of ¡­ M-Mysticism in our tribes.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happening to her?¡±  Elinor asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s strong-willed,¡± Tiffany responded with a humorous chuckle.  ¡°Basically, every time she refuses a command, she experiences severe mental pain.  It¡¯s similar to experiencing your blood boiling and every nerve being flayed.  This continues until she¡¯s willing to respond truthfully or does what is asked of her.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s bound to Gwen, though, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and I had Gwen order her to follow our commands.  I also plan on Gwen joining the Empire by oath.¡±

    ¡°Oath?¡±  Gwen and Elinor asked as Dalria softly cried between them, continuing to lock up as she tried to resist.

    Tiffany didn¡¯t seem bothered by the cracking toad between them.  ¡°I believe it is natural to take an oath to serve an Empress or Empire.  It is by Elinor¡¯s grace that Gwen has been able to survive in this hostile world, and if she wishes to continue with us, then she will need to pledge herself to Elinor.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t respond as she turned to study Gwen.  There¡¯s a reason Tiffany and Edmon agree ¡­ Edmon wants to protect me, and this pledge will likely be no different than an enslavement ritual.  She¡¯ll pledge herself to be useful to me.  It honestly isn¡¯t a bad deal, and what other option does she have.  Well, I suppose she could take Dalria and carve out some kind of life here.  Dalria seems strong¡­

    Her thoughts were broken as Gwen slowly nodded as she pressed her white fists against her thighs.  ¡°I¡ªunderstand.  I do want to¡ªyou¡¯re the only thing connecting me to my past life.  I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±  Elinor asked.

    Her smile was forced.  ¡°I would jump at the chance to return home¡ªI¡¯d do anything¡ªbut I guess that¡¯s impossible; the crystal broke.  I don¡¯t know what you are now, but ¡­ staying with you is much better than being on my own.¡±

    ¡°We can perform the ritual once things settle down,¡± Tiffany said pleasantly while crossing her legs, and Edmon sat down as she waved for him to take a seat.  ¡°For heaven''s sake, Edmon, sit so Elinor doesn¡¯t have to look up at you.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that would be more appropriate,¡± he mumbled.

    Elinor, however, was a little distracted by Tiffany.  She frowned as she examined her former mother; one of the straps of her black bra had slid down to reveal more than Elinor liked, and she could see sections of bone, muscle, and glowing orange veins along her back.  ¡°Umm¡ªTiffany, what happened to your shirt?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s orange eyes popped before looking down at herself.  ¡°Oh!  I suppose seeing your mother¡¯s body in such a state would be disconcerting; more of my body will return as I continue to rank up.  I used a part of the shirt¡¯s stomach to create the Protective Charm and used the rest as a temporary sack.  I can clean it off real fast and put it on if you like?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like that,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°It is a little¡ªdistracting seeing you walk around with just your bra on.¡±

    ¡°Sure thing!¡±  She chimed, humming while moving to grab the item; just before turning the corner, she snapped her fingers, and a ball of orange flames lit at her side.  ¡°Be back in a moment.¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ so, to catch you up, Gwen, Demon is what I called the thing that attacked me.  It¡¯s like ¡­ consider it like a powerful evil ghost that covers the entire planet we¡¯re on.¡±

    Gwen¡¯s face turned ashen.  ¡°It can¡¯t¡ªit¡¯s even here right now?¡±

    ¡°No, not at the moment!¡±  Tiffany yelled from the other room.  ¡°I purified this space; it can¡¯t come back for at least another few minutes.  I wanted to talk to you about that, actually.¡±  She said, returning from around the corner.

    She held up her blue spaghetti-strap shirt; there was a sizeable chunk cut out of the stomach area.  ¡°Can I cut a circle around the stomach, Elinor?  I could create a small sack with it.¡±

    Elinor pursed her lips, eyeing the fabric.  ¡°I guess showing your stomach isn¡¯t that big of a deal ¡­ I mean, it would show anyway.  Fine,¡± she sighed.

    ¡°Wonderful!  I need something to carry some ingredients in; you never know when you might need a little salt, calcium carbonate, or sulfur.¡±  She said while getting on her knees to cut out the large strip, causing Elinor to close her eyes and purse her lips as she exposed her chest.

    She didn¡¯t know why she cared, but it made her feel uncomfortable.  ¡°Umm¡ªEdmon, tell me a little about ¡­ eh, the terrain.¡±

    ¡°Barren,¡± he stated emotionlessly; it was as if he hadn¡¯t even noticed Tiffany exposing herself.  ¡°We seem to be in a volcanic zone, similar to Yellowstone National Park.  Therefore, I gather that we¡¯re in a supervolcano.¡±  He paused as Tiffany cut in.

    ¡°There are wonderful materials all around us; it¡¯s a Witch¡¯s paradise!  Jungle on one side and a volcanic zone with tons of microorganisms doing all my work for me.¡±

    Elinor dropped her eyes to the ground as she opened them, trying not to look at Tiffany; she was humming as if there wasn¡¯t a care in the world, and Dalria seemed to have temporarily quit struggling as she gasped on the floor, drool leaking out of her open mouth.

    Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see Gwen smiling at her; she took advantage of the small gap Tiffany gave to say.  ¡°Thanks, Elinor.¡±

    ¡°For what?¡±  She asked, noticing Edmon folding his arms, likely a little irritated about being interrupted, just like her dad.

    ¡°Telling your mom ¡­ Tiffany to put some clothes on.  It just helps ground my mind a little.¡±  A nervous chuckle left her throat as she rubbed her right arm.  ¡°Just knowing you¡¯ve still got human traits and knowledge ¡­ oh, not that you aren¡¯t human.  You just seem very different¡ªroyal-like.¡±  She quickly added.  ¡°I just¡ªyour presence¡ªI don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m trying to say¡ªsorry¡­¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re fine.¡±  Elinor smiled while studied her open palm.  ¡°I¡¯m also relieved I still have parts of my humanity left, but I¡¯m not human ¡­ not anymore.¡±

    She giggled as she watched the armored man across from her stare at them in silence, sapphire mist spewing from the openings; she could almost feel his irritation.  ¡°Go on, Edmon.¡±

    ¡°There is some kind of fortress in the distance; it appears to be in rough shape from what we could see.  It gives the impression of being abandoned, but there could still be lurking dangers inside.¡±

    Tiffany sat down beside Edmon; she nudged him with her hips, telling him to scoot over.  ¡°Mhm¡ªc¡¯mon, Edmon, give me some room!¡±

    A low growl left his throat.  ¡°I placed a rock over there for you ¡­ why do you want to sit with me?¡±  He asked while begrudgingly shifting to allow her room.

    ¡°Why else?  To not make Elinor shift her head so much!  Be a little considerate.¡±  She mumbled.

    ¡°You could have said something earlier; you don¡¯t have to be¡­¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t help but smile with Gwen.  They certainly do act like my parents, but it¡¯s like mom¡¯s tease factor¡¯s doubled, and dad¡¯s stern protective nature¡¯s enhanced.

    Clearing her throat, Elinor interrupted her bickering minions.  ¡°I know a little about that.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s indignant expression melted like butter as she settled in to face her.  ¡°Oh?  It sounds like you two had an exciting conversation!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s the enemy,¡± Edmon muttered.  ¡°Not some old friend.¡±

    Elinor responded before Tiffany could shoot back.  ¡°He was interesting and dangerous,¡± she said with a nod at Edmon.

    ¡°I know we¡¯re kind of going around in circles,¡± Gwen said, ¡°but if you feel like it, could you tell us what happened from the beginning?¡±

    ¡°I think that¡¯ll be best,¡± Elinor sighed.  ¡°Alright¡ªafter Dalria killed my parents, I tried using every drop of energy I had to bring them back ¡­ I reforged my parents¡¯ spirits with my desire.  I cut and pasted several things together to make them into what they are, and in doing this, I drew Demon¡¯s attention.

    ¡°He latched onto my spirit and tried to either take me over or steal my power; however, Tiffany noticed the attack and protected me.¡±  She said with a satisfied smile at the woman across from her.

    ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Tiffany mumbled, cheeks flushed with orange light as she shuffled her feet.  ¡°I only did what any good Royal Ritualist would do when their Empress is in trouble.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision fell, and she would have cried if she could, but it appeared this artificial body didn¡¯t have that ability, and Emotional Loss quickly subdued the emotion.

    ¡°I was connected to Demon for a moment, and he felt ¡­ infinite¡ªbeyond powerful.  Eventually, we can ask these Plant Callers and see what they know about him.  After a while, I realized he was sealed, or more accurately, he¡¯s being forcefully dispersed throughout the planet by some kind of device or devices.  This planet is like a prison for him.

    ¡°I called him Demon because he acted like one ¡­ if he had more knowledge about our world, and how human brains work¡ªour history and nature, then I think he could be ¡­ if he learned more, then he would be so persuasive ¡­ probably unstoppable if free.¡±

    Gwen swallowed nervously, and for the first time, Dalria raised her hand, body still shaking; although, her purple eyes were hard.  Everyone watched her silently as she continued to hold her hand in the air.

    It didn¡¯t take Elinor long to realize what she was doing.  She¡¯s imitating Gwen¡¯s action that allowed her to speak.  She¡¯s paying close attention; she really is a dangerous enemy.

    ¡°What?¡±  Elinor asked bluntly.

    * * *

    Dalria swallowed as her eyes shifted between her captors; her body still remembered the burning coals that coursed through her veins whenever she so much as desired to rebel, but she had to risk displeasing them to understand this enemy they were discussing.

    If this enemy gives them this much trouble, then it could turn its attention to my people, and I must prevent that.

    ¡°W-what¡ªis this¡ªunstoppable enemy?  I-is it a t-threat to¡ªto my people?¡±

    Her vision shot to the one Gwen had called Empress, Elinor, the leader.  Her passive expression darkened, making Dalria grab her arms to stop their quakes.  ¡°A danger to your people?¡±  Her tone was cold.  ¡°Your people destroyed my life; I¡¯m a threat to your people.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s jaw locked as she saw the fire in each of their eyes; she was becoming accustomed to the subtle changes in their faces and postures that told her their mood.  Making an enemy of these creatures was unfortunate.

    A lump dropped down her throat, and her stomach turned with unease.  ¡°I¡ªunderstand y-your feelings¡­¡±

    Gwen¡¯s face twisted.  ¡°Understand¡ªhow ¡­ no, really¡ªhow?  I was going to help people ¡­ to bring them hope.  Your people only brought pain¡ªdeath.  Have you lost everything¡ªeven your own world?¡±

    She felt heat rising in her chest.  ¡°Loss?  I¡ªyou¡¯re monsters ¡­ you¡¯re torturing me,¡± Dalria whispered, reluctantly returning the glare.  ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°I what?¡±  Gwen shouted, causing Dalria to flinch.  She began to shake a moment before lashing out, slapping her across the face.  ¡°I have children ¡­ they¡¯re waiting for me¡ªno father to take my place¡ªwaiting for me with¡ªwith a babysitter, and now ¡­ they¡¯ll never know what happened to me!¡±

    Dalria looked away; she couldn¡¯t feel the blow, but knew what the creature meant, and didn¡¯t quite understand the problem.  ¡°We have our reasons, and I¡¯m¡­¡±  She paused, and a quake ran down her body as the true monster spoke, Tiffany, the one Gwen feared and called a Witch.

    ¡°Oh, I completely understand.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s face lifted in an expression that indicated joy, but her tone held a poisonous edge as she smoothly dropped to her knees.  Dalria twitched as the creature¡¯s thin, delicate fingers reached out to caress the sides of her smooth head, leaving a tingle that shot down her spine.  She couldn¡¯t identify the strange scent on her breath as she slowly closed the distance.

    ¡°This is a jungle of a world with its own power structure; you were just doing what you were ordered.¡±

    Dalria pressed her back against the rough stone beside her as Tiffany¡¯s wide eyes drew closer.  ¡°That¡¯s right?¡±  She mumbled.

    No one interrupted Tiffany as her words echoed in the silent space.  She licked her lips, teeth flashing.  ¡°The great and strong will not yield to the weak and feeble; the powerful rise to adapt and overcome their detractors.  The sweat on their brow is what they reap and sow; they forge their own fortune from salt and sand.¡±

    Her stomach tightened.  ¡°W-what?¡±.

    ¡°You were a pawn from the start, were you not?¡±

    It was hard to breath; Tiffany¡¯s burning orange irises filled her vision, and her words scared her ears; she could feel more tears forming despite her efforts, yet she couldn¡¯t look away.  ¡°N-no, I¡ªwasn¡¯t a pawn...¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s words were crisp, and her strong voice rippled through Dalria¡¯s body, more powerful than any blow.  She¡¯d been thrown into the great deep, and she was sinking fathom by fathom; sunlight slowly fading with each passing word as she was cast into a chasm.

    ¡°The powerful chooses, unlike a slave who never strays from the path her master paves; follows every order and does everything they say ¡­ just like you¡¯ve always done.  Beyond this ocean of choices, a light is waiting for you ¡­ the great chain in motion, beneath the waves ¡­ our Empire is thriving¡ªour Empress is rising; your allies, choose them wisely¡ªdemons disguised by benign masquerades; angels climb out of their graves.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s long black fur fell across her chest, teeth gleaming as she asked, ¡°Stand with us, would you kindly?¡±

    Her lips moved without thought.  ¡°Yes.¡±  I ¡­ said yes?

    The monster in front of her moved to whisper in her ear, pulling her fur behind her ear.  ¡°Then would you kindly¡ªobey?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±  Why¡­

    The passionate creature pulled back, showing pure joy as she held out a piece of cloth, tied into a bag.  ¡°Go collect my materials and put them in this cloth sack; every single grain beside the stream.¡±

    She took the sack in utter disbelief.  Have I always been this weak?

    Dalria looked down at the pouch in her hand; it looked like it had been threaded with strands of fur from Tiffany¡¯s own head.  She rose and walked toward the stream, unable to resist.

    I¡¯m weak ¡­ feeble ¡­ a slave ¡­ a light is waiting for me ¡­ the great chain in motion ¡­ our Empire is thriving ¡­ our Empress is rising ¡­ your allies ¡­ choose them wisely ¡­ stand with us ¡­ would you kindly ¡­ obey ¡­ obey ¡­ obey¡­

    * * *

    Elinor swallowed, feeling a little nervous herself as Dalria slowly moved to follow Tiffany¡¯s orders.  What was that?  It felt like Tiffany was casting some kind of spell.

    Gwen looked stunned as her eyes followed the toad until she turned the corner.  ¡°What¡ªdid you do to her?¡±

    Tiffany giggled.  ¡°It¡¯s just a simple mental trick; nothing that big, but it does require certain conditions.¡±  Her bright smile turned malevolent as she smiled at the wall.  ¡°Consider it like hacking the brain; a simple Witch¡¯s trick.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound¡ªthat simple,¡± Gwen muttered, clearing her throat.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tiffany bunched her cheeks to the side with a thoughtful expression.  ¡°I just created a magical parasite that I fed through her ear; well, hearing the words is one of the many conditions in creating it.¡±

    A shiver ran down Gwen¡¯s body.  ¡°P-parasite?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a real parasite, right?¡±  Edmon asked with a dry tone.

    ¡°No?¡±  Tiffany smirked at him.  ¡°It feeds off her resistance and twists her memories over time.¡±

    Gwen slowly rubbed her arms.  ¡°You¡¯re terrifying.¡±  She whispered.

    Elinor eyed the person that looked exactly like her mother.  She¡¯s definitely not my mom ¡­ clearly; however, I¡¯m no longer Elinor.  She looked down at Dalria¡¯s drool, still wet on the floor.  This is my new family ¡­ death is a choice that I rejected.  Demon¡¯s likely here ¡­ all around me.

    Clearing her throat, Elinor glanced between her small group.  ¡°Returning to the topic of Demon, he¡¯ll always be a lurking threat, waiting, alert, and listening.  He will be targeting the snake-woman, and if he can get her, then it will be an issue.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that playing with fire?¡±  Gwen asked.  ¡°Should we really stand in his way if he¡¯s that strong?¡±

    ¡°Nothing is stronger than the Empire,¡± Edmon stated as a cold fact.

    Tiffany still wore a sinister grin on her soft lips as her orange irises fell on Gwen.  ¡°What I told Dalria was no sweet lie.  Our Empress is rising, and her Empire is thriving; we will rise as a wave and crush all that stand against her¡ªno gods, no kings, only Elinor, and what she allows.¡±

    A chill ran down Elinor¡¯s artificial spine at the revelation; this was what her minions saw when they looked at her.  She touched her butterfly tattoo on her back shoulder, voice a whisper as she repeated Edmon and Tiffany¡¯s vision.  ¡°I¡¯m rising, and my Empire is thriving ¡­ no gods, no kings¡ªonly me and what I allow.¡±  Is that truly my purpose now ¡­ to stand above all?

 B1 â€” 13. Forged In Fire

    Elinor was pulled out of her thoughts by Edmon as he shifted from Tiffany¡¯s light slap on his armored leg, telling him to give her more room. ¡°Your armor¡¯s poky!¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t sit next to me,¡± he grumbled but inched over a bit. ¡°Anyways, I think we need to focus on one topic at a time. We keep getting distracted and wasting time.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tiffany huffed. ¡°I enjoy the spur of freeform conversation. What would you suggest, some presentations with flashcards?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s with your sass,¡± Edmon muttered. ¡°You¡¯re acting like ¡­ are you running low on magic?¡±

    Tiffany pursed her lips to the side before releasing a soft sigh. ¡°Well ¡­ I suppose I have used quite a bit of magic.¡±

    Elinor shifted to a better position on her rock before addressing the issue. ¡°Alright, I agree with Edmon; we do need to structure our conversation a little. We will focus on one topic at a time. Let¡¯s start with your abilities, Tiffany, Edmon, and we will have this conversation in private.¡±

    She turned to Gwen, adding a smile she didn¡¯t feel. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯d like to give Demon as little information as possible; therefore, you will need to be excluded from this conversation.¡±

    Gwen shook her head, looking down at her thumbs as she twiddled them. ¡°I understand. I¡¯m just thankful that ¡­ well, that you considered my feelings at all.¡±

    ¡°I may be figuring out how exactly I wish to live now that ¡­ since my change; however, I do wish to have a positive environment for my subjects.¡±

    She paused, sliding her tongue along her lips before saying, ¡°It still feels a little strange considering people under me. I suppose that¡¯s what it means to be an Empress.¡± She swallowed, taking a deep breath. ¡°I have a lot to learn.¡±

    Turning her attention back to Edmon and Tiffany, she communicated through their telepathic link. How do your powers work, Tiffany, and how tired are you?

    Tiffany¡¯s pleasant smile didn¡¯t falter as she explained.

    ¡°I am a Witch, which means that I utilize the internal qualities of materials through magic to bind them together in a sort of tapestry to accomplish a formula. You could consider it somewhat like cooking; each ingredient has unique properties that can enhance a dish, and the experience can be enriched by combining each item into full-course meals to bring a dining occasion to life!

    ¡°Witchcraft is complicated and has many dangers; if I am not precise while weaving the magic, then it can have a backlash; the more complex the ritual, the more disastrous the consequences.

    ¡°Compare it with the Japanese delicacy fugu; if fugu is prepared improperly, then it is incredibly poisonous. Similarly, if I mess up a ritual, then I could cause physical harm to myself or those around me, and I could even be cut off from my magic for an extended period of time. There¡¯s also the danger of the ritual causing unintended results or imperfect execution.

    ¡°Ordinarily, the physical harm would be terrible for your average Witch, but I am Undead, so long as my bones remain unharmed, then it is of no concern. The big danger is being cut off from my magic.

    ¡°It was for that reason that I chose to expel Demon before beginning the ritual; if he was somehow able to interfere with the process, then it could have harmed you by my inability to proceed or alter my intended results.

    ¡°Currently, I have used around seventy percent of my magic. It regenerates through rest; however, since I don¡¯t require rest, it¡¯s just a time issue. I suspect it will take thirty hours to fully restore my energy.¡±

    Edmon held a neutral tone as she intervened. ¡°Thirty percent of your energy left ¡­ that places us in a bad position. Tiffany is our primary offensive force; Quin¡¯s bones have been damaged, and we do not have the means to repair him. I understand that you have another Toad-like unit that is on its way back; depending on its strength, I suggest we bunker down.

    ¡°My abilities can protect those around me, but similar to a gate¡¯s purpose, mine is to buy time; my offensive capabilities are limited. I can lock an opponent down with frost-based abilities if they get close, but I don¡¯t have the speed or penetration type abilities to handle units like Dalria. If we were to fight multiple aggressors with Dalria¡¯s skill set, then it would be a matter of time before my abilities were exhausted.¡±

    Tiffany shifted to glare at Edmon. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault; I had to use so much energy. I had to do most of the heavy lifting here ¡­ repelling Demon took more energy than I anticipated. What did you do, deflect a few barbs, and keep watch?¡±

    I understand. Elinor sighed. Thank you for all you¡¯ve done, Tiffany, and I know it was a lot.

    ¡°Anything for you!¡± Tiffany replied with a beaming smile before returning her scathing orange eyes to the Doom Guard. ¡°You haven¡¯t even used many Skill Points, have you?¡±

    Edmon took a deep breath before looking down at the ground, folding his hands across his armored chest. ¡°No, because I haven¡¯t needed to.¡±

    ¡°Because I¡¯ve been doing everything.¡± Tiffany sniffed.

    ¡°Yes, and because of that, I¡¯ve been able to hold my options open for what we might need in the future. I could use it for more offensive abilities, defensive, or utility based on our imminent obstacles. I suppose you used many of your points on that particular cleansing ritual.¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ enough to make a dent,¡± she muttered, shifting to cross her legs. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t have anything to counter that form of spiritual attack. I¡¯m just a little drained.¡± It seemed like the best apology Edmon was going to get.

    Elinor smiled at both of them, mirroring Tiffany¡¯s example, before resting her hands on her knee. I get your comparison, Edmon. A castle is a preventative measure and best utilized with other factors. I¡¯m proud of both of you.

    So, in terms of function, Edmon, you¡¯re centered around utility and defensive abilities to help defend me against immediate threats while other offensive units push back the assailants.

    Tiffany, however, has much higher utility and can draw from many rituals to help me, but rituals come with a price; they require a protected environment, time, and ingredients to accomplish. Is that correct?

    They both nodded.

    Right. She hummed, eyes wandering to the wall. Tiffany, with the spell you cast on Dalria, if what I understand is correct, you¡¯ve basically started a slow process of brainwashing her.

    ¡°Yes. The parasite will feed on her resistance and slowly shape her memories to shift her allegiance to you. She¡¯ll see your risen Undead as her representation of angels or innocence to be protected. Her past friends will be twisted in her mind; they will become her representation of demons in disguise. Free thought will be darkness while obedience the light in the night.¡±

    Elinor fell silent as she thought on Tiffany¡¯s words, and after a moment, posed her question. Will she be able to think freely in the future?

    Tiffany pursed her lips to the side. ¡°Hmm ¡­ unless I remove the parasite, then it will continue to twist her mind. Once done, it cannot be undone, although, if I do remove it, then she would have her ability to think freely restored.¡±

    The reason why I ask is that I don¡¯t want minions that cannot think for themselves. Yes, I want them loyal, but I want them to be able to function independent of my command. They want to help the Empire of their own will and try to do so in their own unique way.

    ¡°If I may ask,¡± Edmon¡¯s helmet tilted a little. ¡°Is there a reason why you desire them to have their own free will, and what kind of Empire do you wish to create with such freedom?¡±

    I saw a movie once that had an enemy that had a hivemind, and it did have its pluses, but also its negatives. I want an Empire filled with unique individuals that think of me ¡­ maybe like a mom ¡­ progenitor ¡­ or something like that.

    Of course, they listen to me, but I want them to be more like both of you. I want each one to enjoy living, not just live for me or the Empire, but enjoy being a part of it. I think that kind of kingdom can flourish; I don¡¯t know how to get there yet, but it¡¯s what I want.

    They both fell silent, and Tiffany hummed softly.

    Sensing they both had things they wanted to say, she sighed. What is it? I told you before; you two are supposed to be my advisors, speak your mind.

    Tiffany¡¯s smile turned forced. ¡°The problem I¡¯m seeing is ¡­ what you¡¯re looking for is an Empire filled with intelligent minions, and currently, that is limited. There are ways that we can improve upon that, but it is a long process, and would also require expanding your Royal Court.¡±

    ¡°As Tiffany stated, it would be possible to expand your intelligent unit count, but it¡¯s difficult finding units that can survive the process. It is like your phone game; each unit has a rarity, and that connects to their potential.¡±

    Elinor folded her arms as she recalled the game. So, are you saying that the units I can summon have a rarity of say ¡­ common, uncommon, rare, epic, and legendary?

    Tiffany chuckled. ¡°A bit more than that ¡­ like the game, but more complex. It¡¯s like having ¡­ oh, how would I describe it?¡±

    Thinking back on the game, she¡¯d explained to them, she said, could you connect it to colors and ranks?

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Tiffany hummed, ¡°That did seem popular in that game. Okay ¡­ allow me a moment to compile that in my mind.¡±

    Her black hair bobbed back and forth as she put together a list, and after a minute¡¯s silence, her lips curved into a smile. ¡°For colors, in order, you could say white, green, yellow, blue, purple, red, orange, dark orange, and pearlescent, or in connection, Poor-grade, Common, Uncommon, Rare, Heroic, Epic, Legendary, Mythic, and Transcendent.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s armored head shifted to Tiffany before returning to Elinor. ¡°Going by that standard, one of the main problems I see is that it takes specific requirements to raise a Transcendent Unit; a considerable amount of energy is just the beginning, and only Transcendent Units are able to become Court Members. In addition, only one Transcendent Unit can exist within each Class.

    ¡°However, each unit under that Class gains a massive boost by having a Transcendent Unit as its general. These are the highest standards a unit can achieve, and it¡¯s what you forged Tiffany and me into, which is likely why Demon immediately drew an interest in you. Our potential is ¡­ expansive.¡±

    I see¡­ Elinor shifted her legs and glanced at Quin; she could feel her Toad minion closing in at a cautious pace, taking care to not be seen. Which grade is Quin?

    Tiffany pursed her lips as she glanced at the giant two-headed skeletal ape. ¡°With the standards we¡¯ve set ¡­ he would be uncommon. It¡¯s actually pretty good, even though it may seem low. There is a reason why Edmon and I have such an expansive knowledge base, and that has to do with our grade.¡±

    So ¡­ Tiffany, your Class is Witch, and your grade is Transcendent, which means that you¡¯re able to hold a Royal Court Title, and that title is Royal Ritualist. I cannot raise any more Transcendent minions in your Class.

    ¡°Yes, I count as your Transcendent minion within my specification; however, my Class is technically Witchery, not Witch ¡­ although I am a Witch ¡­ it¡¯s just how it¡¯s designated. My Subclass is Hexer, and I¡¯m the third-rank of my Class; rank-ones are generally Skeletons beginning a Class and haven¡¯t been able to select a Subclass.

    ¡°Rank-two could be something like a Skeletal Mage; they¡¯re not entirely bones ¡­ there are some muscles and veins in play. As I said before, I can still rank up further; however, I am unaware of how high ranks go ¡­ at least four. As an example, my type is Flesh, but a rank-one Skeleton of the Witchery Class would obviously be bone.

    ¡°Each of your minions will have a Unit, Class, Subclasses, Rank, Grade, Type, and Level; additionally, each ability your minions hold has levels and proficiencies. I understand it can be a little confusing at first, and we don¡¯t have to go over it in detail.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    It seems like it. Elinor sighed. Just give me an overview of each for now.

    Edmon quickly explained each. ¡°Units are mass groupings. Such as the Fodder Unit, which is comprised of your unintelligent horde, and Magical Unit that deals with mystical energies. Different Units hold different classes, such as the Magical Unit having Archanist and Witchery minions within the same category.

    ¡°Classes dictate which direction a minion¡¯s abilities go, and what types of skills they can develop. I am a Doom Guard, and I will develop skills related to that Subclass; I specialized in the Heavy Punisher and Frost directions within the possible branches available to me.¡±

    Tiffany cut in. ¡°Ranks develop our mental state, give us access to stronger abilities, and awaken more of our racials; many of Quin¡¯s Class-based skills are locked to him as a Skeleton, and even his unique abilities his race might hold. Those will unlock as time goes on, and he gains more experience.

    ¡°Since I went into the Subclass Hexer, I can do rituals and branch into other magical traits that a Skeletal Mage couldn¡¯t, and it also multiplies my energy reservoir, among other things. Our titles also play a role in our ranks; every Transcendent minion will start at rank-three.

    ¡°Our titles give us access to a wide variety of additions; for me, I learned a great many rituals without having to do the research. There¡¯s also the racials of being a human, gaining much of our Earth-based knowledge since we are of higher rank.

    ¡°Types have to do with our body composition. You can create Skeletal, Flesh, and Energy-based minions ¡­ most will automatically start as Skeletal and transition to Flesh; however, you could create Energy-based minions, but they¡¯re pretty useless early on.

    ¡°Levels are independent of the other categories; by gaining experience from doing physical or magical activities, we can obtain points to add to different skills.¡±

    Tiffany nudged Edmon¡¯s side between two thick spikes. ¡°Well, are you going to tell Elinor about proficiencies?¡±

    ¡°Oh, am I allowed to speak?¡±

    ¡°Of course you can; you¡¯re doing it right now,¡± Tiffany smirked, turning her head away.

    ¡°It seems I can,¡± Edmon replied, shifting his leg a little to poke Tiffany¡¯s thigh.

    ¡°Edmon!¡± She barked, indignantly jumping to her feet.

    He ignored her as he cleared his throat before explaining; Tiffany glared at him before ordering Quin to move her rock closer to the Doom Guard. Elinor tried her best to keep a straight face, but knew her former father was grinning under his black helmet; even in life, his comebacks were usually short before moving on.

    ¡°Proficiencies with skills increase as they are used. Just having my armor on helps me advance my abilities, which eventually gives me a Proficiency Skill that is attached to my ability.¡±

    He breathed a short sigh, blue fog frothing from his face-guard. ¡°That¡¯s a rough overview of what we know; Tiffany covered everything else fairly well.¡±

    Tiffany sat with a loud humph as Quin finished moving the large stone, making Gwen look between them with a confused expression. ¡°Of course I did. In connection to Edmon¡¯s armor, it¡¯s the same with my Witch¡¯s Fire; the longer I have it out, the higher my proficiency gets ¡­ however, mine requires magic, which would slow my recovery.

    ¡°Also,¡± she glared at Edmon. ¡°Your Life Energy will heal any damage our bodies sustain as the Royal Court; if you run out of Life Force as the Empress, then we will not recover. Your other minions will not last long without your support, either; the higher grade a minion is, the longer they can last. The Royal Court is nearly self-sufficient to follow your every instruction, even if you are near depleted.¡±

    Elinor nodded, looking up at Quin¡¯s cracked bones. ¡°That¡¯s a relief ¡­ is there a way to heal your bones?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Edmon said, better situating himself on his stone seat. ¡°The Unhallowed Royal Title, leader of the Healing Unit, the Clergy Class; however, the Clergy cannot heal a minion with a higher rank, they must be equal or greater.¡±

    So, I¡¯ll need to find a suitable minion to raise that is at least uncommon.

    ¡°Correct, and when raising an intelligent minion, you can force them into a specific class; however, that could also harm their progression if they did not have the talent in life.¡±

    Adjusting her shirt straps and bra, Tiffany added, ¡°If you do not choose a class, then the unit will be classless until chosen by you or the minion itself.¡±

    Is there a way to tell how proficient they are in each class?

    ¡°Giving the minion the order to choose their own class is the easiest method,¡± Tiffany responded. ¡°They¡¯ll be pulled toward their strongest affinity.¡±

    Thanks, both of you. Now, it seems Edmon¡¯s concerns are real; we need to prepare. I also have a bad feeling about Demon getting his hands on that snake-woman. I want to get to her before he does, but I understand we need to bolster our forces.

    Demon told me where Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was killed; he was the leader over the Quen¡¯Talrat. You mentioned some kind of fortress in the distance, Edmon?

    ¡°Yes. It appeared to be in a poor state from what we could see.¡±

    Good. It looks like we know where he is; my final question is about the Royal Court Titles. What are the requirements, and is there a way to search for possible candidates?

    Edmon answered, followed by Tiffany.

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    They both turned to stare at each other.

    ¡°Is there?¡± Edmon asked.

    ¡°Well, sort of,¡± Tiffany shrugged. ¡°I do know a ritual that will enhance Elinor¡¯s sensing abilities; she can search for possible candidates to raise within a larger area than she would otherwise be able. Once we get to the fortress, we can break it up into sections, depending on how big it is, and we can do the ritual to see if there¡¯s anything of importance.¡±

    How will I know if there are high-grade spirits within the area?

    ¡°If you study the strength of the spirits, you can tell how powerful it is, and if it is strong enough to be a Court Member, you will become more proficient at identifying their grades and possible Classes the more you observe. You¡¯ll also know because you can start the trial.¡±

    Trial?

    Edmon hummed darkly. ¡°It¡¯s not something I like, but it is a requirement of the restoration. Transcendent spirits are strong, but usually, there is a reason for that; they were influential in life and held strong emotions that fueled them. That could be rage, regret, joy ¡­ any significant feelings, but more than likely negative.

    ¡°As a part of the reanimation process, they must accept you as their ruler. The higher grade they are, the more resistance they have toward your influence. Transcendent spirits were not pushovers in life; these were rulers themselves, and they will require something in return, but once the deal is struck, then it is final. They may require something you are unwilling to give, and if that is the case, then you can sever the interaction.¡±

    ¡°Edmon and I were reconstructed to fit the requirements, and the future Court Members will not have the same knowledge of this system as we do. However, they will be powerful and knowledgeable in their fields, just as powerful as us. Your Court Members are your strongest possible minions in each area. The difficult part to swallow for us ¡­ is that they can refuse the invitation to join the Empire.¡±

    Elinor smiled. Actually, I like that. I¡¯ll be able to learn more about them, and if we¡¯re not compatible, then that¡¯s fine too. I want a family that can count on me, and I can count on them. That being said ¡­ I know you went through the trouble, Tiffany, but can you free Dalria of the parasite?

    ¡°I¡¯d advise against that,¡± Edmon said, rubbing his thigh as he looked at the wall, likely following his senses to locate the toad in the next room.

    Tiffany¡¯s brow creased with concern, and she bit her lower lip for a moment, but after taking a deep breath, nodded. ¡°I trust you know what you want, and if this is the direction you¡¯re going, then I will follow.¡±

    Edmon groaned before rubbing his armored neck. ¡°I might not like it, but of course, I¡¯ll follow whatever you command.¡±

    I understand both of your concerns, but Tiffany will only remove the magical parasite, not the Blood Subservience. Listening to how the Royal Court Titles function has given me a reason to do this ¡­ I can live with this.

    ¡°If that is what you wish.¡± Both of them responded, showing a little reserve.

    Elinor got up, causing Gwen to straighten. ¡°Umm¡ªwhat¡¯s going on? Tiffany and Edmon don¡¯t look that happy,¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°Just watch,¡± Elinor said with a soft smile. ¡°You¡¯ll understand.¡±

    Tiffany and Edmon rose to their feet, and Tiffany looked over at Edmon with pursed lips but shrugged as he looked down at her. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll find out as well,¡± she whispered, forcing a chuckle.

    They trailed after Elinor, walking into the room with the stream; Quin shifted to allow them space.

    Dalria looked up as they entered, and her tone was conflicted as she stumbled with her words. ¡°Is ¡­ is t-there something you¡ªyou need, E-Empress Elinor?¡±

    ¡°Tiffany,¡± Elinor instructed.

    The woman scratched her long black hair, pulling her bangs back behind her left ear. ¡°What a waste,¡± she sighed. Walking over to the toad-woman, she leaned in close to her ear and whispered something.

    Dalria jerked back, bag falling from her hand as she tripped. Her wide blue eyes stared up at Tiffany with horror as she tried to get up, stumbling back as she retreated. ¡°W-what¡ªwho ¡­ the demons, and¡ªand angels¡ªrising ¡­ what did y-you do to¡ªto me?¡± She cried, tears running down her face.

    Tiffany cocked her head, hair bending around her shoulder as she folded her arms. A soft sigh left her lips as she studied the cowering toad. ¡°Given another few days, my darling would have shown some wonderful progress.¡±

    ¡°Elinor!¡± Edmon stepped forward as she walked to the toad.

    ¡°Stay where you are, Edmon; she cannot harm me.¡± Elinor looked down at the terrified creature as she drew near. ¡°Join us in the other room.¡±

    Dalria stiffened as her blood boiled, trying to resist the command, but eventually complied. She trembled as she got up, gripping her arms as she hurried past them into the front of the cave, face creased with horror and pain.

    Elinor calmly followed, motioning to the stone that Edmon had used. ¡°Sit.¡±

    She sat without complaint as the others joined them, brows creased with confusion.

    ¡°Tell me, Dalria. What do you remember after Tiffany whispered in your ear?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI,¡± she swallowed nervously, terrified eyes shifting to the slightly disappointed black-haired woman as she took Gwen¡¯s seat, motioning for the human to join her. ¡°I remember¡ªChief Krava ¡­ you looked like Chief Krava. It was as if¡ªas if you ¡­ this was my Clan. It felt¡ªright ¡­ somehow¡ªit felt right to obey. It felt¡ªgood to obey.¡±

    Elinor nodded, humming softly. ¡°Perhaps there will be the need for such tactics at times, but I¡¯d rather you joined us to heal the rifts; I need that desperation in your eyes ¡­ the love you hold for your Clan.¡±

    ¡°H-heal?¡± Dalria mumbled, thighs shaking as they pressed against each other. ¡°W-what do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I will not lie and tell you that I¡¯ve forgiven what you¡¯ve done ¡­ what your clans have done. However, I do realize that you might have had your reasons. Consider it the ¡­ new Elinor.¡± She said with a short pause.

    Her cold green eyes appraised the toad. ¡°I can see that you¡¯ve already realized the power we hold, and this is only the beginning.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s eyes seemed to fade out as her imagination spun wildly.

    ¡°However, I don¡¯t hate your entire race, and I¡¯m not unreasonable.¡± Her tone licked with heat. ¡°I just hate the ones that assaulted me. I¡¯m sure you can understand that.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s quivering head nodded; she couldn¡¯t turn away from Elinor¡¯s cold stare. ¡°I¡ªI understand that¡ªthat feeling.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Elinor said, straightening the skirt of her gown as she crossed her legs and folded her fingers. ¡°I¡¯d like you to work for the Empire; you have been taken as a hostage of conflict; based on what I saw, you understand such a concept.¡±

    A lump dropped down her throat, but she nodded.

    ¡°Good. Through your efforts, perhaps I can curb the desire within me to slaughter your entire race.¡±

    The toad sagged as if a massive weight had fallen upon her shoulders. ¡°M-my¡ªyou¡ªyou want to¡ªto slaughter my entire,¡± she choked before coughing.

    ¡°I see,¡± Tiffany hummed thoughtfully. ¡°I suppose pointless slaughter would be rather inconvenient and a waste of time. Learning more about them could prove beneficial. Yes, an excellent plan!¡±

    A cold growl shot through Edmon¡¯s black armor, drawing Dalria¡¯s wide eyes. ¡°I am not satisfied with just cutting off the hand that is raised against you. An example must be made of the entire race; any hostile action against Elinor is a declaration of genocide.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s wild eyes shifted to Elinor as she giggled. ¡°I really do appreciate that side of you, Edmon; however, an Empress without mercy is a poor ruler indeed. Just those that raised their weapons against me; that¡¯s enough for me ¡­ at least for the moment ¡­ and that¡¯s why Dalria¡¯s here.¡± She said with a smile that didn¡¯t touch her eyes.

    She leaned forward. ¡°This is not an order, but a simple question. Can you calm the hatred burning in my heart, and help me forget the sounds of metal against splintering bone in my memory? Do you think you can convince me to spare your race? Can you be the hero I need you to be?¡±

    Dalria¡¯s lips were tight, throat constricted; it seemed like she couldn¡¯t breathe or blink as Elinor rose to her feet. ¡°Think on it, Dalria. I don¡¯t want to kill and raise your loved ones ¡­ give me reasons not to.¡±

    She expectantly turned her attention to Edmon and Tiffany. ¡°We¡¯ll head to the keep immediately and put Tiffany¡¯s plan into action. We don¡¯t have a moment to waste.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Now it¡¯s getting exciting!¡± Tiffany squealed. ¡°I rather enjoy this new direction, Elinor. This is quite fun!¡± She smiled innocently down at the numb toad. ¡°Do your best! Oh, Edmon, Elinor and I will take the left shoulder ¡­ and who is this?¡± She asked as a skeletal toad swung down from the clifftop to join them.

    ¡°That¡¯s not fair, Tiffany, I need to be close to Elinor to protect her.¡±

    ¡°I called dibs,¡± she gloated. ¡°You can protect her well enough around Quin¡¯s neck. My goodness! This Skeletal Toad seems to be of uncommon-grade as well, Elinor. You have such a sharp eye for quality! An Elite Warrior Class ¡­ although, I suppose his tongue will take some time to be restored. Do your best,¡± she laughed, slapping him on the back.

    ¡°We¡¯re not finished, Tiffany¡­¡± He glanced back at Elinor, looking for support.

    Elinor shrugged. ¡°She did call it first.¡±

    Edmon grumbled under his breath unintelligibly as they prepared to leave. Gwen giggled as she joined Elinor, and Tiffany retreated to the back of the cave to gather her ingredients.

    ¡°You surprised me, Elinor ¡­ that was rather ¡­ I just feel better about how you decided to handle the situation. I know this can¡¯t be easy.¡±

    She looked back at Dalria, hunched over as she silently cried. ¡°We¡¯ll see how things play out; honestly, I¡¯m not expecting much, but decided to see what will come of it.¡±

    Gwen¡¯s brow creased as she shot a glance at Quin. ¡°Wait ¡­ where am I supposed to sit?¡± She mumbled.

    A smile touched Elinor¡¯s lips as a flash of happiness touched her heart; it vanished as suddenly as it came, swallowed by Emotional Loss , leaving the smoldering fires buried underneath her determination.

    Yes ¡­ we¡¯ll see how this turns out. Can this terrible anger that possesses me be quelled? Can you hold back these monsters, Dalria? If you can spare me of this pain ¡­ we¡¯ll have to see. I won¡¯t be ruled by anything ¡­ including my own rage.

    She glanced back at the toad. Hurry ¡­ I don¡¯t know how long I can shield you from the fire in my heart. My resolve will eventually break from this pain¡¯s pressure ¡­ hurry, Dalria.

 B1 â€” 14. Omens of Madness

    Fennel popped his tongue a few times as he stared around their encampment, giving orders with the sounds to secure the prisoners; they¡¯d just finished taking care of Elinor¡¯s skeletons and the creatures¡¯ rebellion.  They¡¯d killed a few of the more rebellious ones to send a message.

    The long one had been restrained in another cage, sealed by Valdar and Nadraca; in addition, he¡¯d cast some mysticism that caused the creature to sleep.  Everything was calming down with Nadraca directing her people to prepare to retreat.

    Valdar sighed as he walked up to him; Krava was by his side with his guard.  ¡°It¡¯s clear these creatures are intelligent; perhaps, very intelligent by Elinor¡¯s actions.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be physically trained for combat,¡± Fennel huffed.

    ¡°No,¡± Krava mused.  ¡°They don¡¯t, but they were still able to do decent damage; they¡¯re quick learners, and they started aiming for our legs to hamper our¡­¡±

    He cut off as a loud roar sounded in the distance; the call sent a shiver down Fennel¡¯s spine, and every head tilted in its direction.

    ¡°That¡¯s in the direction of the Deadlands,¡± Valdar growled.  ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡±

    Krava smirked.  ¡°I¡¯d say that means Dalria has engaged the beast.¡±

    Valdar licked his lips before turning to Nadraca as she hurried over.

    ¡°Does this mean?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it appears as if she¡¯s engaged the Elite Hunter,¡± Valdar replied.  ¡°I don¡¯t like this, though ¡­ that¡¯s the direction of the Quen¡¯Talrat stronghold.  How would Elinor know there was a massive battle there?  Out of every direction ¡­ if she can find more soldiers¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re giving it too much credit,¡± Krava chuckled.  ¡°Dalria is capable; she may have recently qualified as a Xaria, but has more than proven her skill.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not doubting your faith in her abilities ¡­ However, could she handle two or three more Quen¡¯Talrat, even if they were normal soldiers aiding the Elite Hunter?¡±

    Krava¡¯s features sagged as he thought.  ¡°She would be able to easily retreat and warn us, if that were the case.  If it was a real Elite Hunter, then I¡¯d be worried, but it would take three of those bony creatures to pin her down, and they¡¯d need to be coordinated.¡±

    They each studied Valdar as he worked around his jaw, staring into the trees as more roars exploded around the jungle.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Valdar?¡±  Fennel asked.

    He was silent as he crouched, five toes pawing the ground; his nose twisted as he licked his two protruding teeth.  ¡°I just feel ¡­ uneasy.¡±

    Krava¡¯s tone turned serious as he bent to Valdar¡¯s level.  ¡°Is it the jungle?¡±

    ¡°The jungle?¡±  Nadraca rolled her eyes.  ¡°The Mother Superior told me a story once about you speaking to the jungle.  You¡¯re not saying you can actually speak to trees?¡±

    ¡°Have some respect,¡± Krava snapped, causing Nadraca¡¯s nose to crease.  ¡°Plant Callers are not to be mocked.¡±

    ¡°Is it the jungle?¡±  Fennel repeated Krava¡¯s concern, tone lowering as he glanced around the clearing.

    ¡°The land is uneasy,¡± Valdar mumbled, and after a moment¡¯s silence, he stood.  ¡°Something¡¯s changed.  Let¡¯s join Dalria.¡±

    ¡°Are you ¡­ positive that you need my help?¡±  Nadraca asked, forcing a chuckle.

    ¡°Now is not the time to be shivering in fear,¡± Fennel huffed.

    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid!  I¡¯m just ¡­ concerned.  What if it returns while we are away?  If it breaks the long one out again, then it would be terrible.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad argument,¡± Valdar clicked his tongue with a hint of annoyance, looking around the camp.  ¡°Very well, Nadraca, you will be our back-up plan.  If we do not return or send word within twenty minutes, then you are to leave with all haste and report to your superiors.  We each need to select an individual from our clans to deliver this message if we fall.¡±

    The three other leaders swallowed, but separated to comply.

    Fennel walked back to his camp, catching several of the living creatures eyeing him.  He didn¡¯t understand their expressions yet, but knew it must have been hate or fear.  He licked his lips and popped his tongue a few times, signaling for his warriors to assemble.

    The remaining forty-eight warriors leaped into formation.  ¡°I¡¯ll be taking a few of you with me to support Chiefs Valdar and Krava.  We¡¯ll be providing support for the Xaria; Roax, you¡¯ll be in charge while I¡¯m away, and if word¡¯s not sent back with further instructions within twenty minutes, return with haste to report.¡±

    A few of his warriors nudged each other with wide grins, but he understood their feelings; they were going to support a warrior with the legendary title of Xaria.  Just being able to witness a Xaria fight was a privilege.

    ¡°As I said, should we not return within twenty minutes, you are to retreat immediately and bring word of this threat to Chief Gortaxa.¡±

    Roax popped his tongue twice, accepting the order, and Grem popped his tongue once, indicating he wished to ask a question.  Fennel popped his tongue twice to approve his interruption.

    ¡°Are you saying that you might fail ¡­ even with a Xaria?¡±

    Fennel worked his jaw around a few times before sliding his tongue across his two protruding teeth.  ¡°We can¡¯t be sure of anything.  We¡¯re dealing with a creature that can raise powerful foes from the dead ¡­ perhaps even our ancestors.¡±

    Each warrior eyed each other with nervous flutters in their throats, but it was Denral that was the first to speak.  ¡°Yes, Sir!  May I volunteer to join you?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you may.  Denral, Grem, Forva, and the Kota twins, you¡¯re with me.¡±  He turned to glare at one of the clanless vassals.  ¡°Eltha!¡±

    The woman shivered as her name was called, and she hurried to his side.  ¡°Yes, Sir?¡±

    ¡°You will be our runner ¡­ you¡¯re quick, after all.¡±

    Her throat constricted with dread.  ¡°To¡ªmay I ask to where?¡±

    ¡°We will be joining the Komath and Delthax Clans in pursuing Elinor.¡±

    ¡°T-that¡ªcreature that¡ªthat we found in¡ªin the other world?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and you will be our messenger to return.¡±

    Eltha began to quake as she glanced in the direction where the roars could still be heard.

    Fennel popped his tongue with annoyance and he lashed out, backhanding the clanless across her face.  She dropped to the mud, quivering as she held her cheek.  ¡°Don¡¯t be a coward!  You¡¯ll make the Roxim Clan look weak.  Stand up, and straighten your spine!¡±

    She quickly got back to her feet, trying to lock her joints to stop shaking.  ¡°O-of course!  I¡ªI¡¯m thankful for the Roxim Clan taking me in as a vassal!  I won¡¯t bring shame upon its proud name!¡±

    He sighed, rolling his eyes.  ¡°Let¡¯s go; the rest of you, keep an eye out for trouble.¡±

    His selected group left with the sound of popping tongues, signalling his warriors¡¯ respect and the acknowledgement of his order.

    Meeting up with Valdar and Krava¡¯s groups, they made their way into the jungle with their warriors.  They jumped through the low branches of the large trees, following the loud roars, but paused as the noise ceased.

    Unease touched Fennel¡¯s stomach as he swung down to the ground; a group of Teevers, shot out of the brush, running away in panic as the company surrounded him, their dark skinned tails and short legs disappearing into a burrow under a massive root.

    ¡°The Xaria defeated the beast, right?¡±  Denral asked with a grin, landing beside Fennel.

    Krava hummed darkly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention.  ¡°Maybe.  What do you think, Valdar?¡±

    ¡°Give me a second,¡± Valdar muttered, bending down to the dirt.  He stroked the earth, closing his eyes.  Not two seconds later, his eyes shot open.  ¡°Back, back!¡±

    A few of them hesitated, but Fennel reacted instantly, following Valdar and Krava as they shot back the way they¡¯d come.

    ¡°What is it?¡±  Krava asked, head darting around for danger.

    ¡°Something¡¯s coming, and it¡¯s silencing the entire jungle ahead of us!¡±

    ¡°What?¡±  Fennel growled, glancing back, but he couldn¡¯t see anything.  He stopped after a few minutes of running as Valdar shot back to the floor.

    He doubled back, noticing both Valdar and Krava breathing heavily.  Their age is catching up to them; even if Krava was once a warrior of the highest rank ¡­ time catches us all.

    Valdar puffed out a few sharp breaths as he knelt down, hands digging into the dirt.  ¡°It¡ªit stopped ¡­ just a little past¡ªpast where we were before.¡±

    The others soon joined them, each taking up a defensive position.  ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±  Denral asked, not winded in the least as his young eyes scanned the area.

    Eltha was doing her best to not show her quakes, but Fennel was too focused on the danger to pay the clanless much mind.  He popped his tongue four times, indicating that there was trouble behind them.  His warriors shifted their focus, spears and axes pointing in that direction.  ¡°Something¡¯s silencing the jungle.  Can you elaborate, Valdar?¡±

    Clearing his throat, Valdar took a few more heavy breaths before rising.  ¡°It¡¯s like¡ªeverything ahead of us¡ªeverything has ceased all movement.¡±

    ¡°What could¡ªcould cause such a thing?¡±  Krava asked, drops of sweat beating down his neck.

    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± Valdar replied.

    Fennel popped his tongue twice, paused, and popped three more times, telling his men to check it out.  They shot forward without hesitation, leaving Eltha to clutch her empty hands as she waited for her own orders, not knowing their warrior language.

    ¡°My men will check it out, and one will return to inform us as they secure the site.¡±

    Valdar breath a sigh of relief.  ¡°I¡¯m glad we have you with us, Fennel.  You¡¯ve always been one to take quick action.¡±

    ¡°More importantly, how are you two doing?¡±

    ¡°Still kicking,¡± Krava chuckled, throwing out a leg with a grin.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got my breath back,¡± Valdar sighed.  ¡°Getting old is a bother.¡±

    Krava smirked at his fellow chief.  ¡°Experience comes with a price, my brother.¡±

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°That, it does,¡± he chuckled.

    They waited with Valdar and Krava¡¯s eight guards; they defended the area until Grem returned.  He shot out of the jungle, landing in front of Fennel with a salute, cupping his throat.  ¡°We came upon a wall of gray that resembles the clouds.  It is smooth and reaches high into the sky, above the trees, and stretches a distance on either side.  However, it did not move for over three minutes; it is as if there is a barrier stopping its advance.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Valdar chuckled.  ¡°Let¡¯s check this wall of gray out for ourselves.¡±

    Fennel patted Grem¡¯s shoulder, indicating that he was pleased, and they followed the young warrior to the site.

    Denral rushed to meet them as they jumped down from the trees.  ¡°No movement, Sir!¡±

    The other warriors spread out as Fennel, Valdar, and Krava walked to the edge of the cloud.

    ¡°How strange,¡± Krava muttered.  ¡°It¡¯s like the smoke in the fire mountains ... but it hasn¡¯t acted like this in any of the stories passed down by our Elders.  How about your Clan¡¯s history, Valdar?¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ nothing like this,¡± he whispered.

    Fennel glared at the thick wall that obscured their vision.  ¡°Could this be caused by Elinor?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Valdar replied, licking his two teeth as he studied the slowly shifting cloud; it moved along an invisible wall, as if following the wind.

    Studying it for several seconds, Fennel nodded to one of the twins.  ¡°Toka, test it with your spear.¡±

    She complied, poking it through the substance, but nothing happened.  Extracting the weapon, she glanced back at him, awaiting further orders.

    Feeling a little antsy, he stepped forward and passed his hand through the wall, causing his warriors to gasp.

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    ¡°Allow me!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous!¡±

    He popped his tongue once, indicating for them to quiet down as he brought his hand out, flexing his fingers.  ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps breathing the cloud?¡±  Krava mused.  ¡°You recall the Deadlands expedition, Valdar?  A few warriors fell ill from breathing the clouds that left the holes and water.¡±

    ¡°I volunteer!¡±  Denral quickly offered.

    Fennel sucked on the roof of his mouth a moment as he appraised the young warrior, and Valdar hummed darkly.  ¡°Careful, young one.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Karva nodded.  ¡°Don¡¯t mistake stupidity for bravery.¡±

    Denral popped his tongue once, and Fennel¡¯s brow lifted with curiosity as he gave him permission with two pops of his tongue.  ¡°Respectfully, Elder Chiefs, the Xaria could be in trouble, and I believe haste is important in identifying this threat.¡±

    ¡°I can respect that answer,¡± Valdar sighed.

    Krava agreed with a nod.

    He turned his head to gain permission.

    Fennel covered his throat in a salute, causing the other warriors to hastily mirror the action.  ¡°Tie your foot with a rope in case we need to pull you out; you¡¯ve brought honor to the Roxim Clan, Denral, whatever the results.¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡±  He swiftly pulled out a rope and tied his leg before tossing it to Forva.

    The moment Forva secured the rope in his grip, he stepped into the wall of gray and vanished; the rope didn¡¯t continue.

    ¡°Pull him out!¡±  Valdar yelled.

    They tugged on the rope, more warriors rushing to their aid.  Denral appeared several seconds later; he wasn¡¯t moving, and his tongue was hanging out.

    ¡°Denral!¡±  Fennel shot forward, checking his vitals; he breathed a sigh of relief as the others raised their weapons to defend against anything that might jump through the wall.  ¡°He¡¯s alive ¡­ I think he¡¯s asleep.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Krava rubbed his chin.  ¡°Some kind of defensive barrier to stop us?  This would have been quite useful during the wars.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Valdar muttered.  ¡°We don¡¯t know how far this wall extends, but it must have caused everything in its path to sleep.¡±

    ¡°What if we hold our breath?¡±  Krava questioned.

    Valdar moved to examine Denral, bending down to stroke his belly.  ¡°That might work ¡­ I don¡¯t sense any poison with him.  I can¡¯t even sense what type of Mysticism this is ¡­ it¡¯s simply as if he fell asleep.¡±

    Fennel shook the young toad¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Denral ¡­ Denral, wake up!¡±

    Nothing they tried could wake him.

    Stepping back, Valdar appraised their attempts with a studious eye.  ¡°Who knows how long this sleep lasts ¡­ perhaps forever,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go next!¡±  Toka offered, and her brother Roka offered himself shortly after.

    A low growl left Fennel¡¯s throat.  ¡°I don¡¯t like the idea of losing more of you to this ¡­ sleep, that we know nothing about.  However, we do need answers.  Very well, Toka, make sure not to breathe so much as a whiff.  Understand?¡±  He asked, saluting her.

    The other toads followed his example, Roka looking a little disappointed he wasn¡¯t chosen.

    Without being asked, Toka untied Denral¡¯s rope and fastened it to her own leg.

    ¡°I will be back shortly!¡±

    She took a deep breath before dashing into the substance.  The rope continued until it was nearly out, and after a moment, it snapped taut; Forva held fast, but the pressure didn¡¯t indicate panic.  After a short time, she appeared out of the gray.

    She released a few deep breaths as she pressed a hand against her chest.  ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s gray everywhere¡ªI couldn¡¯t see anything ahead of me.  I could only return by following the rope.¡±

    ¡°Well, I suppose that proves that,¡± Krava sighed.  ¡°It¡¯s activated upon breathing it in.¡±

    ¡°Yes, we will have to wait for it to disperse,¡± Valdar said, walking back several paces to sit on a root.  ¡°Let¡¯s send back our runners.  Tell them what has happened and order them to wait twenty more minutes; we will keep sending runners back to update them as we wait.¡±

    The other runners left without prompt, racing back toward the camp; Eltha hesitated a moment, causing Fennel to shoot a scathing glare in her direction.  She dashed into action as she caught his eye.

    The last to respond ¡­ that¡¯s not the Roxim way!  After the bravery the others exercised, she shows the other clans hesitation ¡­ I¡¯ll give her one more chance to redeem herself.

    They waited for a time, watching the wall¡¯s slow movements; it was shortly after the runners returned when the cloud seemed to vanish.  It happened in less than ten seconds; the impenetrable barrier evaporated to reveal a perfectly clear jungle.

    ¡°That was sooner than I expected,¡± Krava muttered.

    Valdar released a low growl.  ¡°We haven¡¯t heard anything after the cloud appeared; I¡¯m growing concerned.¡±

    Krava nodded, and his tone darkened.  ¡°Whatever this is, we have to hope Dalria made it out.¡±

    Fennel glanced back at Denral¡¯s sleeping form, lying against a tree.  ¡°The cloud¡¯s gone, but Denral hasn¡¯t risen ¡­ Grem, guard him, and if he wakes, search for us.¡±

    Grem saluted as they proceeded with caution, spreading out to avoid missing any signs of combat.  It took longer than Fennel expected to find traces of combat, but they passed scores of sleeping creatures.

    ¡°Here!¡±  One of Valdar¡¯s men, his hushed words calling out to them.

    They converged on the spot and began to study the scene; broken limbs and blackthorn barbs could be found around the area with the occasional bone chip.  They followed the destruction to a small clearing, where the main battle had taken place.

    Blood was pooled along the ground and plants with more slim corpses of the messy creatures; it was clear that Dalria had killed the creatures by their wounds.  However, there were no signs of the elite warrior or her foe.  Upon closer inspection, Fennel spotted a trail that had likely been made by the Quen¡¯Talrat, leading toward the Deadlands.

    ¡°Shit,¡± Valdar growled as he followed Fennel¡¯s observations.  ¡°It looks like Dalria was either captured or killed and risen.  It¡¯s the worst case scenario.¡±

    ¡°How ¡­ it must have been that cloud,¡± Krava mumbled in disbelief.  ¡°That ¡­ that creature used it to incapacitate the Xaria.¡±

    ¡°Runners, send back word!  We need to alert every tribe ¡­ shit, we probably need to warn every race.  There¡¯s a new creature that threatens us all.  Runners, go, and return when you tell them to relay the warning!¡±  He shouted, causing them to dash back.

    ¡°What are we going to do?¡±  Fennel asked, running his hands down strange cold spikes that bit at the touch.  ¡°We don¡¯t know what happened here ¡­ it seems some strange mysticism is at work.¡±

    ¡°Can you ask the jungle?¡±  Krava asked.  ¡°See if Dalria escaped and is still alive?¡±

    ¡°Give me a moment,¡± Valdar muttered, kneeling near the most disturbed section, where the majority of the battle had likely occurred.

    The warriors took up defensive positions around them, securing the area; Krava and Fennel kept close to the Elders as he prepared himself.

    Valdar took a deep breath before bowing his head to the dirt and muttering something under his breath, fingers digging into the dirt to sprinkle it across his head.  His hands slowly spread out as he continued to mutter, and after a time, he rose, spreading mud over his closed eyes as he looked around.

    Krava seemed to be waiting for something, but this was a first for Fennel.  He watched the strange ritual with a furrowed brow, walking around to Valdar¡¯s front; he stopped in his tracks as Valdar¡¯s eyes opened, now clouded as gray as the wall that had barred their entrance.

    ¡°The jungle wishes to warn me ¡­ rarely has it shown me such depth.  I see the Xaria ¡­ Dalria has the upperhand; she swiftly killed the three creatures we saw, and had already wounded the ¡­ it was her father and mother.  Those two creatures ¡­ It seems the thin ones are the females and the large ones are the males.

    ¡°Elinor is in a panic ¡­ Her father is dying and her mother is at knife¡¯s point while Dalria questions her; everything is within the Xaria¡¯s control.  She confirmed that Elinor is one of a kind, and knows of no other creature that can raise the dead.  Dalria killed the mother, knowing that she must now kill Elinor.

    ¡°Krava, your Xaria is quite skilled ¡­ yet every fatal blow against Elinor is rejected and healed; she truly seems immortal.  However, the Quen¡¯Talrat,cannot keep up.  It is only a matter of time.  Wait ¡­ her parents just died, and ¡­ the jungle shakes ¡­ something ¡­ something happened.  Elinor did something unheard of ¡­ something unspeakable ¡­ and it awoke.¡±

    Valdar paused and began to quiver.

    ¡°What?¡±  Krava shouted.  ¡°What awoke?  What happened?¡±

    ¡°The unseen eye ¡­ the infinite ¡­ the vastness awoke, and ¡­ it assaulted Elinor.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±  Krava stiffened before cold sweat began gathering at his brow.  ¡°The vastness ¡­ you¡¯re sure?  Elinor ¡­ that creature awoke the unseen eye, and¡ªand it attacked her?  The eye ¡­ it¡¯s never attacked in the stories ¡­ it¡¯s only whispered to the past mystics.¡±

    Fennel rushed to support Valdar as he collapsed in a shaking heap, eyes still clouded as tears fell down his cheeks.  ¡°Elinor ¡­ she raised her parents, and¡ªthey¡¯re powerful¡ªbeyond powerful ¡­ terrifying!  The mother¡ªshe repelled the¡ªshe actually repelled the unseen eye ¡­ she¡¯s holding it off.  She caused the cloud with¡ªwith the jungle ¡­ using the jungle¡¯s energy.  I¡¯ve never¡ªheard anything¡ªfelt anything like this.¡±

    ¡°What of Dalria?¡±  Krava pressed.

    ¡°Taken ¡­ Elinor is currently locked in battle with the vastness.  Her mother¡¯s name is Tiffany ¡­ her father, Edmon.  They¡¯re,¡± he cut off, shaking his head and swallowing hard.  ¡°They¡¯re strong¡ªmonstrous ¡­ worse than any Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter ¡­ far worse ¡­ unimaginably ¡­ and dark ¡­ so dark ¡­ twisted.¡±

    Fennel found himself hesitating as Valdar clawed at him, eyes wide.  ¡°Retreat¡ªwe must¡ªwe must retreat.  We must gather¡ªprepare!  Ruthless orange eyes ¡­ glowing and blue fog from unyielding black metal protection ¡­ they¡¯re¡ªthey¡¯re nightmares¡ªmerciless horrors brought to life¡ªtheir presence¡ªtheir loyalty¡ªsingle-minded.¡±

    ¡°Valdar,¡± Fennel grunted, finding it impossible to pry off the Elder¡¯s death-grip as he clung to him, quivering uncontrollably.

    ¡°Elinor¡ªshe¡¯s colossal ¡­ the fire ¡­ I hear it ¡­ the whispers within ¡­ a sharp crack that penetrates her spirit ¡­ the jungle quivers ¡­ the pain ¡­ death, Fennel ¡­ you brought¡ªyou brought the Empress of the Dead to our world!¡±  He screamed.

    ¡°Valdar, get ¡­ Valdar!¡±

    The Chief released him, falling into a seizure.  Fennel dropped to his side in a panic, but the Chief¡¯s body had already relaxed, eyes red and glistening, wide with terror.

    ¡°Chief!¡±  Fennel shouted, shaking the toad, but he was unresponsive.

    Valdar¡¯s guards rushed to his side with cries of confusion.

    Krava tossed Fennel off the fallen toad with surprising strength, checking his vitals.  His face sagged as he whispered, ¡°Dead ¡­ he¡¯s dead.¡±

    ¡°What?  How ¡­ what?¡±  Fennel felt numb, knees weak.  ¡°Not now ¡­ how could this happen?¡±

    ¡°Whatever he saw ¡­ it terrified him so much that,¡± Krava took a sharp breath.  ¡°It was too much for him.  When he communes with the jungle ¡­ he¡¯s sensitive to a great many things.  Exposing himself to both the vastness and whatever Elinor brought back ¡­ Tiffany and Edmon, Elinor herself ¡­ it was too much for him.¡±  He worked around his jaw, releasing a long breath, clearly fighting back tears as he closed the old toad¡¯s eyes.

    Krava swallowed hard, mumbling, ¡°If Elinor is a female of her race ¡­ could she procreate¡±

    The thought hadn¡¯t crossed Fennel¡¯s mind, but it sent a horrified jolt through his body at the uncertainty in the Chief¡¯s tone.  Krava turned to the stunned warriors around him, and after taking a moment to collect himself.  ¡°Valdar¡ªsacrificed himself to warn us of this danger.  Whatever it was ¡­ this threat was powerful enough to¡ªto drive a Chief to madness ¡­ a Chief that had seen many horrors in his life.

    ¡°Elinor is such a threat, that she awoke an ancient evil, and that being instantly attacked the creature ¡­ yet even the vastness is being beaten back.  This is unprecedented ¡­ nowhere in our history¡­¡±

    The old toad warrior swallowed back his emotions.  ¡°I¡¯ll be sending word to every clan ¡­ there will be another War Council¡ªa Union of Tribes.  We cannot let this chance Valdar gave us go to waste ¡­ I won¡¯t.¡±  He whispered.  ¡°May the ancestors forgive ¡­ our ancestors ¡­ what have we unleashed?¡±

    Krava straightened, glaring in the direction Elinor had left.  ¡°Fennel, we need scouts.  The best you can offer.¡±  His sharp green eyes shot to him, and he could see why this old toad before him had once carried the title of Xaria himself as he took charge.  ¡°They¡¯re to run¡ªas fast as they can.  They are never to engage; I don¡¯t care if it brings dishonor on your entire clan ¡­ this is bigger than one clan.  This is war.  They need to be fast, and disciplined¡ªthey cannot fall or they will be risen.¡±

    Understanding the decision, Fennel saluted him.  ¡°Consider it done.¡±  Turning to his warriors, he barked, ¡°Warriors, we are on the dawn of war!  If you engage¡ªif you die¡ªthen you will bring upon your family and clan the highest form of dishonor ¡­ treason.  Watch and report!¡±

    Every warrior saluted, eyes shining as the sound of war rippled through their bones.

    He turned to Roka.  ¡°You¡¯re in charge of the first unit, and Toka the second.  Abandon a unit if it falls; I¡¯ll be assigning Eltha to act as the messenger between your two groups, and I¡¯ll let her know ¡­ one mistake, and she¡¯ll be abandoned, clanless again.¡±

    Both twins nodded, eyes steel.  ¡°We won¡¯t let you down, Sir!¡±  They both stated and vanished into the forest, clicking their tongues to determine who would get which warrior.

    I¡¯ll have to tell Grem and Denral the situation on our way back.  This is the dawn of another legendary era ¡­ all my training, built for this.

    Valdar¡¯s guards mournfully picked up their charge, tears cascading down their cheeks at the dishonor; an Elder Chief died on their watch.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time to waste,¡± Krava muttered, his old cheerful tone gone, replaced by cold steel.  ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±

 B1 â€” 15. Mysterious Marvel

    Elinor waited by Quin as Tiffany gathered what she needed in her new bag. Edmon stood beside her, arms folded; she knew he was bitter about Tiffany deciding their seating arrangements. Her emotions were mixed about their rivalry; she felt slight happiness from it, but that was repressed by Emotional Loss, and what came through was interest.

    Gwen stood on Quin¡¯s opposite side, waiting quietly to leave; she knew the woman was dealing with a lot internally after the short outburst she¡¯d displayed before. She was near blind without Tiffany¡¯s fire.

    She turned toward Dalria; the toad was getting ahold of her emotions; she¡¯d been silently crying on the same stone she¡¯d left her at for the past few minutes.

    A caustic smile touched Elinor¡¯s lips. ¡°You were so full of life when you killed my parents. What happened to that energy?¡±

    Dalria cleared her throat, holding her left arm as she rose to look at her boots. ¡°You ¡­ wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°Try me.¡±

    Gwen and Edmon seemed to be listening intently.

    ¡°Yes, please do!¡± Tiffany¡¯s lively voice called back through the cave; she returned from around the corner, lighting the grayish-black stone around them.

    Dalria¡¯s frightened blue eyes darted to the witch as she rounded the corner. ¡°I¡ªI was a Xaria ¡­ I should not¡ªhave never been in this position.¡± She mumbled.

    Elinor looked up at Quin. ¡°You can explain it to us while we move.¡±

    Sensing her desire, Quin gently picked her up and placed her on his left collar bone, setting Tiffany beside her shortly after. Edmon leaped up the fifteen feet to his position on the skeletal beast¡¯s right shoulder; Gwen and Dalria tensed as his massive hands scooped them up, and her Skeletal Toad jumped up to hold onto Quin¡¯s ribcage.

    You really are quite the steed, Quin.

    She could feel his joy at her praise, and they began moving toward the keep; it seemed like he knew which direction it was in. The rustic ground was clear as day to Elinor¡¯s vision, but even Gwen should have been able to see a decent distance with the bright stars and two brightly lit blue moons overhead.

    Elinor was momentarily stunned by the beauty of the sky; it was much brighter than what she remembered on Earth. She could see nebulae, and the stars shone with different colors that made the sky sparkle like a billion gems had been cast into space.

    ¡°Such a clear night,¡± Tiffany commented, following her gaze across the heavens.

    ¡°It is,¡± Elinor whispered. ¡°I suppose we can go into space ¡­ being undead. That¡¯s an interesting thought; perhaps we¡¯ll have to test that theory out at some point.¡±

    ¡°We do have the time,¡± Edmon agreed.

    Her gaze dropped down to Dalria¡¯s lowered head, staring at Quin¡¯s four feet as he moved expertly across the hazardous landscape. ¡°So, Dalria. Tell me about your sudden change; explain it to me.¡±

    The toad was silent for a few moments, likely trying to figure out how to respond as the hex would cause her pain if she even desired to refuse an order. ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ Xaria are not supposed to be captured ¡­ never give the enemy information. The moment I was captured, I was supposed to take my own life, but ¡­ I can¡¯t ¡­ you made it where I can¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Elinor questioned, glanced to her left at Tiffany as she dexterously balanced on Quin¡¯s shoulder beside her.

    ¡°She was ordered not to attack anyone, and that includes herself; if she intends to harm herself, then she will also have her mind filled with pain, breaking any attempt,¡± Tiffany replied brightly.

    ¡°So, what does that mean for you?¡±

    ¡°It means¡ªI have disgraced my rank ¡­ I am a traitor¡ªhonorless ¡­ unable to join the Xaria of the past in the great beyond.¡± She said, throat constricting as a quake ran down her body.

    ¡°The great beyond,¡± Elinor mused. ¡°Perhaps there is such a thing as an afterlife if there are spirits. Who knows which philosophy is correct, but at the very least, I know there is a link to pull them back attached to their bodies. It¡¯s an interesting concept to ponder.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Tiffany chimed in. ¡°The thought did cross my mind, as well. It might even be possible without their bodies,¡± she mused. ¡°We have much to experiment with; isn¡¯t it exciting!¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ it is exciting,¡± Elinor smiled, vision sliding back to her Skeletal Toad. ¡°We must first carve our place in this world.¡± Her focus returned to Dalria. ¡°How do you feel about my request?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± She cut off, pondering her question, and after several seconds, shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ really know what to think. I don¡¯t fully understand your decision ¡­ it¡¯s confusing. You¡¯re giving me a chance to save my people, but I don¡¯t know how I could convince you. I partially believe you gave me this request to torment me.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°You¡¯ve lost your freedom, and I¡¯ve given you a request that gives you a semblance of that back. You couldn¡¯t even so much as desire to oppose us without the hex activating ¡­ what does it feel like?¡±

    ¡°Hot,¡± she muttered. ¡°It¡¯s like putting my hand in the waters of this waste ¡­ but it¡¯s everywhere ¡­ inside me ¡­ raging. I¡¯ve never felt anything like it ¡­ like knives slowly ¡­ constantly ¡­ splitting me open, but¡ªbut I don¡¯t die, and it continues ¡­ until I give in.¡±

    Tiffany nodded brightly. ¡°That¡¯s a decent description. Your body isn¡¯t actually getting hot, but it¡¯s a trigger in your mind that doesn¡¯t translate to your body. Such a fun ritual.¡±

    ¡°Fun,¡± Dalria mumbled. ¡°How can such a ¡­ I don¡¯t think I could ever understand.¡±

    ¡°Were you not having fun when you were killing us?¡± Elinor asked.

    ¡°Not fun ¡­ I was interested in your responses, but I had no fun killing your parents. It was just something expected of me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, perhaps we are somewhat different as a species,¡± Elinor mused, thinking back on her conversation with Demon. ¡°Humanity has a very savage nature that can be brought out if pushed.¡±

    ¡°Hum¡ªhumanity?¡± Dalria tested the word on her tongue.

    ¡°Our race¡ªI suppose former race,¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°This body was a human before you killed it. What do you call your race?¡± There wasn¡¯t a hint of regret or anger in her voice, only interest.

    ¡°I¡ªwe¡¯re known as Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    ¡°How funny,¡± Tiffany giggled.

    ¡°What?¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t help chuckling a little herself. ¡°It sounds remarkably similar to the sound toads make in our world. Nevermind that; I¡¯ll just call you toads. In any case, tell me what you know about the war with the Quen¡¯Talrat and the Fire Wars.¡±

    Dalria swallowed hard before clearing her throat. ¡°I¡ªwas raised on the stories. Even the oldest Elders were young during the latter half of the Fire Wars. The foul beasts crossed over their borders and attacked the northern race¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of their slaughter of the Trelmere.¡±

    Her brow seemed to crease as her head slowly rose. ¡°H-how did¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Did Demon tell you about the history of this world?¡±

    ¡°D-Demon?¡± Dalria stumbled over the word. ¡°An evil being told you about the Fire Wars?¡±

    ¡°That must be the translation at work,¡± Elinor hummed. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s an accurate description. Yes, something ancient and very powerful ¡­ although I hate to inflate his ego.¡± She muttered. ¡°He lives in the ground ... some dark force. It was the real threat that Tiffany dealt with while you watched.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyebrow rose as she saw a slight change in Dalria¡¯s blue spots; her markings had turned a shade lighter. I must not have noticed it before. What does that mean?

    ¡°The¡ªare you talking about¡ªabout the vastness ¡­ the unseen eye?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting description of him ¡­ very accurate,¡± Elinor said. ¡°What do you know about the vastness?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ dangerous. The Elders spoke about a whisper that promised great things if you were to do their bidding ¡­ only the strong could hear his voice, and the Xaria must be wary of its sweet promises.¡±

    ¡°Typical,¡± Elinor sighed, transmitting the information to Tiffany and Edmon. Of course, only the strong would catch his notice. I suppose the mountain he wishes for people to enter must have powerful protection.

    ¡°He actually wished to use you as some ¡­ some carrier pigeon or proxy?¡± Edmon growled. ¡°The arrogance!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Edmon. I feel like this creature is more intelligent than that.¡±

    I agree, Tiffany. I suspect Demon has examined many different cultures and learned from each, but none of them had as drastic a change as humanity. The adaptability of humanity really caught his interest, and I expect he¡¯s already whispering to the humans captured, trying to learn more.

    ¡°What a troublesome foe,¡± Edmon muttered.

    ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Tiffany¡¯s focus shifted to Gwen as she asked, teeth chattering.

    ¡°I-Is this¡ªt-thing ¡­ really a d-demon?¡±

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully, examining the area as they swiftly moved across the bare landscape. The steam billowing off the waters and through holes in the ground moved along with the wind, giving that rotten egg scent sulfur left.

    They continued toward the shiny black stone stronghold but it was still a distance away. Above them, she could see strange four-winged birds flying about in the darkness. The damaged walls towered into the sky like the massive office buildings in L.A., but the keep rose even further, and she had to remind herself that this was a place built to accommodate creatures much taller than humans.

    ¡°I¡¯d say think more fantasy novels; think of Demon as an energy being that is forcefully dispersed throughout the world by magical devices that keep him prisoner. This world is exactly that¡ªa prison for him. That tells you how powerful he is, and for him to live this long, to have so many opportunities to manipulate creatures to release him ¡­ whatever it is, it must be extremely difficult to destroy or very well guarded.¡±

    ¡°I s-see,¡± Gwen muttered. ¡°That really does put it in p-perspective ¡­ you guys aren¡¯t cold?¡±

    Tiffany chuckled. ¡°We are Undead, dear ¡­ hmm, I suppose the wind is coming off the mountains. The high altitude chills the breeze.¡±

    Elinor frowned as her eyes moved between the sullen toad and shivering human. ¡°Freezing to death isn¡¯t ideal, and if you catch a cold out here ¡­ you¡¯re likely dead.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I can fix silly things like colds,¡± Tiffany said, studying the two creatures. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose your race does well in cold places, Dalria?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°I have trained in the mountains, but I must concentrate ¡­ my body will go into a state of slumber if it gets too cold. We can survive such environments, though.¡±

    ¡°What options do we have?¡±

    Tiffany hummed, lips pursed to the side. ¡°I could use my Witch¡¯s Fire; it wouldn¡¯t be draining for something so simple. However, it would slow my mana recovery.¡±

    ¡°They should be grateful they don¡¯t have to walk, and suck it up,¡± Edmon grunted.

    ¡°Nonsense!¡± Tiffany huffed, glaring at the Doom Guard as he stood on Quin¡¯s right shoulder, perfectly balanced. ¡°Gwen is a valuable set of extra hands.¡±

    ¡°G-Glad I¡¯m¡ªv-valued¡­¡± Gwen mumbled.

    Edmon looked off to their right. ¡°You just love opposing me ¡­ we¡¯re being watched.¡±

    ¡°Watched,¡± Elinor hummed, scanning the darkness, but she couldn¡¯t see anything. ¡°If we are already discovered, then the light won¡¯t be a problem. We¡¯re already exposed out here in the flats. Go ahead, Tiffany.¡±

    She snapped her fingers, lighting a large ball of fire that moved with them; it hovered ahead of them before enveloping Gwen, Quin lifting Gwen closer to them. ¡°Who¡¯s watching us?¡± Tiffany asked, searching for the culprit.

    ¡°To our right, running along the ditch. They¡¯re small, but they¡¯re following us ¡­ not animal behavior. They¡¯re likely scouts, and from what I¡¯ve seen, they¡¯re not toads.¡±

    Dalria swallowed, taking a deep breath. ¡°Likely Yaltha¡¯ma ¡­ they¡¯re not that dangerous. They might have some semblance of intelligence, but they¡¯re prey for the monsters of the jungle. Many creatures that can¡¯t handle the predators of the jungle are pushed to the Deadlands.¡±

    ¡°Explain them and their natural weapons,¡± Edmon demanded.

    ¡°They¡¯re little hairy rodents; they wouldn¡¯t pose any danger to you. The old ¡­ what did you call it?¡±

    ¡°Fortress,¡± Edmon responded.

    ¡°The old fortress of the Quen¡¯Talrat could be their home. The lingering musk of the creatures kept most others away ¡­ there¡¯s also the caves, but¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind returned to Demon¡¯s explanation; she tightened her grip against Quin¡¯s neck as he shifted directions. Neither Edmon nor Tiffany seemed to be bothered in the least by his quick motion. ¡°What about¡ªthe subterranean creatures. I heard that the Quen¡¯Talrat faced a creature that caused them a lot of trouble below them.¡±

    ¡°Demon, I presume,¡± Dalria muttered bitterly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard stories. They used to have a very large empire, spanning under the jungle and Deadlands. However, my ancestors slowly pushed them out of the jungle ¡­ we were united at that time, and the entire valley was ours.

    ¡°They had eight thin legs, and their bodies were like hardened steel; to kill them, I was told you had to aim for the joints ¡­ much like I suspect Edmon¡¯s skin functions.¡±

    Edmon chuckled darkly. ¡°Of course, you theorized how to harm me ¡­ go on.¡±

    ¡°Their bodies were thin, and their heads held sharp teeth and poison that could melt the skin or kill you with a drop. They wove fine string into traps that could cut the flesh ¡­ it was a very dangerous foe with a difficult ability. Some that could blend into the jungle and attack you from above¡­¡±

    ¡°Spiders!¡± Gwen squeaked with horror.

    ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± Tiffany chimed in. ¡°Did they have big butts and many eyes?¡±

    ¡°Umm ¡­ yes, I suppose they did have many eyes ¡­ twelve, or so I¡¯m told. Their butts were the largest part of them and stuck high above them. They had thin, powerful legs that acted like spears, and every part of them was hard and difficult to cut.¡±

    ¡°Even the underside and back?¡± Edmon questioned.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I was told; there were three layers on its butt that had slight openings to attack, but they were quite thin and could close at unexpected times. Most were black as night, and they ruled much of the jungle before my ancestors settled in this valley when preparing for the final siege against the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    ¡°What were they called?¡± Elinor asked, shifting her legs to a more comfortable position.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ my ancestors didn¡¯t have a real name for them, but called them The Hidden Ones.¡±

    ¡°A terrible name,¡± Tiffany sighed. ¡°Your people are terrible at naming things. How big were they?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll just call them spiders,¡± Edmon muttered.

    Dalria¡¯s eyes moved to examine their surroundings. ¡°I¡ªguess I¡¯ll call them spiders, then. I¡¯m told that the largest ones were the rulers ¡­ the ones that birth the young. They could get a little larger than the J?lm¨¦r.¡±

    ¡°And what are those?¡± Gwen asked.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    ¡°The creatures that¡ªthat we brought at the camp.¡±

    Gwen¡¯s face paled. ¡°They¡ªspiders could ¡­ they could get as big as an SUV?¡± She gasped.

    Dalria seemed utterly confused. ¡°S¡ªU¡ªV?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we must look for some!¡± Tiffany exclaimed, bypassing her question. ¡°I think they would be wonderful pets, and if they were intelligent, then they could fill the Assassin Class wonderfully.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Elinor hummed thoughtfully. ¡°There could be a treasure trove of possible minions below the surface. An army of assassins does sound wonderful.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s jaw tightened as her eyes fell back toward the ground, going silent.

    Elinor voiced her thoughts to her two advisors. How many minions can I summon ¡­ it says eighteen still.

    ¡°Oh, darling,¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about intelligent minions. Ask how many unintelligent minions you can summon.¡±

    Okay, how many unintelligent minions can I summon ¡­ eighty. That¡¯s¡­

    ¡°Small, I know,¡± Edmon sighed, ¡°but you must understand that you have yet to really exercise that skill. Once you begin to level it up and develop its Proficiency, then it will improve. You have raised very few unintelligent creatures.¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t help but laugh, causing everyone to stare at her in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m beginning to understand how powerful I really am.¡± She mused.

    Cutting her mental link to her minions, she asked. Does Prose of the Potentate work with unintelligent creatures ¡­ no, what a shame. Still, if I raise a being using an Intelligent slot, then I will understand every language it does and be able to speak it. That is surprisingly broken.

    Elinor¡¯s lifted her eyes as the full girth of their destination came into view, and it was a full-blown fantasy fortress. Feeling slightly intrigued by the scale, she asked, Edmon, could you tell me about the design of this ¡­ it almost looks like a castle. How would you rate it?

    Edmon hummed thoughtfully, and it seemed like she¡¯d touched on a subject that interested him. ¡°Oh, well, where would I start ¡­ there is much to explore, and we haven¡¯t even gotten a look at how it was designed internally. To be frank, from a military standpoint, it¡¯s an intimidating structure.

    Actually, we might even be able to repurpose it for our uses, depending on the work needed in restoring it; it¡¯s a good topic to consider ¡­ is this advanced architecture for this world?¡±

    His helmet dropped to stare at Dalria, and he pointed at the massive walls in the distance. ¡°Is this kind of structure common among other races?¡±

    Dalria¡¯s head lifted a little, turning her head as best she could to examine the looming fortress ahead of them, still a ways away.

    On Elinor¡¯s desire, Quin shifted her to get a better look.

    ¡°I ¡­ I was taught that this was a revolutionary idea, and was the cause of many deaths among the allied races. Never had they seen such a massive structure, and the fact that it stood so high was a marvel among many of the tribes; they still don¡¯t understand how it maintains its form. Some have tried to copy its design, but it requires a lot of physically strong creatures and time to create ¡­ ultimately, many gave up.

    ¡°The Quen¡¯Talrat were such a physically strong race that ¡­ most thought it was impossible without their brute-like strength. However, I¡¯ve heard the Yalm¨¢th and Ques¡¯k¨¢ began constructing such structures. Most races surrounding us use wood as a foundation; it requires too much effort to utilize stone and to bring it into the jungle. It¡¯s also very cold in the mountains.¡±

    ¡°Interesting ¡­ we¡¯ll have to go into detail about those two races. If they¡¯ve advanced to stone and steel, then they could be evolving in other areas. It appears you have learned some things in regards to weapons, but structures still lag behind, eh?¡±

    Swapping back to their telepathic link, Edmon continued. ¡°I¡¯ve been granted a lot of knowledge about defensive structures, and your father had watched a few videos on castles in the past that was given to me. He appeared to enjoy learning about the historical aspects of castles since he did a great deal of work with engineers.

    ¡°Based on what I know, this is a solid design, but Dalria is correct. This would require heavy labor; it¡¯s the equivalent to creating the pyramids. The area around us would naturally be a difficult place to build a solid defense because of the toxic and acidic environment. However, it appears that the Quen¡¯Talrat had some rather intelligent individuals to direct construction.

    ¡°There must be a stone quarry further up the mountain, and they built it on a raised foundation, likely a large hill, digging out areas as needed. They obviously understood the need to dig down to bedrock.

    ¡°A structure this massive wouldn¡¯t be able to stand this long or survive the construction itself if they had not removed the soil to lay its foundations. Each stone I see is likely the size of a grown man and twice as long. Surprisingly, there¡¯s little degradation from the elements, and it seems as if there¡¯s some kind of substance coating the stones themselves.¡±

    Tiffany hummed thoughtfully. ¡°From what I can see, could they have used marble? I do see a bit of wear on the collapsed portion of the wall.¡±

    ¡°More than likely, they used granite and a lot of it from what I¡¯m seeing. You see where they drained the moat; the river leading into the forest to our right?¡±

    Tiffany pursed her lips as she craned her neck to follow Edmon¡¯s pointing hand. ¡°That part that looks like it¡¯s been dug up? It must have taken a lot of effort to drain that section of that bubbling liquid ¡­ it must have been a difficult thing to create. Mud pits and acidic pools are all around us.¡±

    ¡°The attacking force probably used moveable structures to provide cover support,¡± Edmon commented, examining several decaying wooden logs that were sticking out of the ground around the area.

    ¡°That bulge in the wall, you see where the attacking force tried digging underneath before hitting the bedrock. That¡¯s a batter; it helps support the crushing pressure of the structure above. The smaller the surface area, the deeper something will sink into the ground when applying force. That batter is necessary; it displaces the wall¡¯s weight.

    ¡°That slick, shiny substance you see surrounding it. That¡¯s likely what they used in place of mortar as the binding agent, and it likely acts as some kind of acidic resistor; you can see where it¡¯s worn off on other parts of the wall.

    ¡°This was built to be a true fortress, but you can see the aesthetic choices at work, too. On Earth, castles and fortresses were first built for practicality and efficiency but eventually evolved to incorporate beauty as a symbol that represented the ruler and the scope of their influence. That¡¯s why I¡¯m having a little difficulty wrapping my head around this structure.¡±

    What do you mean? Something¡¯s wrong with it?

    ¡°No, it just skipped centuries ¡­ maybe even millennia of evolutionary advancement in architecture. It¡¯s no wonder the other races took so much damage against a single race in such a desolate environment. It¡¯s hard to imagine how the opposing force would be able to conquer a structure this massive with their technology, but they obviously found a way.¡±

    He paused, scanning the waste ahead of them, focusing on displacements in the earth, decaying wooden structures, and mounds before turning his attention back to the walls.

    ¡°The broken section in the wall you see to our left, it normally would be filled with more mortar and be placed in a much more random manner. It would save a lot of time but would weaken the structure overall. However, this structure, at least at this point, was made of solid uniform stone, which makes me wonder how they managed to break it ¡­ no, they pulled it down. How could they move that much weight?¡±

    He posed his question to Dalria.

    ¡°I see,¡± she whispered, scanning the structure. ¡°You¡¯re looking for signs to see how the assault was done ¡­ umm, to be honest, I wasn¡¯t told how they broke into the walls. That was done by another race that I am unfamiliar with; our race was camped on the other side of the walls, to our right, by the gate. We were unable to break past,¡± she mumbled with a hint of shame.

    Edmon hummed lowly, folding his arms.

    ¡°These are very thick walls; I¡¯d say it¡¯s about two-hundred meters high ¡­ a true marvel. Judging by the thickness of the wall from that broken section to our left, and the exposed batter to our right, I¡¯d say it¡¯s about a hundred meters thick at the base and sixty higher up. Not only that, but there¡¯s that secondary wall that we can see rising higher than the first.

    ¡°You see the passageways high up on the insides of the second wall, but not the first ¡­ likely some passages on the lower end, as well. It¡¯s a smart design; likely wooden bridges were linking the two walls that could be destroyed if needed. Once the first wall was breached, then the Quen¡¯Talrat would break the links.

    ¡°There aren¡¯t any windows or interior vents you can see on the first wall because its purpose is meant as a funnel and first line of defense that is meant to be eventually breached.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a design flaw?¡± Tiffany asked, eyebrows lifting. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be breached?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d think so, but no, it¡¯s a brilliant strategy. Once you break down that wall, how are you going to get any kind of siege weapon inside while those massive bricks are in the way? Normal siegecraft in Earth¡¯s history would be things like a gallery, to protect from arrow fire; catapults got as good as trebuchets, but even things like that would be no match for walls like these. Ballista, testudo or battering rams, and siege towers are not that uncommon.

    ¡°However, from what I¡¯m seeing, this fortress is designed against all of that, but according to Dalria, this world has little experience with fortifications, much less how to combat them. Even if they breach the first wall, then they¡¯re funneled into a pit below that could be filled with just about anything, they¡¯d enter a death pit.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say they just build a siege tower, which would be extremely difficult to navigate on this side of the fortress ¡­ no, with its size, it might as well be called a city; judging by what we can see, I¡¯d say it covers at least a hundred acres. It¡¯s understandable since they were three times the size of humans, but it¡¯s just hard to imagine.

    ¡°If they built a siege tower that could raise two-hundred meters high ¡­ without sinking into the mud and volatile environment, bringing it up to the walls, then great, they¡¯re on the first wall. What next?¡±

    Tiffany frowned, glaring at him; Quin shifted a little, causing their hair to change directions with the wind. ¡°That¡¯s not my expertise ¡­ I¡¯d just make a fool of myself. Go ahead and tell us.¡± She huffed, causing Gwen to glance between them with a worried expression, but her wild hair blocked much of her vision.

    Edmon must have been beaming, but he managed to control his voice.

    ¡°You can see there are small towers on the first wall, they¡¯re not quite as high as the second wall, and the towers on the latter are massive in comparison ¡­ they must rise another forty to fifty meters.

    ¡°Each one of those towers on the first wall can be used as a defensive choke that can be used to block advancing troops. One small section of wall falls, then they block it off, cut the wooden bridges linking the first and second walls, and the attacking force has wasted a ton of resources on a small advancement. You have a few dozen small towers that can be used to quarantine sections of the wall from the others. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if there are low hanging walls between the two exterior walls to section it off further.¡±

    Elinor studied the imposing structure with a small smile. Interesting. Could we repurpose it?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ possible, but I¡¯d need to do a thorough investigation to identify places to repair. It would take time, but a lot of groundwork has likely already been done. If we can get more of the Quen¡¯Talrat, then it should be possible. We could construct more modern means of transporting materials if needed.¡±

    His intimidating black helmet turned to face Elinor as she spoke. A place that most races have abandoned. A desolate land, but Tiffany seems to find it rich with materials. You¡¯re impressed with an already standing structure that we can possibly repair. Yes ¡­ I believe it would be a decent home ¡­ a structure large enough to build an Empire.

    ¡°An excellent idea!¡± Tiffany said with delight. ¡°Perhaps we can find worthy minions for you around the area. Although, over a hundred years of decay and in an acidic environment like this ¡­ it might be tough unless they were preserved somehow. It shouldn¡¯t be this way around the entire structure.¡±

    Edmon hummed, visor turning back to study the walls. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. With its size, I¡¯d say we should expect much more from this fortress. If we could find the quarry...¡±

    Tiffany chuckled. ¡°This is the happiest I¡¯ve seen you. Your grin must be so big under that big black helmet!¡±

    ¡°Do I interrupt you when explaining things?¡± He irritably asked.

    ¡°Oh, no, forgive me,¡± she said with a wink in his direction. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to steal your...¡±

    Gwen cleared her throat, glancing between them. ¡°Umm¡ªI don¡¯t mean to interrupt ¡­ if I was. Do¡ªdo you guys do a lot of mind talking? It¡¯s just ¡­ Edmon growls every so often, and Tiffany giggles or glares. It¡¯s just a bit ¡­ odd, trying to read the atmosphere.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You can¡ªcan speak to each other without speaking?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tiffany said with a bright smile. ¡°We tend to talk about more sensitive subjects internally, but I think this is a rather fun topic. Do you think it¡¯s appropriate to discuss this, Elinor?¡±

    ¡°I suppose it wouldn¡¯t hurt, and it could help calm Gwen down. I get the impression that you¡¯re still fairly stressed.¡±

    Gwen forced a chuckle. ¡°Just¡ªjust a little.¡±

    Dalria didn¡¯t add to the conversation, and she seemed slightly perturbed again.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Edmon muttered. ¡°I¡¯m explaining to Elinor my thoughts on the fortress¡¯ design, and expressing my opinion on its construction. We¡¯re considering the possibility of its reconstruction and improvement.¡±

    ¡°Re-reconstruction¡­¡± Dalria mumbled with shock, glancing back at the fortress.

    A smile touched Gwen¡¯s lips. ¡°That does sound fascinating; I¡¯d love to listen. It is a lot bigger than any of the castles I remember in our world.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Edmon looked back at the structure. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d call this a castle ¡­ perhaps. Castles are built for living purposes, while fortresses are strategic strongholds to defend key locations. It¡¯s big enough to be a city, though, and a concentric design, which is beautiful.

    ¡°It¡¯s obvious that this side of the wall was a difficult point of attack with the natural defenses around the area, and with the stone accessible from the mountain, it made it an ideal place to build; I suspect that the quarry would need to be close by. As I was going to say, before Tiffany interrupted me, as usual.¡± He muttered.

    Tiffany looked away with a smirk.

    ¡°They must have developed cranes; based on the information I have so far about this world, they don¡¯t seem that technologically advanced, and for these creatures to have developed cranes to raise this kind of marvel ¡­ I have to believe that they had access to someone or something that granted them a lot of knowledge to advance so swiftly.¡±

    ¡°Demon?¡± Elinor asked.

    ¡°Possibly, but it could have been something else; the point being, I don¡¯t think they accomplished everything they reportedly did alone.¡±

    Dalria spoke up, and it appeared as if she was frowning. ¡°You¡ªhonestly believe the Quen¡¯Talrat were that much more advanced than my ancestors?¡±

    Edmon chuckled, and Tiffany looked at her with pity.

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen,¡± Edmon grunted, ¡°absolutely. If humanity were aware of even the possibility of an assault, like the one you made, then you wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance. You were lucky ¡­ very lucky.

    ¡°In any case, the Quen¡¯Talrat seemed to have jumped ages in technological advancement. It¡¯s no wonder it took essentially a world war to defeat them, conquering many races before finally being brought down. I suspect this landscape was vastly different a century or two ago. This was an excellent last stand for them.¡±

    Elinor nodded. ¡°It appears that it was ¡­ the allied forces lost a great many of their heroes in that war. From what I was told, it was the spiders we talked about that really caused an opening for them ¡­ knowing or not.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of something like that,¡± Dalria said, clearly uncertain.

    Edmon¡¯s armored head shifted to look across the visible wall as it drew closer. ¡°It makes sense; I don¡¯t even see scaffolding holes ¡­ they must have advanced many models of cranes to create something like this.

    ¡°They bypassed hoardings and went straight to machicolations on the second wall ¡­ those large barriers on top of the second wall that can be used to defend them as they shoot down at the attacking force below. I don¡¯t see many creatures in this world being able to shoot over these walls unless they can construct trebuchets, but I doubt these races have advanced to that point ¡­ it looks like they might have even had ballista on the watchtowers to shoot air forces further out along this barren landscape.

    ¡°This is just too much of a leap, from going to being forced into these lands by overwhelming force to advancing to such a high standard compared to their neighbors ¡­ it¡¯s just too much for it to be on their own.¡±

    ¡°Do you really suspect Demon gave them that information?¡± Gwen asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but ¡­ what was the purpose?¡± Edmon muttered. ¡°Why give this race such advances and not give them further knowledge to overcome sheer numbers? Given this depth of defensive technology, offensive technology would have won them the war.¡±

    ¡°This could have been the depth of their knowledge,¡± Tiffany offered.

    ¡°Perhaps ¡­ it could have been a test to see how their technology would excel with the current state of this area¡¯s races. It would require oversight, though, and a lot of instructions. It would be interesting to see how they constructed the gate and inner-city,¡± he muttered as they came closer to the right side of the structure.

    Tiffany whistled. ¡°It really puts it into perspective as we get closer ¡­ it¡¯s massive.¡±

    ¡°What a phenomenal project,¡± Edmon whispered. ¡°Whoever designed it would be beyond a genius for this time. How did they structure it to provide ease of access to import goods?¡±

    Dalria¡¯s eyes were big as she listened, and when Edmon stopped, she asked, ¡°Why would you need such a thing as this? That would require too many resources ¡­ they were working on this for fifty years; we thought that it would kill them.¡±

    Edmon sighed, going silent for a moment. ¡°You¡¯re not wrong ¡­ the amount of resources required to build this is ¡­ it¡¯s seemingly impossible. You¡¯d need a trade empire to gather the workmen and supplies needed. I suppose they might have been able to work mines and monopolize everything nearby alone, but the food required for a workforce this large without farms ¡­ something more was happening behind the scenes.¡±

    Elinor spoke up. ¡°Demon said that they attacked the Trelmere in the north for resources. I suspect they must have run low; they weren¡¯t looking to capture any as slaves for manpower, but needed goods.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Edmon hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Yes, prisoners are extremely costly to maintain ¡­ guarding, space, and food, to name a few. If the Quen¡¯Talrat used up every scrap of the resources they had, and once they ran out, launched their campaign, then it could account for them stripping the land of everything they could. They prepared until the last scrap of food, then pushed north, armed with war machines and years of training. They must have sacrificed a lot to wage their war.¡±

    ¡°They slaughtered hundreds of thousands!¡± Dalria yelled. ¡°Why do you make it sound like it is a terrible thing that we fought back?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s amused orange irises and Edmon¡¯s black helm lowered to her, causing her to drop her head and shiver to run down her spine. ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand,¡± Tiffany chuckled. ¡°We care nothing about them or you; your entire race could cease to exist, and I wouldn¡¯t shed a tear.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Edmon snickered. ¡°The only thing that matters is our Empress; the only worth you have is what amusement and joy you might be able to bring her by serving her Empire.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t understand you¡­¡± Dalria whispered. ¡°It¡¯s madness ¡­ yet you hold so much power.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t find it that absurd,¡± Gwen said, showing a sad smile at Tiffany¡¯s curious eyes. ¡°Elinor is their bastion ¡­ their everything. I feel like if I had kept ¡­ kept my kids closer to my heart, then I might be there now. I don¡¯t know how time functions here ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever return, but¡ªbut I must have hope that I can. Until then ¡­ I¡¯ll do whatever Elinor says ¡­ she¡¯s the only hope I have to survive.¡±

    Tiffany clapped. ¡°Well said! What do you say, Elinor?¡±

    Elinor smiled, feeling a touch of compassion through Emotional Loss as she linked the woman to her own lingering human memory. ¡°If you support me, then I will do everything within my power to return you to your children. There might be a way, and if there is, then you have my word ¡­ my mother will not have died in vain saving you.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Elinor ¡­ what about you? Would you go back?¡±

    Edmon and Tiffany shifted to listen to her response.

    She sighed, looking back up at the stars, and after a second¡¯s thought, a small smile curved her lips. ¡°If fate is chance and chance is fate ¡­ I don¡¯t know. If time is valued, what¡¯s the cost? I did the things I was told to do ¡­ go to school ¡­ find someone you care for. It all seems so small now, but ¡­ I still feel as if it was taken from me. My future ¡­ maybe I¡¯m pursuing a lost desire. My mind¡¯s so different.

    ¡°Right now, I¡¯m betting my entire life with every decision. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve fully found what I¡¯m dreaming ¡­ I haven¡¯t even had a dream. I have hatred inside ¡­ I can¡¯t help but think it¡¯s pointless, yet it¡¯s not so easily quelled. Right now, I¡¯m just happy to be with Tiffany and Edmon; time will tell what I decide, which is why I gave you that request, Dalria.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re here for whatever you need,¡± Tiffany said with a bright smile, pulling back her hair as the wind shifted directions again; Elinor and Gwen both following her action.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Edmon said in a soft tone. ¡°Wherever you lead, we¡¯ll follow.¡±

    ¡°Enough of that, then,¡± Elinor said as she examined their position. ¡°How about we go through that large breach to the left.¡±

    ¡°It seems like our only viable option at the moment,¡± Edmon said, and Quin turned that way.

    Dalria¡¯s eyes fell to the earth, and Elinor noticed a few more tears falling down her cheeks. ¡°How could a disgraced Xaria ¡­ an honorless¡ªbe given such a mission. I don¡¯t know the answer ¡­ how do you quell hate?¡±

 B1 â€” 16. Rise Of The Empire

    The group fell silent as they came upon the dry moat surrounding the colossal black walls; looking up at the structure from this distance, it was more than a little intimidating.  The sheer size of the enclosure dwarfed anything she¡¯d seen, but the signs of its defeat were evident; there were sections of the moat that had been filled in with dirt, likely brought from the jungle.

    Quin¡¯s large size and tireless body made it easy for them to scale the massive broken and decaying stones spread out across the damaged sections of the defense.  Edmon was right; the first wall had no internal corridors.  The solid towering structure was on both sides of them as Quin hopped up the rising mound.

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully as she looked up; they made it inside.  She caught sight of dark clouds, and noticed a change in the air pressure, telling her a storm was brewing.

    Edmon, Tiffany, do you feel that?

    ¡°Oh, yes, a storm!¡±  Tiffany hummed, looking up as she managed her hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that we¡¯ve found shelter.¡±

    It was like they were entering a steep canyon; Quin descended the stair-like decline to the dry bottom without incident.

    She couldn¡¯t see a break in the second wall, but there were smaller barriers leading around the inner deathtrap.  The bottom of the channel was in a u-shape with a batter on either side of them.  The stone barriers ahead seemed to be placed every eighty meters, and stood at least fifteen meters high, blocking advancing troops if they made it beyond the first obstacle.

    Edmon nodded, acknowledging her impressed tone as they continued across the smooth trench.  ¡°This type of fortress resembles a German defensive design called a Zwinger.  The double walls, and there being defenses in between them is consistent with their construction.  We¡¯re following the path of the raiders of a hundred years ago.¡±

    ¡°German?¡±  Dalria repeated, finding it challenging to say the word.

    Everyone ignored her question as they moved forward, eyes scanning everything.

    ¡°They really do shine like a polished granite countertop,¡± Gwen whispered, glancing around at the fallen battlements as Tiffany¡¯s Witch¡¯s Fire illuminated the stone beside them.

    Edmon continued to explain shortly after.  ¡°The barriers ahead of us were only meant to hamper movement, and you can see that the attacking force decided to build ramps over it rather than taking them down; that option was rather difficult with how tall the walls are on either side of us.

    ¡°However, the price for making these stairs must have been high.  If the guards up top had enough supplies, they could throw all sorts of things down on their heads.  Dropped from that height, it would have been more than fatal.¡±

    Tiffany pointed at metal grates inside the smaller granite walls, showing between the thick wooden barriers that were falling into decay.  Her finger drew everyone¡¯s attention to sealed holes further up the second wall.

    ¡°I suppose they had some kind of pump or natural water source inside that they could flood this area with if needed.  To me, it looks like they didn¡¯t design it to be a very deep moat, despite the depth.  What sort of liquid did they use?¡±  She whispered, seemingly not expecting a response.

    Quin easily found purchase on the remaining ramps, and they continued onward.

    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve witnessed this myself; it¡¯s ¡­ much larger than I imagined,¡± Dalria whispered.  ¡°This was a forbidden place by treaty between races.  I don¡¯t know how I would have gotten over such a massive structure.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the point,¡± Edmon chuckled.

    They made it past a few more gates in relative silence, and everyone was forced to hang on as things became a bit rougher; Quin was forced to do some impressive acrobatics to bypass the damaged planks hampering their progress.

    Elinor¡¯s vision wandered around, holding fast to her steed; thick metal grates to their right caught her attention as they passed a spot in the wall.  They appeared to be closely linked and in a variety of designs; there were multiple frameworks inside to prevent anyone from just slipping in or sawing through one section.

    Edmon noticed her stare and had Quin stop to get a better look.  ¡°I suppose they needed some way to get liquid into the second moat; it looks like steel from the color.  Plain untreated steel shouldn¡¯t have held up this long, and even with how thick it is, it would have been easier to go through this than these massive walls¡­¡±

    Tiffany hummed with interest.  ¡°Quin, dear, could you set Dalria down and bring me closer?¡±

    Dalria quivered a little, having to catch herself as Quin quickly dropped her to the ground.  If Elinor didn¡¯t know better, she¡¯d suspect that he held a grudge against the toad-woman.

    He carefully brought the witch closer to the gate, and Tiffany slid a finger down one of the rods as thick as her leg.  Her eyes widened.  ¡°Oh, how ¡­ fascinating.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±  Edmon asked.

    ¡°Carbon steel mixed with¡­¡±

    ¡°Impossible.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s statement was flat and definitive, but Tiffany continued to examine it.

    ¡°Seventy-three percent carbon steel as a base and for flexibility, twenty-five percent cobalt to increase resistance to wear, hardness, and toughness, and two percent chromium for anti-corrosive properties.¡±

    ¡°Like I said, impossible.  There¡¯s no possible way they could even forge something like that in the first place; it¡¯s difficult enough on Earth without proper equipment and knowledge.¡±

    ¡°How did they get it, then?¡±  Tiffany challenged.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ it¡¯s just ¡­ there¡¯s something wrong with this,¡± he growled.  ¡°The work that went into this is just beyond thought ¡­ a fantasy.¡±

    Tiffany smirked.  ¡°Look at us, dear; I¡¯m a Witch, and you¡¯re a Doom Guard.¡±

    He looked up at the shadow above them, everyone following his gaze.  ¡°This is something ¡­ overblown.¡±

    ¡°If we can use it, then great; they must have some kind of forge or manufacturing plant here or close by.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see that,¡± Edmon grunted.  ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s see what other mysteries this fortress holds.¡±

    Quin replaced Tiffany next to Elinor and reached down to grasp the stationary toad-woman below.  Dalria was paying close attention to their conversation, but let out an odd high-pitched noise as Quin¡¯s hands closed around her.

    ¡°Quin,¡± Elinor chided.  ¡°Dalria is important for information; don¡¯t break her.¡±

    Both of the gorilla-beast¡¯s heads lowered, and she could feel his wordless apology.

    She rubbed his shoulder bone.  ¡°I know, she used to be my enemy, but now she¡¯s helping me.¡±

    A low grunt left Quin¡¯s polished jaw, green flames flaring slightly.

    Thick metal gates were leading to the external moat along a few sections; filling the channels would actually take a bit of prep time.

    Eventually, they made it to the side of the wall where, according to Dalria, the toads had been based.  There was an impressive looking metal gate that was still standing, open to the world; the gateway was crafted above the normal terrain height, requiring a ramp to be used on the opposite end.

    Elinor caught movement by the ramp; several furry animals jumped up the rise, seeming to follow a well-marked path for their small frames.  They appeared to be a mix between a mongoose, monkey, and fox.

    She thought they appeared somewhat cute with their multi-colored fur, long bodies, puffy tails, and monkey-like arms and legs.  They were at least two feet tall, and they had feathers between their arms and legs that were even brighter than their fur.

    One of their less attractive features were their four eyes, two in place like a normal fox, and two diagonally placed to the sides of their forehead to view their surroundings.

    Two out of the four stopped for a moment, whiskers twitching as they sniffed the air and stared at their advancing party; it was only for a moment before they swiftly ran inside.

    ¡°Yaltha¡¯ma,¡± Dalria stated.  ¡°I¡¯m surprised they came this close; from what I  heard, they were slaves to the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    Elinor turned her attention back to the battlements.  The drawbridge between the gates had been broken, showing metal chains hanging uselessly above them, but the race that had managed to penetrate the fortifications to this point had built another makeshift ramp to get to the gate, apparently opening the gate for the toad forces.

    Edmon had them stop at the top, surveying the gatehouse.  ¡°You said they wouldn¡¯t be a threat?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Dalria stated with a sharp shiver.  ¡°Not to you.¡±

    Tiffany hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°Still, we should be on our guard.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Edmon muttered, helmet assessing the passageway.  ¡°Dalria, if something attacks, then you must restrain it.  Do not kill it; an example must be made.¡±

    She nodded mutely.

    ¡°Right,¡± he whispered, head turning to the open metal gate.  ¡°This is fascinating.  The outside gate was opened from the inside, taken by force, but the defenders managed to break the drawbridge beforehand.  That must have bought them valuable time.  The front gate had a rise, double portcullis, and gatehouse ¡­ heavily fortified.

    ¡°The second wall seems to lead into a long tunnel, but because of how thick it is, they can have several portcullis¡¯ and deathrooms within.  This must have been a nightmare to take.  It would have been much more efficient to starve them out, if possible.¡±

    ¡°They tried,¡± Dalria muttered, a little overwhelmed by the size of the gateway; it could have comfortably let a dozen Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters inside, shoulder by shoulder.  ¡°The battle lasted years ¡­ the Elders speculated that they were eating each other like savages, but ¡­ I was told that they had many hidden supplies below, and means to store them, in caves ¡­ goods stolen from their conquest.¡±

    Edmon continued to analyze the engineering aspects of the structure as they went down the long, pitch-black gateway, under the wall of the city within.  The portcullis¡¯ were forced open by heavy metal levers and wedges that still held.

    ¡°Dalria,¡± Edmon pointed between a few of the devices as they moved on.  ¡°Which race created these?¡±

    ¡°Umm ¡­ the ones who opened the gate for us were the Yalm¨¢th; it might have been...¡±

    Edmon didn¡¯t respond, turning his attention to the massive space they¡¯d entered.  They were still underground; the vaulted ceilings a good twenty meters above them were held up by pillars throughout the area.

    They inspected the room as Quin slowly entered, stopping a few meters inside.  There were metal and wooden scraps of what looked like barriers, stools, shields, timber, and weapons too large for any toad to utilize; a lot of things were so disfigured that it was uncertain what their purpose was for.

    ¡°We¡¯re not alone; I sense dozens of those Yaltha¡¯ma hiding underneath all this¡­¡±  He paused as whispers began circling the room, furry heads poking up and darting back.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°The strong one¡­¡±

    ¡°The return!¡±

    ¡°Yaltha¡¯ma be saved!¡±

    ¡°Bones ¡­ bones alive!¡±

    ¡°The fires return!¡±

    ¡°Fires!¡±

    ¡°Smoke rises again!¡±

    ¡°The old ones foretold!¡±

    ¡°Return!¡±

    ¡°Rise!¡±

    Elinor frowned at the reception, but a thought quickly entered her mind.  ¡°Quin, set Gwen and Dalria down, then hold me high in the air.¡±

    ¡°Elinor?¡±  Tiffany and Edmon asked.

    Quin quickly complied; Gwen stumbled a little as she tried to stand, but she caught herself.  A sharp quiver ran down her body as Tiffany¡¯s fire dispersed, now outside her range.  Dalria appeared nervous but ready to move in any direction to follow Edmon¡¯s order.

    Her two councilors watched her curiously as Quin lifted her high into the air; the whispers hushed.

    Elinor¡¯s voice was cold, clear, and commanding.  ¡°Yaltha¡¯ma,¡± she gazed across the room, ¡°reveal yourselves to me.¡±

    The colorful creatures poked their heads out and slowly approached, bodies trembling from her dominating aura.

    ¡°You know the Quen¡¯Talrat?¡±

    Two of the dozen or so creatures nodded shakily.  ¡°Yes ¡­ Yaltha¡¯ma knows the Quen¡¯Talrat¡­¡±

    The second picked up where the first left off; he sounded a bit younger.  ¡°...Great ones say¡ªthey say¡ªQuen¡¯Talrat protected Yaltha¡¯ma¡­¡±

    ¡°...one day¡ªQuen¡¯Talrat return to protect Yaltha¡¯ma.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s ghostly green irises swept the crowd as more cautiously joined the gathering from around the large room, appearing from underneath rubble and doorways.  ¡°I am Elinor, and I rule the dead; the Quen¡¯Talrat are dead ¡­ bones, but even in death, they serve.  Lead me to your great ones.¡±

    She was a little surprised to hear edges of excitement rush through the throng as the two that spoke bowed their heads.  ¡°Yes¡ªLo¡¯ra, and Ko¡¯ca, takes Elinor, ruler of the dead, to see great ones!¡±

    ¡°How befitting!¡±  Tiffany cooed with glee; however, Edmon¡¯s tone held reserve.

    ¡°Be careful ¡­ Dalria... ¡°

    ¡°I¡ªunderstand,¡± the toad-woman whispered brokenly.

    Quin returned Elinor to his shoulder; he picked up the human and toad, Tiffany reigniting the fire around the woman to ease her chills.

    They followed the whispering Yaltha¡¯ma further into the structure, winding down long corridors with multiple rooms; each doorway could easily fit two Quen¡¯Talrat.  They ascended the giant uniform steps, and the creatures used the decently sized ramps on either side of the stairs while Quin simply strode up the black granite staircases.

    Elinor paid close attention to the groups of animals as they whispered amongst themselves.  The creatures each talked in the third-person, speaking their names and race.  It was also clear that they were involved in some kind of religion that had been passed down by these great ones.

    In the manner they marveled and talked about Quin, they thought of the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters as some form of demi-gods.  They worshiped their remains, which put a spark of joy in her cold heart.  She communicated to her minions through thought.

    When I heard their whispers, I figured that they weren¡¯t quite afraid of us, but more shocked.  Quen¡¯Talrat are supposed to have been hunted to extinction on this continent, according to Demon, yet we show up with an Elite Hunter.

    They were told the Quen¡¯Talrat would return to protect them, and it¡¯s obvious that they don¡¯t care if it¡¯s as bones or flesh.  Quin submits to me, which means that their demi-gods are returning with even greater power.  This is exciting for them.

    They¡¯re talking about their other bones coming back to life; death is a clear concept for them, and seeing Quin in his current state gives them an image of what to expect.  If they¡¯ve preserved the bones of the Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ I¡¯ve got my army.

    ¡°Quick observation!¡±  Tiffany chimed, leaning over the side to study the little furry creatures.  ¡°I¡¯m quite impressed, and they certainly have a strange way of speaking.  I suspect that they aren¡¯t the brightest bunch.¡±

    ¡°This seems ¡­ too convenient,¡± Edmon growled.  ¡°We should proceed with caution.  They could be leading us into a trap.  We don¡¯t know what kind of defenses are still active here.¡±

    We will deal with obstacles as they arise, but this is too good of an opportunity to pass up.

    Paying Edmon a bit of mind, Elinor had Quin slow their pace a bit, allowing them to look around as they followed the Yaltha¡¯ma.

    The walls showed signs of battle, but overall, the structure was in fantastic shape.  If they brought in an interior designer, then they could really spruce the place up.  Since it was built for massive creatures, there was more than enough room to fit an army; designed to fit an army of Quen¡¯Talrat.

    Most of the furniture and doors had been devastated, leaving the rooms a mess, and most were filled with dust and cobwebs.

    Tiffany hummed curiously as they began to attract a wave of Yaltha¡¯ma, a colorful rainbow tide darting around beneath them, chatting excitedly as they ran.

    ¡°I wonder what they eat.  Maybe it¡¯s the bugs that are attracted to the wood in the area; much of this should have already been decayed, but if they¡¯ve been using this area as a feeding ground, then it would make sense how they¡¯ve all congregated here.  It being abandoned by the other races and made off-limits also gives them protection.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m less concerned about what they eat, and more about these old ones.¡±

    ¡°My bet is that they¡¯re just old Yaltha¡¯ma; they probably passed down stories about the Quen¡¯Talrat empire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not bet¡­¡±

    ¡°Boo!  C¡¯mon, Edmon, don¡¯t be a stick in the mud.¡±

    ¡°Ugh ¡­ fine, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the same race.  They don¡¯t appear intelligent enough to have a commanding leader to direct such a big following.  It could be another race.¡±

    ¡°Okay!  It¡¯s a bet, and the winner gets to sit next to Elinor the next time the opportunity arises.¡±

    Elinor suppressed a giggle, but she couldn¡¯t help her lips twitching.

    ¡°Wait!  Hey, you¡¯re sitting next to her right now; it¡¯s my turn next.¡±  He mumbled, glaring over at the witch.

    Tiffany winked.  ¡°Scared to lose?  I mean, you have the advantage; I¡¯m chips down on one creature while you¡¯re betting on anything else in the universe.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m not scared; it¡¯s just ¡­ it¡¯s my turn next.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re totally scared,¡± Tiffany said, flashing her teeth in his direction.  ¡°I understand if you want to back out.¡±

    ¡°Grr ¡­ I know you¡¯re playing me, but ¡­ you¡¯re not wrong.  My odds are great, and I could wipe that grin off your face.  Fine!  Let¡¯s up the stakes, the winner gets to choose two events.¡±

    ¡°Deal!¡±

    Edmon seemed to be glaring at Tiffany¡¯s carefree face as she casually kicked her feet out, humming one of her mother¡¯s favorite songs, Bulletproof.  The interaction brought a sense of peace to Elinor¡¯s heart, and she turned her attention back to their surroundings.

    It was like the fortress was built to be a maze, and there were signs of defensive positions that could easily be blocked off and defended throughout their rise through the structure.

    Eventually, they made it outside, passing through a broken metal gatehouse with double latticework defenses.  The chilling wind shot out, blowing back their hair; the storm was advancing quickly as dark clouds converged on the Deadlands.

    The inside of the city fortress was gigantic; the buildings around them rose nearly to the second wall.  The amount of structural engineering to disperse the weight almost seemed to make Edmon pass out.  He sounded like a kid at Disneyland as he took in every inch of the place while they moved through the dirty black streets, a swarm of Yaltha¡¯ma guiding them.

    ¡°Forget my previous estimate,¡± he mumbled, looking down the straight street, extending into the distance.  ¡°This is a city ¡­ it¡¯s at least a thousand acres, and it extends into the ground.  The amount of granite ¡­ the workload, and architects it would take to just design.  This top section must be the living quarters.¡±

    His gaze shifted to the massive keep their path led to.  ¡°With modern equipment, this would take ¡­ so long to build.¡±  His gaze shifted to metal rods in the ground around the edges of the sizable main street.  ¡°I think ¡­ they had access to train technology; this just doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°It is pretty, in a gothic sort of way,¡± Tiffany commented, giving her a wink.

    Elinor chuckled softly.  You¡¯re not wrong.  It does have a nice gothic tone to the aesthetic; the black granite is a charming base.  I think you¡¯re right, Edmon; this could be a fantastic base of operations.

    ¡°Ignoring the impossibility of it all; yeah, I agree. They even have plant life growing up here ¡­ fruit trees and small gardens.  The more we see, the stranger it appears.¡±

    ¡°Alluringly strange, indeed,¡± Tiffany said, examining the trees and sections of dead plant life in decaying wooden troughs beside houses.  ¡°I could see the Yaltha¡¯ma using these resources, too.¡±

    It took them a bit of time to stand before the gigantic center building that looked more like a palace than a keep; it towered high above the city, even surpassing the eight watchtowers surrounding the inner wall.  A path was designed around the structure, and the eight main roads splitting the town all met here.

    There was glass mixed in with the stone, and sections of the building were golden and a faded cream color that at one time was likely a brilliant white.  It had a left and right-wing that stood slightly above the second outer walls and seemed more for entertainment than pure military design.

    A faint red glow could be seen from the windows within, and a sizeable terrace overlooked the street three stories above, displaying an elegantly crafted metal railing that was at least twice the height of an average man.  The front gatehouse was almost a formality; it would have been much easier to attack different sections of the building.

    Elinor was a little surprised to find fountains spraying clear liquid in select places around the square and sections of overgrown grass that had extended over the dirt-covered granite streets.

    A granite city ¡­ they seemed to have quite a design change with this building, though.  It looks more spectacular and over the top than for pure defense.

    ¡°Yes, likely for the head honcho himself,¡± Tiffany chuckled.

    A disappointed hum left Edmon¡¯s throat.  ¡°This is a bit excessive; I mean, it could be changed into a decent defensive structure, but some of the designs are ¡­ it¡¯s not really a keep.  You¡¯re right; it¡¯s more like a palace.¡±

    ¡°Still!  It¡¯s decent enough for someone of Elinor¡¯s status.¡±

    The Yaltha¡¯ma brought them through the colossal entranceway, which led to an extended metal bridge that could be retracted.  Beyond was another gatehouse with triple Portcullis¡¯ that were open, as if welcoming them inside.

    Gwen was more or less blind outside, silently taking in what she could observe with the support of the bright starlight and orange glow cast by Tiffany¡¯s Witch¡¯s Fire, but when they came upon the palace, red lights inside caught her attention.  Her mouth dropped open as they entered the inner sanctum past the guard posts.

    Dalria¡¯s head darted around like she was on a spaceship as they walked through gilded metal double doors.  The entrance hall was like something out of a princess movie, but at least four times the size; three overhanging balconies rose to the front terrace, clearly for entertainment.  The walls appeared decorated with gold and silver, the precious metals embedded into the wood lining the stone walls of the fortress.  Strange gems were fastened into the ceiling, releasing a mysterious soft red glow.

    Piles of bones were gathered on either side of the main walkway, leading to the curved stairs on either side of the room, rising to the second level; similar curved stairs could be seen on the second floor leading to the third.  Ahead of them were a pair of partially opened, expensive-looking double doors beyond the arching architecture.

    The Yaltha¡¯ma seemed to be leading them that way.

    ¡°Stop,¡± Elinor instructed, causing the throng to hush within moments; they looked up at her, eyes wide and waiting for her proclamation.  Looking around, she smiled.

    If they see this as some religious prophecy fulfilled, their protectors returning to save them ¡­ what better example.

    She willed Quin to set Dalria and Gwen down; once done, he gently held his hand out for her to transfer positions.  Edmon and Tiffany kept their places on the gorilla-like monster¡¯s shoulders.

    Elinor stood tall, glowing green irises appraising the small fox-like creatures; she held her hands behind her back as she¡¯d imagine a dignified person would do.  ¡°Some of you may have heard rumors¡ªhoped for the return of your saviors.  Make no mistake; the Quen¡¯Talrat are my servants, and I, their master.  If you serve me faithfully, then I will protect you.¡±

    She held out her arms, emerald flames birthing along their length as Herald of the Empress was activated; two dozen green butterflies left the fire, designed by her desire to create mindless Undead.  ¡°Now, arise.¡±

    The Yaltha¡¯ma watched with bated breath as the flickering heralds moved to the bone piles lining the area; seventeen candidates were found.

    The creatures gasped, huddling together in the middle of the room as green flames burst into life along the mass graveyard, and the low growl of their rising vibrated the air; shamrock-colored lights danced with the red glow along the walls, leaving a chilling scene to unfold before the cowering creatures.

    ¡°By the ancestors¡­¡±  Dalria whispered in horror.

    The sound of scraping bone and guttural growls shook the onlookers as seventeen complete skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat emerged from the pile.  Their enormous hands crushed the broken and damaged bones underneath them, rising to their full height to survey the room with their burning eyes.  Her skeletal toad hopped off Quin¡¯s back to join the ranks as they assembled.

    Edmon balanced dexterously on Quin¡¯s right shoulder; his black armor seemed to absorb light instead of reflecting it, and his form-fitted armored hands were held stiffly at his front.  He silently observed the scene, but Elinor could sense his relief; he had soldiers to command.

    Tiffany was the exact opposite, casually kicking out her legs on Quin¡¯s left shoulder, hands behind her back without a care in the world.  Her crisp tone was thrilled as her orange irises appraised each new addition.  ¡°Excellent!  Welcome to the Empire, darlings.¡±

    The soldiers lined up along the central walkway; none were Elite Hunters, showing Elinor the differences in their physical stature.  Non-Elites appeared to be oversized gorillas with two heads, a single, lesser tail and were at least a meter shorter than their larger counterparts.

    Despite the less intimidating appearance, these gorilla-like monsters gave off a sinister presence with their polished white bones licked with emerald flames.  The strange vibrating sound that they made sent a frightening pulse through the fox-like creatures; the skeletal beasts towered over the insignificant animals, flexing their fingers against the granite floor.

    The Yaltha¡¯ma dropped to their bellies, facing Elinor while mumbling prayers to some deity.

    Elinor smiled wickedly.  ¡°The rise of the Empire begins; take me to your old ones.¡±

 B1 â€” 17. A Fluffy Terrorist?!

    Most of Elinor¡¯s recently risen minions stayed in the hall with the still bowing Yaltha¡¯ma army, seemingly praying to the massive skeletons. Two of the seventeen flanked her escort; Dalria and Gwen walked beside Quin as they followed their small guides through the large double doors.

    Elinor sat on Quin¡¯s outstretched hand, vision scanning the room¡¯s design; they¡¯d walked into the entrance hall of the most colossal throne room she¡¯d ever seen. Grand columns of smooth but dusty white stone rose toward the arched hallway ceiling. The tones were contrasted by white and red polished granite flooring; many lines and squares were leading toward the center of the circular room ahead of them.

    The ceiling must have been over twelve meters high, equaling the raised dais that was more than thirty meters ahead of them. The hallway leading into the room was at least fifteen meters long, opening up to a spacious audience chamber.

    Faint multi-hued lights sparkled across every inch of the space from the gemstone murals embedded into the black wooden interior; the wood almost seemed completely solid, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that there were planks that had been pieced together in an extremely tight manner to appear as a single structure.

    Frayed and damaged colorful fabrics hung off the sides of the hall, showing what she could only describe as sigils. The closest thing she could relate it to was the Nordic symbols she¡¯d seen in one of the European museums her parents had brought her to.

    Elinor could feel Edmon¡¯s keen interest as he surveyed the architectural measures taken to reinforce the strength of the structure. His helmet kept shifting directions as he took in every inch of the place.

    Tiffany, however, was less focused on the structural stability and more pleased with the beautiful streams, meadows, forests, and mountains depicted in the shining gemstone murals along the walls; it seemed out of place for one of the most feared warlords in the Toad¡¯s history.

    High above, crafted into the domed white wood and stone ceiling were thirteen gems of differing colors; in order from left to right, you had blue-green, blue, purple-blue, purple, red-purple, black, white, gray, red, yellow-red, yellow, green-yellow, and green, white being the center.

    Each jewel cast a magical light down upon extravagant thrones standing atop the immense dais. The chairs were comprised of a wood matching the color shining overhead each seat of power.

    At their center was the largest chair; a white glow emanated from the wood itself, enhanced by the light above, and it appeared no expense had been withheld from its elegant construction. The padding upon the cathedrae held contrasting color schemes, and was somehow in a perfect, albeit dusty, condition. Clearly, the center was meant for the Ke, the ruler over all.

    Two enormous white stone staircases started at the end of the entrance hall, wrapping around the walls, and leading up to the intimidating stone platform the thrones rested upon. The stairs and chairs were more than likely designed for the Hunters and Warlord himself by their colossal size.

    Beneath the dais, on the ground level, was a white wooden door that appeared to require a heavy key to open. The material seemed the same as the Ke¡¯s chair.

    Eight luminescent trees were planted between the color designated audience stands, facing the middle of the room where a black stone circular stage had been constructed, likely meant for judgement. There were three steps to reach the top, two-meters high.

    ¡°Impressive,¡± Edmon hummed. ¡°Everything has survived relatively well; the Yaltha¡¯ma must have done their best to take care of the place.¡±

    Tiffany mirrored his tone. ¡°It may be a little gaudy for you, Elinor, but it does fit my tastes fairly well. Of course, we could give this palace a more gothic appeal. Those trees, though, how fascinating! I wonder what properties they have? They¡¯re super cute, aren¡¯t they? They¡¯re almost like celestial bonsai trees!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes moved to the glowing white trees that had Tiffany salivating. She could see why she¡¯d compare them to bonsai trees; their trunks curved elegantly, and their limbs branched out in a graceful manner. It shocked her how well maintained and pruned they were, likely done by the little fox-monkey-like creatures.

    The trunk shone with a dull white light while the leaves radiated a brilliance that appeared to be the primary light for the entire room. Their roots seemed to dig into a white porous stone, and weren¡¯t that large from what she could see.

    However, her attention was quickly stolen by the white center throne where the imposing sight of the former Ke could be seen; the size, features, and position of worship for the Yaltha¡¯ma made it a certainty.

    His polished white bones caused her spirit to leap for joy; she didn¡¯t let it show on her face, but it took a bit of effort on the part of Emotional Loss to quell the happiness she felt.

    I didn¡¯t even have to look for him! The strongest Quen¡¯Talrat in their entire history, perfectly preserved by a group of religious creatures that worships the race, and they¡¯re just waiting for me to summon back their god as my servant. It¡¯s perfect!

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s bones were grandiose, to say the least; he would have likely stood seven meters tall, and had two tails, four arms, four legs, and two heads. The one thing that made her frown were his two broken forearms; his top left and bottom right, and single broken left leg.

    From her position, it almost seemed like at some point, something had cut one leg and arm bone clean through, while the damaged right arm had some form of savage dismemberment. There were other light scrapes and bone damage, but that much was to be expected; he had been the primary threat to the allied forces.

    It would have been more realistic not to find his bones nearby at all; that they¡¯d been divided up by the victors, or ground to dust, but because of the divine image the Yaltha¡¯ma placed on the Quen¡¯Talrat, and their devout worship, they must have found and returned every bone.

    I don¡¯t know if I can repair those ¡­ maybe. Can I ¡­ yes, but it¡¯ll require a lot more energy in the reconstruction. The higher the Grade, the more damage can be cured; well, that¡¯s an interesting perk. However, in the future, if a healer needs to be of equal rank, then I¡¯d probably need a Royal Title Class Healer to repair him. That is ¡­ if he¡¯s a Transcendent-Grade spirit in the first place.

    The Yaltha¡¯ma had used sticks and some kind of white paste to keep the behemoth together and in a sitting position; it looked almost as good as a dinosaur display might appear, but this was their prized possession.

    Sadly, only partial bones of Elite Hunters were placed near the other chairs. It didn¡¯t appear as if any could be fashioned into a complete specimen by the looks of things.

    Her vision moved down to the five elderly Yaltha¡¯ma prostrated on the center of the two-meter raised platform, but they weren¡¯t facing Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s remains. Elinor suppressed a grin as she felt Tiffany¡¯s smug and Edmon¡¯s sour emotions.

    ¡°You cheated ¡­ somehow¡­¡±

    ¡°Just an educated guess,¡± Tiffany giggled.

    Edmon responded with a low rumble in his throat, clearly salty.

    ¡°Blessed great green one!¡± The center creature said, trying to elevate his aged voice with some effort. ¡°Yaltha¡¯ma have been waiting ¡­ for so long. El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca sees the rise of the Quen¡¯Talrat with El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca¡¯s own eyes. The Yaltha¡¯ma have been whispering about the return ¡­ it is time¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s cold green eyes swept the hall as the elder spoke; hundreds of the fox-monkey-like creatures were lining the walls, all bowing toward her. Not one Yaltha¡¯ma stood upon the porous rock or eight neatly-trimmed white trees.

    She mused upon the sight. The entire palace is more elegant and refined than I would have expected from a Warlord, and the outside atmosphere can¡¯t compare.

    ¡°It really speaks to his character,¡± Tiffany giggled.

    Her sight quickly latched onto a door behind the massive throne, a place likely restricted to most during the Quen¡¯Talrat Empire¡¯s ruling. What is behind door number two? Her eyes fell to the door ahead of them. And door number one?

    Elinor¡¯s focus returned to the elderly creature professing his undying loyalty to the rise of the new Quen¡¯Talrat Empire, Elinor pursed her lips before cutting him off. ¡°El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca, was it?¡±

    He choked, grayish-black nose pressing into the black stone platform. ¡°Y-yes.¡±

    ¡°I understand this is a lot to take in¡­¡± She trailed off, and her brow creased as she caught movement on the stairs to her left.

    One of the furry creatures was racing up the enormous steps, not built with the same accessibility for their kind as the rest of the fortress. It leaped up each stair, clearly taking some effort to accomplish each jump, while the others lowered themselves against the ground, none the wiser.

    It wasn¡¯t until the Yaltha¡¯ma had almost reached the top that a young voice by the doorway yelled, ¡°Great ones! A heretic climbs the Stairs of Ascension!¡±

    Murmurs shot through the crowd as they lifted their heads to stare up at the figure, gasps close to their lips.

    ¡°What¡¯s she doing?¡±

    ¡°Te¡¯la ¡­ a heretic?¡±

    ¡°No, not now!¡±

    What she assumed was Te¡¯la had already reached the top of the platform, running toward her prized possession, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s remains, screaming, ¡°For the hidden ones! For the forsaken!¡±

    Te¡¯la launched up the black chair beside Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s throne, becoming invisible to the onlookers besides her, Tiffany, and Edmon. The black crystal overhead seemed to have the ability to absorb light, which caused the Yaltha¡¯ma to pause in question.

    Elinor watched the scene with growing fascination; Te¡¯la had likely blinded herself inside the seat, yet she somehow found her way to the edge and jumped. She aimed right for the spinal support that kept the legendary figure intact, eyes wild with desperation. Te¡¯la flew over the gap between the chairs, voices of the throng rising with horror.

    A curious smile touched Elinor¡¯s lips. What¡¯s this?

    * * *

    Te¡¯la followed her misguided brothers and sisters into the Sacred Hall, primary set of eyes focused on the strange creature that claimed to be the master of the Quen¡¯Talrat. The white-furred and smooth one had done something that had sent a shiver down her spine; it had made the Quen¡¯Talrat bones come back to life, and it did seem as if it controlled them.

    A lump dropped down her throat as her wide pair of eyes gazed between the filling Sacred Hall and towering burning giants flanking the ruler. It was becoming harder to hear with the pounding of their massive feet, whispers around her, and the blood pumping through her large ears.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    She¡¯d spent the past twelve seasons infiltrating the main sect, and this white-furred, smooth one had ruined everything. She only had one option left, and this was the only time she¡¯d be allowed in this holy room.

    Her heart pounded as she maneuvered around the throng crowding the enormous bony feet of the risen Quen¡¯Talrat. Their green flaming bodies frightened her, but she pressed on.

    If this creature resurrects the White God, then the forsaken will never return ¡­ the hidden ones will be destroyed. Te¡¯la must desecrate the shrine! Everyone¡¯s looking away, now¡¯s Te¡¯la¡¯s chance. If Te¡¯la can make it onto the stairs, no one will dare pursue Te¡¯la; they¡¯ll be too scared of the consequences.

    Taking a deep breath, Te¡¯la stretched out her spine, trying to ease the tension coursing through her body. She shook out her paws, fearing they were getting numb with the tingles shooting down her nerves.

    Te¡¯la can do this ¡­ the hidden ones are counting on Te¡¯la.

    She blocked out all sound, only seeing the path she needed to take in front of her. Taking one more breath, she dashed forward, making the first jump. She landed as silently as she could, doing her best to keep as close to the wall as possible to stay out of sight.

    One by one, she jumped up the massive rise to the dais above; she was making it. Each jump was like a stone lifting off her back; if she could just go a little more, one more step, one more leap.

    Just a little more ¡­ a little more ¡­ I¡¯m halfway!

    Her nose burned as she fought back tears, legs becoming a little tired, but she pressed on; every white step was higher than her entire body.

    Three more¡­

    Her jaw locked as a boy shouted something, and gasps and howls followed it, but she was so close; she picked up her pace, and finally, she made it to the top. The Sacred Hall was always under guard; this would have been impossible had it not been opened to welcome a new ruler. This was the first time anyone unsanctified had set foot on the dais for over two lifetimes.

    She¡¯d made it; no one could stop her; her entire life had led to this moment. Her small feet hastened as she ran past the grand seats, colors flashing before her eyes. It was right in front of her, the White God¡¯s Throne, but she needed to overcome the next big challenge, the Black King¡¯s Throne.

    Te¡¯la entered the blackness, and her sense of sight vanished; feeling her way to the throne, she took a little time to get on top, knowing the left arm was where she needed to jump from, and instantly she began doubting her decision.

    If I had gone to the Gray Queen¡¯s Throne ¡­ taken the opposite stairs ¡­ no, I must, everything I have ¡­ I must jump into the darkness; I know what¡¯s there!

    Twelve seasons, fake relationships, the deception, the mask, every empty promise and lie, everything had been for this moment. Her feet touched the edges of the Black King¡¯s Throne, and she jumped.

    ¡°For the hidden ones. For the forsaken!¡±

    Colors exploded around her as she left the black light, expecting to die, welcoming the oblivion; her life to stop the rise of the Great White God.

    Her mind went blank as all the air in her lungs was forced out, and a heavy pressure collided with her body; she was whipped around, wind gushing past her folded back ears.

    Te¡¯la wheezed a few times before gasping, eyes wild, trying to grasp her situation; every voice, scream, shout, and cry fell silent. It took a moment to realize what was happening; she was being held by the Ri¡¯bot that had accompanied the white-furred creature.

    A depressed sigh left the Ri¡¯bot woman¡¯s mouth; she held Te¡¯la up as if she were an offering. She didn¡¯t see it, but her ears shot straight up at the sound.

    The black metal-encased creature on the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s right shoulder spoke, tone like Gre¡¯lic spikes. ¡°Who are these hidden ones and forsaken? Are they those spider creatures?¡±

    In complete contrast, the black-furred one on the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s left shoulder sounded utterly impressed and happy. ¡°Excellent work, Dalria! You¡¯re so fast, and oh, you might be right, Edmon. Wouldn¡¯t it be fascinating if they were alive?¡±

    The lull that followed made Te¡¯la¡¯s vision rise, and her mind froze, eyes widening. Leering down at her from the bony visage of a Quen¡¯Talrat demi-god, a Hunter, was something terrifyingly beautiful. The Hunter¡¯s polished white bones were licked with green flames, unlike the black fire that had been passed down in legends.

    The giant towered over her and using this behemoth as a throne was a being that could only be described as a goddess. The world around her turned as black as the void she¡¯d just been in, but an effulgent light birthed behind the light-skinned figure.

    Head high, the goddess appraised her with downcast shimmering green irises. It was like she was staring up at the great orbs in the sky. The horror, grace, and power that fluctuated from its transcendent form pulled at Te¡¯la¡¯s chest. Her feminine voice was like the hoarfrost, yet it was unbearably alluring.

    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡±

    Te¡¯la slowly shook her head, unable to speak.

    ¡°My name is Elinor; I am the Empress of the Dead. Do you defy me?¡±

    A hard lump dropped down Te¡¯la¡¯s throat. It was an impossible statement; what could defy a goddess? She quickly shook her head, causing the crease in the goddess¡¯s lips to rise ever so slightly.

    ¡°What were you hoping to accomplish?¡±

    The very thought of lying to Elinor seemed like sacrilege in her heart, a crime against her own beliefs. ¡°I¡ªI was going to¡ªto desecrate the altar ¡­ if it is¡ªis desecrated, then I¡ªwe can bring back the forsaken ones.¡±

    ¡°And who are these forsaken ones?¡±

    ¡°The first rulers ¡­ before the great war. The underlivers.¡±

    ¡°They have eight legs and twelve eyes?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    The upward twist on Elinor¡¯s lips rose further. ¡°Perhaps they will rise, Te¡¯la; all will serve me. You will take me to these forsaken ones when I ask you to.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Elinor.¡±

    ¡°Good.¡±

    Te¡¯la began to quake as Dalria set her down; legs collapsing, she fell to her belly, unable to support herself. However, the Empress had already turned her attention away from her.

    The forsaken will rise ¡­ it will finally happen ¡­ and Elinor, the Empress of the Dead will lead them. It will happen¡­

    Tears dripped down her cheeks.

    It will happen.

    * * *

    Elinor glanced around at the quivering and crying Yaltha¡¯ma, captivated by Imperial Presence. Every one of them tensed as her two guards released a roar from both mouths on command, and Quin lifted her high into the air, causing another wave of silence.

    ¡°Rejoice, Yaltha¡¯ma. So long as you serve me faithfully, you will be protected by the Undying Empire.¡±

    Tiffany chuckled telepathically. ¡°You¡¯re a natural. Edmon, are you disappointed you couldn¡¯t ask the questions?¡±

    ¡°Elinor handled the situation splendidly,¡± he grunted, but Elinor knew he felt a little left out; he wanted to be useful. Losing the bet with Tiffany had also left more than a bitter taste in his mouth.

    Edmon, how do I initiate the process of inducting Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma into my ranks as a Royal Title holder?

    Edmon¡¯s emotions instantly rebounded. ¡°Ah, before we can begin the process, you must gain the appropriate energy. However, you may initiate the recruitment stage. Raising a minion of the Transcendent Grade takes substantial Life Force. We will need to gather the appropriate sacrifices.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tiffany¡¯s orange irises swept the crowd with a smile. ¡°We have plenty of willing sacrifices.¡±

    Elinor studied the trembling creatures before her, and a touch of pity birthed in her artificial heart. However, before she could respond, Edmon spoke up. ¡°That would be poor decorum after she gave her word to protect them. It must be the witch in you that sees servants as nothing more than fuel.¡±

    ¡°That was low, Edmon,¡± Tiffany shot a glare at him. ¡°Still feeling venomous about losing that bet? In any case, it really depends on how Elinor wishes to utilize the ape¡¯s servants. They can be protected in death as much as life, and I guarantee they¡¯d be more than willing to offer themselves up to see their beloved gods returned to them.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it isn¡¯t a possibility,¡± Edmon returned, ¡°however, if we use our numbers so harshly, then who would wish to join us in the future? We must present ourselves with a certain degree of dignity if Elinor is to be seen as a respectable ruler.¡±

    ¡°Fear and power bring respect,¡± Tiffany countered. ¡°She cannot appear weak; I thought we¡¯d be together on this front. You don¡¯t actually care for them?¡±

    ¡°Now who¡¯s assuming? Fear and power can be a decent base, but from what Elinor has told us, I concluded that she does not wish to utilize her subjects in such a manner. Wasn¡¯t it you that made a case for Gwen?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s vision fell to the red-haired woman with pursed lips. ¡°Yes, but she¡¯s much more useful alive. These creatures can hardly be as adaptable as a human; Gwen can learn and improvise when given instruction.¡±

    Elinor breathed a soft sigh before breaking into her minion¡¯s debate.

    I can see where you¡¯re coming from Tiffany, and it would be efficient to use them as fuel to raise a powerful member of the court. However, I also agree with Edmon, and a merciless Empire has its detractions in my mind.

    What do both of you think of using them as scouts? They should be familiar with the area and where large predators are. Using them for their numbers and ability to navigate would be a good addition to the Empire in this early stage, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Tiffany¡¯s black locks bobbed back and forth as she tilted her head. ¡°It would be useful, and if you do want to show mercy with your rule, then I¡¯ll adapt to that. I still believe it would be more beneficial to use them for their Life Force; I mean, we don¡¯t need that many scouts.

    ¡°However, I understand the political advantage of proceeding with this route, and I¡¯m sure we can use the numbers. Yet, at the same time, that¡¯s mouths to feed; the dead don¡¯t need that, well, other than a small constant drain of your Life Energy, which can be fueled by the masses.

    ¡°Furthermore, we¡¯ll need many branching leaders to handle the living subjects in time. There¡¯s always the possibility of them turning on the Empire, too; Undead are way more reliable.¡± She sighed.

    Elinor turned to smile at her former mother. I expect that you have some ritualistic means to prevent that from happening?

    ¡°Of course! I have many methods that we can use on living leaders to give us insurance.¡± Tiffany chimed.

    ¡°Good, then it¡¯s settled,¡± Edmon said, feeling elated that she¡¯d taken his suggestion.

    Elinor folded her hands atop her lap, vision sliding across the gemstone mural again. Tiffany, Edmon, divide the Yaltha¡¯ma between the both of you as needed. I¡¯ll keep two of our new soldiers with orders to kill anything that threatens me.

    She glanced down at her skeletal-toad. And ¡­ I¡¯ll call this guy Garu. I¡¯ll keep both Dalria and him with me for support. Tiffany, you give orders to Gwen to start cleaning up, room by room; I think cleaning up our new home is appropriate.

    ¡°Excellent idea! A clean space is a happy space.¡±

    Edmon, you¡¯ll find out which ones are the best scouts and select them to take the rest of our forces on a hunt to gather creatures with high Life Force. I want Quin to join them to level up; have them create some kind of cart that they can throw dead bodies into. We have a lot of mouths to feed as Tiffany pointed out. Kill low Life Force creatures and bring back high Life Force creatures alive.

    Tiffany added, ¡°Oh, and make sure you keep track of which creatures have the highest Life Force; if we can create a list of best candidates, then we can make an efficient farming method. Perhaps we can even start a ranch! That would be fun.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thought,¡± Edmon hummed, causing the waiting Yaltha¡¯ma to shift their eyes to him. ¡°I¡¯ll look for the best materials. What if we encounter resistance from the toads?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s jaw locked for a moment. Capture any toads you find and bring them back. Tiffany, you¡¯ll be in charge of mapping out this city. Figure out where we can store prisoners.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find something for that in this massive place,¡± Tiffany mused.

    When you can, see if you can figure out what¡¯s up with those glowing stones; if you can use them as power, then I¡¯m sure it will be useful later on, and Edmon, do you need to be with the hunting party?

    ¡°No, I can give them directions from the keep, so long as they don¡¯t go too far.¡±

    Okay, then could you also survey the city and figure out what needs to be done to reconstruct it. If we¡¯re going to make this our stronghold, then we need to be secure. My dad was an architectural engineer; I¡¯m assuming you have that knowledge with your explanation before?

    ¡°Yes, it¡¯ll be my pleasure to inspect the city and come up with a plan to improve its original designs. We¡¯ll need to identify where the Quen¡¯Talrat gathered their materials, but that will come in time.

    ¡°Hopefully, some of the materials to construct this place are still here, then we could hasten the reconstruction, and I¡¯m sure they have had some kind of plan lying around, too; a library seems appropriate for a structure like this.¡± He muttered, glancing around at the throne room.

    Okay, then I¡¯ll talk with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma. Once that¡¯s complete, and he either refuses or accepts, then I¡¯ll see more about these spider creatures.

    ¡°Please keep your two escorts, Dalria, and Garu with you,¡± Edmon pleaded, ¡°and when you decide to investigate these spiders, I¡¯d like to be there.¡±

    ¡°Oh, me too! I want to be there, too!¡± Tiffany said with excitement.

    Of course, I¡¯ll make sure to keep a guard detail. Alright, then we have our jobs. Let''s get down to business! This is finally turning out to be a little fun.

 B1 â€” 18. The White God

    Elinor ordered Quin to take her to the top of the platform, causing the Yaltha¡¯ma to scatter out of his way. Every eye followed her with anticipation. Gwen and Dalria didn¡¯t know what to do, so they just stood still, watching the giant skeletal ape ascend the stairs.

    The glowing white throne had Elinor¡¯s focus.

    I¡¯m supposed to be an empress, and every movie and picture I¡¯ve seen of rulers, they¡¯re always royal ¡­ they just have that look. I really need to refine my mannerisms; these little guys think I¡¯m some kind of deity, much less an empress.

    Reaching the top, Elinor directed Quin to move her close to the back of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s massive cathedra; it was easily thick enough to sit on. She fluidly transferred from the bony hand to her new platform.

    She took a moment to smooth out her dress front and manage her long hair before gazing down at her new subject; her crown kept her bangs in check, but the locks hanging down to her lower back would often shift to her front. It was different, viewing people from this vantage point; even the Quen¡¯Talrat seemed smaller, and the patterned red and white granite floor was covered with the monkey-foxes, all waiting for her address.

    Yesterday, I would have been terrified to be up here like this ¡­ to speak to this many people ¡­ creatures. This still feels like a dream ¡­ I know it isn¡¯t. I¡¯m going to make this place my home ¡­ what am I waiting for?

    Her demeanor was stately, but jitters bounced around her stomach. I don¡¯t feel like it¡¯s the right time, but when is?

    She forced her breath to come out at an even pace, trying to collect her thoughts. I¡¯m not the same teenage girl I was yesterday; running and hiding won¡¯t help me in the least. If I¡¯m going to survive, I need to build an army ¡­ an Empire.

    Her racial kept her in control, hands lying across her lap. Edmon and Tiffany moved to either side of the white throne. Tiffany shot a masked glare at Edmon as he quickly took the right side, but a sweet mask swiftly replaced her expression before he could see her displeasure.

    Their competitive interactions made her want to smile; it reminded her of the small things they did to lovingly poke at each other when they were her parents. Their presence calmed her nerves.

    Ah, that¡¯s why I waited; they needed to get into position ¡­ I can¡¯t stand Tiffany and Edmon calling me Empress, but if I am going to build an Empire, then I need to instill a certain level of distance between them and me. I am an Empress now.

    Speaking directly to her two advisors, Elinor said, I understand if you need to address me as Empress in front of the others to set an example. Don¡¯t feel the need to do it in private, though.

    ¡°Wise,¡± Tiffany chimed with a sigh of relief.

    Elinor licked her black lips before speaking; her soft tone made the entire audience hold their breaths to hear. ¡°If you have not heard, then when we are done, spread the news; I am Empress Elinor, Ruler of the Dead. You¡¯ve seen it with your own eyes as proof.¡±

    They flinched as the two Quen-Talrat standing among them released a roar. Gwen and Dalria quickly covered their ears, but the small fox-like creatures bowed lower, quivering as she continued.

    ¡°You may address me as Empress. Now, I require sacrifices to bring back Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.¡±

    El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca rose a little, voice strengthening. ¡°Yes, my Empress! Yaltha¡¯ma will gladly offer ourselves ¡­ please forgive El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca¡¯s impotence...¡± He cut off as Edmon¡¯s shield appeared and he slammed the butt against the stone floor, the loud clash of metal striking stone rang throughout the space.

    In the following silence, Elinor spoke. ¡°No, I will not use the Yaltha¡¯ma; I will allow my Royal Gatekeeper to explain why.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone carried with it the dominance and command she¡¯d expect a Doom Guard to instill. ¡°Empress Elinor has already given you her word that you would be protected under the service of the Empire. Do not think so little of your master; she will not go back on her word by requiring the lives of her subjects.

    ¡°Your lives are a precious resource to the Empire; you will live for the Empire, work for the Empire, but not die for the Empire. Unless it is to protect the Empire, your lives will not be called to the altar. However, your efforts, your talents, your loyalty, they are your price to enter the protection of the Empire; you will help the Empress rise.¡±

    His black helmet lowered to stare at El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca. ¡°Which of your members are the best at tracking and know where to find the predators of this region?¡±

    Before he could respond, Te¡¯la cleared her throat. ¡°Royal Gatekeeper, The Hidden Ones are much better at finding predators; it is what the Forsaken Ones used the Yaltha¡¯ma for before the Yaltha¡¯ma changed protectors.¡±

    El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca turned to glare at the woman. ¡°The Quen¡¯Talrat and the White God were much stronger than the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; Yaltha¡¯ma grew and learned under the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s protection.¡±

    ¡°Finally!¡± Te¡¯la cheered, head held high as she defied the Elder. ¡°So, the Forsaken Ones are called Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; the Elder Yaltha¡¯ma struck the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra from speech!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as she questioned Edmon and Tiffany. I¡¯m a little confused about these Th¨¦lm¨¦thra. Te¡¯la says that her people are called the Hidden Ones, but Dalria called the spiders the Hidden Ones, then there¡¯s the Forsaken Ones?

    Tiffany promptly responded. ¡°To the Ri¡¯bot, the spiders are called Hidden Ones; from what I understand, it¡¯s because they could camouflage. The old Yaltha¡¯ma Elders decided to serve the Quen¡¯Talrat over the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, or what they called the spiders in the past. It appears the reason for this was education and a better style of life.¡±

    And now, we¡¯ve learned that their names were blacklisted?

    ¡°Yup! Quite fascinating, really, the Yaltha¡¯ma survives by operating in a symbiotic relationship with predators. The Elders of the past wished to keep their decision to shift to a new protector from future generations.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s arms moved behind his back, clasping his left wrist. ¡°If we let this continue, then disorder will abound, and it is rude to you.¡±

    A light frown touched Elinor¡¯s lips as she watched El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca and Te¡¯la growl at each other, arguing different points.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Edmon bellowed with a pyroclastic tone.

    Every body dropped to the polished floor, and their ears pulled back as Edmon gave the command for the two escorts to release a low rumble that vibrated the air. Their bodies lowered, staring right at the pair as the fire licking off their bones increased.

    Elinor¡¯s tone was perfectly balanced. ¡°The Quen¡¯Talrat, Yaltha¡¯ma, and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra will serve me. I understand if you have past grudges and history; however, I will not tolerate disorder. If you wish to operate in your own units, then that is acceptable, but you will acknowledge the leadership, whoever that may be.¡±

    Her glowing green eyes moved between the two, tone ice. ¡°If it is the White God or a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, you will follow all orders because they come from me. Understand?¡±

    They both swallowed before nodding.

    ¡°Good. Edmon?¡±

    Edmon cleared his throat before continuing his address. ¡°Te¡¯la, do you speak for all of the Hidden Ones, like El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca speaks for his faction?¡±

    She slowly shook her head, still not lifting her eyes. ¡°N-no,¡± she stammered, ears drooping, ¡°but Te¡¯la knows the Hidden Ones will follow t-the Empress.¡±

    ¡°How are the Hidden Ones better at finding predators than the majority of the Yaltha¡¯ma?¡±

    ¡°T-the Hidden Ones know the caves, the¡ªthe jungle. The other Yaltha¡¯ma knows the surroundings, but most Yaltha¡¯ma don¡¯t go very deep into the jungle.¡±

    El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca turned to one of the other Elders by his side. ¡°Er¡¯Te¡¯Gr is in charge of Yaltha¡¯ma¡¯s gathering ventures.¡±

    The creature bowed. ¡°Yes, Gatekeeper Edmon, Er¡¯Te¡¯Gr will find the best Yaltha¡¯ma for the Gatekeeper¡¯s needs!¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Edmon replied. ¡°Gather them together around the Quen¡¯Talrat in the entrance hall. Inform them of what is expected of them and know that their escort will not let any harm come to them.¡±

    Tiffany spoke up, voice honey. ¡°Er¡¯Te¡¯Gr, being in charge of gathering, do you know of any cages or carts that can be used to transport the creatures?¡±

    ¡°Y-yes ¡­ excuse Er¡¯Te¡¯Gr¡¯s rudeness, b-but what should I-I call¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re looking at the Royal Ritualist of the Empire, Tiffany,¡± she giggled. ¡°A form of Mysticism. Although, that is a tad bit of a mouthful.¡± She pondered. ¡°You may call me by Royal Ritualist or Tiffany, whichever is easier on your tongue. I look forward to seeing these carts and how they work! Oh, Gwen, dear¡­¡±

    Gwen¡¯s mud-stained red hair bounced back as she looked up, eyes wide. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°We will be making this fortress our new home, at least for the moment. Empress Elinor wishes you to begin cleaning with the rest of the Yaltha¡¯ma that are not engaged in other activities. Just start room by room. This will be your task for the foreseeable future until I tell you otherwise.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know how to speak to them; it all sounds like yips and whimpering to me.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s head tilted slightly as she rested her knuckles against her cheek. ¡°Oh, right ¡­ that completely slipped my mind.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, she asked. ¡°I do have a ritual that will allow her to speak any language I know, which would branch off your own language skills ¡­ that could be desirable. I suggest it since we do need more leadership for the daily tasks, and I¡¯ll be performing the ritual where her life is bound to the Empire in a moment in any case.¡±

    Edmon turned her way. ¡°Why are you so infatuated by this woman? If what we¡¯re planning with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra goes smoothly, then we¡¯ll have more units that can lead. Why her?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just more efficient; I think,¡± Tiffany replied with a shrug. ¡°These creatures appear to need some direction, and Gwen can provide a sort of lower management. We can focus on the bigger picture, and she can direct them in the smaller tasks. Plus, there¡¯s her education. I believe having someone living at lower-tier management shows that we are not so oppressive or showing contempt for the living ¡­ you¡¯re the one that wanted diplomatic solutions.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, I suppose I can see the advantage in that. I still think you rely on this human too much.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus moved back to Tiffany as the Witch¡¯s head tilted to look up at her. ¡°Do you approve?¡±

    After a moment, she nodded. Yes, it would help things move forward, and I like the forethought. I also want her protected ¡­ my mother wanted her to live.

    ¡°As you command,¡± Edmon stated.

    She studied the woman with pursed lips. Usually, in movies or books I¡¯ve read, there¡¯s always hatred between the living and the dead. That divide ends up spelling the downfall for the Undead. You don¡¯t require anything for it, do you, Tiffany?

    ¡°As with all Witchcraft, yes, but I have the resources for that much. I¡¯m sure I can find all sorts of juicy ingredients in this place, as well.¡±

    Then you two work on your tasks. Her vision dropped down to the skeletal visage of the White God. I¡¯ll handle mine. I can speak to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma in my mind, correct?

    Edmon studied the bones next to him. ¡°Yes, when you call upon him, he will be trapped in the boundaries you¡¯ve set. Although, if a creature had the ability to affect spirits, then they might be able to combat the effects of the cage; however, they would also need to be quite proficient in life to light a candle against you, and they¡¯d have leftover power before the revivification process.¡±

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tiffany cut in, ¡°there should be nothing to worry about with this brute. Essentially, you will be giving strength to the spirit to communicate with you. It¡¯s an extremely small amount of energy, and even if they are Transcendent, it is highly unlikely that they¡¯ll have the ability to combat you unless it is as Edmon outlined. You are in complete control and would know if they¡¯re seeking to break that bond.¡±

    Good. I¡¯ll have Te¡¯la join me, and El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca can guide you, Edmon. I¡¯m sure he can¡­¡±

    Te¡¯la appeared to be one of the boldest Yaltha¡¯ma present; she was the first to speak in the extended silence. ¡°W-what are we t-to do, Empress?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s tone was patient. ¡°If we are not speaking, it is because we are communicating with Empress Elinor in our minds. She can communicate her wishes to us Undead through thought and desire.¡±

    There were several mutters of awe and nods that swept the crowd as if it made perfect sense.

    Edmon cleared his throat before giving out the planned orders, and Quin lowered Elinor back down to the floor at her command.

    The two Quen-Talrat soldiers below ascended the stairs to take Quin¡¯s place before he left with Elinor¡¯s other minions; Edmon was telepathically guiding them, listening to Er¡¯Te¡¯Gr¡¯s explanation of the possible means to transport the beasts.

    After giving his orders to the hunting party and seeing them off, Edmon followed the Elder toward the second floor¡¯s left-wing, where he said there was a place of learning, likely a library.

    Tiffany took Gwen with her to the main entrance to perform the loyalty and language ritual; the rest of the Yaltha¡¯ma bowed respectfully to her before joining them with interest, excited to begin cleaning.

    Elinor silently stood in the overhead gray light as she observed the proceedings, mind musing upon her life.

    This is a miracle. To think I¡¯d be in a completely new world, an empress over a growing empire ¡­ it only took me losing my friends, family, world, and to some degree, myself. I¡¯m a Mythickin Lich ¡­ basically, an immortal necromancer and everything I¡¯ve known about society has broken apart. I need to be raw, but not be an animal. That¡¯s a delicate balance.

    Her green eyes fell to observe Dalria; she was rubbing her left arm with Te¡¯la at her side, shifting nervously. Te¡¯la¡¯s eyes followed a group of Yaltha¡¯ma leave after Gwen; she¡¯d already been ordered to stay. Garu and her two skeletal bodyguards stood behind the gray throne, awaiting her instructions.

    The nearly empty throne room was a lot bigger than she¡¯d first thought, and the returning silence made a tingle shoot down her spine. It feels strange being alone ¡­ but if Tiffany and Edmon don¡¯t believe this will cause me trouble, then there shouldn¡¯t be anything to worry about.

    Her focus returned to the massive skeleton beside her, its four arms and legs were as thick as her entire body. She took a deep breath before directing her desires; Herald of the Empress activated. Green fire surrounded her body, causing Dalria and Te¡¯la to stiffen.

    ¡°T-Te¡¯la¡¯s Empress? I-Is everything okay?¡±

    ¡°Perfectly,¡± Elinor responded, keeping her regal posture as green butterflies flew out of the flames, hovering around the white throne. ¡°I¡¯m simply going to talk to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, or as you know him, the White God.¡±

    Te¡¯la visibly swallowed before dropping her head, evidently too shaken to respond, and she didn¡¯t blame her. The thought of one of the most savage warlords in recent memory rising again was enough to put a chill through anyone¡¯s bones; it was like telling someone you were about to raise Hitler, Stalin, or Mao from the dead.

    Dalria, however, cleared her throat, causing Elinor¡¯s green eyes to shift to her. ¡°Must you¡ªI¡¯ve heard stories about Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma. He was ¡­ really like a god¡ªa god of death.¡±

    She licked her two protruding, glossy teeth, orange skin shivering sharply before her purple irises moved to the skeleton. ¡°He would raid companies of soldiers alone ¡­ dive into an army on his own, slaughtering hundreds ¡­ thousands.

    ¡°What if he turns on you¡ªwhat if he takes that dreadful power and tries to conquer the world again? I don¡¯t know if¡ªmy people¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips curved into a smirk as she leered down at the Toad-woman. ¡°Did you think I wanted to revive him to hold my coffee?¡±

    ¡°Coffee?¡± Dalria asked, swallowing as she rubbed her arm again. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t,¡± Elinor chuckled, turning her attention back to the remains. ¡°A god of death? That sounds wonderful. There¡¯s something that your tribe didn¡¯t understand when they attacked a human town, Dalria.¡±

    ¡°W-what? What didn¡¯t we understand?¡±

    ¡°The consequences. Humanity is ruthless, meticulous, vengeful, savage, and methodical. We¡¯re filled with contradictions. Have you ever heard of the Law of Escalation?¡±

    She shook her head.

    Elinor smiled as she turned to face the woman; several movies, history, and fiction stories flashed across her mind. ¡°It¡¯s about our persona; you have no clue how deep humanity¡¯s contempt runs. Do you think you¡¯ve seen war, malice, insanity? Imagine this, ten thousand of your people¡­¡±

    She paused. ¡°No, maybe you don¡¯t have enough in your tribe, then imagine your race, dozens of tribes, and that many dying daily, in chambers filled with gas that slowly rots your heart and lungs.

    ¡°We had weapons that we used against our own people that killed tens of thousands within seconds. Do you even know what a million is? How big was your alliance? How many creatures were there?¡±

    ¡°T-Tens of thousands ¡­ maybe a bit more.¡±

    Elinor openly laughed. ¡°Take your imagination and think of ten thousand groups, all with tens of thousands of Ri¡¯bot in them. That¡¯s just how many died in one war that took six years ¡­ seventy to eighty million.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ impossible¡­¡±

    ¡°I told you before, Dalria ¡­ your people¡¯s survival rests on your ability to quell my hatred because you have no clue how vindictive I can be. I will build an army ¡­ I will have my sword and shield. All that moves against me will fall at my feet, begging for mercy ¡­ no mercy, they¡¯ll die and rise to fill my ranks.¡±

    ¡°No mercy? You¡ªsaid you wanted to have mercy,¡± Dalria pleaded. ¡°We¡ªwe didn¡¯t know¡­¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t know?¡± Elinor¡¯s glowing irises radiated scorn. ¡°You knew exactly what you were doing. Regretting an action after you¡¯ve been exposed is not repentance¡ªit¡¯s cowardice.¡±

    Dalria froze at her biting words; Elinor now understood how proud the Toads were, and how to cut them after listening to Dalria¡¯s explanation.

    ¡°The truth ¡­ I gave you a task that I don¡¯t believe you can accomplish, but maybe¡ªin the slim chance that you can pull out a miracle. I gave you an opportunity, but the outcome will never be equal. There¡¯s no possible way you could ever understand me. And mercy ¡­ I show mercy to those that prove they¡¯re worthy of it. How have the Ri¡¯bot proven to be worthy of my mercy like the Yaltha¡¯ma?¡±

    ¡°V-vengeance won¡¯t solve anything.¡±

    ¡°No?¡± Elinor chuckled. ¡°Blaming me ¡­ the Law of Escalation means that if you spit saliva at me, I¡¯m throwing lava in your face. Humanity thrives off war; it¡¯s the evolution of our planet. It¡¯s not about chivalry; it¡¯s about delivery.

    ¡°And tell me, do you honestly believe that your people have packed up and forgotten about me? Think ¡­ I¡¯m the Empress of the Dead; I lost everything important to me, I care little if something is wrong or right, and my mind is perfectly sound.

    ¡°If you plan on trying to curb my odium with that pathetic excuse of a plea, then don¡¯t waste your breath and my time. You¡¯re only inciting my anger and digging your race a deeper grave. Now, I have an army to build; so, keep quiet until I call upon you.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s lips snapped shut, clearly distraught as her purple irises fluttered between her and Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma. Te¡¯la was staring up at her as if she were a goddess; likely lost in the conversation.

    Elinor¡¯s vision returned to the former ruler of this land, Herald of the Empress feeding her information.

    I can feel the power difference between Quin and this ¡­ Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s leagues above Quin¡¯s potential; it feels endless. Alright, inner Siri, if we¡¯re going off of Tiffany and Edmon¡¯s examination, which tier is this skeleton ¡­ Transcendent. Excellent.

    What information can you give me about this spirit ¡­ he¡¯s available for the Warlord Court Title. Warlord is over the Elite Warrior Unit and is in charge of the Frontline Offensive. He¡¯s exactly what I need. Well, then, let¡¯s meet the White God.

    The flaming green butterflies elegantly moved to encircle the skeleton; the display made Te¡¯la gasp with wonder as her eyes followed the beautiful dance of the blaze.

    Come, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, let¡¯s talk.

    Elinor watched with mild fascination as the ghostly appearance of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma overlapped the skeleton; he truly was a sight to behold. His presence instantly brought images of King Kong to her mind, but this creature was a lot scarier than CGI was able to depict.

    Unlike an average gorilla, the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s stomach was leaner and more muscular around the chest, almost like a bodybuilder. They were almost entirely covered by thick snow-white fur, and where there wasn¡¯t hair was tough, rippling leather skin.

    His striking blue irises shifted around with both his heads as he examined his surroundings, large noses flaring. Pinkish tongues exited the ape¡¯s mouths to slide across his monstrous teeth, clawed four hands soundlessly pressing against the arms of his chair to rise.

    Standing three meters taller than the Non-Elites and two more than the Elites, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was truly a terrifying sight to behold. He caught sight of Dalria below, and his face twisted with contempt as he roared. ¡°Ri¡¯bot¡ªin my throne room!¡±

    The sound was thunderous, but no one reacted; there was no shift in the room¡¯s air pressure or sign of surprise that came from the Toad-woman or fox-like creature below. His brows on both heads creased, noses twitching with rage.

    Elinor calmly looked up at the creature looming beside her. Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, do you know who I am?

    The titan¡¯s body shifted to look down at her before his vision moving to his corpse, noses flaring as he breathed heavily. After a moment, his enraged demeanor calmed, and he turned to study the room, tongues sliding across his teeth again. Finally, his blue irises returned to her, and he took a long breath.

    ¡°I did not know you, but it is as if I do. Elinor is your name, and you command the dead.¡± Both jaws worked around for a moment, showing his deadly teeth as his face twisted with disgust. ¡°I died.¡± He released a low growl. ¡°That repulsive queen and her ilk ruined everything ¡­ then there was¡­¡± He trailed off with a rumbling growl.

    Bypassing his accusations, Elinor folded her hands across her front. You know that I can raise the dead? I can bring you back.

    A loud chuckle left the ghostly beast¡¯s throats as his massive, muscular legs moved to face her. ¡°I know the deal you offer,¡± he raised an arm, extending it forward a few feet; there was a sharp flash of green fire, forcing his hand back. ¡°Interesting ¡­ I¡¯m trapped by these flying creatures.¡± He muttered, vision following the flaming green butterflies.

    You are only permitted to go where I please. My powers are vast, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma. I could send you back to where you came from or return you to the living world. I¡¯m not trying to be confrontational but stating a fact. I¡¯m sure you have many questions, and I¡¯m curious about your fortress. You can show me around. I have time to talk.

    She thought the giant ape grinned at her expectation. ¡°You do have the air of a ruler ¡­ an empress ¡­ I can count the creatures I respect, on one hand, Empress Elinor. Perhaps that will change to two.¡±

    He turned to study her two skeletal guards, and Elinor said, You may walk freely with me.

    A roar burst from his mouths as he swung two massive fists at her; both stopped feet from her head, blocked by green flames.

    Elinor stared up at the creature¡¯s enormous fists with a bored expression. Must I point out that attacking me is pointless?

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma huffed with amusement as he moved around the white throne, examining her three guards; he towered over the giants. His hand passed right through the bones, making him release a thoughtful hum.

    ¡°How strange ¡­ I am dead, but I live. I do not take kindly to orders, little empress.¡± He stood taller, looking down at his body, twisting around his arms and legs. ¡°Every wound I received in life ¡­ is gone. If I were restored, nothing could stop me.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes moved to the closed double doors behind the thrones. What¡¯s beyond here?

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s lips curved. ¡°My personal sanctuary, a place I would go to meditate upon my decisions. Good, this is an excellent time for me to ponder upon your words. Empress,¡± He chuckled, gesturing to the doors.

    She released a derisive huff before commanding her two guards to open the stone door; it seemed to take some effort on their part.

    ¡°Weak,¡± Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma grunted, not even paying them any mind as he moved through the now open doors, but he was forced to stop by the green barrier as Elinor didn¡¯t follow.

    ¡°Dalria, Te¡¯la, join us.¡±

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma instantly appeared in front of her face; mouths opened wide enough to swallow her whole as he thundered, ¡°This is my sanctuary! It is not for a lowly Ri¡¯bot or Yaltha¡¯ma to enter!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips dropped; she glared coldly at the livid monster, ghostly green eyes meeting his striking blue irises. I can honor that request, but you will speak to me with respect.

    He grunted irritably before slowly returning to the limit of his range, waiting for her in the hallway. She followed him, stomach settling. She was a little shocked at how Emotional Detachment allowed her to stay calm in the face of the monster¡¯s rage.

    They will wait at the entrance, then. Still, they are not a part of the group you fought more than a century ago. Dalria has been forced to serve me, and the Yaltha¡¯ma have pledged their lives to me.

    ¡°More than a century ago ¡­ I have been dead that long?¡± Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma whispered before turning his suspicious eyes to study her. ¡°You know the calendar I created? How? Have you been reading my books?¡±

    You write?

    ¡°Yes, but not much. I learned from the great underground labyrinth. The place of learning and wisdom.¡±

    That surprises me. Looking at what you¡¯ve built and what I was told of your past, it¡¯s a little stunning to see how much you were able to advance in such a short amount of time.

    ¡°I studied under The Great Beyond; it infuses the labyrinth and teaches all that are powerful enough to seize their destiny.¡±

    He glared down at Dalria and Te¡¯la as they finally made it up the stairs to stand before her, looking questioningly at the dancing butterflies beside her.

    ¡°You both will wait here while I talk with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma. We have much to discuss.¡±

    He grunted derisively, looking away.

    ¡°H-He¡¯s here?¡± Dalria swallowed, looking up at the butterflies floating inside the hallway.

    ¡°What a waste these creatures are,¡± Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma barked. ¡°The Ethereal Clan were the only Ri¡¯bot worth their steel. Of course, my Elite Hunters destroyed most of them.¡±

    Without waiting for a response, Elinor walked into the open doors with the ghostly ape beside her. Her three guards closed the door behind them before following, Garu kept by her side.

 B1 â€” 19. The Sound Of Thunder

    Elinor surveyed the long wooden walls of the hallway, granite likely behind the overlay; the multi-colored gemstones embedded into the black wood were a masterpiece. With the doors shut, it painted the scene of walking among the stars, sparkling around them with dazzling beauty. The corridor was several meters wide and tall; a doorway was ahead of them, designed to represent a colorful nebula.

    No wonder the Yaltha¡¯ma see them as gods. Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma is actually a fairly relatable character if you could follow his journey. Their entire race shoved down into the dirt for as long as they can remember just waiting for some prophecy to be fulfilled. To go from tribal warfare, struggling against each other, to this, in less than a century.

    Something Tiffany said to Dalria came to mind. The great and strong will not yield to the weak and feeble, the powerful rise to adapt and overcome their detractors. The sweat on their brow is what they reap and sow; they forge their own fortune from salt and sand ¡­ the Quen¡¯Talrat certainly did.

    They fell into the trap of being overconfident, being blinded by the idea that all other creatures were beneath them. If there¡¯s anything I learned from history class ¡­ I need to choose my allies wisely. A loose cannon will be seen as a threat; borders are a necessity, as is forging relations with those surrounding¡­

    Her attention drifted to the less than gentle giant beside her as one of his heads moved to glare down at Garu before his striking blue eyes shifted to her escort tailing them. His harsh tone had quelled, now replaced with curiosity. ¡°You brought them back to life as your slaves?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips curved with mild amusement. Are you frightened I might do the same to you?

    ¡°I fear nothing!¡±

    Undoubtedly.

    ¡°Can they speak?¡±

    It depends on how I raise them. I can bring them back with their past minds or as mindless slaves to follow every order my leaders dictate.

    ¡°Leaders ¡­ those two weak creatures?¡± He chuckled.

    Dalria and Te¡¯la? Absolutely not. Dalria is a slave, and Te¡¯la has pledged herself to the Empire; that makes Te¡¯la a citizen and enjoys the privileges of citizenship that a slave does not.

    ¡°Citizenship ¡­ I¡¯m unfamiliar with such a term, and where are your leaders? I¡¯ll be the judge to see if they are worth their salt.¡±

    Interesting expression ¡­ I suppose you used a lot of salt when you were alive. Also, I am not a person that is commanded, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma. You may have been crowned the Ke among your people, but that was before I entered your world. I rule the dead, which you now number among.

    A low growl left the beast¡¯s throat as they stopped, and her two guards moved around them to open the gates by their white handles. With some effort, they managed to get the doors open.

    Elinor was mildly impressed as the brightly lit room radiated its glow into the dark hallway with a light film of white mist. The air was humid and warm, pressing against her skin; in a minor degree, it reminded her of a sauna. It was like they were stepping into heaven.

    She stepped onto the evenly cut ocean green grass that rose to her ankles; it left a soothing tickle against her feet. Pink, blue, and silver flowers were in patterns ahead of her, running to an icy bridge leading to a small hill. Around the hill was a turquoise stream, fed by a gentle cascade exiting a hollowed-out long and narrow strip in the glowing alabaster wooden walls.

    The tinted liquid revealed millions of shimmering gemstones making up its bed while the bayou surrounding the edges teemed with gently swaying colorful flora. The evenly cut grass surrounded the brook with nine white trees, similar to the ones in the throne room, spaced evenly throughout the edges of the area.

    Rich beams of yellow and white light cast a faint pigmentation to the circular chamber from the brilliant triforce-shaped metalwork above them; the triangles were white wood and gold metal.

    The crowned jewel of the room was without a doubt sitting atop the small hill, a colossal leafless ivory tree, its trunk coiled around a blood-red obelisk. Its branches produced a luminous white yield, the succulent ambrosia growing out of its branches like a Jaboticaba tree. It looked genuinely divine, like staring at the Tree of Life.

    Elinor slowed momentarily as she entered the angelic scene; it was entirely opposed to her taste, but she could appreciate the craftsmanship that had gone into the divine spectacle.

    Did the Quen¡¯Talrat construct everything in this city of a fortress, or did they get another race to oversee its design?

    The warlord walked straight across the bridge to the center tree, dropping down to cross his four legs, arms resting at his sides before looking down at her. ¡°You say you are a ruler; then this is the best place to mingle.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s light smile didn¡¯t falter as she commanded her soldiers to wait in the hall. They closed the doors, giving them the privacy he wished. Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s pride was more than evident. This was his holy of holies, and he took the highest place. It was clear that he did not see her as a superior or equal; this was a power move.

    Instead of playing the Ke¡¯s game, she wandered the room, examining the beautiful flowers, shimmering gem bed of the pool, and the other wonders meticulously placed to fill out this sublime room as they talked.

    She spoke with an even tone, her voice easily carrying to the warlord in the nearly silent space. ¡°I¡¯m impressed ¡­ this place has remained untouched after more than a century. Why is that? This entire fortress seems fairly unaffected by the brutal conflict I¡¯ve heard stories about.¡±

    The giant ape¡¯s lips peeled back as he grinned, a deep chuckle resonating in his throat as he followed her movements.

    ¡°Superstition; what else? I expected as much; the eight races were rather fearful of my inventions. There were a few that I suspect found some utility in my creations, but they were blocked by their culture¡¯s politics. I knew nearly every move they made until the latter half of the war when they started to dismantle the Taltha¡¯ma network I¡¯d created.¡±

    ¡°Smart, incorporating the little fox-monkeys to do your spying,¡± Elinor commented, running her hand across one of the gnarled trunks of the white trees; the texture felt like silk. Wanting to appeal to his vanity, Elinor asked, ¡°What about this room? It must have taken you years to get this set up.¡±

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma gazed around the room, spreading his arms wide; the pride in his voice was palpable. ¡°Everything here was brought back from the Amaranthine Forest; North of the Trelmere¡¯s lands, beyond the Great Clouded Lakes, lies the Lands of the Forebearers, homeland of the Peerless.

    ¡°This entire room is inspired by the remnants of a time long forgotten to all races; exquisite, aren¡¯t they? Timeless ¡­ but these fruits are a new addition.¡± He mused, rising to study the pome.

    ¡°This world holds such mysteries,¡± Elinor whispered, smelling one of the large pink flowers, near her own height. ¡°Freshly baked bread ¡­ so, everything here is supposed to be ageless ¡­ yet they release a scent, and you said the tree producing fruit is something new.¡±

    ¡°This is most peculiar; someone must have done something while I¡¯ve been ¡­ away.¡± He grunted, staring at the glowing red obelisk. ¡°The only things that changed are the tree and the artifact.¡±

    ¡°Artifact? How has it changed?¡± Elinor asked, examining the structure. It had blue runic symbols that resembled Semitic writing that pulsed off and on, contrasting the glowing red color of whatever substance it was made out of.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma didn¡¯t respond, circling the tree to study each side of the monolith; not willing to ask twice, Elinor moved her focus back to the pool of glittering stones in the clear, turquoise tinted water.

    Each one of the gemstones was of varying size, shape, and color, but every one shone with an inner light that reflected their hue, pondering on the possibilities.

    They must hold some kind of charge or energy. There might even be more here than along the walls in the Throne Room, entrance, and the hallway combined. Tiffany would be the best one to identify how to use them. Of course, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma should know precisely how these things can be used.

    The problem is convincing him to join the Royal Court. He¡¯s a lot more civil than I expected, shockingly intelligent, yet he still has that bullish side. I suppose it¡¯s the difference in species. Should I strike at his pride? Maybe, but first I need to get him in a better mood. Even in the chance that he doesn¡¯t join me, I can still get valuable information out of him.

    Elinor slowly made her way to the back of the room to study the elegantly curved waterfall. ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, I have not been in this world for long. I¡¯d say less than eight hours. In that time, I¡¯ve heard about the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s rise.¡±

    The giant¡¯s silent observation of the artifact broke as he turned toward her, large mouth opening in a manner that made her think he was smiling. His flat and spiked teeth glistened in the golden beams of light as he laughed. ¡°I bet you did! Tell me, what have you heard of me?¡±

    She didn¡¯t miss the implication. ¡°What have I heard of you?¡± She mused, pulling her long hair back over her shoulder, bangs kept in check by her black crown; her green irises passivly observed the gently moving brook. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you were powerful and would charge out into armies alone. Your name strikes fear in the Yaltha¡¯ma and Ri¡¯bot alike, but this was not accidental. You were destined for greatness, right?¡±

    The ape puffed out his chest, heads tilted opposite directions, and his voice turned wary. ¡°What do you know about that?¡±

    ¡°The Prophecy of the Ke. That was what you were born for.¡±

    Out of the corner of her vision, she watched him drop back to his butt, now behind the tree. His two furry tails were wrapped around his waist, and his head lowered, eyes narrowing suspiciously as he appraised her. ¡°None of the eight races knew of the prophecy, and you said you are one of the crystal creatures, not born of this world. How do you know about that, Empress Elinor?¡±

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully, tone turning enigmatic. ¡°How do I know, indeed? What do you know about the crystals?¡±

    ¡°They are gateways, portals to different worlds. They bring combatants, weak, and strong alike, depending on the type of gate. Some of my fiercest foes were crystal creatures. It has long been suspected that the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra originated elsewhere; no creature born from this planet could harm me. They are all weak.¡±

    ¡°Do you think that I am weak?¡±

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma released a low growl in his voice before answering. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. Many of my senses are not functioning properly as I am, but things are becoming clearer as time passes; I grow more accustomed to this form.¡± He muttered, flexing his enormous hands and arms before folding them.

    ¡°You hold a unique ability, but how that translates into actual combat ¡­ I can¡¯t say at the moment. You act like a ruler ¡­ fearless, but is it confidence or arrogance ¡­ that has yet to be determined.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips twitched. Arrogance? He is talking about arrogance? Well, he certainly does have the strength to back up his tongue, but even if you have great power, you are not invulnerable. Everything has a weakness, and he didn¡¯t cover his. It¡¯s kind of pathetic that he can¡¯t admit where he¡¯s fallen short.

    ¡°Then, keep observing.¡± She bent down, eyeing several pebble-sized gemstones of varying colors. ¡°How did you design this place?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re changing the subject,¡± he snorted. ¡°How do you know about the prophecy?¡±

    She straightened, releasing a soft sigh. ¡°I¡¯m sure you can guess how I¡¯d know about your past and several details concerning your race.¡± She turned to face him, hands behind her back. ¡°You¡¯ve already mentioned him.¡±

    ¡°What are you ¡­ wait,¡± his eyes darted to the ground before looking up at the golden triforce above. ¡°The Great Beyond ¡­ you spoke to The Wise One.¡± He whispered, vision returning to her.

    ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard him described like that,¡± Elinor giggled. ¡°Was The Great Beyond the one that gave you all of your knowledge? He taught you how to construct this fortress?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ how do you know The Wise One? Has he chosen you? Did he give you that power?¡±

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Elinor considered the triforce with an amused smirk. ¡°You could say he chose me¡ªbut I rejected him.¡± Her irises fell upon the giant ape. ¡°No, he did not give me this power. He wanted to take it from me.¡±

    The Ke released a roaring chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ve earned my respect, Empress Elinor! I did everything for that creature ¡­ my Elite Hunters, I sent them to snow-capped skies on his whim, off to perish in the reaches of the deep, and lost so many powerful bloodlines in his trades.

    Through his visions I was shown places of power, cursed lands, and abyssal realms of fathomless measure ¡­ too many to count or visit. Places I can see you thriving in with the twisted feeling I sense in you.¡±

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma folded both pair of arms across his muscular chest as his blue eyes appraised her.

    ¡°Respect is something that is earned, not given, Empress, and the cold touch of your power upon me has given me an insight into the aura surrounding you. It is slow, but my eyes are opening to understand what is within ¡­ you are young, I know this through that link. I have many gifts, and one of those is to grasp the strength of my opponent.¡±

    ¡°Oh? What is my strength?¡±

    Both sets of the beast¡¯s large nostrils flared as a low growl released in his throat. ¡°Different ¡­ not a warrior, but like nothing I¡¯ve ever come across. Not weak ¡­ unearthly ¡­ like the things below the Taiga, but in its infancy ¡­ yet, you¡¯re more ¡­ complex ¡­ ravenous ¡­ ruthless. You have a will that is not unlike my own.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but she knew the level of compliment this was from the beast.

    He thinks of himself as above all, a god, yet he just linked me to himself. That¡¯s a standard that is nigh-impossible in his mind, and I meet it.

    Ke popped one of his tongues with disgust. ¡°The Wise One was the only creature that was worthy of teaching me, yet ¡­ he required heavy sacrifices. I lost more than I should have, but still, I gained much wisdom in his whispers.¡±

    Elinor shook her head, lips falling into a brooding frown. ¡°Not wisdom, knowledge¡ªthere is an important difference. He failed to mention his involvement in the Fire Wars, and pointed me toward this keep¡ªto your skeleton ¡­ for what purpose?¡±

    The ape grunted. ¡°Who knows The Wise One¡¯s motives. He gave me several options to choose from, and I chose the north ¡­ through the infernal Trelmere¡¯s lands. The sport that they made out of murdering our young was to be paid in blood.

    ¡°While, yes, it was sweet, The Wise One offered poison that would cost my people. Perhaps it was knowledge and not wisdom, but we benefited all the same. I took everything I could, forged our weapons in the blood of our enemies, and tore a hole in our oppressors¡¯ minds! Yet, the true molding of my army came at the whims of The Wise One.

    ¡°The path leading to those icy mountains; he sent us on a glorious venture ¡­ and without my strength, we would have failed. Beyond the Lands of the Forebearers, even further north, through the Taiga of Eternal Night ¡­ we fought through the giant beasts of the Glass Grassland, and into the Alpine Skylands ¡­ that was the purpose of gaining provisions from the Trelmere.

    ¡°We brought back hordes of treasures and artifacts that he lead us to, and we began our rebirth. This tree and strange artifact were dug up upon our return; I left a group of my soldiers under the To¡¯Reha¡¯Je, King of the Blood Throne, to oversee the work. We gained and sacrificed much to create a kingdom of our own.¡± He muttered, following the shimmering gemstone murals of a wondrous diamond landscape across the walls.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ The Wise One abandoned us once we broke that orb ¡­ it took so many of my soldiers¡¯ lives to get the proper ingredients to destroy it. Everything we gained was from that trade ¡­ yet it wasn¡¯t enough. If only The Wise One had warned me of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen and her accursed daughters.¡±

    ¡°A story filled with many struggles and victories, no doubt,¡± Elinor said, turning to study the murals herself.

    Demon wanted me to destroy some orb at the bottom of a mountain. It seems he¡¯s been whispering promises of power for service for some time. Are these Forebearers The Searing Concord ¡­ a scene like this doesn¡¯t fit that name, though? He said they were some of the more interesting ones within history, which means they must have been powerful. What could these artifacts really do? I¡¯m sure Tiffany could work them out given time.

    ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma ¡­ tell me how you constructed this room. Did you design it yourself?¡±

    The great ape¡¯s depression seemed to dissipate in an instant. ¡°Yes!¡± He jumped up, gesturing at different items. ¡°The eternal trees, flowers, and grass would wither utterly if not for my expert calculations. That it has survived more than a century without even so much as a tweak means I am truly magnificent!¡±

    Elinor lifted a questioning eyebrow. ¡°These can die, then? They still require nutrients ¡­ is that what these gems and water are for?¡±

    ¡°Water? No, that is not water, and there are no exits from this room. That liquid is generated from the Life Stones hidden within the wall! They are extremely rare, found underneath and around this tree in its excavation; I had a group scour the Forebearers¡¯ rivers and mountains without success.¡±

    A frown touched her lips as she bent down, sliding her left hand through the liquid. ¡°Don¡¯t be facetious, Life Stones¡­¡± She paused as her fingers began to disintegrate, breaking apart to disperse into green smoke.

    The warlord broke out laughing, but it was quick to cease as her fingers rematerialized once free of the waters. His eyes narrowed, jaws shifting with unease. ¡°What kind of regeneration do you have? On that note, why did your fingers burn off as if consumed in my white fire? The water heals; it does not cause harm? What are you?¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t respond, flexing her newly formed fingers. A pool of water that heals people ¡­ I wonder if I put bones inside it ¡­ will they mend. That might be an interesting experiment. Why did it melt my fingers ¡­ I¡¯m extremely weak to the Life Element. Well, that¡¯s odd; I use the Life Element as fuel, yet it¡¯s deadly to me.

    How do I use the Life Element ¡­ I use Life Tap to convert it into a usable form. Interesting, is the Death Element the weakness of the Life Element? I see, not an answer you¡¯ll give me. What happens if my earrings touch this healing liquid ¡­ it¡¯ll begin to purify my energy until I was out, then it would crack the diamonds. This is possibly the most dangerous place for me on this planet.

    A smile touched Elinor¡¯s lips, causing the gorilla to hum as he studied her. This is also the largest source of power for me. A double-edged sword ¡­ and no one¡¯s the wiser. Tiffany, Edmon, I just learned that I am weak to the Life Element.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma continued to watch her soundlessly, seemingly trying to figure something out himself as she had her private conversation with her minions.

    ¡°Oh, dear! Did something happen?¡± Tiffany asked. ¡°If you are exposed to pure Life Energy, then it would be deadly!¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone was set. ¡°I¡¯ll be there as soon¡­¡±

    No, no need, Edmon. Continue your work; I¡¯m not in danger. She lied, eyeing the pool thoughtfully, knowing that wouldn¡¯t be the case if she fell in. I¡¯m just curious about the reverse; are those that are comprised of the Life Element weak to the Death Element?

    ¡°Most certainly,¡± Tiffany promptly replied. ¡°Life and Death share a duality. Your defense is frail to Life, while the opposite is true for them with Death. Using Life Tap and similar abilities, you gather and convert Life Energy, but once that Life Energy has been converted into an aggressive form, you can no longer transform it through normal means.

    ¡°Likewise, once the Death Element has been offensively used, the forces of Life cannot purify the corrupted essence. In its raw form, it may be deadly, but is also an extremely potent source of nutrients for you and the Life Element users. They gain energy from purifying and releasing that life back into nature, you by corrupting and absorbing the energy into yourself.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s concerned tone returned. ¡°Can I ask why this is a current topic?¡±

    I may have found a source of endless energy.

    ¡°That means ¡­ endless life ¡­ you are in danger!¡±

    ¡°Come now, Edmon,¡± Tiffany sighed. ¡°If she were in danger, then she¡¯d let us know. You have me at the edge of my seat, though! What is this endless life?¡±

    She looked around the celestial room with a soft smile. I have yet to really explore it. I won¡¯t do anything dangerous until you both are here. I¡¯m in the middle of talking with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, in any case. I¡¯m sure this will be an essential key to our future, though. Okay, continue with your tasks.

    ¡°Aww,¡± Tiffany groaned. ¡°I¡¯m so curious! Fine, I¡¯ll temper myself. It¡¯ll be that much more relishing when I bite into this tender news.¡±

    It might be very juicy. Elinor giggled, glancing back at the tree.

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯re not in danger? I don¡¯t want to take any chances.¡±

    I¡¯m fine, Edmon. Thank you for your concern. Have you been able to find the floor plans?

    ¡°Yes, actually. There are some damages and missing pages, but I should be able to complete a working schematic for a restoration given a few more days and some inspection.¡±

    Excellent. Things are looking up.

    The warlord worked around his jaws before humming. ¡°You seem happy. I¡¯ve been studying your appearance, and your mouth curves up when you¡¯re happy. Your voice also raises in volume and tone.¡±

    ¡°I am pleased,¡± Elinor replied, walking back toward the bridge. ¡°You might have set up my Empire more than you realize.¡±

    Getting up, he moved to block her path on the frozen bridge, glaring down at her. His monstrous size did little to frighten her now. She lifted an eyebrow, irises following a few of her fluttering butterflies flying around his chest.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about the past anymore, Empress Elinor. You can bring me back to life, as I was ¡­ better. You can heal all of the wounds I¡¯ve received in my life-time, something that even these springs were unable to cure ¡­ my arms, my legs. You can make that happen?¡±

    Elinor held her hands behind her back, glancing at him from a side angle. He shows a bit of respect when he needs something. It¡¯s still not enough to be accepted as a Court Member. I suppose this is where we come to our conflict.

    ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, tell me, why should I raise you? What benefit can you bring me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll flip that around, Empress of the Dead; what benefit would I gain from being raised from the dead? The only power I¡¯ve seen from you is the ability to bring a corpse to life. There is no guarantee that I will not be but another one of those skeletal slaves outside this room, or can you even do that to me?

    ¡°I lead tens of thousands, slaughtered more with my own hands. I have bested colossal fiends, outmaneuvered legends, and stood as a god among mortals. I have feats of strength that are passed down through the lips of every race; I saw how that Ri¡¯bot warrior reacted. I am a horror brought to life, a nightmare. What are you to command me?¡±

    Elinor was silent a moment as she turned toward the massive ice bridge¡¯s railing; the middle elegantly designed rung was at head-level with a second over double her height. The images carved into the ice mirrored some of the obelisk¡¯s sigils.

    She stared into the shimmering pool with a testing smile. ¡°What am I¡ªto command you?¡± Her green eyes lifted to stare at him with indifference. ¡°You say you are a nightmare brought to life? Tell me, Ke, what about you is a nightmare? I see a spoiled brute that is struggling to keep his demeanor in front of the one person that can grant him a second chance.¡±

    ¡°What?!¡± The ape slowly rose to his full height, chest puffing out. ¡°I laid waste to kingdoms, burned them to the ground! I created lakes of blood and corpses as a statement to those that would oppose me. My skin was nearly invincible, bones unbreakable, fur a living white flame! The mere sound of my name made warriors cower in fear and on sight, froze them with dread. I am a god! And you...¡±

    Her hair shifted to the right with her veil as she tilted her head to leer at the beast, smirk close to her lips. ¡°A god? Look at yourself. Do you look like a god? You¡¯re a ghost, a dying memory, lost in the sands of time. I could build you up to something so much greater.¡±

    ¡°Never! My legacy will live through the generations!¡±

    ¡°Legacy? What legacy?¡± Elinor chuckled, walking through him to cross the bridge; the ice looked smooth but held a surprising grip. ¡°That you lost ¡­ died. Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, the mad warlord that lead his race to the slaughter, hunted to near extinction¡ªa curse upon his people¡¯s lips. That¡¯s the legacy you wish to end on?¡±

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s blue irises fell to the green grass as he turned to follow her, nostrils flaring. His muscles and jaw were tight as she casually walked up the hill to look up at the Tree of Life, eyeing the fruit with a bright smile.

    ¡°Lead my people to the slaughter ¡­ near extinction ¡­ impossible ¡­ we were at peace; we had all the clans as one ¡­ they couldn¡¯t lose.¡±

    Elinor glared up at the beast. ¡°You can¡¯t calm your wrists with a razor blade ¡­ you can¡¯t pay the price of what¡¯s already paid ¡­ your people are gone. You can¡¯t fight for peace with ambition, blood, and gore; it will always collapse.

    ¡°The other races saw your rebellion as such a threat that they waged genocide against the Quen¡¯Talrat. Your Elite Hunters put up a fight, but it was fruitless in the end, and they were split; the Ri¡¯bot, they believe your race is extinct, that they killed every last one of your people.¡±

    ¡°How ¡­ the other races are so weak! How could we have lost ¡­ even without me ¡­ the Queens and Kings could easily kill hundreds ¡­ thousands. I trained them myself!¡±

    ¡°Look at your kingdom; does this look like a prosperous place? It¡¯s a ghost fortress, fit for an Undead Empress. It doesn¡¯t have to be this way, though, Ke.¡± His eyes burned as they met her ghostly green irises, butterflies gently flapping around them. ¡°You can still reclaim your kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Under yours,¡± he growled, fingers flexing with rage. ¡°What is it you want? What is your purpose? You say you can¡¯t fight for peace with ambition, blood, and gore ¡­ what other way is there?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got it wrong,¡± Elinor giggled. ¡°I¡¯m not fighting for peace. I¡¯m fighting for survival! You¡¯ve been brought back by my power; there¡¯s a connection we share that you can sense. What do you feel inside me?¡± Elinor asked. ¡°What do you hear in my voice ¡­ what do you see?¡±

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s nose twitched. ¡°I can see the light in your eyes, the storm barely hidden below. You seek to take my hands, take control, take my body. Th¨¦lm¨¦thra poison on your lips ¡­ yet it tastes like sugar. I feel your voice in the darkness, and see your face in a black hole ¡­ an endless battlefield.

    ¡°I can hear the sound of thunder ¡­ the sound of rain. I can see the bright white lightning¡ªcoming down to strike me again. I can see you standing at the edge of destiny, the sky weeping red blood while you fill your cup to drink. All is sorrow; all is pain; the flames that lick beneath the surface as winds rage above.¡±

    Elinor smiled. ¡°A hurricane ¡­ I like that. What will it be, Warlord?¡±

    The Ke folded both sets of arms, heads held high as he scowled down at her. ¡°I respect you, Empress Elinor. However, I was lead by one before ¡­ never again. I don¡¯t back down. I will bow to no one, not even the Empress of the Dead.¡±

    Her smile vanished as she turned back to the doors, ordering her minions to open them as she walked across the bridge. ¡°A shame. I¡¯m thankful for your contributions to my Empire in life; it will be well used.¡±

    The sound of rolling thunder echoed through the halls as the black storm clouds outside overshadowed the fortress. With his final moments, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma released roaring laughter. ¡°Still, I wish I could have witnessed their failing hearts when they finally realize what stands before them.¡±

    The butterflies vanished as she released Herald of the Empress, and the Quen¡¯Talrat that stood above all others faded back into oblivion.

 B1 â€” 20. Living Reactor

    Elinor walked through cracked doors as her minions opened them, ordering them to shut it again.  She barely noticed the grand display of the hallway¡¯s aesthetics as she made her way to the entrance.  The pulse of thunder occasionally shook the tower.

    He couldn¡¯t handle being under someone else ¡­ it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand him.  Still, I can¡¯t help but feel annoyed ¡­ angry even; Emotional Loss can be such a bother.  If only I could turn off hate, can I?  No, didn¡¯t think so.

    If I got my hands on a Warlord, then I could have started making plans to advance, but now ¡­ now I¡¯m back to square one.  If I can¡¯t defend myself with an ax, then I¡¯ve got to build up my defense.  There¡¯s no possible future where they don¡¯t attack me.  Not only is it logical, but emotionally it makes sense.  The Toads went to Earth for¡­

    Her steps slowed, but her minions had already caught up to her much shorter strides; she told them to go crack open the door in advance, green irises falling to the gemstone mosaic floor.

    I don¡¯t know exactly why they went through the crystal.  What were they after?  Are they having some kind of social or economic issues that I can exploit?  I need more information.

    Her focus moved to Dalria as she appeared; the two Quen¡¯Talrat pulled on the golden rungs, opening the way for her to exit.  Both the Toad-woman and Yaltha¡¯ma hurried to their feet but kept their silence; they followed her with their eyes as she strode past them, stopping beside Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s skeletal remains.

    She took one last glance at the colossal bones before turning her vision up toward the murals.

    Things are looking up, despite the setback.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma left me a wonderful inheritance ¡­ his sanctuary, especially.  Now that I have a chance to catch my breath, what are the most pressing issues?

    Our defense is critical; Edmon is working on identifying our weak points.  It would be best to keep him at work.  However, he¡¯ll need workers to be able to accomplish those tasks.  I need to max out my current unintelligent units, preferably with Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ although, perhaps a few of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra would be helpful.

    If the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra are like normal spiders and can use silk or some kind of variant ¡­ the issue would be getting them to a high enough level to regain some of their organic forms.  It¡¯s the same for ¡­ wait, can unintelligent undead regain their original forms ¡­ ah, okay, they can.  However, it depends on what type they are.

    Tiffany, are you finished with Gwen¡¯s ritual?

    ¡°Yes, she was so cute and nervous!  I love having the little thing around.  She¡¯s now working on having the Yaltha¡¯ma carry out all the rubble that their small bodies can handle.  Oh, and I learned that the main sect of our little fox-monkies has two-thousand three hundred and eleven followers.  It¡¯s a start.¡±

    Are you busy with something?

    ¡°Oh, goodness, I should have noticed you were looking for me to do something; I kind of lost myself exploring!¡±  She chuckled apologetically.  ¡°Nothing of significant importance.  I¡¯m just looking around to find anything of value.  How is the conversation going with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma?¡±

    A dead-end.  He will not be joining us.

    ¡°The nerve; after offering him the chance to serve you!  We should throw his bones in one of the hydrothermal pools.¡±

    Yes, I¡¯m angry, but I also understand his position, and after gaining a better understanding of his past, I doubt he would have been that compatible with an Empire of diverse races.  I respect him, but I am still bitter about the results.  No, what I need from you is to study this Life Energy room.

    ¡°Oh!  What a treat!  I¡¯ll have my guide bring me back to you at once.¡±

    Another thing, Tiffany.

    ¡°Just say the word.¡±

    Elinor took a moment to collect her thoughts, trying to use the thunder outside to refocus; Dalria and Te¡¯la were both fidgetting as they watched her, not daring to ask her anything.

    I learned that unintelligent undead can gain ranks and level up; they can even regain their flesh and meat, but what are the limitations on that?  Could you explain that part of my abilities while you make your way to me?

    ¡°It would be my pleasure!  So, the only difference between unintelligent and intelligent undead is their capacity to function without orders.  The unintelligent ones can even understand a certain set of rules or a routine, but they¡¯re basically no different than a computer program.  They must be told what to do and when to stop.

    ¡°That¡¯s it; they can gain levels, gain a class, and have all manner of abilities related to them; however, you would need to individually rank each of them up or give them orders as to which abilities to take.  It¡¯s a lot of macro and micro work, which is why you¡¯d normally put intelligent undead in charge of managing them.  Is there something you had in mind?¡±

    Yes, I think we need to strengthen our workforce.  Since Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma will not be joining us, our ability to mount an offensive will be severely limited.  I think we need to focus on bolstering our defenses and army before the Toads have time to prepare.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ we could, but we do have the option of creating Assassin-Class minions to act as forward units.  I was talking it over with Edmon, trying to come up with a strategy that we could bring to you, and it seems like the most favorable option.

    ¡°Our reasoning is the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; after picking the brain of a few of the Elder Yaltha¡¯ma ¡­ oh, not literally,¡± she added with a tinkling laugh, ¡°but we learned that they were quite adept assassins ¡­ very similar to spiders in our world.  They sound like truly devilish creatures that adapt quickly to their environment.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Dalria and Te¡¯la both stiffened as she folded her hands behind her back, staring down at the floor below; they shifted a bit around the throne to stare at her, expecting her to say something, but Elinor paid them little mind.

    Interesting ¡­ what abilities does the Assassin-Class have, and have you been able to determine which Grade their spirits are, based on their stories?

    ¡°Oh, too many to list, and each minion that is given the Assassin-Class will develop Sub-Classes and divert their focus based on their skills in life.  They are all brought into the confines of the system, sharing a piece of your power to grow and develop themselves within the parameters you set, if you do give them a path; if they¡¯re left to develop themselves, then they¡¯d naturally gravitate toward their familiar skillset.¡±

    Right ¡­ I recall your earlier explanation.

    ¡°That being said, I do have something that ¡­ umm, I¡¯d like to do with them.  I mean, the Queen at least is of Mythic-Grade based on what I¡¯ve heard.  If she was able to put up a fight against Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, then she¡¯d need to be at least at that quality.  There¡¯s also the details I¡¯ve heard about their conflict ¡­ she was at a significant disadvantage.

    ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma held something the Yaltha¡¯ma call God¡¯s Fire ¡­ they describe it as white flames; it¡¯s no wonder they call him the White God.  Anyways, he could burn their thread with ease and used different mythical weapons.  I mean, he was a real brute from what I¡¯m hearing.  The weapons were something he¡¯d found on his journey; sadly, they were taken by some of the other races.

    ¡°However, the Queen managed to damage the gorilla, despite him using tools and being at a type advantage.  She hurt him more than anything ever had, and she poisoned him ¡­ what a lady she must have been, which weakened him substantially.  At the height of the war, with the races rushing into the fortress, and ill from the disease, he fell in battle against the highest elite warriors of the other races.

    ¡°I heard he was quite stubborn and foolish about his invulnerability, however, since there were open wounds ¡­ he lost two arms and a leg to the Queen and her daughters ¡­ he still thought it was no big deal.  On second thought, perhaps it was better he didn¡¯t join us,¡± she mused.  ¡°He had the protagonist syndrome ¡­ indomitable will would carry him through everything.  Who needs blood?  Being poisoned ¡­ that¡¯s for the weak!¡±  She laughed.

    Hope started to spark in Elinor¡¯s chest, which was soon dulled to be replaced by anticipation; she recalled how the massive white ape had cursed the Queen.  Her experience with the creature had opened her eyes in many ways.

    Say what you will, Tiffany, he certainly was a sight to behold.  I suppose there was a reason why he was a Transcendent-Grade spirit; he was not weak.  If he¡¯d only taken a few different steps in life ¡­ I guarantee you, it would have been him and not the Toads that attacked that town.

    ¡°Oh?  Was he that impressive?¡±

    Even without hearing his life story, I certainly empathize with him; he was a pillar of a creature.  We just weren¡¯t compatible.

    ¡°Well, if you respect him, then I wish I could have been present to listen to your conversation.  I bet it was spectacular!  I¡¯m about halfway back to the Throne Room.¡±

    She turned to stare at the Toad-woman and Yaltha¡¯ma two meters to her left, standing in the gray light of the neighboring throne.  She silently appraised them, causing them to fidget.

    I need to gain some information from Dalria and send Te¡¯la to prepare her group for my visit.  Could you inform Edmon of the development?  I like the plan you two came up with; we can solidify the details later, and ease his mind about not being present.  We require a suitable defense as soon as possible.

    ¡°Of course!  I¡¯ll console the worrywart; he¡¯s such a nervous Nellie.  It¡¯s too easy to tease him.¡±  She said with a fond tone.

    Thanks, Tiffany.  I¡¯ll see you when you arrive.

    ¡°Should I run?  Maybe I should ¡­ I want to see this Life Room!¡±

    Elinor giggled, causing both Dalria and Te¡¯la to force down a hard swallow, oblivious to her conversation.  No need to rush.

    ¡°So,¡± she said with a small smile, ¡°Te¡¯la.¡±

    The creature swiftly bowed her head.  ¡°Y-Yes, Empress E-Elinor?¡±

    ¡°Do you have a name for the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen?¡±

    She quickly shook her head.  ¡°N-No ¡­ it¡¯s been lost over the generations.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ go tell your leader, the one that speaks for your entire group, that I will be coming to meet them.  Once you have set up the meeting, then return to guide me.  I don¡¯t expect they¡¯ll be too accepting with just your word, but let them know that I will be coming.  If they fight, then they¡¯ll die ¡­ and you know death is not the end with me.

    ¡°However, it is not my intention to harm them.  I have come to help bring the Hidden Ones out of the shadows, and I look forward to meeting the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen.  My meeting with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was quite ¡­ illuminating.¡±

    Dalria¡¯s eyes shot to the bones atop the throne before returning to her.  ¡°D-Does that mean¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I will respect Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s wishes; he will be at peace.  He¡¯s fought his fight, and I¡¯m pleased with what he has left me.¡±

    ¡°Empress Elinor¡ªI-Isn¡¯t going to bring back the White God?¡±  Te¡¯la whispered, head still bowed.

    ¡°No.  He has served me more than he knows.  I am pleased with what he has done.¡±

    ¡°T-Then¡ªTe¡¯la goes to deliver Empress Elinor¡¯s message!¡±

    She watched the little fox-monkey break into a run, leaping down the steps to disappear beyond the room.  Once she was gone, Elinor turned her focus back to Dalria, smile fading.  ¡°Now, while I wait for Tiffany to arrive, why don¡¯t we get to the bottom of things?¡±

    Dalria rubbed her left wrist, chest fluttering.  ¡°W-What do you mean?  Tiffany ¡­ why¡ªwhy is she coming?¡±  She asked, voice cracking.

    Tiffany terrifies her.  I can¡¯t blame her, though ¡­ if Tiffany were my enemy, then I¡¯d be horrified, too.  Wait ¡­ am I empathizing with Dalria?  That¡¯s odd.  Tiffany still has that image of the beautiful happy mom I remember, but she has this new obsessive edge that can even send a chill down my own spine.

    Her compassion is gone ¡­ no, it¡¯s not.  Her kindness has been completely driven toward me.  Sympathy is strongest within people¡¯s in-groups ¡­ it¡¯s a hierarchy in itself.  I never thought about that.  I¡¯m at the top of her focus list, so everything revolves around me.  When people were talking about bias¡¯ in school ¡­ huh.  We¡¯re all bias in terms of empathy; we love our dogs more than others.

    Compassion is one of the biggest sources of in-group bias, then.  A mother grizzly bear, protecting her cub ¡­ that¡¯s what I¡¯ve turned my dad and mom into.  I never thought about it before, but empathy is not a limitless moral virtue.  Interesting ¡­ actually, in history class, people with compassion on their mind have committed some of the most atrocious acts on record.  It depends on who you¡¯re empathizing with¡­

    Letting the thought trail go, she returned her focus to Dalria as she trembled, waiting for an answer.  ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about Tiffany; you just need to answer my questions.  Understand?¡±

    Dalria flinched as if she¡¯d whipped her.  ¡°Y-Yes.¡±

    The reaction made Elinor pause for a moment.  It¡¯s crazy how much someone can change in such a short time ¡­ she was so powerful and confident.  I suppose anyone would crack under the same circumstances.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor¡¯s lips fell a little as she watched Darlia avoid eye contact, staring at her feet.  ¡°What can you tell me about the reason you attacked my world?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know why the Chief decided to accept the alliance with the Roxim and Delthax Clans.  It was the¡ªthe ¡­ I can¡¯t remember¡ªeverything¡¯s a b-blur.¡±

    Her eyes narrowed.  ¡°Explain.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been¡ªthere¡¯s just¡ªit¡¯s hard to remem¡ªrecall ¡­ my mind,¡± she stammered and quaked, bowing her head a little more, ¡°my mind isn¡¯t¡ªI don¡¯t¡ªmy memories ¡­ a lot.¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Tiffany¡­

    ¡°Yes?  I¡¯m only a few minutes off; I¡¯m just walking down the main road.  The storm is about to really come down.  The rain should be heavy ¡­ I just remembered this is a jungle.¡±  She chuckled.

    Dalria says she¡¯s having issues remembering things.

    Tiffany let go of a ponderous hum in Elinor¡¯s mind; she began to examine Dalria¡¯s situation with an edge of excitement.  ¡°Ah, yes, that could be a side effect.  I mean, the thing has been under an intense amount of stress, for one.  I¡¯d be surprised if she weren¡¯t having memory loss with the rapid changes to her brain chemistry.  Let¡¯s see ¡­ if I were to compile the possible outcome¡­

    ¡°First, we captured her, which, as she explained, was a major taboo and not supposed to happen with her fundamental beliefs.  She was forced into servitude and unable to even take her own life¡ªanother blow to her core beliefs.

    ¡°The Blood Subservience Ritual compels compliance through pain; the intensity of it could easily explain away time lapses in her cognitive ability.  Couple that with the constitutional fear of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, what you¡¯re accomplishing, and the parasite that I inserted ¡­ well, that¡¯s another issue that could be causing problems.

    ¡°My little darling was already making its home in her mind, making a home, finding the best feeding pathways ¡­ leaving behind alterations with its movements as directed.  Extracting it just as it was latching on could have also caused some lingering issues; however, the mind is shockingly resilient, given time, she should recover.¡±

    Elinor took a long breath before letting it out in a slow stream, trying to listen to Dalria¡¯s babbling words while gaining the appropriate information from Tiffany.

    Thanks, Tiffany.  I¡¯ll see you in a moment.

    ¡°My pleasure!¡±

    The only things she could gather from Dalria¡¯s jumbled phrases were, ¡°Crystals must be dealt with ¡­ conquer is the only way ¡­ glory ¡­ resources ¡­ right of passage ¡­ secret treaties mission.¡±

    Elinor held up her hand.  ¡°That¡¯s all, Dalria.¡±

    The Toad-woman breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing her sides as she retreated a few steps.  Elinor turned her attention back to the floor below as she thought.

    She was fine twenty minutes ago ¡­ a little frightened, but not this babbling mess.  I can¡¯t really say it was anything done by an external party; I doubt Te¡¯la did anything.  Dalria may be under control, but she¡¯s still an extremely fast warrior.  It¡¯s not likely it was the Yaltha¡¯ma.

    I suppose it¡¯s just a psychotic break; the stress just became too much when I asked her about their mission.  It may not seem like that big of a deal for me, but to her, it was probably a massive betrayal ¡­ her culture is so honor driven that it was the final straw.

    She looked back at the warrior as she twitched; Dalria was sweating, pulses running down her body from time to time as she mumbled an unintelligible phrase every so often.

    ¡°Dalria?¡±

    A few seconds passed before her head snapped up.  ¡°Y-Y-Yes?¡±

    ¡°Take a break; relax a little in this room.¡±

    ¡°N-No more¡ªq-questions?¡±

    ¡°Not at this time; why don¡¯t you try to get some sleep.  You must be exhausted.¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you,¡± she replied jerkily, almost mechanically lying down beside the throne; sharp shakes cascaded down her body at uneven intervals, but she closed her eyes, clearly trying to sleep.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to sleep if you don¡¯t want to ¡­ just try to relax, and if you want to, then you can sleep.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡±

    Elinor glanced down as she heard Tiffany¡¯s soft hum echoing through the halls; her cheerful tone seemed a bit unnatural for the environment.  The woman was walking with purpose, but not rushed.  She still wasn¡¯t used to seeing her mother¡¯s exposed skin; the lower part of her shirt had been threaded into a sort of shoulder bag that she seemed to have found the time to reinforce.

    If these spiders are skilled at weaving ¡­ maybe they can make some new clothes.  Perhaps I should look into that once we get a bit more free time.

    Tiffany¡¯s smile grew as she sent down one of the Quen¡¯Talrat to carry her up to the platform.  ¡°Oh, how thoughtful; thank you, Empress Elinor!  Edmon was rather distraught when I informed him, but he understood the circumstances,¡± She said with delight as she moved to sit on the skeletal beast¡¯s palm.

    ¡°He was rather elated by the news that you¡¯d accepted our plan.  I swear, he did a few cheers in his mind ¡­ alas, that¡¯s likely the best I can imagine the poor man doing.  He¡¯s so stiff!¡±

    Her lips fell once reaching the top.  ¡°My goodness ¡­ I didn¡¯t think it would be that bad; is she muttering in her sleep?¡±

    Elinor shook her head, looking over at Dalria; her sharp tremors increased upon hearing Tiffany¡¯s voice, and she released a mix of groans and grunts that were only intelligible to herself.  ¡°I told her to try to relax and sleep if she could.¡±

    Her minion set the witch down beside her, and Tiffany¡¯s lips became a line as she folded her arms underneath her chest.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ if it¡¯s this bad, I might need to administer a sedative-hypnotic agent.  I did bring some Calgar Root.¡±

    ¡°Go ahead and use it; if you think it¡¯s needed.¡±

    She hummed thoughtfully while extracting the ingredients, using the knife to press the juices out and her fire to collect it.  Bending down to Dalria¡¯s twitching body, she cleared her throat.  ¡°Open up, Dalria ¡­ there we go ¡­ close and swallow.  There we go; give it a few seconds and ¡­ passed out!¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think there would be an adjustment phase,¡± Elinor whispered.

    ¡°Yes, well ¡­ we¡¯ve had other things to concern ourselves with,¡± Tiffany said with a light giggle.  ¡°However, this does make me worry about Gwen ¡­ the poor woman is under similar stress ¡­ mixed with a whole lot of loss.  Perhaps I¡¯ll need to prescribe her some sleep to rest her mind.¡±

    The question seemed to pop out without her realizing it.  ¡°Will I sleep again?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Tiffany said with a short sigh.  ¡°Sleep is not something we undead are blessed with.  Although, time-lapses are possible if there is a temporary loss of power!  So, I suppose that might count.  However, dreams ¡­ no.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor glanced down at Dalria¡¯s peaceful form as her throat and chest expanded in slow rhythms.  ¡°It¡¯s interesting to find the sacrifices required for ¡­ whatever I am now.¡±

    Her eyes lifted as she ordered her minions to open the doors again; she left Garu at the throne to warn her if anyone else entered the room.  ¡°In any case, let¡¯s see what you can make of this room.¡±

    Tiffany clapped her hands together before rubbing her shoulders with anticipation.  ¡°Tingles are shooting through my body!  I¡¯m so excited!  A room full of Life Energy?  This could be a diamond mine for the Empire.  Of course, Edmon sees a massive bomb, but it could be so much more.¡±

    Walking through the cracked doorway, she had her minions close it before moving to pull the golden rungs on the second barrier.  Tiffany glanced around at the dark hallway, displaying their cosmic representation.

    ¡°Interesting taste,¡± Tiffany mused.  ¡°I suppose it¡¯s meant to illustrate the ascension to heaven.  The rise to godhood.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s irises lifted to observe the designs on the ceiling.  ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that ¡­ it would fit Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s personality.  He saw himself as transcending the confines that fate had dictated to his race ¡­ raising them out of the depths of their bondage with a trail of gore.¡±

    ¡°He must have been an engaging conversationalist!  What did they look ¡­ oh, my¡­¡±  Tiffany trailed off as her minions opened the doors ahead of them, casting the brilliant glow into the hall.

    They stepped onto the grass in silence; her minions came inside, closing the door.  Elinor nodded.  ¡°It sort of does have that feeling of stepping into heaven.¡±

    She snapped her right index and middle fingers, four orange flames sparking into existence as she hurried to each flower, passing her fires through everything she could while muttering to herself.  Tiffany seemed to be in her own little world, moving from object to object, examining every inch of it before passing to the next.

    Elinor casually made her way to the massive tree in the center, eyes centered on the branches, and leaving the witch to her craft.  While she waited for Tiffany to procure answers, she let the calming atmosphere soak through her.

    Demon was the first to mention the hate inside me ¡­ how will I respond when my fury rises ¡­ how will the dredges of my wrath forge the malleable seed within me?  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma mentioned something similar ¡­ still, I wish I could have witnessed their failing hearts when they finally realize what stands before them ¡­ a hurricane with an inferno raging below.

    My emotions are all over the place, but my racials are keeping them dulled to the point where I can function.  It¡¯s hard for me to express my rage since it¡¯s suppressed by the Reactive Skills of my Kind ¡­ Empress.

    Her mind naturally turned back to one of the Aviator songs she¡¯d listened to several hours earlier, No One Will Save You.  The image of the pure serenity surrounding her, twisted and used to fuel her vision of the future coursed through her thoughts.

    A smirk lit her lips as she studied the red monolith; the words of the song continued to unfold in her mind.  Her eyes wandered toward the brilliant fruits growing out of the leafless branches.

    I don¡¯t know what form my hatred will transform into, but I don¡¯t see it going away.  It¡¯s only because of this seed that I can stay calm ¡­ I¡¯m forced into this box, but that¡¯s only proving to temper my wrath.

    Her green irises moved to Tiffany¡¯s enthralled face as she began to study the ice bridge, mumbling to herself as she slid her fingers down one of the main posts, set into the dirt.  After a moment, she walked back down to join her.

    Tiffany¡¯s glowing orange eyes and smooth fingers followed the ice railing.  ¡°This is ¡­ marvelous, Elinor.  Eternal Ice ¡­ I don¡¯t sense any enchantments cast upon it.  It would require something like ¡­ thermite to shape it.¡±

    The witch¡¯s focus moved back to the flowers.  ¡°The white ones smell like freshly baked bread!  My mouth¡¯s watering just thinking about it ¡­ but my former self¡­¡±

    Elinor giggled, finishing her statement.  ¡°You were on a bread-free diet to keep your weight in check.¡±

    ¡°It was so unfair,¡± Tiffany said with a sad smile.  ¡°I love the taste, but now that I¡¯m undead, we¡¯ll have to make some!  No need to worry about my weight now.¡±

    ¡°We can eat?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±  She looked up at the Triforce symbol, lips pursing as she held her left index finger to her chin.  ¡°Well ¡­ if the undead is a high enough rank ¡­ and a Flesh-Type, but those are the two requirements.  Oh, oh, and the flowers release pollen that combats viral infections!¡±

    ¡°What about the Queen¡¯s poison?  Is it not strong enough to work against that if Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma couldn¡¯t rid himself of it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so, their bite isn¡¯t really viral or bacterial in nature; she injected her venom into the ape.  I¡¯ve picked one of the Elder¡¯s brains on their effects, and there are actually several types of poison they can use, but among those is the standard neurotoxic and necrotic venom.

    ¡°From the story, she must have used both on him; the neurotoxin weakened him while whatever type of necrotic venom she used¡ªit ate right through his flesh and even his bone.  It¡¯s quite fascinating!¡±

    ¡°Can I use them as power?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s cheer fell.  ¡°Unfortunately ¡­ nothing so far.  These certainly are miraculous materials, and I could use many of them in a great many rituals; however, they could not be converted into usable energy for you.  This water¡­¡±

    She dropped one of her flames into the liquid before running her fingers through it; Elinor was a little surprised to find it completely undamaged when she lifted it up to sample it.  ¡°Tastes like sugar ¡­ how fun!¡±

    ¡°You can touch it?  A single drop dissolves my skin.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Tiffany brushed her hair back as she released a low hum.  ¡°Your Artificial Body is a Death Energy construct; it¡¯s utilized into a corporeal form, but ultimately, it¡¯s just energy.  You know, E equals MC squared and all, good ol¡¯ Einstein; however, I am not.  I may be kept alive by it, but it¡¯s not like the water can really purify me unless it¡¯s literally pumped into my veins.¡±  She chuckled.

    ¡°Oh, but your diamonds are a hub for Death Energy ¡­ we cannot be throwing this life infused water at you!  We should be careful¡ªfor sure, but sadly, even this water is not in a pure form for you to draw from.  Perhaps its source stones, that you mentioned before.¡±

    Feeling a little upset about the disappointing news, she tried to hold out hope.  ¡°What about the fruit or tree?¡±

    Tiffany puffed her left cheek to the side as she eyed one of the nine white trees on the outside.  ¡°I checked those trees, and while yes, they are drawing in the life water, it¡¯s not living water ¡­ if that makes sense.  It provides support, but it is not a basis of what you can draw energy from.  If a creature bathed in this water while you drained it, then it would give you more.¡±

    Rising, she walked over to the center tree, studying the monolith with interest.  ¡°This looks promising, though!  Let¡¯s see¡­¡±  Her tone died as she slid her fingers down the structure, pressing her flames up against it.

    Elinor¡¯s black lips dropped a bit as she moved around to study the witch.  She seemed to be in deep concentration, and after a moment, she hummed, moving to the roots before following it up the trunk, finally reaching one of the few fruits in range.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°Give me a moment ¡­ there¡¯s a lot to examine and connect.¡±

    A few more minutes passed as she walked around the tree, running her fingers over the long twisted trunk and glowing red monolith.  Eventually, she plucked one of the fruits, twisting it around in her hand and playing with it in the fire, muttering, ¡°Fascinating ¡­ interesting ¡­ unusual ¡­ it might just work.¡±

    ¡°What might work?¡±

    ¡°Oh, my apologies,¡± Tiffany said, tone still low as she hugged herself, arms holding up her chest for a moment as she took a deep breath, studying the glowing fruit in her fire.  ¡°The pillar is some kind of conversion tool, but ¡­ there¡¯s something very peculiar about it; it is definitely a lot more complicated than just that.  It¡¯s been programmed to do this simple task.

    ¡°It is capable of so much more ¡­ I say that, but I can¡¯t exactly say how or what it could do.  We¡¯d probably need to fill the Royal Cabalist Title to get someone with the proper expertise to examine it to be sure.¡±

    ¡°Royal Cabalist?¡±

    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the Arcanist of the Royal Court; in the magic circle, you have the Arcanist, Necromantics, and Witchery Classes.  There are a lot of subdivisions, but those are the primary schools.¡±

    Another piece I don¡¯t have yet.  I suppose that will have to wait.  ¡°You were going to say something else about the fruit or tree?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she turned her attention back to the tree before her orange irises slid to the water.  ¡°The Life Stone is releasing Life Water, which is being absorbed by the flora; however, the tree is sucking it up, and the pillar is aiding in converting it back into raw Living Energy, which has changed the tree¡¯s structure itself.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go so far to say that it¡¯s alive, but it¡¯s like the catalyst for life; the fruit it is producing ¡­ in essence, this fruit is exactly what you¡¯d expect from a fairy tale.  If a grandpa ate this fruit, then it would restore vitality to all of his cells, renewing them, and returning him to the days of his prime.

    ¡°Now, that¡¯s a rather wasted effect of its properties; we¡¯re talking about a cure to ¡­ basically everything.  This is pure Life Force ¡­ unblemished ¡­ refined ¡­ in comparison to humans, this is botulinum toxin to you, the most toxic substance in existence to a Lich.  However¡­¡±

    ¡°However?¡±  Elinor pressed, feeling her excitement skyrocket.

    A wicked smile lit Tiffany¡¯s smooth lips.  ¡°It¡¯s usable ¡­ an extremely potent source of energy for you ¡­ more than thousands of lives.  A single drop could return a stage four cancer-ridden elderly man to a spry bel homme.¡±  She said, reverting to her French roots.

    ¡°Perfect!¡±

    ¡°That being said,¡± Tiffany¡¯s smile turned forced.  ¡°You cannot touch it, and I suspect that given an extended period of time here, you might experience some adverse effects with the energy radiating out of the fruit.  The skin actually acts as an amazing container, but the energy contained inside is so condensed that it¡¯s even bypassing that to a certain extent.

    ¡°Prolonged exposure for myself would probably start to have an effect!  The waters down there would kill the skeleton units you have since they don¡¯t have any outer protection against the cleansing effects, but this thing is like a living nuke if utilized properly.¡±

    ¡°So, I should use Life Tap on it?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s lips became a line as she studied the fruit.  ¡°That would work, but I suspect it won¡¯t be quite that easy.  Because of the skin, keeping the energy in, it will be difficult to extract the energy.  I think you¡¯ll need to level up Life Tap to make better use of it.¡±

    Elinor hummed darkly, glaring at the small object in Tiffany¡¯s flame, floating in front of them.  ¡°I guess cutting it open wouldn¡¯t be good?¡±

    The witch shook her head.  ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know.  I¡¯m just hesitant to attempt it; if it went off like a grenade or nuke, then goodbye us.  I suggest we keep this area off-limits, and the doors always shut; it¡¯s a good thing Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma designed it to be so isolated.

    ¡°This is like a Nuclear Power Plant for you that could detonate on us if we¡¯re not careful.  Extremely useful and clean energy, but it does carry with it devastating consequences.  This could solve your energy issues for ¡­ basically forever if we can better understand it.¡±

    Activating Life Tap, she quickly grasped what her advisor was saying; the process of absorbing the energy was slow, but the power was astonishing.  ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ I¡¯ve already doubled the amount of Death Energy I got from that creature Quin brought back ¡­ yet, extracting it is as slow as molasses.¡±

    Tiffany breathed a long sigh.  ¡°Trying to corrupt the Life Energy of something so dense and shielded is difficult.¡±  After a bit of time, Tiffany rubbed her shoulders, looking up at the tree as a shiver ran down her body.

    Elinor¡¯s brow furrowed as she watched the familiar creases in her former mother¡¯s face.  What could possibly scare her?  ¡°Is something the matter?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m concerned about¡ªwhat will happen when these fruits ripen ¡­ fall ¡­ what will they become?  With the amount of energy they hold ¡­ it just worries me.  We don¡¯t know the time limit or the consequences.¡±

    Eyes returning to Tiffany¡¯s fire, Elinor folded her arms, watching the thick green fog leaving the fruit, leading to her earrings as she absorbed the energy.  ¡°We¡¯ll have to consult Edmon ¡­ I¡¯d rather not make Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s same mistake.  Demon said he¡¯d never met creatures with such hubris as humans ¡­ let¡¯s make sure we don¡¯t fall into that trap.¡±

    Swapping to their private communication, Elinor continued.

    We have our own Nuclear Reactor that could be my death ¡­ this should only stay between you, Edmon, and me, not even the future Royal Court.  This is our ace in the hole and my kryptonite.  Now, I just need to get the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra on-board.

 B1 â€” 21. Lich Nature

    Watching Tiffany¡¯s silence, Elinor¡¯s mind drifted back to her time with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma as she tried to reconcile her previous life with her new one, privately reflecting on her conversation with the Warlord while slowly feeding off the Living Fruit.

    Hmm, the Ke¡¯s methods were brutal, yet hierarchy is important, especially for summoners like me.  People on Earth may argue about his philosophies, yet for him, might ruled all, why was I told this was terrible, then?  It¡¯s just a factor of existence.

    Tiffany?

    The Witch turned, features brightening.  ¡°Yes?¡±

    I was taught in school that hierarchies are fundamentally bad ¡­ yet, after some thought, I can¡¯t think of anything that doesn¡¯t have an arrangement or classification according to importance.  Isn¡¯t it a fact of existence?  Things are either lower or higher¡­ it¡¯s universal.

    Her Royal Ritualist puffed her cheek to the side as she considered her words.

    ¡°It¡¯s true that everyone has likes and dislikes, and those constitute a hierarchy; it is how we all govern our lives.  We structure our lives based on levels of thought, organizing ourselves based on a scale.  What you¡¯re thinking about is Social Hierarchy, which is a rather complicated matter.  In some aspects, we all make certain actions over others, and like Newton¡¯s Third Law of Motion, there is always a reaction to what we do.¡±

    Elinor looked up at the golden Triforce above them, holding her hands behind her back as she continued to use Life Tap.  After a moment, she continued.

    I¡¯ve ordered myself in a manner to take an action over another ¡­ I think I¡¯m wondering just how much control I have.  I¡¯m filled with rage, and I don¡¯t want to be ruled by it.  Yet is it a vain pursuit?

    It seems like we¡¯re all slaves to something ¡­ food, water, shelter, belief ¡­ Death Energy for me.  I have to look for it if I want to continue to function ¡­ so, I¡¯ve put survival over the lives of other creatures, and conversely, if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯d put their lives above mine.

    Maybe I¡¯m thinking about this because I¡¯ve recently discovered that compassion is a hierarchy in itself that puts some things above others.  It could also be Ke¡¯s reactions and how he refused to follow me or any number of other things.  It all comes into circle.  Why is it bad?

    ¡°Oh?  Getting into philosophy?¡±  Tiffany asked with a soft chuckle.

    Feasible¡­ I¡¯m just trying to understand how to move forward ¡­ which means I¡¯m prioritizing that knowledge over other things.  It¡¯s not something I have had to consider before life turned upside down like this.

    ¡°It can become quite the rabbit hole!  Your mother and father had quite a lot of disagreements about ethics; they were far more united on their beliefs than conflicting, but those points of difference are sharp and can irritate at times.  You could say it¡¯s why there will always be conflict; it¡¯s a universe of violence.

    ¡°Some people look at nature as peaceful, but that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth, there¡¯s nothing more violent.  Everything is in conflict.  Humans put their own priority lists on things just as much as any other creature, and some humans put nature higher than the lives of humans.

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong; it¡¯s distasteful to think about, which I suppose is why people delude themselves into thinking otherwise.  We¡¯re all slaves¡­ I hate to consider you being a slave.¡±  She whispered.  ¡°However, I also can¡¯t protect you if I beguile myself.¡±

    Tiffany sucked on her lower lip for a moment.  ¡°My, what an interesting conversation.  It¡¯s like we¡¯re talking during mealtime!¡±  She giggled.

    A light smile moved Elinor¡¯s lips.  It kind of is, but I wouldn¡¯t be the least bit interested in this if I hadn''t changed, and my life fell apart.  It makes me wonder if there is a god out there, and if even gods are bound in the same hierarchical reality trap we¡¯re in?  I know Demon is god-like, and even he¡¯s trapped ¡­ I suppose we must choose our masters.  What am I not willing to give ¡­ sacrifice?

    She shook her head with a humorless chuckle, eyes narrowing as they traced the triangle shapes above.  The kind of thoughts that are running through my mind.  Is there such a thing as evil?  In an emotional or causality effect, perhaps.  I now have the ability to commit great evils in the minds of others, just like Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma; everything the Toads took from me ¡­ it makes me feel like there¡¯s such a thing as evil.

    Elinor¡¯s neutral green irises dropped to study Tiffany¡¯s concerned frown, framed by the emerald threads of corrupted Life Energy being extracted from the fruit.

    My parents kept trying to show me all the horrors in the world, but I lived such a privileged life that I didn¡¯t even think about someone else.  The work my parents put in to give me a good life ¡­ I was ungrateful ¡­ weak.

    I listened to music or tuned them out to think about the next series binge I was looking forward to¡­ the next time I¡¯d see Tanner, while people on Earth were being put through heinous situations by other human beings.  At the same time, I couldn¡¯t function in society if those thoughts were always going through my head.  Suffering, pain, conflict ¡­ it doesn¡¯t really stop.

    ¡°It never will, but you were a teenager living in a safe country; even if a nation ultimately got rid of the socioeconomic divide¡ªif that were even possible¡ªpeople still wouldn¡¯t have equal outcomes.  There¡¯s a hierarchy in intelligence, physical ability, everything, and that will cause even more significant issues, and the system will collapse ¡­ time moves on.

    ¡°It interested your mother but didn¡¯t really bother her.  Your mother wasn¡¯t worried in the least about going out jogging in the forest or going down to the bank; she felt safe where you lived, but she was concerned with giving you a bright future, though, and worked hard for that.¡±

    Elinor licked her green-tinted black lips, glancing over at the gemstone murals of the serene landscapes.  What was it that dad said to me yesterday?  It was something to do with weak people.

    Tiffany¡¯s frown turned into a small smile as she looked down at the icy floor they stood on, toes pawing the cold surface.  ¡°Hard times create strong men.  Strong men create good times.  Good times create weak men.  Weak men create hard times.  Although, it¡¯s a bit oversimplified, and depends on what you define as weak vs. strong men and good vs. hard times.  History is, if nothing else, a cycle of inevitable tragedy.¡±

    Oh?  My mom didn¡¯t explain that to me when he said it.

    ¡°She was busy reading,¡± Tiffany said with a giggle.

    Regardless of that,  first we need to survive ¡­ and I need to understand myself.  Elinor whispered.  Anyways, I want to have a strong Empire.  Tell me more about this quote.

    ¡°Well ¡­ there are many schools of thought that your mother studied and considered.  Your father was a bit less studious because of his time constraints with focusing on work,¡±  Tiffany said, features brightening since Elinor had moved away from criticizing herself.

    There are two types of hierarchies; you have the sociable-type where advancement is built upon competence.  This is demonstrated throughout tribes and many historical nations, people need to take charge to actually get something done; those that are the best leaders tend to be selected to direct the affairs of a group of organized people.  Everyone is working toward a common goal.  However, this can be dangerous, because it puts the leader in jeopardy of being voted out!¡±

    Elinor laughed.  You¡¯re saying that because I¡¯m the second type of hierarchy, aren¡¯t I ¡­ a dictator.

    ¡°Well, dictators¡ªtyrants especially¡ªdo have a bad reputation, but it really depends on how you see the world or place your values.¡±

    Looking over at the doors, Elinor hummed thoughtfully before ordering her two minions to join them.  Before we continue, why don¡¯t we get a higher view?  I¡¯d like to see how the room looks from a vantage point.

    ¡°Oh!  I like that.¡±

    Both Quen¡¯Talrat lowered their arms, Elinor took the closest one to her left, sitting down on the bony fingers.

    They were now about seven meters in the air, staring down at the greenery.  Tiffany¡¯s feet swung back and forth, leaning back against the creature¡¯s fingers to study the higher sections of the murals.

    ¡°This certainly is a magical room ¡­ I can¡¯t wait to start researching those glowing gems.  If they have Life Stones, then what other delicious things might there be in this world?¡±

    She gave a slight start, turning to look over at her master.  ¡°Right!  I get a little too distracted, don¡¯t I?¡±  She said with a forced laugh, quickly smoothing back her black hair.

    It was at this point that Elinor realized all the mud and dirt on Tiffany¡¯s body was gone, and her hair was immaculate; it looked like she¡¯d taken a shower.  It only took a moment for her to come up with a solution; she¡¯d used her Witch¡¯s Fire to pull everything foreign off, just like she¡¯d done with Elinor¡¯s own clothes.

    Tiffany cleared her throat before licking her soft lips, features glowing.  ¡°So, yes, you rule by power, the second type of social hierarchy.  One is given power by merit while the other has absolute power by their strong hand.¡±

    ¡°As a Lich Empress, your biggest obstacle isn¡¯t your people; the Undead are utterly loyal to you, and one of those conditions of being a Royal Court member is being totally ardent.  However, the higher Grade a minion is, the more they can differ from your point of view, but they will always follow your orders.  Even if they don¡¯t like it.¡±

    Like Edmon¡ªwhen I told him not to die.

    ¡°Yes, just like that.  However, I must warn you that even your orders can be superseded by our nature to protect you from danger.  We each have our own definition of what that is, but the horror of the loss of the Empress is the core value; to us, the Empress is the Empire; you are reality itself.¡±

    ¡°Unlike machines, we have our own ability to determine a situation and adapt, which reminds me of Asimov¡¯s laws,¡± she mused. ¡°Oh, getting a bit off-topic again!¡±

    Clearing her throat, Tiffany moved back to the topic.  ¡°The one clear indicator is that we all follow you, and will do everything in our power to help you reach your goals!  We will never betray you ¡­ willingly.  I mean, there¡¯s always loopholes and ways for other people to potentially trick an intelligent Undead into doing something harmful to the Empire, but never willingly!¡±

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Elinor thought back on her former mother¡¯s actions over the past few hours and what she was learning about her followers.  Tiffany ¡­ what are your thoughts on the living?  Is it like most Undead films ¡­ Do you hate them?

    Tiffany burst out laughing; Elinor frowned as she watched orange liquid start falling out of her eyes before turning to vapor.

    Your eyes!  What¡¯s happening?

    ¡°I¡¯m just laughing so hard that I¡¯m crying!¡±  Tiffany stated, mirth dying down.  ¡°It is fascinating that Flesh Types can cry ¡­ it takes energy, though.  How interesting.  Physical pain can¡¯t make us cry, but laughter can ¡­ perhaps mental pain would be effective against us.¡±

    Tiffany?

    ¡°Right, right ¡­ just considering different possibilities.  Hmm ¡­ do I hate the living?  No, absolutely not.  Let¡¯s see¡ªhow would I describe how I feel about them?  Oh, I know!

    ¡°When you¡¯re walking around, minding your own business, then do you pay any attention to the insects on the ground?¡±

    No, I usually have other things on my mind.

    ¡°Mhm!  I don¡¯t hate the living, just as humans don¡¯t hate ants or bees.  I wouldn¡¯t go out of my way to kill the living, just as humans rarely go out of their way to give their limited time or focus to ants; it¡¯s no different than any other hierarchy in life.

    ¡°Now, can the living be useful?  Of course!  I mean, just as a Vampire might think humans are useful,¡± she paused, lower lip tucking under as her head tilted to the side, ¡°no, probably less than that.  Maybe like humans think insects are useful, I suppose?¡±  she said conversationally, smiling over at her without hesitation.

    ¡°The living provide you with energy as bees provide humans honey, entertainment, even, but if a bee were to sting most humans, then they¡¯d brush it off, and move on with their life, forgetting its existence entirely.  She stated with a bright smile.

    Elinor¡¯s fingers caressed the smooth bones of the hand she sat on; the flames flicked down their length, flaring with her touch, and a sad smile touched her lips.

    I see.  We¡¯re that different now ¡­ I do find myself leaning that way, but not quite over that cliff.  There¡¯s concern itching at the back of my mind, but it¡¯s hard to fight how you feel.  It¡¯s like telling yourself you¡¯re not attracted to some boy you like.

    ¡°Tanner?  Do you still have feelings for him?¡±  Tiffany asked with an unassuming expression.

    After a moment, Elinor¡¯s fingers lifted to graze her left studded earring before returning to her lap.  Feelings ¡­ a little, but not like they were.  I am grateful to him for giving me these earrings, but there¡¯s something else, too, she whispered, pressing the back of her knuckles against her raven feather tattoo.  I can¡¯t really put my finger on it; it¡¯s something different ¡­ like a fading light.

    Tiffany¡¯s tone softened.  ¡°How poetic.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes moved back to the Living Fruit; dense green lines still seeped out of the object.  I do act as if I have a choice with this hatred inside me.  Who¡­¡±

    Her thoughts faded while looking down to her right, focusing on green flames rising off her minion¡¯s hand; the fire was bowed as if being pushed back by an invisible force.  Her irises lifted to the Living Fruit, hovering in the orange energy above it.

    Tiffany¡­

    The Witch smiled sheepishly.  ¡°Too much talking?  I know I can get carried ¡­ oh ¡­ hmm ¡­ interesting,¡± she mumbled, shifting a little to study the impression.  ¡°I haven¡¯t sensed an increase in the pulse of energy?¡±

    She ignited another orange ball of flames, lowering it to the skeletal ape¡¯s hand.  ¡°Well ¡­ that¡¯s not good.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips pursed, waiting for Tiffany to explain.

    She folded her arms underneath her chest again, puffing out a long breath.  ¡°I knew that it was acting like electromagnetic radiation, but I didn¡¯t expect it to continue like this.  Since I cut it off the branch, its pulsing waves haven¡¯t increased in strength, but its range is slowly increasing.  That¡¯s so fascinating ¡­ dangerous if it continues, but interesting, nonetheless.¡±

    Could it be caused by Life Tap?

    ¡°It is possible.  Corrupting and drawing out the energy could have caused a shift inside, somehow.  If it was cycling or in motion, the shift in speed or direction could be causing changes internally, but to stay at a constant release rate is just odd.  Perhaps ¡­ it might be best to stop Life Tap and see if it continues to expand.¡±

    She complied, causing the lines of green energy to slowly fade as they were absorbed into her earrings.  They sat in silence for a few minutes as Tiffany stared at the Witch¡¯s Fire, engulfing her minion¡¯s green flames; there were no apparent changes.

    Elinor¡¯s irises shot up to Tiffany¡¯s face as she unfolded her arms, pressing a hand against her chest as she released a relieved sigh.

    ¡°It¡¯s retracting ¡­ although, it¡¯s extremely slow.  At this rate, it will possibly return to its normal release radius within twelve hours.  We talked for roughly thirty minutes, and it expanded ¡­ nearly two feet in that time.¡±

    It was a direct response to Life Tap, then?  Elinor asked with a frown.

    ¡°It appears that way, but I¡¯d still call it inconclusive.  We¡¯ll have to test it out again later, once it retracts.  Until that point, we¡¯ll have to hope nothing happens.  I suggest we leave one of your minions in the hallway to make sure nothing ¡­ unexpected occurs.  If it starts expanding again, then we¡¯ll need to know as soon as possible.

    ¡°The energy it releases would disrupt your body, and it would destroy any of your minions that aren¡¯t protected; in fact, I believe it¡¯s that aura that might be disrupting Life Tap itself, causing you to gain only a fraction of what you might gain.  Given enough time in its vicinity, then I suspect it would even start harming me.¡±  Tiffany said with a slight shiver while studying the glowing white fruit.

    Elinor directed her minions to lower them back to the floor.  What are you going to do with it?

    ¡°Probably leave it beside the pillar.  We don¡¯t know what will happen to it in the long term, but the pillar appears to have some kind of connection to it, and we¡¯ll want to be cautious, so returning it to its previous habitat seems appropriate, even if it¡¯s been separated from the main body of the tree.  This is unknown territory for us.  How much energy do you have?¡±

    She asked the question as her feet touched the green grass; her eyes widened as she received an answer.  I¡­  She trailed off for a moment, looking down at the radiant object before swallowing.

    Tiffany hopped off, body tense with anticipation as she waited.  ¡°Oh?  Is it a lot?¡±

    Eight thousand, two hundred, and seventeen percent ¡­ How does that make sense?

    Tiffany pumped her arm.  ¡°Yes!  Oh, it has to do with your level, D ¡­ umm, let¡¯s see¡­¡±

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully, smiling at Tiffany¡¯s catch.  It¡¯s okay, Tiffany, I don¡¯t mind if you use dear or honey.  I know it¡¯s a part of your personality.  As long as it¡¯s in private, then just act like you want.

    ¡°You spoil me too much!¡±  Tiffany cried, running her hands across her scalp, flaring out her raven black hair.  ¡°Thank you, Dear,¡± she said with a dazzling smile.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say you had two hundred points of energy; then you¡¯d multiply that by the exceeding percent, which would be ¡­ sixteen-thousand, four-hundred, and thirty-four.  You might not have that large of an energy pool, but it¡¯s not like your diamonds will crack.¡±

    Shouldn¡¯t I cap out at a hundred percent; how can I hold that much ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­

    ¡°Right!  You can¡¯t retain all of that energy.  The fact that it¡¯s such a high percentage proves just how condensed and powerful the energy in this fruit is,¡± she said, twirling the fruit around inside her fire as she circled it.

    Her orange irises moved to her ears.  ¡°You¡¯re leaking energy; even if you can¡¯t see it¡ªI mean, you don¡¯t really understand where your normal cap is, which means everything is relative.  However, if you could see yourself, your earrings are releasing wisps of Death Energy.  You could see it as wasted, but this is simply wonderful!¡±

    Why?

    ¡°Oh, honey, normally, you couldn¡¯t raise a Transcendent unit with how low your level is; you just don¡¯t have the strength.  However, you dismantled the energy of an Achievement Skill; I suspect you were able to accomplish that since your change is still in flux.  Ordinarily, Achievements are hard to come by, but since you became a world traveler, determined to stay here in this world, you gained an Achievement.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know which skill that was, but the energy to create Edmon and I came from using the energy found inside that skill.  I assume the breakdown of that skill and our creation caused a ripple effect that drew Demon¡¯s attention¡ªsince he pounced the moment we came into existence.¡±

    The Witch¡¯s lips fell as she moved the suspended fruit further away from Elinor.  ¡°However, I suggest we move out of this room and its potential danger before continuing, though¡­¡±  Her orange irises popped.  ¡°Oh, my ¡­ am I becoming as paranoid as Edmon?¡±

    Elinor chuckled, nodding as she turned to look up at the Tree of Life.  It¡¯s really common-sense at this point.  No doubt, Edmon would have been shaking with worry after all the risks we¡¯ve been taking.

    Tiffany jogged across the bridge to place the fruit at the foot of the tree, quickly retreating as her Witch¡¯s Fire vanished with a snap of her finger.

    ¡°He totally would be!  Although ¡­ even I feel a noose slowly closing around my neck with how dangerous this thing is.  We need to hurry down to raise the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; I expected we¡¯d need to gather hundreds of animals to get enough energy for you to raise Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, but with this much energy, we might be able to do everything in one fell swoop!¡±

    Contacting Edmon, Elinor asked, Does the Elder with you have any ideas where Te¡¯la went to communicate with the Hidden Ones?

    ¡°Empress?  Give me a moment ¡­ They''ve always suspected that the Hidden Ones were in the southern tunnels, past the breaches.  Apparently, during the war, the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra broke through the base level of the fortress, using the massive maze of caves below us.  The rest of the Yaltha¡¯ma have always been frightened of the undermine, causing them to avoid the area.

    ¡°They usually have lookouts that keep tabs on all the holes leading into the tunnels.  Hold on ¡­ El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca is sending one of his messengers to spread the word.  If you start making your way to the entrance, then he¡¯ll send a runner to guide you down the path she took.

    ¡°Now, are you safe?  Nothing dangerous has happened, right?¡±  His voice was laced with concern.

    Elinor glanced over at Tiffany with a look as they exited the hallway.  ¡°I suppose I should tell him.¡±

    Tiffany plucked at the edges of her shirt, covering up a bit of the underside of her bra that had been showing.  ¡°I suppose ¡­ he¡¯s going to want to destroy the place, though ¡­ probably.¡±

    Thank you, Edmon.  Yes, Tiffany and I are safe.  We discovered a tree that produces Living Fruit, which has given me all the energy I currently need.

    ¡°Living Fruit?¡±  he muttered.  ¡°If it can be corrupted into a usable form, then it can also be used as a weapon against you.  I suspect it¡¯s the room behind the thrones; I saw a very rough plan for the base of its construction.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tiffany butted in, climbing on one of her minion¡¯s outstretched hands after it had shut the door.  ¡°It can be used as a weapon, which is why we¡¯re sealing it off from all entrances.  If you¡¯ve seen the plans, then you know that it¡¯s fairly isolated.  There are some concerns that I can warn you about once we get time to meet.¡±

    Edmon hummed darkly for a moment.  ¡°Actually, this could work out in our favor.  If you have gained a lot of energy, then we can raise your levels, proficiencies, and army quickly.  You share a portion of the experience from the increases of your army, which is how you advance.  This could give us the edge we need; having an advanced unit that can spy and sabotage the enemy while we prepare would be ideal.¡±

    Atop her remaining skeletal guard, Elinor¡¯s green irises fell on Dalria¡¯s sleeping form before they descended the left staircase to ground level.

    They exited the palace through the front entrance, passing through the extravagant main ballroom.  Elinor¡¯s eyes shot toward the heavens as a bolt of blue-white lightning split the sky, followed shortly after by the rolling sound that sent shivers down her spine; there was already the sparse signs of rainfall as the storm picked up ferocity.

    Tiffany created two globes of Witch¡¯s Fire to act as their umbrellas, hovering above their heads to catch and release water around them.  ¡°I always loved storms,¡± she commented, smiling peacefully at the wall of incoming rain as it moved across the valley.

    They made it halfway down the street before Yaltha¡¯ma began joining her, giving reports on Te¡¯la¡¯s movements; the creatures grew damper as the pelting rain intensified.  She listened to them before sending all but one back to the duties they¡¯d been assigned by Gwen or the Elders, using their information to follow the creature¡¯s trail.

 B1 â€” 22. Veil of the Witch

    Elinor¡¯s eyes fell to the granite block road, following the flow of the water as the heavens lit with lightning; thunder shook the air as the storm¡¯s fury intensified.  The wind whistled past them, kept at bay by Tiffany¡¯s Witch¡¯s Fire, but the small creature guiding them was noticeably affected by the gale.  Still, he pressed on.

    She turned her focus to the Yaltha¡¯ma; his mixed mongoose, fox, and monkey characteristics, in addition to his colorful feathers, made him more than a little cute, but she¡¯d seen the Yaltha¡¯ma¡¯s sharp fangs and claws that indicated that they were far from defenseless.  Yet, from the creatures she¡¯d seen so far, they were far from alpha hunters, and even the Quen¡¯Talrat were said to have had deadly enemies within this harsh environment.

    Her ghostly green irises shifted to Tiffany as she spoke in her mind; she wore a frown while leaning against the skeletal thumb of their ride.

    ¡°Elinor, it might be best to allow our adorable little guide to give us vocal directions on our mount¡¯s shoulders.  We are losing time as the storm grows stronger, and the longer we dally, the more your excess Death Energy dissipates.¡±

    A valid point.

    Clearing her throat, she said, ¡°What is your name?¡±

    The quivering and sopping wet Yaltha¡¯ma slowed, clearly shivering as he peered up at her through the pelting rain.  ¡°Ina¡¯ko¡ªE-Empress,¡± he shouted.

    Elinor directed her minion to lower Tiffany near ground level, her bare toes flexing as she let the building streams of water run past her feet; she gave the creature a charming smile.  ¡°Hello, Ina¡¯ko.  We are running on a bit of a tight schedule.  So, if you could run up this fine-boned arm to rest on this Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s collarbone while directing us, then that would be wonderful.¡±

    He swallowed, glancing up at Elinor for confirmation; once she nodded, Ina¡¯ko raced up the skeleton¡¯s arm.  Once he reached the top, he tensed as a ball of Witch¡¯s Fire encircled him; it almost looked like his fur rejected the water soaking his body as it dropped down the bony structure of their steed, green ghostly flames completely unresponsive to the liquid.

    ¡°Well, how¡¯s that, Dear?¡±  Tiffany asked brightly, the skeletal chair she sat on rising back to join Elinor as the ape increased its pace by a substantial margin.

    ¡°G-Good ¡­ Ina¡¯ko thank the Royal Ritualist¡­¡±

    ¡°Now, now, like I said, we¡¯re on a clock, Dear,¡± Tiffany prompted.  ¡°Keep guiding us.  The Quen¡¯Talrat will follow what directions you state.¡±

    ¡°O-Of course,¡± he replied.  ¡°Ina¡¯ko will do Ina¡¯ko¡¯s bests!  Forward, it is closer to the West Wall.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re in your care,¡± Tiffany clapped, turning a content smile toward the storm overhead as the rain whistled around them in patterned gusts.

    Elinor shifted a little to study her Royal Ritualist, keeping her features neutral.

    She says she views the living like bugs, yet she noticed Ina¡¯ko¡¯s struggles and helped him.  Is her attitude all a mask that she puts on to help my image with the creatures?  She can be so carefree yet obsessive.

    I suppose she could be more angry with how the creature being slow is draining my Death energy, and this is more of an aggressive act for her?  I¡¯m not quite sure ¡­ Tiffany definitely wears multiple masks, and it¡¯s hard to tell what she¡¯s actually feeling at times without checking our connection, but she¡¯s totally loyal to me.

    Looking ahead, she hummed softly, lips curving into a soft smile; the road was so long that she couldn¡¯t even see the end with the wall of rain obscuring even the mountains to their north.  The strong gusts created waves along the ground; she loved storms, she even felt a touch of joy past the dulling effects of Emotional Loss.

    Tiffany, this city really is amazing.  It was designed to handle storms like this, right?  I see the windows are still intact in all of the buildings.  If it¡¯s been over a century without any real maintenance ¡­ how is that possible?

    Tiffany turned away from the sky to glance at the structures.  ¡°Indeed, it is quite a marvel, and it¡¯s not my expertise.  I talked with Edmon about a few things while I looked around.  I found several devices that could have some modern equivalents, like baking appliances.  The truly fascinating thing is the power source; it seems those colorful gems power everything.¡±

    Elinor listened to Tiffany explain what Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had left for them and what they needed to focus on while her eyes wandered.

    ¡°The city itself is massive; it¡¯s likely much bigger than we first anticipated, and extends even further underground.  Edmon told me he¡¯s seen in the designs, let¡¯s see ¡­ the major ones that he noted were elevators, sewage systems, shipping, and storage areas.

    ¡°There are zones of key functions of the city such as industry, hospitals, and housing with data that Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma kept on mapping diseases to minimize their spread.

    ¡°They have a power system based on the gems with some kind of strange conductive mineral used as wiring.  There¡¯s a rail system surrounding the edges with what appears to be prototype machines that look surprisingly close to cars.

    ¡°The city has also been designed to a grid system and labeled by Quen¡¯Talrat numbers with the center being the palace.

    ¡°There did seem to be issues with communication, which is a massive disadvantage.  They used the Yaltha¡¯ma as messengers, which is just too slow.  It¡¯s something we need to focus on.¡±

    Elinor frowned, shifting slightly on her seat to face the Witch.  Can¡¯t we just talk through my network?

    ¡°Mmh, yes,¡± she slowly replied, ¡°but that has a limited range; we need something that works across a longer distance to maintain a proper channel of information.  I¡¯m looking forward to a world-wide network that can transmit vital data instantaneously¡±

    Once Tiffany paused, she asked, It¡¯s wonderful that we have so much to focus on in the future, but what do we have to work with right now?  How much damage are we looking at with the city?

    Tiffany didn¡¯t respond right away, glancing around at the rising water along the streets.  ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good question.  It looks like some of the sewage systems might be plugged up.  Edmon, what have you discovered about the repairs needed?  We see some buildup of water up here; it¡¯s draining, but extremely slowly.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s voice entered their minds.  ¡°I told you before, Tiffany ¡­ I¡¯m still working on it.  I¡¯m studying the designs; this city is a whole lot larger and more complex than it appears.  There are thirty layers below the surface and a massive cave system that the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra linked to it, which is a current weakness that needs some attention.  During the war, they dug through the tunnels to invade the Quen¡¯Talrat, and we could be invaded the very same way.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±  Tiffany asked.  ¡°From what I understand, the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra weren¡¯t connected to the other allied nations.¡±

    ¡°Why would I have that answer?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just asking the question ¡­ it¡¯s not like I¡¯d expect a blockhead like you to have an answer.¡±

    ¡°You asked me a question ¡­ expecting I didn¡¯t have the answer?  Are you just trying to waste my time?  Because I¡¯m currently very busy trying to figure out the problem you first asked me ¡­ the sewage system.

    ¡°Gross ¡­ yeah, let¡¯s get the sewage working.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad we agree on something ¡­ unlike our last conversation.  I¡¯ll probably put the sewage problem behind sealing the breaches, though.  Why don¡¯t you go clean up the waste or clean out the sewage; you¡¯re rather competent in that field, right?¡±

    Tiffany glared down at a pool of water rising around a drain as it backed up.  ¡°You¡¯re impossible!¡±

    Edmon chuckled.  ¡°I learned that the Quen¡¯Talrat lived three times a normal human¡¯s life-span, but still, the advancements Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma made are astonishing.¡±

    Elinor cut in, feeling a little amused by their light punches.  He didn¡¯t come up with all of it on his own; Demon taught him a lot in exchange for breaking an orb.  He took the deal I rejected.

    ¡°Ah,¡± Edmon hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°That makes a lot more sense.  He was in contact with that creature ¡­ how far does its network spread?  We could run into a lot of trouble if he starts spinning ideas in different nations¡¯ heads.  Hmm, speaking of that, Tiffany and I were discussing communications earlier.  She seems to think it¡¯s immediately important, but I¡¯m not so sure.¡±

    Tiffany released a soft huff.  ¡°Communication is critical in any civilization.  The invention of long-distance transmissions was a game-changer in war.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but only on the large scale offensive and defensive playing field; we are on the defensive, and quite small, at the moment.  Who would be contacting?  We need to focus on fortifying and bolstering our army.  You¡¯re skipping right past the building phase.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but I¡¯d still like Elinor being in constant communication with everyone within her Empire.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just leave it to Elinor, then ¡­ this is drawing my attention away from identifying all the weak points in the fortress and handling critical problems.¡±

    Elinor was silent for a moment as Tiffany looked over at her with hopeful eyes, but she gave her a sad smile.  I know communication is important, Tiffany, and being without my cell phone was torture back on Earth ¡­ but I agree with Edmon.  I shouldn¡¯t micromanage the Royal Court, right?  If this Th¨¦lm¨¦thra is really as high of a Grade as you believe, then we should put our trust in her.  Still¡­

    Tiffany¡¯s sad expression turned broodish as she continued.  We¡¯ll have to see what kind of personality this queen has; there¡¯s always the possibility that she won¡¯t join us ¡­ as much as that annoys me, it¡¯s something I need to consider.

    ¡°Quite true,¡± Tiffany breathed out a long sigh, and she felt the Witch cut her communication with Edmon.  ¡°I suppose I¡¯m letting my personal feelings influence my decisions with the insufferable Gatekeeper.¡±

    Elinor smiled, glancing up at the sky as it flashed with more bluish-white lightning before returning to the path ahead of them.  Their guide had led the Quen¡¯Talrat down the main east road, until now.  Upon further inspection of the area, she theorized that they were entering something of a manufacturing district with the large warehouse-type buildings surrounding them.

    ¡°To the left.¡±

    She glanced over at a structure he was focused on; it had thick metal gates that were open.  The large ape shifted paths at the small creature¡¯s direction, entering without hesitation.

    The entrance was wide enough to allow three Quen¡¯Talrat to enter and exit; there was half a meter rise to get into the gatehouse with a small ramp on either side for the Yaltha¡¯ma, and grates in case water got in.

    Exiting the storm, the lightning, rain, and wind died down, causing Tiffany to extinguish her fire around them; she left a bright torch for the small creature to identify where they were and continued further into the depths of the city.

    Elinor glanced around at the plain black walls, but her mind was back with the Witch and Doom Guard¡¯s conversation.  She gave Tiffany a soft smile.  I¡¯m sure you are letting your personal feelings influence you.

    Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Tiffany asked with a forced smile.  ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    Her green irises narrowed slightly as she studied her former mother, bright with amusement.  You¡¯ve been having some private conversations with him?  Is there something you like about Edmon?

    ¡°Well, not much,¡± Tiffany sniffed.  ¡°But ¡­ he does have a nice voice, and I do wish he¡¯d take off his helmet every once in a while.  He might be a bit detestable at times, but he¡¯s got a handsome face,¡± she mumbled, kicking out her feet a little as she stared down at her lap.  ¡°If only he could lighten up a bit!  Geez ¡­ it¡¯s like¡ªI don¡¯t know, he¡¯s so serious¡ªall the time!  It¡¯s exhausting¡­¡±

    Elinor giggled, causing Ina¡¯ko to glance down at her with concern before quickly righting his head.  He licked his lips nervously, turning back to the abyss as they continued to descend, step by step, passing level after level.  She didn¡¯t have time to study the hallways rushing by, but her focus was still on her former parents.

    I¡¯m glad you both get along.

    ¡°Not a whole lot¡­¡±  Tiffany muttered.  ¡°These stairs are well designed, though ¡­ shoot, that¡¯s Edmon¡¯s point of interest.  I have a¡­¡±  She paused as Edmon¡¯s voice entered their minds again.

    ¡°Tiffany, I found something interesting in the plans that you¡¯ll salivate over,¡± he said with an amused tone.

    When he didn¡¯t elaborate, she growled.  ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t leave me waiting!  What is it?  What, did you find the powerplant or something?¡±

    ¡°Not exactly.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s expression became more and more vexed as Edmon let the mystery continue.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Give me a moment, I¡¯m directing a lot of Yaltha¡¯ma.  You¡¯re just like a kid¡­¡±

    She rolled her eyes, and Elinor thought she saw a light blush on the witch¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°You¡¯re just pulling my leg, aren¡¯t you?  It¡¯s just like¡­¡±

    ¡°I found a district with massive greenhouses to the northeast,¡± Edmon chuckled.  ¡°Interested?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s eyes slowly widened, clearly, her mind was foaming with possibilities.  ¡°That¡¯s¡ªthat¡¯s wonderful!  Excellent!  What else can you tell me about it?¡±

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t dedicate too much time to just looking at those plans,¡± Edmon muttered, but it was clear that he knew this would press Tiffany¡¯s buttons.  ¡°You¡¯re busy supporting Elinor with the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra incident anyways, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    A groan left Tiffany¡¯s throat as she threw her head back against the bony hand she sat on, tapping the back of her skull against it with frustration.  ¡°You¡¯re evil!¡±

    ¡°Just thought I¡¯d make you aware.¡±

    ¡°Of course, you did¡­¡±

    ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I gotta go¡ªyou know, important things to do.¡±

    ¡°Quit acting all big,¡±  Tiffany huffed.

    ¡°Hey, I got shots to make, Benihana.¡±

    She glanced over at Tiffany¡¯s sour expression as the Witch huffed, ¡°Huh?  What does that even mean?¡±

    ¡°Nothing.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    They fell silent, causing Elinor to smile, and after a moment, Edmon chuckled, leaving off with, ¡°You¡¯ll have to stop by to check them out with me when you get the time.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s smile grew as Tiffany¡¯s vision fell to the floor, and this time, there really was a rosy blush touching her cheeks.  ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

    They still hold feelings toward one another, but it¡¯s entered a new field.  Perhaps there¡¯s hope, and they¡¯ve got a lot of ground to cover, but somehow, there¡¯s still chemistry.

    They continued down all thirty floors that Edmon had stated, which took longer than she expected; she realized the levels were much bigger than what she was used to since Quen¡¯Talrat were three times the size of an average human.

    The bottom floor almost looked like a parking garage with masses of rotting crates and debris; there were large piles of what seemed trash, likely left behind by the armies after they¡¯d looted the fortress, and there were puddles forming at random places around the area.

    The space itself was as large as a football stadium, complete with the stands and field, rising eight meters high.  The entire room was designed with arches and pillars, supporting the massive weight above.

    Along the wall, far to the left, were large openings that appeared to function like elevators to haul the stored items up and down.  However, the one oddity with the masterfully constructed zone was a hole in the floor, fifteen meters to the right of the entrance.  Elinor was a little surprised to see Te¡¯la near its edge.

    ¡°Ina¡¯ko,¡± Elinor said, eyes on Te¡¯la, ¡°you may return to your duties ¡­ on second thought.¡±  Her focus shifted to the ground.  ¡°Gwen has had a long day.  Go find the woman that was with us and tell her to leave someone in charge of cleaning while she sleeps, if she¡¯s tired.  If she is not tired, then she can continue, but if she needs rest, then find her a proper place to sleep.¡±

    Tiffany cleared her throat as Elinor ended her order.  ¡°Also, it might be helpful to have a few Yaltha¡¯ma guard her while she sleeps.  She¡¯ll likely feel very exposed, and make sure she¡¯s comfortable when she falls asleep.¡±

    Ina¡¯ko quickly raced down the skeletal ape¡¯s bony body, saying, ¡°Ina¡¯ko will not fail the Empress!¡±

    ¡°So reliable,¡± Tiffany giggled, turning her orange irises to Te¡¯la as she hesitantly inched toward them; she was clearly nervous with her ears back, tail and head low.  ¡°Dear, what happened?  You look whipped.¡±

    Elinor observed the creature as she shuffled a little, stuttering a bit with her words.  ¡°Te¡¯la went to Hidden Ones ¡­ the¡ªthe Hidden Ones¡ªdon¡¯t believe Te¡¯la.  Te¡¯la told the Hidden Ones about E-Empress Elinor, and the great power Empress Elinor has, but¡ªbut the Hidden Ones said Te¡¯la abandoned the ways¡­¡±

    ¡°Poor thing,¡± Tiffany sighed, glancing back at Elinor.

    A low hum rumbled in Elinor¡¯s throat before she replied.  ¡°I didn¡¯t really expect they¡¯d welcome me with open arms.  However, I do anticipate how they¡¯ll respond once I stand before them.¡±

    She let the silence press in around them as her mind returned to the questions she held about her Royal Ritualist, but it didn¡¯t last long.

    I just don¡¯t fully understand her motives.  She thinks about Gwen, Te¡¯la, and so many other things, but she only views them as beneficial insects when relevant.  How do my wishes change her reactions or manipulate the mask she puts on?

    ¡°Honey,¡± Tiffany prompted.  ¡°We really should hurry.¡±

    Te¡¯la swallowed hard as she glanced between them, trying to figure out if she should speak or not.  After several seconds she said, ¡°Te¡¯la¡ªagrees, Empress ¡­ once the Hidden Ones feel the Empress¡¯ great power, then the Hidden Ones will understand!¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Elinor whispered before ordering her minion to lower Tiffany¡¯s arm.

    ¡°Come up, Dear,¡± Tiffany said with a bright smile.  ¡°Climb up to the collarbone and guide us to the bodies of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra and the Hidden Ones.¡±

    Te¡¯la hesitated for a moment before quickly running up the bones; they were soon on the move, dropping through the opening in the floor.

    After a few minutes of near silence, only broken by Te¡¯la¡¯s directions, they came upon a branch, and Elinor asked, ¡°What is the Hidden Ones¡¯ leader¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°The leader of the Hidden Ones is called El¡¯co,¡± Te¡¯la stated, swallowing after.  ¡°It is said that El¡¯co used to be an Elder, the youngest admitted to the Inner Circle before El¡¯co¡¯s revelations.¡±

    ¡°Revelations?¡±  Tiffany asked, glancing around at the walls with interest as her eyes followed different colored veins in the stone.

    ¡°Y-Yes¡ªEl¡¯co learned from the ancient scripts ¡­ El¡¯co learned the Quen¡¯Talrat language ¡­ El¡¯co learned of the wars with the fearsome underlivers, the Hidden Ones.  Te¡¯la now know the underlivers were called Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.  Knowledge is only passed down by the El ¡­ the single leader.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Tiffany hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°So, El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca was the only one that would have the proper understanding of the distant past as passed down from El to El.  Did you give El¡¯co the title of El?¡±

    ¡°H-How did Tiffany know?¡±  Te¡¯la asked with shock.

    ¡°Just an educated guess,¡± she replied with a soft laugh.  ¡°El¡¯co learned about the stories of the past through the writings in the library, which caused a rift with your tribe.  Hmm?  When did this happen?¡±

    ¡°When Te¡¯la was still with Te¡¯la¡¯s mother,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°Before the massacre ¡­ before the Hidden Ones were forced into the caves.¡±

    ¡°How tragic,¡± Tiffany whispered.  ¡°You lost your mother in the massacre?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ Te¡¯la¡¯s mother agreed with El¡¯co that Yaltha¡¯ma should seek the aid from the ones that first accepted the Yaltha¡¯ma ¡­ the Quen¡¯Talrat treated Yaltha¡¯ma like disposable dung ¡­ ugly, and out of sight.  Th¨¦lm¨¦thra respected Yaltha¡¯ma.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tiffany folded her legs as she leaned back to stare up at the ceiling.  ¡°History is often different from what we¡¯re taught, or even revised to propagate propaganda.¡±

    ¡°W-We¡¯re almost there,¡± Te¡¯la quivered as she balanced on the skeletal ape¡¯s collarbone.

    Elinor kept a straight face as she heard voices up ahead.

    ¡°Lights, lights in the tunnel!¡±

    ¡°Te¡¯la should have been imprisoned!¡±

    ¡°Prepare!¡±

    A dark chuckle left Tiffany¡¯s lips.  ¡°Well, they¡¯re rather excited.  Should I prepare a little something?¡±

    Elinor straightened on her bony throne, making sure her clothes and hair were presentable before glancing over at the Witch, releasing the full effect of Lesser Aura of Supremacy.  Everyone within was assaulted by the Horrify status effect, and if that failed, the Fear status effect would activate next.

    Te¡¯la froze, fur spiking as the mental attack overwhelmed her; the noise ahead of them died, and an eerie silence followed after the fading echoes.

    Elinor smiled at her former mother.  I don¡¯t think that will be necessary, but you have my interest.  What would you do?

    ¡°A shame,¡± she sighed.  ¡°I was hoping to utilize a toxic gas that would have caused quite the reaction.¡±

    What about Te¡¯la?

    ¡°Oh, no need to worry, it¡¯s heavier than air; she¡¯d be safe up here.¡±

    What would it do, melt their insides?

    Elinor¡¯s attention was diverted as they came upon their welcome party, and there was a pleasant surprise gift waiting for her.  Rounding a corner in the cave, they came upon a decent-sized cavernous room with five Yaltha¡¯ma quivering before her; they couldn¡¯t even lift their eyes, trapped in the terror running circles around their petrified minds.

    To the left and right of the cave were two carcasses of what she could only assume were Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; they were far more elegant than what she¡¯d pictured from her mental image of the spiders back home.

    The hard exoskeletons were clearly crushed, but she still held out hope; her current steed strolled right by the frozen guards while she activated Herald of the Empress.  Two greenish butterflies left from the fire that engulfed her arms.

    Her fluttering flames circled the remains, giving her an understanding of what she was dealing with as she studied the large creatures.

    If one stood up, then its thin, long eight legs would raise higher than its body; each leg appeared to have seven joints, and the ends of each had an armored plate-like spike.  If that wasn¡¯t enough, the ends were more than sharp enough to be spear-like weapons.

    Its sleek butt appeared to have exoskeleton plates that protected the inner section, but there were clear sections that exposed the inner softer body between each layer, long since decayed.  On the tail of the butt was a sharp yellow-jacket-like barb.

    The creature¡¯s metallic-like fangs were sharp, likely with a hollowed point to inject poison, and the teeth had fallen out long ago, resting across the ground.  Its head was a lot more elegant and sculpted than she imagined it would be.

    It appeared more like a fancy armored death machine than a furry spider.  Both exoskeletons were vastly different shades, representing different palettes of the cave¡¯s color scheme.

    She judged that they were about two meters tall, but could have been more if alive and standing before her.  With the insides decayed, all she had to go off of was the shell, which wasn¡¯t much.  The one to her right was more damaged than the one to her left, and only the left one could be used.

    ¡°Any luck?¡±  Tiffany asked as she shifted around in her bony seat, trying to view different angles of the creatures.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ however, it¡¯s only a Common-Grade.  Still, better than nothing, but not what I was hoping for.¡±

    On desire, one of her butterflies landed on the left spider, igniting the carcass; the unintelligent minion¡¯s legs twitched as it rose, standing a bit higher than her previous prediction.

    ¡°Pretty,¡± Tiffany whispered as its colors shifted.

    An emerald fire erupted from within the hard case, flames flaring out from the plates around its butt, eyes, mouth, and spade like pattern on its head.  She released Lesser Aura of Supremacy, turning to address the now freed Yaltha¡¯ma.

    They shivered and quaked as they looked between her and her newly raised minion; commanding it to roar, she was a little amused as it released a loud hiss that almost sounded like a mix between a cat and steam engine.

    It crept forward, movements rigid, flames expanding as it loomed over the small fox-like creatures.  With the following silence, she glared down at the Hidden Ones; using a Quen¡¯Talrat as a throne with a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra guard dog by her side, awaiting her orders, she knew she made for a terrifying sight even without her ability.

    I could just walk past all these small creatures, resurrect what I need, and walk away ¡­ but is that what I really want?

    After a moment¡¯s thought, she breathed a soft sigh.  ¡°I am Empress Elinor.  Take me to your leader.¡±

    Without a word, they all swallowed before bowing their heads; it still took a few seconds for their legs to work properly.  None could speak, causing Tiffany¡¯s soft words to press in around them.

    ¡°The poor things must see fatality running around their minds, feeling that ominous pressure crawling up and down their spines.¡±

    Elinor glanced to her right, and just for a moment, she saw the indifference for the creatures in Tiffany¡¯s cold orange irises before it was replaced with a welcoming smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s like the quintessence of death has emerged from the ether to stand before them.¡±

 B1 â€” 23. The Makings Of An Empire

    Elinor followed the guards through the tunnels; they turned to glance at her every once in a while, quickly returning their focus to the front as they caught sight of the burning spider and ape. Te¡¯la had slowly stopped quivering but hadn¡¯t spoken since she¡¯d released Lesser Aura of Supremacy.

    After a few minutes, they heard soft echoes down branching hallways; the passageways were shockingly level, and if there was a descent or ascent, it was a smooth transition. Several Yaltha¡¯ma caught sight of them as they passed further into the maze, and upon seeing the Undead Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, followed with low mutters.

    They swallowed nervously, eyes darting to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra before eventually quickening their pace without a word, tongues likely still stuck to the roof of their mouths.

    The Witch¡¯s smile returned as the Yaltha¡¯ma broke into a run. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking; we¡¯ll get there in no time!¡±

    ¡°You did say we were on a clock,¡± Elinor commented, watching their thin muscles work from her skeletal throne, air pressure flattening their colorful feathers. She was beginning to notice wet brown spots along the ground, mirroring the patterns overhead.

    ¡°That we are!¡± Turning back to her, Tiffany pointed up at the glowing ceiling; the volume of her voice increased to compensate for the strangely salted air rushing past them. ¡°Pretty, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±

    Her focus lifted to Te¡¯la as she whispered, ¡°It¡¯s our food.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve found your voice!¡± Tiffany commented, her soft tone echoing in the tunnel. ¡°Food, you say?¡±

    ¡°Mhm?¡± Te¡¯la mumbled, fingers hugging the ape¡¯s collar bone in a death grip.

    Tiffany shifted her back against the hand she sat on with a light hum. ¡°How interesting. You must have developed an immunity to their poison; of course, these types of glow worms might not be poisonous¡­¡±

    Elinor noticed strange insects beginning to appear around the area, floating like gnats, but avoiding them entirely as they passed.

    The Witch trailed off as a group of forty or more Yaltha¡¯ma emerged from around the corner, but everyone¡¯s focus darted to Elinor¡¯s guides as they desperately tried to stop, claws shooting out; it was too late, their legs gave way.

    Tiffany winced, whispering, ¡°Oof!¡±

    The five Yaltha¡¯ma rolled across the ground in a fit of grunts and cries, stopping in a tangled heap before the confused crowd.

    Her Quen¡¯Talrat was sharp as a tack, reacting in that split second to quickly adjust their momentum, easing the g-forces that struck Elinor and Tiffany while coming to a halt along the left wall to the throng.

    It was surprisingly quiet as the five small feathered monkeys struggled to right themselves; Elinor and Tiffany¡¯s focus moved from the recovering creatures to the group. They mirrored their example.

    ¡°A welcoming party?¡± Tiffany questioned, tilting her head with a perplexed smile while adjusting her hair.

    The five Yaltha¡¯ma found their voices and instantly started babbling.

    ¡°El¡¯co! The Forsaken One¡­¡±

    ¡°Te¡¯la was right!¡±

    ¡°What should the Hidden Ones do?¡±

    ¡°Elinor is so powerful!¡±

    A Yaltha¡¯ma with faded feathers and a scarred left ear, mumbled, ¡°How¡­ How is this possible¡­¡± Her tone was as elderly as El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca¡¯s.

    Elinor ordered both her skeletal ape and spider to stand tall. She crossed her legs, leaning back against her minion¡¯s long skeletal fingers to give them an appraising stare; Tiffany followed her example, folding her hands across her lap as she waited for the scene to play out.

    The Hidden Ones around them hushed, observing the reanimated Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, and they slowly inching forward, cautiously circling it.

    Elinor spoke in the ensuing silence as they hovered at the edges of the corridor. ¡°How long will you hide your face from me, El¡¯co? Are you afraid?¡±

    She watched several of the creatures lick their lips nervously, prancing back and forth, likely trying to decide if it was best to run; the fear was palpable with the low whimpers, and their tails and ears tucked back. However, after a moment, the elderly leader stepped out, ears laid back and tail low as she approached.

    ¡°El¡¯co was warned by Te¡¯la ¡­ El¡¯co sees Te¡¯la atop the flaming Quen¡¯Talrat; El¡¯co doubted Te¡¯la, and¡ªand El¡¯co is regretful of El¡¯co¡¯s decision. Is¡ªis such a thing possible? Can Elinor bring back the Forsaken Ones?¡±

    ¡°What has Te¡¯la told you about me?¡±

    Te¡¯la flinched as she focused on her ghostly green irises, likely thinking her account was being brought into question.

    ¡°That¡ªthere is a mighty one that has descended upon the Yaltha¡¯ma ¡­ the leader over the dead¡ªone that is above the White God¡­ even the Forsaken Ones. Empress Elinor, The Empress of the Dead¡ªis what Te¡¯la told El¡¯co ¡­ El¡¯co is to bring Elinor to the Shrine of the Queen¡ªto the remains of the Queen and the Queen¡¯s daughters.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes sparkled, and she refrained from licking her lips, but couldn¡¯t help sitting a little forward with the revelation. ¡°The Queen, and her daughters?¡± she emphasized.

    ¡°How fortuitous!¡± Tiffany clapped, causing El¡¯co to jump and a lump to drop down her throat.

    ¡°Y-Yes ¡­ the Hidden Ones f-found the¡ªhave protected the remains since¡ªsince El¡¯co organized the search party to recover the Queen¡¯s legacy. The Hidden Ones have done everything¡­¡±

    This is perfect, Tiffany!

    ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t have a moment to spare; your energy is draining rapidly.¡±

    Cutting the El off, Elinor said, ¡°We must go to the shrine as soon as possible. Lead the way.¡±

    ¡°El¡¯co understands, but¡ªbut the Hidden Ones must¡­¡±

    On command, she was raised further into the air, near the glowing worms above. Her bright irises appraised the cowering creatures before her. ¡°Are you unconvinced of my power or your place within my Empire?¡±

    ¡°W-What is the Hidden Ones¡¯ place¡ªE-Empress?¡±

    Elinor took a long breath, closing her eyes for a moment; she added a warm smile. ¡°That is a perfectly reasonable question. Gather around and relax a little. I will tell you what your place is within my Empire, but we must be swift.¡±

    Rushing things will only cause issues. Right, Tiffany?

    ¡°Well, that is a possibility, but I don¡¯t see how your first approach was necessarily bad. Let¡¯s see ¡­ a quick examination on Empire building¡ªI should have explained this first.¡± She gave a short chuckle.

    Tiffany quickly explained the gist of her thoughts, giving her a framework of what to say as the small creatures looked up at her with worry, likely concerned about their futures.

    Flipping her legs the opposite way, Elinor had her minion lower her to a level that they could more easily gaze upon her. Clearing her throat, she said, ¡°The Hidden Ones have done a wonderful service for me and the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, the true name for the ones you call Forsaken.¡±

    There were excited whispers at her words as they shifted upon the ground, mumbling to one another about the discovery of the long lost name.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy with what you¡¯ve accomplished ¡­ the sacrifices you¡¯ve made have not been in vain; the memories of your loved ones will live on within your hearts and the values ¡­ the traditions you¡¯ve passed down.¡±

    Turning to smile at them, she guided her minion¡¯s hand to the smooth stone floor to stand; she walked to the front row of the Hidden Ones with a soft smile. ¡°Hiding away in these caves ¡­ unable to see the stars and dreaming of being free to live without worry of being killed for your beliefs. I¡¯ve come to answer those prayers,¡± she said, bending down to stroke one of the fox¡¯s heads.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to take you to those dreams, and far away from those terrible memories. I¡¯m here to hold you in my arms and guide you to a place higher than you could possibly imagine.¡±

    Elinor straightened, and a male whispered, ¡°E-Empress Elinor¡ªthe Empress will really do that for The Hidden Ones?¡±

    Her smile appeared genuine, and in truth, she honestly wished to better these creatures¡¯ lives. They¡¯d done nothing but wait patiently for someone to take them by the hand and lead them to happiness, holding onto a belief that something could help them combat this cruel world.

    ¡°I am Empress Elinor, and I rule an Undying Empire; I am the military might, and all those that follow me will be safe. If you serve me faithfully, then you will no longer fear the outside world, and my Empire will thrive with your aid. Become one with something larger than yourself, become a citizen of my Empire.¡±

    There was a moment of silence before questions began flying around, and they began to crowd her.

    ¡°How does Ti¡¯ku become a citizen?¡±

    ¡°Ul¡¯to wishes to be a citizen!¡±

    ¡°Praise be to the Empress!¡±

    ¡°The Savior has come!¡±

    ¡°Ge¡¯la wants to be useful to the Empire!¡±

    Looking back at the Witch, Elinor watched her former mother laugh softly, observing the clamoring throng of hopeful believers. ¡°Such simple creatures. Now, you can transition. I¡¯ll explain it further as we go; what you¡¯ve gained is control.¡±

    Elinor was about to thank her Royal Ritualist and advisor but quickly caught herself, knowing Tiffany¡¯s support was something natural to the woman. Gratitude was best shown through the use of her advice.

    ¡°Settle down,¡± Elinor said with a light giggle. It took half a minute for the excited foxes to regain control of themselves, but it was almost unanimous; they darted back, turned to face her, and bowed their heads with respect, waiting, leaving only one to stand.

    El¡¯co¡¯s pink tongue slid across her lips as she glanced back at her people before looking up at her. ¡°El¡¯co doesn¡¯t wish to be¡ªto be i-impertinent ¡­ what about the Yaltha¡¯ma of the White God? The Hidden Ones are small ¡­ the Hidden Ones are hated,¡± she whispered, head held low as she nervously scratched her left ear.

    Her soft smile still compassionate, Elinor walked forward and bent down to her level. ¡°I¡¯ve made it very clear; there is no longer the Yaltha¡¯ma of the White God or Yaltha¡¯ma of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; there is only the Yaltha¡¯ma of Empress Elinor. Everyone within the Empire is under me, and under me, there is protection.¡±

    ¡°El¡¯co may¡ªeven El¡¯co¡¯s brother?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me,¡± Tiffany giggled, causing the elderly leader¡¯s head to snap toward her, eyes wide with hope. ¡°No, it couldn¡¯t be ¡­ but if she figured out how to read the Quen¡¯Talrat language, perhaps it isn¡¯t so far fetched.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid,¡± Elinor whispered, stroking her ruffled neck. ¡°Your brother is El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca ¡­ El¡¯co¡¯s brother ¡­ El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca revoked El¡¯co¡¯s Ca ¡­ saying El¡¯co disrespected the proud Ca name.¡±

    Elinor released a soft sigh. ¡°I¡¯m here to set you all free ¡­ El¡¯Co¡¯Ca, you no longer need to shoulder that burden. Both you and your brother have now united again; within the Empire, you are family once more.¡±

    Tears fell down El¡¯Co¡¯Ca¡¯s cheeks. ¡°El ¡­ words fail El¡¯Co¡¯Ca¡ªEmpress Elinor.¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Elinor replied as she straightened, still following Tiffany¡¯s amused tone in her head. ¡°Today is a day of atonement. Let us go to the shrine. The Queen and her children have been waiting for long enough for their chance to recount their tale.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± El¡¯Co¡¯Ca sniffed, trying to hold back her tears. ¡°P-Please, follow El¡¯Co¡¯Ca¡ªEmpress.¡±

    It worked perfectly, Tiffany.

    ¡°Yes, well, they¡¯re rather simple creatures, and it does fit into your overall plan,¡± she chuckled.

    They do seem rather fervent. Elinor mused.

    ¡°Mmh, there are five means by which an Empire exerts its influence over its people. Although, note that the Undead are entirely different because of our undying loyalty.

    ¡°It is the creatures like these that you wish to assimilate into the Empire where these principles will come into play, which is actually an exquisite didactic opportunity, I suppose, since you are getting into cause and effect.¡± She mused.

    Elinor hummed softly. Because all of my minions exist solely to fulfill my wishes, right?

    ¡°Right, and if this is an experiment you wish to exercise, then how amusing it will be.¡± Tiffany chimed.

    She kept a neutral expression as she listened to her advisor comment on the situation and shared the wisdom granted to her.

    ¡°Ahem ¡­ as I was saying, the five means of control which an Empire may employ to gain the obedience of its citizens are terror, propaganda, self-governance, preferentiality, and assimilation.

    ¡°However, your military and power far exceed the means of normal Empires. Therefore, these principles mark how you wish your subjects to feel about the Empire. We used a mix of all those means of control; the fear of not being a part of a group is quite the terror, and now, they¡¯re citizens of the Empire.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind returned to how she had left her relationship with her friends back at school. I started to feel that fear.

    ¡°Well,¡± Tiffany took a quick breath before turning back to the Yaltha¡¯ma, shifting the conversation away from her former fears. ¡°They obviously fear you, and being left out, but that also breeds resentment over time, which can backfire, if not curtailed. Eventually, they¡¯ll see the price for inclusion and obedience, among other things, is too high, and sacrificing their lives is an equivalent exchange for their chance at freedom to do as they please. It falls apart when death is preferred to living under the Empire.¡±

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    I don¡¯t quite see that being an issue with these little guys.

    ¡°Quite! Second, propaganda is lovely, and if it¡¯s based in transparency with the accomplishments of the Empire, it thrives as the people relish being a part of something greater than themselves. However, if there are setbacks or bad decisions with transparency, then the leadership can be questioned, and revolts happen.¡±

    Then, is lying the best option when faced with a defeat? Because I doubt we¡¯ll have a perfect track record.

    ¡°Eh, we shall see,¡± Tiffany mumbled. She paused for a moment, lips tightening while thinking. ¡°Mmh, if you instill lies as propaganda, then it is only a matter of time before the facts come to light and the legitimacy of the populace to put their faith in their leader falters. Doubt is the antithesis of propaganda; you need them to have confidence and hope to keep them complacent with their lives or fear of living outside the safety of their nation for propaganda to flourish.

    ¡°The Empire is the primary source of information, and we control the communication devices; we will be informing them about the borders and diplomatic news, not a third source. However, there will likely be instances of the occasional traveler that will give some news, which usually isn¡¯t terrible unless it¡¯s a major event, and they can provide more proof than the citizens have faith in the Empire.¡±

    She lifted an eyebrow while observing the bouncing tails and waving feathers of the small creatures. ¡°I doubt these sweet creatures will believe some random traveler over you, but it isn¡¯t impossible. I could craft a Ritual to bind their loyalty more to the Empire. Still, in essence, most Empires choose to publicize the wins and meticulously cover-up or downplay the losses while keeping those that travel through their land heavily restricted, such as North Korea.

    ¡°That being said, a little transparency with the State¡¯s mistakes goes a long way to curbing suspicion, showing there is a chance of failure, but everything is going much better than the alternative, and they can easily come back from this setback.¡±

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully as she glanced over at the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, telling it to run across the vertical walls to see if it could climb them, and to her delight, it could.

    So, should I let them know that we have a lot of work to do? They¡¯ll feel like they have a goal to work toward, and they¡¯re contributing to the betterment of their lives. I mean, you already basically had me tell them that in the first place.

    ¡°Most definitely! Any rational creature ¡­ well, I assume that every intelligent beast needs a purpose and place, but I¡¯m sure there are exceptions in this vast existence. As I stated before, Kierkegaard wrote that creatures need to struggle, at least a little.

    ¡°We¡¯re evolutionary creatures of a violent biological history, and we need to feel the sweat of labor; it¡¯s a fascinating drive within us that if curbed breeds depression. They¡¯ll love to take part in the restoration of the fortress; wonderful propaganda, they¡¯re contributing to building their own home.

    She smiled while watching the throng work hard at keeping a fast pace, contacting Edmon through their link. ¡°Edmon, do you have an example of self-governance and why it¡¯s so important?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s cheeks bunched to the side as she lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Yes, Edmon, what example would you bring up? I would talk about the United States and the complex dynamic they share with the Federal Government.¡±

    ¡°Eh, hmm, give me a moment to finish giving a group of Yaltha¡¯ma an assignment,¡± Edmon muttered.

    ¡°You¡¯re just caught off-guard,¡± Tiffany teased. ¡°I doubt you have any input worth noting, to begin with; maybe you should stick to building plans.¡±

    Edmon only replied with several puffs of amusement, taking a few more seconds before clearing his throat. ¡°To be clear, Tiffany, that conversation you mentioned?¡±

    ¡°My examination of¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Edmon grunted. ¡°It¡¯s boring.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s dark eyebrows drew together, mouth dropping open. ¡°Excuse me; I¡¯m boring?¡±

    ¡°Something about the U.S. and government or politics? Yes, boring.¡±

    ¡°Well, then,¡± Tiffany fumed. ¡°What¡¯s your expert topic of self-governance?¡±

    Elinor just listened with a small smirk, knowing she shared a bit of Edmon¡¯s opinion on some of Tiffany¡¯s rants.

    ¡°Self-governance? That¡¯s easy; teenagers. Enough said; can I get back to work?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ umm,¡± Tiffany¡¯s nose twisted as her arms tightened under her chest. ¡°Teenagers?¡±

    I like that answer. Elinor chimed in. I can get behind the concept with my own experience.

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Tiffany mumbled. ¡°We¡¯ll save the governance side of it for later, then,¡± she grumbled.

    Tiffany breathed out a long breath while fingering the underside of her bra. ¡°You know, talking about historical accounts would have been so much fun, but I suppose we are in a bit of a rush, and there¡¯s more to discuss. David Shannon once wrote, life is not simple, and therefore, history, which is a part of life, is not simple.

    ¡°You cannot apply Occam¡¯s Razor to history, no matter how hard you try, and there were some interesting things your mother found during her many studies of the past. Most truth is usually found in the middle of opposing opinions on a subject.¡±

    Tiffany licked her lips, eyes alight with excitement, but Elinor quickly shut her little detour down. Could we move onto the next point? I think Edmon¡¯s statement tells me how vital self-governance really is.

    ¡°I¡­ very well,¡± Tiffany conceded, features dropping in defeat.

    ¡°So,¡± Edmon slowly cut in, causing Tiffany¡¯s face to turn rosen; she¡¯d definitely forgotten he was still listening. ¡°Should I just get back to the gatehouse?¡±

    ¡°Yes, you can leave,¡± Tiffany snapped, showing a bit of embarrassment in her tone, causing her lips to tighten.

    ¡°Right ¡­ well, just ring if you need me,¡± he chuckled, cutting the connection.

    ¡°Right, well ¡­ propaganda can quell rebellions or give rise to them, distorts the truth, and pushes ideas like the machine of religion. How prevalent the belief is, shows how zealous you can make people without them even being aware.¡±

    I believe we already covered propaganda. Elinor chuckled.

    Her voice trailed off as they moved from the smooth tunnels to a crystal clear underground lake, spanning a vast distance with pillars, stalagmites, and stalactites running along the ceiling and dry sections of the floor. Unusual fish with massive eyes and strange glowing colors dotted the pool, weaving slowly through the liquid.

    Elinor¡¯s focus moved to the cavern¡¯s far end, where a thin layer of tinted mist obscured the opposite side, making the cave seem larger than it probably was.

    The view momentarily caught both her and Tiffany¡¯s interest while they swiftly moved past the area; their guides didn¡¯t even glance at the scene, racing toward one of the several openings to descend into another cave opening.

    ¡°How pretty,¡± Tiffany said, voice practically bubbling with the desire to check it out. ¡°It really is a shame we¡¯re pressed on time. This world has such mysteries to explore!¡±

    It really does. Elinor whispered.

    ¡°Ahem ¡­ right, so, eh¡ªwhere was I?¡±

    Getting a little off track. Elinor said with a quick smile in her direction.

    ¡°Guilty,¡± She said with a weak chuckle. ¡°Oh,¡± she cleared her throat. ¡°Did we talk about borders in relation to self-governance, and how far we should allow freedom of travel?¡±

    No, but is it really that important? Elinor questioned; the bizarre cavern still keeping her focus. I understand the problems with the citizens gaining information from outside sources in regards to countering our propaganda, which ties to self-governance, and the freedoms I allow.

    You¡¯ve hammered home the need for their culture to be somehow incorporated into their Empire experience, but with your mention of North Korea, I¡¯m not entirely sold on the idea of closed borders. If someone wishes to be a part of my Empire and receive that protection, they have the right if they choose to follow my rule, and if not, they can leave my land.

    Her vision narrowed, falling to the damp stone floor. I will carve my own nation out of this world, and take what I need to make my Empire thrive. I will align with kingdoms or countries that choose to offer a hand and crush those that offer a sword.

    ¡°We need to be careful ¡­ speaking of North Korea, yes, they do use the closed borders strategy, and in the nineties, if you tried to skip the border, then you¡¯d be killed, and they force everyone over the age of twelve to watch as a reminder to never attempt to flee the country.

    Elinor¡¯s brow creased. Seems a little extreme, even for a tyrant.

    ¡°Effective, actually! Fear of an individual can be overcome; fighting is worth more than dying; it¡¯s a ruthless yet productive ultimatum!¡±

    Tiffany released a short sigh. ¡°Edmon¡­¡±

    ¡°Woman ¡­ I¡¯m busy with a lot of stuff. What is it?¡± He groaned.

    Actually, Elinor cleared her throat. I wished to ask you about borders.

    Edmon¡¯s tone instantly changed, causing Tiffany¡¯s lips to lift into a smirk. ¡°Of course, Empress. What is your question?¡±

    Tiffany has been talking to me about how to build my Empire, and she¡¯s brought up North Korea as an example of closed borders. I remember my father explaining a bit about it before and was wondering how you saw the topic.

    ¡°I see,¡± he paused for a moment before clearing his throat. ¡°You wish to create a nation of many people, an Empire, and Empires generally cannot function properly without trade. I would not shut out the world, personally, but that means there will need to be strict border controls in place.

    ¡°Some people are very reductive when it comes to the topic; borders exist because they are a physical manifestation of shared, or even more importantly, unshared values.¡± His tone became crisp. ¡°It¡¯s not like someone just decided to place a line down on a paper for no reason, it¡¯s because that line represents the values that you¡¯re expected to live by once crossing.¡±

    Tiffany spoke up. ¡°For instance, you cannot attack citizens beyond this line, or you can¡¯t make them your slave! We wouldn¡¯t want other nations coming into our land and snatching people away.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Edmon muttered. ¡°The reason for an immigration process is to ensure that those people will share the same values that are expected within that nation, and they¡¯re willing to follow the laws required of them¡­¡± He trailed off with a low growl as Tiffany cut in again.

    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s also the issue of documentation for taxes, quarantine for diseases, and many other reasons people tend to forget until something bad happens, but that¡¯s just more details in an endless list of benefits. That is one reason why there is a citizenship oath ¡­ or a Ritual, that I¡¯d personally create, and boundaries that I¡¯d set observation points at to monitor who¡¯s coming in and out.

    ¡°When we left, the United States was the largest immigration intake country in the world, which isn¡¯t always a good thing; moderation in all things, and you can only care for what you can support.¡±

    When she stopped, Edmon dryly asked, ¡°It seems you have this conversation covered, Tiffany. Why don¡¯t you just finish it off?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be thorough,¡± she defended with a short huff.

    Elinor cut in with a short sigh. I suppose you¡¯re both right; we do need to be careful with how we handle our borders and citizens leaving or entering. Let¡¯s move onto the fourth point.

    ¡°Which is?¡± Edmon asked respectfully.

    ¡°Preferentiality,¡± Tiffany chimed. ¡°People within your nation receive the majority of the wealth within that Empire, not other countries. It¡¯s the same aspect of first putting your mask on in a crashing plane before helping someone else. You can¡¯t help if you¡¯re starving yourself; it¡¯s a very short term project to give everything you own to a people that aren¡¯t producing anything in the first place.

    ¡°People want to be taken care of, and if you can take care of your hard-working citizens, then they¡¯ll love you and offer what they can to the rest of the world. Edmon?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, a government generally takes certain weights or responsibilities and hardships off the shoulders of its citizens; it¡¯s what it was designed for, and helping other nations can also put your citizens¡¯ conscience at ease, as Tiffany was likely about to say.¡±

    Tiffany huffed, glaring over at the wall, and Edmon continued. ¡°However, your citizens must take priority as citizens of that nation, that the leader swore an oath to protect first. Tiffany?¡±

    ¡°Ahem, right, well, that, and most governments aren¡¯t that efficient, which can cause massive economic, health, and safety concerns.¡±

    ¡°The point being,¡± Edmon muttered, ¡°just because an Empire can do something, doesn¡¯t mean it should or that it would be most beneficial to its citizens. People want the right to eat what they want, but there are some countries that don¡¯t afford that right to people. It depends on how you want your subjects to view you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we need to hurry this along,¡± Tiffany chimed. ¡°I believe we¡¯re getting close to ending our little game of tag.¡±

    ¡°How would you know that?¡± Edmon questioned with a deep chuckle. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me the place was a maze, and it¡¯s not like you¡¯ve been there.¡±

    A hint of annoyance touched Tiffany¡¯s voice. ¡°Call it an educated guess; do you want to make a bet on it? Hmm?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not after the last experience,¡± Edmon grumbled.

    ¡°I did win before, didn¡¯t I?¡± Tiffany gloated, and when Edmon didn¡¯t respond, continued, tone brightening. ¡°Leading us to the final point, assimilation. Now, I would recommend we let these races keep aspects of their culture, but also give them something to assimilate with their lifestyle to imprint the Empire within their minds.¡±

    A lot of these seem to connect together, Elinor whispered. We touched a bit on this earlier.

    ¡°True, but they all play off each other. Many Americans identify with their cultural roots and backgrounds from Scottish to British to Spanish. People like being connected to their culture, and if you can incorporate that with the Empire, then it will be that much stronger!

    ¡°I¡¯ve been doing a bit of thought on their religious beliefs,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll have to look further into it, though; give me a day or so to get the proper information.¡±

    There¡¯s so much to learn with building an Empire. I suppose we¡¯ll just have to take it one step at a time ¡­ We¡¯ll have to discuss the details as events pop up over time; it seems like we¡¯re coming up on the shrine.

    ¡°Finally! I¡¯m so excited!¡± Tiffany squealed. ¡°The Queen and her daughters must join us! They must!¡±

    Why are you so wound up about them ¡­ wait, let me guess ¡­ you got the dress-up addiction of my mother¡­

    ¡°Guilty!¡±

    Elinor released a tired chuckle, recalling all the times her mother had dragged her around stores to doll her up and take pictures; she might as well be a fashion model with the number of photo albums her mother had created.

    It took another minute before they entered the shrine, and Elinor spent the time looking at her spider minion, trying to conceptualize how the Witch would try to mold the creatures into something pretty, but it was turning out utterly terrifying in her mind. She kept thinking about half-human and spider monsters with multiple eyes, mandibles, and big crystal-like butts.

    Her attention snapped back to El¡¯Co¡¯Ca as she panted, ¡°The¡ªthe shrine¡ªup ahead, Empress¡ªElinor,¡± she swallowed, trying to ease her pumping heart and lungs.

    It was clear that the elderly Yaltha¡¯ma had been pushing herself to get her here as fast as possible, and what greeted her was magical.

    The room was well lit by massive jagged spikes of green and blue crystals that emitted a mysterious glow and light colorful mist; the fog didn¡¯t extend too far past the structures but gave a mystical feel to the expansive room.

    The cavern was at least seven meters high, and twenty meters wide. It was in a circular shape with broken Th¨¦lm¨¦thra bodies littering the stony floor, framed by the crystals where four giant corpses sat, mostly intact; each one was notably different in shape and color than the throng of crushed bodies.

    Elinor¡¯s eyes passed over the three smaller Th¨¦lm¨¦thra that were probably the Queen¡¯s daughters; they surrounded a slightly larger spider-like figure, likely their mother.

    To the far left was the smallest of the sisters. She had a black body with a white cross that was noticeably brighter than her mother¡¯s shade, running across the top of her back; her backside was larger in comparison to her body than the others. She was a bit more curved, with less rigidity to her structure.

    Right of the smallest was a colorful spider; her dark and light blue exoskeleton was spotted with three pink diamonds and a gold teardrop in the center of the middle plate on her butt. She was less rigid than the third and slimmer than her siblings.

    The third sister had the sharpest features with the thickest looking exoskeleton; she was covered with deep red thorny vine-like designs, snaking around her abdomen. It almost appeared like she was more of a stalker than a trapper.

    The one she assumed was the Queen sat in the center; despite being battered and broken, she still managed to express her beauty and elegance in death.

    Elinor¡¯s eyes slid down her fragmented torso and abdomen, decorated in large red and gold flower-like designs of different hues with a mixed glossy white and black body. Her steel-like exoskeleton appeared to be made out of the same metallic-like material as the rest of her kind, and with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s recount, was no doubt harder than steel. However, two of the plates on the Queen¡¯s back were missing, and parts of her hard outer casing were fractured, showing cracks spiderwebbing across her body.

    Elinor took a deep breath. Here we go ¡­ what will a Spider Queen be like?

 B1 â€” 24. The Spider Family

    The crowd of Yaltha¡¯ma parted to open up the path for Elinor; she glanced to her right at Tiffany.  The Witch was glowing with excitement.

    Returning her focus to the spider carcasses, Elinor pursed her lips as an unsettling question crossed her mind.  What if I can¡¯t resurrect them?  How would I spin it ¡­ they¡¯re expecting me to revive them.  Well, there¡¯s only one way to find out.

    Ordering her minion to lower Tiffany and her to the ground, she stepped onto the cold stone floor.  Te¡¯la quickly used the lowered hand on Tiffany¡¯s side to descend, joining El¡¯Co¡¯Ca.  Tiffany followed as she walked toward the large Th¨¦lm¨¦thra remains.

    Standing before what she assumed to be the queen, Elinor pursed her lips while studying the metal-like exoskeleton of the creature.  They were far more elegant than what she imagined, only resembling a spider in shape.  Her arms burst into emerald flames as she activated Herald of the Empress.

    The Hidden Ones gasped as four burning butterflies emerged from the fire.  The flickering figures fluttered toward the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, slowly flying around their subjects of focus, and Elinor¡¯s eyes widened as they fed back information on the Queen and her daughters.

    ¡°What¡¯s the verdict?¡±  Tiffany asked, fingers tightly wrapped around each other as her tongue slid across her pursed lips.

    Elinor responded by sending one of the blazing messengers into the deceased Queen¡¯s remains.  The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra royalty ignited, causing the Yaltha¡¯ma to dart back to the entrance in panic as the long legs twitched.

    A lump dropped down Elinor¡¯s throat as a massive chunk of her energy flooded into the Queen.  That was massive ¡­ even though I know I still have a large amount of energy left; it was no small sum.  I¡¯d say at least sixty-five percent of my current total.

    Her green irises flicked to the remaining three.  Will I have enough?  They¡¯re powerful ¡­ I should first ask for the Queen¡¯s blessing.  If she¡¯s going to be my loyal servant, then I need to show that I respect her, and it could be extremely disrespectful to just bring back her children.  One Transcendent Court Member is worth much more than even a Mythic-Grade minion.

    Tiffany¡¯s teeth flashed as she smiled, clapping her hands.  ¡°I can feel it!  A new member of the Royal Court has been initiated ¡­ how, though?  Yes!  She holds the Royal Executioner, Title, the Assassin Class Transcendent Unit General.  I don¡¯t get it ¡­ she just instantly accepted the role?  I must understand how¡­¡±

    She paused as a dignified and succulent voice entered their minds.  ¡°I felt the pull of a power that goes beyond me ¡­ Elinor.  That is how you identify yourself?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s pleased tone was the first to respond.  ¡°Well, now, how opportune.  I welcome you to the Court.¡±

    Tiffany quickly interjected.  ¡°What should we call you by?  Do you have a name, or was that something foreign to your race?¡±

    A concern that Emotional Loss was dulling was replaced with a wave of relief as she watched the Queen¡¯s body erupt with fire, repairing every damaged section.  Her vision moved between the restored parts that appeared more gem-like than organic; a dark red gem-like substance materialized from the green flames.

    The Queen¡¯s thin, long legs flexed their many joints as the glow increased, and the plates along her abdomen were renewed, showing a thin layer between each plate that rose and fell as if the creature was breathing.

    The Hidden Ones were slowly moving closer, whispering softly as they went.

    ¡°Empress Elinor is all-powerful!¡±

    ¡°The rise of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra!¡±

    ¡°The Hidden Ones are saved!¡±

    ¡°Empress Elinor be praised!¡±

    The Queen rose to her full three and a half meter height, lifting her restored smooth and elegantly formed abdomen in the air before answering.  ¡°We do not give names; we identified one another by scent ¡­ however, I sense that a name is important to you.  What name will I be known by?¡±

    ¡°Can I express my opinion on this matter?¡±  Tiffany asked in delight.

    Edmon hummed lowly within their minds.  ¡°Tiff, give the Queen some time to acclimate; she¡¯s being bombarded by information from the system about her own abilities and knowledge, and about Elinor and the Empire.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, we both went through the process,¡± she replied dismissively.

    Looking up at the beautiful yet intimidating figure of the Queen¡¯s head, Elinor couldn¡¯t help but feel a little embarrassed by Tiffany¡¯s discomposed behavior but knew it was her personality.  A statement crossed her mind; she didn¡¯t know where it had originated but seemed right.

    It¡¯s the leader¡¯s responsibility to help their team in decision-making, coaching, mentoring, developing the team¡¯s skills, and managing conflict.

    Filtering out the others, Elinor directed her thoughts directly to Tiffany.  Let¡¯s step back, Tiffany.  Give her a chance to acclimate for a moment, and we can take this one step at a time.

    Tiffany¡¯s body tensed momentarily, and her tone became forced as she returned the private communication.  ¡°Of course, Elinor ¡­ I apologize for my behavior.¡±

    The Queen kept her focus on Elinor, waiting for her response.  Clearing her throat, she said, For now, I will call you Queen, but that is subject to change, and I believe it should.  That being said, Queen, are you willing to listen to Tiffany¡¯s suggestions?

    ¡°I have no objections,¡± her legs smoothly moved to turn her toward two of her daughters beside her.

    Edmon replied with a brooding hum.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t encourage her, Queen.  She can be quite¡­¡±

    ¡°Quite what?¡±  Tiffany demanded with a huff.

    Queen cleanly slid between their bickering.  ¡°That being said, my memories are returning, and my current circumstance is falling into order.  I have been given an understanding of what you are, Elinor, how your abilities function, my place within this Empire, and I am glad to do what is expected of me.  Now, what is to be done with my children and horde?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips curved into a soft smile, and the Queen¡¯s distinction piqued her interest, but she chose to save that question until later.  That is an important decision.  My ability to bring them back is quickly diminishing as time goes on.  Would you be opposed to the idea of me bringing them back to serve the Empire?

    ¡°It would be my pride if they could serve such an establishment.¡±

    Without wasting another word, Elinor directed her butterflies to bring back her three daughters and felt ninety-two percent of her remaining energy leave, and upon inquiry, found her energy pool at a two hundred and thirteen percent and still dropping.  Excellent, I still have energy to spare.

    The colors on each one shone as their gem-like structure formed, and each one had a different glow within their eyes and between their plates.  They were notably less complete than their mother; there were cracks and missing sections of the crystal between areas, except for one that seemed almost as intact as the Queen, standing to her right.

    The princess to Elinor¡¯s far left with the red thorny vine-like pattern had a crimson glow, lighter than her mother¡¯s blood red, and was the most damaged of her family.  The green flames flashing out of the exposed areas, swiftly changing to represent the red hue.  She was of Epic-Grade, and unlike the Queen, was of the Elite Warrior Class.

    Right of her, rising to her feet beside the Queen, was the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra with pink diamonds and a gold teardrop.  Her crystal-like eyes reflected her patterns, pink with a gold center.  Her slim legs extended, stretching high into the air while yawning as if waking from a deep sleep.  Her tone was notably younger than the Queen.  This sister was of Legendary-Grade, and in the Assassin Class.

    To the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen¡¯s right was her final and smallest daughter; however, this one was clearly meant to be the next monarch.  With a bright white cross across her slightly larger abdomen, she held the most similar color palette to her mother than her sisters.  Elinor could sense that she was high Mythic-Grade, bordering on Transcendent, and was of the Assassin Class.

    Elinor could tell Tiffany was having a hard time restraining her questions by her hands, trembling a little as she clenched them at her front.  She glanced back at the Yaltha¡¯ma; the creatures had grown silent, watching the events with reverence.

    She was about to give Tiffany the go-ahead when the daughters began to shoot questions at their mother.

    ¡°What happened?¡±  The Mythic-Grade sister asked with concern, glancing around at the piles of Th¨¦lm¨¦thra remains.

    Elinor was a little surprised to hear the Epic-Grade sister sniff, voice more mature and hostile.  ¡°You were basically useless!¡±

    The pink-hued sister hummed with a strained tone as she lowered her body back down.  ¡°Come now, let¡¯s not throw around blame.  We all did little to help mother.¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±  The Epic-Grade sister asked in a mystified tone.  ¡°You did a lot!  I opened an opportunity while you cut right through the stupid infernal ape¡¯s leg, but she didn¡¯t do a damn thing.  Her threads were useless, and her hesitation cost mother valuable time to deliver any fatal blows.¡±

    ¡°Enough,¡± Queen stated with displeasure, causing the three daughters to lower their bodies to the ground, and shut-up.  ¡°We are not the victim of your sister¡¯s actions; I am the one that is responsible for all decisions.  Your sister was inexperienced in physical combat, much less against a Quen¡¯Talrat such as him.  It was my failure in formulating that ambush.¡±

    From the soft rumble in the sister¡¯s throat, it was evident that she thought differently, but clear that she would do nothing to challenge her mother.

    The Queen turned back toward Elinor; the glow of the spider-like figures looking sinister without light.  ¡°We have been raised to be a part of and help grow an emerging Empire.  Represent yourselves with respect and loyalty.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes slid over to the Mythic-Grade sister, and by her tucked posture, made the assumption she felt it was her fault, as well.  I completely understand if you wish to discuss the past, and I don¡¯t want any lingering issues that might cause problems in the future.  That being said, I have a few tasks I¡¯d like to prioritize.

    Queen replied promptly, and her tone was the definition of regal.  ¡°Your order is all that is needed.¡±

    Excellent.  First, names are in order.  You had some suggestions, Tiffany?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tiffany replied with her excitement returning in bounds.  ¡°My thoughts were drawn to your statement that you each identify each other by scent.  If that is the case, why not name each of you after flowers?  I think it would be appropriate and adorable!  Oh, can you tell me which of you is the oldest to youngest?¡±

    The Epic-Grade spider hummed lowly.  ¡°Names ¡­ well, I suppose each of you have names.  It¡¯s kind of an odd concept.¡±

    ¡°No objection from me!¡±  The pink and gold one stated, pointing a long, thin leg at her hot-blooded sister.  ¡°She¡¯s the oldest, and I¡¯m the middle child.  Our baby sister is over there.¡±  She stated, directing their attention to the depressed Mythic-Grade Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    ¡°Oh, I love you already!  How about Azalea for you,¡±  Tiffany squealed, causing Elinor to release a soft sigh.  ¡°It means temperance, fragile passion, and is the Chinese symbol of Womanhood.  Although, it can also mean take care of yourself for me, which can be negatively interpreted,¡± she chuckled.

    ¡°I like that,¡± Azalea said with a bright tone.

    ¡°And me?¡±  The eldest asked with sudden curiosity, lowering her body to get a better look at the Witch.  ¡°What about my name and it¡¯s meaning?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll need to find a good one for you,¡± Tiffany hummed, eyes scanning her designs.  ¡°Naturally, people ¡­ well, humans, might lean toward Rose with that design and color you have, but that¡¯s a bit too common of a name.  We want something a bit more unique ¡­ oh, I got it!  What about Camellia?  The red version of the flower means you¡¯re a flame in my heart.¡±

    ¡°Flame ¡­ in my heart?  I don¡¯t know what that means.¡±

    ¡°Oh, umm¡ªhow would I describe it ¡­ it means that you are important to me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a nice thing to say!¡±  She brightly stated.  ¡°Yes, I like that one.  So, I¡¯m Camellia now.¡±

    ¡°Hello, Camellia!¡±  Azalea said, lightly bumping into her sister.

    ¡°Hello, Azalea,¡± she returned with a reciprocal bump.

    The youngest crept forward a little, and hesitantly asked, ¡°I¡ªI¡¯d like a name.¡±

    ¡°Be confident in your speech,¡± Queen chided.  ¡°You were designated the next Queen, and though you are young, you must take command.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother ¡­ I¡¯d like a name.¡±

    Tiffany pursed her lips, black hair shifting to the left as she tilted her head.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ now the colors might not exactly match, but how about Violet.  It can mean modesty and the blue and white variants expand the meaning to watchfulness, faithfulness, I¡¯ll always be true, and let¡¯s take a chance.  I think it¡¯s a pretty good name for a princess to be queen.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she whispered before strengthening her voice.  ¡°Violet is a wonderful name.¡±

    Clapping her hands, Tiffany smiled brightly, and Elinor felt a little bad for Edmon as she purposefully broadcast her naming session to him.

    ¡°Good!  Then, let¡¯s see, for the Queen ¡­ oh, I need to figure out a good one ¡­ Iris!  Yes, it must be Iris!  It¡¯s the Emblem of France, my homeland, and can mean faith, hope, wisdom, valor, and your friendship means so much to me.¡±

    ¡°That is sufficient.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful!  I so look forward to working with you to advance the Empire.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    ¡°Now, I know that your Sub-Class is Shifter, which is quite rare and powerful, and if I am not mistaken,¡± Tiffany hummed with a thoughtful gleam in her eyes as she glanced between the sisters, ¡°you each have a Racial passive that allows each of you a similar skill.  Did your race have the means to transform?¡±

    The spiders spread out a little, and Elinor waited patiently for the reply, interested in the answer.  However, the small fox-like Yaltha¡¯ma drew their attention as their heads dropped to the ground, mumbling prayers to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    Iris rose a little, staring around the area.  ¡°I see the little ones have not changed; they are as submissive as I remember, but somehow we can now understand them.  This is a part of your power, Empress?¡±  The Queen paused for a moment before releasing a soft hum.  ¡°Prose of the Potentate ¡­ quite a useful ability.¡±

    Tiffany giggled.  ¡°You¡¯re so quick on the uptake!¡±

    Elinor wanted to understand Iris¡¯ emotional state better, but it was hard without knowing her expressions and posture; if there were any indicators at all.  One thing was for certain; the daughters respected The Queen¡¯s position; the three of them kept silent, waiting for their mother to finish.

    ¡°As to our abilities in life.  Yes, we did have the capability to manipulate the color of our bodies, and to a degree, shape our exoskeleton to better adapt to our environment.  Is there a reason you asked?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±  Tiffany cleared her throat for a moment.  ¡°Would it be possible to transform into a human?  I believe you will enjoy the benefits, and the traps you can set as a weak, thin human girl cannot be underestimated.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ it is within the realm of my skills; however, I need to touch a creature once to identify their biological structure.  Once I have touched a species, I can change my appearance to a certain degree, in relation to the genetic markers within; however, I am currently limited to three forms that I can recall and transform into.  If you suggest it, then I can experiment with that form.¡±

    Tiffany held out her hand.  ¡°I¡¯d love that!  Oh, but can you not be identical?¡±

    The Queen lifted one of her lance-like legs, extending it toward the Witch.  ¡°I can gain a rough understanding of what is attractive to your species through your DNA.¡±

    Elinor watched with fascination as her leg, and Tiffany¡¯s hand touched; Iris¡¯ body was wrapped in shadow before shrinking, taking on the shape of a woman, and she couldn¡¯t help biting her lower lip for a moment.

    Iris appeared to have selected specific genes that were shockingly close to Melissa Theuriau but had made a few modifications.  The first thing Elinor noticed was that the Queen was naked, and she felt a little foolish for not even considering it.

    Gasps swept the gathering of Yaltha¡¯ma as they watched the monarch they¡¯d worshiped for so long twist her human arms and waist to experiment with her new form.  Iris¡¯ three daughters were quick to gather around her, moving left and right to get a better angle on their mother¡¯s change.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Tiffany breathed, eyes appraising the transformed spider-woman.  ¡°That was hidden in my genes?¡±

    Iris breathed out a lush hum while sliding manicured fingernails across her flawless lightly tanned skin, slowly moving down her ample chest, tone stomach, and silk-like legs; the only hair on her spotless body was her layered black hair that cascaded in waves to her tone butt, showing white gradient highlights that fell to the tips and proportional black eyebrows.

    Her sculpted face held mild amusement while exploring her new figure, tongue gliding over her naturally glossy pink lips.  Her fingertips caressed her cheeks and ears before turning her flaming blood-red irises toward Tiffany.

    ¡°This form does have quite an appeal ¡­ the flexibility,¡± she mused, while slowly performing several controlled gymnastic stretches.

    ¡°You look ¡­ stunning,¡± Tiffany whispered, seemingly lost for words.  ¡°Can you activate any of your other abilities while in that form?¡±

    Iris glanced back as eight long metallic black legs with six joints shot out of her naked back, spreading out below her to lift her body nearly a meter and a half off the stone floor.  Her body twisted in the air with the extra support, testing her stability.

    ¡°It seems I do have several options.¡±  She mused, fingers converting to shadow before revealing black claws.  ¡°I do believe it will take me some time to learn how to walk with two legs properly , but my defensive ability is still fully functional under this fleshy surface.

    ¡°My poisons can still be delivered, albeit less effective orally with such a small mouth, and I can coat my arms with ¡­ it is called the corrosive element.  That being said,¡± she frowned, glaring down at her large bosom, ¡°how do you tame these meat sacks?¡±

    Elinor noticed a signal in the back of her mind, telling her that Iris¡¯ daughters were communicating personally between each other, and she was able to eavesdrop.  The three of them were discussing what they enjoyed about their mother¡¯s change, what they¡¯d do differently, and the reasons why their mother liked the new form.

    Forcing a chuckle as she studied the spider queen, Elinor gestured at herself.  ¡°That would be support bras and clothing.¡±

    ¡°Bras and clothes?¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡±  Tiffany cleared her throat to draw her attention before pulling up her shirt to expose the article.  ¡°This ¡­ there are several variants, but what you want is a fabric with a strong supporting frame that will keep them in place, anchored with your shoulders or back ¡­ see, like this,¡± she displayed, turning and pulling back her hair to show her the back clip.

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    They watched in stunned fascination as Iris¡¯ hair seemed to move on its own, growing, twisting, and covering her chest in a strapless bra and her lower half with spandex-style shorts; they were of simple design, but the form factor was perfect.

    ¡°This is simple enough ¡­ it seems to function as you said.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±  Tiffany cheered.  ¡°I knew it!  The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra are so cool.  What about your daughters?  I know it may be selfish, but I just want to ¡­ I want to have them design all these amazing clothes, and if they look anything like you, then it will be so much fun!¡±

    Elinor giggled, causing everyone to focus on her; she used the opportunity to insert herself.  The girls seem super excited to try it out, but they each have their own style that they¡¯re thinking about.  Why don¡¯t you spend some time with them, Tiffany, and I¡¯ll take a walk with Iris to better get to know her.

    ¡°Really?  Is that okay, Iris?¡±  Tiffany asked.

    Iris turned her glowing red irises onto her daughters with a slight frown.  ¡°I see little harm, but Camellia, Azalea, Violet ¡­ you three must be sure this is the form you wish to take.¡±

    She turned back to Elinor.  ¡°I can shapeshift into any creature I wish because of this Class; however, my daughters will only have this option once, as a Racial, from what I understand?¡±  She asked, shifting toward Tiffany.

    ¡°Eh ¡­ yeah, true, but they won¡¯t be these hulking spiders, and as you said, our shape is so much more flexible, we¡¯re thinner, and we have fingers ¡­ oh, and like you said, you also keep your defensive gifts.¡±

    Iris replaced her claws with perfect fingernails, examining them while lowering herself to the floor; her eight spike-like legs retracted into her back.  ¡°Not so.¡±

    ¡°No?  Could you explain ¡­ I won¡¯t claim to be the most knowledgeable on the subject.¡±  Tiffany asked with a perplexed expression.

    Elinor turned around to smile encouragingly at the throng of Yaltha¡¯ma, watching them studiously while not saying a word; they¡¯d been nothing but respectful.

    ¡°There is a time limit for their and my transformation.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no!¡±  Tiffany¡¯s left hand shot to her chin while her right pressed against her chest.  ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered that.  It will increase with Level and Grade, though.  Right?¡±

    ¡°To a certain extent, yes,¡± Iris stated while stroking Violet¡¯s leg.  ¡°The amount of time they¡¯d be able to keep the form of a human depends on their own dedication, and each of my daughters has various degrees of discipline.

    ¡°There is a knowledge that is flowing into my thoughts ¡­ almost like an instinct that tells me how this change functions.  It is as you say, Tiffany; by increasing their Grade, Level, and Ranks, then they will be able to extend that time.  The one issue is how frustrating new forms can be.

    ¡°I am built to be adaptable and is one of the reasons why my mother chose me to be the Queen ahead of my sisters.  Each of my daughters has talents of their own, and a human form might prove valuable for some of those gifts.  It is up to them.  Well, daughters?  Think carefully, Camellia; you are the most impulsive.¡±

    Elinor could feel Camellia¡¯s slight agitation about being singled out, but when she spoke, her tone was perfectly respectful.  ¡°I do believe a human form could help¡­¡±  She paused as Edmon spoke in their minds.

    ¡°More than you might realize.  If I may make a suggestion, Iris?¡±

    Iris folded her arms, humming softly while glancing at Elinor.  ¡°My species is very hierarchy driven.  From what I understand, Elinor is above all while the Royal Court, which I am a part of, are second in command; each Royal is over their respective branch, and another Royal would need permission from that branch leader to command their units.  Is this correct?¡±

    Tiffany responded.  ¡°Yes, that is true.

    ¡°I see, then that means that Violet and Azalea are both under my direct command while Camellia has no leader.  Does that make her the acting commander of the Elite Warrior Branch?¡±

    Tiffany thoughtfully scratched the side of her head.  ¡°Honestly, I haven¡¯t given that one much thought.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone was confident.  ¡°It does.  However, in the absence of a commanding officer, different branches are put under the temporary leadership of another Royal.  Camellia can be in charge of the Elite Warriors, but she still answers to an appointed Royal.  That being said, I have no issue with putting the Elite Warrior Branch in your direct care.

    ¡°I am working with the Fodder to strengthen our defenses, Tiffany has currently taken Gwen and many of the Yaltha¡¯ma under her direction to clean and provide utility, and that leaves you as an Offensive Unit to be determined.¡±

    Elinor broke into the conversation.  Then I¡¯ll make it official; Iris, you will be in charge of the Elite Warrior Branch with the Royal Court as council.  I will discuss my desires with you when we go on a walk, and from there, we will decide what the best option is.

    ¡°Very well,¡± Iris said, directing a curious smile at her.  ¡°What was your suggestion, Edmon?¡±

    ¡°Humans are naturally weak, we haven¡¯t built all the abilities many species have developed to survive, and nearly everything on our world could easily kill us; that being said, we are the apex predator of our planet.

    ¡°We accomplished this by our mental ingenuity and adaptability.  We created unmatched weapons to attack our natural enemies, crafted forts and armor to defend against their invasions and designed tools to tame the harshest environments, including outer space.

    ¡°My suggestion is that if Camellia is an Elite Warrior that can take on human form, then she can use weapons and armor in addition to her natural abilities.  Once things start settling down, then we can start learning the new types of crafting in this world and what The System gives us to work with.

    ¡°One of the greatest feats of this system we are now attached to isn¡¯t the magical abilities, but the crafters.  We need to find a creature to fill the Royal Artificer Title, but any Crafting Class will do what we need.¡±

    Iris¡¯s smile continued to rise as she listened to Edmon¡¯s explanation, and once he was finished, her tongue slid across her lips before expressing her thoughts.

    ¡°That sounds ¡­ delicious, Edmon.  You¡¯re suggesting I can use these tools, as well.  I suspect that they can be crafted to fit a variety of different creatures, and I am no stranger to the use of tools.  We use poisons, webs, and our body to significant effect as instruments of our trade.

    ¡°However ¡­ if you can create these items to perform limitless tasks, as you¡¯re implying, then having these types of hands may be of great support.¡±  She mused while twirling her wrist and flexing her fingers.

    ¡°Those infernal apes used such tools against us, and ultimately, it was what killed me and my daughters.  I love your suggestion, Edmon.  It seems you have quite a delightful mind.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s brow furrowed but soon lifted into amusement as she felt a flare of jealousy spike from her link to Tiffany.

    ¡°Yes, well, Iris, I think that is a wonderful idea!  Now, Edmon, you need to get back to work.¡±  She sniffed.  ¡°I remember you telling me that you had little time to converse.¡±

    Edmon grunted.  ¡°This is an important discussion to be had.  A Royal Artificer would be of significant importance to my work bolstering our defenses.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes ¡­ now, what about you girls?  Have you had enough time to make your decision?¡±

    Azalea replied with a bright tone.  ¡°I¡¯ve known since the start!  I¡¯ve always wanted to have more stealth, like the small creatures.¡±

    ¡°I agree with Azalea,¡± Violet said with longing, turning to look back at her mother.  ¡°Looking at what my mother was able to do with the hair on her head ¡­ is it hair?¡±

    Iris responded by moving her hair without touch, spreading out every strand of her thick mane.  ¡°Not exactly.  You¡¯ll need to give it the properties of your webs and nerves when desiring to transform; thereby, you can maneuver and manipulate the type of web you are seeking to create.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so cool!¡±  Violet squealed, causing small quakes to pass through the ground as she bounced up and down, sharp points digging into the stone.

    Camellia was a little more curious about Edmon¡¯s explanation.  ¡°Edmon, are you saying I can use tools like the infernal apes wielded against us?¡±

    ¡°Most definitely,¡± he promptly responded.  ¡°Far more powerful than what they used as the Empire advances.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡±

    Iris¡¯ eyes narrowed darkly as she stared between her daughters.  ¡°If you choose this path, then there is no going back on your decision, and you must accurately desire for all of your current natural gifts to be a part of this new form.  That includes the camouflaging-type skills you¡¯ve honed.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll do it!¡±  They cheered.  ¡°Can we do it right now?  Please?¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Iris sighed.  ¡°When changing, you may use many parts of their genetic code in conjunction with your own.  That means you have many more options than you might realize if you only use the human genetic outline, and do not match the structure perfectly, let your desires guide you to your final destination.¡±

    Tiffany smiled before raising her hand for a moment.  ¡°Elinor, if I might suggest something?¡±

    Go ahead.  She responded with a questioning look.

    ¡°Might the girls be able to base it off your genetic code?  I know your body is a magical construct, but it¡¯s still based on the genetic code from your original body.  I just have my French, Italian, Greek, and Scottish bloodline, but you also have your father¡¯s Spanish, Native American, and slight African bloodlines.  It could give them a wider range!¡±

    Chuckling a little, Elinor nodded.  Alright, I¡¯m fine with giving them more options.¡±  She held out her hand.  Who¡¯s going first?

    The oldest eagerly came forward, moving around her mother.  ¡°I will!¡±

    She reached out her long leg to touch her hand; the texture was smooth as sheet metal, and only lasted a moment before her body was covered in a black smoke-like substance as she shrank.

    The parts of Camellia¡¯s naked body that were complete were just as flawless as her mother¡¯s; however, part of her left shoulder and left forearm, as well as a part of the right side of her back that showed bone, muscle, and light red veins.

    Other than that, Camellia had a figure resembling a female MMA fighter.  Light red hair hung halfway down her back; it was as if there were living embers in it as several streaks burned brighter than the rest.  She wasn¡¯t quite as curved as her mother but was far more muscular.

    ¡°How strange,¡± she giggled, bending back and forward.  ¡°Why do I feel so light?  It¡¯s like ¡­ oof¡­¡±  She leaned a little too far left, right foot leaving the ground, and fell on her face, hair fanning around her.

    Her sisters laughed, causing her face to turn red.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to work this thing yet ¡­ how do I do the hair thing?¡±  She mumbled, and her hair moved a little as she rose back to her feet, but nothing was created.  A growl left her throat as she ran her hands through it, shaking it out.  ¡°C¡¯mon!¡±  It only held still in the air before slowly moving down.

    ¡°You were never good with webs,¡± Violet teased.

    Azalea hummed softly.  ¡°Well, Camellia was always more of a chase the food down type of hunter.  To be fair, she did get pretty good at slinging her webs at things to rope them in.¡±

    ¡°At least I wasn¡¯t a web fanatic that wouldn¡¯t even go out, Violet!¡±  Camellia grumbled.

    ¡°I made really pretty stuff!¡±  She defended.  ¡°I could run just as fast as you, anyways,¡± she sniffed.  ¡°I didn¡¯t need to do all that exercise.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re the third born!¡±  Camellia barked.  ¡°You were gifted way more than we were.  It¡¯s how it always is¡­¡±

    ¡°Quit your bickering,¡± Iris chided, causing them to go silent.  A soft hum left Iris¡¯ throat as she studied Camellia, still trying to get her hair to function properly.  ¡°It will take some time to get used to it, but I doubt you¡¯ll be proficient enough to create covering as I have for a great while.¡±

    ¡°I can do it!  I know I can ¡­ I just need to figure it out,¡± Camellia pleaded, face flushed with desperation as she continued to fluff out her hair to have it slowly fall back down again.

    ¡°No, you weren¡¯t proficient with webs when alive, and you won¡¯t be in this new form; your efforts are better utilized elsewhere.  Work on your other strengths.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother¡­¡±  She said in a discouraged tone.  ¡°I¡¯ll try getting used to walking.¡±

    ¡°Me next!¡±  Violet said, rushing forward; Camellia cried out in surprise as the wind generated by her passing threw her off balance, crashing back-first onto the floor.

    ¡°Watch it,¡± she growled, struggling back to her feet.  ¡°I¡¯m still getting used to these things,¡± she mumbled, running her hands down her tone legs while bending up and down.

    ¡°Get used to them faster; it can¡¯t be that hard,¡± Violet said with a hint of amusement.

    I guess you¡¯re next.  Elinor said with a smile, holding out her hand.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress Elinor!¡±  Violet replied, holding out her leg; her massive body was blocked by shadow as her form changed.  Once it cleared, Elinor was shocked to see, with a few exceptions, her face was a near-exact copy of a female actor she liked.

    Violet¡¯s tongue slid over her black lips as she looked down at her curved body; she had more of a figure than her sister but slightly less rounded than her mother.  Her skin was like smooth alabaster, and she was just as flexible as Iris.  It was clear that she¡¯d taken a few points of inspiration from Elinor herself.

    Violet curled her delicate fingers to examine her manicured black fingernails, and she twisted around to study her long black hair that fell just below her tone butt.  It moved around on its own, defying gravity as she played with the silky smooth locks.

    Her luminous white irises, framed by her black sclera and thick eyelashes, slid to Elinor before a soft smile touched her face; she performed a slight bow, hair refusing to move from her back with the gesture.

    Clearing her throat before swallowing, Violet spoke with a soft tone that held a ruler¡¯s edge.  ¡°I appreciate¡ªyour patience with my mother and¡ªand my sisters, my grace.¡±  She made deliberate pauses to lick her lips and swallow, playing with her tongue a bit between the breaks, but every word was clear and distinct.

    Elinor released a soft chuckle.  ¡°I see you do pick things up quickly, Violet.¡±

    Annoyance flashed through her link with Camellia, and she tried clearing her throat before speaking; it was far less elegant, but she had a lovely voice.  ¡°T-Thank¡ªy-you ¡­ E-E-Emp¡ªEmpress El¡ªElinor.¡±

    Elinor felt a little bad for the oldest sister; she¡¯d seen a lot of her friends with older siblings get jealous or envious of their elder sibling¡¯s achievements to know that it was the opposite here.  Camellia, as the firstborn, was destined to live in the shadow of her younger sisters.

    ¡°As expected,¡± Elinor praised.  ¡°Camellia, you can also speak.  I¡¯m delighted to have your family within my Empire.¡±

    She was a little taken aback as Violet spoke again.  ¡°If I may, Empress,¡± she paused, massaging her throat with a slight frown before continuing, voice still beautiful.  ¡°Can I look at your clothes and get some inspiration for what covering I should use?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mouth twitched with amusement as her green irises shifted to Tiffany; she bit her lip with excitement written across her face.  ¡°I don¡¯t mind, and Tiffany can tell you a little about the different styles of clothing we have in our world.¡±

    Tiffany hurried over as Violet slowly circled her, glowing white eyes scanning every inch of her attire, and Elinor suddenly realized just how gifted the spider was.  Tiffany began listing off different styles of clothing while Elinor pondered.

    I should have expected it from a near Transcendent-Grade unit, but Violet is extremely sharp, possibly close to her mother or likely even surpassing her in some fields.  She was made to carry on the next generation ¡­ was it because of her broken development process that she didn¡¯t become Transcendent level?  Maybe she hadn¡¯t matured before dying.

    She¡¯s matching Iris¡¯ handle on changing into human form.  She¡¯s walking, talking ¡­ her mother hasn¡¯t even tried speaking with her mouth.  Maybe she wants to make more intricate clothes than her mother to prove that she is worthy of that responsibility?

    Her vision slid to Camellia; her eyes could have burned a hole right through Violet, and it wasn¡¯t hard to guess why.  She was completely overshadowed, and Elinor expected the mild-tempered middle sister to be only slightly less competent than her younger sister since she was on the higher level of the Legendary-Grade spectrum.

    However ¡­ the way Violet reacted before.  There is a kiddish side to her, but that was masked once she changed.  Perhaps, she hasn¡¯t matured entirely, but if she catches herself, then she can act in a dignified manner.  Her mental state seems sound, but her emotional state could be called into question.

    How she handles stressful situations will be critical to judge.  Even if she¡¯s a genius with amazing instincts ¡­ if she loses her temper and can get flustered when under pressure, then she won¡¯t be suited for certain tasks.

    After a few minutes of study, and focusing on Tiffany¡¯s explanation of Japanese-style clothes, Violet stopped in front of her before saying, ¡°I believe I have an idea of what I wish to create.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so excited!¡±  Tiffany squealed.

    Violet closed her eyes and lowered her head; her hair fanned around her, nearly shrouding her entire body before pulling back to reveal a Bandeau black and white bra with the same color and long stripe-like patterns on the panties.  There was a tie at the front, which Elinor assumed didn¡¯t need to be there, but added some of the fashion that Tiffany suggested.

    ¡°How does this look?  It feels nice and elastic,¡± she added, twisting her torso and shoulders a bit to stretch it.

    Her mother and sisters walked beside Elinor to study her as she showed off the clothing, keeping a curious expression.

    ¡°It looks beautiful!¡±  Tiffany clapped excitedly.  ¡°We¡¯re going to have so much fun!¡±

    ¡°I¡ªis ¡­ is that¡ªit?¡±  Camellia asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Violet huffed, putting her hand on her hip; she seemed to be in complete control of her voice now.  ¡°This is just the first layer.  Tiffany was explaining to me¡ªwhat was the word, outfit ¡­ it is a combination of different clothing.  It¡¯s better than not wearing anything at all, and letting things flap about.¡±

    Camellia scowled at her, nibbling on her lower lip.

    ¡°It looks so strange but oddly appealing,¡± Azalea commented, bending down a little to get a better look as Violet stretched out her arms to expose herself more.

    Iris cocked her head slightly; her expression made it clear that her daughters¡¯ antics amused her.  When she spoke, it was with command, precision, and sounded beautiful.  ¡°Violet is not wrong.  We do need to do something about covering ourselves; it seems to mean multiple things to humans.¡±

    The Queen stepped closer to her daughter, white highlighted hair extended out, wrapping around Camellia¡¯s upper and lower halves before leaving a set identical to her own.

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll ¡­ f-figure¡­¡±  Her mother sighed before cutting her off.

    ¡°Learn how to speak aloud when not wasting people¡¯s time, Camellia.  I understand you wish to show your own talents, but you should practice before showing us.  You can learn how to create your own outfit in time.  Be patient with yourself and don¡¯t give up.¡±

    Camellia¡¯s face drooped as she mumbled, ¡°Yes, mother.¡±  She fell silent, tugging gently at the semi-elastic bra to test it out; the article didn¡¯t tear and seemed to be reasonably secure.

    Iris turned her eyes back to Violet with a fond smile.  ¡°If there was one area you surpassed me, then it is the art of the weave.  You¡¯ve learned to change the color of your web from black to white, most impressive.  I look forward to your next display.¡±

    Violet beamed.  ¡°Thank you, mother.¡±

    Elinor nodded with a slight smile as Violet turned her sparkling eyes to her.  ¡°I¡¯m impressed, and I expect to continue being amazed by what you fashion.  I was only partially listening to your conversation with Tiffany; so, I don¡¯t know what you have planned next.¡±

    Nodding, she moved onto the next piece; her hair parted to reveal a loose black robe that fell to her upper thighs.  It was tied to the side by a white strap and was cut in a way to expose her collarbone but hide the bra.

    ¡°Tiffany called this a casual and more modern style to the juban ¡­ did I pronounce that right?¡±

    The Witch nodded, positively glowing with anticipation.  ¡°It¡¯s perfect!  It¡¯s traditionally worn under¡ªwhat comes next!¡±

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Iris mused as Violet turned around to give them a full view of the covering.

    ¡°Next!  Next!¡±  Tiffany cheered, and the Yaltha¡¯ma had fanned out to get a better view of the strange event.

    Violet¡¯s hair fanned around her again, weaving and shifting, and this time it took more than five times as long to finish; once done, Elinor¡¯s eyes widened.

    She was clothed in a long white kimono with large intricate black chrysanthemum designs.  With what was evident from the inside of the sleeves, the inner lining was black with small white flowers spaced across it.  The hemming was black, contrasting the white main body, and both wide sleeves were tied just above the elbow with black petal-shaped bows.

    Around her waist was a night-black sash that seemed to have been folded in an intricate way to reveal the black body, and the white trim and petal arrangements.  It wrapped around her thin stomach, holding the kimono in place with an exquisite bow at the back.

    The entire thing looked like it would have been torture to create.

    ¡°No ¡­ Tiffany, a Kimono, and like¡­¡±  She paused as Violet completed the outfit by balancing on each foot while her hair fashioned two Japanese geta shoes; the soles and thick strap was black with white edges.  The body was at least an inch thick, and the two blocks would lift her six inches off the ground; an inch was cut out of the center of each block, leading up to a diamond-shaped cut halfway up.

    ¡°Unbelievable,¡± Elinor mumbled, causing Violet¡¯s face to crease with concern.

    ¡°Is it that bad?  Should I not do the hair thing?¡±  She asked, looking down at her outfit with a deep frown.

    Tiffany giggled sheepishly.  ¡°No, no, dear, you look absolutely stunning!  The Empress is just a little shocked by what I asked you to create.  Go ahead, go on,¡± she urged, left arm held against her stomach while her right pressed against her chin.  ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡±  She whispered before biting her lip.

    Violet¡¯s hair lifted up and twisted around until several shining white and black pins with balls, tassels, and beads dropped down their sides, holding up a portion of her hair while leaving the rest to drop down below her butt.

    Her bangs were cut just a bit above her eyes, and a braid formed beside her ear, lying atop more locks that framed her face, and dropping a few inches below her chin.  White shiny Kanzashi held white flowers on the left side of her head, hiding the start of the braid on that side.

    The entire process took even longer than the kimono.

    ¡°Okay,¡± she sighed, looking a little fatigued.  ¡°It took a bit more concentration to make the intricate parts.  This is what I imagined from your description.  What do you think?¡±

    ¡°It looks like a lot of work,¡± Camellia mumbled, folding her arms as she turned away, seemingly uninterested.

    ¡°Superb,¡± Iris said with a light hum, moving closer to examine the finer details.  ¡°It did take quite a lot of work, and especially since you are just learning that form.  I see a few spots that could use some more focus, and by doing this, you¡¯ve expended much of your energy.  It will take longer than you have time in this form to recover.¡±

    ¡°It does look amazing,¡± Elinor complimented.  ¡°How long can you each stay in that form?¡±

    ¡°Thirty minutes, right now,¡± Camellia promptly replied.

    Violet nodded.  ¡°We will need to wait at least two hours before transforming again.  That¡¯s one reason why I made these so I can remove them ¡­ I don¡¯t want them to be destroyed after all the work I put into it.¡±

    ¡°A very nice touch!¡±  Tiffany praised.  ¡°What about you, Iris?  Do you have a time limit?¡±

    The Shapeshifter held her hands behind her back as she turned to face the Witch, features neutral.  ¡°Yes.  I can stay transformed for six hours before needing a day to recover.  That will extend, and the period of time it will take to recover decreases as I hone the skill.¡±

    Elinor turned to Azalea, noting how patient she¡¯d been.  ¡°Are you ready for your turn?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely!¡±  She replied with a bright tone.  I have an image in mind.¡±

    She held out her hand, and the spider touched it with her thin front leg, and once the shadows left, she was a little surprised to find the body of a teenager.

    The middle child had chosen to take on a smaller and younger form than her sisters and mother, showing soft features; she could have been seventeen to eighteen by her appearance, and that wasn¡¯t the only deviation she¡¯d made.

    Azalea¡¯s bright pink irises were larger than most humans, and so were her eyes.  She studied her thin arm as she extended it, twirling it back and forth while flexing her delicate fingers.  Her voice was soft and gentle, and she paused a few times to experiment with her tongue and throat.  ¡°How¡ªcurious.  I feel like¡ªI can¡ªfly.  I¡¯m so light!¡±

    Her dark blue hair fell halfway down her back and shifted while her body twisted around, examining her new form.  The roots of her hair were a sky blue, quickly deepening to a midnight shade; parts of the inner layers by her neck glowed with an aqua hue, and her eyebrows matched the deeper colors of her hair.

    Azalea¡¯s cheeks were slightly rosy, and there was a dark blue beauty mark below the corner of her left eye.  Her cute button nose and high cheekbones added to her smooth skin, giving her a younger appearance.

    Bending to study her markless white skin, she bit the lower left half of her glossy red lips, pulling it back to reveal perfect white teeth.  She giggled, sliding her hand down her small chest, smooth stomach, and rounded butt to graze the back of her blue fingernails against her thighs.  ¡°It tickles.¡±

    ¡°What a cutie you are!¡±  Tiffany chimed, rushing over to get a better look.  ¡°You went for the small cute type, huh?¡±

    ¡°It just felt right for what I wanted,¡± she said with a bright smile.

    They all watched her hair extend, creating a blue bra to match her mother¡¯s simple design and spandex-like covering for her lower half, resembling workout shorts.

    ¡°Huh ¡­ it does feel somewhat right to wear something,¡± she whispered.

    They all turned to Elinor as she spoke.  ¡°I love how all of you look; you really are something special.  That being said, I believe it is time we move on; we have much to do.

    ¡°So, you girls get to know Tiffany a bit better while your mother and I go have a talk and iron out some details, and all of you,¡± she said, turning toward the Hidden Ones, ¡°can go up and help the others.  You can do it in your own groups if you like.¡±

    Facing her ritualist, she asked, ¡°Tiffany, can you tell Edmon to send word to one of the leaders of the Yaltha¡¯ma?  All Yaltha¡¯ma are now under the Empire; any discrimination between the groups will be followed with heavy punishment.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tiffany replied.  ¡°Would you like me to also add that El¡¯Co¡¯Ca is in charge of the Hidden Ones¡¯ faction?¡±

    ¡°That would be great.¡±  Turning to Iris, she said, ¡°After you.¡±

 B1 â€” 25. The Queens Story

    The crowd of Yaltha¡¯ma parted to allow Elinor and Iris a path to the exit.

    Iris¡¯ glowing blood-red irises slid over her daughters. ¡°Learn your places from Tiffany. When I return, there will be work to be done.¡±

    The three sisters all bowed their heads, silky hair stable at their backs. ¡°Of course, mother.¡±

    Without a second glance, she took Elinor¡¯s invitation and walked down the center of the reverent creatures on either side; they kept their heads low but were able to see them advance with their second pair of eyes.

    Elinor left the cavern with Iris by her side.

    Tiffany¡¯s voice was glowing with excitement while giving instructions to the small animals. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve just let Gatekeeper Edmon know the details. El¡¯Co¡¯Ca, you and your people can all go to the main hall of the central building; there will be a guide there to bring you to the Gatekeeper for further instruction.¡±

    She tuned out the throng, green eyes moving between two branches in the cave that she hadn¡¯t noticed on their entrance; this new passage curved to the right. The smooth stone of the walls was clearly hollowed out by design with its symmetrical shape that showed dozens of mineral veins.

    ¡°You know your way around the tunnels?¡± Elinor asked, glancing over at the Shifter.

    Iris¡¯ movements were becoming more elegant by the step; it was a little shocking to see how quickly the spider was becoming accustomed to her human form.

    ¡°I expect to know most; much must have changed in the time since I was alive; however, my cousin had many of these shafts created, and I expanded upon them. Memorizing our path is not an issue; we will not become lost.¡±

    ¡°As expected.¡± Elinor smiled softly; her worries had significantly diminished with the addition of her Royal Executioner and her daughters. ¡°On to what I wished to discuss,¡± she said, moving to explore the new tunnel.

    She paused as the sound of the throng of Yaltha¡¯ma started their ascent out of the cave system, following Tiffany¡¯s orders; Iris and Elinor stopped, watching the wave run around them in a wide circle before disappearing back the way they¡¯d come up the left tunnel.

    Once they were gone, the only sound was the enthralled voices of Tiffany and the spider sisters as they got to know each other.

    ¡°Is blue your favorite color, Azalea? Your hair looks beautiful, by the way!¡±

    Azalea laughed lightly. ¡°I¡¯m flattered. I always loved the colors of the bluestones we¡¯d find.¡±

    ¡°The red ones were better,¡± Camellia interjected.

    ¡°They were pretty, weren¡¯t they?¡± Azalea agreed. ¡°What about you, Tiffany?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I couldn¡¯t pick one! I love matching and finding a combination of colors that compliment each other. I can¡¯t wait for you three to become more proficient in your abilities to make whole wardrobes!¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s a wardrobe?¡± Violet asked with anticipation.

    Elinor directed a quick smile at the four, just barely in view, before turning back to the new tunnel and proceeding toward it with Iris by her side.

    Finally, things are starting to look up for me. I can¡¯t slow down, though ¡­ I still have a lot to do, and first, I need to understand Iris and her daughters.

    She licked her lips before stating her intentions. ¡°I have a few things I wished to discuss with you; first, why could I instantly revive you? From what I¡¯ve experienced with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, in addition to Edmon and Tiffany informing me of the process, I need to communicate with powerful spirits and better align their will with myself.

    ¡°However, when I analyzed your remains, you were already affiliated with those conditions to become one of the Royal Court. Why is that?¡±

    Iris was silent for a moment, causing Elinor to examine the Shifter; she could sense her compiling the information to give her a proper response.

    The Queen¡¯s presence was surprisingly different and arguably even more reassuring than being with Tiffany or Edmon.

    Her former mother gave her reassurance on an intellectual level that helped her work through internal conflicts while her former father was a wall between her and those that wished to harm her, bringing tactical knowledge to defend her.

    Both Edmon and Tiffany helped support her in particular ways, and the added security she felt with her Racial Skills provided another layer of control; however, Iris was different. She couldn¡¯t quite place it yet, but walking beside the Shifter put her at ease.

    Once they entered the smaller passageway, Iris posed an answer. ¡°If I met the conditions, then what your Empire represents is equivalent to how my lifestyle was ordered in life. That would be my best estimation.¡±

    Her calm red irises moved down to examine her, and it was at this moment that Elinor realized the Queen was at least eight inches taller than her. ¡°You mentioned another Royal Court candidate named Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma ¡­ within this area, would that be the White Infernal Ape?¡±

    Even though Iris¡¯ tone was perfectly neutral, Elinor knew that the Shifter was more than on bad terms with the great white beast, and this was unpleasant news to her. She didn¡¯t fear the Queen; if she did raise him, she knew Iris¡¯ ire would be toward the ape and not herself.

    ¡°That is correct,¡± Elinor stated. ¡°Is that a problem?¡±

    The Queen¡¯s eye twitched, hatred flashing across her face before it was masked, and she turned her head back toward the front. Her tone had become cold as her eyes fell to the floor, lips creasing with displeasure.

    ¡°I will follow your lead. That being said ¡­ the pulse in my veins ¡­ the war that I waged. He was the one creature that managed to get under my skin. My conflict was not with his race; they were prey. I had enmity with him alone and had my daughters not jumped in to help; then, our fight would have had a different result.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Elinor asked, glancing back at the curved tunnel; she could still hear Tiffany, and the girls¡¯ echoing voices every so often. ¡°They were in your way?¡±

    ¡°Naturally,¡± Iris sighed. ¡°I cannot fault them; they had never seen me fight a creature of similar combat skill. Camellia was still young when I killed my cousin for this territory, and they wished to prove themselves.

    ¡°It was the wrong time, and we paid the price for it. I am sure it is one of the reasons Violet is trying so hard to impress me; she recognizes her decision was not the right one, and it was her that influenced her sisters¡¯ decision to engage with her. Chastising them will do more harm than good, so I let it rest.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes fell to the stone floor as they continued to follow the passage, and she tried putting herself in the girl¡¯s shoes, watching her mother fighting some massive flaming ape to the death. I can¡¯t say I wouldn¡¯t do the same if I were in the same situation.

    Her attention returned to the Shifter¡¯s graceful face as she breathed out a long sigh. ¡°Therefore, I cannot say that it will not cause an issue with my attitude. However, I do not sense him within the network we all share with you.¡±

    She nodded, added a reassuring smile. ¡°You needn¡¯t fear; we came to an impasse.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ it is a shame,¡± Iris stated, tone now detached. ¡°While yes, I have a bitter relationship with him, I recognize that the brute could have been a great support to the Empire. It was an unfortunate inevitability; we were destined to be at odds, and our circumstances pushed us to conflict.¡±

    A hum escaped Elinor¡¯s throat while her eyes inspected the alluring form of the woman beside her; it was the first time she¡¯d seen so much emotion from the spider, and it pulled her attention to the Queen¡¯s appearance.

    She breathed, evident by her ample bust rising and falling. She held her left hand in a tight fist behind her back, obscured by her long, white-streaked black hair, and her right arm was left to hang loosely by her swinging hips.

    Her expression returned to its neutral state, and she held a perfect posture while displaying a powerful saunter, exuding the refined glamorous majesty of a ruler, despite her minimal clothing. Elinor¡¯s skin prickled from the radiating elegance and controlled dominance the Shifter released.

    The Spider Queen gave her a new level of confidence, like anything that blocked her path would be eviscerated; even she felt a shiver run down her spine from the fatal gleam in her Royal Executioner¡¯s glowing blood-red eyes.

    She was everything Elinor imagined a high-class assassin would be and more; despite drawing attention; she had no doubt the Shifter could flip that switch on a dime. Her precise, charming, and cultivated appearance was matched by her ruthlessness, calculating, and cold presence of execution.

    Yet, at the same time, she¡¯d seen a motherly side to her with her daughters that surprised her, and she more than approved. Having the Spider Family inside the Empire was an achievement to her ever-growing desire for what she wanted her kingdom to represent.

    I can learn from Iris¡¯ example ¡­ there¡¯s so much I need to know to build an Empire, but how I present myself is an important part of the job. As the Empress, I am the Empire, and a level of how people view it will stem from how they see me.

    ¡°Could you tell me more about your life while alive, Iris? It might help me better understand how you met all the Royal Court conditions.¡±

    ¡°Certainly,¡± Iris replied while following her lead. ¡°Where would you like me to start?¡±

    They continued down the tunnel, and Elinor couldn¡¯t help but smile at how creepy the cave system was; the smooth wall¡¯s curve played with her imagination. She wanted some horrific monster to be just beyond her sight; to have Iris cut it to pieces without a care in the world. The entire situation was pulling upon the fantasies she had back on Earth.

    Elinor took the right shaft as they came upon a branch. ¡°Hmm, what about your history? Tell me what you remember about your past and culture. Your daughters seem to have a strong competitive edge, and there is a very structured system in place.¡±

    ¡°Our history and culture,¡± Iris repeated softly. ¡°Our past was told to me by my mother, and she heard it from her¡¯s. As far as I am aware, this information goes back two more generations; we arrived in this world through a form of portal. There were many reasons for why such colonizations were done.

    ¡°When we come to a new world that has sustenance and land that is plentiful, then the strongest moves to that new world. It is seen as an honor when the Queen leaves, appointing one of her children that has proven herself as a replacement to succeed her, and the newly appointed Queen of the original planet will then do the same when the next gate arrives.¡±

    ¡°So, you have multiple queens in your culture?¡±

    ¡°Yes. A Queen may have up to five children within her lifetime, and one of those five will be selected through merit to inherit their mother¡¯s territory. The other sisters may challenge that ascension or leave to find new land to conquer. This expansion helps sustain the species.¡±

    A wistful smile touched Iris¡¯ face as her vision fell to the floor. ¡°That being said, I cannot deny the sorrow that fills me with anxiety at the very thought of losing one of my daughters ¡­ my mother did not warn me of such emotions, and expressing those emotions has long been in debate within the depths of my heart.

    ¡°I recall when my sisters fought, and the results of that contest ¡­ my mother congratulated my sister on her victory before going into seclusion for a time. It makes me wonder¡­¡±

    The gravity of the conversation put a weight against Elinor¡¯s chest, though Emotional Loss dulled the emotion. A soft sigh left her lips before responding. ¡°The pressure of motherhood is not light ¡­ I couldn¡¯t imagine how heartbreaking that would be.¡±

    Her features lifted as she smiled at the solemn Queen. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate you will never have to experience those emotions. Your daughters will not kill each other while within my Empire; a healthy dose of competition is wonderful, but they are bound to serve me, and decreasing my military force is detrimental to me, not productive.¡±

    ¡°Most fortunate,¡± Iris whispered, and her emotions instantly pacified as she continued. ¡°When resources grow scarce, then a Queen needs to expand her territory. If that expansion touches another Queen¡¯s region, then it is to be determined by combat which ruler will take command of both. The other Queen may submit and leave or contest her challenge, but all drones will remain.

    ¡°Our previous planet had reached a point of completion, and before that, I was told there were other planets that we had reached maximum territorial growth, where a single ruler won the planet.¡±

    ¡°What a very confrontational system,¡± Elinor said, rubbing the back of her left hand while holding them behind her back.

    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± Iris replied, wetting her lips before continuing. ¡°Yet it has provided the formula that advanced our species to such a great height.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Elinor whispered, thinking back to her capture. ¡°Are you talking about large crystal-like structures that teleport you to new worlds, and if so, are those common?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is as you describe,¡± Iris replied. ¡°The frequency of such events varies, I am told. However, as far as I am aware, it has always been associated with our system of expansion.¡±

    ¡°What about the populous of the world?¡±

    ¡°What about them?¡± Iris asked, bangs shifting to the right on their own as her blood-red irises shifted down to give her a questioning look, and Elinor realized that Iris truly didn¡¯t know what she was getting at.

    ¡°Did you kill or eat them?¡±

    ¡°But of course,¡± Iris said with a short chuckle. ¡°What else would we do? I may cherish my daughters, but it is the strong that survive without question. It has been proven generation to generation; we overpowered numberless creatures across multiple planets with this method.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°There are some that prove themselves useful to the Queens, and they are used until their serviceability ends; a decent example is the little ones you call Yaltha¡¯ma.¡±

    ¡°I get it,¡± Elinor stated, ¡°but do you enjoy the killing?¡±

    ¡°I suppose you could say that,¡± Iris hummed. ¡°The Queens relish competition; Tiffany compared us to lions on some levels, and some of the most formidable opposition came from gates. With the strongest Queens of each world pioneering the way, there is always little concern, so I¡¯m told.¡±

    ¡°What about your family line? Did it end on this planet?¡± Elinor asked, vision flicking to the ceiling as the glowworms reappeared; they made their appearance again down a branching tunnel, and she moved to follow the trail out of curiosity.

    ¡°No,¡± Iris replied. ¡°As far as I am aware, there would still be three territories held by my race; two are from my aunt¡¯s children, and one is my elder sister that inhabits the region to our west, beyond the mountain range.¡±

    ¡°Your sister ¡­ would she still be alive?¡±

    Iris fell silent for a moment, thinking upon her words, and after several seconds, shook her head. ¡°From the information I¡¯ve been given, we lived five-hundred years ago in your measurement of time.

    ¡°If it has been a bit more than a hundred years, then I am certain she has died. I was nearing the end of my prime, four-hundred, and fifty-nine years, where I would have declined greatly.¡±

    She¡¯s a lot older than I thought¡­

    ¡°My elder sister was thirty years my senior ¡­ as I mentioned before, having killed our eldest sister during a hunting dispute.¡±

    A frown touched Elinor¡¯s lips as she thought back on the three cute sisters, fighting to the death over some trivial hunting matter. ¡°Was the hunt that important?¡±

    Iris hummed softly, brow creasing with a hint of confusion as her left thumb rubbed her index finger for a moment. ¡°I see ¡­ such behavior is not natural for your species?¡±

    Elinor thought upon the question. ¡°I ¡­ suppose it is a part of humanity to fight and kill, but we¡¯ve created a social system that frowns on such actions over the ages, and murdering a family member has been taboo as long as antiquity.¡±

    ¡°That is a foreign concept to me,¡± Iris admitted. ¡°Within our culture, it is not uncommon. It is our way; only the strongest can lead the next generation through the gates, and there is no preference for birth order.

    ¡°Generally, yes, the third born tends to have the greatest combat potential. However, that does not mean that they will win in every generation and conflict; there have been many times when the firstborn, or even the fifth, claimed victory.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus crept across the discolored veins in the walls and a few stalactites and stalagmites that had formed over the years, causing a break in the even floor. She could feel Tiffany still having short conversations with Iris inside the internal network, likely Iris gaining further insight from the Witch.

    A smile touched her lips as she thought about Tiffany¡¯s glee at finally having girls she can be less formal around and dote over. Our position really hampers many of the things she wishes to do with me ¡­ it¡¯s sad, but necessary, to a point.

    Camellia sees Violet as a major milestone or block, but I didn¡¯t think they¡¯d literally go for each other¡¯s throats. That and Azalea seems entirely different ¡­ she might be the reason her two sisters haven¡¯t killed each other ¡­ yet. Is that her own type of subtle tactic, though? She is in the Assassin Class ¡­ there must be another personality hidden underneath all that cute charm.

    Iris¡¯ sister, though ¡­ if I could raise her, then I¡¯d start gaining quite the stealth offensive force. There are so many possibilities. The issue will be if she¡¯s Transcendent, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to reanimate her. If she were just below it, like Violet, then that would be excellent, and if she had daughters of her own¡­

    ¡°Did your sister have any kids?¡±

    ¡°Two, that I am aware of ¡­ although,¡± Iris¡¯ eyes narrowed slightly. ¡°It is odd that they have not taken over this area. How is hunting in the valley at this time?¡±

    Elinor shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t say. Though, with the Quen¡¯Talrat being wiped out in this area, from what I understand from the Yaltha¡¯ma, this place is basically a barren wasteland.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ yes, the Infernal Apes were the reason this area was so desirable for us; the wonderful nutritious resource their bodies provided helped produce powerful offspring. If they are gone, then her daughters would have expanded in a different direction.¡±

    ¡°What about the male Th¨¦lm¨¦thra?¡±

    ¡°Males? Yes ¡­ you have a strange reproduction system. According to Tiffany, we use something approximating your word Parthenogenesis to reproduce. You call us Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ the one you reanimated is what Tiffany describes as a drone. They are quite simple and are produced in mass quantities through an oviparous process.

    ¡°Similar to your ¡­ ants and bees. They do the work needed for the Queen and act as markers for the strength of the opposition in the area. If they are easily killed, then it might be worth the Queen¡¯s notice. The connection between strength and food is why fertile hunting grounds are of such importance to us, and the most powerful Queens take the best places.¡±

    Elinor forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m a little lost about that kind of science and words; Tiffany knows way too much about human science.¡± She chuckled.

    ¡°Yes, Tiffany is quite active,¡± Iris said without a hint of annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s respectable; she has taken great interest in understanding how our bodies function to get a better grasp of how our abilities might grow more efficiently. I welcome the input she has.¡±

    Elinor restrained a sigh. ¡°I thought it might be her influence. So, you gather resources to produce stronger offspring?¡±

    ¡°That is certainly a core function of our species. Since the greatest prey was the Infernal Apes, we made this area our primary home, and I won the rights to this area through combat with my second cousin, my elder sister conceding the rights of our mother¡¯s territory to me..¡±

    The matter-of-fact manner in which she recounted murdering her relatives without a hint of regret put an edge of unease in Elinor¡¯s stomach; the Queen might have felt something for her children, but that obviously didn¡¯t extend to her own siblings. She knew it was because of the different cultures and genetics, but it just felt a bit wrong.

    Elinor¡¯s voice fell a little as she asked, ¡°Did you like her?¡±

    ¡°I did grow up with her as a neighbor, and there were times where we interacted.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ so, it wasn¡¯t personal, but just a matter of culture. Could you ever share the resources?¡±

    ¡°Without a proper chain of command, then the species is at risk of extinction, and chaos will not support our survival. Cooperation shows weakness in one¡¯s ability to accomplish the duties of a Queen. No, it has not been done and has not been a question espoused. As I have said, the strong survive, and the weak die. Was my second cousin weak compared to the Quen¡¯Talrat? No, but she was weaker than me, and should have submitted to my rule.¡±

    Iris turned her blood-red irises to her, and a charming smile lit her beautiful features. ¡°It is as simple as that, and if another Queen had come along that was stronger than myself, then I would have submitted and left, that is how we arrive here. You were stronger than me; you can conquer death, and therefore, I submit and recognize you as owning my soul.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Elinor said with a light chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s as simple as that. What do you think about your new Undead form and abilities?¡±

    Iris lifted her right hand, watching it transform into claws and back into smooth fingers several times. ¡°It was strange at first, but the ability to change my shape at will has given me many insights into other creatures¡¯ views of the world ¡­ with Tiffany¡¯s constant search for knowledge. I have never seen things through such a small size, and to be able to attack from so many angles, the ease at dodging ¡­ there is still much to explore.¡±

    Elinor went silent as the temperature of the passageway increased; after a few more minutes of walking up the gradual rise, the tunnel opened into a large area of running water.

    The river was fairly wide, flowing down a large cave opening with glowworms running along the moist ceiling, and it was the first time she¡¯d seen so many small insects; they flew around the surface with the occasional large fish jumping out to grab a snack.

    Elinor¡¯s green irises followed the current upstream; it bent around, blocking her view, but there was a wide walkway on the left side of the tunnel. It appeared to be a canal, designed for a specific purpose.

    ¡°You built all of these tunnels, right?¡± Elinor asked, climbing the slope before hiking up the gradual incline with Iris keeping pace by her side.

    ¡°This was a project I devised to gather more food during the siege of the Infernal Apes; it moves down to a basin to collect fish, trapping the larger ones at the bottom. It has likely fallen into ruin without maintenance.¡±

    She tried to examine the fish as they jumped out, and upon closer inspection, they appeared to be a type of blue and green Rope Fish. It was an eel-like species that snaked up out of the surge to eat its fill, yet she spotted another kind of fish that resembled the Black Ghost Knifefish that her friend had owned.

    ¡°Where does this lead?¡± Elinor asked, holding her hands behind her back.

    ¡°I designed this to branch off a natural underground river that was diverted. It worked for a time, but quickly ran dry of sustenance.¡±

    Remembering back on the conversation she had with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and what she¡¯d learned about the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, she asked, ¡°Was food one of the major reasons why you attacked the Quen¡¯Talrat during the siege?¡±

    Iris took a moment to gather her thoughts, and her expression turned reflective, lips pursing to the side as her blood-red irises lifting to the glowworms as they climbed the incline.

    ¡°That is a complicated situation. My relationship with the Infernal Apes was a predatory one. My drones and daughters would hunt them, and alone, they were relatively easy prey. That is ¡­ until the massive white one appeared.¡±

    She paused again, features sharpening. ¡°We fed off this land with few threats. There was the occasional concern with the more powerful apes, their leaders; however, it was nothing my daughters could not handle with preparation, and for hundreds of years, this was the case. Then ¡­ he showed up.¡±

    ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We had evolved our webs to be resistant to the Quen¡¯Talrat flames, but not his ¡­ even Violet¡¯s strong fire-resistance was eradicated with ease by the beast, and no other ape had his level of skin and bone strength. With his four weapons, it was a hard fight, but I was confident I would come out on top.

    ¡°Perhaps it was these deep feelings in my chest ¡­ to not leave this world before my daughters that I failed.¡± Iris paused, tone low. ¡°I suppose that means I was weak in the end ¡­ I had not thought about that possibility.¡±

    Elinor shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t see it that way ¡­ family is more important than anything.¡± She whispered. ¡°Taking that risk was well worth it; to me, in any case.¡±

    They walked along the path¡¯s edge for a time, listening to the gentle flow, and pop of the fish breaking the surface. After a few minutes, Iris continued her story, eyes scanning the bubbling river.

    ¡°I lived a relatively simple life, and when it became clear that this new Infernal Ape assaulted my nest, I was not prepared. Still, I managed to wound him lightly, expecting my poison to handle it ¡­ but he survived.

    He came without warning, showing me that my poisons were ineffective against him. He had done the impossible, gathered the strongest of every tribe, banding them together into one unified structure.

    ¡°I recognized I could not fight dozens of his elites, and so I was forced to retreat again. It is here that it began to become personal, and with the addition of these new tools, he became several times stronger. After that defeat and the building of the massive city above us, I had to bide my time.

    ¡°I dug out these tunnels, expanded them to steal the Infernal Ape¡¯s stored food; revenge was a significant contributor to my actions. I needed to regain my place, and I had been soundly outmaneuvered twice. The introduction of massive waves of enemies was what ultimately drew my desire to rid myself of the brute. He had drawn the attention of armies, and it was becoming difficult to find sustenance.

    ¡°This was a first for me, and I was forced underground. So, we dug, and I raided their storehouses. This was met by his full force, and everything was planned in order ¡­ except for my daughter¡¯s intervention.

    ¡°The Infernal Apes¡¯ wars had made this confrontation inevitable, and as I said, I had planned for the fight. If only they hadn¡¯t gone north to destroy the rocky people. It was when they returned that many things changed with their culture, and it sparked the gathering of the massive armies.¡±

    ¡°Rocky people?¡± Elinor questioned, trying to imagine the creatures. ¡°They lived in the north, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, beyond the desolate planes; the creatures weren¡¯t that impressive, but had decent hunting tactics and a natural anatomy to combat the Quen¡¯Talrat flames.

    ¡°They have stone-like hands, faces, and lower bodies, with leathery skin from their elbows and waist to their neck. Orange flames lick inside their snout-like mouth and eyes, four spikes protrude under their chin, on top of their head, and down the back of their neck. Their sharp claws adorn their hands, similar to you humans, but from their fingers to their elbow is covered with jagged rock-like pins.¡±

    The direction and correlations clicked in Elinor¡¯s mind. ¡°The Trelmere race ¡­ I had no clue they were made of stone. Interesting, so, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was likely a refugee, escaping a Trelmere raid.¡±

    The Queen hummed thoughtfully as they came upon a rise with a long angled waterfall, showing large fish jumping down it to vanish into the deeper water at the bottom. Elinor and Iris slowly climbed the ramp at its side as they talked.

    ¡°I suppose ¡­ I am pleased to see much of the work I had done has not changed. Driven out of the valley beyond, I needed to regain my place at the top of the food chain, and for a time, I did. The one you call Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had moved to the north to lead a raiding party, and it was some time before they returned.¡±

    Elinor folded her arms as the tunnel opened up to a wide cavern, showing a massive underground lake. This world is insane¡­

    Surveying the gigantic pillars shooting up from the cave floor to the ceiling, and the fashioned river divide, Elinor released a low hum. ¡°You have quite the story ¡­ I¡¯m glad I was able to listen to a piece of it and understand more about your personality.¡±

    ¡°The pleasure is mine,¡± Iris replied, bowing slightly to her. ¡°I assume we are moving onto the next topic?¡±

    ¡°Yes, now,¡± she turned to face Iris, and the Queen¡¯s flawless face brightened into a smile as she informed the Shifter of her mission.

    ¡°When I was forced into this world, there was a snake-woman that was carried away by the Toads, and now, Demon, a powerful unembodied creature, is seeking to use her for some purpose. I will not let that stand; it is a direct threat to my Empire, and she appears to have great potential. I will speak to her personally about her future and how it might align with what I am building.¡±

    A low hum rumbled in Iris¡¯ throat while her glowing eyes narrowed. ¡°These Toads ¡­ Tiffany mentioned the jumping creatures when informing me of our situation. If they are the smooth-skinned ones from the south, then I am aware of their species.

    ¡°These Toads, as you called them, were rarely anything special when I was alive. There was a single group of few individuals to the southeast valley, beyond the mountains that were of different stock with a bit more bite, but nothing of great concern.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes burned, and her jaw locked for a moment, remembering the experience of being tied up, forced into this hostile world, and robbed of her parents and home. ¡°The Toads raided my world, pillaged everything they liked, forced us back to this planet as slaves, food, or entertainment ¡­ murdered my parents. They stole everything from me.¡± She growled.

    The atmosphere around them grew colder as Iris¡¯ attractive features fell into contempt with every word. ¡°That they¡¯d have the gall to assault you is¡­¡±

    Iris¡¯ fingers flexed, claws appearing as some form of clear liquid dripped off her fingertips, sizzling as it touched the stone ground, burning into it. ¡°Examples must be made; any creature that bites the hand of its master must be put down. Would you like me to send a message back?¡±

    A cruel smile touched Elinor¡¯s lips. ¡°Do as you see fit ¡­ my blood has been boiling. Go after them, increase your level along the way by killing animals, and become an unstoppable wraith. I don¡¯t care how you do it, but make it abundantly clear that they have made the greatest sin of their history and bring back the one named Nadraca. She will be the one in charge, wearing a necklace.¡±

    ¡°I will deliver your message with exactness.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to hearing the results. Do you trust one of your daughters to handle another task?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it depends on the task.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed as she felt a communication pass between Edmon, Tiffany, and Iris, but if they could handle it, then the details didn¡¯t bother her.

    ¡°To the west of us is the largest camp of living human prisoners with a Toad Chief called Valdar. Can any of your daughters handle rescuing that group without sustaining injury, and bringing back Valdar or whichever high ranking Toad is present? I need informants.

    ¡°In short, rescue the humans and snake-woman, bring them back, and take a prisoner from each side that has the highest rank. Sending a message is a bonus for me. I¡¯m sure one or two of your daughters will be needed here to help with security; so, choose whichever you believe is the best fit. Once the toads are back, Tiffany will get them to sing like birds.¡±

    A light chuckle left Iris¡¯ throat, but it didn¡¯t touch her blood-red irises. The Queen¡¯s hands were still held in the same positions, right hand at her back while her left was held loosely by her side. ¡°What if the snake-woman is not there, and the same for this Nadraca and Valdar?¡±

    ¡°Use your best judgment based on the information given,¡± Elinor replied. ¡°Nadraca took the river south, so they should be able to cover a larger distance than the other group moving on foot.

    ¡°The one order above all else is for you and your daughters to stay alive. If you must retreat or let a few people die, then it is a tragedy, but unavoidable. You must not fall, and bring back every corpse; I can make use of them all.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s chest burned as the embers in her mind lit with odium. ¡°This will be the first of many conflicts; it is time they reap what they¡¯ve sown.¡±

    ¡°If that is your desire, then it will be fulfilled.¡± Iris bowed. ¡°Camellia will go after the group to the west,¡± Iris decided, shifting her left hand to her hip as she repositioned her weight to glance down at the lake. ¡°From the conversation I had with Tiffany and Edmon, Edmon will need Violet¡¯s help with the structure, and it appears Azalea will be busy giving aid to Tiffany with a recent development.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyebrows lifted. ¡°What kind of development?¡±

    ¡°Edmon has informed me about a possible threat, and the Yaltha¡¯ma are earning their keep. Edmon reported that the creatures have discovered Toad warriors sneaking about the area, likely trying to spy on you, and they are not that effective at it. Tiffany is eagerly awaiting their capture, and Azalea is excited to test her new form.¡±

    Her smile widened. ¡°Excellent.¡±

 B1 â€” 26. Rival Sisters

    Violet hummed softly with a smile on her black lips as the Yaltha¡¯ma listened to Tiffany¡¯s instructions. Her mother and Empress Elinor were already moving beyond sight into the tunnels. She was too fascinated with her new clothes to follow the conversations, and it seemed like her sisters were also exploring their own new figures.

    Sharp tingles shot across her body with every movement, and the saliva gathering in her mouth was a new experience. She opened her mouth slightly, sliding her tongue across her perfect teeth as she extended her pointed fangs hidden in her gums, and after a moment, retracted them.

    Flat teeth ¡­ how fascinating. It¡¯s like the creatures that eat plants and this liquid gathering in my mouth ¡­ is it meant for cleaning?

    Her attention was pulled away by the sensation of her undergarments, pressing up against her skin as she shifted postures, and she lifted her arms up and down, enthralled how the silk-cloth caught the breeze and fell slower than expected.

    These are so fun! I used to decorate the caves with different patterns and webs, but now I can do it with these coverings. And this body ¡­ the skills that were granted to me after becoming a part of the Empire are magical.

    She glanced over at her sisters, wide field of vision able to see much of the room without difficulty. Azalea had her long blue hair pulled around, giggling as she combed through it, and she smirked at Camellia as she mumbled to herself, trying to learn how to use her mouth.

    How can we be related? Were our aunts that untalented compared to mother?

    Camellia caught her staring and shot a dirty glare in her direction. ¡°W-What?¡±

    Violet just giggled and turned away, closing her eyes; eyelids were a new experience to her, and it felt so comforting to block out the world. The sounds echoing through the tunnels, Tiffany¡¯s enthusiastic voice, her sisters¡¯ and the Yaltha¡¯ma¡¯s movements enhanced with the action.

    She took a deep breath, tasting the air with her hair, nose, and mouth; it was strange using some of the new human organs. It took a bit out of her trying to stay calm and to not be overwhelmed by the alien sensations.

    Activating the Spatial Perception skill, her other senses faded into the background, and everything within two feet became crystal clear. She could count the pebbles on the ground, the rise and fall of Azalea¡¯s soft breathing beside her with every fine hair sliding through her fingers, but more importantly, every inch of her new body was in acute focus.

    Her three small hearts twitched, dense muscles rubbing against her steel-like bones, and the slight shifts of each strand of hair was mesmerizing. The new sixth-sense brought a sensitive new awareness she didn¡¯t believe was possible before.

    Every muscle twitch working in perfect harmony took her breath away, and the reaction it made, traveling to the air and through her clothing, was like watching her mother dance between her targets, cutting them apart with ease.

    Her Kimono swung as she swayed back and forth, stepping side to side to test the new balance of her geta sandals and further experience the harmony she felt with her environment. Each movement was like watching the gentle streams of water she¡¯d meditated on as a child, losing herself in its carefree tranquility.

    With every new motion brought a new rhythmical song to her mind and body as it responded; she released her control over her web-like hair, allowing it to follow the tempo as she twirled, humming the melody that came to mind.

    ¡°What are you doing? You look weird.¡± Camellia¡¯s annoying voice crashed against her serenity like the war drums that had beat incessantly during the war, disrupting her peaceful life.

    Violet¡¯s lips twisted with agitation as she slowed to a stop, deactivating the skill, and the symphony faded as her other senses returned. I hate you sometimes; you ruin everything. She sighed.

    Her luminous white irises opened, and the world came to life before her. Tiffany was still instructing the little creatures, seemingly not noticing her movements.

    Camellia was looking at her with raised eyebrows, a frown creasing her face while she folded her arms under her chest. ¡°At least I go out and do things. Can you not hear? I was talking to you.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s smooth blue hair was tilted with her head as she studied her curiously. ¡°Was it one of your new skills? I¡¯ve been going over some of mine, and they sound so fun.¡±

    ¡°She ... h-has a s-skill that makes her deaf?¡± Camellia stumbled over her words before chuckling.

    ¡°At least I can talk,¡± Violet snapped, sniffing as she glared at her insufferable sister. ¡°And no, it doesn¡¯t make me deaf ¡­ not entirely. You wouldn¡¯t understand; you¡¯re too much of a scurrier .¡±

    ¡°W-What¡¯s that ¡­ s-supposed to¡ªto mean?¡± She asked. ¡°What¡¯s¡ªw-wrong with¡ªr-running? It¡¯s b-because I¡¯m fast¡ªat r-running you even got food! You never went out, but¡ªbut Mom would a-always make me g-get more food for you.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t she tell you not to talk when you¡¯re clearly challenged?¡±

    ¡°W-When t-talking to the E-Empress,¡± Camellia shot back.

    Azalea bit the left corner of her rosy lips, sucking on it for a bit as she smiled, her large pink irises glancing between them. ¡°You two seem to be getting along well!¡±

    Violet lifted an eyebrow, glowing white eyes sliding to her. ¡°You always say that, but we¡¯re clearly fighting.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡± Camellia asked, fingers sliding through her bright red hair and scratching her scalp. ¡°S-Sometimes I w-wonder what¡ªwhat world you¡¯re in, Azalea.¡±

    ¡°Right here with you,¡± she giggled before winking at them, ¡°and I think you¡¯re getting a little better at speaking, Camellia. Oh, did you two search through the human DNA? There were so many interesting things to pick and choose from, and there were personality traits that could be activated! I hadn¡¯t considered that before, but everything opened up to me like I knew it my whole life.¡±

    Both Camellia and Violet gave each other an exasperated smile before turning back to their bright-eyed sister, and Violet nodded. ¡°Yeah, I did see a whole lot of options that opened up before me, but this just seemed to click with me; it felt natural.¡±

    ¡°The¡ªsame,¡± Camellia added.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Azalea gave them a dubious look, folding her hands behind her back as she leaned back and forth on her heels. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to experiment at all?¡±

    ¡°It never really crossed my mind,¡± Violet mumbled.

    A low moan left Camellia¡¯s throat as she pulled a handful of her ember-like hair around, sliding her fingers down it while whispering, ¡°I¡¯m having enough trouble figuring out how to control this, much less anything else.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s cheeks puffed to the side as she pushed her hips out, staring down at her butt, clothed in the spandex-like silk-cloth. ¡°We¡¯re kind of stuck with this appearance, unlike Mom, and so I carefully went through my options. There are a few things I¡¯d like to change now that I¡¯ve experienced it, but overall I¡¯m happy with this body.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Camellia giggled, dropping her hair to stretch her hands high in the air. ¡°It¡ªit feels so¡ªfree¡ªc-compared to our big bodies.¡±

    ¡°I hate to admit it, but you¡¯re not wrong,¡± Violet mused.

    She gave a slight start as she noticed Tiffany smiling fondly at them, left hand on her hip while her right cupped her chin. She¡¯d been so focused on her sisters that she hadn¡¯t even realized the Yaltha¡¯ma had already left.

    ¡°Umm¡ªTiffany,¡± Violet fumbled. ¡°What ¡­ should we call you?¡±

    ¡°Dears, dears,¡± Tiffany laughed, ¡°you can just call me Tiffany! So, I see that you three are getting used to your new bodies. How are the clothes?¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Azalea promptly responded with the same enthusiastic edge as she twisted and turned. ¡°I¡¯ve never had soft parts that would flap before; it¡¯s very strange, but that¡¯s not to say they¡¯re bad. It¡¯s just different.¡±

    Violet nodded, hopping back and forth on each foot. ¡°I¡¯m a lot lighter with this body, and I love the idea of decorating your body; it never crossed my mind when I was alive.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a¡ªa shock,¡± Camellia chuckled.

    ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡± Tiffany asked with an inquisitive expression. ¡°You expected Violet to think of creating clothes?¡±

    ¡°W-Well,¡± Camellia¡¯s light red eyes shot to her left as she rubbed the damaged section on her back. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªV-Violet was¡ªwas always making w-webs.¡±

    ¡°She was a bit of a decorator,¡± Azalea chimed in. ¡°She made such beautiful designs! I always loved coming back from a fun day hunting to see what she¡¯d created.¡±

    ¡°Thanks, Azalea,¡± Violet whispered, feeling her cheeks burn a little.

    Tiffany¡¯s smile softened as she studied her. ¡°You were a bit of an interior decorator? That¡¯s perfect! This broken-down fortress needs a lady¡¯s touch. Oh, you know, we should have nicknames for each of you; it would be so cute!¡±

    ¡°Nicknames?¡± Camellia asked, starting to get the hang of her human tongue.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tiffany held up a finger in a matter-of-fact way. ¡°A nickname is a short form or alternative to your name. So, I mean, naturally, Tiffany¡¯s short form is Tiff ¡­ that¡¯s what Edmon calls me sometimes, but you don¡¯t have to use that,¡± she chuckled.

    Violet swallowed nervously as Tiffany¡¯s intense orange irises slid over them. ¡°Hmm ¡­ how about, Cami for Camellia, Vi for Violet, and Lea for Azalea.¡±

    Azalea hopped forward a few steps with her hands behind her back, pink eyes wide with wonder. ¡°Oh, oh, why is my nickname linked to the end of my name, and my sisters are at the beginning?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s smile turned forced. ¡°Well, Aza just doesn¡¯t sound right. What do you think?¡±

    ¡°I like it,¡± Azalea said before doing a cartwheel. ¡°I love this form!¡±

    When Violet and Camellia nodded, she asked, ¡°Your enthusiasm is so refreshing, Lea! By the way, can you tell me a little bit about this transformation racial ability you each have? Since I am not over your Unit, I am not privy to all of your abilities; I¡¯m over the whole of the Witchery Unit while your mother is over the Executioner Unit, and the Elite Warrior Unit has yet to have a Royal,¡± she commented, glancing at Camellia.

    ¡°When will that happen?¡± Camellia asked, brows furrowed with concern.

    Tiffany blew out a drawn-out sigh. ¡°Honestly, I couldn¡¯t tell you. When we find a suitable person to fill the position.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± she whispered with downcast eyes, and Violet knew how depressing that answer was. They were used to a strong power structure, and having a gap in that pyramid was not a happy thought for them. She was lucky her mother filled the position of their superior.

    Violet cleared her throat before licking her lips. ¡°It¡¯s called Morph, and as our mother said, it can only be used once. I do not regret my decision to take on your human form.¡±

    She glanced between her sisters, and each of them shook their heads, indicating they also had no regrets.

    Azalea hummed softly, stretching out her arms, bra pressing against her chest. ¡°It¡¯s very convenient, light, small, thin, and gives me a lot of functions I didn¡¯t have in my previous body.¡±

    Violet nodded before easily hopping to the ceiling, hand sticking to the rough surface. She hung there for a moment, causing the three below to stare up at her. ¡°It¡¯s just as Lea said, extremely convenient.¡± Swinging forward and flipping back down, she landed on her new sandals, balancing dexterously.

    ¡°S-Show off,¡± Camellia grumbled before jumping up herself.

    Violet couldn¡¯t help an amused smirk lighting her lips as her sister¡¯s actions slowed, her mind adjusting for Camellia¡¯s swift movements. Her red-haired sister slammed against the ceiling with an oof, causing a clash of sound as a chunk of stone broke off, falling with her to the ground.

    She caught Tiffany wince as the rock slammed against her back, and dust rained around them. ¡°Brilliantly executed,¡± Violet chuckled while moving her long black hair to sweep away all the dust particles around her.

    She caught Azalea doing the same. ¡°You¡¯ll get it next time, Cami,¡± she encouraged, but Violet could tell she was trying to restrain a laugh.

    ¡°F-Flaming Infernal A-Ape,¡± Camellia cursed, easily brushing off the slab that likely weighed more than half a ton.

    ¡°You really need to work on control, Cami,¡± Violet chided. ¡°Of course, you were always more of a brute; Lea was the most efficient of us.¡±

    ¡°Aww, thanks,¡± Azalea beamed, giving her a charming smile.

    Tiffany¡¯s concerned mask was perfect, but Violet knew her sister¡¯s blunder amused her. ¡°Are you okay, Cami?¡±

    ¡°F-Fine,¡± she mumbled, face bright red. ¡°I¡¯m not¡ªnot hurt.¡±

    ¡°Well, your pride,¡± Violet giggled.

    Camellia shot her a furious glare but turned away from her, rising to walk to the nearest wall; they watched her with mild interest as she began crawling up the wall and practicing jumping little by little up the vertical surface.

    ¡°There you go!¡± Azalea cheered. ¡°You¡¯re getting the hang of it.¡±

    Violet huffed. She¡¯s such an embarrassment.

    Her attention was pulled back to Tiffany as she smiled fondly at her eldest sister. ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Cami. You don¡¯t seem to give up; you know, your mother has told me just how much she enjoys that part of you.¡±

    What? I suppose she can be in contact with mother through the Empress¡¯ network, and seeing as they¡¯re of equal rank, they¡¯d likely be communicating with one another. I thought Mom was talking with the Empress, though. She is talented enough to multitask ¡­ I just can¡¯t believe there¡¯s anything good about Camellia.

    She shot an inquisitive glare at her sister as she jumped and missed her mark, tumbling across the ground, but she got back up and kept trying to learn how to control her strength.

    Never giving up ¡­ no matter how hard she tries, she¡¯ll never beat me. It¡¯s pointless effort, but Mom praises her for it? I just don¡¯t get it! Azalea is normally a little better than me at some things, but if I try it for a bit, then I easily surpass her, and she just cheers me on ¡­ I don¡¯t get them at all.

    ¡°Violet,¡± Tiffany hummed with a dubious grin.

    Her luminous eyes moved to the Witch. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°While your sister is experimenting with her new abilities, why don¡¯t you tell me a bit more about this racial ability, Morph.¡±

    Nodding obediently, Violet shifted her arms behind her back, sliding her hands back into her sleeves and around her wrists.

    Tiffany is the same rank as Mom, which means she¡¯s extremely powerful in her own right. I can sense danger in her orange eyes and fervent stare; she certainly does have strength, but what kind ¡­ I don¡¯t know what a Witch is. Could she really be as strong as Mother? I suppose I¡¯ll find out in time, but ¡­ her personality is nothing like Mom¡¯s.

    ¡°As I stated before, we can only stay in this form for thirty minutes, and then we¡¯ll need two hours before we¡¯ll be able to transform again.¡± A thought suddenly struck her. ¡°Do you use the same time system as us?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good question!¡± Azalea commented, moving to join their conversation. ¡°It seems that we can all understand each other perfectly with the Empress¡¯ ability. Does that extend to other facets?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Tiffany chimed, folding her arms under her bra. ¡°The Empress has been slowly adding levels and gaining proficiencies through her interactions without her even being aware. You see, we each gain experience independently of each other, except for Empress Elinor.

    ¡°A portion of each point of experience we gain goes to the Empress for her to be able to advance her own abilities. The faster we grow, the faster she grows, and communication has been a major point of interest for her since coming here; unconsciously, she wishes to understand the creatures of this world, and the system has responded in kind.¡±

    ¡°This system,¡± Azalea hummed thoughtfully, absently playing with her hair. ¡°It seems to almost have a mind of its own. It gives me answers and withholds them, but there seems to be a set of conditions to receive an answer.¡±

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°My, you¡¯re so smart, Lea!¡± Tiffany praised. ¡°Yes, there is¡­¡± She paused, lips curving into a wicked grin. ¡°Give me a moment, Edmon has just given me some delicious news; talk with one another,¡± she prompted. ¡°I need to ponder how we¡¯ll proceed with Edmon and your mother.¡±

    Tiffany promptly walked over to the stream of water, bending down to study the fungus, moss, and water; Violet frowned as she snapped her fingers, creating a blazing orange ball of fire.

    ¡°Exciting!¡± Azalea hummed, nudging her a little before pausing. The sensation was entirely different than what she remembered in her previous body, and her sister sensed it, too. Azalea reached out again, touching her shoulder. ¡°This feels so different,¡± she mumbled.

    Violet released her hands, pulling them around to press against Azalea¡¯s palm. ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ soft; your shell ¡­ no, it¡¯s skin. It tingles, too ¡­ like the rain sliding into my cracks.¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Azalea giggled, left hand passing through her hair. ¡°This feels different than mine. Is it the same for you?¡±

    Her fingers touched Azalea¡¯s cheek, fingertips moving over her ear and through her hair. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she mumbled, licking her lips before swallowing.

    ¡°That tickles,¡± Azalea giggled as her locks slid through Violet¡¯s fingers. ¡°What about your clothes?¡± She asked, rubbing her right sleeve. ¡°It¡¯s smoother than the silk you used to weave back at the cave, and it¡¯s not sticky ¡­ it¡¯s so much finer than mine.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°Well, you heard mother,¡± Violet chuckled. ¡°I even impressed her with my weave.¡± Both of her palms glided over Azalea¡¯s sides, skin as smooth as a still pond, moving up to her silk-cloth bra.

    Violet paused as she reached her armpits, and Azalea danced away, giggling while her blue hair wrapped around her left shoulder. ¡°Why does that tickle so much? The rain never tickled like this ¡­ I¡¯ve never felt anything like it!¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Violet said with a sheepish smile. ¡°These human bodies are so strange and sensitive.¡±

    ¡°But, they¡¯re magical!¡± Azalea whispered, throwing out her arms and closing her eyes as she spun around in circles. ¡°Try this, Vi! Wait, what was it you were doing before ¡­ swaying, left and right ¡­ no, it was a bit slower.¡± She muttered, tone softening. ¡°Oh, this is nice¡­¡±

    Tiffany giggled as she rose to join them, and her soft voice turned musical, ¡°I stay up all night, tell myself I¡¯m alright, baby, you¡¯re just harder to see than most. I put the record on, wait ¡®til I hear our song. Every night I¡¯m dancing with your ghost.¡±

    Violet was a little stunned to see Azalea right beside her; she hadn¡¯t sensed her approach, but she was bouncing on her toes. ¡°Oh, oh, what was that? The thing you did with your voice!¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Camellia whispered, moving back to join them. ¡°I-It was¡ªwas nice.¡±

    ¡°A song,¡± Tiffany said brightly. ¡°We¡¯ll have to come up with some of our own some time! That¡¯s one of my favorite songs; we have millions upon millions back on our world. It¡¯s used to express emotion and tell stories ¡­ I can¡¯t wait until we fill the Royal Rhapsodist position.¡±

    ¡°Can I try?¡± Azalea asked.

    ¡°Sure! How are you feeling right now?¡±

    ¡°Umm,¡± her thick deep blue hair fell behind her back again as she sucked on the corner of her left lip. ¡°Kind of a little excited and happy; you¡¯re showing us so many new and fun things!¡±

    Violet¡¯s jaw set, and she eyed her sister¡¯s bright pink eyes. I¡¯ve never tried this before ¡­ will Azalea be better than me? She shouldn¡¯t; I¡¯m better at everything, but she can pick up things really quickly, too. If I don¡¯t practice a little, then she might get better than me at it.

    ¡°Oh, why don¡¯t we try to sing Living Proof by Camila Cabello! You¡¯ll really have to work your voice, and I don¡¯t know if I can hit some of those notes, but it¡¯ll be so fun.¡±

    ¡°I w-want to t-try,¡± Camellia interjected with an earnest face.

    Violet couldn¡¯t help but giggle, drawing the other¡¯s attention. ¡°You want to try performing controlled actions with your voice when you can¡¯t even talk properly?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s lips pursed to the side for a moment. ¡°Mmh, Violet isn¡¯t wrong, Cami, you should first focus on stringing together full sentences, but once you get the hang of that, then we can help you!¡±

    ¡°You m-mean it?¡± Camellia asked, smiling with hope in her light red irises.

    ¡°Of course! Music is all about harmony, and the difficulty of bringing more voices into it climbs dramatically. It¡¯s a work of art! Here, you can listen to me sing, girls. You see, there are seven elements in music, rhythm, dynamics, melody, harmony, tone color, texture, and form. Ah, I¡¯m going a bit too deep into it,¡± she chuckled.

    ¡°Here, just listen to me sing this and try to copy it; we can go into the deep dive on it another time, but I love singing! Although, note that normally you¡¯d have many instruments and other noises to harmonize with the form.¡±

    Tiffany took a few deep breaths, and Violet¡¯s eyes widened as nearly everything changed about how she spoke. ¡°Ooh ¡­ tell me something, but say it with your hands slow. When you touch me, paint me like a Van Gogh, ooh; I wanna study every inch of you, ¡®til you trust me to make the angels come through¡­¡±

    When she finished, Violet saw that her sisters looked as stunned as she felt, and Violet couldn¡¯t help but think back on what she felt when using Spatial Perception.

    ¡°That¡¯s called music and singing?¡± Azalea asked, arms wrapped around her chest. ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ the feelings are so new ¡­ everything is.¡±

    Tiffany winked at her. ¡°I¡¯m an amateur compared to the professionals back on Earth. Oh, I completely forgot,¡± her orange irises shot toward Violet. ¡°You were telling me about Morph before I ran us down this rabbit hole,¡± she giggled. ¡°I have a tendency to bounce around.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Violet mumbled, eyes dropping to the floor.

    Tiffany is talented, and she seems to know so much; I just need to see her in action. She¡¯s supposed to be the height of Witchery as the Court Ritualist ¡­ can I compare to a Witch? I can surpass mother in some areas, but what about the other Court positions? I don¡¯t know enough.

    Her focus shot to Azalea as she used her pause to answer Tiffany¡¯s question.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what Vi¡¯s told you, but we can use Morph every two hours; we can also transform back into our original forms at any time. The human metamorphosis cooldown starts the moment we use it, but we can space the thirty-minute length across that two hour wait time if we wish!¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Tiffany¡¯s teeth flashed. ¡°You have about fourteen more minutes in human form. Then, can you each turn back into your original forms?¡±

    The three sisters glanced at each other with a questioning look, but Azalea and Camellia obeyed without hesitation; they moved back, and their silk-cloth undergarments were ripped apart as they transformed.

    Violet frowned, glancing down at her newly created clothes, and before she could ask, Tiffany said, ¡°Oh, yes, yes, Vi, you can take them off. Would you like some help?¡±

    A lump dropped down Violet¡¯s throat as she forced a smile. ¡°No ¡­ I think I can handle it.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s face was unassuming, but Violet could sense amusement in her tone. ¡°Good luck!¡±

    Violet nodded and got to work. The sandals were a simple task, but she paused on the ribbon at her back. How ¡­ I weaved it into the design she illustrated in my mind, but she didn¡¯t give me instructions on how to remove it. It¡¯s just a knot, though ¡­ I just need to untangle it. Although¡­

    Lips pursed, she activated Spatial Perception, and used her hair to pick the knot apart; the task was effortless with every fiber crystal clear to her sixth sense. Finding it much easier with the skill, she used it to help her quickly remove the rest of her clothes. Her hair discarded the articles beside her; it only took thirty seconds once her ability had been activated.

    She opened her eyes while deactivating the skill, and Tiffany clapped. ¡°Impressive! My, you girls are gorgeous,¡± she whispered with an appraising eye.

    Violet tried to restrain her grin with a slight bow, hair obscuring her vision as she transformed. ¡°It was nothing.¡±

    She stretched out her eight long legs, releasing a low groan as the restrictions of her body returned; she raised her abdomen slightly before letting it fall.

    ¡°I hate my body, now,¡± Azalea grumbled, human voice still echoing around them with the Empress¡¯ ability active. ¡°It¡¯s too big and bulky ¡­ and I don¡¯t have the ¡­ you call it a neck? I miss my neck, eyes, mouth, hair ¡­ I miss everything.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Camellia sighed, voice now perfectly synced since she knew how to speak in her original form.

    ¡°I know, I know,¡± Tiffany said while folding her arms. ¡°I just want you to try out your human forms when on the hunt!¡±

    ¡°The hunt?¡± Camellia asked, the ground trembling as she rushed forward. ¡°When, where?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m so excited!¡± Azalea squealed, hopping up and down.

    Violet kept her enthusiasm in check, trying to be more dignified than her sisters. ¡°I assume this has to do with your conversation with Gatekeeper Edmon and our mother?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s glowing orange irises sparkled as she brushed her bangs to the side and held her hands behind her back, head tilted to look up at her. ¡°Indeed! We have some intruders. Toads ¡­ well, they call themselves Ri¡¯bot,¡± she giggled, but the atmosphere around the woman had changed dramatically, and the hidden danger Violet felt increased as she licked her moist lips.

    ¡°Our Empress has quite the recent history with these particular Toads, and we are at a severe disadvantage in many areas. This is a new world with many unknowns to us; we need information, and our enemies have brought informants to our doorstep.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s eyes moved between each of them. ¡°Your mother will be giving you your assignments, and I will be preparing for your return. Now, excuse me, I must be on my way,¡± but after a few steps, she turned back to stare at Violet¡¯s discarded clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll bring your clothes with me, Vi. We¡¯ll find a room for each of you to put your collected personal items in when this business is done.¡±

    The sisters moved back to allow Tiffany space to take the articles and watched in fascination as she snapped her fingers, causing a ball of orange fire to appear. Violet tensed as the flames encircled the clothes she¡¯d put so much work into, but kept her thoughts to herself.

    No, please ¡­ they aren¡¯t burning?

    Tiffany winked up at her. ¡°I¡¯ll clean off all the dust that they collected; you shouldn¡¯t be throwing such high-quality clothes on a dirty floor!¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI understand,¡± Violet said, words dying as Tiffany waved at them and left, humming some strange tunes.

    It only took several more seconds of silence before their mother¡¯s voice entered their heads.

    ¡°Violet, Azalea, you will go to the east jungle; follow the link you share with the Quen¡¯Talrat slaves. The Ri¡¯bot are currently watching them gather food for the Yaltha¡¯ma. Capture them alive and bring them to Tiffany; I want them in one piece, and Tiffany has requested that Azalea help her with gaining information. Violet, you will help Edmon with some temporary repairs to the fortress.¡±

    Violet caught Camellia¡¯s back left leg twitch, indicating she was nervous. ¡°What about me, mother?¡±

    ¡°You will be joining me temporarily to go hunt for two groups of Ri¡¯bot with human prisoners. Once we pick up the trail of both, you will separate to go collect them to the west, and I will go south; I will give you the details as we move. Stay at the entrance, and I will meet you. Violet, Azalea, begin, and show the Empress how useful you are.¡±

    The three of them jumped into action, racing down the tunnels toward the bottom level of the fortress that they¡¯d broken through what only seemed days before. Azalea and Violet quickly outpaced Camellia as they scurried along either side of the walls, passing a smiling Tiffany.

    ¡°Have fun, girls!¡± Tiffany yelled, brushing her thick black hair back at their passing as the wind flurried with their movements.

    Camellia¡¯s frustrated growl echoing through the tunnels gave Violet a burst of amusement, but it was short-lived as Azalea gained the lead, displaying her shiny blue abdomen, and making Violet focus more on each motion of her legs.

    When did Lea get so fast? She did always focus on efficiency, maximizing what she could do, but to this extent? It could also be her new abilities since being raised by the Empress ¡­ did I get slower? No, I think I¡¯m actually much faster, and the Assassin Class is supposed to excel in speed.

    ¡°Hey, Vi, watch this!¡±

    Violet slowed as shadows surrounded Azalea, and she vanished from sight. ¡°Lea? Where¡­¡± The hair on her legs stiffened as she felt the slight movements of air around her, and she pounced to her left, wrapping two of her arms around her sister. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Aww,¡± Azalea huffed, becoming visible again, ¡°you caught me.¡±

    Releasing her sister, Violet backed up and scanned Azalea¡¯s shiny blue body, but she hadn¡¯t changed. ¡°You can disappear? It didn¡¯t look like what I can do; I just blend into the environment, but you vanished completely.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t it amazing? It¡¯s called Cloak of Shadows. It makes me basically invisible ¡­ hmm, did you sense me moving the air?¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    ¡°Thought so,¡± Azalea sighed. ¡°These bodies are just too bulky! C¡¯mon, let¡¯s hurry. I want to try out more stuff with my human form!¡±

    Understanding her sister¡¯s enthusiasm, they flew back into action just as Camellia rounded the corner. ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon!¡± She shouted.

    Violet was beginning to feel a bit fatigued as Azalea retook the lead, and they passed the hole leading from the cave to the fortress.

    I used up too much energy on those clothes ¡­ it might have been the wrong play, but it did show my skill to the Empress, mother, and Tiffany. I didn¡¯t think it would take this much of a toll, though.

    Her sister slowed slightly as they exited, scanning the room to look for an exit. ¡°Something wrong, Vi? You seem a bit slower than usual, although, you didn¡¯t normally go out with me. I haven¡¯t seen you run for a while.¡±

    ¡°No, nothing,¡± Violet lied. ¡°I¡¯m just saving a bit of my energy.¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­ you sure it¡¯s not all that web you spun? It looked super complicated.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡­ I think the way up is over there,¡± she said, pointing toward a set of stairs. ¡°The Infernal Apes liked the rigid structures since they couldn¡¯t stick to walls.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that strange!¡± Azalea giggled. ¡°Imagine not being able to climb up walls.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Violet said, mirroring her laugh as they moved up the stairs.

    ¡°What are you going to do to the Ri¡¯bot you find, Vi?¡±

    ¡°Eh, probably just wrap them up in webs and haul them back. They couldn¡¯t cut through my silk before; I don¡¯t think they can now. What about you?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I want to try out some of my new abilities as a human.¡±

    ¡°Like?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see!¡±

    If Violet still had a neck, she¡¯d shake her head. ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    They kept climbing until they made it to the top, thirty floors up, and a thunderous downpour met them. The liquid hitting their steel-like exoskeleton was more than a welcoming feeling.

    ¡°Mh,¡± Azalea breathed. ¡°It tastes so good! I¡¯m happy we can still drink and eat. I love the taste of food ¡­ I wonder what humans eat?¡±

    ¡°Probably meat and plants with how their teeth are structured,¡± Violet pondered.

    ¡°Why are you two loitering here? Was I not explicit in my instruction?¡±

    Violet and Azalea jumped, quickly turning to spot their mother standing behind them; she still didn¡¯t sense her presence, and Iris¡¯ full lips did not seem amused.

    The raging rain slid down her smooth skin and made it glisten in the faded light, bleeding through the dark clouds of the night sky. Her deep-red irises slid between her daughters, and her left hand was squarely on her hip, right held loosely by her side as she glared at them. Her straight butt-length white highlighted black hair repelled the pelting liquid, sending it sliding down to the muddy granite floor.

    A sharp bolt of lightning cracked across the sky before the deep rumble followed, shaking through Violet¡¯s body as fear blocked out all thought. ¡°Mother ¡­ we¡ªwe were just gaining our bearings.¡±

    Right hand rising, Iris pointed down the road to the east. ¡°That way.¡±

    Bowing swiftly, both Azalea and Violet raced in that direction, feeling the heat of their mother¡¯s gaze on their backs. They didn¡¯t dare speak until they passed the palace, and didn¡¯t look back.

    ¡°Did you sense her at all?¡± Azalea asked with a forced chuckle.

    ¡°Not at all,¡± Violet mumbled.

    ¡°Right? It didn¡¯t even feel like she was standing in front of us! Mom really is amazing.¡±

    Violet didn¡¯t respond for a moment, passing small crowds of Yaltha¡¯ma that paused and followed their movements, but she barely paid them any mind.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s insane?¡± She whispered.

    Azalea seemed to have missed or ignored her comment, jumping into the air while flipping around a few times. Her twirling sent water flying everywhere, and she landed without much difficulty before catching back up with Violet.

    ¡°Mom¡¯s gone ¡­ I think. I mean, we can¡¯t really be sure,¡± she chuckled nervously. ¡°By the way, it takes so much more effort jumping in this form,¡± she huffed, and before Violet could comment, she jumped into the air, activating Morph.

    Azalea¡¯s large body transformed in an instant, and her dark blue hair wrapped around her body, creating a new set of undergarments before touching the ground. Her movement increased dramatically as she leaped to the nearest wall, using it as a platform to jump from building to building, easily outpacing her.

    Violet released a low growl as Azalea released a loud cheer. ¡°I¡¯m so light, and the control is phenomenal!¡± She paused fifty meters ahead of her, standing horizontally against a building, sticking to its wall with her bare feet.

    Running to the nearest building, Violet used Morph, emerging black hair wrapping around her body to create simple clothes, and she instantly felt the free movement return as she turned her head.

    Pressing both feet against the wall, she shot forward, jumping between buildings to quickly catch up to her sister.

    ¡°See? Isn¡¯t this fun!¡± Azalea asked, doing a few flips as she matched her pace.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to wait until we got to the jungle?¡±

    Azalea winked at her as they reached the wall, and her hair extended, wrapping around her waist before throwing her over halfway up the wall.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Violet shouted, sliding up the granite blocks before sticking to the stone. ¡°What¡¯s the big idea?¡±

    ¡°Loosen up, Vi! We¡¯re so flexible,¡± Azalea giggled, jumping up several meters as the wind and water raged around them, and she crawled up the slick stone to meet her. ¡°Tiffany wanted us to experience hunting in these forms. We¡¯re already on the hunt! We need to learn more about this amazing form, too! C¡¯mon, don¡¯t want Mom getting mad at us again. What were you saying, again? Something about being insane?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Violet sighed, climbing up the wall with her; the rough texture felt entirely different against her fingertips and toes. ¡°I just think that ¡­ I was supposed to be the strongest; I was supposed to succeed Mom, and she was stronger than anyone. Now, Tiffany, Edmon, the Empress herself ¡­ the Royal Court will only grow, and they¡¯re all as strong as Mom. Am I really not that gifted?¡±

    Azalea slid a lock of her hair across Violet¡¯s left cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t think like that, Vi! Nothing¡¯s changed. We both just need to do what Mom says, and she told us Elinor is the new Queen; that¡¯s all there is to it. Plus, we get all these new abilities,¡± she giggled, doing a few backovers up the wall.

    A smile touched Violet¡¯s lips. ¡°You¡¯re right, Lea ¡­ I like these new nicknames. They¡¯re quick and simple.¡±

    ¡°I know, Vi!¡±

    They reached the top of the wall, and Violet chuckled as Azalea kept her body low as the strong gale cut around them. Her older sister launched toward the edge and leaped over the two-hundred-meter drop to the ground; a lock of her blue hair shot out, cutting past the wind and rain to latch onto the top of the wall, and with a yank, she was sent flying toward it.

    Violet followed her action, stomach swirling with the rolling thunder, and grin widening as she passed over the gap. The strong wind made her skin tingle as she sent out her own web toward the top, and slingshotted herself.

    Landing near the top of the wall, she cut it off and dashed up the final stretch with her sister. They both jumped off the opposite side, using their silk-like hair to slow their descent near the bottom.

    ¡°It¡¯s so much faster,¡± Violet laughed, taking the lead, but it wasn¡¯t for long.

    ¡°And so much fun!¡± Azalea said, running beside her as they moved their hair to minimize drag, lifting it up as if blowing in the wind. ¡°Let¡¯s play a game.¡±

    ¡°What kind of game?¡±

    ¡°Whoever gets the most Ri¡¯bot wins!¡±

    Violet licked her black lips, feeling her competitive edge spark in her hearts. ¡°What do I get when I win?¡±

    Azalea laughed, glossy white teeth flashing as her pink eyes glanced her way. ¡°You might be surprised, Vi. It won¡¯t be that easy, and if I win, you¡¯ve gotta make me five sets of clothes, all to my liking. I¡¯m sure Tiffany will have some wonderful input!¡±

    ¡°Again,¡± Violet grinned. ¡°What am I going to win?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try my best, Vi! This is my territory, don¡¯t take me lightly, but I¡¯ll amuse myself; what do you want?¡± Azalea asked as they found the large imprints of the bony Quen¡¯Talrat footprints in the wet soil, and without prompt, they both followed the trail toward the jungle.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ you have to do whatever I say for an entire day!¡±

    Azalea¡¯s pink eyes narrowed, but her smile grew as she licked her wet red lips, rain sliding off her hair and skin. ¡°That¡¯s not obscure at all, but I like playing your little games. If it doesn¡¯t conflict with any other orders I get, then I¡¯m down for some master-slave.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯re on,¡± Violet said. ¡°This will be fun!¡±

    ¡°I totally agree; don¡¯t be mad when I beat you!¡±

    The two sisters gave each other a vicious grin before leaping to either side of the tree-line, and Violet lost track of Azalea, shadows surrounding her.

    Azalea and her games.

    Violet slid her bottom lip under her teeth before activating Camouflage, and her body blended into her environment. ¡°You can¡¯t beat me, Lea!¡±

 B1 â€” 27. Dominated

    Eltha tried her best to keep calm as rain dripped through the thick foliage overhead.  She hopped around the massive slick branches of the black trees, doing her best to remain hidden behind their large yellow leaves, shining with the liquid falling around her.

    Her five long toes felt the tickle of the moss growing on the bark, and the sharp gusts of wind made her skin prickle; she hadn¡¯t felt this cold since she was a little girl in the north.  The night was darker than usual, but her sharp eyes adapted to the bleak weather.  However, it wasn¡¯t the chill of the storm that caused her bones to quake.

    Why did it have to be me?  I ran away from the Northern Territory to get away from all the wars!  Damn you, Caltha; right, it¡¯s better in the south my foot ¡­ if only one of the other clans would have accepted me, but no, no one else would take in a Clanless from the Northern Territory.  They might be Malox spies, and they¡¯re not wrong.

    She cursed her misfortune, being born among the Kalnath Clan¡¯s scattered remnants; her homeland had long been in decline after the Cnaxar Federation¡¯s expansion four years ago.  The Kalnath had tried to seed their fortunes in some of the wildlands of the former Trelmere Monarchy after the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s rise to power had obliterated them, and that didn¡¯t turn out so well for her parents.

    Eltha refrained from sliding her tongue across her wet mouth as her gums itched, and she dropped to the ground as a bolt of lightning illuminated the area, momentarily blinding her.  She threw her hands over her head as the energy struck a tree nearby, splitting the towering three-hundred-foot structure nearly in two.

    A long rumble shook through her body, causing her to shut her eyes and swallow a lump in her throat.  Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth as tremors rippled through her frame, and she almost fell off the slick branch.

    Son of a Malox!  Why am I even in this insane storm?  This is insane!

    Repositioning herself, she coughed several times; Eltha was doing her best to suppress the toxins leaking out of her skin, but it came out despite her efforts, triggered by her ever-growing stress.

    Damn the Kalnath Clan, damn the Roxim Clan, and damn this storm!  Why was I born to a broken place with useless parents that would rather sell me to the Federation than protect their daughter?  What¡¯d my ancestors do for me to deserve this?

    Now, I¡¯m out here spying on some insane undying ruler from another world.  Damn you, Malox!  Why did they put some warlord in power?  The Federation was peaceful for years, then you got in and went on a crusade for more land ¡­ what¡¯s the point!  You have enough, and if it couldn¡¯t get any worse¡­

    She breathed out a shuddering breath, rubbing away the snot that leaked out of her nose before she sniffed it back.  I run away from slavery to join up with this crazy cause!  Now, the Quen¡¯Talrat might be back; we¡¯re probably all going to die if even a fraction of the stories are true.  I saw one Elite Hunter, and that¡¯s supposed to be the weakest kind!

    It¡¯s terrifying ¡­ too big ¡­ bigger than the Torlim War Mounts.  Those fire apes might be back, and it was all the Roxim Clan¡¯s fault!  No, Fennel¡¯s fault!  Damn you, Fennel!  I don¡¯t want to be blamed for this!  I¡¯ve been busting my tongue...

    Her thoughts were silenced as she scanned the forest floor, mostly silent except for the falling rain and cracks of rolling thunder in the sky.  She caught sight of the shallow rocky stream she¡¯d been looking for.

    Setting her jaw, she dropped a few branches before pausing to scan the area.  Eltha¡¯s wide purple eyes and orangish green skin collected and analyzed the moisture in the area, searching for chemical changes in the atmosphere for danger.

    A shiver ran down her spine, nostrils flaring to test the air; a Ragnlar had been in the area at least an hour ago, but that was the furthest back scent she could sense with the water washing away anything else.

    Breathing out a long sigh, she jumped down to the ground; her webbed toes flexed against the muddy floor, body tilting left and right to get a full view of her surroundings as she blinked a few times.

    These Roxim guys are insane; they¡¯ve got a death¡¯s wish.  They actually volunteered for this stuff!  I mean, it¡¯s only been a few hours and that ruler already raised a dozen or more Quen¡¯Talrat, and she¡¯s having them kill everything!  What¡¯s she planning?  Make an army of dead animals to attack the Clans?  That¡¯s so creepy, and I had her fur on my tongue ¡­ gross.  How do we fight that?  It¡¯s a lost cause ¡­ should I just run?

    Eltha worked her jaw around as she stared down at the water; even in the darkness, she could see reasonably well, and the disturbance the rain left against the gentle stream made her lick her two teeth, pressing them against her lips.

    Releasing a low rumble in her throat, she reached down and splashed her skin with the water, trying to wash away the toxins leaving her body.  She hated how the slightest thing made her sweat; the Roxim Clan members always gave her odd looks because of it, but she couldn¡¯t help herself, most of the warriors picked on her.

    Stop complaining ¡­ I just need to do my job, and they¡¯ll protect me.  I can¡¯t let them smell that I¡¯m scared, though ¡­ Roxim Ri¡¯bot are supposed to be fearless.  Why did I ever believe Weltha and her insane talk about how the Roxim had changed since the wars ¡­ they¡¯re as battle crazy as ever.

    Still ¡­ just a bit more, and then Toka will send me back to report.  Just do my job ¡­ stop thinking about things I can¡¯t change ¡­ yeah, just look at the bright side of the rainbow.  It¡¯ll show up after the storm!

    Lifting herself as high as her legs would stretch, she threw out her thin arms, trying to ease the tension in her bones.  Eltha took a deep breath before jumping back into the trees to follow the fading chemical trail the warriors had left for her; she hated that Denral had a pleasant scent because his attitude was anything but that.

    Can I ever find a good warrior to protect me?  Well ¡­ that¡¯s the dream, but every useless non-warrior feels that way.  Get a good warrior as a mate, and you¡¯re set ¡­ fat chance for me, though.

    It took her a few minutes to reach the spot; she slowed, knowing the Undead creatures were around the area and kept her senses sharp.  There were low rumbles that bled past the cracks of thunder, coming from the skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat as they hunted.  She hadn¡¯t dared approach them, but they¡¯d been tracking their movements since they¡¯d entered the jungle.

    She heard the soft popping of the Roxim¡¯s warrior language and slowly approached.  The three Ri¡¯bot were caked in wet mud and moss, using it as camouflage while lying against a thick branch.  They peered down at the floor, studying the bony figures that passed beneath them.

    Toka was a bit of a role-model for her; she was one of the few warriors that didn¡¯t pick on her, and she was tough as a Quen¡¯Talrat blade.  All the young warriors admired Toka, and she had just recently graduated to a Minor Warrior, which was unexpected for her young age, but her brother had also been chosen.

    The moment Eltha landed, Toka¡¯s soft feminine voice met her.  ¡°What did my brother report?¡±

    Eltha tried her best to keep her voice low; Forva and Denral didn¡¯t even look back at her, and she knew Denral hated that she¡¯d been the messenger Fennel had chosen, but no uninitiated warrior would question Fennel¡¯s decisions.  Eltha wished they had; then she wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.

    ¡°He said that the Quen¡¯Talrat came out of the Breached Fortress; Roka and Grem haven¡¯t been able to get close yet.  They have seen the carnage, though; the Undead apes are killing large creatures in the area, and piling them up on big carts where they¡¯re laying low.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the purpose?¡±  Forva muttered, shifting his body as a sharp growl echoed below them.  ¡°Another one is passing the area ¡­ they¡¯re strip hunting.¡±

    ¡°Careful,¡± Toka whispered, waving her wet hand at her.  ¡°They know if any creature gets within seven feet of them.  I don¡¯t understand how yet, but nothing has survived, not even Ragnlar or Torlim.¡±

    ¡°Such a waste,¡± Forva muttered.

    A shiver ran down Eltha¡¯s spine.  Not even a Torlim?  They must be angry about all the wild Torlim being killed.  If they¡¯re slaughtering all of them, then they won¡¯t have proper breeding stock, and they¡¯re a massive combat strength and resource for the Roxim Clan.

    That¡¯s still a bit crazy, though.  Even if these are just wild Torlim, they¡¯re vicious and huge ¡­ I couldn¡¯t survive being attacked by one, and if its tongue hits me ¡­ I¡¯d end up like my¡­

    ¡°Down,¡± Denral growled, lowering himself against the branches.

    ¡°Get in those leaves, Eltha!¡±  Toka seethed.  ¡°You¡¯re exposed.¡±

    She quickly obeyed, doing her best to make as little noise as possible as the rain slid down her slick skin, and she felt more than heard the low rumble that vibrated the moist air as something heavy jumped into the trees.

    Her knees started to tremble as she heard a few weak voices below.

    ¡°Did you hear that, Po¡¯lo?¡±

    ¡°No, but Co¡¯ta smells one!¡±

    ¡°Po¡¯lo smells big furry angry one, too.¡±

    ¡°This way, bony one!¡±

    Who¡¯s talking?  Why is someone guiding them?  Wait ¡­ how can I understand them?  They must be Ri¡¯bot, right?  Why would Ri¡¯bot help Elinor, though?  Are they more Clanless or Marauders that were brought under her control?  Oh, no, what if I get discovered?  Will I be eaten ¡­ alive?  What do the dead eat?  Will they turn me into one of those creatures?  Fire melting my skin and muscle like she did to...

    The heavy thumps and vibrations faded toward the stream she¡¯d washed in.  Did they smell the Ragnlar that passed by the area?  Is this a purge of all life?  They¡¯re terrifying!  Why did Fennel bring that powerful creature back with us?  We should have left it ¡­ I was the one that discovered it, though ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be blamed!  It¡¯s not my fault she was brought back!

    ¡°Did you see that?¡±  Forva muttered.

    ¡°Yaltha¡¯ma,¡± Denral growled, fingers tensing on the shield by his side.  ¡°It seems they¡¯ve aligned themselves to Elinor.¡±

    Eltha breathed out a heavy sigh of relief.  ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just those small things?  That¡¯s not bad, then.  They can¡¯t¡­¡±  She trailed off as Denral shifted to glare at her.

    ¡°Are you an idiot?¡±  He spat, tongue sliding across her two teeth.  ¡°You must be mental.¡±

    ¡°W-What do you mean?  I¡ªI don¡¯t think so ¡­ I¡ªI mean, I can kill a Yaltha¡¯ma, m-myself.¡±

    ¡°This is why I hate Clanless,¡± he grumbled.

    Toka released a slow puff of air, nudging the warrior beside her.  ¡°Give her a break, Denral.  She¡¯s never been taught the tactics of the Quen¡¯Talrat; she¡¯s not a warrior.¡±

    ¡°Still, we really could have used a warrior as a messenger,¡± Forva muttered darkly.  ¡°I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t agree with Sir Fennel ¡­ we can only use what we have.  Still, just the fact Elinor has some help is bad, much less scouts that can be used to infiltrate Clans; Doma and Ukata use them as trained scouts.  This is unfortunate news that needs to be reported.¡±

    Denral popped his tongue a few times, and the other two responded with their own soft clicks, making Eltha press her teeth against her lips in frustration.

    Why do the warriors always do this?  I¡¯m the messenger!  Don¡¯t I need to know what they¡¯re talking about?  Still, at least Toka doesn¡¯t put me down all the time ¡­ scouts, though.  Why would she need scouts?  If they brought the whole Roxim army, they could probably crush the Quen¡¯Talrat running around ¡­ they could even give the entire Federation a run for their tongues.

    ¡°Dammit,¡± Toka mumbled with an angry tone.  ¡°You need to understand, Denral, we might have to retreat.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s forehead furrowed with confusion.  ¡°Why¡±  She instantly regretted opening her big mouth.

    ¡°She¡¯s as dense as a Holan shell,¡± Denral grunted, nose twitching with disgust.

    ¡°Because of the Yaltha¡¯ma,¡± Forva explained with a tired tone as he rose to a crouching position, water dripping down his gear poking out of the camouflage.  ¡°They have an excellent sense of smell and a wide field of vision.  If they come across any place we¡¯ve been, they¡¯ll know we¡¯re in the area, even in this rainstorm.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not equipped to handle Quen¡¯Talrat with our current gear,¡± Toka whispered, partially to herself while rising next to Forva.  ¡°I don¡¯t like it, but Sir Fennel told us to use extreme caution.¡±

    Denral¡¯s nose flared even more, but he kept his voice low.  ¡°We can¡¯t go back with just this much; it¡¯s taken us hours to get this scrap of information.  We haven¡¯t even been able to make it inside the keep!  A Xaria was taken!¡±

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°I get it, Denral, I do,¡± Toka said while blinking and swallowing.  ¡°That¡¯s why Sir Fennel put me in charge; you¡¯re too reckless, and you know it.¡±

    ¡°Tch,¡± Denral made a low sound in his throat, fingers trembling against his shield.  ¡°I get it, but we only discovered their sensing radius, the Undead have bad vision, and that the Yaltha¡¯ma are guiding them.  We have no clue how many are inside the walls or the Xaria¡¯s condition.¡±

    Forva put his hand on Denral¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°We learned that she¡¯s making more; it¡¯s exactly like the Chiefs feared, and why Krava had us track her.  She¡¯s taken up residence in the Quen¡¯Talrat fortress; she¡¯s pinned down to one location.  Krava is calling for a War Council¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and that takes time.  We¡¯re behind enemy lines,¡± Denral pressed.  ¡°We are the strongest weapon the Roxim Clan has right now; we can gain even more vital information.  Have the Clanless return¡­¡±

    ¡°Denral,¡± Toka chided.  ¡°Eltha is Clanless no more; she¡¯s been adopted into The Clan.  You can¡¯t keep disrespecting that.  You are spitting in the Chief¡¯s face by not recognizing his decision to adopt the Clanless.¡±

    Denral picked between his two teeth, nose creasing, but he turned his head away in acceptance.  ¡°I get it; I won¡¯t question the Chief.  I know he has his reasons.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Toka chuckled, nudging Denral.  ¡°Then Eltha will go inform my brother and Grem that we¡¯re packing up to give our first report.  I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, there are only six of you in all?  Well, that¡¯s rather disappointing.¡±

    Eltha froze in place as the invisible girl¡¯s voice seemed to shift around them playfully while she spoke.  However, Toka, Denral, and Forva shot into a tight group, back to back as they readied their hardened shields, tongues popping.

    The girl¡¯s succulent tone shifted around them with a giggle, and Eltha couldn¡¯t tell where it was coming from; however, there was a new fragrant scent that was beginning to surround the area.

    Oh, no ¡­ we¡¯ve been ¡­ where is she?  What is she?  Is she the one Chief Valdar spoke of, Tiffany, the one that made that sleep fog?

    ¡°Now, let¡¯s see.¡±  The girl hummed.  ¡°There are four of you here and two of you somewhere else?  That means ¡­ I win!  Vi is going to be so angry.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s mouth dropped open as a creature resembling Elinor appeared in front of Toka, hanging upside down by her dark blue-fur that defied gravity; it looked like she was biting her lower lip and her large pink eyes were wide as she spoke, staring into Toka¡¯s green irises.

    ¡°I should probably introduce myself; hello, my name¡¯s Azalea,¡± she said with a clear tone, bright and without reservation.

    Shadows surrounded the girl as Toka swung her shield up, muttering a curse.  ¡°What the ancestors!  She¡¯s gone ¡­ what are you?  Are you with Elinor, or are you a traveler of the lands?¡±

    Azalea clicked her tongue a few times as thunder rolled around them, causing Eltha to tremble again.  Run, run!  Wait ¡­ I can¡¯t move?  Her heart pounded, and sweat gathered across her skin again with her rising stress, but she couldn¡¯t twitch a muscle.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you rude,¡± Azalea huffed.  ¡°It¡¯s Empress Elinor; you cannot call her without the proper title.  Such a predicament ¡­ I want to play, but I can¡¯t waste too much time.  Hmm ¡­ why don¡¯t you run?  That might be more fun; I enjoy playing chase.¡±

    Eltha couldn¡¯t even tense her muscles as Azalea¡¯s hot breath pressed against the side of her head, mixing with the cold rain.  ¡°Right, I paralyzed you ¡­ hmm, it seems you have ways of getting rid of toxins; I can feel my poison weakening.  Isn¡¯t that wonderful!  I love these new abilities.¡±

    Toka and the other two warriors shot toward her at a blinding speed, spears in hand as they stabbed beside Eltha¡¯s head to attack the disembodied voice; tears gathered in Eltha¡¯s eyes, mixing with the rain as the cutting air blew past her ears before the warriors quickly retracted their weapons, repositioning themselves to search for the intruder again.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±  Denral growled, spinning around while sniffing the air.  ¡°It¡¯s like she¡¯s everywhere ¡­ Forva?  Forva!¡±

    They backed up as Forva shot into the air without warning, disappearing into the treetops without so much as a gasp, and Azalea giggled, appearing behind Denral from thin air.

    He reacted swiftly, swinging his shield around, but she simply leaned back, hands held behind her back while easily dodging the warrior¡¯s bash.

    Lowering her center of gravity, Azalea tripped Denral, elegantly twisting back to a standing position, hands still held behind her back.  ¡°C¡¯mon, faster, cleaner, you can do better than that!¡±

    ¡°Shut-up, and die!¡±  Toka jumped to the tree to their right, using it as a springboard to launch toward their assailant.

    Azalia just smiled while effortlessly shifting her steps with Toka¡¯s trajectory, using the same expression Elinor had used when mocking them.

    Denral nimbly regained his balance before popping his tongue and jumping into the treetops, likely to save Forva while Toka bought him time.  The warrior she admired shot in sharp blurred motions, bouncing between branches with her spear in hand, yet every attempt was casually dodged as she hummed some kind of melody, fur wrapping around her body as she made flourishing motions as Toka tried goring her smug face.

    No ¡­ this can¡¯t be happening.  We weren¡¯t supposed to be found.  She¡¯s not even trying, and I can¡¯t run!

    Azalea started bending back, flipping around and dancing like the Yalm¨¢th celebration ceremonies she¡¯d seen in the north.  All of Toka¡¯s deadly attacks missed, and Azalea only increased her acrobatic performance up the side of the trunk as if gravity held no sway over her movements.

    Denral¡¯s angry voice shot down to them.  ¡°Forva¡¯s frozen, and stuck in some kind of web ¡­ it¡¯s like the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra stories.  I can¡¯t cut it; it¡¯s like steel!  It was hard enough trying to get a single finger out of it.¡±

    Toka¡¯s spear sank into the trunk while Azalea made a few spiraling motions, halfway to the treetop, and Toka used her lodged weapon as a spring to follow Azalea into the overgrowth, tongue shooting out before they vanished from sight.

    ¡°Wait, I can¡¯t move!¡±  Denral yelled.  ¡°I¡¯m stuck in¡­¡±

    His voice faded, and without warning, Azalea appeared in front of Eltha out of nowhere with a flourishing motion.  ¡°Aren¡¯t I flexible and fast?  I love this form!¡±

    Eltha¡¯s stomach tightened, and her lungs heaved, heartbeat pounding against her chest.  The creature¡¯s words dulled slightly, hearing dulled somewhat as a pounding sound in her ears; she¡¯d never felt more terrified.

    Azalea¡¯s bright pink eyes were alight with glee while she caressed Eltha¡¯s cheeks, thin fingers sliding down her slick skin.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ your sweat is poisonous,¡± she giggled, tongue sliding out to sample her finger.  ¡°My poison,¡± she mused, smacking her lips.

    Poison?  I¡¯m poisoned!  When did she poison me?  I didn¡¯t feel a thing!

    ¡°It¡¯s a good night for a hunt, right?  I love the rain.¡±  Her cheek shifted to the left as she reached back behind Eltha¡¯s neck and pulled something out before brandishing it in front of her face with an amused smile.  ¡°Can¡¯t you see it?  Well, it is pretty thin.¡±

    Upon closer inspection, Eltha caught sight of the object through the pounding rain; it was the thinnest line of fur she¡¯d ever seen, stiff as a blade.  ¡°Y-You ¡­ p-please,¡± was all she could mumble.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Azalea flashed her teeth, looking at her with shining pink eyes as water dripped down her white face, ¡°we¡¯ll have time for that later!¡±

    Eltha¡¯s widened irises focused on the creature''s tongue as it exited her mouth in slow motion, sliding over her moist deep red lips; the implications rattling through her mind spun wildly.  How did I get here?  No, please ¡­ I just want to be in a safe place¡­

    Azalea¡¯s voice turned musical as she began to sway back and forth.  ¡°Do you see the curves running down my frame?  I¡¯ve been told I don¡¯t look the same, but what do you think?  Oh, how silly of me; you haven¡¯t seen my original form.

    ¡°Oh, oh, oh, this weather seems so fitting, ¡®cause I have a desire to play; I¡¯m trying to learn how to sing.  I¡¯m moving slowly, watching the sky fall while waiting for your friends to dance with me as the sweat on your skin tingles my lips.  How could I ask for more?

    ¡°Oh, oh, a lifetime of serving an Empress seems so fitting for happiness forevermore; oh, oh, you should smile, even though you¡¯re sad¡­¡±

    She winked at Eltha before turning to greet Toka as she shot down from the trees, breathing heavily while glaring at her.  ¡°W-What did you do to Denral and Forva?  What is this?¡±  She yelled, brandishing what Eltha assumed were the long needles.

    ¡°Poison, silly,¡± Azalea chuckled.  ¡°What else would you expect?  I made them so obvious, but you only barely noticed them.  Now, are you ready to play some more while I wait for this one to move again?  She¡¯s starting to stink a little, too,¡± she hummed, glancing back at her.  ¡°That usually takes longer with my experience with your ancestors.¡±

    Eltha swallowed, the action forcing her to blink as the rain continued to fall around them, and she felt a little self-conscious, knowing she¡¯d wet herself.  I need to run ¡­ run, damn, you!  I should have gotten rid of most toxins by now, but I can¡¯t move!  I don¡¯t want to die...

    ¡°What are you?¡±  Toka growled.  ¡°How can you make those ¡­ whatever you used up there?  It¡¯s sticky, even in the rain.¡±

    ¡°Who am I?¡±  Azalea asked with surprise.  ¡°Oh, I¡¯m the good, the bad, and the dirty; I¡¯m the middle child,¡± she giggled.  ¡°Now, come on, if you¡¯re going to throw a spear, make it count because I¡¯m getting bored, and I¡¯m running out of time to play with you.¡±

    Eltha realized that her fur wasn¡¯t wet; it seemed to repel the water.  She¡¯d never felt more exposed before.  This was not something they could fight; Azalea scared her more than the Quen¡¯Talrat, yet she looked so fragile and weak.

    Toka breathed out a long breath, calming herself before glaring at the blue-furred creature.  ¡°You¡¯ll regret attacking my soldiers.¡±

    She wiped away the liquid falling down her face, tongue sliding out to dip into one of the pouches connected to her jacket while drawing her knife, reforged from Quen¡¯Talrat metal.

    ¡°Oh, dear, I fear I may become addicted to talking to my prey.¡± Azalea¡¯s tone lowered with an excited edge as she leaned forward.  ¡°You¡¯re making me quiver!   Games, stalking, the unexpected ¡­ it¡¯s like juicy meat I want to sink my fangs into.¡±   She tilted her head with a long hum, ¡°please, don¡¯t threaten me with a fun time if you can¡¯t deliver!¡±

    A reluctant grin spread across Toka¡¯s lips.  ¡°I see the light in your eyes.  Why don¡¯t we play a little game, then?  You let Eltha run and try to deal with me; if I can hold you back long enough for her to escape, we win.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Azalea walked to Eltha¡¯s left, hands behind her back.  ¡°I¡¯d love to mess around with you a bit more, but unfortunately, I¡¯m nearly out of time.  I must say, your ancestors were much more entertaining to play with.¡±

    ¡°Tch,¡± Toka lept to a nearby tree, but her acceleration faded as she seemed to strike something in the air.  ¡°W-What¡¯s¡­¡±

    No ¡­ she¡¯s stuck.  We¡¯re going to die ¡­ I¡¯m going to die ¡­ just like everyone else in my clan.  I don¡¯t want to die...

    Azalea sighed, running her wet hands through her fur as the thunder rolled around the area; she turned back to Eltha with a sad smile.  ¡°You should be able to move now; not well, but you could walk.  Are you going to crawl away from me?¡±

    Eltha¡¯s body began to quiver with the sudden knowledge, and her legs collapsed.  ¡°N-No ¡­ what¡¯s¡ªwhat¡¯s the point?  Y-You just ¡­ I can¡¯t ¡­ I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡±

    The monster in front of her looked up, and a depressed puff of air slid through her wet lips before she opened her mouth to gather a few raindrops.  ¡°It tastes so different,¡± she muttered, massaging her left shoulder.  ¡°Well, Vi should be just about here.  I won, but I wanted it to be a bit more entertaining.  Maybe helping Tiffany will be more fun...¡±

    ¡°Lea!  What¡¯s this?  How did you get four?¡±

    The fear pervading Eltha¡¯s body doubled as another sinister creature appeared in front of Azalea; this one had longer fur that was black and seemed to put off a more dignified demeanor than the playful monster that had toyed with them.

    ¡°Only found two?¡±  Azalea asked with an innocent tone.  ¡°Guess, that means I win!  Yay, nice clothes!¡±

    ¡°Not fair,¡± Vi huffed, folding her arms under her chest while looking around.  ¡°What¡¯s up with your tactics, too?  This isn¡¯t clean at all.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not concerned about that, Vi!¡±  Azalea waved her comment off.  ¡°I wanted to play with them, but they were all pretty disappointing.  The Ri¡¯bot that were around a century ago were much more entertaining.¡±

    ¡°That is just like you,¡± Vi giggled.  ¡°I remember a few of the prizes you brought home before ¡­ why you had me string them up like prizes is beyond me, and making them wander around in the dark, hoping to escape ¡­ it¡¯s just not my style.¡±

    ¡°I want to remember them!¡±  Azalea said with a chime in her voice.  ¡°Oh, and it¡¯s the light in their eyes, the spark that they¡¯ll escape, then it¡¯s all the more fun when it dawns on them that there never was any hope, to begin with!

    ¡°These, though,¡± she mumbled, glaring around at them.  ¡°They aren¡¯t even good enough to be the weak Ri¡¯bot.  Things have really changed, Vi, and I don¡¯t like it.  I want to cut loose!  I was born ready, but these things are pathetic.¡±

    Eltha couldn¡¯t help but agree with her; what she¡¯d just witnessed was something more befitting the strong fighters in the Yalm¨¢th Republic to the Northeast, and the reason was soon revealed.  Both of the creatures that looked like Elinor transformed into massive eight-legged metallic-like creatures before her eyes.

    ¡°Th¨¦lm¨¦thra,¡± Eltha whispered in utter horror.  ¡°You¡¯re¡ªyou¡¯re Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡­¡±

    ¡°Not just that,¡± Azalea chuckled, eight legs a blur as she moved inches from her face, rain dropping down their smooth forms; her head was nearly half the size of Eltha¡¯s body.

    ¡°We¡¯re the Queen¡¯s daughters; all of those other ones you probably remember or tell stories about, they¡¯re just drones.  Just weak drones and your ancestors were terrified of us.  Isn¡¯t it delicious?  The taste of fear on your skin is intoxicating!¡±

    ¡°Maybe to you,¡± Vi grunted.  ¡°For me, it¡¯s disgusting.  Let¡¯s get these things back to Tiffany ¡­ are you going to wrap up that one?¡±

    ¡°No, she¡¯ll come, right?¡±  Azalea eagerly asked, gem-like pink eyes showing her reflection in the dim moonlight passing through the dark clouds that managed to make it through the foliage.  ¡°She¡¯s going to walk with us and tell us all about what happened to her ancestors¡¯ power.  Storytime!¡±

    ¡°A new pet?¡±  Vi sighed.  ¡°You¡¯re the reason mom used the Yaltha¡¯ma.¡±

    ¡°They were cute and fun, and now they can talk to us!¡±  Azalea defended.  ¡°The Yaltha¡¯ma found me all sorts of fun prey to play with, too.¡±

    Vi turned around, and a net shot out of her abdomen, wrapping around Toka.  With apparent ease, the web latched onto Toka¡¯s suspended body before pulling her down and encasing the warrior in white thread.  ¡°Whatever ¡­ let¡¯s get back, or mom will yell at us for loitering around again.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s cheer dampened.  ¡°Yeah, hehe, I¡¯d rather not have mom glare at us again.  I wish we could be in our human forms longer ¡­ I hate feeling this way now.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Vi mumbled, walking up the side of the trunk to get Denral and Forva, one of her eight legs tapping the butt of Toka¡¯s spear as she passed.  ¡°I had some of the Infernal Ape drones take the other two back.¡±

    ¡°Good thinking, Vi!  I didn¡¯t even consider that,¡± Azalea mused, moving to pat the armored back of the large creature, nearing the foliage high up the tree trunk.

    ¡°How did you subdue those ones?  They¡¯re not moving, but they¡¯re alive.  Did you use a neurotoxin on them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, isn¡¯t it amazing?  Since mom told us to put nerves in our hair so we could control it better, I thought about adding poison injectors to some thin threads that I could project.  Pretty fun, huh?¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡±  Vi grumbled.

    ¡°No, c¡¯mon, Vi!¡± she said, lowering back through the wet yellow leaves on string with her sister, wrapped prey in two of Vi¡¯s spear-like legs.  ¡°You¡¯re a webmaster; why do you think I made that bet for new clothes?  I know you did all sorts of things with your hair, too.¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah, of course, I did!  I can change its colors, it¡¯s stronger than my original web, and there are all sorts of other attributes I can add to them, like elemental attacks and resistances.¡±

    ¡°Amazing!  See, you¡¯re so strong, Vi!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I am a little, aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡°Uh-uh!¡±

    Eltha didn¡¯t know how to describe what she was witnessing, but one thing she did know, they were utterly dominated by these Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; they didn¡¯t even try.

    It¡¯s over ¡­ if Elinor can make creatures like these ¡­ hundreds ¡­ thousands ¡­ how can she be stopped?  I don¡¯t want to die ¡­ can I join them?  Will she accept me if I give up?  I don¡¯t want to be eaten...

    The two Th¨¦lm¨¦thra turned to face her as two Undead Quen¡¯Talrat jumped up into the trees, flanking the two with low rumbles.

    ¡°Well, Eltha?  That is your name, correct?¡±  Azalea asked.  ¡°I¡¯m a little sad we couldn¡¯t play more, but we¡¯ll have a lot of time when we get back!  Eternity, actually!  C¡¯mon, hurry along.¡±

    Shakily getting to her feet, Eltha followed her new captors, knowing that resisting would only bring her more pain.

    I need to survive ¡­ whatever it takes ¡­ I need to survive¡­

 B1 â€” 28. Training A Warden

    Eltha shivered as she walked behind the colossal armored figures that had dominated her group. She flinched at every sharp crack of thunder and the bright flash of lightning; the chill of the wind increased as it weaved through the dense jungle foliage, making her stoop and hug her shivering arms.

    Never before had she witnessed a storm this ferocious, and it started to worry her at the implications. Her toes flexed against the rising streams of running water the heavy rainfall generated, feet sinking into the muddy soil, but all she could hear was the pounding water, thunder, and somehow, the terrifyingly sweet voices of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    Her purple irises shifted with her waist to glance back at the two skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat flanking her; their polished white bones dripping water, yet the emerald flames licking down their frames refused to die. They held Denral, Toka, and Forva in their large hands, wrapped in strong silk.

    Abominations ¡­ Elinor creates abominations. The Supreme Chiefs must be enraged, but with who? This is the worst storm I¡¯ve ever witnessed, even in the north¡­

    She winced, head lowering as something struck her head, and shortly after, noticed what appeared to be chunks of clouded gems falling around her. Her shakes increased, remembering the stories her parents had told her as a little girl.

    A hard lump dropped down Eltha¡¯s throat; it felt like her tongue was trapped in her throat. She wanted to ask the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra to find cover but was even more terrified of their judgment than the stinging cold gems.

    The second sign of the ancestors¡¯ wrath ¡­ cold rocks that fall from the heavens ¡­ our ancestors are throwing holy stones down upon our heads for our failings to heed their warnings. Is this the ancestors sending their disapproval of us bringing Elinor to our world or to show us that we¡¯ve lost favor entirely with them?

    Vi hummed softly, body rising a little as they continued to trudge through the mud. ¡°Well, this is rare, Lea. I only remember this happening once when I was very young.¡±

    A soft giggle vibrated from Azalea as she lifted one of her eight legs to nudge her sister without slowing. ¡°Very young? You¡¯re the youngest out of all of us!¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± she grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m just saying, I¡¯ve only ever seen this once. Why did Edmon recall all of the Yaltha¡¯ma?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Azalea lifted her two front legs and made several sharp gestures that Eltha couldn¡¯t follow. ¡°They make for good accuracy practice. Oh, and I think it¡¯s because these cold rocks can kill the little things if they get hit on the head.¡±

    ¡°Eh ¡­ too much work, and how weak can they be?¡± Vi mumbled. ¡°Didn¡¯t mom say something about this stuff, too?¡±

    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t really blame the little things; they have such small and weak bodies. Umm, yeah, I think mom did, too,¡± Azalea hopped forward a few times, legs a blur as she appeared to be cutting the rocks in two. ¡°She said that the Queens of the past used to live in a place that would see many such storms. Wouldn¡¯t that be fun?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Vi hummed. ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of the cold.¡±

    Azalea just giggled before humming some kind of musical tune while slashing the air as they moved.

    Eltha hunched over, covering her head and eyes to protect them while she stumbled forward, and they finally broke through the dense jungle, reaching the Deadlands, the red and brown soil spreading out and killing much of the vegetation.

    The nightmarish black-walled visage of the White God¡¯s Fortress appeared before her eyes, partially hidden by the flurry of cold stones that increased in ferocity as they neared. Eltha was beginning to feel the welts forming across her smooth orangish-green skin.

    A few bright flashes momentarily blinded her, and a warm burst of wind brushed against her skin before it turned cold again. She noticed two bony Quen¡¯Talrat a little to their right, hauling a strange contraption with wheels, loaded up with dead creatures from the jungle.

    Fennel¡¯s words returned to her with sharp clarity. Will I be killed and brought back? Fennel warned us that we¡¯d lose if we engaged ¡­ he was right. These Th¨¦lm¨¦thra aren¡¯t even the ones that Elder Chief Valdar warned us about. Tiffany and Edmon ¡­ are they taking us to them? Are we going to be killed and risen?

    Eltha¡¯s quakes increased as they drew closer to the colossal walls, moving toward one of the three enclosed gateways within sight. There was a gap between the smooth stone block ramp and gateway; it was clear that the drawbridge had been broken during the Fire Wars.

    However, it appeared like Elinor had some of her minions build a makeshift bridge out of long wooden beams, and the massive metal gate seemed to have been pulled up, showing a solid wall lifted over thirty feet into the sky. Even from this distance, Eltha could see the impressive thickness of the door.

    Her eyes slid down to the slanted base of the towers and gatehouse, noticing damage that had been done to the stone base, but it was minor. There were places all along the two towers and the gateway that could be used to attack the forces below.

    No wonder our ancestors couldn¡¯t get past these barriers. How do they lift it? It must weigh more than an entire clan combined.

    She watched the two Quen¡¯Talrat ahead of them ascend the slope, pulling the cart up the laid brick incline. It didn¡¯t take them long to get to the top, and they took care with the ramp, moving their hauled goods over it to disappear beyond sight.

    Eltha sucked in her lip as the raining cold stones started to increase in size, and a sharp gust of cold wind stung her bruised skin. Please, Supreme Ancestors ¡­ please protect us. It wasn¡¯t my fault for bringing Elinor to our world. It¡¯s not my fault ¡­ I was just following orders. It¡¯s Fennel¡¯s fault! Please spare us!

    She breathed a shuddering breath as she took her first step on the cold brick ramp, noticing how each block was larger than her whole body. Cold liquid slid down the gradient of the stone, gathering between her toes as she climbed with the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra to the makeshift bridge.

    Heavy rain, holy rocks falling from the sky, cold gusts of wind, and lightning that splits great trees in two ¡­ this must be the ancestors¡¯ ire.

    The balls of cold stones rolled down the ramp as they continued to fall and increase in size. Reaching the top, she didn¡¯t feel as scared of the bridge as she first thought as she approached; the beams looked old but were more than four feet wide and half a foot thick. She had to step up onto the wood and follow the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra across to the other side.

    She was stunned by the magnificent sight and intimidated by the sheer size of the structure she was entering. The open homes of the Ri¡¯bot were nothing like this, and the Yalm¨¢th structures in the north had a similar design, but the Quen¡¯Talrat fortress dwarfed the northern cities in grandeur.

    They passed below the enormous door overhead that could be lowered, stepping on a metal grate that seemed to likely drop with the gate so it would fit inside. Eltha lowered her arms as she left the pelting storm, her body still trembling from her stinging bruises.

    She slid her tongue over her lips, lingering on her two left protruding teeth as she glanced around. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the darkening interior. Several metal latticeworks had been raised, and the sound of rain and thunder gradually dampened as they continued.

    A lump dropped down her throat as the high-pitched growls of a Yaltha¡¯ma spoke in front of them. She wasn¡¯t exceptionally versed in their language but had learned parts of it from her upbringing.

    ¡°Go¡¯la has ¡­ tasked to take ¡­ to ¡­¡±

    Vi breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s fortunate; this place is a maze. I have no clue how to get to Tiffany.¡±

    ¡°It would be good to familiarize ourselves with the fortress,¡± Azalea mused. ¡°That¡¯s what Tiffany called it, right?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I remember,¡± Vi said as they began following the small creature.

    The creature led them through twists, turns, and down long flights of stairs; Eltha had long since lost all sense of direction, but she could smell the strong scent of the Yaltha¡¯ma permeating the air and ground.

    Azalea and Vi chatted ahead of her, Azalea playfully jabbing Vi¡¯s leg as they continued their light banter. Vi quickly started fighting back with her own wordplay, but Eltha was too worried about what they¡¯d said before to fully follow their conversation.

    This is bad ¡­ really bad, but there¡¯s ¡­ what can I do? Tiffany ¡­ we¡¯re going to see Tiffany, one of the horrors Elder Chief Valdar saw. Why? What will she do to us? I don¡¯t want to die ¡­ I don¡¯t ¡­ can I talk with them? Maybe I can work my way to freedom through labor ¡­ some races do that.

    Her mind looped through horrors until they reached a long corridor, and the Yaltha¡¯ma stopped, pointing ahead. ¡°Up ¡­ Great Soup One is to the left.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s forehead furrowed. I must have misheard her? Soup ¡­ I knew I should have paid more attention to Haliba¡¯s teachings. When were we ever going to actually speak to Yaltha¡¯ma, though ¡­ no, no, why am I thinking about that?

    They moved forward, and she was almost shoved to the floor as one of the bony Quen¡¯Talrat behind her nudged her, grunting for her to keep moving. Her legs trembled as she followed the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, and they paused halfway down the hall, turning to stare at her with their gem-like eyes.

    ¡°What¡¯s the hold-up?¡± Vi growled. ¡°Hurry up! Tiffany has been waiting for us, and I will not be yelled at by my mom because you¡¯re dragging your feet.¡±

    Azalea bounced up and down, causing slight ripples to transfer from the stone up Eltha¡¯s already quivering legs. ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t wait to see what Tiffany has planned! You think we¡¯ll sing?¡±

    Vi hummed thoughtfully. ¡°I don¡¯t think ¡­ are you really that unstable?¡± She sighed as Eltha¡¯s legs gave out beneath her.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m ¡­ I just¡ªjust¡­¡± She stammered, fear numbing her tongue and legs.

    ¡°I thought it would be better to wrap her up,¡± Vi mumbled, turning back around.

    Eltha tensed as web suddenly shot out of Vi¡¯s abdomen, surrounding her, and soon after, she was being dragged along the ground. ¡°S-Sorry ¡­ I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m s-sorry¡­¡± She quivered in the sticky silk, and every bump sent a jolt of pain through her bruised body.

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ignored her, and it wasn¡¯t long before she stopped; the web was ripped off her, making her wince. Her purple irises shifted right and left, trying to grasp the situation as a soft and pretty voice hummed with interest.

    ¡°So, these are our little spies?¡± The slight twist to her lips, and the way her glowing orange irises slid down her body made her quakes increase. ¡°I look forward to our research.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s vision centered on Tiffany, taking in every inch of the woman. She appeared rather unremarkable, like most the other humans she¡¯d seen, but the aura she released made her bruised skin crawl.

    Parts of her back were decayed, showing orange veins that shone with an inner light. She wore less material than the other humans she¡¯d seen, showing immaculate tan skin that glowed in the orange fires that lined the corners of the room.

    ¡°Where should we put these others?¡± Vi asked, pointing one of her sharp left legs at the warriors wrapped up in her silk.

    Tiffany leaned back, pulling her fur out of her face before clasping her hands behind her back. ¡°Mmh, let¡¯s see. Why don¡¯t you drop them off in the corner with the other two? I must finish my preparations. I¡¯ve been excited to test out combining different ritual methods to see how they function together.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that sounds interesting!¡± Azalea squealed, body shifting to take in the entire room. ¡°You want me to help you, too?¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡± Tiffany¡¯s smile turned to Vi. ¡°You may follow the Yaltha¡¯ma in the hallway back to Edmon. He¡¯s been asking for every able body to help him get this ancient relic up and running again. Your artistic finesse will do wonders with his architectural expertise.¡±

    Vi¡¯s tone lit with fire. ¡°My artistic finesse ¡­ yes, I cannot wait to create more works of art! Thank you, Tiffany.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re such a treat,¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°I look forward to marveling at your talents and how Edmon can mold it.¡±

    Vi bowed before quickly scurrying out of the room, and Tiffany motioned to the two skeletal apes. ¡°You two drop those three off in the corner and turn over these tables.¡±

    Eltha stood in silence, utterly lost with what she should do as she watched Tiffany direct the two Quen¡¯Talrat.

    ¡°Yes, those two tables, line them up along the wall. Ah, the opposite way. We need the tops facing the center. Now put this one here, flip it around, there. I need ingredients tables along this wall. My goodness, I¡¯m so happy the Quen¡¯Talrat were so big; there¡¯s so much room to work with!¡±

    ¡°What are we doing?¡± Azalea asked, moving to the opposite corner to stay out of the skeletons¡¯ way.

    Tiffany hummed softly as she unfolded a bag in the corner, snapping her fingers; a bright ball of orange flames appeared out of nowhere, floating in midair. She dipped it into the bag and pulled it out, quickly separating the mess of ingredients inside the fire across the table.

    ¡°Learning, my dear. Oh, and you, dears, you two pick up that over there ¡­ be careful, and Azalea, if you could link it to the ceiling above the table.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s brow creased as the bony apes raised a strange rectangular object that reflected the image of what stood before it. What is this device? It¡¯s like a still stream ¡­ it¡¯s much clearer than the reflection of metal.

    ¡°Ah, a little to the left, Azalea. The mirror needs to be perfectly situated above the table. Hmm ¡­ on second thought, we can move the table. Just make it even. Yes, there we go. Okay, you two move the table to the right ¡­ up a little ¡­ there! Perfect!

    Waving to the two Quen¡¯Talrat, Tiffany gestured to the door. ¡°Go back to Edmon for more work.¡± She turned back to her sack, expecting her orders to be followed without question, and to Eltha¡¯s surprise, they did.

    Tiffany really is high ranked ¡­ is she just under Elinor?

    The woman lifted another raging globe of flames filled with materials from the sack. ¡°Vi is obsessed with creating art with her webs, but I¡¯m obsessed with knowledge and its uses. Science practiced with a lack of moral guidance ¡­ how fun is that! Think about how much more we can learn if we forget the regulations.¡±

    ¡°Regulations ¡­ science? I don¡¯t understand.¡± Azalea moved closer to look at all the strange materials Tiffany placed on the rough surface of the table.

    ¡°In my previous world, we were reasonably advanced in many surprising ways, but many laws and ethical restraints also constrained us. Now, there is a good purpose in recognizing different culture¡¯s laws and customs; it can help you use them as puppets. You must be careful with how you deal with different races.

    ¡°That being said, everything in this universe is meant for our Empress. No other ethical barrier is needed besides her word, and where she doesn¡¯t say, we must determine ourselves.¡±

    She licked her lips, glancing back at Eltha. ¡°Witchcraft is my art, and the more I learn, the more I have to experiment. Witchcraft is all about harvesting, mixing, and reactions ¡­ Chemistry is beautiful, and the science of the mind is so fascinating.¡±

    Her head tilted slightly, black fur falling to the side. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see ¡­ what is your name, dear?¡±

    It took a moment for Eltha to respond; her tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth. ¡°I ¡­ my n-name is ¡­ it¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°Take your time,¡± Tiffany urged with a reassuring smile; Eltha was beginning to better understand her facial expressions and how they connected to her tone of voice. ¡°You just calm down a bit while I continue to work.¡±

    ¡°What about me?¡± Azalea asked.

    ¡°Oh, your time will come,¡± Tiffany chuckled. ¡°Be patient. Just watch me and consider everything I do. Ask yourself, why is Tiffany saying this or doing that? Understand?¡±

    Azalea bobbed up and down before returning to the corner to sit, lying perfectly still as if waiting for prey to cross her path.

    Eltha reluctantly rose to her feet, rubbing her bruised arm where a few sticky threads remained; they¡¯d shockingly somehow lost a lot of their original stickiness, allowing her to brush them off.

    She followed Tiffany¡¯s soft melodic hums as she moved between the tables by the wall and the one in the center of the room, flames filled with a white chalk-like substance that looked like the stuff kids used in the north to create images on stone.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Licking her lips nervously, she rubbed her left arm while mumbling, ¡°M-My name¡¯s Eltha.¡±

    ¡°Eltha, huh?¡± Tiffany mused, creating strange designs across the surface of the table in the center before making similar designs on the flipped over structures by the wall. ¡°What an interesting name.¡±

    The danger she felt slowly lessened as Tiffany busily moved between areas, placing different types of ingredients across different regions on the designs.

    What am I doing here? Tiffany doesn¡¯t seem that bad ¡­ I mean, I don¡¯t quite get everything she¡¯s saying, but Witchcraft doesn¡¯t look that terrible. She¡¯s just making a bunch of child¡¯s drawings.

    Eltha puffed out a long stream of air through her lips before glancing over at Toka and the other warriors, still trapped in the web. ¡°Umm ¡­ why am I free, and¡ªand the others are bound?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tiffany smiled while carefully drawing lines along the floor, running up the legs of the table to connect all the designs across the room. ¡°Lea told me that you were being compliant, and I like that. I don¡¯t find it that concerning to let you loose, and I think you know that Azalea could cut you into pieces within seconds if you tried anything.¡±

    A fearful chuckle left her throat. ¡°Yeah ¡­ I realize that. Umm ¡­ are you worried about the Supreme Ancestors¡¯ wrath?¡±

    ¡°Supreme Ancestors?¡± Tiffany repeated thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know much about your religious beliefs, including these Supreme Ancestors. Why don¡¯t you tell me why I should be worried? I¡¯d love to hear your opinion.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s forehead furrowed, and she licked her left two teeth again before pressing both pairs against her lips. ¡°Y-You really want to know about the Supreme Ancestors?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure! Why not?¡± Tiffany said with a bright laugh. ¡°As I said, knowledge is a passion of mine, and that includes your culture. In fact, learning your culture is of paramount importance. Intelligence gathering is a foundation in any authority. How else will we forge the great chain that will pull all good things into the Empire?¡±

    ¡°Good things? You want to make a place where everything is good?¡±

    ¡°Oh, most definitely,¡± Tiffany said while placing different minerals, plants, and ores in specific spots on the intricate interweaving design she¡¯d created. ¡°Tell me more about your beliefs. What should we be worried about?¡±

    Feeling a bit more strength in her belly, Eltha cleared her throat. ¡°The Ancestors make the rainfall, and¡ªand they are angry right now. That¡¯s why the cold holy stones are being thrown from the sky and the lightning ¡­ the roaring thunder of their voices.¡±

    She started to gain momentum as her mother¡¯s teachings flooded back into place, and Tiffany continued to work without interrupting her. ¡°The Chief Ancestors rule the high places as blazing fire, and the Supreme Chiefs are the brightest of them all. The One Above All, the Supreme Chief Gogath, moves all things to his decree, including the two moons and the sun. It was by his order that the Lesser Chiefs and Honorable Ones released the rains.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Tiffany whispered, causing Eltha to snap her jaw shut. ¡°Give me a moment.¡± The woman¡¯s critical orange irises slowly moved over her work. ¡°This should do ¡­ let¡¯s see if I can make a sort of machine out of this. Shall we? Oh, and can you put some of your neurotoxins on the ingredient table?¡± She asked, smiling at Azalea.

    ¡°Mhm, mhm,¡± Azalea bobbed up and down before rushing over and opening her mouth.

    Eltha¡¯s muscles tightened as two long fangs poked through her mouth as sticky saliva dribbled down to the table, and a grayish liquid shot out from her long teeth to spray across a clear section of the surface.

    What is she going to do with that? Force it down our throats? Please, no¡­

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Tiffany cooed, rubbing Azalea¡¯s leg. ¡°I love you girls! Could you grab one of those Ri¡¯bot, one that you paralyzed, and lean him against the far left table?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m excited to see more! The neurotoxin should be cycling out of their system, soon. They have a way of sweating out toxins. Should I unwrap him?¡± Azalea asked.

    ¡°How fascinating, and that would be wonderful. I already have everything set up to my liking.¡±

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra quickly moved to follow her orders. ¡°Anything else?¡± She asked, somehow easily removing the silk from her target. Eltha clutched her left arm; it was Forva.

    ¡°Nope. Just continue to study and watch.¡±

    Azalea returned to her position, and Tiffany guided her flames down to gather the saliva and poison, separating it into two flames. She moved between the designs, placing it at the end of some lines.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Tiffany took a deep breath as vibrations pulsed through Eltha¡¯s body. Her smile fell, and she held out her hands; the lines began to glow with orange light.

    ¡°By six paths of bone, link these rituals and activate them as desired with the condition of life; bind those ensnared with the invisible thread of silk; imprison those ensnared with the pollen within the flora of pure white Heather; silence those ensnared with the flora of pure white Rose, and paralyze those ensnared by the neurotoxin of a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra. Lock in a union, and dance to the strings of a Witch.¡±

    Eltha didn¡¯t realize she was trembling, but she couldn¡¯t help it; the waves that had pulsed around them were unlike anything she¡¯d ever experienced. She couldn¡¯t see anything different about Forva, except that he was staring at them with wide eyes, unable to move, and the lines continued to release an orange light.

    ¡°W-What did you do?¡± Eltha asked.

    Tiffany giggled before winking at her. ¡°Ah, that will come in time; now, please continue your story. I still need to test a few things with how these rituals function together. So far, though ¡­ it seems like a success! Ah, and while she¡¯s talking, Lea, could you put the others on the other tables?¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± Azalea replied, moving quickly to comply.

    Eltha wanted to question her further, but also didn¡¯t want to anger the woman. She shivered from the cool air, gently cycling around them. ¡°Umm ¡­ aren¡¯t you scared of the storm outside? The Supreme Ancestors¡ªthey¡¯re angry ¡­ they even cause the beasts to migrate. It is our first ancestors that sent the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Quen¡¯Talrat, and other threats to punish us for turning away from the ancient ways. We brought dishonor to¡­¡±

    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Azalea growled, legs twitching as she moved to stare at her with her pink gem-like eyes.

    The threatening vibe that smashed against her made Eltha jump back against the wall, grunting as the air was pumped out of her lungs. She coughed, gasping for air as she fell to the cold stone floor.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Tiffany mused. ¡°I think you upset her, Eltha. The Queens were never commanded ¡­ that is, before Empress Elinor. Correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Azalea huffed, long front leg scraping against the wall and chipping stone. ¡°My mother was never commanded by such a thing!¡±

    ¡°S-Sorry,¡± Eltha quivered while lying against the floor, trying to regain her breath. ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ it¡¯s what we¡¯re taught ¡­ what we¡­¡±

    Tiffany clicked her tongue. ¡°Let¡¯s move past that part.¡±

    ¡°Is there truth in her babbling about the rain and other things?¡± Azalea asked, removing the web around one of the Ri¡¯bot.

    Grem began struggling in Azalea¡¯s long legs, growling and grunting unintelligibly, but the pressure the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra used was too much for the warrior. The moment he was forced against the massive Quen¡¯Talrat table, he fell limp, and the glow increased.

    Eltha watched the scene with rising shock. It paralyzes ¡­ if someone is laid against it, then they can¡¯t move. Tiffany says for it to imprison those ensnared by it. Is it like the Mysticism of some of the other tribes?

    ¡°Likely not,¡± Tiffany said, walking over to Toka as Azalea released her from her cocoon, knife clattering to the stone floor. She bent down, picking it up before examining the blade while the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra set their leader against her own table.

    ¡°Who can really say, my dear? Could your Supreme Ancestors be the cause of the way this universe functions? Perhaps, though I doubt it, still, it is a theory that has yet to be disproven. I tend to lean towards science, however, and it tends to function the same in all places; how that is brought about in the first place is anyone¡¯s guess, though,¡± she chuckled.

    Eltha pondered Tiffany¡¯s words, but couldn¡¯t quite grasp it.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯d much rather hear about your science!¡± Azalea said, picking up the last remaining cocoon, Roka, Toka¡¯s brother, but before she ripped off the cocoon, Tiffany stopped the monster.

    ¡°Ah, that one is the final piece of the puzzle. Put him on the center table.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Azalea said with a bright tone. ¡°How does science say it rains? Is it like singing? That would be fun!¡±

    Tiffany giggled. ¡°No, no, nothing like that. Hmm ¡­ how would I explain it? Well, going back real quick to Eltha¡¯s model, it¡¯s a fascinating theory of how the universe works. Basically, the stars in the sky are the manifestations of their ancestors, and the brightest ones are the oldest and most powerful among the pantheon.

    She licked her red lips, her focus moving to Eltha. ¡°Can you climb the pantheon?¡±

    ¡°Umm ¡­ y-yes ¡­ there have been great chiefs in the past that are i-immortalized, such as Supreme Chief Jalia.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s a wonderful concept of any living being that struggles for survival. A man¡¯s reach should exceed his grasp¡ªor what¡¯s a heaven for? Working for your bread by the sweat of your own brow is an eternal principle of success. The Empire is a single entity that works to rise above all.¡±

    Tiffany held her hands behind her back while Azalea unraveled Roka. His sharp green eyes snapped to her, and he didn¡¯t struggle, but yelled, ¡°Eltha, run, and inform¡­¡±

    His voice died as he was forced onto the center table, causing his body to go limp. His eyes were wide open, seemingly unable to blink as he stared up at himself in the mirror.

    A shake rippled through Eltha¡¯s body as Tiffany¡¯s soft smile turned to her. ¡°Oh? Will you run, Eltha?¡±

    Eltha quickly shook her head.

    A depressed sigh left Tiffany¡¯s full lips as she tapped Roka¡¯s chest with her index finger. ¡°What a shame. Right, Mr. Ri¡¯bot Warrior? Although, how do you expect her to escape? I think she has more of a grasp of the situation than any of you. Where was I ¡­ ah, I was going to explain a bit about the weather.¡±

    She giggled while sliding the knife over Roka¡¯s left leg, and Eltha slowly got back to her feet, wincing at her pulsing bruises. ¡°The current weather is quite the pickle for us. You see, the tunnels will probably be flooded for some time; the sewers are currently backed up, which is likely connected to the water dispersal system for practicality.¡±

    ¡°Can I do anything about that?¡± Azalea asked. ¡°If it¡¯s a problem, then shouldn¡¯t we do something fast about it?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Tiffany sighed, walked back to the corner Azalea had been in. ¡°Edmon and I have already discussed it. There really isn¡¯t much we can do at this point. We will be flooded for a time on the lower levels. Water levels rise shockingly fast the moment the systems in place are overloaded, and if it¡¯s what I suspect, a hurricane, then it¡¯s bound to be a problem.¡±

    Eltha locked her dry lips. ¡°Umm ¡­ maybe I c-could do something?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s head tilted to the side as she slid her finger along the side of a big long object leaning against the wall. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that option ¡­ it¡¯s possible, but first, we have a learning opportunity for Azalea.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s voice rose with hesitation. ¡°What kind of learning opportunity?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked,¡± Tiffany said. ¡°Although, I keep jumping around topics,¡± she sighed. ¡°Let¡¯s see ¡­ let¡¯s first discuss the weather.¡± A giggle slid through her throat. ¡°My, talking about the weather ¡­ anyways, there¡¯s a common misconception among many humans in my world.¡±

    ¡°Humans?¡± Eltha asked, shuffling a little closer to the table to look up at the mirror. Tiffany doesn¡¯t seem all that bad. She¡¯s let me talk, and hasn¡¯t hurt anyone; they¡¯re just in their version of a prison. The Roxim Clan does much worse things to its prisoners.

    ¡°That¡¯s my race, dear,¡± Tiffany chucked. ¡°In my world, there¡¯s this belief that clouds are just big containers of water, and if it rains harder, then the cloud will run out quicker. It¡¯s sad but true; some people think the duration of a rainstorm will shorten the harder it is.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s stupid,¡± Azalea huffed. ¡°I¡¯ve seen hard storms last a long time.¡±

    ¡°Correct!¡± Tiffany said while leaning back against the table that Roka was trapped against. ¡°If you watch storms like many of you likely have, then it seems silly. Well, let¡¯s get to the science of it, then! The atmosphere, everywhere in the sky, even outside the clouds, it all contains tons and tons of water.¡±

    Azalea lowered her body to Tiffany¡¯s eye level. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that since it is so blue, but then the changing colors always confused me.¡±

    Tiffany nodded. ¡°I understand that; it¡¯s not like you had anything else to judge it off of. In reality, under a stable combination of temperature, pressure, and humidity, all that moisture is perfectly happy to exist in a completely gaseous state.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s eyes fell to the floor. ¡°Gaseous?¡± She asked, drawing out the word. ¡°A combination of temperature, pressure, and humidity ¡­ I understand that, but I¡¯ve never thought about those concepts together with water.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s about states of matter,¡± Tiffany explained. ¡°Matter changes based on the amount of energy it has; if you add more energy, then the material will change. Consider lighting a fire under a pot of water; it boils, turns to gas, and rises. You are adding energy by transferring heat! Simple chemistry. Understand?¡±

    A small smile touched Eltha¡¯s face. She¡¯s so nice. I¡¯m sure she can be scary, but she¡¯s also super helpful. I can¡¯t think of any Ri¡¯bot that would teach a prisoner something, and be so patient.

    ¡°I do ¡­ thank you, Tiffany. You have taught me a strange concept ¡­ my mind is still having a hard time picturing this with the sky, though. How does this process make clouds and water fall from the heavens?¡±

    Hoisting herself forward, Tiffany wandered back over to the ingredients table to continue sorting the items, and both Azalea and Eltha followed her. She held up different materials with her flames.

    ¡°Solids can melt into liquids; liquids can evaporate into gases. It''s even possible to heat a gas to the point it can no longer keep itself together, making plasma. Flames and lightning are both examples of this state. On the other end of the spectrum, you can remove enough energy to get Bose-Einstein condensates, or alternatively, you could increase the pressure to such extremes that you get what neutron stars are made of.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what those other three things are,¡± Azalea mumbled.

    Eltha studied the shifting materials in Tiffany¡¯s flames with a slight frown. ¡°Yeah, I haven¡¯t heard about them either.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s expected,¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°Those three can be pretty complicated. The three basics, solid, liquid, and gas are the primary ones you should remember. Now, close your eyes and imagine this ¡­ well, I understand you can¡¯t close your eyes, Lea, but try to picture this¡­

    ¡°The sun is a big globe of extremely hot fire in the sky, and it sends out energy across the world. That energy is light, and it heats up the ocean and lakes, causing a change in states. What does that liquid change to?¡±

    ¡°Gas,¡± Azalea replied before Eltha could even open her mouth.

    ¡°Correct! Most gases are so light that they float up to the atmosphere and get trapped by its pressure; not all gases, but most, and that¡¯s important to note. Once energy is lost in the atmosphere, then the gas forms back into water and drops back to the earth.¡±

    ¡°What about the holy stones?¡± Eltha asked, trying to picture everything Tiffany was explaining, but she was starting to feel a little self-conscious as her mind shifted to Toka and the other warriors.

    I¡¯m sitting here learning things while they¡¯re stuck to tables ¡­ they must hate me, but they were the ones that attacked them in the first place. I didn¡¯t attack them and surrendered. Naturally, they¡¯d treat me better, right?

    ¡°Hail,¡± Tiffany said with a soft smile, taking some of Azalea¡¯s saliva from earlier and making it turn into the frosty substance.

    ¡°By the ancestors,¡± Eltha mumbled, leaning in closer. ¡°The fire isn¡¯t even hot ¡­ you made one of the signs of the ancestor¡¯s wrath¡­¡±

    ¡°Like I said,¡± Tiffany chuckled. ¡°Just hail. This is what happens when many liquids turn to a solid. Add more energy ¡­ liquid, and even more ¡­ gas.¡±

    Eltha breathed out a gasp of wonder as the saliva seemed to vanish. ¡°Mysticism¡­¡±

    ¡°No, dear, science,¡± Tiffany chuckled before tilting her head, vision narrowing. ¡°Well, I suppose how I did it could be considered Mysticism to you. It¡¯s just manipulating the energy inside my Witch¡¯s Fire, but that would count as magical,¡± she laughed softly before snapping her fingers.

    The fire extinguished, and she moved back to Roka. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we get started.¡±

    ¡°With what?¡± Eltha asked.

    Azalea and Eltha walked beside Tiffany, looking down at the warrior.

    Tiffany¡¯s smile turned into a smirk as she glared down at Roka, and her orange irises lit with an intense light as she glanced at her. ¡°In my world, there was an event called the Russian Soviet Gulags, and inmates were the ones that largely ran it. They were brutal and even more ruthless than the guards. I¡¯d like to set up something similar here and run my own experiment, and you¡¯re my first candidate.¡±

    Eltha¡¯s throat went dry as the cheery woman¡¯s expression transformed before her eyes. ¡°W-What? What do you w-want me to do?¡±

    Tiffany flipped the knife around in her hand, handing it to her. ¡°Take it.¡±

    Both pairs of Eltha¡¯s teeth pressed against her lips; she knew this wasn¡¯t a request. She hesitantly reached out but shrank back as she touched Toka¡¯s blade as if burned; this was her warrior¡¯s initiation gift, and it was unlawful for a non-warrior to hold it.

    A lump dropped down Eltha¡¯s throat; Tiffany¡¯s long black fur shifted to the left as she tilted her head. ¡°Something wrong? You wish to survive, yes?¡±

    The gums around her teeth began to ache as she slowly reached out again, fingers slowly closing around the handle.

    ¡°Good,¡± Tiffany cooed. Eltha leaned forward a little to stare at the knife trembling in her hand as the Witch said, ¡°Now, cut open his leg.¡±

    I ¡­ can I do it ¡­ no, no, I shouldn¡¯t ¡­ but if I don¡¯t ¡­ what will she do? Will I go on the table ¡­ I don¡¯t want to. I ¡­ I¡­

    To her own shock, her hand lowered, and after what seemed an eternity, the knife she held cut into Roka¡¯s left thigh. A glob of thick green blood oozed past the polished blade.

    She¡¯s a monster ¡­ how could I¡­

    Her body turned slightly, and a quake ran down her frame at Tiffany¡¯s bright smile. ¡°Now, slide it down to his knee. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll knit everything back up. We have a long time until Iris and Cami return. This will be fun!¡±

    Azalea hummed softly. ¡°Oh, this is fun! Why doesn¡¯t he scream, though?¡±

    ¡°Ah, we can make him do that ¡­ it¡¯s about manipulating the ritual. You see this glowing part here? Just press this and¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn, you all ¡­ damn you, Eltha! Have some pride,¡± Roka growled, making her fingers quiver.

    She¡¯s not nice ¡­ why did I think she was nice? Please, someone, save me ¡­ I don¡¯t want to do it ¡­ I don¡¯t¡­

    ¡°Now, now, Eltha,¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°Don¡¯t let him decide the end of your life. You don¡¯t want to be in his place, right?¡±

    A lump dropped down her throat as she croaked, ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Lovely,¡± Tiffany cooed. ¡°When shall we¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a coward, and a¡­¡±

    His muscles relaxed as Azalea reached over and tapped the glowing section Tiffany had shown them. ¡°This is so much fun!¡± She squealed.

    ¡°We are setting a stage to extract information,¡± Tiffany explained. ¡°Talking about it is also a form of torture. You see, there is a reason why in my world, the military trains soldiers with the expectation that they will break.

    ¡°Torture works, and it¡¯s just how long you can resist. It¡¯s impossible to create something out of whole cloth, and if you haven¡¯t been tortured, then you wouldn¡¯t understand. Oh, the conversations I¡¯ve had with soldiers that returned from war; they¡¯d make your ears bleed.

    ¡°The question isn¡¯t whether torture works or not, that¡¯s silly; no, it¡¯s first, do they have the information you wish, and second, how far are you ethically willing to go. It¡¯s not if you¡¯ll break, but when, and there are delicious methods that people cringe even reading. Joy, hate, love, fear, pain, everything is a weapon and can be used.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Azalea hummed, turning her body to look at the wall of Ri¡¯bot, eyes wide open as they glared at them. ¡°What about these guys?¡±

    ¡°Oh, this is a cakewalk,¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°We have all the leverage in the world, their honor. How long can they stand the pain of a brother? People with morals and attachments are the easiest to exploit! We¡¯ll go through everything in great detail.¡± She said with a bright, succulent tone.

    ¡°People often see horrible things and empathize, which puts them at odds with the inflicting party, and it will always be the same gruesome cycle. The Ri¡¯bot didn¡¯t feel evil when slaughtering hundreds of defenseless humans, yet now they expect sympathy and compassion?¡±

    Tiffany chuckled. ¡°Attack the Empress, then genocide has been agreed upon, and they will soon understand that word. They labeled the Quen¡¯Talrat evil ¡­ they don¡¯t understand the word.¡± Her glowing orange irises moved to Eltha, and the intensity in her smiling eyes sent a quake down her spine. ¡°But from salt and sand ¡­ they will.¡±

    What kind of mind does she have? This is a nightmare ¡­ can the ancestors save us? It¡¯s like she¡¯s not afraid of anything. How can any Ri¡¯bot stand up to her? How can I get out? Is it possible? No ¡­ if I want to survive¡­

    A lump dropped down her throat as her purple irises fixated on the green blood oozing out of Roka¡¯s leg, the wound that she¡¯d caused, and tears gathered in her eyes. Yet, despite her thoughts and crying, she followed every order Tiffany gave.

    Through Tiffany¡¯s strange Mysticism, Roka couldn¡¯t even release his pain through screams unless they let him, and she began to feel a new sense of control as they continued. The liquid in her eyes soon ran dry as she listened to Tiffany¡¯s methodically directed cuts. Every new command was more aggressive than the last, and worse, it became easier.

    I¡¯m a monster ¡­ but am I? I just don¡¯t want to die ¡­ and for the first time, in so long ¡­ I feel in control.

 B1 â€” 29. Undying Appetite

    Camellia breathed out an annoyed sigh as she followed her sisters out of the tunnels, wind whipping around her as she rounded a corner and passed Tiffany.

    She caught the Witch¡¯s smile as she waved, yelling, ¡°Happy hunting!¡±

    Camellia really respected the woman; she had a similar edge like her mother, and had a way of explaining things that sparked her imagination. Tiffany also didn¡¯t look down on her, unlike Violet.

    Still, the frustration ate at her, and she didn¡¯t want to let her mother down or whatever Tiffany saw in her. She couldn¡¯t help but feel pressed to prove herself, and desperately wanted answers to this new change.

    Violet and Azalea had always been vastly more similar to each other than to her, and even though her mother said she had a different method, she felt like a failure. She brought back more food than the drones, hunted more often than both her sisters combined, and pushed herself daily, but all she saw was a looming mountain ahead of her.

    Once again, she was lacking, unable to even follow her younger sisters to the surface. The pressure ate at her three hearts as she reached out a telepathic communication. Mom, Violet and Azalea aren¡¯t as fast as they used to be; I¡¯m slower, too. I wasn¡¯t as fast as them before, but I¡¯m at even more of a disadvantage now. Why am I slower?

    Her mother¡¯s regal, cool, and collected voice entered her mind. ¡°It is this change we are going through. I have been probing this new system we have been connected to by the Empress, and we may not be everything we were, but the expansion is beyond any memory of the Queens.

    ¡°Edmon and Tiffany have given me the necessary information to assess the opening horizons before us. Do not be distraught, Camellia, you have advantages your sisters do not because of your Class. We are not what we were.¡±

    I¡¯m trying not to be frustrated, mom, but they understand things so much faster than I do¡­

    She ran across the walls and ceiling while her exoskeleton generated a strong adhesive force that moved down to the tips of her spear-like legs to keep her stable. The glowing lights she passed over swayed as she passed them, swiftly moving beyond the large underground lake before curving around to the hole in the underbelly of the Infernal Ape¡¯s former fortress; she couldn¡¯t even hear her sisters talking anymore.

    ¡°You were at quite a disadvantage, my daughter; it¡¯s a product of the Queen¡¯s reproduction process, your inherited genetics manipulated by the food I ingested, and the environmental mutations you developed once allowed to express yourself in this world.

    ¡°However, this new system gives you things your sisters cannot obtain. It is a rather fascinating network of possibilities that rewards each creature differently ¡­ it appears to adapt to your own desires and goals in many ways. I expect your sisters to do well with this; however, they can only follow their own path, and you yours.¡±

    What do you mean, my path? Is it different from Violet and Azalea¡¯s? Is it because of my Class?

    ¡°Yes. We will have a little time for me to explain in a moment. You will go outside the fortress, to the south, and toward the jungle; I will come to you in a moment. I must first obtain the genetic imprint of a Ri¡¯bot prisoner called Dalria.¡±

    I¡¯m not like you anymore ¡­ oh, yes, mother.

    ¡°And, Camellia.¡±

    Yes, mother?

    ¡°You are no longer in the same type of competition you once played with your sisters; there is no need to be so frustrated or to compare yourself to their abilities.¡±

    I see ¡­. I¡¯ll wait for you to explain that to me when you¡¯re not busy. I don¡¯t quite understand how that¡¯s possible.

    Her mother didn¡¯t respond, making Camellia slide her tongue across the inside of her teeth. She entered the dark bottom layer she¡¯d stepped into what only seemed days earlier, orange gem-like eyes glancing around.

    A slight rumble vibrated around her, transferring to her central nervous system through the air-tight microscopic hairs protruding from her exoskeleton. Is it a storm? I love storms!

    Her mood improved dramatically, and a weight lifted off her hearts as she spotted the pathway the Quen¡¯Talrat built to get to the surface. Moving in that direction, she ran up the spiral exit toward the surface, eight legs skittering across the stone floors and walls.

    I¡¯m not in the same type of competition ¡­ I don¡¯t have to compare myself to them anymore. What does that mean, though?

    Camellia wanted to bite her lip with the nervous anticipation that was cycling her body; everything she did in her human form was magical, addicting, and she wanted nothing more than to experience it more but knew she needed to follow Tiffany¡¯s advice.

    She continued up the staircase, steeling her nerves as she sent out a tentative telepathic probe to Tiffany. Umm ¡­ Tiffany?

    ¡°Yes, dear, something on your mind?¡±

    You¡ªaren¡¯t busy, are you?

    Tiffany¡¯s soft giggle made Camellia shift her labium around in her mouth, but her apprehension quickly evaporated with the Witch¡¯s smooth and patient tone. ¡°Darling, talk to me. I¡¯m here to help you transition, and if something¡¯s eating at you, then I¡¯m more than happy to help. So, what¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    Camellia was a little shocked at how much control Tiffany had over her emotions; she¡¯d seen her bouncing with joy, regal the next moment, and more casual with those beneath her than she¡¯d ever thought possible for a superior. She knew it had to do with her human experiences, and it was all so unfamiliar to her, but she loved the Witch¡¯s mannerisms.

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not the same as my sisters, right? My Class is different? I just don¡¯t get how all that works.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s soft musical hum echoed in her mind. ¡°I think I understand what you¡¯re experiencing, Cami. Actually, a song came into my mind. Would you like me to sing it?¡±

    Tingles of excitement filled Camellia¡¯s body as she exited the underground structure to a raging storm, and she tried her best to restrain a squeal of anticipation as a hissing breath passed through the glowing light-red joints on her plated abdomen that pushed the air out.

    With her pause, Tiffany¡¯s voice returned with mild interest. ¡°Still there, Cami?¡±

    Oh, yes, yes, Tiffany, I apologize. It¡¯s just ¡­ this storm, and singing ¡­ I¡¯m just so happy. I love rain and thunder; it makes hunting so easy.

    Another crack of thunder passed through her body with the taps of the pelting rain as the water struck her exoskeleton, sliding into the joints and damaged cracks in it to clean and tickle her cushioned interior. Still, her joy was tainted by this strange dissatisfaction that ate at her mind.

    She paused for a moment, determining which way was south by the magnetic fields in the atmosphere as Tiffany spoke again.

    ¡°Ah, yes, storms can be calming. Ironic, since they¡¯re raging forces of nature that terrified the civilizations of the past as the foul mood of the gods. Anyways, give me a moment to compile my thoughts and recall the tune and words.¡±

    Of course! Camellia replied, moving down the street.

    The heavy droplets pounded against the granite ground, running into depressions and grates, but it seemed like they were beginning to back-up in a few places. This was the first time she¡¯d seen the surface of the Quen¡¯Talrat fortress, and it was all alien to her. She hadn¡¯t seen anything like this in the Ri¡¯bot villages she¡¯d raided in the past.

    Tiffany chuckled softly. ¡°You girls seem to enjoy music, but if you¡¯ve never experienced it before, then I¡¯d be addicted to it, too. Your question, I feel, is less about your Class and much more personal. It¡¯s the culmination of your entire life colliding with this recent change, from what I understand about your culture and history with your sisters.¡±

    Maybe ¡­ I¡¯ve tried everything I could to compete with them, and I¡¯d get so close ¡­ then I¡¯d find out they weren¡¯t even serious, and I¡¯d be thrown back down this colossal mountain.

    ¡°What has your mother said about your feelings?¡±

    Camellia glanced around at the black granite buildings, noticing wooden lining inside coating the stone walls. She hadn¡¯t thought about or even noticed most of these things before; her entire life had been focused on one thing, getting stronger, faster, smarter in combat, to one day beat her sisters. Now, her mother said everything she¡¯d worked for in life was over, and she was no longer in competition.

    I know many things have changed ¡­ my mother will not die from aging, which means my sisters will not be taking her place. Umm ¡­ my mom said she¡¯d talk to me about it when we meet up ¡­ she¡¯s¡ªI guess you know what she¡¯s doing. I just¡­

    She swallowed, slowing as she drew closer to the southern buildings, body dripping with water as she studied the muddy stone road. I don¡¯t know how to express what I¡¯m feeling inside. This is so ¡­ it¡¯s like¡ªlike I¡¯m not my mother¡¯s daughter.

    Tiffany was silent a moment, making Camellia¡¯s stress rise, but when she spoke, it was in a song, and Camellia slowed to a stop, letting the rain cascade around her as she listened, tingles shooting through her body.

    ¡°When you were standing in the wake of devastation. When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown. And with the cataclysm raining down, insides crying, save me now; you were there, impossibly alone.

    ¡°Do you feel cold and lost in desperation? You built up hope, but failure¡¯s all you¡¯ve known. Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go. Let it go ¡­ and in the burst of light that blinded every angel, as if the sky had blown the heavens into stars. You felt the gravity of temper grace, falling into empty space, no one there to catch you in their arms¡­¡±

    When Tiffany ended her song, Camellia felt a little stunned. That was ¡­ beautiful ¡­ horrifying ¡­ it felt so close in my hearts ¡­ how did you know?

    ¡°Honey, everyone feels this way throughout their lives. No one is perfect, not even the Empress, but that¡¯s why we¡¯re here, and it¡¯s why I¡¯m here talking with you, Camellia. You¡¯re not alone, and yes, your sisters also feel frustration, sadness, and as if they¡¯re not good enough. I¡¯m positive your mother felt the same way.

    ¡°When you talk with your mother, you will start to understand how things are changing, and I think you¡¯ll like them. However, change can be very scary, even for creatures that are built to adapt. Humans are extremely adaptable, but we have our own limits, and so do you. Give yourself time and know that you have an entire network at your disposal.¡±

    An entire network ¡­ I¡¯m not doing this alone?

    ¡°No, dear, the Empire is one body. You¡¯ll learn your place, and yes, you have one.¡±

    Camellia would have smiled if she could. Thank you, Tiffany.

    Tiffany¡¯s voice became soft as she talked, but it grew darker and colder. ¡°In your deepest pain. In your weakest hour. In your darkest night. You are lovely, and we all know you act for the Empress. Remember that, Camellia, and know that even your sisters care about you. We are a tool serving one purpose; we all have something to give the Empress.

    ¡°Every one of us is disposable, even if the Empress wishes against it; need outweighs desire, and her safety reigns supreme above all ¡­ even her own orders. It is what she raised us for, and I will destroy heaven and hell to achieve that goal.¡±

    A shiver ran through Camellia¡¯s core as she felt the hot and cold fire raging through her connection to Tiffany¡¯s mind. Even the Empress¡¯ own desires ¡­ I hadn¡¯t thought about that. If she gave us an order that would harm her, then we could not follow it.

    ¡°We could, and there may even be a semblance of disorder between Court Members,¡± Tiffany stated with a cold tone. ¡°This is the one weakness that the Empire has we must be aware of ¡­ our ability to determine things with our own minds, yet it is also a strength.¡±

    Camellia began climbing the nearest building to reach the black wall that connected to the structure, liquid parting around her legs as they pulled her up the rough surface. I suppose there are things that we must be scared of, then ¡­ I was terrified when my mother fought the White Infernal Ape. It was the first time I even felt like my mother might lose.

    Tiffany hummed softly, and Camellia could imagine the Witch holding her hands behind her back, orange irises aflame while her red lips turned into a cold line.

    ¡°Caution, yes, fear, no, my dear. The Empress is what gives us life, and what are we? We are not creatures of fear; no, we are the cataclysmic embodiment of an apocalypse. We lust for the flesh of those that resist the Empress; the ravenous stomach of the Empire is nothing but a cavernous black abyss filled with salivating endless rows of esurient teeth.

    ¡°The Empress is the only dam restraining our voracious hunger which ravages everything it touches, and like hundreds of desperate savages, we consume everything that stands before us. The rapacity of the Undead is immeasurable and without the Empress, untenable.

    ¡°A monster does not have the luxury of fear, but caution, calculation, adaptation ¡­ we harbor a gluttonous appetite you haven¡¯t quite noticed yet. I know you¡¯ll feel the spark blaze to life once you begin the hunt.

    ¡°I could see it hidden in Azalea¡¯s small hints in conversation; her addiction to the taste of fear is unconfined to dimensional lines. Even Violet¡¯s slothful mannerisms will be transformed. I¡¯m just going to set up Azalea¡¯s dining table to flavor our new selection, now ¡­ oh, I have some fine horror prepared for her to savor with this ritual; I¡¯ll need to find a wine to pair up with it.¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Camellia breathed out a long stream of hissing air as Tiffany¡¯s words painted a scene in her mind; she¡¯d never heard her mother or sisters describe things in such ways. I¡¯ll feel it too ¡­ then, we haven¡¯t acclimated to this change yet?

    ¡°Oh, of course not, Cami! Appetite must be aged, but the immeasurable flame will soon envelop your doubts. We each feel it differently, but it will always forge us into an exquisite tool for the Empress to use. What we have is complete loyalty to the Empress, and there is no evil more terrifying, feral, and relentless than those born out of the protection of those you love.

    ¡°If they do not bow, then they will die and be raised as loyalists. War is coming, Camellia, and no creature can withstand the torturous fever that follows resistance. All defiance will be trampled under the Empress¡¯ feet; death itself is a pawn, nothing compares to the Empress of the Dead, and be it love or fear, all things are insects for her to play with, dust beneath her boot.¡±

    A resolve set in Camellia¡¯s hearts as her new purpose became clear. Thank you for being so patient with me, Tiffany. All things dissolve in the face of that purpose.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s soft chuckle held no amusement. ¡°Yes, we all have these times where we feel lost; it¡¯s natural, but the craving voracity of our function incinerates all fear and hesitation within us. Ah, on that note, I need to sort through all these lovely ingredients the Yaltha¡¯ma have brought me.¡±

    Thank you, Tiffany. I will keep your words in mind.

    ¡°Anytime, dear. Happy hunting!¡±

    Reaching the top of the wall, Camellia walked across the wide walkway between the towers; the wall in front of her had collapsed, massive bricks littering the ground in piles.

    She shifted her body to gain a full view of what she could see of the lush valley, dimmed slightly with the dark night; most of the scene was blocked by the thick mist of water that fell from the black clouds overhead, and occasionally a flash of bright light would split the sky. The wind was cold, but it didn¡¯t feel the same as when she was alive.

    All things are under the Empress, and for her entertainment. Tiffany has an intense outlook, but I wonder what Mother thinks, and if I¡¯ll feel the same. She did say that we each would develop in a different way, but we¡¯d all harbor the same feelings for the Empress.

    A long hiss passed by her plates while she sighed. I still don¡¯t quite get the change in the relationship between me and my sisters. Why am I not the same Class as Mom? Perhaps¡­

    Camellia jumped back as the presence of her mother flared to life inside her mind; right beside her was a slim white Ri¡¯bot with blue spots that glowed with a faint light. She knew the creature squatting beside her was her mother.

    Iris¡¯ new form reminded Camellia of the stronger warriors that somehow used the mist in their attacks against the Infernal Apes. Her large eyes burned with an inner yellow light, and her long tongue slid through her lips to glaze over the three protruding jagged teeth on either side of her mouth.

    ¡°M-Mother?¡±

    Her mother¡¯s voice had deepened slightly, and the tone held a slight accent she hadn¡¯t heard before that made her sentences quick and sharp. ¡°Yes, Camellia. I know this form must be shocking. Do you recall hunting the clan with this skin color?¡±

    ¡°I do ¡­ they were quick, and it was like they could fly through the mist they came with. Those were one of the few Ri¡¯bot that could kill the drones.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and they did manage to cut one of your legs once.¡±

    ¡°They did ¡­ but I grew out of that exoskeleton,¡± Camellia mumbled.

    Iris rose to her full height, stretching around to test her flexibility. ¡°That, you did ¡­ they don¡¯t have the range of motion humans do, but they have considerably more power. The Ri¡¯bot that was captured, Dalria, has a distant ancestor from that tribe, and I found most of the stronger traits were within it.¡±

    Before Camellia¡¯s gem-like eyes, Iris¡¯ wet white flesh changed to green with orange spots, arms thickening before morphing back to her slim white and light blue form, studying her hand with a strange crease in her face.

    Her mother¡¯s tone was amused, ¡°I can manipulate the full spectrum of their DNA with my Title as the Royal Court Executioner; however, there is still much to explore with this new system.¡±

    ¡°W-What about my human form? When can I go back into it?¡±

    ¡°You may do so now if you like,¡± her mother commented. ¡°Thirty minutes will arrive soon enough, and I expect you will catch up to the western Ri¡¯bot group after your skill has reset.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Camellia jumped up and down excitedly, shadows filming over her body as her form changed.

    The world turned black; she could finally close her eyes again, head rolling around as her stiff hair clung to her back. Raindrops tickled her skin and slid down her naked body as she stretched out her arms, puffing out her chest. ¡°I¡ªl-love this feeling!¡± She sighed, toes pawing the rough stone beneath her feet.

    A snug sensation wrapped around her upper and lower half, curiosity opening her glowing light-red eyes. She was greeted by her mother¡¯s bare-skinned human form, black white-highlighted hair encircling Camellia¡¯s body.

    The moment her bra and shorts were created, Iris shifted back to her white Ri¡¯bot shape, and beside her was a similar type of bag that Tiffany had. ¡°I made it removable as Violet did with her own; you must simply untie the back and side to slide it off. I suspect the humans will be more comfortable if you wear something they¡¯re accustomed to.¡±

    Camellia worked around her mouth for a moment, tongue sliding around her teeth before she tried talking. ¡°Thank you¡ªMother. I hadn¡¯t thought of t-that. What will I hold it in?¡± She asked, eyeing the bag beside them.

    Iris reached down and picked it up, handing it to her. ¡°Tiffany seems to carry things in objects like this. You can simply loop one of your legs through it; I crafted the strap to match the circumference of your front left leg.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Mother!¡± Camellia cheered, bending back to do a backbend; she managed to perform the action but hopped on her left foot as she messed up her balance again.

    Iris hummed softly as she walked to the edge of the wall, shifting her body from side to side, causing several light pops. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll explain along the way.¡±

    Without expecting an answer, her mother hopped off the edge, her hands and feet skidding down the slick stone surface as she slid down the steep wall.

    Camellia quickly followed, hair flying up as she used it to attach to the top block; her descent was much less elegant, the wind blowing her off course. Her fingers and feet pressed against the granite, trying to stabilize her drop, but her landing was less than desirable.

    She landed with a jarring sensation that rippled up her legs, making her grit her teeth. C¡¯mon! Stupid hair¡­

    The tips of her hair halfway down her back cut the extended silk, her long rope-like silk hair detaching from the top of the wall to blow away in the strong gusts of wind. She expected it to dissolve and disappear in the storm¡¯s rough weather.

    Iris managed to somehow jump near the base, leaping toward a large pile and using it as a springboard to continue leaping up the pyramid to disappear over the pile of broken bricks.

    Mom just got that form! Seriously, what¡¯s my malfunction? Camellia growled, regaining her balance before jumping up the bricks to follow her mother.

    When she reached the top, she almost bit her tongue; her mother was somehow beside her, glancing up at the sky while her long tongue slid across her teeth again.

    ¡°M-Mom¡ªh-how¡ªyou keep appearing o-out of nowhere!¡±

    Iris hummed softly as they both descended the ruined wall to the red soil below. ¡°It¡¯s a product of being over every Assassin Class; I can hide my presence even from the Empress¡¯ network. I am, by all rights, the head of assassination.¡±

    ¡°T-That¡¯s amazing,¡± Camellia mumbled, doing her best to run at her fastest pace, but the soft clay-like ground made it difficult to accelerate.

    Her mother didn¡¯t seem to have an issue in the slightest as she casually let Camellia set the stride; the rain increased in ferocity, but it didn¡¯t appear to bother her. ¡°You are not an Assassin, Camellia. Tell me, what are you?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡ªI¡¯m a-an Elite W-Warrior,¡± she replied.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Iris paused as a rumble shook the sky; a flash of lightning struck across the heavens. ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t really know,¡± she admitted.

    Iris¡¯ tone lightened with a giggle, that made Camellia snap her head her way; foot slipping, she tumbled across the ground, mud flying everywhere. Slowing with a low moan, she landed in an embarrassing heap with dark red and brown mud coating her body.

    I can¡¯t believe this! Can I even run properly? Mom must be¡­

    Her mother laughed, causing Camellia to quickly sit up, wiping mud off her face before speaking telepathically. Mom ¡­ are you feeling okay? I just ¡­ I haven¡¯t heard you laugh like that before.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Iris chuckled, squatting before her, and Camellia swore she was wearing a smile with her tilted lips. ¡°It¡¯s a part of this form¡¯s personality. I pull personality traits from genetic code. You okay? That was a bit amusing.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah,¡± Camellia mumbled, cheeks flushing as she pulled back her mud-caked red hair. The shoulder bag had slipped out of her arms and flown several feet away. She jogged over to retrieve it with a low growl. ¡°Sorry.¡±

    ¡°No harm,¡± Iris said with a soft moan as she stretched her legs. ¡°I need to get used to these traits before meeting the Ri¡¯bot group. So, you ready to go?¡± She asked, nudging her thumb back toward the jungle. ¡°They¡¯ve got a head start, but they also are traveling heavy.¡±

    ¡°Yup, yup,¡± Camellia whispered. ¡°I was just¡ªyeah, I¡¯m ready¡­¡± She repeated, pulling the strap back over her shoulder as the water began loosening the soil off her skin.

    ¡°Onward, then,¡± Iris said with a deadly tone, glowing yellow eyes sparkling. She let Camellia set the pace again. ¡°Edmon showed me a map of the area before we left, and it appears like they might use the river to transport their goods. If they make it there, then it will take me a bit longer to catch up to them, and we will both be far outside the range of the Empress¡¯ communication network.¡±

    ¡°We w-will?¡± Camellia asked, feeling the bag whip against her side with the strong gusts, but it didn¡¯t cause any discomfort.

    Her mother licked her lips again before jumping into the air, long tongue whipping out to stick onto a wooden plank lying on the ground two meters away. Her tongue returned nearly faster than Camellia could see, left hand closing around the top of the plank before using her momentum to throw it ahead of her.

    The plank¡¯s sharp edge stuck into a soft pool of steaming water before her mother landed on the blunt end, making it press further into the ground, and she used it to jump ahead of Camellia, flipping elegantly a few times in the air. She nimbly landed on both feet before leaping forward, far outstripping Camellia.

    Mom¡¯s in a less mobile body and is still more flexible and balanced than me ¡­ I have so much to learn.

    Iris slowed to allow her to catch up, running around the small pool. ¡°T-That was a-amazing, Mom!¡±

    ¡°Hmm, it was alright,¡± she mumbled. ¡°My accuracy and execution could use work. Ask yourself what Elite Warriors specialize in.¡±

    A little caught off-guard by the sudden change, she asked, and the answer came, making her eyes widen. The rain continued to slide down her smooth skin as she thought, thunder rumbling around them.

    An Elite Warrior is a well-rounded physical combatant. I¡¯m not supposed to be a super mobile fighter like an Assassin ¡­ there are different types of Elite Warriors, but I fall into the Juggernaut Sub-Class. I charge in and overwhelm my enemies with power.

    ¡°I¡¯m a Juggernaut,¡± she muttered.

    ¡°An excellent Sub-Class,¡± Iris said as they entered the jungle. ¡°Ah, interesting ¡­ hail, is it?¡± She whispered. ¡°It has been a long time since I¡¯ve sensed this shift in the atmosphere.¡±

    ¡°Hail?¡± Camellia asked, looking up at the sky, but all that met her was cold drops of water.

    Her mother giggled. ¡°It will strike soon, and it should slow our prey. Perfect.¡±

    Camellia followed her mother as she took the head, shifting between trees.

    ¡°Do you smell it, Camellia?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡ªI smell ¡­ not really.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s faint ¡­ very faint,¡± Iris whispered. ¡°Edmon, Tiffany, and Empress Elinor passed by this area before. We¡¯re backtracking their scent to the others to get back to their camp. Keep your senses sharp.

    ¡°Now, Camellia, you are no longer in competition with your sisters, and I will explain why. Listen closely,¡± she said, tone softening to a whisper as they ran. ¡°You must learn how to communicate softly with your human voice. You never know when you might need to use your voice instead of the network.

    ¡°If we leave the network around the Empress, then we cannot use that telepathic pathway and must speak aloud. Understand?¡±

    Camellia swallowed a lump in her throat. ¡°Y-Yes, m-mother.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. You have been competing to become Queen, taking my position when I die. However, there is no longer a Queen position to obtain. I am the Royal Executioner, and that will not be passed down, but if I fall, then someone else will take that place. We are now in a system with exceptionally powerful creatures.

    ¡°You already have a powerful Grade, and currently, even Tiffany and Edmon are not clear if a person can increase their Grade. Time will tell, but one thing is clear; only one creature can ever hold a Royal Court Title in this world. There might be some caveats with that, as Tiffany explained, but for now, you must recognize that your purpose has changed.¡±

    Camellia took a deep breath before letting it out, feeling her hearts pumping inside her chest as they ran through the dense undergrowth. She tried speaking as fluently as possible and made some progress while concentrating.

    ¡°Tiffany talked to me about it, and, well, she seems to have a view that is a little different than what I saw of the Empress express, but I could just not be that observant.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± her mother¡¯s lips fell a little. ¡°No, that is actually quite astute of you, Camellia. Yes, Tiffany follows the Empress explicitly and loves her more than anything. However, she does have a personality that clashes with what the Empress currently envisions, and she¡¯s doing her best to follow what the Empress wants instead of what she feels she should want. Does that make sense?¡±

    Camellia¡¯s lips fell a little. ¡°I ¡­ think. She wants to follow every desire of the Empress, but she also has a bit of resistance h-herself to the Empress¡¯ vision.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s expected,¡± Iris whispered. ¡°Tiffany has been granted an abnormal amount of knowledge by this system that gives her a different overall view of how things might turn out. However, Edmon also contrasts pieces of that with his own granted knowledge. You could say they¡¯re born enemies; their combined bickering helps the Empress gain a more rounded grasp of a situation.¡±

    ¡°S-She said ¡­ if the E-Empress wants to h-hurt herself¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Iris¡¯ tone fell sharply. ¡°I understand her position and disagree with it. It is something each of us must decide for ourselves, and there is no easy answer. Absolute obedience to the Empress vs. absolute defence of the Empress from threats, including herself.

    ¡°That is a hard line to cross, and will likely happen to us ¡­ we have eternity, and Tiffany would rather die than allow the Empress to receive harm. Ironically, Edmon is on the opposite spectrum as the Gatekeeper.¡±

    ¡°D-Do I need to make that decision?¡± Camellia nervously asked.

    ¡°You should choose in your heart, but you should also follow the Royal Warlord, whoever that may be. You are a soldier, and though you may lead a small group of individuals, you are not to make decisions on a grand scale; there is a hierarchy.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Mother,¡± Camellia replied with a relieved sigh.

    They traveled in silence for a minute before Iris slowed, glancing around the dense jungle. Camellia noticed traces of battle and could smell several Ri¡¯bots¡¯ lingering sweat.

    Without a word, her mother shot forward, and Camellia followed; they ran for a few minutes before reaching a large clearing that showed obvious signs of a Ri¡¯bot camp, and the rain started to turn hard, clouded balls falling from the sky.

    Iris smiled as she looked up. ¡°Beautiful ice ¡­ it¡¯s been a long time.¡±

    The pellets struck her mother¡¯s smooth white skin, but she didn¡¯t seem bothered by it, and Camellia felt the falling ice and chill, but it did no damage to her metal-like skin.

    Camellia¡¯s toes pawed the mud; small streams were forming into temporary rivers that weaved through the terrain as Iris closely examined the clearing.

    ¡°At least two or three hundred Ri¡¯bot ¡­ the scent of death is in the air,¡± she mused, glancing around at the littered skeletal remains of the Ri¡¯bot and humans that had been left in broken heaps of bones. ¡°I suppose they didn¡¯t feel comfortable bringing these back.¡±

    She pointed west. ¡°That way; follow the trail, and remove your clothes, you¡¯re about to change back.¡±

    ¡°Oh, right! Sorry, I was a little distracted,¡± Camellia growled, fingers fumbling with the bow under her left armpit and on her right hip. They came undone easily, and she stuffed them into the bag before transforming.

    ¡°Don¡¯t lose the trail,¡± her mother stated with a sharp glare. ¡°Bring as many Ri¡¯bot and humans back as you can alive. I don¡¯t quite understand what the Empress wishes to do with them all, but if she wants them dead, then we can kill them back at the fortress; returning with what we can is the goal.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Camellia sighed, stretching out her long front leg while prodding the strap down each segment.

    ¡°No need to be elegant and reserved, my daughter,¡± Iris said with a soft giggle. ¡°You¡¯re a blunt rock, not a sharp stick. Smash everyone you need to into paste.¡±

    With those parting words, her mother seemed to vanish before her eyes; she couldn¡¯t sense her anywhere.

    That¡¯s amazing, but ¡­ yeah, I guess I¡¯m not like that.

    Walking to the west, she stopped beside a thick branch and quickly slammed her front right leg against it, smashing it into pieces. ¡°I g-guess I am a blunt object. Smash, smash, smash¡­¡±

    Camellia was shocked and slightly annoyed that moving through the mud was easier in her original form. She passed dozens and dozens of scents, following more than sixty Ri¡¯bot, carrying off over eighty human captives, and she also smelled the rotting corpses of both humans and Ri¡¯bots.

    Okay, it¡¯s time to show the Empress how useful I can be. I may not be competing for a Queen¡¯s position, but I can achieve more than my sisters. Just you watch Azalea, Violet, I¡¯m going to save every living human there, and I¡¯ll finally understand what most humans are like!

    Recalling some of the strange phrases Tiffany used, she said without stuttering once, ¡°I¡¯m the cataclysmic embodiment of an apocalypse! Whatever that means¡­¡±

 B1 â€” 30. Juggernaut

    Camellia moved through the chunks of ice that fell from the heavens, following the scent of the Ri¡¯bot and humans. The patter of the hail drowned out most other sounds, and the chilled wind that carried it sweeping through the jungle flowed around the trees, rustled the large leaves, and made the branches creak.

    Her long eight legs splashed the cold water that streamed downhill, following old ravines that had long dried up, and the bag her mother had given her swung by her side as she tracked the lingering scent of the large group she followed.

    She¡¯d been keeping close track of the bag, after all, her mother had made these clothes specifically for her meeting the humans, and she didn¡¯t want to mess it up. She had enough screw-ups behind her abdomen.

    The path she was following vanished from time to time, masked by the heavy rainfall and flowing rivers it generated, but spotting the evidence of hundreds of people passing by an area wasn¡¯t that difficult for Camellia to manage. Her mouth salivated with the smell of the Torlim, carrying the corpses of the Ri¡¯bot and humans alike; the large creatures the Ri¡¯bot used were tasty, and she loved hunting them in the past.

    I¡¯m pretty sure we can still eat. Would it taste strange since I¡¯m dead? There¡¯s only one way to find out! What am I supposed to do once I get there, though? If I kill the ones transporting bodies, then wouldn¡¯t I need to carry them?

    She slowed, body rising a little as she released a hiss through her plate openings. Mom told me to bring back as many Ri¡¯bot and humans as I can. It would probably be better if I brought back every single one, but the Ri¡¯bot never did well being taken back to the nest alive. Lea always had to go through all sorts of things to bring them back, like paralyzing them.

    I could do that, but would I really have to bite every single one of them? That would be a real hassle, and what if they attack some of the humans while I¡¯m going one by one? There¡¯s a lot of humans ¡­ and what about this hail?

    Camellia shifted her body to look up at the tree cover, cushioning the descent of the falling ice before allowing it to drop to the ground. Through the breaks in tree cover, she could see the dark clouds moving across the sky, swirling around each other, and though she couldn¡¯t see the streaks of lightning, thunder rolled around the hills.

    She sensed thousands of creatures the size of the Yaltha¡¯ma and bigger hiding in burrows, hollowed-out holes in the massive trees, and taking shelter under colossal ferns with leaves nearly the size of her.

    I know humans aren¡¯t that durable. Will they be safe traveling through all this water and ice falling from the sky? Maybe not ¡­ from the smell, they¡¯ve been going for hours and hours, but they haven¡¯t made all that much progress. It¡¯s only taken me an hour and a half to catch up to them, following broken trails to make sure they didn¡¯t split up; how long will it take for us to go back?

    She released a hiss of air while crawling over a fallen tree, more than seven meters tall. The Ri¡¯bot and humans seemed to have used a broken section to her right, crawling through to the other side, and on the opposite end, she could smell traces of unfamiliar blood within, likely human.

    More humans were killed here, but there¡¯s no body. They must have thrown it on the Torlim. I could wrap everything in a web and try to haul it back, but that would be a lot of work. Yeah, that would be pretty impractical. It would be great if I could get them to come back on their own, but how¡­

    Camellia absently dug into the trunk of the tree, large chunks of wood flaking away as she thought. They were only about fifteen more minutes ahead of her, but she couldn¡¯t come up with a way to bring everyone back safely.

    If the other humans were like the Empress or given some of her power, then it would be easy, but the Ri¡¯bot can easily kill them how they are. Didn¡¯t Tiffany say humans are very adaptable, though? Maybe I can get some ideas from them when I get there.

    Mom was talking about this new system ¡­ I don¡¯t know anything about it. It does give a bit of information, though. I¡¯ll ask it then. So, I¡¯m a Juggernaut Sub-Class of the Elite Warrior Class; what can I do as a Juggernaut ¡­ run into things.

    Huh, I guess I could do that with my Passive Skill, Juggernaut. It only activates when I¡¯m moving set distances, but it can double my inertia and mass. Five meters is the maximum distance needed to reach the current cap at Level One.

    There¡¯s also the Focus Strike Active Skill that can take most of my mass and inertia and funnel it into a single strike with my hair, transferring all that force into whatever I hit; Focus Strike has a minute cooldown ¡­ that¡¯s a bit long.

    A low hiss released from her abdomen as she thought back on how much control her sisters had over their hair; she hated to admit it, but Violet¡¯s handiwork at spinning webs had always made her jealous.

    My hair¡¯s stiff because of the Iron Form, and its upgrade, Steel Form, Reactive Skills that act as my weapon and defense, but it¡¯s just too rigid ¡­ it¡¯s hard to form proper webs. Mom said I¡¯d get used to it, but I don¡¯t want to be so different from Violet and Azalea ¡­ I want to fit in with the family, too.

    If only this system would give me options, but it¡¯s not very friendly. It hasn¡¯t told me much other than those skills. No ¡­ I can¡¯t be ungrateful. The Empress gave me this power, and I just need to figure it out!

    Pulling back her front right leg, she activated Focus Strike, jabbing it into the wood; it split like water, and a large block broke away, fracturing a part of the fallen tree and closing off the entrance.

    ¡°Dammit,¡± Camellia sighed, poking at the blocked hole. ¡°There¡¯s got to be a better path back to the fortress,¡± she mumbled, lifting her body a little to test the magnetic fields around her.

    Okay, I¡¯m pretty sure the fortress is that way ¡­ yeah, we could cut off a bit of time if we go down a different path. Although, first, I need to rescue them.

    Turning around, she faced the direction the humans and Ri¡¯bot went; a low rumble vibrated through her exoskeleton. The hail was fairly sporadic, moving between slush and ice as the heavy winds whistled through the jungle, blowing upwards with sharp gusting roars as silk-like curtains of ice blanketed the biome. The storm was getting worse by the hour, and the large chunks of misshapen hail floated down the building streams, slowly melting as they went.

    The humans probably won¡¯t last much longer, but the Ri¡¯bot should also need to find some cover soon. Most creatures in the jungle can¡¯t handle these weather conditions with their frail bodies.

    She sped back into action, skittering through the shallow pools of water, gently moving downhill. Her Morph ability had recently come off cooldown, but she wanted to spend as much time as she could with the humans in her new form to get a better understanding of how their bodies functioned.

    Camellia slowed, crawling into the trees as the stragglers came into view, trudging through the muddy jungle floor, doing their best to protect themselves from the harsh elements. The humans appeared to be worse for wear; they wore welts, bruises, cuts, and even lacerations.

    Three blue-skinned Ri¡¯bot were ushering the stragglers along, making Camellia¡¯s insides tingle with anticipation. She silently moved from branch to branch until she hung upside down above them, hidden in the massive leaves; her senses easily pinpointed the air leaving their mouths, the loud splashing of their feet, and the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s shifting weapons that pushed back the foliage.

    She knew her red coloring wasn¡¯t the best for stealth, which was why she¡¯d always just ran her prey down before throwing webs on them or waiting high in the trees to drop down on her targets, but Camellia wanted to observe the situation before charging in; she couldn¡¯t mess this one up.

    There were several human males in the back; she¡¯d identified their genetic markers when touching Tiffany, and their bulkier physique and the frame of their body reflected what she¡¯d expected. However, something that made her pause was the small humans they carried on their shoulders as they trekked through the mud, sleet, and hail.

    The humans were holding large leaves over their bodies, hunched over while trying to protect their heads, and the small ones were struggling to keep their own protection in hand, but it seemed like it was hard for their tiny hands to grasp the massive leaf stems.

    What are those? They look like humans, but I didn¡¯t expect them to have such differences in size. It¡¯s like the Ri¡¯bot babies, but the Ri¡¯bot grow bigger really fast. How long does it take for humans?

    Restraining a hum, Camellia scuttled around the branch she was on, heading to the top before transforming. She released a soft moan of pleasure as she stretched her arms and back out, chunks of ice harmlessly bouncing off her naked skin.

    Okay, now to put on some clothes¡­

    Her lips became a line as she extracted the top and bottoms. She turned the panties around a few times, trying to figure out which part went where, and determined the part that curved more must go around her backside. It took her a few seconds to fumble with the string before getting it secure.

    The top proved to be a bit more complicated, but within a minute, she managed to wrap it around her chest, forced to temporarily keep it in place with a few sticky webs of her own before tying it into a secure knot.

    Breathing out a long sigh, she brushed back her long red hair and made sure the top and bottom were secured. Finally ¡­ man, how do they do this every day? I guess they don¡¯t have to worry about breaking it every thirty minutes. Still, it feels kind of nice on my smooth skin. Maybe I can ask the humans why they wear this stuff.

    She walked around the trunk, hanging upside down from her feet while twisting her hips to look around. Her hair was held stiffly at her back; it was becoming easier to move it as a whole, but intricate weaving was still far beyond her.

    The humans and Ri¡¯bot had moved a little further up the path, making Camellia purse her lips while absently glancing around.

    Okay, so, I go in and tell the Ri¡¯bot they need to come with me or else I kill them. I mean, they were always scared of me when I couldn¡¯t talk to them, and now that we can understand each other, then it shouldn¡¯t be that difficult. They know they can¡¯t beat me; the tricky part will come when they run.

    Her brow creased as a thought crossed her mind. Wait ¡­ does the Empress¡¯ communication abilities work this far ¡­ they do! Okay, good. See, this system isn¡¯t that restrictive; it tells me things!

    She breathed a relieved puff of air through her soft lips and reached up to press her finger against them, tracing the curves. I love the sensations this body has! The way the bones and muscles move is just so wonderful!

    A smile brightened her cheeks as her hands dropped back to her sides, and she tried jumping tree to tree like she¡¯d seen the Ri¡¯bot do. Launching toward the nearest trunk at incredible speed, she managed to flip around to use it as a platform like she¡¯d seen her mother do with the log, and began her chase.

    The Ri¡¯bot quickly noticed the sounds her impacts made, turning with their weapons raised. She used a tree beside them to stop her momentum, tucking while dropping, and to her utter embarrassment, she landed face first in the mud, lumps spraying all around her.

    The Ri¡¯bot closest to her sounded mystified as they retreated a bit. ¡°Hey, Jolah, what¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°No clue,¡± a female voice mumbled with slight irritation. ¡°It just came jumping through the ¡­ when will the ancestors cease the holy stones? We can¡¯t keep up like this; we¡¯ve already had to kill a few of the creatures to get them moving, and it hurts.¡±

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s what we deserve,¡± the third whispered. ¡°We lost the Chief, Jolah.¡±

    Jolah¡¯s voice fell. ¡°Yeah, I know ¡­ is this thing dangerous? It kind of looks like...¡±

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Camellia growled, hearing a loud squelching sound as she pulled herself out of the mud, wiping it off her face. ¡°Bleh,¡± she spat, trying to get rid of the dirty taste in her mouth. ¡°Dammit ¡­ how did Mom balance so well?¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot froze, spears held toward her as the humans paused, glancing back with narrowed eyes, likely unable to see that far in the nighttime jungle.

    ¡°Hey, Goltha,¡± did you hear it speak?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I could understand it.¡±

    Jolah slid her tongue across her two left teeth. ¡°They can¡¯t speak our language, though; we¡¯ve already tried.¡±

    ¡°The only one that could was¡­¡±

    ¡°Elinor,¡± Goltha whispered, tone hardening.

    The humans peered toward her, giving her painful, but questioning looks. ¡°What¡¯s happening, daddy?¡± A young female voice whimpered.

    ¡°Shh ¡­ don¡¯t talk, dear.¡±

    Getting to her feet, Camellia brushed herself off; the water running down her skin helped her remove the clumps of mud. ¡°Hello, so, umm¡ªI¡¯m here to take you all back to Empress Elinor; it¡¯d be great if you didn¡¯t run.¡±

    Camellia frowned while looking down at her dirty body. I¡¯m glad Vi wasn¡¯t here to¡­

    Her thoughts died as she watched a spear strike her chest, creasing her skin and poking into her bra before snapping; it didn¡¯t draw blood, but the force sent her off balance.

    ¡°Woah!¡± She stumbled back before falling to her butt. The streaming water flowed around her, pulling on her bottoms, but she was a little too stunned to notice.

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra taking on the form of a human looked up at the shocked Ri¡¯bot; it appeared like Goltha had been the one to jump forward and jab her; they looked just as confused as her.

    Camellia pressed her tongue against her lips before working around her jaw, swallowing a mouth full of saliva and mud, she cleared her throat. ¡°D-Did you just attack me? You didn¡¯t run?¡±

    ¡°How did she survive that?¡± Goltha mumbled, fingers tightening around his broken weapon.

    ¡°None of the others could do that,¡± Jolah mumbled, fingers tightening around her own spear. ¡°What should we¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Camellia growled, getting back to her feet while glaring at them. ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me. Did you just attack me?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, we did,¡± the third chuckled before jumping forward with an ax and shield in hand. The weapon slammed into Camellia¡¯s left shoulder, but it was the Ri¡¯bot that cried out, dropping his ax while hopping back and cradling his arm. ¡°It¡¯s like trying to cut steel!¡±

    One of the human males whispered in a broken voice. ¡°W-Who are you? Are you here to¡ªto save us?¡±

    Camellia¡¯s eyes sparkled as she reached up to rub the spot he¡¯d attacked, lips rising into a wide grin; it didn¡¯t hurt, but the sensation was new. ¡°That¡¯s right. Empress Elinor told me to bring back all the humans and as many Ri¡¯bot I could, but ¡­ they¡¯re not scared of me. Oh ¡­ I didn¡¯t expect this. This is exciting! I haven¡¯t had many creatures try to fight me before.¡±

    ¡°Please ¡­ save us,¡± one of the little humans whimpered, tears appearing in his brown eyes.

    ¡°Why would a warrior be frightened of a creature as weak as you!¡± Goltha growled, dropping his broken spear to grip the knife at his belt. He jumped forward, jabbing at her stomach. ¡°Aim for the soft spots!¡±

    The warrior¡¯s movements slowed as Camellia began to feel happy; they wanted to fight her. Her hair lifted in one fluid motion as she activated Focus Strike, extending two meters before whipping out to slam against Goltha¡¯s side, causing several loud cracks.

    Goltha¡¯s tongue slid from his mouth, eyes popping as her hair cleaved through his body, sending globs of green blood spraying across the area. The two halves of the corpse separated, showing bone and muscle as they tumbled across the ground, throwing mud, blood, and water flinging everywhere.

    The two remaining Ri¡¯bot swiftly leaped back several paces, pulling out their shields with sharp creases in their mouths and foreheads.

    ¡°Goltha!¡± Jolah yelled. ¡°How ¡­ what is happening? What are you?¡±

    Camellia¡¯s tongue slid through her lips as she whipped her hair, spraying the remaining green blood to the side as the sound of pelting hail and roaring thunder escalated. Her tongue slid through her lips, tasting the slightly bitter flavor of the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s blood.

    ¡°Mmh, I like how that tastes! I guess I¡¯m a Juggernaut, now,¡± she mused, reaching down to pick up the ax that the other Ri¡¯bot had dropped.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of that,¡± Jolah growled. ¡°You are one of these creatures, and you¡¯re here to take them back? Like we¡¯d let you get away with killing one of our own.¡±

    She chuckled, twisting it around in her hands, cracking her neck a few times while her hair snaked around to the side. ¡°Tiffany was right; I feel so much better now! My hair is more of a blunt weapon, too ¡­ that¡¯s actually pretty fun.¡±

    Glancing up at them, she released a questioning hum, a smirk lifting her cheeks. ¡°Well? I thought you weren¡¯t scared of me?¡±

    A rumble shot through Jolah¡¯s throat. ¡°Delka, go get the others. Let them know we¡¯re being attacked in the¡­¡±

    Camellia clicked her tongue a few times. ¡°No, no, no, I can¡¯t have you warning the others.¡±

    Gripping the ax in her right hand, Camellia pulled back her arm like she¡¯d seen the Quen¡¯Talrat do, and lobbed the weapon at the warrior. He raised his shield and set his ground; the ax split the wood in two, lodging into the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s skull before carrying him off his feet, tumbling a few meters back.

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Jolah gasped, jumping back into a nearby tree branch. ¡°What is a Juggernaut? How do you have as much power as that dead Quen¡¯Talrat with that small body?¡±

    Camellia groaned as Jolah turned and jumped from tree to tree, running toward the main body of the group. ¡°Aww ¡­ she ran away.¡±

    She hummed thoughtfully, turning back toward the humans that were gathering around her, hunched over, shivering while trying to take cover from the falling ice. One of the men clenched his jaw, and stumbled through the dark over to Delka¡¯s corpse, kicked the dead Ri¡¯bot several times, making the body jerk as it shifted in the dirty pools of water.

    ¡°Damn, toad ¡­ damn, you to hell¡­¡± He growled, and the boy on his shoulders began crying.

    ¡°Mom¡¯s okay, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Son ¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    The man closest to her swallowed, watching the dark outline of the man continue to kick the dead creature. ¡°Thank you ¡­ I heard you mention Tiffany. She got away?¡± He asked, turning back to her with hopeful eyes. ¡°Is there somewhere safe?¡±

    Camellia hummed with pursed lips as she curiously watched the man set his boy down, and the other man did the same before taking the knife off Delka¡¯s belt and stabbing him several times. ¡°Yes, there is somewhere safe. Umm¡ªw-what¡¯s he doing? He¡¯s already dead.¡±

    The man breathed out a long sigh, and the other men looked over at him with understanding eyes.

    ¡°Desi¡¯s just grieving,¡± another whispered.

    ¡°Scream, damn you!¡± Desi yelled. ¡°Scream like my daughter!¡±

    ¡°What about the others?¡± Another man asked, glancing back that way while doing his best to shelter a little girl with a large leaf. ¡°My wife and uncle are up there ¡­ he¡¯s hurt pretty bad.¡±

    Camellia shrugged. ¡°Umm¡ªI don¡¯t know. I¡¯m just following orders.¡±

    The man nearest her bit his lip before extending his hand. ¡°My name¡¯s Gervasio,¡± he cleared his throat, licking away the blood falling down his dirty chin, trying to control his quakes.

    Her red irises narrowed while studying his trembling arm. ¡°What¡ªam I supposed to do with that?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± his fingers curled before he withdrew his hand. ¡°I¡¯m, umm¡ªguessing you¡¯re Undead, and not a human?¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°Nope. I¡¯m a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, and if you mean I¡¯m dead, then yes, the Empress brought me back to life.¡±

    ¡°A The-what?¡± A small girl whispered underneath the protective leaf a man was using to cover her. ¡°You¡¯re really pretty ¡­ it¡¯s like your hair is on fire.¡±

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± Camellia smiled.

    The girl rubbed her shoulders, eyes dropping. ¡°Umm¡ªcan the Empress bring back my big sister, too?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Camellia shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t see why she couldn¡¯t.¡±

    Each of the men¡¯s brows creased, and Gervasio mumbled, ¡°We¡¯ll see, Lorita ¡­ we¡¯ll see.¡±

    Camellia glanced between them. ¡°Umm¡ªso, I wanted to ask you why humans wear clothes, but I should probably deal with the other Ri¡¯bot.¡± She released a low sigh. ¡°I just don¡¯t know how to get them to come back willingly.¡±

    ¡°What about hostages?¡± Another man asked with a low growl. ¡°If they use our wives and children as hostages, then what will you do?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t know,¡± Camellia mumbled, feeling a little self-conscious. ¡°Eh¡ªwhat¡¯s a hostage?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s where they¡¯ll kill someone you love if you don¡¯t do what they say,¡± Gervasio replied. ¡°You said you were a Juggernaut. Didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s my Sub-Class,¡± Camellia said. ¡°Oh, do you know something about a Juggernaut?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s,¡± he paused, sucking on his lip. ¡°It¡¯s a word that means something that¡¯s huge, powerful ¡­ basically, it means you¡¯re an overwhelming force that crushes everything in your path.¡±

    ¡°Is that what I can do?¡± Camellia folded her arms under her chest, and a bright smile lifted her features. ¡°I guess I¡¯m not like my sisters, but this was¡­¡±

    Camellia paused as she sensed dozens of Ri¡¯bot jumping through the jungle, bouncing off trees, heading right for them. Her smile rose as a burning sensation seemed to grow within her bones. ¡°They didn¡¯t run. So, if they do take hostages, then it would be best if you all found cover.¡±

    The men quickly gathered the children, taking them further into the jungle. ¡°Thank you,¡± Gervasio said, trying to be heard as the pounding ice fell around them. ¡°Please, if you can rescue the others, then ¡­ please¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± Camellia reassured. ¡°I can find you wherever you go; stay safe!¡±

    The humans left into the underbrush, back the way they¡¯d come, and before the Ri¡¯bot arrived, Camellia launched into action. Racing toward them as the energy in her veins burned, she¡¯d never felt so alive before, having creatures running toward her was totally new.

    She jumped further up into the branches, moving out of sight, and as the group arrived, she launched toward the nearest one, still flying through the air while activating Focus Strike, enhanced with her passive.

    The others sounded a warning, but it was too late; her hair slammed against the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s upper body, turning it to paste and causing the liquid and bone to carry along with her momentum. The lower half of the Ri¡¯bot spun off into another direction.

    The green blood spattered across her smiling face as she landed, feet sinking into the mud. She released roaring laughter; her high-pitched voice was met with silence. ¡°This is so much fun! C¡¯mon, attack me!¡± She yelled, launching toward another Ri¡¯bot that had landed by a tree.

    The mud and water slowed her movements, but she kept ramping up speed. The warrior lifted the shield and long knife, thrusting as she neared. Camellia ran into the blade, forcing it out of the creature¡¯s hand as she plowed into him, lifting him off his feet.

    She carried him backward, each step tossing mud before she slammed him into a tree; the pressure of his shield pressed into the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s body compressing his frame until the creature¡¯s blood and guts sprayed up the trunk and out of his mouth, painting the inside of his wooden barrier that he thought would protect him.

    Camellia laughed as she shoved the crushed warrior to the side, making a splash as he struck the muddy water. She peeled off a handful of guts from the wet bark of the tree before tasting it.

    ¡°Mmh,¡± she chewed before swallowing, feeling the liquid slide around her tongue with pleasure. ¡°It¡¯s so good!¡± Her head snapped left and right, burning light-red eyes shifting between the Ri¡¯bot with anticipation. ¡°C¡¯mon! C¡¯mon!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s eating us¡­¡± One of the warriors whispered in revulsion, and Camellia could smell the tantalizing scent of fear being released from their skin.

    A blue-skinned Ri¡¯bot with a necklace glanced between his four dead soldiers; their entrails and green blood were slowly being washed away by the running water, and after a moment, he growled, ¡°Kill it.¡±

    Camellia¡¯s smile rose. ¡°Yes, kill me!¡± She giggled.

    Low growls rumbled in the Ri¡¯bots¡¯ throats as they each slid their tongues into a pouch at their waist before shooting out. Her skin was peppered with some kind of projectiles, but every strike felt no different than the hail, harmlessly bouncing off her body.

    ¡°Keep going,¡± Camellia said, pulling her legs out of the mud before walking toward the boss, smiling at what she assumed was the leader. ¡°More!¡±

    Jolah yelled, ¡°Folcra! Her skin is too tough; Delka¡¯s ax couldn¡¯t even cut past it.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Folcra asked, standing on a large tree branch in front of her.

    Camellia began walking up the side of the trunk to reach him. ¡°Don¡¯t run! Charge me,¡± Camellia demanded; the liquid in her veins ran hot. ¡°Attack me!¡±

    Folcra¡¯s body shifted to view the carnage left by her previous attacks before growling, ¡°What are you? You¡¯re not one of the creatures we brought back through the gate.¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter; fight me!¡± Camellia yelled. ¡°Stab me! Throw things at me! Let me grip you in my hands and squeeze the bitter juice out of you so I can drink it!¡±

    He let her reach the branch, purple eyes burning. ¡°You definitely aren¡¯t one of those creatures, but you look very similar to them, and you can climb up walls like us or the stories of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter; come at me! Chase after me! Attack me!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s insane,¡± one of the male warriors mumbled, fingers tightening on his knife.

    ¡°A beast,¡± another gulped.

    ¡°That may be,¡± Folcra said, jumping to another branch as she neared, ¡°but she¡¯s killed four warriors without effort. She¡¯s dangerous and likely sent by Elinor. Will you tell us why you¡¯ve come? Just to kill us all?¡±

    Camellia glowered at the Ri¡¯bot, nose twisting with disgust, but she took a deep breath before dropping down to her butt. She glanced around at the nervous warriors, kicking her feet out a bit while balancing on the branch.

    The roar of the thunder came back into focus as they all stared at each other in silence, and Camellia reached up, groaning while sliding her fingers through her slick red hair. A large chunk of her silk detached, dropping down to the floor, and she shook out what remained, letting it fall halfway down her back.

    ¡°Yes, I was sent by Empress Elinor. You all will come back to the fortress with me.¡±

    ¡°All of us?¡± Folcra mumbled.

    ¡°Yes. The humans and Ri¡¯bot ¡­ this is so boring. I don¡¯t really like talking to my prey now; it ruins the fun.¡±

    Folcra¡¯s tongue slid out, passing over his two teeth. ¡°If we refuse, then you¡¯ll kill us?¡±

    ¡°Yes, and bind you up and bring you back. I did want you all to come peacefully, but now I want to fight and eat all of you. Sound fun?¡± She asked with a bright smile.

    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± a warrior whispered, and several others voiced their own opinions on the matter.

    ¡°That¡¯s disappointing,¡± Camellia groaned, stretching her hands high into the air. She reached out, snatching a chunk of ice from midair and crushed it in her hand. ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to fight. Does that mean you¡¯ll come peacefully?¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t,¡± Folcra sighed before lowering his body to scoop up a fist full of ice balls. ¡°The ancestor¡¯s wrath; Chief Valdar ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve failed you.¡± His brow set, and he glared up at her. ¡°Warriors, return home and report what happened to the Young Chief. Don¡¯t look back; take nothing.¡±

    The warriors scattered without hesitation, leaving Folcra staring at her. ¡°I will go and speak to your Empress, then.¡±

    Camellia released a frustrated sigh. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d send them all running like that. Now I¡¯m depressed,¡± she moaned.

    Falling back on the branch, she let the hail fall around her. Is Mom going to get angry? I could chase them down, but if they really do scatter like most prey, then it¡¯ll be hard for just me. I am bringing back one that¡¯s willing, though, and he seems to be their leader. That has to count, right? I can also bring back all the humans without the hostage thing happening.

    Shifting to lean on her side, Camellia rested her head against her hand as the ice turned to sleet, the wind dying down a bit. ¡°Okay, so, let me get this straight. You¡¯re going to come willingly, and you sent all your warriors running back home.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s tongue slid through his pursed lips, and his tone was hard. ¡°I had them initiate a tactical retreat, knowing our fallen brothers will never receive a proper burial. This has been the shame of the Delthax Clan ¡­ we won¡¯t be able to wash away this dishonor for centuries.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s dishonor?¡± Camellia asked, light-red eyebrows lifting with a smirk. ¡°It sounds funny.¡±

    When Folcra didn¡¯t respond, Camellia huffed. ¡°Well, fine. Follow me to the camp, then.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Folcra whispered, head lowered toward his fallen warriors. ¡°Yes, I will do as you say, and I ask for something in return.¡±

    ¡°No can do,¡± Camellia replied with a yawn. ¡°Only the Royal Court or Empress Elinor herself can make deals. I just follow orders.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± he said, voice low. ¡°Then, I will request it of Empress Elinor.¡±

    ¡°If you¡¯re allowed to speak to her,¡± Camellia giggled. ¡°You¡¯re so dense! Whatever. Just follow me back to the humans.¡±

    They jumped from tree to tree, and Camellia could smell the fear being released from Folcra¡¯s skin that made her hidden fangs sting. I want to fight more ¡­ Tiffany did say there was a war coming. I can¡¯t wait!

    They arrived back at the camp, and most of the humans had gathered together, looking around at the jungle with fearful eyes. Camellia and Folcra dropped down from the trees, causing the group to jump.

    The women and men were reassuring the little ones that it would be alright. Camellia noticed a few children trying to hide in the brush and three young girls that seemed to have attempted to make a run for it, but froze when Folcra and her appeared.

    A bright smile lit Camellia¡¯s cheeks. ¡°Hello, humans! My name is Camellia, and I¡¯ve been sent here by Empress Elinor to bring you back to the fortress.¡±

    One of the women with black hair shakily stood up, still trying to shield herself with a big leaf. ¡°Umm¡ªwill we be safe? Who¡¯s Empress Elinor?¡±

    A man stood up, glancing around. ¡°Where¡¯d all the toads go?¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± A young boy asked.

    ¡°I told you,¡± Camellia said, eyebrows drawing together. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I¡¯m Camellia?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t look normal,¡± one of the men mumbled.

    ¡°Are you one of those Undead that one girl made?¡±

    Camellia scratched her head. ¡°Eh¡ªI don¡¯t really know if you¡¯ll be safe at the fortress. All I know is that the Empress wanted me to get you, and she wanted me to bring you all back safely.¡±

    ¡°I think Elinor was that girl that came with us on the bus,¡± a woman whispered. ¡°Her mom¡¯s name was Tiffany, I think.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s her!¡± Camellia said in a bright tone. ¡°So, let¡¯s start heading back, and Folcra, right? That¡¯s your name?¡±

    He nodded solemnly, and a few of the women and men stiffened.

    ¡°You can talk to that monster?¡± One woman asked in a seething tone, peering through the dark to glare at him.

    ¡°What about the other creatures?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, where did they go?¡±

    ¡°Hey, slow down,¡± Camellia sighed, readjusting her bra. ¡°I killed a few of the Ri¡¯bot, and this one sent them running back home. The main order I had was bringing you back.¡±

    ¡°Kill him,¡± one woman growled, eyes like daggers as she rubbed her bruised arm.

    ¡°They killed my whole family!¡±

    ¡°My wife!¡±

    ¡°They cut my Son¡¯s back when he wouldn¡¯t walk!¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Camellia shouted, putting her hands on her lips.

    The humans shrank back, staring at her glowing red eyes with fright.

    ¡°The Empress also wanted some Ri¡¯bot alive, and he¡¯s the only one I have. The Empress will decide his fate. Now, Folcra, get those big meals all ready to move back to the fortress.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± he whispered, moving off to take the reins of the beasts before whispering to them.

    ¡°We¡¯re really going to safety?¡± One of the young women asked, jogging toward her through the water and mud while covering her head.

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Camellia shrugged. ¡°Now, why do you humans wear clothes! I don¡¯t get it,¡± she mumbled, pulling on her top for a moment. ¡°I understand it helps keep everything from flapping around, but there has to be more to it, right?¡±

    One of the women cleared her throat before glancing at the people around her. ¡°Umm¡ªmodesty.¡±

    Camellia¡¯s brows knitted together. ¡°Modesty ¡­ what¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­¡± She nudged a woman beside her. ¡°How would you describe it?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡ªit¡¯s like behavior or like ¡­ the appearance of not being inappropriate. It¡¯s just kind of ¡­ I don¡¯t know, a human thing?¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ okay, then you wouldn¡¯t like me undressing in front of you?¡± Camellia asked, knowing she was running out of time in her human form.

    ¡°It¡¯s, umm,¡± a woman sighed. ¡°I¡¯d take safety over modesty.¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Camellia folded her arms. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to transform back into my original form in a bit, and I don¡¯t want to harm these clothes my mother made for me, but I don¡¯t want to do something inappropriate within the Empress¡¯ culture.¡± She debated with a concerned expression.

    ¡°Umm¡ªhere,¡± a woman stepped forward, nodding at a few of the women. ¡°It¡¯s acceptable to change in front of women¡ªif you¡¯re a woman.¡±

    ¡°Huh, okay,¡± she smiled as they pulled up a few big leaves to hold up for her as the rain lightened for a moment. ¡°You can change behind here. Would this be okay?¡± She tentatively asked.

    ¡°Yeah! I¡¯d like to know more about the Empress¡¯ culture, too. We can talk about it on the way back.¡±

    When leaves surrounded her, she untied her bra and bottoms before realizing she¡¯d forgotten her bag. ¡°No! I left my bag ¡­ what am I going to carry them in now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll carry it,¡± a young woman timidly offered.

    ¡°Really, you¡¯ll do that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, no problem,¡± she mumbled.

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it ¡­ I just fear that my mom¡¯s going to get angry at me for leaving it behind. Maybe I can find it when we go get the others.¡±

    ¡°Others?¡± A woman asked with hope.

    ¡°Yup, I sent a few other humans off to hide.¡±

    ¡°My husband? He was taking care of a girl that was separated from her parents.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, there was a girl there that called me pretty.¡±

    ¡°Thank god,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Well, okay, I guess I¡¯ll change now, then.¡±

    She transformed, legs branching out of her morphing body to hang over the women¡¯s heads. When she finished, she glanced around, but the humans had all gone utterly silent, and a few fell to the ground as if dead.

    ¡°Oh, no ¡­ did I kill some of you? I didn¡¯t think I had that ability¡­¡±

    ¡°No,¡± a man said in a hoarse tone. ¡°They just fainted¡ªwe just¡ªyou¡¯re a lot to take in.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you! I¡¯ve never had a creature faint from my beauty before,¡± she giggled.

    They didn¡¯t respond, and it seemed like Folcra¡¯s blue skin had turned a shade of green. ¡°You¡¯re a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ Elinor discovered the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ the Quen¡¯Talrat tribes¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not just any Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drone,¡± Camellia huffed, turning her body to glare at him. ¡°I¡¯m the Queen¡¯s oldest daughter. My mother and sisters now serve the Empire.¡±

    ¡°May the ancestors protect us ¡­ Chief Krava was right,¡± he whispered, head rising to stare at the stormy sky. ¡°What have we brought back to our world?¡±

    Camellia ignored him, finding the humans far more interesting; her long legs carefully maneuvered around the women that had shielded her from sight and bent down to their level. The humans were trembling just as much as the Torlim, which perplexed her, and several of the humans were whispering soothing words to the little ones or themselves.

    She hissed a long breath through her plates, humming as she shifted her body left and right. ¡°I didn¡¯t think my original form would cause so much awe,¡± Camellia mumbled.

    One of the women beside her cleared her throat. ¡°Umm ¡­ so, you¡¯re like a massive spider?¡±

    Camellia bent down toward her. ¡°Spider? What is a spider? I told you I¡¯m a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.¡±

    The woman swallowed before shaking her head and adding a forced smile. ¡°You did ¡­ umm, just give us a moment to, eh ¡­ swallow the sight. We¡¯ve never seen anything like you in ¡­ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m saying this ¡­ our world.¡±

    ¡°Oh, of course, take your time,¡± Camellia chimed before shifting her body to look up at the thunderous black clouds mostly hidden by the thick foliage. ¡°What about the weather, though? Can you humans handle it?¡±

    The woman closed her eyes and took a deep breath before staring up at the sky, heavy drops of water sliding down her wet skin and soaked hair. Camellia thought she was pretty with her dark skin; in fact, there was a bit of a variety of colors among the humans that intrigued her.

    ¡°Some of us will probably get sick from this, and there have been some allergic reactions to some of the plants here. The insects, reptiles, and animals alone have killed about seven of us or poisoned us to the point those toads killed the stragglers. We¡¯re tired, confused, scared, and hurt ¡­ but I¡¯m sure we can struggle back to this fortress you mentioned. Anywhere that¡¯s safe and has food.¡±

    Camellia watched a few of the humans nod, eyes low, or fixate on the bodies atop the seven Torlim. ¡°Well, that¡¯s not good,¡± she groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t have anything hurting you humans now that I¡¯m here, but I don¡¯t know what these allergic things are, and how do I stop sickness?¡±

    The woman chuckled tiredly, and a few of the other humans followed her example. ¡°Thank you, Camellia. It¡¯s nice to know you care about us ¡­ even if it¡¯s just an order; it¡¯s soothing to know you¡¯re here to protect us. My name is Abeni.¡±

    Abeni squinted her dark brown eyes, looking up at her through the rain and darkness. ¡°Is there anywhere closer than the fortress we can use, or a cave we can hide in?¡±

    Camellia hummed thoughtfully, pondering the question. It might be better if we got out of the rain. There are quite a few humans, but the caves should be big enough; we did design them to fit our much bigger frames.

    She twisted her body around, staring in the direction of the nearest cave entrance she remembered. ¡°There should be a cave entrance to the underground network my mother had created, but parts of it would likely be closed off by water in this storm.¡±

    ¡°Feels like we¡¯re in a hurricane,¡± a man mumbled.

    A woman sighed, bending down to hug a younger girl, ¡°Shows all the signs. If we can get out of this, then it would really help. Some of us sprained our ankles, and it¡¯s freezing with all the rain and strong wind.¡±

    ¡°Well, okay, we¡¯ll see if we can go that way, then,¡± Camellia said with a bright tone, kicking up a spray of dirt as she moved to the edge of the group. ¡°I¡¯ll get the other humans while you all get ready.¡±

    ¡°Sounds great,¡± Abeni whispered. ¡°We¡¯ll try to go as fast as we can ¡­ shelter can¡¯t come soon enough.¡±

    Camellia left as the other humans gave similar statements, swiftly moving through the downpour.

    She paused, turning with a nervous twitch passing through her legs as one of the men growled, ¡°We should kill the toad.¡±

    What do I do if the humans kill the Ri¡¯bot I¡¯m supposed to bring back? Should I defend him, too? The Empress wants both the humans and the Ri¡¯bot.

    However, a few angry protesting voices calmed her dilemma.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid.¡±

    ¡°I get it ¡­ I do, but don¡¯t make that massive spider lady angry.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I vote for not making her mad.¡±

    ¡°This isn¡¯t a vote.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re right, man, it¡¯s not. Do what she says if you want to live!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t ruin it for the rest of us, idiot!¡±

    ¡°If you want to go off after them, then do it, but leave me out of it.¡±

    The man spat before yelling curses at the Ri¡¯bot, and Camellia realized that the humans called the Ri¡¯bot toads, which was a new word to her.

    Breathing out a loud hiss through the plates on her abdomen, Camellia walked back to the scene of her fight; saliva dripped out of her mouth as she examined the remains, insides being slowly carried away with the flowing streams of water.

    A little won¡¯t hurt, right? I mean, they¡¯re already dead ¡­ although, the Empress might be able to bring them back. I turned that one to paste ¡­ he should be fine.

    A feverish pulse ran through her body as she bent down and scooped up a mouthful of mud, guts, water, flesh, and bone. The remains dropped down her mouth to the small pouch inside filled with her acidic mixture, which liquified the remains in mere moments before she swallowed.

    ¡°Mmh,¡± she slammed her front two feet into the ground, spraying mud and water everywhere as she savored the bitter flavor that spread across her insides. ¡°So good!¡±

    The sensation was mountains more appealing than in life, mixed with the fun she had with them trying to fight back.

    Camellia breathed a deep intake of air through her joints before letting it out in a hiss through her plated abdomen, inner organs separating the acid and dirt before she regurgitated the mud, acid recycled within her body.

    I should probably head back ¡­ ugh, I didn¡¯t get any mud in my first bite when I was in human form. Hands are so convenient for scooping things up instead of just biting into the ground.

    The countless invisible hairs around her body picked up the scent of the humans and she began to track them. It didn¡¯t take her long to overcome their retreat. She was a little surprised when she burst through the undergrowth and the humans screamed, tripping and dropping into the mud.

    ¡°Hey, why are you screaming? It¡¯s just me, Camellia ¡­ oh,¡± she hummed, lifting up a long spear-like leg that was over three times longer than a human body. ¡°I guess you haven¡¯t seen me in this form, yet.¡±

    Gervasio¡¯s voice had risen several octaves. ¡°C-Camellia? You¡¯re t-that¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t seem to finish his sentence.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Camellia said with a humorous laugh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how my beauty shocks you humans so much. I mean, I know I was quite a sight, but if you¡¯re this shocked to see me, then Azalea would kill you on sight! Her colors were always more eye-catching.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah ¡­ beauty,¡± a man mumbled.

    One of the little girls got up and moved closer.

    ¡°Hey, Enriqueta, be careful!¡±

    Camellia¡¯s body turned right and left, scanning the area. ¡°Of what? I don¡¯t sense anything that dangerous. Everything runs away from me, so it should be safe ¡­ well, when I¡¯m in human ¡­ umm, what are you doing?¡± She paused, lifting her right front leg as Enriqueta rubbed her hand against it.

    ¡°You¡¯re super smooth,¡± Enriqueta mumbled, palm continuing to slide up and down Camellia¡¯s foot. ¡°It kind of feels like a peach, though.¡±

    Camellia lowered her leg again with a curious hum. ¡°Peach? I¡¯ve never heard of those before. What is a peach?¡±

    Gervasio cleared his throat, getting back to his feet before pulling the girl away and back to what she assumed was her father. ¡°It¡¯s¡ªahem, it¡¯s a fruit in our world. You saved the others?¡±

    Camellia bobbed her abdomen up and down quickly. ¡°Yup! It was super fun. The Ri¡¯bot ¡­ I think you call them toads ¡­ they didn¡¯t run! They actually tried to fight me. It was so much fun ¡­ until they ran away,¡± she sighed. ¡°I only killed four of them, but they got scared and ran back home.¡±

    ¡°The others?¡± A man asked with hope.

    ¡°All fine,¡± Camellia chimed. ¡°A few fainted when they saw my beauty, though,¡± she mumbled. ¡°That might be really bad when you see my sisters. I¡¯m really concerned about it.¡±

    Gervasio and the others released forced laughter, and a few of the kids followed, but after a few seconds, the men began to cry.

    ¡°What a nightmare,¡± Gervasio said, hovering between tears and laughter. ¡°It¡¯s so messed up ¡­ I¡¯ll never see my cousin again.¡±

    Each human made similar statements, voices spiking up and down with emotion. Camellia was a little lost and concerned; she had no clue how to handle their outburst. Are humans always so emotional? They¡¯re crying and laughing ¡­ it¡¯s kind of creepy. Tiffany is cold but passionate; at the same time, she¡¯s not like this.

    ¡°Okay, umm ¡­ we should get going,¡± Camellia prompted. ¡°The other humans are waiting for you all to return so we can go.¡±

    Sniffing back their tears and taking shaky breathes, the humans composed themselves, and after a minute, they made their way back to the main group. They were met with hugs and more tears, senseless babbling escaping their mouths.

    Camellia quickly urged them toward the cave. The journey there was met with a few issues, but there was one that stuck out to her; a few of the humans needed to go to the bathroom, and a host of men and women discussed the possibilities of parasites and bugs, which only served to confuse her.

    Eventually, they entered the caves, wading through two feet of water, but it drained into another passage further in. Camellia guided the group through the maze-like tunnels until they came to the passage leading into the fortress; however, it was already flooded, forcing her to backtrack.

    She was a little annoyed with how difficult it was for humans to navigate in the darkness, but with her prompting, added with using rope, they managed to keep a good pace. The Torlim could have easily swum through the water, but the humans seemed to have a bad lung-capacity. Although, she was having a fun time talking to some of the human children; they had all sorts of things to talk about, such as spiders.

    Camellia brought them to an exit just outside the gates on the east side of the fortress and helped bring them into the fortress. Her nerves increased when her mother¡¯s voice entered her mind, causing her to freeze, and the humans paused, still following the rope tied to her back leg.

    ¡°I see you managed to bring back a lot of humans, but there is only one Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    Yes, Mother. Umm ¡­ they all ran away when the leader told them to. I thought it would be better to bring back all the humans safely with the Ri¡¯bot leader than spend many hours hunting the runaway Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°The humans are healthy?¡±

    Better than when I got there. We took our time coming back so they wouldn¡¯t get hurt further; we took the tunnels. There were a few detours.

    ¡°I see. The Empress is waiting in the Throne Room with the others. Bring them here, and Camellia.¡±

    Yes?

    ¡°Wonderful work.¡±

    Thank you, Mother! I¡¯ll be right there.

    Camellia took a deep breath, sending pressured air through her plates. ¡°The Empress is waiting for us with everyone else in the Throne Room. This way.¡±

    A few of the humans mumbled to themselves about what might happen in their future, but Camellia was too elated to pay attention. Mom said I did a good job! Vi and Lea are going to be so jealous I got to eat Ri¡¯bot!

 B1 â€” 31. Fear

    Nadraca took a long breath before her tongue slid out to lick her left two teeth; the Ancestor¡¯s Wrath hadn¡¯t returned for some time, and she kept an eye out for any hint of the cold stones, but still, their sails sat worthlessly tied against the inside of the deck, brought down an hour after they¡¯d shoved off at the seawayers¡¯ recommendations.

    The seawayers had quickly come together at the sight of the dark clouds creeping across the sky and had chosen to remove the sails entirely. The roaring thunder and flashing lightning made the warriors nervous.

    It was an ill omen to most Ri¡¯bot, but it didn¡¯t bother Nadraca that much since the Mother Superior had a special fondness for the phenomenon, which confused most members of the Clavex Clan.

    The leader of the priests had led the clan since all the generals had been killed in the Fire Wars, and the position of Mother Superior had gained a lot of authority in the past century. Nadraca had been brought up in the ways since she was young, and the Mother Superior was a split between a spiritual figure and motherly replacement after her family¡¯s death.

    Nadraca¡¯s firm grip held as the ship they were on rocked with the turbulent waves; it seemed the seawayers¡¯ suggestions were on point. The gale was so powerful that it would have ripped the furled sails off the mast, and now the rainfall was proving to be a real hazard; she had to protect her eyes, squinting to follow the wind currents carrying the water. The storm whipped the broad river into a frenzy, and the gusts were strong enough to take an unanchored Ri¡¯bot off-deck.

    Ukara, a seawayer she trusted enough to hire for the mission, advised her to ground the boats. Still, Nadraca wanted to be as far away from Elinor as possible, and upon consulting with the others, reluctantly said that she had trust in the Nalvean ship design. Still, it was a hard choice to make; unholy creatures brought to life at their backs and the worst storm they¡¯d witnessed in oral history, barring their way home.

    Just as Ukara predicted, it was proving to be a rough journey. A few warriors had already fallen into the waves, but they were powerful swimmers, and with support, were able to climb back aboard. The humans, unfortunately, were not that strong; at least some could stay afloat long enough for rescue; still, they¡¯d already lost a few before tying them down.

    Nadraca ran her smooth hands over her slick head, cold, heavy raindrops pelting her face as she slid her forearm down the side of her jaw. What a disaster, but even the hero Hologian had his losses in the great conflict. It must be enough ¡­ it has to be!

    It had been three hours since they¡¯d left the site, and she¡¯d hoped to be done with this whole business; she scanned the hunkered down images of the warriors holding fast to harnesses to move around, replacing the seawayer crew when a rowman grew tired. It will all be worth it if we can make it back. We just need to make it back with the humans!

    Lacord had put a lot of faith in her and even put his promotion as tenth in command of the warriors to help her in this endeavor; the human body count was more than she liked. They¡¯d taken significant losses in the raid itself, and not just that, they needed the humans alive to gain favor; the treasures from the gateway could cancel out what was owed with the Nalvea.

    The Nalvea race had saved the Clavex Clan during the Fire Wars and allowed them to rebuild, driving off the Quen¡¯Talrat invasions, Clanless raids, and deserter pillagings. That action had cost them greatly, and was not for free; The Clavex descendants were still paying back that debt to this day.

    The mysteries from other worlds were highly sought after since the gateways rarely appeared, and as legend states, they must be conquered, in any case, or else the Ri¡¯bot race would face calamity. This was a wonderful opportunity, but a risk for them, and she hadn¡¯t even gotten the Mother Superior¡¯s permission; she had to help lower the debt, just like her father had done a decade before.

    A low groan left Nadraca¡¯s throat as a loud shout came from one of the boats nearby; it was hardly visible behind the curtains of water that blanketed the river. ¡°We¡¯re taking on too much water!¡±

    Is it really the Torlim causing the damage to the hulls, or is it these otherworldly creatures? They¡¯re intelligent ¡­ Elinor proves that. In any case, it¡¯s only the ships with both Torlim and humans on them that are having the issues. The ones that just have humans or Torlim aren¡¯t having any problems. It just doesn¡¯t make sense¡­

    Nadraca scratched her cheeks out of irritation as Uraka yelled that they¡¯d be making landfall, but she couldn¡¯t focus on it for long; things were turning from bad to worse. ¡°Let the others know we¡¯ll be running the failing vessels ashore!¡± She yelled through the gale. ¡°If the others can continue, then go ahead.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Lacord will be in-charge! Go on ahead!¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    A large wave slammed against their hull, and she nearly lost her grip. Sucking on her lip, her teeth against the skin as she tightened her fingers around the vine; the heaving waves bowed the ships, and she¡¯d almost been thrown over three times already.

    ¡°Hold fast!¡± Uraka yelled, but Nadraca could hardly hear the young seawayer girl¡¯s weak voice; it had always been soft, but she finally realized why the warriors complained about it.

    Ancestors ¡­ this must be related to the raid. I thought it would cease if we distanced ourselves from Elinor, and it has eased, but not by much. We have several soldiers bailing out water; we¡¯re even having trouble with the humans being forced to help. They¡¯re terrified, even after being tied down. Please, Ancestors, hear my prayers.

    Is this really your doing? Could this be Elinor¡¯s handiwork? Chief Valdar did say that she created a wall of cloud that put any creature that breathed it into an unwakeable sleep for a time. That¡¯s horrifying ¡­ could this serpent-like creature be related to it or Elinor? Will she come after us?

    No, that¡¯s a stupid question. Of course, she¡¯d come after us; we have many of her people, and she chose to help them with all of those dead bodies ¡­ controlling so many of the dead without music or the special Valkra Seeds ¡­ please, bar her way!

    She truly brings them back. Elinor can wrestle the spirits out of the Ancestors¡¯ grip ¡­ how powerful can she be? The Roxim Clan brought her back to our world, not us!

    Although, we brought back this snake-creature that can spit acid and control the waters ¡­ this storm might just be her fury, but she¡¯s still asleep and sealed. There¡¯s so much we don¡¯t know about these otherworldly creatures.

    Her blue eyes moved to study one particular boat ahead of them, almost invisible in the darkness and rainfall. Waves raged around them, lifting the ship up and down, and shouts could hardly be heard beyond the clashing waters.

    The vessel just ahead of them held their most precious cargo, the snake-like creature that resembled the Nalvean Goddess, H¨¦ket¨¦, and the only person that could interact between them, a human that could even communicate with the Torlim. Her mind turned back to the conversation she had with the young human man.

    The stories Elgan tells don¡¯t make any sense, but he understands us. How is it possible that he doesn¡¯t even know how? How can the humans have no powers besides their brains to invent things, yet have people among them that can communicate with any creature, the snake-woman named Yesenia, and Elinor?

    It must be a lie, but why be dishonest about something so ridiculous? He even claims Yesenia used to be one of them the day before and had a family, none with mysticism. They also have no clue who Elinor is but suspect she was a human traveling to another country to provide aid to it.

    So many strange things Elgan talked about, and he says all the humans are scared of Elinor¡¯s power to bring back the dead. They call her a Necromancer, a practitioner of dark mystical arts, but they also say they don¡¯t believe in mysticism. Yet, at the same time, they say that they can¡¯t explain Yesenia¡¯s transformation or that we exist.

    Nadraca¡¯s jaw locked as she studied the churning river, illuminated by a sharp crack of lightning that broke her concentration; she couldn¡¯t even see the shore, but every so often, Ukara would shout orders to avoid unseen rocks lurking below.

    The Wandering River was the largest means for transportation among the tribes and kingdoms along its banks. It started at the Eternal Sea, named after the Eternal Forest along its northern boundaries. It ran through the old Trelmere Monarchy, which had now been split between the Yalm¨¢th Democracy on the east, Cnaxar Federation in the middle, and Golariex Holy Empire to the west.

    The river branched into a few smaller streams; the widest part winded around the Yalm¨¢th territory before running around the Deadlands, curving back into Ri¡¯bot territory until it passed through the Crowned Mountains, into Nalvean land, and the Great Ruby Lakes that gathered beyond, named after their crimson color.

    The Roxim Clan brought Elinor¡¯s wrath back to our world, and they should take responsibility for that! I¡¯ll have to take responsibility for whatever Yesenia brings to my clan, but I¡¯m sure this will bring power back to the Clavex ¡­ I must believe it. We can get out from under the Nalvean debt.

    Turning away from the cataclysmic sight of the towering waves seeking to separate their boats, Nadraca shot a quick gesture at her navigator, Ukara. She¡¯d known the girl since she was but a teen, two years old, and the Ri¡¯bot hadn¡¯t been cut out to be a warrior or priest, instead choosing the rough path of a seawayer.

    The Nalveans were very savvy on the sea, perhaps even as good as the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph to the far west of the continent, and Ukara managed to gain quite the name for herself, even among the well-known Nalvean seawayers.

    Nadraca cleared her throat before yelling at the woman. ¡°How long do you think it will take for repairs?¡±

    Ukara seemed at ease with using her harness and moving with the shifts of the waves to reach her, trudging through the gathering water. Her naturally soft voice ground against Nadraca¡¯s frayed nerves, requiring her to fumble with the vines linking everything to close the distance. Is she really yelling?

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡ªI can¡¯t say, Priestess. Once we find a suitable place to run ashore, then I can give you an estimate.¡± The woman¡¯s blue eyes scanned the invisible heavens, blocked by a white mass of water and wind. ¡°We need to get off the water; we may have a small breach!¡±

    ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve already slammed against a few rocks as we¡¯ve been pushed toward shallow waters!¡±

    ¡°Unbelievable! How will we ever make it back at this pace?¡±

    The girl made a short shrugging gesture before turning to yell at one of her crew. ¡°Right, hard right, Noranda! To the shore!¡±

    If we can just get on the opposite side of the river than where we started, then perhaps the storm could delay Elinor and any pursuers ¡­ no, left is to that side. Sweating Putris, why can¡¯t anything go my way? I have to assume dozens of Undead Quen¡¯Talrat are following us, and I doubt this storm will stop the dead!

    A shiver ran down her body, unrelated to the chill of the water; the sight of the massive boned beast rising out of the earth still brought back a horrifying image in her mind, and she tried to distract herself with the humans. At the same time, Ukara directed her right-hand, Noranda, an elderly Ri¡¯bot woman that was the hard voice of the vessel.

    Humans actually thought the Ri¡¯bot were nothing but fairy tales? It¡¯s impossible to believe; we have a very long history of existing. They say everything changed when bright lights illuminated the sky, but there were many such events in our history. Streaks fly across the heavens, and the Ancestors illuminate the sky with countless lights. Is he lying¡­

    A sharp gust of wind and the crashing waves made her lose her grip on the vine she clung to, making her grunt as she hit the side of the boat. She only slid a foot into the water before managing to grab hold of another vine and pull herself back up.

    She gasped for air, coughing a few times before glancing around at the seawayers; they were preparing to ram the boat ashore, telling everyone to brace for impact. Stabilizing herself once more inside the ship, she noted the water they¡¯d taken had reached her shins; they weren¡¯t bailing it out nearly fast enough.

    Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s flaming fur! Can one thing go my way? Hopefully, Lacord can get those boats back safely. The sooner we get back into Nalvea lands, the sooner I can breathe easy. I¡¯m sure Yesenia will pay back our debt! A lot of good Ri¡¯bot were taken back to the Ancestors in this conquest.

    She swallowed a mouthful of water, glancing back at the small humans huddling together with a few human women. Elgan had told her they were called children, and that it took eighteen years before children could become adults, which was ridiculous to her. Only the Golariex and Ques¡¯k¨¢ had longer adulthood ages, and the Yalm¨¢th was at fifteen. Ri¡¯bot were considered grown at eight years.

    The children were tied down with vines so they wouldn¡¯t get blown overboard, and Elgan made the argument that they¡¯d be calmer if a few human females were allowed to comfort them. She understood the sentiment; she always felt reassured when in the presence of the Mother Superior.

    Nadraca battled through the wind and water, wincing as the wind shifted directions momentarily. She held fast to the vine, grounding her and made gestures to the women once she neared, indicating that they were going to run ashore. It seemed like their already white faces turned a lighter shade, and they appeared worried but got the message as they prepared the children.

    Returning to the side, where warriors were helping the seawayers paddle against the furious waves, she called for a quick change in shifts to provide more power to get them out of the water. I just hope we¡¯ve lost any trail Elinor could follow.

    Everyone braced as Ukara called for it, and a sharp jerk sent everyone not tied down, tumbling across the deck and overboard. Loud grunts and coughing could be heard through the rolling thunder and howling wind.

    Nadraca¡¯s palms burned, but she managed to get back to her feet. They had struck a gravelly bank, and the waves were rising and falling around their position, shifting the ship back toward the water. Ukara was swift to command her crew and even shouted at the warriors to help.

    ¡°You lot jump off! C¡¯mon, grab the vines and pull it ashore! Let¡¯s go!¡±

    Ri¡¯bot warriors and seawayers were quick to respond, while the humans continued to collect themselves, and scouts soon arrived from two other vessels that seemed to have grounded nearby, leaving five still on the wide river.

    After a few more orders shouted by Noranda¡¯s gruff voice, the boat was pulled back and tied to thick branches of ancient Darkwood Trees, and supplies were being quickly unsecured and transported off to make a temporary shelter.

    The human children were almost light enough for the wind to carry back into the waves, requiring the women to help them off one by one. They took shelter between two massive roots, and she sent a warrior to watch over them.

    Nadraca hunched over beside a massive Blackwood tree, clutching at her necklace for reassurance. The smooth, rigid design pressing against her skin made her remember the training she had as a Priestess. She wasn¡¯t the most powerful, but she was dedicated and managed to make it to the Fourth-Light Stage, making her a full-fledged Priestess.

    She used the trunk and roots as a shield, observing the warriors help prepare stakes for cover from the elements. It didn¡¯t take them long to get everything prepared, and tents had been securely fastened to the sturdy trees and pounded into nearby stones.

    It felt wonderful to get out of the roaring storm; the ground was wet, but they had cushioned chairs available. They may have been soaked cushions, but cushions nonetheless, and she enjoyed them more than the hard roots or soggy ground.

    She¡¯d chosen to have the humans join her. It felt comforting to look at them, knowing she had finally produced something of worth that could get them out of debt. After some rather amusing gesturing, she learned that they were cold and wet. Nadraca knew that warm-blooded animals tended to enjoy the comforts of warmth, such as fire; the Quen¡¯Talrat were notorious for the element, but she had no clue how to produce it.

    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    It was good that the seawayers used it to dry things off because Ukara managed to make a fire somehow within the tent, and cut a place out in the side for the smoke to escape. She¡¯d used this particular tent to dry off equipment she said they¡¯d need to repair the boats and Nadraca felt bad enough to give the humans one of the few dry sheets they had after some funny gestures they made.

    It fascinated her to watch them; the humans appeared to be quite resourceful and intelligent. The women had the children strip off the scraps of covering they wore and huddle close together, likely to keep warm while their wet items dried by the fire.

    Other races are so strange. It may be wet and cold, but it¡¯s not that cold. Why do they even sew those cloth strips together? Their crying is so strange, too; they go in spurts, up and down, but the older ones comfort the smaller ones. Must be nice, having people to comfort you when things get bad. Are they like this as an entire species? They can¡¯t all be related, can they?

    She questioned so many things about them that she was beginning to feel bad about the whole experience. It¡¯s not like she was going out of her way to be mean to them, but she¡¯d hate anyone that just ripped her out of her life and brought her to a strange unknown place.

    Once we get back to the Nalvean lands, then they should be treated more fairly. The Nalvean will figure some way to use them; after all, they seem fairly useful creatures. Some tribes use the Yaltha¡¯ma, and now these humans can be some help. They ration food, comfort one another, and do all sorts of interesting things. It shouldn¡¯t be all bad.

    A few hours passed inside that tent, and the storm continued to rage, but she was entertained by watching the humans. The wind was slowly dying down, which eased her worries. The warmth of the flames was a little uncomfortable, but not enough for her to stop enjoying herself.

    The little ones had long since tired themselves out and fallen into a deep sleep. Every once in awhile, one of the adults would whisper something, or say something in their high-pitched whiny cries to one another, but it seemed like they were trying to be quiet for the children.

    Nadraca pulled her attention away from the humans as a nervous warrior named Ilonef entered, clearing his throat while glancing over at the humans. His smooth green skin was soaked and glistened in the firelight, but she could smell the unease leaking out of his pores.

    ¡°Priestess, we have a visitor that is asking to speak to you.¡±

    The adult humans gave him fearful stares, huddling closer to the children, but those that slept didn¡¯t rise.

    The Priestess¡¯ forehead creased as she rose, stretching out her stiff legs. ¡°A visitor, here, and in this storm?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ from the Ethereal Clan, Priestess.¡±

    Nadraca froze, a shiver running down her spine, but she soon dismissed the statement. There¡¯s no way, but¡­ She blinked, a lump dropping down her throat as she pondered recent events, and her voice turned hoarse, blue eyes darting to the humans before returning to Ilonef. ¡°The Ethereal Clan? You¡¯re sure?¡±

    Ilonef licked his two left and right teeth, showing his unease. ¡°Who else has pure white skin with glowing blue patterns?¡±

    It fits the description, but after so long without so much as a sighting from the other Clans? No one has seen the Ethereal Clan since the end of the Fire Wars. The Elite Hunters were supposed to have nearly destroyed them, and a good thing ¡­ there were rumors that they were going to wage war against all the clans. If they¡¯re active again¡­

    ¡°Umm ¡­ send him in.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s her, Priestess, and¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it? Spit it out.¡±

    ¡°She showed up in camp without warning, and I¡ªwe can¡¯t get in contact with the scouts or perimeter guard. They seem to have vanished into the storm.¡±

    ¡°The other ships?¡±

    Ilonef forced down a lump in his throat. ¡°All of them¡ªeven the humans, and without any signs of struggle. It¡¯s as if they were just swallowed by the storm.¡±

    ¡°How long has she been waiting?¡± Nadraca asked, voice becoming shaky. If one-tenth of the legends about the Ethereal Clan were true, then they were in deep trouble, and things were playing out just like she¡¯d heard in the stories.

    ¡°About twenty minutes.¡±

    ¡°By the Ancestors¡¯ graves, Ilonef!¡± He flinched at her curse. ¡°Why?¡± She demanded, hugging herself as a quake ran down her frame. ¡°Why did you make her wait so long to see me or even to tell me?¡±

    ¡°We wanted to¡ªto make sure it wasn¡¯t a trap, and when everyone was missing ¡­ we grew suspicious, but¡ªbut she¡¯s rather friendly. We asked her questions, but she had more questions herself than answers, and¡ªshe¡¯s from the Ethereal Clan ¡­ how do we approach her about this? There¡¯s also¡­¡±

    Nadraca held her hand against her chest, feeling it pound as her blood pressure skyrocketed. They were just being cautious, but ¡­ he¡¯s right. This is far too suspicious, and right after Elinor came to this world ¡­ a long thought dead clan of legend reappears. This is too much!

    ¡°Quit stalling!¡± She growled, dropping back into her wet seat with a low whimper while holding the sides of her head. ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°I know it shouldn¡¯t be relevant, but ¡­ she¡¯s beyond stunning. None of the warriors have ever seen a Ri¡¯bot so lovely, and her three teeth on both sides, her voice ¡­ but the way she carries herself¡ªthere¡¯s no doubt she¡¯s trained in combat arts.¡±

    Taking a deep breath to steel her nerves, Nadraca forced out a chuckle. ¡°Excellent ¡­ just excellent ¡­ any more bad news?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s unarmed,¡± Ilonef offered.

    Nadraca smiled incredulously. ¡°Are you joking with me, Ilonef. If she¡¯s from the Ethereal Clan, then she wouldn¡¯t need a weapon if half the stories are true. Gutting a Quen¡¯Talrat blindfolded was their beginning initiation as a warrior ¡­ beginning, Ilonef!¡±

    ¡°I know, Priestess¡­¡±

    It took everything Nadraca had to stop herself from hyperventilating. ¡°This has to be Elinor,¡± she whispered, eyes wide as she stared at the fire in the center of the room. ¡°How, how did she find us?¡±

    ¡°What was that, Priestess?¡±

    ¡°Go! Now! Go get her!¡± Nadraca demanded. ¡°Be quick!¡±

    ¡°Right away!¡± Ilonef rushed back into the storm, leaving Nadraca to lick her teeth and grip her left arm, trying to stop her shakes.

    The humans were tense; it seemed her outburst had frightened them, but she didn¡¯t have the time to be concerned with it.

    Even if it isn¡¯t Elinor, then that means the Ethereal Clan is back, and we just so happened to stumble upon the place they¡¯ve called their home. This is Clanless Territory ¡­ no clan has claimed it ¡­ not officially. It¡¯s the perfect place to hide ¡­ a lawless zone.

    If it is Elinor, then it¡¯s even more terrifying ¡­ if she found the bodies of the Ethereal Clan and raised them ¡­ but how? The Quen¡¯Talrat rarely leave bones in their conquests; they burn everything to ash. Their village was to the southwest, too, far away from the Deadlands, but how else do I explain it.

    Her body lifted to examine the young Ri¡¯bot woman that entered the tent, and Nadraca¡¯s body went numb. There was no doubt in her mind, a member of the Ethereal Clan stood before her, and Ilonef¡¯s explanation did her no justice, or the shine the firelight gave to her skin enhanced her already stunning appearance.

    She¡¯d never seen a Ri¡¯bot so lean, or a face as smooth and sleek as this woman; the light blue glow of the patterns spotting her radiant slippery skin was mesmerizing, sparkling in the orange firelight.

    The inner yellow light in her irises held a devilish gleam as they swept the room, and a charming smile curved her perfect lips, enhanced by the rare three serrated teeth poking out of her gums on either side of her mouth.

    A soft, fragrant scent of Oplia flowers filled the space as she entered, and the enchanting Ethereal¡¯s black tongue slid over her teeth before she spoke in the most regal and alluring tone that had ever graced Nadaka¡¯s ears. ¡°How quaint. A little sanctuary from the frenzied elements outside.¡±

    This Ri¡¯bot was the picture of perfection, molded by the Supreme Ancestor himself, a goddess among mortals, a beauty so far out of any woman¡¯s league that they couldn¡¯t even be jealous, but bow in humble reverence.

    Nadraca opened her mouth, but nothing came out, so she closed it, waiting in stunned silence as she watched the Ri¡¯bot elegantly move to stand a few feet in front of her.

    ¡°Hello, my name is Iris.¡± She smiled, holding her hands behind her back in a casual manner. When she didn¡¯t respond, Iris giggled, and Nadraca got lost in her voice. ¡°I assume you are Nadraca, correct? That¡¯s what your warriors told me.¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s voice felt like gravel compared to the grace in Iris¡¯. ¡°Excuse my¡ªumm, why are you here? I¡¯m not trying to be rude¡­¡±

    She paused as the humans straightened; unease and hope brightened their small eyes as they tentatively tried talking their gibberish to Iris, but the goddess ignored them.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not being rude at all,¡± Iris said, bringing her arms around to fold them at her chest.

    Nadraca¡¯s focus shifted to her elegant five fingers, webbing perfectly situated between them, fingernails neatly cut as if manicured like the Mother Superior¡¯s. ¡°What c-can I do for you?¡± She stammered.

    A devilish smile lifted Iris¡¯ cheeks. ¡°Now, now, all work, no play? I see a seat here.¡±

    Taking the hint, Nadraca gestured to the cushioned chair beside the fire. ¡°By all means!¡±

    Iris smoothly moved the seat away from the fire and sat across from her, vision turning to the humans before returning to Nadraca. ¡°Interesting. I¡¯ve heard your warriors chatting; they don¡¯t have quiet voices, and the others, you call seawayers, are even more boisterous. Half the jungle could hear them laughing and telling stories about their times on the water.¡±

    ¡°W-Were we bothering you? Is this,¡± Nadraca swallowed, forcing her to blink. ¡°Is this Ethereal Clan territory?¡±

    Iris¡¯ lips turned mysterious. ¡°Tell me, Nadraca, what do you know about the Ethereal Clan?¡±

    Nadraca cleared her throat, trying to compose herself as she thought on the question. She seems nice enough. It¡¯s not like she just came in, knife flashing, killing Ri¡¯bot right and left, but there¡¯s something unsettling about her. She doesn¡¯t act like anyone I¡¯ve ever met, and now she¡¯s asking what I know about her clan? Maybe they¡¯re just that out of touch with the current affairs of the various groups?

    ¡°Umm¡ªthe Ethereal Clan is spoken about in our stories predating the Fire Wars. They were widely thought of as a rather small and insignificant group ¡­ secretive. There was very little trade that took place between the clans, and least from the Ethereal, and it¡¯s been said that they had some kind of connection to the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph, along the West Sea, but no one is sure.

    ¡°The Ethereal Clan was one of the primary reasons why the other Ri¡¯bot clans escaped the devistation of the Black Throne¡¯s expansion after the White God fell. To¡¯Reha¡¯Je focused many of his forces, pushing into Ri¡¯bot territory, centered on destroying the Ethereal Clan ¡­ the reasons are still muddy on why, but there were rumors,¡± Nadraca mumbled.

    ¡°Do tell,¡± Iris pushed with a passive smile; she seemed to be enjoying the story, which put a little confidence in Nadraca. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the ape with the black flames. Tell me more about the stories passed down of the battles between the Ethereal Clan and To¡¯Reha¡¯Je¡¯s forces.¡±

    ¡°Okay, umm¡ªthere was little information passed between clans before the war against the Quen¡¯Talrat, and was the first time in centuries that there was a gathering of the Chiefs, much less the union of the eight lands in combating the overwhelming power of the ¡­ apes, you called them? I haven¡¯t heard any Ri¡¯bot refer to the Quen¡¯Talrat as apes before, and I know I must be boring you with details you¡¯re probably well aware of.¡±

    ¡°I enjoy the recount,¡± Iris chuckled. ¡°Continue.¡±

    Her stomach acid was beginning to act up as she shifted her legs with unease. She walks out of the jungle, and we suddenly realize we¡¯re missing a ton of our people, then sits down for storytime like its remembrance day? Yet, at the same time, her voice and appearance ¡­ she acts as if nothing¡¯s wrong. Is she just traveling? Maybe she¡¯s just one of only a few descendants that survived, or¡­

    Nadraca¡¯s tongue slid over her teeth as she took a deep breath to steel herself. ¡°Umm¡ªif I may be so bold, Iris. What are you doing here? Is this Ethereal Clan territory, and if so, then we¡¯ll humbly move on. I just¡ªI don¡¯t want to have any trouble, and it seems like¡ªlike we¡¯re already missing many in our expedition.¡±

    Iris¡¯ body tilted slightly to the left as she hummed, and her soft smile lifted slightly, glowing patterns along her skin, drawing Nadraca¡¯s focus while she spoke. ¡°The Ri¡¯bot are a lot more complex creatures than I once thought. Your DNA has hidden traits buried deep inside that are broken, requiring something to fill the gaps.¡±

    ¡°DNA ¡­ hidden traits that are broken?¡± Nadraca asked, mind going blank as her eyes slowly moved over Iris¡¯ flawless body.

    A soft giggle left Iris¡¯ throat. ¡°Come back home with me to reunite with the Empress. She¡¯s looking forward to seeing the ones that caused her so much pain. Are you ready to return?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Nadraca asked, feeling utterly lost. The thing that confused her the most was Iris¡¯ eyes; they were more dangerous and attractive than anything she¡¯d witnessed. She was drawn into those glowing yellow globes, even though she knew she¡¯d be devoured. ¡°What was that again? Elinor? You¡¯re with¡ªwith Elinor, not the Ethereal Clan?¡±

    The cloud hazing Nadraca¡¯s mind slowly dispersed; Iris¡¯ alluring appearance and mannerisms enhanced the nightmarish situation. This charmer was in disguise, and the devilish visage of Elinor¡¯s smile returned to her mind, controlling this dream of a beauty in front of her.

    Nadraca¡¯s body started to quake as Iris¡¯ smile turned into a perfect reflection of the Mother Supreme¡¯s expression when she was staring patiently at a dense acolyte. ¡°Yes, Nadraca, I am the Executioner of Empress Elinor¡¯s Royal Court.¡±

    The priestess¡¯ mind became numb as she connected the words. ¡°Executioner? M-My warriors ¡­ seawayers?¡±

    Iris¡¯ black tongue slid over her lips. ¡°Delicious, from what I sampled. They are all alive, of course. The Empress wishes for them to be brought back in one piece, but they are all paralyzed, wrapped protectively in cocoons high in the trees until we prepare to move out.¡±

    ¡°Cocoons?¡± Nadraca mumbled, sweat beginning to leak out of her skin, and before her eyes, Iris¡¯ body filmed over with a black coating before her shape changed into a human with long fur atop her head.

    Her black white-highlighted fur moved on its own, creating clothing across her top and bottom as she moved to kneel and talk to the human women, and a few of the children had begun to stir. ¡°Hello, little ones. No, I am not human. I¡¯m what many call a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra. The Queen of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra. Yes, I know,¡± she giggled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean much to you, but you can see the reaction that name has on your captor.¡±

    Iris turned her chilling red eyes on her with the humans, and Nadraca wet herself, releasing defensive toxins from her skin. Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ Elinor raised a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen? Here ¡­ in front of me, and she can turn into the most beautiful Ri¡¯bot I¡¯ve ever seen ¡­ the one that leads all the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra? I¡¯ve never heard of such a creature.

    The following information silenced all will to flee within Nadraca. ¡°You see, I have this reputation of fighting a flaming white ape, wounding him beyond healing. No creature would dare attack you while in my presence. Now, would you like to meet the Empress? I thought you might,¡± she smiled while ruffling one of the kid¡¯s fur. ¡°No creature will touch you as we return. After all, I already executed everything that stands between us and the fortress.¡±

    One of the women hesitantly mumbled something as she studied the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen, and Iris responded in a humored tone. ¡°Yes, you could consider me a shapeshifter.¡±

    A shapeshifter ¡­ a creature that can change her shape? How? Into anything? At least I returned Yesenia to the Nalvea ¡­ if something good can come out of this, then, please ¡­ free my clan. Maybe if I go back willingly, then I can make a deal with Elinor. I¡¯ve tried to be as kind as I can to the humans. I tried¡­

    She stiffened as Iris rose and turned toward her. ¡°Now, Nadraca. I have some questions for you about that snake-woman you imprisoned. Where is she?¡±

    A lump dropped down Nadraca¡¯s throat, and she determined to lie would do her more harm than good. ¡°I¡ªI sent her back to the Nalvea capital. Depending on the storm, the rest of my group is likely to reach the Crowned Mountains soon, downriver.¡±

    Iris¡¯ lips fell into an unreadable line. ¡°Unfortunate. We will prepare to return to the fortress, then. Yes, we will travel through the storm, but I will provide you protection against the elements. There is only one other small group of humans; thirty-six humans, and fifty-three Ri¡¯bot, to be exact.

    ¡°Yes, I know, they have a funny name, and Nadraca will speak to the other Ri¡¯bot.¡± Iris turned her chilling illuminant deep-red eyes on her. ¡°I am sure there will be no problems on our return.¡±

    Nadraca cleared her throat. ¡°No ¡­ none.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now, I will go release some of your warriors just outside, and you will come with me and explain our travel plans.¡±

    Nadraca obediently followed her outside, wincing as the harsh wind and rain struck her dry skin; it felt good after a short while, but what met her sent chills down her spine. A dozen white and black body-sized cocoons were placed neatly by each other in front of her tent.

    How did she do this to every one of our warriors without so much as raising any resistance? Is this the power of a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra?

    Water dripped down the Queen¡¯s smooth skin and thick fur as she turned to stare at her; she knew after watching the humans for so long that she was not smiling. The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra wore a rather passive face, but she had no doubt the body she took would be just as alluring to the humans as her Ri¡¯bot form was to them.

    Iris¡¯ lovely voice somehow cut past the wind and thunder. ¡°Tell me, Nadraca, what happened to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra?¡±

    Nadraca hugged her quivering body, smelling her own released chemicals with slight embarrassment. ¡°After ¡­ well, it soon became apparent that something had happened to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma ¡­ he¡¯d been gravely wounded. Quen¡¯Talrat morale dropped, and we were finally able to launch a combined assault against the White God and kill him through the infected wounds.

    ¡°That¡¯s when ¡­ Th¨¦lm¨¦thra flooded out of the lower levels of the keep, and the Quen¡¯Talrat grouped up before cutting a wave of carnage out of the keep, abandoning it. Everyone ran ¡­ they were everywhere ¡­ in the jungle, many died. It was as if they were insane.

    ¡°Stories say that within a few months, all the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were either killed between the eight nations and Quen¡¯Talrat, or they left ¡­ some rumors say they went far east, to the Wildlands.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Iris¡¯s small eyes narrowed as she turned to touch one of the balls of silk, causing it to collapse, losing its structure entirely to allow Ilonef to tumble out in a tangled heap. ¡°So, my sister took the rest of my brood and went east to search for better prey; perhaps she found something better than the Quen¡¯Talrat. Although she never quite enjoyed their fire-like fur, it always upset her stomach.¡±

    Nadraca didn¡¯t dare interject, and Iris continued to move from container to container, releasing the Ri¡¯bot. The freed warriors rallied around her but quickly grew aware of the situation as she continued.

    The return through the jungle was just as uneventful as Iris had stated, and none of the warriors or seawayers put up a fight once Iris showed them her true form. They¡¯d sooner fight the Ancestors themselves; it was pointless, and the Clavex had no pretense to meaningless honor.

    There was a sharp increase in the storm for a time, but it soon became traversable through the jungle. The captors had become captives, and they understood the weight of living such a life.

    The bone-chilling understanding of what they faced came as they traversed the flooding jungle, passing entire groups of dead Clanless that floated downstream, likely raiders by their appearance, and every Ri¡¯bot¡¯s face showed it, they died completely unaware of what assaulted them, surprise written in their dead eyes.

    Iris had created some form of coverings for the humans that helped them move just as easily as the Ri¡¯bot through the mud and storm. It was becoming clear that if Elinor wished, then she could be even worse than the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    Nadraca took a shuddering breath as she passed another group of lifeless jungle predators, left partially eaten in the mud. If possible, she must join the Clavex Clan to Elinor¡¯s Empire, whatever it took, and nothing could solidify this more than when she entered the colossal city-fortress of the Quen¡¯Talrat and saw the regal form of Empress Elinor herself, glaring down at them, sitting on the center throne of the White God.

    A man and woman stood on either side of her, giving Nadraca the same chills as Iris, and the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen joined the two, standing beside the man as a dozen skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat and two more terrifying Th¨¦lm¨¦thra stood on both sets of stairs leading up to the throne.

    Will I even make it out alive? I just hope she doesn¡¯t take over my mind.

 B1 â€” 32. The Light In A Child

    Elinor gazed down at the massive entrance hall to the palace; she was on the second story of the East Wing.  It was quite a sight from this high up.  The Yaltha¡¯ma were scurrying below, El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca, and his sister, El¡¯Co¡¯Ca, had taken control of the clean-up after Gwen had gone to sleep.

    The pair had seemingly mended years of bitter resentment, but there were lingering allegiances.  The Hidden Ones numbered two-hundred and sixty-three, while the main sect of her brother was much larger at two-thousand three-hundred and eleven, and each faction reported to the leader they thought deserved the title.  It was acceptable for now; Tiffany had told her that it would take time to break down the tribal barriers, which made sense.

    They whispered praises to her name and glanced up to bow at her from time to time as she watched the progress of their work, barely visible between the huge wooden bars of the second floor.  She could slip right through the opening if she turned on her side, but the top of the Blackwood rail guard was far over her head.

    It was like she was a child again, looking up at a world designed for adults much taller than herself, which was a bit annoying, but she had time to make changes.  The important part right now was cleaning her home and making sure it was well defended.

    Edmon had been hard at work, taking temporary measures to patch-up the city and get everything working properly.  He¡¯d taken command of Violet, Quin, eight of her seventeen skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat, all four of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drones that The Hidden Ones had pointed her toward, and a few dozen Yaltha¡¯ma.

    He¡¯d used them in various ways to get the front gates unrusted and broken, allowing them a functional entrance after finding the warehouse where Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had stored spare mechanical parts in some part of this massive city.

    The anticipation bounced within her, unrestrained by Emotional Loss, and giving her a mixed vibe between being a fairytale queen and an explorer.  It gave her flashbacks of watching Stargate Atlantis with her parents.  A monolithic city filled with secrets, and she ruled over it all and not just that, but an entire world to discover.

    Her ghostly green irises followed a few of the Yaltha¡¯ma as they used vines and small wagon-like carts that seemed designed for them to move out material, sorting it in one of the big rooms further inside the first-floor of the East Wing.

    Elinor could envision a royal ball taking place below, more and more of the decorative possibilities opening in her mind; many refined visitors from all kingdoms coming to see her crowned as the new monarch.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time the thought had run through her head; she¡¯d been nine when Frozen had come out, and like any other starstruck little girl, it had latched onto her mind.  The mental images of a massive frozen castle and living as a queen like Elsa was a vision of her childhood.

    Now, here she stood, Empress of her own ever-growing land, subjects that adored her, and powers of her own.  She hadn¡¯t seen her kingdom being the Undead, but it was close enough.  Unlike the movies, though, in the real world, there were always problems, and with a ruined kingdom, many to be addressed.  A current issue nudging her sleepless mind was the leftover furniture; it was well designed but was simply too large.

    Elinor released a soft sigh as she turned away from the clean-up below to stare at the extravagant furnishings the Quen¡¯Talrat had left behind.  Garu, her trusty Ri¡¯bot communication condition, stood by her side with the reanimated remains of a Quen¡¯Talrat.  She¡¯d left one of her Quen¡¯Talrat to guard the entrance to the Life Room while keeping watch over Dalria.

    Her vision moved across the elegantly designed space, allowing for quite the relaxing party space.  Most of the higher levels of the palace had been left untouched for some reason, showing massive cushioned chairs, carved for the colossal forms of the huge apes.  The tables themselves stood above her head, made for creatures over three to four times her height; it truly felt like she¡¯d taken over a giant¡¯s home.

    Somehow, even the insects seemed to leave much of the place at peace, but Tiffany already had a flurry of plans.  The Quen¡¯Talrat had gathered all the resources, and now they just needed to repurpose them; she wanted to take the stuffing out of the chairs, and design for her an extension to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s throne.

    That was only the tip of the iceberg with what she wanted to be done, but Edmon was a bit more cautious and methodical.  Edmon had advised they save the interior design efforts until after they¡¯d thoroughly gauged the city¡¯s defenses.  Eventually, she decided on somewhat of a compromise.

    She gave Edmon enough of her forces to do what he thought should be done, and he had made a lot of progress, directing his labor team to different parts of the city to take care of specific issues he found.  After pouring through some of the mechanical designs of the city, he¡¯d discovered a way to even start the flushing of the sewage system; he wanted to look over the gears, though, before starting it up.

    He¡¯d been puzzled over some of the machines since they appeared to use the shining gemstones as a power source.  Tiffany showed him that it was simply like turning on a light, you needed to touch it, and it was designed to follow a specific pathway, no different than electricity, but the engineer in him wanted to know how it worked, which frustrated him.

    He¡¯d made little progress in that regard, other than it stored power and released it.  There appeared to be a method to how the devices were designed to receive the current, such as wires, but the stones themselves were a mystery, and the mechanisms weren¡¯t that advanced technologically, but eventually, he¡¯d shelved it for more important tasks.

    While Edmon had to do everything himself, Tiffany had been moving between projects like a manager, teaching each person what they needed to do, and Azalea had been her assistant while Gwen slept, occasionally being sent somewhere in the city to get a status report on some of the Ri¡¯bot they captured.

    From what she determined from listening in on their conversations, Tiffany was conditioning and training a Clanless Ri¡¯bot into becoming a warden of sorts.  The methods she was using put a shiver down Elinor¡¯s spine; it was something out of a horror movie, but she appeared to have a design behind molding the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s mind to accept the task.  It was as if she were the patient teacher, and the Ri¡¯bot was the reluctant student, scared she was doing something wrong.

    Tiffany had delegated the clean-up to the Yaltha¡¯ma leaders, telling them she wanted the front of the palace clear, but to sort the debris.  She thought everything could be reused for some purpose.

    She¡¯d also made a quick stop into the botanical gardens Edmon had pointed out and came back with a bag bulging full of ingredients to help her with a mass ritual she¡¯d be performing later with the humans and Ri¡¯bot, which was one reason why she wanted the front hall cleared.

    It amused Elinor greatly; Tiffany worked on a ritual below while simultaneously cooking.  The smell rising up from below was rather tantalizing as she prepared the dead creatures the Quen¡¯Talrat had brought back hours before, and Tiffany saved every piece she didn¡¯t use for the dishes.

    It was clear the Yaltha¡¯ma were more than a little curious about the smell as she used her Witch¡¯s Fire to tenderize, season, saut¨¦, and perfectly cook the meat.  The meal was to feed the Yaltha¡¯ma, and the humans would get to feed their bellies while they made their choice.

    Elinor turned back to stare down at the Witch; she was humming casually while gutting the next dead animal.  She extracted the blood and guts with her fire and carefully transferred the innards to pots.  The organs, however, she placed in large glass jars filled with water, and the bones were carefully pulled out to leave just the meat.

    Tiffany used her knife with skill to cut away the fat, putting it aside to be used for something else, but she¡¯d told Elinor that she was a rather mediocre chef and that there was even a Royal Title for the job.

    Not every Royal Court member is meant for combat, but every representative has more than enough experience to hold their own.  Elinor mused to herself, smiling down at the tables that were slowly being filled with seasoned meat.  Tiffany isn¡¯t meant for physical contests, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be more than proficient at it if needed.

    I have an entire kingdom, and to help govern it, I have my Royal Court, which is a lot more vast than I first thought, but it takes a lot for an Empire to function seamlessly.  If there is a position to be filled, then there will be a Royal Court representative to fill that role.  They each hold their authority within their rank and file, the Lower Court and the Higher Court.

    Edmon, Tiffany, and Iris are within the Higher Court, which oversees vital militaristic designs of the Empire while the Lower Court functions within to take the burden off the Higher Court, yet every member of the Lower Court will be of Transcendent Grade.  It¡¯s a fascinating system that has so many branches ¡­ at some point, I¡¯ll have a Royal Chef.  I may not need to eat, but I can enjoy the pleasure in it.

    Tiffany has quite the way with words, but I suppose I raised her to be an advisor and a representative.  We don¡¯t have a Royal Ambassador, so she¡¯s filling that role at the moment.  I need to find more subjects to raise to lessen the burden on them.  I¡¯m not only the will of the Empire, but I¡¯m also the power by which it expands.

    She held up her hand, flexing her fingers as she activated Herald of the Empress; green flames licked off her hand as butterflies formed from the fire to flap around her.

    I can feel myself growing stronger with every life taken.  Camellia has killed a few creatures ¡­ yet, in comparison, it¡¯s like a drop in a bucket compared to Iris.  She¡¯s living up to her title as the Royal Executioner.  Hundreds died in just several hours, and she¡¯s nearly returned.  It shouldn¡¯t be that much longer until I can reach her telepathically.

    This system doesn¡¯t tell me how many points I have to spare, but I should be able to keep them stored until I need them.  That would be the best decision to make.  If I need to raise hundreds of more minions, then I¡¯ll have the points to do it, and if I need to increase the level of Lesser Minion Mastery for my current soldiers, then I can do that as well.

    Elinor spent the next fifteen minutes walking through the second floor of the East Wing¡¯s main hallway, peering into open rooms as she passed.  She was just wasting time while getting a better picture of her new home, but it filled her with a bit of satisfaction; the Ri¡¯bot couldn¡¯t hold her for long, and now she was free again, by her own power.

    Yes, she¡¯d lost everything, but never again.  What she lacked, she¡¯d take, and if not by negotiations, then by the sword.  She had no desire to draw unnecessary conflict, but examples needed to be made out of the Ri¡¯bot.  Unlike Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, though, it had to be handled with a scalpel, not a butcher¡¯s cleaver.  She needed friends, and for that, she needed information, which Tiffany was gathering.

    Each of the rooms held an interesting design and was more than a little too gaudy for her taste, but she wished there were fireplaces.  She always liked the appeal it brought to a room.  It made sense why the Quen¡¯Talrat wouldn¡¯t have them, though, since they were all trained as warriors and learned to harness some kind of flaming body.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    After a few rooms, she was a little disappointed; each one was nearly identical to the last.  The right side of the hall was bedrooms, and the left side was for small gatherings¡ªsmall for the Quen¡¯Talrat, but quite large by a human standard.

    This must have been a place for Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s Elite Hunters.  The palace was a place for his most loyal and powerful allies.  He did essentially say he brought all of the Quen¡¯Talrat clans together through war, which means he had followers that stood by his side since the beginning.  It¡¯s just as Tiffany said, preferentiality.  How should¡­

    Her thought faded as Iris¡¯ voice entered her mind.  ¡°Empress, we will be returning shortly.¡±

    Elinor folded her arms as she ordered her Quen¡¯Talrat guard to lower its left hand.  She smoothly brushed back her white hair as she sat, and her minion lifted her up before moving back toward the Throne Room as Edmon and Tiffany listened in on Iris¡¯ report.

    Tiffany appeared to be finishing up her design with the blood taken from the animals; an expansive five-pointed star had been painted upon the floor with intricate twists and turns.  The table housing the leftover ingredients had been stationed in the west corner of the room as she completed the final details.

    Iris finished the concise recount as her minion set her down upon Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s throne; his bones had been moved into the Life Room hours before.  She still didn¡¯t know what she was going to do with them, but she wished to show respect to the beast.  Without his revolution, she would not be in such a favorable position.

    Elinor adjusted herself on the giant cushioned chair, waiting for Edmon to return from the West Wing¡¯s library, and Tiffany to direct all the food and water to the second floor of the East Wing she¡¯d been at before.

    A soft sigh left Elinor¡¯s lips as she stared down at the Yaltha¡¯ma that were gathering, waiting to be addressed.  ¡°Spread the word that we will have guests soon, and prisoners of war.  Humans, people that look like me, will be coming here, and Ri¡¯bot captives will be joining them.¡±

    Whispers swept the crowd.

    ¡°Ri¡¯bot prisoners!¡±

    ¡°The Empress¡¯ people?¡±

    They quickly dispersed, running to deliver her message, and not soon after, Edmon strode into the room, menacing black armor hardly making a noise.  The elderly El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca was beside him, acting as his guide.  The Yaltha¡¯ma Elder promptly took one of the seats below the throne.

    Elinor spoke through her linked connection to her court.  So, Yesenia is the name of the snake-woman, and she got away downriver.  I¡¯m surprised they were able to navigate during that storm, but I suppose that means these seawayers are fairly skilled sailors.

    Tiffany released a dark hum through the connection.  ¡°It is quite concerning.  Demon has his sights on her, and even if he cannot possess her after consuming so many resources trying to dig into your soul, he should be able to whisper sweet words into her ear like Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.  A desperate woman will do stupid things, and he will promise her freedom from slavery.¡±

    True.  Elinor¡¯s eyes followed Edmon up the stairs with a frown as the conversation continued.  Is it too late to send Iris out again to bring her back?

    ¡°I could leave the moment I bring the prisoners,¡± Iris offered.

    Edmon¡¯s brooding tone responded.  ¡°I¡¯d advise against that.  Strategically, it would not be a wise decision to invade Nalvean lands.  It would be prudent to send someone to negotiate with them for her release, but we also need to at least put on a show that we are not to be trifled with.

    ¡°The Clavex Clan is in great debt to the Nalvean Divine Empire; the very name implies some kind of religious binding within the state, which could be used to our advantage and could also be a disadvantage.  It seems the Nalveans may not rule the Clavex Clan, but hold a great deal of authority over it.

    ¡°The humans are being sent to cancel a debt, but what if we can turn the Nalveans against the Clavex Clan?  If we can show them that the Clavex Clan has brought them a gift laced with poison, the ire of a powerful nation, then it could spark a favorable relationship between us that puts the Clavex Clan and the whole Ri¡¯bot territory in a pincer.  The Empire to the north and the Nalveans to the south.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Edmon!¡±  Tiffany squealed.  ¡°That sounds absolutely wonderful.  I love it!  My mind went that same route.  Although, I was also thinking that Iris could perform a rather covert mission into Nalvean territory to rescue the humans, but ¡­ they¡¯d be rather slow returning, and that could cause issues in itself.

    ¡°If we bridge relations with the Nalvean Empire, then we¡¯ll be able to proudly raise our flag and sail back!  Maybe we could even wrestle some boats out of them for compensation.  Oh, I¡¯d love to negotiate with them!¡±

    Elinor smiled as she watched the visage of her former mother enter the room, a bright grin illuminating her cheeks.  It¡¯s an option to consider, but first, we¡¯ll wrap up this business with the Ri¡¯bot and humans.  I can feel Camellia returning.  It shouldn¡¯t be long until she¡¯s within speaking distance, too.

    Iris broke into the conversation, and her regal voice made Elinor want to practice speaking herself; it felt so natural and royal coming from the queen.  ¡°Should I direct her toward the Throne Room?¡±

    A dark smile touched Elinor¡¯s lips.  Yes, I can¡¯t wait to speak with Valdar.  Apparently, it is the Komath Clan that really needs to answer for their crimes, since they sent Dalria after me, but I have a history with the Roxim Clan, as well.  Tiffany¡¯s been taking special care of the warriors from the Roxim for a while now.  The Delthax Clan, though ¡­ Valdar seemed to be a sort of sage, and he was there during the Fire Wars.  I have a lot to ask him.

    When the first group arrived, Elinor watched the Ri¡¯bot and humans enter the Throne Room.  She was a little surprised at how many children and women there were.  Iris had already told her the exact amount of humans and Ri¡¯bot returning with her, but there were only three men out of the thirty-six brought back.

    Iris, how many humans did the Clavex clan take in total?

    ¡°Nadraca told me there were at least a hundred and seventy-three.  Of those she knows, two were lost in the storm, blown overboard, and the rest brought back to the Nalvean.  That number includes Yesenia.¡±

    How injured were they?

    ¡°Not as much as I would expect, and from Nadraca¡¯s own lips, they provided medical treatment to those that needed it.  She appeared to regret losing human life in their hurried flight, and I did not sense any deceit.  However, that is not exactly my expertise.  Nadraca made careful hints that she tried to be as kind as possible to the humans, and they used the least lethal means they could employ, but still lost many of her warriors.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s jaw locked as she caught sight of Nadraca, identified by the necklace around her neck; the humans were huddled in a group to the right of her while the Ri¡¯bot were to the left, and Iris elegantly ascended the stairs to join Edmon.  She only partially noticed a slight frown on Tiffany¡¯s lips as her orange eyes darted to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, in human form, before returning to the captives.

    How many humans did they kill, and how many Ri¡¯bot did the humans kill in their clan?

    ¡°According to her, twenty-eight Ri¡¯bot to thirty-eight human.  She places most of the deaths at the feet of the Roxim Clan.¡±

    It wouldn¡¯t surprise me.  Elinor said, trying to restrain a growl.  However, I don¡¯t trust her numbers, to begin with.  Let¡¯s see how the humans give the recount.

    Both groups stood in terrified silence as Violet and Azalea entered the hall from behind, crawling on the walls to stand on all eights blocking the stairs, and everyone¡¯s attention rose to Elinor as she sat upon her white throne.

    ¡°My name is Empress Elinor.  I will speak to the humans alone, and in private in a short while as the second group returns.  Before that, however¡­¡±

    She turned her green eyes to the men and women that were staring up at her with wide eyes, vision darting to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra from time to time, and after a short pause continued.

    ¡°Tell me, how did the Toads over here treat you?  Each of the clans has different skin-tones.  What was your experience under the Clavex Clan?¡±

    The silence stretched, and one of the three men stepped forward, clearly nervous.  ¡°Umm ¡­ is this a trial?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes darkened, and even though they couldn¡¯t understand what he said, the Clavex members were quivering with fear as she responded.  ¡°Yes.¡±

    He licked his lips, glancing over at the Toads staring at them with their wide eyes.  Even between species, the fear was palpable.  ¡°It was the green ones with different markings ¡­ I saw them cut p-people up ¡­ limb from l-limb.  I see it when I close my eyes ¡­ I could never forget those¡­¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s shaky voice gained a bit of power as she tried to interject.  ¡°P-Please, Empress¡­¡±

    Her shaking legs gave out as Edmon¡¯s gruff voice turned to ice, and a threatening aura pervaded the space as mist exploded around the area with a gust of chilled wind; it felt like cold water running down Elinor¡¯s back before the light fog dispersed.  ¡°Silence.  You will speak if given permission.¡±

    The human man was quivering, and his voice hoarse.  ¡°C-Compared to how those o-others treated us ¡­ these ones¡ªit was like night and day.¡±

    ¡°One of them took my child from me,¡± a woman spoke up, causing everyone to turn their focus to her.  ¡°H-He was only three ¡­ I think¡ªthe orange ones ¡­ they took the babies.  These ones took a lot of the kids ¡­ between five and eight.  I saw one boy ¡­ he was lost in the storm.  They didn¡¯t want to dock the boats.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Elinor growled.  ¡°I bet they didn¡¯t.  They were running from me.¡±  Elinor turned her gaze to Iris.  ¡°Did you find any human bodies washed up along the shore?¡±

    Iris shook her head.  ¡°None.  They would have likely been washed further downstream from where I found this group.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t drop from the woman, but inside, she knew how she¡¯d feel if the bodies of her parents had been washed away.  She was concerned about her own child, stolen by the Kalnath Clan, but still had enough empathy to care about another mother who wouldn¡¯t see their son again.

    ¡°So,¡± she said, vision sweeping the humans.  ¡°You¡¯re telling me that Nadraca and the Clavex Clan were not nearly the monsters the other clans were?¡±

    ¡°N-Not from w-what I know,¡± the man mumbled.

    A little girl, no older than seven, stood up from her crouching position, and she almost seemed bold as she tried putting on a brave face before pointing at Nadraca.  ¡°This one saved me from the big ugly one!  I got chocolate.¡±  Her face fell a little.  ¡°I didn¡¯t like it, though.¡±

    ¡°C¨¦lia says I¡¯ll see my daddy soon, too!  Oh, and C¨¦lia used to be my babysitter!  We got blankets and fire ¡­ it was¡ªwas really cold, and windy and the hail hurt, but then we stopped, and it all got better!  I like Iris, too!  She¡¯s nice, and made me cool clothes¡­¡±

    A woman in her twenties, she assumed was C¨¦lia, knelt down, and put her finger to her lips.  ¡°Shh, Nohemi.  Let the grown-ups talk.¡±

    ¡°Why?  I wanna talk, too!  It¡¯s so quiet.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s brow creased as she stared down at the girl.  ¡°Is that right?  Did they beat you?¡±

    The girl shook her head, black hair flailing around.  ¡°Nu-uh!  Not at all!  They were really nice.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± the man mumbled, rubbing his left arm before swallowing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be mean!¡±  The girl scowled.  ¡°They made a fire to dry my clothes!¡±

    Tiffany frowned, glancing over at her.  ¡°Are you planning on pardoning the Clavex Clan with this bit of information?¡±

    Elinor took a deep breath before turning her green eyes upon the toads.  No, I could never do that with what I saw, and I¡¯m sure the man¡¯s right.  It was a bit more complex for a child to understand, but they at least seem to have some shred of humane treatment in them.  I¡¯ll have to think on it further, but the only grievance I personally have with this clan is putting a hole in Ms. Bones¡¯ head.

    Tiffany¡¯s eyebrows drew together as she stared at her.  ¡°Ms. Bones?  Who¡¯s that?¡±

    Nothing relevant at the moment.   Elinor said with a sad tone.  It was Boss ¡­ Fennel, a Ri¡¯bot from the Roxim Clan that took that away from me.  I gave Dalria a hair of a chance to convince me why I shouldn¡¯t destroy the entire Ri¡¯bot race, perhaps it could be a collective effort.  Although, I feel like it¡¯ll just turn out like batman ¡­ let a villain live, and they¡¯ll just swear revenge and come back later, but ¡­ I¡¯ll have to think about it more.

    Her vision centered on Nohemi, and she smiled; the fiery girl was a breath of fresh air, and she saw a younger version of herself in the child.  I was quite the problem kid growing up, wasn¡¯t I?  An Empire needs subjects, and not everyone needs to be Undead, but in my Empire, nothing will stay dead for long.

    Elinor¡¯s eyes centered on Iris as Camellia came back into range; she¡¯d taken quite a long time considering the distance Iris¡¯ group had to travel, and the Queen directed her daughter to bring them into the Throne Room.

    Well, let¡¯s see what Valdar thinks of my rising Empire.

 B1 â€” 33. The Clavex Clanâ€™s Trial

    Elinor looked down at the human and pure green-skinned Ri¡¯bot below.  ¡°The next group will be joining us very soon.  We will wait for them to enter before I tell everyone my decision.¡±

    The children whispered among themselves with a few of the women, but the Clavex Clan stood in silence, tightly grouped together.  The adults were quite a bit more reserved, trying to hide concerned glances at her.

    They didn¡¯t particularly bother Elinor, though; her attention had moved to the Aligator-toad creatures that had been brought back with the Clavex Clan.  There were only three of them, but they carried scores of Ri¡¯bot and a few human corpses.

    Tiffany, what do you think about these pack mules the Ri¡¯bot have?

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tiffany¡¯s brow furrowed as she stared down at the reptiles.  ¡°They can certainly have their uses, and it appears as if they can be trained for war.  Still, I¡¯d say the Quen¡¯Talrat would be far more efficient minions.  According to Eltha, they are called Torlim, but personally, I¡¯d say use them as food.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been considering the future that you wish to create, and we will need to develop some form of agricultural means to feed the living.  It would be fun to create different types of meals in this new world, too.  I mean, we can still have the pleasure of eating, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d love to sit down and enjoy a good dinner.

    ¡°I have some thoughts on how we can feed the living.  I do have several ideas, but of course, they¡¯ll take the majority of effort in producing what we set¡­¡±

    Edmon interrupted with a low, thoughtful hum.  ¡°I disagree with Tiffany¡¯s suggestion about these Torlim.  They can be of great support.  I would rather not use our military resources as agricultural mules.  If we can turn these Torlim into workhorses, then that frees up the Quen¡¯Talrat soldiers we can use.  After all, you have a limited number of units you can raise.¡±

    The children seemed to have formed three primary groups between each other, drawing Elinor¡¯s eye as she listened to the explanation.  One group would talk and cry softly, a second seemed more emotionally stable, and the third gave the nervous Ri¡¯bot wide-eyed stares of fascination.

    I agree that I¡¯d rather use my minions to protect the peace over plowing fields.  We are in a hostile world, and I don¡¯t know how much land I can defend.  Of course, it will grow as my forces increase.  There¡¯s also the issue of forging my own boundaries that other nations recognize.  What do you think, Iris?

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen¡¯s unreadable expression didn¡¯t change.  ¡°I have no input on such subjects.  I am simply an Executioner.  I doubt my opinion on how to handle the living would mesh with the vision Tiffany has explained to me.  My view is to consume, expand, and ensure the survival of my brood.¡±

    ¡°If I may,¡± Tiffany interjected.  ¡°I do agree with Edmon, actually.  I¡¯d rather we focus our forces on carving out your Empire.  However, in the short-term, I don¡¯t see it being that easy to train these creatures for agricultural purposes, and it takes a shocking amount of production to feed people over a year¡¯s time.

    ¡°Not only that, but we are unfamiliar with the seasons.  Yes, Edmon, I know what you are going to say, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma will likely have seasonal records and information.  He seemed to have been surprisingly more academic than I first thought.  However, again, we need time to prepare such an endeavor, and the Quen¡¯Talrat minions will make the process exponentially faster for us to center on more important matters.¡±

    Edmon was silent for a moment before responding.  ¡°I can see that perspective, but you are basing this on the assumption they are not already trained in a manner to serve that purpose, or have you gained that information from someplace?¡±

    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re not wrong,¡± Tiffany sighed.  ¡°It is an assumption.  What we really need is more units, preferably Quen¡¯Talrat and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.¡±

    A low chuckle filled Elinor¡¯s mind as Edmon glanced at the Witch.  ¡°There, we one-hundred percent agree.  We need a stronger military force.  Zombie Apes over Skeletal Apes.  The extra weight and protection will help with many tasks.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s brow furrowed as she turned to stare at the black helmet of the Doom Guard.  I can create Zombies?

    Tiffany¡¯s lips pursed, and the soft hum she released through the network pulled Elinor¡¯s eyes to her.  ¡°It¡¯s a bit more complicated than that.  Yes, Zombies do have their perks ¡­ I mean, they have the ability to transmit the magic reanimating them to the living that has been infected for a certain amount of time, but it¡¯s kind of a dead-end Class.  You can¡¯t have Arcanist Zombies.

    ¡°A Zombie is an infectious Class of its own, used to quickly expand the fodder ranks of an Empire.  Let them loose in a zone, and your unit cap will be reached in no-time, but then the infection is useless.  It¡¯s quantity over quality.¡±

    ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Edmon replied.  ¡°Once we find someone to fill the Necromantics Royal Court Title, then it could expand their ranks.¡±

    Excuse me?  Elinor¡¯s lips fell into a deep frown.  Necromantics Royal Court Title?  I am a Lich Empress.  Aren¡¯t I the Necromantics expert in the Empire?¡±

    ¡°Oh, dear,¡± Tiffany chuckled.  ¡°Of course, you have the ability to create powerful Undead, such as Undead Witches, Assassins, Songweavers, Inquisitors, and even Clergy, to name a few, which is something the Necromantics Royal Court member could not do.  No, the Necromantics Royal Court member gives us the ability to develop Advanced Fodder.

    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know much about it, and neither does Edmon.  We only have very general information regarding the other Court Members¡­¡±

    Edmon cut in.  ¡°What we do know is that Skeletons can be advanced into Giant Skeletons, Wisps to Mistborn, and Zombies into any number of powerful advancements such as Homunculus or Ghouls.  The infectious nature of their bite can also be increased and modified.¡±

    Wonderful.  Elinor mumbled.  You both keep telling me about all these Royal Court positions, and giving me all this suspense when I can¡¯t find a decent spirit to raise for it!  It kind of annoys me a little with how little I have to work with, and I know I¡¯m complaining.  I have Iris and her daughters, which increases my power by a vast amount, but what can I do now?

    Tiffany and Edmon looked at each other; Tiffany¡¯s pulled in lips showing her slight concern while Iris seemed entirely devoid of interest on the subject as she observed the throng below.

    ¡°You¡¯re right, dear.  Hmm ¡­ let¡¯s see.  It would be best to reserve the Intelligent Undead slots you have for exceptional individuals.  Increasing the amount of Unintelligent Undead would be quite helpful.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s voice gained strength.  ¡°Is this about your statement before, about your direction?¡±

    The chatter within her mind died as Elinor shifted her legs the opposite way.  In part.  At first, all I wanted to do was survive; it¡¯s what I told Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.  Now things are starting to stabilize for me.  To be honest, I¡¯m a little nervous about the next steps.  I may have fancied myself a princess at some times in my life, but actually ruling a kingdom ¡­ it¡¯s something else entirely.

    Judging these toads that stole everything from me is one thing, but what about these humans?  They¡¯re no different than me, and I don¡¯t want to be the same as the toads.  Are they feeling hopeless, or are they looking at me for protection and guidance?

    Tiffany held her hands behind her back, features pacifying as she stared at the children below.  ¡°We already discussed the Empire you wished to build.  A place where you are at the head and within a productive kingdom.  For that, there are specific steps that need to be taken, and the first, everyone must know you are the Empress.  What you say is the law.  There is no democratic debate.

    ¡°It would be productive to have representatives of each faction, however.  Everyone needs a voice; after all, it¡¯s one of the many factors that started the American War for Independence.  Let them know that they are being heard, but they must accept that you are the final word.

    ¡°They are beggars, pleading for your grace, and it was only by that benevolence that they were saved from their oppressors.  If they wish to continue to prosper, then they must follow the law, and you are the law.  The Military follows you, and only you.  If you ordered us to burn the world, we would without hesitation.¡±

    Her voice grew colder.  ¡°Let it be known throughout this planet that attacking you spells the end of all.  If the Undead horde were not directed by its head, then it would be chaos.  Hollywood wouldn¡¯t be able to produce a rating harsh enough to symbolize the carnage, and even Stephen King couldn¡¯t possibly come to conceive a thing that could equal our need to ravage everything before us.¡±

    Blue mist expelled from Edmon¡¯s black face-guard.  ¡°It is the Empress that gives us order and a common goal.  Whatever you decide, we follow.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s ghostly green eyes narrowed as the group before her quieted, listening to the sound of a large number of people entering the massive front hall.  Then I¡¯ll solidify my position here for everyone to see.  I¡¯ve made up my mind.

    Her vision burned with hatred as she examined the throng that entered; unlike the captives Iris brought back, the humans captured by the Delthax Clan were riddled with cuts, bruises, missing limbs, and splints.  Yet the only living Ri¡¯bot was a blue-skinned Ri¡¯bot guiding a procession of Torlim that had been closely bound together by rope to be easily led.

    Both the humans and Clavex Clan parted to the sides of the room to give those that entered the space as Elinor turned her gaze to Iris.  Where are the rest of Valdor¡¯s clan?  Please tell me that they¡¯re all dead on those Torlim ¡­ no, there are too few.

    Iris¡¯ tone was relaxed and refined.  ¡°The Ri¡¯bot Camellia brought back is called Folcra.  When he saw how overwhelmingly powerful my daughter was, he ordered those under him to run back to their village as fast as possible.  Camellia determined that it would be better to bring back the injured humans over hunting down every fleeing Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s jaw tightened, but she understood the decision.  I see.  Then Valdar got away?

    ¡°Logically, it would seem that way, but we will need to ask this Folcra to be certain,¡± Iris replied.

    Tiffany¡¯s orange irises moved to the Torlim.  ¡°I agree, and we have the possibility to question many of their ranks using your gifts, Elinor.¡±

    A low hum rumbled in Elinor¡¯s throat.  Just like I did with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, using Herald of the Empress?

    ¡°Yes.  You can compel spirits to speak to you.  However, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and those that are of high ranks are more resistant to that ability.¡±

    What if I level up that ability?

    Edmon¡¯s deep voice cut through whatever Tiffany was going to say.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t recommend that.  Your Skill Points are valuable, and there is little utility in leveling up that skill in the long run.  Why put points into compelling spirits when you could increase your army¡¯s number?¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not completely useless,¡± Tiffany huffed.  ¡°It has some utility with forcing higher Grade spirits to join the Empire.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that is not necessary.  A ten thousand armed force of Fodder Unintelligent Undead wins controlling a few Rare-Grade spirits that didn¡¯t wish to join.  It¡¯s not worth it, in my opinion.¡±

    Tiffany released a soft sigh.  ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, but it¡¯s far from a useless skill.¡±

    ¡°I never said it was.¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°No, but you made it sound useless.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s put a pin in that conversation,¡± Elinor said, giving Tiffany a small smile.  ¡°I get the point and reserving my Skill Points has already crossed my mind.  Now, let¡¯s see what I have to work with.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s glare returned as Camellia stood beside Azalea, both in their original form, and she turned her vision upon the Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°Have you decided what to call our Empire, Elinor?¡±

    The Undying Empire sounds appropriate.  I believe you¡¯ve already mentioned something similar before.

    ¡°Oh, wonderful!¡±

    Tiffany cleared her throat, drawing everyone¡¯s eyes to the Witch, and her cheer was even creepier than the disgust or hatred she might have shown.  ¡°Welcome to the Undying Empire.  You are standing before Empress Elinor, Matriarch of the Dead, and you are all here by her grace.  Listen to her words carefully and take note because your time living on this planet depends on it.  I recommend you show the utmost respect.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s blood ran cold; the nervousness sweeping the room was palpable, and Edmon¡¯s dominating voice quickly took point after Tiffany had ended her introduction.  ¡°The Ri¡¯bot are before the Empress to stand trial.  You will not speak unless spoken to.  You have been warned.¡±

    She took a deep breath before addressing the throng, voice much colder than she remembered.  ¡°I¡¯ve thought a great deal about what I wanted to do since I¡¯m now trapped in this hostile world.  You will all stay quiet while I talk, and once I finish, I will speak to each group.¡±

    Her green irises darted to Folcra, narrowing as he cleared his throat.  ¡°I have an¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s teeth locked for a moment, and she spoke with a chilling tone.  ¡°People have told me that I have a bad temper.  If you interrupt me again, then I¡¯ll have you dismembered, gender changed, and hang you by your intestines.  Don¡¯t test my patience again.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s smile turned sinister as she eyed the toad, tongue sliding across her lips in anticipation.  Folcra¡¯s blue eyes moved to her, and a shiver ran down his body.

    ¡°As I was saying, I will speak to each group in time, but first, let me be clear about my intentions.  I¡¯m pissed, and that¡¯s the sum of it; simple and to the point.  I may appear cool and collected, but there is a volcanic eruption raging within my chest.

    ¡°I lost my world.  I lost my parents.  I lost my humanity.  Everything was taken from me the moment these toads called Ri¡¯bot invaded my planet.  School worried me, friends, my parents¡¯ opinion, boys, the whole nine yards.  I was a spoiled sixteen-year-old girl, and now, I¡¯m an Undead Empress in a foreign world, filled with monsters.¡±

    Her gaze swept the two human groups.  ¡°I¡¯m sure all of you can relate to some degree, and I sympathize with that.  You did not choose to be taken as slaves, murdered, kidnapped ¡­ literally, everything was taken away from you.  No, the Ri¡¯bot made that choice for us.¡±

    The Clavex Clan were far more terrified than the lone blue Ri¡¯bot that watched her silently, but his vision darted to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra every so often.

    ¡°I will not be killed so easily, though, and I will build an Empire to show my defiance to this curse that¡¯s been placed upon me.  Elinor, the teenager, died when the Ri¡¯bot attacked, and an Empress was born to bring their sins to justice.  I will start with the Clavex Clan.¡±

    Elinor glared at Nadraca, green irises flaming daggers.  ¡°How do you plead?¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s two teeth on either side of her mouth pressed against their lower lip as she stepped forward, arms folded tightly against her body.  ¡°G-Guilty ¡­ E-Empress Elinor.  It was¡ªit was me¡ªI created this expedition to¡ªto gather resources to free my people from debt.  The l-leader of my clan ¡­ The Mother Superior doesn¡¯t know what I¡¯ve done.¡±

    The toad-woman swallowed a hard lump, forcing her eyes closed for a moment before she cleared her throat.  ¡°I¡ªurhm ¡­ the Delthax Clan asked f-for us to come¡ªthis was a secret meeting to discuss the growing issues involving the Cnaxar Federation¡­¡±

    Folcra¡¯s nose creased as he shot a glare at her, but he didn¡¯t speak, vision darting to Azalea as she took on human form.  The girl was clothed in her silken underwear before the shadows left, and she casually sat on the stairs, feet hanging over the edge.  She wore a charming smile while eyeing Nadraca, and both her sisters soon changed their shapes, likely practicing the form on cooldown.

    Nadraca stumbled over her words, blue irises darting between the sisters before returning to Elinor.  ¡°T-The,¡± she swallowed, ¡°s-sorry¡ªI¡¯m just¡ªreally nervous.  Umm¡ªThe Mother Superior, she r-refused the meeting, but ¡­ but I wanted to see if I could use it to¡ªto help my clan.  S-So ¡­ please, just¡ªjust punish me.¡±  She tensed, closing her eyes while hunching over, seemingly expecting Elinor to strike her dead on the spot.

    Elinor¡¯s cold expression didn¡¯t falter as she turned to the group of women and two men Iris had brought back.  ¡°They plead guilty.  Choose a representative of your group to speak and tell me what you decide.¡±

    The women and two men gathered together; Elinor watched them whisper, discussing different topics, and it appeared a few of the women were a little upset with some of the other women with the men trying to calm both parties.

    ¡°An interesting approach,¡± Tiffany commented.  ¡°I¡¯d still love to make an example of that blue toad, though.  I don¡¯t like how calm he is.¡±

    ¡°Calm?¡±  Iris asked.  ¡°He¡¯s clearly frightened by his body language and scent.¡±

    ¡°Tiffany¡¯s right,¡± Edmon muttered.  ¡°The Clavex Clan has taken the proper approach; well, the best they could offer.  Denying their involvement would be tantamount to suicide, but being honest about their decisions gives them something to work with.¡±

    ¡°The pity victim card,¡± Tiffany huffed.  ¡°I hoped they¡¯d surprise me; it¡¯s so predictable.  Yes, Iris, he is frightened, but it¡¯s clearly not for the right reasons.¡±

    We will see when I get to him.  Elinor stated.  I have little connection to the Clavex Clan, but the Delthax Clan ¡­ they have close relations with the Roxim, and Valdar was an extremely important figure to them.  He should have all the answers I want concerning the attack on Earth.

    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± Tiffany hummed, pursing her lips to the side as she stared at the blue toad.  ¡°It would be simple for me to extract the information.¡±

    It would.  Elinor agreed.  However, I want to ask him myself, and I have no doubt you will have your time with him.

    ¡°Excellent!¡±  Tiffany cheered internally.  ¡°I liked your promise to him, though.  Change his gender and hang him by his intestines,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°Classic.  It still has me giggling inside.¡±

    Their attention returned to the group Iris brought back as the same man that had first spoken stepped forward.  ¡°My name is Severino, and the others have¡ªhave asked that I be the one to s-speak.  If that¡¯s okay?¡±

    Elinor nodded.  ¡°Go ahead, tell me what you think about their guilty plea?¡±

    Severino cleared his throat, turning to give two angry-looking women a stare.  ¡°I¡ªumm ¡­ for the most part.  We were treated very fairly ¡­ better than I think we expected, but there was¡ªone toad that these two ¡­ they said they watched him throw a crying child into the river.  They all kind of look¡ªlook the same, so ¡­ we don¡¯t really know who did it.¡±

    ¡°Other than that?¡±  Elinor asked, eyes narrowing.

    ¡°I mean, yeah¡ªit was cold, wet ¡­ we were in a hurricane, but yeah, that was really the only negative thing I heard.  Some were even saved from the orange, blue, and green ones with strange spots.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips pressed together for a moment.  ¡°Do you want them to be punished?¡±

    Nohemi jumped up; cheeks flushed with anger.  ¡°Don¡¯t hurt the nice one!  She saved me; the big nasty orange toad tried to stuff me in a pot, but the green one with pretty blue eyes saved me!¡±

    C¨¦lia quickly turned her attention to the girl, trying to calm her down.  ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, E-Empress Elinor ¡­ she¡¯s just a kid.  Shh, Nohemi, the grown-ups are talking.¡±

    ¡°But¡ªbut the nice one saved me ¡­ don¡¯t hurt her.  I shared chocolate with her.¡±

    ¡°How do you even know it¡¯s a her¡­¡±

    ¡°She is!¡±

    ¡°Okay, shh ¡­ just calm down.¡±

    Elinor took a deep breath before letting it out.  Nadraca was a strange shade of green, likely meaning she was pale-faced as she watched the child¡¯s tantrum.

    Severino cleared his throat, voice gaining strength as he took a deep breath.  ¡°We talked quickly, and ¡­ yes, we do believe the one¡ªyou called them Ri¡¯bot ¡­ that one should be punished, but the others.  If we¡¯re going by skin-tone, the green ones over there were very humane, and yes, even saved many humans from the other toads.  The children all have stories about it.  The other skin-colored Ri¡¯bot took most of their parents.¡±

    A low hum rumbled in Elinor¡¯s throat.  ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that answer, Severino.  They took you away from your family.  We cannot go back to Earth.  While they may not have taken part in much of the massacre, they still kidnapped you.¡±

    He licked his lips before shooting a glance at the Clavex members.  ¡°We¡¯d all like to¡ªwe¡¯d like to know the facts about why they did it.¡±

    An uncomfortable silence stretched as Elinor mulled over his answer.  How ridiculous!  Know the facts ¡­ they stole everything.  I don¡¯t care about the facts, but they do ¡­ am I being too emotional?  I had a bad temper as a human, but my Empress natures should be combating that side of me; although, the Lich half doesn¡¯t suppress hatred or disgust.

    So, the Clavex Clan was more humane than the others and even saved many of their lives.  I can see why they¡¯d draw an attachment to them, but they still kidnapped us.  There must be a punishment for that, and if Nadraca¡¯s confession is whole and true, then ¡­ it¡¯s by far a much better argument than anything Dalria has been able to come up with to spare her clan; she¡¯s even offering to pay it herself.  A martyr complex?  Maybe.  I¡¯m sure Tiffany would have a field day with it.

    No, there has to be something ¡­ okay, well, if she is sincere, then she wouldn¡¯t mind helping me get revenge upon the other clans that harmed us.  It can¡¯t be just that simple, though.

    She opened a communication channel with the court.  Tiffany, how soon until Dalria and Gwen are up?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ fairly soon.  I could wake Dalria up this instant if you wish.  She¡¯s just sleeping behind your throne, and Gwen has had plenty of sleep.  I¡¯m sure she¡¯d love to take the whole week off, though.  The poor thing.¡±

    Good.  Because of your Blood Ritual, those two can communicate.  Once I am finished, Iris, have one of your daughters join that group in the area we¡¯ve brought food.  The Ri¡¯bot are not to eat ¡­ unless the children feel charitable.  She sighed.  The humans can relieve themselves as they wish.

    Have another one of your daughters wake Gwen up and bring her to the second floor to eat.  Gwen can mingle with them and get the information they want out of Dalria.  I will pass my current judgment on the Clavex now.

    Elinor crossed her legs in the opposite direction while shifting to a more comfortable position upon the white throne.  ¡°Nadraca, step forward.¡±  Nadraca nervously separated herself from the group, and Elinor turned to the child.  ¡°Nohemi, could you come examine this Ri¡¯bot.  Is this the one you talked about?¡±

    A few of the women looked nervous as the girl happily jumped to her feet, running toward Nadraca to examine her.  The pale-skinned toad held her arms tightly against her gut, body rigid as she observed the curious child in front of her.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ yeah, uh-huh!  See that speckle in her eyes; it¡¯s the blue speckly-eyed toad!  She saved me!¡±

    Nadraca began to quiver as the girl hugged one of her legs, looking up at her while saying, ¡°Thank you!  You saved my mommy, too.  Where¡¯d she go on the boats?¡±

    The toad-woman¡¯s voice wavered.  ¡°E-Empress Elinor?  W-What¡¯s this little child doing to me?  I¡ªI don¡¯t understand it.¡±

    ¡°She says you saved her, and she¡¯s asking where her mother is.  Apparently, she was on one of your boats.  So, I¡¯m assuming she¡¯s currently on her way to the Nalvean capital city.  Correct?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes,¡± Nadraca squeaked.

    Elinor closed her eyes and took a deep breath as the girl looked up at her with wide eyes, asking a flurry of questions.  ¡°Okay, Nohemi, return to the group with the other kids.  You¡¯ll get your answers soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay!¡±  She darted back but turned around with a bright smile.  ¡°You¡¯re really nice, Empress Elinor.  I don¡¯t know why C¨¦lia and the others are scared of you.  I don¡¯t think you have a bad temper, too.  My daddy said I had one, but I don¡¯t!  Marcial always steals my toys, too, and lies about it.¡±

    ¡°Nu-uh!  I don¡¯t do that!¡±  A boy yelled.  ¡°You¡¯re a liar!¡±

    Elinor smiled a little.  This was supposed to be a cold trial ¡­ how did it turn out like this?

    Her hard features returned as the adults quickly got the kids to be silent, and her vision returned to Nadraca.  ¡°From the testimony I¡¯ve heard ¡­ your good behavior has not gone unnoticed, but you still kidnapped, and to pay off a debt, no less.  You will serve the Empire, and the humans you once held captive now hold you captive.  However, you will be treated with the same respect you showed them with one exception.¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s relieved expression tightened again.  ¡°An exception?¡±

    ¡°One of your people was seen throwing a child into the river.  Point that one Ri¡¯bot out, and the rest of you will not follow the same fate.¡±

    The Clavex Clan quickly separated, looking at one another in confusion, but after a few mumbled words between them, they left out one toad.  The lone Ri¡¯bot looked down at the ground, teeth pressing hard enough against his lips to draw green blood.

    ¡°You did what, Benira?¡±  Nadraca asked with hurt in her voice.

    A feminine voice responded, and to Elinor, she sounded like a teen.  ¡°Yes, Priestess ¡­ I did what they said.¡±

    ¡°I said¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what you said,¡± Benira mumbled.  ¡°It was just ¡­ it was so loud, and I had a headache.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡±  Elinor¡¯s vision moved to Iris as the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra took control; the Clavex members shifted uncomfortably as everything transpired, but didn¡¯t show a hint of resistance.

    ¡°Azalea, take Benira to Eltha with the prisoners from the Roxim Clan.  Camellia, escort the rest of the Clavex Clan to the place Tiffany prepared food; the Ri¡¯bot are not to eat unless the human children favor them.  Violet, you will take Dalria, the Ri¡¯bot behind the throne, to see Gwen, and bring them back to the humans for an explanation.¡±

    The three sisters responded in unison, quickly getting to their feet to follow her orders as Tiffany moved to awaken the sleeping warrior.  ¡°Yes, Mother.¡±

    ¡°Dalria,¡± Nadraca whispered, and Folcra seemed to be interested in the name, as well.

    Elinor smiled down at them as the humans followed the red-haired sister out of the hall, children lobbing questions at her strange appearance.

    ¡°Yes, Dalria, the famous Xaria of the Komath Clan.  She¡¯s now a slave to the Empire, and serves it faithfully.¡±

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Folcra mumbled, but his mouth snapped shut as he watched Dalria nervously step out from behind the throne with Tiffany by her side.

    ¡°You¡¯re to follow Violet, Dalria.  Understand?¡±

    The former Xaria nodded submissively, gripping her left arm tightly.

    ¡°Good.  You¡¯ll be answering all of the human¡¯s questions.  Now, be a good slave.  Off with you,¡± she stated, sending a smirk down at Folcra.  ¡°That¡¯s the expression I want to see ¡­ delicious.¡±

    The remaining humans were all caring for one another¡¯s injuries while listening silently to the conversation, waiting for their turn, and it appeared that this group would be far less forgiving than the last.

 B1 â€” 34. The Delthax Clanâ€™s Trial

    Elinor¡¯s glowing green irises followed the Clavex Clan and humans as they left the hall with the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra sisters, still in human form. The Ri¡¯bot were not the only ones giving fearful glances up at her; it appeared like a few of the human women among the group had their reservations about the situation they found themselves in, but Elinor didn¡¯t have the interest to focus on that particular issue.

    Once they had exited, she ordered her Quen¡¯Talrat soldiers stationed by the door to close it. The muffled sound of the storm outside died, leaving the space mostly silent; a few grunts echoed around the hall from the Torlim as their long tongues made noises while wetting the beasts¡¯ lips.

    Elinor¡¯s vision moved between the Aligator-toad creatures, noting the dead bodies inside the baskets they carried. Her frown lifted a little as not a single person spoke, waiting for her to initiate the conversation. Perhaps they¡¯re learning respect.

    Her focus finally centered on Folcra; after he witnessed Dalria¡¯s compliance, it appeared he¡¯d been lost in thought, but his eyes snapped onto her when she opened her lips. ¡°I will now move onto the Delthax Clan¡¯s trial. I think it was a rather poor decision to send your warriors away, Folcra. Do you know why?¡±

    A lump dropped down the leader¡¯s throat, but his focus never wavered from her. ¡°I couldn¡¯t guess your mind ¡­ Empress. Is that what you wish me to call you?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone reflected his words. ¡°Are you trying to disrespect the Empress in a subtle way after hearing so many address her properly?¡±

    ¡°Not at all, Lord,¡± he stated with a slight bow. ¡°I simply ask for clarification, and I mean no harm. Elder Valdar has been among many kingdoms and seen many customs that this ¡­ trial, follows. I would never dream of standing in the place of the Empress; therefore, I could never fathom the depth of her question.¡±

    Elinor watched the left corner of Tiffany¡¯s lips twitch. ¡°How bold. He¡¯s trying to be subtly facetious. Perhaps this is a defense or coping mechanism of his to deal with the stress. How would you respond to his inquiry, Iris?¡±

    ¡°There would be no inquiry for me to respond to,¡± Iris stated, expression making them all too aware of what she thought of the Ri¡¯bot and humans.

    ¡°Fair enough,¡± Tiffany giggled.

    Edmon¡¯s armored chest puffed out as he released a puff of air, sapphire fog expelling from his helmet to float below. ¡°All he is doing is increasing the length of his inevitable torment. Let him dig himself a deeper grave.¡±

    ¡°Interesting choice of words,¡± Tiffany hummed. ¡°I¡¯m sure our new little warden will have some new buried fantasies to act out once we¡¯re done.¡±

    Elinor let the silence stretch as she listened to the commentary of her Royal Court, but the conversation died once she responded. ¡°I will say it once, and only once. My name is Empress Elinor, and you will address me as either Empress or Empress Elinor and nothing else. After this warning, every time you disrespect my name, you will lose a finger. Once you¡¯ve lost the ten you have, then those of your fellow clansmen will be next. Now answer my question; I will not ask again.¡±

    Even the humans shivered at her response, and it took a moment for Folcra to respond; she¡¯d made it clear that anything short of a proper answer would have dire consequences. The two teeth on either side of his mouth pressed against his lower lips, and his hands were a lighter shade of blue than normal as they balled into fists.

    After a few seconds, he cleared his throat and said, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know why sending my fellow warriors home safely was the wrong decision. I cannot answer your question because I do not see why bringing them with me to face certain death, and subsequently being brought back ¡­ barred from our ancestral home in the sky, was a wrong choice.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s hair shifted to the right as she cocked her head with a small smirk lifting her cheeks. ¡°You think yourself a hero, then, and this is some noble sacrifice for those under you?¡±

    Tiffany could help but chuckle softly, covering her mouth with her fist with fits of mirth.

    Folcra¡¯s nose creased, vision shooting to the Witch, nostrils flaring a few times, but he managed to take a deep breath, closing his eyes for a time before opening them again, and his voice pacified. ¡°Honor is a way of life for many of the warrior tribes of the Ri¡¯bot. What I did was a sacrifice, but I do not consider myself worthy of such praise for allowing this new,¡± he licked his lips before continuing, ¡°blight to sully our land.¡±

    ¡°What did I tell you, Edmon. I was waiting for that phrase,¡± Tiffany said with a hint of amusement.

    ¡°Too clich¨¦.¡±

    ¡°Far too easy,¡± Tiffany agreed.

    Elinor shifted her hands in her lap, righting her posture. ¡°At least you take some credit for the circumstances you are in, but you¡¯re far too lenient on your participation. Why was your decision wrong? Because, now, I need to go back to your Clan¡¯s homes to retrieve those responsible.¡±

    ¡°I gave myself willingly as a sacrifice ¡­ is that not enough?¡± Folcra asked in disbelief. ¡°I gave up eternity with the Great Chiefs to pay the price demanded.¡±

    Tiffany smiled while slowly shaking her head. ¡°Oh, how very arrogant or at least ignorant of you.¡±

    Folcra seemed confused as he shifted his body to look at the humans, staring at him with malice as he sought an answer to Tiffany¡¯s statement. ¡°What ¡­ do you mean? How am I being arrogant or ignorant?¡± He asked, looking up at them, but his eyes moved to the black-armored Doom Guard as he explained.

    ¡°If a Ri¡¯bot steals food from another, is it the hand of his brother that is taken?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°No, justice requires the hand of the one that stole it. Justice cares not if that hand can throw better than his brother¡¯s or is quicker, but it takes its pound in flesh. The Empress was very merciful to the Clavex Clan because of their honesty and the witnesses that testified upon their behalf of their benevolence.

    ¡°However, mercy cannot satisfy justice, and she will drink her fill. The Clavex Clan kidnapped and robbed the humans of more than just their world and property, but much more, and they were sentenced because of that. How will those you imprisoned testify of their treatment?¡± Edmon asked, pointing a cold gauntlet at the bloodied and torn humans across the room from the Ri¡¯bot.

    Folcra¡¯s tone broke for a moment as he glanced between their flaming eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªyou will g-go to such lengths ¡­ even to the Delthax Clan¡¯s land?¡±

    Elinor chuckled softly, leaning forward a little as she glared down at the blue-skinned Ri¡¯bot. ¡°I told you, it was a mistake, Folcra. Now I will have my Undead horde cut a path through your lands and gather up every last Ri¡¯bot that was present during that raid, and if there are casualties among those uninvolved due to your carelessness, then that is on your own head.

    ¡°I will see every Ri¡¯bot that took part in that slaughter before my throne to be judged, and they will be held to the fullest extent of my law. Do you understand what that means?¡±

    Green blood appeared as his teeth bit into the outside of his lip, jagged edges cutting the flesh, and he needed to grip his left arm to stop it from shaking, likely envisioning green flaming Quen¡¯Talrat rampaging through his home.

    Elinor¡¯s smile rose further as she watched a few of the humans spit on the floor at him, faces screwed up with disgust and hate.

    ¡°Serves you right.¡±

    ¡°Bastards.¡±

    ¡°You all deserve to die.¡±

    The mutters died as she spoke again, addressing Folcra. ¡°I haven¡¯t even asked them their experiences yet, and they¡¯re cursing your entire clan. I¡¯m not an unreasonable Empress, Folcra, but even I am having trouble reconciling this wrath within me that wishes to burn the whole Ri¡¯bot race on stakes.

    ¡°Because I want to be merciful ¡­ even if I believe it to be mostly in vain, I¡¯ve given a challenge to both Nadraca and Dalria to save their race by convincing me otherwise, and I¡¯ll tell you this, Dalria has not done a good job.

    ¡°Nadraca, on the other hand, with the words of a child, has taken a decent first step. You better pray to your ancestors and hope that what I experience with retrieving those Ri¡¯bot you sent home doesn¡¯t hurt their efforts. Now,¡± she turned her attention to the humans, ¡°have you chosen a representative?¡±

    A large Hispanic man stepped forward, nosed twisted with disgust as he glared at Folcra. ¡°Yes, Empress Elinor. My name is Gervasio, and¡­¡± He glanced back at several of the heavily wounded individuals, teens, and the few elderly before returning his gaze to Elinor. ¡°We¡¯re still coming to terms with everything, but we first wanted to thank Camellia for everything she did for us and explained. We don¡¯t know exactly what¡¯s going on, but it seems pretty apparent.¡±

    He took a deep breath before shaking his head, and a shiver ran down his frame. ¡°We¡¯re in a whole new world ¡­ and if we want to survive, then we¡¯ll do what you say. It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re not exactly human anymore, but it seems you care for us at least a little, and we¡¯re thankful for that. Umm ¡­ yeah, a trial.¡±

    His tongue slid across his dry lips, and he breathed in a sharp breath through his teeth. ¡°They whipped us, cut us, killed children, women, and elderly indiscriminately, and forced us to walk through that storm without giving us a leaf for cover. The hail killed some¡­¡±

    Gervasio¡¯s throat constricted, and a few of the other humans began to cry as he continued. ¡°They fed¡ªa few kids and elderly to their¡ªtheir monsters as their family watched ¡­ they seemed to¡ªenjoy it. They didn¡¯t let us use the restroom or slow, and¡ªthey learned quickly that harming loved ones got us to move quicker.

    ¡°A few died of allergic reactions, poisonous bugs¡ªI think, too, and if someone d-died, then they¡¯d just throw them up on top with the rest of the dead. Personally ¡­ there was one woman in particular that haunts me ¡­ her screams when the monster was crushing her bones. She was alive ¡­ for so long ¡­ dragging half her through the mud while eating on the move.¡± He whispered, closing his eyes while hugging his shoulders.

    ¡°I see,¡± Elinor stated. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯d like to add?¡±

    ¡°... Just the memories ¡­ how it felt,¡± he mumbled. ¡°I can¡¯t¡ªexpress it.¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    Elinor nodded, ghostly green irises moving between the injuries on each of their bodies and the pain and hatred written upon their scarred tissue. Her focus shifted to the trembling blue toad-man. ¡°Valdar oversaw your journey back?¡±

    ¡°It was me¡­¡±

    ¡°Say that again,¡± Elinor demanded, vision narrowing.

    ¡°It was me ¡­ Valdar didn¡¯t do anything to them. It was all me. My orders.¡±

    Her tongue pressed against the side of her mouth as her nose creased. ¡°I don¡¯t like being lied to, Folcra. I know Valdar was the highest-ranking member in your group; everything would be done under his supervision, and therefore, directly responsible for allowing this to happen. Nadraca proved that some Ri¡¯bot can be caring and considerate; because of her leadership, her people are not being sent to be punished with the Roxim Clan members.¡±

    Folcra bowed his body for a moment, taking a deep breath before whispering, ¡°To the glory of Chief Valdar¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyebrow lifted as he bent down, shot up half a meter into the air, and dropped like a bag of rocks into a crumpled heap. What in the¡­

    ¡°Pathetic,¡± Edmon huffed.

    ¡°My, Iris, you¡¯re so quick! I didn¡¯t even see what you did.¡± Tiffany mused, hands behind her back as she bent forward a little to study the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s motionless form.

    ¡°Some form of projectile,¡± Edmon stated.

    Is he alive? Elinor questioned, breaking into the conversation as the humans froze in their movements, watching the fallen warrior with cautious eyes.

    ¡°Yes, Empress, he is alive. I paralyzed him. Given their natural resistance, and the type of genetic code I¡¯ve seen within the blue-skinned Ri¡¯bot, I¡¯d determine he will be incapacitated for fifteen minutes.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful work, but I shouldn¡¯t be surprised,¡± Tiffany chuckled. ¡°You are the Royal Executioner, after all.¡±

    Iris seemed entirely oblivious to the Witch¡¯s praises as her glowing red irises moved to study her Empress. ¡°What would you like me to do with him?¡±

    Elinor closed her eyes with slight annoyance before releasing a soft sigh. Give me a moment to think. He kept repeating that he was the one that gave the orders, but I¡¯ve come to see a very strict order within the Ri¡¯bot community structure. Valdar would have been the one directing things if he was there, which means he was lying, or¡­

    The world returned as she opened her eyes to scan the corpses littering the baskets on the back of the Torlim, and she smiled. Each of the baskets was separated between Ri¡¯bot and human, but there was only one with a single corpse, and though she wasn¡¯t sure, she had an idea of who it was. Well, then, Valdar, let¡¯s see how you died.

    She activated Herald of the Empress; the emerald flames lit to life around her folded hands as a handful of butterflies detached themselves from the blaze, gently flying down to the corpse just within the ability¡¯s range. They silently circled the body, and the ghostly image of the Ri¡¯bot rose from the remains.

    Elinor smirked down at the elderly toad as he stood up, feet still inside his corpse as he looked around. The humans tensed as she started to speak, and it soon became clear that she was addressing the body the butterflies circled. ¡°Valdar, I didn¡¯t expect to find you dead. Did one of the humans get the jump on you?¡±

    Valdar straightened, frame tilting to look up at her as his hands found each other behind his back, and his voice was young, unlike what she¡¯d heard before; it seemed his spirit had been returned to his prime. ¡°Elinor,¡± he sighed, ghostly nose twisting as he glanced around the hall. ¡°I hoped never to see this place again ¡­ it seems you¡¯ve captured Folcra, and rescued the rest of your kind.¡±

    He shifted his waist to get a better look at himself from the legs down. ¡°I appear to have died. Cruel, that I feel more alive like this than as a living elderly Ri¡¯bot. So,¡± his purple eyes lifted to her. ¡°What does the great Empress of the Dead wish with me? I will say, it¡¯s more than a little disconcerting that I don¡¯t recall entering the Great Hall of the Ancestors. Hmm ¡­ perhaps I made too many stupid mistakes in my life. Regrettable¡­¡±

    Elinor chuckled; she couldn¡¯t help but like the Chief¡¯s attitude, but the humans seemed a little concerned about her soft laughter in the deathly quiet throne room. ¡°I asked you before, how did you die?¡±

    Valdar¡¯s tongue slid across his mouth, crossing over his two left teeth. ¡°I could lie to you and spin all kinds of stories. I was rather fond of stories, although most Mystics tend to be well educated in our culture and history, but no, Empress, I know that would only draw your ire, and you¡¯d only compel me to be honest.¡±

    He was silent for a moment, closing his eyes before speaking. ¡°There it is ¡­ I feel the same darkness within you that the jungle showed me. There¡¯s a network ¡­ it¡¯s grown stronger since I last sensed it. Wait ¡­ this feeling is familiar. I experienced this cold shiver before¡­¡±

    His purple eyes shot to Iris. ¡°You brought back a terrifying monster ¡­ Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.¡±

    Tiffany clapped her hands excitedly. ¡°Oh, how perceptive! It¡¯s true that you are in a way connected to the Empress¡¯ network, so it stands to reason you¡¯d be able to sense parts of that link, and the strongest sources would stand out. That you are able to discern Iris¡¯ connection, though ¡­ you have quite the sensory abilities, my dear Mystic.

    ¡°A Ri¡¯bot warrior named Denral was quite talkative about a few of the Mystics in the different Clans. He did mention a few things about you that were special, though.¡±

    Valdar tested his range of motion for a moment before determining he was able to jump down from the back of the beast he was on. He walked over to Folcra, voice tired. ¡°How did I die? Ironically, it was in a vision of you. I suspect my frail heart gave out.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s smirk fell back into her passive expression. You had a heart attack while having a vision of me?

    ¡°Don¡¯t sound so surprised. The things the jungle showed me ¡­ what you have become is something never intended. It¡¯s not like you are the first of this world to return from the dead, and have such unholy abilities. However, the growth I sense is ¡­ something else entirely. You swallow everything ¡­ consume everything. You even beat back the vastness ¡­ the unseen eye.¡±

    He was silent for a moment as he studied the fallen warrior, stepping back as one of her Quen¡¯Talrat moved to take him to the dungeon with the others. ¡°Where are you taking him?¡±

    ¡°To his punishment for what he¡¯s done,¡± Elinor stated without emotion.

    ¡°What he¡¯s done,¡± Valdar whispered, turning to survey the humans. ¡°We all must answer for something in the end.¡±

    ¡°A rather sagacious thing to say,¡± Tiffany commented. ¡°Spoken from age?¡±

    ¡°You could say that. We all have regrets, but regrets are vain without action to correct them.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Elinor questioned, unfolding her legs to lean forward and stare down at the old Chief. ¡°And what action will you take in correcting the horrors done by those under you? Did you order them to harm these human prisoners like they did?¡±

    ¡°No, and I know I can do nothing to ease the suffering they¡¯ve endured; I won¡¯t be so pretentious. I don¡¯t need to be a Mystic to know the pain and hatred they must feel. I do feel somewhat responsible since the warriors that followed me likely took out their frustration on these people, trying to ease the shame of losing a Chief under their protection. Not that it¡¯s an excuse.¡±

    He looked up at her with a long sigh. ¡°So, I will pledge myself to you, Empress Elinor, and hope that you will take my counsel. I understand that you have these ¡­ what do you call the position of those three beside you?¡±

    ¡°The Royal Court,¡± Tiffany stated with amusement. ¡°Although, I highly doubt you qualify for such a role. I¡¯d call that a show of arrogance.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re right,¡± Valdar chuckled. ¡°I could not hold a candle to the power I sense within you four. However, I believe I may have the ability to contribute, and I will do anything to help preserve my Clan.¡±

    ¡°What about your race?¡± Elinor asked, eyes narrowing.

    ¡°I cannot speak for all Ri¡¯bot. I will be satisfied with just my people, and I feel that alone will be a daunting task.¡±

    ¡°Wise decision, indeed,¡± Edmon nodded. ¡°I can respect it, and you¡¯ve shown nothing but respect to the Empress.¡±

    ¡°Pride is for the young,¡± Valdar sighed. ¡°May I be of service, Empress Elinor? If only for my own sins against you, and if the opportunity presents itself, my Clan.¡±

    Elinor was silent for several seconds as she searched her own feelings on the matter. She couldn¡¯t understand why, but Valdar¡¯s words touched something within her, something connected to her Empress Passives. ¡°Edmon¡¯s right; I suppose you are proof there can be some wise Ri¡¯bot. Very well, Valdar. You will serve me, even if you are only a Rare-Grade spirit; I¡¯m sure Edmon will find some uses with your knowledge of this world.¡±

    She called upon him to awaken, and his spirit vanished, returning to his body. Valdar¡¯s skin burned with green flames as the butterflies converged upon him, and parts of his bone shone through. He wasn¡¯t quite as whole as Camellia, showing much of his bone and muscle, but he was far from just bone.

    Elinor turned her attention back to the humans; the doors had remained open after her minion had taken Folcra to the dungeon. ¡°You will all get the opportunity to see Folcra¡¯s punishment soon. Follow one of my minions to the rest of the humans.¡±

    ¡°Umm ¡­ Empress,¡± Gervasio cleared his throat, obviously a little agitated after seeing Valdar¡¯s body rise from the dead; the former Chief was silently studying his new body. ¡°I fear many of the wounded won¡¯t survive long in this environment without proper medical attention, and ¡­ I know there aren¡¯t any hospitals here.¡±

    She turned to Tiffany, expecting her opinion.

    Tiffany folded her arms under her chest, pulling up for a moment as she let go of a long sigh while studying the group. ¡°They¡¯re not wrong, but I¡¯m far from a medical expert within the Empire. I do have some knowledge of physiology that could be connected to medical school, but nothing so life-saving. There are some rituals that could aid in their recovery ¡­ however, every ritual has a price, and this would be vitality ¡­ life.¡±

    Then it¡¯s time to call upon that Ri¡¯bot that threw the child into the river. Elinor stated. She seemed young enough. Would that suffice?

    ¡°Maybe ¡­ honestly, I have no clue how much it would take. I¡¯ll use every drop, though!¡± She hummed as a thoughtful smile lifted her features. ¡°I don¡¯t want to use too much of my own energy, so I¡¯ll need to be a bit rougher on her, but that¡¯s not an issue. It will make a lovely experiment to test some of my healing rituals. Yes, actually, this is a wonderful opportunity!¡±

    One of the apes around them shifted positions for Tiffany to sit on his palm upon her order. ¡°Yes, the Empress has heard your pleas and has seen fit to allow me to aid in your treatment. Follow me to the main hall, and I will begin preparations! This will be fun.¡±

    By the look of their expressions, they weren¡¯t convinced but followed her out.

    Edmon folded his arms, causing his armor to clatter a little. ¡°I¡¯ll continue my work with the fortress and question Valdar further upon the surrounding area. Is that appropriate, Empress?¡±

    Yes, Edmon. That will do fine. I¡¯ll have Iris stay with me for safety while I think. I have a few things to consider, and after that, I¡¯ll see what the human and Ri¡¯bot are talking about. I¡¯d like to understand what¡¯s on their minds.

    Tiffany¡¯s voice entered her mind. ¡°I doubt they¡¯ll be so willing to speak openly while you¡¯re present, dear.¡±

    No, I think you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll watch through the eyes of one of my minions.

    ¡°Ah, I had nothing to worry about,¡± Tiffany chuckled. ¡°Very well, I¡¯m off to be a Witch Doctor. Oh, this will be so much fun!¡±

    Edmon sighed before hopping off the edge, dropping more than twenty meters to land on the granite floor, landing on one knee before rising. He walked out of the room, Valdar following him without question, and Elinor was left with three Skeletal Apes, Garu, and Iris. So ¡­ now, I need to set some rules, but first, I should observe them. What do they really think of me?

    ¡°That, we shall see, my dear,¡± Tiffany hummed in what seemed a knowing way.

 B1 â€” 35. A Choice To Be Made

    Elinor took a deep breath as she ordered her two minions by the door to seal it; she watched the large double doors close while letting go of the air in her artificial lungs.  Once it closed, she pulled her hair around, passing through the ghostly veil, and let gravity carry her back onto the oversized throne.  Finally, I can relax a bit¡­

    The cushion was more than comfortable, and it appeared the Yaltha¡¯ma had done their best to maintain and keep the throne clean.   The bright glow of the crystals above blinded her for a moment, and she closed her eyes, letting her body relax.  The hall was dead silent, and she couldn¡¯t even hear the storm raging outside.

    Her chest didn¡¯t rise as she refused to breathe, letting the silence envelop her.  There was so much to do.  What am I even doing?  Tiffany¡¯s made it clear that she has no interest in entertaining the living, but she still believes in me and what I wish to accomplish.  Edmon hasn¡¯t mentioned it at all.

    She was a little surprised to feel a tear slide down her cheek.  I haven¡¯t really mourned my parents¡¯ passing ¡­ or what I did to them.  Is that even something I¡¯m capable of?

    The liquid quickly cleared as Emotional Detachment subdued the burning sensation in her chest, but the memories wouldn¡¯t leave.  The thoughts come, but the emotions are pushed back.  My mom and dad weren¡¯t perfect, but they were mine ¡­ only mine.  I created something else to inhabit their bodies ¡­ yet, even how bad that sounds, I know they¡¯d wish for me to be taken care of.  Should I go forward with it then?

    The tranquil atmosphere was like the void in her earrings, pressing in around her, but the only thing that slipped through was the sadness that came and went in quick waves as she tried to let go.  Everything fell apart ¡­ it was so fast, and I¡¯m here, on a throne, passing judgment.  Now that they¡¯re gone ¡­ everything¡¯s gone ¡­ I¡¯m so young, but now I¡¯m left in this cold world.  Tiffany and Edmon can never hold me as my parents did ¡­ comfort me in the same way.

    Can I ever get over it since I can¡¯t express the emotions, or is my heart meant to burn like this forever as they¡¯re pushed down, left to smolder.  All I could want ¡­ but my wants mean nothing.  Certainly, to my minions, my desires are all important, but for me ¡­ there¡¯s no going back.  I broke my parents, and how am I supposed to live with that?  Project my part of the blame in breaking them onto the Ri¡¯bot.

    What else can I do?  Yell at this cruel universe for cursing me ¡­ lash out in fury?  What else do I have to do in the first place?  Perhaps, saving the other humans is a way for me to come to terms with losing my parents.

    Elinor opened her eyes, staring up at the bright white light above her; it didn¡¯t hurt the same as when she was human, but she saw spots all the same.  I can¡¯t really say, but I don¡¯t wish to die, and maybe it¡¯s that simple.  I want to survive; to do that, like Tiffany said earlier, intelligent creatures need purpose.  So, I will build an Empire, and I will foster an Empire that I can be proud of, which will require many evil acts, but what is right or wrong?

    Sitting up, she took a deep breath while pondering that question.  ¡°It feels so natural to breathe ¡­ Iris, do you have such a thing as a conscience?¡±

    Iris hadn¡¯t moved from her position, still staring at the hall below; her tone held no emotion.  ¡°I do not believe I fully understand that particular word, but from what your ability translates, yes, to a certain degree.  I feel a certain urge within me to do right by my daughters and the Queens that have come before me.  It is to this ideal that my decisions are made.¡±

    A small smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips as she folded her hands in her lap, staring at her extended feet.  ¡°You¡¯re so straight forward, and your answers aren¡¯t anything like Tiffany¡¯s; it¡¯s not as complicated.¡±

    ¡°I do not claim to be right or even to fully comprehend your question, but I make a decision based on that ideal and live with the consequences that follow.¡±

    ¡°I feel like your answer to Tiffany wasn¡¯t complete,¡± she licked her black lips before lying back down to stare up at the white crystal.  ¡°You may not have much of an opinion on the living, but I sense a bit of resistance between you two.  Are you dissatisfied with the orders I have given or Tiffany?¡±

    ¡°No, Empress.  Tiffany does have a perspective I do not share, but that is her right within the Court, and I accept that.  Personally, I have a few issues with the Witch, and she with I.  Although, I suspect she is becoming accustomed to my presence.¡±

    Elinor smirked, mind returning to Tiffany¡¯s scowl as Iris took her position beside Edmon.  ¡°It could be that.¡±  How much is an act for my sake?  Is it worth considering at all?  No, I¡¯m obsessing over this when I should be looking toward the future.

    Laws need to be established, order.  We can start with simple ones and work up from there, but first, they must realize this is not Earth.  I think they already know I am in charge by their reactions, but how will that be viewed over time?  An Empire needs land and people to enjoy it; I have a lot of work ahead of me, and I¡¯m bound to have many enemies in this land.

    Her eyes closed as she activated Lesser Possession; she left the minion in control of its body while observing.  The area was divided into four groups; there was the throng of mostly women taken by the Clavex Clan, the Ri¡¯bot, the few uninjured men, and women that were brought back with Camellia, and the children.

    The humans seemed to be in brighter spirits as they ate, and they appeared to enjoy Tiffany¡¯s cooking.  Each child was distracting themselves with made-up games, which the Ri¡¯bot watched with fascination.

    Her attention didn¡¯t linger long on the children, but she noted that they were playing princess and the prince, taking turns between themselves to act as the blue toads.  She listened to the group with Severino as he talked with a few women that surrounded him.

    ¡°... what the Empress said.  We¡¯re trapped here.¡±

    Nohemi pursed her lips, shaking her head.  ¡°I just can¡¯t believe that!  There has to be a way to get back home.¡±

    ¡°I want to believe, too,¡± a woman in her thirties muttered, ¡°I do, but look around you.  This is either the most real nightmare I¡¯ve ever had, or we¡¯re on a new planet with ¡­ the dead protecting us.¡±

    ¡°Where do we have to go?  We all saw the crystal break.¡±  The women fell silent, so Severino posed a new question.  ¡°What do you make of the Empress?¡±

    They were silent for a moment, and the women from before scooted over to join the conversation.  ¡°Cold ¡­ the coldest girl I¡¯ve ever seen¡ªbut at the same time, I could see the pain.  I have no doubt she would have done everything she said to those toads.¡°

    ¡°She¡¯s dangerous,¡± another mumbled.

    Severino nodded while eating a piece of meat, and after chewing, said, ¡°I can understand your fear, Cruzita.  She seems to have supernatural powers, but she saved us, and she didn¡¯t have to do that.  Why?¡±

    ¡°Slaves?¡±  Cruzita huffed, glaring down at the metal-like cup Tiffany had found for them to drink from.

    C¨¦lia shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so ¡­ you saw what she did to that toad, right?  She could just force us to work as slaves once we¡¯re dead.  She listened to Nohemi, too.¡±

    The third woman chuckled mirthlessly.  ¡°You honestly think that was really a trial?  We all know what it was.¡±

    A crease appeared in C¨¦lia¡¯s brow.  ¡°What?  No ¡­ she actually showed mercy to the toads that kidnapped us.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she should have killed them all,¡± Cruzita growled, nose twisting with disgust.  ¡°I don¡¯t see her being that cold, Ibbie.  She¡¯s just a girl that lost her parents ¡­ a lot of young girls lost their parents when they attacked.  You should have said something, Severino.¡±

    Elinor listened silently as the conversation continued; the children were laughing, using the large furniture as their forts while the adults had dark shadows cast over their faces, talking in hushed tones.

    ¡°I said what most of us agreed on,¡± Severino muttered before slowly taking another bite of his meat.

    Cruzita sucked on her lower lips for a moment before shooting a scathing glare at the Ri¡¯bot; they were leaning against the wall with two of her minions guarding them.  ¡°Monsters, the lot of them, and they deserve to be treated like monsters.¡±

    ¡°How can you say that?¡±  Ibbie asked.  ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about them, and they can obviously understand the Empress.¡±

    ¡°And why do you keep calling her that, huh?  She¡¯s a little girl¡­¡±

    ¡°Shut-up,¡± C¨¦lia growled.  ¡°Don¡¯t make things worse for the kids.  The only reason we have food and protection right now is because of that little girl.¡±  A lump dropped down her throat as she glanced at the skeletal ape Elinor was possessing.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but you saw Iris ¡­ the Empress has real power, and you shouldn¡¯t say things like that.¡±

    Ibbie shifted on the floor.  ¡°You heard what she told that one toad; be more careful with your words, Cruzita.¡±

    ¡°Like I care,¡± Cruzita sniffed, and angry tears appeared in her eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m broken, beat-up, and bruised ¡­ this is as far as I can go.  What¡¯s there for me to live for anyway, huh? Everyone I loved is either dead or taken to be killed like dogs.  Didn¡¯t you say your sister was in the other group?¡±  She asked while glaring at Severino, sniffing back snot.  ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with her, huh?¡±

    C¨¦lia¡¯s brown irises turned to him with concern.  ¡°Why aren¡¯t you with her?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ I will, in a bit¡­¡±  He mumbled, eyes downcast as he lowered his hand from his mouth.  ¡°It¡¯s enough that she¡¯s safe ¡­ that one woman that stood with the Empress is taking care of her cuts.¡±

    ¡°Excuses,¡± Cruzita mumbled.

    ¡°Knock it off,¡± Ibbie snapped.  ¡°Quit taking out your anger on everyone else.¡±

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Cruzita¡¯s nose flared with rage, but she brushed her black hair to the side while moving to the opposite side of the group.  ¡°Fine.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s getting on my nerves,¡± C¨¦lia growled.  ¡°Does she care about the kids getting hurt at all?¡±

    Severino¡¯s left arm began to shake, and he dropped the meat he was carrying.  He chuckled weakly as the two women¡¯s lips pursed.  ¡°I¡¯m fine ¡­ just a little worked up.  Give her a little slack, though.  She¡¯s been through a lot.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve all been through a lot; she has no excuse herself,¡± Ibbie whispered, but she seemed to drop the subject after that.  ¡°Why do you think the Empress wants us around?¡±

    He shrugged, taking a few more calming breaths before picking up the meat.  ¡°Who knows, but I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll tell us.  We need to face the facts, though ¡­ it¡¯s not going to be the same, and we have to do whatever she says.¡±

    Elinor had heard enough; she released Lesser Possession, opening her glowing green eyes before sitting up.  I suppose I didn¡¯t really need to listen to them to understand where they¡¯re coming from.  Now is the time to decide what kind of Empress I want to be.  Okay, then I¡¯ll show them.

    She ordered the minion beside her to extend its arm, and she transferred to it.  ¡°Iris, I¡¯m going to talk with the humans while they eat.  I have a few things to cement in their minds.¡±

    Iris followed without comment, keeping pace with the ape as he descended the stairs, and halfway down, she had the skeleton pause.  Her vision narrowed while she turned her mount to the side, staring up at the bony toad beside it.

    Garu was my link to talking with the Ri¡¯bot, but I have Valdar now.  Keeping him protected makes little sense; okay, Garu, go kill things in the surrounding forest and bring them back with Quin to level up.  Perhaps you¡¯ll break past the speaking barrier within your level.

    Garu responded without hesitation, jumping down to run out of the palace through the opening doors as her guards unsealed the entrance.  The door shut behind her, leaving the lone skeletal ape in the sanctuary hallway, defending it.

    Iris and her three guards escorted her to the second story of the palace¡¯s right-wing, causing all chatter to die down as her presence became known.  Everyone shifted uncomfortably as she gazed between each face; they were a bit more than nervous.

    Elinor held her dignified posture atop the skeletal hand as she addressed the humans, and took notes from what Tiffany had taught her about the makings of an Empire.

    ¡°I understand each of your fears.  We are in an unknown land.  We have been kidnapped, divided, beaten, crushed, demoralized, and left utterly confused, but let me be clear, we will not remain as such.  I know your concerns are justified.  I am no longer completely human; I am sure of it, and you can see it with those that serve me.

    ¡°That being said, a piece of me still remains, and I sympathize with each of you.¡±  She looked at each doubtful face as she continued.  ¡°I am going to build an Empire in this world.  A place where those within it do not need to live in terror of what might be in the jungle or in the fields because I am there.

    ¡°The Undead are a symbol of an Undying Empire that will not tolerate any violation of law within my land.  I will be unyielding in my efforts to create this sanctuary, and all those that swear loyalty to that nation will have the weight of an Undead legion between them and the monsters without.

    ¡°Yes, the Undead horrify the living in any world.  However, what you see is actually an extension of myself.  They follow every order I give, and they cannot plot against me; I am the only voice in their minds, which means all those under my protection will have no fear of the dead.¡±

    Her focus shifted to C¨¦lia.  ¡°Each of you has your own fears of me and this world, but there is one thing each of you craves, and that is security, a place of safety for your loved ones with food, water, shelter, medication, and everything you need to have a meaningful life, which the Undead do not need.  That is the place I am in the process of building.  Do you have any questions?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips lifted into a soft smile as a few kids¡¯ hands were the first that flew into the air, and they spoke soon after.

    ¡°Can my brother come?¡±

    ¡°What about my mommy; she¡¯s with the other toads.¡±

    ¡°I want to protect Amy from the monsters!¡±

    Elinor lifted her hands with a soft chuckle and turned her attention to a wild-looking man with a beard.  ¡°My name is Desi, Empress.  That¡ªtrial you held ¡­ you told that toad that it was a bad move to send his people away.¡±  A dark grin moved his chapped lips and shadowed eyes.  ¡°You¡¯re going to hunt them down, right?¡±

    Her gaze moved between a few faces that hardened with anger, and her smile grew.  ¡°Yes, Desi.  There are always priorities, but I will make sure the toads that were involved are punished to the utmost of my laws.¡±

    Another man raised his hand.  ¡°Gervasio, Lady Empress, umm¡ªwhen you say, your laws.  Could you clarify a bit on that?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s hands folded neatly in her lap as she responded.  ¡°I will not lie to you.  A military guarded every Empire, kingdom, or nation in history, and that military is what secures the rights of those people to do as they please without the worry of outside forces subjugating them and taking all that you have labored for.

    ¡°Will there be laws in my Empire?  Yes, and all those that choose to be a part of my Empire, and yes, it is a choice, will abide by them or face the consequences.  Consider what you have experienced with the laws of this land already.

    ¡°Life in an untamed world is brutal, you¡¯ve all seen it, and only overwhelming force or surrender can be the response to those seeking to do you harm.  The world standard is set by the strongest nation.  If they do not fear or respect you, then they will never listen to you; to negotiate, you need fear, respect, or both, and both respect and fear are not given, but earned.¡±

    More than one heart skipped a beat, and not one person looked away.  After several seconds, a man tentatively raised his hand.  ¡°Will you¡ªwill you make us Undead ¡­ or our loved ones that have already passed on, and I¡¯m not delusional enough to think we could ever stop you, but ¡­ what would they be like?¡±

    From the sudden tension that swept the groups, it was apparent this was a universal question.  She felt Violet returning, escorting Gwen and Dalria.  ¡°I am not unreasonable; I can understand why each of you would have hope and fear of this topic.  I have experience with this first hand.  Is it possible for me to return your loved ones in almost the exact same state?  Yes.  I say almost because they will be utterly loyal to me.¡±

    A woman¡¯s shaky voice gained strength from behind a few women in the Clavex group.  ¡°Will they have their¡ªtheir memories?¡±

    ¡°In time, depending on certain conditions, it can be hastened, but they must kill other creatures in order to regain those sealed memories.  I will not explain the complexities of why that is, but it is a condition, and as far as I know, they cannot leave my service.  The Undead¡¯s continued existence relies on me feeding them my power.¡±

    A question crossed Elinor¡¯s mind, and she quickly addressed it.  Edmon, can the Undead function long distances while away from me?

    ¡°The Fodder, no.  Only those that can withhold and sustain themselves for an extended period, usually those with higher Grades.¡±

    Thank you, that¡¯s all I wished to know.

    ¡°My pleasure, Empress.¡±

    So ¡­ I need to increase my distance a fair bit to cover an Empire, but it should be a skill I can obtain if I am meant to rule over a vast region.

    Her attention moved back to the throng as they watched her with uncertainty, and a young boy asked.  ¡°What about the frog people!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re toads, idiot,¡± Nohemi giggled.

    ¡°I knew that!¡±

    ¡°Did not!¡±

    ¡°Kids, knock it off,¡± one of the men sitting nearby growled, silencing them as they shot each other heated glares.

    ¡°What about the toads?¡±  Elinor asked patiently.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ can they¡ªyou know, live with us, too?  I want to play with toad kids!  Nohemi¡¯s mean.¡±

    ¡°Nu-uh, you¡¯re mean!¡±

    They quieted down as Elinor spoke.  ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know.  We will see in the future.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±  The boy pumped his arm.  ¡°It¡¯s not a no!¡±

    ¡°I want to have fun with the one that saved me,¡± Nohemi mumbled, glancing over at the Clavex Clan members.  ¡°They look hungry, but Ysabel told me not to.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips fell slightly.  ¡°I said that the children could feed them if they wished to.¡±

    A woman cleared her throat, clearly frightened.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Empress ¡­ I¡ªI won¡¯t make the mistake again.¡±

    Elinor breathed out a long sigh before turning her attention to Gwen and Dalria as they climbed the side of the stairs with Violet.  ¡°Gwen, how are you feeling after your rest?¡±

    Gwen gave her a nervous chuckle while scanning the new faces, and Dalria refused to make eye contact.  ¡°Much better, thank you, Empress Elinor, and I see we have a lot of new people.  Violet was a lovely¡ªsurprise.  Umm, you also made food?¡±

    ¡°Tiffany prepared some.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw her healing people ¡­ remarkable, really,¡± she said while brushing her bangs behind her ears.  ¡°Is there, umm, anything I should know?¡±

    ¡°I was just explaining to them that they can choose to be a part of my Empire or take their chances in the wild.  I will not force you to stay, but if you choose to be a part, then I expect you to recognize me as Empress and the laws I create.  Each of you will need to make this decision, and I will be clear, once you leave, I may not accept you back.  You must choose this night to either serve me or try to survive on your own.¡±

    A woman jumped up.  ¡°Carmencita, Lady Empress, umm¡ªwhat if we start a town somewhere and you expand to that location?¡±

    ¡°I already explained that before,¡± Elinor stated evenly.  ¡°Once I claim a land, then I will expect those that live there to choose to serve, move, or die, and their corpses are free reign for my ranks.  I will be respected, and if necessary, feared.¡±

    She pursed her lips, nodding slowly.  ¡°Yes, Lady Empress.¡±

    ¡°I will leave you in peace, and know that I do not expect any of you to take part in my army.  You are to help sustain yourselves with my aid in my land, but I am only providing a place of law and order.  Tonight, eat, drink, and rest, but after you have slept, then you must choose.  I am being very generous with providing the items you should need if you do not accept my rule, but know that from what I have discovered of this land, it is far more deadly than Earth, and the toad-people that you¡¯ve witnessed are nowhere near apex predators.¡±

    Turning back to Gwen, Elinor smiled.  ¡°I expect you will be staying with the Empire and helping Tiffany?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but¡ªumm, she scares me, Empress,¡± Gwen chuckled forcefully, trying to tame her wild red hair.  ¡°Like ¡­ she really scares me, but I¡¯m happy to be safe within this Empire you are building.  Violet told me a bit about what has happened since I went to sleep.  Thank you for rescuing so many people; this is amazing.¡±

    C¨¦lia hesitantly stood up, glancing toward the kids before saying, ¡°Umm¡ªEmpress, for the kids, can we explore this place to clear our heads and decide if we should stay?  I know our options are basically joining you or dying in the jungle, but ¡­ it would just make me feel a little better.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with that, but it would be best to keep an escort.¡±  She ordered one of her minions to follow and protect the kids, and it slowly moved to stand beside the children as they played, cheering while using the ape¡¯s presence as a part of their game.

    ¡°Of course,¡± she chuckled.  ¡°Oh, and thank you, Empress ¡­ all of this really does mean a lot to me, and¡ªplease?¡±

    She nodded, causing a soft stir among the others.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress,¡± she breathed a relieved sigh before rebuilding her confidence.  ¡°Umm¡ªif we do stay, what do you want us to do?  I know you said we¡¯d be providing for our needs with some of your help, but ¡­ is there anything more?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor kept her eye on C¨¦lia for a moment as she thought, making her fidget.  ¡°You may be involved in gathering resources for trade with other nations, and perhaps within time, I will provide a framework similar to our previous world, but to be honest, many things are not yet decided.

    ¡°I do not need to eat, and I don¡¯t require much, but for a functioning Empire to thrive, I need an active populace.  In the short term, think medieval kingdoms, but I do not require my subjects to go to war.¡±

    ¡°Most generous,¡± C¨¦lia whispered.  ¡°Thank you, Empress Elinor.  It really does sound like a good deal ¡­ I don¡¯t know how we can repay you, but I know I¡¯d like to help ¡­ if I can, and not be something I¡¯m terrified of doing, but maybe I¡¯m asking too much,¡± she giggled nervously.  ¡°Sorry for taking your time!¡±  She quickly sat down.

    ¡°No issue,¡± Elinor nodded before turning back to Gwen.  ¡°This is only the beginning.  I will prepare a bit more, and then I will see where to strike next.  Answer any more questions they might have.¡±  Her portable throne descended the stairs to meet up with Edmon upon her command.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain what little I know, Empress,¡± she said with a warm smile.  ¡°Thank you, again.¡±

    Elinor continued down the stairs with Iris beside her.  What has Edmon been plotting?  Let¡¯s see what progress he¡¯s made.

 B1 â€” 36. Lingering Humanity

    Elinor sat comfortably upon her mobile throne, resting her back against her skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s bony palm while he slowly descended the stairs.  Iris and her bodyguards remained close, and a thought struck Elinor as her glowing green irises moved to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen.

    She hasn¡¯t ordered the fodder to pick her up and carry her.  Why?  She¡¯s elegant and graceful while she moves but always walks on her own.  Perhaps I¡¯m the one that¡¯s strange to her?  Tiffany and Edmon have no issues jumping aboard.  I suppose it¡¯s just culture, and I¡¯ll likely be exposed to a lot of diverse cultures in this new world.

    This is a battle for survival, and I have my minions, humans, and even captives now.  She glanced back at the upper balcony of the second floor, where the soft sounds of human voices echoed from.  Why do I feel so alone right now, then?

    Her left hand rose, pressing against her chest, fingers curling in; and the smooth texture of her dress ticked her skin.  All it takes is a moment to alter a life ¡­ I¡¯m such a mess.  Why am I feeling so low right now?  Why am I drowning in my thoughts ¡­ my heart¡¯s becoming so empty and cold, yet I still have this piece of humanity within me that¡¯s fighting.

    ¡°Empress, is something wrong?¡±  Elinor¡¯s vision dropped to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen as she glanced up at her, brow creased with concern.

    A soft smile moved Elinor¡¯s lips.  No, not really.  Where do you go when there¡¯s nowhere to go?

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the question.  We can go anywhere you desire.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t respond, head turning to observe the group of humans and Torlim resting in the central entryway while Tiffany continued her work.  The crowd was thinning surprisingly fast; at least a quarter of the injured seemed to have recovered enough to bear their pain.

    Benira, the Clavex Clan member that had killed a child, seemed to be paralyzed on a wooden table that had been flipped on its side.  Occultish symbols and designs had been painted on her body with clay, lines leading from the teenage Ri¡¯bot to a circle that the humans entered to be healed.

    Tiffany moved between the injured, painting different symbols on them, and upon entering the ring, the markings glowed orange, repairing the tissue before flaking off.  One decision ¡­ maybe I¡¯m no older than that Ri¡¯bot if I compared her to a human.  Her entire life changed and now look at her.

    The young Ri¡¯bot was young no more; her skin was discoloring with every human that entered the circle, and her eyes were beginning to dim.  Elinor frowned as she paused her steed¡¯s march, watching two more humans have three rather nasty gashes healed, an orange radiant glow sealing the wounds.

    Ri¡¯bot will say I¡¯m the worst ¡­ the humans I save will say I¡¯m the best.  Damn ¡­ how do I know what¡¯s real when my mind questions all I know, and how do I protect myself from myself when I¡¯m feeling low?  Emotional Loss should handle this, but it¡¯s not ¡­ not completely.

    Elinor shook her head.  It¡¯s not a question about direction, Iris.  I know the hurt will come back from time to time; there¡¯s so much love, confusion, pain, and hatred swirling inside me.  She chuckled softly.  I feel like people would tell me to get my shit together ¡­ easier said than done.  All it takes is a moment ¡­ one decision and your entire life is in shambles.

    Iris¡¯ frown deepened as she moved to follow Elinor¡¯s gaze, glowing red eyes shifting between the injured humans.  ¡°What are your orders?  Do you wish me to kill them?¡±

    Elinor released a soft sigh.  No, that won¡¯t help me.  This human part of me ¡­ am I making a difference with the decisions I make?  I suppose you wouldn¡¯t understand what¡¯s going through my mind, Iris.  It¡¯s alright, just give me time to think in silence; these are demons you can¡¯t slay for me.

    ¡°As you wish,¡± Iris stated, and she felt a connection open between her and TIffany, likely asking for her advice.

    Elinor let them have their privacy, and she knew Tiffany would make contact with her after Iris¡¯ inquiries.  These things on my chest ¡­ am I pretending or coping?  What am I really gaining from saving these humans and throwing so much energy at the Ri¡¯bot?  What is there to live for?  Yet, at the same time, I know I don¡¯t want to die.  It¡¯s so confusing.

    The moment Iris closed her communication with Tiffany, Elinor spoke, eyes resting on the aging Ri¡¯bot.  Tiffany, will Benira make it to the end?

    The Witch hummed thoughtfully, smiling before waving at her from across the hall.  ¡°Oh, most definitely not.  I¡¯ll soon need to find more sacrifices to fuel my ritual, but umm, Iris said you were asking her questions?  What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    Elinor sat quietly as the humans shifted on the floor, shooting nervous glances her way, and to her left, she noticed a few of the children and adults peering down at her between the wide railing of the second landing.

    People only care when they benefit ¡­ I¡¯m no different, I think.  I suppose I¡¯m just trying to unwind, but I can¡¯t really describe the feelings I have.  I know I¡¯m blessed with what I currently have, but at the same time, I feel so empty and cold.  I¡¯m stuck in my mind.

    Tiffany¡¯s smile vanished, folding her arms; her black bra poked out as her shirt shifted from the action.  ¡°Questions of the heart are rarely simple, Dear.  Emotional Loss is not handling those feelings?¡±

    You know about Emotional Loss?

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m aware of a few of your abilities.¡±

    Elinor shook her head, eyes dropping to the floor.  No, I feel like Emotional Loss is just a coping mechanism.  I still need to address my feelings.

    Tiffany cleared her throat, arms dropping to clasp her hands in front of her.  ¡°Umm, Iris mentioned demons she can¡¯t slay.  Are you having second thoughts about using the Ri¡¯bot in this manner?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond right away, searching her heart, and there was little to discover other than the hate, but there was pain hidden within that blaze.  Building an Empire is obviously something I must do, but for what reason?  Just surviving isn¡¯t a strong enough reason, and I¡¯m not totally sold on my own thoughts.

    Her sad smile returned.  Power isn¡¯t a cure to feeling depressed, is it?

    Tiffany¡¯s vision lowered.  ¡°You have a hole in your heart, which is something we cannot help fill.  I may not understand it, but I have the knowledge.  My advice, use your hate to pull yourself out, but I know that might not be the answer you¡¯re looking for.  Your love is dulled, which means you must use another means other than sadness or joy.¡±

    Depression should be dulled, too, but still, it¡¯s strong enough.  No¡­ that¡¯s something for another time.  What about Benira¡¯s replacement?

    ¡°Did you have anyone in mind?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips pursed as her vision lifted to the dying teenager.  I¡¯ve made quite the impression already, but who should go next?  She pondered on the issue for a moment before making her decision.  It must be one of the Roxim Clan recon members we¡¯ve captured.

    It wouldn¡¯t be fair to demand a sacrifice from the remaining Clavex prisoners; to be honest, I¡¯m a little shocked that I could make that decision ¡­ with my hate.  Maybe it has to do with these emotions I¡¯m feeling.

    ¡°What about that Delthax Clan member?  He was sentenced to death.¡±

    Her mind returned to the Ri¡¯bot left in charge after Valdar had died, and the embers in her heart heated while glancing between the wounded.  How painful is the process?

    Tiffany folded her arms again, now completely paused in her task as she focused on her.  ¡°Not that painful, to be honest.  The ritual saps the cell integrity from an individual and directs it into the specified locations of the intended body meant to be healed.  It¡¯s not quite an equivalent exchange; there is energy loss within the method I¡¯m using.  I¡¯m basically just giving the person¡¯s cells a boost in their recovery time.

    ¡°The side effect to the one giving their energy is simply that of old age.  It is semi-reversible given time to rest, but we are far beyond that point for this girl.¡±  Tiffany chuckled.  ¡°She¡¯ll be experiencing frail bones, thin skin and veins, and in general, extreme malnourishment.  She¡¯ll go downhill very fast from here; another patient or two, and she¡¯ll look like a mummy.¡±

    So, it¡¯s basically like drowning, in a way, peaceful; she¡¯s just aging rapidly?

    Tiffany cocked her head, flipping her hair back with a thoughtful hum.  ¡°Not quite.  There is pain and discomfort, but nothing compared to what I could inflict.¡±

    Then I chose not to give Folcra for this task; I need an example to be made of him.  I consider the healing you¡¯re doing as a form of sacrifice; she took a child¡¯s life and is now literally giving her own to provide it for others.  However, I need something eye-catching and painful for Folcra that I can show his people.

    ¡°I see,¡± Tiffany played with a lock of her black hair, twirling it around her index finger as she thought in silence.  After a moment, her smile grew.

    ¡°I could cause a severe case of full-body hematidrosis.  Basically, he¡¯d bleed from every pore.  I¡¯d love to see it, personally; isn¡¯t it a fascinating thought?  Normally there¡¯s extreme abdominal pain and migraines attributed to the process, too, and I can use his own cellular vitality to replenish his blood to prolong the suffering.

    ¡°It¡¯s not sustainable, of course,¡± she giggled, making those around her shy away with concerned expressions, but she paid them no mind.  ¡°He¡¯ll get older as his blood is replaced, and his physical strength will slowly leave him as he becomes weaker and weaker until finally, his heart won¡¯t have the strength to keep pumping.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips lifted into a half-smile.  Do that, but we¡¯ll save it for when we go to Valdar¡¯s village.  Now, I don¡¯t know the names of the Roxim prisoners, nor care to learn them.  Choose whichever you like most; I¡¯m sure this will be a merciful death compared to what the others will receive.

    ¡°Oh, delightful!  I¡¯ll have to choose Roka, then.  Everyone but he has broken their warrior¡¯s oath; of course, he¡¯s not really all there anymore, but it¡¯s to be expected after such torture.  You could say he¡¯s a fanatical zealot at this point.  It was a fun experiment; by their own religious beliefs, those that broke it are going to suffer in boiling pits of oil for all eternity.¡±  She giggled.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    The spark of joy Elinor felt from Tiffany explaining what interested her about the torture gave her a bit of doubt in the Witch¡¯s moral code.  She knew it before, but it was something else entirely to hear her speak so openly about it.  Tiffany was not innocent or concerned about her lost humanity.

    I¡¯m not a heroine ¡­ I¡¯m not even an anti-heroine.  An itch at the back of her gut told her what she was doing was wrong, and she knew she could stop it with one decision, yet she let it continue without much resistance.  Another night, another battle in my mind and humanity is losing.

    She directed her mount to move up the left side of the great hall, ascending the granite stairs to follow her link to Edmon inside the West Wing.  Tiffany continued expressing her thoughts, resuming her work with the humans; Elinor wasn¡¯t particularly interested, but just hearing her mother¡¯s voice helped the tightness in her chest, even with the gruesome topic.

    ¡°Toka was put in charge of their little band of spies, and she had a hard outer shell, but the moment it was cracked, it was like dangling candy in front of a child.  Toka¡¯s weakness was her brother; she couldn¡¯t stand watching him tortured, and threw the others under the bus eventually.  Eltha has a surprisingly sharp mind.  She¡¯s nowhere near the level of voracious savagery that humanity can produce, but given some time, she may surprise me.

    ¡°One by one, they each gave away their eternity, damning their souls to stop the temporary pain of their comrades.  Of course, to them, I could make it last forever, and isn¡¯t that the key?  They believe their version of hell is better than time spent with me.  I¡¯m almost flattered, and I¡¯m not even the Royal Persecutor; it¡¯s just an educational hobby for me.¡±

    Oh?  Elinor chuckled softly while rising to the second level of the West Wing.  You¡¯re a torture hobbyist?

    ¡°A bit of dabbling in it has caught my interest; really, it was about pushing their beliefs to the breaking point.¡±  She mused.  ¡°Witchcraft has many avenues that play with the other Court Members¡¯ specialties; I¡¯m supposed to be a jack of all trades.  Oh, if you¡¯ll excuse me, Dear, it seems my little ball of youthful energy has gone out on me.  Hmm, she withered away quicker than I expected; perhaps the Ri¡¯bot don¡¯t have the life expectancy I hypothesized.  A pity.

    ¡°Oh, Elinor, one last thing; what would you like me to do with the body?  I could use it for a few rituals unless you have plans for it.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s green irises lifted to the second floor¡¯s ceiling as she reached the level; Iris had remained utterly silent, a ghost with how unnoticeable she was.  The only reason she even sensed her presence was because of her link to the spider, and she was back in her original form.

    Her mind returned to the moment she¡¯d held the corpses of her dead parents, and her vision lowered to the granite floor.  What ¡­ do you think about returning it to the Clavex Clan?

    Tiffany¡¯s tone made it clear she was disappointed but soon regained its joyful bounce.  ¡°Returning the corpse to her Clan ¡­ well, it would give them a chance to mourn.  If you were going by their cultural beliefs that I¡¯ve learned, they¡¯d respect you for it, if that¡¯s what you want.

    ¡°They usually like to throw their dead into tar pits for some odd reason; I don¡¯t quite get why that was, and if you even offered that to them, it would show that you care enough to learn their customs.  I can see you working through the principles I taught you earlier; again, it depends on how you wish to frame your Empire.¡±

    I see ¡­ give me a moment to consider it.

    ¡°Of course, in the meantime, I¡¯ll send for Roka; it¡¯s time for him to enter his lush jungle in the sky with its dazzling magical stones.  Hehe, such fun beliefs.¡±

    Elinor pulled back her link to Tiffany.  There seems to be a divide among the groups.  Those taken prisoner by the Clavex Clan appear to be in agreement as a majority; they think their captors are intelligent creatures with empathy and reason, and they deserve fair treatment as they were shown.

    Yet, on the other hand, those taken by the Delthax Clan see them as horrifying monsters that should be eliminated.  If I want them to start getting over the trauma this has caused them; then I need to address both sides, but ¡­ why would I want that?

    Racism could easily bloom among the Delthax survivors, while those rescued from the Clavex would come to defend them, especially the children.  Do I want harmony or division?  Obviously, peace would be more beneficial as an Empire ¡­ order is needed, but my hatred.

    That divide could be harmful overall.  I can¡¯t be too light on them, but I can¡¯t be too hard ¡­ if I want to curb both parties¡¯ concerns, and logically, they¡¯re both valid, then I¡¯ll need to find a solution.  This is more than just returning an executed criminal, but to them, she was someone¡¯s daughter, friend, even lover for all I know.

    I recognize that ¡­ yet, a part of my heart tells me to crush every family into dust, and my gut tells me not to be hasty about it.  One sentence, yet the consequences that sentence brings ¡­ it can change lives; I suppose this is what it means to hold real power and the weight that presses on the heart of a leader.  I¡¯ll be forced to do things I don¡¯t like¡­

    She glanced at her left hand, bringing it up in the pitch-black hallway of the West Wing as they continued down the long corridor; she noticed stairs halfway down, leading to the floors below and above, but quickly dismissed them to return to her internal problem.  After a moment, she contacted Edmon and explained her thoughts.

    ¡°I¡¯ll prepare for your arrival,¡± Edmon stated in a neutral tone.  ¡°As for your question, it is a difficult one.  I agree with Tiffany¡¯s opinion, to a degree, we cannot help you with such emotions.  We are your servants, not your parents.  That being said, I would personally advise taking the indentured servitude path for the Ri¡¯bot.  You wish to be harsh, but not overbearing; order both parties to come together upon the terms, and you act as the enforcer.

    ¡°However,¡± his tone lowered, adding a hard edge.  ¡°You must alter this contract on both sides once it is given to you; it is paramount that you display before all of them that you are in charge and make all decisions.  This is something only given and enforced by your grace.¡±

    Edmon took a deep breath before letting it out in a long stream, audible through the connection.  ¡°That being said, I would start at the indentured servitude part, and let the Clan know that they can earn their right to freedom; that may be inside the Empire or outside of it, and perhaps there can be a clause for both options in the deal.¡±

    Elinor pondered his suggestion before smiling.  Your advice is so different from Tiffany¡¯s.

    ¡°Tiffany can be a tad extreme and obsessed with anything she does, and she may be brilliant, but she has the attention span of a cat,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°Hyper-focused on one thing, and without warning, she¡¯s running off on something else.¡±

    Don¡¯t let her catch you saying that; she¡¯ll bite your head off.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Edmon¡¯s deep voice was laced with humor.  ¡°I¡¯d be more worried about a Toad Hex, to be honest, but then again, I have high magical resistance.  Probably one reason why the blasted woman hasn¡¯t cursed me already.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes wandered while talking with her Gatekeeper; Edmon made her smile in a different way than Tiffany.  She passed rooms filled with strange devices or display cases of various artifacts.  Some showed signs of damage, but most were intact.  Alright, I suppose I¡¯ll have Tiffany return the body with those conditions placed upon them.

    She quickly communicated the information to the Royal Witch, which piqued her interest.  ¡°Edmon totally advised this, didn¡¯t he?¡±  She mused.  ¡°It just sounds like something he¡¯d put forward!¡±

    Yes.  Elinor said with a soft smile.  He advised me on how to achieve what I desired.  What do you think?

    ¡°I like it ¡­ I like it a lot; personally, though, I¡¯d make it a bit more fun, but I¡¯ll step back and let him have this victory.  It¡¯ll play with his head, which is even more delicious!¡±

    Right¡­  Elinor sighed after cutting the connection, establishing a link to Edmon again.  Over the past several hours ¡­ I¡¯ve seen hints of my parents within you both.  Your stern, stubborn, and business-like approach ¡­ it¡¯s in the confident way you carry yourself, the quick and dry humor while being able to push Tiffany¡¯s buttons with the lightest touch to make her focus her thoughts on you.  You also have his obsession with detail and order.

    Tiffany is no different.  She can jab right at your weak spots, to the point that she¡¯s able to pull out that playful side you have hidden below.  She¡¯s curious, intelligent, talks a lot, and is a bit reckless.

    Edmon was silent for several seconds before saying, ¡°Yes, we were designed in a manner that reflected your desires, and there is no regret in that.  I am honored to serve you to the best of my abilities, and Tiffany is more than delighted¡­¡±

    Elinor frowned as she caught sight of the end of the West Wing; the hallway led to a massive bronze-colored double door.   She entered the space with low expectations and was thereby impressed by what she found.

    The room was like all the others, large enough to comfortably accommodate the massive apes¡¯ size; the arched ceiling was more than eight meters high, and every inch of the walls was lined with colossal shelves that went all the way to the top of the room.

    Broad mats with sun-shaped designs covered much of the floor, and huge tables were set atop them with crude hardcover books more than twice her height.

    Edmon had several books spread out across a dusty mat, and she noticed several other books sorted into different piles around the room.  However, the most noticeable transition was Edmon without his black helmet.

    His black hair was perfectly cut and shaped, giving him a rather dashing, black knight cavalier presence.  His strong jaw was set and eyebrows low as he studied the work.  My dad really was handsome ¡­ if only that crystal hadn¡¯t appeared, or even a day in advance or behind.  How might my life have been different...

    Valdar squatted between two large books with El¡¯Co¡¯Ca by his side.  They appeared to be mumbling about translations while Valdar marked things in the blank book with ink in a bottle half the size of his body.  The feather he used was much smaller and seemed to be from a Yaltha¡¯ma.

    One of her skeletal apes was moving from shelf to shelf, scanning the content for something Edmon had told it to look for.  The Gatekeeper appeared to be flipping through a big book that housed many of the palace floor plans.

    Elinor took in the scene before addressing him.  ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma to have such a massive library, and they¡¯re all done by hand?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Edmon stated while following the straight lines of a machine¡¯s design with his index finger.  ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had a brilliant mind; that goes without saying, and even developed his own mathematical system.¡±

    A rueful smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips as she remembered the conversation she had with Demon.  ¡°He had help.¡±

    ¡°Even so, to be able to not only grasp the instruction, but develop it, and to advance so quickly.  He may have been a warring brute, but he was also an intellectual giant.¡±

    Elinor moved to join him, glancing down at the designs.  The writing on the parchment seemed like total gibberish, and Edmon pointed at several dots, lines, twirls, and symbols.  ¡°Do you see this?  It¡¯s like a mix between Arabic, Voynich Script, and the Naxi.  El¡¯Co¡¯Ca has made a guide on the numeric system for me, and the math is becoming clearer, but I still can¡¯t read these letters.  Still, I can get a rough estimate of what is being represented.¡±

    Brow furrowing as she leaned closer, Elinor pointed at what seemed like a massive amphitheater or colosseum.  ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Edmon gripped the edge of the page before carefully turning it back to show a less detailed image of it.  ¡°My guess, something like the Roman gladiator arenas.  There¡¯s a VIP block high above the action which can only be accessed from the palace.  The entrance is under the throne room, and it¡¯s at least four times bigger than Roman¡¯s largest counterpart.

    ¡°So far, I¡¯ve stationed guards at the only four entrances to get into the palace.  There¡¯s the West Wing and Left Wing exits, the front, and the hallway leading to the coliseum; even if it¡¯s not easily accessible, since someone would need to fly or climb the walls, it¡¯s still a weakness, and there are Yaltha¡¯ma servant points in the lower levels.¡±

    ¡°The city?¡±  Elinor questioned, pulling her hair behind her shoulders as her minion lowered her further to study the book; her crown kept her bangs out of her face.

    Edmon glanced over at El¡¯Co¡¯Ca and Valdar with a slight frown.  ¡°I have several things to discuss with you, Empress.  Do you have the time to listen?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely,¡± Elinor responded, glancing at her hands resting in her lap.  ¡°What have you discovered?¡±

    Edmon took a moment to puzzle through a set of markings on the book in front of him.  ¡°For one, we should restrict your movements temporarily to inside the palace; we do not have the manpower to handle a large force.¡±

    ¡°Reasonable,¡± Elinor whispered while hopping off her mount to walk around the books.  ¡°I suppose we don¡¯t have the numbers to populate the entire city, yet.¡±

    Edmon flipped a few pages before tapping on one.  ¡°This is the floor plan for the palace; I¡¯ve looked over the designs for the first, second, third, and fourth floors.  There are even two basement levels with three more floors below them, dedicated to some kind of mechanical device or devices.

    ¡°The odd part is the floors above that ¡­ I can¡¯t find anything in these books, but there is a reference to another source where Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s sanctuary is located.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips pursed to the side as she looked at the drawn picture.  ¡°He was quite the artist, it seems, and his sanctuary is a blank spot on these plans.  I suppose it was a secret he kept.¡±

    Their attention moved to El¡¯Co¡¯Ca as her ears flew up.  ¡°Umm, Empress Elinor, Gatekeeper Edmon ¡­ El¡¯Co¡¯Ca has information on secret books.  Is the Empress looking for them?¡±

 B1 â€” 37. Enemy Forces

    Elinor released a short hum. Secret books, huh? That¡¯s fun.

    Edmon shifted his jaw to the right, clearly doubting the idea, but recovered quickly. ¡°Yes, eh ¡­ El¡¯Co¡¯Ca, are you¡¯re saying Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had valuable books hidden here in this library?¡±

    El¡¯Co¡¯Ca quickly ran to one of the shelves to their left, climbing up to point at a cluster of books two rows from the top. ¡°Here, Empress, Gatekeeper! Behind the books is a hidden place El¡¯Co¡¯Ca¡¯s mother found.¡±

    Edmon smirked as the Quen¡¯Talrat he was using to handle the books removed the articles. A blank wall was soon revealed, but upon inspection of the shelf below, it was clear there was a hidden wall. With some pressure near the edge, it gave, and her minion removed it to reveal several thick books behind.

    ¡°Well, wasn¡¯t he full of surprises,¡± Valdar hummed, hands clasped behind his back as her skeletal ape brought them down to Edmon. ¡°What are these about?¡±

    Edmon opened the first book, and right on the first page was the diagram for Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s sanctuary, and after flipping through several pages, it became clear it was the floor plan for the massive central tower rising from the palace.

    ¡°Good,¡± Edmon mumbled, flipping through pages before moving to another one of the hidden books. ¡°These seem to involve his research on those stones in the walls. The fascinating part about this world is that much of what we¡¯ve seen from the Ri¡¯bot seem to be between the Classical Era to Medieval Era, while Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was advancing from the Renaissance Era to the Industrial Era. These gems hold power, and he was learning how to harness it and begin mass production.¡±

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Would any of the other nations have taken the advancements founded by the Quen¡¯Talrat and improved upon them in the past century, or should we expect the same type of civilizations as the Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    Valdar shook his head as Edmon focused on him. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Empress,¡± he stated with a low sigh. ¡°I tried to help my people use some of the things I learned in the Fire Wars to improve their living standards, but there was much resistance toward some of the technologies we saw the Quen¡¯Talrat utilize.

    ¡°However, it is not the same for every nation. The Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph are rumored to have taken a few of the cartography styles of the Quen¡¯Talrat, and their process of machinery, but they use the waters to provide the strength of their devices.¡±

    ¡°Steam-powered, eh?¡± Edmon mumbled. ¡°Depending on how advanced they are with it, then a well established steam-based society could be an issue.¡± Edmon glanced around the room with a deep frown. ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma seemed to be very adamant about education; a hundred years of growth can be frightening. In our world, they went from horse and buggy to the moon in under a century.¡±

    Elinor nodded. ¡°We have a lot to learn, and there seem to be mystical powers in this world. We¡¯ll need to be cautious.¡±

    The silence stretched as Edmon flipped through the book about the crystals, scanning different parts of each page while looking at the diagrams of different machines, and after a few minutes, Elinor asked, ¡°Edmon, what should I do?¡±

    He paused, blue eyes shifting to stare down at her. ¡°Could you specify further?¡±

    She released a long sigh, closing her eyes before looking up at the ceiling; she hadn¡¯t noticed before, but there seemed to be the start of a mural on the left side. ¡°I¡¯m stuck in my mind because I don¡¯t have much to do. Tiffany, Iris, and you are taking care of everything, which leaves my mind to wander.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Edmon¡¯s vision shifted to the book he was scanning, armored index finger tapping the pages. ¡°If you could give me a few more minutes to try and understand this ¡­ actually, you might be able to save us a lot of time if you can upgrade Prose of the Potentate,¡± Edmon commented, almost to himself.

    Elinor¡¯s brow creased, and she glanced down at the gibberish. ¡°Okay, can Prose of the Potentate allow me to read any language?¡±

    Edmon straightened, folding his armored arms across his black breastplate. ¡°Prose means written or spoken language in its ordinary form. You¡¯ve focused on speech, but we could use an upgrade to language, but would require some of the Skill Points you gained.¡±

    She brought up her hand while chuckling, and her mind returned to her time at school. ¡°This system is so convenient; I wish I could have learned English, French, and Portuguese this easily.¡±

    With the desire, she smiled as the strange symbols on the pages seemed to blur, and suddenly they were in English; it wasn¡¯t perfect, but more than readable. It appeared that the Quen¡¯Talrat she¡¯d brought back weren¡¯t the most educated in their written system.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Edmon said, flipping between pages. ¡°Beautiful ¡­ yes, this will help speed things up a ton, Empress. Give me a bit of time ¡­ and I think I can show you something interesting. The mechanical workings of this palace have interested me, and now that I have everything I need to understand them, I have some study to do.¡±

    Elinor licked her lips while looking at the text her father was reading. It may have been in English, but many of the words used were utterly scientific gibberish to her. ¡°I look forward to it.¡± She turned to Valdar with a smile. ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯d like to speak to both of you.¡±

    Valdar nodded, glancing down at the book he¡¯d been copying down information on with a wry expression. ¡°I suppose these notes are useless, now. Your powers keep impressing me, Empress. So, what can I do for you?¡± He asked, dropping the book beside a pile before folding his hands behind his back.

    ¡°Yes, yes, El¡¯Co¡¯Ca wishes to be helpful!¡± She rushed forward, tail wagging while staring up at her with eager eyes.

    Elinor ordered one of her guards to place her on a cushioned seat about six feet off the ground. Once situated, she looked down at the two with curiosity. ¡°First, El¡¯Co¡¯Ca, can you tell me a bit about the surrounding area?¡±

    Valdar cleared his throat, turning to point at a particular book among a stack beside the place he¡¯d been working. ¡°There is a map of the valley within this book. It might be old, but not much has changed within that time given the scale. Minor details could be tweaked, but it should give you a decent grasp.¡±

    One of the skeletal apes picked it up on command and brought it over to him. ¡°Very well, then show me the important spots. I¡¯d also like information about the other humans and where they¡¯re likely being taken.¡±

    Her guard held the article up for her to see, and Valdar flipped to a large map that spanned both pages, eyes scanning the details.

    ¡°This is a map of the entire valley.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor crossed her legs, leaning forward to point at the massive castle. ¡°This is scaled to size?¡±

    The toad studied the map</a> for a moment. ¡°In general, yes. I¡¯d say the entire valley was around a hundred and twenty miles by fifty-five; the fortress itself is roughly twenty by fifteen.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s massive,¡± Elinor whispered. ¡°What about where the crystal was?¡±

    ¡°Here,¡± he pointed. ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ what in...¡± Valdar cut off, lifting his arms to strike as Iris appeared by her side. After a split second, he relaxed, breathing a relieved sigh before his nose creased. ¡°Iris ¡­ I didn¡¯t sense you entering the room.¡±

    A soft chuckle hissed from the Queen¡¯s plates. ¡°Amusing, I thought your sensing abilities were more powerful than this simple cloaking skill; it is what you¡¯re supposed to be good for.¡±

    Valdar repressed a sharp quake as he stared up at the smooth metallic-like surface of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s exoskeleton, purple irises lingering on the red glow emitting from her shell; it seemed much of the damaged sections were being repaired as she leveled.

    A lump dropped down his throat. ¡°I am, ahem, not near your abilities when trying to hide.¡±

    ¡°Is that what I was doing?¡± Iris asked in a lilting tone.

    Elinor smiled over at the frightening yet strangely elegant appearance of Iris¡¯ true form. ¡°I can only sense you through my connection to you.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Iris pulled back, red gem-like eyes burning with an inner light. ¡°I was merely using the first stage of Cloak, and I have much more advanced evasive skills. In fact, I wished to ask if I may use your shadow for one of them?¡±

    Interest piqued, Elinor shifted in her seat. ¡°Are you saying you have a skill to hide in my shadow?¡±

    ¡°For a limited time, yes,¡± Iris replied. ¡°I would like to increase its Proficiency. It would provoke a link for several other abilities that I wish to experiment with in regards to your protection.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s smile softened at her statement, and she noticed El¡¯Co¡¯Ca looking up at the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra with starry eyes. ¡°By all means. You are my jewel,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Jewel?¡± Iris asked, body seeming to dissolve into shadow before moving to her shadow. ¡°A strange word to describe something precious, but you flatter me.¡±

    She reached to the side, hand sliding under her legs and across the fabric of her cushioned seat; there weren¡¯t any lights in the room, and she saw no shadows except for the faint outline that appeared below her. ¡°I can¡¯t touch you? What an impressive ability.¡±

    ¡°It is not perfect, but useful in most circumstances.¡± Elinor¡¯s lips lifted with curiosity as a shadowy spider leg appeared from the side of her shadow, pointing at four locations. ¡°I believe these areas are where my daughters accomplished their tasks, and here, by the river is where I found the Ri¡¯bot ships.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, they didn¡¯t get that far, but I suppose my sense of distance is still a bit skewed. In my world, moving eighty miles wasn¡¯t that big of a deal.¡±

    Elinor turned her attention back to the book and nervous Ri¡¯bot as he cleared his throat again. ¡°That sounds ¡­ too good to be true. Eighty miles is a vast distance.¡±

    ¡°Vast? We had the ability to travel thousands upon thousands of miles in a day. The technology we had was ¡­ let¡¯s say, far superior to what I¡¯ve seen here.¡±

    Valdar¡¯s tongue slid across his lips and teeth, vision falling to her feet. ¡°How did we conquer your people so easily? I am still confused about everything I¡¯ve seen.¡±

    Edmon chuckled humorlessly while flipping to a new page. ¡°Let¡¯s call it luck, Valdar. Although, I¡¯d suspect you would disagree,¡± he smirked, glowing blue eyes lifting to study him as a puff of mist expelled from his mouth. ¡°There¡¯s no use pondering past events; focus on your future with the Empire.¡±

    He nodded as the Gatekeeper returned to his book. ¡°Wise counsel; do you wish for me to continue, Empress?¡±

    Elinor refrained from biting her lower lip while looking at a few locations on the map. ¡°Yes, but focus on the clans. Show me the territory and how many there are within the valley.¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ there are eight clans in this valley, and they are not on the most friendly terms. My clan is located on the northwest ridge. Recently, the Flex Clan has been showing signs of aggression.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Elinor gave him an incredulous look. ¡°Flex Clan ¡­ was that translated correctly? Do they like showing off?¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Valdar scratched his left arm, pausing for a moment. ¡°Eh ¡­ I suppose they are rather flashy. They tend to use the Julipa Flowers to paint themselves with symbols usually reserved for war, and they are pushing into Wixum Clan territory with their allies, the Lethix Clan.¡±

    Elinor sat back. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me all the details at the moment. First, tell me what clans there are, their territory, and who they are allied with.¡±

    ¡°So ¡­ my clan, Delthax, are allied with Komath, Wixum, and I had some ties to the Roxim Clan, personally ¡­ that are dissolved upon my death. The Prume Clan, south of us, is neutral to all conflict within the valley, being on such a strategically sound location.

    ¡°On the other hand, the Lethix Clan is the smaller brother to the Flex Clan. Komath is along the southwest, and as I said, they are allied with Delthax, but aren¡¯t too friendly with Roxim, and both Roxim and Komath aren¡¯t fond of the Xaltan Clan. The Xaltan holds the most power in the valley.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s eight,¡± Elinor counted, sliding her index finger over the areas Valdar mentioned. ¡°That leaves more than half the land unclaimed. I heard something about Clanless; is all this land free?¡±

    Valdar¡¯s jaw set, fingers tightening around each other. ¡°Not exactly ¡­ it¡¯s cursed land, meaning, yes, it is Clanless and unclaimed.¡±

    ¡°Cursed?¡± Elinor smirked, leaning against the side of her chair.

    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± El¡¯Co¡¯Ca piped up. ¡°The Yaltha¡¯ma have spread word far and wide! It is a safe place for Yaltha¡¯ma, and all other races are cursed; it was the Great El¡¯Ro¡¯Li¡¯s amazing plan eight generations past! The curse of the Quen¡¯Talrat that lingers upon the land.¡±

    ¡°Umm, no,¡± Valdar muttered, giving the monkey-fox a strange look. ¡°It was a prophecy foretold by the Ques¡¯k¨¢ Seer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that name before,¡± Elinor said, head eyes still scanning the map. ¡°What can you tell me about the Ques¡¯k¨¢?¡±

    ¡°They are among the most powerful of the eight nations, and highly respected. The Ques¡¯k¨¢ have many mystics, and one of their unique powers is to foretell the future.¡±

    El¡¯Co¡¯Ca seemed to be glaring at Valdar, obviously not believing his story that El¡¯Ro¡¯Li was not the originator of the prophecy, but Elinor paid her little mind as she listened to Valdar¡¯s description.

    ¡°I do not know how this will translate to you, but they have a similar form to humans and Ri¡¯bot, but they are more fierce-looking, with panther-like features. Their mane is like that of humans, but much thicker, and the females have more reptilian features, akin to that of a dragon. It is said that they are the descendants of a powerful race across the seas.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s brow creased, and her head cocked to the side. ¡°Wait, the males are panther people, and the females are dragon people? That¡¯s an odd combination.¡±

    Valdar shrugged. ¡°I did not see them often during the Fire Wars, and it was a very long time ago. I might be getting parts of that wrong, but it is what I recall; I do know that they can walk on their hind legs or all four if they so choose, and they had massive beasts of great strength during the war ¡­ they far surpassed the Torlim, and could even combat the lower ranks of the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Elinor mumbled, eyeing the map again. ¡°Where is their kingdom?¡±

    ¡°Southeast, bordering the Nalvean Empire to their west and the Yalm¨¢th Democracy.¡±

    Edmon looked up from his book, now sitting against the leg of a table, cross-legged. ¡°What type of government does the Ques¡¯k¨¢ have?¡±

    ¡°Type of government,¡± Valdar repeated, brow creased as his eyes fell to the floor. ¡°Last I knew, they were a Fascist State? They are very war focused, and I heard they have many wars further east, but those lands are beyond my knowledge.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, good to know,¡± Edmon grunted before returning to his book.

    Iris spoke within Elinor¡¯s mind. ¡°If my sister moved her brood further east, then it stands to reason there are strong creatures there for her to hunt.¡±

    Yes ¡­ I look forward to meeting your race in the future, Iris. Do you look forward to the reunion?

    ¡°It matters little to me. All that concerns me is the Empire and my daughters.¡±

    Elinor smiled, turning her attention back to Valdar. ¡°Ahem, should I continue with the Ques¡¯k¨¢ or return to the valley?¡±

    ¡°The valley,¡± Elinor decided. ¡°It is my immediate concern. I suspect that word does not travel fast in this world. We will need to meet with the other nations in time, but for now, I will focus on this valley.¡±

    She glared at the section of land Valdar placed the Roxim Clan at. ¡°What will they do now, Valdar? You know them well enough.¡±

    Valdar¡¯s lips fell as he went silent, focused on the map, and replied after a few seconds. ¡°Krava is an old war friend of mine, and a retired Chief and Xaria, meaning he holds weight among the other clans. I suspect he took command once I died, and it would have been hard for him to swallow ¡­ from what I remember.

    ¡°Fennel is a commander, and a Xaria in training, but not a Chief. He would take a backseat to Krava. What would he do ¡­ likely call a War Council.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes moved to Edmon as his book closed with a loud slam, and he sat the massive manual aside, rising to his feet. ¡°War Council? Continue.¡±

    Valdar breathed out a long sigh. ¡°A War Council is a formal invitation to a gathering of all formal Ri¡¯bot Clans. Anyone with a military force can enter, and it is the first step to uniting against a common threat.¡±

    Edmon snorted, quickly scanning the valley image once he took his position beside Elinor. ¡°You¡¯re saying that every Ri¡¯bot outside this valley will be joining, as well?¡±

    ¡°If he calls it, then most clans would respond, yes. Krava¡¯s name carries weight, but no, not all will join, and they will doubt his report. I suspect at least twelve clans will join him regardless.¡±

    ¡°How many warriors is that?¡± Edmon asked, blue eyes narrowing.

    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± Valdar replied, rubbing the back of his neck with irritation. ¡°The weak clans may have twenty-five warriors, and the strong, a thousand or more. The Xaltan Clan is the strongest in the valley, and they¡¯d have around four-hundred and sixty warriors. Xaria numbers are closely guarded, so I couldn¡¯t even speculate.

    ¡°In comparison, my clan has a two-hundred and eighty with three Xaria; I¡¯d rank us as fourth strongest in the valley, behind Flex and Roxim.

    ¡°Roxim is closely tied with Xaltan at four-hundred and thirty-five while also having a stronger Torlim force. The Xaltan use more Ragnlar in their ranks, but the beasts are temperamental and well-known for fickle attitudes in captivity. They do more harm than good; it¡¯s more for intimidation than actual combat.¡±

    ¡°Like Tiffany,¡± Edmon chuckled, joking privately.

    Elinor smiled, but didn¡¯t reply, cupping her chin while her vision narrowed. ¡°You mentioned the Flex and Lethix Clans are basically brothers. What¡¯s their combined force?¡±

    ¡°At least three-hundred and eighty,¡± Valdar sighed, licking his teeth. ¡°It was why I called the meeting between Roxim, Komath, and Clavex on behalf of the Wixum Clan.

    ¡°In reality, the Flex and Lethix Clans are after the Wixum¡¯s lake for resources, but it¡¯s a major part of the Wixum¡¯s trade and food supply, which my clan benefits from, and while they have a large population, the Wixum do not have many warriors. They have relied on the Delthax for military support for many decades, but Flex and Lethix have grown too much for us to comfortably intimidate.

    ¡°Not just that, but the Wixum population size compared to their military ¡­ a mere hundred and fifteen warriors is laughable, making it hard to patrol their borders. A hundred and fifteen warriors to patrol a seventy-five-mile radius while defending the primary villages ¡­ it¡¯s not good. There¡¯s also an inflated population of female Ri¡¯bot that has the male population in Flex and Lethix champing at the bit.¡±

    ¡°You have bits?¡± Edmon chuckled.

    ¡°Yes, for Ulpix ¡­ they have been ridden in the past, but do better in the plains rather than the jungle. We have a small number of them.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Edmon commented. ¡°I was a little concerned before, but the valley has a combined force of less than a thousand and a half warriors ¡­ not as bad as I feared.¡± He smiled. ¡°No, not that bad at all, and it will take time to gather their forces.¡± His vision settled on the once elderly toad. ¡°What will Krava or your clan do once they see you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it will be painful for Krava,¡± Valdar said with a soft sigh. ¡°He will see it as a personal attack against him, and seek to release me from imprisonment, returning me to the ancestors.

    ¡°My clan ¡­ it will be mixed with the message I must give them. Many warriors will accept it, but the families ¡­ it will be rough for them.¡± He looked up at her, and his tone was serious. ¡°At least, what I expect to tell them. I can only speculate with what you will decide to do with my people, but I have resolved to accept the consequences. I will do my duty.¡±

    ¡°We will see,¡± Elinor whispered.

    Edmon¡¯s face lit up as he returned to the book, opening it to read a particular page. ¡°Empress, would you like to join me in this experiment?¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± She smiled while ordering her guard to lower his hand again. ¡°You have a surprise for me? It¡¯s one of the few emotions I have left. I¡¯m excited!¡±

    He picked up the book, handing it to her other guard while jumping up to his shoulders. ¡°Valdar, El¡¯Co¡¯Ca, keep browsing the books and organize them for me to look through. I will be back in a bit.¡±

    They both bowed, and Edmon led them away; she cheated a little, knowing where he¡¯d directed her mobile throne. What could he be planning in the hallway to the Life Room? He¡¯s been reading that book on the stones, and there are a ton in there. Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s secret books and locked away special places ¡­ is my heart pumping pretty fast? It is!

    She smiled over at her former father. The subdued emotions she felt from him made her giggle; it was cute, and she could see him trying to retain his cool atmosphere, but he felt so excited to show her what he¡¯d discovered.

    I¡¯m afraid Tiffany would be jealous of me for this, but it would be a conflict of interest. Whether I planted them or they are leftover, she likes Edmon, and she also loves me. Basically, she¡¯d feel disappointed I left her out.

    Her vision fell to the shadow she cast along the floor as the glowing crystals illuminated part of the hallway. Iris is here to share it, too ¡­ she¡¯d probably project all those negative emotions onto her. The spider queen, trying to steal her mark.

    Elinor giggled at her internal thoughts. Tiffany, you there?

    ¡°Of course, Dear! What can I do for you? I¡¯m just bringing up my next little battery.¡±

    So, Edmon has discovered something he¡¯s excited to show us. Want to join for a moment?

    ¡°Us ¡­ that includes the spider, doesn¡¯t it?¡± She hummed darkly.

    Iris is with me. Elinor mused. Also, calling her spider ¡­ I thought you liked her?

    ¡°Oh, no, of course! I mean, she¡¯s great ¡­ maybe just a little too forward, though. I don¡¯t know, maybe I¡¯m reading too much into it. We need to keep things professional! Just my personal thoughts.¡± She said in a dismissive tone. ¡°Her daughters, though ¡­ angelic devils of delight! I chose my poison well, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    Elinor chuckled. We¡¯re going to the hallway before the Life Room.

    ¡°I¡¯ll hurry over, then. See you soon, Dear!¡±

    It didn¡¯t take them long to arrive, and somehow, Tiffany had beat them there, wearing a bright smile; Elinor swore she felt the Witch¡¯s heart flutter upon seeing the helmetless Gatekeeper¡¯s curious grin.

    Tiffany cleared her throat as they neared, giggling quickly. ¡°Edmon, I can see those bright blue eyes and that beard ¡­ maybe I could help trim a bit of it. Just a bit.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I rather enjoy its current length.¡±

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, just a little!¡± Tiffany pleaded, stepping aside for the guards to open the door. ¡°Your hair, too ¡­ no, that doesn¡¯t need any changes,¡± she said absently, orange irises making it clear she wanted to run her hands through his thick black hair.

    ¡°Right,¡± Edmon mumbled. ¡°Well, follow me.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s indignant voice entered Elinor¡¯s mind, and Elinor did her best not to laugh. ¡°The nerve of him! A stunning woman, myself, asked to help groom his mop of a face, and he blew me off!¡± Tiffany huffed, glaring at him as he passed. ¡°And where¡¯s the blasted spider?¡±

    In my shadow.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes widened before glaring at the long shadow she cast from the bright overhead lights of the crystals, shining down on the thrones. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that convenient. No need to walk at all.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ I didn¡¯t think about that. Elinor pondered, focus shifting to the Gatekeeper as he stopped halfway down the hall before glancing back at them, and the guards shut the door behind them once they¡¯d entered.

    ¡°Tiffany, it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re here.¡±

    ¡°Oh, finally noticing me? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be even more blind with that helmet off.¡± She pouted. ¡°What¡¯s the big surprise? Going to make this place light up? Blast ¡­ that would be something spectacular,¡± she mumbled, vision lifting to the galaxy-like aesthetic.

    ¡°Better.¡±

    ¡°Better? How?¡± Tiffany asked, eyebrows lifting with doubt.

    He gave her a teasing grin. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me?¡±

    ¡°Are rosary peas good for you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing not,¡± Edmon hummed with laughter. ¡°What do you want from me?¡±

    Tiffany rolled her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know; you¡¯re the expert on surprises ¡­ well, surprise me!¡±

    ¡°Your wish is my command, my witchy princess!¡±

    Elinor was having a difficult time restraining her laughter; she wasn¡¯t sure if Tiffany was serious or not, even by her connection to her, the Witch was clearly divided.

    Edmon removed his glove; the metal vanished in a puff of mist, and he slid his palm down a massive glowing gem the size of his head. They watched in fascination as the stones seemed to move, giving the effect like they were floating through space, and a large golden platform surrounded in blinding light descended from the ceiling.

    ¡°No¡­¡± Tiffany whispered in wonder. ¡°Is that a¡­¡±

    ¡°Anti-gravity elevator? Yes, yes it is,¡± Edmon chuckled. ¡°Ready for your magic carpet ride, madam?¡± He asked, giving Tiffany a quick bow.

    ¡°I ¡­ huh¡­¡± Tiffany mumbled, large orange iris¡¯ fixated on the Gatekeeper¡¯s welcoming smile; it was one of the few times Elinor had ever seen Tiffany or her mother speechless.

 B1 â€” 38. A Cold Heart Seeking Fire

    Elinor watched the large circular disk descend, fascinated by its appearance.  If I didn¡¯t know any better, we¡¯re about to board an alien ship.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had wonders in the Life Room, which he guarded viciously; so, what¡¯s he hiding in this massive tower?

    She giggled.  No, the real question is why he hid the schematics behind a false wall in the Library when he could have just placed it up here?  Maybe he just liked to be organized and have everything in one place, who can tell?

    Tiffany smirked as the disk met the floor, hands held behind her back.  ¡°I must agree, my dear.  Out of a scale of one to ten, I give it a nine.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  High praise for your taste.¡±  Edmon¡¯s eyebrow lifted as he made a slight circular motion on the crystal he used to lower the platform.  ¡°What¡¯s the critique?  By the way, I don¡¯t know exactly how long we need to wait for it to rise; the instructions were not entirely clear as the book was schematics, not a user manual.¡±

    The Witch glanced around the glowing crystals with an amused expression, Elinor following her example.  ¡°It certainly is fantastical.  The brute must have spent many nights looking up at the stars and galaxies in the sky, pondering their meaning.  The energy flow between the active and inactive crystals really was quite the sight, and the mysterious disk descended while blinding light expelled from above ¡­ classic, clean.¡±

    Her lips shifted with her head to the left while pointing at the platform.  ¡°However, it doesn¡¯t even sink into the floor!  You¡¯re supposed to step up like ¡­ half a foot.  It¡¯s just not very ¡­ seamless.¡±

    ¡°Fair,¡± Edmon nodded while moving to step onto the disk.  His strong jaw shifted into a grin as he folded his arms across his armored chest, facing the Witch.  ¡°So, Tiff, going to join us on this ride?¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s expression became conflicted before turning sour.  ¡°I could ¡­ but I have people to heal, and a toad paralyzed to a table.¡±  She made a low growl in her throat, glaring at the void-like floor they stood on, left arm pressing up on her chest, her shirt sliding up to expose part of her black bra while she played with her short¡¯s strap with her right.  ¡°I¡¯ll finish as soon as I can.¡±

    Edmon shrugged as Elinor directed her ride to join her Gatekeeper.  ¡°Guess I¡¯ll enjoy it with the Empress and Iris, then.¡±

    Elinor hid a wince, and as expected, Tiffany¡¯s vision narrowed, cheeks sucking in for a moment before she gave him a forced grin.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ yeah, you enjoy yourself with the spider.¡±  Without another word, she turned and stormed out of the hallway; Elinor could feel the anger in the communication she sent to the Quen¡¯Talrat minions to open the doors, and within moments, she was gone.

    Edmon¡¯s brow creased, and he scratched the side of his short beard before huffing.  Dashing smile returning, he held his hands behind his back while looking up at her.  ¡°Well, Empress, Iris, what do you think about this engineering?¡±

    Iris hummed softly.  ¡°It¡¯s curious, but not something I¡¯d waste time on.  Although, I am looking forward to seeing what sights can be found throughout the structure.  I sensed a change in Tiffany¡¯s demeanor, but I do not understand her displeasure.¡±

    ¡°She may be Undead, but she still has the mannerisms of the Empress¡¯ mother; she can get temperamental at times, and I suspect it was something I said.¡±  He replied absently.  His glowing blue eyes shifted around the dark room, focusing on several bright stones.  ¡°She¡¯ll stew over it, and then give me a chance to redeem myself.¡±

    ¡°I see, but what was the trigger?¡±  Iris asked, sounding genuinely mystified.  ¡°By the way, Empress, I will need to exit your shadow within the next five minutes.  My time limit is up.¡±

    ¡°Oh, okay,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°Do you really not know what you did, Edmon?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s lips creased, and he shook his head.  ¡°Not the foggiest; I try not to linger on things I can¡¯t understand, and that woman is like a Unicorn.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes scanned the room as it began to shift again, stones shimmering as the lights flowed like water, and the platform smoothly rose into the ceiling.  The bright lights of the Throne Room cut off as her minions closed the doors again.  It didn¡¯t take that long to raise, and the doors can be open while doing it.  Good to know ¡­ and a Unicorn?

    Iris asked her question, clearly unable to fully grasp the meaning through her translation skill.  While they rose, Edmon explained, examining each floor they passed.  ¡°She¡¯s unique, temperamental, magical, mysterious, and always stands out.  She does have a way of prancing about, too, excited to show off.¡±

    His low chuckle drew Elinor¡¯s eyes for a moment, and he rubbed his chin before saying, ¡°You see how she manipulates her shirt when I¡¯m around?  It¡¯s her taunting me; I notice the small gestures she makes and what she tries to show off.  Every grin, smirk, shift of the hips; it¡¯s a game to her, and Tiffany never likes losing.¡±

    Elinor sighed, unable to fully relish the strange devices and stores of goods in each room as they rose.  Most of the floors seemed to be cut off by a sort of greeting room, blocking access to the areas beyond, but every entrance was decorated with different styles of paintings, furniture, and statues.

    So, Edmon and Tiffany have this attraction game going on, and while it might not be love, they¡¯re playing to the other¡¯s sexual preferences.  It¡¯s a little disappointing to find out they both recognize it, but perhaps it will bloom in time.  They can only tease so many times before something sticks.

    Her mind found the prospect of her Royal Gatekeeper and Witch having a date more appealing than the artwork on each floor, and she had to pull herself back from the tantalizing thoughts as Edmon hummed softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s an interesting design.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Elinor asked, trying to distract herself from the romantic scene playing in her mind, but it was hard while staring at her former father¡¯s roguish smile.

    ¡°If you look up, you¡¯ll see there¡¯s a metal sphere that¡¯s the same size as the one we¡¯re on.  It moves down and to the right once we reach the floor in question, but the placement moves in a circular motion by ten-degrees every level.  Although, we could be the ones slowly turning ¡­ no, it¡¯s definitely the disks.¡±

    ¡°How fast are we rising?¡±  Elinor asked, examining the platform they stood on; it was large enough to accommodate two Quen¡¯Talrat Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s size, giving them ample room with just a single skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat grunt that was twelve feet tall.

    ¡°Faster than one would think,¡± Edmon commented while turning to survey the floors they passed.  ¡°I counted eighty floors, and taking into account the size difference between structural design; I¡¯d give it about a minute for us to reach the top.  So, any moment.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t respond, lips pursing as her mind returned to the furious Witch below; she could still sense the heat from Tiffany¡¯s connection.  She really didn¡¯t like that Iris comment after making this grand show for her; it was like a slap in the face, but it¡¯s not like he meant any harm by it.  Although ¡­ maybe he knew it would push her buttons.

    She pushed her cheeks to the side while glaring down at the Gatekeeper, continuing to study the differences in each floor with a critical eye.  Was he the one being petty?  I can¡¯t really tell; he¡¯s so cool and collected ¡­ like Iris.  He¡¯s ice while Tiffany¡¯s a raging fire of emotions.  He was pretty stoic as my dad ¡­ well, whenever it didn¡¯t involve him losing control.  He really didn¡¯t like Tanner.

    Her thoughts melted away as they appeared to meet the top, and her mouth opened slightly with shock.  ¡°Windows?¡±  She whispered, directing her minion forward while staring out at the massive valley, and Iris detached from her shadow, spider-like body rematerializing from the darkness.

    ¡°Fascinating,¡± Edmon muttered, joining her by the edge of the sheets to examine them.  ¡°There¡¯s no dust because ¡­ did he use titanium dioxide to coat them, or some other type of compound?  If he did, then it¡¯s no wonder they¡¯re still crystal clear, but the strength of the glass itself¡­¡±

    Elinor tuned out his mumbling while he tried to figure out the physical properties of how Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma built it.  She glanced up at the arched stone ceiling, reinforced by what seemed steel beams, and there appeared to be a mural of glowing stones strung across the ceiling, depicting the night.  To her left was a place where they could go even higher, to reach the outside.

    She turned back to the valley; the orange glow of the morning sun was breaking through the black clouds as the hurricane passed.  The dull, sickly color scheme of the jungle gave an almost autumn feel to the rolling hills.

    An observation point for Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma to view his kingdom?  The Quen¡¯Talrat were shunned to the desolate lands behind this mountain; it makes sense that he¡¯d want the jungle that had been denied to him since birth.

    Elinor left Edmon to wander the area while Iris stared down at the valley she used to roam, only this time from the air.  She directed her mobile throne to walk the opposite way to view the towering mountains that reminded her of the Great Rocky Mountains, showing off their white-capped peaks.

    Snow ¡­ I didn¡¯t think there would be snow in jungle climates, but I suppose if the mountain is large enough, there would be.  This entire world is new ¡­ so new.  Yet, as Valdar showed me, people claim different parts of this world already, which means I may need to contend for it.  First, I need to deal with the Ri¡¯bot that trapped me here.

    She returned to her survey of the valley, noticing a decent layer of dust on the floor that was slowly stirred up but was pulled toward a pink glowing gem placed in the stone and steel pillars between the large glass panels.  A filtration system?  I can breathe here, still.  Maybe whatever Edmon did reactivated many facets of this tower.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    Her ghostly green irises swept the thick treetops; she noticed several clearings and even a flat ridge by the place the Roxim Clan should have been.  This thick blanket of foliage hides tens of thousands of Ri¡¯bot ¡­ eight different clans of people.  I can even see the partially destroyed towers to the east and southwest.  That river, though ¡­ it¡¯s massive, probably as big as the Mississippi.

    Elinor addressed Iris, recalling the map she¡¯d seen from Valdar.  ¡°Were the Clanless you killed by that lake?¡±

    Iris followed her pointed finger.  ¡°Yes, around that area, perhaps a bit further to the west; there were dozens of them, and they were likely following sightings of the Clavex Clan¡¯s progress along the river.¡±

    Her vision narrowed.  What will I do?  I¡¯m not sure how strong my military is compared to the Ri¡¯bot.  I¡¯m sure Iris and Edmon could kill dozens, and obviously, the sisters are no slackers ¡­ well, Violet seems to have some slothful tendencies, but she wouldn¡¯t be slowing anyone down beside her mother in a conflict.

    Edmon cleared his throat, at some point moving to stand next to her.  ¡°Empress, what¡¯s on your mind; you seem troubled?¡±

    Elinor took a deep breath of the somewhat stale air before slowly releasing it.  ¡°When I think about an Empire, I think about the U.S., Russia, China ¡­ massive chunks of land and this seems so small.  Yet, at the same time, it¡¯s so vast compared to what I know about this world.  Where does that river come from?  How soon does it reach the ocean?  I don¡¯t know anything about this planet, and it¡¯s all a little overwhelming.¡±

    A low hum resounded through the tranquil atmosphere as Edmon¡¯s blue eyes scanned the valley.  ¡°True.  We have so much left to discover about this fortress alone, much less the wonders held within.  I¡¯m just happy we¡¯ve found a strong fortifiable location, and this tower put my heart at ease.¡±

    ¡°The thing that I¡¯m wondering now is which people we should visit first.  At the moment, we cannot upset or draw attention from the other powers of this world; I must first gain a foothold for my Empire.  The U.S. and every other nation never started out large, but slowly expanded, right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Edmon responded, moving a few feet to her left to stare down at the colossal city below.  ¡°We have a lot of repair work that needs doing to this stronghold, but that will require many more minions, which means we must expand, and fast.¡±

    ¡°Where to start, though?¡±  Elinor mumbled with irritation.  ¡°The humans haven¡¯t even settled in yet.  Should I just leave one or two guards behind, and the Clavex Clan ¡­ wasn¡¯t there a warden Tiffany was talking about?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s smile turned sinister as he leered down upon the dense jungle; the warm atmosphere of the room quickly dropped as fog escaped the Gatekeeper¡¯s lips.  ¡°Most of that is irrelevant; one of the sisters alone could handle all of that, but you could leave a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drone behind.  Also, Tiffany and I have already discussed the quickest method, and we agree after some debate; release Zombies into the surrounding Clanless territory.¡±

    Elinor folded her arms, leaning back against the palm of the skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat to stare at her Royal Gatekeeper.  ¡°My vision of Zombies comes from movies; what kind are we talking about?¡±

    ¡°Eh,¡± Edmon tilted his head to the side, smirk clear as day.  ¡°They¡¯re basically braindead living bodies, infected by a magical-based disease that controls their host to do whatever you desire.  So, they won¡¯t decay rapidly, but yes, they won¡¯t last that long with the infection taking over their nervous system.  So, World War Z zombies.¡±

    ¡°Damn, I was thinking of The Walking Dead, but if they¡¯re like that ¡­ I watched it last Halloween with my parents, and they were insane,¡± Elinor muttered, remembering different scenes from the movie, picturing them scaling the fortress¡¯ massive walls.

    ¡°It¡¯s one reason why it¡¯s a dead-end Class; the zombies burn through so many resources, wasting their physical form away in a short time.  Once the infection strikes the brain, the mind is gone, and there¡¯s no cure.  Everything that makes the person a person is destroyed and the only thing left is a ravaging hunger with only your orders as a leash.¡±

    Elinor glared down at the massive walls separating the city from the jungle.  ¡°I need an army, but should I kill all the Clanless?  Aren¡¯t they just rejects trying to make the best of their lives outside their previous community?  I suppose some may be banished for other crimes, but could I incorporate them into the Empire?¡±

    ¡°You could,¡± Edmon shrugged.  ¡°I won¡¯t lie; I¡¯m neutral toward the Ri¡¯bot as a race.  It would be more proficient to make use of them.  Is that not something you wish to do?¡±

    ¡°Give me a moment to consider my options.¡±  Elinor leaned her head back, feeling the darkness press in as she retreated to her mind, blocking out the world.  This is it, the moment ¡­ the decision that needs to be made, but I keep putting it off.

    I know I need to learn to live with all the things I can¡¯t change, and I hate the fact that I feel nothing while below this void I¡¯m reeling in pain.  Do I rid myself of all humanity, or can I still keep a piece of who I was?  I¡¯ve been lying, saying I¡±m fine ¡­ I¡¯m so empty inside.  I¡¯m sorry, mom ¡­ dad, but I don¡¯t know if I can keep fighting to care.  I feel like I¡¯m losing my mind ¡­ everything I was.

    Her gut tightened, and she felt the flames lick below, fire entering her veins and smothering her cold heart.  Just let me feel something, even if it¡¯s hate ¡­ no more waiting and doubting; heartbreak makes you heartless, but I¡¯ll give them one chance.

    She opened up her entire internal network.  Valdar, you and Camellia will go to everyone in the Clanless areas around the keep.  Give them an ultimatum, join, or die.  If they choose to leave or fight, then set the Zombies on them.  I¡¯ll be down in a moment to create them.  Those that join, send them to the keep for further instruction, Violet will receive them in the hall.  Bring a few of the Yaltha''ma to act as their guides.

    The heat in Tiffany¡¯s connection vanished in an instant, replaced by excitement.  ¡°Oh, we¡¯re making a move?¡±

    Once I have the forces, we¡¯ll march against the Lethix Clan and give them the same ultimatum on our way to the Delthax Clan.  The left side of the valley will be mine by the end of the day.

    ¡°Thank you for entrusting me with this task!¡±  Camellia said with joy.

    Azalea chuckled softly.  ¡°What about me?¡±

    You¡¯ll look over the humans, and make sure they don¡¯t wander around too far.  They are not allowed in the Throne Room.

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    A soft sigh passed through Valdar¡¯s connection.  ¡°May I ask what you plan to do with my clan?  I will not assume anything.¡±

    Elinor directed her minion back to the elevator, Iris acting as her silent shadow.  Edmon moved to one of the support pillars encrusted with gems and made the reverse motion on a similar shining stone.

    I cannot forgive what your warriors have done, Valdar, and neither will those taken captive and beaten, killed, and lacerated by them.  However, after I make a show of Folcra, then I¡¯ll give you a chance to reason with the rest of your people, but every warrior involved with your expedition will face Iris.  That being said, if your people agree to the terms set by the humans, then they will live on.

    She began to descend, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction from her hatred; action was being taken.  Azalea, explain the situation to Gwen so that she may speak to the other human representatives; Gwen will be put at the head of our connection to the humans.

    ¡°Got it.¡±

    Valdar didn¡¯t respond, but she knew he was grateful to have this much leniency through her connection to him.

    The platform began to descend, and she took one last glance at the beautiful view of the valley before composing her attire, ignoring the floors this time.

    Tiffany, you¡¯ll join me with Edmon and Iris.  I want the whole Court present for this campaign.  Violet, I¡¯m leaving two skeletal apes under your command, and there will be one in the Throne Room, where no one is allowed to enter.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tiffany replied with a bright tone.  ¡°So, while Camellia is going out spreading the word of your dominion, what will we be doing?  Oh, I¡¯m just about finished healing all the humans; you wouldn¡¯t believe some of the cuts they received ¡­ it¡¯s like they didn¡¯t expect half the humans to make the journey in the first place,¡± she mused.  ¡°The allergic reactions, too.¡±

    We¡¯ll be waiting atop the second wall.  I want to get a better grasp of the land while we¡¯re waiting.  Once we¡¯ve conquered the valley, then we¡¯ll move onto planning our next steps.

    Elinor felt several conversations happening at once between her minions, which she let them handle.  She¡¯d given the primary orders, so she permitted them to coordinate her desires amongst themselves.  The first step to this campaign, let it be fear they know.  If the warriors will not pay the price, then their loved ones will join them.

    Her minion carried her past the Life Room¡¯s hallway, entering the silent Throne Room.  The sounds of clattering bone against stone filled the space as they descended the stairs, flanked by Edmon, Iris, and one of her guards, leaving the other to guard the hallway.

    Upon entering the main entryway, Elinor spotted precisely what she was looking for and activated Herald of the Empress.  Her hands, folded evenly across her lap, burst into emerald flames, moving up to her elbows as the jade-colored butterflies took flight from the blaze.

    There was activity on the second landing as the children watching above quickly alerted the adults, and they crowded the side of the railing, observing the flames warily as the dancing butterflies touched Ri¡¯bot corpses atop the resting Torlim.

    A gasp swept the crowd with low murmurs when the first body twitched, rigidly grasping for purchase atop the corpses around him before tumbling to the floor with low snarls, showing congealed puffy wounds across his body.

    Elinor frowned, glancing down at Edmon as they watched the rest of her first Zombie horde awaken.  Didn¡¯t you say they¡¯d be like World War Z Zombies?

    ¡°Yes, the living that becomes infected, but these are already deceased, meaning they¡¯ll be much more rigid, and decay much faster.  It¡¯s only your magic moving them since the bodies are no longer alive.¡±

    I see ¡­ in that case, Camellia, you may need to watch and make sure they can bite someone.  The Ri¡¯bot can be pretty quick on their feet.

    ¡°Bite?¡±  Camellia asked with enthusiasm, standing upon the second story railing while looking down at her new unit.  ¡°Can I eat a few, too?¡±

    Elinor frowned, head tilting to the left as she studied the rigid minions twitch their way toward her to stand attention.  Sure ¡­ but only after I¡¯ve reached my cap, which is ¡­ eighty, while I already have seventeen Skeletal Apes and four Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Drones, meaning, I can have fifty-nine zombies.  Once I hit that amount, then eat; however, you need to replenish the number if they die.

    ¡°Mmh, I can taste the flesh and juices right now!  I can¡¯t wait.¡±

    Well, you have twenty of these stiff Zombies.  Replace them; I give you permission to destroy them once capped.

    Upon giving her orders, she directed her portable throne to move toward the front of the building, bringing the rest of her horde with her other than the guards she¡¯d appointed.

    She squinted as the morning light hit her; her vision quickly adjusted, and she glanced around at the decaying fortress.  Camellia rushed past her with the slow zombies, struggling to keep up with her rapid eight-legged movements.

    ¡°Hurry up, slow-pokes!  We¡¯re going to eat!¡±

    Elinor followed their exit while the rest of her party gathered around her, and she realized how intimidating her group really was.  The burning bones of the apes and spiders with the Royal Court by her side made for a horrifying sight.

    So, the campaign begins.

 B1 â€” 39. Supreme Chief Elinor

    The remainder of Elinor¡¯s forces in the jungle were quickly returning upon her command, including Quin and Garu.  With the exception of the one guard inside the Life Room¡¯s hallway and the two she left with Violet, all her lesser minions would accompany her.

    Elinor¡¯s green irises fell to the dirty black granite floor as they moved toward the wall; Edmon was directing the minions down the proper path to reach the stairs leading to the top of the massive structure.  I should feel a little queasy; I¡¯m going to war.  Yet, I feel no pressure; in fact, I¡¯m relieved that I¡¯m moving forward.  Another part of being a Lich or an Empress, I suppose.

    She glanced left at Tiffany as she requested a personal connection with her; the Witch was sitting cross-legged atop one of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drone¡¯s fractured exoskeletons as it scurried with them.

    What is it, Tiffany?

    Tiffany kept her orange eyes on the wall ahead.  ¡°Dear, I¡¯ve been mulling over a particular idea that might prove quite effective, but to be sure, I¡¯d need Valdar¡¯s input.¡±

    What kind of plan?

    ¡°Well,¡± Tiffany¡¯s smile turned somewhat forced, ¡°I wanted to discuss this with you after I¡¯d gathered all the proper information to lay out a proper plan, but you suddenly decided to go on the offensive.  Not that it¡¯s wrong!  I just haven¡¯t been able to properly give the subject the appropriate consideration.¡±

    Elinor sighed.  There¡¯s always something, isn¡¯t there?  I guess I didn¡¯t give you much time to prepare.

    ¡°No, I love that you¡¯re taking the initiative and giving commands; you¡¯re coming into your role as the Empress.¡±

    Should I stop Camellia before she leaves my area of communication?

    ¡°Only if you¡¯d like to consider my proposal,¡± Tiffany mumbled.  ¡°I admit, that it was only a passing thought while I was playing with the Roxim Tribe scouts.¡±

    She pursed her lips, giving Tiffany a look.  Quit stalling.  I get it; it¡¯s not a fully baked plan.  What was the thought?

    ¡°Right!  Umm, so, you know how the Ri¡¯bot are quite tied to their religious beliefs?¡±

    Yes?

    ¡°Well, what if you so happened to be a part of them?¡±

    Excuse me?  What do you mean, I could be a part of their religious beliefs?  You mean they¡¯ll worship me?

    ¡°Yes, in a way.¡±

    Elinor sucked in her lower lip, shifting her gaze to the buildings while thinking about Tiffany¡¯s proposal.  Me, worshipped as a goddess of some kind?  No, it would have to be different than that; Tiffany did mention some of their beliefs before, and if she¡¯s bringing it up, then there might be merit to it.  Propaganda to turn them into loyal servants.

    Opening the communication to Edmon and Iris, Elinor turned back to face the Witch while ordering her escort to stop.  Tiffany, explain it to everyone so we can better understand the direction.  Iris, tell Camellia to pause for a moment before going out of range; we might have a slight change in tactics.

    Iris relayed the order without question, waiting silently beside her in spider-form while staring at Tiffany.  Edmon folded his hands, standing between the heads of one of her skeletal ape¡¯s bony skulls, black helmet back in place, but underneath the face shield, Elinor knew he was wearing a curious grin.

    Valdar stood in place beside Edmon¡¯s mount, hands held behind his back while staring at them with a passive expression as he waited.

    Tiffany cleared her throat, turning the drone she sat upon to face them.  ¡°Okay, so ¡­ the Ri¡¯bot are extremely spiritually aware; meaning, they consider everything to be a part of their religious beliefs.  As far as I am aware, it¡¯s not so structured, but fairly vague, and everything from volcanic eruptions to storms are signs of their wrath.¡±

    ¡°Right?¡±  Edmon asked with mild exasperation.  ¡°I¡¯m waiting for the punchline, but you were always long-winded.¡±

    ¡°Come now, Edmon,¡± Tiffany huffed, cheeks reddening.  ¡°Some things need proper context, and you don¡¯t need to be rude about it.  Humph, fine, basically, we can get what the Empress wants with fear as a secondary attribute, belief, and adoration as a primary.  Concise enough for you?¡±

    Iris¡¯ body tilted to the right.  ¡°I am unaware of these spiritual things.  However, from what I understand, you¡¯re saying the Ri¡¯bot have beliefs that we can exploit?¡±

    ¡°Astute,¡± Tiffany smiled at the Queen before glaring at Edmon.  ¡°Unlike some.¡±  He snickered, but let her continue without interruption, dropping into a sitting position upon his mount.  ¡°The issue on my mind is that I don¡¯t know enough about their aspect of death, and that is why I wish to question Valdar about this direction.¡±

    Elinor glanced between Iris and Edmon.  What do you think about Tiffany¡¯s plan?  She almost wanted to smile at how nervous Tiffany was feeling through their connection, showing how much thought she¡¯d put into this direction.

    Iris righted her body, turning slightly to stare at Valdar.  ¡°I am not skilled in this type of warfare, but I suppose any advantage we can obtain will suit the Empress well, and if it is anything similar to the manner the Yaltha¡¯ma treated me, then I find it most appropriate.¡±

    A bit of Tiffany¡¯s tension faded, but it seemed to double as Edmon hummed, cocking his head to the left while cupping the chin of his full helmet.  ¡°While I agree, it would be appropriate, would it work?  I admit that I haven¡¯t spent nearly enough time with them to offer an educated opinion on it, and I am ¡­ dubious.  It¡¯s more like a dream than a plan, to be frank.¡±

    ¡°Which is why I wanted to question Valdar!¡±  Tiffany shot back before sucking on the inside of her cheeks with irritation.  ¡°I told you at the start, it¡¯s a thought with some merit, and follows the Empress¡¯ vision.¡±

    ¡°Again,¡± Edmon shrugged.  ¡°Getting someone to believe something can be a lot more difficult than you might imagine, and especially with what they¡¯ve already witnessed.¡±

    ¡°Then humor me!¡±  Tiffany demanded.  ¡°I¡¯ll show you that it¡¯s more than a dream, and¡ªand that I was ¡­ wrong about my thoughts of the Ri¡¯bot,¡± she said with difficulty.

    ¡°You always were a bit of a dreamer,¡± Edmon snickered, ¡°but ¡­ seeing your cheeks getting this red means you¡¯ve really thrown a lot of thought into it.¡±

    Elinor smiled softly, remembering in the past when she wanted to become a cheerleader.  Her father was a little resistant to the idea of her dancing around in a provocative uniform, knowing where it led.  It had crushed her eight-year-old heart.

    However, after some nudging, her mother had convinced him to let her give it a shot.   On her first performance, she¡¯d messed up so badly that it embarrassed all the other girls; it caused her to be the subject of a bit of bullying, and she wanted to quit.  One day, after a few mean words during practice, she¡¯d run home to her room crying, and her mother came in to comfort her.

    She spoke in the short pause they left.  It may be a dream, but together we can achieve the impossible.  Elinor opened the connection to Valdar.

    Tiffany gave her a thankful smile before turning to the confused toad.  ¡°Valdar, what are the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s beliefs involving the dead?  Is there a spiritual figure like the One Above All for death?¡±

    Valdar released a low hum while squatting to stare at the dirty street.  ¡°A spiritual figure for death?  In regards to death, there are the Lesser Chiefs that come to take those that have lived an honorable life to the paradise in the skies.  Those that have not lived a noble life are left to drift in the darkness, waiting to be reborn to be given another chance.

    ¡°However, those that have disgraced or made a mockery of their clan or the ancestors are sent to the realm of boiling oil for all eternity to pay for their sins.  An acting Chief of that clan can pardon those that have done enough in life to merit forgiveness.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Tiffany mused.  ¡°Who mediates between those taken to the pits of boiling oil and heaven?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±  Valdar¡¯s brow creased as he looked up at her, and it was clear that he still believed in his old ways.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like just anyone can enter the heavenly realm of the ancestors, correct?¡±  Tiffany pressed.

    ¡°Right?¡±  Valdar muttered.

    ¡°If the Lesser Chiefs take those that are righteous to heaven, and those that are not taken are left to be reborn, then who has the authority to go into the boiling pits of oil to bring back those that have paid their sins?¡±

    Valdar scratched his neck nervously, shifting his feet a little before shivering a little.  ¡°It is not a topic many Ri¡¯bot enjoy contemplating.  We focus on living a proper life to reach the glorified chiefs.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s smile fell into a deep frown as she glared down at Valdar.  ¡°Then, you¡¯ve forgotten about a central figure among the Supreme Chiefs.¡±

    ¡°Have I?¡±  Valdar questioned.  ¡°Who has the authority to go into the boiling pits of oil to bring back those that have paid their sins?  To bring back those that suffer¡­¡±  His large toad-like eyes widened as he stared up at Elinor.  ¡°The Empress ¡­ the authority over those in the pit.¡±

    A soft smile returned to Tiffany¡¯s lips as Elinor kept her expression neutral.  ¡°You thought the Empress snatched those souls out of Supreme Chief Gogath¡¯s hands?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ did,¡± Valdar admitted, head lowering again.  ¡°The Empress of the Dead¡­¡±

    ¡°Is not incongruent with the Supreme Chief of the Dead.  Is it?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± He was silent for a moment before whispering, ¡°the storm and Wrath of the Ancestors.  They were signs, announcing your entry to our world?¡±

    ¡°The treatment of her by your clans.  Why do you think the Empress has control over the dead, and can bring back those that were supposed to be worthy of joining the Supreme Chiefs?  It is because the Ri¡¯bot have forgotten Supreme Chief Elinor, and so, she has come to personally remind the Ri¡¯bot of their sins.  The Clans have lost their way, and must be returned to the proper path.¡±

    Elinor was shocked at how confused and horrified Tiffany¡¯s words made the former chief.  So, Tiffany was right.  Pointing out a simple void or less thought about concept in their belief has awoken his mind to the possibility.

    Valdar slowly lifted his eyes to view Elinor, sitting cross-legged on the skeletal palm of the former Quen¡¯Talrat.  ¡°I see ¡­ Supreme Chief Elinor would be over the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s souls, and,¡± his gaze shifted to the Queen, ¡°the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.  All those who have displeased The One Above All.  Does that mean, The Empress is the Right-Hand of Wrath?¡±

    A smile touched Elinor¡¯s features as she looked down upon Valdar.  Wrath cannot even begin to describe the monster that stands before you.  I may be a Supreme Chief, but I am not a part of the benevolent court you believe.  Look around, Valdar.

    Both the court and Valdar followed her gesture.  What do you see?

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°The Quen¡¯Talrat fortress?¡±  Valdar asked.

    A war fought by the Ri¡¯bot and every other nation ¡­ a war that I was not a part of.  Do you suppose that all the other gods, deities, or chiefs of other people are true?

    ¡°I ¡­ do not know.¡±

    She could feel the realization slowly dawning on her minion.  They are one and the same ¡­ all of them, but they¡¯ve lost their way.  I am the true Lord of the Dead, the same in every culture, but I¡¯ve been forgotten by many.  This entire world will remember who I am.

    The flames in Elinor¡¯s chest lit as she remembered everything she¡¯d lost, allowing that fire to move through her connection to him.  ¡°W-What should we do?  You waited to reveal yourself ¡­ to test us?¡±

    Look at me.  She glared down at him, glowing green irises aflame.  This is the world you¡¯ve created.  The product of what I¡¯ve become ¡­ my soul, my youth, everything I was; my innocence was not yours to consume.

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    Into the silence, you sent me ¡­ into this consuming fire, yet this emptiness inside me is so cold.  You thought I¡¯d forget, forgive?  Elinor snarled, nose twisting as her emotions flared.  The Ri¡¯bot filled me with hate; it¡¯s the pulse in my veins, the war that I wage inside.  This is what you¡¯ve made me into, the monster you set upon this world, and that¡¯s why I started here.

    ¡°The other world, we found you¡­¡±

    ¡°Did you?¡±  Tiffany asked with a leer.

    ¡°The gateway was a test,¡± Valdar mumbled, dropping to his knees.  ¡°What do we do?  I felt it ¡­ I feel it ¡­ the cold and heat inside you.  The darkness ¡­ that we brought upon ourselves.  The Unseen Eye ¡­ it attacked you because it recognized your presence as a true threat ¡­ the threat of a Supreme Chief, and you won.  No ¡­ no, of course, you won.¡±

    Tiffany hummed with a thoughtful frown.  ¡°The Supreme Chiefs have not been with you for some time, Chief Valdar, but the Empress is here now to set things right.  She hardly recognizes the Ri¡¯bot anymore after being abandoned for so long.  Do you think the Ri¡¯bot are beyond saving, or can the knowledge of Supreme Chief Elinor be spread, and the honor of the Ri¡¯bot returned?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ yes, it must be,¡± Valdar whispered.  ¡°The pit has risen to cast judgment upon the Ri¡¯bot.  What must be done, Supreme Chief Elinor?¡±  His body was shaking like a leaf.  ¡°What must I do?¡±

    ¡°Spread her name,¡± Tiffany replied.  ¡°Worship the Empress; she is the will of The One Above All, and The One Above All is at one with her.  Now that the truth has been revealed, can you convince not just your people, but all Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    ¡°If I can¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°Then they will either be forced to serve or be cast into the pit.  The sins of your fathers are coming back to haunt you, Valdar.  Will you be the one to set things right, or will a blight of Undead sweep across this land?¡±

    ¡°I will go personally!¡±  Valdar said, bowing his head to the ground as sweat leaked from his pores.

    ¡°The first apostle,¡± Tiffany mused.  ¡°You bring honor back to your name, Valdar.  The Empress will rebuild the Ri¡¯bot that serves her into the nation you were meant to be; all will serve the Empress of the Dead.  You are at the dawn of a new golden era.  Join Camellia, and spread the word, but those that reject it must be cut away; the malignant disease of unbelief must be purged.¡±

    ¡°It is as you say!  I will leave at once.¡±

    Elinor granted him a connection to Camellia so that he could find her, and upon her nod, he rushed into action.

    A deep hum left Edmon¡¯s throat as he watched the Ri¡¯bot follow his orders, disconnected from their private conversation.  ¡°I must admit that it went better than I anticipated.  However, a more doubtful mind might resist.  He is actively affected by the Empress¡¯ power and presence, but the others might not be so easy to convince.¡±

    Tiffany pushed her lips to the side with a soft sigh.  ¡°I agree.  It isn¡¯t perfect, but no religion is.  He knows their beliefs inside and out; give him time to mold it, and he¡¯ll gather a proper following that will gain traction.  Do you think you can explain it to Camellia, Iris?¡±

    Iris sounded more than a little doubtful.  ¡°My daughter wouldn¡¯t understand a hair of what just happened.  Violet might grasp it a bit better, but Camellia is more simple-minded.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s extremely dedicated, though,¡± Tiffany offered.

    ¡°Yes, which is why she¡¯ll drive herself insane trying to figure it out, and it would distract her from the task at hand.  I suggest letting Valdar do the work while Camellia cleans up anyone that is resistant.¡±

    Tiffany chuckled sheepishly.  ¡°Fair, I agree.  Edmon?¡±  She asked with a lifted eyebrow.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± he gripped the back of his helmet while cracking his neck.  ¡°You¡¯re creating zealots that follow the Empress, which is excellent, but I¡¯m still dubious on the results.  Only time will tell, and in the end, we can always use force if necessary.

    ¡°Well, no ¡­ I suppose we will be using force in the start to get the point across.  Power breeds belief.¡±  He paused before giving a quick tilt of his head.  ¡°Okay, I¡¯m starting to see how this might work, and with the Empress¡¯ abilities, how could they not think she was a long-forgotten goddess.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s tongue slid over her red lips before trying to hide a smile while brushing back her hair as the wind picked up.  ¡°Is that praise?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Edmon grunted, arms still folded.

    She huffed but kept her half-smile.  ¡°Close enough.¡±

    ¡°So, should we continue to the wall?¡±  Edmon asked, turning away from the Witch to stare at the towering blocks far in the distance.

    Elinor enjoyed listening to their conversation, and releasing some of her inner hatred gave her more satisfaction than she realized.  She studied the path Edmon had taken them on, following one of the city¡¯s main highways.  The straight-line went right to the wall, and it seemed much smaller on the inside of the structure.

    Yes, we¡¯ll continue.  Quin and Garu should be joining us shortly, and I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how Quin¡¯s changed.  I sensed a shift in my link with him; he¡¯s ranked up, hasn¡¯t he?

    Their mounts continued their progress, once again directed by Edmon.  The wind was growing stronger, blowing the puddles of water left over by the storm across the street.

    ¡°He has,¡± Tiffany stated; her tone was glowing with joy.  ¡°He should be slowly regaining some of his former memories, and his ability to communicate should be returning.¡±

    Elinor absently glanced around the city, focusing on random buildings and objects, still wet after the storm¡¯s passing.  These things I can do sound like they¡¯re from a game.  I¡¯m not too familiar with many video games; I mean, I played Nintendo games at friends¡¯ houses, but none of the hardcore stuff like that warcraft game.  Do any of you know why that is?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what a video game is,¡± Iris responded.

    Tiffany giggled.  ¡°Understandable, and no, Elinor, I do not know why this system is so similar to games.  Your father played a few games when he was younger,¡± she mused, orange eyes sliding to the Doom Guard.

    Edmon grabbed the left jaw bone of the Skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat he rode on and easily hoisted himself to his feet, standing between its heads.  ¡°Indeed, he did play WoW, which has some similarities.  However, why that is, I couldn¡¯t guess.  All I know is the information I¡¯ve been given, which is limited to what I assume is surface-based information to advise you.¡±

    He turned his blue eyes to her.  ¡°Do you wish to go over your skills at this time?¡±

    The long path before her seemed to go on for miles.  It didn¡¯t seem this long before, but I suppose I was a little distracted ¡­ it would be a good use of time.  I have Skill Points that I can use after Iris¡¯ slaughter and everything else my army has done, correct?

    ¡°You do,¡± Tiffany hummed, fiddling with her shirt front; the wind kept trying to pull it up to reveal her black bra.  ¡°Although, this system won¡¯t tell you how many you have or even if you have any to spend, and worse, it will even spend them based on your desires.  Well, you could see that as a positive and negative.¡±

    Then I have been using them?

    Edmon chuckled.  ¡°Quite a bit.  Every time you wished to communicate with someone, or attempted something that was currently outside your current ability¡¯s scope, points have been used.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s hands tightened against each other in her lap, lips falling into a frown.  When I first changed, I just had to ask the question, and I¡¯d get an understanding of my abilities.  Is there a way to make them all available?

    ¡°Normally, no, from the information I¡¯ve been given by the system itself.¡±  Tiffany smirked, ¡°However, in us, you¡¯ve found a certain degree of leeway not afforded to the other humans given this ¡­ seed, as Demon so generously enlightened us.¡±

    She paused, orange eyes shifting with her smile.  ¡°A seed attached to the spirits of humans, mutating to their desires; it¡¯s such a fascinating event.  A crystal appears that leads to a new world, and gives certain people powers; perhaps the other humans have dormant versions of this seed in them, as well.  We might need to do some testing of our own to determine more.¡±

    The Doom Guard butted in before she could continue.  ¡°So far, only the Empress has been able to spread this seed to others, planting it inside spirits herself.¡±

    ¡°Oh, good observation!¡±  Tiffany mused, now folding her arms while holding down what remained of her shirt.  ¡°Since we are all a branch of that first connection, you only grow stronger with every minion.  It¡¯s a fascinating way to grow a power; trying to increase your power alone would be extremely difficult, but creating specialized Undead allows you to share in their acquired Experience.¡±

    The three of them shifted their focus to Iris; at some point, she¡¯d transformed into her human form and stood atop a drone.  Her passive deep red eyes were centered on the Witch.    ¡°Tiffany, I noticed you keep fiddling with that scrap of cloth covering your fat.  I can create a proper covering for it if you wish.¡±

    ¡°Fat,¡± Tiffany mumbled while glancing down with a grimace.  ¡°Iris, I¡¯ll have you know that many humans find breasts very attractive, and not just fat¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Iris hummed thoughtfully while staring down at her own ample bosom.  ¡°I was under the impression they were mainly for the brood.¡±

    ¡°Children,¡± Tiffany forced a chuckle.  ¡°Children and pleasure ¡­ when not getting in the way.¡±

    ¡°Pleasure?¡±  Iris lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°I suppose they could be sensitive to stimulation.  Your bodies are so ¡­ different,¡± She whispered while eyeing Tiffany¡¯s frame.

    Tiffany¡¯s cheeks reddened.  ¡°Yes, well, to us, the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra have strange bodies, but I suppose not very many creatures can take on the appearance of others.  Why are we talking about the feminine frame, again?¡±

    ¡°It has been on my mind while watching your reactions.  Mmh, not only that,¡± Iris twisted her arms to stare at it while transforming into her white Ri¡¯bot form.  ¡°The DNA of Ri¡¯bot and humans, they both have so many strange things mixed in.

    ¡°Before my death, I would determine the strength of the materials used based on combat ability.  Finding a powerful species to use as a medium for birthing stronger daughters is an important task, essential, yet I¡¯ve come to realize there are so many more things hidden within a creature than I was first aware of.  Personality is quite something,¡± she mused, voice becoming sweeter and more lilting after changing.

    She returned to her human figure, giving Tiffany a soft smile.  ¡°If the cloth around your chest is bothering you, then I can create a new one.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s arms tightened underneath her breasts before shooting a sidelong look at Edmon, releasing a soft sigh as her black hair flung back from the wind.  ¡°Fine ¡­ that¡¯d be great.¡±

    Iris¡¯ brow furrowed as she jumped to the Witch¡¯s ride, standing upon the drone as if the air pressure whipping back their clothes didn¡¯t affect her in the least.  ¡°You do not sound thrilled to be rid of the annoyance.¡±  She stated while her hair wrapped around Tiffany¡¯s core, repairing her shirt in seconds.

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s nothing,¡± Tiffany mumbled, shifting her weight to keep balanced while testing the elasticity of the repaired half of her shirt.  It didn¡¯t have a hem but perfectly fit around the Witch¡¯s thin belly.  ¡°Mmh, it fits perfectly.  Thanks, Iris.¡±  She smiled up at the confused Executioner.

    Elinor giggled, keeping her thoughts private.  Iris is cute.  She doesn¡¯t understand human culture at all.  Tiffany enjoyed teasing Edmon, which even he recognized.  It was like they had small private moments together without saying anything at all, and in one swift stroke, Iris shut it down.

    She glanced between the silent pair.  Tiffany was glaring down at the new black part of her shirt; it honestly didn¡¯t look that bad.  Iris somehow made jumping between running metallic-like spiders an elegant performance worthy of the Olympics, and Edmon tried to ignore the conversation entirely.

    Poor Tiffany; she just wants to tease Edmon and for him to give her attention.  I can still feel that she¡¯s bitter after Edmon threw her under the bus.  I mean, he didn¡¯t exactly know he was doing it, but Edmon did feel a little dejected that she didn¡¯t fight harder to go with him.

    He just wants to spend a bit of personal time with her, but she¡¯s been too busy to realize his hints, and a little too concerned with her duties, which is actually pretty surprising given that¡¯s usually Edmon¡¯s trait.  I think he also wants a bit of praise for his work getting the fortress running again, but it¡¯s going right over Tiffany¡¯s head.

    Her smile turned a little rueful, and she released a low sigh.  Is this a drama of my own creation?  In any case, sad comedy helps ¡­ at least it shouldn¡¯t be a tragedy; I¡¯m sick of tragedies.

    Elinor¡¯s green eyes lifted to the growing wall as they neared, and Edmon cleared his throat.  ¡°We were discussing the Empress¡¯ abilities.¡±

    Iris¡¯ red lips fell slightly as she turned to Elinor.  ¡°I see.  By Edmon¡¯s tone, was what I did inappropriately handled?¡±

    No.  Elinor replied.  Edmon and Tiffany know all of the customs I¡¯ve grown up with while you are left to pick up the pieces.  I love the contrast; the surprise gives me something to look forward to.  Although¡­  She giggled.  I forget how much I take for granted; you¡¯re my gem, Iris.  Now, go ahead, Edmon.

    ¡°Right ¡­ as Tiffany was saying before we got off-track, we know each of your skills.  Would you like us to give you everything about your abilities?¡±

    Perfect.  Her irises moved to a wide staircase leading to the top of the inner wall as they were carried that way.  If I¡¯m going to plot how to use my abilities in the coming conflict, then I need to know everything I can about them.  Tell me everything while we wait.

 B1 â€” 40. The System

    Note:  The following is a comprehensive list of everything Tiffany and Edmon taught Elinor about The System and her abilities while waiting for Camellia and Valdar to finish their work at subjugating the clanless territories in the valley, either by swearing undying loyalty to Supreme Chief Elinor, or choosing to serve her in death as a zombie.

    Meaning, the following information will have an edge of Elinor¡¯s own attitude and approach when identifying her abilities.  There will also be hints at abridged conversations she had about her skills and the system with her court.

    The System: It is unclear why or how this system attached itself to my soul, but from Demon¡¯s comments about this seed, it contains immense power.  Even with Demon¡¯s vast experience and age, he doesn¡¯t know much about it.

    If Demon has the capability to take these seeds, then would it corrupt him like it did me?  If it reacts to desires, then why would it make me a Lich Empress?  There¡¯s the possibility that there¡¯s a set of lingering information within the seed that is used with the personality of the individual.

    The seed has preassigned settings, either natural or otherwise, that governs how it responds to my individual¡¯s desires; if I overrule the Automatic Skill Assignment and Point Placement features, then I¡¯d be able to better maximize my potential, and not knowing how many points I have is of little concern if they¡¯re placed in the right areas.

    [Elinor chose to manually put points into her skills rather than allowing her passing emotions to dictate their advancement.]

    The System does not give a few articles of information, such as points or skills that are available to obtain, and most raw stat numbers are hidden.  Although, it does give quite a bit of information in regards to what I already have.  I need to be sure upon the subject I want revealed, passing thoughts will not give a rounded response.

    The desire to know must be of significant degree to equal the determination to receive a new skill, and specific enough to not be given a vague understanding, which is understandable.  There are a lot of nuances with skills that can go unnoticed if I¡¯m not focused on the right set of information, but that¡¯s why I have Tiffany and Edmon to guide me.

    Experience System:  Unlike a game, the experience system is extremely complicated since it incorporates actions taken in real-life, and a person may not only gain points from killing, but a number of other ways.  However, there is a cap to certain methods of leveling.

    <ul>

    <li>Questing System [Has a Weekly Cap]:  In a normal video game, quests are a set of tasks assigned to a person to achieve some overarching goal to the plot of some storyline.  However, in real-life, these types of quests may appear from any number of ways.  A lady asks you to get her dog, picking up litter on the street, or even cutting down a specific number of trees each day.  Quests are tasks, and specific tasks left open or failed may even come with penalties, such as lowering one¡¯s strength or agility; penalties depend on the task failed.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Event System [Unlimited Homeworld Events; Capped Other World Events]:  I received quite a bit of experience by being a part of a World Event, and it appears as if there is a limit to the times one can do this type of event in a week and receive accommodations from The System.  A person can only receive bonus experience from their first completion of a week, and experience from these dungeons ends on the fifth, meaning only loot and experience from other methods will be given; there is a weekly lockout of ten world ventures.  However, this does not apply if one swaps their homeworld, resetting their count.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Killing [Unlimited]:  The act of killing a creature will always grant experience based on the difficulty of the kill to the target.  Therefore, Iris killing creatures of a low rank would grant her, and thereby me, less experience than a Quin taking the kill.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Learning [Weekly Cap]:  Even something as simple as baking a cake might grant a small amount of experience; it is about doing something you have not done before, thereby gaining experience.  Reading new literature is also a form of leveling.  In essence, learning is a means to gain experience; therefore, I need to pick up some type of trade to reach this cap weekly.</li>

    </ul>

    The Attribute System: is quite extensive, and is used in a multiplicative way with skills while also having a base.  I can manually add these points now that I¡¯ve taken a firmer hold on the system rather than letting it dictate based on circumstance.  Stats and Skills are connected in a lot of ways, and increased Force would enhance someone¡¯s ability to perform stronger feats; however, if you do not apply points into Defense, then you would suffer diminishing returns; physics still apply to a degree.

    <ul>

    <li>Force</li>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Power: is the explosive, wilder use of force, which also includes potential force, meaning it¡¯s also a good stat to use for a mage or spellcaster.  However, as a Necromantic-type, this would not be of great use to me.</li>

    <li>Strength: is a slower and more controlled exercise of force that centers on internal strength rather than external.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Defense

    <ul>

    <li>Toughness: is how much damage I can receive before my diamond is crushed or broken.  Artificial Body does pull from this stat, but I¡¯d need to heavily increase not only the skill but also this stat for it to have a powerful effect.  Currently, since I used a diamond, my toughness is quite high, however, that also makes me weak in certain other areas because of its properties.</li>

    <li>Resilience: is an area where I lack greatly; I am not meant to absorb blows.  In fact, my whole class is centered around others fighting and taking hits for me.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Dexterity

    <ul>

    <li>Speed: is low, quite low.  The ability to move my body in one direction as fast as possible is not something I was designed for.</li>

    <li>Agility: is the ability to accelerate, decelerate, stabilize, and quickly change directions with proper posture.  I never had great posture, to begin with, but shockingly, this isn¡¯t my lowest stat because of my title of Empress; posture is an important attribute to be aware of while standing in court.</li>

    <li>Quickness: is the ability to react and change body position with a maximum rate of force production ¡­ which I lack in, a lot.  I cannot follow swift movement or even move quickly.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Energy

    <ul>

    <li>Constitution: is basically my mana bar ¡­ Death Energy, Corrupted Life-Force, or whatever one wishes to call my specific energy that keeps me alive and functioning.  This is quite high, and for good reason; I am the means by which all my minions live.</li>

    <li>Stamina: is how long I can function physically, which is non-existent as I don¡¯t have a real body; Artificial Body uses this stat as a means to determine how much damage is done before it collapses, wasting my energy when I need to reform it.  If my diamonds break, then this will hardly help.</li>

    <li>Endurance: reduces the amount of Death Energy each of my abilities takes.  This is a very important long-term skill to increase as I am constantly bleeding the stuff.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Resistances

    <ul>

    <li>Elemental Resistances: are used to determine the protection The System provides against any elemental-based attacks, which happens to include a house stove.</li>

    <li>Physical Resistances: are my weakness; a diamond can be easily crushed by a hammer, killing me.  While my diamonds can withstand normal conditions for even a billion years, a simple falling rock can kill me.  However, I could increase my diamond¡¯s toughness enough to counter this weakness.</li>

    <li>Control Resistances: Mind affecting spells are more or less useless against me; I suppose it speaks to Demon¡¯s considerable power that he was able to attack me.  Although, it was more of a spiritual attack rather than a mental one, but it would have bled over to that field, which is impressive all the same.  Emotional Loss gives me a lot of resistance to mental attacks.</li>

    <li>Penetration: is a stat that bypasses resistances, and it appears The System determined Demon¡¯s attacks were heavily influenced by this stat.  I have no need for it.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Types of Effects: we¡¯ve been able to identify.

    <ul>

    <li>Charms: Iris has some abilities linked with charming effects when she transforms; although, her body itself is alluring enough.</li>

    <li>Enrage: A double-edged sword that tends to be used by the Elite Warrior Class.</li>

    <li>Paralysis: Azalea seems to be extremely proficient with this type of effect on a few of her skills.  She can even shoot her hair out like darts to freeze her targets.</li>

    </ul>

    The Advancement System: The two ways of advancing are through levels and proficiencies.  Experience is restricted to the Leveling System and does not affect Proficiency.

    <ul>

    <li>The Leveling System: works as expected, investing points into areas, and there is a main overarching level that a person has which grants him Attribute and Skill points.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">The Proficiency System: has its own internal experience system that is based on the use of an ability. There are two parts to the Proficiency System, Grades, and Ranks.  The earlier Grades and Ranks are easier to level, but it gets more and more difficult as they rise, but rewards are so much greater.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Grades: Grades are the more substantial part of the Proficiency System.  There are eleven Grades:

    <ul>

    <li>Novice (1-4) - I</li>

    <li>Rookie (5-9) - I</li>

    <li>Versed (10-19) - II</li>

    <li>Intermediate (20-29) - III</li>

    <li>Adept (30-49) - IV</li>

    <li>Senior (50-59) - V</li>

    <li>Master (60-69) - VI</li>

    <li>Grand Master (70-79) - VII</li>

    <li>Mythic (80-89 - VIII</li>

    <li>Godly (90-99) - IX</li>

    <li>Transcendent (100) - X</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Ranks: are numbered from zero to ten, and advancing each rank gives a small boost to that ability.  It is not certain, but most abilities have Proficiency Skills that can be obtained when advancing to the next Grade.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Proficiency Skills: are augments that enhance a skill¡¯s use and can dramatically change how someone uses their ability.  For instance, I may gain the ability for Life Tap to affect multiple people, and perhaps, when reaching Senior, I may have the ability to transform Life Tap into Vampiric Nova, or whatever it may be called, making it possible for me to drain the life of every creature within a set area.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Skill Advancement Restrictions: Even if you level up a skill to level 100, it will not advance to higher states unless the appropriate Proficiency in it has been reached.  Therefore, I may end up having a level 100 Life Tap that can only drain one target really fast, but that¡¯s it if the Proficiency remains in the Novice or Rookie stages.  This restriction makes it impractical to dump points into a skill you rarely use.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Achievement System: is extremely important, but difficult to plan for.  I received an Achievement for making this world my new home, giving me the ability to raise Tiffany and Edmon.  These are powerful abilities, however, they may come with no Proficiency Grades, meaning they are extremely weak versions of the original since it requires high Proficiency of pre-required skills to reach that ability.  Edmon theorizes I may achieve an Achievement Skill if I can turn these Ri¡¯bot into my religious following.

    The Tree System: is complicated, and links to a vast number of areas.  They could be considered skills, talents, spells, abilities, but they all have some kind of power attached to them.  Tiffany describes it as a tree itself:

    <ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Trees: are the framework of a Class.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Branches: operate in a tier list that chains to different abilities and can break into smaller branches that house leaves or attachments.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Leaves: are individual abilities that are a part of Cluster Sets or abilities that all fall under a particular skill.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Cluster Sets: all abilities within a cluster are hampered by the primary skill¡¯s Level and Proficiency.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Chain Skills: are skills that upgrade to stronger abilities if advanced in a sequence.  Chain Skills can be in Cluster Sets, and even Cluster Sets can be chained.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Link Skills: are abilities that can bridge to create something stronger, combining skills.  The Necromantics Title has spells that can link explosions to zombies and many other feats.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Racial Skills: are skills that are given to me based on being a Lich and Empress, but my minions also receive their own abilities; it¡¯s centered on what they are, and my minions can even advance their natural abilities further than was previously possible with The System¡¯s aid.  The Quen¡¯Talrat could gain their unique ability to generate fire and make it stronger than it ever was in life, and Violet can add special affixes to her silk that were impossible before.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stock Skills: charge depending on certain criteria, and usually have a maximum capacity.  Camellia has skills like this that amplify over time or by condition.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Channeling Skills: are abilities that take time to complete, such as Tiffany¡¯s Rituals.  If she is interrupted, then she¡¯ll be out of energy and the ability won¡¯t be activated.  She hates wasting energy and would rely on Edmon to protect her like when Dalria attacked us.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Charging Skills: differ from channeling in that they don¡¯t need to complete their cast to activate.  If you wish to get the full effects, then you should wait, but it can be shot off at any time; however, it will cost the same base amount, and are usually a lot more pricey than other types of abilities, meaning it could be a waste of energy if cut short.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sub Effects: are additions gained upon leveling up skills, which could be freezing or paralysis among many other options.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Aura Skills: activate in a globe around the caster and affect everyone, friend and foe alike, such as Edmon¡¯s <em style="font-weight: bold">Transient Frost Wall that would have also protected any enemy nearby.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">States: are literal changes that come over a person, such as Enrage-type skills used by the Elite Warriors.</li>

    </ul>

    </ul>

    Titles:

    <ul>

    <li>Unknown At This Time</li>

    </ul>

    Types of Activations:

    <ul>

    <li>Active: the standard self-activated spell that requires your desire to use.</li>

    <li>Passive: skills are always in effect.</li>

    <li>Reactive: skills are only in effect if certain criteria are met; this is the type to highlight since it is connected to a particular event.</li>

    </ul>

    The Changed: Since it doesn''t involve me, Edmon and Tiffany are unaware of what other types of creatures might have come from this change, and how the seed might have affected them.  Some of the humans may even have dormant seeds within them, but it seems unlikely if Demon has not gone after them; although, it is not something to rule out.

    Psyche Change:  This change has obviously affected my mind in a great many ways, which also shifts my desires.  It¡¯s interesting to think about the effects this generates within those that have this seed; I doubt I would have initially chosen from a long list of possibilities to become a Lich Empress, yet that was what was given to me.  There are a lot of factors we¡¯re unaware of in regards to how this seed operates.

    Overall: The manner in which these systems interact with each other is fascinating; they appear to be intentionally designed in a way to focus on an individual¡¯s way of life rather than allowing them to try and craft something other than what they normally use:

    Elinor, Lich Empress: I am a summoner-based class that focuses on ruling rather than fighting.  If I need something, then I create a servant to do it for me, and thereby gain someone new to interact with.   Perhaps I was partially influenced down this path due to feeling lonely and ostracized by my friends for becoming a goth.

    <ul>

    <li>Stats:  </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Force</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Power: Low</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Strength: Low</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Defense

    <ul>

    <li>Toughness: Above Average</li>

    <li>Resilience: Low</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Dexterity

    <ul>

    <li>Speed: Low</li>

    <li>Agility: Normal</li>

    <li>Quickness: Low</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Energy

    <ul>

    <li>Constitution: Extremely High</li>

    <li>Stamina: Below Average</li>

    <li>Endurance: Above Average</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Tenacity

    <ul>

    <li>Elemental Resistances: Above Average, excluding Life Resistance that is Deadly</li>

    <li>Physical Resistances: Below Average</li>

    <li>Control Resistances: Extremely High</li>

    <li>Penetration: Low</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Achievements:</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>None:  I currently hold no Achievements, but I may once I finish conquering this valley and take ownership of it.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Type Abilities: my Type is a Mythickin, giving me a standard ability gained by those within the same group.</li>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>True Sight: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A) Passive Skill, Level Two, Novice, Rank Five:  I can see past illusions, but I have not had the chance to see many illusions.  Demon¡¯s attack was a mixture between illusions and mental manipulation and was powerful enough to even subdue this ability, or his interference with the seed itself caused the malfunction.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>States: </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Lich¡¯s Conquest:  (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 25DE/Daily Duration: Conditional; Range: Nexus Of The Empress) Reactive Aura, Level Five, Novice, Rank Zero; is a State that is granted to me when I intend to forcefully conquest a land, and while active, I gain certain perks that will aid me in that task.  However, if I am not in a direct campaign against a force that holds land for me to take, then this does not come into effect.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Cost Reduction:  While it may cost a daily amount of Death Energy, it reduces the total percent cost of my daily total by 15%.</li>

    <li>Furor:  Increase all my minion¡¯s Attack Speed and Attack Damage by 5%</li>

    <li>Sacrifice:  Lose 10% of my total army during the reset; at least I can mark minions that take priority over others.  10% of my weakest Undead isn¡¯t terrible ¡­ if I¡¯m replenishing it that day.  This also accounts for numbers, not strength.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Base Lich Tree Skills: These are the standard run-of-the-mill Undead staples that I obtained when I first changed.

    <ul>

    <li>Artificial Body: (Cooldown: 15 Seconds Cost: 10DE/Daily; Duration: 1 Day; Range: N/A); Reactive, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Five, Rookie, Rank Three; this is probably the one my most used abilities.  I can generate a physical body out of Death Energy, which I need since I have no senses inside my diamonds.  If damaged, then it can be repaired, but it can only take a certain amount of harm before being destroyed.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Life Tap: (Cooldown: 30 Seconds; Cost: Regenerative; Duration: Until Broken; Range: Two Feet) Active, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Three, Novice, Rank Seven; I¡¯m a little surprised it¡¯s risen so high after I¡¯ve used it so few times, but I suppose the Life Fruit contributed to most of my desires in raising this skill.  It corrupts Life Energy, transforming it into a product I can use.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Death¡¯s Reprieve: (Cooldown: 1 Month Cost: N/A; Duration: 1 Day; Range: N/A); Reactive, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Five, Novice, Rank Zero; I can postpone my resource cost a day, but if that triggers, the price the next day will be tripled, and it has a month-long cooldown.  It¡¯s fairly costly but could be a lifesaver in the worst-case scenario.</li>

    <li>Lesser Corpse Detection (Absorbed into Herald of the Empress):  I met several conditions in order to advance this skill, linking it with several others in order to form Herald of the Empress.  The process seems irreversible.</li>

    <li>Raise Skeleton: (Absorbed into Herald of the Empress):  It¡¯s fascinating how many skills were absorbed or linked together with my simple desire to have a mobile way of raising the dead around me while trapped by Boss.  That one decision changed and added so many features together into that one skill.</li>

    </ul>

    Racials:

    <ul>

    <li>Death Pool: (200DE Cap (258DE After Investing Points); Currently 1,234/258DE; Losing 300DE/Hour) Passive, Summoning, Level Six, Rookie, Rank One; is a racial energy source that is affected by my Endurance Stat.  I don¡¯t know if I should put this in Skills or Attributes but put it here for the moment.  It apparently makes me glow faint white with how full it is.

    <ul>

    <li>Overpowered II: Reactive Link Skill, Summoning, Level Five, Novice, Rank Nine; was likely given to me when I corrupted and absorbed the Life Fruit¡¯s energy, and I was worried about it dropping too quickly before I got to Iris.  It grants me a 10%  reduction of Death Energy loss if over my pool¡¯s cap, while also granting me temporary storage of the surplus.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Emotional Loss: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A) Passive Cluster Set; Level Nine, Rookie, Rank Four:  Ironic that this would be even higher than my energy pool.  This racial has proven to keep me alive while also earning my disdain at the same time.  It dulls specific emotions while leaving others to their normal degree, making me unbalanced; however, adding Imperial Presence to the mix contrasts the negative emotions left within me, forcing me into a box.  These two skills ping-pong off each other.

    <ul>

    <li>In Moderation All Things: (Cooldown: 2 Hour; Cost: N/A; Duration: 1 Minute) Reactive Proficiency Skill Lv. 1; gives me a slight reprieve upon the dulled emotions, which is a welcomed surprise.  My small spurts of joy and amusement while watching Edmon and Tiffany must be the moments this attachment brings.  It¡¯s not overpowering Emotional Loss, but my desire to feel joy gave me this; not bad, system.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Imperial Presence: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A) Passive Aura, Magical Type, Empress, Level Eight, Rookie, Rank Three; it not only affects other people¡¯s minds but also forces me to act in a specific manner.  It makes me more dignified and regal while also implanting that mental image in weak-willed creatures around me.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lesser Aura of Supremacy: (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: 5DE; Duration: 1 Minute) Active Aura Link Skill:  Releases from my crown, and it casts Horrify on others, if Horrify fails, it casts Fear.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Horrify: overwhelms all senses, forcing the victim to focus on me while being totally unable to function mentally and physically for a time.  Resistant rolls will be cast after every five seconds.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Fear: forces those present to run in terror, unable to think of anything but the urge to escape.  Effects last for five seconds, and will not renew once outside of the aura field, but the person¡¯s lingering bodily response will have an effect on them.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Minion Pool: Passive Skill, Magical Type, Summoner, Level Three, Novice, Rank Max; I haven¡¯t put nearly as many levels as I thought into this skill, but it seems like it will increase dramatically as I do, and I haven¡¯t honestly needed to grow it since bodies are shockingly hard to come by when you don¡¯t have designated graveyards.

    <ul>

    <li>Intelligent: 18</li>

    <li>Unintelligent: 80</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Empress Branch: The skills that force me to behave a certain way, curbing my old habits by force.

    <ul>

    <li>Nexus Of The Empress: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 10DE Daily; Duration: N/A; Range: Eight Miles); Passive Aura, Magical Type, Empress, Level Ten, Rookie, Rank One</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Monarch of Death: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 50DE/Daily; Duration: N/A) Active, Cluster Set, Level Eight, Rookie, Rank Two; the physical manifestation of my authority as the Empress of the Dead.  The following are skills a part of this cluster, meaning they do not work if this main branch is not active.

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Life Tap:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: See Above; Daily Use; Duration: N/A; Range: Touch) Reactive, Level One, Rank Zero; not connected to my actual skill, but a direct augmentation attached to the crown itself.  The crown and veil are both composed of the Death Element, which means anyone foolish enough to touch them will automatically be subject to this skill.  I may need to level it up, but the process seems rather ¡­ undignified.  I¡¯ll need to give it more thought.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Lesser Minion Mastery: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: See Above; Daily Use; Duration: N/A; Range: 25 Meters) Passive Skill, Magical Type, Enhancement, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Nine; doubles all my base minions¡¯ stats, but this doesn¡¯t stack with other increase minion effects, including Lich¡¯s Conquest.  It additionally awards all minions in range with 5% bonus stats, excluding Tenacity, and gives all minions 15% bonus experience.  It kind of sucks they won¡¯t get the resistances and penetration, but what can you do?</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Prose of the Potentate: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: See Above; Daily Use; Duration: See Above; Range: N/A) Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Eight, Rookie Grade, Rank Two; allows me to talk and read any language my minions can.  However, this means there can be errors if their education was faulty.  I could look like a fool if my minion doesn¡¯t have the proper vocabulary to communicate at a higher level.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Plight Of The Empress: Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Cluster Set, Level One, Novice, Rank One; a set of skills that are more or less my panic button.  It will take forever to level these skills up if they honestly have a week of cooldown time.  I¡¯m sure I will get more as time goes by.

    <ul>

    <li>Call of the Empress: (Cooldown: 1 Week; Cost: 10%DE; Duration: 10 Minutes; Range: 30 Meters) Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank One; Sends a nova of life energy out that raises all corpses in range from my current position.  It bypasses my summoning limit, being completely independent.  The summons will be equivalent to the strongest base skeleton I can create, mixed with a portion of their previous living stats, and best-suited class, determined by The System.  The Undead cannot be revived; once the flames of life have been extinguished, the corpse is unusable, and that includes those brought back with this spell.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Herald of the Empress: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 5DE Per Butterfly; Duration: 15 Minutes/Renews Cost To Stay Active; Range: 25 Feet) Active, Cluster Set, Level Five, Rookie, Rank Zero; my little butterflies do a lot more than I initially thought.  They¡¯re a bit more pricey than I¡¯d like, but do quite a bit more than just reanimate corpses far away.

    <ul>

    <li>Detect Dead: Passive, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Five; within a three-foot radius of the butterfly, I can sense spirits, not just viable corpses, and they can give me more detailed information about the spirit in question.</li>

    <li>Spiritual Link: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 10DE; Butterflies Active; Duration: Butterflies Active; Range: See Above) Passive Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Seven; I used this ability to communicate with Valdar and Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.  I also have control over where they can move since they¡¯re locked in a sort of spiritual cage.  The further I tell my butterflies to fly, the more room they have to move; it was a clear message to the Ke that I was in control.</li>

    <li>Raise Skeleton:  Active, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Five, Novice Grade, Rank Ten; when I summon a minion I can choose between two types which augment the cost.

    <ul>

    <li>Intelligent: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 25DE (x2 Per Grade) and the Butterfly; Duration: N/A; Maintenance: 2DE Daily/x2 Per Grade); now I know why Iris and her daughters took about sixty-five percent of my total when I was over eight thousand percent over my cap ¡­ meaning, I had over sixteen thousand DE.  I¡¯m going to have to really consider increasing my cap at this rate, and how to keep my supply topped off.

    <ul>

    <li>Color/Grade - DE Cost/Maintenance Cost</li>

    <li>White/Poor - 30/2</li>

    <li>Green/Common - 55/4</li>

    <li>Yellow/Uncommon - 105/8 (Quin/Garu¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Blue/Rare - 205/16 (Valdar¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Purple/Heroic - 405/32</li>

    <li>Red/Epic - 805/64 (Camellia¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Orange/Legendary - 1,605/128 (Azalea¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Dark Orange/Mythic - 3,205/256 (Violet¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Pearlescent/Transcendent - 6,405/512 (Iris¡¯ Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Unintelligent: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 2DE (x2 Per Grade) and the Butterfly; Duration: N/A; Maintenance:  .5DE Daily/x2 Per Grade); luckily it¡¯s nowhere near as expensive as the intelligent Undead, but the number of them might become an even greater issue.

    <ul>

    <li>Color/Grade - DE Cost/Maintenance Cost</li>

    <li>White/Poor - 5.5/.5</li>

    <li>Green/Common - 6/1</li>

    <li>Yellow/Uncommon - 7/2</li>

    <li>Blue/Rare - 9/4</li>

    <li>Purple/Heroic - 13/8</li>

    <li>Red/Epic - 21/16</li>

    <li>Orange/Legendary - 37/32</li>

    <li>Dark Orange/Mythic - 69/64</li>

    <li>Pearlescent/Transcendent - 133/128</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Daily Maintenance Cost:

    <ul>

    <li>Lich¡¯s Conquest: 25DE (If In A Territory Conflict); -15% Total Cost</li>

    <li>Artificial Body: 10DE</li>

    <li>Nexus Of The Empress: 10DE</li>

    <li>Monarch of Death: 50DE</li>

    <li>Intelligent Minions: 2,016DE

    <ul>

    <li>Rarity: Minions / DE</li>

    <li>Uncommon: 2x / 16</li>

    <li>Rare: 1x / 16</li>

    <li>Epic: 1x / 64</li>

    <li>Legendary: 1x / 128</li>

    <li>Mythic: 1x / 256</li>

    <li>Transcendent: 3x / 1,536</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Unintelligent Minions: 51.5DE

    <ul>

    <li>Poor: 57x/28.5</li>

    <li>Common: 23x/23</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Total Daily Cost: 1,838.13DE (W/Lich¡¯s Conquest)</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Total Daily Cost: 2,137.5</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Undead Maintenance Cost is a real issue; I¡¯m not supposed to have such high minions at my current level, I suppose, which means I need to dump everything I can into increasing my pool.  I may have to go back to the Life Fruit before this conquest is over.  I need to gain as many levels as possible to increase my Constitution, which is already supposed to be very high for my level.

    Lich Branch:

    <ul>

    <li>Lesser Possession:  (Cooldown: 30 Minutes; Cost: 2DE; Duration: 8 Minutes; Range: 50 Meters) Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Six; Allows me to take personal control over an Unintelligent Undead.  However, I won¡¯t have many of my abilities while doing it; so, I¡¯ll have poor vision if it does, but if it has great eyes, then that works, too.  Illusions will work on the minion, and thereby me.</li>

    </ul>

    Total Skill Points Used: 92

    Death Energy: is my very essence; it¡¯s the blood in my veins and what I feed my network of Undead.  There are protections that my minions can gain, such as Tiffany¡¯s body; Tiffany can run her hand through Life Water and even ingest a light amount without worry.  I live off corrupting life.

    Life Energy: my opposite, and it is possible for users of Life Energy to even purge the corruption of Death Energy, purifying those affected, and potentially reversing death itself, much like myself.  However, Tiffany says Resurrection is much more costly than my method of returning the dead and requires specific conditions.

    Minion Combat Classes:

    <ul>

    <li>Fodder Units:</li>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Skeleton</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Zombie</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Whisp </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Riding Units:</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Mount</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Physical Units:</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Elite Warrior</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Elite Defender</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Magical Units:</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Arcanist</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Necromantics</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Witchery</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Songweaver</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Hunter Unit:</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Sharpshooter</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Hunter</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Assassination Unit:</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Assassin</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Terrorist</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Unholy Rights Unit:</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Dark Clergy</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Inquisitor</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Minion Non-Combat Classes: may not be nearly as strong as the combat types, but they are not weak and are given means to protect themselves as servants of the Empire.  The Royal Court members can take on tasks branching into these non-combat roles; they are there to ease the burden upon the Court.  The Royal Court will have to take on many of these tasks until I can increase my ranks.

    <ul>

    <li>Royal Staff</li>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Head of State: handles all Non-Combat personnel; a Transcendent Title.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Head of Foreign Affairs: advises me on how to handle other cultures, devoting themselves to understanding the potential enemies and friends¡¯ political systems.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Head of Industry: presides over all production in the Empire and gives an account to me.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Head of Research: oversees all experimentation and research; anything that might help advance the Empire to greater heights.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Head Butler/Maid: supervises the workload of the maids and butlers.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Royal Chronicler: records the history of the Empire, creating a yearly abridged compilation of the Empire¡¯s growth.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Equerry - supervises lower-tier classes in tracking the damage to the Unintelligent Undead, presenting daily or weekly reports.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Publicist - handles the intermediary work between Elinor and the heads of the various living factions.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Treasurer - oversees all monetary value brought into the Empire.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Communications Director: once the internal network gets big enough, there will be a need to filter traffic and have someone that will intercept messages to screen if it is worthy of bothering the higher-ups.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Ambassador: is under the Head of Foreign Affairs and is sent to various kingdoms.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Curator - cataloging and general management of artifacts.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Horticulturist: in charge of managing and cultivating the Empress¡¯ gardens, whatever they might be.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Groundskeeper: oversees the maintenance of what the Horticulturist designs.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Artist: not only covers paintings, but music, and other parts of artistic design, which could be a food plate design.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Cook: is a class that focuses on not just taste but nutrition.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Maid/Butler: takes care of the Empress and Courts¡¯ needs or tasks.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Scientist: seek to understand the physics and chemistry of the area the Empire is in to provide insight to the Empress.</li>

    <li>Inventor: <em style="font-weight: normal">tests new things and tries to not just understand but build new items to support the Empire.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

 B1 â€” 41. Declaration Of War

    Elinor looked across the vast valley before her, green eyes scanning the two major points of exit on the southeast and southwest, showing a sharp decline in the land leading to the sea beyond; the sun was breaking past the lingering clouds, touching the jungle with its warm embrace, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for her heart.

    A strong breeze moved across the uneven jungle that made the treetops sway in partners before hitting the massive fortress walls, being pushed up to create strong updrafts that threw Elinor¡¯s hair and veil back as she talked with her Royal Court. The rest of her skeletal minions that she¡¯d brought with her stood at attention, waiting for orders as they discussed her abilities.

    This is a real issue that I need clipped ¡­ the total daily cost for maintaining my army is enormous. It¡¯s insane ¡­ literally, insane. I have two-hundred, period, and it wants more than ten times that amount¡ªdaily.

    Tiffany forced a chuckle as she dangled her feet over the edge, staring down at the dry moat in-between the two walls. ¡°It is rather unfortunate, but The System has been trying to compensate by adding points into your Constitution.¡±

    It¡¯s not nearly enough. I was considering putting points into increasing my minion maximum limit, but after finding out this, I¡¯d be stupid even to contemplate it.

    An off-handed comment she¡¯d heard her mother say once popped back into her mind, and she voiced it. If my outgo exceeds my income, then my upkeep will be my downfall. I need to gain levels quickly and to obtain methods of increasing my income and decrease my outgo before trying to expand my army further.

    Not only that, but the vast majority of the cost comes from the three of you; it¡¯s the Royal Court that¡¯s so demanding, but I shouldn¡¯t have expected anything less. If I combined everything and put it against the Royal Court, it wouldn¡¯t even make a dent.

    ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Iris replied, black and white metallic-like exoskeleton gleaming in the increasing sunlight. ¡°However, if you placed every one of your current forces against the Royal Court, it would be a slaughter.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and we have the Life Fruit!¡± Tiffany pointed out. ¡°I was very concerned about this problem, too, but after that discovery, I knew we could postpone it for more pressing concerns.¡±

    True. Elinor sighed, feeling a little frustration. I just never expected to be sitting on a bomb with a ticking clock. How soon until the price hits?

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Edmon stood beside Tiffany, arms folded as he surveyed the brightening valley. ¡°That¡¯s actually a more complex question than one might think, but Tiffany and I have been keeping track of it.

    ¡°The time between Earth and here is slightly different, from what I¡¯ve observed, our normal twenty-four-hour time-table won¡¯t apply. Based on what The System says, we¡¯re looking at longer days and nights on this planet, probably thirty-hour cycles since The System is basing it off your own understanding of time. We currently have nearly twenty hours and seven minutes before it takes effect.¡±

    Elinor shifted her hands behind her back, clasping her left wrist as she stood a foot away from the edge of the wall; the pressure that pressed in on her eased. Okay, that isn¡¯t nearly as bad as I expected. Still, I can¡¯t see myself reaching a sustainable energy pool anytime soon to handle that sharp of a draw, and daily. I understand that this system didn¡¯t expect me to create three Court Members in less than twelve hours of changing. I¡¯ve skipped to mid to late-game.

    After a moment of silent thought, she breathed a long sigh. How soon do you think we¡¯ll need to return to the Life Room, Tiffany?

    ¡°Mmh, let¡¯s see¡­¡± The Witch sucked in through her teeth, reaching up to comb back her hair as the gusts grew more violent. ¡°Valdar and Camellia are making progress; I¡¯m a little shocked how well they¡¯re doing, but it was a good decision of Valdar to bring famous and even infamous Clanless to convince the others to join the Supreme Chief Elinor.¡±

    She shot an impish grin up at her, holding back her hair. ¡°I think we can get you a decent amount of experience going about it in this way, and I¡¯m fairly confident you¡¯ll receive a title after starting your own religion! My mind¡¯s been buzzing around the topic. Since titles act as bonuses depending on which one you use, there could be some fun perks.¡±

    ¡°Tiffany,¡± Edmon chuckled.

    ¡°Hmm? Oh, I¡¯m getting off-track ¡­ ah, yeah, umm¡­¡± She scratched the side of her head, orange irises wandering. ¡°It really depends on how we go about it, to be honest. We have a few options.¡±

    Alright, before we get into that, Elinor butted in, I¡¯ll ask The System to dump everything I have into Constitution and then ask for anything that can modify or lower my daily maintenance cost.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope you have enough points,¡± Tiffany whispered. ¡°You could also be more specific, asking for a State, and it¡¯s a good idea to ask for a cost reduction.¡±

    Elinor asked, and two skills imprinted into her memory, causing her to breathe a sigh of relief; however, once analyzing the specifics, she became thoughtful.

    Death¡¯s Reprieve ¡­ fascinating. So, I can postpone my resource cost a day, but if that triggers, not only do I need to pay that previous debt, but the price for the next day will be tripled, and it has a month-long cooldown. It¡¯s fairly costly but could be a lifesaver in the worst-case scenario.

    ¡°We should aim for it never to be used,¡± Edmon grunted. ¡°Currently, we¡¯re talking about over six-thousand energy as a punishment for going over, and that multiplying effect also counts towards any increase in the following day. We haven¡¯t even tested how much Death Energy can be obtained through Life Tapping living creatures.¡±

    Tiffany nodded, but a smile played at her lips. ¡°That¡¯s the point! It¡¯s a safety net that might break your fall, but if you don¡¯t pay the reaper that placed it there, he¡¯ll be knocking.¡±

    Then there¡¯s the State, Lich¡¯s Conquest ¡­ I leveled it up to five, but obviously, the Proficiency is zero. It will help a lot with a fifteen percent decrease in daily cost, and provides minor buffs to my minions, but¡­¡±

    Edmon hummed darkly. ¡°Yeah, that price ¡­ ten percent of the current army is to be sacrificed daily. If we¡¯re not replenishing our numbers and in a territorial conflict, this could continue to bite us. We must be very specific when we choose to take land in a conflict.¡±

    The Witch shifted her body to look to the west. ¡°Sure, but we know we¡¯ll be in a territorial conflict while taking this valley, but there¡¯s plenty of Ri¡¯bot to refill our ranks, and we could use the cost reduction. The Empress is looking at roughly three-hundred and twenty-one Death Energy saved during that time.¡±

    ¡°Although,¡± Iris spoke up, ¡°you also have to factor in creating those minions again to feed that State.¡±

    ¡°True, but it will still save Death Energy in the end since we¡¯re talking about Fodder being sacrificed to decrease the Royal Court cost,¡± Tiffany shot back.

    Elinor intervened. I get it; we need to consider both sides. Okay, and what¡¯s my maximum pool now that I¡¯ve increased my Constitution as far as it will go ¡­ two-hundred and fifty-eight; it¡¯s going to be rough getting this up. She muttered.

    Finally, if the State is dependent upon my Nexus, then I should increase it. I¡¯d like to increase the range of Nexus Of The Empress to Level Ten.

    She licked her lips as Camellia came back into focus, and the girl paused in her movements with Valdar. ¡°Empress, I ¡­ umm, I can suddenly communicate with everyone?¡±

    ¡°Continue with your duties,¡± Iris prompted, causing the eldest spider-sister to jump back into action.

    ¡°Yes, Mother!¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Tiffany giggled, ¡°this is certainly convenient. Increasing our communications is pivotal. We should be able to communicate with each other through a fair bit of the fortress, now.¡±

    Anyway, let¡¯s get moving on the strategy.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see,¡± Tiffany straightened, crossing her legs while her vision returned to the ground far below. ¡°I suggest we move against the Wixum Clan first. They¡¯re the least likely to put up a fight, and the strongest means we have to build your reputation as a goddess. From there, we can go one of three ways; we could go after the weaker Lethix Clan, the hilariously named Flex Clan,¡± she giggled, ¡°or deal with Valdar¡¯s Clan.¡±

    What¡¯s your opinion? Elinor addressed Edmon without turning to him, still examining the ridges, valley, and rivers spreading through what was visible of the valley she¡¯d soon conquer; the river was massive, likely more than a mile or two across; it could easily be used for a trading hub if she went down that route.

    Edmon was silent for a moment as he contemplated the options in his head. Unfolding his arms, he pointed at the areas he referenced. ¡°This river flowing through the westside of the valley is the marker by which the Clan¡¯s use to divide their territory. If we¡¯re concerned about time, then I¡¯d suggest we first go after the Lethix Clan, not the Wixum.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s lips pushed to the side as she gave him a sidelong glance. ¡°It is a shorter distance¡­¡±

    ¡°Not only that, but it would open up a path for us to reach the Wixum main village,¡± Edmon stated, cutting off the Witch¡¯s interruption. ¡°Valdar told us that the lake is a massive source of needed resources for the entire area, meaning it would likely have the bulk of their Clan surrounding that location, and the Delthax warriors that ran through must have already warned them about us. The Lethix Clan should not have the advantage of being forewarned.¡±

    Iris¡¯ body moved to the left, legs extending to push her body higher into the air as she studied the lush land. ¡°I agree with Edmon. Creating a path through the Lethix Clan gives us the quickest route back to the fortress if needed, and wouldn¡¯t the Wixum Clan most likely bend the knee on sight, no matter when we move against them?

    ¡°The Empress¡¯ desire is to convert them, not destroy, correct? Perhaps it¡¯s not so different from what they¡¯re already accustomed to; they¡¯ll just be under new management, but with greater protection, which they should take with open arms, once it is explained.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Tiffany¡¯s head tilted, and Elinor could feel her slight displeasure that Iris and Edmon were usually on the same page. ¡°Valdar painted them as rather weak-willed people that rely heavily on their connection to the Delthax Clan for protection. It¡¯s also true that if we attack the Lethix, then the Flex would have little time to come to their aid, and it¡¯s unlikely the Delthax warned their enemies after quickly rushing home.¡± She mumbled.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Edmon¡¯s tone took on a humored edge. ¡°So, Tiffany, you agree with Iris and I that the Lethix Clan is the best objective to set our sights on?¡±

    Tiffany tucked her bottom lip under before she gave a dismissive shrug. ¡°Meh, I mean, sure, it¡¯s not a bad plan, but hear me out. I still think rushing a possible religious title and achievement from converting the Wixum Clan could yield stronger results and open up more options, including potential methods we can deal with our Death Energy cap issue.

    ¡°As I said, there¡¯s nothing wrong with your plan; it¡¯s safe. However, I believe there¡¯s more to be gained through a little risk, and it¡¯s not like the Flex or Lethix being warned would do them a lot of good, in the first place.¡±

    Elinor wanted to enjoy the small jabs, but her current dilemma was souring her mood. I think both plans have merit; however, I¡¯m going to have to select Edmon and Iris¡¯ path on this one, Tiffany. I need a quick way back in case something unexpected happens.

    I¡¯d love to get my hands on more skills, possible points, and what titles starting a religion might bring, but the surest bet is a quick path back to the fortress to address my small pool of energy if needed. I can¡¯t lose my army or weaken you three by forcing you to eat your own strength to survive without my support.

    I planned on taking over the entire west-half of the valley today, but that might not be possible if we need to make room for a return trip. At the very least, I want to handle the Lethix, Wixum, Flex, and Delthax Clans by the end of the day. I¡¯ll send Valdar and anyone he¡¯s managed to convert into the Prume Clan through the night to see if they can yield results.

    ¡°Missionaries?¡± Tiffany mused, trying to hide her disappointment with her decision to delay the proselytizing. ¡°How fun; I never expected we¡¯d be starting our own religion, but the possibilities are mind-blowing as I ponder it. I¡¯ll need to understand more from Valdar so I can shift the narrative, and really get this thing moving.¡±

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    Edmon chuckled, tone cold as he glanced at the southern Clanless territory, where Camellia and Valdar were moving. ¡°The Unintelligent ranks are filled, and if Valdar isn¡¯t enough to convince them, Camellia and the Zombies do a pretty decent job at following up. They¡¯ve sent some of the converts on their way back. Do you want to address them now or when we return?¡±

    When we return. Her lips curved into a smile as Quin and Garu finally made it back; to her delight, they showed signs of muscle, veins, and flesh growth. ¡°You¡¯re both moving from the Skeletal phase to the Flesh phase!¡± She squealed, walking over to examine their bodies; it was a little disappointing to see Quin¡¯s bone damage. We¡¯ll have to do something about this.

    Quin stretched out his four arms, puffing out his ribcage as she studied the additions, and she could feel his emotions beginning to swirl, taking on form. To her delight, he said a few words through the Nexus.

    ¡°Quin ¡­ happy ¡­ serve!¡±

    Some might have looked at the stringy sinew and veins as horrific on the monstrous two-headed ape, but she found him adorable, and even Garu was starting to return to his former self, slamming one fist against his bony chest. Only Tiffany showed a bright face as she moved to stroke Quin¡¯s long leg bone; Iris was displaying her usual neutrality, and Edmon¡¯s expression was hidden behind his helmet.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see if we can get you two more like yourselves after today?¡± She turned back to Tiffany, Edmon, and Iris. ¡°Let¡¯s meet up with Valdar and Camellia. We¡¯re going to the Lethix¡¯s territory.¡±

    Iris transformed into her human-form, easily lowering the minions with her webs, and carrying Elinor down in her firm arms. She was a little surprised by how smooth and soft the spider¡¯s skin felt. Elinor was a little amused as Iris held her against her bosom; the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s chest was tight but enjoyably squishy.

    She rode in one of Quin¡¯s large hands as they swiftly raced out of the moat through the broken section in the wall. They passed by the thermal pools and mud pits, smelling the sulfur in the air as they moved into the uneven jungle, and out of habit, an attempt to impress her, or perhaps both, the ape leaped to the trees.

    The other Quen¡¯Talrat followed, carrying Tiffany and Edmon, while Iris effortlessly kept pace with Quin, staying at least a second ahead of the mount as she scanned for danger.

    Iris took the lead, guiding the party through the jungle as if the last century hadn¡¯t dulled her map of the valley in the least. They passed over small hills, streams, and gaps, quickly arriving at Camellia and Valdar¡¯s location at the edge of the east border to the Lethix Clan¡¯s territory.

    The party was waiting, hidden in bushes at the river¡¯s edge, and Elinor couldn¡¯t help but smile at her welcome. All around her were dozens upon dozens of Ri¡¯bot Zombies; they were exceptionally still, and she noticed a yellow tint in their bloodshot eyes as they waited for orders.

    ¡°Report,¡± Iris commanded.

    Camellia was in her original form as she eagerly rushed forward; Elinor was growing more and more fond of the eldest sister¡¯s gung ho attitude. ¡°Empress, we have been able to reach twelve miles away from the fortress, the east walls to the west, and within that area, we managed to¡­¡±

    She paused, body swiftly shifting to face Valdar, and she whispered, ¡°What was the word again?¡±

    Elinor almost chuckled as Valdar cleared his throat before returning the whisper through the Nexus, where everyone could clearly hear. ¡°Initiates.¡±

    ¡°That was it!¡± Camellia sighed with frustration, possibly forgetting she was still communicating to everyone. ¡°We sent seventy-three initiates to the fortress, for Vi to babysit like I used to do for her.¡± She couldn¡¯t hide the mirth in her voice, and Violet was still just barely within range as she waited by the gate for the Ri¡¯bot to join her. ¡°We killed twenty-three and turned a hundred and ¡­ two, yeah, two, no, no, three! Oh, and I ate five.¡± She said in a proud tone.

    ¡°How did they taste, Camellia?¡± Iris asked with a small smile on her full lips, clearly fond of her daughter¡¯s personality.

    ¡°So good!¡± She almost purred through the network, and deliberately left the channel open for Violet. ¡°It was soft, juicy, and they had this little tangy-bitter flavor. I love eating Ri¡¯bot; they actually taste better than before!¡±

    The bitter taste in Elinor¡¯s connection to Violet made her want to smile, and as expected, she silently took the comment while burning inside; there was no doubt in Elinor¡¯s mind she was already trying to come up with something to throw in her sister¡¯s face when they returned.

    The chatter died as Elinor cleared her throat. Excellent work, Camellia, Valdar. We will unite this valley under one name, The Empire, which is me. We will move against the Lethix Clan and give them the same message you¡¯ve been spreading ¡­ if they give us the opportunity. They will have one chance, and if they squander my mercy, then they will burn.

    Her vision narrowed dangerously; she could see Valdar understood her statement, his mind playing on the image of the boiling oil they used to represent hell.

    He nodded, giving her a deep bow. ¡°It is as you say, Supreme Chief Elinor.¡±

    We move.

    The moment she decided to act, a light green aura surrounded her. Elinor glanced down at her glowing hands, studying the flickering fire while Quin moved. The light wasn¡¯t only for show; the hot flames in her heart rose with a roar as she began her campaign. Lich¡¯s Conquest had activated, and she was officially invested in territorial war with the Ri¡¯bot.

    Iris retook the lead, and Tiffany opened a private communication with her; she couldn¡¯t see the Witch, everything was a blur as Quin followed the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen through the dense jungle. ¡°That was your first War Speech, Dear! I can¡¯t wait to hear more.¡±

    Elinor closed her eyes, easing her muscles as she sat back against her portable throne. Taking in the mixed scents of the jungle and the alien sounds creatures made around her, she tried to imprint this moment in her mind. I¡¯m no longer a sixteen-year-old innocent human girl ¡­ I¡¯m an Empress forging her empire through the ruins of my past.

    They moved in silence for several minutes before Iris paused, causing the whole procession to follow suit. ¡°Empress, might I have a suggestion?¡±

    Of course. Elinor¡¯s vision opened, reaching up to tame her hair.

    ¡°I suggest we hold the Zombies back and move in the open with only a few of the forces. We will make a lot of noise, drawing them in, and once they surround us, they are actually the ones trapped, and if they do not comply, then we end them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Iris, I would expect nothing less from an Assassin or a spider!¡± Tiffany commented.

    Iris¡¯ lips fell as she appeared in front of Elinor, glancing to her right at a branch twenty feet away, where the Witch sat, stretched out upon a Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s bony hand; the jungle floor was more than twenty meters below them. ¡°I¡¯m still not quite sure about your explanations about these spider creatures. They only sound slightly similar to a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.¡±

    Tiffany shrugged. ¡°Be that as it may, it¡¯s just something that instinctually will pop into any human¡¯s mind. Umm, so, we¡¯re setting an ambush?¡± She glanced at Valdar, partially hidden behind massive tree leaves. ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll give you the chance to inform them, but we will also be prepared for the possibility they choose to attack the Supreme Chief.¡±

    Valdar¡¯s eyes fell to the floor, clearly disturbed by the likely scenario. ¡°It would be inexcusable.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s simple but more than capable of working,¡± Edmon muttered. ¡°What exactly do you have in mind, Empress?¡±

    What do I have in mind? Elinor licked the inside of her teeth before swallowing, and she did her best not to twist her nose. We will offer them a chance to serve me; I doubt they¡¯ll agree, but if any throw down their weapon, spare them. Those that surrender will be the voice that reaches the rest of the Clan. They will be sent back to warn the rest, and they will all gather in one place to make this simple; I don¡¯t have time to deal with guerilla-tactics.

    ¡°As you wish,¡± Iris stated. ¡°We are coming upon a patrol. Should we begin?¡±

    Lets.

    Iris directed the Zombies and her other Unintelligent minions into groups of three, and Elinor was a little impressed by how quickly she took charge and divided each one into smaller units, but recalled that she¡¯d directed hordes of her own people without the same level of communication the Nexus gave her. They dashed into the trees; their loud popping noises had ceased upon her direct order, and they moved more stealthily.

    She had their mounts drop to the ground, and they began moving through the jungle in a carefree manner, kicking the brush up and frightening the wildlife. The Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s grunts got louder, rumbling the air, and unsurprisingly, it drew the Ri¡¯bot in like flies to honey.

    With a slower pace, Elinor took the few spare moments she had to enjoy the scenery of the alien jungle and found it not so dissimilar to Earth¡¯s. The twisting vines, dark soil, and still wet soil, the ferns, subdued breeze, and hot moist air that was rich with earthy scents tingled her senses. There were also many insects of various sizes, but they all avoided her and her minions as if live coals. Interesting. I would have thought they¡¯d be drawn toward the lights, but they seem repulsed.

    Elinor adjusted her posture, and a touch of amusement lit her cheeks as Quin also straightened his spine, legs shifting into a more confident position. Her soft smile rose further as Valdar jumped out in front of Iris, yelling, ¡°Hold your attacks, warriors of Lethix!¡±

    She glanced around at the trees; what appeared bushes and ferns gave a humorous roar of laughter, all male voices. ¡°Did ya hear, Jaila? They want us to be nice, huh?¡± There was a slight slur to their words.

    ¡°It be like any other of the Delthax, eh? They¡¯re all about the peace and quiet until it comes to sharin¡¯ the food or walkin¡¯ through territories. Looks like he brought a strange escort; what is this?¡±

    Jaila¡¯s voice lowered. ¡°What are you doin¡¯ here, huh, Wixum licker? Wait, wait, wait, I think I¡¯ve seen those markings before. What do you think, Yeppa?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, ain¡¯t that the markings of a Delthax Chief¡¯s line? Why¡¯s he bringin¡¯ in such strange creatures into our land? Chief Ulta will have some things to say about this; you trying to start a war?¡±

    Valdar tried to speak up, but the Ri¡¯bot talked over him, not giving him a chance to even answer their questions.

    ¡°Mmh, we may have¡­¡±

    Their voices died as Edmon¡¯s strong tone carried through the now still jungle, cutting past their jovial tones with a hatchet. ¡°Kneel before Supreme Chief Elinor, and perhaps she will forgive you and your ancestors for their sins against the Supreme Chiefs.¡±

    ¡°Eh ¡­ did that metal thing just talk?¡±

    ¡°No, Yeppa, it said we and our ancestors sinned against the Supreme Chiefs! Who is dis¡¯ Supreme Chief Elinor, huh? I ain¡¯t never heard of that!¡±

    The voices became hot with anger. ¡°What gives you the right to judge us sinners? We are not bound under the Delthax Chiefs!¡±

    ¡°You spit your tongue at us?¡±

    ¡°The disrespect to the Lethix and our ancestors!¡±

    Valdar tried to speak up again but paused as a light blue dome surrounded them, and several hard wooden-like balls dropped to the ground, kinetic energy lost; Edmon had activated Transient Frost Wall, causing Elinor¡¯s eyes to harden into a leer.

    ¡°Such fools,¡± Valdar mumbled, turning to give her pleading eyes as more pellets struck the shell, and Edmon¡¯s ability continued to protect them. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even warn them; not even the Clanless would have been this brazen, and I fear the Flex Clan will be worse.¡±

    Elinor turned to Edmon as he held his massive shield up, an aura of mist beginning to leave his armor. Warn them once that if they surrender, then they and their Clan will be treated with mercy. Those that don¡¯t, slaughter.

    Tiffany giggled. ¡°It really is entertaining to watch the confident light in ignorant creatures¡¯ eyes turn to horror as they realize they¡¯ve stumbled upon a hidden dragon.¡±

    Edmon gave the declaration, but it was only met with jibes, questions about their protective shell, and heated threats.

    Elinor took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment as what seemed the scent of euphoria wafted through the air; after a second of relishing the feeling, her eyes opened, and she gave the brightening jungle a cold smile, finally starting to feel at home. ¡°Kill all, but one of them. We need a messenger.¡±

    A tingle ran through Elinor¡¯s body as Iris gave the command, and the Zombies swarmed them from all sides. Knowing where every one of her deadly minions was positioned, feeling them close in on the unaware prey was intoxicating.

    None of the Royal Court lifted a finger; they didn¡¯t have to; the Zombies launched into the trees, pouncing on the warriors. They recovered instantly and even managed to kill several, but in the end, all but Yeppa was infected.

    ¡°Wait, do you hear¡­¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s that clicking noise?¡±

    ¡°To you ¡­ Chief¡¯s Tongue; he bit me! What in the¡­¡±

    ¡°Orange, did Delthax ally with Komath?¡±

    ¡°No, there¡¯s ¡­ why do they keep trying to¡­¡±

    ¡°By the pits ¡­ they¡¯re everywhere!¡±

    ¡°Retreat ¡­ gah...¡±

    ¡°Jaila, what are you ¡­ no, get off me!¡±

    ¡°Remia! Hang in ¡­ wha...¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t have to see what happened; she knew enough by watching Zombie movies. No one expects their injured friend to jump up and take your head off.

    Yeppa appeared after only thirty seconds of resistance, arms, and feet held by four of the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s old friends, all Zombies. They carried him to their Empress, and Elinor commanded the former warriors to force Yeppa on his knees before her as Quin lowered her to sit before him, hovering three feet off the ground.

    The warrior seemed in shock, eyes wide as he tried to work out what had just happened; all the humor and superiority gone from his eyes. ¡°W-What ¡­ Jalia, Remia, Gronta ¡­ Kessin ¡­ why? What happened?¡± His eyes slowly focused on her as they forced him down. ¡°What did you do? You burn like the Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ give me my friends back¡­¡±

    Elinor looked down on him, green eyes devoid of pity. ¡°They¡¯re gone.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ what do you mean gone? How ¡­ what are those Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    Everyone¡¯s attention moved to Tiffany as the Witch was brought closer to the ground by her ride, legs criss crossed atop her mount¡¯s hand. ¡°Hmm, do you really want to know? It might upset you.¡±

    Yeppa seemed utterly unable to comprehend what had just happened, and Elinor realized that the Ri¡¯bot had probably never heard of the concept of Zombies or even considered mind-control; they had no idea a fellow warrior could sporadically swap sides without so much as a hint, and it obviously shook him to the core.

    ¡°Valdar,¡± she turned to the former Chief, ¡°who is standing before this Ri¡¯bot that he so casually addressed?¡±

    Valdar gave the boy a pitying expression. ¡°You stand before Supreme Chief Elinor, Supreme Chief of the Pits.¡±

    Yeppa¡¯s brow creased, mouth dropping open as he glanced left and right at his former companions, now mindless, Unintelligent Undead, but before he could issue a response, Tiffany explained the concept to not only the Ri¡¯bot, this was a first for Elinor, as well. Yeppa¡¯s light brown skin-tone became darker as the Witch continued.

    ¡°There were many signs pointing to the Supreme Chief coming down to deliver her judgment personally. You experienced the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath and many other proofs that went ignored. For many generations, you¡¯ve lost your way, celebrating life, and dismissing the one that rules over the Pits, Hell, The Underworld.

    ¡°What happened to your friends? They were sent to the Pit for not only disrespecting, but actively attacking a Supreme Chief. Time does not exist in the Pits; they returned once paid, and now, they serve the Supreme Chief Elinor with utter loyalty. They do not remember their times in the Pit ¡­ it is too much, and it is wiped clean once purified through trial.¡±

    Valdar stepped in with a grave sigh. ¡°Indeed, young Yeppa. You have made a grave mistake, and I did as well ¡­ I now understand my change of heart.¡±

    He did a true bow to Tiffany. ¡°I thank you for helping me understand, Royal Ritualist; I see why you are held in such a high station by the Supreme Chief¡¯s side. All races serve the Supreme Chief of Death, not just the Ri¡¯bot, and we foolishly thought ourselves unique. The pride we have ¡­ of course, a Supreme Chief would be needed to correct such horrific misconceptions.

    ¡°I do not remember my time in the Pit, but I know the strength I received in the forgiveness offered to me. Thank you, Supreme Chief Elinor ¡­ words fail me.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s features softened, but internally she was laughing as she observed her minion. Tiffany is spinning quite the story. Yes ¡­ this is much more satisfying than just killing them. They¡¯ll become my willing and loyal slaves ¡­ even in life.

 B1 â€” 42. The Parting Ceremony

    Chief Utren took a long breath, hands held behind his back as he walked among his people; the day had long since started, and the morning sun was shedding its beams across the valley, delivered by the Supreme Chief¡¯s order.

    They were supposed to be in the dry season, moving toward the wet, but last night¡¯s storm had called many things into question.  They were not prepared for such rapid rainfall, and for there to be mixed with the Ancestor¡¯s Wrath put fear into his people; it should have been two weeks before they needed to start preparing the ditches.

    This was supposed to be a season of peace, preparing for the critical negotiations with the Wixum, Flex, and Delthax Clans.  Within fifty-two days, they should have been in a position to demand more from the Wixum, but they had lost much in this tragedy.

    The Lethix Clan¡¯s main village was located on the southeast banks of the Flaming River inside their land, staring at Clanless territory.  It had gotten the name Flaming River from its source, running out of the fabled neigh-barren Quen¡¯Talrat motherland, also known as the Deadlands.

    Utren¡¯s grandfather had taken part in the tail-end of the Fire Wars, and knew the land to the north was far lusher than the stories portrayed with its rolling hills, but no one wished to venture into those lands.  Even the Clanless were shy of going beyond the mountains or braving the Northwestern Pass that had hosts of curses laid on its paths.

    No, Utren enjoyed his Clan¡¯s position, but for some reason, the Quel Runoff had been getting smaller every year, and they were beginning to show signs of needing to ration.  Moral was dropping, and he did not want to be the Chief that resorts to the actions taken in the Erwick stories.  His people would not eat each other; he would not allow it.

    He watched the young Ri¡¯bot running through the village, using the well-made mud and stone huts as platforms to play their games of tag, warrior and Quen¡¯Talrat, hide and seek, and a variety of made up fun that would help them become active members of the community while allowing them to blow off steam.  It put a smile to his lips as he surveyed his home.

    They lived in a systematic village with a diverted stream that ran through the center of town; the water provided much-needed hydration while also giving them the ability to clean themselves to prevent diseases.  Surprisingly, they¡¯d learned several things from the Fire Wars that had aided in elevating their lives; the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s campaign had shown them how effective fire was, and what some of its purposes could be used for.

    Ri¡¯bot Forgemasters had come out of the decades after the wars, and several huts showed the tradesmen at their craft, pounding hammer against steel.  Of course, most of their metal was reforged material or traded items from Clanless that needed help in crafting tools.  It was a rough vocational trade, which required a nerve that many Ri¡¯bot lacked, the ability to withstand heat for an extended period of time while working the elements.

    His father had taken full advantage of that, which was at one time considered somewhat controversial among the other tribes, but more metal means more weapons, and more weapons means a stronger force.  Soon, everyone was following the practice, causing some communication to pass between tribes through small Clanless groups.

    Over the past three decades, with their added steel weapons and Flex Clan support, they¡¯d finally gotten enough power to posture before the Xaltan and Wixum Clans.  Both the Flex and Lethix didn¡¯t have the same level of combat training as the Xaltan, and they also had Mysticism within their tribe that gave a distinct advantage since the Flex and Lethix did not.

    Utren¡¯s smile grew upon seeing a few warriors returning from a hunt, climbing the tree-covered hill that separated them from the Wixum.  They owned a wide curve of the Flaming River, and a sizable valley leading up to the old Quen¡¯Talrat fortress.  Most of the Ri¡¯bot in the clan had never seen it, much less left their territory, but his father had once brought him up the mountains along a trail to witness the massive structure.

    He¡¯d been awestruck that anything could be artificially constructed without the Ancestral Chiefs¡¯ aid, and the pots of mud and toxic steaming waters with their brilliant colors mesmerized him, but his father was wise, warning him of the dangers.

    Utren¡¯s blue irises fell on his young son; brown-skinned with dull green spots, Henric was only a year of age, yet he showed promise as a warrior, perhaps even greater than Utren¡¯s father.  The boy was already fast enough to catch the two-year-old Ri¡¯bot, giving him a lot of respect within the clan, and finding more than one thoughtful gaze from the girls.  He¡¯d soon be of age for Utren to carry on the tradition; his son would see the fortress that his ancestors overthrew, with the Supreme Chief¡¯s aid, standing as a testament of their strength.

    His long gray tongue slid over his lips, pausing against his two left teeth on the outside of his mouth as he surveyed the damage to the village.  Groups of Ri¡¯bot, warriors included, had been called back during the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath; the fury from the heavens was an ill omen, which could be interpreted a few ways, but they were all bad.

    What did we do?  This sign likely struck every Ri¡¯bot clan in the valley ¡­ perhaps all the clans, and even the other races.  Omens like this rarely happen so violently, so what¡¯s the purpose?  It cannot be just for us, but the loss in resources within the river certainly is a terrible hit to the tribe, and now this¡­

    The jungle had shielded much of the winds, but more than one hut had fallen, killing or maiming the residents seeking shelter inside.  It was for events like this that the structures were constructed, to quell the elemental attacks, much as the Quen¡¯Talrat had done.  However, something so violent had never happened to them within their oral history.

    Is it our use of Quen¡¯Talrat methods?  Why bring down such wrath upon us without previous signs?  We have doubled our monthly tithe to the ancestors, sending one-tenth of our total food downriver to pass into the great river in the heavens.  What more can we do?

    No, this is not because of sacrifices that this warning was given, but something bigger.  Is one of the other clans doing something to upset our ancestors, and we are being punished since we are not looking for answers to stop it?  Perhaps.  It will be a subject of discussion at the next Trade Conference.

    The bodies had already been laid out along the river, showing slumped over figures of wives, husbands, and children as they mourned their temporary separation while also celebrating their ascension to the Great Jungle in the heavens.

    His heart was heavy yet filled with a peace that they¡¯d returned to their families.  He prepared for his speech as the Chief, taking in the rubble that would be used to help repair the damaged shelters and dams.

    Two buildings collapsed from flooding, taking out the foundation ¡­ we needed better levees for diverting the water.  Even during the wet season, it¡¯s never been this bad; the river¡¯s risen nearly to the closest huts, washing away our gathering tools.

    Across the town¡¯s expanded center stream sat groups of Ri¡¯bot craftsmen and craftswomen, working at replacing their lost items.  The forges were running full heat to restock their spearheads that were now gone.

    His tongue slid back into his mouth, and another sad sigh left his lips.  We lost weeks of progress from the Ancestors¡¯ storm that we¡¯ll have to use in repairs, and the trip to the Burial Pits must happen by tomorrow.  In any case, I must address this omen.

    Utren flexed his feet against the sticky mud that he stood upon, swallowing as he closed his eyes to feel the soft breeze that passed through the jungle.  He listened, trying to filter out the sounds of mourning, playing, and rebuilding to catch a glimpse of the Ancestors¡¯ voices, but nothing came to him.

    He opened his eyes, pressing his teeth against his lips with slight uncertainty.  It was not uncommon to not hear the gentle whispers of their voices.  He was not a Speaker; in fact, there had not been a true Speaker since Ghelm had moved on to his paradise two decades past.  Still, every so often, he swore he heard their loving words on the wind, which was not unusual for a Chief.

    His focus moved to the gentle stream, much larger than the day previous, looking similar to the beginning of the wet season; however, it was the paintings of serenity that he longed for, and the drawings and figures made in the mud that the teens had constructed in tribute to the fallen clan members were heartwarming, putting a sorrowful smile on his face.

    Blinking a few times, he shifted his feet to look at the edges of the jungle across the village; men and women gathered sticks, bark, rocks, and vines from the wilderness to help in the reconstruction.  There was no malice inside the hearts of his clan, but solemn acceptance of life¡¯s cycle.  Time moves on.  Our spirits move on while our bodies feed the life-blood of the land.  It¡¯s time.

    Utren reached up to grip the glowing brown pendant passed down from Chief to Chief, feeling the intricate metal work that went into the frame, crafted by one of the most prolific Forgemasters in their history, Master Craftsman Felor, which created a similar piece for every clan¡¯s Chief in the valley.

    He turned as his father placed a hand on his left shoulder, grip still firm in his old age.  Elder Chief Dren¡¯s lips hadn¡¯t lifted all morning as they made a note of the damages.  A former Chief may not be in charge of making decisions for the clan, but their opinion was highly regarded, and in most cases, they held a high degree of authority, even after leaving the office.

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, Chief Utren?¡±

    Turning his hips back to his fallen people, Utren placed his hand on Dren¡¯s, fingers tightening.  ¡°I¡¯m just uneasy, father; something feels off, and I wish to give our people answers, but I fear I do not have them.¡±

    A low hum rumbled in his father¡¯s throat, glancing around at the Ri¡¯bot in sight; none were within earshot as they stood in the center of town.  ¡°Be honest with them; you may not have answers now, but you will continue to seek for them, and with the Ancestors¡¯ blessing, you will receive it when they are ready.¡±

    ¡°When they are ready¡­¡±  Utren repeated in a soft whisper, eyes downcast.  ¡°Your right, father.  We do all we can, and believe our works to be enough to gain their favor.¡±

    Utren walked toward the nearest group of warriors, helping the craftsmen transport sticks for fashioning.  ¡°Inora,¡± she quickly moved away from the group to join him, leaving her sticks for the other warriors to grab.

    ¡°Yes, Chief?¡±  She asked with a tone that made it clear she wanted to be helpful; Inora was a relatively young warrior that was still an Initiate seeking to gain acceptance into the higher ranks.

    ¡°Have the Initiates gather everyone in the village by the Flaming River, and report to Welix that the warriors are to keep their eyes sharp.  If there¡¯s any strange movement in the jungle, then report it immediately.¡±

    She slapped her fist across her chest, light blue eyes sparkling.  ¡°Right away, Chief!¡±  She dashed off at a sprint to spread the word to the Initiates.

    Dren chuckled as she left, showing his first smile since the event.  ¡°She¡¯s a fiery one, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    ¡°She is,¡± Utren sighed, running his hands against the back of his neck as the stress of the address hit him, sending slight chills through his body.  ¡°I recall her being a lot more timid when a child.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Kids grow up,¡± his father mused.

    His focus moved back to his son as he evaded two other children trying to tag him, laughing while egging them on.  ¡°That, they do.¡±

    Dren¡¯s smile fell a bit before he licked his teeth.  ¡°It¡¯s good that they¡¯re being exposed to this world¡¯s mortality this early; it will steel them for the possible conflicts that are to come.¡±

    ¡°If the Delthax refuses our proposal.¡±

    A smirk touched his father¡¯s cheeks as he turned to stare at him.  ¡°Do you honestly think that sly Elder Chief will give up a part of his clan¡¯s trade resources without a significant show of force?¡±

    ¡°Who can say?¡±  Utren mumbled.  ¡°As you said, he¡¯s sly, and their Chief is young; he may not have the stomach for war.  There would be many casualties on both sides.¡±

    Dren folded his arms, expression making it clear he expected there to be more than a little conflict.  ¡°We¡¯ll see; I expect Elder Chief Valdar to do something sly that his young grandson won¡¯t have the wit to achieve.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it tonight; let¡¯s move to the river to prepare.¡±

    His father didn¡¯t comment as they shifted locations, but he didn¡¯t have to for Utren to know the Elder Chief¡¯s opinion and his fallout with the former Delthax Chief.  There had been a conflict that didn¡¯t end in war but left many Lethix and Delthax warriors dead, more were lost on their side than the blue-skinned Ri¡¯bot, but among their fallen was Valdar¡¯s son, their current Chief.

    Valdar had been the only reason why the Delthax Clan didn¡¯t burst into a murderous rage, falling upon the Lethix for their loss, and thereby, preventing most of the valley from descending into war.  In any case, the skirmish had more than left a bitter taste in each clan¡¯s mouths; each one blamed the other for the conflict, and in truth, it was a combination of events on both sides that led to the massacre.

    However, Utren didn¡¯t share the same bitterness as the previous generation and could empathize with both sides of the conflict.  Wars were bloody, and sometimes necessary, but if possible, he¡¯d like to prevent it.  He was running out of options, though, and the Flex Clan was making it hard to avoid future bloodshed.

    The craftsmen were just putting the finishing touches on the temporary platform, stringing together vines and wood to fashion the object.  He waited silently, deep in thought while the crowd gathered, and once it had finished, he stepped up the tower of wooden blocks to address the assembly.

    Dren stood at the bottom, tilting his body to look up at his son with sad eyes; he¡¯d given speeches like this many times in his own life.

    Clearing his throat, Utren took a deep breath as the crowd quieted.  ¡°The winds blow, whispering the Ancestors¡¯ words down the mountain passes and through the jungle.  The rivers fall to those soft commands, and call them back with their great authority.

    ¡°Tomorrow, we carry the bodies of our fallen loved ones to the Great Black Pits to rejoin with the earth to be formed anew into the life-blood of this land while their spirits rise with the gentle hand of the Ancestors¡¯ call, carried along the breeze to join them in the Great Jungle above.

    ¡°We pray that the Ancient Chiefs met them along the River in the Heavens; they¡¯ve crossed the stream before us, and though they do not return to smile again, their presence is felt in the sunshine and moonlight as they watch us from above.

    ¡°The songs of old are echoing across the glen,¡± the minstrels began playing their soft flutes in the back, ¡°while we sigh with broken hearts, feeling lowly as our loved ones will not return again.  So, if they¡¯ve died and swum through the Great Heavenly River to their exaltation, and look down upon us with fondness, then we must listen to their gentle implores for us to live so we may see their smiling faces once more.

    ¡°We kneel, honoring how they lived in life; rest in peace with the Supreme Chief ¡­ we will meet again in the life to come.¡±

    Utren fell to his knees atop the pedestal with the assembly, chest burning as silent tears dripping down his face.  He opened his eyes, noticing even the children had fallen solemn with the atmosphere, following the example of the adults around them.  How many times must I do this in the days to come?

    The only sound came from the jungle as birds, small insects, and critters moved about their own business.

    His lower lip tuck under slightly as his teeth pressed against his mouth, causing slight discomfort.  If it is your will, Supreme Chief, then I accept the fall of my Clan, that we may join our ancestors in glorious happiness, but please, don¡¯t make the children deal with this world alone.  Please, send me a sign to understand your will.  If you are not happy with us, make it known what we must do to regain your favor.

    A lump dropped down Utren¡¯s dry lips, and he sniffed back snot as he rose with the crowd, walking down the steps to join them by the river to drink the water, in place of the fallen.

    The cool liquid dropped down his parched throat, and he could hear the broken sighs of those around him as their memories returned, recalling the happy times they had with those that had left them.  Utren knew every face, and his mind played through dozens of memories, the emotion causing his chest to convulse slightly as he fought more tears.

    Rising with everyone else, they all moved to circle the bodies, and in one voice, they whispered, ¡°¡®Tis you must go, and I must bide.  We come before the place where you left, and say, an Ave there for thee, and your grace shall be warmer, sweeter be.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot closed their eyes, hushed as they respected the memory of their comrades.  After three minutes, they solemnly rose to begin their assigned tasks; the Parting Ceremony concluded until the following morning when they¡¯d carry the bodies by boat to the Great Black Pits to return the bodies to the earth.

    Utren took a heavy breath as he observed his community, working together to build the rafts they¡¯d be using tomorrow.  The children were still loitering around the bodies, eyes downcast as one of the older kids whispered something, likely explaining the event and the messages held within it.

    A few of the younger ones broke into tears, realizing that their loved ones and family members wouldn¡¯t be returning.  The teens helped comfort them as the adults worked, each knowing everyone¡¯s time came, and the guiding hands of the Ancestors touched all Ri¡¯bot in the end.

    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±  Dren whispered, watching the adults ease their grief by focusing on the task in front of them; closure came in the morning.

    ¡°I¡¯m not ¡­ not really; it¡¯s more of a heavy heart than any specific thought.  I know the future looks far grimmer than this, and the others know it, but still ¡­ it hurts, watching the people I¡¯m supposed to protect and guide cry.¡±

    Dren reached around his son¡¯s shoulders, pulling him in with a sharp sniff.  ¡°It won¡¯t get easier,¡± he mumbled.

    A lump dropped down Utren¡¯s throat, causing him to blink, and a tear fell down his cheek, mixing with the river water, still wetting his face.  ¡°As it shouldn¡¯t.¡±  Sniffing back snot himself, he cleared his throat.  ¡°Could you get me a current report on our borders?¡±

    His father¡¯s lips pursed, body lowering slightly as he realized what he really wanted.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll get as many details as I can before returning.¡±

    Utren didn¡¯t respond as he was left alone, and he turned to stare across the great divide that separated them from the Clanless, taking slow and even breaths.  No thoughts entered his mind as he watched nature pass, and the choppy river captured his blue eyes.  The bustle of the village was lost in the soft sound of the running water.  He stood still, hands held behind his back.

    He was unsure how much time had really passed, but eventually, Dren returned, breaking his seclusion; he didn¡¯t speak right away, standing beside him to stare at the blue waters himself.  However, he broke the tranquil atmosphere after a respectable silence.  ¡°There¡¯s a serious problem that should be addressed immediately.¡±

    Taking a final breath of sought after serenity, Utren stepped back into his role as Chief, features steeling.  ¡°Continue.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve found traces of Delthax on our land, warriors ¡­ bodies to be exact, and not whole.  There was a fight last night.¡±

    Utren¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°A Ranglar attack?  We have tracked a few expanding their territory beyond the Clanless zone.¡±

    ¡°No, this is too ¡­ brutal to be a Ranglar.¡±

    ¡°A wild Torlim that swam downriver?¡±

    ¡°Even more savage than a Torlim attack would be; this is something new, and the tracks we¡¯ve been able to discover after the storm ¡­ there was a massive group moving through the jungle.  We¡¯ve never seen tracks like these, Welix put the warriors on war-time alert, night and day patrols.¡±

    Teeth pressing against his lips, Utren hummed darkly.  ¡°Isn¡¯t that strange?¡±

    His father glanced at him from the corner of his eyes before his vision returned to the river.  ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Unknown creatures enter our land, during a storm carrying the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath, and we discover traces of slaughtered Delthax warriors.¡±

    ¡°To be fair,¡± Dren muttered, ¡°the corpses ¡­ pieces of corpses were likely pulled into our land by the flash-flooding, but the Delthax did pass through the northern tip of our territory before entering the scuffle.¡±

    Utren worked around his jaw, gut tightening at the information.  ¡°What can you tell about the corpses?  What kind of weapons were used?¡±

    Dren was silent for a moment, lips tightening, and he rubbed his nose with agitation.  ¡°Honestly, it looks similar to the stories my father told me of the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters.  The Yellow Queen, he called this particular Quen¡¯Talrat; she used massive hammers that turned Ri¡¯bot to paste before eating them.¡±

    ¡°Paste?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we discovered half the lower body of one, and guts, organs, skin ¡­ should I go on?  We don¡¯t know how many were crushed like that ¡­ there could be hundreds dead for all we know.¡±

    Utren¡¯s nose twitched, and he swallowed, forcing his eyes to close momentarily.  ¡°So, the Delthax and Wixum Clans could have already fallen to this enemy?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not seeing any patrols along the Wixum border; it certainly is possible.¡±

    His tongue slid out, wetting his lips as he pondered what actions he should take.  ¡°You¡¯ve already sent word to the Flex Clan?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s in our agreement to inform one another of threats,¡± Dren confirmed.

    ¡°Good¡­¡±  He trailed off, fingers closing into fists as he folded his arms across his chest.  ¡°If this is a resurgence of the Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ we¡¯ll need more help than just the Flex if we want to survive, but before we grovel before the other clans and races, let¡¯s be damn sure that¡¯s what it is.¡±

    ¡°Scouts sent into the Clanless territory?¡±

    ¡°Not just that, send warriors to the Wixum Clan to confirm they¡¯re still alive.  Don¡¯t agitate, but just gain information, and if they¡¯re there and demand we retreat, then retreat.  We need to establish a foundation about what happened last night in their land.  Request we meet; we have serious questions.¡±

    Dren left without a word, leaving Utren alone with his thoughts.  However, not eight minutes later, he returned at a sprint with a young Ri¡¯bot warrior he knew, Yeppa; he¡¯d just recently passed his initiation trials, and his light brown skin color showed the shock he was in.  The young Ri¡¯bot was quivering as if he¡¯d seen a Quen¡¯Talrat in the flesh.

    ¡°What is it, father?¡±  Utren demanded, fearing the worst.

    His father shrugged, eldelry face creasing further with question.  ¡°He¡¯s not making any sense, but demanding to see you.¡±

    Yeppa stumbled through his words.  ¡°T-The Supreme¡ªSupreme Chief ¡­ s-she¡¯s here¡ªshe¡¯s here!¡±

    ¡°She?¡±  Both Utren and Dren asked, glancing at one another.

    ¡°Speak sense, boy!¡±  Dren demanded, slapping Yeppa across the face, causing him to stumble to the side as a few craftsmen and children gathered to see the peculiar sight; Yeppa was clearly acting crazy and in front of the Chief.  ¡°Where¡¯s the stone in your belly?¡±

    Yeppa gagged for a moment, seemingly swallowing his tongue, which was a rare defect that he shouldn¡¯t have; he held his hands against his face, eyes wide with horror and awe.  ¡°It¡¯s the¡ªthe Supreme Chief ¡­ Empress Elinor¡ªSupreme Chief Elinor ¡­ she¡¯s returned to judge us!  She¡¯s coming¡ªshe told me to tell you, she¡¯s coming!¡±

    Utren held up his hand as Dren lifted his fist to punch the boy.  ¡°Hold on, father.¡±  He stepped forward, grasping the fidgeting Ri¡¯bot¡¯s shoulders to calm him and force his eyes, but he still refused to make eye contact.  ¡°Yeppa, what happened?¡±

    After a few unintelligible words, he took a calming breath before trying to articulate himself.  ¡°I¡ªumm, I was on patrol, and¡ªand the Supreme Chief Elinor, she¡ªshe appeared, and told us to¡ªto kneel.  When we didn¡¯t¡ªshe sent¡­¡±  He trailed off, and Utren¡¯s brow furrowed with concern, knowing the unit he¡¯d been assigned.

    ¡°What happened to Jalia, Ramia, Gronta, and Kessin?¡±

    ¡°She¡ªsent them to The Pits ¡­ they serve her now.¡±

    A lump dropped down Dren¡¯s throat, blinking with the action.  ¡°You¡¯re saying ¡­ a Ri¡¯bot claiming to be a Supreme Chief appeared before you, sent your unit to The Pits, and now they serve her?¡±

    ¡°No, no!¡±  Yeppa violently protested, pulling away from Utren¡¯s grip.  ¡°She is the Supreme Chief; she doesn¡¯t claim to be, she¡ªshe is!¡±

    ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Utren soothed.  ¡°Supreme Chief Elinor is coming here, right now ¡­ why?¡±

    Yeppa looked at them as if they were crazy.  ¡°Why?  To make herself known!  We failed her, and now¡ªnow we must serve faithfully!  You¡¯ll see!  You¡¯ll see!¡±  He mumbled, stepping back before tripping and falling to the ground.

    Utren glanced at his father, jaw tight before saying, ¡°Gather all the warriors and place the rest of our people behind them.  If this Elinor really is a Supreme Chief, then ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to expect.  Have you heard anything like this happening?¡±

    ¡°A Supreme Chief coming down to speak to us personally?  No.  So, be prepared for anything, then ¡­ I¡¯ll get on it,¡± he sighed, running back toward the jungle to give the order.

    Utren watched Yeppa mumble to himself on the ground, and he listened with growing dread.  ¡°P-Please forgive¡ªforgive me, Empress¡ªEmpress f-forgive me¡­¡±

    How could this Elinor do this to a warrior in such a short time?  Could it actually be true ¡­ the signs, could it be her arrival ¡­ her wrath?

 B1 â€” 43. Overwhelming Force

    Chief Utren¡¯s mouth felt dry; he couldn¡¯t stop sweating as his clan gathered together for the arrival of this supposed Supreme Chief.  The sun¡¯s warmth continued to increase, causing many of his people to drink and splash water on themselves from the stream running down the center of town.

    He stood in-between the warriors and his people; everyone who wasn¡¯t skilled at fighting stood beside the river if things took a turn for the worse while the fighters took up positions around the clearing, waiting for the arrival of Supreme Chief Elinor.

    Utren leaned down to splash some of the cool liquid on his face, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves before dipping his face in to quench his mouth.  Rubbing his wet hands across his brow and neck, he glanced around at his village, noting how crowded it was becoming as the Clan was recalled to the area.

    Over six-hundred Ri¡¯bot gathered from his call across the territory, and more were returning from their tasks around the borders.  Their entire force of one-hundred and seventy-two warriors were present, including Welix, their only Xaria; he stood at the front, directing Ri¡¯bot to their defensive lines, and giving sharp orders to watch the trees for the scouts to return.

    I¡¯m leaving our borders completely unprotected, but how can I ignore this?  Yeppa may be a little rash, and he¡¯s been itching to get a chance at one of the Wixum females, but he was never a liar.  He followed the Warrior¡¯s Code to the syllable, and yet¡­

    His focus turned to the young warrior, sitting beside the stream with his eyes closed, body lowered, arms resting atop each other in the position of prayer to the Supreme Chiefs.  Yeppa had calmed, and there seemed to be a sense of clarity that had taken a hold of him after delivering his message.  It was as if the reality of what he was saying had begun to sink in, and he¡¯d accepted his own statement as a matter of fact.

    How did it turn out like this?

    Utren¡¯s blue irises surveyed the crowd, noticing the fear on his people¡¯s faces as the news spread, they were on War-Time Alert.  However, the thing that scared them wasn¡¯t war, but that this was not the one they had expected.  He could hear Supreme Chief Elinor¡¯s name on his people¡¯s tongues as he moved between his warriors and normal clansmen.

    Few could comprehend the very thought that a Supreme Chief would descend to address them personally instead of working through a Speaker, and yet, here they were, awaiting the arrival of an Ascended One they¡¯d never heard of.

    If that wasn¡¯t enough, with Yeppa¡¯s message came another startling revelation, Elinor was not just a member of the Supreme Chiefs, but comparable to The One Above All, which confused Utren, yet the explanation also made him think.

    A counterpart to The One Above All ¡­ The Empress, which means The One Above All, which rules over The Pit.  I haven¡¯t thought about it ¡­ no one has, but there must be a Chief that rules over the Eternal Pits.  Our ancestors must have forgotten about her ¡­ but why, and what does that mean for us or our ancestors that died without knowing?

    He paused, causing his two armed escorts and his father to halt, following his gaze to Yeppa, still in a solemn prayer.  Valdar¡¯s been to The Pits?  He was a living legend ¡­ one of the eldest Ri¡¯bot in The Valley to have lived during The Fire Wars, and now he serves this Supreme Chief that has come among us?  If Valdar has really returned with Supreme Chief Elinor¡¯s powers, and as young as Yeppa explained, what else can we do but bend the knee?

    The great storm that shook the valley last night, with the Ascended Chiefs throwing down their cold wrath was not without purpose ¡­ it must have been a sign of Empress Elinor¡¯s arrival, but why rage?  Why were they angry?  I suppose I won¡¯t have an answer until she arrives.

    ¡°Chief?¡±  His father asked, shifting his left shoulder to the left to the right to indicate he wished to speak to him in private.

    Utren¡¯s gray tongue slid out of his mouth, wetting his lips before waving his left hand at his guards, telling them to move beyond hearing.  Several of the villagers noticed his gesture and moved back themselves to give the Chief and Former Chief space to speak in private.

    Tone sounding a little more grave than he wanted, Utren breathed out a tired sigh, scratching his slick cheek.  ¡°What is it, Father.¡±

    Dren shot a puff of air through his nostrils before sniffing sharply, nose twisting with agitation.  ¡°I don¡¯t like how this is playing out; we¡¯re on the defensive and extremely exposed.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Utren muttered, rubbing his left shoulder while glancing around at the formations they were taking, ¡°but what would you have me do?  We¡¯re not talking about one of the other Clans or a weak attempt at a Clanless raiding party.  No, we¡¯re dealing with a potential ¡­ I hesitate even to call her a threat.

    ¡°Yeppa says a Supreme Chief ¡­ a counterpart to The One Above All has come down to bring us back to the proper path.  Valdar is supposed to be with her, brought back from The Pits, and spoke to Yeppa with his own mouth.  I ¡­ don¡¯t know what else I should do, Father.  If we attack a Supreme Chief, then last night¡¯s storm is the least of our concerns, and I won¡¯t put the entire Clan at risk of burning in The Pits.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my concern,¡± Dren growled.  He swallowed a hard lump in his throat, forcing him to blink.  ¡°Let¡¯s say this is all true¡­¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t see anything that would point otherwise, other than the fact none of our histories has told us such an event could occur.¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ which is why I¡¯m wondering about our plan if this falls apart.¡±  Dren paused, sucking his lips in, pressing his teeth against the skin.  ¡°Let¡¯s say this Empress Elinor decides we are guilty of a crime, and rains down the heavens¡¯ wrath upon our heads, then what good will it do to have the children and non-warriors jump into the river?¡±

    Dren licked his lips again.  ¡°Could this even offend her?  We may even be allowed to escape, but none can outrun The Pits, and the moment we die, we will drown in the Great Heavenly River to fall back into her grasp, now true offenders for seeking to escape punishment in life.  In life, we can atone, but once we pass into the Great Heavenly River ¡­ we will sink like stones.¡±

    Utren¡¯s teeth cut into his lips, drawing green blood that dripped down his chin, and his nose twisted at the thought.  No ¡­ I need to be calm to reassure the clan.

    Taking a shuddering breath, he cleared his throat before wiping away the blood with the back of his hand.  ¡°I understand your concern, Father, but you must also have considered the possibility that this is a ploy by our enemies to let down our guard.  It could be from clans outside the valley, which have already taken over the Prume, Delthax, and Wixum Clans; we haven¡¯t seen any patrols along the Wixum border.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that could also be a product of the storm and Ancestor¡¯s Wrath that has pulled their attention away from the edges of their territory, and forcing them to focus inward.  I also doubt the Prume, Delthax, and Wixum Clans were conquered without so much as a warning to the surrounding Clans.  If there is an outside threat to the valley, we can put our differences aside for the common good.

    ¡°I also doubt many Clans would use such a dishonorable tactic as claiming the physical personage of a Supreme Chief, much less a counterpart to The One Above All, as has descended to rule us personally.  The level of sin and disgrace ¡­ the thought never even crossed my mind until an hour ago, and even now, I feel dirty with it in my mind.  No, the thing that really burns my blood is Yeppa¡¯s statement that Valdar was among them, and young.¡±

    Utren worked around his jaw, turning to observe the eyes locked on him and his father; the Clan might not be able to hear their words, but they could see their expressions and movements.  ¡°You knew Valdar when you were a small boy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, he was a legend that my father would speak about, and his Clan was elevated greatly because of his work during The Fire Wars.  If what Yeppa says is correct, then who else could accomplish that other than a Supreme Chief?  Plus, she has Quen¡¯Talrat, burning boned horrors of the past with Th¨¦lm¨¦thra by her side.¡±

    Dren breathed out a heavy sigh.  ¡°Look, you know me, Chief, and you know that I¡¯d be the first to pick up my spear in defense of my people.¡±

    Utren¡¯s lips tightened, knowing his father¡¯s legacy as a true warrior.  ¡°I do, Father.¡±

    ¡°Then let me tell you, that this does not sound like a war that we can win by force, and Yeppa stated that she¡¯d give us one chance to join her.  Everything will become clear once she arrives, but we cannot be seen as aggressive, even in a defensive state.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Utren sighed, resisting the urge to bend down and look at the dirt in frustration.  ¡°How would you receive them?¡±

    ¡°Have our weapons, but leave them in the mud or within their sheaves.  Have the warriors in front, but make a path, and make sure those in the front have shields, in case of the slim chance this is a tactic that would, in my opinion, cause the Supreme Chiefs to strike them down on the spot.  We need to be welcoming, but ready, not ready for a siege.  We cannot be like the Quen¡¯Talrat during The Fire Wars.¡±

    Utren turned away from his father to stare at the hundreds of faces that waited anxiously for their private speech to be over.  His mind dwelled on his father¡¯s advice, which was nothing like he expected from the battle-hardened Former Chief.

    After several seconds, he took a deep breath before letting it out in a slow stream, motioning for his guards to join them again.  When they arrived, Utren turned to the left Ri¡¯bot; he was a young warrior during his father¡¯s war days, but now a full-fledged brute of a fighter that had saved his life multiple times during skirmishes with the Delthax and Clanless.  ¡°Norim.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Chief?¡±

    ¡°Go get Welix for me.¡±

    ¡°Chief!¡±  He raced off, leaving Dren, Utren, and Jaliv.

    Addressing his second guard, Utren smiled at Jaliv; he was a Wet-Blood or a warrior that had just achieved his full rank by combat in defense of the Clan, repelling a Clanless attack while killing his tenth combatant warrior.  ¡°Jaliv, go grab Utila.¡±

    Jaliv swallowed hard, showing a small blush at the name as he saluted and rushed off.

    Dren chuckled softly with a sad smile on his lips.  ¡°It makes me sad to see so many hearts broken, and shockingly, warriors¡¯ hearts.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s an odd one,¡± Utren mumbled.

    They didn¡¯t have to wait long since the girl was usually surrounded by the large pool of eligible males in the Clan, making it easy to find her.

    Utila was reaching her second year, meaning she would soon be the suitable age to wed, and it didn¡¯t help her case that she was the most lovely girl to be born to the Clan in two generations.

    Even Utren¡¯s father, at age sixty-three, had seen few female Ri¡¯bot so lovely; her beauty, mixed with the shortage of female births had placed the women of the Clan on a high standing, and there were a lot of fights started with the warriors that the girls seemed more than willing to humor.

    However, Utila was a bit different from most of the girls in the Clan; she seemed to only have affections for one Ri¡¯bot, and he wasn¡¯t even a warrior.  Her parents had counseled her about choosing some of the young New-Bloods that had shown promise, giving her more standing in the Clan, but her light-blue eyes were centered on Gomal.

    Gomal was a Craftsmen, and a good one, but an Artisan nonetheless, which did not gain nearly the same attention in the community as even a minor warrior.  He was soft-spoken, and nowhere near a fighter, but Utila, the Clan Gem, had long had her eye on him.

    She had chosen the path of a Gatherer, jumping into the Flaming River to hunt for resources, and Gatherers needed Craftsmen to create their tools.  Thus, the two of them had developed a bond since they were four months old, doing everything together.  The other warriors despised him for it, but what could they do without tainting their honor?

    Still, he received flack from the other Craftsmen, and it wouldn¡¯t be fair to discount Utila¡¯s own struggles with the few females around her age, with even the mothers of the Clan¡¯s young males making it a point to turn a cold shoulder to the girl.  Yet, it did little to dampen the bright atmosphere surrounding the two, which Utren respected.

    The pretty gray-skinned girl rushed over to meet Utren with Jaliv by her side, unable to keep his eyes off her slimmer than standard figure; however, that wasn¡¯t to say she didn¡¯t have muscle.  As a Gatherer, and specifically a Hunter, Utila may have been slim, but she was also tight from her time in the river.

    One of the most striking features of Utila was the three serrated teeth on the left side of her mouth with two on the right.  Three teeth were extremely rare and seen to indicate great beauty.

    When she was seven months old, a few of the older girls, around a year of age, had tried to knock her third tooth out, which had angered more than a few of the male Ri¡¯bot.  The reputation had caused their vast pool of prospective suitors to shrink rapidly, and they¡¯d been forced to settle well beneath their standing.

    Utren¡¯s features softened as his vision moved to Utila¡¯s shining face; it was somehow soothing to look at the beautiful girl, and her voice was like touching Nalvean silk, smooth and calming.  Few pieces of the delicate fabric had survived the passage of time since they¡¯d received them during The Fire Wars, which furnished Utren¡¯s house, but it was the only thing worthy of comparison to the harmony that left Utila¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Chief Utren, Former Chief Dren,¡± she bowed after approaching them.  ¡°You asked to see me, Chief?¡±  She asked with a curious smile.

    ¡°Yes, Utila.  I¡¯d like you to organize some of the men and women to prepare to meet a Supreme Chief.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Utila chuckled, voice becoming nervous.  ¡°I, umm¡ªI heard a rumor about a Supreme Chief coming to visit us, but ¡­ it¡¯s true?¡±

    Utren folded his arms across his chest as he caught sight of Welix speeding toward him as the warriors parted to allow him a straight path.  ¡°We will see.  I doubt the Supreme Chiefs would be pleased if we worshiped anyone before confirming their identity with our own eyes.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Utila¡¯s eyes fell to the muddy ground, eyes narrowing slightly.  ¡°I didn¡¯t even consider that.  Yeah¡ªI suppose we¡¯ll just have to see for ourselves when he arrives.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a she,¡± Dren corrected.  ¡°Yeppa says she¡¯s the counterpart for The One Above All; she told him to address her as Empress Elinor, and she controls The Pits as the Supreme Chief.¡±

    ¡°The Pits?¡±  Utila gasped, eyes widening as her voice dropped with concern over the curse word.  ¡°I never thought about¡ªabout a Supreme Chief being over¡ªthat place.¡±  She paused, not willing to say the curse a second time.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡°In any case,¡± Utren stated before anyone else could jump in.  ¡°Spread the word; we¡¯re to be reverent, but the Supreme Chiefs would also want us to be cautious of a trap.¡±

    Utila¡¯s brow set, giving her a shockingly cute appearance as she held her fist to her chest in a salute usually reserved to warriors, but allowed to her since the Chief was assigning her a personal task.  ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, Chief Utren!¡±

    The young woman raced off with a charming zeal that made Utren smile.  To say her alluring figure attracted attention would be an understatement, which was what he wanted; she would get people to comply without much resistance or questions.

    He couldn¡¯t lie to himself, Utren wanted his own son to wed the jewel of their Clan; however, it was a standing fifth-generation tradition to allow the females to select their suitor, and he wasn¡¯t about to interfere with one of their previous Chief¡¯s decrees.  He could, but it was rarely seen with a positive light to contradict the past Chiefs as they stood in judgment in the heavens.

    Utila¡¯s such a pure child.  She¡¯d make beautiful grandchildren for future Chief selection, but alas, her heart¡¯s taken by another.  For the life of me¡­  He glanced around, looking for Gormal, but he couldn¡¯t spot the boy.  I don¡¯t know what she sees in him, but that¡¯s not my place to interfere.

    Welix watched her leave, and Utren waved his hand for Jaliv to accompany her to give some credence to the few that were disenfranchised by the girl.  His top warrior gave a soft sigh as he turned to face him.  ¡°You know, Chief, I half expect there to be a riot when the day finally comes for her Selection Ceremony.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong there,¡± Dren muttered.  ¡°There were some young men that caused the Clan quite some trouble after Belia¡¯s Selection Ceremony.¡±

    ¡°Eh,¡± Utren scratched his head, feeling more dehydrated than he should.  ¡°That¡¯s a concern for the future.¡±  His blue eyes moved between his father and Welix before sliding beyond him to see Norim catching up to them, left behind by Welix¡¯s much quicker pace.  ¡°The plans are changing.¡±

    Welix and Norim listened to their change in formation, and after he finished, Welix leaned back, folding his arms while humming.

    ¡°So, we¡¯re to be courteous, basically, like welcoming the Flex Chief into the village.¡±

    ¡°What do you think?¡±  Dren asked, rubbing his thumb against his nose.

    Norim looked like he wanted to give his input, but held his tongue, knowing it wasn¡¯t his place.  Welix was more reserved, jaw shifting as he thought about Dren and Utren¡¯s decision.

    ¡°From a military perspective, I don¡¯t advise it, but I understand you¡¯re thinking on a broader scale.  If we are dealing with a Supreme Chief, then I defer to my Chief,¡± he responded with a confident gaze.  ¡°If it comes to combat, then the warriors will be ready, but we will wait for your command.¡±

    Dren grinned at their Xaria.  ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less from you, son; you¡¯ve filled your position with the greatest honor.¡±

    Welix bowed respectfully to them.  ¡°Is there anything more I should know before preparing the warriors?¡±

    Utren appraised his younger brother; he was by far more skilled in physical combat, rising to the legitimate rank of Xaria, being able to clash with the greatest warriors of any Clan within the valley.  They¡¯d never fought for the position of Chief; it was always known that Utren would succeed their father, and the succession had happened without conflict as some clans had.

    ¡°Yes, Chief Warrior Welix.  The Ancestors protect us.¡±

    ¡°The Ancestors protect us,¡± Welix, Dren, and Norim repeated before his brother rushed off to put his orders into action.

    The Clan organized into a large circle, opening a path for Empress Elinor to enter the open center.  Warriors lined the inner walls, providing a buffer if needed, but there were no signs of aggression shown.

    Yeppa had inserted himself right in the front, waiting with hopeful eyes, which more than disturbed the warriors who had known him all their lives.

    They waited, and after twenty minutes passed, something shocking happened, causing murmurs to sweep the crowd; every scout returned at the same time, rushing to first give their report to Welix.

    His Chief Warrior hastily returned to Utren¡¯s side, and even his stalwart brother seemed somewhat spooked as he pointed to the trees once reaching him.  ¡°The scouts say Ri¡¯bot seemed to appear from nowhere, smacking their lips to make a strange clicking noise.  There ¡­ you see in the trees?¡±  He pointed.  ¡°The scouts couldn¡¯t outrun them; they were right on their heels.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the color on their skin, their patterns; what Clan?¡±  Utren asked as they watched the treeline, but the figures were nearly invisible behind the brush to his untrained eyes.

    ¡°All Clans,¡± Welix mumbled.  ¡°It looks more like a host of Clanless ¡­ I even see a few colors and patterns I¡¯m not familiar with, which probably come from outside the valley.¡±

    ¡°Then ¡­ it could be true,¡± Dren whispered before wetting his lips.  ¡°Where is Empress Elinor?  Wait ¡­ I see a flame in the¡­¡±

    Utren glanced around as the whispering ceased, and then noticed the sounds of the jungle had quieted; it was as if it were paying homage to the presence that moved within as a group of massive figures exited the brush, causing chills to cascade down Utren¡¯s spine.

    ¡°By the Ancestors¡¯ graves,¡± Dren¡¯s soft curse caught Utren a little off-guard.  He hadn¡¯t heard his father¡¯s voice shake in his entire life, but he understood the feeling.

    The burning skeletal forms of massive Quen¡¯Talrat exited the jungle, and he could now see the dozens upon dozens of multicolored Ri¡¯bot surrounding their entire village.  Sleek, metallic-like eight-legged creatures stood beside the Quen¡¯Talrat, perhaps even more terrifying with their thin spear-like feet and large abdomen.

    Everyone¡¯s eyes first centered on what could only be described as a Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter, standing firmly on two legs over seventeen feet tall with four arms that showed signs of muscle upon the flaming bones.  Its large two heads released a low growl as they surveyed the parted crowd, and sitting upon the skeletal beast¡¯s top left hand was the figure Yeppa described as Empress Elinor.

    Utren couldn¡¯t describe why, but the manner in which she sat made her look more dignified than any other creature he¡¯d seen.  She was thinner than any Ri¡¯bot, wearing a cloth that covered her skin, and her white fur was kept in place by an obsidian black metallic crown that released flowing green energy to fall in a sheet down her back.

    Beside her, standing on the three Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were figures of importance; two were in the same shape as the Empress, but one snatched every Ri¡¯bot¡¯s attention¡ªa white-skinned Ri¡¯bot with glowing blue patterns, head held high, hands behind her back, giving them an amused smile as the yellow inner glow of her irises slid between specific individuals in the crowd.

    ¡°Valdar,¡± Dren mumbled just loud enough for Utren to hear, shifting his eyes to stare at a dashing young Ri¡¯bot standing in front of the Empress.  He wasn¡¯t quite whole, showing muscle and bone with the evidence of green embers blazing below.

    Beside the Former Chieftain was another figure that resembled the Empress, showing red fur atop its head while showing much more of its skin than Elinor.

    Utren was a little surprised to watch the Elite Hunter Empress Elinor stood upon move forward at a slow pace with just the three figures that rode the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra and Valdar; even the red-furred creature stayed behind with the rest of the skeletal beasts.

    Not a single Ri¡¯bot spoke, but quivers and sweat could be seen and smelt as the figures moved between the open path; many Ri¡¯bot, including Utren himself, found it difficult to pull their eyes from the Ri¡¯bot goddess beside Empress Elinor to look at the Supreme Chief that was surrounded in a light green aura of flames.

    It makes perfect sense ¡­ if Empress Elinor is the counterpart to The One Above All, then, of course, she¡¯d have a Supreme Chief with her that personifies perfection as a Ri¡¯bot.  Even Utila looks ugly compared to this Ri¡¯bot¡¯s ¡­ supremacy.

    Once the Empress reached the center, Valdar stepped forward to address the crowd, staring right at Utren.  ¡°All bow before Empress Elinor, The One Above All, Supreme Chief of the Pits.  You have one chance to prove your allegiances and restore your Clan¡¯s honor with the heavens.¡±

    Now, before the Supreme Chief of the Pits, Utren couldn¡¯t help but feel like the small insects they trod underfoot without notice.  All doubts washed away in the wake of what stood before him.

    This must be a Supreme Chief ¡­ there¡¯s no other explanation for this feeling in my chest.  If I do not bow ¡­ I will die, and eternal suffering awaits me, but ¡­ I must make sure.

    Dread slid down Utren¡¯s spine as he resisted dropping to his knees and lowering himself to the ground, but his people weren¡¯t so strong.  Hundreds, including a few warriors, had already fallen, eyes downcast as she¡¯d made her entrance.

    Utren found it difficult to find his tongue, but after a moment, he managed to choke, ¡°How¡ªcan we be sure you are who you say you are ¡­ Empress Elinor.¡±

    He shivered as Elinor¡¯s green-tinted lips lifted into what he could only assume was a smile, and her voice was much sweeter than he anticipated.

    ¡°I will allow one demonstration to prove the difference between us is reflected between heaven and earth.¡±  She gestured at the physical paragon of Ri¡¯bot beauty.  ¡°Select your greatest warrior, and they will fight Supreme Chief Iris.  It is a privilege to fight a member of my Royal Court, but I won¡¯t allow her to kill you; after all, it is my hope that you will live for me, not sent to my Eternal Pits to burn for disloyalty.¡±

    Welix took a calming breath before stepping forward.  ¡°I am Chief Warrior Welix, a Xaria of the Lethix Clan.  I am¡ªgrateful for this opportunity.  I do not wish to offend you, Empress Elinor,¡± his gray tongue slid out as his vision moved to Iris, ¡°I am¡ªhesitant to face such a beautiful Ri¡¯bot in fear of scaring her figure, but as a warrior and a Xaria, I will do my duty.¡±

    A shiver ran down Utren¡¯s spine as Elinor hummed with amusement.  ¡°How gentlemanly.  I am not opposed to such sentiments, and I don¡¯t want anyone to feel unsure about the results.¡±  Her glowing green eyes moved to the figure clothed in metal.  ¡°Therefore, Supreme Chief Edmon will stand in for my lovely Iris.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s gaze moved to the heavenly Ri¡¯bot Supreme Chief as she hummed in a perfectly serene manner.  ¡°As you command, Empress.¡±

    Welix sniffed in sharply, shaking himself out to prepare for the battle to come.  ¡°I am grateful to your kindness, Empress Elinor.  If it is truly your wish to show us the difference between our strength, I will attack with the intent to kill.¡±

    ¡°By all means, attempt to your heart¡¯s content,¡± Elinor chuckled, moving her entourage back to the circle¡¯s opening.  ¡°Go ahead, Welix, show us the strength of mortals whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±

    Utren¡¯s gut told him this was not a favorable encounter.  He glanced over at his brother with worry; Welix¡¯s tongue pressed against his cheeks before flicking out to slide across his teeth.  If Utren didn¡¯t know better, he¡¯d think his brother was actually feeling honored; in the case it was true, how many Xaria could say they fought a Supreme Chief.

    Edmon hopped down from his Th¨¦lm¨¦thra mount, armored feet sinking into the ground, but it didn¡¯t seem to take any effort for him to walk forward.  The wet mud soon hardened where he stepped, branching out as a blue fog flowed from its surface, causing the crowd in the front to gasp as the floor resembled the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath.

    He can harden the ground by just walking?  How many more signs do we need?

    In front of him, The Supreme Chief folded his hands behind his back, leaving his broad black-armored chest exposed while planting his feet, facing Welix.  Edmon¡¯s voice was low and serious.  ¡°Use whatever tactics you can conceive, and I¡¯ll brush them off without moving an inch. You¡¯re a mortal, nothing to me.¡±

    Utren could almost sense the knife stabbing into Welix¡¯s pride.  Telling a Xaria that they can do him no harm?  I can¡¯t recall anyone ever so bold in our history!

    Welix picked up his shield and spear, knife, ax, and a bag of blackwood thorns strapped to his side.  His nose twitched as he jumped over the throng to stand six feet from the Supreme Chief.  ¡°We shall see.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s amused huff made Utren stiffen for his brother and the prideful words that followed stung.  ¡°You will only look like a fool in this fight; I will use a single foot to crush you under my boot.  I am supreme.¡±

    * * *

    Welix released calm and slow breaths before launching forward, thrusting his spear tip for the hole releasing blue fog, but the metal struck a hard white sheet that formed within, causing his spear to roll off to the side, catch on a groove and snapped.

    What?!

    He hopped back, tongue sliding out to dip into his bag, latching onto a few thorns.  He raced behind the Supreme Chief, but Edmon didn¡¯t even flinch at his attack, standing perfectly still with his hands still folded firmly behind his back.

    ¡°Obvious,¡± Edmon chuckled.

    Welix¡¯s gray tongue shot out, launching three targeted barbs at Edmon¡¯s back, and they struck, bouncing off harmlessly.

    His shell is too tough; it must be like the old Quen¡¯Talrat armor, but they never wore it across their whole body.  How can he even move with such a suit?  No, that must be one of his weaknesses!  If I can just knock him off his feet, I can win.

    There were no cheers heard around his Clan; only a deathly silence pressed in on Welix, but he wasn¡¯t concerned.  He had to prove them as deceptors.

    So, I can¡¯t even move you an inch?

    Everything moved in slow motion as he used his extreme speed and high-maneuverability with his webbed feet in the muddy environment to reposition, rushing forward to tackle the figure.

    He reached two feet from Edmon before stepping on the hard surface he¡¯d created; Welix¡¯s eyes widened as his feet slid out from under him, sending his body spiraling out of control to slam against the back of Edmon¡¯s legs with a grunt.

    His world spun as he tried to regain his senses.  He swallowed a lump in his throat, feeling a biting chill that burned like fire against his slick skin.

    Tightening his jaw, Welix fought past the pain, hands slipping as he tried to return to his feet, and only by using the back of Edmon¡¯s leg was he able to kick himself out of the slick surface and back onto the mud, scrambling to his feet.

    Still, Edmon hadn¡¯t even taken his hands from behind his back.

    ¡°Are you done playing on the ice?¡±

    Welix could see the concerned expressions on his Clansmen, warriors he¡¯d trained himself that were losing hope in him.

    What is that?  It¡¯s cold to the touch, but bites like fire, and has no purchase to move upon.  So, how did he stay grounded while I fell flat on my face?  What Mysticism is this?  It¡¯s like the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath, but different at the same time.

    Taking out his ax, Welix stepped closer, holding up his shield as he inched onto the substance Edmon called ice.  Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Iris¡¯ sublime features filled with mild amusement, but it was no time for him to feel embarrassed.

    Why am I thinking about this?  I¡¯ve never had a fight where my opponent didn¡¯t even raise a hand to fight!  This is embarrassing ¡­ just aim for the grooves at the neck; all the Quen¡¯Talrat armor bends when beaten hard enough at the thin edges.

    Inching onto the ice, he found it easier to keep his balance if he moved slowly, but the pain it caused still flared against his skin; the sun¡¯s heat was quickly fading as the thin smoke expanded.

    Reaching a striking distance, he assured his foundation and struck.  The ax hit just at the right angle he¡¯d planned, but the resistance was total, sending the shockwave back into his hand and causing him to almost drop the weapon.

    He was forced back, causing his back leg to slip again, sending him tumbling to the floor with a grunt.  His teeth pressed against his lips, drawing green blood at Empress Elinor¡¯s soft giggle, but she didn¡¯t comment.

    Again, Edmon didn¡¯t use the advantage he had, allowing him to get up.  ¡°What is your shell made of?¡±  Welix growled.  ¡°How can it withstand a strike at a weak point?¡±

    Ignoring his question, Edmon asked, ¡°Empress, may I crush him under my boot?¡±

    ¡°You know the terms I set,¡± Elinor responded, hands folded in her lap.

    Edmon hummed softly while finally turning around, but his hands remained behind his back.  ¡°Very well, Welix.  Why don¡¯t we begin?¡±

    Welix jumped back as Edmon advanced at a leisurely pace, following him around as he peppered his armor with blackthorn barbs, but no matter where he aimed, nothing gave, and the openings in his helmet sealed before the thorns struck.  Worse, he started to notice a change in their environment as the blue smoke increased.

    He¡¯s turning the whole circle into ice!  I¡¯ll soon be out of stable ground to attack.  No, I have to stop his movement; all he¡¯s doing is walking at me while humming!  Is the sound a part of his attack?

    Following the ice¡¯s advance, he noticed a part that wasn¡¯t as quick, which would give him an opportunity for another blow.  Rushing forward, he launched his wooden shield at the Supreme Chief, aiming for his upper body to clothesline him.

    His full strength and weight were carried with the strike, but it was like trying to topple an ancient Blackthorn Tree, impossible.

    His shield cracked as it felt like a rampaging Torlim slamming into his body, and all the air in his lungs passed through his lips in a wheeze before he struck the ground, gasping.  Not a second later, his airway was cut off as a cold, smooth surface pressed against his neck.

    Welix managed to hold onto his broken shield and ax, pounding the metal against Edmon¡¯s armored foot that was crushing his windpipe; loud clangs struck his eardrums as metal struck metal, but the force wouldn¡¯t let up.

    His chest burned, throat on fire as a chill ran up his neck and down his chest; just before he was about to pass out, the force retracted.  He coughed, vision swimming as he struggled to his side.

    He¡¯d never felt so weak.

    It took over a minute for the ringing in his ears to cease, and thin sheets of what he could only assume was ice fell off his neck, face, and chest as he huddled against the biting, hardened ground.

    Once he¡¯d regained his senses, he began to shiver, looking up at the metallic-black figure looming over him.  ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea.  You¡¯re fast, and I¡¯m sure your fighting form is perfect; however, there was really nothing you could have done to hurt me.  Of course, you don¡¯t stand any better of a chance against Supreme Chief Iris.¡±

    The orange-eyed figure dangling her feet off one of a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra hummed with amusement.  ¡°Be thankful; Empress Elinor spared your life.  Isn¡¯t she merciful?¡±

    There¡¯s no doubt ¡­ heaven and earth separate our powers.

    Taking a shuddering breath, Welix lifted himself to his knees and bowed.  ¡°I bow before Empress Elinor, Supreme Chief of the Pits.¡±

    The rest of the Lethix Clan followed his example, pledging themselves to the Supreme Being that had appeared before them.

 B1 â€” 44. The Religious System

    Elinor¡¯s green irises moved between the hundreds of bowing Ri¡¯bot surrounding her, and it took a little effort to not allow a grin to spread across her lips. She retained her calm, pleasant demeanor, surveying the crowd with internal delight.

    This isn¡¯t a dream; they really think I¡¯m some kind of goddess and will do whatever I say. I¡¯m an Empress ¡­ it¡¯s real, and this is the beginning of my expansion. By the end of the day ¡­ I don¡¯t know.

    Tiffany¡¯s voice entered her mind as she requested a private conversation. ¡°Dear, how would you like us to move forward? They¡¯ve accepted you as their Empress.¡±

    I don¡¯t know, Tiffany; I half didn¡¯t expect this to work in the first place. How do you even run a religion? No, give me a moment to think about this; I¡¯m still wrapping my head around the implications.

    ¡°Of course, take the time that you need. In the meantime, I could address some elementary questions these Ri¡¯bot might have, and cement the foundation onto Valdar. I¡¯ve already had a few discussions with him on the subject, but we could work out some details.¡±

    That¡¯s fine, Elinor replied.

    She sat on Quin¡¯s hand, legs folded while Tiffany took command, and Elinor listened, trying to reconcile the split paths before her.

    I hate the Ri¡¯bot ¡­ well, more Krava and Fennel. Fennel imprisoned me ¡­ stripping me of everything but my parents, and then Krava sent Dalria, who killed my parents. My hatred for the Ri¡¯bot race came from those two incidents, but it was so strong. Now, my abilities have tempered a lot of that hatred.

    She scanned the surroundings, noticing the broken houses and dead bodies. There were signs of them rebuilding with forges, housing, and food being prepared. Her vision moved to the small Ri¡¯bot, presumably children, huddled with their parents as they listened to Tiffany speak. A section of the stream running through town had been sectioned off, showing tadpole-like creatures she figured were their babies, which Ri¡¯bot were silently caring for, still listening to the Witch¡¯s words.

    These Ri¡¯bot didn¡¯t do anything to me, and they¡¯re just trying to do their best to survive, but it¡¯s not like I couldn¡¯t give the order to kill them all. They have some impressive physical feats from living in this harsh jungle; they¡¯re far more deadly than humans in the wild. However, at this point, an entire Clan like this is nothing. Iris could destroy them without breaking a sweat.

    Her mind returned to what Tiffany had told her. What kind of Empire do I want to create? I¡¯m strong enough; I can control my wrath, and I¡¯ll direct it to those that deserve it. However, I want to build, not destroy.

    Perhaps this feeling comes from my Empress side, but killing these Ri¡¯bot won¡¯t bring me any satisfaction other than seeing someone resembling the people I hate dead. So, I¡¯m going to build an Empire that reveres me as a goddess, but what happens when everything is under my control?

    An answer didn¡¯t come; the wind blew in from the large river, sweeping back her hair and veil as she waited, but still, nothing popped into her mind. Her focus moved to her lap, gut tightening as she pondered on the question.

    I could rule the world, but for what purpose? When I was a kid, I¡¯d say to make everyone happy or erase the gap between the poor and rich, but that¡¯s a child¡¯s daydream. Hatred, discrimination, among countless other negative things, is just a part of life. The only possible means I have of getting rid of that would be to subjugate the entire world ¡­ turning everything Undead.

    Yet, at the same time, that defeats the purpose of creatures having the free will to choose their likes and dislikes. I¡¯d be a god, dictating my puppets how I see fit, and I do enjoy the spurts of random conflict; Tiffany and Edmon¡¯s bouts are more than entertaining, and I feel invested in it, but that couldn¡¯t come without their unique blend of passions and apathy.

    No, something like world peace is a silly concept, to begin with. In any realistic fashion, I¡¯d need to separate the entire world into sections and do an exhaustive work of strict authoritarian oversight, and that doesn¡¯t sound fun in the least, nor that productive to achieve a happy life. What would fulfill me, then?

    Her green eyes moved to Tiffany as she explained the basics of this evolving religion; she wasn¡¯t really paying attention to her words; she¡¯d get the cliff notes later. Elinor watched her former mother¡¯s bright expression and gestures; her mind returned to so many conversations she¡¯d had with her mother.

    Family. I want a family. Ironic, really; everything I wanted before changing seems so trivial now. Social media, friends, a boyfriend ¡­ I suppose they were connections I was trying to build. I want my kingdom to expand and to learn more about this world with my growing family. They also need something to do, and managing a religion could be fun for them.

    Opening a link with Tiffany, Elinor said, Tiffany, what¡¯s the next step to establish this religion?

    The Witch paused in her explanation, turning to look at her with a warm smile that she remembered so well; she was having fun developing this plan.

    ¡°Ah, hmm, let¡¯s see ¡­ I¡¯ve laid the foundation that you¡¯re basically the will of The One Above All, and that to hear your words is like hearing that of their god himself. There are some things to work out with this Speaker business Valdar mentioned, but it should be simple to fit into the equation. No, hmm ¡­ the next step will be¡­¡±

    She paused, and Elinor felt a private communication pass from Iris to her. Tiffany glanced at the Queen before her orange irises fell to Camellia. Her lips became a line as they communicated, causing a hushed whisper of confusion to pass through the Ri¡¯bot as they waited for them to speak.

    Something wrong? Elinor asked.

    Tiffany hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Just something that needs addressing. Camellia will be transforming back, which might cause a stir, and Iris brought up a fair point to consider. They¡¯re obviously taken with her appearance ¡­ she really is quite stunning, I suppose, and not only in her human form.¡±

    Oh?

    The quick glare Tiffany shot at Edmon was almost unnoticeable, but Elinor knew the Gatekeeper caught it. Her features brightened, and clearing her throat, the Witch spoke to the crowd. ¡°Direct your eyes to Supreme Chief Iris.¡±

    She gestured to the white-skinned Ri¡¯bot, and Elinor caught more than one Ri¡¯bot swallow as they turned to face the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; it was hard to miss everyone swallowing, accompanied by a blink, and more than one gray-skinned Ri¡¯bot¡¯s color lightened.

    ¡°You may have thought we Supreme Chiefs would appear just like you, Ri¡¯bot, but that is a more recent and false tradition. Among the Ancient Chiefs are many races, and Supreme Chief Iris personifies the beauty of them all.¡±

    Gasps swept the throng as Iris transformed into her human form before jumping into the air, black film enveloping her body again before she landed in the center of the circle, long razor-sharp feet biting into the ice, sending chunks scattering.

    No one spoke as Iris shifted her body to observe the crowd, and Elinor could sense a bit of amusement coming from her connection to the Queen at the fear her presence caused. Only the Ri¡¯bot closest to Camellia realized her own change after she¡¯d removed her garments; Elinor couldn¡¯t help but smile as Tiffany intentionally moved her spider mount to block Edmon¡¯s view of the girl¡¯s naked body.

    The Witch continued to speak while the Clan followed every smooth motion of Iris¡¯ legs. ¡°Supreme Chief Iris can take on the most elegant form of any species.¡± She turned to stare down at Valdar to her right, ¡°Why are the Supreme Chiefs not all Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    Valdar cleared his throat, stepping forward to explain to the crowd. ¡°The Supreme Chiefs, including the Empress, are not only the guiding hand and power of the Ri¡¯bot but all creatures. We have all lost the way, and so, Empress Elinor, in her infinite wisdom, has come herself to guide us back to the noble path of serving The One Above All, her brother, and counterpart. To speak to the Empress is to speak to The One Above All. Honor forever.¡±

    ¡°Honor forever,¡± the crowd repeated, all dropping their eyes and heads into the dirt while facing Elinor.

    Smooth. Elinor mused. You were saying something about Speakers, Tiffany?

    ¡°Speakers are Ri¡¯bot that supposedly hear their ancestors or the Chiefs in the sky, whispering things they must do. I have a few theories about it.¡±

    Edmon spoke up, walking around Iris to jump back onto his Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ride before turning to observe the crowd. ¡°Demon?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s one of the possibilities,¡± Tiffany muttered, sending a message to Iris that she¡¯d explained the transition adequately enough. She opened communication with Valdar. ¡°If you could continue educating the Lethix Clan on a few points, clarify the Pits and what happens to those sent and brought back.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Supreme Chief Tiffany.¡±

    ¡°Oh, Darling, just call me Tiffany. I¡¯m not into the whole titles thing; it takes too long.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re most gracious, Tiffany. I will remember it for the future.¡±

    Iris returned to Tiffany¡¯s side, sending her previous ride back to the group waiting at the jungle treeline, and Valdar¡¯s link to the conversation was cut as he started his lessons. The Ri¡¯bot tried their best to focus on the explanation, but everyone¡¯s eyes flicked to them from time to time.

    ¡°Too long?¡± Edmon chuckled, drawing Tiffany¡¯s orange irises. ¡°With the time it takes for you to explain things, I¡¯d expect you¡¯d love exasperatingly long-winded titles.¡±

    ¡°Then you¡¯d be wrong, as is oft the case,¡± Tiffany sniffed. ¡°Getting back to the point,¡± she glared at Edmon, ¡°yes, I suspect Demon has made a habit of managing global events. Since he has such a broad scope of the world¡¯s events, sending a Ri¡¯bot somewhere or manipulating a Clan to strip a certain resource like fish could have lasting effects down river, causing changes in the ecosystem.

    ¡°I also suspect that the Ri¡¯bot may even hear what they want to on the wind, or there may also be another being that is like Demon out there. It would serve us well to be cautious about this land.¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Edmon stated, bypassing her jab, which he knew would infuriate her more than anything else. ¡°So, Tiffany, we have the people, they believe the Empress to be divinity, rightfully so, which leaves us where?¡±

    Sucking in her left cheek, Tiffany surveyed the group, holding herself back from a biting remark; Elinor calmly listened, allowing the emotions they felt and the games they played with one another to entertain her. ¡°I¡¯m considering the options. Theoretically, I think we need a bit more of a direct indication that they¡¯re willing to serve the Empress, which is why I¡¯m having Valdar prep them.¡±

    Their attention moved to Iris as she spoke. ¡°If I am correct in my analysis of this System that you¡¯ve explained to me, then the Empress¡¯ desire will mold this religious sect. Correct?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Tiffany folded her arms under her chest, sucking in her lips. ¡°This is going to be a bit more complicated than normal. It¡¯s a relationship, in a manner, which opens up quite a vast array of possibilities. How they view the Empress, and the religious rites we develop will expand the influence and power of the religion itself.¡±

    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed as a few thoughts popped into her mind. ¡°Wait, Tiffany, are you saying that there¡¯s actual power that will come from this religion I¡¯m forming? I can give my followers powers, even if they¡¯re alive and not connected to my network?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Edmon nodded, sounding more like the father Elinor knew as his tone shifted dramatically. ¡°This is actually ¡­ Tiffany, you¡¯ve dazzled me with this plan.¡±

    The Witch¡¯s orange eyes sparkled. ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve discovered what I¡¯ve been experimenting with? It should work in theory, but I wasn¡¯t positive.¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond right away, giving it a second examination, and Elinor waited patiently for the reveal. ¡°Nexus of the Empress links all the Undead serving under her, which was crafted to direct her minions¡¯ movements. With this Religion experiment, you¡¯re seeing if we can develop a Religious System that will connect the Empress to all those that believe in her in much the same way.

    ¡°With your Witchcraft, you can develop a ritual that will link the belief of the religious rite with the powers granted by your station as the Royal Ritualist, linking these individuals to the Empress¡¯ network and spreading the seed further.¡±

    Tiffany nodded with a beaming smile; Edmon¡¯s praise was like honey on her tongue. She shifted her position to face the armored Doom Guard, plucking at the end of her shirt before fixing her thick black hair.

    ¡°It¡¯s just a theory, but it¡¯s possible this experiment will work, which could birth a whole new type of System. We know this seed can spread, but how it does it is still somewhat vague. I can grant individuals abilities if they pay the price, and I have the right medium to pull energy and skill classification.

    ¡°Belief is a powerful thing. However, there are bound to be a great many failures while I sort out the proper function to these types of rituals; we¡¯re branching into a new field that I need to increase my Proficiencies in. The initial success chance is,¡± she turned away, smacking her lips, ¡°not good.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s fingers tightened in her lap. It¡¯s based on the image I develop. Right? If I¡¯m The Supreme Chief of the Pits, then I rule over death, and that¡¯s the image they¡¯ll have?

    ¡°It¡¯s much broader than that,¡± Edmon noted with a thoughtful hum. ¡°You¡¯re a judge that determines if those in the afterlife can go up or down. As Tiffany has explained to Valdar, you not only can return the dead to life but also allow them into heaven if they pay for their crimes. Hell is not so eternal, after all. There¡¯s hope for forgiveness, even if one fails in life.¡±

    ¡°A sound belief, huh?¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°Hope is a powerful thing. The Ri¡¯bot are far more religious than I first thought. Look at them,¡± she stared around at the throng, eating up Valdar¡¯s words, listening to him explain the very thing Edmon and her were mentioning.

    ¡°Their fallen ancestors can be redeemed, and who can pardon them? They thought normal Chiefs had that authority under specific circumstances, but only to the living; once a Ri¡¯bot dies, his fate is sealed by this river they had to cross, and now, they know the one that pulls them down or allows them to pass into paradise, is you.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone made it clear he was smiling. ¡°And you¡¯re not happy with the Ri¡¯bot, yet came down yourself to guide them back to the proper path.¡± He shifted his hands behind his back, glancing back at the fish that had been prepared to be gutted. ¡°Tiffany, do you suppose we could guide them on a Death Goddess¡¯ path?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Hmm ¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be that difficult.¡± Her orange eyes narrowed with curiosity. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°What if we started this religion with the founding principle being that death brings all spirits to the Empress¡¯ seat.¡±

    Iris asked the question Elinor herself had. ¡°Isn¡¯t that already being touched on?¡±

    Tiffany was about to respond, then paused, fist pressing against her chin as she thought on Edmon¡¯s proposition. ¡°Founding principle ¡­ the foundation of the religion is that everything that dies must pass through the Empress ¡­ a gateway. That could ¡­ oh, wow, Edmon!¡± Her smile broadened. ¡°That¡¯s brilliant; I knew that pretty face wasn¡¯t just for show!¡±

    Elinor was slightly more interested in watching the emotions transfer between them than listening to the plot they¡¯d worked out. They¡¯re so cute when they get along, and the flirting is priceless ¡­ of course, so is the jealousy. She mused, glancing at the massive armored spider trying to follow their mental leaps.

    Edmon puffed out his chest. ¡°If we focus on this aspect as the cornerstone of their belief, then the Empress will have a source of constant Death Energy.¡±

    The statement fell flat against Elinor¡¯s skull. Wait, huh? What are you two talking about?

    ¡°I second that,¡± Iris stated. ¡°I thought I knew where this was going, but now, I do not understand this System you¡¯re trying to create in the least.¡± The Queen¡¯s front left leg twitched once, showing how much this was getting under her exoskeleton.

    ¡°Ah, sorry, sorry,¡± Tiffany chuckled, but Elinor could feel her doing victory laps through their shared connection. ¡°If we make the foundation of the religion about all Spirits going through you to receive their happiness, and they must pay a price, Life Force. Now, we¡¯re not talking about much ¡­ minuscule, really, to begin with, the Level and Proficiency will need to increase, but the foundation will grow with the religion and expand.

    ¡°Naturally, this isn¡¯t true, all dead things don¡¯t go through you, but this will translate as a base religious rite, all believers participate in. Meaning, everything your followers kill, gives a portion of their Life Force to you through the Religious System link they share. Every fish they slaughter to eat, the animals they kill to protect their people, and insects they step on, all of it will give you energy.¡±

    Elinor hummed, vision shifting to the now melting ice covering the muddy earth. That would help a ton with expanding the Empire and also gaining me Exp. That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it; I¡¯ll get Exp from my link to them, too?

    ¡°Oh, I did kind of leave that part out,¡± Tiffany chided herself. ¡°Yes, yes, you will! This will help you level up and build your Empire at an accelerated pace. You¡¯re limited on the amount of Undead you can generate and maintain, but with this Religious System, there is no limit. In fact, the more followers you gain, the more opportunities you have at expanding that power. Your idea of sending out missionaries has so many implications to it!¡±

    Wow¡­ Elinor mumbled, imagining the amount of work taken off her minions by making this a Religious Empire. So, I¡¯d only need my soldiers to keep the peace while leaving the citizens to what nature intended, survive, and they¡¯ll feed me Death Energy.

    ¡°Ah, but there¡¯s more.¡± Edmon¡¯s low chuckle turned their attention to him. ¡°We can not only make it about Souls going through the Empress after death but also recount their experiences.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s mouth dropped open. ¡°A judgment session where they must honestly recount their lives to the Empress as she weighs their deeds! Brilliant, just brilliant! Not only will Elinor get Death Energy, but a portion of that creatures¡¯ experience points, in addition to what the follower gained.¡±

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re discussing,¡± Iris muttered. ¡°However, I do not understand how this will work in practice. This great power will be created at the start of this religion?¡±

    Tiffany sucked in her lower lip, crossing her arms before pushing up slightly on her chest. ¡°Mmh, it will require some careful tailoring, but this shouldn¡¯t be any different than the current game-like System we¡¯re connected to.¡± A devilish grin lit Tiffany¡¯s lips. ¡°This might even open up the path to true deification,¡± she stated, glowing orange eyes lifting to focus on Elinor. ¡°We can start with this foundation, and I¡¯ll continue to puzzle out how we can magnify it further. Would this be suitable?¡±

    Deification? Elinor thought, pulling back from the linked conversation. Could this System we¡¯re a part of really lead me down the path to becoming an actual goddess, and what kind of goddess would I be then? It would most likely follow the direction I¡¯m heading ¡­ I¡¯d become a Lich Goddess, transcending a Holy Empire. Is that what I want?

    Her green irises lifted to view her three Royal Court members as they eagerly awaited her decision. Tiffany, what will happen to me if I go down this path and really am deified?

    Tiffany¡¯s eyebrows creased, and her eyes dropped to her lap. ¡°I, umm ¡­ don¡¯t fully know, to be honest. I mean, it would require an extreme amount of energy to transform you further; it¡¯s how I theorize that seed was given in the first place, and upon pondering Demon¡¯s interest in it, things started to align. My guess, you¡¯d be able to extend that godly power to your minions, and start a path upon becoming the Empress of gods.

    ¡°Now, whether there are other godly beings or not seems to be a moot argument. We¡¯ve already seen Demon, and experienced a ton of other supernatural aspects, so I can¡¯t rule it out. Therefore, I don¡¯t think it would be any different than being an Empress; you¡¯d just be moving onto a higher plane of existence to further develop your powers. Perhaps ascend Spirits to godhood rather than just raising them to their former glory.¡±

    Elinor sat back against Quin¡¯s hand, staring at her twisted hands in her lap. First, I found out I became a Lich; then I discovered I have the power to create an Empire ¡­ to be the girl ruling it all, and now this. Playing a goddess is one thing, but actually being a goddess ¡­ it¡¯s something else entirely. There are still so many questions, but ¡­ why would I hesitate? If it just means I¡¯ll have more power to protect the things I care about, then¡­

    Looking up at Tiffany, Elinor¡¯s ghostly green eyes hardened. Let¡¯s go down this path and see if I can become a true Empress of the gods themselves.

    The pride that welled up in Edmon and Tiffany¡¯s chests hit Elinor more than she was expecting, and even if Iris didn¡¯t fully understand the path, she grasped the implications of that statement.

    ¡°We follow and obey.¡±

    Tiffany, Edmon, and Iris retreated to a private conference to discuss the details of how to initiate the plan, and after a good ten minutes of discussion, made their decision.

    Elinor¡¯s body felt tense, even if she knew others would perceive her as perfectly serene upon Quin¡¯s unmoving hand. When Tiffany and Edmon explained the fundamental principles to be taught to Valdar, Elinor listened for a moment. However, it soon became apparent that everything they told Valdar rested upon his shoulders; Valdar would become the first High Priest, instructing others to spread the word.

    In general, the whole process was independent from Elinor or her Royal Court, which left Tiffany to her own devices to develop the rituals needed to create living warrior zealots for her Undying Empire. The first eight sacrifices to participate were volunteers that jumped upon the opportunity Tiffany presented.

    She looked upon the eight warriors selected from over fifty Ri¡¯bot that had leaped forward at the opportunity. Tiffany had Valdar be extremely selective of the group, only going after the more weak warriors, knowing success was so slim that risking the stronger candidates would only be a waste. Among the eight chosen was Yeppa, which was just about as brainwashed as they come, eager to serve; Tiffany had told the volunteers success was dependent upon their faith.

    Upon finishing the first selection, Tiffany sent them to the fortress to spiritually prepare themselves for what was to come. They were told to seclude themselves, purifying themselves within and come to its center when night had fallen.

    Elinor finished her time among the Lethix by sending her butterflies between the bodies of their fallen during the storm, assessing their strength. All of them are weak ¡­ of course, it¡¯s to be expected that they weren¡¯t the Clan¡¯s highest quality since they died so easily.

    Turning to Chief Utren, Elinor smiled into his blue irises. ¡°Rest assured, your brothers and sisters have come before me; they have accepted me and received their reward beyond the Great Heavenly River. Be of good cheer; they rest with their loved ones in peace.¡±

    Once her words finished, a bubble seemed to pop in her core, causing her eyes to widen for a moment; she could feel the emotions welling up within the chests of more than a hundred Ri¡¯bot before her. The heat rising in her breast raged past Emotional Loss, breaking past the skill to bring soft tears to her eyes.

    She reached up, pressing her hand against her chest while doing her best to stay composed; Edmon, Tiffany, and Iris stiffened beside her, giving her concerned expressions. Emotion ¡­ how could I forget this hurricane in a single day? So, the Religious System was just formed. To feel again, even through others ¡­ wow. What a pleasant surprise. Still, this is not something an Empress should do; hopefully, this is only a temporary thing with this new System¡¯s creation.

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s tear stricken faces and the wave of relief, joy, and love more than doubled, as they watched her share in their overflowing hearts, continuing to wash over her. She could feel Valdar¡¯s own emotions flaring.

    A hard swallow fell down Chief Utren¡¯s throat, and every Ri¡¯bot bowed again. ¡°E-Empress, is it proper to send them off with a song?¡±

    Elinor could feel Camellia¡¯s excitement peak at the word, standing close by after being called by her mother, but she remained silent, and Tiffany reached over to dry her tears with a bright smile. ¡°I was not expecting the changed emotional field they¡¯d generate with that link. I apologize for not giving you a proper warning.¡±

    No, it¡¯s nice feeling something this strongly again; I¡¯m sure Emotional Loss will grow even stronger because of this. Elinor mumbled. Just ¡­ not all the time. Addressing the Chief, Elinor nodded, keeping her voice in check. ¡°Of course, I love to hear the melodies you create to see your loved ones off; they hear every note.¡±

    She could feel the strength of her bond to her new followers continuing to grow with her show of compassion, and more Ri¡¯bot were slowly being converted as the ceremony went on. Tiffany made careful note of the proceedings, coming up with ways to further utilize their traditions to enhance the effects, and after thirty minutes, it concluded.

    Elinor took both Chief Utren and his brother, Welix, with her to meet with the Flex Clan. Now, how will their brother-Clan react?

 B1 â€” 45. Hope For Unity

    Chief Loci¡¯s gray tongue slid across her lips as she surveyed the damage left by the great storm the ancestors had called down upon the valley before sliding it back into her mouth to swallow.

    The world darkened as she was forced to blink from the action, and she kept her eyelids closed, listening to her clan with a furrowed brow.  Bending down to press her knuckles against the moist soil, she breathed, long and deep, feeling the humid air fill her lungs before exhaling.  Noise filled the jungle, voices, insects, and the wind¡¯s passing filling her senses.

    Tradesmen were hard at work, gathering what supplies could be salvaged or that had been pushed down the streams that were still active after the flash flooding.  Wet-Bloods received orders from their unit leaders, directing relief efforts, scouting, and setting up a defensible camp with what clansmen were able.

    Now that the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath, rain, and the wind had died down, insects had begun to gather, causing the Gatherers to leap into action.  This was the perfect time to get possible food; everything was coming out to explore what the event had left.

    Loci opened her blue eyes as the former chief, her great uncle Gurali, bent down to her level, and she rolled her eyes as his tones shifted up and down.  ¡°What do ya tink of dis?  Aye, Chief?¡±

    ¡°Can you not start with the old tongue, Elder Chief,¡± Loci sighed, giving her uncle an annoyed look.  ¡°I get it; it¡¯s nostalgic, but the Lethix can hardly understand that guttural language, and we¡¯re trying to forge a military that can communicate with one another.¡±

    Gurali clicked his tongue.  ¡°They should be adopting our historical tongue instead of this ¡­ common Delthax drivel that everyone seems to enjoy.¡±

    Loci snorted, turning to watch the repairs being done to the tree shelters that had been damaged; many of their stores had been forced to be dropped to protect the clansmen, but those that had tried to save their supplies had their homes overstressed by the weight of the winds, bodies, and supplies, snapping the foundations.  ¡°Not even your generation loved that harsh old tongue; it¡¯s too heavy on the throat.¡±

    ¡°Dat tis means dey just weakin¡¯,¡±  Gurali replied with a dismissive wave.

    Her mouth tilted, single right tooth creasing her skin as she gave him a lifted eye.

    ¡°Fine,¡± he muttered, releasing a loud huff.  ¡°If your father could see you now¡­¡±

    Loci smacked the old Chief¡¯s shoulder with a smirk while turning away.  ¡°He¡¯d pat me on the back and tell me to kick your arse.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Gurali scratched the top of his slick head, wet from the nearby pool leading out of the jungle and into The Wandering River.  ¡°He would say that, wouldn¡¯t he?  Then I¡¯d have to teach you what it means¡­¡±

    ¡°Forty-three,¡± Loci interrupted with an amused chuckle.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡±

    Loci repeated with a giggle at the blustering Ri¡¯bot as he hobbled after her.  ¡°Forty-three.¡±

    ¡°Wha ¡­ your father never interrupted¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just singing the facts, dear Uncle,¡± Loci mused while moving through the large ferns to get to the pile of Holy Stones the warriors had gathered.  ¡°Last time, all I had to do was stick out my leg, and you hopped right over it to plant that big face of yours into the mud!  So, I wouldn¡¯t be braggin¡¯ about any more fights, and I heard about you challenging our young Wet-Blood Toti two days ago.¡±

    ¡°The young ones need to learn what it¡¯s like to be humble,¡± Gurali muttered.  ¡°They¡¯re too green around the necks.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Loci grinned, leaning to the side to slap him on the chest; a few clansmen bowed slightly as they quickly hurried by to help carry up replacement logs to assist in the repairs.  ¡°From what I hear, he actually got a hit on you, eh?  You¡¯re gettin¡¯ old, Uncle.¡±

    ¡°Tch,¡± Gurali rubbed the spot she¡¯d struck, knowing he felt it in his old age.  ¡°My leg cramped; this old body is a bother.  Your great grandfather slapped that old Delthax Torlim in da jaw, droppin¡¯ em in da watta!¡±  He spat, slipping back into his old tongue.

    Loci turned an inquisitive eye toward the former Chief.  ¡°Eh, why are we talking about my great grandfather?  Ah, you¡¯re just changing the subject,¡± she stated, kneeling to take a handful of the remaining white spheres.  ¡°What is this about?¡±  She muttered, tone becoming serious.

    Gurali¡¯s hips shifted left and right, bones popping as he scanned the cleared area before crouching down beside her.  ¡°No clue; I haven¡¯t seen this happen in my lifetime.¡±

    ¡°Not once?¡±  Loci whispered.

    ¡°I told you before; no, not once, but my grandfather witnessed this type of storm once.¡±

    Her tongue slid across her lips, grazing her tooth before releasing a low grumble in her throat.  ¡°Just before the Great Northern Purge.¡±

    ¡°Aye,¡± Gurali leaned in, eyeing two warriors jumping between trees above.  ¡°It¡¯s worth noting that he was a bit of a storyteller.¡±

    ¡°So, he¡¯s prone to exaggerate a bit.¡±

    ¡°Aye, and even in his story, there was nothing so grand as this.  Winds that could rip trees into the river, the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath, raining down between gusts of biting rain as the Supreme Chief hurls burning light across the heavens.  There¡¯s something big coming ¡­ or perhaps¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±  Loci asked, mood sinking with the sudden shift in conversation.

    Gurali slowly breathed out a long puff of air, nose twitching as he growled, ¡°There was a story your great grandfather told ¡­ his old Uncle, the Chief at the time, slapped him a good one for it, but¡­¡±

    ¡°What are you saying, Uncle?  You didn¡¯t bring this up earlier.¡±

    Loci¡¯s eyes narrowed as he paused, letting a few Tradesmen walk by, smiling at them as they bowed respectfully.  He waited for them to pass before continuing.

    ¡°Look, Chief, I cannot vouch for the story itself, and I was but a small boy; I might not have the details altogether ¡­ I¡¯m old, after all.¡±

    ¡°Spit out your tongue already, Uncle!¡±  Loci hissed, jabbing him in the arm.

    ¡°Gah, fine, fine!¡±  He clicked his tongue a few times.  ¡°You be your father¡¯s girl, alright,¡± he muttered before glaring down at the dirt.  ¡°He spoke about the flashing lights in the heavens, and he say¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Aye, this is difficult to talk about ¡­ this is the heavens!  Bless the Ancestors¡¯ graves,¡± he mumbled, taking a deep breath.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if this is heresy or not; we haven¡¯t had a Speaker among us for some time, and I¡¯m old.¡±

    ¡°You said that already!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes ¡­ look,¡± his eyes shifted around, making sure no one was within hearing distance.  ¡°Your great grandfather spoke about a Speaker, telling him that there are times when the heavens aren¡¯t so peaceful¡­¡±

    ¡°War, in the Great Jungle in the Heavens?¡±  Loci asked, eyes narrowing suspiciously.  ¡°I always thought the great lights were a sign to us¡­¡±

    ¡°Some, yes,¡± her uncle pressed.  ¡°Those flashing lights that strike the jungle are signs to us for sure, but ¡­ the lights in the heavens that do not strike us¡­¡±

    ¡°What are they for?¡±  Loci finished with a dark hum.

    ¡°As I said, I don¡¯t know!¡±  Gurali grunted.  ¡°I just know that something like dis ¡­ The Supreme Chiefs be more than a little angry about something, and we need to find out why.¡±

    ¡°You mean, I need to find out why.¡±  Loci hissed through her gums, working around her jaw.  ¡°This timing ¡­ you don¡¯t think it has something to do with¡­¡±

    They both ceased their conversation as a scout jumped down from above; Brola saluting them.

    ¡°Chief, Elder Chief!¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡±  Loci muttered, trying not to sound annoyed; it had been difficult enough to find this much time alone with her uncle to discuss these matters.

    ¡°News from the northern border!¡±

    The North?  No, is the Delthax taking this opportunity to attack?  If Chief Utren discovered Delthax Warriors¡¯ corpses being washed away by the stream, and from upriver...

    ¡°What is it?¡±  Gurali demanded.  ¡°Speak-up, boy!¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±  His voice quivered; Brola was new to the scouting party, only eight years old, and she¡¯d heard the others in his party used him as the butt of most jokes.  ¡°Still not a single movement coming from the Wixum side, and Lethix¡¯s borders are completely unguarded.  The Unit Leaders sent in a few scouts to probe further, but there¡¯s no longer any sign of Ri¡¯bot parties anywhere.¡±

    Loci scratched her left side, brow furrowing as she turned to her uncle.  ¡°We had contact with the Lethix border patrol not three hours ago, and now they¡¯ve completely retreated without a word?  How long should we wait; it¡¯s not right.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, the Delthax corpses¡­¡± Gurali folded his arms across his once muscular chest, now a shadow of its former glory.  ¡°They mentioned casualties from the storm, but even First Rights would only pull back all non-essential Warriors.  This does sound jumpy; if it were an attack, they¡¯d send word to us.¡±

    ¡°They already warned us to stay alert after the blood and guts of an unknown number of Delthax bodies washed up in their land; something happened last night in the Wixum territory.  Why would there be Delthax warriors at Wixum¡¯s eastern borders?¡±

    ¡°Intelligence of a Clanless raid?¡±  Gurali offered.

    Loci clasped her hands behind her back, staring at the pile of Holy Stones beside them; it had been slowly shrinking throughout the day, giving the impression that the heavens were calming.  ¡°No, it would have to be a combined group of Clanless to pose a threat Wixum couldn¡¯t handle themselves.  The Quel Runoff losing its strength more and more each year makes more sense.¡±

    Brola kept silent, not even willing to request to give his opinion on the matter, and after a moment¡¯s thought, Loci made up her mind; Brola¡¯s attention snapped to her as she turned to address him.  ¡°Send word to Xaria Iona, she¡¯s to move forward, grasp the situation, and report back; if she can manage it, be as the smoke.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Chief!¡±  Brola stated, beating his right fist against his chest before racing into the trees.

    A low growl rumbled in Gurali¡¯s throat.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    His tongue shot out, pressing against his right two teeth.  ¡°This is coming at a bad time.  We lost a lot of food in the storm, and the extra labor is not helping bellies.  We need that lake!¡±

    Loci sighed, patting her uncle on the back.  ¡°Chiefs have been having that conversation for generations, Uncle.¡±

    He set his light-blue eyes on her.  ¡°You will be the Chief to realize that dream!¡±

    ¡°If the Ancestors¡¯ will it ¡­ yes, yes,¡± she chuckled, ¡°the Ancestors¡¯ reward Ri¡¯bot of action.  We must move with the faith that the heavens are with us.¡±

    She took one last look at the diminishing Holy Stones before motioning the former Chief to follow her back to the main body of their village.

    Luckily, the ancient Chiefs of the Flex Clan had the forethought to build their settlements high above the shoreline, which had saved many lives, and more food than otherwise might have survived.

    Lethix reported a much worse case for their own people; with their lost weapons and supplies, it would be challenging for them to be of significant use in the upcoming conflict.

    Loci kept her hands held behind her back as she watched a few of the younger children that had just learned to walk wobble up to her uncle, urging him to join them in a racing game; it was common knowledge that the former Chief loved any kind of play, and after some coaxing, she managed to get him to detach himself from her side to unwind with the kids.

    She finally enjoyed a moment of peace, flexing her webbed toes in the newly formed stream that the storm had created; it was actually a blessing, having three new running water sources that merged into one before flowing into The Wandering River.

    The cry of birds filled the clearing, sending joyful music through the air for her clansmen to work to, and the breeze helped cool the few burning rays of sunlight that passed through the thick overhead canopy.

    If we truly start getting desperate, then we¡¯ll need to start hunting the birds.  She grimaced at the thought, knowing how terrible the fowl was on Ri¡¯bot stomachs.  We deserve a seat at the table with the Wixum trade agreement; this feud lasted generations before the Fire Wars, still holding us back.

    She glanced around at the massive tree roots, used for centuries to practice throwing and tongue shots, the wide trunks that carried generations of her clan, and the recent additions that were now lost.  Her face sagged while looking at the destroyed forges; they still had their equipment, but the means to craft them had been carried away with the storm.

    Lethix managed to keep most of their supplies, but lost weapons and people.  We saved most of our people but lost our means to create metal tools and a lot of food.  I suppose we¡¯ll need to rely on each other more than ever.

    Her brow creased as her sharp senses found a swift-moving target; Iona, the only other Xaria besides herself in the clan, was racing toward her.  The light-brown skinned Ri¡¯bot was the only person she knew that could catch her off-guard, but she¡¯d forgone her normal playful mannerisms, jumping between trunks to escape traffic.

    As a former Xaria himself, Gurali had noticed Iona¡¯s actions as well, but it took a moment to break away from the children to join them.

    Iona jumped down beside her, chest heaving as she dropped to a trembling knee, trying to catch her breath.

    Loci gripped her shoulders; her skin was slick with sweat, hot to the touch after rushing back to the camp to deliver her news.  ¡°What is it?¡±

    It took a moment for her to speak, throat clearly sticky with saliva as she croaked.  ¡°Supreme¡­¡±

    ¡°Supreme what?¡±

    ¡°A¡ªA Supreme Chief¡ªmultiple Supreme Chiefs are¡ªare coming,¡± she swallowed and gasped between words.

    ¡°Just catch your breath,¡± Loci soothed, rubbing her shaking shoulders, and after a moment, it became apparent that her friend and fellow Xaria was more than just exhausted from her flight; she was terrified.  ¡°What¡¯s coming?¡±

    Taking two controlled breathes, Iona spoke as if she couldn¡¯t believe what was coming out of her own mouth.  ¡°Chief Utren and Xaria Welix ¡­ they¡¯re escorting four Supreme Chiefs to¡ªto our¡ªhere.  They¡¯re escorting them here.¡±

    Loci glanced right at her uncle as he ran up to join them, catching her words.  ¡°Four Supreme Chiefs?  You can¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Iona breathed; the two teeth on either side of her mouth seemed to have punctured her lip with the pressure she¡¯d used.  She hugged herself, blue eyes wide as she trembled.  ¡°I could feel it¡ªthe weight of their words and the power they held; one with orange eyes spoke with such power ¡­ it was like the flashing light in the heavens, but¡ªbut only I could hear it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense,¡± Loci growled, guiding her down to the floor as her legs collapsed.  What happened to her?  It looks like shock, but ¡­ Iona¡¯s a Xaria; what could have possibly shaken her this badly?  Four Supreme Chiefs?  It¡¯s nonsense¡­

    Several children, clansmen, and warriors ran over to see what was happening, but Gurali quickly stood, squaring his shoulders.  ¡°This is a private matter.  Leadership only; clear the area!¡±

    The Warriors snapped to action, ushering away the onlookers as they herded them away.

    ¡°What does she mean, Supreme Chiefs are on their way?¡±  Loci asked aloud, trying to make sense of the woman¡¯s words.

    Gurali knelt beside the Xaria, fingers wiping away some of the green blood flowing down her chin.  ¡°Iona, start from the beginning; what happened.¡±

    Her quakes were easing as she breathed, and her cool demeanor started to return.  ¡°I received your orders, and went to see what was happen¡ªhappening in the Lethix Clan¡¯s territory.  I barely made it into their land before sensing something cold in the atmosphere¡ªthe temperature was dropping too rapidly, and I went to investigate.¡±

    Iona paused, eyes seeming to fade out.  ¡°I didn¡¯t see her.¡±

    ¡°Who didn¡¯t you see?¡±

    She paused, looking up at Loci with dread.  ¡°The Etherial Clan.¡±

    A shiver cascaded down Loci¡¯s spine, and by the look of her uncle, he had the same reaction.  The Etherial Clan ¡­ the corpses of the Delthax.  If they slaughtered the Delthax and Wixum last night, and then moved to ¡­ everyone behind Iona is dead.  If she barely made it back to report this ¡­ should we run to the river?  What option do we have?

    Gurali recovered before her.  ¡°How many?  You said four Supreme Chiefs, and that the Lethix are guiding them here.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Loci swallowed, forcing her to blink.  ¡°The Etherial Clan is being led here by the Lethix; they betrayed us?¡±

    Iona closed her eyes, swallowing a hard lump in her throat.  ¡°No¡ªI thought it was the Etherial Clan; she looked¡ªshe¡¯s too perfect, beyond any Ri¡¯bot.  No, she¡¯s not from the Etherial Clan; she¡¯s every Ri¡¯bot¡ªa Supreme Chief.  I couldn¡¯t sense her, not a trace, and I was caught ¡­ mind, body, spirit ¡­ everything.¡±

    Loci and Gurali didn¡¯t know what else to say; Iona kept rambling on, but eventually, Loci thought she wrapped her head around the message she was trying to deliver.

    ¡°Iona¡ªare you saying, the storm yesterday was the Supreme Chiefs coming down from the heavens, and they¡¯re now¡ªin our land¡ªcoming to see us?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±  Iona cried.  ¡°I saw them¡ªI did!  There¡¯s here, and¡ªand they¡¯re not happy!¡±

    ¡°Not¡ªhappy¡­¡±  Loci repeated, falling to her butt as her stomach squirmed; a splat sounded as she struck the mud, fingers digging into the wet ground.

    If great storms with lightning is a war in the heavens, and Supreme Chiefs have descended from above ¡­ what¡¯s happening?  What am I supposed to do?  They¡¯re not happy.  Did they destroy the Delthax and Wixum clans in their wrath?  How do ¡­ it¡¯s impossible¡ªyou can¡¯t fight the heavens.

    ¡°What¡ªdo I do?¡±  Loci muttered, tingles shooting down her arms as her body became numb.  ¡°Iona¡ªwhat do I do?¡±

    ¡°Prepare¡ªshe comes to offer something,¡± Iona mumbled.

    ¡°Offer what?¡±  Gurali asked, and suddenly Loci was aware of his age as he hunched over, clutching his chest.  ¡°Do we need to offer something to them?¡±

    Iona¡¯s arms tightened around her chest.  ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know.  We just need to prepare¡ªshe¡¯ll be here soon.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Loci rubbed her muddy hands, suddenly feeling unclean.  ¡°Send word, Gurali¡ªprepare the clan to receive Supreme Chiefs.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±  He mumbled.

    ¡°I¡ªpray¡ªjust pray, and gather.¡±

    Gurali shuffled off, still trying to come to terms with the news, but if Iona, a Xaria, said it, how could they doubt the information?

    * * *

    Slow, silent streams of air pushed through Iris¡¯ plates as her eight legs carefully found their targeted path through the loud jungle.  The wildlife was cowed as their party followed the two Lethix leaders, but every whir and click of an insect caught her notice, and she filed the information away, meticulously tracking every motion.

    The world had opened up to her since connecting with the Empress¡¯ Nexus; she¡¯d studied the other cultures surrounding her lands, and there was no purpose in killing the tiny creatures that would provide little to no nourishment for her brood, which was just a part of nature.

    Even before her new skills began to take shape in her mind, she was hypersensitive to the atmospheric environment, which put her at a great advantage compared to the other Queens and her siblings.  By luck of selection, even her daughters had inherited a portion of that gift in their genetics, although Camellia lacked certain feats that would have aided her in carrying on the brood, but she had her own use in the collective.

    It was these sharp senses of hers that caused the Quen¡¯Talrat to snatch her focus; their massive size was a bonus that would feed her brood if nothing else, but it was their intelligence that had drawn her in, and by merely observing them over the centuries, she¡¯d started to adapt to a new lifestyle.

    Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were dominant in just about every environment they were placed because of their ease in molding their nature, finding the right ingredients, whether it be metal, flesh, or any other compound, using the Queen¡¯s unique restructuring glands to produce offspring that would thrive.

    Her mother had taught her that very few creatures could rival, and fewer still that could exceed their predatory process.  However, it was necessary to note they were out there, and the Quen¡¯Talrat were one of those species that were designed in a manner to combat them, even if it were a rare occurrence.

    Iris had expanded upon her mother¡¯s vast tunnel networks under the land northward, pushing south while her aunts and sisters would move to other locations.  Th¨¦lm¨¦thra did not require a significant amount of resources, and could quickly adapt to plants, smaller prey, or even stone if needed.

    One of the interesting things Violet had done when still young was find an appetite for the glowing stones the Quen¡¯Talrat had brought back from the north, harnessing the different energies within.  They appeared to give her thread different attributes, but before she¡¯d been able to investigate further, their entire family had sustained a glorious defeat because of her children¡¯s folly.

    The event that had led to her demise was a calculated one, which had actually impressed her.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had been a magnificent beast, to say the least, and she valued that.  However, she would rather not have to serve the Empress with the creature, given their history.  It was less for her own feelings and more for the obsessive nature of the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    She noted the amusedly weak Elite Hunter that the Empress rode upon.  The beast was among the weakest of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s warriors, having fallen in combat soon after pushing their borders south.  She¡¯d kept meticulous mental records of the incidents surrounding that massive white ape and his forces, and this one was of no special recount.

    The Empress, however, was something new entirely.  Her deep, gem-like red eyes took in almost every detail of her visible space, millions upon millions of microscopic hairs along her metallic skin feeding back an enormous amount of information that was passively processed by her complex nervous system.

    The vibrations in the ground and air, chemicals carried along the wind, magnetic variances in the atmosphere¡ªher environment was dancing to the rhythm of action and reaction, painting a beautiful image in her mind that told her exactly what to do, but the one thing that stood out in all of that was Elinor.

    She could tell the moment the Empress of the Dead called upon her; there was something divine pulsing within her, reaching out, enveloping, molding, incorporating.  It was the first time she¡¯d felt like there was something worth serving; she was the Queen, capable of being the line of a Supreme Queen, and in all her life, there had not been a single creature that she was not superior to, including Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, but that had changed the moment Elinor stood before her.

    Her focus moved to the Empress as she spoke.

    ¡°Iris, how much longer are you able to transform?¡±

    Twenty minutes and thirty-two seconds, Empress.

    ¡°The twenty-four-hour cooldown starts the moment you transform, meaning you can use those six hours of transformation within that time unrestricted?¡±

    Correct.  I¡¯ve already determined using my abilities on cooldown is the best practice.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor ghostly green eyes lowered to the floor, racing beneath her as they moved through the jungle.  ¡°I suspect that show we put on for that Ri¡¯bot woman will provide the effect I¡¯m seeking from the Flex Clan.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s emphatic voice entered the conversation.  ¡°Oh, most certainly!  I believe we will be met with quite the welcome party.¡±  She chuckled.

    I will be ready for any actions needed.

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Edmon¡¯s deep tone concurred.  ¡°We shouldn¡¯t let our guard down; I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll desire some form of proof as the Lethix did.¡±

    A small smile turned Elinor¡¯s lips.  ¡°Yes, I suspect as much, which is why I¡¯ve thought about something.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Tiffany questioned, keeping herself grounded upon a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drone¡¯s back.

    ¡°It will be my little surprise,¡± Elinor finished.  ¡°I thought of it when observing a few of the things the Lethix were whispering.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s tongue slid across her lips.  ¡°You have me curious, Dear!  I can¡¯t wait to see what you have planned.¡±

    Iris¡¯ mind fixed on the Empress¡¯ declaration; she sent a communications request of Edmon through the Nexus.

    ¡°Yes, Iris?¡±  Edmon asked, glancing down at her as his Quen¡¯Talrat mount leaped from tree to tree above the Empress.

    This is still new for me ¡­ much of this is unexpected.  The Empress is creating a sort of brood of her own, but outside of that, a separate entity entirely that¡¯s centered on this word you call religion.  There¡¯s power in it, which Tiffany has explained, but I still have trouble with grasping the implications.  Why?

    He chuckled.  ¡°The reason you''re having a difficult time with the concept is that you have not experienced the word itself, but¡­¡±  He paused.  ¡°From what you explained to me about your culture, would you like me to see if I can break it down.¡±

    That would be appreciated.

    ¡°Right,¡± he muttered, effortlessly balancing on the bony ape¡¯s shoulders as he put his hand against his armored hip.  ¡°Have you seen all of the past Queens that spread across worlds, conquering until only the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra are left, leaving a Supreme Queen to be chosen to move on to the next world?¡±

    No.

    ¡°So, how do you know that is the case?¡±

    Because my mother told me of our past.

    ¡°Correct, and I will say that your mother¡¯s recount seems more than just a story.  From what I can tell, that is just how your species is, and you are extremely attentive to detail.  However, many creatures are not so long-lived or as prudent to detail, and thus, we get into a bit of a gray area that we call belief, and there are many levels to it.¡±

    The ideas began to link in Iris¡¯ mind; she could sense Ri¡¯bot up ahead with several hiding in the bushes fifty meters ahead, but her instincts told her they had no intent to do harm.

    Belief in an idea that might not be true ¡­ if a creature has trail markings that overlap multiple days along a path, then it¡¯s fair to assume¡ªbelieve, that they will return.  So, acting upon that belief, I create a trap.  Correct?

    ¡°Mmh, that¡¯s a bit more of a concrete example of belief with evidence.  Religion centers around a belief that is rather difficult to explain or grasp; it¡¯s more immaterial than the example you gave.  For instance, why do you think the world exists or where you might go after you die?¡±

    I have not considered any reason or destination.

    ¡°No, because you¡¯re extremely practical.  That isn¡¯t useful information for you because you haven¡¯t experienced it, which is fine, and you can function without such questions flooding your mind, but other creatures cannot.  The Ri¡¯bot must have a belief about where they go, and that also presents the opportunity for an innocent belief to be molded to someone¡¯s will.¡±

    I see.  It is still strange to consider such topics when it is simply something you would need to adapt to once arriving.  Certain information cannot be gleaned through anything but experience, and if you have nothing to base it on, then it is best to focus on what can be accomplished at the moment.

    ¡°As I said, you¡¯re very practical; unlike humans, it never even crossed your mind,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°You plan for what you can, and make decisions based on the goals you have, which are for your brood, not what might come after you die.  You¡¯re concerned about future generations, not yourself, which is actually fairly uncommon to humans, I¡¯d say.¡±

    Iris was silent for a moment, feeling a shift in the atmosphere; it would rain tonight.  I understand the belief portion, to an extent, but how is that translated into actual power for the Empress?

    ¡°Ah, okay,¡± Edmon mumbled.  ¡°The seed that we discussed before encapsulates the Empress¡¯ Nexus; the whole network that gives us these abilities, and seeds can evolve or splinter.  What we¡¯re doing is developing a new religious branch to that system.¡±

    They are not connected in the same way we are, though.

    ¡°No, they would need Tiffany to bridge that gap by infusing a portion of her connection to the Empress into another person, giving them a sort of generational extension to the Empress¡¯ infusing power.  The condition of tapping into that power is following the Empress¡¯ desires and orders, which makes an entire new form of religious army within the Empire that not only requires no Death Energy to maintain, like we must have, but actually fuels the Empress.¡±

    Iris picked apart the statement before humming softly.  You¡¯re saying that this religious army will balance the Undead army?

    ¡°That¡¯s the brilliance in what Tiffany pieced together, as much as I hate to admit it,¡± he whispered.  ¡°There is a unity in the two that will help carry the Empire to massive heights and allow the Empress to continue to store huge amounts of Death Energy.  It¡¯s a phenomenal use of the framework we¡¯ve been given.¡±

    In essence, the seed provides the ability to convert belief into a link between intelligent creatures that follow her, but it¡¯s only a faith bond that allows The System to transfer the experience and energy they gather to the Empress, based on the strength of that vow.  There is no danger of them using that against us because, in the very act of disobedience, their link providing the access to that power is severed.

    ¡°Correct.  Even if they think they¡¯re doing the Empress¡¯ orders, the bond is connected to her will, which means they both must be one for the believer to receive the power from Tiffany¡¯s ritual.¡±

    Effective.  I appreciate the explanation.

    ¡°Very ¡­ ah, seems we¡¯re coming upon the village.¡±

    Iris kept her senses sharp; the Ri¡¯bot were secreting liquid from their skin upon seeing them, showing their fear.  Even in her original form, the scent was sweet, and she could taste the sensation permeating the air.  Still, her Ri¡¯bot body enjoyed the feeling much more than her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    They slowed down, following the weary Lethix Chief through the crowd that parted, leading them to three Ri¡¯bot among the hundreds sticking in the trees and ground.  She sent the Zombies high above the treetops further back, having them hide well out of visual sight, but ready to rain down upon the throng that had their full attention on them.

    ¡°Chief Loci,¡± Utren puffed, clearly unaccustomed to a continuous pace; his brother, however, didn¡¯t seem winded in the least.

    Iris would have smirked if she were in her Ri¡¯bot form as she observed the small, fleshy creatures.  The strongest of the bunch was no doubt in front of her; it was the same Ri¡¯bot she¡¯d paralyzed from behind earlier, trembling with fright as she stared at her.

    The female Ri¡¯bot cleared her throat.  ¡°Chief Utren, I¡ªumm,¡± her deep blue eyes swept each of them with uncertainty.  ¡°I was told that you were leading¡ªSupreme Chiefs.¡±  She finished.

    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Welix stated, turning to gesture.  ¡°Before you is the Supreme Empress of the Pits; she is the counterpart to The One Above All; to see one is to see the other.¡±

    ¡°The Holy Stones,¡± she pressed.  ¡°The storm?¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot froze as Quin extended his hand, lifting Elinor higher to speak.  ¡°You may call me by Empress.  I am the Goddess of the Dead, and all those that pass through the Great River in the Sky must go through me.  You¡¯re all thinking, why am I here?¡±

    She smiled.  ¡°The answer is simple; I am here to offer you a chance to be united again, as you were in the very distant past.  No more hunger, no more struggles, but a glorious life that your Supreme Chief will provide.¡±

    The elderly Ri¡¯bot beside the Chief cleared his throat.  ¡°Forgive me¡ªEmpress,¡± he hesitated with the address, ¡°but is there any proof that you are not just a usurper of the Throne?  Was there a war in the heavens?  Where is this Ri¡¯bot Goddess that Iona spoke of; I¡ªI see no Ri¡¯bot with you.  How can we be sure?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyebrows lifted with amusement as she studied the Ri¡¯bot.  ¡°Well, that¡¯s something new!¡±  She chuckled between the Court.

    Should I kill him?  Iris asked, lowering herself slightly to stare at the fidgeting Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°No.¡±  Elinor¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter.  ¡°What is your name?¡±

    ¡°Elder Chief Gurali,¡± he replied, and with more courage than Iris would have expected from living waste.

    ¡°Elder Chief, then,¡± Elinor gestured.  ¡°You wish to see what a Supreme Chief Ri¡¯bot looks like?  Supreme Chief Iris,¡± she prompted.

    Iris activated her skill, shadow surrounding her body as the world expanded around her, and the slim, flexible figure of her new form came into shape.  Gasps swept the clan as Iris¡¯ glowing yellow eyes came into focus, directing an amused smile at the Elder Chief.

    Her long black tongue snaked out to slide across her three left teeth before popping back into her mouth.  The playful mannerisms that filled her were nothing like her human or Th¨¦lm¨¦thra transformation; she wanted to be active when a Ri¡¯bot, which she knew was a product of careful gene selection.

    ¡°Would anyone wish to test me?¡±  She asked in a light tone.

    Everyone¡¯s focus darted to a thin Ri¡¯bot woman beside the Chief as she stumbled back, falling into the mud.  ¡°No, no, no one wants that¡­¡±  She pleaded.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Iris¡¯ lips pushed to the side.  A concentrated burst of Predatory Aura must have been too much for her; I¡¯ll have to remember that in the future.  ¡°A shame,¡± she sighed before transforming back into her original state.  ¡°I would have loved to play a little game with the mortals,¡± she added, taking the phrase from Edmon¡¯s jibes in the previous village.

    Elinor spoke soon after her change.  ¡°All I want is for you to be united under the heavens, as you once were, before the past Chiefs sought to lead you astray.¡±

    ¡°W-What must we do?¡±  Loci asked, sweating after seeing her metamorphosis.

    Tiffany held up some kind of root with symbols written across it; biting the tip, it turned to mist, and she inhaled.  Her voice became like thunder, resonating through the jungle with a boom.  ¡°Kneel.¡±

    Iris couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly impressed by the Witch¡¯s cadence as every Ri¡¯bot stiffened before shakily getting to their knees.

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Tiffany chirped, voice still several times louder than it should be.  ¡°Chief Utren and Xaria Welix will stay behind to guide you back to their village where you¡¯ll receive instruction from High Priest Valdar.  Everything will become clear soon enough, and you won¡¯t have to worry about your little squabbles over lakes because you will no longer be separate people.¡±

    She enthusiastically clapped her hands together.  ¡°Welcome to the Empire, my dears; there¡¯s much work to be done!¡±

 B1 â€” 46. Whom Do You Serve?

    Iona¡¯s gray tongue slid out to press against the small wounds her teeth had dug into her lower lip, using the light stinging sensation to stabilize her panicking mind.

    She was a Xaria, specializing in stealth combat; her mind was trained to handle stressful situations, allowing her to see the options before her to take the necessary actions to fulfill any given task assigned to her, yet here she was, cowering.

    Iona had spent weeks at a time utterly alone, and without aid in the Clanless, Wixum, Komath, and even crept unnoticed into the Delthax village at one point to observe their combat strength. She¡¯d fought and killed more Ri¡¯bot and wild creatures than she could count, much less anyone else.

    A year back, she¡¯d found a rogue Nalvea troupe entering their land, disembarking along the river, which had been a tough fight, but she¡¯d dispatched them throughout the night. The tale of her actions inspired children and grown warriors alike, acting out the stealth tactics she¡¯d personally developed.

    Not a single Ri¡¯bot in her life would so much as say she feared a creature behind her back; none would dare call her a coward after her accomplishments, but this very moment, she knew what it was like to feel dread.

    Every Ri¡¯bot knelt before Empress Elinor, The Supreme Chief of the Pits, and for good reason, but Iona¡¯s reaction was for a different individual. The Xaria¡¯s attention was focused entirely on Supreme Chief Iris.

    A lump dropped down her throat, forcing her to blink as she caught sight of Iris¡¯ twelve deep red gem-like eyes, glowing with some kind of inner fire resembling the coals smoldering in the Craftsmen¡¯s forges. The temporary darkness only enhanced the ominous impression assailing her psyche.

    Tingles shot down her spine, threatening to cause her to shake as each one of the Supreme Chief¡¯s legs lifted and fell, smooth as the oil sliding down Iona¡¯s skin. The sweat beating out of her pores was all in response to this divine creature to her right.

    She couldn¡¯t hear what her Chief was saying or the words the Empress spoke in response; only the convicted sentence that gripped her body not ten minutes past kept her attention. It was as if the eight legs of this Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, this godly spirit in disguise, was wrapped around her heart and mind, imprisoning her in some kind of unbreakable cage.

    Iona kept reliving the moment when she knew her life was over, and her accomplishments meant nothing.

    Fifteen minutes ago, everything was as it should be, and she knew her world very well. Brola had come to her, relaying a message from her Chief; she was supposed to go scout further into the Lethix territory to discover the current situation.

    There had been some bad signs recently, and she knew there was likely trouble, so she was cautious. Slipping into the trees, she¡¯d moved as the smoke, leaving no trace of her passing. Her encounter with foreign troops didn¡¯t take long.

    She heard the popping of bones, clicking of teeth, and pattering footsteps long before they arrived; Iona took up a hidden position, high in the jungle upper layers. Very few Xaria would be able to spot her, she knew; in fact, she was confident it would take a Plant Caller to flush her out.

    Her heart¡¯s beat slowed to nearly a stop, breath held as she stuck to the underside of a branch, blending into the patterns of the tree.

    A small group of creatures was below. The sight of flaming white bones of Quen¡¯Talrat nearly made her lose focus, but she remained utterly still; she could sense dozens upon dozens of Ri¡¯bot leaping around the jungle. It was almost assuredly an attack, but they weren¡¯t silent or swift enough for it to make sense.

    The thing that really made her hesitate was Welix; Chief Utren and his brother, the Lethix Xaria, were leading the party. Once more, the shape of the group was more than a little perturbing.

    She recognized the figures of Ri¡¯bot and Quen¡¯Talrat, even if they were dead, yet still walking, and the eight-legged creatures were most likely Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, from what the stories described, but the other three riding atop the terrifying beasts were entirely new to her. She wasn¡¯t even sure if they were sentient or not.

    The moment she decided to move, before even twitching a muscle, it happened; the massive Th¨¦lm¨¦thra vanished without a sound. The fraction of a second it took for her to recognize it was gone, a disembodied voice spoke behind her because she sensed no creature.

    The hauntingly, beautiful voice still chilled her marrow. ¡°Too predictable.¡±

    She tensed to push off and flip around, reacting on instinct, but that was dwarfed as a damning sensation struck her; at that moment, her life had been judged, and she knew nothing else mattered; she was dead. A being so far out of her perceptive grasp that she might as well have been mud had turned its attention to her and found her lacking.

    Iona fell, body limp as she twisted into a free-fall, catching sight of the most captivating Ri¡¯bot she¡¯d ever seen on the way down; the slim beauty had white skin with mesmerizing glowing blue patterns, watching her fall with an amused smirk highlighting her three perfectly serrated teeth on both sides of her mouth.

    Time slowed as everything her mind could generate focused on that individual; the light descending from above the trees looked shabby compared to the enchanting woman.

    She¡¯d failed. Not her Chief, no, she¡¯d failed this creature. She was too weak.

    Iona didn¡¯t know when, or how, but the next second she was staring up at the thick foliage overhead, standing before the Empress with the lovely Ri¡¯bot Iris standing by her side; the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was gone.

    She was then told the incredible truth, and everything clicked, yet she still couldn¡¯t get over that one incident.

    Her senses finally returned when a strong grip squeezed her left shoulder, causing her to jump; the jungle¡¯s sounds slowly returned as she twisted her hips to look up at the muscular Ri¡¯bot standing before her. ¡°Welix¡­¡± She mumbled before bending over to cough.

    ¡°Hey,¡± he whispered, glancing left as the Empress guided Chief Loci back to the river with most of the village in tow. ¡°You don¡¯t seem like yourself? Although, it¡¯s not like I blame you.¡± He turned back, giving her a forced smile.

    The world went black again as she swallowed; Iona¡¯s trembling fingers closed around the back of Welix¡¯s hand, pressing it against her shoulder. ¡°Is this real?¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond right away, jaw shifting to the right as his nose creased. ¡°As much as I want to say everything¡¯s normal ¡­ it¡¯s not. What happened between you and Supreme Chief Iris?¡± He paused as her muscles tightened. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to.¡±

    Her tongue slid over her wounded lips again before taking a long breath. ¡°No, I¡ªI don¡¯t know how to explain it¡­¡±

    When she trailed off, he put his other hand on her shoulder, guiding her to an extended root to sit. They both relaxed, but her fingers stiffened as he pulled his hand back; they reluctantly closed into fists before she hugged herself.

    They didn¡¯t speak for over a minute, watching the throng vanish with Elinor for some purpose. It didn¡¯t take long for them to be the only ones left near the northern edge of their village, everyone else curiously following the Empress, and without Iris¡¯ image before her, Iona¡¯s mind began to calm.

    Her focus shot to Welix as he silently offered her a Ragnlar-skin water pouch from one of the bags sewn on his vest. It didn¡¯t help her turbulent emotions that he was the one Ri¡¯bot she actually wanted as a potential partner. No other Ri¡¯bot ever caught her interest; they were too weak to make her feel anything, but all that was pointless now.

    She took it, unsealing the leaf stopper to pour it into her mouth; after drinking half the content, she poured the rest over her head. Resealing it, she handed it back.

    Iona¡¯s eyes fell to the compact dirt floor while spreading the liquid across her head and down her shoulders. ¡°Thanks,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡±

    Another thirty seconds passed before Iona said, ¡°Don¡¯t you need to be with your Chief?¡±

    He shook his head, releasing a long sigh. ¡°My brother can handle it; we were only meant to guide them here.¡±

    Iona leaned forward a little more, rubbing her nose. ¡°They really are Supreme Chiefs, aren¡¯t they?¡±

    Welix rested his hands on his knees, head bending to stare at his toes as he pawed the dirt. ¡°Honestly¡ªI don¡¯t know, but it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    Her brow creased, sitting up to look at him. ¡°What do you mean, it doesn¡¯t matter? If they¡¯re Supreme Chiefs, then¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He asked with a low tone.

    ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Right?¡± He huffed, diverting eye contact. ¡°Did you try to fight them?¡±

    Iona¡¯s mouth dropped open, but nothing came out. When he glanced over at her dumbfounded expression, she began to laugh. It increased until she fell over.

    Welix¡¯s forehead creased with concern as he stood. ¡°What¡¯s¡ªgoing on?¡±

    She couldn¡¯t respond; the question seemed utterly absurd to her. ¡°T-that¡¯s the¡ªthe funniest thing I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± she gasped. ¡°Fight¡ªthem?¡± She repeated while rolling the opposite direction, feeling dirt and mud stick to her wet skin.

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± he mumbled, dropping back into his head. ¡°I get it¡ªI do ¡­ because I did.¡±

    Her mirth slowly died, and she breathed out a long puff of air while righting herself; she sat in the mud, now feeling somewhat disconnected from the whole situation. ¡°You tried to fight Supreme Chief Iris?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he whispered. ¡°Actually, I told the Empress that I didn¡¯t want to scar her beauty.¡±

    ¡°That¡­¡± Iona¡¯s mind drew a blank. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m supposed to ask,¡± she admitted, folding her legs while looking up at him.

    ¡°Are you alright would be a good start,¡± he grumbled, fiddling with the bottle in his hand.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    ¡°Really,¡± he growled, shooting her a glare; she shamefully averted her gaze. ¡°You really aren¡¯t acting anything like yourself.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t help it ¡­ I never felt so¡ªweak. No, no, that¡¯s not the right word ¡­ worthless. The moment Supreme Chief Iris appeared behind me and¡ªand showed me a fraction of her power¡ªI knew I was nothing. Everything I¡¯ve worked for¡ªeverything I¡¯ve done ¡­ it¡¯s not worth anything.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I don¡¯t know about that,¡± Welix replied, putting back his pouch before folding his hands behind his head.

    Her cheeks darkened. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± She snapped. ¡°I can¡¯t even sense her presence ¡­ at all, even when she¡¯s standing right in front of me! I¡¯m nothing. I never was anything, and neither were you!¡±

    His tongue glazed his lips before his calm blue eyes met her glare. ¡°Let me ask you something, then. Why did they appear to us if we¡¯re worthless nobodies?¡±

    Iona blinked. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why allow me to fight them¡ªdivine beings? What do they gain out of showing us we¡¯re less than dirt? The Empress humored my request and let me fight Supreme Chief Edmon instead.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªumm¡­¡± Iona gulped before staring down at the dirt, feeling stupid. ¡°How should I know what the Supreme Chiefs want?¡±

    Welix grunted. ¡°No, you¡¯re right ¡­ how would we know? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re Speakers or any other kind of Mystic. No, you and I are warriors, and do you know exactly what Empress Elinor said to me when giving her approval?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, waiting for him to reveal the information.

    ¡°She said, I will allow one demonstration to prove the difference between us is reflected between heaven and earth. She asked me to show them the strength of mortals, and what did I show them?¡±

    Iona¡¯s nose twisted. ¡°We¡¯re worthless.¡±

    He huffed a humorless chuckle. ¡°No, Iona, but I thought that at first, too. No, we now know what they were trying to tell us from the start.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡±

    ¡°We need the heavens, and your Elder Chief had an interesting question, but it all comes down to the same thing in the end. We need the Supreme Chiefs if we are going to survive; our clans are failing, and we both know it.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve tried,¡± Iona whispered.

    Welix smiled, gesturing in the direction of the Supreme Chiefs. ¡°Look what it¡¯s brought us. Did you hear my brother tell your Chief what the Empress did for our dead, swallowed up in the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath?¡±

    Iona tucked her lower lip under. ¡°Mhm-mmh. I was too caught up in my memory of¡­¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ well, she confirmed that every one of our brothers and sisters is at peace, resting with the great ones of our past.¡±

    Her eyes widened. ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ a direct voice from ¡­ that means¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ why would we need a Speaker when she speaks to us with her own words? I¡¯ve also thought about the things they¡¯ve said, and I¡¯m beginning to get a clearer picture of what happened.¡±

    ¡°Why they came down?¡±

    He swallowed, voice turning grave. ¡°Yes ¡­ apparently, our distant ancestors sought to corrupt the ways and succeeded.¡± Noticing her alarm, he added, ¡°There is truth in what we follow, but much has been lost or twisted. The Supreme Chiefs have come down to right the wrongs of our distant forefathers, and all those that believe in her will be saved ¡­ although, they may have to suffer for the crimes they committed, which were lost in our past ¡­ the Eternal Pits¡ªthey aren¡¯t so eternal.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Iona couldn¡¯t say anything more; her heart felt like it was going to burst. Every Ri¡¯bot knew someone that had broken their traditional code and knew the fear they all felt when that final journey came, and you met the scales to see if you¡¯d sink or swim. The last crossing through the Great River in the Heavens was an intimidating undertaking that each Ri¡¯bot prepared their whole lives to endure, and now, for such a truth to be put into the light.

    Her nerves were beginning to return as hope blossomed in her chest. ¡°Y-you¡ªfought, Supreme Chief Edmon? Which one is that? I couldn¡¯t even grasp the conversation after Supreme Chief Iris stood before me.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°The one in the black armor,¡± Welix stated, moving to the stream. ¡°He didn¡¯t even try; all he did was walk toward me while turning the very ground into the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath.¡±

    ¡°Incredible.¡±

    ¡°It was ¡­ frightening. He didn¡¯t defend himself once, allowing me to attack him with everything I had, and once I¡¯d tried it all ¡­ I slipped, and he stepped on my throat.¡±

    Iona¡¯s hand jumped to her neck, feeling it tighten.

    ¡°His foot was immovable, stronger than any Torlim, heavier than any boulder. I would have died, helpless, without hope of survival, had not the Empress restrained Supreme Chief Edmon.¡±

    Their attention rose as a young child ran back to them from the crowd as shouts of astonishment filled the air. ¡°Xaria Iona, Xaria Iona!¡± He shouted. The boy had long been a fan of hers.

    Clearing her throat, she rose to her feet, putting on a more confident smile after speaking to Welix. ¡°What is it, Jeffer?¡±

    ¡°The Empress! She¡ªshe brought the Quel back to life, and they¡¯re hunting for us. We have so much food now; she says we¡¯ll never go hungry!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll never go hungry¡­¡± She whispered, turning to Welix as knelt by the stream, splashing water on his face. ¡°I think you¡¯re right, Welix ¡­ we have much to be thankful for.¡±

    He paused, turning to give her a sad smile. ¡°We have much to learn; I have a feeling the Supreme Chiefs are not going to just snap their fingers and give us heaven without work. Valdar said he was tested with a few other clans, and that they failed; his clan will face punishment for that.¡±

    Iona¡¯s lips twitched, and the more she talked with Welix, the clearer things became. ¡°If the Delthax failed, then it serves them right. What did they do to fail the heavens? Wait,¡± she smiled, ¡°were they the cause for the Holy Stones last night?¡±

    Welix rubbed some water on his neck, rising while brushing the liquid off his hands. ¡°I can¡¯t be certain, but I believe it¡¯s just a group of their warriors that were being tested. Komath, Roxim, and Delthax were involved, even the Clavex, from what I heard, but only a single member of their tribe was punished.¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± Iona¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°The Clavex? What business do they have in the valley?¡±

    They locked step, walking after the large group, Jeffer already racing back to see what amazing things the Supreme Chiefs would do next.

    ¡°From what I gather, Valdar was calling together a War Council between those tribes to move against us in the coming months.¡±

    Iona¡¯s nose flared. ¡°What? That tongue-cutter! Calling for aid from Komath, Roxim, and if he tried getting the Clavex involved ¡­ was he trying to recruit the Nalveans into our conflict?¡± She slowed to a stop, eyes widening while connecting the dots. ¡°He was preparing to wipe us out completely. They would split our lands between each other, wouldn¡¯t they? Maybe the Clavex would get land of their own again if they managed to get the Nalveans involved.¡±

    Welix slowed, turning to give her a passive stare. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter? How can ¡­ oh, the Empress.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve quite caught the Empress¡¯ words while zoned out. She¡¯s here to unite all the Clans under her.¡±

    Iona licked her lips; her wounds were already closing. ¡°Unite as in¡­¡±

    ¡°No more Clans,¡± Welix stated.

    ¡°But¡ªbut we¡¯ve always had Clans,¡± Iona mumbled, vision falling to the dirt as she tried to imagine it. ¡°How¡ªwhat would that look like? Who would be the Chief?¡±

    Welix¡¯s cheeks puffed out. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Iona, but if the Empress says that¡¯s what she¡¯s going to do, we can¡¯t stop her, nor would I really want to. Do you?¡±

    The image of twelve glowing deep-red eyes flashed in her mind, sending a shiver down her spine. ¡°No¡ªno, I won¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Right, then all that¡¯s left is to follow and learn. I don¡¯t know what it means either,¡± he muttered, glancing up at their tree houses. ¡°There¡¯s going to be a massive change, though. I just wanted to talk to you since you seemed off.¡±

    ¡°Can you blame me?¡± She whispered, rubbing her left shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ve¡ªnever felt anything like Supreme Chief Iris.¡±

    Welix¡¯s chuckle drew her attention. ¡°If Supreme Chief Iris follows Empress Elinor¡¯s every word, and the same is said for Supreme Chiefs Tiffany and Edmon, how powerful do you suppose the Empress is?¡±

    ¡°... Unimaginable.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and¡­¡±

    They paused, sensing a shift in the crowd as it began to migrate toward them; an exhausted-looking Chief Utren led the group with Chief Loci, the Supreme Chiefs following.

    Welix and Iona swallowed as they walked toward them. Utren was motioned for them to join the party as they turned, heading northwest. The two of them jogged to rejoin the party.

    ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Welix asked, tone low as they met each other; Elinor and her delegation were five meters behind them with the village bringing up the rear, mumbles sweeping the throng.

    Iona joined her Chief, keeping close enough to also hear the Lethix brothers¡¯ conversation. ¡°Where else?¡±

    ¡°Wixum?¡±

    Utren popped his tongue. ¡°That¡¯s the next stop on the list.¡±

    She could hear him taking long breaths to calm his racing heart; the Lethix Chief was fit and not that old, but he was not accustomed to traversing territories without rest.

    Loci snatched Iona¡¯s attention as her Chief slapped her surprisingly hard across her shoulder. ¡°Hey!¡± She growled, rubbing the spot as it began to sting; Loci was one of the few people that could actually hurt her.

    Her Chief glared at her, stepping over roots and climbing the steep incline that would bring them to a large hill, falling into another valley. The sheer cliffs marked the edge of their territory, leading up to the Prume Clan high above the shelf. To the far northwest was a path to a sharp rise, Delthax land. However, they would be moving at the base of the ledge along the ravine at the center of their territory, leading upstream to the Wixum¡¯s lake.

    Iona momentarily widened her eyes, pushing Loci for an answer to her strike.

    Loci sniffed, nose twisting as they continued forward. ¡°So, you were just off having a romantic one-on-one with the Lethix Xaria while history was being made?¡±

    ¡°I what¡ªromantic? I was trying to come to terms with everything,¡± she hissed, keeping her voice as low as possible, but she knew both Lethix members could hear the jab, making her cheeks flush. ¡°That¡¯s uncalled for,¡± she fumed.

    You know I like Welix! This is just your way of embarrassing me because you feel embarrassed. Were you always this petty? How would you act if a Supreme Chief unveiled a fraction of their power upon you? No ¡­ take a deep breath, calm down ¡­ everyone¡¯s emotions are high.

    Welix softly cleared his throat. ¡°Chief Loci, what did we miss while I caught your Xaria up on some of the events that took place in our village?¡±

    Iona subdued a smile as Welix ran interference. Hmm? Feeling stupid now? No ¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be looking to embarrass my own Chief. What kind of situation is this?

    Loci¡¯s tongue pressed against her cheek, light blue eyes darting to the Ri¡¯bot. ¡°I see ¡­ well, I left Elder Chief Gurali in charge while I¡¯m away¡ªif you were wondering,¡± she muttered, shooting a glance at Iona before her focus returned to the Lethix Xaria.

    ¡°We are,¡± Loci paused, features becoming impassive as she turned to study the Supreme Chiefs following them; the rest of the Flex Clan had disappeared behind the thick foliage, but their prayers could still be heard, less understood. The emerald flames surrounding the Empress immediately drew the eye ¡°We are following the Empress as representatives of our clans. We are to testify of the things we witness.¡±

    Utren, Iona, and Welix followed her gaze before their focus returned to the path; Iona could find her way through their territory blindfolded.

    ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± Utren asked.

    ¡°As I said,¡± Loci muttered, ¡°history is being made. Say what you will, what we¡¯ve seen already has been¡ªmiraculous. Fish¡ªthat fish for us ¡­ untiring, unyielding, while also keeping lesser predators that might attack our young away.¡±

    A lump dropped down her throat, causing the Chief to blink. ¡°The Empress plans to unite all the clans in the valley, making us one tribe.¡±

    The thought made Iona nervous; she couldn¡¯t imagine how some older generations might feel about the direction. ¡°What about the Elder Chief?¡±

    ¡°My great uncle,¡± Loci muttered, scratching her cheek. ¡°Internally, I know he¡¯s mortified; it goes against everything he¡¯s ever believed ¡­ disbanding all clans. However, the Empress says that¡¯s not what will happen; we¡¯re not disbanding, but merging. We¡¯re taking pieces of every clan and building something stronger.¡±

    Iona instantly caught the phrasing. We¡¯re ¡­ Loci¡¯s already accepted it, and it¡¯s just something Elder Chief Gurali must deal with. Things are moving so fast.

    Her attention moved to Utren as he mumbled. ¡°The young are celebrating tonight ¡­ one clan means more partner prospects; it¡¯s tough for my father, as well.¡±

    Iona recalled the heroism displayed by the past Chiefs of the Lethix and Flex Clans; they¡¯d given everything, including their lives in the fight to secure their futures, and now, they were being told to dispense with all of that hatred and history. Yet, how could they not when the gods descend from the heavens to decree it their will?

    As if reading her mind, Loci said, ¡°Anyone that breaks the Empress¡¯ laws is bound to the Pits ¡­ publicly there will also be a display of anyone defying the law. There is to be no fighting within the Empire. If there is an issue, then it is to be brought forward to the Court.¡±

    ¡°Court?¡±

    Utren answered. ¡°Explanations will be given once all the clan representatives are gathered. For now, we just follow what we are told.¡±

    They fell silent, and Iona began to realize that even the jungle itself grew quiet as they continued; not a living thing came near the Supreme Chiefs as the skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra followed.

    The Supreme Chiefs made no sound, but Iona swore they were communicating to one another with Supreme Chief Tiffany¡¯s extravagant facial expressions. She couldn¡¯t tell a thing from Supreme Chief Edmon except for the rare instances where he made a gesture or tilted his head as if listening to a conversation. Supreme Chief Iris was impassive as stone, but just her image sent a quake down Iona¡¯s bones.

    Empress Elinor, however, was the biggest mystery, now that her mind had cleared. The Empress held a refined posture that was just slack enough not to be called stiff, and the ever so small twitches in her facial muscles gave more questions than answers. A chilling giggle passed through the Empress¡¯ throat along the journey, making them pause, but the Supreme Chiefs just waved them on, continuing their private discussion.

    The ways of the heavens are beyond me.

    The rest of the journey was made without comment, but they couldn¡¯t keep themselves from glancing every once and a while at the deities bringing up their rear. The nervous cramp tightening Iona¡¯s gut worsened with every step they took as they advanced to the edge of their border. She had no doubt they¡¯d be safe, but the anxiety of not knowing what the Empress would do next continued to plague her.

    They tensed as the time finally came; their feet crossed the gnarled blackwood tree that marked the end of their land. She¡¯d known this exact spot all her life; every clan child on both sides knew the signs of which landmarks designated safe territory.

    She waited with her three companions, convinced there would be an ambush or some kind of apocalyptic tragedy that would swoop them into the air, and they waited some more, then the moment passed; nothing happened.

    The four stood in a stupor, looking down upon the land they¡¯d long dreamed of owning themselves, dazed while looking around for any signs of conflict, but all they sensed was the jungle and the jungle alone.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tiffany¡¯s body tilted to the left side as she sat, cross-legged atop the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra she was using as a mount. ¡°Something the matter, Dears?¡±

    ¡°I just¡­¡± Loci trailed off. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I expected.¡±

    Their hesitation ended as Iris moved up a few feet, large body swiveling left and right. ¡°There is no danger whatsoever. Continue.¡±

    They jumped back into action, legs weighing like lead, but the heat of the gaze behind them pushed their numb bodies forward.

    We¡¯re invading ¡­ with the Supreme Chiefs literally at our back. We can¡¯t lose, yet¡ªwhy does this feel so off? There¡¯s no resistance. Not even the slightest hint of guards, just as the scouts reported before, but it¡¯s something else entirely to see it in person.

    Her eyes scanned the jungle, and found so many new things; she knew every boulder and tree in their territory, but here, where she¡¯d rarely tread, and only in secret, the experience was entirely different. She wasn¡¯t creeping about, but boldly marching right into enemy land.

    Feeling a little flutter in her stomach, she reluctantly tried letting go of her trepidation with a forced chuckle. The other three turned to her with raised brows.

    ¡°No, no,¡± she giggled. ¡°I¡¯m not insane ¡­ I hope. I just¡ªI never thought I¡¯d really see the day when we could freely walk here.¡±

    Loci popped her tongue a few times before reflecting her smile. ¡°Yeah ¡­ and to think that Valdar was plotting such a nefarious act behind our backs.¡±

    ¡°Mmh?¡± They stiffened as they caught Tiffany¡¯s interest. ¡°Nefarious? Eh, I wouldn¡¯t say that; I mean, it was intelligent, given that your two tribes were plotting to make a move soon.¡±

    They spread out a little to allow themselves to look back at the Supreme Chief; it was a bit unnerving, having your deity question your statement.

    ¡°Umm, okay, but...¡± Welix began to mumble.

    ¡°Come now, speak up a little,¡± Tiffany huffed, pursing her lips to the side. ¡°It¡¯s a little difficult to hear you from all the way up here.¡±

    He cleared his throat. ¡°Yes, of course! Umm¡ªokay, but you¡¯d be alright with them destroying both our Clans?¡±

    ¡°Dear,¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°The world is a cruel place, and will often eat the side that isn¡¯t prepared for the punches. If you did fall, then that would be that, and if you prevailed, then hooray! However, I wouldn¡¯t call any action of survival nefarious but simply common sense.¡±

    The four of them swallowed as Tiffany¡¯s hand shot to her mouth. ¡°Oh, my¡ªwait, did I cut into your little pep-talk propaganda workshop to mentally justify anything done to them?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªeh, huh?¡± Iona mumbled, working through her statement.

    Edmon¡¯s deep laugh caught them off-guard. ¡°Tiff, let the mortals be; we have other things to discuss; you have the attention span of a fruit fly.¡±

    That confirmed it; they now knew that this entire time the Supreme Chiefs had been discussing sensitive topics in some divine undetectable manner, and Edmon¡¯s comparison flew right over their heads. The short exchange was the first type of criticism the four of them had heard the Supreme Chiefs lob at one another.

    ¡°What¡¯s a fruit fly?¡± Utren whispered.

    His brother spread his hands. ¡°Why are you asking me?¡±

    Supreme Chief Edmon chose to speak up at that moment. ¡°A fruit fly,¡± he said educationally, ¡°is a tiny insect that is annoying and can spoil your appetite. If they show up in the kitchen, it¡¯s near impossible to get rid of them.¡±

    The Chiefs¡¯ and Xarias¡¯ eyes popped as Tiffany shot the venomous words.

    ¡°Annoying and unsightly, am I, and when have you ever cooked?¡± She stated with a gleam in her eyes. ¡°The comparison falls flat, Honey. Fruit flies don¡¯t sing, hum, or spread diseases; I have plenty of plagues to call upon, and a lovely voice. Why don¡¯t we test some of those on that smug face of yours to see if any stick?¡±

    ¡°You have diseases, huh?¡± A sound stung Iona¡¯s ears as if Edmon was sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t think you meant that like you phrased it.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªEdmon! Don¡¯t be crude.¡± She huffed, and a light red tint touched her cheeks. ¡°We both know I don¡¯t¡ªgah, you¡¯re impossible!¡±

    Edmon¡¯s helmet turned away, and he exhaled a long puff of air as if knowing what he was about to say would not end well for him. ¡°Hey, at least I don¡¯t have diseases; don¡¯t plan to either.¡±

    ¡°Edmon!¡±

    Elinor giggled as mounts carrying the two bickering deities shot into the undergrowth like Stinger Mites with Tiffany pursuing Edmon in a rage. The four of them swiftly lost track of the pair; Tiffany¡¯s shouts faded into the jungle.

    ¡°Should¡ªwe continue?¡± Iona hesitantly asked.

    ¡°They¡¯ll join once they¡¯ve calmed down,¡± Elinor replied in a slightly amused tone.

    ¡°Umm,¡± Loci cleared her throat while turning to address the Ruler of the Pits, licking her lips before continuing. ¡°Would a battle between¡ªbetween two Supreme Chiefs destroy the world?¡± She tentatively asked.

    ¡°A relevant question,¡± Iris responded. ¡°No, they are not serious. Although, were they to go at each others¡¯ throats with true intent to kill, then the devastation would be quite a sight.¡±

    ¡°In short,¡± the Empress replied, ¡°your jungle will be fine.¡±

    They all turned to bow. ¡°Thank you, Empress.¡±

    Iona shut her mouth after witnessing the short exchange between the Supreme Chiefs, and upon further analysis of the incident, she concluded that based on the Empress¡¯ reaction, this was completely normal behavior for the two. If she weren¡¯t considering the persons involved her deities and the possible world-ending tragedy that might occur, the exchange would almost seem cute or endearing.

    Once again, I¡¯m reminded I have no clue what¡¯s really going on in the world of the Supreme Chiefs.

    The pair rejoined them within three minutes; Tiffany appeared more than a little miffed with Edmon, but he stood upon his mount, arms folded as if nothing had occurred.

    Will they make up? How would they do that? Is it with words or ¡­ I don¡¯t know! Why is this even a thought? I have more pressing things to concern myself with ¡­ unless, did they do that to ease our own tensions?

    She turned, studying the two; there appeared to be some kind of internal godly conversation outside of their notice.

    No, no, no ¡­ no more speculating; just do your job! All I need to do is guide them and be a witness ¡­ was I supposed to witness that? Should I tell the others about it? I¡¯m so confused!

    The next incident had her head spinning. They stepped into the village of the Wixum, spaced around the massive lake, to be greeted by over a thousand Ri¡¯bot. It seemed like every Wixum member was present, and what shocked her most was the gifts waiting for the Supreme Chiefs; apparently, word had spread.

    A path opened up in the crowd, allowing Chief Yimara to step out to greet them. The Ri¡¯bot was no older than fifteen, young for a Chief, but Loci would have also been considered a youthful Chief at twenty-four.

    Yimara¡¯s voice was still high for her age, and at the sight of all the moving dead bodies, more than one Ri¡¯bot fainted on the spot; yet, Iona was more than a little impressed that the young Chief didn¡¯t hesitate in the least with her words.

    ¡°Welcome, we only wish to talk and understand. The Delthax warriors told us of a powerful enemy that would most likely come after the storm, and that there would be little they can do for us as they prepare themselves. May we have a meal and speak in private, or are we to be destroyed on the spot?¡±

    Everyone¡¯s attention moved to Elinor as the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s hand she sat on, rose high into the air. The Empress¡¯ words were clear and distinct. ¡°I have no issue with discussing the reason I am here with the whole body of the Wixum Clan at once.¡±

    A shiver ran down Iona¡¯s spine as a hiss passed through Iris¡¯ plates on her back, and a wave of dread coursed through her body; she couldn¡¯t move. Iris, Elinor, Tiffany, Edmon, and her escort stood tall as every Ri¡¯bot fell to the ground in shock; Iona¡¯s legs wouldn¡¯t support her, but this was only a fraction of what she¡¯d felt earlier.

    The sensation left as quickly as it came; not a bird chirped or insect buzzed; all life seemed to halt. Tiffany snapped her finger, lighting a root before tossing it in front of the Empress; her soft voice amplified tenfold, cementing her words in every Ri¡¯bot¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I am Empress Elinor, Supreme Chief of the Pits, The One Above All. Kneel, serve me, and you will find happiness within my Empire. Fight, and be slaughtered, consigned to the Pits until you have paid for your crimes. Choose this day whom you will serve.¡±

 B1 â€” 47. Revelation

    Chief Kalix¡¯s hardened purple eyes scanned the warriors, fortifying the village for an attack. Valdar¡¯s group failing to meet their appointed return didn¡¯t alarm him. However, his cousin¡¯s premonition did.

    Last night, Nina had awoken with cold sweats as The Jungle communicated to her the tragic event of their hero¡¯s passing onto his final journey through the Great River in the Heavens. Valdar, the Hero of the Fire Wars, Grand Mystic of the Delthax, three times Former Chief, having been forced to come out of retirement to retake the position each time a Chief had lost their life, had finally died.

    The Young Chief could hardly believe his cousin¡¯s tearful cries, entering his tent in almost a manic state. Their great grandfather was more than just a legendary figure in the valley, but a pillar within the Delthax community, and with his loss, triggered a number of events that would plunge the valley into war.

    Nina was eight years old, and the only Ri¡¯bot in their Clan to have been born with the gift of Mysticism since their grandfather, slain during the tail-end of the Fire Wars by the forces of the Black King. Valdar had been carrying their Tribe on his back, keeping alliances and taking an active role in the direction of the Delthax every time a Chief fell, and now he was gone.

    The vision The Jungle gave Nina had told Kalix several things.

    First, they were left in Nina¡¯s inexperienced hands as a young Mystic; Valdar was still guiding her through tapping into her unique skills, and now, she would have to take over their great grandfather¡¯s place. Something she feared.

    Second, Nina was told Valdar died a violent death, which meant there was a high probability of an attack.

    Third, with his passing, they shouldn¡¯t expect support from the other Clans.

    Fourth, the storm that had shaken the very mountains the night before was an ill omen foretelling the anger of the Heavens, and it must have been linked to the Gateway their ancestors required them to combat.

    It had been the perfect sign, Valdar promised; the uncommon event that brought great mysterious riches from foreign lands had sparked to life right as they were leaving for the meeting spot, not half a mile from the target location. Kalix had no doubt the Gateway had something to do with the sudden wrath of the ancestors. Prompting him to believe his great grandfather had failed in conquering the lands beyond.

    Fifth, with the damage the storm caused, they couldn¡¯t prepare for battle as swiftly as he¡¯d wanted, yet knew the other Tribes would be in a similar boat.

    Sixth, an alien force might be on the move through the jungle, and Nina wasn¡¯t quite skilled enough to give him advice as a Mystic, meaning he would rely upon his three Xaria, Kole, Meji, and Ectria.

    And finally, for the first time in decades, they might not support the Wixum, and it was mostly their fault.

    Kalix was young for a Chief, having taken the position at the age of twenty-two and led his people with Valdar¡¯s support for two years now. They¡¯d long enjoyed a growing and prosperous relationship with the Wixum, but things had begun to turn to the worst over the last five years, starting with their Former Chief¡¯s favoritism toward Yimara.

    Yimara was a likable girl, and with a surplus of Female Ri¡¯bot in the Wixum Clan, there were more than a few joint marriages between Tribes, which only proved to strengthen their bond overall the last century.

    However, their Former Chief, Vivine, had contracted a rare degenerative muscular disease. It had been decided between Valdar, Chief at the time, and Vivine, that they¡¯d keep the information as concealed as possible not to alert the Flex or Lethix Clans of the trials the Wixum leader was undergoing, in hopes they¡¯d find a cure.

    However, four years passed, and no Healer in the Wixum or Delthax could cure Vivine. Over that time, she¡¯d deteriorate into a shadow of her previous stature. The process was so fast that the people could hardly catch their breaths, and the most difficult thing to watch from outside the Clan was the rising support Yimara was gaining while acting as Vivine¡¯s spokesperson.

    When the Elders of the Clan finally came together during the night before Vivine¡¯s Send-off Ceremony, which should have happened weeks before, they left the closed meeting with a shocking revelation. Yimara, fourteen years old, would be made Chief over the entire Wixum Clan.

    At first, both Kalix, acting Chief, and Valdar thought it must have been some mistake. Yimara had never been taught military tactics; she couldn¡¯t point out strategic defense points along their borders or so much as possible areas to stage ambushes within her own territory, much less lead a conflict.

    Worse, she practically let the Wixum¡¯s senior warriors, far less experienced than even the young Delthax Warriors, run the safety of the Clan without so much as questioning their horrible defensive layouts.

    No, Yimara had chosen to essentially ignore the safety of their borders entirely to focus on building their Craftsmen over the past year, and the results had been more than a little aggravating for Kalix, but she refused to see the hardships her decisions were placing on the Delthax.

    There was still a considerable distance between their villages; gathering, organizing, and executing supportive weekly units had been a nightmare with mixed messages between several of Wixum¡¯s top warriors, which rarely measured to Delthax¡¯s New Bloods, seeing roughly similar combat experience.

    No, their relationship was beginning to take a horrible turn, but it wasn¡¯t the Wixum getting upset about the changes, it was Kalix and his Warriors because Chief Yimara had figured that the Wixum shouldn¡¯t have to devote so much effort into military power any longer because they had the Delthax to handle all their threats, including wildlife.

    Thus, the burden upon his own people had been ever increasing. His warriors were spending entire weeks over their normally scheduled route at times because of the ever-increasing gaps in the Wixum defensive force that put their own land in harm¡¯s way.

    Over the past twenty years, they¡¯d devolved from a militaristic force to border security, and recently, even that definition was pushing it. They¡¯d all but abandoned the outer edges of their long-held territory lines, now only good for inner border security; Ancestors¡¯ forbid they ever actually have a scuffle along the Flex or Lethix markers.

    Kalix was stuck planning for a future that his great grandfather feared most; their rival clans hadn¡¯t yet realized just how weak the Wixum had become in their combative strength over the past five years, Yimara influencing major decisions of the Clan as early as when she was ten-years-old.

    A small minority could see the problem, which murmured amongst themselves, but no person had the tongue to speak out against the content majority, and everything Valdar or he spoke about was met with a polite smile but ultimately ignored since it was Wixum business, not Delthax.

    Year after year, Kalix winced with every military cut the Wixum made, throwing more weight upon his warriors¡¯ backs. Yimara continued to promote agriculture, the study of nature, and the exploration of strange utility devices while simultaneously discouraging young Ri¡¯bot from joining their Security Core, and the only reason she¡¯d refrained from outright disbanding their warrior circles was Kalix¡¯s threat to pull his forces out of their territory entirely.

    With the lack of Warrior oversight and weak leadership from the Chief, the Senior Warriors began seeing themselves acting with Chief authority to the Delthax Warriors, making critical decisions with their own warriors that counterbalanced any tactical decision Kalix or his Xaria made, leaving gaps in their own security.

    Yimara had also enacted these new programs that were utterly ridiculous to a Clan facing the constant threat of physical conflict, calling for their already stretched Security Core to have the option to claim sickness as an excuse to leave their stations at any given time, and several had abused the action dozens of times.

    Worse, they¡¯d been forced to compensate for the eroding militaristic support from the Wixum, their selection process for Warriors had to be lowered, allowing more troops to fill their ranks, which brought certain behaviors that generally he¡¯d take the time to train out of their soldiers.

    The entire process was becoming hard to stomach. Yimara had a good heart, but that didn¡¯t mean she made a good Chief; he could have seen her being appointed as a Senior among their Agricultural Division, but she didn¡¯t have the strength, forethought, or steel to be a successful Chief.

    Two weeks before, he¡¯d had one of the most frightening conversations in his short life with his great grandfather. Valdar brought up several points that shook his image of the coming year.

    The Wixum¡¯s defense had been falling apart, their core weakened, and Flex, Lethix, and the Clanless were only becoming bolder.

    Lethix had wholeheartedly embraced the Smithing craft, giving them far superior weapons and tools for gathering, which allowed all their people to be armed, sharing spears and knives with their brother clan. On the other hand, the Delthax obtained all their weapons of war from the Clanless fights with minor gains from skirmishes among the Flex and Lethix.

    The two enemy clans had built up enough strength to reasonably contest the region, pushing with a lusting fervor to match the deceptive militaristic power they¡¯d managed to portray from brandishing the image of their power decades past. Yet, they were no longer fearful of it, but high with morale as they sweat and labor to contend with their blood feud.

    When they attacked, it would be a slaughter for all Clans, especially the weak Wixum, but Valdar, with all his experience, said that barring a miracle, the Delthax would be destroyed.

    Valdar¡¯s next prediction gave Kalix hope before sending a chill down his spine. It would be unlikely the Flex and Lethix would wage outright war from the start without first attempting to negotiate with their built show of force as their lead-in.

    When they came to this season¡¯s meeting among the surrounding Tribes, they¡¯d threaten war if they didn¡¯t receive a piece of the lake, among other things. His fear was with how Yimara governed; she¡¯d agree without hesitation, or at the very least show how far the Wixum¡¯s repellent forces had decayed.

    Once their weakness was in the open, not only the Flex and Lethix would consider just taking the entire left section of the lower valley to themselves, but the Clanless would discover the truth, and they both knew their Clan couldn¡¯t fight a war on three fronts in a territory not their own.

    So, his great grandfather proposed a daring plan that would only work in the few years he had left to live; if he was going to execute it, it had to be now, and bring their centuries-old conflict to a close.

    He was already well into his nineties, which many attributed to his Plant Caller lifestyle, but he denied the connection, pointing to the old Xaria Krava, one of the few Heroes remaining in the valley that took part in the Fire Wars. They had to strike a bargain with the Komath, Roxim, and, if possible, even the Clavex to take care of the Flex and Lethix once and for all.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    None of the clans in the valley had that close of a relationship with the Clavex, seeing their departure from Ri¡¯bot territory as a disgrace to their race. The cowards were licking the scaly hide of the Nalveans, and though they had respect for the creatures¡¯ strength, that did not extend to the Ri¡¯bot who had abandoned much of their honor.

    However, the deal would be straight forward enough, a small section of land for an acceptable force provided, and perhaps they could even bring some of the tools they¡¯d obtained from the Nalveans they served; the Delthax were extending a gracious hand to the fallen Clan.

    The Roxim, on the other hand, was far more proud than any other Clan in the valley, which put them at odds with most of its residents, but they had the power to back it up and were continually refining their soldiers with their unique language and tactics.

    There had been some recent questions about the veteran Chief suddenly allowing Clanless to join their ranks. It sounded utterly ridiculous had not a few reports been confirmed by reputable sources, but only Clanless that came from a notable lineage. Still, there had been murmurs about the dreaded warmongers going somewhat soft in their ideology.

    The Komath Clan had a rough history with many of the elder Ri¡¯bot among the Delthax, but many of those old grudges were for stupid reasons during the war¡¯s tail end, which passed down a generation or two. There were small clusters of families drawn into feuds with Komath families, but it had been much more clustered than universal, like the Flex and Lethix. Now, all that planning and negotiation was meaningless, and a new dark cloud hung over their heads.

    Kalix¡¯s pink tongue slid across his lips, lingering against his teeth as he looked out across the valley, sitting at the edge of the cliff; the colossal fortress walls of the White God¡¯s fortress was easily seen atop the northern shelf, thirty-five miles away, spanning over three-hundred square miles.

    The towering centerpiece that reached nearly as high as the mountain itself was an ominous sight, even after the many years he¡¯d spent looking at it. He recalled long days, sitting with Valdar as he¡¯d explain the historical conflict that had shaken every known nation. There had been many lessons taught at this spot; the impossible structure stood as a constant reminder to his Clan that even powers as great as the Quen¡¯Talrat can fall.

    The loss of his great grandfather was somehow hitting harder than when his own father had passed on, but he knew the elder was being welcomed into his final rest to receive his just reward.

    Repressing his tears, he turned his attention to their land. His Clan had long since made the shelf along the west side of the valley their home, building their main village in the nearby jungle for defensive purposes. It was a long climb up the valley to reach the upper layers, and only three possible routes a group could take unless you climbed the steep rocky wall.

    There was only one place the Flex could attack from within their own territory, and the Wixum buffered the Lethix. Even if both armies used the path open to the Flex, there was a wide clearing between the jungle in that area with a river separating them; it was a problematic strategic point to advance uphill.

    The second point of entry was near the center-left of the Wixum¡¯s border, third being at its northern territory. They had enjoyed a long period of relative safety with Wixum¡¯s aiding force, but times had changed.

    Kalix wasn¡¯t quite a Xaria, but he¡¯d trained to the point were given a few more years, he could qualify; most Chiefs sought the title to prove to those that fought under them that they understand the sacrifices they¡¯ve made as a Warrior of the Clan, and every leader needed to grasp the basics of military strategy.

    His hands tightened behind his back as Ectria broke away from the throng preparing their defenses; she wasn¡¯t the most attractive woman among the Clan with her spotty splashes of brown markings, showing somewhere in her genetics, her ancestors had consorted with the Flex, Lethix, or Gorlan Clan to the west of the mountain range.

    While many of the males respected her talents and she was still the eligible age of twenty-seven, sadly, they didn¡¯t see her as a potential partner on account of her skin discoloration, but he understood that point of view, too.

    What she lacked in physical appeal, she made up with in speed; Ectria was the fastest Ri¡¯bot in the Dalthax, but she usually reserved her energy for those burst moments.

    ¡°Chief,¡± she shouted, voice holding a slight lisp. ¡°Some of the Warriors have returned! They¡¯re on their way to report to you directly.¡±

    ¡°Good. Stay, I might need you to deliver a message to Kole and Meji.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± she swiftly replied, focusing on the valley far below. ¡°Hmm, the rivers have increased a ton from last night. Oh, the new waterfalls are pretty!¡±

    Kalix hummed, lips tightening as his purple eyes centered on the brightening valley. It was moving further into the morning, and any minor damages had long since been handled.

    The wind and Ancestors¡¯ Wrath had caused most of the harm, but they¡¯d created drainage systems long ago for excess water coming down from summer runoffs, guiding them to shoot off the shelf¡¯s edge to the lake below.

    Valdar had an artificial lake constructed many decades ago that served as a reserve for their needs, but many of the ideas he had, based on the Quen¡¯Talrat methods, were seen with high disapproval from the older generation during his time, and even two generations after him had moderate resistance.

    Recently many of his visions for their people were beginning to take shape with most the adverse parties passing on. Now, he¡¯d have to watch his works finished from the Great Jungle in the Heavens.

    ¡°It is ¡­ have you seen Plant Caller Nina?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Ectria scratched the back of her neck, vest holding her two sharp knives shifting with her movement, ¡°Last I saw her, she was off with one of her attendants ¡­ Yupali, I think? I always had a hard time remembering the quiet ones.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± So, she¡¯s trying to commune with the jungle¡ªagain? Hopefully, she¡¯ll learn something of interest. ¡°How soon do you think a relief party could be sent to the¡­¡±

    He trailed off once seeing the warriors returning; they must have run through the night, taking a beating from the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath, but even that shouldn¡¯t account for their haggard appearance with the distance traveled, and he noticed more than a few missing. Notably, the Torlim were nowhere in sight.

    Several of their family and friends detached from the fortifications, rushing over to dump water over their muddy, bruised, and cut skin while bombarding them with concerned questions. They gladly took a moment to drink and ease their dry or damaged skin with cool water, but quickly circled Kalix as he moved to meet them, waiting for their report.

    Jolah was the one to hop forward, her chest rising and falling with heavy breathes. ¡°C-Chief,¡± she blinked while swallowed, ¡°enemies are¡ªare coming. They can¡¯t be cut!¡±

    ¡°Woah, woah, girl, slow down!¡± Ectria cut in. ¡°Take a moment to collect yourself, at least.¡±

    ¡°N-no time!¡±

    Kalix calmly listened to the reports as several of the warriors cut each other off at different points, painting a picture of this terrifying creature with skin like steel and fur that could cleave a Ri¡¯bot in half with a single stroke or pummel them into paste while still in the air.

    The thing that caught his attention was that this seemingly invincible creature appeared remarkably similar to the things they¡¯d brought back through the Gateway, causing his eyes to narrow as they continued explaining the full scope of events leading to Elder Chief Valdar¡¯s death, and Senior Warrior Folcra¡¯s surrender.

    They conquered the Gateway, bringing back hordes of curious artifacts and treasure, but then one of these creatures resurrects a Quen¡¯Talrat, and several dozen dead bodies to fight for her? This Elinor has powers to return those that passed on, and we¡¯ve made an enemy of her?

    That last insight granted to Valdar ¡­ he was having a vision of Elinor being attacked by the Unseen Eye, and she fought it off. More than one Mystic has been left utterly crushed by such an encounter, spirit swallowed up by the entity, yet she won, and the horrifying powers he witnessed with the added complication of this other creature¡­

    ¡°Are they going to come straight for us, attack us at any moment?¡±

    Jolah hesitantly shook her head. ¡°Not that I know of; I believe she was only sent to safely return the creatures we brought through the Gateway.¡± She nervously licked her lips, clearly holding something back.

    ¡°Speak your mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªumm,¡± she glanced at her other warriors. ¡°We just think¡ªwe tried taking different routes to confuse her if she did follow, but¡ªbut with everything we saw ¡­ it just doesn¡¯t seem like the Ancestors¡ªare we still in favor?¡±

    Low murmurs swept the gathering crowd, and the returned warriors started whispering about different things they¡¯d seen or heard.

    ¡°One of the Roxim Warriors said Elinor bled fire that healed her ¡­ body turning into smoke before restoring.¡±

    ¡°I heard she feels no pain.¡±

    ¡°She can¡¯t die.¡±

    ¡°The one that can¡¯t be cut, she wasn¡¯t brought back¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, she just appeared from nowhere!¡±

    ¡°Did Elinor create her?¡±

    ¡°Elinor told Elder Chief Valdar that she was a ruler!¡±

    ¡°Are we being punished?¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Kalix shouted, hushing the crowd, but even Ectria looked at him with concern. ¡°Give me a moment to think ¡­ everyone return to your duties, but Jolah and Xaria Ectria with me¡ªand call Xarias Kole and Meji to me!¡±

    The crowd swiftly retreated, breaking into groups as more rumors and stories continued to cycle, making his nose twist.

    Morale is plummeting. This is worse than I could have imagined, a creature that walks into jabbing spears without a hint of fear? It sounds like a tall-tale. Even the Quen¡¯Talrat would bleed, but my warriors are telling me these things are made of smoke? They can crush Ri¡¯bot while flinging its hair about, and it wasn¡¯t brought back through the Gate, but materialized from nowhere?

    A quake shot down his spine, catching Ectria¡¯s eye, but she gave no comment.

    This thing sounded like a female ¡­ including this Elinor, but is that really the case, and if so, could they reproduce? No, that¡¯s something for further investigation. This ¡­ Juggernaut was there to recover those taken ¡­ Juggernaut, an unstoppable force that is coming for us. It¡¯s insane!

    Is this Elinor a guardian spirit of these creatures? She turns to smoke and is reborn through the fire, unable to be killed, and more than likely can create powerful spirits similar to this Juggernaut in like manner while also having control over the deceased. That means ¡­ either the Supreme Chiefs are on her side, or¡­

    His eyes were centered on the ground, Ectria and Jolah¡¯s arms folded as they waited for their Chief to speak. Tongue sliding across his teeth, Kalix cursed, ¡°By the Ancestors¡¯ graves,¡± causing the two to flinch. ¡°This is bigger than any war ¡­ more dangerous than the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    ¡°What should we do, then?¡± Ectria mumbled. ¡°It took the combined effort of eight races with the interference from the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra devils to fracture the Quen¡¯Talrat alliance before slowly whittling away the rest of their stupid flaming kind. If this is even more dangerous¡­¡±

    Kalix¡¯s nose twitched before he spat on the ground. ¡°I know our history, Ectria. There¡¯s only one thing we can do; prepare, and gather information. We cannot afford to send dozens upon dozens of our Warriors to a more than probable slaughter to attempt to save the Wixum that will more than likely just bow the moment they show up because of that girl.¡± He snapped, meaning the disrespect.

    A shiver ran down Jolah¡¯s body, arms tightening around her chest. ¡°I have family there, Chief ¡­ many of us have relatives¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I know that?¡± Kalix snapped.

    ¡°Y-yes, Chief,¡± she mumbled, eyes lowering.

    ¡°Ancestors¡¯ strike,¡± he growled. ¡°We cannot win if what you¡¯re telling me is true. What are we even trying to fight? We¡¯d need to lure that monster to a cliff and throw it off or try drowning it ¡­ crush it with a massive boulder, and we don¡¯t have the time to make that kind of trap.¡±

    He turned to the Xaria by his side. ¡°Ectria, go warn the Wixum that they¡¯re on their own, and there¡¯s a potential threat coming that we cannot help with; it¡¯s more mysterious and powerful than even the Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ in fact, the dead follow it. We¡¯re preparing ourselves, and they should do the same. Linger around ¡­ these creatures are bound to show up, and report back to me when you¡¯ve gathered sufficient data.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Chief!¡± Ectria hopped to the cliff¡¯s edge and stepped off. Following her training as a Xaria within the Delthax Clan, she used her natural ability to stick to surfaces with expert control of her body to descend the wall, saving time.

    His eyes met his two other Xaria as they arrived. ¡°Kole, Meji, we have a lot of planning ahead of us.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°I heard some ¡­ disturbing things on my way over,¡± Meji mumbled.

    ¡°We need to figure out how to kill something that a spear and ax can¡¯t hurt.¡±

    Kole¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°Uh, what?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, come again?¡± Meji shifted to a more comfortable position. ¡°You¡¯re saying our weapons won¡¯t work against the enemy that¡¯s coming?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Kole sucked in a sharp breath before exhaling. ¡°Ancestors save us¡­¡±

 B1 â€” 48. Setting The Stage

    Ectria hopped down the cliff face, nimbly finding proper purchase; she¡¯d lost her fear long ago, playing along the shelf as a child, despite the adults¡¯ constant warnings.

    The invigorating rush that coursed through her veins was unlike anything else.  With every leap that brought her closer to the roaring river below, her stomach twisted with anticipation, sweat leaving her pores.

    It had become a game to her, a complex issue of finding the fastest route to the bottom without losing her focus, and she¡¯d become a master.  It took her fifteen minutes to reach the sixty-meter drop point.  Taking a deep breath to calm her heart, she double-checked her jacket, making sure it was properly sealed, and jumped.

    The heavy wind pushing along the shelf mixed with the moist updraft, but she¡¯d instinctively adjusted to the current, doing a reverse somersault before straightening out to fall feet first, leaning slightly forward.  She kept her hands together, arms down, and struck the water.

    The cool liquid surrounded her, well above the usual levels after last night¡¯s storm, which caused the current to increase.  Ectria was more than confident in her ability to combat the current if needed, but went along a vertical path, using the flow to tell her which direction the shore was.

    Spreading out, she opened her eyes, spotting the fish that on any typical day, she¡¯d try to capture; there were two massive wild Torlim within eyesight, but they were busy chasing the schools of Fire Snappers and Quel.

    Everything moved so slow in the water, giving her a sense of security.  She made her way to the opposite side of the river, two-hundred and forty meters across.

    Her mind returned to her Chief¡¯s conversation, mixed with the reports given by the returned Warriors.

    If this Elinor and Juggernaut really are invincible, then how do we beat them?  We could tie them down, and then figure out how to kill them.  It might be possible, but the issue is the power they seem to possess.  Dead Quen¡¯Talrat, though ¡­ the number of vines we¡¯d need for something like that, and if they have their flaming fur, it would be useless.

    Only the best Warriors could take down a Quen¡¯Talrat, and that was with surprise, preparation, and the Ancestors on their side.  The dead, powerful creatures, and whatever else this Elinor might be able to do ¡­ a ruler from the other side of the Gate.  To make it worse, Elder Chief Valdar was killed.

    No.  Ectria¡¯s teeth pressed against her lower lips, focusing on the task at hand.  Everything will become clear when I see them myself.  They must go through the Wixum to get to us ¡­ isn¡¯t that cowardice, though?  I mean, logically, it¡¯s a sound strategy, but ethically ¡­ Kole¡¯s wife is of Wixum, and her entire family still lives by the lake.

    Her gut tightened, filled with the desire to hide them in the jungle.  The Chief¡¯s right, Yimara will convince them to willingly accept these new threats into their village to avoid any hint of conflict, but I must comply with his orders ¡­ exposing myself could put the entire Delthax Clan in danger.  I don¡¯t want to do wrong by Kole, but ¡­ I can¡¯t take that big of a risk, either.

    She swam through the clear water, following the current to the other side to conserve her strength while trying to come up with a solution, but nothing came.  Dammit!  That girl¡¯s going to get over a thousand Ri¡¯bot slaughtered ¡­ friends, family ¡­ why¡¯s she so stupid?  She¡¯s got everyone brainwashed, thinking everything will be fine if they just ignore everything, but that just means we have to suffer their ignorance.

    Ectria¡¯s internal conflict was cut short as a wild, eight-foot-tall Torlim jumped into the river, entering from the bank further upstream; it instantly locked onto her, being bigger than most the Quel in the area.

    Really?

    Even though the Ri¡¯bot and Torlim had similar characteristics, and every young Ri¡¯bot asked the question, they were always given the same answer.  No, the Torlim are nothing like the Ri¡¯bot, and only suitable for battle pets, travel, and food.

    In all honesty, they were faster than the majority of Ri¡¯bot while in water, closing the distance quickly between them within thirty seconds; however, being a Ri¡¯bot and among the fittest of her kind, Ectria¡¯s marine acrobatics more than gave her a victory over the creatures.

    Her left hand darted to her jacket¡¯s left side, pulling the knot loose that kept one of her daggers sheathed.  Gently altering her course while combating the moderate flow, she tilted upside down, waiting for her assailant to near.

    Bursting into action, she kicked her feet, shooting under his massive fanged mouth as it opened its jaws wide to swallow her.  Her sharpened blades easily pierced the creature¡¯s soft belly, digging into the thick skin while ripping through its organs, sending green globs of blood spilling into the river with its internal organs.

    Catching sight of its spike-like genitalia, she frowned.  Huh, a male ¡­ odd; generally, the females are more aggressive about territorial disputes.  Although, I suppose he is hunting for the group.

    She swam a little higher, watched the dying creature writhe under the small waves, innards leaking out as it moved toward the surface.  Quel, Torlim, and Fire Snappers soon caught onto the scent and sight of the squirming beast, targeting it to pick the defenseless thing apart.

    Finishing her swim to the shore, she broke the surface, taking a deep breath before slowly exhaling; she could have gone another twenty minutes without air.  Her fingers tightened around her slick dagger, doing a quick sweep of the jungle, scanning for signs of danger.  Five seconds passed before Ectria determined it was safe.

    The jungle was oddly silent, making a chill run down her spine as she recalled some of Valdar¡¯s old stories.

    If the jungle is hushed without signs of enemies, an evil presence is moving through.  I won¡¯t hear anything, though ¡­ no, I¡¯m not so attuned to that kind of thing.  She reassured herself.  It¡¯s not like the Unseen Eye, or the Vorpal Presence will take notice of me.  No, no, the Ancestors protect this Jungle.

    Nonetheless, the sudden atmospheric tension drove her previous thoughts out of her head.  Ectria quickly cleaned what was left of the sticky Torlim blood off her weapon before putting it back into its hardwood case, securing the knot again.

    Leaping onto a nearby protruding root, she made her way up the tree, using the trunk to launch from branch to branch.  She was a little less than two miles away from the Wixum, Dalthax, and Flex Tri-State Area.  If she kept heading northeast, then she¡¯d make it to the Wixum¡¯s lake.

    The Warriors warned them about an enemy coming; so, they should be preparing.  Please, Ancestors, let the Chief and I be wrong.  Please, knock some sense into that girl ¡­ Chief.  Chief Yimara needs all the prayers she can get ¡­ we all do, but especially her.

    The journey to the village was rather uneventful; the Wixum rarely had many of their people this close to the Flex border, and she even saw signs of Delthax presence, smiling at the scent.  Gorbin, although, shouldn¡¯t he be a bit more north, keeping track of the Torlim behaviors?  Hmm, maybe Icara shifted his post; it should be fine, I mean, in-field operations are often altered, but still¡­

    Her sharp eyes scanned the jungle, goosebumps forming along her arms.  The creepy presence that rarely permeated the forest was slowly easing, moving along the strong southbound breeze.

    Ectria¡¯s long pink tongue slid out to wet her mouth; her jacket was still damp, but her skin was only partially slick with the gusts constantly blowing against her.  Her fears were quickly realized.  The Wixum were not preparing for battle; in fact, it seemed like they were gathering gifts to welcome the potential invaders.

    Her jaw set, nose twisting while staring around at the clan they¡¯d long protected.  They¡¯re not worried at all!  Three Delthax Warriors, slaughtered in their northeast territory ¡­ turned to paste ¡­ Warriors far better trained than their own in a panic over the sheer force, and yet here they are, welcoming them in like an old friend.

    She sucked in before releasing it in a long puff of air.  Maybe I¡¯m reading the whole situation wrong.  I just need to do my duty and give them a proper warning.

    Stepping out of the jungle, she wanted to scream; it took their mediocre Warriors more than fifteen seconds to notice her.  Fifteen seconds ¡­ fifteen!  I could have slit their throats, and hidden the bodies in that time, dammit!  I¡¯m in the open, not even trying to hide my presence, and if it was that Flex Xaria, Iona ¡­ she specializes in stealth combat.  She could probably wipe out the entire Wixum Clan herself!

    Nebu, a rather aged and corrupt Ri¡¯bot, happened to be one of the two guards watching the jungle, and frankly, he was a terrible close-combat officer within the Wixum ranks, even in his youth from what she¡¯d heard.  He was accompanied by Koma, one of the two only raw Warriors in training within the Clan.

    Ectria felt bad for the youth; she was born in the wrong era and to a failing clan.  She truly wanted to train and take up the collapsing mantle of the past Wixum Warriors, even going so far as to privately ask the Delthax stationed nearby to give her tips on how to train.  The girl had a lot of free time with the current Wixum Warrior work-ethic.

    At least, she would have said they were keeping watch, had they not been stuffing their faces with Celpher Berries and Dried Torphal.  Ectria had no doubt the old, corrupt Ri¡¯bot had forced her into it with his rank; he liked being seen with the young to make himself feel better about his long, pointless life.

    Her jaw tightened once she¡¯d been noticed, but not by the veteran; Koma¡¯s light purple eyes lit up with delight.  ¡°Xaria Ectria!  Oh, umm, it¡¯s an honor to see you!¡±  She shouted, slamming her fist against her chest in a salute.  ¡°Is there¡­¡±

    The kid¡¯s voice was drowned out by Nebu¡¯s gruff tone, reminding her of the Flex¡¯s outdated tongue she hated so much.  ¡°Xaria Ectria ¡­ what brings such a¡ªdecorated celebrity to our humble village?¡±

    Ectria didn¡¯t miss his jab at her splotched skin color, nose twisting at his remark about her brown marks.  Why is it always the same with these Wixum fools?  They act all wet-tongued and mighty, boasting as if they¡¯ve painted their bodies with blood, thinking they¡¯re my equal ¡­ big fish in a severely small pond.

    ¡°You know there¡¯s a tax¡­¡±

    Before he got the T out, her dagger was unbound and at his neck; the fool didn¡¯t even notice until he¡¯d finished the word, and Nebu froze in place soon after.

    The sharp edge of her blade pressed against his exposed, wrinkled throat, making the old Ri¡¯bot¡¯s breath catch in his lungs.  She spoke clearly and distinctly.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard of these little extortion games, Nebu, and I¡¯m not amused.  Try that again, and I¡¯ll cut your head off before you can blink ¡­ now, blink if you understand.¡±

    His eyes fluttered.  ¡°Good.  Now, you¡¯ll take me to your Chief without a word, then return here, and Koma,¡± Ectria¡¯s purple irises shifted to the girl.

    ¡°Y-yes, Xaria?¡±  She stammered, standing at attention.

    ¡°Go find Xaria Kole¡¯s wife and kid, tell them to meet me outside of the Chief¡¯s house.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    She trailed off as Nebu¡¯s fingers twitched, but before it moved half an inch, her other second blade was free, the tip touching the nape of his ample belly.  ¡°Did I say you could move?¡±  She growled.  ¡°Blink twice.¡±

    He followed her demand, and she sheathed her daggers before he could swallow, walking around him as if nothing had happened; the scene had drawn several Ri¡¯bot¡¯s gazes, but they swiftly returned to their tastes as if forgetting the entire incident.

    ¡°Well?¡±  Ectria turned to glare at the trembling man.

    ¡°R-right,¡± he mumbled, voice hoarse.  ¡°T-to the Chief?¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I said?¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond, wrapped leaves of celpher berries, and dried torphal falling to the floor as he hurried to comply.  Such a waste ¡­ they¡¯ll probably just leave it for the insects.

    She was a little amused watching Koma race off, a thrilled grin on her face.  If it weren¡¯t for Yimara forbidding her to train with our Warriors, then I¡¯d teach her myself.  She¡¯s got just the right spirit, and follows orders, but ¡­ I¡¯d have to break her a bit of that; she needs to be able to think for herself, and not follow tools like this dirt licker.

    Following the cowed man through the hundreds of wooden homes, she noticed how the raised lake levels didn¡¯t really affect most of the buildings since they¡¯d been constructed two meters above water level.  I¡¯ll give the Wixum that ¡­ they do have some decent plans, but it¡¯s not like any of it would mean anything the moment the Flex and Lethix stamp their foot down their throats.

    Her presence caused quite a stir among the Clan, but everyone seemed to be keeping their distance as they continued the tasks that had been assigned to them.

    Ectria¡¯s vision narrowed when Nebu didn¡¯t lead him to the Chief¡¯s house.  Yimara isn¡¯t making plans with the Elders?

    He brought her to the lakeside, where a group of fifteen children was gathered, clustered around the fifteen-year-old Chief as she appeared to be educating them about a bright white gemstone.

    ¡°You see, these little stones at the bottom of our lake provide some kind of element that draws more wildlife through the rivers to us.  Over the past five years, we¡¯ve been sprinkling them further upriver, and as I¡¯ve hoped, we¡¯ve increased our output by over fifteen percent!  We can also cluster the Quel in fish farms with them, giving us more bartering power with the ¡­ oh,¡± she turned to stare at them, brow furrowing as she glanced between her warrior and Ectria.  ¡°Xaria Ectria?  I, umm¡ªI wasn¡¯t expecting a Xaria to be the messenger.¡±

    ¡°The Delthax Warriors returning gave you a warning?¡±

    ¡°Mmh, they did,¡± she mumbled, turning back to the children.  ¡°It seems we¡¯ll have to cut this lesson short!¡±

    ¡°Aww,¡± one of the kids grumbled, glaring over at her.  ¡°I wanted to learn how to make fish follow me!  Tamili keeps showing off¡­¡±

    ¡°Next time,¡± Yimara promised, giving the kids a playful splash of the knee height water.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    The kids quickly broke into laughter and moved the game away while the Chief moved to join them.

    ¡°Chief!¡±  Nebu huffed, turning to glare at her.  ¡°She held a knife to my belly and throat!¡±

    ¡°Oh, for what reason?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªumm, I don¡¯t know.  She just snapped!¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Yimara sighed, waving him off.  ¡°I¡¯ll talk with her.¡±

    Ectria¡¯s vision narrowed, directing it at the Wixum Chief, but her scathing gaze moved to Nebu as he smirked, causing him to dart back to his post, spraying water all around him as he ran.

    ¡°Now, why are you giving me that stare?¡±  Yimara sighed, rubbing her slick forehead.

    Ignoring her question, Ectria shifted her gaze to the nearby residents, ¡°We need to discuss a sensitive matter.¡±

    ¡°In private then,¡± Ectria whispered, sounding tired.  ¡°I hate these kinds of things ¡­ fine.  Follow me.¡±

    She followed her to the Chief¡¯s house, which was a bit larger than most the other residents in the area, having been a relic from the past.  When they entered, she noticed all sorts of clutter, showing dozens of what seemed unfinished projects of wooden design around the hut.

    Her focus darted to the thin walls, showing small gaps between the boards.  ¡°This isn¡¯t exactly private, and I can already sense people trying to ease up to eavesdrop.¡±

    ¡°Meh,¡± Yimara shrugged.  ¡°I don¡¯t care if they hear it or not; they¡¯ll all hear what you have to say soon enough.¡±

    That¡¯s not the point ¡­ how information is released matters.  If they only release a part of the story, then it could cause a panic.  I can see why the Chief hates dealing with her.

    ¡°If that¡¯s your decision¡­.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Before that,¡± Yimara mumbled, moving to drop down into a wooden seat with a short grunt, ¡°what¡¯s the whole putting a knife to Nebu¡¯s throat deal?¡±

    ¡°He was trying to extort goods from me as some kind of entrance tax.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Yimara whispered, glancing away with a slight frown.  ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be doing that.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fairly common from what the Warriors under me say; they don¡¯t relent, but from what I hear, your fellow Clansmen are more than willing to bend the knee to the thugs.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that bad,¡± she replied, rubbing her left arm without making eye contact.  ¡°I mean, they do help keep the peace, and it¡¯s not like the Delthax respect me as a Chief; you clearly don¡¯t.  I¡¯ve come to accept that, and if the Warriors feel like they need a bit more food for their services, then that¡¯s fine.¡±

    Her eyes widened with a forced grin as she held up her hand.  ¡°Oh, not that I¡¯d expect it from a Xaria; you could cut me into twenty pieces before I could blink¡ªprobably.  I mean, I¡¯m no Warrior, and I know almost all past Chiefs were experienced Warriors in their own right.  I haven¡¯t done much to deserve that respect, yet, but I¡¯m trying in my own way.¡±

    Ectria¡¯s teeth pressed against her lower lip in frustration, leaning against the wall while following three children below them, trying to catch their conversation below.  ¡°I don¡¯t get you.  You aren¡¯t afraid to be seen in a negative light, and you can ask me pointed questions, despite being nervous, and yet, you submit to tyrannical behavior without a second thought.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªumm,¡± she glanced away, sucking in her lips for a moment.  ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªdo well with conflict ¡­ real conflict.  I don¡¯t like the sight of blood¡ªeven in an accident, I throw up, but¡ªbut Vivine chose me to lead, and¡ªand I need to do my best to advance the Wixum.  I¡¯m doing my best.¡±

    Ectria released a soft puff of air, glaring at the floor.  So, it¡¯s all Former Chief Vivine¡¯s fault.  Is that it?  She¡¯s just a girl; I suppose, Chief Vivine could have been delusional from her illness for all I know, but Yimara still refused to take most of Chief Kalix¡¯s advice and even disregarded Elder Chief Valdar¡¯s words of wisdom.  She¡¯s not the victim she paints herself as.

    ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m here to tell you that a new enemy is coming, and we can¡¯t help you.¡±

    Yimara froze.  ¡°Wait ¡­ can¡¯t help us?¡±  She mumbled.  ¡°W-what do you mean by that?  You¡¯ll come in a bit, so we should hide in the forest or rivers?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ectria growled.  ¡°I¡¯m saying creatures are coming that are already dead.  A Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter is among them, with a being as deadly or possibly even more dangerous, a Juggernaut.  We¡¯re preparing for the possibility of our Clan being utterly destroyed, and you should do the same.¡±

    A thought struck her, taming a bit of her hot emotion.  Wait ¡­ were the gifts for them or us?  No, they¡¯d heard about the attacking force, but thought we¡¯d come to drive them back.  Maybe I was a bit too harsh on her.

    Scratching her temple, Ectria took a deep breath before letting it out; Yimara seemed to be taking the information rather badly, staring blankly into space.

    ¡°Look, there was a deal that went to Flex with the Komath, Roxim, and Clavex.  There was also a Gateway to another realm that appeared.  These creatures come from there, and there¡¯s one named Elinor that can raise the dead.¡±

    ¡°The dead?  Does that mean ¡­ can this Elinor wrestle the¡ªthe spirits from The One Above All?  Is she¡ªsome kind of¡ªof ancient evil like the Unseen Eye?¡±

    Ectria shook her head, frowning at the shivering Chief.  She¡¯s far too weak for this position.  ¡°That¡¯s a possibility that I¡¯d rather not contemplate, but there¡¯s the other option ¡­ The One Above All and the Supreme Chiefs, are on her side.  We have displeased the Ancestors somehow, and this is our reckoning.¡±

    ¡°C-could it be us ¡­ we haven¡¯t been quite as mindful of our prayers and practices recently,¡± she quaked.  ¡°W-what can we do?  No, no, if they are sent from the Ancestors, then¡ªthen we can be redeemed, right?  We just need to know how to set things right¡ªyeah¡ªyeah, that¡¯s it.¡±

    Ectria folded her arms, turning away from the Chief.  ¡°My suggestion, leave.  You can¡¯t possibly fight.¡±

    ¡°Leave ¡­ where would we go?  We can¡¯t go south ¡­ none of the Clans in the valley would harbor us; their resources aren¡¯t strong enough, and leave everything I¡¯ve built?¡±  She mumbled, hugging her shoulders.  ¡°No¡ªno, we can¡¯t.  No, that¡¯s not the only option.  We can negotiate with them!  I know we can!¡±

    Ectria¡¯s teeth ached with the pressure she exerted against them, feeling her flesh being punctured.  ¡°You¡¯re delusional!  Think about the Clansmen, not some dream you have, whatever that is.  You aren¡¯t prepared for what¡¯s coming, period and the Delthax have family members here that they want protected.¡±

    Yimara¡¯s nose creased as she looked up at her.  ¡°Then why won¡¯t you protect us?¡±

    ¡°If you knew anything about war tactics, you¡¯d understand,¡± Ectria shot back.  ¡°In any case, I¡¯ve delivered my message, but know that every Delthax Clansmen will hold you responsible for what comes next.¡±

    Ectria stormed out of the building, slapping the vine door covering aside while exiting.  She sensed the kids running off to spread what pieces they¡¯d heard, and noticed Koma with Kole¡¯s wife and one-year-old son.  He was a strong boy and would do his father proud with time, but there was a dispute between him and his wife about their son¡¯s future.

    She didn¡¯t even know the woman¡¯s name but respected Kole enough to give his family an appropriate warning.  Her movements were nearly silent as she walked through the water, using the proper hunting technique that had been beaten into her since a child.

    Her parents knew she had no future with her skin color unless she¡¯d become a top-ranking Warrior; so, since before she¡¯d lost her tail, she¡¯d exceeded all expectations, breaking part of the mold she¡¯d been born into.  Kole was one of the few peers who hadn¡¯t mentioned her splotched skin color once in her entire life.

    Ectria put on a pleasant smile.  ¡°Hello, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve formally met, but I work with your husband.¡±

    ¡°Uh¡ªyeah,¡± she mumbled, giving her a narrowed eye while keeping her son close to her side.  ¡°I know who you are, Xaria Ectria.¡±

    ¡°Umm, could I know your name?¡±  Ectria asked, trying to be as direct and polite as possible.

    The woman¡¯s lips fell into a deep frown.  ¡°Oh, Kole never mentioned my name?  Typical.¡±

    Okay, then ¡­ guess their relationship is worse than he leads on.

    ¡°He probably has multiple times, but I haven¡¯t committed it to memory.  We usually just discuss Warrior related topics, not our personal life,¡± she chuckled, trying to ease the tension.  Koma looked like she wanted to edge away from the whole conversation, trying to stay out of the woman¡¯s line of sight.

    ¡°I believe that,¡± she huffed, giving her a look that Ectria had received many times before, but rarely ever once her Warrior career had started making waves; this woman was more than willing to insult anyone, even a Xaria.

    I see, so, there¡¯s no possible way Kole and my relationship could ever revolve around anything but Warrior business because I¡¯m just too ugly.  I mean, it¡¯s not like we¡¯re close friends, but we¡¯re fellow Xaria!  Jeez, how did he get hitched to a raving Ragnlar like her?

    ¡°Anyways,¡± Ectria mumbled, ¡°I need to talk to you three in private.¡±

    ¡°M-me, too?¡±  Koma asked, enthusiasm sparking to life again.

    ¡°Yeah, you, too,¡± Ectria chuckled.

    ¡°Yay!  By the way, her name¡¯s Jama.¡±

    Jama gave the three-year-old girl a dirty glare, likely wishing to insult her husband more before giving her name.  ¡°I¡¯m busy¡ªis this about my husband?  Who am I kidding?  Of course, it¡¯s always about Kole.¡±

    Ectria stated, feeling a bit fed-up with the Ri¡¯bot.  Every time I interact with a Wixum Clansmen, my opinion drops more and more.  Well, I suppose that¡¯s not fair to the ones in our village ¡­ just these locals.  ¡°It¡¯s about war and death,¡±

    She paused, brow creasing while staring down at her son.  ¡°Oh ¡­ umm¡ªfine, lead the way,¡± she grumbled.

    ¡°Mama¡­¡±

    ¡°Shh, the grown-ups are talking,¡± Jama cut in, silencing her son.

    Ectria ignored the woman, walking back toward the west side of the village to hide in the jungle until Elinor made her appearance.

    Koma jogged after her, falling in step with Jama and her son begrudgingly following.

    ¡°Blood and death, huh?  Maybe I¡¯ll finally see some action!  Is it the Flex, are they coming to attack?¡±

    Ectria sighed, scratching her cheek.  ¡°Don¡¯t be so eager to get into battle, Koma.  You have a lot of potential, but you lack the training to live in actual combat.  I¡¯ll explain when we¡¯re out of earshot.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you just say it here?¡±  Jama grunted.

    ¡°That¡¯s for your Chief to decide.¡±

    They both fell silent at her venomous tone.

    Reaching the edge of the jungle, they left any signs of eavesdroppers.  Turning to them, Ectria licked her tooth.  ¡°Look, there is an enemy far stronger than the Flex and Lethix coming, and soon.¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯ll slaughter them, right, Xaria Ectria!¡±  Koma stated with doubtless eyes.

    ¡°No, girl,¡± Jama mumbled, eying Ectria with a calculating glare.  ¡°The reason why she¡¯s telling us this is because she doesn¡¯t think the Wixum village is safe anymore.¡±

    Koma¡¯s eyes widened in shock.  ¡°W-wait, really?  You¡¯re a Xaria, though!¡±

    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean as much as you think,¡± Jama sighed, vision softening while glancing down at her son.  ¡°Damn you, Kole ¡­ couldn¡¯t come yourself, huh?¡±

    Ectria folded her arms.  ¡°It was a split-second decision made by the Chief; I was sent over the cliff to deliver the message as soon as possible.  The Delthax will not support the Wixum in this conflict.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Jama mumbled, and after a moment¡¯s thought, released another sigh.  ¡°I get it; we¡¯ll be heading to The Shelf then.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what about the rest of your family ¡­ my parents?¡±  Koma asked, growing concerned.

    Jama shrugged.  ¡°That¡¯s up to you, but I know mine won¡¯t leave.¡±  Her hard purple irises darted Ectria.  ¡°I suppose you¡¯re telling us this because Chief Yimara won¡¯t be plotting an escape plan.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right, but do you think you can make the journey to The Shelf alone?¡±

    A smirk lit Jama¡¯s face.  ¡°What, you think I¡¯m that weak?¡±

    Ectria¡¯s brow rose as Jama let go of her son¡¯s hand, darting forward to strike her throat.  Easily dodging the blow, she moved around the woman, arm extending in a decent form to deliver a jab.  Not bad, to be honest.  Her vision slid over every muscle the Ri¡¯bot used in forming the attack.  That¡¯s actually pretty impressive for a non-warrior.  She had a lot of potential if she¡¯d trained when younger; again, a pity she was born to the Wixum.

    Grabbing her wrist while kicking out her legs, Ectria used Jama¡¯s forward motion to spin her into a front flip, closing the distance to lighten her fall.

    Jama gasped, wincing while looking up at her face as she came to a stop.  ¡°Tch, shouldn¡¯t have expected anything else from a Xaria,¡± she huffed, and Ectria helped her back to her feet.  ¡°My head¡¯s spinning a little ¡­ could have gone a little more easy on me.¡±

    Ectria smirked.  ¡°I was.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ guess Kole¡¯s growing soft,¡± she mumbled, rubbing her left arm.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d say you could hold your own with the Wixum Warriors, at least,¡± Ectria offered.

    ¡°Insult me, why don¡¯t you,¡± Jana grunted, giving her a grin.

    Ectria folded her arms.  ¡°Alright, Jama, I suppose I¡¯ll see you back there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she guided her wide-eyed son further into the jungle by the hand, pausing to turn and smile at her.  ¡°Hey, if you make it back, maybe I could show you how to prepare a decent meal.  I know that Xaria training doesn¡¯t include lessons on seasoning a proper Quel.  Kole is terrible at picking the proper herbs and spices ¡­ but he¡¯s got one Pit of an appetite,¡± she chuckled.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll take you up on that,¡± Ectria replied, waving her away, son asking why they¡¯d attacked each other, and if fighting is bad.  Huh, maybe she¡¯s not that terrible after all.  At least she seems to have a functioning mind ¡­ I can¡¯t say the same for the rest of the Wixum.

    Koma gave her a concerned look, lips bleeding as the two teeth on either side of her mouth punctured her lip.  She was actually a decently attractive Ri¡¯bot with her symmetrical triangular patterns, even among the throng of women in the Wixum flock.

    ¡°C-can I at least try to convince my parents?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ectria smiled, rubbing her smooth head.  ¡°I¡¯m not trying to kidnap you or anything.  I just hoped you¡¯d consider running to The Shelf and staying safe.  I¡¯ll give you a promise; if you make it through this alive, then I¡¯ll train you myself.¡±

    ¡°N-no way!  You¡ªa Xaria¡ªme?¡±  She squealed, jumping five feet into the air while cheering.  ¡°That¡¯s so rare!¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve got the potential, but a fair warning, I¡¯ll have to really push you since you¡¯re already three.¡±

    ¡°Okay!  Umm¡ªI¡¯ll let my parents know.  I¡¯m almost six already; I should be able to make my own decisions!¡±

    Well, two years off is still a decent period, my girl.  ¡°I love the enthusiasm,¡± she laughed.  ¡°Okay, just¡ªmake sure to stay alive.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, definitely.  I¡¯ll drag them to The Shelf myself if I have to!¡±

    Ectria watched the youth race back into the village with a warm heart, but that soon frosted over, noticing the town gathering as messengers shouted a meeting.

    Creeping into the town, she hid beside wooden crates, nailed together with long meltra thorns, and it was precisely as the Chief had feared.

    ¡°Gather round!¡±  Jimara called.  ¡°We¡¯re going to be preparing to receive guests.  Bring gifts!¡±

    ¡°More than what we brought for the Delthax?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯ll be including the Delthax gifts,¡± Jimara stated, causing a wave of mumbles.  She quickly retook command.  ¡°The Delthax have abandoned us, and so, we must see what these new creatures bring.  We are not harmful, and we can help them.  I¡¯m sure we can forge a wonderful relationship that will benefit us both!¡±

    Do you even know if you can speak to them?  She¡¯s such a fool!  If the Wixum get out of this, it¡¯ll be a miracle ¡­ straight from The One Above All.  Nothing else could save them from their stupidity!

    Ectria remained as they continued their preparations, returning to the jungle to wait in the high reaches of the massive trees; she¡¯d seen Koma all but dragging her parents, brother, and two elder sisters into the jungle, saying anything she had to to get them to follow her.

    Yeah, she¡¯s persistent.

    It took much longer than she¡¯d expected, the sun rising long into the day, and just as it began to descent, they came.  A blast of noise from over a thousand Ri¡¯bot told her it was time to investigate.

    Stealthily moving through the trees, she made it to a spot to observe the new threats; what she found chilled the marrow in her bones.

    Her blood boiled once she witnessed the Chiefs and Xaria of both the Flex and Lethix Clans.  Dirt lickers!  Did they guide them here?  They must have; this is a combined assault!  I¡¯ve gotta warn the Chief!

    She could hardly believe her eyes, and the revelation put a thorn in her gut; a dozen flaming Quen¡¯Talrat, colossal forms flanking the Elite Hunter.  The Hunter was the only one that showed muscle stretching across its burning bones, and in its palm was a solitary figure; she couldn¡¯t hear what Yimara was saying, but it was clear she was groveling before the Elite Hunter or the creature engulfed in green flames, sitting in the Hunter¡¯s hand.

    That must be Elinor, but ¡­ so many, and even more hiding in the trees.  How many?  Twenty ¡­ no, fifty ¡­ more?  I can¡¯t tell from here ¡­ it could be well over a hundred.

    Her vision centered on the large eight-legged creatures that put a level of fear in her that dwarfed even the Quen¡¯Talrat, recalling the stories Elder Chief Valdar spoke while explaining the Fire Wars.  Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ she has Quen¡¯Talrat and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if the Juggernaut was present, it would be likely.  Th¨¦lm¨¦thra can climb cliffs better than me ¡­ I might be able to fight one while on the wall, but four?  Impossible, and the Quen¡¯Talrat aren¡¯t foreign to steep surfaces with grips.  There¡¯s no way ¡­ we¡¯d have to overwhelm them with numbers.  The Chief was right; we need traps ¡­ and a lot of them.  If we could¡­

    Her mind blanked as a burst of hot wind exploded around the area, heating her skin like high-noon, and a sense of doom shook her to the core.  The jungle became dead silent, no different than when she¡¯d sensed the dark presence moving south, and it was followed by a booming feminine, speaking in a calm yet dominating tone.

    ¡°I am Empress Elinor, Supreme Chief of the Pits, The One Above All.  Kneel, serve me, and you will find happiness within my Empire.  Fight, and be slaughtered, consigned to the Pits until you have paid for your crimes.  Choose this day whom you will serve.¡±

    An involuntary quake shook Ectria¡¯s frame, and her recovering mind pieced together the words Elinor had spoken, still experiencing the horror of being utterly outclassed by a powerful aura of combative ability.

    Empress Elinor¡¯s statement was proclaiming her identity, and not one Ri¡¯bot seemed to have linked together the full implications of that address because no one so much as twitched.

    Supreme Chief of the Pits¡ªThe One Above All ¡­ she¡¯s¡­  Her mind couldn¡¯t wrap around it; no one would dare say such a thing.  No, how?  Why?  The Ancestors¡¯ Wrath last night ¡­ the Gateway, and how the Elder Chief died¡­

    Ectria¡¯s mind slowly pieced together what she knew, painting a horrifying picture.  We can¡¯t fight The One Above All.  It¡¯s¡ªimpossible.  Unimaginable.  Blasphemous.  Yet ¡­ wait, she said kneel and serve her ¡­ we¡¯ll be happy in her Empire?  If we resist, we die ¡­ burn in the Pits.  What can we do?

    The Empress¡¯ voice returned, easily heard while not being overbearing like before.  ¡°Well, what will it be, Wixum Clan?  Do you serve The One Above All, or do you reject your Deity?¡±

    The throng of Ri¡¯bot dropped to their knees, one after another, their faces planting into the mud, and each person repeated the same phrase.  ¡°I serve The One Above All!¡±

    She stayed, watching the whole ceremony as each one vowed to follow her new reign, and the information the Empress gave next put an even greater weight against her consciousness, making her doubt the very purpose she was out here.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Elinor stated, voice refined and without heat.  ¡°Valdar will be joining us shortly with Folcra.  When I descended from the Heavens, four Clans met me with their blades.¡±

    She let the statement hang, head turning to survey the crowds as they mumbled in disbelief.  Attack The One Above All, which Clans would dare make such an evil act?  The thought was unimaginable, yet Ectria¡¯s gut churned with internal speculation.

    ¡°The Komath Clan sent their Xaria, Dalria after me, killing two of my mortal attendants¡ªthat Xaria is now facing the punishment of that sin, and the Komath Clan will face my wrath soon enough, including the abduction of some of your fellow believers, my people as you have become my people.¡±

    Her tone laced with a heat that made Ectria flinch.  ¡°I will show you first hand the lengths I will go to protect all my believers.  The Komath Elder Chief will not only enter The Great River in the Heavens but be dragged down to the Pits by my hand with the rest of his wicked followers, suffering for their hubris acts against me, The One Above All.

    ¡°The next Clan that attacked me, cutting me to pieces, trying to kill me ¡­ I gave them every opportunity to be civil.  The Roxim Warriors that struck me will fall the same way as the Komath, some already partaking in the fruit of their labor.

    ¡°A small fraction of the Clavex were much wiser, choosing to repent for their sins, and have been treated appropriately.  Given time, they will be forgiven, and join you as fellow brothers and sisters in me.  Depending on how the rest of their clan responds, they will join you the moment they pledge.

    ¡°Finally, the Delthax ¡­ yes, Valdar and his company sought to destroy me, and for that, he entered the Pit.  However, I am a merciful goddess.  He repented, and I raised him out of those depths to join me.  He has ascended beyond even his Ancestors to stand by my side as the first High Priest within my Order.

    ¡°Much is to come and will be distributed by those appointed as I return you to the proper worship of me, your Goddess and Empress, Elinor.  Once I have united the valley, I will call an assembly, which is why the Chiefs of every Clan that has joined me stands before you.  So, Chief Yimara, will you join your fellow Chiefs to bring the Ri¡¯bot race back within my Empire to make your once great people whole again?¡±

    After a short pause, her voice became soft.  ¡°Good.  Welcome to the Empire.  As I said, we will wait for Valdar, and then we move to the Delthax.¡±

    Supreme Chief of the Pits ¡­ how will she give this speech to our Clan?  No, I¡¯ve got to warn them!  She¡¯s coming ¡­ The One Above All is coming!  I have time; I can make it!

    Ectria almost tripped as a massive Th¨¦lm¨¦thra hung above her, utterly undetectable; she¡¯d just seen this same creature beside the Empress.  It¡¯s moist, horrifying fangs were partially visible, showing sticky saliva.  The fiend just watched, not making a single motion; its gem-like eyes glowed with a deep red, contrasting its metallic black and white exoskeleton.  Ectria couldn¡¯t sense it, even now, but she couldn¡¯t deny the fact that this thing loomed over her.

    The Xaria fell to her butt in stunned disbelief.  How long ¡­ I swear I ¡­ did I see her?

    A lump dropped down her throat, forcing her to blink, and the eight-legged creature was gone.  Looking around, she found the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra beside the Empress again.  Did I hallucinate that?  Was that ¡­ no, I need to warn them!

    Catching herself before sliding off the edge of the branch, she raced back to warn her Chief.

 B1 â€” 49. Pray

    Sweat slicked Ectria¡¯s skin as she leaped from branch to branch, racing through the jungle.  Only two things flipped back and forth within her mind, the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra hanging overhead, and the Empress¡¯ words.

    She only partially felt the cool breeze weaving through the upper canopy, smelling the lingering scent of the Wixum¡¯s mass gathering as hundreds of Ri¡¯bot carelessly left their trail below.

    Ectria made it two miles before coming to a stop, high in the branches of a blackwood tree, panting while hiding in the yellowish leaves that were half her size.  Whipping her forearm against her wet forehead, she swallowed, mouth dry.

    Calm down!  I need to get some water ¡­ the closest source is¡­

    Her mind paused, noticing a new stream that had been created by the storm far below.  Hurriedly making her way down, she hopped into the slow current, liquid rising to her knees.

    Kneeling to drink, she tossed water over her body, washing off her sweat; the cool brook helped clear her mind.  She slid her tongue over her single right tooth while collecting herself.

    The sun just passed its zenith, beginning its descent across the sky, and the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath had long since faded, which drew her attention.

    The Holy Stones transform into water ¡­ showing that the Heavens are merciful.  The Ancestors punish us for our sins, but also bring new life ¡­ Elder Chief Valdar, mercy with pain.  Elinor provided a path to forgiveness for the Clavex; she should offer the same for us, right?  Valdar was brought back; he must have petitioned for our pardon.  There¡¯s mercy.

    Her throat constricted, feeling tears forming in her eyes, and she puffed out a long breath while rubbing them.  She could smell Ragnlar nearby; however, the fearsome jungle cats were like the harmless insects eating their rotten fruit before the terrifying Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    I was dead ¡­ The One Above All knew where I was ¡­ of course, she¡¯d know where I was!  No, she knew I was watching, but chose to give me that sign.  Mercy.

    Ectria¡¯s thoughts returned to Jolah and the other Warriors¡¯ report as the flow of the water pressed against her trembling legs; she felt weak at the knees.

    They did try to slice her up ¡­ why Elder Chief?  And she bled fire ¡­ the Pits.  The Supreme Chief of the Pits has come down to remind us of her presence.  Why didn¡¯t Elder Chief Valdar recognize her?  Was even he blinded to the fact?  Why have I never thought about a Supreme Chief of the Pits?  It makes perfect sense.  Is what we believe right?

    No, but what if this is all a trap by the Flex and Lethix?  I just can¡¯t believe even they¡¯d stoop so low as to try and play this kind of trick ¡­ after the Ancestors¡¯ Wrath struck, too?  No, no, it has to be real!

    Setting her jaw, Ectria climbed out of the stream before continuing up the hill to the mountain shelf; she spotted a few Ranglar along the way, but they didn¡¯t bother her, instead tracking other prey that was easier to deal with rather than chasing her in the canopy.

    After an hour, she reached the swampland before the clearing, leading up to the upper shelf; to her left was the beginning of the Toruk River, fed by many underground sources coming out of the mountain range.

    As a breeding ground for the wild Torlim of the river, it was swarming with the powerful beasts; it was nearing mating season for them, which was surprisingly close to the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s own seasonal reproduction.

    Ectria took care to keep out of the creatures¡¯ way while making her way across the landscape, waterfalls were still emptying into the growing surge below, propelled off the edges of the high cliffs.

    It took her another thirty minutes to reach the grassy clearing, and upon making it to the shelf, her gut tightened.  They¡¯d already constructed rockfall traps, smaller than usual to make up for the short notice, but a much greater number; they were getting ready for a full-scale siege like they¡¯d heard in the stories Valdar told.

    The palisade that Valdar had constructed, funneling an attacking force into a gap was already manned, the vast black tree barriers were wet in preparation for possible fires.  Chevaux de frise were brought out to provide a hurdle the enemy would be forced to overcome, the cross-shaped sharpened logs fastened with more wooden spikes to impale anyone stupid enough to smash into them.

    Ectria dashed between the workers, Warriors, and citizens alike as news spread that she was back, called down from the twenty-meter wall; it all seemed utterly pointless to her now.  This won¡¯t stop a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra or Quen¡¯Talrat!  If we fight, we all die.

    Despite the thought, she found it amazing how quickly her clan could mobilize.  All of their people, even non-Warriors were behind the walls, holding newly fashioned wooden spears; Xaria Meji led them in thrust and defensive exercises with a few senior Warriors as assistants.

    Rather than going around the maze of battlements, providing safety for their Clan for over sixty-five years, Ectria used the safe path she¡¯d discovered over a dozen years ago during her daily training exercises, using small footholds to scale the structure.

    Warriors atop the barricade saluted her as she passed, but she paid them no mind, hopping down the opposite side to report.  Luckily, she found Plant Caller Nina, her assistant, Yupali, Chief Kalix, and Kole overlooking the valley beside the cliff near the fortification.

    Nina was still fairly young, just barely reaching adulthood at the age of eight, and her assistant wasn¡¯t much older at ten-years-old.  Even with her quirks, she was respected due to her calling and relation to the Chief.  Still, it was hard not to notice she had a soft complexion that Ectria lacked, having done little to no physical labor in her life.  Her blue skin and purple eyes had a pretty shine to them, and some attributed it to being blessed as a Plant Caller.

    It was odd for a woman of her age to not have a partner with so many suitors, but Ectria had noticed she was rather uncomfortable around Ri¡¯bot males her own age.  She came off socially awkward, and most brushed it off as having to do with her Mysticism without giving the same thought to Valdar.

    She knew very little about Yupali, but she had the same stiff demeanor around most Ri¡¯bot, which caused her to be excluded in most groups growing up.  It made sense that the two would grow closer with the same social weaknesses.

    Racing up to the four, she caught sight of the sun dipping toward the horizon; they only had six more hours before nightfall.  Supreme Chief Elinor could be much faster than me ¡­ how soon until she arrives?

    ¡°Ectria,¡± Kole greeted with a deep frown, ¡°you look like you¡¯ve seen a Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    A lump dropped down her face as she slowed to a stop, panting while trying to catch her breath.  He offered her a waterskin, and she poured half of it in her mouth, swallowing and blinking several times as spots danced in her vision.

    ¡°Is it that bad?¡±  Kalix whispered, doing a quick sweep to make sure no one else was in earshot.  ¡°Uh, Yupali, if you could leave us.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she softly replied, giving them a slight bow while retreating.

    Nina gave her assistant an encouraging smile, waving her off.  Her voice was even quieter than Yupali¡¯s, and she recalled Valdar scolding her over not practicing louder speech habits.  ¡°Please, Xaria Ectria, tell us what you witnessed.¡±

    Ectria brushed over everything Elinor had spoken, including Valdar, taking short pauses to use the remaining water in the skin to wash herself.

    Nina¡¯s expression brightened with relief, hand placed against her chest at the news.  ¡°Great-Grandpa¡¯s alive, then; the Supreme Chief of the Pits brought him back?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t know about that,¡± Kalix muttered.  ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the Jungle showed you his death; why wouldn¡¯t it show you his rebirth?¡±

    ¡°Eh,¡± Nina¡¯s soft brow furrowed, left hand nervously gripping her bicep.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡ªmaybe I wasn¡¯t in-tune enough,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°Still, I¡¯m happy that he¡¯s back.¡±

    ¡°Our great-grandfather¡¯s with this Supreme Chief, then?¡±  Kalix hummed.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t this sound too jumpy?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say so,¡± Kole replied, looking out across the valley.  ¡°Especially with Nina¡¯s vision.¡±

    ¡°Well, not really a full vision,¡± Nina replied, blue cheeks lightening with embarrassment.

    Ectria glanced between them, rubbing the last of the cool liquid in the waterskin across her neck.  ¡°What vision?¡±

    ¡°You see¡ªI, umm¡ªit¡¯s more of a feeling that the Jungle shared with me.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Kalix urged.  ¡°You need to have faith in your ability; remember what Great-Grandpa said.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡ªumm, so, there are a few colossal forces that have recently come into the world¡ªbigger ¡­ I can¡¯t even describe how vast they are¡ªmuch larger than I can see.¡±

    ¡°In short,¡± Kalix popped his tongue, nose twisting as he glared at the valley, ¡°the Heavens must be at war, and we must determine which side we¡¯ll join.  We don¡¯t even know the Supreme Chiefs by name ¡­ maybe that¡¯s why they¡¯re finally coming down to make themselves known.¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Kole mumbled.  ¡°At least we know The Supreme Chief of the Pits is accepting Ri¡¯bot within her domain.¡±

    ¡°Is it her¡¯s, though?¡±  Kalix absently asked, focus still on the jungle below.

    Ectria¡¯s eyes widened at the question.  ¡°Of course it is ¡­ she¡¯s The One Above All; everything is hers.¡±

    Kalix didn¡¯t respond right away, teeth pressing against his lips.  ¡°Right¡ªbut what if she isn¡¯t The One Above All, but a Supreme Chief trying to take that place.  The Heavens are much more complicated than we first thought.¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­ umm¡ªhuh,¡± Ectria¡¯s focus dropped to the empty waterskin in her hands.

    Why didn¡¯t I think of that?  Sure, okay, Empress Elinor must be over the Pits, I mean, she¡¯s bringing the deceased back, but that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean she¡¯s The One Above All.  Still, why would a Supreme Chief lie about that?

    She didn¡¯t mention anything about other Supreme Chiefs in the valley or a war.  Is that right?  No, but if Valdar is with her, shouldn¡¯t we trust the Elder Chief?

    Nina gave them each a troubled look before clearing her throat.  ¡°I¡¯ll¡ªI¡¯ll go try to ask the Jungle again; maybe I¡¯ll learn something new.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, do that,¡± Kalix replied with a heavy sigh, and Ectria thought it almost sounded like he didn¡¯t have faith in his cousin.  ¡°This is a big decision; we need all the information we can get¡ªwhich Supreme Chief should we side with?¡±

    They watched the Plant Caller hurry off to join her assistant, and Kole turned to give her a thankful smile.  ¡°Hey, Ectria, thanks.¡±

    ¡°For?¡±  She asked, mind preoccupied with the problem at hand.

    ¡°What else?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Jama and your son?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and for the recon.  This is crazy, right?¡±

    ¡°Really crazy ¡­ Jama told me you must be going soft,¡± she said with a light chuckle.  ¡°Have you been giving her some lessons?  She¡¯s not half bad.¡±

    ¡°Bah,¡± he waved his hand, lips falling to the side, ¡°as if I could take that woman seriously; she likes to talk to Ulpix.¡±

    Ectria giggled at the light curse, referencing their prized pack animals meant for high-altitude trips; the one drawback was how much the creatures pooped, which more than a few Ri¡¯bot disdained.  It was a rotating job to clean it up and transfer it to the fields for their vegetables.

    Kalix appeared lost in thought, seemingly not even taking notice of their lighthearted conversation.  After a time, he whispered.  ¡°What will this war look like?¡±

    Kole and Ectria¡¯s mood darkened, mind returning to the depression discussion.

    She shrugged her shoulders, scanning the foliage far below for any sight of disturbing wildlife.  ¡°Who knows?  I felt a single flash of their strength ¡­ and that was likely restrained.  I couldn¡¯t imagine surviving, even if I ran.¡±

    ¡°The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra,¡± Kole nodded with a grave tone.  ¡°That makes things a lot more difficult; do you remember Elder Valdar¡¯s stories?¡±

    Ectria shivered, hugging her shoulders.  ¡°Yeah, they had nests nestled in the cracks of the cliffs during his grandfather¡¯s days.  Unkillable silent monsters of death.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, scary stories ¡­ remember how the Elder said they used to think they were invincible until they found the corpse of one that an Elite Hunter had killed.¡±

    Ectria sucked in her lips, thinking of Valdar¡¯s nighttime stories.  ¡°You know, I thought the stories were supposed to be scarier,¡± she mumbled, ¡°but seeing that Th¨¦lm¨¦thra in person ¡­ it was more terrifying than anything I¡¯ve ever seen.¡±

    ¡°How do we fight them, then?¡±  Kalix growled.

    Her eyes widened.  ¡°Fight¡ªshould we at all?  I just told you that the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was more horrifying than any of the Elder¡¯s stories, and I haven¡¯t even gotten to the other two creatures that rode on the backs of the smaller ones.  She has Quen¡¯Talrat, including a four-armed Elite Hunter!  Not to mention the dozens and dozens of creatures hiding in the jungle around her.¡±

    Stolen story; please report.

    She threw her hands in the air.  ¡°We¡¯re talking about the Supreme Chief of the Pits ¡­ not just any Heavenly figure, but a primordial force!  Those other two creatures that looked like Supreme Chief Elinor¡ªyeah, Kole, there were two others like her, and they might be Supreme Chiefs, too.  Think about that!¡±

    ¡°Even so,¡± Kalix growled, ¡°we must be prepared to fight if we must.¡±

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Ectria protested, muscles trembling as she remembered the aura that had passed over her.  ¡°I mean, the Lethix and Flex Clans have already bent their knees!  The Chiefs are with her¡ªthey bowed¡­¡±

    Kalix¡¯s body became stiff as a board, wide eyes darting to her.  ¡°What?  Say that again,¡± he demanded, the Chief¡¯s tone becoming heated.

    ¡°The Flex and Lethix Clans,¡± Ectria repeated in confusion, ¡°they bent the knee¡­¡±

    His chest puffed up, blue cheeks becoming darker as his rage grew.  ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me the Lethix and Flex are with this Supreme Chief!¡±

    ¡°N-no?¡±  Ectria stammered, realizing it had slipped her mind until now.  ¡°I just¡ªit wasn¡¯t the most important news.¡±

    ¡°Not important?¡±  Kalix roared, making Kole frown as he glanced between them.  ¡°Elder Chief Valdar, Hero of the Fire Wars, Grand Mystic of the Delthax, our three times Former Chief has locked hands in friendship with the jungle¡¯s filth?  You¡¯re telling me, that wasn¡¯t important?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ectria mumbled, vision darting to the ground as the connection linked in her mind.  ¡°I didn¡¯t¡ªI didn¡¯t even consider it ¡­ all I could think of was¡­¡±

    ¡°Then this Supreme Chief is a fake,¡± Kalix stated, nose flaring.  ¡°There¡¯s no possible way my great-grandfather would be on the same side as those dirt lickers!  Either that¡¯s not really my great-grandfather, or he¡¯s a traitor, which is impossible.  It¡¯s not him, then.¡±

    ¡°Chief¡­¡±  Ectria held up her hand, but Kalix stormed away.

    ¡°I need some time to consider our next move; go help with the preparations to meet them for battle.¡±

    ¡°Damn.¡±  Kole whispered.

    Ectria yelled after him, scratching her scalp with concern.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t trying to hide it!¡±

    ¡°No, I get it,¡± Kole replied, folding her arms while giving her a deep frown.

    ¡°You believe me?¡±

    ¡°Eh, hmm¡ªhe¡¯s just angry for even entertaining the idea.  Honestly, I can¡¯t say for certain that the Elder Chief wouldn¡¯t set aside our blood feud if a Supreme Chief told him to, and she said he¡¯d spent time in the Pits ¡­ who can even say what that¡¯s like?¡±

    Ectria took a shuttering breath, hugging her shoulders as a shiver ran down her spine.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I just¡ªI can¡¯t think of fighting her¡ªI can¡¯t.¡±

    Kole¡¯s lips became a line as he glanced over at the fuming Chief, barking for reports from Warriors as he came to the nearest company.  ¡°Even if the Chief orders you to fight?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t know,¡± Ectria replied, vision still on the rocky ground.

    He gave her a concerned look, knowing that meant desertion.  A low groan left his throat as he scratched his shoulder.  ¡°I can respect that¡ªbut I¡¯ll follow the Chief.¡±

    Her single right tooth pressed against her lower lip.  ¡°Even if¡ªwhat if it goes against the Heavens?¡±

    ¡°The Chief moving against the Heavens?¡±  Kole fell silent, and after several seconds swallowed.  ¡°I can¡¯t answer that ¡­ we¡¯ll see if it comes to that.  Anyways,¡± he sighed, ¡°I¡¯m going to go see if Meji needs help.¡±

    A flood of anxiety filled her stomach as Kole jogged off.

    Am I really that far removed from everyone else?  Is it me?  I mean, the Chief¡¯s angry, which yeah, he should be ¡­ if the Lethix and Flex are involved, then we all should be mad, but¡ªif The One Above All came down and ordered the feud to cease, then it was settled, right?  Why am I the only one that sees that?

    Ectria shifted to gazed down at the sprawling valley below; she¡¯d looked upon its beauty throughout her life, tracing the massive structure of the Quen¡¯Talrat fortress on the northern shelf and the dozens of landmarks that marked each territory.  Her focus settled on one place at the moment, though, the Wixum Lake many miles away, knowing The Supreme Chief of the Pits was likely on her way.

    The sun continued to fall, and she moved around the village, helping where she could.  Chief Kalix hadn¡¯t revoked any of her authorities, but he avoided her, and an occasional glare in her direction told her he hadn¡¯t cooled off yet.

    His words put a little doubt in her chest, but it only seated itself when her body wasn¡¯t working.  What if the Flex and Lethix are tricking us?  I never actually saw the Elder Chief, and Nina didn¡¯t sense his resurrection ¡­ she is young, though.  No ¡­ I know what I felt.  Even if I¡¯m wrong, I know I can¡¯t win.  It¡¯s impossible.

    Her cheeks puffed out as the sun reached its evening place in the sky, turning the heavens orange.  Nina returned in a rush, showing mixed emotions.

    ¡°Chief¡ªour great-grandpa¡¯s alive!¡±  She cried.  ¡°The Jungle¡­¡±

    ¡°Nina,¡± Kalix warned.  ¡°Let¡¯s discuss this in private.  Xarias Meji, Kole,¡± he gave her an uncertain stare, ¡°Ectria¡ªjoin me.¡±

    At least he¡¯s cooling down.

    There were quite a few sidelong stares as they moved to the cliff¡¯s edge again, Nina showing an apprehensive smile.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Kalix groaned once they were in private, linking his fingers behind his head while giving his cousin a cautious frown.  ¡°What did The Jungle tell you?¡±

    ¡°The Jungle gave me the clearest vision I¡¯ve ever had; it¡¯s just like great-grandpa told me!  He¡¯ll be so proud!  I can¡¯t wait to tell him¡­¡±

    ¡°Alright,¡± Kalix mumbled, obviously impatient for the information.

    ¡°Oh, right, right¡ªumm,¡± she blinked while swallowing, releasing a nervous chuckle.  ¡°So, there are three powerful groups that have formed recently within the valley, and they¡¯re only growing stronger.  I think we were right; they¡¯re Supreme Chiefs with all the signs we¡¯ve been given.¡±

    ¡°You think?¡±  Kalix sighed.  ¡°I thought you said it was the clearest vision you¡¯ve ever had.¡±

    ¡°It is!¡±  She defended, cheeks lightening.  ¡°I saw The Supreme Chief of the Pits, Elinor,¡± she mumbled, giving Ectria a meaningful look.  ¡°She looks rather strange, and on fire¡ªoh, and I saw the three other great ones with her¡ªI believe they¡¯re Supreme Chiefs, too!  One of them was a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.¡±

    ¡°What ¡­ uh, Supreme Chiefs?¡±  Meji lifted an eyebrow, gaze shifting between them.  ¡°When was anyone going to tell me this?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that,¡± Kole chuckled.

    Kalix ignored his complaint.  ¡°A Supreme Chief¡ªTh¨¦lm¨¦thra,¡± he slowly repeated.  ¡°You¡¯re¡ªpositive, Nina?¡±

    ¡°Yes!  The Jungle showed me just how immensely powerful they are, and that¡¯s not all!  There are three Th¨¦lm¨¦thra that are extremely powerful, too, maybe Ancient Grand Chiefs.¡±

    Meji¡¯s mouth dropped open, tongue pressed against his two left teeth, utterly lost as he tried to catch up with the conversation.  ¡°Ancient Grand Chiefs ¡­ Th¨¦lm¨¦thra?¡±

    ¡°The Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªno, even the Elite Hunter is nothing compared to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra or the other Supreme Chiefs, and there are two great powers in the south, among the Nalvean lands, a long serpent-like creature and one that looks like the Supreme Chief Elinor.

    ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s probably a group of Grand Chiefs attacking the Xaltan right now; at least, I think they¡¯re Grand Chiefs¡ªthey feel abnormally strong, and look like Supreme Chief Elinor!  They¡¯re running, though¡ªI think, well, moving further southeast with the Clan chasing them, and I saw the Roxim and Komath Clans¡­¡±

    ¡°Woah¡ªthis is getting crazy,¡± Meji interrupted.  ¡°This is for real, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it is!¡±  Nina huffed, showing a rare, aggressive side of her personality.  ¡°Shut-up and listen, The Jungle¡¯s warning us!  Umm¡ªI was talking about the Roxim and Komath ¡­ they¡¯re abandoning their lands.¡±

    Kalix looked like he was about to interject, but his mouth snapped shut upon hearing the news.

    ¡°I heard that the Komath took possession of prisoners from beyond the Gateway, but it appears that for some reason they gave them to the Xaltan, and now they¡¯re having trouble with them.  Oh, but the Roxim are still in control of all of their creatures.  I think they¡¯re heading east with the Komath, outside the valley to meet with other Clans.¡±

    ¡°Go on, Nina,¡± Kalix prompted.

    ¡°Umm¡ªthat¡¯s it,¡± she mumbled, suddenly looking a little self-conscious.  ¡°Was¡ªI supposed to figure out more?¡±

    Ectria felt cold sweat squeezing out of her pores, realizing they might be caught in the middle of a Heavenly War.  ¡°The storm last night,¡± she whispered, drawing their attention.  ¡°It signaled the battle above before they came down.¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah, yeah,¡± Nina spoke up.  ¡°The serpent-like Supreme Chief has control over the water and storms!  The Supreme Chief of the Pits, Elinor, well, yeah, she can bring back the dead.  Our great-grandpa is serving the Supreme¡­¡±

    Kalix seemed to have had enough.  ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that right now, Nina.  Tell me, how can the serpent be a Supreme Chief when the Clavex took her prisoner.  Some of the Warriors told me that they sealed it into a deep sleep and transported it to the Nalveans.¡±

    Nina¡¯s cheeks puffed up for a moment, realizing he doubted parts of her vision.  ¡°Well, yeah, but they¡¯re worshiping her¡ªlike, right now.  I mean, since she¡¯s a Supreme Chief, then they¡¯d be doing that, just like¡ªyou said she went by Empress, Ectria?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she responded, still processing the stunning information.  The valley is falling apart.

    ¡°Empress Elinor is calling for worship, just like this other one ¡­ I believe hearing one of the creatures call her a Naga¡ªyeah, I could understand one, just like Empress Elinor¡ªbut I can listen to everything they¡¯re saying.  The Naga¡¯s name was Yesenia ¡­ kind of twists my tongue saying it,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°The Jungle showed me that their powers will grow to engulf the entire world!¡±

    Meji¡¯s lips had long been tucked in as he stared at her.  ¡°Huh¡ªwell, then ¡­ what do we do?¡±

    Chief Kalix¡¯s blue skin-tone was slightly lighter, showing he was nervous as he realized what they¡¯d gotten themselves into.  ¡°If what you¡¯re saying is true ¡­ we¡¯re siding with Supreme Chief of Storms, Yesenia.¡±

    Ectria stiffened.  ¡°What?¡±

    Nina¡¯s forehead creased.  ¡°Yeah, what do you mean?  Supreme Empress¡ªwait, umm, no, Empress Elinor is the one coming for us, at the moment.¡±

    ¡°Maybe¡ªwe should think about this a bit more,¡± Kole mumbled.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve made my decision,¡± Kalix growled, shooting a sharp glare at his cousin.  ¡°Empress Elinor sent our great-grandfather to the Pits ¡­ a hero, and now forces him to work for her.  I won¡¯t stand by it.  We prepare for combat!¡±

    Kole tried to ease the tension with a forced chuckle.  ¡°Should we really be choosing sides before¡­¡±

    ¡°Will you follow your Chief¡¯s decision, or refuse?¡±

    They all swallowed, knowing the consequences.

    Nina timidly pleaded, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give everyone in the Clan the chance to choose?  This is bigger than just the Clan ¡­ it¡¯s a battle between Supreme Chiefs ¡­ our eternity.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Ectria voiced, putting a hand on Kalix¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Think about this, please, Chief; this decision will personally affect every Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    Chief Kalix hesitated, nostrils flaring as he glanced across the rocky edge at his people.  After a moment, a frustrated sigh shot through his lips.  ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right.¡±

    Meji folded his arms, vision hardening while following his gaze.  ¡°No, I think it¡¯s sound judgment, Chief.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±  Ectria, Nina, and Kole¡¯s purple irises darted to the Xaria.

    ¡°Why?¡±  Kalix asked, giving the eldest Xaria in the clan his undivided attention.

    ¡°Listen,¡± he stated in a serious tone, ¡°if I follow the conversation, then we¡¯re being forced to pick between two rival Supreme Chiefs.  If that¡¯s the case, then it would split the Clan, morale would drop, and some might even jump off the cliff to skip the decision entirely, yet Ectria, you still think it would be a good idea?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Ectria defended, doubling down on her view.  ¡°Chief, this is their eternity¡ªour eternity; Empress Elinor is over the Pits ¡­ we¡¯re damning ourselves for nothing!¡±

    His nose twisted as he thought on her words; the next ten seconds was the tensest moment in Ectria¡¯s life, and he closed his eyes before taking a drawn-out sigh.  Vision opening, his hard eyes moved to her.  ¡°It is a hard decision, Ectria ¡­ you¡¯ll stand down.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ Chief,¡± Ectria whispered, feeling a sharp pain nip her heart.

    ¡°If you won¡¯t fight, then you¡¯ll be confined to my hut until the conflict is over ¡­ then I¡¯ll decide your punishment.¡±

    Nina stepped forward, tears in her eyes.  ¡°Kalix, please, listen to reason¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your cousin right now, Nina, and you¡¯re not a little girl anymore.  No, I know you¡ªyou can wait out the night with Ectria.¡±

    Ectria¡¯s jaw locked, fingers balling into a fist as she glared at the ground in frustration, yet she couldn¡¯t help feeling the whiplash of dismay.  ¡°It¡¯s all in vain ¡­ Chief.¡±

    ¡°Can we look at a different angle?¡±  Kole offered.

    Kalix¡¯s hard irises slid to him.  ¡°Will you refuse my order, Xaria Kole?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Good, go prepare the Clan ¡­ Meji, you escort my cousin and Xaria Ectria to my hut for house arrest.¡±

    ¡°You heard him,¡± Meji stated, giving her a deep frown.

    The thing that hurt Ectria the most was the disappointment in their eyes as if she were the one betraying the Clan.  This is ¡­ wrong, but¡ªwhat can I do?  I said everything I could.

    Her nose burned as her fellow Xaria escorted her to her confinement; she wouldn¡¯t lie; it was embarrassing, disheartening, and frustrating.  Every eye watched her in confusion as they trudged through the working throng to the hut.

    Pushing past the Ragnlar skin pelts hanging over the entrance, separating the interior from the exterior.  Meji gave a sharp click of his tongue as they both sat on wooden stools; Nina¡¯s sad eyes were low, but Ectria¡¯s was held on Meji with disapproval.  ¡°Don¡¯t you know what this will do?  I¡¯m trying to save everyone ¡­ follow the Heavens.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± he grunted.  ¡°The Heavens are at war, and we¡¯re moving against Flex and Lethix.¡±

    ¡°How will you fight multiple Supreme Chiefs?¡±  Nina whispered.

    He smirked.  ¡°That¡¯s easy, we chose The Supreme Chief of Storms, Yesenia, and she¡¯ll come to save us.¡±

    Ectria couldn¡¯t curse his belief, and for all she knew, the Supreme Chief would, but at the same time, it was a risk they didn¡¯t have to take.

    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right¡ªI really do,¡± Nina gave him a tearful smile.

    ¡°You know, a lot of good Ri¡¯bot will probably not make it out of this because of your decision, Ectria.  I hope you can live with yourself after this, and if you have any pride left as a Xaria, then you¡¯ll stay inside.¡±

    She gave the statement a weak chuckle.  ¡°Where would I go?  Delthax is my home.¡±

    Turning, he grunted, leaving without another word.

    Spreading out her legs, she rested her elbows against her thighs, staring at the wooden floorboards, knowing she could escape at any time, but it would do her little good.

    Nina sniffed, giving her a helpless smile.  ¡°I¡¯m still just a little girl to him, whatever he says, and ¡­ you know, he¡¯s not wrong.  I¡¯m only eight-years-old, and I don¡¯t know much about being a Plant Caller, nothing like our great-grandpa.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Ectria whispered.  ¡°You told us so much ¡­ I don¡¯t even recall the Elder Chief giving out so much information.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not me, it¡¯s The Jungle,¡± Nina¡¯s toes pawed the wood.  ¡°He¡¯s alive; I¡¯m so happy¡ªand so sad ¡­ the Chief can¡¯t accept the Elder Chief setting aside his hatred¡ªbecause Kalix never could.  If just for a moment¡ªI know he¡¯d accept it.  He entered the Pits¡ªthat¡¯s what you said, right?¡±

    Ectria¡¯s thumbs pressed against her index fingers, nails digging into her smooth skin.  ¡°Well¡ªthat¡¯s what Empress Elinor said.¡±

    ¡°I see¡ªif he did, how couldn¡¯t he have let go of his hatred.  I just¡ªit¡¯s impossible to imagine he wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    Getting up, Ectria walked over to the pot in the corner, splashing water across her sweaty body, still in dismay.  ¡°I hate the Lethix and Flex, too, but¡ªfor the Chief to be this blind, and not even give the Clan their choice of which Supreme Chief to follow¡ªit¡¯s unthinkable¡ªI can¡¯t believe it.  This wasn¡¯t just a decision in the flesh, but eternity.  It¡¯s so much bigger than a Chief can decide.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Nina sighed.  ¡°I understand why he¡¯s doing this; I grew up hearing about it.  He could never forgive the Lethix and Flex for the murder of his father¡ªespecially, our grandfather.  He looked up to his father, but the stories our parents told us about our grandfather were¡ªlegendary.¡±

    Ectria remembered the stories well; most Delthax children grew up with the tales.  ¡°I get why, but¡ªI don¡¯t understand how he could make this decision for everyone.  The Flex and Lethix betrayed their honor in his death, rekindling the feud, but this is a Heavenly War.  It¡¯s more selfish than I¡¯ve ever thought him capable of ¡­ it spits in everything the Chief should stand for¡ªit hurts,¡± she sniffed, feeling more tears coming to her eyes as the betrayal struck again.  ¡°It hurts a lot.¡±

    Nina¡¯s cheeks were puffing up as she cried, mirroring her feelings.  ¡°He¡¯s given into his hatred over the Clan, but there¡¯s nothing I can do.  No one¡¯s going to believe an eight-year-old girl, even if I¡¯m a Plant Caller ¡­ they¡¯ll trust the Chief¡¯s word.¡±

    Ectria rubbed her eyes, experiencing similar emotions.  ¡°You¡¯re right¡ªwith my mixed skin-color, and if he then calls me a¡ªa traitor, then it doesn¡¯t matter, even if I¡¯m a Former Xaria.  The Chief¡¯s word, mixed with the other Xaria, telling them of an impending threat with the Flex and Lethix ¡­ we wouldn¡¯t get a word in.  What can we do, then?¡±

    Nina gave her a surprisingly hopeful smile through her tears.  ¡°Pray.¡±

    They straightened as a commotion resounded around the camp, and Koma, the young Wixum girl she¡¯d promised to train, snuck in through the front.  ¡°Xaria Ectria, why are you in here?¡±

    Thank the Supreme Chiefs, she made it, and she¡¯s not in the thick of the assault ¡­ well, how will Empress Elinor respond?  Please, have mercy!  Have mercy!  See into the heart of our Chief and understand our situation!  Please, spare us, Empress Elinor!

 B1 â€” 50. Choices

    Koma took a deep breath, eyes darting left and right as she watched the active villagers work like Stinger Mites.  This was the first time she¡¯d been to the Delthax Clan¡¯s lands, and it was a huge culture shock; she¡¯d never seen so many Warriors in her life.

    No wonder the Flex and Lethix are scared to attack us ¡­ is there really going to be a battle, though?  Maybe this is normal for them.  What¡¯s even going on?

    Jama and her son had quickly broken away once getting them past the front gates to find her husband, leaving her to wander with her family.  She caught a few children helping out the adults; a lump dropped down her throat, blinking while she studied their movements.

    Why do they seem so much faster than me; am I really that behind?

    Ectria¡¯s words returned to her, dampening her mood.

    I¡¯m gonna have to work hard to catch up ¡­ but she said she¡¯d train me herself.

    Her mother glanced down at her.  ¡°Hmm.  What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Koma sighed, rubbing her left shoulder, trying not to be noticed by the Delthax youth, and before the others could see her, she steered her family toward the cliff edge.  The sight more than drew her parents, brother, and two elder sisters¡¯ attention.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Miru, the younger of her two sisters, mumbled, looking across the valley.

    ¡°It¡¯s so much bigger than I thought,¡± Lura replied, vision drawn to the large Quen¡¯Talrat fortress they¡¯d heard about.

    There were a few spots in the Wixum territory where you could spot the massive tower that shot into the sky, showing the unthinkable minds of the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    ¡°Honestly,¡± her father mumbled, gazing at the walls and structures visible on the Northern Shelf, ¡°did they think they could reach The Great River in the Sky before punishment was delivered?¡±

    ¡°Who can tell,¡± her mother responded.

    Utterly oblivious to the conversation, her younger brother, Delrin edged to the steep drop, glancing down at the rushing river below.  ¡°Has anyone jumped?¡±  He asked.

    ¡°Pfft,¡± Miru gave him a smirk, licking her two left teeth.  ¡°You kidding?  I wouldn¡¯t do it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lura mumbled, ¡°count me out.¡±

    ¡°Umm, I could do it!¡±  Koma huffed, giving her two elder sisters a challenging look.

    Her parents shooed them away from the area.

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not doing something stupid; I bet even the Xaria would hesitate before jumping that far down,¡± her mother grumbled.

    Her dad glanced around at the busy place.  ¡°We came here, Koma, and it looks like something¡¯s going on, but why did it have to be tonight?¡±

    ¡°Eh,¡± she glanced away, scratching her cheek as her family¡¯s foreheads furrowed.  ¡°To be honest, Xaria Ectria said she¡¯d train me if I came here, and she knew I was too young to come on my own¡­¡±

    ¡°Hold up, what?¡±  Lura glared at her.  ¡°You had us trek all the way up here for something stupid like that?¡±

    ¡°No!  There¡¯s an army coming, too,¡± Koma shot back.

    ¡°Say that again,¡± her father bent down to her level.  ¡°An army is coming?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Umm, well, the thing is ¡­ I don¡¯t really know,¡± Koma mumbled.

    Her mother knelt beside her.  ¡°Who told you this?¡±

    ¡°Xaria Ectria.  She came to tell Jama, you know¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Xaria Kole¡¯s wife.¡±

    ¡°Mhm, she came to tell her that the Delthax couldn¡¯t help the Wixum, and come here.¡±

    ¡°The Chief¡­¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Koma quickly interrupted, knowing what they were going to say.  ¡°Chief Yimara said they won¡¯t fight, and we¡¯ll just offer gifts and hope they don¡¯t kill us!¡±

    Both her parents straightened, giving each other worried looks.  Her father cleared his throat before giving them reassuring smiles.  ¡°Okay, Lura, watch over your sisters and don¡¯t move from here.  Okay?  Your mother and I are going to go around and see what we can learn.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Lura grumbled, giving her a dirty look.  ¡°Isn¡¯t she just trying to get attention?  How do we even know the Delthax Xaria even talked to her?¡±

    Koma¡¯s blue cheeks darkened.  ¡°I¡¯m not telling a lie!¡±

    ¡°Lura.¡±

    ¡°Fine¡­¡±  Her eldest sister pouted, dropping to her butt to cross her legs.  ¡°You lick toes.¡±

    ¡°I do not,¡± Koma shouted.  ¡°You lick toes!¡±

    Miru snickered.  ¡°You always repeat her.¡±

    ¡°Nu-uh!  You repeat her.¡±

    ¡°By the Chief¡¯s eyes,¡± Lura sighed, grumpily looking away.  ¡°I could have been spending time with Iroan.¡±

    Delrin glanced between his three elder sisters.  ¡°Do you lick toes; isn¡¯t that kind of gross?  There¡¯s dirt and stuff all over toes, right?  That¡¯s what¡¯s on my toes¡­¡±  He mumbled, wiggling them to draw their attention.

    All three girl¡¯s cheeks flushed.  ¡°See what you did,¡± Koma growled.

    ¡°Shut-up ¡­ no, Delrin, we don¡¯t lick toes.¡±

    ¡°Huh?  Didn¡¯t you two say¡­¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    The four sat in silence, parents looking for some answers, but they were forced to move off when no one had any, and after a while, their attention was snatched by a flurry of noise.

    Koma¡¯s heart rose as Ectria raced into view, almost a blur.  ¡°She¡¯s back!¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Miru followed her line of sight.  ¡°Oh, Xaria Ectria?¡±

    ¡°Wait, she looks kinda scared, doesn¡¯t she?¡±  Lura mumbled.

    She wanted to violently protest her sister¡¯s comment, but she couldn¡¯t deny it; her role model was shaken by something.

    ¡°Hey, Lura, isn¡¯t that the Delthax Chief?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve seen him around a few times¡­¡±

    Their commentary died as the Chief, a young Ri¡¯bot woman, and the three Xaria separated from the throng of Delthax to speak in private beside the cliff.  Everyone watched them with anticipation; something big was happening.

    Lura¡¯s throat constricted as reality started settling in for her.  ¡°Wait ¡­ is there going to be a war?  If the Delthax¡ªthey¡¯re not going to help us¡ªwhat if Iroan dies?¡±

    ¡°Well, he¡¯s not a Warrior,¡± Miru noted.

    Koma sniffed.  ¡°Yeah, so he¡¯ll be killed super fast.¡±

    Tears sprang to her sister¡¯s eyes, and Lura shoved her down.  ¡°Don¡¯t say that!¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡±  Koma growled.  ¡°I¡¯m just saying, if a war happens, then everyone back home is really weak.  You know what the Delthax Warriors say.¡±

    Miru licked her teeth.  ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Me either,¡± Delrin piped up.

    Her voice dropped to a whisper as she righted herself, eldest sister giving her an uncertain stare.  ¡°The Flex and Lethix have only one or two females.¡±

    ¡°They don¡¯t have moms?¡±  Delrin asked, eyes growing wide.

    ¡°No way,¡± Miru mumbled.  ¡°They¡¯ve gotta have moms.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what she¡¯s saying, tongue brain,¡± Lura whispered.

    ¡°You don¡¯t gotta be rude,¡± her sister grunted, folding her arms.

    ¡°They¡¯ll kill all the men,¡± Lura mumbled, legs collapsing as the thought ran through her mind.  ¡°They¡¯ll kill Iroan¡­¡±

    Koma¡¯s lips tucked under, suddenly feeling bad for her oldest sister; marrying age for women in the Wixum was a bit higher than what they¡¯d heard it was in Delthax because of the high female population, and for Lura to have a reliable companion choice was commendable and was seen as a pretty big deal for them.  It was getting close to the time where they¡¯d seal the marriage.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be okay¡­¡±  She reassured, but it didn¡¯t come out as confident as she would have liked.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lura hiccuped, rubbing her eyes.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ hopefully.¡±

    Delrin got up, waddling over to hug his big sister.  ¡°It¡¯s okay!  Koma¡¯s strong; she wins all my friends in games.¡±

    Miru scratched her head.  ¡°What?  There¡¯s no way Koma could fight a Flex or Lethix.  Why aren¡¯t the Delthax protecting us, though?  The Chief said we don¡¯t have to worry.¡±

    ¡°Well, they aren¡¯t now,¡± Koma shrugged.  ¡°Xaria Ectria said they¡¯re too strong.¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­ but they should still protect us, though, right?¡±

    She¡¯s such a tongue brain¡­

    Her focus shifted to Xaria Ectria with alarm; her expression wasn¡¯t carefree and cheery, in fact, it looked like she was really depressed with the other woman as Xaria Meji ushered them into the village.

    What happened?  Why are they¡­  Her gut told her something didn¡¯t feel right.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back¡­¡±

    Lura didn¡¯t seem to hear her as she hugged their little brother, tears still falling down her cheeks; he was spouting random things to make her feel better in the confident tone only a child that had no clue about the situation could give.  Miru just watched her go with a passive expression, clearly not caring enough to stop her.

    Following the three, she watched Xaria Meji enter a big hut that had to be the Chief¡¯s by the size before exiting alone a few moments later.  ¡°Huh?¡±

    Meiji didn¡¯t look happy; no, he looked angry, mumbling under his breath while returning to the Chief.

    Watching him leave, she noticed her parents just in eyesight.  Tongue slapper!

    She ducked behind some pots, waiting for them to finish their conversation.  It didn¡¯t take long; they moved on to a new person further away, the throng of Ri¡¯bot becoming boisterous in the direction of the gate.  She¡¯d seen the face they made only a few times; they were worried.

    Koma snuck into the hut, eyes widening as she saw the two women crying; she could understand the Ri¡¯bot that looked seven years old; after all, she was probably even younger than her middle sister.  However, seeing her favorite Xaria¡¯s wet cheeks was a shock.

    ¡°Xaria Ectria, why are you in here?¡±  Her focus didn¡¯t move from her icon.  ¡°You¡¯re crying?¡±

    Ectria sniffed, clearing her throat.  ¡°Koma ¡­ your family¡¯s still here?¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    She closed her eyes, head drooping.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid¡ªI might have made a mistake, bringing you here.  You should return as quickly¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait,¡± the younger Ri¡¯bot silenced the Xaria, holding up her hand before whipping at her cheeks.  ¡°Wait, Ectria ¡­ she could be the answer to our prayers.¡±

    ¡°Answer to our prayers; what are you talking about, Nina?¡±

    The name instantly clicked; no one in Wixum didn¡¯t know of the Plant Caller in training within the Delthax.  The mysterious Mysticism was the fantasy of many youthful games, trying to see if they had the gift.

    ¡°She can deliver a message to the Supreme Chief.¡±

    Koma understood the first part, but the latter flew right over her head.  I can deliver a message ¡­ to who?  The Supreme Chief¡­  ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Is your tongue attached to your throat?¡±  Ectria shot back, tone hardening again.  ¡°She¡¯s only five, and you want to entrust the entire¡ªthe eternity of our Clan to her?¡±

    Nina sighed, closing her eyes while taking a long breath.  ¡°My tongue is perfectly fine where it is.  I understand your reservations, but what other choice do we have?¡±  She paused, glancing down at the wooden planks fingers tightening into fists.  ¡°Somethings wrong, Ectria ¡­ I feel nervous about my brother¡¯s plan, and I fear we are missing something important.¡±

    Whatever was being discussed was way over her head.  ¡°Umm, Xaria Ectria, Plant Caller Nina ¡­ eh, what do you want me to do?¡±

    Nina and Ectria spent the next few minutes arguing; the Xaria eventually gave in, and the story they told made Koma¡¯s legs weak.  She collapsed to the floor, knees trembling long before they finished.

    ¡°S-Supreme Chief Elinor¡ªof the,¡± she swallowed, ¡°of the Pits?  S-She¡ªyou want me¡ªover there¡ªto a ¡­ no, no, no, no!¡±  Koma scrambled back, jumping as her back struck the wall.  ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t talk to a Supreme Chief!, and Supreme Chief of the Storms, Yesenia is¡ªThe Supreme Chiefs at war?  The Pits ¡­ what if she throws me in?  I don¡¯t know how to talk to Supreme Chiefs!¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± Nina pleaded.  ¡°Koma, if you do not do this ¡­ I have a terrible premonition that we are making a terrible mistake.  I would never go against my brother unless I knew he was making a horrifying miscalculation that jeopardizes our Clan¡ªthis is even worse than I can express.¡±

    Ectria took a deep breath, scratching her neck, and after a moment, licked her single tooth.  ¡°Look, Koma ¡­ this is what I told you was stronger than what the Delthax could handle.¡±

    Yeah, no duh ¡­ a Supreme Chief!

    ¡°Actually, we kind of left out the fact that there might be multiple Supreme Chiefs on Empress Elinor¡¯s side in this conflict.¡±

    ¡°Great¡ªyeah, great ¡­ what are the other Supreme Chiefs over?¡±

    Nina shook her head.  ¡°I can¡¯t be certain, but what I do know is that they are coming, if not already here, and if my brother attacks her¡ªwe will all die.¡±

    ¡°The Pits?¡±  Koma squeaked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    A lump dropped down her throat, the world going black as she quaked; sweat was pouring out of her skin.  ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t know if I can do it¡ªno, I can¡¯t!¡±

    Ectria sucked on her lower lip, causing a few popping sounds.  ¡°I don¡¯t know if you coming here was really a sign¡ªI can¡¯t, but what I do know is that you were the only child I felt was worthy of my time.¡±

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Koma¡¯s nerves started to balance out.  Opening her eyes, she stared at her role model.  ¡°You¡ªmean it?  Even the Delthax kids¡ªthey¡¯re so much better than me, though.¡±

    She grunted, giving her a sad smirk.  ¡°Maybe in discipline and practice, but in spirit¡ªno, not even close.¡±  Ectria glanced at the Plant Caller.  ¡°Maybe Nina¡¯s right¡ªyou being here is a sign, and it has to be you ¡­ someone not a part of the Delthax Clan, pleading our case.¡±

    ¡°What should I say?¡±

    The two renowned figures smiled at her.  ¡°The truth.¡±

    * * *

    Koma rubbed her left arm as she slowly walked out of the village.  She dodged into a nearby burrow, likely created by kids as she heard her parents calling out for her; they sounded desperate, but she was on a mission now¡ªher first mission, given to her by a Xaria.

    Waiting for them to pass, she ducked out and crept away from the living area, moving to the gates where a crowd so big was gathered that it could have been the entire Delthax population.

    Warriors stood atop the walls while citizens carried spears and bags full of dark thorn barbs; they certainly appeared ready for war.  Murmurs were sweeping the group.

    ¡°Is there really an army out there?¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that bad; I heard it was only like a hundred Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    ¡°What are you talkin¡¯ about; didn¡¯t you hear about the flaming Th¨¦lm¨¦thra and Quen¡¯Talrat?¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not right ¡­ all the Quen¡¯Talrat died in the Fire Wars.¡±

    ¡°Right?  And who¡¯s ever heard of a flaming Th¨¦lm¨¦thra?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot!¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s an idiot?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, the Elder Chief told us that so many times when we were growing up.¡±

    ¡°Who told you about the Quen¡¯Talrat, huh?  I bet it was Imra; he¡¯s always twisting his tongue.¡±

    ¡°Xaria Meji.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Xaria Meji!¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    They fell silent, shifting uncomfortably while giving nervous looks at the closed blackwood gate.

    ¡°Flaming Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    ¡°Damn.¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    Koma knew about the legendary creatures from her talk with Ectria and Nina, but it still sent a shiver down her spine.  Okay ¡­ I just need to get over there and talk to ¡­ Empress Elinor.

    Her small size helped her navigate through the lines.  They were too busy to pay her much attention as news of who stood on the other side of the gate continued to spread.

    She reached the stairs, leading up to the top of the wall when a voice spoke; it was all around her but wasn¡¯t booming or overbearing.  Everyone seemed to hear it as if right next to them.  The soft, refined tone held a dignity that was somewhat new to Koma.

    ¡°My name is Empress Elinor, The One Above All, Supreme Chief of the Pits.¡±

    The voice paused as the Delthax Chief shouted.  ¡°We know who you are, Supreme Chief of the Pits!  I see my great grandfather standing before your hoard; I have bad news for you, Supreme Chief; we have chosen to side with the Supreme Chief of Storms, Yesenia, and she will save us from your wrath!¡±

    A confused murmur swept through the crowd at their Chief¡¯s words, and Koma hurried to the top; she swallowed, blinking before getting her first look at a Supreme Chief.

    Empress Elinor was a strange-looking creature, wearing cloth like a few of the races the Elder Chief had described during the Fire Wars; speaking of the Chief and fire, both were present.  She¡¯d never seen nor heard of green flames, but they surrounded the Supreme Chief, and she assumed the Ri¡¯bot below her was Valdar.

    Koma had seen the Elder Chief on a few occasions, few hadn¡¯t, but this version of the legendary figure was new to her; he looked young, strong, and very concerned.

    The calm Empress sat upon an Elite Hunter¡¯s palm, held high into the air while showing no sign of being affected by the Chief¡¯s retorts.

    A small army surrounded her; the Ri¡¯bot didn¡¯t look quite right, twitching every so often while grunting and popping their jaws.  A dozen fiery normal Quen¡¯Talrat were mixed among the throng, and the terrifying Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were being used as mounts by two more creatures with the same general appearance as the Empress.

    Most frightening, however, was the white and black Th¨¦lm¨¦thra beside the deity.  She couldn¡¯t bear to look at it for more than a few seconds before her knees began to quake.

    Those must be the Supreme Chiefs they mentioned ¡­ how am I supposed to get down?  There¡¯s barbs and spikes everywhere.  Will they even hear me if¡­

    Her thoughts trailed off as Elinor spoke.  ¡°Supreme Chief of Storms?¡±

    ¡°We know of the war in the Heavens!¡±  Chief Kalix bellowed.

    By the Warriors¡¯ murmurs, a few did not, but several spoke up with confidence.

    ¡°We know what you did to the Elder Chief!¡±

    ¡°We stand with the Supreme Chief of Storms!¡±

    ¡°Supreme Chief Yesenia, save us from this usurper!¡±

    She couldn¡¯t see past the Empress that well with the fading light as the sun fell, and the breeze was dying down, allowing their voices to be heard across a greater distance.

    Everyone froze as a soft giggle left the Supreme Chief¡¯s throat; Valdar looked up at her with a troubled expression.  ¡°You know about the war in Heaven.  Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yes!  The signs were clear; the Holy Stones with the storm was the calling of Supreme Chief Yesenia, descending with the Chiefs of old to chase after you; she will hunt you down!¡±

    Shocked and excited voices rose with the news as more Ri¡¯bot joined in the prayer, but the noise slowly died with the Empress¡¯ next revelation.

    ¡°I¡¯m somewhat overjoyed, Chief Kalix¡ªand disappointed, at the same time.  Yes, there is a war¡ªhowever, Supreme Chief Yesenia is not my enemy,¡± she giggled.

    The prayers ground to a halt.  ¡°W-What?¡±  Kalix mumbled, voice picking up volume.  ¡°N-No, the storm¡ªthis is a trap!¡±

    ¡°You think the Supreme Chiefs lie?  My, how bold the Ri¡¯bot have become.¡±

    There were a few distant protests from a few Ri¡¯bot near the Empress; it appeared as if the Wixum, Lethix, and Flex clan Chiefs and Xaria were present before her, bowing, which sent a quake through her body.

    This is for real!  A Supreme Chief ¡­ she¡¯s not an enemy of Yesenia.  Then¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t save us, would she?  Is that what Nina was scared of ¡­ her gut feeling?

    ¡°Be that as it may, you did not say that Supreme Chief Yesenia would not come to our aid.  We follow her, and you said it yourself, you are not enemies, but that does not make you allies.  The Nalveans have taken the Supreme Chief in as their Goddess, and we serve her as well.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I may not be quite so friendly with Yesenia ¡­ yet.  We still need to discuss such things after our descent.  Valdar, why don¡¯t you illuminate your great-grandson on why I am here.¡±

    Valdar walked forward, taking on a cool and commanding presence that outstripped anything she¡¯d seen him wear before.

    ¡°Chief Kalix, I will make a full account of my failings.  The Gateway was a test¡ªI read the situation wrong ¡­ misunderstood the message sent by The Jungle, and for that, I have paid the price.¡±

    ¡°You cannot be my great-grandfather!¡±  Kalix spat, hands gripping the side of the wooden barrier in front of him.  ¡°My great-grandfather would never stand beside the Flex and Lethix!¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Valdar breathed out a depressed sigh.  ¡°You cannot let go of your hatred¡ªeven with a walking miracle in front of you.¡±

    ¡°All I see is a curse, placed on our Elder Chief,¡± Kalix shouted.  ¡°I swear I will release you!¡±

    ¡°My boy¡ªplease, don¡¯t make the same mistake.¡±  He glanced around the wall, eyes lingering on her for a moment.  ¡°My Clansmen.  Empress Elinor is merciful and just, but mercy cannot overpower the demands of justice.  I cannot pay for your sins.¡±

    His pleading words made Koma¡¯s skin prickle.

    ¡°Pay for our sins?¡±

    ¡°What have we done?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything, have you?¡±

    ¡°Not that I know of¡­¡±

    ¡°Please, before it¡¯s too late, let me explain.  The Empress has gifted me this opportunity in her mercy.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear the lies she forces you to say through your revered lips!¡±  Meji shouted, lifting a large rock, the size of his fist.

    Xaria Kole held out a hand.  ¡°Please, wait ¡­ if it¡¯s Elder Chief Valdar, we owe it to him, even if it¡¯s a trick.  Chief¡­¡±

    The two Xaria locked dangerous eyes, both arms shaking as Kole countered his strength.

    After a moment¡¯s thought, Kalix¡¯s nose twisted.  ¡°Fine ¡­ this is only proving Supreme Chief Elinor¡¯s unrighteous dominion!¡±

    What?  How did he come up with that?  When should I say something?  I just¡ªI don¡¯t know¡­

    ¡°The Supreme Chief has made me aware ¡­ there is a war in the Heavens, and she was forced into our Realm with many other Supreme Chiefs.  With her great power, she forced all of the Heavenly hosts to descend, and here, they are rebuilding their strength for another battle.

    ¡°Supreme Chiefs Edmon, Tiffany, and Iris have joined Empress Elinor, Supreme Chief of the Pits; they serve The One Above All.  She is not a usurper, but there are other Supreme Chiefs that seek her position.¡±

    Koma was fascinated by the story; she¡¯d never dreamed such an event was possible, and here she was, living through it.  She could personally serve The One Above All, talk with her as she speaks with her parents, and it seemed everyone else was stunned by the revelation as they listened.

    Not one, but four Supreme Chiefs stood before them, and one was the leader of the Heavenly hosts, ruler of the Pits, the gatekeeper of the Jungle in the Sky, now at war with her own court.

    ¡°It pains me to say, I mistook that great power that The Jungle showed me, and instead of reconciling with the idea of the Supreme Chiefs coming to us in person ¡­ I attacked them.  One of my closest friends, Chief Komath, attacked Supreme Chiefs Edmon and Tiffany ¡­ the young Xaria is paying the price for such a sin.¡±

    Kalix snorted.  ¡°We are siding with Supreme Chief Yesenia.  Why should we continue to listen to you prattle on about a Supreme Chief that has lost the grip of her power?¡±

    ¡°Watch your tongue, boy,¡± Valdar snapped, shutting the Chief¡¯s jaw with the heat in his tone, and showing a hint of the legend he was known for.  ¡°I will not have you disrespecting the Supreme Chief again, or I will be forced to subjugate you myself.¡±

    Koma¡¯s skin prickled with unease as a low hum sounded from the earth with a soft pulse that ran up her leg.  The Elder Chief was a Plant Caller ¡­ a powerful one.

    A lump dropped down her throat, and she cursed her body, eyes reflexively closing.  Focusing again, she noticed everyone was on alert.

    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to warn you of, is that Supreme Chief Yesenia is not happy with the Ri¡¯bot ¡­ she came down with Empress Elinor, and was a part of our raid of the Gateway.  Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?  Have you not connected the dots from what Jolah, Keali, Nular, and dozens of other Warriors witnessed during our attack upon the followers of Supreme Chief Elinor and Supreme Chief Yesenia?¡±

    Oh ¡­ oh, that¡¯s not good.  The picture started to unfold in Koma¡¯s mind.  That¡¯s why Empress Elinor laughed at them calling upon Supreme Chief Yesenia?  They believe they¡¯ll be saved when they insulted and attacked her ¡­ wow, that¡¯s stupid.  I thought the Delthax Chief was supposed to be smart?

    Her vision returned to Valdar as his tone became sad.

    ¡°I¡¯ll say it another way, my son.  There is no Ri¡¯bot that can sacrifice his own blood to atone for the sins of another.  If Jolah murdered Empress Elinor¡¯s loyal follower, would her law ¡­ no, even our own law, which is just, take the life of her brother?  No.

    ¡°The law requires the life of she who hath murdered, and there are many lives on her hand alone; therefore, nothing short of an infinite sacrifice on her part could wash her hands clean ¡­ the Pits is the destination for her.¡±

    A fearful voice spoke up, hesitating a few times.  ¡°B-But Elder Chief¡ªy-you were there, too.  We didn¡¯t do it alone!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t feed into the lie, Jolah!¡±  Kalix growled.  ¡°You broke no laws!¡±

    Koma had to support herself with her hands, arms pressed against a flattened wooden plank that guarded the Warriors against possible projectiles shot from below.  Do I even need to say anything?  The Supreme Chief knew everything with one question ¡­ wait, was she doing this for us¡ªthem?  This was for the Delthax to recognize the error of their ways.  Is she that merciful?

    ¡°But Chief ¡­ he¡¯s not wrong¡ªwe did kill them ¡­ hundreds, and if¡ªif they were followers of the Supreme Chiefs¡­¡±

    ¡°No!  It¡¯s not true!  The Roxim and Komath understand something is wrong with this, and that¡¯s why they¡¯re leaving the valley ¡­ I know there¡¯s something she¡¯s not telling us!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s voice returned, just as calm and pervasive as before.  ¡°The Komath and Roxim are leaving the valley ¡­ hmm.¡±  Her tone lightened.  ¡°Your Elder Chief has given you words of wisdom, pleaded for your behalf, and even went through the Pits, paying for his own crimes, including those he inflicted upon the other Supreme Chiefs.

    ¡°A second in the Pits is an eternity upon the mortal plane.  Your family, ancestors, and yes, each and every one of you will pass through before my seat to be judged for your works. Many steps precede entry into paradise.  Among those, you will give an account to me, and if your heart is pure, then you will be light as a feather to swim across the Great River in the Heavens.  Weighted down by sin¡ªdragged into the Pits to be purged of your impurities within the melting pot.¡±

    A quake shot through every Ri¡¯bot and Koma wasn¡¯t the only one sweating.

    ¡°I tell you now, even if you reject me ¡­ you will still stand before me upon your dying day¡ªand I will remember you.¡±

    Kalix¡¯s blue skin was dark with anger as she finished.  ¡°Lies, lies, lies!  Attack!¡±  Kalix roared.

    A few Warriors glanced left and right, waiting for the first to respond, but most shied back.

    Xaria Meji jumped down, soon followed by several tough-looking Warriors, and Xaria Kole begrudgingly took up the rear, clearly disturbed by the evolving situation.

    Empress Elinor was the first to respond, Valdar returning to the Supreme Chief with a crestfallen expression.  ¡°If you wish to fight, I will not stop you.  In fact, I will only send one representative.  If you manage to cut Grand Chief Camellia, then I will consider your spirit and determination sacrifice enough to leave you in peace.¡±

    One of the Warriors gasped as a red-furred creature; similar to Elinor bounced forward with giddy laughter.  ¡°Oh, this will be so much fun!¡±

    Sucking on her lower lip, Koma nudged the Warrior.  ¡°Who is that?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know,¡± he mumbled.  ¡°How should I have known that¡ªthat creature was a Grand Chief?¡±

    Koma frowned, returning her focus to Camellia.  The Heavens recognize Anicent Chiefs for their powerful contributions to the Ri¡¯bot race as a whole ¡­ no, wait, maybe more than just the Ri¡¯bot?  I don¡¯t know ¡­ they¡¯re usually strong Warriors of some kind, though, and all the Xaria need to do is cut this Grand Chief for everyone to be forgiven?  Sounds too easy.

    She tensed as they all ran at Camellia, surrounding her, but all she did was stand in the center, waiting for their attack.  What¡¯s she doing?

    The air in her lungs caught as the Warrior¡¯s tongues slid into their pouches, pulling out blackthorn barbs before showering her with the projectiles.  Well, that was ¡­ huh?

    Camellia stretched out, humming in an uninterested tone as the sharp edges struck her skin, bouncing harmlessly to the ground.  ¡°C¡¯mon, no, not those weak things again!  Come here; fight me!¡±

    She darted forward; the nearest Warrior kept his hard wooden shield up to protect himself while drawing her focus; the others closed in.  Koma¡¯s mouth dropped open; within moments, three elite Delthax Warriors were pasted across the grass and rocks, shields turned into splinters while the remaining six retreated with sharp curses.

    The Grand Chief had only made one singular motion with her fur, flattening three Ri¡¯bot while sending green globs of blood, bone, and guts spraying across their companions.  Horrified cries gave rise, and more than one Delthax lost their dinner, including Koma, as the Grand Chief reached down to snack on the remains.

    Koma¡¯s stomach heaved after the initial shock; she¡¯d never seen carnage like this.  She¡ªate them¡­

    ¡°Mmh, sour¡ªso good!¡±  She squealed, grabbing what looked like a heart before biting into it.

    Jama¡¯s terrified voice cut past the throng.  ¡°Kole, come back; don¡¯t fight the Grand Chief!¡±

    ¡°This is Empress Elinor¡¯s true image!¡±  Kalix bellowed.  ¡°This is what she will do to us all; we must fight!¡±

    ¡°Are you insane?¡±  Kole¡¯s wife accused.  ¡°Their spears broke on contact¡ªshe¡¯s literally eating them; it¡¯s hopeless!

    ¡°I concur,¡± Elinor replied, voice still soft yet easily heard.  ¡°Grand Chiefs come from many different races, and some are¡ªmore brutal than others.  If you recall, I did not want this outcome¡­¡±

    Xaria Kole jumped back a few feet before yelling, ¡°Meji, don¡¯t!¡±

    Koma didn¡¯t know what happened.  The Xaria had vanished from sight as the light of the setting sun played with her vision.

    ¡°A pity,¡± Elinor sighed.  ¡°Attacking me directly was a mistake, Meji ¡­ the Pits await.¡±

    Her eyes stopped on two halves of a Ri¡¯bot; Xaria Meji, the strongest of the Delthax Warriors, lay in two pieces, cut down the center, two meters in front of the Supreme Chief.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    She wasn¡¯t the only one to sound confused with the outcome.

    Elinor¡¯s head moved to Kole as he stared at his fallen Warrior in disbelief, and she spoke clearly and distinctly.  ¡°I offer this one last time with the final warning.  If you surrender and comply, then I will be your Goddess.  Refuse me¡­¡±

    She paused, a hand lifting to direct their attention to a large piece of cloth, hiding what was underneath.  ¡°This will be your light punishment before entering the Pits.  Supreme Chief Tiffany.¡±

    One of the figures sitting upon a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra rose, clearing her feminine voice.  ¡°Allow me to introduce a familiar face, your fellow Warrior and sinner, Folcra.¡±

    The sheet was removed.

    Koma¡¯s hands shot to her mouth.  The Warrior was pinned to a cross-shaped log with several long metal spikes; foreign symbols burned into his blue flesh, tears streaming down his cheeks as his teeth dug into his lips.

    Chief Kalix jumped off the battlement, fury in his voice.  ¡°Enough!  I said attack!  Attack, damn you, cowards!

    ¡°Observe a minor punishment!¡±

    Supreme Chief Tiffany placed her right middle and thumb together, causing a sharp snap.

    The symbols glowed, and even the Chief slowed to a horrified halt as they observed the nightmare.

    Folcra¡¯s ribs poked through his skin, loud cracks and pops resounded throughout the area, seemingly amplified by the Supreme Chief¡¯s power.  Nerves, bone, and veins popped out of his writhing muscles, forced through the skin before the wounds knitted around the objects, exposing what was supposed to be tucked safely inside.  Green blood oozed from the ripped flesh as the process continued.

    The Warrior didn¡¯t even grunt, but his bloodshot eyes told them everything.  The silence between each snap, pop, and crack was worse than screams.  Soon, his lungs were outside his body, pumping frantically, followed by the heart.

    Next, green blood, oozing out of his eyes, nose, ears, nails, mouth and organs, more than a body should hold.  It kept flowing, cascading in layers down the exposed parts to pool below, painting the black wood a sickly color.

    The blue in his skin and vivid green began to discolor, wrinkling as he aged; his eyes fell out of their socket, tongue dangling with the remaining sinew while he continued to suffer.

    Kole dropped to his knees, seemingly losing the will to fight with the other Warriors that had followed Meji.

    It lasted forever; Koma could hear the blood pumping in her own ears with each sickening noise.  She didn¡¯t know how long it lasted, but her legs were weak by the end, and eventually, Folcra croaked his last breath.

    ¡°Monster¡­¡±  Kalix mumbled in dismay, unable to process everything that happened, staring at the horrifying disfigured thing that had once been one of his best Warriors.  ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this!¡±

    He turned to find Valdar beside him, Koma hadn¡¯t even noticed him change locations, too focused on Supreme Chief Tiffany¡¯s presentation.

    ¡°What¡ªno, why¡­¡±

    The Chief¡¯s own knife was lodged in his chest, held by his great grandfather as the whole Clan witnessed their leader¡¯s shocking death.  Kalix left hand jerked up to wrap around Valdar¡¯s hand, right shaking while grasping the back of his killer¡¯s neck.

    ¡°I gave you this knife when you were eight ¡­ it belonged to your father.  He would be so disappointed if he could see you now¡ªmaybe, Empress Elinor willing, someday, you can join him after paying for your sins.  Goodbye, Kalix ¡­ I love you.¡±  He twisted the dagger, ending his life.

    Not a soul moved, locked in limbo as their world fell apart around them.

    As if reminding them that this could have all been avoided.  Empress Elinor¡¯s sad voice stung their ears.  ¡°If only you had opened your heart.  I will leave Valdar and the other Chiefs to stabilize your Clan.  Once a new Chief has been selected, Valdar will lead you back to my Throne Room for the next stage of my growing Empire.  Take this time to mourn and rejoice; peace has come to the valley. ¡±

    Her ghostly green eyes lifted to survey the petrified, and to Koma, if felt like there was no wall separating them; the Empress could get to them anywhere.  Turning away from the crowd, she left, taking what used to be Folcra with her.

    The moment her presence was no longer felt, the spell broke; they fell to their knees, tears dripping down their cheeks as they wailed.

    Koma¡¯s emotions mixed within her like a whirlwind, horror, elation, relief, and uncertainty.  She didn¡¯t know if she should laugh or not.  It was absurd; she¡¯d witnessed mercy and punishment of the highest order.

    I didn¡¯t need to do anything¡­ the Empress knew without me saying a thing.  No ¡­ did she read my mind¡ªmy heart ¡­ I felt that pulse.  Her hand pressed against her pounding chest.  She is The One Above All ¡­ she has to be!

 B1 â€” 51. Foundations Set

    Elinor¡¯s body was pressed against Quin¡¯s hand as he rushed through the jungle, racing back to the fortress. The sun had fallen below the horizon just as they were finishing up her conquest of the Delthax, and most of her army lagged behind, under orders to return.

    Edmon, Iris, Tiffany, Garu, and Camellia were with her; the Doom Guard and Witch still riding upon their eight-legged mounts, but at this pace, none of the jungle creatures would approach them. There was something about her Undead that made the majority of the native residents shy away; of course, it could have also been the green flames that frightened the wildlife off.

    Her green aura had diminished, Lich¡¯s Conquest deactivating after Chief Kalix¡¯s revelation; the Komath and Roxim were leaving the valley, she¡¯d won the territorial dispute. Tomorrow would bring rise to a new battle as she moved to occupy the rest of the valley, but the war was settled for now.

    Tiffany was still in communication with Valdar, keeping tabs of who was being put in the line-up for the next Chief. There was some debate as different candidates were discussed and which one would be the best choice to serve the Empire they¡¯d become a part of. Not one Ri¡¯bot had opted to run away, all falling under her dominion, and she could feel the strength of her new religion growing inside her breast.

    The Empress mused upon the reception they¡¯d received from the Delthax, ignoring her surroundings as her minions did all the work. G-forces pressed against her body with the rapid movements they made, making it difficult to breathe, but she felt no pain and needed no air with her Artificial Body.

    After a time, she addressed Edmon.

    What was your impression of their interpretation?

    The DoomGuard sat cross-legged upon his mount, somehow staying attached without effort with its sharp jerks that occasionally brought him upside down, yet he didn¡¯t fall.

    ¡°Fortuitous, to be honest,¡± he replied with a mildly amused tone. ¡°The Ri¡¯bot haven¡¯t even seriously considered you to be an imposter, taking the name of their beloved deities, but instead, took all their beliefs and smashed them in a manner to accept it. Perhaps they¡¯ve always wanted a ruler or someone to tell them what to do?

    ¡°In any case, your status as One Above All has cemented in their minds, and to even think that they came up with a reason on their own that your powers had diminished from their infinite spectrum ¡­ a war in heaven that includes the changed woman taken by the Clavex.¡±

    Tiffany jumped in, cutting off her communication with Valdar as she finished.

    ¡°Most definitely!¡± She giggled. ¡°We learned so much, and apparently, much of that information came from a young Plant Caller within the Clan, a relative of Valdars.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Edmon¡¯s arms crossed. ¡°Is the information valid, then?¡±

    ¡°Valdar seems to think so, which means the Roxim and Komath have already determined they¡¯re not powerful enough to fight us.¡±

    Iris¡¯ stepped into the chat.

    ¡°Could it be a ruse, combining armies to march on the fortress while still open?¡±

    Tiffany brushed her hair back as the wind shifted directions, blowing it in her face. ¡°Mmh, I doubt it ¡­ I mean, the possibility is still there, though, and who knows how this Plant Caller magic functions, to begin with. I know almost nothing about the topic, other than the scant information Valdar¡¯s provided me. For all I know, The Jungle, as he calls it, is actually giving that young Mystic a false report, directed by another Plant Caller to deceive.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Edmon hummed. ¡°It is a little too early to decide, but we might be able to spot such a large exodus from the top of the fortress tower. If we could find some kind of binoculars, it would help a lot in monitoring the valley.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll work with what we can,¡± Tiffany dismissively replied. ¡°It¡¯s clear that we have a growing influence among the Ri¡¯bot, and I expect it will grow as Valdar educates missionaries to venture out.¡±

    Interested in the topic, Elinor cut in. How long will that take?

    Tiffany sucked in her bottom lip, vision falling to her mount as it skittered around and over obstacles to return them to the fortress, just over fifty-five miles back through the dense jungle from the Delthax village atop the western shelf.

    ¡°That¡¯s a bit difficult to determine, but it¡¯s not a complicated message to teach Ri¡¯bot. Really, we¡¯ll take the best parts of their own imagination and mold it into your religion, and the Delthax¡¯s interpretation, mixed with the Plant Caller¡¯s information, made their minds spin a wild tale ¡­ and if what Nina says is true¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Edmon¡¯s voice darkened. ¡°The Nalvea are worshiping Yesenia; it could pose a threat to you, Empress.¡±

    A threat to me, she repeated softly, thinking back upon the snake-like woman. I don¡¯t know anything about her, but she¡¯s gaining power south. We do share the same beginning, though; couldn¡¯t that work out for our favor?

    Tiffany had to shift her legs a little to keep her thighs positioned in a way so she wouldn¡¯t be thrown off, but her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was being much more careful with her than Edmon¡¯s since he didn¡¯t have the same balancing issues as the Witch.

    ¡°Umm¡ªit¡¯s viable that she could become an ally, but at the same time, she is not the same woman that she was before the Ri¡¯bot abducted her, killed almost everyone she knows and loves, while also trapping her in this nightmarish world. You are a testament to how drastically a person can change in such a short amount of time.¡±

    True, Elinor whispered, swallowing as the memories returned to her. It feels like months have gone by ¡­ but it¡¯s been less than thirty hours.

    A thought suddenly struck her, and it was so logical, but at the same time, the answer to her deeply seeded desire haunted her. I¡¯m a Lich Empress ¡­ controlling hordes of Undead.

    Edmon and Tiffany turned a quizzical eye toward her.

    I think ¡­ between me losing all my friends, and how things were changing at High School ¡­ I felt like a ghost. Friends weren¡¯t answering their phones, and some were saying we couldn¡¯t hang out anymore ¡­ I was afraid I would end up alone. I was feeling like a ghost ¡­ and now I kind of am. She whispered, left hand rising to brush against the gems housing her corrupted spirit.

    ¡°You¡¯ll never be alone!¡± Tiffany reassured. ¡°We¡¯ll always be here for you! Always!¡±

    Edmon jumped in. ¡°Not even death will separate you from those you love.¡±

    She could feel Iris¡¯ confusion upon her declaration, and she didn¡¯t respond since it was such a foreign concept to her.

    Elinor¡¯s green eyes fell to the jungle floor below as they swung through the trees; a sad smile touched her lips, experiencing the rare emotion before it faded.

    You¡¯re right. Elinor responded, but she hid her innermost thoughts from her Court. Is it real when they¡¯re created to serve me from the start? Maybe Tiffany subconsciously recognized this part of me. She made the religion to compensate ¡­ even if she doesn¡¯t approve of the living, or even recognize them as anything but tools.

    Am I really alone, and these are simply the constructs ¡­ imaginary friends I¡¯ve forged to fill that void inside me? I¡¯m scared ¡­ losing touch of everything I know. Will all this fade, and they¡¯ll just disappear like a phantom¡ªabandon me? No ¡­ they can¡¯t fade or leave ¡­ and there¡¯s another problem. I can¡¯t be alone.

    She quickly brushed the thoughts away, tightness in her chest dispersing as she discounted the rabbit hole as unproductive, and connected back to her nexus, regaining her composure.

    Continue with the missionary topic, Tiffany.

    ¡°Umm, yeah¡ªso,¡± Tiffany¡¯s concerned orange irises followed, but she did as she was ordered. ¡°Missionaries ¡­ we only have two Clans left in the valley.¡±

    ¡°If the Roxim and Komath have exited,¡± Iris corrected.

    ¡°Right ¡­ that goes without saying,¡± Tiffany mumbled, trying to hide her agitation. ¡°That means we have the Xaltan and Prume left. The Prume are a mystery; we should be cautious of them since the other Clans have so little contact. The Xaltan are supposedly having a difficult time with the humans the Komath handed over to them.¡±

    Elinor centered on the topic as they passed over a small brook below. That interests me. Why did the Komath choose to just release all of their prisoners? Was it to lighten their burden and travel faster?

    Edmon made a doubtful sound in his throat. ¡°Just because the Plant Caller was shown humans in the Xaltan territory and the Roxim and Komath leaving don¡¯t necessarily mean what it seems on the surface.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Iris stated, moving into an area she was more comfortable with. Her refined, lush voice was like the pretty teachers that all the school-boys fawned over, taking the class just because the instructor was attractive. ¡°The more difficult humans might have escaped the escort or been more trouble than they were worth keeping.¡±

    The Doom Guard picked up where she left off. ¡°That¡¯s the most likely scenario. My guess, the Komath needs a few humans as examples to show the other Clans they¡¯re hoping to ally with what you look like. They released most of their prisoners¡­¡±

    ¡°Likely all the men and most of the women,¡± Tiffany interjected. ¡°We should also include everyone that doesn¡¯t appear to have similar characteristics to you.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ so, they¡¯re probably holding all the teenage girls, releasing the rest.

    Edmon cleared this throat. ¡°It¡¯s not a terrible plan. They don¡¯t need humans but captured us to see if we¡¯d be worth anything. We were supposed to be like exotic cattle for trade among other Clans and races; however, it seems they were more trouble than they were worth.

    ¡°Of course, there could be another option. The Xaltan has the most influence in the valley, so what if they ambushed the Komath Clan? They stole all the goods they¡¯d taken from Earth, allowing them to return unharmed since they surrendered, unwilling to slow down with the possibility of your minions being in pursuit.¡±

    ¡°Oh!¡± Tiffany¡¯s eyes brightened with her smile, but it soon fell after a sharp bump nearly threw her off as the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra leaped over a log. ¡°Shoot ¡­ uh, what was I saying?¡±

    She barely got the question out before Edmon responded. ¡°Interrupting me as usual.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right!¡± The Witch brightly chimed without a hint of an apology, causing Edmon to breath a frustrated sigh. ¡°So, I got further clarification on the group that was fighting the Xaltan.¡±

    The annoyance Elinor felt in her connection to Edmon evaporated.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s so interesting,¡± Tiffany hummed, gathering her thoughts. ¡°They¡¯re definitely a small group of ability users, meaning they have the seed in them that Demon wants, which plants a target on their backs. There might be a power difference between each type of seed, but I believe Demon is the collecting type; he¡¯ll go after every one of them.¡±

    ¡°How many?¡± Iris questioned.

    ¡°Five, well¡ªarguably five that Nina saw. It could be seven or eight, but she wasn¡¯t positive ¡­ a bit of an unreliable power, I must admit. Perhaps they just don¡¯t know how to properly utilize it, though ¡­ oh, anyway, umm¡ªthey¡¯re growing in strength shockingly fast, and were able to form a group of small survivors.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s black helmet fell, staring at his armored legs. ¡°What else did she discover about them? Could they be a threat or possibly brought into the Empire¡ªdead or alive?¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± Tiffany responded. ¡°Nina could tell they were desperate, angry, and emotionally breaking down after so much trauma ¡­ it¡¯s not like most humans these days have to deal with an army coming in to make them slaves. These are simple South American, small villagers who go about their daily lives¡ªalthough, I believe one of them might be from the U.S. by her description.¡±

    ¡°You could tell their genders?¡±

    Tiffany giggled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put much faith in the young Ri¡¯bot¡¯s ability to spot the difference between male and female with so little experience, but it seems like there are three males and two females. They¡¯re moving southeast, though, and I doubt we¡¯d be able to find them in time.¡±

    ¡°I could,¡± Iris responded without hesitation.

    ¡°Eh¡ªI have no doubt, Iris, ¡± Edmon mumbled, helmet shifting to view the large Th¨¦lm¨¦thra moving ahead of them as she scouted out their path with Garu and Camellia keeping their perimeter. ¡°However, I¡¯d feel better if you were around in case of an attack, at least, until we arrive back at the fortress, and the Empress is safe in the tower.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t really like the thought of being cooped up indoors but knew it was the most logical decision until they had a chance to repair the broken fortress and search it for possible threats.

    Wait ¡­ while we wait for the Chiefs to gather and the missionaries to be sent out, my extra Zombies can search the rest of the fortress for possible threats.

    Edmon nodded, and Iris seemed to accept his opinion when she didn¡¯t counter it. ¡°That would be prudent, but I think it keeping a tight perimeter with some of our forces would be a better tactic; we can send the rest out to look for more Quen¡¯Talrat bones for you to revive.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Tiffany hummed at his proposal. ¡°That would be useful for our labor force. Zombies are only good for the fighting creatures that can be infected, usually targets with a circulatory system. Skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat will have much greater use in the long-run.¡±

    Seeing the logic in Edmon¡¯s plan, she accepted it.

    It took them nearly three hours to travel the fifty-five miles back to the fortress walls, and another thirty to navigate through the maze to the center tower, traveling about twenty-five miles an hour with her Undead mount through the even streets.

    Within that time, Elinor had a lot to think about. There was so much to prepare for, but this was the start; she had founded her kingdom, and it was taking shape before her eyes. She¡¯d need to build, explore, and develop relationships with kingdoms, destroying others.

    She entered through the front with her entourage, and the humans she¡¯d rescued gathered along the balcony as the noises they made echoed through the massive hall. There were a few cheerful welcomes, but most mumbled it in fear.

    Elinor gave them a soft smile, waving before entering the Throne Room, leaving Camellia to guard the door with Garu.

    She ordered her skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat to open the first doors and they entered, having it close them, move onto the next, and shut those.

    A soft sigh left Elinor¡¯s lips as she stared around the mythical room Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had designed; the radiant view hadn¡¯t changed in the least. A room of Life Energy ¡­ fueling a kingdom of the dead. How ironic.

    Ordering Quin to set her down, Edmon, Tiffany, and Iris joined her; she could feel the Doom Guard¡¯s nervousness spike as he stared around the room, spotting potential threats to her weakness against Life Energy everywhere, but he dealt with his discomfort.

    She expected her legs to almost buckle since she¡¯d been carried for most the day, but somehow, her legs hadn¡¯t lost any strength from non-use, and her bare feet folded over the evenly cut ocean green grass.

    Pawing the ground, she smiled; her Court stood at attention, not giving any outward indication about their thoughts as they waited. How can grass feel so soothing to the touch? This world has such strange things in it, and it¡¯s largely unexplored.

    Elinor walked up the small hill to the fruit Tiffany had left, but paused as Tiffany held out her hand; Edmon scooped her up and jumped all the way back across the bridge, massive shield appearing to defend her. Iris seemed perfectly fluid and relaxed, but through her connection to the Spider Queen, Elinor knew she was ready to attack the picked fruit.

    ¡°Wait ¡­ it¡¯s changed,¡± Tiffany whispered.

    ¡°How?¡± Edmon demanded, already well back, and prepped before Tiffany finished her statement.

    Elinor hadn¡¯t gotten a good look at it before Edmon had carried her away, making her peek around the Doom Guard¡¯s cross-like shield.

    ¡°Small glowing veins are protruding from the skin,¡± she mumbled, snapping her fingers to generate a ball of Witch Fire.

    Examining the Life Fruit, Tiffany released a dark hum. ¡°The flow of Life Energy has increased dramatically ¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a defensive response to being plucked or being corrupted and drawn out? There was a reaction to the Empress¡¯ interaction before, but it was expanding ¡­ now, it¡¯s receding, pulling into a tight, fast ball of swirling force.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Iris asked. ¡°Should I toss it toward the wall? Smashing it might release the energy, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tiffany groaned, running her fingers through her hair, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if any physical action is advised.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision fell to one of the colorful flowers, pondering her choices.

    If I don¡¯t extract energy ¡­ in less than two hours, my army will be destroyed, including Garu and Quin. The Spider Sisters will take a massive hit as their energy is extracted to pay for their continual existence ¡­ the same with my Court. I need this, or all this work I¡¯ve done will be in danger of falling apart.

    Elinor¡¯s glowing green eyes hardened as she made up her mind. ¡°Tiffany, should we store that somewhere else and pluck a new one?¡±

    Edmon didn¡¯t like her response. ¡°Empress, I¡¯d rather we leave immediately.¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Her three Court members¡¯ eyes locked on her, and Quin¡¯s large skeletal body stiffened at her tone.

    ¡°I will not lose all that I¡¯ve gained, or be afraid of something because it¡¯s a mystery to us; I cannot live while retreating to safety every time an unknown element shows up.¡±

    Tiffany seemed conflicted. ¡°Yes, but Dear, this is literally your kryptonite. I couldn¡¯t tell you how large an explosion it might cause if something this dense in Life Energy were to break out. It¡¯s condensing further than before, pulling in at a constant rate.¡±

    ¡°Then use your Witch¡¯s Fire to move it to the corner of the room, and we will test the next one to see if it goes through the same process. Isn¡¯t it you that is focused on experimentation?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ but not when it puts your life in danger,¡± Tiffany pleaded.

    ¡°We¡¯ll go forward with the test,¡± Elinor stated, feeling the internal stress building in Tiffany, but the calm that fell over Edmon and Iris surprised her. Tiffany¡¯s more resistant than Edmon or Iris about this ¡­ I thought she¡¯d be the most interested in discovering the mysteries connected to this fruit.

    Tiffany scratched the back of her head with irritation, hair bunching as she glared down at the Life Fruit. ¡°Could¡ªwould you please move to the opposite side of the room while I transport it, and Edmon¡­¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even have to ask.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± She whispered something under her breath, but Elinor already knew what it must have been. This is such a terrible idea!

    The Witch carefully carried the hazardous object in her Witch¡¯s Fire when Elinor was safely on the left side of the room, standing beside Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s bones. She set it down, leaning against the wall before retreating.

    ¡°Pick another and put it a few feet away from the other so we can test to see how it responds.¡±

    Tiffany begrudgingly complied, and Quin shifted nervously, feeling the tension within the Nexus as if he were a boy watching his parents argue.

    Upon completing the task, she brought over the third Life Fruit, unwilling to allow her any closer to the possible threat. ¡°Please¡ªdon¡¯t be so reckless,¡± Tiffany said while approaching, giving a forced laugh, ¡°you¡¯re taking years off my life.¡±

    Even if it was in a light manner, she knew the Witch was terrified about the threat the fruit brought and the future decisions she might take.

    Elinor used Life Tap, feeling the energy leave the glowing, living reactor in Tiffany¡¯s orange flames. ¡°I won¡¯t have to once your plan with the religion grows ¡­ until then, I need these to progress and maintain my stability in this world¡ªit¡¯s a necessity.¡±

    Tiffany didn¡¯t respond, focus still on the changing pome.

    Edmon and Iris were ready to react if needed but didn¡¯t hold the haunting emotions embedded in Tiffany, and Elinor began to better understand the Witch.

    She couldn¡¯t live with herself if I were hurt because of her ¡­ this is her living nightmare. There was relatively little risk before, but now, this has shaken her.

    Breathing a soft sigh, Elinor smiled at her Royal Ritualist. ¡°Tiffany, if you want to vet these fruits, then please do, and if I need to pluck a new one each time, I will¡ªif that¡¯s what you¡¯d be comfortable with.¡±

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t,¡± Tiffany whispered, trying not to allow her deeper emotions to reflect in her voice. ¡°Nothing good happens when something dangerous starts condensing¡ªmy greatest fear is to live without you.¡±

    Her words stuck Elinor like a blow, realizing her own fears were reflected in her minions. Right ¡­ the Royal Court can live a long time without receiving my own energy, even if it permanently weakens them over time. She¡¯s terrified of a world I¡¯m not in.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Elinor¡¯s sad smile fell to the stream. ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful, Tiffany. Please, set things up tomorrow in a way that will make you feel comfortable. All I care about is receiving the energy I need to sustain my current network; from there, we can work on expanding that.¡±

    A lump dropped down Tiffany¡¯s throat, mind working upon her request. ¡°I¡¯ll do better, Empress Elinor ¡­ I¡¯ll find a way.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t know what to make of her response; she didn¡¯t elaborate. She didn¡¯t say dear or call me by name ¡­ she¡¯s really upset by this.

    The time passed and she easily obtained the proper amount needed to handle her minions¡¯ daily maintenance, but the draw was a bit taxing, leaving her breathless; it felt like a chunk of herself was shaved off and distributed through her Nexus.

    Her time using Life Tap drew a welcomed benefit, though.

    With her massive draw, overflowing her Death Pool cap, Overpowered II became Overpowered III, reaching Rookie, Rank Six. She now gained a fifteen percent reduction of Death Energy lost if exceeding her cap.

    Death Pool had increased from Rookie, Rank One, to Rookie, Rank Seven, which increased her overall limit to 326DE.

    Her Life Tap Rank advanced to Max with the constant stream of Death Energy being corrupted and extracted. She increased its level to five to allow it to continue rising, gaining the Proficiency Skill Rapid Draw along the way.

    It increased the skill¡¯s effectiveness by tripling its corruption and intake in a ramping fashion, rising by one-tenth for every minute used, maxing out in thirty minutes.

    Upon completing her task, she left Tiffany to further learn about the fruit, taking the anti-gravity elevator to the tower¡¯s top. She stood at the glass overlooking her new land, pondering the division that had caused a temporary rift between her and her Royal Ritualist.

    Iris took an hour to somehow create a silken throne for her to sit upon while observing the jungle valley and city below, forming the base with hardened silk; it was the most comfortable seat she¡¯d used.

    The Spider Queen then departed upon her orders, searching the valley for any humans that survived. She wasn¡¯t to kill any of the Ri¡¯bot until her missionary organization had been formed. They could become citizens of the Empire, but it would be no different from the trial she had with the Delthax and Clavex; if there were crimes, they would be brought to court.

    Edmon returned to the library, directing her labor forces that slowly returned, arriving at different times, depending on their speed.

    She had people that would spread the word of her rule, missionaries in training while Tiffany created ritualistic, unholy soldiers for her living army.

    Is this a Holy or Unholy Empire? I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter in the end; people will label me as they wish, but they cannot ignore me. Friend or foe ¡­ I will be known and worshiped as a goddess ¡­ that¡¯s my future. What a career day choice that would be.

    An amused smile lifted her lips, green irises sweeping the sea of sickly colored trees of the alien world; she¡¯d carved a place for herself out of this hostile land that had tried to swallow her. Now, the jungle kneeled before her, and it had taken less than a day.

    The Empress¡¯ focus shifted to a massive fissure in the ground within the Roxim territory, staring at the gaping maw. It was a hotspot in the valley that she¡¯d have to explore.

    Her gaze moved to the colossal river after a time, and she could envision it teeming with trade ships in the future and roads cutting a path through the land with a sprawling civilization. Millions would visit her city to pay her respects, no, worship her.

    Now, to make that happen, she had to expand, and learn how to govern her growing Holy Empire. World intelligence was key; she needed more knowledge and had to develop her army, but at the same time, her daily pool of Death Energy had to increase.

    There was still so much to be done, but the foundations, the seat of her power were set.

    This fortress is the cornerstone of my Empire. I was forced to live here ¡­ to survive, and from that, this world will know my name ¡­ they will respect me, revere me, and if not, taste the horror my wrath can bring as The One Above All ¡­ I will be a goddess, whatever that brings.

 B2 â€” 1. An Empress Rises

    Elinor leaned against the side of the silken chair Iris had crafted, left hand pressing against her cheek as she observed her brightening valley and city below, a soft smile moving her lips.  The dark clouds that had gathered during the night, released their soft rain and moved east.

    It had been several hours since the end of the previous day, and she¡¯d spent the time high in her tower, pondering the tasks that needed to be completed throughout the day; this was the first cathartic experience she¡¯d truly felt since arriving in this foreign world.

    Violet was beside her, a content expression on her beautiful human face as she crafted her a new wardrobe with the instructions Tiffany had sent her throughout the previous day.  However, Elinor could sense something wrong within the youngest Spider Sister that had been eating at her since they¡¯d returned.

    There were several complete outfits already hanging from a silk clothesline as she worked.  Elinor didn¡¯t want to push her to bring it up, but the girl hadn¡¯t brought up what was eating at her for over five hours.

    Iris had sent her daughter to guard her while she was away, scanning her new land for humans that could be rescued and brought back.  Elinor could still feel her through the Nexus, moving somewhere in what she assumed was the Xaltan Clan¡¯s territory.

    The Queen had sent Azalea to the east to scout out the Roxim Tribe¡¯s exit and confirm if they¡¯d vacated their land without even having to ask her, and by listening in on the conversation, she also knew the Shapeshifter had told her daughter to keep her eyes open for humans to rescue.

    Her communication network only functioned within an eight-mile radius, which meant she was out of direct contact with a few of her minions, but it gave her comfort that she could still tell if they were alive and their general direction.

    Tiffany had spent the entire time since Elinor had finished draining the Life Fruit studying the pome.  She could tell the Witch wasn¡¯t happy about the risk but had since calmed down, and it wasn¡¯t as if she was angry at her; Tiffany was just frightened of the fruit after such a drastic change.

    Elinor agreed; however, she needed the energy, and they needed to test if repeating the process would create a similar result.  Even Tiffany had begrudgingly said that was the best way to move forward, and that means she had to be close enough to use Life Tap, but that didn¡¯t mean she had to like it.

    After all that study, what did she find?  So far, the new pome she¡¯d drained had a similar effect.  However, the veins of the first fruit were starting to relax, returning to a normal outward appearance.  Although, the energy inside stayed compact.  To be safe, the Witch created a containment seal around it to restrict the damage if there was rapid expansion.

    Edmon had recently contacted The Witch to inform her that the first test subjects for her religious ritual experiments had arrived, forcing her away from the contained hazardous objects.  The interesting thing discovered in her examination was that the pome that hadn¡¯t been leached from didn¡¯t have the same reaction, pointing a confident finger at the cause, but there needed to be more assessments made before it was accepted as the definitive root of the phenomenon.

    The Doom Guard had been hard at work, using seventeen Quen¡¯Talrat, including Quin, to secure the gates around the city until the time the show she¡¯d planned arrived; only a single ape was below, inside the corridor with the elevator.  The Yaltha¡¯ma were being used as scouts and guides to the breeches they knew of for Edmon to mark weaknesses and develop plans for restoration.

    He left Camellia managing the palace¡¯s defense, using her Zombies more as a buttress than actual guards, allowing the red-haired sister to react to anything suspicious happening to them.  Once the price of the daily maintenance came, so did the price of Lich¡¯s Conquest, forcing her to select 10% of her minions to sacrifice, and that came to be nine Zombies, but that had been easily replenished with the bodies brought back with Valdar¡¯s corpse.

    Edmon told her that she could probably see a hundred and eighty miles from the tower when adding the valley¡¯s rapid descent to the calculation; the mountains across the valley looked like hills compared to the towering giants behind the fortress, and the red-tinted sea belonging to the Nalvean Empire could be seen beyond.

    Elinor had Violet question Nadraca a little about the Nalveans before coming up, and the information piqued her curiosity.  From the description, if you combined all the Great Lakes, then the Great Ruby Lakes would be a close comparison with an average depth of seven-hundred feet, falling to fifteen-hundred feet at some points.

    The mountain range covered most of the landmass, and from this distance, she couldn¡¯t tell if there was anything upon the sea, but it was a beautiful view.

    Her focus shifted to her fortress, the size of multiple cities on Earth.  It was an impressive sight; most buildings were more than five stories high while easily accommodating for the average size of the Quen¡¯Talrat at fifteen to sixteen feet tall.

    A city that can hold over three million humans comfortably ¡­ it¡¯s basically the New York City of the Quen¡¯Talrat Empire, and it¡¯s all mine.  If I want this religion to grow, then I need to advance to the national level quickly, but that¡¯s going to be hard with the small Ri¡¯bot tribes alone.

    The Fire Wars probably took a heavy toll on many of these countries, but the Ri¡¯bot were hit pretty hard by Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, being so close to his greatest concentration of military might.

    Her green irises shifted to Violet as she began humming Dancing With Your Ghost, a song her mother had loved to listen to in the car, directing her thoughts to her former life.

    Wow ¡­ did Tiffany teach them that tune for me ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t put it past her.  She¡¯s surprisingly emotional for the scientific aura she puts off, but I suppose I fashioned her to understand my needs better than I know.  Hmm¡­

    Violet looked up, white halo-like irises creasing slightly with her smile.  ¡°Is there something you need, Empress?  Oh, is this not to your liking?¡±  She asked, vision falling to the gothic Victorian dress with an asymmetric hem and detailed laces.

    Elinor giggled softly.  ¡°No, it¡¯s beautiful, Violet.  I¡¯m just thinking about Tiffany ¡­ what else has she talked to you about?¡±

    The youngest Spider Sister¡¯s eyes fell to the dress with a light hum, lifting her fingers to flex them.  ¡°She had a suggestion for me about using my silk as a weapon, exercising my hands, and I hadn¡¯t thought about the type of style of fighting before.¡±

    ¡°Continue,¡± she prompted, shifting her legs the opposite way.

    Violet lifted her hands, palm up.  ¡°My silk is the most complex out of my family ¡­ even my mother agrees, and I can maneuver it like my legs or arms.  However, it doesn¡¯t have the constrictive force that Tiffany thought, and so, she told me to use my fingers to apply the tension.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind followed her explanation, the mental image taking form, as she explained.  ¡°You¡¯re saying ¡­ you can use your silk as wire weapons, wrapping your prey up before pulling them closer, binding, lashing out like a whip, and stringing them up?¡±

    The spider¡¯s lips fell a bit.  ¡°To an extent, yes, but I¡¯m still having trouble with Tiffany¡¯s desired result.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡±

    ¡°Dicing a creature into little pieces,¡± she replied with a depressed sigh.  ¡°I¡¯m trying to work on my finger strength and thread proficiencies, but I¡¯m finding more success with infusing some of my previous abilities into the ¡­ wire, you called it?¡±

    ¡°Yes, a wire is like¡ªwell, it¡¯s usually a spool of metal thread.  It¡¯s got a ton of uses, which is one reason why your spider-like abilities are so frightening to other creatures.  You can create silk, stronger than steel¡ªyou said other abilities?¡±

    ¡°They aren¡¯t all that impressive,¡± Violet mumbled, continuing with her thread work while speaking.  ¡°I can infuse my silk with electricity or a frost-like element.  When I was young, I gained the ability when eating some of the colorful gems we sometimes found with the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    ¡°Infuse elements into your silk,¡± Elinor repeated in semi-shock.  ¡°That¡¯s incredibly useful.  What did Tiffany say about that?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Violet¡¯s lips dropped a bit more.  ¡°She said the same thing, but I¡¯m a little doubtful about the practical use of such a skill since binding a target in my silk immobilizes them in any case, and I¡¯ve never had anyone but some of the massive Quen¡¯Talrat escape.

    ¡°The frostsilk did help counter most of the stupid apes¡¯ flames, but the strong ones could easily break it,¡± she grumbled, eyes shifting to the right with obvious irritation.  ¡°Tiffany did mention something about testing to see if eating other stones unlocks different elements.

    ¡°Azalea¡¯s poison is more proficient than mine ¡­ only by a bit, but it makes a difference when facing something like the big dumb white ape, and she can project her¡¯s while I cannot.¡±

    Elinor giggled, causing Violet to look up at her.  ¡°I think you¡¯re being too hard on yourself; I feel a lot safer with you after hearing that explanation.¡±

    Violet¡¯s cheeks turned red, chest burning with her praise.  ¡°You feel safer with me?  That ¡­ means a lot, Empress.¡±  Her eyes fell a little, hands dropping to her lap.  ¡°To be honest, I felt as if I had failed a little since you took Camellia with you instead of me¡ªleaving me to babysit the humans.¡±

    ¡°No, of course not,¡± Elinor replied, brow creasing softly as she felt the self-doubt surfacing in Violet¡¯s link.  ¡°You rank among the highest level of Undead I can bring back; you¡¯re anything but useless.¡±

    Her smile slowly returned.  ¡°Thank you, Empress.  I¡¯ll continue to work on my skills.  Right now, I¡¯m refining my silk to be stronger and smaller; Tiffany suggested making them near invisible while also using my Camouflage Silk ability to create perfect traps.  She also said it would be a good tactic to talk to my prey to buy time to set up my silk if I¡¯m caught off-guard, which should never happen¡ªmother would scold me.  Still, I¡¯ll take the advice to heart.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°You¡¯ve never actually talked to creatures you¡¯ve attacked, but through my Nexus, you can converse¡ªyou know, maybe, if you eat one of the red stones, then your silk will be resistant to fire.¡±

    The girl¡¯s hands froze, eyes going out of focus.  ¡°Resistant to fire¡ªthat¡¯s possible ¡­ by eating a red one?  Would it be that simple?¡±

    She shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but if you just ate a few stones and could adapt those to produce electricity and frost, then why not?  I mean, maybe not resistances, but it could give you firesilk ¡­ theoretically making it fireproof or at least fire-resistant.  Maybe we¡¯ll test that out today, once I finish some of my other tasks.¡±

    ¡°If I could resist fire, then¡ªthen I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Quen¡¯Talrat at all.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see, but it¡¯s worth a shot.¡±

    Violet¡¯s depression started to clear.  ¡°That¡¯s what Tiffany meant?¡±

    ¡°Probably.¡±

    She licked her lips and tucked them under, excitement radiating from the young Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.  ¡°Once you¡¯re done with your tasks¡­¡±

    Shaking her head, Violet gave Elinor a glowing smile.  ¡°I look forward to it.¡±  Her hands lifted again, making small flexing motions as she worked her near-invisible silk.  ¡°I should finish this before my transformation ends¡­ I¡¯m reaching my limit.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Elinor replied, turning back to the city below, but she wasn¡¯t looking at the structures.

    Violet¡¯s biggest problem really is her insecurity.  She needs to know she¡¯s doing a good job and can take simple minion placement as an act of reprimand.  The excitement in her chest is suffocating, yet she was able to restrain herself, which is actually pretty impressive.  That¡¯s Violet, though, beyond impressive with a few rough edges that need to be rubbed off.

    She wanted to ask about my schedule but realized she was getting too familiar with her speech and backed down.  Her task from Iris, her direct superior, was to protect me, not bug me ¡­ not that she¡¯s bugging me, but she¡¯s self-conscious.  Still, I need to get going soon, anyways.

    Elinor breathed out a long sigh, head moving to the western shelf; Valdar must have concluded the selection of the next Chief of the Delthax because they were heading toward the fortress.

    Stretching out with a low moan, Elinor rose to her feet, walking to the edge of the glass while holding her hands behind her back; it was time to address everything she¡¯d thought through over the last several hours.  ¡°Finish up your current piece and prepare to move back to the Throne Room; I¡¯ll be addressing the humans first¡ªtake your time, too.  No need to ruin all the work you¡¯ve done.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªas you wish,¡± Violet replied, relieved she didn¡¯t have to rush.

    Her glowing green irises swept the dirty buildings and streets of her capital city while waiting.  If this is going to work, I need to make sure everyone¡¯s on the same page.  It¡¯ll take at least six hours for Valdar and the other Chiefs to return ¡­ it¡¯s over fifty-five miles, and they don¡¯t have the support of tireless Undead giant gorillas and spiders.  That should be more than enough time to address everything I want to do.

    Edmon, send word to Gwen, I¡¯ll be down shortly to address all the humans.  Have any returned from Iris or Azalea¡¯s mission?¡±

    ¡°Right away, Empress.  As to the humans, unfortunately not.  That entire territory of the Komath, Xaltan, and some of the Clanless areas within that range is vast, combining to roughly twenty-five hundred square miles, by my estimate.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°Even for Iris, that¡¯s an extensive area to cover.  I believe she will be making her first report soon before returning to the search, and humans move at a snail¡¯s pace while also requiring attentive focus to keep alive in this environment.¡±

    No, you¡¯re right.  Elinor frowned, examining the dense, fathomless jungle as the rising sun began to illuminate the valley.  Several groups of large bird-like creatures caught her eye as they took flight.

    Tiffany, how goes the preparations for your tests to spread my seed to my followers through religious ritual?

    The Witch¡¯s emotions had settled over the last several hours, and her charming, upbeat tone had returned.  ¡°The first steps are coming together.  I¡¯m tweaking a few rituals to see if they¡¯ll mesh well for this purpose, but I¡¯m confident that the proper Branch for the spells I desire will unlock as I push forward.  Hmm ¡­ the second failure¡ªwhat a mess.¡±  She giggled.  ¡°Sacrifices are necessary for ritualistic advancement, though!  I doubt an answer will come tonight, but I just need to find the right mix of ingredients and success conditions.¡±

    Elinor hung her head with a slight frown.  You¡¯re counting the Ri¡¯bot in the ingredient category?

    ¡°Of course, they¡¯re an essential part?  Hmm ¡­ perhaps we need long-term conviction as a condition ¡­ maybe blind faith would work better?  Oh, so many things to test!  I¡¯m in heaven.¡±

    Just remember ¡­ these Ri¡¯bot are also feeding me Experience and Death Energy through the Religious Network.  Connecting my two Networks is really important, but I also need every devout follower I can.

    ¡°I will only use what I believe is absolutely necessary; count on me to find a solution, my dear!  I won¡¯t sleep until my first success.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s stomach shook with laughter, causing Violet¡¯s focus to linger on her for a moment before returning to her task.

    You don¡¯t sleep, and neither do I.

    ¡°Haha, right?¡±

    Alright, Tiffany.  I¡¯m gathering the humans together to inform them about the future of my Empire and their part.  There are bound to be some that choose to take part in your rituals, but I¡¯d rather use the Ri¡¯bot until you perfect it to an acceptable degree since we have a very limited number of humans.

    ¡°Understandable.  Oh, we should encourage breeding!  Religions have mainly been dominated throughout history because of promoting ¡­ well, in general, sex, mind you in a specific context, but none the less they promote propagating as often as possible within a family unit.  It was a massive topic in France with Muslims.  Statistically, one birth in three is to a Muslim family, and it was predicted France would be majority Muslim by 2075.

    ¡°Faiths that promote large families tend to last much longer, especially if they allow polygamy.  If you want them to grow, then I¡¯d suggest bringing up the topic of romance and facilitating a fertile environment for them to engage in the acts.¡±

    Elinor knew she would have been blushing and blustering at the idea before her change, but now, it seemed logical.  Her eyes shifted to Violet as she finished the gown, hanging it up to start undressing.

    Violet¡¯s alluring body was in sharp contrast to the monstrous tank-like spider she transformed into, yet Elinor loved both for different reasons.

    A chilling atmosphere returned as the Empress prepared herself for the task to come, moving toward the elevator.

    ¡°Empress, are you sure you wish to walk?  I am always available.¡±

    A smirk moved her lips as she continued to the flat disk, repeating the action Edmon had shown her on the crystal to descend when Violet joined her, knowing the spider couldn¡¯t interact with the gem in her current form.  ¡°I must use my legs from time to time, or I¡¯ll forget how to use them.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I see ¡­ umm, I also created a similar throne that my mother made on the middle chair.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± she praised, hair fluttering around her while dropping to the ground level.  ¡°When did you find the time to do that?¡±

    ¡°My mother told me to do it after you¡¯d entered the tower.¡±

    Iris, always thinking ahead.  Who knows, maybe Edmon or Tiffany suggested it first.  They¡¯re all so dependable; it¡¯s hard to tell who thought of what first.

    The black metal platform slowed to a stop, sliding into its perfect resting place fashioned into the floor; above them, the ceiling disk did the same, giving no indication one could ascend the tower.

    Fixing her hair, she did a once over of her appearance.  Finding everything in order, she led the way to the Throne Room.

    Through her connection to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Elinor knew she was worried.  No soft hisses of air left the plates on her abdomen, likely holding her breath while waiting for her appraisal of the work she¡¯d done on the royal chair.

    Elinor¡¯s stationed skeletal ape pushed both doors open, and a myriad of echoing voices instantly died.  She calmly exited, and her guard closed the door behind them before swiftly moving to the White Throne to place its bony palm down for her.

    The throng below wasn¡¯t even looking at her; heads lowered as they waited for her response with held breath.

    Her lips curled as she studied their response for a moment, holding the edges of her dress up while transferring to her minion¡¯s hand.  It carefully lifted her to the throne.

    Violet¡¯s craftsmanship was phenomenal, matching her gothic theme with black thread, woven into Victorian-style patterns, and the weaving master decorated the entire white throne with similar black designs that appeared infused into the wood.

    She smoothly lowered herself upon the silken seat; it not only provided a much clearer view of the floor below but was far more comfortable.

    This was quite the present, Violet.  She could feel the girl¡¯s internal squeals of joy for her praise.

    An eerie silence followed as Violet¡¯s eight legs shifted to stick her butt up in the air, head lowered to view the room¡¯s occupants, waiting to her right while the Quen¡¯Talrat took the left side of the throne.

    Slowly crossing her legs, Elinor adjusted her dress and sat back, hands resting on the sides.  Not even the children tried sneaking a peak.

    They¡¯ve learned their places fast, but I suppose when thrust into a harsh environment, they either adapt or die ¡­ I certainly discovered that.

    She allowed the compressing atmosphere to persist, waiting out of curiosity to see if any of them might break, yet not one person lifted their eyes; however, there were quite a few fidgets that amused her.

    Both groups were present, and it seemed that neither had tried integrating into one another; of course, she couldn¡¯t be sure since she hadn¡¯t paid that much attention to either party, but Gwen was front and center on the platform with Severino, representing the Clavex group, and Gervasio, for the Delthax.

    Elinor spoke with a neutral tone, but her presence alone was chilling enough to cause them to shiver.  ¡°I called all of you here to inform you upon the direction my Empire will be taking, and there have been quite a few changes to my plans since we last spoke.¡±

    She waited for the impact of what she said to sink in, knowing the next sentence had to be told in a way that conveyed its full implications, and she activated a lower-tier version of Lesser Aura of Supremacy.

    A shudder ran down every soul as Imperial Presence was amplified by her Link Skill.  Even the kids seemed speechless, in awe at the sudden image she presented.

    Her words were clear and without humor.  ¡°I¡¯ve discovered a way to become a goddess.¡±

    A lump dropped down everyone¡¯s throats, and she could practically feel the tingles shooting down their spines as more than one had already broken out in cold sweats.

    Elinor continued with the same chilling tone after letting the information sink in, recounting her Empire¡¯s present and future actions.  ¡°I¡¯ve started a religion which has granted me many new avenues with my abilities.  Most of the Ri¡¯bot in the valley have already come under my banner and will soon begin missionary efforts to new lands.

    ¡°Many of you have already experienced Tiffany¡¯s ritualistic powers firsthand, and she believes it¡¯s possible to link a small fragment of my power with my believers through a ritual contract with the condition of belief in my name.  The extent to which you can access that strength is contingent explicitly on your faith and obedience to me.¡±

    Her ghostly green irises swept each individual as they watched her, and naturally, there was a mix between shock and fear, which was precisely what she wanted.

    ¡°If you join my faith, I will not leave you defenseless to pray for my hand to smite your antagonists ¡­ through faith and obedience to me, I will grant you the power to grasp your detractors by the throat and squeeze the life out of them yourself.

    ¡°Live within my Empire, a land with a rising goddess at its helm, and know that if you seek peace, you¡¯ll have it.  Do you thirst for blood?  There will be plenty to come.  Are you desperate to take back the power you feel you¡¯ve lost?  Take my hand, and show fate that we are not its plaything.¡±

    She could see a notable change in more than one face; her cold, dispassionate delivery was in direct contrast to the words spoken.

    ¡°We did not choose to have our lives ripped away from us ¡­ our loved ones torn from our hands and taken slaves to a new world, but I am offering you the chance to grip the throat of whatever did this to us.  My mind has been stewing on this topic since my parents were killed¡­¡±

    Elinor paused, the bright coals beneath the frozen wasteland covering her heart flared, but Imperial Presence kept it at bay.

    ¡°My wrath isn¡¯t so trife to settle with the Ri¡¯bot that inflicted these sins upon me¡ªI want whoever made that portal¡ªthat allowed this to happen to me¡ªthat watched and laughed ¡­ I¡¯ve met a Demon that is like that, and to be sure¡ªto satisfy the animosity in my heart, I¡¯ll become a goddess if that¡¯s what it takes ¡­ death would be the greatest mercy to whoever set me on this scenario¡ªwho took my parents away from me.¡±

    Her legs crossed the opposite way as she stared down at the humans gathered below her.

    ¡°How will you live the rest of your life?¡±

    A soft smile lifted her lips as no one responded, tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.  ¡°I expected as much.  Return to the right-wing and discuss it among yourselves.  Send the Clavex in next.¡±

    Tiffany and Edmon had popped in, using the skeletal ape as a listening device while doing their work, and she could feel the excitement in them radiate inside Violet.  She¡¯d given them a direction, and now, they had the privilege of carrying her there.

    Gwen did a quick bow as Edmon directed a skeletal ape outside the door to open it, allowing everyone to exit.  The rest of the group appeared too stunned, unable to reconcile with her declaration, but not too long after Elinor released Imperial Presence, one by one, they stiffly followed Gwen¡¯s actions to the best of their ability; more than a third had to be supported on their way out, legs too weak to carry themselves.

    Not a word was spoken as she watched them go.

    Someone is responsible for this ¡­ it¡¯s too targeted.  It might not be the person that gave us these seeds; perhaps, they even wanted to help us, and even if there isn¡¯t some grand conspiracy ¡­ then that¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll crush the portals ¡­ destroy the entire system surrounding it.

    She waited patiently, cold eyes following every Ri¡¯bot that shuffled into the room, eyes low, feeling the atmosphere the humans left with.  Once they¡¯d all entered, the doors began to shut, causing the Clavex members to glance back with trepidation.  After the soft sound of the cracks sealing, they waited, stewing in the silence.

    Elinor kept her eyes on Nadraca until she moved forward; she¡¯d started to grasp the differences between their skin colors and symbols.  The Priestess had a unique pattern on her green skin, compared to many of the other members of her tribe.

    Gwen had correctly guessed her intentions, sending in Dalria and some orangish-green skinned Ri¡¯bot, hovering in the back.

    ¡°Nadraca, it¡¯s time that the truth is revealed to you about my identity.¡±

    A quake passed through the crowd, giving each other what she imagined were questioning looks as she continued.

    ¡°Currently, the Dalthax, Wixum, Flex, and Lethix Clans have chosen to follow me.¡±

    A low whisper swept the throng, causing Elinor to resist a smile with the questions being passed around.  Two clans with a long history of blood feuds had given up their hatred, joining under one banner, Elinor.

    ¡°The Chief of each Clan is on their way for me to give them my instruction, and I offer the same promise to the Clavex Clan, which is why Nadraca¡ªyou¡¯ll be returning home to deliver my message.¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s hands were clamped together as she offered this spark of hope to her.  ¡°E-Empress ¡­ I¡ªI don¡¯t know what to say, umm¡ªI suppose¡ªI¡¯ll need to return, but to have the chance¡ªopportunity to speak to my family and friends¡ªthank you.¡±

    At that, Elinor¡¯s features softened, putting on a mask.  ¡°Indeed, yesterday was a day of celebration¡ªand retribution.¡±

    ¡°R-Retribution?¡±  She mumbled, and a few of Nadraca¡¯s clan mirrored her.

    Elinor supported her head with the back of her left hand, elbow resting upon the silken throne¡¯s arm as she smiled.  ¡°Why do you think four Clans with a more violent history with each other than the Quen¡¯Talrat themselves discarded their hatred after meeting me one time?¡±

    The Priestess blinked as she swallowed, clearing her throat.  ¡°I, umm¡ªI couldn¡¯t guess, Empress.  It seems¡ªimpossible to imagine those four¡ªwell, ever getting along ¡­ they were trying to get us to go to war with them.¡±

    She hummed softly.  ¡°Nadraca, tell me¡ªwho is the Supreme Chief of the Pits?¡±

    ¡°Supreme Chief¡ªI, umm¡ªI don¡¯t recall¡­¡±

    Nadraca trailed off, large blue eyes sliding from her to the burning skeletal ape beside her, muscles sagging as she began connecting the dots in her head.  A few of the other Clavex had caught the implications.

    Elinor moved on before she could respond, vision lifting to the former Xaria, eyes wide with horror.  ¡°Dalria¡ªwho is Edmon, Tiffany, and Iris if what you¡¯re thinking is correct¡ªwith what signs were shown, you don¡¯t need to be a Mystic or Chief to recognize what¡¯s right in front of your eyes, but I¡¯ll spell it out for you.¡±

    The warmth that had briefly entered the room was snuffed out.

    ¡°A war in the Heavens¡ªThe One Above All¡ªRuler of the Pits, cast out the Heavenly Host, and what do I find¡ªloving, devoted believers that I¡¯ve helped out of the mud?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Nadraca whispered in shock, ¡°opposition ¡­ a spear, but¡ªhow could¡ªno, the signs were on the horizon.  I¡¯ve never¡­¡±

    Elinor finished her thought.  ¡°... never heard of The Supreme Chief of the Pits?  No, of course not, your Ancient Ancestors tried to erase me, siding with the imposter.  Let me correct you, Nadraca,¡± she flinched at her tone, ¡°I was met by loving followers, devout believers¡ªwho killed and harmed those who had faith in me while I recovered from casting out the Heavenly Host?¡±

    ¡°We did¡­¡±  Dalria said, falling to her knees, unable to process the information, but the orangish-green Ri¡¯bot seemed elated at the news as she too fell to her knees, yet for her, it was reverence, and she felt a new believer join her ranks.

    ¡°No,¡± Elinor stated.  ¡°Not all of you; the Clavex did nothing unpardonable¡ªexcluding Benira.  However, I will have it known that those that harm those that have faith in me ¡­ do I really have to explain the Pits?¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot all gave quick shuddering no¡¯s in response.

    Elinor smirked, her ghostly eyes hard.  ¡°No, but I might have to show others the smallest glimpse of what awaits those that harm my Empire.¡±

    Directing the command to Edmon, he ordered two Quen¡¯Talrat to open the door, causing a stir among the humans in the left upper balcony.  Quin walked through the front, carrying the cross with the distorted visage of Folcra, pungent scent of blood and guts still clinging, the body still fresh to demonstrate the horror with whatever ritual Tiffany had used.

    ¡°Let this be a sign to all of you; I do not abandon my believers, and those that harm you ¡­ will wish they¡¯re dead¡ªbefore finding out a fate much worse awaits.¡±

    Gwen had been warned previously by Edmon to usher the kids below the age of twelve into a side room.  More than one Ri¡¯bot and human lost their stomachs.

    ¡°My message that you will bring there, Nadraca, might be met with resistance.¡±

    With difficulty, the Priestess turned away from the twisted form of what used to be a Ri¡¯bot to rest on her; she¡¯d already forgotten how to stand, and it seemed her tongue had lost the ability to speak.

    ¡°Supreme Chief of Storms, Yesenia has been taken in as the Nalvean¡¯s Goddess, and she might not have the best image of the Ri¡¯bot after what they did.  To be sure you make it back alive, I¡¯ll be sending Camellia with you.  Be quick, your people¡¯s lives may depend on it, and I can do nothing if they do not recognize me as their Supreme Chief.¡±

    All Nadraca could do was a croak.  ¡°Thank you, Supreme Chief¡ªof the Pits.¡±

    Elinor nodded in the ensuing silence, rising to her feet to step on her minion¡¯s hand.  Sitting upon her bony platform, she smiled.  ¡°The Chiefs will be here within a few hours.  That is all¡ªfor now.  Nadraca,¡± her glowing green irises fell to the woman, ¡°Camellia will be coming to escort you shortly.  Take the minimum number of Clansmen you¡¯ll need to repair a boat and return.  That is all.¡±

    With that, she returned to her throne atop the tower with Violet, pondering how she should respond to Yesenia with Tiffany and Edmon¡¯s advice if things went south, leaving the hall speechless.

 B2 â€” 2. Set In Motion

    Elinor watched the morning sun rising in the east with a frown, discussing the day¡¯s plan with Edmon and Tiffany.

    Yesenia is being held up as the Nalvean¡¯s Goddess, which helps us establish a good base for our own religion, but what I told the Nadraca wasn¡¯t a lie; Yesenia almost certainly has a grudge against the Ri¡¯bot not unlike my own. Although, I doubt she has similar abilities that helped temper my rage.

    So, my question is, what should we do if she chooses to wage a genocidal war against the Ri¡¯bot? She has the Nalvean Empire behind her, which has been stated to be quite a lot stronger than the Ri¡¯bot.

    Edmon had resumed the planning phase of reconstructing the fortress while Tiffany worked on developing the religious ritual.

    Tiffany¡¯s ponderous tone fed through her mind as she drew the first test design. ¡°I have no doubt she holds resentment toward the Clavex Clan; however, there are many things to consider when discussing genocide out of the blue.

    ¡°The reason why I suggested sending Nadraca and a few of her people down was to gather intelligence. We don¡¯t know enough about the Nalvean culture, nor their laws.

    ¡°Even if Yesenia wishes to purge the Ri¡¯bot from Nalvean land, this is not a world with instantaneous communication. It would take some time for the word about a new Goddess reigning the Empire, and the previous administration would need to be careful about how they move against anyone.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Edmon responded. ¡°Nations are complex structures that must operate in a system of order. The Clavex Clan has been welcomed in and has likely prospered while relying on the Nalvean military to secure themselves.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the general well-being of the Clan that has Clavex like Nadraca seeking riches to free them from some debt, but cultural reasons. Ri¡¯bot have come from a long history of independent territorial disputes, and the Clavex have no land to claim as their own.

    ¡°Nadraca said that the Mother Superior, their matriarch, would not have approved of her actions. This venture was only supported by a fringe group; life isn¡¯t so bad for them that they need to risk involving their people in someone else¡¯s conflict. Their choice to refrain from following the Delthax against the Flex and Lethix is proof of that; Nadraca had gained enough from just the resources taken from Earth.¡±

    I see.

    Tiffany and Edmon went about their tasks, waiting for her to select the direction the conversation would proceed.

    Elinor was silent for a moment, scanning the sprawling city below while pondering on their analysis. Large bird-like reptiles could be seen flocking to the city from around the jungle, which caught her attention, but her primary focus was still on the snake-woman and how she might conflict with her plans.

    Let¡¯s say it is a bit more difficult than Yesenia would like, and she¡¯s met with some resistance to her vengeance against the Ri¡¯bot in the region. What if she could direct that hatred on those north of the territory? The Clavex might have some rights and liberties in the Empire, but that might not apply to those in the valley.

    ¡°Mmh¡ªEdmon and I have been over such a situation, and still, it depends on what information is brought back. We could meet with Yesenia and smooth things over; in the worst case, she becomes an enemy that we must conquer, which could be met with assassination, poison, among many other options for a swift resolution.¡±

    Edmon didn¡¯t sound thrilled at the prospect. ¡°While we have discussed it, and while having Iris take care of her would likely be a simple matter, the Empire¡¯s movement afterward would not be.¡±

    ¡°Which is why we need to select a nation to pin it on,¡± Tiffany interjected. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be that hard once we¡¯ve selected a candidate. Valdar and Nadraca can give us a list of countries that are not on the best terms with the Nalveans, and then we can weaken both while offering aid to both in private.¡±

    He sighed. ¡°In the worst case.¡±

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s an option to consider. Not only that, but then we could arrange for her to be revived! Now, we¡¯d have to keep her a bit out of the limelight to not draw suspicion from both nations, but it shouldn¡¯t be that difficult.¡±

    An idea had occurred to Elinor that they hadn¡¯t brought up yet, and after Tiffany¡¯s short chuckle, Elinor posed it.

    If tensions between Yesenia and the Clavex become tense ¡­ could we use that to pull in more followers to the religion by offering sanctuary?

    Edmon was the first to respond. ¡°It might not be that simple; we¡¯d be putting ourselves between Yesenia and her revenge, which turns her hatred onto us.¡±

    Yes, but we¡¯ve already incorporated many Ri¡¯bot into our ranks. What would happen if she demanded I hand them over?

    ¡°No one demands anything of you,¡± Edmon darkly replied.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Tiffany lowered her voice. ¡°If you were to offer a sanctuary in private ¡­ without letting the Nalveans know, and only deliver that message to the possible opposition of Yesenia, then it could spark a revolution.

    ¡°Leadership rapidly being removed does not normally sit well with a country¡¯s population without extreme measures taken, such as we have employed, and even that had some opposition.¡±

    Her tone normalized as she continued. ¡°If we send a believer with Nadraca to quietly spread the word ¡­ someone enthusiastic about the message of the Supreme Chief of the Pits, then we could build traction underground. It could work, and if we then went in person to offer our hand in assistance with Nadraca by our side ¡­ oh, it¡¯s a dangerous game, but it could just spark just what we need to be recognized as a nation.¡±

    I like this direction.

    A smile moved Elinor¡¯s lips as they discussed the plan, and a few contingencies.

    The small movement drew Violet¡¯s attention. Getting up, the youngest spider sister placed another extravagant dress on the clothesline; her eyes followed her gaze, probably trying to figure out what was so funny, but Elinor only partially paid attention to her as she continued the conversation.

    Several minutes passed while Edmon and Tiffany debated complex plots with minimal input from Elinor, but something caught her interest as they were coming to a conclusion.

    I haven¡¯t told you much about this new system, have I?

    Edmon and Tiffany paused.

    ¡°No,¡± Tiffany mused. ¡°Now that you mention it, that does seem like an oversight on our part. I apologize.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s deep voice rumbled softly in her mind as he pondered her question. ¡°We were given a great deal of data as to the Lich Empress portion of the Undead System that helped create us to advise you ¡­ however, we are in the dark about this Religious System.¡±

    Hmh? Then, I will explain what I have discovered.

    I can tell when someone has true faith in me ¡­ I¡¯ve sensed my religion growing in the valley throughout the day among the tribes. I believe there are even Clanless catching word of my powers and identity.

    ¡°Hmm, Edmon ¡­ if Elinor can distinguish which individuals believe in her divinity, we could do targeted proselytizing campaigns.¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ we could also sniff out traitors and spies. If we surround the palace with only those that have the most faith in the Empress while shunning non-believers¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no, no,¡± Tiffany cut in. ¡°You cannot have the strongest base in the center, with the weakest at the edges. We need a strong base in the Capital and bright-eyed converts around the borders with those that doubt sandwiched between.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªcan understand that. If those at the edge of our territory are constantly speaking about the Empress, then word will spread outside while doubt is crushed on both sides within.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we must start a religious college as soon as possible!¡± Tiffany squealed with enthusiasm. ¡°This must be designed around the ritual to create your clergy army. The establishment of a Religious Affairs department would help guide the establishment.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s smile fell a little. Hmm ¡­ are you suggesting we teach science and other types of modern thought?

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Tiffany protested. ¡°No, think about it as¡­¡±

    The Witch explained the curriculum she had in mind; Edmon offered a few points, but most of the suggestions came from the Witch, and the overarching vision reflected her own twisted personality.

    Eventually, Tiffany and Edmon retreated to continue developing each of their separate departments in private, leaving Elinor with a lot on her mind.

    Time passed, and the Chiefs arrived.

    Violet and Elinor returned to the Throne Room before entering the palace; the girl was back in her spider form.

    Elinor sat upon her extravagant silk chair with a charming smile that mirrored the slightest joy she was able to feel through Emotional Loss, waiting for her guests.

    Tiffany, during your explanation of the non-combat Classes, you mentioned Maids and Butlers. How do you suggest we go about it?

    ¡°Oh ¡­ that¡¯s an excellent point!¡± Tiffany replied. ¡°I would most definitely suggest humans; Ri¡¯bot are not aware of the customs expected of the Title, and while it would teach them if you designated them as Maids or Butlers, their proficiencies would not rise as quickly as humans because of their inexperience with the culture.¡±

    Title ¡­ you were a bit vague on that aspect.

    ¡°Ah, yes, well, there were quite a few things we were talking about. Just as the Royal Court have their own Titles associated with them, that doesn¡¯t mean that they will not be granted combat Classes and Subclasses, but they will be extremely diminished compared to true combatant Minions. A servant of the Empress must be trained to defend and give their lives for you.¡±

    How strong are you suggesting these non-combat types are¡ªI¡¯m a little confused; why did you say they¡¯re non-combat if they can gain combat skills?

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ think of it as a contrast. To me, the Royal Staff are not an adequate defense for you; they are primarily there to clean, cook, prepare your attire, but even in medieval times, a Queen or Empress had Noblewomen as their servants, and it was seen as a way to gain favor with one¡¯s house to have a daughter that served the Princess, Queen, or Empress.

    ¡°As Nobles, these individuals would have known how to operate accordingly in the presence of such high nobility. If you were to get a kid off the street, he¡¯d have no idea how to behave in court or properly fix an Empress¡¯ hair.

    ¡°The same could be said about your Royal Staff¡ªthey are by no means weak by general standards, but to the Royal Court¡¯s raw combat abilities ¡­ they are mites.

    ¡°As to obtaining them ¡­ offer to bring back people¡¯s loved ones if they will act as your servants, seeing to your every need. There could be generous time-off given to them to spend with their living relatives¡ªthey could operate in shifts with one designated as the supervising Maid and Butler.¡±

    It¡¯s a good suggestion ¡­ I¡¯m limited on the number of minions I can have and maintain at the moment, though, especially with Intelligent Undead.

    ¡°Nine left, correct? Eighteen is the current maximum.¡±

    Yes.

    ¡°Hmm, the positions I¡¯d suggest need filling are ¡­ let me see¡­

    ¡°One Groundskeeper to help lighten the burden on my poor Gwen.

    ¡°A Royal Chronicler would be nice ¡­ records are essential.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Treasurer, to begin organizing our resources ¡­ that would take some weight off of Edmon.¡±

    The Doom Guard cleared his throat, having been listening in on the conversation. ¡°That would be most appreciated ¡­ El¡¯Co¡¯Ca and El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca are not the quickest at using a quill.¡±

    Tiffany giggled. ¡°Of course, I could sense the frustration eating at you.¡±

    ¡°With my helmet on?¡± He mused.

    ¡°A woman has her ways,¡± she replied secretively. ¡°In any case, a Publicist to handle the in-between work of you and the living would be of use ¡­ that makes four out of nine.¡±

    It¡¯s filling fast. Elinor commented. Will there be enough for Maids and Butlers?

    ¡°Maids, definitely Maids ¡­ not too fond of having a Butler handle your ¡­ cleanliness routines. Perhaps, given time we can get a Butler ¡­ it¡¯s good to have eye candy,¡± she mused.

    ¡°Eye candy?¡± Edmon repeated with a questioning eyebrow more than likely raised.

    ¡°Bah, you wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Was Edmon¡¯s only response.

    Elinor had to wonder if it was all a joke, to begin with, for the Witch to get under Edmon¡¯s skin.

    The other five?

    ¡°Ah, right, umm¡ªa cook would be nice.¡±

    She debated Tiffany¡¯s suggestion.

    I don¡¯t have to eat, but I can ¡­ and good food is one of the pleasures of life.

    ¡°It also would be a must if we entertain royal ambassadors or representatives of a country! Well, I mean, we¡¯d need to do our research on their preferred cuisine, but that¡¯s a part of the fun of hosting visitors!¡±

    If you say so.

    ¡°The four remaining, Maids! Cute ones would be nice, and even if they¡¯re a bit young, the Title will grant sufficient knowledge while the older Maids train them. Wouldn¡¯t that be kind of sweet? Four perfect Maids is boring ¡­ there needs to be some flavor in life, and that comes from unpredictability!¡±

    Elinor chuckled as the doors opened; her minions had been given instruction to allow the Chiefs in when they arrived.

    So, two experienced Maids, a moderately competent one with a few quirks, and a klutz?

    ¡°Well, they don¡¯t have to be a complete klutz, but a little nervous, cute personality wouldn¡¯t hurt. Oh, I¡¯ll have Violet start making them matching outfits!¡±

    The Chiefs bowed as they came to the podium, waiting for her to address them.

    How? I haven¡¯t even picked them out yet ¡­ she has no clue what size they¡¯ll be.

    ¡°Ah, no, no, not the size, but the design! I¡¯m thinking along the lines of normal, elegant maid fashion¡ªblack and white with stockings, gloves, lace¡ªoh, decorative and functional hair accessories! They shouldn¡¯t all be the same, but still have enough in common to keep with the Maid theme¡­¡±

    Alright, alright, you can surprise me. I¡¯ll get you your maids after this meeting with the Chiefs.

    ¡°Mine? These are your Maids.¡±

    Mmh, they feel more like your Maids. Elinor laughed internally. I¡¯ll leave it to you, though.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ well, I won¡¯t disappoint you!¡±

    She cut her connection to the Witch with a small smirk.

    It does feel good to indulge her a little from time to time. I¡¯ll probably get more of a kick out of her fussing over every detail than the end product itself ¡­ just like my mother.

    Her ghostly green eyes slid down to the four Chiefs, kneeling behind Valdar, and her head tilted slightly while staring at the newly appointed Delthax leader. ¡°Valdar, introduce our guests.¡±

    Bowing a little lower to show his acknowledgement, Valdar straightened, gesturing to each Chief; they refused to lift their eyes, even when called, but only Utren and Loci kept perfectly composed.

    Yimara was fidgeting nervously while the new Delthax Chief did their best to remain calm, but showed a few signs of distress; Imperial Presence pulsated around the room. Elinor wasn¡¯t quite sure if it was her Skill, the things she¡¯d witnessed her do, or the new Ri¡¯bot¡¯s rapid thrust into the position of power that caused the new Chief¡¯s reactions.

    ¡°Empress Elinor, may I present Chief of the Lethix, Utren.

    ¡°Chief of the Wixum, Yimara.

    ¡°Chief of the Flex, Loci, and¡­¡±

    He paused, purple irises settling on the blue-skinned Ri¡¯bot. ¡°My great-grandchild, Chief of the Delthax, Nina.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, your great-grandchild, Valdar? Interesting ¡­ you may raise your eyes.¡±

    A quiver ran down Nina¡¯s frame as Elinor¡¯s head turned to her. ¡°Tell me a little about yourself, Chief Nina.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªthank you, Supreme¡ªumm, Empress¡­¡±

    ¡°Speak up, and be dignified with your responses, Chief Nina,¡± Valdar¡¯s tone was disapproving.

    ¡°Yes¡ªHigh Priest Valdar.¡± She licked her lips, cleared her throat, and stood a little straighter; Elinor was a little impressed with how well she took the criticism in front of her peers. ¡°My name is Chief Nina. I am eight years old, the youngest Chief in our oral history, but I will do my best to fulfill the Empress¡¯ desires. I¡¯m also a Plant Caller.¡±

    Elinor crossed her legs the opposite way, folding her hands atop her knee. ¡°Hmm ¡­ a Plant Caller. Tell me a little about what you know about Plant Callers, Chief Nina.¡±

    Nina swallowed, eyes seemingly unable to resist glancing at her great grandfather. ¡°I¡ªam very inexperienced as a Plant Caller, Empress ¡­ my great grandfather was teaching me the ways before¡­¡± Her lips tightened momentarily, trailing off.

    The girl¡¯s reactions interested Elinor. Through her network, she could tell that every Chief below was a believer, yet Nina was a bit conflicted, not with her as a Supreme Chief, but with who her great grandfather was, and Elinor sensed an opportunity.

    ¡°Is that right, Valdar?¡± She asked, vision darting to her High Priest.

    ¡°Yes, Empress. Nina did show some promise as a Plant Caller.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Supreme Chief Tiffany could help mold that gift into something¡ªmuch greater.¡±

    Nina blinked, and a lump dropped down her throat. ¡°Greater¡ªthan a Plant Caller, Empress?¡±

    ¡°Indeed¡ªbut it will require a degree of devotion that might seem daunting. Are you willing to advance your gift to something that was never before possible without the help of a Supreme Chief?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªa Supreme Chief gave this gift to me¡­¡± Nina softly replied in a confused tone.

    Valdar¡¯s hands found each other behind his back before turning to her. ¡°Of course, Chief Nina; the Empress is offering to advance it to heights that have never before been seen among Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    Wow ¡­ that¡¯s a high opinion. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯d go that far, but it¡¯s not like I know what the pinnacle of a Plant Caller is.

    ¡°What about¡ªwould I still be able to lead my Clan if I¡¯m here?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Elinor smiled, ¡°that¡¯s a good point, young Chief, and one of the reasons I¡¯ve called each of you here. Your Clans will be moving into the fortress.¡±

    It was a statement, and they knew it.

    Chief Utren cleared his throat, glancing at Valdar, but Elinor caught the intent.

    ¡°Speak your minds.¡±

    ¡°Would the Empress be willing to explain our food, shelter, and water needs, since we will be moving locations?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Yimara forced a chuckle, ¡°Empress¡ªumm, we¡ªof the Wixum Clan, that is¡ªall we know is our lake. What would the Empress have us do in¡ªa place like this?¡± She whispered, glancing at the glowing white trees and black granite.

    ¡°Excellent questions,¡± Elinor replied. ¡°Supreme Chief Tiffany will be putting together a college¡ªa place of learning. There will still be hunting and gathering parties for the short-term, but we will be expanding to a more¡ªadvanced type of society.

    ¡°From what I understand, Ri¡¯bot in the valley have already been experimenting with several of the early stages I wish to push forward. Animal husbandry, apprenticeships, a banking system as we develop an economy, sewage, irrigation, medicine, mass production, and plantations, among many other activities to build and grow an Empire.

    ¡°Many of my own followers, brought back from the Pits, will work in the much more demanding positions, but there needs to be a strong base among the Ri¡¯bot that contribute to the peace in this world we are building. Wouldn¡¯t you say?¡±

    Most of the things she¡¯d said seemed to fly right over their heads, which only seemed to prove that she had planned something far grander than they could even imagine.

    ¡°We¡ªwill follow whatever order the Empress gives,¡± Utren hesitantly replied, still trying to conceptualize her words.

    ¡°Good. There is a lot to be done in the coming days, and we must move quickly.¡± Her tone darkened. ¡°Supreme Chief Yesenia is not an ally to us yet, and very well might become an enemy.¡±

    The Chiefs gave each other worrying looks, but their attention returned to Elinor as she chuckled.

    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry. Tell each of your Clans; those that seek peace will have it, and those that wish to fight for me will be given power. This fortress will be my Capital, and there will be no safer place on this planet. Return to your Clans and prepare to move here. By the time you return, tasks will be made available.¡±

    When she stopped speaking, it took a moment for them to realize she was dismissing them. With a swift bow, the four Chiefs left, leaving Valdar to wait for his own orders.

    She spoke to him through her Nexus.

    Valdar, you¡¯ve done well, and choosing your niece, who is also a Plant Caller, despite her age, was bold¡ªshe seems to be a perfect fit for my vision.

    ¡°I live to serve you, Empress.¡±

    Yes ¡­ and by doing so, you serve the Empire.

    Her twinkling green eyes studied the blue Ri¡¯bot; it was hard to see him as the wrinkled toad she¡¯d first met. Even if his vision of her was slightly skewed for one of her minions to play the part, he was beginning to grow on her, which could have been her Nexus¡¯ influence.

    Nadraca and a few of her party will be leaving in the coming hours to gather information on Supreme Chief Yesenia and the Nalveans. I¡¯m troubled¡­

    ¡°About, Empress?¡±

    I believe the Clavex are in danger of Yesenia¡¯s wrath for the actions they took against her.

    ¡°Actions ¡­ Empress, as far as I am aware, the Clavex did not kill a single human from that unfortunate raid.¡±

    No ¡­ you¡¯re right, Valdar. There were very few fatalities caused by the Clavex, but that might not matter to Yesenia. She¡¯s not as forgiving as I, and¡ªher fury might not be restricted to just the Clavex.

    He caught her meaning with narrowed eyes as they fell to the floor. ¡°Hmm ¡­ I see why you are sending Nadraca. What is it you require of me?¡±

    We must be careful how we proceed. I am not at my full strength to deal with Yesenia so casually ¡­ that is why I need you to quickly prepare two Apostles to be sent with them. The most loyal of the Clans that can spread my message:

    There is safety within my Empire, and for those that believe in my name. Flock to my Capital if you fear for your life; I will protect you, and if you wish, I can grant you power, but I can do nothing to help those that have no faith in the eternal.

    If you are godless, then you shall have no aid when the gods come for your soul. A war is coming¡ªnot of mortals, but of the divine. Choose who you will serve, and know that not every Supreme Chief or Goddess is so merciful.

    Valdar was silent as he thought, and after a minute, his purple irises returned to her, high above upon her silken throne. ¡°It is as you say, Empress ¡­ and in the end, all are judged by your holy hand. I will prepare the two Apostles ¡­ the most devout.¡±

    I put my trust in you, Valdar. This is to be secretive, and they must understand that this is of the utmost importance. By no means are they to allow this to spread to the wrong Nalveans or Yesenia herself. They will stay behind to continue their work in secret; have them seek out like-minded individuals that are unhappy with the current Nalvean rulers. This cannot be traced back to us, but to have emerged from the Clavex base.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    With that, she dismissed him.

    Violet and her skeletal ape stood on either side of her throne like statues, invisible unless called upon. Elinor placed her left elbow against her chair¡¯s arm, cheek resting atop the back of her hand as she stared at the door with a small smirk.

    Plans are in motion ¡­ propaganda, sure, but not exactly mendacious. Watching the outcome should be entertaining, to say the least.

    Her green eyes moved to Violet. Call Gwen, Severino, and Gervasio to me.

    Violet bowed, her large abdomen rising into the air before she skittered down the steep wall to the floor, moving beyond the room as the doors opened again.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to return, and Violet was back in her human form, elegantly guiding the pair with a newly fashioned, bright white summer¡¯s dress. She took a note from Valdar¡¯s introduction, gesturing to each.

    ¡°Empress, may I introduce Gwen, Severino, and Gervasio.¡±

    They bowed, and just like the Ri¡¯bot Chiefs, refused to raise their heads until Elinor allowed it. Both men seemed nervous, but Gwen was all smiles.

    ¡°Gwen, how is everyone handling the news I presented a few hours ago?¡±

    ¡°As could be expected,¡± she replied with a bright tone. ¡°Thank you, Empress, for allowing me to shield the underaged.¡±

    ¡°Of course. Now, the reason why I¡¯ve gathered you here is to make an offer to the family members that have lost loved ones.¡±

    A lump dropped down Severino and Gervasio¡¯s throats, knowing the general direction of where this was going.

    ¡°I¡¯m not unreasonable. All those that wish to have a family member returned; there will be opportunities that arise¡ªso, I recommend keeping their bodies intact. I need nine positions filled, and those that take my offer will be able to have the joy of embracing their loved ones again. They will have tasks in my Empire, mainly having to do with my growing court.

    ¡°To preface this offer, they will be allowed shifts, and this will be like a job for them. I will say that when they return, there will be loyalty to me before anything else, but that does not override their love and memories.

    ¡°They are essentially the same people ¡­ except I have become their master. Their workload will decrease the more positions that become available, meaning that they will have more time to spend with their families and friends. Does this sound acceptable?¡±

    ¡°More than acceptable! It is an open invitation for you to bring back the dead; there are some caveats, but I can¡¯t think of many fiction accounts that would have such minuscule conditions for a miracle resurrection.¡± Gwen quickly responded, and the other two slowly nodded.

    ¡°Excellent. As I said, nine positions are currently available, and I will be the one to decide who is chosen from the list you gather. Elect the bodies, and one of my minions will bring them into the Throne Room for me to make my final decision once everyone has made their choice.¡±

    ¡°Umm¡ªEmpress?¡± Gervasio timidly asked.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°May we know¡ªif we are permitted¡ªwhat, umm, jobs will they be doing? It may matter to a few people¡­¡±

    ¡°I suppose it would,¡± Elinor replied with a small smile, and she listed the positions Tiffany had recommended.

    ¡°Maids,¡± Gwen repeated with a thoughtful hum. ¡°I never even thought about that, but it would be appropriate. The other positions are really interesting, too¡ªhmm, okay, we¡¯ll spread the word, Empress.¡±

    They all bowed and exited with her approval; the doors shut behind the three with a low boom.

    Violet returned to her original place, waiting for Elinor¡¯s next decision, but her mind had moved back to a darker experience while glaring at one of the glowing trees.

    Is Demon watching me right now? He couldn¡¯t possibly have grasped what direction we¡¯re moving from what I¡¯ve spoken aloud, but ¡­ who knows with him. With his shadow looming over this planet, I need to watch for his manipulations, which means I need more spies ¡­ many more in the years to come.

    To distract her from the creature she could do nothing about, Elinor¡¯s gaze moved to Violet. ¡°How about you decorate the Throne Room while leveling your thread-based abilities?¡±

    ¡°Oh? How would you like it themed, Empress?¡± She asked with restrained enthusiasm, white halo-like irises moving over the space with a thoughtful expression.

    ¡°The same as the Throne; make it darker, Victorian ¡­ it''s certainly grand, but make it more¡ªbaleful. Not this gaudy eyesore, but something more befitting a Lich Empress.¡±

 B2 â€” 3. The Avana

    Camellia¡¯s lips were a line as she watched the Ri¡¯bot talking amongst themselves on the left side of the right-wing¡¯s second balcony, discussing what materials were needed to repair one of their boats. The humans had all been gathered together by the human known as Gwen; she appeared to have some kind of relationship with the Empress, but she wasn¡¯t sure about the details.

    The Spider Sister yawned, not really finding much interest in their tasks; her only duty was to make sure Nadraca went to the Nalvean lands and came back safely.

    Her tongue slid around her teeth, still exploring her human form with the limited time she had with it. The two-hour cooldown started five minutes ago, and her skill had been slowly increasing with its use.

    Asking for the information on Transformation: Human, she hummed, leaning against the wall while tuning out the whispering Ri¡¯bot.

    Base Th¨¦lm¨¦thra (Kind) Abilities:

    Transformation: Human I: (Cooldown: 2 Hours; Cost: 3% Energy; Duration: 37 Minutes; Range: N/A) Active, Physical-Type, Level Three, Novice Grade, Rank Seven. Camellia can temporarily take on the appearance of a human; however, most of her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra abilities and stats will remain the same, and it only gives the outward image of a human with a few hybrid skills, not granting any special powers humans may have.

    A light hum rumbled in Camellia¡¯s throat, making her massage her human airway; several of the Ri¡¯bot glanced over at her, but quickly returned to their own conversation when realizing she wasn¡¯t signaling them.

    All the work I¡¯ve been doing, and I only advanced the duration by seven minutes ¡­ is Violet or Azalea ahead of me? No, probably not since we¡¯ve all started at the same place; as long as I keep using it on cooldown, then we¡¯ll remain the same.

    Violet¡¯s weaving is becoming better and better, though ¡­ the work she¡¯s doing for the Empress is pushing her skills to a higher degree while I¡¯m falling behind. Hopefully, I can use my abilities more on this journey, but they¡¯re only focused on combat.

    Azalea¡¯s off training her skills on her task, too ¡­ she¡¯s far better at disguising her presence and ambushing her targets than I am. Plus, they have Mom ¡­ over the Assassination Division in the Empire while I don¡¯t have an Elite Warrior counterpart in the Court. Who can I ask for advice about this?

    The only option that came to mind made her suck on her lower lip, and after a bit of debate, sent the request; with her mother not within communication distance, it was acceptable.

    Umm, Gatekeeper Edmon, are you free?

    The man¡¯s deep voice soon entered her mind. ¡°Camellia? Hmm ¡­ I¡¯m busy, but I can multitask. Also, you may call me Edmon, just as Tiffany has suggested using her name. Titles take too long ¡­ unless we¡¯re discussing the Empress.¡±

    I understand, Edmon. She replied respectfully.

    ¡°Now, has the Ri¡¯bot come to a conclusion on all the items they¡¯ll need for the journey?¡±

    Camellia¡¯s light red irises moved to the Ri¡¯bot, still arguing about what was needed and appropriate for their wants while throwing out possible issues that might arise.

    No ¡­ they do a lot of talking. Who knows when they¡¯ll figure out what they want?

    Edmon chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s good they¡¯re being thorough; if they take the time to prepare here, there will be a higher chance of success along the way.¡±

    The Gatekeeper paused. ¡°If it¡¯s not about them ¡­ why do you wish to talk to me?¡±

    A lump dropped down Camellia¡¯s throat. I ¡­ am a little lost with my abilities. I am aware that using my skills will help them increase, but how can I use my combat skills when there¡¯s no combat?

    If I ever needed experience while alive, I¡¯d just leave our tunnels and search for prey, but ¡­ I can¡¯t do that while following the Empress¡¯ orders¡ªnot that I resent such a thing¡ªI just wish to know how to continue to advance to compete with my sisters.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Elite Warriors, like yourself, usually have an internal drive to push themselves. Although, you could say the same for the other Classes in different areas. In any case ¡­ if you wish to increase your proficiencies outside of combat, then just use them.¡±

    Even without an enemy to use them on?

    ¡°In our world, martial artists would train for actual combat by punching bags, kicking trees, or imagining an enemy before them while ¡­ in a manner, attacking the air. Sometimes you can¡¯t find someone at your same level or above it to push you, and so you must use your imagination to create someone that can push you.¡±

    So ¡­ hmm¡­ Camellia folded her arms under her chest, pressing her arms against her body. I can imagine my sisters as enemies and practice against them in my mind?

    ¡°Yes, in a way¡ªyou know a lot about your sisters, so it¡¯s a good point to start at. If you were in a battle with Violet or Azalea, act it out ¡­ just don¡¯t break anything in the city¡ªI¡¯d rather not have more added to my workload.¡±

    Thank you ¡­ that helps a lot.

    ¡°It will help expand your imagination, too, and I don¡¯t see an issue with allowing actual mock battles to help you each sharpen your instincts. Although, that will be something your mother will need to approve. It would be best for you to bring it up, though.¡±

    I appreciate the advice, Edmon. She replied, mind racing with the implications.

    Her connection to the Gatekeeper cut with a parting acknowledgment.

    Camellia walked toward an open space that allowed her to use her skills without damaging anything.

    She¡¯d imagined fighting her sisters more than once, but any action taken would have been a direct challenge as the standing successor to their mother, which wasn¡¯t a light decision. It was soon reaching the point where they had to make that confrontation before their death, but all the sisters knew the most likely results.

    Camellia had no delusion, Violet would mop the floor with her, barring the extremely unlikely case that her youngest sister made several critical mistakes. Still, the minimal chance of success never discouraged her but pushed her to close the gap by even the smallest margin.

    A few of the humans and Ri¡¯bot gave her questioning looks or shied away while she whipped her hair around, leaped up pillars, railings, and ran across the ceiling while creating an obstacle course of webbing.

    Halfway through her work, she slowed to a stop, hanging from the roof while folding her arms and pursing her lips.

    Hold on ¡­ this is pointless. Violet¡¯s combat thread is so small that it¡¯s hard to even detect ¡­ I can sense it, but for how long? If she gets a skill that lets her hide her thread, which is likely, then ¡­ eventually, my detection level won¡¯t be able to keep up, and all this practice won¡¯t mean a thing.

    No ¡­ I¡¯m a Juggernaut ¡­ an overwhelming force that crushes everything in my path.

    A smile lit her lips as the dots connected.

    I don¡¯t dodge Violet¡¯s thread ¡­ I smash through it. If I just focus on that one path, I could become an unstoppable boulder, rolling down the mountain to crush anything in my way.

    With that revelation, she glanced around at her webbing.

    If I try to wrap my silk around things and smash into it ¡­ it¡¯ll just rip the stone off the wall and break the pillars. No, to train that, I¡¯ll have to use the trees in the jungle on the journey.

    Her heart swelled with anticipation upon finding her path to combating Violet, but Azalea was still a difficult match-up.

    Dropping to the floor, she ran up to Nadraca, and the Ri¡¯bot fell silent as she approached.

    ¡°How soon until you¡¯re ready to go?¡±

    ¡°Umm ¡­ soon, soon,¡± she mumbled, glancing back at one of her clansmen. ¡°Ukara needs to go outside real quick to check the weather. Is that fine?¡±

    ¡°Umm, yeah¡ªwhy wouldn¡¯t it be?¡±

    A few of the Ri¡¯bot chuckled, nervously glancing at one another.

    ¡°Just checking,¡± Nadraca replied. ¡°Okay, mind doing that real fast, Ukara?¡±

    She ran off with the others, and Camellia watched her go with a slight frown. ¡°So ¡­ once she finds that out¡ªthen we can finally go?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡ªnot exactly,¡± Nadraca mumbled, rubbing her left arm. ¡°We¡¯re having to ¡­ are the humans going back to talk to Empress Elinor?¡±

    Camellia turned; Gwen was directing one of the Empress¡¯ Quen¡¯Talrat to help a few select humans to the ground level, down the large stone staircase. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but what about us leaving?¡± She asked, turning back to Nadraca with bright-eyed excitement.

    ¡°Well, you see¡ªwe don¡¯t know what kind of damage was done after the storm, or even if the boats are still there. The storm that signaled the Supreme Chiefs¡¯ arrival to our world caused such a surge in water levels that it could have washed it away, even with our precautions.

    ¡°If worse comes to worst, then we¡¯ll have to travel by foot, and that might take ¡­ a while?¡± She questioned, pausing while studying her.

    Camellia was almost bouncing on her toes. ¡°We might have to walk? That would be so good for me!¡±

    ¡°Wha ¡­ I¡ªI don¡¯t understand?¡± Nadraca mumbled, glancing toward a few other Ri¡¯bot who gave her similar expressions.

    ¡°I can train more!¡±

    ¡°Train for what?¡± Nadraca scratched her forehead, dipping her other hand in one of the Quen¡¯Talrat cups that Tiffany had filled with water to spread it across her back. ¡°Nevermind, nevermind¡ªit¡¯s not my business,¡± she sighed.

    ¡°Okay, but¡ªumm, according to the Empress¡¯ words¡ªthe task she ordered us to do¡ªwe¡¯d like to warn our fellow clansmen as soon as possible. I¡¯m sorry if that interferes with your, eh¡ªtraining ¡­ whatever that is, but, umm¡ªwe¡¯re trying to cut down as much time as possible.¡±

    Camellia glanced at the humans, dispersing into smaller groups to talk amongst themselves. ¡°I see¡ªtrue, we should complete our task as soon as possible. So¡ªhow soon can we leave?¡±

    Nadraca seemed to force a laugh with a quick groan. ¡°When¡ªwe get everything worked out and the proper list to give Gatekeeper Edmon¡ªas we were ordered.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Camellia moaned, scratching her scalp before dropping to the floor and crossing her legs. She looked at the thread she¡¯d created, watching the humans tentatively study it, but her mind saw her sisters intimidating shadows with all their innate talent and skill.

    I need to close the gap, and the Empress¡¯ power might help me achieve that ¡­ I need to work harder than them¡ªeffort is rewarded in this system! I¡¯m better than just being special ¡­ keep going beyond my limits.

    She visualized her sisters and their fighting styles, merging the shift in techniques they¡¯d obtained by turning into their human forms, but that concentration was broken when Ukara returned in a panic.

    The Ri¡¯bot jumped up the stairs three at a time, panting with the speed at which she returned, and sweat dripped down her skin.

    Nadraca was quick to respond, running to her side.

    On the other hand, Camellia darted to the railing, trying to find the foe that could cause the reaction; her transformation was nearing its final minutes.

    Are we under attack? None of the Empress¡¯ minions have noticed anything out of the ordinary to raise the alarm.

    The only thing below were the humans, and many of them were crying quietly while the Quen¡¯Talrat laid out hundreds of human bodies across the vast entrance hall. The rising scent of rotting flesh was wafting up with the air current but was quickly lifted to glowing gems set in the ceiling, high above.

    She couldn¡¯t see a single threatening thing. There were a few Yaltha¡¯ma running around on some errand, but that was it. Her attention returned to the Ri¡¯bot as Ukara gasped, ¡°The¡ªThe Jukal¡ªthey¡¯re here!¡±

    Camellia¡¯s eyes narrowed, fingers tightening into fists; she hadn¡¯t heard of the name. ¡°Are they a threat?¡±

    She¡¯d eaten enough Ri¡¯bot to see when terror gripped them; liquid gathered along their skin as they absorbed the information, green skins lightening.

    ¡°It¡¯s not¡ªshouldn¡¯t it be two more years? No, no¡ªif they¡¯re here, then¡ªand if ¡­ will the Avana return?¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Camellia asked, frustration growing.

    ¡°Supreme Chief Yesenia,¡± Ukara whispered with horror. ¡°Could this be in response to¡ªto what we did?¡±

    ¡°We must tell Empress Elinor,¡± Nadraca stated, and without warning, she ran to the stairs with Ukara by her side, but the rest of her clan hesitated.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Camellia growled, easily outpacing her, and grabbing both her shoulders, lifted her into the air.

    ¡°Wha ¡­ no, Great Chief ¡­ we must¡­¡±

    ¡°Are they attacking us now?¡± Camellia demanded.

    ¡°N-No,¡± Ukara hesitantly replied. ¡°It¡¯s a sign¡ªa sign of great calamity!¡±

    Camellia sighed, setting her down now that she knew an enemy wasn¡¯t at the doors. ¡°Okay, but you can¡¯t just see the Empress whenever you want!¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand,¡± Nadraca pleaded, ¡°but this is urgent; we will be in danger on our journey if the Jukal are flocking to the valley!¡±

    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Camellia mumbled. ¡°Let me just warn them, jeez¡ªhow bad can it be?¡±

    The two Ri¡¯bot hugged their shoulders, shivering as they waited for her to clear the audience.

    With her mother gone, she contacted Edmon again.

    Edmon, we might have an urgent matter.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    His low voice responded immediately. ¡°Go on.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot are freaking out right now, claiming an omen of calamity was just seen¡ªsomething about Jukal flocking to the valley. They¡¯re talking about something named Avana returning?

    ¡°How soon will this calamity happen?¡±

    She asked the question and replied once the two Ri¡¯bot gave her the most frustrating answer they could.

    They¡¯re not sure, but it could be days or months.

    Edmon was silent for a moment, making Camellia bite her lip, but Ukara and Nadraca seemed near hysterical, though.

    ¡°Have them wait by the front doors to the Throne Room. Valdar is verifying the claim and will join you shortly.¡±

    Camellia relayed the information and followed the instruction; she removed her human coverings just before her transformation reverted.

    The humans seemed too preoccupied to notice the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s panic; women, men, and children moved between bodies, whispering to Gwen as specific corpses were selected and moved to a separate area.

    Valdar soon walked through the hallway leading toward the front doors, entering the hall with a brooding expression.

    Nadraca¡¯s voice shook as she took a few steps toward him before pausing, glancing back at her with fear in her speckled blue eyes. When he neared, she asked, ¡°Is it true, Valdar?¡±

    ¡°I saw them¡ªeight Jukal on a building¡ªeight! T-They were staring at the Quen¡¯Talrat in the street.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Valdar motioned for them to follow him as the burning ape opened the door to the Throne Room. ¡°We will discuss it inside.¡±

    They entered the long corridor, leading into the massive space, and the doors shut behind them.

    The Empress came into view, staring down at them from high above them with a regal posture. Camellia took a note from Valdar, having been instructed by her mother upon the customs of entering the Empress¡¯ presence, and bowed with the others.

    Violet was in her original form, gracefully moving along the walls while removing the destroyed decorations. The massive multicolored gems high above the thrones had been overlaid by her silk, creating a new design that cast a dimmer light to the room, drawing the eye to the Empress.

    ¡°Rise.¡±

    The four of them complied, but Ukara and Nadraca didn¡¯t speak, twitching nervously while waiting, but Elinor was the one to explain the situation.

    ¡°I¡¯ve watched the Jukal entering the valley through the night¡ªGreat Potoo-type of birds that have scales and feathers. They can grow from four to six feet tall, have powerful beaks and talons that can rip through Frave fur¡ªthe raccoon-like creatures in the jungle.

    ¡°They come from the north, and only a few show up every twenty-five to thirty years. The Jukal have been known to hunt everything in the jungle, but so few normally come to the valley that it¡¯s not that big of an issue, and they usually continue wandering, moving on.¡±

    Her glowing green irises shifted to Valdar with a low hum that Camellia barely registered. ¡°What interests me about them is this omen of calamity ¡­ Valdar, you were alive when this happened, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress. I did not see the creature, but many saw it.¡±

    ¡°When?¡±

    ¡°Near the end of the Fire Wars¡ªit was the cause of the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s final extermination. It¡¯s presence marked the end of the war ¡­ it killed the last Queen of the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    A smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips, ghostly eyes moving to Nadraca. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your quick response, Ukara, Nadraca. Before Valdar continues, is there anything of significant importance you believe he doesn¡¯t have on this topic?¡±

    Nadraca cleared her throat, composure returning while standing in front of the Empress, and feeling Elinor¡¯s presence overshadow her previous fears. ¡°The Nalveans have stories about the Avana ¡­ it¡¯s the bringer of storms¡ªwinds stronger than any ship can handle, a roar that can shake the earth, deafen far away, and even kill if close enough. Its breath is like fire and the lights in the sky.¡±

    ¡°Interesting ¡­ so, it breathes electric fire and has a call that can not only shatter glass but likely make the ground tremble. Hmm ¡­ Tiffany will be here shortly.¡±

    Camellia was a little shocked at what she was hearing. There¡¯s a creature that can do all those things? There wasn¡¯t anything like that in my lifetime, but if it ended the Quen¡¯Talrat war with the other nations, then ¡­ I suppose¡­

    Her train of thought broke as she was pulled into a conversation between Edmon, Tiffany, and Elinor.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Tiffany said with a thoughtful tone, ¡°I believe inviting Camellia and Violet to the conversation will be of use. Violet as the standing highest-ranking member of the Assassin Division and Camellia as she might need to take action while away from the Capital.¡±

    ¡°Sound reasoning,¡± Elinor stated.

    Both Violet and her thanked the three, staying silent while listening; Tiffany jumped straight into the discussion.

    ¡°The things they¡¯re talking about sound utterly crazy, but Valdar is vouching for the event. A creature of that size is just ¡­ fiction, to say the least. Many dinosaurs needed to eat most of the day to just have the nutrients to survive, and something of this size is ¡­ beyond anything living we¡¯ve ever seen in our world. Something that can cause tornadoes with its wings is just ¡­ a fairytale.¡±

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully, staring down at them after Nadraca had ceased her explanation, waiting to be called upon again.

    ¡°It does sound like a dragon.¡±

    ¡°A dragon, the size of a mountain!¡± Tiffany scoffed. ¡°I cannot imagine this valley surviving something so massive sweeping through, and attacking the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    Edmon responded. ¡°Let¡¯s assume this news is correct; it may sound insane, but we cannot apply normal logic to this world. What would we do with that information?¡±

    ¡°Oh, Honey,¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°I do not doubt the information; I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s hard to imagine! No, I bet this is correct, and this could open up a whole new path for us; Avana could be another Supreme Chief!¡±

    They paused as Camellia cleared her throat. Nadraca mentioned something about that.

    ¡°Oh? Go on,¡± Tiffany prompted.

    She said the Avana might have been called for by Yesenia to attack the Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°Delicious!¡± Tiffany cooed before it progressed into a sigh. ¡°They just play right into our hands ¡­ it¡¯s kind of sad how easy it is, to be honest. No, we must learn more about this! The issue will be how to mold this event into our narrative ¡­ I¡¯ll give you a few options as we go.¡±

    The doors opened, revealing Tiffany, and Camellia¡¯s front left leg twitched as her mother entered the Nexus range, indicating she had already entered the city.

    ¡°Ah, Iris, just in time!¡± Tiffany said.

    ¡°Find anything of interest?¡± Edmon added.

    Iris¡¯ smooth, regal tone fed through the connection, and she felt Violet bow out of the conversation. ¡°Nothing of significant value. A few foreign flying creatures I haven¡¯t seen before that attacked us on the way back, but after making a few examples out of them, they gave up the fight.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision fell to one of the white trees. ¡°Oh? So you¡¯ve already met the creatures invading my valley. How many did you kill?¡±

    ¡°Thirty-two. Invading ¡­ should I take care of the ones hovering around the group of humans? They haven¡¯t attacked since, but have been observing.¡±

    ¡°I assume you¡¯ve been keeping track of every single one within sight?¡± Tiffany mused.

    ¡°Three-hundred and eighty-four, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. Most have been seen around the Capital, lining buildings, and I¡¯ve seen the largest clusters circling the Quen¡¯Talrat within the radius I can sense inside the Nexus.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, quite peculiar, but I suppose seeing skeletal creatures that are on fire might be of interest to birds of prey,¡± Tiffany commented. ¡°No, the fun part of all this is that they might be more intelligent than we give them credit for. Perhaps, they¡¯re scouts for this Avana ¡­ or,¡± her tone darkened, ¡°it could be Demon¡¯s handiwork.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s my thought on the matter,¡± Edmon agreed.

    Elinor¡¯s demeanor shifted slightly at the news, features turning sinister. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to antagonize a dragon to throw a challenge at me. Let¡¯s keep this between us.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s cold irises returned to Valdar; her mother was still returning at a steady pace. ¡°I¡¯ve been discussing a few things with the Supreme Chiefs. Continue, High Priest Valdar; tell me everything you know about the creature you call the Avana¡ªin fact, summarize everything involving the end of the Fire Wars.¡±

    Valdar bowed again. ¡°With the information I have been given by Supreme Chief Iris, it is clear to me that her confrontation with the White God was the deciding moment that shifted the tides of the war.

    ¡°The White God retreated to handle the underground invasion, and seeing the powerful, battle hungry leader away from the front for so long¡ªit had never happened before, and without him leading his forces, fractures started to appear in the counter raids, likely caused by internal doubt in regards to the White God¡¯s absence while locked in combat with the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen before her deification.

    ¡°Weeks passed, but still, few of the allied races were able to gain any significant ground, but a single moment changed everything. There was a daring rush, made by the Golariex and some strange Mysticism by the Ques¡¯k¨¢ races that decimated a section of the wall¡¯s first layer, allowing the allied races to flood through, and with great sacrifice by a few of us ¡­ mainly the Ri¡¯bot, we entered the fortress.

    ¡°It was then that we discovered the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were the key factor in our success; they were everywhere. The Quen¡¯Talrat had set up many blockades, knowing this could have happened for a few days as they pulled soldiers away from the walls, but with their ability to climb over nearly anything, the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra overcame the defense with sheer numbers, not caring if they died or not in response to the death of the Queen and her daughters.¡±

    Valdar bowed to Camellia and Violet. ¡°It came to me as a great shock when I learned of your deification upon the Empress¡¯ recommendation, and that that played a part in the fractured allegiances in the Heavens.¡±

    Camellia had no clue how to respond, but Elinor waved her hand in acknowledgment.

    ¡°Indeed. I could not pass up such a display that single-handedly turned the tides of that battle ¡­ not a single one of the races to match them in that conflict.¡±

    Nadraca and Ukara were listening intently, eyes wide with wonder at the expanded tale.

    ¡°I have no doubt of it, Empress,¡± Valdar humbly replied. ¡°It was chaos after that ¡­ the Quen¡¯Talrat gathered in elite packs, forcing their way out of the city as they opened all the gates. The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra discriminated against none, being a true harbinger of death, and the armies were broken into smaller subsections that would take more than a week to regroup.

    ¡°Within that time, the Kings and Queens of the Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªthe strongest of the Elite Hunters that once sat upon those thrones,¡± he pointed, ¡°each faction refused to unite with the others.¡±

    A soft smile touched Elinor¡¯s cheeks. ¡°The death of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s dream of a united people.¡±

    ¡°That it was, if you say it was so,¡± Valdar replied with another bow. ¡°The Fire Wars then began, which took many years. One after another, slowly, each King and Queen fell by different heroes and nations ¡­ many of those legends giving their lives for the task, but there were a few stronger than the rest that resisted.

    ¡°Silver Queen was the last of her kind ¡­ she was known to have the strongest fur out of all the Quen¡¯Talrat; some say it rivaled the White God¡¯s, and she was fearless in battle. However, her final moments weren¡¯t what any of the races expected¡ªit left a silence only something so enormous could bring.

    ¡°Word of her death came by the word of a Ques¡¯k¨¢ elite unit that had been tasked to finish her off¡ªshe¡¯d held out in one of their branch fortresses, a structure that used to exist in the southeastern part of the valley.¡±

    ¡°The massive rift in the earth,¡± Edmon darkly commented through the Nexus.

    ¡°This happened years after Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s death, and these new flying creatures began appearing throughout the lands; I heard a rumor that they were even seen as far as the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph¡¯s territory in the distant West side of the continent, but one thing was for sure ¡­ they were hunting the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    He paused as Tiffany reached the top of the stairs upon the hand of the skeletal ape the Empress had sent down to recover her; the Witch¡¯s voice held a wondrous tone. ¡°Hunting the Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ you said they came from the north, and none of the other races knew of them?¡±

    ¡°Correct,¡± Valdar replied.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Her discussion shifted to the Nexus as the Witch took her seat upon the Silver Queen¡¯s throne, beside the Empress; Violet had already constructed another silken attachment for her to use.

    ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma went north on his conquest, following Demon¡¯s orders; these Jukal came from the north, an unknown land, hunting the Quen¡¯Talrat decades after their return. If we put two and two together ¡­ this was a targeted hit, and I can guess where it goes from here. The Jukal were too weak to handle the Silver Queen, and someone that could had to make an appearance.¡±

    Iris¡¯ neutral tone entered the conversation. ¡°If these Jukal are here, witnessing the rise of the Quen¡¯Talrat in our ranks, then it could pose the displeasure of these northern creatures that have animosity toward them, and if they can¡¯t handle the revenge, they¡¯ll send that same creature.¡±

    ¡°Exciting, isn¡¯t it?¡± Tiffany squealed. ¡°Fear lies in the unknown; what we need is information to prepare if that¡¯s the case.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Edmon carefully responded. ¡°More must be learned if we are to understand. Let Valdar finish the tale.¡±

    Giving the order, the High Priest continued; Nadraca and Ukara¡¯s teeth pressed against their sucked in lips, waiting for the next part as they glanced between the parties.

    ¡°The Jukal were spread out at first, and over a few weeks, centered on the Silver Queen¡¯s Keep; tens of thousands of the creatures flocked to the area. There wasn¡¯t a time in the day or night you couldn¡¯t hear the flapping of their wings.

    ¡°Yet, numbers mattered little to the Silver Queen; I heard the stories from my father when he scouted out the area. Tens of thousands went ¡­ and tens of thousands died, burnt to chars or eaten as food for the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s army.

    ¡°Then, the shadow in the sky appeared upon silent winds; it blotted out the sky, yet created a shimmering yellow glow from its wings that illuminated the valley brighter than the sun at noonday as it landed¡ªa creature so large that it might even rival this entire fortress in size.

    ¡°It brought with it a burning heat that swept through the jungles, causing a drought that lasted two years after, and ripped into the Silver Queen¡¯s fort; tearing up the earth as it attacked and dug. Its thrashing tail and back legs created the lakes around that area that feed into the massive crevasse.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t even end when it opened its mouth, sending in a stream of seemingly endless heat that burned so hot the trees in the area disintegrated, not even catching fire. After that, its head darted in, and when it came out, the creature spread its wings, reared, and jumped high into the air before flying off, back to the north.

    ¡°The wake of that destruction to the eastern valley has slowly recovered since then, but the trees and many of the plant life are very young in that section of the valley; the earth it moved with its tail and claws created the plateau that can be seen there.¡±

    No one spoke as they processed the information, and after several seconds, Elinor¡¯s vision moved to the two Clavex members, ¡°Do you have anything else to add?¡±

    Nadraca took a shuddering breath before responding. ¡°The Nalveans¡ªthey believe if you see a large gathering of Jukal ¡­ soon, the Avana will return.¡±

    ¡°Reporting this so quickly was very helpful, Nadraca, Ukara. I will discuss this with the Supreme Chiefs; you may return to planning your trip, and Valdar, you may continue preparing the two guests that will be accompanying Nadraca¡¯s group.¡±

    ¡°Guests, Empress?¡± Nadraca asked with astonishment. ¡°I, umm¡ªtwo, so ¡­ should we prepare the food for that, or will they be¡­¡± She trailed off, glancing at Camellia.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Valdar responded. ¡°I will discuss the details with you on our way out; the Empress is quite busy with this news, among many other things. Empress Elinor,¡± he bowed, and the two other Ri¡¯bot did the same, retreating through the now opening doors.

    Before they¡¯d had a chance to take a few steps, her mother spoke through the Nexus.

    ¡°The Jukal attacking the humans while I escorted them could be a response for food and not a targeted action based on any kind of grudge, but there is that possibility. I currently think that they are still observing the group because I executed all of those that tried. Perhaps they are just curious about me, but I put the idea forward in the chance I am wrong.¡±

    Tiffany crossed her legs the opposite way, sitting a bit more comfortably in the seat while pressing her knuckles against her nose. ¡°Hmm ¡­ it¡¯s not far-fetched if everything we¡¯ve heard is true. Valdar never actually saw the creature, so it¡¯s size might be exaggerated, even by a little. Embellishing stories is a part of the fun in telling them, after all, and it came during a stressful time of war.¡±

    Edmon responded with a similar brooding tone. ¡°I agree, Iris. I¡¯m more inclined to go with your gut feeling that they¡¯re more curious about you than the humans. No, what I¡¯m concerned about is their focus on the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    ¡°Demon¡¯s task to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ka was likely the cause of such an event; I can see a creature like Avana being a deterrent by whoever sealed him. Perhaps, this creature is one of the crafters in that design, for all we know. If that¡¯s the case, then Avana, or whoever controls it, must have sensed Demon¡¯s recent activities and launched into action to determine why he¡¯d become so brazen in this valley¡ªand for a second time within two-hundred years.¡±

    Tiffany hummed. ¡°It¡¯s certainly possible.¡±

    Camillia felt like this entire conversation was way out of her league, but she still kept silent, listening. In fact, deep down, she felt a bit of pride that she was allowed in on such a critical discussion.

    ¡°I¡¯d say more than possible,¡± Edmon countered. ¡°Of course, this could have been the rebuilt army of a northern nation that Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma conquered on his way there, and this was their retaliation. There are many other theories we could speculate on, but what action will we take to this?¡±

    Elinor was the one to pose the solution. ¡°It¡¯s simple. I believe increasing my Intelligent Undead limit is in order. If I resurrect one of these Jakal, then I can gain answers while having the knowledge of a creature that has travelled across a lot of lands. Oh, and that also means more maids,¡± She added with a smile. ¡°I believe that would give us the best intel to act upon, but what do you think?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t argue, there,¡± Tiffany giggled.

    Edmon offered a little resistance. ¡°It would, but we also must consider it antagonizing the creatures to view us negatively. Yet ¡­ we couldn¡¯t communicate, nor negotiate with them otherwise, so there isn¡¯t another option available.¡±

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Tiffany hummed thoughtfully. ¡°Yesenia does have that human boy that can translate other creatures.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know how thorough that ability is, and would likely need to be leveled up and some kind of time given to learn how to speak it.¡±

    ¡°Not wrong, but still, it means our little snake-girl has the ability to learn about the same information we could get,¡± Tiffany explained.

    ¡°Then it¡¯s agreed upon?¡± Iris interjected. ¡°This is the most efficient path forward.¡±

    ¡°¡°Agreed.¡±¡±

    With both Witch and Gatekeeper¡¯s acceptance, Elinor addressed the Executioner. ¡°Iris, send someone over to gather the bodies and bring them to me for evaluation; I don¡¯t want to waste an Intelligent Undead slot on a Poor-Grade, so bring them all.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

 B2 â€” 4. Empires Need Capable Servants

    Elinor released a thoughtful hum as she smiled at Camellia¡¯s bright expression below; the idea there was a fire-lightning breathing dragon the size of her city lurking in the north hadn¡¯t even been in the realm of possibilities before this moment, and now, it took center stage.

    Yet, she didn¡¯t feel the fear she knew that news should have instilled.  It was certainly surprising, but the information brought with it opportunity.

    Her glowing irises moved to Tiffany, visible above the Gray Throne¡¯s armrests with Violet¡¯s silk attachment, providing a clearer view of the space below.  The Witch was deep in thought on several topics.

    Tiffany.

    ¡°Mmh¡ªah, did you have something else in mind?¡±

    I suppose ¡­ I¡¯m going to attempt to increase the level of my Minion Pool.  How does the ranking of the skill work?  How would I improve a skill to the second rank, making it Minion Pool 2?  Its max rank, yet still Minion Pool 1.  What are the conditions required for it to change?

    ¡°Ah, right, right ¡­ raising a skill¡¯s Level and Proficiencies to their maximum unlocks the next stage, which also increases the overall grade of your proficiency in that skill.  There are a few caveats and types of these advancements that fall into two categories¡ªhow do I explain it ¡­  you can use some skill¡¯s previous ranks, some you cannot, while others are automatically assigned based on conditions.¡±

    Complicated?

    Camellia was listening intently to the discussion, and Elinor found her minor reactions to the Witch¡¯s explanation entertaining enough to keep her linked to the conversation.

    ¡°Only for a moment,¡± Tiffany shrugged.  ¡°Any new process can be hard to adapt to at the start, and this game-like system has many intricate workings that can be difficult to adjust to at first.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say ¡­ ah, Life Tap, we can start here!  If you had Rank-Two Life Tap, you could use the previous rank if the higher grade wasn¡¯t needed, yet with every increase to the overall status of a skill, the base will get stronger because of the increased Grade.

    ¡°Let¡¯s say you have the next Grade of a skill unlocked ¡­ Life Tap is at Rank 2, and¡ªfor example¡¯s-sake, we¡¯ll go with Versed, Rank 4.  That means that if you used Life Tap Rank 1, even though it¡¯s a much lower skill with weaker overall power, it would gain more strength from the Versed Grade, rather than the Novice or Rookie Grades it came up with.

    ¡°Now, we¡¯ll go even further!  Life Tap Rank 4, meaning you¡¯ve basically pumped over thirty to forty Skill Points into the skill, and now it¡¯s Adept Grade ¡­ the strength of Life Tap Rank 1 will now have all of the advancements gained through that mastery.  Oh, note that it does require a Skill Point into the next Rank to advance it ¡­ it¡¯s basically making it level 11 but just taking away the second number ¡­ which is like, meh, okay.¡±

    Okay ¡­ let¡¯s use Minion Pool as the next example since it¡¯s my next goal.

    ¡°Eh ¡­ well, therein lies the reason I used Life Tap as my first examination,¡± Tiffany replied while adjusting her ripped and torn clothes.  ¡°Minion Pool can be increased to higher Ranks, but you cannot use previous Ranks after advancing it, which you could with Life Tap.¡±

    Elinor rested her head against the back of her hand, elbow leaning against the silky left armrest.  That seems fairly straight forward; I couldn¡¯t try to use a weaker version of a skill that is literally holding all my minions.

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± Tiffany chuckled softly.

    Elinor¡¯s left eye creased as she tracked Iris¡¯ approach with the humans, drawing closer to the palace; she¡¯d sent two Quen¡¯Talrat to rush back the corpses.  No?  Then there is a way for me to use weaker versions of Minion Pool?

    ¡°It¡¯s about strategy,¡± Tiffany mused.  ¡°You cannot use a lesser variant of a skill that is in active use, but ¡­ what if you suddenly saw a massive loss of minions or decided to dismiss a large amount?¡±

    I wouldn¡¯t be using any ¡­ I see; my current minion count would fall below a specific Rank.

    ¡°Now, the issue is that you wouldn¡¯t receive the bonuses those increased ranks give, but it could reduce the price of certain conditions those high ranks might impose.  It¡¯s just something to consider.¡±

    So, in short, if I want Minion Pool 2, then I need to get it to Level 10 with a max Proficiency Grade and Rank?

    ¡°Correct.¡±

    Elinor fed her desire into the action, increasing the pool a level at a time, stopping on five.

    Base Lich (Race) Abilities:

    Minion Pool I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Skill, Death-Type, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank Zero.  Increases Elinor¡¯s Minion Pool.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Intelligent: 30 (Previous 18)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Unintelligent: 150 (Previous 80)</li>

    </ul>

    A flash of amusement lifted Elinor¡¯s lips as she pondered on the advancement, relaying the new figures to the Royal Court.  Isn¡¯t it interesting?  A Rookie Lich Empress has up to a hundred and eighty minions ¡­ although, I suppose my Royal Court shouldn¡¯t be as advanced as it currently is.

    ¡°Twelve new positions?¡±  Tiffany squealed.

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Edmon stepped in, quieting the Witch.  ¡°Moving forward ¡­ our current plans are for the following:

    ¡°One Treasurer.

    ¡°One Groundskeeper.

    ¡°A Royal Chronicler.

    ¡°One Publicist with good communication skills.

    ¡°A Cook, whichever rank we can find among the bodies given.

    ¡°And finally, four Maids.

    ¡°With one of the new twelve slots taken by a Jukal ¡­ that leaves eleven.

    ¡°One of those positions I¡¯d recommend reserving for a Head of State.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips fell a bit as Tiffany¡¯s mouth fell open, and before she could respond, Iris severed Camellia¡¯s connection to the conversation since they were entering an area outside the scope of her station.

    ¡°A what ¡­ umm, Edmon, do you have your head on straight?¡±

    Iris¡¯ calm voice entered the discussion.  ¡°If I am not mistaken, Edmon, you described the Head of State as the highest-tier station among the Lower Court.¡±

    ¡°A Transcendent-Title!¡±  Tiffany barked.  ¡°You know just how pressed we are on Elinor¡¯s daily Death Toll.  What makes a Head of State so important at this time for you to bring that up?¡±

    Edmon responded in the same cool manner Elinor had become accustomed to.  ¡°I only suggested we reserve the position and a suitable corpse to fill it.  In short, the human we select will be one of the most capable humans within history, and if he were allowed to grow, would have become a world leader.

    ¡°I am not sure there is a corpse of such value taken, and that is in our possession.  All I¡¯m recommending is to keep our eyes open.  A Head of State would advance the religious part of the Empire by leaps and bounds compared to what we can accomplish.¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­ well, why didn¡¯t you lead with that,¡± Tiffany grumbled.  ¡°It¡¯s true ¡­ we may be competent in many fields, but a Head of State would be able to direct the flow much easier among the social classes ¡­ plus, I¡¯m pretty busy handling many other things.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, we all know you¡¯re special and busy,¡± Edmon teased.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Tiffany sniffed, bypassing his remark.  ¡°... Leaving that aside, an Ambassador should be in order.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision lifted, following Violet as she continued to remove all the decaying decorations, stripping the walls of cloth and drapes.

    To meet with Yesenia?

    ¡°Not this soon,¡± Tiffany remarked, regaining her composure.  ¡°If we sent an Ambassador with Nadraca, then they will gain experience while observing and participating in the affairs.  I just think it would be prudent to develop an excellent talent as soon as possible since we know we will be meeting with Yesenia in time.¡±

    Edmon and Iris both agreed with her forethought, making up Elinor¡¯s mind.

    That leaves ten left¡­

    They discussed the possible choices and best options until Iris arrived; she¡¯d directed the Quen¡¯Talrat to set the dead Jukal on the opposite side of the hall as the humans finished their selection.

    The group that Iris brought back was worse for wear, but most of them were in the younger generation of the town, appearing to fall between their teens and late twenties.  Elinor assumed Krava had seen the use in taking the humans that were still in the prime of their youth.

    All of the new group seemed to have found a modicum of protection in the giant spider queen that had brought them to the safety of this colossal fortress-city; however, upon seeing her sitting on the massive throne, more than one person had a lump drop down their throats.

    Camellia¡¯s tone was much more light-hearted and bright than one would expect when announcing who the group had an audience with when they¡¯d just passed an immense entrance hall, littered with corpses and bones.  Yet, the red-themed spider cheerily announced the name and rank of every present Royal Court member.

    The girls and boys shifted nervously, eyes darting between the figures as they waited in stunned silence, and even those that had severe wounds made as little noise as possible while waiting for their fate to be sealed.

    Iris ascended the wall, locked in a conversation with Tiffany, and upon eavesdropping, Elinor discovered they were going back and forth about Throne placement as she let the pressing atmosphere crush her new potential subjects.

    ¡°... You know, you¡¯re not wrong,¡± Tiffany mused, glancing between the thrones.  ¡°A color-theme was what they were meant for, to begin with, and there is an orange ¡­ mmh, but it¡¯s further away from Elinor¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just an observation,¡± Iris smoothly replied.  ¡°You¡¯ve mentioned the reason why thrones are of such importance, so, which should I use if placement and color are a factor?¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ we aren¡¯t really going along with the whole Quen¡¯Talrat arrangement; that¡¯d be silly.  No, but ¡­ colors would be kind of nice.  There¡¯s a deep blue one for Edmon, which goes with his eyes.¡±

    Iris paused beside the White Throne, remaining stationary.  ¡°Is eye color the primary consideration?¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Tiffany mumbled, noting Elinor looking at her.  ¡°... Oh, Elinor, umm ¡­ is there something you¡¯d like to add?¡±

    Glancing at the base of the Gray Throne, she hummed thoughtfully.  We can move the thrones around, but a color-theme might be nice.  You have orange fire and eyes, Tiffany; I think it would fit you well.  Iris may have red eyes, but she¡¯s also an assassin, so ¡­ black?

    Both parties promptly agreed with her assessment, and upon prompt, Violet moved down to the Orange Throne to construct another silk seat for the Witch while Iris climbed upon the Black Throne.

    The obsidian-like wood was mesmerizing to look upon once Violet fragmented the light of the black gem with her silk to cast an eerier tone to the gaudy Throne Room.

    Iris managed to collect the human corpses she¡¯d found in a protective silken weave, and with how slow the group moved through the jungle, had a single Quen¡¯Talrat gradually carry the bundles back to the palace through their morning hike.

    The living was going through the new bodies to identify the individuals they knew.

    Now situated, Elinor coldly made a similar show as she did the previous human audience, telling them of her plan and the options they had.  She left them with the same offer to resurrect their loved ones, providing the necessary caveats.

    As expected, none of them put up much resistance, but none were religious believers yet, and she gave them the charge to discuss things with Gwen in regards to the hundreds upon hundreds of bodies that had been recovered.

    Elinor watched them leave with a smile.  There are a lot more human options than I first anticipated.

    ¡°Mmh, well, they did kill and kidnap an entire South American town,¡± Tiffany giggled.  ¡°This group was much more reserved than the last, considering they were supposed to be the rowdy ones, but I suppose that has to do with Iris,¡± she grinned at the Queen.

    Iris was as still as a statue as she observed the retreating humans.  ¡°I suppose my presence did strike terror into their hearts.  A few were quite vocal, but after observing all of the Ri¡¯bot being incapacitated, they withdrew.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Tiffany snickered.  ¡°I bet they did.¡±

    Preparing herself for the storm that was about to follow, Elinor straightened in her seat, ordering her gorilla attendant to carry her below.  ¡­ Well, it¡¯s time to see what these Jukal are doing in my valley, and what this Avana really is.

    Tiffany tensed with excitement, Edmon listened in, and even Iris seemed hungry for more details about the beast.

    Stepping off her minion¡¯s hand, she watched the ape Iris commanded to bring in the creatures for observation; many of the humans could be seen sneaking glances in at them through the wide-open doors, but the distance between the rooms was vast enough that they couldn¡¯t make out much but a lone girl, standing in a grand room that was far larger than was reasonably possible.

    She got her first look at the creatures as they were brought in, making her hum with interest; they may have resembled the Potoos in a few regards, but they were clearly something different.

    The five-foot-tall beast was a mix between a bird and reptile that resembled a more terrifying, bestial form of a harpy.  Its massive wings were bowed in a way that allowed the creature to prowl, displaying sharp black talons to rake its prey.

    It¡¯s bulging eyes were like onyx stones, barely reflecting any of the light around the space, and the dull gray scales mix that ruff of feathers that puffed around its neck gave it a horrifying appearance.  The creature¡¯s v-shaped beak curved down, leading to an appalling grin that split its wide-open mouth.

    A dense plume of layered feathers trailed behind the creature, leaving much of its core and muscular legs with dull gray scales.  Its six-inch-long talons showed how deadly the bird was in the wild.

    Dried blue blood dyed the creature¡¯s stomach from the three puncture holes Iris had made, apparently coming from three major organs she¡¯d discovered while dispatching them and observing how different wounds affected their time of death.

    Tens of thousands of these ranging from four to six feet tall ¡­ they would be a terror in the skies, and the amount of food they¡¯d require ¡­ what kind of place is the north?

    Tiffany¡¯s lips tightened.  ¡°A good question.  This was a targeted attack ¡­ war against the Quen¡¯Talrat, which would make ten armies attacking them in succession.  Really, that just proves just how powerful the Quen¡¯Talrat were once united under strong leadership.¡±

    Iris explained a few abilities the creatures possessed while her minion brought each in, and a few showed just how brutal some of Iris¡¯ initial attacks had been upon an unknown enemy; several of the birds were diced into sections as she identified their anatomy amid the battle, and she¡¯d eaten one to analyze their biological traits.

    ¡°The Jukal aren¡¯t particularly dangerous by Th¨¦lm¨¦thra standards,¡± she explained.  ¡°They are swift in the sky, but I suspect not among the most agile within their environment; they¡¯re built for quick execution, dropping out of the sky at an accelerated rate to catch unsuspecting prey.¡±

    ¡°Th¨¦lm¨¦thra standards?¡±  Tiffany repeated with a light laugh.  ¡°According to your lore, Iris, your species devours entire worlds, building on each conquest ¡­ I speculate not many creatures meet your measure.¡±

    ¡°It is a simple analysis of adaptability within their genetic blueprint,¡± Iris responded in a neutral tone.  ¡°There is a vocal organ that has some merit, allowing them to use sound as an attack or warning.  These are not apex predators within their environment but act more as scavengers to more powerful foes.

    ¡°Their eyes are adapted in a way to warn them of danger, even when sleeping, and bodies formed to allow the creatures to move in tight spaces.  I expect they use ice caverns as their place of nest, using their thick feathers and numbers as a means to keep warm while gathering some form of material to combat a frigid environment.

    ¡°If they do live in an icy area, then I¡¯d conclude they¡¯re extremely active, requiring much nourishment as they burn through their energy.¡±

    ¡°High calorie based, huh?¡±  Tiffany commented.

    Edmon released a low hum of interest.  ¡°What about temperament?¡±

    ¡°Highly sanguine with a slight mix of phlegmatic characteristics; they are not vengeful, but are very hierarchical-based within their social order.  There is a curious aspect to their observation habits ¡­ it is rare in their species to spend so much time observing instead of acting.  There are several built-in genetic markers that are passed on to help hunt and avoid specific prey and predators, but that does not connect to their current presence and behavior.

    ¡°There is nothing within their make-up to conclude why they¡¯d hunt the Quen¡¯Talrat in a mass suicide either, which is a bit perplexing,¡± Iris commented with a brooding tone.  ¡°If I were to be a Jukal, then I would avoid the Quen¡¯Talrat at all cost.

    ¡°My assessment ¡­ something is controlling them, and I cannot detect its influence in their biology.¡±

    Elinor walked around one of the more complete birds, hair bunching at her shoulders as her head tilted, observing the creature in detail.  Interesting ¡­ so, could something be controlling the Avana?

    ¡°Ooo,¡± Tiffany scooted forward, smiling softly while calling for the nearest Quen¡¯Talrat to carry her to ground-level.  ¡°Isn¡¯t this becoming quite the mystery?  The northern continent is piquing my intrigue!  How intelligent are they?¡±

    ¡°Not very compared to humans, but enough to possibly communicate at a rudimentary level if trained.¡±

    We¡¯ll see soon enough.

    They went silent as Elinor activated Herald of the Empress, sending her butterflies between the corpses to analyze their spirit¡¯s strength.

    Half of these I can¡¯t bring back since their bones were damaged.

    ¡°My apologies, Empress.¡±

    It¡¯s to be expected ¡­ they¡¯re weak.  Almost every Jukal is of Poor or Common-Grade, not showing much ability to advance to something great ¡­ yet there is one of Uncommon.

    Elinor stopped in front of a bird, cut clean in half, yet Iris had managed to curve around the bones, making her lips curve.  Iris ¡­ you knew about my current bone limitation on reviving bodies?

    ¡°Edmon and Tiffany both made me aware of your capabilities and answered more of my inquiries after your exploration.¡±

    Was this one of any importance?  It appears as if you took an interest in keeping this one available functional.

    ¡°It did give some indications of being higher in their societal rank with the females surrounding it.¡±

    You really are my jewel.  Elinor giggled.  Well ¡­ sadly, a Rare-Grade is required to have full sentience at their resurrection.  Hmm ¡­ send for Quin and have him help our newest member remember his past.

    Applying her power, Elinor rekindled its spark of life.

    The Jukal sucked in a hissing breath as the flames engulfed its body, turning its scales and feathers to ash and leaving glistening bone.

    Elinor lifted an eyebrow, not entirely expecting the outcome.  I suppose I should make a note of this ¡­ skeletal birds do not make good starting minions.  In fact, Iris, if you could have Quin meet up with ¡­ we¡¯ll name him Rigrach, she giggled.  Tell them to continue killing wildlife, leaving the Ri¡¯bot alone until Rigrach can communicate.

    ¡°I will see it is done.  However, Quin appears to be nearing that stage already, and would you like them to gather their prey for nourishment?¡±

    Tiffany bounced on her toes as she touched down on the ground floor, eagerly moving to inspect their newest member.  ¡°Oh, oh, ingredients, too.  Wait ¡­ we¡¯ll have a cook, soon; it¡¯s perfect!  Think about savoring new dishes ¡­ I miss eating,¡± she groaned with a reminiscent tone.  ¡°What do you think, Elinor?  Wouldn¡¯t it be absolutely divine to test out our cook¡¯s skills?¡±

    ¡°Not even trying to hide it,¡± Edmon chuckled.

    ¡°Eh, what are you talking about, Edmon?  This is totally natural!¡±

    Elinor smiled at the innocent grin her former mother wore.  No need to diet anymore, right?

    ¡°Absolutely right!¡±  She salivated.

    The joy of tasting good food again wasn¡¯t just held by the Witch, Iris and Edmon were collected on the surface, but even the Executioner had a curiosity about what dishes their new chief would create.

    Iris sent Rigrach out to meet up with Quin as a Quen¡¯Talrat removed the remaining Jukal; she¡¯d concluded more skeletal versions at this time wasn¡¯t the best use of her Death Energy, and if needed, there were hundreds of possible replacements outside.

    Camellia, Iris, Tiffany, and Elinor exited the Throne Room, causing a stir among the humans as they casually traveled the lengthy hallway between the two areas.  Gwen must have explained the situation adequately to the new group because the teens and adults had separated their own dead.

    Two sections were marked out, and surprisingly, there were more bodies for her to select from in the willing category than not; although, that also included the unclaimed.

    Every human and Yaltha¡¯ma in the room bowed, facing the floor as she entered, and Elinor quickly gave the command that they could rise.

    Gwen had a hopeful look in her eyes as she hurried over to her, and Elinor glanced at the nervous Ri¡¯bot following beside her; some of the embers hiding below began to crackle as she saw the creature that had taken so much from her, but it wasn¡¯t difficult to temper the emotions, returning her focus to the red-haired woman.

    ¡°Have I given the humans enough time, Gwen?¡±

    ¡°Plenty, Empress,¡± Gwen respectfully responded.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor swept the small crowds of tens of dozens of people.  ¡°Are there any reservations or concerns?¡±

    ¡°Umm,¡± Gwen smacked her lips, glancing back at a few individuals, fists clenched against their chests or folded, ¡°well ¡­ there are some worries about how long it might take for people to get their turn, and eh ¡­ the jobs their loved ones might get is a bit of a discussion.¡±

    ¡°So, a lot of concerns,¡± Tiffany giggled.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ kind of,¡± Gwen said, giving the Witch a forced smile.  ¡°A lot of personal questions.¡±

    Iris¡¯ leg shifted, moving her body so she could get a better picture of the crowd.  ¡°Too scared to ask by the manner they¡¯re reacting.¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ some are still processing everything,¡± Gwen whispered, ¡°but they all wish for their loved ones to return.¡±

    Elinor smiled, folding her hands behind her back while turning to study several nervous faces.  ¡°Then allow me to bring you good news ¡­ there are new openings within my Empire.¡±

    Soft whispers swept the pockets of people at the news.

    ¡°Tiffany, if you could explain exactly what jobs have now become available.¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± the Witch stepped forward, and the room quieted to listen.  ¡°I will start by reaffirming what has already been stated.

    ¡°As you know, there will be a Treasurer to begin recording our goods.

    ¡°A Groundskeeper, to aid in the management of the palace.

    ¡°There will be one person given the job of Royal Chronicler to keep a diary of the Empire¡¯s actions for future study.

    ¡°A Publicist to act as a liaison between the people and the Royal Court,

    ¡°Cook to prepare the Empress¡¯ meals, and as for Maids ¡­ there has been a slight change.¡±

    Tiffany smiled, glancing at her captivated audience as the tension built; even the Clavex and humans above were staring down with wide-eyes, waiting for the reveal.

    ¡°The Empress will be selecting nine Maids and two Butlers.  If there is a suitable candidate for a lead Maid or Butler position, then the honor might fall upon one of your family members.¡±

    A hum of noise passed through each small party as people talked amongst themselves, and Elinor could hear a few fears at how few men would be selected.

    Tiffany allowed the whispers for several seconds before speaking up again, silencing the massive crowd as they turned back to get every detail.

    ¡°I¡¯m pleased to announce, positions have opened in the following:

    ¡°A capable Artist to provide entertainment, which would include any of the artistic paths.

    ¡°There will be an Ambassador chosen to represent our Empire, and this job would be much more demanding than the previous as it would require distant travel.¡±

    More than a few men, women, and children looked fearful upon that revelation, but the Witch powered on.

    ¡°Finally, a Curator to support the Treasurer with the mass of items that must be sorted.¡±

    Every human held their breath as she finished, probably hoping for just a little more, but none came, and Elinor stepped forward to enact the proclamation, giving a few last words.

    ¡°Be sure that if I pass your loved one by, it does not mean I will not require their services in the future.¡±

    Emerald flames flowed up her arms as she activated Herald of the Empress, searching for her targets, and she quickly identified the best candidates for each job; every human she chose was Rare or Heroic-Grade, making them instantly capable of fulfilling their duties.

    However, upon conducting her study, she found that there was more talent present than she first considered; while humans were feeble as combat classes, their intelligence allowed the majority to push past the weaker Grades to the point she found her Head of State.

    Elinor stared down at a well built handsome man in his early thirties; she recalled seeing him on the humanitarian aid bus.

    His hair was perfectly trimmed to his slicked-back style, leaving his forehead open; his shinny night-black hair and strong, chiseled face were what initially drew her eye, and she even remembered her mother giving the man an appraising stare as he removed his shirt on the ride, showing his well-toned muscular body, framed by his tank-top.

    He was practically bubbling with masculinity, yet had a controlled class that his glasses highlighted, showing a contrast that initially intrigued her to spend more time admiring the show.

    It had offered a momentary distraction from the blazing heat as she remembered, but now, his white T-Shirt was ripped and bloodied.  There were signs that he¡¯d put up a fight with green blood straining his pants and hands, which was even more eye-catching than his young, mysterious suave-like appeal.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Tiffany stared down at him as she continued to study the dead man.  ¡°Something interesting about him?  Oh, is he the Head Butler?  Please, say he¡¯s the Head Butler; oh, I¡¯d die of a sugar overdose,¡± she squealed.

    Edmon¡¯s low voice butted in, watching through Elinor¡¯s eyes as she shared her vision with him.  ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Tiff ¡­ this is the kind of Butler you see as, and I quote, eye-candy ¡­ he¡¯s not even that good-looking.¡±

    Elinor restrained a smirk, feeling Edmon¡¯s jealousy rise, and Elinor had to agree with the Witch as her smile grew impish.

    ¡°Mmh?  Not handsome, Edmon ¡­ you¡¯re usually more subtle about these things.  As I recall ¡­ oh, I can taste the green waves coming off you!¡±

    ¡°Green waves?¡±  Iris questioned, but Edmon¡¯s voice easily overpowered her soft inquiry.

    ¡°Green waves ¡­ you think I¡¯m jealous of that ¡­ a corpse that will be what, a Butler?¡±

    ¡°Honey ¡­ Honey,¡± Tiffany giggled, holding her stomach with mirth as she pressed her knuckles against her nose, ¡°if you wanted to insult him, then you can¡¯t go after his looks!  It just seems ¡­ well, silly¡ªlook at that face, body ¡­ oof, that hair ¡­ yes, I remember how he looked on that steaming hot bus,¡± she hummed with pleasure.

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Elinor interjected.  ¡°Actually ¡­ this man¡¯s Grade¡­¡±

    ¡°Is Poor, isn¡¯t it?¡±  Edmon chuckled, causing Iris¡¯ body to tilt with confusion, more than a little lost in the conversation¡¯s sudden tone shift.  ¡°I figured¡­¡±

    ¡°Is Transcendent ¡­ meet our Head of State candidate.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind blanked from shock as Edmon left the conversation, withdrawing from the Nexus connection she¡¯d established.

    He just ¡­ wow¡­

    ¡°Oh, dear¡­¡± Tiffany gasped, fits turning into soft squeaks that she couldn¡¯t control her laughter.  ¡°That ¡­ that¡¯s so much like him!  I just¡ªI didn¡¯t think it was this bad¡­¡±

    Several humans nearby gave each other concerned looks as they watched things play out, inching away.

    Elinor directed one of the nearby skeletal apes to scoop up the man¡¯s corpse, bringing him into the Throne Room.  That was ¡­ unexpected¡ªit¡¯s nice knowing no one claimed him, though ¡­ he¡¯s all mine.

    She quickly found suitable candidates and separated them from the group; once finished, the remaining families and friends, hoping for their loved one¡¯s return, looked crushed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll repeat myself, there will be more opportunities in the future,¡± Elinor stated, keeping herself composed but still reeling from Edmon¡¯s sharp departure when she¡¯d revealed the next likely addition to a Court position, and one that would be working under them and speaking to Tiffany regularly.

    With that, she rekindled her new servants¡¯ spark of life, dark green flames bathing their bodies, and Iris transformed into her human form, moving between each to provide adequate underwear for those that needed it.

    Tiffany smiled at the new additions.  ¡°Welcome to the Empire, Dearies!¡±

 B2 â€” 5. Duties Of The Head Maid

    A warm, all-encompassing embrace wrapped around Emelina De la Vega¡¯s spirit as a spark lit within her breast.

    Information wove itself into her mind as if these skills had been developed throughout her entire life, and long-buried experiences and memories flooded back into crystal clarity. So much pain came from the ordeal but with it came a burning pride that her life¡¯s horrific incidents could be useful for her new charge, Empress Elinor.

    Emelina had been granted the Title of Head Maid while being a Heroic-Grade Terrorist within the Assassination Unit and obtaining the Veiled Sub-Class, identifying her as more of a spy as connected with her past for rival drug cartels.

    She didn¡¯t know precisely what her comrades'' combatant abilities were as that wasn¡¯t her place of needed information. No, her primary task was taking care of the Empress¡¯ needs and training those under her care to understand what that meant.

    The Head Maid opened her dark brown eyes, taking in a shuddering breath as the strange new air fed into her lungs. Rising up, she swallowed, feeling saliva enter her stomach with mild surprise.

    The events of her death were clear within her mind; the edge of a sharp blade paralyzing her from the waist down as she ran, forcing her to tumble across the ground before being forcefully stopped by a webbed foot, gasping on the floor.

    An orange-skinned toad creature stood over her with two others beside it as they took turns, stabbing her in specific spots, and now with a clear mind, she came to the conclusion they were trying to understand which areas were the most vulnerable, or it had been some sick sport of torture they¡¯d been engaged in.

    It was a night she¡¯d never forget, but neither would this be as she restrained the tears in her eyes while looking upon the Empress standing before her.

    Standing before Elinor, Emelina bowed her head, hearing the emotional cries of women, children, and men as their loved ones were brought back. Unfortunately, Emelina had no family that would likely be within the crowd; she¡¯d moved to this particular village to escape her previous life and had kept a low profile because of it.

    It was precisely because of her tragic past that there was such heat in her chest; the connection she felt through the Empress¡¯ Nexus was something she had wished for so long. Someone finally understood her at any given time without her needing to express a thing.

    The throng surrounding them did their best to restrain themselves as her new associates lifted themselves to present themselves to the Empress, and each person¡¯s station and position within the hierarchy unfurled within her mind.

    ¡°Raise your heads,¡± Elinor commanded, walking to stand before Emelina.

    Every servant lifted themselves to stand at attention.

    The Empress shifted her glowing green irises to the crying and trembling humans as they looked upon their loved ones; some of the men and women were holding back children or spouses from rushing forward. ¡°Greet your loved ones.¡±

    Her internal command came soon after. ¡°The rest of you become familiar with one another. I¡¯ll observe and issue my commands once I¡¯m satisfied.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t clear what the condition was for her satisfaction, but Emelina suspected it had to do with learning each of them through her administration authority over her Nexus that connected them.

    Those that had connections rushed to meet each other, tears even falling from those that were Undead, but Emelina stood straight, waiting for orders that would apply to herself, and she noted the few that hadn¡¯t rushed off.

    Out of the eighteen new individuals revived, only five stayed still upon the Empress¡¯ command, one being a young blonde-haired man in his late twenties holding the Ambassador Title.

    A Maid, possibly in her early teens; the brown-haired girl was cute with her hazel eyes darting around, likely searching for her own loved ones.

    The third was the Head Butler, a serious-looking man in his mid-thirties that wasn¡¯t unattractive but didn¡¯t fit her particular palate in men, but she was somewhat impressed by his cadence as he moved off to greet an elderly woman. Their relationship soon became apparent as she threw her arms around him and started kissing his lips.

    Lastly, there was the Publicist, which made Emelina¡¯s left eye crease. The young man could be described as more cute than handsome. His wild brown, bleach streaked hair was longer than she liked on most men but fit his party-boy style.

    She¡¯d seen the reckless type of boys most commonly among drug hustlers within the cartel¡¯s employ, moving between parties in the upper-class and tourist areas of Mexico. He wore an amused smirk while rubbing his cleanly shaven skin, eyeing all the women around the room, and yet her discomfort didn¡¯t come from his gaze but her own acceptance of his sparkling chestnut irises that were more evaluating than predatory.

    Emelina¡¯s focus was soon snatched back to the Ambassador.

    The well-built man held a dignified posture with his hands clasped behind his back, and his blue eyes casually swept the events unfolding around them with a handsome smile. He was not a local of the village she¡¯d been a part of, she was sure, and based upon the strength she felt from him, was likely close to her own Grade.

    He wore closely fitted silken shorts, most likely created by the alluring feminine figure standing nearby, Royal Executioner Iris, and the radiant control she exuded calmed Emelina¡¯s mind; she was in the presence of the highest superior within her Unit.

    The name of every individual in the Nexus was still weaving through her memories, infusing within her being, and the man¡¯s name soon surfaced as the Empress observed every reaction with an amiable expression.

    Emelina retained a neutral appearance, but her mind was alight with activity.

    Klaus Klossner ¡­ I won¡¯t be working too closely with him ¡­ a shame.

    The man lifted an eyebrow upon catching her eye and gave her a charming smile, and she was a little taken aback as he requested a conversation with her through the Nexus.

    His deep voice was like that of the radio anchors she used to listen to as a girl. ¡°Why, hello there, Ms. De la Vega. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,¡± he said with a slight bow before closing the distance with her.

    A pleasant smile lifted Emelina¡¯s lips as she returned to gesture. All mine, Mr. Klossner.

    ¡°Please, Klaus,¡± he said with a chuckle.

    Oh ¡­ alright, Klaus, then you can address me by Emelina.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± his blue irises darted to the young teenage girl, still bobbing left and right while searching for someone she knew, and his focus returned to her. ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you the lovely one?¡±

    Am I? Emelina asked with genuine surprise while glancing down at herself.

    What remained of her clothes had been cut and torn, but not to the point of becoming too indecent. Still, it seemed Iris had knitted a few wide gashes to her shirt front.

    The thing that drew her notice was her skin; she was younger than when she died by its health, but there was notable damage to certain parts of her figure that showed bone and muscle. Despite that, her figure was in its prime within her early twenties.

    Her heart burned with renewed fervor as her thoughts turned private for a moment. My ¡­ what a gift, Empress.

    Vision returning to the man, she giggled softly. I appreciate the compliment, Klaus. Were you as handsome before your revival?

    Klaus¡¯ perfect teeth flashed as his muscular chest shook, and he licked his framed lips while twisting around his muscular arms. ¡°By no means! No, this is by far the best shape I managed to get myself to while alive ¡­ no, I suspect the Empress¡¯ powers brought us back to the most suitable state we ever experienced to best serve the Empire.¡±

    It does seem that way ¡­ do you suppose the rest of our bodies will recover as time goes on?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I can¡¯t say, but wouldn¡¯t that be something?¡±

    ... I just don¡¯t wish to be unpresentable or unsightly before the Empress.

    ¡°Erm ¡­ I don¡¯t see that happening with the vision in front of me!¡±

    Emelina gave him a wry smirk. Has anyone ever told you flattery suits you?

    ¡°More than once, actually!¡± He laughed, turning his focus back to the teenage maid. ¡°Hmm, well ¡­ it seems you have your job cut out for you. Aye, Emelina?¡±

    She followed his gaze, lips not faltering. I believe she can make a fine maid if the Empress has selected her.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Klaus nodded with an amused twinkle in his eyes. ¡°Although, why would the Empress select such a young and inexperienced candidate when I see hundreds upon hundreds of other possible candidates far older within the area that would provide better service?¡±

    Emelina hadn¡¯t reached that conclusion yet, but it was an essential duty of hers to know exactly what the Empress wished from her maids, which sparked an interest in her breast as she returned her focus to the blonde man.

    Her smile widened. Aren¡¯t you the crafty one?

    ¡°Oh? What have I done to deserve such praise?¡±

    The Royal Court is wise¡­

    ¡°That, they are.¡±

    Emelina tilted her head a little to observe the teenage girl, becoming more and more depressed as she searched in vain for someone to connect with.

    The Publicist, Lucky Blue Smith, swept-back his hair before moving to speak to a red-haired woman, giving her a bright smile while calling out to her and leaving the teen to stand on her lonesome. ¡°Gwen! Aye, what¡¯s up? I¡¯m happy to be workin¡¯ with you¡­¡±

    Emelina gave Klaus a small bow to excuse herself before moving to speak to the girl under her charge, leaving him with her answer. ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less from an Ambassador; please, let me know if you require anything.¡±

    Klaus opened his mouth, jaw shifting to the right as his tongue slid across his teeth. ¡°Of course, Emelina. I look forward to speaking with you again ¡­ duty calls.¡±

    Kneeling down in front of the girl, Emelina gave her a comforting smile, initiating contact with her through the Nexus as was her privilege. Aileen Banks.

    Aileen jumped, giving her a quick bow, causing her shoulder-length hair to bounce wildly. ¡°Head Maid! You¡¯re in my ¡­ oh, oh, the, umm ¡­ the Nexus. Yeah ¡­ I¡ªumm, I just was looking for ¡­ for my parents.¡± She whispered, eyes shifting left and right while trying to stay focused on her.

    Brushing her long black hair behind her ears, Emelina asked, What do you last remember?

    ¡°Umm ¡­ I was on a¡ªwe were on a trip, and I got separated from my parents. This nice man told me he¡¯d help me find them, and ¡­ I don¡¯t remember.¡±

    Heart feeling heavy, she asked the question that bubbled up in her mind, having known many such horrible incidents she¡¯d become aware of through working with the cartels. What year do you think it is, Aileen?

    ¡°Umm ¡­ it¡¯s 2012. We came from Germany to see the jungle, but ¡­ wait, I¡¯m really confused,¡± she mumbled, eyes lifting to view the beyond enormous grand hall they stood in. ¡°Where are we ¡­ I know the Empress is here, and ¡­ I just don¡¯t know how to find my parents.¡±

    Think for a moment about the Empress ¡­ she¡¯s given you specific memories of hers to help us understand the current state of the Empire. Do you remember what happened to the crystal that brought us here?

    The girl¡¯s eyes became wider as she suppressed the urge to find her parents and focused on the information weaving into her mind. ¡°It¡¯s not 2012¡­¡±

    Emelina gently shook her head, and tears gathered in the child¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t Earth ¡­ we can¡¯t go back¡­¡±

    She pulled Aileen in as she cried into her hair. No, Honey, we¡¯re far past 2012, but you¡¯re not alone. We¡¯re here for you, and your fellow maids will help you through this tough time.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the skills woven into the girl began to help ease the stress. ¡°No ¡­ I can¡¯t cry, the Empress is here ¡­ I need to be strong¡­¡±

    They both stiffened as the Empress¡¯ voice entered the conversation. ¡°It is quite alright, Aileen. I lost my own parents not long ago ¡­ I understand. If you need to cry, then cry, but what your supervisor has said is not wrong. You have entered a new family.¡±

    ¡°¡°T-Thank you, Empress!¡±¡±

    Elinor¡¯s presence within the connection faded, but she had no doubt the Empress could be observing them without their notice.

    Aileen sniffed back her tears as she pulled away, clearing her throat while putting on a brave face. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Head Maid!¡±

    Emelina smiled at the girl as she rose. I expect nothing but the best, and you may call me by my name. The title is far less important than the proper display you present while inside the presence of those in authority.

    ¡°It¡¯s still important, though. Right?¡±

    Yes, Aileen. Always address the Empress by her Title.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    The Empress gave them several more minutes to rejoice with their families before calling for their attention again, and Tiffany delivered her message.

    ¡°Alright, alright, Dearies. Work needs to be done! So, let¡¯s get everything settled¡­¡±

    She waited as everyone fell in line, each within their respective place with the eight maids lining up behind Emelina while the families held their breath for the Witch¡¯s statement.

    ¡°James Escobedo has been chosen as the Head Butler.¡±

    His wife¡¯s shoulders sagged slightly, knowing what was coming after that declaration, but from the looks of her, his revival had shaved off twenty-five years off his looks, which was a plus for the woman in Emelina¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°He will have more duties than those underneath him. However¡­¡±

    His wife¡¯s brown eyes lifted, fists pressed against her chest.

    ¡°Both James and Eladio De la Garza, the butler under his charge, shall have the next two hours off before beginning their duties until ¡­ oh, time is difficult at the moment, but each day is roughly thirty-hours long ¡­ so, we¡¯ll go with fifteen-hour increments dividing A.M. to P.M.

    ¡°Great!¡± the Witch clapped, causing the humans around the area to shift uncomfortably. ¡°Not that that¡¯s been cleared up ¡­ they¡¯ll work until 13 P.M. By the way, your loved ones no longer need sleep, so ¡­ talk amongst yourselves and decide on which times you¡¯d wish to spend with them with that knowledge. Inform your representative when you decided!¡±

    Mumbles softly followed the new time metric, but it soon died down as she continued.

    ¡°Mauricio Ojuda holds the Groundskeeper Title, and he will thereby handle the clean-up and development of new furniture for the use of ¡­ smaller creatures than Quen¡¯Talrat,¡± she giggled while motioning to the giant burning skeletal ape standing behind her.

    ¡°He will thereby be working alongside many of you humans and the Ri¡¯bot to first create sleeping accommodations from the ruins of the supplies we¡¯ve been able to salvage while cleaning up. That task will soon shift to agriculture, but more on that will come later.¡±

    Happy notes followed from the crowds upon learning there was a plan for future food.

    ¡°He will have the same leniency if you so choose¡­¡± She trailed off, beautiful face tightening with slight annoyance. ¡°On second thought, let me make it clearer ¡­ you may select five hours today to spend alone with your loved ones, but make sure to deliver a specified schedule to your representative. Gwen will be given further instruction on individual duties.¡±

    Lucky gave Gwen a toothy grin, and she returned a strained smile.

    Tiffany cleared her throat. ¡°Three maids will be currently assigned to the Empress for the day that will be assigned by Emelina, the Head Maid.¡±

    Emelina bowed her head to the Royal Ritualist; several of the family members of the girls she was in charge of turned their attention to her as the Witch moved on.

    ¡°One will accompany me while another follows the Royal Executioner, Iris¡­¡±

    Everyone became a bit tense as Tiffany trailed off, vision moving to the Royal Assassin, and there appeared to be a conversation that passed unheard. Emelina followed every expression closely, trying to decipher what was happening, and came to a specific conclusion.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Iris doesn¡¯t want a maid, but Tiffany wants her to have one ¡­ the Empress has joined the conversation ¡­ ah, and it seems that settles it.

    Tiffany nodded with a slight frown on her lips before pulling Emelina into a private call.

    ¡°Emelina, which of your girls has the best fashion sense that would fit the Empress¡¯ Gothic Victorian preference?¡±

    She searched her mind as information flooded it upon the request, and a name popped up. Tiffany¡¯s features brightened upon her response, quickly relaying further orders before turning back to the tense throng.

    ¡°Right ¡­ one maid will attend to the Royal Executioner, and a maid ¡­ with a good fashion sense ¡­ yes, I¡¯m looking at you, Valerie Meyer,¡± she giggled at the blonde woman¡¯s start. ¡°You will aid Violet by sorting and providing inspiration in her crafting hobbies.¡±

    Expectedly, Valerie requested a chat with Emelina, and she opened the private discussion. ¡°Head Maid, does this mean I will be permanently assigned to Violet¡¯s side?¡±

    For the time being, yes, and you may address me by name. You have experience with fashion, correct?

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    How so?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I was aboard one of the humanitarian effort buses from the U.S. that came into the town. I worked as a model, and this was a P.R. stunt to help further my public image. A great choice that was ¡­ oh, don¡¯t get me wrong, I am one-hundred-percent dedicated to the Empress ¡­ it just sucks how everything turned out. To be honest, I was an aspiring designer ¡­ I was allowed to wear a few of my own designs from time to time.¡±

    Fashion ¡­ yet you¡¯re a Songweaver with the Dancer Sub-Class?

    ¡°Well ¡­ I mean, modeling is kind of like dancing, and I actually majored in it in college. Dancing while modeling a dress is ¡­ was actually pretty in¡­¡±

    I see ¡­ in any case, you¡¯ll be with Violet, helping to create things for the Empress. She enjoys a dark Victorian-style, which I feel you are the best candidate in that regard. You will have two days off a week to spend with ¡­ you have a brother?

    ¡°Yes ¡­ he joined me on the trip. He¡¯d never been outside of the U.S.¡±

    You¡¯ll have the time free to spend with him.

    ¡°Thank you, Emelina. I will do my best to serve the Empress and you in whatever task you give me.¡±

    Emelina cut the connection, keeping close track of the Witch¡¯s speech while performing her duties.

    ¡°Three maids will have the day to rest, switching places with three others tomorrow, and that will be decided upon by the Head Maid.

    ¡°Eloy Sandoval is the Royal Chronicler and will be aiding the Royal Court with documentation ¡­ currently, Royal Gatekeeper, Edmon, with anything he might need to be written down. His duties will be off and on, depending on what needs to be accomplished. More information will be passed to your loved ones through Lucky.

    ¡°... Speaking of the Publicist¡­¡±

    Tiffany giggled as Lucky stepped forward, performing a deep bow before turning in a circle to present himself to the crowds. ¡°He will be working with Gwen to act as the mediator between us as the Empire continues to grow. Don¡¯t be too hard on my sweet little Gwen,¡± she mused as he gave her another bow.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of it, Royal Grand Ritualist! I relish the opportunity to work with such a beautiful woman.¡±

    ¡°Tiffany,¡± she smirked, orange eyes alight with laughter.

    Emelina lifted an eyebrow at the performance the boy delivered, opening a link with Valerie. He should have been the Royal Jester.

    ¡°Hehe ¡­ he really does have that vibe, doesn¡¯t he?¡±

    I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s all an act to let people¡¯s guard down or if he really just has no issues making a spectacle of himself.

    ¡°A mix of both?¡±

    The truth is more often in the middle¡­

    ¡°Federico Fallas is our Curator that will be supporting our Treasurer, Pepe Fontanez, in cataloging the Empire¡¯s supplies. Edmon will provide further instruction that will be handed down to Lucky.¡±

    The boy lifted his hand again with a toothy grin, seemingly already knowing where both family groups were.

    Perhaps not all show.

    ¡°Our Artist, Leonora Gentileschi, will be joining Violet and Valerie to fashion for us a wardrobe fit for an Empress while the Cook, Antonietta Briseno, will be given access to all our stores to create our Empress¡¯ first meal!¡±

    Valerie restrained herself from showing the tension in her chest, but Emelina knew the news added pressure, and she could hear her internal thoughts without effort.

    ¡°Oh, no ¡­ what if she says my designs are trash ¡­ she¡¯s got the freaking Artist Title¡­¡±

    No need to worry. Emelina comforted, causing the woman to bite the inside of her cheek. You will do fine. Have confidence in yourself; I chose you because I believe in you.

    ¡°You picked me out from the rest?¡±

    Yes. Tiffany asked me which of the maids were the most suited to fashion, and I knew it was you.

    ¡°... Mmh ¡­ thanks, Emelina ¡­ that means a lot.¡±

    It¡¯s true.

    ¡°... Thanks! I won¡¯t disappoint Tiffany or you!¡±

    I know you won¡¯t.

    ¡°To finish things off ¡­ we have our Ambassador, which will not affect any of you since he seems to have no relatives that were brought through the gateway. With that ¡­ we can disperse!¡±

    Emelina turned to face her maids, and each of them kept their proper posture; however, some struggled more than others. Her mind shifted through each of them, letting her gut filter through which would provide the best outcome from the Witch¡¯s declarations.

    She opened communication with every one of the eight maids under her guidance. Valerie, you understand your duties.

    Valerie nodded, keeping her dignified posture while moving to the Throne Room, her awareness of where the powerful assassin currently resided being made available to her upon receiving the task.

    Emelina¡¯s deep brown irises went to the small twelve-year-old girl, doing her best to remain still, but her curious eyes were constantly having to refocus on the Head Maid. Aileen, you do not require rest.

    ¡°No, Head Maid ¡­ erm, Emelina! I am ready to serve the Empress always!¡±

    Good girl. You¡¯ll be joining me then. She smiled at the remaining six maids as sour emotions mixed in their hearts. I know each of you wishes to attend to the Empress personally, and there is only one position left.

    Feeling a little playful with the women in front of her, she said, Esmeralda Yanez, you will join Tiffany. Adoncia Vences, you will be with Iris.

    They nodded in acknowledgment, each moving to their duty, but Iris¡¯ voice entered her mind, causing her to turn respectfully to her superior. ¡°There is no need. She will not be able to keep up; I am leaving the Capital.¡±

    Understood. I will have her await your return.

    ¡°...¡±

    Emelina felt a cold chill run down her spine as Iris¡¯ deep red eyes narrowed, soon vanishing without a word, and the conversation ended at that.

    She does not want a maid ¡­ clearly ¡­ it must be the Empress¡¯ decision that forced her hand. It¡¯s largely symbolic at this point, I suppose ¡­ there¡¯s nothing we can really support her in.

    Breathing out a soft sigh of relief as the feelings of dread that the Royal Executioner¡¯s red eyes instilled faded, and she turned to the confused Adoncia. Iris has left the Capital, likely on the Empress¡¯ orders. Standby until she returns.

    ¡°What ¡­ should I do?¡± Adoncia mumbled with discontent. ¡°Was it me ¡­ does she not wish¡­¡±

    No, it is nothing like that. I suspect the Empress is forcing her to have a maid by her side, and she is unhappy with it. Weather the storm ¡­ today might be rough for you.

    Adoncia¡¯s lips became a line. ¡°Pointless tasks to get rid of me?¡±

    Likely¡­

    ¡°Wonderful ¡­ well, I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    She¡¯ll warm up to us in time. I¡¯m sure of it.

    ¡°Let¡¯s hope ¡­ I hate feeling like a burden.¡±

    Emelina nodded, understanding the feeling, and the dejected maid moved to her father, mother, and two younger siblings to explain the situation. Tiffany seemed to have been listening in on the conversation because she wore a deep frown while moving toward the left-wing with Esmeralda tailing her, trying to be a ghost.

    She faced the four remaining maids, holding their breath as the prized position was still open; her eyes moved between each woman, each capable in their own rights. ¡°Ang¨¦lica Tesoro, Aina San Roman, Luisina Aristizabal ¡­ you will each have the day to yourselves.¡±

    Ang¨¦lica¡¯s eyes brightened before quickly dimming with understanding, but a thankful smile soon lightened her cheeks. ¡°I will use it to the fullest, Emelina.¡±

    The two other maids gave similar responses; Aina curtsied, the only one wearing a dress, while the others bowed and returned to their families thankful arms.

    She gave Theresa Pecha a warm nod as the chosen maid to accompany the Empress; she was the closest woman under her care that was near Heroic-Grade, making her an excellent choice to give higher responsibility.

    Emelina took a step forward before twisting her feet to face the Empress, more than likely listening to their conversation. Empress, is this acceptable?

    The Empress¡¯s smooth voice entered her mind. ¡°It is ¡­ tell me about yourselves.¡±

    Emelina, Aileen, and Theresa moved in unison as the Empress returned to the Throne Room, hands held in front of them. A Quen¡¯Talrat followed to their right, keeping pace with the Empress.

    The Head Maid spoke first, giving the Empress her life¡¯s story. Her time growing up as a little girl in a Mexican drug cartel, and the cleaning she was forced to participate in for horrible acts the men and women committed.

    A woman had been the leader of the branch she first found herself in, which was heavily focused on the sex trade. However, out of some spark of luck, she¡¯d managed to avoid that scene with the exception of the drunken, groping hands of several enforcers within the organization.

    She¡¯d been forced to watch and participate in many things she regretted; her younger brother was the reason at first, but soon enough, she didn¡¯t know why she stayed, and her brother disappeared at some point. Many of the details were blurred from those years of her life.

    At one of the worst periods, she¡¯d been selected to be the maid of a major family in the cartel, which had led to many nightmares. Nothing was done to her, but the things she¡¯d been around were more than enough to make her lose her stomach, and yet, she couldn¡¯t in fear of the consequences.

    The experiences had created a shell around her heart that had only been penetrated by the Empress¡¯ Nexus.

    Theresa had been a dutiful mother to five, losing two children to malaria seven months ago, her eight and two-year-old. Emelina couldn¡¯t have guessed how old the youthful, black-haired woman was by her lovely appearance, and she managed to keep a calm demeanor while recounting the heart-breaking experience, but that didn¡¯t mean Emelina couldn¡¯t feel it through the Nexus.

    Her eldest daughter, Rowena, had been taken by the Roxim Clan and was still missing. The rest of her family was safely within the Empire, and while her husband had lost an arm, he was alive.

    Aileen took up the most time, and as she recounted the memories of her family, school, friends, and favorite activities, Emelina didn¡¯t feel compelled to stop it. It came at a bit of a shock, but she concluded that the Empress enjoyed the endless string of memories the twelve-year-old shared.

    The Quen¡¯Talrat lifted the Empress up, and they ascended the stairs to the large doors above; the maids¡¯ couldn¡¯t help but smile at the new strength filling their bodies, allowing them to elegantly jump up the large black granite steps with ease.

    Aileen gasped when the Empress pointed her to the crystal that would lower the floating elevator, and they rode it to the second to last floor.

    When they stopped, Emelina gazed around at the space with wonder. A vast glowing white-wood double-door was the only thing visible in the short, empty entrance. There was no other path forward, and it appeared that a master artist had carved a white gorilla with four arms and legs, two heads and tails, roaring with its hands in the air.

    The Empress hummed softly, pausing to study the surface; a small smile played at the corners of her lips. ¡°It¡¯s almost realistic ¡­ Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, The White God. Although it doesn¡¯t come close to displaying the power I felt within that creature. Hmph.¡±

    With that, the Quen¡¯Talrat that had joined them moved forward; the five-meter tall ape took hold of one of the golden rings near its head, and with great effort, cracked the door that neared the fourteen-meter ceiling.

    It only had to make a relatively small opening for them to walk through, and upon entering, Aileen gasped, causing Emelina to silently scold her through the Nexus; the girl quickly closed her gaping mouth and straightened her posture.

    Emelina followed the Empress¡¯ gaze as they moved through the huge space. It seemed as if the entire floor was open and their vision was only blocked by the relatively small circular center for the elevator and massive pillars more than six-meters thick that rose to the arched ceilings, painting a brilliant image of a starry sky from the hundreds of thousands of sparkling gems embedded in the black granite.

    Brilliant white granite, mixed with some form of gold lined the floor, likely creating images they couldn¡¯t grasp from their low vantage point, contrasting the abyss-like stone above that absorbed the light cast by the gems.

    ¡°The room of the White God,¡± Elinor commented with amusement, noting the weapons and curious objects placed on gilded pedestals. ¡°He somehow managed to get air, ventilation, purification ¡­ these gems certainly are useful ¡­ if only we understood them.¡±

    The maids didn¡¯t respond, Aileen having to be preemptively warned by Emelina.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Elinor walked forward to the enormous glass walls, displaying a breathtaking view of the colossal fortress city they were in and the oversized valley below, and even Emelina¡¯s lungs were frozen as she studied the mystical sights.

    We truly are living a dream¡­

    ¡°Emelina¡­¡± She snapped out of her reverie as Valerie sent a communication. ¡°Violet has instructed me to bring up one of her dresses for the Empress, and a big metal spider thing is bringing a throne she requested ¡­ what are they called?¡±

    Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ that¡­¡±

    The four of them stood by the window as the Empress stared down in silence, more than likely busy communicating with the Royal Court.

    Emelina glanced around but noted that not a single speck of dust lined the floor, and her mind returned to the Empress¡¯ comment. The gems act as a filter ¡­ what else do they do?

    They waited for Valerie, and Emelina felt Adoncia¡¯s exasperation growing while explaining to her fifteen-year-old brother that she couldn¡¯t explore with him. The irritation increased as she was forced to warn him not to go anywhere except the east-wing to his great annoyance, and swapped to asking her all sorts of random questions about the Empress she didn¡¯t know, further agitating the maid.

    One of her duties as Head Maid was to help those under her handle the stress that built up within them while transitioning to their new state of life.

    Life is rough. Don¡¯t you think, Adoncia?

    ¡°He¡¯s an idiot! I told him I¡¯ve gotta make a good impression, and he just won¡¯t shut-up ¡­ so many people are staring, too¡­¡±

    Calm, serene, the picture of poised tranquility is the sight of the maid.

    ¡°I¡¯m trying¡­¡±

    Deep breaths.

    ¡°...¡±

    Adoncia took audible breaths through the connection before it slowly cut with her calming heart.

    Attagirl.

    Valerie entered sometime later, holding an exquisite 18th Century, flowing black and red ballroom dress with three-tier cuffs. Red butterfly patterns went around the outer petticoat, and sitting atop the outfit were red, thigh-high stockings, and delicate 2-inch heels.

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra carried in an elegant black silk throne.

    They carefully disrobed the Empress, dressing her in the new outfit.

    Once finished, she sat on the throne, crossed her legs, and rested her head against the back of her left hand while casually staring at the valley below.

    ¡°Valerie, Theresa¡­¡±

    Valerie froze in place, halfway to the elevator with the old clothes in hand.

    ¡°You both are Songweavers ¡­ can you sing?¡±

    Clearing her throat, Valerie slowly shook her head. ¡°By dancing, I create music ¡­ I don¡¯t know exactly how it works, Empress.¡±

    ¡°I can sing,¡± Theresa calmly responded. ¡°It can cast buffs on my allies and debuffs on those I view as enemies.¡±

    ¡°If they are seen as neither?¡± Elinor questioned.

    ¡°Just music.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ you may return to Violet, Valerie. Theresa, sing me something haunting.¡±

    Valerie bowed, leaving shortly after, and Emelina could feel the slight depression in her chest.

    Cheer up, you can dance for her in time.

    ¡°Thanks, Emelina ¡­ I¡¯m just a little confused about these new powers. I¡¯ll practice downstairs if Violet allows it.¡±

    With that, Theresa took a deep breath and began to sing, and her voice painted the image of an old, mist-filled graveyard, illuminated in the gibbous moon.

    ¡°Cradle to grave, one and the same

    ¡°Traced unchangeably in black ink

    ¡°In the shadows I recess

    ¡°In dark solace, I will keep

    ¡°In between the lines of black ink

    ¡°And to my surprise, I think I might

    ¡°Just shut my eyes and stay blind to this violent side

    ¡°Deep inside, there lurks a monster; she goes by Theresa

    ¡°My impostor, preposterous thoughts

    ¡°Of murderous plots of all kinds

    ¡°In the depths, they would claim her

    ¡°This path was laid before me¡­¡±

    Emelina silently waited as she sang, continuing as her emotion transformed into thought, spilling from her mouth in a soft melody as they watched the bright valley slowly descend into the darkness with the falling sun.

    Antonietta came in after an hour or two, and Emelina was surprised at her new Chef-like garb, likely created by Violet upon Tiffany¡¯s request. The woman looked truly professional, bringing Elinor a fancy looking meat dish with strange vegetation and fruit that had been cut and somehow caramelized, returning below soon after the Empress expressed her pleasure to instruct the humans and Ri¡¯bot on specific ingredients that were edible.

    The remaining time passed in relative peace as Elinor watched the valley, and the maids waited by her side. Emelina continued to study her maids, learning more about their temperaments.

    <hr>

    Character Recap:

    + Treasurer:

    Pepe Fontanez (Male) - Heroic-Grade

    + Curator:

    Federico Fallas (Male) - Rare-Grade - Supporting Pepe

    + Groundskeeper:

    Mauricio Ojuda (Male) - Rare-Grade -

    He will thereby handle the clean-up and development of new furniture for the use of ¡­ smaller creatures than Quen¡¯Talrat. He will thereby be working alongside many of you humans and the Ri¡¯bot to first create sleeping accommodations from the ruins of the supplies we¡¯ve been able to salvage while cleaning up. That task will soon shift to agriculture, but more on that will come later.

    + Royal Chronicler:

    Eloy Sandoval (Male) - Heroic-Grade - supporting Edmon with anything that needs documentation.

    His duties will be off and on, depending on what needs to be accomplished. More information will be passed to your loved ones through Lucky.

    + Publicist:

    Lucky Blue Smith (Male) - Heroic-Grade - works with Gwen and she¡¯s kind of shy of his cadence

    The young man could be described as more cute than handsome. His wild brown, bleach streaked hair was longer than she liked on most men but fit his party-boy style.

    She¡¯d seen the reckless type of boys most commonly among drug hustlers within the cartel¡¯s employ, moving between parties in the upper-class and tourist areas of Mexico. He wore an amused smirk while rubbing his cleanly shaven skin, eyeing all the women around the room, yet the uncomfortable part of her was the fact his study didn¡¯t put her off.

    His sparkling chestnut irises seemed to be more evaluating than predatory.

    + Cook:

    Antonietta Briseno (Female) - Heroic-Grade - Violet made her a rather professional looking chef¡¯s attire.

    + Artist:

    Leonora Gentileschi (Female) - Rare-Grade - helping Violet with her projects

    + Butler (Male):

    (Head Butler) James Escobedo - Heroic-Grade

    James has a wife that is in her fifties. The third was the Head Butler, a serious-looking man in his mid-thirties that wasn¡¯t unattractive but didn¡¯t fit her particular palate in men, but she was somewhat impressed by his cadence as he moved off to greet an elderly woman. Their relationship soon became apparent as she threw her arms around him and started kissing his lips.

    Eladio De la Garza - Rare-Grade - Supporting James.

    + Maids (Female):

    (Head Maid) Emelina De la Vega - Heroic-Grade (Assassination Unit: Terrorist Class - Veiled Sub-Class) - Tasked in helping the girls under her charge to fulfill their tasks and learn how to be proper maids.

    Our Head Maid has dark brown eyes and long black hair; she¡¯s a bit taken by our Ambassador and is very diligent and patient with the girls while also being strict when she needs to be.

    Valerie Meyer - Rare-Grade - helping Violet with her weaves.

    Valerie has blonde hair and is a Songweaver - Dancer. She¡¯s very self-conscious of herself for a former model.

    Esmeralda Yanez - Rare-Grade - Helping Tiffany

    Adoncia Vences - Rare-Grade - Chosen to join Iris

    Adoncia was quite sharply refused by Iris, choosing to go out on recon to escape having a shadow to Adoncia''s great distress at being the only maid refused. Then her younger brother decided to pester her, causing her further embarrassment as she waited by the Throne Room for Iris¡¯ return.

    The dejected maid moved to her father, mother, and two younger siblings to explain the situation.

    They waited for Valerie, and Emelina felt Adoncia''s exasperation growing while explaining to her fifteen-year-old brother that she couldn¡¯t explore with him. The irritation increased as she was forced to warn him not to go anywhere except the east-wing to his great annoyance, and swapped to asking her all sorts of random questions about the Empress she didn¡¯t know, further agitating the maid.

    Ang¨¦lica Tesoro - Rare-Grade - Given free-time.

    Aina San Roman - Rare-Grade - Given free-time. Only one wearing a dress.

    Luisina Aristizabal - Rare-Grade - Given free-time.

    Theresa Pecha - Rare-Grade (Close to Heroic) - Escorting Elinor

    Theresa is a Songweaver and can sing to buff or debuff.

    Aileen Banks - Rare-Grade - Escorting Elinor.

    Aileen is a cute 12-years-old girl and has brown shoulder-length hair and hazel eyes. She¡¯s German and died in 2012, murdered by some man after losing track of her parents. The Ri¡¯bot found her body buried in the woods with their toad-hounds, searching for anything hidden.

    + Ambassador:

    Klaus Klossner (Male) - Heroic-Grade - caught Emelina¡¯s eye and she¡¯s somewhat attracted to him.

    The well-built man held a dignified posture with his hands clasped behind his back, and his blue eyes casually swept the events unfolding around them with a handsome smile. He was not a local of the village she¡¯d been a part of, she was sure, and based upon the strength she felt from him, was likely close to her own Grade.

    He wore closely fitted silken shorts, most likely created by the alluring feminine figure standing nearby, Royal Executioner Iris, and the radiant control she excluded calmed Emelina¡¯s mind; she was in the presence of the highest superior within her Unit.

    The name of every individual in the Nexus was still weaving through her memories, infusing within her being, and the man¡¯s name soon surfaced as the Empress observed every reaction with an amiable expression.

    His deep voice was like that of the radio anchors she used to listen to as a girl.

 B2 â€” 6. Ambassador Klaus Klossner

    Klaus took a casual look around the Throne Room; he¡¯d been pondering the tasks assigned to him by the Royal Court while slowly becoming accustomed to this new way of life.

    If he was honest, the situation he found himself in was actually fairly enticing.  He stood in a new world with fictional creatures flourishing all around him.  Not just that, but the developing social dynamics coming to life before his eyes fascinated him.

    He¡¯d finished earning his graduate degree only a few months prior and was in the process of gaining work-based experience with the CPS¡¯s global studies and international relations program, and that had landed him here.

    The prospect of never returning home again to see his family was something he had to accept, and he suspected the Empress¡¯ powers helped a tad with that, but that didn¡¯t mean he felt nothing for the loss of his previous life.

    A small smile touched his lips as he watched Violet¡¯s pleasantly passive expression while fashioning the Empire¡¯s maid outfits; the scene reminded him of his grandmother, when she was still alive, rocking in her chair while knitting different products that she¡¯d give her grandchildren on special occasions.

    However, this beautiful young woman sitting in front of a massive blood-colored throne was anything but an elderly lady.  He couldn¡¯t sense it; in fact, her very presence was only noticeable from his vision.  The spider-like creature was no different than her mother as far as he was concerned, a ghost unless she wanted to be seen.

    Klaus¡¯ blue irises fell to a lovely young woman in her late teens, wearing an intricate maid¡¯s outfit while she danced before the thrones.  Violet watched her, seemingly able to multitask without much issue as her delicate fingers moved like water, forming her silk into the last clothing piece for the maids¡¯ first set of clothes.

    Valerie Meyer¡­

    He watched the woman perform an elegant dance, unable to place which country the style came from, but if he were to take a wild guess, he¡¯d make a bet it was Russian.

    Violet had first crafted each woman matching white undergarments before weaving each maid very closely matching outfits with slight variations that appeared to be based on Violet¡¯s own personal taste for each individual.

    Valerie¡¯s bright blonde hair fell to her lower back and was loosely bound by a honey-hued ribbon that bunched the ends of her thick hair into a sort of painting-brush design.  Her bangs were kept out of her face by a white pleated headdress with black ribbons used to tie under the back of her head, underneath the silky locks falling down her back.

    She wore a knee-length long-sleeve black dress with pleated edges that had an orange circle designed just above the black layer.  White cuffs at her wrist kept her sleeves in place, a high neck was folded over to hide the honey-hued woman¡¯s neck-tie with white lines above the hem hung between her breasts, and somehow, the same colored ribbons were tied just above her thin biceps, leaving the fabric smooth.

    A plain but elegant white apron petticoat overlapped the dress, tied down by a thin orange ribbon tied into a tight bow around her waist.

    Other details included black maid¡¯s shoes with a double bow, white silken gloves, and milky tights with lace detail.

    In all, it was a very attractive outfit on the girl, and to say everything was form-fitting would have been an understatement.  Women would have killed to have the measurement accuracy Violet was able to perform with her clothes, and since they were fine silk, they were made to be breathable and give a little slack under pressure.

    Klaus¡¯ hummed softly while watching Valerie happily practice her dancing skills while Violet and he watched; a relaxing violin seemed to be produced from thin air, and instead of the dancer following the music, the music played to each twist of Valerie¡¯s hips, the rise of her legs, and motion of her hands.

    I¡¯ve indeed found Wonderland ¡­ to think I¡¯d see a girl willingly ¡­ happily take on the role of a maid.

    It had been two hours since he¡¯d been revived, and everything had been moving in slow motion for him as he soaked up every detail around him.

    Violet had even completed a suit for him that he suspected would have cost him in the thousands; not only was it visually appealing, but the spider princess had told him that it would be extremely difficult to damage.

    Twisting his body to the side, he studied how he looked in the high-quality material.

    From rags to riches.

    His vision shifted away from the gentle melody to see the two butlers in the distance, moving through the colossal entry hall to take on their assigned roles, but that wasn¡¯t what had caught his attention; Lucky was casually walking his way.

    The young man stopped a few feet away, following the dancing maid with his chestnut irises.

    Klaus opened up a communications link with him at the man¡¯s request, likely unwilling to interrupt the woman¡¯s concentration with idle chat.

    ¡°She certainly is lovely, isn¡¯t she?¡±

    A curious smile touched Klaus¡¯ lips as he studied Lucky.  Couldn¡¯t you say the same for every woman that¡¯s been brought back by the Empress¡¯ power?

    ¡°Hehe ¡­ ya got me there.  Still, I find Gwen has all the features I particularly enjoy, and she¡¯s got a bit of a bite, I can tell.  I¡¯m thankful to have the chance to work with her.¡±

    Bringing up Gwen off the spot?  That¡¯s the woman that¡¯s acting as the intermediary to the living, correct?

    ¡°She¡¯s the one.¡±

    I see.  How¡¯s the conversation been?  I suspect you¡¯ve been chatting with her this entire time?

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ more or less.  To be honest, I wanted to find out more details about everything that¡¯s transpired, and thought it would be good to get acquainted with all the other humans and Ri¡¯bot ¡­ speaking about Ri¡¯bot, crazy, huh?  Toad people ¡­ not the way I thought I¡¯d go out.¡±

    Klaus¡¯ chest shook with his fellow soldier of the Empire.  No, it wasn¡¯t even in the realm of possibilities.

    His chestnut eyes shifted to him, and the man put his hands on his hips.  ¡°You been figurin¡¯ out what you¡¯re supposed to do next?  All the humans are getting restless with what happens in a year or two.¡±

    Can we even say what will be happening in the next two hours?

    ¡°Haha!  Yeah, you got a point, but I gotta keep them calm and collected somehow.¡±

    His eyebrow rose.  What kind of answer could you give?

    ¡°Meh,¡± Lucky shrugged, ¡°the standard; we¡¯ll be surviving and expanding the Empire.  The religious part I¡¯ve been learning about from Gwen is an interesting touch, though,¡± he mused.

    Yes, I¡¯ve gotten quite a rundown of it.

    Lucky¡¯s teeth flashed, eyes sparkling.  ¡°Rundown of it, huh ¡­ how¡¯s the rundown of our Head Maid?¡±

    Knowing where the man was heading, Klaus just returned the smile.  As one might expect from a woman in her position.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, dude,¡± Lucky teased.  ¡°The first thing you did when you came back was to assess the situation and move in on that pretty black-haired slice of cake!  Don¡¯t deny it; somethin¡¯ about her caught your eye.¡±

    Was I denying it?  Klaus replied, lips falling into a small smirk.

    ¡°Eh ¡­ ah, okay, I see you, Mr. Politician!  That one statement has multiple meanings behind it, huh?  What¡­¡±

    He paused as Klaus held out his hand apologetically.  Excuse me, but I should really be preparing for my task.  I¡¯ll be joining the Clavex Clan party into the Nalvean territory.

    ¡°Ooh ¡­ okay, okay,¡± Lucky chuckled, taking his grip.  ¡°Seems like you¡¯re the lucky one, getting to get out and explore, but hey,¡± he pressed his tongue against his lower lip while glancing back at the hall, ¡°I can¡¯t complain about the view here!¡±

    The two men broke off, and Klaus moved back toward the entry hall; he caught Adoncia standing by the massive doors, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for the girl.  He wasn¡¯t sure why she¡¯d been the only maid to be placed on standby, but judging by the actions that happened afterward, she wasn¡¯t having a good first day in the Empire.

    Her younger brother had been pestering her with a myriad of questions since he felt much more comfortable speaking to her than all the strangers around him, and though she tried her best to hide the fact, the internal stress had left Adoncia tense.

    Still, she waited dutifully, and her brother calmed down over the past hour, leaning against the door to talk with her about their lives.

    Klaus continued into the hall, littered with the dead, as Gwen took on the task to document each corpse with their loved one¡¯s wishes, and eventually, he made it to the stairs leading to the lower levels.

    Walking down the long smooth edges of the vast hallways, designed for the small Yalm¨¢th, was a simple task, and gave no impression he was entering a dark or gloomy dungeon.  In fact, the glowing gems above made the walls and floor gleam.

    He exited on the first basement floor, boasting twelve-meter ceilings.  The decorations were mainly artwork of unfamiliar scenes, depicting Quen¡¯Talrat victories, but there was evidence that couches, pedestals, and plants had once lined the broad, fifteen-meter hallways.

    The first open room on the right was his destination, the kitchen.  Klaus hadn¡¯t been to the area but had been granted the information from Valdar upon questioning the Ri¡¯bot about key topics concerning his assigned tasks.

    An impressed expression dawned on his face as he took in the grand space, designed for giants.

    Three-meter tall black granite counters, cabinets, and islands contrasted the white stone floor, walls, and ceiling.  It was surprisingly clean and free from clutter with odd appliances housing gems inside neatly placed around the space.

    Atop one of the counters lining the left wall was the cook, Antonietta Briseno, with three helpers.  She was studying a long, thin sheet of metal atop the counter, but her focus moved to him as he entered.

    Upon seeing the woman¡¯s outfit, he nodded with an appraising eye; Klaus had seen Violet weave the pieces but seeing her with it on was another experience entirely.  The woman truly looked like some of the head chefs he¡¯d seen on cooking shows such as Hell¡¯s Kitchen.

    Antonietta easily hopped down the three-meter drop, landing smoothly on her feet to join him.  Her pretty voice had more volume than Klaus expected.  ¡°Keep draining the blood.  We¡¯ll let it hang for another hour.¡±

    They softly mumbled their replies.

    ¡°Louder.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mom!¡±

    She met Klaus with a neutral expression; blood was splashed across her three helpers, but she was without blemish.  ¡°Is there something more you¡¯ll need, Ambassador?¡±

    Klaus shook his head, giving her a warm smile.  ¡°No, no, I was just curious about the whole process ¡­ do you know how any of these devices work?¡±

    She turned back to stare at several items.  ¡°In a general sense, yes.  Edmon has given me a rudimentary knowledge of how to activate the stones, but the process of how they function eludes us.  I¡¯ve managed to figure out how to alternate the temperature the metal becomes through trial and error, and with Tiffany¡¯s help, we have a decent amount of sanitation means to process everything with reasonable safety.¡±

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°Reasonable,¡± Klaus mused.  ¡°I suppose we don¡¯t know much about anything in this new world.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ we are making leaps and bounds where we can,¡± Antonietta commented.  ¡°By the time you return, there should be a healthy supply of jerky, and you recall the details on edible food inside the jungle ¡­ not that you require food.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ but it is certainly a treat,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°Jerky, huh?  Will there be flavoring?¡±

    She nodded, pointing up at a few large bowls.  ¡°I¡¯m experimenting with several marinating sauces, and we still have many ingredients to extract and mix.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait.¡±  His eyes moved to the woman and two young men helping her.  ¡°Your family?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  They decided that helping me cook would be the best way to spend time with me, and the Empress seemed thrilled with the idea.  My eldest son, Manolo, and his wife, Ramona ¡­ the last is my middle-child, Enrique.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Klaus waved his hand as they shot him nervous glances, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to take away from your time with them.  Hmm ¡­ I was just curious about what the kitchen looked like before heading south.¡±

    ¡°Away from the Capital?¡±  Antonietta asked.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be seeing the Nalvean Capital.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ if you get the time, I¡¯d love to hear about the adventure.¡±

    Klaus was a little surprised by the woman¡¯s soft smile.  ¡°Sure, and you can treat me to some jerky when I return.  Sound like a deal?¡±  He asked while flashing his teeth.

    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±  Waving her hand, she returned to her family, jumping to the counter instead of taking the wooden ramp.

    A soft hum rumbled in Klaus¡¯ throat, eyes creasing slightly while moving from Antonietta to her kids.

    Judging by how they look ¡­ if she had her first kid in her late teens or early twenties, which is likely for Colombia, then she¡¯d be ¡­ somewhere between her late forties and early fifties.  It¡¯s so hard to tell with everyone brought back returning to their prime.

    Chuckling to himself, he turned around and left, ascending the stairs to reach the east-wing second floor.  Nadraca was there with Camellia and a few of her people, but two new additions caught his eye.  Valdar had told him about their acquisition.

    So ¡­ it¡¯s almost time to go.

    Standing a little off to the side was Xaria Welix of the Lethix Clan and Xaria Iona of the Flex Clan.  It must have been recent since they¡¯d arrived because the rest of the Clavix Clan were giving them nervous glances.

    Klaus stopped beside Nadraca, vision shifting to the large bundles of materials tied to the back of two Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drones.

    Well ¡­ isn¡¯t that convenient.

    ¡°It seems we¡¯re heading out soon?¡±  He asked.

    The group turned to face him, and Camellia responded first, practically bouncing on her feet; her human form was much more lively and energetic than Violet¡¯s stoic continence.

    ¡°We¡¯re so close; I can¡¯t wait to get going!¡±

    ¡°Soon¡­¡±  Nadraca mumbled, rubbing her left shoulder while eyeing the girl.  ¡°We were just going over the final check.¡±

    The process didn¡¯t take that long, and just as he expected, their party consisted of ten individuals, Nadraca, Klaus, Violet, Ukara, her understudy, Frinel, Camellia, the two Xaria, and the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drones.

    Their exit of the Capital was without incident, but the five Ri¡¯bot were more than a little skittish with hundreds of massive Jukal eyes following them.

    The birds watched, but Klaus suspected the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Princess had some part in the creatures not willing to attack.  Their leave only appeared to be of slight interest because they didn¡¯t follow.

    Klaus was enjoying his new-found physical aptitude.  He found it a little bit ironic that he was within the Unholy Rights Unit as a part of the Inquisitor Class, having the Truthseeker Sub-Class.

    The thing was, he¡¯d never been particularly religious, but the truth had always drawn him in, which was part of the reason he¡¯d entered politics, to begin with.  At first, he believed he could jump into the world and uncover the blanket of darkness surrounding it, but as time went on, he became a bit more cynical about the whole game.  He still wanted the truth, and the means some of his mentors used to get it blurred the lines more than once.

    His new powers put a smile on Klaus¡¯ face; his senses had been enhanced, and he obtained specific abilities to detect lies, among many other things.  Torture had been something he was moderately against while alive; after all, torture could be defined numerous ways, but it generally boiled down to the point of distress to coerce an answer, and that included blackmail.

    Torturing someone by putting their moral compass in-between a rock and a hard place was the standard practice of politics, and veiled threats to instill fear or a show of force were sometimes necessary for negotiations.  There were only three possible paths one could select when one was an ambassador, concede all rights, continue to compromise, or raise the sword, and it was the representative¡¯s job to know what ground could be given and when it was time to end discussions, threatening the blade with your silent exit of the room.

    Many of his moral qualms had been called into question over the years, but now, as an Undead, he found many of those questions becoming somewhat irrelevant with his current state of mind.

    He was no longer human, and he was not dealing with humans.  His job was to negotiate or discover the best possible path that would allow the Empire to flourish, and if that hurts another nation, then that was an acceptable price.

    The only thing that truly mattered was the Empire¡ªEarth, his former life, every dream that he¡¯d strived for, it was all gone; the only thing left was the Empire, and Elinor was its core.

    Klaus casually moved through the dense foliage, brushing back massive leaves and wading through thick undergrowth.  The group didn¡¯t make much idle conversation, but a few interesting points kept him occupied.

    Both Xaria mumbled lowly to one another, and it soon became obvious that there was a struggling relationship trying to bloom between the two.

    Welix¡¯s deep voice spoke softly while taking up the rear of the group, Iona ahead of him.  ¡°How¡¯s the Flex doing, traveling to the Black Fortress with all the Jukal flying around?¡±

    ¡°Tongue lickers,¡± Iona softly growled.  ¡°Did the High Priest tell you why there are literally thousands of the Wixum¡­¡±

    She caught herself, and Klaus amusedly assumed it had been a common curse among her clan before the Empress had united the clans.

    Iona spat out a sigh.  ¡°... literally thousands of the tooth-brained things are gathering in the valley?¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ he said that it isn¡¯t of our concern.¡±

    ¡°Supreme Chief Edmon sent Quen¡¯Talrat protectors to guide them back, though?¡±

    ¡°Ah, so he did it for the Flex, too¡­¡± Welix mumbled.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ umm ¡­ why do you think the Empress decided to have us do this ¡­ together ¡­ like, you and I?  There are plenty of Xaria in the Wixum and Delthax, right?¡±

    ¡°Actually, I heard Wixum doesn''t have a single Xaria¡­¡±

    ¡°Seriously?¡±  Iona hissed, licking her teeth.  ¡°I can¡¯t believe we were so scared of them, but, umm ¡­ you didn¡¯t answer my question,¡± she nervously mumbled.

    ¡°Why us?  Well ¡­ I can¡¯t say.¡±

    Iona fell silent for a moment, and Klaus¡¯ light smile lifted a bit.

    How far is she going to go with this direction?

    Loud booms could be heard around them as Camellia repeatedly slammed into trees, all but guaranteeing nothing would attack them with how destructive she was being.

    He didn¡¯t have a grasp on the spider princess¡¯s personality, but her current giddy and wild attacks against nature made it clear he didn¡¯t want to get on her wrong side; from the moment he first laid eyes on the fire-headed spider-girl, he wanted no contest with her.

    Camellia released a reckless fury of destructive energy without a hint of concealing it like the other members of the Empire¡¯s combative force, and judging by how Violet and Camellia¡¯s relationship stood with the few interactions he saw within those two hours after his revival, Violet was far stronger.

    If Camellia was a stick of TNT, Violet was a trained war tactician with top-secret pinpoint weaponry at her disposal, and within the Nexus, he knew that Violet was the most influential member of the Empire underneath the Royal Court.

    Iona finally cleared her throat, drawing Klaus¡¯ attention from the sharp snapping of thick branches left by Camellia to hear the Ri¡¯bot almost whisper, ¡°The Empress understands our hearts ¡­ right?¡±

    Welix¡¯s brow furrowed as he leaned in closer.  ¡°What was that?  That last boom was too loud¡­¡±

    ¡°I asked if the Empress can¡­¡±

    An explosive burst of air and noise passed over them as Camellia pulverized a branch the size of a Torlim, sending splinters flying around the area as she laughed, continuing to devastate the helpless trees.

    ¡°Nevermind!¡±  Iona pouted, folding her arms as her blue irises darted to the continual racket assaulting their ears.  ¡°What¡¯s she even doing?¡±

    ¡°Who can say ¡­ scaring away all the Jukal?¡±  Welix offered with a shrug.

    Iona¡¯s teeth pressed against her lips with dissatisfaction.  ¡°No ¡­ you can feel that, right?  There¡¯s no way anything in the jungle would attack something that releases those kinds of vibes ¡­ no wonder everyone feared the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡­¡±

    The conversation continued, but Klaus'' attention turned in as he pondered his position within the Empire.

    I¡¯m not a combative unit ¡­ no, even though I¡¯m Heroic-Grade, I know I can¡¯t even begin to dream of fighting near her same level, but that¡¯s not my fight.

    He studied the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s behaviors and the difference between the Clavex and valley cultures.  The Clavex seemed much less closed-minded and strict on their beliefs than the valley Ri¡¯bot, but they also had a very similar reverence toward their Mother Superior as the clans did with their Chiefs.

    There was a critical difference between the attitude of both, though.

    The Chiefs were the strict hand of law that governed how the valley clans found order and stability while that didn¡¯t seem entirely necessary to the Clavex.

    The latter lived in a very stable, peaceful, and powerful society; the Nalveans provided much of the structure Chief leadership brought, leaving the Mother Superior to offer more personal and emotional support, which is why Nadraca went against her leader¡¯s wishes.

    To the Priestess, the Mother Superior was a wise leader, but Nadraca had a moral obligation to follow her heart and morals on the topic of reclaiming something many of her clan had since lost, a semblance of self-government and personal freedom.

    Even if the Clavex were not slaves, they were essentially indentured servants paying off a debt, which came with a tax on goods.  It was a relatively reasonable contract by Earth¡¯s standards, but to Nadraca, who knew nothing else, saw it as oppressive, and she wanted to rid her clan of this burden.

    On the other hand, Iona and Welix wouldn¡¯t dare dream of doing such a thing against their Chief.  To them, what Nadraca had done was a slap in her leader¡¯s face, and they wouldn¡¯t be surprised if she were thrown out of the clan for sedition at a minimum.

    He listened and learned as they traveled; it took a few hours to trek to the Clavex¡¯s beached boat, and to everyone¡¯s shock, it was still there.  However, the water level had fallen drastically, requiring Camellia to bring it back into the river after patching up the damage.

    Klaus wasn¡¯t an expert in ship composition, but the vehicle was well designed from his limited knowledge, given the technology these creatures seemed to possess.  It appeared to have a strong singular mast with battens to reinforce it, rudders for steering, although that looked to be a new feature, and there were waterproof compartments.

    After loading everything on, they set off, taking the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra if they needed the extra bodies to transport goods; they were covered up with tarps to hide the fearsome creatures from anyone that might take notice.

    Two Jukal landed on the mast, watching the group as they continued downriver.  The trip was rather enjoyable to Klaus as he studied the jungle from the seacraft.

    Rolling hills and mountains could be seen, rising up from the earth to form colossal titans, blocking their view of the sky, and more than once he caught sight of strange creatures along the shore or in the river, which was over two miles across at some points.

    One of the more fascinating things that caught his eye was when they were passing through two large cliff faces, exiting the valley.  High above, he could see the ruined remains of a tower that resembled the structures in the Capital.

    Upon further questioning, Nadraca explained that it was one of the remnants left behind by the Quen¡¯Talrat, a stronghold that had fallen during the wars more than a century ago.

    The whole experience excited him as they exited the valley, entering Ri¡¯bot territory that Welix and Iona didn¡¯t know.  Nadraca didn¡¯t have much information on them either, as only the clans immediately surrounding the Nalvean territory''s edges made trades with them.

    There were signs of purple-skinned toads and more bizarre wildlife, but the biggest surprise came when they passed into the Nalvean¡¯s land, and the technology swiftly advanced.

    It was as if they¡¯d entered a mix between Chinese and Egyptian-styled architecture, and the tools they employed to load and empty docks were similar, with some sections of the land showing large cranes made out of thick black wood.  Every inch of the pier to the cranes, buildings, and ships showed signs of artistic design.

    Klaus couldn¡¯t help but bombard Nadraca with questions as the seawayers gently moved through each town, leading them toward the city near the Great Ruby Lakes.

    ¡°What are all the carvings and designs for?¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ oh, that¡¯s for religious purposes.  They all tell stories ¡­ many repeat, but it¡¯s customary for them to do that to anything they can.¡±

    ¡°Of past events?¡±

    ¡°It can be like that, yeah ¡­ although, it¡¯s more about their dreams and what they believe their deities show them.  Wait ¡­ does the Supreme Chiefs give them dreams?¡±

    ¡°Fascinating ¡­ so, their whole civilization has carvings of their dreams.  Is that their language?¡±

    Nadraca seemed a little flustered that he skipped past her question but kept answering his inquiries as Camellia listened in her spider-form underneath a tarp with the other drones.  ¡°It¡¯s one of their written languages ¡­ They have two.  One is the dream language ¡­ it¡¯s actually much easier to understand than their common-tongue.¡±

    ¡°Do you speak their common tongue?¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ they actually learned our language since it¡¯s really hard for us to speak theirs.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ they look rather ¡­ menacing compared to everything else I¡¯ve seen in this world.  Even the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra don¡¯t have the physical intimidation they seem to have ¡­ although, I will say Camellia herself is far more frightening by sheer power.¡±

    Nalveans were like massive spiked salamanders with thick, jagged scales and monstrous faces, but it appeared that the females were more smooth with less sharp daggers jutting out of their powerful figures.

    Even though the females had slimmer figures, smaller hands, and a more narrow face, their tails were thicker and stronger.  Nadraca said the female warriors were feared by other races when they put on their battle armor that utilized each of their features.

    One of the most frightening things about the Nalveans was their ability to manipulate the wind and water with crimson energy that radiated from their bodies; some Ri¡¯bot believed they obtained this power from the Great Ruby Lakes, but it was only a whispered speculation.

    The more Klaus heard, the more he grew content about his death.

    This is what real adventure is ¡­ trading a life of mediocrity for something like this ¡­ more than worth the price.

    His eyes moved to Ukara as she motioned up ahead.  ¡°We should be able to see the Capital¡¯s Grand Palace, soon ¡­ it¡¯ll still be a bit before we get there, though.¡±

    Klaus took a deep breath, keeping his gaze fixed in the direction the young Ri¡¯bot pointed, holding his breath.

    A whole new culture to learn ¡­ if they can speak Ri¡¯bot common-tongue, then there shouldn¡¯t be a problem, but Tiffany was right ¡­ What we really need is to steal a corpse to bring back.  Negotiations will take on a whole new level of authenticity if we speak their mother-tongue.

 B2 â€” 7. Unfolding Plots And Speculations

    Klaus hummed softly while leaning against the ship¡¯s side; it had been a relatively smooth journey, and he spent most of it so far memorizing the landscape.

    Now that they were entering more populated areas of the Nalvean Empire, he paid more attention to their surroundings.

    His first vision of the creatures put a curious grin on his face, and after traveling further into the riverside village, he began to notice a difference in their colors.  Most of the males were brighter colored while the females had a darker tone, but each seemed to have unique markings.

    The primary mission was to identify their culture and learn more about their combat potential if they became a threat while finding out ways to prevent war if possible.  The Empress¡¯ Empire was relatively young, and the smartest move was to avoid conflict with a well-established power.

    Nalvean males were at least a foot taller than their female counterparts in most cases, but there appeared to be the exception upon further study.  From what he recalled, a human male average was around 5¡±9, and judging with just his eyes, these salamander-like creatures stood at 7¡±2.

    Klaus¡¯ eyes furrowed as Camellia whispered.  ¡°A Ri¡¯bot is swimming toward us in the water ¡­ is it trying to attack?¡±

    ¡°Wha ¡­ no, no, please give us time to confirm!¡±  Nadraca replied, scanning the sides of the ship.  ¡°I believe it would be best to remain hidden while we¡¯re in public¡­¡±

    Iona and Welix scanned the boat¡¯s edges upon the prompt, swiftly detecting the swimmer on the left side, away from the Nalvean settlement.

    Klaus adjusted his clothes, clasping his hands behind his back as the Ri¡¯bot surfaced; both of their Xaria companions from the Flex and Lethix Clans tightened their grip around the hilts of their sheathed knives, stitched to the back of their leather vests.

    Nadraca peered over the side, ready to duck back if necessary while Ukara and Frinel continued to direct the ship¡¯s rudders.

    The bright green head that popped out smiled at the Priestess, having no idea the two warriors were seconds away from stabbing their blades into his head.

    ¡°Priestess Nadraca!¡±  he whispered with relief.  ¡°The Mother Superior has been fearing what might have become of you during the storm.  Umm ¡­ may I come aboard?¡±

    ¡°Unira ¡­ yes, yes, come aboard, quickly!  What has happened?  We have heard¡­¡±

    ¡°Shh¡­¡±  Unira swiftly crawled onto the deck behind the covered Th¨¦lm¨¦thra before lying flat on his back to not be seen from the shore.  ¡°I have an urgent message from the Mother Superior; I should be as the smoke ¡­ that is what she told me to say first.¡±

    Klaus¡¯ smile flashed as he promptly walked over to a supply box to take out another sheet; he had noticed more than one Nalvean eyeing them along the docks.  ¡°I see, well, then, how about you cover-up?  We wouldn¡¯t want a sharp change in current shifting us in a manner that others can see you.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ you must be one of those humans,¡± Unira mumbled, accepting the cover before wrapping himself in it by the luggage.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve heard of what we call ourselves?¡±  Klaus mused, motioning for the others to study the jungle while they talked, backs facing the village.

    ¡°The ¡­ umm, the message comes first.¡±

    ¡°Of course, continue.¡±

    ¡°Eh ¡­ Priestess, this human acts as if it is in charge?¡±

    Nadraca took a deep breath before letting it out.  ¡°In a manner of speaking, he is.  Pay it no mind, Unira.  What has the Mother Superior told you to report?¡±

    ¡°... Mmh ¡­ the Mother Superior warns you that not long after Commander Lacord returned with the human cargo, they were taken to the palace ¡­ none have returned since, and whispers have been sweeping the city through the night and morning.

    ¡°However, one thing is for sure ¡­ It is unknown why, but according to Elluinara, Commander Lacord was ¡­ executed.  The Mother Superior has not been made aware of any crimes he may have committed to require such harsh sentencing ¡­ indeed, nothing like this has happened for more than sixty years.¡±

    Klaus rubbed his cleanly shaven chin, and as far as he was aware, he¡¯d always remain beardless.  ¡°Who is Elluinara?¡±

    Nadraca collapsed to her knees, causing Klaus¡¯ lips to fall a little.  ¡°He¡¯s ¡­ no, no, it can¡¯t be ¡­ Commander Lacord did no crime.  He was just ¡­ he believed in our mission, and even ¡­ you¡¯re sure, Unira?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Priestess,¡± he whispered mournfully.  ¡°Elluinara confirmed it to the Mother Superior herself ¡­ I was privy to the conversation, but it has not been made public knowledge as of yet.¡±

    ¡°Why?  We ¡­ not even the Empress would have executed him ¡­ we did our best to treat the humans kindly.  Commander Lacord was very strict on that unless it involved the direst of circumstances.¡±

    Klaus cleared his throat.  ¡°... Priestess Nadraca, could you¡­¡±  He paused, vision rising to see a colossal city, rising out of the ground with mixed Egyptian and Chinese-style architecture, towering over the jungle.

    The sight only distracted him for a moment.  ¡°... Ahem, my apologies for your loss, Priestess Nadraca, but the why is not essential at the moment.  Unira has stated that the details are currently being hidden by the Nalvean governors; however, it is structured.

    ¡°That being said, we must determine who has given your people that information and why it was divulged if the powers at be have chosen to leave your leadership in the dark.  So, I will ask again, who is Elluinara?¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ that is a relevant question.  Hmm¡­¡±

    Unira was the one to respond as Nadraca seemed utterly stunned by the news, and Klaus could understand why.  She was trying to come to terms with the fact that her rebellion against the High Priest¡¯s wishes had caused a rift to form between her people and the Nalveans and that they were already indebted to the creatures.

    Klaus wouldn¡¯t put it past the Ri¡¯bot woman to be considering the possibility that turning herself in and confessing might fix everything.  She had been the one to convince a small fraction of her people to join her, and many were dead because of that rash choice.

    Nadraca is no battlefield tactician or warrior ¡­ I doubt she¡¯s had the life of anyone on her conscience, and now she has dozens.  She didn¡¯t take Benira¡¯s execution lightly by the way she was talking to her people, but now, everything¡¯s falling apart.

    Camellia¡¯s leg twitched underneath the cloth, and her agitated voice drew Klaus¡¯ mind away from the problem.  ¡°Hey, when your superior asks a question, you answer!¡±

    Unira¡¯s eyes widened like a goldfish as his irises shifted to the massive concealed Th¨¦lm¨¦thra beside him.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡±

    A long puff of air shot through Klaus¡¯ lips as he put his hands on his hips, but he quickly reigned in the jarring shifts in conversation, deciding to nip the topic in the bud.  It was best to postpone his questions to bypass any long-winded, choppy discussion regarding all the events that needed explaining, and Nadraca operating within a functional level was a key component of the mission.

    ¡°Elite Warrior Camellia, will you allow me to correct any misunderstanding that Priestess Nadraca and Unira, Mother Superior Korina¡¯s messenger, may have?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±  The Spider Sister was a little taken aback by his address.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ the chain of command is important!¡±

    ¡°Correct, Elite Warrior,¡± Klaus praised.  From his observations of the creature, it was fairly obvious that she lacked certain social skills compared to her family, but the very Sub-Class she¡¯d been given was proof enough of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s nature.

    ¡°First, Priestess Nadraca.¡±  He held out his hand to her, still staring at the plants below her in disbelief.  He was forced to repeat himself once more before she lifted her eyes, blinking a moment as a lump dropped down her throat.

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°If you could, please take my hand.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ umm, okay?¡±

    She mechanically reached out, and Klaus calmly waited until her limp grip tightened.  Effortlessly pulling her up, he gave Nadraca a concerned look, making sure to emphasize it in his voice so that the species gap might be bridged through tone.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you.  Could we perhaps sit down?  You don¡¯t need to speak right away, but just collect yourself, and when you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll be here to listen.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t positive, but he sensed the Ri¡¯bot was a little surprised at his patient show of compassion.  ¡°I ¡­ thank you, A-Ambassador,¡± she stammered, having a difficult time with the name.

    She blinked a few times as he guided her over to a resting area where the seats doubled as storage, and Klaus hid his free hand with his body, motioning for Unira to stay hidden.  ¡°Just rest for a moment.¡±

    Unira understood that was meant for him, too, because he settled in, glancing once more at the massive sheet beside him before throwing his own covering over his head.

    Frinel gave them strange looks as he hurried to follow Ukara¡¯s directions, too far away to understand what was happening, but the actions clearly threw up some flags for the Seawayer; she was currently occupied, though with some tricky currents forming along the broad river as they came upon an area with massive stones, shooting out of the river like spikes.

    The obstacles weren¡¯t close enough to cause real panic, but it did shift the waters in an unusual direction, and Klaus couldn¡¯t even guess how large these jutting rocks were, breaking out of the deep river.

    He sat next to Nadraca, holding her hand, and not long after his declaration, Camellia¡¯s confused voice entered his mind.

    ¡°Why are you not explaining that a drone must listen and obey their superior?¡±

    Hmm ¡­ that will come in time, Camellia, but creatures like these require a stable mental-state to learn.  I am not that well accustomed to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra culture yet, so I cannot draw an apt comparison.  However, I can say that this is the most efficient means to obtain what you desire.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ okay.  Umm ¡­ I¡¯m not stupid.  I know I¡¯m not as talented as my Sisters, and I might not catch onto things as quickly as they do, but I want to learn.  The Empress told me that you are smart, and I should listen to your council.  So, why do you think this Elluinara chose to warn the Ri¡¯bot, and what should we do about it?¡±

    Klaus¡¯ fingers tightened slightly against Nadraca¡¯s left hand as a few tears fell down her cheeks while keeping the conversation going with his superior.

    The Empress said that, did she?  Well, I mustn¡¯t disappoint.  I don¡¯t know why or who Elluinara is, but I suspect this person is a Nalvean ¡­ one of those salamander creatures along the shore.  There appears to be a relatively stable governing body at work within this Empire, and this person must be within a position at the palace, considering the topic has been hushed.

    Elluinara could be a high ranking member of this nation or a scullery maid for all I know ¡­ low-ranking servants tend to be the best spies.

    Those are only speculations, though, and as to her motives ¡­ I couldn¡¯t fathom with so little information.  It would be a pointless waste of time.

    ¡°You could get the answers from this Ri¡¯bot, though?¡±

    Yes, but in the grand scheme of things, Unira is worthless.  He is merely a messenger, carrying very specialized news that once delivered, makes him utterly disposable.  Although, there is merit in the fact the Head Priestess selected him, ultimately, his worth on a political scale is negligible compared to Nadraca.

    Nadraca is the face¡ªthe representative of the Clavex Clan within the Empire, and ill-fortuned news she just received could lead her down the path of depression, potentially to a delusional, self-sacrificial offering to Yesenia to appease her anger.

    We must prevent this at all costs.  Nadraca has a decent enough grasp of the Empress¡¯ religious network that, if leaked to Yesenia, could cause irreparable damage in the long-run.

    Klaus directed an encouraging smile at Iona and Welix as they leaned up against the mast, eyeing the human and Ri¡¯bot holding hands with a hesitant expression.  The pair¡¯s study drew upon his mind, forming possible connections.

    Camellia must have been somewhat satisfied with that answer because she retreated into her own thoughts, and Klaus turned his focus to the Xaria pair.  A plan formed as his own curiosity sparked the question.

    ¡°Nadraca ¡­ as you know, I¡¯m not accustomed to many of your Ri¡¯bot traditions, and I understand that very well might vary from tribe to tribe.  With that knowledge ¡­ is me holding your hand something frowned upon?¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s body stiffened upon his probe, but her fingers tightened.  ¡°N-No ¡­ umm, no, no, it¡¯s just ¡­ it¡¯s comforting.  Thank you, Ambassador ¡­ I just never expected such a kind action from ¡­ no, no, not that the Empire is cold!  I, umm ¡­ I¡¯ve heard a few whispers about the great acts of kindness performed by the Empress and Grand Ritualist Tiffany.

    ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m trying to say,¡± she mumbled with an embarrassed laugh, knuckles pressed against her knees as her skin turned a darker shade of green.

    ¡°Take your time,¡± Klaus encouraged, giving her hand a light squeeze.

    Nadraca¡¯s pink tongue slid out of her mouth to graze across her lips, staring at the floor.  It took a few minutes before she spoke again.  ¡°I knew Lacord for ¡­ as long as I can remember.  He became like a second father to me ¡­ my mother died when I was young ¡­ no one really knows how.  She went to trade with the Inularma Clan and just disappeared.

    ¡°My father was a hero ¡­ he entered one of the Gateways, volunteering to join the Nalvean Strikers that were tasked to conquer it.  He died ¡­ but managed to touch a stone that saved the whole squad ¡­ Strikers are a precious combat force for the Nalveans, and so it lowered the debt by a lot ¡­ my father did that.¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ it must have been hard.¡±  Klaus nodded, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb to show he understood.  Nadraca¡¯s motivations and personality were unzipping rapidly while confiding in him for comfort, and he stored every piece of information.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    She swallowed, sniffing a little while liquid fell down her cheeks.  ¡°A little ¡­ I wanted to help, too, but ¡­ now I¡¯ve ruined everything.¡±  Her body began to tremble, slowly working its way down her arm.  ¡°I just ¡­ I wanted to do something right ¡­ and he¡¯s dead¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey,¡± Klaus whispered, smoothly sliding closer to hug her.  ¡°We¡¯ll get to the bottom of it, okay?  Isn¡¯t that also coinciding with the task the Empress gave me?¡±

    ¡°Is it ¡­ will you really help us ¡­ help me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Nadraca, you¡¯re a part of the Empire now, aren¡¯t you?  The Empress supports those that believe in her.¡±

    ¡°Thank you ¡­ thank you, Empress Elinor ¡­ thank you¡­¡±

    Klaus continued to comfort the breaking toad woman, knowing that he¡¯d directed the conversation down the proper path to increase her faith in the Empress.

    Once she¡¯d calmed down, she made sure she was stable enough to leave her for a moment; once confirming it, Nadraca trying to regain her composure, he walked to the back of the boat where the wheel was with several contraptions that aided in maneuvering the ship and other devices he wasn¡¯t going to guess their function.

    Frinel stayed silent as he approached, leaving everything to the Seawayer.  Ukara glanced to the side, watching the Priestess clean herself up.  ¡°I heard a bit of it ¡­ thank you.¡±

    Klaus¡¯ sad smile moved to the choppy waters as they continued weaving through strange jutting rocks, and he began to notice red crystals attached to a few.  ¡°I¡¯m here to help.¡±

    ¡°... Is there something you need, Ambassador?¡±  she tentatively asked, eyes always moving to check the changes she needed to make.

    ¡°Can you slow our course?¡±

    Her brow creased.  ¡°Uh ¡­ it¡¯s possible.  If we draw nearer the shoreline and pull the sails.¡±

    ¡°That would help greatly.¡±

    Leaving it at that, he gave her a departing smile, returning to Nadraca.  He caught the seawayer working her jaw around a few seconds before issuing orders to her understudy, starting with the sails.

    ¡°Sorry, Ambassador,¡± Nadraca took a deep, calming breath while scooting over to a barrel nearby that was half-filled with water, splashing some on her face.  ¡°Everything just¡­¡±

    ¡°... Hit you all at once?¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ yeah,¡± she softly chuckled, playing with her toes.  ¡°Umm,¡± she swallowed, ¡°so ¡­ what did you want to know?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re sure you¡¯re doing okay?¡±  he asked, tone still showing his concern.

    ¡°Yeah!  I¡¯m totally fine now ¡­ I¡¯m just so thankful ¡­ Empress Elinor has blessed me ¡­ a lot,¡±  she mumbled, thighs pressing together.  ¡°It, umm ¡­ just crossed my mind, but ¡­ do you think ¡­ I mean, if Lacord was killed¡­¡±

    Klaus reached over again to place his hand atop hers, pressing into her lap.  ¡°Yes ¡­ I¡¯m sure the Empress has seen him safely through to the other side.¡±

    Her lower lip trembled for a moment before Nadraca took a deep breath.  ¡°... Eh, you were asking about Elluinara, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Klaus replied, grip tightening around her hand reassuringly.

    ¡°She¡¯s a junior member inside the Nalvean Seaweaver Council.  They¡¯re in charge of developing and researching their ability to change the winds and tides.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ you¡¯ve mentioned that before.  How strong is this gift of theirs?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Nadraca puffed her left cheek to the side, brow creased as she thought about the question.  ¡°I¡¯ve never actually seen them use it in combat.  I¡¯ve heard stories that some can make an entire ship twice as fast on their own, but in person, it required a few Nalveans to increase a ship¡¯s speed by twenty percent.¡±

    The general population may have a gift, but only a select few can really wield that power at a decent strength ¡­ it¡¯s more than manageable, but no real governing body worth its salt is going to reveal all its cards.  Valdar might actually know more in terms of combat prowess, but it¡¯s also dated information.

    The existence of a research branch in the government lends credence to the possibility that we¡¯re dealing with a more advanced civilization than we first thought, and the architecture ¡­ I¡¯ll have to see how cutting-edge their society is when we arrive at the capital.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡±  Nadraca asked, her blue eyes fastened on his hand, enclosing hers.

    He gave her a small smile.  ¡°No, no, just thinking.  Hmm ¡­ I think it would be best to avoid eyesight from here on out.  How close do you think we can get to the Mother Superior¡¯s place without entering the city?¡±

    ¡°Without entering the city?¡±

    Klaus nodded with a grave expression.  ¡°It might actually be too late, but I doubt it.  Does the Nalvean¡¯s have a spy network?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know.  I¡¯m sorry,¡± she whispered, head drooping.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Klaus replied, patting her hand.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect you to know every facet of their government.  No, I have no doubt they have some kind of spy division ¡­ and while Yesenia hasn¡¯t yet consolidated power, things are swiftly moving in that direction if what Chief Nina saw turns out to be true.  In that case, we need to tread carefully.¡±

    He caught Iona and Welix¡¯s eyes; the two had been mumbling softly about where best to start their mission, concluding the slums of the Ri¡¯bot community would be the best location.  Unlike the Clans in the Valley, the Clavex had no enemies, allowing them to multiply like crazy, which increased their numbers into eight thousand souls.

    Most of the Clavex never held a blade to defend themselves in their lives, but after speaking to a few of the clan members a strange idea had sprung up in the two Xaria¡¯s minds.

    Where was the best place to find information?  The lazy areas where the rejects of this peaceful Ri¡¯bot society gathered¡ªthe rejects of the clan, and a minority of other clans had found their way into the dark holes of the Clavex swamp to conduct business.

    It didn¡¯t take them long to reach the shore, and within that time, Klaus had explained the current situation to Unira.  The stunned messenger took a bit to come to terms with the news, but to Klaus¡¯ surprise, Nadraca spoke quite passionately about everything that had occurred and the powers the Supreme Chief held.

    There was a small strip Ukara guided them to near the bank, situated between the closest town and the massive capital towering over the jungle.  It didn¡¯t nearly have the goliath size of the Quen¡¯Talrat Fortress, but it did make the structures in Egypt and China that they reminded him of seem tiny in comparison.

    Ramming the boat on the opposite side of the river, Klaus saw the Nalvean settlements; they tied up the boat before heading into the jungle with Benira as their guide.

    Camellia told her two drones to guard the ship, and if anyone tried to steal the craft to tie them up in webs and send her a warning signal.

    She transformed into her human form, adding her garments behind a tree; apparently, she¡¯d learned about modesty from a few humans.

    Klaus found the exercise kind of silly, considering the type of murderous creature she was, but it did add more character to the spider girl.

    He was more than a little floored by the results of the change when she revealed herself.  Klaus managed to keep his shock hidden, though.

    The Empress¡¯ power certainly is something ¡­ she¡¯s able to turn something like that into this ¡­ red-headed drop-dead supermodel?  Eternity might not be so bad.

    He mused, eyeing the spider in human guise; while heading toward the boat from the fortress, he¡¯d caught a few glimpses of her but hadn¡¯t been able to get a clear image until now.  A flash of her looks was all he was able to get while Camellia was tearing up the jungle.

    A smile touched his lips as Nadraca stayed close by his side.

    She¡¯s growing quite attached to me, but it¡¯s understandable.  I¡¯m an anchoring stone for her at the moment.

    Klaus doubted there was any need for concern, Camellia had proven that she¡¯d warn of possible incoming threats before, but he decided to make sure.

    Camellia held her hands behind her back while easily trudging through the moist ground, causing squelching sounds as Klaus continually forced his feet from the muddy land.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ nope.  Nothing big.  A whole lot of birds ¡­ Well, those big bird things.  A lot of little critters, but no Nalveans.¡±

    Good to know.

    The news did lighten his mood.  He knew Camellia was powerful, but there was still a voice in the back of his head that warned him not to let his guard down; Camellia was built with a complex nervous system to track things, but she was not specialized in it for her Class or Subclass.

    After a time, they made it to a paved street, which caused Klaus to slow to a stop, making everyone else halt.

    He glanced around the space, watching Ri¡¯bot moving in and out of buildings, carrying goods to sell, process, clean, or items they¡¯d bought.  He was hard-pressed to find any that didn¡¯t have at least a few fish attached to backpacks, held in carts with other objects carried in their hands.

    Not any grain products ¡­ a pure carnivorous diet?

    He motioned for them to continue while taking in the sights; they were starting to draw attention, mainly Camellia and him.

    ¡°I see quite a few areas that have that dream language you were talking about.¡±

    Nadraca nodded with a slight frown.  ¡°Yes, sadly, some Ri¡¯bot in the Clan have taken a liking to the Nalvean lifestyle and see themselves as more Nalvean than Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ which is one of the reasons you wished to pay the debt?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s one,¡± she whispered, voice falling a few octaves as they passed curious Ri¡¯bot.

    To Klaus, it seemed the workers were heading home for the day; the sun was quickly descending beyond the horizon, ducking below the tree and building line.

    ¡°We¡¯re getting close,¡± Unira whispered, vision scanning for Nalveans after hearing Nadraca¡¯s story.

    Klaus was a bit less concerned.  Yesenia had only begun taking over this Empire the day before, and within a well-established government with potentially hundreds of thousands to a million citizens, it would take time to win over the whole geographic area.

    There was little doubt in Klaus¡¯ mind that there would be rebellions, even if small, and those could be expanded if needed, but that wasn¡¯t his area of specialty.

    He watched the two Xaria wander off, knowing their part in the plan.  They would be staying for quite some time, and it was a part of his job to get them support.

    The four Clavex members watched them leave with a slight frown but didn¡¯t question the decision since Klaus and Camellia didn¡¯t make a fuss about it.

    They walked for several minutes, taking twists and turns; the looming city that dwarfed this small Ri¡¯bot settlement could be seen across the river, and upon Klaus¡¯ prompt, Unira guided them out of the open docks, taking them the back way to the Mother Superior¡¯s residence.

    However, they all froze as Camellia hissed, ¡°Stop!¡±

    A passing Ri¡¯bot eyed them curiously but hurried past, clearly more interested in his own business than the strange creatures walking down the street he¡¯d probably never seen before.  The lax attitude of the Ri¡¯bot told Klaus volumes about what kind of life these creatures had led compared to the struggling tribal warfare practiced by the Valley Ri¡¯bot.

    Camellia¡¯s serious expression made Klaus¡¯ nerves shoot up, though.

    What is it?  he asked, reaching out through the Nexus.

    ¡°I sense a creature with murderous intent within the area ¡­ two of these streets down, to the left.  It¡¯s a Nalvean.¡±

    Thoroughly taken aback and impressed by her detection skills, he made a mental note of it.

    It shouldn¡¯t be directed at us.  It seems very unlikely anyone would be able to pinpoint our exact location this quickly without some kind of tracking spell or device.

    The group watched them with bated breath, and only Unira was unaware that the creatures brought back by the Empress could communicate without words.

    ¡°No ¡­ it¡¯s creeping away from us.  I believe he will wait until nightfall.  He¡¯s moving the same direction we are, though.¡±

    Hmm¡­

    Speaking up with a light chuckle, he motioned them to keep going.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t concern us.  Oh, where¡¯s the Mother Superior¡¯s residence, Unira?¡±

    Pointing southeast, he cleared his throat.  ¡°... Uh, we just need to curve around this bay.¡±

    ¡°Ah, so we are close!  That¡¯s good.¡±

    They quickly jogged to catch up to him, Unira retaking the lead with a baffled expression.

    Camellia, keep track of him if you can.  If he continues following the same path we are ¡­ then Yesenia might have already made a move.

    ¡°To kill this Mother Superior Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    It¡¯s possible.  She¡¯s a massive figure in their community, but ¡­ no, something¡¯s not right.  That wouldn¡¯t have the optimal effect, but it could be motivated out of pure hatred for the Ri¡¯bot, barring logic for an emotional response?  Hmm ¡­ let me know if he breaks off.

    Klaus frowned while passing the area Camellia had sensed him in, scanning the alley, but there wasn¡¯t a single Ri¡¯bot or Nalvean in sight.

    ¡°Nadraca¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±  she asked with a concerned tone, glancing back at Camellia; she wasn¡¯t even looking where they were heading, seemingly staring into a wall like she wanted nothing more than to demolish it with her sight alone.

    ¡°Do Nalveans come to the Ri¡¯bot districts regularly?¡±

    ¡°Umm ¡­ not normally, no,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°You¡¯ll find them all over the docking areas, collecting goods from the daily trades, but we normally go to the main Nalvean bartering hub in the Main District docking area to conduct most of our business and come back to our homes to rest.  Almost all of the licensing and processing tasks are hired out by Nalvean businesses in the Nalvean Districts, too.¡±

    They¡¯re the labor force of the Nalveans, hmm?

    The conversation died as he tried to piece together the straws of information he had until Camellia interrupted his thoughts.

    ¡°He changed directions.  The Nalvean is moving northeast now.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s in that direction?¡±  Klaus asked Nadraca, pointing.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ that is ¡­ there¡¯s a lot of houses there, and beyond that, the old swamp ¡­ that¡¯s where most of the Ri¡¯bot that do very little to contribute to the debt live.  They don¡¯t care about how filthy the place has gotten or the strange smell the mud releases.¡±

    He chuckled softly.  ¡°I see, I see.¡±

    Interesting ¡­ the Clavex has adapted to a different lifestyle than all the other Ri¡¯bot, and even though Nadraca wants to return to a previous time, she¡¯s oblivious to the fact her own cultural tastes have changed.  Toads won¡¯t be toads, I suppose.

    ¡°May I ask why?¡±  Nadraca queried with an innocent expression.

    Klaus smiled, laughing softly.  ¡°I¡¯m curious about everything about Nalvean and Clavex culture.¡±

    Camellia ¡­ if I¡¯m correct, then we might have stumbled upon a very delicious plot!  Could you follow him without being seen?

    ¡°Naturally!  I may not be as stealthy as my sisters, but I am a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ can I follow without being seen ¡­ wait, was that an insult?¡±

    I would never be so bold as to insult you.  Klaus¡¯ stomach shook with laughter, causing the other five to glance his way.  No, I¡¯m just very new to the Empire, and I know almost nothing about the combat units.

    ¡°Okay ¡­ I can be stealthy, though!¡±

    I have no doubt.

    ¡°Then why¡¯d you ask?¡±  Camellia grumbled, becoming semi-transparent before his eyes.  He could still see her, but by the reactions of the Ri¡¯bot beside her, she¡¯d utterly vanished.

    ¡°G-Great Chief Camellia?¡±  Ukara whispered with a bit of fright.

    Camellia giggled, moving shockingly fast to stand in front of her face.  ¡°Right here!¡±

    ¡°By the Ancestors!¡±  the seawayer screamed, falling back in shock.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be away for a bit.  Try not to get yourselves into trouble while I¡¯m gone.¡±

    With that, Camellia became a blur, running along the walls with her bare feet.

    ¡°What am I supposed to be looking for?¡±

    Before that ¡­ I¡¯m very impressed, Camellia!  You continue to blow my mind with all of the fantastic things you can do.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ you¡¯re not just saying that, right?¡±

    Absolutely not!  I have never seen a human so talented ¡­ no, I have not witnessed anyone in the Empire thus far with such raw ability!

    ¡°Stop it ¡­ my sisters are way stronger than me, but I try really hard ¡­ umm, what does blow my mind, mean?  I¡¯ve never heard of that before.¡±

    An amused smile touched Klaus¡¯ lips as the group continued forward, the Clavex members mumbling to one another about how strangely they were acting, but Nadraca was quick to try and silence any doubts, only allowing fun speculations that only doubled Klaus¡¯ amusement at the ridiculous thoughts thrown around.

    I¡¯m not lying, Camellia; you should be able to sense that since your rank is higher within the Nexus ¡­ which means you¡¯re trying to dissuade me from thinking this way?  You should have more confidence in yourself!

    By the way, the Empress¡¯s Nexus is phenomenal.  She was worried it might not function outside of her range, but it seems that coverage can be projected by Intelligent Undead.  It opens up a whole new scope of communication, although tedious, but it could be instrumental.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ I didn¡¯t even notice that ¡­ you are pretty smart!¡±

    I wouldn¡¯t go that far, he replied, continuing to observe the Ri¡¯bot that passed around them in the area.  They were getting a few curious looks, and several even ground to a complete stop to stare at him, but none worked up the interest or courage to approach.

    Something blowing your mind means that you¡¯re stunned or shocked about a particular thing.  The reason I want you to follow that creature ¡­ I believe he¡¯s trying to recruit a Ri¡¯bot to murder the Mother Supreme.  It¡¯s the perfect event to initiate Martial Law or lockdowns, and it could cause a fracture within the Ri¡¯bot community if certain individuals were given the right incentive.

    I¡¯m a little concerned if Yesenia found the proper support to launch something like this, but ¡­ we¡¯ll have to see how things play out.  Keep in contact with me, and tell me if he meets with anyone.  I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to spy on the conversation, right?

    ¡°Naturally!  And that plan ¡­ blows my mind!  Did I use it right?¡±

    Hehe, perfect.

    ¡°I¡¯m a little confused about the whole thing, but the way you make it sound, it would cause a war between this clan, right?¡±

    Correct.  A very bloody one that would justify quite a response by the Nalvean government since this is happening in their own front yard.  However ¡­ the smarter play would be to start seeding dissenting lines of thought that divided individuals ¡­ hmm; in any case, this could be a massive bargaining chip we can use to bring the majority of the Clavex Clan into the Empress¡¯ pocket.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ this is turning out to be really fun!  I didn¡¯t think there was this kind of battle ¡­ you keep blowing my mind!¡±

    Klaus only laughed, continuing to ponder his next steps, depending on the direction this path led and what options he could take if it didn¡¯t pan out.

 B2 â€” 8. Game On!

    Klaus followed Unira through the city while keeping track of Camellia¡¯s general direction.  No updates came from the Juggernaut, which meant nothing out of the ordinary was happening.  He¡¯d gained a high-level of confidence that if anything confused her, she¡¯d ask about it.

    He had them slow down a little, so he could better observe the Clavex Ri¡¯bot¡¯s culture.  Not a lot could be seen of the main bustle of the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s small city, but from the back streets, he was able to see the layer underneath the image they wanted to portray to the Nalveans, and to be honest, he was a little surprised by what he found compared to Earth.

    There were areas designated to deposit fish guts or large insect exoskeletons, and while it did smell foul with insects buzzing around the waste, nothing spilled onto the street, which was notable¡ªthey kept clean streets.

    Several Ri¡¯bot bustled past, likely taking shortcuts to reach their destination, and even though they gave their group a questioning stare, not one asked for an explanation or looked as if they feared him, considering they could only see a human with Ri¡¯bot¡ªViolet invisible to the throng.

    General bins to deposit wood and other such materials were seen further along, but everything seemed uniform, which impressed Klaus.  However, judging by Nadraca¡¯s earlier reaction, everything here was more or less inspired by the Nalvean culture, which could have gotten a few of their own advancements from the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    The entire scene put a smile on his lips.

    This should be easier than I expected.

    Unira guided them back through a few alleys between streets to reach the docking area after walking another mile.  Klaus could see a massive river dock, filled with goods and bustling Nalveans and Ri¡¯bot, but halfway through the slightly narrow space, he turned to a well-crafted wooden door with an etching of the sun carved into the center, walking through.

    Klaus followed, keeping his senses alert.  He could tell that several Ri¡¯bot were inside, scattered in the three rooms he could accurately detect, but only one made his smile rise a little.

    Unira guided Nukara, Nadraca, Frinel, and Klaus to the second room, passing through what appeared to be a preparation room to enter a shrine to their left; two Ri¡¯bot seemed to be in the process of bathing, splashing water over themselves in two large wooden buckets.

    He had no idea how to distinguish between male and female Ri¡¯bot, making a note of it while entering the room straight ahead.

    Klaus¡¯ blue irises swept the humble space as he entered.  For the supposed place of official residence for the Clavex¡¯s spiritual headpiece, the room left much to be desired.

    A wooden chair was placed on a small stone dais; it was composed of plastered down bricks that were roughly crafted, considering the masonry he¡¯d seen so far along the docks.  There were a few feathers tied together, hanging around it, and a splattering of random dyes, but it seemed utterly drab compared to anything found in the Nalvean capital.

    Upon pondering the fact, he made a mental note about discussing a name for the fortress city; it would be essential to label it as their own as soon as possible to indicate a change of ownership, making it separate from people¡¯s mental image of the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    The odd thing that made Klaus¡¯ head tilt a little was the rest of the room.  It was like a group of abstract muralists had gathered together and had a showdown to see who could come up with the most oddly shaped splatter of colors conceivable possible.

    A cloth rug stretched across the stone ground, and even it wasn¡¯t spared from the battle.  Yet, several rough patches showed more wear and splotches of color underneath, telling him this must be some kind of tradition, and there were many layers coating everything in the room.

    Two Ri¡¯bot wearing similar necklaces as Nadraca stood beside the chair with two other Ri¡¯bot exiting the room as they entered.  By the impression they left, Nadraca was at least twice as strong as them.

    However, the Mother Superior was another matter entirely.  Klaus felt like the elderly Ri¡¯bot could put up a decent fight, perhaps only slightly weaker than Valdar in his current state, which was impressive.  Although he suspected any of the Xaria he had met could likely kill her before she had a chance to fight back, she had the potential to deal significant damage.

    The wrinkled figure sat upon her chair with calculating, frosted blue eyes as she observed their entrance, but her lips pulled back a little upon seeing Nadraca.  ¡°My girl,¡± she said in a heavy tone upon spotting him, ¡°it seems as if you have brought trouble to our shores ¡­ though, it is nice to see you safe.¡±

    Klaus offered a respectful bow, but his guides only went so far as to show what he would describe as a nod of acknowledgment to their leader.

    The Mother Superior¡¯s lips creased slightly; after she had visually checked Nadraca, possibly to view her physical health, her vision never left Klaus.  ¡°... Do you speak our language?¡±

    Knowing exactly what he needed to do while having the stage, Klaus spoke moments before Nadraca and Unira opened their mouths.

    ¡°Mother Superior, it is my pleasure to stand before Your Holiness.  I am Ambassador Klaus Klossner, and it is my honor to inform the Clavex that Her Holy Imperial Majesty, Supreme Chief of the Pits, Empress Elinor, has chosen me to represent her desires.¡±

    The Mother Superior¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, folding her fingers atop her lap while noticing Nadraca and Unira¡¯s jaws snap shut.

    ¡°First and foremost,¡± Klaus stated, crossing his hands respectfully at his front where everyone could see them, giving the tribal leader a soft smile, ¡°Her Imperial Majesty wishes to impart a warning to the Clavex Clan; the Supreme Chief of Storms, Empress Yesenia, is currently amassing power within the Nalvean Capital, and she does not have a favorable view of the Clavex or any Ri¡¯bot Clan.¡±

    Just as he had expected, the Mother Superior held up her hand for him to stop.  ¡°One moment, Ambassador Klaus Klossner.¡±

    He was a little impressed she didn¡¯t stumble with his name, such as many other Ri¡¯bot had.

    She hummed softly, studying every inch of him, and after a moment, dismissed the two Ri¡¯bot beside her, and to Klaus¡¯ party¡¯s surprise, the Mother Superior requested everyone but Nadraca and Klause to leave.  After a few nervous glances, everyone walked toward the door in the back, pausing as the elderly Ri¡¯bot spoke.

    ¡°Please, do not spread anything you have heard, Laurina, Nubraca.  That includes the rest of you; do you understand my request?¡±

    They all bowed without a word, tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

    She gave them what Klaus assumed was a thankful smile before turning her attention to Nadraca.  ¡°Child, if you could excuse the rest of the young Priests and Priestesses in training within the area?¡±

    ¡°O-Of course, Mother Superior,¡± Nadraca bowed, swiftly rushing to fulfill the command.

    Klaus stayed silent, patiently waiting for the Ri¡¯bot to drive the next turn of the conversation.  The Mother Superior didn¡¯t speak again until Nadraca returned, but he could tell by her tight muscles that she felt pressured.

    He suspected at least one of those two Ri¡¯bot would have a loose tongue.  The society was too lax to keep gossip from spreading, and it was the news of the strange and unusual that heated the normally mundane buzz of chitchat.

    News of a Supreme Chief of the Pits would soon travel from house to house, and the origin for such a topic, why the Mother Superior¡¯s holy room, a trusted source; of course, no one would wish to be seen as a liar or wrong, so the belief would spread.  An even bigger piece of news, a new ruler was making its way into the Nalvean hierarchy, and the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s lifestyle could soon be in danger.

    Whispers of these strange human creatures would blossom as eyewitnesses connected the two odd events, and then things would start spiraling with a few nudges here and there by people in the proper areas to spark civil unrest.  The Butterfly Effect would cascade into a rumor that Ri¡¯bot would link with as the imagination of this unknown Supreme Chief, ruling over the pits cemented in their minds, bridging with their own interpretations of their religions.

    ¡°Ambassador Klaus Klossner, if you could give me a moment to understand the current situation ¡­ that would be most appreciated.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Klaus nodded, tilting his head to each party to give a visual indication he was listening to the following Q and A.

    ¡°Nadraca,¡± the Mother Supreme whispered in a tense tone, ¡°explain to me precisely what has happened since you left on your ¡­ escapade.  What I do know is that you convinced Lacord to join you, bringing more than eighty warriors and trainees with you to accomplish some task ¡­ and now, Lacord is dead¡­ ¡±

    ¡°Please, let me¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not finished!¡±  The elderly Ri¡¯bot snapped, and for the first time, Klaus saw a sleeping tigress waking within the Clavex¡¯s holy figure.

    Nadraca flinched, knees and hands tightly pressed together.

    ¡°Not only is Lacord dead, but it was the Nalvean Imperial Head Captain that performed the task ¡­ to every Ri¡¯bot that returned from your trip, young and old.  Even Elluinara was hesitant to slip me that information, proving something frightening is happening behind the scenes, and now, you bring me this news?  Explain, Nadraca!¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s body began to quiver, tears making her large eyes shine, but her quakes instantly stopped upon Klaus placing a comforting hand over her twisted hands, causing her to jolt as if struck by lightning.

    ¡°No need to fret, Nadraca.  Just speak the truth.¡±

    The Mother Superior¡¯s critical eyes shifted between them, but Nadraca seemed to have regained a semblance of her confidence as she began explaining all of the events that had happened since beginning her journey.

    Many questions were asked, and Nadraca gave the best answers she could, turning to Klaus when something grew too tricky.  He smoothly guided Nadraca back to the center of attention, directing her to the answer to not deliver any response that would make the Mother Superior suspect foul play.

    The interrogation made Klaus suppress a smile, marking places the Mother Superior focused on and slipped by, gauging the way she thought, and halfway through the lengthy question and answer session, Camellia¡¯s lovely voice entered his mind.

    ¡°He has met with two other Nalveans in a dark, dusty alley.  Not many Ri¡¯bot pass through this area, but I smell several old Nalvean trails.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ it could be a spy network area, designated as a remote area to pass along information.  You can¡¯t tell what they¡¯re saying?

    ¡°No, all they do is touch each other¡¯s hands or arms, releasing a very weak chemical while making motions on their scales.  One¡¯s female, the other two male ¡­ Nalvean females smell worse.  I remember them leaving behind a lot of chemical trails, and sometimes they¡¯d use it as traps to catch weak prey that couldn¡¯t tell the difference between real communication and lures.¡±

    Interesting ¡­ how would that translate through the Empress¡¯ communication skill?  Anyways, he muttered, steering himself back, it¡¯s more important to document everything they do.

    ¡°Which should I follow if they split up?¡±

    It was an important question that he¡¯d already been pondering.

    Hmm ¡­ how strong are each of them?

    ¡°Weak.¡±

    Yes, but I mean compared to each other.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ the new male one is at least twice as strong as the others.¡±

    So ¡­ this is probably a report session before receiving new orders.  Wait ¡­ if the one you¡¯ve been following was spying on the Mother Superior, then ¡­ he had killing intent when you first spotted him, right?

    ¡°Yes.  He was releasing a chemical that normally indicates Nalveans are really frustrated or angry.  It¡¯s tempered a little since then, but the other two are now showing weak signs of the same bodily reaction.  Why is that important?¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Mmh ¡­ I could have been thinking about this the wrong way.

    Camellia¡¯s tone returned, sounding even more confused.  ¡°Huh?  They¡¯re not going to kill the Mother Superior Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    No, no, I bet they will, but this is much deeper than just some random grudge match between Yesenia and the Clavex ¡­ no, this is personal.  A spy¡¯s greatest malice comes in finding a double agent ¡­ Their killing intent is directed at Elluinara, not the Mother Superior.  Oh ¡­ this has become quite a fascinating turn of events.

    ¡°Oh, oh, I ¡­ my mind is blowing!¡±  Camellia squealed.  ¡°So, he was skulking about, doing his thing, and he heard one of the upper echelon Nalveans spreading stuff she shouldn¡¯t, right?  What is a word for a person like that ¡­ I¡¯ve never even considered that ¡­ someone within a brood can try to hurt it?  It blows my mind!¡±

    Klaus laughed internally at the deadly innocence of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, and the more he learned about her, the more he realized how purposeful and dedicated the creatures were, which was likely one of the reasons they reached the pinnacle of the food chain wherever they landed.

    They had no concept of traitors because it didn¡¯t exist within their culture; Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were genetically programmed killing machines that focused entirely upon dominating everything.

    They would call Elluinara a betrayer, deceiver, spy ¡­ she¡¯s an excellent candidate to function as our Empress¡¯ personal turncoat!

    ¡°Wow ¡­ that¡¯s a lot of words!  Uh, won¡¯t they kill her, though?  Wait, I guess that doesn¡¯t matter ¡­ no ¡­ that wouldn¡¯t work because to be a spy, she would need to be alive, right?¡±

    Right¡­

    Klaus multitasked, helping Nadraca when she needed it by providing short phrases to guide her to the answer she was looking for or was having a hard time putting into words while making plans with the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    ¡­ Here¡¯s what we should do.  I¡¯m guessing both of those weaker ones will be sent to different locations to search for a recruit suitable to murder the Mother Superior.  The stronger one will return to deliver the news about the traitor in their midst.

    ¡°Oh, oh!  I need to kill him, right?¡±  She asked with giddy excitement.

    That¡¯s right.  Klaus darkly chuckled.  And attach his dead corpse to the bottom of our boat with a web if you can manage it, but you¡¯ll also need to dispose of one of the other two, adding him to our collection we¡¯ll be returning home with.

    ¡°Okay, okay!  I can have the drones handle the web part.  Um, so, I kill the new guy and girl, then follow the first guy to see who decides to kill the Mother Superior, then kill that one too once the deal is struck?¡±

    I¡¯m impressed, Camellia.  Klaus praised.  You caught on very quickly.  Send the last one off for the drones to secure under the boat after identifying the assassin, and return to wait for the attempt on her life.  We must make her aware that this new force inside the Nalvean government is out to start a civil war.

    Hmm ¡­ I¡¯m concerned there will be more to the plan, though.  Make a note of who he talks to ¡­ I suspect it will be a few dozen.

    ¡°A few dozen?  Mmh, alright, I¡¯ll try to figure out what they¡¯re doing ¡­ I¡¯ll figure it all out and let you know to come up with a plan!¡±

    Our victory is assured with your talents.

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Camellia cut the connection, and Klaus continued aiding Nadraca where she stumbled.

    Once finished, the Mother Superior breathed out a long sigh.  ¡°The Supreme Chiefs have come down from the Heavens ¡­ a war between Supreme Chiefs in the physical plane?¡±

    A lump dropped down her throat as she turned her vision to Klaus.  ¡°Many things do line up with that account.  I do not doubt that Nadraca believes all of these things by how she responded¡­¡±

    Klaus gave her a sober smile.  ¡°... But you require more evidence to stake your entire Clan¡¯s future on such a wild tale.¡±

    ¡°A serious tale,¡± the Mother Superior replied without a hint of humor.  ¡°If this is true, then ¡­ everything is about to change for us, and it is not as if your claim is without testimony or proof ¡­ I would just like some time to ponder the information you¡¯ve provided.¡±

    The room fell silent; the thick brick walls and doors blocked out any noise from the outside world.

    Nadraca squirmed in the stillness, but the Mother Superior and Klaus simply stared at each other, working through their own individual thoughts.

    After a time, the elderly Ri¡¯bot¡¯s intertwined fingers tightened around each other.  ¡°What can you tell me about the Supreme Chief of the Storms?¡±

    Klaus kept his standing position, hands held calmly at his front, presenting an entirely business-like attitude; the only blemish to his slim-fit suit was the mud caking his shoes and lower shins.

    ¡°When she descended, some of her most beloved worshipers were slaughtered before her eyes, and still weakened from the forced mass-exodus from the Heavens, she was unable to fully support them.  Her power grows by the day, as does the other Supreme Chiefs that have landed on this physical plane, or will soon come through Gateways of their own, marching with their forces.

    ¡°I can sympathize with your position, and Her Imperial Majesty certainly has by extending her own hand.  Empress Yesenia has developed a deep-seated grudge against the Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°Nadraca may have done everything within her power, and I can state with certainty from my Empress¡¯ own mouth, most of your Clan went out of their way to not harm the human followers of the Supreme Chiefs, including suppressing those that would, which caused many Clavex deaths.¡±

    A few tears fell down Nadraca¡¯s cheeks upon his words, but it was a necessary point to bring up.

    ¡°The difference between Her Imperial Majesty and Empress Yesenia?  The Supreme Chief of the Pits is merciful, and all will come before her throne.  Empress Yesenia has no control over those that pass on, but she can whip up a terrible storm that could destroy the Ri¡¯bot of this world if not suppressed, and she is not one that will easily forgive any action taken against her.¡±

    He bowed again.  ¡°I am merely a messenger on Her Imperial Majesty¡¯s errand.  She offers a hand and is willing to aid those who believe in her, even against other Supreme Chiefs.  It is an invitation.  You must be the one to decide, but¡­¡±

    The Mother Superior¡¯s two teeth pressed against her lips.  ¡°... Yes?¡±

    ¡°... The Empress does wish to impart valuable information if you will receive it.¡±

    ¡°Is there a condition?¡±  She pressed, making Nadraca glance over at him with a questioning look.

    A soft sigh left Klaus¡¯ lips as he frowned, lightly shaking his head.  ¡°No, Your Holiness ¡­ it is just a very troubling piece of news to deliver.  I wish we could have met on ¡­ better circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± she whispered, rubbing the sides of her throat, ¡°continue.¡±

    ¡°... It pains me to inform you that the discussion you had with Elluinara, the Nalvean that sits on the Seaweaver Council ¡­ it has come to my attention, the conversation was overheard by a Nalvean spy.¡±

    The Mother Superior froze in her seat, working through his declaration.  ¡°H-How would you¡­¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s mouth dropped open.  ¡°... No, is that why¡ªwhy Great Chief Camellia has vanished?¡±

    Klaus nodded with a grave expression.  ¡°It is ¡­ Great Chief Camellia has been following a Nalvean scout operating within the Ri¡¯bot district, concealing his presence.  I was recently notified that he met with two other Nalveans inside a secluded area, typically left untraveled by Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°I ask you, Your Holiness.  If the information surrounding your people¡¯s deaths are being suppressed by high-ranking Nalveans, and they learn that one of their own has been speaking of sensitive matters behind their backs ¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be fair to wonder what else she¡¯s let slip off her tongue?

    ¡°Secondly, with the current actions they¡¯ve taken, how severe would the punishment be for disobeying such an order within the Nalvean Empire?¡±

    The Mother Superior¡¯s skin lightened, showing her shock.

    ¡°That is not all, Mother Superior,¡± Klaus stated, voice dropping a little to indicate the secretive nature of the next revelation.  ¡°I have reason to believe your life is currently in danger ¡­ by your own people.  There is evidence to suggest a small sect within the Nalvean government is following Empress Yesenia ¡­ I¡¯m sure you¡¯d know who those individuals might be.

    ¡°My estimation ¡­ they are going to use the Ri¡¯bot that favor Nalvean culture to start a civil war, making use of those disenfranchised Ri¡¯bot that have drawn close enough with their culture to spark that conflict by killing you, the figurehead the slowly dying lifestyle of the ancient Ri¡¯bot ways.¡±

    The Mother Superior hands had knotted around each other.  ¡°... For what purpose?¡±  She asked, still managing to keep her voice stable.

    ¡°To justify draconian measures to restore peace ¡­ by either evicting or killing the Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±  Nadraca mumbled.  ¡°No, no, that can¡¯t be ¡­ many Nalveans see the Clavex as valuable friends and trading partners¡­¡±

    The Mother Superior¡¯s head fell a little, staring at her tight thighs.  ¡°... It wouldn¡¯t matter ¡­ not if there was bloodshed.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Klaus¡¯s somber eyes narrowed, falling to the floor as he lifted his hand to his chin in a brooding frown.  ¡°Let¡¯s take that scene one step further.  What do you think would happen if during those riots ¡­ this civil war ¡­ what would happen if a Ri¡¯bot killed a Nalvean ¡­ or was simply blamed for it?  It doesn¡¯t have to be true, to be honest.¡±

    The elderly Ri¡¯bot¡¯s throat seemed to have gone dry because she shakily got to her feet, walking to the side of the room to drink from a barrel.  ¡°... How can I be certain any of what you¡¯ve told me is true ¡­ that that horrifying future will come to pass?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I understand entirely, Your Holiness.  This is not something to be decided on so rapidly.  In all fairness, my information might not be entirely complete.  It could be much less sinister than what the data I¡¯ve gathered seems to suggest ¡­ or, conversely, it could be much worse.  The only thing I can offer as Her Imperial Majesty¡¯s emissary is this¡­

    ¡°There are many Clavex that have already pledged themselves to Empress Elinor, and it is because of that reason I am here before you today.  The Empress does not want to cause her followers to suffer the pain of living without their family if it is avoidable ¡­ this life is difficult enough without such loss burdening one¡¯s heart.  I am but an envoy of that compassion.  Know that if you need our Empress¡¯ aid, then just call out for her help, and a loyal servant from the Heavens will answer your call.¡±

    Bowing again, Klaus smiled inside upon Camellia¡¯s transmitted message; the three Nalveans had split up, and just as expected, the strongest one was heading toward the docks, right for the Nalvean district to report his findings.

    ¡°That is my message, Your Holiness.  I do not wish to burden you during this critical moment of reflection upon these topics.  Is there somewhere you would like me to stay until you have compiled a reply to Her Imperial Majesty?¡±

    A long puff of air shot through the Mother Superior¡¯s cheeks as she stared into the barrel¡¯s water, hands held tightly against the edges.  ¡°... Nadraca, take him to your residence ¡­ I¡¯ll send someone to retrieve you before the day¡¯s end.¡±

    Nadraca bowed, much lower this time; her voice was hoarse.  ¡°Yes, Mother Superior ¡­ and I¡¯m so sorry.¡±

    The Mother Superior didn¡¯t respond, staring at her wrinkled face as Nadraca hesitantly ushered him toward the side door, but he paused before exiting, turning to offer one last glimmer in the darkness clouding her thoughts.

    ¡°... Mother Superior ¡­ what if I told you Elluinara could be saved from the fate that more than likely awaits her?¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s entire body went stiff.  ¡°W-What ¡­ how?¡±

    ¡°Nadraca!¡±  The Mother Superior snapped, fingers trembling against the barrel.

    The Priestess jumped, utterly taken aback by her sharp words.  ¡°W-What ¡­ oh¡­¡±

    Green blood was now dripping into the water, falling down the elderly Ri¡¯bot¡¯s chin as her teeth bit into her skin.

    I was right after all ¡­ excellent.

    ¡°... If it were possible, then it would take a heavy burden off my chest.  I don¡¯t know how such a thing could be possible, though¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Klaus replied with a sad tone.  ¡°It is a shame ¡­ but with Empress Elinor, miracles are possible.  I will leave knowing a weight has been lifted off your heart.  Good day, Your Holiness.¡±

    ¡°... Good day¡­¡±  She mumbled in return, looking visibly conflicted.

    Klaus made it two blocks in silence, Nadraca clearly preoccupied with troubling thoughts before Camellia bridged a mental connection.

    ¡°Eh ¡­ how should I dice him up?¡±

    Hehehe ¡­ you¡¯ve caught him?

    ¡°Of course!  I¡¯ve had him strung up between trees for a minute, trying to decide how best to kill him so the Empress can revive the thing.  I¡¯m pretty sure they need to be at least a bit intact, right?¡±

    From what she told me, that is the case.

    ¡°... Why do creatures try to make loud noises when their mouths are tied up?  Doesn¡¯t he know it¡¯s a waste of energy ¡­ well, I mean, he probably could break my web if I didn¡¯t reinforce the trap ¡­ I¡¯m not a Weavemaster like Violet or Mom, but still, it¡¯s just weird ¡­ other creatures are weird.¡±

    I suppose they are.  Hmm ¡­ how about poking a lot of holes in its skin?  Will it bleed to death?

    ¡°Oh, and I can drink it; I like that plan!  Yes, okay, poke, poke, poke ¡­ hehe, he¡¯s struggling more ¡­ I just don¡¯t understand these things ¡­ poke, poke ¡­ mmh, it¡¯s so sweet!¡±

    Are their scales harder to puncture than Ri¡¯bot¡¯s?

    ¡°Meh, I can¡¯t tell the difference ¡­ the taste, though!  I love the sweet juices inside the males ¡­ the females are less enjoyable.¡±

    Mmh ¡­ I¡¯ll take your word for it.  Let me know when you¡¯ve finished your mission, so I can explain the next steps of the plan.  Just to be sure ¡­ you¡¯ve gone entirely unnoticed?

    ¡°Yup!  This guy was the closest thing around here that could sense me, so I had to stay a bit back, but it wasn¡¯t that hard to lay a trap for him once he entered the jungle.  Hehe, why don¡¯t other things watch where they step?  I¡¯m always super conscious of where my legs go.¡±

    You¡¯ve got me!  Okay, have fun on your hunt.

    ¡°Oh, I love this trip!¡±  Camellia squealed.

    Klaus restrained a smile, turning to Nadraca while mirroring her brooding demeanor.  ¡°If I may ask ¡­ what is the Mother Superior¡¯s relationship with Elluinara?¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s tone held a sad undertone; there was a level of envy hidden in her words.  ¡°The Mother Superior found Elluinara during the end of the Fire Wars ¡­ it was during the transition when the Clavex was forming a bond with the Nalveans.

    ¡°A roaming pack of Quen¡¯Talrat had swept through the south, breaking past a few blockades created by the Nalveans and Ri¡¯bot ¡­ attacking a remote Nalvean village.  She went there to give as much support as she could ¡­ Elluinara was the only survivor.  She was a newborn, and the Nalveans there wanted no part in protecting her ¡­ I don¡¯t know why, but the Mother Superior took her in.

    ¡°A lot of Ri¡¯bot see the Mother Superior as their mother ¡­ she does a lot with the children of the Clavex, but Elluinara has been a big reason why we have so much.  She worked really hard and became fairly powerful ¡­ even though she¡¯s not all that old by Nalvean standards.¡±

    A mother-daughter bond ¡­ no wonder she responded in that way.  In a war-ravaged land, she finds a baby that her own people want nothing to do with and raises that child from another race as her own.  The proud daughter works her way through the ranks, finding an attachment to the Ri¡¯bot, that up until this point, wasn¡¯t seen as such a negative thing ¡­ but now ¡­ opportunity.

    ¡°I see ¡­ Thank you for helping me understand.¡±

    Nadraca swallowed, glancing around nervously while rubbing her left arm.  ¡°Umm ¡­ are you really going to help save her?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ to be honest, Nadraca, I can¡¯t say one way or the other ¡­ There are a lot of things that can change in a short time.  We will see ¡­ but I hope she remains healthy ¡­ I truly do.¡±

 B2 â€” 9. Panic!

    Kolira had been acting Mother Superior since she was twenty-three years old, taking the position after the previous officiator died a few years after the end of the Fire Wars.  She had been thrust into combat at the age of three, tending to the injured on the front lines when the Clavex was nearing total annihilation.

    She hardly knew her own parents and had no idea how they died; it had been utter chaos during the start of the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s expansion upon their return from the north.  Even before that time, the giant monsters left behind would raid the Ri¡¯bot clans in the south, effortlessly pillaging resources.

    Only the strongest clans could stand up to even the weakest of the Quen¡¯Talrat, and it was during those years that the Ethereal Clan gained its mythical reputation.  It had always been a rather seclusive community, but there were rumors of their own plans for conquest.

    During that time, the truly frightening thing was the black Quen¡¯Talrat King had taken a personal interest in hunting down the unique white-skinned Ri¡¯bot.

    Kolira had heard many conflicted murmurs from several clans during that time.  If the Ethereal took one of the King¡¯s attention, then how bad would it have been if the Clan turned against the other Ri¡¯bot tribes?

    Yet, because the Ethereal refused to join the United Clans Initiative, the diverted attention helped save many of the southern clans, including her own.

    Most Clavex had long since forgotten or abandoned such a birthright, and after the Ques¡¯k¨¢ Seer foresaw a great conquering presence that would emerge to claim the land in time, no clan wished to subject themselves to such an eventful battle.  If a Ques¡¯k¨¢ was calling it a great force, then it was not something for Ri¡¯bot to contend with, and every other nation respected the powerful race enough to leave the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s broken empire alone.

    Now, it seemed that prophecy had been fulfilled.

    Kolira stared into the barrel of water, vision defocused as terrifying dots branched in her mind, connecting Nadraca and Ambassador Klaus¡¯ stories to other bits of information she had.

    She half expected to swallow her long tongue while getting rid of the lump in her throat.  Her people were casually going about their daily tasks, utterly unaware of the horror brewing around them.

    Forced to blink, she noticed the green droplets of blood mixing with the water; she¡¯d punctured her lips with her two teeth, showing the stress she felt.

    Taking a deep breath, she unsteadily walked back to the chair, knees feeling weak.  Her mind tried to work on the terrifying implications, but Elluinara¡¯s safety kept creeping into her thoughts.

    ¡­ Nadraca didn¡¯t give any indication that it was a lie ¡­ Supreme Chiefs have been forced out of the Heavens ¡­ taking their conflict into the mortal realm.

    If the Roxim tried to destroy Supreme Chief Elinor, ripping her apart, but the only result was her wrath, it gives credence to the theory they are divine, and if that¡¯s the case ¡­ only a divine can truly kill a divine.

    There¡¯s only one reason the Supreme Chief of the Pits would throw every Supreme Chief out of the Heavens, weakening herself ¡­ she was losing.  It must have been her last gambit.  Now, she¡¯s rebuilding her power, and followers must be a part of that, which is normal for any deity, I suppose.

    Supreme Chief Yesenia was neutral in that conflict and has no ill-will toward Supreme Chief Elinor ¡­ however, she¡¯s willing to make an enemy of her ¡­ I don¡¯t believe Supreme Chiefs or Great Chiefs can lie, but ¡­ nothing like this has happened before, so I can¡¯t rule it out.

    If Supreme Chief Yesenia is at odds with Supreme Chief Elinor and followers aid in that power, then ¡­ no, no, that doesn¡¯t even matter.  It¡¯s clear that Supreme Chief Yesenia has no love for the Ri¡¯bot, and if that¡¯s the case, then we must align ourselves with Supreme Chiefs that do care for us.

    ¡­ The issue is ¡­ is that Supreme Chief Elinor, or someone else?

    Our options are limited.  We only know of two sides, Supreme Chief Yesenia and the three Supreme Chiefs that joined Supreme Chief Elinor.  Would Supreme Chief Yesenia even dare oppose four united Supreme Chiefs?  No, I suppose that is the reason she is offering us her protective hand.

    ¡­ Elluinara knows she¡¯s not supposed to talk about private matters within the palace with me, but ¡­ she couldn¡¯t help but to worry.  I never expected the Nalveans would spy on us ¡­ what reason would there be to do so ¡­ Supreme Chief Yesenia.

    She hates Ri¡¯bot, and it looks like the Nalvean military leaders are putting their faith in her, which means ¡­ Elluinara will die.  They execute deserters, and there¡¯s never been a traitor within their culture ¡­ Elluinara will go down in their history as the first by such a naive mistake.

    The poor child believes the Clavex and Nalveans are a united people ¡­ which is far from true.  The Nalveans benefit from our presence, but they can do without it.  If their deity appears and condemns us ¡­ there would be a split, but most would follow ¡­ the rest would be executed.

    All I see is doom for us¡­

    Her eyes lifted to study the empty audience room, vision lingering on every visible layer of paint.  The children of the Clavex had participated in the yearly Color Battle Royal within the chamber for the past sixty years, and now, all of that was in jeopardy.

    ¡°Nadraca¡­¡±  Kolira growled.

    Her mind wouldn¡¯t stop twisting, but everything ended on one destructive point, the girl she knew since she was but a tadpole.  Nadraca had grown into a decent Priestess, and a lot of Ri¡¯bot respected her dream of advancing the Ri¡¯bot beyond their current status.

    ¡°... Nadraca, you foolish, ignorant girl¡­¡±

    Kolira never wanted to feel this way again toward her own clansmen, but she couldn¡¯t help a small amount of repugnance entering her heart for the Priestess.  She had many dreams with half-baked plans to get there; it usually only caused minor issues, but her actions required a stronger word than disaster.

    She knew that the end result might have been the same.  If the valley clans attacked Supreme Chief Yesenia, then she might still have such a grudge against all Ri¡¯bot, and the conclusion would have mostly been the same, but at least the Nalveans wouldn¡¯t have been their opponents.

    A bitter taste filled Kolira¡¯s mouth as her tongue popped out to clean her chin.

    The peace she¡¯d fought to secure with the Nalveans, governance she¡¯d worked out, and the years of tireless effort was dashed to pieces by one careless decision that Nadraca made without any council, using the connections she¡¯d garnered throughout the years and her father¡¯s name to force her desire through.

    The Ambassador was extremely proficient in pointing out the pitfall they were in, yet he managed to say everything he wanted without throwing all that blame on Nadraca.

    There wasn¡¯t much she could do about it, but it frustrated Kolira that in one fell swoop, the Priestess managed to destroy everything she¡¯d built and the efforts multiple Nalvean friends had gone through over the years to provide a good place for her people.

    Nadraca was never grateful for what they had, only looking forward to what she saw they lacked, which had led to this point.

    Now, they didn¡¯t have much of a choice; she didn¡¯t have much of a choice.  Any bridges they had were burned by Nadraca, and the Supreme Chief of the Pits was their only option.

    Still, she wanted to be sure of a few things, and the last comment by the Ambassador put a spark of light in the abyss Nadraca had plunged her heart and mind into.

    He was competent, of that, she was sure of, and expected nothing less of a Great Chief of the past; within his words was a path for salvation, for her heart and her people.

    There was a place of safety for the Clavex, and Elluinara did not have to die.

    The fact that the Ambassador puzzled out Elluinara¡¯s visit and the political complexities of the Nalvean Court means that his statement is not just hot air.  If a spy overheard our conversation, then I have no doubt Elluinara is in danger of legal punishment, possibly execution if Supreme Chief Yesenia discovers her love for the Clavex.

    I could be playing right into a devious plot if he is the one doing all of this manipulation and if he sent an assassin after me, but there would be easier angles to take for a creature as intelligent as he ¡­ it is a possibility, but low.  I need to consult with Elluinara¡­

    Her thoughts came to a halt as she heard someone opening the second door in the room ahead.  She waited until three Ri¡¯bot came rushing in with horrified expressions.

    ¡°M-Mother Superior¡ªt-the Jukal ¡­ it¡¯s the Jukal!¡±

    The name didn¡¯t register for a moment with her fractured brain, and the Ri¡¯bot fishermen continued.

    ¡°They¡¯re gathering all around the city!¡±

    ¡°I think they¡¯re searching for something!  Is there Quen¡¯Talrat again; have they returned?¡±

    ¡°... Oh,¡± was all that Kolira could say, eyes wide, but it took her a moment to link the two events.

    Jukal ¡­ they¡¯re gathering ¡­ a war in the Heavens ¡­ no, the Avana might return.  The Supreme Chiefs are at war, and the Avana, the great storm calamity, is stirring ¡­ the Supreme Chief of Storms is gathering her forces.

    Kolira shivered as a chill radiated throughout her body.  ¡°The Avana ¡­ why ¡­ for us?¡±

    ¡°Mother Superior?¡±

    The three Ri¡¯bot glanced at one another with questioning looks.

    The Avana is capable of killing a Quen¡¯Talrat Queen, so why summon it for ¡­ unless it¡¯s to fight Supreme Chief Elinor.  Is there really no escaping such a conflict?  No, that can¡¯t be right if they are genuinely neutral to each other ¡­ is there another Supreme Chief entering the mix I¡¯m unaware of?

    Knowing the three by name, Kolira cleared her throat, but she couldn¡¯t hide the trembles in her voice.  ¡°One of you¡ªno, Milgan, will you ask one of the messengers to call for Elluinara?  Send the message that I need to speak to her right away ¡­ it is of the utmost urgency.¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ yeah, yeah, the Jukal and the Avana!¡±

    The other two mumbled concerned remarks, agreeing that it was the best option to inform the Nalveans about the terrifying news.

    ¡°Right away, Mother Superior,¡± Milgan stated with a determined expression.  The three ran out, too focused on the task to speak.

    Kolira slumped back in her seat, hugging herself as the horrifying news assaulted her mind.

    The Avana could breathe and destroy our entire clan ¡­ no Ri¡¯bot could even approach the creature for miles without being cooked by its blazing wings.  It could possibly obliterate the Ques¡¯k¨¢ if it pleased ¡­ we¡¯re insignificant.  It just ¡­ it can¡¯t be for us ¡­ a squad of Nalvean Elites could easily kill our entire clan.

    We have to choose a side ¡­ yet, it¡¯s seemingly impossible to appease Supreme Chief Yesenia.  Is Supreme Chief Elinor the only path?  How many of us will be able to escape north in time, and how soon will the Avana arrive?  Is it even coming, or is it being called somewhere else?  There are just so many questions with so little time to decide¡­

    Kolira spent the next two hours nervously waiting, scanning her surroundings with the expectations that someone might try to take her life.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Her nerves were high, but not because of the possible assassination; she¡¯d survived most of her early life in more than hazardous situations that would have killed her.  The trial before her was unexpected, and the unknown was what frightened her.

    Finally, she sensed the person she¡¯d been waiting for walking through the building with two other Ri¡¯bot; she¡¯d turned away everyone else that wanted her time.  Her heart burned with relief as the Nalvean she felt was her daughter walked through the door.

    Elluinara had a slim figure, most female Nalveans were born with smaller hands, thinner claws, and elegant, narrow faces.  The hard, dark blue spikes protruding from her chest, thighs, shoulders, and forehead held an alluring curve that many male Nalvean seemed to admire while her supple, strong, and lengthy tail waved behind her as she moved.

    The powerful Seaweaver had earned her place in the Nalvean Research Court, and with her glistening, well-polished blue teardrop scales hosting hued speckles, she was quite lovely to many young suitors, but her time was limited with her research, which soured the appetite of most prospectors since Nalveans were very socially dependant on their spouses.

    Inch-long glowing red spikes projected out of her back, running in a trident-like pattern from the tip of her tail, up her spine, and branching out near the base of her shoulder blades in three directions.  It had long been known that the larger those crystal-like protrusions were, the stronger the Nalvean Seaweaver would be, and for her age, Elluinara was among the gifted, having a double row, developing closely together.

    Her adopted daughter¡¯s blue speckled face currently showed concern upon seeing Kolira, but she was too concerned with making sure she was healthy; she didn¡¯t know what Supreme Chief Yesenia might be able to do to her if she discovered Elluinara¡¯s strong connection to the Ri¡¯bot.

    The moment Kolira saw her, the Mother Superior¡¯s mind ground to a halt on one surfacing realization.

    If Supreme Chief Yesenia is of such a high heavenly rank ¡­ how could she not know the intents of our hearts?  No ¡­ I must be overthinking it ¡­ the Ambassador did say they were rebuilding their power, and it must be different in the mortal plane.

    Elluinara¡¯s speech in several Ri¡¯bot languages was top-notch, surpassing many Ri¡¯bot themselves.  ¡°Mother ¡­ you do not look well!  Are you sick?¡±  She asked, rushing forward to fuss over her.

    Kolira tried to force a smile, chuckling softly.  ¡°Do I really look so bad?¡±  Her vision moved to the two Clavex Warriors that accompanied her.  ¡°That will be all, Inula, Remonu ¡­ if you could stand watch at the nearest two entrances, then that would be good.¡±

    She paused, pondering her next words as Elluinara released a worried tone in her throat.  ¡°... Inula, Remonu¡­¡±

    They frowned at one another.

    ¡°Yes, Mother Superior?¡±  Remonu asked in his strong voice.

    ¡°... Could you both stand watch at the nearest two entrances to the hall ¡­ outside the doors while I speak with Elluinara?  I ¡­ have it on some authority that there might be an attempt on my life.  No one is to enter, and you are to be on guard.¡±

    Both Warrior¡¯s brows creased upon the news as the information worked through their brains, but it only took a few moments for them to process the intent of her words.

    ¡°¡°Understood.¡±¡±

    Inula paused, turning to ask one question.  ¡°Should we send a notice to Head Warrior Lumicra?¡±

    Kolira considered the proposal.  ¡°... If you could send for him to meet me, then that would be best.¡±

    They bowed, leaving to fulfill their task.

    Once they were alone, Elluinara knelt by her chair, fine silk robes creasing with her action.  The fabric was designed to be kept in place by their spikes; Kolira smiled, remembering all the expensive materials they¡¯d used trying to teach her how to properly dress without ripping it, which was seen as very embarrassing within Nalvean culture.

    ¡°Has something terrible happened?  I was concerned when you asked for me to come so openly, and after what happened¡­¡±

    Kolira studied Elluinara¡¯s deadly teeth as her jaw snapped, strong throat moving to create the Ri¡¯bot words; just seeing her adopted daughter calmed her nerves.  ¡°Yes, Elluinara ¡­ I¡¯ve learned that the creature Nadraca captured beyond the Gateway ¡­ she is a Supreme Chief.¡±

    The Nalvean¡¯s curved, luminant royal blue eyes narrowed with confusion; she¡¯d grown up believing in the Ri¡¯bot ancestral traditions.  ¡°Here ¡­ outside of the Heavens?¡±

    ¡°My child,¡± Kolira sighed, feeling her age for once as she shifted in her chair to run her trained hands across Elluinara¡¯s left cheek.  ¡°There are many mysteries we do not understand, but I am confident that there are powers at work far beyond our understanding.  Have you seen the Jukal?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ it is making its way through the Nalvean officials as we speak.  Once noticed, some of the Watchers are receiving reports of them flocking to the northern valley.¡±

    ¡°The northern valley ¡­ yes ¡­ Elluinara, if Yesenia is a Supreme Chief ¡­ what do you suppose would happen if she hated the Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    Elluinara¡¯s eyes fell to her chair¡¯s arm, pondering the question.  ¡°... I see where you are going, Mother.¡±

    Kolira shook her head.  ¡°My sweet little water jumper ¡­ I have been told that Supreme Chief Yesenia is chief over the Storm.¡±

    Her adopted child¡¯s eyes slowly widened.  ¡°... The Avana is the Great Storm Calamity, and the Jukal are gathering.  If that ¡­ did she send the Avana to kill the Gray Queen?¡±

    ¡°I must assume so,¡± Kolira whispered, ¡°and there¡¯s more.¡±  A lump dropped down her throat as she worked up the strength; she felt weaker than she had in years and needed to restore her mystical balance tonight.  ¡°... All of the Supreme Chiefs in the Heavens have been forcefully thrown from the sky.¡±

    Elluinara¡¯s mouth fell open as she explained there was a vast pantheon of Supreme Chiefs that had been lost to the ages, and now, after a heavenly uprising between Supreme Chiefs, the ruler over the Pits had been forced to take drastic action.

    They were both silent upon the tale¡¯s conclusion, thinking about the possibilities.

    ¡°... Mother, if ¡­ I have heard whisperings in the halls today.  High Ruler Nukulara is a little skeptical of Supreme Chief Yesenia¡¯s powers, but I¡¯ve listened to more hushed tones in support ¡­ and it is growing.

    ¡°I have seen Supreme Chief Yesenia mold water in ways I never dreamt were possible ¡­ it makes perfect sense if she is a weakened Supreme Chief, and she has bested several of our top Seaweavers ¡­ including me.¡±

    She glanced down with a hint of shame, fingers sliding up to scratch her arm, but she had to constrain the habit, knowing her fabric wouldn¡¯t survive the itch.  ¡°Supreme Chief Yesenia made moving a pool of water as simple as lifting a finger, separated it, froze several balls of ice, and cracked the pool floor with their acceleration.

    ¡°There¡¯s something more,¡± Kolira pushed, noticing the signs of her nervous tail flicks.

    ¡°... I heard High Seaweaver Lonuarag say something about finding more sacrifices for Supreme Chief Yesenia while walking in on him and Imperial Head Captain Hakar.  Do you suppose¡­¡±

    ¡°More of our people are being taken in the shadows,¡± Kolira said with a low tone, and a soft tear fell down her cheek.  She never expected it to get this bad, and so quickly.  ¡°... If they¡¯re already gathering up Clavex to use as sacrifices, then ¡­ they want to keep us ignorant of the fact so we won¡¯t flee ¡­ making it more difficult to find more offerings.¡±

    ¡°What can we¡­¡±

    She trailed off, head turning with a slight frown on her lips, and a few moments later, a salmon-colored Ri¡¯bot walked through the door with a concerned frown.

    ¡°Mother Superior,¡± he said in a guttural tone, ¡°I have been entrusted with a grave message from the outlying territories.¡±

    Kolira was instantly on-guard, knowing what this possibly was, but the shock of a Ri¡¯bot acting as a diplomat was not something unheard of, and she did take news from many of the surrounding tribes.

    By his skin-tone, this particular Ri¡¯bot was from the Uxi Clan, found on the south side of the northern mountains, leaning into the valley.

    He would have needed to pass through the Kovoni Clan¡¯s territory to reach Nalvean lands, and they weren¡¯t on amicable terms, but not at war.  Still, he would have had to loop around the river to use the Inoma Clan¡¯s pathway to reach her.

    ¡°You are a messenger from the Uxi Clan?¡±  Kolira asked with a reserved expression, showing she was on-edge with his appearance.  ¡°I have not received anything from your Chief for quite some time ¡­ how is Chief Jumala?¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s eyes creased with confusion, glancing between Kolira and Elluinara.  ¡°Chief Jumala ¡­ She has returned to the Ancestors two years past?  It is urgent news from Chief Morunagi that I bring, regarding the Jukal.¡±

    Kolira¡¯s suspicions fell a little when he expressed the proper Chief, and a legitimate concern would be the Jukal; mobilizing a messenger to ask the Clavex, that had connections to the powerful Nalvean Empire, was only natural.  However, there was something that still bothered her, and Elluinara posed it.

    ¡°... There was a Clavex Warrior stationed outside with instructions to not allow anyone inside.  Why did she not join you?¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot popped his jaw to the side for a moment, working his tongue around the inside of his mouth while looking even more confused.  He reached up to scratch the side of his head, sounding baffled.  ¡°... I was granted entry by a Clavex Warrior; Inula, if I recall her name?¡±

    Elluinara rose to her feet, towering over a foot above the already large messenger.  ¡°It is¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± the messenger mumbled, ¡°eh ¡­ are you interested in our Chief¡¯s information regarding the Jukal?  I see that the Nalvean beside you is a Seaweaver, Mother Superior ¡­ might it be more appropriate for me to present such news to Head Ruler Nukulara?¡±

    ¡°No, no,¡± Kolira sighed, feeling a little better about the news.  ¡°The Nalveans have already discovered the Jukals¡¯ movements.  Do you have any additional information?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mother Superior!¡±  He said, reaching back to take a piece of waxy parchment from a small sack at his side.

    The practice of using a written language had been expanded upon during the Fire Wars, but during this age, it was rare to use such methods.  Only the most important news was carried in such a manner to provide exact wording, which further improved upon his credibility.

    He stepped forward to hand her the scroll, but Elluinara came between them, holding out her clawed hand to receive it.  ¡°I will accept it ¡­ however, I did not hear the outside door open.  All I heard were your footsteps ¡­ they appeared halfway through the room out of thin air.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot chuckled softly, handing her the paper.  ¡°You have good ears!  I would expect nothing less of a Nalvean, but to think a Seaweaver would be so trained in her senses is really something.  I was entrusted with this message for a reason.¡±

    ¡°I suppose that does make sense¡­¡±  Elluinara mumbled, taking the folded parchment.

    She turned toward Kolira, blocking her view of the smiling messenger with a frown on her adopted daughter¡¯s face, and she suspected that the girl still wasn¡¯t entirely convinced, but he¡¯d answered every question without fail.

    Kolira reached out to take the object, but the nagging suspicion in the back of her mind told her there was a sure way to determine the story.  ¡°Elluinara, can you call out to Inula¡­¡±

    The words died in her throat as Elluinara¡¯s royal blue eyes lit with a red glow, and the water in the corner rose from the barrel, shooting like spiked rods as the crystal-like trident on her back flared to life, but within the span of half a second, it lost its form; Elluinara slumped to the floor with a low grunt.

    A lump dropped down Kolira¡¯s throat as the smiling Ri¡¯bot came back into view, slick gray tongue sliding back into his mouth.  ¡°Tricky things, Nalveans.  Even without their famed armor, their scales are harder than any of our standard weapons can penetrate, but there is this small gap under their armpit when their shoulders move a specific way that leads straight to their quick-acting blood system.¡±

    Kolira experienced something she never had on the battlefield, fear.  Watching her adopted daughter fall to the floor was like watching the towering visage of a Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter standing over you, knowing there was nothing you could do but give up on life.

    Within that small gap that paralyzed her brain, the assassin vanished from her sight and senses, but that normally wouldn¡¯t have been an issue.

    She tried to gather her energy, but the unorthodox levels of stress put her out of sync, and for the first time since she was a little girl, she felt defenseless, and the fear of her daughter being given a lethal substance added a new level of shock to her already fracturing concentration.

    It was over; she knew by instinct that this Ri¡¯bot was without a doubt an experienced Xaria to handle Elluinara so handily.

    However, the deathblow didn¡¯t come.  Instead, he appeared in the back left corner, eyes wide with surprise as a light brown-skinned female Ri¡¯bot appeared between them.

    The assassin¡¯s tone was low with anger.  ¡°A Flex Xaria ¡­ here?¡±

    ¡°Heh ¡­ what a joke,¡± the female Ri¡¯bot giggled.  ¡°Ambassador Klaus said the assassin might be a challenge.¡±

    ¡°A true Stealth Xaria, huh?¡±  The male responded with a vicious tone.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t sense you until the last second; you¡¯re not as good as you think, girl.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?  I don¡¯t remember the Uxi being in a constant state of war, but you¡¯re not with the Uxi Clan, are you?  No, you¡¯re a dirty traitor from what I¡¯ve heard!¡±

    ¡°Shut-up¡­¡±

    They both vanished again.

    Kolira didn¡¯t know what was exactly happening, but she figured it was safe enough to check her daughter.  Using a surprising amount of strength for her age, she turned the heavy Nalvean over, and upon inspecting her armpit, noticed the smallest barb sticking between three scales.

    Several sounds of metal striking metal, gusts of soft wind, and cutting air filled the space, but she blocked it all out to concentrate.

    Pulling it out, she managed to gather her energy to a significant degree to provide healing aid.  The white gem around her neck glowed while she purified the substance; Kolimer Berries mixed with Trolic venom.

    Once finished, she sighed with relief as her daughter stabilized.  The poisonous substance was a mixture few Ri¡¯bot would know, meaning he¡¯d likely gotten it from a Nalvean.

    ¡°Aww, cute.¡±

    Kolira¡¯s breathe caught in her throat as she looked up to see three figures standing in the middle of the room.  The female Ri¡¯bot was the one to speak, but there was a male beside her, likely from the Lethix Clan by his skin-tone.  However, it was the creature behind them that caught her immediate attention.

    There was a human; she couldn¡¯t tell the difference between the sexes, but with how strange it was from the male Ambassador, she could assume this was a female.

    The fur on her head was red and wrapped around the assassin, gagging his mouth with a fine silky crimson substance while staring at her.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m Camellia!¡±  She greeted with a broad tilt to her lips, showing gleaming teeth.  ¡°Some of you call me Great Chief, and Klaus told me that there might be someone coming to kill both you and your daughter ¡­ you two don¡¯t look anything alike, by the way,¡± she giggled.  ¡°I had no idea Ri¡¯bot and Nalveans could breed!  Now, isn¡¯t that funny?  Lea would love to hear that story.¡±

    The female Ri¡¯bot casually introduced herself with an amused glance at the would-be assassin.  ¡°I¡¯m Xaria Iona of the Flex Clan, and this is Xaria Welix of the Lethix.  We serve Empress Elinor.  Oh, and Great Chief Camellia, uh ¡­ I don¡¯t think they¡¯re related like that.¡±

    ¡°No?  Uh ¡­ I¡¯m positive Klaus said she was her daughter.¡±

    ¡°Adopted, definitely adopted,¡± Welix mumbled.

    ¡°... Okay,¡± Camellia slowly worked through the words, ¡°what is adopted?¡±

    Both Xaria looked at each other, seemingly lost for words.

 B2 â€” 10. An Inquisitor At Work

    Klaus walked into Nadraca¡¯s house with a small smile on his lips as he glanced around the humble space.  The Clavex adopted many cultural aspects from the Nalveans; she had cupboards, a place that drained water outside for washing, two barrels of water, a table with chairs to sit on, and some form of a sleeping cot with padding.

    Nadraca ushered him in, pulling out a chair for him; she¡¯d been fairly quiet on their journey from the Mother Superior¡¯s meeting hall, but he¡¯d managed to get the matriarch¡¯s name.

    He watched the Ri¡¯bot bustle between the cabinet and a barrel of water, creating some kind of herbal concoction.  ¡°... So, what are your thoughts, Nadraca?¡±

    She paused, blinking as a lump dropped down her throat.  ¡°Umm ¡­ guilty,¡± she mumbled, returning to her task.  ¡°I¡¯m a little conflicted, though.¡±

    Klaus understood where she was coming from; if Nadraca hadn¡¯t gone to the other side, then she would have not gotten the support from the living humans that she¡¯d garnered through her party¡¯s own blood, but he wasn¡¯t sure she was considering the positive aspects of her venture.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I believe I can sympathize with that, but can you tell me the benefits from your actions?¡±  He asked, accepting the cup Nadraca gave him.

    Nadraca breathed out a long sigh while sitting across from him, fingers fidgeting with the cup.  ¡°... I do feel like it wasn¡¯t a waste ¡­ still, I did not expect to lose Lacord, and it weighs a lot on my heart.¡±

    He decided to postpone sampling the unknown drink to complete the discussion without interruption.  ¡°I recall the things you shared with me while we sailed.  Losing a father figure is not easy, and it¡¯s normal for you to feel this way.  However, Lacord was not foolish enough to blindly follow you, correct?  He believed in the cause you set out to accomplish.¡±

    The female Ri¡¯bot¡¯s eyes widened, fingers tightening around her ceramic cup.  ¡°... You¡¯re right, Lacord did trust in our purpose, to free ourselves from the debt owed to the Nalveans.¡±

    ¡°Right, and I¡¯d say that Empress Elinor knows the Clavex are a worthy people to fall under her banner.  It was the other clans that drew Supreme Chief Yesenia¡¯s ire.  What more could you have done in that situation?¡±

    Nadraca shifted a little in her seat.  ¡°There was Benira ¡­ I should have kept a closer eye on her ¡­ the girl was only six.¡±

    ¡°... Hmm,¡± Klaus folded his fingers across the table.  ¡°What do you think would have happened if your Clan hadn¡¯t shown the gentle nature Ri¡¯bot are capable of?  How much worse could the situation have gotten if not only Supreme Chief Yesenia but the Supreme Chief of the Pits were to find the Ri¡¯bots unworthy of consideration?  Your actions could have saved your entire race, returning them under the Empress¡¯ protective grace.¡±

    He could see the wheels turning in her mind.  ¡°M-Me?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on the mistakes of the past, Nadraca.  If The One Above All has cast her judgment and finds you redeemable, then what right do you have to challenge such a divine decision?¡±

    ¡°... What right do I¡­¡± Nadraca¡¯s jaw had slackened with the implications rolling around in her brain.  ¡°I never thought about that.¡±  Her brow creased with concern.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Grand Chief Klaus ¡­ I have had a question for ¡­ for a very long time.¡±

    Klaus gave her a soft smile.  ¡°Ask it.¡±

    ¡°Why does ¡­ why is there evil in the world ¡­ why do the Supreme Chiefs¡¯ allow it?  Are there evil Supreme Chiefs that we are unaware of?¡±

    ¡°...¡±  Klaus sat back, arms folding across his chest as he pondered on the profound question.  Several answers came to mind, but a response would need to be filed away and delivered to Valdar to solidify in the religion.

    When she saw his studious expression, Nadraca began to panic.  ¡°... Oh, eh ¡­ was I not supposed to ask that?  It¡¯s just ¡­ it¡¯s kind of been on my mind recently ¡­ now that the Supreme Chiefs have descended and we discover there really is a war in the Heavens.¡±

    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s a valid question,¡± Klaus replied with a reassuring smile.  ¡°The answer is a bit complicated, but let me see if I can give you a straight response.  Hmm ¡­ three things govern everything, Nadraca.  Truth, equity, and agency.  Those three core concepts organize everything.

    ¡°Agency is an action that creates an equal and opposite reaction, equity.  Equity means that every creature is given what is expected upon their completion of the test, which is judged by truth.  The One Above All is the arbiter of truth and is the great balancer.  Tell me, how can there be individual action without judgment?  To take an action, you must make a judgment; you must judge, and that includes your environment, yourself, and others.

    ¡°Evil is the result of agency, but so is good; they are two parts of the same coin and cannot exist without the other.  To have no agency is to have no will, and to have no will is to have no life.  Life is a test, placed on a plane of existence to prove that your unique spirit is willing to choose the good over the evil.  That is why all will come before the Empress¡¯ seat to have their heart weighed.

    ¡°If there is good in existence, then there is evil; if there is action there is a reaction; if there is true judgment, then there are standards; if there is equity, then all are judged by the same fair standards but will not receive the same rewards because their actions are not equal to garner that reaction.  Evil actions reward like reactions, and good, the same.  Opposition in all things.  Does that make sense?¡±

    Nadraca¡¯s expression told Klaus that her mind had exploded with the connecting dots; she couldn¡¯t speak while dissecting his explanation, and after a full three minutes, her eyes fell to the table.  ¡°... That¡¯s ¡­ it makes so much sense.  If ¡­ does that mean if ¡­ is there an evil One Above All?¡±

    Knowing this was the route she¡¯d go down, Klaus shook his head.  ¡°Evil and good two sides of the same coin ¡­ the Empress is the coin fusing the two.  Equity or the Supreme Chief of the Pits is the arbiter of truth, weighing action and the heart¡¯s intent to determine the appropriate reaction.

    ¡°Therefore, the Empress¡¯ arrival on this planet means that there were actions taken in the Heavens that disrupted that balance.  The Empress is the gray that bridges the two and allows movement between them.  Great Chiefs can fall, and fallen creatures can rise.¡±

    ¡°... Redemption¡­¡±  Nadraca whispered in stunned realization.

    Klaus let the response hang for a moment.  ¡°... To answer your earlier question, yes ¡­ there are evil Supreme Chiefs, which is their choice, granted to them by The One Above All.  However, even the divine cannot escape the Empress¡¯ scales, but at this moment, there is an attempt to do that very thing, and that great rebellion will be quelled like so many before.¡±

    ¡°... What happened to the Supreme Chiefs that ¡­ that tried before?¡±  Nadraca asked, eyes wide with wonder as cosmic answers were being fed to her.

    ¡°... To be honest, I can¡¯t tell you because not even the Great Chiefs know their fates.¡±

    ¡°... Wow ¡­ it must be horrible.¡±

    ¡°We can only assume.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Klaus¡¯ smile returned.  ¡°Now, why don¡¯t we move to something less weighty!  Tell me about Nalvean culture; whatever pops into your mind.¡±

    Nadraca spent the next few hours discussing everything she could think about, and within that time, Camellia had discovered the Ri¡¯bot that had been contracted to kill Kolira.  Klaus gave his plan to the Juggernaut, who happily went along with it, offering a few points of change that he was inclined to roll with.

    A few of Nadraca¡¯s explanations about the reptilian Empire drew his immediate attention, pushing his curiosity to ask for details.  The political climate was a little difficult for her to distinguish since the Ri¡¯bot had no part in such processes, and Klaus set the priority question to the side for later that night.

    In fact, after listening to the Priestess¡¯ intel, he started to realize just how ignorant the Ri¡¯bot were of the Nalvean culture.  They¡¯d developed a separate model of the salamander creatures based on what they saw and heard through conversations, but within the last century, they¡¯d only managed to scratch the surface of understanding the race.  He needed a Nalvean; of course, plans were already in motion to draw the perfect candidate to him.

    The fading sun quickly fell below the horizon, but Klaus¡¯ enhanced vision could adequately pierce the darkness.  Klaus had Nadraca retired for the night, telling her to wait for them in the Mother Superior¡¯s audience chamber at sunrise.

    A hot burn tickled his throat when testing out the drink, but it wasn¡¯t bad and had a similar taste to Brandy.  He liked the reminder, finishing the glass, and noted it didn¡¯t have quite the same effects as alcohol, but it might have to do with his new body.

    He¡¯d spent the last forty minutes cleaning the mud from his clothes.  The spider silk easily repelled both the dirt and water, making the process quick; it had the feeling of cotton while providing exceptional breathability, windproof, and waterproof.  He expected the material to even exceed GORE-TEX fabrics while far surpassing the tensile strength of Kevlar.

    Klaus smiled down at his clean clothes, free from dirt; he always enjoyed looking his best.  The Ambassador left the Priestess¡¯ humble house when the Uxi Clan¡¯s rogue Xaria prepared to move on the Mother Superior, noting there weren¡¯t any locks on her door.

    The night was filled with strange noises from the wildlife that prowled the streets, looking for the scraps that were left from the day¡¯s activities, and Klaus was a little surprised by the freedom the Ri¡¯bot allowed the creatures to have in their city.

    He spotted several small rat-like creatures that seemed surprisingly much cleaner than the New York City or L.A. counterparts he¡¯d witnessed.  The soft sea breeze tickled his nose, reminding him of the time he¡¯d spent in Michigan, and a variety of other scenes brought back memories from his old life.

    Stuffing his hands in his pockets, between the folds on the sides of his suit coat, Klaus enjoyed the leisurely stroll.  Several watchmen seemed to have set patrol routes, but they only kept an eye on him within their assigned districts.

    The Clavex are ripe to be taken advantage of ¡­ of course, from everything I¡¯ve been told, the Nalvean economy has increased by quite a bit with the Clavex¡¯s presence.  I can¡¯t imagine the economic department or Nalvean employers would want the Ri¡¯bot to leave or become independent; they have low-wage second-hand citizens that will not only work for below Nalvean wages but also deliver a portion of their goods back through the tax.

    Yesenia coming in to disrupt the entire Empire¡¯s economic structure for blind revenge wouldn¡¯t sit right with a lot of the Nalveans, I assume, but I can¡¯t be sure.  Still, the fact she¡¯s working in private with a select group of believers makes it appear that opposition is heavy.

    If that¡¯s correct, then it could take a while for Yesenia to consolidate enough power to take control.  Wow, such a fun little game ¡­ I feel like an American spy during the Cold War.  My new life is certainly not boring.

    He entered the alleyway leading to the side door to Kolira¡¯s assembly building, staring up at the sky with a smile on his lips; the scuffle inside had just eased.

    You have to love it when a plan is flawlessly executed.

    Walking through the doors, he caught Welix carrying out the unconscious guard that had been on duty, placing her by the wall; she¡¯d been given a high dose of a common sleeping agent that would have caused her to overdose had not the Mother Superior been able to purge enough of the medication to curb the ill effects.

    Kolira looked a bit tired after the healing she¡¯d been forced to rush, but the addled state of her mind had been taken into consideration, and his vision lingered on the sleeping form of Elluinara.  He expected she would awake soon but needed to be sure; it had been a calculated risk, but a lot of anticipated information hinged on her stability.

    ¡°Mother Superior, how is Elluinara?¡±

    The elderly Ri¡¯bot¡¯s vision lifted to appraise him, breathing heavily.  ¡°Ambassador Klaus ¡­ I appreciate the Supreme Chief¡¯s intervention; it allowed me to save my daughter.¡±  Her eyes fell to the limp form of the fierce creature.  ¡°Elluinara will be waking soon.¡±

    ¡°Excellent news.  Might I suggest we move to a more ¡­ secure location, somewhere that we can be certain no one would expect?¡±  He turned his gaze to Camellia with a curious hum, glancing over the struggling assassin.  ¡°I have a lot of things to discuss with our rogue Xaria.¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Camellia giggled.  ¡°He tried to run.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, he was pretty fast,¡± Iona mused.  ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised how sharp he was for a rogue Xaria in a peaceful area.¡±

    Welix returned through the doorway, eyeing their prisoner.  ¡°He stopped struggling?  Wise choice to conserve energy.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot glared at them, his cold, calculating eyes centered on him, likely identifying him as the mastermind of the ambush.

    Klaus folded his hands behind his back.  ¡°Just be a little patient,¡± he stated, addressing the assassin.  ¡°I have no intention of putting a knife in your chest.  No, we have much to discuss, and can¡¯t we be civil about such things?  After all, I might be able to make use of your particular skill set.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±  Iona, Welix, and Kolira gave him a shocked expression while the assassin¡¯s brow furrowed with silent thought.

    ¡°You cannot be serious!¡±  Kolira growled, struggling to her feet.  ¡°He tried to kill my daughter!  No ¡­ he tried to kill me, the Mother Superior!¡±

    ¡°Please, Your Holiness,¡± Klaus replied in an even tone, ¡°allow me the opportunity to change your mind, but first, a secure location would be the best option.¡±

    Iona and Welix glanced at each other with weak shrugs.

    On the other hand, the Mother Superior¡¯s thankful expression had turned into a brooding glare, but she relented after glancing at Camellia.  ¡°... My Head Warrior, Lumicra, will be here shortly ¡­ we can go to his residence.¡±

    ¡°It is decided,¡± Klaus chuckled.

    Elluinara awoke minutes before the Head Warrior; the female Nalvean had instantly gone on-guard upon seeing Camellia, noticeably shaken by the level of danger she sensed from the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra princess.

    Kolira managed to keep their questions at bay, urging for the location change, and the ambassador silently followed behind the party as they exited; Camellia hid along the rooftops, keeping their prisoner out of sight.  The assassin was dragged through the air, suspended by Camellia¡¯s hair, mouth gagged shut with web.

    The Head Warrior guided them down streets between patrols, knowing the paths, and not one Ri¡¯bot was awake in the areas they moved, all sleeping for tomorrow¡¯s early workload.

    Along their journey, Klaus silently laughed at the lighthearted jokes passed between Iona and Welix while Camellia questioned him internally about some of the contexts.

    Elluinara wouldn¡¯t stop glancing up, searching aimlessly for the Spider Sister while Kolira and Lumicra whispered about the current situation.

    The house was quite the spectacle compared to Nadraca¡¯s humble single-room building; Lumicra¡¯s living space had four rooms on the first floor and two on the upper level.  By the Ri¡¯bot standards he¡¯d seen, Lumicra had a mansion.

    Stopping out front, he said, ¡°Camellia, take our guest to a room with comfortable chairs.  I¡¯ll join you after speaking to our humble patron, Lumicra, for allowing us to use his home.¡±

    Camellia shrugged, not finding anything odd with the request since he¡¯d already explained the plan to her.  ¡°Okay.¡±  However, she communicated through the Nexus her transformation would be ending soon.

    On the other hand, the others gave him questioning stares.

    Once Camellia had moved to the left backroom, Klaus turned to address the Nalvean and four Ri¡¯bot.  ¡°Iona, Welix, if you two could scout the nearby jungle, then that would be wonderful.  Be as careful as you can, but memorize anyone you see skulking in the shadows.¡±

    Iona grinned.  ¡°Easy!¡±

    ¡°Ugh ¡­ spy work is not my forte,¡± Welix mumbled.

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Klaus chimed.  ¡°You can use yourself as bait to lure people out for Iona.  I¡¯m sure you two can properly defend yourselves if issues arrive and prioritize identifying an individual and retreat.  Camellia can always track them later; we just need to know where to look.¡±

    Welix sighed.  ¡°... We¡¯ll get on it.¡±

    The two raced off, Iona giggling as Welix mumbled something about her acrobatic flexibility.  The other three kept silent, but by their body posture, they were unsettled about the situation.

    Klaus cleared his throat, addressing Kolira.  ¡°Your Holiness¡­¡±

    The Mother Superior scratched her wrinkled forehead with a low growl.  ¡°Just call me Kolira, Ambassador ¡­ I understand you¡¯re being respectful; it is tiring.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Klaus promptly replied.  ¡°Kolira, I understand that what I am about to do might put you on edge, but I ask that the three of you,¡± he stated while gesturing at Elluinara, Laurina, and Kolira, ¡°remain silent and listen carefully.  I am here on behalf of the Supreme Chief of the Pits, and I have several assignments I must complete.  All will become clear in time.¡±

    Elluinara¡¯s left hand clamped around her right wrist, seemingly trying her best not to slide it up to scratch her arm.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Ambassador Klaus, correct?¡±

    ¡°Klaus is my name,¡± he replied with an encouraging smile.  ¡°Ambassador is the position given to me by Empress Elinor.¡±

    ¡°... Right, umm ¡­ what is that other human?  I haven¡¯t felt ¡­ I can¡¯t stop shaking if I focus on her.  I heard ¡­ my mother says she¡¯s a Great Chief?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Klaus¡¯s head tilted to the side as he cupped his chin.  ¡°We can have a discussion on that in a bit, but what you¡¯re sensing is probably the difference in strength.  Camellia is very powerful; although, she is the weakest of her family.¡±

    ¡°Family?¡±  Kolira asked, eyes widening while glancing at the house.

    ¡°By the Ancestors,¡± Laurina whispered, keeping a low profile while dissecting the conversation.  ¡°How many?¡±

    Klaus¡¯ tone turned apologetic.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid we don¡¯t have time for that at this moment.  Please, stay silent, think about what you want to ask me, but wait until I am finished.  Are you three content with that?¡±

    They all hesitantly accepted the request.

    Walking inside, Klaus kept a cheery atmosphere while entering the house, sharp eyes scanning the space.  The other three followed after, settling down in the front left room that appeared to be for entertaining everyday guests while the back left was for special visitors.

    Well, isn¡¯t this the civilized abode ¡­ quite the unique designed furnishings, as well?  How would our Head Warrior afford such things?  This dual society becomes more interesting by the hour.

    Entering the cozy room, Klaus moved to sit on an octagon-shaped chair with a large section cut out at the base, presumably allowing Nalvean tails to exit.  The fabric was smooth as silk; although, the padding could have used some give.

    Crossing his legs, Klaus settled in.  ¡°Camellia, if you could please ungag our guest?  We have much to discuss.¡±

    Camellia¡¯s hair extended, holding the creature in front of her appraising eyes.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ should I sit him down, too?¡±

    ¡°That would be wonderful.¡±

    The flaming red-head placed the suspicious assassin across from him before her hair unwound, returning to her back to hang down to her calves.  ¡°I¡¯ll be around,¡± she giggled as half her hair seemed to cut evenly, falling to the floor, and the girl turned transparent to Klaus, vanishing before the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s eyes.

    ¡°How¡­¡±  He glanced around, rubbing his arm absently.  ¡°That ¡­ is a terrifying creature,¡± he mumbled.

    Klaus patiently waited for the Ri¡¯bot to check his surroundings, shifting uncomfortably on his chair.  After a moment, his vision moved to Klaus, sitting comfortably with his legs crossed, elbows on the armrest.  ¡°... What is ¡­ this?  I can sense the three others in the house, but that other ¡­ thing is ¡­ no, I bet it¡¯s still around, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    The Ambassador took a deep breath before releasing a short chuckle.  ¡°Camellia is scouting around the building.  We wouldn¡¯t want anyone learning of your connection to us, would we?¡±

    ¡°... Connection?¡±  He mumbled, taking a deep, calming breath.  ¡°I¡¯m a little confused ¡­ friend.  Could you tell me what you are, to begin with?  I don¡¯t want to be rude, but ¡­ I have never seen anything like you.¡±

    Klaus nodded with a tolerant tone.  ¡°Completely understandable.  Your people call me a Great Chief; although, my talents lie in a different area than Camellia.  Have you not wondered how I can speak your language so freely?¡±

    ¡°... Now that you mention it, it is kind of unsettling how naturally you speak the Ri¡¯bot common tongue.  I heard what the Mother Superior told Laurina ¡­ is it true, has Supreme Chiefs come down from the Heavens?¡±

    Klaus¡¯ blue eyes casually shifted around the strangely decorated room, lingering on what he assumed was Nalvean decorations by the similarity to the objects he¡¯d seen on the towns they passed.  ¡°We both know you care nothing for the old traditions.¡±

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±  The assassin¡¯s tongue slid out to press against his bloodied teeth, marked by his struggles to get free, biting into his lower lip.  ¡°Well ¡­ I mean, I haven¡¯t really prayed for some time, but, uh ¡­ I could be persuaded.¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Klaus focused on the Ri¡¯bot again.  ¡°You see, this is why I think you¡¯ll be a valuable asset.  What is the handle you go by?  I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d use the name from your former Clan with how intelligent you are.¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡­ I thought it might turn out like this.¡±  The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s nervousness of Camellia swiftly faded while getting more comfortable.  ¡°You can call me Kojax for business purposes.  Hmm ¡­ what kind of deal do you have with the Mother Superior?  The Nalveans are willing to pay quite handsomely for her head, but I assume you already knew that since you foresaw my arrival.¡±

    Klaus¡¯ features didn¡¯t change.  ¡°... Kojax, what if I were to tell you that the Nalveans that contracted you had ¡­ met an untimely end within the jungle after meeting with you?¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s lips twisted into a smile.  ¡°I¡¯d be skeptical had I not seen that creature you call Camellia, but ¡­ I¡¯d say you did me a service.  Nothing is tying me to the Mother Superior¡¯s assassination attempt.  You actually offed both Nalveans?  Uniqualix and Ulikajuno?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± Klaus replied.  ¡°There were three Nalveans involved in that attempt, and over a dozen potential contractors scouted before you were selected.¡±

    Kojax¡¯s vision narrowed, jaw popping to the side for a moment.  ¡°Wait ¡­ you killed the Nalvean that gave them orders?¡±

    ¡°A simple task, really.  Uniqualix and Ulikajuno¡¯s overseer was drained of blood, packaged, and hidden for transport long before you were approached for this job.¡±

    The confidence in Kojax¡¯s posture faltered upon hearing the information.  ¡°... A ranking member of the Nalvean¡¯s Shadow Hand?  If he¡¯s gone missing, then ¡­ questions will be asked.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m counting on it,¡± Klaus replied, calmly folding his fingers in his lap.  ¡°You weren¡¯t sent to kill Elluinara, were you?¡±

    The question seemed to catch Kojax off-guard.  ¡°Who is that?  It sounds Nalvean ¡­ the Seaweaver?  No, that was just some girl in the way.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Klaus hummed.  ¡°What is the Shadow Hand?  If you posed the name Nalvean before it ¡­ are there multiple branches throughout the races?¡±

    Kojax grinned.  ¡°Before we get into any of that ¡­ what am I being offered?¡±

    Both of their lips fell as Kolira growled, ¡°A painless death¡­¡±  Heard from the other room.

    Klaus laughed it off.  ¡°What is being offered?  Tell me, what was the Nalvean Shadow Hand¡¯s price.  It must have been pretty substantial for a job like this.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Kojax stated with a smirk.  ¡°Half payment upfront with the promise of deeds to a southern Nalvean land by the ocean.  Enough Red Gems to make this house look like a swamp, two-thousand, to be exact.¡±

    The three listeners in the next room seemed to choke at the information, but Klaus knew better; based on what Camellia had seen, if he had received half of the payment upfront, then it was no more than a hundred total.

    Klaus gave no indication that he was impressed.  ¡°I believe you¡¯re underselling your talents.  Monetary value like gems lose their worth; no, what you really want is power, correct?  Why would you settle for a small piece of land when you could rule an Empire, hoarding those riches for yourself?¡±

    Kojax expression went blank.  ¡°... What are you talking about?¡±

    ¡°Have you seen the Nalvean palace?¡±

    ¡°... Yes, well, not close ¡­ Ri¡¯bot can¡¯t enter that area of ¡­ wait ¡­ you¡¯re that you¡¯d give me the whole Nalvean Empire if I do ¡­ do what?  You have to be ¡­ even a joke is ¡­ hmm¡­¡±

    Klaus¡¯ lips didn¡¯t fall as he delivered each sentence with utter confidence.  ¡°I¡¯ll repeat myself, would you wish to have a small plot of second-rate land ¡­ or the entire plot?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d ¡­ how can you do that ¡­ why would you do that?  This just sounds like you¡¯re reaching!¡±

    ¡°Reaching, you say?¡±  Klaus hummed with an amused smirk while rising to his feet.  ¡°Kojax, this is a limited-time opportunity that I¡¯m offering you.  Think carefully ¡­ how powerful are the Ques¡¯k¨¢?¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s dubious expression fell in a second as he mentioned the renowned race.  ¡°... You have the support of the Ques¡¯k¨¢?  That¡¯s ¡­ but, the treaty¡­¡±

    ¡°What land lies east of here?¡±

    ¡°... The Ques¡¯k¨¢¡¯s territory.¡±

    ¡°Are they not prepared for war?¡±

    ¡°... Always,¡± a lump dropped down Kojax¡¯s throat as the web Klaus was spinning played into imaginary forces marching across the Nalvean Empire.

    Walking to a nearby shuttered window, Klaus opened it to stare outside; there was a decent view of the Nalvean capital city from the position.  ¡°Look at it, Kojax.  Are the Nalveans prepared for a full-scale war?¡±

    Kojax hesitantly moved to join him, voice becoming hoarse.  ¡°... If the Ques¡¯k¨¢ attack ¡­ there¡¯s no saving the Nalvean Empire.¡±

    ¡°Not entirely true,¡± Klaus mused.  ¡°I have plans already in motion within this Empire, and there is a place for someone like you, Kojax.  Of course, that is if you have access to certain information I require.  Are you willing to take hold of the shining opportunity I¡¯m presenting you with?

    ¡°I don¡¯t have another candidate with your particular web of contacts; I¡¯d be more than willing to offer you things much greater than pretty stones.  Think about it; Nalveans, licking your feet, competing with one another to grovel before you in hopes they receive just a shred of mercy, or ¡­ you can join them.¡±

    The rogue Xaria shivered, sweat breaking out of his pores while imagining the destruction he illustrated, and he swallowed a lump in his throat, jaw locking.  ¡°I¡­¡±

    He trailed off, vision meeting Klaus¡¯ glowing blue irises; the Inquisitor sent a wave of impending dread through the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s mind.  Kojax was a competent Xaria, but Klaus had managed to seed an event in the warrior¡¯s mind that shook him to the core.

    ¡°War is coming, Kojax.  Will you be by my side ¡­ or the Nalveans?¡±

    Kojax¡¯s frame began to quake as Camellia appeared in the empty street, turning while showing her vicious fangs, multiple red eyes glowing in the night.  She took several silent, blurred steps forward before vanishing by leaping onto the roof, causing the Ri¡¯bot to fall on his butt.  ¡°I ... wh-what do I need to do?¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Klaus smiled.  ¡°First, I need to know everything about the Nalvean underworld and tell me more about this Shadow Hand.  Once we are finished, you¡¯ll guide me to every one of your contacts in the Ri¡¯bot criminal empire ¡­ we have a lot of work to do and a network to commandeer.¡±

    ¡°W-What was that?¡±  Kojax shivered, voice trembling while still picturing the giant spider; sweat slicked his skin.

    ¡°That creature you just saw?¡±  Klaus chuckled.  ¡°You know what she was.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ impossible.¡±

    ¡°Oh, we both know that¡¯s not true.  So, you¡¯ll cooperate?¡±

    ¡°... Whatever you need.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful.  We¡¯ll start right away; real warfare is won outside the battlefield.  Now,¡± he gestured to a chair, ¡°let¡¯s solidify your loyalty to the cause, shall we?¡±

    They moved back to their seats, Kojax spilling everything he knew about the Shadow Hand, a criminal empire, operating in the shadows between all the major races, started during the war against the Quen¡¯Talrat.

 B2 â€” 11. Am I In Moderate Danger?

    Azalea¡¯s lips tightened thoughtfully upon reaching the massive cliffs on the right side of the city; she¡¯d played with the Ri¡¯bot in the jungle behind her, where the trees were enormous and ancient.  These were the types of jungles she¡¯d grown up with.  However, the sight of the eastern valley below had changed extensively since her death.

    She¡¯d stood near this location and scanned this scene many times in the past, but now there was a large mound that rose above the flattened ridges separating the right and left half of the eastern valley.  The trees had shrunk dramatically along the right side while a new river had formed.

    Scenes were carried with the wind and hung around the air, but she knew many would be dampened by the dark clouds overhead; a light rainfall would mist the valley tonight, but a few pheromones were lingering on the breeze that drew her notice.

    Azalea casually hummed various songs Tiffany had taught her while learning about torture, moving along the shelf and vibing to her own theme.

    Invisible to the wildlife while wrapped in the shadows of the night, she observed the various creatures she¡¯d preyed upon while alive.

    She¡¯d been tasked with scouting the east valley, and if any humans were found, then she was to bring them back, but this was a rather relaxing assignment.  A lot of leniencies were given to her with the unknown elements of the unexplored area.

    Noticing all the creatures surrounding, she debated testing out their flavors, but in the end, she concluded experimenting with new foods while in her human form was the real thing that excited her; it wasn¡¯t that enticing to eat in her normal body, so she observed.

    It was a different experience, not concerned about eating or killing anything that crossed her path, and the tranquil atmosphere carried a bizarre feedback she was unaccustomed to.

    She moved from tree to tree, watching creatures eating plants, nuts, and fungus.  On the other hand, she witnessed insects and animals feeding off others, but in no way could it be considered the same as if she were hunting.

    Azalea giggled on the inside, following a Ragnlar in the process of stalking a Frave; the long furry prey had a thick defensive mane, but the silent predator knew vital points where it could land the killing blow.  Everything both creatures did was so inefficient to her, but it was the game that captivated her.

    She moved away from the scuffle as the Ragnlar pounced.  She rose high into the trees to follow the strange scent since it was close by.

    The rain had begun falling from the heavens, yet with the thick foliage overhead, the leaves directed the liquid into small waterfalls, falling from large leaf to leaf before striking the ground.

    Azalea¡¯s interest peaked upon spotting the new creature; it was some kind of bird, but by the dozens of aviary and animal remains scattered across the large branch it stood on, Azalea assumed it was high on the food chain within the jungle.

    Of course, between the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Quen¡¯Talrat, Ri¡¯bot, and war, the jungle¡¯s previous top predators had long been extinct.

    Now, who are you?  Azalea mused, crawling around it with fascination.

    A smile lit her lips as her transformation cooldown reset; while cloaked within the shadows, she shrunk to her human-form, creating her bra and shorts out of habit in the process.

    She blinked with excitement; the simple action brought her such pleasure, and when the momentary blackness touched her vision, her other senses expanded greatly.  One of Tiffany¡¯s songs hummed through her mind, making her want to sway.

    I want you to breathe with me ¡­ and be happy.  Where will we go?  All the sad songs, all the sad songs will leave us ¡­ down this road.  Say you¡¯re mine, say you¡¯re mine, and I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ll be fine¡­

    Opening her eyes, she stared at the resting bird; it was nearly as large as her in this form.  Dropping to her butt, she cocked her head, folding her arms under her chest while studying every inch of it.

    It would undoubtedly cause the current jungle residents trouble, but judging by the damage done to the picked clean skeletons or half-eaten corpses around the area, it wasn¡¯t that much stronger than a Ranglar.  Still, she wanted to test if it posed any risk to the Empire.

    She identified dozens of other scents similar to the creature on its feathers, indicating it was likely more of a flock animal, which made it more dangerous than her first estimation.

    It was for such a reason the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were so deadly.  The drones were crafted by the Queen, and with tens of thousands of them passed down from generation to generation, their high durability, and powerful assassin-like abilities, it was a dominating force.

    If there were tens of thousands of these birds, then they could cause a decent threat to most of the living things Azalea had met.  Although, the Quen¡¯Talrat probably wouldn¡¯t care how many of these birds there were, making them rather unremarkable in Azalea¡¯s eyes after a bit of study.

    A single strand of Azalea¡¯s blue hair lifted from her back, stiffening to launch a poisoned needle at a selected area below the creature¡¯s neck, where she identified a vein.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    The bird didn¡¯t react to the noise she made as the fast-acting toxin paralyzed its body, and she walked forward, running her fingers across its feathers to analyze every fiber.  It had a more robust frame than she initially thought, but it didn¡¯t appear to have any special abilities upon a surface level DNA analysis through contact.  It was a male of the species.

    Her mind shifted to her eldest sister with a bit of pity; she had a hard time with this type of ability all Queen-class Th¨¦lm¨¦thra possessed.

    She took a minute to construct a near-invisible cage of thread around it to see how it would react; the venom she injected was calculated to only last a limited time, and she stood outside of the silk, waiting for it to struggle.

    It released a raspy screech upon seeing her, now uncloaked, and started the thrashing.  She was disappointed with its efforts; it couldn¡¯t break past even the weak thread she¡¯d spun for the test.

    However, a smile lightened her cheeks as she sensed others responding to his call; Azalea disappeared into the shadows again.

    A minute later, dozens of the aviary creatures converged on the location, but their response sparked her interest again.

    They aren¡¯t trying to save it?  No, they¡¯re searching for me.  Hmm ¡­ smarter than I thought.  Although, I didn¡¯t sense such a detail in the scan ¡­ it was only a surface-level analysis, though.  Maybe I should eat one to better understand its DNA; oh, and I¡¯m in my human-form, too!  Let¡¯s see where this leads¡­

    Jumping into action, she giggled while anchoring each bird to the trees without their notice, attaching a loose string of sticky silk to the tips of their claws to tie them to the branches.  It only took a minute before one noticed, letting out a surprised squawk that drew the others¡¯ attention.

    Curious to what they¡¯d do next, Azalea released her concealment while hanging upside down above the birds.  Their eyes darted up, and Azalea¡¯s eyes narrowed dubiously; the frantic struggle ceased instantly across the board, and the look they gave her was entirely different than before.

    They act in two different manners?  Panic, then evaluating ¡­ all at once.  Perhaps these creatures have a mental network like the Empress?  No, then why cry out for those nearby, alerting me to the possibility of reinforcements?

    Two darts filled with deadly toxin shot from her hair, killing two of the birds within three seconds as it blocked its entire nerve system from responding.  Azalea was a little surprised the area she sent the poison had that quick of a reaction.

    The birds didn¡¯t respond, watching her without blinking their massive, bulging eyes.

    Interesting ¡­ not even an acknowledgment to imminent death.  What about prolonged?

    She sent two more threads of poison, causing two birds to seize up in pain that should last at least an hour before death, but it was only a guess since she hadn¡¯t done an in-depth investigation of their biology.

    Her brow furrowed as the two suddenly went crazy, struggling against the silk attached to their talons, feathers flinging around with their thrashing and loud squawks, but again, the others didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you guys interesting,¡± Azalea mused, flipping down to stand before one.

    Its sharp beak darted out for her eye, but Azalea intercepted it, using her left index finger to catch the point; the force was extremely disappointing.

    Azalea hummed softly, effortlessly stopping several more attempted spears as it reared back and shot its head forward again; she giggled while allowing it to jab her nose, making it tickle.

    ¡°Oh, what will you do now?¡±  She clapped, cocking her head to the left, and moved her hands behind her back with anticipation.

    After the fruitless strikes, the bird settled back, glancing left at another as it tried to lift its foot in a testing manner.

    ¡°Intelligent, then not so intelligent,¡± Azalea hummed, hand darting out to grasp its feathered neck.  Applying slow force, she studied the other¡¯s reactions, and even the one she held didn¡¯t struggle.  ¡°Death doesn¡¯t frighten you, but ¡­ pain draws a reflex?  What about a small amount?¡±

    Her hair snaked around before the end stiffened, cutting a gash along its stomach; almost instantly, the bird¡¯s eyes widened in horror, and it began struggling in her grip.  Barbs on its wings striking out to no effect.

    ¡°Huh ¡­ now you use your claws ¡­ a single claw on each wing ¡­ huh?¡±

    She crushed its windpipe, causing it to lock up before falling over to thrash on the ground.

    Stepping back, Azalea frowned.  She identified hundreds of similar scents on them; they were a part of a fairly large flock, but no others were coming to join.  Growing bored, she determined they weren¡¯t a threat and killed them in the blink of an eye.

    She ripped off a chunk of feathers on one of their chests, tearing open its corpse to taste a few of its organs and bones for a more in-depth analysis.

    Shockingly, she found no connection to their level of study, fear resistance, or hive mind.

    ¡°Huh ¡­ maybe not as boring as I thought.  Were you lot being controlled?¡±  She mused, tapping her right bicep.

    She broke off a piece of its ribs in her mouth, crushing it with her molars while breaking off two more for a snack while moving on.  It wasn¡¯t bad, but she¡¯d had better; the new flavor was nice for a first test, but it wasn¡¯t good enough to be a regular diet food.

    Th¨¦lm¨¦thra bodies were designed to be utterly immune to any toxin through worlds and worlds of conquest evolution; any they found, their organs instantly analyzed, instantly developing protection against the agent, and then incorporating it into their arsenal.  The number of poisons she could cycle through was vast in her inherited line.

    Now understanding the creatures were of no immediate threat, she made a note to mention them and the possibility of them being controlled by another force to her mother upon her return and moved further east.

    Azalea found dozens of Ri¡¯bot pockets, and there was even a rather large group surrounding a sizable lake, but they didn¡¯t meet the identifying markers her mother had given her.

    She walked through the huts of the water-side village, unseen by the Ri¡¯bot adult and children as they went about their peaceful night.  By the various colors, they seemed to be Clanless.

    Not finding anything of further significance, she went a bit more south, climbing the small mountain.  There were other groups of roaming Ri¡¯bot, but they were of various skin colors, meaning not of the right clan.  However, one particular conversation caught her interest as her transformation was nearing its end.

    Reverting to her original form, Azalea dropped down on the group, spraying a web of silk around them in a wide net to trap the seven Ri¡¯bot carrying spears and daggers.

    ¡°... Wha ¡­ what is this¡­¡±

    The few grunts and gasps of surprise faded as she landed in front of them, causing a wave of horrified silence and chemicals to leave their skin.

    ¡°Hello!¡±  She chimed, bending in closer to what appeared to be the leader, hot air hissing past the plates on her abdomen.  ¡°My name is Azalea, and I heard you and your friend Tomona here talking about the Roxim Clan.¡±

    ¡°... Y-You can ¡­ I can understand you?¡±  He half asked and stated, large eyes unable to leave her luminous pink gem-like eyes.

    ¡°Oh, right, this is all new to you,¡± Azalea giggled.  ¡°Okay, how about this ¡­ oh, isn¡¯t this exciting?  I¡¯m still very new to this whole talking with my food business.¡±

    ¡°F-Food?¡±  A light purple colored female Ri¡¯bot named Uxari whispered unsteadily.

    ¡°Well, not at the moment, no,¡± Azalea absently commented.  ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat you.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot each struggled in her web, giving the person next to them a scared, unsure glance at her statement.

    ¡°You ¡­ you won¡¯t?¡±  Tomona asked in disbelief.  ¡°Umm ¡­ are you a¡­¡±

    ¡°Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Princess?  Indeed, I am!  I hear my aunt took everyone to the far east after our deaths, is that right?  Oh, no, no, I¡¯m getting off-topic!  Hehe, no, I¡¯m here wondering about what¡¯s going on with the Roxim Clan.  You said they were moving a bunch of strange creatures, right?¡±

    Uxari¡¯s frightened green eyes moved to her thin, plated legs, and it seemed she couldn¡¯t stop her body from quivering as her two teeth on either side of her mouth dug into her lips, breaking the skin.

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Azalea gave a thoughtful grunt.  ¡°... Is speaking to me this difficult?¡±

    Korag, the leader, swiftly spoke up.  ¡°I-I, uh ¡­ I¡¯m just ¡­ we¡¯re just scared you¡¯ll ¡­ you know ¡­ kill us ¡­ eat us?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± she tilted her body to the left, ¡°I¡¯m not planning on it right now.  The Empress said she needs a lot of Ri¡¯bot alive, and you¡¯re all Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    A lump dropped down Tomona¡¯s throat, causing him to blink.  ¡°Empress?  Is there ¡­ is that your mother?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Azalea laughed.  ¡°That¡¯s so silly!  No, Empress Elinor.  You call her The One Above All.  Well, mostly it¡¯s The Supreme Chief of the Pits, as of recently.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s mouths dropped open, tongues hanging out and getting stuck on her silk.

    ¡°No, no!¡±  Azalea groaned, sending a pulse through her web to remove their sticky nature and toss them off the group.  ¡°You can¡¯t speak to me if your tongues get stuck.¡±

    Korag¡¯s body tensed to jump as she removed the thread, but she reached up and bonked him lightly on the head, causing him to grunt and hit the dirt.  ¡°No running, or I will kill you,¡± she warned.

    The others held up their hands in acceptance.

    ¡°W-Whatever you say, P-Princess Azalea!¡±  Uxari gasped, eyeing their leader as he stumbled on the ground, still stunned from her smack.

    ¡°Good!  Now, tell me about the Roxim, and we can all be on our way.  Oh, and there are some killer birds in the jungle that seem pretty new.  Have you seen them?¡±  She asked with sudden interest.

    ¡°Killer¡­¡±

    ¡°... Birds?¡±  Tomona asked, and Uxari finished.

    ¡°Oh, why don¡¯t we get a little comfortable?¡±  Azalea asked with a cheery voice.  ¡°Tiffany said when I¡¯m talking with other creatures, I should help create a positive atmosphere.¡±

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Turning to a large fallen down tree, she easily cut into the bark with one of her arms, crafting a hollow space where they could sit.

    The Ri¡¯bot seemed to be in stunned disbelief at her actions.  ¡°... You ¡­ want us to sit?¡±  Tomona asked, staring at the space with a dubious gaze.

    ¡°Yup!  I can smell you¡¯re all super scared.  Isn¡¯t it funny, though?  I said I wasn¡¯t going to kill or eat you.¡±  She giggled.  ¡°What should we do to create a more positive atmosphere?¡±  Azalea questioned with an excited tone, ready to learn more about talking to weak creatures.

    ¡°... I ¡­ think we just need a minute to process it,¡± Korag mumbled, rubbing his head.  ¡°Umm ¡­ can we learn a bit about you?¡±

    Uxari¡¯s hands tightened against her chest, weapons long forgotten on the ground.  ¡°Yes, please, Princess Azalea!  Umm ¡­ it¡¯s just that ¡­ you¡¯re nothing like the terrible stories we heard ¡­ well, about Th-Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.¡±

    ¡°Sure!¡±  Azalea said with a bright tone.  ¡°Although I can¡¯t spend a long time here.  I¡¯m on a mission.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot named Camrok cleared his throat.  ¡°Uh, mission ¡­ right, the Roxim, they uh ¡­ they went south, and¡­¡±

    Azalea knew the creature wasn¡¯t telling the truth by his body¡¯s nervous reactions and the manner the others responded to the news, but then something interesting made her remain silent.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Uxari growled, glaring at the guy.  ¡°Why are you lying?  Do you really think that will help us?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Tomona stated with a hard look at him.  ¡°I know the Roxim helped you a bit, but don¡¯t kill us over it!¡±

    Korag took a long breath before motioning to the Ri¡¯bot around him.  ¡°Let¡¯s sit down ¡­ and Camrok, don¡¯t say another word unless it¡¯s to answer Princess Azalea¡¯s question ¡­ honestly.¡±

    Camrok''s teeth pressed against his already punctured lower lip, causing more green blood to exit, and his left hand tightened around the dagger strapped to his tattered vest.  The Ri¡¯bot next to him slapped his chest with a low growl, causing his muscles to slacken in defeat.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±  Azalea would have smiled at them if she had lips.

    They settled into the hollow, rubbing their arms or legs while trying not to look directly at her, and told her the word that was spreading through the Clanless zone.  The Roxim seemed to have conquered some strange group of creatures and carried back many things to their principal village, but a Komath messenger had changed everything.

    The group she¡¯d captured were on their way to confirm the rumors that all Roxim¡¯s border security had evaporated throughout the previous day.

    Their fears escalated upon hearing about the creatures they called Jukal that were prophesied to herald the arrival of some great calamity, but they couldn¡¯t tell her exactly what that was, and apparently, they showed up every few decades in small numbers.

    The news that she¡¯d killed dozens of them put a shock through their system, but they didn¡¯t voice their fears, and it didn¡¯t particularly interest Azalea since the Jukal weren¡¯t that impressive, to begin with.  Their only oddity was the strange behavior, yet they were far less intelligent than even these Ri¡¯bot.

    She returned to her human-form just after leaving the group as it came off cooldown, not needing to follow their directions to the steep plateaus.  However, the bit that did spike more questions was their information on the Roxim¡¯s primary camp location at the elevation¡¯s base, along the river.

    The jungle¡¯s temperature had fallen slightly with the hovering mist as the light rainfall blanketed the foliage, leaving the already moist ground more unstable.  Despite the weather, she found hundreds of human scents sixteen minutes after leaving the group.

    However, it was far too old to be of any worth and would be faster to scale the cliff, cutting them off if they were still in the Roxim¡¯s village.

    Azalea continued on, jamming to the memory of Tiffany¡¯s melodic voice in her mind while pushing her human body to its stretching limit to test its flexibility; she¡¯d never felt so at ease with her surroundings after becoming Undead.  Her enhanced stealth made her actions seamless, but she never faltered from her rigorously trained clandestine movements, adding to her silent nature.

    She examined every out of place detail that didn¡¯t fit with her memory, adjusting her mental image of the valley while on the move, letting the tranquil atmosphere wash through her.

    Azalea loved the electrifying pleasure her body experienced when toying with her prey to see how long it would take before they gave up on life, but outside of the hunt, the heightened peace she found around her was gratifying.

    The steep cliff face that opened up before her put a light frown on her lips.  When she was alive, this long plateau held a very different shape, which surprised her a little with how short of a time had passed since her death, and there was evidence of large collapsed chunks.

    Making it atop the massive rise, she stared down at the remote part of the valley with rising fascination.  The trees were far smaller than even the Clanless territory she¡¯d come from.

    New rivers and lakes captured her focus, and beside a vast mound of upturned earth was a lake with several islands.  However, the most exciting bit was that a decent amount of the lake and surrounding rivers were falling into a colossal blackened fissure in the valley.

    Ooh, now that looks fun!

    Azalea cupped her chin while studying the scene; she recalled that the Quen¡¯Talrat built a giant fortress in that general location, spiking her curiosity as to what could have created such a change in the valley¡¯s structure, but first, she needed to complete her main mission of identifying the Roxim Clan¡¯s position.

    It had taken her nearly four hours to get to this point with all of her detours and investigations, but it would still take some time before the sun rose.  She didn¡¯t have a time limit on her task, though, and she intended to take the opportunity to be thorough.

    Azalea let the mist-like rain flow around her bare skin as she studied the thinly veiled valley, updating her mental graph of the transformed landscape.

    From this position, it was easy for her to see the evidence of a massive fire that ravaged the land, destroying the jungle on this side of the valley.  Her mind instantly turned to the Quen¡¯Talrat, but it didn¡¯t quite add up to her.

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±

    The Quen¡¯Talrat are very careful with their fires around flammable material ¡­ they¡¯re usually really into crafting with the stuff.  So ¡­ why would they destroy something they love?  Was their little war getting that bad after we died?  Perhaps it was more the big white ape¡¯s thing to like the jungle, and the others didn¡¯t care?

    ¡°Huh ¡­ I guess it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she whispered, twisting her heel against the cliff face as her legs dangled over the edge.  She absently played with thread on her fingertips, forming random designs before throwing them off the bluff, practicing with the ten strange appendages.

    It took a moment to catch a few blurred locations beyond the further shrouded areas of the nighttime jungle, spotting the ruined visage of a Quen¡¯Talrat building, but eventually, she was satisfied with her amendments.  She¡¯d use her ability to geolocate her location through the earth¡¯s magnetic field to pinpoint where she needed to go.

    Her multi-hued blue hair extended across her back to attach a sticky line of silk to the top of the cliff, and she jumped, wind rushing past her as she repelled with quick, bounding leaps, and a broad smile lit her cheeks.

    It¡¯s so fun having all these new things I can do with a human body!  Flips, and flips, and flips, and dive, and flip, and slow down, and land!

    Releasing the long line of silk, she followed several very old Ri¡¯bot trails heading in an eastward direction.  There were signs of Ri¡¯bot life popping up from time to time; cuts in trees, pits for trapping, fortified defensive positions, and soon she arrived at an empty village with signs of a rushed exit.

    However, some had left later than others; the song in her head began to pick-up its tempo as she started the hunt.  Her bare feet raced atop the young trees¡¯ trunks and branches with her accelerated movements.

    There were mostly blackthorn trees in the area, but occasionally, she came across the smooth green bark of a noral tree; the southern tree typically was in the south but appeared to have gained some ground after the fire ravaged the area.

    She didn¡¯t have long with her transformation, so she relished the human experience while she could, following the scent of three Ri¡¯bot males, and it didn¡¯t take her long to catch-up.

    Azalea dropped down two branches to happily observe the three figures; they seemed to be having some difficulty hauling large bags of something.

    I¡¯ve got these and ¡­ yes, there are five more separate trails to follow ¡­ shame, I still can¡¯t smell the humans.  The Roxim must have taken them on boats along the southeastern river through the mountains.  One way to make sure, though!

    Casting a net top of the shocked Ri¡¯bot, she landed beside them with a bright, toothy human smile.  ¡°Hello!  I¡¯m Azalea¡­¡±

    ¡°Tongue biting hopper!¡±  One of the elder Ri¡¯bot yelled, dropping his sack while swiftly drawing his blade to try and cut the sticky web.

    Azalea watched with a light blue lifted eyebrow as they continued to struggle in the net until they were hopelessly stuck.  She released a long sigh, running her left hand through her hair before scratching her scalp.

    ¡°... I can see a pattern forming between Ri¡¯bot,¡± she mumbled as they rocked against each other, nearly causing the thread to become so tight that they couldn¡¯t even breathe.

    Wearing a slight frown, she bent down, holding out her hand to grasp a thread; Azalea sent a loosening pulse through the silk, adjusting the composition of parts to allow them a little slack.  She stepped back, opening her mouth, but again, she was interrupted.

    ¡°Tongue, bark scrapin¡¯ roller!¡±  The elder Ri¡¯bot spat, still trying to see through her thread with his newfound motion, blade rapidly weaving back and forth.

    ¡°Uh¡­¡±

    A younger Ri¡¯bot spat out his tongue at her through the net.

    Azalea¡¯s jaw snapped shut, lips drawing into a line as she effortlessly snatched the organ, gripping it while applying sticky silk to keep it in place.  The youth gagged as she rolled her eyes, finding the action surprisingly stress-relieving.

    ¡°... Could you please allow me to speak?¡±

    ¡°... Wha ¡­ yo, it just spoke, Uncle!  Hey, let go of my son¡¯s tongue!¡±

    Her dull pink eyes slid to the gagging Ri¡¯bot, eyes closed with strain as he tried to return the wet organ to his throat.  ¡°Will it make you settle down?¡±

    ¡°... Yeah, sure ¡­ we¡¯ll go with that,¡± the elder grunted, still actively engaged in his fruitless sawing efforts.

    ¡°Look, I need you to have your tongues attached, but I don¡¯t need your hands,¡± Azalea warned with a dry expression.  ¡°Do Ri¡¯bot understand what that means?¡±

    The elder swiftly dropped his knife after realizing it had no effect, releasing a forced laugh while holding his empty hands up.  ¡°See, we¡¯re good!  Ancestors ¡­ how¡¯d they get something so sticky?¡±  He grunted, glaring at the net.  ¡°On second thought¡­¡±

    ¡°My son!¡±  The other yelled with concern as his chest began to convulse with the efforts.

    Azalea released it with a sigh, forced to free it from another sticky part of her web before it entered the boy¡¯s mouth.  ¡°... There, now, let¡¯s begin again!¡±  She gave them another smile.  ¡°I¡¯m Azalea, and I need some information.¡±

    ¡°Go to the Pits!¡±  The elder yelled.

    ¡°Hmh ¡­ the others were so helpful,¡± she muttered with a soft shake of her head.  A lock of her thick blue hair lifted into the air, shooting a poison-filled dart at the older Ri¡¯bot.

    His joints locked as he began groaning, unable to scream as the painful toxin worked through his blood.

    ¡°... W-What did you do?¡±  The father yelled, glancing between the elder and his son.  ¡°U-Uncle?¡±

    ¡°He wasn¡¯t cooperating,¡± Azalea said with a slight grin.  ¡°Since he wasn¡¯t helpful, we¡¯ll see how five hours of intense pain feels.  Will you join him, or give me the information I want?¡±

    The father¡¯s tongue slid across his lips, pressing against his two left teeth, but his eyes were focused on his uncle.  ¡°... What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Oh, wonderful,¡± Azalea clapped, ¡°but give me one second.  I need to transform.¡±

    ¡°Transfor¡­¡±

    The father and son¡¯s eyes widened into large globes as darkness surrounded Azalea, and her form grew, towering over the three as her sharp legs sank into the mud around them to reposition her weight.

    ¡°There we go!¡±  Azalea giggled, hot air expelling from the plates on her abdomen with a hiss; she leaned forward, opening her mouth to reveal sticky saliva and needle-like fangs as her humid breath pressed against their faces.  ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    ¡°Now, first, did the Roxim Clan leave the valley.

    ¡°Second, where did you take the humans.

    ¡°Third, what are your plans.

    ¡°And fourth ¡­ you fainted¡­¡±

    Azalea released another long, frustrated sigh.  ¡°Obviously, you¡¯re not the strong type of Ri¡¯bot that are hunters.¡±

    She would have loved to roll her eyes again, but instead, she opened her mouth, extending her two-foot-long tongue with tiny barbs that she rarely ever used since they weren¡¯t long or powerful enough to penetrate Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s tough skin.

    The sticky organ, usually used to form and shoot complicated web designs or manipulate food in her mouth to her deconstruction organs, pressed against the father¡¯s chest, injecting a toxin to force him awake.

    He jolted, sweat suddenly slicking his skin as the quick-acting venom forced his body to rise, and he released a quick, sharp scream, chest heaving rapidly.

    Azalea lifted her front left leg, tapping the Ri¡¯bot lightly on the cheek and causing him to jolt with wide-eyed panic.  ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re feeling jumpy as a Ri¡¯bot,¡± she giggled.  ¡°C¡¯mon, scream it out, scream it out ¡­ there, feeling better?¡±

    ¡°... Wha ¡­ wha ¡­ wha¡­¡±  His buggy eyes darted left and right, centering on his passed out son.  ¡°N-No!!  K-Kolrm¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not dead ¡­ yet,¡± Azalea replied, still tapping him on the cheek in a comforting manner.  ¡°He just passed out, same as you.  Is the induced fear my venom caused easing?  It should be ¡­ it wasn¡¯t that strong.¡±

    ¡°W-What do you want?¡±  He cried, tears now forming in his eyes as he looked at her in panic.

    ¡°I told you¡­¡±  Azalea moaned, repeating herself.

    ¡°... I ¡­ I ¡­ all I know is that we were told to run to the ¡­ to the Otuga Clan,¡± he wailed.  ¡°I ¡­ the ¡­ the Chief and Warriors, they ¡­ they took the creatures on the rafts¡­¡±

    ¡°To?¡±

    ¡°South ¡­ all I know is south,¡± he blubbered, trying desperately to curl into a ball as his frame continued to quake, and his uncle gurgled next to him.

    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡±  Azalea chimed, feeling happy she was finally getting somewhere with them.

    ¡°... D-Didn¡¯t tell us ¡­ we just ¡­ just needed to make it there, and ¡­ we forgot ¡­ we didn¡¯t get my ¡­ we needed to get my wife¡¯s fire starter.  I just wanted to ¡­ to make her happy.  I just wanted to make her happy¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­ but I didn¡¯t want to know that.  Last question, and then we¡¯re done!¡±  Azalea assured.  ¡°Is there anyone left in the valley that would know the plan?¡±

    ¡°... Plan ¡­ no, what plan?  No, only the Chief and ¡­ and the Warriors, but ¡­ no, they hurried everyone out ¡­ said ¡­ said anyone that went back was to ¡­ why me?¡±  He lamented.

    ¡°Ugh,¡± Azalea pulled away, glancing to the side.  ¡°Well, that answers that.  Unfortunate, but nothing I can do about it.  Still, I should be thorough.¡±

    Turning back to the three, Azalea gave a happy laugh.  ¡°Thank you for the information; unfortunately for you, the Empress says no sparing the Roxim.  Bye, bye!¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot screamed in desperation, and Azalea bent down, biting off his head before moving to the other two; the flavor was as bland as she remembered.

    I just can¡¯t understand how Cami likes these things¡­

    Azalea spent the next few hours hunting down and interrogating the remaining Roxim in the valley, ending at the plateau on the far southeastern edge.  She stared down the steep decline that fell over 400 meters.  The sun was beginning to rise, causing birds to fly across the skies, and she noticed many more of the Jukal were swarming.

    The mission was to handle everything within the valley, so this went outside that scope, and the father wasn¡¯t lying; not a single one of the seventeen Ri¡¯bot she hunted could give her the answers she was looking for.

    A smile lit her cheeks as she turned back to the mound in the far distance.

    All the main tasks are done, and now it¡¯s time to explore the big hole!

    Backtracking to the area, she found dozens upon dozens of Ri¡¯bot trails heading to the next valley but ignored them since she hadn¡¯t seen any fruitful lead that deviated from the paths.

    Transforming into her human-form just before arriving at the fissure, Azalea¡¯s sharp vision penetrated the pit to its depths with a bright grin; she couldn¡¯t see the bottom because of the thick mist that was created from the wide waterfalls that fed into it, some gushing out of breaks in the blackened stone face.

    Hundreds of cave openings and breaks in the sheer walls were visible; it was as if the abyss was pulling in the surrounding air, producing a strong downdraft that swirled the cloud of mist into a weaving pattern hundreds of meters below.

    ¡°How exciting!¡±  Azalea squealed.  ¡°I want to know what¡¯s at the bottom, and I still need to explore the area.  Who knows, maybe the Ri¡¯bot found an escape route in a cavern?¡±  She reasoned to herself, salivating at the thought of what mysteries were below for her to reveal and bring back to the Empress.

    She could see many tunnels closer to the surface that her mother or grandmother had crafted, but further below were even more that she didn¡¯t know existed at all.

    Who knew there were even deeper tunnels than ours in this valley?  Mom¡¯s gonna be so excited!

    Attaching a sturdy line to the thickest nearby tree, she sprinted to the edge and dived off, laughing with giddy elation while falling into the void; she¡¯d never been able to feel such a thrill while alive, but she could tell that jumping from high places was turning into an addiction.

    Her toothy grin only increased as the mist drew closer and her web-like hair continued to lengthen; her body was being pulled in rather than blown away, which only increased the extremely rare feeling of something fluttering around in her belly that made her want to scream, and so she did.

    Azalea¡¯s squeals of excitement were one of the greatest moments she¡¯d ever felt; the last time she¡¯d experienced this kind of uncertainty lead to her death, and this colossal mystery heightened all of her senses to the maximum as she tried to savor every millisecond of the thrill.  It was for this reason that she noticed the irregularity in the mist.

    A dark wave of energy exploded out of the depths, and she was on a collision course, but she was a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; Th¨¦lm¨¦thra rarely ever felt something like fear, and when they did, it was always from their own kind.

    Time slowed as her instincts kicked in, and Azalea¡¯s squeals turned to giddy laughter with the unexpected phenomenon that rose from the abyss to swallow her.

    She tugged on her hair, feeding strength into her silky-locks to bend her trajectory around the blackness, but knew the strange energy would still pass through her anchoring web.

    The impenetrable field slowed, causing Azalea¡¯s jaw to close, and a smirk lit her lips; it shifted its path, curving to follow her descent.

    ¡°So, you are attacking me; this is so much fun!¡±  She yelled.

    She¡¯d expected something like that might be possible, so she¡¯d thrown another silk line to the wall, yanking herself to it as the darkness increased its speed.

    Her bare feet landed against the chasm face, and she activated her stealth abilities, shadows swallowing her before kicking off of the wall to the left side of the fissure; air rushed past her skin with the acceleration.

    For the first time since she¡¯d changed, she had to restrain herself from releasing a thoughtful hum as the force severed her connection to her anchoring web.  It hadn¡¯t been her strongest, but it was still a feat that most creatures would be unable to accomplish and told her entering it was ill-advised.

    The darkness came to a stop upon her vanishing act, but her confidence fell a little as another strange pulse of energy exploded into existence to her right, forming out of nowhere once she¡¯d entered the mist.

    Azalea''s pink irises widened as it located her past all her concealment abilities, flying toward her at a quickening pace.

    Ahh ¡­ it can use the mist to find me like Vi can track me through atmospheric disturbances.  Well, that¡¯s not good.

    Spotting the faint opening of a large fissure in the wall through the veil of white, Azalea launched another rope of web, pulling herself toward it with a hard yank.  Once striking the slick ground, she dashed inside, grinning while the darkness pursued.

    How long has it been since I¡¯ve had to retreat ¡­ since the Black and Red King tried to ambush me when I was little?  Wow ¡­ a long time.

    There was no damage done to the stone as the wave followed her, but she noticed its failing speed as she hummed one of Tiffany¡¯s songs, dancing up shafts, skimming across deep pits, and smashing through small openings, destroying thin walls that her senses penetrated to enter the deepening cave system.

    She tried testing the black fog with more silk and setting traps along the way, and it was slowing, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was from her tests or not.  Every live thread that entered the black substance seemed to be cut off from her, making her more curious to discover more about the thing.

    After three more minutes, Azalea could no longer sense the strange energy, and she slowed to a stop.  A smile brightened her cheeks as she took a moment to mirror Tiffany¡¯s swaying dance.  Flutters swirled through her belly, and her senses were sharper than they¡¯d ever been, catching every drop of water that fell from the moist ceiling and movement of the earth.

    This is so much fun!  Who knew there was something moderately dangerous lurking below?  Well, I suppose I should investigate!

 B2 â€” 12. Talents Of The Youngest

    Violet jumped down from the green throne, taking a moment to inspect its overall aesthetic compared with the rest of her handiwork.

    She¡¯d spent much of the day decorating the throne room, modifying the design using the education she received from Edmon, Tiffany, Valerie, and Leonora on the Victorian Gothic style the Empress enjoyed.

    Valerie, the Maid, and Leonora, the Artist, helped to stylize the work with their own interesting twists that occasionally made her smile while in her human form, and with all the practice, she was rapidly increasing her thread skills.

    After a while, Valerie timidly made her aware of her Class as a Songweaver, giving the Maid the ability to generate music by the way she moved.  The method of how it all functioned was still somewhat of a mystery to her.  Violet was more than a little fascinated by the concept, allowing the Maid to demonstrate.

    Violet was fascinated with anything to do with music, and Valerie discovered she could summon instruments that harkened back to her childhood.  The result left the Maid dancing and playing the strange human creation throughout the last few hours.  The melodies captivated Violet and helped her envision a more detailed composition to the room¡¯s artistic design.

    Valerie called her instrument of choice a violin, dancing with the device while other invisible musical apparatus joined from time to time as she activated other skills on cooldown.

    A variety of colors left her instrument in dazzling waves that affected her in unique ways, but according to Leonora, Violet was the only one that could see them because of her ultrasharp senses, and the rhythm morphed with her increasing proficiencies and levels.

    The Maid wanted to follow the theme of the Empire¡¯s growing Victorian Gothic image, introducing Violet to a somber, tragic, and eerie cast to the violin¡¯s style.  Leonora may not have been a singer by Class, but the artist hummed along to Valerie¡¯s tunes, causing Violet to mirror the action.

    Violet made decent progress as her internal clock told her the sun was setting, yet it would be several days before it would be completed.  A crest design and the Empire¡¯s name were still being discussed between the Royal Court; so, it would be a bit before she could add those details.

    She didn¡¯t interact with anyone outside of her two assistants and the occasional suggestions from the Royal Court.  In fact, she hadn¡¯t noticed any of the thousands of Yaltha¡¯ma that had been so prevalent upon her family¡¯s revival and had no clue what they were involved with but concluded Edmon was most likely using them.

    Morph would be coming off its cooldown within the next few minutes, and with every reset, Violet took the chance to become more comfortable in her new human form, unlocking a Proficiency Skill that tickled her to the core.  When transforming, her clothing would now somehow be stored within the skill, saving her time and actions.

    Her attention was diverted as twilight fell, Tiffany contacting her through the Nexus; she¡¯d been anxiously waiting for this event all day.  ¡°Vi, the Empress has asked me to join you for this power gem experiment!  Isn¡¯t this exciting?¡±

    To say her hearts were palpitating would be an understatement; however, despite the ticklish tingles cascading down her powerful muscles beneath her exoskeleton, she managed to keep her voice and demeanor in check.

    Yes.  The Empress made me aware that I might be able to add fire resistance to my silk; it would be quite useful if that were the case.

    ¡°Dearie, you don¡¯t need to hold back with me,¡± the Witch giggled.  ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us ¡­ oh, I¡¯ll be there within the minute.¡±

    Violet¡¯s response was as detached as she could manage.  I understand the Royal Court can identify the emotions of those under them, just as I can detect Valerie and Leonora¡¯s moods.  However, I wish to present myself in a manner befitting a Queen¡¯s daughter.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so cute!  I suppose that¡¯s something I adore about you; so, you just keep being your darling little self.  Be there soon!  Also ¡­ is that right?  You can sense Leonora and Valerie¡¯s emotions?¡±

    Yes?  It is not difficult.

    ¡°Well ¡­ umm, I don¡¯t know how to tell you this, dear, but ¡­ that¡¯s not so normal,¡± she mused.  ¡°I noticed it with Azalea yesterday, which is quite interesting.¡±

    Swiftly running through the possibilities, Violet didn¡¯t find it too unusual; although, she concluded the instinctual response was natural since she was so aware of her family¡¯s capabilities.  Th¨¦lm¨¦thra have an advanced limbic system.  Perhaps it is a response to our natural abilities?

    ¡°You girls never cease to amaze,¡± Tiffany whispered.  ¡°The details your mother sniffs out are ¡­ impressive would be a disservice to the Queen.¡±

    Violet couldn¡¯t help but feel pride for her mother at the Grand Witch¡¯s statement, and the conversation helped ease the pressure mounting in her armored body.  Her legs itched to tap with intense anticipation, but her iron will kept her muscles still, giving no outward appearance of agitation while she waited.

    Her two assistants had been given the time to practice their skills while she was away, and the violin playing around the overcast lighting of the room aided in calming her hearts.  The jewel induced lights surrounding the throne room had been darkened by her webs to add to the somber theme.

    The spider watched the Maid¡¯s delicate fingers tighten and ease, weaving the strange-looking branch against the threads of her instrument, eyes closed as her body swayed to the sounds she produced.

    Violet felt a sense of peace with the colorful waves, helping to calm her anticipation with the buffs provided by the Songweaver.

    Leonora was silently inspecting the work they¡¯d done so far, probing for areas that could use more detail while admiring the artistry.

    The Grand Witch arrived on the left shoulder of a skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat, another opening and closing the door upon her command.

    Tiffany slowed upon entering the room, reviewing their labor with a bright smile before settling on the Maid¡¯s performance.  Valerie soon came to a stop to present herself to the Grand Ritualist.

    ¡°... No, Dear, that was beautiful,¡± Tiffany encouraged with a gesture.  ¡°Don¡¯t stop on my account.¡±

    ¡°You flatter me, Tiffany,¡± the Maid bowed, but Violet could feel the pressure the girl felt upon the command.  ¡°I still have much to learn ¡­ I¡¯m only using simple notes.  It actually surprised me how my dancing abilities have developed throughout the day.  I played violin as a child, but I never got too far since my parents ran out of money to continue the lessons.¡±

    ¡°How lovely that you may continue such a desired hobby.¡±  Tiffany hummed, glancing around with a thoughtful expression.  ¡°It may have been simple notes, but that doesn¡¯t detract from the captivating melody and artistry of your dance.¡±

    Her glowing orange eyes settled on Violet, sliding past Leonora¡¯s respectful bow.  ¡°Well, Violet, we shouldn¡¯t waste any more time than is necessary ¡­ of course, listening to such music is hardly a waste,¡± she noted, giving the maidan an approving smile.  ¡°Let¡¯s see what magic awaits us.¡±

    Violet took to the walls, insides squirming with so much tension that she didn¡¯t dare speak, easily pushing open the massive doors herself before the ape made it to the ceiling.

    Tiffany cleared her throat while entering what had been described to Violet as The Hallway of Ascension; the shining gems embedded in the black wood were supposed to represent what the Witch called galaxies and the glories of space.  She grasped the concept but didn¡¯t seem to understand it enough to find the majesty the Witch saw.

    ¡°Ahem, Vi, if you could close the door behind us.  We really can¡¯t be too careful with the area we are going ¡­ just, so you know, you are the only person outside of the Royal Court the Empress has given permission to enter this restricted area.¡±

    She complied, feeling even more blessed with the information, and now a bit curious as to why the Empress had been so guarded about what lay ahead of them.

    Morph just came off cooldown, and before Tiffany made it to the opposite side of the long hallway, she was dressed in her first outfit.  Her heel length jet black hair was elegantly managed, lifted to her upper thighs by the hair ornaments she¡¯d crafted with the Witch¡¯s instruction, and allowing it enough slack to weave as she moved.

    Her tongue slid over her black lips, adjusting the outfit to radiate the image of perfection by manipulating the silken gown¡¯s threading and altering the position of her bandeau bra underneath her long white kimono with large intricate black chrysanthemum designs.

    The geta shoes were utterly silent as she approached the radiant nebula themed door, bracing herself to contend with her light weight while pushing it open upon Tiffany¡¯s instruction.

    Violet¡¯s fingers twitched on contact with the warm wood, surprisingly heavier than the stone door that preceded it, and she¡¯d never encountered the type of tree it was composed of.  There was a force within that puzzled her, but what met her was something spectacular and foreign.

    The humming energies flowing around the room made Violet pause with the door only open a crack, identifying the plethora of forces leaking out.

    ¡°... Is something wrong?  Oh ¡­ well, isn¡¯t this something?¡±  Tiffany mumbled, halting beside her.  ¡°Wow ¡­ Th¨¦lm¨¦thra certainly do have quite the intense ability to sense their environment.  Your mother didn¡¯t share with us the extent of the power radiating throughout this room.  Hmm ¡­ so many varieties from just the small glimpse I can analyze through you.¡±

    Violet slowly pushed forward with the Witch following, soaking in the experience she was able to glean through the Nexus.

    The young Th¨¦lm¨¦thra princess stepped onto the evenly cut ocean green grass, feet well above it with her shoes.  The vivid pink, blue, and silver flowers had been placed in a deliberate pattern, leading to an icy bridge and causing Violet¡¯s focus to linger on the waves that rippled in a lovely design.

    Holding out her hand, Violet made her way toward the water¡¯s crossing, black fingernails weaved with the frequencies of several waves that rippled throughout the room, but she came to a stop halfway there, continuing to examine every fluctuation around her.

    ¡°... My mother is not so attuned to energy-based elements; it is that and my thread that sets me apart from the past Queens in my line.  Ever since I first consumed those elemental stones, I have been developing these traits, which branded me as a Web Sitter by my sisters, and granted me the advantage over my mother within those fields.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Tiffany whispered, glancing toward the leafless white trees surrounding them.  ¡°You can actually see the dynamism influxing around us by colors ¡­ I so wish I could observe what you do, but that ability is only granted to the Empress when it comes to Intelligent Undead.¡±

    Violet moved across the sea of grass, returning to proper form once they¡¯d stepped out of it, and she could feel the releasing counter energy their interaction made, sending a ripple through the atmosphere.

    She halted at the edge of the bridge, bending down while wrapping her hair around her side to keep it off the grass.  ¡°It¡¯s so much more intricate and lovely than anything I¡¯ve experienced,¡± she whispered, following the colors as they interacted in the air, creating new vivid streams of shades.

    Smoothly hopping over the flowers, she landed on the other side, realizing Tiffany was trying to use her as a medium to detect things she was unable.

    Around the hill at the room¡¯s center was a turquoise stream, fed by a fount of energy residing within a hollowed-out long and narrow strip in the glowing alabaster wooden wall.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been able to identify many phenomena around this city since I¡¯ve been revived, and a few mirror the interactions such as those created within The Hallway of Ascension ¡­ but nothing as concentrated as what is present in this room.  The sheer weight of interplay is likely why you can sense my reaction so clearly through the Nexus.¡±

    ¡°An astute observation,¡± Tiffany hummed as the ape lowered her to the ground.  She snapped her fingers, creating orange flames to examine the elements herself.  ¡°What can you tell me about each?  I can learn many things about their properties, but perhaps there is something I am missing.¡±

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was silent for a moment, continuing to sort through the fields that played with one another, momentarily colliding to cause miniature backlash to repel or fuse together before separating again shortly after, creating something new.

    Eventually, her vision lifted to view the rich beams of yellow and white light; its waves didn¡¯t just cause a visual pigmentation to the circular chamber, but the brilliant metalwork of a triple triangle-shaped design produced a soothing pulse that evened out the interactions.  It appeared to be crafted out of a similar wood to the white trees, yet distinctly different in its mannerisms while framed by golden metal that seemed to elongate the fluctuation.

    ¡°Everything within this room has a purpose ¡­ even the very grass we walk upon that releases a calming agent to allow our presence without causing a disruption to the process.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s gaze settled on the nine luminous trees.  ¡°Are those the same as the ones in the throne room ¡­ or the wood the chairs are made out of ¡­ maybe the walls?¡±

    Violet slowly shook her head while following her gaze.  ¡°At first glance, but no ¡­ each one produces unique energy that compliments the whole.  It was not the same in the throne room, and that is most likely the product of that,¡± she stated, pointing at the hollowed-out section in the wall, releasing a smooth waterfall.

    Her white halo-like irises surrounded by pure black sclera shifted to the stream, identifying the mass of colorful gems of all shapes and sizes within.

    Everything is planned.

    The spider¡¯s focus lifted to the center tree, affixed with glowing spheres of energy that far outclassed anything in the room.  A sinister, glowing red obelisk with pulsating blue inscriptions grew around the font of blinding power, yet the monolith revealed no aura, which puzzled her.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°... I couldn¡¯t begin to explain to you what this is for, but whatever it does, it requires an inordinate amount of power.  Each interaction within the space is fusing, repulsing, generating a continual stream of additive strength that does not diminish, but increases.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s eyes widened with understanding.  ¡°Unlimited energy ¡­ this is a massive unlimited source of power ¡­ Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma built a generator.¡±  Her orange eyes fixated on the tree in the center of the island.  ¡°The Life Fruit was his end goal from the beginning.  Violet ¡­ what do you suppose would happen if you tried to incorporate that force?¡±

    Violet frowned, returning to the path to walk across the icy bridge, but she paused upon taking her first step on the structure, vision lowering to study the force trapped within.  She hadn¡¯t even noticed it until now, which shocked her.

    ¡°... Is this ¡­ a gateway?¡±  She mumbled, bending down to run her hand across the surface.

    ¡°Gateway?¡±  Tiffany questioned, running her flames across it.  ¡°... I don¡¯t sense anything particularly out of the ordinary except for its resilience to heat.¡±

    Violet¡¯s eyes narrowed while studying it.  ¡°... If it were to melt ¡­ it would release such dense waves that ¡­ it could cause extensive damage before generating some kind of portal.  It is very similar to the Gates the Supreme Queens use to continue the conquest.  At least ¡­ that is the feeling that triggers within me ¡­ new areas to dominate.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating ¡­ what of the tree and monolith?¡±

    Violet slowly rose back to her feet, continuing to the glowing red obelisk to study the interactions between the pome hanging from the leafless branches, then the pillar, and the tree before directing her gaze toward the charged soil and turquoise waters.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ There are many collaborating elements here that are toxic to Undead ¡­ no, the energy that fuels us.  I can certainly feel the exposed flames of the Quen¡¯Talrat beside us being harmed by the radiant energy.¡±

    ¡°Even from this distance?¡±  Tiffany asked, brow furrowing with concern.

    She nodded, glancing at the waters.  ¡°It¡¯s the liquid that vaporizes, lifting into the atmosphere to join with the other forces.  The type of waves resemble the fruit ¡­ however, what produces it, the font hidden below the monolith, and behind that waterfall ¡­ it is like ¡­ what did you call it, cousin?  In any case, it seems related to the pom.¡±

    ¡°... Fascinating,¡± Tiffany growled, commanding the ape to retreat and close the door behind him.  ¡°Are we in danger?  My, it would have been so much easier to decipher this place if I knew you had such talents,¡± the Witch moaned, running a hand through her ponytail.

    Violet shook her head, glancing down at the stones in the pool.  ¡°Not as far as I can tell.  We are protected from such atmospheric tides; although, those fruits are another matter entirely.¡±

    Her halo-like white irises moved with her black sclera, tracing the joined pulses.  ¡°The fruits are not the same ¡­ some require more power than others while different frequencies are released by them all.¡±

    Tiffany hurried to her side to follow her examination, tone alternating between excitement and dread.  ¡°You¡¯re saying they¡¯re all unique?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ in their complicated composition; however, they share the same base ¡­ they are like eggs, forming something inside by the interacting forces around us to release upon completion.¡±

    The Witch¡¯s cheerful attitude faded in an instant.  ¡°Eggs ¡­ for what?  What will they produce?¡±

    ¡°I cannot say,¡± she replied in a soft tone, left index finger running down the smooth, radiant trunk; the structure responded to her touch with powerful neutral waves.

    Tiffany¡¯s fire pressed against an exposed root of the tree.  ¡°... Is it intelligent?¡±  She asked, and her carefree demeanor had been replaced by dark suspicion.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that ¡­ no, but this ¡­ possibly.¡±  She pointed at the monolith.  ¡°There¡¯s something powerful inside ¡­ threatening ¡­ fluctuating ¡­ seeding the tree¡¯s internal structure with a divergent path to its natural intent.  If it¡¯s intelligent or not ¡­ I cannot say.

    ¡°Eating the fruit?  I could ingest it and dissect its contents, but each one is unique, as you¡¯ve stated.  The process would be extensive, too ¡­ I would suggest working my way up to such ¡­ opaque energy.  Even we have our limits, and some things must be eased into.¡±

    ¡°And this is one of those rare instances?¡±  Tiffany mumbled.  ¡°Is it really that cryptic to you?¡±  She asked, moving her flames to the blood-red obelisk.

    She pondered on the subject for a moment, fingers closing into fists at her side.  ¡°Everything within this room is mysterious and new, to a certain extent.  However, among all the abnormal forces ¡­ the red monolith with those glowing blue symbols ¡­ there¡¯s something immense within, and that is all I can tell; it is the greatest singular object in this room with the bridge being a close second and the symbol above as the third.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s brow furrowed, orange irises lifting to the three fused golden triangles fixed within the ceiling, leaving the center open.  ¡°... I just don¡¯t know what to do about this place.  It holds such power ¡­ yet, it could be used against us, and we have so little understanding of it all ¡­ how arrogant of me to think I was getting a grasp of it.¡±  She sighed.

    ¡°In any case,¡± she shook her head, managing her hair, ¡°the Empress wished us to use one of these gems.  What do you think about such a proposal?¡±

    Violet¡¯s eyes darted to the pool, filled with the shimmering jewels of powerful elemental forces.  ¡°I would advise against such actions ¡­ it could disrupt the harmony within the room.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Tiffany groaned, glaring at the turquoise pool.  ¡°If that is the case ¡­ perhaps Edmon has found another area with them that we could use.¡±

    Upon questioning the Doom Guard, he retreated to browse the current registry.  Sure enough, there were many rooms with such items on the upper right side of the palace¡¯s left-wing.

    Tiffany reluctantly guided her back, and they discovered the area in question; Federico, the Curator, was present with a piece of paper.  He lifted his gaze to them; much of his left arm and parts of his exposed right leg showed muscle and bone since he was only a Rare-Grade intelligent minion and would require more time to restore his physical form.

    ¡°I heard from Lord Edmon that the Ladies Tiffany and Violet were in search of glowing stones that held power.¡±  He commented, pointing to the corner of the room.  ¡°I have organized the ones we¡¯ve found upon the table there ¡­ in the back.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s bright smile had returned on their walk over, but Violet sensed a disquiet within the Witch after their trip to the humming room of power.  ¡°Wonderful work!  Oh ¡­ look, Vi, white, red, and ¡­ I¡¯d call that gunmetal gray,¡± she giggled.

    Approaching them, Violet wasted no time in her question.  ¡°I am to try and absorb their energies?  They are insignificant compared to the others.¡±

    ¡°Oof ¡­ well, we can only do what we can at the moment,¡± Tiffany mumbled with dissatisfaction.  ¡°Let¡¯s see how they work.¡±

    Complying, Violet popped the tiny gems into her mouth, moving them to her primary decomposition organ with high hopes.  ¡°Hmm ... the process will likely take an hour for just one,¡± Violet admitted, turning back to the Witch.  ¡°I will start with the red since the Empress mentioned it as a possibility of granting a fire element.  Is there something you¡¯d like me to do in the meantime?¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± Tiffany¡¯s lips bunched to the side, absently eyeing a few inventions around the room.  ¡°Your mother has been coming and going, busy as usual; she¡¯s shockingly resistant to the idea of Maids, though,¡± she grumbled.

    The thought hadn¡¯t actually crossed Violet¡¯s mind, which made her reprimand herself.  ¡°What of your Maid?¡±

    The Witch scratched her arm absently, walking to a strange metal device with a light hum.  ¡°Esmeralda?  She¡¯s handling the clean-up at the moment.  It¡¯s a bit difficult without proper materials, but she seemed to be getting by.  The woman¡¯s surprisingly resourceful, but ¡­ um ¡­ no, the next oddity would be your older sister.¡±

    Violet couldn¡¯t help but close her eyes, refraining from letting go of a short sigh.  ¡°What did Camellia do?¡±

    ¡°Oh, not Camellia ¡­ no, Lea is the oddity.¡±

    ¡°Lea?¡±  Violet questioned, vision falling to the floor as Federico moved to a new table.  ¡°She was sent east, correct?¡±  She asked, able to identify her sister¡¯s general location with her high rank within the Nexus.

    ¡°Yes, she still hasn¡¯t returned ¡­ the issue is her movements, rather than her timing,¡± Tiffany explained.  ¡°She¡¯s underground, far underground, and has been there for some time, going below what I or even your mother expected.¡±

    ¡°I see.  Am I to see what happened to her?¡±

    ¡°Once your mother returns,¡± Tiffany nodded.  ¡°It¡¯s been a discussion between us throughout the day, but it¡¯s not as if we expect anything to be wrong ¡­ it¡¯s just a precaution.  Iris will be back within the hour.¡±

    Tiffany said that but her mother entered the city ten minutes later, and Violet¡¯s orders were reinforced by the top Assassin.  She took off to the east side of the jungle with a bit of interest; it was rare for their mother to be concerned about Azalea; Camellia usually held her worries.

    Violet was glad to have a bit of time away from the capital; she enjoyed a leisurely stroll through the jungle every so often when alive, searching for silk design inspiration, and couldn¡¯t identify anything nearby even remotely capable of providing a worthy hunt for her middle sister, much less pose a danger to the peppy Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    The environmental changes that had occurred over the last century fascinated Violet as she observed the low valley.  She dissolved the red gem after descending to the next canyon¡¯s lower levels and immediately sensed the benefits; the Empress had been right; absorbing the jewels would grant her vital effects.

    By deconstructing the elemental outer casing and analyzing the force within, she could fuse those energies into her DNA.  Not only her silk, but Violet¡¯s own body gained a minor increase in Fire Resistance.

    However, the issue came with her relatively minor experience in dismantling elemental forces; she would need a lot of practice before attempting something as complicated and dense as the fruit Tiffany had asked for.  This little gem may not have been much, but it opened up a world of possibilities that excited her.

    Returning to the hunt, she quickly picked up her sister¡¯s trail, disregarding most of it since she could sense her general location, and was a little confused when her sister finally got in contact with her through the Nexus.

    ¡°Vi!  Oh, you won¡¯t believe what I¡¯ve found,¡± Azalea cheered.  ¡°There are some crazy black hands that are pretty dangerous underground!¡±

    Violet paused on a low hanging tree branch.  Black hands?  Are you in danger?

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t really say in danger, but it certainly is dangerous!¡±  She giggled.  ¡°I¡¯ve been exploring all these caves ¡­ some are really, really big, and I¡¯ve found Quen¡¯Talrat remains in a few.  Mmh ¡­ I¡¯ve been hauling them around because I thought the Empress might enjoy them, but these black hands can be a bit annoying.¡±

    Reading between the lines, Violet¡¯s armored abdomen fell a little with exasperation.  ... You¡¯re lost, aren¡¯t you?

    ¡°You¡¯re always so sharp, Vi!¡±  Azalea replied in a shameless tone.  ¡°Well ¡­ I can¡¯t really go back the way I came, and I¡¯ve never really been down this far, so ¡­ yeah, it¡¯s been an adventure,¡± she laughed.

    Violet continued along her path, easily scaling the nearby bluff.  Lea ¡­ if there is danger, you should have come back to report it.  She chastised.

    ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, Vi; you know I totally am!¡±  Azalea snickered.  ¡°I just need to do some investigating before all that; it was super important to figure out what this new stuff is ¡­ oh, maybe you can figure it out!  Go over to that big pit ¡­ you know, where that gray-furred Quen¡¯Talrat girl made a base.¡±

    Feeling a little exasperated that she had to come all the way out here to discover her sister¡¯s carefree personality had been the cause of the Royal Court¡¯s worry, she ran to the edge of the large bluff separating the valley, noting the changed structure.

    However, her annoyance melted away once she made it to the opposite side.  Lea ¡­ there¡¯s a massive hole in the valley.

    ¡°I know!  Isn¡¯t it amazing?  It goes so far down; I don¡¯t even know how deep it is because of the fog.¡±

    Knowing she wasn¡¯t going to get anywhere with how excited her sister was, Violet switched tactics.  Just burrow your way up.  I¡¯ll do a little testing, and then we¡¯ll head back to report.

    ¡°Hehe, I knew you¡¯d be interested!  What about going back to report first?¡±

    If she were in her human form, a blush would have touched Violet¡¯s cheeks.  I need to identify the threat myself ¡­ you were the one that said I could do it better.

    ¡°Right, right?  Of course, you¡¯d be able to figure out more than I could; you¡¯re so talented, Vi!  I just wanted to jump in and have a little fun on the way down, but then that thing attacked me, and ¡­ wow, it is pretty fast, and it destroyed my web on contact.  Interested?  Interested?¡±

    She was.

    ¡­ I¡¯ll get back to you.

    ¡°Hehe.¡±

    Just get up here!  Violet grunted.

    ¡°Coming!¡±

    Violet changed back to her human form as it came up again, jumping off the edge of the cliff while keeping her clothes in their proper place with her thread.  Her hair extended, breaking the weight of her fall before wrapping around her waist; she knew it would be more efficient to utilize it rather than cut it off.

    Reaching the location, Violet stared down at the swirling mass of fog below, observing the shape it created.  It¡¯s not natural.

    Her focus shifted to the blackened walls, abnormal cut of the stone, and colossal size of the fissure.  This was dug out ¡­ something massive burrowed into the earth¡­

    ¡°Well, what do you think?¡±  Azalea asked, already running through the jungle to meet up with her after burrowing to the surface.  ¡°By the way, there¡¯s a layer that¡¯s super, super dense down there ¡­ I think I chipped a nail punching through it.¡±

    Chipped a nail ¡­ with a punch?  Violet snickered.

    ¡°Hehe, funny, right?  No, but really!  I was clawing through stone, you know, without a problem, and then, oof ¡­ a snag!  I mean, really?  I grabbed a chunk to show mom.¡±

    Good ¡­ you just jumped inside?  Did you even take the time to realize this fissure isn¡¯t natural?

    ¡°Uh ¡­ maybe.  I was just so excited!  Oh, oh, did you see it yet?¡±

    No ¡­ give me a bit of time to understand it.  Okay?

    ¡°Gah ¡­ you¡¯re so slow!¡±

    Violet severed her connection to Azalea; when her sister was pent up with excitement, Violet couldn¡¯t think clearly, and it mostly stemmed from her constant goading.

    There is something within, and if¡­

    Her thoughts trailed off, and Violet leaned closer, stomach churning while identifying a pulse of unfamiliar energy.  Even with all the mysterious forces within the room Tiffany had brought her to, this was something entirely different and unrelated.

    ¡­ That¡¯s definitely dangerous ¡­ yet it hides, waiting for its prey to spring its trap.

    A smile touched Violet¡¯s black lips as her hair unwound around her waist, lowering hundreds of thousands of tiny threads of silk into the pit to spread out in a mass of invisible feelers.

    Azalea soon joined her in human form, glancing down with a giddy squeal.  ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯re doing?  Oh, I love it!  How will it respond?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the question,¡± Violet whispered, hair follicles wrapping around the entire width of the valley¡¯s scar, weaving closer and closer to the ground.  ¡°... It¡¯s a lot more tiring than I thought it¡¯d be, though,¡± she mumbled.

    The two sisters watched the clouds for a reaction, and Violet spotted it first, followed by Azalea soon after.  Five black smoky shaped hands shot to the edges from within the fog but momentarily hesitated; Violet continued inching the invisible silk further into the fathomless abyss.

    Ominous waves fluctuated off the shapes, three times bigger than The White God; Violet hummed softly.  ¡°It¡¯s not quite as dangerous as I first thought ¡­ here it comes.¡±

    Both Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were hidden by their skills, and it seemed the hands couldn¡¯t detect them on the surface; so instead, they lashed out at the edges, rising with rapid motions to attack blindly, and the two sisters discovered the hands were disembodied after observing it leave the fog, cut off at the wrist.

    Violet¡¯s estimation of the things heightened as it passed through some of her threads.  Rot ¡­ it¡¯s an energy that accelerates decay!

    Azalea was just as shocked.  ¡°Rot?  Shoot, that¡¯s ¡­ concerning.  I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t get caught up in it.  How is your silk?¡±

    Protected to a certain degree ¡­ for what reason, I¡¯m not entirely sure, but that¡¯s enough information to bring back to the Royal Court.  If there is an enemy like this, then it does require our attention.

    Cutting off her hair, she left it lining the walls for further analysis while away, turning to find a large ball of bones wrapped tightly in a light blue silk sack; her sister was giving her a toothy grin.  ¡°Well?  What do you think?  Impressive?  Impressive?¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    ¡°Aww, don¡¯t be like that, Vi!¡±  Azalea groaned.  ¡°I did good!¡±

    After a moment, Violet relented, giving her a smile.  ¡°Yes ¡­ you did well.¡±

    ¡°Hehe!  Okay, don¡¯t lag behind; it¡¯d be embarrassing if the youngest gets back last while I¡¯m carrying ¡­ Hey, give it back!¡±  Azalea cried as Violet darted by, snatching the silk ball and throwing it a dozen meters into the air before catching up to it and racing back to the fortress with her sister on her tail; the shadows moved up the walls, searching for prey, but far from a threat now that the pair had decided to leave.

    Azalea¡¯s yells soon became squeals of joy as they tossed the sack of Quen¡¯Talrat bones back and forth.  It didn¡¯t take them that long to return, taking part in a somber meeting as all the reports came in.

 B2 â€” 13. Threatening Forces Abound

    A soft smile played at the corners of Elinor¡¯s lips while watching her nighttime valley; Iris had returned, currently hiding inside her shadow while her maids silently stood around her.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s private room was a rather grand space; although, it was surprisingly bare compared to what she¡¯d imagine from the massive ape.  There were dozens of curious items, but identifying all of the artifacts she¡¯d inherited after taking control of the dark city would come in time.

    Theresa had sung several songs over the hours, but currently, Elinor was enjoying the stillness while exploring her Empire.  Between studying the valley, city, minions, and new citizens, watching them through her Unintelligent Undead, she¡¯d learned a lot.

    She shifted to the opposite side of her silken throne, resting her cheek against the back of her hand and crossing her legs to the right.  It was nearing the time she¡¯d need to pay her daily Death Energy toll to death, but Tiffany told her things had been prepared in advance.

    Her gaze shifted between areas of the valley.

    To the left were Violet and Azalea; they seemed to have come together, which put the concern she felt at ease.  Azalea appeared to have found a place much deeper than even Iris was aware of, and the unknown had spurred her into action, sending her sister as support.

    The ruby-colored great lakes beyond the mountains ahead of her hid the Nalvean Empire; Klaus seemed to be on their way back to the Capital, which meant she¡¯d get her first report on their activities.  Although, Camellia was staying behind.  At the pace Klaus was traveling, it would take most of the day to return; it was an impressive speed for over a hundred miles up the massive river.

    In the jungle below, Quin, Garu, and Rigrach were swiftly rising to a level where they¡¯d be able to communicate with her.  The giant Elite Hunter might have even reached that stage, but her orders were for them to stay out, hunting until they could tell her what she wanted to know.

    The piles of extra food their slaughter brought back into the city had caused a stir among the Ri¡¯bot, humans, and Yaltha¡¯ma as Antonietta taught a certain number of them how to cook proper meals.  Ingredients were constantly being brought back by scores of Unintelligent Undead Ri¡¯bot that she¡¯d raised for grunt work.

    Things were currently progressing well; her religious influence was spreading rapidly with the first wave of missionaries Valdar had prepped and sent into the Clanless areas.  Her High Priest was about to begin his journey to the last remaining clan in the valley that hadn¡¯t either left or fallen under her influence.

    The Prume Clan had enjoyed relatively safe isolation from the other Clans, choosing to stay neutral in all conflicts.  Valdar hadn¡¯t even spoken to their Chief in over thirty years after their declaration, but that didn¡¯t mean their borders weren¡¯t patrolled.

    The brown and pink spotted toads held a good territorial height advantage while boasting a decent army in the past.  Valdar would report how they currently stood after his return, likely in the following night.

    Elinor opened a connection with Iris, Tiffany, and Edmon.  We¡¯re teaching everyone about the food here, but when will we be able to leave them to govern themselves, and where will they be housed?

    Edmon was quick to respond to the question; Iris was not interested in contributing to the topic.  ¡°In terms of housing, I am currently sectioning out the city using the maps I¡¯ve found.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma designed it into many districts for a reason, and I think it¡¯d be best to organize the populous into the areas that they¡¯d be the most useful to contribute.¡±

    ¡°I assume the humans would do best in the agriculture district unless you¡¯ve discovered another use for them?¡±  Tiffany asked.

    ¡°Yes, it is a good area for them, but I haven¡¯t had the chance to scout out that section of the city.  Although I believe from what I¡¯ve seen in the designs ¡­ you¡¯ll be speechless,¡± he chuckled.

    ¡°Edmon ¡­ don¡¯t be a tease,¡± Tiffany huffed.  ¡°We have Mauricio as the Groundskeeper for teaching them ¡­ I don¡¯t have the time for something like that,¡± she grumbled.

    Smiling at the Witch¡¯s pout, Elinor cut into the conversation.  You can pop in to see how things are progressing.  Plus, won¡¯t you need to section off an area for Witchcraft ingredients?

    ¡°Of course, but I¡¯d love to explore it,¡± Tiffany sighed.  ¡°Edmon makes it sound truly grand.  C¡¯mon, give me a little more to imagine!¡±

    I¡¯m kind of interested, too.  Elinor mused.

    Edmon released a low laugh.  ¡°How big is the fortress in square miles?¡±

    ¡°Three hundred,¡± Tiffany quickly replied.  ¡°Well, that¡¯s the estimate you gave me.¡±

    ¡°What if I told you fifteen miles is dedicated to greenhouses?¡±

    Elinor calmly rose from her seat, walking around the tower while staring at the massive buildings and towers below; she couldn¡¯t guess what many of the strangely shaped facilities were for, spaced across her colossal fortress.

    Tiffany¡¯s excitement fell at the news.  ¡°Well, don¡¯t get me wrong, this fortress has nearly the same landmass of New York City, and fifteen square miles is a big chunk, but to support how many residential districts?  Does that include rearing animals, too?¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Edmon¡¯s smug voice told Elinor that Tiffany was missing an important detail.  ¡°Are you sure we could really compare this magical city to NYC?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ okay,¡± Tiffany mumbled, ¡°tell me what I¡¯m not grasping, and in my defense, I haven¡¯t looked at the plans.  My focus has been centered on other areas.¡±

    Elinor examined the massive glass structure near the northeast side of the city, and it was indeed quite the spectacle, but upon seeing it, a thought occurred to her.  However, she kept her silence, listening to Edmon¡¯s unfolding visual.

    ¡°How many levels does this fortress hold ¡­ and how big do you suppose each one is?¡±

    With that simple bit of information, Elinor could see the Witch¡¯s mouth drop open.

    ¡°You don¡¯t mean ¡­ thirty levels if I recall, which means ¡­ oh, my.  Fifteen square miles on the surface, and that would change the city¡¯s landmass to ¡­ wow.  Are you telling me we have 450 square miles of agricultural land to work with ¡­ 288,000 acres, and this fortress is 9,000 square miles of real estate?  How would ¡­ the gems can transfer sunlight?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s amused chuckles followed her mental leaps.  ¡°It may not all be functioning properly at this time; I still need to learn more about how these stones work, but according to the designs, yes.  Theoretically, we may even be able to accomplish that.¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­ oh!¡±  Tiffany squealed.  ¡°If we can get our hands on a powerful Arcanist, then she might be able to develop an illusion of the outside world across all the interior, which would mean ¡­ with the transferral of solar energy, we might be able to create thirty levels of outdoors experience.  How fun would that be?  That would definitely mark our city as a potential hotspot for other nations.  There are so many possibilities!¡±

    ¡°Well ¡­ let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves,¡± Edmon mumbled.  ¡°I still need to figure out all of these things ¡­ although, an Arcanist would be nice since these stones would fall more under their specialty.  Also, why can¡¯t the Grand Ritualist do such a great work of art?¡±

    ¡°Ugh ¡­ are you trying to kill all of my free time?¡±

    ¡°Hehe, I see how it is.¡±

    Elinor released a soft sigh, causing her maids to stare at her with concern, but they didn¡¯t press.  So many things I¡¯m missing.  Although, I suppose I¡¯m doing a decent job after two days of beginning my Empire.  So, in short, Edmon, you need to secure 9,000 square miles, which means, I need to expand faster ¡­ I need more Minions ¡­ more followers to support their cost ¡­ the cycle continues.

    ¡°One day at a time!¡±  Tiffany cheered.

    ¡°Agreed.  We have much to do, but we are making progress.  Empires are not built over a weekend.¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond, studying the mass of Jukal continuing to flock to the city.  There haven¡¯t been any attacks, right?

    ¡°No,¡± Iris promptly responded.  ¡°The Jukal have only observed since I killed the previous group.¡±

    ¡­ Ironic, really.  I conquer the Ri¡¯bot of the valley just to be introduced to a new looming threat.

    Tiffany hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°It was bound to happen in this alien world.  We know so little.¡±

    ¡°Not just that,¡± Edmon commented.  ¡°We are busy sinking resources into developing this fortress, spying on the Nalveans, managing the living within the valley, and probing for threats close to him ¡­ to say our efforts are split is an understatement.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m also busy developing the ritual for the religion,¡± Tiffany piped up.

    ¡­ You¡¯re saying I need more minions.  Elinor replied with a slight frown, vision rising to observe the imposing ice-capped mountains the fortress sat at the base of.  I¡¯m open to suggestions.  I¡¯ve already used all of the dead Ri¡¯bot that Camellia recovered from the Delthax.  How long do bones normally last?

    Tiffany moaned softly.  ¡°Contrary to popular belief, not long at all if exposed to most elements; the spider family has an extremely durable framework, which allowed them to last for so long, but after 80 or so years, most Earth bones will crack as the soft collagen inside them deteriorates, even in a coffin.  In a warm, humid jungle?  Yeah, extremely fast.

    ¡°There would need to be exceptional circumstances for them to last ¡­ in dry environments, like the catacombs, bones can, CAN, but not will, last hundreds of years.  If mummified or put into an arid place with very little oxygen, the bone¡¯s deterioration time can be extended by thousands of years since bacteria cannot survive in cold or dry areas and are essentially useless in places without enough oxygen.  That¡¯s why most modern human caskets are built like that.

    ¡°Freezing environments could yield us some decently preserved bones, and I¡¯ve been thinking about these pits the Ri¡¯bot throw their dead into ¡­ there might be some pits that have crystallization properties at the bottom that would also allow you to bring back the creature.¡±

    So ¡­ sending an expedition up the mountain could give me strong minions?

    ¡°It¡¯s possible,¡± Tiffany replied, but she seemed conflicted.  ¡°It¡¯s just improbable that we¡¯d find something so quickly without being pointed in the right direction.¡±

    I¡¯d need to be there to act as a soul detector.  Elinor concluded.  What about fossils?

    ¡°Eh ¡­ well, actually, what most people see as fossils are not actually bones ¡­ to be honest, I¡¯m not confident you could bring back, well, a dinosaur.¡±

    ¡°Dinosaur?¡±  Iris asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll fill you in,¡± Edmon replied, swapping to a private conversation.

    ¡°Ahem ¡­ anyway, the dead rarely last an extended period in their buried forms.  Maybe the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra could find cave-ins that blocked out air and moisture, leaving behind the grizzly fate of those inside, but I wouldn¡¯t get our hopes up.¡±

    ¡­ Alright.  I suppose it¡¯s getting near the time I need to pay the daily price, which means I¡¯ll have enough energy to revive our Head of State.

    She smiled as Edmon¡¯s emotions soured at the news while Tiffany¡¯s excitement rose; the Witch would have fun making the Doom Guard jealous, giving her even more attention, and Elinor felt a new chapter blooming between the pair.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡±  Tiffany cheered.

    There was only silence from Edmon, and Elinor peeked into the conversation Iris was having with the Doom Guard.

    ¡°... I do not understand the need to worship weak creatures of the past that died.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t really call it worshiping them,¡± Edmon mumbled.

    ¡°... This religion business continues to confound.  These creatures are given ritualistic burials and monuments yet not worshiped?  You construct buildings around them, visit and craft symbols around them, give up resources to, and study both throughout your life.  Some humans dedicate their lives to the creed, yet don¡¯t worship them?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ suppose some people could make a religion around it or could be seen to worship them, but it¡¯s not the primary purpose.¡±

    ¡°Regardless of the purpose, the actions are present, are they not?¡±

    ¡°In some regard.¡±

    ¡°...¡±

    Elinor left the discussion with a lifted eyebrow.  Iris certainly has a different brain than humans.

    Announcing her direction, Elinor took the elevator to the tower¡¯s ground level, leaving her maids in the center of the galaxy-like hall.  Tiffany was waiting by the left wall where a table had been placed.

    Her heeled boots creased the grass as she made her way to the beaming Witch, anxiously waiting for Elinor to inspect her work.

    The table seemed to have been crafted into a decagon recently by Mauricio, constructed for human use; a complicated occult design was burned into the green wood with all three of the glowing white poms inside.

    Elinor walked around it with an entertained hum.  Okay, Tiffany, I¡¯ll bite.  What did you do?

    ¡°Oh, this was a work of art!¡±  Tiffany squealed, pointing at different sections of the table.  ¡°These fruits hold an incredible amount of energy, and so, I decided to use them against each other to form a containment field; their own force will be used to suppress them, while Death Energy can pass through unimpeded.

    ¡°This white section here ¡­ this is a controllable link to all three, allowing you to siphon off the energy safely ¡­ well, at least somewhat safely, but the design will glow red when there is a danger of the ritual breaking.¡±

    Excellent ¡­ which means I just need to use Life Tap?  She asked, activating the ability, and sure enough, the corrupted Life Force was pulled from the link Tiffany had shown her.  Hmm ¡­ well done, Tiffany.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±

    Elinor extracted the fruits¡¯ energy until the time the toll came, draining a massive chunk of what she¡¯d gained, but her cheer fell as the ritual¡¯s black markings slowly brightened with a red light, and once the time passed, she ceased the extraction.

    Tiffany¡¯s nerves had continued to spike as the time passed, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she stopped Life Tap.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Hehe ¡­ it seems I was right to worry.  They are releasing a lot of energy ¡­ almost more than can be cycled through, but if things continue as before, then they¡¯ll retreat.  Perhaps we should leave, though ¡­ just to be sure.¡±

    She heeded the Witch¡¯s advice, but her vision lingered on the table as they left.  I couldn¡¯t gather the amount I needed for a Transcendent Spirit ¡­ in fact, it was less than last night.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ that is troubling,¡± Tiffany mumbled.

    The door was closed behind them, and Elinor returned to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s former room, now hers, speaking to Tiffany as she went to perform more study on the religious rituals; her maids joined her, silently waiting for any order she might give.

    ¡°It might be an issue of filtering with my ritual.¡±

    Or the fruits themselves are becoming resistant.  Elinor replied.  After everything Violet discovered ¡­ it¡¯s a possibility that these fruits could be evolving, and whatever creature they might produce would be my greatest enemy.

    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible ¡­ to be fair, they may not be eggs at all.  We simply don¡¯t know enough about them.¡±

    Which is why I need you to spend what extra time you have figuring them out.  Is it possible to ¡­ no, that would require moving the Ri¡¯bot into the space.

    ¡°Um, yeah, I would advise against moving my research lab into the room ¡­ after Violet¡¯s insights, there is a delicate balance that could be upset by spilling blood or other such things inside.¡±

    This might be more¡­

    Elinor¡¯s thoughts paused as Iris appeared beside her, peeling away from her shadow, and her eyes shone with a deadly red light.  ¡°Empress, Violet and Azalea have returned to the city with urgent news.  A new enemy creeps below the surface.¡±

    Edmon and Tiffany were instantly brought into the conversation as Violet explained the black clawed energy that attacked them.

    A field of rot energy?  Elinor asked with growing concern.  Are the Undead susceptible to something like that?

    ¡°Undoubtedly,¡± Tiffany replied, tone mirroring hers.  ¡°Edmon has excellent resistances to nearly all forms of energy, but I only have moderate resistances.  Violet appears to have higher resilience since she is of such a high Grade, but Azalea may not be so lucky.¡±

    Edmon stepped into the conversation.  ¡°While your Undead can function within a field of Rot-based energy, once it reaches their bones, then it is over for them.¡±

    Iris¡¯s response silenced everyone, leaving her regal tone the only voice spoken for a time as they thought.

    ¡°I am more concerned about the location.  If Valdar is to be believed, the Avana created that hole.  An investigation needs to be made.  Was the Avana there for whatever lurks below, or the Gray Queen?  Perhaps both were involved with the dark force?  Were there three parties involved, more, and was there some underlying reason for Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma selecting that location for his fortress?

    ¡°Is this force an instinctual act, an artifact, or the work of intelligent creatures living far below the valley¡¯s surface?¡±

    All very good questions, which had the Royal Court¡¯s minds swimming for the best path forward, but it was Azalea that came with an answer.

    ¡°Oh, Empress!  I found a bunch of Quen¡¯Talrat bones down there, too; I wrapped them up to bring back.  I dug into this place that was pretty dusty ¡­ the ceiling was really hard, and I chipped a nail!  I brought some back to show my mom¡­¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s enthusiasm bled through the Nexus.  ¡°Lea, you beautiful, beautiful little princess!¡±

    ¡°I am?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone lifted dramatically.  ¡°Huh ¡­ we have Quen¡¯Talrat that were probably present during the time of the Gray Queen, and a new substance that Tiffany can analyze that might give us some information regarding the lower layers.  Excellent work, Azalea.¡±

    Iris¡¯s calm voice followed.  ¡°Exceptional, both of you.¡±

    The little blue spider-girl was practically melting from the praise, insides squirming with delight, and Elinor was afraid her mother¡¯s words might have knocked her unconscious by the heat she felt through the Nexus.

    Violet took the praise well on the surface, but not one member of the Royal Court couldn¡¯t sense the youngest spider sister¡¯s internal screams of pleasure.

    ¡°Bring them to the tower immediately,¡± Iris instructed.

    When the two sisters arrived, Elinor was a little amused by the massive ball of silk carrying all the bones.  Now would be the time to see if she could increase her Undead Capacity to return the apes, but before that, she needed to assess their Grade.

    Her butterflies blazed to life from the fire that burst across her arms, flaring out to hover around the silk as the sisters untangled the mess; Violet seemed almost perturbed with her sister¡¯s silk craft, and the middle sister was a little embarrassed with her younger sibling sorting through her sloppy handiwork.

    The thoughts quickly died upon discovering the spirits trapped within, mouth watering with anticipation; these didn¡¯t need to level up to speak their secrets.

    She fed her desire into increasing her Minion Pool:

    Base Lich (Race) Abilities:

    Minion Pool I:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Skill, Death-Type, Level Six, Rookie Grade, Rank Nine.  Increases Elinor¡¯s Minion Pool.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Intelligent: 69 (Previous 30; 29 used)</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Unintelligent: 329 (Previous 150; 126 used)</li>

    </ul>

    Elinor found the exact number of the expansion rather dubious, and if she didn¡¯t know any better, figured the System might have a sense of humor.  It was quickly overshadowed as the sisters finally unraveled the tight bundle of thread, and she brought the six Elite Quen¡¯Talrat back to life, giving her 35 Intelligent Undead.

    Green flames sent eerie lights across Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s floors and ceiling, causing each skeleton to release an ominous breath as life returned to them, and a decent chunk of her remaining energy from the fruits left her.

    The six imposing figures rose into the air, muscle, fat, sinew, veins, tendons, skin, nails, and fur forming from the fire; most weren¡¯t complete, showing bone and muscle, but one stood taller than the rest, parts of its chest, arms, and back showing muscle, but no bone.

    She had her hands on five Heroic and one Epic Quen¡¯Talrat, the same rank as Camellia; this must have been an elite squad that met their end in the tunnels below.

    Elinor was a little surprised the one in front of her only had two arms and two legs; its tail was just as long as Quin¡¯s, and it had two ape-like heads, but the pure muscle on the creature was more than a little intimidating.  Still, it stood at least 23-feet tall, towering over everyone present.

    The other five Heroic spirits weren¡¯t nearly as large but managed to make it 18-feet, standing above Quin.  She started to feel a bit bad for her first Elite Hunter.

    ¡°Welcome to my Empire,¡± Elinor greeted as all six smacked their chests with a deep grunt, making a thunderous boom sound throughout the chamber before dropping to a knee and lowering their heads to her.

    Expectedly, the largest spoke, in a shockingly feminine voice.  ¡°I heard the call, and I serve.¡±  Her frosty glowing eyes opened while rising to face her while the others kept their heads lowered.  ¡°What am I to accomplish?¡±

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully, having the Unintelligent Skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat move her chair to her.  Sitting, she crossed her legs while eyeing the imposing creatures.

    Some of her maids were appraising the giants with impressed emotions feeding through her connection to them, while Iris was unsurprisingly disappointed in their quality.

    The restraint and discipline within the six impressed Elinor, though; they had many questions swirling around their skulls, but orders came first, and they would obey without batting an eye.

    ¡°First, tell me about yourselves; the only other Quen¡¯Talrat I¡¯ve spoken to was Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.¡±  Sensing the hope and strength the name brought, Elinor shook her head.  ¡°He wished to serve no creature after his death, and I granted him that boon.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± the leader replied with a grave sigh, intense blue eyes falling to the floor.  ¡°The Great Ke was truly marvelous ¡­ and I sense the same strength within you, my Empress.  It will be an honor to serve the Empire.¡±

    Standing high, she released rumbles in her throat and made extravagant hand gestures that seemed to be a part of their language.  ¡°I am Amra¡¯Cora, daughter of Ka¡¯Roga¡¯Amra, the Gray Queen of the Silver Plane¡¯s Blood.  Behind me is my troop.  Is there anything the Empress wishes to know specifically?¡±

    Elinor knew a bit from the Nexus, but having the commander¡¯s name was enough.  ¡°I will learn more about you as time allows; for now, tell me how you died?¡±

    Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s nose creased, releasing a dark growl.  ¡°The Ka was invested in keeping our location; she was convinced an artifact from the North would give us the power to destroy the other races that had surrounded us, and so we dug below the foundations of the fortress.¡±

    ¡°Searching for something?¡±  Tiffany cut in, still in the basement, working on her rituals.

    ¡°Yes, but for what the Ka wished to find, I am unsure.  There were creatures below; they feared our flames but had other means of combating us.  We were ambushed; they were not like the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra,¡± she stated, glancing over at the Queen with a low hum.

    ¡°These creatures used a dark force that could rot the flesh, but it seemed that their intent was not on defense, but attack; they burrowed through the earth to attack the keep once aware of us.

    ¡°My squad were sent on a mission to discover a path through the shadowy traps they set, but ¡­ we were sealed in with some kind of strong sticky substance that swiftly hardened ¡­ that is the last that I remember.¡±

    ¡°This stuff?¡±  Azalea asked, using her two front spider-legs to hold up a chunk of stone the size of a man¡¯s head.

    ¡°... Yes, it seems like the same,¡± Amra¡¯Cora concluded upon closer inspection.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ it¡¯s pretty tough stuff!¡±  Azalea mumbled, tapping it with the back of her spear-like leg.  ¡°It damaged my exoskeleton,¡± she huffed.  ¡°Just a little, but still!  I found you guys inside the space, all wrapped up in the stuff, and I thought the Empress might have use of you; so, I chipped ya out ¡­ took a little bit, hehe.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Tiffany mused.  ¡°Edmon, if it can be¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Edmon replied before she even got six words out.  ¡°I could use something like that as a sealant!  If it¡¯s hard enough to make a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra complain, then it¡¯s bound to be a useful material we could incorporate, and it started out as a liquid?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Amra¡¯Cora replied, glancing between Azalea and Elinor.  ¡°It was the first time I was made aware of such a thing.  None of my weapons or abilities allowed me to escape.¡±

    ¡°Do you know about something called the Avana?  A gigantic flying reptile?¡±  Tiffany pressed.

    ¡°I do not.  I have heard of large creatures such as that in the far north, but we were born after the Great Northern Occupation.  Few of the warriors that left returned; only the most powerful survived.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly.  ¡°I was under the impression tens of thousands of Quen¡¯Talrat entered the North, even hundreds of thousands?¡±

    Amra¡¯Cora nodded.  ¡°84,007 to be exact, or at least from what the Ka told the Blood.¡±

    How she talked about her mother made Elinor aware of the relationship they shared; Amra¡¯Cora may have been the daughter of one of the most powerful Quen¡¯Talrat in existence, but their society likely was entirely based on strength, not birthright, and Elinor could sense a bit of self-loathing hidden within the female warrior ape when mentioning her mom.

    ¡°The strongest went, leaving the weaker forces behind to tend to the land and prepare for their return ¡­ 769 came back.  I was among those left to help govern ¡­ and we maintained the Blood Union.  Our people flourished within the years they were away, and we grew to untold numbers, expanding south as we were directed by the Ke¡­¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Elinor interjected.  ¡°I¡¯ll enjoy the recount later, but for now, we must identify the creatures you fought.  Did you ever see them?¡±

    Amra¡¯Cora shook her head with a depressed sigh.  ¡°We did not, but there were reports of others encountering them.  They are both solid and ethereal, an ability similar to the white Ri¡¯bot that the Black King eradicated, but these creatures could do much more, changing their shape and attacking as dark energy.¡±

    ¡°They burrowed, though,¡± Edmon pushed, ¡°meaning they cannot pass through solid objects, or at least not for a certain distance.¡±

    ¡°Correct.¡±  The giant gray-furred ape scratched her muscular chest with irritation.  ¡°Fire repelled them, but there was a special fog they¡¯d use within the tunnels that would force our flames to dim.  Our imbued weapons could counter many of their dark magic, but that substance was something new, something we were not prepared for.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s interest piqued.  ¡°You understand how the stones around the city function?¡±

    ¡°Yes, to a degree,¡± Amra¡¯Cora stated, sounding a bit confused about why he wouldn¡¯t.  ¡°The technology and resources were mined from the Amaranthine Forest; To¡¯Reha¡¯Je, King of the Blood Throne, was left behind after their return to oversee the gathering.  It revolutionized our entire civilization ¡­ allowing for the construction of our fortresses.¡±

    ¡°Excellent!  You¡¯ll be able to give me a rundown of everything you know, then,¡± Edmon replied in almost an uncharacteristic cheer.

    ¡°Great, you¡¯ve found new toys to play with,¡± Tiffany giggled.  ¡°So, in short, we do have an enemy below us ¡­ and they can burrow.  It seems like we have a fairly deadly neighbor to contend with ¡­ the question is, should we be friends or enemies?¡±

    ¡°That depends on their response,¡± Edmon returned.  ¡°The issue is communication.  We need to find one that is dead, or kill one ourselves.¡±

    Having heard enough, Elinor set the issue to rest.  ¡°We¡¯ll wait for Klaus to return with news from the south ¡­ we need to pick our battles.  In the meantime, Iris, we need someone watching that pit.¡±

    Iris¡¯s eyes slid to Adoncia, her maid, which caused a lump to drop down the girl¡¯s neck, and Elinor couldn¡¯t be sure if she¡¯d actually choose her for the task just to rid herself of the maid, but in the end, her intimidating red irises slid to her youngest daughter.

    ¡°Violet, scout the area and set up surveillance webs to find any threats, including the caves.  If these creatures are moving below our feet or within the jungle, find them.¡±

    Violet swiftly left to complete the order, her own beloved personal maid, Valerie, helping her with the elevator since her human form was on cooldown.  Elinor could tell Adoncia was a bit jealous of the different treatment the other maids received but kept her peace, glad she didn¡¯t have to take on the dangerous job.

    Elinor started to retract her oversight within her Nexus; it was so much more fun to guess her minions'' current temperaments as they interacted with one another, but she still chose to cheat every once in a while.

    ¡°Alright,¡± she hummed, turning to stare down at the valley; Klaus was still a few hours away, and it seemed as if he was taking the boat.  However, Quin and Rigrach were now running through the streets, indicating the bird had reached an acceptable level to speak.  ¡°Amra¡¯Cora, you¡¯ll leave to spend time with Edmon.  Your squad will also help with the city¡¯s repairs; I¡¯m sure he could use your brute strength.¡±

    ¡°As you command,¡± she replied, and Elinor was still a little shocked at the feminine flare to her tone.

    Everyone left her except Iris and her maids; she learned later that Valerie had joined Violet in the jungle, acting as a messenger in case news needed to be sent.  Some of the maids, Emelina, for instance, had no issues getting dirty, but others still held a bit of a detest for the muddy jungle outside the fortress, Valerie was included in that group, but she soldiered through.

    When Rigrach and Quin finally came into her Nexus¡¯s distance, she heard her mount speak for the first time, and her opinion instantly changed.  ¡°We are back, and the task is complete, Empress!¡±  The female voice reported.

    Quin?  I ¡­ thought you were a male.

    ¡°I am whatever my Empress needs me to be,¡± she replied in a cheerful tone.  She suddenly slowed, Rigrach swiftly outpacing her.  ¡°... You have raised more of my people?¡±

    Yes, she goes by the name of Amra¡¯Cora.

    ¡°... Daughter of Ka¡¯Roga¡¯Amra?¡±

    That¡¯s right.  Is that a problem?

    ¡°No ¡­ no, Empress.  She is a strong Elite Hunter ¡­ unlike I.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ well, you have other talents.

    ¡°... Yes, I do.  Thank you, Empress,¡± she mumbled, going silent.

    Elinor was half-tempted to invade her privacy, but in the end, decided to let it stand.  If more attention was needed, then it could be handled later.

    Rigrach, you can speak?

    The utter personification of a manly voice responded.  ¡°I would not dream of staying silent after my Empress addresses me!¡±

    Right ¡­ okay, Rigrach, can you tell me why your fellow Jukal are here ¡­ in my valley?

    ¡°To follow the Supreme Molifoph¡¯s commands, my Empress!  His lovely voice has guided us beyond words to speak.¡±

    What does he command?

    ¡°Our tiny brains cannot hope to understand the almighty Molifoph; such the same as I cannot comprehend your magnificence!¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s tittering laughter fed to her through a private connection.  ¡°Haha!  He¡¯s adorable!¡±

    You mean, an idiot¡­

    ¡°Can¡¯t they be one and the same sometimes?¡±  Tiffany pleaded with a lingering giggle.  ¡°Oh, I love him already!¡±

    Elinor returned to the bird with exasperation.  I see ¡­ where is the Supreme Molifoph?

    ¡°On the great peak; in the grandest cave; with the most exquisite beauties; he sits on high, directing the young with his everlasting wisdom!¡±

    ¡­ He¡¯s on a very big mountain, got it ¡­ how far north?

    ¡°To look north is to see the glorious nest of him who hath grasped the sky, torn it asunder, and crafted an egg!¡±

    Tiffany came to her rescue.  ¡°Oh, lovely!  He¡¯s just up the mountain from us, then?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, my most exquisite beauty of the puzzling words!¡±

    Why would he call you that?  Why?  Elinor asked in utter dismay.  What¡¯s with that way of speaking?

    Iris¡¯s voice entered her mind.  ¡°Azalea has reported hearing similar conversations filling the streets.¡±

    Tiffany forced a chuckle.  ¡°Oof ¡­ actually, having thousands of squawking birds that you can suddenly understand ¡­ yeah, kind of annoying.  I can see it.¡±

    The thought of terminating Rigrach¡¯s life actually crossed her mind for half a second, but in the end, she relented.  ¡­ We need to understand them, and if I can get a bunch of them ¡­ do you think Unintelligent Undead can store information?

    ¡°Oh, good question!¡±  Tiffany praised.  ¡°If you could gain that ability, then they can fly over the land, recording information for us to process.  Although, I¡¯d suggest getting a Communications Intelligent Undead to process it all.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ that¡¯s a really good idea.

    Connecting to the bird again, Elinor asked, how big is the Supreme Molifoph, and is he as big as ¡­ like a mountain?

    ¡°Oh, negative, my Empress!  The glowing gem of the starlit north is the burning shadow of unending fire, toppling mountains in her unyielding streams of smoldering air!  The Supreme Molifoph is the grand Jukal, the leader, the supreme!  It is his ultimate glory that receives the messages of the divine light of the sky!¡±

    Well ¡­ okay, then.  Not a giant dragon.  I suppose we have a reason to go up the mountain now.

    ¡°It seems so,¡± Tiffany mused.

    Elinor sighed, telling Rigrach to listen to his people and gain an idea of what the current topic was while waiting for Klaus.

 B2 â€” 14. Iâ€™m Bored

    Elinor spent the next few hours splitting her concentration between conversations within her Nexus, gathering bits of news that she found interesting or relevant.  Plans were forming in her mind, and once Klaus arrived to deliver his own speech, it would help her decide how to proceed.

    She sent Iris to scout the base of the cluster of colossal snowy mountains to their north that overshadowed the city, elevated on their large ridge.  Azalea had taken the duty of protecting her, practicing her stealth skills on her mother¡¯s prompt.

    After a short visit from Quin, she sent the female Quen¡¯Telrat to resume leveling by ridding her territory of predators.  She seemed to be from the Black Blood; the Quen¡¯Talrat used the word Blood to describe the various major tribes, and the sleek, dark fur of the four-armed ape-woman was actually fairly beautiful.

    Quin let her know that she was considered one of the weakest of all Elite Hunters, which marked her as a target for harassment when she was alive, and the fact she died facing one of the white Ri¡¯bot seemed to be somewhat disgraceful in her mind.

    However, the news gave her an important piece of information; Garu was from the Etherial Clan, which would further help her understand more about the mysterious tribe.

    Amra¡¯Cora and her companions had been added to the city repair labor force, and things were progressing noticeably faster with a few sections of the fortress¡¯s power grid being activated with the ape¡¯s understanding of certain functions.

    There appeared to be damage that needed to be repaired after such a long time with minimum maintenance from the Yaltha¡¯ma, but with her rudimentary guidance, she swiftly took over the small monkey-bird fleet, identifying which areas required the most attention.

    Emelina sent Aileen to receive her next meal from Antoniette upon the cook sending word that the food was nearly prepared while the two remaining maids went through the clothes Violet had crafted, selecting a change of attire after her lunch.

    The food the maid returned with excited Elinor; she didn¡¯t need to eat, but the act was more than enjoyable.  Her cook had prepared something resembling gingery chicken soup with zucchini and a grass-like noodle; it included new vegetables, spices, and meat with a very rich broth.

    As a side, there was a salad with unique nuts and juicy vegetables that resembled squash but acted more like a tomato replacement, and a seasoned orange potato replacement that was a bit sweeter than even its sweet variant, acting almost as a dessert.  She was delighted to see bread, too, but was totally oblivious to what type of flour, and better yet, all of it was quite warm.

    Personal utensils, crafted from wood beforehand were delivered, and a plain table set up that would be replaced with far more elegant furniture in the future.  Once finished eating, she cleaned her lips with a washed piece of cloth.

    Her maids disrobed her, placing her clothes on another rack constructed by Violet that indicated old garments.  Elinor changed the direction the women were going upon seeing the dress they¡¯d debated about.  ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m feeling a bit bolder today; let¡¯s move to the Steampunk line.¡±

    ¡°Steampunk¡­¡±  Emelina hummed thoughtfully, lips lifting while identifying the options.  ¡°How about the crimson blouse with those tight black reflectant pants ¡­ they almost seem leather.  The high-neck, deep rouge and black coat with the black belt would fit the theme.¡±

    ¡°I do like the folded cuffs of the jacket and black embroidered flair; it does flavor the blouse, and these Gothic-Punk knee-high lace boots would compliment the combination,¡± Theresa added.  ¡°It fascinates me that Violet can craft all of these items out of various styles of silk-weaving.¡±

    ¡°She is quite talented!¡± Azalea chimed in, appearing beside them from thin-air.  ¡°She owes me a bunch of outfits, too,¡± she snickered.  ¡°I won a bet.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Elinor asked, accepting the maids¡¯ suggestion.  ¡°Tell me the story.¡±

    Azalea jumped into the recount, adding fun bits of information that she could identify through her phenomenal sensory abilities while on the hunt for the foolish Ri¡¯bot that tried to spy on them.

    The maids dressed her, and upon a thought, Elinor¡¯s crown transformed into an elegant Gothic tiara, burning with Death Energy.

    The spider sister paused while watching the change.  ¡°... Vi showed up ¡­ oh, that¡¯s pretty!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it,¡± Elinor replied with a smile.

    Sensing her desire before she even had to ask, the maids began to work on her hair, crafting it into a cross half-up five-strand Dutch braid, leaving her white locks to fan out across her lower back.

    Finished with her preparations, Elinor returned to her silken throne, watching the midday sun float across the heavens while tracking Klaus¡¯ progress.  He was moving slower than she¡¯d first thought, which made perfect sense since he was traveling upriver.  It would take most of the day to reach the fortress.

    Upon that conclusion, she turned her attention back to Edmon¡¯s education on the gems.  There were many types that each required special designs etched into them or cut in a particular manner to achieve specific actions; they were basically an entire computer chip¡¯s raw components that required certain knowledge to craft.

    The Quen¡¯Talrat manufacturing district was in the far northern section of the city, meaning it would be a bit of time before they could properly set up the production of more and learned the craftsmanship since that hadn¡¯t been Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s specialty.  There were spares they¡¯d found around the Palace to aid in repairing the surrounding area to activate the base functions of the fortress, such as sewage and water purification, and they¡¯d turned their attention to the agricultural district.

    Food independence would be an essential first step for her growing Holy Empire, and she could slowly feel her follower¡¯s daily actions filling her energy pool.  However, she soon discovered a flaw that needed correcting; yes, she could go over her maximum cap, but the loss was far quicker than it filled.

    Elinor crossed her legs the opposite direction, foot bobbing with Theresa¡¯s haunting hums, volume enhanced with the maid¡¯s ability.  Her green irises lifted to the far right side of the valley where Valdar began proselytizing efforts with the Prume Clan.

    My new issue will be my energy pool capacity, dumping all of my Stats into Constitution again¡­

    Racials:

    <ul>

    <li>Death Pool I: (293DE Cap (258DE Before Investing Points); Currently 299/293DE; Losing 297DE/Hour; Cannot Exceed Max Cap; Drains To Cap) Passive, Summoning, Level Seven, Rookie, Rank Three; this energy source is affected by the Endurance Stat.  The glow of Monarch of Death¡¯s crown jewels and the user¡¯s eyes increase based on its current levels.</li>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Overpowered II: Reactive Link Skill, Summoning, Level Five, Rookie, Rank One; grants a 11%  reduction of Death Energy loss on Energy to a limit of 800% (Max: 2,344 Death Energy) more can be stored temporarily, however that will not be at a reduced loss. Excess Energy has a Decay Rate of 8 hours, plus the amount of loss reduced.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Empress Branch: These skills that force The Empress to behave a certain way, curbing her old habits.

    <ul>

    <li>Herald of the Empress: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 5DE Per Butterfly; Duration: 15 Minutes/Renews Cost To Stay Active; Range: 25 Feet) Active, Cluster Set, Level Five, Rookie, Rank Three; the Empress¡¯ butterflies are used to revive and identify potential minion candidates.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Raise Skeleton:  Active, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Five, Rookie Grade, Rank One; The Empress can select between two Undead options to raise.  Increased levels grant her minions more of their original strength when revived, but the price may increase.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Intelligent: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 25DE (x2 Per Grade) and the Butterfly; Duration: N/A; Maintenance: 2DE Daily/x2 Per Grade); Undead that has their spirits returned to a reformed body.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Color/Grade - DE Cost/Maintenance Cost</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>White/Poor - 30/2</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Green/Common - 55/4</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Yellow/Uncommon - 105/8 (Quin/Garu¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Blue/Rare - 205/16 (Valdar¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Purple/Heroic - 405/32</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Red/Epic - 805/64 (Camellia¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Orange/Legendary - 1,605/128 (Azalea¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Dark Orange/Mythic - 3,205/256 (Violet¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Pearlescent/Transcendent - 6,405/512 (Iris¡¯ Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Unintelligent: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: .5DE (x2 Per Grade) and the Butterfly; Duration: N/A; Maintenance:  .5DE Daily/x2 Per Grade); lifeless husks raised and augmented without the spirit for fodder use.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Color/Grade - DE Cost/Maintenance Cost</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>White/Poor - 5.5/.5</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Green/Common - 6/1</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Yellow/Uncommon - 7/2</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Blue/Rare - 9/4</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Purple/Heroic - 13/8</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Red/Epic - 21/16</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Orange/Legendary - 37/32</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Dark Orange/Mythic - 69/64</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Pearlescent/Transcendent - 133/128</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Daily Maintenance Cost: </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lich¡¯s Conquest: 25DE (If In A Territory Conflict); -15% Total Cost</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Artificial Body: 10DE</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Nexus Of The Empress: 10DE</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Monarch of Death: 50DE</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Intelligent Minions: 2,536DE</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Rarity: # Minions / Individual DE</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Uncommon: 3x / 8</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Rare: 13x / 16</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Heroic: 12x / 32</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Epic: 2x / 64</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Legendary: 1x / 128</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Mythic: 1x / 256</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Transcendent: 3x / 512</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Unintelligent Minions: 74DE</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Poor: 104x / .5</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Common: 22x / 1</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Total Daily Cost: 2,299.25DE (W/Lich¡¯s Conquest)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Total Daily Cost: 2,705DE</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡­ It just keeps rising.  Putting all my Skill Points in¡­

    Racials:

    <ul>

    <li>Death Pool II: (487DE Cap (293DE Before Investing Points); Currently 299/487DE) Passive, Summoning, Level One, Rookie, Rank Three; this energy source is affected by the Endurance Stat.  The glow of Monarch of Death¡¯s crown jewels and the user¡¯s eyes increase based on its current levels.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Overpowered II: Reactive Link Skill, Summoning, Level Five, Rookie, Rank One; grants a 11%  reduction of Death Energy loss on Energy to a limit of 800% (Max: 2,344 Death Energy) more can be stored temporarily, however that will not be at a reduced loss. Excess Energy has a Decay Rate of 8 hours, plus the amount of loss reduced.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    ¡­ Okay, I¡¯ve advanced to the second stage, and it reset the level.  Will I need to get it to ten again?  Well ¡­ I suppose I won¡¯t know until I test it more.  The Proficiency hasn¡¯t changed, though ¡­ hmm.  At least it¡¯s increasing swiftly ¡­ I should try gaining anything that could boost my maximum cap next time.

    Looking back at the costs of raising Intelligent Undead, I can see why Iris and her daughters took about seventy-five percent of my total when I was over eight thousand percent over my cap ¡­ meaning, I had over sixteen thousand DE.  Luckily it didn¡¯t take us that long to get there, otherwise the Decay Rate would¡¯ve chewed through it all.

    Turning her focus away from the daily cost now that she¡¯d more than doubled her previous maximum pool, Elinor returned to the problems at hand.

    She had a deadly, unknown enemy below, some creature high in the mountains that commanded all the Jukal, which might be connected to the Avana, potential issues in the south with the Nalveans, and Yesenia to deal with.

    There were problems within the city, the valley, to her north, and to the south, then there was whatever came of Valdar¡¯s efforts with the Prume Clan to the southwest to consider.

    Oh, hell ¡­ things are getting complicated; here we go ¡­ I need to prioritize.

    Opening up a connection to Edmon and Tiffany, Elinor began the issued meeting.

    I¡¯ve increased my Death Energy cap to 487, but my daily cost has increased to 2,705 without Lich¡¯s Conquest.  The religious Death Energy I¡¯m receiving is currently somewhat sporadic, ranging from 34 to 39 per hour.

    Tiffany hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°Well, at least we¡¯re closing the gap!¡±

    The Religious System will help me sustain a constant amount of Death Energy, but I need more levels to reach that sustainable amount, which means ¡­ I need my forces to kill more.  We have a potential enemy to the north and underground.  What are your opinions?

    Edmon swiftly responded.  ¡°This Supreme Molifoph is the most likely target with all of the Jukal, in my eyes.  The one thing we must confirm is his connection to The Avana.¡±

    ¡°Quite the pompous title, in my humble opinion,¡± Tiffany huffed.  ¡°Supreme what?  Although to err on the side of caution, I¡¯d suggest appointing Iris to the task.  She should be done with the preliminary scan of the mountain¡¯s northern base, soon.¡±

    A recon mission?  Elinor asked, shifting in her seat to lean against the left arm of her silky throne.  Aileen was just returning after cleaning up the dishes and returning them to the kitchen; it was nearing the time where the maids would swap shifts.

    ¡°It would be the best decision, and if she concludes his death would not incite The Avana, then cutting off the head of the birds while bringing it under your control would be very beneficial.¡±

    Taking over the Jukal fleet ¡­ it sounds appealing and appalling at the same time.

    Tiffany giggled.  ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t mind their way of speaking; I find it quite amusing.¡±

    ¡­ Let¡¯s just hope he¡¯s not Transcendent Grade so someone else can deal with them.  Elinor mumbled.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Edmon¡¯s tone was low.  ¡°If he is Transcendent, then it will be quite a problem.  It would be the first truly threatening enemy that could offer us trouble.¡±

    Which is why we will send Iris.  Very well, then Violet will continue to keep watch on the underground¡­  A soft sigh left her lips, momentarily drawing her maid¡¯s gaze.  All I¡¯m doing is waiting for news.

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Tiffany¡¯s tone made it clear her lips were pulled to the side.  ¡°Do you wish to take a more active role in one of the escapades?¡±

    ¡°If so, I¡¯d suggest the Nalveans.  My opinion might change once Klaus returns, but the decaying creatures are far too dangerous if their powers extend to your phylactery.¡±

    ¡°Doubtful,¡± Tiffany replied, ¡°but possible.  Elinor¡¯s Decay Resistance is high.  Although, yes, I know, Edmon, the unknown is the issue, and the Molifoph didn¡¯t put up much of a fight against the Quen¡¯Talrat, while these shadow creatures did.  I agree, the south.¡±

    ¡­ Then I¡¯m waiting on Klaus.

    ¡°If it helps, I believe Antonietta is currently experimenting with a fruit drink to send to you.¡±

    A smoothie?  Her curiosity piqued.

    Edmon chuckled.  ¡°She asked for me to create some ice for her; that is all I know.¡±

    Alright ¡­ it shouldn¡¯t be too long, then.

    The drink came an hour and a half later with the maid¡¯s change in shifts, bowing to her respectfully while conveying their joy at serving her.

    Emelina selected Ang¨¦lica Tesoro to replace Violet¡¯s musical maid in the jungle.  Theresa was given leave to return to her kids and husband while Aina San Roman took her place, and Luisina Aristizabal was given the task to wait on Iris to Adoncia¡¯s internal relief.

    Aina was younger than Theresa but just as proper in the maid outfit Violet had custom fashioned for her body.  Elinor asked a bit about her free time, which was spent mostly comforting her young twenty-one-year-old husband.

    Aileen, the twelve-year-old maid, had been helping her three other maids in all their tasks, having a long conversation with Theresa throughout the day, talking about her past life.  Elinor had peeked in every once in a while; it was really a pretty tragic tale.

    The girl¡¯s parents were good to her, but due to some random act of evil by a man Aileen didn¡¯t even remember, she¡¯d been murdered.  The Empire was her family now, and the older women were almost taking on a mother¡¯s role to the kid maid.

    When Iris came into the Nexus¡¯ range, she reported quite a few mountainous creatures were at the base, which seemed to be new, but they didn¡¯t pose a threat or were intelligent.  The Jukal had slaughtered a great pack at the eastern side for food, and it appeared they were a significant source of sustenance for the flocks entering the valley.

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra swiftly left before her maid even made it out of the Palace, forcing a cheerful Luisina to aid in some of the kitchen maintenance until further orders came.

    Time continued to stretch, and after what seemed forever, Klaus made it to the fortress; she¡¯d spent the day studying her massive city from above, peeking in on different conversations.

    She was a little surprised when Klaus informed her they had a guest; they were still eight miles away from the Palace, walking through the wide city streets with one of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drones carrying a gift for her.

    Enjoying the surprise, Elinor moved to the Throne Room, settling in on the White Throne¡¯s silken attachment with Azalea hiding in the shadows and her maids hovering around the foot of the massive chair.

    Elinor did a quick check on Edmon and Tiffany.  Edmon was more than happy exploring all the new functions the newly risen Elite Hunters were explaining.  On the other hand, Tiffany was more frustrated with her ritual¡¯s progress, complaining about ingredients while looking for methods to compensate or gather more.  Both were quite busy, but she had no doubt they¡¯d pop in to listen through the Unintelligent Skeletal Ape she kept with her.

    When Klaus arrived, Elinor smiled.  He¡¯d returned with three very dead Nalveans and a living one.

    ¡°Empress!¡±  Klaus bowed deeply, presenting the Nalvean beside him.  ¡°This is Elluinara, Junior Member of the Seaweaver Council, and the adopted child of the Clavex¡¯s Mother Superior, Kolira.¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t tell if the Nalvean was nervous or not by her awkward bow, mirroring Klaus¡¯ action.  It seemed Klaus instructed her on how to act on the way back; she didn¡¯t speak until prompted.

    She was impressed by her first glimpse of a Nalvean; she certainly appeared deadly with her bright, hard scales, sharp claws, and pointed teeth.  Klaus gave her a swift internal rundown of what a Seaweaver was through the Nexus while directing her attention to the dead Nalveans.  His ability to both speak aloud and through the Nexus at the same time was notable.

    Elluinara flinched as Elinor lifted a hand, emerald flames flicking up her arm to engulf her thin fingers.

    Yet more added to my daily cost.  Hmm ¡­ two Uncommon and one Rare.  At least he¡¯s close to Heroic.

    Deciding to leave the Uncommon as Unintelligent, she raised the Rare to her ranks.

    Elluinara gasped as the flames consumed them, turning two into bones, twitching within the web, and upon Klaus¡¯s command, the spider released them.  The three bowed, the black scaled Nalvean opening its burning green irises to stare at the polished floor.

    Hands folded in her lap, Elinor responded to the introduction.  ¡°Excellent work, Klaus, and I see you¡¯ve brought The Mother Superior¡¯s assassins for questioning.  What do you have to say?¡±

    Elluinara¡¯s tail flicked, possibly shocked how fluid she was in their native tongue; Klaus had only just introduced her, yet Elinor knew their crimes without a word, and Her burning butterflies gently flew down to examine the dead scaled salamanders.

    ¡°My ¡­ Empress, I serve the Empire.  I was known as Imiunarus in life.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s cool green irises appraised him, sending questions through the Nexus for him to answer aloud; Elluinara silently watched, and if Elinor didn¡¯t know any better, her eyes were wider than they¡¯d typically be.  Edmon and Tiffany jumped into the link to listen.

    What are the current affairs of the Nalvean Court in regards to Yesenia?

    ¡°The High Ruler, Nukulara, is slowly coming to terms with the idea that Nymph, Yesenia has come to us to lead our people to new heights.  Imperial Head Captain Hakara and High Seaweaver Lonuarag believe the High Ruler¡¯s actions are an affront to The Great Ruby Lakes, and the treatment the Nymph received by the hand of the Ri¡¯bot must be paid in blood.  I was told to make that happen.¡±

    It¡¯s as I suspected; Yesenia is moving toward genocide.  What would you say is her time frame?

    ¡°It will not be easy to assassinate the High Ruler; more support is needed, but minds are being turned.  I suspect the Nymph will sit on the throne by the end of the week if everything goes according to plan.  However, my death will cause complications.¡±

    Klaus jumped in.  ¡°More than that, I¡¯m afraid.  Camellia is currently working through a criminal organization called the Shadow Hand, where the Imperial Head Captain has gained much of his support.  Through various means, we will have a decent counter network to use to sow disharmony.

    ¡°I doubt we will be able to stop the High Ruler¡¯s death, but through some sacrifices inside the network, I suspect we will have enough influence to delay the inevitable end by another few days, and if enough time is given, I may be able to cause a civil war within the Nalvean Capital between the two factions.¡±

    ¡°The Shadow Hand?¡±  Tiffany giggled in private.  ¡°They couldn¡¯t come up with a more creative name?¡±

    What is this Shadow Hand?

    Imiunarus refused to lift his head, keeping his gaze on the floor as his voice resounded in the large and quiet chamber.  ¡°An organization formed between six races during the Fire Wars that operates within the shadows to achieve their nation¡¯s best interests.  The Imperial Head Captain is the second-in-command within the Nalvean finger.  It is not known who the leader is.¡±

    ¡°Humph,¡± Edmon grunted.  ¡°There¡¯s likely two to three more levels of command beyond him.¡±

    ¡°I have only dealt with a Yalm¨¢th representative of the other nations, but I know many members within my own.¡±

    Elinor smiled, keeping her imperial posture.  ¡°Prepare the way for conflict between the factions.  I¡¯m sure with your aid, the process will succeed.  I will be coming down to participate within the show ¡­ plan accordingly, Klaus.¡±

    She could feel the shock and sudden stress that filled the Ambassador¡¯s chest with her decree, but she¡¯d warned Tiffany and Edmon that she wanted to get more involved, and they communicated that they would discuss it with him once the meeting was finished.

    Her glowing jade eyes shifted to the tight jawed Nalvean Seaweaver.  ¡°Speak your mind.¡±

    Elluinara cleared her throat, sounding younger and prettier than she would have thought as she made hand gestures.  ¡°The skill in which you employ our language without movement is ¡­ shocking, Supreme Chief Elinor; I have rarely ever heard such elegance.  The one question I have is ¡­ will you support the Ri¡¯bot and Nalveans ¡­ together?¡±

    Supreme Chief?  Elinor asked Klaus.

    ¡°Yes, this Nalvean was brought up under the Mother Superior¡¯s tutelage; she believes in the standard Ri¡¯bot religious rituals.¡±

    That makes this easier.  Elinor mused.

    ¡°I wish to help all the races, my child ¡­ however, I can only aid those that believe in me.  Trust in my support, and perhaps, within time, you may even join my Holy Knights, partaking in my personal blessing and power to grant you authority over your people.

    ¡°The Nalveans need someone to guide them in the proper direction and away from such self-destructive notions of genocide against your long-standing ally, the Ri¡¯bot.  I know your heart is conflicted, but trust in Klaus; this coming conflict will end in our favor ¡­ I will be there to make sure of it.  Now, is there anything else you wish to discuss?¡±

    Elluinara¡¯s gaze shifted between the maids and Skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat, causing a rare, playful idea to touch her mind.  Edmon, send Amra¡¯Cora and her squad to the hall for her to see; let my growing power cement in her mind.  I can back up what I say.

    Tiffany giggled.  ¡°Oh, Dear, I like it ¡­ shoot, I¡¯m out of Junipine extract again ¡­ gah, when can we mass-produce things, Edmon?!¡±

    ¡°It is a good maneuver, Elinor ¡­ the same answer I gave you twenty minutes ago.¡±

    ¡°Then you haven¡¯t made any progress ¡­ I¡¯m disappointed,¡± Tiffany mumbled, causing Edmon to release a low sigh, not humoring a response.

    The Nalvean took a deep breath.  ¡°Supreme Chief Elinor ¡­ how bad will the war between Supreme Chiefs become?¡±

    Oh ¡­ interesting question ¡­ no one¡¯s actually asked that of me.  Elinor mused.

    ¡°That¡¯s actually fairly surprising,¡± Tiffany returned, seemingly already over her missing ingredient.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ oh, I know!¡±

    Elinor crossed her legs in the opposite direction, hair shifting with her movements.  ¡°That depends on the other Supreme Chiefs ¡­ but make no mistake, I will not lose to those beneath me.  I am no simple Supreme Chief; I am The One Above All, and they will be reminded why I am.¡±

    ¡°O-Of course, Supreme Chief Elinor ¡­ One Above All¡­¡±

    ¡°Empress Elinor will suffice, my child,¡± Elinor replied with a soft smile.  ¡°Now, is there anything else?  There is much work to be done.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Elluinara bowed, ¡°I will do what I can to support Klaus to prepare for your arrival.¡±

    ¡°I will be in your care,¡± Elinor replied, rising from her chair to transfer to the skeletal hand that lowered to carry her.  ¡°Imiunarus will be under Camellia and your care, Klaus.  I look forward to seeing what you prepare for me.¡±

    ¡°Empress¡­¡±  Klaus formally replied, but his stress was palpable through the network, and shockingly, Elinor felt her Head Maid, Emelina cheering him on from the depths of her heart.

    Hmm?  Is there a romance brewing I didn¡¯t see ¡­ I¡¯ll have to keep an eye on them.

    With that, her Ambassador returned south, and Elinor couldn¡¯t help but giggle upon seeing the skittish response Amra¡¯Cora and her massive Quen¡¯Talrat squad elicited from the Nalvean.  The sharp grunt the ape shot through her nose upon seeing the scaled salamander made the girl jump, moving closer to Klaus for protection as she trembled.

    I imagine it will be entertaining; what will my Ambassador come up with?

    Klaus delivered one more piece of critical information before departing from the fortress, providing a workaround for extending her Nexus communication range.  The news opened up more possibilities than she could count, including spying from far off through ping-ponging off Unintelligent Undead.

    Happy there were plans made that extended beyond a few hours, Elinor returned to her tower, using the time to explore a few rooms with an excited Azalea, hoping she¡¯d be able to come along with her to the Nalvean Capital.

 B2 â€” 15. The Antipathy Of A Queen

    Iris moved silently through the wide streets of her Empress¡¯ new capital, heading north to give Elinor a better understanding of what this Supreme Molifoph was and intended.

    She was currently in her primary form, saving her transformation ability for when needed or the last bits of the time she had before the reset. Still, the moment it came off cooldown, she used it to begin the daily cycle, keeping up with the Proficiency training.

    The Empress¡¯ power had a few caveats that intrigued the Spider Queen. Her body may have been restored to its prime, yet that didn¡¯t mean she was at her most powerful; in fact, Iris knew she was far weaker than she originally was before her death.

    Iris had tested her silk, exoskeleton, and natural talents to their limit in the last two days, experimenting with her new transformations while fulfilling the Empress¡¯ tasks and her own duties within the Royal Court.

    Her webs were noticeably weaker in composition, and Violet¡¯s were pitiful compared to where they had been. Azalea¡¯s poison was at least ten times diluted, and Camelia¡¯s physical prowess had diminished significantly. Iris hadn¡¯t felt so vulnerable since her first few years of life, and some less intelligent creatures might think of those details as inexcusable.

    Although, those glaring weaknesses were well worth the trade in Iris¡¯ mind for what her family had gained. Yes, she was far more fragile than she cared to admit when pondering some of the past foes she¡¯d faced, yet the unique enhancements the Empress granted far outweighed the temporary cost.

    She sensed what Elinor offered the moment the Empress¡¯ butterflies touched her corpse, rousing her spirit and mind from the fathomless abyss that she was pulled from; her adaptability would be multiplied by such a large margin that it was reprehensible to deny.

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra survived by a simple method that had carried their race from world to world, devouring everything in their path; her species had literally incorporated the motto Eat, Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome, and Elinor offered to upgrade that system further.

    Her Proficiency with the Metamorphosis ability was steadily increasing, extending the time, number of available transformation slots, and techniques she could access within each creature¡¯s DNA. The skills she could call on to adapt those traits into her different forms only increased her plasticity.

    She had four available slots at the moment, two of which were filled by human and Ri¡¯bot blood; her body slowly analyzed their composition to gather every useful trait, but she had discovered somewhat of an issue hidden inside the ability, broken strands. It was relatively simple to remedy, though.

    Unbeknownst to most of the Ri¡¯bot and humans within the Palace, Iris sampled each of their blood, taking in a drop piece by piece to gain a more robust map of each race¡¯s historical lineage, conferring a more refined vision of the many attributes each of the creatures held.

    Humans had a few attractive cerebral traits that could be incorporated to enhance her already refined mental faculties, but upon further evaluation, the Ri¡¯bot were far more intriguing of a species to investigate. Their genetic imprint held hundreds of missing or broken pathways to follow, and after the many samples thus far, it only continued to grow as she worked her way through the clans they¡¯d visited.

    She¡¯d only come to realize how much more there was to the Ri¡¯bot after being reborn; her organs used to disassemble DNA and draw from creatures to improve her children was not nearly as acute as it was with the Empress¡¯ improvements, and possibilities opened before her that brought a renewed sense of adventure within her hearts that she¡¯d thought had long been lost.

    Iris¡¯s gem-like red eyes were only one of the dozens of organs mixed with Skills that she used to analyze her environment, and her internal investigations were always at work while scanning for prey.

    The Jukal were not that interesting of a creature, but after some internal debate, she decided it might be easier to speak to this Molifoph if it saw her as the creatures it controlled.

    Jumping up the side of a five-story building, she cut five of the birds huddled on the roof into pieces and swallowed their remains before those around them even knew something happened to their fellows. Iris was already on the street by the time they took to the air in a panic, analyzing the dull genetics.

    She doubted the Jukal were anything special throughout their history from the sampling she¡¯d obtained thus far; at most, they were decent scavengers, but never apex predators.

    Her primary focus moved to the towering structures around her while the other portions of her mind worked through the genetic code; the Quen¡¯Talrat were one of the few creatures she hoped to collect a decent sample size from within time. However, that might not come for some time, and a likelihood would possibly never be realized after discovering the dead Elinor rose were unable to fulfill the requirements of her transformation ability.

    Although, time was on her side.

    She studied her environment, pondering all the conversations she¡¯d had between Tiffany and Edmon. There were a great many things that needed to be changed to accommodate different sized races in this massive city; it appeared to be more of a cultural need for humans to have a decorated place to live, and one the Empress shared.

    Iris didn¡¯t see the appeal, but her human form even agreed with the Witch and Doom Guard, which marked the desire as somewhat genetic.

    There was a specific theme the Empress wanted to give her kingdom, and Violet was becoming entrenched in the process, which likely stemmed from the human mannerisms she¡¯d adopted from her transformation. In fact, all of her daughters were developing in vastly more polarizing directions than before, but she wasn¡¯t concerned since the act wouldn¡¯t lead to them killing each other.

    Camellia was, without a doubt, the most active of her children, continually seeking to overcome her younger siblings. It translated well with the Empress¡¯ system and would help build her oldest daughter into a fine weapon.

    Azalea, the most devious of the three, was taking a shine to Tiffany as the Witch taught her many things about human culture that translated into the work the Assassin Unit would branch into, many of which Iris was discovering through her short interactions with Klaus and Tiffany. Perfection and fun were two of Azalea¡¯s standout traits.

    Violet took the prize for being the perfect Queen candidate, yet motivation had always been the lacking quality that would push her into standing as a potential Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Prime. If her daughters could have fused their traits, she would never have to worry, yet each lacked something. The Empress¡¯ system allowed wiggle-room, though.

    Reaching the outer edges of the northern inner wall, Iris didn¡¯t pause in her motions, climbing up the steep surface to jump across the two-hundred-meter drop to the outer wall, hopping down the opposite side to the empty moat below.

    The jungle had overtaken much of the northern field, pressing against the black stone that somehow kept the foliage at bay. Stepping into the thick undergrowth, Iris continued her journey.

    There were several types of trees other than the massive blackwood that grew throughout most of the lower valley. The greenery of the jungle¡¯s higher altitudes varied from yellow, orange, green, and purple; weak rays of the dying sun barely made it through the dense overhead canopy, and the tangle of thick vines, fruit, and large berries were mixed with dozens of tiny creatures, thriving in the area seemingly sparsely visited by the Ri¡¯bot.

    Iris had noticed few predators that had once roamed the jungle, keeping the fodder population low. Between the eight armies that arrived in the valley and the Quen¡¯Talrat themselves, most of the previous large game around the fortress had been picked clean over a century before.

    She did pass burrows within the large trunks, blue slime leaking out of the orange bark as the bug creatures feasted on its sap, and the five-limbed furry animals that hung around its base that would drink what the insects let drip from their hollow.

    Past defensive forts could be seen among the overgrowth, remnants from the war a century before, reclaimed by the jungle. She used the fallen trunks, half-rotten branches, and linking roots to move along the floor, keeping an eye on all the phenomena throughout her environment.

    The yellow trees appeared to be in the season where they released their glowing pome, deadly to most the jungle denizens, but a few tiny insects feasted on the juices, leaving the seeds for the small animals to collect on the ground.

    Streams of water flowed across multiple paths, bringing life to each part of the layers below, melted off the snowy mountains above.

    After fifteen minutes of navigating the rich glow of the thriving plant life, Iris reached the next mountain level, and she hadn¡¯t even arrived at the range¡¯s base.

    The blackwood had vanished, leaving the orange and yellow trees to increase in size with the higher altitude, but now a greenish-blue fungus grew over the yellow trunks and branches.

    Fern-like bushes rose from the amber grass with small hardened orbs sticking to each blade, seeking to trap the tiny insects that hovered down to rest, holding them to the grass to be pulled in and slowly absorbed.

    Larger variants to the grass could be seen at the base of the moss, globes of orange liquid releasing small plumes of odor to attract larger prey. Red stock-like growths repelled the larger insects from the lower altitudes, acting to support the trees while living off the fungus that thrived in the area, and the orange flowers that grew here couldn¡¯t survive the more humid environment below.

    Various mushroom growths could be seen further up, reaching for the sun that the orange and yellow trees tried to monopolize, spreading their large leaves high above the forest ground, many others using the shade underneath the roots.

    Wispy, gelatinous creatures hovered above the ground, deadly to the medium-sized animals that roamed these parts, but were often trapped and eaten by the carnivorous plants that enjoyed waiting by the waters to catch them when hydrating.

    Iris never found much of an interest in the area herself, but it did prove to be a bit of a toxic environment for most of the eight races that arrived to wage war against the fiery apes. Between the spores and scents the plants, fungus, and animals released, the north had been reasonably well-defended from a long camping campaign; the area was extremely fire resistant but stood no chance against the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s unique brand.

    She noticed the purple petals blanketing the water that many of the fish enjoyed, dropped from the flowers growing high in the upper biome of the tree¡¯s branches, releasing small streams of pink liquid down the orange trunks, further feeding the moss and glowing orange ivy.

    The terrain was rising rapidly, and few plant life or creatures within the area even noticed her passing. She caught sight of many animal bones within the two sections, and every so often, there would be a Jukal corpse beside it, proving the bird¡¯s low intelligence as it gobbled up the poisonous amphibians or rodents.

    Thirty more minutes of swift movement through the area, and she arrived at the slopes; the thickness of the jungle swiftly receding with the increased elevation, and she was able to look down at the massive sanctuary miles below.

    To her right was the huge spike-like pillars that rose as high as the city walls, marking the entrance to one of the canyons leading further into the unique jungle terrain, and beyond that were the colossal 1,450 meter falls, releasing much of the water that branched off into the valley from the constant snowfall and melting that occurred on the towering mountains that overshadowed the area.

    Iris looked up at the volcano, summit far above what was visible from the dark clouds currently covering it and rising higher than all of the crests of the enormous elevated sierra surrounding the crown jewel; the fortress sat in the giant¡¯s shadow, blocking part of the sun¡¯s rise each morning.

    Most of the range beyond this point turned barren before becoming a frozen wasteland, covered in thick ice; the ground underneath had never seen the light in her lifetime. She¡¯d traveled through many of the lower tunnels in the past, but there was little reason to patrol the area when no prey interested her.

    There had been snow dwelling predators with long furry manes of white hair, using sharp three toes and fingers to navigate the steep crags, but they didn¡¯t hold a candle to the Quen¡¯Talrat and weren¡¯t nearly as massive. She didn¡¯t know if any of them survived, but the many thick-coated five horned goats around the area had become food for the Jukal.

    She figured the Jukal¡¯s leader would be near the summit of one of these mountains, and after transforming into a much more perfected version of the bird, she could sense the small waves transmitting from a source high above, near the volcano¡¯s peaks. It would take many hours to reach the location on foot, so she took to the air.

    The Jukal¡¯s ancestors were at least three feet taller than the current version¡¯s max height that she¡¯d observed, and her transformation made use of each trait that prioritized a hunter, not a scavenger.

    She was nearly three meters tall with an expanded, thicker wingspan housing a single long claw that could rake and penetrate as needed. Her beak was longer and curved with steel-like antlers on her head to fly down and ram her prey.

    Their eyes had adapted to a more timid, prey-like version, bulging and remaining open to see anything that hunted them. However, Iris chose to use an earlier version, hawk-like glowing yellow eyes, sharp for picking up minute movement many miles below.

    Her tail had grown to match a falcon, feathers expanding to allow for quick directional change mid-flight, and her feathers would have been bright and vibrant to attract a mate, but instead, she¡¯d opted for black and dark red that would make her all but invisible to the Jukal themselves.

    Buried deep in one branch of the birds she¡¯d consumed was an old gene that they¡¯d used in the distant past, generating specialized feathers that altered air turbulence and absorbed noise to allow for a more silent flight.

    The combination of traits scattered across their timeline could be linked to create quite a decent hunter, but the Jukal had never had a real predatory design that would grant them a high position within their environment based on their adaptation.

    Iris beat her wings, rising high into the air; it had been the first time she¡¯d flown, finding the experience surprisingly enjoyable. Of course, her chosen genes for temperament could also have contributed to the factor.

    Still, unlike the Ri¡¯bot, the Jukal lacked heavily in the diversity of their gene pool, making her current form the likely contender for the top-tier peak of their evolution. It would do, but she was far more vulnerable in this state than any of her others and with fewer options. It took time to change traits if needed, but there wasn¡¯t much else worth adapting for.

    Her head tilted right and left as she allowed her instincts to help navigate the warm air currents rising from the valley; it was swiftly cooling with the rise, but her thick feathers and resistances kept the weather at bay.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    The volcano was preceded by several rising mountains, black rocky crags jutting out of the frigid slopes, branching off to form steep snow-filled paths, winding around hazardous terrain. Ice was beginning to fall around her as she entered the first layer of the cloudy domain, sharp eyes penetrating the flurry to catch the blurry trails and creatures scavenging within the mild storm.

    Iris was a little surprised to see the slopes lead to a drop with a steaming liquid lake that likely generated the constant snowfall, from the science she¡¯d heard Tiffany describe to Azalea. She couldn¡¯t tell how deep it went, but certain parts of the large body of water bubbled more fiercely than the others, and more cloud cover blocked her vision further up.

    Smooth black stones glistened around the water with green globes of light that crawled up the sides of the walls before vanishing; the Quen¡¯Talrat had used such stone at one point for their weapons. Cracks could be seen with the inner green glow radiating out, spitting some kind of solid white gem into the orange glacial filled loch.

    A mysterious floating ball hovered at the basin¡¯s center with dozens of flaming purple gems, pulling in the liquid from the lake before shooting it off in all directions into the atmosphere. It appeared entirely constructed of the slick dark element, shimmering like the stars.

    She made note of everything she saw, in case it was important to bring to the Empress, Tiffany, or Edmon. Staying clear of the bullet-like water, Iris flew around the lake, observing the packs of dead Jukal by its shores.

    In the distance, she caught the faint outline of what could have been massive chains and a bridge, possibly created by the Quen¡¯Talrat. She continued to climb higher, and just before reaching the next level, Iris caught the silhouette of a spiky fortress of the ape¡¯s design, the snow seemingly painted orange around it.

    The sharp gale that the changing slope structure generated, mixed with the floating sphere¡¯s explosive liquid, whipped the snow into a blizzard, blocking much of her enhanced vision, but she could still tell which direction the Supreme Molifoph was located.

    Her sharp eyes narrowed as a weak distress call was being issued by the lord of the Jukal; he seemed to be calling for aid, but part of the signal was being scattered. She hadn¡¯t sensed the cry from the valley, and if she did not, neither would any other.

    It held no words but played on the Jukal¡¯s protective instincts, manipulating their minds, but the attempt was laughably weak to her mental resistances.

    If he was in trouble, then the Jukal surrounding the mountain would converge on the location, yet they are not, which means something is dampening the transmission ¡­ that would require intelligence.

    The Jukal seemed to have sensed her approach after she received the message, causing the panicking song to center on her, but she simply brushed it off; Iris was only in the form to get to the location, and if everyone did try to mind control her, an action she believed would compromise the Empress would produce a swift suicide.

    A curious smile moved her beak. The Molifoph is calming down because he believes I am coming to aid him. Such hubris.

    The higher she climbed, the stronger she could feel the Molifoph¡¯s signal, but it didn¡¯t increase in manipulative power. However, she went on high alert when hearing a low pulsating noise that sent a weak, grinding sensation rippling through her frame while reaching the volcano¡¯s invisible summit.

    Breaking free from the blizzardous veil, she witnessed a shocking sea of white fog that blocked almost all view of the world below; these types of clouds weren¡¯t visible from the ground.

    Her sharp yellow eyes darted between the five misshapen masses of metalwork, embedded with blazing gems that circled some kind of monolith above the crater a mile above her current location. Sharp flashes of energy sparked down the bottom rod, creating small stones that fell into the hole.

    The strange creations upon the mountain weren¡¯t her mission, though, and she darted left, toward a crescent-shaped alcove in the jagged peaks of the enormous plateau before the summit.

    Coming within a mile of the massive cave entrance that housed the Molifoph, her gut tightened. A sharp distress call exploded from the area before fading with the consistent waves it released.

    Diving to the hard, glacial floor, she took on her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form, spear-like legs quickly adapting to the rough surface. Activating Cloak of Concealment, a recent advancement to her previous skill, Iris¡¯ entire presence vanished while creeping into the twelve-meter entrance to the hollow.

    Hundreds of Jukal were strewn across the cave, bodies cleanly dismembered, and these were far bulkier than the ones she¡¯d slaughtered in the valley. A nest defensive variant to the species which were slightly more competent than their commander counterparts that guided small groups.

    The cuts are well-aimed ¡­ calculated, but not efficient, clearly overkill ¡­ something Azalea might do if in one of her moods. This scent is ¡­ unfamiliar. Two creatures, both vastly different from one another, and the Molifoph ¡­ has only been through here once ¡­ a day ago, but could they have flown here from the north within that time?

    No ¡­ the conclusion is that the Jukal are not here for the Quen¡¯Talrat the Empress raised, but our activities drew the Molifoph¡¯s attention. Then ¡­ why is the Molifoph here, and what did he do to incite these two creature¡¯s displeasure?

    Iris moved methodically, each of her eight legs finding the perfect grip against the icy ceiling as she followed the trail of carnage, and soon, she slowed to a halt, hearts quivering in her body with what her perception returned.

    Impossible ¡­ how ¡­ why here ¡­ together?

    Dropping to the floor, Iris moved further into the tunnels, delving deeper into the underpass, leading to a large chamber, and skipping all other paths she¡¯d already scouted with her sensory abilities; the two figures ahead gave no indication of noticing her.

    Iris halted at the entrance, her vast field of vision taking in the entire area. Teal veins ran along the deep blue ground, ceiling, and walls, releasing a soft glow with creatures buried deep inside that she didn¡¯t recognize, and two black statues could be seen behind a three-meter-tall, plump bird-like creature that was a distinct cousin to the Jukal.

    The genetic pieces were starting to fit together with the blood she¡¯d absorbed, but there were likely several unique things about this particular variant of the ancestral bloodline. Its body was blocking a frozen over passageway that continued between the statues.

    However, the thing that all of her focus was acutely centered on was the two fully grown Th¨¦lm¨¦thra standing on either side of them, facing her. The questions running through Iris¡¯ mind were vexing, sending waves of caution through her entire frame.

    Mature Queens ¡­ acting together? They don¡¯t have my family marking, nor a similar design¡­ the exotic brand they wear is new. They aren¡¯t siblings. It is impossible ¡­ unthinkable ¡­ are they fighting over this territory ¡­ only a single century has passed ¡­ then why kill the worthless bird? Not a single Jukal appeared to be eaten from the evidence they left behind, so it cannot be for food, and where are their drones or daughters ¡­ we are alone? They must explain themselves!

    The Queen to her left with the yellow and green designs hummed with an amused tone, air puffing out of the plates on her abdomen to reveal a note of authority she hadn¡¯t heard since speaking with her own mother.

    ¡°Still hiding, Dear? The ugly bird said his champion was on the way. Poor timing.¡±

    The Queen to her right with pink stripes and small red dots chuckled, voice a tad lower than most of her kind. ¡°And you still have yet to attack us? How long do you think we will wait?¡±

    Deactivating her skill, Iris glared suspiciously at the two Queens. ¡°Attack you ¡­ for what reason would a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra attack another without cause nor context? To contend with the species outside of territory is illogical to the mission.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± The yellow and green one¡¯s front left leg twitched. ¡°She¡¯s a strong one, Serris. Careful.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t know why you indulge in such fantasies. You¡¯ll give her the wrong idea, Lexi.¡±

    ¡°Who is she with?¡± The first mused.

    ¡°Who is your mother?¡± Iris demanded. ¡°One brood of Th¨¦lm¨¦thra enters a world, and you are not of my brood.¡±

    ¡°A worthless question,¡± Lexi replied with a bored tone, causing Iris¡¯ breath to steam.

    A worthless question?

    Iris¡¯ front left leg lifted to deflect Lexi¡¯s jab as she launched forward, aimed at her eye; their actions confused and irritated her. The blow was far too soft to even damage the hard outer layer of the organ and an utterly inefficient point of attack on a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    Lexi¡¯s body language showed disbelief as she darted back. ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°I told you,¡± Serris replied with a short chortle.

    ¡°You mock me,¡± Iris growled, hot pressurized steam erupting from her plate. ¡°I cannot recall being so insulted or infuriated in my entire life, and by Queens. What is the meaning of this ¡­ invasion to my planet that my great grandmother won by world trial combat?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ perhaps she is strong,¡± Lexi mumbled, legs alternating to Iris¡¯ left while facing her.

    Iris¡¯ legs twitched, enraged by their utter lack of decorum befitting a Queen. ¡°If you do not answer me this second, then I will consider¡­¡±

    Her answer came by way of shadowy webs that appeared below her feet from thin-air, giving no indication the Queen had spun the silk. The speed would have caught Azalea off-guard, but Iris had battled her sisters and practiced with her mother to combat her species in the past. Other broods would have vastly different skills, which a Queen must expect, but something such as this had only happened once in Iris¡¯ known history of her kind.

    Situating her feet between the threads rising to meet her, she jumped to the ceiling, outspeeding the acceleration before darting left, activating her stealth abilities. Any decent Queen should be able to detect her at this weakened state, but an added millisecond was life and death in a Queen battle. Yet, if the second Queen intervened, then she might need to retreat.

    Sure enough, Serris jumped to meet her, and Iris maneuvered her body to dodge the slash to her leg, aiming for a guarded joint. Not wishing to fall into any trap, she ducked the blow, spear-like right leg angling to jab into the Queen¡¯s shamelessly unguarded mouth; it was as if these Th¨¦lm¨¦thra had never battled another Queen, or utterly mocking her.

    Her mind shifted gears without hesitation as her attack met empty air, but her sharp atmospheric sensitivity could recognize an invisible movement to her right, and she swung her abdomen around to batter the hidden foe away while dodging another spontaneous projectile from Lexi.

    A second, third, and the fourth spray of shadowy silk targeted her from multiple angles; she could dodge them in her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form, but the actions would be more effortless in her human state. Morphing in mid-flight while throwing out a tether to the wall, she escaped the path, using Shadow Step to quickly move behind Serris, breath held to not give away her position.

    However, Serris¡¯ speed accelerated to an extreme degree, swiftly dodging her surprise attack. Jumping to the ceiling to avoid Lexi¡¯s acidic spray, Iris could feel her muscles screaming the danger she was in; if a Queen was using such projectiles, then the power must be potent, but the effects on the ice weren¡¯t what she expected, bewildering her.

    A confused smile brightened her human full pink lips; Lexi entered one of her own webs, possibly proving her inexperience. Iris had already attached a thread of her own to the silk, sending the stimulation to take control of the substance.

    The first real surprise came when it didn¡¯t respond, not even a repulsion, but her secondary manipulations of weaponized thread to the left sent both Th¨¦lm¨¦thra retreating, and further confounding Iris.

    She could have repurposed the silk to contend our strength ¡­ does she know she¡¯ll lose?

    Iris hadn¡¯t been more focused on the reality that she would likely die since facing the White God, but the caution she executed with the two on one Queen¡¯s contest only served to make her question her opponents¡¯ actions.

    They were not weak and could very likely handle her daughters had they come up against them with these Queens¡¯ reaction speed, combined with their burst movements, and yet the depth of their attacks were not intended to kill a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, nor countering the traps she was setting. It was as if they didn¡¯t have the slightest idea of their own weaknesses, and the strangest piece of information her perception returned was their extreme increases in speed upon her own strikes.

    If they attacked at that speed, I would be in danger ¡­ together, I would be unable to contend¡­

    The two Queens jumped to her side, aiming a combined blow to her armored belly that would require far more strength than they showed to penetrate. She was even weaker in her human form compared to her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, but on the chance they had some hidden skill from another race that could bridge the gap, she leaned into a backbend, eight lance-like legs sprouting out of her back to impale the Queens¡¯ second plate gap on a horribly timed release of air.

    Again, their speed rapidly increased beyond her own, retreating a safe distance to launch mid-range projectile web slings, but she¡¯d predicted the game of back and forth after analyzing their attack patterns, laying a trap with the tens of thousands of thread now littering the cave, and she sprung the trap.

    A small smirk lit Iris¡¯ lips at the sheer ridiculous nature of the contest; it was as if this were just a light game they were playing. Although, they had been quite rude. Yet, as her thread encircled them, her smile fell; she¡¯d caught the Queens, yet the mass her silk compressed was far smaller than two of the most deadly foes she¡¯d ever faced, or so she had thought.

    The realization was the first thing that genuinely stunned her, and that bit of processing allowed the two to somehow escape her trap.

    That wasn¡¯t an issue; she¡¯d expected some kind of action that might combat her control over the silk or to slip the thread using some other form of skill, and the two were swiftly recaptured by the mess of web now filling the chamber with her manipulations.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Lexi growled. ¡°Serris, cut the web!¡±

    ¡°... It¡¯s too strong.¡±

    Iris¡¯ astonishment turned to unmitigated animosity, closed fist quivering with rage as the two struggled with her traps. Her chilling voice was colder than the environment that surrounded them. ¡°... You are not Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queens ¡­ I am under a simple trick of the mind.¡±

    Applying a few of her extra Skill Points she saved for exact moments like this, she watched the illusion impressed on her fade; cold, burning red irises watching the shadow silk change to a green goo-like substance with the acidic liquid.

    The two imposing Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, the creatures that had actually struck a degree of fear that she had only felt twice in her life, changed to a three-foot-tall gelatin-like creature that was now having trouble escaping her silk, stickiness increased after discovering their weakness.

    This ¡­ thing is Lexi?

    Serris was more human-shaped with moss-like hair and four blade-like arms, showing a sleek exoskeleton. They were releasing hideous sounds as they struggled, and Iris could no longer understand them since Serris was no longer inside her head, seeking to sell the image of her most feared enemy.

    To think I would be made a fool by such ¡­ weaklings ¡­ the only reason they survived was that I did not know their actual locations in that bulky miscalculation she fed my mind.

    Iris strode forward, spiky legs wrapping around her human back to finish the moronic things.

    They made pitiful shrill noises as she approached, Lexi trying to spit more acid. Iris simply swept the substance to the side with a sharp gust of wind, generated with the sweep of her hand, and sent it into Serris¡¯ face, causing the insect¡¯s shrieks to increase as the liquid burned her. Her blades swung down with cold hatred; never had she felt such humiliation.

    Her arm instantly changed positions as a swift-moving figure closed the distance from the doorway, and a black, mantis-like insect sought to cut her in two; this had real force behind it, even greater than her own.

    Iris¡¯ nose twisted with irritation as the jagged blade hands passed through her extended legs, severing two before cutting a slight gash in the back of her human wrist. This creature was a threat, unlike the others.

    Darting to the ceiling, thread wove from her left fingertips, closing the wound and temporarily utilizing her silk to replace the cut tendons. She would heal within five minutes, and the lance-like legs it had cut off would be replaced in time.

    Two more close dodges across the chamber and Iris had gained the proper ground to utilize her silk using her long gradient white and black hair.

    The creature matched her avoiding prowess, dodged the deadly thread, laced with poison while continuing to attack her, cutting the wire it couldn¡¯t escape at critical integrity locations; its movements were unlike anything she¡¯d seen, utilizing the swift bursts of its wings to maneuver midair, but it would be too late to save the two fake Queens as her silk hardened, working to turn them into pulp.

    Her constriction stopped with her movements against the ceiling as the creature spoke, high-pitched sound not giving an idea of his gender. ¡°W-Whhhaiiit¡­¡±

    It was another mental attack, but far too weak to cause any illusions; this was simply to convey speech, and the transmission was quite poor with her bolstered resistances from the Mental Shielding I Skill she¡¯d obtained.

    Knowing it was only one way, she gave it a chance to speak; the Empress had told her to investigate the Molifoph, not engage with a life-threatening foe, but the creature¡¯s appearance made it a possible threat to Elinor if she had trouble with it.

    ¡°Weee ¡­ retreat ¡­ you kill ¡­ I may looose arms ¡­ still kill youuu. Iiisss itttt ¡­ wooorthh rissssk¡­¡±

    Iris glared at the insect-like figure, flexing her mending fingers while pondering the offer.

    I could kill it ¡­ but it is a risk that could leave me severely damaged. If I can catch it from the shadows, or apply more traps it wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but ¡­ no, securing my safety to report the threat takes priority. If by some stroke of luck it does land a finishing blow ¡­ there would be no suitable offensive support for Edmon or the knowledge of our enemy. If I had Edmon, it would be simple to handle the three, but if more are lurking ¡­ retreat is the best outcome.

    Keeping her guard up, Iris released the two, casting a net over the Molifoph while bringing all of the chamber¡¯s web around herself as a guard, easily dragging the dead bird out of the cave.

    The three creatures seemed to be communicating, and Lexi stepped forward with green goo falling out of her oddly shaped ears, but the black exoskeleton bug restrained her, placing its bladed arm in front of her.

    Hmm ¡­ secure the corpse for questioning in a safe place ¡­ then follow to discover their origin. They may be tracking me through my mental waves ¡­ if I increase my shielding further, it shouldn¡¯t be an issue.

    Iris never experienced the pulsating desire to kill something more than the two fools who would dare impress themselves as Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queens and pretend to pose a threat to her; she had to restrain herself from grinding her teeth at the mere thought of the unrefined audacity, fingers flexing with the indignation coursing through her mind.

    If there are more, report on the discovery, and in the chance a safe opportunity arises, strike ¡­ a dead threat is better than a living.

 B2 â€” 16. Baxter

    Iris dragged the body of the Molifoph back through the icy tunnels, scanning for possible threats that might be hiding in the shadows.  The three enemies behind her had yet to make a move because the mantis-type bug had restrained the others, stopping them from moving, likely waiting for her to leave the cave.

    The moment the creature offered her the deal of a mutual retreat, Iris had decided on her next move; reaching the mouth of the system, she halted to scan the barren landscape.  One issue gave her pause, the massive alien device over the volcano¡¯s crater.  The constant humming that disrupted the atmosphere scattered several of her senses; this area was not a good place to conduct a battle.

    Black stone crags jutted out of the powder white, and the hardened glacial blocks occasionally released the same light blue glow found within the cavern, but no life was present.  Still, she waited, manipulating thread around the field to extract more information, dark red irises scanning for anything that could signal a trap.

    An unsettling sensation ran through her human bones; it could have been her human traits that told her there was something out there that wasn¡¯t seen, but she normally erred on the side of caution.

    The creatures below were at the stage where an army like them could have given the Quen¡¯Talrat a decent fight.  Of course, they weren¡¯t close to the strength to draw the White God or her attention, had Iris been at her living strength.

    Her gaze shifted to the two severed legs that the mantis had cut; the bleeding was stopped almost instantly with thread, and she was no fool to leave behind pieces of her body to be used in similar ways the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra utilized the dead.  The two pieces were wrapped up with the Molifoph¡¯s body.

    The scent of wet blackwood had touched the plateau, blown along with the sharp, high-altitude winds.  It was a very familiar smell; however, Iris had her misgivings about its source.

    Scanning the plateau one last time, she took to the air, transforming into the bird to carry the items into the blizzard below, and increased her Mental Shielding I Skill from level 5 to level 10; this was the reason she killed everything unnecessary while scouting, to heighten her ability to adapt.

    Iris only went down a few hundred meters, coming to a stop at an overhanging slope.  Morphing to her human form, she used her flight¡¯s momentum to land upside down, crafting a temporary cache location for her to leave the Molifoph.  She wasn¡¯t finished with the insects.

    Activating all of her cloaking skills while using her natural instincts as a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Iris crept back to the surface, climbing up the stone and ice to exit the blizzard.  She only used hardened surfaces to move, leaving no trace of her passing with silent leaps.

    The wind and ice tried to move her long silky hair, but she kept them in place; she¡¯d generated her bra and shorts out of habit.  Iris skulked behind a jagged enclave within the glacier wall, thirty meters outside the entrance of the tunnel system, analyzing all the available information within.

    Only the sound of the wind, humming artifact, and cracking ice could be heard around the plateau, but she could sense the three¡¯s agitation inside.  The mantis seemed to be checking on the slime and female mantis that could have been related by the scent they shared.

    Iris felt nothing when the female removed parts of her damaged exoskeleton, seemingly caused by her constriction.  There appeared to be some internal damage she¡¯d sustained, but it didn¡¯t seem life-threatening.

    The shrill sounds they made wouldn¡¯t have been heard by normal human ears, but Iris analyzed them, searching for patterns to match actions.  Given time, she¡¯d be able to tell basic signals.

    Her full lips creased upon hearing the older mantis throw a heavy blow at the wall of ice behind the throne, but little damage was done from the strike.  A few more attempts with some back and forth discussion between them, and they began to leave.

    Something of value might lie beyond that wall, and there is no damage to the rest of the room produced any similar results.  Leave it to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma to have a hidden vault high in the mountains; he was a rather clever ape.  It is away from his precious big city, which begs the question, why store it here?  Could it be the tool by which many of these devices are controlled?  Perhaps ¡­ Tiffany would likely be interested.

    She¡¯d seen many of the Quen¡¯Talrat technologies before, destroying many in the past that were used to try and kill her family.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had been in the process of developing something on this mountain that was interrupted by the allied race¡¯s assault and his premature death by her trap.

    There was little doubt in her mind that the Ke would have been able to repel all eight combined races had she not interfered; that was how much she respected the white specimen.  He would also have been her final prize that would craft her fourth daughter to perfection.  Alas, the plan had been thwarted by her own daughters¡¯ worry, something she partially blamed herself for.  It had been her miscalculation and unnatural affection toward each of her children that caused them to develop in such a manner.

    Serris, the young female mantis, used the back of her lower-left bladed arm to scratch her exposed chest with apparent agitation, revealed after Iris¡¯ compression had damaged it.  Lexi was hugging her gelatinous body with a downward tilt to her exaggerated mouth, pink globes for eyes staring at the older mantis.

    Iris determined that she could escape from a traditional trap, but couldn¡¯t detach specific parts of her form, which is why hyper-sticky silk had kept her in place.

    As expected, the group gave no indication of knowing Iris hid nearby, but what did cause her caution to rise was the bird-like creature that stepped out of sparkling light to meet them, thirty meters away from the cave entrance.  Her senses hadn¡¯t been wrong, something out of the ordinary was lurking around, but it kept an acceptable distance to remain hardly noticeable with the artifact¡¯s pulse.

    The abnormality was seven feet tall at its large backward-curved rams horns and almost seemed to be wearing an excessively baggy robe-like coat of feathers, something humans might enjoy wearing.  A thick mane of dark wool-like tufts bunched around his head, upper-back, and upper-chest, the sleek feathers covering the rest of its body were free of the woolish fluff.

    The down coat hood framed a slim, bone husk of a raven¡¯s skull; the downward slanted break with a rigid base combined with the lower jaw¡¯s small upward curve gave it a smirking appearance.  Nothing could be seen from the black cavities where its nostrils and eyes should have been.

    Its tail was stiff, fern-like feathers that appeared to flatten for flight or bunch while walking.  It certainly looked like it could regain warmth with its fluff, but she could tell there were dense muscles hidden beneath.

    Its arms were unlike any creature Iris had come across; the lush, smooth wool-like feathers ended with four claws of various lengths, with the index being the longest at nearly a foot and a half while the smallest was the thumb next to it at eight inches.  It¡¯s tiny, two legs were almost laughable compared to its massive bulk, ending in two talons with a back claw for stabilization.

    The final piece of the creature</a> was the tattered burgundy sash it had tightened around the left side of his body, ending near the thick mass of tuft covered legs before ending in the tiny stick-like feet.

    Iris began setting silk traps beneath the snow using her black gradient-white locks, snaking through the powder to be used when needed.  Either by design or by chance, most of the area surrounding the new creature was free from cover, and unlike Violet, she hadn¡¯t obtained a skill to mask or camouflage her silk.

    The bird stepped forward with surprising elegance to meet the two insects and slime.  Not a word was spoken as the three bowed their heads, and the bird held out its hand, hovering between each of their heads before curling slightly and retreating to its side.

    Its beak opened, releasing a puff of hot steam and low hiss.  The three nodded as the creature stepped back, extending its left arm; it transformed into a bat-like wing, showing three bony protrusions near the tips, claws elongating to keep the skin tight, and its thumb remained the same, showing the thick, muscular arm that was hidden by the tuft on the outside.

    With a single, powerful sweep of the wing, a large whirlwind was kicked up to reveal gems fixated inside the glacier, buried feet below, and producing the glow in the cavern system below.

    Its arm returned to normal as they began spreading out to study the strange pattern in the ice.  Nothing was passed between them, and Iris figured they were communicating telepathically; the group was obviously intelligent by how they reacted.

    After two more minutes of study, the bird-bat motioned for the three to take their leave, pointing to the opposite side of the mountain.  Iris would have followed, but this creature had spiked her interest.

    Serris and Lexi were insignificant, marked for death for their folly, but of little importance otherwise.  The older mantis had some decent movement and strength, yet it was of no real threat under any normal circumstance.  However, this creature was something more, and Iris knew this was the mastermind behind the others¡¯ actions.  So, she stayed, waiting for its next move.

    The creature watched them go before holding his claws behind his back, turning to study the gems, cave, artifact, and then the general landscape.  Iris¡¯ vision narrowed as he suddenly spoke in the high Th¨¦lm¨¦thra language, voice a sophisticated masculine tone with a hidden lilt.  ¡°Oh, I suspect we have ourselves a hidden ear.  Isn¡¯t that right, my dear Iris?¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Numerous possibilities filed through her mind in quick succession, developing many strategies to handle him if needed, but the Empress wasn¡¯t against negotiations or alliances if it would aid her, and Iris had to keep on her guard with this exchange.

    Testing the creature¡¯s perception, she exited cover, keeping her skills active while slowly reducing her natural stealth-like movements.  It didn¡¯t take long for the bird to pick up some identifier that brought his beak in her direction.

    ¡°Ah, over here, I assume ¡­ testing the mist?  My, you are a fascinating specimen ¡­ the most intriguing of this pitiful planet as of yet, I¡¯m afraid,¡± he sighed with disappointment.  ¡°Although ¡­ These artifacts do tickle my beak.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t using his mouth to speak, and Iris kept her distance.  ¡°To be able to articulate an advanced form of Th¨¦lm¨¦thra communication is ¡­ unexpected.  I assume you used Serris¡¯ invasion to my mind to learn it?¡±

    ¡°Ho-hoh,¡± the bird chuckled.  ¡°Quite astute.  Indeed, and the fact I cannot even identify your cerebral signature from this distance means you have some means to increase your mental shielding ¡­ and though it may not be my particular specialty within The Covenant, I exceed the fodder.¡±

    Iris shifted positions, raising her stealth to continue testing the creature¡¯s perception, stopping at different points to speak.  His ability to catch her calculated mistakes was gradually improving, but Iris expected it; he was not improving but hiding his notice.  With every catch, she was discovering his proper incisive field.

    ¡°You are a part of a collective?¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ is that what you call yourself?  A rather ¡­ refined tone to it.  Yes, I like that name.  Hmm ¡­ yes, I am more than willing to have a more ¡­ amenable conversation, should you be inclined.  What say you, Iris?¡±

    ¡°What causes you to hold the assumption you are at a fitting status to convene with me?  The arrogance in not first introducing yourself is palpable.¡±

    With closer proximity, and her senses on high alert, she recognized hidden items around her; the wet blackwood scent came from those objects.

    The bird seemed to have sprinkled himself with the essence of the blackwood sap to better hide, which was a commendable tactic; however, it was difficult to fool a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s dissection of the elements surrounding them.  She¡¯d identified his personal odor, and it was sweet to her taste buds.  He¡¯d make a good meal for offspring.

    ¡°Oh, where are my manners?  Indeed!¡±  He chortled.  ¡°A name you could identify me with is ¡­ ah, Baxter is acceptable.  Within your tongue ¡­ What would you call me?  Heh, I suppose the world would be a Baraayas.  I come from another world through the extravagant wonders of the crystals with my compatriots, seeking thrill and adventure!¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ Do you conquer those planets?¡±  Iris asked, finding the direction much more enjoyable with a similar background.

    ¡°Conquer?  Mmh, it really depends on the place, to be honest.¡±  He mused, sounding a bit disappointed at her lack of enthusiasm for the show.  ¡°Such a task doesn¡¯t normally suit my particular palette; I¡¯m more interested in the art of the production!  I must ask, though ¡­ I would be sorely disappointed if you did serve that pathetic bird you hauled off.¡±

    ¡°I would never serve such a weak creature,¡± Iris responded, tone darkening.

    ¡°Oh, wonderful!  I was just a little shocked by the bits of information I was told.  Might I ask what reason you took it ¡­ food, perhaps?¡±

    ¡°I have my reasons.¡±

    ¡°Ho-hoh, how mysterious ¡­ I love it!  This game of hiding and seeking is most thrilling!  I have not come across such precious beauty, such as yourself in many worlds.  I see ¡­ you¡¯ve discovered some of my hidden prizes, as well ¡­ delightful!¡±

    His four clawed hands tightened around his back, creasing his feathers.  ¡°I have this unusual tingling in my chest I have rarely felt ¡­ perhaps ¡­ Am I in love?¡±

    ¡°We are incompatible.¡±

    ¡°So practical!  My darling, love transcends the biological, devours the impossible, and crushes the obstacle!  I can picture the dazzling glorious quasar ¡­ a piece of art to defy space and time!  Hehe, yes ¡­ I can see you standing within The Covenant.¡±

    ¡°Similar to one of those pathetic insects?¡±  Iris asked with a condemning tone.

    ¡°Oh, Rogaltha, no, no, my dear!  You are worth far more ¡­ immeasurably greater than those simple workmen ¡­ you remind me of a ruler I once knew.  Deadly, lovely, calculating, efficient, elegant ¡­ no, you would qualify as an equal within The Covenant!  I am sure and more than willing to stake my own status on bringing forward this sponsorship to prove my dedication to my vision.¡±

    Ignoring the offer, Iris turned the conversation in another direction, directing the inquiry to his work.  ¡°When did your Covenant enter this world, and what business do you have with the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s artifacts?¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ ho-hoh, you know more about these devices ¡­ their creators?¡±  Baxter asked, tone brightening further.  ¡°I must say, the craftsmanship and delivery are quite the imposing spectacle ¡­ artwork of a seemingly dead race of large creatures.¡±  He held up his hand toward the monolith above the volcano, fingers slowly closing into a fist with his passionate voice.

    ¡°I wish to understand their message ¡­ the desire hidden within the work to grasp the heart of this culture.  I see will, I see fire, I see domination ¡­ a glorious play of violence and conquest that alights the mind with concupiscence.

    ¡°There are many structures that we have discovered within the valley below this sierra with weak creatures seeking to live within the confines of those ruined fortresses¡ªa plain of few resources on the vast landscape of rolling hills.  We have only had fifty-three days to explore some of this land and have found surprisingly little civilization ¡­ only ruin.  What is the tale, my lovely Iris?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps, I will tell you in time.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, quite the tease, my hidden ruler.¡±

    Iris hadn¡¯t missed the possessive traits he¡¯d used thus far.

    ¡°How many would be in The Covenant if I were to join?¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ a good question.  If you were to join, we would make fifteen.  I could show you wonders from worlds past ¡­ civilizations long since ruined by their hubris!¡±

    She paused again, now satisfied with Baxter¡¯s perceptive range, and so she moved to the next phase, revealing herself in her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form.  ¡°I am sure you could.¡±

    ¡°My ¡­ you are a beauty to finally behold with my own sight,¡± Baxter gasped, presenting a proper bow that Iris had seen some of the humans perform to the Empress.  ¡°The ruby radiance ¡­ sleek glistening shell ¡­ elegant shape and illustrious markings.¡±

    ¡°I must disappoint you, Baxter.  I serve an Empress and will not leave her side.  Although, perhaps she is willing to listen to your proposal of this Covenant.¡±

    Baxter¡¯s head tilted to the side.  ¡°Serve an Empress ¡­ you?  I am afraid that will not do ¡­ something so ¡­ regal should never be confined ¡­ no, no, you should be free to make art!¡±

    It was as Iris expected.  Daxter¡¯s body lowered, small talons digging into the ice as his voice became crazed.  ¡°Observe how gloriously we may shine!¡±  He launched forward, creating a small shockwave with his acceleration.

    Iris¡¯s hidden threads erupted around the landscape, wrapping around his body; the lines pulled tight, biting into the ice and stone as his kinetic force dug the silk into the elements at his missile-like launch.

    She¡¯d returned to her human shape as her thread began to slow his advance to hold him in the area, but space began to quiver around him before compressing; he vanished with a loud caw.  An atmospheric disturbance to her left caught Iris¡¯ attention.

    Iris prepared to activate more thread traps she¡¯d laid around that site but paused, hair rising across her human body as hundreds of expanding areas fed to her senses.  His cry had triggered a massive chain event.

    Snatching control of all her silk, she whipped it into a cyclone; hundreds of thousands of web lines roared into action as concussive bombs of purple and gray flames exploded across the entire plateau with Baxter¡¯s laughter.

    ¡°This combination!  This is art!¡±

    Her silk tornado created a colossal atmospheric course correction, carrying the dual-colored flames into the heavens, and once the two colors touched high above, combusted again, generating a supernova; she was far outside of the dissipating heat, but the shockwave was absorbed by her wall of silk.

    Once clear of the blast, she created sharp microbursts of force inside her silk, causing it to fire in all directions, peppering the icy plateau with the hundreds of thousands of spears as she created her domain; her web filled the whole area, more than a mile across in all directions.

    Baxter was thirty meters away, standing in the web¡¯s most open area, giving him little breathing room, yet not one strand stuck to his feathers.  ¡°Haha!  What wonder!  What spectacular ability!  Yes, yes!¡±

    As Iris expected, space warped around him as she constricted her web in the area, forming it around the bird.  Few creatures could escape Silk Territory I.  However, Baxter seemed to be one of those, which meant her next move was to feed poison into her web, and then the slightest nick would end his life.

    However, Baxter had different plans.

    Appearing at the edge of her territory, Baxter clapped enthusiastically.  ¡°Beautiful!  Excellent!  Brilliant!  Elegant!  I cannot even express whereby how august this opening performance was, my dear Iris!  Splendid!  The next act must be even grander!  Will the hero free his Queen in the following episode from the clutches of her Empress?  Until then, I bid thee adieu, my beautiful ruler!¡±

    Iris sent her poisonous thread to pierce him, but he was swallowed by the spatial distortion by the time it reached.  Two more warps took him further away, and he¡¯d escaped.  Iris couldn¡¯t deny it, he was indeed a worthy opponent, and she had failed.

    She glanced around at the massive use of energy she¡¯d just expended in such a short match.  Baxter was a flashy combatant, of that there was no doubt, which meant he needed time to prepare his performance.  In that, they were very similar.  However, from what she¡¯d learned, the blackbird would have more tricks up his sleeve next time, and the same tricks would not work on either of them.  She needed to expand her repertoire.

    A rare feeling touched Iris¡¯ chest, disappointment.  She plucked one of her threads, causing a reverberation to carry along its length and tickle her mind.

    I failed the Empress ¡­ he just declared war against Elinor ¡­ to claim me for himself.  What a disaster.  I comprehended his possessive tendencies yet didn¡¯t guide the conversation in the proper direction.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    The best option will be to convey the danger I have brought against the Empire and consult with the others.  Only Edmon or I can contend with Baxter, and if he has one of his thirteen fellows to assist him, it might prove difficult to even escape, depending on their individual strength.

    Releasing Silk Territory, the web collapsed.  She swiftly extracted the poison to guard against the possibility of a third party using her own potent toxins against the Empire and transforming into her perfected Jukal form to return to the capital as quickly as possible.  Night had long fallen.

    * * *

    Baxter hummed a song he¡¯d learned on the Kul¡¯duri¡¯s planet; after narrowly escaping his lovely Queen¡¯s dangerously poetic grasp, he¡¯d spread his wings to take to the sky.  He needed space to work, and his mind was on fire with the drama unfolding with dazzling splendor.

    Yet, the scene was suddenly molding, shifting with strong high-winds that carried him further into the heavens to see the expansive land below.  He¡¯d been to many planets, but it had been rare to find a world of such size.  By the tilt of the sea, he could estimate the scope, and it boggled his experience.

    This had been a wondrous yet tragic day for him.  He¡¯d discovered the most majestic creature and been crushed with the horror of her captivity.  The pure elation and deviation were crushing his two hearts.

    ¡°Hoh-ho-ho!  Just you wait, my lovely Queen!¡±  He sang, sweeping side to side while slowly descending to his comrades'' hidden camp, masked within the protective cover of a cloud.  ¡°Your freedom is assured; the play has already been written!  Oh, my sweet ... and if one cannot be freed ¡­ Oblivion is the final act, but oh ¡­ the symphony ¡­ the ball ¡­ none avoid the rapturous Waltz of Felicity!¡±

 B2 â€” 17. An Empire Grows With Its Enemies Or Falls

    Elinor frowned while walking around the expansive bed-chamber, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯ Ma¡¯s former room that she¡¯d claimed.  With what free time she had during the day, the Lich Empress worked on committing her city and valley to memory, but it was almost a fruitless effort.

    The scope was a bit overwhelming when Edmon revealed the underground increased the size by such a vast extent.  She paused while staring down at the stadium to the north of the black tower.  Perhaps it would be of use in time, but Edmon recently reported that the repairs would require a lot more physical labor than they currently had.

    Amra¡¯Cora and her special OPs team did have a general understanding of the city infrastructure with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s Elite Hunter education, but none of them were what they called Gem Crafters or one of the dozens of other specialists that assisted the Ke on the marvels of his kingdom.  Still, they were making progress towards getting the city¡¯s essential functions back in operation.

    The sewage had been a big point of concern for Tiffany and Edmon, but it was solved within five hours of the elite Quen¡¯Talrat warriors¡¯ assistance.

    Currently, Edmon, Amra¡¯Cora, her five team members, and Pepe, her Treasurer, were somewhere in the lowest levels of the Palace, behind strong locked barriers that lead to the gothic-themed city¡¯s primary nerve center.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze occasionally darted between the city¡¯s nighttime sections as powerful lights expelled from gems across her fortress, lighting up the clouds that were slowly rolling into the valley.  They were currently running checks to verify system integrity with Mauricio on the floor above her, relaying the needed information to the others while Eloy, the Royal Chronicler, documented it with notes that passed between the inspectors.

    It was mostly very tedious and dull work, but the light show was impressive; the majority of their work hadn¡¯t been visible.  At the very least, they did have many areas surrounding the Palace that retained the ability to transmit power.

    The finer details of how the fortress obtained its energy was still somewhat of a mystery.  Amra¡¯Cora hadn¡¯t been privy to that information since she was not a part of the building crews but the high-level defense division under her mother¡¯s generals¡¯ command.

    Sadly, many issues needed to be resolved, but at least the sewage was fixed, which allowed the Yaltha¡¯ma the ability to clean up the waste they¡¯d left on the east side of the city over the century.  She didn¡¯t even want to step foot in the area until it was sanitized, which is why El¡¯Co¡¯Ca had her 263 Hidden Ones and El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca¡¯s faction of 2,311 on the task.

    It had gone a bit without her notice until she saw one of the little fox monkeys running through the entrance hall, but the Yaltha¡¯ma weren¡¯t a part of her Religious System.  They did think of her as a god-like figure, but not in the manner that would connect them to her network, which would more or less require Valdar to teach them.

    Her High Priest was all the way across the valley, on the southwest shelf, talking with the Prume Clan.  The distance between her and the toad hadn¡¯t changed much, which meant he was likely staying overnight.  Hopefully, he¡¯d return in the morning with the Chief.

    Tiffany continued with her research on bridging her two systems through ritual, with Esmeralda acting as her maid for support.  The Witch had spent fifteen minutes touching up and tweaking the Life Fruit shield in the Life Room.

    There was so much to juggle that Elinor felt a tad intimidated with what was to come; her Empire would only grow more complicated, and her enemies would continue to increase.  The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra family had been excellent support, but even they were spreading out away from her.

    Camellia, Klaus, and Imiunarus, her newly risen Nalvean, were busy with the salamander kingdom; it was difficult to tell when her minions were so far away, but she assumed they¡¯d met back up, and she felt excited to finally get out of her tall tower in the coming week.

    She thought about the Ambassador''s return, pondering on the event; she¡¯d figured he would secure a corpse for her to resurrect upon his arrival in the Nalvean Capital and swiftly return.  Effective communication would be an instrumental part of any race they hoped to connect with.

    However, Elinor didn¡¯t think he¡¯d planned for Camellia to stay with his Ri¡¯bot escort, and it made her curious to see what he had planned for her.

    Swapping directions, Elinor¡¯s fingers tightened behind her back.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s room was so massive that it could comfortably hold half a football field from the center to the windows, but it was to be expected when this was the living space for an eight-meter tall gorilla monster.  It left a lot of potential for furnishing and put into perspective the size of the colossal keep and its gothic cathedral architecture.

    Her Head Maid, Emelina, was following her, still learning Elinor¡¯s behaviors to better know how to serve her.  Azalea was practicing her stealth skills nearby, increasing her proficiencies at every available moment.

    She¡¯d tasked Aina to work with Aileen, the twelve-year-old Maid, and Elinor had the two join her to relish in the girl¡¯s cheerful energy.  Leonora, her Artist, was added to the group in order to document everything in the room and plan renovations.

    Out of the corner of her eye, Elinor could see them walking around one of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s strange artifacts, talking lowly to one another about the alien aesthetics.  The place appeared right out of a sci-fi show and made Elinor smile a little at how much fun the young girl was having.

    Returning her vision to the slowly opening up valley below as she changed locations, Elinor released a soft sigh, thinking about the threats that hovered over her infant Empire.

    ¡°Is there something I can assist in?¡±  Emelina asked through the Nexus.

    I wish, but no, Emelina, this is something I must contend with.

    ¡°Whatever it is you need, I am at your beck and call.¡±

    Her lips lifted a little as she stopped, staring at the plateaus dividing the east side of her valley.  The Maw beyond was hidden behind the ridge, sparking Elinor¡¯s mind as to what Violet was discovering.  Elinor¡¯s apprehension grew by the minute as she waited for reports; Ang¨¦lica was acting as the spider girl¡¯s messenger and Maid.

    An aggravated groan passed through her throat; she wanted something to momentarily distract her from the corrupting energy lurking below their feet.  The Jukal¡¯s mysterious appearance only added to the looming threat of the Avana¡ªa mountain-sized dragon was not a pleasant adversary to contemplate.

    What do you think about Klaus?  Elinor asked, turning a light smile to the Head Maid; she hadn¡¯t failed to notice the short interaction between them on their rising.

    The Ambassador¡¯s return had also sparked some kind of shared emotion that passed between them, but Elinor wouldn¡¯t have guessed based on their physical reactions.  Since then, she¡¯d tried to keep that part of her Nexus on a filter.  It was more fun to be surprised since it was easier to feel than joy; although, those emotions were slowly returning with some of the Religious System¡¯s perks.

    ¡°Klaus?¡±  Emelina replied, dark brown eyes falling to the floor.  ¡°The Ambassador appears quite capable.  He returned with haste to deliver the method by which we can now communicate with the Nalveans.¡±

    Mhm¡­  Elinor mused, eyeing the woman¡¯s physical appearance.

    She¡¯d describe Emelina De la Vega as lovely; like all her Undead, her dark brown eyes had a glow to them that fit her calm, cheerful facial features and soft skin.  Her long thick black hair had been crafted into a half-up braid, and the maid outfit Violet had custom-designed around her unique body shape gave her a youthful motherly aura.

    From what the Head Maid had told her, she was much older on Earth, and her resurrection had improved her looks considerably.  She had many old scars and burns on her body, but her face had been relatively untouched, forcing her to cover-up with long sleeves and pants most of her life.

    Her childhood was nothing but pain, and she had a younger brother that had gone missing at some point when she was in service to one of the cartels.  Each of her maids was unique in their upbringing and personalities, which she appreciated.  She wanted their lives to be better.  It was comforting being around others that had experienced loss and pain, but there was also a part of her that wanted to see them rise; it made her believe she could find something more than the desolation that filled her soul.

    Do you like him?

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Emelina¡¯s lips fell a bit, but she didn¡¯t fidget under the question like Elinor thought she might if their positions were reversed.  ¡°Perhaps.  I did use my passable facial looks in life to get close to men in order to assassinate them or achieve whatever goal the cartel wished.¡±

    The Maid¡¯s brown eyes lifted, showing a mature, innocent smile that fit her lovely face.  ¡°I haven¡¯t really thought about love or attraction ¡­ I was trained not to, and it was far too late to fancy such lofty emotions when I finally escaped that life.  Although, many things feel different after I was raised from the dead.  I appreciate the second chance, Empress.¡±

    I see.  Elinor rotated to advance to her previous position.  Let the other maids know that I am not against relationships so long as they don¡¯t interfere with your stations¡¯ work.  So long as you can work together, even if a relationship doesn¡¯t work out, then, by all means, enjoy yourselves during your free time.

    ¡°Of course, but there is much to be done,¡± Emelina smoothly replied, causing Elinor¡¯s smile to increase a little.

    I feel happy when those I raise are happy ¡­ each of you is a part of me, in a manner.  Once this business with the Nalveans is finished, the two of you will have three days of free time.  What you do with that is your own business, but so long as an area has not been proven to be significantly dangerous, you are both proficient enough to handle yourselves ¡­ And, you''re both consenting adults.

    ¡°I ¡­ look forward to it, Empress,¡± Emelina replied, and it was the first time Elinor had sensed a hint of doubt and hesitation from the Head Maid¡¯s voice.  She wasn¡¯t ordering them to go on a date but opened the door wide open for the possibility.  Her response helped lighten Elinor¡¯s heavy heart.

    Once arriving at her previous spot, her lips fell; Iris was still high above, far beyond what she initially suspected from the enormous mountains obscured by the thick clouds that had been present the entire time she¡¯d been in this world.

    She¡¯d been gone for an extended period, and at the speed the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra rose out of the valley, Elinor assumed she¡¯d transformed into a Jukal.  The Queen had zig-zagged into the invisible sierra peaks, which were much more extensive than she anticipated, and if all the mountains surrounding it were just as big, then a glider attack would be a very simple method to attack the fortress.

    Amra¡¯Cora¡­

    The Quen¡¯Talrat Commander¡¯s gentle tone responded swiftly; the voice was very different from what Elinor expected from the powerful female Elite Hunter.  ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±

    What were the fortress¡¯ defenses against flying opponents?

    ¡°The Ke crafted a powerful shell-like field that covered most of the city¡¯s skies.  Once activated, no creature could pass over our airspace within the height of Ke¡¯s Tower.¡±

    Is it currently available?

    ¡°No, Empress.  Like many of the more powerful defensive and offensive tools the Ke developed, it was not connected to the city¡¯s power grid.  Most were utilized by him personally within the Tower.¡±

    Edmon spoke soon after she¡¯d finished.  ¡°I suspect most of the more powerful items would be close to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s own private chambers.  Without a Gem Crafter or someone more skilled in using the objects, I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t do much about the advanced devices.  Given time, I should be able to learn the method myself through Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s notes.¡±

    Have you found many?

    ¡°Some were hidden in that area in the library, but it is far from everything, considering the horde of treasures and half-finished tools we¡¯ve discovered.¡±

    Do we have any defensive means if the Nalveans or any other threat attacks?

    Edmon¡¯s tone brightened somewhat.  ¡°Ah, we have, indeed!  The moat can be filled with the water system cleared, and there is still a stock of some contaminated liquid that can be added to the filling areas if needed.  Tiffany is going to analyze it later, but it appears to be very corrosive to living tissue; from the description, Tiffany believes it might actually function more like bacteria than an elemental compound.¡±

    I see ¡­ and the gates?

    ¡°That was the first thing we focused on.  All known entrances have been sealed, excluding the hole at the bottom of the fortress the Hidden Ones used.  With Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s knowledge of the city stores, we were able to fix all of the gates.  Many were cleaned out, possibly by some of the attacking forces, but only so much could have been hauled back if they didn¡¯t plan on returning.¡±

    Elinor hummed thoughtfully with the information, taking a step back to glance in the direction of one of her minions; Ang¨¦lica was drawing closer to the fortress from across the jungle.  Eladio is managing them at the moment?

    ¡°Yes, the Butler was one of the only available individuals available for the task.  Once Garu gains a few more levels, he will be able to take his place.¡±

    Elinor did sense the white Ri¡¯bot still out with Quin, cleansing the jungle of excess wildlife; they were sending a constant stream of meat carts to Antonietta and her family to prepare for jerky or soup for the humans.

    Good.  We¡¯re making progress.

    ¡°We are,¡± Edmon responded with a more enthusiastic tone than usual, but Amra¡¯Cora was unraveling so many mysteries that he probably couldn¡¯t help being in a good mood.

    She let the conversation fade by disconnecting from the two, retreating to her own mind while glaring at the mostly concealed mountain looming over her city.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    The fortress repairs are coming along nicely.  The Nalveans aren¡¯t as united as we first feared, and we can cause social disruption to our advantage.  Yesenia could very well turn into an ally or a minion if it comes to it.  The Religious System is coming along ¡­ slower than I want, but we can only expand from here.  I¡¯ve cemented my place, and the opposing Ri¡¯bot are retreating to build an army, which isn¡¯t all that concerning at this point.

    All in all, things are moving in a positive direction ¡­ so, why do I have this ominous feeling?

    Her head moved in each direction of her minions while thinking about them.

    Azalea is very curious and adventurous, causing her to take unnecessary risks, which is why Iris tasked Violet to handle the shadow creatures.  If they cannot be resurrected to discover more about them, they could pose a credible threat.  The issue depends on how effective their Decay Element is; Undead have a decent natural Resistance, but it¡¯s not weak if it can corrode their silk so quickly.

    Violet is very cautious and defensively strong, to say the least.  That caution did cause the death of her entire family, though ¡­ The fear of losing her mother pushed her into convincing her sisters to interfere in her fight with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.

    Still, the fact Iris was able to contend with Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma with all of his strange items of power, strike a deathly blow against him, and all while staying focused ¡­ watching her precious daughters die.   She is incredible ¡­ I suppose there must be tiers even within the Transcendent Grade, and she is probably high within it.

    Her attention shifted to the gate as Ang¨¦lica opened a connection to her, linking through Quin, Eladio, and Adoncia, who was given the day to spend with her younger brother inside the fortress.  This was the first time a long-distance transmission had been attempted so far away; it went through.

    Everyone connected would be able to speak or even cut the tie, but it wouldn¡¯t be an issue unless a third party attacked their mind, and each member couldn¡¯t tune out those communicating, which Elinor thought might be somewhat annoying.  It was convenient, though.

    The mature maid¡¯s tone was like a smooth mountain brook.  ¡°Empress.  General Violet has instructed me to deliver a field report.¡±

    Elinor was a little bemused at the woman¡¯s address; Violet did fall into The General position, but it was the first time she¡¯d heard any of her minions use the title.

    ¡°There have been no movements from the shadowy creatures outside of the fissure that is detectable.  However, there are movements within the swirling mist; the manner in which air is pulled into the crevice has increased, and several new caverns have opened in the last century that The General was unaware of.

    ¡°Hot air is expelled from within, and upon tentative investigation with her silk, The General determined these paths may lead to the layers these shadow creatures operate at.  She plans to set more sensory threads while continuing to explore the caving network underneath the valley.  The General expects it to take two weeks to cover the entire valley with an acceptable monitoring web.  Orders?¡±

    She was a little amused by the more militaristic approach the maid went with.  I¡¯ll leave it up to her.  Keep me up to date once per day unless something unexpected happens.

    ¡°Yes, Empress.¡±

    The connection cut, making Elinor smile slightly from her swift communication; a soft chuckle moved her stomach while looking toward the eastern jungle.  ¡°Emelina, what can you tell me about Ang¨¦lica?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ She has a husband; they¡¯ve been married for six years.  She was a part of the Colombian military and was on leave with her husband, visiting his family when the Ri¡¯bot attacked.  She took up arms and was killed early on in the invasion.  They were talking about kids before her death.¡±

    ¡°How terrible.¡±

    Her thoughts turned inward, returning to her silken throne with Emelina following beside her; the two maids and artist were chuckling about the crazy bed from across the room, barely audible with the distance.

    I suppose I was looking for maids specifically, but what is she ¡­ a Rare-Grade Hunter with the Sharpshooter Subclass.  The more you learn.

    ¡°What about her family?¡±

    ¡°Her husband, Abel Tesoro, was knocked out after her death.  From what I understand, he burned the Komath Clan member that did it into his memory; he had a scar on his right hip.  His parents were killed by the Delthax for slow travel, which group he was a part of.¡±

    ¡°I suppose he will exact a part of his vengeance soon enough ¡­ Perhaps tomorrow we¡¯ll conduct the Delthax¡¯s trial ¡­ hmm, yes, when Valdar returns.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure both of them will be relieved to take part,¡± Emelina evenly replied.

    Elinor shifted in her seat to examine the Head Maid.  ¡°Do you wish to confront your murderer?¡±

    ¡°I do, but he was with the Roxim Clan, I believe.  I am still not very familiar with each of the Ri¡¯bot Clans; it had discolored green skin and odd markings.¡±

    Boss, the commander that had taken her prisoner, returned to Elinor¡¯s mind.  Fennel was the reason she was captured, and his treatment hadn¡¯t been civil, to say the least, but her real animosity was centered on Krava for sending Dalria after her.

    The young female Xaria of the Komath was already reaping her reward and had even joined her religion after her reveal to the other Clans.  Although, her mind had already been fairly warped between Tiffany¡¯s magical brain parasite and the torturous ritual that bound her to Gwen.

    ¡°... Their time will come in time.  We grow stronger by the day ¡­ we have to.¡±

    Emelina curtsied beside her, head bowed.  ¡°Thank you, Empress ¡­ you have given me a chance I had not earned.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about what you deserve,¡± Elinor whispered, glaring down at the jungle that had taken everything from her, and in return, had taken it.  ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that.  You are a part of my Empire ¡­ a part of me, and I will demand the best for you ¡­ because it is also the best for me.¡±

    ¡°Thank you ¡­ Empress,¡± Emelina whispered, voice trying to stay even as Elinor¡¯s feelings on the matter transferred to her.  ¡°I will serve you with my soul.¡±

    ¡°... So long as you don¡¯t die ¡­ I believe a part of me chose this path because of that ¡­ I don¡¯t want to lose anyone.¡±

    Emelina curtsied again.

    Elinor moved away from the bitter subject, resting her cheek on the back of her hand.  ¡°How are the humans and gathering Ri¡¯bot fairing; Lucky is working with Gwen, correct?¡±

    The Head Maid nodded.  ¡°Yes.  I have kept occasional tabs on the progress being made.  Lucky is working with each of the human¡¯s group representatives to show them how to utilize the facilities in preparations for when the Jukal are cleared away from the square outside.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Elinor mumbled, ¡°the Jukal are stopping the¡­¡±

    Elinor trailed off, rising to her feet, and Emelina stepped closer to observe the storm of flapping wings and feathers that filled the sky.  Tens of thousands of Jukal had taken to the heavens; Elinor couldn¡¯t believe how many had slowly flown in throughout the past two days, and now, they were all flying north.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±  Elinor whispered.

    Her brow creased as she rose from her seat, watching the feathered host of ugly birds fill the sky; the unified army brought back the memory of Valdar¡¯s story, where tens of thousands of Jukal attacked the Gray Queen¡¯s fortress before the Avana made its appearance.  She hurried across the expansive room, watching the birds ascend into the heavens out of the corner of her eye.

    The swift movements caused her braided hair to weave behind her; she hadn¡¯t ran since the day she¡¯d changed into a Lich Empress, and the hardened silk-like leather pants rubbed against her highs with the effort, but the black throng filling the sky caused her mind to rush into overdrive while trying to get to a spot the direction the birds were heading.

    Azalea appeared on her opposite side.  ¡°Woah ¡­ hmm?¡±

    Are they responding to Iris?  She¡¯s not going any higher ¡­ Are they going to defend him from her?

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid my vision¡¯s distance is limited at night, Empress,¡± Emelina replied.  ¡°Are the Jukal¡¯s actions concerning?¡±

    The dark valley was easily penetrated by her enhanced sight; she watched in disbelief as the birds dispersed in two packs, parting to fly around the hazed mountain.  ¡°They¡¯re ¡­ returning north?¡±

    The Nexus was alight with activity as the news was passed between her minions; Tiffany and Edmon pulled Rigrach into the private connection, and the Undead Jukal revealed the answer.

    ¡°My esteemed Empress!  The Supreme Molifoph no longer calls my fellow Jukal to stay; without his guiding voice, they return to the Northern Peaks with all our delicate flocks to seek guidance from the wise Elders!  Oh, what a time to be alive; a new Supreme Molifoph will be a shining star to blaze the future anew with the sparkle of Evenlight!¡±

    Evenlight?  Elinor questioned.

    ¡°The holy relic of the Sun that will choose the next Supreme Molifoph!¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Tiffany¡¯s tone slowly brightened.  ¡°So, you¡¯re saying the Evenlight will select and give the power of the Supreme Molifoph to lead your race?¡±

    ¡°Indeed, my glorious atramentous non-feathery leader!¡±

    Elinor promptly kicked the bird out of the call after getting the relevant information; she had a hard time listening to the deep, manly voice that every radio host probably dreamed for, yet the image of the bizarre bird creature just made the whole experience uncomfortable to her.

    Okay, so ¡­ in short, Iris killed the Supreme Molifoph and is coming back?

    ¡°Seems likely,¡± Edmon replied, attractive deep tones much better with the mental image of her father¡¯s handsome face to back it up.  ¡°On the positive note, we no longer have to be concerned about the Ri¡¯bot being picked off by the throng.¡±

    Tiffany made a sound as if she were sucking on her lip.  ¡°Is Iris returning?  I cannot feel her, which means she¡¯s probably activated all of her stealth abilities to reduce any chance of being detected.¡±

    Is that right?  Elinor questioned, still very aware of where her minion was.  I didn¡¯t know she could do that to you ¡­ no, she isn¡¯t returning.  She¡¯s not making any movement I can detect.

    ¡°Odd,¡± Edmon commented with a low grumble in his throat.

    ¡°I agree ¡­ the leader might not actually be dead but subdued by Iris, and she¡¯s extracting information from him, but ¡­ no, I¡¯m unaware of any type of skill Iris might use to do such a thing ¡­ Perhaps a poison?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t do us any good to speculate.  I¡¯ll have everyone on high alert until Iris does return.¡±

    I suppose.  Elinor folded her arms under her chest, glaring at the mountains as her maids waited for further orders; the others had noticed something might be wrong by her rapid movements.  I¡¯ll inform you if Iris does make any moves.  Until then ¡­ we can only keep working.  Only Rigrach could reach her in an acceptable time ¡­ in fact, send him, just in case.

    ¡°Done,¡± Edmon responded.

    Tiffany¡¯s voice was rushed.  ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll speak to him with what time I have to get more information!¡±

    She swiftly opened a connection, seeking further details.

    Elinor kept her position, dismissing the two maids and artist to resume their work.  Once Emelina understood that there wasn¡¯t anything to be done, she fussed over her hair and outfit, fixing any lock that had fallen out of place with her rush.

    The Undead Jukal didn¡¯t even make it halfway before Iris drew closer, descending from the mountain peak at a rapid pace; she¡¯d get answers about this unusual development soon.  On her way down, Iris directed Rigrach to return, outpacing him like a jet to a bicycle.

    The ominous feeling in Elinor¡¯s gut increased; she¡¯d felt like something terrible had yet to dump cold water on her head, and over the past few hours, she hadn¡¯t been able to shake it.

    It took four minutes for Iris to close the distance from the peak to the city, diving right for the tower.  ¡°Empress ¡­ I have failed you.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s muscles tightened; she¡¯d never heard this tone from the regal Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen, and half wondered if she¡¯d been mistaken; the message had been sent to Edmon and Tiffany.

    ¡°Iris?¡±  Tiffany asked with concern.

    ¡°Is it the Avana?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she responded in a grave tone, ¡°a new threat that I have brought against the Empress in my inexperience.¡±

    ¡°Explain,¡± Tiffany urged.

    Elinor took a deep breath as the Queen gave her recount, using a skill to teleport next to her when she neared; Iris brought the creature¡¯s bound remains with her, leaving it beside Elinor, but it was far from her mind.

    Azalea grew very concerned when her mother reverted to her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form, apparently reading her mother¡¯s somber mood.  Iris sent her below while speaking to the Royal Court about her conflict.

    Once she finished, Tiffany released a long sigh, possibly sliding her hands through her hair.  ¡°Mmmmhhhgghhh ¡­ your actions weren¡¯t that bad Iris ¡­ you were just being you ¡­ he¡¯s the problem.  Baxter ¡­ really, that¡¯s his name?¡±

    Iris wasn¡¯t convinced.  ¡°I disagree.  I had enough details to identify his possessive personality traits and infatuation with me, yet failed to maneuver it properly.  In fact ¡­ I lead him into conflict with the Empress.¡±

    Edmon had listened to the entire event without comment; Iris was very thorough and provided all the necessary details.  ¡°Perhaps to you, Iris, your confrontation was a failure, and it might have been, for all I know.  You strive for perfection in every action you take ¡­ it¡¯s an expectation of being a Queen that you¡¯ve lived by.  That being said, dwelling on that mistake will not change the outcome.¡±

    ¡°Right!¡±  Tiffany swiftly jumped in.  ¡°Elinor?¡±

    ¡­ I agree with Tiffany and Edmon, Iris.  She smiled at the magnificent and horrifying armored creature in front of her.  You are my jewel, Iris, which is something he shares with me, and I will not lose you to some theatrical crow monster.

    ¡°Excellently said, my dear!¡±  Tiffany cheered.  ¡°Now that we¡¯re beyond that, what are we going to do about this ¡­ alien bird that¡¯s captivated with the dramaturgical?¡±

    Iris was far from over with her mistake, which Elinor understood through their connection; her existence was the cause of Elinor¡¯s danger.

    Edmon hummed.  ¡°You honestly believe he¡¯s a match for you, Iris, and he has thirteen other comrades that are possibly as powerful as himself?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  I have a higher power cap than before my rebirth; however, it would not be an issue to handle such a creature when I was alive.  Although, he would be in my sights as prey.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma would not have seen him as a threat, either, but with how I am, he is on my level, and none of my daughters would be able to contend.

    ¡°I tried to follow the trail of the three minor threats, but a flying beast had picked them up further down the mountain.  I considered following the lingering trail, but the possibility of a follow-up trap from Baxter dissuaded me.  I prioritized returning.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± the Witch¡¯s low tones rolled across the connection.  ¡°That was good ¡­ they¡¯re basically a traveling caravan, and if they¡¯ve lasted multiple worlds, carrying with them strange artifacts from each ¡­ yes, this is very serious.¡±

    ¡°Not just that,¡± Edmon growled, ¡°I believe his invisibility might be beyond my ability to pierce.  We have a lot of preparations to make.  Until he is handled ¡­ I don¡¯t believe Iris should leave your side, Elinor.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Tiffany groaned, ¡°but we also need more information.  If Iris believes her daughters aren¡¯t able to handle him, then she¡¯s the only choice.  So, do we prioritize defense or intel gathering to better grasp what we¡¯re fighting against?¡±

    Iris¡¯ sad tone hadn¡¯t changed throughout the conversation.  ¡°The one advantage we have is that he does not know where the Empress is, but I suspect he will have a way of discovering that information.  If not now, then within the future.¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ a bunch of magic and technology from other worlds,¡± Tiffany mumbled.  ¡°We need to step up our game.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s ghostly green eyes fell to the immaculate stone floor.  No ¡­ just waiting for them to attack, and in a way, we can¡¯t even predict ¡­ It''s not a strategy.  Iris ¡­ find them, and discover what you can with what time we have.

    Edmon¡¯s voice said he didn¡¯t like it but recognized it was the best option.  ¡°In that case ¡­ Empress, I will be by your side from now on.  I''ll direct the repair work from your side.¡±

    That¡¯s fine.  Elinor replied, giving Iris another smile.  I¡¯m not angry with you, Iris, and I know you want me to be.  This is the product of you being just too ¡­ perfect.  I love that about you, and now, you¡¯ll be exactly who you are and discover what enemy has bared their fangs at me.

    ¡°... If that is what you desire, Empress.  I will have his neck.¡±

    I¡¯m sure, Elnor giggled, causing her maids to glance their way.  First, we must determine what it is we are facing.  We can assume he¡¯s already told his friends; it¡¯s not only him we are contending with.  Find out what you can about Baxter and this Covenant.

    ¡°Yes, Empress.¡±

    Iris transformed into her human form, walked to the glass, and seemed to pass through it like a mirror before transforming into a magnificent bird, taking to the skies.  Edmon was already running through the halls at a tremendous speed to act as her knight.

    Elinor followed the Queen¡¯s rise into the sky as Tiffany groaned.  ¡°A bird that can teleport and is super physically strong, too ¡­ gah, well ¡­ I guess this means bumping up the sensory rituals to right now¡­¡±

 B2 â€” 18. Undesirable Position

    A week passed, with Elinor only leaving the safety of her isolated tower to utilize the Life Fruit¡¯s energy for her nightly army cost.  She glared up at the impenetrable snowfall covering the sierra to the north of her fortress with a brooding glare; Iris had yet to return from her mission to spy on Baxter and his group.

    Edmon¡¯s imposing figure stood beside her throne; she had it moved to the north to study the direction Iris was in.  It wasn¡¯t as if she had been immobile, but the fact she hadn¡¯t returned to report in and the inability for anyone but herself to sense her movements within the Nexus meant that she couldn¡¯t send anyone to her exact location.

    Her former father and mother had vehemently opposed her leaving to meet with her, which Elinor had to admit was the wise decision, but the silence annoyed her to no end.

    She sent the obnoxious Jukal, Rigrach, to fly around the area after gaining his physical form back, yet his flight around the sites was met with silence; his speed was far slower than Iris¡¯ had been, and it took some time for the bird to traverse the landscape.

    There wasn¡¯t any indication he was an Undead unless you cut him open at this point, but his large black eyes were an indicator of the unordinary; they seemed to absorb the light around them, making it appear as if they released a black hue.

    At first, each new day tightened Elinor¡¯s stomach; now, every hour carried the worry Iris¡¯ life might be snuffed out, or something dreadful had happened to her, and so far, Rigrach was useless at finding anything of importance.

    All the bird reported were signs of Quen¡¯Talrat ruins with Ri¡¯bot and other strange creatures living in the wreckage.  They had supposedly built onto the structures, and a few battles seemed to have passed between areas, but it was a very remote and barren area with grass that held little nutrients for grazing.

    Many advancements were being made from her relentless Undead, continually working to bring her vision to life and build a safe place for their Empress, but Elinor¡¯s focus remained on the north.

    Iris shifted constantly and almost instantaneously to various degrees across the northern lands, which gave Elinor the impression that she was on some kind of teleporting mass.  However, there was no way of knowing why she had yet to return or if she¡¯d been captured.  It was becoming more likely that the Spider Queen might have been discovered and trapped with every passing day.

    It was currently 13 A.M. out of the 30 hour day time table, and the daily reports for the Empire¡¯s progress had been ongoing between different representatives, speaking through the Nexus; all visitors had been barred from even going into the Throne Room since the start of Iris¡¯ mission.

    Food was prepared and left at the beginning of the Throne Room grand hallway for a maid to fetch.  Currently, only her Head Maid, Emelina, and the 12-year-old maid, Aileen attended to her since they were the only women that didn¡¯t have family, and Elinor would keep her word with allowing her Maids free-time; that left the rest to help other units.

    The gains this week were advancing in a positive direction.  Lucky Blue Smith, the Publicist that acted as an intermediate between her forces and the living, had been making great strides with the Elite Quen¡¯Talrat and Quin¡¯s instruction on their technology.

    Gwen seemed to be warming up to the young man after their first introduction as he worked with each group.  A trial had been held for the Delthax earlier that week with Tiffany being delegated her authority in overseeing the final judgment in her stead; she was too focused on Iris to officiate.  A few Warriors were willingly executed for their crimes against the humans while most were given to Tiffany since the experience would probably be worse than death.

    The ominous feelings crowding her mind wouldn¡¯t disperse; everything they¡¯d come up against was more or less manageable and far outclassed by the Spider Queen.  Now, there was an otherworldly threat that had set their sights on her, and Iris was in mortal danger without anyone capable of offering support.

    Word had spread to Violet through Azalea, and she could sense their angst when within the fortress walls; she couldn¡¯t blame them.  Camellia didn¡¯t know the danger her mother was possibly in, and Elinor sympathized with them by reflecting on her own lost parents.  Even if the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra didn¡¯t hold the same emotions as humans, they were surprisingly similar.

    Elinor passively listened to the reports, keeping up-to-date on the progress her Empire had made within the week¡¯s time; she would soon leave this tower to head south for the events her Ambassador had planned.  No word had passed between her and Klaus within the week to inform him about the new threat.

    However, Elinor had continued to level her Skills and Abilities within both Systems.  She¡¯d learned much more about the Religious System and was nearing her needed goal to maintain her current army¡¯s size, which was excellent since the Life Fruits were growing ever more unstable by the night.  Her minion capacity and Death Energy pool had been her focus within the week.

    States:

    Lich¡¯s Conquest I:  (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 25DE/Daily Duration: Conditional; Range: Nexus Of The Empress) Reactive Aura, Level Five, Novice, Rank Four; a state that grants certain benefits and requirements when engaging in territorial conquests.  However, if not in a direct campaign against a force that holds land to take, this does not come into effect.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Cost Reduction:  While it may cost a daily amount of Death Energy, it reduces the total percent cost of the daily total by 15%.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Furor:  Increase all minion Attack Speed and Attack Damage by 5%</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sacrifice:  10% of the total army must be sacrificed during the reset; minions can be prioritized over others.  This is by number, not the strength of the minions.</li>

    </ul>

    Base Lich Tree Skills: These Skills will slowly be upgraded and absorbed by more powerful versions further up the Tree.

    Artificial Body I: (Cooldown: 15 Seconds Cost: 9DE/Daily; Duration: 1 Day; Range: N/A); Reactive, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Five, Rookie, Rank Max; a body can be molded to fit the user¡¯s personal image of themself.  Small custom modifications can be made, but alternate forms cannot be fashioned at will yet.

    Life Tap II (Enhanced By Monarch of Death): (Cooldown: 25 Seconds; Cost: Regenerative; Duration: Until Broken; Range: Five Feet) Active Channeling, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed, Rank Max; corrupts 10 Life Energy per 5 Seconds.  This Skill upgraded so rapidly throughout the week from the massive amounts of Life Energy corrupted from the Life Fruit.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rapid Draw II (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration; N/A) Reactive Proficiency Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed, Rank Three; Increases the corruption rate by .5% per minute of consecutive draw to a maximum of 30% until broken.</li>

    </ul>

    Death¡¯s Reprieve I: (Cooldown: 1 Month Cost: N/A; Duration: 1 Day; Range: N/A); Reactive, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Five, Novice, Rank Zero; the daily resource cost for a day can be postponed, but the price following night will be tripled.

    Racials:

    Death Pool III: (2,829DE Cap (487DE Before Investing Points); Currently 1,134/2,829DE) Passive, Summoning, Level One, Intermediate, Rank One; this energy source is affected by the Endurance Stat.  The glow of Monarch of Death¡¯s crown jewels and the user¡¯s eyes increase based on its current levels.

    <ul>

    <li>Overpowered III: Reactive Link Skill, Summoning, Level Four, Versed, Rank Ten; grants a 19%  reduction of Death Energy loss on Energy to a limit of 1,500% (Max: 42,435 Death Energy) more can be stored temporarily, however that will not be at a reduced loss.  Excess Energy has a Decay Rate of 8 hours, plus the amount of loss reduced.</li>

    </ul>

    Imperial Presence II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Once Sensed In Any Manner) Passive Aura, Magical Type, Empress, Level One, Versed, Rank Three; forces the user to act in an imperial manner.  It makes them more dignified and regal while also implanting that mental image in weak-willed creatures around them.

    <ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lesser Aura of Supremacy III: (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: 20DE Per Minute; Duration: N/A; Range: 35 Meters) Active Aura Link Skill; an Aura Skill that casts Horrify on others; if Horrify fails, it casts Fear.</li>

    </ul>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Horrify: Overwhelms all senses, forcing the victim to focus on the user while being totally unable to function mentally and physically for a time.  Resistance rolls will be cast every eight seconds.</li>

    <li>Fear: Forces those present to run in terror or tremble in place, experiencing a horrible dread.  Effects last for eight seconds and will not renew once outside of the aura field, but the person¡¯s lingering bodily response will impact them.</li>

    </ul>

    Empress Branch: These are skills that force The Empress to behave a certain way, curbing her old habits.

    Nexus Of The Empress II: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 15DE Daily; Duration: N/A; Range: Ten Miles); Passive Aura, Magical Type, Empress, Level One, Versed, Rank Max; the evolution to Spiritual Link I connects every Minion within a specific range.  This branches out to Intelligent Minions, unlike Spiritual Link, allowing them to act as command hubs.

    Emotional Control I (Evolved From Emotional Loss II w/ ): (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A) Passive Cluster Set; Level One, Versed, Rank Max; (formally Emotional Loss II, which evolved into its current state due to Imperial Presence and the Religious System¡¯s influence).  The Empress¡¯ emotions are evened out, allowing her to think clearly in stressful situations.  Any emotions dampened by Emotional Loss will continue to have a lasting effect.

    Monarch of Death II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 75DE/Daily; Duration: N/A) Active, Cluster Set, Level Eight, Rookie, Rank Six; the physical manifestation of the user¡¯s authority as the Empress of the Dead.  The following skills are a part of this cluster, meaning they do not work if this main branch is not active.

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Life Tap II (Enhanced By MoD; Includes RD): (Cooldown: 25 Seconds; Cost: Regenerative; Duration: Until Broken; Range: Five Feet) Active Channeling, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed, Rank Max; Corrupts 12 Life Energy per 5 Seconds.  This Skill upgraded so rapidly throughout the week from the massive amounts of Life Energy corrupted from the Life Fruit.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lesser Minion Mastery I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: MoD Active; Duration: N/A; Range: 25 Meters) Passive Skill, Magical Type, Enhancement, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Max; doubles all minion base Stats, excluding Tenacity, with an additional 5% increase for those within range, and grants 15% bonus experience.  It does not stack with other minion enhancing effects, including Lich¡¯s Conquest.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Prose of the Potentate II: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: See Above; Daily Use; Duration: See Above; Range: N/A) Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed Grade, Rank Two; allows The Empress to talk and read any language her minions can, which is then shared with the rest of her host.  However, this means there can be errors if their education was faulty.  She may suffer consequences should her minions not have the proper vocabulary to communicate at a higher level.</li>

    <li>Plight Of The Empress I: Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Cluster Set, Level One, Novice, Rank One; a set of skills that function as emergency options.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Call of the Empress I: (Cooldown: 1 Week; Cost: 10%DE; Duration: 10 Minutes; Range: 30 Meters) Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Two; sends a nova of life energy out that raises all corpses in range of The Empress¡¯ current position, bypassing her summoning limit.  They will be at the strongest the creature was in life, bypassing all resurrection restrictions with their best suitable Class, determined by The System for the Empress¡¯ defense.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>The Undead cannot be revived once the flames of life have been extinguished.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Herald of the Empress II: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 5DE Per Butterfly; Duration: 45 Minutes/Renews Cost To Stay Active; Range: 20 Meters) Active, Cluster Set, Level Six, Rookie, Rank Six; the Empress¡¯ butterflies are used to revive and identify potential minion candidates.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Minion Pool II:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Skill, Death-Type, Level Five, Versed Grade, Rank Four.  Increases The Empress¡¯  Minion Pool. </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Unintelligent: 1,250:674 used (Previous Week 150; 126 used)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Intelligent: 250:36 used (Previous Week 69; 36 used)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Raise Skeleton II:  Active, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed Grade, Rank One; the Empress can select between two Undead options to raise.  Increased levels grant her minions more of their original strength when revived, but the price may increase.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Intelligent: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 25DE (x2 Per Grade) and the Butterfly; Duration: N/A; Maintenance: 2DE Daily/x2 Per Grade); Undead that has their spirits returned to a reformed body.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Color/Grade - DE Cost/Maintenance Cost</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>White/Poor - 30/2</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Green/Common - 55/4</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Yellow/Uncommon - 105/8 (Quin/Garu¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Blue/Rare - 205/16 (Valdar¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Purple/Heroic - 405/32 Emelina¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Red/Epic - 805/64 (Amra¡¯Core/Camellia¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Orange/Legendary - 1,605/128 (Azalea¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Dark Orange/Mythic - 3,205/256 (Violet¡¯s Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Pearlescent/Transcendent - 6,405/512 (Iris¡¯ Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Unintelligent: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: .5DE (x2 Per Grade) and the Butterfly; Duration: N/A; Maintenance:  .5DE Daily/x2 Per Grade); lifeless husks raised and augmented without the spirit for fodder use.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Color/Grade - DE Cost/Maintenance Cost</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>White/Poor - 5.5/.5</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Green/Common - 6/1</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Yellow/Uncommon - 7/2</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Blue/Rare - 9/4</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Purple/Heroic - 13/8</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Red/Epic - 21/16</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Orange/Legendary - 37/32</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Dark Orange/Mythic - 69/64</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Pearlescent/Transcendent - 133/128</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Daily Maintenance Cost: </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lich¡¯s Conquest: 25DE (If In A Territory Conflict); -15% Total Cost</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Artificial Body: 9DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Nexus Of The Empress: 15DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Monarch of Death: 75DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Intelligent Minions: 2,680DE</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Rarity: # Minions / Individual DE

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Uncommon: 3x / 8</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rare: 14x / 16</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Heroic: 12x / 32</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Epic: 2x / 64</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Legendary: 1x / 128</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mythic: 1x / 256</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Transcendent: 3x / 512</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Unintelligent Minions: 370DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Poor: 608x / .5</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Common: 66x / 1</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Total Daily Cost: 3,149DE</li>

    <li>Total Daily Cost: 2,676.65DE (W/Lich¡¯s Conquest)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Elinor had leveled her Minion Pool and Death Pool by making sure to use them as often as possible.  The increase had been substantial when she reached the 3rd Rank and the Intermediate Grade; her Death Pool increased by 850 in one bound.

    She¡¯d given Garu, her Ethereal Clan Ri¡¯bot, oversight of the tar and mud pit excavation, yielding many Ri¡¯bot skeletons.  The piles of bones were brought to the Entrance Hall to be gathered by the Unintelligent Quen¡¯Talrat to bring up for her to resurrect on an hourly cycle, but the remains of the pits close by were swiftly drying up, and none were of any significant quality.

    It had increased the amount of work that could be accomplished within her Capital City, and the forces had grown by such a degree that all of her Intelligent Undead had a squad they were in charge of to boss around for the work.

    She could thank Valdar¡¯s diligent efforts for the continual replenishment of her Death Energy.  Her religion was spreading rapidly, and the entire Prume Clan had fallen under her influence without bloodshed after the Chief had accompanied her High Priest back to the city to understand what was happening within the valley.

    Ri¡¯bot missionaries had been trained in the basics of the growing religious beliefs, spreading to all the Clanless hotspots, locations delivered by Violet¡¯s continual sensory web that found new hidden pockets of toads and Yaltha¡¯ma throughout the jungle.

    Much of the city¡¯s western side had been cleaned out, or so she was told, and the new monkey-fox recruits each sided with the two different factions, which is how El¡¯Co¡¯Ca¡¯s Hidden Ones had grown to 674 members while the main body of El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca¡¯s group numbered 3,217.

    The creatures were doing good work in cleaning up the areas surrounding her palace.  El¡¯Co¡¯Ca had her faction aiding Gwen and the humans while the bulk of the Yaltha¡¯ma followed her brother in ridding the western section of their feces.

    Adding both parties to her religion had helped significantly, but the System remained reasonably simple with the teachings that were being spread.  She was sure it would evolve with their beliefs, and the constant influx of Ri¡¯bot had invoked Antonietta to request help in the kitchens to help provide for the gathering creatures, much to the Wixum Clan¡¯s delight.

    Work had begun with exploring the massive greenhouses in the northeast, and Tiffany had picked out what would likely be the most healthy food to plant with Antonietta¡¯s assistance.  There were a few fast-growing crops that would help in the short-term.

    Even with the colossal farming space, eventually, they would run out of room, which is why   Tiffany tried cheering her up with some rambling conversations about ideas she had of tilling the northern lands of the weeds and terraforming the area.  It wasn¡¯t incredibly exhilarating to Elinor, but she listened to keep her mind busy from worrying about Iris.

    Amra¡¯Cora spoke about an underground tunnel under construction when she was alive to quickly traverse from the keep to the opposite side of the mountain range for effortless passage but was unsure of its whereabouts.

    The Elite Hunter had been quite busy throughout the week, directing repairs with Edmon¡¯s oversight on priority through the Nexus.  She could tell he was a bit frustrated at times with communication errors that passed between them, but there wasn¡¯t anything they could do about it since no one would be able to defend her if Baxter or his allies made an appearance.

    Lucky was currently meeting with each leader of the Ri¡¯bot, Yaltha¡¯ma, and humans, working out housing arrangement areas.  The humans were taking the closest buildings surrounding the palace, and a few strange vehicles had been salvaged by the Elite Hunters to allow easy access between the court and gardens for daily tilling efforts.  There were only a few transportation vehicles, but they were big enough to take over two dozen humans on the wide roads.

    The Yaltha¡¯ma apparently had more than enough living space since Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had designed the fortress with the small creatures acting as maintenance support.  They¡¯d forgotten much of the daily tasks throughout the generations, but Amra¡¯Cora knew enough to get them back on the right track.

    Tiffany¡¯s experiments were starting to make some progress, and she had successfully broken into a branch that she believed would grant her the ability to meld the Religious System and Undead System, but only time would tell.  Elinor just nodded at her updates since it was mostly speculation, though every new ritual brought the Witch running with squealing joy.

    A ritualistic grid had been fashioned around the palace to allow the Witch¡¯s searching eyes to find anything hidden to strengthen their observational area; the space above the tower had been the most difficult for her to do since it required a lot of energy to link the rituals in such a large apparatus.  Nothing came of their precautions as of yet.

    Her maids were having a wonderful time, which made Elinor happy; every so often, she¡¯d peek in on their family time to pass the time.  There were still reservations and nervous tip-toeing around specific topics, but people were starting to settle into their new lives.

    The humans worked together to find solutions to their minor problems rather than coming to Lucky for every issue that came up, and Gwen was a big part of that process.

    Elinor hoped Iris would return soon with news so she could explore the city that was slowly becoming more operable.  Several dozen of her unintelligent minions had been on a scouting mission to explore the entire fortress and send a message to Edmon if any new living thing entered their perceptive field.

    So far, quite a few predators had gathered within the northern areas, which had destroyed a few of her weak skeletons; Quin was swift to respond in capturing them for Tiffany¡¯s rituals.  Many of the stronger predators acted as good sources of energy and resources for her witchcraft.

    Quin was somewhat frightened of Amra¡¯Cora from some history they shared in the past, but the powerful Quen¡¯Talrat didn¡¯t seem to even recognize the young Elite Warrior, which was embarrassing for Elinor¡¯s first Intelligent Undead.

    What she really wanted to do was raise her Head of State candidate, but he remained in the Life Room, awaiting the time she¡¯d call upon his spirit.  Her pool had reached a point that it was an option; however, she wanted to first be independent of the Life Fruit before buckling down on her next Transcendent Royal Court candidate, and her former parents cautioned that it would be best to wait for a combative unit instead of an administrative one.

    Elinor agreed with their assessment, but the more bodies brought to her feet, the more she realized how rare that actually was.  Her weaker unintelligent minions were certainly intimidating to the local wildlife and creatures but were far from reliable in combat; they were utter fodder when it came down to it and didn¡¯t receive nearly any of the advanced perks of the Intelligent Undead.

    More of her valley was becoming accessible with Violet¡¯s relentless efforts. Though the process had taken a lot of energy from the powerful Spider Sister, it had yielded phenomenal results thus far.  Violet hadn¡¯t finished her wide sensory net across the valley, but through her constant search, they¡¯d discovered many hidden pathways underneath the land which hadn¡¯t existed a century ago.

    Yet, there had been no indication of the decay-specters using them; however, there were signs of other creatures that the sisters hadn¡¯t encountered in their life that had used the underground system as recently as two decades ago, branching into their mother¡¯s network.

    Rigrach had been sent on aerial missions to scout the land beyond if they needed to take quick action to help Iris, mapping out the trails Amra¡¯Cora showed him on an old map within the library.  Some pathways had become difficult to traverse, but a few still existed between the mountains.

    Elinor listened to the reports Lucky made on their recent meeting, discussing how the humans would soon be moving out of the palace and into the surrounding buildings.  Several families had opted to use the houses closer to the greenhouse district, deciding to dedicate themselves to the harvest, and even if her maids had the day off, they still supported their families in their daily tasks.

    Mauricio Ojuda, her Groundskeeper, had been extremely busy with fashioning furniture while instructing the human and Ri¡¯bot on specific craftsmanship arts while Leonora Gentileschi detailed the work on Elinor¡¯s own furnishings.  However, the Groundskeeper had been most busy overseeing a ship that two-hundred of her Unintelligent Undead, two humans, and five Ri¡¯bot with knowledge on the subject were in the process of constructing.

    She got to her feet, hips twisting to the left; her green irises swept the expansive room of strange artifacts.  Elinor decided to keep all of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s items in their places until they could be adequately inspected since the great white ape had chosen to surround himself with his most valuable treasures, according to Amra¡¯Cora.

    Edmon followed her as she moved between them, studying the objects; this had been a daily habit of hers since she was confined to the room for the week.  Every time she inspected them, something new caught her interest that pulled her mind away from Iris¡¯ long departure.  She was just waiting for the makeshift shipwright¡¯s report; he¡¯d been charged to complete it by today and was given as many workmen as he requested.

    Kumi¡¯Relta, the sole Hunter Class of the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Squadron, had been conscripted to help utilize his knowledge about the power gems his race used in its design.  He had no understanding of their creation, but their use was somewhat known to most of the giant gorillas.

    He had selected a wide assortment of the jewels from the collection Pepe Fontanez, her Treasurer, had sorted and documented with Federico Fallas, a Curator, and Eloy Sandoval, her Royal Chronicler.  Eloy took several minutes each day within a private call to Emelina to get a general grasp of Elinor¡¯s actions in the day to record them.

    A soft sigh left Elinor¡¯s lips, turning away from the artifact in front of her to stare north again.  Edmon thought a journey to the south was actually an excellent idea with Violet and his protection, and Tiffany agreed; Azalea could manage Violet¡¯s sensory network while she was away, and the youngest Spider Sister had been brought into their daily meetings as the next ranking member within her mother¡¯s Unit¡¯s chain of command.

    Edmon had gotten into the habit of speaking to her through the Nexus, in the off chance someone was listening to them; they couldn¡¯t be too careful with a creature that had strange devices from multiple worlds.  ¡°Has anything changed with Iris?¡±

    ¡­ No ¡­ she hasn¡¯t moved a significant distance from the last teleportation.

    He repeated the previous conclusion with a few added thoughts since their last discussion on the matter, making Elinor¡¯s lips fall a little.  Her emotions slowly returning throughout the week was welcome, but it also came with some odd balancing.

    ¡°The fact Iris¡¯ location teleports every time Rigrach reaches a specific distance in his flight patterns shows there¡¯s an automatic defensive matrix.  He can¡¯t keep making those sweeps, or they¡¯ll get too suspicious.  I suggest he spend more time on the other side.

    ¡°Using the maids to act as our messenger as not to draw their eye back to the city is a solid strategy.  However, since Iris is not reaching out through the Nexus to relay information tells me that there could be methods they have to listen to even our private connections.  She was able to get onto whatever structure they have within the clouds with her stealth, but if we hope to do the same, we¡¯ll need another Assassin-Class to attempt it.¡±

    Yes ¡­ but as you¡¯ve said, there¡¯s no one we can trust with that if Iris herself is being so cautious ¡­ we¡¯re stuck ¡­ she¡¯s probably stuck there for some reason, and there¡¯s nothing we can do without another member of the Royal Court with some special abilities.

    Before he could respond, Elinor powered through in her week-long induced frustration.

    We¡¯ve been searching the swamps, I¡¯ve been increasing my levels as much as possible, and we haven¡¯t found anything even close to Transcendent Grade, though.  No, we haven¡¯t even seen a Rare Grade in those pools, and now I¡¯m supposed to go south, or I might ruin Klaus¡¯ plan that he¡¯s been setting up for the past week that I dumped on him out of my own hubris.  She growled.

    Yes, the Empire is expanding, and I am getting more powerful, but that means nothing if we have to deal with an entire council of enemies that are more or less as powerful as Iris.  No, she bit down on her thumbnail with agitation, I need someone that can help support us more, which means I need to continue leveling my Death Pool, but none of that matters if I don¡¯t have a powerful Undead to raise ¡­ I¡¯m hitting a wall.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ which is why finding such a figure in the Nalvean Capital should be our next move.  There is nothing you can do from this tower except wait, and even if Iris did call for help, we couldn¡¯t act so rashly¡­¡±

    I know ¡­ it could be a trap.  She mumbled, vision narrowing.

    Emelina was the perfect picture of grace beside her, but she knew the woman wished to help ease her burden.  She must have also been excited to join her in the south since she¡¯d have more time with Klaus, but that was only a minor distraction in Elinor¡¯s mind at the moment.

    I must have faith in Iris to accomplish her task ¡­ but this is the first time I¡¯ve felt like I could really lose one of you.  I ¡­ can¡¯t lose Iris.

    ¡°She knows that,¡± Edmon smoothly responded.  ¡°She will take the utmost caution, which is the most credible reason why she has yet to return.  A second infiltration mission is not desirable; she must gain as much information as possible before she leaves.¡±

    An entire week, though ¡­ an entire ¡­ week, Elinor repeated.

    ¡°It just proves how dangerous our foes are.¡±

    ¡­ I suppose you¡¯re right.  Klaus will need to be on his toes when we arrive ¡­ we need to find another powerful figure to resurrect without starting a war that will pincer us on both fronts.

    ¡°A meeting with the leadership, then.¡±

    A short puff of air released from Elinor¡¯s lips, and she returned to her throne¡¯s side.  How long until the boat is complete?

    ¡°Soon.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t wrong, Mauricio was heading toward her from the river¡¯s edge, but the antsy emotions that were slowly returning with Emotional Loss being absorbed into Emotional Control had caused a swirl of unease in her core.

    Lucky had just finished his report, which she had only slightly paid attention to.  He¡¯d mentioned the human¡¯s elation upon her promise that when she returned with the Clavex Clan, she would raise more of their loved ones for various tasks that would best suit their potential.

    She¡¯d gained a decent amount of Intelligent slots, but the issue was her daily cost.  If she was going to raise another Intelligent Transcendent Undead, then that would increase her daily maintenance by another 512 Death Energy, which didn¡¯t count any of the possible Skills she could gain from using all those points she¡¯d spent on her current list of abilities in enhancing her existing Undead.

    Plight of the Empress I had come off cooldown, and even if she wished to use it to continue leveling up its proficiencies, Tiffany and Edmon convinced her to save it in case it was needed with Baxter¡¯s looming threat.  She felt like her hands were literally tied behind her back, restricting her actions.

    After a short amount of time, her Groundskeeper made contact, informing them that his task had been completed.

    Finally, it was time where she could act and leave her tower; she¡¯d almost felt like a trapped princess over the past week.

    Tiffany bridged a connection with her.  ¡°I wish you a safe trip, Dear!  I¡¯ll hold down the fort while you¡¯re gone; I¡¯ve whipped up a pretty nasty ritual if we come under attack, so don¡¯t worry too much.  Just enjoy yourself; everything will be fine!¡±

    Okay ¡­ now, I¡¯m really worried, Elinor mumbled, walking to the elevator with her two maids and bodyguard.  You don¡¯t go saying everything¡¯s going to be fine before going on a long journey ¡­ it¡¯s fiction one-o-one, Tiffany.

    ¡°Oh, goodness!  You¡¯re right; oof ¡­ uh, well, maybe we will have some trouble.  I¡¯ll handle everything, though!¡±

    ¡­ I¡¯m counting on you.

    ¡°Of course, Empress!¡±

    Edmon cleared this throat.  ¡°... If something does happen¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes, Honey, I know,¡± Tiffany said in a manner that made it clear she was rolling her eyes.  ¡°I¡¯ll send someone running back to inform you of the situation.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t want to say it, but she¡¯d know something was wrong if her Undead suddenly started dropping like flies.

    Letting the conversation die, she glanced to her right at the twelve-year-old Undead Maid beside the Head Maid; she was doing her best to hide an excited smile.  She¡¯d been hearing tales about the Nalveans from Valdar when he had time to move between activities.  Elinor had hopped in to listen from time to time, too.

    Excited?  Elinor asked, giving the girl a small smile.

    ¡°Oh, very excited, Empress!¡±  Aileen squealed.  ¡°I just ¡­ I want to see the salamander people and watch them waterbend like Katara!¡±

    A soft chuckle escaped Elinor¡¯s throat; her enthusiasm helped distract her.  Yes, I¡¯m excited, too.  We¡¯ll have to be on our best behavior, though; we don¡¯t want to start a war ¡­ yet, I think.  We¡¯ll see what Klaus has planned for us.

    ¡°Mhm!  Emelina ¡­ oh, umm, no, that¡¯s not right ¡­ uh, Head Maid Emelina!  Mhm!  She¡¯s really excited, too!¡±

    Elinor felt a twitch pass through her connection to the Head Maid, but the action didn¡¯t reflect on her serene face as she spoke through the Nexus.  ¡°Perhaps he will have good news for us on more powerful Undead that can help bolster the Empire¡¯s strength for the future.¡±

    Let¡¯s hope.  Elinor whispered.

    Quin greeted her in the Throne Room, fully fleshed out with thick gray fur and a muscular build.  ¡°Greetings, my Empress,¡± she bowed, holding down one of her hands to act as Elinor¡¯s seat on their journey.

    Quin, you¡¯ll have to tell me a bit about your life on our journey.  I¡¯m sure Aileen would like to join in the story.

    ¡°Please!¡±  The girl smiled, hands tightening around her stomach as she tried to keep her composure.

    Of course, Empress.

    Two more Skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat took Edmon and the maids with the Doom Guard¡¯s instruction.  Violet would meet them shortly within the jungle after teaching her sister how to operate the silken network.

    The ride to the boat was much smoother than what she remembered from Quin¡¯s skeleton form, which probably had something to do with her Mount Class.  She had to admit that sitting in the giant ape¡¯s large hands was comfortable.

    Violet met them in her human-form half-way to the river, and Elinor frowned upon seeing the Spider Sister.  She looked somewhat gaunt, and there were bags under her black and white eyes, showing how drained she was after her week-long web weaving endeavor.

    ¡°Empress,¡± she curtsied, voice not reflecting what her body couldn¡¯t hide, and they continued their journey.

    How soon will your energy be restored with rest, Violet?

    ¡°Eight hours, Empress.  I should be at peak condition when we arrive at the Nalvean Capital.¡±

    ¡­ Rest-up on our journey.  I need you at your best.

    ¡°I will be,¡± she replied with a short nod, easily keeping pace with Quin through the dense foliage.

    The ship that greeted them was an interesting design that Elinor thought was reasonably impressive.  It wasn¡¯t that foreign of a structure, with three dragon-fin-like sails and a deck with a lower hull.  The vessel wasn¡¯t all that large, but they only had a week to construct it, and it would do.

    As she boarded, she noticed the glowing yellow crystals, somehow attached to the sails and decking, all shimmering with various colors of light.  Each of the Clavex seawayers she¡¯d brought bowed when Elinor crested the edge; they¡¯d navigate the ship south, back to their homeland.  Settling in, they began their journey.

 B2 â€” 19. A Courtly Show

    Elinor scanned the deck of her first boat, identifying the escort her Doom Guard arranged as Quin brought her onto the ship.  Her crew consisted of two Maids, two Assassins, her former father as defense, her mount, and the craft¡¯s team of four.

    Edmon and Violet were by her side, silently observing the four Clavex Seawayers while they prepared to take off.  No fodder stood aboard the vessel; it would give a wrong impression, and if it was needed, there were always Poor-Grade corpses that could be found.

    The Toads were handling the ship¡¯s final maintenance, but the new gem technology implanted into the aquatic vehicle required an adequate guide for their use.  Lecra¡¯Moro, one of the Quen¡¯Talrat elite soldiers, took that position, standing near the ship¡¯s tail to give the Ri¡¯bot helmsman instructions.

    The silver-furred male was five and a half meters tall with an unusual characteristic; he had three arms, one on his upper back, and two normal legs with a bit of a shorter tail than the others she¡¯d seen.

    He was the only Assassin Class of the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters she¡¯d raised, branded with the Subclass of Silencer; his skills allowed the looming ape to reduce the effects of sound waves, including the rippling impact of his movements against the ground.

    It was an amusing ability that made the massive gorilla even more intimidating; she could imagine a horror film with gigantic creatures appearing noiselessly behind the poor soul in a flash of lightning, but with the gear he wore, it was anything but fiction.

    Elinor dismounted Quin¡¯s hand, trying to find her balance on the ship; they were currently at the end of a makeshift dock, and she was unaccustomed to the rocking boat¡¯s movements.

    She made her way to the stern, eyeing the geared Quen¡¯Talrat; he would inspire quite the image; of course, he and Quin would swim to the shoreline to stay hidden until Klaus could confirm the apes were a favorable addition to his plan.

    Amra¡¯Cora had discovered many armories that hadn¡¯t been looted, but all of them were filled with weapons far too large and unusual for anyone to use except for the Quen¡¯Talrat they were designed for.  Apparently, the added weaponry and armor increased the creature¡¯s danger-levels by a significant margin and were imbued with different effects from the gem technology.

    Quen¡¯Talrat were already incredibly bulky with their astonishingly resilient fur acting as body armor, pyro abilities, and raw power, but the assassins of the race chose a much different tactic than their brethren.  Instead of utilizing the offensive and defensive feats of their innate fire coat for active combat, they transformed it into a power source for their gear.

    The silver-furred gorilla was hidden behind a black cloth layer that generated little noise, and black jewels had been crafted into the items.  Once the assassin lit his flames underneath the fabric, the gems would activate, absorbing the light and turning him into a black mass.  Over time, that captured light could be used as a blinding attack.

    Metal with the same type of unknown jewel technology was embedded into the hand wraps he used, allowing the built-in stealth material to reform into a few preset weapons depending on the ape¡¯s powerful grip.  The only example she¡¯d been given when the Elite Hunters were glazing over the topic was a savage-sounding dagger that was the size of a human longsword.

    The image of an eighteen-foot tall gorilla, dressed from head to foot with one-way transparent fire-absorbing silk, was undoubtedly an impressive sight.  It put into perspective how devastating Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s military might and mind had been, requiring eight nations, the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Jukal, in-fighting, and eventually, a massive dragon to crush what he¡¯d built.

    Ultimately, that power would be hers, but until she could resurrect more Quen¡¯Talrat with more knowledge on the devices, she was at a wall.  The Ke built his people to be very specialized, creating an industrial war machine through millions of individual parts.

    In any case, Lecra¡¯Moro was far more deadly than his Heroic-Grade implied due to the tools he could use, and many more were locked behind vaults belonging to the other Quen¡¯Talrat Bloods; Amra¡¯Cora could only access some of her own Blood¡¯s repositories.

    They soon pushed off from shore, entering the great river that spanned miles across; Elinor went below deck with her escort, practicing her footing.  The Nalveans were creatures of the seas, and if she was invited onto a ship, she couldn¡¯t embarrass herself.

    It took an hour or two to really gain the proper dexterity, and she returned to the surface; their speed was far greater than she expected with the added technology.  They were making excellent time.

    The wind had picked up, but her two maids had tied her hair into a braid to keep it managed.  Her little twelve-year-old maid listened to Lecra¡¯Moro describe the strange games of the Quen¡¯Talrat and his part in some, but Elinor was still too concerned about Iris to pay attention.

    Standing near the rear of the vessel, Elinor glared at the towering mountains, shooting out of the jungle to pierce the heavens, lodging itself in the constant storm that helped sustain the lush biome its life-giving waters brought and broadened the great river they traveled on.

    The further she went, the less she could tell about her courtly metallic Spider Queen, and it felt a little odd being so disconnected from the majority of her Empire.  Hundreds of her minions were now outside her commanding range, left to the devices of her intelligent undead.

    Her eyes narrowed while staring at the snowy peaks.

    I need a Court member that could offer Iris help, but what position could provide that?  Tiffany can¡¯t penetrate the magics defending the enemy¡¯s base has to scry the area without stronger ingredients ¡­ perhaps an Arcanist?

    She brooded on the information presented to her throughout the week; everything was moving along in a positive direction ¡­ except it wasn¡¯t.  If she couldn¡¯t raise a new undead that could offer assistance against her new foes, then it didn¡¯t matter how well all the other aspects of her empire was doing; a nation fell the moment it couldn¡¯t defend against outside threats, which meant she needed a more robust military.

    The rest of the trip was somewhat dull, and her two gorillas took to the treeline as they neared Nalvean lands.  Her maids stood by her side while studying the strange architecture of the Nalvean nation.  Violet was utterly invisible to any that looked at the ship while Edmon drew the salamanders¡¯ attention like a sore thumb.

    Klaus finally came within speaking distance as she drew ten-miles away from the man; Camellia and Imiunarus appeared to be far to the west, accomplishing some task.  ¡°Empress, I hope your journey was without trouble?¡±

    More or less.  Elinor replied, tone holding a hint of her displeasure at Iris¡¯ continual silence.  I brought two Quen¡¯Talrat with me.  An Assassin and my Mount.  Would it be detrimental to your plan to display them in the open?

    Probing her connection to Klaus, she knew he was a bit disconcerted by her tone.  ¡°No, Empress.  In fact, I believe it will greatly increase the Empire¡¯s standing.¡±

    Edmon directed their captain to swing by the shores for the two apes to jump back aboard with that news.

    She tried to suppress the week-long angst that had built-up to pacify her voice; nothing good would come of displaying a sour mood.  Excellent.  Before you explain your plans, Edmon will inform you about the ¡­ events that have occurred while you were away.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t enjoy the alien culture and buildings as the Doom Guide relayed the threats they were facing, the need for stronger undead, and the progress that had been made.  Even Edmon wasn¡¯t investigating the architecture of the Nalveans with his guard on alert for a possible assault.

    Klaus released a soft hum through their connection.  ¡°I see ¡­ that is quite troubling.  I¡¯m afraid I cannot confirm the existence of such a powerful spirit within the Nalvean Empire.  I am confident it exists; however, more investigation will need to be performed.  Allow me to report the fruits of my labor to see if it might be of service to you, my Empress.¡±

    Continue.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ I have successfully brought much of the Nalvean Shadow Hand organization under the Empire¡¯s control by threatening and manipulating the mid to high-tier leadership, which has granted me many insights into the Nalvean culture.  Camellia has been instrumental in the silent takeover of the underground federation.  Would you like me to set them on the hunt for such a specimen?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s deep voice was quick to respond.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I think that would be wise, Elinor.¡±

    The Shadow Hand¡­  Elinor whispered, clasping her hands behind her back as they continued to close in on the massive city in the far distance.  Quin and Lecra¡¯Moro were getting into place to jump back aboard.  They¡¯re a federation ¡­ how does it operate, and what would you gauge their loyalty at?

    ¡°They operate as independent bodies within their respective territories, each acting as a hand with separate fingers, but following one central figure-head.  We control most of the administrators within the organization inside the capital by a calculated trick that can be solidified with a ritual contract that Tiffany can prepare later.

    ¡°By targeting key members with a thread around the creature¡¯s necks, Camellia was able to constrict the silk when they talked about betraying us, conditioning them to the task that any action, including written, against the Empire would be followed by death.  It has worked positively for the short term, and I believe the real solidifying component will be your introduction to the Nalvean nobility.¡±

    Elinor listened to Klaus¡¯ plan with a small smile on her lips.  She didn¡¯t have to appear before the Ri¡¯bot at all since the word was already being spread about her through The Mother Superior, Nadraca, Welix, and Iona.  No, her part to play in the Ambassador¡¯s plan was to be a dividing wedge between the nobility and Yesenia¡¯s group.

    The Nalvean Empire may have an Emperor, but that didn¡¯t mean the position was passed down through birth.  The title held ultimate authority, yet his electorate¡¯s power was within State Clansmen¡¯s hands throughout their land.  However, the seat of power had remained in High Ruler Nukulara¡¯s family line for generations.

    The Emperor himself wasn¡¯t much of a believer in the old lore, passed down through the Church of the Seaweavers, but the religion was a cultural institution; challenging to contend with.  It had diminished somewhat under Nukulara, but it was far from powerless and held sway over many State Clansmen.

    Yesenia was a threat to Nukulara¡¯s children, which planned to govern in high positions by generational tradition, and that gave Klaus paranoid ears to whisper into.  A new Empire with strange powers could prove just the valuable ally that could sway the State Clansmen in their direction since some were not believers, but seeing her ability to raise the dead was hard to refute.  Visual evidence was difficult to discount, especially when she could accomplish it whenever she desired.

    He explained the plan by the time she¡¯d landed on the docks; night had fallen, and the salamanders were finishing up their daily routine on the beautiful red sea, but she couldn¡¯t properly appreciate it at the moment.  The streets were still packed with nighttime traffic, which froze as they stepped off, greeted by Klaus, two armed soldiers, and some noble-looking Nalvean.

    A lump dropped down the Nalvean Ambassador¡¯s throat while eyeing the two massive Quen¡¯Talrat, with her sitting on one of Quin¡¯s large hands.  The middle-aged Nalveans would still have memories of the Fire Wars and the Ke¡¯s rampage, which caused many to glance around nervously; even more frightening was Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s garb, clearly identifying him as an elite assassin of the gorilla race.

    Bowing his head slightly with a few hand gestures, the Nalvean Ambassador, Jumpuka, said, ¡°Greetings, Empress of the Northern Lands.  I was ¡­ told that you had Quen¡¯Talrat as escorts.  I thought they were extinct ¡­ consider me ¡­ startled.¡±  He formally stated, pausing to gather the proper words.

    Elinor made no hand movements; Imiunarus seemed to be very proficient in the Nalvean language since Elluinara had been impressed by Elinor¡¯s vocabulary.  ¡°I am addressed as Your Imperial Majesty, Empress of the Undying Empire, Ambassador Jumpuka, and in a formal setting, Her Imperial Majesty.

    ¡°Is it the undead part that is troubling you?¡±  She asked with a curious smile.  ¡°However, I suppose you desire to see such an act for yourself to confirm it.  The rebirth of a long-known deceased race such as the Quen¡¯Talrat is not adequate evidence of my powers?¡±

    ¡°... Indeed, it is quite a start, Empress ¡­ please, excuse any disrespect my response has brought,¡± his black tongue slid through his teeth as he spoke, head still slightly lowered as the crowd across the docks starred in apprehension.

    ¡°I am not accustomed to your ways, yet ¡­ Your Imperial Majesty, Empress of the Undying Empire, and might I add, your command over our language is ¡­ inspiring.  If you follow me, I will show you to the Imperial Court Hall.¡±

    ¡°I anticipate it.¡±

    Not an eye slid over Violet¡¯s serene countenance as she walked beside their slow procession, Edmon by Quin¡¯s other leg.  Her maids marched in front of her with Klaus and the guard.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze slid by the many gates and guards that lined the street with a multitude of citizens.  Every Nalvean was surprisingly varied; their individual differences were far more noticeable than the Ri¡¯bot that she still had a hard time distinguishing between, and with Klaus¡¯ instruction, she could tell the differences between the sexes with a simple glance of their physical build.

    The color and pattern diversity among the Nalvean citizens was a fascinating visual display of otherworldly creatures, and though they were fierce-looking, there was an edge of grace in their posture and movements that were complemented by the silk they wore.

    Her ghostly green irises couldn¡¯t find a hint of garbage on the immaculate white and gold-trimmed streets, which made her a bit conscious about her own dirty kingdom.  There was a lot of work to be done before they could host important guests.  She enjoyed the gothic Victorian-style, but that didn¡¯t include grime.

    Their escort and the throng that made way for that were very quiet, glancing back to see what she or the Quen¡¯Talrat did, but Lecra¡¯Moro was an enigma behind his garb, and Quin was doing her best to act serious while carrying her.  Without conversation, Elinor spoke to Klaus.

    I¡¯ve heard your goals and plans for the Nalveans, and setting up an embassy with our own shop of unique items is an excellent way to stay involved in the territory while owning our own property is excellent ¡­ what of the Ri¡¯bot here?  How soon can they start migrating north?

    The Ambassador retained his charming smile while speaking to her through the Nexus.  ¡°Religious discussions are already in their infancy and can be started whenever a knowledgeable individual can start the initial classes.  As to an exodus, we will need to slowly pull groups to the Capital.  Kolira, The Mother Superior, is ready to escape with as many as is acceptable, but they mustn¡¯t be too swift, or the loss to the labor force might cause tensions between us.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t exactly what she¡¯d been hoping to hear, but a good point.  The Nalveans didn¡¯t appear to have active border control since peace had been established between each race; that would likely change soon enough.

    So long as the religion starts to spread, then that¡¯s acceptable.  Each of the Seawayers I brought with me understands the basics of what must be taught.

    The palace was grand, but nothing like Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s enormous structure.  She wasn¡¯t surprised to see hundreds of guards stationed all around the large walls and hallways; Klaus had warned them of the increased security.

    Elinor was a bit excited to play her part, even with Iris¡¯ northern ping acting as a constant thorn telling her that trouble could strike at any moment.  She would be here for at least three days, and she expected to finally be able to cover the daily cost of her army within the next hour.

    All along her journey, she¡¯d been spending every point into her Death Pool, which seemed to be requiring more than a single Skill Point after reaching the third-rank.  With all the experience that flooded in from her undead and religious faction, she felt she was one level off, and finally, the skill point and stats came as she entered the luxurious building.  Dumping her stats into Constitution.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Death Pool III: (3,3245E Cap (2,829DE Previous Level); Currently 3,034/3,3245DE) Passive, Summoning, Level Three, Intermediate, Rank One; this energy source is affected by the Endurance Stat.  The glow of Monarch of Death¡¯s crown jewels and the user¡¯s eyes increase based on its current levels.

    <ul>

    <li>Overpowered III: Reactive Link Skill, Summoning, Level Four, Versed, Rank Ten; grants a 19%  reduction of Death Energy loss on Energy to a limit of 1500% (Max: 49,860 Death Energy) more can be stored temporarily, however that will not be at a reduced loss.  Excess Energy has a Decay Rate of 8 hours, plus the amount of loss reduced.</li>

    </ul>

    Her daily cost was 3,149, which meant within the hour, she¡¯d have the daily requirement.  She couldn¡¯t stop, though; if she wished to have another Transcendent Court Member, Elinor had to shoot for another 800 to be safe, and if she did discover one, her pool only had half the required amount to raise him.

    Elinor reminded herself that she still had a long way to go; her previous Transcendent undead was a fluke caused by her losing her ability to return to Earth and the Life Fruit.  The daily cost of a Transcendent may have been 512, but the initial cost was 6,405, which put into perspective where she should be when raising one.

    At the very least, she had now entered Mythic range; if needed, she could raise a minion as powerful as Violet without relying on the fruit, but that wasn¡¯t the power she needed.

    Her brooding mind was pulled out as they rose up a staircase that had a thin layer of water constantly running off of it, which was a bit silly to Elinor, but she figured it was a part of the cultural aesthetics from what she¡¯d seen already.  Her opinion shifted a little once remembering the creatures could control water; this could have been a defense or offense if needed.

    They stopped at the door, as had been expected, and Quin set her on the ground; Jumpuka appeared somewhat taken aback.  ¡°Umm ¡­ I¡­¡±

    Klaus smoothly responded as Edmon held out his hand to help Elinor transfer to the floor above the small waterfall, running down the steps, maids waiting by their side.  ¡°We understand, Jumpuka.  Nobility is allowed a single knight, but we are entering the presence of the nation¡¯s ruler.¡±

    ¡°... Yes, yes, of course,¡± he chuckled, motioning them to follow.

    Edmon was the one to accompany her as the others waited outside with the large company of Nalvean palace guards.  The space they entered was of an interesting design and not entirely what she¡¯d expected.

    Water filled the room, pooling out intricate statues and monuments carved into the walls to flow around a central platform.  Three daisies were raised in front and on both sides, each higher than the next.  Klaus¡¯ swiftly interpreted.

    ¡°The highest in the center is clearly High Ruler Nukulara.  To the left is ¡­ ah, Yesenia is with the High Seaweaver, Lonuarag, and the smallest, to the right is the royalty, originally intended for the City Statesmen.¡±

    Elinor held a soft smile on her lips while observing the crowds, each leaning toward one another to whisper about her appearance, abstaining hand-signs.  Servants or attendants seemed to arrive to inform them of something, likely her escort of Quen¡¯Talrat.

    Each had various assortments of silk and jewelry on their tail, arms, neck, and legs; the nobility more so than the others, but the High Seaweaver was not close behind.  Yesenia was decorated like a peacock, which was actually quite hilarious by her Earth fashion sense.

    Elinor kept her hands crossed in front of her, over the lace trim of her high-low gothic court dress; her boots tapped against the polished stone floor, causing a slight echo in the near-silent chamber.

    Violet stayed to her back left, utterly invisible, and even Edmon had difficulty sensing the youngest Spider Sister.  Yesenia was clearly interested in her entrance as Jumpuka introduced them.

    ¡°I address the Nalvean High Ruler, Nukulara, Twelfth of the House of Motimur.  I address Sea Empress, Yesenia, Commander of the Weaves.  I address High Seaweaver, Lonuarag, High Officiator of the Church of the Seaweavers.  I address the High Ruler¡¯s Kin, Observers of Conduct.¡±

    Elinor caught the party of five noble children¡¯s tightening muscles upon his introduction, and she couldn¡¯t disagree.  Jumpuka may have placed their father before everyone else, but Yesenia was right after him and before both the High Seaweaver and them.  It was precisely as Klaus described it, division was brewing behind closed doors.

    ¡°Now, before the Nalvean High Court, I announce the arrival of Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elinor of the Undying Empire.¡±  He bowed as low murmurs sprung up from all sides of the aisle.

    Imperial Head Captain Hakara, a Nalvean that sided with Yesenia, moved around the back of Nukulara¡¯s extravagant throne upon his prompts, whispering to the leader over the palace guard.

    Elinor waited patiently for them to settle down; the High Seaweaver was the first to question the introduction.

    ¡°Forgive me ¡­ Empress Elinor, that is what we should address you as, yes?¡±

    She turned to smile up at him, vision sliding to Yesenia; she seemed to remember her aid at her capture by the conflicted expression she wore, vision darting between Edmon and her.  ¡°That is appropriate, High Seaweaver.  Empress is also acceptable.¡±

    ¡°I,¡± the creature leaned closer, blinking rapidly before glancing at Yesenia, ¡°was unaware you¡¯re ¡­ that the Empress would be so familiar with our language.  Please forgive me, but ¡­ might I inquire where you learned to master our verbal tongue ¡­ I have never heard a non-Nalvean that is so ¡­ perficient.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips curled a little.  ¡°No insult, High Sea Weaver; it is an expected inquiry.  Although I have heard your Church has acquired a human that can speak your language, is it not a long stretch to assume I also have such a power ¡­ ah, but I can grant that ability to all that I raise.¡±

    ¡°Raise¡­¡±

    Lonuarag was cut off by one of the princes, judging by his thin tail.  ¡°I did have a question, Empress.¡±

    She smoothly shifted her head to show he had her attention; Edmon stood stock-still by her side with Klaus.  Jumpuka had excused himself to wait by the door since his task was finished.  ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°I have heard tales about your ¡­ powers.¡±

    His father leaned forward.  ¡°Powers, Komirin?  Have you heard of this Undying Empire ¡­ it has not come to my attention.  I have not heard of this Empire or of its ruler until forty minutes ago.  My Head Guard tells me that you likely came from one of those gateways with the Master Seaweaver, Yesenia.¡±

    Yesenia folded her arms under her chest, covered by layers of silk; Elinor couldn¡¯t see much of her snake-like form from her vantage point, but there were scales across her arms, lower body, and parts of her neck and face.  Her thick moss-green hair was pulled back into a tight braid.

    She¡¯s worried about what I might say.

    Elinor kept her voice calm and composed, the picture of royalty.  ¡°To be short and concise, yes, I did come from another world; that same world as Yesenia.  High Ruler Nukulara, do you know about the Ques¡¯k¨¢ prophecy?¡±

    Every Nalvean in the room stiffened at the mention, and she continued.

    ¡°I expected as much; my Empire is the fulfillment of that omen.  The Ri¡¯bot within that valley bared their fangs at me, and without a means to return home because of their actions,¡± she gave a meaningful look at Yesenia before returning her focus to the Emperor, ¡°I claimed that valley.¡±

    ¡°The Clans there?¡±  A princess asked in a hoarse tone, and her brother spoke soon after.

    ¡°No ¡­ that ¡­ it¡¯s only been a week since Yesenia came to this world?¡±

    Their father¡¯s voice became harsh.  ¡°Mind your manners.¡±

    They swiftly apologized to her and their father, likely restraining their embarrassment, but Elinor was all too willing to answer their questions.

    ¡°Indeed, Princess, Prince, I did arrive in this world a little more than a week ago, and within that time, all Ri¡¯bot Clans have either accepted my rule or fled the valley to the southeast.  I have brought peace to your northern border,¡± she stated with a confident tone.  ¡°Clan hatred and blood grudges have been dissolved; now, they work toward a bright future as one people ¡­ citizens of my Undying Empire.  However, is that what you were questioning, or ¡­ is your inquiry a question of my power?¡±

    The Ruler¡¯s eyes narrowed, resting his head on the back of his left hand while glancing at his sons and daughters.  ¡°What do you know about her powers?  Micru¡¯jire, you tend to be the most informed.¡±

    The eldest son of the Ruler stood; he was taller than most of the Nalveans she¡¯d seen, with a thicker build, but his tail was noticeably less bulky than his other siblings, and his sisters¡¯ were battering rams.

    ¡°Empress,¡± he respectfully stated before bowing to his father.  ¡°I mean no ill-will; I have been told that you hold many mysterious powers that we cannot comprehend, yet I find that hard to believe.  Yes, your ability to adapt to language is phenomenal,¡± his siblings nodded with agreement, ¡°but we have seen great things, and I partook in the Fire Wars.  Little surprises me.¡±

    ¡°However?¡±  Elinor smiled, letting the question hang.

    ¡°... However, I have been told you came ashore with Quen¡¯Talrat on your escort.¡±

    The High Seaweaver seemed stunned at the news, but Elinor guessed the Head Captain told the High Ruler since he didn¡¯t react to the report, studying her cautiously.

    ¡°Would you like a demonstration of my nation¡¯s power ¡­ my power?¡±  She asked, vision shifting from the prince to his father.  ¡°I am not opposed if it will hasten this formal procedure and dispel all doubts.  However,¡± she added, catching the prince before he could respond, ¡°if you do decide to place one of your guards against me ¡­ he will become my loyal servant.¡±

    All parties but Yesenia appeared confused at her statement.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ I can raise the dead, and I can show you that process without an issue, but ¡­ those that return will not betray me.  I am the master of the dead, yet fear not ¡­ I only wish to befriend the Nalvean Empire.  Although, I do understand if the sight is a bit too ¡­ much for you to bear.¡±

    ¡°To be clear,¡± Micru¡¯jire slowly asked, ¡°you want one of our soldiers to attack you ¡­ you expect to kill him, and then ¡­ bring him back to life to serve you?¡±

    Yesenia cleared her throat; her voice was surprisingly pretty, albeit unusual.  ¡°They cannot understand me without ¡­ my translator.  What do you want ¡­ did you kill all the Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    The groups eyed her with a questioning look as Elinor¡¯s ghostly green eyes slid to the snake-woman, presenting a pleasant smile.  ¡°Yesenia, I¡¯m glad to see you doing well here.  Did I kill all the Ri¡¯bot?  No, only those involved in the act; many gave up their own lives once I showed them my power.  Is that what you wanted to hear?¡±

    Yesenia¡¯s nose twitched, showing a bit of the hatred underneath, but her mask was quick to return.  ¡°Their deaths do ¡­ help ¡­ a little.  Did they suffer?¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Elinor chuckled, ¡°most did, yes.  Have the Nalveans taken care of you?  The humans and you that are here may join my Empire whenever you wish.¡±

    ¡°I am happy where I am,¡± Yesenia smoothly replied.  ¡°Thank you, Empress.¡±

    ¡°And the humans that are with you?¡±

    Yesenia seemed to notice her use of the word on the second question.  ¡°... I will ask them ¡­ you aren¡¯t human anymore ¡­ like me?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I thought so,¡± she whispered, eyeing her guards.

    The prince cleared his throat, still standing.  ¡°Empress ¡­ are you asking us to attack you to prove your strength?¡±

    Releasing a soft sigh, Elinor turned back to the slightly irritating creature.  ¡°To be honest, I couldn¡¯t care less, either way.  If you chose to send out a combatant, or a whole troop, it wouldn¡¯t matter, and the point would be made.  You can bring a corpse or send one for me to kill and raise.  It is your choice.¡±

    The Nalveans had a certain degree of pride in their soldiers, and this would obviously provoke them; it was really a rather devious trap that Klaus had recommended.  Nalveans were quite competitive with their armed forces.

    The Head Captain came out to whisper in the High Ruler¡¯s ear again, and his lips seemed to curve with his expression.  ¡°That ¡­ is an excellent idea, Empress,¡± Nukulara chuckled, showing his sharp fangs.  ¡°Which of your champions will participate?¡±

    ¡°She is already present,¡± Elinor stated.  ¡°Send in your representative, and it will be a battle to the death.¡±

    Frowns seemed to crease the groups again.

    ¡°She ¡­ that wouldn¡¯t happen to be you, Empress ¡­ would it?¡±  Micro¡¯jire asked, shifting uncomfortably while eyeing Klaus and Edmon.

    ¡°I have selected my representative,¡± Elinor said with a small smile, stepping forward into the center.

    Violet requested a connection.  ¡°Empress, the Head Captain, and High Ruler both have very high perception.  If I were to get too close, they would notice someone unseen is nearby.  The High Seaweaver is less observant, but Yesenia might be able to sense my webs if I move them too close by the probes I¡¯ve made.¡±

    Noted.

    ¡°Is that a bluff?¡±  Yesenia asked, lips pulling in with agitation.  ¡°They won¡¯t hold back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Elinor assured; Violet stood beside her, composure in place, but she could sense the worry for her mother still inside her heart.  This distraction was what the girl needed.  ¡°I appreciate the concern, Yesenia.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ you have me interested.¡±  Nukulara leaned forward.  ¡°Hakara, send in one of your lieutenants.¡±

    ¡°Right away,¡± he stated, releasing a loud whistle.

    The doors burst open with a company of Nalveans wearing full battle armor and complicated halberd-type weapons.  Elinor could see the top of Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s cloth-covered head just above the staircase; the others seemed to notice the massive ape, too, with their narrowed vision.

    ¡°Siiir?¡±  The middle female asked with a slight slur; she appeared to have trouble with the purely spoken dialect of the species, much like many Americans had a problem with English.

    ¡°Lieutenant Castella, Empress Elinor has challenged our soldier¡¯s might.  Let her guards be a witness to the validity of this match; attack to kill.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s glowing blue eyes released an excess amount of blue smoke as he spoke to Violet.  ¡°Make a clear message.¡±

    ¡°Understood,¡± Violet replied, performing a short, unseen curtsy.

    Castella slammed her fist against her armored chest, but it seemed to absorb the blow by a significant amount, lessening the clatter Elinor expected.  ¡°Forrr the glorrry the High Rulerrr and Neocccopa!¡±

    Neocopa?

    Klaus answered.  ¡°Their version of Valhalla.¡±

    Interesting.  How will that translate to me returning her to life?

    ¡°It connects you to their version of Odin, or something similar, I suppose.  At least, that¡¯s what I expect.  Her loyalty shifting to you only strengthens that premise; they are actually very honorable creatures ¡­ although, their moral code is not quite human.¡±

    Huh¡­

    The soldiers beside her retreated to stand beside Edmon and Klaus; her Ambassador had a pleasant smile on his lips as if this were only natural.  Standing before Elinor, the female Nalvean flicked her heavy tail left and right while stretching out.  She flipped her halberd around in a flourishing motion, lips peeling back in what she thought was a smile.

    ¡°Are you ready, Empress?¡±

    Elinor placed her hands behind her back, turning to face the Emperor with a small smirk.  ¡°My defense is always ready.¡±

    ¡°... Youuu wish me to attack youuu like thattt?¡±

    The Head Captain responded with a studious gaze.  ¡°As she stated ¡­ her defense is always ready.  Begin, Castella.¡±

    Castella took a step forward, weapon posing into a strange stance to leap forward.  ¡°Yes, my ¡­ eh?¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t even have to watch; she could expect what had happened.  Castella¡¯s body was first immobilized, then stretched out with the tens of thousands of invisible silk that had woven into her armor and around her body within moments of entering the hall.

    Every person on the daises shot to the edge of their platform in stunned horror at Castella¡¯s last word; Violet tightened her now well-exercised fingers, and the female warrior was torn apart.  Blue blood splattered across the floor; Elinor had been far enough to escape any stain to her garments.

    Turning around, Elinor gazed at the torn pieces of flesh and scales that littered parts of a two-meter space; she imagined the woman had a shocked look on her dead eyes, head pulled from her shoulders.

    ¡°... What ¡­ did you do?¡±  Yesenia and the Head Captain asked at nearly the same time, and Violet darted two meters to her left, likely evading some kind of sensory probe he was using.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ she¡¯ll make a fine addition to my army,¡± Elinor replied in a bright tone.  ¡°Castella ¡­ it¡¯s a pretty name.¡±

    The throng¡¯s wide eyes shot back to her as emerald flames lit across her left arm, and she called forth her butterflies.  Indicating her target, they struck the largest piece, causing the body to catch ablaze, and the other parts soon followed, burning away the scales and flesh to reveal her bones within the armored husk.

    Each bone shot back together, linking with the small tendrils of fire to reform the warrior¡¯s skeletal visage as her power reforged the Nalvean¡¯s body, returning her to the prime of her life while repairing any past damages.  Flesh, sinew, and scales emerged as the flames turned a bright red, and Castella breathed again.

    An Elite Warrior ¡­ low Heroic.  She was a decent warrior and even realized Violet¡¯s silk had entrapped her a moment before it occurred.  Not a bad addition, but it will add more to my cost.

    ¡°Welcome to my Empire, Castella.¡±

    She could practically hear the jaws snapping shut in disbelief as Castella opened her glowing red eyes before kneeling before her.  ¡°Empress, I am happy to serve.¡±

    Elinor was a little saddened that her small lisp was gone with the power of her Nexus and wondered if she could restrict that power, but on second thought, decided against it as she read the woman¡¯s thrill at finally mastering her language, even if it was actually Imiunarus¡¯ vocal prowess she was borrowing.

    Turning back to the Emperor, Elinor asked, ¡°Are you satisfied?  I could do a few more for good measure if not.¡±

    Everyone seemed conflicted by the action, and Nukulara spoke after a brooding moment.  ¡°Empress Elinor, I must ponder on this ¡­ display.  I must meet in council; is that acceptable?¡±

    ¡°Most acceptable,¡± Elinor replied.  ¡°Ah ¡­ would your children like to discuss amongst themselves to determine who will show me your lovely palace?¡±

    He seemed somewhat taken aback by her request, as were his children.  ¡°... Yes ¡­ I suppose that must be a custom from where you are from.¡±  He turned a directing stare at the five.  ¡°See it is done, and make sure our guest is not disappointed.¡±

    According to Klaus¡¯ information, the female swiftly responded was the youngest and the most ambitious out of her family.  ¡°Yes, High Ruler; I volunteer!¡±

    ¡°See to it,¡± he said, giving Elinor a curt pound of his chest, which was a kingly sort of bow, and she mirrored it on the opposite side with Klaus¡¯ direction.  ¡°Until the next meeting against, Empress.  We will use a less ¡­ formal setting.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it.¡±

    ¡°Castella, I require your attendance.¡±

    His forehead furrowed as she turned to Elinor, and she let the girl ask the question; her voice had become more youthful than beforehand.  ¡°May I go, Empress?¡±

    ¡°You may.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Empress!¡±  Castella chimed, rushing out to join the High Ruler.

    He lingered for a moment, eyeing her with his Head Captain, and then walked behind the throne to leave; Elinor returned to Edmon¡¯s side, waiting for her guide to make her way down.

    This is turning out to be more fun than I anticipated, Klaus.  The next act begins.

    ¡°Flawless, my Empress,¡± Klaus stated, and the little twelve-year-old was staring curiously at the remaining blood that soon vanished from the red flames.

    Castella, Klaus will tell you what to do.

    ¡°Understood ¡­ if possible, I wish to be honest with my former Lord.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry, Dear,¡± Klaus responded with a soft chuckle, ¡°I understand the sentiment.¡±

    Elinor allowed Klaus to leave, attending to other matters while she toured the palace; the events helped calm her troubled mind.  At least Iris was still alive.

    Just hold-on, Iris ¡­ I¡¯ll find someone to help you return.  There must be something in this Empire that can help me.

 B2 â€” 20. A Royalâ€™s Game

    Elinor¡¯s gaze moved to Yesenia as the Emperor left, and his youngest daughter hurried through the halls to act as her guide.  The snake woman seemed to be pondering her display, vision shifting to Edmon, still in his stationary position.

    Yesenia¡¯s tone was somewhat hesitant.  ¡°Empress Elinor ¡­ could I have some time in private to discuss a matter.¡±

    High Seaweaver Lonuarag leaned in to whisper to her, but the woman shook her head.  ¡°I appreciate your caution.  He doesn¡¯t understand me ¡­ and I can¡¯t understand him.  My translator is currently sleeping.¡±

    ¡°Mmh?¡±  Elinor chuckled, hands clasped behind her back.  ¡°High Seaweaver, I am feeling generous.  I understand you have a difficult time communicating with ¡­ you call her the Sea Empress, Yesenia, correct?  I will have my Royal Gatekeeper translate,¡± Elinor prompted, gesturing to Edmon.

    The Doom Guard¡¯s wicked-looking armor fluidly moved to direct his attention to the pair as the other royal attendants and guards observed.  He was certainly an imposing figure between the sapphire fog that represented the man¡¯s eyes and the mist that exited the black helmet¡¯s faceguard.

    The lizard¡¯s eyes narrowed, focus sliding to her guard.  ¡°That ¡­ would be most helpful, Empress Elinor.  Also, might I inquire about your guard¡¯s title ¡­ Royal Gatekeeper?  Is that a high position within your kingdom?¡±

    Edmon was the one to respond, and his deep voice was easily heard within the chamber, mixed with the soft sounds of running water.  ¡°I am known as Edmon, Royal Gatekeeper of the Empress.  I lead the Empress¡¯s armies in defense of her enemies while serving upon the Royal Court¡¯s advisory cabinet for my liege.¡±

    ¡°In short,¡± Elinor commented with a small smile, ¡°he is one of the nobles within my kingdom that acts as my defense.¡±

    Lonuarag¡¯s black tongue slid through his teeth as his face creased slightly.  ¡°It appears you have the means to handle yourself without such intervention, Empress.¡±

    Her light giggles carried far within the silent hall; the Nalvean guards were eyeing them cautiously, but after the Emperor¡¯s statement that she¡¯d be welcomed further throughout the palace, there wasn¡¯t much they would likely do.

    ¡°Oh, I have many bulwarks to act for me, but I thought it appropriate to demonstrate a small portion of that force with your Emperor present.  Empires must show they are a force to be reckoned with ¡­ don¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Lonuarag evenly replied, ¡°and I will graciously utilize your offered aid.¡±

    He turned to Yesenia, expecting his words to be translated, and Edmon complied with the tone his station demanded.

    ¡°My Empress of the Seas ¡­ I agree that understanding our new guests is of importance, but we have many things to accomplish.¡±

    Yesenia¡¯s lips fell with dissatisfaction.  ¡°Lonuarag ¡­ I must speak to the Empress.  There is nothing else to be said.¡±

    Elinor was a little amused at her blunt dismissal, and her own royal guide arrived shortly before the close of the conversation.

    ¡°I see ¡­ might the two Empress¡¯ be acquainted in some manner?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ in a way,¡± she mumbled, still giving Elinor a guarded stare.  ¡°She has answers I seek.¡±

    Lonuarag didn¡¯t seem to enjoy the response, but there wasn¡¯t much he could do about it.  ¡°Very well.  Can I suggest we hold off for a time?¡±

    ¡°I cannot wait,¡± Yesenia responded, lips clearly falling with displeasure at his insistence.  ¡°We may continue our previous meeting as soon as I speak with her.¡±

    He resigned himself to a stiff nod, turning his attention back to Edmon.  ¡°I find it strange that you can translate while speaking both Nalvean and the human tongue.¡±

    ¡°The Empress has many great powers, which includes the ability to share the linguistic talents of any creature within her care.  Praise be to the Empress.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Lonuarag whispered.  ¡°If that is the case, then I will send a guard to escort the Sea Empress to the nearest private chambers.  I will await the conclusion in another with my council.  Empress¡¯...¡±  He placed a hand across his chest and left after Edmon reported the information to Yesenia.

    With his exit, Elinor smiled up at Yesenia.  ¡°I look forward to our conversation.¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ I will meet you there,¡± she stated, body swaying back and forth as her lower half carried her into the space beyond Elinor¡¯s sight.

    Her attention moved to the patient Nalvean that had recently joined her small group.

    The princess bowed her head to her on approaching, proceeding cautiously around Edmon in case he had any objection, and placed her left hand in a similar salute with the previous action.  Within Nalvean culture, her position was no different from her father; the only person Elinor was expected to recognize as the High Ruler himself.

    ¡°Empress,¡± the young Nalvean greeted, ¡°I ¡­ understand there will be a short meeting between you and ¡­ the Sea Empress.¡±  Respect for Yesenia seemed to be difficult for her, and Elinor noticed the odd crystal formations on her back that were present on all the royalty; the High Ruler and his line came from extremely powerful Seaweavers.

    Elinor nodded, beginning her path to the stairs and her minions below.  ¡°I believe your name is Tal¡¯tamine, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±  She responded, eyeing Edmon and the two flanking guards.

    The Lich took a moment to eye the girl she¡¯d be spending a decent amount of time with while inside the Nalvean Capital.

    Tal¡¯tamine was relatively slim, even for her race¡¯s female physique, and a bit shorter than most, standing around Edmon¡¯s height.  Her green and blue gradient scales were well polished, and her silk was embroidered, which was something unique from what she¡¯d seen.

    Her draconic, salamander-like features were mixed with the plated scales and monstrous spikes used as an anchoring point for their coverings.  A necklace of yellow, orange, and red stones was strung around her neck.  A few leather straps were tied around her left foot, and a single draping metallic headpiece with flaming jewels adorned her head to indicate her royal position.

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Elinor gestured at the group ahead of them from the top of the stairs; her two Quen¡¯Talrat only slightly below their eye-level, ¡°what are your customs concerning my escort?  I understand security within your walls is of the utmost importance; I would expect similar treatment when a foreign party entered my own palace.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine hid her nervousness well in the face of the apes, and she must have seen them while rushing to get her.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I could better answer your question if I knew their stations,¡± she said with a bright tone.

    Edmon swiftly pointed to each and identified them, and Violet was back in her spider form, silently crawling along the walls while scanning for threats.

    Her royal guide nodded once understanding their roles.  ¡°Your maids are of course welcome to join; an Empress requires her aides.¡±

    ¡°However,¡± her cheeks peeled back a little in a somewhat threatening manner, but by the tone of her voice, she was giving Elinor a forced smile, ¡°I hope you understand, but our people have a very ¡­ turbulent history with the Quen¡¯Talrat.  Many would be more comfortable if they were to await your return on your vessel.  There is no objection to your Royal Gatekeeper.¡±

    Without saying a word, both Quin and Lecra¡¯Moro bowed, returning to the city with her silent commands; Quin didn¡¯t have the skillset to avoid notice, but the hulking assassin could slip into the city¡¯s shadows to be close in case he was needed.

    Tal¡¯tamine gave a small start when Elinor kept an expectant gaze on her.  ¡°Oh ¡­ thank you for your compliance, Empress!¡±  She bowed with the salute again and motioned her to follow.

    Emelina and Aileen positioned themselves behind Elinor, beside Edmon, but the little twelve-year-old girl was abuzz with questions, directed to the Head Maid through the Nexus.

    Elinor¡¯s mind drifted for a moment, logging all of her minion¡¯s movements.

    Klaus met with the Shadow Hand members to begin the hunt for a capable specimen to help increase her Royal Court, among other tasks he gave them.

    Camellia and Imiunarus were still off on a distant mission to one of the City Statesmen to the west that Klaus had singled out for his Shadow Hand contacts.

    Iris¡¯ position hadn¡¯t changed, but it was difficult to identify even large distances traveled with how distant the Spider Queen was from her, and a worry began to ebb its way into Elinor¡¯s brain as she studied the link.

    If I continue moving south ¡­ I might lose all contact with Iris¡¯ direction at all.  It was becoming difficult to target at first, but now even that link to her is diminishing, and it¡¯s not anything to do with her, but the Nexus¡¯ strength itself.  If I hadn¡¯t increased its level over the week ¡­ I might not have even been able to tell the distance.

    Her new member pulled her attention with the news passing between Edmon and her; Castella was a bit distressed with how annoyed and pointed some members of the Emperor¡¯s council were becoming because of her answers.  Edmon calmly talked the Undead Nalvean through the proper responses to illustrate what had happened to her.

    Klaus had already explained that their actions were bound to cause waves, but that was precisely the splash they needed to be recognized as a nation.  They needed legitimacy, and the Nalveans were the best ticket to establish their lands among the neighboring kingdoms.  A bold approach was necessary while they worked in the shadows to further expand their influence.

    Elinor expected the closed council meeting between High Ruler Nukulara and his advisors would be a prolonged event that would carry far into the night, which was why she pushed for a royal escort.  They needed the Nalveans to spend an exorbitant amount of time overthinking things and giving her Empire more strength than it actually held.

    A light hum rumbled in Elinor¡¯s throat as she eyed the aquatic-themed architecture that mirrored the mixed Egyptian and Chinese styles.  The written dreams across the hallway walls and grand pillars were somewhat hilarious to Elinor; many were rather unimpressive stories.  She could understand them, but it was more of an instinctual knowledge of each line¡¯s meaning than it being translated into English.

    The Nalvean¡¯s written language was much more emotion-driven and broad within its scope of meaning, yet also more concise.  A simple weaving line of symbols could translate into an entire chapter within English.  A simple mistake could change the whole context of a story.

    Most were about rather mundane things, yet a few were of the romantic type that had Elinor lifting an eyebrow at; none of them were exceptionally raunchy but far more risqu¨¦ than what human society would allow in a hallway frequented by guests.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s bright green eyes darted to her.  ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±

    Turning her attention away from the enticing language, able to tell an entire story within a quick scan, Elinor continued with her part within Klaus¡¯ Nalvean play.  ¡°Your culture is very new to me, yet has similarities to many others I have visited ¡­ including the political atmosphere.¡±

    The princess¡¯s eyes fell to the floor, not missing her soft tone of voice.  ¡°Is ¡­ something concerning you about what you have seen so far?  If you wish, we can move to another location; this is merely a branch we must take to reach the room for your meeting.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Elinor softly shook her head, glancing back at the Nalvean guards behind her maids.  ¡°I¡¯d rather not insult your Empire with what might be my ignorance of your culture.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine didn¡¯t miss her direction and swiftly told the guards to follow at a further distance; Edmon retreated with them to keep the pair¡¯s attention, and with the extra breathing room to speak her mind, Elinor gave the lizard a small smirk.  ¡°You are quite observant, Princess.¡±

    She giggled at the compliment.  ¡°No, Empress, I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to flatter myself.  I am curious about your own opinion of our ways ¡­ you have a very unique ability,¡± she swallowed with a nervous chuckle.  ¡°You seem acquainted with Sea Empress Yesenia.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ hehe, Sea Empress is an interesting title.  I am aware of her, but our connection more or less ends at our previous world.  She likely wishes to ask if it is possible to return.¡±

    ¡°To ¡­ return,¡± Tael¡¯tamine repeated, vision growing wider with the implication.  ¡°She wishes to return?¡±

    ¡°Oh, there will be a few things asked, I am sure,¡± Elinor mused, ¡°but that will be among the forethought of her mind, I expect.¡±

    They slowed their pace, licking her lips with a black tongue as her vision darted back to the guards; Edmon was keeping them at a reasonable distance with his own tailing speed.  ¡°Is that possible?¡±  She asked in a low whisper.

    Elinor breathed out a slow sigh while shaking her head.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid it is not, Princess ¡­ not by any conventional means that are at our disposal.  I suppose I was right then,¡± she said, glowing green irises shifting to view the girl out of the corner of her eyes, ¡°your court is fracturing.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s forehead furrowed, giving her forced smile that could come off as menacing.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what ¡­ is there something in particular that you¡¯ve spotted?¡±

    Her ghostly eyes lifted to the grand arched ceilings.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ indeed, I have.  Yesenia has the support of the Seaweaver Council, and they believe she is a holy figure, or at least, that¡¯s what they wish to convey on the surface, but I suspect it might be a power play.¡±

    The princess looked as if she had bitten her tongue, and she motioned here into a side room with a worried expression.  ¡°E-Empress, please ¡­ refrain from such talk while so exposed!¡±  She hissed, glancing back with a forced smile at the guards escorting them.  ¡°Please wait outside for a moment.¡±

    A small smile played at the corner of Elinor¡¯s lips as she motioned for Edmon to wait outside as she allowed Tal¡¯tamine to usher her inside an empty room that appeared to be a study, complete with several books and furnishings.

    There was a small window to the back of the room that Elinor went to, staring out as Violet secured the space and the young Nalvean closed the door with a few more words of assurance to her guards.

    ¡°S-Sorry, Empress, but ¡­ will your maids wait outside, as well?¡±

    Elinor motioned to her maids to wait by the wall.  ¡°I think you misunderstand my servants, Tal¡¯tamine; they are utterly loyal to me, including your previous guard, Castella.  Your father is discovering that as we speak.¡±

    The princess appeared to be working through her casual revelations while staring outside the window.  ¡°Unlike your Empire, my army answers only to me, and I can command them without being present within the room or speaking at all.  I am never alone, and your father is learning more about what makes me so frightening as an enemy.¡±

    A lump dropped down Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s throat as she glanced between her and the maids; Aileen was doing her best to mirror Emelina¡¯s dispassionate posture that made the woman look artificial, but the failed attempts were cute.  ¡°... Are you our enemy?¡±

    ¡°Oh, darling, no,¡± Elinor stated, finding the word slip out with a light chuckle, and Tiffany¡¯s fervent orange irises came to her mind with a small smile.  ¡°I came here to develop a mutually propitious relationship with the Nalvean Empire that I believe will work for both our benefits.¡±

    Turning back around, Elinor gestured to one of the strange seats, designed for the creatures¡¯ tails.  ¡°I will be quick.¡±

    She hesitantly sat, mouth tightening upon the direction she¡¯d taken the conversation.

    ¡°I hold ultimate authority over my army; they will do what they are told without question, and their loyalty is without fault.  However, I cannot say the same for the Nalvean Empire ¡­ that troubles me.  When I arrived, I was not expecting to find five potential factions struggling for power within this grand kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Five factions?¡±  Tal¡¯tamine asked, seemingly confused about which extra players she might have missed.

    Elinor smoothed out her dress while sitting, giving the girl a patient smile.  ¡°I am counting the Royal Faction as its own entity, but each of your siblings is striving to obtain the highest position possible.¡±

    The implication made the girl¡¯s face lighten slightly.  ¡°I ¡­ you can¡¯t mean to overthrow our father¡­¡±

    ¡°No, no, dear,¡± Elinor laughed her statement off.  ¡°You each wish to stake a claim upon the succession, which is your right, no?¡±

    ¡°... It is,¡± she mumbled, adjusting her silk a bit with her discomfort.  ¡°We are dedicated to helping our people¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, and you each have your own thoughts on how that should be done,¡± Elinor finished with a casual wave of her hand as if this could have gone unspoken.  ¡°I couldn¡¯t care less about any of those little differences, to be honest.  I only care about having a strong southern ally for my nation, and if you are divided¡­¡±

    ¡°We are weakened,¡± Tal¡¯tamine mumbled.  ¡°Who ¡­ are these other factions you spoke of ¡­ how do you know so much about our current affairs?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± a small smirk lifted Elinor¡¯s lips, ¡°those are important questions.  However, I must choose which side best suits my own aims ¡­ I am in the business for an ally, not charity work.¡±

    With those words, Elinor rose to her feet.  ¡°Think about my words.  You are not the only person that might seek my support in the growing unrest that is building within your political structure.¡±

    The princess¡¯s muscles were tight, tail pressure causing the thick wood she sat on to groan under the stress at her ending words; Elinor¡¯s ghostly green eyes rested on the girl as she activated Imperial Presence.  ¡°As the youngest of your father¡¯s daughters, you need a powerful sponsor to prove you are worthy to sit on the throne.  You only have one opportunity to sway me to your side, Tal¡¯tamine, so ponder your offer carefully.¡±

    Letting her statement sink in for a few seconds, she moved to the door, easing off her limited ranged ability; Aileen was the first to react, opening it with a proud smile directed at the Head Maid.

    Elinor¡¯s lightly entertained voice followed as she stopped at the open exit, turning to smile at the sweating princess.  ¡°Shall we continue?  Yesenia is waiting.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s legs seemed to have trouble operating correctly for a moment, but she soon composed herself and silently guided her to the proper room, not too far away from where they¡¯d spoken.  She didn¡¯t talk any further, but judging by the limited scope of Elinor¡¯s understanding of Nalvean expressions, she was seriously considering her options.

    Once arrived, Tal¡¯tamine stated that she would wait in the hall with the guards and maids.

    Elinor entered with Violet as her unseen support; Edmon did a quick sweep of the room to make sure they were alone before leaving with a showy bow to her.

    Yesenia silently observed the process with tight lips; she was too large and long to sit on any of the chairs the Nalveans had, which meant the snake woman simply waited in an open space for Elinor to take her seat.

    Once the door shut, a lump dropped down her throat and her gaze shifted to the corners of the room.  ¡°... I assume we¡¯re not actually alone ¡­ you didn¡¯t do that to the Nalvean Lieutenant ¡­ you¡¯re a necromancer.¡±

    ¡°Sharp,¡± Elinor giggled, but she didn¡¯t elaborate on Violet.  ¡°You seem to be doing better since we last met.¡±

    The woman tossed a few of her thick braided locks over her shoulder, possibly a nervous gesture, and slowly settled on her.  ¡°Why are you really here?  If you conquered all the Ri¡¯bot,¡± her expression and short pause after the name told Elinor all she needed to know, ¡°what is your purpose in Nalvean lands?  Are you here for the Clavex?¡±

    Elinor sat back against the side of a Nalvean chair, as not to fall out the back with her much shorter stature, and crossed her legs, resting her hands on her lap.  ¡°Straight to the point.  Well, I have a few questions of my own, Yesenia.  Have you met a creature that¡¯s promised you something?  Honestly, he looks and sounds like a demon whispering sweet things into your ear.¡±

    Yesenia¡¯s arms folded under her large chest; it had grown dramatically with her transformation and expanded frame.  The thick Nalvean silk she wore to cover her top was wrapped in layers to provide more modesty.

    ¡°So ¡­ you do know about the voice ¡­ he said you would come.¡±

    A small smirk lifted Elinor¡¯s lips.  ¡°Of course, he did.  I call him Demon, personally.¡±

    ¡°Coming from someone that raises the dead ¡­ that¡¯s rich,¡± Yesenia scoffed, and her focus darted to the door.  ¡°Did you raise your own parents?  He told me what you did to them.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s amusement fell a little at the turn in their conversation.  ¡°I¡¯m sure he told you just enough of the truth to make me look like a monster and ignore what I have to say.¡±

    ¡°... Basically,¡± she replied with a scowl.  ¡°However, I¡¯d be stupid to believe everything he or you have to say.  He said there was a way I could return home ¡­ return to normal.  Did he promise you that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s tricky,¡± Elinor mused, fingers tightening around each other at the revelation.  ¡°I¡¯m sure there is a way.  I have no doubt he knows how to guide us home, but the price is simple, our powers, and his next goal would be to invade our world.  Normal doesn¡¯t mean alive, either.  Removing the spiritual seed inside us could kill us, but we¡¯d return to normal.¡±

    Yesenia¡¯s jaw tightened.  ¡°It¡¯s a valid point.  He has offered me advice that¡¯s helped me to gain support from the Nalveans, though.  What can you give me?¡±

    Elinor fell silent for a moment.  ¡°... What can I give you?  Yesenia, I think you know I am no longer some little teenage girl that randomly rolled into your town with her parents.  I¡¯ve changed ¡­ a lot in these last several days, and I¡¯m sure you have, as well.  I¡¯m not attached to our old world ¡­ not anymore.

    ¡°I lost my parents, and yes, I did something that I regret ¡­ dearly,¡± she mumbled, glaring down at the bamboo-like rug.  ¡°Yet, at the same time, I would not have survived had I not done that ¡­ Demon might have even taken over both of our bodies had my ¡­ Tiffany hadn¡¯t drained so much of his strength when attacking me.¡±

    Her focus rose to the snake woman.  ¡°I cannot offer you sweet words to bring you home, but if your family is here ¡­ even if they are dead, I can reunite them with you.¡±

    ¡°I figured,¡± Yesenia¡¯s nose twisted with disdain.  ¡°You seem smart enough to know Demon would tell me you¡¯d say that.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Elinor replied with an even tone, ¡°which is why I will tell you the side effects.  They will be exactly the same; however, they will gain abilities that are meant to serve me and will be returned with an undying loyalty for me.  I am the light in their darkness ¡­ that doesn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t still be your loved ones.¡±

    Yesenia¡¯s arms tightened around her body.  ¡°Yes ¡­ but they¡¯ll turn on me ¡­ you¡¯ll use them against me because you won¡¯t kill the Ri¡¯bot ¡­ and I will.¡±

    Elinor breathed in slowly before letting the air escape in a long sigh.  ¡°I suspected you couldn¡¯t let that go ¡­ I understand it.  My mother and father were taken from me by a few individuals of that race, and I wanted genocide at first, too.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re evil!¡±  Yesenia growled, arms shaking with rage, but Elinor didn¡¯t feel as if she¡¯d lash out.  ¡°Do you know what they¡¯ve done in the past ¡­ the atrocities they committed ¡­ not just to me, but ¡­ countless worlds, peaceful creatures.¡±

    A frown fell over Elinor¡¯s cheeks.  ¡°I only know a small fraction of this world¡¯s history, and I can¡¯t guess what Demon told you¡­¡±

    ¡°Is it true, though; is he lying?¡±  Yesenia pushed.

    ¡°... I can¡¯t say,¡± she slowly replied.  ¡°Perhaps.  I don¡¯t think Demon technically knows how to lie, or maybe it¡¯s not a part of his character ¡­ I don¡¯t know, but what I can say is that he¡¯s manipulative.  I met a Warlord that devastated the nations around us ¡­ his ghost.¡±

    She paused, focus returning to the floor as she brooded.  ¡°I know he couldn¡¯t lie to me ¡­ it¡¯s a part of my abilities while communicating with spirits, and he worked with Demon for much of his life ¡­ Demon made him powerful, and a force that required an insane amount of united creatures to finally defeat his Empire.

    ¡°However, Demon was only after one thing, and once he got it, he abandoned Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.  His usefulness had dried up.  What does he want from you?¡±  Elinor asked, eyes digging into the woman¡¯s reptilian yellow globes.

    ¡°... He wants to see the destruction of the Ri¡¯bot ¡­ he wants to help me,¡± Yesenia replied.  ¡°He was unrightfully imprisoned and wants to help me.  Isn¡¯t it only natural to help someone that offers you support when you need it ¡­ how much worse could he be if he¡¯s as helpful as you say he was?¡±

    Her yellow eyes were challenging daggers.  ¡°Maybe he did abandon this other person, but didn¡¯t he fulfill his end of the bargain?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re missing the point,¡± Elinor stated, taking a deep breath.  ¡°He did give Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma everything he asked for.  I¡¯m not disputing the fact he follows through with his deals ¡­ everything I¡¯ve seen so far proves it.  I¡¯m saying you must follow through, even if it costs you your life.

    ¡°I can guess that your wish is to eradicate the Ri¡¯bot, return home, and bring back your children ¡­ to return to normal.  Correct?¡±

    ¡°... Yes,¡± Yesenia replied in almost a hiss as her forked tongue slid out.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that he will help you achieve that ¡­ but the results will not be what you hope.  He will strip you of your powers, and once you¡¯ve unleashed him, he will move on to Earth, and to revive your children ¡­ who do you think he needs to go through to do that?¡±

    Yesenia¡¯s lips tightened as Elinor answered, voice like a honed blade.

    ¡°There¡¯s a way ¡­ me.  Did he tell you that, or did he say he would make it happen without explaining a thing?  How ¡­ by stripping the power away from the Lich Empress in front of you.  As you said, I¡¯m not stupid, so you shouldn¡¯t be, either.  Where does that put us?¡±

    The Naga in front of her lowered a little to the ground.  ¡°Are you planning to kill me here?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s cold eyes creased with a smile.  ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?  I could, but I have no doubt Demon¡¯s prepared you with the proper kit to counter anything I¡¯ve brought with support from the Nalveans.¡±

    She rose to her feet, smoothing out her dress while leering at Yesenia.  ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to kill you at this time, but we¡¯ve just entered a collision course that I hope you¡¯re prepared for, and I¡¯m not your only concern.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯llll take the risssk,¡± Yesenia hissed, words becoming more slurred with her agitation.

    Elinor clasped her hands behind her back with a playful smirk.  ¡°A shame.  I believe there is a path where our goals can align, but for the moment, tread carefully, Sea Empress.  I suppose we¡¯ll be seeing more of each other than you think.¡±

    Aileen opened the door with a bright smile upon Elnor¡¯s prompt and parting words, rejoining her royal tour guide.

    She¡¯s not the troublesome foe ¡­ what is your next play, Demon?

 B2 â€” 21. Unique Discovery

    Elinor stopped in the hallway with a small smile on her lips, glowing green irises following a procession of several dozen Nalveans soldiers from the Seaweaver Legion passed by the door.  The timing was rich.

    Tal¡¯tamine seemed somewhat confused by the large company of soldiers making their way into the hallway.  Edmon stood at attention beside her; Violet was in her human form again, web creeping out in preparations for a fight.

    ¡°A trap?¡±  Violet asked.

    ¡°Only attack if they initiate,¡± Edmon instructed.  ¡°It was a precaution on the High Seaweaver¡¯s part.¡±

    Elinor entered the conversation, turning to the side to give Yesenia an amused gaze.  She pulled Klaus into the discussion; the man was nearly outside her communication network, forcing her to go through Lecra¡¯Moro and Quin to reach him in the northwestern Nalvean town near the capitol.

    Clever, Demon.  So, Edmon, you were right.  We need to adjust your plans, Klaus; Demon has infected more than one mind within the Nalvean power structure.

    Yesenia seemed to be enthralled with her own thoughts to notice her or was communicating with Demon for all she knew.

    Elinor moved to the left of the doorway with her maids, standing beside the Nalvean princess to allow the Seaweaver Lieutenant in charge to enter the room.  He gave both Tal¡¯tamine and her a respectful gesture before greeting the snake woman.

    ¡°Sea Empress, the High Seaweaver has informed us that you require an escort; we are at your command.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine cleared her throat; the soldier¡¯s entrance was surprising to her but not threatening.  ¡°Should we continue the tour, Empress Elinor?¡±

    She held up her hand to indicate she wasn¡¯t ready to leave, communicating with her subjects while listening to the proceeding inside the room.  Edmon was keeping track of the Emperor¡¯s meeting through Castella at the same time.

    The princess seemed confused at the gesture but fell silent, probably hoping for an explanation.  Elinor let the girl stew.

    Yesenia couldn¡¯t understand what the Nalvean said, and so Elinor had Edmon translate; the Lieutenant appeared pleased by the aid, nodding to her Gatekeeper.

    Edmon¡¯s intrusion brought the snake woman¡¯s focus to him, vision narrowing.  ¡°Still translating?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  I will continue to translate until my Empress orders me otherwise, Empress of the Sea.¡±

    ¡°... I don¡¯t like the problems you bring, Empress Elinor,¡± she spoke the last bit with a touch of venom, which surprised the Lieutenant and Princess since Edmon repeated it without fault.  ¡°Tread carefully.¡±

    The tension escalated a bit on the guards¡¯ part as Elinor responded, only half-seen in the doorway.  ¡°I am here to build alliances, Sea Empress; of course, depending on the partnership, enemies could be brought to your door.  I hope you remember that.¡±

    With those departing words, Elinor motioned for her troubled escort to follow her out; her entourage fell into step, and Tal¡¯tamine hurried to catch up.

    ¡°Empress?¡±

    Elinor continued to ignore her questioning stare, absorbed with her internal discussion.

    What a trap that would have been, which was reasonably accurate given my state of mind when Demon last spoke to me.  I feel threatened by Yesenia, feel safe, and attack to raise her ¡­ Demon sacrifices Yesenia while sending a small army to trap me.  I am captured, my support killed, and thrown into a dungeon to give him time to corrupt my spirit in peace.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Edmon responded, walking slightly behind her.  ¡°Demon is willing to sacrifice Yesenia to obtain your power.  She won¡¯t see it that way, though.¡±

    Klaus¡¯ tone became troubled.  ¡°I see ¡­ things are worse than I figured.  While the Emperor has his own goals, we have the Royal Faction, then there¡¯s the Seaweavers, Head Captain, and the City Statesmen.  The question is, which side is on Yesenia¡¯s team and which is actually with Demon?  I didn¡¯t figure there was a group  using Yesenia as a pawn, but it seems to be the case.¡±

    Edmon released a low hum.  ¡°The Emperor himself might be dancing to Demon¡¯s strings.  It¡¯s a tactic that seems far too probable for such a manipulative creature.  He gets support by creating problems between groups and exploiting their reliance on him to come up with a solution.¡±

    Elinor slowed to a stop at the end of the grand hallway, glancing back at Yesenia; the snake-woman was moving in the opposite direction.

    I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Demon has wormed his way into one of the Royal Faction¡¯s minds.  Yesenia is a rallying point for a few scenarios Demon could pull the trigger on.  We must discover which is Demon¡¯s best option to prepare an appropriate counter.

    The situation was a bit sad to Elinor; if Yesenia had proper support as she had, then perhaps she wouldn¡¯t be in such a sticky web.  Demon was manipulative, and she couldn¡¯t predict what angles he¡¯d taken to turn her so against her, but in the end, it wouldn¡¯t matter. Manipulated or not, she was an obstacle in her way.

    Turning down the conjoining hallway, she finally addressed the princess.  ¡°Step delicately, Tal¡¯tamine; more enemies are surrounding us than you know.  Let¡¯s continue the tour.¡±

    The princess took one last concerned glance at the long tail that slithered around the corner before nodding.  ¡°... I¡¯ll keep it in mind, Empress.  Please, if you could follow me to the Pool of Remembrance, it is the place our master stone and gem masons create dazzling works of art.  The theater has been a yearly event where the winner will have their piece immortalized within the palace for generations.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ interesting,¡± Elinor replied, gaze absently following the expert craftsmanship of the halls and odd artworks that mostly involved the sea.  Although, her mind was still in council.

    ¡°It will be difficult to determine that so soon, Empress,¡± Klaus commented.  ¡°Now that we have shown the Nalveans your strength, they will be on guard for any signs of their people being turned.  How are they responding to Castella?¡±

    Elinor listened attentively to this report while acting as if Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s tour interested her; it wasn¡¯t as if the armored salamander¡¯s culture didn¡¯t fascinate her; there were far more pressing things on her mind to pay their art much attention.

    Edmon¡¯s low rumbles passed through the private network.  ¡°As could be expected.  At first, the concept frightened them, but High Ruler Nukulara seems to be a man of vision, as you mentioned, Klaus.  He sees the benefits and dangers of the Empire.¡±

    ¡°He seeks more information, then?¡±  Klaus asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re turning that way.  The High Seaweaver has recently joined the discussion and is trying to turn Castella into a double agent.  She¡¯s a good soldier but very honest.  It was best to allow her to tell the Nalvean Royal Council that she cannot be turned and would have to report such attempts back to you.¡±

    Klaus chuckled softly.  ¡°They backtracked?¡±

    ¡°Of course.  They are simply trying to determine the depths of what has happened to her.  She is now being dismissed to wait outside unless they need her.¡±

    ¡°Smart,¡± Klaus mused.  ¡°They may not know about the Nexus, but once she said she will make a full report, dismissing her was the only option.  Now they know without a doubt the potential power the Empire holds, which will force them to take you seriously, Empress.

    ¡°Yesenia will seek to turn them against you, but it will take some time for her to convince at least one of her allies, likely whichever is tied to Demon.  Whoever is a true believer of Yesenia will see you as an enemy when the woman gives the word.  You¡¯ve taken the first steps at cementing yourself as a kingmaker.¡±

    Elinor allowed a pleasant smile to brighten her expression while following the princess; her little 12-year-old maid was getting a thrill out of listening to the explanation, and Elinor gave the girl a bit of leniency to press for small details that interested her.

    The Emperor sees me as a potentially powerful ally and dangerous enemy, which takes us from neutral to friendly.  Yesenia¡¯s supporters are now unfriendly but not entirely hostile.  How goes the relationship with the City Statesmen?

    Klaus took a moment to gather his thoughts on the matter.  ¡°There are two parties with a few neutral candidates looking for a winning side.  One of those should be swayed by reviving a deceased son, but the others will be more difficult, and his support will be a public incident.¡±

    Must we make it public?  Elinor questioned.

    ¡°It would be favorable in the light,¡± Edmon added.  ¡°We generate a positive public image of the Empire within the Nalvean¡¯s minds, and returning a beloved war hero that is loyal to you and stands to gain precedence as a Statesman is a good public relations move.  If he can then improve the conditions of his people, we could gain even greater support for your religion to take root.¡±

    Good point, Elinor whispered, catching Violet reverting back to her spider form.

    She turned her attention back to Tal¡¯tamine as she showed her a large red gemstone monument of a Nalvean standing victorious over two Quen¡¯Talrat.  ¡°What is the story here?¡±

    The princess¡¯ eyes lit up with excitement upon her inquiry.  ¡°Omikuruba, one of the last great warriors of the Fire Wars!  He single-handedly vanquished two Quen¡¯Talrat Commanders.¡±

    Intrigued, Elinor released a thoughtful hum, but the news dampened her mood.

    Omikuruba ¡­ they¡¯re impressed by taking out commanders; that¡¯s Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s rank, I believe, which is commendable, but if this is one of their greatest champions ¡­ I¡¯m beginning to doubt anyone from the eight races is at the level of Transcendent.

    ¡°Tal¡¯tamine¡­¡±

    The princess turned her reverent eyes away from the statue surrounded by fountains to give her a questioning look.  ¡°Yes?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus moved between all of the statues within the visible library; there were multiple levels to the mezzanine, extending the gallery several open floors, but she suspected some of the most exquisite pieces would be front and center.

    She gestured at the stone and wood articles that surrounded the extravagant veranda.  ¡°Out of everything here ¡­ all of your history ¡­ was there anyone you believe rivaled Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma in combat ability?¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s expression blanked for a moment, head tilting to scan the works surrounding them.  ¡°That ¡­ is a name few Nalveans use,¡± she whispered.  ¡°We normally refer to him as the White Cancer.¡±

    Elinor had to refrain a soft chuckle at the name her ability translated.  ¡°... The White Cancer ¡­ I suppose he was somewhat of a cancer to many of the races.  Were there any champions that could have faced him in one on one combat?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ cannot say, Empress,¡± Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s tail flicked to the left while rubbing her left arm.  ¡°I was not born during those years ¡­ only my two eldest siblings were alive during that time, and the stories of his brutality are ¡­ not pleasant conversation ¡­ the things he did to many Nalveans.¡±

    The girl¡¯s grip against her forearm and tight muscles increased for a moment, drawing Elinor¡¯s attention.  ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°N-No, but¡­¡±  Tal¡¯tamine shifted a little to the right to face her, face showing a conflicted expression.  ¡°Empress ¡­ if you can raise the dead, and you have Quen¡¯Talrat soldiers¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Elinor giggled softly, moving around the ruby statue.  ¡°It would be a natural conclusion.  Have I raised Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma?  No, I haven¡¯t ¡­ it is possible, though.¡±

    The princess¡¯s arms pressed against her chest, hurrying to keep up as her tail swung back and forth to keep her balanced while jogging.  ¡°Why would you do something ¡­ resurrect a creature so dangerous?  What if he became an enemy ¡­ no one can control such a monster, I hear.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s tone drew on the girl¡¯s fear.  ¡°As I said, I have not, but it is possible.  Hmm ¡­ tell me more about each of your legends.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine seemed somewhat reluctant to continue after the disturbing direction but pressed on with the tour.  She was not stupid, and telling a necromancer about your strongest dead heroes had to bring up the topic of her returning those excellent champions to life in some manner.

    Level by level, they climbed the circular spire that surrounded the outer edges of the thick balconies.  Elinor passively observed the Nalvean arts, distracting herself from Iris¡¯ continual ping going off in the back of her mind.  Things weren¡¯t moving anywhere on discovering a dead candidate that could help her Spider Queen.

    Violet wasn¡¯t showing it, but she was worried about her mother; the youngest of the Spider Sisters performed her duties without exception, though, keeping a watchful eye for anything that might threaten her.

    On the third layer, Elinor casually watched the engineered water systems pumping red liquid from the great lakes into grand water-themed artistic displays that certainly wasn¡¯t something practical on Earth.  Only a few wooden and stone pieces were used to enhance the floor¡¯s design.

    She had been shown famous battle scenes, some form of gemstone painted floor designs that shifted color with water, immortalized scholars carved in stone, warriors, and High Rulers of the past, but none interested her from the feats given to them.  A few might have reached the upper Grades within her army, yet she was looking for something to specifically aid Iris.

    It was on the fourth level that something finally caught her attention.  The sun had long since fallen, but red candle-like blazes were lit throughout the castle by Nalvean serving staff, casting a warm glow that could even brighten the vast open spaces of the Royal Galleries.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Crafted out of a solid amber material was the humanoid figure of a genuine angel.  Elinor halted upon seeing the model; it wasn¡¯t impossible to run across a human-shaped creature in a world that commonly saw visitors from other dimensions and planets but to see such a mythical, realistic representation caught her off-guard.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ Empress?¡±  Tal¡¯tamine asked as she stopped dead in her tracks.

    Aileen¡¯s small lips dropped open with wide-eyed wonder upon seeing the amber statue.  ¡°Emelina, Emelina,¡± she hissed, pointing at the center of the platform, ¡°it¡¯s an angel; she¡¯s so pretty!¡±

    Edmon¡¯s grip tightened behind his armored back.  ¡°This was constructed long ago; there¡¯s no way it was crafted within the week.  Have humans been here before ¡­ or is that some other creature found in this world?¡±

    Wishing to know the answer herself, Elinor slowly moved forward, studying the piece of art.  ¡°Tell me about this,¡± she commanded, vision following the feminine curves of exquisite artisanship.

    ¡°Angel?¡±  The princess mumbled, clearly not understanding the word.  ¡°This is one of the artworks that was brought back from our conquest against the Quen¡¯Talrat; it was called Aviary Flight of the Morning Dew.¡±

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma?  No, there¡¯s nothing like this within the collections I¡¯ve seen.  He must have gotten it from somewhere else ¡­ he was a collector.

    The floor was generating a soft mist that made it appear as if she were standing on clouds, two feet above the floor.  Crimson aquatic rings were somehow spiraling around the angelic woman, defying gravity, and a warm, upward glow cast the amber figure in light from bowels of fire surrounding her.

    Elinor made a closer examination after taking in the full scope of the mysterious theme the Nalveans crafted around the statue.  The angel was probably 5¡±9 in height with thick, flowing back-length hair, propelled by an invisible wind.  She wore some kind of crest or crown that didn¡¯t obstruct her wide runic halo hovering above her head; the circular object was impossibly thin.

    She had six magnificent wings sprouting out of her mid to upper back; the top four were double the length of her body.  The longer appendages gave her a noble appeal, hosting three layers of various sized feathers that were so finely detailed, Elinor couldn¡¯t imagine a craftsman fashioning them, and the wing¡¯s frame appeared metallic, smooth, and curved in a fashion that could be used to spear an enemy.

    Her lower two could have been fluffed tail feathers that were as long as her entire frame, but to Elinor, they seemed more like partially developed wings or a smaller pair held at an awkward angle.

    She was well-endowed by human standards when it came to curves and attractive looks, which was accentuated by the angelic, metal-like one-piece swimsuit she was wearing.  Every piece of armor she wore was expertly designed with etching.

    Upon further inspection, she followed the main piece of her swimsuit with her eyes; it left her shoulders bare, and a chest piece covered her upper breast and collarbone, protecting her core while surprisingly leaving part of her bosom and sides with only the cloth covering.

    The underlayer was some kind of metal-cloth hybrid that was also seen around her biceps, but from her elbows to the back of her hands were light gauntlets with similar designs as the chest plate, and a massive inverted reuleaux triangle gem was crafted between her chest and neck.

    A two-tiered frame was attached to the bottom of the swimsuit around her wide hips, showing off her firm thighs, and a singular, thick halo accessory fixed to her side in some manner, holding a thick silken sash that was wrapped around her left thigh to her knee.  Completing the fantasy outfit were gilded, skin-tight boots adorning her shapely legs.

    She honestly looked like she¡¯d just exited some fiction concept art panel.  Her features were defiant, lush, full lips held in a glare that was meant for a foe she hated, but there were no weapons in her delicate, gloveless hands.

    Tal¡¯tamine had been relatively silent, observing Elinor and Aileen¡¯s actions; they¡¯d paid far more attention to this statue than any of the previous, and even Emelina seemed quite taken by its beauty.

    What are the chances ¡­ do you suppose there is a race like this in the north?  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had to have gotten it from somewhere, and among his conquests on Demon¡¯s errand seems like the most likely¡­

    Violet interrupted her thoughts, causing Elinor to pause in her critical study, lips falling a bit to stare at the ramp leading up to the third floor.

    Yesenia is coming?  That¡¯s sooner than we anticipated.

    The princess was growing more quiet and observant since they¡¯d first met, withdrawing to attempt to understand them more.  She wasn¡¯t dense and quickly noticed the snake-woman¡¯s approach from the floors below.  Her jaw tightened upon the personal reveal, but Elinor was too focused on the upcoming encounter than the salamander¡¯s reactions.

    Yesenia slithered up from the floor below, reptilian eyes shooting a scathing glare in her direction, but she doubted any of the Nalveans could grasp her mood by facial features alone.  Elinor was a tad surprised she still hadn¡¯t retrieved her human interpreter, but several Nalvean Seaweavers were hovering around the woman.

    Out of everywhere in this massive palace ¡­ what are the odds?  Do you think she¡¯s keeping the other humans from me for a reason?

    ¡°Most definitely,¡± Edmon responded.

    She considered contacting Klaus, but he was still busy looking for any leads regarding a Transcendent candidate she could resurrect, and that took priority.

    Yesenia was the first to speak, suppressing her hissing tone; she seemed to really hate what she¡¯d become, which she found odd since the seed worked with your desires.  ¡°I see you¡¯ve discovered my favorite place in the palace,¡± she grimaced, stopping a few meters away to gaze upon the structure.  ¡°... Beautiful, isn¡¯t she.¡±

    Favorite place in the palace ¡­ I can see why since it would remind her of home.

    Elinor turned her attention back to the stunning work of art.  ¡°I can say I have not seen such exquisite craftsmanship ¡­ even on Earth.  Despite it being entirely composed of what seems to be amber.¡±

    ¡°... No, that is part of its allure,¡± Yesenia whispered in a longing tone, slithering to a different angle.  ¡°Amber is a balancer ¡­ it dissolves negative energy ¡­ I can feel it while in her presence.  Just the image of such an angelic creature ¡­ have you found any peace since coming here?¡±

    All that filled Elinor¡¯s chest was the distress of what was keeping Iris away from her, but now that Yesenia had mentioned it, that jarring emotion had faded somewhat upon pouring over the statue.

    ¡°In comparison to what this world has left inside me ¡­ I suppose it has helped to some degree.  What do you know about it?¡±  She asked, casually walking to the figure¡¯s back to examine the opposite side of her wings.

    Yesenia didn¡¯t respond for a time, vision softening while gazing on the lovely face of the angel.  ¡°... She¡¯s my hope for peace.¡±

    Elinor lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Peace?¡±

    The woman didn¡¯t respond, seeming to ignore her question.

    She opened up a connection to Edmon.  Humph, peace?  What kind of peace is she thinking; inner peace ¡­ because it can¡¯t be external?

    ¡°Most likely.  She feels trapped.  Perhaps she was religious, and this is a symbol to her?¡±

    It would make an excellent addition to my Palace.  Elinor mused.  It might elicit a sense of peace, but it is more than a little striking with what the Nalveans have done.  Perhaps we can bargain for it in the future.  After all, it did once rest inside my capital.

    Her focus returned to Yesenia as she finally turned her gaze away from the six-winged angel.  ¡°... The High Ruler has sent for you.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Elinor hummed.  ¡°I suppose your communicator will be joining us?¡±

    Yesenia¡¯s calm features started to turn annoyed again.  ¡°No, Elgan won¡¯t be ¡­ because I have you.¡±  She smiled.  ¡°You can translate for me.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips lifted a little as she walked back toward the stairs.  ¡°Of course, I can do you this favor, Yesenia.  Tal¡¯tamine, you know where your father¡¯s council chambers are, I presume?¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ I do,¡± she softly replied while keeping up with her casual retreat.  ¡°I am getting the impression that you two are not on the best terms.¡±

    Edmon, Violet, Emelina, Edmon, and Aileen were by her side.

    Elinor released a mild chuckle.  ¡°Yesenia is ¡­ blinded by her hatred.  Perhaps, in time, we may find ourselves with the same goals, but for now¡­¡±  She paused at the foot of the sweeping wide spiral staircase, glancing back at the woman; she was absorbed with the statue again.  ¡°She is standing in you and your siblings'' path to the throne.  What do you know about a whispering shadow that promises you things in your dreams?¡±

    The girl''s tail soon stopped swaying so strongly.  ¡°... Shadow, as in the Harrowing Black?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what your people call it,¡± Elinor shrugged, noticing dozens of Seaweaver soldiers now meandering about the galleries with an amused smirk.  ¡°Just be aware that there is a foe far more deadly than Yesenia that looms behind her.¡±

    The rest of the trip back to the throne room was filled with many more military units mixed with the palace guard.  Security was tightening down between the Head Captain and the High Seaweaver, each in charge of a different Nalvean army branch.

    Castella greeted her with a bright Nalvean salute as they entered the waiting room before the council chambers.  ¡°Empress!  I await my commands.¡±

    Elinor smiled at her new recruit.  As was expected, her armor had been stripped off the woman, leaving her with a rather plain silk sash that barely went around her left shoulder.

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s clawed hand flew to her fanged mouth in horror.  ¡°C-Castella ¡­ why are you wearing submission robes?  That¡¯s ¡­ you¡¯re so exposed ¡­ here, here!¡±

    The reaction was somewhat surprising as the princess unwound a few of her silken attachments off her arms for the former Lieutenant to wrap her body in.

    Castella held up her hands with what appeared to be a grateful smile from the emotions she felt from the soldier.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid I cannot, Princess.  I am no longer a member of the proud Nalvean Palace Guard.  All that I had belonged to the Core, and so it must return.  I will wear what my Empress decrees.¡±

    Elinor giggled.  ¡°Then your Empress orders you to dress modestly by Nalvean culture, Castella.  I don¡¯t wish people to start talking negatively about how I dress my soldiers.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Empress!¡±  She responded with an embarrassed chuckle, accepting the offered silk.  Elinor¡¯s opinion of the princess had risen by that short exchange, but Tal¡¯tamine gave her a proper bow and salute to dismiss herself soon after.

    ¡°I am not allowed inside such meetings, Empress Elinor.  I hope to see you again.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Before she could take her leave, Elinor held up a hand.  ¡°One moment, Tal¡¯tamine ¡­ Castella, Emelina, accompany the princess.  Prepare me a room with her; it would be good to have someone I¡¯m familiar with nearby.¡±

    ¡°... Are you sure, Empress?¡±  Tal¡¯tamine hesitantly inquired, glancing between Edmon and her maids as Emelina gave a low curtsy; internally, she was telling Aileen that she would be there for her in case she needed any advice or help.  ¡°The ¡­ you are the ruler of an Empire ¡­ would it not be more proper to bed in the appropriate chambers instead of with ¡­ well, with just me?¡±

    Edmon connected to her through a private link within the Nexus, tone suspicious.  ¡°Elinor, I would advise against the action; we are not sure of her allegiances, and all of this could be an act, propagated by Demon, her father, or several other possible threats.¡±

    Noted, but we must take some risks to gain ground, and we need to build a solid foundation.  Plus, this will drive her siblings to seek me out ¡­ after all, their sister has gained a leg up on them.  She snickered.  It may be rash, but I¡¯m also beginning to become fond of the girl.  If she is as devious as you believe, she could be of even greater use to the Empire.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I suppose.¡±  He gave Violet a warning to keep close tabs on the Royal Seaweaver.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze drifted to the wall with a small smile on her green-tinted lips.  ¡°A fair point ¡­ if you could guide Emelina to an appropriate room, then that would be wonderful.  Oh ¡­ and conscript some guards to bring your bed into my temporary quarters.  I believe we still have much to discuss together.¡±

    Before she could issue any more complaints, Elinor walked through the council chamber doors that Aileen opened; she didn¡¯t even have to be prompted.

    Excellent work, Aileen.  You¡¯re doing so well.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress!  Hehe, Head Maid Emelina said to watch you really closely when you move and get there before you.¡±

    Edmon followed her into the room as Aileen gave Emelina, Castella, and a nervous Tal¡¯tamine a bright-eyed wave before shutting the door and moving to stand beside Edmon.  Violet took to the ceiling, crawling up near the top to wait since a few key individuals in the room had sharp enough senses to possibly sense there was something amiss within their environment.

    The multitude of Nalveans surrounding the massive polygon-shaped table fell silent; there were five seats per square, which was an incredible feat, and the distance between individuals was almost absurd, but the room seemed to be designed for voices to carry.

    Everyone stood as High Ruler Nukulara rose from his seat, motioning for her to take a seat on the right side of his section.  ¡°Empress Elinor,¡± he said in a welcoming tone, ¡°I understand that it is late; would it be more prudent to continue in the morning?¡±

    Aileen quickly arrived before her with Elinor¡¯s casual pace, pulling it out for her to sit; upon inquiry, Castella informed her of the proper seating order.  She paused at the chair with Edmon beside her.  ¡°I do not require sleep, High Ruler Nukulara; I appreciate the offer.  If this council feels fatigued, then I can spend more time with your darling daughter.¡±

    The Emperor chuckled, taking a seat.  ¡°Oh, did her company please you; what did you take away from studying our arts?¡±

    When the ruler sat, Edmon bent down on one knee to hold out his hand, offering it for Elinor to use as a platform, and he smoothly lifted her up to give her more comfortable access to the padded chair.  Once situated, Aileen scooted her chair in, and everyone else took a seat within their own orders.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ you have a very unique style of craftsmanship in some regards, especially the method in which you employ water into their designs.  It is tasteful.  Although, I suspect you might have guessed the statue on the fourth level would most catch my attention.  In my previous world, we called them angels.¡±

    ¡°Angels ¡­ yes, they certainly have a very ¡­ peculiar shape and blend with their feathers.  The similarities between the human race on your planet and it are ¡­ striking, I must say.  From what I¡¯m told, they are not real creatures, but beings of myth within many of your cultures.  Is that correct?¡±  He asked, fingers locking into a steeple upon the table.

    Elinor caught many of the Nalvean royal councilmen paying close attention to her posture, tone, and words.  ¡°Indeed,¡± she replied, folding her hands in her lap and keeping herself in a proper position with her abdominal muscles to not slouch or fall back since much of the back was open.  ¡°It was quite shocking to find something familiar in this world ¡­ even more so that it came from Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s collection.¡±

    A stir swept the table as low mumbles were passed between members, too far for her to distinguish, which was probably calculated.  The thought amused her; this table was meant for small groups to mumble between one another before speaking their opinion.

    The Head Guard stood behind the High Ruler, Edmon mirroring the action.

    ¡°Ah ¡­ so, you do know of the White Cancer.  Hmm ¡­ I will be candid.  I don¡¯t wish to offend you, Empress Elinor; we have questioned the Master Seaweaver, Yesenia, upon how to converse with you, and ¡­ there are mixed opinions.¡±

    ¡°I concluded as much.¡±  Her ghostly green eyes shifted to each member along with the table, causing a shiver to run down their spines.  ¡°Yesenia and I have ¡­ differing opinions on the Ri¡¯bot, which puts us at somewhat of an unfavorable position.  What are your thoughts, High Ruler?¡±

    Nukulara took a ponderous breath, leaning back in his seat while folding his arms across his chest.  ¡°I intended to follow up on your understanding of the White Cancer but to think the place the two of you disagree is something so trivial as the Ri¡¯bot is ¡­ perplexing.  My father believed the Ri¡¯bot could be an essential asset to the Empire, which has helped lift many of our people out of less ¡­ desirable occupations that the creatures are more than willing to take part in.

    ¡°I understand that Yesenia has had some troubles with a select few, and most of them have been dealt with, or so I am told,¡± he replied.

    The Head Captain spoke up in the ensuing silence.  ¡°Yes, High Ruler!  I have seen to it personally.¡±

    ¡°Good.  So ¡­ what more is there that you two would disagree on?¡±  Nukulara asked.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to the High Seaweaver, sitting three parties to her right.  ¡°Perhaps the issue is communication between cultures.¡±

    The doors opened to reveal Yesenia, and she took the open spot by the High Seaweaver; everyone but the High Ruler and Elinor stood up, but Elinor took note of every Nalvean that hesitated, eyes darting to different individuals to see if they were taking action.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± Elinor greeted with a small smile.

    ¡°... Empress Elinor,¡± she curtly responded.  There wasn¡¯t much she could do with the type of entrance she¡¯d made, establishing herself as a nation and power to be respected, and with the Emperor¡¯s notice, she had to play her cards right.

    Nukulara nodded.  ¡°Excellent ¡­ although, her interpreter is not present?¡±

    ¡°No need,¡± Elinor responded, but instead of Edmon, she sent the little twelve-year-old girl to Yesenia¡¯s side of the table to interpret; Aileen was trying to restrain her joy at being allowed to talk.  ¡°My Maid will handle the duty.¡±

    ¡°Interesting ... huh, so all of your subjects can interpret?¡±

    ¡°They can,¡± Elinor replied, motioning to the 12-year-old as she repeated the information in an acceptable tone.  ¡°Now, might we get down to the real reason this meeting has been called?¡±  When no one responded, she illuminated the occupants.  ¡°I am a threat.  A perilous enemy, but I am also offering a hand of friendship.  I am sure we can do great things together, High Ruler.  Why don¡¯t we get down to business instead of tip-toeing around the subject?  After all, I¡¯m looking forward to spending more time learning about your culture from your daughter.¡±

    Nukulara appeared to smile at her invitation.  ¡°Straight to the point.  I like that, Empress Elinor.  Sometimes I get too caught up with the political side.  Let¡¯s speak without reserve; you are not threatening or trying to insult us, and we are not doing likewise.  Agreed?¡±  he asked, voice rising as he scanned the table.

    All parties responded with various degrees of acceptance.

    Elinor¡¯s smile turned pleasant.  ¡°Wonderful.  Let¡¯s begin.¡±

 B2 â€” 22. Political Sponsors

    The creaks and uncomfortable shifts the Nalvean council made around the ten-sided table held Elinor¡¯s mild smile as her ghostly irises moved between targets.

    Edmon identified each individual and the faction they belonged to; at least one representative of every party was present to be a proxy for their City-State and sponsor.  Even four delegates from various Trade Unions were in attendance since their conglomerates played such a significant role in the Nalvean economy.

    Yesenia held her peace while waiting for Elinor to speak, and as suspected, the 12-year-old girl was a weak spot for the snake-woman; the power of cuteness was too strong with her.  The woman could glare at Edmon all night, but to aim her bitter reptilian irises at a pre-teen with the smile of an angel was more than a little difficult for her.  So, her heated gaze remained on Elinor.

    The Lich Empress centered on the High Ruler, breaking the tense atmosphere.

    ¡°The greatest subject of inquiry, no doubt, is the demonstration I made within your Throne Room.  Although, I may not be accurate in that evaluation since I am not accustomed to the Nalvean culture.  If we are to continue with a friendly relationship, I believe we must first address the unease inside your inner circle.  Ask me anything you wish, High Ruler.¡±

    Nukulara sat back with a low hum, bright green eyes scrutinizing her for a moment before nodding.  ¡°Prudent.¡±

    A few unanswered questions from their previous short exchange must still be on his mind, but after Yesenia¡¯s entrance, it was best to move on.  The next words would direct the flow of the conversation, and she was giving him that lead.  She suspected the respectful gesture should net her further support, and her earlier nudge all but guaranteed the direction.

    The calculating light within the ruler¡¯s gaze moved to survey his court, and Elinor realized how similar the Emperor¡¯s irises mirrored his daughter¡¯s.  The only difference was the experience they held.

    The High Ruler¡¯s focus and amiable tone moved back to Elinor.  ¡°There are many things I wish to discuss with you at length.  That much can be held in private.  While I have the full court and its representatives present, it would be judicious to discuss the matters pertaining to the whole Empire.  Therefore¡­¡±

    His head tilted slightly with a curious inflection caressing his throat.  ¡°The most universal thought running through every mind present is just as you say, Empress.  This court wishes to understand what you did to our soldier; all parties were not present to witness the event.¡±

    Nukulara hadn¡¯t offered any rope to hang himself or theories she could work into a passible excuse.  It was clean and straight to the point.

    Elinor needed to cut through the political red tape that would cause most courts to dance around in circles, wasting time she lacked; solutions needed addressing, and the sooner this public show ended, the more she could gain by letting them stew.  The Emperor was allowing her to strike at the heart of the matter.

    Both Rulers met each other¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°I can raise the dead; Castella met that condition.  It is that simple.¡±

    Baltoma, someone Klaus had an eye on, was the first to speak up.

    ¡°Empress Elinor.¡±  He spoke in a rather deep tone that bordered on imperious, drawing him notice by his large voice and stature.  His tongue flicked through his teeth in what appeared to be agitation.  ¡°Raising the dead is no ¡­ simple matter to Nalveans; it might be a passing statement from where you are from, but to me ¡­ this news is troubling.  What are its limits?¡±

    He was the second most influential Statesman, ruling the third-largest City-State area, in the nation¡¯s southwestern part, bordering the ocean.  The Nalvean was among the group seeking to expand the City-States¡¯ influence, slowly working against the Emperor, and was in the Capital for that very reason.

    Yesenia hissed as Aileen continued to translate in her young, peppy tone, doing her best to stay hushed enough to not speak over anyone; her volume rose when repeating the snake-woman¡¯s words to the congregation, excluding the elongated phrases.

    ¡°It isss not a sssimple matter from where we¡¯re from either, SSStatesman.  El ¡­ Empress Elinor is one of a kind.¡±

    Elinor chuckled at the snake-woman¡¯s hostile glare.  ¡°I appreciate the compliment.  And allow me to clarify my position, Statesman Baltoma; I do not believe what I can do is a simple matter, but it is a simple matter for me to perform.  There is a subtle difference in that.¡±

    ¡°... I see,¡± he rigidly replied, orange irises flicking to his Emperor.  ¡°High Ruler, surely the possibility of restoring a dead Emperor ¡­ or Statesman to life could cause concern and discontent within the Empire.  The Empress¡¯s power has many troubling repercussions that could befall us from a governing standpoint, much less militaristic, and there is the question about how she disposed of the Empire¡¯s soldier, from what I am told.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Nukulara nodded.  ¡°Your concern is noted, Baltoma.  Can you alleviate his uncertainty, Empress?¡±

    Elinor released an internal sigh, focusing on the Nalvean in question, but her mind was on the Emperor; Nukulara had started the talking point and moved the dialogue around the room to boost others¡¯ confidence to speak up.  He was more competent as a leader than she thought.

    It was inevitable that doubt would quickly sink in with how hard they¡¯d come out of the gate, but it was necessary to establish themselves as a capable nation, and that they had.  The only solution now was to double-down and get the worst out of the way to starve them of ammunition in the future.

    Her polite gaze changed from the Statesman to the Emperor; he was the one she had to convince to participate in open, friendly relations; everyone else was merely a stepping stone to get to him.  Once she was identified as a ruler, equal to their great monarch, they could do little to halt her movements.

    Activating Lesser Aura of Supremacy II wasn¡¯t an option since that kind of pressure might set each council member¡¯s guard into action; her tone would do just fine after Violet¡¯s slaughter of Castella, still fresh in the Emperor¡¯s mind.

    ¡°I told this council that it could be candid, and I will be the same.¡±

    Nukulara leaned forward, fingers coming together as his elbows rested on the table, vision narrowing.  Elinor¡¯s smile and tone slowly lost a fraction of its charm, gradually dousing the surprisingly warm room in a chilling wave.

    ¡°I rule the dead.  My armies are composed of the dead.  It is not difficult to conceive if you recall Castella¡¯s blood and guts splattered across your Throne Room floor, not that long ago.  The same Lieutenant that previously filled your ranks with pride ¡­ now she is utterly loyal to me.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s cold smile grew at the stiff shoulders and jaws that swept the table, ghostly vision shifting to the Emperor.  ¡°It was not my first choice to display my power; I merely played along with your rules.  She could attempt to kill me, and I, her.  Was that not the case?  Count how many monarchs you know that are that confident in their ability to open themselves up to attack from an unknown assailant with their back turned?¡±

    Questioning glances moved between a few of the salamanders around them, and it amused Elinor to see Yesenia¡¯s focus shift from Edmon to the walls and ceiling with unease.

    Nukulara gave her a curt nod.  ¡°It was a surprising request; every one of our warriors would feel honor in being offered the chance at open combat with a ruler of a nation.  It is the actions thereafter that my council questions.¡±

    Tails flicked at the Emperor¡¯s statement, mumbles of agreement followed as Nalveans leaned closer to those nearby to converse.  Elinor wasn¡¯t finished, though.

    ¡°Indeed.  What limits might I have?  A valid question.  Although, I do not think so lowly of your intelligence to reveal military tactics and state secrets on a simple request; I expect you will not think so lowly of me.¡±

    Stateswoman Lukuroha nodded, voice softer than her spiky appearance suggested; she was one of several Nalveans present that had kept their steel during the whole exchange.  ¡°I agree with that position.  However, as the Empress has already illustrated, if we are to come together, certain topics must be addressed.¡±

    The small smile that parted Elinor¡¯s lips turned to the woman, although, by Nalvean years, she was still a young girl.

    Lukuroha governed the far center-western province, near the Nalvean border; she was one of the neutral parties since her rise to power had been so rapid and the second youngest of her peers.  Unlike Baltoma, her visit was merely coincidental to Elinor¡¯s own, but her purpose for being in the Empire¡¯s Capital was currently unclear to Klaus.

    Her entrance was an avenue Elinor was eager to explore.  The girl had entered her grandfather¡¯s armed forces as a mere Line Rusher, which was unprecedented for a Nalvean born of rank for more than eight generations; they were the first into combat, basically suicide infantry.

    However, Lukuroha rose through the small City-State¡¯s military to a Left-Flank Field Strategist before finally being forced to fulfill her family duty after her father and elder brother disappeared.

    It was a tantalizing tale that screamed of hidden secrets, but at the moment, Elinor couldn¡¯t focus on those details; she had to leave an impression here that would last.

    ¡°Stateswoman Lukuroha, I look forward to getting to have our own private meetings, in time.¡±

    She seemed somewhat surprised that she knew her name, but her true target, the Emperor, hadn¡¯t given the slightest reveal into his inner thoughts on her knowledge of his Empire after their first discussion.  The fact he knew she had only been in this world for less than two weeks gave her even more attention, she was sure.

    ¡°I believe I have already given this court quite a bit of information regarding my abilities so far; far more than any other nation would divulge.  Just the fact any one of my soldiers can speak every language that is shared through my ranks shows how useful my network can be, but I am generous.  I will speak of my history so you may better grasp where I stand and where you stand to gain.¡±

    Her calculating green eyes met Nukulara¡¯s.  ¡°Each of you has no doubt heard Master Seaweaver Yesenia¡¯s story.  No?¡±  She asked, purposefully using the lower-rank that the Emperor highlighted; only three eyes and muscles tightened at the probe.  ¡°The Ri¡¯bot Clans attacked us, and now we must call your world our home.  What was my response to those hostile actions?  How ruthless can I be?¡±

    The tension in the room had the Head Guard ready to jump at her; Violet had already placed her protective threads around her, though, and Elinor didn¡¯t hesitate while the Emperor continued to listen.  Yesenia was now fully engaged; any pain caused to Ri¡¯bot was likely honey on her tongue.

    ¡°Four Clans ambushed us, the Roxim, Clavex, Komath, and Delthax.  Have you heard of the Delthax Elder Chief, Valdar?¡±  By Nukulara¡¯s slight facial creases, she guessed he at least knew the name of the valley¡¯s legendary Ri¡¯bot.  ¡°He now serves me.

    ¡°His warriors that attacked me and killed my followers?   Some, ripped apart, many tormented in ways you could not fathom, crucified and fed pain so great their minds twist and snap under pressure before being risen to my ranks, thralls, slaves for eternity.  The valley was mine within a day.  I am a ruthless adversary; do not doubt my words.

    ¡°However, Castella is different, as you must be aware.  Those Ri¡¯bot I conquered that now serve me, their Clans live in peace within that once brutal valley; they killed each other for centuries, I¡¯m sure you are aware.  No more.  Do not think that Castella is unhappy or in torment either; you have spoken to her.  She enjoys life eternal by my side.¡±

    A low, questioning rumble shook Nukulara¡¯s throat.  ¡°... Life eternal, you say?  The Ques¡¯k¨¢ have powerful Seers reserved for their closest allies, and I have inquired greatly upon this omen from many; you appear to be their fulfillment, which interests me by no small degree, Empress Elinor.

    ¡°You¡¯ve told me about those that crossed you.  What of those that you now rule; will the ambition of the White Cancer rise again?  Will his city spark life unbound, death innumerable?  Will death and life be reforged?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips lifted.  ¡°I cannot answer vague prophecies from a race I have yet to meet, Emperor.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ I suppose not,¡± he chuckled, breaking the tense atmosphere.  ¡°So, in the end, your armies serve you without question; if you so choose, some will be brought back, completely whole, complete with a new vision, you as their burning star.¡±

    His calculating green eyes lit with interest while leaning forward again, clawed intertwined fingers pressing against his strong jaw.  ¡°What can you offer my Empire, and we, you, that there may enter a mutually beneficial relationship?  You¡¯ve stated your power, and it is impressive, but ties are built on more than strength alone.  What guarantee might we have that you will not turn on my Empire or me?¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t miss the subtlety in that statement; he was aware of internal threats, but a new problem was arising for her.  The Empress had kept her poise posture throughout the entire engagement, yet her Artificial Body was not used to such physical exercise; it was becoming more challenging to keep her position.

    It was not a good time to fidget, though, and so she powered through it; eventually, her body might collapse if the stress wasn¡¯t relieved.  It was a little aggravating that simply overstressing her abdominal muscles could ruin her body; she needed to level the skill up or dump more into Stamina, but every Stat Point in Stamina wasn¡¯t in Constitution, which was a wasted opportunity to increase her Death Pool.

    ¡°As I alluded, I can turn my antagonist¡¯s friend to foe, lovers to enemies, and even death is not a shield against my wrath.  Yet ¡­ on the other hand, I can return your children to you.¡±  Her voice softened, compassionate gaze turning to Yesenia before moving on, ¡°And yes, there are side-effects, but is not negotiating for your child¡¯s stay outside my service more preferable than to be without them?¡±

    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    She caught Statesman Joru¡¯kora¡¯s representative tense at the news; his employer was Camellia¡¯s current target to flip in their favor.

    ¡°I can be a bulwark against those that might seek to do you harm, and you will have the bone-chilling grip of the Empress of Death by your side in battle.  Unlike the Ri¡¯bot, my people know how to industrialize, innovate, and develop practical use and war tools.

    ¡°What do I need?  Time, resources, and a standing national voice that recognizes my growing Empire.  We both know Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s ambition was far too narrow-minded; it was doomed to fail because he was too proud of his own species to forge alliances that didn¡¯t revolve around slavery, such as the Yaltha¡¯ma, which now serve me of their own free will.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Nukulara slowly nodded.  ¡°No corpses to raise for your forces?  You startle me, Empress,¡± he chuckled.

    Elinor giggled softly in return, taking the opportunity to shift her position.  ¡°Corpses I can find on my own; after all, they are rather common in an untamed world, and as far as I am aware, I can still claim a decent amount of land around the valley I currently own, especially northward.¡±

    Nukulara¡¯s lips curved slightly in a devious manner, tail shifting the opposite way behind his chair.  ¡°Interesting ¡­ what more would come after I gave your Empire these things?¡±

    The discussion had obviously turned to the time where others shut-up and let the Emperor engage with her; he was pushing for something, and her previous statement could have something to do with it.  Edmon was the one to point it out since she couldn¡¯t see it.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±  Elinor¡¯s head tilted slightly to the side, causing her locks to bunch at her shoulder.  ¡°My Empire will be the centerpiece of all surrounding nations ¡­ trade will be more accessible and safer than ever before if I have resources to tame my land.¡±

    ¡°Go on,¡± Nukulara urged.

    Elinor wasn¡¯t quite sure how to handle this part of the discussion, so Edmon fed her the proper direction when needed; she wasn¡¯t sure how he extrapolated each nation¡¯s relations from the High Ruler¡¯s statement, but it appeared to impress the Emperor.

    ¡°Currently, I can surmise that since the Ques¡¯k¨¢ prophecy, trade between distant nations has been quite limited.  However, now that I¡¯ve fulfilled that omen, not only will that land be open, but I can build roads for travel, have soldiers that operate without rest defending them from raiders, and take a tax from the goods traveling within my territory, including The Wandering River.¡±

    The Emperor¡¯s quiet laughter shook his frame as Elinor finished.  ¡°Of course, as our first, and closest allies, the Nalveans should be exempt from such tax for an extended period.  No?¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t help but see the four major trade unions swiftly pull in to whisper to one another, and Edmon commented on the exchange through the Nexus.

    ¡°Perhaps the Nalvean Empire requires more funds and goods to expand than we first thought.  The revenue they stand to gain could be quite substantial from exported and imported goods through your territory.¡±

    ¡°Complete tax exemption for an extended period ¡­ hmm, how long would that be?¡±  He pushed.

    Elinor slowly shook her head, tone pleasant.  ¡°I don¡¯t believe I could make such a claim at this time; there is much that must be done between our alliance and building proper trade routes.  With everything that¡¯s been said, have I not shown the first hand, High Ruler Nukulara?

    ¡°I am the Undying Empire¡¯s absolute monarch; my nation will never go against my word, and I have come to the Nalveans, not with a horde at my back, but a respectable escort and an outstretched hand.  I am new to this world, and I wish to find allies.  Will the Nalvean Empire be my ally?¡±

    The Emperor sat back, gesturing to his council while releasing an involuntary yawn.  ¡°Is there ¡­ hmm, perhaps this meeting has been going long enough.  I believe this will be a good concluding point, Empress.¡±

    A stir moved the throng gathered around the table with more Nalveans showing signs of fatigue; it appeared that they¡¯d been up for quite some time.

    The High Ruler finished his remarks with a searching gaze.  ¡°At 10 A.M., this council will meet again to discuss our thoughts, and at 15 P.M., I will give you my answer, Empress Elinor.¡±

    She nodded, realizing Prose of the Potentate was translating their time with what she¡¯d come to recognize in this world.  ¡°I will spend the morning with your daughter; your city has interested me.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m overjoyed with how satisfied you have been with Tal¡¯tamine,¡± he said with a content tone that didn¡¯t show the fatigue he claimed.

    His gaze returned to the room.  ¡°Now, I will hear any final remarks, and we will convene for the night.¡±

    As was expected, no Nalvean raised their voices for or against her inquiry with her present, darting eyes seeking who would be the first to speak, and Elinor wasn¡¯t shocked when Yesenia offered the warning at the earliest opportunity.

    ¡°Empress Elinor is a threat ¡­ not just a threat to the Nalvean Empire, but everything that lives.  To make matters worse, she is a child, no older than the girl translating for me.  I suspect you are fourteen, fifteen, at most?  What guarantee does the Nalvean Empire have that your age won¡¯t cause an emotional outburst sometime in the future?  Their relationship with other nations could be harmed by being associated with you.¡±

    Aileen¡¯s face was priceless, lips sealing as her worried hazel eyes darted to Elinor.

    Elinor gave the snake-woman¡¯s challenging eyes a small chuckle.  Go ahead, Aileen.  Translate for her.

    Aileen¡¯s cute voice hesitated a little as she tried regaining much of the composure she¡¯d been able to hold this entire time.  ¡°I ¡­ umm, these aren¡¯t my words, but uh ¡­ umm¡­¡±

    She repeated the haughty woman¡¯s contention, much to the confusion of the rest of the council.  Several heads bobbed with agreement, but it only told Elinor which party was looking for any excuse to dismiss her.

    ¡°A child?¡±  Nukulara¡¯s tone showed his astonishment at the accusation.  ¡°Explain yourself, Master Seaweaver.  If Empress Elinor is a child, she is the most well-spoken, educated, and well-mannered child I have met.¡±

    The fact he kept calling her Master Seaweaver instead of Empress of the Sea or Empress Yesenia while showing her the utmost respect as a fellow ruler was thoroughly amusing to Elinor.  She held up her hand with a short chuckle, drawing everyone¡¯s attention, but her first words were to her maid.

    ¡°It is fine, Aileen.  Don¡¯t fret.  Emelina is proud you fulfilled your duty without flaw.  In fact, I think you deserve a dessert after the excellent job you¡¯ve been doing.¡±

    The girl looked like she wanted to jump for joy after going through sugar withdrawals for the week; so far, they¡¯d found little in the way of substitutes to simulate really sweet flavors.  Elinor was sure the Nalveans had something that would work, though, and the young maid somehow withheld her excitement, giving Elinor an adorable curtsy.  ¡°Thank you, Empress!¡±

    Wind taken from Yesenia¡¯s sails, Elinor breathed a soft sigh, vision settling on the annoyed woman.  It wasn¡¯t the worst point of attack, if Elinor was being honest, and was likely meant more as a signal to a few of the other council members than for the Emperor himself.

    It would be difficult to sway the strong-minded leader in one way or another with how sharp he was turning out to be.  However, Elinor was far from what she used to be a week and a half ago when mixed with her experiences, forced change, and the extra hours in a day if compared to Earth¡¯s rotation.

    ¡°Yesenia,¡± Elinor shook her head, adopting a light tone to dispel the negative atmosphere the woman generated.  ¡°Not entirely correct, but I can understand your exaggeration.¡±

    Turning back to the Emperor, he explained as if it were a trivial matter.  ¡°I would be just over the middle ground of my adolescent years within our previous culture; although, I was only passing through her part of the world,¡± the Empress¡¯s impish gaze returned to the snake-woman, ¡°and we both know in many other areas I would have been considered an adult.

    ¡°After all, humans conquered the entire planet, and the only competition we had was each other.  That is not the case here.  That isn¡¯t even touching on or to contend with the changes we both have experienced in this world; tell me, what evidence do you have of me ever losing my composure or expressing an emotional tantrum?¡±

    Elinor instantly opened her mouth as if discovering a great secret.  ¡°Oh ¡­ oh, was that a test, Yesenia.  You clever woman.¡±  She turned her amused tone back to the High Ruler.  ¡°A clever push to see if I might snap; she must be looking out for your nation¡¯s best interest.¡±

    ¡°Is that it?¡±  Nukulara whispered, tongue sliding through his teeth for a moment as his tail shifted the opposite way.

    Yesenia¡¯s jaw locked; there wasn¡¯t much she could say in return without making herself look like a fool.  After all, Elinor had just shown her praise for a sly tactic.

    The High Ruler nodded.  ¡°... The news does impress me, Empress Elinor.  Hmm¡­¡±  He released another short yawn before rising to his feet.

    Edmon smoothly fell to one knee to catch her own descent, lowering her close enough to the carpeted rug to step off; her stomach and sides would have been on fire had she not been immune to physical pain.

    Many of the others stood soon after, staying at their places until Nukulara and her left, which they did together; at this point, it would have been rude for Yesenia to interrupt.  She¡¯d lost her chance, but she had to wonder if there was more to the woman¡¯s statement than first caught her eye.  If there was, Edmon would note it.

    Elinor¡¯s attention had shifted to the top of her little maid¡¯s head with the height her boots gave; in contrast, her Doom Guard cast a shadow over her, and yet, Kukulara was still at least two feet taller than Edmon.

    Violet crawled down from the ceiling, transforming back into her human form while reflexively donning her clothes; she¡¯d fashioned a little carrying case for them, using her fine silk control to basically meld the fabric onto her body.

    However, the moment she reached the doorway, she darted back, seemingly to avoid detection, but it wasn¡¯t the Head Captain this time; the Emperor released a mild hum, turning back to glare at the doorway as a few crystal spikes along his back began to glow.  The entrance was more than six meters behind them, and Violet appeared to be forced to retreat ten more as another crystal illuminated.

    ¡°Something of note, High Ruler?¡±  Elinor promptly asked, following his gaze while emotions stilled for combat.

    Edmon was ready to summon his shield and all nearby forces at the drop of a dime, but Nukulara slowly shook his head.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I think I¡¯ve grown soft,¡± he whispered.  After a moment, he chuckled.  ¡°No, it must have been nothing.  I understand you don¡¯t sleep, but I bid you a restful night, Empress Elinor.¡±

    ¡°Likewise,¡± Elinor returned the respectful parting gesture to the Emperor, and they separated.  Hakara, the Imperial Head Captain, turned back just before they turned a corner to give her one last emotionless stare before disappearing around the intersection.

    Many Nalveans were now flooding out of the chamber, giving her deep bows; some were more forced than others, but not one hesitated as they did with Yesenia.  It was a massive victory in Elinor¡¯s eyes.  She was cementing herself as a ruler among the Nalveans.

    Elinor waited beside the wall as the halls thinned, pondering what had just happened with Violet now beside Edmon.  Aileen was humming some German song</a> peacefully to herself while they privately discussed the incident.

    Was it exactly how it looked?  Elinor questioned.

    Violet¡¯s hands were hidden inside her long sleeves, balancing soundlessly on her long, single toothed geta.  ¡°The Ruler is by far the strongest Nalvean I have come across,¡± She stated dispassionately.  ¡°I have eaten Nalvean that exhibited unorthodox abilities in the past, but in my life, I had not felt one with such sharp senses.  Had I not activated all of my stealth abilities, he would have discovered me.  I doubt Azalea could escape his sight in that instance.¡±

    Edmon released a low growl.  ¡°Why didn¡¯t he scan the area after you killed Castella?¡±

    ¡°The only answer I can give is that he could not at the time,¡± Violet responded, continuing to search for threats.  ¡°It could be related to the period of a day or month; it is a trait my mother identified within their biology at one point, but it was too sporadic to be properly utilized as an adaptable feature ¡­ perhaps if my fourth sister was born, but I would have to ask my mother for the details.¡±

    This was the first time Elinor had heard about a 4th daughter of the Queen.  It threw her off a bit, but it didn¡¯t take her long to file it away.

    Then we must be more careful during the night.  What time is it, Edmon?

    ¡°Roughly half-past 15 A.M., potentially with a 10-minute error.¡±

    It sounded about right with how long ago her daily maintenance cost had drained her Death Pool; it was nice not having to rely on the fruit, but she had to be diligent in continuing to increase it if she hoped for another Court Member.

    She gave Yesenia a small smile as she left with the High Seaweaver; oddly, only the woman trained her seething yellow reptilian eyes on her.  Lonuarag appeared to be engrossed with the long carpets draped over the smooth polished floors, but he paused as she did, and the snake-woman made an offer she was not expecting.

    ¡°Elinor ¡­ if you give me back my children and husband ¡­ all three of my children, then I will stay out of your way.  You just ssstay out of mine.¡±

    She stared up at the imposing snake-woman as she tasted the air, but Violet was already on high alert; there was no way she could smell or taste the Spider Sister.  ¡°Dead, I assume ¡­ hmm, and how would that work?  You wish to kill all the Ri¡¯bot; I have Ri¡¯bot in my land.¡±

    ¡°... Perhaps, we can make a deal ¡­ in time, but for now, I will agree to not meddle with whatever lands you have claimed.¡±

    ¡°A ceasefire?¡±  Elinor mused, eyeing the High Seaweaver as he followed her side of the conversation.  ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give the humans that came with you the chance to choose where to stay ¡­ isn¡¯t choice the thing they truly desire ¡­ you desire?¡±

    ¡°... I¡¯ll think about it,¡± she growled.  ¡°You are corrupted, though.¡±

    Elinor smirked, tilting her head a little.  ¡°Mmh, not entirely wrong.  Hmm ¡­ to be clear, Yesenia.  You know why we are at odds.  Ultimately, I couldn¡¯t care less with what you do with most Ri¡¯bot outside my own lands, but that is not where we clash.¡±

    ¡°Is it a deal?¡±  Yesenia hissed.  ¡°I could hurt, block, and delay much of what you wish to do given the weight I¡¯ve gathered ¡­ all I want is my family.¡±

    A long sigh left Elinor¡¯s lungs while glaring at the broken and lashing-out woman, looming over her like a giant; if there was someone unstable, it was the snake in front of her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll think about your request overnight.  We can meet up after breakfast.  I am curious about how Nalveaen cuisine tastes, but given my experience with foreign food on Earth ¡­ I¡¯m hesitant,¡± she mused.

    ¡°Is everything a game to you?¡±  Yesenia growled, sharp teeth grinding with her frustration.  ¡°I need my family!¡±

    ¡°Then come with a better offer,¡± Elinor dismissively replied, turning to walk away.  ¡°Remember, after breakfast, and come with something I want.¡±

    Elinor could practically hear the internal shrieks.  It wasn¡¯t like she couldn¡¯t relate to her, but in the end, she was her enemy, and she was asking to give up her greatest bargaining chip against the woman.  Honestly, Elinor wasn¡¯t even sure what Yesenia could offer to change her mind.  The Emperor had the cards, not the genocidal Columbian woman.

    Emelina met her in the halls as Elinor got lost in the maze-like palace; it was the first time she¡¯d felt somewhat embarrassed calling for help.  She thought she was good with directions, apparently not.

    Her stalwart Head Maid gave her a bright smile; apparently, she was excited for some kind of candy, too, because that was their primary goal for tomorrow.  Elinor needed a solid win, and desserts were the best kind of reward for all her hardworking retainers.

    Castella!  Elinor roared with vigor, pulling her two maids into the call.

    ¡°Y-Yes, Empress?!¡±

    Tomorrow, you¡¯re going to take us to the best sweets shop the Nalveans have to offer!

    Aileen cheered with her, literally bouncing on her toes as they entered a hallway without eyes, dress bobbing up and down.  Even Emelina chuckled softly while shifting to the right to help manage the girl¡¯s hair, but the Head Maid¡¯s fingers froze as Elinor connected to her steamy Ambassador crush.

    Klaus, find some time in the morning to join us for sightseeing.

    ¡°Of course, Empress.  I believe there is ample time.  I look forward to the meet.¡±

    Everyone slowed to a stop, mind going blank as Castella mumbled.  ¡°Sweets shop, Empress?¡±

    ¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡­

    ¡°Oh, sweet items!  Okay, okay, yes, yes, we have places that sell them!¡±

    A sigh of relief passed through more than Elinor¡¯s lips.  You nearly stopped my heart, Castella ¡­ not an excellent first day.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Empress!¡±

    Aileen snickered.  ¡°She¡¯s joking with you!¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Oh, really?¡±

    Welcome to the team, Elinor laughed, feeling more like herself as her Religious System helped return her emotions, and her Lich Empress System tempered them when needed; it was turning out to be a reasonably decent combo.

 B2 â€” 23. The Puppet Princess

    Elinor passed through the near-silent nighttime hallways of the Nalvean Palace, listening to the gentle brooks of red water flowing beside her; her escort followed, engaged in their own private conversations through her Nexus.

    The Empress retreated to her own mind after enjoying a small light-hearted moment with her defenders.  They were in an excellent position at the moment with all the prep-work done by Klaus; however, Demon would have known all of their movements.  There must be a big counterplay in the works, but she couldn¡¯t see it.

    Demon must have multiple agents around the Nalvean Empire, at least one in each of the factions to fracture the nation; the creature had been shifting world events in his favor for millennia, and she had the potential to be his greatest foe ¡­ an immortal opponent.

    How many beings were there throughout this world¡¯s history that could survive the test of time to be a thorn in his side up until this point?

    Elinor couldn¡¯t see him allowing such a person to live, which meant his aims would be focused on her, and yet, he was also a being of great patience and forethought, moving countless pieces around on a board so far beyond her current capacity that it was laughable.

    Her gaze lifted to the magical fires that lit the dark palace in a dull blue light; whatever material was attached to the sticks didn¡¯t release smoke and had initially been yellow when they arrived.  This world had so many mysteries and dangers, which Demon could utilize to his heart¡¯s content, yet that subtle influence might be his downfall.

    Demon was used to shifting things slowly, methodically, and as quietly as possible.  However, he¡¯d overplayed his hand when she first arrived, alerting her to his presence while simultaneously hyper-accelerating whatever change had taken place inside her.

    In a way, he¡¯d created his own enemy; the creature could have courted her, as he did Yesenia, but Tiffany¡¯s powers had been Elinor¡¯s saving grace, luck she did not deserve.  In any other alternative universe, she should have been utterly consumed by the dark being, yet here she freely walked.

    A smile lifted her glossy green-tinted lips while thinking about the opposition she¡¯d encountered.  Yesenia had been a disappointment so far, but perhaps she was following her own plans and proving difficult for Demon to influence; she was a very emotional woman.  The High Seaweaver had only played a defensive game, thus far, and any other opponents she may have were shocked at her sudden arrival.

    Her amusement fell as her mind progressed.  Things were falling into place quite smoothly ¡­ far too smoothly.  Did Demon plan on having her set up her Empire?  Maybe this was a distraction?  Was there currently a counter-attack taking place at her fortress this very moment?

    Elinor¡¯s narrowed eyes shifted to the right wall, monitoring her servants far to the north.  Not one had been killed as of yet, including her weak skeletal minions; it indicated everything was running smoothly.  Of course, an overwhelming force could prompt other options to consider, and Iris¡¯s position was too distant to accurately assess, but she was alive.

    No, I can¡¯t give in to paranoia, but I should take precautions.  We have time ¡­ Iris might not.  Yet, I can¡¯t will an undead corpse I can utilize into existence.  There must be a hero somewhere in this Empire I can use ¡­ but where?

    Focus returning to her guards, she did a swift analysis to discover everyone¡¯s train of thought.

    Her maids were engaged with one another, Aileen telling Emelina all about her favorite snacks and treats she hoped to find; the Head Maid listened patiently, helping to lighten the pre-teen¡¯s mood, which served to calm Emelina¡¯s own anxiety.  Deep in the woman¡¯s breast, Elinor could feel her worry, questioning how Klaus saw her, and going on a sweets trip was something she¡¯d never done with a man, but it had been on her bucket list at one point.

    It was a warm and cute sensation, transferring from the woman¡¯s chest to Elinor.  Much more mature and yet, at the same time, far more insecure than her own teenage angst when thinking about Tanner.  In any case, it helped Elinor smile again.

    Speaking of the Ambassador, Edmon was currently locked in conversation with the man, reviewing the daily activities.  He¡¯d been quite productive, meeting with several Shadow Hand members to social network, gather information, and question different Nalvean historians to discover any leads on a Transcendent spirit.

    She allowed Edmon to compile all the data; he¡¯d feed her the appropriate cliff notes when needed.  Elinor found her attention most taken by her Head Maid¡¯s internal dilemma, internally visualizing her blonde-haired Ambassador.  They were both quite physically lovely, by Elinor¡¯s standards, but it did seem partly due to her ability to increase her servants¡¯ appearance to their best standing.  She was tempted to investigate further, but decided against spoiling the live-drama any further.

    Her amusement rose when ascending a staircase, lifting up her dress while scanning the others.

    Shockingly, Castella had found herself in a conversation with Lecra¡¯Moro and Quin, learning more about the terrifying Quen¡¯Talrat she¡¯d only heard stories of.  The gorilla assassin was skulking within a decent-sized dark garden to the southeast of the palace; it hid the Quen¡¯Talrat well enough to avoid notice.  Quin had returned to the boat to give the appearance both Quen¡¯Talrat were on-board.

    Violet, of course, was engrossed in her primary objective, actively searching for nearby dangers.

    She¡¯d brought a good group.

    ¡­ I¡¯ll never be alone again.

    They reached the top of the stairs, and Elinor was a little surprised when Emelina brought them to a glass water tube-like room, a thin layer of red water surrounding it.  The device appeared to be an elevator, and would be only a tad too small for her Elite Hunters if they were to join, but more than spacious enough to accommodate her escort if Violet was in her human form.

    Getting inside with her group, her Head Maid held her hand against a blue rock attached to the side, and upon sliding her fingers up, the lift rose; Emelina seemed forced to keep her finger on the object.  Elinor watched many floors pass as they rose ever higher; few showed signs of life.

    The ride was far more sporadic than Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s gravity elevator, vibrating a bit, slowing, and increasing its speed before relaxing in a repeating manner.

    Edmon established a connection to Emelina.  ¡°An elevator?  Interesting.  Do you know how it functions?¡±

    ¡°Tal¡¯tamine told me there is a reaction between the stone and water, but I did not inquire further.  It requires a creature to be warmblooded, seeing as it reacts by heat.¡±

    The news was a bit interesting; she hadn¡¯t considered it until now, but that meant her Undead did produce some form of heat.  Inquiring The System let her in on the detail that the creatures she returned would, for the most part, retain a portion of their bodily functions if they were Flesh types.  If one was coldblooded, they would remain so, but humans had body heat, which was emulated by the energy coursing through their inner frames.

    ¡°Huh ¡­ we¡¯ll have to acquire a few of these stones to test; Tiffany will wish to investigate further.¡±

    Elinor suppressed a smirk; she doubted the Witch was all that interested in it, but Edmon was, which would mean she¡¯d have something to hold over his head.  Their game of tug o¡¯ war continued.

    Reaching the top, Elinor was greeted by a balcony and Nalvean guards on either side of the device; they came to attention upon seeing them.  Both took a knee, stiff handed pressing against their chest and tails holding a left angle.

    ¡°Empress Elinor, we were informed of your arrival.  Shall we escort you to your quarters?¡±

    Emelina responded.  ¡°No need.  The Empress appreciates your offer.¡±

    ¡°Of course.  There will be patrols throughout the night to ensure your safety.¡±

    Elinor followed her Head Maid once the woman gave them a short curtsy.  ¡°We are in your care.¡±

    A polite refusal.

    Her emotionless gaze slid over the bowing figures that were still nearly as tall as her.

    How did the locals and palace staff view their presence?  Word must have spread of her display in the Throne Room; guards had been present.  Although much could be speculated if she was granted the highest respect shown to foreign nations; it should have indicated how their High Ruler was treating her visit which would prompt the actions she¡¯d just witnessed.

    Yet, the view of the rabble when compared to nobility or soldiers often differed.  It would be an exciting topic to explore.  Her own subjects each had their own opinion of her.

    Five groups of three-man Nalvean patrols passed them along their path to her resting quarters, and six were posted outside of her room, two by her door and four facing it.

    Hmm ¡­ Edmon, what do you make of this?

    Edmon had a casual swagger to his movements, but it had less to do with him trying to appear pompous and more to him matching her much shorter stride.  His voice was anything but sashay.  He held his hands behind his back; the man¡¯s tone was cold, calculating, smooth, and deep.

    ¡°Judging by the characters we have met ¡­ the Head Captain likely has this floor under strict isolation.  Every action we take will be watched and reported.¡±

    Lovely.  Do you think that information reaches Nukulara?

    ¡°Most, without a doubt.  However, if he is working with Yesenia or Demon, then some might slip through the cracks.¡±

    Further traveling down the long corridor while studying the guards outside her room, Elinor¡¯s internal focus turned to their royal guide.

    The Princess is marked; she¡¯s tied to us now whether she likes it or not.  Although she¡¯s been cute so far ¡­ I just need to see if that is her real personality or a clever veil for something hidden beneath.  What kind of monsters does she hide in the dark?

    Edmon hummed.  ¡°If Klaus is right, then there could be room to exploit the royal family.¡±

    Both Nalvean guards pushed the large bronze-colored doors open, and they walked through.  Aileen managed to keep her mouth shut, but her eyes widened in disbelief, and Elinor made note that if she had been born in this world, she¡¯d be a teenager, considering the longer days, which meant everyone that stated their age was actually much older in human years.

    A vast entry hall greeted them, showing pictures, burning facets of faint blue light, and various ornaments.  The room was at least nine meters high, six across, and fifteen in length, with a large door at the center of each wall.

    The guards pulled the metal doors closed; they were almost silent, and Emelina went to the left side to slide her finger across another stone, causing a soft rumble to hum from the barriers.

    ¡°There are no guards beyond this point, Empress,¡± the Head Maid explained.  ¡°Ten rods seal the entrance.  I was told it cannot be opened once sealed without using this control console.¡±

    Edmon''s tone made it clear he was unconvinced.  ¡°... If it operates by their red liquid, then I have no doubt a Seaweaver can force it open.¡±

    ¡°... It certainly does seem like a fatal weakness.¡±

    ¡°Or by design,¡± Edmon muttered.  ¡°It matters little in the end.  Violet.¡±

    The youngest Spider Sister created an invisible net within seconds to be confident there would be no intruders.

    The Doom Guard wasn¡¯t satisfied there.  ¡°Search for secret entrances, traps, ventilation ¡­ anything that could be used to launch an attack, and seal any open window.¡±

    Violet released a low hum while scanning the area with her glowing white halo irises.  ¡°... From what you have told me, Baxter will not be stopped by my thread if he can teleport, and he may be able to hover, negating any web I place on the ground.  I can place sensory silk to catch minor changes in the atmosphere, but it will not be without fault.¡±

    ¡°... We do what we can, and there are more creatures to be concerned about other than just Baxter; he has an entire group of allies.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I will get started right away.¡±

    He turned his attention to Emelina as Violet began looking for and sealing any security weaknesses within the hall.  ¡°I sense the princess in the left room.  What are the others for?¡±

    Emelina turned to gesture to each.  ¡°To the right is the Empress¡¯s bathing and preparation area.  Ahead is the bedding chamber, and to our left is the entertainment room with access to a terrace.¡±

    ¡°If we are going to be using this area as a central base of operations, then it must be secured.¡±

    Yes, yes, Elinor chuckled.  Violet will accomplish her task without fail; I have no concerns with her thorough investigation.  Now, let¡¯s meet with the princess.  She must be up far beyond her sleep schedule.

    Edmon wished to be more cautious since this was a location many knew would be their final destination; it was an excellent place for a trap, but Elinor couldn¡¯t operate by standing in one space for an hour while her guardians proofed the room.  There had to be a balance between safety, practicality, time management, and courtesy as a guest.

    She added a small smile as Emelina opened the door to the entertainment area, Edmon and Aileen beside her.  Castella was already on her feet, kneeling down to greet her in much the same manner as the Palace Guard she¡¯d passed, but this was much more reverent in appearance and feel.

    ¡°Empress, I hope you had a safe journey!¡±  She chimed.

    Tal¡¯tamine had lowered her head, hand placed in the proper position for her rank as a Princess of Nalvea.  ¡°Empress, I am eternally grateful for your invitation; I hope the meeting went as planned.¡±

    Elinor noticed the bed that had been placed in the far left corner of the entertainment space; of course, the princess wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable sleeping in the same room as a monarch.  ¡°More or less,¡± she chuckled, vision sweeping the room.

    Violet swiftly moved across the ceiling to secure the terrace and attack points.

    ¡°I look forward¡­¡±

    She trailed off as Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s eyes flashed with a red light, five crystal spikes on her back flaring with light.  Edmon¡¯s frosty shield was instantly in hand, darting in front of her, and Violet¡¯s threads circling her neck.  While Castella was not fond of the idea of killing her former princess, she had moved to execute her former lady.

    A sharpened piece of metal appeared in Emelina¡¯s hands, clearly laced with some kind of poison, dark brown irises moving from the princess to the wider room, and even little Aileen held up her hands with a cute determined look to confront an intruder; she was on the weaker side of a Rare-Grade Elite Warrior with the Subclass of Brawler, granting her increased physical aptitudes.

    Hold.  Elinor commanded.

    Although, she didn¡¯t need to issue the order as the princess turned her back to her, arms stretching out defensively.  ¡°Empress!  I sense ¡­ something is here with us ¡­ please, retreat to safety and¡­¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Elinor couldn¡¯t help a short chuckle quivering her stomach, causing the tense Nalvean to cut off.  ¡°How fascinating.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone held no humor.  ¡°Is there anything, Violet?¡±

    ¡°Nothing I can sense ¡­ she did discover me for a faint moment.  I cannot believe it, but there was a brief second where I felt her sweeping mind pass over me.¡±

    Oh?  Elinor asked.  An ability that finds brain waves, such as Baxter?

    ¡°Empress, please ¡­ I know I must sound crazy, or ¡­ I know there is something here ¡­ I just ¡­ I know,¡± Tal¡¯tamine pleaded.  ¡°There¡¯s not enough water in this room for me to¡­¡±

    Elinor casually walked around Edmon to stand beside a large chair, green gaze studying it with dissatisfaction.  ¡°Nalvean furniture does not work with my small frame.¡±  She turned to smile at the confused princess.  ¡°Take a seat, Tal¡¯tamine.  I intended to have you rest, given how late it is for you, but this has piqued my interest.¡±

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The princess¡¯s bright green eyes scanned for the danger with a low groan, her tail and claws ready to pounce on anything that jumped out at them, but all that greeted her was the still room, moderately lit by the yellow flames in brackets around the walls.

    ¡°Must I ask twice?¡±  Elinor sighed.

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s voice was strained.  ¡°You were ¡­ laughing?  I¡¯m ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Empress, but I ¡­ I feel as if you are in danger with an unknown figure nearby.  They must have followed you in¡­¡±

    Edmon puffed out a long trail of blue fog from his visor, shield turning to ice.  ¡°There is no need for concern, Princess.  Please, sit, as the Empress has directed.¡±

    Castella and the maids calmed at her direction, returning to their proper posture.

    Violet slowly shook her head, long, ornately decorated black hair and elegant Kimono outfit defying gravity; her garments looked perfectly natural since she used her thread manipulation to keep their proper form .  ¡°No.  I believe she can connect to the moisture in the air to identify her environment, a truly dangerous ability.  I have not consumed nor heard my mother speak of such a trait possessed by the Nalveans.¡±

    Oh?  Now, this is getting exciting.  Elinor¡¯s cat-like smile lifted a little.  A hidden gem among the nobility; is that what her father did earlier?

    ¡°It felt distinctly familiar; however, this girl was much faster.  Less refined, sporadic, and more concentrated, but greater than five times the speed than her father, catching me unaware for a split second.¡±

    Figuring it would do more harm than good to keep Violet hidden, Elinor looked up at her adorable assassin, standing upside down on the ceiling in human form.  ¡°Violet, if you could build me a suitable throne to sit ¡­ I have found myself missing the divine works of art you crafted back home.¡±

    Violet couldn¡¯t help the burst of pride that filled her chest at Elinor¡¯s remark, transferring to her through the Nexus.  ¡°Of course!¡±

    Edmon didn¡¯t seem happy about the reveal, but there was little he could do about the girl¡¯s hidden skill at using such an obscure Nalvean trait.  It was now in their best interest to bring the princess to their side, and this could actually work well to their benefit.

    Of course, killing and raising her would be the most effective method.  Although, murdering the Emperor¡¯s youngest daughter after their first night of negotiations would not be seen as the most diplomatic move in her playbook.

    The simple fact she was able to catch Violet off-guard out of all the sisters was a feat in itself that had to be commended.

    Tal¡¯tamine reacted shockingly fast as Violet dropped from the ceiling, leaping at her second strongest offensive unit.  ¡°I knew ¡­ eek!¡±

    The princess¡¯s frame instantly left the ground as webs pulled her to the ceiling, locking the girl in place; her mouth was forcefully snapped shut as silk sealed her jaws closed.

    Elinor gave the princess a sad smile, and Violet spoke upon Edmon¡¯s prompt, fingers working to craft a replica of her previous thrones.  ¡°My apologies, Princess Tal¡¯tamine,¡± she stated in a calm and mannered tone, ¡°but I mean my Empress no harm.¡±

    The girl couldn¡¯t even twitch her tail with the sticky thread pinning her to the green and brown themed wood above.  Elinor¡¯s new chair was finished within 40 seconds, giving the princess time to cool down.

    Taking a seat, she crossed her legs and folded her hands across her lap while Violet lowered the princess to the ground.  ¡°That will be all, Violet.  Continue with your prior task.¡±

    The spider vanished from Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s sight, leaving a shocked expression on her face.  ¡°E-Empress?¡±  She asked, spinning around in a circle while somehow missing every piece of furniture with her swinging thick tail.

    Emelina and Aileen were already working on sorting through a crate of food that still appeared to be warm by the steam rising out of the soup-like dish.  Aileen moved a table to Elinor before setting it up with what supplies they had.

    ¡°Have you calmed?¡±  Elinor asked with an amused tilt to her head.

    Tal¡¯tamine slowly took the chair that Aileen had cheerily set across from Elinor.  ¡°Empress ¡­ that creature is one of your guards?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s gaze followed the items her maids were setting in front of them.  ¡°Assassin, to be clear, but yes, she is currently acting as my bodyguard.¡±

    The princess¡¯s slim figure shifted with agitation, causing her well-polished green and blue gradient scales to glow in the yellow radiance of the room¡¯s fires.  She wasn¡¯t wearing her draping metallic headpiece with its flaming jewel but did have the leather strap around her left foot and shiny stone necklace.

    ¡°Assassin ¡­ I do not understand, Empress.  Why would you tell me that unless¡­¡±  Her shoulders slumped, sad gaze falling to the plates and bowls in front of her.  ¡°Is ¡­ is this to be my last meal?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  No, no, you misunderstand me, Tal¡¯tamine,¡± Elinor giggled, looking up at the larger woman across the table as her maids continued their work.  ¡°To be honest, I would love someone such as yourself within my Empire.  However, I will not force such a task upon you; what kind of a message would that send to your father?  No, what I want is to solidify our relationship.¡±

    The girl¡¯s forked, long tongue slid through her teeth for a moment while doing her best to compose herself.  ¡°I see ¡­ it was this assassin that killed Castella.¡±

    You may answer her questions.  Elinor prompted.

    ¡°It was, my Lady,¡± Castella responded with what appeared to be a forced smile.  ¡°I would not recommend attacking Lady Violet again.¡±  Her gaze swept the room, unable to sense her even through the Nexus given Violet¡¯s high rank and Class.  ¡°I believe she may be more deadly than the Head Captain; she is a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Princess.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s green scales appeared to lighten by a shade.  ¡°Princess ¡­ as in ¡­ do Th¨¦lm¨¦thra have an Emperor ¡­ have they returned?¡±

    ¡°Queen, and no,¡± Elinor corrected with a soft smile, allowing the little 12-year-old to lay a silken napkin across her lap.  ¡°Tal¡¯tamine, I will be as direct as our first discussion.  That trait you just performed was ¡­ astonishing.  What is it, and why have I only witnessed two Nalveans that possess it?¡±

    The princess was silent for a moment, likely wondering how much she knew if Elinor stated she was quite rare.  ¡°... It¡¯s complicated,¡± she mumbled, her fingers tightening around the silk bunched in her lap.  ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain it.  My father told me to hide it when I was young ¡­ within our history, it seems those that are born with this trait meet ¡­ unfortunate ends.¡±

    Elinor took the glass that Emelina just filled, sipping at its contents; it was rich, like a very strong root beer with half the carbonation.  ¡°I can imagine.  So ¡­ it¡¯s an Emperor¡¯s trait?¡±  She asked with a small smile, setting the cup back on the table.  ¡°In that case ¡­ you have a solid claim to become the next Empress of the Nalvean Empire?¡±

    She slowly nodded her head.  ¡°... My father told me to only reveal it to the Statesmen should he die ¡­ I did not expect you to instantly identify it,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Elinor sat back, casually eyeing the girl¡¯s apprehensive posture.  ¡°That you told me this gives me a great deal of confidence in the bond we¡¯re building, Princess.  I keep my promises, and should you prove to be loyal to me, I will be loyal to you.¡±

    Castella had never heard of this rare trait, but Elinor had no doubt the girl had only scratched the surface of her abilities.  The current Emperor appeared to have a weaker version of it, and Iris¡¯s time of day or month theory, in which they grew stronger depending on some lunar cycle, might be off since it only manifested in the noble line.  She¡¯d likely not analyzed a royal¡¯s bloodline before.

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s muscles drooped with her gaze.  ¡°Empress ¡­ I understand that you wish to establish relations with my kingdom, but ¡­ I hold very little power by myself.  I am not a good bet to place your hopes on; perhaps ¡­ one of my other siblings would be a better fit.¡±

    Elinor only partially listened to the girl¡¯s words, but the last bit caused her glowing eyes to lock on the fidgeting girl.  Klaus, how soon can you make it here?

    ¡°If I run and take shortcuts, fifteen minutes, but it will look suspicious if I am racing through the Palace halls.¡±

    That works; we can eat.  Come as soon as you can.  Your suspicions might be more on point than we first thought.  You are my only Inquisitor with the Truthseeker Sub-Class; do you believe this falls within your abilities?

    ¡°I cannot say until I am there.¡±

    Then we will see.

    ¡°I am on my way.¡±

    Edmon was staring at the princess from behind his armored helmet, knowing which direction his Empress was taking this.

    Elinor¡¯s serious gaze hounded the girl in front of her.  ¡°Tal¡¯tamine.¡±

    She lifted her light green eyes, jaw tightening, and a lump dropped down her throat.  ¡°Yes?  No, I¡¯m just saying that ¡­ I¡¯m just not the best fit.¡±

    She ignored her plea, moving the conversation in another direction.  ¡°I am going to ask you a few questions after our meal, and if you answer correctly, and honestly ¡­ I will be your ally.  Think about what that means.¡±

    The princess¡¯s voice was hoarse.  ¡°Correctly ¡­ umm ¡­ Empress, I don¡¯t know what you expect from me, but ¡­ but what if I am honest, but not correct?¡±

    A cold smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips.  ¡°That depends on the question.  I did not plan on having this chat with you ¡­ not once, but I get the feeling things are about to escalate with that confession.  I could be your road to ruin or the hand that makes you a bolt of lightning in the sky.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine took a reassuring breath, and a quiver ran down her spine.  ¡°... Empress ¡­ can I ask why you chose me ¡­ out of all my siblings?  Was it because I was the youngest ¡­ easiest to manipulate?¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Elinor picked up the Nalvean version of a fork, which was an oversized carving fork, and their spoon was a much longer oval-shape with a deeper base, fit for their enormous mouths.  ¡°I will answer that once I confirm my suspicions.¡±

    Klaus previously had no evidence to put forward his misgivings of the royal family since much of his information on the topic came from rumors and borderline conspiracy theories among the Shadow Hand members.  Still, there was one way to discover the truth ¡­ go to the source, and she¡¯d maneuvered them into a position to learn just how deep Demon¡¯s claws had sunk into the Nalvean Empire.  How black was this game she¡¯d stepped into?

    Tal¡¯tamine gave Elinor a forced grin, laughing nervously, before taking her own utensils.  ¡°Hehe.  I, uh ¡­ suppose I don¡¯t have much of a choice.¡±

    Klaus was racing through the Capital streets; he¡¯d only just returned from the nearby town to the west.  He would likely arrive within 25-minutes.  Much of that time would be spent power-walking to her room.

    Aileen proceeded to the front, preparing to open the door for him, and Violet loosened her silk.

    Edmon¡¯s stern gaze was on the awkward princess.  Things had escalated far ahead of schedule, but if they wanted a real look into the current affairs, then this was it.  Another one of Edmon¡¯s concerns would soon be discovered, but they didn¡¯t have Tiffany here to confirm it, and it wouldn¡¯t cause her any harm, so Elinor decided to trip the trap herself for fun.

    ¡°Oh, there will be a choice ¡­ of course, I wonder how much has been a choice so far,¡± Elinor mused, taking her first bite to start the meal.

    The princess gave her a weak chuckle, starting to eat out of proper etiquette.

    The flavors touching Elinor¡¯s tongue were strange to her.  One was like straight soy sauce, a meaty dish that had the taste of kelp and sausage, and the soup carried an intense heat to it that she rather enjoyed since her body no longer reacted to pain.  In the end, the palate turned out nearly exactly how they¡¯d predicted.

    A short cough shook Elinor¡¯s smiling face as she set the bowl down.  Her gaze studied the orange liquid in the bowl before shifting to her arm; it had just fallen limply off the armrest.

    ¡°Poison ¡­ of some kind?  Interesting,¡± she coughed again, ¡°that it would affect ¡­ me.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s lips dropped open, focus shifting between Edmon, Castella, and Emelina.  The Nalvean was probably wearing a furious expression, but her maid held no emotion, and none of them moved.

    The princess swiftly rose to her feet, started to panic.  ¡°No ¡­ no, that can¡¯t be ¡­ you can¡¯t believe ¡­ no, we must call a healer!¡±

    Elinor chuckled, it was becoming difficult to breathe, but it wasn¡¯t as if she required air in the first place.  ¡°No ¡­ need.  Sit down.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s arms were tightly pressed against her chest, likely wondering if she should run or not, but with Violet appearing by the door, she had no other option but to obey.

    Unfortunately, Elinor couldn¡¯t see the girl¡¯s reaction as her artificial body flared with green flames, reaching its damage tolerance level.  Her world went black as sensation left her.

    She¡¯d forgotten how warm and comforting her two black diamonds were, corrupted spirit retreated to her phylactery.  Her Death Energy reserves had been nearly depleted a little more than an hour ago, but she had more than enough to recreate Artificial Body.  The real regeneration to her Death Pool would come when her followers awoke and went about their daily lives.

    Sensation flared back to Elinor as she restored her body, flames generating her skeleton first, then nerve system, organs, muscle, skin, and keratin; finally, her crown flared to life across her temples, in its original form.

    Her focus lifted to Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s chair, knocked over, and dragged with her tail three meters back.  The girl had a horrified expression while watching Elinor restore herself.

    Elinor lifted her hand with a small smirk, fingers flexing, and Emelina moved to help dress her again.  ¡°It seems you were right, Edmon,¡± Elinor commented, stepping off to the side to allow her maid to fuss over her.

    ¡°A welcoming gift from Statesman Baltoma, most likely.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ we¡¯ll see, in time,¡± Elinor mused.  ¡°Quite the warm reception I¡¯ve had.¡±

    ¡°... Empress ¡­ how ¡­ what are you?¡±  Tal¡¯tamine gasped.

    A dark, mysterious grin crossed Elinor¡¯s lips, ghostly green gaze lifting to stare at the terrified Nalvean.  ¡°I am the Keeper of the Dead, Tal¡¯tamine.  Do you honestly believe something so trivial as destroying my body would cause me any real harm?  No.  It is but a minor inconvenience.  Now, examples must be made.¡±

    The girl¡¯s tongue flicked through her teeth again, nervously gripping her left arm.  ¡°S-Statesman Baltoma?  N-Not me ¡­ no, I didn¡¯t do it!  My siblings ¡­ no, none of them!¡±

    ¡°Baltoma is a suspect,¡± Elinor mused.  Emelina was swift with dressing her, and Edmon hadn¡¯t once looked at her naked form.  ¡°A few of those items were delicious ¡­ some horrible.  Hmm, perhaps the heat was there to mask the poison?¡±

    Her focus went to the door.  ¡°Klaus¡­¡±

    Emelina¡¯s heart didn¡¯t even flutter upon seeing his dashing blonde hair and charming, well-defined face; the atmosphere of the room had severely fallen, but Elinor continued to wear a smile.

    ¡°Sit, Tal¡¯tamine,¡± Elinor offered, returning to her own chair.  Aileen lifted the table up with surprising ease for her small frame and cleared the way for them to face each other.  ¡°I have a few questions to ask.  By the way, Klaus is an Inquisitor within my army, a Truth Seeker ¡­ I hope I don¡¯t need to explain to you what that means.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s head shifted to the left, resting it against the back of her knuckles while waiting for her to comply.  This was the moment to discover who Tal¡¯tamine really was and the possible threats within the palace.

    The girl was trembling but managed to return to her seat, and the awkward charm had vanished; the princess¡¯s gaze had hardened, her mask fractured.  Was this the ambitious princess underneath the inexperienced and cute facade?

    ¡°I cannot lie?¡±

    The Empress just returned a chilling smile.

    Klaus¡¯s deep voice broke the ensuing silence; Elinor¡¯s escort surrounded the pair.  ¡°The doors locked are revealed ¡­ to lie is a sin that brings pain.  Falsehood will be punished.  Now, speak your truth.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine stiffened as the symbol of a single eye with a long tear and three triangle eyelashes appeared as a brilliant white tattoo on her forehead.

    The girl¡¯s lips tightened for a moment, but her eyes never left Elinor.  ¡°I ¡­ suppose I didn¡¯t think this all the way through ¡­ you¡¯re far more horrifying than I was led to believe.¡±

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Elinor¡¯s legs crossed the opposite way, dress fluttering slightly.  ¡°Tell me ¡­ what is your relationship with your siblings?¡±

    The princess¡¯s face tightened.  ¡°Why ¡­ is that you¡¯re ¡­ garrhh¡­¡±  She winced, body curling in as the symbol on her forehead flashed red, and her fingers gripped the silk on her lap.

    Klaus clasped the back of his hand in front of him.  ¡°The only words from your lips should be the answer to the Empress¡¯s question.  Stalling is not tolerated.¡±

    ¡°... Mmh,¡± her tail cracked against the chair, causing the back to snap, and Elinor was impressed she didn¡¯t try to run, scream, or attack to stop the pain; she was shockingly resistant to the degree of torment that must be coursing through her body.

    ¡°... They all plot to overthrow Father.  My father believes competition between us will ¡­ will make us stronger.¡±

    ¡°I figured,¡± Elinor replied with a bored tone.  ¡°Not exactly what I wish to know ¡­ I will be more specific.  How do they treat each other behind closed doors ¡­ when no one is looking?¡±

    This time, a tear fell from Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s eye as it twitched, closed fists pressing against her tense thighs, causing the silk to rip, and blue blood dripping down her jaw to stain the silk around her chest.  ¡°I ¡­ they ¡­ my older siblings ¡­ hurt the younger ones with ¡­ with Minroka Stones.¡±

    Castella gasped.  ¡°No, but ¡­ Minroka Stones are deadly to Seaweavers after long exposure ¡­ how did the Palace Guard not notice?¡±

    The crystal spikes along her spine flared to life, causing what liquid that remained in the dishes to fly at Elinor like hundreds of tiny, sharp bullets, yet they instantly froze, blocked by Edmon¡¯s powers.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°Pull out that emotion ¡­ let it burn ¡­ don¡¯t suppress it.¡±

    ¡°... There¡¯s no signs of the pain,¡± she mumbled, ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±  Her muscles twitched with the stress she was under, ripping more of her coverings; yet, still, she tried to resist.  ¡°I was  ¡­ mmmghhr¡­¡±

    Klaus hummed.  ¡°Her resistance to pain is phenomenal, compared to the others I¡¯ve interrogated.  However, my abilities keep her from passing out ¡­ this is something she wishes to keep hidden with all her being ¡­ as if compelled,¡± he whispered, seeming to discover something.

    ¡°Gmmamg ¡­ I ¡­ I can¡¯t¡­¡±  She cried, trying to flee, but Violet¡¯s threat wrapped around her limbs, forcing her into a taut position.

    Elinor¡¯s lips fell a bit at the girl¡¯s desperate pleas.

    A sacrificial pawn to her elder siblings to better understand the new threat ¡­ forcing her to court me?  She¡¯s their puppet ¡­ but how do they enforce it to this extent?  It¡¯s not natural.

    ¡°What did they do to make you their slave?¡±  She asked, causing a whimper to escape the poor Nalvean¡¯s throat.  ¡°Don¡¯t stop, don¡¯t think, don¡¯t look back ¡­ I¡¯ve pulled you into my web ¡­ but I will free you if you give me something to work with.¡±

    Castella abhorred what was happening to her former princess, but kept her mouth shut, quaking arms folded across her chest while praying to Elinor to be gentle with the girl she¡¯d seen grow up.

    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Klaus whispered, right hand glowing with white flames, and his fingers slowly closed into a fist.  ¡°There is something forcing her obedience ¡­ unusual ¡­ it¡¯s on her body.¡±  He walked around the suffering Nalvean princess.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Castella, if you could look at this¡­¡±

    The former Nalvean lieutenant frowned upon studying the flashing red crystals dancing across the girl¡¯s spine.  ¡°I ¡­ have never seen a Seawever with so many active clusters.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ this, right here,¡± Klaus stated.

    ¡°Purple ¡­ I am sorry, Empress, but I am not a Seaweaver,¡± she groaned with pitying eyes on the whimpering girl that refused to scream or reveal her master.

    Klaus nodded.  ¡°Empress ¡­ I think I know someone that can offer a solution; we no longer need to discover the cause, nor do I believe we can force it out of her without severely harming the princess.  I have isolated the problem, though.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Elinor got to her feet as Klaus released his complement spell, and Violet loosened her bonds, allowing the girl to fall to the ground in a sweat-slicked heap, tears streaming down her cheeks.

    The Empress knelt down beside the quivering princess; the girl¡¯s pain-stricken green eyes were shaking.  ¡°How cruel ¡­ for family to do such a thing.¡±  Elinor comforted the girl by stroking her wet cheek.  ¡°... Broken as a little girl, forced into a life of servitude as an innocent ¡­ dragged through madness and scars ¡­ and forced to wear a mask.¡±

    ¡°W-Who¡­¡±  Tal¡¯tamine cried, vision clouded in darkness.

    Elinor replied with a soft voice that slowly built.  ¡°I am the keeper.  I am the secret.  I am the answer.  I am the end of your suffering.  The puppet will learn to pull her strings and cut down the user¡¯s lead.  So, climb up, Tal¡¯tamine, and move back the haze around you.  I¡¯ve pulled you into my embrace; there¡¯s nowhere to hide, now.¡±

    Her tone iced over.  ¡°Bring me your spirit, your hate ¡­ your fear and pain.  You will overcome this madness that afflicts you, and when you wake ¡­ we will meet for the first time.¡±

    Emelina knelt down beside her, knife sliding between the ridge of Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s neck plates, finding an area to deliver the sleeping toxin; the girl would rest until the morning.

    ¡°W-Was the Emperor aware of this?¡±  Castella asked, rage burning in her chest from what she¡¯d just witnessed.

    ¡°Doubtful,¡± Edmon stated.  ¡°This was probably Demon¡¯s influence to build her into a puppet, using a brother or sister to accomplish his goals in the future.  No other person should have known about her latent trait ¡­ unless she foolishly told one.¡±

    It doesn¡¯t matter in the end.  Elinor stated.  A wicked grin split her lips while returning to her temporary throne.  We¡¯ve discovered the perfect candidate to support.  She will make a wonderful ruler with the proper guide ¡­ and she¡¯ll be able to take her revenge.  I cannot wait to see the look on her face when she kills the siblings that did this to her.

    Still, Elinor wondered how long it took for her to be placed under this magical mental lock; how much of Tal¡¯tamine was real or fake, and would she even remember what happened to her?

    ¡­ I think you¡¯re right, Edmon.  This seems too complicated for just any normal Nalvean, even royalty.  Demon has his claws everywhere.

 B2 â€” 24. Deadly Plots and Succulent Secrets

    Elinor¡¯s gaze wandered as Klaus left to retrieve the two figures he believed could help free the shackled princess.  She had an idea of who they were by his previous report but wondered how effective the pair would be given the possible level of the powers at play.  It was worth a try, and in the worst case, there was always the option to call for Tiffany.  Although, that was the last resort.

    Klaus had left some time ago, now hastily making his way through the Nalvean streets to the Ri¡¯bot district across the river exit that emptied into the Great Ruby Lakes.  He would probably be out for another hour or so to prepare his targets.

    In the meantime, Elinor¡¯s mind roamed with her eyes.

    Tal¡¯tamine was now laid upon her bed, moved there by the small 12-year-old maid; Elinor was more than a little impressed by the pre-teen¡¯s physical strength.  Aileen was currently fussing over the princess¡¯s silk clothes and extravagant mattress with Castella¡¯s instruction.  There were specific traditional folds and types of silk that were supposed to be placed on particular areas on the girl¡¯s body to signify status, gender, and even a daily mood, regularly swapped out during the day, which seemed to be a female-only fashion choice.

    Emelina waited on Elinor, standing by her left side with Edmon on her right.  Violet had continued her scan of the area, finding two hidden rooms.  The discovery was a little exciting to Elinor; she had her own private exits and entrances, and with a palace this old, it begged the question, who knew all of its secrets?

    One hidden door was in the bedroom, which could have provided an easy escape for the important figures that would occupy this exclusive space ¡­ or a convenient path for assassination or kidnapping.

    The second happened to be in the bathing area, which was a little suspect, yet she had to wonder if the Nalveans had such licentious fetishes as humans.  Of course, assassination or kidnapping when a figure felt safest and was at their most vulnerable was also an option.

    However, the fact royalty all had the Seaweaver talent didn¡¯t make that the most likely of scenarios ¡­ unless it was on purpose for Seaweavers to have an advantage over their guests without access to such water control.

    It would provide a fun detour for her to explore; although, enjoying herself came after this business with Tal¡¯tamine.

    Elinor examined the poisoned food still on the table Aileen had moved.  Edmon¡­

    The Doom Guard pulled his gaze from the window; countless constellations and solar events blazed their glory.  ¡°Yes?¡±

    What do you make of the attempt on my life?  The princess was not a target, or was she?  How would the killer know which of us would consume the dish, or if I would eat it at all?  We have a suspect, but it has me questioning the motive.  Wouldn¡¯t it have been more prudent to first test the waters ¡­ prove my eating habits before pulling the trigger?  Meanwhile, it would go without saying Tal¡¯tamine would take the meal.

    Edmon¡¯s black helmet shifted to observe the lightly touched dishes.  The serving sizes were enormous compared to what she usually ate; she was watching her figure when alive, after all.

    ¡°I have been pondering on the possibilities myself.  The Statesman, Baltoma, is still the most likely suspect.  Yet, there are a few oddities.  Castella confirmed that all food is tested before being sent to people of import, which means we could investigate the matter if we so choose.  Your dish is of a green hue, which symbolizes a higher rank; Tal¡¯tamine would not have taken the dishes meant for you.¡±

    Delightful ¡­ so, it was a methodical attack on my life.  For what purpose, though?

    The glowing blue fog releasing from Edmon¡¯s helmet left a soft trail as he turned to appraise Violet in her spider form; she¡¯d just finished her scouting and security measures.  ¡°It was no doubt aimed at you.  The purpose could vary.  If they failed to kill you, the attempt could be targeting the political stability of the negotiations.  It was lethal enough to destroy your body¡­¡±

    Elinor released a short chime of mirth.  That¡¯s not difficult, Edmon.

    ¡°No ¡­ your Artificial Body is quite vulnerable.  It could have been a botched attempt to simply make you ill and forcing tomorrow¡¯s meeting to be postponed, or even a Nalvean serving staff that saw you being held by Quen¡¯Talrat and decided to take matters into their own hands to rid the nation of a possible new threat.  The possibilities really are endless.¡±

    Okay ¡­ so, what is the appropriate response?  Mentioning it to the Emperor could provide me with some useful data on how he would respond.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ it could.  Keeping the item for testing purposes would be useful, but I¡¯d advise asking the Emperor to forego an investigation.  Allowing the perpetrator to further extend their neck would be preferred.¡±

    Hmm¡­  Elinor smirked, resting her cheek on the back of her hand again.  To cut it off when fully exposed?

    ¡°Precisely, and if the High Ruler is involved, it is likely the culprit will be flushed out and executed swiftly, without the ability to discover accomplices.  We can then use the Shadow Hand to probe further.¡±

    It¡¯s an acceptable path forward.  Elinor commented, gaze lifting to Violet as she situated herself on the ceiling again.  I suppose the two of you would rather stay close by than explore the secret passage for me?

    ¡°That would seem the most secure option, Empress,¡± Violet responded.

    Edmon predictably followed.  ¡°Agreed.¡±

    A short sigh escaped Elinor¡¯s lips.  Fine ¡­ when we do probe these two holes in the wall, secure the area, but don¡¯t spoil the surprises for me.  I want to have a little fun.

    ¡°¡°As you wish.¡±¡±

    The rest of the hour was spent exploring the large private conversing room the Emperor had assigned to her as her temporary respite area.  Nalvean architecture was slightly different in this room compared to the other parts of the Empire, hosting more Egyptian influence than the mixed Chinese she¡¯d seen throughout the rest.  It made her think that this might have been an early main chamber for the High Ruler himself before additions were made.

    Bronze tablets were lined across the thick shelves, designed to hold the heavy metal sheets with writing on them.  Edmon found a bit of interest in the items, which resembled the Hopewell culture¡¯s ancient craftsmanship; early B.C. settlers of the Eastern United States.  He talked a little bit about the similarities but relented that it was more Tiffany¡¯s area of expertise.

    Elinor examined a few of the scripts, which cataloged environmental changes, creature migrations, and battle history going back three hundred years.  It was a bit odd to her; why would they put such records in a place designed to host their guests?

    There were artistic works detailing romances and even an adventure saga that took up an entire shelf; many sheets were held together by three thick bronze rings to create volumes.  They folded to the back, which she supposed would save your place, but if anyone new wished to read the plate, they would need to search for the beginning, or so she¡¯d thought.  Castella showed her the small ridges cut into the bottom, barely noticeable to her, but was quite apparent to the Nalveans, it seemed, that showed chapters and progress through the volume.

    She had her chair moved to the area out of sheer boredom and used a table to hold the heavy metal records, scanning a romance.  It was more than a little dry for her tastes, with several chapters devoted to hunting through the jungle together, finding the best fishing spot.  The fact they¡¯d just escaped a war raid that was never mentioned before by creatures she was apparently supposed to know was a little jarring.

    It would be like she gave the Nalveans a book with heavy importance on tigers, yet never explained what the creatures were.  The sexual thigh bumping while walking and the importance of specific gestures that would have probably made most Nalveans blush flew right over her head.

    Elinor closed the book after the seventh chapter; she just didn¡¯t understand much of the culture but had learned a few important things to note about the Nalvean body language.  She had to keep a closer look at where they rubbed their bodies or how their tails flicked.

    Edmon poured over the boring stuff, but only with half-focus, ready to react in a moment¡¯s notice to danger.

    Her green eyes darted to Aileen; she¡¯d given the girl permission to go over the adventure story, and it was fun to see her learning how to read and understand the phrases.  Emelina was acting like her mother, tutor, and maid trainer.  It seemed to be somewhat therapeutic for the Head Maid, which made Elinor happy.

    There was so much to learn about this world.

    As was expected, Klaus returned with Kolira, the Mother Superior of the Clavex Clan, and her adopted daughter, Elluinara, which was actually considered young at 78.  Of course, Kolira was in her late 80s.  In comparison, Castella, her low Heroic-Grade Elite Warrior, had been 145, translating to 48 in human years before being killed and resurrected to her lovely prime.

    The Mother Superior hesitated to enter the room upon seeing Edmon¡¯s intimidating, armor-clad figure and her sitting on the throne.  Elluinara swiftly bent down to scoop up her hand and lead her in, following Aileen¡¯s bouncing step.

    Aileen cheerily introduced the two as they stiffly knelt in front of her.  ¡°The Mother Superior of the Ri¡¯bot ¡­ Clavex,¡± she corrected on Emelina¡¯s prompt, adopting a smiling blush, ¡°and ¡­ umm, Elluinara,¡± she stumbled with the phrasing a little, which was surprising given she had the same vocal prowess granted to her by Imiunarus¡¯s addition to her Nexus.  ¡°... The Nalvean Seaweaver councilwoman.¡±

    She did a short curtsy as Elinor silently praised and dismissed her to explore the exciting adventure she was in the middle of.  Apparently, it involved a battle with boat-sized underwater lightning flamingos ¡­ or that¡¯s how she enthusiastically described it through the Nexus.

    Elinor let the strange tale slip to the back of her mind but reasoned it might be worth a read if she grew bored again.  The girl was almost finished with the first, concise volume.

    Klaus bowed before speaking.  ¡°I have already informed them of the issue, Empress.  Also, there was a level of hesitation and notice given when I returned.  I expect their entrance into your private chambers will be reported rather swiftly.¡±

    Noted.

    Elinor straightened on her throne; the two women were still waiting for her to respond to them.  ¡°You¡¯ve been given the appropriate explanation upon what I require.  Do you have anything to add?¡±

    Kolira had a worried expression, twisting to stare at the resting princess on the bed before returning her gaze to Elinor.  ¡°Empress ¡­ I have healed a great many Nalveans within my lifetime, but I am not clear what the Ambassador is speaking about.  He says that Princess Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s mind has been taken over?¡±

    Elluinara¡¯s tongue slid through her lips before making a few gestures while joining the conversation.  ¡°We may be unable to provide the support the Empress desires.¡±

    The nervous twitch of her tail Elinor caught from the romance she¡¯d recently read.  ¡°... Do what you can for the princess.  However, know that I had a sleeping agent administered to her to ease the princess¡¯s suffering ¡­ I hope you can end her torment.¡±

    Kolira and Elluinara glanced at each other before the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s head lowered again.  ¡°We will do what we can.  Can I speak with you, Empress, when this is concluded?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Elinor responded with a sad smile.  ¡°This is the first time we have officially met one another, and there is much to plan, yet ¡­ what we might discover could take all of my time.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ understand,¡± she whispered, large eyes falling to the floor with concern.

    The Ri¡¯bot adjusted her necklace while rising and went with the Seaweaver to examine Tal¡¯tamine.  Klaus joined them.

    Tal¡¯tamine was lying on her side, uncovered sharp back spikes and limp tail facing them.

    Klaus pointed at one particular crystal point around her shoulder blade area.  ¡°This was dark purple, unlike the red that shone from the others, and I sensed a compelling force within injecting pulses of energy into her spinal cord, reaching into her brain.  What do you see?¡±

    Elluinara forced a giggle.  ¡°Right now ¡­ a gorgeous back and the most phenomenal arrangement of Seaweaver Pins I¡¯ve ever seen.  I never had a chance to really examine Princess Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s pins this closely before and uncovered ¡­ and how many could she activate?¡±

    ¡°Nearly all of them, from what I observed,¡± Castella replied, standing by the princess¡¯s bedside.  ¡°It was quite extraordinary.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    Kolira¡¯s stone began to shimmer with golden-white light, slowly enveloping her entire body while slowly moving her hand down the drugged Nalvean¡¯s back and pins.  ¡°... The toxin in her system is ¡­ quite powerful, dampening many other things I could ¡­ wait, there is something strange ¡­ here.¡±

    Elluinara leaned in closer to check the spike Klaus had pointed out.  ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Unhooking a small jug strapped across her shoulders and resting at her side, ten of her double-layered pins began to glow.

    The red water within extended out; it only required minor gestures, dashing Elinor and Aileen¡¯s Avatar dreams with Katara</a> in the shape of the frightening giant salamander woman.  She rested the pool of liquid against the place, and it rippled slightly, swirling back and forth.

    ¡°How ¡­ what are these ¡­ hmm?¡±  She pulled the water away to lean in for a closer look.  ¡°Mother Superior ¡­ I sense objects here within the water, yet ¡­ I cannot see them?¡±

    ¡°Invisible?¡±  Elinor whispered, vision narrowing.  I don¡¯t didn¡¯t see anything there when examining it, but my True Sight Passive is only level Two ¡­ it has Max Proficiencies now.  So, there has been something invisible I was missing.  Why didn¡¯t I have Violet examine her sooner?

    Sending Violet, the Spider Sister approached unseen beside the two conversing women.

    What do you see?

    ¡°... I see nothing, yet I sense its weak waves.¡±

    Do you have True Sight?

    ¡°Yes, Empress.  Stage 1, Level 5, Rookie Grade, Rank Seven.  There are places within your fortress where I can functionally improve the Proficiency.¡±

    So, Edmon ¡­ this invisible item is quite powerful if it can avoid Violet¡¯s sight.

    Edmon¡¯s lips pulled in by his tone.  ¡°Not exactly.  Level Five and Rookie Grade on the first stage is not exactly potent.  Iris and I have Abilities in their Second Evolution, at their third stage, tenth level, and Versed Grade.  Violet has some in her Second Evolution, at their first or second stage.¡±

    ¡­ I suppose that is true, Elinor relented, feeling somewhat annoyed how much further ahead they were when the highest degree she¡¯d been able to achieve so far was Death Pool at the third stage and without a second evolution, which was a new concept for her.  Is it an item, Klaus?

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°That is what I have come to believe, Empress.  However, I was unsure of how to extract it; I had no idea it was made invisible to the naked eye.  I apologize for not taking that into consideration.¡±

    It¡¯s not a big deal ¡­ although, Tiffany would probably jump at examining a mind-controlling device such as this.

    Elluinara and Kolira jumped as Elinor spoke; sometimes, she forgot how unnoticed and unnerving their silent discussions must make others feel.  ¡°So, there is an invisible item attached to her pin?  Can it be removed?¡±

    Kolira cleared her throat.  ¡°... I sense a negative force ¡­ it¡¯s digging into her skin and pin ¡­ it¡¯s not simply attached.¡±

    ¡°The pain must be so intense,¡± Elluinara whispered with concern.  ¡°How long has this ¡­ no, how did someone do this to a Princess of Nalvea?  This pin is ¡­ it¡¯s the Major Control Pin ¡­ a major point of stabilization for weaving the seawater.  Damage to this area could ruin her ¡­ well, her mind and cripple her status as a Seaweaver.¡±

    Edmon released a low growl while following Elinor to the bedside to gain a closer look.  ¡°So ¡­ you¡¯re saying this was a meticulous operation that required surgical skills and a practiced knowledge to perform it?  There were likely several dozen trial attempts used on high-level Seaweavers before attempting it on Princess Tal¡¯tamine.¡±

    Elluinara opened her mouth to respond but swiftly shut it, seemingly just realizing what the Doom Guard had said.  ¡°N-No ¡­ no, how could ¡­ if that many high-profile Seaweavers were to go missing, or sustain grievous damage to their pins, then I would know!  I can¡¯t think of anything like that happening.¡±

    All eyes turned to Castella as she released a low hiss.  ¡°Not exactly, Councilwoman ¡­ there were heavy casualties of that kind ¡­ during the Fire Wars.  It drew a great upset within the ranks of the Seaweaver forces; rumors cycled through the ranks, and it was concluded that the Quen¡¯Talrat were to blame.¡±

    Elinor clasped her hands behind her back, glaring at the place Elluinara¡¯s water circled.  ¡°Perhaps not, after all ¡­ crimes are easy to hide during a war, allowing a scapegoat.  The Nalveans grow more interesting by the hour ¡­ so, we have a mad doctor on our hands.¡±

    ¡°It would be the best time to test unconventional methods,¡± Edmon added.  ¡°When the heat of battle is raging, war medics would have little oversight; their only expectation would be to bring a soldier back to fight, which could open the gate to more taboo practices from ages past.¡±

    The possibilities were branching out in Elinor¡¯s mind, making her reconsider the likelihood her siblings were involved in this plot to control their youngest sister.  She did resist naming the siblings that tortured her, nor how long ago that actually took place, yet could the perpetrator behind her enslavement be utterly uninvolved with the behind-door cruelty of the royals?

    Mmh ¡­ could Tal¡¯tamine have confided to a doctor about her condition?  Perhaps it was difficult to control when she was a child?

    ¡°Hard to say,¡± Edmon responded, folding his arms across his broad chest.  ¡°We need more information.¡±

    Klaus had his own hands held behind his back while coldly observing the scene unfold; Elluinara and Kolira discussed possible methods to remove the control item, but their first priority was actually seeing the object.

    The Ambassador joined Edmon and Elinor¡¯s discussion; he appeared a bit annoyed by the reveal.  ¡°Not once have I heard of a shady doctor taking clients from within the shadows from the Shadow Hand resources I¡¯ve discovered so far.  I suspect they must have a concise and financially stable patron list.

    ¡°Funds are categorized and listed by a branch within the Emperor¡¯s Court for taxes, but I don¡¯t have a current contact within that area to gain access to possible leads.  It¡¯s actually surprisingly air-tight and close-knit, rarely leaving the side of their personal Royal Guard detail.

    ¡°The Nalveans have a different approach to financial security than our online records, and their vault utilizes a key combination that requires Seaweavers to open.  It is actually a very secure method.  I will need to turn one to our side to gain access.¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t imagine the High Ruler ever giving her access to their nation¡¯s financial records, but a sudden sly smirk lifting Klaus¡¯s lips drew her attention back to him.

    ¡°Although ¡­ the individual tax records of the Statesmen, Trade Tycoons, and other wealthy Nalveans would be much easier to intercept and access inside their manors than the Royal Financial Vault.  It will be more tedious, but well within reason.¡±

    It¡¯s a start.  Elinor replied, staring down at the sleeping Princess with dissatisfaction; it wasn¡¯t looking like they would release her from her mental prison anytime soon.

    Elluinara and Kolira were both concluding it was far beyond their skills and expertise, but their addition had helped to further narrow down a possible lead; the hidden strings dancing inside the Nalvean underground were slowly taking form as her Empire immersed themselves in its underbelly.

    The young Nalvean councilwoman offered one last piece to the puzzle surrounding Tal¡¯tamine, using her water to outline the thing afflicting the girl.

    What Nalveans called ¡®Pins¡¯ were actually uniform crystal thorn-like studs; the stronger Seaweavers had two arcing rows running along their spine.  The two spikes of Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s sixth row appeared to have four ribbon-like screws with runic etchings carved into their design drilled into the base of each crystal.  They were no thicker than a 1/8ths inch screw on Earth.

    Violet could sense waves transmitting to the rods, pulsing into her spine to travel up the princess¡¯s brainstem; she was receiving remote orders.  Although the level of control they had over her was so far unknown, it was doubtful that they could see through Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s eyes by her responses.

    Elinor dismissed Elluinara and Kolira upon discovering the final bit of insight they could provide; they¡¯d learned quite a bit.  Sadly, the waves being gathered by the device were too weak to pin-point for Violet; she could only identify it when gathered.  However, if she crossed a similar phenomenon, the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra would now notice it.

    Her grip tightened against her right wrist as the two women left, Klaus escorting them back to their locations.  Edmon, this has turned into an unfortunate event ¡­ we cannot allow Tal¡¯tamine to wake up until we remove this control device.  Is the only option to tell her father and bring him into the investigation?

    Edmon sighed through their private conversation in her Nexus.  ¡°I¡¯ve been pondering that question myself.  It¡¯s not that far-fetched of an idea that we ¡­ these new threats from another world just came to their city and brainwashed their beloved Princess.  We are actually being set up.¡±

    ¡­ Wonderful.  Elinor sank against the side of her chair, resting her head again with her knuckles.  The moment Tal¡¯tamine wakes, she could go to her father and spin whatever story those waves tell her to.  What¡¯s our way out, and does that take her father off the table entirely?

    ¡°Not exactly, but it¡¯s a risky play.  This is a plot that is more than capable of starting a war.  Fortunately, we discovered it before our options had run out.  We could weave the lie that Tal¡¯tamine is teaching one of the maids more about their culture with the library currently here, and she could leave to bring food back to show proof of activity.¡±

    Elinor glared at the Nalvean girl¡¯s spine across the room, taking deep, slumbering breaths.  Okay ¡­ that will buy us time, but we need to develop some strategy to find the culprit, and fast.  Sweeping the entire incident under the rug while freeing Tal¡¯tamine is the best outcome, and if I can gain another Nalvean with these types of skills ¡­ it could prove useful.

    ¡°Indeed.  Discovering the purpose behind the action is also key.  Demon might have his part, but there is a third source that has some vision requiring Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s mind at their whims; Demon cannot manipulate ¡­ unless¡­¡±

    Hmm?  Elinor¡¯s focus snapped to the sizable armored figure to her left.

    ¡°The devices Tiffany examined when he was trying to take control over your spirit¡­¡±

    Yes?  I wasn¡¯t there to witness what you¡¯re talking about.  What devices?

    ¡°Demon was able to use hundreds of these rock-like devices to disrupt Tiffany¡¯s ritual until she blew them all away, charming the area to cut him off from gathering any more power to aim at you or control the ancient technology.  Tiffany described them as having etchings inside the rocks, allowing them to be used as remote control drones.  This could be that same technology.¡±

    The world blacked out as Elinor closed her eyes, releasing a long puff of frustrated air.  Great ¡­ how do we counter it?

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Edmon went silent for a moment.  ¡°... I cannot imagine this ¡­ practitioner being satisfied with just creating this mind control artifact.  His residence will be filled with experimentation ¡­ Klaus, use the Shadow Hand to seek for anyone that fits the profile of an eccentric with strange rumors or unexplained phenomena surrounding them.¡±

    Klaus was currently reaching the bottom floor of the massive palace with the women he was escorting; a fascinating tone passed through the connection.

    ¡°Ah ¡­ that¡¯s a good point of attack.  He should also have enough backing to not work or have a busy occupation and be within the cleric circles; we could also be dealing with an apprentice of that war medic that Castella mentioned.  I¡¯ll also check with her to generate a list of what she recalls from the war.  It¡¯s at least a solid direction.¡±

    ¡°Be quick, Klaus.  There is only so much time we can keep the princess out of the public eye.  We also need to be aware of anyone asking questions about Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s whereabouts or hanging around the top floor.  It¡¯s actually beneficial to us at this point if Hakara ordered the Imperial Guard to restrict access to our floor.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Edmon.  I will begin spreading the word immediately and narrow down the candidates; it takes top priority.  That being the case, Camellia will be returning soon with news from Statesman Joru¡¯kora¡¯s Estate; depending on what information she was able to glean, we could move swiftly to bring him in as an ally.¡±

    Elinor left the conversation, suppressing another annoyed sigh; she believed Tal¡¯tamine was falling into her hand when, in reality, she was a ticking time bomb.  Still, she could turn this situation around, but the issue was if she had the influence to accomplish it with the small elite force she¡¯d brought.

    Violet and Edmon would stay by her side, and it would be next to impossible to leave the palace for an extended period within a few days.  She couldn¡¯t feign exploring the Nalvean culture and lands or meeting with its Statesmen to build proper relations until she secured a solid foundation with the High Ruler.

    That left Imiunarus, Camilla, and Lecra¡¯Moro as her unseen hands; even Klaus and Castella were too high profile to draw too much attention to themselves, and sadly, Quin didn¡¯t have the stealth functions the Quen¡¯Talrat Heroic-Grade Assassin had to travel across the land unseen.

    In fact, Camilla, as an Epic-Grade Elite Warrior, would be the Commander of that three-team Assassin unit.  However, the oldest spider sister was a naturally built stealth predator, which made her somewhat of a hybrid, allowing her to be a part of some interesting groups.  The girl didn¡¯t give herself enough credit for her versatility.

    A smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips; she did have a capable group to accomplish her needs.  Edmon ¡­ inform Lacra¡¯Moro about the current situation we¡¯ve found ourselves in, and have him join Camellia to fill her in.  By the time they return, Klaus should give them a name and list of targets to scout and capture.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ we will also need a secure location outside of the city.  I¡¯ll have Klaus procure an appropriate place to conduct the interrogation.¡±  The hint of longing touched his deep, smooth voice.  ¡°... If only Tiffany were here, it would make compliance so much easier.¡±

    Elinor had to agree; Tiffany had proven she had more than a few ways of getting compliance ¡­ one way or another.

    Once Edmon began to issue her orders, Elinor turned her focus to the secret passageways; finally allowed enough breathing room to explore a little.  If there was one thing Elinor had learned throughout her nearly two-week struggle for survival, it was to take pleasure in the little things.

    Edmon, Violet, and Aileen accompanied her; the little girl was a bit disappointed, leaving her engrossing adventure series that had at least thirty volumes of thick metal sheets spaced along the thick wooden shelf they occupied.

    She left Emelina to guard the sleeping princess; Elinor wasn¡¯t taking the inadvertent chance that the Nalvean Princess suddenly awoke from the Maid¡¯s poison dagger.

    Elinor swiftly cheered the 12-year-old girl up by giving her the task to find the hidden key to get into the bathing room¡¯s secret passage.

    It was situated in the wall between the room they were in and the hallway outside the Royal Guest Quarters, where the dozens of Imperial Guards stood.

    No secret stays concealed long with a determined pre-teen at play, and Aileen found the hidden stone implanted in the wall; it was made to look like an unassuming section of an ornament kit.

    The wall slid back and up with the girl¡¯s bouncing excitement; Violet and Edmon were ready for any attack, but the space was empty.  Violet barely fit with her original form, but her human transformation was on cooldown for another 10 minutes; she went first, skitting sideways along the narrow corridor, or at least tight for Nalveans and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    Elinor casually entered with Aileen bouncing for joy while pointing to a similar stone with the same shape on the other side, used to close the section.  They left it open.

    The space was dark and without light, but Elinor could easily penetrate the blackness.

    Look at how much dust is here, Elinor commented, watching swirls of it billow up with Violet¡¯s swift race to discover any hidden trap or danger ahead.

    Aileen¡¯s bright tone followed her comment.  ¡°Mhm, mhm!  Umm ¡­ it¡¯s pretty tall.  Does it go to the kitchen?  Could we get late-night snacks?¡±

    Maybe.  Elinor giggled, following the girl¡¯s gaze; it was just as high as the ceilings in the bathroom.

    ¡°Empress, there is an elevator at the end; I do not sense any other secret passages here.¡±

    Elinor subconsciously nodded at Violet¡¯s report.  Interesting ¡­ what do you think, Edmon?

    ¡°Clearly, this has not been used for quite some time.  I doubt many would know of its existence.¡±

    And where does it lead?  Elinor mused, spotting a sharp L turn ahead.

    Once reaching the space, she spotted the device Violet mentioned; the unusual bit was its placement.  The elevator was sectioned on the opposite side of the hallway.  Violet returned to her human shape, and went down first with Aileen; the pre-teen thrilled to be able to feel the vibrating pulse of the much older version of the elevator they¡¯d used to move up the palace before.

    Violet cleared its safety, and they rose again to retrieve them.

    They¡¯d entered what appeared to be an ancient maid or butler room, designed with multiple rotten wooden closets, mostly decayed beds, and utterly ruined rugs.  A small bit of water dampened the stone floor; they must have been on the lowest foundation.  The area lacked in every way the grandeur of the palace surrounding it.

    Huh ¡­ so, this must have been where the Nalvean servants used to be located a few decades ago ¡­ perhaps millennia, for all we know.  Is there a way out?

    Violet searched but came up empty.  When they¡¯d redesigned the palace, they¡¯d sealed off this entire room.

    ¡°A panic room?¡±  Edmon offered a doubtful tone; it mystified him from a design aspect with how utterly unused the space was.  ¡°Perhaps it was kept in case of an emergency.¡±

    It could certainly function as one.  Elinor mumbled.  If needed, we could put Tal¡¯tamine in here ¡­ it¡¯s an option.

    Returning to the bedroom, Elinor couldn¡¯t help but lift an eyebrow at how much of a difference it was from the blocked-off space below.  From the fine silk drapes that consisted of everything to the elegant greenwood sculpted furnishings, opulent was an understatement when adding gems and exquisite, rare metals.

    This time, the activation device was much different; a yellow stone that matched the powerful jewels of the Quen¡¯Talrat kingdom.  This passageway was much newer, and it showed.  Taking them to a private elevator that used the same yellow gem and magnetism by Violet¡¯s senses to take them to what appeared to be a private garden with only one other entrance across the way.

    Fogged crystal surrounded them, and crushed glowing gems were like brilliant stars shining yellow, warm light down on the stunning floral garden below.

    The whole experience reminded her of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s Life Room ¡­ just much more conservative, which was saying something with the sight around them.

    It was exotic with the vivid orange, white, purple, and pink flowers, trees with blue trunks and orange leaves, and everything was neatly trimmed; although, this garden clearly had to be tended to, unlike the White God¡¯s.

    Elinor moved further into the wondrous hidden area, examining the textured ferns more than double her size with golden sap-like dew dripping onto the organized flowerbeds.  A pathway led to an extravagant veiled bed in its center, tucked into a dark tropical willow with faint blue bulbs that glowed with blue light.

    Fascinating ¡­ now, why would you have something like this connected to a ruler¡¯s bed chamber?  A small smile lifted her lips while backtracking to the second elevator, following its ascent beyond the crystal dome.  Castella¡­

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±  The warrior chimed, keeping watch in the hallway, just outside the room with Emelina, to support and inform them of a knock in case someone wished to enter.

    What are the Nalvean rules for intermingling with other races?

    ¡°Oh, Empress!¡±  Castella mumbled, clearly flustered by the question.  ¡°I ¡­ I cannot recommend such a ¡­ umm, task as ¡­ well, Nalveans have a very strict culture of remaining true to our roots ¡­ I hope you understand what I¡¯m trying to say!¡±  She stammered.

    Hehe ¡­ no, no, Castella.  God, no ¡­ not me.

    Edmon¡¯s hidden smile grew at the question, but Violet didn¡¯t understand the direction; the pre-teen was protected from such conversations.

    No ¡­ my next question is ¡­ which nation¡¯s leader most visits the Capital and stays in this chamber?

    ¡°Uh ¡­ that would be the Golariex Holy Empire, Empress.  They are the race that inhabits the northwestern territory to the old Quen¡¯Tarlat lands.  The Golariex incorporated a large chunk of the Trelmere lands to their east when the Quen¡¯Talrat all but eradicated them on their war march northward.  They are ¡­ an unusual looking race that lives twice as long as we do.¡±

    Mhm ¡­ which delegate stays in the room I¡¯m currently occupying?

    ¡°Oh, naturally, it is always Grand Duchess Juliquah, next in line for the Holy Brace; she makes the journey personally twice a year to go over her nation¡¯s progress and negotiate the yearly changes to trade policy.  High Ruler Nukulara has developed many strong ties with most of the allied races after the Fire Wars!¡±

    Elinor licked her smirking lips, doing her best not to imagine the scene unfolding in her mind, but it made her surprisingly curious about the whole transaction.  I¡¯m sure his two yearly affairs with Grand Duchess Juliquah are quite a bit more ¡­ intimate than the rest.

    ¡°W-What do you mean?  No ¡­ are you saying¡­¡±

    With that succulent news, Elinor¡¯s vision shifted to the nearby second elevator.  I¡¯m now intrigued by what these Golariex look like.  I assume there are statues of them ¡­ perhaps one of Grand Duchess Juliquah somewhere in the palace?  You know, for memorable purposes.

    ¡°I ¡­ yes ¡­ at the top of the Art Museum.  Oh, no ¡­ High Ruler ¡­ he ¡­ he had it commissioned just after the war.  He and the Grand Duchess ¡­ they spent a lot of time together strategizing¡­¡±  She cried.

    It was a little shocking to find such conflicting emotions in the warrior, but this was actually a very devastating thing for her to learn.

    Huh ¡­ I suppose I should go ¡­ investigate who he admires so much.  She giggled, returning to her room to prepare for the journey.

 B2 â€” 25. Sariâ€™aÃ©l

    Elinor returned to the elevator with Edmon, Aileen, and Violet after the Spider Sister scouted the space.  Her gaze lingered on the High Ruler¡¯s lift before it went out of sight, entering the softly lit shaft.

    Interesting ¡­ no exits or entrances to this secretly built chamber.  Edmon, do you think it would be a worthy endeavor to discover who constructed this private botanical garden?

    Edmon¡¯s armored head tilted to the side for a moment.  ¡°... Not a bad idea.  I wonder if the High Ruler had most of them killed to secure secrecy; I have no doubt this area is actually below ground and likely built some time ago.  The addition of the Quen¡¯Talrat technology also implies there¡¯s more about this architect to ponder.  On the other hand, we are already juggling a few more objectives at the moment than I¡¯d like.¡±

    True¡­

    She fell silent.  They were making headway and discovering the traps Demon had laid for them.  Yet, her forces were stretched too thin to do more.

    Klaus was swamped with building her underground network, gathering leads on who constructed the princess¡¯s mind-control device, and sniffing out potential Royal Court candidates to help rescue Iris.

    Adding a new name to the search list could have consequences, stretching his newly born network too swiftly.  For all she knew, adding the architect to Klaus¡¯s list could be the final straw that broke his network, and some of his sources went to the king for support.  It was also possible that the person they were looking for had a hand in this garden.  The future would tell.

    Edmon and Violet wouldn¡¯t leave her side with the threat of Baxter, which took them off the table from any investigative work.

    Emelina needed to guard Tal¡¯tamine, and Aileen was dependable for her age but couldn¡¯t be sent on complex missions, nor did Elinor feel comfortable sending the girl into an unknown situation that could lead to her death.  She did have a sturdy Class and Sub-Class but was very inexperienced with common sense battle tactics as a little girl.

    Castella was best utilized within a close distance of Elinor and didn¡¯t have stealth functionality nor the tact for the art.

    Sadly, Quin was trapped on the boat until her Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s presence was accepted, which was more than a little frustrating to the young Elite Hunter; she desperately wished to be by Elinor¡¯s side.

    Camellia, Lecra¡¯Moro, and Imiunarus were being gathered together as a stealth unit to pursue the names Klaus discovered ¡­ hopefully, Camellia didn¡¯t just crash into the house like the Juggernaut she was.

    No, everyone she brought was locked in a task, including the Ri¡¯bot Xaria that Klaus took on his arrival.  Xaria Welix and Xaria Iona were supposedly getting along well in their united task of converting the Clavex population.

    She did need to make a little bit of time for the Mother Superior to quell her lingering doubts and gain her confidence in Klaus¡¯s plan.

    No ¡­ you¡¯re right.  It¡¯s a topic that can be placed on the to-do list.  What about a gardener?  How does he maintain the place?

    Violet spoke up as they made it to the VIP suite.  ¡°There is another scent in the room beside the Golariex and High Ruler; another Nalvean tends to the place.¡±

    Elinor chuckled while making her way into the large hallway; Aileen opened and closed the bedroom doors for her.  Is that so?  On that note ¡­ Violet, you¡¯ve had your taste of the Golariex in your lifetime.  I won¡¯t ruin the surprise of what they look like, especially when my first vision of the race will be the High Ruler¡¯s fascination, but what do they smell like ¡­ taste like?

    Violet passed a bowing Castella to undo the web-reinforced door ahead of them, and the Nalvean fell in line with Edmon to guide their party¡¯s direction.  Elinor would still be utterly lost in the complex and colossal palace design without an escort.

    ¡°My mother told me the Golariex are creatures of the Duskfallen Wood, and much like their earthen roots, they have a similar taste.  The smell is ¡­ rich.  It is unmistakable, and when in heat, quite pungent.  I cannot compare the sexes since there are only females.¡±

    Fascinating.  She was in heat?

    ¡°Without a doubt.¡±

    How very fascinating.

    The doors to the hall were already opened by the time she neared, causing the outside Imperial Guards to shift their position to identify who exited.  A single Nalvean rose to courteously address her once she left.

    ¡°Empress ¡­ there is a lot of activity this night.  Should we expect your return?¡±

    He didn¡¯t falter when she lifted her gaze to stare into his yellow eyes; there was a considerable height difference.  ¡°I don¡¯t require sleep ¡­ what is your name?¡±

    A few of the Nalveans shifted at her question, but he responded without hesitation.  ¡°Lieutenant Nuvamir, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± she mused, vision sweeping the others surrounding her.

    Edmon swiftly took control, causing the salamanders to turn their focus on the black knight.  ¡°Lieutenant Nuvamir, Princess Tal¡¯tamine is currently asleep.  As to the Empress¡¯s destination, I would prefer not to disclose that information for her own safety.  Aileen will remain inside to seal the front for the princess¡¯s security.¡±

    The little 12-year-old was disappointed with the news but complied, returning inside to close the massive doors.  She gave them a cheery wave as the gate sealed.

    Elinor was about to walk away before pausing a small distance away from the Lieutenant, turning to give the soldier a small smile.  ¡°By the way, send word to the kitchens that my last meal will not require cleaning.  There are a few ¡­ details that must be sorted out.¡±

    With that statement, she instructed Castella to guide her to the Art Museum, leaving the Nalveans confused about her request.  Elinor knew it would spark a panic, though.  Someone there knew her meal was poisoned; a little panic can cause large ripples.

    Her small group was tailed by two Imperial Guards, which was expected, but it didn¡¯t concern her; the Imperial Head Captain wished to be informed about her activities.  Their path through the halls was met with few signs of life except for the night watch.

    Violet told her a bit about the creatures on their journey.

    Castella¡¯s brain was still reeling with the scandal they¡¯d uncovered; the reaction told Elinor what to expect from the populous.

    Golariex did have the ability to have children through various other races, not all, but some, and Nalveans were among the compatible, which meant Tal¡¯tamine could have another sister ¡­ or several, depending on the time gap.

    Nalveans didn¡¯t have a very strict husband or wife policy, allowing for more open yet socially closed relationships.  It was a private matter between parties, but royal logs were kept for each of the heirs, and none of the princesses and princes had the same mother.

    That being said, Castella literally felt sick just thinking about the union of Nalvean and Golariex, which made Elinor even more curious about these northwestern creatures.  They had been the ones that managed to give the allied races their first breaching point in the Fire Wars.

    High Ruler Nukulara¡¯s interest in a trading route and easier access to other lands started to take on a new light; it would no doubt help his people, but could selfish reasons be accompanying the request?

    Grand Duchess Juliquah was the second most important figure in the Golariex Holy Empire, and she made the trip twice a year to Nalvean lands.  Perhaps if she provided a safe range of travel, he could make the journey northwest himself and avoid such secrecy within his own home country?

    The gentle echo of running water that thematically filled the palace was soothing, and the trip to reach their destination much quicker than her previous experience progressing to the royal chambers.  They casually walked into the partially open art gallery.

    Elinor found many of the pieces much more enjoyable with her current mood, and a thought crossed her mind when spotting the Nalvean statues on the first level.  Castella ¡­ do they create sculptures with the dead body as a model or framework?

    The Elite Warrior was still trying to get the internal image of her revered High Ruler and the foreign creature sleeping in the same bed out of her head.  ¡°Eh ¡­ I can¡¯t be sure, Empress, but ¡­ perhaps in centuries passed.  Why would ¡­ with a Golariex?  Eww ¡­ yuck ¡­ disgusting ¡­ how could he ¡­ he ruin the Nalvean pride in such¡­¡±

    Hmm ¡­ love will find a way.  Elinor mused, activating Herald of the Empress II.  It had a 20-meter range, which gave her plenty of searching space as they continued toward the top floor.

    Her green eyes glittered with excitement upon swiftly discovering her first trapped ancient hero on the first level.  He was only of Rare-Grade.  Many were of a similar fashion, which was somewhat disappointing but not enough to lower her smile.

    Two jumped into the Epic-Grade ¡­ capable of putting up a fight against Camellia in life was actually quite the accomplishment, she had to admit.  However, they were not what she was looking for.

    With their slow progress, it allowed an uninvited guest to catch up to them ¡­ Yesenia, but oddly enough, she was alone.  The snake-woman also appeared somewhat tired upon meeting them on the 2nd floor.

    The two Imperial Guards bowed reverently upon her approach, showing which camp they fell into, but the weaving snake paid them little mind.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Elinor gave her a small smile.  ¡°What brings you out so late; couldn¡¯t sleep, or perhaps you¡¯ve discovered something I¡¯d care about ¡­ so, business or pleasure?¡±

    Yesenia rubbed her left eye with a deep frown and glare.  ¡°No ¡­ I have nothing to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°Pleasure, then?¡±  Elinor chuckled, studying her back; without a doubt, she withdrew to the 4th floor to the comforting presence of her angel.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like her sudden appearance,¡± Edmon growled, marking her movements across the floor far above them.  ¡°It seems too convenient to be running into her so often.¡±

    Perhaps.

    Elinor¡¯s eyes moved to a statue of some kind of wild cat-like monster more than five times her height, which was quite something when considering it was on all fours, nearly touching the platform overhead.  There were bones of a Rare-Grade spirit inside of it, which didn¡¯t match the fierce aesthetic.

    Do we have a museum of creatures?

    ¡°Surely there is a place within the fortress,¡± Edmon stated, which meant he had yet to come across it.

    It would be nice.

    The Nalvean Imperial Soldiers that flanked them could only see their group¡¯s silent advance and facial expressions that must have made their pauses and actions look insane.

    Continuing to the 3rd floor, Elinor casually reexamined the fine and bizarre works of art until she stopped dead in her tracks, causing the procession to falter.

    She stood in front of a Nalvean hero named Nukuroma, a Nalvean High Ruler that lived seven centuries ago; not much was known about the man, but unlike what she¡¯d been told, his bones resided in the plaster.  He lived more than a millennia ago, and he was a Mythic-Grade spirit.

    However, it wasn¡¯t this specimen that caught her stunned, glowing green irises as her focus lifted to the ceiling, where Yesenia waited.  Edmon ¡­ the angel was alive at one point.

    His armored head snapped up to follow her gaze with Violet¡¯s.

    ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    A devilish grin split Elinor¡¯s full lips.  Let¡¯s go.

    The rhythm of Elinor¡¯s heart increased as she doubled her pace, climbing the flat, circular staircase to reach the 4th level.  A fire lit in her chest at the prospects before her while catching sight of the figure that could become her next Transcendent Royal Court member.

    Six large wings</a> sprouted from her back, clothed in odd, fantasy-like battle armor and wearing a defiant glare.  She looked genuinely glorious.

    Yesenia seemed to notice her changed countenance when her swarm of flaming butterflies surrounded the statue, analyzing every detail of the spirit trapped inside the impenetrable amber-like substance.

    ¡°Why are you here ¡­ with those?  Unless ¡­ no¡­¡±  Her wide eyes flashed with panic.  ¡°No ¡­ you can¡¯t take her away from me!¡±  She growled.

    The Imperial Guards tailing Elinor shifted uncomfortably with the woman¡¯s sudden body language.

    How Yesenia could decipher her goal made Elinor wonder if her nighttime visit was prompted by Demon.  The sad truth of the matter was that Elinor wasn¡¯t in a position to destroy something the Nalveans found sacred enough to place near the center of their famed Art Museum.

    In addition to requiring the political clout to secure the angel, she also needed to convince the creature to join her, which wasn¡¯t a sure feat ¡­ she was an angel.  If standard human lore stood up, Elinor would be one of the last types of people a pure being would join.

    The questions rolling around her skull kept her from calling upon the ancient, slumbering spirit.  Could she reject her offer on the spot?  How did she get like this?  Is her body really constructed out of amber, converted to this, or was this just some layered trap?  Whoever she had been, she was very powerful.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that at the moment ¡­ perhaps in the future, though,¡± Elinor mumbled in response.

    ¡°You can¡¯t, please¡­¡±  Yesenia slithered closer with desperation in her eyes.

    Elinor wondered if Demon planned for her to become so attached to this in order to block her access to a possible Court Member.

    Edmon blocked her path.  ¡°That¡¯s close enough.¡±

    The guards tightened their grips on their polearms, keeping a close eye on what happened next; it wasn¡¯t a good position to be in since both of them had royal backing.

    Yesenia paused several feet away from the Doom Guard, Violet ready to dice her into ribbons from the shadows.  She stared down at Elinor from her high vantage point with terror; the calming presence the angel released was a crutch she¡¯d come to depend on.

    Elinor hummed, shifting her focus away from Yesenia with a small smirk.  ¡°Remember what I told you before?  Come with something on the table ¡­ it better be good if you hope to stop this pursuit, though, and I think Demon knows why.  Best be looking to sweeten the pot for your partner,¡± she mused, walking closer to the slumbering spirit.

    ¡°I will!  I mean, I just need to ¡­ just ¡­ just give me some time!¡±

    The Empress licked her green-tinted lips while staring up at the angelic figure with anticipation; the most significant objective on her heart was solved if she could just convince this creature to join her.

    If worse came to worst, she had leverage on the High Ruler to force him to at least give this up to her in the negotiations.  Of course, he didn¡¯t have to know how desperately she needed this heavenly woman.

    ¡°You have until tonight ¡­ when I meet with the High Ruler.  Although I¡¯m disappointed in you, Yesenia, shouldn¡¯t you value this angel¡¯s decision?¡±

    The Imperial Guards were utterly lost yet didn¡¯t feel the need to intervene.

    ¡°I ¡­ I need her,¡± Yesenia groaned, snake-like eyes darting between her swarming butterflies and the Empress.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°Well ¡­ I¡¯m going to see what she needs.  I look forward to your offer; now, you will have to excuse me.  I must speak with a ghost.¡±

    Elinor walked around to the statue¡¯s front and called for her, giving the snake-woman a sidelong look.  The angel answered.

    A flurry of flaming green butterflies spun in a wide circle around the structure, and the shape of a glorious, beautiful figure materialized out of the amber.

    Her full, pink lips parted in a soft intake of ethereal air, opening her lustrous, solid golden irises as the radiant hue enveloped her white, sun-kissed skin.  The outfit she wore was exactly as Elinor pictured it, between a gold and bronze shine.  Her light silver, lush hair fell with her, settling around her folded-in, six silvery wings that held a golden luster.

    Each wing¡¯s frame was smooth and metallic-looking while the feathers appeared to be able to flex into razor-sharp weapons, but the acute, spear-like curve her wings could make made it clear close-ranged enemies would find it difficult to harm her from the front.  The six appendages could be used for both defense or offense, and now freed from her prison, Elinor was sure the bottom pair were two smaller wings.

    The angel¡¯s knee-high, black, gold-encrusted flat boots touched down on the floor, showing her perfectly curved and proportionate long legs.  She hugged her body, confusion</a> momentarily passing across her sculptured face, gaze on the floor before lifting to observe her.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t help but notice the colossal silver gemstone fastened on her breastplate, shining with an inner light.  The black garment she wore under the strange armor was a shoulderless one-piece made of fabric-metal, somehow forming around the base of her wings, and the detached sleeves were kept in place by thin, high-bicep gold-hued bracers and a gloveless forearm guard of the same color that extended in a tear-drop fashion near her elbows.

    At 5¡¯9, she looked down on Elinor but up to Edmon.  There was a commanding but gentle softness to her lovely face as she silently glanced around the area, wings shifting without effort to allow her a more comprehensive view.  She certainly was the definition of perfectly proportionate ¡­ gorgeous or brilliant were the only words that seemed to fit her demeanor.

    Yesenia was tense while staring at the butterflies surrounding the invisible spirit, only perceivable to Elinor, but she didn¡¯t open her drawn-in lips to ask any questions.  In fact, she seemed terrified to even think of the angel as an existing creature.

    ¡°Welcome back to the world of the living,¡± Elinor greeted with a pleasant smile.

    The angel¡¯s voice was like honey on a steel blade, elegant, sweet, and refined.  ¡°Elinor ¡­ I know who you are.  You call upon the dead¡­¡±  Her confused frown turned to the display the Nalveans had made out of her trapped corpse, and a sad look crossed her features.  ¡°Which means ¡­ I did not close the World Gate ¡­ so many details about my death are hazed in fog.¡±

    She took a deep, calming breath while closing her eyes and bowing her head in what Elinor assumed was a tribute to her lost cause.  After several seconds of silence, she opened her luminous eyes to face her, wings stretching out a little more to brush against the sides of her confined, invisible space.

    Before she spoke, Elinor cleared her throat.  Your memory will slowly return, but ¡­ ahem ¡­ would it be better to have more privacy while we talk?

    ¡°... I am not opposed, yet ¡­ they cannot see me.  Correct?¡±  She asked, turning her body while clasping her hand behind her back, underneath her third pair of wings.  ¡°This is primarily for your own benefit.¡±

    In a manner, Elinor replied in a neutral tone, green eyes shifting to Yesenia¡¯s anxiety-filled face.  This woman¡¯s name is Yesenia, and she¡¯s been using the comforting aura your dead body produces to ease her stress.  She¡¯s not keen on me potentially bringing you back.

    ¡°... I see.¡±

    She didn¡¯t elaborate, so Elinor didn¡¯t push, turning to proceed to the ninth and final floor where the beloved figure of the High Ruler¡¯s affection had been reconstructed.

    In the silence, Elinor¡¯s focus wondered; the amount of thigh the angel showed would be more than a little eye-catching back on Earth, but only the left and inner-right were visible while she walked with the red sash hiding the opposite side.

    Her rear was protected from sight by how her large wings flared, and the oddly shaped breastplate and collar guard obstructed any chance of showing her considerable cleavage, but her shoulders were left bare.

    Is there a name you go by?

    When she responded, Elinor realized her ability was translating the angelic being¡¯s phrases to things she would understand, and most of her angel knowledge came from pop-culture and movies.

    ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l was my name in life.  Elinor, I am a Seraph, the burning one that enacts the highest order of judgment, directed by the High Seat.  I do not serve any other.¡±

    Hmm¡­

    Elinor frowned while climbing the staircase, catching Yesenia restraining herself; her Imperial Guard escort was silently tailing them after Castella briefly explained that she was communicating with a spirit, which had them nervously eyeing the fluttering flames.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ it¡¯s a pretty name.  Why did you serve the High Seat?

    They continued to climb floors with the Seraph walking behind her.

    ¡°My life was dedicated to the defense of my people from the moment of my conception in the Tree of Life.  My purpose was clear, and my duty binding as the hearts in my breast.¡±

    Purpose ¡­ dedicated ¡­ duty ¡­ in defense of your people.  Did you have a choice?

    ¡°Of course.  The training of a Seraph is always a choice, a privilege to defend my people.  Tell me,¡± she challenged, ¡°is there a free society that does not have soldiers willing to die for its continuation at its base?  Above all, a Seraph fights not because they hate what is in front of them, but because they love what is behind them.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ a famous quote in my world connects with that.  Elinor smiled, examining the dozens of new artworks around her.  As you sleep peacefully in your beds, our troops will be standing guard, ready to give their lives for the cause of freedom.

    Elinor slowed to a stop to face the Seraph now that she was away from Yesenia¡¯s panicked gaze.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ I have an Empire I¡¯m trying to build and people that will need protecting.  If you search this link we share, I¡¯m sure you can see the life I led before arriving in this world.  I didn¡¯t choose this life, but it was thrust upon me, and I had to endure.  Not only for myself, but others wish to survive, and I¡¯m the only thing they have protecting them.

    The angel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, hands still clasped behind her back; she¡¯d already tested the range of where she could move with her wings.  When the woman continued to scrutinize her, Elinor continued.

    Am I trying to recruit you to my side?  Absolutely.  I am not perfect, and I¡¯m still a teenager ¡­ a child, really, compared to many of the creatures I¡¯ve brought back to serve within my Empire.  I need guidance.

    ¡°The hatred burning within you is not something I am comfortable with ¡­ but it is understandable,¡± her golden gaze fell with a hint of shame.  ¡°I did allow hate to cloud my mind when facing The Searing Concord ¡­ that disharmony allowed a fraction of a second for the Burning Hosts to penetrate my defenses and lay me bare.¡±

    The name sparked to life the conversation Elinor had with Demon; was his own little time-bidding story biting him?  There had to be a connection between what this Seraph knew and what Demon told her that would help advance her goals.

    Still, she tempered the exciting piece of information.  It wasn¡¯t as if she could hide anything from a spirit she was trying to court and was this powerful; Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had been able to dig into her actions and motivations, which made it clear that when seeking a unit at the top, it was a give and take.

    The grasp of Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s strength was actually staggering, which was why this spirit had caught her utterly off-guard.  In life, the Burning One would have been more than strong enough to dominate Iris, if both were alive, which was no small feat; however, her living power would be severely scaled back if she joined, as Iris¡¯s was.  Elinor was sure the Queen had her tricks to try and even the playing field, but in terms of the raw power she felt, Sari¡¯a¨¦l was practically a goddess, which made perfect sense.  Elinor was sure of it.

    If this angel joined her, then she would fill the Warlord Class as the leader over every Elite Warrior.  Camellia would be thrilled, but it was shocking how controlled and disciplined this creature was; Sari¡¯a¨¦l embodied the exact opposite of what she expected a Warlord to look like after Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.  The Great White God would have been decimated by the Seraph had they met face to face.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ how do you see those that face you in battle?  Elinor tentatively asked.

    ¡°Hmm?  Naturally, with pity,¡± she responded, glorious countenance returning.

    It was somewhat unnerving for even Elinor to consider.  This angel was ashamed of feeling hatred ¡­ because she should have pitied her foes for having the misfortune of choosing her people as an enemy.  That was the type of power this race wielded, which begged another question about The Searing Concord; how did they de-evolve into the Ri¡¯bot of today?

    Camellia had the time of her life just killing everything, but all Sari¡¯a¨¦l felt was their misfortune.  The prospect sent a tingle shooting up Elinor¡¯s spine.  Yes!  Yes!  This was the type of person she needed at the helm of her army.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was all about showing his superiority, dominating with laughter and overwhelming force.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l was entirely the opposite.  A weapon that knew her people¡¯s indomitable strength didn¡¯t need to be exercised.  She was a refined, sheathed blade that could be pulled out at a moment¡¯s notice to show why no one fought them.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was a wildfire, unchecked, while Sari¡¯a¨¦l was flowing water, capable of rising into a tsunami.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ I need your strength ¡­ those I protect need it.  An Empress without a people is not an Empress at all ¡­ yet, so, too, an Empress without a capable army cannot defend her people¡¯s freedom.  I am not asking you to join me without reason.  What is your wish?  Do you want to discover if your people survived?  To aid them?

    The Seraph¡¯s gaze shifted to the side with a smile and hum.  ¡°No.  I know my people live and thrive.  It is without question.  My desire ¡­ I must ponder that inquiry.  What is there I lack?¡±

    Obviously, she didn¡¯t care much about living, which was a bit odd for her, but Elinor had to remind herself that the only reason Iris joined her was the power-structure element in her genetic and societal upbringing.  Transcendent spirits were not normal creatures.

    By all means, stay out and observe as long as you wish, but time is valuable to me.  Iris ¡­ I don¡¯t know what happened to her, and I fear she¡¯s been captured.  I need to head north to save her within the next day or two.  The longer I wait, the more chances there are of her to die.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l gave her a puzzled look.  ¡°You are a thing that brings back the dead ¡­ yet, you do not act like such creatures that I have met.  The death of a returned soldier is but natural in conflict.¡±

    True, Elinor admitted, reaching the next level.  However ¡­ I do not view those I bring back as merely puppets on strings for me to manipulate, which is why my powers have manifested the way they have ¡­ love for one¡¯s people is only natural.  Correct?

    ¡°Hmh,¡± she smiled, radiant countenance like a beacon, ¡°you are unlike any of the creatures I have sent beyond the grave.  Perhaps I will stand by and watch.¡±

    With that, Sari¡¯a¨¦l took on the task of a specter, silently studying the reactions through her Nexus; it felt like she was on trial this time, which might have been what these Transcendent recruitment events were.  This would be one of the foremost members of her army ¡­ they better fit with it.

    She told Edmon how things had progressed and what was happening, which made him a bit annoyed; who would deny her awesomeness, right?

    Brushing it aside, Elinor finally came to the final floor and got her first look at the High King¡¯s affair.  Castella almost threw up just seeing it ¡­ mind still in the gutter with how it might work.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±  Elinor circled the area.  It was much smaller than the lower floors, only allowing for this piece to be front and center.  It was very different from what she had pictured, and she wasn¡¯t quite sure why Castella was hacking up a lung; differences in aesthetic taste, she assumed.

    She had to admit, it was an odd choice, and once realizing the connection they shared every six months, it made sense why he¡¯d dedicate this to her.  In fact, it almost appeared like he worshiped the second-in-line for the Golariex Holy Empire.

    Golariex</a> were very thin and lanky but humanoid in shape; upon further investigation and Violet¡¯s notes, it became at least a bit clearer.  They released some form of fog near their feet, clouding their lower bodies in powder-like white dust.  Shadowy wisps of energy flowed off their frames, shrouding their dark-wooden bodies.

    A frost coated their forearm to fingers, and orange lights shone out of the sides of their shoulders.  The female race¡¯s mouths were jagged as if they¡¯d stepped out of a horror movie, and their sunken yellow slits for eyes made them more than a little sinister in appearance.

    It wasn¡¯t disgusting to look at, but an odd taste, for sure.

    According to Violet, a pitch-black, heatless blaze formed out of their crown, acting as hair across the back of their heads, which they used to seduce prey.  There were feathery vines utilized in reproduction, and its frigid coat enveloped the all-female race¡¯s targets in a paralytic that allowed them to work their charms.

    Castella was instantly convinced she was a vicious minx, corroding their society and bewitching her noble High Ruler on Violet¡¯s mention of the practice.

    Elinor wasn¡¯t so sure, but anything¡¯s possible in this world.

    Apparently, every female Nalvean had a negative view of the race ¡­ but, High Ruler Nukulara had to maintain good relations after the war, and studious girl Violet was, she gave the Nalvean women new, quite graphic details of the process these living bark creatures went through in the mating game, making her gag and shudder.

    The foggy breath they produced, their delicate white fingers, strange mouths, and two slick tongues ¡­ vines and moist underlayer ¡­ it was getting far too detailed for the crying Nalvean warrior.

    To be fair, it would be tough not imagining what Violet explained when you knew exactly how your own race mated ¡­ then overlaying the image of the most revered figure in your society at the scene of the literal cultural crime, and you had a breakdown.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l seemed somewhat disgusted by the ordeal, as well.  Considering they were born from something called a Tree of Life ¡­ the memory of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s room came flooding back.

    Hold-up ¡­ is that what I¡¯ve been using?

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l swiftly identified what had caught her off-guard.  ¡°No.  The Children of the Sun are not born from such a tree.  Our trees are much grander.¡±

    The confirmation put a bit of ease in Elinor¡¯s chest.  Right ¡­ well, Edmon.  What do you think?  I¡¯m pretty sure this is a very damning piece of information we¡¯ve stumbled upon.

    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± he mumbled, probably glaring at Sari¡¯a¨¦l from the corner of his vision behind that impenetrable helmet.  ¡°However, I don¡¯t believe we can use it without more evidence.  He no doubt knows we discovered it, which will have him on-guard.  Castella, is there a way to prove he had ¡­ relationships with the Grand Duchess Juliquah?¡±

    The Nalvean Elite Warrior was hugging herself for comfort, eyes closed with her forked tongue sliding through her sharp teeth in agitation.  ¡°Y-Yes ¡­ the ¡­ the Taperalah Worm.  If it¡¯s been more ¡­ more than a week, it won¡¯t find the ¡­ the stuff to eat, though.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Edmon muttered.  ¡°When is the next scheduled arrival?¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t I ¡­ I can¡¯t get it out of my head,¡± she moaned, ¡°the insides ¡­ so gross!  Umm ¡­ eh, not for another two months ¡­ gah, for how long ¡­ dozens upon dozens of years?¡±

    Everyone ignored her pained mumbles; this had actually affected her on an emotional level.

    ¡°Not a viable option, then,¡± he mumbled.  ¡°We¡¯ll have to settle with him being cautious about the discussion.  It might as well be a sin to Nalveans.¡±

    ¡°It is!¡±  Castella cried.

    Elinor sighed.  Well, at least we¡¯re building our deck.

    The angel took to the air a bit, causing Elinor to look up, and she couldn¡¯t help but notice her shapely butt, visible with the angel¡¯s wings slightly spread out.  She didn¡¯t seem ashamed by it, though.

    The second thing she noticed was the Seraph didn¡¯t even have to flap her wings to stay afloat, simply spreading them a little to keep in the air.  Elinor gave her somewhat free reign, telling her butterflies to follow her, but there was a limited range.

    ¡°Working with other creatures is a new concept to me.  It is ¡­ interesting.  The Children of the Sun were always self-sufficient; what could other creatures offer us?¡±

    Hmm ¡­ perhaps this will help you learn a different manner of life ¡­ learn how to protect and maintain in a new light.

    ¡°... Perhaps ¡­ I have found your conversations ¡­ unique.  Such discussions were not had where I am from, nor could any other lesser creatures understand our refined language of hymns.  Yet ¡­ your power would allow all to share in that glory if I were to join your host, which I find ¡­ joyful.  Hmm¡­¡±

    She trailed off, and Elinor had no clue what she meant by hymns as a language since everything she spoke came out in English.

    Elinor released a short sigh before heading back to her chambers to ponder her next move, pausing at the Seraph¡¯s statue to visually compare the two.  Somehow, the living counterpart was even more beautiful than the timeless piece before her with all its decorations.

    The pure radiance Sari¡¯a¨¦l released was awestriking and in every way deserved the name angel.

    She ignored Yesenia¡¯s probes and made her way back to her room with the floating angel studying the alien world she¡¯d been brought to.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l had a secretive smile on her pink lips; it was as if the Nalvean¡¯s attempts at art and beauty amused her to no end.  On the other hand, Elinor wondered how the woman actually fought insanely powerful enemies in that kind of outfit.

    The Seraph graced her with a surprising answer.  ¡°My armor is a conduit for my power, spreading out and stabilizing my defensive matrix across my skin.  In truth, it is my armor that is most vulnerable, not my body.¡±

    Fascinating ¡­ do you understand how to replicate it?

    She giggled, which moved her features to stunning effect.  ¡°It would do no good for any creature that is not a Child of the Sun.  In any case, I highly doubt you will find such pure and refined elements on this planet that could be used for such magnificent fashion.  Ah ¡­ there is something I wish to partake in ¡­ forging a new dress that is not battle armor.¡±

    We can make that a goal, Elinor shrugged, finding the angel more mercurial by the minute.  Perhaps The Searing Concord managed to bring some back once they retreated, and it¡¯s waiting to be discovered.

    ¡°Hmm, highly unlikely ¡­ yet I will add it to my list.¡±

    The fact she was building a reverse-bucket list was encouraging.

    She sent out a message to her maids, Castella, and Klaus.  I did plan on having a fun day of discovering treats ¡­ many things have come up since then, and sadly, Emelina must stay with the princess.

    ¡°I am grateful to be of use,¡± Emelina promptly responded.

    Heh, of course.  However ¡­ I do my best to keep my promises.  What good is an Empress that does not keep her word?  So, Aileen, Edmon, Violet, Castella, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and I will find some and bring it back.  Klaus¡­

    Her Ambassador¡¯s mind turned with questions about her naming a new person that would accompany them, but he did not pursue it.  ¡°Yes, Empress.  I have discovered several leads and sent them to Camellia and her team to investigate.¡±

    Good ¡­ but I¡¯d like you to find some time in the next ten hours.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l is precisely the woman I¡¯ve been looking for, and I hope she will join the Empire.  That completes the most significant goal.  We now need to focus on discovering more about the princess¡¯s mind-control.

    He instantly understood the importance of the possible recruit.  ¡°I look forward to the treat, Empress, and learning more about Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  If you need my help, I am always available.¡±

    With that, she strolled back to her quarters; Emelina¡¯s squirming emotions passed through Elinor¡¯s private peek into her Undead¡¯s inner heart.  It was cute.

    Sweets, toying with Yesenia, and getting down to business with the High Ruler was ahead of her; they¡¯d prepared reasonably well for the encounters.

 B2 â€” 26. A Game Of Chess Begins

    Elinor returned to her room and throne before moving to the terrace with Violet and Edmon on either side of her.  She stared down across a gorgeous nighttime image of the Nalvean Capital City.  It certainly was a different experience than her own city fortress, and having the ability to penetrate the night as if it were day aided in its beauty.

    Aileen had cleaned up the meal, setting everything in the corner of the room and separating the poisoned soup to its own area.  She would send everything but the soup back to the kitchens to further fluster the people that knew of the assassination attempt.

    At the moment, the girl was sitting on the edge of the rail guard, staring at the city below after getting permission.  She was cute, talking to Emelina through their private connection about all the strange things that caught her attention.

    Her Head Maid stood stalwart by Princess Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s side; although her Sleeping Nightshade Blade was supposed to keep the target comatose for up to five hours, if given a full dose, there was the possibility it broke within that time depending on the creature.  It was basically RNG.

    Castella was coming to terms that her famed High Ruler was a heretic ¡­ at least according to her inner ethical values as a Nalvean female.  It was a difficult realization with the clash of her morals between revering her leader and the culture she¡¯d been raised under.

    The reverence in her voice when speaking about Nukulara had faded significantly as the night went on.  It was truly impressive to Elinor; Nalvean females had such vitriol for the Golariex mingling with their species that it had poisoned their minds to the very core.  There was no forgiveness for a male that engaged in such heterodoxy.

    High Ruler Nukulara had a devilish pleasure that would give her a decisive advantage ¡­ if he didn¡¯t consider the threat worth labeling her as an enemy of the nation before establishing herself well enough to use the threat.  In any case, the bullets in her arsenal were increasing.

    On the other hand, Sari¡¯a¨¦l had explored the former Royal Chambers thoroughly and silently.  She¡¯d chosen to observe rather than speak about her past, culture, or interests after their first discussion.

    Elinor tried zeroing in on the Seraph¡¯s facial expressions and gestures, even the movement of her wings, to gain an insight into the ethereal woman¡¯s mind.  Having Herald of the Empress active the entire time was causing a constant drain on her Death Pool, but her Religious System just barely outstripped the cost with it always giving her sporadic bursts of energy.

    Her Death Pool had increased to 3463 (previously 3324) and was now receiving at least 166DE on average per hour from her Religious System after she felt the Yaltha¡¯ma and many Ri¡¯bot from the Prume Clan believe in her.  That gave her a staggering 4,980DE on average through a day, but given that her cap couldn¡¯t hold that much, it would just be wasted if not used.  Plus, the Religious System was continuing to level and expand with the Clavex that joined her ranks, which should help mitigate any sharp decline that might happen throughout the day.

    After doing some of the calculations in her head, she figured it was manageable to keep her butterflies out, but it was closer than she¡¯d like.  The daily cost at 15 A.M. would be in the double-digits ¡­ she needed to be careful how she spent her Death Energy.

    At its current level, Herald of the Empress lasted 50 minutes before requiring 5DE per butterfly currently out.  The Seraph required 10, one for each Grade, meaning a loss of 50DE every 50 minutes and a total loss of 1,750DE throughout the day.  It would have been unsustainable without the many followers she was picking up.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l currently floated above her, glowing solid yellow irises sweeping various areas of the city; honestly, Elinor had no clue what she could sense or identify from this distance, and few instances in the past few hours had changed the Seraph¡¯s expression.  Her staple appearance was that of serene grace with the faintest hint of a smile on her full pink lips.

    What had Elinor learned about the angelic figure?  She had the shape of  ¡­ well, an angel, the poker face of a professional con-artist, the grace of a swan, the curiosity of a child, did not fear death and had the confidence of a goddess.

    There was one thing that seemed to really resonate with Sari¡¯a¨¦l, though ¡­ the aspect of being weak.  The attempts other creatures made, so infinitely weaker than her, at struggling to survive and build something to display their efforts.  She¡¯d never really explored different cultures, and what she was seeing interested her more than returning to the void of wherever she¡¯d come from.

    Elinor examined the city while pondering Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s short responses to her questions and requests.  According to what she¡¯d said, the only thing she lacked was the feeling of being weak ¡­ powerless.  Even the fact she died or failed to close what she called the World Gate hadn¡¯t particularly frightened her; it only made her momentarily melancholy.  She knew her people survived ¡­ it was a certainty to her.

    It was a strange way of thinking and behavior that Elinor had a hard time puzzling out, yet could the very fact the angel could look into her own heart and mind be affecting her understanding, as well?  It must be.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l was only weak for one moment in her entire existence, which allowed the Searing Concord to kill her, and that didn¡¯t horrify her ¡­ it fascinated her.

    The reactive nature of the Seraph to Elinor¡¯s responses was opening what appeared to be a curiosity in Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s mind.  All she could do was continue to struggle to achieve her goals and see if that would be enough to draw in the angel.

    So, Elinor went about her business, pondering what was ahead while showing Sari¡¯a¨¦l how she viewed the world.

    The Nalvean¡¯s unique cross between Egyptian and Chinese architecture gave the whole capital a rather fantasy element that Elinor enjoyed.  Her gaze swept between the seemingly endless ruby-colored lakes with several dozen ships still visible on the waters.

    A warm breeze flowed up from the south, pulling Elinor¡¯s tied-back hair to the left; she¡¯d returned to the tiara-like shape that allowed her white locks to be braided.  The citizens weren¡¯t visible from so high up in the air, but the districts were becoming more noticeable with her study.

    The Ri¡¯bot district across the river to Elinor¡¯s left, north of the palace, was far smaller with its single to double-leveled structures and population.  The toads made for an excellent 2nd-hand citizen, almost a serf population for the Nalveans, and they enjoyed the benefits of living in a civilized, developed country.

    It was an interesting dichotomy.  The Nalveans lived in luxury with their silks, gathering, trade companies, and other merchanting endeavors, while the majority of their workforce came from the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s hard labor.  The toads did enjoy their own days off and free time, but how they lived was entirely different.

    Still, the fact of the matter was that the Nalveans didn¡¯t see the Ri¡¯bot as equals; there were benefits for them living within the established nation, yet the causal nature of the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s execution was handled during the Royal Council discussion made it clear how the Nalveans viewed the toads.

    Crimes had been committed in the past between Ri¡¯bot, and they dealt with it, but apparently, this was the first time the Nalveans ever took a judgment matter up themselves since this was the first time a crime was committed against a Nalvean ¡­ or perceived as Nalvean nobility with Yesenia¡¯s connections in the Royal Court.

    The news would help bring even more Ri¡¯bot in the surrounding countryside to her banner, which Klaus had planned for and already had word spreading among the inner circles of the Clavex.  They would then talk about it with Clanless or nearby Clans, and it would continue.  One spark was all it would take for some to start an uprising and others to defect to her Empire.  The seeds were being sown.

    Four hours passed while staring down at the city and going over the plans ahead with Edmon and Klaus.  Aileen gradually lost interest in the view and continued with her academic studies with Emelina inside, reading the Nalvean adventure series, further increasing her vocabulary and comprehension proficiency.  It felt rewarding to Elinor, having a child to educate close by, and she was even somewhat a part of it as she so wanted.  It helped to feel the bubbling emotions inside the young girl as she learned.

    Camellia and her two companions had checked out the first three names on Klaus¡¯s list, but they¡¯d lacked the visible accomplishments within their living space and person to equal the magical technology attached to the princess¡¯s spine.

    The last two candidates were very far apart, and the nearest across a slightly hilly grassland; it often had armies patrolling its length for drills and personnel shifts between forts.  It was the next option, but to get results soon, they¡¯d need to travel during the day, which was fine for Imiunarus, and even Camellia could get away with it to a certain extent with her natural Th¨¦lm¨¦thra stealth abilities.  Lecra¡¯Moro, on the other hand, would have trouble during the light hours.

    The Quen¡¯Talrat Assassin¡¯s abilities and gem-technology clothes were designed for the night; spotting a black mass the size of a giraffe running across the grasslands was bound to draw attention.

    Imiunarus, her Nalvean Assassin connected to the Shadow Hand, said he would handle it, though, so Klaus put it in his hands.  With the group¡¯s speed and tireless nature as Undead, they should reach the location near the following dusk and return the next day to report their findings.  Hopefully, they¡¯d have the figure in hand.

    Once the updates and strategizing were over, Elinor decided to test out the Nalvean baths.  She wasn¡¯t exactly sure if her Artificial Body actually could replicate sweat since she didn¡¯t have blood, but there was saliva in her mouth.  It was enough evidence to make her self-conscious the moment it crossed her mind.  The thought of asking Edmon or any of her others she returned to unlife didn¡¯t even flicker across her brain; a bath would solve it.

    Emelina was thrilled by the prospect; she¡¯d been using the bathwater from the tap with the cups and mixing her poison in it to provide a more straightforward method of administering a sleeping tonic to the princess.

    Aileen followed Castella to prepare the tub; Violet would fashion a new outfit for her Empress while she was in the water.

    When it was finished, Elinor noticed a strange herbal spice hung in the air when entering; apparently, several scented liquids were commonplace, but only the rarest and most expensive would be placed here.  Edmon took up guard outside while Violet entered to begin her work, sealing the entrance with her web.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s curiosity broke free upon watching her disrobe with Aileen¡¯s help; she floated above the red pool of steaming water.  ¡°You use liquid to cleanse?  This world¡¯s creatures are quite ¡­ unique.¡±

    A light chuckle escaped Elinor¡¯s throat while she turned to view her naked body in the mirror; Aileen was unraveling her braid.  ¡°Liquids have always been used to clean where I am from.  What is it the Children of the Sun use?¡±

    ¡°The purifying flames of the morning sun, of course,¡± she mused as if Elinor knew what that suggested, but given that her ability was translating correctly, the angel must have literally meant she cleaned herself by dipping into a sun.

    ¡°Huh ¡­ I cannot imagine your clothes surviving that,¡± she commented, shifting her gaze to stare at the angel¡¯s curved figure.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  The Seraph shifted her radiant eyes to her breast.  ¡°Our attire is fashioned from Sunsilk and Radiant Gold ¡­ of course, it would handle bathing in the morning sun.  If it did not, then it would incinerate upon the slightest release of our light.¡±

    Elinor had the image of a literal sun the size of a pool descending from the skies, somehow not destroying everything around it as Sari¡¯a¨¦l simply flew through it.  ¡°... I suppose it would be a swift bath.¡±

    ¡°It depends on what my aim was,¡± the angel replied, watching her wade into the stream.  ¡°... How peculiar.  What does it feel like?¡±

    A small, teasing smile brightened Elinor¡¯s lips as she released a low puff of air; she didn¡¯t feel pain, but that didn¡¯t mean her weak Artificial Body couldn¡¯t feel pleasure, which could actually be a weakness, she realized.  ¡°You could test it out yourself if you wish to join my side.¡±

    ¡°What a baiting answer,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l whispered, yet there was the hint of a giggle underneath the serene tone.

    The angel lowered herself into the pond, watching the flaming butterflies act as if the water weren¡¯t even present.  She hovered back through the unresponsive liquid as if she sat opposite Elinor, likely experiencing a part of it through the link they shared.

    You really are smart and curious.  What do you think?  Elinor asked through the Nexus.

    ¡°... Mmh ¡­ much diminished by simply observing your reactions and internal response, yet still ¡­ unique.  This is considered a pleasure?¡±

    It can be.  Did your people have pleasures?

    ¡°... Not in the same manner as you seem to imply.  We don¡¯t find enjoyment by the metrics you appear to experience.  I would not do this often ¡­ although, if I were to regain a physical form, then I suppose I would not have the morning sun to bathe in, which might force this activity onto my daily routine.¡±

    A new lifestyle.

    ¡°... It would be,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l replied.  ¡°What would you do about the liquid that sticks to your skin and hair?  Oddly, you remove your clothing but not your crown.¡±

    That is the aspect of cleaning yourself, and if I removed my crown, I would not be able to communicate with you.  Many of my abilities would cease to function.  Elinor explained, rising to stand on one of the raised areas after ducking under the water to wet her hair.

    Rising up, Elinor turned to smile at Aileen; the girl had undressed and was in the process of hopping over to her to help wash her body; the depth was quite a bit deeper since it was built for seven to eight-foot-tall salamander people with long tails.  If the 12-year-old girl went to the middle, she¡¯d vanish from sight; of course, so would she, which made Elinor chuckle.

    It was a new experience having someone fuss over her in the bath, but something she had to get used to.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s gaze watched the process intently, occasionally shifting her attention to Violet¡¯s progress, fashioning a new set of garments for both Aileen and Elinor.  After a short time, she hovered up a little, circling around the pair to study what she termed a strange ritual of passing a sponge across her skin.

    Elinor realized a bit later that it would be much easier to dismiss her Artificial Body and reform it ¡­ in fact, she¡¯d already done that recently when it died of poison.  The incident hadn¡¯t even connected to her thoughts of cleanliness.  Although bathing was a pleasurable experience as much as eating, and it added something for her maids to aid her with.  It also caught the Seraph¡¯s attention.

    She dispersed her tiara for a limited time, causing Herald of the Empress to reduce in range, trapping the angel to a much shorter distance, deactivating Minion Mastery and Prose of the Potentate across her entire Nexus until it was returned with her crown.

    The eager girl¡¯s soft fingers were gentle against her scalp as she applied the strange liquids Castella had recommended and washed her long white locks.

    Elinor scooted to the edge of the smooth metallic spa, Aileen using the water-absorbent silk towel Violet had casually fashioned the moment Elinor decided to take a bath to dry her hair, and once it had been brushed out, she reformed the tiara.

    She felt a little bad with how fractured her servants must have been across her Nexus, unable to communicate for a limited time.

    Aileen spoke German, Elinor herself couldn¡¯t understand any of her own creatures, and the noises they made were both terrifying and bizarre.  Edmon, Emelina, and Klaus were the only people she could understand, and Emelina¡¯s accent was difficult since her Spanish had a Mexican Chilango ring to it.  The fast pace of the Head Maid¡¯s phrases and emphasis on vowels, mixed with the echo-like Finish tone, was head-spinning.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    She was glad when Aileen brushed out her hair enough to allow her crown to return.  Although, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s words were like a harmony of emotion filling Elinor¡¯s breast and making everything else fade away whenever she spoke.  She didn¡¯t know what she would do if she didn¡¯t have Prose of the Potentate II, and it was leveling at an accelerated pace after increasing its level to 5 and allowing its Grade to be increased to Versed, Rank 7.  The exercise had reminded her how needed Monarch of Death III was.

    The fact Prose of the Potentate was increasing in Grades faster than Monarch of Death was an interesting identification since it was used across her entire Nexus.  Even if her crown was out all the time, it only registered as her use while everyone had access to the other.

    Time swiftly passed, Violet crafting her a new, more regal green and black-designed outfit than her previous one.  The frills, lace, buttons, and how it curved around her upper frame while puffing out around her legs was new to her collection.  The boots matched the diamond patterns.

    Aileen¡¯s outfit had somehow turned out more cute yet trimmed down from her first dress to give the girl an easier time with her dashing movements.  She was still a child at heart and had the energy of one in spades.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l eyed the fashion with a serene poker face, but Elinor got the feeling she was judging it harshly by how long her gaze lingered on specific areas.  Of course, she had no idea what type of fashion the Children of the Sun favored, but she had mentioned a dress on her reverse-bucket list.

    Exiting the room, she spent a few more hours browsing the private library Nukulara had gathered for his Golariex Grand Duchess before heading out to meet Yesenia at Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s statue, knowing the morning greeting would likely take place at the location.

    The Royal Guards outside the room bowed as she left, Aileen staying to act as the doorkeeper and allow the Head Maid to give her full attention to the princess; a single hint of a scream or accusation could be the downfall of their entire plan, and Tal¡¯tamine now knew she was on the hunt for whoever was mind-controlling her.  Surely, she had instructions if that were the case, including suicide.

    Castella guided their path to the elevators to exit the Royal Dignitary¡¯s area of the palace.

    Once reaching the ground level, her presence drew whispers and eyes; she ignored every gaze unless someone tried to talk to her.  Of course, no one did.

    There were several mentions of Castella¡¯s beauty; a few passing elderly Nalveans having seen her in her youth, commenting on the drastic change.  Of course, Castella¡¯s insides flared with pride at the mutters.  The silk Tal¡¯tamine had forced her to wear when she¡¯d guided her to the Royal Dignitary¡¯s chambers was also of the highest quality and draped in a manner that marked her as a Royal Guard of a ruler.

    The blues and reds wrapped a certain number of times around her chest, legs, and arms in a particular pattern were a fascinating thing to make a note of.  Elinor couldn¡¯t even guess at all the details, but the princess seemed to know her stuff because her presence was noticed in an instant, with Castella leading the charge.

    Edmon¡¯s intimidating presence followed, eyes locking on his dark black suit of armor.

    It was impressive that so many Nalveans were out and about in the palace; it was 7 A.M., but considering the A.M. went up to 15 hours, it was still relatively early, and the sun was barely rising across the city.

    She told Castella to point out any of the dignitaries that had been present during the meeting or anyone of significant importance, but no one along the halls appeared to meet that standard.  Considering they were preparing for the 10 A.M. meeting to discuss her, it wasn¡¯t surprising.  They were likely still asleep or reviewing notes.

    Since the bath, Sari¡¯a¨¦l had returned to her silent observance, yet Elinor took notice of every area the Seraph floated, hands held behind her back in a graceful posture.  Nalvean culture intrigued her in some unknowable way; between the text of their dreams written on the walls, architecture, fashion, and conversation, the early morning palace attendants and guards either looked at the circling green butterflies curiously or fearfully.

    Arriving at the Art Museum, Elinor climbed the circular ramp.  Is she there, Edmon?

    ¡°No.¡±

    We¡¯re first then.  Elinor smiled.

    Her smirk vanished once reaching the 4th floor.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s art piece was gone ¡­ only the pool of mist was left.  That cunning snake¡­  Elinor growled.  How did she move it so swiftly?  Surely it would have been noticed and would have needed specific stamps of approval.

    The angel¡¯s head shifted to the side with an amused smile while staring at where her body had once resided, silver locks bunching against her shoulder.  ¡°Fascinating, my physical form can change locations while you hold my spirit closeby.  What would happen if you released me to return?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s emotions had moved beyond irritation and into the realm of mild anger.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l was the most critical priority, and Yesenia had made a move she hadn¡¯t expected.

    I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t wish to find out if I can help it.

    Edmon was already communicating with Klaus and Castella to discover where it might have been relocated to; the Ambassador¡¯s response made Elinor¡¯s gut and jaw tighten.

    ¡°... Statue?  Edmon, are you saying Sari¡¯a¨¦l was located in an angel statue within the museum?¡±

    ¡°That is correct.  You were aware of it?¡±

    Klaus was silent, connecting a few dots while speaking to one of the Shadow Hand information distributors he had been staying with to quickly access specific intel.

    Castella had no clue there were plans for it to be moved, but she was a lieutenant in charge of the northern branch of the palace, not the southern.

    The Ambassador had a bitter tone when he reported.  ¡°The statue has been scheduled to return to Statesman Baltoma¡¯s palace in the southwestern part of the nation ¡­ he put in the request a week ago, and it was approved by the High Ruler, seeing as it was his grandfather that brought it back from your fortress after Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s death and amid the Fire Wars.

    ¡°Yesenia was holding the transfer back with the influence of the High Seaweaver; the Statesman and he seem to have a friendship of some kind.  I suspect Yesenia told him to send it with the threat of you resurrecting Sari¡¯a¨¦l.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind blanked on the name.  Who is this Statesman, Edmon??

    He didn¡¯t sound happy.  ¡°Baltoma is the one I suspect poisoned you.  He was also the outspoken coward at the meeting with the second most influence among the Statesmen, which means we need to play nice with him for the time being ¡­ at least until we rally others around our own banner.¡±

    She wanted to curse but restrained herself, taking a deep breath to calm the rage building in her breast.

    Finding her wrist behind her back, Elinor composed her mind, compressing the flames to turn them to ice in her veins.  A sound tactical mind was what she needed.  She retreated into her own thoughts while Edmon and Klaus pondered solutions to bring to her.

    Well played, Yesenia.  It was a decent card in our blind spot since I didn¡¯t provide Klaus with the needed information to foresee it.  Well played ¡­ but no, a week ago ¡­ Demon was behind this from the start.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l must be a spirit he desperately doesn¡¯t want me to have, which means I must get her on my side.  What other traps has he laid for me to fall into?

    Her mind blanked.  She simply didn¡¯t have nearly enough intel to make those kinds of predictions.  They had discovered a few of Demon¡¯s poisonous barbs he¡¯d laid for her.  The princess was the largest.  Although, Baltoma himself was fair game.  Poison ¡­ that was utterly worthless against her, and Demon knew it, which meant it couldn¡¯t have been his plot.  If it was Baltoma, he was working alone.  It might be just the leverage she could use against him.

    Edmon and Klaus were already ahead of her; when she joined their conversation, they were already discussing the matter.

    ¡°... Poison is a staple of Baltoma, according to my contacts, and normally he would quickly find the most likely candidates he might select, but given my current influence and our time constraints, he couldn¡¯t discover exactly who it was, just the possible culprits.¡±

    A dark chuckle passed through Edmon¡¯s throat.  ¡°That is fine.  Quick answers will suffice.  How dedicated are these contractors to their clients?¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡­ good point,¡± Klaus hummed thoughtfully.  ¡°The rate would have been high given the target, which would hint at the stealth unit of the Shadow Hand, and of those that I¡¯m aware were near the palace around that time ¡­ four come to mind from what data I¡¯ve been given.  Although, poison is a specialty for two, narrowing down the possible targets.¡±

    ¡°The price?¡±  Edmon asked.

    ¡°... Hmm, if it was Baltoma, then far beyond our current funds.  However, information is worth more.  There are rumors about one of those assassin¡¯s next targets traveling through the informants ¡­ a rare leak within the Shadow Hand.  Giving him the name of a snitch within the organization is worth a lot more than various connecting dots he can provide to give us leverage against Baltoma.¡±

    ¡°Give me the details and Castella his location to guide us,¡± Edmon stated.  ¡°We need to influence him before the 10 A.M. meeting.¡±

    They swiftly fell into step behind Castella as Klaus identified the assassin as a ranking member working within the Royal Guard, typically on duty by the front gate at this time.

    She glanced back at their escort Lieutenant Nuvamir sent with them when she¡¯d left her room.  The two had been more than a little confused about their rapid changes of direction, but their focus had remained on the fluttering green flaming butterflies after hearing what it signified from the night¡¯s watch.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t help a slight grimace as she saw Yesenia making her way toward the ramp with the High Seaweaver by her side and an escort of eight Military Seaweavers.  The small smirk on the snake-woman¡¯s face as she zig-zagged toward her was agitating.

    ¡°Empress Elinor, didn¡¯t we have a business matter to discuss?¡±

    The cold heat in Elinor¡¯s gaze bore into the woman¡¯s reptilian eyes while stopping in front of her.  ¡°I was anticipating it ¡­ now, I must attend to another matter.  If you remain here, perhaps I will return shortly.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s shifted directions with her group as she finished her statement, dismissing the party without a backward glance.   Sari¡¯a¨¦l had already said she was uncomfortable with her hatred, but it was difficult not to feel the emotion with how things were working against her.  Still, the angel¡¯s overwatching presence helped to temper the fire in her heart.

    She came to gloat¡­

    ¡°Naturally,¡± Edmon growled.  ¡°Will she use this to try and get her family returned to her?  No, it can¡¯t be ¡­ Demon doesn¡¯t want Sari¡¯a¨¦l returned to life.  He¡¯s likely scared of her.¡±

    A light giggle came from the Seraph at Edmon¡¯s statement; she didn¡¯t expand on how she took his deduction, though.  Of course, Elinor could imagine why the action was taken ¡­ in Edmon¡¯s comment was the implication something was not terrified of her.  It should have gone without saying ¡­ or was it that it wasn¡¯t terror but awe of her ¡­ Elinor couldn¡¯t be sure with the angel¡¯s bizarre attitude.

    We can¡¯t be sure.  Elinor sighed, releasing tension.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l might not even join us in the end, but I have to do everything in my power to secure her body in the chance she does find it within her to side with me.  Even if she doesn¡¯t ¡­ I can honor her radiance within our city¡­

    Elinor trailed off ¡­ the angel¡¯s influence had actually made her identify her capital as the property of her Empire, which included her Undead, and she¡¯d even thought about Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s heavenly presence helping the creatures within her walls.  The Seraph might have even been passively interacting or influencing the Religious System within her.

    Filing the information away, Elinor passed through the Nalvean palace halls at a brisk pace, with Castella leading the charge.  When they found the guard in question, he was a little surprised about Edmon¡¯s request to speak to the Front Gate¡¯s Shift Leader in private.

    Once Elinor was with him, alone in a room to make it more comfortable for the Nalvean ¡­ well, Violet stood beside her with Edmon outside the door, with both him and Klaus in her head, giving her advice.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l watched from the ceiling, hovering horizontally along the wood overlaid stone.

    Mocreln, The Shift Leader before her, took a deep, confused bow, refusing to lift his head; she noted his red and yellow-tinted scales, which had a uniform wave design.  ¡°Empress Elinor,¡± he said, giving a few gestures with his hand, ¡°I have heard of your arrival into the Nalvean Kingdom and audience with the High Ruler, but I did not expect to be sought out by your grace ¡­ a Ruler.¡±

    Elinor kept her hands held behind her back, giving the creature a neutral gaze; Violet¡¯s monstrous spider form loomed behind him, ready to rip him apart.  ¡°I will cut past the foreplay, Mocreln.  I know you are a ranking assassin within the Shadow Hand that deals with poison ¡­ and my soup just so happened to be poisoned ¡­ you passed through the kitchens around the same time my food was being brought up to me.  Isn¡¯t that quite the coincidence?¡±

    The Nalvean was motionless, kneeling before her for a few more seconds.  A low sigh passed through his lips, shoulders sagging slightly, still refusing to lift his head.  ¡°I ¡­ you have quite the network, Empress.  Since you have not gone to the High Ruler or Head Royal Captain ¡­ might I assume you have some ¡­ alternative reason to be meeting with me, or am I to become like Lieutenant Castella?¡±

    A small smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips; at least, this was going in her favor.  He had been the main contractor to poison her.  ¡°... You misunderstand, Mocreln.  I actually somewhat enjoyed the flavor ¡­ adding the poison to the spicy dish to mask the taste was an enjoyable addition.  It provided a kick I wasn¡¯t expecting.¡±

    His eyes widened, head lifting with disbelief in his reptilian eyes.  ¡°You ¡­ ate it?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so surprised,¡± Elinor giggled.  ¡°I am the ruler of the dead; you cannot expect poison to kill me.  I did eat it ¡­ and I actually appreciate your clear honesty once caught.  Would you give me the name of your employer if I asked?¡±

    He seemed to give her a reluctant smile, but she couldn¡¯t be sure given her relatively recent exposure to the Nalvean facial expressions.  Still, Tal¡¯tamine was excellent at teaching her odd Nalvean facial positions.  ¡°I am rather loyal to my craft, Empress Elinor ¡­ even if I do find the stories and rumors about you quite intimidating,¡± he swallowed, tongue flicking through his sharp teeth, ¡°even more terrifying in person, knowing what you did to Lieutenant Castella.¡±

    Violet shifted to her human form; silk swiftly closed around the Nalvean¡¯s limbs and throat, pulling him taut.  Suspended in the air, his throat constricted, and searching for air, more thread wrapped around his jaw, forcing it to remain closed.  His body started to tremble with the strain of being pulled apart from the sockets.

    Elinor casually walked to the nearby table, pouring herself a drink of red water with a secretive smile.  ¡°Is that so?  How forgiving do you honestly believe I am ¡­ and if I have this information, how do you suppose I obtained it?¡±

    His chest started to convulse with terror as silk slowly entered his left nostril, leaving the right open.

    ¡°I could make you suffer for eternity ¡­ think about that for a moment.  Not days, not months ¡­ tens of thousands of years.  Do you believe you won¡¯t break?  Hmm?  I¡¯ll allow you to make your decision ¡­ one more time,¡± she whispered.  ¡°Tell me who you worked for.¡±

    His eyes squeezed shut, tears starting to stream down his scaled cheeks as Violet eased off the tension around his neck.  The Nalvean¡¯s armor was shimmering with a red tint, seemingly empowering his strength, but it was worthless against the Mythic Grade Th¨¦lm¨¦thra that bordered on Transcendent.

    Mocreln shakily shook his head.

    ¡°Huh,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°Just as I¡¯ve heard ¡­ excellent,¡± Elinor praised, telling Violet to let him go.

    ¡°...¡±  He gasped for air as the silk unwound around his frame, and he trembled on the floor, armor returning to its natural hue.

    The Nalvean slowly stumbled to his feet, using the table as support; Violet followed his every action as he stared at Elinor with wide, bloodshot eyes.  One¡¯s mind operated on a different level when actually in a life and death situation, and with him suspended in the air, helplessly waiting like a fly in the spider¡¯s web for her jaws to sink into him ¡­ he didn¡¯t break.

    ¡°You seem confused, Mocreln?¡±  She asked before taking a short sip of the red liquid and setting the gray wooden cup back on the table.

    ¡°I ¡­ I am, Empress,¡± he gasped, voice raspy and challenging to understand.  ¡°... My ¡­ my refusal is ¡­ excellent?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± she replied, gesturing for him to help himself to his own cup and take a seat.  He slowly complied, gagging a few times while rubbing his throat as Elinor spoke.

    ¡°You see, Mocreln, your refusal was exactly what I was told to expect from such an esteemed professional, which was why you were chosen for the task.  I applauded such dedication to one¡¯s craft, and I might have use for you in the future ¡­ professional loyalty like yours is hard to come by,¡± she commented, glancing at the cup of water.

    Picking the wood up again, she had Violet slowly cut tiny layer after layer off the top, sending perfect wood shavings to the floor.  Every piece caught the guard¡¯s slick eyes.  ¡°I happen to already have a very decent guess as to who hired you.  All I need is a few linking middle-men ¡­ and I didn¡¯t come empty-handed.¡±

    Once the water drew close to the edge, she set the cup back on the table, Violet continuing to cut the cup closer and closer to the base as Elinor walked away, turning her back to the Nalvean.  ¡°I¡¯ve heard some rumors about your next target ¡­ seems a few of your recent marks have been tipped off, making them aware an assassination attempt was coming.  I have it on good authority; your next target will be prepared.¡±

    His jaw tightened, regaining his steel, but his hand holding the cup was still trembling while watching the cup continue losing its height.  ¡°... It has been ¡­ vexing,¡± he grunted.  ¡°The leak covers their tracks well.¡±

    ¡°What if I gave this ¡­ vexation a name?¡±  Elinor asked, turning back around to give him a soft smile.  ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t dare expect such a professional as yourself to give me the identity of your employer ¡­ I don¡¯t require it.  I just need middle-men ¡­ the contacts they used to get in touch with you.¡±

    ¡°Will ¡­ they live?¡±  Mocreln tentatively asked.

    Elinor giggled.  ¡°Ah ¡­ well, a hand is a decent message ¡­ but a head is a promise,¡± she stated; Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s current expression told her that she was finding the exchange utterly foreign.

    The assassin took another drink and smiled, voice still a bit raspy.  ¡°Normally ¡­ I¡¯d never even think of giving this away, but ¡­ for information on the Nalvean ruining my reputation ¡­ it¡¯s a fair price.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Elinor mused, picking up one of the small shavings and twirling it around her fingers as the water slowly spilled across the table with every new cut Violet made in the cup¡¯s diminishing rim.  ¡°The mole in the Shadow Hand is actually an enemy of us both ¡­ it is the 2nd District¡¯s High Handler, Rupilima.¡±

    ¡°The Ri¡¯bot licking fool¡­¡±  Mocreln growled, crushing the wooden cup in his grip.  ¡°He¡¯ll tell me with his own mouth when I¡¯m done with him.¡±  After a long breath to stabilize his hatred, he gave her a smile.  ¡°Kimlira, Fourth Assistant Treasurer of the Grand Treasurer, was who I reported the deed¡¯s completion.¡±  He lifted from his seat with a deep bow.  ¡°Do not be a stranger, Empress Elinor ¡­ I am always available for a task.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it,¡± Elinor replied, moving to the door.  Edmon opened it as she neared, and Elinor exited, leaving the assassin to do what he did best.

    Castella ¡­ take me to Kimlira.  A dark smirk lifted her lips as Sari¡¯a¨¦l hovered after her.  We have our example.

    A low hum reverberated in her throat.  Demon, you¡¯re a sloth at getting things done ¡­ will my network prevail at deconstructing all the careful planning you¡¯ve done, or will you have more traps waiting to snare my advance¡ªgame start.

 B2 â€” 27. It Takes A Pawn To Corner A Rook

    Elinor left the first gatehouse barracks, passing through the wood overlaid stone walls while eyeing the artwork furnishing it.  Even places like this were crafted exquisitely, showing how prosperous the Nalvean Empire had become.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was hovering beside her, lips curved ponderously.  The exchange she had with Mocreln was something perplexing to the Seraph.  Elinor had no doubt the angel never bargained or compromised in her life.  The Children of the Sun were so far above any other creature that even interacting with other races must have been foreign to her, which was why this was turning out to be so bizarre yet attractive for her.

    The curiosity awakening in Sari¡¯a¨¦l was the only way Elinor would get the angel on her side, and so, she had to continue revealing more cultural shocks to rope her in.  Kimlira would be the next event to add to the Seraph¡¯s mind.

    Elinor connected with her escort through her Nexus, linking Castella, Violet, Klaus, and Edmon to keep everyone on the same page and get the ball rolling.  I¡¯ve already promised to kill Kimlira, but how to do it without suspicion while sending a message to the Statesman?

    Edmon¡¯s smooth, deep voice spoke with confidence.  ¡°She¡¯s a broker, handling the middle-ground work between parties.  Her position in the treasury grants her a certain level of access to records within the Empire, allowing her the ability to fudge the numbers.  Clients go to her to shift funds around and pay parties; Statesman Baltoma is not her only client.¡±

    The Doom Guard¡¯s head shifted left and right, eyeing the architecture of the barracks they were moving through; its hallways were large enough to allow Nalveans to slide by without getting too close to their party and artistic retractable barricades could be swung out to provide choke points if needed.

    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be that hard to pressure her to follow us to the Statesman¡¯s room.  A simple request for her presence to see him for a financial matter should suffice.  Do you know her, Castella?¡±

    ¡°Kimlira?¡±  The former Nalvean Lieutenant asked.  ¡°No, not particularly well; although, I did deal with various associates within the Treasury Department for my unit¡¯s weekly payments or guard duty for specific personnel.  I know where she would likely be.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.  Lead the way.¡±

    Klaus was about to comment on something, but Castella spoke in the silence before he could talk.  The brightly colored salamander woman¡¯s nose creased with agitation while guiding their party outside of the guard room and into the brightening pathway, rising to the second gate; the palace had three gatehouses, and they¡¯d walked all the way down to the last, separating the palace grounds from the town.

    Judging by her tone, Castella was very agitated.  ¡°I just cannot believe how much corruption is within the palace ¡­ the High Ruler, the Shadow Hand, assassinations, ordered by a Statesman, and Princess Tal¡¯tamine ¡­ I cannot forgive someone who would do such a thing to an innocent child!¡±

    Elinor thought she had Castella¡¯s personality pinned when she¡¯d first raised her, but the constant evolution to her character made her realize that there was more to the creatures she raised back to life than she thought.

    Castella¡¯s personality was rapidly changing the more she was immersed into the Nalvean Empire¡¯s underbelly.  She¡¯d been an honest and hardworking Nalvean soldier, believing in her leaders and doing what she was told with pride in her breast.

    Now, she found more and more pieces that clashed with her noble mental image of the homeland she loved.

    What they¡¯d learned about the princess¡¯s condition was more significant to the Nalvean than Elinor initially considered; although that might have only been amplified after learning of the High Ruler¡¯s affair ¡­ Castella felt personally attacked by the national hero.  It was as if Nukulara had rejected half of their entire people, and Elinor could understand it ¡­ in a way.

    Kukulara, their supreme monarch, in selecting the Golariex Grand Duchess as a mating partner, in addition to keeping it secret and even going so far as to construct a hidden chamber for the affair, had proven to Castella that the High Ruler knew what he was doing was unacceptable.

    It was wrong ¡­ without the shadow of a doubt, Castella believed that mating with a Golariex was an unpardonable sin, and he knew it, too.  It didn¡¯t occur to the female warrior that he didn¡¯t think it was wrong in the first place ¡­ she couldn¡¯t ever accept he¡¯d be so blind.  Actions speak louder than words, and his actions said there was no beauty or grace found among any female Nalveans.

    If Castella did come to the same conclusion Elinor had, then her body would be quivering with rage at this moment ¡­ the High Ruler thought such a cultural restriction was old-fashioned and should be done away with.

    At the same time, Elinor could understand both sides.  The High Ruler could have any female Nalvean he wished to fulfill his needs, yet he chose not to ¡­ meaning, it could be implied that not a single Nalvean female could satisfy him.

    He had five children in his over a century of being on this planet that had an 18-month year cycle, compared to earth, given the extra 6 hours in a day, and only to propagate the Royal Line, which stopped the moment he had Tal¡¯tamine, the heir with the proper gene.

    After that, he had no use for the female Nalveans since they didn¡¯t fulfill his needs, or at least this would be what the Nalveans women saw, and so he chose to search for it outside of the race, which was insulting, to say the least, from a female perspective.  They were only worth getting the right child.

    The Golariex appeared to have had such an impact on the Nalveans in the past that it had turned their female population¡¯s entire self-worth and view of beauty on its head.  There had to have been a conflict with this intermingling, birthing this sexual war with the Golariex, and for all Elinor knew, it very well could have been a real issue for them.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to Castella, walking with a disdainful, brooding expression while doing her best not to think about the dark wood-like creatures.  Her long, girthy tail flicked left and right in agitation, clawed fingers balled into fists.

    Edmon and Klaus were busy discussing where they could go with the current options before them, leaving Elinor time to ponder future conflicts that might arise if High Ruler Nukulara¡¯s vision came to pass.

    The cobblestone streets of unknown gleaming white stones were easy to walk along even while climbing the slightly raised road.  She caught the guards on the second gate up ahead; a small crowd of people was gathered around its front, but she paid it no mind.

    Nukulara wanted her to build a safe pathway from the Golariex Holy Empire to the Nalvean Empire.  If that happened, then how many Golariex might make the trip?  How many large trading companies would take more visits to the Holy Empire through her lands?

    How much strain might it cause between the cultures as the men and women split sides ¡­ men could want the freedom to be with the Golariex, which would likely lower the Nalvean population while increasing the Golariex population.  An entire population of spurned women, feeling as if they¡¯d been replaced, was not a healthy environment.

    The Golariex were similar to fantasy succubi with their tactics at propagating, and Elinor doubted it, but there was the possibility the intercourse between the High Ruler and Grand Duchess was actually non-consensual.  Still, the number of times they¡¯d met over the past century made her very critical of that possible outcome.

    She could empathize with the High Ruler, too ¡­ perhaps no Nalvean female could give him what he needed, or he actually loved Juliquah.  Who was she to say his feelings weren¡¯t real?

    Then again, it could open the door to disaster for the Nalvean females, or race as a whole, forced to share their males with another race and likely becoming 2nd-class lovers.  Given what Elinor had been told by Violet, the succubi wood creatures were very attractive to most males, yet had no effect on the females of any species, a byproduct of the exotic pheromones they could customize to their male prey, which would make the Nalvean women unable to compete with the Golariex¡¯s advanced sexual abilities.

    On the other hand, the Golariex had no males, an entirely female population, which meant they¡¯d die out without stealing the male seed from other races.  They were facing extinction if they didn¡¯t fight for their own species.

    It certainly was a complicated situation that Elinor was happy to exploit ¡­ but not put her opinion on.  The culture would sort itself out, which could eventually end with the females rising up in arms against the Golariex for a domination war over who would get the males ¡­ she imagined it would be a bloody one.

    It was ironic, really, but also concerning.  They fought for the right of sexual satisfaction and propagation of the species, which could bring about a war, and a war brought corpses, soldiers to be raised.  Elinor couldn¡¯t possibly see it naturally turning out well, viewing it as a 3rd party, and with Castella¡¯s reaction, it all but cemented the eventual outcome in her mind.

    The issue was Castella and any other female Undead she raised, especially since she would need to raise a Golariex to properly communicate without problems; the race had garnered heat from all other females among the allied nations because of their sexual advances during the Fire Wars.

    She hadn¡¯t expected it, but there could be somewhat of a difference in opinion within her own ranks once she went to obtain an alliance with the all-female species; she could imagine the things they¡¯d want from her Empire.  That was troubling; of course, she could quell it with a word, but that would be forcing their real feelings down by the status of her rank, and she wanted her people to be happy ¡­ she wasn¡¯t even positive if her Undead could conceive, different species could create offspring in various ways.

    ¡°I am ¡­ perplexed.¡±  Elinor turned her attention to Sari¡¯a¨¦l as she hovered nearby, shifting to float in front of her.

    She took note of everyone before responding to the angel.  Castella had entered the conversation with Edmon and Klaus, going over the areas the treasurer might be if not in the Royal Library of Records.  Violet noticed something up ahead, which caused a shift in her emotions, but continued to monitor the situation.

    About?  Elinor asked.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated to Castella¡¯s level, lips pulled in while studying the lizard woman.  ¡°You begin the conversation with how to isolate this Nalvean currency handler with a State ruler, the same ruler that holds my body, and then your mind pivots to Nalvean and Golariex culture the moment Castella speaks about her dissatisfaction.  It is consuming your mind when an immediate action cannot be taken.¡±

    Ah.  Elinor took a short breath, noticing the green grass, flowers, and neatly trimmed trees between the two gates along the path they were walking; groups of Nalveans were apparently being barred from entering.

    As the Empress, I set the direction I wish to go, but my mind will still wander between topics that might be important to discuss or plan for in the future.  I can only focus on so much at a time, which is why I leave many of the fine details to be ironed out after I set a direction.

    ¡°... I see,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l hummed, golden eyes shifting to Edmon.  ¡°I am not accustomed to such ¡­ wandering shifts in mental processes ¡­ nor how slow the discussions play out.  A problem is brought forward, the solution stated, the action is taken; it is concise and without a doubt.  Also, the aspect of seeing things through other¡¯s eyes is quite deeper than what I am accustomed to ¡­ to pity the weak is natural, yet ¡­ empathize?  Hmm ¡­ it is a new concept.¡±

    Elinor slowed a little as they neared the gate to think about the angel¡¯s statement, drawing the other¡¯s eyes, but they swiftly matched pace and kept discussing.  Violet kept track of the crowd making a wide space for them; the guards opened the gate with nervous glances to one another.  The Spider Sister¡¯s senses were sharp, much sharper than her own, so she allowed the girl to handle it.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s statement had sparked a realization ¡­ the Seraph¡¯s view of others drew a stark comparison to Tiffany¡¯s explanation to her of how she viewed the living.  Their personalities couldn¡¯t be further apart, but their views were almost identical.

    To the angel, all life forms equated to how humans recognized ants; if you noticed you stepped on them, you might feel somewhat alarming, but the emotion wasn¡¯t even in the same universe as stepping on a puppy ¡­ you felt regret, compassion, concern for the dog ¡­ an entire colony of ants only elicited pity.  The next moment, the creatures were out of your mind as if they never existed in the first place.

    Tiffany was right; Elinor couldn¡¯t recall how many insects she¡¯d killed in her life; they were utterly invisible or irrelevant most of the time ¡­ sometimes annoying, and sometimes pitied.  The Children of the Sun saw everything like that ¡­ except, there was something Elinor had failed to consider ¡­ Sari¡¯a¨¦l was not a normal Daughter of the Sun ¡­ she felt hate for the Searing Concord.  Something had opened her up to that ¡­ but what?

    The very fact Sari¡¯a¨¦l was following Elinor¡¯s emotions and thoughts was also categorized as an entirely alien world to the Seraph.  Empathy for anything that was not her people was something new.  Perhaps the angelic woman¡¯s acceptance was growing more in her favor than Elinor first thought.

    While in her mental reverie, Violet cut a sharp knife through her thoughts; they¡¯d almost made it to the third and final gate.  ¡°Murderous intent ahead, making their way toward us.¡±

    They all came to a stop, almost causing their two Imperial Guards to bump into Edmon.  Their grips tightened around their spears as the Doom Guard¡¯s shield appeared out of a sheet of ice that rapidly generated in his left hand as he prepared for the attack.

    Elinor glanced around but couldn¡¯t see any threats; in fact, she didn¡¯t see any signs of life.

    ¡°I sense it ¡­ although they¡¯re chasing someone ¡­ a thief or murderer?  Wait ¡­ Castella ¡­ where are the guards on the towers or at the gate?  They were here when we passed by earlier, and now I only sense two within the walls.¡±

    Elinor peered around Castella and Edmon; they had just entered the gate to the inner courtyard.  Not a single Nalvean was in view.

    Castella¡¯s head lifted to scan the walls and courtyard in surprise.  ¡°They should be there ¡­ it makes no sense unless there was an emergency that required immediate attention.  I haven¡¯t heard the warning horns, though.¡±

    Violet continued to calmly weave her invisible threat across the ground to act swiftly if needed.  ¡°More from behind, and they are closing the second gates.  The Nalveans ahead are yelling for a murderer to be stopped, a Seaweaver.¡±

    ¡°A murder ¡­ who?¡±  Klaus asked.  ¡°I have not heard of any notable assassination jobs scheduled for the palace today.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Castella¡¯s tongue slid through her teeth as a high whistle sounded.  ¡°A murder within the ¡­ that¡¯s the emergency gate order¡­¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t even react in time as the metal gates right above them began to slam down at an accelerated pace.  Edmon scooped her up before jumping inside the palace walls, and Castella saved one of the guards escorting them that didn¡¯t react fast enough.

    ¡°Gah ¡­ by the High Ruler¡¯s tongue!¡±  He cursed, tail whipping out of the way in time for the pointy ends to slam into the fitted grates in the stone.

    Elinor winced at the loud noise that stunned her ears, causing her to rub them.  Luckily, her internal Nexus didn¡¯t rely on sound.

    ¡°I don¡¯t like that timing,¡± Edmon growled, glaring at the left gatehouse.  ¡°Why are there so few guards here?  There were at least twenty in sight when we left the palace with many more palace staff and visitors.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Castella mumbled, ¡°if there was a murder within the palace, it would certainly cause many guards to get involved.  It¡¯s been fifteen years since the last murder inside the palace.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone matched his words.  ¡°It certainly would cause a stir ¡­ but this feels like a setup.  We have a gate at our back, the watch has been moved locations, and we are being cornered.  Be on your guard.¡±

    Elinor put her hands behind her back, breathing in deeply before letting it out in a long sigh.  She should have felt anxious, but perhaps she¡¯d become somewhat accustomed to her semi-immortality ¡­ she just wanted to get to her destination.

    Violet, Castella, and Edmon had formed a tight triangle-formation around her as Castella explained the situation to the confused Imperial Guards.  They swiftly took up a defensive position in front of them to defend her.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l watched in fascination from above, legs crossed, wings spread, and hands clasped behind her back.  These types of interactions really seemed to spark something inside of her that Elinor couldn¡¯t quite see.  It might have just been the sheer futility of weak, struggling creatures, but she suspected there was so much within the angel¡¯s breast that she was missing.

    Elinor¡¯s lips tightened to the side, catching a glimpse of the figures inside the palace entry hall ¡­ the scene raised one of Elinor¡¯s eyebrows.

    A red-scaled Nalvean was rushing down the walkway, spinal spikes glowing, and inside a swirling mass of water; he was weaving like a dolphin inside of the vortex, jumping into the air and bypassing the twelve wide steps leading to the ground.  The red liquid gently flowing down the stairs lifted to join him as he headed right for them.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Castella¡¯s tone was filled with confusion while catching sight of his silks.  ¡°A Trade Noble¡¯s personal guard from the southern territories?¡±  Unluckily, the Elite Warrior was empty-handed, having been stripped of all her gear after her death and resurrection.  So, she held up her fists in preparation for a brawl.

    Fifteen guards chased the murderer, but none of them seemed to be Seaweavers like the criminal.  Help must have been called in from the gate below because three more Nalveans were taking up positions on the opposite side of the wall to cut him off if he somehow got over the closed gate.  Elinor didn¡¯t think it was likely since it was over 20-meters</a> high.

    Huh¡­  Elinor lifted an eyebrow at the brightly colored Seaweaver, swimming in the moving red water.  He noticed them reasonably quickly and the fallen metal latticework.  Did we just come to the front at the wrong time?

    ¡°Maybe?¡±  Castella mumbled.  ¡°I just don¡¯t know why¡­¡±

    ¡°Empress!¡±  Elinor¡¯s hand tightened around her wrist as Quin got in contact with her through Klaus since the boat was too far away to reach her without ping-ponging the message.  ¡°Green flamed projectiles are being fired at our boat from the buildings across the bay!  I have deflected what I can, but there are thirty of them!¡±

    Elinor released an irritated sigh, watching the guards chase the private guard toward them, spears and halberds in hand.  Wonderful¡­

    ¡°Wait, green fire?¡±  Castella asked, somewhat upset at the news.  ¡°How could they get their hands on JadeFire?  It¡¯s heavily restricted ¡­ more corruption?  Water won¡¯t put out JadeFire, and it is incredibly challenging to smother.¡±

    ¡°Empress ¡­ I cannot put out the flames ¡­ although, it does not harm me, the boat is burning, and the Ri¡¯bot are cut off¡­¡±

    Edmon swiftly took command; it seemed he was getting sick of the constant string of events happening to them.  ¡°Quin, throw the Ri¡¯bot over the flames and into the river before following.  Remain in the river.  Castella ¡­ will it burn the gems?  They are valuable resources.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Castella replied; she was ready to jump forward to attack the incoming murderer, but a sharp chill dipped the surrounding temperature as Edmon took off the circular part of his shield and threw it at the approaching Nalvean.

    The red-scaled Nalvean¡¯s red cyclone of water instantly crystallized as a trail of ice exploded across the courtyard, expanding over eight meters in all directions and freezing it to the spot.  Everyone else locked up in pure shock from the event, but Edmon continued as if nothing had happened, his detachable shield reforming in its original place.

    ¡°Gather the crystals when they drop down after all the wood burns.  I assume the fire will continue to burn on the ocean ground, and you can handle the heat?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±  Quin responded.  ¡°The Ri¡¯bot are safely in the water, but one of the arrows almost hit him in the air; they were aiming at me, but once they realized it wasn¡¯t effective, they swapped to the Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    ¡°Good.  Keep them safe; they are important resources for the Empress¡¯s religion.¡±

    ¡°I will see to it!¡±

    ¡°Klaus¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already set things in motion to discover the identity of whichever group attacked our ship and further investigate the murder at the palace.  There is chaos at the docks with the JadeFire spreading.  Seaweavers are being called in to attempt to move the flames to a controlled location with water.¡±

    ¡°Excellent ¡­ now to deal with this¡­¡±

    Elinor was a somewhat annoyed spectator of the whole event.  They were being delayed from getting to their target.  ¡°Castella, find out what is happening, and Edmon, let¡¯s skip past this whole exchange.  We need to reach Kimlira before someone else ¡­ no¡­¡±

    Edmon fell silent as she spoke, probably coming to the same conclusion she had.

    Castella didn¡¯t hesitate to follow her orders, though, rushing around the large icy zone that Edmon had created by freezing the massive area.  She seemed to know the Imperial Guard in-charge.  ¡°Lieutenant Romiguri!  There was a murder in the palace?¡±

    Romiguri didn¡¯t appear pleased to see Castella, his light blue eyes shifting to Elinor for a moment.  ¡°Lieu¡­¡±  He caught himself, tongue sliding through his teeth as his nose flared.  ¡°Castella ¡­ yes, there were four murders, including an assistant of a Grand Treasurer.¡±

    Elinor let a slew of curses roll through her mind, but she kept her outward composure.  ¡­ Demon ¡­ it has to be ¡­ unless Statesman Baltoma is more cautious than I thought, and considering his City-State is in the southwestern part of the nation and a Trade Noble¡¯s personal guard performed the acts.  Maybe I didn¡¯t give him enough credit.

    Romiguri¡¯s eyes burned with hate that Elinor didn¡¯t catch at first until Violet pointed it out.

    ¡°Empress, this Nalvean wishes you dead but will likely not act upon those urges at this time.¡±

    A low puff of blue fog passed through Edmon¡¯s closed helmet, and he guided their group around the ice to the leader.  Their two Imperial Guard escorts were whispering to one another from behind them about how insane Edmon¡¯s attack was, instantly incapacitating the Seaweaver.  In fact, it almost sounded as if they¡¯d gained respect for the black knight.

    If anything, they¡¯d been utterly useless for most of their trip, but perhaps they could be of some use in spreading good rumors about the Empress¡¯s intimidating metal knight, stopping the palace murderer in one throw of his frosty shield.

    Castella held her hands behind her back, and she was clearly smiling at the scowling Nalvean; Violet¡¯s message had only passed between Edmon and Elinor.  ¡°Umm, isn¡¯t it your day off, though, Lieutenant?¡±

    Romiguri¡¯s eye twitched before he turned his gaze back to Castella, softening in almost a sad way.  ¡°It would have been ¡­ if someone hadn¡¯t gone off and died.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Castella mumbled, vision falling to the cobblestone with feelings of guilt flooding her breast.

    Peeking inside her personal link with Castella, Elinor discovered that Castella had been Romiguri¡¯s mentor, and he greatly respected her.  In fact, the question of Romiguri¡¯s feelings being more profound than just student and mentor had swirled in the woman¡¯s breast in the past, but shockingly, within their culture, she¡¯d been one of the few that had never mated.

    No male had ever asked her, and that had played on her psyche in her later years.  Of course, she had been in the Fire Wars during her youth and sustained scars that Elinor hadn¡¯t seen but would have been instantly noticeable as a beauty flaw to a Nalvean.  Now, she was in the prime of her beauty, and she was gorgeous, according to the mumbles they¡¯d heard.

    In any case, Elinor was the big bad guy that had taken away his mentor, and judging by rumor, forcefully returned her to life to fill a spot in her own army.  It wasn¡¯t actually that far off from the truth ¡­ although, the fact the High Ruler allowed it to slide was something he probably didn¡¯t understand.  He¡¯d undoubtedly attack her if he had the chance.

    Romiguri released a low hiss before pointing at the ice.  ¡°Is he dead?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone was neutral, but he didn¡¯t like the Nalvean¡¯s attitude.  ¡°No.  I can revert the Ice Lock whenever I see fit.  We do have a way to get answers.¡±

    ¡°... Yes, and we have our own,¡± Romiguri curtly replied.  ¡°Release him, and we will take care of the rest.¡±

    Edmon really wanted to take him to Klaus but complied to keep their standing from falling further.  Without making a gesture, the ice shattered, creating crystalized flakes to fall around them that not even the hot jungle climate could melt.

    The private guard collapsed on the cobblestone with heaving gasps as the powder settled around them, and the Imperial Guards surrounded him before binding his arms and legs with strange black dyed ropes.  Without another word now that they had their culprit, Romiguri turned his back to them and marched off with four of his men.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s head cocked to the side as Castella returned to Elinor, rubbing her arm with empathy in her heart for the man.  The angel lowered to Elinor¡¯s front, wings bending to not hit her while turning to face Elinor.

    ¡°Many wished to kill you ¡­ while others did not, awestruck by your strength.  Edmon wants something but does not take it, yet does during other circumstances when he is clearly much superior to those he faces.  The weak are ¡­ odd.  They do not do what they wish and are not united.¡±

    Indeed¡­  Elinor released an internal groan.  The life of the weak is filled with contradictions, struggles, and illogical behavior.  How would you like to experience that?  She asked, hoping to get at least something out of this exchange.

    The Seraph¡¯s pink, full lips drew in.  ¡°... I cannot say ¡­ I have never felt such things, nor had such desires, yet, hmm ¡­ There is a certain fascination I do find in observing them.  It was not against the codex to mingle among the weak, yet I do not know of any Son or Daughter of the Sun that did.  These experiences you share are ¡­ strangely appealing, I will admit.¡±

    A small smile brightened her glorious features as her glowing eyes narrowed.  ¡°Although, if you hope to raise me from the dead, you must first recover my body.¡±

    Heh¡­  The Pressure in Elinor¡¯s chest lightened considerably; she was getting through to Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  I¡¯m working on it.  You do know that there is a bond fashioned between us when you join.  I am the Empress.

    A lovely giggle slid through the angel¡¯s throat as she turned away to look up at the sun, broad wings blocking much of her view of the palace entrance where the Nalveans retreated.  ¡°I¡¯m planning on it.¡±

    Wait¡­  Curiosity sparked in Elinor as she began connecting dots.  Are ¡­ you actually a little masochistic?  Obsessed with feeling weak¡­

    ¡°Hmm?  Masochistic ¡­ such a strange opinion and image you have for such actions.  I do not understand the sexual connotation linked to the thoughts you connect to the word, but the aspect of being weak while someone is strong over you ¡­ to be helpless.  To be obsessed with perfectionism ¡­ to judge yourself for negative emotion ¡­ drama is oddly compelling to be a part of or witness.  Hmm ¡­ perhaps in some ways, but not others.¡±

    The part that threw Elinor off about the Seraph was how serene and drop-dead gorgeous the angel could look as she turned to give her an innocent smile while saying. ¡°I certainly do feel a craving to understand what it means to have someone dominate you ¡­ it is something I never thought possible for myself.¡±

    Wow ¡­ I see.

    Elinor¡¯s lips pursed while examining the perfect form of the woman in front of her.  The heavenly figure was so utterly beyond the scope of the conventional understanding of power that to be under someone else¡¯s boot had never crossed her mind.  Her people had a culture that was entirely opposed to masochistic or dominatrix behavior, yet the moment she had one taste of weakness at the hands of the Searing Concord ¡­ she was hooked, and now Elinor was offering her a seat forever under her boot.

    Well ¡­ okay, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, if you really want to explore what it means to be weak ¡­ to feel what it is like to be powerless before my commands, then I will do everything within my power to obtain you.  Is that what you want?  To know what it¡¯s like to be owned?  Powerless before me?

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s left hand slowly rose to her breast, chest fluttering slightly as she took a shuddering breath.  ¡°I ¡­ can sense something resonating within my hearts with those questions ¡­ I do not know what this sensation is ¡­ but I do wish to explore it among other tasks that I have observed.  In that case,¡± her smile returned, ¡°if you can show me that you, Empress Elinor, can provide what it is I seek, then I will bow before you ¡­ I am no longer a Daughter of the Sun, seeing as I have fallen, but the Blood Sun will forever be my father, and will never abandon me.  Take me, if you can.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t know exactly what she meant by that statement, but she would take anything at this point, even with those ominous implications.  It was difficult to suppress the excitement rushing through her artificial veins.

    Brushing off the powder that had settled around them, Elinor turned her ghostly green eyes away from the visage of perfection to the intimidating black knight beside her.  Edmon¡­

    Her Doom Guard had given Quin further instructions and discussed the next steps with Klaus, Castella, and Violet, but the conversation died when she overruled the connection.  ¡°Yes?¡±

    Fire was alight in Elinor¡¯s breast; she hadn¡¯t felt this kind of emotion in so long.  I don¡¯t care what it takes.  I don¡¯t care if we steal it.  I don¡¯t care if we kill Yesenia or threaten the High Ruler.  Come up with a way to get me Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body ¡­ now.  Klaus, help him find a path, and Castella, take us to Statesman Baltoma¡¯s room.  I want this resolved.

    Edmon¡¯s tone held a smile to it.  ¡°I take it she is willing to join?¡±

    If I can claim her as my own.  Elinor stated, already marching toward the palace; Nalveans were beginning to show up around them again.  If Violet needs to string him up and Klaus tortures him to get a location, I don¡¯t care.  Iris is still alive, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l is my only hope at getting her back safely ¡­ I will not lose my Iris!

    Elinor caught Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s gaze falling to the cobblestone as her fingers tightened against her breast, and a small smile lifted her lips when she finished her statement.  Was it the possessive traits she was feeling?  It was possible.  Possessiveness could have been one of the components that drew the angel in.

    Klaus used his contacts to ambush another faction of the Shadow Hand, gaining further information about their ship¡¯s attack.  However, there was no link to Baltoma.  Of course, the connecting link had been assassinated ¡­ but then Edmon mentioned something Elinor felt stupid for not even thinking of ¡­ she was assassinated ¡­ body ripe to be raised.

    They changed directions, making their way to the point of the assassination in the Royal Library of Records ¡­ to find Kimlira¡¯s body incinerated by JadeFire with the ashes of half a bookshelf worth of ancient documents.

    Dammit!  Elinor growled, watching the soldiers and Seaweavers contain the emerald flames by cycling it around water and constantly having to replace the red liquid as it evaporated away.  Was it Demon that tipped him off that I can¡¯t raise the dead without bones?

    ¡°Possible,¡± Edmon hummed.  ¡°It could also be inferred from the Throne Room display of your power.  It could also provide a limitation they can exploit now that he knows we¡¯ve been here.  I bet he has spies watching us ¡­ there¡¯s no way to tell who since we stick out so much.¡±

    Not finding a better option, Elinor asked, System, give me something to raise the dead without their bodies; there must be something!  Huh ¡­ Raise Wisp Level 1.  What is a Wisp?

    The information flooded her mind; a wisp was a first-stage Undead spirit returned to this world.  They cannot interact with their environment in this stage but eventually gain skills and a class of their own as they leveled.  They could be Intelligent or Unintelligent but will never enjoy the pleasures of having a body unless they gain the ability to possess a living being.

    Wisps are considered Energy-Type Undead.  Wisps were visible to the living for a certain time, eventually becoming permanent, but their physical shape will take time to reform, depending on the Grade.  It was the same as Bone to Flesh-Type Undead.  It was even possible to have a Wisp Transcendent Court Member if she came across one.  Demon had no way to predict she would gain this skill.

    A wicked grin split Elinor¡¯s sour face, and she called upon Herald of the Empress; two butterflies hovered over the ashy remains, causing the Nalveans in the room to freeze, but her next words caused a shiver to run down their spines.  ¡°Return, Kimlira ¡­ and confront your murderer.¡±

    Sadly, Kimlira was a Common-Grade, which meant she needed to feed to grow stronger, and apparently, it took a lot for an Energy-Type to get strong enough to kill a creature in the physical realm.  Kimlira would probably take a very long time to do it, but siphoning off emotional energy was her treat.

    A green mass of energy lifted out of the ashes, and Elinor gave her the order to feed on anyone nearby until she gained enough experience to speak and manifest to the public.  There was a limit on how much she could draw from a target, especially at her level, but they had an entire Empire on her dinner plate.

    Soon after the event, the green wisp of flaming light shot over a nearby Nalvean, becoming invisible to the normal eye.  With how abnormal her spiritual Energy-Type was, it would be a rarity for someone to be able to sense her, and it would take someone even more specialized to be able to kill or combat her.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s silent figure showed amusement yet had a particular look in how her eyes creased that told Elinor she was impressed with her resourcefulness.

    She was sure there were such methods to kill her spirits within the Nalvean Empire and this world, but it would be very niche.  In fact, the Mother Superior¡¯s abilities might be a counter to them, now that she thought about it.  It was a good thing they were on her side, which reminded her of the elderly Ri¡¯bot¡¯s request.

    ¡°E-Empress?¡±  One of the nearby Nalvean Seaweavers asked, rubbing his wrist while his tongue flicked out of his mouth.  ¡°Did ¡­ what did you do?¡±

    Elinor looked him dead in the eye, causing the much more giant and frightening creature to shiver.  ¡°Spread the word.  I have set Kimlira¡¯s spirit free to accuse her murderer ¡­ it is only a matter of time.¡±

    With that, she turned and walked back through the halls.  Statesman Baltoma would come to her.  Now, it was time to buy treats for her lovely followers.

    ¡°What now, Empress?¡±  Castella asked, eyeing the Wisp, visible to all of her people but invisible to the world.

    Now, we go get some sugary treats.  We¡¯ll either have another assassin come after us that we can use or a messenger to bring us to the Statesman.  He¡¯s been shockingly more intelligent than I first gave him credit for, but I think we¡¯re reaching checkmate.

    She added Aileen and Emelina into the conversation.  We¡¯re going to grab some treats to bring back for you girls.

    ¡°YAY!¡±  Aileen cheered, practically bubbling with excitement, through her link.  ¡°Treats!  Sweets!  Oh ¡­ oh, umm, I mean ¡­ uh¡­¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Elinor chuckled, ¡° I love your energy, Aileen.  When it¡¯s just within the Nexus, I have no problems with you being a 100% real girl.  We just need to show a certain image in public.¡±

    ¡°Wahoo!  Yay!  Thank you so much, Empress!  Umm, if I get super strong, then ¡­ then maybe I can be a real girl all the time!  Oh, and, and I dreamed about cotton candy ¡­ Well, I mean, I didn¡¯t really dream it, but I kind of like ¡­ like dozed off or something, and it was like I could taste it!¡±

    Dozed off?  Elinor asked with a soft smile, feeling a little wrong with using the term real girl.  By the way, Aileen, you¡¯re already a real girl, but ¡­ if you do get super strong, then yes, you can be 100% yourself in front of anyone.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±  She cheered.

    Emelina answered.  ¡°Apparently, Aileen has gained a meditation-like skill that allows her to enter a sort of trance.  I suspect this is what she is talking about.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that thing!  It makes me feel all woozy,¡± Aileen giggled.  ¡°Oh, but in a good way ¡­ not like, sick, or anything like that!¡±

    Huh¡­

    Edmon spoke up with mild amusement.  ¡°You know, Aileen, creating cotton candy isn¡¯t all that hard once we get sugar ¡­ Tiffany knows how to make it.¡±

    ¡°Whaa ¡­ no way!  That¡¯s so awesome!¡±  Aileen squealed.  ¡°We can have cotton candy again?!¡±

    ¡°Cotton ¡­ candy?¡±  Castella asked in utter bewilderment.

    ¡°I am confused about these ¡­ sweets, as well,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l hummed with interest.  ¡°Some kind of oral nourishment that is bad for you ¡­ yet tastes good?  So ¡­ you willingly poison yourself for enjoyment?  Strange¡­¡±

    Well ¡­ when you put it like that, Elinor smiled.  It was fun hearing other creatures¡¯ opinions.  Kind of, depending on the candy and the amount you eat.

    With that, they made their way to the marketplace, Elinor passing off the turn to her enemies while Kimlira ate her way through emotional energy to consciousness.  What¡¯s your next move, Demon?

 B2 â€” 28. The Plot Thickens

    Elinor returned the way she came, having Castella guide them back through the halls; Nalveans were now filling the corridors of the palace, and upon inquiring of the Elite Warrior, she discovered it was 8:43 A.M.

    It was a bit shocking to Elinor how an hour and forty-three minutes could go by so quickly, but considering the distance they traversed, constantly shifting directions, it was understandable.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l had returned to her silent nature, hovering around to peer into rooms or listen to conversations close by before returning to her side.

    The Seraph¡¯s actions and Elinor¡¯s own examinations bubbled up a curiosity within her breast.

    She focused on the rooms they passed, filling with various palace personnel that went over records or maps.  She had no clue what types of jobs were done here, yet everyone appeared to be engrossed in their work.

    A low hum passed through her throat while shifting to the two Nalvean soldiers following them, choosing to address another question on her mind.  ¡°What are your thoughts after following me?¡±

    The Imperial Guards¡¯ movements momentarily slowed, realizing she was talking to them, and Castella¡¯s tail flicked to her left, a little nervous about what they might say, stepping to the side for a second to give them a quick look.

    ¡°Thoughts, Empress?¡±  The left guard questioned.

    A puff of fog released from Edmon¡¯s mouthpiece as his gaze turned on them, leaving a trail of faint blue wisps that flicked from his helmet¡¯s eye sockets.  ¡°The Empress wishes to know what you think of her.¡±  His tone was neutral, but the deep, smooth vibrations had a commanding draw that snatched their attention.

    ¡°Actually,¡± Elinor gave them a searching smile, ¡°why don¡¯t you two introduce yourselves?  We have time to chat while we head to the shopping district.¡±

    That reminds me, Castella, do we have money to purchase anything?

    Castella was far quicker to respond than the two guards, giving each other looks to see who would go first.  ¡°Minor expenses such as food are naturally covered by the High Ruler when National Leadership visit, Empress.  So long as it is not unreasonable, everything will be charged to the Palace Diplomatic Budget.¡±

    ¡°A good policy,¡± Edmon replied.  ¡°I assume Nukulara expected Tal¡¯tamine to explain that to us.¡±

    The comment made Elinor frown; there were actually a few things she wanted to address or receive an update on, but it could wait since the more brightly polished red-scaled guard spoke up.

    ¡°Ahem, Empress, I am called Hikico¡¯rova, and this is Romimaca,¡± he replied, gesturing at his fellow; Romimaca¡¯s scales weren¡¯t quite as shiny, showing a bit less hygiene, Elinor assumed.  ¡°We find the Empress¡¯s actions ¡­ mysterious.¡±

    A light chuckle slid through Elinor¡¯s throat.  ¡°Don¡¯t be shy; tell me how you have viewed our morning activities ¡­ elaborate so I may better understand your culture and view as this nation¡¯s defenders.¡±

    She shifted to her right as the soldiers increased their pace, keeping a reasonable distance to her left; Edmon took a slightly further back position, allowing her to see them while having the capacity to intervene if needed.

    Their squirms the two Imperial Guards made were a bit amusing and perhaps a bit cute as she grew more accustomed to their frightening appearance, but she really was curious about how they¡¯d answer.

    Hikico¡¯rova¡¯s tongue slid through his lips for a moment, his shorter, thin tail remaining stiller than she¡¯d previously noticed.  ¡°Well ¡­ I do not know if I am the best Nalvean to speak to a High Ruler of another nation,¡± he mumbled, making a few gestures to better articulate his words, ¡°but I will do as you have asked.¡±

    It was impressive how he could keep track of his polearm while moving and fashioning hand-signals.  Elinor waited, giving him her attention as they made it to the courtyard, and began descending the pathway through the three palace gates to reach the city.

    ¡°To be honest,¡± he cleared his voice, seemingly realizing he needed to have a distinct tone when addressing her, ¡°I am very interested in learning more about you, Empress, and many more have felt the same way.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  She asked, head tilting somewhat while smiling at him.  ¡°I was sure that most of the Nalvean population would be terrified of me.  If you are, I will not hold it against you to voice.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled at her comment for some unknown reason, but she didn¡¯t want to analyze it at the moment.

    He slowly nodded.  ¡°Yes ¡­ there is a certain level of fright that I share with others, yet the strength and boldness you have displayed, in addition to the mastery of our language, is very empowering.¡±

    Empowering ¡­ why is that, Castella?

    The female Nalvean¡¯s tone was a bit sheepish.  ¡°It¡¯s his misunderstanding, Empress.  He believes that you must have spent many years dedicated to mastering our tongue, which puts a high level of respect on our culture.  He believes you are an admirer of the Nalvean Empire.¡±

    Not entirely wrong ¡­ I do see a great deal of advancement within your society.

    Hikico¡¯rova had taken her silence to mean he should continue, talking while she questioned Castella; he became more animated and excited to give his opinion as time went on.  ¡°There are many interactions that I have witnessed in the past two hours that have fascinated me¡­

    ¡°How you can seemingly communicate with your subjects without words is amazing by militaristic standing; I wish we could develop such swift and silent methods.¡±

    ¡°We do have the Light Telegraphy System,¡± Romimaca mumbled, ¡°but yes, the Empress¡¯s speech seems far more complex than what we use.¡±

    Castella was translating while they spoke.  ¡°We use those crystals you see every so often on the walls as a source of distant communication; it is sent to a signal hub where it is translated and redirected to the proper location.¡±

    Elinor had noticed the inactive red gems lining the walls but didn¡¯t know they could be utilized for communication purposes, and she recalled the three Cs that Tiffany taught her or the pillars of an Empire, communication, control, and commerce.  Interesting¡­

    ¡°Right,¡± Hikico¡¯rova chuckled, ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to detect how you talk at all ¡­ no hand signals, body language seems to be irrelevant; it¡¯s just so mysterious.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor followed the progress of a few strange birds the size of a goose, landing on the large trees spaced around the pathway leading to the second gate.  ¡°What about my ability to raise the dead?¡±

    The two guards fell silent, pondering the question, and after several seconds, Romimaca responded.  ¡°Unnerving ¡­ when I first heard about it, I believed it was similar to the Clavex, the Corpse Eater Seed they use with their music, but¡­¡±  He trailed off, glancing over at Edmon.

    Castella shifted her posture to glare at the two men.  ¡°The Empress¡¯s power is nothing like those silly toys.¡±

    Hikico¡¯rova gave her a forced smile, shaking his head, ¡°I apologize, Lieutenant ¡­ umm, Castella¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s understandable,¡± Elinor commented with a soft chortle, ¡°you needed something familiar to link it to.  Your point, Romimaca, was that it is not like the Clavex¡¯s Minstrels?¡±

    He nodded, tongue sliding through his teeth again.  ¡°Yes, Empress.  Umm ¡­ I have been baffled about the butterflies, though.  They are ¡­ spirits, correct?¡±

    The polished red-scaled Nalvean¡¯s jaw tightened while looking up at the emerald-flamed butterflies flapping above them in a large circle.  ¡°You called them to the statue, which means ¡­ there was a spirit inside of it?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  Smart.  He¡¯s wondering about me?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l asked with amusement.  ¡°Is this another one of these plots from this Demon character?¡±

    Probably not ¡­ yet; they were sent to follow us.

    She took a moment to enjoy the morning; parts of the scenery reminded her of California.  Hikico¡¯rova and Romimaca went back and forth about various topics as she listened.

    The guards atop the watchtowers and walls followed their movements down the gradual decline, leading away from the palace; there were at least four dozen sentries within eyesight, which spoke of how expansive the Nalvean military was and the riches the Empire had to support such an active body of soldiers.

    Elinor¡¯s boots clicked against the tile as they went, and the morning sun made the gloss of their various shades of armor reflect.  Unlike the heavy jungle scent and frigid wind that came off of the high mountains in her valley, the sea breeze was crisp and clean.

    The elegantly dressed black-haired woman beside her stole her attention.  She felt a little bad for Violet; the youngest Spider Sister had been in a constant state of alertness since she¡¯d been called to fulfill the role of her mother and hadn¡¯t taken a single break.  Her halo-like eyes scanned the skies, dozens of other senses searching for the faintest hint of danger to Elinor.

    Iris needed to be saved, and their enemies dealt with ¡­ this wasn¡¯t the kind of Empire she wanted to build, where she could be assassinated by a random blackbird monster at any moment ¡­ to live in fear.

    Hikico¡¯rova released a low hum, drawing the other soldier¡¯s notice after his comments about the statue.  ¡°Because the butterflies the Empress created released Kimlira¡¯s spirit to find her killer, and the butterflies that have been following us went into the Aviary Flight of the Morning Dew.¡±

    ¡°Yes, that was when it happened,¡± Romimaca replied with growing interest; they¡¯d become a lot more talkative after being invited to speak.  ¡°The Empress had that discussion with the Empress of the Sea about returning her to life.¡±

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Hikico¡¯rova¡¯s head fell a little to stare at the ground.  ¡°And then we began to increase our movements after finding the Aviary Flight of the Morning Dew had been moved.¡±

    Elinor was a little impressed by their breakdown, but one part of Hikico¡¯rova¡¯s account starkly stood out to her; of course, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s focus was elsewhere.

    ¡°... Aviary Flight of the Morning Dew ¡­ what an odd thing to call me.¡±

    I suppose ¡­ how did he know about the conversation I had with Yesenia yesterday?  As far as I know, he wasn¡¯t on that detail.  What do you think, Edmon?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ word spreads swiftly among the Imperial Guard.  It might not be for a nefarious purpose, but our entrance has put every eye on us and made every action we take a talking point for passing Guard chat.¡±

    That does make sense, Elinor replied; if the Imperial Guard did nothing but patrol, stand in the same spot for hours on end, and had little else to do other than take note of who passed, then it would come to reason that gossip would be a significant interest on everyone¡¯s tongue.

    Nalveans didn¡¯t have phones or modern entertainment methods to occupy their time, so discussion took place.  It didn¡¯t exactly have to be malicious; they were just new and exciting.

    So, we need to be even more careful with what we say and do, yet ¡­ can we?  If these foot soldiers could figure out we¡¯re interested in the statue, then others will soon enough.  Meaning ¡­ we can¡¯t be careful while going after it; the longer we wait, the more people will know it is valuable to me.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l still seemed to be stuck on the previous topic.  ¡°Where did they get that kind of name for me?¡±

    Elinor chuckled internally, privately addressing her inquiry.  It¡¯s not a name they called you, but the artwork they crafted around you.  They found your body among Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s collections and took you back as a symbol of power.

    ¡°They did not even recognize I had been alive ¡­ and how does taking a weak race¡¯s artifact give them power?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l questioned.  ¡°No, it is a symbol?  They believe they are powerful by taking from conquered races ¡­ I do not follow the logic.  Taking from the weak only shows that you are weak, unable to accomplish it yourself; pitiful behavior.¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t argue with that reasoning.  You never took from those you conquered?

    ¡°Conquered?¡±  She asked, floating down to stare at her.  ¡°The Children of the Sun do not conquer; the word you use implies there is some problem or weakness we must overcome.  The Children of the Sun dominate by simply existing.  Those that claim to be our enemies are of the highest hubris; we have none because all that have tried have only proven our power.¡±

    The pride in this angel¡¯s breast was something to behold; one day, she hoped to maybe see this Seraph¡¯s home.  I look forward to seeing it one day.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s golden eyes fell to the cobblestone street, voice becoming quiet.  ¡°How would I see my people if I returned ¡­ weak?¡±  A shiver ran down her frame, including her six wings; it was the first time she looked somewhat divided and a little scared.

    What are you thinking?

    ¡°... How standing with my brothers and sisters might feel ¡­ the thought never crossed my mind while basking in the light of the Eternal Blood Sun, yet ¡­ if I were weak¡­¡±

    She trailed off, deep in thought.

    The two guards pulled her attention back, still discussing the random actions they¡¯d taken throughout the day, currently on a discussion about her visit to Mocreln, the 1st Gatekeeper Shift Leader, and how strange the visit was; she went in for several minutes and then left.

    ¡°I appreciate your honesty,¡± she cut them off, which made their mouths snap shut.  Once silence had been established again, she said, ¡°It is nice knowing the Nalveans are becoming more interested in me than frightened; I expect to do a great deal of trading with your Empire, and peaceful relations is always preferred.¡±

    ¡°¡°Thank you, Empress!¡±¡±

    After their response, they both retreated into their thoughts, and Elinor went to a new subject.  They¡¯d just passed the last of the palace gates and entered Gatekeeper Square; the area appeared to be quite busy with the constant travel between the palace and city, prime real-estate for a goods shop.

    Klaus was making his way toward them at a moderate pace through the crowds, drawing eyes that soon found Elinor¡¯s party; more than a quarter of the residence paused in some fashion to ogle them.  On the other hand, at least one out of ten hurried out of sight ¡­ progress was being made.

    Elinor stopped with her group to allow him to join.

    ¡°Empress!¡±  He greeted with a bow; she was always impressed with how groomed he was; Emelina certainly had a good eye for men.

    Klaus still wore his suit that Violet had crafted for him, which was fit to a T, and his combed back blonde hair had recently been conditioned by its shine.  His blue irises casually swept the area before falling into line.

    I¡¯m glad you could make time.  Now, Castella, how close are we to a shop that sells sweets?

    Castella¡¯s expression became somewhat strained while shifting directions to the right side of the gate.  ¡°I still do not understand the appeal of something scalding hot¡­¡±

    Edmon, Klaus, and Elinor had the same reaction, her former father speaking up first.

    ¡°Hot?  The Empress wants something sweet, not spicy.¡±

    The former Lieutenant slowed to a stop, eyes swimming with confusion as she turned to Edmon.  ¡°Spicy ¡­ we weren¡¯t talking about various powders.  I thought we were going to get treats hot enough to burn a hole in your tongue?  No, I said hot, not a mix of flavors ¡­ like Red Lanice inducing fire in your throat, hot enough to burn  your tail on the way out.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s brow furrowed as she smiled.  ¡°Hot enough to burn your tail on the way out?  What an interesting expression.¡±

    Klaus¡¯s hands tightened around his back with a thoughtful look.  ¡°Hold on ¡­ Empress, I believe we are coming across our first limitation or flaw in your communication skill?¡±

    It took a moment for it to click in Elinor¡¯s mind.  A flaw in my ¡­ oh, Nalveans don¡¯t have the same taste buds as humans.

    Castella soon caught on.  ¡°You ¡­ actually think the Red Lanice is good?¡±

    A thought came across Elinor¡¯s mind that made her chuckle.  Wait ¡­ how would you describe hot flavors?

    ¡°Sweet?  Oh, wonderful!¡±  The woman chimed.  ¡°I have a little sweetness with my morning cup of Koli Soup.  So ¡­ you believe sweet flavors are like the Red Lanice ¡­ that¡¯s weird.¡±

    The guards observed them closely as Elinor¡¯s soft laughter increased, standing on the side of the road with Nalveans watching their silent conversation like they were crazy.

    The soup that I was poisoned with was supposed to be sweet, but it tasted like habaneros on my tongue!  The poison was supposed to add to the sugary flavor.

    ¡°Those ¡­ concepts don¡¯t mix in my mind, Empress,¡± Castella mumbled.  ¡°A habanero, or at least with how it is being translated, would be sweet ¡­ not like a Red Lanice.¡±

    Elinor waved her hand dismissively.  Hehe, it¡¯s just funny, Castella; the way our biology works is entirely different, and so food that I think is sweet is actually hot to you.  I suppose that is a weakness to my skill, Klaus.  I¡¯ll need to be more careful about it.  Alright, Castella, bring us to the sweetest place you¡¯ve got in this city.

    Klaus and Edmon were also chuckling at the ridiculous discovery but trailed off as Violet stole their concentration.

    ¡°We are being watched ¡­ third building to our right, second window.¡±

    Mmh?  Elinor straightened, keeping her gaze away from the place with the rest of her party.

    Edmon¡¯s light tones returned to its grave nature.  ¡°A lot of people are watching us; what makes this one so special?¡±

    ¡°Intent.  Unlike the others which show nervousness or interest, this individual is looking with purpose.¡±

    It was impressive how the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s senses were so sharp that she could differentiate between how someone studied them.

    ¡°Malicious intent?¡±  Klaus pushed, casually gazing around the square.

    Castella swiftly added her own details.  ¡°The building is for out-of-city travelers.¡±

    ¡°An inn, hmm?¡±  Edmon replied.

    Violet¡¯s focus darted to their right.  ¡°More Nalveans with the same intent are occasionally looking at you, but they are likely not together; I would need to get closer to identify the places a person has been and the taste of the people they¡¯ve come into contact with.¡±

    Well, they¡¯re only observing for now, but do they have malicious intent?

    ¡°Currently, three are not strong enough to elicit immediate danger, but hovering on the edge of the knife.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s smirk returned, watching the crowds hurry along after their strange behavior.  Let them watch, but keep a close eye on them.  We must get some sweets, though.  I couldn¡¯t stand returning to Aileen and seeing her crestfallen face.  Let¡¯s go.

    She wanted to add the little detail about her Head Maid and Ambassador getting some sweet alone time together but also didn¡¯t want to hurt the mood.  It could be enjoyed in silence.

    Well, teasing Emelina was alright, but she wasn¡¯t quite comfortable with doing it to Klaus for some reason; perhaps it was because he was a suave guy and Emelina a cute assassin woman ¡­ she didn¡¯t care enough to deliberate on it, though.

    Castella guided them down several long streets, passing carts pulled by large Torlim, the alligator-toad creatures the Ri¡¯bot were so proud of.  Each of the Ri¡¯bot Clans was extremely dependent on them, and they didn¡¯t appear to have all that many from what she¡¯d seen, but the Nalveans had the domestication thing on lock.  She started to wonder if they¡¯d learned the craft from the salamander-people with the vast number passing through.

    She got a few flashbacks to the first time she¡¯d seen the monstrous things when it had dropped down from a house roof and started eating one of her kidnappers.  Within just the short week and a half she¡¯d been in this world, the memory of his snapping bones, shrieks, and dripping blood had become utterly desensitized.  Of course, even while it was happening, she¡¯d been relatively calm.

    The city was clean, and large streams of red water were flowing in channels along the side of the streets with elegant bridges in crucial locations to go over them.  All of the liquid appeared to come from the palace¡¯s direction, returning to the great lakes, which meant they probably had some kind of massive pump and sewer system.

    Shops were very different from what Elinor was used to, and it was strange watching people pay for goods with various colored shimmering gems.  The insides of the buildings were crafted for the much larger race; Elinor felt like a child inside them.

    Nalveans carried around the gems in elegantly designed pouches attached to their silken waist wrap.  Certain products sparked more attention than others, like comparing Jordans to Nike, but other than a slightly different shape or aesthetic, they weren¡¯t all that diverse to Elinor¡¯s untrained eye.  Castella couldn¡¯t understand how she couldn¡¯t spot the obvious styles that were lame or trendy.

    There didn¡¯t seem to be many department stores, and the few around the Capital were owned by the Trade Tycoons that ran chains across the Nalvean cities.

    Supermarkets were more common, yet at a much smaller scale than Elinor was accustomed to, and it didn¡¯t seem all that inclusive with the varieties they had to be called a Supermarket.  Still, she managed to get several types of sweet products that Castella shuddered just handling.

    Convenience stores were popular, but kind of disappointing with the selection.  Elinor was used to walking into the small storefronts and seeing thousands of stuffed in products that you could select from, but these places had things like ¡­ spoons, odd wooden brands of dolls, a bucket of water and three types of jerky, a few makeup-like powders, flowers, and hygiene items, such as scale scrub brushes.

    Maybe my standards are just too high¡­  She mumbled to Edmon while spinning around the wooden figurine of a Frave, one of the large raccoon-like creatures in the jungle.  It was very well made to be almost life-like, yet seemed too kiddish for her to actually take.

    Edmon picked up one of the odd badger-like bat creatures on the lower shelf to study it; the store owner watched them closely.  ¡°Items like these might be handy for Tiffany ¡­ maybe I should get her one of each.¡±

    A sly smile lit Elinor¡¯s lips as she rose to her feet, brushing back her braid; right, she was sure Tiffany could use something like these for some voodoo magic but was that really the reason Edmon was thinking of getting her one?  She doubted it.

    Yeah, that would be nice.  How many are there, Castella?

    Castella released a constrained chuckle, forced to listen to her unimpressed complaints over the past twenty minutes while browsing between stores on the street she¡¯d lead them to.  ¡°Empress, these are trendy items among Nalveans ¡­ collectibles.  I myself have a few dozen.  Tal¡¯tamine is adamant about visiting the shopping districts to add to her collection.  She has an incredible selection.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Edmon asked.  ¡°Do they represent real creatures?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Castella mumbled, walked to a new shelf, ¡°how else would the crafters create such models; the rare ones are from the traveling merchants that go to the ¡­ mmh ¡­ the Golariex Holy Empire ¡­ the specialty stores,¡± she painfully mumbled, still unable to come to terms with the High Ruler¡¯s betrayal to the Nalvean female standards.

    ¡°How many do you think there are?¡±  Klaus asked, lifting an eyebrow while browsing through a few silken garments.

    Castella glanced his way.  ¡°Umm ¡­ thousands and thousands ¡­ way more than I could really say, but ¡­ those are female tail wraps, Klaus ¡­ I¡¯m just saying.¡±

    Klaus¡¯s focus shifted from her uncomfortable smile to the female store owner, giving him a stern look, and then to the two other customers, both eyeing his hands on the products.  ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ guessing that a male touching these is inappropriate?¡±  He asked, retreating from the racks of various lengths of silk.

    ¡°Uh ¡­ in short, yes, but ¡­ they¡¯re more or less looking at you because they don¡¯t know what you are.¡±

    ¡°Smooth,¡± Elinor mused.

    He nodded with a sheepish chuckle.  ¡°Noted.  I¡¯ll need to ask some of my contacts to brush me up on Nalvean fashion.¡±

    Elinor retreated from the store as Violet¡¯s gaze moved to a particular Nalvean that had been tailing them, Edmon by her side.  If we get the princess cured, she could be an excellent tutor ¡­ Violet, is she working up the courage to approach?

    ¡°Soon.¡±

    Then we¡¯ll wait.  That reminds me, Klaus, anything more to add on the subject of the princess?  Oh, and Castella, get one of each of those collectibles¡­ perhaps engaging in some of the Nalvean merchandise, and hot collectible series will be a good talking point with the High Ruler.

    She stood to the side of the street, most Nalveans avoiding them, but something interesting soon happened ¡­ the passersby began bowing and greeting her as Empress.  It must have been someone from the palace that started it, but soon after, more and more caught on that she was nobility from out of the country; it could have also been Castella¡¯s fashion, too.

    While she waited, having multiple people bow and greet her, Castella went to get the rest of the items she wished to buy, putting them on the High Ruler¡¯s tab.  There were Discount Stores, Pawn Shops, Clothing Stores, and Drug Stores none of which had the heavy regulations the U.S. had, there were even Private Stores that you had to be invited to in order to gain entry.

    Restaurants were also shockingly diverse since they had to compete with others, boasting special recipes, seasonal choices, and many unique dishes from other cultures that they¡¯d learned during the Fire Wars.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was having the time of her life passing between buildings; most of the residents didn¡¯t even notice the butterflies, and those that did mainly passed them off, but a few smaller Nalveans, likely children, were making a game out of trying to catch them.

    The whole experience was new to the Seraph; she listened, watched, and studied the products with wonder.  She¡¯d never seen so many items; the Children of the Sun lived rather modest and practical lives considering their extreme power.  The customs and details Castella talked about fascinated her curiosity about other cultures.

    Klaus informed her about the mission while Castella did the shopping.

    ¡°I¡¯ve isolated the person that most likely would have done the operation; he is a very old Nalvean, which happens to link with the High Ruler¡¯s secret garden.¡±

    Edmon told you?  She asked, glancing up at her Doom Guard to her right; Violet had returned to her original form, clinging to the side of the building above her to not be an invisible wall people could run into.

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ okay.  Continue.

    ¡°Grand Designer Jumi¡¯kerune is his name, but he only worked as a private contractor after the Fire Wars; his ancestors created the gem and water technology the Empire uses for communication and hydraulics, among other things.  He fits the profile perfectly and lives on an estate across the Sea Grass Plains.¡±

    Family?

    ¡°None that the Shadow Hand nor I am aware of; he has been in contact with one high-ranking Shadow Hand member that runs the outfit in Joru¡¯Kora¡¯s City-State.  Imiunarus and Camellia managed to get you an invitation to Joru¡¯Kora¡¯s palace, but that would come into play after the High Ruler is finished with negotiations.

    ¡°As to the Shadow Hand Leader in that section, my contacts aren¡¯t of the proper rank to have much information.  Due to my silent take-over of parts of the organization, I am left with limited knowledge over most of the network; I¡¯m discovering the higher-echelons are very cautious, and I don¡¯t want to tip them off with how much support I¡¯ve gained.

    ¡°Still, Jumi¡¯kerune is one of the few Untouchables within the Nalvean Empire; even if the Shadow Hand got a hit on him, they would refuse the contract.¡±

    Edmon folded his arms across his chest, drawing eyes and causing several nearby Nalveans to bow and hurry along with their children.  ¡°He¡¯s an Untouchable ¡­ high-ranking contacts with the High Ruler?¡±

    ¡°As far as I can tell ¡­ everyone that¡¯s important,¡± Klaus uneasily replied.  ¡°I¡¯m glad we sent Camellia, Lacra¡¯Moro, and Imiunarus as a unit ¡­ given what I¡¯ve heard about him ¡­ I¡¯m a bit uneasy about this capture.¡±

    What¡¯s the primary reason for your unease?  Elinor asked, vision narrowing.  Is he strong enough to give them trouble?

    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure,¡± Klaus sighed.  ¡°Jumi¡¯kerune is 286 years old, which would be roughly 90 or so in human years ¡­ no, older because of the extra hours in a day ¡­ well into his 100s.  He should have died decades ago by Nalvean average mortality, which is in the latter half of the 200s.

    ¡°He designed the High Ruler¡¯s secret chamber, which means he can be trusted by the Crown, renown enough to be on the blacklist for the Shadow Hand, and appears to have practicing knowledge of ancient technology that probably links with Demon.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± now Edmon sounded troubled, ¡°so ¡­ he¡¯s probably a high-ranking agent of Demon within the Nalvean Empire.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s where I¡¯m leaning right now, but we cannot get back in touch with Camellia at this time, and she was sent before I could verify any of this information.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l hovered back over to her, causing the children to pause in their game with sad expressions, seeming to know they shouldn¡¯t approach her with the massive black-armored knight beside her.

    The angel¡¯s slight excitement had diminished, and her passive smile in place with her hands behind her back.  ¡°You think a lot about this Demon personage; is he really such a ¡­ thorn in your side?¡±  She asked, testing out the comparison that she¡¯d learned from Emelina¡¯s conversations with Aileen.

    Elinor sent her a private response.  I would love not to think of the creep, but yes ¡­ yes, he is a thorn in my side.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  The Seraph responded, thinking about it before returning to her random adventures; the kids happily chased after the flaming butterflies again with shouts of joy, loving it when their nets would pass right through them.  They soon moved to try to use their hands.

    She sighed.  In short, you don¡¯t know why the Shadow Hand doesn¡¯t target him.  Right?

    ¡°I suspect it¡¯s connections, but ¡­ no, I cannot be sure.¡±

    A thought came like bitter water on her tongue.  So ¡­ what if they don¡¯t attack him because they can¡¯t.

    ¡°Possible ¡­ Imiunarus was the one that informed me about his Untouchable status within the Shadow Hand.  He should be cautious when approaching his estate.¡±

    Let¡¯s hope.  Elinor mumbled.  I have enough trouble with getting Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body back.

    She made a note of everyone in her Nexus, following their general directions with her eyes.  Camellia¡¯s group would have probably just gotten to the hilly grasslands with the distance she¡¯d seen on a map and would have to travel relentlessly through the day and part of the night to reach the estate¡ªa journey that generally took Nalveans days to arrive even with decent transportation.

    Kimlira was still in the process of sucking out emotions in the palace, gorging herself on their energy, which would almost have no visible effect on the Nalveans because of how weak she was, yet given the volume of people, it was only a matter of time until she could manifest.

    Iris was still alive, but that was all she could tell from this distance ¡­ it didn¡¯t make any sense to Elinor, and she started to worry again.  How could Iris be dead?  She had to be captured, but to overpower Iris¡ªoverly cautious and calculated perfection, Iris?  She¡¯d rather die than be humiliated or give information about Elinor to the enemy, which meant whoever did it had to be incredibly strong¡ªfar more powerful than Baxter.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l, the extremely proud Seraph, was her only option; if everything the angel said was true, and judging by the colossal, nigh-infinite amount of power she felt from the woman, she wasn¡¯t bluffing.

    Her hopes soon arrived with a Nalvean woman who came up with a few others to bow; this had been one of the nine separate individuals keeping surveillance on her.

    ¡°Empress Elinor,¡± she greeted with a deep bow; she had a slight lisp like Castella once had.  ¡°I was sent by Stateswoman Lukuroha to seek an audience.¡±

    Stateswoman Lukuroha?!  Elinor growled.  You must be kidding me!  The ruler over the far western province?

    Violet¡¯s response caused Elinor¡¯s rage to trip, though.  ¡°She smells of Statesman Baltoma ¡­ they had intercourse recently ¡­ with Prince Micru¡¯jire within twelve hours of that.¡±

    ¡°Intriguing,¡± Edmon mumbled.  ¡°Perhaps it is something we can push to find answers.  We should go with her; others might try to intercept to push us to see their client or master first.¡±

    Klaus studied the Nalvean woman as she began to fidget with the silent treatment Elinor was giving her invitation, ghostly green eyes less than welcoming.  ¡°I agree.  I did not expect this turn of events ¡­ so many intricate social weavings within the palace.

    ¡°How does this connect?¡±  Edmon asked.  ¡°She comes at Statewoman Lukuroha¡¯s request and yet has slept with two very prominent members within different factions in the higher circles of the Royal Court.¡±

    ... Well, at least it¡¯s something connected to Baltoma, Elinor grumbled, watching Castella return with a handful of items in a rough fur-skin bag that she¡¯d grabbed from the shop to carry their stuff.  Do you know this woman, Castella?

    ¡°Umm ¡­ no, but she wears the shape and seal of Stateswoman Lukuroha¡¯s personal attendants ¡­ not very well, might I add,¡± she stated with a slight glare at the woman¡¯s folded silk around her tail, arms, legs, torso, and neck.  ¡°I¡¯d question if she were really from the Stateswoman¡¯s circles with the sloppy manner she folded the chest and left leg.¡±

    Elinor was a little surprised with how critical Castella was about Nalvean fashion, but considering it represented position, it made sense since she was a high-ranking Imperial Guard and needed to know who was what and in which area of the palace.  In fact, few would probably know enough about the different City-State colors and proper silk positions like her Elite Warrior.

    ¡°So ¡­ she may not be with Lukuroha.  Is what you¡¯re saying?¡±  Edmon mused.  ¡°We have a chameleon on our hands, which makes sense with the meeting being so close; Kukuroha will long be in the middle of it by the time we make it inside the palace.¡±

    ¡°The plot thickens,¡± Klaus hummed.

    Elinor refrained from releasing a tired sigh.  ¡°I¡¯m in your care,¡± she replied, causing the possible imposter to lower herself further in acknowledgment before rising and gesturing them back toward the palace.

    Falling into line, Elinor shifted her gaze to Castella¡¯s bulging bag.  You have the sweets?

    ¡°Yes, Empress ¡­ I have them,¡± she mumbled, shivering slightly while glancing down at the bag; she couldn¡¯t imagine anyone eating the hot items that were rarely ever used by Nalveans ¡­ yet there was a small demand which kept them in stock.

    Let¡¯s see what trap we spring next, Elinor mumbled.

    It was 9:47 A.M.; the closed-door meeting would have started well before they arrived, which the Stateswoman should be in attendance ¡­ something else was in the works, and they wanted her to know it or had made a critical mistake.  Either way, it was an unexpected turn of events.

 B2 â€” 29. Lost Souls

    Elinor followed their potential fake Nalvean guide, Edmon, Castella, and Klaus beside her; at first, she wasn¡¯t sure how the giant Th¨¦lm¨¦thra would navigate through the crowded streets, yet Violet somehow read the throng¡¯s flow, expertly maneuvering her body and feet to stay within an appropriate distance to react.

    The memory of the Michigan trip her family went on a few years ago returned to mind with the great lakes¡¯ fresh-scented breeze.  In fact, much of what she saw emulated the tourist lifestyle among the Nalveans, except for how they treated her.

    Her boots tapped against the artistically placed cobblestone streets, drawing attention to herself while casually studying her surroundings.  Word must spread quickly among the marketplaces because more and more people recognized her position, showing respect, or hurrying away from the area.

    Some kind of gold element lined the streets, and the polished nature of the Nalvean Capital only reminded her of the grim nature of her own ¡­ she¡¯d already made a note of it before, but the bustling streets, prosperous with trade and traveling Nalveans, moving between City-States, reflected the depressing state of her own broken lands.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma left her the shell of a powerful infrastructure to build upon, yet it would take a lot of work, and contemplating the wealth of this kingdom brought her thoughts back to Earth; she¡¯d lived in the greatest time in human history.  The Ri¡¯bot were barely reaching the iron and steel age by themselves, and only advanced after observing many of the other races that came together to defeat the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s addition to the war was almost laughable after seeing the Nalvean Empire, which meant it was simply a token for the other nations.  The toad people were just strategically in a position to offer the best scouting and land resource information for the assault and siege, yet at one point, they¡¯d been so dominant that they took on the Children of the Sun.

    A lot could happen in thousands of years; humanity had advanced to an incredible degree in only a few hundred.  It was just so hard to contemplate Demon¡¯s story with what she experienced.

    Elinor turned her agitated mind away from the temperate morning weather, bustling streets, and comparisons.  In truth, she was trying to distract herself from the complications that had continued to strike; Statesman Baltoma having Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body had really cut under her skin, and the accompanying moves made by the other factions were causing further undesired difficulties.

    Edmon, Klaus, and Violet had been in constant communication since they¡¯d begun following their Nalvean guide; she was going to tap into their conversation but instead turned her furrowed brow to the two Imperial Guards escorting her as they leaned over, whispering to Edmon.

    Hikico¡¯rova engaged.  ¡°Lord Gatekeeper Edmon, I believe this to be unusual behavior for a Stateswoman.  To seek an audience with a Ruler requires a personal address or a representative of the highest station ¡­ not a personal attendant.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Romimaca mumbled.  ¡°Even for a recently appointed Stateswoman, such as the Mirelitel¡¯s Head of State; this would typically be received quite poorly.¡±

    ¡°I am aware,¡± Edmon smoothly responded, keeping his tone level with theirs to not draw more suspicion.  ¡°Be on your guard.¡±

    They both nodded, pulling away to force the crowd further back by their position on either side.

    Elinor¡¯s mood brightened a little with their warning.  Aren¡¯t they cute?  She asked Edmon.

    ¡°It could be an action to raise their reputation with us, but a positive sign overall; the issue comes with the other eight spies.  Castella, is this a disrespectful gesture on the part of Lukuroha?¡±

    Castella released a doubtful hum.  ¡°To the public¡¯s perspective, yes, but it is not unprecedented for a personal attendant to seek an audience in the name of their charge, depending on circumstance, which is why I did not say anything.  The requirements are met; Lukuroha is currently occupied by the High Ruler¡¯s meeting, which she cannot be late to unless she wishes to disrespect him.

    ¡°The fact she is within the city requires her appearance, as well, and this boy could be her highest representative present.  Full consultation meetings regarding critical Empire decisions such as entering into an alliance with a hitherto unknown nation is mandatory by all relevant City-State representatives within close proximity to Shi¡¯Shuka.¡±

    Figuring Shi¡¯Shuka was the Nalvean Capital¡¯s name, Elinor¡¯s gaze locked onto the back of their escort, continuing through the streets, leading to the palace gates.  Although, the errors in her clothing wouldn¡¯t be enough of an excuse with that explanation?

    Castella chuckled softly.  ¡°Absolutely not, Empress, especially when greeting a high dignitary, much less the Ruler of another Empire.  Even in haste, an attendant would make certain that everything was perfect as to not show even greater disrespect or cause for suspicion.¡±

    Klaus cleared his throat.  ¡°Might I intrude, Empress?¡±

    By all means, She kept her vision fixed on the woman¡¯s back, walking eight feet ahead of them, which appeared to be the appropriate distance considering the female tail length, and gave them enough space to whisper without her hearing; not that they spoke aloud.

    ¡°As we were discussing, Edmon, could Castella identify the eight others Violet has noticed following us?  She¡¯s been keeping an eye on them since they¡¯ve stayed fairly obscured, but if we¡¯re on the move like this, they¡¯ll have to expose themselves to keep up.¡±

    Elinor wanted to say they shouldn¡¯t identify them so openly but knew it was a worry that could go unspoken; each of them was far more cautious than her, in any case.

    ¡°Could you describe the general direction for her, Violet?¡±  Edmon asked.

    ¡°Indeed.  Although three are splitting off, I suspect one of the more violent members is tracking another target after identifying him.¡±

    A low growl sounded from Castella.  ¡°Using us to find his target, and they¡¯re planning to murder him in broad daylight?  Crimes like that are rarely done in Shi¡¯Shuka ¡­ some of the City-States, sure, but not Shi¡¯Shuka.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Klaus¡¯s lips tightened.  ¡°What of the JadeFire assassination and the burning of our ship?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Castella admitted with trouble, ¡°those two incidents alone spike the Capital''s serious crime-rate dramatically compared to previous decades of held peace, which could throw suspicion on the Empress, now that I think about it.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s stop for a moment,¡± Edmon stated, slowing with the rest of them, which caused their two Imperial Guards to pause; he released a calculated sound in his throat for the guards to hear.  ¡°They¡¯ve seen that the Empress has shown interest in the assassination within the palace and went to the scene of the crime to release Kamlira.  We are already involved, which means we need to establish our innocence and tighten the noose around the necks of the perpetrators to gain further validity, else they turn it on us without our notice.¡±

    ¡°I can see that¡­¡±  Klaus mumbled; their escort made it a few more meters before realizing she wasn¡¯t being followed, but Elinor¡¯s cold eyes were still centered on her.  ¡°Are you saying we should prevent the next murder or catch them in the act?¡±

    ¡°It depends on who they are with,¡± Edmon responded.

    Castella didn¡¯t like the idea but didn¡¯t voice her thoughts for a moment, recognizing the position they were in; she¡¯d prefer to prevent further slaughter of her own people.  ¡°... I understand that we can forgo pleasantries if we catch them with a knife between someone¡¯s scales, but aren''t two living spies to question better than one?¡±

    It was an admirable attempt, but not an argument that held up when she was a Lich, Elinor mused.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Edmon stated.  ¡°The others tailing us will be forced to be more reckless with the random change in direction, as well.¡±

    ¡°Empress?¡±  The escort asked, calmly walking back with her docile hands folding in front of her stomach after a hand gesture.

    To Elinor¡¯s surprise, Romimaca made a strange two-fingered motion in front of his throat.  ¡°The Empress is communicating with her people; it would be best not to disturb her.¡±

    Way to go, she mused, giving him a small smile; she was beginning to like these two.

    ¡°Ah, my apologies,¡± she said, giving them a symbolic bow before retreating a few steps.

    ¡°She is nervous,¡± Violet stated.  ¡°By the tightening of her legs, eye movement, and slightly increased breathing, I suspect she is in the process of debating a retreat.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t have that,¡± Edmon replied, armored head shifting to glare at her.  ¡°A possible crime has been detected nearby.  We will delay the summons.  Follow us.¡±

    ¡°Crime?¡±  Hikico¡¯rova shifted uncomfortably.  ¡°Should we alert the City Watch?¡±  He asked, glancing toward a few soldiers patrolling the area; Elinor had seen packs of four to six marching along their assigned routes throughout the morning and, considering their various attire, figured they were from different military branches.

    Klaus shook his head, drawing the three Nalvean¡¯s attention.  ¡°It would alert them to our notice; it is an assassination.¡±

    Their guide¡¯s black tongue slid through her lips, left hand sliding up her arm to grip it, now showing her nervousness.  ¡°Would ¡­ this not be too dangerous for you, a Ruler, to be around if this is the case?¡±

    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±

    Her yellow eyes shifted to Elinor as she chuckled.  ¡°Empress?¡±

    ¡°I am more than capable of taking care of myself,¡± she responded, having Violet lead them away from the city gates and toward the southside of the Nalvean metropolis.  ¡°I¡¯d like to know what kind of Nalvean hunts his own people ¡­ I have a particularly keen sense for predators,¡± she finished, giving the woman a sidelong look.  ¡°I expect you¡¯ll be joining us?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, of course, Empress,¡± she said with a deep breath.  ¡°I will ¡­ give my life if needed.¡±

    Hikico¡¯rova laughed, drawing her shifting gaze.  ¡°If the Empress is in danger, then so are we all.¡±

    ¡°My thoughts exactly after what we¡¯ve seen,¡± Romimaca replied, referencing Edmon¡¯s show of icy powers against the palace assassin and the rumors spreading throughout the Imperial Guard about Elinor killing Castella.

    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Elinor evenly returned, forcing the woman along by walking away.  ¡°I highly doubt it will come to that.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s mature hum descended with her butterflies, drawing closer to examine Hikico¡¯rova and Romimaca.  ¡°You have garnered great respect from these two.  The games you play behind shadows are rather foreign and amusing to me ¡­ you would call them games, correct?¡±

    I suppose?  Elinor mumbled; they were now stalking the hunter, seeking an appropriate place to dispatch his prey.  Violet guided them while pointing out the key spies observing them to Castella when there was a chance.

    The angel became silent again, her focus remaining on Elinor as she picked up the pace to a brisk stride.  Violet¡¯s calculated movements were increasing, designed to bring them up to speed with the retreating spies.

    Elinor¡¯s thoughts moved to the Nalvean woman for a moment, realizing she hadn¡¯t even given her name; she¡¯d appeared without even mentioning it, putting the emphasis on the Stateswoman instead of herself.  It wasn¡¯t a bad tactic, reducing her identifiers as much as possible while drawing their attention to a high-position individual.

    That being said, the direction they were heading was obviously outside of the woman¡¯s comfort zone with how stiff she was becoming.  It would be interesting to see where their interactions with the Nalvean would land.

    Hikico¡¯rova and Romimaca were still on their guard, now acting with much more seriousness, preparing for possible combat.

    Their group drew the public¡¯s eye on their path across far wider streets than what she was accustomed to in LA, filled with Nalvean tourists and residents going about their morning shopping, which appeared to be a prime time for most districts.

    Violet¡¯s directions were taking them further into the southern suburbs, thinning out the crowds since most citizens were out of their houses during the day.  Alleys were placed between districts to allow quick access, and even they were well-maintained.

    Their group soon found themselves alone by simply maneuvering down key locations, which was shocking to Elinor, considering the density, not two streets over.

    Out of nine spies keeping track of them during their shopping trip, only two remained in pursuit, with their nervous guide making three that were still interested in them.  The hunter and prey they pursued constituted five, four remaining unknowns.

    Elinor wanted to send Klaus to mark at least one of the others, but Edmon recommended against it since it would be difficult for him to succeed without Violet¡¯s explicit instructions after gaining so much distance.

    Elinor¡¯s lips tightened when Violet¡¯s pace increased ever so slightly; it was becoming challenging to keep up in her boots and full victorian-style dress.  Even if she couldn¡¯t technically get tired in the traditional sense, her body would dissolve if she pushed it beyond a certain threshold, which wasn¡¯t much.

    ¡°We must increase our pace; he plans to kill the target soon.¡±

    Can you tell anything else about them from their scent?  Elinor asked, and she accepted Edmon¡¯s quick suggestion to pick her up.

    ¡°One is an adult Nalvean, stronger than most we have been around, rivaling Castella before her resurrection, and the other is a Nalvean boy.¡±

    ¡°A boy?¡±  Castella asked in shock.  ¡°What age?¡±

    ¡°Young ¡­ he has found the secrecy to strike.¡±

    Edmon positioned behind her, causing the Nalveans to separate a bit in confusion to see what he was doing.  His armor changed, becoming less spiky as parts converted to ice, falling off, and in one swift motion, the Doom Guardscooped her up with one arm as she hopped into the air, wrapping her left arm around his neck to stabilize herself.

    ¡°We must hurry,¡± Castella grunted, voicing Violet¡¯s concerns; the youngest Spider Sister wouldn¡¯t leave Elinor¡¯s side, and that meant they had to speed up.

    Their compelled guide and the two palace escorts into a nervous sprint as Klaus, Edmon, and Castella jumped into action, matching Violet¡¯s speed; she watched the elegant spider girl transform into her human form, invisible thread blasting ahead of them and erupting across their environment in preparation for the conflict.

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed as they pushed through the alleys, dress fluttering behind Edmon as the air-pressure threw her braided hair behind her Doom Guard.  The cold fog of his breath pressed against the nape of her neck as she watched the streets pass behind them.

    Her eyes locked on Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s full lips, mind elsewhere; the angel hovering serene grace in perfect lock-step behind them.

    Violet¡¯s silk wove around the area long before they reached the site, and Elinor tracked the events through her connection to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    It was strange exploring the senses of the eight-legged creature, and Elinor was only focusing on the portion of Violet¡¯s consciousness that corresponded with a small location ¡­ the rest was far too vast and complicated for her own limited mind.

    She could see the whole area, feel the breaths leaving both of their lungs, organs pumping frantically to keep their hosts alive, yet one was perfectly calm, and the other suspicious and nervous.  It was the first time she was able to look so deeply into her Undead¡¯s perspective.

    Humanity was a long ways off from Th¨¦lm¨¦thra with the insane amount of data she could process.  How Violet kept focused was beyond Elinor; the buzz of the insects she could count individually within the space were like visual waves bouncing off stone and wood.  It was too much.

    The moisture in the air, currents of wind, the radiation from the sun, among numberless other interactions, reminded her that Violet was the closest someone could get to being Transcendent-Grade without bridging that gap.

    Her invisible thread weaved around the two Nalveans at an impossible speed, too small to be seen and laced with numbing agents that caused contact to instantly deaden any kind of bodily reception that might be used to alert their target.  It was faster than she could blink, yet Violet handled everything within the fraction of a second.

    The hunter had evidently been guiding the little spy further into the alleys after catching up to him and acting as a messenger from what Violet perceived by acute long-distant observations; he skillfully baited him through a believable story to require privacy.

    Right hand rising to catch the boy¡¯s attention, the Nalvean used his left to stealthily find a hidden needle within his silk, and Elinor had to wonder what it was with Nalveans and poison.

    The kid observed his right hand, oblivious to the coming danger, and reached for the parchment, assassin bringing the needle under the scroll; he would strike by pricking his finger when the boy took the item, between the vulnerable joint area of the developing salamander.

    Violet¡¯s silk tightened with her fingers, sending a convulsion throughout the entire network; both parties were instantly pulled taut just before he struck, but unlike Castella, this assassin¡¯s perception didn¡¯t seem to be quite as high since he was a second too late to react.  Of course, he wasn¡¯t expecting a counterattack at such a high level while her Undead Nalvean had been fully prepared for combat.

    Gags were placed around their mouths until they arrived, minimizing noise; the exchange was more silent than the wind, and along their path, Violet left a trap for the remaining two spies.

    Elinor would have winced and been gasping for air had she not had an artificial body as they came around the corner of the alley, Edmon using the wall and his body to break their rapid momentum and cushion the changing direction.  Still, it would take a minute for her tingling artificial body to recover enough to stand again.

    The pair were suspended in the air, facing away and unable to twitch a finger.

    Elinor took a small breath before chuckling, ¡°I ¡­ made it in time.¡±  Her amusement soon faded as the lingering effects of Violet¡¯s senses returned the two¡¯s reaction.

    Hmm¡­

    The other Nalveans rounded the corner, yet only their guide was breathless and panting as if she¡¯d sprinted a 300-meter-dash.

    ¡°What ¡­ you¡¯ve subdued them?¡±  Hikico¡¯rova asked, taking a deep breath to calm his heart and take note of the situation.

    Romimaca¡¯s black tongue slid through his lips, short, thin tail flicking to the side; the two were in great shape to be able to keep up with her peoples¡¯ tireless Undead bodies, especially due to their armor.  ¡°... Is that a teenage boy?¡±

    When they didn¡¯t respond, the three shifted their gaze from the suspended pair to Elinor, still held in Edmon¡¯s protective arms, figuring something was wrong; her glowing green eyes were stabbing into the assassin¡¯s back.

    Violet¡¯s voice was in her head.  ¡°Empress ¡­ I sense the same frequency waves as Tal¡¯tamine from this Nalvean hunter.¡±

    Demon¡­

    Elinor¡¯s mood instantly sobered after the initial kick of capturing their prey ¡­ Demon¡¯s Faction, or at least someone closely related to Demon¡¯s influence within this Empire.  This man was a puppet, and whoever controlled him had her under surveillance, but for what reason?  Demon could observe her from just about anywhere, which meant it was probably from his cult.

    However, counter to everything Elinor knew about the incorporeal mass of energy imprisoned in the planet, this assassin¡¯s target was not her, but this teenage Nalvean boy.

    The Nalveans shifted unsteadily at their changed disposition; her butterflies hovered around the alley, drawing their notice while flapping in front of the two suspended prisoners.

    Both Imperial Guards took up a defensive formation, Romimaca keeping an eye on their tail while Hikico¡¯rova scanned for ambushes from the rooftops, realizing a serious discussion was being had in silence if they weren¡¯t making a move.

    Klaus was quick to pose the question.  ¡°Is this a trap to lure us in, or perhaps pull our attention away from something?  I believe the JadeFire attack on the ship was meant for that purpose.¡±

    ¡°Possible,¡± Edmon growled.

    Violet¡¯s passive tone was reflective of Iris, adopting a more temperate air; although, it was an active persona that she felt appropriate, emulating her mother out of habit.  ¡°I do not sense any threats worth mentioning; the other two Nalveans will trip my traps shortly.  The hunter is not afraid; the boy is terrified, struggling as best he is able.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not afraid?¡±  Castella asked with agitation.  ¡°Who would not be terrified of such a situation?  There must be something wrong with him; he has been utterly trapped by an unknown threat that has yet to make themselves known.¡±

    Edmon sent a private inquiry, and she allowed him to set her down; she managed to remain stable.  ¡°I¡¯ll test his reaction,¡± he stated, walking forward while motioning for the other three Nalveans to stay put.

    The Seraph released a curious hum through Elinor¡¯s mind, studying their actions, and her head tilted before surveying the assassin.  ¡°Is this what you call ¡­ brave ¡­ courageous ¡­ dauntless?¡±

    Hardly.  Elinor absently replied, figuring the woman had never actually felt as if she possessed those qualities because fear was all but absent in her culture.  Who would they fear?  The Children of the Sun were pride incarnate ¡­ yet was it arrogance if it was true?

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    She hovered down, perfect fingers reaching out to cup the Nalvean boy¡¯s trembling body, barely able to quiver with how tight Violet¡¯s restraints held him; they passed right through his skin, but there was an inquisitive gleam in the angel¡¯s radiant expression.

    ¡°... This is being trapped ¡­ fearful ¡­ angst ¡­ dread ¡­ weakness¡­¡±  Her smiling eyes tilted to stare at her.  ¡°You are uneasy ¡­ such an ¡­ intrusive sensation.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l fell silent, hovering back while closing her eyes; it was a disruptive sight to Elinor, watching the radiant meditating angel hovering above gravity¡¯s lure, exploring the unfamiliar emotions coursing through their connection, and her blinding presence</a> radiating over Elinor¡¯s prisoners as if the Seraph absorbed a burning star.

    It was a little challenging for Elinor to return to the proper task at hand with the Seraph¡¯s very existence demanding attention; she was beginning to believe it might even be a natural ability the woman possessed, far superior to her Imperial Presence.  It even drew her gaze while a powerless spirit.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l was enjoying and testing her weakened state, even in this incorporeal form.

    Edmon closed the distance with the prisoners, his shield appearing out of frosted light; the mist frothed off its surface in a slow cloud, swirling with his movements.  Violet manipulated her thread around the area to allow him easy travel and better support if needed.

    Nothing happened.

    The Doom Guard stopped at the back of the two Nalveans, and Violet turned them around to see his glowing blue eyes; Edmon was utterly ignoring the terrified boy while glaring into the assassin¡¯s indifferent gaze.

    The Seraph hovered over him, flipping around in the air with her eyes still closed, floating back to stop above Elinor, and the stand-off continued while the others watched.  The boy became stock-still upon seeing them, unsuccessfully fighting tears that leaked down his scaled face.

    ¡°No reaction?¡±  Klaus asked, rubbing his chin while studying the emotionless man, unable to speak or move.  ¡°We should probably set the stage for the others.¡±

    Their Nalvean guide was shaking with the chilly atmosphere Edmon had instantaneously generated, flakes of frost beginning to condense from the humid air around them, carried their way on the gentle breeze.

    Edmon¡¯s smooth voice drew everyone¡¯s gaze.  ¡°A competent assassin that deals with poison ¡­ would actively target a Nalvean boy?¡±  He asked.  ¡°I will give you a chance to speak.¡±

    Violet didn¡¯t release his gag, though.  ¡°I recommend not unbinding his mouth ¡­ I do not like the manner in which his body is reacting.  The spies pursuing us have been captured.¡±

    Good ¡­ is there a particular reason why you don¡¯t want him to talk, though?  Elinor asked.

    She caught the two Imperial Guards fidgeting as if they wanted to demand he answer but kept their peace, allowing Edmon to continue without interruption.

    ¡°I ¡­ believe he is a threat to himself.¡±

    ¡°Suicide?¡±  Klaus asked, turning to Castella.  ¡°Is there a swift way to kill yourself ¡­ perhaps biting off your tongue?¡±

    Castella shook her head, drawing the others¡¯ eyes.  ¡°If given enough time to bleed out, but it would be prolonged; healing could be administered to force him to talk, as well.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ perhaps he has some kind of cyanide pill ¡­ however, we must know what we are dealing with,¡± Edmon stated.  ¡°Can you force him to not take his life, Klaus?¡±

    The man¡¯s lips fell.  ¡°I cannot make contracts or conditions like Tiffany ¡­ at least, yet.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll take our chances then.¡±

    Violet nodded, releasing his restraint.

    The prisoner opened his mouth before Edmon could repeat his question, snapping his jaw, twisting his nose, and clearing his throat.  ¡°I ¡­ ahem.¡±

    ¡°Are you done?¡±  Edmon asked with a dry tone.

    ¡°He cannot move,¡± Violet commented, ¡°but he is still¡­¡±

    Without emotion, the assassin clearly and distinctly said, ¡°I serve The Shadow; from the darkness, I was raised, and to them, I go¡­¡±

    ¡°JadeFire!¡±  Violet warned, but Elinor couldn¡¯t see anything as the spider swiftly separated the two captives, Edmon raising his shield; she was the only one that was utterly in the dark, but by the time she tried peeking into Violet¡¯s mind, it became visible, burning its way out of the Nalvean¡¯s body within seconds.

    ¡°W-What?!  No, no, no¡­¡±  The female Nalvean cried, backing up against the wall in horror upon seeing the burning assassin.

    The guard¡¯s reaction was entirely different, Hikico¡¯rova shouting, ¡°JadeFire!  Seaweavers, we need¡­¡±

    Edmon responded by calmly walking over to the burning Nalvean; it had already more than likely turned his bones to ashes with how swiftly it ate through other parts of the hunter¡¯s skin, leaving less than half his corpse in less than a few seconds, showing why it was so feared.

    ¡°Gatekeeper Edmon, no!¡±  Romimaca shouted, stopping in horror just before exiting the alley with Hikico¡¯rova.

    The Doom Guard held his hands close to the flames, passing his fingers over them with a low hum.  ¡°... Powerful ¡­ over three-thousand degrees Celsius ¡­ less than three and a half thousand, keeping steady.  If I didn¡¯t have such high Fire Resistance with all my Defensive Passives ¡­ resilient, too.¡±

    ¡°...¡±  All five Nalveans present were stunned, including Castella, watching the black armored knight hold his hand in the emerald flames.

    Their mouths dropped open when the ground underneath him began to ice over, and an explosion of arctic wind threw his cape back and sent Elinor¡¯s bound hair whipping to her side, yet the flames refused to die.

    The temperature around Edmon continued to plummet, causing Violet to pull the boy back with the rest of them, taking the group around the edge of the alley before constructing a barrier of silk; she utilized her camouflage skill to make it appear as though stone for the living with them.

    Layers of rigid ice were carried along with the frigid winds, refusing to die for twenty seconds, and when it faded, the chill even bypassed a part of Violet¡¯s web wall and fractured the stone walls, leaving sheets of ice more than a foot thick across the entire alley.

    Violet collapsed her barrier after the Doom Guard ceased feeding his ability, and the wall of ice that stuck to the spider¡¯s defense shattered to allow the group to observe the area.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Edmon whispered, staring down at the spot where the Nalvean once stood; the flames had been smothered, ¡°I had to get a little serious to forcefully extinguish it; this type of fire doesn¡¯t spread out from a set distance, but is far more intense than most fire that we have on earth ¡­ 4990C is the hottest humanity has been able to generate.¡±

    Klaus nodded, noticing the Nalveans shivering from the thick levels of ice filling the opening; Sari¡¯a¨¦l observed Edmon¡¯s attack with a slight frown and tilted head, deep in thought.

    The Ambassador folded his arms, stopping just before the frozen floor.  ¡°To think Jumi¡¯kerune can implant a JadeFire suicide device is ¡­ concerning; although, I can¡¯t imagine it is cheap. ¡­ I don¡¯t think anyone could have saved him with how swiftly it consumed his insides, and Quen¡¯Talrat can survive heat like this without issue?¡±  Klaus asked, staring down at the small section of the cobblestone street that had been turned to dust, heat cracks beneath.

    Edmon straightened, staring down at the wide-open spot, devoid of the icy sheets, and clasped his hands behind his back.

    Quin was pulled into the conversation, still searching the river floor, retrieving all the crystals used on their boat, destroyed the same way; the Ri¡¯bot had been ushered into the Clavex community by Kolira¡¯s priests and priestesses.

    The Elite Hunter was a little caught off-guard being randomly brought into the discussion.  ¡°Uh ¡­ JadeFire?  Oh, yes, High Lord, Elite Hunters are born with unique gifts that most of my race does not possess ¡­ I was granted great immunity to fire, yet the strength of my flames is ¡­ lacking.  I gained very little in the way of fur defensive resilience and offensive capabilities, but my stamina and fire resistance were what granted me the title ¡­ with my extra limbs and size.¡±

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma?  Elinor asked.

    ¡°Oh, without a doubt, Empress!¡±  Quin replied without hesitation.  ¡°To see the Ke in battle was ¡­ awe-striking!  I still remember the day he returned ¡­ the glory, yet ¡­ oh, JadeFire, yes, yes ¡­ umm, the Ke walked through fields of JadeFire, consuming it with the Blood Heads to mock the weak Nalveans attempting to replicate their flames.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Klaus mumbled, and Edmon had her return to her task.  ¡°That must mean the fortress foundations and walls can withstand even Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s flames, or maybe that was the requirement, which makes the city far more defensible than I thought.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Edmon replied, black helmet moving to the dumbstruck Nalveans, still trying to process what they¡¯d just seen.  ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t believe I could survive Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s flames as I am,¡± he whispered, ¡°which puts things in perspective.  My defenses wouldn¡¯t hold up under prolonged exposure to even this kind of fire without actively fighting it.  In any case, can you find his spirit for answers, Empress?¡±

    She activated her skill, searching for the dead Nalvean¡¯s spirit; she was reaching the point where using Death Energy would be risky, depending on the net gain she¡¯d get throughout the day.  I need to¡­

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s voice entered Elinor¡¯s mind, still observing Edmon.  ¡°Edmon is the same Grade I would be raised to.  Correct?¡±

    Yes, Elinor stated, easily finding the assassin¡¯s spirit in the same place he died.  When connected to my System, my forces are initially made weaker than their original selves, and in some cases, extensively more vulnerable, but their potential is¡­

    She trailed off, lips coming apart in question as the Nalvean¡¯s spirit flared to life; he was of high Rare-Grade, which meant he¡¯d at least have a form, but as a Wisp-Type, he¡¯d need to feed a bit more to speak, yet ¡­ something was wrong.

    The assassin¡¯s mouth opened for a moment, and Elinor watched in confusion as he released a horrifying scream that set Elinor¡¯s hair on-edge, causing the three Nalveans to flee in horror at the negative waves he emitted; the spirit in front of them twisted before being ripped to shreds of energy, exploding around the area in a shower of fading white light.

    His spirit died ¡­ no, it was torn into pieces.

    A small part of her felt like it had been ripped out of her breast, a spark that burned an imprint on her heart before vanishing.  This was the first time she¡¯d ever lost an Intelligent Undead, and the entire experience caused her brain to halt, hand clutching her chest in disbelief, trying to deal with the emotions the Religious System allowed through.

    Luckily, only Sari¡¯a¨¦l appeared to have experienced the impact she felt because the others jumped into action.  Edmon, Klaus, and Castella were by her side, Violet wrapping the other three fleeing Nalveans in thread while developing a defensive grid around them.

    Edmon spoke first.  ¡°Violet, what was that?!¡±

    ¡°The same waves as the princess ¡­ I felt the gathering of them the moment he was resurrected.¡±

    ¡°How?  He was a spirit,¡± Castella asked.  ¡°It is a physical device was removed, burned away by JadeFire!¡±

    Klaus hummed darkly.  ¡°Apparently not only physical ¡­ Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s methods can even affect the spirit¡­¡±

    ¡°Which means it could affect the Undead,¡± Edmon growled.  ¡°Was it a simple command, Violet, or targetted?¡±

    ¡°I cannot say; it felt the same.  I can detect the faint gathering when the device pulls the signals, nothing more.¡±

    Klaus interjected.  ¡°Empress, if Jumi¡¯kerune can affect spirits, then his ancient technology might be able to detect and¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s hand tightened around her left breast as another spark burned her heart before vanishing from her Nexus ¡­ Kimlira¡¯s growing spirit had been extinguished within the palace.

    ¡­ She¡¯s gone, Elinor mumbled.  How¡­

    ¡°A coordinated attack?¡±  Edmon asked.

    Violet shook her head, turning to scan a large area with her enhanced senses.  ¡°I cannot sense any malicious intent aimed at us or a force moving in ¡­ most are fleeing after hearing the spirit die; it could be heard as far as the shopping districts, but I do not sense any danger toward us.¡±

    Castella¡¯s jaw tightened, eyeing the silken sacks holding the four Nalveans a few meters away from them, protected in case they were under attack while keeping them close.  ¡°The palace was where Kimlira was killed, right?  Is it safe to return?¡±

    Elinor took a deep breath, calming her nerves; getting rid of the fodder Unintelligent Undead didn¡¯t phase her in the least, but this was completely different.  In fact, Emotional Loss might have been given to her for this very purpose, deadening her senses to this kind of loss.  No ¡­ we must know what we are dealing with.  She mumbled, realizing tears were streaming out of her eyes; it was the first time since dying that she¡¯d felt physical pain.

    She caught sight of the Seraph, clutching her own breast while experiencing Elinor¡¯s loss.

    Elinor hadn¡¯t been close to either Kimlira or this assassin, yet it felt like an ember was burning its way out of her chest ¡­ what would happen if Iris or Tiffany were to be killed?  She refused to find out.

    Her mind stilled, cold emotion gripping her mind and silencing her tears as she tapped further into her Lich Nature, suppressing part of the Religious System to regain her wits.

    Demon is drawing our focus away again with¡­  They wouldn¡¯t waste resources on an agent like this assassin without purpose, which means we¡¯ve just tripped Demon up, and he¡¯s trying to regain his advantage.  This boy is important ¡­ essential to Demon ¡­ we must discover why.

    Castella nodded, tail flicking sharply with agitation; the bag full of market goods shifted against her shoulder as her gaze darted between the bundled Nalveans.  ¡°It also shows what would happen to the princess if we tried to bring her back ¡­ she¡¯s already been through so much.¡±

    ¡°Ah, good catch; I¡¯ll report the incident to everyone within range,¡± Klaus mumbled, arms tightening around his chest.

    The comment made Elinor¡¯s jaw tighten, thinking about Camellia, Lecra¡¯Moro, and Imiunarus; they were stepping into a place Elinor did not prepare them for.  Her haste could cost her the lives of her assets ¡­ her people; with the Lich in her taking over, she was beginning to return to a colder mindstate.

    Edmon nodded.  ¡°We will focus.  Violet, we start by discovering the identity of the spies we¡¯ve gathered, and once we¡¯ve finished with that, make plans and visit the site of Kimlira¡¯s death to investigate who can kill spirits.¡±

    Elinor let them temporarily take command, green irises swapping to the Seraph ¡­ she¡¯d wrapped herself in her wings, hiding from view.

    A frown touched Elinor¡¯s lips, studying the egg-like cocoon the angel wrapped herself in. Sari¡¯a¨¦l had never once curled in ¡­ she was hiding ¡­ of course, Elinor doubted she¡¯d ever felt anything like what she¡¯d just experienced, but it made her wonder.

    Edmon, Klaus, and Castella were multi-tasking, issuing apologies to their two escorts and explaining the situation to them; the others were still held in restraints.  The Doom Guard sent Castella off to escort the two spies Violet caught to their location, giving Elinor time to herself.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l?

    Her six wings slowly slid apart, and Elinor saw two lines of golden tears falling from her eyes; she was gripping her left arm but the Seraph was quick to regain her grace.  ¡°I ¡­ have not experienced ¡­ horror ¡­ not like that.  To be connected to a spirit through you, and then ¡­ to have it ripped apart by two competing forces ¡­ it was utterly different than the second.¡±

    A chill ran through Elinor¡¯s frame as she listened to the angel; Sari¡¯a¨¦l understood precisely what had happened when she had not.

    Kimlira¡¯s death was simply her spirit being forced out of her grip, returning to wherever it had come ¡­ the assassin had been completely different.

    The ancient device Demon taught this Nalvean how to create was physical and spiritual in nature, and the compelling commands it forced onto the assassin¡¯s unprotected spirit tore it into pieces when she¡¯d tried to compel it; two competing influential forces.

    Tal¡¯tamine was lucky they¡¯d questioned her while alive.  In fact, was Demon banking on her killing the princess and trying to put the Nalveans against her when the girl¡¯s spirit was torn to shreds?

    Elinor breathed in a deep breath before puffing it out, and took a moment to clean her face; the act was somewhat comforting.

    I did not fully understand that.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡­ thank you.  It was the first time she¡¯d said those words in what seemed forever, but for some reason, this Seraph was helping her to find balance within herself; there was time for cold annihilation, even genocide, and time for humility and compassion ¡­ self-reflection.

    Calmly, she returned to the others, eyeing the spies with a neutral expression; they¡¯d just been lined up in a row.  The two Imperial Guards were collecting themselves against the wall beside them, helmets off, trying to come to terms with what they¡¯d just witnessed.  It was fair to say they were overwhelmed by the JadeFire, Edmon, the dying spirit, and being forcefully restrained.

    Edmon, Castella, and Klaus stood beside her, Violet continuing to perform the invisible puppeteer¡¯s role.  Elinor turned her attention to the two newcomers.  ¡°I am going to be as precise and clear with my language as I can.  Nod if you understand me.¡±

    All of them followed the instruction; her lingering gaze shifted between them, causing an even more frantic nod.  Two men, a boy, and a woman, were caught in Violet¡¯s binding web.

    ¡°I have just been attacked and am feeling rather ¡­ unfriendly, at the moment.  I hope you are not here to waste my time ¡­ I have little to spare.  Two questions, who are you, and why are you pursuing me.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus was on what she assumed was a Seaweaver, given the spikes on his back, but not a very powerful one.  ¡°Y-Your Imperial ¡­ Imperial Majesty be¡­¡±

    ¡°The Empress said cut to the chase,¡± Edmon growled.

    ¡°Yes, y-yes ¡­ I am U-Ummmmmigir, a Seaaweaver rrecruit ¡­ I, umm ¡­ myy, speech is ¡­ is bad, Empress ¡­ ittt wasss Empressss Yesenia that wished¡­¡±

    Violet¡¯s thread snapped around his mouth with Elinor¡¯s shifting eyes; that was all she needed to hear from him.

    ¡°Next,¡± she stated, drawing a shiver from the rest.

    The 2nd man¡¯s silk unwound around his monstrous jaws; he was far more elegant with his words than the previous one without hand signs.  ¡°I ¡­ am a trusted confidant of the High Ruler; my ¡­ name is Imiruba.¡±  Elinor kept her neutral face but partially cursed at the news, and the confession wasn¡¯t over.

    ¡°In accordance with High Ruler Nukulara¡¯s strict instructions when discovered ¡­ I am to explain that I have been tasked directly by his High Majesty.  I am to memorize everything I see and report it back without blemish; the High Ruler wishes to know how you spend your time within Shi¡¯Shuka from a trusted source.¡±

    Edmon released an indeterminate hum.  ¡°... A test to see if we can identify a spy?¡±

    ¡°No, Lord Gatekeeper Edmon,¡± Imiruba replied.  ¡°The High Ruler told me I would be discovered without a shadow of a doubt, but it is what actions are taken after that I must list, including this ¡­ I did not expect to find myself in this situation, I must admit,¡± he replied with a weak chuckle.

    ¡°Neither did I,¡± Elinor replied, having Violet release him.  ¡°I plan on discussing this at length with the High Ruler when the time comes.  Until then, observe; however, there may be times I wish to have privacy.¡±

    ¡°Understood, and I will report it,¡± he replied with a deep, respectful bow.

    Violet spoke through the Nexus as he moved off to the side, checking the status of the Imperial Guards and asking for more details.  ¡°He hides his fears well, but terror grips him.¡±

    He is brave.  Elinor commented, vision darting to the Seraph for a momenting.

    Retaining her poker face, Elinor moved to the woman wrapped in spider silk; sections of her garments had been cut from Violet¡¯s thin wire, and she was practically bawling in silence, eyes closed.  ¡°Tell me who you really work for ¡­ do not play games with me; you were sent to show me disrespect on someone else¡¯s behalf ¡­ I am not amused.¡±

    Imiruba¡¯s tongue slid through his teeth, face creasing in an unfamiliar manner that Castella identified as stoic study.  Edmon¡¯s advice rang true in her mind, though; if the situation was reversed, and the High Ruler was in her position, he would be utterly direct, befitting a ruler, and this topic would interest the High Ruler since it reflected poorly on his dignitaries.

    Violet removed the woman¡¯s gag, and she started crying hysterically, babbling nonsense, causing the spider to replace her silk.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try this ¡­ One.  More.  Time.¡±  She warned.  ¡°Are you calm?¡±

    She swiftly nodded, nostrils flaring with loud noises rumbling in her throat and liquid leaking out of her eyes; the others were just as frightened by her display.

    ¡°You do not seem calm.¡±

    The woman took several deep breaths, visibly taking limited efforts with what room she was given.  Once able to talk, the Nalvean spoke as slowly as possible, but many of the sentences were swift before a pause, then rushing through the next.  ¡°I ¡­ ahem, I ¡­ my name is Elquara, m-my Empress ¡­ no, no, your Empress!  Umm ¡­ umm, I ¡­ I was sent by P-Prince Micru¡¯jire ¡­ he ¡­ he wanted me to ¡­ to ¡­ to take you to ¡­ to Stateswoman Lukuroha¡¯s and ¡­ when she¡¯s not there ¡­ you¡¯d feel disrespected¡­¡±

    ¡°Mhm ¡­ he didn¡¯t say why, did he?¡±  She dryly asked.

    ¡°N-No, Empress!¡±  She swallowed.  ¡°I only ¡­ I do what I¡¯m told¡­¡±

    Castella sniffed, glaring at the woman.  ¡°Including bedding Statesman Baltoma, apparently.¡±

    ¡°How ¡­ I ¡­ I was just ¡­ I¡­¡±  She mumbled in shock and what seemed to be a bit of shame by her downcast eyes.

    Violet¡¯s web closed around her mouth again, but the tears that left her eyes now weren¡¯t from panic.

    ¡°I don¡¯t particularly care for your reasons at this moment,¡± Elinor replied, green irises falling on the boy, who actually looked somewhat pissed, fear being overshadowed while glaring at Elquara.  ¡°So ¡­ I have a spy from Yesenia, a journalist from the High Ruler, and espionage from the eldest prince ¡­ what is your story?¡±

    The boy¡¯s lips were unsealed, and the first thing he did was shift his head to spit on the woman, suspended in the air next to him.

    ¡°Kids got balls,¡± Klaus chuckled.

    ¡°You toe licking harlot!  Stateswoman Lukuroha is the greatest ever, and you try to tarnish her name?  I¡¯ll remember you, Elquara!  You should have your tail cut down the center and stuffed¡­¡±

    Elinor lifted an eyebrow at the venomous teenage Nalvean; youth will be youth, even in another culture, she supposed.

    Castella was laughing at the boy¡¯s fire.  ¡°He¡¯s a hurricane!  Biting words for a woman to hear.¡±

    That bad?  Elinor asked; he was still screaming silent curses with his purple irises.  By the way, how beautiful is she?

    ¡°Uh, yeah, very bad to say to a woman, Empress; the tail is a woman¡¯s greatest pride, and to lick toes is a sign of a broken Nalvean ¡­ a slave to the lowest degree.  The boy has a mouth,¡± Castella replied, ¡°but good on him!  Women like this make us look bad, and ¡­ well, she is very pretty, although her mannerisms are far too submissive to most male tastes.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Klaus entered the conversation, ¡°I¡¯d say she puts off the energy of a defeated woman, easy to be used.  I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the prince is holding something over her head, forcing her to act as his slave.¡±

    Castella¡¯s mirth died in an instant.  ¡°Heh ¡­ mmh ¡­ considering what he did to the princess, I don¡¯t doubt it ¡­ perhaps I was too harsh on her.¡±

    Elinor filed it away, returning to the boy.  ¡°You will have time to curse later, boy ¡­ I told you what I want.¡±

    His heat died down, vision darting between Edmon and her with a lump dropping down his gullet; he soon nodded, confirming he¡¯d comply.  Violet removed the gag again.

    ¡°I ¡­ I mean no disrespect, Lady Empress!  Really, I don¡¯t!  I, umm ¡­ I just can¡¯t stand people always trying to hurt Stateswoman Lukuroha!¡±

    ¡°You want to protect her?¡±  Castella asked, hiding her amused feelings.

    His head bobbed up and down without hesitation.  ¡°I am ¡­ I was Stateswoman Lukuroha¡¯s trainee ¡­ when she was still in the army; she taught me everything ¡­ before all the other stuff happened, but umm ¡­ yeah, the Stateswoman has given me an important task to ¡­ well, I know it¡¯s not good for me to ask, but ¡­ well, she needs your help, Lady Empress!  Please!¡±

    ¡°Lie,¡± Violet stated without emotion.

    ¡°The truth, boy, and your name,¡± Klaus demanded, probably picking up on it after Violet¡¯s sharp senses.

    He flinched.  ¡°O-Okay, umm ¡­ I know, I know, I¡¯m sorry!¡±  He groaned.  ¡°I just ¡­ I¡¯m nobody ¡­ and well ¡­ my name is Aluix, and ¡­ I was hoping to, well ¡­ to ask you to help my Statewoman¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°So ¡­ you were not sent by your Head of State?¡±  Elinor asked, finding it somewhat cute how he called her.

    He shamefully shook his head, eyes downcast.  ¡°No, Lady Empress ¡­ I¡¯m sorry ¡­ I just ¡­ I wanted to help, and she¡¯s been so stressed ¡­ I know when she gets stressed ¡­ she has this little tail jerk, and she rubs her thumb and index finger¡­¡±

    ¡°Kid¡¯s observant,¡± Edmon mumbled.  ¡°Why would an assassin be sent after you?¡±

    His eyes widened.  ¡°What ¡­ me?  No, I¡¯m nobody!  Like ¡­ nobody, nobody¡­¡±

    Klaus gave him a questioning smirk.  ¡°The most important person in your entire City-State doesn¡¯t just take nobody to the Empire Capital.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just useful at cleaning, and she likes to talk to me and stuff¡­¡±  He mumbled.  ¡°Nobody¡­¡±  His jaws snapped shut as Castella put a finger to her smiling lips, telling him to stop talking, and Elinor went over the information they¡¯d acquired with the others, coming to a conclusion.

    Aluix was definitely of high significance, even if he didn¡¯t know why, which meant Klaus would now be by his side, and they would wait with the boy in the Head of State¡¯s chamber for her to return from the meeting; according to the boy, he was given access, and the guards would know.  He was ecstatic that he¡¯d actually succeeded in directing Elinor¡¯s attention to his Ruler.

    Yesenia¡¯s spy would be sent back without explanation of what he missed, which would infuriate the woman, Elinor was sure.

    Much to Elquara¡¯s discomfort, she would guide Elinor to the eldest prince for a personal chat; it was a good use of time, and there were some things they could explore.  However, before that, they would see where Kimlira¡¯s spirit was murdered; she couldn¡¯t even send Elinor a distress signal with how fast she¡¯d been dispatched.  There had to be some trace left behind they could use to identify the killer.

    The High Ruler¡¯s journalist would join her ¡­ although, he would not enter the conversation with the prince; Elinor had a feeling the eldest of Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s brothers would be trying to win her favor for a deal to be struck, and depending on what it was, she might find an advantage for not just herself, but the princess.

    Edmon voiced a concern that prodded Elinor¡¯s mind.

    Given their lead to the contractor that poisoned her food had met an untimely death by JadeFire, it could mean Statesman Baltoma wasn¡¯t behind the assassination attempt, to begin with, but they might intersect.  It was just a bit too convenient that so many unprecedented crimes were taking place all around her entrance ¡­ Demon was activating all of his cards against her.

    She had to accept the Statesman might not be involved, which meant she needed leverage in another area to get her Warlord.  One thing was for sure, though; Demon was cleaning-house, and thoroughly.

    With Elinor¡¯s direction selected, she returned to the palace, Violet, Edmon, Castella, and Imiruba by her side; the angel floated behind them, much less active than what Elinor was accustomed to.

    Ever since the death of her first spirit, Sari¡¯a¨¦l had been stoic</a>, now looking inward rather than at the culture and people around them.  The Seraph was changing little by little as she was exposed to Elinor¡¯s life.

    Her gaze fell to the cobblestone street with a cold smile, Lich Nature returning to combat the sharp emotions.  I know you slipped up, Demon ¡­ and one wrong play in a complicated plan can cause the whole tower to crumble.  I¡¯m on your heels.

 B2 â€” 30. Handed A Loaded Gun

    Elinor walked back through the streets with Elquara meekly following; she would take the lead after they studied the area Kimlira¡¯s spirit had been slain.

    Klaus and Aluix traveled with them until reaching the palace, where they would return to the Stateswoman¡¯s chambers to await her return from the Emperor¡¯s meeting.  The boy was silently observing them with waves of curiosity and respect.

    Imiruba, the High Ruler¡¯s confidant, was keeping a careful watch to chronicle their progress.  The flaming butterflies were of great interest to him after the two Imperial Guards updated him on what they represented.

    Edmon, Violet, and Castella were on sharp alert for danger, but the spies had retreated to report their findings.

    The travel between the rural district to the palace was met with many interested looks, bows of respect, and Nalvean¡¯s hurrying out of an area to not get involved, but her presence was felt within the city.

    She didn¡¯t particularly care about the attention; Violet and Edmon would be the ones focusing on that part of her movements and the path from the southside of Shi¡¯Shuka to the palace gates went without incident.  Although, they were momentarily stopped by a squad of City Guards that had run to investigate the spirit¡¯s death scream.

    Romimaca and Hikico¡¯rova explained the situation with one of the guards that lingered with them to record the incident; they didn¡¯t appear to have the authority to detain Elinor unless seeing her in the middle of an egregious act.  Despite her being within the area, it didn¡¯t grant them the right to stop her as a Ruler, and one was left tagging along to get the details.  It would take a direct order from the High Ruler or the Head Imperial Captain to forcefully redirect her course.

    Elinor rather enjoyed that aspect of the Nalvean Empire¡¯s respect for the authority of other nations.  If Klaus had been a suspect, then other City or Palace Officers could question him about it; although, the Nalvean Ambassador would be present to make sure no offense was triggered and proper decorum was given to his station.

    While the others handled her defense and annoyances, Elinor¡¯s mind was on the death of her spirits; the two did not go out in the same way.

    When Kimlira was killed, it wasn¡¯t her spirit but the seed Elinor planted, anchoring her to this world.  It was painful to Elinor, but Kimlira simply returned to the grave.

    On the other hand, the assassin had an ancient technology implanted into his body and spirit, which tore him to pieces when her branching seed tried to sprout; a confrontation between the technology and her power didn¡¯t just send the Nalvean to the afterlife or wherever spirits went but wiped it from existence.

    That was what stunned Sari¡¯a¨¦l into silent meditation, and Elinor hadn¡¯t even noticed the difference until the woman mentioned it.  Elinor had nothing to base their losses to since she hadn¡¯t experienced what it was like to have a servant pass on.

    However, the angel understood something about the incident that she didn¡¯t, yet she still wasn¡¯t sure why the Seraph was so shaken by the action.  Yes, it felt horrifying and painful in a way Elinor couldn¡¯t explain, yet her Lich Nature dulled that sensation to a significant degree.

    Elinor slowed a little to look at the woman floating beside their group, several feet to her left, passing through Nalveans as if they were the ghosts; her entourage matched her new pace, following Elinor¡¯s gaze.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l, why was the death of that random Nalvean so hard for you?  It was spiritual death, but what is the significance of that?

    The Seraph¡¯s stoic golden eyes lifted to her.  ¡°...¡±  After a few seconds, her focus fell to the ground, sadness in her soft voice.  ¡°I have entered a place that is far removed from the reality I know ¡­ death is not frightening to me since all Children of the Sun return to the Blood Sun.  Yet what you felt ¡­ that vulnerability opened my eyes to something I had not understood.¡±

    She paused, gathering her worlds.  ¡°My ¡­ divine flames have erased countless beings that sought to attack The Children of the Sun, and while I know where we go ¡­ where do these spirits that are purged or torn asunder rest?  I now see that there are no second chances for our enemies ¡­ we are simply too powerful.¡±

    Elinor knew the angel was struggling with something probably very simple yet was entirely new to the six-winged creature.  Ask me whatever you wish; I will tell you no lies.  What have you seen that is troubling you?

    ¡°Troubling me¡­¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l repeated, holding a hand to her chest.  ¡°What is it you want, Elinor?¡±  She asked, giving her a concerned look.

    A soft sigh passed through Elinor¡¯s connection to the angel.  I ¡­ want to build a new life with my servants ¡­ my people, She corrected, trying to counter her overpowering Lich Nature.  I want to build and protect ¡­ however, there is a piece of me that can never be satisfied until I confront whoever did this to me.

    Does that make sense?  Elinor asked, watching the Seraph¡¯s full pink lips curve into a slight smile before looking up at the shining sun, climbing into the sky.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ when you talk to me, there is a subtle note hidden within your words that translates into a tragic plea.¡±

    Her green irises creased with confusion; she didn¡¯t like that word.  Plea ¡­ what am I pleading for?

    ¡°If I was to put those emotions and tones into words myself ¡­ you feel like you''re falling, but you¡¯re desperately trying to fly; the question of where all the goodness in your life has gone haunts your damaged heart.  When you speak to me, you¡¯re looking for angels in the darkest of skies, yet wondering if I can satisfy that hope you seek.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips tightened, averting her gaze from the Seraph¡¯s golden eyes.  ¡­ Careful what you wish to know, I suppose, she mumbled.  The woman¡¯s answer pricked her heart, even past her Lich Racials.  Am I asking for a miracle ¡­ too much?  What is the major difference you see while looking through my eyes, Sari¡¯a¨¦l?  She asked.

    The angelic figure closed her eyes, holding her enclosed hands against her breast.  ¡°I see a world of weak creatures, looking for answers in the highest of highs, looking for light inside an ocean of night.  Uncertainty, loneliness, grief, pain, a struggle to reach something greater.

    ¡°They don¡¯t know what they really want, but it isn¡¯t what they have; gratitude for what one has is such a foreign concept, and that repulses me, yet ¡­ there is a desire to understand this world within my hearts.  I have never cried because of ¡­ sorrow ¡­ to feel true loss.  Tragedy and beauty I have not experienced fill your soul.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s pain subsided with a small smile.  Perhaps you are right ¡­ I believe having you around will be a miracle, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and you will help me keep a part of myself I want to shelter.  It is ultimately your decision, but as you said ¡­ in this ocean of night, I am looking for light ¡­ an angel in these dark skies.  Thank you for your honesty, Sari¡¯a¨¦l; I might not always like it ¡­ I need it, though.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l chuckled.  ¡°Weakness is such a strange feeling ¡­ when you have my body, I will give you a clear answer.¡±

    A long puff of air shot through Elinor¡¯s throat, drawing Edmon, Violet, and Castella¡¯s eye, perceptive enough to catch her actions.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Elinor?¡±  Edmon asked, black helmet centering on her.

    A lot is wrong in my life, yet I am grateful for what I have ¡­ including you, Edmon.

    He bowed his head.  ¡°I am not worthy of such praise.¡±

    Are we worthy of anything?  Elinor mumbled; her Empress Nature was somewhat resistant to her words but less than she imagined they¡¯d be.  No ¡­ I¡¯ll take what I can get and be thankful for that which I can keep.  Edmon ¡­ let¡¯s redouble our efforts; we must win.  Demon¡¯s eye is always on us; it will take a miracle to survive everything he is sending at us.

    Edmon¡¯s smooth voice turned to ice.  ¡°He will not have you.¡±

    A short laugh shook her chest; her Religious System was returning with a vengeance against her Undead System.  She couldn¡¯t deny it, though; the only reason she survived thus far was luck ¡­ a miracle in itself.  Tiffany happened to have the ability to counter Demon, and it may not have even been the start of her fortune.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was right; she was trying so hard to fly, but every time she felt like progress was being made, gravity was pulling her down.

    Walking through the massive palace gates, Elinor made her way to the exact area she felt Kimlira separated from her Nexus.

    Klaus and the boy split off soon after entering, and the City Guard finished his report, leaving to give it to his superior; the fact Elinor was attacked in the Capital was perturbing to the man since he was on patrol.  It wasn¡¯t a good show of confidence in their abilities if the Ruler of another kingdom was in danger, even if she¡¯d been the one to actively pursue it and make it her business.

    In a rather unassuming hallway, the Imperial Guards gave each other curious glances when her small group stopped near its center, more so when she voiced her reason for being there.

    ¡°Hikico¡¯rova¡­¡±

    The man hurried forward, giving her a salute.  ¡°Yes, Empress Elinor?¡±

    Her glowing green irises glared at a space fifteen feet above them, not far distant.  ¡°Someone that wishes me dead stood in this spot no more than an hour and seven minutes ago.  I need you to investigate this space and ask around to discover who passed through here at that time.¡±

    Imiruba¡¯s hand tightened around his wrist behind his back.  ¡°How do you know this, Empress Elinor?¡±

    Elinor gave him a secretive smile.  ¡°I have many abilities that I cannot explain to you, Confidant of the High Ruler.  There are forces at work within your Empire that seek to overthrow me, and I have been slowly gathering more and more evidence; you have only seen a fragment of what moves against me.¡±

    His brow creased with concern, but he nodded.  ¡°If there are any concerns, then I will bring them to the High Ruler.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Elinor replied, returning her focus to the Imperial Guard.  ¡°I will have much to discuss with the High Ruler myself when we meet later this night.  Now, Hikico¡¯rova, will you do as I ask?¡±

    He bowed.  ¡°I will launch an investigation, Empress, but everything I find must be reported to the Imperial Head Captain.¡±

    ¡°Understandable,¡± Elinor conceded.  ¡°Now ¡­ Elquara.¡±  The woman stiffened upon being addressed.  ¡°You will guide us to Prince Micru¡¯jire.  Where will he be at this time?¡±

    Imiruba was the one to answer her, drawing Elinor¡¯s eye.  ¡°The Eldest Prince will be in his chambers, working on his artistic talents, Empress.¡±

    Elquara swiftly nodded.  ¡°Y-Yes, Empress,¡± she mumbled, shying away from Edmon as he looked at her, tail curling under a bit to press against her ankle.  ¡°H-His High Prince usually ¡­ he doesn¡¯t like being disturbed when at work¡­¡±

    Elinor caught Imiruba¡¯s distasteful expression when she called him High Prince, which was likely a title the man had created himself.

    Edmon¡¯s cold tone caused a shiver to run down all the Nalvean guards¡¯ frames in the echoey hall.  ¡°Why would Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elinor of the Undying Empire, be concerned about what a prince wishes?¡±

    Castella followed the scathing remark.  ¡°Much less a prince that sent a spy to sow discord among the City-States and show disrespect to Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elinor of the Undying Empire.¡±

    The air in Elquara¡¯s lungs was frozen in place as she whimpered a weak, ¡°Mh-hmh,¡± while doing a quick bow and salute before stiffly leading the way back.

    The High Ruler¡¯s confidant didn¡¯t say anything but gave Castella a lingering look, falling into line.  It wasn¡¯t like he could say anything and was likely finding the situation unfavorable to the image the Emperor was trying to give Elinor.

    Romimaca winced at the rebuke, but Elquara¡¯s response implied what the prince wanted mattered to Elinor.

    So far, what Imiruba knew was that Elinor had been shown disrespect by both royalty and common-folk, was trying to be used as a political pawn, had been attacked within the Capital City, and at odds with Yesenia to a certain extent from the information Hikico¡¯rova and Romimaca gave him.

    Elinor¡¯s first impressions were that of power and intelligence; the Nalvean Empire¡¯s response had been anything but ideal by friendly standards.  In fact, her reaction so far had been relatively mild by outward observations.

    ¡°Empress,¡± Imiruba said, trying to draw her attention as they walked, ¡°might I inquire upon a few matters?¡±

    ¡°By all means,¡± she returned with a neutral smile.

    ¡°I appreciate your straightforward responses, Empress,¡± he bowed, vision shifting to Elquara for a moment; the stiff woman was leading their group through the palace to the prince¡¯s chambers.  ¡°What are your current intentions with the prince?¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Elinor gave him a side-long look.  ¡°I am not going to murder the prince if that is what you are implying.¡±

    ¡°A discussion?¡±  He pressed.

    Her focus shifted to the red waters that pumped out of the walls through artistic stonework, crafted into the walls, following their gentle movements running in the opposite direction of their travel.  ¡°My hope for this visit was not to cause tensions between our Empires, Imiruba, but to enter a profitable trade agreement with your nation, and that stands.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s glowing eyes locked on the Nalvean¡¯s.  ¡°That being said, I am not the kind of Empress that will allow disrespect to go unaddressed, and I will not be used as a political card.  Do you not agree that if I open myself up to be used, then it is an invitation for further exploitation?¡±

    A puff of air passed through his black tongue as it flicked out of his mouth.  ¡°I understand your position, Empress, and apologize on behalf of the High Ruler for how you have been received by some within our Empire.¡±

    The statement surprised Elinor; as the High Ruler¡¯s most trusted confidant and appointee, his remark was looked at as if their Ruler apologized himself.  It was basically a national offering of remorse on behalf of its citizens.  Even Castella was a bit taken aback by the unhesitating reply.

    ¡°Accepted,¡± Elinor stated; it was the only graceful action she could take.  ¡°I still plan on having a private conversation with the prince.  However, I will leave my Gatekeeper and Castella with you outside to show how much I trust your words.¡±

    He gave her a deep bow.  ¡°I am thankful and will report the action to the High Ruler.¡±

    Of course, Violet would be with her.  The one-on-one would also put the prince¡¯s guard down and make him feel more important than he actually was, which seemed to be a weakness for the proud Nalvean.

    It took some time to make it through the long passageways that linked the palace¡¯s many wings, shaped like a pentagon.  They took an elevator to the 8th level to reach an area with several rooms, all given to the prince.

    The Imperial Guards at the doors gave them uncertain looks as their group entered the corridor, and Romimaca hurried forward to explain what was about to happen.  When they neared, the man and woman opened the large, metallic double doors.

    Violet rushed through, unnoticed, searching for danger, and Edmon entered to announce her as the others retreated to the opposite side of the hall.

    The prince was in the middle of a large, circular room with various posh furniture that almost mirrored the Royal Quarters Elinor had been given to stay at.  On couches and chairs around the room were Nalvean females, considering their long, thick tails and slimmer frames.  Judging by the minimal layers of silk around their figures and where the cloth was placed, Elinor assumed they were scantily dressed.

    Standing at the room¡¯s center was the muscular salamander, reflecting a few of his youngest sister¡¯s features, showing more green and less blue scales.  He had similar silk that his father wore, but it was placed in slightly different areas.

    Unlike the first time Elinor had seen him, the man lacked many of the decorative pieces, instead splattered with some kind of white clay-like substance that he was using to mold a statue of himself.  His expensive coverings were caked in the alabaster putty, and placed not far away was a painting that Elinor assumed was of himself.

    Tapping into Castella¡¯s mind when she caught sight of the room¡¯s interior, Elinor smiled.  Edmon announced her entrance as Castella took a quick glance around the space, amused eyes lingering on the painting and sculpture before retreating with the rest.

    Prince Micru¡¯jire was not pleased by the interruption upon seeing Elquara in the hall, dull green reptilian irises shifting between his uninvited guests, but he patiently waited for Edmon to finish.

    Standing behind her Doom Guard, Elinor asked Castella, What is your opinion of his work?

    The woman coughed a laugh, trying not to let it escape outside the Nexus.  ¡°He ¡­ ahem ¡­ has a very skewed vision of his personal image.  Prince Micru¡¯jire has always been self-conscious about rather average looks compared to the rest of his siblings; I suppose he is trying to give a false impression to future generations because he is nowhere near as attractive as that painting depicts.¡±

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Noted.  Elinor chuckled.

    The prince gave her a proper bow when Edmon finished, lowering his gaze; she noticed he was slightly shorter than many of the females around the room, all practically in an inverted L position upon her appearance.  ¡°Empress Elinor ¡­ what an unexpected and delightful surprise!  Please, forgive my mess; if I knew you wished to meet, I would have come to you.  Might I take a moment to freshen up to receive you?  As you can see ¡­ I am rather engaged with my passion.¡±

    ¡°By all means,¡± Elinor replied, hands behind her back as she further entered the room.  ¡°I have ordered my guard to remain in the hall so we may talk in private, and am in no rush.  Return to your chambers and dress properly.¡±

    ¡°You are too kind, Empress!¡±  He bowed again, showing nothing but delight in his tone.  His dull green eyes shot to the Nalveans around the room.  ¡°The Empress has spoken ¡­ why are you still here?¡±

    All fifteen women swiftly made mildly panicked apologies before exiting with more gestures that Castella distastefully explained were extremely diminutive.  As a very militaristic and strong mercantile race, Nalveans like Castella were critical of submissive behavior; it appeared the prince favored the opposite trait in his women.

    The Imperial Guards kept the entrance open with the quick exchange, and the prince respectfully left, doors closing after his exit.

    Now alone with Violet, they had enough time for the spider to construct another silken throne for her to relax in.  Her mind was occupied by Edmon and Castella outside as the prince stopped in front of his spy.

    Edmon repeated his actions for Elinor to follow; Elquara was practically petrified with fear as the much shorter male Nalvean stood in front of her.

    ¡°I am very disappointed in you ¡­ why have you not done what is expected of your actions, Elquara?  Hmm ¡­ good.  We will discuss the ramifications of your actions later.¡±

    Elquara was blushing with embarrassment and shame, everyone¡¯s eyes on her as the salamander woman hesitantly handed the prince two scrolls and began to self-strip, ripping her silk garments in half.

    Micru¡¯jire watched her take the torn chest article and make two folds in it before wrapping it around her neck; she finished by dropping to her knees with tears in her eyes and bowing to him.  ¡°I h-have broken your t-trust and ¡­ and my word, High Prince.  I am without worth.¡±

    It didn¡¯t sit right with Elinor.  Castella was disgusted by both Elquara and Micru¡¯jire; this was out of the norm to see an old ritual such as this ¡­ public shame that Elquara would be required to demonstrate for a month before being forgiven.

    Elinor had Edmon ask her question, given he was seen to have a rank that was the equivalent to a Statesman, he was well within his right to address the prince.  ¡°Did you expect Elquara to lie to Her Imperial Majesty?¡±

    The prince gave Edmon a respectful bow and smile.  ¡°By no means ¡­ you are Gatekeeper Edmon.  Correct?  A High Ruler standing just below Empress Elinor?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±

    He nodded, rising back to face her Doom Guard.  ¡°It is not who she has broken my trust with but the fact it was broken; the breach of trust itself is the issue.  I cannot accept her service moving forward.  Do you understand?¡±

    Elquara was doing her best to keep her sniffles to herself, but it seemed challenging for her to stop the tears and shaking frame.  The other fifteen women that had exited all showed signs of fear upon his statement and the rejected woman¡¯s punishment.

    I don¡¯t like it.  Elinor grumbled.

    ¡°Say what you will, it is an effective method to keep control over servants, and Tiffany would agree,¡± Edmon stated and gave the prince a nod.  However, to express Elinor¡¯s feelings, he said, ¡°Understandable.  However, it will lose its bite if done too often.¡±

    Micru¡¯jire chuckled.  ¡°I agree, Gatekeeper Edmon, and it is something I rarely have to exercise; the fact I must remove her from my service proves how capable your Empress is.  Now, I do not wish to keep your mistress long.  May I go?¡±

    ¡°Excellent response.¡±

    Bowing again, the prince retreated to a nearby room.  Elinor was on Castella¡¯s side; she didn¡¯t like the prince¡¯s style.  She also ruled by the fear of her power, true, but she did not humiliate her opponents; although ¡­ she had to question Tiffany¡¯s approach if she weren¡¯t around to reign her in.  Edmon may look intimidating, but the Witch was far more methodical and ruthless with her ritualistic ways than the prince could ever hope to conceptualize.

    Elinor had Castella bring Elquara away from the group; the woman had trouble standing but was obedient.  She was shunned by Micru¡¯jire and would have some kind of punishment later, but the broken Nalvean was in a moldable state that she could use.

    She instructed the woman to go to Klaus.  Her Ambassador should be able to get something out of her, and she couldn¡¯t refuse when Castella mentioned the order came from Elinor, not that she was that resilient to taking instructions.

    Klaus was sent the breakdown of what occurred; he reported that Aluix was very peppy and energetic, but there wasn¡¯t anything particularly unique the boy expressed that would have drawn Demon¡¯s concentrated attention.  He refused to say why his Stateswoman needed Elinor¡¯s support, though, saying he couldn¡¯t reveal it since he swore secrecy; in fact, he shouldn¡¯t have even told them Lukuroha was troubled.

    It took less than five minutes for the man to freshen up and return to the room.

    Elinor watched him re-enter, carrying an expensive-looking bag at his side that he personally went to Edmon to verify; inside were the two rolled-up scrolls Elquara had given him.  Castella was with Elquara at the time, but with a quick explanation of the general seal, she reported it was Statesman Baltoma¡¯s mark, piquing Elinor¡¯s interest.

    He was mildly surprised at her silken chair when he entered, guards closing the doors behind him; Violet inspected him, not finding anything suspicious, and the Spider Sister was practically an entire forensic investigation unit.

    ¡°Empress, I hope you did not wait long ¡­ and might I add ¡­ that throne is ¡­ exquisite,¡± he said in shock, taking the seat opposite her.  ¡°Is it entirely made of silk?¡±

    Bypassing his earlier comment, Elinor nodded.  ¡°Indeed, it is.  I heard about Elquara¡¯s punishment ¡­ it seems you have some kind of control over her.  Is there such a method the Nalveans use for slaves?  Is it a device?¡±

    The prince hummed with a thoughtful tone, gesturing to a small area where it looked like drinks could be made.  ¡°Please, excuse me, Empress; I will answer your question, but might I brew us a drink?  I am quite skilled in the herbal teas.¡±

    Elinor wanted to grimace at the thought; herbal teas were not her thing, but she was always up for experimentation, and it wasn¡¯t like it could kill her.  ¡°By all means,¡± she replied in a neutral tone.

    He got up, moving to the table, voice holding a joyful tone.  ¡°Wonderful!  As to your question, Empress, I have heard rumors of such methods; I assume you have come across those same sources yourself.  The network you have shown to possess is ¡­ quite astonishing.¡±

    Micru¡¯jire shifted his body in a way for her to see exactly what he was doing while brewing their two drinks, using a small blue flame in a jar to heat the water.  ¡°These rumors are only shared within ¡­ high circles, let¡¯s say,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°Devices that could make Nalvean personal motives ¡­ irrelevant.  However,¡± his wide eyes turned to give her a calculating look, ¡°I hear all of your soldiers are completely loyal to you.¡±

    He released a thoughtful hum, vision turning to the door before his tongue slid through the gaps in his teeth.  ¡°Castella proclaimed as much to my father¡¯s inquiries, which I find ¡­ fascinating, and your ability to return the dead to the prime of their youth.  Heh ¡­ it is quite curious.¡±

    Elinor did not like how he was moving the conversation.  ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± he nodded, inspecting many of the herbs within colored jars across the table.  ¡°I was very young when the Fire Wars started ¡­ my two older siblings dying to the beasts.¡±

    She didn¡¯t quite believe he was that sad about them perishing; it bumped him up to the eldest prince, after all.

    ¡°During those years, I only saw a little of Castella, and she was already quite an impressive figure of Nalvean beauty ¡­ and so strong-willed.  It was a shame her battle scars marred that image, although,¡± he turned with a bright smile, ¡°you fixed her into a sight of perfection!¡±

    Great ¡­ he¡¯s a creep.  Tal¡¯tamine had to deal with an older brother like this¡­  She was starting to wonder if the torture the princess endured was just the physical beating kind.  The truth would come out in time, but Micru¡¯jire was not giving her an excellent first impression.

    ¡°So, you¡¯re attracted to Castella?¡±  She asked, trying not to sound disgusted; Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated into the room, drawing her eyes for a moment.  ¡°And yes ¡­ my people are all entirely loyal to me.  What are you trying to imply?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing, Empress,¡± he laughed, bringing a small stand to set her cup beside her; Sari¡¯a¨¦l was studying her with a perfectly stoic expression.  ¡°No, I have more of a ¡­ curiosity with the implications.  What would it be like to sleep with the living dead?  If they are utterly loyal to you, couldn¡¯t you order something like that?  In fact, can they reproduce?¡±  He inquired before taking his own seat to sip at his drink.

    Yup ¡­ a creep.  Castella¡­

    ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±

    He wants me to order you to sleep with him ¡­ and he wants to know if he can get you pregnant.

    ¡°Excuse me ¡­ is he insane?¡±  Castella growled, fury flaring through her connection to the Elite Soldier.  ¡°I ¡­ I would, if you ordered me, but ¡­ but¡­¡±

    No, Castella ¡­ I would never order you to do something like that.

    ¡°... Thank you, Empress,¡± Castella whispered with relief, but her anger was still present.  ¡°I knew he was a little obsessed with women, considering the rumors that ran through the Imperial Guards, but ¡­ he was not like this fifteen years ago.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine was the proper choice, after all.

    ¡°She really is a sweet child,¡± Castella agreed.  ¡°What will you tell him?¡±

    Elinor allowed Castella to listen in on her conversation; to be honest, she wondered if her undead could become pregnant, as well, but for entirely different reasons than the prince.

    ¡°Empress?¡±  He questioned.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t suppress a glare, and it touched her voice.  ¡°I am not that type of Ruler to subject my loyal subjects into such acts.  Do not suggest such things to me again.¡±

    A shiver ran down Micru¡¯jire¡¯s body at her tone, and the cold atmosphere Imperial Presence generated.  ¡°I ¡­ did not mean to offend, Empress Elinor.  I see ¡­ so, such discussions are not spoken within your Empire.¡±

    ¡°They are not.¡±

    He swiftly set his cup down, bowing to her.  ¡°I understand and apologize for my rude behavior.¡±

    ¡°He better be,¡± Castella grunted.  ¡°I am not one of his weak-willed harlots.¡±

    No, you are not, Elinor chuckled.

    He cleared his throat.  ¡°Empress ¡­ might I be so bold as to ask why such subjects are tabooed within your Empire ¡­ even if they might net valuable information?  I simply do not understand.¡±

    Is he trying to say he¡¯s willing to trade something I want for sex with you?  Elinor asked, and Castella couldn¡¯t even believe he would continue to push the topic after her statement.

    Elinor¡¯s hands tightened against her lap, and she showed a hint of annoyance.  ¡°I have no need for such roundabout methods if I wish to learn something, as you have seen with your spy ¡­ there are a plethora of options at my disposal to get the information I desire.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± The prince shrugged off his discomfort, but Violet reported his sweats and nervous twitches.  ¡°Ahem ¡­ I sincerely apologize ¡­ I seem to be not very accustomed to your customs, Empress.  Please, excuse my behavior.¡±

    There isn¡¯t an apologetic bone in his body.  Elinor grunted, causing Castella to go into a minor rant about how she¡¯d hoped many of the rumors she¡¯d heard were false, but this was more than a little eye-opening.

    He took a deep breath, smiling tone returning.  ¡°How has my sister been?  I have received reports that she has yet to be seen with you and been educating your maids; has she been unsatisfactory as a primary instructor within our ways?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Elinor replied, neutrality returning to her countenance.  ¡°Tal¡¯tamine has been a wonderful example of Nalvean royalty,¡± she stated, and judging by how his lips twitched, he caught the biting rebuke.  ¡°I would go so far as to recommend she return to my Empire to help instruct more of my servants.¡±

    Miru¡¯jire nodded with a pleased grin.  ¡°Good.  She is rather young still; she never even met our eldest brother and older sister.  That being said, Empress ¡­ might I say, for not having a firm grasp on our culture, you have a masterful comprehension of our language for a foreigner.  Most Nalveans would stare in awe at such knowledge.¡±

    Buttering me up while changing the topic, he¡¯s phishing for a point he can draw me to his side with.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will understand why I am so refined in your language as time goes on.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it!  Hmm ¡­ Empress, may I be candid with you?¡±

    A wry smirk lit Elinor¡¯s lips.  ¡°You haven¡¯t been already?¡±

    ¡°Heh ¡­ I suppose I have been rather forward; again, my apologies.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Elinor¡¯s expression fell, ¡°how many more apologies must I accept?¡±

    ¡°Excellent point,¡± he replied with a sad sigh, shifting to relieve some stress in his muscles.  ¡°Empress ¡­ I wish to know the most pressing concern on your mind that needs addressing.  To be candid, I require a problem solved, myself, and you are in a prime position with my father to help me.  We can assist each other.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s silent stare started to make the Nalvean¡¯s fingers twitch, but he kept most of his composure.  ¡°... Perhaps you could be of some use to me ¡­ however, before we get into that ¡­ why were you trying to turn me away from Stateswoman Lukuroha?¡±

    Micru¡¯jire breathed out a hiss, glaring at the statue he was creating.  ¡°Lukuroha and I have had ¡­ a disagreement of some sorts as of recent, and given that she is more inclined to fall in line with Statesman Baltoma, I made a risky play to turn you against that faction.  You do understand our politics.  Correct?¡±

    She had to refrain from laughing, but Castella was a bit confused about the statement.  ¡°He knows that Lukuroha is going to side with Baltoma?¡±

    No, no, no, Elinor chuckled internally.  She rejected his advances.  He probably wanted to secure a stronger position in the Court by getting close to the weakest of the City-States, turning her into one of his women.

    ¡°Ah ¡­ he really is vile.  I have met Lukuroha a few times, and she is not weak.¡±

    Indeed.

    ¡°I see,¡± Elinor mused.  ¡°Very well.  That out of the way ¡­ I wonder if you have the influence to achieve the artwork I desire.¡±

    The prince¡¯s sour mood vanished in an instant, intrigue taking its place.  ¡°Artwork?  Are you interested in obtaining one of our prized possessions?  I am a great contributor to the Royal Art Gallery myself, as you can see!¡±  He stated, rising to display his half-finished piece.  ¡°If there is anyone with the connections you would need, I am the greatest; please, tell me which article has caught your eye!¡±

    Elinor nodded slowly.  ¡°I see ¡­ there is this angelic statue that reminds me of my world ¡­ yet the Nalvean additions are what really impress me.  The cultural flair you have added is exquisite.  In truth, I wish to have the piece become a ¡­ defining part of my Empire.¡±

    Micru¡¯jire¡¯s expression fell upon learning the artwork she¡¯d become so attached to had come from the Quen¡¯Talrat, but perked up quickly when praising the Nalvean influence to its surroundings.

    ¡°Ah ¡­ yes, Aviary Flight of the Morning Dew,¡± he nodded, tongue sliding through his lips again.  ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  He got to his feet, tail swinging left and right as he paced between his artworks.  ¡°I ¡­ do not have full jurisdiction over that particular statue ¡­ Statesman Baltoma owns the Quen¡¯Talrat centerpiece itself while the gallery owns the additions.¡±

    ¡°A shame,¡± Elinor sighed, getting to her feet.  ¡°I suppose I will need to meet with the Statesman.¡±

    ¡°Wait ¡­ please, Empress,¡± Micru¡¯jire hurriedly mumbled, glaring at the bag by his chair.  ¡°I ¡­ might be able to give you the leverage you require to obtain it.  Although, for such a simple request, this blackmail is ¡­ excessive.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Elinor asked, slowly returning to her seat.  ¡°You have my interest.¡±

    The prince released a low growl.  ¡°Mmgh ¡­ it took a lot to obtain this ¡­ you would be willing to solve my problem?¡±  He asked with a hesitant smile.

    ¡°Go on,¡± she said, trying to suppress a grin; only a few steps were between her and her angel.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s stoic features had softened over the conversation, focusing more on Elinor than her surroundings.  ¡°You are close.¡±

    Very!

    ¡°If I were to give you this blackmail ¡­ let me take a step back,¡± Micru¡¯jire mumbled, returning to his seat and grabbing the bag; he held it protectively in his lap, staring at her uncertainly.  ¡°These are secret documents from Baltoma ¡­ incriminating, given the area my spy obtained them.  With your arrival, Baltoma¡¯s stress rose to the point I was able to sneak Elquara into his bed chambers to steal these from a portable documents box he always keeps near and under guard.¡±

    ¡°Very well,¡± Elinor folded her fingers together.  ¡°If that blackmail gets me the statue I want from Baltoma, I will go through with this deal, depending on if it is within my power and it does not jeopardize my Empire¡¯s relationship with yours.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± the prince breathed out a long breath before giving her a bright grin.  ¡°I have no doubt this will get you what you desire ¡­ more, even, and what I want is very simple and within your means.¡±

    ¡°Continue¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress ¡­ ahem,¡± he took a small sip of his tea; Elinor hadn¡¯t touched hers.  ¡°When you strike a deal with my father, he will grant you an Embassy within our nation; every other kingdom is offered it ¡­ although, they don¡¯t utilize the tradition,¡± he grumbled, clearly annoyed at the disrespect.

    ¡°There is a section of land with a prize on it I want within a part of the city that is completely owned by the High Ruler ¡­ only a single, large building, and if you could bargain for it as a base for your Embassy.  Suggest to him that you will tear it down to make your own, in the image of your Empire ¡­ Yes, that would be perfect!  You just need to allow me three days alone inside before construction.¡±

    Figuring there was some long-lost treasure within that Demon wanted him to get, Elinor became intrigued.  It was probably buried or sealed in its foundations or in the walls.

    The prince took another excited breath, trying to reassure her.  ¡°He has no reason to not give you the land; it¡¯s the property of the High Ruler!¡±

    Rising to her feet, electricity was coursing through Elinor¡¯s veins.  ¡°It¡¯s a deal; I will bring it up to him tonight.¡±

    Taking a single scroll that he produced from the bag, she left the room, the prince thanking her profusely.

    The prince was pretty simple to manipulate, but that could have been precisely why Demon chose him; she doubted Demon expected Micru¡¯jire to maneuver into the position to obtain the item for many years on his own.  He never expected another player to enter the game that could use his puppet, and that was Demon¡¯s flaw.  He had long-standing plans with carefully guided pawns that he would move across years.

    ¡°You don¡¯t plan to give him whatever is inside, do you?¡±  Castella asked.

    Of course not, Elinor giggled.  I promised to give him alone time; he will have the opportunity to search, but there¡¯s no agreement where I can¡¯t steal it from him or take it myself.  He thinks I¡¯m stupid and am enamored by a pretty statue.  In fact, it may just be a piece of an even greater prize.

    The important part is that he just exposed one of Demon¡¯s plots.  I suppose I did show up rather suddenly; Demon hasn¡¯t been able to warn most of his players about me.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l hummed with amusement.  ¡°There must be a reason why he chose this route instead of just going in at night and digging around.¡±

    True, Elinor hummed, realizing she might have been a bit short-sighted.  Pausing at the opening doors, Edmon informing the guards of her exit, she turned back at the thrilled prince.  ¡°Micru¡¯jire¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±  He asked, calming his tone and bowing to her.

    ¡°Give Castella the directions to the building; I need to know where it is.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡±

    He rushed out of the room to address Castella; the woman was far less thrilled to be speaking to the man after learning about his lusts.

    Elinor gave the prince a calculating stare before they left, whispering just loud enough for him to hear her.  ¡°Did you know about an attack on my life?¡±

    A wicked grin split the man¡¯s lips as he pointed to the sealed document in Castella¡¯s claws, several feet away.  ¡°What do you think that is?¡±

    Satisfied, Elinor left with a smirk; they made their way to the spot, stopping in to check on the investigation along the way.

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Edmon chuckled while disengaging.  ¡°Now, Castella, what is that building used for?¡±

    Castella released a confused hum through the Nexus.  ¡°Umm ¡­ it¡¯s a historical Seaweaver site that has not been used for some time, but it does hold holy significance to the religion.  He¡¯s trying to play you,¡± she grumbled.  ¡°It may be within the High Ruler¡¯s jurisdiction, but the High Seaweaver holds a lot of authority, and he would be going up against the Church to appoint it as an Embassy, especially since they hate you.¡±

    Manageable, I think, Elinor mused, staring at her scroll.  Read it to be sure.

    Castella broke the seal and read out the contents.  It was a detailed contract copy that Baltoma made with a particular Shadow Hand member Klaus was unaware of.  Her Ambassador had only taken over a single finger of the five cells within the Capital, and it was the weakest or the pinky and he had yet to get to the nail or leader, but he was close.

    The contract was insurance for him against the Head; it exposed the cell leader, a ranking Seaweaver within the Head Seaweaver Court.  This information not only gave them Baltoma but an ear inside of the High Seaweaver¡¯s most influential circle.

    This was indeed a win, and Castella¡¯s eyes bugged out upon seeing the price he¡¯d paid to have Elinor killed; she¡¯d never seen funds like that transferred, but one more exciting bit of news was on the paper ¡­ the additional hit made against the Imperial Head Captain, Hakara.

    Musing on the information with the others, Elinor planned their course from the palace to the site that would soon become her Embassy to discover exactly what she was dealing with.

 B2 â€” 31. Stateswoman Lukuroha

    Elinor made her way through the halls of the palace, telling her maids about the minor setback; they were going to check on what had been discovered about the spirit assassin before checking out the site of her future embassy.  Once those two things were done, then it was back to enjoy the sweets.

    Imiruba held a neutral face when they left, and one unusual thing that Edmon mentioned on their route was that the prince had no reaction to the man.

    Her glowing irises slid to the Nalvean confidant, suspicions bubbling up within her mind.  Neither Violet nor Klaus noticed a lie from him when they¡¯d met, which indicated it was the truth.  The news pricked at her brain; why would a prince of the nation, seeking his father¡¯s place, overlook the Empire¡¯s most trusted Nalvean?

    She had to remind herself that confidant didn¡¯t necessarily equate to an advisor, and it occurred to her that this Nalvan was possibly the most valuable thing in High Ruler Nukulara¡¯s possession¡ªhis secret keeper.

    He was right beside her, and inside his mind was a lifetime of dark truths; Imiruba was the High Ruler¡¯s confessional priest.  A new thought started to pester her¡ªwhy would the High Ruler expose such a person to her?

    Nukulara was not stupid, and that meant this was planned from the start.  This was a test for her ¡­ one that was risky on the High Ruler¡¯s part yet could net him something he needed.  There was a game he was playing just outside her sight, and it had taken her this long to notice.

    Elinor¡¯s mind slowed with her movements, drawing everyone¡¯s notice.  Castella was still answering her initial query, noting the prince would not know the man because he couldn¡¯t get anything out of remembering him.  Edmon was explaining what the confidant position entailed but fell silent as she came to a complete stop.

    They were just about to reach the elevator to the first floor; the prince¡¯s area was rather devoid of most travel, excluding guards and serving staff.

    Edmon ¡­ a thought has just occurred to me.  If I reversed the roles with the High Ruler ¡­ if I had a confidant¡ªsomeone I told my darkest secrets ¡­ Why would I send him with a very dangerous person that ripped apart one of my guards and could very well be a danger to my kingdom?  I wouldn¡¯t.  Not without explicit reason.

    Romimaca and Imiruba stood side-by-side, observing them from a small distance away to give them breathing room; both wore mild curiosity at the stop, and the confidant had noticed her gaze yet remained silent.  He was very formal and well-mannered to authority.

    Her Doom Guard fell silent, and she could feel him drawing dozens of connections within his mind, mood somehow further sobering.

    Your thoughts, Violet?

    ¡°I simply report, Empress.  Drawing conclusions to behavior was never that appealing to me; Azalea was the one fascinated by those things.  However, my estimation, given the data ¡­ protection.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l chuckled.  ¡°The amount of subtlety weaker creatures possess is most aggravating, yet I find myself laughing.¡±

    Protection¡­  Elinor repeated with a low, internal hum; the Seraph was learning more and more about human behavior through their connection.

    Edmon snatched her attention before she could respond to Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  ¡°That I didn¡¯t see it sooner ¡­ annoys me,¡± he grumbled.

    His voice pacified a bit, collecting himself.  ¡°We were so focused on all the other factors around us that I didn¡¯t give his position the proper scrutiny.  I agree with Violet; the High Ruler knew of many plots that would be in motion this day and that Imiruba would be a target.  One of those spies was actually looking for Imiruba but noticed something wasn¡¯t right by his movements following us and thought it was a trap.¡±

    The High Ruler has numerous military branches at his disposal, Elinor replied, turning to face the confidant with a slight frown creasing her brow.  Is he that paranoid every level of his kingdom has been infiltrated that he would instead rely on a complete stranger to ward off danger?

    Edmon glanced back at a group of three patrolling Imperial Guards.  ¡°It appears so.  Your show of force and initial conversation convinced him that you were the best option, and it could also be a test to show you that he is, in fact, looking for help.¡±

    Castella¡¯s hands tightened at her sides, vision falling to the polished floors.  ¡°The Imperial Head Captain was on the assassination list ¡­ is he the only person keeping the High Ruler safe?  Didn¡¯t he kill the Ri¡¯bot that returned, though?  He said he took care of the situation himself.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± The Doom Guard released a long puff of frigid air through his helmet¡¯s mouthguard.  ¡°The hit on the Mother Superior doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be from him, but a party wishing to sow discord further within the Empire and found it a good opportunity while pinning the orders on Yesenia.  She¡¯s the perfect scapegoat with a certain level of impunity with the figure they¡¯ve built her up as.¡±

    A concerned hiss left Castella¡¯s throat.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ could this be a clever trap?¡±

    I see where you¡¯re coming from, Castella, but ¡­ it really would be stupid to put a trusted confidant in the hands of a neutral party unless it was your only option.

    She breathed a sad sigh.  The number of plots weaving through this nation is mind-numbing; I suppose I must confront the source.

    Elinor motioned to Imiruba.  ¡°We will talk in private.  Are any of these rooms safe to use?¡±

    Imiruba didn¡¯t seem shocked at her statement, gesturing to a room a little further down the hall.  ¡°A meeting area for this floor¡¯s serving staff is nearby.¡±

    Nodding, Elinor followed him to the place.

    Violet and Sari¡¯a¨¦l scanned the interior as he opened it for her; the angel followed the spider around, observing each motion she took.  Edmon went in first to give the illusion that it had been scouted before she took a seat inside, and her Doom Guard left, shutting the door behind him.

    Looking at the very tall Nalvean, Elinor said, ¡°I have given it some thought, and for the High Ruler to send his most trusted confidant into the hands of an unknown party, such as myself ¡­ in short, it doesn¡¯t elicit much confidence on my part for your nation¡¯s armed forces.¡±

    Imiruba¡¯s reptilian eyes narrowed slightly as he turned away, staring at the closed-in room with its many tables and chairs.  ¡°You are as perceptive as the High Ruler hoped¡­¡±

    Elinor cut him off, crossing her legs while leaning against the side of the chair; Nalvean designs were not meant for humans.  ¡°A word of caution before we continue¡­¡±

    He promptly returned his gaze to her, closing his mouth to listen.

    ¡°There is a reason why I speak to my subjects in the manner I do ¡­ it may sound a fair bit paranoid, but a dark entity resides in the soil of this planet that is my enemy.  He is everywhere and always listening.  If you do wish to discuss something of importance with me, know that moves are being laid to counter whatever you divulge.¡±

    A wry smile seemed to twist the man¡¯s features.  ¡°Your enemy ¡­ is the creature of our nightmares and dreams?  I see.  The rapid movements within the Empire¡¯s underworld make sense, now that you say that.  If it is as you say, then anything I am aware of, so is he.¡±

    Elinor nodded.  ¡°So ¡­ someone is after you, and therefore, you were sent to be with me as a shield of protection.  It really is quite aggravating to be used in such a way,¡± She added in a dull tone.  ¡°I expect the High Ruler will make it up to me.  In any case, I have had nothing but annoyances and politics since entering your capital, which is to be expected, I suppose.¡±

    Smoothly getting off her seat and straightening her dress, Elinor turned to the door, glaring at it; her abs were beginning to hurt, trying to sit properly on the uneven and oddly shaped cushions.  Reforming her artificial body was something she wanted to do, and with all the walking she¡¯d been doing, it was stressed as it is; she still had many miles to go before the day was done, too.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l shot her a curious smile that Elinor couldn¡¯t identify for a second, and then it hit her; she was feeling weak, and the Seraph was enthralled by her internal lamentations.

    Suppressing a sigh, Elinor turned back to the patient salamander man.  ¡°I will be blunt.  Having you near is of no real concern to me, nor protecting you, seeing as I can use it to my advantage.  If I were in another position, I¡¯d even offer to help dismantle the entire matter since I stand to gain from it.¡±

    Imiruba''s sad but resigned expression told his feelings; she was getting good at recognizing Nalvean emotions with Castella as a bonded study subject.  ¡°However¡­¡±  He trailed off, waiting for her explanation.

    ¡°However ¡­ I am in the middle of a great many turning parts and actions I must take in order to get what I desire, which includes forming an alliance with your High Ruler.  I have my own stake in these affairs.  There are just two things that I wish to know from you¡­¡±

    He straightened at her tone, giving a short nod.  ¡°If it is within my ability to answer, then I will.¡±

    Her green eyes turned cold, and Violet analyzed his reactions to be sure of his response.  ¡°First.  Do you know or have any knowledge of Princess Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s mind control or the device that has been planted into her?¡±

    Imiruba shifted uncomfortably at the question.  ¡°Mind-control ¡­ I have no such information, nor has the High Ruler spoken of such things to me.  A device that causes such a state has been rumored among the royals and Statesmen of the Empire for many centuries, yet it originates from an old historical text that only mentions the ability to control Nalveans.  To my knowledge, no such device exists within the Empire today that can do what you speak, yet¡­¡±

    A shiver ran down his spine, tongue sliding through his teeth.  ¡°Are you saying the youngest princess has been infected by such an item?¡±

    ¡°He speaks the truth and is quite horrified by the implications,¡± Violet reported.

    Since Violet hadn¡¯t sensed any of the waves around him this entire time, it was safe to assume he wasn¡¯t infected.  Still, it never paid to be cautious, which was why Edmon and Violet had been very active in screening the environments she entered.

    ¡°She has,¡± Elinor replied, her tone emotionless.  ¡°When I discovered it, I tried to solve the issue and remove it, yet it proved ¡­ far more deadly than I first thought.  I do not know what her orders are after exposing the mind control, which could include suicide, and so, she has remained asleep with my maids keeping diligent care of her within my chambers.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, he folded his hands across his back, getting up to face her; she assumed his fingers were tense and shaking.  ¡°With respect, Empress, will you tell me how long she has been afflicted by this device and have any leads on who can remove it?¡±

    Interesting ¡­ he seems genuinely concerned about her safety.  Perhaps the High Ruler isn¡¯t involved; of course, even if he is the most trusted confidant, that doesn¡¯t mean he shared that particular secret.

    ¡°I have no issues giving you that information ¡­ that is, if you manage to answer my next inquiry.¡±

    He breathed in and out, closing his eyes for a moment.  ¡°I believe I understand where you are heading, Empress ¡­ does the High Ruler, or I myself, have anything to do with this creature you speak?¡±

    Elinor waited, and he let the question hang in the air, hardening her stare; she didn¡¯t need Violet to tell her he was struggling with how to explain his connection.  When he did talk, he held eye contact, even if he didn¡¯t want to.

    ¡°... In short, the High Ruler has had dealings with a personage he calls Kazan¡¯aru, the Shadow Keeper.  According to him, it was he who first arranged for the High Ruler and Grand Duchess Juliquah to meet, mentioning the help she could offer him during the Fire War.

    ¡°The connections between the Nalvean Empire and the Golariex Holy Empire would not have been established had the High Ruler not heeded the advice he gained from those dreams, and she, likewise.

    ¡°It was not a popular decision among the women of our race¡ªto establish open trade with them, and he received such backlash among prominent female figures that in the end, only the Grand Duchess was allowed within our nation, yet our merchants could go there ¡­ tensions were very high within the Empire after the Fire Wars.

    ¡°He has suspected Kazan¡¯aru¡¯s involvement in several matters within and outside the court, yet has expressed confusion as to the aims, considering backers have talked of hearing him in their dreams to Stateswomen.  Kazan¡¯aru appears to make everyone¡¯s lives that heed his voice better¡ªthat is what it appears on the surface, but the High Ruler isn¡¯t so sure.  He suspects the division within the court is in direct response to his trade agreement with the Golariex.¡±

    Imiruba gave her a proper bow.  ¡°I have answered to the best of my ability.¡±

    Elinor was a little shocked how slowly Demon played with the people of this world; he set the Quen¡¯Tarlat across their warpath to unseal a small part of his prison before rallying together the various other nations in order to be ever so powerful enough to take them out with the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra as the crowning piece to weaken Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma so severely that he was practically dead by the time their champions made it to him.

    He instigated the love relationship between the High Ruler and Grand Duchess, allowing cracks to form within the strict culture of the Nalveans and give more malleable pawns to be put in among whatever else he had planned, including the experimentation with the ancient devices.

    Demon knew that the High Ruler¡¯s weakness would be his undoing ¡­ forbidden love and set this in motion almost a century ago.  The inventor was being taught centuries before to facilitate what seemed simple, but a secret garden with advanced technology for secrecy was no small feat.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ that does shed some light on the scope of things.  As for Tal¡¯tamine, I have done some investigations and am in the process of following up on the leads I have gained; as to when it was placed, I cannot say.  I will bring it up with the High Ruler tonight.¡±

    Imiruba nodded with apparent satisfaction, but a slight change in tone caught Elinor¡¯s ear.  ¡°Might I inquire what your plans are for Tal¡¯tamine once she is freed?¡±

    A slight curve moved Elinor¡¯s lips.  ¡°The princess has been one of the few Nalveans I have actually enjoyed being around; I wish to know if what I knew was simply a persona implanted by the device and its creator or if it just molded what was already there.¡±

    It was the Nalvean¡¯s turn to be shocked.  ¡°... Interest is what drives you to cure her?¡±

    ¡°That, and the political rivals the High Ruler is contending with,¡± she responded with a secretive twist to her smile.  ¡°If there is to be a fight over who obtains the crown, I would rather have someone of Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s particular temperament ¡­ her eldest brother certainly hasn¡¯t given me the impression or intellect of a Ruler.¡±

    He sighed.  ¡°I appreciate the explanation, Empress; you humble me with your candid manner of speaking.¡±

    Elinor chuckled while turning away.  ¡°There is much to be done and little time to see it accomplished.¡±

    She left the room with him in-tow, moving to find what Hikico¡¯rova discovered from his investigation.  She didn¡¯t have time for Violet to conduct a thorough examination of the area because of the need to address the prince before any more distractions clouded her path.

    There was the distinct feeling in her gut that Demon was trying to do everything in his power to distract her, and the burning of her boat proved it, among other things.

    Once there, she received a full update, which wasn¡¯t much; two female Nalvean clerks had gotten into an argument down the hall when her spirit was killed, pulling everyone¡¯s attention.

    On the other hand, the entire forensics team that was Violet discovered a shocking development, but they were already on the move to the ancient Seaweaver temple when discussing it, Hikico¡¯rova joining them again.

    Are you sure, Violet?  Elinor asked with a thoughtful hum.

    Castella shivered just thinking about what she described.

    ¡°Yes, Empress, the lingering scent of that particular type of Ri¡¯bot is difficult to detect; when we were younger, for a time, Camellia had trouble with them.  My mother reported that the Ri¡¯bot refers to them as ¡®The Ethereal Clan,¡¯ and she took on their form.  They had the unique ability among the Ri¡¯bot to change their physical structure to mist for a time, emerge, strike, and scatter again.¡±

    Sure, an Ethereal Clan member ¡­ but to be part Ri¡¯bot and part Nalvean?  Can your species have intercourse?  She asked Castella.

    Castella swiftly shook her head.  ¡°Empress, that¡¯s ¡­ eww, ugh ¡­ what is with these odd things I¡¯m learning about since becoming Undead?¡±  She lamented.  ¡°No, Empress, as far as I am aware, we cannot, but ¡­ I don¡¯t know anymore.¡±

    Edmon released a low growl in his throat.  ¡°So, Violet, you¡¯re saying this halfbreed is using the water system within the palace to utterly mask their scent and hide?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± Castella mumbled.  ¡°Not even small fish can get through the internal filter systems and gridwork.¡±

    What if they could turn into mist and just slip right through it?  Elinor asked.

    ¡°Eh ¡­ I mean, I guess ¡­ that¡¯s so weird, though.  It would mean not a single place in the palace is safe.¡±

    Violet was swift to add to the topic.  ¡°The Ri¡¯bot with this ability have limitations; all I would need to do was generate a wind strong enough to scatter the mist, and they would die.  They are by far the most deadly Ri¡¯bot I have seen, yet not really a threat.  I can see it being an issue for security, though.¡±

    Edmon picked up his pace with Elinor; she wanted to get everything over with to get back to her room and see Aileen¡¯s face when they brought sweets.  ¡°Could things have changed with the Ethereal Clan being able to change into mist and the Nalveans having control over water, to a degree?¡±

    Ah, I hadn¡¯t thought about that, Elinor sighed.  An assassin that¡¯s been built for this purpose ¡­ wait, could the assassin that used JadeFire be used as a scapegoat for the real assassin?

    ¡°Smart,¡± Edmon replied, ¡°and probable.¡±

    ¡°How is this happening to my city?¡±  Castella moaned.  ¡°The High Ruler is in love with a filthy tree harlot, and now we have half breed assassins that can turn into mist.  I think I¡¯ve seen the end of my race¡­¡±

    Sadly, she truly believed her race was falling into the gutter; Castella was losing hope, not for the females of her race, but for the males and their deviance in seeking pleasure elsewhere.

    It reminded Elinor of a short story she¡¯d read online where the birthrate fell dramatically along with many other social issues when female sex robots came out, and men no longer wanted what they termed ¡®the old model.¡¯

    Men created artificial eggs and birthing stations, and there were male sex robots created, but women were far more interested in a real relationship than simple pleasure.  Eventually, the women pushed for more realistic men robots until, like most robot stories, they grew too intelligent and enslaved the humans for their own human-given carnal desires.

    That was that.

    Those were the strange types of web shorts she was into for a while when she was fourteen, and it seemed Castella¡¯s situation was somewhat similar, or at least, in her mind, other races would become so much more desirable than female Nalveans that they¡¯d be forgotten or seen as a cheap alternative.  The Navlean race would then fade into history.

    The cynic in her told her she wasn¡¯t entirely wrong.

    In any case, we have an assassin that can attack from anywhere; can you sense them, Violet?

    The noble and dignified assassin walked beside her in human form, extremely long black hair swaying with her silent movements.  ¡°Without fail.  They are not difficult to identify for my kind, and I have not seen a trace of the creature since our arrival; they have been quite careful, or perhaps lucky since they have not encountered us.¡±

    At least there¡¯s that, but that means this half-breed can sense and kill my spirits from anywhere ¡­ an annoying foe.

    ¡°What ¡­ is fog and mist?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l asked, giving her an inquisitive stare.

    The question was so far out of left-field that Elinor stopped in her tracks, located between the first and second gate of the palace.  Huh?

    ¡°Elinor?¡±  Edmon asked in confusion, following her gaze to Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    She was utterly focused on the floating angel, though.  You¡¯ve never seen fog or mist?

    The Seraph slowly shook her head.  ¡°No ¡­ water droplets that spray ¡­ such as that fountain over there?¡±  She pointed at an artistic piece with jets of water flying into the air.  ¡°That is mist?¡±

    ¡­ Yeah, that is a small spray of water that ¡­ no, not really.  Mist is kind of like that, but everywhere; it typically rolls off of lakes and the morning and stuff ¡­ or at night ¡­ I actually have no clue how they occur.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I was wondering what they were called,¡± she mused.  ¡°Perhaps there will be fog tonight?¡±

    Elinor chuckled before continuing.  ¡°Sometimes, spirits can be hilarious.¡±

    ¡°You think I am funny?  Hmh, such different tastes in humor,¡± The Seraph replied with a curious smile.

    Their two Imperial Guards and Imiruba glanced between her and the butterflies but didn¡¯t comment.  Edmon, Castella, and Violet all but ignored the comment, but she could feel Castella itching to know more about the context; she could use something funny at the moment.

    They made it to the seaside temple, and Elinor was a bit blown away; unlike the Egyptian and Chinese architecture seen across most of the kingdom, this was clearly more Greek-themed.  It wasn¡¯t small, either, and several of the surrounding buildings matched the theme.

    ¡°I¡¯m guessing this is an old building?¡±  Elinor asked with a critical eye.

    ¡°Simple in design,¡± Edmon shrugged.  ¡°I¡¯m more interested in the interior and lower levels.¡±

    Imiruba nodded.  ¡°The oldest buildings within the city are like this one.  Most have been torn down for space over the years, with the old and rigid structures replaced for a more modern aesthetic.  Has something caught your interest here?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Elinor eyed the space with a small frown.  To her, it looked like a small shopping center, but considering the increased size of the Nalveans, it wasn¡¯t quite as massive as it seemed.  She would need to take into account the Nalvean¡¯s size when rebuilding it, too.

    Edmon, She chimed, twinkling eyes shifting to him with a grin.  You¡¯ll be designing our new Embassy once we settle this deal!

    She could practically see his eager grin behind the intimidating black helmet.  ¡°Indeed, and I suppose you¡¯ll like it in the theme of our Empire?¡±

    We have an image to protect!  Elinor replied.  It would be nice to somehow add a little Nalvean flair to show we admire their people, too.

    ¡°I have an idea in mind.¡±

    Wonderful!  Do you remember where we are?

    ¡°Yes, I can guide us back if needed.¡±

    Great!  Now, let¡¯s go have some treats with everyone and wait for the meeting to be over; we have some short but needed conversations ahead of us ¡­ I¡¯m planning three by the end of the night.

    With a few more details about the temple, being created twelve hundred years ago, it looked in fantastic shape.  There were signs of wear across its structure, but Elinor still saw Seaweavers around the district; most of the Nalvean water benders were using a more modern building close by.

    On their way back to her chambers, Elinor picked the confidant¡¯s brain.  ¡°Imiruba, how many Nalveans use that old temple?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  He frowned, glancing back at the temple they were leaving; the butterflies surrounding Sari¡¯a¨¦l distracted him as they moved in and out of businesses and houses as she snooped.  ¡°Not many, but a decent amount.  The land was acquired by the High Ruler long ago, before the Church¡¯s strong influence, but a certain sect still uses it.¡±

    Ah ¡­ those are the worst, Elinor groaned to Edmon.  There''ll be protests ¡­ just wait and see.

    ¡°I figure it will go beyond that,¡± Edmon returned.

    It would at least be a little interesting if that happened.

    Apparently, the site had been used for Grandmaster Seaweaver training many decades ago, but much of the knowledge spread, developing into the military¡¯s Seaweaver Branch.  At that point, the Church of the Seaweavers became a political power.

    The details weren¡¯t all that compelling to her; Tiffany might have been an excellent person to bring to learn their history.  Elinor was centered on the future, though.

    Imiruba learned about their ship being turned to ash by a frightened City Guard that spotted her and reported the news, mentioning that they were launching a full investigation with the City-State Captain, Kyruma, overseeing it.  Kyruma was the second most influential soldier under Imperial Head Captain Hakara, and the Emperor had been made aware of the incident.

    He made a point to confirm her Quen¡¯Talrat, and Ri¡¯bot seawayers were safe across the river, within Ri¡¯bot land.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Imiruba was horrified by the news, but Elinor waved it off, saying she was aware, and once away, told the Nalvean it was just another attempt to pull her attention away from more important matters.

    Edmon assured the guard that the message had been received before leaving; the poor Nalvean was probably confused, expecting some kind of demand from them.

    Once back in their quarters, she was greeted by a practically shaking twelve-year-old maid, doing her best to stay calm.  An old comment she heard at school came back while watching the fidgeting pre-teen; sugar is more addictive than cocaine.

    The metallic doors closed behind them; her two Imperial Guards were left outside, but Imiruba was allowed to enter.  He sat patiently, observing her, but she could tell he was itching to see how his princess was doing.

    His actions were making Elinor wonder about his bond with the girl.  However, according to Castella, he was within an age range that wouldn¡¯t typically be seen with younger Nalveans.  He was more like a concerned uncle, checking up on his niece, which was nice, and Violet confirmed the connection was absolutely not sexual in nature.

    Elinor gave the girl her attention after the doors closed, having Castella hand her a bag of some dried, stick-like sweet flowers, but Edmon swiftly stopped her.

    ¡°Not so fast, Aileen; if you see it, then Emelina will have her surprise ruined ¡­ or is she too curious to wait?¡±  He asked.

    Aileen¡¯s already fracturing dementor broke further.  ¡°Ah-ha-ha-ha ¡­ eh ¡­ I mean, maybe just a little peek, right?  She¡¯s been waiting all day, and it¡¯s been kind of lonely here¡­¡±

    Elinor giggled as she sent a distress signal to the Head Maid, clearly forgetting it was entirely available for Edmon and her to hear.  ¡°Mission abort!  They¡¯re onto me!¡±

    She could practically hear Emelina¡¯s agonizing internal sigh at the girl¡¯s flustered demeanor.  ¡°What is the mission you are on, Aileen?¡±

    ¡°Uh ¡­ well, you know how we were ¡­ oh, snap, I can¡¯t talk now!  Klaus got you presents, though; you were right!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.  Now, are you just staring blankly at the Empress while talking to me?¡±

    Her eyes widened with shock.  ¡°Oh, oh, no, I messed up again!¡±

    ¡°Shhh ¡­ take deep breaths.  In ¡­ out, there we go.  I know you¡¯re excited about sugar, but let¡¯s keep our dignity as Maids of Empress Elinor.¡±

    ¡°Right ¡­ breathe¡­¡±

    Imiruba was giving the silent, panicking child maid an uncertain look and Elinor¡¯s amused expression as everyone stood in the deathly quiet entrance hall.  ¡°Is ¡­ she alright?  I assume this is a small girl within your race?¡±

    Aileen took one more breath before regaining her composure, giving him a small curtsey.  ¡°It is a pleasure to have you, Sir.  My name is Aileen, and if you need something, then please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡±

    ¡°Nailed it!¡±  She cheered to her mentor.

    ¡°I¡¯m clapping for you,¡± Emelina said with just enough joy to be appropriate and encouraging.

    Edmon gave Castella the bag to bring into Elinor¡¯s bed chambers, taking a few of the silk-wrapped bundles of flowers out of the bag, knowing the girl would definitely peek and ruin Klaus¡¯s surprise if she got the chance.

    Elinor allowed Imiruba the chance to go with Aileen to see Tal¡¯tamine, staying with Violet and Edmon in the hallway.  The maid in training was also handed the flower package; she accepted it with reverence, hazel eyes alight with excitement, even if her etiquette had returned.

    She gave the women permission to discuss Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s condition with him.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was hovering above her, showing her glorious rear, and Elinor started to wonder if she was purposefully holding certain positions to further understand her reactions.  She wouldn¡¯t put it past the perceptive Seraph.

    We¡¯ve been running down leads since we arrived, but we¡¯re finally making headway.  Only three steps remain; Stateswoman Lukuroha, Statesman Baltoma, and the High Ruler.  I must have Sari¡¯a¨¦l by the end of this night.

    Edmon released a low hum that brought her focus to his helmet¡¯s glowing blue eye sockets, wisps of energy sliding across the non-reflectant abyssal armor.  ¡°I understand your desire to have her within our grasp, but you will not have enough Death Energy to resurrect her.  We will need to return to the city to get enough power from the Life Fruit.¡±

    True ¡­ to be honest, I didn¡¯t even want to think about that part; it¡¯s taking nearly everything I have to keep her around while paying the daily toll, but it is well worth it.

    ¡°... Is she that powerful?¡±  Edmon asked, head shifting to stare at a nearby butterfly.

    Beyond anything I imagined¡­

    An unexpected and stunning smile lifted Violet¡¯s lips as she looked at the Seraph, using Elinor as a reference point to know where she was.  ¡°I look forward to experiencing the power you sense, Empress; my body tingles with excitement to know there is something stronger than even my mother ¡­ impossible to conceptualize, yet that is why I am eager to see her myself.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l flipped around while descending to face her.  ¡°You could call that ¡­ cute?¡±

    In a way.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ the desire to have someone ¡­ namely, your wish to possess me¡ªit is a very new experience.  Although, it is engaging ¡­ the feeling of being desirable ¡­ It never occurred to me since I did not have a need or want for things other than continual peace when I was alive.¡±

    Elinor smiled.  Know that you are desirable to me ¡­ without words to express, and I will show you how far I am willing to go to see you bonded within my Empire.  You spoke of the need for me to take you from the Blood Sun ¡­ if that is what it takes, then I will.

    Her full pink lips turned secretive.  ¡°A blasphemous statement.  Although, considering he allowed you to pull my spirit here ¡­ I will say it confuses and intrigues me.  It is not I that you must convince, Elinor; consider that and heed my warning.¡± She finished, moving through the wall to see what was happening with the maids.

    A shiver ran down Elinor¡¯s spine; she''d just been told that some kind of god¡¯s eye was on her, and if she wanted to pull the Angel into her Empire, she had to impress this being the Seraph called the Blood Sun.

    The saliva in her throat ran dry as her mind created the illusion of a massive eye in the sky, looking past all barriers and into her soul; of course, Sari¡¯a¨¦l truly was a creature within the realms of strength to unironically be called divine.  This was no creature of the imagination.

    Edmon had been watching her without comment while she followed the specter with her gaze, and they entered the room.  ¡°There¡¯s something wrong; I can sense it within you.  Why are you suddenly so nervous about bringing her into the Empire if you desire her so badly?¡±

    A rumble shook Elinor¡¯s throat; Castella was returning from her room, empty-handed.  It¡¯s something only I can do.  Your mind would be best focused on keeping everything running smoothly around us.

    Edmon solemnly nodded.  ¡°If there is nothing I can do.¡±

    They went inside, and Elinor found the Nalvean standing at the foot of the bed, staring at the sleeping princess with folded arms.  ¡°... She looks peaceful.¡±

    Aileen was fidgeting by the table, vision wandering between the sweets and the bed.

    Go ahead, Aileen, take some into the next room and have your way with it, She giggled.

    The girl silently shouted for joy, arms tightening against her petite frame in a cheer before taking one of the flowers and walking out of the room, as calm and collected as could be¡ªonce out, she turned into a ravenous lion.

    Elinor moved beside the bed to stare down at the woman; Emelina was stoically standing beside the bed, practically invisible.  ¡°She is safe here.  In fact, it is the safest place in the palace, I would say, and Emelina is competent enough in combat to buy time for rescue if needed ¡­ but it is doubtful.¡±

    The maid gave them both a curtsey before becoming a statue again.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress,¡± he responded, giving her a smile similar to Tal¡¯tamine herself.  ¡°You see, I am distantly related to the girl and was in charge of looking after her when she was a small child.  I am sure the High Ruler will be ¡­ this was not supposed to happen to her; she has never even left Shi¡¯Shuka, and to think she was attacked within our walls.¡±

    Everything fell into place.  ¡°You may stay here with her if you wish,¡± Elinor responded.  ¡°The High Ruler needs you to be safe, and if you were here, then I have no fears of you remaining here.  Furthermore, the next two people I will see will no doubt wish for their own privacy, leaving you in the hallway again.¡±

    In truth, he wasn¡¯t strong, and Emelina could keep an eye on him; plus, it would get him out of her hair with the upcoming meetings.

    A sad sigh left his throat, and he bowed to her, giving the respectful gesture with his fist and chest.  ¡°I will accept your offer, Empress.¡±

    She knew he would ask for more details or information on them, so she steered the conversation another way.  ¡°With Tal¡¯tamine unconscious and resting, would you take her place and help educate my maids more in the costumes of your people?¡±

    ¡°I would be honored,¡± He bowed again.

    Elinor nodded.  ¡°Then it is settled.  I believe the meeting is over ¡­ I have other business to attend to.¡±

    ¡°So soon?¡±  He asked, keeping his focus on her glowing eyes.  ¡°I ¡­ am beginning to understand why the High Ruler was so impressed by you, Empress; I wish you success.¡±

    She took a small chunk of a flower¡¯s stem before popping it into her mouth; it was like eating an entire vanilla cheesecake.  Wiping her hands on the nearby towel, she went out, smiling at Aileen as she opened the door, her body quivering with excitement.

    ¡°Empress!  Did you have some?!  Did you have some?!¡±

    I did.  What did it taste like for you?

    ¡°Umm ¡­ it¡¯s like a cake, but it¡¯s so, so, so rich!  Can we grow some back home?  Everyone will love it!¡±

    Well ¡­ I¡¯ll talk to Tiffany about it ¡­ there are health concerns I want to run by her.

    ¡°Aww ¡­ who cares if it¡¯s bad for you, though?¡±  She whined but swiftly snapped to attention as Emelina scolded her lack of decorum.  ¡°S-Sorry, Empress!  I just ¡­ I haven¡¯t had sugar in soooo long¡­¡±

    He-he-he, I know, Aileen, but I need to be worried about everyone, and we don¡¯t really know how this will affect humans that can die from a sugar overdose.

    ¡°Wait¡­¡±  Her eyes turned into full moons.  ¡°I ¡­ can¡¯t die of a sugar overdose because I¡¯m already dead!  This is the greatest moment of my life!¡±  She cried, actually tearing up.  ¡°I can eat whatever I want ¡­ forever!¡±

    Elinor slowly nodded.  Just ¡­ remember that we don¡¯t have unlimited supplies, and we don¡¯t know what kind of effects food might have on you.  It might be positive, but ¡­ it could also have some negatives if you overeat.  You know, where does it all go ¡­ huh¡­

    She shook her head as the maid¡¯s focus fell to the floor, fidgeting like a kid might.  ¡°Oh ¡­ okay, but, umm ¡­ can I ¡­ you know¡­¡±

    Elinor shook her head with a sad chuckle.  An inch more from the stem; you¡¯ve already had a whole flower.

    ¡°Okai!¡±

    She gave her a cheerful curtsey and went back into the room.

    ¡­ Come shut the door behind us, She finished while rolling her eyes.

    The pre-teen was undoubtedly a bundle of energy.  Elinor sighed, realizing that was her four years ago, bouncing around her gymnastics and prep-cheerleading classes.

    Edmon, Violet, Castella, and left the room, heading to Stateswoman Lukuroha¡¯s room with their escort; Castella snatched the throne, carrying it with them on Emelina¡¯s private request, which Elinor was grateful for¡ªshe hated Nalvean furniture, and so did her abs.

    Klaus had sent a notification that she had just returned from the meeting; the High Ruler heard their thoughts on her and retired to other matters that required his attention.  He would be conversing privately with various court members to get an unfiltered opinion throughout the day and finally meet with her at nightfall to discuss any concerns and plans about the future.

    Lukuroha was not pleased with Aluix¡¯s actions, and Elinor was sure she¡¯d probably whip the boy had Klaus not been there, but her Ambassador had smoothed out the interruption to her schedule, mentioning that he had informed her of the meeting¡¯s end.

    A Ruler of another nation was coming to her chambers, which after some thought, Elinor could see why the prince was so disgruntled by her actions.  She presented herself as a relatively forward, mysterious, and intimidating Empress to the High Ruler¡¯s court.  She did not wait for things to happen but went out and got things done herself¡ªprecisely what she wanted.

    Demon ¡­ more and more of your plans are unraveling before your eyes as I poke and prod.  You should have come to me with a deal like you usually do ¡­ Now, we are mortal enemies.  What desperate action will you take next to halt my progress?

    Edmon took directions from Klaus through the Nexus, guiding them to the southwest section of the palace; this was an area Elinor had not been yet, and she saw many more Seaweavers making their way through the corridors.

    Arriving at the hallway, Elinor had Klaus excuse himself from the room, explaining that she was almost there; one of several things Elinor was sure the Nalveans found most disturbing was how much information they were able to silently transmit without notice.

    The guards outside the Stateswoman¡¯s room appeared to be from her own province of Mirelitel because they wore creamy white silk, and similar to Lukuroha, they had far more red scales than blue when comparing most of the Nalveans she¡¯d seen around Shi¡¯Shuka.

    According to Castella, both men were of decent strength; Violet agreed at least compared to the vast majority of the Nalveans they¡¯d come across.

    However, Edmon pointed out that she was the leader of a small City-State, which would explain the more elite squad posted out of either a lack of confidence for the Imperial Guard¡¯s security or tradition to have your own people work your security.

    They saluted her as she neared and opened the door; Klaus had just moved to the opening, bowing to her before turning back to the two Nalveans in the room.  ¡°Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Elinor of the Undying Empire.¡±

    ¡°Empress Elinor,¡± Lukuroha rose to her feet with a respectful gesture.  ¡°You mentioned having a private conversation with me, yet I did not think it would be so soon.¡±

    Aluix hastily did the same but practically went into a reverse L-shape, keeping his head lowered for more than fifteen seconds.

    ¡°Neither did I,¡± Elinor chuckled, eyeing the Nalvean child as Violet scanned the room.

    Elinor¡¯s lips fell as Violet paused while standing on the arched ceiling, hair and clothes defying gravity.  ¡°Empress, the half-breed was lurking inside the room above us no more than two hours ago.  I suspect the moment he sensed the boy was with Klaus, he cut his losses and left.¡±

    Klaus¡¯s eyes narrowed, glaring at the wall.  ¡°He was able to sense me before I him?  That is a foreboding discovery.¡±

    Lukuroha caught their change in demeanor but silently observed.

    Elinor had Castella set her chair across from the Stateswoman and took her seat.  I¡¯m sure it will come up in time.  ¡°Edmon, Castella, wait in the hallway with Hikico¡¯rova and Romimaca.¡±

    They nodded and left, Violet staying alert.

    A small grin touched her green-tinted lips while sitting, gaze turning to her Ambassador.  ¡°You are dismissed, Klaus; I¡¯m sure someone is waiting to spend a little time with you.¡±

    He chuckled, giving her another flourishing bow as Lukuroha sat, followed by Aluix.  ¡°I am thankful and humbled for your attention, Empress.¡±

    You know, Klaus, Elinor teased through the Nexus; Aileen tried to give Emelina a hint as to what gift you purchased for her.  I¡¯d keep an eye on the girl; she¡¯s more observant than I first thought.

    ¡°Hehe, I will keep it in mind, Empress.¡±  He took on a thoughtful expression while exiting.  ¡°It is a good thing I also bought a little gift for her, as well.¡±

    Elinor adjusted her dress before crossing her legs; Klaus certainly was a fun addition to her little growing family dynamic.  She caught Sari¡¯a¨¦l wearing a soft smile at the exchange.

    Once the doors closed, Elinor gave the woman her attention, but her focus was on the flaming butterflies around the room.  ¡°Has Aluix mentioned what these are for?¡±

    The boy stiffened, jaw tightening upon being brought into the conversation.

    ¡°No,¡± Lukuroha replied.  ¡°It was discussed within the meeting, though.  News of your resurrection of Kimlira traveled swiftly.¡±  Her cool reptilian blue eyes slid to Elinor.  ¡°Many were shocked that you could even raise the dead that were burned by JadeFire, along with the incident itself within the palace walls.¡±

    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve heard?¡±  Elinor asked, folding her hands atop her lap.

    Lukuroha did the same.  ¡°Not in the least.  Getting to the point, your ship was burned, which has many concerned with how you will respond to the attack, and recent reports have identified you as present at the scene of not one but three assassinations.

    ¡°You went to the scene of Kimlira¡¯s death, stopped the Nalvean that caused it by some form of ice powers your Gatekeeper possesses, and finally, halted the murderer that sought to kill a boy from my City-State.  You have been busy.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you have yet to scratch the surface,¡± Elinor mused.  ¡°As you have noted, I do enjoy getting to the point.  Many forces are working against me within Shi¡¯Shuka.  There has been an attempt to murder me with poison, spies among various factions sent to follow me, and even a creature that was able to kill Kimlira as a spirit, which has spiked my caution and curiosity.¡±

    Her focus moved to the boy, but her final comment caused the woman¡¯s hands to tighten.  ¡°And ¡­ the most deadly of those that oppose me desperately did not want me to meet with Aluix.  They went so far as to send an assassin carrying a JadeFire suicide device after him, and there was another not two hours ago, lurking above us,¡± she stated with a solemn tone, pointing at the ceiling.  ¡°Had Klaus not been present, Aluix would likely be dead upon your return.¡±

    A lump dropped down the child¡¯s throat.  ¡°No way¡­¡±  He whispered.

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Elinor continued, ¡°which has me questioning his status as a simple attendant.  Why would an enemy far more dangerous than either of you understand be so fixated on keeping me from him?  I call this foe Demon, for simplicity¡¯s sake, and he has done many things to distract me, including manipulating people into burning down my ship in such a flashy manner that would pull everyone¡¯s focus.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s gaze leveled with the Stateswoman.  ¡°I am being very blunt and telling you things I would normally keep reserved because time is not my friend.  So, is there an answer you can give me?¡±

    Lukuroha sat still as she explained, vision shifting to the corner of the room before narrowing.  ¡°... I did not expect Shi¡¯Shuka to be so violent.¡±  She paused, blue irises turning to the fidgeting boy, and her hand lifted to point at the door.  ¡°My conversation with the Empress will be in private, Aluix.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated down with a soft hum while watching the boy¡¯s conflicted expression.  ¡°She wishes to talk about him when he is not present ¡­ another conversation of secrecy?  Will not his exit only spur a curiosity in him that will seek to know the truth?¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ yes, Stateswoman Lukuroha.  I apologize for not leaving earlier.¡±

    To Elinor, it sounded like a cheeky response, but he probably wasn¡¯t trying to make it that way; the words probably just fell out as he got up, bowed to them both with a highly respectful gesture, and left, having a bit of difficulty with the door until the guards helped.

    Yes, and no.  He¡¯s extremely loyal to Lukuroha; she is his idol.  His response shows that he receives special treatment from her.

    ¡°Special ¡­ treatment?  Huh ¡­ such odd words you use,¡± She mused, floating down to take the boy¡¯s seat as if joining the conversation; it wasn¡¯t as if she could actually interact with the chair but simply floated in place.

    Lukuroha scratched the left side of her neck, skillfully getting at the skin underneath with her claws before letting out a sad sigh.  ¡°To your question about Aluix ¡­ it is a difficult one for me to answer.  Yet, you did save his life, and that debt needs to be repaid.¡±

    She gave Elinor a calculated stare.  ¡°My family keeps very detailed birth records, and through them, one of my clerks managed to trace the lineage of the original Emperor of our nation¡ªits founder, and Aluix hails from that line.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Elinor¡¯s lips lifted.  ¡°Fascinating.  What significance is that within the current state of affairs?¡±

    ¡°None,¡± Lukuroha replied with a weak shrug.

    Elinor sat back, crossing her legs the opposite way as her smirk fell.  ¡°Is that so?  If it has no purpose, then why are you so attached to him?¡±

    Lukuroha appeared to smile while looking over at the invisible Seraph.  ¡°At first, I had him join me out of curiosity; he came from a line of Rulers, and much like myself, was scorned amongst his own family.

    ¡°There are old texts about the original Rulers having a powerful weapon that allowed them to conquer this land from its previous inhabitants, but it was more of a curiosity on my part.  In the end, I simply enjoy his devotion since I find so little of it within my life.¡±

    She told Elinor that tiny bit about her struggles and desires without hesitation, drawing the angel¡¯s golden eyes.

    A powerful weapon that helped them conquer this land¡¯s original people; there¡¯s not a trace left from what I¡¯ve seen or heard about, which means it did a good job.  So ¡­ Demon didn¡¯t want me to discover this information or have access to it, and this boy is a part of that.

    ¡°Interesting ¡­ very well,¡± Elinor¡¯s smile returned.  ¡°Your honesty is refreshing.  That being said, I wish to put Aluix under my own protection, and so, will you allow Castella to join your personal guard and act as his protector?¡±

    Lukuroha released a low hum in her throat.  ¡°... You believe in the old text then?¡±

    Elinor folded her fingers together.  ¡°I believe there is reason to keep him safe and alive; after all, I do not know if the purpose of his significance to my enemy is able to be used if dead.  He clearly wishes harm on the boy, and my aid will not hamper any of your plans.  Correct?¡±

    She took a moment to respond but soon nodded.  ¡°I would appreciate the assistance, seeing as even within our glorious city, this enemy you speak of has influence.  I would be a fool to decline.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to the Seraph as she moved up to float inches away from Violet¡¯s face, standing upside down on the ceiling.  ¡°That being resolved ¡­ next is the matter in which Aluix was seeking me.¡±

    Her focus returned to the Nalvean, paying close attention to her movements.  ¡°Why did he believe you could use my help?¡±

    The Stateswoman¡¯s tongue slid through her teeth in agitation.  ¡°He was moving behind his post.  However, perhaps you will be involved in time, but that is a matter between the High Ruler and yourself.  In short, a priority messenger from the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph.  A meeting has been set with the High Ruler for tonight, but your arrival has moved things around.¡±

    Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph rang a bell in Elinor¡¯s mind; Valdar had spoken a few times about the people, and from what she recalled, they took parts of the Quen¡¯Talrat engineering and incorporated it into their own technology.  They ruled quite a large portion of the far western side of the continent.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I am not too familiar with the race,¡± Elinor admitted.  ¡°Tell me about them.¡±

    Lukuroha focused on one of the bright cold flames lighting the room along the wall.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph are a capitalistic republic that was among the last to join the battle against the Quen¡¯Talrat because of their slow-moving senate and congress that could not decide how to proceed.  That being said, they are an extremely advanced civilization that some of our most skilled artists take sabbaticals to study their style.

    ¡°The people are very industrious, and their cities are sometimes called The Coral Rainbow of Heavenly Dreams because of how lustrous and brilliant they are.  Connections to them are few because of the Seaweaver Church.  There is a rivalry and disdain within it for the people since they can also manipulate water, but unlike us, they can use any liquids while Seaweavers can only use the water from the Great Ruby Lakes.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Elinor whispered, vision falling to the fancy rugs lining the floor.  ¡°I did not know that about the Seaweavers.  Why would a message like that be sent, and Aluix think it would require my help?¡±

    Although ¡­ Tal¡¯tamine was able to use the atmospheric water, and so was the High Ruler.  Perhaps, it is only an issue for low to medium-ranking Seaweavers.

    Lukuroha sat back, straightening her shoulders.  ¡°He was severely malnourished from the harsh trip to my province, and I ordered his recovery while I rode here to inform the High Ruler; he is a member of the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Senate.¡±

    Elinor checked her own posture with the news.  ¡°A member of the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Senate was malnourished from the trip?  Things certainly are unusual.  So, you went ahead and had an escort help him make the journey after?¡±

    She nodded.  ¡°However, I discovered when they arrived this morning that the caravan was attacked by rogue Nalvean mercenaries ¡­ unusually powerful ones with two Seaweavers.

    ¡°Most of the soldiers I sent with him were killed in the assault; I did not plan on there being a significant force waiting in ambush.  Yet, two managed to make a final gambit to slay the last Seaweaver.

    ¡°Sadly, one was left with one¡¯s arm from the last assault, and a good chunk of his leg was blown off, which was just amputated today.  They are both receiving treatment within the palace and the High Ruler is sending word to find the related parties responsible throughout the City-States.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t want to believe it was Demon; in fact, it could have been the Seaweavers hatred of the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph that sparked it, but attacking a sitting member of a nation¡¯s senate was more than a reason to spark a war.  She couldn¡¯t see that as a part of Demon¡¯s plan with what she currently knew.

    ¡°Tragic,¡± Elinor mumbled, glaring at the floor.  ¡°I was unaware that there even were Nalvean mercenaries; it is something to keep in mind.  So, he thought I might be able to help with either defending the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph on his return journey or discovering who hired them to kill your men?¡±

    The woman released a sad chuckle.  ¡°He¡¯s a sweet boy that doesn¡¯t like it when I am agitated, and so he tries to do little things to cheer me up and make my job easier, although, stalking a Ruler is far beyond the acceptable line.  He will be chastened for it.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus went to her invisible angel, though, brow coming together as she hovered back down to retake her seat.

    ¡°A high dignitary from another nation arrives at your doorstep, starved and without an escort.  He says he has an important message that is only for the ears of your leader, and you care for him so he may make the journey to your grand city, only to be assaulted on the way here?

    ¡°How did someone even know of his arrival and have enough time to secure an ambush; judging by how recently this woman came to the city, he didn¡¯t rest long, indicating urgency, yet they were overtaken.  Isn¡¯t that odd in your subtle games of thought?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l questioned with a musical note in her throat.

    You¡¯re right, Elinor mumbled, and her jaw set while thinking about the connecting dots.  It might not quite look like Demon¡¯s style, hiring mercenaries, but ¡­ it could be for a bigger play.

    Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed while lifting to stare at the Stateswoman.  ¡°Take me to the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph ¡­ my gut tells me something''s not right here.¡±

    Lukuroha¡¯s features darkened in an instant, her voice turning serious.  ¡°I beg your pardon, Empress, but what do you mean by that?¡±  She certainly did have the steel that Castella would approve of.

    ¡°I do not believe your men surviving was an accident, but merely a way of turning your focus onto other areas while believing your guest is safe within the palace.  Demon might have plotted this for some time, and my arrival has caused complications.  He¡¯s been distracting me from this section of the palace for a reason.¡±

    The Nalvean eyed her for several seconds, judging her options before rising to her feet.  ¡°I have more reasons to trust you than not ¡­ I hope you are wrong.¡±

    ¡°So do I,¡± Elinor growled, following her out of the room while communicating her fears through the Nexus.

    Castella informed Romimaca and Hikico¡¯rova as the Stateswoman lead the way, going up a floor; however, Elinor came to a stop with a tight jaw as they exited, drawing everyone¡¯s notice¡ªViolet had already scanned much of the space with her sharp senses by the time they¡¯d made it to this landing.

    ¡°How unfortunate,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l sighed.

    ¡°... He¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°How ¡­ do you know?  Are you sure?¡±  Lukuroha asked, fingers curling into fists; if it were true, then a foreign dignitary had vanished under her supervision.

    Elinor followed Violet down the hall, taking the lead.  ¡°Yes.¡±

    Violet informed their party, including Klaus, who was still on his way through the corridors to meet with Emelina inside their room.

    Violet could sense the half-breed¡¯s unique scent along the waterways with her refined senses, but only in small burst segments where he rematerialized before returning to a mist state.

    Elinor glared at the hallway Violet took her to; it was empty.

    ¡°No¡­¡±  Lukuroha growled, ¡°There should be guards stationed outside of his room!¡±

    The Nalvean took the lead with her personal soldiers and the Imperial Guards following; however, it was locked from the inside, and it was of the metal variety.  Lukuroha was yelling at the guards to get a key by the time Elinor made it there.

    She held up a hand, signaling them to stop before gesturing for them to move aside, knowing what they would find inside.  ¡°Edmon.¡±

    The Doom Guard walked forward, causing the Nalveans to back up; Romimaca and Hikico¡¯rova were nudging one another, unable to help themselves after seeing two performances from the black knight.

    Edmon placed his hand against the metal frame before a sharp, chilling air blew back and ice began crawling across the surface of the door.  Gasps were heard from the onlookers as cracks started to appear within the barrier until a large chunk of it exploded into the room¡¯s interior.

    Violet, Edmon, and she were the first to enter; the room¡¯s temperature had fallen dramatically, allowing one¡¯s breath to be seen, but five dead Imperial Guards were seen to the left side of the room, wet blood soaking the carpets.

    He¡¯s not here.

    ¡°No,¡± Violet replied.  ¡°I can try to track them, but we will need to hurry if we hope to catch up.¡±

    Elinor swore internally; if Baxter¡¯s surprise presence wasn¡¯t hanging over her head, then Violet could simply race after them and catch the party without issue, but because of him, her extremely powerful spider assassin was tethered to her side.  For all she knew, Baxter was waiting for that very moment.

    She turned back to the stunned Nalveans, still gathering their wits after Edmon¡¯s show of power; the Doom Guard smoothly picked her up with one arm again, and she sighed, wishing Quin was there since her Mount Skills helped dampen the blow to her body significantly.  Edmon wasn¡¯t meant to be soft; if she wanted a Floof Guard, she''d have gone with an entirely different theme.

    ¡°We are going after the kidnappers.  Of those of you that can keep up, follow if you can; there might be time to rescue him.¡±

    Elinor was a bit impressed by the Stateswoman as she swiftly stretched out, motioning to her guards.  ¡°Take off your armor; we need speed.¡±

    The Imperial Guards followed their actions, and Elinor winced as Edmon broke into what he would consider a casual walk, but wind rushed past her, generating a force that pressed up against her weak frame.  However, a new addition helped increase their speed dramatically; Edmon¡¯s tower shield appeared in his free hand, and he used it as a shield to protect her, tripling their pace.

    Violet returned sensory data as she led the charge, rushing through the palace with stunned soldiers shouting questions at them while they passed.

    They soon were outside the palace, then in the city, and before long within the dense jungle.  Violet sensed some kind of crushed powder substance in the room from the far east, which was unusual for this region, and would have caused a comatose state, which was why the flower was named Sleeping Death.

    However, they were forced to stop when the trail ended at the vast red lake and judging by what information Violet told them, Edmon concluded a bitter answer.

    ¡°... Some kind of submarine ¡­ in this world?¡±  Edmon growled.  ¡°There¡¯s no way we can catch them if that¡¯s the case.¡±

    Lukuroha¡¯s chest was heaving, and Castella had been forced to carry Aluix to keep him nearby; quite a few of the Imperial Guards were left behind, including Romimaca, but Hikico¡¯rova and the Stateswoman¡¯s two guards managed to keep up.

    ¡°W-What is ¡­ a submarine?¡±  Lukuroha questioned, trying to catch her breath.

    Elinor¡¯s green eyes glared across the choppy red waves, crashing into the sandy shores.  ¡°A ship that can travel underwater ¡­ Edmon¡¯s right; we don¡¯t have the means to follow at this point.¡±

    Unless ¡­ Edmon, can I find some random fish around here and send it after them?

    ¡°It would be worthless without having a creature with Violet¡¯s sensory powers or something like a sperm whale¡¯s level of echolocation to try and find it with the amount of time they¡¯ve gained.  Iris could probably do it, but¡­¡±

    I know¡­  Elinor growled.  So, in the end, Demon got what he wanted out of this ¡­ there¡¯s no way he isn¡¯t involved with technology like this, and he distracted me enough to have this fly under the radar.  No ¡­ we have to move now before he can do anything else.  We need to go meet with Baltoma; I have to have Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡­

    Her nose twitched with anger and fright as a sudden thought crossed her mind.  ¡°Dammit!¡±  She growled, drawing everyone¡¯s gaze.

    No ¡­ no, no, no!  What if he took Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s statute on that sub ¡­ I must know.  If he did, then we¡¯re going after it.  I don¡¯t care how far he goes, but I will have Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body if nothing else!  Let¡¯s go to Baltoma ¡­ now!

    Edmon changed directions, taking the scroll from Castella while ordering her to stay and give a brief response as to why they were taking off.  Violet and Edmon were the only ones with her now as they ran through the jungle; fear and rage-filled her breast.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was floating behind them, a slight frown on her lips.

    I thought I was unraveling Demon¡¯s plans, but he was simply stringing me along with a small thread while he moved the whole ball of yarn an entire nation away!  Just give me Sari¡¯a¨¦l, Demon, just her ¡­ that¡¯s all I want out of this!

    They entered the city, then the palace, passing the guards mobilizing to follow their party.  The Imperial Guards were receiving updates from the Nalveans that stayed behind to report the Dr¨¦k¡¯ul¨¦ph senator¡¯s kidnapping.  Demon hadn¡¯t killed the dignitary because he knew she could resurrect the creature and discover his information, or perhaps it was his plan to take him the entire time; she¡¯d never know at this point.

    Violet scanned the areas they¡¯d passed and discovered his location hours previous; luckily, he was inside.  Edmon sat her down in the empty hallway a corridor before, allowing her to collect herself, and she used his arm as support.  This moment decided everything, and she would have her angel, one way or another.

 B2 â€” 32. Pirates

    Elinor regained her stability as swiftly as possible, cursing how weak her body was, but it was a sacrifice she had to endure to continue pumping points into her Death Pool.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled, hovering a few feet away while observing her.  ¡°It really is a funny feeling, experiencing a weak figure through you.¡±

    I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying yourself, Elinor grumbled, giving her a light glare.

    She was beginning to see the Seraph more as a semi-annoying friend than a possible minion, which she was actually enjoying.  Her Empress racials weren¡¯t even triggering, which proved just what type of creature she was speaking to.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was as close as you could practically get to divinity, or at least, that¡¯s how she felt.  The rest of the cast she¡¯d raised were also treated on an individual basis, which meant she was actually building what she really wanted¡ªa replacement family.  Still, she was the leader of this family and had to act the part.

    Once more, she was furious with her current situation.

    She took the damning scroll containing Baltoma¡¯s contract from Edmon, hiding it behind her back with one hand while gripping her wrist with the other.

    Her boots tapped against the marble floors as she moved to them, stepping off of the rugs, Edmon and Violet utterly silent with their movements.  It was somewhat strange that the Doom Guard¡¯s armor made no sound, but then again, it would be kind of annoying to hear the clattering of metal all the time.

    The guards outside of Baltoma¡¯s chambers snapped to attention upon noticing her, swallowing when they realized she was heading for them and not just passing through.

    Edmon cleared his throat as they stopped in front of the room.  ¡°Empress Elinor will see Statesman Baltoma.¡±

    The men wore Baltoma¡¯s orange and red wave-like crests emblazoned on their silk-wrapped chests, showing they were not a part of the Imperial Guard.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to the one on her left as both gave her deep, respectful bows.  ¡°Empress Elinor ¡­ Statesman Baltoma is currently entertaining representatives from three different Trade Unions.¡±

    Her blazing green eyes didn¡¯t leave him, Edmon being her voice.  ¡°The Empress has taken note of the fact.¡±

    They started to sweat when they realized she wasn¡¯t leaving, black tongues sliding out of their glistening teeth before rising and moving to the doors.  ¡°... Yes, Empress¡­¡±

    The way opened, revealing a luxurious, single bed chamber that was large enough for a lounge, bed, and study; four Nalveans sat around a table, conversing.  However, upon their entry, the room fell deathly silent.

    ¡°... Which is why ¡­ JadeFire, who would ¡­ Empress Elinor¡­¡±  Baltoma mumbled, sharp reptilian eyes darting between her and the guards.

    All four of the Nalveans took to their feet, giving her the appropriate bow for a Ruler as Elinor strode into the room.

    ¡°Empress Elinor,¡± The single female representative said in a surprised tone, ¡°I was not expecting you to be joining our discussion.¡±

    Upon rising, the male to her right turned to Baltoma.  ¡°Yes ¡­ was this arranged?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Baltoma chuckled, holding up his hands in defense.  ¡°It seems the Empress has some personal matters to discuss with me.  Kokativ, Mognule, Elurcia, we will have to cut our discussions short for today.  I will be in touch with your Unions.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elurcia shifted her gaze from the apologizing Nalvean to Elinor.  ¡°I see ¡­ in that case¡­¡±

    Elinor watched the exchange without much interest, waiting for him to excuse his guests since she would need most Nalveans to see her in a positive light, and what she was planning was anything but friendly.

    Although, she was a little surprised when Elurcia engaged her, presenting another bow.  ¡°Empress Elinor, it is my pleasure.  I am with the Yul¡¯vrna Union, dealing with Ore Extraction and Excavation of the Eluin Mines.  Who might I inquire of to schedule my own time with you?¡±

    Her focus darted to Edmon as he responded.  ¡°You may speak to Ambassador Klaus for such acts.¡±

    Nodding, all three members seemed to take note of the response, quickly leaving the chamber; Edmon followed them out, leaving the invisible assassin, Elinor, and Baltoma alone.

    Once the doors shut, Baltoma gave her a weak chuckle, more than likely restraining a groan.  He motioned to a few bottles on a nearby table.  ¡°Would you enjoy some refreshments?  I have some spicy tonics you might find suit your flavor; they are quite rare and expensive to create.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Elinor stated, still staring at him with her cold green eyes.

    ¡°... Ah, I see ¡­ hmm, you do understand that I was only so forward in the previous meeting to gauge your intentions and presence within our nation?  I meant no disrespect!¡±

    Mhm¡­

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was examining the strange drinks he¡¯d pointed to.  ¡°Are these poisoned ¡­ such an unusual and ineffective method of killing.

    If you say so, Elinor mumbled, knowing the Seraph had never dealt with anything like poisons since they were probably utterly useless against her race, and considering they literally bathed in miniature suns to clean themselves, it wasn¡¯t surprising why.

    Violet had just concluded that there wasn¡¯t any kind of signal or discernible method of transmitting voice within the room as Baltoma offered her the fanciest seat in the room; he swiftly backed up, giving one of the flaming butterflies a two-foot space as it hovered toward him.

    ¡°No, I will stand,¡± She stated, unlatching her wrist and bringing around the scroll.

    Baltoma¡¯s eyes widened as he caught sight of it with the broken seal.  ¡°... I trust you know what this is.¡±

    ¡°... Hmm ¡­ there might be a misunderstanding, Empress.  You see, there have been some forgeries going around recently because I don¡¯t recognize that scroll.  I¡¯m a little hesitant to ask who gave it to you.¡±

    Elinor would have smiled at his attempt to cover up his blunder, but she wasn¡¯t feeling it after all the curves Demon had thrown at her.  She had to admit that he was remaining relatively calm from how she expected the Statesman to react.

    ¡°I would have suspected that was the case, Baltoma,¡± Elinor stated, causing the man to laugh with relief.

    ¡°Yes, Empress, if I were to suspect someone ¡­ I don¡¯t wish to say names¡­¡±  He mumbled, clearly trying to get her to take the lead to urge the reveal, but she wasn¡¯t playing to his tune.  ¡°There was this ¡­ gah, I am ashamed, Empress, but ¡­ this harlot¡­¡±

    ¡°The Eldest Prince certainly does have a temper for pinning things on others, and I understand where you¡¯re coming from; it wouldn¡¯t be that difficult of a story to weave, to be honest,¡± she mumbled, considering the type of character the prince possessed.

    ¡°However¡­¡±

    Baltoma¡¯s smile fell, teeth hiding behind his lips with his falling expression.  ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°He could have used your seals and copied your signature given the access he had that I¡¯ve been told; it¡¯s true.  However, let¡¯s be honest, the prince is not that smart, nor does he think that far ahead.  No, you contracted with the Shadow Hand for my death and for the murder of the Imperial Head Captain.  There¡¯s no getting around it, Baltoma.¡±

    Her tone sharpened.  ¡°The question is ¡­ Will you admit it to me?¡±

    His tongue slid through his teeth, and he walked over to the tonics, pouring himself a one into a brightly colored vase-like cup, buying himself time to think.  ¡°... The fact that scroll is not in the hands of the High Ruler, and he is not coming with the Imperial Guard means that you are after something ¡­ I knew you were a devious one.  It was a point of discussion in the meeting, actually.¡±

    Elinor hid the scroll behind her back again, clasping her wrist.  ¡°Tell me, what is the punishment for attempted murder against a foreign Ruler?¡±

    He downed the glass before turning to stare at the burning globes of glowing green light in Elinor¡¯s eyes, vision falling to the fancy rugs.  ¡°What do you want?  My support with the High Ruler?  You¡¯ll have it.¡±

    ¡°No, Baltoma,¡± She growled, drawing his attention again at her shift in tone.  ¡°I¡¯m going to make this very, very simple, and I want you to do the same.  I will give you this damning piece of evidence, and we can continue our relationship in a more ¡­ friendly manner.¡±

    ¡°Give it back?¡±  He asked, vision narrowing.  ¡°Why would you cut a rope off of a Torlim¡¯s neck?¡±

    ¡°I said, it is to be simple,¡± Elinor stated in a dark tone.  ¡°I will give you this with no strings attached if you give me Flight of the Morning Dew.¡±  She continued before he could speak.  ¡°If the next words out of your mouth aren¡¯t to conclude our deal, then I will be forced to use less pleasant methods than words.¡±

    She could tell that he really wanted to know her desire for the art piece, but Violet¡¯s invisible thread around his neck swiftly brought an answer as it began to tighten.

    ¡°... Y-Yes ¡­ I understand, Empress!¡±  He choked, coughing and rubbing his neck as the thread unwove, retreating a distance in case it needed to be used again.  ¡°I ¡­ will not turn down such an offer.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Elinor replied, but her tone was anything but bright.  ¡°Your life for the family heirloom.  How will the transfer work?¡±

    He loosened his muscles with a loud sigh, moving over to his table to shuffle through the papers.  ¡°I ¡­ My family may own it, but it is also a national treasure, which means you will need to inform the High Ruler of the trade in ownership.  Mmh ¡­ I still cannot believe it was you that was after the artwork.  For what purpose is such a thing to go through such effort and go so far as to offer that kind of trade?¡±

    ¡°Irrelevant.  Make the document and take me to my statue.¡±

    Baltoma¡¯s nose twitched at her demand, gathering the proper supplies.  ¡°I will write up the gift, sign, and seal it for you to hand the High Ruler¡­¡±

    ¡°After I¡¯ve seen it.¡±

    He sighed.  ¡°You have my life in your hands,¡± he mumbled.  ¡°I will not try to cheat you out of a deal that gives it back to me.  Does this mean my actions are forgiven?¡±  Baltoma tentatively asked.

    Elinor hummed.  ¡°... If I have the statue, then yes.  Where is it?¡±

    His mood brightened considerably.  ¡°I see ¡­ Very well, I will send word to the Communications Center to tell my ship to sail back to port; they are currently on their way to my Estate to deliver many of the goods I had on display here in Shi¡¯Shuka.¡±

    The energy in Elinor¡¯s veins ran cold.  ¡°... It¡¯s where?¡±

    ¡°Currently on a ship, sailing¡­¡±

    It took a concentrated effort on her part to not crush the scroll in her hand as she cut him off.  ¡°When did it set sail?¡±

    ¡°Umm ¡­ a few hours ago.¡±

    ¡°Dammit,¡± She growled, jaw tightening.  ¡°Get everything you need to make the transferal and take me to the fastest ship currently docked in Shi¡¯Shuka!¡±

    ¡°E-Excuse me?¡±  He stammered in confusion, hand hovering over a bottle of ink-like substance.

    ¡°I said, get your things together!¡±  She snapped, pointing at the table.  ¡°Your ship is likely already under attack!¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ That can¡¯t be.  No one would attack a Statesman¡¯s ship.¡±

    Her green eyes blazed with agitation, causing him to nod and start preparing to leave by grabbing a nearby bag, but she explained anyway.  ¡°Like a foreign Ruler¡¯s vessel being burned by JadeFire?¡±  She questioned with anger.  ¡°Anything you valued on that ship will probably be either sunk to the bottom of the sea or stolen!¡±

    Baltoma¡¯s scales turned a darker shade of blue.  ¡°I have ¡­ priceless heirlooms and goods on it¡­¡±

    ¡°Then hurry!¡±

    ¡°Guards ¡­ what about guards ¡­ We should alert the¡­¡±

    Elinor practically shouted, ¡°I¡¯m all you need, Baltoma; get your shit together and let¡¯s go before everything is lost!¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Empress!¡±

    Explaining the situation to Edmon, he had the guards open the doors, picking her up in preparation to rush to the docks as quickly as possible.

    Baltoma¡¯s men ran with them, causing a stir among the Imperial Soldiers as, once again, she was seen charging through the halls like a bat out of hell.  However, this time, a different Statesman was with her.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t believe it; Demon had been playing with his little strings across the whole Empire the entire time.  The JadeFire burning her ship was to utterly destroy any chance she had of following after the other vessels, and at the same time, it kept her away from the area to allow Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body to be loaded up without her notice.

    Am I this easy to manipulate?!  Edmon, we have to get her ¡­ No matter what!  Use everything you have; I don¡¯t care if we¡¯re left a bit vulnerable to Baxter!  Get me Sari¡¯a¨¦l!

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Edmon¡¯s mind sharpened on the task.  ¡°I will see it done.¡±

    The Seraph was hovering beside them, giving Elinor a small frown.  ¡°It seems Demon has achieved quite a few of his major objectives.  I find myself hoping for your success, Elinor.¡±

    Thanks, Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ I¡¯m just so ¡­ I¡¯m frustrated that I was able to be read like a book!  How does he do it?  No ¡­ I need to calm down.  She tried to give the angel a smile.  I think I understand why Yesenia was so attached to you.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ I really hope you decide to join me.

    The Seraph¡¯s golden eyes fell to the ground with her expression.  ¡°In the end ¡­ it is not my favor you must gain, Elinor.¡±  Her full pink lips lifted into a hopeful smile.  ¡°I have learned enough.  Until we meet again at the Blood Sun¡¯s Throne.¡±

    Elinor felt a profound sense of loss as she watched her angel vanish; somehow, she¡¯d forcefully canceled the ability holding her to this plane of existence, demonstrating just how different she was from any other spirit.

    Edmon¡¯s helmet shifted to the right, noticing the flaming butterflies fading away.  ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡±  He asked in concern.

    No ¡­ she¡¯s waiting for me to revive her, Elinor mumbled, mind turning inward.

    It wasn¡¯t the first warning the Seraph had given her.  Until we meet again at the Blood Sun¡¯s Throne¡­  The statement sent a quake through her entire frame, but she couldn¡¯t turn back.  Whatever awaited her, she¡¯d face it.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l enjoyed being with her and a part of this new existence that was so foreign to her entire way of life and helping the angel explore was actually a feeling that touched her heart.  She certainly was changing ¡­ Perhaps this was what it meant to be on the path of a Lich Goddess instead of a Lich Empress.

    Baltoma wasn¡¯t nearly as physically capable as Lukuroha but enough to pass through the city streets at a reasonable pace.  Now that he felt at risk, he was more than willing to take the initiative, directing them to the best ship he could spot.

    The Nalveans noticed the loss of her butterflies and cold resolve but kept their thoughts to themselves.

    The Statesman took them to a sleek, Blackwood merchanting vessel, knowing exactly who to address.  His chest was heaving as he slowed to a stop, taking one of the bags he¡¯d brought from his room to the captain; he was more than a little taken aback by their unusual entrance.

    ¡°I ¡­ we must sail immediately, Jumbi ¡­ No questions.  We go after my ship that just left a few hours ago!¡±

    His gaze shifted to Elinor, clearly unaware of who she was, and a small hum rumbled through his throat before he tugged open the bag; she caught sight of sparkling blue gemstones inside that made the man¡¯s eyes pop.

    Jimbi quickly tied the bag shut with a wide grin.  ¡°I see, Statesman Baltoma.  No questions at all, my Ruler; you got yourself a ship!  Alright, ya belly draggers,¡± he shouted, walking away to set things up.  ¡°Out with the cargo; we got a premium job to do.  Time¡¯s the game; let¡¯s go!¡±

    Another Nalvean nearby that was listening motioned for them to follow him up the ship.  ¡°We¡¯ll be setting sail shortly, Statesman; if ya be wantin¡¯ speed, then we gotta take out the bulk.  A bit of time spent early to gain more as we go.¡±

    Baltoma¡¯s gaze shot to her, and she nodded.

    The Nalvean sailor didn¡¯t miss the action that showed who was running the outfit.

    While everyone was busy, Violet crafted another silken throne for her to rest on that would keep her stable, even if the seas grew rough.  Baltoma was a little skittish about it, and many of the crew members gave them looks, but Elinor ignored them all; she was focused on the open sea.

    Don¡¯t be too late!

    They soon took off, and Baltoma went to the Captain¡¯s Quarters to finish up the document that would gift her the statue as a diplomatic gesture of good faith; apparently, according to Baltoma, her position was on the favorable side since she could open up a massive opportunity for the Trade Unions, which held even more power than the Seaweaver Church.

    Jumbi made her way over to her after making sure Baltoma gave his navigator the proper course his ships took.  He gave her a regal bow, which reminded her of Klaus.  ¡°Empress Elinor, I presume?  The Statesman¡¯s guards have informed me of your status as the Ruler of the Undying Empire.  Is that correct?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Elinor passively replied, keeping her gaze on the expansive ocean as the land faded to a turbulent sea.

    He hummed, eyeing Edmon beside her.  ¡°From what I understand, you came to our world through one of the Gateways that sometimes appear.  You¡¯ve taken ownership of the former Empire of the Quen¡¯Talrat, subjugating the Ri¡¯bot within the valley to be your subjects.¡±

    ¡°To be rough about the details,¡± Elinor stated, hands folded in her lap as she glared at the horizon.

    ¡°Wonderful!¡±  He grinned.  ¡°So long as you remain within our world, I would be happy to be of use and to have access to your docks, which I have no doubt you will build with your expanding Empire.¡±

    Elinor released a short sigh, turning her attention to him.  ¡°If you perform well, then I may call upon you for many ventures.¡±

    ¡°Excellent!  We will redouble our efforts to catch the Statesman¡¯s vessel.  If you will excuse me, Empress.¡±

    ¡°A very opportunistic race,¡± Edmon mumbled, watching him leave.

    More than I initially would have guessed¡ªstill, they¡¯re ambitious, which seems to be more of a modern trait that¡¯s been building within their culture.  Having a nation specializing in trade so close to us should help increase our name¡¯s recognition and the goods being brought into our borders¡­

    She trailed off, not finding enjoyment in the conversation; her gut was too tight.  If she could foil any of Demon¡¯s plans to deprive her of resources, this was the most important.

    Unlike any of the others that she¡¯d seen, the ship utilized Seaweavers unrelated to the Seaweaver Church or Military Branch to work a device that propelled them forward like any standard ship on Earth.

    They took shifts to keep the vessel in constant motion, and Elinor could see why Baltoma chose this vessel.  The reason he paid so much had her wondering what else was on the ship.

    Her gaze lifted to the partly cloudy skies and harsh ocean winds that moved them; she wasn¡¯t particularly bothered by them or the rocking ship, given Violet¡¯s chair.  She didn¡¯t want Edmon¡¯s shield to block her view, though.

    After forty minutes, Baltoma came up to give her the contract, which Edmon accepted, placing it in a leather pouch that appeared out of ice across his waist; it was important enough of an item to spend a point on to get a safe place to store it.

    He was very nervous, arms folded and muscles tight; there was something of great value he was concerned about falling into the wrong hands.

    Elinor kept her focus fixated on the horizon; Violet could have gone up to the top of one of the four masts, but that would endanger Elinor, and so, she stood beside Edmon, scanning the bright sea, water reflecting the blazing sun overhead.  It was probably getting closer to noon, 15 P.M.

    The lookout was the first to spot Baltoma¡¯s massive ship, shortly followed by Violet as she scanned the direction he directed them to¡ªit was sinking, and there wasn¡¯t a ship in sight.

    Baltoma¡¯s shaking hands gripped the rail guard.  ¡°No ¡­ my seventeen-year-old son was on that ship,¡± He mumbled in horror.  ¡°Are there bodies ¡­ Is anyone alive?¡±

    ¡°Piracy ¡­ in the Great Ruby Lakes?¡±  Jumbi mumbled with a deep frown.  ¡°They stay in the ocean, around the Judicus Isles ¡­ It¡¯s crawling with the Nalvean Navy here.  Why would they risk it?¡±

    What¡¯s the situation?  Elinor asked, fingers tightly gripped together.

    Violet responded in a neutral tone.  ¡°From what I can tell, there was some kind of explosive or battering ram used to destroy the ship; although, I suspect my opinion will change as we get closer.  I see corpses; there is no indication of life excluding carnivorous fish, feasting on the prey.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Elinor¡¯s tone was controlled, even though she wanted to scream curses at Demon; he was watching.  ¡°I don¡¯t believe there are any survivors, but perhaps he was taken as a hostage.  Do they do that?¡±  She asked, giving Baltoma a questioning glance.  ¡°Where would they go if it¡¯s so dangerous here, Jumbi?¡±

    The merchant breathed in a long hiss of air before puffing it out.  ¡°They¡¯d book it to the ocean, hoping to not be stopped or inspected, but ¡­ we are not equipped for this type of venture, Empress.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll double your payment!¡±  Baltoma swiftly interjected as almost a plea.  ¡°The Empress desires something on the ship; her guard will handle it!¡±

    Elinor glared at him.  ¡°Don¡¯t presume, Baltoma, but yes ¡­ Jumbi, your job is to get us to the location; Edmon will take care of the rest.¡±  Her countenance darkened.  ¡°They took something that belongs to me ¡­ and I will have it back.¡±

    Jumbi looked a bit torn between risking the lives of his crew and the job; he soon put it to a vote.  Not one soul refused, yelling they weren¡¯t afraid of no pirates!

    Elinor expected as much; Baltoma¡¯s attitude and her opinion of him had changed to some degree; at least he was a concerned parent.

    While the vote went on, they passed by the wreckage, and Violet scanned the ocean floor with what remained.  ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l is not nearby, Empress; judging by the amount of items left, it was, as you would say, pillaged.  I do not sense any youth below the age of 25; they have a very distinct taste.¡±

    That Violet could now detect the taste of things through her silk showed how advanced her senses were.  Edmon ¡­ crush whoever took her.

    Jumbi sent out some kind of underwater distress call that was likely disabled by an underwater team that the pirates had to cut off communication to the Great Ruby Lake¡¯s crystal Morse code-like system.

    The Nalvean Navy was alerted of the incident and were now moving out in force to discover the ocean intruders; Elinor just hoped it wasn¡¯t the submarine, but Violet said there was an unknown type of energy left at the broken ship that wasn¡¯t present at the previous site.

    It was another forty minutes before they spotted the vessel, and it was being hailed by a sizeable Nalvean warship; they arrived as the pirate ship shot a jet of some kind of charged water cannon at them, ripping half the warship¡¯s side off.

    ¡°By the Sea Goddess¡­¡±  Baltoma mumbled in disbelief.  ¡°Where did they find a weapon like that?¡±

    Several more gasps were heard around her; they weren¡¯t prepared for something that could take out an entire Nalvean Warship with a single blast.  The Navy vessel was slowing as it took on water, its crew frantically trying to salvage it as the pirates escaped with laughter.

    The Nalveans on board were screaming to message for immediate assistance, but the crystals were dark, somehow being blocked.

    Elinor¡¯s green eyes narrowed as Violet explained the situation through the Nexus, ignoring everyone else¡¯s panic.  So ¡­ they think they¡¯re strong.  Elinor growled.

    Edmon stepped away from Elinor, instructing Violet on the strategy he would employ; it was pretty straightforward, but it caused a smile to brighten Elinor¡¯s lips.

    ¡°As you commanded, Elinor ¡­ I will show them what it means to steal from the Empire.¡±

    Good.  Give them a story to tell their grandchildren.  This is one of many reasons why you do not anger or cross Empress Elinor.

    * * *

    Edmon finished his explanation to Violet, and she crafted the web.

    Every bewildered gaze shot to him as he broke into a run at the silk that was weaving together, and once inside, he was sling-shotted over a mile into the air, arching toward his enemies at a blinding speed.

    The g-forces pressing against his body were practically non-existent as he summoned his shield when nearing the correct point.  Violet¡¯s aim was masterful; he would land on the rail guard.

    Air rushed past him as he unlocked his small, circular shield from the cross-shaped main body and placed a single point into a High-Tier Skill that had become available to him through his patience and conservative method of utilizing his System, Glacial Freeze.

    He hurled the shimmering light blue shield at an angle to skim down the side of the ship, leaving a trail of ice before it smashed into the waves, disappearing below.

    Just before landing, Edmon took a few more Skills; his Empress told him to make the moment memorable, not to her opponents but her allies.

    Edmon¡¯s armored form smashed through the thick wooden railing, sending splinters and chunks of wood spraying across the deck; shouts roared around him as the white-scaled Nalvean pirates darted away, one turning his back and covering his head to defend against the pelting bits of wood.

    He was currently half stuck between the railing and deck below, his left leg stuck within the floorboards, but that was what kept him grounded as a force shot the ship up; a massive bubble of water bulged out of the sea, carrying them back a little and sending the Nalveans screaming, several pirates were jolted off the deck and into the colossal expel of exploding liquid.

    Not long after, another jarring sensation struck the ship; the Nalveans that remained on the vessel were sent careening across the planks, smashing into things and losing their weapons.

    Edmon released a long puff of frigid air as the temperature around him plummeted, activating Higher Frost Aura I, and before any more movement could happen, he used Higher Ice Prison I.

    Glowing chains exploded from around the ship, smashing into its sides while fusing it into a locked state, and Edmon slowly broke away from the wood, now frosting over as the environment continued to represent the arctic chill he was releasing.

    Blue, frothing energy emanated from his eyes as they turned downward to see a field of white; the ship had been raised out of the ocean by an immense iceberg that he¡¯d created below, and now it was imprisoned to it by his glowing chains.

    Icy footprints were left with each step he took as a howling wind was whipped up by the aura, creating a miniature snowstorm from the moisture within the air, and making his black cloak billow around him.

    A Nalvean emerged out of the biting flurries, spinning around in utter confusion and terror, but Edmon simply walked past him, activating Freeze Innards I.  A wave of frigid energy released from the shimmering field around him, instantly freezing the creature from the inside out.

    The tip of his shield clipped the sculpture¡¯s hand, causing it to break off, and he continued to travel below deck; the entire ship was now surrounded by the building storm; screams and shouts could be heard as people were carried off the edge, falling to the rough glacier floor below while cartwheeling against the chains on the way down.

    Anyone who touched the ship¡¯s restraints would find themselves stuck and be forced to cut off their own limb if they didn¡¯t want the rest of their body to be frozen.

    A shivering white-scaled Nalvean rushed at him as he entered the first level hold, but he was frozen before reaching him; Edmon simply walked through the creature, breaking the salamander into bits.

    A smile lit his lips upon reaching the center of the ship; Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s statue was before him.

    ¡°Empress, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s corpse is secured.  I will look for Baltoma¡¯s boy, clean up the rest of the pirates, and create a dock to bring you your prize.¡±

    His Empress¡¯s voice was like honey to his ears.  Excellent!  It was precisely what I envisioned.

    * * *

    Elinor¡¯s lips curved into a wicked smile as Edmon flew far ahead, smashing into the ship, and soon after, a bow appeared in the water, sharp waves disrupting the natural pattern of the seas.

    A shadow appeared below it, and a colossal iceberg exploded out of the water, sending the ship careening across its rising form; just before it reached the edge, chains of ice branched out of the glacier, fixing it into place.

    Not soon after, the blizzard engulfed the scene.

    Baltoma, Jumbi, and his crew were utterly speechless as they watched the event unfold; the iceberg was at least six times larger than the entire enemy vessel.

    Edmon¡¯s report that her prize was on board was the cherry on top.  ¡°Jumbi ¡­ prepare to dock; we have a lot of cargo to recover.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ how should we dock, Empress?¡±  He mumbled in disbelief.

    ¡°Edmon will create a way ¡­ oh, Baltoma, your boy is alive; hurt, but alive.¡±

    The father breathed in a shuddering breath before collapsing to the deck.  ¡°... T-Thank you, Empress¡­¡±

    She shifted her legs to the opposite side, resting her elbow against the arm of the chair and her head leaned against the back of her hand.  If you can find their captain, keep him alive.  We could discover valuable information about these islands Jumbi mentioned.

    ¡°I will begin a search, but I may have already killed their leader.¡±

    That¡¯s fine; corpses work, too.  It¡¯s just an afterthought.  Violet, Edmon ¡­ this was a massive win!  We¡¯re going to go after your mother, Violet.

    She could feel a tremor run through her connection to the youngest Spider Sister.  ¡°I still feel my mother, Empress ¡­ she is very distant, but I am looking forward to seeing her return.¡±

    As am I, Violet ¡­ As am I.  When we return, we will make the High Ruler aware that we need to meet as soon as possible.  Something urgent has come up back home.

    Elinor stepped onto the icy steps that Edmon had created, using rough ice that would hold a grip, and she used the path he¡¯d fashioned to enter the frozen hull of the ship; she had to make sure it wasn¡¯t a fake.

    Sending out her butterflies, Elinor¡¯s grin grew.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ I have you.  Oh, and Edmon, grab that magical cannon they used, or whatever it was.

    ¡°Heh ¡­ I was going to ask if I could keep it,¡± Edmon chuckled.  ¡°It could prove useful if I took some time to deconstruct it and learn how to harness its power.¡±

    I know, it¡¯s like your sweet tooth, Elinor giggled; she was feeling great.  Take it apart and figure out what makes it tick.

 B2 â€” 33. An Ally Forged

    Elinor glanced around the frozen ship after confirming Sari¡¯a¨¦l was there; she could see her own breath while studying the frosted-over environment.

    The shattered remains of several pirates drew her notice, but one was like an ice statue, completely intact.  However, her butterflies confirmed he was dead; living creatures couldn''t survive being utterly frozen, having their liquid and organs fractured and expanded¡ªshe hadn¡¯t expected that outcome since she¡¯d seen so many movies that used ice to subdue people.

    Hollywood would have you believe someone could be frozen and chipped out without an issue, but that was far from the case given what Edmon had demonstrated.

    Everywhere she looked, goods were thrown around, now frosted over and stuck in place; only a few large objects were tied down to prevent movement while the ship was in motion, and thankfully, one of those such items was Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    Excellent work, Edmon ¡­ Where is Lukuroha¡¯s son?

    ¡°Below deck.  I created an exception for the hostages; the pirates seem to have taken several from various vessels.¡±

    Elinor nodded.  Take them to the ship.  Her gaze returned to the perfect form of the Seraph.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body will not be left alone until she is brought back to life.  Return to guard her after saving the prisoners.

    ¡°As you command.¡±

    She held her hands behind her back, looking into the defiant face of the angel, Violet beside her as Edmon went to fulfill her order.  A shiver ran down Elinor¡¯s frame but not from the chill of the cold.

    Does Demon know how important Sari¡¯a¨¦l is?  Perhaps not if the Searing Concord brought her frozen corpse back from the crystal after their defeat.  He knows she¡¯s strong, but not much else ¡­ If he could feel the power her spirit holds, he would have tried harder to keep her away from me.  She¡¯s just what I need.

    Edmon brought the Nalvean children out of the 3rd level; they stared at her in confusion and fright, the Doom Guard ushering them forward.  Elinor caught her cold reflection in the ice-covered wooden walls of the ship, and for the first time, she didn¡¯t see the girl she had been¡ªthere was a monster that had reared its head within her, and she¡¯d embraced it to survive.

    When Edmon returned, he let her know that Jumbi¡¯s crew was preparing the hold for  the treasures while stabilizing the ship with the iceberg¡¯s movements.  The Nalvean Naval vessel that was sinking had already been lost, and the soldiers were getting on the few lifeboats they had on board.

    The distress call brought a Seaweaver Naval First Response unit in the area to their location, and Baltoma explained to the Lieutenant Commander what happened; his boy had been taken below deck on Jumbi¡¯s ship to warm up and rest with the rest of the children.

    Elinor ignored most of what the Naval officers did, remaining in the frigid environment Edmon had created.  Artificial Body would be destroyed given time, and her limbs would slowly become stiff over a few hours, but she wouldn¡¯t be in this icebox that long.

    Edmon directed her to the captain¡¯s quarters on the pirate¡¯s vessel where he¡¯d brought most of the intact white-scaled Nalveans.  Overall, there were eighteen that she could resurrect on the ship and twelve more that would need to be returned as spirits; however, they weren¡¯t worth the energy to be brought back as Intelligent Undead.

    Her attention was pulled to a table filled with maps, showing the travel path of most merchanting boats, Navy patrol routes, and a ledger of goods each would be transporting.

    Interesting ¡­ It can¡¯t be a coincidence that Sari¡¯a¨¦l was taken and then attacked.  These plans are far too thorough for a last-minute job.  Unless someone in a top position gave them these records, but no ¡­ no, Demon just had foreknowledge of their pillaging course and used it to his advantage.

    Elinor took a moment to study the map, comparing it to what she had already seen from Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s maps</a>.  The Nalvean Empire certainly was massive, and she could understand why Lukuroha¡¯s City-State of Mirelitel was seen to have the least influence; Shi¡¯Shuka and the Ri¡¯bot Territory had more land than her.  It bordered the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Republic, too, marking it as a significant defensive buffer for Shi¡¯Shuka, which was probably its saving merits.

    Turning around to glare at the ice-encased captain, she asked for a Skill to speak to the spirits of the deceased, gaining Ensnare Spirit I.  It would save her the issue of having them join the daily cost of maintaining her army, and foil many of Demon¡¯s suicide devices while skirting some of the problems she¡¯d discovered.

    The Skill wasn¡¯t bonding the spirit to her Nexus but forcing them back for a limited time to do her bidding.  It only allowed her to imprison Poor and Common-Grade units; luckily, they all fell within that category.  If they were Rare-Grade, then she¡¯d consider raising them, but she had to be selective, especially when she needed to raise another Transcendent Unit, seeing as they functioned under an entirely different set of parameters.

    Calling forth his spirit, she watched him return with emotionless eyes; the two butterflies required to speak to him hovered around the figure, pulling him back from the void to face her.

    He looked confused upon separating from his body, eyes widening.  ¡°I ¡­ am alive?¡±

    Not precisely, Elinor mused.  You will answer my questions.

    ¡°Hah, as if I ¡­ I ¡­ yes, Empress?¡±  He mumbled in shock.  ¡°Why can¡¯t I refuse?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s small smile drew the creature¡¯s gaze.  It¡¯s simple.  You¡¯re too weak to refuse me.  Now, tell me where you obtained these maps.

    ¡°Lucicara ¡­ a broker that I use to scout potential targets.¡±

    Who do you work for?

    ¡°... I am a freelancer that ¡­ that primarily accepts jobs from the Judicus Cartel.¡±

    Oh?  Elinor hummed.  Do these Cartel Lords rule the Judicus Ilse?

    His nose began to twitch with anger.  ¡°Y-Yes.¡±

    Mhm, and does Lucicara work with the Nalvean Empire or these Cartel Lords?

    ¡°Snapping sharp-fish,¡± he growled, trying to fight her influence without luck.  ¡°... No, she ¡­ she works independently.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus shifted to the maps, moving them aside to examine anything else of importance, but nothing stood out.  ¡°W-What ¡­ are you?  To create such a massive block of ice under our ship?¡±

    She ignored the question, asking her own.  Is there anything you can tell me about the Cartels¡¯ activities in moving against the Nalvean Empire?

    ¡°... No.¡±

    Is there anything you consider would be important information for me to know if I have an invested interest in the Nalvean Empire?

    ¡°... I only seek to gain profit by stealing from my northern brethren.  The Nalvean Empire and Judicus Cartel have a surface-level agreement to stay neutral, but they seek the Empire¡¯s riches whenever possible ¡­ Toadlicker ¡­ Why can¡¯t I refuse?!¡±  He snapped.  ¡°I am¡­¡±

    Dead, Elinor replied, dismissing his spirit as if fog.

    Releasing a low sigh, she decided she could use the muscle on a whim and resurrected all five Common and thirteen Poor-Grade pirates as Unintelligent Undead.  Her green flames consumed the ice, scales, and organs to return them as skeletal minions; Sari¡¯a¨¦l returning to wherever she¡¯d come from had given her the time to rebuild a small portion of her Death Pool.

    She looked between each of her new soldiers with satisfaction; Unintelligent Undead were so weak compared to their Intelligent counterparts, and while they worked on gathering up the essential documents, she pondered on the variance.  She was slowly learning more about her Undead System, which had its benefits and failings.

    One particular facet that had recently drawn her interest was what the Grades indicated.  There was a general grade they would be given if she was less specific about what she wanted to raise them for, which was why the humans she¡¯d raised were able to become so much more than they would have had she simply brought them back as they had been.

    The captain of this pirate crew was close to meeting the criteria of an Uncommon-Grade Combat Unit.  However, that didn¡¯t mean he would be anywhere close to Quin¡¯s power.  Grades dealt with potential and growth, which could correlate with their living strength, but it broke down further into various other categories.

    In the end, higher Grade meant a more powerful unit, but there was leniency in that potential depending on how she raised them; the System itself seemed to be more heavy-handed in its preset value of resurrecting the dead and granting them abilities.

    She was starting to realize that Grades were an indicator of power and potential, but that didn¡¯t mean they were strong in life; just as the vastly powerful creatures would be downgraded, in Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s case significantly to a minute fraction of her original strength, so too could units gain power from qualifying for specific criteria.

    Some bonuses could be granted to the raised creature if they were downgraded, utilizing their living strength and potential in other areas.

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra family was an excellent example of that in practice; Iris gained the ability to shapeshift, and to a lesser degree, her daughters did, as well.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t even imagine what her Seraph would obtain.  It was something she¡¯d have to experiment with and build her knowledge on when she had time, but her powers were still such a mystery to her.  Edmon and Tiffany may have been given a general understanding of the basics to guide her, but the finer details were still unknown.

    One such enigma that interested her was the possibility of Grades increasing, but that was where her internal wandering ended as Edmon interrupted her thoughts.

    ¡­ Can Camellia push past her Epic-Grade to rival her younger sisters?  ¡­ No answer, System?  You¡¯re so fickle¡­

    ¡°Empress, the ship is ready to be loaded.¡±

    ¡­ Good.  I¡¯ll be heading back down; bring Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    Elinor exited the cabin with Violet and her horde of minions, one carrying the maps.  Edmon was already untethering Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body; the amber-like substance encasing her frame shimmered with the reflected light that the ice fed into the hull of the ship.

    Not too much longer.

    Jumbi, the Navy, and Baltoma stiffened upon seeing the twenty of them making their way down the icy path Edmon had created.

    ¡°E-Empress?¡±  Jumbi mumbled as he helped her back onto the deck, eyeing the Undead.

    ¡°These are lifeless shells for work,¡± she replied before turning to Baltoma, standing nearby.  ¡°Think of them as mindless workhorses ¡­ I will put them under your control to get whatever item is important to you to keep close.¡±

    He was surprisingly compliant and adapted to the situation, motioning for them to follow him up.  However, Elinor¡¯s next words made him pause.

    ¡°Also, Baltoma, there is an urgent matter I must attend to back in my own nation; be quick.¡±

    He bowed and had some of the crew join him as they scurried back up the pathway to get his items; only the skeletal form of the pirate captain stayed behind, clutching the maps in his bony claws.

    Elinor returned to her throne after seeing Sari¡¯a¨¦l tucked safely below; Edmon remained by the statue¡¯s side.  She wasn¡¯t going to take any chances.

    The Nalveans that glanced her way wore expressions of awe and mild fear, vision turning to admire the massive iceberg that Edmon had generated.  There was no hostility; Edmon¡¯s show had the exact effect she wanted.

    She watched the long procession of Undead and Nalveans handing down items to be stored in the large opening in the deck to allow cargo to be put below.  Baltoma only brought several chests from the broken vessel above, allowing the rest to be sorted and brought back to Shi¡¯Shuka by the Navy.

    No one dared approach her after everything they¡¯d seen, and Elinor gave Jumbi control over the undead pirates to help prepare their return trip.  She could hear the whispers, but Balotma¡¯s explanation about her powers and status swiftly spread through the ranks, which gave her peace.

    The ship pulled away from the iceberg; it had taken them more than an hour to get everything in order after lining the vessel up to the icy dock Edmon had created.

    Baltoma was about to go below to be with his son before pausing as she told one of the undead pirates to direct his attention her way.  He weaved across the deck of busy crewmen to reach her.

    ¡°... Yes, Empress?¡±

    Elinor smiled at him, motioning at a silken chair that she¡¯d had Violet craft while everyone¡¯s gaze was averted.  ¡°I have a few things to discuss with you.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he mumbled, much less proud and arrogant than when she¡¯d first met him.  ¡°I sincerely offer my thanks for the rescue of my son.¡±

    She nodded.  ¡°You know I had my own interests ¡­ And you fulfilled your end of the bargain.¡±

    His focus moved to one of the undead pirates as he ran out of the lower deck with a scroll in his hands, the document linking him to the assassination attempt on her life.  The skeletal figure handed it to Baltoma, and he hesitantly took it, unfolding the content with a grimace before ripping it apart and throwing it to the sea.

    Elinor observed him with a curious gaze as he took a deep breath, slowly releasing it with closed eyes.  ¡°Did you believe I would not hold up my end of the bargain?¡±

    Baltoma released a low chuckle, caution in his eyes.  ¡°I do not know you, Empress Elinor, and to be honest, I¡¯m fearful of what our Empire¡¯s association to you might bring in the future.  That being said, I will not deny you are a powerful ally and a disastrous foe.  I cannot tell why you are so fixated on a simple work of art, but I will not question it.¡±

    ¡°Wise,¡± Elinor chuckled, shifting her legs the opposite way as the rocking seas increased with the wind.  ¡°Where does this put us, Baltoma?¡±

    He folded his arms across his chest, gazing out at the fathomless sea; the iceberg was hidden by the ship, now behind them.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I do not want you as an enemy; if this experience has taught me anything, and you want our Empire¡¯s support.  So, my question is ¡­ Where do you line up in this internal struggle you¡¯ve no doubt seen?¡±

    Elinor looked right into his eyes with a mysterious smile.  ¡°The victor¡ªsimple and plain.  At this moment, the High Ruler is in control, and so long as you stay out of my way and what I want, then I will not stand in front of you.¡±

    Baltoma leaned back to study the clouds; Elinor couldn¡¯t read his expression, and after a few seconds, he smiled.  ¡°Then I hope we can be of help to one another.  Please, stop by my City-State when you get an opportunity.  There are resources I have that could prove beneficial to a new and developing Empire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep it in mind.  Now, what do you make of these?¡±  She asked, having the former captain hand the Statesman the detailed sailing maps.

    He accepted them, and a deep frown creased his features.  ¡°... These are ¡­ Where did you get these?¡±

    ¡°From the pirate captain¡¯s quarters.  It seems he had all the information needed to plunder inside the Great Ruby Lakes.  Where do you suppose they could get their hands on these types of navigation records?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Batloma was looking through the various documents with growing agitation.  ¡°These sailing records and routes should never have been leaked, especially the Imperial Navy¡¯s patrol grid ¡­ The only place to obtain these would be from a high-ranking officer in the Naval Navigation Branch.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Elinor mused, following a few strange birds that were probably like this world¡¯s seagulls; their bright white and red colors were a little cute.  ¡°Who fits that bill?¡±

    ¡°Honestly ¡­ hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Something caught your eye?¡±  Elinor asked.

    ¡°In a way,¡± he mumbled.  ¡°Captain Isek¡¯rumba was killed by JadeFire earlier today, and he would have access to these types of records.¡±

    Demon cleaning house, Elinor sighed.  ¡°So, the mole was already taken care of to try and make the trail go cold.  That solves that issue.¡±

    Baltoma grunted, handing them back to her.  ¡°I¡¯ll warn Rear Admiral Lower-Half Orlique of the leaked routes when we return; she¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±

    Elinor complied, giving him the documents; it was something she didn¡¯t care dealing with and would gain her much.  ¡°They were likely hired by the Judicus Cartel from what the captain told me.¡±

    The Statesman¡¯s jaw and muscles tightened with the news, nose twisting with anger.  ¡°The ¡­ Judicus Cartel?  So, they¡¯re seeking to gain a piece of my land by using my child as leverage.¡±

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Elinor hadn¡¯t made that connection nor expected him to react in this manner.

    He gave her a respectful bow while getting to his feet.  ¡°I cannot express how thankful I am for freely divulging that information to me, Empress.  If there is something you need in the future, do not hesitate to seek me out.  Is there more you wish to discuss, or may I take my leave to ponder on this information you have given me?¡±

    ¡°By all means,¡± Elinor replied, dismissing him.

    Baltoma left to be with his son, clawed fist creasing the rolled-up maps in his left hand and leaving Elinor alone, near the front of the vessel to stare at the rising and falling waves.

    Well ¡­ I should have expected that; still, it turned out to my benefit in the end.  He believes that was a calculated move on my part.

    ¡°Ahem, Elinor,¡± Edmon cut in, drawing her attention.

    Mhm?

    ¡°I understand you wish to return to our Capital to revive Sari¡¯a¨¦l, but what should we do with Tal¡¯tamine?¡±

    Mmh ¡­ we really need to name our Capital city, she mumbled, pondering Edmon¡¯s inquiry.  With Tal¡¯tamine, we can¡¯t do anything until Camellia returns with the person that can remove the device.  So, I suppose the best option would be to leave Klaus and Emelina here to handle it.

    ¡°Klaus is capable.  Although, it is a very delicate situation with the High Ruler since Imiruba will explain her condition to him.¡±

    True ¡­ I¡¯ll bring it up with him when we return.  It needs to be addressed in any case, Elinor replied.  She didn¡¯t want to bring him into the delicate situation unless absolutely necessary, but it had come to that.

    However, the topic switch had brought back her anxiety for the unit she¡¯d sent.  The real question is if they¡¯ll be alright ¡­ Demon knows they¡¯re coming for Jumi¡¯kerune.  If he is as vital to Demon as we believe, then there will be a fight.

    Edmon¡¯s comforting tone soothed her mind.  ¡°They are strong, particularly Camellia and Lacra¡¯Moro, and Iminuarus is well-versed in his former Empire.  He will keep them on the right path.¡±

    I hope you¡¯re right¡­

    ¡°As for a name ¡­ How about Nethermore, after Dante Alighieri¡¯s Dante¡¯s Inferno¡­

    ¡°The heavens expelled them, not to be less fair;

    ¡°Nor them the nethermore abyss receives,

    ¡°For glory, none the damned would have from them.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ I like it.  Nethermore will be our city¡¯s name.

    Analyzing her Nexus, she knew where north was where her Empire and Iris was, which placed Camellia to the east; judging by the maps she¡¯d seen of the Nalvean lands, they¡¯d made it beyond the Everglade Mountains, dividing the jungle from the Sea Grass Plains.

    The three were making fantastic time, given they¡¯d left the day before; of course, being undead helped since they rarely had to take breaks to restore their energy.  Combat-Types at their rank could last for days without rest, which meant it would only take another few hours until they arrived within Grand Designer Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s Estate.

    It took an hour and fifteen minutes from breaking away from the iceberg to make it back to Shi¡¯Shuka; they¡¯d made good time with the Seaweavers increasing the vessel¡¯s speed.

    Upon seeing the towering spires of the city¡¯s palace, Elinor got up to speak to Jumbi; Violet returned the two seats to silk, wrapping it around her long legs for later.  A few sailors stared wide-eyed at the vanishing thread as Elinor made her way to their captain.

    ¡°Jumbi, I would appreciate it if you remained in port; something urgent has come up in my own nation, and my own vessel was consumed by JadeFire.  There will be a reward.¡±

    She had no clue what that might be but figured there was plenty of treasure in the city that she could scrape up.

    He gave her a deep bow.  ¡°Respectfully, Empress, I would rather refuse monetary value and instead gain unfettered access through your waters¡ªperhaps some breaks on tariffs.  If you plan on establishing a river-based trade with the Yalm¨¢th Democracy, Northern Ri¡¯bot Clans, and places yet unexplored, then it would be far more valuable to me, including merchantry within your nation.¡±

    A smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips; she rather enjoyed the forethought many of these Nalveans had of her growing little Empire.  ¡°I can accept that ¡­ I will have a few Ri¡¯bot and my minions,¡± she gestured at the skeletons aboard his ship, helping the crew with their tasks,¡± stay while I head to the palace to meet with the High Ruler.

    ¡°Also,¡± she gave him an expectant look, ¡°Quin, a Quen¡¯Talrat that I¡¯ve brought with me, will be present to guard the statue below.  No one is to enter the cargo bay once I leave.¡±

    He bowed again.  ¡°I will see to it myself.¡±

    When she came into range, Elinor contacted Quin, explaining what was expected of her and how imperative it was to defend Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    ¡°I will guard her corpse with my life, Empress!  Umm ¡­ two people wish for me to ask permission to join you.¡±

    Go on, Elinor said, a little curious about her tone.

    ¡°The Ri¡¯bot, known as Kolira, and a Nalvean, known as Elluinara, wish to join us on the return trip to the city; they wish to speak with you when available.¡±

    The Mother Superior and her adopted daughter, hmm?  She thought about it for a moment before giving them permission.  I will speak to them on the way back.

    ¡°I will tell them, Empress!¡±

    Using Quin as a broadcasting point to connect to Emelina and Klaus, she told them what she expected of the two; when Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Iris were by her side, she would return, and until then, Klaus would take over strategic operations within the Nalvean Empire.  She also told them of her selected name for their Capital City, Nethermore.

    He accepted the charge without hesitation before giving his own report.

    ¡°It is an excellent name, Empress; does your swift departure mean Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s corpse has been obtained?¡±

    ¡°The single best thing that has come from this trip; Tal¡¯tamine is important, but Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Iris are essential for our future stability.  Our northern enemy is the priority.¡±

    ¡°I cannot wait to meet her!  I expect her to be quite different than I imagine.  I will not fail you.  As to what has happened since your departure¡ªCastella is remaining by Stateswoman Lukuroha, protecting Aluix.  The palace is in an uproar, and the High Ruler has secluded himself in his room while waiting for your return.  The Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Senator¡¯s abduction, combined with all the other incidents, has caused security in the city to skyrocket.¡±

    As I expected, Elinor mumbled.  He must be worried I could be abducted next ¡­ or that I was behind it to begin with.  We shall see.

    Landing on the docks of the beautiful city, Elinor was met by Hikico¡¯rova and Romimaca, the two Imperial Guards that were with her for most of the day, informing her that the High Ruler was awaiting her visit.

    The pair jumped with several dozen Nalveans across the harbor as Quin¡¯s massive, soaking wet form rose out of the river; her thick, silver fur was like a shaggy dog, and she pulled herself up with her four massive arms to guard her future Seraph.

    ¡°No need to fear,¡± Elinor giggled, reaching over to rub one of Quin¡¯s big black noses; the girl having two heads was still a little strange to Elinor.  ¡°She¡¯s here to make sure no one attacks this ship.¡±

    The Nalveans were stiff as boards as the giant female ape rose back to her full height, jaws tight.

    ¡°Well?¡±  Elinor asked, eyeing the two.  ¡°The High Ruler is waiting.  Correct?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes!¡±  Hikico¡¯rova replied with a deep bow, shortly followed by his fellow.  ¡°This way, Empress!¡±

    The walk back to the palace with Violet and Edmon was quick, but the streets were all but empty, and large packs of soldiers were patrolling the city; the bustling metropolis was practically dead from what she¡¯d experienced that morning.

    Her focus moved to the descending sun; her high-seas adventure had taken quite some time out of her day.

    Going through the three well-guarded gates and into the palace, making it to the center, their escort guiding her to the largest elevator she¡¯d seen to reach the fifteenth floor.  Her eyes narrowed upon reaching the top.

    In her human form again, Violet focused on the fifteen unique Nalveans outside the High Ruler¡¯s chambers.  ¡°Empress ¡­ These are among the strongest Nalveans I have seen, including while I was alive.  In my current state, I will need to be careful to not be seen; ten physical warriors and five Seaweavers.¡±

    ¡°How strong?¡±  Edmon asked; they¡¯d slowed their pace while exiting the elevator.

    Most of the soldiers were wearing black armor that was distinctly different from the Imperial Guards she¡¯d seen below.  Imperial Head Captain Hakara was at their center, focused on her as they entered the hallway; he was nowhere near as strong as these Elite Nalveans.

    Elinor made her way across the hallway, keeping her expression neutral, but judging by the intense look she saw from the two females with their helmets removed, these were not the normal Nalvean¡¯s they¡¯d been dealing with; these fifteen were the strongest force Nukulara had, his personal guard, even stronger than Hakara.

    ¡°Empress Elinor,¡± Hakara greeted in a solemn tone.  ¡°The High Ruler has been awaiting your return.  Please, if you could follow me.¡±

    He played with a crystal beside the door that gave off light, likely indicating to the High Ruler that they¡¯d arrived.  The Elite Guard gave her breathing room as they waited for it to open, but their senses were sharp.

    ¡°Together, I could see them cornering Camellia when she was alive; they are powerful individually, but I sense that their strength comes from their coordination in combat.  It would be difficult for me to protect you if they chose to attack.¡±

    ¡°Which is why I am here,¡± Edmon stated, frost leaking from his visor.  ¡°It is not a problem.  Can you sense any danger within?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Violet replied.  ¡°Nukulara is the only figure present within the rooms ahead.¡±

    The colossal bronze-like doors opened, and Edmon handed her Baltoma¡¯s notice about gifting her his angel statue.  As was expected, he remained with the Elite Guards, ready to take action at the slightest hint of danger.

    Violet managed to slip in with Elinor and Hakara, using the walls and floor.  The hallway was similar to the area she¡¯d been given; however, it was much grander and had three extra rooms.

    Hakara guided her to the first door on the left, opening it for her to enter, and promptly shut it once she was through, returning to the others.

    Violet didn¡¯t have time to sneak in, so she used some shadow ability to teleport to Elinor¡¯s shadow, stepping out of it to inspect the extensive study.

    The High Ruler was sitting in a custom-built chair that was made precisely for his form.  Her experience with Nalvean expressions was worthless on Nukulara.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± he greeted; the man¡¯s tone told Elinor that he was in a mildly derisive mood.  ¡°Are you really going to tell me you came in without some hidden attendant or guard?¡±

    Elinor gave the High Ruler a secretive smile before sweeping the well-lit room and making her way to the salamander creature.

    An orange flame was flickering in what appeared to be a fireplace, casting its light across the High Ruler¡¯s form; the wood inside it was a dull yellow, and instead of heat, it released a chill.

    ¡°When did you first suspect it?¡±

    Nukulara was leaning against the side of his chair, supporting his head with the back of his clawed hand.  ¡°Suspicions?¡±  He asked.  ¡°The moment they killed Castella; it wasn¡¯t difficult to conclude once I spoke with her, but the fact this hidden figure can escape the notice of my guards outside has really caught my interest.¡±

    Violet confirmed that the area was safe, and Elinor had her recreate the silken throne for her to sit; Nukulara watched with a studious gaze as she sat.

    ¡°I do enjoy being direct,¡± Elinor replied, adjusting her skirt while crossing her legs.  ¡°Violet, if you could show yourself to the High Ruler.¡±

    Nukulara¡¯s focus slid from Elinor to the revealed Spider Sister beside her, vision narrowing.  ¡°I ¡­ expected as much, considering the use of silk, but ¡­ to wear the visage of a human was not within my imagination.  The Silken Fiends of the Dark are what we called them ¡­ terrifying creatures that preyed on the Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    Elinor granted Violet the chance to explain herself, momentarily reverting to her original form and causing the High Ruler to shift uncomfortably in his chair; she still had no presence other than visual.

    ¡°I am the youngest daughter of a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen; the Empress has given me the name Violet.  Within her Empire, I am an assassin that deals with her enemies from the shadows.¡±

    Violet faded back into obscurity, causing the High Ruler to chuckle and ease his muscles.  ¡°To think they can actually speak with your powers; I am impressed, Empress Elinor.¡±

    Elinor giggled.  ¡°She is quite impressive.¡±

    His focus moved to the orange flames, and his tone became a little somber.  ¡°I find it somewhat concerning, Elinor,¡± he mumbled, bright green eyes returning to her, ¡°I feel a sort of kinship with you after only a short time, and it¡¯s unusual.  That being said, there is a voice in my head telling me to put up walls and push you away as fast as possible.  What do you make of that?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  She sat back, folding her hands across her lap.  ¡°Kazan¡¯aru.¡±

    His expression became serious.  ¡°That name ¡­ I did not expect for you to speak ¡­ What do you know of the Shadow Keeper?  Is that how you made it into my secret garden?¡±

    Elinor released a soft sigh, vision falling to the expensive rugs; the High Ruler was getting to the juicy stuff.  ¡°I suppose you could say he is my greatest enemy; shortly after I set foot on this planet, he sought to take control over my very soul.  Through a process of fortunate and ¡­ unfortunate events, I was able to defend myself against him.¡±

    Her glowing eyes returned to the man.  ¡°I call him Demon, and everything that¡¯s happened since my visit has been indirectly orchestrated by him in order to bar me from gaining the upper hand.  He has given up centuries worth of planning, and I suspect he sacrificed a significant number of plans within the Nalvean Empire.¡±

    She told him about almost everything she¡¯d learned since her arrival, going into detail about the assassinations with JadeFire while excluding specific individuals from the account to not incriminate them.

    Her story covered Yesenia¡¯s part in it, how he was manipulating her, the kidnapping of Baltoma¡¯s son, and dozens of shady deals working in the underground.  She paused just before the subject of his daughter, allowing him to process the previous news.

    His hands were folded together, watching the flames as she explained his current situation, but the question he asked threw Elinor a little off-guard.  ¡°I can see the connecting dots with Kazan¡¯aru and the various factions moving against my seat of power is nothing new¡ªWhat about my secret garden?¡±

    Elinor refrained from scratching her head as an itch formed.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I understand you have a romantic affair with Grand Duchess Juliquah¡ªa Golariex.¡±

    Nukulara slumped in his chair, eyes closing as he sat back with a low sigh.  ¡°So ¡­ it is out¡ªit is the instability you need.¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I think you misunderstand something,¡± Elinor mumbled with a sad smile.  ¡°I have no plans to spread such a rumor, nor would I find much benefit for it since I require a stable nation to recognize my status as an Empire¡ªinstability is actually what Demon wants, so it is more difficult for my kingdom to grow.¡±

    Confusion crossed his features as his vision opened, head tilting to the left.  ¡°You ¡­ do not find the discovery repulsive?¡±

    Elinor giggled, reaching up to scratch her neck.  ¡°To be pointed, your sex life is none of my concern so long as it does not harm my own Empire; in fact, I find it a rather intriguing story.  Now, Demon would love to expose that particular secret, but I assume you¡¯ve taken appropriate precautions to not be caught.

    ¡°Castella has made it very clear to me that she abhors the very thought and that simple discovery turned her entirely against you; however, she is loyal to me and will not jeopardize our future relationship by spilling the secret to her Nalvean sisters.¡±

    Nukulara smiled.  ¡°Interesting ¡­ Perhaps this is the reason I feel this ¡­ connection with you, Empress Elinor.  You are not like any creature I have met, and I find your candid expression ¡­ refreshing.  No one has ever spoken to me as you have, nor had such opinions.¡±

    Elinor shrugged.  ¡°I do come from another world, High Ruler, and might I add that my culture was vastly different than yours.  Now, I can see the issues the females of your species have with the Golariex, and there certainly are concerns to be mentioned, but I believe their zealot-like hatred is more fueled by jealousy and fear of being inferior than anything else.  You have done your duties to your people, and sired heirs, which is commendable, given your heart is taken by another.¡±

    He nodded.  ¡°I have come to a similar conclusion ¡­ What of Imiruba and Tal¡¯tamine?  I assume he is the one that told you of Kazan¡¯aru, and both have yet to leave the Royal Dignitary Quarters since entering.¡±

    ¡°Heh ¡­ your trusted confidant is very loyal to you and your daughter, and the plan you had to keep him safe by following me worked charmingly; I suspect there was someone in wait to kidnap him like the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Senator.¡±

    Nukulara groaned, rubbing the side of his head.  ¡°A disaster ¡­ Umika¡¯mia is currently on her way to Cape Glorious, their capital city, to relay the information.  It will be a few months before I receive word from the Senate, but it does not invoke confidence in our allies; a few of my advisors told me to cover up the entire incident, but I cannot do that with how turbulent our relationship already is.¡±

    He gave her a thankful smile.  ¡°Your quick action was admirable; from what I¡¯ve been told, you tracked down the point where they escaped out to sea.  I appreciate the effort.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips fell into a frown as she shook her head.  ¡°Demon was the culprit, and for some reason, the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Senator was significantly important.  Sadly, I didn¡¯t realize it until it was too late.  Yesenia, my ship being burned, the events in the palace¡ªall to keep my attention away from the important movements.¡±

    He hummed.  ¡°The meeting with my son?¡±

    ¡°Leverage on Baltoma to obtain this¡­¡±  She had Violet give him the rolled-up parchment with its seal.  ¡°Your son wishes for me to gain a specific historic Seaweaver temple as my embassy for giving me what I needed.  He assured me it was within your rights.¡±

    The High Ruler lifted an eyebrow upon receiving the floating notice, scanning the content after breaking the seal.  ¡°I see ¡­ to go through such trouble for a work of art¡­¡±  He released a low chuckle.  ¡°It is a corpse, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Sharp,¡± Elinor grinned.  ¡°It is¡ªand well worth the trouble.¡±

    He nodded, far more pleasant after she said there was no issue with his sexual activities.  ¡°That being said, my eldest¡ªliving son,¡± he paused, showing a bit of disapproval upon mentioning Micru¡¯jire, ¡°is a rather tactless and dense man.¡±

    ¡°Is there an issue with his claim?¡±  She asked with a lifted eyebrow.

    Nukulara put the notice on the table to his left with a snort.  ¡°The temple is a holy relic that may be within my jurisdiction as the High Ruler, but Micur¡¯jire never had the proper respect for the Seaweaver Church; dated as it may be, it still holds much power,¡± she grumbled.  ¡°It would cause problems I¡¯m not willing to deal with; however¡­¡±  He gave her a sad smile.

    ¡°If you do wish to keep that promise, then you¡¯ll need to give something up to them that this next topic segways into perfectly.¡±

    Elinor frowned.  ¡°Is that so?  If it¡¯s the Seaweaver Church ¡­ Yesenia is their top figure at the moment, which means,¡± her eyes closed with a hot puff of air shooting through her nostrils, ¡°she wants her family¡¯s corpses given to her.¡±

    The High Ruler gave her a sad smile.  ¡°You puzzled that out quickly.  It was a strange discussion that filled a considerable time of the High Seaweaver¡¯s discourse on the dangers of making the Undying Empire our ally.  I assume there is some reason for not wanting them returned since she is making deals with¡ªYou call him Demon?¡±

    Her vision dulled while glaring at the orange flames.  ¡°Yes ¡­ it is a leverage point that I have over her, and she¡¯s trying to be on a neutral playing field.  Hmm¡­¡±

    He watched her as she debated on the trade; it wasn¡¯t a pleasant thought.

    ¡°... If it is the only way you see this deal working out, then ¡­ Yes, I will make the trade; an Empress must have a markless history of keeping her word.¡±

    Nukulara gave her an odd gesture she hadn¡¯t seen before, sliding his clawed index finger across his forehead and chest.  ¡°I applaud the concession and ethics; you truly are a Ruler.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s tone became somber while straightening her lax posture; it was easier talking to Nukulara.  ¡°I have something ¡­ difficult to tell you about Tal¡¯tamine; the reason she has not left my room is that Imiruba is watching over her with my Head Maid to be sure of her health.¡±

    The High Ruler¡¯s jaw tightened, vision narrowing slightly.  ¡°Is there something wrong with her?¡±

    ¡°In a manner of speaking,¡± Elinor sighed.  ¡°I hoped to solve the problem before I was forced to bring you into the situation, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.  I have reason to believe that Demon has implanted some kind of ancient mind-control device onto your daughter¡¯s soul¡ªI first discovered the horrors of such a device when dealing with the assassin that tried to kill the boy that¡¯s with Stateswoman Lukuroha.¡±

    Nukulara¡¯s expression fell dramatically as he rose to his feet, walking to the window to stare out at the terrace.  ¡°... Tal¡¯tamine is an extraordinary girl¡ªthe reason I continued to bed Nalvean women and have children was to have her¡­¡±

    In the reflecting glass of the window, Elinor could see his nose twisting with anger.  ¡°Kazan¡¯aru was the one who told me of the secret within our lineage¡ªand once she was born, he planned to use her ¡­ Is that what you¡¯re telling me?¡±

    Her lips pursed, pondering his words.  ¡°... It seems to be the case.  I discovered it by accident, in fact, but feared that once exposed, Demon, or whoever was controlling her, would have her commit suicide, which would then put me in a perilous position with you.

    ¡°So, I set my people to find a way to free her.  The more I learned, the more difficult that became.  This technology that Demon has been constructing within your Empire can even kill spirits, which is what happened to Kimlira and the assassin that had an internal JadeFire suicide device.  If she dies with this thing in her ¡­ even I cannot bring her back for you.¡±

    Nukulara was silent for several seconds, tight hands gripping each other behind his back and pressing down on his stiff tail.  ¡°... The culprit behind it ¡­ it is Jumi¡¯kerune, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    Elinor was impressed by his quick deduction; he clearly had more information than she thought.  ¡°It is, and I have three of my more powerful assassins heading there now to retrieve him; I should have the means to force compliance to free her if I get my hands on him.¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond, too furious to even speak; it took a full minute before he nodded, staring at the falling sun.  ¡°Kazan¡¯aru has ripped my kingdom apart from under my nose, and I didn¡¯t see it ¡­ thinking everything working against me was independent of each other.  He has made an enemy of me, as well.  Empress Elinor¡­¡±

    Nukulara turned to her but trailed off once seeing her stunned expression, hand pressed against her breast.  ¡°Empress Elinor ¡­ What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    A horrifying pain had struck her core.  ¡°How ¡­ No...¡±

    One of her precious, three loyal soldiers that she¡¯d sent to retrieve Jumi¡¯kerune had passed back into the afterlife.  It was too far away; there wasn¡¯t a thing she could do about it, and worse, what if the other two followed?  Camellia was still alive, but that could change at any moment if one had already died.

    Tears welled up in her eyes at just the possibility of losing Camellia and having to tell her mother and sisters of her passing, her Religious System returning her empathy.  What kind of battle were they in?  Should she be worried about the eldest Spider Sister next?

    Elinor had rarely prayed in her life, but at this moment, her heart cried for help from anyone that could save her from the pain she feared was coming.

 B2 â€” 34. Unsettling Signs

    Camellia¡¯s eight legs were a blur as they moved, mind wandering while glazing between the endless expanse of rolling hills spread out around them. They were nearing the estate of Grand Designer Jumi¡¯kerune, within the City-State of Everglade.

    She, Imiunarus, and Lecra¡¯Moro made their way through the Sea Grass Plains at a consistent pace. They¡¯d made excellent time with the former Shadow Hand assassin¡¯s knowledge of his nation, sending them on a path the spider never dreamed of traveling.

    Thinking back on the experience made her realize how different her perspective had changed since being brought into the Empress¡¯s fold. It was a bit shocking to Camellia, if she were being honest because she¡¯d expected to be far behind their current position.

    When the Empress charged them to kidnap Jumi¡¯kerune, Imiunarus swiftly took the initiative and offered them a solution to the issues Lecra¡¯Moro brought up¡ªnamely, the massive area of jungle, swamp, and mountainous terrain that separated their current position to the Everglade City-State.

    In a surprising turn of events, he¡¯d proved her estimates wrong, though, and their group had far surpassed her earlier prediction.

    She was more than a little leery-eyed when Imiunarus had them stop in a rather sizeable seaside city called Usetric in the Dremuci City-State, which took up most of the northern section of the Great Ruby Lakes.

    It had been a rather busy place that smelled heavily of sea life, dealing primarily in shipbuilding, fishermen, and oil extraction within the aquatic life to be used for many Nalvean products.

    The Nalveans were never that interesting to Camellia, and so she rarely put much thought into their society, but the Empire was made up of so many little moving parts that it was a tad confusing for her. Of course, it could have been just how foreign this environment was to her.

    Camellia had never been to the Sea Grass Plains; to be able to stand on the top of a large hill and study nothing but three-foot-tall blades of grass, dipping down and up with the gradual rise and fall of the terrain and strong wind certainly gave the appearance of shifting waves.

    The primary terrain of the Everglades was comprised of rangelands, yet not everything she¡¯d seen thus far was entirely made of savannahs; occasionally, she discovered large sections of orange-colored trees that broke the green, gold, and blue fields. Most of these patches followed the river and had a particular attribute to them.

    They¡¯d passed through her first orange woodland less than an hour ago, swimming across the large river it grew along.

    The trees they passed had an oddly-colored bark that released a chill into the surrounding atmosphere. It cooled the warm rangelands and protected the wildlife from the overhead sun, radiating its glory upon the landscape, which drew certain animals into the locations during midday.

    Oddly shaped animals with thick fur and several protruding bones across their body grazed upon the plains before retreating to the shade that the cool forest pockets provided, grouping in herds to intimidate the unique Ragnlar that also utilized the area.

    The jungle cats were a tad different than the ones Camellia had eaten within the valley; her mother was never that interested in the south, and they followed wherever the matriarch led, meaning this was entirely new terrain for the eldest Spider Sister. Now, if she was in the northern flatlands, then that would be a different story, but this was far lusher than what she¡¯d become accustomed to within the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s homeland.

    Most of the predatory aviary life was familiar, and the smaller creatures within the Sea Grass Plains burrowed into small holes in the earth to escape them.

    Torlim, the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s distant and less intelligent cousin they often used as pack animals, were seen more toward the open areas of the savannah, shying away from the orange tree locations.

    Imiunarus had given them quite the lectures on their journey.

    They started at Shi¡¯Shuka, passing through the Ri¡¯bot Territory that had been granted to them; the swamp on the eastern part of their territory was a biome Camellia was somewhat familiar with since there were parts in the valley that were like it.

    They¡¯d swiftly gone beyond it and into the neighboring City-State of Dremuci, governed by Statesman Jurombe.

    The grasslands and thick marshy jungle environment were heavily patrolled by Jurombe¡¯s own personal men.

    The Statesman commanded the 4th largest army within the Nalveans, mostly comprised of a Navy Fleet; however, it was a requirement for the younger soldiers to patrol their land and maintain the safety of their citizens, culling the Ragnlar and other vicious predators that came from the Ri¡¯bot territory above them.

    It was here that Imiunarus changed their plans entirely; Camellia was stunned when he guided them to the south and straight into the City-State¡¯s capital of Usetric.

    He explained that the Everglade Mountains within Dremuci cut the City-State into two sections like a wall, which meant the second largest city, Kuliramogu, was on the opposite side. It would take them more than twelve hours at their current pace to just get beyond the large sierra, and so he planned to charter a ship.

    She and Lecra¡¯Moro were a little leery of the idea; for one, how would they get the giant ape through the city without asking questions. The Quen¡¯Talrat could become soundless, not evade all sight, and watching a dense field of pure darkness walking through your streets was a sure way of getting noticed, but he assured them everything would be fine.

    Since Klaus had advised them to heed the Navlean¡¯s familiarity with his home nation, they reluctantly followed his lead, which had led to them diving into the lake and coming aboard a smuggling ship he¡¯d hired to ferry them to the next City-State.

    The ship was stopped since it was off-course, yet apparently, the crew had feigned an issue with their steering and were escorted to the nearest city that could offer aid. It didn¡¯t seem like the first time this had happened to Imiunarus¡¯s friends, and they weren¡¯t even aware of what was being transported since they were in a secret compartment.

    Underneath the vessel was a hatch that could be opened, and a sealed chamber that could only be accessed by a diving crew was sectioned off. Lecra''Moro could barely fit, but he managed with Camellia¡¯s help.

    In fact, since the Quen¡¯Talrat was covered from head to tail in his unique black fabric, Imiunarus told them that the Nalveans that hadn¡¯t heard the news about Elinor wouldn¡¯t even assume he was one of the powerful apes.

    They¡¯d sooner believe he was some traveling race that was being shown around by Imiunarus than think their accursed extinct foe had returned, and Nalveans were reasonably open to most races since they were in such a time of peace that it never crossed their mind that the intelligent creature in front of them that could speak their language would hurt them.

    Lecra''Moro had to agree that he¡¯d never known a single Quen¡¯Talrat who could speak any language but their own; it was a measure of pride that they took in their own culture.

    Camellia had to hand it to Imiunarus for the sharp plan; it was something she¡¯d expected from someone like Tiffany or Edmon, but not a Nalvean.

    Plus, it gave him more time to tell them more about his home, which seemed to be something he rather enjoyed.

    The City-State of Dremuci specialized in more industrious activities; on the other hand, Everglade, Statesman Telgor¡¯hamin¡¯s territory, was far more involved in preserving their wildlife beauty, keeping a strict hunting regiment to not destroy their primary source of funds.

    Everglade had been a massive exporter of furs, hides, bones, and various other pieces of the creatures within their lands. This also involved products produced by the farmlands to the northeast of the grassy City-State, exporting a large amount of unique vegetation and fruits the area was famous for, among its orchards of Cold Wood, which was far more expensive to purchase than one might think.

    Cold Wood had particular growing conditions involving their soil, which was why it was so sparsely distributed across the hilly meadows. The companies in Everglade had mastered the craft, helping to bolster their City-State¡¯s exports.

    Of course, she was new to the concept of money and purchasing altogether. Her family took whatever they wanted when they were alive; they¡¯d never had to deal with the idea of trade or practice it with the other broods of their species.

    Camellia¡¯s mouth salivated as they reached the top of one particularly important hill named Jucaria, quickly scanning the places around them.

    Herds of fat, furry grazing animals first snagged her attention, ushered on by Nalveans bringing the pack into a large fenced-off section near the city in the distance. She longed to sample each creature the Nalvean Empire had to offer; there were just so many things she¡¯d never so much as seen.

    The sun was descending in the sky, and the sea breeze was increasing, trying unsuccessfully to move her silken hair in her human form as they crested the rise.

    However, the most attention-grabbing object in sight was by far the peninsula ahead of them, less than four miles away. A massive castle-like structure made Camellia¡¯s smile fall a little; it was at least a third of the size of Shi¡¯Shuka¡¯s Royal Palace.

    Lecra''Moro was folding his two massive arms across his chest, using the Empress¡¯s Nexus to communicate, and Camellia could sense his glare. ¡°Imiunarus, that¡¯s where Jumi¡¯kerune is?¡±

    The Nalvean stretched out with a long sigh, vision focusing on the obstacles between them and the monolithic structure. ¡°Mmh ¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s his Estate; a lot has changed since I¡¯ve been here ¡­ It¡¯s grown.¡±

    Lecra''Moro was more focused on the stark resemblance of the castle; it more closely mirrored the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s architecture than Nalvean. ¡°How long ago was this place built?¡±

    ¡°A long time ago,¡± he responded, head and eyes shifting between key points between them and the wall surrounded keep. ¡°Long before your people began constructing those types of buildings, which I assume was because your leader was taking inspiration from the same place as Jumi¡¯kerune.¡±

    The giant ape released a low rumble in his chest that vibrated the air around them. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then we must be very cautious. The Ke had countless devices and war machines he was only years from completion on that would have devastated all of the other races.¡±

    Meh, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all that bad. Camellia shrugged; it felt so good to move her human form. We just walk down like we did through the other two cities and just make things up if anyone asks us why we¡¯re there. It worked before.

    Imiunarus slowly shook his head. ¡°No¡ªI¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t work this time, Camellia. This area has Demon¡¯s touch all over it, and I cannot see them not being prepared for us; he¡¯s had enough time, given what we¡¯ve witnessed.¡±

    What¡¯s the plan then? She asked.

    ¡°Give me a moment to think about it,¡± he mumbled, thin eyes darting between critical locations.

    Camellia took the time to study it herself.

    The curved peninsula held a vast bay with dozens of ships moving across it in the dying light, and a small city was at the base of it, just close enough to the Estate to provide materials while remaining separate.

    A large portion of the right side of the peninsula was dedicated to the herd animals that they used for slaughter; they numbered in the tens of thousands and showed just how important this small part of the City-State was.

    Everglade wasn¡¯t the most militaristic City-State since Statesman Joru¡¯Kora¡¯s territory to the east of its borders was a stronghold for the Nalvean land forces, and Dremuci to the left was a Naval powerhouse.

    However, it seemed Jumi¡¯kerune had his own personal guards that patrolled the area, which Camellia could see in tight formation with her sharp vision.

    She spoke up while analyzing the information they had. Okay, I see your point. My sister discovered a mind-control device on the princess; do you think these ones will have them, too?

    ¡°I don¡¯t see why they wouldn¡¯t,¡± Lecra''Moro replied. ¡°We could go by sea, but it will take much longer to reach the walls.¡±

    Imiunarus shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think stealth is going to get us far; Klaus told me as much.¡±

    Shouldn¡¯t we try, though? Camellia asked with a lifted eyebrow; she¡¯d have to revert back to her original form soon.

    Lecra''Moro unfolded his arms, leaning forward to press his wrapped knuckles against the ground with a grunt. ¡°I agree. It is better to go forward with the idea we are discovered, yet not give them a clear indication of where we are.¡±

    ¡°I concede that point,¡± Iminunarus whispered. ¡°Although, we need to confirm several things, and the best way is to be direct.¡± He turned to give them both a weak smile. ¡°If we¡¯re going to get a clear indication of what we¡¯re dealing with, then we need a decoy ¡­ I¡¯ll go down and draw their attention..¡±

    A grin split Camellia¡¯s lips as she removed her clothes and put them in the silk bag her mother made for her. Transforming as her human metamorphosis time limit ran out, she did a quick jump in the air with excitement, utilizing her race passives as a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra to evade visual detection.

    Okay, so I¡¯ll be lurking in the shadows, and you Lecra''Moro?

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He cupped both of his chins with his hands, each head turning in a different direction to study the landscape. ¡°I think it would be best for me to go the sea route. If you need help, then just call for help; we should be within the Nexus¡¯s range.¡±

    A low chuckle shook Imiunarus¡¯s frame. ¡°I doubt our enemy will expect this strategy. It will give us a chance to put them a little off-guard with me in the open.¡±

    Camellia giggled. I¡¯m just looking forward to eating a bunch of Nalveans! Oh, maybe I¡¯ll get to try out some of these new things when no one¡¯s looking, she squealed.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Imiunarus gave her a forced smile. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ sure there will be time for that, but we need to rescue the princess above all else, and that means getting a person that can remove the mind-control device.¡±

    Yeah, but we can totally grab a bite to eat along the way! Camellia snickered, glowing red eyes gleaming with anticipation. They have so many of them, too! Let¡¯s go!

    * * *

    Imiunarus breathed out a long sigh as he watched the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra next to him become somewhat transparent; it was challenging to keep track of her when she fully activated her stealth abilities.

    He¡¯d heard stories about the deadly underworld denizens of the northern jungles that preyed on the Quen¡¯Talrat but hadn¡¯t actually seen one himself in his lifetime. Now that he knew at least a fraction of what those tales were about, he was even more cautious of the deadly family.

    To think they would be killed by the White Cancer was something else entirely, though, and the tales he¡¯d heard of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra going crazy at the fortress¡¯s fall suddenly made sense.

    If Iris hadn¡¯t stepped in that day to weaken the neigh-invincible creature, he doubted the Eight Nation¡¯s Alliance could have brought down the Quen¡¯Talrat Empire that day. He¡¯d learned far too much since being resurrected to believe that.

    Making his way down the hill, he caught Lecra''Moro running beyond the hilly terrain to the west, seeking to find a less populated place to dive into the sea; the beach along the peninsula was filled with Nalveans about their daily labor or spending their free time.

    Camellia was now only visible to him through the Nexus as she slipped into her stealth-like rhythmic steps, and the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter was now beyond sight. One thing he knew about his companions¡ªhe was by far the weakest link.

    He had the cultural and knowledge advantage when it came to his land, but that was just about it. Camellia was gung-ho about everything and didn¡¯t mind listening or talking; she was a skilled girl that could remember every word someone spoke, how they moved, and even sense creatures over fifty feet away without utilizing her thread.

    The frightening thing was that she constantly felt inferior; a monster like her could devastate entire platoons of Nalvean military actually felt inferior and frustrated by her inadequacies.

    What did that tell him about being killed so easily by a girl who constantly doubted her abilities compared to her family? He was weak.

    Imiunarus had no reservations about the pecking order, and Lecra''Moro could probably survive for a short time against Camellia. He hadn¡¯t put a lot of thought into it from the stories his father told him of the Fire Wars and the battles before them, but seeing a Quen¡¯Talrat in person was something else entirely, especially when they could move without so much as a sound.

    Feeling somewhat depressed himself, Imiunarus compartmentalized his own internal struggles to focus on the task at hand; he¡¯d been spotted by the guards heading to the very spot the three of them had been earlier.

    It was a decent area to spot people, and his blue silks did not seem to be the popular color in the area; most Nalveans he saw were wearing some kind of yellow article on three key locations, which identified their place of origin.

    Imiunarus had no clue about the obscure area¡¯s visual signs; every City-State had its own unique descriptive fashion to show their pride. He had prepared a pale green silken armband, folded and tucked under in the proper places to show him a resident of Everglade. However, individual city-markers were not the highlight of underground gossip, especially in an area the Shadow Hand didn¡¯t operate.

    Five guards were marching in formation, making it clear by their gaze that he was their target. He wore a pleasant smile, stopping a decent distance away to allow them to respectfully approach; the peninsula beach was still a good distance away, and the city even further.

    ¡°Greetings!¡± Imiunarus called, giving the five a bright smile.

    He was about to give his rehearsed speech about visiting each of the cities within the Empire as a point of interest when the Squad Leader¡¯s glare and tone silenced him. ¡°We¡¯ve been aware of visitors coming; there aren¡¯t many new faces that come to Shanguiska.¡±

    Imiunarus sighed, scratching in-between a few scales. ¡°Ah ¡­ I see. Shanguiska¡ªwait, wasn¡¯t this city supposed to be named Halura?¡±

    One of the women near the back of the line giggled. ¡°Maybe fifty years ago.¡± She was a Seaweaver by the spikes along her back.

    ¡°Fifty years, huh? You don¡¯t say,¡± he mused, rubbing his chin while giving her a charming smile. ¡°I suppose I should blame Shi¡¯Shuka education for that one!¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± the Squad Leader cleared his throat. ¡°We will need to document your stay in Shanguiska; there have been a few reports of Judicus Isles Nalveans invading the Great Ruby Lakes, and we must make sure you are truly a citizen of the Empire.¡±

    ¡°Is that so? Judicious in the Empire¡ªwild¡­¡± He reached back to a small bag that kept some of his goods in, including much of his life savings; he¡¯d brought just in case it was needed. A few red jewels softened faces at a remarkable rate, but he doubted that would work with a man such as this. ¡°I have my documents¡ªhere ¡­ and they¡¯ve been certified by Kolra herself¡­¡±

    ¡°Majister Kolra from Everglade?¡± The Seaweaver asked with wide eyes. ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never been to the capital¡­¡±

    ¡°Giliri,¡± the Squad Leader hissed, hard eyes sliding to her.

    She snapped to attention, bluish-green scales lightening with embarrassment. ¡°I apologize, Leader Juk¡¯kuma!¡±

    Imiunarus refrained from smiling while handing Juk¡¯kuma the forged scroll; Giliri was probably a very new recruit. ¡°Everything should check out.¡±

    The guard released a low sound in his throat while unfolding it and reading through it; most of his men were eyeing him suspiciously, but the two female Seaweavers in the back were definitely new to the ranks.

    Both in their mid-thirties,; the youthful small green scales on their nicely curved, thick tails had yet to fall off, and some of their baby teeth were still showing in their mouths. The girls were probably childhood friends that joined the guard together; they likely bonded over having the Seaweaver gift, given the vibes Imiunarus was getting from them.

    He had a personal rule of never killing a Nalvean before the age of forty; they had to at least lose their baby teeth before he put a dagger between their scales. Of course, Demon likely knew that, given how long he¡¯d kept an eye on the inner workings of his homeland. He had to be careful. Showing girls of their age a little charm and attention went a long way, though.

    Imiunarus stepped a bit to the side of the Squad Leader, giving the girls a curious smile while rubbing his chin and shifting his gaze to the city in the distance. ¡°You know, I¡¯ve meant to see the southern part of the Sea Grass Plains for a while now, and I might need a guide.¡±

    The girl behind Giliri tried to keep a straight face, dull blue eyes darting to the Juk¡¯kuma for a moment before returning to him. ¡°Umm ¡­ We¡¯re off in ten minutes, actually¡­¡±

    Juk¡¯kuma¡¯s yellow irises slid to her with a light glare, rolling the scroll back up. ¡°That depends on a few things¡­¡±

    He trailed off, vision falling to the thin item in his hand, and Giliri turned her head to hiss, ¡°Shh, Fini!¡±

    ¡°You talked to him first,¡± Fini grumbled back; their words were just low enough where the others couldn¡¯t hear, but his advanced senses through the Empress¡¯s powers enhanced his hearing to a decent degree.

    Everyone¡¯s attention returned to Juk¡¯kuma as he handed him back his identification. ¡°Your name is Hubrix¡ªborn in Everglade, Everglade¡¯s 4th District during the tail end of the Fire Wars. Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡± he chimed. ¡°Although my parents moved to Shi¡¯Shuka once returning from the war, he was called to serve as a member of the Imperial Guard.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Fini whispered, looking impressed.

    In truth, the Imperial Guard did have a good reputation and paid way better than almost every City-State military position, yet it wasn¡¯t as glamorous as most of the populous outside of the capital thought it was.

    ¡°Humph¡ªI¡¯ve never been to Shi¡¯Shuka myself,¡± Juk¡¯kuma mumbled, ¡°but¡­¡± Imiunarus took the other half of the scroll, yet the man didn¡¯t let go, keeping eye contact with him.

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± he asked in a concerned tone.

    He slowly shook his head before letting go. ¡°No ¡­ Not exactly a problem¡ªJust unexpected. Grand Designer Jumi¡¯kerune put in a notice this morning about a Nalvean named Hubrix coming, and he needed to be escorted through the city and to his estate once found.¡±

    Imiunarus tilted his head with a thoughtful tone. ¡°High Ruler,¡± he whispered the curse. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve heard of the Grand Designer, but¡ªto think he would actually remember me. I¡¯m honored!¡± He laughed.

    He opened a connection with his two compatriots. Demon seems to have a very good relationship with Jumi¡¯kerune if he knows the exact alias I grabbed, and what¡¯s worse¡ªhe wants us to know it.

    Camellia¡¯s tone was much brighter than it should be. ¡°Oh! It isn¡¯t very often a trap is laid for me; this should be interesting. I¡¯ll keep my senses sharp.¡±

    Lecra''Moro was much more cautious of the reveal. ¡°You¡¯re planning on setting it off¡ªWouldn¡¯t it be better to swap tactics to throw him off?¡±

    It depends. This is possibly just one of many backups and counter-strategies that he¡¯s employed. We need to pick our poison, and this is as good as any. Lecra''Moro, it might be better for you to try to find a sewage exit to throw them off; you can¡¯t make noise while moving through water anyway, which will work to our advantage. And thank you for the backup, Camellia.

    ¡°If I can find him, then we need a means of transporting him without notice,¡± Lecra''Moro pressed. ¡°Do you have contacts here?¡±

    I¡¯m afraid not. I¡¯ve considered a few options, but we first need to get our hands on him. Depending on how things turn out, it will change the extraction point.

    ¡°I¡¯ll just be your shadow,¡± Camellia chimed.

    Lecra''Moro sighed. ¡°Missions like these were always the ones I hated the most. I¡¯m entering the sea now¡­¡±

    Imiunarus gave Juk¡¯kuma a respectful bow for his authority while talking to his people. ¡°Who would be willing to escort me¡ªah, weren¡¯t these two lovely ladies getting off soon in any case? They can guide me through the city,¡± he asked, directing his gaze to the two young women.

    Fini¡¯s tail gave a nervous twitch as her scales lightened a bit, trying to suppress a blush, but Giliri was all smiles. ¡°We would be more than willing, Leader Juk¡¯kuma!¡±

    He dismissively waved his hand, seemingly done with Imiunarus. ¡°Fine¡ªmake sure to learn how to properly fold your guard identifier by tomorrow, or there will be a punishment.¡±

    A lump dropped down both girls¡¯ throat at the threat.

    ¡°¡°Yes, Sir!¡±¡±

    Imiunarus swiftly took the initiative, thanking the Squad Leader while walking past him and motioning to the two young ladies to join him. ¡°I look forward to the short tour on the way through town! You must know the best spots as locals.¡±

    ¡°Oh, definitely!¡± Giliri jumped in, following him back.

    By the frown on one of the men¡¯s faces as they left, one of the two girls had an unspoken admirer; it wasn¡¯t that uncommon, and most Nalvean females had their first intercourse experience with older men since the male youth were too inexperienced to draw their notice¡ªjust an aspect of their culture.

    Of course, those types of activities weren¡¯t on his mind at the moment, and he had no clue as to if he was still viable for such things. It was a genuine question that had crossed his mind¡ªhe had no shortage of lovers throughout his life, but it was difficult for most Nalvean women to get pregnant, and he was one of the unlucky men to not have a child as he approached his triple digits.

    ¡°So, what¡¯s there to do here?¡± He asked with a bright smile.

    The pair brought him through the streets on a leisurely route; their presence barred any guards from questioning him further. They told him funny stories about their past and what happened in the city, doing their best to draw his attention to them, which was somewhat cute by their efforts. Clearly, the pair were looking for something new in their dull lives.

    He wasn¡¯t against such actions; although, he did prefer his women be women¡ªstill, girls had their own unique charm, and if it wasn¡¯t with him, then it would be with another male that probably wouldn¡¯t be as gentle with them. First, his mission, though.

    A surprise came when Lecra''Moro contacted him; they were exiting the tail end of the city, moving toward the looming estate walls, composed of the black stone, typically quite challenging to find within the Everglade Mountains, and it was probably because it had all been mined out already by this man.

    ¡°Imiunarus ¡­ I¡¯ve discovered unnatural mechanics in the sheer cliffs in the water underneath the structure. It¡¯s unnatural; someone has altered the landscape, but for what purpose?¡±

    I can¡¯t say ¡­ Is there an entrance underwater? He asked, pondering a few of his smuggling contacts that used such methods in their ships.

    ¡°Yes, but most are sealed off; I assume those that are open are a trap meant to lure me in.¡±

    More than possible. Remain on standby and keep looking around ¡­ Does it remind you of the White Cancer¡¯s engineering?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ In many ways, yes, and in others¡ªno. These types of symbols he uses¡ªWe learned part of them from the Ke¡¯s schools. The markings are important for funneling energy into a formable function to accomplish a task, but I¡¯ve never seen this particular pattern before¡ªit looks like gibberish, but I am no Rune Scriber.¡±

    I see ¡­ Keep looking around. There must be something more you can discover.

    Camellia giggled in Imiunarus¡¯s mind as she followed the conversation from several feet away. ¡°Their hormones are raging out of control; it''s a different kind of sweet then I¡¯m used to. Usually, the intense fear ruins the flavor of Nalveans. How can I get some that taste like that later ¡­ hmm?¡±

    Heh ¡­ hopefully, not girls around the age of thirty-five. These two are just barely stretching their wings.

    ¡°Huh ¡­ maybe I¡¯ll ask Tiffany how to make Nalveans taste better ¡­ She seems to know everything.¡±

    Umm ¡­ I haven¡¯t really met the Grand Ritualist; I couldn¡¯t say.

    ¡°She blows my mind!¡±

    I ¡­ hope that doesn¡¯t hurt, he mumbled the response while trying to keep up with the girls and still enjoy it. He had no doubt Camellia had consumed hundreds of Nalveans in the past; it was somewhat disturbing to consider that they were being stalked by the monster and these young Seaweavers had no clue their lives could be ended in the blink of an eye.

    ¡°Oh, not literally blowing my mind¡ªit¡¯s an expression,¡± she sighed.

    I ¡­ don¡¯t really understand what you¡¯re implying, but okay.

    Camellia returned to her own thoughts, which he could never fully grasp; they lived in entirely different worlds.

    With that, he allowed the laughing girls to drag their feet taking him up to the estate gates; the two were getting into some of the collectible items they tried to purchase when the merchants from Shi¡¯Shuka would stop by.

    Fini snickered while slapping her friend¡¯s tail while walking beside Imiunarus. ¡°Remember when you slept in during studies and the instructor let you just sit there and drool against the wall?¡±

    Giliri glared at her best friend. ¡°Uh-huh,¡± she shook her head with a loud huff, ¡°and you went to the Dock Market to grab the new collectible figurines in the Nalvean Empire Collection without waking me or getting me one! You never told me where you got the jewels, either¡ªI don¡¯t drool!¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Fini¡¯s smile turned forced, vision sliding over to him. ¡°Well, you see, Giliri has this habit of basically fainting randomly, and they almost didn¡¯t let her become a guard, but they were low on Seaweavers¡ªlucky us! Oh, and it was Instructor Togiru¡¯omi that gave me the green gems to get them if I didn¡¯t wake you up,¡± she confessed with a forced smile.

    ¡°Traitor!¡± Giliri gasped, playfully slapping her tail again. ¡°Gah, at least I don¡¯t have to feel bad about him giving me some to lie about him eating your Snail Soup Mud Pie when we were twelve¡­¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±  Fini¡¯s nose creased with faint rage.  ¡°You know it was Julima that told me he¡¯d like it¡ªstupid old women,¡± she huffed.  ¡°I think she just didn¡¯t like how close he was to us.¡±

    Giliri rolled her eyes, folding her arms across her chest with a slow shake of her head. ¡°Right? She was so jealous that he wouldn¡¯t give her old tail licking tongue the time of day.¡±

    Imiunarus found the backwater nature of the two girls refreshing compared to the strict guidelines the Shi¡¯Shuka girls had; their banter and open approach were far more appealing to him.

    However, all good things came to an end, and the pair finally made it to the gate. He turned to give the smiling girls a smile. ¡°I can¡¯t say how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve enjoyed myself more. Thank you for the escort, girls.¡±

    They gave him a sheepish smile.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ Well,¡± Fini mumbled, tail curling in a bit. ¡°We need to make sure you get to the Grand Designer to report back¡­¡±

    Giliri jumped into the conversation with a grin. ¡°Yup! We were told to deliver you to the Grand Designer, and that¡¯s what we¡¯re gonna do!¡±

    Imiunarus tried not to let his smile fade. Could these girls be planted by Demon? Does he know me that well? It¡¯s possible, but¡ªI¡¯d like to assume otherwise. If they come in, they¡¯ll be in danger of getting wrapped up in this conflict, and we¡¯re already stressed thin with information as is ¡­ Although, I can¡¯t deny them either. What a mess.

    ¡°Eh ¡­ I don¡¯t see the problem; if they die, then I can eat them,¡± Camellia replied without a hint of shame. ¡°I have been kind of hungry, and I¡¯ve wondered what Nalvean paste tastes like ¡­ Hmm¡­¡±

    Ignoring the comment, Imiunarus released a weak chuckle. ¡°Eh ¡­ Are you sure? I can meet you two back in town later. I still have a lot I want to learn about this place.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I mean, I guess,¡± Fini whispered, turning to give her friend a concerned frown, but she didn¡¯t have it.

    ¡°Nope! No can do! We have a job to do,¡± she replied with a cute twist of her wrist as she spoke. ¡°Now, let¡¯s get going!¡±

    She pressed her palm on what appeared to be a blue gem-like panel that lit up on contact, releasing an elderly voice. ¡°Mmh¡ªWho would call at this time?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Junior Seaweaver Giliri, Grand Designer!¡± Turning to give him a sly smile. ¡°I¡¯m here escorting Hubrix, the man you put a notice on with the City Guard.¡±

    ¡°Ah! Right! Right! Right! My¡ªhow exciting! I have been preparing for this day for what seems eons. Come in! Come in! Preparations have been made, and I am eager to see the results!¡±

    A wave of caution rolled through Imiunarus¡¯s gut as the massive doors of the front gate opened to the estate interior.

    ¡°We have been dying to make your acquaintance.¡±

    Lecra''Moro only added to the tension in his chest. ¡°I¡¯ve discovered a sea cave near the bottom of the shelf; I¡¯m going in.¡±

    Camellia¡¯s sinister tone followed. ¡°Happy hunting!¡±

 B2 â€” 35. A Welcoming Estate

    Lecra¡¯Moro swam across the seafloor of the Great Ruby Lakes, doing his best to penetrate the thick red-tinted water; he navigated primarily off the Empress¡¯s Nexus, using it as a compass to know which direction he should be heading, and his two companions were a good anchoring point to better orient himself below the shifting waters.

    It was really something odd, not breathing while wholly submerged over 500-feet below the waves.

    He¡¯d learned many things from Edmon while aiding his unit to get the fortress somewhat operational again.  The human was quite proficient in mathematics, and it was during their trial and error runs in testing the power grid infrastructure, they discovered the Empress¡¯s language abilities not only worked with written and spoken vocabulary but also measurements.

    The Empress was certainly worth following; from the little he¡¯d interacted with her, he could see the budding fruits of greatness that every Quen¡¯Talrat in his generation wished they¡¯d been able to witness with the rise of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.

    Unlike many others of their race, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma brought a golden age for the Quen¡¯Talrat that his new overlord was making excellent use of.  The advancements made in every field were phenomenal, and he was witnessing the glorious dawn of a new era.

    His education at the great fortress of the Ke had been specialized, as most of his race was with their culture, and stealth combat was his particular focus; yet, when in enemy territory as an Elite Hunter, they were given far superior tasks to memorize and accomplish than the regular hunters.

    Swimming through the coral, sand, and rocky formations was a plethora of life.  Fish and animals of every size swam around him, senses confused by what they witnessed.

    Lecra¡¯Moro could cancel out all sound of anything that came into contact with his body, including his own interactions with the water and air around him.

    His sight was only slightly sharper than when he was alive, which was odd, considering his physical prowess had significantly diminished.  He was still able to see the vague outlines of ships that had long since been taken by the unforgiving lakes, sealife claiming them as their own.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was particular about accuracy with his new metrics and about avid documentation, which was why he knew that the deepest parts of the Great Ruby Lakes were 1,343 feet at their lowest, yet near the shores, it only fell to 600.

    On land, and slowly making their way toward Shanguiska, was Camellia and Imiunarus, the Elite Warrior feeding him passive updates on their movements as they went.  Lecra¡¯Moro was on track to leave the city¡¯s bay area, closing in on the western face of the peninsula, where the castle was located.

    Catching his first glimpse of the rocky cliff that rose over 250 meters from the seafloor to the structure walls above, Lecra¡¯Moro paused, keeping his current position inside the lake¡ªthis wasn¡¯t right.

    Ahead of him were enormous, spiked rods of stone, sticking out over 35 meters off the sandy ground like spears¡ªexcept, there was a notable path that had been cut out in the pin-like field, leading to a large, blue metal door.

    It was at least 3x larger than any of the Nalvean structures he¡¯d seen, and it began to pull his eyes to various other oddities in the cliff structure.  Much of it appeared smoothed out, and runic symbols of a distinctly similar kind were etched across its face, shimmering with a faint yellow glow, as if breathing.

    Lecra¡¯Moro approached with caution, knowing things could get dangerous after this point; the four Cimestar Anglers were in sight, feasting on the wildlife in the area, yet he didn¡¯t fear the eight-foot-long predators of the Great Ruby Lakes¡ªit was them that fled from him out of instinct.

    Swimming up to get a better angle on the door, his eyes narrowed; these were far more complex than anything his own weapons used of the ancient technology the Ke had returned.  He had no doubt the White God would have been able to decipher the secrets before him in a glance, but they were not within his understanding.

    This area had been modified to a great extent, and for it to be this deep, there had to be many secrets hidden in the castle above.  Demon illuminated the Ke, and so too did he have influence here.

    Jumi¡¯kerune was a threat Lecra¡¯Moro had to take seriously; the Ke constructed and demonstrated awe-inspiring and terrifying weapons of war with Demon''s technology.  The power gems would be inside, safe from outside interference.

    Certain symbols were definitely activation points that he knew by heart, yet the additional glyphs beside them made him think it was behind some kind of security matrix, like the section of the city¡¯s armories were protected by each Blood¡¯s personal code.  Traps could be set to attack those that didn¡¯t input the proper combination, as well.

    Reporting his findings to Imiunarus and Camellia, they told him that they were preparing to enter the castle through the front gate; he didn¡¯t like this plan of attack, but it wasn¡¯t his to command.

    If they were going to make noise in the front, he could go through the back, and an exploitable opening just came into view¡ªa cave near the seafloor, 50-meters to the right of the metal doors.

    With technology the Ke employed, perhaps Imiunarus was right.  They wouldn¡¯t get the jump on their target; however, entering at an unexpected point could give them valuable time to respond.

    Knowing he would trip a sensor, Lecra¡¯Moro swam to the massive opening, squeezing through; it was a bit harder to fit than he first thought.

    Water soundlessly slipped through the cracks in Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s suit; the silk was waterproof, yet not sealed.  Hands gripping the edge of the pool, he pulled himself out, taking in the cave interior, his two heads turned opposite directions.

    The room he entered was at a comfortable height for him, and a small river of red liquid ran into the sea from further within the long corridor extending beyond his sight.  His night vision could only penetrate the darkness up to fifty feet at its current level.  Running water was the only sound inside the echoing chambers around him.

    His caution deepened upon seeing the ring of runes around the pool; they were currently releasing the same dull yellow glow as the symbols outside.

    Exiting the sea, Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s eyes widened as his connection to Camellia, Klaus, and Elinor was cut; his gaze fell to the floor; the runes were now orange.  A change in its programming had occurred.

    I¡¯ve been cut off from the others¡ªbut to even block the Empress¡¯s Nexus ¡­ I will fulfill my mission.

    Shifting his large frame around, Lecra¡¯Moro tried to put his left hand in the water to be met by an invisible force, blocking his progress.

    Closing his fist, Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s weapon morphed into a gauntlet, and he smashed it beside the runes, causing an explosion of stone fragments to soundlessly explode across the area, but again, his movement was blocked once dropping an inch below the surface¡ªhe could expect there was an invisible shell surrounding the entire facility.

    We walked right into the trap ¡­ Is Jumi¡¯kerune even here?

    The thought was bitter, but he had to move forward as if it were the case.

    His posture shifted as he heard something further within the cave making noise, echoing from wall to wall; snarling and snapping jaws resonated through the cavern, the creatures releasing low growls from time to time.

    Considering his options, Lecra¡¯Moro jumped behind a nearby corridor that led to a dead-end.  He took a deep breath as the beasts continued to draw closer to his location, keeping himself calm and collected; it was time to make his assault.  At the very least, this cave should lead further into the estate.

    Through a small opening in the wall, he saw the advancing figures of two oddly shaped Ragnlar that were the size of an adult Torlim.  The beasts had scales like the Nalveans, unlike their jungle fur-covered counterparts.

    When the two strange Ragnlar passed his hiding place, Lecra¡¯Moro crept behind them; far larger and more powerful than the small cat-like creatures, his blade soundlessly cut through the air as the beast to the left turned the opposite way.

    His knife cleaved through its fellow¡¯s creased nose to its neck, causing black blood to spray out across the gray stone, and before the other knew what was happening, Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s free left hand closed around its head and shoulders, forcing it down.

    Not a noise was made from the beast¡¯s strained muscles and extended claws as his ability canceled out all sound from the objects he was in contact with for at least five seconds after leaving touch.

    The creature¡¯s mouth released hissing roars that never reached the walls, and Lecra¡¯Moro placed the blade under his throat, practically beheading it.

    Both beasts were thrashing helplessly, the last bits of life they possessed leaving their soundless forms as the ape removed his hand, turning to continue down the passageway.  However, a blur from his right sent Lecra¡¯Moro pivoting left, and claws slid by his thin eyes as he gained distance.

    What magic¡­

    Using one hand, he flipped upright, glaring at the two mutants as they began to jerk back to their feet.

    One¡¯s neck was ripped out while the other¡¯s brain leaked onto the gray stone with its black blood from the cut he¡¯d given it.  Unnatural gurgles bubbled up through the throat of the one without a brain, white root-like threads weaving from around his skull to mend the openings.

    Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s four eyes narrowed, left head watching the entrance of the cave as a feminine voice echoed from all directions; instinctually, he knew she wasn¡¯t close, and the two unusual beasts began prowling toward him.

    ¡°He-he-he-he-he ¡­ I was told we would have an intruder, but to think it would be a Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter¡ªone of the fabled Assassins ¡­ disgusting.¡±

    He was not afraid of the things advancing toward him; they were all but useless in his eyes, and just because they could regenerate to a degree didn¡¯t make them a threat.  Whoever this was, on the other hand, he couldn¡¯t be sure, and to identify him without being present¡ªthey had some kind of ability or technology to see him.

    Upon further inspection, he discovered several rune-like patterns positioned in yellow mineral segments of the wall, masking them.

    When he didn¡¯t respond, the scaly Ranglar pounced, but he effortlessly shot forward, snatching both around their neck as his two tails weaved to constrict the two.  Lecra¡¯Moro pulled in opposite directions, separating their head, spine, and tail from their bodies and throwing the bottom half into the pool, yet they hit the invisible barrier and continued until smashing into the wall.

    Only their short gurgles were left in the dying echos, from before he¡¯d made contact with them again, and Lecra¡¯Moro observed a pulsating white organ-like plant writhe against the bottom half of the Ranglar¡¯s black blood-infused spine.

    So ¡­ the creatures were being controlled by these¡­

    He¡¯d heard a rumor at one point that the land to the west had these types of parasites in their forest but had never encountered them himself.  Throwing them against the wall, the things exploded from the blow, sending white goo dripping down the wall while keeping the spine glued to its surface.

    ¡°Heh,¡± the woman¡¯s voice returned.  ¡°You¡¯re the first I¡¯ve seen to react in time¡ªmost fall prey to Dreka''s feign death tactics.  Of course, you aren¡¯t most creatures¡ªI used to admire the Elite Hunters ¡­ the pride of seeing the Blood Host marching through the streets I helped to build was ¡­ It was breathtaking during the first several years of the Ke¡¯s reign¡­¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The source was from the runes themselves; it was pointless to stay here.  Lecra¡¯Moro advanced forward, scanning the darkness for more surprises that might come his way.

    ¡°Are you afraid to speak?¡±  The woman asked.  ¡°Ah, no, just too disciplined to give away your position, perhaps?  Elite Hunters aren¡¯t afraid of anything.  Isn¡¯t that right?¡±

    Lecra¡¯Moro chuckled, breaking the silence as he moved through the maze of passageways in front of him, each with their own running stream of red water that fed into the river, ending at the hole he¡¯d entered through.

    ¡°You must be a Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªa deserter.¡±

    Her tone flipped from lilting to hatred.  ¡°I¡ªI did everything; it was Kosic¡¯Romira¡¯s problem!  My measurements were flawless!¡±

    ¡°Kosic¡¯Romira¡­¡±  Lecra¡¯Moro mused, a smile lifting his two mouths underneath his mask.  ¡°I know of her, one of the task managers within the Rune Scribing units.  So¡ªyou were unskilled and sent to the mines.¡±

    ¡°I did everything right!¡±  She snapped.  ¡°The Ke ¡­ he was brilliant, yet now¡ªnow I serve his master, and I have crafted much in this fortress!  Look at my genius!¡±

    ¡°Humph, these sentry runes are as common as the locks,¡± he laughed.  ¡°Is the genius you speak of in trying to camouflage them?  You do know there were runes developed to accomplish that on any surface?¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ No, that¡¯s impossible,¡± the woman mumbled.  ¡°I saw nothing of the sort when building the Black Fortress!¡±

    Lecra¡¯Moro kept talking to keep her focused on him and give him time to find the right path up, using what evidence he could find at each junction to discover the most traveled hallways; enemies he could deal with, a maze wasted his time.

    From what little he saw of the rooms he passed, dozens of storage areas were within this district, housing metals, woods, stones, and every material he could name, some he couldn¡¯t.  At some points, he heard beasts of various kinds and moans down others, likely prisoners used for experimentation, but rescue wasn¡¯t his mission.

    He drew upon the woman¡¯s ego, having a decent amount of information she wasn¡¯t privy to since she¡¯d been sent to the caves early after wasting several precious Rune Scriber materials in her experiments to find new trigger processes.

    Each time he made her annoyed, she¡¯d send more hybrid creatures after him to be slaughtered without a hope of success.  When he complimented some part of her work, she¡¯d expand the process in utter delight, obviously deprived of any kind of supportive figure in her life.

    Eventually, he went from the stone caverns to nicely polished walls that were chiseled with expert care.  The castle extended far below ground and was designed to accommodate creatures even slightly larger than Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªnow it was getting interesting.

    Through his goading, he¡¯d discovered that Jumi¡¯kerune was indeed the master of this facility of experimentation, and better, he was present.  Kuska¡¯Mugimi, the Quen¡¯Talrat that had been communicating with him, was jaded since he¡¯d been far too busy over the past thirty years to give her much schooling or stroke her fragile ego, and he was soon to completion on something important.

    Kuska¡¯Mugimi sighed as he set foot on the well-designed carpet of the carved cave hallways he entered.  ¡°I ¡­ really wanted to enjoy this more ¡­ To know another ¡­ It¡¯s just been so long since I¡¯ve talked to another¡­¡±

    In the regret in her voice, Lecra¡¯Moro knew he¡¯d entered a part of the castle he should have, and his presence was detected by the runic trackers, drawing the attention of something else¡ªin short, he was making progress.

    A smile brightened his lips as a foreign creature with bright blue, metallic-like skin appeared around the corner, black fog billowing from its cloak with every step.  Its lips, sunken eyes, and fingernails were illuminated with an inner crimson brilliance, overshadowed by darkness.

    Rune engraved short swords were in its hands; the three-meter tall creature brought an abyss with it, seeming to shift within it like the mist it brought.

    ¡°Well ¡­ won¡¯t this be interesting,¡± Lecra¡¯Moro mumbled, his weapon turning into a three-hooked claw.

    * * *

    Imiunarus watched the gate open with a deep sense of dread; perhaps this hadn¡¯t been the best plan.  They had Camellia to help scale the walls if they needed, and he hadn¡¯t taken into account that the girls might be a part of the plan.

    Jumi¡¯kerune had sent in a notice with the city guards, and the two that were with them had been just his type of young Nalvean women¡ªit was too perfect, and yet what option did he have now ¡­ The girls already made it clear they would be going in with him.

    Camellia, be mindful of the girls; they may be compelled by our target¡ªthis does not look promising.

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Camellia hummed while following their slow entry into the gatehouse; the place was designed as a kill box.  ¡°I sense Nalveans above us, but they do not have killing intent.¡±

    Before he could respond, the 2nd pair of doors slid open to reveal a sprawling estate, groomed to perfection as Nalveans moved between gardens to maintain them.

    Fini and Giliri¡¯s mouths opened in wonder.

    ¡°Wow ¡­ Gets me every time,¡± Fini mumbled.

    Giliri nodded, giving Imiunarus a forced smile.  ¡°I guess you¡¯ve seen these kinds of things all the time back in the Capital.¡±

    ¡°No¡ªWell, the Palace Gardens have splendor, but not with so many types of trees, bushes, and unique pieces of art¡­¡±

    Camellia leaned closer to smell the two Nalvean girls.  ¡°Does that mean if they are our enemies, I get to eat them?¡±

    ¡­ If you could just knock them out, then that would be wonderful¡ªlet me know if anyone has killing intent against us.

    ¡°Aww, okay ¡­ if they have killing intent against us, then I can eat them?¡±

    Only if it¡¯s not the girls¡­

    ¡°Someone¡¯s getting attached,¡± Camellia mumbled with a low hum.  ¡°It¡¯s like Azalea with her own prey¡­¡±

    Imiunarus breathed a small sigh, doing his best to ignore the predatory creature, but just as the doors closed, he paused with Camellia, stomach swirling¡ªthey¡¯d just been cut off from the Empress¡¯s Nexus.

    ¡°Something wrong?¡±  Giliri asked.

    ¡°I cannot feel the Empress¡ªMy sisters!¡±  Camellia shivered in disbelief.  ¡°How ¡­ did he do that?¡±

    I don¡¯t know ¡­ We must remain calm, though.  Be on your guard for anything that is out of the ordinary.

    ¡°No, nothing at all,¡± he chuckled, shifting his gaze to a grove of trees with green, pink, and blue bark with leaves the color of the tree next to it.  ¡°We should get going.¡±

    Fini and Giliri gladly led them to the front doors of the massive castle.

    Every Nalvean they passed didn¡¯t so much as give them the time of day, continuing about their work without breaking a step.

    A doorkeeper pressed the runes beside the elegantly designed white stone entryway in a specific pattern; Imiunarus memorized it in case it was useful later on.

    Walking through, they were greeted by a host of fifteen private Nalvean soldiers, standing in a formation inside the colossal three-story hall they¡¯d entered, allowing them to pass between them.

    ¡°Was there supposed to be a welcoming committee?¡±  Giliri giggled.

    ¡°Indeed, my young girl,¡± said the same voice they¡¯d heard at the gate, and on the 3rd level, staring down at them from over 50-meters up, was an elderly Nalvean.  Imiunarus had never seen the man, but he assumed this was their target, and beside him was a middle-aged woman and a man in his youth.  ¡°Welcome to my glorious repository of splendor!¡±

    ¡°Lovely,¡± Imiunarus laughed.  ¡°So, now that I am here, these girls can head back to their day off; I¡¯m sure it will be well spent!  You have so much to show me.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± the woman to the right of Jumi¡¯kerune snickered; he didn¡¯t like her voice.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure, my Undead little assassin¡ªthe Master has prepared quite a surprise for you and your friends.¡±

    Camellia¡­

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± she hissed, shifting around the room with a low growl cycling through their small private network they could still access, but it was even weak at this distance.  ¡°There is an invisible barrier that is blocking access to the upper levels; those runes across the walls, I¡¯ve seen them on the Quen¡¯Talrat fortress.¡±

    Can you break through them?

    Predictably, the fifteen soldiers split their formation to surround them in a half-circle.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s going on?¡±  Fini asked, backing up a little, and Giliri followed her.

    ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±

    Above them, the young man shifted nervously, glancing between the party below, and Imiunarus could tell he was uncomfortable with what was about to come.

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Jumi¡¯kerune clapped his hands, Camellia studying the barrier for weaknesses to exploit.  ¡°I have taken time out of my ¡­ extensive schedule to greet the three of you, but it seems you¡¯ve decided to split up¡ªwhich is excellent!  I will be in my lab ¡­ Hisuki, if you could conduct the proceedings and gather the appropriate data, then that would be optimal.¡±

    The elderly Nalvean promptly left with a self-satisfied nod, motioning for the younger man to join him.  ¡°Come, Jumi¡¯calro, tonight is such a wondrous time to be alive!  We test the culmination of my life¡¯s work!¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s just leaving!¡±  Camellia growled, spear-like leg digging into a particular pattern of glowing orange runes, causing a flashing red light to swiftly spread across the whole design around the room.  ¡°I¡¯ve destroyed the first one, but there¡¯s one above us and another in front of them ¡­ How annoying these prey are¡ªthe Quen¡¯Talrat never used such stupid tactics.¡±

    Hisuki lifted an eyebrow once the runes shifted colors.  ¡°I see¡ªone is here with you, cloaked from perception¡ªgood.¡±  Her fingers slid across the stone railing in front of her.  ¡°We will see how the sentry units handle coordinating things against such an opponent¡­¡±

    Imiunarus was calculating what their next move should be; the guards were covered head to foot in armor but weren¡¯t so much as twitching as they stood in a defensive position, blocking the doorway.  Camellia was on the walls, searching for the next barrier¡¯s weakness.

    Obviously, the man had no fears for his life, seeing their entrance as a means to test all of his projects.  This could work to their advantage since he was giving the reins over to another.  They had a chance, even if slim, and he¡¯d be preoccupied.

    Camellia, she¡¯s above us because she believes she is safe, even if you manage to get past the next barrier; this won¡¯t get us closer, but perhaps going to the 2nd level and finding another way with your sense of smell can provide us an edge they wouldn''t expect.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ c-can we go?¡±  Fini mumbled, rubbing her arm and shifting her silk.

    Hisuki glanced down at them with a mild smile.  ¡°Ah ¡­ Who were you again?  Bah, it doesn¡¯t matter ¡­ Activate Code Ender.¡±

    The fifteen armor Nalveans tensed, and Camellia was instantly a blur, off the walls, legs cutting through heads without an issue, sending their brains and guts flying across the room.

    In a matter of seconds, the carpets were painted red, and not a single one was left; however, Imiunarus attention was on the two Seaweavers behind him.  The girls were by the door, except Giliri¡¯s hands had a needle-like shard of red water held tightly in her fingers, passing through her best friend¡¯s heart.

    Camellia ¡­ Why didn¡¯t you stop her?

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Camellia¡¯s eight legs turned her to look at the pair.  ¡°They weren¡¯t trying to kill us¡ªWhy would I stop our enemies from killing each other?¡±

    Imiunarus¡¯ jaws tightened, knowing it wasn¡¯t Camellia¡¯s fault; he hadn¡¯t been specific enough.

    Fini had a look of disbelief on her face as she slowly dropped to the ground, Giliri catching her as she fell.  ¡°Better night, better day,¡± she chimed.  ¡°We meet in the master¡¯s hand!¡±

    Her demeanor changed dramatically, and he was sure that she was being controlled like the princess.  He breathed a low sigh, knowing what was next and there wasn¡¯t a better option at the moment, but there was a means to correct it.

    Giliri turned her blade on herself, giving her a bright smile.  ¡°We are one in the Master!¡±  Her own sharpened water plunged into her heart, and she fell over.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±  Camellia dismissed the pair, returning to the second floor to search for a path to follow as he¡¯d suggested.

    Imiunarus released a low growl, looking up at the woman, silently observing the scene with an impressed expression, finger tapping the rail guard in front of her.  Camellia, when we complete our mission, we will be bringing the girls with us for the Empress¡ªI will ask the Empress to bring them back ¡­ They deserve to live.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Camellia mumbled, not giving his statement much thought.  ¡°I¡¯ve found a path he frequents nearby¡ªdo we go?¡±

    Can you break through the ceiling?

    ¡°Nope, runes everywhere¡ªit¡¯s designed above us, which is much harder to break without seeing the flow of energy in front of me.¡±

    Fine.

    Imiunarus gave Hisuki a small smile.  ¡°You have no idea what your actions have brought upon your head.¡±

    Hisuki giggled.  ¡°You do not impress me¡ªyour companion, on the other hand ¡­ I am looking forward to discovering more about them.  I do hope you exceed my expectations, though¡ªelse I will grow bored, and I dispose of those I have no more use for.¡±

    I really don¡¯t like her voice¡­  Imiunarus stated, easily picking up the two girls¡¯ bleeding corpses and casually jumping to the second story to drop them off in what appeared to be a study; they were out of the woman¡¯s sight, and she was more focused on Camellia than him.

    The castle was the image of the arts and fashion that one could forget the owner of this estate was a simple designer; yes, he was the greatest in their history, and for a good reason, but still, few had the funds to build such a monument of their status while remaining relatively out of public focus.

    He passed into the hall, catching sight of the paintings that ran along its walls; much of what he saw came from various other cultures, including furnishings.  This man was a traveler, a collector, and dabbled in forbidden experimentation.

    Popping his neck to loosen up, Imiunarus followed Camellia to a secret room that she broke into, deciphering the code by the flow of runic energy alone; she certainly was among the most gifted creatures he¡¯d met.

 B2 â€” 36. The Fruits Of Demon

    Camellia cycled through the various scents scattered throughout the corridors they passed, finding hidden passageways behind the artwork, walls, and illusions, following the flow of runic energy.

    It was a bit unnerving and distracting how layered this place was with the stuff, far worse than the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s former stronghold, which was also bad in her opinion, but there was something itchy about the flow here.

    Practically everything was somehow influenced by the strange writing, and one reason for it was that the Quen¡¯Talrat always hid their runes¡ªthis place seemed to layer them so much though that it was impossible. They were everywhere¡ªit was just like Violet, flooding their home with silk as some kind of fashion statement.

    On the positive side, it allowed her to become more accustomed to dismantling and reading the stuff. Even the air was charged with the shimmering, colorful force, flowing throughout the atmosphere in clear waves she could see with her keen senses. It made spotting the flaws extremely easy.

    If she were looking by sight, the halls were utterly pristine and sterile, but with her acute hairs, Camellia could smell the plethora of scents and waste left behind by thousands of unique individuals over the years¡ªsome were more easily identifiable than others.

    The issue was how large the place was, its diverse occupants and population masking her target¡¯s scent¡ªwhich she hadn¡¯t even identified yet! Jumi¡¯kerune was still a mystery to her since the barriers in the entrance hall allowed voices to filter through, yet barred smell, which was a tad annoying.

    It should have been simple to discover the elderly man, yet with over six hundred and seventy-eight unique male Nalvean scents to filter through, it was proving to be a challenging task.

    Nalvean sweat, spit, and hormones, among other identifiers, lingered on the carpets, walls, and objects adorning the hallways¡ªin such a static environment where the elements rarely touched, she could track numerous lingering phenomena in the corridors.

    By various metrics, she managed to narrow the number to a hundred and seventy-two after twenty minutes of aimlessly wandering through the halls, gathering more data for her to use with every hidden passageway.

    Camellia was growing frustrated, though¡ªshe¡¯d never used her senses in this way, tracking down a target she¡¯d never actually come across, narrowing down the possible target by process of elimination ¡­ The aggravating Nalvean woman¡¯s voice echoing through the halls didn¡¯t help, either.

    Imiunarus spoke through the Nexus along their way, advising her on which direction they should go when coming to branching areas; she focused on what was unseen, and him on the aesthetics to help lead them down promising avenues.

    Packs of Nalvean soldiers, acting more like the Empress¡¯s zombies than living creatures with wills of their own, came at them in waves, usually in packs of four to eight.

    In Camellia¡¯s opinion, each group carried useless devices, testing them out against them on Hisuki¡¯s orders, and the infuriating woman kept triggering traps in attempts to kill or hamper their progress¡ªall with commentary.

    Camellia dealt with the Nalvean drones like any other worthless creature, swatting them aside and ignoring who was left¡ªit¡¯s not like they could follow after her strike.

    Imiunarus was having difficulty keeping up with her after her transformation came off cooldown, shrinking to the size of a human.

    She laughed at him when he picked up one of the armor-like glove heat weapons one of the useless guards had, pulling it off what remained of her dead corpse.

    It was powered by one of the small pink gems¡ªa worthless, low-grade object, given the waves it emitted. A radiant orange ball was created from its palm to disintegrate things, but it couldn¡¯t even damage stone¡ªonly cause minor harm to the flesh under Nalvean scales ¡­ It did nothing to her.

    Hisuki¡¯s voice was like the digging noises she heard as a child she could never find the source of¡ªaggravating beyond words.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Fascinating¡ªit makes sense, the dead would not need to breathe, so decreasing oxygen levels is worthless¡­

    ¡°I was sure the pulse weapons would dispatch this invisible support you¡¯ve brought ¡­ Huh...

    ¡°To think the thorn effect of the armor would have no adverse consequences¡ªNo, your unseen friend is quite the conundrum...

    ¡°Bah ¡­ The security in that section is worthless¡ªif only it could detect what is hidden ¡­ Nalveans are useless in general ¡­ What are you, my hiding gem ¡­ Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Camellia ¡­ hold up¡­¡±

    Camellia paused, turning to give the man a questioning look as he scanned the lavish hall. What?

    ¡°...If we are in a weakly secured area, then it¡¯s not important ¡­ We aren¡¯t going in the right direction ¡­ We need to go back¡ªreach the 3rd-level to see where Jumi¡¯kerune went. It¡¯ll be easier to follow his path after discovering how large this place really is.¡±

    Camellia¡¯s lips pulled in, glaring at him. We¡¯d waste another twenty minutes backtracking¡ªWhy don¡¯t I just break open a hole in the ceiling, and we can go back that way?

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ There are pros and cons to that approach, and perhaps you¡¯re right, but returning to that exact location could be tricky¡ªstill, if you can manage it, we might be able to further narrow down his scent along the way and find a better path.¡±

    Camellia was already on the ceiling before he finished reasoning through her approach, scanning the fields of color for a flaw¡ªshe found it. Pulling back her stiff hand, she sent it through the weak point like a spear, shattering through both layers at once to create a twelve-foot gap in the shell.

    You waste so much time thinking instead of moving!

    Hisuki seemed intrigued by their change in course. ¡°Hoh? How mysterious you are, my invisible creature¡ªI was correct, you can find flaws in even powerful barriers¡ªI personally handled the etchings in that area myself¡ªmildly impressive, I¡¯ll admit.¡±

    Shut up!

    ¡°Without your aid, the Nalvean you have with you would be utterly worthless ¡­ Humph ¡­ A change in tactics is required. Perhaps I should prepare some hidden creatures of my own¡ªstealth is such a valuable skill to possess when facing foes of similar attributes¡ªa few more tests before such measures are needed seem in order, though ¡­ You are providing me with lovely data.¡±

    * * *

    Imiunarus¡¯s jaw locked at the woman¡¯s comment; her cold, calculating tone¡ªdisappointed at the lack of performance her guards made¡ªliving men and women of all ages, even children less than twenty years old, and her voice hadn¡¯t broken a note.

    Her comments reminded him of a story his father told about a deceased general during the Fire Wars¡ªNalveans without a heart for the lives they held in their hands, sending their people to their deaths in fits of madness to test out possible tactics¡ªfor him, it was against the Quen¡¯Talrat Blood Legion, and for her, experimentation to strengthen security measures.

    He jumped through the opening Camellia made, running after her, knowing his rapid movements were very slow to the Elite Warrior; the fact she was so quick, and when agility was supposed to be his area of expertise, showed the scaling difference between Grades.

    Trying to get anything more about Hisuki or just understand her better, he spoke to the walls as Camellia continued to decimate the foes she sent against them, unable to even get a chance to attack¡ªhe¡¯d hoped to be more help than this¡ªkeeping up was hard enough.

    ¡°... What are your subordinates¡¯ lives worth to you? Surely they must have some value?¡±

    Hisuki paused in her low mumbles. ¡°... Heh, he-he-he ¡­ Interesting, hearing such words from the dead. Nalvean minds are too frail and swayable for proper security¡ªscared to function on their own when faced with adversity, which is why a master in charge of their well-being is needed. Hopeless souls wasting their potential that can be made into a work of art¡ªdoing whatever I tell them without resistance ¡­ beautiful.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± he laughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t that ironic, considering you¡¯re the one being controlled!¡±

    ¡°Stupidity,¡± she huffed. ¡°You are in control and being controlled¡ªthat is how the world works, Dear. Play your game, paint your scene, and believe you will succeed, but in the end, my design will bring about your last moments ¡­ Struggle for me ¡­ Give me more data to enhance the next performance I invent.¡±

    Imiunarus¡¯s nose twisted in disgust. ¡°Do you feel guilt at all for the things you¡¯ve done to your own people in this city?¡±

    ¡°A conscience? Heh, I rid myself of such foolish, archaic sensations that held me back long ago to achieve true enlightenment. It is enjoyable, though ¡­ seeing the eyes of a worthless creature before their deaths ¡­ knowing the end is nigh ¡­ Hmm, I will savor that look from you soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Just because you dream something and write it down doesn¡¯t mean it will...¡±

    Imiunarus cut himself off as Camellia came to an abrupt halt, causing him to dance around her and almost trip on the rug. W-What¡¯s ¡­ Why¡¯d you stop?! he asked in shock, regaining his balance.

    She didn¡¯t respond, eyes defocused before turning to stare at the wooden-layered stone wall next to them; soon after, she bent down to glare at the corner, confusion in her glowing light red irises.

    Camellia?

    Again, she ignored his inquiry, and Hisuki fell silent, observing his sudden movements.

    Her jaw tightened, fingers sliding across the floor before rubbing together, ending in a fist. Without warning, wood and stone exploded inward as the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s hair smashed through the barrier, peering below as the rubble disappeared into the oblivion below.

    Hisuki¡¯s wordless study was unnerving; she¡¯d been so vocal about his failings and Camellia¡¯s fascinating discoveries before this point, and the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was far too focused on the darkness for his likings.

    ¡°We go down,¡± she stated in a confused growl, hopping inside; he noticed the small web stepping points she made for him on her descent.

    Thankful for at least that level of support, he followed¡ªlikely eight to nine floors below the surface.

    We can¡¯t get distracted¡ªWhy¡¯s this so¡­ he mumbled, landing on top of the splintered wood and shattered stone at the bottom.

    ¡°I¡¯ve narrowed Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s scent down to twenty-four possibilities¡ªthis isn¡¯t right ¡­ Why are there Th¨¦lm¨¦thra here? It would require a Queen to be present¡­¡±

    A chill ran through his bones, implications spinning in his head. So ¡­ something like your mother is here?! No ¡­ No, that can¡¯t be right!

    ¡°Maybe, but ¡­ This is my mother¡¯s brood¡ªher unique identifier, yet the scents ¡­ They¡¯re young ¡­ It makes no sense!¡±

    He¡¯d heard her agitation from Hisuki¡¯s taunts since entering, but this was different¡ªCamellia was unnerved, which clearly wasn¡¯t a good sign for him.

    She stepped into the branching corridor beyond the wide entrance, more than large enough for a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra to fit through; it split in three ways from where they found themselves.

    The complete darkness was even too much for his Night Vision Skill, only allowing him to see so far down the endless, smooth stone pathways¡ªtoo uniformly made, as if meticulously chiseled. Camellia¡¯s expression only deepened the pit in Imiunarus¡¯s stomach as she glared into the abyss.

    Hisuki released a disappointed sigh. ¡°How ¡­ unexpected¡ªPerhaps you are your own masters, yet you have chosen death¡ªStill, I was able to gather some rather fascinating data. Although, I did not want this outcome.¡±

    Camellia! Why are we just ¡­ standing around?! he growled, glancing back at the entrance and wondering if he should jump back up the hole. They¡¯d literally jumped into a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra pit, and even if Camellia was a princess of the species, she was far from what she once was when alive, which was a terrifying thought in itself.

    Hisuki hummed. ¡°Why would you choose this path is beyond me ¡­ Could you tell me before you die? How did you even discover it? What a twist of fate.¡±

    However, all thoughts vanished from his mind when he caught movement, twelve feet away¡ªout of the darkness, he watched in horror as thin, spear-like legs emerged from seemingly nothingness. Two meters tall, which, granted, was much smaller than Camellia, yet the terrifying part was it wasn¡¯t alone; two more appeared in the remaining corridors¡ªtheir only path was up, and Camellia was practically paralyzed.

    What are you doing¡ªWhy are you just standing... he screamed, jumping back in shock as the nearest creature thrust its sharp leg into Camellia¡¯s gut, forcing her to take a step back from the kinetic force and causing her to double over, hands trembling around its leg; the others closed in.

    W-What ¡­ You should have dodged that ¡­ Right?! What can I do? I can¡¯t fight these things if you can¡¯t!

    His head darted between the three, eyes scanning for any hope he might be able to do something¡ªanything to help Camellia, but they were already converging, and thread was shooting out of their butts; he hadn¡¯t noticed before, but the walls were covered in the stuff, which made to look like stone.

    * * *

    Drones ¡­ dozens and dozens of Drones¡­ Camellia thought in disbelief, listening to everything the surrounding webs fed her. A nest ¡­ I¡¯m in a nest, but ¡­ Why is there a nest here ¡­ My mother¡¯s nest¡­

    She was in utter denial as a Drone¡¯s arm cut through the air, slamming into her stomach and forcing her to take a step back; it was actually somewhat strong¡ªit pierced through her internal defensive shell, which protected her organs, but it hadn¡¯t been deep enough to reach anything important. No, that wasn¡¯t the issue.

    She watched its gaping mouth bare down on her, glistening, pointed fangs and poisonous tongue sliding out to clamp down on her skull.

    Impossible ¡­ Unthinkable ¡­ My own brood ¡­ Mother¡¯s defenders ¡­ Attacking me ¡­ Me?!

    Body quivering with rage, Camellia¡¯s red silky locks shot out like a whip, wrapping around every leg of the three advancing Drones closest to the area, pulling them off the ground and into the air.

    Nose twisted, she glared at those below her before Camellia¡¯s irises lowered to her damaged stomach, red Death Energy shimmering through the opening¡ªit would take an hour for it to heal, constantly sapping a small portion of her strength.

    ¡°You ¡­ attacked me,¡± she hissed, flaming eyes digging into the struggling creature as it screamed.

    ¡°You will die for invading the Queen¡¯s nest!¡±

    ¡°I will bring your dead corpse to the Queen!¡±

    The other two mirrored its response, trying to spit weak acid at her that wasn¡¯t even strong enough to melt the outfit her mother made; it was pitiful compared to what Azalea or even she could produce.

    They¡¯d already sent warning signals across the entire scope of the silken network, yet Camellia could care less. ¡°Queen? This is ¡­ is inexcusable! Drones ¡­ Drones!¡± she yelled. ¡°Who is your Queen?!¡±

    Hisuki¡¯s voice returned, mystifying by what she was witnessing. ¡°Huh, so the invisible stalker is ¡­ I¡¯ve never seen a creature such as yourself ¡­ What is this¡­¡± she grunted after the Dones had been subdued.

    Camellia¡¯s nostrils flared in disbelief as she stared at the symbols hidden underneath the layers of web. ¡°Is that your Queen?!¡±

    They responded in shrieks. ¡°The Queen devours all!¡±

    ¡°The Queen is without equal!

    ¡°The horde will slaughter you!¡±

    ¡°... Abominations,¡± Camellia whispered, eyes wide with horror. ¡°You¡¯re all abominations¡­¡±

    Who¡¯s to blame for these ¡­ these things?! Certainly, not mother¡ªshe¡¯s perfect ¡­ these Drones are perfect by all measurements of the brood¡ªyet they don¡¯t serve the lineage¡ªmy mother¡ªme¡ªno, no, Hisuki is on mother¡¯s throne ¡­ unthinkable ¡­ weakness on the throne!

    ¡°Unforgivable,¡± she muttered. ¡°Intolerable¡ªunjustifiable¡­¡± Her murderous presence exploded, tone soft and frigid. ¡°... Submit to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra natural chain of command.¡±

    The three paused for a moment, bodies stiff, and then their struggles became explosive. They shrieked in one wrathful voice, which carried throughout the nest. ¡°Deceiver!¡±

    It was beginning to become challenging for her to keep them restrained¡ªbut she¡¯d heard enough¡ªmore than enough.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    * * *

    Imiunarus was petrified as Camellia¡¯s threatening aura erupted through him like a heatwave, the girl¡¯s eyes bugging out at the shouts emanating throughout the nest.

    ¡°C-Camellia!¡± He shouted. Camellia!

    She¡¯d utterly tuned him out in ear and Nexus; as a much higher rank than him within the Empire, he could do nothing to force her attention¡ªshe was only ordered to listen to his advice when dealing with Nalveans, but during battle, everything was to her directive.

    All of her current actions only put dread in his gut; he didn¡¯t want to even get close to her with the torrents of murderous intent rippling from her. She was anything but fearful.

    ¡°... Deceiver ¡­ Deceiver?!¡± she growled, thick, red locks quivering while holding the screeching eight-legged creatures in the air, bellowing their ire at her demand.

    Imiunarus watched in shock as, leg by leg, the legendary creature¡¯s limbs were ripped off, side to side, by Camellia¡¯s silk. ¡°You all ¡­ call me¡ªME ¡­ a deceiver?!¡±

    Her hair split, spreading and attaching to the Drone¡¯s own extending thread, taking control over the entire network, reaching far into the dark, and proving without a shadow of a doubt she was of a far higher class than the lowly slaves around them.

    ¡°Me?!¡± Camellia screamed, and he had no doubt if she was in her original form, hot steam would be billowing out of her joins. ¡°You are my mother¡¯s spawn¡ªand you accuse me of usurping the order?! Traitors to nature ¡­ The lot of you must be purged¡­¡±

    Greenish-blue liquid exploded out of the damaged Th¨¦lm¨¦thra joins as she tore them apart, the sea of web that the three had been producing shifted like waves as they continued to spread throughout the abyss beyond Imiunarus¡¯s sight.

    ¡°... Impossible¡­¡± Hisuki whispers. ¡°Impossible ¡­ How are you controlling their silk?!¡± she demanded in anger. ¡°It makes ¡­ Your mother¡¯s spawn? No ¡­ What do you mean by that?! Answer me!¡±

    For the first time, fright and confusion touched the Nalvean woman¡¯s voice, but Camellia didn¡¯t hear it, systematically ripping apart her own brood without moving a step, cold fire in her red irises as she glared into the darkness, vision darting to various angles as she tracked the horde.

    Hisuki was losing control of her tone while watching the slaughter across the dark halls, and Imiunarus began to hear the tapping of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra on the stone corridors¡ªdozens and dozens of roaring voices screaming their ire in defense of their Queen¡ªonly causing the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra princess¡¯s fenetic stare to deepen.

    ¡°Whatever you are ... You will die! Kill the invader! Slaughter it, my children!¡±

    ¡°Children ¡­ Children¡­¡± Camellia hissed, agitated twitches cascading down her limbs and features. ¡°They are my mother¡¯s children! You believe¡ªyou are my mother?! The audacity ¡­ the arrogance!¡±

    Imiunarus could do nothing but stand inside the hollowed entrance that led to the manor¡¯s 3rd-level, watching the crawling, massive creatures come into sight in droves to be caught in Camellia¡¯s writhing web, forced against the cracking walls as they struggled, only for the thread to tighten and become reinforced.

    ¡°You believe you stand a chance against me¡ªDrones against me¡ªthe eldest daughter of the Queen?!¡±

    He stepped out, following Camellia as she walked from entangled Drone to Drone, fist driving into the critical weak points on their abdomen and cephalothorax, between joints, and other vulnerable areas that looked more solid than a metal wall, yet were pierced like cream¡ªImiunarus had no illusions that they were excellent areas of attack. Still, his strength wouldn¡¯t be enough to crack the metallic armor.

    Camellia went from one terrifying creature to the next, ripping into their exoskeleton and sending more greenish-blue blood and organs across the floor. The horrifying screams they made as she tore at their plating and dug into their muscular innards was entrancing to watch.

    He¡¯d heard stories about these jungle fiends doing this very thing to entire military companies of Nalveans¡ªover two hundred soldiers that would vanish in the thick foliage, armor, bone, and blood, never to be seen again.

    Hisuki was in a fit, sending odd beasts and other such creatures pouring into the halls, yet the biggest mistake was giving the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra princess an entire pre-build network of web that she could hijack¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a thing the Drones could do to counter their superior¡ªyet not one would submit.

    Walking with her as silk parted for them to walk, he watched her slay another two dozen screeching creatures down the next hallway; he¡¯d already accepted that this was something Camellia couldn¡¯t ignore.

    ¡°... Why won¡¯t they recognize you¡ªShould you change back?¡±

    Camellia shook her head, nose twitching with disgust as she killed another Th¨¦lm¨¦thra that had come from her mother¡¯s eggs. ¡°... They¡¯ll never submit ¡­ Not until I kill their Queen ¡­ If they don¡¯t recognize my authority by my scent¡ªclearly identifying where I stand within the hierarchy, then something is wrong with them¡ªand this Nalvean will tell me what she has done with my mother¡¯s brood¡­¡± she hissed, blood-soaked fist punching through the abdomen of another of her kind to crush its hearts.

    ¡°Hierarchy? What nonsense are you speaking?!¡± Hisuki snapped. ¡°No¡ªIt doesn¡¯t matter¡ªYou will die for what you¡¯ve done to my precious children¡­¡±

    A bright green light flickered in the adjacent hallway, Imiunarus catching sight of something even more frightening than the assassins around them¡ªa Th¨¦lm¨¦thra engulfed in JadeFire, rushing them in a frenzy while burning through the web around them.

    ¡°J-JadeFire! Run!¡± Imiunarus shouted. ¡°Are you trying to destroy this entire castle?! Kill us all?!¡± He took several steps before noticing Camellia wasn¡¯t with him; she¡¯d jumped right at the flaming Drone, silken garments stripped away in seconds with much of her red hair as the flames licked across her frame. ¡°Camellia!¡±

    His lips dropped open as she wrapped her thin arms around the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra incensed head and twisted, using its own flailing legs for leverage to tear it off, throwing it to the side; the green light was already spreading across the web.

    ¡°No ¡­ Camellia¡­¡± He mumbled in shock, falling to his knees, but the girl kicked the carcass to the side of the hall with a furious scream. Her red hair swiftly regrew, faster than the flames could eat away, enclosing her body within forty seconds, and the fire transferred to the silk before she tossed it against the wall.

    Her skin was heated and a bit blistered, mostly around her abdomen where the stab had penetrated her inner shell, but it was already showing signs of clearing up as she walked toward Imiunarus, utterly naked. ¡°Pathetic! Where is your Queen?! If she truly is at the top, then why does she not fight me?! You are no Queen!¡± she spat.

    ¡°No ¡­ No!¡± Hisuki cried as she watched the flaming host, her own attack now spreading across the rest of the nest. ¡°What are you!¡±

    Victory was actually in sight; Imiunarus laughed, following after Camellia¡¯s silent, brutal march back the way they¡¯d come. She took them down the path to the right of their entrance; the web in this section was noticeably less evident of the eight-legged creatures¡ªthey were reaching the edge of the nest. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Hisuki ¡­ Is this not entertaining enough for you?¡±

    ¡°How ¡­ How do you know exactly where to go?!¡± Hisuki yelled. ¡°Their weak spots¡ªcontrol their web ¡­ Where did you come from?! You¡­¡±

    She trailed off as Camellia reverted to her original form, her massive frame almost double the size of the Drones. ¡°I have already told you, Usurper ¡­ I am the eldest daughter of the Queen¡ªand you will die for your sin.¡±

    Imiunarus didn¡¯t hear Hisuki¡¯s voice again as they traveled further into the labyrinth, going from room to room, where dozens upon dozens of large, pulsating cocoons were located, runes dotting the interior that appeared to be cloning the creatures at a staggeringly slow rate.

    According to Camellia, it would take several years to copy an egg; Hisuki must have discovered Iris¡¯s nesting grounds and stolen all of the eggs within, and the princess eradicated them with prejudice.

    It was in one cloning room in particular that Camellia slowed to a stop. Something wrong? Imiunarus asked.

    It seemed no different than the last five areas; in fact, much of the stark floor seemed to be dedicated to Th¨¦lm¨¦thra. Stores of dead Nalvean men, women, children, fish, and other nameless failed experiments were thrown into heaps for those that hatched.

    Camellia was back in her human form, her expression showing disbelief as she stared at a giant, empty cocoon. ¡°Mother¡­¡± Camellia whispered. ¡°How? This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡±

    He folded his arms, glaring at the spot. Your mother was here? How long ago?

    ¡°Nearly a year ¡­ She was here¡­¡±

    Uh ¡­ Isn¡¯t that impossible? Your deaths were just before the Fire Wars, Imiunarus muttered. Are you sure?

    His mind worked to come up with an answer, glancing between the symbol-etched equipment around the room. Camellia didn¡¯t respond, bending lower to brush her hands across the broken silk and dried liquid around it, ripping some off to taste it.

    ¡°... No ¡­ it¡¯s so similar, but ¡­ My mother never told me she was preparing another daughter¡ªThere wasn¡¯t enough time, and I never saw the egg.

    It felt like a stone had been dropped into Imiunarus¡¯s stomach. Hold up ¡­ You¡¯re saying you have another sister ¡­ A Queen candidate that is under Hisuki¡¯s control ¡­ That¡¯s living?! What are you telling me? he demanded.

    Her eyes grew, fingers trembling against the old web. ¡°How did she survive without my mother¡¯s care? To be only born a year ago¡ªafter so long ¡­ It¡¯s not possible.¡±

    These devices¡­ Imiunarus mumbled, turning to glare at the glowing objects, softly pumping and releasing a whirring sound within from turning parts. If they can clone the eggs¡ªmaybe they could also keep her alive¡ªIt just took a long time before she was ready to hatch ¡­ But that means¡­

    He cut off, a lump forming in his throat as the implications opened up before him. ¡­ Klaus told me Th¨¦lm¨¦thra grow more gifted by the generation¡ªShe¡¯s alive, which means her initial strength hasn¡¯t been lowered¡­

    * * *

    Camellia didn¡¯t immediately respond, still trying to comprehend what she was sensing¡ªthe taste, scent, feel of the silk, dried fluid on the ground ¡­ everything pointed to the impossible.

    A sister ¡­ younger than Violet?

    A quake ran through her at the branching dots that connected within her brain ¡­ It was terrifying ¡­ horrifying ¡­ When her mother discovered the truth¡ªa rogue daughter ¡­ A daughter that refused her supreme authority¡ªthat harkened to another¡ªa weak, pathetic Nalvean, yet¡­

    Camellia couldn¡¯t process it; in a partial daze, she followed the scent, utterly unaware of the man that trailed behind her. She¡¯d already dispatched the traitors; no Drones remained on this floor; she¡¯d made sure of it with the network they¡¯d built. There were other cloning stations¡ªit was a very unfamiliar thing to her¡ªa device that could copy a creature and reproduce it.

    Her thoughts were stuck in a loop, emotions conflicted on too many levels to even comprehend, which was a first for her¡ªeverything about this was new¡ªalarming¡ªhideous ¡­ yet, she couldn¡¯t get the truth out of her head¡ªshe had another younger sister.

    She felt sick with every step she took, getting closer to the areas her sister frequented most¡ªwhere Hisuki¡¯s scent grew more assertive.

    She¡¯s a year old ¡­ What would Mother want me to do ¡­ What should I do? If she attacks me ¡­ Yet it¡¯s not over territory, or the brood¡ªshe has no understanding of the hierarchy¡ªshe doesn¡¯t recognize it¡ªShouldn¡¯t I kill her like the Drones? ¡­ I don¡¯t know ¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­

    Camellia¡¯s gaze was on the stone ground, quivering lip tucked under her teeth as she hugged herself, shivering while rubbing her shoulders¡ªshe¡¯d never felt so vulnerable¡ªconflicted.

    Would Mom be angry if I killed her ¡­ If I didn¡¯t kill her? She¡¯s my sister ¡­ Mom said I¡¯m no longer in competition with my sisters ¡­ We aren¡¯t supposed to kill one another¡ªbut this sister doesn¡¯t know about the Empress ¡­ Shouldn¡¯t she be given the chance to join the hierarchy?

    ¡°... Camellia, please ¡­ Talk to me¡­¡± Imiunarus pleaded; Camellia hadn¡¯t even realized he was touching her shoulder, shaking her a little while he followed her through the silent, seemingly endless corridors.

    N-No ¡­ No!

    ¡°What ¡­ do you mean?¡± Imiunarus asked; there was frustration and fear in his voice. ¡°Where are we going, Camellia? We have a mission given to us by the Empress!¡±

    I know! she growled, her mind beginning to clear. I¡¯m just ¡­ I just need to kill Hisuki ¡­ If I kill her, everything will work out! Everything!

    He gave her a suspicious frown. ¡°Work out ¡­ You mean your new sister will see you as her new leader?¡±

    Yes! If I kill Hisuki, then ¡­ It¡¯s the only possible option I have! It¡¯s natural! Inside of our very core!

    ¡°... And what if that¡¯s not the case,¡± Imiunarus bluntly asked. ¡°Can you kill your sister?¡±

    ¡­ I can¡¯t ¡­ I can¡¯t fight with my sisters, Camellia cried, nose burning as she tried to reconcile the conflicting emotions twisting her insides. It will work! It has to work!

    * * *

    Imiunarus¡¯s black tongue slid between his teeth, licking the air. This has become more complicated by the minute ¡­ Camellia¡¯s breaking down, but how could we have foreseen something like this? I can¡¯t change her mind¡ªI don¡¯t even know how I would deal with this in her place ¡­ I need to help her succeed then.

    ¡°How soon until we reach the pair?¡±

    Camellia¡¯s hair tightened around her throat, coiling around it with agitation. ¡°I ¡­ soon¡ªthree hallways to our left¡ªat the end¡­ Her throat caught, arms pressing against her exposed chest. I hear her ¡­ She¡¯s with Hisuki ¡­ Trying to make a web to block our path¡ªShe¡¯s so young.

    The creature beside him had been soaked in her own kind¡¯s blood not eight minutes ago, burnt skin already mending and reducing the affected zones of the JadeFire; the inferno was continuing to spread to the other nests with the thread Camellia had manipulated across the floor, but this area was separated from the main hive.

    Camellia slaughtered her former brood with extreme prejudice, yet now, she was like a small, frighten Nalvean child, trembling and hoping for her parent to come and rescue her from the horrifyingly complicated decisions before her.

    ¡­ Do you think I stand a chance against her¡ªcould I slip by her and end Hisuki myself? He asked, hoping to take the load off her shoulders, but she shook her head, taking a deep, shuttering breath before returning to her original form.

    ¡°No ¡­ without preparation, possible¡ªshe¡¯s only a year old ¡­ less than two feet tall¡ªtiny, yet if she¡¯s even half as talented as Violet¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t even see her before you were dead.¡±

    Well ¡­ note taken, he mumbled. So ¡­ how do you want to proceed?

    Camellia¡¯s fear soon hardened. ¡°My darling child ¡­ She has the nerve ¡­ She is not her mother!¡±

    Imiunarus stiffened as Camellia blurred into action, rushing down the halls in a storm of fury as her murderous intent paralyzed him¡ªthis was somehow worse than before¡ªthe heat pressing against his chest felt enough to kill, and it took several seconds for his disabled muscles to work again as he lurched after her.

    The air in the underground passageways was somehow kept fresh as his legs fought furiously against the invisible barrier holding him back.

    * * *

    Hisuki growled, teeth snapping with agitation as she moved between consoles, activating key components that took time to set into motion¡ªher darling hive was destroyed¡ªthe decades she¡¯d dedicated to those beautiful creatures had been burned to allow her time to escape.

    To think the higher echelon of their species can shapeshift ¡­ Why was there no stories¡ªno data on such phenomena! If I knew she was similar to Imiri, then I would have approached this experiment from an entirely different angle!

    Still, valuable information was gained¡ªthe losses, though. They were never supposed to make it this far¡ªbut being able to shrug off JadeFire so easily¡­

    She shifted her gaze back to the deadly little eight-legged terror that was carefully manipulating the thread across the hallway and room to protect her.

    Interesting ¡­ Imiri should be in the same category ¡­ She should be ¡­ yet her age could hold a significant disadvantage. If she can control Imiri¡¯s thread like the others ¡­ No, I cannot risk it.

    ¡°My darling child,¡± she cooed, beckoning to the creature, remembering a few of the phrases its relative spoke. ¡°Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ Queen ¡­ Are you a female? Hmm¡­¡±

    Cute steam shot from her tiny legs as she hopped over to her, indicating she was happy, yet one slight twitch of her leg told Hisuki something was bothering her.

    Her sister must be closing in to prevent our escape ¡­ I suppose this hasn¡¯t been a complete loss.

    * * *

    Camellia rushed through the hallways to save her little sister from the usurper, but fear twisted her gut as a rumble worked through the stone beneath her feet¡ªwalls were moving, the structure changing as a passageway opened up in the room where her kidnapped and brainwashed sister sat.

    Just before she managed to touch her webs to have any chance of interfering, the doorway sealed. By the lingering impulses in the silk, her sister cut them to not impede the shifting stones.

    She felt like crying, even if this body didn¡¯t have tear ducts, as she explored her sister¡¯s weaves in less than a second¡ªso simple but strong, nonetheless, for her age and experience¡ªHer pattern was beautiful, like Violet¡¯s.

    Proceeding with hatred in her beating hearts, Camellia smashed through the barrier, but the pair were gone and the room empty except for humming instruments.

    She knew every crack of the place as she utilized her sister¡¯s discarded web to probe the room, and before Imiunarus arrived, Camellia was cracking through the first barrier, digging through the rock beneath; however, dozens more were closing below¡ªit would take hours from just the number she sensed sliding into place.

    ¡°Grrrrahh!¡± She shouted, blowing out a massive hole in the ground to drop below. ¡°Give me my sister, Usurper!¡±

    Her senses went to their limit, scanning every inch of the area she¡¯d landed in, finding a path to the next floor without going through the trouble of crushing the double barrier-infused stone she stood on.

    Follow me!

    * * *

    It was a challenge for Imiunarus to keep up, passing dozens of slaughtered creatures the girl had dispatched without so much as slowing down¡ªmost were paste, splattered across the brightly lit hallways, filled with precious jewels, artwork, exotic materials, and more extravagance.

    He had to race after her screams of frustration at some points as he lost sight of the massive creature, but when the Juggernaut was forced to take several seconds to break an enchanted wall or floor, he managed to catch up. One thing was for sure, though¡ªthey had her on the run.

    Camellia spent a full minute working on what appeared to be the most challenging shells yet on a rather unassuming hallway, far less gilded than the rest, and upon making the hole, they were treated to something spectacular.

    A massive hall opened up before them, the stone crumbled to the ground, four meters below¡ªthe ceiling stood ten meters higher, and balconies separated the two floors. Brilliant faceted gem lights illuminated the space; the area was filled with strange devices ¡­ It was also where Lecra¡¯Moro reconnected with Imiunarus¡¯s personal Nexus.

    ¡°... Imiunarus ¡­ You must destroy the metal thing he¡¯s working on ¡­ Camellia! The blue creatures can shift locations without notice in the smoke¡ªit has hidden dagger-like weapons!¡±

    The red-coated Th¨¦lm¨¦thra crawled over the edge and down the walls as the throng inside noticed them, and a colossal shadowy blur appeared right beside Camellia; without warning, both were a blur across the ceiling, floor, and walls.

    Imiunarus had no clue what was happening with the pair, feverish combat far above what he was accustomed to, but what he did see was Lecra¡¯Moro¡ªor what was left of the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter.

    Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s third arm on his back and left hand were now pinned to a board beside him for study with all of his toes and a few fingers. One of his heads was missing, eyes and tongue removed, his chest ripped open to expose the internal glowing energies that kept him alive.

    ¡­ What have they done to you?! Imiunarus gasped.

    Another, much smaller green-furred Quen¡¯Talrat was standing nearby, heads darting around in a panic while watching Camellia and her opponent go at it.

    Hisuki and Camellia¡¯s sister were standing beside Jumi¡¯kerune and his assistant; the two made detailed etchings across several plates, fitting them into place on the slim, armored object</a> they were designing¡ªthe young Nalvean boy nervously glanced back at them while handing the elder the final piece for inspection and tweaking.

    Jumi¡¯kerune had the thinnest instrument Imiunarus had ever seen in his hands, touching specific parts of the metal figure as energy sparked across it. He was humming a soft song, not even glancing at them.

    The blue, armored-like thing Camellia was facing shot to the floor on one leg, part of an arm missing as Camellia deflected his blade, jumping on top of him as his shadows followed the high-speed contest.

    She was back in her human form, likely close to her transformation limit at this point; he hadn¡¯t even noticed the tens of thousands of threads she was creating around the room, but an invisible shell protected Hisuki¡¯s group from the silk.

    Lecra¡¯Moro entered both their minds again, eyes screaming urgency. ¡°He is crafting a vessel that Demon can manipulate himself, you must¡­¡±

    His plea faded as they watched Jumi¡¯kerune release a boisterous laugh, placing a pure white spherical gem the size of a Nalvean fist into the center of its chest. ¡°It¡¯s done, Lord Kazan¡¯aru! I, your dedicated servant, have crafted a body worthy of your magnificent influence!¡±

    He jumped down from his pedestal as the three-meter tall ancient device lit with a yellow force, sparks releasing a soft hum with its illuminant eyes. The sections separated, hovering in place as it reached over to a similar mace-like weapon, fingers closing around the shaft to activate its core.

    A deep, metallic chuckle emanated from the awakening device. ¡°Heh ¡­ he-he-he-he-he-he-he-he ¡­ Well done, Jumi¡¯kerune ¡­ Well done¡ªalthough, some tweaking is in order, first¡­¡±

    Its fierce yellow gaze settled on Camellia, slowly making headway at destroying the blue metallic creature she was facing; it phased within the darkness it produced, but she could predict it¡ªCamellia wasn¡¯t unscathed, gashes across her skin showing the red light within, but the girl managed to keep all of her bones intact, meaning she would heal over time.

    ¡°... It seems I should clean up this mess¡­¡±

 B2 â€” 37. Sacrifice

    Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s mind worked frantically as Demon tested his mechanical body; he took a single step forward, making several simultaneous movements to acclimate to the new form</a>.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ bodies have such a strange movement system¡­¡±

    Without warning, he sped up, moving quick enough to alarm Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s own comfortable combat-oriented mind; he cleared the barrier, mace-like weapon cleaving through the air to get tangled in Camellia¡¯s web, yet stone and wood made splintering sounds as they were pulled away from the walls, clearing the path.

    Camellia dodged the rapidly advancing machine without much issue, only to be met by an even quicker leg sweep that swept over the blue-skinned warrior¡¯s face and sent the human-shaped girl flying through the opposite door, chunks of wood and stone exploding inward as she was carried through.

    He hit Camellia¡ªHow can we win?  She can survive a blow like that, though, can¡¯t she?

    Try as he might, even thinking was difficult after one of his heads had been removed¡ªfew Quen¡¯Talrat survived such a deadly wound, and those that did were generally forced to relearn various things, but he was Undead, which granted him a degree of fortitude and stillness.

    Having two utterly disabled arms, amputated toes, and one of his heads removed was a rather unfortunate turn of events; it was all done by the blue-skinned creature Jumi¡¯kerune called Tura.

    ¡°Excellent movements, my Lord!¡±  Jumi¡¯kerune cheered, closely watching the figure as Demon returned to a stationary position.  ¡°... My Lord?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Demon¡¯s fist, holding the mace, began to tremble a bit, electricity somewhat erratic between his pieces.  ¡°Yes¡ªthere are many tweaks and modifications that need to be done, yet¡ªno, this is the best that can be done at this point.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t see Imiunarus but knew he was behind him, creeping further into the room; the Nalvean was likely trying to come up with any solution possible.

    Kuska¡¯Mugimi, the Quen¡¯Talrat that was ordered to open him up to see how his physiology differed from the living, gazed at Demon¡¯s stationary figure in wonder as he continued to adjust.  Lecra¡¯Moro kept close study of the green-furred woman; she was the key to everything.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to cut you free,¡± Imiunarus whispered through the Nexus, likely unsure if Demon could tap into it.  ¡°We need to complete the mission¡ªgrab Jumi¡¯kerune and run back to the Empress¡ªwe were not tasked nor prepared for this challenge.  Is there a way through the barrier?¡±

    Hmm¡­  Lecra¡¯Moro knew more about how things would progress than the small sea-lover behind him.  Hold on¡ªwe might have a chance.  Do you see Kuska¡¯Mugimi, next to me?  She has an extra card in her pouch¡ªa device that allows entry through the barriers that she used for me; steal it while she¡¯s distracted.

    ¡°... I¡¯m on it.¡±

    Imiunarus had enough time to weaken his right restraint, which was perfect; even at her base--while not a warrior--the green-furred woman was strong enough to at least put up a fight against Imiunarus; his skills were best utilized by working in the shadow of the commotion.

    Stay hidden; Camellia should be able to buy us time.

    ¡°For?  Mmh ¡­ She took a heavy hit.¡±

    It was true, but he could still sense she was alright, just recovering after the blow, and transforming back to her original form since her metamorphosis Skill reached its limit.

    Demon¡¯s deep, hypnotic voice echoed around the room from the odd contraption.  ¡°Jumi¡¯kerune, there is much to be done¡ªprepare the way below while Jumi¡¯calro takes over the plan for the manor.¡±

    ¡°Ah, you are correct, Lord!¡±  the eccentric, elderly Nalvean replied, motioning to the small Nalvean woman with a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra by her side.  ¡°Come!  It will take a moment to get the loading bay ready.¡±

    ¡°I was hoping to see the Lord in action,¡± Hisuki mumbled; he¡¯d only heard her name three times from her entrance.  ¡°... The end of that Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, as well,¡± she murmured, glaring at the hole.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Jumi¡¯kerune waved a dismissive hand, moving to a rune engraved console to his right.  ¡°Irrelevant!  Irrelevant!  There is too much to do; the Lord will make quick work of her; I am sure.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ U-Umm, Master Jumi¡¯kerune?¡±  Jumi¡¯calro mumbled, nervously tearing the silk wrapped around his arm while glancing between Demon and the Grand Inventor.  ¡°W-What do you wish me to¡ªto do?¡±

    He¡¯d been stuttering and fidgeting the moment things seemed to get out of hand, clearly not able to deal with pressure very well.

    Lecra¡¯Moro caught Imiunarus using the side of a table as a platform, digging his claws into the wood and pulling himself up to get high enough to sneak a hand into the bag around the distracted Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s waist.

    The small metal slab; quickly, before she returns through the barrier!  Her¡¯s is attached to her necklace; it...

    ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t find it¡ªGah!  She¡¯s moving away!¡±

    Jumi¡¯kerune finished tapping and tracing a few places on the console nearest to the right wall, causing it to peel back, revealing an elevator that would take them to the lowest levels of the maze-like tunnels, expanded by their Th¨¦lm¨¦thra pets.  ¡°The Ender Protocols,¡± he replied, glancing back at the Quen¡¯Talrat.  ¡°Kuska¡¯Mugimi!  Hurry!  You must trigger the release mechanisms from outside.¡±

    ¡°R-Right¡­¡±

    With their one-ticket getting away and Imiunarus about to draw attention to himself, Lecra¡¯Moro made a decision as Camellia smashed through a wall in a rage beside the door, not even bothering with the weaker substance.

    Demon¡¯s attention was pulled to the eight-legged creature as a web began twisting around the mace in his hand.  ¡°... You will not leave this place!¡±  she roared.

    Her mind was a frenzy of emotions, making it difficult to reason with, which had Lecra¡¯Moro a bit unnerved; her sisters were far more orderly, but that didn¡¯t mean Camellia wasn¡¯t.  Something had really gotten underneath her exoskeleton to have the deadly creature in somewhat of a panic.

    ¡°Your species was always rather resilient,¡± Demon commented, blurring into action again to kill Camellia; there were noticeable gaps and miscalculations with his movements, though, and Camellia was beginning to understand the strange turns and twists the mace¡¯s spins made.

    However, Kuska¡¯Mugimi¡¯s attention shot to Lecra¡¯Moro in shock as he applied pressure to his right hand, tension causing the mostly broken strap to snap.  ¡°Heh¡ªYou thought you were safe,¡± he grinned, using his newfound leverage to rip the rest of his restraints off, and lurch forward.

    ¡°W-Wha ¡­ No!  G-Get away from me!¡±  she cried, stumbling back in a panic, which caused Imiunarus to dive behind a nearby shelf to not get stepped on.

    Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s attack was successful, snatching her necklace with his good hand and ripping it off, throwing it behind several random objects for Imiunarus to find.  It couldn¡¯t be his focus, though, or they¡¯d get suspicious, and so he dove on top of the woman before she could get behind the barrier.

    She struggled to get him off, but he was much larger and stronger than her, being weak and below average size for their race, his weight pinned her to the ground.  Left stump holding down her right arm and left reaching for her head to rip it off¡ªit would be easy ¡­ except¡­

    ¡°Lecra¡¯Moro?!¡±  Imiunarus screamed in his mind, but he already knew what was coming¡ªit was something he planned for.

    Time slowed in his mind as he watched the blue-skinned warrior exit the battle area where Camellia and Demon were locked in battle, devastating any furniture, shelf, or device in their path, small, dagger-like weapons appearing from the smoke he generated to carry him off the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    This was it¡ªthe end of his second life; it was a strange and wild ride, but he performed his task to the best of his abilities¡ªit just wasn¡¯t enough.

    * * *

    Frustration coursed through Imiunarus¡¯s Undead veins; he¡¯d activated his minimal cloaking abilities that weren¡¯t anywhere near Camellia¡¯s level, and she was an Elite Warrior, not an Assassin.

    He tried to get the item Lecra¡¯Moro wanted him to get, but the blasted cancerous furry beast kept shifting and tensing as she looked at Demon and Camellia, beginning their fight again.

    She at least knew that she had to draw Demon¡¯s attention¡ªat least, he hoped she was doing this on purpose.  The girl was more than capable of multi-tasking to a near-impossible degree, but things were swiftly spiraling out of control.

    Lecra¡¯Moro¡¯s last moments flashed before his eyes; the massive brute of a Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter¡¯s hand was seeking to find the proper grip to rip one of Kuska¡¯Mugimi¡¯s heads clean off.

    ¡°Imiunarus, Camellia,¡± he muttered, displaying a wicked, crazed grin that could match Camellia¡¯s, yet he sounded at peace.  ¡°Let the others leave¡ªthey¡¯ll pull back, thinking we¡¯re all going to die by Demon¡¯s hands.  Remember¡­¡±

    The blades of the blue creature hit his damaged right side, throwing him back and exposing his ripped open chest as Kuska¡¯Mugimi scrambled into the barrier.

    ¡°... Jumi¡¯calro can do what the Empress needs, and the left leg of Demon¡¯s body is un¡­¡±

    His voice cut off as the blade tore through multiple organs.

    A smile was on his lips, or at least Imiunarus thought it was a smile as his shaking hand lifted, trying to grasp his killer.  ¡°H-Heh¡ªin the end¡ªI am happy to have met my fate by you ¡­ Tura¡­¡±

    He was severed from Imiunarus¡¯s personal network, and he died for a second time; his glowing internal organs sent greenish smoke billowing out upon being ruptured, mixing with Tura¡¯s darkness.

    Everyone but Demon and Camellia stared at the swiftly withering Quen¡¯Talrat as the light in his eyes and torn open chest faded, followed by the rapid decay of his fur, skin, muscle, and organs, ending with his cracked bones.

    An internal fear touched Imiunarus¡¯s chest as he watched the Death Energy fade, and the blue-skinned assassin jumped into the shell out of fear of a last, deadly attack from the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Jumi¡¯kerune rubbed the side of his face, ¡°Fascinating ¡­ but we have things to do!¡±  he stated, clapping his hands and ushering them below.  ¡°No more delays!  Oh, and the sooner you complete the required schedule, you may join us, Jumi¡¯calro¡ªWhat a day!¡±

    Imiunarus watched them go in a partial daze; the blue-skinned creature took one look at him, quickly penetrating his stealth feats as the battle between Camellia and Demon was taken through a wall and into another room.  After a moment, he rubbed his arm, glanced at the fight the two creatures were having, and turned away, retreating below with the baby Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Hisuki, and Kuska¡¯Mugimi.

    He spared my life ¡­ No, Camellia!

    ¡°They can¡¯t escape!  They can¡¯t!¡±  she cried.  ¡°Mmghhgh!  This thing is so frustrating!  Why is it so tough?!¡±

    We have to let them go ¡­ Focus on the left leg!  Lecra¡¯Moro said the left leg wasn¡¯t completed; it¡¯s a weak point!  I¡¯m going to grab the boy and carry him out¡­

    Camellia must have taken another hit because she didn¡¯t respond, and moments later, another explosion sounded with Demon¡¯s laughter.  ¡°Is this all you have, Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Princess?  I watched you hunt throughout your life, and you are capable of so much more¡­¡±

    Imiunarus¡¯s gut tightened, and he sped into action; he was now alone in the room with Jumi¡¯calro; if they just managed to get him, then it would be worth it¡ªhe could free Princess Tal¡¯tamine.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Snatching the metal tablet the size of his clawed hand, he found it surprisingly heavy; tucking it under his arm, he dashed out from behind the equipment, causing the young Nalvean boy¡¯s eyes to widen.

    ¡°W-What?!  Where did you¡­¡±

    Before he could tackle him, Jumi¡¯calro made a swift pattern on the console, causing an earthquake to rumble the floor beneath Imiunarus¡¯s feet, but it wasn¡¯t enough to deter him, and he tackled him.

    It wasn¡¯t difficult to overpower the boy, holding him down.

    ¡°N-No!  You¡ªYou don¡¯t understand!  I have to go!¡±  he cried.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be going somewhere!¡±  Imiunarus forced a smile while flipping him over and grabbing nearby wire to wrap around his back; it was shockingly thin and flexible yet appeared to have outstanding durability.

    He managed to loop it around as the boy continued to plead with him.

    ¡°Y-You don¡¯t understand!  No!  The whole castle¡ªthe Ender Protocol is in place!  I ¡­ I accelerated it!  We don¡¯t¡ªd-don¡¯t have time for this!¡±

    ¡°Then you can stop it!¡±  Imiunarus growled, pulling him upright.

    ¡°N-No.  I can¡¯t!  Only Master Jumi¡¯kerune h-has those codes!  I accelerated the¡ªthe ¡­ no¡­¡±

    He trailed off as the door that led below started to close, Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s voice echoing around them as the shaking increased.  ¡°... Hmm, a pity, boy¡ªyour mother hoped you¡¯d be something, but you made mistakes ¡®till the end.  Perhaps my next great-great-great-grandson will be brighter.  Hmm ¡­ perhaps another experiment is in order there¡ªOh, exciting!¡±

    ¡°P-Please don¡¯t abandon¡­¡±

    He cried out as Imiunarus slapped him, pulling him away from the consoles and any potential dangerous action he might be able to make.

    Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s tone fell a little.  ¡°Oh?  Well¡ªthis is not looking well¡ªLord Kazan¡¯aru, forgive my lack of detail ¡­ I see¡ªvery well¡ªyour will be done, always and forever.¡±

    What is he talking¡­

    Another rumble, far more powerful than the previous, shook both Imiunarus and Jumi¡¯calro off their feet, and the boy gasped, ¡°N-No, Master!  The Judicus Protocol?!  W-Why?!  I¡¯m here!¡±

    Imiunarus¡¯s stomach twisted as green flames began leaking out of small faucets in the ceiling, dripping down JadeFire.  ¡°Oh¡ªRi¡¯bot licking foot sitter!¡±  he shouted, scrambling to his feet and throwing Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s babbling figure over his shoulder.  ¡°Where¡¯s the nearest exit?!  Where is it?!¡±  he shouted, rushing past the growing flames that were beginning to catch.

    The entire area would be a crater of ash, including the stone when this was done; the amount of fire that was spreading above and now across the whole castle¡ªit would be less than rubble, and not a single piece of evidence would be left.

    His mind fearfully returned to the two young ladies he¡¯d preserved above; Fini and Giliri didn¡¯t deserve this fate¡ªto be forgotten, presumed runaways from the Military Core.  For some reason, his mind was lingering on them rather than himself, but his task to capture someone that could help the princess returned his focus to the objective at hand.

    ¡°... If you want to live, then tell me how to get to the 2nd-story!  There must be a way.¡±

    ¡°W-Wait ¡­ You¡ªYou won¡¯t kill me?!¡±  he asked, chest heaving against his shoulders.

    ¡°... I need you¡ªNow tell me where!¡±

    The heat gathering around him was becoming uncomfortable, and the smoke of the disintegrated items it ate through was making Jumi¡¯calro gag.  ¡°I ¡­ I ¡­ over¡ªover there¡­¡±

    He pointed at a console that was near a growing pile of FadeFire.

    Gritting his jaw, Imiunarus rushed to the place, unbinding the boy in his hurry; they¡¯d die together anyway at this point, and there wasn¡¯t a flicker of hope that he¡¯d be able to navigate the maze on his own.  ¡°Hurry!¡±

    Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s disappointed popping tongue sounded across the lower floors, causing an echo.  ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­¡±

    ¡°Y-You aren¡¯t giving me a choice, Master!¡±  he shouted in despair.  ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t want to die!  I¡ªI¡¯ve never even slept with a woman yet¡­¡±

    ¡°Nalvean women are overrated in any case,¡± Jumi¡¯kerune dismissively replied.  ¡°I¡¯ve conducted multiple studies on it, which you¡¯ve had the data to overlook.¡±

    Imiunarus¡¯s brow furrowed in disbelief.  ¡°What is this conversation?!  Hurry!¡±

    ¡°T-There¡­¡±  he paused, slick eyes growing large and mouth dropping open as Demon¡¯s chuckling voice drew nearer.

    ¡°Hmm?  Thinking of escaping, are we, Jumi¡¯calro, Imiunarus?¡±

    Camellia!  I have what we came for, but you need to stop him!  Camellia!

    The looming figure of Demon¡¯s colossal form moved through the JadeFire as if it were useless mist, causing it to spread with the gusts he generated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think you quite appreciate the effort that went into your education¡­¡±

    Imiunarus used every Skill Point and Attribute Point he had into speed and perception; it was his only chance if this mission was going to be a success¡ªand it had to be, after so much loss.

    Demon¡¯s strange hums</a> rattled around Imiunarus¡¯s skull as he drew nearer, omens twisting his gut with the pressure of impending death that gripped his chest¡ªthe same feeling he had when Camellia slowly, painfully, bled him dry in the dark forest night.  Still, Camellia was silent, either too far away to catch his cries or something else because he couldn¡¯t get in contact with her.

    ¡°Do you recall the time you were twelve?¡±  Demon mused.  ¡°The moment you were introduced to the Nalvean underground and what murder was?  What an unforgettable experience that was for you,¡± he laughed, drawing closer.  ¡°The feelings of mortality¡ªDo they grip the dead the same?¡±

    Jumi¡¯calro trembled next to him, unable to move as Demon casually drew back his mace, towering figure illuminated by the sickly flames.

    No ¡­ If I¡¯m going to die, then this time¡ªit will be for something!

    * * *

    Camellia¡¯s head was a mess as she laid in the rubble of someplace Demon had thrown her through, legs twitching a bit with her building agitation; prey that could talk to you was the most aggravating thing in existence she decided.

    Demon¡¯s constant taunts, bringing back dozens of memories of her time while alive to distract her¡ªin truth, everything was grinding on her mind and making her reactions dull.

    The moment she learned her mother had a fourth daughter and that she was brainwashed into following something utterly against their nature was horrifying.  Her sister was actively and joyfully working against the Empire¡ªagainst their family, and after her mother told her that it was a new age for them¡ªthey no longer had to fight one another.

    Shaking the piles of stone off herself with a bit of effort because of the thick blocks encasing her, Camellia took a deep breath, pumping it out through her legs and separating the dust that was drawn in with it, rejecting it.

    Demon ¡­ it¡¯s all Demon ¡­ they couldn¡¯t have done any of this without him¡ªhe did this to my sister!  I will have her return to the order!  She must!

    The rubble blew out as she threw them out with her powerful legs.  ¡°Demon!¡±  she yelled, pressurized air hissing out of her joints and backplates.

    Extending out her web again, finding the network to bring it back under control, she scanned what parts hadn¡¯t been severed.  Demon was unlike any creature she¡¯d ever faced, able to know precisely where her thread was, destroying critical connections to scramble the essential senses she utilized.

    He threw her into unknown places and tracked her movements as if he were Azalea, picking apart every twitch her body made and countering while making it look simple.  The angering part was how often he talked about the talent of her sisters, which she lacked, and coupled it with past events to illustrate his points.

    It was a tactic to create an opening¡ªit was simple enough to recognize that, but knowing the trick didn¡¯t help the tightness in her muscles at his words.

    Finally, she found him ¡­ He was back in the room with Imiunarus, and he¡¯d actually succeeded in getting the person they needed!  The barrier was down, too!  She could go after her sister¡ªthe issue was the entrance was sealed.

    Eight legs blurring into action, Camellia raced through the destroyed walls to rejoin the fight; if she calmed down, then it would be over sooner¡ªthere were quite a few cracks in her exoskeleton, and she was beginning to feel each blow, though.  If she was going to win this, she had to calm down and think¡ªit¡¯s what her mother would do.

    Past lessons her mother gave returned to her mind, linking the dozens of other thought processes that stitched together, creating her perceptive environmental network.  Observe.  Analyze.  Plan.  Execute.

    However, her hearts trembled as she entered the range of Imiunarus¡¯s Nexus range within the dampening field, still active.

    Camellia rushed around the green fire, skittering across the ceiling, walls, and floor to get to Demon; the giant stood over the pair, mace swinging down to crush the Nalveans with a low chuckle.

    Imiunarus sent one last request to her, voice surprisingly calm as he shifted his muscles as if to jump, only to use his tail to smack Jumi¡¯calro away from Demon¡¯s glowing weapon.

    His final emotions held calm Camellia¡¯s twisted mind.  ¡°... Camellia, he¡¯s been manipulating us the entire time¡ªyet I succeeded¡ªLecra¡¯Moro and I did it together.  Jumi¡¯calro will join us if you protect him¡ªthis is your part, Camellia ¡­ it was a pleasure getting to know you¡­¡±

    The Assassin¡¯s frame was flattened, causing a ripple effect to cascade through Camellia¡¯s being¡ªshe¡¯d lost both the soldiers the Empress entrusted to her.

    ¡°Pointless struggle!¡±  Demon chuckled, drawing back his weapon again.

    Camellia did something she didn¡¯t think was possible¡ªher kidnapped sister would take secondary priority, and it was all because of her two fallen companions; a few of the humans told her about such things as friends, but she never understood it until now.  Her two friends had died to execute their mission¡ªit was up to her to complete it.

    Drawing what few threats that remained in the area toward the pair, Camellia pulled Jumi¡¯calro away as she spun in a circle; it was the first time Demon was unguarded, and she took full advantage of it, abdomen smashing against Demon¡¯s left leg.

    ¡°What?!¡±  he yelled, Jumi¡¯calro barely escaping the blow as Camellia calculated everything with precision, mind finally settled and focused.

    The electricity connecting the piece to the body broke, releasing a sharp discharge that she narrowly avoided, bristling hair across her frame warning her of the counter-attack as Demon tumbled to the ground.

    JadeFire was expanding, and Jumi¡¯calro took the hint, running to the nearby elevator that he fiddled with to start.

    ¡°No!¡±  Demon shouted, but Camellia¡¯s legs were already at work, disarming him, throwing all of her charged momentum at the part, causing it to break off and fly through an open hole.

    She winced as he grabbed one of her legs with his free hand, crushing it and sending her flying toward the JadeFire, but her webs caught her mid-flight, and she launched back, crashing into him.

    They tumbled into a wall, and she released a spray of web to net Demon¡¯s struggling frame as a bolt of electricity shot to his detached leg, drawing it back in, yet she interrupted the flow with another leg, causing a shock to pass through her frame, but it was quickly grounded out by her system.

    Spinning in a sharp circle, she whipped Demon¡¯s wrapped body into a whirlwind, drawing a bit of the JadeFire from the vacuum; the silk was burned through, sending him launching deep into the underground through walls.

    Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s elevator only now started to move, and Camellia rushed inside, causing the Nalvean to whimper, eyes bugging out as he pressed against the wall; his silk ripped as they began moving up at a rapid speed.

    The whole castle was in shambles, walls moving and revealing nothing but flames beyond while they rose level by level, eventually reaching the 2nd-story.

    Camellia shot web out of her abdomen, entangling the shrieking Nalvean, likely thinking she was going to eat him, and placed him on her back with sticky thread; two of her legs were too damaged to use at the moment, but she managed.

    Imiunarus and she¡¯d been in this area before, allowing her to use her acute sense of direction to navigate where they¡¯d come from.  She raced through the hallways, and it seemed the flames hadn¡¯t reached this point yet.

    However, halfway out, the floor exploded ahead of her; JadeFire covered Demon and his burning weapon as he laughed, rising up to intercept them; Camellia went right for the imposing figure, determination set.

    The web she¡¯d been slowly gathering around herself since getting to the 2nd-landing expanded like a spring to launch and twist her around the charged weapon¡¯s sharp jab, landing on the ceiling and passing the obstacle.

    ¡°You thought ¡­ Hmm ¡­ You¡¯ve calmed, I see¡­¡±

    She soon left the fiend behind, but not long after, her senses picked him up again moving through the hallway below; he was gaining on her.

    Camellia decided to go on the offensive with the barriers down, she¡¯d been preparing it for a while, and it was time for it to be put to use.  Jumping into a side room with large ceilings that connected both the first and second level, she threw Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s bundled form onto the roof.

    Demon was quick to intercept her, pausing at the broad doorway, just large enough for him to fit through.  ¡°He-he-he¡ªYou certainly are a resilient species; I¡¯ll say that.¡±

    JadeFire was her only obstacle with the fiend; she¡¯d discovered a means to fix that, though.  She launched a bundle of silk at him that he tried to swat away with a laugh.

    The moment it neared the mace, she used something Violet had invented as a child; it was one of the few things she learned from her sister that she managed to perform.

    It exploded in a mass of thread before sending another signal through the thread attachment, causing it to constrict around Demon; he understood her plan from watching them for a lifetime; the JadeFire would burn through it in seconds.

    Yet, what he didn¡¯t expect was the next level of the skill that she¡¯d gained from the Empress¡¯s network, helping her bridge the talent part she struggled with; small bursts of constricted air twisted it into a cyclone, stripping the JadeFire off his form and sending it back into the hallway.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ Something copied?¡±  he asked in surprise.  ¡°You never could match¡­¡±

    Ignoring his jab, Camellia threw Jumi¡¯calro at Demon¡¯s chest, expanding the sticky silk around him into another net, linking the two; it was a move he wouldn¡¯t expect.

    She jumped on him as he became entangled, and before he could break free, she wove silk faster than she¡¯d ever managed before, only able to accomplish it because her Undead form allowed her to bypass the pain of the process.  Layer by layer, she wrapped the two together, using it as a wedge to break apart Demon¡¯s limbs and harden them in casts.

    ¡°... Ha-ha-ha!  You have exceeded my¡­¡±

    His laughter faded as she entombed him in the thick, hardened thread, pushing Jumi¡¯calro back to the surface as the web wove around him.

    She was panting, body feeling spent¡ªalmost all of her energy reserves were used on this last push; it was the plan she¡¯d come up with the moment she started to think clearly and noticed how the limbs reacted when separated.

    ¡°W-What is happening?¡±  Jumi¡¯calro asked in shock.

    ¡°I saved you¡­¡±  Camellia gasped, pushing herself to gather the pieces of Demon¡¯s disassembled form and place them on her tired back.  ¡°... C¡¯mon ¡­ before the JadeFire does what Demon couldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    He numbly followed her as she broke a section of wall, limping out of the manor and picking up the two Nalvean females Imiunarus favored¡ªit was the least she could do.

    We did it ¡­ We captured Demon, too ¡­ We did it¡­

    She guided Jumi¡¯calro and the panicked Nalveans around the grounds and over the nearby wall; JadeFire was now spreading across the manor, showing signs that something was dreadfully wrong underneath the foundations as parts of the earth crumbled, displaying the flaming chasm below.

    Camellia eventually had to carry Jumi¡¯calro, moving at a slow, methodical pace to evade Nalveans¡ªshe didn¡¯t have enough strength for stealth or the ability to hide those she took.  Still, it was a victory¡ªeven if it came at a sacrifice.

 B2 â€” 38. Despair And Hope

    Elinor got to her feet as she felt the death of Lecra¡¯Moro, and if the intimidating Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter had fallen, then she feared for the others.

    ¡°Empress¡ªIs there something I should do?¡±  Violet asked, sensing the loss of her junior, and concern touched the girl''s heart as she thought about her sister being nearby.

    Nukulara¡¯s mouth was closed after her statement, silently following her to the balcony as she sorted through the unforeseen event.  Edmon hadn¡¯t even noticed since the assassins weren¡¯t under his supervision¡ªcurrently, Violet was in charge of the branch while her mother was missing.

    No, it¡¯s too far away.

    Edmon¡¯s concerned tone linked with her mind through the Nexus.  ¡°Is something wrong, Elinor?  You¡¯re rattled.¡±

    Clearing her throat, she gave the Emperor a forced smile.  ¡°If you could give me a moment¡ªa situation has just occurred.¡±

    He nodded, his gaze still on her instead of the calm night view of Shi¡¯Shuka and the Great Ruby Lakes.

    The soft glow of the lights dotting the Empire¡¯s streets mirrored the stars above, and the gentle breeze blew back Elinor¡¯s braided hair.  However, the incredible nighttime sight was not what pulled Elinor¡¯s eyes.  She gazed in the direction of Camellia and Imiunarus while pulling everyone nearby into her Nexus chatroom.

    Lecra¡¯Moro just died¡ªJumi¡¯kerune is proving to be more dangerous than we thought.

    ¡°No!¡±  Aileen moaned.  ¡°I really liked the big gorilla guy¡ªHe threw me in the air like my dad used to do.¡±

    ¡°He was nice,¡± Quin solemnly replied.

    Klaus popped his tongue.  ¡°This ¡­ is concerning.  Lecra¡¯Moro was among the ten strongest Undead inside the Empire.  If he was killed, then that¡¯s a major blow against our forces.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s deep growl reverberated through the Nexus, ¡°The question we should be asking is what are we going to do if their whole unit is wiped out?¡±

    I don¡¯t even want to think about that, Elinor mumbled, her heart chilling as she pulled more from her Lich side.  However, if that is the case, then we may not be able to free Tal¡¯tamine, which would stress our relationship with Nukulara.

    ¡°If I may,¡± Castella interjected.  ¡°Has Camellia or Imiunarus died?¡±

    Not yet ¡­ heh.  Are you suggesting I have faith in them?  Elinor asked, her face softening a little.  If so, then you could be right.  Until they all fall¡ªI will put my trust in them.

    ¡°... Poor Loco¡¯moto,¡± Aileen mumbled.  Emelina privately corrected the twelve-year-old girl, causing her to bluster, ¡°L-Lecra¡¯Moro, I mean!  I¡¯m sorry...¡±

    ¡°He-he-he, I don¡¯t think he¡¯d mind, Dear,¡± Klaus replied.  ¡°You might be right, though, Castella, Empress¡ªCamellia is stronger than Lecra¡¯Moro by a decent margin, and Imiunarus is clever.¡±

    ¡­ Then we wait.

    Elinor counted down the minutes, gut tightening as Imiunarus¡¯s death sent a pin through her heart, but Camellia didn¡¯t follow, and after standing in silence for several minutes, she could feel Camellia on the move again; it was faint, but she was making her way to the north.

    Breathing out a sigh of relief, she told the others.  Klaus, Castellia, Violet, and Edmon went into a private section of the Nexus to discuss it as Elinor returned her attention to the Emperor next to her.

    ¡°Has it been resolved?¡±  he asked, studying her body language.

    ¡°Yes, and no.¡±  Elinor¡¯s hands tightened behind her back, glaring at the lake.  ¡°... Two of my people are dead.¡±

    Nukulara followed her eyes, and his nose creased.  ¡°I see ¡­ The ones you sent after Jumi¡¯kerune ¡­ What of my daughter?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Honestly, I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± Elinor pulled back her hair, green irises shifting to the upset father and ruler.  ¡°The strongest of the three survived and is on her way back¡ªbut at a much slower pace than I would expect of her.¡±

    The salamander man¡¯s jaw worked for a moment, sharp emerald gaze fixated on the lakes.  ¡°... I¡¯ll send a fleet to recover her and an investigation unit to Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s Estate.¡±

    Elinor turned away from the city.  ¡°That would help¡ªShe is cautious, though; Klaus should accompany them to point your men in the right direction.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡±  he questioned, trailing after her as she went inside.

    ¡°As much as I wish to see Camellia¡¯s return to understand precisely what has happened ¡­ I must return home.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  Is it that urgent?¡±

    Elinor glanced at Violet¡¯s tight hands, enclosed at her front; she feared the potential loss of her mother and sister, but at least they knew Camellia made it out alive¡ªeven if she couldn¡¯t get their target, coming back alive was far more critical to Elinor.  ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°... I understand,¡± Nukulara sighed.  ¡°When do you suppose you will be able to return to finish our discussion?¡±

    Elinor slid her fingers across the back of her silken throne, her mind returning to the task ahead of her.  ¡°If things go as I hope, I will be back in your lands within days.  If not ¡­ I have many things to consider.¡±

    Nukulara watched her fingers as they moved down the side of her chair to rest on its side.  ¡°I have made many difficult choices for my Empire, Empress Elinor, and there is no easy way out of such situations.  If you require aid, then do not be a stranger¡ªI sense a strength in you that befits a Ruler, and your expansion will only help my own people.¡±

    A smile touched her lips, and she gave him a thankful smile, the gratitude in her breast made possible by her Religious System.  ¡°Thank you, Emperor Nukulara¡ªwhile my visit to your nation has caused some issues, I am left with a positive view that we may benefit each other.¡±

    ¡°On the contrary,¡± Nukulara chuckled, ¡°it is you that has exposed many flaws and weaknesses within my Court and culture that requires addressing.  Tal¡¯tamine is still too young to take my place, but I believe it would do her good to spend time in your Empire once things have been resolved.¡±

    ¡°I would enjoy that,¡± Elinor returned, feeling at least a bit better knowing she finally had an ally in this cruel world.  ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I have business to attend to back home.¡±

    ¡°Of course, and¡­¡±  He walked over to a nearby table with some kind of chalk-like stick and thick paper.  ¡°What are the names and descriptions of your people¡ªI will see to it that they are returned to you, if at all possible.¡±

    ¡°I would like that¡ªbut my ambassador will be able to provide that information.¡±

    ¡°Ah, right¡­¡±  He gave her a respectful nod and gesture.  ¡°Until we meet again, Empress Elinor.¡±

    Elinor returned the gesture and made her way out; Violet had difficulty getting past his elite guards but managed it since their attention was centered on her while exiting with the High Ruler.

    Edmon and Violet escorted her back to the docks, where Quin was waiting with the rest of the crew; Klaus escorted Aileen to the boat earlier, and Jumbi had the ship stripped of everything heavy to provide the swiftest return possible.

    To her surprise, Elluinara and Kolira, the Mother Superior, were on the deck when she arrived, giving the two Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Drones she¡¯d brought unsure glances; the spider creatures were as still as Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s statue below.

    She had Aileen go down to double-check to be sure the Seraph was there as she made it on board, meeting with the Ri¡¯bot and her adopted Nalvean Seaweaver daughter.  ¡°Ah¡ªI heard the two of you wished to speak to me.¡±

    Jumbi made his way across the large ship to give her a respectful bow before the other two could respond.  ¡°Empress Elinor!  Not a soul has been into the sealed room since your departure.  Are we to set off immediately?¡±

    ¡°We are¡­¡± Elinor cut off with a wry smile as Aileen¡¯s voice entered her mind.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ Empress, the door was locked ¡­ I think I broke it.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l?

    Aileen¡¯s gasp almost gave her a heart attack.  ¡°Empress!  She¡¯s¡ªShe¡¯s so pretty!  She¡¯s really going to come back¡ªan angel?!¡±

    Yes, Aileen.  That¡¯s why we¡¯re rushing to return.  Stand guard inside for me and let me know if anyone tries to go inside.

    ¡°Roger!¡±  she chimed, and Elinor could practically see the girl giving a salute to the air while closing the door.  ¡°No one gets near the angel!¡±

    ¡°Empress?¡±  Jumbi asked, Elluinara and Kolira giving her questioning stares.

    Edmon¡¯s deep voice caused their focus to snap to the intimidating armor-clad knight.  ¡°The Empress is issuing orders.  How soon until we can cast off?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡ªimmediately!¡±  Jumbi swiftly replied, shouting commands at his crew to get them on the move.

    Elinor motioned to the Ri¡¯bot and Nalvean woman as they hugged themselves with uncertainty.  ¡°What did you wish to speak to me about, Kolira?¡±

    The elderly toad woman cleared her throat, watching the silken throne an invisible Violet refashioned for Elinor at the bow.  ¡°I, umm ¡­ I wanted to discuss the workings of my people when we migrate to your lands¡ªWe are accustomed to these Great Lakes, Empress.¡±

    Sitting down and folding her legs, Elinor¡¯s gaze bounced between Nalvean Seawayers as they prepared to set sail; the Seawayer Ri¡¯bot she¡¯d brought was aiding in the ship¡¯s needs.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ It¡¯s good you¡¯ve decided to come¡ªTiffany will be able to tell you how the Clavex Clan can assimilate into our lands, using the skills you¡¯ve fashioned here.¡±

    ¡°Tiffany¡­¡±  Elluinara whispered.  ¡°Have I met her?¡±

    Elinor shook her head.  ¡°I don¡¯t think so.  She was busy when Klaus brought you to the Empire.¡±

    The two women looked at each other and then bowed to her.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress,¡± Kolira said, retreating a bit away to discuss things with her adopted daughter.

    They¡¯re nervous, Elinor commented, studying their shifting posture.

    Edmon stared at the pair.  ¡°It¡¯s to be expected.  They¡¯re in the middle of what they see as a war of the gods, and there is little protection in-between.¡±

    Right¡­

    As they began to move, Jumbi returned; the Nalvean had no trouble making his way across the rocking ship.  ¡°... Empress, might I have a word?¡±

    ¡°You may,¡± she said, looking up at the strange sea birds flying overhead.

    ¡°Sailing upriver and into the valley, umm¡­¡±  his lips tightened while staring at the large four-armed Quen¡¯Talrat on his deck.  ¡°According to the directions we were given, it will take a day to arrive at our destination.¡±

    ¡°A day¡­¡±  Elinor whispered, hating how long it took to get places in this world; it should have been less than two hundred miles to her city walls.

    Edmon refrained from a chuckle at her annoyance.  ¡°A day¡ªIt took us nearly that long to reach Shi¡¯Shuka sailing downriver, and with support gems that filled our sails when needed.  A day upriver is impressive.¡±

    Jumbi¡¯s expression brightened.  ¡°Indeed, High Ruler Edmon!  Our ship is among the fastest merchant vessels with our Seaweaver pair.¡±

    Elinor gave him a false smile.  ¡°We¡¯re in your care.  A day should be fine.¡±

    In truth, she hated the prospect of losing a single minute without Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s presence; the Seraph¡¯s calming security didn¡¯t come from just her serene presence, but the power she exuded.

    Edmon and Jumbi got into a discussion about sailing, her Doom Guard gaining intelligence on areas they hadn¡¯t been yet while Elinor blankly stared ahead, watching the choppy waves of the massive river.

    Aileen mourned Lecra¡¯Moro a bit on the journey back, talking to Edmon, who was way more patient than Elinor¡¯s father had been.  He let the girl talk about the limited memories she had of him, and Quin joined the conversation.

    Jumbi had special lanterns with expensive fuel that lit up the night, allowing them to keep track of the rocky areas of the deep, snaking river, and Elinor spent the trip in her mind, focusing on returning north to where Iris¡¯s signature was growing stronger and stronger.

    However, it was during the following day that something peculiar occurred that had her worried.  Most of the crew had fallen asleep as they exited the dangerous areas between the Nalvean Empire and her own, passing into the valley an hour ago.  Edmon¡­

    ¡°Yes?¡±  he asked, turning his gaze from the distant shoreline on both sides to give her his attention.

    After everything in the Nalvean Empire, she¡¯d continued to pump everything into her Death Pool, increasing it by a significant margin.

    Death Pool III: (3,842DE Cap (3,787DE Before Investing Points); Currently 3,934/3,842DE) Passive, Summoning, Level Four, Intermediate, Rank Three; this energy source is affected by the Endurance Stat.  The glow of Monarch of Death¡¯s crown jewels and the user¡¯s eyes increase based on its current levels.

    <ul>

    <li>Overpowered III: Reactive Link Skill, Summoning, Level Four, Intermediate, Rank Zero; grants a 22%  reduction of Death Energy loss on Energy to a limit of 1650% (Max: 63,393 Death Energy) more can be stored temporarily, however that will not be at a reduced loss.  Excess Energy has a Decay Rate of 8 hours, plus the amount of loss reduced.</li>

    </ul>

    She was getting closer to the 6,405 Death Energy she needed to raise Transcendent Intelligent Undead without the help of the Life Fruit, but the drain of her surplus appeared to cap with the amount given by her Religious System at 4,134¡ªat least, that¡¯s what she¡¯d thought.

    Over the past two hours, that consistent flow of energy was getting lower and lower.  She wasn¡¯t losing followers, yet the amount of Death Energy they provided was lowering, and by significant amounts.

    Something¡¯s happening to my followers¡ªWhat would cause them to not give the consistent energy they¡¯ve been providing until now?

    ¡°Is it that bad?¡±

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    It¡¯s noticeable, Elinor grumbled, glaring at the sun, high overhead; Violet had crafted an umbrella that shaded her from the heat.  I can¡¯t tell which direction is lacking, though.  What does it mean?

    Edmon shook his head.  ¡°I can¡¯t say.  If they¡¯re not killing or eating, then it could be a cultural fast ¡­ scarcity in food, for whatever reason, or any other number of possibilities.¡±

    ¡­ Why do I feel this is an omen?  she growled.

    ¡°Heh¡ªbecause everything feels like an omen in this world ¡­ We do have Demon actively working against us.¡±

    True¡­

    Elinor, Edmon, and Violet¡¯s unease grew the further they traveled upriver.  At first, it was just the unusual activity in her followers, which could be anything, and then they came into range of the docks Edmon had built, and the Undead that was stationed there didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡­ Can I panic now?  Elinor mumbled.

    ¡°It is unusual¡­¡±  Edmon whispered.  ¡°Quin, swim ashore and go ahead to scout things out.¡±

    The Quen¡¯Talrat acted instantly, causing the few Nalvean on the deck to jump in fright as the towering ape leaped over the side and began swimming to shore.

    Doing a quick check of her people, Elinor¡¯s vision fixated on the shifting greenish-blue waves of the river.

    Klaus was nearing Camellia, and given the direction her internal compass pointed to, they were somewhere close to the Everglade Mountains.  The fact it had taken Camellia so long to traverse the Sea Grass Plains</a> told her something was wrong.

    Emelina was still in the direction of Shi¡¯Shuka with Castella, keeping Aluix safe until they could puzzle out why Demon wanted him dead.

    Interestingly, she could still sense the death locations of Kimlira, Imiunarus, and Lecra¡¯Moro, allowing her the ability to find the exact place they were slain if she drew near.

    She was North of them, her entire Empire, hundreds of her unintelligent soldiers, Tiffany¡ªeveryone, including Iris beyond the blizzarding mountains, above the massive Quen¡¯Talrat wasteland.

    Rigrach was at the docks, ten miles to their northeast, yet he didn¡¯t respond to her inquiry.  Ordinarily, she¡¯d be thrilled to not suffer through the bird¡¯s odd way of speaking, but this was different.

    Quin traveled upriver, swiftly outpacing them, and when she reached the reverse u-shaped bend where the dock was located, she paused.  ¡°... Empress ¡­ There is a thick fog ahead.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t enter it yet,¡± Edmon ordered.  ¡°Move along the edge and see if there is anything you can discover within it.¡±

    Elinor held her breath as the giant ape reported back what she saw.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ It stops at the cliffs¡ªIt overshadows part of the river.¡±

    ¡°Over the docks?¡±  Edmon pressed.

    ¡°Yes ¡­ I see small animals within¡ªEverything sleeps.¡±

    A groan shook Elinor¡¯s chest as she slumped back, staring dully at the bending river.  Is it moving?

    ¡°No.  It is keeping its position.¡±

    Edmon cleared his throat with uncertainty.  ¡°Elinor ¡­ This may be Tiffany¡¯s doing.  She used a ritual spell like this to deter the Ri¡¯bot from following us when we were first born.¡±

    So ¡­ why would she make it again?  she asked, dreading the answer.  Did Baxter attack and it was the only option?

    ¡°... I can¡¯t say, but¡ªthe spell Tiffany used didn¡¯t affect the living dead, which is suspect.¡±

    Great ¡­ What do we do then?

    ¡°¡­ We improvise.¡±

    Edmon went to the back of the ship to where the helmsman and captain were.  ¡°Jumbi, there seems to be fog ahead, and it might have magical properties to put those that breathe it into a deep sleep.¡±

    ¡°Erm ¡­ Excuse me?  Fog that causes sleep¡ªWell, I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve heard of that before ¡­ Is it at our destination?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°Footlicker,¡± the captain grumbled.  ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the plan?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s shield appeared in his hands from cracking ice.  ¡°We will anchor away from shore, and we will take one of your smaller rowboats to shore with the Empress.  Will you stay in case we must make an escape?¡±

    He gave the armored man a strained laugh.  ¡°Heh¡ªI will, but can you at least tell me what we are dealing with¡ªIs this not your land?¡±

    ¡°I wish I could tell you,¡± Edmon replied, shifting his tower shield in his hand.  ¡°There is a small group after the Empress¡¯s life, and it may be them; if you feel in danger or anyone else tries to approach you, leave back to Shi¡¯Shuka as swiftly as possible.¡±

    ¡°... Well, heh,¡± he scratched the back of his neck while staring at his helmsman.  ¡°Who said this trip would be without event?¡±

    ¡°I believe it was Usitria, Captain,¡± he chuckled.

    ¡°Right ¡­ She owes me a drink.  Very well, High Lord Edmon.  We will heed your advice.  May the Empress return safely.¡±

    A smile was in Edmon¡¯s tone; he¡¯d grown more fond of the captain after sharing ship design theories.  ¡°Let us hope.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to the youngest Spider Sister.  Violet, you still have the web network spanning the jungle?

    ¡°I do.  When we make it to shore, I can access it and perhaps communicate with Azalea.¡±

    As Edmon said¡ªLet¡¯s hope.

    When they made it to the obscured docks, it was reaching sundown; they¡¯d made better time than Jumbi thought.

    Getting in the small boat with Violet, Aileen, and Edmon, her Doom Guard created a frozen platform in the water, tying a rope to it before expertly maneuvering the Seraph¡¯s imprisoned corpse out of the storage area and onto the makeshift attachment.

    They made consistent progress with Edmon¡¯s even, consistent strokes, making it to the sandy shore within twenty minutes.  As her Gatekeeper pulled in Sari¡¯a¨¦l, he lifted her up by the base; he¡¯d have to carefully navigate them through the short patch of jungle before they got to the semi-clear path they¡¯d fashioned over the previous week.

    A shimmering transparent shell surrounded their group, including Quin¡¯s large frame, as they entered the silent fog.

    Edmon¡¯s shield kept the magical mist at bay; they didn¡¯t require air to live, in any case.

    Just before getting to the path, Violet stopped them to examine her network, probing silk scanning for the threads she¡¯d left behind for her sister.

    ¡°... I found it¡ªHmm¡­¡±  Violet¡¯s reserved features cracked a little with concern.  ¡°... The whole jungle sleeps within¡ªmiles and miles of resting creatures¡ªinsects, animals, reptiles ¡­ the Undead.¡±

    Edmon adjusted his grip on Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s waist to look at the black-haired spider woman in a human guise.  ¡°The city?¡±

    ¡°I cannot tell.  I did not lay my sensory thread within.¡±

    Aileen lifted her fingers to bite her nails, pausing just before the act; the Head Maid had been trying to break her of the habit.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Are all the other maids okay?  They all are nice¡ªWell, Adronica is usually pretty annoying, but she¡¯s alright.¡±

    We¡¯ll see, Elinor whispered.  Let¡¯s go to the source, Edmon.  We need to know if this is happening inside the city walls, too.

    ¡°Then we press forward¡­¡±

    Quin lowered herself to their level.  ¡°Empress, would you like me to carry you?¡±

    Elinor chuckled.  ¡°That would be lovely ¡­ Walking through a jungle is¡ªbothersome.¡±

    ¡°I like it!¡±  Aileen chimed with an innocent grin.  ¡°I just can¡¯t get too muddy, or Emelina will get mad¡ªMaids aren¡¯t supposed to get dirty!¡±  she mimicked with a controlled look, trying to emulate the woman before bursting into laughter.  ¡°She¡¯s so awesome!¡±

    I like having Emelina around, too, Elinor whispered, smoothing out her large skirt to sit on Quin¡¯s caring hand.  Let¡¯s finish this, get Iris back, and¡ªI think we deserve some kind of party after everything we¡¯ve been through.

    ¡°Sweets!¡±  Aileen cheered; Elinor wondered if the sugar in this world might be somehow even more addictive or if the girl was just manic for the flavor.

    Their journey became smoother as they made it onto the path; Elinor saw sleeping birds, large furry animals, Ri¡¯bot, and her unresponsive Unintelligent Undead along their journey.

    She smiled up at Sari¡¯a¨¦l as they continued their silent march through the wet jungle, making their way to Nethermore, her capital city of the dead.  The angel¡¯s radiant energy helped to calm the nerves her Religious System allowed through.  Soon ¡­ Very soon.

    Sleeping Yaltha¡¯ma became more frequent as they neared the black towers and walls; the front gate¡¯s bridge seemed to have been mostly repaired by Amra¡¯Cora and her Quen¡¯Talrat Unit while they were away, but the deathly silence and thick mist reminded Ellinor of the mystery this place held the first time she¡¯d entered through its broken battlements.

    Her streets were far cleaner than when she¡¯d left; they¡¯d been busy¡ªit wasn¡¯t long until she saw unconscious humans resting near each other in groups of three.  It seemed a buddy system had been invoked by Gwen.

    The fog shifted around their bubble, revealing new sights with every step they took, and after miles of walking, they made it to the palace; its doors were wide open, showing that the mist had fallen upon the city during daylight.

    Elinor followed the enchanting haze that showed happy children in the middle of the hallway, leading to her Throne Room.  Everyone wore a content, resting stillness that told of fantastic dreams behind their closed eyes.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Tiffany¡¯s in the Life Fruit room,¡± Edmon mumbled.  ¡°Are there any threats, Violet?¡±

    The girl¡¯s threads were scanning much of the palace with her invisible silk.  ¡°... I cannot sense anything dangerous¡ªAzalea sleeps with Tiffany; the doors in the back are open.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s tone darkened.  ¡°Tiffany would never leave it open¡ªIt must be a trap.¡±

    ¡°... I don¡¯t sense anything,¡± Violet repeated.  ¡°All there is is the fog and¡­¡±

    Her head snapped up as a soft male chuckle echoed around the room, causing all of them to search for the source.

    ¡°I sense nothing!¡±  Violet growled.  ¡°It¡¯s¡ªIt¡¯s coming from several places at once¡ªThere¡¯s nothing there!¡±

    Edmon set Sari¡¯a¨¦l down as a sizeable raven-like</a> creature appeared out of the mist with a flourishing motion.  ¡°I bid thee welcome to the Waltz of Felicity, Empress Elinor; I have learned much about you from those that fear you!¡±

    Aileen¡¯s mouth dropped open.  ¡°It¡¯s a bird!¡±  she pointed in astonishment.  ¡°... It has funny legs.¡±

    ¡°Quin ¡­ You can¡¯t run with this fog surrounding us¡ªWe¡¯re trapped inside my shield.¡±

    ¡°I will protect the Empress with my body!¡±  she assured, her three free arms encircling her.

    ¡°... You must be Baxter,¡± Elinor said, doing her best not to sound intimidated, but he¡¯d put her entire army under some kind of unwakeable sleep.  ¡°What do you want?¡±

    Baxter¡¯s smirking, bone-like mouth and hollow eyes shifted his head as he looked at each of them.  ¡°I¡ªam a lover of the arts, my dear Empress, and those that radiate beauty should not be constrained.  Do you agree?  Liberation!  The joyous act of flight that takes one into the heavens!  Viva¡¯lour¡¯tenir ¡­ Shita¡¯do ¡­ Shi¡¯swi, ala¡¯mou!  Ehua-ahua ¡­ Oh ¡­ oh, such beauty!¡±

    String instruments</a> gently plucked from every angle with a lovely feminine voice that spoke in a foreign language.

    Elinor¡¯s gut tightened; this mysterious creature was someone Iris had trouble with, and judging by what she¡¯d seen so far, he was far beyond what they could deal with.  Edmon might protect her for quite some time, but he didn¡¯t have the offensive capabilities like Iris to handle him.  Eventually, they¡¯d fall.

    However, there was one hope that entered her mind, vision moving to her angel.  ¡°... It really is an enchanting sound, Baxter¡ªI too am an admirer of the arts.  In fact, have you seen my newest piece?  She will be even more radiant than Iris¡ªDo you wish to witness my art?  You may judge it for yourself and see how I free them from the grasp of death.¡±

    Her defenders prepared for a battle, but they¡¯d already lost if it came to that; Violet couldn¡¯t even sense him¡ªher mother was right, this creature was a real threat to her Empire, and her daughters would be useless against him.

    ¡°Ho-ho ¡­ to see the bounds of death broken¡ªsuch beauty I have not witnessed,¡± he vanished into the fog, appearing above them before even fully dematerializing.  ¡°Life¡ªDeath ¡­ the rise and fall¡ªyet to see the liberation of the shackles of the felled is an epic with exploring!  Alas ¡­ I must free my glorious Queen from the leash that binds her, and her daughters¡ªYes, I have seen the light they have inside their ¡­ What is this¡­¡±

    He turned to mist again, appearing to her left, at the edge of the barrier, Edmon following him with his shield.

    Remain calm, Elinor commanded.  We cannot win, Violet.  Don¡¯t try to attack¡ªWe must convince him to allow me to resurrect Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  It¡¯s our only chance.

    ¡°He is indeed powerful,¡± Edmon growled.  ¡°His movements aren¡¯t random; every place he moves is a weak point in the shield that I must cover.¡±

    Aileen cocked her head as he leaned left and right, staring at Sari¡¯a¨¦l through the barrier.  ¡°He¡¯s kind of funny, though!  What¡¯s he doing?¡±

    Baxter was ignoring them.  ¡°Ah-hah-ha-ha-ha!  Such¡ªemotion¡ªraw¡ªdivine energy ¡­ How could I have missed such¡ªprimal beauty.  This is¡ªit¡¯s more than her¡­¡±

    A smile brightened Elinor¡¯s lips as he fixated on the Seraph¡¯s encased form.  ¡°Do you wish to see her ascension¡ªto speak to her?¡±

    He shook his head as if in a daze.  ¡°Ah¡ªheh, I lost myself for a moment.  What is this ¡­ Goddess that can save me¡ªThis tempting</a> pulse of pain, loss, and unbearable hope for salvation within my breast¡ªthis defiance?¡±

    The silence returned as he stared down at her, entirely entranced by the angel¡¯s radiant force, possibly able to read far deeper into the angel¡¯s final emotions before her death.

    ¡°Edmon, bring Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡ªI will show you so much more, Baxter.  If you wish to create art¡ªI promise you, there will be none greater than with Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ she will bring you into a realm of beauty you¡¯ve never tasted, nor could dream.¡±

    ¡°Hoh-ho-ho!  The works of art that will be sung this day will echo throughout time and space!  The glory that our dance will bring shall shimmer like the heavens, exploding with splendor at their choir¡¯s end!  Yes, Empress Elinor¡ªbring about the Waltz of Ecstasy!¡±

    Aileen gasped, jumping up with a cheer.  ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing my dancing!  Yes!¡±

    She figured the girl was having a hard time understanding how dire their situation was since Elinor was being so curious to him, and she gestured to the back room.  ¡°Shall we?  Edmon¡­¡±

    He kept his gaze on the blackbird while carefully picking up the Seraph.  ¡°The waltz cannot start until Sari¡¯a¨¦l returns.¡±

    ¡°Yes!  Yes!  Hurry!  Hurry!¡±  Baxter hopped forward, motioning for them to follow.  ¡°You need this strange fruit, correct?  I have seen it in Tiffany¡¯s dreams!  Come.  Come!¡±  he demanded, and they complied.

    This is it ¡­ Everything comes to this ¡­ We¡¯re lucky Baxter¡¯s such an eccentric.

    ¡°... It was that quality that brought his focus on us, to begin with,¡± Edmon grunted.

    Other earthly music played around them as they proceeded, Baxter, singing alien songs.  They marched through the Throne Room and galaxy-like</a> hallway, pausing before the glorious Life Room.

    Baxter flew around the top of the heavenly designed space, and Elinor was shocked to find the mist unable to enter the area.  Tiffany and Azalea were just outside; it was as if a barrier was forcing the fog away, yet Edmon kept his powerful defensive shell active.

    Elinor directed Edmon to the ritualistic table Tiffany crafted for her, and she wasted no time drawing out the corrupted life force within the fruit, Baxter singing his unintelligible songs overhead.

    Several minutes passed with Baxter¡¯s fervor increasing; it was as if he knew she was getting close to the finishing act.  Taking a deep breath as she gathered the extraordinary amount of Death Energy she needed, Elinor turned, calling upon the nine required butterflies it took to resurrect a Transcendent Spirit.

    ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ finally¡ªbecome mine¡­¡±  Elinor commanded, the emerald flames engulfing the amber-like substance.

    Baxter spun down with an elegant flourish to greet the radiant angel¡ªexcept, when the fire cleared, the amber remained.  ¡°Is ¡­ this it?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes dimmed with confusion and disbelief as The System reported back to her.  Failed¡­  ¡°Why did it fail,¡± she whispered.  No ¡­ no, no, no!  I¡¯m not strong enough to destroy something divine?  Why¡­

    ¡°Empress!  We need to get you¡­¡±

    Baxter¡¯s fingers twitch with agitation.  ¡°... My disappointment is ¡­ immeasurable¡ªmy entire day is ruined ¡­ Oblivion it is.¡±

    Elinor was too stunned to react as the blackbird prepared to attack, drawing in its claw-like black hands.

    ¡­ How did this happen ¡­ Sari¡¯a¨¦l said she accepted¡­

    Her vision fell to the floor; there was nothing she could do at this point.  He had her entire city in an endless sleep; there wasn¡¯t a place she could run.

    Tears came to her eyes as she realized everything she¡¯d done was a waste if it ended like this¡ªthe humans couldn¡¯t survive without her.  No, maybe a few could make it to Yesenia¡ªperhaps they could live with her ¡­ until Demon took his pound of flesh.

    When the chaos of battle failed to happen, Elinor¡¯s vision lifted to find Baxter frozen in place ¡­ Beside her, Edmon was the same, his frost-like aura just as still as the bird.  In fact, everything was still, and not a sound touched her mind.

    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±  she whispered, looking for answers, and it came in the form of a bright radiance that filled a space below one of the white trees eight feet away.

    An elderly male voice spoke from the light.  ¡°... Elinor, I¡¯ve been expecting you for some time.  Come ¡­ We have important topics to discuss.¡±

    A lump appeared in her throat; it sounded so human and familiar¡ªlike her grandfather when she was a little girl, calling for her to come and sit with him and her grandmother when they had family gatherings.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s warning resurfaced in Elinor¡¯s mind.  ¡°If you can show me that you, Empress Elinor, can provide what it is I seek, then I will bow before you ¡­ I am no longer a Daughter of the Sun, seeing as I have fallen, but the Blood Sun will forever be my father, and will never abandon me.  Take me, if you can.¡±

    Take me ¡­ from her father¡­

    A chill ran down Elinor¡¯s soul at the notion¡ªthe thing who¡¯d paralyzed reality itself was beyond this golden gate¡ªthe Blood Sun, and he¡¯d invited her to have a chat about his daughter.

    Taking a shuddering breath, Elinor straightened, cleaned her wet cheeks, and stepped through the portal¡ªall hope was not lost.

 B2 â€” 39. A Divine Father

    Never had Elinor felt so at peace; the anxiety of Baxter, the Blood Sun, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and Iris melted away upon touching the golden portal.  The next moment, she was standing in an endless expanse of nothingness¡ªeverything was white.

    A female angelic figure with ten glorious wings stood before her; this was not the Blood Sun, and she knew it in an instant.  It was as if she¡¯d been connected to some vast cosmic network that had taken her to this location and was sustaining her.

    ¡°Ana''u¨¦l,¡± Elinor whispered, knowing the woman the moment she looked at her; she was the governing angel that acted as the intermediary between the Children of the Sun and the Blood Sun.

    This angel was of a higher status than a Seraph, yet it had no earthly comparison she could use to describe it; she was beyond perfect.  In every sense of the word, from her proportions, skin, eyes ¡­ Ana''u¨¦l transcended her imagination, and the flaming crown-like halo over her head illustrated her dominion.

    She spoke in a similar harmonious fashion as Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  ¡°Elinor, I have been instructed to aid your ascension.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes fell to her breast as she pressed a hand against it; her black fingernails became pure, skin illuminating with the sensation filling her entire soul.  A melody</a>, playing across an endless expanse of realities, worlds, and creatures, resonated in every fiber of her being, praying for the same thing¡ªthe Blood Sun¡¯s deliverance and receiving his comforting hand.

    It was like nothing she¡¯d ever experienced; could her Nexus ever become like this?

    Looking up at the celestial figure hovering above her, Elinor smiled.  ¡°How long until I am able to meet with the Blood Sun?¡±

    Ana''u¨¦l directed her attention to a golden road that stretched out before them.  ¡°As we proceed, things will become clear.  You may ask me whatever you wish, and I will answer.  However, if you were to meet the Blood Sun as you are, everything that makes you who you are would be consumed by his mere presence¡ªeven with my empowering light.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Elinor went forward; the gentle voices wove through her entire being and uplifting her with every step she took as the angel hovered beside her; the path seemed endless, yet that didn¡¯t affect her determination.  ¡°... Who is the Blood Sun ¡­ Why is he doing this for me?¡±

    ¡°You misunderstand,¡± Ana''u¨¦l stated, motioning to an image of Sari¡¯a¨¦l that appeared before them, floating backward.  ¡°The Blood Sun is not doing this for you¡ªit is for his daughter and her alone.  He will answer those questions personally.  I cannot tell you who the Blood Sun is, as I do not know how to properly articulate it.¡±

    She nodded, watching the Seraph vanish in wisps of yellow flame.  ¡°... What of this place?¡±

    The endless expanse of white held a weight to it that increased with every step she took; the soft songs were less sound and more a part of her than anything else.

    ¡°This?¡±  Ana''u¨¦l¡¯s golden irises swept the field.  ¡°We are in what some term the Oltera Nexus¡ªspecifically, your Oltera Nexus.  It is the subtle network within your very Core, and every living being has one, including plants, and the very energy that fills an ¡®existence¡¯ has its own to a lesser degree.  The human Oltera Nexus is more complex than the entire operation of a universe.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Elinor fell silent, taking in the raw energy that spread across her entire body; this wasn¡¯t her artificial body, and it suddenly clicked in her mind.  The portal she¡¯d taken hadn¡¯t actually moved her anywhere but acted as a means to bring her to a state to meet the Blood Sun.

    Her brow furrowed, vision tracing the gold path cutting through the white.  ¡°So ¡­ what do you call this ¡­ What you¡¯re doing to me, and what is happening back on¡­¡±  She didn¡¯t know how to articulate her thoughts.  ¡°... wherever I came from?¡±

    ¡°It is called ¡®quickening.¡¯¡± Ana''u¨¦l created an image of her artificial body, then a transitionary copy of herself, going through various stages.  ¡°The Blood Sun provided a means by which I could guide your progress.  Had I tried myself, your body and spirit would have been incinerated from my presence.  It is by his grace that you may even walk this path.¡±

    She watched her normal body slowly transform, becoming more glorious and energy-like as the process continued.  Her lovely yet lich-like features were being replaced by a vision of perfection.

    ¡°... Because you are divine ¡­ Am I becoming divine?¡±  Elinor asked, searching the serene woman¡¯s face.

    A soft giggle shook her frame, golden eyes shifting to her.  ¡°No, Elinor.  You are being ¡®transfigured¡¯ through this process¡ªa temporary ¡®quickening¡¯ to commune in person with the Blood Sun.  You are not being ¡®translated.¡¯¡±

    Elinor had no clue what all of that meant.

    ¡°In addition,¡± she looked up with a small smile, ¡°I am not divine¡ªperhaps to you.  I am simply a servant of that which is divine, acting as a tool in His holy hands.¡±

    Figuring she wouldn¡¯t entirely understand most of what Ana''u¨¦l said, she ceased her questions.  Time seemed meaningless in this space, and eventually, she came to a golden gate.

    Ana''u¨¦l stopped beside it, motioning for her to continue.  ¡°Beyond is what you truly seek, Elinor.  I am not allowed beyond this point; it is simply too much for me.¡±

    It was a little unnerving to know that something so perfect as this celestial, ten-winged angel couldn¡¯t go where she was meant to step, yet knowing it was only by the enabling power that the Blood Sun extended to her that it was possible.

    Elinor returned the warm smile the woman gave her.  ¡°Thank you for your guidance¡­¡±  Everything within her had changed, including how she perceived reality around her, yet she couldn¡¯t put it into words¡ªshe was a guest inside divinity, not a resident.

    Taking a deep breath, she entered the shimmering light emitting from the illustrious gateway.

    Her vision cleared, breast stilling at the new quintessence that was lifted from her eyes; it was as if a veil had fallen from around her very essence, freedom embracing her with the choir</a> of an innumerable host of heavenly voices.

    Galaxies and supernovae were insignificant; the vast cosmos of eternity were infinitesimal yet permeated with precious souls more immense than the imagination could fathom; there wasn¡¯t a thing she could compare to a single spot in the emptiness before her.

    To her right was a handsome man</a>, but she knew what she saw was just her mind¡¯s trick to conceptualize the creature.  He stood in front of a brilliant white tree that made the Life Fruit look drab and rotten.

    Hands tightening around her front, Elinor¡¯s lips pulled together as he turned to look at her; the paradise around them was a symbol of glory; it wasn¡¯t the golden hues but the emotion itself that penetrated her very core.

    ¡°Elinor,¡± his tone was something else entirely in this state, and he was so gorgeous that she couldn¡¯t even think he¡¯d ever be within reach.  ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±  He turned back to his tree, cupping a fruit unlike any other on the radiant branches with tender care.  ¡°... You wish to take my daughter through a difficult path.¡±

    Unable to really move from the overwhelming presence that encompassed her, Elinor took a few minutes to form her words, yet he patiently waited with a charming smile.

    ¡°... What ¡­ are you?¡±

    She didn¡¯t know why she asked the question or why that would be so important¡ªbut she had to know what he was because her brain couldn¡¯t process it, even after being quickened.

    He grasped his hands behind his back, turning to face her.  ¡°To understand the answer, you would need to become like me.  However, as Founders and Primordials have a classification they¡¯ve given to themselves, so too have the Transcendent.  In a manner, you can understand this¡­¡±

    Dozens of globes surrounded her as he walked to Elinor¡¯s side and pointed to each one.  ¡°These spheres are an ¡®existence¡¯ that operates within a set framework called ¡®The Law of Existence,¡¯ and that is Truth, Order, and Equity.  The depth of those words goes far beyond your capacity to grasp, yet they exist like air and water¡ªthere must be a foundation.¡±

    One of the orbs expanded, shoving the others away, and inside, Elinor could sense infinity¡ªsomething so vast she couldn¡¯t picture it in the smallest degree.

    ¡°Each existence holds what you could not comprehend ¡­ omniverses without number, and between these existences is the ¡®vacuum¡¯ or the base material that these spheres feed upon in a truly endless cycle ¡­ That is where we are,¡± his finger drew her attention to one particular area within the expanded globe, ¡°and this is where you¡¯ve come from.¡±

    The globes vanished as his lips lifted.  ¡°Your next question?¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Elinor¡¯s fingers tightened around each other; she felt like less than a child, ¡°can I ask more?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± he responded, motioning for her to join him by the tree.  ¡°Questions expand the Intelligence and direct your path.  It is doubt that damns and lies that hamper progression.¡±

    Following him, she took a deep breath.  ¡°Should I call you by a name?¡±

    He chuckled, pulling up the image of a show she¡¯d seen in the past; it was unreal, watching this god-like creature bring up an anime character.  ¡°Apollo was the first name that crossed your Intelligence when you saw me.  That is simple enough.¡±

    ¡°Apollo, then¡­¡±  she whispered as the figure vanished.  ¡°You¡¯re beyond everything¡ªeven Demon?¡±  The question seemed silly once she voiced it, comparing this divine entity to something like her archnemesis.

    A sly smile lifted his cheeks as he directed her attention to their left, creating images of phenomenal beings.  ¡°Every existence has its hierarchy of strength when it comes to powerful creatures.  In some of those adjacent to yours are entities such as her, Gloria, First Generation Founder of the Fairies¡­¡±

    The radiant, multi-hued woman in a liquid-like gown suddenly crossed her arms under her ample bosom with a light glare.  ¡°... Honestly, why would you annoy me by creating an image¡ªbecause you knew it would bring my attention?  Did you miss my voice this much ¡­ Oh, going by Apollo at this moment, are we?  You have become rather bold as of late.¡±

    Elinor was speechless; the fairy held an entirely different demeanor and presence as Apollo but was by no means weaker than him by her attitude.

    Gloria turned her exotic celestial gaze upon her with a soft hum.  ¡°I am a very busy person, Apollo, and am observing a rather significant change within my own existence.  If you have to bother someone, you should call Frankenstein.  Humph¡ªstay in your lane.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    With that, shimmering lights surrounded the fairy as she vanished to Apollo¡¯s apologetic bow.  ¡°Always a pleasure, Gloria.¡±

    The charged atmosphere put a forced smile on Elinor¡¯s face.  ¡°She didn¡¯t seem that pleased to see you.¡±

    ¡°Sadly,¡± he sighed.  ¡°Once you have obtained a state to not only observe various existences but mold them, your perspective changes by a great deal.  A creature such as Gloria can sense when others so much as think of her, much less generate an image of their countenance, and depending on its authenticity, the more it draws her eye.¡±

    ¡°He-he-he,¡± Elinor gave him an incredulous look.  ¡°Are you saying you were lonely, so you provoked her?  Her response sounded like a threat.¡±

    He shook his head.  ¡°I did that for a variety of reasons, one of which was to show you there are a vast number of various beings that exist besides me, and I am not a part of your existence.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°If ¡­ you¡¯re not a part of my existence, then ¡­ then why is Sari¡¯a¨¦l in it¡ªIsn¡¯t she your child?¡±

    Apollo created the spheres again, drawing her eye to small lines between each of them.  ¡°There are tunnels generated within the vacuum¡ªareas that make it possible to travel between existences.  They are rare and require an incredible amount of power and knowledge to access¡ªthey are also constantly in flux, and your existence has something the others don¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°The Crystals¡­¡±  Elinor growled, connecting the dots.  ¡°The Searing Concord went through a gateway that transported them through one of those tunnels and into your own existence?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Apollo stated, opening her eyes to a vision of a vast, celestial plane¡ªnot a planet, but a sort of dimensional boundary.  ¡°Knowing where those places are, I set safeguards to keep them from spreading to my own, as have the other creatures like myself, to isolate your existence from ours, and The Children of the Sun act as one of my guardians.¡±

    Elinor was speechless at the Seraph¡¯s radiant home dimension.  Why would she ever want to come to me¡­

    ¡°Ah,¡± Apollo nodded with a short chuckle, looking back at the single shriveled fruit on the glorious tree, ¡°and that is the question.¡±

    Knowing her time with the Transcendent was drawing to an end, Elinor asked what was really on her mind.  ¡°... Apollo, you know who did this to me¡ªWas there someone that did this to me?  Did they take my parents away¡­¡±  She looked up at him with hopeful eyes, finally getting to the core of her emotional turmoil.  ¡°Can you make everything right?¡±

    His smile fell a tad, turning away from her to stare at the tree.  ¡°... I did not stop time, Elinor ¡­ I quickened you beyond it.  Can I return your family to you?  Yes.  Do I know who is pulling the strings behind what some on your previous planet call The Oscillation?  Yes.  Could I reverse it?  Yes.  Could I pluck that seed out of your Oltera Nexus and return you to normal?  Yes.¡±

    Apollo¡¯s soft expression hardened as he turned to her.  ¡°Will I?  No.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±  Elinor mumbled, shoulders slumping at the blocked path, yet she¡¯d expected the answer in her heart.  ¡°You could save so many lives from suffering.¡±

    ¡°Simple.¡±  He reached up to caringly hold the withered fruit in his hands.  ¡°It is because it will not benefit my daughter, and I care nothing for your existence.  Why should I?  It functions off its own rules, and as Gloria warned¡ªI will stay in my lane.¡±

    The realization that the Fairy Founder¡¯s appearance was to illustrate this very point told her he saw past everything.  It didn¡¯t hurt any less, though, yet Apollo went on regardless.

    ¡°However ¡­ even though my darling daughter returned to me, and is awaiting rebirth,¡± his vision darkened, and a fervent heat radiated off his form that threatened to consume Elinor, ¡°the things she saw within the Crystal and across countless worlds changed her¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l is still very young, and malleable.¡±

    The hate in Apollo¡¯s eyes wasn¡¯t directed at the Searing Concord but something else that he saw as harming his child.  His radiant golden eyes turned to her, rage quelling.

    ¡°I care nothing for you, Elinor¡ªit is the truth, and I care nothing for your existence.  However, I care deeply for my daughter, and you can provide her with something she desires.  Look¡­¡±

    A lump dropped down Elinor¡¯s throat as she examined the parched fruit in his cradling hands.  ¡°... This is Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡­¡±

    ¡°... What¡¯s wrong with her?¡±  Elinor worried, vision darting between the healthy pome and the Seraph she was courting the previous day.

    He gave the angel¡¯s fruit a tender smile.  ¡°Nothing ¡­ Sari¡¯a¨¦l is perfect.  Just because my daughter has changed does not mean she is defective.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s throat constricted.  ¡°... Ahem ¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to insult her.¡±

    Apollo stepped back to appraise her.  ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l needs more care than her brothers and sisters¡ªshe has moved into a new stage of growth.  I did not tamper with your life in the slightest until the moment you called upon my daughter¡¯s spirit.  Had I not aided you, the results would have been the same as when you tried to resurrect her.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±  she kept her focus on the fruit that represented the Seraph¡¯s soul.  ¡°I need your daughter to stabilize my nation, fight the enemies at my gate, and rescue a precious follower of mine.  So, I guess what I should have asked from the start is ¡­ What do you want from me, Apollo?¡±

    The smile that moved the Transcendent¡¯s lips was more sinister than Demon¡¯s and far more threatening given the vast difference in power.  ¡°Elinor, I want you to be exactly who you are.  Everything I¡¯ve shown and told you has been for a purpose¡ªeverything I do is for those that know me and call upon my name for aid across my existence¡ªeverything is for the blood¡ªthe binding force that connects my children.¡±

    Elinor shivered as the hair on her neck stood on end; Apollo cared nothing for her but what she would accomplish in the future that somehow benefited his daughter.  There was something that hurt Sari¡¯a¨¦l in a way that drastically changed her, and judging the answer the Seraph gave her, she¡¯d possibly blocked it out herself, but her father wouldn¡¯t overlook it.

    ¡°... I¡¯m a weapon, then,¡± Elinor mumbled, vision falling to the radiant floor, and when she met his brilliant eyes again, her emerald irises had hardened</a>.  ¡°I can accept that.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l is your daughter, and she told me I had to somehow convince you to let me have her¡ªIf you think my goals will achieve her¡¯s, then I see no better outcome.  I will give her everything she seeks.¡±

    Apollo reached up and carefully plucked the withered fruit from the branch, offering it to her.  ¡°... My eye will always be on you, Elinor, yet I will not intervene again.  Ana''u¨¦l will guide you through the transition.¡±

    Hot electricity</a> passed through Elinor¡¯s entire being as her hands closed around Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s spirit; it was hard to breathe, but she worked through it.  ¡°W-What do you mean ¡­ by transition?¡±

    The golden gate had returned without her notice as Apollo directed her toward it.  ¡°Did you honestly believe you¡¯d be able to resurrect my daughter the way you are?  No.  Your seed is nowhere near strong enough to reforge or restrict Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡ªhad you succeeded, the entire galaxy your planet is situated in would have been vaporized by her mere presence.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lip tucked under at the news.  ¡°Then ¡­ The Searing Concord weren¡¯t the ones that did that to your daughter ¡­ They only took the opportunity the other thing presented?¡±

    ¡°You aren¡¯t dumb,¡± Apollo stated.  ¡°Be warned, in going through this process, you will be unlocking something within that seed that shouldn¡¯t be for some time¡ªin short, you will draw more attention than just the entity you call Demon, and my daughter will be heavily sealed from her true strength as to not overwhelm you.¡±

    Even though he refused to help her recover what she¡¯d lost, Apollo was giving her another gift that she couldn¡¯t fully understand¡ªhe was giving her his daughter, and she couldn¡¯t see him doing that without the foreknowledge that she¡¯d accomplish her goals.  Although, that didn¡¯t mean it would come without sacrifice.  She had to remain vigilant.

    She nodded.  ¡°Thank you, Apollo.  I will cherish your daughter and do my best to seek the vengeance she sought and you require.¡±

    He chuckled, giving her a cryptic smile.  ¡°Oh, my little human, there is something far more satisfying than vengeance ¡­ In time.  Now, return and execute exactly what you hoped.¡±

    Elinor wasn¡¯t sure what he meant by something more satisfying than vengeance; she¡¯d probably have to experience it herself to truly understand, but the way ahead was clear¡ªvictory was at hand.  Baxter and his friends would feel the weight of her Seraph and the fire her judgment brought.

    Bowing to the Transcendent was natural before leaving; out of everyone she¡¯d met, Apollo was a being worth worshiping¡ªshe could feel it through the holy network she¡¯d been connected to, and the support he offered to those that trusted him, and even more baffling was the fact he gained nothing from his followers¡ªunlike her.  It gave her a new perspective of divinity and having met an entity so far beyond Demon or anything her imagination could comprehend, it was more than a little eye-opening.

    She passed through the gate to feel a sharp loss of divinity¡ªwords couldn¡¯t describe the infinite strength and reassurance that left her weak, yet Ana''u¨¦l was there to help her through it, providing some kind of intermediary assistance.

    Elinor had one hand on the prickly grass of the Life Room, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s pome clutched protectively against her breast as she panted on the ground.  Baxter and everyone else was still frozen with the ten-winged angel quickening her beyond this universal barrier of time.

    ¡°T-Thank you, Ana''u¨¦l.¡±

    ¡°It is my pleasure, Elinor,¡± she happily responded, motioning to the statue of Sari¡¯a¨¦l; she was floating in the air before her.  ¡°You must release Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s spirit by tearing the fruit open, which will allow you to reunite her with her body.  However, to restrict her, you must unlock what the seed within you terms as divinity.¡±

    ¡°How?¡±  Elinor asked, shakily getting to her feet; it was like she¡¯d gone from a child full of limitless energy to an ancient woman, struggling to even move her decaying bones.

    ¡°I must take what remains of the fruit you hold¡ªa piece of divinity that is far beyond what is required, and bring it into your Oltera Nexus.  Only when drawing upon its divine influence, can you obtain the needed strength to restrict Sari¡¯a¨¦l.¡±

    ¡°... Not reshape like the others?¡±  she asked, trying to straighten her clothes.

    Ana''u¨¦l chuckled.  ¡°No, Elinor.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l does not need reshaping, nor would you have the requirements to accomplish that with this process.  The seed will place restrictions on her already great strength and form around the abilities she possesses.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    Not wasting any time, Elinor took her two thumbs and inserted them into the fruit, peeling it back to reveal a blinding light; when it passed, it was empty.

    The ten-winged angel floated past Edmon, still frozen in place, his barrier useless to the creature.  She held out her loving hands like a mother to caress Seraph''s frozen face, causing the amber substance to evaporate in an instant.

    ¡°Peace</a> be with you, Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ Awake again, and fear no more the wintertide, nor the misery of the coming war¡ªmay understanding come to you.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l expression softened as if asleep, her large six wings falling to the grass as Ana''u¨¦l continued the ritual.  The woman turned, holding out her hand for the fruit, and Elinor handed it to her.

    Her smooth voice echoed around the area from every angle.  ¡°Once of lowly birth, now a partaker of royal blood ¡­ Forever may you reign.¡±  Elinor¡¯s breath caught in her lungs as Ana''u¨¦l pressed the pome against her breast, and it passed into her body, filling her with quivering energy.  ¡°Crowned in glory ¡­ Forever may you reign.¡±

    An internal instinct took over, and she activated Herald of the Empress to release countless flaming emerald butterflies that surrounded Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s sleeping form.  Elinor¡¯s black earrings radiated a red light that transferred to her crown</a>, turning various sections blood red, and a radiant golden halo appeared over the Seraph¡¯s</a> flowing platinum blonde hair as her spirit was returned and the seed connected them.

    A symphony</a> of voices rang across existence upon her rebirth, resonating through Elinor¡¯s entire being from the network Ana''u¨¦l quickened her with, singing praises to the glorious event.  It could have lasted for eternity, but Ana''u¨¦l eased her influence, swiftly bringing her back to this timeline.

    The ten-winged angel gave her a parting smile.  ¡°Elinor, I thank you for taking care of my sister; I will wait for you both in Paradise, crowned in glory.¡±

    With a single nod, she vanished as the world returned to normal.

    Baxter, Edmon, Aileen, and Quin paused for a moment at her sudden change of position in the Doom Guard¡¯s shield, followed by Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s full pink lips, opening to draw in an even breath as her golden irises opened to appraise the world.

    ¡°Magnificent,¡± Baxter whispered, combat-ready body relaxing in awe.  ¡°Heh-he-he-he!  You are ¡­ magnificent!  Yes!  I feel the radiance!¡±

    ¡°Empress?!¡±  Edmon asked, jumping to her side.

    ¡°Empress ¡­ Elinor,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s small smile lifted to her.  ¡°I see ¡­ You succeeded in convincing my father to aid you.¡±

    ¡°N-No!¡±  Baxter yelled as she pulled back her wings and smoothly dropped to one knee, bowing her head.  ¡°No!  No!  No!  It¡¯s wrong!  It¡¯s wrong!  It¡¯s all wrong!¡±  he soon fell into strange bird-like sounds as his large black claw-like wings trembled in frustration.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l ignored him as she rose into the air, focus entirely on Elinor, and the strength she felt from her was phenomenal, yet nothing like it had been; the System had severely limited the Seraph, yet she was still beyond Iris in combat, she was sure, and there had to be some kind of caveat installed after what Apollo said.

    ¡°My orders, Empress Elinor,¡± she asked in a bright tone.

    Elinor pointed at the screaming, dangerous blackbird.  Force him to take you to Iris and bring her back to me; I don¡¯t care how it¡¯s done.

    Several whip-like black flames launched out of thin air, attacking Edmon¡¯s shield, yet at the exact same moment, a golden aura illuminated Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and an equal number of holy beams shot out to intercept and consume the flames.

    In the next second, the silver gemstone fastened on her breastplate brightened, and a divine war ax</a> appeared in her hand, causing Baxter to jump back in surprise as he tried dodging the beams, spinning around the immense ceiling of the Life Room, still pursuing him.

    ¡°As you command, my Empress.¡±

 B2 â€” 40. Divine Warlord

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l</a> called upon Milthren</a>, her divine weapon, as her new master commanded her to take action, eyes tracking Baxter across the room.

    Her body felt trapped in a black hole, yet even when alive, she could have easily escaped¡ªwhatever restriction she was under to not overwhelm Elinor was so great that all of the senses and powers she¡¯d naturally possessed since birth were blocked from her.

    If she wanted to accomplish what her Empress wished, she first needed to understand the shackles weaving throughout her Core.  A new force was implanted in her breast, though¡ªthe Empress¡¯s seed that connected them.

    All action slowed</a> as her golden irises moved to her shifting weapon, currently in the form of an ax; there was weight behind it that she¡¯d never felt, and the divine light she could transfer to the object was like a grain of sand to a galaxy ¡­ She truly was weak.

    The armor she wore was so much more durable than her own power matrix that the material spread out across her figure would protect her better than her power shield¡ªwhat would happen if she were cut?  She¡¯d seen creatures with liquid in their veins, yet the Empress¡¯s returned had a different substance pumping within them; did she no longer have the celestial flames within her body?

    There were so many questions, yet her heart felt whole with the divine chains binding her natural strength.  A warmth and freedom that was released from within her breast when the cords wrapped around her she couldn¡¯t explain.

    Elinor¡¯s System wove through her, studying, morphing around her entire being to simulate her natural talents and gifts as a Daughter of the Sun.  It took its time, having to spread across the entirety of her Core, returning information to Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s mind about her abilities.

    It was funny, really; the thing felt so triumphant with every unlocked skill that reached new heights upon replicating her powers and placing them in her hands.  One ability, in particular, drew her attention that was in a curious condition; by the influence involved, she knew her father had opened it up to the seed when Elinor was in his presence.

    Iris¡¯s location within the Empress¡¯s Nexus became visible as every member of Elinor¡¯s faction birthed inside her mind, including every creature connected to her Religious System.  The seed was thrilled to send her information since she could decipher its actions.

    Skills opened before her, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l tilted her neck to follow Baxter¡¯s slow movements.  They may have been incredibly sluggish, yet he could still dodge and counter Holy Rays III.  The red sash</a> around his body defused unusual energy across its host; every thread was imbued with various forces that provided some kind of protection or offensive capability.

    ¡°... I have had enough of this farce!¡±  the bird roared, hands shifting to leathery wings that emanate a crimson glow; the power was being pulled from the sash to his form, transferring through his spiritual nexus, empowering him.

    The six swirling beams of holy light were met by the gale of red force, dispersing the rays, and he¡¯d maneuvered in such a way as to attack Elinor.  ¡°You are a blight against artistic freedom!¡±

    Edmon¡¯s concerned tone entered her mind.  ¡°I will protect¡­¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s white and gold radiance amplified, wings curving around her floating body as a small smile brightening her full, pink lips; the seed was attempting to replicate her powers and the minute cheers it gave were amusing.  ¡°To ignore me is foolish.¡±

    She overlooked Edmon¡¯s recommendation, moving between Elinor and the red wave and spread her wings, releasing a surge of solar force that combated his attack, Solar Flare III.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s activated Lesser Quicken III, her entire being emanating golden rays that almost instantaneously cut past Solar Flare and Baxter¡¯s combating waves.  Then, moving at extreme speeds to appear before him, she infused Milthren with power, coating the ax in holy flames.

    ¡°I¡ªIncredible¡­¡±  Baxter gasped, space quivering around his form.  ¡°Heh, you¡¯ll have to do better than that, dear.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  the Seraph¡¯s eyes narrowed with a smirk.  ¡°Escaping through spatial folds is quite laughable.¡±

    Baxter vanished as Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s edge cut through the air; he appeared beside the door with laughter¡ªSpatial Rend III¡ªMilthren cut the closed gateway his ability left, fracturing space like it were only glass, allowing the ax to follow its target.

    ¡°... Impossible¡­¡±  Baxter gasped, stumbling back from the breached gateway while holding his chest, holy flames flaring to life from the wound.  A black substance emitted from his sash in an attempt to smother her flames and recover the deep gash.

    A sun-like globe of pulsating radiation grew in Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s delicate fingers¡ªSolar Smite III¡ªas she lifted her free hand to the gateway the creature made, sealed, and she¡¯d blown through, sending a pillar of light half the size of Baxter¡¯s body through.  ¡°What a pitiful performance ¡­ I expected more,¡± she lamented.

    The concentrated beam of nuclear particles transmitted through the spatial hole to be met by a feathery barrier; Sari¡¯a¨¦l shook her head as he was blasted through the open doorway, passing over Tiffany and Azalea¡¯s sleeping forms.

    The effulgence incinerated the raven feathers in an instant, evaporating the emerald crystal underneath to burn most of Baxter¡¯s fluff.

    Baxter flipped through the air, cracked leathery wings glowing red with dozens of fissures across its width, and parts of his wooly coat revealed bone and cracked skin.  ¡°Heh-he-ugggh ¡­ agh!  Yes!  This was¡ªwas such a pleasure ¡­ Oh, but ¡­ this fire¡­¡±  he mumbled, panicked voice reverting to another language.

    Using Lesser Quicken, Sari¡¯a¨¦l was in front of him in a flash of light, yet the silken edge of his red sash flared with black flames before Milthren cleaved him in two.

    Her ax passed through the lingering remains of the haze as it vanished¡ªit never crossed her mind that a creature would take their own life, but after seeing the suicide attack with JadeFire within the Nalvean Empire, the thought came.

    ¡°... Hmm¡­¡±  However, the odd transfer of energy the flames left made her question the possibility; he didn¡¯t bend space like before, yet he¡¯d moved locations in a manner she couldn¡¯t follow in her current weak state.

    He was retreating back to where Iris was, and she couldn¡¯t allow him to do anything to the creature she was supposed to save, which meant¡­

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l looked down at her ax, taking a long breath before activating the skill her father had given her that would grow with Elinor¡ªDivine Release</a> - Stage I.  If she couldn¡¯t follow or overpower him in her current state, then she needed to temporarily reach higher.

    Divine Release - Stage 1/5:  (Cooldown: 1 Week; Cost: ? Strength for 24 Hours; Duration: 2 Minutes; Range: N/A) Active, Divine-Type, Level Link - Elinor, Grade Link - Elinor, Rank Link - Elinor; unseals a minute fraction of her divine inheritance for a short period.

    <ul>

    <li>Chained - If Sari¡¯a¨¦l uses any of the following stages of this ability, the previous stages will automatically be placed on cooldown, and if it was already on cooldown, its current cooldown time would be doubled¡ªwill not be doubled twice¡ª1-week will become 2-weeks for Stage 1.</li>

    </ul>

    A shuddering breath quivered through Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s chest like the weight of what seemed a million suns releasing their pull against her body¡ªHigher Solar Aura III, Advanced Senses II, and Higher Holy Presence III¡ªreactively emanating to eradicate the hidden devices causing the swirling mist around the hall.

    Anything she felt was out of place or an enemy to Elinor was evaporated within her vicinity as her field of perception expanded.  No longer blocked by physical objects standing in the way of her light, a shimmering radiance surrounded her illuminated figure.

    Quicken IV brought her to float in front of Baxter, traveling over three hundred miles in an instant; Sari¡¯a¨¦l gave him a serene smile.  ¡°I believe we have some unfinished business.¡±

    The clouds dispersed from the aura of solar waves as the fibers on Baxter¡¯s sash withered black, discharging numerous automatic defenses while seeking to protect him from the radioactive particles flooding the sky.

    ¡°... Magnificent,¡± he whispered when a purple 3D hexagram encompassed his body.  Still, it was eaten away by the solar effulgence as it forced him toward the rolling hills of infertile soil below, hosting weed-like fields to the north of the Empress¡¯s city.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s attention was pulled away from the falling bird, snatched by the hidden city behind her.  The Seraph¡¯s fingers tightening on her ax¡ªthe cloud-covered island in the sky was producing a massive spatial warp, but there was something else inside the distorted zone.

    Golden irises hardening, she funneled her divine energy into Milthren, causing a few of the runes engraved on it to illuminate as she flipped it around and threw it into the haze, causing a shockwave¡ªthe island was trying to escape, and its protective shells were strong enough to hamper many of her sensory abilities.  Yet, she could still pinpoint its radiating power-core.

    Her weapon disappeared into the fog before a massive explosion erupted outward, sending the clouds scattering as the butt of her ax struck the first barrier, expelling holy flames that devoured the shield; having instantly calculated the proper angle and rotation, it devastated the next four before breaking through the underside of the island and striking the power-core.

    Using her link to Milthren, Sari¡¯a¨¦l activated one of her weapon¡¯s traits, Spatial Lock II, but she didn¡¯t have enough strength to hamper whatever substance the metallic core used.

    Her full lips tightened¡ªIris was so close¡ªshe couldn¡¯t let them escape, and she ran the risk of being teleported to an unknown place if she joined their retreat.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l activated Divine Release - Stage 2.

    Divine Release - Stage 2/5:  (Cooldown: 3 Months; Cost: ? Strength for 48 Hours; Duration: 2 Minutes; Range: N/A) Active, Divine-Type, Level Link - Elinor, Grade Link - Elinor, Rank Link - Elinor; unseals a minute fraction of her divine inheritance for a short period.

    Higher Solar Aura III became Greater Solar Aura II, Higher Advanced Senses II went to Awakening I, and Higher Holy Presence III turned to Greater Holy Presence II.

    The nighttime sky lit like noonday; her splendor tamed the weather, and she funneled energy into Milthren¡ªseconds before the spatial warp completed, Greater Locking III anchored the space.

    Her aura expelled the clouds obscuring the island city; the crack in the translucent barriers was over twelve meters in diameter, and her divine energy was proving too much for the city¡¯s infrastructure, falling one after the other.

    A strange sound, like buzzing insects, filled the air as hundreds of flying creatures took to the sky to intercept her, yet the moment they left the barrier, their warriors were turned to ash and swept away by the wind.

    Tens of thousands of various intelligent beings populating the tundra below gazed up at her in fascination, many doing strange rituals, and with her increased awareness, she knew which were frightened or elated.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s golden eyes widened as her senses penetrated the city¡¯s warping attributes¡ªthere was something very sinister and powerful within.  A dozen or so strong individuals would be somewhat troublesome in her base-state, yet three were far above the rest, and two more hid their true strength.

    The weakest of the three creatures appeared</a> out of a black void several meters next to her; its thin, pale white humanoid form had spikes sticking out of several areas, and a crown-like headpiece was fused to its head.  Thin hair was pulled around from its bulky back to its chest, metallic bindings of power sending energy to its brain through the locks.

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Now that the figure was closer, Sari¡¯a¨¦l knew it was a female of its species.  She held a curved, wicked black blade infused with corruption in her left hand, and gray, otherworldly wood was bonded to her skin, acting as a barrier for the corrupting energy she wielded.

    The thing released a hissing shriek that would have driven most creatures insane; her oversized hands sparked with energy, condensing an unheavenly force to generate a controlled, miniature black hole.

    Her sunken black eyes were seeking to understand her, but it was worthless in her 2nd release.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l absently brought in one of her left wings and flicked it out to blow the alien away, forcing her to retreat; the potent mystical rocks floating around her large blue halo crumbled, releasing purple flames to protect her.

    Something even greater than the alien was on the move; the strongest was recovering at the base of the island, the 2nd most powerful creature was about to make his way to her.

    A storm is coming ¡­ I¡¯m not on equal ground.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l held up her hand with a light laugh, heart burning with a sensation she¡¯d never felt¡ªexcitement for battle; Milthren returned to her left hand to transform into his greatsword</a>-form.  I¡¯m weak ¡­ to think I had to go this far, but I suppose it is why the Empress needed me and why Father granted me access to this unsealing method.  I actually must become stronger ¡­ such a thrilling sensation.

    A chilling silence fell over the sounds of insects, and the odd female creature retreated as gray mist wove out of the shattered barriers of the city, a baleful presence within.  It twisted and turned, combatting Greater Solar Aura II, blanketing the island just before the intense radiation could ravage its surface.

    She activated Divine Release - Stage 3, putting Stage 1 on a two-week cooldown and binding Stage 2 for six months.

    Divine Release - Stage 3/5:  (Cooldown: 9 Months (this planet¡¯s month/day calendar); Cost: ? Strength for a Week; Duration: 1 Minute; Range: N/A) Active, Divine-Type, Level Link - Elinor, Grade Link - Elinor, Rank Link - Elinor; unseals a minute fraction of her divine inheritance for a short period.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l drew back her sword with a small smile as another portion of her divinity returned; if her base form was a single grain of sand in a galaxy, and Stage 2 a small pinch, at the 3rd mark, she was grasping a handful.

    Her entire body was overtaken by holy light, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s tranquil tone greeted the new entity.  ¡°I finally understand what it is Elinor promised.¡±

    Greater Solar Aura II advanced to Lesser Divine Aura I, golden radiance becoming white as the explosion of force stopped the gray mist¡¯s advance, revealing the source</a> within.

    When Higher Advanced Senses II transformed into Greater Awakening V, she saw precisely what she was up against¡ªan ancient fiend.  He wore artifacts far more potent than himself, each with the power to devastate a continent.

    However, one item held her attention, a small sphere with an inner working so complex she couldn¡¯t hope to decipher it, and for good reason.

    Greater Holy Presence II was overshadowed by Lesser Divine Presence I, and the sky became blinding¡ªto look at her would be to witness the sun itself.  Every cloud in the sky vanished, night chased away by her brilliance.  To not glass the land below, she teleported above the city, using the creature¡¯s fog as a barrier, yet the atmosphere parted to reveal the blackness of space.

    ¡°... You have visited the Children of the Sun?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l asked, transferring her divine energy into Milthren to use Greater Holy Rend V.

    The entity threw a shifting, cube-like</a> object into the sky as she slashed the air with her celestial weapon, warping space and leaving a ripple of distorted waves in its path.  It erupted into bright blue lightning, enclosing the two of them in a locked area, yet her attack cut a rend in the fabric of the spatial prison.  The creature tried to block it with a long tail, creating a small gash that released crystal blood.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l spread her wings in preparation to begin the fight when the entity did something she did not expect, taking the Binding Sphere of the Blood Sun and jamming it into his chest.  A noise akin to a meteor impact radiated within the boxed space ¡­ her language, butchered beyond question, yet understandable, nonetheless.  ¡°Offer ¡­ blood for blood ¡­ peace ¡­ understanding ¡­ I leave¡­¡±

    The entity¡¯s face blanched as a flaming halo circled his chest, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l lips parted in disbelief¡ªthe celestial song</a> filled the space as he was linked to The Source ¡­ her father¡¯s sacred power weaving through the Core of his very existence.

    ¡°... You invoke the Song of Peace and Understanding?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l whispered.

    The strength within her fell into oblivion, seals rebinding her divinity as she released the skill, returning to her bondage and the added weight that the Divinity Release Skill imposed; she¡¯d be half her base strength for a week, yet the song of The Source filled her very soul with serenity.

    Her glorious blaze dimming, Sari¡¯a¨¦l glanced left; the strange alien-like creature returned from a void as the blue cube-like prison was recalled.  A black ray of gravity expelled toward her¡ªenough force to crush her within her severely weakened state, yet she simply watched with a small smile.

    The powerful entity beside her transformed into gray smoke, weaving through the air at a blinding speed to neutralize the gravitational force and screeched something in the same harsh language the female alien used, forcefully teleporting her to some unknown location with a ruby substance that surrounded her from the fog.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l clasped her hands behind her back and between her wings, head tilting to the left as her platinum blonde hair billowed in the wind.  ¡°Your comrade is quite blessed that you stopped her¡ª breaking the Song of Peace and Understanding is to void one¡¯s existence from reality.¡±

    He slowly turned to face her, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l looked down at his burning tail as he continued to combat her former power, seeking to consume him.  His jaw parted with a low grunt.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ A Daughter of the Sun ¡­ Yet ¡­ Something is not right.¡±

    * * *

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s clawed feet clicked against the enchanted Ulithian stone floor of his island¡¯s hallways, thick, frilled white hair and shifting blood moving around his face¡ªthe liquid acted as a means of communication among his ancient people, sliding around his large, curved horns¡ªnot that many of his people still lived.

    His gray metallic outfit was comprised of tiny interwoven plates, links that were kept together by the bloodstone on his chest.

    A week ago, he¡¯d come across a fascinating stowaway on his vessel, but it took a few days to brush up on his Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.  It had been many millennia since he¡¯d last encountered the species.

    Using his telekinetic abilities, he opened the door¡¯s lock combination on instinct, walking through to appraise the human-shaped fiend of a million worlds.  Since he¡¯d trapped her, she¡¯d been held in the stasis restraint chamber for further study.

    She had very high mental resilience, which was relatively uncommon for entities of her strength¡ªeven more bizarre, it had advanced to a stage where even he had trouble peering inside her well organized and defended mind¡ªand it happened moments after she¡¯d noticed his intrusion.

    Th¨¦lm¨¦thra had some of the most acute senses out of all the entities he¡¯d examined, it wasn¡¯t a surprise that she¡¯d be able to detect his mental intrusion, yet a few topics weren¡¯t adding up.

    Iris ¡­ the feminine creature, had a level of decorum and mental fortitude of a World Queen ¡­ although her strength for such a title was lacking by far.  Then there was the issue about her biology¡ªthere was the possibility of creating more brood, but it was sealed by some unknown power he couldn¡¯t fathom.

    A fount of energy was well-hidden within her being that escaped him, and it was vexing.

    Another strange connection he¡¯d learned was that this Queen served another, yet discovering who that was had been a challenge, and why she¡¯d chosen to forego the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form was beyond him.  This new body type possibly had its advantages but was far weaker than the raw ability of her original state.

    It seemed the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra had evolved in a rather engaging manner since his prior understanding of the conquering race¡ªand yet there were more of the species on the planet that were nothing like this specimen¡ªIris could transform into the various entities within his fortress.

    He studied her delicate face as her white and black hair weaved in the bright red beam she floated in.  ¡°... Who are you protecting so diligently?¡±

    Sar''ollaz released her from the stasis, keeping her restrained in the field; oddly, she¡¯d been growing weaker over the week, too, which was fascinating.  How she was losing strength in the stasis restraints was another mystery.

    She slowly slid open her calm, deep red eyes, leveling with his solid crimson stare.  Iris had pretended to be unconscious the first time he¡¯d awoken her, but she¡¯d learned it was foolish to waste his time.

    Flicking his long, powerful tail to the left, Sar''ollaz clasped his hands behind his back with a grin, blood shifting around his horns, hair, and face to illustrate the action as he flexed his throat.  ¡°It took me a bit to recall your language, Queen Iris.  I find it rather disturbing you have not submitted to my strength¡ªHas your species moved beyond that genetic marker?¡±

    Iris only returned silence as she meticulously scoped out her restraints, the room, and him with her senses.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  he carefully circled her mental defenses, examining each wall for cracks, yet she was still managing to find ways to seal any advantage he¡¯d spotted the day before.  Walking around her, he talked while studying her body and mind.  ¡°I¡¯ve asked myself, why do I question such simple creatures as Th¨¦lm¨¦thra?  You eat, evolve the next generation, fight for territory, repeat¡ªI¡¯ve killed several World Queens in the past¡ªfearsome foes for me, at the time, and quite skilled in various ways.¡±

    He stopped in front of her again.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Should I assume you were simply here to invoke your instincts?  No ¡­ I think not.  Your method was utterly unfit for the World Queens I¡¯ve met in the past¡ªYou are without daughters and a brood.  What am I missing?¡±

    A long pause ensued as he continued to scan the humanoid Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s form.  ¡°... Why this shape and not your original?¡±

    For the first time, Iris spoke, causing a grin to shift his blood.  ¡°I cannot return to my original state while in these restraints; I could demonstrate it.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating¡­¡±  his head tilted to the side, jaw snapping shut as he sensed Baxter¡¯s return¡ªhe had lost a few of his greatest treasures and was injured yet in high spirits.  In fact, he¡¯d been the same earlier this week¡ªperhaps he should inquire further, but there were times that the Baraayas was true to his race and became rather bothersome to deal with.

    Still, the fact Baxter took a deadly blow was of concern¡ªthere were undoubtedly powerful things on this planet when they¡¯d initially scanned the world.  But, at the same time, nothing of significant danger should have been close enough to offer the Baraayas harm, and he was an intelligent fellow to avoid such instances.

    An explosive aura emanated across the mountains in the city-castle structure Baxter had commented on earlier that week, catching him off-guard.  Nothing like this energy signature should have existed on this plane of existence, let alone this planet¡ªyet it was somewhat weak.

    Oracle responded instantly in her monotone voice.  ¡°Unidentified figure located near Final Bastion¡ªCovenant Member Baxter under assault¡ªlightly wounded.  Stealth Mode Protocols in effect, teleport activation in five seconds¡ªBaxter in critical condition.  Defensive Guard initiated¡ªDefensive Guard neutralized.¡±

    Iris¡¯s cold stare and unresponsive face pulled his focus back.  ¡°... You are concerned.¡±

    ¡°Ah, heh ¡­ have you been analyzing my moods?  You certainly are a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ Mmh ¡­ What is this energy ¡­ to do this to Baxter¡­¡±

    Balmuraun touched his mind with his thin fingers from within the fortress, deathly voice like nails against his skull.  ¡°... Divine Flames rain upon our heads, Sar''ollaz ¡­ White Illumin Protocol.¡±

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s tail went still from the dying elder god¡¯s warning, issuing one of the numerous safeguards he¡¯d developed and taught him over the eons¡ªWhite Illumin was among the most urgent and cataclysmic.

    The island was about to jump following the current protocols after the appearance of the powerful entity¡ªyet in mere moments, the uncomfortable force it released outside struck the shields, ramming through the weakest point.

    A rumble shook the entire island, likely causing most creatures to be thrown off their feet as the weapon dug through the ground shields ¡­ right for the power core, and the shocking part was that it succeeded.

    He didn¡¯t have time to ask questions as Baxter was pushed out of the sky by the mere presence of the figure, defenses crumbling under the intense rays of radiation.

    Sar¡¯ollaz mentally bridging a connection to Oracle, shouting, ¡°White Illumin Protocol¡ªget us to the farthest celestial¡­¡±

    ¡°... Too late¡­¡±

    The unknown figure¡¯s power amplified by impossible margins¡ªSar¡¯ollaz¡¯s blood pressed against his face in astonishment¡ªit was swiftly closing the gap between even his strength.

    Oracle continued to update the residents.  ¡°Teleportation unavailable¡ªenemy¡¯s dimensional lock is in effect, estimated time of next jump ¡­ 42-days.  White Illumin Protocol in effect¡ªseveral functions unavailable¡ªDefensive Perminiters five, four, and three are down¡ªtwo is down, one to fall in eight seconds¡ªall life on the surface to be eradicated by radioactive waves; find shelter.¡±

    Orinvia went to meet the figure, but after the leap, she was no match for their attacker and was blown away, forced to retreat and recover for a counteroffensive.  Worse, he wasn¡¯t focused enough on their attacker when they appeared, and as they grew, it became harder to penetrate the Holy Presence that shielded it.

    Oracle¡¯s soft, monotone voice echoed across the island as he processed what was happening outside, stunned at the monstrous strength this entity was hiding, only releasing the amount needed to combat their response¡ªwhoever this was, it had incredible senses and overwhelming power.

    The White Illumin Protocol items were teleported to his person as he prepared to meet the entity ¡­ Only Sylez and he could match it at this point.  The Vylaerian was currently in the far south, inspecting one of the exciting points this world had to offer.

    Balmuraun¡¯s grave voice echoed in his mind, bringing back memories the old god sent him of a time long in the past¡ªlong before Sar¡¯ollaz¡¯s own race was created, showing a vast, celestial kingdom.  ¡°Resistance is futile¡ªa Daughter of the Sun stands against us¡ªconduct the ritual to discover why and to plead for mercy.¡±

    ¡°I smell death on you,¡± Iris stated, and her lips curved in her suspended position.

    ¡°... Death finds us all, Queen Iris ¡­ It is how you face it that is of worth.¡±

    * * *

    Standing before the divine figure, Sar¡¯ollaz frowned; Balmuraun had grown restless, formless fingers digging into his skull.  ¡°She is no longer ¡­ How ¡­ A Daughter of the Sun that is bound by her immense power ¡­ No ¡­ She is under the bondage of another that holds her divinity as a leash! ¡­ Investigate at all costs!¡±

    He cleared his throat, translating the dying old god¡¯s instructions in the language he projected¡ªit burned his throat and made his mind dizzy¡ªof course, the overwhelming divinity burning through his entirety was more peaceful and terrifying than anything he¡¯d ever experienced in his eons of life.

    ¡°... Your representative ¡­ For Understanding ¡­ For Peace ¡­ Bring ¡­ Safe Passage ¡­ Guaranteed ¡­ By The Name of the Blood Sun¡­¡±

    The heavenly woman¡¯s amused smile and serene eyes held a hidden pity in them that caused Sar¡¯ollaz to quiver¡ªno one had ever put such conflicting emotions in his Core.  ¡°I will return with the Empress¡ªThe Blood Sun watches.¡±

    A bright golden radiance illuminated her before she vanished, flying through the sky to return to the broken castle-city.

    He sent word for repairs and rescue units to be deployed, yet his insides squirmed at the impossible to understand network he¡¯d been joined to and the fathomless eye that rested upon him.

    First an unusual Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ Now, a Daughter of the Sun, leashed by her own divinity  ¡­ Explain what you know, Balmuraun ¡­ You and I are linked¡ªIf this holy artifact erases me ¡­ you cease to exist, as well.

    ¡°He-he-he-he-he ¡­ An opportunity, Sar¡¯ollaz ¡­ To finally be rid of me.¡±

    ¡­ Continue.

 B2 â€” 41. The Invitation

    Elinor could hardly follow the swift movements of Baxter and Sari¡¯a¨¦l; she couldn''t be sure if Sari¡¯a¨¦l was on the offensive or Baxter. Flashes of light sparked across the entire room, radiance expelling in instantaneous flashes as the two creatures fought, and in a matter of seconds, her head darted right as an effulgence erupted from the hallway.

    Edmon''s armored helmet darted in various directions, tone stressed. ¡°Elinor, what happened ¡­ You failed to raise her and¡­¡±

    A heat touched Elinor¡¯s spirit, drawing her hands to her earrings with the overwhelming sensation; Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s strength went to new heights and after the flash of light sent a wave of heated wind rushing into the area, the Seraph was far to the north, near Iris.

    Aileen gasped in shock, pointing at Elinor. ¡°E-Empress! Your crown ¡­ it¡¯s glowing so bright!¡±

    ¡°Your earrings?!¡± Edmon asked in worry, stepping forward as his helmet vanished; her father¡¯s concerned, glowing blue irises shifted between the diamonds Elinor was touching. ¡°The silver charm Tiffany cast ¡­ it¡¯s golden now ¡­ Elinor!¡±

    Her trembling legs collapsed as another flare of power exploded across her Nexus, and a light aura illuminated around every Undead; the glow was destroying the hidden fog devices Baxter had across the fortress and waking those affected. S-Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s unlocking her Divinity, Elinor whispered, suddenly hearing the familiar, gentle melody</a> not only filling her soul, but empowering it to withstand her own immense strength.

    ¡°I¡¯m so warm ¡­ cozy,¡± Aileen whispered. ¡°D-Do you hear that?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Quin whispered.

    Violet¡¯s trembling fingers drew in, hugging her trembling body. ¡°Empress ¡­ I have never felt such ¡­ such controlled power¡ªthis song ¡­ it is so much stronger than Valerie¡¯s.¡±

    ¡°Are we in danger?¡± Edmon hesitantly asked, giving Elinor a questioning look as he brushed back his thick black bangs. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±

    At Violet¡¯s mention, Elinor searched her memory for the Maid, remembering Valerie¡¯s violin performance, and shook her head; it couldn¡¯t even be compared. No, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re in danger any longer.

    She was unable to rise to her feet with the tingling presence coursing through her body, and she knew this was only the tiniest fraction of the angel¡¯s real strength¡ªinconsequential, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l wasn¡¯t even close to Ana''u¨¦l¡¯s power. I was quickened ¡­ Taken beyond our very ¡­ existence is the only word there is ¡­ I met the Blood Sun.

    ¡°E-Empress?¡± Tiffany¡¯s groggy voice entered the Nexus; the Witch stumbled in with Azalea by her side, focusing on them in an instant. ¡°Edmon?¡±

    ¡°Tiffany! Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Geez, you don¡¯t have to yell ¡­ What is this feeling? Do we have a new Court Member?¡±

    Elinor clutched her breast, eyes widening as fire entered her veins, coursing through her circular system and filling her lungs; Sari¡¯a¨¦l had moved past another seal toward her heavenly birthright. She couldn¡¯t breathe.

    Her Intelligent Undead were now feeling the effects, too, as it broke past any restrictive barriers inside of the Nexus that linked them all, echoing through their souls; everyone collapsed to their knees as the overwhelming yet tranquil presence infused them.

    It only lasted a moment but was enough to drop Edmon and Tiffany to the ground in stunned realization that something far beyond them was touching their spirit.

    As quickly as the flames filling her soul came, they vanished, leaving Elinor shaking on the ground with her Intelligent Undead recovering themselves. The air frozen in her lungs expelled in a shuddering puff that streamed through her cheeks.

    Edmon coughed before clearing his throat, his voice a little hoarse. ¡°E-Elinor ¡­ What should we do?¡±

    Aileen was the first to her feet as Elinor struggled to get up, and the little eleven-year-old girl¡¯s supporting arms guided her to a stable position. ¡°We ... we wait in the Main Square outside. Let¡¯s move.¡±

    Still trying to calm her fluttering spirit, Elinor moved forward with Aileen¡¯s small hand in her own, the little Maid focused on making sure her Empress didn¡¯t fall.

    Tiffany, Violet, Azalea, Quin, and Edmon were swiftly by her side, and the questions from her other Intelligent Undead soon began rolling in. They gave orders as Elinor explained the situation.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l is now filling the Warlord position of the Royal Court, and she is so powerful that I literally cannot even hope to reshape her like the rest of you ¡­ She doesn¡¯t even come from our Existence.

    ¡°Existence ¡­ Could you elaborate on that?¡± Tiffany hesitantly asked, sending out preliminary orders to get the ball rolling with Edmon in a private link between a few commanding individuals.

    Elinor sighed, feeling a little better, but she¡¯d already experienced the loss of the Blood Sun and Ana''u¨¦l¡¯s departing empowerment; her other Undead hadn¡¯t. Not really ¡­ At best, from what I was told, a single Existence consists of infinite omniverses, with each omniverse having infinite multiverses, which then have infinite universes ¡­ That¡¯s what I was told.

    ¡°That ... sounds meaningless to try and even imagine,¡± Tiffany mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ll shelve it for now. So, we have our new Warlord¡ªtake that, you pompous ape!¡±

    A small smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips at Tiffany¡¯s triumphant remark. Yes, Sari¡¯a¨¦l is the daughter of an Existence-Level entity that¡¯s called a ¡®Transcendent,¡¯ and he believes she will grow by being with me¡ªhe is far beyond whatever seed is inside my spirit¡ªas far as I can tell.

    ¡°He¡¯s on our side?¡± Edmon questioned as they walked through the long Galaxy Hallway that led back to the Throne Room.

    Quen set her hand down for Elinor to transfer to, breathing a sigh of relief at not having to walk with her tingling legs; somehow, the others were recovering quicker. Aileen joined her with Elinor¡¯s motion for the small girl to jump on next to her to the blonde¡¯s delight.

    I call him Apollo¡ªbecause he took on the realistic image of an anime I watched¡ªand he¡¯s not on our side, he¡¯s on his daughter¡¯s side ¡­ She¡¯s flying back, but ¡­ Why¡¯s she so much weaker than before she released some of her bonds?

    Tiffany threw back her messy black hair with a brightening smile. ¡°Well, if his daughter is on our side, then does that not make him? Hmm ¡­ Perhaps there was a cost to unshackling herself ¡­ Is she okay with being ¡®shackled?¡¯¡± The Witch asked with an impish smile.

    Kind of, actually¡­

    ¡°Oh? Which part?¡± Tiffany pressed.

    Edmon cleared his throat. ¡°... Can we stay focused, Tiffany? Is there anything we should tell the other Intelligent Undead¡ªplans we should execute?¡±

    Elinor pulled in her lower lip, glancing around the Throne Room as they entered it, noting the Victorian-Style that Violet created throughout the previous week; Aileen was doing her best to restrain from kicking her feet while enjoying the ride.

    Mmh ¡­ You could be right, Tiffany, and there was a price to releasing all that divine energy, but Apollo is definitely not on our side, and we shouldn¡¯t expect him to be. We are literally nothing to him¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l is his world ¡­ all his children are.

    ¡°As it should be for a parent,¡± Tiffany commented, walking briskly down the side of the ramp they descended as Edmon simply jumped off the steep decline, landing on the ground below. She looked at him with eyes that reminded Elinor of her parents. ¡°... Not five minutes, and you¡¯re trying to impress me?¡±

    Edmon ignored her, still waiting on Elinor¡¯s answer.

    Elinor could sense the confusion spreading across her Nexus, knowing it could only be even more pronounced within the Ri¡¯bot, human, and Yaltha¡¯ma communities.

    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Azalea giggled while running away from her younger sister, whose silk was gently probing all over her older sister¡¯s spider-like body. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Vi ¡­ he-he-he, stop!¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t know if he placed anything hidden on you.¡±

    ¡°I already checked! I¡¯m not ¡­ Vi!¡± she giggled.

    Elinor¡¯s mind was wandering between various points, trying to compile the host of emotions and thoughts running across her brain.

    First, Baxter¡¯s devices were destroyed in every place where my Undead stood, which should be where most of the living are, but we need to get them to safety if that isn¡¯t the case. Azalea, work on that.

    ¡°On it!¡± the blue-themed arachnid chimed, rushing up the wall as they made it into the entrance hall.

    Gwen was talking with Lucky, likely trying to understand what she should do for the humans she represented. The two of them moved toward them as they came into view, but Lucky stopped their progress as Edmon relayed her orders to Valdar and Lucky regarding taking care of the Yaltha¡¯ma, Ri¡¯bot, and humans.

    The High Priest to her religion was currently gathering the Clan Chiefs¡ªEl¡¯Co¡¯Ca and El¡¯Ra¡¯Ca, the elderly Yaltha¡¯ma siblings, were with Valdar.

    Gwen gave her a thankful smile and wave as she passed, doing a quick bow before gathering the humans in the Entrance Hall.

    Second, we need to have a sweep done of the city and valley; who knows what escaped our notice, and we don¡¯t know if the corruption creatures in the crevice have made a move. Violet, you¡¯re best equipped for that.

    Edmon¡¯s handsome face creased. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t Violet stay for your protection?¡±

    ¡°Edmon,¡± Tiffany mumbled, giving him a light glare. ¡°Are you doubting my abilities? Besides, Elinor is right; we need the information to assess our situation¡ªthe fog came from the sky, blanketing us, and we had no idea it was dangerous until minutes after it appeared.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m just saying, you aren¡¯t meant for actual combat, Tiffany. Her safety trumps¡­¡±

    Elinor interrupted their argument. Tiffany has the right idea, and if I am in danger after what Sari¡¯a¨¦l just demonstrated, then we are in far greater trouble than Violet could handle.

    Violet watched them privately converse as they briskly walked out of the Entrance Call and into the Welcoming Area before the doors leading outside.

    Yes, Violet, go and gather information.

    As she left, Elinor saw small groups of humans, Ri¡¯bot, and Yaltha¡¯ma entering the Tower; it was fairly noticeable how relieved they were upon seeing her as their pace slowed, giving her respectful bows.

    ¡°Just your presence elicits a sense of peace in your citizens,¡± Tiffany mused with a short chuckle; however, a brief conversation with Rigrach, the annoying manly Jukal, had her eyebrows furrowed. ¡°Hmm ... Rigrach saw a glorious beacon of light that lit up the entire night sky when we awoke outside¡ªbrighter than the sun, and it chased away all of the clouds covering the frozen mountain, but wasn¡¯t hot¡ªjust ¡­ holy.¡±

    Edmon nodded, looking up at the black nighttime sky as they exited the Tower; not a cloud was in the heavens. ¡°Amra¡¯Cora has a similar story, only she caught it on the city¡¯s surveillance crystals.¡±

    Elinor leaned forward to stare at the two, noting how slow Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s return was across the hundreds of miles that separated them, although considering that distance, she was making incredible time. We have a surveillance system?

    Tiffany grinned up at her. ¡°Yup! Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s been hard at work trying to understand the city¡¯s Control Center, and she¡¯s making a little headway.¡±

    ¡°Hardly,¡± Edmon grumbled, drawing the Witch¡¯s hard look again. ¡°The Quen¡¯Talrat was a heavily specialized culture, and she¡¯s like an elderly woman without a hint of computer training attempting to work with the latest in server technology.¡±

    ¡°Well, crush her hopes and dreams, why don¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a soldier,¡± Edmon stated, giving her a dull look. ¡°Amra¡¯Cora can look at a ¡®few¡¯ city recording crystals, one of which did manage to catch the phenomena, but we can¡¯t look back more than a day, and I suspect we are actually causing more harm than good ¡­ like a kid poking around alien technology.¡±

    At least it¡¯s better than nothing, Elinor whispered.

    Quin slowed to a stop at the edge of the fountain in the Main Square; grass separated the wide, circular road that pulled around the centerpiece. A few human and Ri¡¯bot kids tried sneaking back into the Tower from around the side, which Edmon pointed out.

    Tiffany was a little leery-eyed at the kids and contacted Lucky about it; apparently, the children were still meant to have an escort, and the teens decided they wanted to exercise their rebellious streak¡ªLucky would tell Gwen, who would then inform the parents or guardians responsible for them.

    Elinor smiled, feeling a new sense of peace after her Seraph joined her Nexus; so many thoughts were running through her mind after being quickened and brought before the Blood Sun.

    Tiffany tentatively gave her a curious grin, her head tilting to the right like her mother used to do when puzzling something out; Edmon and her were sitting on the edge of an 8-foot-tall fountain seat.

    ¡°Elinor ¡­ You seem so relaxed after returning from the Nalvean Kingdom. I take it that things have worked in our favor?¡±

    More or less ¡­ some things have not ¡­ Imiunarus, Kimlira, and Lecra''Moro have passed on, but Camellia was able to survive. At least I don¡¯t have to tell Iris I sent her daughter to die.

    Tiffany¡¯s emotions instantly shifted at her comment, but she didn¡¯t voice them; Elinor was already aware of the woman¡¯s opinion on their own lives, and it wouldn¡¯t do any good to bring it up. ¡°I ¡­ haven¡¯t met two of those names¡ªLecra''Moro¡¯s loss is unfortunate, though. Edmon has updated me on Camellia and Princess Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s predicament. How was your meeting with their High Ruler?¡±

    Productive ¡­ quite productive, but I suspect things might become turbulent within the Nalvean Empire if Tal¡¯tamine dies. Nukulara could shut down for a while ¡­ Let us hope that is not the case because Nukulara wants her to stay here as a Royal Emissary.

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Tiffany clapped. ¡°Demon must be so frustrated you were able to return with Sari¡¯a¨¦l!¡±

    A dark smirk lifted Elinor¡¯s lips, and she spoke aloud to push the pin in. ¡°On the contrary, Tiffany, Demon is probably more paralyzed with fear and confusion¡ªhe has no clue what Sari¡¯a¨¦l is or could so much as fathom her power.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Nice jab in the gut!¡± Tiffany giggled.

    Aileen looked over at her with a big grin after her statement. ¡°Oh! I can¡¯t wait to see the pretty angel lady again! Wait ¡­ Should I call her Ms. Warlord now?¡± she asked.

    Elinor looked back as a shiver ran down Quin¡¯s frame. ¡°Indeed, Empress¡ªafter witnessing such a glorious return and explosion of raw strength ¡­ I have to question the Ke¡¯s vast power.¡±

    She hummed. ¡°... Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma would have been annihilated in her presence alone.¡±

    ¡°Amazing¡­¡±

    Aileen nodded. ¡°Mhm! Mhm! I think she¡¯s so pretty and strong! I wanna be like her!¡±

    Tiffany chuckled. ¡°That is a long journey, my dear.¡±

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    The Maid¡¯s soft face set, pumping her arms. ¡°Head Maid Emelina says I¡¯m super dedicated! I¡¯ll do my best, Lady Tiffany!¡±

    Tiffany and Edmon gave the girl a soft smile that reminded Elinor of her parents, and she placed a hand on the girl¡¯s leg, squeezing it a little. ¡°I look forward to seeing you get stronger, Aileen.¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Thanks, Empress! I wanna protect you, too!¡±

    ¡°Aww, darling,¡± Tiffany cooed. ¡°On that note, Elinor, what is this about Apollo?¡±

    Elinor readjusted her dress, with Aileen doing the same beside her. Apollo ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I could compare an unsealed Demon to a grain of sand, and Apollo as the universe ¡­ that would be giving Demon so much more credit than he deserves. I don¡¯t even know Demon¡¯s unsealed power, and I still stand by what I said.

    ¡°What was it like?¡± Tiffany pressed, allowing Edmon to handle all the logistics of securing reports from down the grapevine. Of course, the Doom Guard liked the work.

    Elinor looked beyond the massive Tower, which blocked their path of much of the mountain by its sheer width and height; it would take another 30 minutes for her newest Court Member to arrive. ¡°More glorious than I could ever say ¡­ so much that my mind made it blank¡ªwhite¡ªto just process, and that was after I was Quickened ¡­ basically, empowered beyond time and space ¡­ Physics meant nothing in a place like that.¡±

    She took the remaining time to explain to her two former parents what it was like to meet a real god¡ªnot some powerful being that could create universes but an actual god that could literally do anything he wanted.

    Tiffany was bobbing her body back and forth, playing with a lock of hair while trying to imagine Gloria, the First Generation Founder of the Fairies, and a creature somehow on the same playing field as Apollo. ¡°Fascinating ¡­ they clearly have different specialties, but respect one another to stay in their own spheres of Existence, heh, if I can even call it that with what you described.¡±

    Edmon was far more interested in the topic of how Elinor saw each sphere of Existence that the Transcendent showed her. ¡°The scope of the laws involved in that are ¡­ What did he mean by Truth, Equity, and Order? So simple, yet by the way you¡¯re explaining it, he made it sound like the meaning of life¡­¡±

    Their attention shifted from the topic as Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s radiant presence floated down to them from the sky, her six large wings creating a gust of hot air as she stopped. ¡°I have returned, Empress,¡± she said, bowing her head slightly upon leveling with Quin¡¯s hand.

    Quin and Aileen¡¯s mouths were open upon seeing the Seraph; the moment she¡¯d come into range of the Nexus, she was practically already before her in a streak of light.

    ¡°... So pretty</a>¡­¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± Tiffany whispered, her eyes fixated on the angel.

    Iris? Elinor instantly asked.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s hands vanished behind her back and between her wings as she shifted in the air to face both parties. ¡°I spoke with Iris before I left. She has been freed once my glory fed through your Nexus and granted her the means to break free. However, the entity that faced me invoked the Song of Peace and Understanding.¡±

    Elinor blinked with Edmon and Tiffany, giving each other looks.

    Edmon cleared his throat. ¡°Forgive us, Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ We don¡¯t know what that is.¡±

    The Seraph giggled, frame shaking as she composed herself. ¡°... I see ¡­ It was rather humorous that I would even think you would recognize it. My apologies, Empress.¡±

    Elinor waved her hand dismissively. It¡¯s fine. This song?

    ¡°The Song of Peace and Understanding is a holy relic that this entity used in order to initiate an immediate ceasefire. It is used in the rare case of two World Gates appearing near our dimension. If peace can be offered for both sides, my father desires it to be so, and the Children of the Sun naturally overwhelm both parties by our presence. It is the most effective means at liberating all parties of the incursion and causes the least damage to the fabric of Existence.¡±

    Elinor was left with a blank face, not completely understanding what she meant by a World Gate or an incursion, but the results were clear¡ªthe Children of the Sun¡¯s dominance.

    Edmon¡¯s arms were folded, dark eyebrows drew together as he studied the Seraph. ¡°You¡¯re saying ¡­ has this entity been to your home planet? Did he steal one of those artifacts?¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was having difficulty keeping her composure at the question, trying not to laugh. ¡°No, Edmon. Such weak creatures can¡¯t steal from us, much less stand in our presence without the Song of Peace and Understanding; it is first offered as a token to others for them to have peace and understanding with the eye of the Blood Sun upon them¡ªprotecting both from each other.¡±

    A hint of doubt crossed Elinor¡¯s connection to the Seraph. You ¡­ don¡¯t think this creature obtained it himself, though?

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s glowing, platinum blonde hair shifted against her shoulders as she shook her head. ¡°No. He is far too weak to have stepped near our plane of existence. I suspect the one he is supporting with his life was the entity that encountered my people ¡­ long ago when he was in his prime ¡­ now, he is a husk, dying, and barely retaining his broken Core through this other pitiful creature.¡±

    ¡°How do you know all of that?¡± Tiffany asked, arms pushing up on her bust as they tightened at her front.

    ¡°I just know ¡­ It is as creatures breathe and move ¡­ instinct.¡±

    Edmon brushed back his hair with a short laugh. ¡°Basically, it¡¯s angelic senses; I mean, consider the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Tiffany.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but they have an explanation ¡­ a complex nervous system that is highly refined.¡±

    Elinor brushed past the shifting subject. What about Iris? She¡¯s still back there, and why are you so much weaker than you were when you returned?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l stated, golden irises returning to her. ¡°Iris asked me to return as swiftly as possible once she understood the situation; we communicated through your Nexus. She will await our return.¡±

    Edmon stiffened. ¡°Return? You¡¯re bringing the Empress into that hornet¡¯s nest?¡±

    ¡°Hornet¡¯s ¡­ nest?¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l mumbled. ¡°I do not know what that is, nor what it might mean. There is no safer place within this Existence than in the light of my father. The creature''s ascension has taken place at this point, and all will be able to understand each other in his presence.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s hand tightened on his armored leg. ¡°I¡¯m just saying we should be cautious¡­¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l shook her head. ¡°It is straightforward, Edmon. Any action taken to offer harm or to lie to the other party will be punished by my father ¡­ they will cease to exist.¡±

    A shiver ran through Elinor¡¯s frame ¡­ she instinctively knew what that meant. You¡¯re saying ¡­ if one of us attacks each other, then they¡¯ll be purged from Existence ¡­ mind, body, and soul?

    The Seraph giggled. ¡°That is one way to put it, but it is far more severe than that; it cannot be accurately stated with your limited language and understanding of reality. Once you are within the artifact¡¯s presence, my father¡¯s light will make all parties aware. I have agreed in proxy, as was required during the ritual, which means, if the Empress refuses, I will cease to exist.¡±

    Tiffany and Edmon were sweating bullets upon hearing Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s casual response, and the Witch hissed, ¡°Why would you make that¡­¡±

    Elinor nodded without a hint of hesitation. If your father is involved, then I will comply completely ¡­ Your decreased strength?

    ¡°Divine Release,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l replied. ¡°And Tiffany, I knew from the orders our Empress gave that she did not care how it was accomplished, Iris¡¯s safe return was the mission, and this is the safest means. If I had fought him as I was, this world would have experienced colossal tectonic shifts, and most of life upon it would cease to exist¡ªI was about to unlock the 4th Stage of my Divine Release to at least save a portion of this planet and protect the Empire.¡±

    Both Court Members were speechless at their enemy¡¯s power reveal.

    Elinor questioned Divine Release and the information bloomed in her mind, which was a first for her other units, and likely a part of Ana''u¨¦l¡¯s tweaking of the seed inside her. ... I see ¡­ two weeks on Stage 1, six months on Stage 2, and nine on Stage 3 ¡­ Stage 4 is a two-year cooldown. Was he really that powerful?

    ¡°He is powerful enough to cause great damage to this world¡ªalthough, he-he-he, I would not call that powerful. Also, it is the items he wields that are the real threat.¡±

    Of course¡­

    Elinor almost bit her tongue, muscles tensing as a colossal horn blared across the entire valley, causing birds to fall from the sky in shock as it changed</a> pitches; it was so loud and with enough of a delay that it rattled her bones at different intervals.

    Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s voice sounded in their rattling heads. ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ That¡¯s the emergency siren the Ke put in place to signal a powerful force approaching ¡­ It was never used.¡±

    Valdar was quick to interrupt, though. ¡°I heard this ¡­ It¡¯s the sound that rang across the valley when the Avana approached!¡±

    ¡°The¡ªthe mountain-sized dragon?!¡± Tiffany gasped, landing on her feet as she fell off the bench.

    ¡°No,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l interjected. ¡°The island is teleporting locations¡ªI can feel the vibrations in space/time¡ªI damaged a portion of their island¡¯s infrastructure when I attacked. They are probably just getting it operational again.¡±

    Tiffany scratched the back of her head, frizzing part of her black locks as the horn sounded again. ¡°Geez ¡­ they could have had something like that go off when Baxter attacked us.¡±

    ¡°Heh,¡± Quin gave her a forced smile. ¡°The Ke probably wouldn¡¯t have thought of Baxter or his mist as a threat.¡±

    ¡°I guess ¡­ Are you sure there¡¯s no danger coming?¡± Tiffany asked.

    Edmon seemed surprisingly calm, though, studying the sky. ¡°How long until it arrives?¡±

    The Seraph gazed at the heavens with narrowed eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t be sure ¡­ It¡¯s noticeable only because I damaged the infrastructure around their Power Core when they tried to escape. They are more resourceful than I thought¡ªI believed it would have been hours before they could get it operational again.¡±

    So, we wait, Elinor responded. They¡¯re coming to us, which is a good sign, and perhaps they¡¯re trying to make an entrance to show off.

    Edmon and Tiffany got into random questions with Sari¡¯a¨¦l, who couldn¡¯t offer many answers with her current state of power half of what it should have been, and it would remain that way for an entire week.

    Elinor¡¯s mind withdrew, thinking about the event that had led up to this moment; she retired from the Court¡¯s conversation to ponder internally.

    Apollo being involved is ¡­ unexpected. Didn¡¯t he say he wouldn¡¯t get involved ¡­ Apollo said his eye would be on us, which means he knows this deal will function flawlessly. That¡¯s a bit tricky, but should Apollo have told me outright how everything would have ended? No ¡­ because that would have changed the outcome, as he said ¡­ the unfathomable mind of someone that operates on a mental scape beyond my imagination.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    He said he would stay in his own lane, even bringing Gloria in to show that he is not without opposition to remain, so ¡­ Wait ¡­ is it a coincidence he is called a Transcendent and the Highest Grade the System can offer me is the same? Likely not. He knows who created the seeds, and they are no longer in this Existence ¡­ could these seeds be objects placed in creatures to try and forge them into Transcendents ¡­ an experiment?

    The thought didn¡¯t sit right with her. Apollo said he would remain in his own lane ¡­ Is he trying to boost me to a point of being worthy of his daughter ¡­ or is that my pride talking ¡­ This just seems too small for someone like Sari¡¯a¨¦l?

    ¡°Can someone shut that stupid horn up?¡± Tiffany growled, shivering and rubbing her ears. ¡°How loud can it get?¡±

    However, the sound stopped when a large shadow hung over them, blocking part of one of the two moons in the sky¡ªthe island</a> appeared out of blue horizontal lines, without clouds to obstruct it from view.

    All Elinor could see from this distance was the underside of the monstrous shape in the heavens, light blue symbols spinning in circles across its sharp underbelly, presumably keeping it in the air.

    Her lips tightened as a 9-foot-tall demonic creature materialized out of the same horizontal lines with Iris by his side. They took the open space across from Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and Iris instantly vanished in shadows to stand underneath Elinor; she was still in human form and had decreased in her overall strength since the last time she¡¯d been with the Queen.

    In-between his strange, dark gray over-suit was a brilliant golden glow that extended across his entire frame; it radiated the brilliance of the Blood Sun, yet the rest of him was anything but desirable.

    ¡°Wow ¡­ okay, he¡¯s creepy as shit, and that feeling ¡­ Yeah, this whole thing is off,¡± Tiffany squeaked, stepping a bit behind Edmon. ¡°This is ¡­ Is that blood moving across his face? I don¡¯t like the vibes ¡­ at all.¡±

    The entity spoke, one hand behind his back, pressing against his long, thick tail while the other rose, five, deadly red-tipped fingers motioning to them in a sophisticated manner¡ªhis hideous, bone-like features didn¡¯t shift much with his open mouth, releasing frosted breath that matched his mane of snow-white hair.

    His tone was refined and held a degree of poise that was similar to Iris. ¡°Greetings, Empress. I assume you are the creature in charge of this Daughter of the Sun? My name is Sar''ollaz</a>; it¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡±

    Elinor shifted to face him with Quin¡¯s slow movements, unsure if she should run or not. The Blood Sun¡¯s artifact released the radiant melody that overshadowed the entity¡¯s sinister</a> presence but didn¡¯t remove it.

    Apollo¡¯s artifact birthed an understanding of what was to come that couldn¡¯t be denied, after feeling a shadow of the threat offered in recompense for deception lying was so unquestionable, words such as ¡®horror¡¯ or ¡®terror¡¯ were meaningless before the ultimatum that compliance to the rules became instinctual.

    Iris¡¯s voice was swift to connect to Elinor¡¯s mind. ¡°Sar''ollaz has incredible psionic abilities, Empress. I would be cautious.¡±

    I¡¯ll keep it in mind, but we must proceed, and you¡¯ve felt what will happen if we do not comply. Edmon couldn¡¯t even hold up his shield in the artifact¡¯s presence, simply moving beside Elinor, but he paused as Elinor held up her hand. ¡°I know you mean us no harm, Sar''ollaz ¡­ Iris?¡±

    ¡°I am fine, Empress¡ªdrained and experiencing repercussions for being forced to remain in my human transformation for an entire week¡ªbut I believe I will recover.¡±

    Tiffany gave a nervous chuckle while waving at Iris from behind Edmon; it was the first time Elinor had seen the Witch act like this.

    ¡°... Excellent,¡± Elinor replied, still concerned but needing to move on.

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s blood swirled around his appalling face, sliding between grisly teeth, slithering over his enormous horns, and weaving through his white locks. ¡°I only wish to understand your Empire and people, Empress¡ªto come to an agreement of peace.¡±

    His clawed hand made several fluid gestures, damaged tail flicking to the left as he looked up at Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s fountain before his glowing eyes shifted to Quin, then back to her. ¡°I believe we have gotten off to a rather ¡­ unsavory introduction to one another. In fact, I would love to invite you for a meal on my island.¡±

    A long puff of white mist exited his teeth. ¡°I have taken the appropriate steps and analyzed your body compositions to adequately replicate the food that would best suit your palates. We may discuss things with the Blood Sun as a witness ¡­ I assume you know what this means, given your acquisition of a Daughter of the Sun?¡±

    Elinor composed herself as imperially as she could, given the colossal forces the demonic entity emitted. ¡°I have met the Blood Sun personally and trust him explicitly¡ªto impugn the character of something so far beyond my understanding would be pointless. After all, to him, all of us are so insignificant that there isn¡¯t a thing I can compare it to that would do it justice.¡±

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s tail froze for a moment, body tilting slightly to the left as he tapped his left armored pec, blood pulling in and out from his face; the creature didn¡¯t even have to open his mouth to speak, transmitting the soundwaves through pure mental prowess. ¡°Met ¡­ the Blood Sun? Unthinkable ¡­ Captivating. Would you allow me to entertain you, Empress? You may bring however many members of your Court as you wish¡ªalthough my table only holds eighteen.¡±

    Elinor turned her head to her Royal Court as they looked at her, clearly expecting to go. ¡°Edmon ¡­ You must stay and continue work on the city¡¯s network ¡­ We must get this fortress under our control, and hearing that warning only shows how much untapped potential is within it¡ªI know,¡± she whispered as she felt his emotions stir, ¡°but the Blood Sun is a protector beyond any other¡ªyou would understand if you met him.¡±

    He begrudgingly nodded, giving one last look at Sar''ollaz before briskly walking inside the Tower to join Amra¡¯Cora and her Elite Quen¡¯Tarlat; the news about Lecra¡¯Moro would probably come with his visit.

    ¡°Tiffany, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, Aileen, and Quin will accompany me ¡­ Iris, I need you to do something ¡­ I cannot give this task to anyone else.¡±

    Aileen gave an internal squeal of excitement that Quin mirrored.

    Iris had no questions in her heart, unlike Tiffany and Edmon. ¡°Whatever you require of me, Empress.¡±

    ¡°I know you aren¡¯t one hundred percent,¡± Elinor replied, sighing internally at how unfair it was with how she worked the Queen, ¡°Violet is scoping out the crevice to make sure no threat sneaks up on us while we¡¯re occupied, but your next task is to the south, securing Camellia ¡­ I suspect your daughter was heavily injured on her mission; she lost everyone in her party, and I fear she may have some emotional difficulties with that.¡±

    Iris¡¯s red eyes hardened upon hearing the news of her eldest and most vulnerable daughter. ¡°I will leave immediately.¡±

    Sar''ollaz made a noise very similar to clearing one¡¯s throat. ¡°... Queen Iris, I would be delighted to aid you on the journey to wherever you desire¡ªthink of it as a formal apology for the, ahem, the treatment you incurred while within my care.¡±

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen¡¯s wary gaze lingered on the demonic creature but knew he couldn¡¯t deceive them, and Elinor could sense the pressing concern in Iris¡¯s core; a mother¡¯s dread for her precious daughter. ¡°We will gladly accept your offer,¡± Elinor replied. ¡°Let us put old grievances behind us.¡±

    ¡°Excellent response, Empress ¡­ Oracle, scan for biological signatures matching Iris¡¯s lineage to their south¡ªcenter on the unique identifier of an ¡®Eldest¡¯ of the race.¡±

    His blood shifted unusually around his thorny face, the entity¡¯s tone holding a fascinated chuckle as he appeared to get an unheard response. ¡°Ah ¡­ this world certainly has become more enticing since I¡¯ve met you, Empress Elinor¡ªwhat an interesting family. She¡¯s been located.¡±

    Iris nodded, and Elinor noted she was still in human form, causing her to worry a little, but nothing seemed more pressing on the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s mind than the condition of Camellia. ¡°I am ready.¡±

    ¡°As you wish.¡±

    Blue vertical lines cut across Iris¡¯s frame, and Elinor felt her instantly change locations to be beside her daughter to the south; Klaus was likely close to the pair, but it was difficult to tell at this distance.

    Sar''ollaz turned his malevolent gaze to her, causing Quin to suppress a shiver. ¡°Are you ready to journey to my island?¡±

    Elinor gave him a small smirk. ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    ¡°He-he-he-he-he ¡­ ahh, I expect us to become very well acquainted, Empress Elinor. Allies¡ªfriends, even ¡­ There is so much to discover together.¡±

    A strange, uneven pulse vibrated various sections of her body before she felt dunked in water, and in the next instance, she was standing on some kind of bronze outdoors courtyard with floating crystals twelve feet tall, curved in a spiral as they twisted in the air¡ªthe craftsmanship was alien and intricate, icy water surrounding the platform.

    Sar''ollaz gestured toward the castle above them. ¡°Welcome, to Sha¡¯Guala, Empress Elinor. Please, this way,¡± he said, directing them to the stairs leading to the immaculate silver and crimson doors of the keep.

 B2 â€” 42. The Devil Above, Demon Below

    Quin slowly spun on Elinor¡¯s orders, allowing her to take in the full scope of the colossal floating fortress of Sha¡¯Guala</a>.

    Greenery spread across the bark-covered mountainous arches framing the enormous castle at the island¡¯s center. The immaculate structures she could see were breathtaking and mysterious, with a radiant pulse in the air that caused her skin to prickle.

    The opening courtyard they¡¯d been transported to was made in a similar manner to the Quen¡¯Talrat fortress</a>, built to accommodate creatures much larger than humans, yet various sections of the area appeared to be fashioned for all sizes of individuals.

    Behind them were what appeared to be the castle front gates, but she couldn¡¯t be sure because of the height; they stood as tall as the Quen¡¯Talrat walls¡ªenclaves were cut into the barrier, housing gaseous orbs of various colors transferring their energy through the etchings across its surface.

    The arch to the right of the towering keep had a rising walkway that required you to enter the lower levels, and Elinor could see three alien stone figures carved into the ancient structure.

    Flowing emerald rivers cascaded down the left arch with what seemed a basin on top; the green hues of the foliage and moss covered most of its surface, but they appeared to overlay an intricate etched structure.

    ¡°It¡¯s ... Quite the spectacle,¡± Elinor whispered, turning her gaze back to the demonic creature¡¯s skull-like face; his expression held a permanent sinister muse as the red liquid swirled around his head.

    His fond tone was crisp as the demonic monster shifted his gaze around the prodigious courtyard. ¡°It has been home for ages ¡­ However, it would be best to move with haste, Empress Elinor; this way.¡±

    Quin followed beside him with Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Tiffany beside her, taking in the space as they matched Tiffany¡¯s much shorter pace; the woman was starry-eyed, behaving more like a tourist than in enemy territory.

    Aileen put her maid game-face on, hoping not to embarrass Elinor or her mentor; the girl was doing her best to be the picture of serenity that the Seraph next to them radiated¡ªalthough it was difficult for the excited twelve-year-old girl.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s amiable golden irises were held on Sar''ollaz as she hovered to Elinor¡¯s left; from Elinor¡¯s connection to the Seraph, she knew the angel was examining everything around her with interest, comparing her ¡®released¡¯ senses to her ¡®chained¡¯ state.

    Tiffany twisted in circles as they moved, trying to take everything in. Her orange eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°This is ¡­ is incredible ¡­ What keeps you in the air ¡­ technology, magic?¡±

    Sar''ollaz chuckled, taking long, slow steps to match her movements. ¡°I am afraid we have many things to discuss before going into the workings of this island ¡­ Tiffany, I presume, by the Empress¡¯s earlier statement.¡±

    ¡°That is my name,¡± she giggled, wet lips pulling it a little as her gaze settled on the giant spinning crystals behind them. ¡°I can ¡­ There¡¯s this hum in the air that is making my skin prickle and bones quake; it¡¯s positively thrilling!¡±

    ¡°Believe me,¡± he mused, blood shifting across his face, ¡°I feel the same excitement ¡­ To meet one of the mythical figures told by ageless travelers is ¡­ daunting would be a proper word.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s smile lifted a bit. ¡°You are speaking about me?¡±

    ¡°I am, Sari¡¯a¨¦l.¡± He pulled around his long tail to draw their attention to it; the white embers that Elinor first saw along its cracking surface were fading. ¡°I cannot recall the last time something broke past my armor ¡­ much less require this much effort to suppress.¡±

    A soft laugh shook the Seraph¡¯s chest. ¡°I am astonished that such a feeble creature was able to survive my attack¡ªthe thrill in my breast is beyond words.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Sar''ollaz¡¯s tail returned to weave behind him. ¡°Indeed. Although another topic intrigues me ¡­ that Empress Elinor, Iris, Tiffany, and a Daughter of the Sun look so similar to one another¡ªin fact, there are many ¡­ What was the word ¡­ humans? I have come across several dozen universes with variations of spiritual essences.¡±

    Elinor hummed; her vision fell to the glass-like silver bridge they were drawing nearer to, showing the frozen substance surrounding the courtyard underneath. Rainbow colors sparkled within the solid-liquid at random. ¡°Various spiritual essences ¡­ So, not like us. Have you not met humans like me before?¡±

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s left hand twisted in a strange gesture as they continued on the pathway toward the platform and the stairs beyond it that rose over fifty meters to the exquisite crimson and silver doors of the keep. ¡°Have I met creatures that are similar in appearance¡ªeven akin spiritual tokens? Most definitely. However, you each are far from the same¡ªas you are not who you manifest to be, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Manifest ¡­ Meaning?¡± Elinor asked, questioning gaze lifting to the massive figure.

    His tail twisted with his hips, red eyes eye-level with her as Quin held Elinor up. ¡°You may manifest as this outward human appearance, but it is the jewels in your ears that hold your spirit, a rather clever diversion.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°How did you know?¡±

    ¡°He-he-he-he ¡­ As if I could miss the ominous force they emanate¡ªOracle is quite perturbed by its unique characteristics.¡±

    ¡°Oracle?¡± Tiffany asked. ¡°I believe you said that name before. Are they your island¡¯s operator?¡±

    ¡°Excellent deduction!¡± he praised. ¡°However, let us put this discussion on hold until we reach the Conference Room and begin the ritual.¡±

    ¡°Ritual ¡­ Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes fixated on a single spot, shock stopping her thoughts momentarily, as her mental query to the Seraph was heard aloud without her speaking. Quin stepped on the see-through silver platform at that exact moment, and their environment instantly changed; Sari¡¯a¨¦l, Tiffany, and Sar''ollaz appeared beside her shortly after.

    She looked up, a little disoriented from both unexpected events.

    ¡°E-Empress,¡± Quin whispered. ¡°I took a step on the silver pathway and ¡­ and we were suddenly here?!¡±

    The Witch¡¯s finger was pressed against her temple, turning in circles again with parted lips. ¡°Was that ¡­ We teleported again?¡±

    Sar''ollaz calmly waited for them to gain their barrings. ¡°Yes. We are not far from the Conference Room. As to your mental communication, we are entering the next phase of the ritual, which means nothing is to be hidden.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l nodded. ¡°All discussion must be in the open for all parties to understand one another; deception is the fracture of peace.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t we just teleport straight there?¡± Quin reflexively asked, two jaws instantly closing after the words came out.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Elinor¡¯s lips pulled in at the news. ¡°I suppose privacy is forfeited then.¡±

    Sar''ollaz guided them further into the empty hallways without showing signs of being bothered while addressing Quin. ¡°Security protocols do not allow such quick movements within the island.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s golden irises tilted to the walls, shifting between scenes, creating a life-like continuous image of various civilizations. ¡°Will any others be joining us?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡± Sar''ollaz motioned to the left corridor, ¡°Few are allowed within this section of the island, and those that are a partaker of the Covenant are entitled to take part in this ceremony of Peace and Understanding, as it affects them.¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t help being distracted by the walls; the gems shifted colors, displaying continuous scenes of battle that she could have sworn were real had she not walked on this crimson pathway.

    Trails of red beams shot across the displays on one end, depicting a global war between several turtle and insect-like creatures. At the same time, the other side had peace being brokered by two entirely different alien birds¡ªone looked remarkably similar to Baxter¡¯s raven-like</a> appearance, hosting bat and bird-like features, while the other had a slim, humanoid shape and resembled a Mockingjay</a> with a skull head.

    Sar''ollaz continued to explain as they moved through the surreal space. ¡°The Covenant officially has fourteen members, but in truth, there is Balmuraun, the founder, which makes fifteen.¡±

    The Seraph hummed, vision tilting to the floor. ¡°The entity linked to your life force seems to be the one that has knowledge about my people.¡±

    He didn¡¯t appear to like that direction because he turned his attention to Elinor. ¡°I can sense your discomfort and interest, Empress Elinor. Is there something I can enlighten you on?¡±

    Elinor followed the walls with her eyes, examining the branching hallways as they passed; in truth, the realistic depictions were off-putting. ¡°I ¡­ have yet to see a single door ¡­ It¡¯s difficult finding the beginning and ending of these otherworldly scenes.¡±

    Tiffany''s accusing gaze latched onto a different topic. ¡°Sense ¡­ Are you prying into our minds with that psionic power Iris warned us about?¡±

    Sar''ollaz chuckled. ¡°By no fault of my own, I assure you. With the exception of Sari¡¯a¨¦l and her masterful discipline, your spiritual defenses are so unguarded that it is taking an active effort on my part to minimize my perceptive field.¡±

    The Witch grimaced. ¡°Lovely way of commenting on our weakness.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it was,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l smiled. ¡°However, there is nothing to fear, Tiffany; my father¡¯s eye is upon us.¡±

    Quin slowed for a moment as the walls around them took on a metallic/stone appearance, the scenes of various cultures vanishing, which instantly helped stabilize Elinor¡¯s spinning mind with the scope and realism she was accustomed to.

    Tiffany¡¯s cheer had fallen a bit since they first arrived. ¡°That¡¯s not my concern ¡­ Sar''ollaz, do you wish us harm had this artifact not compelled you to offer us hospitality?¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l answered, drawing the woman¡¯s questioning gaze. ¡°No, I think not.¡±

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s clawed hand lifted to scratch his chin. ¡°Ah, is that so? Might you explain.¡±

    ¡°It is simple, Sar''ollaz; we would not have been on your radar.¡±

    ¡°... That¡¯s somewhat insulting,¡± Tiffany mumbled.

    The demon¡¯s blood shifted around his face. ¡°He-he-he ¡­ Yes, you are correct. Although that has significantly changed since I have met Elinor, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l did show herself to pose a threat to me¡ªin combination, you were not something I could ignore.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s grin turned sly. ¡°One complication being this island I was on the verge of destroying? It acts as a catalyst between you and Balmuraun, does it not?¡±

    ¡°Mmh-hmm-hmm-hmm ¡­ Yes,¡± Sar''ollaz whispered in a neutral tone, ¡°you are not wrong, and the only person that has been able to deduce that for ¡­ a very long time. Your precision, prowess, and perception were quite a surprise when even the slightest unshackled.¡±

    A smooth giggle slid through the Seraph¡¯s throat. ¡°I rather enjoy that part, though.¡±

    Sar''ollaz paused, causing them to stop as he looked into her joyful face. ¡°You ¡­ enjoy the shackling part ¡­ I do not understand.¡±

    Elinor was about to ask Sari¡¯a¨¦l to sidestep the topic, but they were being forced to be honest with one another; her apprehension released in a sigh, knowing it was inevitable that this would come into the light.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s middle left-wing curved in for her to slide her fingers across the soft feathers, chest fluttering a little with her coloring cheeks. ¡°... I have never experienced what boundaries like these are like ¡­ to be limited was not something the Children of the Sun had as a concept other than viewing those beneath us. Our father was liberty ¡­ uplifting in the word¡¯s definition, yet to be pulled down¡ªbrought low¡ªexperience this ¡­ confinement is ¡­ I cannot express it,¡± she finished with the first embarrassed smile Elinor had seen on the serene angel.

    Aileen piped up in an instant. ¡°You¡¯re pretty and strong, though. Oh! And¡ªAnd you can float, and you¡¯re an angel, and you have wings! Oh ¡­ umm ¡­ sorry.¡±

    ¡°You are fine, child,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l beamed, attempting to regain her composure. ¡°I suppose you could say I have never felt so powerful yet weak ¡­ to live a life such as this is ¡­ in a way ¡­ divine.¡±

    Sar''ollaz didn¡¯t reply for several seconds as the silence stretched; his blood-red eyes were fixated on her. ¡°... Hmm. You seem to have just appeared out of the aether ¡­ curious. In any case, we are almost to the correct location; everyone that can be there is, and all will partake in the ritual, no matter their distance.¡±

    ¡°Everyone ¡­ as in?¡± Tiffany asked.

    ¡°Whoever is connected to your network¡ªOracle, analyze who will be affected on Empress Elinor¡¯s side from what data you¡¯ve been able to acquire.¡±

    A monotone female voice spoke all around them, raising the hair on the back of Elinor¡¯s neck. ¡°According to data acquired from the recent 4th scan, Empress Elinor and all of those with a minor or major link to her spirit will be brought into the binding¡ªcurrent estimate, 8,723 individuals. These creatures include humans, Nalvean, Ri¡¯bot, Yaltha¡¯ma, Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Quen''Talrat, Rocatha, and Jukal.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes widened at the information. ¡°Rocatha ¡­ I don¡¯t know what that is ¡­ And I haven¡¯t raised any Yaltha¡¯ma ¡­ Are you able to tell who is even connected to my Religious System?¡±

    A rumble shook the air as Sar''ollaz hummed, continuing them along their path. ¡°A Religious System? Interesting. Perhaps we can get into more of that in time, but we must meet with the others to finalize the ritual¡ªBalmuraun tells me it is very strict on proper form.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l hovered ahead a little, turning around to face them on their journey. ¡°My father is very keen on keeping things in order, and for peace to be guaranteed, all those bound to an ideal must be brought into accordance with the agreement.¡±

    After she finished her statement, he stopped, one hand behind his back as the other directed their focus to a wall. ¡°Beyond is five of the fifteen Covenant members; regrettably, Baxter is in the infirmary, receiving emergency treatment to sustain him after Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s appearance.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Tiffany grinned, glancing at the Seraph. ¡°How bad was the poor bird hurt¡ªyou know he was going to kill everyone within Empress Elinor¡¯s Empire?¡±

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s tone was practically a shrug. ¡°I do not concern myself with what each Covenant Member does¡ªit is neither my purpose nor desire to micromanage those I travel with, yet we share a common goal. Baxter will live, but it will take several weeks to reconstruct his body from the state Sari¡¯a¨¦l left him. Luckily, Orinvia managed to sweep him to safety before his defenses utterly collapsed and he was left ash upon the wind.¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Shame,¡± Tiffany said with unmistakable sarcasm. ¡°Still, you¡¯ve been a lot more ¡®hospitable¡¯ than him.¡±

    ¡°He-he-he,¡± Sar''ollaz¡¯s jaw worked around a bit. ¡°I believe Queen Iris would have a differing opinion. In any case, please follow the procedure and silently take your seat. Introductions will be given by each of us, starting with the hosts.¡±

    Before they could respond, the wall to their left melted into blue liquid, sinking into the floor without a sound to give them a wide enough entry point for all of them to enter. Quin didn¡¯t move.

    The room that opened up was impossibly massive, given what they¡¯d seen; it had to be some kind of spatially distorted area, and the alien creatures inside sent waves of threatening power. The Blood Sun¡¯s artifact overshadowed their crushing pressure, the same as it had continually done to Sar''ollaz, but with so many various dangerous signals, it was hard to not hesitate.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    At that moment, Elinor knew that had Sari¡¯a¨¦l not scared Balmuraun into using the Divine Artifact, there wasn¡¯t a chance they would have survived assaulting this place to retrieve Iris.

    The sound of rumbling stones, boiling lava, crackling electricity, and unnatural humming came from within the chamber as Sar''ollaz transformed into smoke, weaving around the colossal table to take his place at the head, on a high throne.

    Quin¡¯s hand twitched as Elinor placed her left fingers atop it, prompting her to carry her forward to the shimmering throne materializing out of the floor from blue liquid; two smaller seats grew beside it, and two platforms behind for Quin and Aileen.

    The four-armed ape slowly walked forward to allow Elinor to swap to the chair; once situated, it rose over 50-meters into the air to be even with the wide table.

    Tiffany took her own, following after Elinor¡¯s, yet Sari¡¯a¨¦l ignored the support, floating into the sky to hover beside Elinor. Aileen and Quin¡¯s separate circular pillars rose soon after to stand behind their Empress.

    Every creature¡¯s attention was on Sar''ollaz as he reached to his chest and pulled out the holy relic, saying, ¡°I, Sar''ollaz, last son of God¡¯roska, and the Pact Head, will lead the Covenant in the Song of Peace and Understanding with the Empire of Empress Elinor.¡±

    The globe radiated golden light before floating to Elinor, who paused at the majesty of the scene. ¡°... Sari¡¯a¨¦l is my representative,¡± she replied, turning the rights over to the Seraph.

    The angel nodded with serene grace. ¡°As the recognized party of Empress Elinor, Ruler over the Undying Empire, I, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, Daughter of the Blood Sun, will officiate the start of the Song of Peace and Understanding with the Covenant. Let us be known.¡±

    Elinor felt an unseen force weave into the fiber of her very being, branching out to everyone connected to her Undead and Religious System. She wasn¡¯t sure what Apollo was actually doing but instinctively knew that, at this point, everything was to be made bare.

    The artifact rose high into the air, shedding golden rays across the entire room and making a few of the creatures shift uncomfortably.

    Sar''ollaz cleared his throat, his tone jovial as his tail leisurely flicked left and right. ¡°To begin, we will go between us and introduce ourselves. We all know what is at stake here ¡­ Peace and Understanding will be met.¡±

    Elinor wasn¡¯t exactly sure what that meant, but it soon became apparent as each entity spoke, opening up their minds and hearts¡ªor lack thereof.

    ¡°First,¡± Sar''ollaz stated, his tone still light, ¡°a little about myself. I am an Izralan, and I have traveled across the multiversal planes in search of a cure to something far more sinister than a disease¡ªa parasite, you might say.

    ¡°Second, the Covenant is about looking for our own individual things, and we have banded together to aid one another in our tasks. It could simply be providing information in one world or an activity in the next¡ªwe generally stay out of each other¡¯s methods and ways.

    ¡°Third, I care nothing for you, Empress Elinor¡ªyou are not all that interesting as a person. However, the powers you wield can be utilized in such a vast and mind-altering way that I cannot help but deal with your insignificant existence. Had the source of that strange power¡ªwhatever is inside of you¡ªwent to another, I would feel no differently.¡±

    He crossed his legs, hands resting on his armored lap. ¡°I wish you as much harm as you might have for an insect you mindlessly step on about your daily life. Queen Iris is far more entertaining as a study subject, and I can see Tiffany having a few interesting quirks, yet Sari¡¯a¨¦l is the one thing that takes the prize.

    ¡°Simply put, I wish to observe you because I believe you have the key to destroying this parasite that I have looked for eons. I will offer no help unless equal compensation is provided, and I will be fair, Empress Elinor.

    ¡°I issue a ruling that no creature from the Covenant shall harm you nor your nation ¡®directly,¡¯ meaning overt attacks, yet how Baxter or any other might influence other nations is not a part of our problem. I offer understanding for trade and direct peace between us; this will also mean that Baxter will not pursue to harm you through another nation, but not his actions that might create chaos, affecting you as a byproduct.¡±

    He waved his hand toward the left side of the table. ¡°Arsheh?¡±

    The Mockingjay-like</a> creature shifted her legs, hidden behind a smoky gown that appeared to be a part of her physique. Leaning back on her open-backed pedestal, she released a lovely hum.

    ¡°The others know me as Arsheh, and I am a Ralgruthiash. This event has severely confused me and sent my mind ablaze with questions; I was preparing myself to visit one of the many invisible moons to test samples there, yet instead, I find myself entertaining the creatures that attacked us ¡­ Life is strange,¡± she giggled, causing an ugly feminine</a>-shaped alien figure across from her to release a low rumble in her throat.

    ¡°Oracle does such a wonderful job of translating¡ªhas she improved, Sar''ollaz?¡± He simply pointed at the artifact. ¡°Hmm ¡­ Yes, a most mysterious piece of ¡­ I cannot understand it. How vexing.

    ¡°In any case,¡± she sighed, returning her attention to Elinor, ¡°I am quite busy with my own examinations of this solar system¡¯s many puzzles ¡­ I¡¯m a cataloger by hobby, you see, and it is my mission to organize discoveries and catalog them ¡­ unlike the destructive Baraayas that love nothing more than to see beauty burn and chaos as their ultimate muse ¡­ disgusting creatures¡ªBaxter happens to be at least ¡­ tolerable,¡± she grumbled.

    Her head tilted to the left, hollow beak opening and closing while making gestures with her long fingers against her chest. ¡°Ah, anyway, I have no time to waste such energy as to bother with whatever ¡­ this is¡ªI do not concern myself with the mysteries I cannot solve, and this ¡­ this feels like one of those.¡±

    Arsheh¡¯s tone brightened. ¡°Although, if you find something I like, then I am always willing to help with a good puzzle¡ªonly after I have completed my others¡ªI have a list, you see. Is ¡­ that what is expected, Sar''ollaz?¡±

    He folded his fingers together atop the impossibly thin table that wasn¡¯t supported by any pillar. ¡°There is the possibility that she will be granted temporary membership.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Delightful.¡± Her hollow eyes turned to Tiffany. ¡°I sense a curiosity in you¡ªperhaps there is hope for some improvement.¡±

    For once, Tiffany was speechless.

    ¡°Right! Well, I have much to do. I wish you luck on not dying, and ¡­ I will keep posted on the meeting from afar through Oracle. Much to do. Much to do.¡±

    She vanished in a mist, leaving Elinor a little taken aback. When they¡¯d come to this meeting, she did not expect to have these insanely powerful creatures to be so ¡­ quirky. Still, this turned out far better than she thought, and she contented herself to stay silent until it was her turn.

    Sar''ollaz chuckled. ¡°As busy as always, it was more of a shock that Arsheh was inside when everything happened than anything else.¡± He turned his head toward the nasty-looking alien woman closest to Elinor. ¡°Orinvia?¡±

    Her large, clawed hand rose to brush back one of her bound locks, wood-like skin on her left side pulsating purple light that flared across her large halo, showing tiny pebbles swirling around it. The creature¡¯s voice was quite a bit deeper than she expected, right hand slamming down on the table.

    ¡°We cannot accept defeat! The Miallu do not accept the loss!¡±

    ¡°Meaning?¡± Elinor coldly asked, turning her gaze to Sar''ollaz.

    His tail curved around his idle left arm, clearly amused by her tone. ¡°The Miallu race has a long line of warriors which transfers their previous generation¡¯s consciousness into the next, fusing them into ¡­ Orinvia,¡± he stated with a gesture. ¡°Within her culture, she is demanding a rematch with Sari¡¯a¨¦l to prove she is superior.¡±

    Tiffany lifted an eyebrow, shifting positions to stare at the angel. ¡°Eh ... Is that allowed?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± she amiably replied. ¡°However, to reach a proper understanding, the task must be done where both parties can accept the outcome.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s hard eyes focused on Orinvia. ¡°Hmm ... I can accept a battle that is not to the death, and at what strength do you wish to fight her? It will change the timeline of the date.¡±

    Orinvia glared at her. ¡°Death is the only way!¡±

    ¡°He-he-he-he ¡­ I have a solution,¡± said a large creature</a> with four clawed hands on his upper half, and a flaming crown on his tiny, monstrous head that was too small for his body. It looked like an amalgamation of a gorilla with donkey legs and a monster¡¯s face. ¡°Fight in The Dream ¡­ both parties will be satisfied, and I¡¯ll get a lovely meal.¡±

    Tiffany grimaced. ¡°Who are you, what do you mean ¡®The Dream,¡¯ and ¡­ a lovely meal?¡±

    Orinvia hissed, but her horrifying mouth was peeled back in a smile, revealing horrible fangs. ¡°We accept ¡­ Dream Death is as good as being real ¡­ Power ¡­ We are not afraid¡ªprepare for your doom!¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l calmly waited for an explanation, which the furry creature gave. ¡°I will put the two of you in a dream space to fight to your heart''s content¡ªI feast upon the energies, and once a party is deceased, they return, mind experiencing everything that transpired within¡ªbut you will live. He-he-he-he-he.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± He reached up to scratch his humped, spiny back with his top hands, making Quin shiver; he was at least two feet taller than Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma. ¡°My name is Aidrh¡¯ruz, and my species is known as the Arce. My desires are simple ¡­ discover the greatest nightmare and devour it.¡±

    ¡°Empress?¡± the Seraph asked; her internal emotions were on fire, light in her eyes.

    Elinor leaned against the side of the throne. ¡°Hmm ¡­ You¡¯ve never been challenged before. Have you?¡±

    ¡°Never.¡± Her full pink lips rose with excitement. ¡°I am bound to you, Empress. Whatever you decide, I shall follow.¡±

    She studied Sar''ollaz''s wicked face, unreadable as the blood cycled around his horns and white hair. ¡°I feel I need to choose my words carefully ... What are the effects of this Dream Death?¡±

    Aidrh¡¯ruz¡¯s top two fingers stretched out, stiffening with extending claws, his monstrous mouth opening to expel a pulse of rough, sweet-smelling wind that pressed against Elinor¡¯s face; the glowing tattoos across his legs and arms flared, and the broken chains on his legs rattled while shifting positions. ¡°I will consume their memories¡ªthey will function but never know what they were.¡±

    Weighing her options and knowing they had to reach a consensus, Elinor shifted her gaze to her angel. ¡°At what strength do you believe it to be a fair fight to make all parties happy because I trust you to win.¡±

    ¡°Orinvia is always victorious,¡± the Miallu snapped.

    Elinor slowly nodded. ¡°I see. To come to peace and understanding with your race, it means a victor must be crowned.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s hand pressed against the silver gem in the middle of her chest. ¡°There is no equalizing our strength Empress. I suggest we set the day for two weeks from now ¡­ I will be disadvantaged but will not fail.¡±

    She wanted to groan as the Seraph hid her trembling fingers behind her back; Sari¡¯a¨¦l had never been in a losing fight¡ªthis was another one to tick off her bucket list. Still, she was confident, but the woman was nothing but pride and pity, mixed with a hint of masochism¡ªto understand what it was like to bleed ¡­ She wanted to be hurt.

    ¡°... Then I¡¯ll condone it.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s brow pulled together, looking up at the ceiling as Arsheh''s voice floated down to them. ¡°Oh?! That might make for good research; I shall observe and document! Let me put it on my schedule ¡­ 2-weeks, exactly, correct? I need specifics!¡±

    ¡°This is not for your entertainment, Arsheh,¡± Orinvia hissed.

    ¡°No, it is for research! Of course, your oversized head couldn¡¯t comprehend such concepts.¡±

    ¡°You never accept challenges, like all Ralgruthiash; cowards in their hearts!¡±

    The Mockingjay creature¡¯s lilting tone rang around the area as she appeared on the table beside the Miallu out of condensing mist. ¡°Hmm ¡­ What good is a test where the results are guaranteed? Best look elsewhere for your uneducated thrills.¡±

    She was gone before she could bite back, Orinvia fanning away the lingering mist with disgust. ¡°Leave the fighting to those that enjoy it¡ªstudy your lumps of invisible rock.¡±

    ¡°And this is why you are hard-stuck at your current strength, poor, young, little girl.¡±

    Obviously, the Covenant weren¡¯t on the best of terms with one another, but they somehow seemed to come together.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze turned to a tiny owl-like</a> monster that was somewhat cute, despite its four arms and small wings; it might have been the ears, big eyes, or little antlers, but mainly because the little guy was only a foot tall. The platform he was on rose a meter above the table so he could look around.

    ¡°O-Oh, is ¡­ is it my turn?!¡± he asked with a high, charming voice. ¡°I¡¯m Bo-Ko, and I¡¯m looking for my little sister! We were separated in ¡­ How long ago was it, Sar''ollaz? I can¡¯t even remember!¡±

    He waved a hand in response.

    ¡°Ah! Yes, yes, that¡¯s it! I¡¯ve lost her for ¡­ lost her for ¡­ for 12,743,264 days! She¡¯s been hiding from me, and I¡¯m trying to find her ¡­ I¡¯m trying so hard, but she always runs into my shadow¡­¡± He sighed. ¡°Yeah ¡­ I know, she can be mean¡ªreally mean sometimes, but I like you, and I think she will too! You should help me find her! I¡¯m trying to collect things that will really make her happy and stay! T-To be with me again¡ªbecause it¡¯s so sad being alone¡ªI was alone for so long,¡± he sniffed.

    ¡°Oh! Oh! I¡¯m not alone anymore, though! I have Sar''ollaz, and Orinvia plays with me¡ªsometimes, and Sylez scares me, and Arsheh reads me stories sometimes, Bacdeth makes me laugh ¡­ I always fall asleep at storytime, and she gets mad, he-he-he ¡­ Oh, and Baxter shows me so many fun places! We should be friends, too!¡±

    Sar''ollaz laughed. ¡°Only on even days, remember?¡±

    He sighed. ¡°I know ¡­ If I meet with friends on odd days, they disappear forever! The Ogacu takes them! I saw him once!¡±

    ¡°Mhm¡­¡± A low chuckle from a sophisticated voice pulled Elinor¡¯s gaze to the last member of the room. ¡°You are quite the troublemaker, Bo-Ko.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re so funny, Bacdeth!¡± he chortled, rolling around on his pillar.

    Elinor didn¡¯t know where to look at BecDeth</a>; he had a strange polearm with a smoking pot at the end in his dark gray hands. He was over 5 meters tall and looked straight out of a horror film.

    His head was a gaping mouth with countless teeth inside, writhing, vine-like tentacles of various sizes writhing atop his head with dozens of black eyes across each one. The terrifying thing fed into a golden neck-choker with what appeared to be a human face attached to the front.

    Most of his torso was hidden behind a thick black cloak, two gray hands poking out of the abyss to hold his weapon. Below the frayed hems were the lower half of a werewolf with oversized claws, positioned to pounce.

    Out of everyone so far, he certainly took the prize for the most creepy. ¡°As you might have guessed, Empress Elinor,¡± his voice was smooth and hypnotic, ¡°I am Becdeth, and I am searching for a prize ¡­ one that cannot be named, or it flees into the darkness¡ªwe have been getting close¡­¡±

    His jaws snapped, claw-like pincers for lips opening to reveal the slick insides of its snapping teeth, each acting like fingers. ¡°I am so close ¡­ In any case, perhaps I can stop by and learn a bit more about you ¡­ I do wish to understand what has pulled Sar''ollaz¡¯s attention as I was not here to witness the grand stage this winged creature put on ¡­ I dabble in art myself ¡­ not in the same way as Baxter.¡±

    All Elinor could feel from him was a predatory clicking, but it was just his natural presence, and in the next instance, his voice changed feminine, causing a shiver to run down her spine. ¡°I have quite the collection you might be interested in ¡­ art can be so ¡­ fulfilling.¡±

    The countless eyes stilled, shifting to Sar''ollaz¡¯s dominating presence. ¡°Of course, as the Covenant stands ¡­ No harm will come to you and yours. Peace and Understanding, I accept.¡±

    ¡°Not I!¡± Orinvia demanded; the pebbles swirling around her halo increased in velocity.

    Sar''ollaz waved a hand. ¡°You¡¯ve made it clear, Orinvia ¡­ you bind it with your soul, in two weeks, Peace and Understanding will be brought together upon Dream Death.¡±

    ¡°I accept,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l chimed. ¡°I pray to my father it will not be a pitiful showing¡ªa single cut would be thrilling.¡±

    ¡°Cocky golden bird,¡± Orinvia growled, and Elinor wondered if the creature was trying to insult the Seraph, but it just went right over her head, not that it was great, but perhaps they didn¡¯t have the right context.

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s attention fixated on Elinor. ¡°Now, Empress Elinor ¡­ Speak for Peace and Understanding.¡±

    Glancing around at the silently waiting monsters of nightmare, Elinor folded her fingers in her lap, knowing the moment the divine artifact¡¯s light faded, she would be practically catatonic by the sheer presence these creatures held¡ªBaxter truly was the bottom of the totem pole, except Bo-Ko. Still, his story certainly sounded suspicious and alarming, yet the Blood Sun allowed it.

    ¡°I am frightened of you,¡± Elinor stated without reservation; it was the truth, and she had to speak it. ¡°I have no doubt Sari¡¯a¨¦l could defend me and kill all of you¡ªbe it at the expense of this planet, and I recognize your strength.¡±

    Orinvia''s face darkened at her statement, but she didn¡¯t pursue the topic, clearly angered that she wasn¡¯t struck down for blasphemy.

    ¡°Not a wrong statement,¡± Sar''ollaz mused. ¡°Still, quite presumptuous. Had Sari¡¯a¨¦l continued to unlock those sealed powers, I¡¯m sure she would have realized there are ¡­ many options at my disposal.¡±

    Elinor resituated herself in the seat; not that it was uncomfortable but because of the horrific monsters that sat around her. Still, Tiffany and Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s presence were comforting, even if they were powerless to stop these titans without great sacrifice. ¡°I do not doubt it, yet also will not doubt her power, and you experienced it yourself.

    ¡°That being said, I do not wish for altercations between any of you. Baxter initiated this entire problem that escalated into you holding Iris hostage and forcing me to find some way to get her back¡ªwhich resulted in Sari¡¯a¨¦l joining my Empire.¡±

    ¡°Fortuitous,¡± BecDeth said in a feminine voice.

    ¡°In many ways,¡± she whispered to herself, before raising her voice, attempting to sound confident, which was daunting in the face of such creatures. ¡°So long as no one breaks this pact, then I have no issues remaining neutral or even positive, should you wish for my help.¡±

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s tail flicked against the table, head tilting a little with the blood around his face. ¡°It is not us that will need the help, Empress Elinor ¡­ Should you wish for my aid, I will not be far.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled beside her. ¡°Should that event come to pass, you are not the only option.¡±

    Tiffany snickered. ¡°She said it; you have a few individuals that seem ¡­ somewhat pleasant.¡±

    He turned his crimson eyes to the grinning Witch, his tone holding an edge of amusement. ¡°Hmm ¡­ Neutrality is set with the conditions mentioned and understanding in time. Has everyone else agreed in their souls?¡±

    Elinor touched her breast as she felt thousands of individuals instantly accept peace; oddly, her Religious System was strengthened by quite a bit from this exercise. ¡°We do¡­¡±

    ¡°As do we,¡± Sar''ollaz stated, rising to his feet. ¡°Baxter¡¯s desire for further conflict has faded and been replaced; he has accepted the outcome, and so has everyone else ¡­ It is bound.¡±

    A seal wove inside Elinor¡¯s spirit, spreading across everyone else with her acting as the catalyst; she was safe from the Covenant with only one exception, Orinvia''s challenge.

    Elinor used the arms of the chair to rise to her own feet on the platform. ¡°I will see you in two weeks¡­¡± Her gaze fixated on a small silver stick with gems attached to it.

    ¡°He-he-he-he-he¡­¡± Sar''ollaz¡¯s tone brightened again. ¡°I look forward to hearing what you wish to trade, Elinor; hold the yellow gem to be transported back to Sha¡¯Guala ¡­ Don¡¯t be a stranger.¡±

    The golden artifact began to evaporate, fading into nothing as it fulfilled its purpose, and the second her hands closed around the rod, she was teleported back to her city¡¯s main square, Tiffany, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, Aileen, and Quin beside her.

    Tiffany growled, glaring at the floating island overhead as clouds moved to cover it. ¡°... He sent us down before that thing¡¯s protection wore off¡­¡± Her voice came through the Nexus. ¡°Elinor, we must get much stronger if we hope to survive in the future if creatures of that strength are fearful of places on this planet.¡±

    ¡°The path is laid before us,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l replied, vision rising to the now obscured island, still remaining overhead, and Elinor knew it would not likely move. ¡°Have faith in yourself, Empress.¡±

    Elinor, Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ No ¡­ heh, you like the title.

    ¡°That ¡­ was wicked!¡± Aileen gasped, jumping up and down. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ I actually didn¡¯t scream! I¡¯m getting stronger, Empress! I¡¯m getting stronger!¡±

    Tiffany giggled with Elinor, the Witch reaching down to brush back the girl¡¯s bouncing locks. ¡°You are, dearie. Why don¡¯t you take Sari¡¯a¨¦l and introduce her to everyone? I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love seeing a cute girl like you guiding around our new resident angel and Warlord.¡±

    Edmon was already in contact with Tiffany as the two conversed about what transpired, leaving Elinor to sit on Quin¡¯s hand and look up at the cloudless, starry sky surrounding the hazed city.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Demon below, and a devil in the sky¡ªwhen I thought it couldn¡¯t get any worse.

 B2 â€” 43. The Path Ahead

    Elinor sat on Quin¡¯s hand for some time, looking up at the dark heavens while deep in her thoughts.  Her fingers tightened around the black and gold rod Sar''ollaz had given her, keeping clear of the multiple gems faceted into it; she wasn¡¯t in the mood to theorize what else it could be besides what the devil told her and a teleportation key to return to the floating island was not trivial.

    Tiffany stood nearby, going over dozens of topics with Edmon as he worked on better understanding the Quen¡¯Talrat technology.

    Amra¡¯Cora took the death of Lecra¡¯Moro in a shocking way that Elinor hadn¡¯t expected from the massive female ape ¡­ They were proud of their fallen brother, having faith that he¡¯d died a notable death to have earned his place within their hearts as a true Elite Hunter.

    A small smirk lifted Elinor¡¯s green-tinted lips while staring at the single cloud in the sky, obscuring the colossal floating island.  Well ¡­ we¡¯ve averted another crisis, Tiffany.

    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, yes, well, there are still many questions I have, but we have come to a peaceful understanding ¡­ Trade, in essence, which is acceptable, and the threat of conflict is completely off the table, including any action that is meant to harm us, which we, in turn, must comply with.¡±

    Edmon huffed.  ¡°Peace with a sword over all of our necks ¡­ I like the style, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°You would,¡± Tiffany giggled.

    However, Elinor couldn¡¯t help but think of her father upon hearing the Doom Guard¡¯s words; her father was wholly against that way of thought, yet Edmon was no longer her father.

    In any case, we are now safe from the major threat that looms above us and now know that they are capable of aiding us if worse comes to worst.  Have you figured out how to play the city¡¯s recordings, Edmon?

    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, but I believe we are narrowing down the proper functions ¡­ This system is complex, and there are manuals we can use ¡­ if we discover them.  There is an entire section of Level 11 dedicated to records, and the city is so massive Amra¡¯Cora has never been to that part of the fortress.¡±

    Just let me know when you make a breakthrough ¡­ Speaking of which, Tiffany, you can return to your experiments; Azalea can guard me.

    Tiffany¡¯s eyes sparkled.  ¡°Oh!  I am so close, Empress¡ªthis close,¡± she emphasized with her fingers, ¡°to developing a ritual to bridge your Faith System and Undead System.¡±

    I¡¯ve been thinking about that, Elinor mumbled.  Couldn¡¯t I form a religious crusader branch or something in that regard to make it easier?

    The air in Tiffany¡¯s balloon popped.  ¡°Oh ¡­ I see, umm ¡­ I suppose that could work, but, umm ¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be more cost-efficient to¡ªto have those points be dedicated for other things such as expanding your influence ¡­ allowing the Undead System to handle the battle stuff?¡±  She stumbled through her words, looking for any excuse to continue her work.

    Giggling a little, Elinor tore her eyes away from the cloud to give the fidgeting Witch a small smile, knowing what was bugging her.  I know you haven¡¯t been feeling the most useful, Tiffany, but I wouldn¡¯t be here right now without your witchcraft.  If you believe you are close, then, by all means, I don¡¯t want you to waste your efforts.  Continue, and we¡¯ll see how it works out.

    ¡°Thank you!¡±  Tiffany replied, hurrying toward The Tower while calling for Esmeralda, the maid helping her in the experiments.  ¡°We¡¯re going to be continuing from where we last left off ¡­ Bring the younger Ri¡¯bot this time¡ªat least they¡¯re not exploding or dying anymore; we can deal with boils.¡±

    Elinor shook her head; in all honesty, she didn¡¯t want to know what the women¡¯s ritual research entailed, but the Ri¡¯bot volunteered after she¡¯d conquered them¡ªnot that most of them knew what they were signing up for.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l, how are you fairing?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ humans do enjoy their tears ¡­ They also appear very weak in the knees and ankles because they fall down quite a bit upon seeing me.  Is that a bodily response or custom?¡±

    I mean, most of the humans we¡¯ve brought with us are Colombian, which means they¡¯re probably Catholic or something ¡­ So, an angel is kind of a big deal, and I can¡¯t blame them.  If I saw you when I was on Earth, I¡¯d want to believe in something, too ¡­ Well, I¡¯ve met your dad, for one, so ¡­ I¡¯m a believer in that.

    ¡°Believer in that ¡­ Such strange concepts.  They do appear to enjoy my presence, and Aileen is having a wonderful time.¡±

    I¡¯m sure she is.  Let them know you are now the military commander of the Empire ¡­ basically, my top War General.

    ¡°I am honored and will do what is expected of me ¡­ However, I will need an understanding of what that is.¡±

    One step at a time; they¡¯ll know what it means, which is enough.

    ¡°Very well ¡­ Some are offering me some sort of ¡­ nourishment?¡±

    Goodness ¡­ Aileen.

    ¡°Yes, Empress?!¡±  The hyperactive little girl chimed.

    Tell them that Sari¡¯a¨¦l doesn¡¯t need food or gifts; she¡¯s just introducing herself to them.  We¡¯re rationing as it is, and they need to keep up their strength.

    ¡°On it!¡±

    Elinor turned her gaze to the tower and long branching wings of the palace, Azalea jogging out in her cute human form, wearing some dress that had light blue, red, and black as its design, mirroring her sister¡¯s primary colors.

    The tower soared into the sky, making it visible from anywhere in the valley, and her eyes narrowed upon seeing the cloud come closer and closer to it.  Sar''ollaz wants me to know I can get his attention by going to the top ¡­ currently, I¡¯d much rather deal with him instead of Demon; at least I know the power that¡¯s binding the devil.  Demon¡¯s restraints, on the other hand, aren¡¯t so clear.

    ¡°Here, Empress!  Everything seems good.¡±

    Elinor smiled at the peppy Spider Sister.  ¡°Hello, Azalea.  I expect some words passed between you and your mother?¡±

    ¡°Yes!  I¡¯m grateful that she has returned; although, Sar''ollaz is very concerning.¡±

    Turning her green irises to the empty streets, Elinor hummed.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be too worried about him.  Sar''ollaz must remain neutral without exception; Demon does not, and there are enemies below our feet.¡±

    ¡°Right,¡± Azalea nodded.  ¡°Umm ¡­ One strange thing is the moisture in the air.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s brow creased, focus returning to the girl as she looked up with tight lips, studying the sky.  ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l evaporated everything ¡­ Quin, take us to the upper floors of the tower.¡±

    ¡°Right away, Empress!¡±  Quin chimed, having been perfectly still and silent the entire time; in all honesty, even if the ape woman enjoyed acting as her throne, she felt like she was wasting Quin¡¯s potential.

    However, at this moment, she was more focused on what was hidden behind the monumental spire.

    Teens were already trying to sneak away with a few children once told that the danger had passed, ready to explore again; they froze upon seeing her enter the hallway with the massive four-armed gorilla, but she didn¡¯t have time to ponder them, and it was their guardian¡¯s jobs to make sure they didn¡¯t kill themselves in any case.

    Oddly enough, Adoncia, one of the younger maids she¡¯d brought back, came jogging into the palace entry hallway with an annoyed frown; she made one call for her fifteen-year-old brother before locking up.  ¡°Sal, you aren¡¯t ¡­ E-Empress Elinor,¡± she mumbled, evening out her steps and bowing as she passed.  ¡°Is ¡­ no one with you, Empress?¡±  she asked with concern.

    I¡¯m fine, Adoncia.  I suspect your brother is causing trouble?

    ¡°Always ¡­ my apologies.¡±

    If you are with them, I have no issue with you helping them spread their wings if it is acceptable to their family members.  Elinor absently stated as Quin entered the extravagant entry hall.  They should have someone that can actually defend them rather than sneaking off and getting into trouble on their own.  No?

    ¡°I ¡­ I will bring it up with Gwen,¡± Adoncia replied, increasing her speed to easily outstrip the kids and round them up; she was worried about the responsibility it would put on her but was happy to have Elinor¡¯s blessing.  ¡°Thank you for your blessing, Empress.¡±

    You know which areas are restricted, I assume.

    ¡°Of course.¡±

    Chatter could be heard across the six stories of the East Wing of the palace as Ri¡¯bot, humans, and Yaltha¡¯ma clamored about the Seraph.

    She caught James Escobedo, the Head Butler, standing on the 2nd-floor balcony with what she assumed was his elderly wife beside the young, vibrant man on her way to the Throne Room.  ¡°Empress, might I accompany you while in the absence of Ms. De la Vega?  Ms. Tesoro and Pecha are available to join us if their services are needed.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ If Ang¨¦lica and Theresa aren¡¯t busy, then it is acceptable.  I assume Eladio is with Edmon?

    ¡°He is, Empress,¡± James replied, kissing his wife and jumping down while reporting to the two maids.  ¡°The women have had a wonderful week with their families and friends.¡±

    Quin picked up her pace as Elinor¡¯s hands tightened in her lap, mind working on what Azalea¡¯s observation suggested.  Wonderful.  Use Quin¡¯s bottom-left arm to join us ¡­ I am in a hurry.

    ¡°Right away.¡±

    The motherly voice of Theresa replied shortly after, followed by the sharp, natural tone of Ang¨¦lica¡¯s.

    ¡°I will be there shortly, Empress.¡±

    ¡°ETA 45-seconds.¡±

    The two women and black-haired man were soon running across the floor in a rather dignified fashion before jumping atop the Quin¡¯s large hand and situating themselves.

    Now that they were present, they kept their silence until called upon or directed otherwise.  In truth, Elinor didn¡¯t really need them but could feel their desire to be helpful to her.

    Going beyond the Throne Room and into the Galaxy Room, she had Azalea rush ahead to drop the disk elevator; moving to the top floor, she exited into the gusting wind of the high altitude of the tower.

    It was the first time she¡¯d been on the highest floor of the building, and the misting clouds were only several feet away to the east in a long, unnaturally thin trail that could have been a road; her attention was to the north, though.

    Elinor¡¯s lips creased upon studying the frozen mountains ¡­ The continual storm of ice that spread across the range was gone, revealing more mysteries than she could count.

    On the smaller, left snow-covered zone was a clearly crafted structure with burning red energy</a> running out of cracks, a trapezoid-shaped</a> rock with jutting peaks around it.  Red crystals could be seen growing out of the rock, splitting the stone.

    A sheer cliff with what appeared to be various sized gears</a> of light, spinning in randomized ways, pulsing in and out to some kind of rhythm, was not far from the area, considering the mountain range''s vast size.

    To the right of the central jewel of the sierra was a shimmering aurora of blues and greens, rising up into some kind of colossal artifact</a> with dozens of floating parts; two reflecting pyramids with a halo surrounding it and an almost bird-like design underneath it, twisting in set patterns.

    Further to the east was a river far bigger than it appeared due to the size of the mountain it wove through, cutting its way toward the Wandering River, the waterway they¡¯d returned on from the Nalvean capital that stretched for miles in width.  Waterfalls</a> were a dime a dozen, and each showered the floor with their girth.

    At the center of the range was the mountain emperor, an enormous rising</a> giant amongst its peers that pierced the heavens.  It was probably over 14,000 meters in the air, which would mean oxygen would be extremely thin because she¡¯d seen Mt. Everest on one of their trips when she was eleven, and this made it look like a child.

    She couldn¡¯t see a thing beyond the leveling point, not even halfway up the mountain, but there were more than a dozen structures that could have been keeps</a> or strongholds, built by the Quen¡¯Talrat, and the insanely large chains</a> dotted across them showed the ape¡¯s strength, dedication, and drive.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    The area was rife with mystery.  One thing was for certain, though; the storm was attempting to rebuild itself.  Beams of black light shot from various unseen points across the range, shooting to the artifact at the peak, over 14,000 meters in the air.

    Her gut tightened upon feeling the ominous presence of Sar''ollaz appear out of thin air from within the murky mist as it extended.

    ¡°Empress?!¡±  James gasped.

    She held up her hand; the very fact they could move after she¡¯d felt the weight of even part of his presence with Apollo¡¯s protection, or at least, from what she could tell since he could battle with her Seraph when releasing her Divinity to the 3rd rank, meant the devil was restricting himself to an infinitesimal amount of his true strength.

    Azalea had already been warned about the creature from her mother, but Elinor could sense her discomfort as his monstrous visage stepped out of the fog</a>, walking on air to slowly make it to the edge of the tower.

    His blood shifted around his mocking, skull-like, hideous face, which was permanently in an unnerving stationary grin, as he turned toward the revealed mountain range.  ¡°Empress, he-he-he ¡­ Your language is quite ¡­ peculiar; even the expressions of enjoyment are so foreign.  Heh ¡­ It has been too long.¡±

    Her grip tightened around the rod he¡¯d given her.  ¡°Already expecting a call?  You¡¯re coming off as needy, Sar''ollaz, and after that powerful exit.¡±

    ¡°Oh, by no means; I simply came to enjoy the view, and thought your company might not be so bad, given you were already in the act of admiring the curious workings of this grand machine¡ªI must say, I am rarely impressed by the work of lesser creatures, but this ¡­ this has a touch of something much more ¡­ sophisticated than what I typically come across.  I assume you¡¯ve claimed it?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s green irises leveled with his glowing red; Quin turned her body to face the devil, doing her best not to tremble with just the thought of what they¡¯d been exposed to earlier.  ¡°This is my land.¡±

    ¡°Fair.  Perhaps Baxter could help you puzzle out its mysteries; I know he¡¯s interested in this kind of stuff¡ªit¡¯s too small for Arsheh to even consider.¡±

    Her Head Butler and Maids were paralyzed from seeing the demonic monstrosity that casually invited himself to speak to her, but Elinor did not fear the devil.  ¡°Mhm ¡­ And why are you telling me this?  You¡¯ve made it perfectly clear that our arrangement comes at a give and take.¡±

    His tail flicked to the left, and the wind pressed back his thick white mane of hair.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Consider it an investment and a way for Baxter to show you he has turned over a new feather ¡­ Although, that is assuming he makes a full recovery¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l did not ¡­ Oh, what a fascinating term ¡­ She did not pull her punches.¡±

    ¡°That implies she was in the wrong,¡± Elinor dryly returned, her gaze shifting to the mountains.  ¡°I hold no ill-will toward Baxter; he¡¯s an overly obsessive bird that happens to be strong.¡±

    ¡°I apologize, but did you say Baxter was¡ªstrong?  Heh-he-he-he-he ¡­ My dear, he is by far the weakest of The Covenant and only allowed to partake in the ritual to amuse Bo-Ko.  No, Baxter is more ¡­ a pet, if you will ¡­ an addition that¡¯s sole purpose is to keep Bo-Ko in an amiable state.¡±

    The information was bitter but could be expected.  ¡°And Orinvia?¡±

    ¡°Mmh, Orinvia has her place, low as it is, but is severely disadvantaged by Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s element; in fact, I am looking forward to seeing who will come out on top.  Under normal circumstances, given the disparity in raw power alone, Orinvia would have it in an instant, yet ¡­ Sari¡¯a¨¦l is no ordinary combatant when she releases that unquestionable power as a Daughter of the Sun.¡±

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s hands tightened behind his back, head tilting a little as his blood moved through his teeth, hair and spiraled around his horns.  ¡°I wonder, though¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Elinor didn¡¯t want to even look at the fiend.  ¡°I assume it has something to do with Sari¡¯a¨¦l.¡±

    He walked forward, holding out his wrist to project a perfect 3D image that appeared around them, blotting out the scenery to display the Seraph, surrounded by children wide-eyed while feeling her large feathers or whispering to their enthralled parents.  ¡°She must feel so blind ¡­ restricted ¡­ confined to a degree even I cannot comprehend¡ªyet she radiates a sense of profound peace,¡± he whispered in a longing manner as he circled the illusion in mid-air.

    Elinor gave him a light glare.  ¡°Did you come down from your floating island to obstruct my sight, distract me, and, for some reason, show me that you¡¯ve been creeping on Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡±

    The devil gave her accusation a hearty chuckle.  ¡°In a manner, yes ¡­ Elinor, there are so many moving parts in this world, and I can see all of them ¡­ compile them ¡­ determine what will happen next based on statistical data that feeds into Sha¡¯Guala.  You have made quite the enemy, from what I¡¯ve gathered, and I just wanted you to be aware that I may be of service when needed.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Elinor mumbled.  ¡°Your ¡®services¡¯ ¡­ A price.¡±

    ¡°Fair, by all means, given my disposition with the bond we now share with the Blood Sun¡¯s power, and I will never lie to you.  To achieve anything of value ¡­ one must sacrifice,¡± he whispered, vanishing into smoke to be absorbed into the clouds surrounding the island.  ¡°There is no better ally than The Covenant; we are never far.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it¡­¡±

    Elinor hummed.  Edmon, Tiffany, Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ I just had a surprise visit from Sar''ollaz.

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Tiffany mused.  ¡°What did that devil want?¡±

    ¡°Humph, likely to intimidate us,¡± Edmon grumbled.

    ¡°I think not,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l replied.  ¡°He is far too cunning to resort to such tactics.¡±

    Precisely ¡­ He told me they are aware of Demon and his movements against me ¡­ on a global scale.

    ¡°Ah ¡­ yup, I see it,¡± Tiffany sighed.  ¡°Oof ¡­ he¡¯s never far away when we need help, but it will come at a cost.¡±

    The Seraph didn¡¯t sound too perturbed by the news.  ¡°He is a creature of wit over power, which will come in handy when needed, given our bond of Peace and Understanding.  At least, that is what I¡¯ve come to determine, given my limited experience in this new world.¡±

    ¡°He will skirt the line as close as possible,¡± Edmon replied.  ¡°We need to be cautious.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ not so sure, Edmon ¡­ not given what he stands to lose by doing so ¡­ his everything.  No, I suspect he will be utterly open and honest with us, but the price might be high.¡±

    Not necessarily.  Elinor drew in a long breath and let it out.  What he wants is big ¡­ He won¡¯t tell us until we ask what we want, and slowly, he will have requirements that will work toward his goals.  But he will not skimp out on his end of the bargain or price hike us.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I suppose that is better than the alternative,¡± Tiffany groaned.  ¡°Well, is there anything else, or can I get back to work?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s growl rumbled through their connection.  ¡°I don¡¯t like this deal.¡±

    ¡°Honey, you wouldn¡¯t like a free pie,¡± Tiffany mumbled.  ¡°You¡¯d think it was poisoned, trapped, or some insult.¡±

    ¡°I like pies,¡± Edmon huffed.  ¡°I think you¡¯re over characterizing me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  I think I know you better than yourself.¡±

    ¡°Bet.¡±

    ¡°Without hesitation!  What?¡±

    Elinor shook her head as the two got into their personal squabble, glaring at the fog that slowly retreated; she could still sense the devil¡¯s chilling presence beside her, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

    She could sense Iris and Camellia meeting up with Klaus, which meant things were in motion on their end; that was the next puzzle to fix, and as much as she wanted to learn about this mountain range, that Sar''ollaz hyped up, she had other issues to deal with.

    Edmon, are the cameras recording the mountain?  It¡¯s revealed a lot of things that eventually need to be investigated.

    He ceased his argument with Tiffany, clearing his throat.  ¡°Yes, Elinor, and we¡¯ve just learned how to replay recordings up to the last twelve hours ¡­ at least with the northern part of the city.¡±

    I¡¯m on my way.

    Having Quin bring them to the bottom floor, she was a little surprised to find Amra¡¯Cora awaiting her at ground level.  The massive silver-furred ape caused a sense of inferiority to pass through Quin¡¯s mind, and her heads instantly fell a little, which was probably a drilled instinct from her past.

    ¡°Empress,¡± Amra¡¯Cora bowed, ¡°To reach the central nerve center that is the Ke¡¯s personal control area for the city, we must go below.¡±  She moved her hand the opposite way on the gem, walking onto the platform with them, and they descended ten floors.

    What¡¯s around us ¡­ in between the floors?

    ¡°Infrastructure,¡± Amra¡¯Cora replied.  ¡°Everything can be controlled here.¡±

    Isn¡¯t that dangerous?  Elinor asked Edmon, pulling him into the conversation.  Isn¡¯t that like messing with a computer in Administrator Mode?  What if you mess up that ¡­ what was it called ¡­ Registry thing?

    ¡°We are careful not to go into anything that is beyond the base interface,¡± Edmon replied.  ¡°However, to even gain access to the lesser systems in the other areas of the palace, we have to activate them from here ¡­ which is proving tricky, and one reason why we are proceeding slowly.¡±

    I suppose that makes sense¡­  Elinor''s voice trailed off upon entering the room.

    Edmon was in the center of what appeared to be a mass of white beams, connecting dozens of black spheres of various sizes; a transparent, glass-like</a> substance was shifting around the outside, ripping in mesmerizing ways.

    The moment she entered, the structure inverted colors, and a mass of holographic</a> dots and lines appeared out of nowhere, cycling around the colossal space and reaching their position, standing fifty meters away.  She couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of the chaos surrounding them.

    Whatever it was, her mind could only respond with one word¡ªincredible.

    What ¡­ is all of this?

    Amra¡¯Cora sounded as breathless as her.  ¡°The City Nexus ¡­ the network that controls everything within the city and every other structure the Ke linked with it.  To be inside it is ¡­ overwhelming.¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ no different than first being introduced with a computer,¡± Edmon grunted, but Elinor was far more impressed.

    Give a computer to a caveman, and it looks like magic ¡­ We¡¯re cavemen, she whispered.  As much as I¡¯d love to learn all of this ¡­ show me what I came here to see.

    Ang¨¦lica and Theresa were floored by the sight, but James seemed to have witnessed it before, and Eladio, the 2nd Butler of her Empire, was standing beside the wall, waiting for instructions from Edmon in case he needed something.

    ¡°One moment,¡± Edmon replied, spinning left and right as his glowing blue eyes scanned the data spinning around him; it was obviously built for a 30-foot gorilla because he was tiny in the middle of the device.

    The room flickered, and suddenly she was standing in the air, overlooking a portion of the northern section of the city; Elinor spun around to see the storm-covered sierra, and in the next moment, a radiance shot through it, evaporating everything in their path.

    In an instant, the night turned to day, yet something even more unexpected happened as the ice was blown away¡ªbarriers forming around critical locations of the snowy peaks, blown away to be replaced by a smaller one shortly after, and the artifacts emanate various colors, red turning to white and then green.

    What am I looking at?!  Elinor asked, watching the defenses fail one after another until an explosion of molten rock jetted up from an unseen crater on the left mountain before falling back down; a tremor shook the city, causing severe damage across the entire fortress.  This isn¡¯t happening right now?

    ¡°No.  A simulator that¡¯s supposed to show the Ke what force the city¡¯s damping system stabilized ¡­ We should have felt that had not the city¡¯s systems contained the shock ¡­ Several of the surrounding mountains further back fractured from what I¡¯ve been able to tell.¡±

    Wonderful ¡­ More problems to deal with, Elinor growled.  Why did that happen, and will it continue?

    ¡°I believe so.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s unleashed power affected the systems on the mountain that are somehow connected to this fortress¡ªmaybe Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma used it to generate a never-ending water source for the needs of his people, or it¡¯s integral to maintain the geological instability within the earth ¡­ There are a million possible reasons.  In the end, I suspect her aura drained key functions that will need to be restored.¡±

    Elinor tucked in her lower lip, drawing in a long breath before letting it out.  No ¡­ remain calm ¡­ there were bound to be issues after something like that.

    In fact, there were supposed to be creatures standing below her, and the entire valley might have been glassed by the Seraph¡¯s presence if the effects were felt this far away.  Her gaze returned to Edmon, floating in the air behind her.  What were the immediate results that you¡¯ve discovered?  How bad was the devastation?

    ¡°I¡¯ve spoken to Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and she assures me that once she determined to activate her 3rd Release, she positioned over their island so it would take the bulk of the damage; however, from what I can tell, the mountain is so tall that it was above the island¡¯s current location and got swept into the attack¡ªpossibly only grazing it.  The atmosphere in that area is ¡­ is somehow trying to recover after she blew it apart ¡­ don¡¯t ask me how, but she assures me it is stabilizing.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus moved to the southeast of the valley, jaw setting; she could see the tall mountain directly beside the fissure.  What do you bet the ants come scurrying out after the ground rattles?  Violet hasn¡¯t had the chance to even make it there because of the distance.

    ¡°Yet she¡¯d be able to sense it out with her webs since she¡¯s spent the week layering it across the valley,¡± Edmon added.  ¡°I do see your concern, much less what could be in those mountains.  We are dealing with the unknown.¡±

    Worse, Sari¡¯a¨¦l is weaker than you in her current state, and it will be that way for two weeks¡ªthen she has another fight, which will put her down for a week again.  How are the city defenses coming along?

    Edmon¡¯s dark eyebrows drew together as he glanced around the city.  ¡°Not optimally, but I will redouble my efforts.¡±

    I suppose ¡­ We will do what we can, but all I seem to do is pick up the pieces of previous catastrophes.  Quin turned to look to the south at her prompt.  Hmm ¡­ Camellia and Iris are returning ¡­ Klaus appears to be heading for Shi¡¯Shuka.  Have we succeeded or not?  This is so aggravating.

    Elinor turned to Amra¡¯Cora with a slight frown, causing her to straighten.  Is there a place I can resurrect more Quen¡¯Talrat?  Soldiers, scientists, craftsmen ¡­ anything?

    The Elite Warrior¡¯s heads tilted toward the base of the mountain.  ¡°I am not sure what the other races did to my people¡¯s corpses, but I assume nothing was left behind ¡­ I suggest looking to the mines, where those that broke laws or were not productive were sent.  Perhaps ¡­ there may be some Quen¡¯Tarlat worth their teeth within.¡±

    She didn¡¯t sound all that convinced, but it was enough of a direction.  Fine.  Send your unit and find me as many as you can.  Azalea, you¡¯re good at burrowing?

    ¡°Excellent, Empress!¡±  she replied with a grin.  ¡°I need to transform back in a few minutes, which means I¡¯ll have a good chance to work on strengthening my legs to make them pretty!¡±

    Any corpse ¡­ it doesn¡¯t matter if it''s only a tiny part ¡­ throw it in a cart and bring them back; take all five of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drones that we have and find me someone that can help us get on our feet.

    ¡°On it!  C¡¯mon!  C¡¯mon!¡±  Azalea urged, waving to the Elite Hunter, somehow knowing where the door was in the hologram.

    Elinor sat back against Quin¡¯s hand, folding her hands in her lap while drawing in.  Iris and Camellia are making good time ¡­ Is she carrying her daughter?  Something important must have required her to return in haste.  Castella is still with the Lukuroha in Shi¡¯Shuka.

    What calamity will be next?  The corrupting creatures below our feet ¡­ some new enemy from the mountains ¡­ or is there an urgent matter to address that Iris is bringing me?  Which will take priority ¡­ Edmon¡­

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    I need a bigger army!  I¡¯m leveling too slowly, and shockingly, I don¡¯t have any bodies ¡­ Imagine that on Earth.  If I send a horde of weak zombies into the fissure, they¡¯ll just disintegrate without much of a fight.  If I send them into the mountains ¡­ it could be fine, but that¡¯s my whole fodder force.

    ¡°They¡¯re fodder for a reason,¡± Edmon chuckled, ¡°but I get your point.  We don¡¯t have the means to resurrect them.  What about the tar pits?  Have you talked to Valdar recently?¡±

    I have not, Elinor mumbled.  That could be an option ¡­ in fact, let¡¯s do it.  I need something to do while waiting for Iris, Violet, Tiffany¡¯s experiments, and Amra¡¯Cora.  Who knows, maybe we¡¯ll find a gem amongst the mud and tar.  Quin, take us to the Ri¡¯bot area ¡­ Wherever we have them at the moment.

    ¡°Right away, Empress!¡±

    Edmon lowered to the ground, causing the lights to fade and the room to return to normal.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t hold my breath if Valdar is considered one of their greatest heroes.¡±

    Harsh but true, Elinor sighed.  I can hope.

    Tiffany chimed in with a terrible reminder from her previous warnings.  ¡°Here¡¯s to hoping fossilized bones work, too!  Oof, I¡¯m working hard, Elinor!  I¡¯m close!  So close!  I can feel it in my bones, he-he-he ¡­ eh, too soon?¡±

    Yeah ¡­ that, Elinor grumbled.

    ¡°Okay, getting back to work!¡±

    Edmon contacted Valdar on their way over, warning him of their arrival and that he should get a team together that could guide them to their destination.  At the very least, she could bolster her Unintelligent Undead fighting force.

 B2 â€” 44. Finally, Progress

    Elinor met with Valdar outside of the palace with a few prominent recent converts from the Xaltan</a> Clan, the Ri¡¯bot clan to the mid-southern half of the valley conquered by Azalea during the previous week.

    They¡¯d recovered many of the humans and their belongings that the Komath abandoned on their exodus through the Xaltan lands as tribute.  Elinor hadn¡¯t kept up on it all that thoroughly since she¡¯d been worried about the Nalveans, Baxter, and Iris.

    However, the army they brought to her ranks was surprisingly larger than she anticipated¡ªfour-hundred and sixty trained soldiers, many of which could act as spies for other clans, and three Xaria.

    Elinor didn¡¯t particularly care to learn their names at the time; she had more pressing things on her mind, like maintaining and building her Empire into a functional economic central point to provide a degree of protection to her lands and people.

    Valdar and his small company of soldiers all rode trained Torlim; the giant alligator-toads were becoming increasingly more valuable to Elinor as she watched them cart the waste scattered across the ruined fortress.  If domesticated, the creatures became a good war mount and tool; however, they were still unfit for specific activities like agriculture due to their physiology and temperament.

    One discovery that surprised her was seeing a horse being guided down the street by a human; it was currently nighttime, but apparently, it had been recently captured by the Ri¡¯bot scouting the jungle.

    Tiffany ¡­ Do we have horses?

    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, yes!  We¡¯ve been slowly collecting them¡ªincluding the bones of those that have already been killed and eaten.  Many of the horses brought through from Earth escaped the moment they were taken here.  Valdar said something about the Torlim scaring them off or something.¡±

    Humph ¡­ How are the humans adapting?  she asked, having Quin slow to a stop while watching the man lead the horse toward the agriculture district, which would take him quite a while considering the distance.  Are they sleeping better now?

    ¡°Well, mmh ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t say sleeping ¡®better,¡¯ but they certainly are adapting from what Lucky tells me.  The horses have actually really helped to stabilize some of them; it¡¯s something familiar that they can look after.  The kids have been getting bold, but that is to be expected, and you putting Adoncia on their tails has put some of the parents¡¯ minds at ease.¡±

    Mhm ¡­ I¡¯ve just thought of something, she mumbled.  Do you think I can raise a Transcendent Mount Class like ¡­ well, The Four Horsemen?

    Tiffany¡¯s interest instantly spiked.  ¡°The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?!  Ooooh, that could be really fun ¡­ Hmm, it is certainly possible, and I can imagine they¡¯d need to function as a unit to gain their full perks or have abilities that ping-pong off each other, but it certainly is something we can start preparing for.¡±

    Elinor had Valdar take the lead, directing them to the tar pits, where they disposed of their dead.  It¡¯s just a thought.  And while I do enjoy having Quin carry me around¡­

    A giggle slid through her mental connection to the Witch.  ¡°I understand ¡­ She will be disappointed to hear that you wish to have a more permanent solution.  Might I suggest we have Violet craft an opulent throne on one of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drones we have?  You may direct it with a simple thought.¡±

    Hmm¡­  Elinor looked up at the two-headed giant gorilla woman, knowing she was plagued with self-image issues next to the powerful and confident Elite Warriors of her Blood that had entered the Empire recently.  Amra¡¯Cora had her own insecurities, though, comparing herself to her mother, who ruled the Silver Blood of the Quen¡¯Talrat.  I fear that I¡¯ve stunted Quin¡¯s growth.

    Tiffany¡¯s tone became somewhat suppressed.  ¡°What ¡­ do you mean by that?  She fulfilled a purpose and now will be taking on a new role.¡±

    I thought about it on the way back from Shi¡¯Shuka.  She¡¯s a Mount Class and has developed in a manner to adapt to her position¡ªwhen I raised her, I wanted to get away¡ªto escape the Ri¡¯bot, and she was changed to the Class that would best suit that.  Now what?

    ¡°Elinor ¡­ the Mount Class is the fastest option.  It has its own feats that can be developed.  They can develop critical impact-type Skills, impaling, and other mobile traits, and yes, it does have a sort of ¡®team¡¯ style of combat, but you simply need to make a ¡®Rider Class¡¯ to compliment her.¡±

    Oh ¡­ Is that how it works?  Elinor whispered, studying the streets of Nethermore; progress was being made every day to clean the fortress, but it was so huge that it would require many more citizens to aid in the thirty-level colossal city.  That¡¯s helpful.  Has Amra¡¯Cora prepared to leave to scout out the old mines for more Quen¡¯Talrat?

    ¡°Hmm?  Eh, I¡¯m not involved with that one, but I¡¯ll pull Edmon in to update you ¡­ I¡¯m getting soooo close to perfecting this Ritual!  Once I do, some humans have offered to be the first to take part; I believe we have a candidate to take over the command of your new army, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l has inspired them.¡±

    A small smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips.  Is that right?  Do they want me to name their unit, or is there a name that¡¯s been passed around ¡­ Because I¡¯d rather not have to think about random names.

    ¡°Heh, umm ¡­ Yes.  His name is Vergil, but ¡­ I suspect it isn¡¯t really his name.  From what I¡¯ve heard, he wishes to name his group ¡®The Argent Dawn.¡¯  I mean, it works, and he probably got it from looking at a pretty angel or something¡ªheh, who knows.  It does have a certain appeal to it¡ªI mean, Argent is French!  The silver-white dawn of a new era ¡­ other people could be attracted to that thought.¡±

    A brighter look for the religious aspect could work.  If he can get people to follow him, then I don¡¯t see why not.  About the horses, how many do we have?

    ¡°Umm, Lucky¡¯s handling it with the humans; they¡¯re figuring out the best place to keep them close to the agriculture block.  I believe ¡­ sixty-two.¡±

    What ¡­ How do we have sixty-two horses?  How many humans do we have now?

    ¡°Eh, Elinor, they kidnapped a small town and various wildlife around it.  They also worked in waves with the Komath and Roxim taking a majority of the humans while the others went for the items¡ªwe have guns, drugs, and all sorts of things Gwen is sorting through with Lucky.¡±

    How many?

    ¡°After the invasion ¡­ Well, the town had a rough population of fifteen-hundred people.  Overall, we have around six hundred?  There are around three hundred corpses that we¡¯ve recovered, but the Ri¡¯bot didn¡¯t bring ¡®everything.¡¯  A lot of bodies were left behind, but anyone living was pushed through.¡±

    Elinor frowned, looking up at the solitary gray cloud hanging high above her city as Valdar continued to lead them through Main Street to the East Gate.  Six hundred humans ¡­ thousands upon thousands of Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°Three thousand eight hundred and ninety-three Yaltha¡¯ma, too!  El¡¯Co¡¯Ca¡¯s faction had two kids this week.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ How big does that make our empire?

    ¡°Oh, I actually had a bit of fun working this out the other day.  Eh ¡­ the Clavex is a bit harder to track down since The Mother Superior can only give me a rough amount.  Doing the math, though, in total, a low-ball estimate would be around fourteen thousand Ri¡¯bot.  So, added with everyone else ¡­ around eighteen and a half thousand?¡±

    Where are they?!  Elinor asked, glancing back at the palace as Quin pivoted to allow her to see, following her gaze with confusion.

    ¡°Mostly around the agricultural district; some are still here, taking shifts on cleaning up the palace, but there¡¯s a lot to do to get ready for a crop.  I¡¯ve been looking through what products we can grow with Antonietta that would provide the best nutrients for everyone, and there are some options.¡±

    When do you have time to do that?

    ¡°He-he-he, well, when I take time off of pounding my head against a wall on this ritual to clear my head.  I¡¯ve kept abreast of the happenings within the city.¡±

    Huh¡­  She settled back into Quin¡¯s hand, looking down the long pathway to the gate, far in the distance.  We¡¯re growing faster than I thought ¡­ I have noticed more people joining the religion daily.  I¡¯ve been so focused on relations with the Nalveans and our enemies that I don¡¯t know a thing about how the Empire is functioning on a ground level.

    ¡°Honey, Honey!  You can¡¯t possibly be focused on everything, which is why you have the Royal Court and those under us that report the happenings.  If you wish to get more involved, then we can make that happen, though.¡±

    Maybe ¡­ In time.  There¡¯s still so much I need to do to keep the Empire safe.

    ¡°Indeed, there is!  When, heh, The Argent Dawn is formed, there will be even more support to bolster our armies.¡±

    By her tone, Elinor wasn¡¯t quite sure she thought they¡¯d be that helpful.  And they¡¯d do?

    ¡°Eh, he-he-he, well ¡­ In short, they¡¯re an honorary puff-group to give the people a more picture-perfect view of the Empire ¡­ Walk around, talk to people, make them feel secure, and the like.¡±

    A small smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips.  Mhm ¡­ Although, that all is contingent on you completing this ritual.

    ¡°I¡¯m close!  I really am!¡±

    I¡¯m sure, Elinor chuckled.  I¡¯ll let you get back to your work.

    ¡°My multi-task game is on point!  If you ever wish to talk and chill out, then don¡¯t hesitate to rope me in, dearie!¡±

    Noted.

    Cutting the conversation, she bridged a connection to Edmon.

    ¡°Is something the matter, Elinor?¡±

    No, nothing in particular.  What can you tell me about Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s task?  Are there any updates after discussing it with you?

    ¡°In short, she is going to the largest mine in hopes of collecting the bodies you requested.  There is a railing system that would make it extremely convenient to travel between the areas, but it is in disrepair, and we do not have the expertise to fix it as of now.¡±

    Story of my life.  Any good news?

    ¡°She can use a few of the strange car-like vehicles inside of the area, which will speed up the process.  It just takes a bit to maneuver down there since they need to disable the defensive gates sealing the tunnel.¡±

    A timetable?

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ by sunrise, you will have received word back.¡±

    Wonderful.  We¡¯re getting closer to the edge of the city.  After I inspect these tar pits, Iris and Camellia should be near.

    A dark rumble shook through her connection to him.  ¡°Good.  We¡¯ll get some answers as to why Imiunarus and Lecra''Moro died.  It is worth noting that our proficiency with the Nalvean language has taken a severe hit with the loss of Imiunarus.  Castella appeared to have advanced in her vocabulary and handless speech from the Nexus connection to him, but it is worth considering the effects of Imiunarus¡¯s loss to the Nexus.¡±

    I ¡­ hadn¡¯t even thought of that, Elinor whispered.  No one said anything on our way back?

    ¡°He-he-he.  Who would?  In any case, we should look for another proficient speaker.¡±

    That, we should ¡­ I¡¯ll speak to you about it when we return.

    ¡°Safe trip.¡±

    Elinor released a slow puff of air as they passed through the front gates, across the bridge, and down the gatehouse.  Azalea, her maids, butler, and Ri¡¯bot escort continued to scan the area for danger as they made their way through the volcanic region to the south of the fortress.

    Her mind was elsewhere, though, taking advantage of the silence of the rushing wind in her ear to passively examine everything that happened over the past two weeks.  She was becoming more used to this lifestyle and had a small Empire of nearly 20,000 souls, many of which viewed her as a goddess.

    Valdar sent a questioning ping to her through the Nexus, asking for permission to speak, drawing her green irises.

    Yes?

    ¡°Empress.  We have been gathering many believers from the Clanless across the valley to the cause and bringing them into the Empire.  However, there is a small Ri¡¯bot kingdom to our west, beyond the mountains that could prove useful to draw more believers.¡±

    Oh?  That certainly is worth the effort.  Have you brought it up with Edmon or Tiffany?

    ¡°I have ¡­ I understand we are currently in a tentative position, but after seeing Supreme Chief Sari¡¯a¨¦l light up the sky upon fighting the rogue heavenly beings¡ªbrighter than the sun¡ªsurely this is the best time to draw more into the fold.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t wrong, but the issue was the possibility of being drawn into another conflict when they were finally starting to settle into the valley, and they still had the unknown creatures inside of the Maw.  Although, his earlier statement made her realize that the number of Ri¡¯bot might be much higher given the addition of the Clanless.

    It is something to consider, Valdar.  In fact, there are a few things we might go forward with later today.  I¡¯ll speak to you about it at the end of the day.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress!¡±

    She nodded and withdrew from the conversation.  Her mind wasn¡¯t on the Ri¡¯bot kingdom but the north, though.  If she went around sucking up Ri¡¯bot territory without provocation or backing, then it could spark displeasure in unknown areas.  However, the north was entirely neutral territory by all of the great established nations around her.  If there was anywhere to expand, it was in that direction¡ªthe issue was the mysterious mountain range separating them.

    Passing through the dense jungle, Elinor zoned out to study her Mythickin System, and when she arrived at the tar pits, they turned out to be a bust; she managed to fill a decent number of her Unintelligent Undead slots but didn¡¯t find anyone of particular worth to return since the Xaria were burned and the bones crushed and sprinkled into the pits for some traditional purposes.

    Iris and Camellia were making their way directly toward them, and dawn slowly rose as the valley brightened.  Elinor decided to stay near the river and wait for the pair to reach her; they were making incredible time, considering the distance, and she had to wonder if Iris was even carrying her daughter.

    She was stunned at how many things leveled; she was making spectacular progress.

    States:

    <ul>

    <li>Lich¡¯s Conquest I:  (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 25DE/Daily Duration: Conditional; Range: Nexus Of The Empress) Reactive Aura, Level Five, Novice, Rank Four; a state that grants certain benefits and requirements when engaging in territorial conquests.  However, if not in a direct campaign against a force that holds land to take, this does not come into effect.

    </li>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Cost Reduction:  While it may cost a daily amount of Death Energy, it reduces the total percent cost of the daily total by 15%.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Furor:  Increase all minion Attack Speed and Attack Damage by 5%</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Sacrifice:  10% of the total army must be sacrificed during the reset; minions can be prioritized over others.  This is by number, not the strength of the minions.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Base Lich Tree Skills: These Skills will slowly be upgraded and absorbed by more powerful versions further up the Tree.

    <ul>

    <li>Artificial Body I: (Cooldown: 15 Seconds Cost: 9DE/Daily; Duration: 1 Day; Range: N/A); Reactive, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Five, Rookie, Rank Max; a body can be molded to fit the user¡¯s personal image of themselves.  Small custom modifications can be made, but alternate forms cannot be fashioned at will yet.

    </li>

    <li>Life Tap II (Enhanced By Monarch of Death): (Cooldown: 25 Seconds; Cost: Regenerative; Duration: Until Broken; Range: Five Feet) Active Channeling, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed, Rank Max; corrupts 10 Life Energy per 5 Seconds.  This Skill upgraded so rapidly throughout the week from the massive amounts of Life Energy corrupted from the Life Fruit.

    <ul>

    <li>Rapid Draw II (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration; N/A) Reactive Proficiency Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed, Rank Three; increases the corruption rate by .5% per minute of consecutive draw to a maximum of 30% until broken.

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Death¡¯s Reprieve I: (Cooldown: 1 Month Cost: N/A; Duration: 1 Day; Range: N/A); Reactive, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Five, Novice, Rank One; the daily resource cost for a day can be postponed, but the price following night will be tripled.</li>

    </ul>

    Racials:

    <ul>

    <li>Death Pool IV: (7,454DE Cap (3,842DE Last Checked); Currently 253/7,454DE) Passive, Summoning, Level One, Intermediate, Rank Ten; this energy source is affected by the Endurance Stat.  The glow of Monarch of Death¡¯s crown jewels and the user¡¯s eyes increase based on its current levels.

    </li>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Overpowered IV: Reactive Link Skill, Summoning, Level One, Intermediate, Rank Max; grants a 30%  reduction of Death Energy loss on Energy to a limit of 2500% (Max: 186,350 Death Energy) more can be stored temporarily, however that will not be at a reduced loss.  Excess Energy has a Decay Rate of 8 hours, plus the amount of loss reduced.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Imperial Presence III: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: Once Sensed In Any Manner) Passive Aura, Magical Type, Empress, Level Two, Versed, Rank Ten; forces the user to act in an imperial manner.  It makes them more dignified and regal while also implanting that mental image in weak-willed creatures around them.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lesser Aura of Supremacy III: (Cooldown: 5 Minutes; Cost: 40DE Per Minute; Duration: N/A; Range: 45 Meters) Active Aura Link Skill; an Aura Skill that casts Horrify on others; if Horrify fails, it casts Fear.

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Horrify: overwhelms all senses, forcing the victim to focus on the user while being totally unable to function mentally and physically for a time.  Resistance rolls will be cast every eight seconds.</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Fear: forces those present to run in terror or tremble in place, experiencing a horrible dread.  Effects last for eight seconds and will not renew once outside of the aura field, but the person¡¯s lingering bodily response will impact them.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Empress Branch: These are skills that force The Empress to behave a certain way, curbing her old habits.

    <ul>

    <li>Nexus Of The Empress III: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 75DE Daily; Duration: N/A; Range: Twelve Miles); Passive Aura, Magical Type, Empress, Level Three, Intermediate, Rank Nine; the evolution to Spiritual Link I connects every Minion within a specific range.  This branches out to Intelligent Minions, unlike Spiritual Link, allowing them to act as command hubs.

    </li>

    <li>Emotional Control II (Evolved From Emotional Loss II w/ ): (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A) Passive Cluster Set; Level Three, Intermediate, Rank Zero; (formally Emotional Loss II, which evolved into its current state due to Imperial Presence and the Religious System¡¯s influence).  The Empress¡¯ emotions are evened out, allowing her to think clearly in stressful situations.  Any emotions dampened by Emotional Loss will continue to have a lasting effect.

    </li>

    <li>Monarch of Death III: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: 150DE/Daily; Duration: N/A) Active, Cluster Set, Level Two, Versed, Rank Nine; the physical manifestation of the user¡¯s authority as the Empress of the Dead.  The following skills are a part of this cluster, meaning they do not work if this main branch is not active.

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Life Tap II (Enhanced By Monarch of Death; Includes RD): (Cooldown: 25 Seconds; Cost: Regenerative; Duration: Until Broken; Range: Five Feet) Active Channeling, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed, Rank Max; Corrupts 12 Life Energy per 5 Seconds.  This Skill upgraded so rapidly throughout the week from the massive amounts of Life Energy corrupted from the Life Fruit.

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Lesser Minion Mastery I: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: MoD Active; Duration: N/A; Range: 25 Meters) Passive Skill, Magical Type, Enhancement, Level Two, Novice Grade, Rank Max; doubles all minion base Stats, excluding Tenacity, with an additional 5% increase for those within range, and grants 15% bonus experience.  It does not stack with other minion enhancing effects, including Lich¡¯s Conquest.

    </li>

    <li>Prose of the Potentate III: (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: See Above; Daily Use; Duration: See Above; Range: N/A) Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level Two, Versed Grade, Rank Nine; allows The Empress to talk and read any language her minions can, which is then shared with the rest of her host.  However, this means there can be errors if their education was faulty.  She may suffer consequences should her minions not have the proper vocabulary to communicate at a higher level.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Plight Of The Empress I: Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Cluster Set, Level One, Novice, Rank One; a set of skills that function as emergency options.

    <ul>

    <li>Call of the Empress I: (Cooldown: 5.6 Days; Cost: 10%DE; Duration: 10 Minutes; Range: 30 Meters) Active Skill, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Novice Grade, Rank Two; sends a nova of life energy out that raises all corpses in range of The Empress¡¯ current position, bypassing her summoning limit.  They will be at the strongest the creature was in life, bypassing all resurrection restrictions with their best suitable Class, determined by The System for the Empress¡¯ defense.

    <ul>

    <li>The Undead cannot be revived once the flames of life have been extinguished.</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Herald of the Empress II: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 10DE Per Butterfly; Duration: 50 Minutes/Renews Cost To Stay Active; Range: 25 Meters) Active, Cluster Set, Level Nine, Versed, Rank One; the Empress¡¯ butterflies are used to revive and identify potential minion candidates.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Minion Pool II:  (Cooldown: N/A; Cost: N/A; Duration: N/A; Range: N/A) Passive Skill, Death-Type, Level Nine, Versed Grade, Rank Six.  Increases The Empress¡¯  Minion Pool. </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Unintelligent: 2,475:1,407 used (Previous Check 1,250:674 used)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Intelligent: 350:37 used (Previous Check 250:36 used)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Raise Skeleton II:  Active, Magical Type, Summoning, Level One, Versed Grade, Rank One; the Empress can select between two Undead options to raise.  Increased levels grant her minions more of their original strength when revived, but the price may increase.</li>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Intelligent: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: 25DE (x2 Per Grade) and the Butterfly; Duration: N/A; Maintenance: 2DE Daily/x2 Per Grade); Undead that has their spirits returned to a reformed body.

    <ul>

    <li>Color/Grade - DE Cost/Maintenance Cost</li>

    <li>White/Poor - 35/2</li>

    <li>Green/Common - 60/4</li>

    <li>Yellow/Uncommon - 110/8 <em style="font-weight: bold">(Quin/Garu¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Blue/Rare - 210/16 <em style="font-weight: bold">(Valdar¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Purple/Heroic - 410/32 <em style="font-weight: bold">Emelina¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Red/Epic - 810/64 <em style="font-weight: bold">(Amra¡¯Core/Camellia¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Orange/Legendary - 1,610/128 <em style="font-weight: bold">(Azalea¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Dark Orange/Mythic - 3,210/256 <em style="font-weight: bold">(Violet¡¯s Cost)</li>

    <li>Pearlescent/Transcendent - 6,410/512 <em style="font-weight: bold">(Royal Court Cost)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Unintelligent: (Cooldown: N/A Cost: .5DE (x2 Per Grade) and the Butterfly; Duration: N/A; Maintenance:  .5DE Daily/x2 Per Grade); lifeless husks raised and augmented without the spirit for fodder use.

    <ul>

    <li>Color/Grade - DE Cost/Maintenance Cost</li>

    <li>White/Poor - 10.5/.5</li>

    <li>Green/Common - 11/1</li>

    <li>Yellow/Uncommon - 12/2</li>

    <li>Blue/Rare - 14/4</li>

    <li>Purple/Heroic - 18/8</li>

    <li>Red/Epic - 26/16</li>

    <li>Orange/Legendary - 42/32</li>

    <li>Dark Orange/Mythic - 74/64</li>

    <li>Pearlescent/Transcendent - 138/128</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Daily Maintenance Cost:

    <ul>

    <li>Lich¡¯s Conquest: 25DE (If In A Territory Conflict); -15% Total Cost</li>

    <li>Artificial Body: 9DE</li>

    <li>Nexus Of The Empress: 75DE</li>

    <li>Monarch of Death: 150DE</li>

    <li>Intelligent Minions: 3,192DE

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rarity: # Minions / Individual DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Uncommon: 3x / 8 </li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rare: 14x / 16</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Heroic: 12x / 32</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Epic: 2x / 64</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Legendary: 1x / 128</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Mythic: 1x / 256</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Transcendent: 4x / 512</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    <li>Unintelligent Minions: 1,055DE

    <ul>

    <li>Poor: 908x / .5</li>

    <li>Common: 465x / 1</li>

    <li>Rare: 34x / 4</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li style="list-style-type: none">

    <ul>

    <li>Total Daily Cost: 4,481DE</li>

    <li>Total Daily Cost: 3,830.1DE (If Lich¡¯s Conquest is active)</li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    </li>

    </ul>

    Whatever happened during the transition of connecting Sari¡¯a¨¦l to her Nexus had obviously done wonders for some of her Skills, in addition to her natural effects on the Religious System.  She might be able to even revive the Head of State she had in the Life Room, which could pull a lot of stress off of Iris, Edmon, Tiffany, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  Although, she did need to increase the number of her army.

    Elinor hummed, glancing around at the near thousand Unintelligent Undead she¡¯d returned; it had taken most of her Death Energy to get this much, but she had all day to restore it through her followers.

    With her increased Nexus, she¡¯d be able to speak to Iris when she reached twelve miles away, and every inch helped.  Her fingers tightened in her lap as the Assassin neared.

    ¡°Empress, Camellia has secured Demon¡¯s mortal vessel.  Would you like me to bring him to Nethermore, or would that compromise the city?¡±

    Out of everything she imagined would come out of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s report, this was the furthest from her thoughts, causing her mind to go blank.  Demon ¡­ Demon has a mortal vessel?  I¡¯m lost.

    ¡°From Camellia¡¯s report: Grand Designer Jumi¡¯kerume designed a vessel for Demon to take possession of using a style of technology the Quen¡¯Talrat use.  The targets escaped as Demon tested his new body, but she managed to dismember his parts to bind in silk ¡­ During the investigation, it was discovered that ¡­ that I have another daughter.¡±

    Elinor breathed out a long breath while resituating herself on Quin¡¯s hand; everyone noticed her discomfort and confusion but kept silent as her hands tightened in her lap, looking in the Queen¡¯s direction.  Another ¡­ daughter?  A ¡®living¡¯ daughter?  A World Queen Th¨¦lm¨¦thra candidate ¡­ That¡¯s a lot ¡­ Not to mention we have captured a piece of Demon?

    ¡°It ¡­ appears so, Empress.  My daughter has been ¡­ misled in some manner and aids the enemy ¡­ refusing to follow our natural instinct.¡±

    How do you feel about that?  Elinor asked, gut tightening as she thought about the implications for the future; a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra at full living strength could spell a threat equal to some of the Covenant.

    ¡°I am ¡­ surprised that she lived.  Queens typically give birth to three offspring, but our line has adapted over generations to have the possibility of four ¡­ She should not have survived, not at the tender age of her egg¡¯s development at the time of our deaths, but Jumi¡¯kerune appears to have the technological means to manage her needs.

    ¡°Although ¡­ her incubation was much longer than it should have been, which has the possibility of ¡­ problems arising, and could account for her strange behavior.¡±

    Elinor could feel the uncomfortable emotions twisting the Queen¡¯s mind and hearts; she¡¯d learned that Iris had a profound bond to her children that was uncommon for their species.

    Camellia was severely hurt from what she could sense, and her mother had been carrying her as a perfected Jukal through the air; her week-long, forced transformation seemed to have advanced the ability to an extreme degree at the expense of draining her total strength¡ªshe appeared to be improving, though.

    I see ¡­ Head for Nethermore and alert Tiffany, Edmon, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l of the situation.  I¡¯m returning now, and ¡­ How is Camellia?

    ¡°Camellia?¡±  her mother questioned.

    ¡°I ¡­ I am recovering, Empress.  Imiunarus and Lecra''Moro¡¯s deaths ¡­ They died because of me, Empress ¡­ You entrusted them to me, and I have failed you.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lip tucked under her teeth as she anticipated their swift return; Quin and her would go on ahead of the small army.  Azalea was listening closely to the conversation while running beside them.  How so?

    ¡°I discovered ¡­ They¡¯d been experimenting on my mother¡¯s old eggs ¡­ her brood, and ¡­ they would not submit.  When I learned of my youngest sister, I grew enraged ¡­ upset, and ¡­ my mind was clouded.  Lecra''Moro and Imiunarus stayed on the task, yet I was distracted ¡­ Their sacrifices allowed me to survive and to ¡­ to return with Demon.  I have failed the task you assigned me.¡±

    The girl¡¯s self-confidence had been broken by her own actions that, to her, were unforgivable; she expected punishment and a heavy one.  Her own mother felt disappointment in the news, but at the same time, her heart was conflicted with how she¡¯d react herself, given her response to Baxter and the fake Queens.

    Camellia ¡­ Imiunarus and Lecra''Moro¡¯s losses did affect me ¡­ it hurt, she mumbled, looking up at the blurred trees as they swiftly ran through the jungle.  Did you run into a trap?

    ¡°Yes, Empress ¡­ They were warned of our coming; Imiunarus suspected it.¡±

    Mhm ¡­ I thought so.  So, you walked into a certain trap, learning¡­  Hot air shot through Elinor¡¯s nose, her throat burning as emotions slipped through.  You learned that they¡¯d been experimenting on your sister ¡­ your family ¡­ that they¡¯d turned a sister, that you didn¡¯t even know existed, against you, when I¡¯ve told Iris to make it clear there is no fighting between you siblings.  Camellia ¡­ I put you in an impossible ¡­ an impossible position.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t follow the task¡­¡±  she whispered upon hearing her voice.

    Things aren¡¯t so black and white ¡­ I¡¯m not mad at you, Camellia ¡­ I¡¯m furious at Demon and this ¡­ this Nalvean.  I¡¯m on your side, Camellia, and you pulled it together in what sounds like a nightmare.  Imiunarus and Lecra''Moro are heroes.  Did they have any requests ¡­ Did they ask you to pass on anything?

    ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t understand, Empress ¡­ Umm ¡­ not Lecra''Moro ¡­ Imiunarus, though ¡­ There were two female Nalvean young women that he wished to see have good lives.  They were killed upon leading us into a trap ¡­ One was being controlled and killed the other.¡±

    I see ¡­ I¡¯ll get the details later.  Demon ¡­ can he regain his strength?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Iris replied.  ¡°His body is held together by energy that Camellia isolated from being able to reattach.¡±

    What would you say his strength level is, Camellia?

    ¡°Azalea ¡­ would have been able to defeat him without much injury,¡± Camellia whispered, knowing her sister was listening.

    Legendary-Grade, then¡­  Elinor mumbled.

    ¡°Empress, I am reaching the edge of your Nexus,¡± Iris warned.

    That is fine ¡­ work out a proper course of action with the others; I¡¯ll be back within the hour.

    ¡°It will be handled.¡±

    And, Camellia¡­

    The eldest Spider Sister oozed depression and self-hate for the decorum she¡¯d acted with.  ¡°Yes?¡±

    I will punish you later ¡­ It will be appropriate for your actions.  If you are going to think about it ¡­ Try to honor their sacrifice by living the life they gave you to the fullest.

    ¡°B-But you gave me life again, Empress?¡±  she mumbled, but her mind was already connecting the dots.  ¡°I ¡­ I would not have my life had they not sacrificed themselves ¡­ I ¡­ Does that mean I have betrayed the life you have given me?¡±

    No ¡­ It means we are going to get your sister ¡­ your daughter, Iris.  I feel what the three of you are going through, Iris, Azalea, Camellia, and put it to rest.  She is your family, and I will see it reunited ¡­ even in death, she can be returned ¡­ if worse comes to worst.  Jumi¡¯kerune, and whoever works with him, has made an enemy of the Empire ¡­ no matter where he goes on this planet, we will find him and rescue your daughter.

    Iris was silent for a moment, hovering at the edge of their connection range.  ¡°... Words cannot express my gratitude, Empress ¡­ I do wish to meet the daughter I was not allowed to nurture.¡±

    You will.

    Iris and Camellia¡¯s link was severed as they went beyond the scope of her Nexus.

    Making it back within the hour, Tiffany updated her.

    ¡°Elinor!  This is-is ¡­ fantastic!  We have a way to speak to Demon now!¡±

    He is contained?

    ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had quite the prison system built.  Edmon is guiding us there now, and it will be strong enough to contain this ¡®power.¡¯  However, I do trust the cunning fiend¡¯s knowledge is sufficient to easily break down a prison he gave the blueprints to.  So, I will bind him here myself as an added measure.¡±

    Good.  Can you learn more about this technology through studying it?

    ¡°Minimal, sadly.  I love these types of devices, but they are not my specialty; my rituals function in a very different format.  This would be closer to the Archmage Court Member, I theorize.  Iris tells us that Camellia¡¯s unit managed to capture Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s son ¡­ the Nalvean is shockingly old with whatever treatment Demon¡¯s given him.¡±

    Tal¡¯tamine?  Elinor asked, utterly forgetting about the girl in the heat of the moment.

    ¡°Indeed!  He seems to have the capability to at least ¡®attempt¡¯ to remove the ¡­ whatever it is, and Klaus is hopeful.¡±

    Elinor instantly feared for the boy.  He defected¡ªwilling to help us?  Is he in danger?

    ¡°Oh, most likely,¡± Tiffany chuckled, ¡°but Klaus is no fool.  He has asked for an escort once we are able.¡±

    He¡¯s the closest thing we have to discover more about Iris¡¯s youngest daughter.  Iris ¡­ I know you just returned and have been going without rest since your confinement, but ¡­ I also know you wish to be personally involved in this hunt.

    ¡°I will return at once.¡± Iris was burning to know more about her daughter.  ¡°Camellia, stay within the walls until you are recovered.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother¡­¡±  Camellia whispered.

    Azalea began a private conversation with her elder sister; she tried to convince her sister that she accomplished far more than what had been assigned to her, but Camellia didn¡¯t have it.  If Elinor didn¡¯t know any better, the loss of the two went a bit deeper than just a failed mission and losing her temper.

    Iris swiftly retook flight, returning to the Nalvean Empire.

    Quin soon made it back to the palace, but Tiffany and Edmon had her wait within until the Witch finished her binding ritual; it would take most of the day for the Witch to be satisfied with the sealing wards.

    Tiffany chatted with Elinor as she worked, informing her about another fantastic bit of news¡ªher binding ritual between the two Systems had been unlocked.  It had yet to be tested, but she¡¯d worked through enough Skills and Branches to reach the point needed to accomplish it.  Tonight would be the first test of the process, and it would be with the small company that called themselves The Argent Dawn.

    Amra¡¯Cora sent Kumi¡¯Relta back with more amazing news.  The mine was full of Quen¡¯Talrat bones, and while few of them would be of any significant combat potential, they would likely have various specializations that could be taught to others¡ªthe ruined fortress would soon be under renovations.

    However, like always, there had to be a few punches to her gut.  Later that day, Violet returned to report the mist within the falls was rising.  The increase was slow, but given a few days, it would reach the surface of the fissure.  It gave the impression the substance was needed for the creatures within, which could be exploited; still, it was only a working theory.

    Elinor wasn¡¯t distraught; the Maw was all the way across the valley, and she was about to have just what she needed to get this old fortress back in operation and with a workforce to man it.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l continued to learn more about the Empire, spending time with the various people requiring their protection and the challenges they were facing.  All in all, the Seraph was a massive hit and support for the humans.  It would be interesting to see how they responded to the brighter side she was fashioning within the Empire.  There was the dichotomy of the frightening undead and angelic light taking bloom in her growing kingdom.

    As things began to settle down, Elinor started to worry about Iris and how she was doing after so many unexpected events weighed on her shoulders, but that would have to wait until later.

    Overall, things were turning in her favor.  The Covenant had entered into a ceasefire; Demon¡¯s vessel, which he¡¯d been preparing for centuries, was now confined in one of their maximum security dungeons; she had her Seraph with the angel¡¯s father giving his blessing, and Iris was back.

    On the other hand, a few troubling things could go either way.  Iris had a daughter that needed rescuing, but it was a cause of celebration that she¡¯d survived the death of her family; Tal¡¯tamine had a chance at surviving, further strengthening her bond to the Nalvean Empire; And Tiffany had developed the ritual to create her first Religious Order, The Argent Dawn, which was still somewhat up in the air with how the ceremony would play out.

    Elinor sat upon Quin¡¯s hand as they descended the levels to the bottom floor of a particular area within the southwestern district to meet with one of her greatest enemies on this planet; Tiffany just finished and was now on her way to set up her next ritual.

    The prison area was blazing hot with what appeared to be magma that was pumped up from the volcanic vents below the fortress.  Rooms of all sizes were built along the wide hallways with triggers that could lower metal gates.

    She was led into the deepest floors and into a large, singular room with multiple glowing gemstones that fueled the strange runic prison that Elinor couldn¡¯t begin to understand.

    Inside was the strange metallic vessel Demon was using; a prison ward</a> was cast inside, shimmering various colors of pink.  Elinor smiled upon seeing the standing figure, unable to sit in the bare prison; even his massive body looked small for the size of the cell.

    ¡°Demon ¡­ I hope you¡¯re feeling comfortable,¡± Elinor smirked.

    Demon turned to appraise her with his emotionless, metallic body; his voice was anything but lacking feeling.  ¡°Oh-he-he-he ¡­ I do find this rather amusing, to be honest.¡±  He spoke perfect English.  ¡°You¡¯ve only delayed the inevitable.¡±

    ¡°So¡­¡±  Elinor¡¯s smile widened.  ¡°I have delayed you.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Perhaps.¡±  His gaze shifted to the ceiling.  ¡°Although, this presence I feel in the sky is ¡­ new.  For you to obtain that statue was ¡­ unexpected.  He-he-he ¡­ I can admit that.  I have not felt so stimulated in eons, and this Sar''ollaz creature is troubling.  It seems you¡¯ve found a rather interesting group of world travelers.

    ¡°And then we have Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ No, something very drastic has changed in you within a moment¡ªsomehow beyond my sight.  This ¡­ Blood Sun.  Tell me about him ¡­ He is Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s father?¡±

    Elinor turned her back to her caged foe.  ¡°We¡¯ll have plenty of time to talk, Demon.  However, I¡¯m a very busy Empress.  I just wanted to see you for myself ¡­ Edmon, if you could close the doors ¡­ All of them.¡±

    ¡°Mmh-hm-hm-hm-hm ¡­ locking me away won¡¯t solve the growing crisis, Elinor ¡­ You need me.¡±

    ¡°Mhm ¡­ Everyone seems to think so.¡±  She stopped at the exit of the room, turning a leer to the creature.  ¡°I intend to live forever, Demon, and so far ¡­ I¡¯ve done fairly well for myself.  Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    He tilted his head up a little with a snicker.  ¡°I¡¯d debate on that.¡±

    ¡°Demon, don¡¯t take this the wrong way,¡± Elinor¡¯s tone was dry, ¡°I¡¯m not saying I necessarily hate you, but ¡­ I would unplug your life support to charge my phone ¡­ Some cause happiness wherever they go¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l, for example, and others ¡­ whenever they go.  Puzzle through that one.¡±

    With that, she left him to brood in silence.

    ¡°Feeling better?¡±  Edmon asked.

    Mmh ¡­ well, if the world didn¡¯t ¡®suck¡¯ then we¡¯d all fall off, wouldn¡¯t we?  she mumbled.  Let¡¯s see if we can make lemonade, though.  The Argent Dawn?  Hmm ¡­ How will this ritual work?

 B2 â€” 45. Securing The Future

    Elinor left Demon¡¯s containment chamber to have Quin take her back to the palace, pondering on the gains they were making. There was a lot to do in the coming days to prepare; experience told her that there would be a new crisis on the horizon.

    Currently, there were a few major things that needed to be addressed and the ride across the city would give her the time needed to set things in order.

    Violet, I need you to create an acceptable throne on one of the drones we have. Quin can be better utilized elsewhere than just acting as my seat.

    ¡°Of course, Empress,¡± the girl paused, excusing herself from her eldest sister; she¡¯d personally gone to check on Camellia, and Elinor could sense Violet¡¯s locked jaw and tight muscles as she called for a drone to meet her in the Throne Room. ¡°Is there anything in particular that you wish for me to design around?¡±

    The same artistic design as the Throne Room will do¡ªblack, of course, but it needs to convey the grandness</a> of my station while remaining comfortable.

    ¡°I will have it done when you reach the palace.¡±

    Quick, as usual, Violet. And about Camellia ¡­ You will get the chance to strike back for what they did to your sister ¡­ both of them.

    ¡°I look forward to it, Empress.¡±

    Letting the spider get to her work, Elinor quietly studied Camellia through the Nexus. Violet and Azalea were infuriated by the state their eldest sister was in. The fact she had to destroy their own mother¡¯s brood and the corruption of their core values further angered the princesses.

    Quin¡¯s left head looked down at her as she hummed. ¡°Something wrong, Empress?¡±

    Always ¡­ still, we are moving forward. Speaking of which, I know this will not be popular with you, Quin, but you are best utilized elsewhere than my steed. I know you love it,¡± she stated before the giant gorilla woman could protest. ¡°However, there is a lot that needs doing, and you know this city and valley. A thought crossed her mind as she spoke. Actually ¡­ I have an important mission for you.

    The silent despair soon evaporated. ¡°Something utilizing my unique talents?¡±

    Yes. Contact Valdar. You are to guide him and his evangelists to the north. Do you know a path through the mountains? We must start developing the land and converting it to the Empire; it will be critical territory in the future as we bridge all our surrounding nations.

    ¡°I see ¡­ so, we¡¯re going to the frontier to blaze the path?¡± Quin asked, feeling a bit excited at the prospect.

    Do you know the lands?

    ¡°Of course! I was born to the far north of our old lands, in the White Blood¡¯s territory; as a child, we moved south to help with the construction and train in the Blood Union.¡±

    Excellent.

    Quin licked her lips, trying not to look disconcerted. ¡°What about ¡­ Who will carry you, Empress?¡±

    Violet is creating a throne atop one of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra drones for me to use. It will do for now, and I doubt it will be as comfortable as your hands, but they are needed elsewhere.

    Pride bloomed in the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s breast at the praise. ¡°I will do my best to guide them through my old home.¡±

    I¡¯m counting on you. Not only will you be surveying how the area has changed but advancing my Religious System.

    ¡°I will keep my eye out for powerful figures to add to the army, too!¡±

    A smile brightened Elinor¡¯s lips. That would be great.

    Cutting off the conversation, she turned her attention to the south. Iris was just reaching Klaus and Emelina, but the party hadn¡¯t even returned to Shi¡¯Shuka yet upon the open sea. It would take another hour before they hit port from what she¡¯d tracked of their movements; she was becoming surprisingly adept at sensing distances from constantly checking Iris¡¯s position over the previous week.

    She looked up at the sun as it was descending in the sky, enjoying the cool wind that swept through the streets. Clouds had moved across the heavens to obscure the suspicious lone haze that blocked the floating island.

    Tiffany, how close is the ritual?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ How was your discussion with Demon?¡±

    As I imagined. He knows about Sar''ollaz and The Covenant.

    ¡°Oh, heh, did he say this wasn¡¯t really a setback?¡±

    Basically. He hinted that something big is coming.

    ¡°Oooh! Ominous. Not like we didn¡¯t see that coming, though.¡±

    Elinor adjusted her dress while scanning the mud and dirt-caked streets; a great deal of it was leftover from the minor flooding that occurred after the hurricane. It wouldn¡¯t happen again since the sewage system had been repaired. Still, once Tal¡¯tamine was recovered¡ªif she recovered¡ªElinor didn¡¯t want her first experience to be in her wrecked city, much less her father if he decided to make a showy appearance.

    Do you think I have time to go to the caves to see the remains Amra¡¯Cora discovered?

    ¡°Certainly! In fact, I plan to make this Argent Dawn a very big deal to hype up the process to the others hanging on the fence. We could finally have our hands on healers, and the holy attributes that they can gain could prove most valuable for this coming Maw problem.¡±

    Her eyebrows pulled as Elinor resituated herself. Holy attributes ¡­ from my Lich System?

    ¡°No, no, no, no!¡± Tiffany giggled. ¡°You see, that¡¯s the amazing part about this ritual. It uses your ¡®power granting¡¯ and ¡®body altering¡¯ traits of your Lich Empress System while connecting it to the Religious System that grants that ¡®channeled power¡¯ through their devotion to ¡®your desires,¡¯ which will bypass any ridiculous clause that they ¡®think¡¯ they¡¯re doing your will.¡±

    Useful. So, they can only use that power for the Empire¡¯s goals.

    ¡°More specific. It is what ¡®you¡¯ would want. If given the situation, you would approve of their actions, they will be granted the full strength of what they were able to use, based on their level. They follow the same kind of traits as your Undead¡ªthe bottle cap is my ritual, though, as it can only handle the draw of so much power.¡±

    Thinking about it for a moment, Elinor folded her hands in her lap, looking at the massive buildings around her. Does that mean you¡¯ll need to tweak each of their rituals as you develop greater binding methods?

    ¡°Sadly ¡­ yes. It will be tedious, which means I¡¯ll need to advance to a significant degree to bother upgrading them. Still, it will grant you a force that doesn¡¯t take your Death Energy but actually gives you more.¡±

    Everything comes with a trade. Very well, I will go to the mines. I look forward to the show. A grimace crossed her face as past movies flashed back into her memory. This ¡­ isn¡¯t going to turn out horribly wrong, and they¡¯ll blow up or turn into fish people or something?

    ¡°Oh definitely. If I didn¡¯t max its proficiency, using lesser versions of the spell to bind people to just your Religious System, it would have adverse effects. You gain more Death Energy than usual from their kills this way.¡±

    The news came out of left-field. When ¡­ did you start this? I do admit, I have felt more of my followers becoming stronger ¡­ That was from your ritual?

    ¡°Mhm,¡± Tiffany absently replied. ¡°Your Religious System has a calming effect, too, which means anyone with high blood pressure and other medical issues, which surprisingly, many Ri¡¯bot do have, will gain reprieve from bonding to your system.¡±

    Interesting.

    ¡°It really is! Oh, I need to get back to work! The ritual will have a one-hundred percent success rate when we do it, which means no boils ¡­ like the other ones, he-he-he.¡±

    I can¡¯t wait. Hmm ¡­ I will be back in a few hours with another army¡ªalthough, my energy has only recovered to 4,523 ¡­ I¡¯ll likely only get somewhere around 6,750 by 15 A.M. I can only use about 1,500, which ¡­ Hopefully, it will be enough, given that I¡¯ll need to account for their increase to the daily toll.

    ¡°Thinking ahead! I¡¯m sure you will select only the best.¡±

    We need a lot, Elinor mumbled, knowing every second counted after going toe to toe against Demon in the Nalvean Empire. This fortress takes priority.

    The rest of the trip back to the palace was left in silence as Elinor pondered where her nation would go. She saw kids running around the closer she came to the center of her city, playing in their little groups; each of them segregated themselves to their own races, but it had only been two weeks since they¡¯d been forced to live peacefully with one another. In time, she speculated their barriers would break down. Not one person failed to recognize her.

    Calling for Kumi¡¯Relta, the messenger Amra¡¯Cora sent to report the news, she took to her new throne that Violet had made. The drones were large enough to allow two people to ride on the back, and upon seeing the looks of a few dozen humans on her journey back, her mind returned to the promise she¡¯d made.

    I need to consider raising more of their loved ones ¡­ Maybe I should call an assembly, but over six hundred humans¡­

    She thought back to Earth. Edmon?

    ¡°Mmh. Yes, Elinor?¡±

    Do we have an amphitheater or place where I can address large groups of people?

    ¡°There are several large structures that could work for that, and some may be for that explicit purpose. However, they would need to be renovated.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ Put it on the to-do list. Don¡¯t we need entertainment, too?

    ¡°No. Not at this point, in any case. Everyone¡¯s lives are, for the most part, full of activities to do. A few of the children are shirking their duties, but everything assigned to Gwen gets finished, which means the adults are likely picking up their slack.¡±

    Good or bad, I¡¯ll let Gwen handle her end. Her lips pulled in as she watched Quin leave, in communication with an excited Valdar as she told him he had a green light for his expedition; Violet was exiting the Throne Room with her new throne with Valerie, her assigned maid, by her side. I¡¯m going to meet up with Amra¡¯Cora right now. Do you have a suggestion of who should join me?

    Her gaze shifted to James as he bowed, having been asked by Edmon to select her maid since Emelina wasn¡¯t there. ¡°If possible, I would have Ang¨¦lica return to her husband. Theresa has had ample time with her family since your leave, and she is the closest Maid to the Heroic-Grade.¡±

    Call her here then.

    Edmon cleared his throat. ¡°Kumi¡¯Relta is a Heroic-Grade Hunter-Class Elite Quen¡¯Talrat that specializes in tracking and guerilla warfare. Azalea is spending time patrolling the surrounding jungle, cooling her head from seeing Camellia. Violet would be appropriate protection.¡±

    Elinor smiled at the spider girl; she couldn¡¯t be called the youngest anymore since they¡¯d discovered their long-lost sister. It seems you¡¯ll be joining me, Violet.

    ¡°Gladly,¡± she stated, pressing her dress down with her hands after transforming into her human form; her clothing had changed into a different elegant outfit. She always impressed Elinor¡ªthe arachnid certainly was a fashion girl with Tiffany in her ear.

    Violet kept with the salt and pepper color scheme with a mermaid-cut, elegant dress</a> with back ruffles that pulled the eye and intricate bronze seams down her right arm and center. She¡¯d learned how to store her outfits inside some kind of storage.

    Pondering their journey to the cave, Elinor realized having the assassin with her would be beneficial. When we arrive, scan the system, and look for anything hidden that we might use¡ªa collapsed tunnel with more skeletons beyond it or anything untapped.

    Taking her posh, Victorian throne, Elinor rubbed the sides with pleasure at how comfortable the texture of Violet¡¯s silk was. The spider drone rose into the air; this would be her new ride for the foreseeable future, and she linked it to her subconscious desires to allow it to know where she wanted to go without active commands.

    Theresa gave off a young, motherly vibe</a> as she smoothly fell into a curtsy before lightly hopping up to stand behind her; she had no doubt the woman was in her mid-to-late forties, given the age of her children, but you couldn¡¯t tell by her appearance. Her husband was a lucky man to have such a beautiful wife; of course, every human would likely be returned to their prime as her Empire grew.

    Tiffany had continued giving Violet ideas on crafting unique Maid outfits for each individual, but Elinor wondered what kind of feeling she was trying to elicit from those who saw her because this dress seemed to be missing some of its sides and shoulders. Elinor had no doubt her husband enjoyed it because he¡¯d be the only one to receive her affections.

    Shockwaves could be felt by the humans passing by as Kumi¡¯Relta¡¯s heavy footprints entered the hallway; the giant silver ape had four arms and two legs. There was some kind of hunting bow made for his incredible size strapped to his back with a quiver of arrows that could have been for a ballista.

    ¡°Empress,¡± his voice was almost as deep as Edmon¡¯s, ¡°are we taking the underground route?¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Whatever is the quickest.

    Both his heads nodded as he turned to lead them away, Violet joining Theresa¡¯s side. Elinor¡¯s new throne glided forward; the eight legs provided a smooth and stable experience without a hint of side-to-side movement.

    On her way out, Elinor contacted Sari¡¯a¨¦l, currently speaking to the Yaltha¡¯ma, gaining a better understanding of the little monkey-foxes. How has your day been?

    ¡°Eventful,¡± the amused Seraph responded. ¡°These little creatures have this fascinating concept of servitude that they have been educating me on. The satisfaction they experience from completing a task given to them is astonishing.¡±

    A sly smirk lifted part of Elinor¡¯s mouth as she leaned against the side of her throne, passively examining her citizens as they left the palace and moved to take the wide, circular road around the tower to reach North Main Street. He-he-he. That ¡®would¡¯ be the thing that caught your attention. Have you spoken to the Ri¡¯bot and humans?

    ¡°I have. The humans are quite curious; they kept offering me items that Aileen refused. The little human maid girl has been accommodating in explaining to me your people¡¯s customs. She spoke of this mysterious cotton candy substance that is of such worth that even priceless gems are meaningless before its value ¡­ Although, I do not see why gems would be priceless.¡±

    Culture, Elinor laughed. Cotton candy, hmm? That would be something priceless for Aileen, and she¡¯s not wrong; much like spices and other items that enhance the quality of life, sweets are an addiction in the world we¡¯re from.

    ¡°She offered to share her first batch with me.¡±

    Cute. What about the Ri¡¯bot?

    ¡°They call me this strange name ¡­ Supreme Chief. Aileen says they¡¯re funny and talk about this human Indian ¡­ thing; she couldn¡¯t really explain it well, other than she saw it in a museum her parents took her to in a place called America.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s fingers lifted to press against her forehead with a small smile. Well ¡­ Aileen is a twelve-year-old German girl¡ªI know that doesn¡¯t mean much to you. She knows some things, but she wouldn¡¯t be the authority when it comes to U.S. history. Ri¡¯bot do have some tribal comparisons to the Native Americans, but you could say the same for several Earth cultures, I expect.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ It is all quite strange. I had this ¡­ meat item that Aileen took me to Antonietta to try ¡­ something called ¡®jerky.¡¯¡±

    Oh? Did you like it ¡­ Can you eat?

    ¡°I suppose ¡­ it had a strange texture that was ¡­ somewhat uncomfortable in my mouth, but I ate it, and the taste was a little ¡­ How would I explain it ¡­ sour?¡±

    Jerky is sour to you? Taste buds are strange, Elinor mused. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re having fun. In fact, why don¡¯t you contact Leonora, our Artist, and have her paint you. We can hang it in the commons area to give everyone something gorgeous to look at when you aren¡¯t around.

    ¡°I do not mind. I have been enjoying all of these new experiences.¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s tone turned curious. ¡°I have noticed many male and female human eyes lingering on my chest, thighs, rear, wings, halo, and feet in order of interest. The Children of the Sun do resemble humans in many regards. What is this fascination?¡±

    Uh ¡­ Well, Elinor sighed with a wry smile while remembering the Seraph¡¯s curves. To humans, you are very attractive ¡­ in a sensual way.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l paused, analyzing Elinor¡¯s tone, emotion, and other minute details that slipped through the Nexus link. ¡°You ¡­ experienced these sensations before, when we were inside the bath. I do not understand these words ¡­ sensual and attractive. I suppose I will need to learn them.¡±

    Pulling in a sharp breath through her teeth that drew Theresa and Violet¡¯s gaze, Elinor scratched her temple while thinking about the Seraph¡¯s father. You ¡­ should stay with Aileen. Hmm ¡­ Ah, Theresa, she prompted, pulling the surprised woman into the conversation.

    ¡°I am at your service.¡±

    There is a ¡­ delicate matter needs to be addressed when we return, which might prove somewhat ¡­ uncomfortable.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l was more than a little fascinated by her response and wished to learn everything about the words. ¡°Uncomfortable ¡­ I suppose that would be the word to describe some of the men and women that look at me. Do I provide an uneasiness within humans?¡±

    Theresa was swiftly connecting the dots, but Elinor decided to be direct. Sari¡¯a¨¦l needs to learn about humans and sex ¡­ How we reproduce, and the desires that we experience from that. I don¡¯t expect that to change anytime soon.

    ¡°I see,¡± the motherly woman giggled. ¡°I will have a discussion with her upon our return.¡±

    And, Elinor brushed back her fingers through the end of her braided hair, pulled around her front, while in the process, could you show her how to bathe? She will need a teacher since she has never touched water in her life.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ of course.¡±

    A harmonic rumble breathed through their connection to the Seraph. ¡°Water ¡­ to clean one¡¯s self is such a unique idea. Bacteria can actually touch me in this form ¡­ So strange,¡± she whispered, likely looking around herself at the microscopic organisms she could sense. ¡°I have so many wonderful things to learn ¡­ such as this new word ¡­ sex. Hmm.¡±

    Mhm ¡­ until then, Elinor shook her head, just spend time with Aileen.

    ¡°Some Ri¡¯bot kids have challenged us to a race,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l chuckled. ¡°Aileen seems to have postponed it since your departure to the Nalvean Empire. They say flying is against the rules. Oh, and I get an edible leaf if I win? How fun.¡±

    Not having a clue how Aileen wound up in a Ri¡¯bot racing contest, to begin with, and even roping in the Seraph, Elinor let it go. Have fun, and rest up. You have a challenging fight in two weeks.

    ¡°I will not fail.¡±

    I have no doubt. Try to let them have a chance at winning.

    ¡°Fascinating. Giving the kids a false sense of confidence in their speed is considered nice? I will give it a try.¡±

    The way the Seraph saw the world was so innocent that it made Elinor a little sad; she¡¯d be exposed to its ugly sides in time, but for now, she could enjoy her time with Aileen. Violet will also craft a new outfit with you.

    Elinor sat back, glancing to her side as the Seraph responded. ¡°I have spoken to Violet, and we have plans to go over a new dress I wish to craft. We will be working together to develop a lovely design that Ori¡¯¨¦l mentioned to me several days before my death.¡±

    I ¡­ look forward to seeing it. The fact she was already spreading her wings and actively learning about Violet¡¯s hobbies while making herself a part of them was surprising. Sari¡¯a¨¦l was too perfect; without trying, she was growing attachments to everyone and uplifting their spirits. Violet was ecstatic to learn more about The Children Of the Sun¡¯s fashion. I¡¯ll leave you to your race.

    ¡°They are setting more rules. I cannot use my wings to propel myself forward. Wonderful! I love these restrictions.¡±

    Elinor pulled away, shaking her head; the angel was in a class of her own; they¡¯d only made it to Southeast Main Street. This city is massive. It was so impressive yet impractical, given the transportation methods they had.

    A cute black-haired girl</a> swiftly caught her attention as she begrudgingly followed a few teenage boys and girls. Adoncia Vences hesitated a bit to curtsy upon seeing her, knowing Elinor could hear her silent greeting if she wanted to. ¡°Good morning, Empress ¡­ My brother has been trying to sneak away with his girlfriend for the past twelve hours.¡±

    Smiling a little, Elinor giggled, connecting to her mind. It must be exhausting. You are a good older sister.

    Forcing a smile, she brushed back her hair. ¡°I try to be; thank you for allowing me to be here for my family.¡±

    Of course. Have fun, too.

    ¡°I will try!¡±

    Transferring to their massive gorilla guide, Elinor sighed. How long will this take, Kumi¡¯Relta? It¡¯s near the edge of the city. Correct?

    ¡°We can increase our pace if you wish.¡±

    I¡¯d like to get there as soon as possible.

    His side grew longer, speed rising to a run that her throne matched as best possible, and he reached the drone¡¯s maximum gait while remaining stable.

    It took an hour to reach the tunnel at the northern side of the fortress; it was enormous. Her gaze wandered as they pushed forward, studying the partially built stone walls, thick metal gates that could be pulled shut, and even ground, but her attention moved to the train cart the Elite Hunter directed her to once they arrived.

    ¡°This will help us reach our destination within eight minutes.¡±

    Elinor lifted an eyebrow as they entered the massive cart built to accommodate the Quen¡¯Talrat. I thought this wasn¡¯t operational?

    ¡°High Ruler Edmon discovered the proper terminal to turn it on for a short period of time, but with the current power leftover in this part of the fortress, it will not last more than a few days.¡±

    Acceptable if we find someone that can repair it. How fast are these trains?

    ¡°We will reach a max speed of 300 miles per hour, but it takes two minutes to speed up and slow down, or else it would be quicker.¡±

    Perfectly acceptable, Elinor whispered, impressed at the speed. We have one that runs around the inside of the city?

    ¡°Yes, but it is not currently operational. Much of the 10th floor of the city is dedicated to the rail system.¡±

    Excellent! Elinor smiled. I was concerned about that, but if it¡¯s already built, we just need to have someone that can operate and repair it, which is the purpose of our mission. Let¡¯s go!

    She couldn¡¯t even feel the climb to 300 MPH, but it wasn¡¯t as bad as she thought. There weren¡¯t any windows in the vehicle, which didn¡¯t surprise her. Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma indulged in every luxury given his position, and the Quen¡¯Talrat were all about classes, which meant those sent to this mine weren¡¯t meant to have any comfort.

    When she disembarked, Elinor was greeted by Delro''Kosa, an Elite Warrior of Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s unit. ¡°Empress, we¡¯ve been expecting you. The Commander has gathered as many bodies as possible.¡±

    Taking a deep breath as she was guided into the well-carved caving system, she marveled at the grandeur of a simple mine but understood the Quen¡¯Talrat had to make everything massive to accommodate their size.

    Right at the mine entrance, she found herself looking into a vast caving</a> system with red magma falling out of areas and stone housing built into the pillars meant to keep the strip-mine stable. However, dozens of the large columns were shattered from the earthquake that shook the mountain.

    She peered off the edge in wonder, seeing structures that could house thousands of Quen¡¯Talrat. Is that lava?

    Delro''Kosa followed her gaze. ¡°Hmm ¡­ No, Empress. That is liquid Bloodstone. It is a material harvested for a purpose I am unaware of. I do know it is valuable, which is why the streams were diverted into pools to be collected. The Ke was in the process of fashioning a pipeline, but his designs were never seen, as far as I know.¡±

    Bloodstone ¡­ interesting. Very well, take me to your Commander.

    She was guided across the vast bridge to another halfway, leading into an audience chamber meant to house thousands of Quen¡¯Talrat with a grand podium in the center. Elinor felt her artificial heart stop at the mass of bones being brought in from the lower entryways by the Unintelligent Undead workers¡ªthe floor was littered with skeletons.

    Amra¡¯Cora smiled as she entered. ¡°There are so many more, Empress. The brightest might not be among them, but they should be more than competent for what is required to operate and rebuild the city.¡±

    This is ¡­ everything I wanted. Perfect, Amra¡¯Cora ¡­ perfect. Violet?

    ¡°I will explore what I can while you work, Empress.¡±

    Elinor activated Herald of the Empress, sending dozens of flaming butterflies to hover around the mass graveyard while walking around the bones, some larger than her. Amra¡¯Cora hadn¡¯t been wrong; they weren¡¯t the strongest physically, but scanning for their intelligence, she found far higher Grades than she expected, and by tuning her desire, she was able to discover who would be best at what.

    Now came the issue¡ªher current Death Pool and how much this would increase her daily cost. She needed grunt, Unintelligent workers, and supervisors.

    1,500 Death Energy is my current limit on raising them, which means if I raise all Heroic ¡­ they cost 410 Death Energy apiece. I need to focus on the Rare ¡­ five specialists and thirty-two Rare-Grade manual labor Unintelligent Undead to have the physical skill and dexterity to manage the work. Rare is the best cost-per-Death Energy spent.

    Elinor was a little annoyed that she didn¡¯t consult with Edmon on which specialists they needed the most. Amra¡¯Cora, what are the things we struggle with in rebuilding the city?

    ¡°Hmm? Ah, currently, power infrastructure is a major problem with power systems management. The rail system has been a concern for supplies ¡­ Hmm ¡­ Water treatment and the agricultural systems are two other areas that need to be addressed.¡±

    Elinor scratched the top of her head with annoyance. Five slots ¡­ I didn¡¯t realize ¡®how¡¯ specialized your race was. It seems like so little, but we must start somewhere, and I can continue to raise what we need each day. Anything else of critical importance?

    ¡°I believe ¡­ the High Lord wanted a defense systems monitor to address any threats and monitor our surroundings.¡±

    That does seem immediately necessary, Elinor mumbled. Six ¡­ I wanted a few more in the workforce, but I can get more tomorrow if needed.¡±

    Scanning for each station, she rose the closest to Heroic-Grade that she could find. It cost her 1,260 Death Energy to raise the six Intelligent Rare-Grade Quen¡¯Talrat, leaving her with only seventeen Rare-Grade Unintelligent to aid in the work that needed to be done; she expected heavy lifting to be required as they restored the fortress¡¯s facilities.

    She returned with each, noting them with pursed lips on the train ride; their addition would increase her daily cost by 164 Death Energy.

    Daily Maintenance Cost:

    <ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lich¡¯s Conquest: 25DE (If in a territory conflict); -15% Total Cost</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Artificial Body: 9DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Nexus Of The Empress: 75DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Monarch of Death: 150DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Intelligent Minions: 3,288DE</li>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rarity: # Minions / Individual DE</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Uncommon: 3x / 8 </li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rare: 20x / 16</li>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Heroic: 12x / 32</li>

    </ul>

    </ul>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Epic: 2x / 64</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Legendary: 1x / 128</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Mythic: 1x / 256</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Transcendent: 4x / 512</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Unintelligent Minions: 1,123DE</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Poor: 908x / .5</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Common: 465x / 1</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Rare: 51x / 4</li>

    </ul>

    </ul>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Total Daily Cost: 4,645DE</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Total Daily Cost: 3,969.5DE (If Lich¡¯s Conquest is active)</li>

    </ul>

    The Power Infrastructure, Power Systems, and Water Treatment specialists were black-furred while the Rail Systems specialist was yellow-furred. A green-furred Quen¡¯Talrat was the Defense Systems Monitor, and a red ape worked on the Agricultural Systems.

    Elinor also learned that most of the race didn¡¯t have multiple limbs or even heads; in fact, excluding their small tails, the 14-foot to 16-foot tall gorilla monsters were just that, gorillas, albeit with impressive muscles and size.

    She put them to work immediately once they arrived, sending the group to Edmon to teach him each aspect of their profession. Intrigued, Elinor happily left for the Entrance Hall of the palace, where Tiffany was preparing the big spectacle.

    Well, I suppose the good news should be told in public, and what better place to announce the victories than in public?

    Contacting Tiffany as she made her way there, Elinor¡¯s heart felt light; they¡¯d done it. The Empire was on the rise. Tiffany.

    ¡°Mhm! I¡¯m so excited! This is everything I¡¯ve been working toward! Oh, and I heard about the good news. You found everything we need! Isn¡¯t this a cause for celebration?!¡±

    It is! In fact, I will be announcing the good news. We are on a solid path to becoming secure in our new nation. The Nalvean Empire has recognized us as allies, and we have the means to restore this city to its former glory, perhaps greater, in time.

    I will be raising Quen¡¯Talrat and humans all this week to support the cause¡ªincluding the two Nalvean women Imiunarus wanted to have a second chance ¡­ He was a good man, after all, Elinor whispered; she wanted to honor the Nalvean that had been instrumental in gaining the Nalvean Empire¡¯s support. Without his articulate speech, she would have come off as a bumbling fool, trying to speak their language.

    In addition, those that have loved ones from the new human group that has joined us will have the same option as I offered before. I expect Tal¡¯tamine to be joining us soon, too, which means we must clean our new home ¡­ This is our home.

    Tiffany¡¯s heart softened at her statement. ¡°You see this as home? I¡¯m elated. I will have everything prepared for your speech to your people!¡±

 B2 â€” 46. Life As A Citizen

    Sal Vences</a> crept away from the group cleaning the front entrance of the palace, holding Alisa Espiritu¡¯s hand; he¡¯d been looking for an opportunity like this the entire day. He had to be careful because Adoncia had been watching his every move.

    Daylight was coming to an end in a few hours, but that was fine; all he wanted was to have some personal time</a>¡ªjust a bit away with his girlfriend.

    It had almost been two weeks of non-stop work, and trying to find time with a girl was so difficult. Gwen kept most men and women separated in the endless list of tasks they had to complete. Lucky and Gwen practically micromanaged when they could go to the bathroom or take breaks.

    He and Alisa were fifteen, not adults; they shouldn¡¯t have to do all the crap work just because they were young. Washing the streets, moving broken furniture or rugs designed for giant apes, and eating soup, no matter how good it was, just got old fast.

    Ducking inside the nearby alley while pulling Alisa behind him, Sal peeked around the corner with a small smirk. ¡°Hey! Did Donica see us?¡±

    Alisa¡¯s grip on his hand was tight, showing how nervous she was, but there was a cute smile on her dirty face; even without makeup, sweaty, and without deodorant, his girlfriend was gorgeous. ¡°Umm ¡­ I think we¡¯re good! Gwen was asking if she could move a bunch of heavy stones.¡±

    ¡°Geez,¡± he mumbled, guiding her further into the extremely wide alleyway, ¡°my sister¡¯s a freaking monster now¡ªhave you seen how fast she can run?¡±

    Alisa hummed, scratching her neck. ¡°It¡¯s crazy. You know the massive wall between the men¡¯s and women¡¯s showers¡ªthe changing room divider, too. I watched her move huge parts together with another woman in a maid outfit!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s stronger than any human ever¡ªit¡¯s insane ¡­ I don¡¯t think I can beat her in anything anymore¡­¡± he whispered, his tone bitter. ¡°She¡¯s just¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know,¡± Alisa returned as he trailed off. Glancing back while brushing her brown bangs back, she sighed. The soft wind cut through the massive city helped to mitigate the jungle heat. ¡°I think she¡¯s sweet. Donica¡¯s always worked hard, and she¡¯s so pretty.¡±

    Sal looked away, vision narrowing; pain burned in his heart. ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t know. Anyway, did you bring it?¡±

    A bright, adventurous smile</a> lit Alisa¡¯s cheery face that helped to ease Sal¡¯s mind. She pulled up her knee-length, slightly dirtied, white dress as they rounded the corner to a side area. Tied to her left thigh was a rolled-up piece of paper and a pencil that she¡¯d found in the rubble that the monster toads brought from Earth.

    ¡°Perfect!¡± Sal grinned, focusing on his girlfriend¡¯s outfit; she could look good in just about anything, but this was surprisingly well made, given what tools they had.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Alisa giggled, spinning away to let it flair a bit. ¡°What do you think¡ªoh, and my ribbon?¡± she turned to motion at her ponytail.

    ¡°Red always suited you¡ªof course, everything does,¡± he mused. ¡°Super cute, though.¡±

    ¡°Aww, thanks! Gwen said we¡¯d be getting custom¡­¡± she paused, cheeks darkening. ¡°Well, you know how we don¡¯t really have many clothes¡­¡±

    Knowing she meant underwear and likely bras, Sal rubbed his chin, motioning for her to continue walking down the alley. ¡°Oh? Geez, you girls get all the best stuff, huh? I¡¯m left here with slightly oversized boxers.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± she playfully slapped his arm with a small smile. ¡°Girls come in all shapes and sizes¡ªwe need it!¡±

    ¡°I know! I know! I¡¯m happy you¡¯ll be comfortable.¡±

    ¡°Thanks! Oh, and yeah, I got it,¡± she mumbled, coming to a stop to untie the ribbon she¡¯d used to hide the items; he wasn¡¯t even sure if people would miss them or if they were allowed to take it, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

    Before she got the ribbon undone, she motioned for him to join her through one of the broken doorways of the colossal buildings of the impossibly big city; he had been somewhat surprised how minor damage there was on the infrastructure. ¡°Shh ¡­ who knows when my sister will be running like a cheetah to chase me down.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Yeah,¡± she hissed with a wink, following him inside. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to do¡ªwell, whatever we¡¯re out here to do¡ªshould we start far away, so no one finds us?¡±

    ¡°Hold on¡ªshe might just run right past us, thinking we ran away,¡± he said, looking around at what appeared to be some kind of old storage room.

    Alisa slowly took in the vast room with an open mouth. ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    On the other hand, Sal¡¯s focus was on his girlfriend; they¡¯d been friends since they were kids, and he¡¯d only gotten the courage to ask her out a year ago. He thought she¡¯d slam him to the floor and confessed, mostly to get it over with for his sanity, but everything went like butter. In fact, she¡¯d been waiting for him to ask for years¡ªSal only saw her as ¡­ well, as a girl for six months prior, which he thought about quite often.

    Trying to dismiss the anxiety in his chest at finally getting away from his overshadowing sister, Sal took the items from her and walked to a nearby broken wooden beam that was big enough to be a bench.

    ¡°It is pretty cool¡ªI guess. You know, once my sister can¡¯t see us, she¡¯ll come running,¡± he rolled his eyes. ¡°She¡¯s hovering around me like¡ªI can¡¯t escape!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯d join us,¡± Alisa replied, sitting next to him and smoothing out her dress. ¡°I think she¡¯s just worried about you.¡± She leaned over to nudge his side with an impish grin. ¡°Hmm? Can¡¯t let the little vixen steal you away!¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ªno, my sister loved you!¡± Sal grunted. ¡°I just need time away, you know¡ª¡¯cause I don¡¯t know,¡± he grumbled, running his hands through his thick black hair and rolling around his shoulders.

    Alisa¡¯s fingers brushed up against his as she scooted closer. ¡°Hey ¡­ I know we haven¡¯t had much time to talk this week, but¡ªbut if you need to, I¡¯m always here.¡± She licked her lips and pressed down on the back of his hand. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been¡ªI¡¯ve had these nightmares.¡±

    Shoving his own emotions down with the chance she¡¯d given him, Sal¡¯s eyebrows pulled together at her tone. He bumped legs with her, setting the paper and pencil behind them to put his arm around her back, trying to comfort her while locking fingers. ¡°What¡ªwhy haven¡¯t you told me?¡±

    Her fingers twitched. ¡°Oh, no! No! You were the one that had something to say first¡ªsorry¡­¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, cut it out¡ªtalk to me,¡± he smiled, brushing his hair back to see her concerned brown eyes better and gently directing her posture to face him. ¡°Your parents?¡±

    A melancholy look creased her face, looking away. ¡°They¡¯re¡ªwell, you know ¡­ My mom¡¯s trying to deal with my grandparents being killed¡ªeh ¡­ we don¡¯t have the bodies,¡± she whispered, scratching the back of her hand, still locked in his. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really that close to them, but my dad¡¯s trying to be there for her¡ªit¡¯s like she can¡¯t even look at me for some reason.¡±

    ¡°Rough ¡­ So ¡­ hmm. No other¡¯s there for you?¡± Sal shook his head, leaning in to hug her. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m here for you. If you want to just forget all of this stuff and explore, then I¡¯m all for it!¡±

    Her giggle transferred to Sal as she pulled away and grinned. ¡°When you asked if I wanted to sneak away and to get some paper, I was kind of scared, but¡ªbut I was excited, too. I feel a little bad¡ªheh, not that bad, though. So, where are we going?¡±

    Figuring Alisa was looking to forget the crazy world they¡¯d been dumped into, he took a deep breath and put everything aside to make her happy¡ªjust seeing her smile was enough to lighten his heart.

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡± he reached back and grabbed the items with one hand, giving them back to her. ¡°I know you¡¯re way better at drawing than me¡ªthat¡¯s one thing those hands are good at ¡­ well, besides playing with my hair.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t make me sound weird!¡± Alisa glared.

    ¡°Heh, if I¡¯m being honest¡ªeh, I just wanted to see your pretty face. All this other stuff is ¡®meh.¡¯ I¡¯m already feeling so much better just holding your hand!¡±

    Alisa¡¯s cheeks darkened a little as she leaned in and kissed his cheek, making his blood pressure rise. ¡°Thanks, Sal. So¡­¡± she trailed off as she nibbled on her lower lip for a moment, thumb rubbing the paper. ¡°Erm ¡­ What are we going to do? Something that requires my drawing skills? I¡¯ve kind of only got a dress right now, so, heh¡ªGwen said they¡¯re trying to make enough shorts for the girls, but it¡¯s going slow.¡±

    Clearing his throat, Sal gestured to the enormous ceilings over forty feet above them. ¡°This is a whole new world, and I¡¯m not complaining about the dress! You could make anything A-tier.¡±

    ¡°Shut up,¡± she laughed, shoving him a little with his elbow. ¡°I¡¯m sweaty, and ¡­ ugh, I don¡¯t smell?¡± she frowned, looking down at herself.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ one sec,¡± he leaned in to smell near her neck. ¡°Smell ¡­ smell¡­¡±

    ¡°He-he-he! Cut it out!¡± she shoved him back again with an accusatory look.

    He held up his hands in defense. ¡°You¡¯re the one that asked! So¡­¡±

    She lifted an eyebrow. ¡°So?¡±

    ¡°Want the verdict?¡± he teased, showing his teeth.

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡± releasing a sad puff of air, she scratched behind her ear. ¡°Give it to me straight¡ªno B.S.¡±

    ¡°Oof ¡­ you drive a hard request, but ¡­ as your boyfriend, I gotta say, you smell fantastic!¡±

    She rolled her eyes, pulling down on her dress hem a little. ¡°Boys.¡±

    ¡°Gotta love us!¡± he snickered. ¡°So, not being so honest, I thought we could make a map of the cool areas¡ªyou know, explore a little¡ªmy real reason is to be close to you, of course.¡±

    Alisa leaned away to give him a look. ¡°Mmh ¡­ What are you hoping for, boy?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to know.¡±

    They both jumped, eyes snapping to the doorway to see Adoncia with a stern frown</a>, crossed arms, and glancing suspiciously between them.

    ¡°A-Adoncia !¡± Alisa chuckled, brushing back her bangs and scooting away a little. ¡°Heh, I ¡­ I guess you found us.¡±

    Sal¡¯s nose creased slightly, and he inched closer to Alisa, giving his sister a dirty look. ¡°Couldn¡¯t leave me be for five minutes, huh? Wanna join me in the bathroom, too?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m trying to keep you alive,¡± Adoncia mumbled. ¡°Mom and Dad are a mess¡ªI think they¡¯ve found a new addiction in some kind of drug the Ri¡¯bot use for rituals or something.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care!¡± Sal threw up an arm. ¡°Not like they¡¯ve given a damn about me, to begin with.¡±

    ¡°Sal¡­¡± Sadness moved Alisa¡¯s brown eyes, knowing how hard their life had been.

    Adoncia bit her lower lip at his response. ¡°Yeah¡ªyou¡¯re right. I¡¯ve been the one that¡¯s made sure you had supplies for school, lunch, and proper clothes.¡± Her expression softened a little. ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, Sal. You¡¯ve been avoiding me¡ªthe Empress gave me time off, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Worried about me?¡± Sal scoffed, getting to his feet; Alisa followed him, staying silent, unsure how to inject herself. ¡°The Empress this¡ªEmpress that ¡­ Iris-something rejected you¡ªyou¡¯ve got your duties. I don¡¯t even know you anymore! Who was it that told me I was annoying and to go away? Oh, yeah, it was you!¡±

    Adoncia¡¯s arms tightened around her core. ¡°I was going through a lot¡ªI just returned to life, Sal.¡±

    Sal¡¯s vision dulled while examining his sister¡¯s maid outfit; it was weird seeing her dressed like that. Donica had done maid-work since she was twelve to those around the neighborhood, trying to make enough to supplement their parents¡¯ wanting income. They usually blew most of it on drugs.

    He¡¯d always looked up to his big sister, but ever since he¡¯d seen her corpse, bloodied and broken ¡­ it wasn¡¯t the same. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you are too busy for me ¡­ Go be with your beloved Empress and maid roleplay,¡± he grumbled, nudging Alisa to follow him through the building, heading for the front.

    ¡°Sal ¡­ Sal!¡±

    They passed into a huge kitchen area; it was caked with dust, leaving his sister to trail behind them.

    ¡°Leave us alone!¡±

    ¡°Sal,¡± Alisa whispered, ¡°I think she¡¯s just worried¡ªshe¡¯s always been there for you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, my sister has,¡± he returned. ¡°Shit¡­¡± He glowered at the closed front entrance down the long hall they¡¯d entered. ¡°We need to go back¡ªjust ignore her.¡±

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± Alisa asked, trying to keep her voice low. ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±

    His jaw tightened. ¡°Yeah ¡­ she died and left me.¡±

    Alisa sighed, vision falling to the floor as he guided them past Adonica; he just needed to get away from whoever was in his sister¡¯s body¡ªit couldn¡¯t be her.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you talk to me?! I have things I need to do, Sal; come back ¡­ I don¡¯t have all the time in the world!¡±

    ¡°Then go do those things,¡± Sal snapped. ¡°Shit¡ªjust keep my mouth shut,¡± he grunted through clenched teeth. ¡°Just ignore her, and she¡¯ll go away¡ªshe¡¯s got things she needs to do.¡±

    Adoncia slowed. ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ not fair.¡±

    Alisa gave her an unsure, sidelong look as they passed but followed his lead.

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave ¡­ I¡¯m still here¡­¡± Adoncia hesitantly said, and he could hear the hurt in her voice.

    Sal ignored it.

    She¡¯ll give up¡ªshe cares about her precious Empress more than me now ¡­ That stupid undead chick ruined everything¡ªeverything about this place sucks. We¡¯re friends with the murder toads¡ªwe have to work crazy hours¡ªand she brought ¡­ It isn¡¯t real ¡­ It can¡¯t be. It¡¯s not my sister!

    Making it outside, he turned left, continuing down the U-shaped alley that went back to the main road.

    Dammit. Just keep walking.

    ¡°Look at this place, Sal,¡± the imposter pleaded, ¡°there¡¯s so much we need to do¡ªwe¡¯re trying to make this place livable!¡±

    Yeah, for you and your Empress. What if I don¡¯t want to live here with you? Ever think about that?

    Adoncia¡¯s tone cracked, causing his fingers to twitch against Alisa¡¯s. ¡°Sal ¡­ I¡¯m trying to make a normal life for you.¡±

    ¡°Normal?!¡± Sal¡¯s face heated as he whipped around. ¡°What about any of this is¡­¡±

    His tongue went down his throat, eyes fixating on a terrifying white gorilla monster that stood over eighteen feet tall; the tremors of each step sent a quiver up Sal¡¯s legs.

    Alisa''s fingers began to tremble in his hand as she pressed against his side. ¡°S-Sal¡­¡±

    This was one of the huge ones¡ªthe imposter called them Elite Hunters, and this was one of the top soldiers of their race. Its arms were more than three times as thick as his entire body. Just looking at the epic ape move put his mind into a paralyzed spiral, and it wasn¡¯t alone. The Elite Hunter was leading a metallic spider-like creature with a throne atop it.

    Empress Elinor was sitting quite casually on the monster; the intense pressure of her presence soon passed through him, freezing his lungs¡ªevery thought exited his mind. The undead teenage girl was leaning against the side of her extravagant seat while appraising them.

    The silence she brought was the most unnerving part; the imposter explained their unheard communication a few days ago, which further alienated him from his beloved sister.

    A maid stood behind the Empress with Violet, one of the princess spider girls that could somehow take on human form. At first, it was cool, yet every day brought more insecurities as he realized how insane this was. Even their poor, backwater town that he¡¯d determined to leave as soon as possible was leagues above this place.

    ¡°W-What do we do?¡± Alisa quivered, refusing to make eye contact; they¡¯d never been the center of attention for these creatures.

    ¡°J-Just don¡¯t move.¡±

    Adoncia curtsied to the girl before a forced smile moved her lips, and she brushed back her black hair.

    Are you kidding me! She¡¯s embarrassed? Why is she embarrassed?! What are they talking about?

    The exchange didn¡¯t last long before the ape and spider took off like a rocket, leaving a whirlwind that fluttered Alisa¡¯s dress and hair; they soon disappeared around the long circular road.

    Air gushed out of Alisa and his lungs as they quivered, trying to regain their senses, and seeing the confused and hopeful look on the imposter¡¯s face that had taken Adoncia¡¯s form put a fire in his chest. ¡°W-Who are you!?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she looked down, processing his statement. ¡°I¡¯m ¡­ your sister?¡±

    ¡°No! No, you¡¯re not!¡± Sal yelled, realizing he was squeezing Alisa¡¯s hand too tightly when she put her free hand on his arm. ¡°Sorry ¡­ sorry, I just ¡­ I don¡¯t know her¡ªI don¡¯t know you anymore!¡±

    She shook her head. ¡°No ¡­ I¡¯m still your sister, Sal! Who else would I be?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Summon that club thing you showed me! C¡¯mon, summon it if you''re really a maid that takes orders!¡±

    The imposter hesitantly raised her hand, flinching at the last part as the wicked club</a> appeared with a single horn of red energy. ¡°It¡ªit isn¡¯t what it looks like, Sal ¡­ It¡¯s my Class and¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re a monster! See, Alisa! See?! She¡¯s not my sister! It¡¯s pretending! Put as many flowers in your hair and dress up like my sister, but my sister didn¡¯t have blue eyes!¡± Tears fell down his cheeks as he sniffed and pulled Alisa¡¯s hand back. ¡°C-C¡¯mon! Let¡¯s just ¡­ let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°O-okay¡­¡± she mumbled, brown eyes swimming.

    Sal¡¯s lungs pumped frantically, skin red with effort as he cursed and cried; Alisa stumbled a few times as they took streets at random, but he helped stabilize her. Eventually, she pulled him back, her voice hoarse.

    ¡°S-Sal ¡­ Sal ¡­ I ¡­ I can¡¯t breathe¡­¡± Slowing to a stop, he sucked in sharp breaths as she collapsed to her knees, grasping her chest and adjusting the straps on her dress. ¡°I ¡­ can¡¯t feel my legs¡ªI¡¯ve never run so¡­¡±

    ¡°Sorry ¡­ I¡¯m sorry,¡± he cursed, punching a nearby piece of wood; pain bit his knuckles as his arm jarred, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Dammit! You¡ªyou saw, though¡ªyou saw her horn! Is she a devil now?! Is it in my sister¡¯s body?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she mumbled, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything.¡±

    Sal smacked his forehead a few times as she broke into tears, hands covering her face. Shit! Shit! Get it together, dammit! A place to sit ¡­ she needs a place to sit¡­

    Frantic eyes scanning the random alley they¡¯d entered, he rubbed his bloodied knuckles. He spotted some rubble that could be cleared away to offer a place to rest and moved to make space for Alisa.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ here¡­¡± he whispered, going over to help her up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alisa¡ªI just couldn¡¯t stay there after¡ªafter seeing that.¡±

    Holding her until she stopped shaking, Alisa took a shuddering breath before swallowing the lump in her throat and coughing. ¡°Did¡ªdid you mean it ¡­ what you said? I could feel it¡ªshe was so hurt. Is she really not your sister?¡±

    Drawing his fingers into a tight fist, he filled his lungs and puffed it out in a long stream that hissed through his teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ I don¡¯t, and it scares me¡ªterrifies me, Alisa ¡­ She¡¯s so different¡ªalways composed or talking about random undead people ¡­ How can I be sure she¡¯s Adoncia and not whatever that thing was? I saw her die, Alisa¡ªI saw her throat get cut! She died¡ªshe was a corpse! Is she even human ¡­ I don¡¯t know!¡±

    Alisa¡¯s arms tightened around his chest, resting her head against his neck. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything anymore either.¡± Her ear moved down to his left breast, closing her eyes. ¡°I just know I can hear your heart¡ªI like that ¡­ I can trust that ¡­ Everything else is so confusing.¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    ¡°Right?¡± he asked, trying not to cry again. ¡°Who can we trust anymore? All I know is that I love you.¡±

    Her chest quaked against his side as she looked up to kiss his lips; it was salty, soft, and her strong pressure pushed his head back a little. Trying to pull back a little to breathe, she pushed in harder, closing her arms around his back.

    It was like his heart was exploding against his chest as she finally allowed him to fill his lungs with air, and she latched onto him. ¡°I just ¡­ I want to feel a little normal¡ªjust a little,¡± she whimpered. ¡°I love you so much¡­¡±

    Coughing, he shook his head, feeling a little dazed. ¡°Y-yeah ¡­ I love you so much, too¡­¡±

    His lips pulled in in anger as, against his will, his mind returned to the sight of his sister. Get out! Alisa just kissed me! Get out! Let me ¡­ let me live in this moment¡­

    Alisa looked up at him with concern. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±

    Allowing her to rest against his chest, he leaned back and hissed. ¡°I want to think about that kiss ¡­ My heart is screaming at me, but my mind is pulling me back to my sister ¡­ Do you think she¡¯s my sister ¡­ That she just wants to feel normal ¡­ but she can¡¯t? I¡¯m scared of the answer¡­¡±

    Tucking her lips under her teeth, Alisa¡¯s hum transferred to his shoulder as she rested her neck against it, whispering in his ear. ¡°Hmm ¡­ Is that why you¡¯ve been pushing her away?¡±

    He closed his eyes, trying to keep the emotion out of his voice. ¡°I couldn¡¯t handle it,¡± he shivered, trying to finish the thought. ¡°I couldn¡¯t handle it if it wasn¡¯t true¡ªif she died¡ªif this is some cruel joke ¡­ I can¡¯t.¡±

    * * *

    The only thing holding Adoncia¡¯s outward appearance together was her Maid Job Passives. She watched her brother guide his girlfriend away at a sprint, nearly causing her to trip once while she tried to keep up with the evolving situation.

    She let him go, solemn</a> blue eyes slowly moving down to the club in her hand; it was pretty evident that things were going in this direction, but she didn¡¯t want to believe it¡ªthe knowledge didn¡¯t make it hurt any less.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a monster ¡­ I¡¯m not, Sal¡ªit¡¯s me.¡±

    Her lips pulled in with hot air pushing through her nose, and she reached up to feel the horn attached to her head; they felt as solid as her own fingers. I¡¯m an Elite Warrior Ogress Class, Sal ¡­ just ¡­ just listen to me. She tried to say what was on her heart, but it wouldn¡¯t come out¡ªit was difficult to break her serene character, even when it hurt. My eyes changed¡ªI don¡¯t know why. Why¡¯s that so damn important? It¡¯s me¡­

    Letting her Ogress Ability deactivate, her club and horn faded, but her mind was fixated on the first time she¡¯d taken her little brother to the local primary school when she was eight, and he, four. Her entire life had been dedicated to taking care of him and providing for his needs.

    She¡¯d been the one to keep the house clean when her parents constantly trashed it in search for the hiding places they¡¯d put each other¡¯s pills, forgetting where they¡¯d stuck them; of course, she¡¯d been the subject of suspicion, but thankfully it never got physical¡ªthe verbal abuse she could handle. Dishes, laundry, everything had been her responsibility by the age of ten.

    Adonica would be lying to herself if she didn¡¯t admit to being a little bitter about her life being utterly consumed by caring for her brother, but it was solely directed at her parents.

    A lonely sigh pushed through her nose as her gaze fell to the street, fighting to moderate the emotions filling her breast. She closed her eyes, shaking her head, ashamed that in her heart, she was scared that this wasn¡¯t just a phase Sal was going through¡ªthat her brother hated her ¡­ He was all she had left.

    Glancing around, she found a nearby broken window and smoothly walked to it, jumping inside to press her back against the wall; she had to hide from the open sky and find a boxed-in place to collect herself. The questions she¡¯d asked herself over the past week were wreaking havoc on her heart and mind.

    How could I be so stupid? I rejected Sal when I woke up¡ªI was trying to understand everything ¡­ my purpose was shut down the moment I came back. Was it me? Am I defective? Stupid questions to be thinking when Sal needed me.

    Tucking her lip under, she bit down on it until causing a bit of damage, bitter hatred flashing across her blue irises.

    Of course, Mom and Dad haven¡¯t changed a bit ¡­ I¡¯m so stupid. We had a second chance to have a happy family¡ªto be a part of something with purpose, yet they waste it away by finding another drug, and stupid me, thinking they¡¯ve changed, helped them make the connections to do it. I believed them ¡­ stupid.

    Liquid gathered in her eyes now that she was alone, allowing her emotions to show, streaks falling down her red cheeks. Sal¡¯s so lost. He hasn¡¯t had anyone to talk to, and I¡¯ve been so busy helping Gwen set everything up. No ¡­ quit feeling sorry for yourself and get your shit together!

    Pressing a hand against her breast, she sighed, attempting to steel her heart. Clearing away her wet cheeks, she composed herself and leaped back through the window to find Sal. She took to the roofs to scan the limited paths they could take within the area given their low stamina, and it didn¡¯t take long to find them.

    A frown touched her cheeks as she settled on the roof above; given the height, she had to strain her enhanced hearing to hear them. Spying on them wasn¡¯t what she wanted, but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t forgive herself if something happened to him, and so she fought through the guilt.

    Listening to her brother curse and scream about how inhuman and different she was put a knife in her chest. Sal ¡­ even if you hate me ¡­ I¡¯m not strong enough to let you go. her heart pleaded, trying to come to terms with his feelings. The Empress approved of her looking out for him, and if needed, she¡¯d content herself in the shadows.

    However, a piece of her dying heart mended upon seeing Alisa kiss him; she was a good girl and supportive. Alisa could be there for her brother in ways Adonica knew she couldn¡¯t, but her heart was being ripped apart at the thought of being replaced. Still, she knew he had to grow beyond her, yet she¡¯d never expected to be left behind¡ªthrown away, even if it wasn¡¯t his intention to make her feel that way.

    A bit of hope dropped into the whirlpool of despair running through her bloodstream as she listened, and she took a shuddering breath before finding a way down two alleys over. Thank you, Alisa ¡­ I can¡¯t mess this up ¡­ I can¡¯t.

    * * *

    Sal closed his eyes, resting his head against the hard wood with Alisa using his chest as a pillow. ¡°Do ¡­ you think I¡¯m being too harsh ¡­ What should I do?¡±

    Alisa didn¡¯t answer for a minute, listening to his heartbeat. ¡°Hmm ¡­ I¡¯ll be here for you no matter what. Do you feel like you need to know¡ªeven if it hurts? I can¡¯t imagine how scared you feel.¡±

    Shifting his back a little, he rubbed her back, shaking his head and looking up at the insane architecture of the gorilla people; they were like mice in this city. ¡°I¡¯m terrified, but ¡­ yeah, I think I have to know.¡±

    Her arms tightened around his care. ¡°I¡¯m on your side, and¡­¡± A lump dropped down her throat as she looked up at him. ¡°I think she needs you as much as you need her¡ªAdonica has always been like that.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± he whispered, smiling as he took a deep breath, finding comfort in her touch. ¡°I¡¯m just so scared. So ¡­ should I go back and ask?¡±

    She found his hand, fingers closing around his. ¡°Only if you¡¯re ready.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever be ready,¡± he grunted. ¡°I just need to buckle down and do it.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Alisa pressed against his stomach to push herself up and kiss him again, and this time, it slowed his heart. Breaking away, she struggled a bit to try and lift him up. ¡°C-C¡¯mon¡­¡±

    He gave her a sad smile. ¡°Having trouble there?¡±

    ¡°Shut up ¡­ I¡¯m not weak,¡± she grumbled, making a note in her voice while tugging harder. ¡°I¡¯m just trying not to hurt you!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ªright, right,¡± he chuckled, getting to his feet. ¡°Oh, look at that! When¡¯d you get so strong?¡±

    ¡°Humph,¡± she looped her arm around his and rubbed her dirty cheek. ¡°What did I tell you?¡±

    ¡°No doubts here,¡± he mumbled, nudging her back the way they¡¯d come. ¡°Although, heh, we might be a little lost.¡±

    ¡°I know exactly where we are,¡± she replied with a small smile.

    ¡°Is that right? Well then, lead the way,¡± he offered, feeling a lot better after having some personal time with her.

    Pulling him back the way they¡¯d come, she scanned the two options ahead of them. ¡°Eh ¡­ we came from this¡­¡±

    She paused as Adonica came into view around the corner, slowly walking their way with her eyes fixated on the ground. Sal¡¯s lips pulled in, and his gut tightened, but Alisa¡¯s presence helped to keep him calm.

    Did she follow us all the¡­ His thoughts halted upon seeing the slightly flushed cheeks of his sister. He knew what to look for when she was feeling sad and scared. Her horn, red aura, and the club were gone. ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Adonica paused as they came around the corner. ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispered, moving to the side of the wall. ¡°I¡¯ll just stay back if you don¡¯t want to see me ¡­ If it hurts you.¡±

    His sister¡¯s demeanor was the same uncharacteristically calm and controlled manner he¡¯d come to expect over the week; she only had two modes, annoyed and restrained, but there had been a slight change over the last hour that he¡¯d seen break past the mask. It was the first time he¡¯d seen evidence that she could still cry.

    Shit ¡­ What kind of brother makes his sister cry ¡­ No, she might not be Donica!

    Drawing upon Alisa¡¯s calming presence to help stabilize his voice, Sal cleared his throat. ¡°Is ¡­ it really you ¡­ Are you my sister¡ªplease, be honest. What parts of you aren¡¯t Donica?¡±

    He couldn¡¯t quite see but felt the hurt in her blue eyes as they fell to the dirty black stone floor. ¡°What parts of me aren¡¯t Donica¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°Mmh ¡­ Can we sit and talk about it?¡±

    Warning flags stabbed his chest at the response. ¡°If it¡¯s not yes¡ªyou aren¡¯t my sister ¡­ What does that make you then?¡± he choked out, Alisa¡¯s arm tightening around his to let him know she was there. ¡°Why can¡¯t you just say yes?¡±

    Alisa¡¯s soft voice spoke at his side. ¡°Sal, try to give her a chance to explain¡ªmaybe it¡¯s just too complicated for that.¡±

    Adonica audibly took a long breath before smiling at Alisa. ¡°I am Adonica ¡­ It¡¯s just that there are other things you have to understand about me now, Sal, Alisa ¡­ Please, can we just sit and talk about it? It hurts me, too ¡­ even if I can¡¯t always show it.¡±

    ¡°I tried to talk to you!¡± Sal replied, taking a step back with Alisa. ¡°I tried, and¡ªand you told me I was annoying. That hurt¡ªa lot,¡± he mumbled, biting back his burning nose and wet eyes.

    His sister slowly nodded, hands pressed against her dress front. ¡°I know,¡± she whispered.

    ¡°Sal,¡± Alisa tugged him back a little. ¡°Let¡¯s go sit down¡ªheh, my legs are still a bit weak.¡±

    Sucking on his lip, he sniffed. ¡°Okay ¡­ okay.¡±

    Adonica kept her distance, and once they¡¯d returned to the area he¡¯d cleared, she leaned against the opposite wall to give them space.

    He couldn¡¯t take it any longer after seeing her calm demeanor. ¡°I don¡¯t get it ¡­ You rarely show emotion at all, and when you do, it¡¯s in front of that undead girl! What was all that about?¡±

    Refusing to make eye contact with him, she looked to the left. ¡°You¡¯ve wanted to talk about all of this with me when I first came back¡ªI understand. It was just ¡­ Hmm. It was rough being rejected by Iris, and I can¡¯t even tell you exactly why ¡­ I was the only one rejected out of all the Maids.¡±

    ¡°Maids! What¡¯s up with that part?¡± he demanded.

    His sister gave a weak shrug. ¡°Honestly, it sounds silly, but an Empress needs aides, and I fit that mold.¡± she paused, looking for the proper words. ¡°It¡¯s just ¡­ certain other things were enhanced and made a part of me to better fulfill that role. One of those has to do with how I act, and I am far from perfect ¡­ I¡¯m learning that the Empress actually likes us to have our unique traits.¡±

    Sal rolled his eyes. ¡°Why does it always go back to her?¡±

    Alisa hesitantly nodded. ¡°It does sound a little odd, Donica.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ can see that,¡± she slowly responded. ¡°Empress Elinor is the reason why I was given a second chance, Alisa, Sal. It is also a part of her powers that I am loyal to her¡ªit¡¯s woven into my spirit or something along those lines. Basically, I¡¯ve been returned to life with the expectation to fulfill the role assigned to me, but everything else is me, Sal.¡±

    The muscles in his arm twitched as her gaze lifted to him. ¡°I still care about you more than life itself. I¡¯m happy you have Alisa¡ªmaybe a little jealous,¡± she laughed, causing Alisa¡¯s fingers to tighten a little. ¡°She¡¯s a pretty and good girlfriend, and I do feel scared you¡¯d abandon me at some point, yet you need to grow beyond me. It¡¯s just ¡­ hard, Sal.¡±

    Unable to look into her eyes, he shook his head. ¡°Me, abandon you? It feels like you¡¯re abandoning me! You don¡¯t even have¡ªwhy did your eyes change?¡±

    Out of the corner of his eyes, Sal caught a weak shrug lift his sister¡¯s shoulders. ¡°I can¡¯t say. It probably has to do with my class, I suppose. It¡¯s like the video games you used to play with your friends. I have these powers, and some of them force things onto me ¡­ some are good, and others I¡¯m not fond of, but I have to live with it ¡­ heh, in a manner of speaking,¡± she mumbled.

    Alisa shifted closer to him. ¡°Umm ¡­ I heard some things from the adults ¡­ They were talking about the E-Empress, and how¡ªI don¡¯t know, certain things happened to people brought back. They talk about her a lot.¡±

    Sal¡¯s brow furrowed at the topic.

    Adonica nodded. ¡°Empress Elinor is powerful. Please, understand that without her, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now¡ªnone of us would, but I don¡¯t want to get on that topic,¡± she whispered, giving him a worried look.

    His nose started to burn again. ¡°You¡¯re not really the same, though,¡± he mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s just¡ªI can¡¯t see your eyes.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Adonica asked, vision scanning her environment for answers. ¡°I know they¡¯re blue now, but ¡­ why is that so important?¡±

    Remembering back to his childhood, tears fell down his cheeks again. ¡°You used to read me stories¡ªbefore I¡¯d fall to sleep, and ¡­ and your eyes were the last thing I saw¡ªwe never even finished a book. I always looked at your warm brown eyes¡ªit always helped me when I was bullied, or Mom and Dad were on their pills and stuff.¡±

    Adonica took a deliberate breath, looking down at the muddy ground with hollow eyes. ¡°I had no idea my eyes were that big of a deal ¡­ heh, you know, I¡¯d always finish those small books myself before bed. Sometimes I¡¯d be tired in the morning because of it, but I¡¯d force myself up to make you breakfast ¡­ It made me happy¡ªthe coffee helped, too.¡±

    Sal¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Coffee? When did you ever drink coffee?¡±

    She giggled, shaking her head. ¡°Wow ¡­ a single cup a day since I was ¡­ ten? Yeah, I started when we first got the pot¡ªI had to fix it three times because Mom broke it. I¡¯d wake up before everyone, get ready, make a cup, and clean it up with the rest of the house¡ªyou know how Mom and Dad would usually get up between 12 A.M. and 3 to look for pills.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ yeah, they did,¡± he whispered, vision falling to his lap. ¡°You really are Donica ¡­ You didn¡¯t die?¡±

    ¡°Sadly, I did die, Sal,¡± she mumbled. ¡°It was horrifying.¡± Her fingers lifted to rub her neck. ¡°I could feel my body going cold as the blood ¡­ Empress Elinor gave me a chance to be here for you. If you let me, Sal ¡­ I want to be your sister¡ªI am.¡±

    Alisa pulled Sal to the left to lean against her side. ¡°Good! I want you to be here, too! Umm, so, what about that Iris lady ¡­ I think she¡¯s a lady? How are things going with her? Is she okay with you spending so much time with us?¡±

    A forced puff of air shot through Adonica¡¯s lips. ¡°Iris ¡­ is the type of person to do everything herself. She¡¯s very independent. It¡¯s not just me; she refused every Maid.¡±

    ¡°Her loss!¡±

    Adonica chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re wonderful, Alisa. I¡¯m happy the two of you are together.¡±

    Sal blushed a bit, looking away; Adonica had never been so open about how she felt when he and Alisa started dating. Alisa drew his attention, though, when she leaned her head against his shoulder.

    ¡°That means a lot coming from you,¡± she chimed. ¡°You¡¯ve kind of been my role model¡ªyou¡¯re so dedicated and hard-working. Is it hard being a Maid? I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s just ¡­ ahem, Empress Elinor is just so scary.¡±

    Sal could see more and more of his sister as they went on; she really was alive.

    Adonica looked up at the sky. ¡°Hmm ¡­ there¡¯s a power structure in the Empire¡ªyes, that is what we¡¯re building, and it is a place where everyone can be happy. Will it be easy? No. However, you don¡¯t see that Empress Elinor has worked without rest to see all of you safe. She doesn¡¯t sleep, and her mind is only focused on how to strengthen this nation, which we¡¯re a part of.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Alisa asked, showing more interest and building back her bold spirit as they went along. ¡°Can you tell us a little? Gwen¡¯s so secretive about everything!¡±

    ¡°Gwen is dealing with a lot of things,¡± Adonica laughed. ¡°Hmm ¡­ she¡¯s coming into her own role, too, and it¡¯s not like she was trained for it. As to what¡¯s happening? I can say that you¡¯ll learn a lot in a few hours. There¡¯s going to be a big assembly of sorts¡ªan important ritual is going to take place.¡±

    Alisa pulled back her dress a little to look at the side of her thigh. ¡°Ritual ¡­ Oh, you mean the thing Tiffany does? The one lady that healed everyone? I was sick, and she made me feel better in seconds.¡±

    ¡°Wait, you were sick?¡± Sal asked. ¡°Why am I just hearing about this now?¡±

    She gave him a teasing grin. ¡°Right, I¡¯m just going to bring up the fact I was suffering from cramps and cuts on my legs and arms from the toad people. No, Tiffany made me feel like¡ªwow, I can¡¯t even explain it, and she even got rid of my acne! Can you believe that? It¡¯s insane,¡± she laughed. ¡°Although seeing what it did to those toad people was a bit frightening, I have to admit.¡±

    Adonica bit her lower lip for a moment. ¡°Tiffany ¡­ has a personality that ¡­ Hmm, it¡¯s hard for me to say this, but most would not find ¡­ appealing,¡± she mumbled, and it seemed like she was having a challenging time finding the proper words. ¡°She is in the Witch Class for a reason.¡±

    Sal shivered, remembering the lump of flesh, bone, and wet organs of the toad person on the crucifix that she¡¯d gone to war with, returning to show them the results of what they¡¯d done to their town. ¡°I try not to think about any of that. Is this going to be, ugh, like last time?¡±

    He caught his sister¡¯s stiff posture ease and he calmed down. ¡°Oh, no,¡± she smiled, shaking her head. ¡°Tiffany has learned how to give humans powers like mine. This will be the introduction to that process.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Alisa¡¯s brown irises widened. ¡°You mean everyone could have powers now? Oh, and I wanted to know more about yours! It looked pretty wicked,¡± she snickered. ¡°The horn and the red glowing thing look so cool.¡±

    Adonica¡¯s lips fell a little. ¡°Yes, well, there are likely conditions. As to my abilities¡ªmy Job may be a Maid, but every person brought back will have a Class and Subclass given to them. Our Class indicates which Royal Court and station our combat capabilities fall under.¡±

    Attempting to push past his discomforts, Sal lifted himself up a bit, resituating himself next to Alisa. ¡°Okay, so a job ¡­ Who are your bosses? Is it that Iris spider woman?¡±

    ¡°Thankfully, no, Iris is over the Assassination Class,¡± Adonica replied, shifting her hand to her back, and her expression brightened. ¡°Actually, the newest Royal Court member, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, is in charge of my Class as an Elite Warrior ¡­ She¡¯s beyond words.¡±

    ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡± Alisa hummed. ¡°Sounds angelic¡ªwait, I heard some girls talking about an angel when I was leaving.¡±

    Sal¡¯s head tilted, and his eyes lifted. ¡°An angel? You can¡¯t be serious. Like a full-blown church angel?¡±

    His sister¡¯s charming smile didn¡¯t falter. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Wings?¡± Alisa asked, scratching her neck. ¡°Halo and all?¡±

    ¡°Technically, she¡¯s not even from our existence¡ªwhatever that means,¡± Adonicia stated, finding a nearby broken wheel and shifting the monstrous piece to allow her to sit. ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l is a Daughter of the Sun; he¡¯s some super powerful god-like person. At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve understood from my conversations with her. Empress Elinor met with him to allow her to join us.¡±

    ¡°An undead angel?¡± Sal mumbled, imagining bone wings and a sickly appearance. ¡°Wild.¡±

    ¡°He-he-he,¡± Adonica managed her hair while shaking her head. ¡°She¡¯s not undead. I don¡¯t know the details, but she has been revived because she can¡¯t actually die¡ªshe just goes back to her godly father or something like that.¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­ I guess that¡¯s cool,¡± Alisa forced a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t this crazy? What about your powers?¡±

    His sister¡¯s head fell a little with a sad sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t say why, but I was given the Subclass of Ogress. It can make me temperamental¡­¡±

    ¡°Nothing new then,¡± Sal smirked, looking away. ¡°You always had a short fuse.¡±

    ¡°Sal,¡± she frowned. ¡°That¡¯s not nice.¡±

    Alisa¡¯s grin became strained. ¡°It is kind of true, though. Sal¡¯s bullies never went near him after you took them aside to talk to them after school. I thought you were so cool.¡±

    ¡°Ah ¡­ yeah, that,¡± she mumbled, ¡°well, I suppose I was a tad overprotective.¡±

    An incredulous look crossed Sal¡¯s face. ¡°A tad? Sis, you were totally an¡ªheh, an Ogress when you had to be.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± she huffed, ¡°but I remember it differently. In any case, I can activate something called Ogress State, which increases my strength by five times if my,¡± her lips tightened, gaze turning away, ¡°Energetic Pool and Ingestion Pool is above eighty percent.¡±

    ¡°Ingestion?¡± Alisa asked. ¡°You have to eat a lot?¡±

    Figuring his sister¡¯s Maid Job was keeping her emotions in check because she was usually so animated, he knew she was trying to hide a blush.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t fully activated the Ogress State, but I¡¯m guessing it will alter my appearance a bit.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, show us!¡± Sal urged with a grin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she whispered, fingers sliding up to rub her right arm. ¡°I¡¯ve never tried using it beyond ten percent. It ¡­ does have an effect on my personality¡ªand suspends my Maid Job traits.¡±

    ¡°Do it! Do it!¡± Alisa encouraged. ¡°I wanna see!¡±

    Closing her eyes, Adonica stood up. ¡°Just this once ¡­ I can¡¯t waste my energy, but I do need to know what it will feel like.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Alisa cheered. ¡°Isn¡¯t your sister cool?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    An emptiness filled his chest, his mind automatically gauging the gap between them. I was supposed to get older and protect her. How is that even possible now?

    His eyes snapped into focus as Adonica became outlined by a fierce red glow and a head pressed against his skin, causing Alisa to squeak and press against him. A single horn of energy grew out of his sister¡¯s forehead, becoming solid, and her tan skin tinted crimson.

    ¡°W-Woah!¡± Alisa whispered as the overwhelming pressure increased, and red paint seemed to paint under her glowing eyes that changed from blue to yellow. ¡°Your hair ¡­ it¡¯s growing¡ªit¡¯s turning gold!¡±

    ¡°I told you,¡± baring her teeth with a smile, Adonica giggled, showing her monstrous teeth. ¡°So, this is me when transformed,¡± she mused, flexing her red hands before calling her club. ¡°This is my Challenge Mode. Hmm ¡­ So I don¡¯t have just one State when I fully activate my ability. Interesting,¡± she hummed.

    Sal¡¯s skin tingled, instincts telling him he should run. ¡°Insane¡­¡±

    Her eager smile fell as she returned to normal, and the horn returned to its energy state before vanishing. Her black hair and blue eyes returned. ¡°I ¡­ felt like I could run forever.¡±

    ¡°That was intense!¡± Alisa nervously giggled, wrapped around Sal¡¯s arm. ¡°Why¡¯d you turn back?¡±

    ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t find a challenge,¡± she whispered. ¡°Hmm. I suppose it has its own requirements. So ¡­ what would you two like to do now that we have some personal time?¡±

    Alisa threw her fist into the air. ¡°Explore! Sal ¡­ Hmm? What¡¯s up, Sal?¡±

    He gave a start, feeling overwhelmed. ¡°No¡ªnothing, I¡¯m just ¡­ Yeah, let¡¯s go exploring. That sounds fun.¡±

    I¡¯m useless to Donica ¡­ Can I ever stand on my own?

    Adonica guided them through the nearby buildings, rising up over five stories tall, but they felt so much more prominent because of the size of each floor. Alisa asked non-stop questions, learning more about their new life, but Sal was stuck on how useless he was¡ªhe¡¯d never experienced this level of anxiety.

    He couldn¡¯t enjoy all of the cool and exciting things Adonica showed them; in fact, he wanted to scream but couldn¡¯t. How can I protect what I love? I can¡¯t kill even one of those toad people. What if Donica needs help or Alisa is in trouble?

    His sister¡¯s mention of Tiffany¡¯s ritual that granted powers continued to jar his thoughts. It wasn¡¯t like he wanted to do it for the fun of it¡ªhe was scared of this new world, and the more Adoncia talked about just the minor threats inside the jungle, the more he realized they weren¡¯t in a world that humanity had subjugated.

    When night fell, Adonica guided them back to the palace where thousands upon thousands of creatures filled the balcony of every floor; his gut turned as he moved past the undead army that had gathered.

    Empress Elinor would be making a speech soon, and by the stuttering trill of the toad people, the chatter of the monkey-foxes, and soft murmurs of the humans, everyone was restless. This was a huge event¡ªthe biggest yet, and in the middle of the hall were six individuals.

    Alisa leaned over to hiss in Adonica¡¯s ear as they made it to the 2nd-floor to wait; his sister placed them in an area reserved for Maids, hooking them up. ¡°What are they saying¡ªthey¡¯re called Ubisoc, right?¡±

    ¡°Ri¡¯bot,¡± she giggled, pointing at each area where the creatures stood. ¡°Some of them are saying random things, but most are praising the Supreme Chief¡ªwhat they call Empress Elinor. A lot of Clanless have recently come into the Empire.¡±

    His girlfriend¡¯s eye creased. ¡°Ri¡¯bot¡ªlike the sound English speakers say they make?¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is kind of ridiculous, but the Empress¡¯s translation ability functions in odd ways sometimes.¡±

    ¡°The cute monkey-foxes?¡±

    ¡°Yaltha¡¯ma. They call her the Great One. The spiders are called Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, and those big salamander-like corpses are Nalveans. I believe they¡¯re going to be revived by the request of a Nalvean that died to secure one of our greatest enemies.¡±

    ¡°What enemy?¡± Sal grumbled. ¡°I don¡¯t understand any of that.¡±

    Adonica sighed. ¡°I know. Maybe the Empress will talk about it in her speech.¡±

    ¡°And those men in the center?¡± Alisa asked, pointing at the six humans. ¡°One of them even has a horse with him¡ªaww, he¡¯s so beautiful</a>¡ªlook at that white coat!¡±

    A Maid next to them leaned over with a small smile. ¡°That would be the Argent Dawn¡¯s first candidates¡ªthe leaders over the order. Tiffany has worked diligently to prepare this ritual over the past two weeks.¡±

    ¡°Esmeralda,¡± Adonica acknowledges. ¡°I understand you¡¯ve been helping Tiffany through the process the entire time.¡±

    A soft smile brightened her lips; the Maid¡¯s honey brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail, and she had a somewhat mischievous look in her yellow eyes</a>. ¡°Indeed. There were many failures, but in support of the Empress, it was necessary. Tonight will show the fruits of our labor.¡±

    ¡°Where¡¯s Sari¡¯a¨¦l? I wanted to see the Seraph,¡± Alisa whispered, scanning the floors.

    ¡°The Empress is almost here,¡± Adonica whispered, turning to the palace entrance. ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l went to join the Empress a bit ago on Edmon¡¯s request ¡­ He worries for her safety.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes a bit too much,¡± Esmeralda hummed, playing with her bangs; she seemed entirely different from his sister. ¡°Tiffany isn¡¯t worried.¡±

    Adonica emotionlessly eyed the woman. ¡°I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve had the pleasure of speaking. I assume you are within the Witchery Class?¡±

    Her smile widened. ¡°Indeed. I have been learning much from Tiffany; she truly is a genius.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Sal could tell his sister was trying to warn Alisa and him to stay away from this Maid, but before it could continue, the sounds died down, and Empress Elinor¡¯s dominating presence entered the hall on her spider throne.

    Tiffany and Edmon moved out of different hallways to join her, seemingly knowing precisely the time they should make their entrance. The two frightening Royal Court members couldn¡¯t keep his focus, though, as it centered on the hovering visage of perfection beside the Empress¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l was a beacon of light in the gloom of the undead that filled the colossal space.

    If someone like she can follow Elinor ¡­ maybe Donica isn¡¯t wrong about her.

 B2 â€” 47. First General Conference

    The cool evening air of the humid jungle environment pressed against Elinor¡¯s skin as her portable throne carried her through the dirty streets of Nethermore.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l hovered beside her, absently exploring their surroundings, and Theresa stood to the back left of Elinor¡¯s throne, atop the spider¡¯s back.

    Violet returned to the palace to build the platform they¡¯d be using to Edmon¡¯s specifications after the Seraph joined Elinor.  The angel hadn¡¯t been able to meet with even half of the various creatures she now presided over but had gained a decent enough understanding of them, with Aileen acting as a buffer.

    The little twelve-year-old Maid was currently engaged in making sure everything at the palace was in order for her arrival with the others.  This was a big moment for her growing Empire¡ªthe first Semiannual General Conference.

    She¡¯d talked it over with Tiffany, Edmon, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l about the topic, and it seemed to be a good idea for her to address the direction of the Empire.  The event would give the people something to look forward to and build trust, thereby strengthening her bond to them through the Religious System.

    Once decided on the format, Elinor returned to the mines, spending the remainder of the day organizing the spirits Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s group found.  The complicated maze of a mine was another testament to the pure strength of the Quen¡¯Talrat Empire; it functioned in a much different manner than Elinor would have considered, yet had Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma not hollowed out a base for her to use, they would have been set back decades.

    Having an underground network that connected the two locations was more convenient than Elinor could imagine.  Completing the project would accelerate the overall reconstruction of her capital city and provide a safe transportation method.

    She looked up at the two rising moons, noticing a third purple one far beyond the two large spheres barely visible in the dimming sky.  Now that she was focusing on the twin celestial objects, she thought she could see smaller orbs in their orbit.  This world is so foreign, but it has its beauty.

    Her thoughts returned to Sar''ollaz¡¯s comments about the mockingbird-like creature that could seemingly teleport across the planet with ease.   Arsheh is currently investigating an invisible moon.  How many wonders does this place hold?  It¡¯s far more magical than Earth ¡­ and dangerous.

    Turning her mind to the Spider Sisters upon sensing Camellia still isolating herself in a random building far below the city¡¯s surface.  The word sulking passed through Elinor¡¯s mind, but it wasn¡¯t the right one.

    Camellia was far too hyperactive and driven to sulk; she was going through a unique form of depression that Elinor didn¡¯t entirely understand.  An array of complex emotional triggers had been struck during her mission to recover Jumi¡¯kerune.

    Violet and Azalea were currently in the Great Hall that served as the bridging point between the grand tower and palace wings; the pair had built barriers between the Quen¡¯Talrat rail guards for the thousands of people that would be clustered across each floor¡¯s edge.

    Elinor sensed the inner turmoil that each of them was going through, and it varied between them.  They didn¡¯t blame Camellia for the outcome, but something unusual stirred inside each of their hearts.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l played a part in that complicated cocktail Elinor was trying to dissect.

    Camellia¡¯s never been hurt to that extent¡ªthe only comparison would be when they all died at the hands of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, yet they managed to get over that to a certain degree ¡­ No, Violet¡¯s emotions are linked back to that event ¡­ All of them are hurting, but the one connecting factor is their new sister.

    Iris is somewhat ashamed that she had to be rescued and sees Sari¡¯a¨¦l as a rival ¡­ It¡¯s more than that, though.  There¡¯s something instinctual that¡¯s clouding her hearts and mind that ¡­ When did I start recognizing it?

    Her lips pursed, vision sliding to the blurred buildings they passed; they still hadn¡¯t made it to the clean areas that her subjects had been hard at work restoring to their former glory, and what appeared to be a storm was moving in from the west, according to Azalea¡¯s update through the Nexus.  Elinor¡¯s mind was still stuck on the issues plaguing her Assassin Branch.

    The Spider Family were by far the strongest within it, and with their internal balance upset, it could spell problems, such as the chaos that filled Camellia during her mission.  There were things about the eight-legged creatures that went deeper than she understood or could interpret.  Still, it didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t try and help them, and even that train of thought surprised her.

    It is efficient to solve the problem ¡­ I want them to be happy, though.  I don¡¯t know if I can do anything but keep them occupied until we gain more information, though.  Iris is getting what intel she can from Jumi¡¯calro before bringing him back after Tal¡¯tamine is cured ¡­ I¡¯ll have to wait until then.

    She hummed at a passing thought.  Contacting Camellia, she added a neutral tone to give the girl what she wanted.  I¡¯ve decided your punishment.

    The spider¡¯s mind went in a dozen different directions faster than Elinor could interpret before gently moving out of her stationary position in the abyss of the fortress.  ¡°Anything, Empress ¡­ I have failed you.¡±

    From what Elinor understood, that statement was directed in over thirty connotations that hadn¡¯t even crossed Elinor¡¯s brain.  She may not have understood what she was exactly going through, but she could feel it, and one path came to mind.

    Your task is to mingle with your previous food¡ªhuman, Yaltha¡¯ma, Nalvean, Ri¡¯bot¡ªmove between them, and learn about the creatures you¡¯re seeking to protect.  Study their fears and joys ¡­ See how you can be a hero to them¡ªa light in their darkness.

    ¡°Empress?¡±  Camellia¡¯s voice was slow and confused.  ¡°How can I be a light in their darkness ¡­ What does that mean?¡±

    A small smile brightened Elinor¡¯s lips.  That is what your punishment is, Camellia.  Talk to them, and discover the answer for yourself.  This is your punishment.  It will not be easy for you.

    Camellia¡¯s mind lifted out of the darkness at the challenge.  ¡°I see ¡­ I will accomplish my task, Empress!¡±

    I have no doubt.  After all, you gave me Demon.  Return to me when you have the answer.

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    Cutting the connection to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, she let the girl find her own path.  Feeling better about the eldest Spider Sister, Elinor started to see signs of the clean-up as she neared the palace.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l turned to give her a teasing smile.  ¡°What compassion.  You are changing, Elinor.¡±

    How much were you listening to?  Elinor asked with an accusatory glare at the radiant Seraph.

    ¡°Enough,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l snickered.  ¡°You are terrible at keeping your conversations private.¡±

    No.  I think you¡¯re just too perceptive, Elinor grunted, fingers tightening around her chair.  The Religious System is affecting my judgment.

    The Seraph hummed, hiding her hands behind her wings as she spun in a slow circle.  ¡°I am new to this lying business, but is hiding things from one¡¯s self a normal activity of what you term humanity?¡±

    How am I lying to myself?  Elinor challenged, knowing she¡¯d probably eat her words but honestly not knowing the answer.

    Her golden irises narrowed with a small smile.  ¡°It comes in how inaccurate your previous statement was.  Is it your Religious System affecting your judgment, or is it affecting your Lich Empress System that ¡®has¡¯ affected your judgment¡ªa key difference in that.¡±

    Elinor looked away as a low groan rumbled in her throat.  Funny.  So, you¡¯re saying the Religious System balances out what my Lich Empress System has clamped down on.  I was a teenager before coming ¡­ this.  It¡¯s far too late to turn back now ¡­ I have nothing left of that life.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s kind, penetrating eyes were unnerving.  ¡°I¡¯ve realized something significant from listening to those under you, Empress.¡±

    Releasing a soft sigh, Elinor shook her head against the back of her silken chair; her focus moved to the silver gem between the woman¡¯s bosom.  What radiant truth have you uncovered?

    The Seraph looked up at the moons, and her six wings pulled in upon touching her left breast.  ¡°It¡¯s too late to be afraid.  We all have our fights, Empress, hoping we¡¯ll have the courage to be the light in the darkest hour.  And even when hope fails us, we can rely on the harmony to push through until the war is won¡ªto answer the cry for help.  You can be the hero they need; you¡¯ve had the power within you all along.  A world won¡¯t save itself.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Elinor closed her eyes, breathing out a long stream of air.  I wonder if you even know the meaning ¡­ No, I suppose you do if they¡¯re being translated to me, but when have I ever said I want to be a hero?  I only want to have a safe place where I¡¯m allowed to exist in peace.

    ¡°Time will tell,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l mused.  ¡°Right and wrong ¡­ you blazing your own path in defiance, and you take chances despite your doubts.  Life eternal is the path that lies before you, yet where it leads is a shifting course.¡±

    I can¡¯t think about that right now, Elinor groaned.  Are you ready to introduce yourself to those that are now relying on you, Ms. Heroine?

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s chest shook with laughter.  ¡°Always, Empress.¡±

    Studying the angel, Elinor released the stress in her chest.  What are you feeling ¡­ Your emotions are so beyond what I can see.  Maybe it''s because it''s too simple or too complex ¡­ I don¡¯t know, but you¡¯re so serene ¡­ All the time.  I know you like the whole bondage thing, but what else?

    Her wings tucked in a bit as she smiled, looking inward.  ¡°You want to understand me?¡±  She looked up at the sky, searching for something unseen to Elinor.

    ¡°I¡¯m trapped at the start of all I know¡ªobscuring my way in days long lost to my soul.  A memory turned wrong that I cannot recall¡ªso far that a whisper of fear caresses my hearts ¡­ the lingering sensation of guilt and shame that I cannot comprehend as I am¡ªhelpless in the flames.¡±

    The angel gave her a smile Elinor couldn¡¯t place.  ¡°In the beat of your soul, I can still hear a spark to follow across time and space that you¡¯ll know me.  If I can be weak ¡­ If I can be strong, to give it all up for a new rebirth¡ªthat it¡¯s worth it now that I¡¯m lost ¡­ knowing victory¡¯s cost is like a whispered prayer to guide me home into the deep unknown.¡±

    She reached up to trace her resplendent halo, and a small, golden tear fell down her cheek; the maid behind Elinor couldn¡¯t help but be captivated by the angelic figure¡¯s radiant emotions that spun through them like a song.  Elinor couldn¡¯t quite understand the words but what wove through her was more than could be expressed under the crimson skies.

    ¡°You are the lifeline that will sustain a promised future I can come back to when all I have is you.  My father no longer fills my breast, which breaks me ¡­ my hearts fade, yet I¡¯m not alone¡ªI cannot do it alone, and when all the stars align, I¡¯ll find peace in my soul for that which I have lost.¡±

    Feeling oddly heavy as the Seraph finished, Elinor rested her head against the back of her hand.  A final catharsis ¡­ How can you be such a beacon of hope and glory if that weighs you down?

    She looked away with a soft giggle, staring up at the obscured floating island while clearing the liquid away from her markless cheeks.  ¡°I can only be who I am ¡­ nothing more, nothing less, yet there is a mist I must find my way through ¡­ where nothing else exists beyond absolution where we¡¯ll slip away, unseen, back to the start, to begin again.¡±

    Elinor was utterly lost by what the Seraph expressed, but it filled her with a sense of dread, hope, loss, and gain.  Shaking her head, she sighed, unable to do anything else in response.  I can¡¯t grasp it in the least.  Alright ¡­ Well, it¡¯s time for the first Semiannual General Conference.

    The front of the palace came into sight with the beautiful front groundworks that the humans and Ri¡¯bot had accomplished over the past two weeks.  Entering the Great Hall, the noise died down immediately upon Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Elinor¡¯s entrance.

    She swept the area with a small smile; her Empire had grown so much.

    Hundreds of Undead Ri¡¯bot and dozens of Undead Quen¡¯Talrat stood in formation around the ground floor.  Over ten thousand Ri¡¯bot lined the left side of the hall across multiple floors.  To her right were the humans and Yaltha¡¯ma, and strung near the center of the levels and hall was a small platform where almost everyone could see the speaker.

    Tiffany had crafted a ritual to allow the person standing in the place to reach everyone to hear the speaker as if standing right next to them.

    The Witch exited from the ground-level West Wing while Edmon came from within the Throne Room.  All of her Undead, excluding Amra¡¯Cora, her unit, the Defense Systems Monitor, Quin, and those in the Nalvean Empire, were present.

    ¡°I¡¯m so excited!¡±  Tiffany squealed.  ¡°All the work I¡¯ve done over the past two weeks is coming together!¡±

    Edmon¡¯s helmet was off, allowing Elinor to see the smirk he directed at the woman.  ¡°Calm down, Tiff.  If you mispronounce a word, they¡¯ll turn into chickens.¡±

    ¡°I wish!¡±  Tiffany sighed.  ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t give for a good chicken sandwich.  Anyway, everything is prepared, Elinor.  Your subjects hang on your every word.¡±

    Theresa promptly hopped off of the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra to join the other maids, and a golden light illuminated Elinor¡¯s frame as Sari¡¯a¨¦l used some kind of skill to lift everyone that would be speaking today.

    Elinor smoothly landed on the edge of the suspended platform and turned to gaze upon those that had been selected to address the masses.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l was the only one that didn¡¯t take a seat, simply floating in place between the elegantly crafted chairs Violet had created.

    The critical figures that they should know would each have their turn to introduce themselves.

    Her glowing emerald irises turned to survey the hushed throng of nearly eighteen thousand people, using the wide railing and other safety precautions in place; the sound was cut to a whisper as she took in her audience.  Not a hint of hesitation fluttered in her stomach; she was made to give orders and guide the masses.

    Six humans had been bowing from the moment she entered the hall, two female and four male, but their part would be for the close of the meeting.

    The thing that drew a frown from Elinor were the two Nalvean corpses Camellia had brought back, and judging by their location, it was meant to be a spectacle for her citizens to witness.  Tiffany informed her of what she had planned, but she did not expect to see both.

    Glances were thrown across the throng as she fixated on the bodies, opening a private channel between Tiffany and Edmon.  Camellia was currently making her way up through the city¡¯s depths, and involving her in this meeting had proven to be a secondary punishment for the girl¡¯s mind¡ªElinor didn¡¯t want to humiliate the struggling Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    Why are they both here, Tiffany, Edmon?  Has Demon¡¯s device been cleansed from the infected one?

    Tiffany¡¯s focus darted to Edmon.  ¡°Device?  I haven¡¯t heard anything about a device in her ¡­ As in, a similar contraption to the one in Tal¡¯tamine?¡±

    Edmon released an internal hiss.  ¡°Apologies, Elinor, I have not had a chance to explain the details of Camellia¡¯s encounter, nor how Demon¡¯s artifacts work given her busy work with the ritual.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Do tell!¡±  Tiffany chimed in fascination.  ¡°Are you saying Elinor cannot resurrect those with this device?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re busy¡­¡±

    Elinor restrained a sigh.  Which one was infected?  Do we need to call Camellia into the chat?

    ¡°Not necessary,¡± Edmon instantly replied.  ¡°The one known as Giliri was infected.  Fini was killed by her; they are both Seaweavers.  We will need to wait for Jumi¡¯calro to return to remove it from her corpse.  I also recommend we keep Iris out of the discussion for obvious purposes.¡±

    Thinking about Edmon¡¯s request, Elinor slowly nodded.  I can see the existence of an Assassination wing being problematic for many.  Iris has been seen by quite a few humans and all of the Ri¡¯bot Clan, but allowing her to fade into obscurity shouldn¡¯t be an issue.  Violet can speak in her place since she¡¯s already in the public¡¯s eye¡ªthey know more about her than me.  Back to the matter at hand, though.

    Violet, Elinor said, bringing the girl into the chat, go check the two corpses for the technology Jumi¡¯kerune uses to mind control people.  We don¡¯t need a repeat of the horrific soul ripping event we had at Shi¡¯Shuka.

    ¡°I¡¯m very interested in this incident now!¡±  Tiffany hummed, practically squirming in her seat while watching Violet¡¯s actions.  ¡°Oh, and I agree with Edmon¡¯s recommendation.  Let Sari¡¯a¨¦l be the light and Iris operate in the shadows.¡±

    Edmon opened a private connection to Tiffany, explaining the incident in more detail as everyone¡¯s attention followed the young black-haired girl¡¯s fall from the platform.  It didn¡¯t take long for her to discover which was Giliri, leaving Fini.

    Lifting her gaze to her subjects, Elinor started the meeting in a soft, neutral voice that carried to every listener.  ¡°I welcome you to the start of the first Semiannual General Conference of the Undying Empire.  You are the first citizens of this great, rising nation and have gathered to hear what has been happening within the Empire and the direction we are heading.  As such, it is befitting I open this first address to my people ¡­ And you are all my people.¡±

    She let the sentence hang, allowing it to sink in.  After a time, a small smile lifted her lips and tone as her gaze moved between the targets of her words.  ¡°I have had personal audiences with a few of you, but many more humans have been saved, healed, and brought back to recuperate.  Hundreds of you are contributing to restoring the beauty of this once great city.

    ¡°Ri¡¯bot clans have been brought in by the thousands, and Clanless gather in the hundreds each day as the good news of our growing Empire spreads.  You have been the backbone of the labor force, and I could not be more pleased.

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°And the Yaltha¡¯ma show their faith and dedication by pulling in more to the cause; without their diligent effort, we would not have clean water and an operating sewage system.¡±

    Each group straightened the moment she called upon their race, and her head shifted to the humans; she could feel the budding embers of faith in many of them, but it was slow compared to the others.  ¡°You have faced great hardship, snatched away in the dead of night to this harsh new lifestyle.  Forced to adapt, you have shown phenomenal resilience, and I have done everything within my power to provide a safe environment for you to once again flourish and be happy.¡±

    A sad note caught her throat.  ¡°That being said ¡­ I will not exert my power over those that do not wish my protection, and twenty-four humans have chosen to live beyond our borders and my security.  I do wish them the best, but that is their choice, and so too is staying within my land, yet it is my land.  Order must be maintained, and all are subject to my rule that lives upon it.¡±

    Her voice hardened a bit.  ¡°Make no mistake, this is not a democracy.  You have no claim to my decision other than a voice, and that is the price of stability.  You will all take vows to adhere to the rules of the Empire.

    ¡°That being said, you will have representation through your democratically appointed spokesperson that will meet with my intermediary; more on that will come later.

    ¡°Military service is not required, and you may live in peace as citizens of the Empire ¡­ You are my priority as the Empire is everything to me.  However, avenues are opening for those that wish to ¡®volunteer¡¯ to take a more active role in defense of their families and homes.  I understand that is the desire of some, and I will oblige, but again, you are a part of ¡®my¡¯ army.¡±

    She took a deep breath, expression turning mournful upon seeing the tight faces of the humans.  The Ri¡¯bot were ecstatic to be her soldiers, yet the humans showed restraint.

    ¡°Six individuals have made it clear that they wish to partake in that offer, and the ritual will be explained later on in this conference.¡±

    A hot edge of steel stoked in Elinor¡¯s throat upon turning to the Ri¡¯bot as a frown touched her lips, causing the toads to tremble.  ¡°Humanity will be the first to be offered the gift of my power due to the treatment the Ri¡¯bot showed the One Above All.  I have already exacted appropriate punishments to those that crossed me.¡±

    Noting the discomfort of various groups, her tone softened.  ¡°Also, I am aware not all Ri¡¯bot showed such disrespect ¡­ I see the Clanless, Lethix, Wixum, Prune, Flex, and Xaltan Clans that rallied to my presence.  I do not hold grudges, and opportunities will soon arise for you to partake in the ritual.¡±

    Cheers erupted from the various parties, chanting her name.

    Holding a hand in the air, they swiftly quelled their excitement.  ¡°To the Clavex ¡­ you have done a great deal to redeem yourselves.  The Delthax¡­¡±

    She trailed off, finding the blue-skinned toad people on the 2nd-floor; not one could look at her from their kneeling position.

    ¡°Repentance means drawing closer to me, and ¡­ I have felt your souls,¡± she smiled, causing the creatures to raise their heads in shock.  ¡°You have humbled yourselves, and those that stood against me are serving their penance.  Your condemnation is lifted.¡±

    A shiver ran up Elinor¡¯s spine as the emotions flowed from them through her Religious System.  Tears ran down their slick faces, hugging one another and whispering in their children¡¯s ears.  They turned brightening eyes to her as she continued.

    ¡°The wheels are set in motion ¡­ Valdar, your beloved former leader turned Great Chief, has shown dedication unmatched by any other Clan.  As many of you may know, the High Priest is not present because he is currently leading a mission to the north to gather more of your brothers and sisters, spreading my word.  Rest easy at night knowing you are drawing closer to the Great River in the Sky.¡±

    Pausing to control the emotion in her voice at their outpouring hearts, Elinor turned to those behind her.  ¡°High Lord Edmon will announce the itinerary.¡±

    Walking back across the thin platform, she heard the soft mumbling echo throughout the hall, and a portion of anxiety lift after her initial speech.

    The Doom Guard rose to his feet, proceeding past her as she took her throne with Sari¡¯a¨¦l above her.  She could feel the excitement bubbling within those preparing their own speech beside her; they would be quick, but the point was to get across their station and make their presence known.

    Edmon brushed back his black hair, and Elinor could feel Tiffany¡¯s lips tighten; Elinor rolled her eyes at the woman¡¯s hidden desire to strip</a> him of his armor.  His deep voice forced every gaze on him.

    ¡°We will begin this session by introducing the Royal Court, which makes up the Empress¡¯s primary advisors and this Empire¡¯s greatest defenders.  It is to these individuals you can look to in order to feel safe at night, knowing we never rest and never cease to perform the Empress¡¯s will, which is to protect her citizens.¡±

    Clasping his hands behind his back, he smiled at the throng.  ¡°I will start this Royal session, followed by High Lady Tiffany, Deputy Commander Violet will then address the congregation, and High Lady Sari¡¯a¨¦l, the Seraph you have all seen, shall make her address after.

    ¡°Following their remarks, you will hear from those currently in charge of the Lower Court, which oversees the non-military functions of the Empire.

    ¡°Empress Elinor will then give her closing remarks, and High Lady Tiffany¡¯s ritual will conclude this first general assembly.¡±

    Letting the information sink in for several seconds, Edmon donned his helmet and summoned his shield, sending a spray of frosted aura across the Great Hall.  ¡°I am High Lord Edmon, Leader of the Elite Defender Branch; the Gatekeeper and Bulwark of the Empire.  The Empress has given me charge of this great city that she has named Nethermore.¡±

    Elinor grimaced.  Great, steal my thunder.  I should have said it sooner, to be fair.

    Shivers ran down every frame from the mist, slowly falling to the ground collecting around his armor.  ¡°I am the highest authority beside the Empress when we are under siege.  Rest easy, knowing I am your shield as citizens of the Empress¡¯s Empire.¡±

    The atmosphere broke as his helmet and shield shattered into ice, and he walked off stage, passing a grinning Tiffany.  ¡°You could have shown off a bit more; simple and to the point, as usual.¡±

    ¡°What, did you want me to take off my armor, spin my shirt around and make it create an iceberg or something?¡±

    Edmon rolled his eyes while taking his seat, watching the Witch spin to give him a wink.  ¡°Stripping would have certainly spiked blood pressure rather than chill it!¡±

    A smirk lifted his cheeks.  ¡°Is that a compliment from you?¡±

    ¡°You need to be competent in one area, and in looks, you certainly excel,¡± Tiffany giggled.  ¡°Shh!  I need to dazzle them!¡±

    Tiffany stood on the edge of the platform and snapped her fingers;.  A red sphere with an unusual design appeared in front of her, and the lights above dimmed as it was pulled into the orb.  ¡°Welcome to the Empire, dears!¡±

    No one could move as the swirling mass of light erupted into dazzling stars that spun around into a vortex, and a galaxy complete with celestial objects formed.  ¡°I am High Lady Tiffany, but Tiffany is fine by me!  I am the Royal Ritualist of the Empire, in charge of the occult and obscure alchemical arts.¡±

    She hummed, brushing back her long black bangs.  ¡°It¡¯s a little challenging to define exactly what I do ¡­ A little of everything, I suppose.  If something needs to be done, then I can research a way to see it happen.  The things in my mind are ¡­ Oh, you¡¯ll learn in time,¡± she laughed, causing an uneasy stir, especially among the Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°I can heal, kill, twist, organize, disorganize, bond, and sever among dozens of other words I could employ!  Of course, witchcraft always has a price, which is why I¡¯ve learned to love this world¡ªit just has so much for me to utilize.  You likely won¡¯t see me around too often, seeing as I like to operate ¡­ in private for obvious reasons,¡± she snickered.

    If Edmon reassured people with his bold declaration, Tiffany shattered it.

    ¡°Is that it?  Oh!  Right!  I am over the Witchery Branch, which functions as I stated before¡ªa jack of all trades, master of few, and I am its matriarch!¡±

    Snapping her fingers again, the sphere and galaxy collapsed onto itself to send a pulse through everyone present; Elinor felt a warmth spread through her, easing her into a sense of unnatural comfort.

    ¡°You can do wonders with the proper knowledge,¡± Tiffany finished, turning to return to her seat.

    Confused mumbles rumbled through the chamber, but it was soon quelled by Violet¡¯s swaying movements as she took the stage.  Her voice was even, yet Elinor could sense the nervous jitters in her gut; it wasn¡¯t from the act of speaking herself, but that she was taking her mother¡¯s place and the fear of incurring her disapproval with the plethora of compounding issues spinning around her complex mind.

    ¡°My name is Violet.  As stated, I am Deputy Commander within the Empress¡¯s army.  To put my task simply, it is my duty to provide information to the Empress and protect her interests from those that would harm the Empire.¡±

    A small smile brightened Violet¡¯s lips as she looked toward the humans on the 2nd-level.  ¡°I am indeed the lady that created many of your clothes and decorated this hall¡ªalthough I do not understand the context of Halloween.

    ¡°Web Weaving is a hobby of mine, and crafting new designs is thrilling.  I have enjoyed the regular use of my art and the input I have received in the craft of new compositions.  I look forward to hearing your unique ideas to make use of my specialty when I am given time to exercise it.¡±

    Elinor hadn¡¯t expected as much support as the spider girl seemed to be getting by the bright-eyed faces of the men and women.  However, it soon came to light that Gwen requested custom underwear for the women, which Violet was more than happy to provide, granting them more comfort than anything produced on Earth.

    ¡°As a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, we adapt to our surroundings, and if it is the will of the Empress, we shall defend you against all enemies ¡­ Yes, and make boxers when there is time,¡± Violet replied, causing Elinor to put two fingers to her temples; obviously, they¡¯d grown quite accustomed to the Arachnid Sisters.

    Terrifying spider assassins, reduced to tailors in the minds of the people.  This would have taken a one-eighty if Iris was giving the speech.  Violet¡¯s mingled with humans, too much.  Although, I am trying to get Camellia to open up a bit more.

    The elegant human-shaped monster folded her delicate sleeves together at her front, smiling at the reception she received.  ¡°We will continue to serve the Empress to the best of our abilities and expect everyone to do the same.  A nest is only as good as its drones.¡±

    Elinor could see the confusion fill her subject¡¯s ranks at her departing nod; Violet thought she nailed it, and Elinor would let her believe it, pleased she¡¯d applied a more natural element compared to the Witch¡¯s performance.  Tiffany was snickering to Edmon about the girl¡¯s speech.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s presence stilled everyone, though; she hovered down to the platform, and not one head could turn away from the Seraph.

    She stood in silence for a time, golden irises observing the crowd, and when she spoke, it was music to all that heard it.  ¡°My name is Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  Unlike the other Royal Court members, I am not Undead.  I was a Daughter of the Sun and chose of my own free will to join Empress Elinor¡¯s Court as her Warlord, presiding over the Elite Warriors.¡±

    Her golden radiance increased as she moved off the platform, floating closer to each floor and slowly hovering to every level for them to have a more complete vision of her.  ¡°I can feel so much pain and suffering from every soul ¡­ Have hope in the Empress.

    ¡°You are fearful of what your future holds¡ªuncertainty clouds your minds, but there is strength in pulling together when suffocating in the strangling darkness.  I am here for you, and it would not be possible had Empress Elinor not risked herself.¡±

    A soft smile brightened the Seraph¡¯s full lips as she lifted in the air to look at Elinor.  ¡°Your Empress rose to impossible heights to face beings you cannot fathom and stand in defiance to crushing opposition ¡­ I am proof of her indomitable will.  All those that put their faith in her, she will not give up on you, and neither will I.¡±

    The gem on her chest illuminated, and her fingers clasped around a celestial ax.  ¡°All our enemies will be reduced to ash inside my divine light.¡±  The six humans stood in awe as she spoke.   ¡°We are an Empire.  We are one body.  We have the will to fight any who would stand against us.  And even if we are bruised and broken, we will rise from the ashes to win.¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t breathe from the fire the Seraph lit inside the people, and it was at that moment she felt hundreds of humans finally believe in her.  She¡¯s inspiring thousands ¡­ Not by a trick or show of force but by belief in a path.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l slowly returned to the platform, musical voice strengthened.  ¡°The road ahead has an unforgiving toll, filled with fire and ice, but anything of worth is born through splintered bone and a threatening song.¡±

    She turned to the humans, hand pressed to her breast.  ¡°We must walk in the deepest of footprints.  Step into the fog to combat the darkness inside our own hearts and the hidden enemies within the shadows¡ªto follow the way of the strong and find our soul inside the madness of this foreign land.  Temper your spirits to keep the focus, even when the battle¡¯s odds are hopeless, know you are not alone¡ªthe Empress is with you, and through her, I am with you.¡±

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±  Tiffany mumbled.  ¡°She¡¯s good.¡±

    She¡¯s authentic, Elinor whispered, feeling inspired herself by the Seraph¡¯s words.

    The angel swooped low to a teenager as he suddenly started to cry.  ¡°I¡¯m scared, though¡­¡±

    She smiled, hovering before the boy on the rail guard.  ¡°Everyone has fears ¡­ Fear is good.  Allowing it reminds us what is important, yet it is also the tool we can use to press through the flames to cause our enemies to quake.  Mountains will move against you; it is inevitable, but it is the will to stand defiant that will define your soul as worthy to grasp the power the Empress offers¡ªthe power to break mountains.  Step into the fire, and follow the way of the strong.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s mouth dropped open.  ¡°My goodness ¡­ She¡¯s perfect.  Did you tell her to do this?¡±

    Edmon folded his arms.  ¡°No ¡­ I think this is just her.  She¡¯s a true believer herself.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s own hand touched her breast, speaking to herself.  A true believer ¡­ of me.  What have you seen in me that I haven¡¯t yet, Sari¡¯a¨¦l?  How far do I need to travel to reach where you see me standing?  Heh ¡­ You¡¯re even inspiring me.

    Returning to her place, the Seraph¡¯s voice softened.  ¡°A chorus resonates within our soul that can be gathered into an unbreakable canticle that will temper our will against the demons that claw at the door to our hearts.  Let the sound of metal sharpen your resolve and become a power so great, you can only look at those that call you their enemy with pity.¡±

    Brows set as yet more spirits connected to Elinor.

    The Seraph¡¯s ax vanished in rays of brilliant light as she rose off the platform.  ¡°Through the Empress, you will feel my own song resonate as a vessel of her will; I stand by your side.¡±

    She moved back to her previous location.

    Elinor¡¯s mind turned inward as the others rose to discuss their roles in the Empire.

    Pepe Fontanez, the Treasurer, started, going over his duty and the fascinating joy he found in categorizing and recording the Empire¡¯s riches; they would succeed in trade with allied nations.

    The people seemed happy at the prospect of trade; merchanting meant new products that could make life easier.

    Mauricio Ojuda followed, but almost everyone knew the Groundskeeper.  The man had been teaching classes on carpentry and working with the Ri¡¯bot to create complex metalwork for bed springs.

    Lucky Blue Smith introduced himself as the middleman between them and the Royal Court, making jokes throughout his speech.  Most of the representatives had already met with the man, but he elaborated on the method of voting in their representatives and the process of further turning it into a more democratic republic process once the Empire grew too large to accurately count vast numbers of ballots.

    Antonietta Briseno took the stage next, discussing the importance of diet in this new world as their bodies adapted; she¡¯d been doing cooking education courses in her free time that anyone could join in.  Understanding what their stomachs would accept would be of vital importance, especially for newborns and children.

    Finally, James Escobedo took Emelina¡¯s place for both the Butlers and Maids.  He reported that great strides were being made in making this place their home rather than a dystopian post-apocalyptic nightmare, which drew several laughs from the crowd.

    The mood had lightened considerably when the Lower Court connected them to everyday life; these were the people they¡¯d be interacting with far more than the soldiers or Royal Court.

    Once the handsome man took a bow and exited, Elinor rose to her feet; silence immediately followed.  Slowly walking forward, she took a deep breath and appraised her subjects¡ªthose that were under her care and guidance.

    ¡°You¡¯ve met many of those that are in charge of helping you adapt to this new way of life.  As to a report on the Empire¡¯s activities ¡­ We have entered into a peace agreement with the Nalvean Empire.  High Ruler Nukulara recognizes us as the Undying Empire and is ready to open negotiations for trade.  In fact, he plans on sending his daughter to observe and study our budding nation.¡±

    She paused, allowing the news to soak in; the Ri¡¯bot were stunned at the revelation, seeing as they¡¯ve dealt very rarely with the mighty Empire.

    ¡°This comes with the expectation that we will become a trade Empire, acting as a bridge between the surrounding nations, which means roads and communication.  We do have enemies, many of them, but I have established ties to national powers and built our own army to protect the Empire¡¯s interests over the past two weeks.

    ¡°We are on the rise, and you are a part of that¡ªlittle as it may seem to you, every moved piece of rubble is one step closer to a functioning capital city.  You have seen the Quen¡¯Talrat around the hall ¡­ We¡¯ve discovered a place where I can get every specialist I need to get our home back to its former glory.  We¡¯re on the cusp of building a new, safe life in this world.¡±

    Taking in a long breath, she smiled.  ¡°As I promised, throughout this week, now that things have settled down and I have secured our place in this valley, I will bring back your loved ones with the conditions that have been previously mentioned.  This includes the Ri¡¯bot, Nalveans, Yaltha¡¯ma, and humans ¡­ there will naturally need to be a limit, but we can start returning to a semblance of normalcy.¡±

    Lips tightening, Elinor summoned her butterflies, looking down at the singular Nalvean girl on the ground with a hole in her chest.  ¡°An enemy I call Demon, one of our greatest opponents in this world, was dealt a decisive blow by three soldiers¡ªtwo of those lost their lives for your continued safety and freedom.  Imiunarus, a Nalvean, and Lecra''Moro, a Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter.¡±

    Violet and Azalea¡¯s minds sent mixed signals at the mention, thoughts returning to the terrible state their eldest sister was in.  ¡°Camellia came back a hero ¡­ Demon¡¯s capture, our stable relationship with the Nalvean Empire ¡­ A massive loss would have befallen the Empire had not these three brave soldiers risked their lives for your peace.  Treat Camellia with care when she¡¯s among you because she could be the reason you are alive at this time.  After all, I doubt Sari¡¯a¨¦l would be here without her actions.¡±

    Silence held as everyone thought on her words and the two faceless creatures that had given their all to build a safe place for the Empire to flourish.

    After an appropriate time, Elinor sent the butterflies to examine Fini¡¯s corpse.  She¡¯d be an Uncommon Grade if she raised her as she was, but after learning more about the System, she scanned for alternative Classes she could fill the role of and discovered she was an excellent shot and could barely scratch into the Rare-Grade in the Hunter Unit as a Water Sniper; it was the best Elinor could see of the girl¡¯s potential at her current level.

    ¡°Imiunarus¡¯s dying wish was for me to raise the two young women that died during their mission ¡­ A noble request to allow the youth to live in his place.  I honor those that serve.¡±

    The emerald flames consumed Fini¡¯s frame, reshaping her into the perfected version of herself at her age of thirty-four.  She blinked her bright blue eyes after slowly rising to her feet.  ¡°E-Empress?¡±  she slowly whispered, confusion in her young voice as she looked up at her; she sounded no older than fifteen.

    Whispers were heard around the room as Elinor mentally directed her to move to the side of the room.  You have been reborn into a new Empire, Finila, she said, realizing the girl¡¯s name had been shortened by her friend as she connected to the Nexus.

    ¡°What about ¡­ Wait, why do I think his name is Imiunarus?  No, it¡¯s Hubrix ¡­ No?¡±

    A sad note was in Tiffany¡¯s tone.  ¡°No, dearie.  Imiunarus was undercover, and I suppose he used that name.  He did not survive the encounter with Jumi¡¯kerune, but his dying wish was for you and your friend to have a second chance at life.  Romantic really ¡­ or is that considered creepy?  I can¡¯t tell, he-he-he, eh ¡­ anyway!  Edmon will explain everything!¡±

    ¡°I will?¡±  he mumbled, looking over at the Witch.

    ¡°Of course!  I have work to do!¡±  she chimed as Elinor prompted her that it was time.

    Elinor turned to the six humans on the ground floor.  ¡°In conclusion of this conference, we will see the birth of a new order.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡­¡±

    The Seraph lifted the two women and four men into the air; they didn¡¯t flinch, and Elinor could feel the absolute trust they held in her, having been the first to fully believe in her as a growing goddess-like entity.  Currently, there weren¡¯t any better candidates among the humans, yet a few dozen Ri¡¯bot could match their devotion.

    ¡°It is an honor, Empress,¡± Vergil said in a humbled tone.  ¡°We, of the Argent Dawn, won¡¯t disappoint you!¡±

    Smiling at the six, Elinor held her hands behind her back.  ¡°Remember, you still need to practice and gain mastery over these new abilities.  How they will manifest is totally unknown.¡±

    ¡°We accept the risks,¡± Gloria replied.  ¡°High Lady Tiffany has made us aware of the conditions.¡±

    Tiffany snapped her fingers with an impish smile, causing the strange globe to appear again; twirling her fingers, it shifted and spun into a new formation.  ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it will hurt, but we are talking about changing your very spiritual anatomy¡ªit¡¯s complicated.  Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l separated them around the Witch¡¯s artifact and at another snap of Tiffany¡¯s fingers, it lit with orange flames.  The Witch hummed.  ¡°A Pentagram Merkaba</a>, in the Flower of Life formula to bond their lives to the union¡ªthe power, their faith.¡±

    It spread out, each point touching the men¡¯s and women¡¯s forehead before brilliant rainbow colors radiated across the flower patterns, filled with various symbols of magic.

    Tiffany¡¯s voice was firm as powerful energy welled up within Elinor¡¯s core; she could feel the six changing, reaching through fathomless darkness and pulled through the haze by their guiding belief to grasp the seed within her.

    ¡°Strengthened by faith, bound to the Empress¡¯s will¡ªallow this splinter to bloom, and take your place within the Empire as a servant of the highest!¡±  An amused smile brightened her lips as she looked at the Seraph.  ¡°Begin your journey¡ªwalk into the deepest of footprints, step into the fog, and follow the Royal Court¡¯s path¡ªfollow the way of the strong.¡±

    Muscles tightening, all six of them refused to back down, letting their faith blaze a trail through the distance between her two Systems; sweat beat down their foreheads, hands in fists as they pressed on, and Elinor felt the words that allowed them to reach the source¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s words to temper their will.

    Golden rays gathered around the pair, including the horse below that linked to Vergil.  When the light faded, they returned to normal, causing Tiffany to lift an eyebrow and look at Elinor.

    ¡°Huh?  I expected something ¡­ more flashy?¡±

    Elinor was smiling.  ¡°Welcome, Argent Dawn.¡±

    Gloria bit her lower lip, palm pressed against her forehead.  ¡°I ¡­ can hear Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s voice in my head¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Tiffany glanced between them.  ¡°I can¡¯t talk to them.¡±

    The Seraph giggled, lining them up before her.  ¡°That is because you are not connected to the Empress¡¯s Religious System, Tiffany.¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­ Humph, well, I¡¯ll have to fix that,¡± she mumbled, looking away and scratching her neck.  ¡°It worked, though?¡±

    ¡°It did,¡± Elinor replied, feeling her System expand with their presence; it was becoming more assertive.  ¡°They just need to practice interpreting my will.¡±

    Vergil cleared his throat, holding back tears as the Seraph presented him in front of the stunned masses.  ¡°Behold, the Empress¡¯s power ¡­ I feel Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s warmth and the Empress¡¯s will in my breast.  She truly is divine!¡±

    Elinor could hardly believe how unusual it was, having people reach out through faith, asking for her strength to empower them.  Is this what it¡¯s like to be a goddess?  I take another step closer to my goals and Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s.

 B2 â€” 48. Cultivating Enmity

    Iris flew over the humid jungle in her Jukal form, scanning the foliage below and tracking everything living within her perceptive radius.  The sun was falling in the sky, and a storm was brewing in the distance, yet it would only be a light shower, passing through the valley within an hour.

    Scores of various Ri¡¯bot under the service of the Empire moved across the wet jungle ground, heading for Nethermore, and the brush hid millions of species that were barely keeping her mind in focus.

    Several factors were like needles against her complex nerve system, agitating her normally acutely controlled emotional state.  Having one¡¯s brood taken over wasn¡¯t unheard of; in fact, her grandmother had faced an enemy that could compel the minds of several drones before it was adapted to and the weakness removed.

    However, a daughter ¡­ It was hollowing out her core ¡­ A sense of frantic lack of mental clarity was forcing her tight discipline out of her hands; the chains that held her mind in perfect sync were beginning to loosen, and it frightened her ¡­ She was afraid.

    Fear had her second-guessing how she¡¯d developed her fourth child because this should have never happened¡ªit was impossible¡ªa base foundation within their genetic makeup that seemed to be lacking¡ªand as she was the mother, it fell upon her back.

    Mind unable to keep focused, it began to drift.  Is it because the last ingredient wasn¡¯t completed?  Was it because I left her half complete, waiting for Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s essence to weave into her final creation?  I left her lacking ¡­ defenseless¡­

    Iris reached the Wandering River, passing over it while trying to pull herself through the torrent of questions and concerns rolling through her entire being.

    Her beak tightened as she turned her sharp eyes to the southern mountains, beating her strong wings to rise into a stronger wind current to increase her speed.

    The Empress did not blame Camellia for her actions ¡­ She did not blame me for Baxter¡¯s interest.  How?  She sees things in a way I do not.  Naturally, Camellia and my new daughter are threats to the overall safety of her own brood, yet she shows ¡­ compassion?

    The word was foreign to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel comfort at the Empress¡¯s seemingly illogical decision.

    I¡¯m changing ¡­ Of course, I need to adapt, as always, but ¡­ this feels different ¡­ unobtainable.  Circumstances I could not predict are showing my imperfections ¡­ Why does it hurt so much when there¡¯s no wound?

    Her wings twitched as the answer returned like a hole in her head and hearts.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s magnificent countenance and strength¡ªher perfection coursed through her undead veins even now; she¡¯d felt it when the creature ascended, and it was eating her alive.

    Vision unfocused as the vulnerable sensations of the previous week and the Seraph¡¯s entrance stirred within her breast; Iris wanted to scream, but it wouldn¡¯t help.

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s</a> dark chuckle</a> echoed through her mind; the haunting sound made her drift back to a time she couldn¡¯t move¡ªwas frozen¡ªleft isolated, to count the imperfections in herself and the room she¡¯d been trapped in.

    She¡¯d been powerless, tallying every second she was forced to remain in her human form, which had a severe effect on her overall strength, which caused a chain reaction inside her psyche, and the devil knew exactly what he was doing while fashioning her hell.

    For an entire week, she¡¯d been shown just how etiolated she was¡ªand that gap only grew the longer she counted the days.

    Now, she couldn¡¯t retake her original form and seeing Camellia¡¯s broken Th¨¦lm¨¦thra body only furthered her tormenting fears.  What was worse was Sar''ollaz¡¯s keen interest in Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and she didn¡¯t know why it cut so deeply.

    Iris couldn¡¯t deny it; the Seraph was beyond her.  I¡¯m weak ¡­ Does that make me worthless?  Certainly, he had lost all interest in me when she appeared.

    She blinked in surprise as the creature¡¯s tear ducts released liquid; it had some defensive uses, yet why they were activating now was beyond her.  She just knew it hurt seeing her imperfections in the light the Seraph blazed.

    Why would Sar''ollaz consider even looking at me when I stand next to something so far above me ¡­ He¡¯s above me.  Should I even be in the same room as them?  My life is defined by strength ¡­ Without it ¡­ what meaning is in my life?  It¡¯s all I was born for, yet the Empress has said nothing ¡­ Why has she not rebuked my weakness?

    Nothing within her would satisfy her bleeding hearts¡ªthe nail in the coffin was that she had to be rescued by Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    Grappling with the internal pressures in her chest, Iris followed the Nexus indicator that showed her where Klaus was at all times; High Ruler Nukulara was personally with him, and their guard had taken custody of the criminal in the Dremuci City-State of Usetric.

    She knew the area from her daughter¡¯s very detailed report on the terrain and events of her journey, yet she found her mind slipping from time to time, causing her to freeze in the air and fail to adjust her course, which slowed her progress a bit.

    The Nalvean ship had only gotten two-thirds the way back to Shi¡¯Shuka after Iris had flown Camella back to Nethermore, made sure Demon was secured, spoke with the Empress, and started returning.

    Confirming nothing of significance had changed with Klaus as she neared, Iris spotted the High Ruler¡¯s extravagant vessel and dove to land upon the deck.  With her stealth abilities, she was invisible to everyone present, even in her Jukal form.

    Still, there were stronger Nalveans on the second level of the ship that might have been able to sense her had she not returned to her human state; she¡¯d lost at least two-thirds of her previous strength, putting her on a more even field with Violet if not for Iris¡¯s experience.

    Thoughts returning to her second-to-youngest daughter as the passives she¡¯d recommended activated, Iris¡¯s hands tightened behind her back.  When arriving with Camellia, Violet tried to distract herself from her own personal struggles by speaking with her mother about a few skills she¡¯d gained; Iris should have been thrilled at her dedication, yet she was trying to cope, as well.

    She returned to the single saved outfit the passive allowed when transforming, and the dress Violet personally crafted for her took shape.

    The design was a black and purple base with a high neck, and using the starry sky as a design</a> feature across the front, Iris¡¯s black-heeled feet brushed past the slit in her gown''s side while proceeding below deck to meet Klaus.

    Speaking helped to alleviate her wounded hearts.  What has the Nalvean told you since I left?  Iris asked, stepping through shadows to the man¡¯s side while eyeing the overwhelmed Nalvean.  He slept in a hammock in a private room with two of the High Ruler¡¯s personal guards standing outside.

    The man mirrored her action, standing beside her.  ¡°He passed out the moment he got on the ship.  He¡¯s lost everything he knows ¡­ the boy has a complicated history with his great-great-great-grandfather.  It seems his father was a disappointment and was killed as a result.¡±

    Not caring for the creature as a person, Iris bypassed the information.  Can he do what the Empress requires?

    Klaus¡¯s lips pulled in, turning to look at the closed door.  ¡°He said he will try; he does have the tool required for that particular device.  The issue is the High Ruler.  If he succeeds, I believe everything between our two nations will go swimmingly.  If not¡­¡±

    Following his gaze to locate the Nalvean Ruler through the swaying ship¡¯s thick wooden walls, Iris studied the stressed figures.  With her heightened senses, she could hear him shouting at one of his men.

    ¡°... don¡¯t care what he¡¯s been a part of, Hakara!  If he saves Tal¡¯tamine, then I don¡¯t care what your investigation turns up in that backwater city¡­¡±

    ¡°Sire, please, look at some of the early reports we see from the Navy¡ªhalf the city turned on each other, eating one another, once the Jadefire started.  This will turn the Empire on its head; the City-States will demand to know if it¡¯s a disease¡ªthe people will.  We need someone to pin this on to settle the panic, and he¡¯s the only one left alive.¡±

    Nukulara hissed, smashing a bottle against the wall, clearly using some kind of toxin to keep a semblance of peace within himself.  ¡°You haven¡¯t seen her, Hakara¡ªwhat Jumi¡¯kerune did to my daughter!

    ¡°He ¡­ the things Elinor discovered right under my nose, Hakara¡ªyour nose!  The things some of her siblings did ¡­ I know it¡¯s bad in Shanguiska¡ªshit, I know, Hakara, but ¡­ Do you know how¡­¡±

    He screamed, grabbing another bottle that smashed in his grip.  ¡°I want to break everything I¡¯ve ever made¡ªeverything ¡­ and it hurts.  I wasn¡¯t there to protect her¡ªElinor was¡ªand I couldn¡¯t see a thing; blinded by a formless, powerless monster in the soil!¡±

    He spat, releasing an angry laugh while throwing another bottle that shattered against the wall, trying to do anything to help himself get through his struggling mind and heart¡ªoddly, Iris found herself relating.

    ¡°Is this what I get for everything I sacrificed against the Quen¡¯Talrat Empire?  The corruption in the City-States, vying for power!  A Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Senator was murdered in my palace!  Jadefire popping up everywhere when it should be under strict military supervision!  Pirates!  Pirates in our waters, Hakara!¡±

    ¡°Yes ¡­ I know, Sire¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you?  Do you have any idea the threat Empress Elinor herself could pose yet is seeking to offer a hand¡ªone where we have the better half of the deal?  You also realize she wants that¡ªbroken¡ªboy for whatever else she¡¯s planning?  Kazan¡¯aru has made an enemy of me, and if Elinor needs that boy to get to him, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to hurt that creature.¡±

    Arms trembling, he breathed a slow breath, moving to an armchair to sit on it and clasp his fingers in front of him while resting his elbows on his knees.  ¡°Yes, I understand we need someone, but she wants him¡ªto be honest, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do if Tal¡¯tamine dies, Hakara.¡±

    ¡°She won¡¯t,¡± the Head Captain, standing in front of the High Ruler while trying to control his own tongue.

    Nukulara made a sound with his tongue, flicking it through his teeth.  ¡°You don¡¯t know that ¡­ She¡¯s everything I¡¯ve wanted for this Empire ¡­ If she doesn¡¯t survive, then neither will the Nalveans.  Only Umika¡¯mia is somewhat capable of ruling this nation when I am gone, and she¡¯s too strict to the law to understand the nuances of ruling,¡± he growled.

    Rubbing his twitching nose, he sat back to look at his Imperial Head Captain.  ¡°You¡¯ve heard me out, Hakara ¡­ What are your thoughts?¡±

    Iris shifted her gaze to Klaus as he patiently waited, knowing she¡¯d address him when wishing to continue the conversation; her flaming red irises fell to her left hand as her fingers slowly curled into a fist.

    A leader that answers to their brood ¡­ Such strange creatures, yet I feel his anguish and self-disgust ¡­ I want to break everything¡ªto stop this hole in my head and chest ¡­ yet we must move on.

    The soldier looked away with a low sigh.  ¡°I cannot fathom how you are feeling, my lord.  The Empire is sitting on a bottle of Jadefire, and the slightest pressure could set it ablaze.¡±

    A long stream of air hissed past the man¡¯s teeth, and he walked to a nearby table to grab a record book before returning to present it to the High Ruler.  ¡°The citizens have lived in peace for nearly a century, and many of the new generations have grown soft with the lifestyle you have given them¡ªthe prosperity.¡±

    ¡°The mark of a good and bad ruler,¡± Nukulara mumbled, taking the volume and opening it.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ The Judicious Isles are showing signs of a rebellion ¡­ That weapon that was used to destroy Baltoma¡¯s vessel and the Warship?  It points to a sponsor that wants our forces weakened, but who has that kind of resources and motivation?  Did Jumi¡¯kerune escape to the isle for protection?¡±

    Hakara went to the cabinet and removed another bottle, bringing it with a cup to the High Ruler¡¯s bolted-down table next to him.  ¡°It¡¯s unclear, considering they¡¯re utilizing underwater vessel technology we¡¯re not familiar with.  I¡¯m hesitant to send a fleet as a show of strength.¡±

    Nukulara slowly nodded, tapping a clawed finger against a wooden portion at the side of the armchair which seemed designed for the purpose.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ it could be a trap to wipe out a large portion of our fleet while showing our overconfidence ¡­ We know they have spies inside the Navy and significant positions within the military¡ªthis wasn¡¯t planned overnight.¡±

    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t, Sire, and I believe we¡¯re dealing with at least two turned Statesmen or Stateswomen that are funding and providing sanctuary to this effort.¡±

    The High Ruler slowly turned the pages, continuing the conversation that Iris was unnaturally interested in; her pain was numbing as dots spun in her mind at their discussion.  ¡°Naturally, Baltoma would have been the prime suspect, given the access he has to the Isles, yet given the attack against him and the kidnapping ¡­ It could be a ploy, but does give reasonable doubt to look elsewhere.¡±

    Hakara retrieved a map, falling into a nearby chair to lay it out on the table for them to look at.  ¡°The southeastern City-States would need to be in an alliance or be blackmailed into allowing pirate vessels access through their rivers into the lakes, yet even then it would be too open¡ªI can¡¯t see them risking involvement when three City-States run the risk of reporting to us.¡±

    ¡°Leaving the southwestern City-States,¡± Nukulara hummed, rubbing his neck.  ¡°Baltoma could be a small part of it¡ªmaybe some of his retainers, given he has the duty to watch the Twin Neck Waterway, yet given that Elinor hadn¡¯t mentioned him in our meeting ¡­ Look into Stateswoman Kulumi and Statesman Ara¡¯gora.¡±

    ¡°Ara¡¯gora,¡± Hakara hissed.  ¡°If he¡¯s turned against you ¡­ He¡¯s been fighting the other faction for years in your defense.¡±

    Nukulara¡¯s jaw locked, nose twitching with hot jets of air passing through them.  ¡°He has ¡­ which is the perfect cover for such deception ¡­ One of my closest allies, and ¡­ and when Tal¡¯tamine stayed in his City-State when she was seven ¡­ Jumi¡¯kerune could have made his move against her.¡±

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Iris¡¯s mind was fixated on one point of the conversation that could provide her the means to bring reasonable action to the Empress.  Jumi¡¯kerune could be in the Judicus Isles ¡­ with my daughter or one of these Nalvean areas.

    Gripping her hands behind her back, Iris opened the connection with Klaus again.  From what I gather, Nukulara is committed to keeping a stable relationship with the Empress.  He will hand over the Nalvean, yet issues arise within his Empire that she will need to be made aware of.

    Klaus smiled.  ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that, High Lady Iris.  Is there anything the Empress wished for me to do?¡±

    Iris¡¯s ruby eyes flicked to the Rune Scriber.  The Empress commands you to do whatever is necessary to free Tal¡¯tamine of her mental and spiritual restraints before I return with him in haste.

    ¡°I understand.  There is no safer place than where the Empress resides.  It will take several hours¡ªat best.¡±

    The length of her wait put a new thought in her mind.  You are sure it will take that long?

    Klaus grimaced.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid so; given my abilities, I can confidently say Jumi¡¯calro has the skill to accomplish it, or at the very least, he believes he can¡ªeven if scared of the consequences of failing.  That being said, I am worried he is being controlled, though.¡±

    Knowing the specifics of the devices through Violet¡¯s report to her, Iris smiled.  I sense no device on him, and my faculties are more acute than my daughter¡¯s.  If he is, it is not by the same means.

    A sigh of relief passed through their shared connection as he nodded.  ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that.  I¡¯ve been pondering that question since obtaining the Nalvean.  Jadefire inside of him?¡±

    No.  Not a point on his body has sustained injury¡ªwhich is shocking for most Nalvean; I will say.

    Vision narrowing, Iris tightened her grip around her fingers; earlier statements from the Empress and Tiffany caused her to do something she never would have before.

    That said, if it takes that much time for you to return and treat the girl, I will use my given time how I please.  Send a request for aid if needed; I will feel it.  In addition ¡­ When the opportunity arises, I want you to investigate Stateswoman Kulumi, Statesman Ara¡¯gora, and the rebellion forming in the Judicus Isles.  There is a chance Jumi¡¯kerune and my daughter are within their lands.

    Klaus¡¯s blue eyes widened.  ¡°Daughter?  I ¡­ haven¡¯t heard that one of your daughters was abducted.  Is it Azalea?

    No, a living daughter that survived my family¡¯s fall, Iris stated, steeling her trembling hearts as her inadequacy flared again.  She is dangerous, Klaus, and will kill you if you are to face her.  Be careful to not upset the Empress by your death.

    ¡°I ¡­ understand,¡± he replied, working through her orders.  ¡°I will spread the order through the Shadow Hand when we touch land.¡±

    Iris passed through the floorboards as shadow before transforming into her Jukal form and taking to the skies.  I will return in a few hours to check on the progress that is being made.

    Cutting her connection to him, Iris allowed a quiver to pass through her frame, causing her to shift off course a little before correcting herself; she had to know for herself.  Following the atmospheric coordinates she¡¯d received from Camellia, Iris made her way to Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s former Estate.

    Arriving at the site, she scanned the city and ruined peninsula from the sky, identifying the ravaged area.  The city had been set ablaze by normal fire, with Nalvean soldiers gathering scores of half-devoured and eviscerated corpses into pits to be burned.

    Most of the area was now unlivable, and temporary shelters had been constructed for those that remained, huddling together with hollow looks in their devastated gazes while staring at the horrors they¡¯d lived through.

    Wreckage from ships was still coming in from the bay, washing ashore with the bodies of those that had died at sea.

    Aid was being administered to by Nalveans wrapped in white silk that had yet to make it to port, yet she¡¯d observed the vessel on her way to the area.

    Returning to her human form, she landed inside the rushing waves of the lake as it rushed over what was left of the castle foundations that the Jadefire had utterly disintegrated.

    Liquid surrounded Iris, sinking into the surf while trying to transform into her original body to be blocked by an invisible wall.  Teeth grinding against one another, she scanned the waters, looking for anything that would give her answers.

    The sea life didn¡¯t so much as notice her descent to the superheated rock that was left, and something sparked her interest to the left.  Using her thread to propel herself forward, Iris fashioned a web within a second to repel water and expanded it to slip through into the airless space.

    Water fell from the silky outfit Violet designed, unaffected by the liquid, leaving only her skin slick as her heels tapped against the stone ground.

    Lips tightening, her fingers closed into a fist before smashing through the two-foot thick stone to the cave system beneath.  She could have simply phased through the barrier, yet hitting something helped her pounding hearts, taking a note from Nukulara¡¯s example.

    Jumping inside, she extended her microscopic hair to study every centimeter of the system she¡¯d entered, looking for one thing, which she found.

    Three paths were before her, yet she moved to a nearby wall and blew it in, only restraining a scream for the fact Demon could hear her; she¡¯d never had animosity¡ªanger, indignation, yes, but animosity, never, yet at this moment, trapped in a personal hell, she found the emotion in her breast.

    Two branching tunnels and four chambers, but instead of taking them, she broke into another system; pain Iris couldn¡¯t describe flared through her veins while reflecting on memories she had of teaching Camellia, Azalea, and Violet how to control their thread¡ªshe was following her youngest daughter¡¯s evolutionary path as she tested out her own abilities without her mother¡¯s guidance.

    Tiny, unrefined, baby Th¨¦lm¨¦thra thread that had been spun without her presence¡ªwithout her being there to share in the greatest joy a Queen could revel in, the future of her seed¡ªher daughters, and Demon had both given her a chance at that and stolen it at the same time.

    Tears gathered in her eyes at the chemicals that lingered in the system, chemicals that indicated joy for one¡¯s mother¡ªthat wasn¡¯t for her.  ¡°Why ¡­ It¡¯s only chemicals</a>¡­¡±  she whispered.

    How can I rid myself of these feelings?!  Nalvean ¡­ You are not her mother ¡­ You pervert everything we are ¡­ You stole my daughter¡¯s youth ¡­ Her love ¡­ You stole one of my hearts.

    Unable to control herself any longer, Iris screamed, lashing out at the walls and causing everything to collapse, yet she dug through it in a pained fury; never had she faced a hell of her own creation.

    No matter how much damage she caused to the cave system, she couldn¡¯t escape her senses from analyzing her youngest daughter¡¯s progression in these deep caverns that she¡¯d personally carved¡ªa symbol of love in creating a new place for her mother, the Nalvean, to reside in.

    Every new discovery of an action taken for this Nalvean instead of her was a fresh gash that penetrated her core and left her vulnerable.

    Her daughter was entering the development stage of fashioning these tunnels that the Nalvean didn¡¯t even understand¡ªit was eating Iris from the inside out, experiencing her youngest daughter¡¯s uncertainty at why the Nalvean didn¡¯t find her nest acceptable.

    Clearing her wet cheeks, Iris stood in the ruin of what had been the framework of a nest a mother should have taken the care in working with her daughter.  She¡¯d confirmed who had taken her place in her daughter¡¯s life ¡­ It wasn¡¯t Jumi¡¯kerune, but this Nalvean female, just as Camellia had described.

    Using her strength rather than finesse to rise to the surface, Iris tossed earth and stone aside until liquid surrounded her.  Reaching the lake¡¯s surface at an accelerated speed, she shot out to transform and take to the sky.

    I will see my daughter ¡­ Perhaps I am weak, but I will adapt ¡­ I will grow ¡­ and I will make this Nalvean woman suffer as I am.  Tiffany seems to have experience in the area.

    Returning to the palace, Iris shifted through the tower to join Klaus and Emelina in the Royal Suite, staying in the shadows as his guards watched the exits closely.  They were by far among the stronger creatures of the race, yet it didn¡¯t mean all that much to her.

    Demon had more than likely seen her unbecoming behavior, yet somehow, for the first time in her long life, she didn¡¯t care.  A new sensation and mental state were growing within her from this experience, and she was adapting.

    Jumi¡¯calro had Tal¡¯tamine on her side with cushioned straps keeping her still, and several of his royal guards hovered around the room.  Emelina was acting as his assistant, calm, utterly still hands holding one of his two strange rune-engraved picks in place against the girl¡¯s spine.

    How is it proceeding?  Iris asked, connecting to Klaus.

    The man was a little stunned that she was present, but it didn¡¯t show on his smooth, emotionless face as he observed.

    ¡°Ah, Iris ¡­ He¡¯s entering the harder part of clipping the runic engravings that bind to her spirit, which is the most important part.  Even if she does die, we can bring her back if this section is deactivated.  He took some ¡­ convincing, at first, given his reluctance.  Is ¡­ everything alright?¡±

    No.  My daughter is currently trapped by a false mother, and our enemy evades our eyes.  Your contacts?

    ¡°I see ¡­ I¡¯ve put them on the case of looking into those people and areas you¡¯ve mentioned, but it will take¡­¡±

    He trailed off, Jumi¡¯calro hissing a long breath before toppling backward, hands in the air.  ¡°D-Done!  I¡¯m done!  I just ¡­ I need a break,¡± he mumbled, sweating profusely.

    Every Nalvean in the room stiffened at his actions, yet Emelina¡¯s voice was calm and composed as she responded, keeping the device in the same place she¡¯d been directed.  ¡°When you say you are finished, what do you mean by that?  Am I to remove this point from her neck, and can I wake her?¡±

    ¡°Speak up!¡±  Nukulara snapped, already on his feet with his arms tightened around his chest.  ¡°Is my daughter free of this curse?¡±

    Imiruba, the High Ruler¡¯s most trusted advisor, rushed to the opposite side of the bed to get a better look at her face but slowed as Jumi¡¯calro made a few hand gestures and weak pleas.

    ¡°N-No, but ¡­ This is just¡ªit¡¯s too much!  It has a failsafe that I could nick¡ªlook at my hands!¡±  he cried, lifting them, yet his entire frame was quaking.

    Vision narrowing, one of Iris¡¯s long hairs snaked through the room as she crafted a personalized poison for the chemicals rushing within the Nalvean¡¯s veins and shot it straight into his bloodstream, causing the boy to seize for a moment.

    ¡°W-What just happened!  No!  You¡¯ll free my daughter of this curse, boy!¡±  Nukulara shouted, scales turning a light red from his fury.

    Iris contacted the Maid and Ambassador in unison.  I¡¯ve administered a toxin that will temporarily neutralize the fear in his system.  Give it a minute to stabilize, and he will be prepared to continue for another thirty minutes with perfect concentration.

    Klaus cleared his throat, drawing everyone¡¯s gaze.  ¡°High Ruler, if I could have one minute with him, I assure you, he will return with vigor.¡±

    Gesturing to him, Nukulara nodded.  ¡°Then let it be done¡ªcarry him to the other room,¡± he ordered, terrified gaze returning to the Maid.  ¡°And what about¡­¡±

    Emelina¡¯s serene voice reassured the father.  ¡°I will not move my hand, High Ruler.  Put your mind at ease; I can hold this position for weeks.¡±

    Puffing out a shaky breath, Nukulara rubbed the back of his sweating neck, closing his eyes.  ¡°I ¡­ cannot thank you enough for the service you have provided to my daughter, Emelina.¡±

    The woman smiled.  ¡°It goes without saying, High Ruler; I am under my Empress¡¯s orders.  It is of great concern to Her Imperial Majesty that Tal¡¯tamine recovers.¡±

    Nukulara paced a little, causing Imiruba to return to his friend¡¯s side.  ¡°Sire, please, I know things will work out¡ªwe have to put our trust in this hope.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ I can¡¯t lose her, Imiruba ¡­ I can¡¯t,¡± Nukulara quaked, tears falling down the side of his scaled face.

    ¡°We won¡¯t!¡±  he replied in earnest, grasping his hand.  ¡°Have faith, Sire ¡­ Should we bring in her mother?¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ No, that won¡¯t be necessary,¡± Nukulara growled.  ¡°You know she has no contact with the Empire.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just saying we can send a search party¡­¡±

    Walking away, he waved his hand.  ¡°Nonsense, Imiruba ¡­ She¡¯s off on her own journey; she¡¯s never even so much as wanted a hand in her name.¡±

    The response was another reminder to Iris, which only served to show how vulnerable her hearts had become.  A mother that wants nothing to do with their child?  A worthless existence ¡­ A detriment to the species.

    In shock, the High Ruler and his friend looked to the door as it flung open to reveal a chuckling Rune Scriber; Jumi¡¯calro had a proud smirk that would make most blush with embarrassment.  ¡°I hear you¡¯ve been awaiting my arrival.  Worry not; I¡¯m a genius, after all, and these patterns are ¡­ basic, to say the least.  I was always better than my forefathers.¡±

    Klaus shoved him into the room while rolling his eyes.  ¡°Get to showing us then, boy.¡±

    ¡°The nerve!¡±  Jumi¡¯calro huffed, adjusting his silks with a light glare at the Ambassador.

    A sly smirk grew on the man¡¯s face.  ¡°Oh?  Are you saying you¡¯re not up to the task ¡­ You¡¯re afraid of losing face to your master.¡±

    ¡°Master?¡±  he scoffed, moving to Emelina¡¯s side with a chortle.  ¡°Move away, creature¡ªwatch a ¡®master¡¯ at work!¡±

    Situating himself beside the Maid, she carefully gave the instrument over, and the boy¡¯s hands started operating in a manner utterly different than he¡¯d shown previously; within three minutes of insulting his ancestor¡¯s craft and archaic techniques, a strange black device materialized from nothing, dropping away from the girl¡¯s neck.

    ¡°Done!  Easy!  I could have done it in my¡­¡±

    Iris injected him with a sleeping toxin, forcing his brain to recede before holding him in the air and throwing open the doors.  Nukulara¡¯s Elite Squad couldn¡¯t move a step before she was outside with Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s body between her talons, taking to the sky.

    Explain that I will be transporting him to the Empire now that the task has been completed, Iris ordered; she wished to speak to the Empress as soon as possible.

    ¡°I ¡­ Of course,¡± Klaus muttered.  ¡°Safe trip, High Lady Iris.  They believe he was kidnapped by Jumi¡¯kerune¡±

    She knew her actions would cause a bit of a stir within the room and his guards, but it would have taken too long for them to release the boy into her custody.  Flying through the night, Iris fixated on the path she wished to take; now, she needed to convince the Empress of her desires.

    Making it into speaking distance, Iris opened a communication with the Royal Court, including Elinor.  Jumi¡¯calro successfully removed the device from Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s neck.  I have him in my talons.

    ¡°Excellent!¡±  Tiffany chimed.  ¡°I look forward to meeting him!¡±

    Tone leaking animosity, she whispered.  There is more¡­

    By the time she¡¯d made it to the palace, Iris had explained her desires and what she¡¯d overheard from the High Ruler about the state of his Empire.  Two Maids had been sent to recover their prisoner and take him inside to meet with the Empress.

    Elinor hummed, sitting on her throne high in her tower.  ¡°You wish to root out the corruption in the Nalvean Empire while searching for information about your daughter?  It will take you as far as the Judicus Isles ¡­ You¡¯re also having trouble returning to your original body?¡±

    When her voice faded, Iris¡¯s gut tightened, feathers bristling with the uncertainty eating at her chest.  I am, but I feel my strength slowly returning ¡­ It will just take three months at its current rate.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l spoke in the ensuing silence.  ¡°I believe Iris should pursue this quest of hers.  It might be dangerous, and she has been weakened, but I sense a determination within her that will conquer any obstacle within her path by sheer will.  I admire that about you, Iris, and I know the three of you trust Iris explicitly.¡±

    Edmon chuckled.  ¡°Indeed.  I have complete faith in you, Iris, but I¡¯m surprised at your request.  Not troubled, but surprised.¡±

    ¡°Pleasantly surprised,¡± Tiffany cut in, emphasizing the first word, ¡°is what he¡¯s trying to say, Dear!  I¡¯m thrilled with this adaptation you¡¯re going through; oh, of course, not the reason!  I cannot wait to hear what you¡¯ve found, and I would be ¡®delighted¡¯ to join you in this ¡­ questioning session you¡¯re looking forward to!  It will be ¡­ thorough, and I will do some brainstorming on how we can best get the results you are searching for!¡±

    Elinor took a deep breath.  ¡°Iris ¡­ I told you I would do everything in my power to reunite you with your daughter, and I mean it.  As Sari¡¯a¨¦l said, I trust you.¡±

    Even ¡­ after I failed the last time, you would put your trust in me?  Iris whispered.

    ¡°Especially after that,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°You were held by a creature that could put up a fight against a ¡®three-times¡¯ released Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and you stood like a pillar under constant stress.  I¡¯ve said it, and I mean it now ¡­ Iris, you are my jewel.  Go, and do whatever it takes, bring together your family.¡±

    Warmth filled Iris¡¯s bruised and bleeding hearts as she took to the sky</a>.  Thank you, Empress ¡­ Thank you all...

 B3 â€” 1. Expansion

    Elinor stood at the north end of her room, observing the thick cloud of snow roll across the mountains; all of the devices and wonders that had been revealed due to Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s radial aura were now hidden behind the thickening veil of white.

    Four days had passed since her first general conference, and the frost progressively worsened every day.  To Elinor, it seemed as if the devices producing the blizzard were expelling far more than they did before, which had her concerned it would soon reach further into the valley.

    Her lips creased while turning her attention to the right canyon of the massive mountain, where Valdar and Quin trekked to get to the enormous valley plains beyond the towering sierra; the immense river in that area was noticeably lower than only a few days ago.

    Considering it fed the lake that fell into the Maw, Elinor was concerned, yet her expected results were reversed.  Throughout the week, Violet monitored the chasm¡¯s rising mist, but the lowering water level in the lake appeared to have had an effect on its progress.  She didn¡¯t like the switch; one threatening area had been replaced by another.

    The fog inside the Maw was receding, which might allow them to study what was inside, and Elinor had thought of a way to explore the place with minimal loss.  However, her priorities had been taken by expanding her city.

    Her city gleamed with lights in the early morning mist that hung over it; if not for the luminosity of the crystals dotting the metropolis, it would be invisible to Elinor, despite her night vision.

    Every night, after paying the price of her Empire and rebuilding her Death Pool, Elinor would make a trip to the mines.  Amra¡¯Cora and her work continued to make gains, discovering tens of thousands of Quen¡¯Talrat that had been sentenced to the workforce for crimes or simply not being productive enough to contribute to the rapidly advancing Quen¡¯Talrat Empire The Ke had founded.

    It was viciously effective, from what she¡¯d seen.  The elderly Quen¡¯Talrat that were only good for their somewhat failing brute strength could still contribute via material-gathering, while those that caused issues were separated into a group that couldn¡¯t make trouble.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma operated on a meritocracy, and the unproductive or less talented of his people were forced to the lower rungs of society.  There was no room for laziness in the Quen¡¯Talrat Empire, which had to be viciously efficient to bring the underdeveloped race into the most prominent advanced civilization on the continent.

    Expansion and the development of new technologies were so far beyond anything she¡¯d seen in the Nalvean Empire, and even if some might disagree with his methods, he achieved something not a single generation before him could, yet his hyper-ambitious personality of conquest by force had been his downfall.

    The Quen¡¯Talrat she discovered in the mines were very specialized and nowhere near the level needed to operate everything within the city; although, currently, she didn¡¯t need all of its advanced systems operational.  She had power and basic functionality now, and that was enough for the moment.

    Luisina</a> Aristizabal was currently acting as her Maid with Theresa</a>, the motherly woman taking the role of Head Maid, while Emelina finished her tasks to the south.

    The two followed Elinor across the silent hall, their heels causing a clicking sound against the polished granite floor.  A few of the Maids spent an entire day making the place spotless, working without stop.

    Elinor¡¯s green-tinted full lips tightened upon seeing the flat rise that separated the west side of her valley.  A Clanless group that had banded together into a nameless tribe had once surrounded the large lake to its left, yet their lake had since dropped several feet from the loss of its water supply, forcing them to increase their move to the Nethermore.

    The snow is increasing and not melting ¡­ Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s shown himself to be a lover of designing complicated environments.  This entire valley seems to thrive because of his inventions on the mountains.  The area probably wasn¡¯t nearly as green before he constructed this watering system ¡­ It likely gathers moisture from high in the sky and forces it down, which would make the further east experience severe droughts.  Interesting¡­

    Proceeding further to the south, Elinor studied the shimmering beauty of the Great Ruby Lakes, yet part of it was covered by Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s cloud cloaking system.  Sar''ollaz hadn¡¯t contacted her since his last visit, and she¡¯d put his teleportation rod in one of the few vaults that were available to them via Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s access to the Gray Blood¡¯s private stores.

    Iris returned with Jumi¡¯calro after he¡¯d succeeded in saving Tal¡¯tamine before flying far south; the Queen wasn¡¯t able to report what would happen next within the Nalvean Empire since she swiftly went on her quest.

    Instead, Elinor expected a report today from Emelina since the Maid was returning.  If she hadn¡¯t spent at least a day or two of personal time with the handsome Ambassador, she¡¯d send her right back.

    Elinor expected the Maid to give her a timeframe on Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s arrival since Nukulara had mentioned it.  She¡¯d grown rather fond of the salamander race¡¯s High Ruler; he was a reasonable man that had an open mind.

    Jumbi and his crew had become her personal river guide, and they¡¯d found more than enough means to pay the merchant at top-market.  Edmon discovered a king¡¯s ransom worth of Nalvean currency within just one of the Quen¡¯Talrat material vaults.  Given their expansive mining operation, it stood to reason that they¡¯d have a healthy nest egg for trade with the other nations.

    Stateswoman Lukuroha appeared to be on her way back to her City-State¡ªMirelitel¡ªwith Aluix and Castella based on their current positions to Klaus and Emelina.  Elinor¡¯s mind centered on the issue.

    Iris is far outside of my current scope of direction ¡­ She¡¯ll be gone for some time, but the information she could gain on Demon¡¯s pawns and provide clues to his next step is essential.  Retrieving her daughter before she has a chance to become a real threat is necessary, as well.

    Lukuroha is a valuable ally, and her City-State is in a prime military position to the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph if they decide to march against the Nalveans for the loss of their Senator ¡­ Wars have been started for less.

    If Demon is focused on killing Aluix, and since a clean assassination attempt didn¡¯t work, he may need to take on a more forceful method.  It would be good to keep units stationed nearby to convey information if required.

    A small smile lifted her cheeks.  The Argent Dawn could be a perfect face for our forces in the Nalvean Empire.  Klaus is needed to set up our embassy and retrieve whatever the Prince wants to snag, but building trust with a City-State¡¯s military will be necessary.

    Her focus moved to the west side of the Nalvean territories.  Statesman Joru¡¯kora could be a valuable ally, as well, since he represents the strongest ground forces of the Nalveans, and he desires a son to be raised from the dead.  The issue is the Ri¡¯bot¡­

    A rumble passed through her throat upon examining the flat cliffs separating her from various Ri¡¯bot Clan territories surrounding her Empire¡¯s east, south, and west.  A neutral Ri¡¯bot kingdom to their west wasn¡¯t of much concern at the moment, and the southern tribes needed to be slowly converted, but it was the eastern Ri¡¯bot Clans that had Elinor¡¯s attention.

    The Komath and Roxim Clans abandoned their land to seek aid in that direction, gathering a war council to move against her.  After studying a map of the area and getting information from various Clan Chiefs, Edmon determined at least twenty-five distinct Ri¡¯bot factions made up the land in that direction.

    Ri¡¯bot are hardly a real threat at this point; there might be unique individuals that require a specific effort to bring down, but Edmon himself could bring them to kneel before me.  The issue isn¡¯t the ability to force them to heel, but the optics.

    I can¡¯t make Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s mistake.  There¡¯s an excuse I can bring up in the conquest of this valley, yet rapid expansion likely has a bitter taste in the other nations¡¯ tongues.

    Given everything I¡¯ve heard about the Ques¡¯k¨¢, I certainly don¡¯t want to get on their bad side since they seem to be the strongest race of the nations that went up against Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.  The Yalm¨¢th are supposed to be somewhat powerful, and pushing the territories near their borders isn¡¯t an excellent welcoming message.  We have to wait until the Ri¡¯bot attacks us.

    Seeding dissension in their ranks via missionaries and using persecution if they act against them as an excuse for specific examples could be a possibility, as well ¡­ Although, that might bring negative points to my Religious System if I utilize my believers in that manner; they¡¯ll need to move cautiously, and it¡¯s not like I want them to die ¡­ I¡¯d lose Death Energy, in any case.  Slow proselytizing efforts could be beneficial.

    Elinor turned her head to look at Luisina Aristizabal, shifting her focus away from the annoyance to the east; the girl was somewhat unique to her other Maids.

    Luisina had returned to life with long periwinkle locks that had initially been night-black; her kind eyes matched the shade of her hair, and Violet had crafted her an adorable outfit that complimented her soft complexion.

    She was the only Undead Elinor had of the Clergy Class, and her features came from her Reiki Butterfly Sub-Class.

    There were two issues with her ability that severely reduced her usability; she took on poison of a minor equivalence to the damage she was curing¡ªthe Death Energy inside her veins actually turned to blood, and her body¡¯s constitution was terribly weak.

    Even as an Undead, the woman would tire and require a full day to recover if performing similar work to the other Maids and healing only moderate wounds.

    Creating vivid periwinkle butterflies, the girl would send her restorative energy to those in need, which would then return the poison of her patient into her veins.  It wasn¡¯t able to be interacted with, similar to her own butterflies.

    It was an incredible ability that allowed her to cure almost anything at the price of her own health; the woman¡¯s personality had been very self-sacrificing to the point of being unhealthy.  Besides the drawback of harming herself, Luisina was exceptionally useful.

    Tiffany was in the process of developing a magical flower through her rituals that could be used to counteract the poison, but it would take time to mass-produce.

    Elinor forbade her from using it more than a tiny bit per day to slowly help those in need to keep her in a healthy condition, which she was mournful about.

    ¡°You were on one of the buses that were bringing us to the Venezuelan border?¡±

    She nodded, voice as soft as her face.  ¡°I was, Empress.  I hoped to bring simple medical supplies to those in need; I was a part of a non-profit in the U.S.  Might I ask a question?¡±

    Knowing where she was going, Elinor allowed her to ask it anyway, moving back to the elevator to reach the control room.  ¡°What is on your mind?¡±

    ¡°There is a boy that has broken his leg, and while it has been treated, I am concerned about infection and other possible threats that could put his life in danger.¡±

    Elinor sighed, eyeing one of the strangely crafted artifacts on a pedestal that Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had brought back with him from his conquest.  ¡°You want to cure his leg is what I¡¯m getting from that statement.¡±

    Theresa gave the woman a neutral stare, but she could tell the motherly lady was sighing inside.  Luisina was a sucker for anyone in need, and the slightest look for help didn¡¯t just pull on her heartstrings but practically tore the organ out of her chest.

    Elinor thought putting her in with the toad people would curb her overly sacrificing mentality, but it didn¡¯t.  It was for this reason she¡¯d pulled her away from the groups of Ri¡¯bot and humans.   ¡°Where did you hear about this boy breaking his leg?¡±

    The periwinkle-eyed woman¡¯s gaze shifted to the left, hands tightening against her dress front as she bit her lower lip.  Elinor answered her own question before she could respond.

    ¡°You¡¯ve been using Aileen to report back what¡¯s happening around the city ¡­ again.¡±

    Luisina nibbled on her lower lip.  ¡°I know you¡¯re concerned about my health, Empress, but I am Undead!  So many people could use my help, and I can do so much more than the one or two cuts you allow me to do a day.¡±

    ¡°Theresa?¡±  Elinor gestured, allowing her to take over the repeated explanation that the woman had such a hard time accepting.  Her response made Luisina¡¯s shoulder sag.

    Theresa completed the required motion on the crystal outside the colossal double doorway programmed to allow humans easy access.

    ¡°Harming yourself in excess will only cause further issues that could require your capabilities should they arise.  You may be undead, Luisina, yet that is the only reason you even live at all; you had a weak constitution while alive, as well, and disregarded your physician''s recommendation against taking the trip.¡±

    Proceeding to the thin disk that would take them to the Control Room underneath the Tower, Elinor listened to her Maids; Elinor had only become aware of Luisina¡¯s compulsive habits after she¡¯d been knocked unconscious for a full three days after curing a rapid bacterial infection that dissolved Ri¡¯bot tissue from an elderly female toad, not a year left from the average death of old age.

    ¡°I would not be within the Empire had I not,¡± Luisina whispered, refusing to make eye contact with Theresa.  ¡°I may have been cursed with adrenal disease</a> when I was alive, but the Empress gave me the means to overcome such problems.¡±

    ¡°In time,¡± Theresa pointedly stated.  ¡°You were restored to the most healthy degree your body could possibly be, given your life, yet that did not entirely exempt you from your previous weaknesses, as you well know.  The Empress has ordered you to strengthen your Constitution Stat and work on improving your mitigation for your healing abilities.¡±

    Luisina unwound her hands to activate the platform as they walked onto it, taking them to the basement levels, and brushed back her bangs as they began to descend.  ¡°I know, which is why I must practice my ability to increase their proficiencies.¡±

    Elinor shook her head with a low sigh.  ¡°You must be patient with yourself, Luisina; working on your Constitution takes priority.  Tiffany has made it very clear that she can help with the poison you constantly pump through your veins, but the issue will ultimately come down to your physical condition.  I understand doing seemingly pointless tasks, such as following me around, is like a ball and chain to you, but you¡¯re too easily swayed by people to say no.¡±

    The woman¡¯s sad eyes fell to the ground.  ¡°I just ¡­ want to help, Empress.  Please, I love accompanying you ¡­ I do.¡±

    Theresa directed a compassionate smile at the fidgeting woman.  ¡°The Empress knows your heart, Luisina.  Your joy is tending to those in need, and you¡¯re excited to use these new powers you¡¯ve gained; I understand that but think about the long-term and not the short.  You know if things turn to the worst, Tiffany has the means to aid them.¡±

    A long puff of air passed through Luisina¡¯s lips as she solemnly nodded.  ¡°I ¡­ understand.¡±

    Elinor knew she was only temporarily satiated; Luisina was anything but intermittent, and tomorrow, she¡¯d find another cause to throw her life toward, Elinor was sure.

    Aileen Banks¡­

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The girl jumped as Elinor connected to her; she¡¯d been staying with Sari¡¯a¨¦l, learning more about every individual in their Empire, which had brought hundreds to believe in her name.

    ¡°Y-Yes, Empress?¡±  she mumbled, knowing by her tone that she¡¯d done something bad.  ¡°What did I do?  I¡¯m trying really hard to teach Sari¡¯a¨¦l how to play jump rope, but her wings keep getting in the way¡ªit¡¯s so hard for her!  Oh, but she laughs and likes trying to learn, though!¡±

    This early?  It¡¯s 6 A.M.

    ¡°I know, but some of the kids got up, and all the adults were so slow!  They¡¯re groaning and moaning like suuuper old people!  They¡¯re trying to do morning stretches or something¡ªI don¡¯t know.¡±

    Mhm ¡­ What did you talk to Luisina about?

    ¡°Oh, Luisina?  Umm ¡­ She likes to ask me about my day!  I just tell her lots of stuff Sari¡¯a¨¦l and I do together.  She¡¯s always so nice!¡±

    That she is, Elinor groaned, giving the nervous Maid a side-long gaze as they made it to the Control Room.  Just remember to ¡®only¡¯ tell her about positive things.  Did you talk about a boy with a broken leg?

    ¡°Oh ¡­ Oh!  Oops!  I¡¯m sorry!  Yeah, positive stuff!  She gets really worked up about hurt people, huh?¡±

    Mhm.  We want her to focus on building herself up and not spreading herself too thin.

    ¡°Okay!  I¡¯ll work on that ¡­ Oh, Sari¡¯a¨¦l finally got to her first jump!  He-he-he, she¡¯s having a hard time not flying!¡±

    Smiling at the mental image and feelings she could detect through the Nexus, Elinor chuckled.  She¡¯s enjoying the challenge, and people are having fun watching her play with the kids.  Keep up the good work, Aileen.

    ¡°Will do, Empress!¡±  she saluted.  ¡°I haven¡¯t let a single person give a gift to our angel!  Nope!  Not on my watch!¡±

    Hmm?  Elinor questioned, proceeding into the illusionary space of open-air as the control team worked on controlling one of the floating drones Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had created; they were currently maneuvering around buildings, trying to get used to the controls.  Last I heard, you were accepting the gifts instead.

    ¡°W-What?  Well, umm ¡­ umm, they¡¯re just giving me free stuff!  I¡¯m not letting it go to Sari¡¯a¨¦l, though!  No, Ma¡¯am!¡±

    Where did you learn, Ma¡¯am, from?  Elinor giggled, shaking her head.

    ¡°Oh, Esmeralda¡¯s</a> been teaching me words!¡±

    A little surprised Tiffany¡¯s personal Maid had taken a shine to the twelve-year-old, Elinor was a tad concerned; the young girl was only sixteen, but was shockingly similar to the Witch, given she had the same Class Tiffany was over her.  Elinor wondered if the Grand Ritualist had poisoned the girl¡¯s mind or if she¡¯d been this way from the start.

    I see ¡­ take what she says with a grain of salt, Aileen.

    ¡°Okay!  She does say some strange stuff sometimes ¡­ Like, she was talking about how to tell male and female Ri¡¯bot apart, and it was weird ¡­ Sometimes she uses super big words I don¡¯t know, too.¡±

    Yeah ¡­ listen to Theresa and Emelina.

    ¡°Oh, I heard Emelina¡¯s coming back today!¡±

    Elinor held her wrist behind her back, following the Control Team¡¯s nervous, jerky movements with the device as she silently watched.  That¡¯s right.  Make sure to welcome her home.

    ¡°What if ¡­ What if we threw her a party!  I¡¯ll tell Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Valerie¡ªoh, she¡¯s out with Violet ¡­ Umm, Camellia needs to be cheered up, so she should join us!  Oh, Adoncia¡¯s</a> free!  She can help me with her brother</a> and his¡ªhe-he-he¡ªhis girlfriend</a>!  She¡¯s pretty; oh, I saw them kiss!  Have you seen her?  Shh!  I¡¯m not supposed to tell their parents!  It¡¯s a secret, Empress!¡±

    Oh, they have some budding romance, huh?  I¡¯m glad you¡¯re making friends.  If you want to throw her a party, then talk to Antonietta to get some food together; she deserves a warm welcome home.

    ¡°Food!  Oh!  Can we have some of the sugar we brought back?¡±  she eagerly asked, practically salivating at just the thought.  ¡°Oh, sweet food!¡±

    We¡¯re limited on it, Aileen; maybe when we get a bigger shipment next week.

    ¡°Aww ¡­ just a little?¡±

    Thinking for a moment, she released a low hum while watching the three-dimensional visual the device gave them as the operators took the device into the labyrinth-like underground to observe various power tests they were conducting in the area.

    I suppose ¡­ Antonietta was telling me about a unique pudding she was able to create.  See how much she can make, and if there¡¯s enough for the gathering, I¡¯m fine with it.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress!  I¡¯m soooo excited!¡±  Aileen squealed.  ¡°I¡¯ve gotta go!  Sari¡¯a¨¦l and I have so much to plan!¡±

    Good luck, Elinor laughed.

    Expression falling as she watched the dim crystal lights flicker around her and the water pump out of the public bathing areas, triggered by the Control Team.

    She centered on Moris¡¯Luar, her current Control Commander; he came from the Cerulean Blood Quen¡¯Talrat Tribe, evident by his blue fur.  Something as complex as Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s Primary Control Center was far out of his specialized scope, yet he was capable of simple operations.

    So?  What have you discovered so far?  Elinor asked; they were now moving to a new location down the long corridors that composed the living quarters of many Quen¡¯Talrat a century ago.

    The fact not a single Quen¡¯Talrat body could be found in the metropolis and the little the Yaltha¡¯ma were able to collect after showed how hated the giant apes were.

    ¡°Slowly, Empress, and ¡­ There is a problem I¡¯ve identified,¡± Moris¡¯Luar whispered, releasing command over the device to change locations throughout the inner city.

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed.  Have you alerted Edmon?

    ¡°Not yet.  I wanted to make sure, but there are so many operational commands and branching paths that could spark any number of devices or traps the Ke utilized that I¡¯m proceeding with caution.¡±

    Edmon was currently going over the inventory with Pepe Fontanez, her Treasurer.  Eloy Sandoval, the Royal Chronicler, was present in the corner after Moris¡¯Luar requested his attendance to document various applications of the Central Command Center.

    She pulled the Doom Guard into the conversation as the Quen¡¯Talrat explained.  ¡°Starting from the Tower of God, we¡¯ve been testing the integrity of the network the Ke developed; Eloy has been making detailed records of the paths we¡¯ve been able to tap into, and among the most pressing is our power grid.¡±

    ¡°Our power grid?¡±  Edmon¡¯s deep voice wasn¡¯t pleased.  ¡°We¡¯ve been able to turn on systems all over the city.  Is there damage ¡­ Or did our actions cause damage?¡±

    ¡°No, High Lord Edmon; it wasn¡¯t done by your actions.¡± Moris¡¯Luar generated a set of three-dimensional crystals from the Throne Room; numbers were flashing across the device, translated by her Nexus, yet they were utter gibberish to Elinor.  ¡°This should be unbelievably complicated ¡­ A display of every Power System functioning within the Ke¡¯s network, yet ¡­ I only have access to the Central Power Crystals.¡±

    Meaning?  Elinor asked.

    A low hiss shot through Edmon¡¯s teeth.  ¡°It means we''re running on reserve battery power.  How long do we have until the Central Power Crystals are drained, and how do we restart the generators that primarily keep the city charged?¡±

    Moris¡¯Luar stretched out his single, thick neck, glazing at various perfect fields of data that spread out in front of him.  ¡°There are dozens of methods that should be powering the city to provide redundancy, yet everything is out of sync, and what we should be able to access is being blocked.¡±

    ¡°Blocked?¡±  Edmon was silent for a moment before his voice displayed a hint of heat.  ¡°Blocked, as in, someone is blocking our connection to them, they¡¯re severed, they were turned off, or someone else is stealing it?  Be specific.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s fingers tightened around her wrist at the implications.

    ¡°I ¡­ cannot be so sure,¡± Moris¡¯Luar muttered.  ¡°We¡¯ve been running tests on how far we can reach, conserving as much power as we¡¯ve been able.  However, the Green District takes ¡­ quite a lot of energy, significantly since you¡¯ve activated every floor.

    ¡°First, I suggest we deactivate the lower levels since the humans and Ri¡¯bot are only working on the first.¡±

    Do it, Elinor replied without hesitation.  If we are not using it, then it¡¯s a waste of power.

    ¡°Very well, Empress,¡± Moris¡¯Luar replied, and thirty miniature levels appeared before him, blazing light; one by one, they began to dim.  ¡°We can divert much of the power the sun shines to those areas back into the Central Power Crystals to help mitigate the cost during the day instead of alleviating the Green District¡¯s total cost.¡±

    Removing the levels, he then did precisely what Elinor hoped he wouldn¡¯t; the room swapped to a view from the Tower¡¯s peak, aimed at the blizzarding sierra.

    ¡°Unfortunately, all I¡¯ve been able to gather is that a vast amount of energy is reportedly being redirected from every source to ¡­ somewhere in that general area.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡±  Edmon sighed.  ¡°I¡¯m not there to see what you¡¯re doing.¡±

    The mountains, Elinor growled, catching her Maids passively scanning their ever-changing environment to keep up with their surroundings.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s attack seems to have caused a massive shift in our resources.  Was it an automated system?

    Her eyebrows came together as the monstrous ape, nose twisted in a manner that meant no in their language.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Empress.  From what I can gather ¡­ With Eloy¡¯s help, going through the history, he¡¯s been able to compile¡ªit was around the time the Avana appeared.  There is evidence of power loss fifteen years before that, which the System suggests is a Level-3 threat to productivity.¡±

    The information didn¡¯t sink in for a second before what she knew of the incident returned to memory.  Avana ¡­ A giant dragon appears, Ke¡¯s warning signals go off, and all the power is diverted to the mountains, where it¡¯s stayed this entire time?

    ¡°It seems so,¡± Edmon muttered.  ¡°The question is, was it a trigger from the dragon¡¯s appearance, or was it hijacked by those underground shadow creatures in the Maw?  Perhaps something completely unrelated that dwells inside the volcano.¡±

    Considering the evidence of what they saw from the outside, Elinor decided to pull the trigger.  Edmon, put together a team to protect the researchers; they¡¯ll be going to the mountains to fix whatever is wrong.

    Her emerald irises shifted to the tense gorilla, knowing what would come next.  You will be going with them, Moris.  Gather a team of specialists you believe you will need, and if you need someone else, then we¡¯ll take a trip to the mines to get them.  I want this solved.

    Moris¡¯Luar shivered as the room returned to normal, and he returned to the floor.  ¡°E-Empress, I am not a ¡­ I was not a brave Quen¡¯Talrat!  I enjoyed my time in the mines, helping to maintain its operations ¡­ they were simple, but what I¡¯ve seen here ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can do anything¡­¡±

    Then learn, Elinor dryly said.  You know how to read the data and what all this mess means, or at least can figure it out.  You won¡¯t be alone; after all, you are my brightest Operator.  I will send appropriate protection.

    Edmon hummed.  ¡°We¡¯re low on combat personnel, and I would rather leave Sari¡¯a¨¦l here with Demon still within the city; we also need her at peak condition for her upcoming fight and any other threats that might appear.¡±

    Speaking of Demon¡­  Elinor¡¯s nose twitched just thinking about the creature.  Has Tiffany discovered a way to seal him out of our lands?  I don¡¯t care if he¡¯s thrown out of his armor or suit or whatever it is.  I don¡¯t want him to be able to spy on us anymore.

    ¡°I completely agree, Elinor; she¡¯s still working on the finer details, starting in the city itself, but she wants to avoid him finding any loopholes, so it might take a bit more time.  She also needs to figure out how to make the ward penetrate the ground to a significant degree, considering he is below our feet.¡±

    As long as she¡¯s looking into it ¡­ He won¡¯t be able to plan so efficiently once we blind him.  Demon knows our entire hand ¡­ Anyway, continue.

    ¡°She will find a solution ¡­ Ahem, Violet is keeping a watchful eye on the Maw, and Camellia is still recovering, which leaves Azalea as the leader.¡±

    His tone turned curious.  ¡°What about the two new recruits?  Giliri and Fini¡ªthe Nalveans that Imiunarus wished to be raised?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips pulled in upon thinking about the pair; Jumi¡¯calro had a much easier time with her device after doing Tal¡¯tamine¡¯s.  They were very young, but she¡¯d been able to raise them into the Low-Rare Grade of combat units given the experimentation.  Giliri was a close-ranged water-combatant, while Fini was a long-ranged water-type sniper.

    It couldn¡¯t hurt ¡­ I¡¯d rather them not die after Imiunarus dying wish for them to live a full life.  Give them the option; I know they¡¯ve been feeling rather bottled up, and being gawked at by the humans hasn¡¯t eased their discomfort.

    ¡°Very well ¡­ hmm, and what of Ramuk, the Wall Crusher Elite Warrior of Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s Elite Unit?  He might as well be an Elite Defender, seeing as he uses his armored body as a weapon.  That makes a Legendary-Class, a Heroic, and two Low Rares.¡±

    We are stretched thin, I suppose, and have them bring at least forty Rare Unintelligent Undead ¡­ In fact, send a hundred.  We need this to work, and if numbers will help, even a little, then I won¡¯t be picky.  Whatever they want.  Just run it by Amra¡¯Cora and Sari¡¯a¨¦l since they are in their Unit; they might have other plans they¡¯re working on.

    An afterthought brushed across her mind as she watched Moris¡¯Luar hesitantly consult with his fellow specialists on who would be needed on the expedition.  Has Garu completed his transition into his old life?

    The Ri¡¯bot she raised with Quin had been a member of the Ethereal Clan¡¯s warriors, and she hadn¡¯t seen much of him.

    ¡°He¡¯s been patrolling the jungle.  Did you want me to have him join?  He is a High-Uncommon Sharpshooter; Fini is better than him.¡±

    No, not for that mission ¡­ I want him to go spy on the Ri¡¯bot Clans in the east.  Send him to discover what the Komath and Roxim Clans are up to; it would help to know when they plan to march on us.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see it done.  Anything else?¡±

    Thinking about it, Elinor smiled.  Yes ¡­ send the Argent Dawn¡¯s new members to provide extra protection for Stateswoman Lukuroha and Aluix; put them under Castella.  They¡¯ll be there to give aid to her City-State and, in general, bring a good image to our new Empire.  Send them enough funds for at least a few months; they do need to eat since they¡¯re alive, and we don¡¯t want them to starve.

    ¡°Ah, and so they¡¯ll work for free,¡± Edmon mused.  ¡°They¡¯ll have enough gems to not be a burden on the Stateswoman.  You want the full unit sent¡ªall twelve?¡±

    They need to start somewhere, and this will show that I have faith in their abilities; after all, their first task is to trek across the land and set an example amongst our new allies.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be thrilled,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°Tiffany¡¯s already being bombarded with requests to join the order, but she is being selective.¡±

    She turned to Theresa as the woman sent a ping, asking to interrupt.

    Go ahead.

    She curtsied.  ¡°Empress, Antonietta has finished your breakfast; is it an appropriate time?¡±

    A smile brightened her expression.  Yes, I¡¯m looking forward to what she¡¯s crafted for me.  Have Luisina set everything up while we finish up here.

    Luisina followed Theresa¡¯s example, bowing before smoothly walking back to return to her room, and Elinor returned to the conversation with Edmon; he was already making the preparations.

    I¡¯m sure more will come up when Emelina returns, but for now, we must understand what is happening with our mountains and the devices on them.  We don¡¯t need to turn the valley into a winter wonderland.  Now, Moris¡¯Luar, what has your team decided?  Do you need anyone else?

    He slowly shook his head.  ¡°I believe ¡­ We will prepare who we can, but until we see the issue, we¡¯re walking in blind.¡±

    Edmon swiftly interjected.  ¡°Good.  Take an analytical team to scope out the problem, and once it is identified, return, and we¡¯ll work on a solution.  Everything is set to go; Azalea will be leading the party.  Follow her lead, and adapt as best you can; don¡¯t leave her side.¡±

    Elinor observed the apes argue for another minute about who would be necessary to go; they were all quite cowardly for their bestial appearance.  Of course, that was one of the reasons they had been sentenced to the mines.

    Edmon had things handled, so she returned to her room to eat the delicious and mysterious meal her cook had crafted for her; the main dish seemed to have been baked inside of a strange-looking, brown egg and what seemed like mashed potatoes and a cheesy substance as side dishes</a>.

    The egg had some kind of square rice and vegetables cooked into it with pork-like meat, and overall, it was fairly tasty.  Wanting to share a bit of it, Elinor gestured for her maids to join her, which she¡¯d decided two days ago to make somewhat of a tradition, and these two hadn¡¯t indulged in it yet.

    Bypassing their protests, she forced them to sit and partake in the more than large enough meal for the three of them.  Elinor was seeing more and more of her emotions coming out with her Religious System¡¯s rapid advancement; she was learning how to tap into both sides for what she needed at any given moment.

    Life is looking up for my tiny Empire.  We have options, even if things are stretched a bit tight ¡­ And all of our progress is thanks to the people around me.

 B3 â€” 2. Fear, Communication, Or Order

    Finishing her meal with Luisina</a> and Theresa</a>, Elinor had the overly-caring Maid clean up to keep her mind away from any other issues she saw as her own to tackle.

    Moving her vision to the considerable distance to their north, she saw the expanding blizzard</a> and signs of various aviary creatures, swiftly flying south from the jungle between the city and mountains.

    Edmon had been preparing the group and the survey team was focused on being lightweight, but needed tools to navigate the area; it wasn¡¯t a happy thought to many of the Quen¡¯Talrat specialists, which put things into perspective for Elinor.

    As harsh as it may sound, she only had access to 3rd and 4th-rate figures in the former Empire, and most of its soldiers that were stationed to oversee workflow had been redirected during the major conflict that had swept the valley in the eight allied nations¡¯ assault.

    Moris¡¯Luar had a member involved in scouting out a passageway into the mountain, allowing more simple access through its complex networks; a lot could change in a hundred and fifty years from his initial expedition, though.

    It was common knowledge amongst the gorilla creatures that the Ke was very secretive and selective at who would obtain which task, and oversaw almost every project to some degree. The combination of merit and need-to-know tasks fashioned a deadly and productive Empire yet without all of those moving parts, Elinor was handicapped on many fronts.

    One such issue was that every Quen¡¯Talrat could tell her there were dozens of hidden passages to navigate the inner workings of the mountain, yet none of them could tell her where.

    The Ke, Kings, and Queens were as selective about the construction crews as much as their plumbers or defense grid operators. Miners, the ones she¡¯d been lucky enough to find in mass, were at the bottom of the list.

    Yes, the occasional elderly worker could be brought back in their youth to help, but with how the Quen¡¯Talrat Empire had rapidly risen, none of them would have expert knowledge of advanced systems since it would be more efficient for the Ke to train the youth.

    So, Azalea, and her little group were left to linger in the city while all of the Quen¡¯Talrat puzzled out who had the best knowledge to support the desired outcome¡ªmost trying to weasel their way out of it by throwing the others under the bus.

    It was an odd change of pace to how her Undead army usually responded; they were happy to help the Empire, but if they could avoid it, they¡¯d rather not go into a deadly situation.

    The more she thought about the veiled mountain and what they¡¯d already had to deal with, Elinor couldn¡¯t help but feel there was a storm on the horizon. It forced her mind to return to the few options she had, but each would severely limit her short-term options.

    Taking a long breath, she turned away from the mountains to go below; Luisina was still gathering the few pieces of ceramic utensils they¡¯d recently started to craft using the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s rudimentary skills onto a cart specifically fashioned to bring her food up from the palace¡¯s extensive trip between its basement kitchen and the Tower¡¯s top floor.

    Theresa noticed her actions and called over the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra throne for her to sit, but Elinor raised a dismissive hand. ¡°No need; I need to work on my stamina ¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s possible to exercise this body, but it is worth a try.¡±

    ¡°As you wish,¡± the Maid replied, ordering it to follow behind them in case she wanted it later, which was a smart move, considering something could come up that required her speedy attendance.

    Luisina, once you finish, join us in the Life Room ¡­ I have some things to consider.

    ¡°Of course, Empress ¡­ Thank you for always being so considerate of me.¡±

    The comment held mixed feelings for the woman, but Elinor knew her heart; on one hand, it touched Luisina that they¡¯d be so concerned for her health and didn¡¯t want to trample on that, yet that was contrasted by her desire to help others, which Elinor restricted her on.

    Hmm ¡­ If you¡¯d like, go meet with Tiffany and receive an update on how her experiments with those flowers are progressing once you finish cleaning the dishes.

    Her low spirits improved on the drop of a dime. ¡°Are ¡­ you sure, Empress? Can¡¯t you gain a much faster report by¡­¡±

    Luisina¡­

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    Just go, Elinor sighed. She caught sight of her while passing one of the large pillars; the woman was clutching her hands against her breast in hopeful suspense. Ask all the questions you want of her, and bring me back a ¡®full¡¯ report; just make sure you¡¯re not bothering Tiffany¡¯s normal work ¡­ besides, she loves to talk.

    ¡°Heh, I suppose you¡¯re right; thank you, Empress!¡± Luisina curtsied from over seventy-five meters away before hurrying to load the cart to get answers from the Witch as quickly as possible.

    Theresa¡¯s small smile creased her blue irises. ¡°That was nice, Empress,¡± she whispered, moving to activate the crystal that opened the large door.

    Elinor¡¯s own expression lifted. ¡°Knowing all of the details should help her set some expectations and goals ¡­ By the way, how are things with your husband and kids?¡±

    Proceeding through the door and into the hallway, she noticed Theresa¡¯s gaze move to the strong visual images of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma that were crafted into the walls with glowing gemstones. ¡°Life is returning to some form of normality, Empress, and it is all thanks to the protection you¡¯ve provided.¡±

    It helped Elinor, knowing she was making a difference in their lives; with how much she¡¯d lost, seeing the aid she was bringing to those under her rule gave her something to hold as an accomplishment.

    Hands held behind her back, she examined the perfectly preserved furniture in the hallway and trophies leading into the Ke¡¯s room; displays of unusual prizes were on show and only for the Warlord¡¯s eyes once this high in the Tower. It was as if he wanted to be reminded of the victories and possibly even the losses of his past; there was a lot she could learn from reflecting on the tyrant¡¯s methods.

    ¡°Tell me about the children; how are they adapting?¡±

    Theresa lifted a hand to her lips, eyes closing. ¡°He-he-he, well, they certainly do enjoy the stories I tell them; many of the women have come together to have a nightly play of sorts. It gives them something to look forward to and dream about when going to sleep.¡±

    ¡°Smart ¡­ I¡¯m sure it would be fun,¡± she whispered, vision drifting to the polished floor; the elevator was only thirty meters ahead of them. ¡°I¡¯m guessing the women work on the plot during their work hours?¡±

    ¡°They do,¡± she confirmed. ¡°It helps to pass the time and as it¡¯s continued, more women and men are joining the effort. I have heard talk about the Ri¡¯bot catching wind of the activity, which might prompt it to spread.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Elinor did a quick check on the expedition party and was a little exasperated to find the Quen¡¯Talrat still going over details on what personnel and equipment would best be needed. However, her attention was soon pulled back when Theresa added a pleasant point.

    ¡°A prime attraction as of late has been Camellia¡¯s addition to the storytelling; she¡¯s been explaining the various creatures and how they live ¡­ Heh, she gets quite the cute reaction when the children pelt her with questions, and she can¡¯t answer them. In fact, the kids are very invested in watching her daily recovery; they are even growing less frightened of her Spider Form.¡±

    Peering through the Nexus, she felt a little better upon examining the eldest Spider Sister; Camellia was less focused on her broken body and more about pondering the random questions the kids asked her, providing an introspective view she¡¯d never had.

    ¡°I¡¯m thrilled to hear that, actually,¡± Elinor said, standing at the platform¡¯s center as the Maid operated the gem to take them to the ground level. ¡°Camellia does seem to be healing ¡­ and not just physically. So, she¡¯s becoming a celebrity?¡±

    Making the appropriate motions on the crystal¡¯s surface, Theresa returned to Elinor¡¯s side. ¡°She is, yet no one can beat Sari¡¯a¨¦l; she has spent the last four days learning about every individual, personally taking time with them while at work or within the palace. Everyone idolizes her, and morale couldn¡¯t be better when she¡¯s nearby.¡±

    ¡°I have no doubt¡­¡±

    The Seraph was currently engaged in observing Edmon¡¯s project; since the Quen¡¯Talrat were working on the Fortress¡¯s technical side and learning about it, Edmon took the opportunity to evaluate the construction and structural integrity of their new home. Now that they were gaining the expertise to operate it, they didn¡¯t need the place collapsing around them from neglecting its basic maintenance requirements.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was strong enough to even give Edmon a run for his money while she was suppressed from the Divinity Release restrictions. Several areas required attention nearby, and learning how to operate the equipment was becoming a necessity.

    Pepe Fontanez, her Treasurer, and Federico Fallas, her Curator, were involved in Edmon¡¯s other project of separating the unusual artifacts into practical or decorative, which was moving slowly since they had to reference all the written manuscripts and records Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma kept and reorganize it into their own system.

    ¡°Plays¡­¡± Elinor whispered. ¡°We do need a few solid forms of entertainment, and small-scale things like that can work for the short-term, but we do need a more diverse supply. We have theaters grander than anything on Earth.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ There¡¯s also a colossal coliseum where I could put on shows of Unintelligent Undead fighting each other for sport. Wrestling or some form of narrative-driven conflict could be fun, as well¡­¡±

    Reaching ground-level, Elinor followed the galaxy-like hallway to the glorious vision ahead of her that was basically the Ke¡¯s representation of ascension.

    Theresa had never been beyond this point, causing her to take in the awe-striking visuals. ¡°I¡¯m positive that many activities will take root once we better establish the Empire. Sports teams, board games, music, and perhaps even hunting. I knew of a few men that enjoyed the activity; my husband has always been drawn toward fishing.¡±

    Elinor chuckled, remembering the fish farm that Iris had fashioned below the city, which was helping to mitigate much of their meat needs; it was meant to supplement a certain percentage of her workforce, after all.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we can work many of those in ¡­ We¡¯ve worked hard to get where we are; Lucky will meet with the group leaders to organize days off and shifts when things become available.¡±

    Her mind shifted to Violet, still observing the Maw; Ang¨¦lica, the former Colombian military sharpshooter, had taken a liking to the activity. She had chosen to attend to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, allowing her to travel freely through the jungle, and took up a more permanent role as Violet¡¯s messenger.

    While enjoying Violet¡¯s creative side, Valerie Meyer was more suited for less laborious tasks as a Songweaver and helped to provide relief to various job efforts when available with her violin.

    ¡°I ¡­ know Violet has spent a lot of time over the past ¡­ has it really only been nineteen days since we¡¯ve come to this planet?¡± she asked in slight disbelief.

    Theresa blinked, doing the mental math in her own head from what she¡¯d heard of the time between her death and resurrection. ¡°Hmm ¡­ Given the thirty-hour days, it certainly feels much longer, but judging by sunrise and fall ¡­ Nineteen days.¡±

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Incredible,¡± Elinor shook her head with an extended discharge of air. ¡°We¡¯ve been working non-stop, so it¡¯s hard to conceptualize how much we¡¯ve been able to accomplish ¡­ I suppose when you don¡¯t need sleep or rest, it opens up a lot of time.¡±

    Refocusing her mind, Elinor centered on her previous question. ¡°Over the past nineteen days, Violet has been creating at least one pair of undergarments and clothes for as many of the humans as possible, as I understand it, but how close are we to relieving her of that duty?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Theresa nodded, brushing back her bangs. ¡°Splitting Violet¡¯s attention isn¡¯t good, I¡¯m sure. So far, she has custom-tailored undergarments for all of the girls between the ages of eight to forty-five; the older generation insisted she start with the youth.¡±

    Bringing her hands to rest in her lap after managing her black locks, Theresa¡¯s focus returned to the gigantic double doors they were nearing. ¡°As to the tailoring effort, strides are being made, but we are still in the beginning phase.¡±

    ¡°Understandable,¡± Elinor sighed, weighing all the options flowing through her mind. ¡°There¡¯s so much to do.¡±

    Silence ensued as they stopped in front of the closed, thick stone door; it opened toward them, and the only grip was a pair of halo-like rings part way up the massive barrier. Elinor felt a little bad as the woman¡¯s lips tightened slightly.

    I should have brought a Quen¡¯Talrat to open it¡­

    Smoothly stepping out of her heels, Theresa hiked up her dress and jumped; grabbing hold of the ring, she positioned herself to use the opposite door as leverage to force it open. Once it was a crack, she returned to the ground, pressing down on her billowing fabric.

    Still, not one complaint passed through her link to the woman; her only concern was if she¡¯d be able to accomplish it or be forced to call for help. In fact, she was rather pleased with the feat of strength she¡¯d achieved and would likely brag to her kids and husband.

    Using the crack, she pushed it open with her back as support against the stone.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Theresa,¡± Elinor said with a soft smile.

    Her strained expression eased as she returned to her side; the woman didn¡¯t even sneak a peek inside, unsure if she was allowed. Finding her efforts endearing, Elinor proceeded inside.

    ¡°You may join if you wish.¡±

    Curtsying as a response, Theresa followed, trying not to expect anything, but Elinor could still sense the wonder upon entering the bright, celestial room.

    ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elinor asked, walking to the right side of the room to where her targets had been moved.

    Theresa giggled. ¡°It does have that magical ¡­ No, that¡¯s not the right word ¡­ It has an ecclesiastical emotion to it that makes me want to whisper in reverence. Was it constructed by you, Empress?¡±

    Elinor turned to give her a dubious look. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± she said with a hint of humor. ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma likely spent decades constructing it ¡­ Not even taking into account the materials he had to gather. However, that there ¡­ that is the reason why we are here,¡± she mumbled in satisfaction.

    The Maid followed her gesture to three figures; one was her Head of State, the other Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s massive bones, and the third was the Supreme Molifoph of the Jukal.

    ¡°Are you going to raise them?¡± the Maid asked, vision lingering on the human. ¡°Is this the Head of State I¡¯ve heard the other¡¯s whisper about?¡±

    A long puff of air passed by Elinor¡¯s cheeks as she hissed. ¡°Unfortunately, these candidates aren¡¯t so easy; each of them is of a significant enough Grade that I need to make a decision on who to bring back.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± she hummed, her vision sliding between each. ¡°I am here if you need me, Empress.¡±

    With a curtsy, she backed away to leave Elinor with her thoughts.

    Green irises settling on Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, Elinor grimaced; the memories of meeting with the overbearing Warlord resonated in her mind. He was powerful and beyond impressive, in physical and mental capacities, yet there was still the question of returning him as an Unintelligent Undead.

    I respect him ¡­ Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma helped me put things into focus and understand I can¡¯t just be a battering ram ¡­ I could, and there¡¯s the possibility I succeed, but it¡¯s not the kind of path I want to force my people down.

    Marching out in mass to meet hordes of enemies in battle might sound fun for a fantasy novel ¡­ It¡¯s far from efficient and burns all bridges, though, and given this continent¡¯s history with the Quen¡¯Talrat, they¡¯d be much quicker to draw arms.

    There are so many positive things I could use the Ke¡¯s body for that ¡­ it¡¯s stupid not to peruse ¡­ And yet I find myself hesitating. Is it his willpower that impressed me ¡­ The ability to look at life in the face and say he¡¯d never bow if it meant to serve? Maybe so.

    I could use him as a symbol of power and strike terror in anything that reared its head; perhaps one day I will be forced to go down that path, but for now ¡­ I¡¯ll honor him by allowing the Ke to rest in the most sacred place he¡¯d spent much of his life crafting.

    Her vision drifted to the Supreme Molifoph¡¯s corpse, still wrapped in Iris¡¯s threads; it would require one of her daughters to unbind. She had no clue how he looked, but considering she could raise him to a Mythic-Grade was shocking, and it was actually within the Lower Court as a Communications Assistant Director.

    He was more of a manipulation-type when it came to combat traits, falling into the Songweaver territory, which wasn¡¯t much of an upset.

    If I raised him, I could start my Air Force, which would broaden my scope by a considerable degree, but should I even be thinking about that at my current stage? I haven¡¯t even expanded into my own valley or explored its depths.

    It could allow me to play a game of telephone to even the Nalvean Empire through the Nexus, though, and that¡¯s worth considering in its own right, but the cost is so great ¡­ 3,205 Death Energy for just the initial cost, adding 256 Death Energy to my daily.

    I still need to raise more humans, Nalveans, Ri¡¯bot, and Yaltha¡¯ma, as I promised during the general conference, as well¡­

    The thought pulled her gaze to the Head of State, causing her gut to churn just thinking about the cost.

    6,405 Death Energy could go toward so many other areas, and I do need more Maids to ease their load and provide more comfort to their families. More Maids and Butlers would increase their productivity by a substantial margin.

    And yet ¡­ It would also cause more stress on Emelina and James, which is their job¡­ How many Maids should be under a single Head Maid ¡­ No answer¡­

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Checking on the Quen¡¯Talrat expedition, she discovered they¡¯d solidified five members, which included Moris¡¯Luar. They were being kicked into gear by Azalea upon learning about their sluggish response; the spider girl was itching to see more action, and exploring a new area she hadn¡¯t been to yet had whet her appetite.

    Ramuk was almost back to the fortress upon receiving Edmon¡¯s summons to join the crew, and the two Nalvean girls were chomping at the bit to prove themselves. They seemed to have been roped into helping Tiffany with some of her rituals, which wasn¡¯t meshing well with their nerves¡ªthe Witch and her Maid scared them.

    To her surprise, Vergil, the leader of her newly established Argent Dawn company, had taken Edmon¡¯s orders like a call to arms, and from the chatter passing through her Nexus, he was currently with Pepe, her treasurer, receiving Nalvean currency to begin their travel.

    Many of the humans were finishing their own breakfast and hearing about their new orders; she¡¯d have to see how they felt about it after seeing their departure.

    Edmon.

    ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±

    As an afterthought, what do you think about Vergil making a big show out of leaving? They can show off the armor and weapons Violet fashioned for them; it could be a big morning event.

    The Doom Guard didn¡¯t sound too sold on the idea. ¡°It is still early, Empress. It won¡¯t be as big as you think, given how many people will be able to attend on such short notice.¡±

    That¡¯s fine; whoever can make it will have a story to tell their friends, and it will cause the news to spread quickly.

    ¡°I can see that ¡­ I¡¯ll set it in motion.¡±

    Also ¡­ I can see the need for a Head of State, Edmon ¡­ I can, but at our current level, I think it might be more beneficial to raise the Molifoph. A rapid communication network between here and the Nalvean Empire with possibly aviary spies ¡­ It would cut down on my Death Energy cost and provide so much more utility.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I see no issue with that logic.¡±

    Not receiving any counter, Elinor was a little caught off-guard; Tiffany had been the one to espouse the communication angle. Then again, the Witch also liked to play with Edmon¡¯s feelings about the handsome man¡¯s looks.

    When do you think I should raise the Head of State?

    ¡°It is a good question, and I think it primarily corresponds with your available Death Pool. He will make things much easier for us, but Sari¡¯a¨¦l is phenomenal at multitasking. Lucky can¡¯t get enough of her support and presence, and since she¡¯ll be staying inside of the city to be close to you, his presence would be somewhat redundant at the moment.¡±

    Elinor hadn¡¯t considered that angle, mainly because trying to listen to the Seraph¡¯s internal thoughts was just as bad as trying to read the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra girls¡ªa jumbled mess she couldn¡¯t understand. So, she mainly focused on their emotions over keying into their thoughts.

    I see ¡­ That settles it, then.

    She was a little afraid he¡¯d turn out like Rigrach, though; Elinor still couldn¡¯t deal with the theatrical way he spoke.

    We just have to hope he¡¯s more grounded than his cousins.

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Edmon chuckled, returning to his work drawing up measurements and comparing them to the original blueprints he¡¯d found in one of the area libraries.

    Azalea.

    ¡°Mmh? Yes, Empress?¡± the energetic girl asked. ¡°I¡¯m getting these furry lumps of meat to hurry; we¡¯ll be gone in a bit!¡±

    Before you go, can you come and remove these threads your mother wove?

    ¡°Oh, of course! You¡¯re ¡­ in the Life Room? Be there in one minute!¡±

    Elinor waited for the girl to close the distance, and she couldn¡¯t even see her enter the room before the human-disguised blue-haired girl popped out of her shadow.

    Theresa¡¯s eyes snapped to her upon revealing herself, spinning forward to look at Elinor. ¡°Oh ¡­ Yikes!¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Elinor asked, focus moving from her to the bound corpse.

    ¡°Eeh,¡± she grimaced, flipping back around to study the webbing. ¡°My mom was ¡­ I¡¯ve never seen her weave thread like this, Empress ¡­ I ¡­ uh¡­¡±

    Not seeing anything out of the ordinary, Elinor closed the distance to look down at the cocoon. ¡°Something wrong?¡±

    ¡°Umm ¡­ It¡¯s just really, really tight ¡­ If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say she was super frustrated, but only Violet and Camellia get flustered like that ¡­ I mean, are you sure this wasn¡¯t Violet?¡±

    Elinor shook her head, remembering how furious Iris had been that the insects impersonated their kind and that her prey was denied her. ¡°No ¡­ It was a stressful time.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ Hmm ¡­ Ugh.¡± Azalea put her fingers on the thread, brow furrowing while shifting positions. ¡°It¡¯s like ¡­ a maze, trying to find the proper place to start; like she was facing another Queen, and ¡­ Mmh¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± It soon struck her what the girl was trying to say. ¡°You can¡¯t remove it ¡­ She made it Th¨¦lm¨¦thra proof?¡±

    ¡°I just ¡­ It¡¯s what she taught us to do when facing each other, and ¡­ This is so much more complicated than anything she showed us.¡±

    Azalea sucked in a sharp breath of air, turning with a shrug. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sorry, Empress, but I don¡¯t know if even Violet could deconstruct this ¡­ It gives me a headache just trying!¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Elinor pulled in her lips. ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll have to see if I can burn it away.¡±

    The spider vanished, reappearing beside her in an instant to look at the cocoon. ¡°I wish I could help, Empress.¡±

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped,¡± she sighed.

    Iris must still have been in her mental state of fighting two World Queens.

    Her arms lit with emerald flames, causing Theresa to lift her head to follow the eight butterflies that fluttered out to land on the plump bird. Luckily, her fire could consume the thread, given that Iris was connected to her seed.

    An interested hum left Azalea¡¯s throat as the big, roly-poly bird was consumed, and what replaced him was a slim, eagle-like</a> bird with silver feathers on top and black underneath; crimson trim glistened at the tips, creating a pattern.

    Its powerful beak and foot-long talons were an image of its dominance in the skies, and small, brush-like feathers would trail behind its tail when flying. It seemed as if the creature had gone through a strange transformation upon coming south if this was him in his prime.

    He was huge, rising into a standing position that put him over fourteen feet tall as he centered keen, illuminated sky blue eyes on her. ¡°My empress,¡± he tweaked, voice smooth as water, ¡°I hear thy call, and I obey. What can this humble servant do for your majesty?¡± he bowed his head in humble subservience.

    Azalea appraised him with a slight grin. ¡°He could be tasty.¡±

    Grin lifting her own lips, Elinor couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the magnificent specimen. Much better.

    ¡°Your name?¡±

    Beak rising, he adjusted his posture to better observe her below. ¡°In life, I was given the title of Supreme Molifoph by the Northern King of Kings; we sang to him in his slumber, providing nutrients for him to feast upon to not blot out the heavens in his fiery wrath. However, we do not have names but use our voices to identify each unique member of our family.¡±

    Studying the noble figure, Elinor¡¯s vision continued to note every detail of the aviary predator. ¡°In that case ¡­ I will give you the name Voukey.¡±

    He bowed again. ¡°I am honored, my Empress, and will wear it as a badge of pride.¡±

    Mythic-Grade, Songweaver, and close to the higher-echelon of her Lower Court, Voukey would allow her to take control of various aviary creatures to gather under him as his new flock, and even if his original family had flown far to the north, he could start again here.

    She had the linchpin of her airforce, and it was looking better by the second.

    The news of the Argent Dawn¡¯s departure was making its way through the halls, and it seemed as if they were preparing in the Main Hall; Elinor decided to see them off with her new addition to the Empire.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to let the people know more protectors have joined the cause. Let¡¯s introduce you, Voukey.¡±

    Azalea opened the door large enough for them to exit before closing it behind them, and Elinor took her throne, which Theresa was thoughtful enough to bring.

 Tested Positive For COVID-19

    Oof, seems in my delirium, I missed a few updates on a few of the serials.

    I''m not in any risk demographic and they sent me home from the ER to rest up. I do have my vaccination, but I still need to isolate.

    My airway is good and the doctor said for me to just take it easy. For more details, go to the discord.

    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    https://discord.gg/qaU96C6H

    says I can''t post unless over 500 characters but haven''t had the problem on the other chapters.

    Go to the discord for more details. Go to the discord for more details. Go to the discord for more details. Go to the discord for more details. Go to the discord for more details. Go to the discord for more details. Go to the discord for more details. Go to the discord for more details. Go to the discord for more details.

 B3 â€” 3. Given New Life

    The scent of sweet fruit lifted into Virgil¡¯s</a> nose as his mind stirred; hot skin pressed into his chest with the gentle streams of cooled air that slid across his sternum.

    Cracking open an eye, he saw a mess of peanut butter locks covering Gloria¡¯s</a> face as she pressed against him.  Her soft breasts put pressure against his body while she slept, releasing deep, even breaths.

    Adjusting his partially numb right arm, Virgil smiled, wrapping it around her back to feel her smooth skin; the action caused her to moan, snuggling in closer and tightening her hips, and hooking her thigh around his knee.  He could practically feel himself melting into her warm embrace.

    Leaning in, he kissed her forehead before lying back and puffing out a sigh; his chest shook a bit, feeling the bit of drool leaking out of her mouth.

    Aww, you¡¯re adorable¡­

    Keeping his grip around Gloria¡¯s shoulders to help stabilize her, he let her entangle him after moving a bit; clearly, she didn¡¯t want to let him go, and after a moment, her muscles loosened again, giving him a relieved groan while snuggling closer to his core.

    Virgil¡¯s mind drifted with his gaze in the dimly lit space, far from prying eyes in a room located at the palace¡¯s distant East Wing.  It had been four days since the Empress had bound the Argent Dawn with her powers, which triggered a gradual transformation that had been mildly painful.

    The constant, flaming pull of his muscles before tightening, ripping, and fracturing bones wasn¡¯t as bad as it sounded, but was uncomfortable enough to make a few of them break down into tears¡ªGloria had been strong, though, but Virgil¡¯s first episode brought him to his knees.

    Now, he felt more sore than anything else¡ªbut that could have been a product of the fevered movements Gloria and he made only several hours before.

    He reached down to gently grip behind her right thigh and knee, pulling her further across his large muscular frame as she sleepily listened to his heartbeat.  Getting her into a more comfortable position atop him, he smiled, resituating his thin, feathered pillow to get a better look at her sleeping face¡ªif he had a phone, he¡¯d totally be recording right now, but instead, he just had to commit it to memory.

    Pulling the rest of the sheet across her naked back, he tried not to let the blood leave his brain without success; he never thought he¡¯d be in this position with one of his best friends since eleven years old, but that changed a week ago when they¡¯d both hit a new low, finding comfort in one another¡¯s arms.

    Now, things were evolving at a rapid rate, and it might have had something to do with their changing figures; it wasn¡¯t only their physical appearance that was being reformed, as well, but their personalities were solidifying into something more stable, influenced by the Empress¡¯s unlimited drive and Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s encouraging radiance that was being instilled inside their souls.

    He¡¯d always been somewhat brave growing up¡ªby his early thirties, he¡¯d gotten between several fights to break things up in their wild little jungle town before they got out of hand¡ªeven being stabbed once, if only a shallow flesh wound.  There had always been a spur in him to be a hero, but adult life didn¡¯t give you infinite opportunities, and the few options he had to leave that town for the bigger cities he let slide by.

    Now, though, he promised himself to never let that happen again; the Empress¡¯s unstoppable drive was like a drug, filling his heart with the strength to press forward, and he never once regretted the pain he¡¯d suffered while changing over the last few days.  In fact, it served as a marker.

    Virgil had grown several inches, reaching 6¡¯4¡±, a whopping 193 centimeters tall; his muscles expanded and figure tightened to such a degree that he hardly recognized himself¡ªthe Empress was merciful.

    His black hair thickened and lengthened to the point he could tie it back into a ponytail, including the ability to double braid his beard, which Gloria absolutely delighted in fidgeting with and fashioning the style.

    He¡¯d obtained the ideal heroic body he¡¯d always wanted, and the price was so simple, worshiping a literal goddess¡ªwhat else could she be after everything he¡¯d witnessed, even if only a newly rising deity?

    Vision returning to Gloria, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at her own transformation, growing to 5¡¯8¡± from her previous 4¡¯11¡±.  Her round face had lengthened, dark brown hair lightening with her eyes; the woman¡¯s full lips were like butter against his, and her figure gained shape in every place she desired¡ªshe was the picture of fitness and health.

    The Empress was good, and not everyone wished to be some fantasy supermodel, such as Triana</a>; the woman was even taller than him now at 6¡¯7¡±, hosting barbarian-like muscles and a brash attitude to match.

    Closing his eyes, Virgil breathed a long sigh, thinking back at his life; he¡¯d abandoned his old name, it didn¡¯t matter anymore¡ªthis was who he wanted to be.

    The Ri¡¯bot¡¯s raid had been an utter nightmare for most of his neighbors, but Virgil saw it as a chance to end his dull and lifeless existence in his backwater jungle town.  Sure, it had been bad for the first few days, yet he¡¯d stepped into the video games he escaped his personal hell with; toad people kidnapped him, and now he was in a fantasy world.

    It was clear as day; the only way to go was forward.  Thinking about everything he¡¯d lost was pointless, but the one thing that frustrated him was his lack of power.

    These toads had supernatural agility and strength that humans could never match; it was all too apparent when they first appeared.  They had subdued him in a matter of seconds before he even knew what was happening, and it had been so aggravating¡ªuntil he¡¯d learned about a small group of kids that gained powers.

    During their time being marched through the jungle, he¡¯d heard the whispered hope of people, talking about some teens that might be able to save them with these miraculous powers.  Of course, when the opportunity arrived and their captors panicked, rival toads on all sides, what did the kids do¡ªexactly what any normal teens would in a war-like zone¡ªthey panicked and ran.

    Sadly, two of the five were killed by the Komath Clan and snatched up during the confusion; he wished he could have saved them, and his efforts only earned him a fatal wound that Tiffany was able to heal in time.

    Looking back, he saw how desperate they were to think a bunch of frightened teens that randomly gained powers would instantly face almost certain death to rescue them.  The naysayers and bitter men and women mentioned all of their families had been killed during the initial attack.

    He found himself wondering what happened to those poor kids; surely the Empress knew about them, but it was a fool''s hope to believe they¡¯d survive for long on their own.

    Luckily, not long after Tiffany came to the Xaltan Clan and brought them under her heel and they were transported to this colossal city fortress.  Rumors then cycled, people fear-mongering and trying to find companionship with one another; it was a stressful first couple of days, but those that had been previously rescued by the Empress had offered them comfort.

    Finally, when the rumors of Tiffany¡¯s proposal reached him through the various groups, he¡¯d jumped on it in a heartbeat.

    Virgil was more than convinced Elinor was a rising goddess the moment she literally returned the dead back to life, and not only in the prime of their youth but with abilities to further protect her budding Empire, as well.

    He was determined enough to die if it meant he¡¯d be able to be the person Virgil knew he was meant to become¡ªthe life of a gardener or craftsman wasn¡¯t for him; he was born to be a champion, and being the goddess Elinor was, she¡¯d been able to grant that to him.

    Of course, it hadn¡¯t been all sunshine and rainbows; the last few days had been hell on everyone¡¯s bodies as they went through their respective metamorphosis, yet everyone involved was more than willing to deal with it given the progress they saw in themselves.

    Cracking open an eye, he heard the rattling clatter of bone against the granite floor; ever since High Lady Tiffany performed the ritual to bind him to the Empress four days ago, he¡¯d only been able to sleep twice, and this second time was out of pure exhaustion.

    He smiled, looking up at the ceiling while listening to the distant taps that echoed through the halls; they still had some time before the Undead reached them; the Royal Court made a point out of communicating through Unintelligent minions.

    Gloria groaned, her soft fingers and clipped nails pressing into his right pec before stretching out her neck and using his hard abs to lift herself up.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Why did your heartbeat increase¡­¡±

    ¡°Morning, beautiful,¡± Virgil gave her a crooked smile while supporting his head with both hands.

    She snorted, brushing back her messy peanut butter brown hair</a> and focusing on the bulging sheet to her right.  ¡°Right ¡­ So, that¡¯s how it is, huh?¡±

    Virgil raised a hand in a dismissive gesture, brown eyes sliding down her tan skin while raising an eyebrow.  ¡°I mean, can you blame me when I wake up to a vision like this¡ªI¡¯m a man, after all, and you look even more beautiful now than you did last night.¡±

    Gloria rolled her eyes, but there was an unmistakable smile in her eyes.  ¡°Mhm ¡­ How long have I been out?¡±

    Pursing his lips, he arched his back a little, feeling the burn and pops his body made as the sheet fell off his torso.  ¡°Three ¡­ ugh, hours or so,¡± he mumbled, settling in again.

    Her gaze slid from between his legs to his face with a light giggle before draping herself across his chest, giving him a low moan.  ¡°Gah ¡­ I¡¯m exhausted!  How are you feeling because¡ªyeah, you¡¯ve gained more muscle since I passed out,¡± she mused, sliding her fingertips down his thighs with a devilish grin.

    ¡°Well,¡± he popped his tongue, shifting his gaze to her tempting eyes, ¡°heh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to calm me down!¡±

    ¡°No?¡±  she teased, drawing her hand back across his skin as she slowly moved up again.  ¡°What should I do ¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to guide me through this procedure?¡±

    Virgil hissed, rubbing his forehead.  ¡°I would ¡­ Gah, I totally would, but ¡­ we might want to get dressed because someone¡¯s coming to talk to us.¡±

    Gloria¡¯s caramel eyebrows pulled together, focus shifting to the door.  ¡°Damn ¡­ and when I had you all excited,¡± she groaned, flipping over to her back and pulling the sheet over her exposed chest and torso.  ¡°So, how long do we have ¡­ Is it the Empress?  Wait ¡­ I think I heard it ¡­ Tapping?¡±

    He slid his fingers through her hair, causing a longing groan to pass through her throat.  ¡°You¡¯re guess is as good as mine, love ¡­ You¡¯ve seen how active all the Undead are.  Oh, and just your daily reminder, I can summon a lance now, so¡­¡±  he trailed with a crooked smile that he knew would infuriate her.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°Ass¡­¡±  Gloria grunted, shifting away to slam her heel into his side.

    ¡°Oof ¡­ C¡¯mon,¡± he snickered, rubbing the sore spot.  ¡°You¡¯ll get your own powers; Tiffany said it would be different for each of us.¡±

    She shifted positions to hide her exposed breasts, motioning for him to toss her the garments next to him.  ¡°Yeah ¡­ I¡¯m just worried what it might be ¡­ I don¡¯t know; what if I turn into some stripper or something?¡±

    Virgil laughed, ignoring her motions and reaching over to brush back the sheet and pinch her butt.

    ¡°Hey!¡±  she barked, slapping his chest with the back of her hand, but there was a blush and smile on her full lips.  ¡°I thought someone was coming?  C¡¯mon!¡±

    ¡°They are,¡± he yawned, snatching her undergarments two feet to his left before tossing them at her.  ¡°The halls echo pretty far away, but no one¡¯s between us, so I think we¡¯re their target; we still got a minute at their pace.¡±

    ¡°Your stupid enhanced hearing,¡± Gloria grumbled, shaking her head and slipping her arms through her bra.  ¡°Do me up¡­¡±

    Sitting up, he complied, noticing her eyes between his legs again; naturally, Gwen and Lucky made it very clear to them that intercourse needed to be restricted due to the lack of birth control, but that didn¡¯t mean they were barred from all forms of stress relief and left it up to their imaginations.

    Neither of them was a virgin; that didn¡¯t mean they had extensive experience in the field, and he found comfort in her body and she in his throughout their transformation.

    The garments Violet had crafted were as resilient as steel and as flexible as cloth; Tiffany figured they might gain armor, weapons, or magical abilities through their growth¡ªeverything was up in the air.

    Throwing on what they could, Gloria and Virgil just finished putting on their pants when a skeletal Ri¡¯bot walked through the door with its hands behind its back and green flames licking off its bones.  Judging by the posture, Virgil could guess who was controlling this Undead.

    ¡°High Lord Edmon,¡± he bowed his head, Gloria doing the same beside him, struggling to find the loop in her belt.  ¡°We apologize for being so far away from the rest of the group.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s smooth, deep voice held a bit of amusement.  ¡°No matter.  The stress you¡¯ve gone through over the last few days must have been ¡­ exhausting,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°I can understand why you¡¯d need time alone.¡±

    Gloria¡¯s cheeks darkened, but the Court Member continued on without pressing the topic.  ¡°In any case, the Empress has issued the Argent Dawn¡¯s first mission.¡±

    Virgil and Gloria¡¯s eyes darted to one another before returning to the flaming skeleton.

    ¡°So soon?¡±  Gloria asked.

    The man¡¯s voice turned serious.  ¡°Is that a problem?¡±

    Gloria swiftly lifted her hands in protest.  ¡°No!  Heh, I¡¯m just¡ªjust a little shocked.¡±

    The saliva in Virgil¡¯s throat dried up; this was what he¡¯d been waiting for.  ¡°We¡¯re ready at any time, High Lord Edmon!¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± he said, head shifting between them.  ¡°Gloria, go rally the others and inform them to prepare themselves; you will gather in the Palace Grand Hall¡ªall twelve of you.  It will be a long journey, so pack accordingly.¡±

    Gloria slammed her fist over her chest in acknowledgment.  ¡°Right!  Umm ¡­ even those Ri¡¯bot children?¡±

    ¡°That would include the number twelve; gather everything in the Entry Hall,¡± Edmon stated in a slightly sharp voice.

    ¡°Right!  Right¡­¡±  Gloria mumbled, darting back to grab her boots and hastily exiting the room at a hop, tugging on the items.

    ¡°Oh, and Gloria¡­¡±

    She stopped at the door, half bent over, doing the hobble-hop, Gloria looking back with her hair brushing the floor.  ¡°Y-Yes?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll have time to freshen up.  Make the preparations and then make ready to present yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, High Lord Edmon!¡±  Gloria stammered, running down the hall.

    Virgil felt a little bad for her, but the woman was like that when nervous.

    Flaming skull returning to him, Edmon chuckled.  ¡°She seems like a diligent woman.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, she does everything at full force,¡± Virgil laughed.

    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Edmon gestured to the remaining pair of boots.  ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    Moving to the makeshift bed he¡¯d made for Gloria and him, he sat down and laced up the items.  Edmon didn¡¯t comment until he was finished, making his way to the door; Virgil followed without prompt.  ¡°How has the martial-combat training been proceeding?¡±

    He forced a breath through his teeth.  ¡°Ectria doesn¡¯t go easy on us ¡­ She says we¡¯re making progress.¡±

    ¡°Understandable.¡±  Edmon shifted the toad¡¯s burning eye sockets to him.  ¡°None of you have any formal combat training, and as a Xaria, Ectria will make an excellent tutor; after all, you¡¯re starting at the same level as Utilia, Koma, and Gomal, which should help you run through the basics.¡±

    Virgil¡¯s lips tightened just thinking about the exercises the Ri¡¯bot woman put them through.  ¡°No one but me can understand them so far, but I¡¯m sure it shouldn¡¯t be long until the others can tap into the Empress¡¯s translation gifts¡ªI believe the Ri¡¯bot are starting to understand a bit.¡±

    Edmon nodded.  ¡°It is faith-based, which shows how dedicated you are, Virgil, and proves what Tiffany saw in you.  How has Elluinara been faring in combat training?¡±

    His thoughts returned to the blue-scaled Nalvean; he hadn¡¯t been able to speak to her for an extended period of time since her addition two days ago, but she seemed very proper.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Ectria and her go at it¡ªit¡¯s incredible how she uses her red water like a whip.  I think Ectria said she¡¯s a natural, but Elluinara hasn¡¯t been able to land a hit on her.¡±

    ¡°Expected,¡± Edmon stated, watching Gloria disappear down another hallway to grab their team.  ¡°Your opinions on Ina¡¯ko?¡±

    ¡°The ¡­ Yaltha¡¯ma?¡±  Virgil asked, testing the name on his tongue.  ¡°She¡¯s interesting, but I don¡¯t see her as much of a fighter¡ªmore spy work, really.¡±

    Edmon didn¡¯t respond for a moment, likely in a few other unheard conversations.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ A spy would be a good addition to your group; have her scout things out and listen in on various groups in the shadows.  Hidden ears can uncover a lot of needed information.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see to it.¡±

    When the Gatekeeper didn¡¯t immediately respond, Virgil let his eyes wander, unable to stop himself from studying the enormous Quen¡¯Talrat halls.

    This fortress was a fantasy wonderland, illuminated by brilliant crystals that provided a perfectly even light throughout its lengths.  It was like being in the house of literal giants; they were toddlers compared to the colossal creatures.

    One of the most exciting things they¡¯d been taught was the Quen¡¯Talrat technology; certain gestures on the huge gem-like stones the size of a human indicated specific commands.

    A more recent addition was made by the new apes the Empress raised, which created access terminals for smaller creatures to use.  Even the smallest thing this alien technology could do boggled his mind¡ªnot to mention the ability to produce endless supplies of water from gems.

    His focus returned to Edmon as they neared the furthest showering district, meant for overflow.  ¡°This is an important mission, Virgil; you will be the spark to change opinions about our Empire ¡­ The Empress specifically selected the Argent Dawn for this task¡ªyou will travel to a Nalvean City-State with your order.¡±

    Virgil¡¯s throat went dry, and his stomach swirled with elation at the opportunity; he hadn¡¯t dreamed of such a chance coming up so soon since all of them weren¡¯t even on the Ri¡¯bot children¡¯s combat level, and now they¡¯d be going to a whole new culture.

    ¡°Are we entering a battlefield there?¡±  he asked, tightening his belt and focusing on the skeleton.

    ¡°He-he-he.  No.¡±

    ¡°Oh ¡­ I see,¡± he whispered, lips pulling in.  ¡°I understand; we have a long way to go to be capable soldiers to even scratch the caliber of the Empress¡¯s other units.  ¡±

    Edmon released a low hum that drew Virgil¡¯s gaze.

    ¡°The Argent Dawn is worth more than just a fighting force, Virgil.  You are, in a way, a representation of Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s influence on Elinor and this Empire.¡±

    His bony hands tightened at his back.  ¡°Your mission is to provide support to a Nalvean City-State; you will be receiving tasks directly from the Stateswoman or her management team.  Since you are the first to tap into the Empress¡¯s translation gifts, you will be directing your fellows, which puts you in a prime position to be the face of humanity for the Empire in that region.¡±

    It didn¡¯t sound like a horrible mission, and the implications were swiftly branching out in his mind.  Folding his arms, Virgil nodded, stumbling a little and having to catch himself¡ªhe was still getting used to his changed body and weight, which oddly felt far less heavy than before his transformation.

    ¡°I see ¡­ So, we¡¯re showing that the Empire can be useful, and we¡¯re invested in building this relationship with them ¡­ How long will we be staying in this City-State?¡±

    He¡¯d already seen three different Nalvean salamander women.  Elluinara primarily spent all of her time among the Ri¡¯bot, which limited their interactions; he was excited to learn more about her.

    The skeletal Ri¡¯bot turned its flaming emerald eye sockets to him.  ¡°Currently ¡­ at least a month or two, and that can change at any time, given the circumstances we are in.¡±

    Yes!  We¡¯re going to finally be able to be the Argent Dawn!  We¡¯ll be helping out and gaining experience ¡­ We can also train!

    As if reading his mind, Edmon continued.  ¡°During your stay at the City-State, you will be continuing to learn basic combat skills.  Ectria will find Castellia more than a match for her to improve herself when she is available.¡±

    A low growl rumbled the air.  ¡°Also, be warned, there are dangers that you¡¯ll need to be aware of ¡­ We have enemies everywhere; when you arrive, go straight to Castellia be informed, but keep your wits sharp, and have Ina¡¯ko practice her stealth traits in discovering potential plots ¡­ A lot can happen in a month.¡±

    Virgil chuckled, looking around them as more Undead came into view, lining the halls.  ¡°Three weeks, and look where the Empress has brought us ¡­ She truly is divine.¡±

    ¡°That, she is,¡± Edmon returned, his tone becoming pleasant.

    Entering through a wide-open door, they moved around a 7-foot-tall barrier that had been constructed to separate both sides of the colossal public showering room; the Quen¡¯Talrat seemed to have no restraint toward males and females bathing together, which the Ri¡¯bot shared¡ªthough not the humans or Nalveans.

    The area was entirely composed of some unique form of granite that had some kind of material plastered on the ground to give grip.  Like most of the fortress, it was black, yet tiny gold or blue speckles were mixed in that were a little mesmerizing to look at.

    Shimmering blue crystals covered the ceiling that released streams of powerful jets of water; at first, they had to stand in the spray to wash, but some of the Quen¡¯Talrat the Empress had raised managed to dial it down and provide remote access to control the magical contraption.

    Grabbing one of the makeshift towels on the male¡¯s side, he began to strip.  ¡°I suspect we¡¯ll be getting dried food to hold us over, or will we need to hunt¡ªare we even allowed to on Nalvean lands?¡±

    ¡°Good questions,¡± Edmon hummed.  ¡°We have more than enough funds to hold you over, and the Empress will be giving you at least six months¡¯ worth of Nalvean currency to sustain yourself.  Yet you should be frugal; Elluinara will teach you the common prices and how to not get scammed.  As to your journey, Antonietta is gathering enough dried fruit and meat to hold you over.¡±

    Depositing his items in a cubby hole, Virgil noticed not a single space was filled, showing they were empty in the early hours of the morning.  Bowing as Edmon finished, Virgil could feel his heart blaze.  ¡°I cannot express my gratitude to the Empress.¡±

    Edmon moved to the doorway leading to the showering area.  ¡°Indeed.  Mirelitel City-State is on the far northwestern corner of the Nalvean Empire.  It is roughly a ten-mile hike downhill to the river where you¡¯ll take a Ri¡¯bot vessel until you reach a great lake called Menifil.  Once across, you will disembark and walk through Imiraka City-State to reach Mirelitel¡ªElluinara will be your guide.¡±

    Committing the information to memory, he walked around the corner to fiddle with the strange crystal device the size of his body that acted as a control mechanism; they required sweeping gestures since it was built for creatures over four to five times human use.

    An intense downpour of warm liquid fell from the gems, and he stepped into it while taking the small tray with the few showering tools they¡¯d been able to fashion.  ¡°Do you know the exact distance for the entire trip?  Ten to the river, and how long from there?¡±

    Edmon hummed, and he watched Virgil wash off his sweat and dirt that was mixed with Gloria¡¯s from the night before.  ¡°Ten to the river, ninety-two to Menifil, sixty-two to seventy, depending on your route, through Imiraka, and to reach their capital city, fifteen¡ªroughly one hundred and eighty-two miles, one way.¡±

    ¡°So, we¡¯re going to be traveling for a while.¡±

    ¡°At least a week, given the terrain and the need for rest.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll gather the appropriate supplies,¡± he replied, using one of the strange sponge-like objects they¡¯d found to help scrub off his dead skin.

    Edmon stayed perfectly still outside of the downpour.  ¡°I will return in a moment.¡±

    Virgil lifted an eyebrow.  It must be hard bouncing between different people all the time.

    Returning to his daily routine, Virgil blew his nose to rid it of snot and finishing up the shower.  He turned off the massive rainfall and dried off halfway through when Edmon finished whatever took his attention.

    The man¡¯s voice grew more solemn, shifting to face him.  ¡°The mission is as follows:

    ¡°You are to report to Castella, the ranking soldier that will be close to you.  She will inform you of your secondary mission, but overall, you are there primarily to gather combat experience in daily training with their soldiers, build our relationship with them, and provide whatever is needed to Stateswoman Lukuroha ¡­ within reason.  Understand?¡±

    Virgil repeated the instructions back to him while putting on his clothes.

    Edmon stared at him as he finished.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ good.  Now, we¡¯ll get your funds, food, and then there will be a send-off for you.¡±

    A smile brightened Virgil¡¯s lips, thinking about the events he¡¯d seen in-game cutscenes and movies.  ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°Nothing big,¡± he stated, motioning him to follow.  ¡°We have large trading plans for the Nalvean Empire, and gaining a stable foothold with Mirelitel will be the first stepping stone on your journey through their lands, promoting the Empire.¡±

    Purpose now in his breast, Virgil couldn¡¯t have been happier as he followed Edmon to the treasury to get six colorful bags of tiny gems, saddle Burgh, his horse, and return to the Great Hall to meet with the others and finalize their preparations.

 B3 â€” 4. Building Faith

    Air hissed through Gloria¡¯s</a> teeth as she stumbled off-balance while hopping on one foot, trying to put on her second boot.  Stupid body!  It¡¯s so hard to move after all these changes!

    Tucking into a low roll, she bounced back up; luckily, she didn¡¯t embarrass herself in front of Edmon and Virgil, still in the room behind her¡ªunluckily, her brown locks were a complete mess around her face.

    She felt gross¡ªsweaty in awkward places, dirty from rolling around in the dust with Virgil several hours ago, and not having brushed her teeth the night before because of their extracurricular activities.

    Panic quickly set in her breast as she jogged, each bouncing step sending a jolt through her sore muscles.  Oh, no ¡­ Did High Lord Edmon want us to take a shower because he saw how I looked?  Did Virgil think I was gross when I breathed in his face¡­

    She lifted up a hand, puffing out some air before grimacing; it smelled rancid to her.  No-ho-ho ¡­ Why?!  I thought I was sexy, but he was just ¡­ No, I mean, he was excited, but that was before I got up ¡­ Shut up, brain!

    Throwing her messy locks back, she grunted.  ¡°C¡¯mon, pull it together!¡±

    She only made it a few dozen meters down the massive central hallway of the palace¡¯s east wing when a thought occurred to her.  Wait ¡­ I can¡¯t speak to the Ri¡¯bot or Nalveans ¡­ How am I supposed to get everyone ready?  Is it a test ¡­ Dammit!  No, first get Triana and the others.

    Gloria soon caught the faint echoes of Edmon and Virgil¡¯s voices behind her, drawing her backward glance that almost resulted in another stumble and fall.  Hopping a little to slow down and take the branching corner, she muttered a curse.

    Who can help me with the Ri¡¯bot ¡­ Who can ¡­ Gwen!  Gwen can talk to them, but she¡¯s always so busy.  It is the morning, though, and my only other option is playing charades with them.  Please, please, please help!

    The palace was shockingly big¡ªin hallways, rooms, and general size; she felt like a little girl in a castle.  At first, it was frightening, and the terror the Ri¡¯bot caused was a knife in her heart, twisting and ripping, but the Empress changed all of that.

    Granted, the Undead weren¡¯t any better for her mental health at the start, yet as the weeks went on, they became a sense of comfort.  The Empress provided the order she desperately needed, and Virgil gave her the comfort that stabilizes her¡ªnow, though, everything was changing.

    Elinor granted her not only the physique she¡¯d always dreamed of but the power to fight back against this cruel world they¡¯d been forced into against their will.

    As an added bonus, she had Virgil¡¯s</a> very muscular and warm body to snuggle up to at night; it seemed perfectly acceptable, given Edmon¡¯s reaction, embarrassing as it may have been, which only served to strengthen her resolve.

    Plus, she knew exactly who Virgil was¡ªit was the primary reason she¡¯d opened up to him in her moments of weakness¡ªand his transformation was more than adequate for her standards as an added bonus; she only hoped he was satisfied with her.

    A small smile played at the corner of her lips as she recalled the scene she¡¯d awoken to, feeling her breasts against his hard, hot abs and side¡ªseeing the product of her touch against his skin.

    Her lips soon pulled together as the unfortunately timed tingles radiated through her abdomen and thighs.  Mind out of the gutter, Gloria!  Chill!  Chill!

    Taking deep, calming breaths while fanning her burning face, she directed an awkward smile at a few passing-by women with their sleepy children, just getting up for the day.  It brought more unwelcome thoughts.

    How will my children look after this ¡­ Can I have children?  We aren¡¯t really dead, but ¡­ Can Tiffany have kids?

    ¡°Mmhgm ¡­ More useless thoughts,¡± she grumbled, slowing outside of the cracked door that led to one of the rooms they¡¯d converted into a sleeping space.  ¡°Focus ¡­ Focus.¡±

    Going inside, she squinted, adjusting to the dim atmosphere; the human half of their group was sleeping in the same area to grow more accustomed to each other¡ªshe and Virgil had snuck away the last few days, but their relationship wasn¡¯t that big of a secret between the members.

    Gloria first caught sight of Triana</a>, resting on her back on a rather large cot without a blanket; she was dressed in her bra and underwear to remain cool in the hot jungle environment; Lucky promised that temperature regulation in the city would be coming within the next two weeks, but it wasn¡¯t high on the Empress¡¯s priority list.

    The girl used to have short black hair and be about as tall as Gloria; they¡¯d seen each other around town¡ªit was a small place¡ªbut she didn¡¯t expect her to take on this kind of figure in her wildest dreams.

    Gloria thought the nineteen-year-old girl to be more of a quiet and subdued type, and that couldn¡¯t have been further from the truth now.

    Triana¡¯s hair thickened along with her muscles, and her raven locks dyed a flaming orange; she was even taller than Virgil now and had no issues showing her skin, unlike Gloria.  In fact, she¡¯d gotten Violet to craft her webbing through some of the animal furs of the creatures brought back from the slaughter to create a custom outfit.

    She looked more like an Irish barbarian princess than a Latino due to her new height and sharpened features.  Sharp green eyes, pelt-like bra top, shoulder pads housing bone teeth, arm guards, boots, and bottoms that showed off far more of her muscular thighs than Gloria was comfortable with.

    Triana was very beautiful, in a wild fashion that highlighted her serious and intimidating gaze.  Among the items brought back from their world, Triana managed to snatch a hand ax, belts to incorporate into her clothing, and oddly enough, a belly ring.  However, her most prized possession was from Ectria¡ªtheir Ri¡¯bot combat instructor¡ªwho gifted her a massive battle-ax.

    Gloria had no doubt the woman had more than a passing fascination with some kind of online roleplaying group in the States; in the last few years, they¡¯d gained access to somewhat shoddy internet access that was brought in by a failing tourist business hoping to provide the service for people passing through.

    It may not have worked for the tourist bit, but more than a few town residents paid them for the satellite services; Triana and Virgil were among the repeat customers, which had them competing for bandwidth at times.

    Creeping around the cots, Gloria glanced between her fellow Argent Dawn members; they were an odd bunch, and each of them had their own little quirks, but they¡¯d all passed Tiffany¡¯s fidelity test.  Elinor might as well be a goddess in her mind, but she was afraid she might have the least faith in the group.

    Of course, Tadeo¡¯s black hood was pulled over his head, back facing them to hide his face; the boy didn¡¯t appear to have the best confidence in his looks because he always wore a mask.

    Closing the distance with the barbarian woman, she swallowed the saliva in her mouth and whispered, ¡°Psst ¡­ Hey, we need to get ready.¡±

    Triana¡¯s rising and falling chest fluttered as she awoke, her green irises snapping open to quickly focus on her environment; the girl¡¯s voice had deepened from her transformation, becoming more commanding and reflecting an Irish accent.  ¡°Ah, Gloria ¡­ Is something the matter ¡­ Leaving?¡±

    A few low groans rolled around the three other men as they stretched and rolled to the side of their makeshift beds.

    Sosimo</a> yawned, stretching his arms across his chest and rolling around his neck.  ¡°Early training today, huh ¡­ Do we get breakfast?¡±

    The twenty-two-year-old young man had filled out significantly over the last few days, black hair turning a sandy blonde with his eyes becoming sea green.  He was a bright fellow that seemed to enjoy more ranged combat, but his skills with a Ri¡¯bot sling wasn¡¯t doing well¡ªhis aim with a blowpipe was on point, though.

    He slept in his boxers with a sheet half-covering his midsection.  Gloria¡¯s eyes lingered on his tight, muscular chest and biceps; Virgil was more filled out, but there was an appeal to how Sosimo¡¯s physique was shaped.

    Roberto</a> scratched his neck, popping his back while getting up and shoving his gut forward.  ¡°Ugh¡ªyou think Antonietta¡¯s making that awesome sausage she whipped up two days ago?  I saw some more meat coming in yesterday,¡± he stated, pulling his hood over his head.

    Triana twisted left and right on her cot, bones giving sharp cracks from the growth they¡¯d likely experienced through the night.  ¡°That¡¯d be nice ¡­ You think we¡¯ll get the chance to try hunting ourselves soon?¡±

    ¡°Hope so!¡±  Sosimo responded with a grin.  ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to getting out and doing some real stuff.¡±

    Gloria sighed, glancing between the three; Sosimo and Triana were cut from the same outdoors-type cloth while Roberto marched to his own drum.

    The eighteen-year-old boy¡¯s messy black hair, dark brown, almost black eyes, and fair features hadn¡¯t changed all that much to Gloria¡¯s surprise, and he still only stood close to his previous height at about 5¡¯10¡± tall.

    Roberto¡¯s quirk was his bulky white sweatshirt that Violet mirrored from his previous garments.  He wore tight cream jeans and white boots made out of the spider creature¡¯s silk, which would survive this world¡¯s harsh environment.

    He never tamed his hair and didn¡¯t seem to be that energetic, yet always followed instructions.  The boy¡¯s combat skills were laughable at best, which Tiffany commented that he was probably suited to a different skill set then.

    She didn¡¯t know why he wasn¡¯t freaking out about the diagnosis because she was going crazy, not knowing exactly how her powers would manifest.

    Tadeo</a> was the last human member of the fifteen-man roster of the Argent Dawn and the shyest.  Gloria found the seventeen-year-old boy¡¯s mannerisms reasonably cute.  He didn¡¯t talk much, keeping his face covered out of embarrassment, but she was sure he wasn¡¯t that bad to look at, given what she could see.

    His black hair had dyed white, covering much of his forehead and framing his light yellow eyes, previously brown.  He wore a fitted black shirt, pants, and shoes; overall, he was the one Gloria knew the least about.

    Tadeo leaned against his knees, vision moving between them, gauging the situation.

    Clearing her throat, Gloria glanced back, making sure they hadn¡¯t woken any of the other room¡¯s occupants and motioned for them to follow her into the hallway.

    Triana snatched her two weapons, arm guards, shoulder pads, and boots from the ground.

    Sosimo gathered his own strange items¡ªfor some reason, he wanted a heart-guard, which just comprised a metal shield over his chest.  He had a place for his blowpipe on his belt and a shoulder strap that carried a sheathed Ri¡¯bot curved blade.

    Violet crafted the young man¡¯s brown pants with side pockets, and his fitted dark green shirt had stretched to his expanding muscles to show off their shape.  She felt a little lucky to have so many handsome men to ogle from time to time¡ªof course, she¡¯d only look¡ªno need to touch when she had Virgil.

    Making their way outside, she gave them a bright smile.  ¡°So, we¡¯ve got our first mission from the Empress!¡±

    ¡°Ye-heh-ahh!¡±  Sosimo cheered, lifting up his hand for Triana to high-five.  ¡°What¡¯s the gig¡ªjust us?¡±

    ¡°Doubt it,¡± Roberto yawned.  ¡°We¡¯ve been doing too many group exercises to split up now¡ªbit surprised, though, seeing as only Virgil¡¯s got some powers so far.¡±

    Triana grinned, left brow raising while staring down at Gloria, shifting her equipment in her hands.  ¡°Who knows, maybe Gloria found some secret superpower from last night¡¯s exercises!¡±

    ¡°Ooh, do tell!¡±  Sosimo snickered.  ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to beat Virgil yet; did ya wear him out?¡±

    Roberto held his hands behind his back, lifted eyebrows scanning the near-empty hallway; only a few men were groggily stumbling toward the showers.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ I don¡¯t see our esteemed leader here¡ªman, what did you do to him, Gloria?¡±  he asked, pulling the strings on his hoodie to tighten it around his face.

    ¡°Nice!¡±  Triana laughed.

    Tadeo¡¯s confused yellow eyes shifted between them, arms folded across his chest, and clearly not following the conversation.  He¡¯s such an innocent boy!

    Gloria released a hot puff of air, vision sliding between the three troublemakers; they were such children.  ¡°He¡¯s meeting with High Lord Edmon right now, getting the details, and no, we¡¯re going as a full unit.¡±

    Virgil and she were the oldest in their group¡ªwith the possible exception of Elluinara¡ªRi¡¯bot were notably younger than most humans, seeing as they grow into adults much quicker.

    She was thirty years old while Virgil was thirty-one and only five months older than her; of course, who knew how they were going to keep track of their age in this new world with thirty-hour days.

    Walking toward the main gathering area in hopes of finding Gwen there, Gloria allowed the four to jog after her.  ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you want to know the details of our mission ¡­ away from the valley,¡± she added, giving a sideward smirk at the group.

    Excitement brimmed in their faces, drawing them away from her private time with Virgil.

    ¡°Outside of the valley?¡±  Triana cheered.  ¡°Yes!  That¡¯s so ¡­ Wait, are we going to the south?  The Empress has been doing treaty work there, hasn¡¯t she?¡±

    Roberto nodded, playing with his hoodie string.  ¡°Yeah, remember the conference?  She¡¯s doing some trade stuff, but I heard there¡¯s an army of Ri¡¯bot gathering to our southeast, too.  Are we going to do something with that?¡±

    ¡°Oh-ho-ho!¡±  Sosimo nudged Triana.  ¡°Combat, right off the bat?  Do you think that¡¯s it¡ªI mean, probably not, but could you imagine it?¡±

    A low growl rumbled in Tadeo¡¯s throat.  ¡°Us being torn to pieces?  Yeah, I got the picture.¡±

    Triana clicked her tongue.  ¡°Aww, c¡¯mon, Tadeo, have some faith in us!¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Gloria rolled her eyes.  ¡°I can beat you in swordplay, Sosimo¡ªthe Ri¡¯bot children give us a run for our money, and you want to go up against adult warriors¡ªRi¡¯bot like Ectria?¡±

    Triana, Sosimo, and Roberto grimaced at the mention of their mentor.

    ¡°Yo, Ectria¡¯s a demon,¡± Roberto mumbled.

    Triana nodded, adjusting her equipment in her arms.  ¡°Right?  She¡¯s a monster.  Remember yesterday?¡±

    ¡°How could I forget,¡± Sosimo muttered, rubbing his wrist.  ¡°Thirteen on one, and she rolled us.¡±

    Roberto grunted.  ¡°Sure, but I bet if we had Elluinara on our team, we would have won, but she just watched.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Tadeo replied.  ¡°You and I are basically worthless right now¡ªwe can¡¯t even swing a sword more than a few minutes without getting tired.¡±

    ¡°Eh ¡­ sure,¡± Roberto mumbled.  ¡°Just wait until our powers kick in, though¡ªwe¡¯ll show her what we¡¯ve got then.¡±

    Letting them vent the frustration she shared, Gloria waited for an opening; she had to take the long walk down the spiral staircase to the ground floor and climb to the second level of the west wing to reach their other members.

    She yawned when the four fell into silence; wiping at her eyes, she said, ¡°We¡¯re going to the south¡ªto a Nalvean City-State to train with their soldiers and help them out.  It¡¯s basically for good PR.¡±

    ¡°PR?¡±  Triana and Tadeo asked.

    Roberto waved his hand.  ¡°Public relations ¡­ Huh, so ¡­ we¡¯re going to train with Nalveans, too ¡­ Aren¡¯t they supposed to be even stronger than the Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    ¡°A lot stronger,¡± Triana replied, sounding excited.  ¡°Virgil told me that Elluinara said they had a huge Empire and military¡ªeven a navy!¡±

    Tadeo¡¯s yellow eyes widened.  ¡°Navy ¡­ Are we going to use boats?¡±

    Gloria shrugged.  ¡°No clue.  I was just told to get everyone together in the Main Hall; we need to pack for a long journey¡ªwe¡¯ll be gone a while, so get that big monster toad thing to help bring our supplies and stuff.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Sosimo asked, picking between his teeth and glancing up at Triana.  ¡°How long are we gonna be gone?¡±

    ¡°Again, not a clue.  Virgil will let us know after we get everything in the hall¡ªoh, and we can take a shower, he said¡ªno rush.¡±

    ¡°Sweet,¡± Roberto nodded, stretching out his hood and putting his hands in the front, connected pocket.  ¡°We doin¡¯ that after or before we get our stuff?¡±

    Gloria turned the corner with the others following when they reached the central hallway, leading back to the palace.  ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter.  If you want to quickly get your tents and everything first and shower, then that¡¯s fine¡ªjust make sure you don¡¯t take too long.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, you sure it won¡¯t take long?¡±  Triana mused, looking her up and down to note her dusty cheeks and dirty hair.

    ¡°Really?¡±  Gloria sighed, looking up at her as the giant barbarian girl casually walked beside her; Triana¡¯s long legs easily outpaced them had she not restrained herself.

    She snickered, looking away.  ¡°Just pointing out the obvious¡ªuh, heh, I¡¯ll get all my stuff packed before hitting the showers.  Meet you there?¡±

    Gloria¡¯s light brown eyes lifted to the arched ceiling while shaking her head, knowing the girl just wanted to hear details¡ªtypical nine-teen-year-old.  ¡°Uh ¡­ Yeah, sure¡­¡±  Although it did give her a sense of pride, knowing she did excite Virgil and bragging about it certainly couldn¡¯t hurt.

    Roberto was already splitting off with Sosimo, ignoring them while making their own plans.

    ¡°Yo, bro, what do you wanna do?¡±  Roberto asked.

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Sosimo¡¯s gaze drifted to Tadeo, ¡°I¡¯m thinkin¡¯ we shower first.  You in?¡±

    Tadeo shrugged, and the three instantly changed directions, moving to a room closing in on their right.

    Roberto waved at them.  ¡°Hey, nothin¡¯ else to talk about, right?¡±

    Gloria shook her head, gut tightening as the hard part drew closer.  ¡°Nope.  I¡¯ll meet you in a bit.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Sosimo replied.  A thoughtful look moved his eyes, shifting topics in an instant.  ¡°What powers do you think you¡¯ll get, Tadeo?¡±

    ¡°How should I know,¡± he mumbled, scratching his covered neck and shifting around his mask, ¡°maybe something to help protect everyone.¡±

    ¡°Sounds sweet,¡± Roberto laughed, ¡°because you and I need it, my man¡ªgah, I think if we just had one more person, we could totally beat Ectria!¡±

    A soft chuckle shook Tadeo¡¯s frame.  ¡°That or us being even a little useful.¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon, bro, don¡¯t get down on yourself like that,¡± Sosimo grunted, jabbing his arm as they disappeared into one of the bathing areas.

    Gloria suddenly realized the boys likely knew what Tadeo looked like under the fabric, considering they washed together, and a spark of curiosity momentarily pulled her thoughts away from the long descent and climb to the Ri¡¯bot area.

    It wasn¡¯t until Triana nudged her with a teasing upward twist to her lips that Gloria¡¯s mind returned.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ You can¡¯t be thinking about the boys stripping, hmm?  I bet they¡¯re doing the same with us,¡± she whispered, leaning down as a few fifteen-year-old girls trudged out of a nearby room, dark bags under their eyes.

    A stream of air puffed out of Gloria¡¯s nose.  ¡°Mhm, and imagining you crushing them between your bare, muscular legs?¡±

    Triana pulled in her still smiling lips.  ¡°You know¡ªI knew a few boys that fantasize about that.¡±

    Gloria snorted, eyeing the girl¡¯s tall, well-built frame.  ¡°Internet friends, I assume¡ªdoing those ¡­ what were they called, memes, I think ¡­ Is that why you want to look like that?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±  Triana shifted her hips and carried items around to examine her figure.  ¡°I¡¯m totally super killing it, woman¡ªI don¡¯t know what you¡¯re on, but these muscles are as hot as it gets, and have you seen my ass?  I could crush a tank!¡±  she laughed.

    ¡°If that¡¯s your thing¡­¡±  Gloria returned, utterly losing the girl¡¯s train of thought.  ¡°I just think it¡¯s crazy how serious and scary you can look and then be¡ªthis,¡± she said, pointing to her teasing and light-hearted expression.

    ¡°It¡¯s called atmosphere!  Although¡­¡±  Triana moaned, working around her shoulders and neck.  ¡°I¡¯m still so sore ¡­ You have no clue how hard it is for me to just walk¡ªI¡¯m focusing so hard right now, and I didn¡¯t think these big boobs would feel so strange¡ªat least you kept the same cup-size¡ªhow did you live with them being so big?¡±

    A rumble shook Gloria¡¯s throat, vision flicking to her animal-skin bra; the giant girl¡¯s breasts were basically at her eye-level with how tall she was.  ¡°It sucked¡ªbut I feel a lot better now; you¡¯ll get used to them, I¡¯m sure ¡­ Regretting how you changed?¡±

    ¡°You kidding me?¡±  Triana laughed, shifting her big ax to gain a better grip.  ¡°Not even a little!  I¡¯m the character I always roleplayed as!  I¡¯m totally going to get super awesome barbarian abilities; I know it¡ªoh, you should help me come up with some cool war paint designs¡ªoh, and some bone necklaces would be so cool!¡±

    ¡°I already did your hair,¡± Gloria mused, ¡°and now you¡¯re dragging me into arts and crafts?  Gah ¡­ And at least you know what you want to be.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be fun!  Wait, uh ¡­ you don¡¯t know?¡±

    Gloria shook her head.  ¡°Not the faintest idea ¡­ I just want to help Virgil.¡±

    ¡°Mmh?  Heh, what kind of help?¡±

    ¡°And I thought my mind got stuck in the gutter,¡± she grumbled, catching sight of the majestic Seraph as they entered the gathering area that overlooked the Grand Hall; Gwen was setting up a table with water and the first batch of the strange oatmeal that recently came up from the kitchens.  ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Triana followed her gaze to the woman.  ¡°Oh¡ªtalking to the Ri¡¯bot, yeah, that could be a problem¡ªgood thing Gwen¡¯s up.  Eh, heh, and so the ever so pious Gloria also has a dirty mind, huh?  Mind sharing your wise, mature¡ªahem, licentious thoughts¡ª with the younger generation; I¡¯m so curious about last night!¡±

    ¡°Get out of here,¡± Gloria grumbled, trying to push the solid chunk of muscle next to her off without much effect until she decided to move¡ªwhich subsequently caused her to misjudge her balance and sent her sprawling across the ground with a squeal that didn¡¯t match her masculine frame.

    The clatter of her ax spinning across the granite drew several eyes, and for the first time, Gloria saw the girl¡¯s face flash crimson with everyone watching her; obviously, she put a lot of effort into trying to look cool.  ¡°Aww, no ¡­ Why here?¡±

    ¡°My bad,¡± Gloria sighed, bending down to help her up and gather her items.  ¡°You know, I stumbled and had to do a roll to get back up on the way to get you guys.¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Triana brushed her red locks out of her similarly colored face, trying to regain her confidence by redirecting the conversation in a pretty typical direction was something Gloria had come to expect.  ¡°Is it because you can¡¯t walk straight after last night''s ¡­ activities?  Heh, I did notice you weaving back and forth in the hallway¡­¡±

    Gloria decided to play into it this time.  ¡°Oh, definitely,¡± she whispered, ¡°you have no idea; Virgil¡¯s a total beast¡ªI think I blacked out once or twice¡ªmaybe more.¡±

    The girl¡¯s flaming orange eyebrows rose in disbelief.  ¡°No way ¡­ For real?  Did it hurt?¡±

    It suddenly dawned on Gloria.  No way ¡­ It totally makes sense now; she¡¯s a virgin.

    ¡°Mmh, I¡¯d think you¡¯d know.  Am I right?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah!  No, totally!¡±  Triana mumbled, gathering up her items quickly before stumbling a few feet away.  ¡°So ¡­ umm, yeah, I¡¯m gonna go get everything ready!¡±

    ¡°Mhm.  See you in a bit,¡± Gloria waved off, laughter in her voice.

    She shifted her weight to the side, catching Gwen¡¯s eye; taking a deep breath, she closed the distance, which took longer than she thought considering the breadth of the area.

    ¡°Gwen, hey!¡±

    The redhead smiled, setting down the full bowl of oatmeal she¡¯d just poured.  ¡°Hello, Gloria.  Getting ready for the day¡¯s training?¡±

    ¡°No, umm, actually, I was wondering if you could¡ªyou know, help me with translating real quick?¡±  She turned to see Sari¡¯a¨¦l playing jump rope with the children; it warmed her heart and chased away her crude thoughts.  ¡°The Empress is sending us on our first mission, and High Lord Edmon is currently with Virgil.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, yeah, I saw them moving to the lower floors a moment ago,¡± Gwen replied, continuing to help the other women prepare breakfast from the barrel from the kitchens.  ¡°Umm, yeah, I can help¡ªin fact, why don¡¯t you go get ready yourself.  It looked like Triana could use your help.¡±

    Gwen forced a laugh.  ¡°I¡¯m fairly sure she¡¯s beating herself up right now after that fall¡ªat least from what I¡¯ve come to know of the girl.¡±

    Gloria was always impressed by how much time and energy Gwen showed; she knew everyone by name and at least a little about them personally.

    ¡°I would, but the High Lord asked me to do it personally,¡± she insisted, but the bright smile Gwen gave her threw Gloria off.

    ¡°Wonderful; actually, High Lord Edmon wanted to see if you had the mental fortitude to seek help or if you¡¯d try and do it on your own; you chose the more efficient way, which is something he wanted to see.¡±

    Gloria¡¯s mind blanked for a moment.  ¡°It ¡­ was a test?¡±

    ¡°Which you passed,¡± Gwen replied, taking her apron off and handing it to another woman that happily took her place.  ¡°Lucky is currently in that area, and I need to discuss a few things regarding the planting effort in the Greenhouse District.  Please, relax a little before your journey¡ªwe¡¯ll be preparing the send-off.¡±

    Slowly nodding, Gloria rubbed her left elbow before hesitantly walking away.  ¡°Thanks, Gwen ¡­ I¡¯ll talk to you later.¡±

    ¡°Be safe!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we will.¡±

    Gloria trailed after Triana, mind spinning.  High Lord Edmon predicted I haven¡¯t tapped into the Empress¡¯s translation ability and wanted to know how I¡¯d react to an order I wasn¡¯t well equipped to handle.  He set all of it up.  By what Gwen said, it¡¯s further proof that I¡¯m well suited for the Argent Dawn ¡­ I need to have more faith in the Empress.

    Puffing out a hot stream of air, Gloria licked her lips and cleared her throat.  She¡¯s the only light we have in this nasty world¡ªthrough her power, I have power¡ªI am the sword of this, my new Empire ¡­ I''m the protector of these people ¡­ And it¡¯s only because the Empress trusts in me.

    Her focus moved between the children playing jump rope; the angel was having a surprising amount of trouble with the game, which could have been because the children were making it pretty much impossible, but the celestial woman only seemed to be enjoying herself.

    I¡¯m here to support these people¡ªthe Argent Dawn¡ªI¡¯m Empress Elinor¡¯s protector ¡­ I want to be like Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s what I want.

    Peace filled Gloria¡¯s mind as she set her heart; she wanted to be a protecting light that helped those around her and shone through the darkness, just like Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    Soon catching up to the barbarian girl, Gloria made small talk while gathering the large alligator-toad creature the Ri¡¯bot called Torlim; it would be their packhorse on the journey, carrying their tents, single change of identical clothes, food, and survival equipment Edmon had put together himself days earlier.

    Guiding the creature to the Grand Hallway, they left it in the care of Ectria; Elluinara, Ina¡¯ko, Gomal, Koma, and Utila were all with the Xaria.  It was a little embarrassing how swiftly the creatures could be prepared compared to them, but Gloria had to put it behind her¡ªshe still couldn¡¯t understand them.

    Heading upstairs with Triana to shower, Gloria removed her outfit, eyeing the barbarian girl; they weren¡¯t the only women freshening up for the day.  Making it into the downpour, they started to wash themselves of the dirt and grime.

    Getting a bit curious about her companion¡¯s internal desires, Gloria cleared her throat, using one of the public combs taken by the Ri¡¯bot when looting their town.  ¡°Triana, why do you want to show so much skin ¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be better to wear the super-strong clothes Violet made for us?  You¡¯re just going to run into battle and get stabbed in the gut¡ªI mean, Sosimo was so worried he had a heart plate, or whatever that thing is,¡± she laughed.

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Triana reached down to pick up the bar of homemade soap they were using, lathering it up before spreading it across her chest, shoulders, and sides, ¡°Roberto asked me that¡ªmy thoughts are, why need armor if I have faith in the Empress to give me the strength that¡¯s even stronger than armor¡ªlike Steel Skin.  Camellia mentioned it to me.¡±

    The red-haired spider woman¡¯s human transformation flashed into focus; when she¡¯d come back, Camellia¡¯s body had been riddled with cuts and gashes, and there seemed to be a lot of damage done to her figure from whatever horrific battle she¡¯d been in.

    Sosimo, Triana, Roberto, and Tadeo had spent a considerable amount of their free time talking to the colossal spider.  She was earnest and had nothing but praise for the Empress, saying she¡¯d failed her mission and how ashamed she was, but as her companions told it, she was awesome¡ªGloria spent all her free time with Virgil, which she then noticed wasn¡¯t the best idea¡ªthey needed to grow more as a unit.

    ¡°Huh ¡­ I suppose that works, too,¡± Gloria whispered, ¡°but personally, I¡¯d rather trust the Empress to give me an impenetrable set of armor.  I¡¯d just feel better knowing it was there¡ªlike seeing her actively protecting me from harm¡ªI don¡¯t know, something visual.¡±

    ¡°Mh-yeah, I can see that,¡± Triana returned, moving to her long flaming hair and using the conditioner as a face wash.  ¡°So, are you worried about tripping in the jungle?  I am,¡± she grumbled.  ¡°It¡¯s hard enough on flat ground.¡±

    Gloria hissed.  ¡°I ¡­ didn¡¯t think about that¡ªyeah, that¡¯s going to suck.¡±

    ¡°Good training, though ¡­ I guess.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take them long to clean themselves; Gloria felt so much better after ridding herself of the sweat.  Dressing in their clean outfits to start their journey, they made their way to the Grand Hall, Triana holding her great-ax over her left shoulder.

    The redhead¡¯s lips parted in disbelief as they saw the crowd that gathered to see them off.  ¡°Wow ¡­ Wait, is that the Empress?¡±

    Gloria¡¯s gaze fixated on their white-haired goddess, sitting on a throne that was situated on the back of a large Undead spider.  A massive, beautiful eagle-like</a> bird stood next to her, scanning the scene in an imperial manner.

    Swallowing the lump in her throat, Gloria mechanically descended from the first level of the east wing to meet with her companions; Triana and she were the last to arrive.

    They fell into place before their goddess, bowing their heads and taking to one knee; not a sound could be heard in the Great Hall other than soft fidgeting, and crying children were swiftly escorted further into the two wings.

    The Empress¡¯s voice was calming, yet held an authority that rippled through her bones like an earthquake.  ¡°Your first big journey.  The Argent Dawn will sow goodwill and support across the Nalvean Empire¡ªcurrently our closest ally.  You represent me and this Empire, and I know you will display the dignity that is expected of that status.¡±

    ¡°We will not fail you, Empress!  Thank you for this opportunity to show how generous you can be to those that seek peace with the Empire.¡±  Virgil responded.

    ¡°Our Empire,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°I may be the head, but it is by the body as a whole that will be judged.  Use this chance to learn from the Nalvean culture and their combat tactics; these are races that have seen brutal war through many generations and live far longer than humans.¡±

    ¡°We cannot wait to start!¡±

    Gloria stiffened, eyes going out of focus when her Empress¡¯s glowing emerald irises shifted to her.  ¡°Before you go, I understand your name is Gloria?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­¡±  she coughed, face heating as panic erupted through her veins; everyone was looking right at her.  ¡°Y-Yes, Empress,¡± she choked, shakily lifting her gaze to see the Death Goddess¡¯s soft face.

    ¡°Interesting ¡­ You share the same name as a fairy-like creature I was introduced to when meeting with Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s father.  She was the most lovely woman I¡¯ve ever seen¡ªno she really was the definitive Goddess of Fairies, I¡¯m sure¡ªradiating such emotion that only that name could be appropriate ¡­ I see you take after her.¡±

    Did ¡­ Did the Empress ¡­ our goddess just call me beautiful?  No way ¡­ I share the same name as a fairy goddess?

    Confidence soon replaced her terror, filling her to the brim with gratitude as a tear slid down her cheek; Gloria knew exactly what to say to her.  ¡°Thank you, Empress ¡­ I will do my best to live up to that compliment¡ªeven if I don¡¯t deserve it.  I will serve the Empire to my dying breath!¡±

    She lifted her hand as incandescent golden rays illuminated the space, strength mixing into every fiber of her being; tears slid down her cheeks with the rapture that filled her blood.  It was warm life in her lungs that wouldn¡¯t die, erasing every ounce of shame within her breast¡ªmercy showering her with grace as Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s glory laid out an unseen path before her.

    Gloria¡¯s flesh and bone were renewed in light, a long sword</a> shimmering into being, her left hand closed around the welcoming hilt, and a kite shield enclosed her right with a full set of plate mail¡ªshe was a paladin.

    Gasps echoed around the Great Hall as she unlocked her powers, but the only thing reflected in Gloria¡¯s eyes was the pleased smile of her Empress and goddess; only one phrase was on her tongue.  ¡°I live to serve the Empire, Empress¡ªits people¡ªto serve you, my goddess.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated down from above, somehow deeping the sense of comfort that radiated through Gloria¡¯s core.  ¡°Go with our blessing, Gloria, and be a healing hand to those in need.  The Empress and I are with you.¡±

    Everything else was a blur in Gloria¡¯s mind as the crowd cheered, prayers were heard, and they exited the hall.  Elluinara was in the lead, Virgil beside her on his white horse, and she noticed a new sword by his side¡ªa samurai¡¯s blade by design.

    We¡¯re really more than human ¡­ With the Empress, we can protect people ¡­ heal them.  I can be there for people trapped in despair and darkness.  Thank you, Empress ¡­ Thank you.

 B3 â€” 5. Family Bonds

    Azalea wasn¡¯t too interested in the new Argent Dawn people since she had a mission of her own to prepare for; when the Empress gave her leave to get the party ready to depart, she pounced on the chance.

    Her glowing pink irises</a> scanned the very organized facility Moris¡¯Luar, and his four fellows brought her to; they had names, but she just called them Ape One, Two, Three, and Four¡ªMoris¡¯Luar seemed to be the most outspoken one, in any case.

    Giliri and Fini, the two youthful Nalvean Seaweavers added to her team, seemed nervous and excited about their mission. As some humans mentioned, the two were only three days old in their unlife yet were taking the change in stride.

    Being their senior, Azalea could hear their private conversation through the Nexus; it was back on Imiunarus, the Nalvean that gave his life for Camella¡¯s mission and to whom the girls owed their resurrection.

    Azalea didn¡¯t quite understand the significance Imiunarus placed on them, but that was neither here nor there; she wasn¡¯t meant to know everything.

    Nalveans and Quen¡¯Talrat didn¡¯t really hold her attention, yet there was one thing causing her human skin to itch¡ªforcing Azalea to do something strange¡ªshe brushed back her gradient deep and light blue locks to scratch her neck and shiver as tingles cascaded down her slim frame.

    Ramuk, the Quen¡¯Talrat Wall Crusher Elite Warrior, was making his way toward them through the city after obtaining his orders.

    Azalea¡¯s mind could passively process all of the information, but much of her thoughts were centered on her elder sister¡¯s soundless emotions; it seemed her family shared a soft connection through the Nexus they didn¡¯t have when alive, which was growing by the week. All of the various new experiences mixed together with her perception, causing Azalea to find herself adapting in unexpected ways.

    Turning away from Moris¡¯Luar as he spoke to the others, she moved between the very well organized facility which had remained sealed through the past century; she reduced the priority on identifying their apprehension, awe, and excitement at being in a place they were barred before to center on her changes.

    I¡¯m acclimating to the Empire and its needs, as I should, yet ¡­ it¡¯s so drastic. Were we really not that well suited for the Empress when alive? How would my new youngest sister feel or readjust herself without the Nexus if that¡¯s the case?

    Azalea puffed out a soft breath, jumping up for a lock of her hair to extend to the ceiling and pull her up. Bare feet sticking to the beam high above the Quen¡¯Talrat and Nalveans, she scanned the warehouse for various objects they¡¯d need to perform their duties or other things that satisfied her pure curiosity; as her mind drifted, her vision narrowed.

    What does it mean to be a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra? Our purpose was never a question; it was an instinct, but Camellia has had those thoughts as she followed the Empress¡¯s order and punishment to spend time among the humans.

    Her fingers found her human elbow behind her back, tightening around the bone; the chemicals in the old facility were vast and thick with Quen¡¯Talrat. New ideas and concepts fed through their connection that unsettled her stomach.

    Observing the Nalveans looking up at her, whispering internally to one another about how cool her abilities were, Azalea¡¯s gaze shifted to the Quen¡¯Talrat. A lot had been transmitted</a> and pressed in on her well-guarded mind over the last three days since Camellia¡¯s return¡ªshame, guilt, self-doubt, undeserved hope, fear, building confidence¡ªall unexplored territory.

    Drones have their purpose: to work and die for the Brood ¡­ Ultimately, even Mother and my sisters are no different. Mother births daughters, which will follow her example, and it all is to improvise in our new environment, adapt and overcome all challenges, yet that has changed since entering the Empire.

    Her muscles tightened a little while returning to the Nalvean girls. As Camellia learned, these are not Drones ¡­ Unintelligent Undead are Drones, and these soldiers that are given to me are to be used in another manner ¡­ Their loss is a pain to the Empress, and we are to avoid that to the utmost capacity ¡­ No, our competency is contingent upon that result.

    Azalea¡¯s thick, silky locks slowly wrapped around her neck while she hung upside down¡ªit felt good to be in this familiar position that she needed right now.

    I cannot lose anyone that has been placed under me ¡­ Doing so is to disregard the lesson Camellia taught us. How does it make sense to be excited and afraid to go forward? Did I fear anything when I was alive? Only the death of our mother, but even that was more Violet¡¯s projection.

    Ever since returning to life, Azalea was beginning to realize just how different each member of her family was from her. She glanced up at her tight blue, shoulderless top and shorts; Violet needed to look a new way as often as possible, and all the human artistic traits she was able to tap into were so monumental to her.

    Camellia¡¯s time among the humans had sparked a new perspective on how she could get stronger and move beyond her former limitations and mistakes.

    Azalea¡¯s soft pink lips pulled in, observing the Nalveans and Quen¡¯Talrat shuffling about below; they studied various items that meant nothing to her.

    What do I have ¡­ What do I want?

    She enjoyed her human form, but it was the new challenge it presented; her human form was something she could master. New sensations filled her breast and twisted her stomach¡ªfeelings she¡¯d never experienced before.

    Giliri and Fini want to be useful to the Empress to honor Imiunarus¡¯s sacrifice. Moris¡¯Luar and the slave Quen¡¯Talrat wish to redeem themselves and try to be even half of their heroes were ¡­ remembering their mentors.

    Ramuk¡¯s entrance pulled her attention as he spoke through the Nexus. ¡°General Azalea! Reporting for duty, Ma¡¯am!¡±

    A small, curious smile lifted Azalea¡¯s lips; his energy helped. Well, aren¡¯t you lively? I¡¯m not all that familiar with Quen¡¯Talrat and your technology. It seems to take some time to prepare, though.

    His massive, white-furred frame filled the space as he shoved the doors open more to enter, causing the others to stiffen and look his way.

    Ramuk was among the more muscular and bulky apes Azalea had seen, but that didn¡¯t always mean much considering the heat a Quen¡¯Talrat could produce from their fur was their only real threat to Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    The giant ape¡¯s two heads turned to survey the large warehouse that the others wandered through; projecting his voice through the Nexus, he breathed in sharply. ¡°On the contrary, Ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve seen these slothful types before.¡±

    Moris¡¯Luar¡¯s lips pulled in, fur stiffening as his small tail folded under with his falling eyes. ¡°Elite Hunter Ramuk, we are trying to identify at which stage of the technological leap the inner mountain was constructed under to bring the proper¡­¡±

    A sharp, hot stream of air shot through the ape¡¯s nostrils as he rose to his full height upon getting near the much smaller Quen¡¯Talrat, making him fidget; it amused Azalea and seemed to be a part of their culture.

    ¡°Is there anything to base your thoughts on? Unless there has been more recon done since I was ordered to escort you cowards, then no. Therefore, get your tails into gear before I rip them off your backs; we have an enemy above, below, and surrounding us! Get the minimum supplies, and be quick about it!¡±

    Azalea could see the vitriol in the man¡¯s face as his two tails smacked the rough, black granite ground, causing the two Nalvean women to jump from the reverberations that carried up to their legs and spines.

    Her pink irises slid to the five specialists. I¡¯ll leave it in your hands, Ramuk. I don¡¯t know much about these Quen¡¯Talrat things. How soon do you think we¡¯ll be ready?

    Ramuk cleared his throats, turning to slam his two left arms against his bulging chest. ¡°Eight minutes at the most, Ma¡¯am! On our way back, we may stop at a Gray Blood armory for me to obtain my proper gear; Commander Amra¡¯Cora gave me the access rune.¡±

    See to it, Azalea said, smoothly flipping to the ground and making her way to the wide-open doors the giant ape had entered through. I¡¯ll be with my thoughts outside.

    ¡°Yes, Ma¡¯am! Let¡¯s go, ya Yaltha¡¯ma sniffin¡¯ dirt chewers!¡±

    Azalea shook her head and giggled, catching the two Nalvean girls tentatively rushing after her. Making it outside, she casually walked down the side ramp of the four steps that would take her to the broad sidewalk.

    I want to have fun ¡­ Yet it¡¯s hard after everything Violet said and Camellia experienced.

    She looked up at the soft glow of the illuminating skies; the moisture coming into the valley sent a short shiver down her human spine. Snow ¡­ Empress, it is going to snow soon.

    Her connection to the Empress soon linked; she always felt happy that her new leader always opened up on request. ¡°Is that so ¡­ How bad will it be?¡±

    Mild. I believe it will only last for three hours from the moisture coming from the west.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ It might be a fun activity for some of the humans to experience. Perhaps it could even help to brighten Camellia¡¯s spirits while enjoying it with the children. I¡¯ll have Sari¡¯a¨¦l make preparations with Lucky and Gwen.¡±

    Azalea turned, hand still clasped around her thin elbow to see Giliri and Fini descending the stairs; obviously, they wanted some of her time, yet knew she was in a state some of the maids called ¡®do not disturb¡¯ mode¡ªshe was learning so many odd things as of late.

    Enjoying snow? I don¡¯t follow.

    Elinor chuckled. ¡°When you return, maybe I¡¯ll see if Edmon can make some, and your sister can educate you on it.¡±

    Head tilting with a confused smile lifting the corner of her lip, Azalea giggled. It would certainly be new for Camellia to teach me something. I look forward to the experience.

    ¡°Azalea¡­¡±

    Hmm? Her brow furrowed, shifting posture to look in the direction of her Empress; she knew what was likely going through her mind, though.

    ¡°Be careful. I know you¡¯re struggling in your own way. This could be very dangerous, and above anything else, I want you all to return.¡±

    My primary objective is to return with everyone intact, discover the mysteries in the mountain, and repair it if possible, Azalea returned, listing off the priority of her mission.

    ¡°Yes, but also have as much fun as you can while doing that,¡± Elinor sighed. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been feeling trapped.¡±

    I serve you, Empress. I find enjoyment in that!

    Elinor¡¯s tone turned wry. ¡°You don¡¯t need to downplay it, Azalea. Is this an important task? Yes. However, we need to find joy in every moment we can because the sky can fall upon our heads at any time. You¡¯re smart, skilled, and full of life, but I¡¯ve felt you struggling with a few things as of late.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s nose creased, vision falling from the sky to the stone streets; much like she could look into the desires of those under her care, her Empress could do the same to every creature she brought back.

    Violet told me my reckless actions investigating the Maw could have caused you severe pain. I am questioning what fun I can have that will do more good than harm. My mother is focused on my youngest sister, on whom I have my own uncertainty concerning her place in the Empire, and a few other topics have been weighing on my mind.

    Elinor took a deep breath and let it out. ¡°Azalea, you are not your sisters. Have fun in your own way, adapt in your own way. Camellia and Violet have their needs, and you yours. It is true, you live to help realize my aspirations, but it is not a one-way street. Your mother needed to have answers, and so I sent her on that quest because it was not only her desire but mine as well ¡­ I am on your side, and you are on mine, Azalea. Go, and have fun.¡±

    The unusual weight pressing against her breast she¡¯d been experiencing over the last few days lifted at what she perceived as an order. As you command, Empress!

    However, the next topic dropped her throat into her stomach. ¡°Azalea ¡­ There is something both Violet and you are struggling with ¡­ You¡¯ve been trying to avoid Camellia and keeping contact to a minimum. Are you trying to punish her?¡±

    No, no, Empress ¡­ It¡¯s¡­ Azalea¡¯s lower lip tucked under her teeth. It¡¯s complicated ¡­ I¡¯ve never felt this way about any of my siblings.

    She searched for the proper words for the gashes that had ripped into her twisting hearts and the unfamiliar, festering emotions, but Elinor¡¯s soft voice returned before she could form an answer. ¡°Take your time, Azalea. Sari¡¯a¨¦l brought it to my attention ¡­ She¡¯s concerned about you.¡±

    Her chest had seized, and in one quick motion, she jumped up, using her locks to pull her onto the warehouse roof to sit in solitude; the two Nalveans tensed at the action, heads rising to follow her blurred movements.

    Azalea puffed out a long breath while falling to her back to stare up at the sky as the clouds rolled into the valley and were pulled into the swirl of white around the colossal mountain.

    Heh ¡­ I¡¯ve never hesitated before, Empress ¡­ Is it because of this human form that these emotions fill me? I love my sister ¡­ Why do I feel this way?

    Elinor¡¯s tone held a shared pain as she shared in the experience through the Nexus. ¡°You¡¯re thinking about your new youngest sister?¡±

    The wounds opened again, causing liquid to touch her eyes. I can¡¯t be the only one that¡¯s thought of it, Empress ¡­ I¡¯m sure Camellia has herself ¡­ If it were Mother, Violet ¡­ If I were in Camellia¡¯s place ¡­ Our youngest sister would be here ¡­ Our mother would be happy ¡­ We¡¯d be a happy family.

    Howling wind filled the ensuing silence while Azalea tracked the currents, hearing every twitch the Quen¡¯Talrat made below her. She didn¡¯t want to blame her eldest sister for something entirely outside of her control¡ªCamellia was always the screw-up, but it was her determination that always held Azalea¡¯s respect¡ªthis was different, though.

    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s not my place to tell you what to feel, Azalea ¡­ Yes, even as the Empress. Camellia has hurt herself more than you know for that very thought ¡­ It was breaking her, and I saw it, which was why I sent her to broaden her perspective and learn how it feels to live as a small, weak human and learn how they stand back up, even when their world collapses.¡±

    Elinor paused, likely changing locations to look out of one of the windows at the expanding snowfall. ¡°No one can deny that you are stronger than Camellia, and you would have likely found a way to bring back your sister ¡­ It hurts, I know.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s chest fluttered, letting the pain filter through the walls she built to restrict the unfamiliar suffering that tormented her mind. I ¡­ fear what might happen to my little living sister, Empress, and to know that she would not be in such a position if Camellia was stronger is ¡­ it hurts in ways I can¡¯t express</a>.

    ¡°No one is punishing Camellia more than herself, Azalea ¡­ You¡¯re adapting because of me, and the emotions you can now feel through the Nexus are both a blessing and curse. Camellia is growing in ways that will strengthen her for the future, and we both know your mother will rest at nothing to keep her children safe.¡±

    Azalea used her hair to wipe away her wet cheeks, sitting up to press her arms against her knee while looking up at the palace tower in the distance. Empress ¡­ I want to get stronger. I don¡¯t want to go through what Camellia had to deal with.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Do what you need to do, Azalea. Your family has grown larger than you realize; we¡¯re here to help one another. We will save your youngest sister.¡±

    She brushed back her hair, fingers tickling her scalp. Heh, yeah ¡­ I¡¯ve never seen my mother so focused ¡­ deadly ¡­ I can sense it through her thread. I, too, will get stronger.

    ¡°While having fun?¡±

    You know me so well! Azalea giggled. Heh ¡­ yeah. Thank you, Empress. I will make you proud.

    A soft chuckle passed through their connection as Azalea returned to her feet. ¡°If that¡¯s your goal, then it¡¯s already been accomplished. I trust you, Azalea, and in the end, even if we fall, all we can do is get back up and work harder. We learned a lot through Camellia¡¯s mission. Nothing will be in vain because we¡¯ll take and use everything we can.¡±

    Right ¡­ Thank you, Empress, Azalea whispered, jumping back to the front; the Quen¡¯Talrat were nearly ready to go. We¡¯re almost ready to go.

    ¡°I look forward to your report, and if you ever need to talk, I¡¯m here to listen.¡±

    Their connection cut, and she turned a bright smile to the two nervous Nalvean girls behind her. Need something?

    Giliri¡¯s tail curled in to press against her shin. ¡°General Azalea, ahem, we¡¯re just wondering if¡ªwell, we usually had formations and stuff when we were in the City Watch.¡±

    Fini twisted her fingers to add on to her friend¡¯s words before they froze, realizing she could tap into the more advanced style of their language through the Empress¡¯s Nexus. ¡°Mhm, we just¡ªwe don¡¯t want to look unprofessional, General.¡±

    Azalea laughed, doubling over a little at the earnestness the two had; it seemed so trite and meaningless to her, yet to these two, it was a serious question. No, no, no! Do whatever you feel is right, and you don¡¯t need to call me General or anything of the like. My name is Azalea, which was given to me by Tiffany.

    The two turned to give each other relieved looks, their tight muscles easing.

    ¡°Thank you, Azalea!¡± Giliri replied, saluting her. ¡°We¡¯ll do our best to keep the¡ªumm, the Quen¡¯Talrat safe ¡­ Doesn¡¯t that sound weird?¡± she whispered, glancing to her friend.

    Fini snickered, rubbing her arm. ¡°Super weird! They look so big and strong compared to us.¡±

    Mmh, not so much, Azalea replied, shifting her weight to examine the clouds spinning out of the flowing milky soup obscuring the mountain. Do you know how to have fun in the snow?

    Giliri blinked. ¡°Snow? What¡¯s snow? Do you know, Fini?¡±

    ¡°Mhm-uh. Wait, is it like ice?¡± she asked, scaled nose twitching a bit while glancing at the other Seaweaver.

    ¡°Is it?¡±

    He-he. Azalea shook her head. You¡¯ll learn what it is soon enough.

    Fini¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°I apologize, Azalea. We were born in a rather small Nalvean city; we don¡¯t know a lot outside of our area.¡±

    Apologies ¡­ are still somewhat new to me, she mused, but I see no fault. If there were defects or flaws within the Brood, it would be rooted out and destroyed, yet that seems to indicate something more severe than an apology.

    Giliri and Fini¡¯s eyes darted to each other, clearly confused. Azalea¡¯s focus moved to the door, though. It seems we are ready.

    Excitement bubbled up in her throat as a floating sensation filled her lungs. I can¡¯t wait to see what mysteries await us!

    The six Quen¡¯Talrat exited the building, one of the specialists hauling a floating cart behind him; Azalea assumed such an advanced item wouldn¡¯t be used for such a menial task during the Empire days considering its rarity.

    She made her stance clear regarding her name to the others, but Ramuk insisted that titles were a display of power and fear that he¡¯d prefer to use¡ªit kept the lower ranks in check. Azalea was fine, so long as it was a simple one-word response.

    Picking up their pace, Azalea was more impressed by Ramuk¡¯s whip-like drive than anything else; he kept the specialists moving at a high speed for their Grades, which saw them arriving at one of the Gray Blood¡¯s supply rooms sooner than expected.

    Azalea wasn¡¯t all that group-oriented; sure, she could control Drones, but they were simple and followed instructions to the best of their ability on the first prompt and could understand their race¡¯s complex and swift combat motions¡ªunfortunately, the Empress¡¯s skill didn¡¯t seem to translate it as of yet.

    Making their way inside the front of a large repository hall, she noticed the odd symbols carved above the doors, and much like many of the other important buildings, seals were embedded into the sidewalk leading into the half-circle parking area.

    They left the five specialists outside with the Nalvean girls; Azalea liked to know as much as possible about her new territory, which meant learning everything she could when around various parts of the city.

    Ramuk effortlessly forced the large stone doors open, and to their own ears, it would have been soundless, yet to her, she could hear the moving hinges; Tiffany had commented on the small feats of engineering that so impressed Edmon¡ªit amused Azalea to no end.

    With how the Witch told it, she wasn¡¯t all that interested in the topics, yet Azalea noticed how bizarrely fascinated she was in knowing precisely what the Doom Guard found appealing.

    Inside, she saw stairs to her left, an open gravity elevator next to it, a large sitting area to her right with their furnishings still intact, and a long hallway extending forward. Ramuk took them to the elevator beside the stairs, activating the crystal gem to carry them up.

    ¡°The Gray Blood¡¯s storage area is on the third level.¡±

    Is that so? she hummed. What kind of items rest here? Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had these large weapons that shone with various lights and had unique effects. His armor was impossible for me to get through, which was impressive.

    The giant ape¡¯s bare, muscular chest rumbled with laughter. ¡°By no means do we have access to such legendary equipment, General. The Commander only has the code to get into specific vaults.¡±

    Couldn¡¯t we break into the others and get better gear? Azalea asked, scanning the strange shimmering yellow and white stone doors as they made it to the 3rd floor. I can sense the runic language, but it shouldn¡¯t be that tricky to find my way inside.

    Ramuk took them down the three branching hallways that extended three hundred meters, showing how massive the thirteen-story building was. ¡°As you can see, nothing in these vaults are marked,¡± he pointed at each sealed space, displaying various designs on the doors. ¡°Each room has an internal power source that could last a full year under severe stress if cut off from the main grid, and there¡¯s no way of knowing if one is empty or filled with important goods without the manifest.¡±

    Azalea slid her fingers across one of the doors, scanning the strange energy weaving through the structure. It¡¯s stronger than the ones used at the base of this city, she commented, thinking back on their effort to burrow into the Quen¡¯Talrat stronghold.

    ¡°Ah, I was unaware of that detail,¡± Ramuk grunted. ¡°I suppose it was laid as the foundation of the project, and naturally, advancements would have been made as the construction went on.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t joking, and not one door was lacking in strength; a few variations made through manual error from the scribes, but well within margin to make it challenging to crack. Again, she was reminded why her mother was so drawn to the creatures as their primary prey.

    When they stopped, she watched in fascination as Ramuk pounded on twelve areas that sent booms echoing through the halls and then traced a complicated design that needed to be completed in one smooth motion before placing both hands on the structure.

    The gold and white symbols illuminated with the lines; in the next instant, their brilliance faded. The doors pushed toward them and then parted to either side of the hallway. Inside was what Azalea would consider a small armory for the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s size.

    She watched Ramuk stroll in, wearing a big grin. ¡°This takes me back,¡± he chuckled, moving to a mannequin fully clothed in plate armor. A sudden frown creased his dark eyes while turning to face her. ¡°When you discovered us, General, were we wearing armor?¡±

    It never even occurred to Azalea since she never used such items. No, you were not.

    A low growl rolled through his throat, and he started to dress. ¡°Odd ¡­ Gear such as this should last many generations of Quen¡¯Talrat. Perhaps the creatures disintegrated it, but no ¡­ No, if it leaves bones, then it only affects living tissue.¡±

    Oh! You think the creatures took your armor? Azalea asked. Why?

    ¡°Who can say. Maybe it¡¯s something we should bring up to the Empress.¡±

    Azalea contacted Edmon to report the thought, seeing as the Empress was currently busy with her new bird-boy creature.

    After listening to their explanation, Edmon was silent for a time. ¡°Hmm ... It certainly is something to take into consideration. I¡¯ll bring it before the others. Continue with the mission.¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡±

    Got it! Azalea chimed, eyeing the bulky ape as he finished. Wow, you¡¯re so sparkly!

    Ramuk twisted left and right, the pieces of metal constricted around his form. ¡°Elite Hunters¡¯ equipment was designed to take the shape of those that wear it since we can come in so many different sizes. I¡¯m ready to go, General!¡±

    Exiting the building, she was a little amused by the five specialists that instantly felt a flood of confidence upon seeing the decked-out Elite Hunter. Ramuk used no weapon other than his armored body as a Wall Crusher¡ªhe certainly intimidated the Nalvean girls.

    The nine of them took their journey to the underground mining shaft since it would be the fastest way to get closer to the mountain entrance Moris¡¯Luar knew of, and Azalea was surprised by her elder sister¡¯s sudden request to communicate as they neared the railway.

    ¡°Lea?¡±

    Oh?! Cami! How are you feeling? she asked, trying to remain cheerful after her conversation with the Empress. Are humans interesting and fun?

    ¡°Yeah, yeah ¡­ Umm, the Empress asked me to ¡­ to teach you how to have fun in the snow when you get back. Eh, heh, I know ¡­ me teaching you something is funny, right?¡±

    Entering the building to reach the rail system, Azalea puffed out the stress in her breast. Actually, I don¡¯t know what it means to have fun in the snow. You think I¡¯m good enough to learn such a complex thing? she teased.

    ¡°You?¡± Camellia snickered, sounding a little more like the sister she knew. ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll learn it so fast and beat me like ¡­ so fast! Eh ¡­ Actually, Lea, umm ¡­ I wanted to tell you, I want to get stronger ¡­ I¡¯m not strong enough, I know. Can ¡­ can you help me?¡±

    The heat in Azalea¡¯s chest rose to her throat as she slowed, causing her party to give her a questioning look. Help? You want me to help you get stronger?

    ¡°I mean, I can¡¯t really ask Violet ¡­ You know her,¡± Camellia mumbled. ¡°She¡¯s all talent, but¡ªbut you¡¯re the most skilled out of us, and well ¡­ I¡¯ve always looked up to you.¡±

    Fighting back the strange liquid in her eyes, Azalea returned to her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form to escape the physical phenomena, increasing her speed. Of course ¡­ I¡¯d like that. I¡¯ll ask the Empress for some time together ¡­ Maybe we can go on a sister¡¯s mission¡ªjust the two of us.

    ¡°I¡¯d like that ¡­ So much!¡± Camellia cried, and Azalea could feel her sister¡¯s hurting heart, sparking a new, humbling sensation within her heart.

    I love you, Camellia ¡­ We¡¯ll save our little sister ¡­ as a family</a>.

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ as a family. Thank you, Lea ¡­ Nevermind,¡± she sniffed, ¡°sorry. I need to get stronger.¡±

    I ¡­ We all do, Cami ¡­ For the Empress, right?

    ¡°For the Empress! Thanks, Lea; I¡¯m gonna learn about this snow fun stuff to teach you!¡±

    I¡¯m excited! she squealed. Okay, gotta go¡ªtalk to you later! Bye!

    ¡°Stay safe!¡±

    Yup! Yup!

    Azalea cut their connection, riding atop the transportation as Ramuk got it in motion.

    The cool wind rushing past her armored Th¨¦lm¨¦thra exoskeleton tickled the fine hairs across her figure, leaving Azalea alone with her thoughts for a time. I¡¯m the one that should be sorry, Cami ¡­ You try the hardest out of all of us. Maybe you can help your little sister through her own struggles.

    Looking up at the smooth passage the Quen¡¯Tarlat carved, she smiled in her heart while seeing all of the flaws¡ªclearly, Quen¡¯Talrat were not burrowing creatures, but it put things into perspective, as the Empress said¡ªthey were all flawed in some way.

    The baggage weighing her down over the past three days fell off her back, and they made their way out of the cave.

    They left the large processing facility that branched into the mine, following the stairs up to the small, triple gated fortress that was built onto the mine to provide extra security.

    Azalea gazed across the valley from the final wall¡ªNethermore stood as a bastion, overlooking the valley</a>. There¡¯s no going back. The past is in the past. It¡¯s time to make our future better!

    To their right was the slowly advancing veil</a> of white; the treeline ended a little way down from where they stood, and the planes of green grass rose to meet the expanding frost.

    Transforming into her human form, Azalea lowered down the others before joining them. Luckily, Moris¡¯Luar¡¯s path inside the chain of tunnels that made up the massive machine wasn¡¯t too far from the mines, seeing as he was instructed to gather a few of the men to work on it when labor was short.

    Twenty minutes later, they were passing into a small opening in the rocky surface of a sheer cliff to find a forty-foot-tall stone door fixed with the glowing runic symbols.

    If it starts here, then this network must be massive ¡­ Although, this security¡­

    Moris¡¯Luar hissed as he stepped up to access the runic symbols. ¡°No ¡­ no, no, no! It¡¯s all changed¡­¡±

    Azalea giggled, gently using one of her eight legs to guide him back. No issue. I¡¯ll have it open within two minutes.

    ¡°Excellent work, General!¡± Ramuk grinned. ¡°Your versatility keeps surprising me; I fear our entire unit would have been devastated had we the misfortune of coming across one another in life.¡±

    This is rather easy, Ramuk, Azalea returned, yet it felt nice having someone compliment her on what she already knew. Be prepared; we don¡¯t know what awaits us!

    Gleefully cutting them a path that even the massive Elite Hunter could fit through, they entered the dark cavern; the first thing Azalea sensed was death ¡­ the decaying scent of creatures she¡¯d never encountered before, and the excitement in her breast rose to new heights.

    We¡¯re entering a graveyard. Keep your eyes sharp if you don¡¯t want to die!

    Giliri and Fini swallowed, readying the red liquid they kept in jars around their waist.

    The specialists shivered, hesitantly pressing forward as Ramuk took the rear, prompting them on; the sizable gray-furred ape pounded his two armored fists together. ¡°Come what may; I will crush it!¡±

    They entered with Azalea taking point, cloaked in shadow while the Nalvean girls kept a distance between her and the specialists, acting as bait.

 B3 â€” 6. Keâ€™Noaâ€™Thra

    Azalea entered through the fissure she¡¯d created, crawling on the right-hand wall; it appeared that the doorway led into a steep decline, showing steps that were meant for Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters.

    She crawled over the smooth stone to discover the passageway was twenty by twenty-five meters; it was large enough to comfortably fit a few Quen¡¯Talrat moving through the walkway, yet it hadn¡¯t been used by the apes in over a century by what Azalea could smell.

    The air was thick with the pungent scent of death as she examined the plated crustacean corpses that were lined along both sides of the wall in neat layers.

    No light could be seen other than through the hole she¡¯d burrowed, and the walls didn¡¯t show any of the intricate craftsmanship of the Quen¡¯Tarlat fortress; this place seemed solely for access, yet something had taken residence and was using it as a burial area.

    Giliri and Fini tentatively hopped down the stairs, nervous eyes focusing on the line of bodies littering both sides of the even corridor; the area didn¡¯t appear to be designed for Yaltha¡¯ma in mind, which made their descent more troubling than in Nethermore.

    The Quen¡¯Talrat specialists had little difficulty with their floating cart of tools, and Ramuk took it in stride; Azalea could hear the warrior¡¯s shifting full plated armor, but it was far more silent than it should have been.

    Lowering herself to look closer, Azalea studied every aspect of the creatures</a>.  These corpses have been decaying for three decades ¡­ Smaller than Drones, and only with six legs.  Their shells leave the underbelly and inner legs open for attack, as well ¡­ These fumes, though¡­

    The crustacean looked similar to one of the creatures the Ri¡¯bot used as a source of food; the humans said they resembled crabs; although, this was somewhat different from their descriptions.

    Four bony plates hid its soft innards and capped its rear, and she could identify unusual fungi which had once grown on its shell¡ªalmost everything about the creature was foreign.  Most of the bodies were already far along in their decay, yet the line was designed in a way to account for shifting parts.

    Transforming into her human form, Azalea flipped to the floor and sampled a bite of a deteriorating leg; her mother had each of them taste new things all the time to develop their restructuring glands for the birth of daughters and Drones of their own.

    It is somehow connected to those crab things the Ri¡¯bot eat ¡­ These adapted ¡­ No, they¡¯ve been hyper-mutated ¡­ Their genetic code isn¡¯t varied enough to be natural, and they don¡¯t have anything genetic to indicate a similar propagation process as us.

    She hummed, shifting to see Giliri and Fini peering into the seemingly endless hallway ahead of them; the corpses were stacked at the same height and manner along its entire length.

    We continue; nothing is alive.

    Returning to her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form, Azalea resumed their journey; silence met her sensitive hairs as her group spoke amongst themselves using the Empress¡¯s Nexus.

    Moris¡¯Luar spoke about how unexpected it was to find such a hive of creatures in one of their most secure facilities while Ramuk explained his own thoughts to the two nervous Nalvean girls.  Azalea¡¯s full scope of vision and complex perception continued to dissect every morsel of information she could glean as they traveled.

    It would take them over thirty minutes to reach the first junction, which told Azalea that this was a remote access point only meant for emergency use since it was close to the mines.

    The crustaceans were roughly the size of a human if adding their four interlocking shells.  Six eyes at their front showed they had minimal vision, yet there was the genetic code for slightly more advanced senses.

    Sight and touch were the weakest senses for these creatures; scent and sound were their strong suit.  Every worker released a unique identifier and hormones that could indicate a particular job¡ªall of these were sent to war.

    The hard shell on the forearm of their three-jointed legs acted as defense and a digging point when cutting through rock, given the spear-like end.  Its scissor-like pincers were used for cutting up food or attacking whatever threatened them, and its beak of a mouth was filled with layers of serrated teeth.

    To further add to their offensive capabilities, toothy claws could be extended out of the inside of their forearm to rake their prey, and their skin was tough and muscular, used to clear rubble they¡¯d chipped away.

    The crustaceans were far inferior to her own race, yet given the numbers they passed, they appeared to have a swift reproduction cycle¡ªto be sure of it, she¡¯d need to find a queen candidate.

    Of course, she had to remind herself that if a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were to sample another hive¡¯s Drone, they wouldn¡¯t have the slightest idea how complicated their Queen was.  Overall, her current knowledge only told her that something manipulated these crab-like predator drones.

    On the other hand, whatever was killing them showed razor precision in cutting off the exposed limbs, flipping over the crustaceans, and delivering lethal blows to mainly the shelled butt of the creature.

    Most of the wounds were created through piercing weapons, and every so often, she noted far more devastating means that were able to melt clean through the creature¡¯s shells to cut them in half.

    Several scents lingered on the corpses, which made her think whoever organized these hallways had a structured system of placing each type of corpse in its own section.

    A war has been happening in these halls ¡­ Exciting!

    Azalea¡¯s hearts were pumping quicker the further they went; the mystery of it all was what put the heat in her breast.  She wanted to find something waiting to pounce on her¡ªto make her have to adapt at a moment¡¯s notice.

    Quen¡¯Talrat hadn¡¯t moved down these halls in over a century, these creatures, three decades, and the mystery, she couldn¡¯t smell who made this graveyard¡ªit certainly wasn¡¯t these creatures.

    What moved these things around and organized everything?  They seem proficient in discovering weaknesses within their opponents, at the very least.

    Transmitting what she¡¯d learned to her team, Azalea jumped to the ceiling to move above the group.

    Ramuk hummed, taking in her explanation and building upon it with his own thoughts.  ¡°Are there traps, General?¡±

    Mmh ¡­ Nope, none that I can sense, Azalea huffed, suddenly feeling a little disappointed there wasn¡¯t anything waiting for them as they progressed down the colossal entryway.

    Giliri breathed a sigh of relief, but her friend soon made the air lock in Giliri¡¯s throat again.

    ¡°Oh, what about the runic things¡ªthe energy Camellia told us about?  I think there was a lot of it in Grand¡­¡±  She paused, sadness and self-anger flashing across her mind; the memory of her best friend being forced to stab her seemed to be a painful one.  ¡°No, I mean, I think that¡¯s what our enemy used ¡­ Jumi¡¯kerune, that is.¡±

    A low note reverberated in Ramuk¡¯s throat as he put a hand on the back of the specialists¡¯ cart to increase their speed; the action made the unaware Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s hair stand on end before picking up the pace¡ªthey were currently in their own conversation, speculating on what they were seeing.

    The giant armored ape¡¯s tone was surprisingly tame and guiding.  ¡°Ease your nerves, Giliri, Fini.  We must remain vigilant.  Clearly, we have stumbled upon unfamiliar territory.¡±

    Giliri shifted her neck around to ease her muscles and adjusted the makeshift body armor Violet had crafted for them; it didn¡¯t have the unique attributes the Nalvean military used, but it wasn¡¯t as if country-side City Guard Seaweavers were going to be allowed to use something so precious.  ¡°Right ¡­ Umm, isn¡¯t this really good, though?  We¡¯ve found an army right here for the Empress.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I didn¡¯t even think about¡ª¡±

    Ramuk swiftly interrupted.  ¡°Before that, General, I do find it suspect that there are no runes scribed on the walls; surely, if one was assigned to secure the door, the rest of the facility would follow.¡±

    Oh, isn¡¯t that the fun part?  Azalea asked, counting down the minutes until she¡¯d be able to have free reign in her human form; currently, she only had two minutes remaining; in twenty minutes, her cooldown would run its course.  I can¡¯t even tell who stacked all these bodies, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find out as we go on.

    Fini¡¯s tongue flicked through her teeth, jaw snapping in agitation.  ¡°I didn¡¯t even think about who stacked them ¡­ Ugh, umm, is there really nothing?¡±

    Ramuk let go of the cart to shift his two heads to the side, observing the stacks of crustaceans they passed.  ¡°The way they died tells us a lot, Fini.  Can you tell me why that is?¡±

    Azalea giggled, tuning the three younger members out; she was glad Ramuk took on the mentor role because she wasn¡¯t particularly good at it.  Although, after a moment''s thought, she realized Camellia had asked for her assistance¡ªshe returned her focus to Ramuk to see if she could learn any tips.

    Time continued to tick on as they moved in a straight line, and soon enough, Azalea couldn¡¯t see the staircase they¡¯d entered through behind them, and they hadn¡¯t even made it a third of the way to the branch.

    Giliri¡¯s comment lingered on Azalea¡¯s mind while examining the stacks of potential minions that sat in wait for the Empress to raise.  Even if we encounter resistance, the Empress has the perfect starting point to send our armies.  With this many drones, we can secure the entire valley.  If¡­

    Her leg paused against the ceiling as the faint skittering of an exoskeleton against stone reverberated through the air, bouncing off the walls.  The others pressed on ahead, unaware she¡¯d stopped.

    An echo ¡­ angled just right, so I caught it, and the bodies didn¡¯t absorb the sound.  Something is moving through this tunnel, after all!

    Accelerating to her top speed while remaining hidden, Azalea spoke through the Nexus.  I¡¯m going on ahead to investigate a sound.  I¡¯ll wait up ahead.

    Ramuk¡¯s response was instant.  ¡°We will remain on-guard, General!¡±

    Stale air rushed past Azalea¡¯s form as she moved through the corridor, scanning for anything new, but the scents around her had remained untouched for decades.

    Reaching the end of the hallway, she slowed, entering a large room that only expanded in width; inside were more layers of crustaceans, and again, they were as old as the corpses behind her.  To think so many would die in a secret war the Ri¡¯bot were utterly unaware of ¡­ Now, which way should I go?

    Four options lay before her; the path ahead split into a V, while a descending staircase led deeper underground to either side of the room.

    Waiting and listening for any indication as to what might lie beyond, Azalea¡¯s legs pivoted her body to the left; her mind dwelled on what she knew about the area</a>.

    They¡¯d entered near the Mines, and given their straight path, it meant they were still inside the first mountain.  If they wanted to even make it to the colossal volcano at the epicenter of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s design, their party needed to venture through the sierra preceding it.

    Given her location, the left path would take her deeper into the mountain range she currently resided in.  The right passage could connect back to the Mines, leading away from the frozen alps, and the northeastern opening wouldn¡¯t bring her in the right direction either.

    Azalea jumped up and down, cushioning her fall to lessen any noise she made.  This is so fun!  We¡¯re in a maze I¡¯ve never explored!

    The only logical direction was northwest, yet any of these tunnels could abruptly twist back on itself, given the extreme length to reach the volcano.  It wasn¡¯t as if she didn¡¯t have any clues, either.

    The scraping and movement came from the left staircase, which made her want to investigate; overall, their mission was to get the power in Nethermore operational by escorting the Quen¡¯Talrat, but that didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯t scout out potential threats.

    The right and northeast path only returned a graveyard scent she¡¯d become familiar with while the smell of death thinned in the northwest.  Given the others needed time to catch up, in any case, Azalea took the left path.

    Moving along the ceiling, she descended the long staircase, counting sixty-two Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter steps to find a new type of crustacean¡ªa far bulkier one.

    Azalea slowed to examine the large, muscular creature that seemed to be the warrior-type for this colony, yet when she sampled the remains, it was clear that these were very different from the previous workers.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    This crustacean</a> only had two small spear-like legs on either side of its lower half with two joints; its massive two front arms were as long and thick as its entire body.  Its back was heavily plated, while the front showed a thinner protective shell.

    Its claws must be used to crush and chop prey ¡­ How can it last in this tunnel system, though?  Again, this battle took place three decades ago, and nothing has moved between these areas since.

    As if to answer her question, not soon after continuing, Azalea could sense the moisture in the air increasing, yet she was stopped just as the opening came into sight, far ahead of her.

    Curiosity pulled at Azalea¡¯s thoughts while examining a rather curious break in the smooth, corpse-lined wall; a mess of the bulky crustaceans had been scattered across the broad hallway where a hole had been dug.

    Carefully creeping inside, Azalea transformed back into her human form to hold her hands behind her back; her head tilted in wonder as she lifted an eyebrow.

    A metallic Quen¡¯Talrat only eight feet tall seemed to be walking into the wall, stepping back, and smashing into it again; it wasn¡¯t using a lot of force, but Azalea couldn¡¯t say how long it had been doing the action.

    Doing a cartwheel to spin up to the ceiling, Azalea cautiously walked closer while scanning the figure.  It didn¡¯t have any moving parts that Azalea could sense, which confused her; the metal figure¡¯s muscles were flexing and shifting as if flesh.

    What could you be?

    Dropping to the floor, she picked up a large stone with one hand and tossed it at the metal ape; the rock struck the back of its left head and promptly fell to the floor to be kicked aside by its repeated action¡ªit didn¡¯t even flinch.

    Analyzing the sound that resonated from the blow, Azalea scratched behind her ear.  No response ¡­ It sounds totally solid.  Well, no harm.

    Not seeing anything particularly captivating beyond its strange actions, Azalea exited the tunnel and reported the find to the others.

    Ramuk¡¯s brooding grunt rumbled through the Nexus connection.  ¡°I have never heard of such a tool being employed by the Ke ¡­ Metal Quen¡¯Talrat, and of much inferior size?  The Ke never made things small.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ have noticed that,¡± Fini forced a chuckle.  ¡°You know what they say about women trying to bulk up their tails.¡±

    ¡°No?¡±  Ramuk mumbled, sounding utterly confused.  ¡°A woman with a girthy tail is rather attractive, and if she has two ¡­ Mmh,¡± he released a sharp, audible breath.

    Giliri seemed a bit shocked by his response.  ¡°What?  No, that¡¯s not ¡­ That¡¯s weird¡ªtwo tails?  I haven¡¯t seen a Nalvean with two tails.¡±

    ¡°Mhm!  Mhm!¡±  Fini interjected.  ¡°I¡¯m more shocked a Quen¡¯Talrat finds Nalvean women attractive ¡­ even if they need to have two tails ¡­ Heh, the more you know.¡±

    ¡°What are you two yapping about?¡±  Ramuk snorted.  ¡°Nalveans are small and fragile!  What Quen¡¯Talrat would enjoy breaking a female Nalvean like a twig?  No, I speak of the female Elite Hunters!  Strong, powerful women like Amra¡¯Cora!¡±

    A disgruntled tone touched Giliri¡¯s voice.  ¡°Well, shatter my confidence¡ªI look small and fragile.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Fini made a sound in her throat, ¡°I mean, you were always kind of on the smaller side in our class.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!  You¡¯re like three inches taller than me!¡±

    Ramuk cut them from the conversation to continue the discussion with Azalea as she returned to her original form to conserve her time as a human.  ¡°General, something unfounded is happening here.  We must investigate.  Should we quicken our pace to join you?¡±

    No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that necessary, Azalea mused, continuing down the corridor.  Be cautious and keep your guard up, but I¡¯m not sensing any traps, and the small ape seemed broken in the mind.  I¡¯ll investigate the end of this path and return.

    ¡°As you command.¡±

    Returning to her thoughts, Azalea soon came upon a large pool; the tunnel ahead was flooded.  Corpses littered the bottom, blocking her way forward.

    That¡¯s that ¡­ We¡¯ll need to investigate this later.

    She turned around and met with her party; they were only just making it to the room when she arrived.  We go northwest; I¡¯m sensing the end of our graveyard.

    ¡°Scouting ahead again, General?¡±  Ramuk asked, having complete confidence in her skill.  ¡°If so, it would be best if I brought up the rear since we now have unknown areas that could bring attackers; I am also concerned about the tunnel being sealed behind us.¡±

    If Azalea could smirk, she would.  With me here?  I could make us a new one in no time.  Just worry about the special apes.

    Ramuk¡¯s dark eyes shifted to glare at the five nervous Quen¡¯Talrat, shifting his massive, muscular arms against his chest.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call them special ¡­ I follow and obey, General.¡±

    Good!  Good!  Be back in a bit; have fun chatting with the Nalveans!

    A small laugh shook his chest and made the metal plates clank a bit.  ¡°Nalvean teens are ¡­ unusual.  Do you know why they are so concerned about thigh width and tail size?  They seem to be fixated on the strangest things.¡±

    I could understand them ¡­ if I wanted to, Azalea snickered.  They seem to be having a good time, though.

    ¡°Is that right?¡±  Ramuk asked, eyebrows lifted while looking at a depressed Giliri as Fini cheered, proving to her friend her tail length was bigger.  ¡°I¡¯ll take your word for it, General.  At least they aren¡¯t stiff as boards anymore ¡­ They need to be fluid¡ªready for anything.¡±

    Yes!  Yes!  Okay, I¡¯m going!

    Azalea shot down their new destination, noticing the piles of dead crustaceans getting lower; finally, it ended, and at that point, she stopped.  Ahead of her was a string of powerful runic writing, and the halls transitioned to black granite.

    Dull white gems dotted the corners of the ceiling, illuminating the space, and all of the weaves of energy in the walls were hidden from sight.  Only in the Tower¡¯s Neural Nexus did she feel this degree of work put into the runes; if Azalea was being honest, she was impressed, and that also came with many risks that enticed her.

    Transforming into her human state, she bent her knees and hopped forward, pink eyes darting left and right as she smiled.  Oh?  Oh?  What¡¯s going to happen?  I should test it first.

    Shockingly, the sensory range of the runes was relatively small, yet it was powerful enough to make her question if she could avoid its detection.  Her blue hair extended as she snaked it along the ground, crossing over the boundary.

    A hum of activity met her as the energy sent rippling effects further into the corridor beyond her sensing radius; it was quick as thought.

    She didn¡¯t retreat, probing into the long hallway; she couldn¡¯t sense the end from where she stood, and it remained that way for fifteen minutes.

    Azalea¡¯s fine, web-like hair paused; she was several hundred meters into the hallways at this point, branching down every corridor to feel what lay ahead of them¡ªif there was any time to do it, it was now.

    All she discovered was room after room of what appeared to be torn apart metallic apes that were lined up in neat rows¡ªheads, ears, tails, eyes¡ªif it was even slightly torn into a particular piece, it was put into an organized place amongst its similar pair.

    Azalea concluded these weren¡¯t unfinished products but broken ones by the marks on their bodies; she couldn¡¯t smell them, which made her believe these were the things that organized the graveyard.

    It was strange to her; all of this free space for it to only be used as a place to discard waste; Th¨¦lm¨¦thra recycled everything.

    It seems calm now ¡­ for the most part.  A picture was coming to mind which drew her interest.  Something is mutating various species of crustaceans, and these metal apes have been fighting them for decades.  There¡¯s nothing ¡­ a graveyard of a different kind.

    Upon reaching the limited distance she could control with her silk, Azalea cut her hair off at the small of her back; it seemed endless, but the main corridor led to the icy mountain that was their destination.

    Giliri and Fini came to a stop as Azalea warned them not to go further.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ Well, that¡¯s a good sign.  Isn¡¯t it?¡±  Fini asked.

    Giliri hugged herself, staying two feet behind Azalea.  ¡°I think so.  At least it has power.¡±

    Ramuk shifted to the side of the floating cart to look ahead.  ¡°This ¡­ seems like something the Ke would do.  How much further until we¡­¡±

    Azalea cleared her throat and turned around, fingers finding her elbow behind her back.  I¡¯ve scouted as far as I can with my silk, and it¡¯s littered with the wartorn bodies of metal Quen¡¯Talrat.

    Her pink irises shot to the five specialists, making them straighten.  It¡¯s time for you five to do a bit of work!  You can look into this rune stuff.  Correct?

    Moris¡¯Luar¡¯s throat constricted as he stepped forward.  ¡°We aren¡¯t Rune Scribes, General, but we do know a little ¡­ We just need to see it ¡­ Menorah?¡±

    A fidget ran down the small Quen¡¯Talrat female¡¯s frame as she hurriedly went to the cart and extracted a tool with a sharp point at the end; Azalea could sense runes engraved inside the item.

    ¡°Y-Yes, Team Leader, I¡¯ll make¡ªI just need to look at what we¡¯re dealing with!¡±

    Her four compatriots followed her to the side of the granite transition.

    Menorah got down on her knees and forearm, shifting her head to the side and carefully positioning her short tail while staring at the others.  ¡°Okay ¡­ I, umm ¡­ I only used this three times when training ¡­ Just ¡­ I don¡¯t know if¡­¡±

    Moris¡¯Luar¡¯s tail gently moved to press against her¡¯s.  ¡°It¡¯s fine, Menorah; we¡¯re all learning how this all works.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s hips were leaning a bit to the right as she blinked, watching the senior Quen¡¯Talrat comfort his junior.  Ramuk grunted at the lack of confidence they were showing, and judging by his actions so far, she could see why people like this might be thrown to the work pits¡ªthe elites of the Quen¡¯Talrat radiated power and confidence.

    Giliri and Fini¡¯s jaws were tight, arms tightly pressed against their breasts as they observed, unsure what was about to happen.  Azalea was interested, too.

    Menorah reached down and pressed the edge against the stone, creating a small half-crescent, pulled it across in 2/3rds, and up to meet the line.

    Azalea¡¯s senses went on high alert as complicated, layered designs radiated light all around them, pulling out of the granite with every color imaginable.  Pulses flicked to and fro, ping-ponging across the length in a sophisticated mess that seemed utterly random and convoluted to her at first.

    Menorah swiftly retracted her hand, falling back across Moris¡¯Luar¡¯s chest in her panic.  ¡°W-What is this?¡±

    Awed gasps escaped the other Quen¡¯Talrat, and even Ramuk appeared to be overwhelmed.

    The armored Elite Hunter¡¯s arms relaxed against his chest as the shapes and patterns pulled away from each other down the entire width of what they could see.  ¡°I¡¯ve ¡­ never seen a design so interlaced and elaborate ¡­ What could be the purpose of this¡­¡±

    He shot forward, but Azalea was quicker; her hair fanned out to cover the specialists as the resplendent display before them sucked back into the stone, and a colossal white ape appeared out of thin air before them.

    The hair across Azalea¡¯s body stood on end, gut tightening at the very sight of the imposing figure¡ªfour arms, four legs, two extremely long tails, and two heads that rested upon an enormous chest ten meters off the ground, a Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter stood before them.

    Judging by the thickness of her snowy fur, deep blue eyes, and extra thick tails, Azalea was sure this was a female, yet she hadn¡¯t seen an ape so intimidating since facing Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma himself.

    Her commanding and powerful voice boomed through the halls as she towered over them, noses twisting in rage.  ¡°By what authority do you tamper with the matrix?!¡±

    The only thing keeping Azalea locked in place was the impossible¡ªshe wasn¡¯t there; all she could sense was the mass of unique runic energy swirling around the area like mad and messing with her perception.

    Ramuk was wholly taken by the woman¡¯s beauty, jaw slack and mind reeling as he easily shoved the other Quen¡¯Talrat back.  ¡°By the Ke!¡±  he grunted.  ¡°A descendant of the Ke?¡±

    ¡°His daughter?¡±  Azalea asked.  ¡°She¡¯s not even there!  What ability is this?¡±

    Giliri and Fini both had their red water out and ready for action but were severely feeling outclassed by the looks on their faces.

    ¡°A-Azalea?¡±  Fini squeaked, waiting for her orders.

    The colossal ape snorted at her response, turning her deep blue gaze upon Ramuk.  ¡°Gray Blood ¡­ An Elite, as well.  By my right, under Article White Snow, Sub-Section Red Lilly, I hereby make use of your blood.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s vision slid to the stunned ape.  ¡°What is she talking about, Ramuk?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±  A low hiss shot through his teeth as he reached back and rubbed the back of his neck.  ¡°I cannot obey that order, Great One.  I follow another.¡±

    His voice entered Azalea¡¯s mind as she sent her hair to analyze this new figure; she was entirely ethereal.  ¡°She is trying to conscript me under the Title of Ownership ¡­ Without a doubt, it labels her equal to a Queen or King in authority.¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Follow another ¡­ Ka¡¯Roga¡¯Amra has you under order?  I must speak to your Ka!¡±

    Azalea was stunned by how demanding her tone was, the posture of power she took, and the aura she generated; it was like she was looking back into the past and seeing the figure that had ended her life¡ªshe couldn¡¯t help the shivers running down her spine.  ¡°Who are you ¡­ Why don¡¯t you meet us in person?¡±

    The ape¡¯s bright blue eyes tilted to glare at her.  ¡°An unusual form for a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ The scourge of the hollow.  Know this well, creature!  I am the Bringer of the Silver Army!  Conqueror of the Abyss!  Daughter of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma!  I am Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra¡ªNetwork Overlord Administration!¡±

    Azalea followed her grand introduction until the final part.  ¡°Network ¡­ Overlord Administration?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±  Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra chuckled.  ¡°I control everything in this facility!  I am a Goddess!  Now, Gray Blood,¡± she demanded, turning her downward leer at Ramuk, ¡°go get your Ka!¡±

    Ramuk took a long breath before shaking his head, shoulders slumping.  ¡°Again, I must refuse Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra ¡­ Ka¡¯Roga¡¯Amra fell in noble combat with a fearsome foe from the North that destroyed what was left of my Blood ¡­ Your father¡­¡±

    Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra¡¯s face softened at his tone.  ¡°What ¡­ of my father?  Spit it out!¡±  she growled, spreading her broad shoulders while flexing her large pecs and four arms.  ¡°What of the Ke?¡±

    ¡°He died more than a century ago,¡± Ramuk replied, crossing his arms across his chest and bowing his head in a sign of respect.  ¡°All but a few of our people remain; now, we serve another Great One ¡­ Empress Elinor.¡±

    The colossal, intimidating ape¡¯s strong countenance faltered as she stumbled to the side, knees apparently becoming weak, and she caught herself against the wall¡ªAzalea sensed the energy whipping around the area shift dramatically.

    ¡°Dead ¡­ My father is ¡­ dead?  No,¡± Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra muttered, pain crossing her features.  ¡°No ¡­ If my father is dead ¡­ who will complete me?¡±

    Danger passing, Azalea felt her curiosity spike.  ¡°What do you mean, complete you?¡±

    The white ape lifted her head, blue eyes practically spinning.  ¡°I sense no deception ¡­ My father is dead ¡­ I am the Network Overlord Administrator ¡­ I am not finished.¡±

    Moris¡¯Luar gasped.  ¡°She ¡­ I can¡¯t believe it ¡­ You¡¯re an Artificial Quen¡¯Talrat!  You were designed to exist through rune scribing ¡­ The Ke built you?¡±

    Azalea was utterly lost at this point.  ¡°She¡¯s not real?¡±

    ¡°No, of course, I¡¯m real!¡±  Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra growled, heat returning to her voice.  ¡°I may not have flesh and blood, but I am the Ke¡¯s daughter!  He created me!  I have a purpose, and ¡­ and I need support ¡­ I need my father,¡± she whispered, emotion touching her voice.

    It only lasted a moment before her dominating presence returned, yet it had lost its charm with Azalea.  ¡°No!  I can do this alone!  I¡¯ve accomplished so much on my own!¡±

    Ramuk lurched forward as the giant white ape flickered.  ¡°Wait!¡±

    She vanished, returning to some unknown place in the fortress ahead of them, but Azalea had heard enough; she controlled this entire network, which meant she could turn on the power.

    A bright smile lifted her pink, glossy lips.  ¡°We¡¯re going after her!¡±

 B3 â€” 7. Familial Delusions

    Azalea shot forward the moment her objective became clear, going slow enough for the others to follow.  One issue needed to be resolved as they moved¡ªhow would they find the odd intangible Quen¡¯Talrat?  Her target escaping was never a problem Azalea had before, and solving it was puzzling.

    Her fine blue hair follicles extended again, snaking back to collect the thread she¡¯d cut off before¡ªgiven the unknown nature of what laid ahead of them, she wanted to conserve as much of her strength as possible, and it would only mitigate a few minutes of her time rather than create more silk.

    She analyzed every divot in the granite floor, walls, and ceiling as they moved.  Her hearts were pounding within her human breasts, and a smile illuminated her cheeks while skipping ahead.  The entire situation made her happy¡ªadventure awaited.

    Unlike the previous hallways, everything around her now was infused with Quen¡¯Talrat inscribing technology.  It tickled the receptors attached to her silk, giving further insight into the complex network of the maze around her¡ªshe couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the attention to detail.

    Spinning in a circle, her large pink eyes scanned the unseen patterns that glinted like stars in the sky to her perception.  How beautiful!  How Fun!  It¡¯s like I¡¯ve entered a new type of web ¡­ I¡¯m being tracked, too.

    The pressure and apprehension at seeing a white ape¡ªjust like Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡ªhad long since passed after the ethereal Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s insecurities showed themselves.

    This was a new creature she couldn¡¯t eat, which was new, but the weird Quen¡¯Talrat had lost control, desperate for aid, and seemingly lost with how to proceed.  It all presented a reasonably easy solution in Azalea¡¯s mind; this creature could join the Empress and fall in line with the order.

    Communicating through the Nexus to the others, she glanced back at the giant warrior Quen¡¯Talrat she¡¯d brought.  Where does this rune-thingy go, Ramuk?  It¡¯s like there are little pieces of her everywhere, but I get the feeling that¡¯s no different than my web.  Where is her primary body located¡ªoooh, does she have one?

    ¡°I am ¡­ unsure, General,¡± the large ape¡¯s reply was conflicted emotions running through the link.  ¡°I have never heard of this sort of rune scribing.  Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra ¡­ She has the presence of the Ke, at least in part, but I am doubting myself in regards to her actual authority.  Such a position as a Network Overlord Administrator was usually of Captain Rank, yet hosting the title of Ke and claiming to be the White God¡¯s descendent¡­¡±

    He trailed off, and Azalea¡¯s focus shifted to Giliri as a shiver ran down her frame; she was eying her blue locks that encircled them, giving enough space to continue running and spacing to see ahead.  ¡°What even is she ¡­ It¡¯s a she, right?  You said she wasn¡¯t real?¡±

    Fini¡¯s wet tongue slid through her teeth, and she returned the red liquid she was manipulating around the air back into its pouch.  ¡°I can¡¯t even think of that ¡­ She was so big!  She took up like¡ªlike the whole hallway!¡±

    Azalea hummed, lips curving a tad.  Not quite as big as Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, but that doesn¡¯t matter.

    Her vision settled on Moris¡¯Luar; the five specialists had redoubled their efforts, running after them with purpose now while feverishly communicating to one another.

    Something to share?  Azalea asked, interrupting their discussion.

    Moris¡¯Luar cleared his throat, hands tightening around the handle of the floating cart he was hauling.  ¡°General, Menorah is the only one that has heard of anything like this¡ªcan you repeat what you were saying?¡±

    Menorah¡¯s green fur bristled as Azalea looked at her, hopping backward in long bursts to keep ahead of the advancing party.  ¡°I, umm¡ªumm, General, I was in the mine¡¯s rune scribing group¡ªsimple stuff, and this¡ªthis stuff is just ¡­ beyond my scope of mind, but there were always rumors.¡±

    ¡°Menorah, ahem, if you could get to the point,¡± Moris¡¯Luar interjected.

    She flinched, her left wrist almost buckling from her nervous gestures while running on all-fours; correcting her posture and trying to strengthen her resolve, Menorah licked her jowls.  ¡°R-Right, Overseer¡­¡±

    Azalea didn¡¯t understand these specialists'' very timid personalities.  She could sense her overthinking things and imagining how she¡¯d be punished for possible misinformation, not providing a good enough explanation, and any number of other worries¡ªessentially, they were all messing with their own heads and sabotaging themselves.

    Take your time, Azalea grinned.  I just want to know what you know and think about this intangible Quen¡¯Talrat.  We need to get her on the Empress¡¯s side.

    Giliri and Fini¡¯s lips parted in disbelief.

    ¡°She¡¯ll join the Empire?¡±  Giliri mumbled, glancing at her friend as she made a gesture.

    ¡°Yeah, will the Empress like that?  She¡¯s ¡­ kind of ¡­ yeah.¡±

    Ramuk hummed.  ¡°The Empress must make her submit.¡±

    Azalea shrugged, flipping to the wall; her bare feet tingled from every small sensory pulse the runes made as she touched the stone.  She¡¯ll join or be destroyed if she stands in the way¡ªsimple as that.  Now, c¡¯mon, tell me more about this Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªtake a few breaths!  she eagerly prompted, knowing the action helped many creatures relax, including her human form.

    While they all waited for Menorah to gather her thoughts, Azalea¡¯s eyes shifted to the opposite wall¡ªthey were entering more corridors with branching hallways, yet most of them led to dead-ends.

    What is this?

    Key portions of the many runic pulses that were emitted didn¡¯t respond like the others¡ªthere were blind spots and entire lines that felt as if they should react but didn¡¯t.

    Menorah followed the order, face set with determination.  ¡°I cannot say this is truly accurate information, General.  Rune scribers that were sent to the mines were usually failures in one form or another ¡­ such as myself, but there were rumors¡ªtalking was among our only sources of entertainment.¡±

    Her face fractured a little after criticizing herself.  ¡°There was one scribe¡ªa visionary, he called himself.  I don¡¯t remember his name¡ªhe was new when I was killed.  He talked of a new style of Rune Scribing that could create an artificial Quen¡¯Talrat.  It sounded so bizarre, but he was building a close circle of followers that swore his new method was¡ª¡±

    Azalea¡¯s smile grew as the swirling mass of energy returned.  Shh, I think she¡¯s coming back¡ªhe-he-he, or futilely attacking us!

    Coming to a stop, the others prepared for an assault.  Ramuk posted himself in front of Moris¡¯Luar and his specialists while Giliri and Fini posted by his side, brandishing their liquid weapons.

    Azalea prepared her webs, hanging upside down in the air around the height Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra would stand with a big grin on her face.

    ¡°Welcome back!¡±  she spread her arms and added a ringing chime to her voice.

    Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra¡¯s imposing presence took shape before them, two heads and eyes shifting to view the web-like environment Azalea had instantly crafted in the ample space.  ¡°Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, your presence is unwelcome!  Leave my halls or suffer the consequences; your dirty silk is annoying.¡±

    Appalled, Azalea¡¯s smile turned to a scowl.  ¡°Dirty?  I am very clean, and so is my silk!  Is this one of those false statements I¡¯ve heard some creatures spew?  You ran away so fast last time that we couldn¡¯t even talk, and now you¡¯re insulting me?¡±

    The woman¡¯s nostrils flared.  ¡°Run?  I never run!¡±  she shouted, causing a sharp hum to resonate across the hallway from the stones.  ¡°You leave your waste all across my home!  I will rip your limbs from your body and hang your dying carcass above the lava to cook for the scourge!¡±

    Ramuk cleared his throat, holding up his four heavily armored arms.  ¡°I implore you, Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra, we only wish to understand and explain to you the current situation of the Empire!¡±

    Arms folding under her chest, Azalea smirked at the indigent upside-down ape; she could sense the unease of the others below.  ¡°If you could exert your authority, you would have done it.¡±

    Giliri shot a nervous chuckle at Fini.  ¡°For real?  Eh, heh, doesn¡¯t she have those mini silver Quen¡¯Talrat soldiers?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Fini hissed, licking her lips.  ¡°There were huge piles of them in the rooms we¡­¡±

    ¡°I never ran from you!¡±  the massive ape snapped.  ¡°I am a Goddess!  Bow before my glory, you worthless creature, and submit to my dominance!¡±

    Her composure returned, arms tightening behind her back while both pairs of legs flexed against the floor.  ¡°I admit, a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra fiend I can communicate with¡ªand guide¡ªcan be of use.  Fall in line.¡±

    The two Nalveans and specialists flinched; Azalea wouldn¡¯t be fooled, though¡ªshe was coming to her own conclusion to the ethereal ape¡¯s actions thus far¡ªit wasn¡¯t a challenging deduction.

    Azalea¡¯s neck tilted to the left, eyes wandering to various locations.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Mmh, heh, dominance?¡±  Her vision drifted to a branching hallway ahead of them.  ¡°Empty threats when you have half-finished drones dead in the egg.  You¡¯re alone.  Fatherless.  Incomplete, like a daughter without the ability to bear offspring.  You need help ¡­ Bring your armies.¡±

    Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra¡¯s jaws tightened, yet her eyes lost focus at the accusations.  ¡°You ¡­ tempt a Goddess?¡±  she muttered, seemingly lost at what to do next.  ¡°I am¡­¡±

    ¡°Weak,¡± Azalea replied, incorporating methods she¡¯d learned from Tiffany when questioning the Ri¡¯bot; identify flaws and exploit.  ¡°Why have you not sent your drones?  You can¡¯t.¡±

    Slowly lowering herself to the ground, Azalea looked up at the stunned Quen¡¯Talrat as the others watched in disbelief.  ¡°You¡¯ve never had anyone refuse you.  Right?¡±

    Noses twisting with rage, the imposing figure spread her four arms out in a threatening manner.  ¡°I am the daughter of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma!  You must obey!  I am all-powerful!  I am the Conqueror of the Abyss!¡±

    Ignoring her, Azalea turned to Ramuk and the specialists.  ¡°Investigate the rooms to our left.¡±

    ¡°No!  You ¡­ You can¡¯t do that¡­¡±  Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra growled, dancing to the left to press against the side of the wall as Azalea walked through her leg.  ¡°I won¡¯t¡ªI won¡¯t let ¡­ Remove your webs immediately, you throat licking dirt dweller!¡±  she spat as Azalea maneuvered her silk to restrain the ceiling door from falling into place.

    ¡°Pathetic,¡± Azalea snorted, standing at the entrance and staring up at the pitiful attempt to block her.  ¡°The word Goddess is hollow if you hold the title¡ªMenorah.¡±

    A quake ran down Menorah¡¯s frame as she stumbled, whimpering and holding her hands over her head as Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra jumped forward to grab her head¡ªit passed right through, leaving the others to blink in surprise.

    ¡°No ¡­ No!  You¡ªYou must obey!¡±  she cried, colossal chest heaving as emotions rose within her; her fists balled up as panic set in her eyes.  ¡°I¡¯m¡ªI am Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra¡ªI¡¯m the daughter of the Ke ¡­ All bow before me by his authority ¡­ You, of the Silver Plane¡¯s Blood!  I order you to assist me!¡±

    Ramuk¡¯s helmet peeled back seemingly on its own, revealing a look of disgust; every word she spoke twisted the warrior¡¯s gut and made Azalea giggle inside.  ¡°Order ¡­ With what power have you shown to be worth to order an Elite Hunter, such as I?  All bow before you by his authority?¡±

    Hot steam shot from Ramuk¡¯s nose.  ¡°Did the Ke teach you nothing of our society?  Power rules, and if you have none, you are stepped on.¡±

    A quiver ran down her frame at the unintimidated Elite Hunter that she thought would be her ally.  ¡°No ¡­ I am the Network Overlord Administration¡ªI have power!  I am powerful!¡±

    ¡°Words mean nothing to an Elite Hunter,¡± Ramuk shot back, glare moving to the petrified green-furred woman that had moved around him.  ¡°Menorah, the General gave you an order.¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes, Sir!¡±  she squealed, rushing past him.

    Ramuk saluted Azalea as she leered at the intangible ape.  ¡°My orders, General?¡±

    ¡°General?¡±  Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra muttered.  ¡°A filthy Th¨¦lm¨¦thra ¡­ orders Elite Hunters?¡±

    Azalea¡¯s bright smile returned, knowing this Artificial Quen¡¯Talrat had excellent senses to identify her while in a human state; she was having so much fun now.  ¡°Go with the others and tell me what you find that she doesn¡¯t want us to know about.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll squash you!¡±  Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra yelled as the others hesitantly moved past the blustering ape that should have put fear in their hearts by her mere presence.  ¡°You¡ªYou don¡¯t know what I¡¯m capable of!  Don¡¯t¡ªDon¡¯t you dare ignore me!  Graah!¡±

    Cheeks bunching to the side, Azalea hopped out of their ways, keeping all the doors open as the artificial Quen¡¯Talrat tried to close them.  ¡°Feeling more humble?¡±  Azalea asked.  ¡°We can help you, but you seem to have a false notion as to who is in control.¡±

    Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra¡¯s wide eyes followed the muttering Quen¡¯Talrat mine workers that were doing their best to ignore her and the Nalvean girls beside them.  ¡°But ¡­ I¡¯m in control.  I control the network ¡­ Just me.  I¡¯m important.¡±

    It sounded like she was trying to convince herself of it rather than Azalea; she wasn¡¯t the best at understanding these types of emotions but studying Camellia¡¯s attitude and motivations for so long had given her a bit of insight into how this hologram must feel.  It helped that the humans were so talkative, which gave her further insight into how best to mold this creature.

    ¡°Are you going to run away again?¡±  she asked, jumping into the air to land on the long, single strand of silk she¡¯d positioned at Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra¡¯s eye level; a connection Moris¡¯Luar made with Menorah caught her attention.  ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t scared, NOA.  Isn¡¯t that your real name?¡±

    A quake ran down Noa¡¯s frame.  ¡°No ¡­ I could never be scared¡ªI¡¯m the daughter¡ªno, my name is Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra!  I¡¯m more than NOA!  I¡¯m the Ke¡¯s daughter¡ªmade in his image!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Azalea dropped to her butt on the thread, humming along to the pulsing noises the halls made from Noa¡¯s attempts to use more of the runes around them.

    After a time, the mentally collapsing artificial woman¡¯s composure began to break; she couldn¡¯t leave, or she¡¯d be running away, and she couldn¡¯t do anything to harm her.  Noa was stuck by her own pride¡ªor was she?

    Azalea¡¯s perfect teeth flashed as she leaned to the left, sensing a heavy object rushing through the hallways from the way they¡¯d come.  ¡°You found one of your soldiers?  Heh, I¡¯m so afraid!¡±  she snickered.

    Noa forced a smile, seemingly proud of herself.  ¡°I will show you the power of ¡­ How?¡±

    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Bobbing back and forth, Azalea sent a simple pulse to her silk¡ªfive-hundred meters away¡ªthe web snaking out to wrap around the small, silvery ape and restrain it upside down by every finger, toe, and tail.

    Her grin increased as Menorah connected a few dots in their private conversation; they were in a manufacturing district of the network, which had lost all power¡ªand that wasn¡¯t everything the green ape theorized.

    ¡°How?¡±  Azalea laughed, falling back to land cross-legged on a thread below her.  ¡°Silly, I¡¯m a second-born Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Princess.  You cannot hope to expect such weak drones to handle me ¡­ This Silver Army does resemble the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra order¡ªdrones.  Of course, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma must have respected my mother.¡±

    Noa¡¯s knees gave way, and she stumbled against the wall, using it as support, which Azalea took note of; likely due to the runes, she was confined to the boxed in space.  ¡°I ¡­ control an army¡ªnot drones.¡±

    ¡°Do they think?  Our drones have some level of autonomy to accomplish their tasks to a more intelligent degree.  So, you were created to mirror our society, not the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a copy¡­¡±  she muttered, but there was a whimper underneath her tone; she was breaking down.  ¡°My father only took inspiration from your drone system ¡­ I¡¯m better¡ªhe built me, and he is a God¡­¡±

    ¡°A dead God,¡± Azalea corrected.  ¡°He wasn¡¯t wrong in wishing to copy our system¡ªgathering resources would certainly improve.¡±

    Noa¡¯s muscles collapsed as she hugged her legs up to her chest, back against the wall; Azalea was playing with the silvery drone by swinging it around the halls.  ¡°My father was too weak ¡­ He died ¡­ My father is dead?¡±

    Azalea¡¯s eyebrows pulled together as the giant ape¡¯s heads lowered to her bulky arms, and she began to cry.  Well, an unexpected turn ¡­ Menorah, are artificial Quen¡¯Talrat supposed to be able to cry?  If they can be angry and sad, I guess it¡¯s not out of the ordinary.  Huh.

    The green-furred woman gave a mental start at the question.  ¡°Cry ¡­ You brought her to tears?  Umm ¡­ I can¡¯t say.¡±

    She was having trouble imagining something resembling their holy god-like figure breaking down into tears.  ¡°Eh ¡­ you were right, General, the runes in this area are not receiving power, but it is complete¡ªthe power was just cut at some point to the source.¡±

    Got it!  Keep looking around.  I¡¯m having fun talking to Noa; I think we¡¯re becoming friends!

    ¡°I ¡­ Good luck, General,¡± Menorah mumbled.

    Turning her attention to the uncomfortable Nalvean girls, Azalea said, Giliri, Fini, come and join the talk.  Maybe you¡¯ll see some stuff I don¡¯t.

    ¡°Eh?¡±  Giliri sucked in a sharp breath, unsure what she could add.

    Fini jumped at the opportunity, though.  ¡°Oh, okay!  What do you want us to do?¡±

    She felt the two jogging back her way while Ramuk guarded the specialists, still disgusted by the way Noa acted.  In fairness, Azalea assumed the trembling monstrous ape in front of her could pose a real threat had she had access to her forces.  Unfortunately for her, it seemed whatever was affecting the fortress was also in effect here.

    She¡¯s crying right now.  I think she¡¯s sad that Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s dead, among other things.  She¡¯s powerless at the moment and appears to be alone.

    ¡°That¡¯s so sad,¡± Fini whispered.

    Giliri snorted.  ¡°Yeah, if she wasn¡¯t a gigantic Quen¡¯Talrat the size of a building!¡±

    Fini seemed to be softening up to Noa.  ¡°Is she really a Quen¡¯Talrat, though?  You saw how Ramuk treated her¡ªI think she¡¯s just trying to act big and scary because that¡¯s what you have to do as a Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    ¡°Good point,¡± Giliri muttered, coming into view.  ¡°Still, you can¡¯t tell me she wouldn¡¯t make juice out of us if she could¡­¡±

    Fini cleared her throat while slowing underneath Azalea¡¯s swinging form.  ¡°Umm, hey, Noa¡ªis it okay to call you Noa?¡±

    She didn¡¯t respond or perhaps didn¡¯t hear the Nalvean, so she repeated herself, raising her voice.

    Noa swiftly rubbed her face against her arms to rid herself of the liquid and sniffed loudly; Azalea was impressed by how realistic she was for being created by the Quen¡¯Talrat out of squiggles and strange energy.

    ¡°I am ¡­ Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra¡­¡±

    Giliri grunted.  ¡°Is that what the White Cancer called you?¡±

    The ape¡¯s deep blue eyes lifted to glare at the Nalvean.  ¡°The Ke is not a cancer!  He is a visionary¡ªthe greatest being in existence!  He¡¯s my father¡­¡±  her voice weakened, vision falling to the stone.  ¡°He ¡­ was my father.¡±

    Fini tried to rub her arm only to have it pass through the image, empathy filling her chest that surprised Azalea as the girl¡¯s fingers flinched; she would have thought the Nalveans would have hated all Quen¡¯Talrat, yet these were basically teenagers of the race that hadn¡¯t lived through that war.  ¡°Is Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra what your father called you?¡±

    Noa was silent for a time, reflecting on the question.  ¡°He ¡­ didn¡¯t.  He called me Noa ¡­ maybe I have overstepped my authority.  Is that why he didn¡¯t come back ¡­ Was he angry that I called him father?  I wish ¡­ I just wanted to see him again ¡­ but he¡¯s dead now.¡±

    Oh, she¡¯s good!  I suppose the stern and then the gentle approach can work, like Tiffany said.  How strange.

    Giliri released a long stream of air, folding her arms across her chest.  ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not that close to my father.  He didn¡¯t think I was strong enough to be a Seaweaver like my mother ¡­ I wanted to show him I could do it.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Fini shifted to look at her friend.  ¡°You told me you wanted to be better than me¡ªdidn¡¯t your dad join the Navy?¡±

    Noa¡¯s eyes followed the two Nalvean¡¯s conversation, face scrunched up in confusion at what she was hearing and why it was happening in front of her.

    ¡°I mean, can¡¯t both be true?¡±  Giliri grumbled, scratching her scaly side while looking away.  ¡°We could have seen him if we got into the Seaweaver Academy in the Capital, but ¡­ Yeah, that¡¯s not gonna happen now.¡±

    Fini reached out to rub her friend¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Now that we¡¯re a part of the Empress¡¯s army, we might be able to see him at some point¡ªheh, we have eternity.¡±

    ¡°Eternity?¡±  Noa asked, expression tightening.  ¡°Nalveans only live a few centuries at most¡ªthe same as Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ You do have a strange biology ¡­ Are you Nalveans?¡±

    Azalea gave an internal cheer; they¡¯d hooked her.  At the very least, the door was open for conversation.  She let the Nalvean girls continue to break down the artificial Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s barriers while explaining the Empire and Empress Elinor that had taken over Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s works.

    Dozens of topics Noa brought up couldn¡¯t be answered by the girls, at which they turned to her, but Azalea simply replied that the Empress would need to speak to her in order to give a proper response.

    The specialists went from room to room, using their instruments on the places Azalea pointed with her thread to investigate.  Noa couldn¡¯t even tell they were manipulating the dead spaces in the rooms; her sensory radius seemed to be severely diminished, which was how they¡¯d made it so close without her notice.

    Playing with her feet, Azalea hummed a song</a> Tiffany had taught her.  Noa¡¯s been trapped inside this cavern without anyone to talk to for a hundred and twenty-three years ¡­ She¡¯s lonely and overwhelmed.

    Having her join the Empire and support the Empress is more than possible¡ªit¡¯s likely.  I just need to keep spinning the web around her little by little to break her superiority down.  She requires us to link her purpose to the Empire and that she¡¯s needed ¡­ wanted.  Time and whatever hardships she¡¯s gone through over the last century have already broken down most of the problematic walls.

    She wanted to squeal; the experiments she¡¯d done when younger, allowing her prey to use their ingenuity to try and escape their nest, was nothing compared to the thrill of predicting others and the manipulation Tiffany had taught her.

    Ramuk, Azalea called.

    ¡°Yes, General?¡±  he responded.

    Can you build a connection with Noa?  Fini and Giliri have piqued her curiosity, but if she is going to support the Empress, we need to give her a purpose she can accept.

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  The Elite Hunter wasn¡¯t excited to speak to Noa.  ¡°Excuse me, General, might I speak my mind?¡±

    By all means, Azalea laughed.  I don¡¯t understand Quen¡¯Talrat all that well, so illuminate me!  I¡¯ll send Giliri to take your post and add Fini to the discussion¡ªthe Nalvean seems to be on the same wavelength as this creature.

    ¡°That¡¯s the issue, General ¡­ I do not believe she is a Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªat least nothing like the false figure of the Ke she tried to show us at the beginning¡ªI feel disgusted by my own emotions at the disgraceful way I presented myself.  If she was designed by the Ke, then it was not to be his successor¡ªthe audacity of invoicing the Blood Pact when so ¡­ weak, infuriates me.¡±

    She could be powerful, Azalea noted, examining her blue fingernails with a small smile.  Her strength appears to be cut off at the moment.

    ¡°Strength?¡±  he snorted, folding his arms across his chest and glaring at the wall as Azalea pointed the specialists to another dead zone to examine.  ¡°Relying on puppets is not strength to me, General!  You have true power!  Amra¡¯Cora herself has recognized you as her superior¡ªthe Daughter of Ka¡¯Roga¡¯Amra!¡±

    Mhm.  Azalea began playing with the metal Quen¡¯Talrat like a puppet, making it dance down the halls to her manipulation¡ªthe action seemed to draw Noa¡¯s scowl.  By the way, I thought Quen¡¯Talrat took the names of their mothers.  Why is Amra¡¯Cora not Amra¡¯Roga?

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ complicated,¡± Ramuk muttered.  ¡°I request to divert such a question to my Commander if it is acceptable.¡±

    Meh, it¡¯s just a passing thought, Azalea absently replied, smiling at the success of making the stalwart soldier uncomfortable.  In any case, I require you to work with Fini to bring Noa closer to what the Empress needs.

    ¡°Right away, General,¡± he said without hesitation, even if he didn¡¯t enjoy the prospect.  ¡°I will handle it as a Quen¡¯Talrat unless directed otherwise.  Is that acceptable?¡±

    Taking a leaf from Tiffany, Azalea responded, I don¡¯t care how it¡¯s accomplished; results are all that matters to me.  Bring her to our side however you see fit.

    ¡°Thank you, General.  I will not fail you.¡±

    She watched in fascination as Giliri hesitantly walked away, glancing back at her waving friend and the confused Noa.

    ¡°Where is she¡­¡±  Noa¡¯s jaws snapped shut as Azalea sensed Ramuk change directions from down the hallway, walking toward them; the rune-made Quen¡¯Talrat was able to multitask and view other parts of the maze while engaging them.

    Fini tried to keep up the pace, holding her hands in front of her while smiling at the large artificial Quen¡¯Talrat.  ¡°Umm, she¡¯s just following orders.  We were talking about the power outage in the fortress, so ¡­ is that happening here, too?¡±

    Noa¡¯s suspicious blue eyes lifted to Azalea¡¯s swinging form, high above them; her lax, sitting position against the wall straightened before she rose to her feet.  ¡°I¡¯ll admit that a lot of what you have said has intrigued me, Fini ¡­ So much has changed, and the damage caused by this Sari¡¯a¨¦l creature is ¡­ troubling, but I am a Quen¡¯Talrat!¡±

    Hmm?  Azalea¡¯s glowing pink eyes met them without hesitation.  She was totally lax and enthralled by Fini, but her attitude changed when she sensed Ramuk returning.  She¡¯s putting on an act for him.  This is hilarious!  I wish I had something to eat ¡­ Some of those bug corpses might not taste half bad¡­

    Her attention shifted to Ramuk as the intimidating, fully armored Elite Hunter entered the hallway; heavy shockwaves from each step made Fini¡¯s throat constrict while following the ape¡¯s path.

    He stopped in front of Noa, and even this massive Quen¡¯Talrat specimen was dwarfed by the sheer statue of Noa¡¯s posturing form.

    ¡°What do you want, Gray Blood?¡±  Noa growled.

    Ramuk looked like a child in front of the eight-limbed figure yet didn¡¯t shrink.  ¡°What is power to you?¡±

    ¡°A-Azalea?¡±  Fini tentatively asked in private.

    Play along or interrupt if you see fit.  I want her to open up to us.  You drew her interest.  Now we need to break down the walls you were unable to chip.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Okay, but I think she¡¯s just hurt.  She lost her father and thinks he abandoned her once the war started since he never called on her¡ªat least, I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s what she feels.¡±

    We¡¯ll see.

    Noa¡¯s muscular chest flexed while shaking out her trunk-like arms and broad shoulders.  ¡°To put all under your heel¡ªis this the question an Elite Hunter should be asking¡ªcan you even call yourself that after abandoning the Ke?¡±

    Ramuk¡¯s nose twisted furiously as he slammed his fist against the wall beside her, causing more shockwaves to ripple across the ground; surprisingly, it held against the powerful kinetic force he¡¯d generated.  ¡°What do you know of the war?  You didn¡¯t even know it existed until a Nalvean child gave you her perspective!¡±

    Noa¡¯s gut tightened a fraction at the response, yet the Elite Hunter wasn¡¯t done.

    ¡°The Ke fought Azalea¡¯s family and sustained grave injuries,¡± her blue eyes lifted to settle on Azalea¡ªwho gave a cheery wave¡ªbefore returning to Ramuk¡¯s anger-filled eyes.  ¡°What does that tell you?¡±

    Azalea connected a thread to her feet and fell back to hold her hands behind her back, hanging upside down again; it was a more comfortable position for her given the topic that made her skin tingle.  What does it tell me ¡­ Violet was wrong.  We were only in Mother¡¯s way and couldn¡¯t fight at the same level ¡­ We failed</a> as daughters.

    She wasn¡¯t expecting Ramuk to draw up her own feelings, but they struck at her heart.  Ke was powerful, and they knew that¡ªthey should have had more faith in their mother, though, and that was what burned Azalea¡¯s chest.

    A growl resonated in Noa¡¯s throat as she looked away.  ¡°That they¡¯re strong ¡­ The Ke was stronger!  Wait ¡­ if they were brought back to life ¡­ Was the Ke?¡±

    The sour taste in her mouth drowned out the joy she¡¯d experienced moments before; it reminded her of Camellia¡¯s own plight¡ªshe could only imagine how Violet felt by being the instigator, yet they all went along with it.  Wrong ¡­ Mother was stronger ¡­ We killed our mother.

    She could hear Ramuk¡¯s teeth grinding together.  ¡°Who are you to even talk to me?  If you want an answer¡ªmake me.  I understood after I met the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen¡ªI know why the Ke respected the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen.  But I cannot¡ªby the Ke¡ªI cannot see why he would respect you.¡±

    Noa¡¯s posture faltered as his words sunk in, vulnerability appearing in her blue eyes.  ¡°I ¡­ am tied up¡ªmy hands are tied!  If I was not already preoccupied with the invasion, then I would crush you with my Silver Army¡ª¡±

    Ramuk¡¯s jaws opened in a ferocious roar that locked Fini¡¯s muscles and made Noa step back in shock.  ¡°Weak!  Excuses!  The Ke would never put his faith in anything but his own hand!  Silver Army?  What a disgrace!  If you cannot take my tails and rip them from my backside¡ªif you cannot take my heads and smash them to pulp between your fingers, then you have no right to be anything but trash beneath my feet!¡±

    He took a step forward, radiating a heatwave as gray flames cloaked his body and forced Fini away, still too shocked to respond, and Noa appeared to be affected by the display, as well.  ¡°You are no Quen¡¯Talrat!  Whatever the Ke built you for, it was not for war, which is why you were never called upon¡ªbah, Silver Army ¡­ You were built for manufacturing¡ªlabor!  A slave to provide tools for the real warriors and army!  Know your place!¡±

    Tears welled up in Noa¡¯s eyes as she tripped and fell to the ground.  ¡°No ¡­ No, I-I am the Ke¡¯s daughter ¡­ He loved me¡­¡±

    ¡°Love?¡±  Ramuk roared with laughter.  ¡°The Ke loved the strong¡ªhe loved me!  You ¡­ If he saw you, he¡¯d see nothing but disappointment¡ªfailure to be stopped out and eradicated!¡±

    Fini tripped, falling on her tail.  ¡°W-Wait, Ramuk ¡­ That¡¯s¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ªmy father loved me!  You¡¯re wrong!  H-He named me ¡­ I¡¯m not¡ªI¡¯m not a slave¡ªa simple machine¡­¡±  Expectedly, the crying thirty-foot-tall ape vanished.

    Azalea refrained from smiling as she projected her thoughts to Ramuk and Fini.  Perfectly executed.

    ¡°Huh?¡±  Fini slowly got back to her feet as Ramuk¡¯s aura faded.  ¡°I don¡¯t ¡­ That really hurt her, Azalea ¡­ I wouldn¡¯t want to help someone if they said all those things to me.¡±

    A sharp puff of compressed air shot through Ramuk¡¯s nose as he folded his arms, glaring at the wall.  ¡°The point was to show her she is no Quen¡¯Talrat and not a daughter of the Ke¡ªdisgusting,¡± he growled.  ¡°No, she was built to be a slave, and she needed to be stripped of her delusions.¡±

    Mhm!  Azalea chimed.  And now, we bait her back with something sweet.  Fini!  You¡¯re up!

    ¡°What ¡­ am I supposed to do?¡±  Fini asked in bewilderment.

    Azalea lowered herself to the ground, holding her hands behind her back to face the much taller reptilian woman.  Bait her with your words.  You¡¯ve shown a surprising amount of empathy to the creature, which is a tool Ramuk nor I have.  Sympathize with her, but be honest, and see what it will take for her to serve the Empress.  There must be something she wants.

    Sweat appeared on Fini¡¯s brow as the stress of her assignment struck her chest, generated by her own emotional state.  ¡°I¡¯ll ¡­ do my best, General.  Should I just ¡­ wander around and look for her?¡±

    Looking down the hallway, Azalea wet her lips.  Two corridors to our right is a place that should be secluded enough.  We¡¯ve already seen she knows where we are in her network.  Call out to her and do the empathy thing.  She¡¯ll respond ¡­ At least, that¡¯s what I assume based on her reactions¡ªshockingly, they¡¯re rather organic.

    ¡°Humph,¡± Ramuk¡¯s nose twisted.  ¡°Not Quen¡¯Talrat.  She must be based on another creature¡ªthe Yaltha¡¯ma come to mind.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s head tilted to give him a slight grin.  Mmh, no, not quite like those simple creatures.  She doesn¡¯t have the same mannerisms.  I¡¯d say closer to Nalvean or human, so far.  In any case, we need her cooperation and subservience to the Empress.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±  Fini took a deep breath before letting it out in a hiss.  ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    She got two steps before another thought crossed Azalea¡¯s mind.  Oh, and learn more about this war she¡¯s supposedly been fighting with those carcasses we passed.  She needs support ¡­ We can offer that, given the proper circumstances.

    ¡°Right ¡­ Mmh, yeah, I¡¯ll see if I can learn more about that ¡­ Well, if she even wants to talk to me,¡± she muttered, rubbing her side while walking away.

    Azalea could feel her mind working frantically at what direction she should take; she honestly wanted to help the artificial Quen¡¯Talrat, which stemmed from some kind of experience.  I look forward to your results; call if you need help!

 B3 â€” 8. Discovering Worth

    Fini¡¯s tail flicked to the left, dull blue eyes shifting to the smooth granite black walls and soft white light that illuminated the corridor as she proceeded.

    She knew Azalea was still tracking her through the web the silkweaver had spun around who knew how much of this maze at this point; honestly, the eight-legged disguised creature terrified her. If it wasn¡¯t for the time she¡¯d spent with Camellia, trying to understand exactly what happened to the handsome and charming man that had given them a second chance at life, she¡¯d be petrified in the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s presence.

    It was obvious what their commander wanted them to do; manipulate Noa into a corner, but Fini genuinely believed they could find common ground.

    A lump formed in her throat and she worked around her jaw, flexing the muscles around her neck. Stomach in turmoil, Fini¡¯s clawed fingers gently pressed against her gut, attempting to soothe the uncomfortable emotions swirling around her stomach, much like the humans comparisons she¡¯d heard used in reference to the Empress¡¯s ¡®butterflies.¡¯.

    What do I know? I¡¯m just a little Nalvean girl¡ªbarely old enough to even join the City Guard¡¯s intern program. All I wanted to do was be like my mom and serve the Empire ¡­ Now I¡¯m fulfilling that dream but not in the way I really wanted.

    Her tongue slid through her teeth, hands finding her elbows while focusing on the seemingly infinite hall ahead of her, only occasionally broken by branching rooms and corridors. I¡¯m dead, though, right? How can I even have an upset stomach!

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± she grimaced. I feel like the Empress is moving us down the right path, but this¡ªfeels¡­

    A quiver ran down the spikes along her spine to the tip of her tail as Azalea spoke in her mind. ¡°I told you to do it however you like, Fini. I¡¯m only interested in the results.¡±

    Turning to look at the hanging spider girl as she reverted to her original form, her throat went dry; thankfully, that didn¡¯t translate to the Nexus¡¯s communication. R-Right. I¡¯ll do that, Azalea¡­

    ¡°Hmm? He-he-he, if reading your thoughts is troublesome to you, I will cease it. There ¡­ You have your privacy. Ramuk is blocked from intercepting them, as well. Enjoy!¡±

    At least a little of the stress weighing against her chest eased. Thank you, Azalea ¡­ It¡¯s not something I am accustomed to. Can I¡­

    ¡°Hmm? Speak however you wish of me. Heh, it doesn¡¯t affect how I feel,¡± she nonchalantly replied, and Fini figured she could still sense more than enough with her network of webs spanning the hallways.

    Not that I don¡¯t like having you around! She forced a laugh, mechanically resuming her march to the nearest room.

    Fini¡¯s blood chilled as Azalea giggled. ¡°I care not how you view me, Fini. Fear me if it makes you feel better. I am only interested in results; I hope you bring me some.¡±

    She could feel the countless unseen hands of the creature looming over her; of course, Azalea would never intimidate her¡ªsuch actions were for the weak, Fini concluded.

    Azalea said and did what she wanted. Fini knew she wouldn¡¯t attack her, either, yet couldn¡¯t help but shudder at just the thought of disappointing Azalea because she didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do.

    All is for the Empress¡­

    ¡°Mmh, indeed! Find some fun in this mission, too, Fini. No need to be so tight!¡±

    I¡¯ll try.

    Azalea¡¯s mental presence faded as she withdrew, making some of the pent-up air in her lungs puff through her nose.

    Unbinding her arms, she stretched them out, feeling the slight pops they made. Relax ¡­ Just relax. This is an important mission. I can¡¯t let the Empress down after she put so much trust in me¡ªwhy did she specifically name me to join this mission, though? Giliri and I aren¡¯t even that strong.

    The walk to the hallway was filled with shame as she reflected on her life. All of the Seaweavers she¡¯d seen aboard the Navy ships were proud and strong, and the Empress¡¯s power had given her methods of using her bending abilities in a way only some of the most skilled Seaweavers boasted, yet she wondered if it was right.

    Her mother had practiced until her body would tremble with exhaustion and her spine ached from overuse¡ªmeanwhile, here she was, able to fire a water projectile at a distance and speed many Seaweavers would likely be jealous of.

    The words her father told her before leaving on an exploratory journey of their lands burned inside her heart.

    Do I not have the willpower my mother had? Giliri and I were somewhat of a joke to the City Guard. Sure, we weren¡¯t the best at controlling the crimson water but we practiced with each other every day.

    She went back and forth, trying to hype herself up and tearing herself down on the next thought, trying not to boast because she had no achievements to point to.

    Her fingernails tightened as she scolded herself, glancing around at more piles of broken silvery Quen¡¯Talrat. Why am I thinking about myself when I have a job to do! Get your mind in the boat! She growled, palm smacking the side of her head and slamming her tail against the ground in agitation.

    ¡°What ¡­ are you doing?¡±

    Fini jumped, tail pressing against the cold floor as her feet left the stone. ¡°W-What! Where¡­¡±

    Her focus shifted to the giant ape woman as she stood to her right, a conflicted look on her two faces. ¡°I asked what you were doing? Is this some ¡­ Nalvean ritual or something? You should tell those others to leave,¡± she coldly muttered, but in Fini¡¯s mind, she must have been putting on an act.

    ¡°Oh, umm, can¡ªyou know, we kind of talk¡ªjust for a bit?¡± She shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck and shifting her posture a little. ¡°I know what¡ªwell, Azalea and Ramuk were really rude¡­¡±

    Noa¡¯s fists tightened, making Fini fixate on the muscular fingers¡ªif she were physical, she could easily make mashed apickle juice out of her. ¡°I ¡­ Why would you want to talk to a slave?¡± she whispered, eyes moving to the floor.

    Finding it much more enjoyable to talk to this very intimidating colossal Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªa historic horror¡ªthan the terrifying, much smaller human-looking Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Fini turned the question around, ¡°Heh, why would you want to talk to some random Nalvean girl that just broke into your home?¡±

    Noa''s nose creased a few times as she breathed, her much brighter blue eyes darting to look at her. ¡°That ¡­ I¡¯ve never heard anyone talk about themselves in such a manner. You are not going to boast of your power and force this slave to do your bidding?¡±

    Knowing how painful words could be, Fini¡¯s hands tightened around her front, realizing how damaged Noa was. ¡°Can we talk a little, uh ¡­ should I call you Ke¡¯Noa¡¯Thra?¡±

    A shiver ran through Noa¡¯s frame as she shuffled away, rubbing both of her left arms. ¡°What power do I have to claim ¡­ The stupid little Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was not wrong, and¡ªand a true Elite Hunter has rebuked me for my hubris. I should be torn apart for disgracing my father¡ªno, how can I claim such when I hold no¡ªno real power of my own,¡± she choked, voice cracking a bit. ¡°I-I need to go¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Fini¡¯s jaw and forehead tightened, stepping forward to try and put a hand on her hind leg, but the vision of the hurt woman hazed and vanished.

    Slowing to a stop at the place where Noa dissipated, Fini took a deep breath, scanning the well-organized area of what she assumed was something of a graveyard for her fallen soldiers. It put burning wood against her heart the more Fini¡¯s mind theorized just how long this creature lived in isolation.

    Shaking herself out, Fini wandered around the room and connected hallways, leading to more piles of broken and damaged metallic Quen¡¯Talrat. She figured Noa could hear her; of course, Azalea could as well, but that was a given no matter what, and she had to talk to someone about the emotions pulling at her heart.

    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how you must have felt ¡­ being alone for over a hundred years. I¡¯ve felt kind of lonely, too, but¡ªbut not like that. Heh, Giliri¡¯s my best friend, but she¡¯s got this kind of¡ªI don¡¯t know, a super-easy way of not letting things bother her. I try to do that ¡­ I don¡¯t know how it seems so simple for her because it¡¯s so hard for me.¡±

    She stopped in front of a pile of neatly stacked arms, sliding her fingernails over the long cuts in the metal, which seemed almost melted by fire. ¡°My mom was a great Seaweaver¡ªa great warrior, I suppose, you could say. At least, that¡¯s how I remember her.¡±

    Fini¡¯s sad smile turned to examine the legs in the corner, showing signs of similar damage. ¡°She was in the Navy and went to battle the pirates of the Judicus Isles¡ªkeeping our border towns safe from raids, and she lost her life two years after I was born. There was a big Pirate Lord she fought¡­¡±

    Tears came to her eyes as she recalled the sailors¡¯ stories that talked about the battle to one another in the local military respites. She used to sneak into the area when certain vessels grounded in their small city in the hopes of catching a few words about the big battle.

    ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s hard to know what¡¯s the truth when¡ªwhen you weren¡¯t there. Some of the stories say she was a coward, but others say she was a hero ¡­ I like to think she was a hero ¡­ My dad says she was the greatest Seaweaver in the entire fleet at the time.¡±

    Her tongue slid through her teeth while releasing a hot puff of air. ¡°Everyone has their own opinions about it¡ªthe story always changes, though, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯s true or not. All I know is that I want to live in a way that no one can tell me my mother was a coward¡ªshe inspired me by what others told me about her, you know?¡±

    Fini¡¯s nose twitched a little before she pulled down the semi-elastic neck-guard she wore to scratch between her scales. A burn soon moved from her chest and up her throat, shame leaking from her dull blue eyes. ¡°I wanted to make her proud ¡­ But I was killed by my best friend. How is that living up to her legacy?¡±

    Noa¡¯s voice spoke from several points around her, not showing herself. ¡°You ¡­ feel as if your death disgraced your mother¡¯s accomplishments? I see, so ¡­ you are dead creatures ¡­ Hmm.¡± Confusion moved the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s words, and she spoke so softly, Fini barely heard her. ¡°Why did someone you believed to be your closest ally take their fist to your head?¡±

    Finding an empty wall, Fini tucked her tail around her side and leaned against it, pulling her crossed legs up to her chest; she was a little surprised she just accepted that they were dead, but it wasn¡¯t really important to what was on her mind.

    ¡°She was being controlled by someone else ¡­ by someone else I trusted¡ªheh,¡± she smirked, ¡°great judge of character, huh?¡±

    Fini looked up at the stone releasing light overhead, vision blurred from the liquid in her eyes. ¡°You know, everyone talks badly about Quen¡¯Talrat where I¡¯m from, and Ramuk is really scary¡ªwithout a doubt.¡±

    Noa grunted. ¡°Of course, he¡¯s an Elite Hunter ¡­ Trained by the Ke himself¡­¡±

    Fini nodded, rubbing the soft part of the fabric covering her arm. ¡°Mhm ¡­ I¡¯m just¡ªI know he¡¯d never hurt me, though, because we¡¯re on the same side. Why are the people that hurt me the most my own people?¡± she asked, gut tightening before streaming out more hot air to calm her thumping undead heart. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    The massive white figure of Noa almost shyly emerged from shimmering lights in front of her, sitting cross-legged while facing her. ¡°Nalveans ¡­ fight each other? The Ke stomped out that kind of behavior long ago. Quen¡¯Talrat were united under his supreme rule; no one dared to fight amongst each other because he made it clear we¡­¡±

    Her heads lowered, eyes saddening. ¡°They ¡­ were brothers and sisters. I didn¡¯t know the Nalveans hunted each other. Why?¡±

    Fini leaned back and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know ¡­ Jumi¡¯kerune had some kind of device planted in my best friend¡¯s spine that turned her crazy. Why would you build something like that¡ªput it in loyal people? The Judicus Isles Nalveans just want to take the products the port cities of the City-States work hard to produce¡ªwhy not work the fields for yourself?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Noa¡¯s low growl rumbled the ground underneath Fini. ¡°The Ke conquers¡ªmmh, conquered¡ªother weak races to show his supremacy. Quen¡¯Talrat were looked down upon¡ªforced to work inhospitable lands and make war over the scraps of good land for generations untold.¡±

    She seemed to be reciting the lectures she¡¯d received from the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s god and hero. ¡°The Ke brought the Bloods under his heel and took his people south to claim that which was denied to them¡ªhe stood victorious and told the Bloods to build as he took the bulk of their strength north, claiming revenge against all that had hunted and spat on his noble race¡­¡±

    Noa¡¯s seemed somewhat conflicted as she continued. ¡°Glory followed the Ke¡ªmy creator was the greatest being of pure radiance that built the most powerful force in existence. None could conquer the conqueror ¡­ Yet, he died.¡±

    Fini tightened her arms around her pulled-in legs; Noa¡¯s four arms were trembling in her lap. ¡°How does that make you feel ¡­ Is he a hero to you?¡±

    The ape woman¡¯s lips pulled in, eyes scanning the pile of metal heads beside them. ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know what a hero is. I feel a little angry ¡­ Why am I angry at the one who created me? I should never experience these things for my god ¡­ my father.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Fini¡¯s chest pressed against her thighs, tail lightly slapping the ground in mild agitation. ¡°Do you feel like your father abandoned you? I kind of feel that way¡­¡±

    ¡°Abandoned me?¡± A quake ran down Noa¡¯s massive muscles, causing her arms to tighten around her core. ¡°I suppose ¡­ The Ke was supposed to be invincible ¡­ the greatest that could never fail. He was everything ¡­ everything I wanted to become. Yet ¡­ he vanished, and I thought it was because I was a,¡± she choked, ¡°a disappointment.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Fini asked, glancing around at the hordes of broken soldiers around her. ¡°Look at everything you¡¯ve done.¡±

    A sharp snort rushed through the ape¡¯s nose, shockingly sending a hot gust to brush against Fini¡¯s thin figure. ¡°Done? Exactly, what have I done? I¡¯ve lost 98.774% of my army¡ªnot that they were ever intended to be an army in the first place¡ªI realize that now after the Elite Hunter¡¯s words.¡±

    Tears fell down her furry face. ¡°I hoped¡ªif I lined up the trophies of my conquest¡ªlike the Ke had done in his victory over the Skull Bashers of the north, he would return. Shower me with his holy presence again, but now¡ªnow I know everything I have done¡ªI¡¯ve fought for has been in vain.¡±

    ¡°Not true,¡± Fini urged, hoisting herself up to stand before the crying Quen¡¯Talrat. ¡°I think you¡¯re amazing so far! I honestly believe you¡¯d love to meet Empress Elinor. She¡¯s different from Azalea and Ramuk ¡­ Strong yet compassionate. She was the one that brought me back to life¡ªbreathed life back into me¡ªI was reborn to walk beside her and carry on the flame of my mother in a different light.¡±

    Holding her hands behind her back, Fini smiled up at Noa, finding a kinship she hadn''t felt in a long while as she got to know the misunderstood creature. ¡°I have my own doubts in myself¡ªheh, I¡¯ve told you some of those.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ But I really think that this Empire the Empress is building¡ªthe unity¡ªhow everyone gets a place, and how considerate she is of even someone as insignificant as a backwater wannabe Seaweaver girl ¡­ the trust she¡¯s putting in me wasn¡¯t a mistake. You aren¡¯t a mistake, either.¡±

    An answer finally came to her brain. ¡°You know ¡­ to doubt myself being here¡ªin a way, if I do that, I¡¯m doubting her.¡±

    Noa was still hugging herself as if cold. ¡°What are you going to do? Why are you here?¡±

    The pressure against Fini¡¯s breast lifted as the clouds blocking out the sun in her mind lifted. ¡°I¡¯m going to work hard to live up to both the Empress¡¯s expectations and my mother¡¯s legacy in my mind! So, to accomplish that, I want to know what I can do to help you.¡±

    Silence filled the space as she finished, Noa looking at her as if she were crazy¡ªat least, to Fini, it appeared that way. Once several seconds passed, Fini cleared her throat and put her hands on her hips. ¡°So ¡­ Can I help you?¡±

    Noa¡¯s foreheads creased, deep in thought while staring at her lap, but Fini had no doubt given her size, she could see her. ¡°...¡± Her tongue slid out to wet her lips; the realism of Noa was pretty cool, Fini had to admit, which further lowered the intimidation factor of the timid ape.

    ¡°Don¡¯t Nalveans hate Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ like you said? Well ¡­ not that I am a Quen¡¯Talrat, and you did have Elite Hunter Ramuk,¡± she mumbled to herself, trying to understand the odd alliance dynamic that had stepped into her halls.

    Fini took in a deep breath before slowly letting it out, frowning a little. ¡°I¡¯m sure I wouldn¡¯t like the Quen¡¯Talrat that much, given the way Ramuk acts, but I like you so far. Isn¡¯t that enough to want to help someone¡ªno matter what they look like?¡±

    A sour tilt to her lips narrowed her double-lidded eyes while looking away. ¡°Do you recall the Judicus Isles?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Noa whispered, fidgeting uncomfortably as if in a classroom and being asked to recite something in front of a class. ¡°The people your mother went to battle with.¡±

    All Fini saw was a vulnerable woman looking for anything to latch onto, shattered by loneliness and culture she didn¡¯t fit into, no matter how hard she tried. She couldn¡¯t understand how the others didn¡¯t see it or disregarded her feelings simply by the way she looked.

    ¡°The big difference between the Judicus Isles and the mainland is the color of our skin¡ªthe Pirates have white scales while we have red, blue, and green. We¡¯ve been at war for ¡­ as long as I can remember, and a big part of that is because of that¡ªthe color of our skin. We don¡¯t allow their color on our land, and they shun all other but white.¡±

    Fingers closing into a fist, Fini brought it up to her breast, feeling a new passion she hadn¡¯t felt before filling it. ¡°I don¡¯t want that anymore ¡­ I know I¡¯ve never seen a white Nalvean, but isn¡¯t it stupid? I mean, look at us¡ªlook at the Empress¡¯s Empire. We have Ri¡¯bot, humans, Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Yaltha¡¯ma, Nalveans, Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ bird things,¡± she hesitated, unable to recall the name of the creatures. ¡°Can¡¯t we all live in harmony?¡±

    A low rumble shook the air while Noa rose to her feet, fiddling with her fingers as she studied a pile of her inoperable soldiers. ¡°I¡ªdon¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying. Did not those white Judicus Isles Nalveans slay your mother? Why would you wish for peace after sustaining loss?¡±

    ¡°A good question,¡± Fini muttered, grip tightening around her left arm as she followed to stand beside the giant ape. ¡°I can¡¯t say it doesn¡¯t hurt ¡­ It does. Then again, other Nalveans that look like me have done so much to hurt me, too. Should I hate all of my race? I don¡¯t know ¡­ heh, maybe I should, huh?¡± she asked, looking up at the melancholy expression on Noa¡¯s two faces.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Fini pondered the emotions she¡¯d been forced to suffer through while growing up in the ensuing silence. Giliri saw being a Seaweaver as fun and something they could do together, but it was more to Fini. She hadn¡¯t thought about how heavy reality really was, nor the weight of walking a path took on one¡¯s heart.

    Fini cleared her throat. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can forgive everyone¡ªnot every Nalvean will want peace, or may even have a different way of viewing what peace means ¡­ Maybe, in the end, something like what your Ke did is necessary. I don¡¯t know.¡±

    She scratched her forehead, reaching out to touch the smooth surface of the fallen soldiers. ¡°What I do know is that I want to make the Empress¡¯s dream of a united Empire a reality ¡­ I want to see other little girls like me looking up to their parents and aspire to be noble like them¡ªto fight for something they believe. What do you fight for, Noa?¡±

    The question elicited a flinch from the woman. ¡°My purpose¡ªI¡¯m to administer this place¡ªI need to keep it safe and operational, but ¡­ I can¡¯t¡ªnot since many of my core functions haven¡¯t been completed and my building systems have been broken. I ¡­ am a failure¡­¡±

    Fini stepped back to scan the area, smiling a little. ¡°I can¡¯t agree with you, Noa. To me, this looks amazing ¡­ You said you were at war, and look how well you¡¯ve defended this place¡ªthe number of battles you¡¯ve seen and still this place stands.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Noa coughed, sucking in a deep breath while looking around at the broken parts of her warriors, ¡°I have failed. My enemies have outmaneuvered my attempts to slay them¡ªI won one war to be pulled into four more. Soon, I will be overwhelmed, and my limited defenses will fall apart without the energy to power them ¡­ I am doomed to die.¡±

    A shiver ran through Fini¡¯s bones. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask for help? I told you, Noa, the Empress can save you!¡±

    ¡°Heh, well ¡­ I would need the Ke to truly be saved,¡± she muttered, looking up at the ceiling with a smile that showed the abandon and shame she¡¯d suffered for over a century. ¡°Can you tell me there are Quen¡¯Talrat rune scribes able to repair and complete me? I think not.¡±

    There was a dead grin in Noa¡¯s longing blue irises as her gaze moved to her. ¡°I am running on my last gem reserve ¡­ The foul creatures discovered my weakness and, in a surprise underground raid, found an incomplete path through the runic defense to my Energy Matrix¡ªI have a month to live.¡±

    Fini¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°No, there are still options!¡±

    Noa ignored her, turning away to walk to the doorway before pausing for a moment. ¡°I do not know what to think about everything you have told me, little Nalvean ¡­ but I could not bear another day of silence, and ¡­ and you are the most comfortable person I have ever spoken to.¡±

    She turned around, tears in her eyes again as she smiled. ¡°Will you come back to speak with me again before my last drop of strength leaves my parched core? I¡¯d like to see you again¡ªyou make me wish to be something more than ¡­ this.¡±

    Passion filled Fini¡¯s marrow. ¡°I will be back, Noa ¡­ I¡¯ll be back with the Empress, and she¡¯ll save you. You¡¯ll see just how merciful, and capable the Empress is¡ªI want you to discover what kind of person you want to be¡ªnot what your creator wants. I see a real person in you, Noa¡ªdon¡¯t believe anyone that tells you you aren¡¯t!¡±

    A sad, thankful smile lifted Noa¡¯s slick face, tinged with the tormenting solitude that had been her life. She vanished without a word.

    Empowered by her conversation and connection to Noa, Fini stretched out her back, realizing how tight she¡¯d gotten throughout the exchange. ¡°You¡¯ll see, Noa, I¡¯m here now, and I won¡¯t leave you to die ¡­ You¡¯re not alone</a> anymore.¡±

    * * *

    Elinor hummed, looking out of the glass walls in her high tower, hands clasped behind her back while following Azalea¡¯s group through the mountains; snowfall fell over the city as the gloomy clouds hovered across the sky.

    Theresa</a> remained by her side while Luisina</a> aided Tiffany</a> and Esmeralda</a> as best she could to draw the needed chalk designs across the city to protect them from Demon¡¯s constant eyes, among other things.

    Violet was still by the Maw, Ang¨¦lica by her side. Something must have been happening inside the pit, but it seemed she was content with observing for now. To be sure, though, Elinor sent Voukey, her Mythic Songweaver bird that could act as a Nexus bridge, to make a sweep, checking on how each of her projects was coming along.

    Emelina was returning along the river, but it would be later in the day that she finally made it back for her report; luckily, Voukey could speed things up and allow her to discover if the Head Maid had actually spent the free time she¡¯d given Klaus and her wisely¡ªif not, back she went.

    ¡°Your thoughts on the snow?¡± Elinor asked, scanning the falling veil that obscured a part of the city.

    Theresa hummed, serene blue eyes settling on the rooftops. ¡°It¡¯s thicker than we anticipated, but I suppose Azalea didn¡¯t specify exactly how much she perceived to be heavy. I should have anticipated it would be more ¡­ It is pretty, though.¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Elinor nodded. ¡°I grew up in California, so I rarely was able to enjoy the falling snow. It will probably be a rare sight ¡­ Sari¡¯a¨¦l is having a troublesome time with the children.¡±

    She chuckled while mentally following the Seraph¡¯s slight frustration that her presence melted the joy the children indulged in. Still, her acting as a heater for the parents was something the adults seemed to relish.

    An angel turned into a living radial heating device ¡­ hilarious.

    Theresa smiled, happy she was happy. ¡°It says a lot that you are able to laugh, Empress. I hope our growing security will last so you may remain at peace.¡±

    ¡°Not too much,¡± Elinor whispered, ¡°but enough to enjoy ourselves every once in a while isn¡¯t terrible. We can¡¯t expect this world to go easy on us. Hmm, Voukey has reached Violet.¡±

    Her maid nodded her head, acknowledging the prompt that she¡¯d be busy; she noticed the group within the mountain were returning at a rather swift pace, which temporarily drew a frown. Violet, how goes the investigation?

    The girl¡¯s voice held curiosity. ¡°Unusual, Empress. As previously reported, the mist has continued to recede. My silk is able to reach far below, yet I am unable to touch the bottom; I cannot say exactly how deep it goes, but the corroding substance I am trying to bypass is weakening as my thread gains resistance, it seems to be gradually failing. I cannot say for what reason as of yet, but I am discovering new routes I had previously been unaware of underneath your valley.¡±

    I see. Elinor slowly moved across the polished granite while attempting to penetrate the veil of white without luck. Has the snow reached your location yet?

    ¡°No, Empress. It will not because of the atmospheric currents; the largest mountain to your north will pull it north and into its gravity.¡±

    Gravity, hmm? Interesting. Stay as long as you believe is necessary and before leaving, reinforce your sensory webs to be warned if anything unusual occurs.

    ¡°I will do as you instruct, Empress. Would you like me to explore these caves that are opening up? There are unusual scents within, yet they are faded in a way I have not experienced before.¡±

    Elinor smirked. You¡¯re the cautious one of your sisters, Violet. If you believe it safe, I have no issue with you following your own leads. If you are not back by tomorrow, andAng¨¦lica is still by your side, I will send Voukey to connect us again.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Cutting the connection to the spider, Elinor¡¯s narrowed green eyes shifted to the mountain. Gravity, pulling in clouds, chilling them to generate a blizzard unlike any recorded on Earth ¡­ Why? Our power is cut off, and it has been for some time. It started decades ago, which rules out many things¡ªand it was after the Avana brought terror to the valley, creating the Maw.

    Voukey.

    ¡°I answer your call, Empress,¡± he responded in his deep, musical tone.

    How long until you are in range of Emelina?

    ¡°Twenty minutes, Empress.¡±

    And passing over Shi¡¯Shuka?

    ¡°An hour and twelve minutes, given the location, but my projection time since my skill¡¯s activation will fall before I have a chance to reach the area.¡±

    Mhm ¡­ thirty minutes of broadcast from anywhere on the planet for a week cooldown isn¡¯t that terrible. Receive Klaus¡¯s report and fly around the area Iris was heading to obtain an update on her progress. It may be a day or two trip, even flying, given the scope of the Nalvean Empire, but if nothing serious comes up, continue to gather information on the key players before returning.

    ¡°While building a new flock, Empress?¡±

    Of course. It will be critical that we place your bird spies among the nobility and prominent figures in each City-State. We will start in the southern territories, and if Iris conscripts your aid, then, by all means, heed her call.

    ¡°Is there any news specifically you would wish I return immediately to report on?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips tightened; Azalea¡¯s group had increased their pace, with the spider and Fini taking the lead. Ramuk was staying behind with Giliri and the specialists, their velocity too swift for the Quen¡¯Talrat workers to follow with their added supplies, Elinor was sure.

    Anything of significant threat to our relationship with the Nalvean Empire should be directly carried to Klaus, followed by me. Information on Iris¡¯s daughters goes straight to her before anyone else, which includes Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s group. As for Demon ¡­ bring it to whoever is closest.

    ¡°As you command, I obey.¡±

    Elinor could feel her artificial body becoming stressed by how much she¡¯d been standing and moving lately; she¡¯d need to sit soon but pushing the skill was something she was investing in. It only produced mild annoyance, so it was no loss to her.

    She felt Edmon and Tiffany making conversation with Voukey, further clarifying certain things to be on the lookout for, such as ancient sites or specific types of fauna for the Witch¡¯s rituals the bird was familiar with.

    Elinor¡¯s focus was now entirely on Azalea and Fini; if she didn¡¯t know any better, the middle Spider Sister was carrying the Nalvean, which brought back memories of Camellia and her victorious but broken return¡ªshe didn¡¯t like the sensation.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    ¡°Empress?¡± the angel¡¯s lovely voice returned. ¡°You wish for me to go recover Azalea and Fini when they exit the cave?¡±

    Smiling, Elinor let out a soft puff of air while shaking her head. Perceptive as ever. You sense their flight?

    ¡°Mmh, I sense your worries, Empress, and their swift action; although, I would say urgency is more of the feeling I get from what little leaks through the Nexus of Fini and Azalea¡¯s current state. At this distance, in any case.¡±

    Not the threat of an enemy?

    ¡°I cannot be certain, yet it does not give me that impression ¡­ Hope is what bleeds through the most.¡±

    In?

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s giggle lightened Elinor¡¯s heart. ¡°Their Empress. Fini is putting her faith in you to realize her budding dream, which is something I sense more from the Religious side of your System than the Undead.¡±

    A slight twist lifted Elinor¡¯s green-tinted lips. I wasn¡¯t aware my Undead could be connected to that System.

    ¡°In terms of drawing upon it, absolutely not, but there is a faint spark that can be sensed if the opportunities align ¡­ He-he-he, no, which does not mean they will evolve to further access it, but it is simply a bleed-through of your dual Systems¡ªa lingering touch that draws upon the most brilliant part of its function.¡±

    Hope in the future I can bring. Is that it? Elinor questioned, turning her head to see the angelic woman hovering outside of the tower¡¯s glass to her right, shining like a beacon in the flurry.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s elegant smile even outshone her own radiant glow. ¡°You are the spark in the darkness, Empress. The strength of those that truly believe in you and the power they can gain is phenomenal. I can say you will not understand until you can feel that unity pulsing within your breast like the image of man and god meeting in the memory of your planet¡¯s sacred arts.¡±

    I look forward to it, Elinor replied, watching her pulse with light before shooting off like a star toward the mountain; eventually, even her glory was swallowed by the thickening storm.

    A few minutes passed in silence as Elinor waited; Voukey came into range of Emelina before Sari¡¯a¨¦l returned with Azalea and Fini.

    The Head Maid¡¯s soft voice entered her mind. ¡°A new method of communication, Empress? An impressive accomplishment to your growing Empire.¡±

    Elinor sighed, drawing Theresa¡¯s gaze. How many times must I repeat myself ¡­ I need to send out a declaration to you all.

    ¡°Have I displeased you?¡± Emelina asked, pondering her words; it made Elinor happy that she came to the correction before she had to explain it. ¡°Ah, my sincerest apologies, Empress. An impressive accomplishment to our growing Empire.¡±

    We are a body of separate individuals, seeking the same goal, Elinor hummed. Now, I also have my expectations of this body, Emelina.

    ¡°I ¡­ cannot express my gratitude for your thoughtfulness. Klaus took me to a romantic meadow where we shared lunch, explored each other¡¯s interests, and discussed our thoughts about pursuing relationships given our current climate.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t quite expect so much detail into their time together, and the fact they openly spoke to one another on the subject was beyond her experience in the field. So long as you made use of the time I gave you.

    Clearing her throat, she felt an edge of happiness, knowing her subjects could find other joy within the Empire than simply serving her. Now, what is happening in Shi¡¯Shuka?

    ¡°Right,¡± Emelina prepared to give her report. ¡°Ahem, Klaus is continuing the discussions on possible trade goods and the best routes for constructing a road between our Empires. A path between Shi¡¯Shuka and Nethermore seems to be the most desirable discussion, but such a feat would require the construction of bridges rivaling the greatest feats of architecture on Earth.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind instantly went to the Wandering River¡¯s colossal width and how close it would need to be to Nethermore for the most simple route, and she wasn¡¯t wrong.

    Edmon would be thrilled to tackle the challenge. That being said, such a project will be long-term, given the workload he is currently under improving Nethermore itself, she replied, which would be carried to Klaus via Voukey.

    ¡°Indeed. He is far more interested in a path from Nethermore to the Golariex holy Empire, though, Empress.¡±

    Understandable, Elinor smirked. Having an excuse to visit his love by the excuse of visiting our nation will be most convenient for him and creates a middle ground outside of Nalvean women¡¯s scrutiny. Tal¡¯tamine?

    ¡°The Princess is still recovering. Many of the royal medical staff are seeking to soothe the trauma she has sustained from the nightmares of what she was forced to do while under Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s influence. She is a strong girl, though, and wishes to better understand you for doing so much to free her.¡±

    Smile fading, Elinor¡¯s jaw lightly pressed together. Yet another reason to pursue Demon¡¯s agent. What of the Embassy the First Prince is so fixated on?

    Emelina¡¯s voice darkened a tad. ¡°Speaking of the First Prince, Klaus has discovered he is having private dealings with Yesenia. She has kept the humans far from us through a spy network that updates her on our current location. We suspect they are plotting something behind the scenes, but little is coming to light.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l picked up her two passengers and began her return, causing Elinor to keep her gaze on where they would emerge from the blizzard; she could sense Edmon¡¯s discomfort at having the Seraph leave the city, even if temporarily, with Sha¡¯Guala so close, but couldn¡¯t deny the pact of peace they¡¯d made.

    Elinor sighed, glancing down at her locked legs; any more standing and they¡¯d begin to tremble. Theresa, ever the observant one, had already called over her throne; the spider drone lowered itself for her to step up its extended two front legs to reach its head. Taking a seat, she instantly felt her fragile body¡¯s relief.

    Voukey responded without prompting. ¡°I will set a few birds in the area to observe and report to me when I complete my round trip.¡±

    Excellent, Elinor said, letting a low rumble roll around her throat, and add Stateswoman Lukuroha¡¯s City-State to the list of targets. If anyone is plotting against her or us, we need to be prepared ¡­ Heh, and a little more information about how the Argent Dawn is progressing in their mission wouldn¡¯t hurt. I like a few spoilers.

    ¡°It will be done.¡±

    Shifting her posture to lean against the side, using the back of her hand to rest her cheek, Elinor frowned. The Embassy?

    ¡°Yes,¡± Emelina sounded somewhat agitated, which was unusual for her calm tone. ¡°The Seaweaver Grand Council is proving to be difficult, as High Ruler Nukulara insinuated. Until you return corpses of Yesenia¡¯s dead family to her, she will not allow leniency on the topic.¡±

    Figures, Elinor muttered, feeling Voukey reaching the limit of his transmittable distance from Emelina. Very well, we¡¯ll discuss other topics when you return. I look forward to you being by my side again, and Aileen has been adorable; she¡¯s building many friends among the children and teens, given her feats of strength and bubbly personality.

    A hidden spark of joy touched the Head Maid¡¯s heart, and Elinor added, Also, she has been practicing all the lessons you¡¯ve taught her. While she may be clumsy, she¡¯s making fantastic progress.

    Emelina giggled. ¡°I look forward to continuing to foster each woman you have put under my care. Theresa¡¯s progress?¡±

    She¡¯s done exceptional work in your stead, Elinor responded, twinkling eyes wandering to the oblivious motherly maid. Given a bit more time, she could evolve into a Head Maid herself. You should see the work she¡¯s put into Luisina, the poor girl. Even with my System, she struggles, yet Tiffany is working on a treatment. Are there any parting remarks?

    ¡°Mmh, I hesitate to report this, in speaking of Luisina, but the High Ruler has requested an answer as to a method the Empire has of supporting Tal¡¯tamine.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s left eye creased at the woman¡¯s connection to Tal¡¯tamine. Luisina¡¯s powers are for physical ailments, not mental. I would think Tiffany would be a better subject to bring into the conversation ¡­ Are you suggesting lingering physical effects need to be purged?

    ¡°It is a possibility. Some of the royal healers have commented that there is some kind of foreign agent within her blood that is concerning; they suggest it might actually be the cause of the nightmares and terror that can sporadically grip her at times.¡±

    Hmm¡­ Elinor¡¯s lips tightened; the Seraph was going to enter the city soon with Azalea and Fini. If that¡¯s the case, Voukey, tell Klaus to suggest Tal¡¯tamine take the journey to Nethermore with the possibility that we may find a solution. We know travel could be dangerous for her health, but we have methods that may help, yet I am concerned about my own healer¡¯s health, given her constitution.

    Truthfully, she was more concerned about the young, literally self-sacrificing woman being anywhere away from supervision, given her inability to refrain from killing herself if someone in need was nearby. In a manner, she wasn¡¯t completely capable of being on her own, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

    ¡°I will carry out your will, Empress. May I continue my journey?¡±

    You may, Elinor said, cutting off her connection to the bird.

    Another two minutes passed before the Seraph came into the Nexus¡¯s range with her targets, forced to move slower when using her powers to carry others.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s voice bloomed in her mind. ¡°An opportunity has presented itself, Empress. An army, control over the mountain, and an enemy to curb your boredom. How will you proceed? Hmm, I wonder.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s gut shook with silent laughter at the angel¡¯s playful tone. Explain¡­

    Fini took over, bringing her attention to the fascinating topic of an artificial intelligence built by Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma himself, yet the girl was incomplete, and by how Fini described her, she was a girl, frightened, desolate, and in need of aid she didn¡¯t expect to come.

    The drone her throne sat upon rose as Elinor¡¯s small smile brightened her lips. Theresa, prepare for my coat to be brought to the entrance hall. We¡¯re going to war.

    An emerald aura of flames roared to life around Elinor¡¯s frame, illuminating her throne and sinister expression as Lich¡¯s Conquest activated. Territory needed to be won, and she was sure this wouldn¡¯t be more than an evening stroll.

    ¡°It is being delivered, Empress,¡± Theresa calmly replied.

    Sensing the inner hopes of Fini as she stood before her, Elinor was more than happy to oblige; an artificial intelligence crafted from the mysterious runic technology they¡¯d only scratched the surface of was more than worthy of her attention.

    We won¡¯t give up on Noa, Fini. Sari¡¯a¨¦l, tell Jumi¡¯calro his services are required. He¡¯s going to be brushing up on his rune scribing because he is the only one who can hope to comprehend what we are walking into¡ªthat should motivate him.

    Azalea cheered internally as Fini mentally prepared herself.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress!¡± Fini said. ¡°Are we bringing anyone else if this is war?¡±

    Elinor gave the question a short chortle. Why? Sari¡¯a¨¦l is by my side, my Death Pool is nearly full, and I have the capable team Azalea leads. Our army is inside the mountain.

    Fini¡¯s eyes widened with realization as Elinor moved to the elevator, Theresa standing behind her throne. ¡°Oh¡­¡±

    Solving a little bug problem should be a fun distraction for the day, Elinor mused. Let¡¯s have a little fun, girls.

 B3 â€” 9. Pandemic

    The elevator touched the ground level, Elinor¡¯s throne making its way forward as Sari¡¯a¨¦l brought Fini and Azalea down from outside of the great tower to meet them at its front.

    Theresa¡¯s cool blue eyes tilted to appraise her as they moved toward the doors, large unintelligent red Quen¡¯Talrat opening it for their exit before closing it behind them.  ¡°Empress, Valerie</a> is bringing your coat.  Would you like her to join us?  Emelina prefers to have two Maids attending to you when possible.¡±

    Elinor rolled the back of her hand against her cheek while shifting in her seat to appraise the motherly woman standing beside her throne.  Valerie¡¯s violin is quite soothing, and when combined with your voice, the two of you make quite the pair.  If she¡¯s not tied up in any other notable activities, I see no issue with her accompanying us.

    The Maid nodded in acknowledgement, contacting the former amature model to relay the message.  Elinor¡¯s attention was focused on James</a> Escobedo, her Head Butler; the man was escorting Jumi¡¯calro to the Great Hall.

    The Nalvean rune scribe had been adapting to his new life under Elinor¡¯s protection; of course, that protection came with conditions.  Jumi¡¯kerune, his great-great-great-grandfather, would have been happy to end the boy¡¯s life for failing to live up to his expectations, which gave him plenty of incentive to take her offer of sanctuary.

    Now that she knew what they were dealing with, and the scope of the runecraft Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had employed inside the great northern mountains, his addition was to be expected.  If there was a means to save Noa, and the network she managed, he would be the current expert.  At the very least, he¡¯d have enough experience to give her a proper assessment of the damages.

    Ramuk, Giliri, and the Quen¡¯Talrat specialists had paused at the entrance of the tunnel, possibly sensing that action was being taken by her sudden movement from high in the tower to the lower floors.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze lowered to appraise her flaming left hand, resting in her lap; Tiffany, Edmon, and Iris would have felt the activation of Lich¡¯s Conquest, but Sari¡¯a¨¦l had already informed the Doom Guard and Witch while the Assassin was already tasked with her own mission.

    A playful crease lifted the corner of her lip as they exited the Galaxy Hall and entered the Throne Room.  This will be interesting.

    Her portable chair used the stairway attached to the left wall to bring her to the lower level, where Valerie waited, holding an elegant black and turquoise-themed winter robe</a>, embroidered in intricate silver patterns.  There was some kind of white fur laced around the shoulders and chest to provide further fashion.

    Elinor thought it was a little much, but it certainly looked to be something high royalty would wear; rising to her feet, the girl jumped up to join them, Theresa helping to wrap it around her frame as she held out her arms.

    The way to the Grand Hall was currently closed, unintelligent green-furred Quen¡¯Talrat standing to either side of the entrance on the exterior.  How times have changed, she mused, lowering her head slightly while Theresa gently lifted her hair to situate it at the coat¡¯s back.

    ¡°Much progress has been made,¡± Theresa replied.

    Valerie¡¯s bright tone swiftly jumped in.  ¡°I¡¯m thankful that you¡¯ve allowed me to brighten everyone¡¯s work days with my music, Empress.  I¡¯ve never been able to play for so long before.¡±

    Elinor hummed, studying the blonde¡¯s happy expression; she really was the opposite of herself¡ªbright and bubbly in every way.  The former model¡¯s fashion was on point for whatever look she was going for, and since she¡¯d had the option to design her outfit herself, it only further accentuated her personality.

    The light blue bow and accessories attached to her naturally swirl-like ponytail put a few questions in Elinor¡¯s mind as to how she prepared the style.  Considering she didn¡¯t have to sleep must have made keeping it in place easier, and her clothes rode the line between maid and K-Pop star.

    Sitting back once the robe was in place, Elinor¡¯s lips tightened, vision falling to the girl¡¯s bare thighs and knee-high boots.  What was the design choice on the belt?

    Valerie blinked, golden eyes falling to the accessory while extending her right leg a little.  ¡°This?  Umm, to be honest, heh, well, to draw people¡¯s eyes,¡± she admitted with an embarrassed grin.  ¡°Certain people are attracted to different parts of the body, so I like to put effort in drawing them to those areas.¡±

    For dancing</a>?  Elinor asked, knowing the girl liked to move while playing the violin.

    ¡°Mhm!  It¡¯s a whole performance, and every action you take adds to the theme.  I, eh, kind of do need to get a more somber outfit to match the Empire¡¯s theme, though,¡± she forced a chuckle, tightening her hands behind her back.

    I¡¯d love to see you perform a show once we get the stages ready for use.  It will be fun to see the differences and settings that can be used in both amphitheater and theater format.  Vocals can be magnified with magic and perhaps even visuals could be enhanced as we develop.

    Valerie¡¯s eyes sparkled, excitement practically oozing out of her as the drone began their progress to the Great Hall.  ¡°I would love to perform, Empress, but would that be allowed for a Maid?  Aren¡¯t we supposed to be kind of, well, act a certain way in public?  I try not to embarrass the position you¡¯ve given me.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s smile became a line.  Acting childish is one thing, but expressing yourself should be at the core of who you are, Valerie.  I don¡¯t want you to be indistinguishable from one another but to add a bit of yourself to my day when you are with me.

    ¡°I see,¡± Valerie whispered, looking at Theresa''s cool and collected demeanor.  ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do my best!¡±

    That being said, Elinor sighed, We should make you each a winter outfit because I feel somewhat out of place now.  Put it on the list, Theresa.

    Valerie¡¯s hands rested at her front while taking the opposite side of the throne; they entered the Great Hall.

    A small chuckle shook the woman¡¯s chest.  ¡°I will see to it, Empress.  By the way, shall I call another drone for Jumi¡¯calro?¡±

    At the comment, it suddenly occurred to her that there wasn¡¯t a chance the Nalvean could keep up with them, and the moment he was outside of the temperature regulated palace, he¡¯d be a walking popsicle.

    A few passing parties of humans returning or going outside stiffened upon seeing her, bowing their heads, and Elinor appraised the pair that were waiting for them as the doors opened.

    James was already in place with the nervous Nalvean; a satchel was thrown around his neck, carrying the supplies he thought he¡¯d need, which included some dried food since he still needed to eat.  Elinor was impressed by the Head Butler¡¯s thoughtfulness, providing blankets that bundled the salamander¡¯s body.

    That ¡­ would probably be ideal, she muttered.

    James smoothly explained what they were waiting on to the rune scribe as the Nalvean started to nervously twitch; he even jumped once the Throne Room doors closed with a hollow boom that echoed around the quiet hall as her presence spread.

    ¡°I¡¯d suggest the one Violet added a box to since he is not agile enough to retain his balance at the speed we will be moving.¡±

    Good point, Elinor nodded, feeling the command go out, and the stationary spider on the 2nd-level basement started to make its way up to them at a swift pace.  Sometimes I forget how fragile the living are¡­ Heh, and I¡¯ve only been undead for around three weeks.

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Valerie nodded, gazing around the colossal interior of the hall.  ¡°It feels so much longer to me because I haven¡¯t slept, and the days are longer here.  It really is a magical place.¡±

    The drone arrived, and Jumi¡¯calro hesitantly boarded the creature, using James¡¯s guiding hand as a support while using the folding ladder Violet had attached to its side with a strap.  Once James secured the device and returned to his duties, they continued on their path.

    Elinor caught more than a few mutters from the Ri¡¯bot and humans around the hall as they watched her exit.  She noticed many children bouncing with excitement and frustration in what appeared to be small classrooms where parents lectured them about safety.

    ¡°Why is the Empress on fire like that?¡±  a young boy asked his father, looking up at her in awe.

    The man cleared his throat and shook his head.  ¡°I don¡¯t know, but make sure to bow your head.¡±

    On the other hand, word was spreading quickly on the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s side.  ¡°She¡¯s on fire again, Chief!¡±

    ¡°Is there trouble?¡±

    ¡°Chief, what should we do¡ªdo we offer our support?¡±

    ¡°Do we cheer?¡±

    Chief and Plant Caller Nina, the Delthax¡¯s new overseer, shook her head.  ¡°No, if we were not called to action, we are to go about our daily lives.  Keep your prayers in your hearts for Empress Elinor¡¯s success; she protects us from the other Supreme Chiefs.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Chief!¡±  shouted the throng, beginning their ritualistic mutters and prayers that Tiffany had suggested they learn; the Witch believed religious actions would help to strengthen their connection to her.

    Neutral to the proposition, Elinor had to admit that she had experienced a bump in loyalty among her followers as the religious practices were implemented.  Soon making it beyond the palace, Elinor saw her three escorts waiting at the giant steps¡ªher focus was pulled beyond them, though.

    In the courtyard and around the large square fountain¡ªpractically an Olympic swimming pool¡ªchildren, teens, and adults played together as the heavy snowfall layered white ground.

    Sloppy snow families, past pets, and even a large Quen¡¯Talrat was in the works of being constructed by several teenagers¡ªnot that she could do much better with her own experience¡ªpredictably, both the snow angel and six-winged Seraph were a popular choice of project.

    Judging by the warm outfits they wore, Elinor assumed Mauricio, her Groundskeeper, had succeeded in crafting a loom and spinning wheels; it helped when a few of the men had experience in fashioning tools.  For wool, the Delthax had domesticated creatures that could be sheared; Elinor hadn¡¯t seen them yet, but it certainly was a good addition to their Empire¡¯s products.

    The fur pelts of the animals killed by her forces for their food appeared to be used, as well, which seemed to be very new by the look of the garments.

    Elinor figured the women had gotten up early and begun their work once Azalea¡¯s prediction of snow had been bounced to Lucky, spreading to the different communities from there.  The new safety rules being taught to the kids that had recently received their warm clothes must have been the reason for the sight.

    Thankfully, the wind was dying down, and upon looking up, Elinor¡¯s face was met by the thick, clumped flakes that tickled her nose and cheeks.  I haven¡¯t seen snow often in my life, living in California, she whispered.

    Valerie hugged herself, even if she shouldn¡¯t have felt the cold, smiling at the veil of snow that barely gave any visibility to the fountain.  ¡°I grew up in the north, so I¡¯ve played in snow since I was a little girl.  What about you, Theresa?¡±

    The motherly maid¡¯s eyebrow lifted, suppressing a self-conscious shiver.  ¡°Most of the humans brought to this planet came from my hometown ¡­ In the jungles of Colombia, we¡¯ve only seen this sight in movies.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l, Fini, and Azalea floated down to their side, and Elinor smirked upon seeing the ice melt long before touching the Seraph¡¯s immaculate figure.  Are you ready for war?

    They started their swift march; Fini and Azalea ran beside her while Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated nearby, easily breaking the chill and air resistance with her radial presence.

    Fini sounded somewhat disgruntled as they went.  ¡°I am, Empress ¡­ I cannot get used to this wet ¡­ slippery white stuff¡ªgrr, I¡¯ve fallen twice, already.¡±

    A snicker ran through Azalea¡¯s mental connection to them.  ¡°I¡¯ve told you to watch your step; it will become increasingly difficult once it compacts and freezes¡ªoh, and ice seems to be so much fun; my big sister is going to teach me how to do the skating things the humans talk about!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stick with running on grass¡ªeek!  Eh, and¡ªand stone,¡± Fini grumbled, almost taking another tumble while keeping their pace.

    Finding the Nalvean¡¯s girly cry funny, Elinor shifted her focus to Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  How has your time with the children been?  I heard you¡¯ve been having a challenging time with their games.

    The winged woman gave her what Elinor figured was a sour expression, yet even that seemed to grant her an unconventional form of beauty.  ¡°Jumping rope was challenging¡ªbuilding one of those snow sculptures is impossible.  Quite literally impossible,¡± she repeated herself, but despite her outward frustration, Elinor could tell she was eating up every moment.  ¡°Who knew children could be so devious in their plots to show me my place?¡±

    Imagine that, Elinor grinned, watching the snow blow around them, repelled by Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s protective aura, the greatest foe you¡¯ve ever faced are children¡¯s games.

    ¡°By my father,¡± she sighed, ¡°I cannot understand why you would call such competitive trials of skill ¡®children¡¯s games¡¯ when all of the adult ones I have experienced thus far have been as simple as spreading my wings.  Is it a ploy¡ªdeception?  If so, I cannot sense it!¡±  she exclaimed in genuine curiosity.

    Azalea hopped to the side, staring at the Seraph with a confused smile.  ¡°That jump rope game?  I¡¯m undefeated!  Would you like to have a competition when we return?  My older sister will likely join.¡±

    ¡°It is a challenge!¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l smiled, not intending to lose if it was Azalea; she actually believed the children were hidden geniuses.  ¡°I have already lost twenty-four rounds with the children and owe them as many stories of my home.  To what shall we offer, as the game requires?¡±

    Elinor could feel Theresa and Valerie holding back laughter, but Fini gave off waves of fear at the prospect that the angel had lost so often against human children, practically thinking the kids were hidden demon lords in disguise.

    ¡°Oh, a bet?¡±  Azalea asked, slipping into her human form to begin her typical acrobatics; Elinor listened intently to the exchange.  ¡°How about,¡± the spider girl¡¯s eyes wandered a bit before settling on the Seraph, ¡°you train Camellia and I a bit in combat?¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l blinked, head tilting to the side and a thoughtful hum resonating in her throat.  ¡°I do not see why such a thing would be so important to you¡ªthese children¡¯s games require serious stakes, but if that is what you wish, I will comply.¡±

    ¡°Oh?!  Oh?!¡±  Azalea asked in excitement as they made it to the road to the underground mining passage.  ¡°What serious reward are you going to demand from me?¡±

    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Naturally,¡± the Seraph chuckled, tossing back her silver hair, ¡°You will teach me the tricks the children use to best me!¡±

    Elinor wanted to fall out of her throne by the total confidence in Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s condition; she hadn¡¯t wavered in the least.  Erm ¡­ Sari¡¯a¨¦l, you do realize that if Azalea hasn¡¯t lost to the children, it¡¯s likely she¡¯s not going to lose to you?

    ¡°Undetermined!¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l replied, puffing out her chest.  ¡°I have been practicing for three days, and I have improved significantly in said time!  I have accomplished five dodges of the unpredictable rope!¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just Elinor that didn¡¯t know how to respond to the angel¡¯s declaration; Valerie and Theresa only gave forced laughs and awkward claps.

    The Seraph¡¯s confidence faltered a little while glancing between them, likely reading between the lines of what her Nexus transmitted and their physical reactions.  ¡°You ¡­ do not have faith in my success?  I have been applying myself to an extent I have never experienced!  I will win one of these jump rope contests by my seventh day, so I have vowed!¡±

    ¡°Good luck!¡±  Valerie said, doing her best to sound supportive.

    Elinor figured she couldn¡¯t sense the children¡¯s innocent actions of not accounting for her large wing size, making the circle actually impossible for her to accomplish without using flight.

    Opinion, Theresa, Valerie?  Elinor asked, pulling them into a branching private conversation with her to try and isolate their responses.

    ¡°She¡¯s doomed,¡± Valerie chuckled.

    Theresa discharged a long stream of air.  ¡°I¡¯ve witnessed her attempts ¡­ Her training has consisted of making herself as small as possible, folding in her wings, and physically, there¡¯s a limit on how tight she can fold them around her body ¡­ I agree, she¡¯s just not suited to the game without accommodating her size, which the children won¡¯t do because they think she¡¯s funny.¡±

    Jumi¡¯calro was totally oblivious to the conversation, stuck shivering in a box as the silent wind and falling snow cascaded around his closed-in, threaded receptacle.  Fini was far more focused on keeping her balance and internally worrying about Noa than what she thought was frivolous talk believing there were greater priorities while the runic AI was suffering.

    Personally, Elinor found the comments Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Azalea leveled at each other to be quite amusing; both weren¡¯t being aggressive in the least, yet if you didn¡¯t know their intent, you couldn¡¯t tell.

    However, her mind soon drifted away from the various games the two discussed, including hide and seek¡ªanother one the Seraph was bound to lose¡ªElinor went through her plan again.  A few realizations had struck her over the past three weeks, and this furnished her with an opportunity to test a theory out.

    After a time, they entered the mines, transferring to the railing system for convenience before making their way out and to the broken wall beside the corridor¡¯s hidden entrance.  Elinor found it funny no other protection was put into place to stop known creatures like Th¨¦lm¨¦thra from breaking in.

    Then again, Fini had mentioned Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s project here wasn¡¯t complete, and considering the sheer size, or what she assumed was the multi-mountain¡¯s unusual inner workings, she could see why there were weak points.

    Ramuk, Giliri, and the other Quen¡¯Talrat met her at the entrance; Giliri was on the opposite spectrum as her friend, playing around in the snow.

    Making it inside, Elinor tightened her coat; it wasn¡¯t from the chill.  Piles of insect corpses lined the walls, yet her onterague was confused as she bypassed the dead.

    ¡°E-Empress?¡±  Fini asked.

    Valerie rubbed her bare shoulders, shivering as silence surrounded them in the seemingly infinite hallway of the dead.  Theresa calmly waited for what Elinor was going to do, having total faith in her security.  Ramuk led the way, allowing Elinor to fully understand the scope of what they were walking into.

    She brought her knuckles up to her cheek, elbow resting on the side of her throne as her focus wandered.  Mhm ¡­ An impressive flash army we can harvest as needed ¡­ It is not required at this time.  All I need is a few fresh corpses, and any one of you can provide that once we¡¯ve entered the battle.

    A gleam twinkled in Elinor¡¯s emerald irises.  After all, a Lich doesn¡¯t fight fair.  Fini, how long until we reach the area Noa can appear to us?

    ¡°A while, Empress,¡± she responded, now a tad curious as to what she was planning.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was giving her a small smile; the two of them had touched on her thoughts earlier.  ¡°We will increase our speed then.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach the bridging point; even with their large group, the massive corridors were built to accommodate Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s definition of space¡ªof which went past even the normal sizings of the giant ape¡¯s architecture.

    Elinor instantly noticed the transition from Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s beginning phases of construction to those in development once reaching black granite; the element was a staple for the giant ape, and Tiffany had confirmed it was far more durable than the material they had on Earth.

    They stopped once the colossal ape manifested at its edge, colors swirling into being before Noa materialized; it was more mesmerizing than she imagined.  Honestly, it was difficult for her to differentiate between Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and this AI.

    Noa¡¯s four large blue eyes shifted between targets before settling on her; Elinor¡¯s legs were crossed, fingers folded together while appraising the fine specimen of brutality.

    Of course, it was an act, and in the face of Ramuk, she didn¡¯t even try to hide it, vision falling to Fini.  ¡°I told you, there¡¯s nothing for you to gain here ¡­ If you go beyond the refinery, you will turn my foes'' attention upon you, and I can no longer repel their swarm.¡±

    Elinor was the only one that spoke, tongue sliding across her lips at the prospect of what lay untapped before her.  ¡°Noa, I am Empress Elinor ¡­ I have met your creator.¡±

    Those words froze the atmosphere; Noa¡¯s large eyes fixated on her.  ¡°The Ke ¡­ When did you meet my creator ¡­ Does he live?¡±

    Small smile falling a bit, Elinor hummed, making a visible gesture for the others to stay back as she rose to her feet.  ¡°I have quite a bit I wish to discuss with you, Noa.  For now, Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Fini will accompany me.¡±

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra she rode lifted three of its legs, forming them into steps that cycled to the floor as Fini nervously jogged to her side and the Seraph smoothly took her left.  Noa watched in surprise as the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter stepped aside, slamming his fists against his plated chest in silent salute.

    Proceeding forward, the large eight-limbed ape woman stepped to the side as she strode onto the black granite, passively scanning various objects ahead, such as the gem light sources.  ¡°Will you entertain me, Noa?¡±

    She hesitated, glancing back at Ramuk¡¯s dark glare, practically daring her to deny his Empress.  ¡°I ¡­ do not have anything better to do,¡± she muttered, turning away from the much smaller Elite Hunter, a quake running down her frame.

    Elinor felt a little bad for her; clearly, ever since she could observe her environment, she¡¯d seen the respect Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma didn¡¯t even have to demand¡ªhe was so impressive, those opposite him bowed, losing the will to resist or run.  She wanted to emulate who she admired but was severely put in her place by Azalea and Ramuk¡¯s challenge she couldn¡¯t gather the willpower to counter.

    ¡°However, before we continue,¡± Elinor started, turning to look at Jumi¡¯calro as the young Nalvean boy exited his spider-powered carriage, ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce you to my expert rune scribe.¡±

    Jumi¡¯calro hadn¡¯t even taken a glance around to see the giant ape, squinting in the near-black space; he couldn¡¯t see Noa since she wasn¡¯t actually glowing, and the light only began further up the corridor.

    He worked out his stiff muscles in the temperate underground facility; peering around at the fairly dim hall, which was likely meant to conserve power; all he would have seen would be the unidentifiable silhouettes around him.  ¡°R-Right, Empress, umm ¡­ Can I have some light?  I can¡¯t see a thing in this cave!¡±

    Noa¡¯s forehead furrowed as he spoke.  ¡°I ¡­ cannot understand this one of your kind, Fini?  He speaks gibberish¡ªis he dumb?¡±

    Fini hissed, holding up her hands.  ¡°No!  No, Noa, try to be more respectful; you¡¯re in the presence of Empress Elinor.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Noa¡¯s vision darted to her, no doubt confused by her petite stature.  ¡°I ¡­ am more impressed by the floating creature beside you.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled.  ¡°I am but a humble servant of the Empress.¡±

    The angel¡¯s melodic tone drew Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s askance gaze, yet it didn¡¯t last long before moving to the semi-illuminated white ape above her.  ¡°I can hardly ¡­ Eh ¡­ Eh ¡­ Is¡ªare we meeting with the White Canc¡ªaah, fishtail?!¡±  He locked up in shock, falling off the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra in his fright.

    Giliri sighed, jumping forward to catch him in a princess carry before setting him down; she needed to support the trembling man, which she didn¡¯t seem used to.  ¡°C¡¯mon, man,¡± she whispered, ¡°where¡¯s your tail touching, too?¡±  she grumbled, batting it away with her empennage as they made contact.

    He stumbled against his ride¡¯s leg, trying to stabilize himself.  ¡°I just¡ªw-what am I d-doing here, Empress?!  Heh, can I get back in the¡­¡±

    Elinor calmly waited, giving him a dull look.  Not the most promising start.

    ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l.¡±

    The woman¡¯s countenance brightened, bathing the hallway in light.

    He hesitantly creep forward as she continued to stare at him; the boy kept an eye on the unimpressed ten-meter-tall Quen¡¯Talrat, though.

    ¡°Be at ease,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l encouraged.

    A hard swallow fell down Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s throat before being calmed by the angel¡¯s presence.  ¡°R-Right, umm ¡­ ahem, what is¡­¡±

    Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s vision defocused, forgetting his fear entirely as his head darting to Elinor and then the corridor.  ¡°This sensation in my skin and bones is ¡­ What am I feeling?¡±

    He trailed off, mouth dropping open as his widening eyes scanned the floor, ceiling, and walls.  A quick shake shook his body as he swiftly reached into his hand back, fighting past the layers of cloth wrapped around him to stumble to the edge of the granite, strange instrument between his fingers.

    There we go ¡­ Get lost in your fascination, Elinor smiled.  ¡°What do you make of this?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªahem, one moment¡ªI just need to ¡­ phenomenal,¡± he gasped, falling to his knees and lightly tapping the tail end of the strange pick against the floor.

    The world swam with layers of colors, symbols, and lines, making it look like a highly complicated mix of ancient Scandinavian, astrological, alchemic, and other esoteric designs that fit together in a perfect mesh of geometry.  The unusual language was written within or as the lines themselves, creating something alien to Elinor.

    ¡°This is ¡­ This is a masterpiece,¡± Jumi¡¯calro exclaimed, head darting up to stare at Noa and then Elinor.  ¡°Did¡ªis all of this crafted by the Quen¡¯Talrat?  How versed were they in rune scribing?  Because this,¡± he gestured at the radiance escalating throughout the entire hallway, ¡°this is on a level my ancestor dreamed¡ªno, I can¡¯t even say he would have conceptualized something so grand!¡±

    Noa¡¯s two left feet took a step back, looking somewhat perturbed by the Nalvean¡¯s crazed eyes and quickening breath.  ¡°Is¡ªhe mad?  I would rather not have an insane rune scribe damage my infrastructure¡ªeven if it will fail soon.¡±

    Elinor held up her hand, noting how passive the woman was when dealing with anyone that had even a measure of confidence and authority.  ¡°He is praising Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma for his scope and depth in the craft ¡­ Now, I will leave him to study the style, as I¡¯m sure it is somewhat different than what he is accustomed to.¡±

    ¡°By the sea goddess,¡± Jumi¡¯calro exclaimed, ¡°this is gorgeous!  How did he link¡ªoh, how clever!  He-he-he, how very clever ¡­ I see, mmh, this would have saved days of work!  And here¡ªdo you see this?!¡±  he asked, lunging to the wall to point at some scribble to Elinor, talking to no one in particular.  ¡°This is brilliant¡ªelegant beyond anything I¡¯ve seen!¡±

    He suddenly blinked and cleared his throat, catching everyone¡¯s expression.  ¡°Ah¡ªAh, yes, yes!  Umm, Empress,¡± he gave her a deep bow, ¡°I will examine every inch of this marvel!  I thought your capital was a work of art, but this ¡­ I¡¯m learning things I never thought possible¡ªcombinations, variations, dualistic purposes that shave off years from work!  This¡ªthis is a treasure beyond words!¡±

    ¡°Have fun,¡± Elinor smirked, turning to walk down the hall.  ¡°Do not mind him, Noa; he is only here to study as of now, but I will say now, he might be able to save you.¡±

    ¡°Save?¡±  Jumi¡¯calro muttered, shifting to look at Giliri.  ¡°What does the Empress mean by that?  Tell me!  Surely this repository of ancient secrets is not in danger of damage?!  No ¡­ No, we must protect it at all costs!¡±

    ¡°Aye, chill ¡­ Gross, get off my arm¡­¡±  Giliri muttered, brushing his frantic pleas away.  ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know¡ªsomethin¡¯ about losing power or something.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡ªAh, yes, wait ¡­ the feedback ¡­ Hmm¡ªI can start there, yes ¡­ hmm¡­¡±  he began muttering to himself.

    Menorah shuffled over to see if she could talk to him, but the Quen¡¯Talrat novice scribe was left with a blank face as he began spouting off gibberish that none of them would get, pointing and crying about how primitive and unrefined¡ªunworthy his eyes were to behold such art.

    Elinor had long since made her exit, only hearing bits and pieces  of the exchange as a nervous Noa, Fini, and serene Sari¡¯a¨¦l followed.  ¡°Noa, I am going to ask you a straightforward question.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  Ah, eh¡ªyes, Empress?¡±  she asked, tasting the name on her tongue.

    She let the following silence stew, causing the noise behind them to escalate.  ¡°What would you say if I handled your enemies¡ªcrushed them using only a small portion of my power?  What would you say if I restored power to you and this network you safeguard?  What would you say if I offered you a position of authority within my Empire?¡±

    They paused, Noa¡¯s out-of-focus eyes processing the three questions Elinor had presented.

    Fini cleared her throat.  ¡°Think about it, Noa!  You¡¯ll get the respect you deserve ¡­ You won¡¯t be looked down upon.  Empress Elinor is beyond powerful¡ªshe controls life!  She keeps her word, too.¡±

    ¡°Fini, let her think,¡± Elinor said in a soft voice.

    The girl jumped and gave her a quick bow.  ¡°S-Sorry, Empress!  I¡¯m just¡­¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l nodded, hovering over to put a gentle hand on her shoulder.  ¡°I understand, Fini; you identify with Noa.  You¡¯ve both doubted your life and the path you are on.¡±

    Noa took a shuddering breath, tight hands trembling against the shimmering granite floor.  ¡°I ¡­ have never had someone offer me anything such as that, Empress Elinor.  I was designed by the Ke, though ¡­ I have a task ¡­ But I cannot fulfill that if I die.  I ¡­ don¡¯t want to die,¡± she whispered, dread and pain etched in her eyes upon looking down at them.  ¡°I should be proud to die ¡­ Why am I not?  Why am I a failure?¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Elinor walked ahead a few paces, ¡°strong questions, Noa.  Do you believe those feelings stem from your own thoughts of mismanagement¡ªthe state of the charge given you?¡±

    When she turned, she saw tears in the pitiful expression of the monstrous ape woman.  ¡°I ¡­ tried my best.¡±

    Fini¡¯s hands were held tightly at her sides, focused on Elinor, but she remained silent.

    ¡°Indeed, you have,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l replied, floating up to her eye-level.  ¡°So, why do you feel as if you are a failure?  Is there something else eating at your core?¡±

    ¡°My core?¡±  Noa repeated, using one arm to fall against the side of the wall, legs sprawling out.  ¡°I ¡­ do not feel worthy of being the Ke¡¯s daughter ¡­ I am insufficient¡ªable to win a battle but not a war.  Why am I weak?¡±  Her chest heaved, body trembling while burying her heads in her arms.

    Elinor looked at the various dead spots in the convoluted puzzle registering around them. ¡°Noa, perhaps you are simply looking at things in the wrong light.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ How?¡±  she asked, puffy eyes lifting to look at her.

    Grasping her hands behind her back, Elinor stared forward as Sari¡¯a¨¦l informed her that one of the insects was making its way down the halls, and it had turned their way.  Smiling up at the vulnerable AI, Elinor marveled at how real Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had designed this woman; he didn¡¯t utilize her to her potential, though, blinded by personal strength.

    Noa¡¯s shakes stopped as she listened</a>, vision becoming unfocused while conceptualizing her proposition.  ¡°You are not meant to replace the Ke, Noa¡ªnor necessarily be his daughter.  You are something new¡ªnot to be the chattel of an Empire, but a functional and productive member of it¡ªan integral piece in the prosperity of its future.¡±

    Fini¡¯s heart bloomed with emotion, feeling the words resonate in her own breast, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l hovered nearby.

    Elinor kept her tone soft and sincere.  ¡°I am here to tell you there is a way to move forward.  Will it be easy?  No.  It¡¯s not,¡± she whispered, knowing the AI could hear her.  ¡°You will need support from those that care for you,¡± she gestured at the Nalvean girl, ¡°such as Fini.¡±

    Noa¡¯s conflicted blue eyes darted further down the tunnel, and Elinor chuckled.  ¡°Yes, I know, we have company, but what are a few bugs compared to the discussion we are having now ¡­ No,¡± her vision closed, and a soft chuckle shook her frame, ¡°perhaps I need to show you my words are not wasted breath ¡­ Sari¡¯a¨¦l.¡±

    Elinor shifted her posture, eyes opening to see one of the unusual rock-like creatures</a> scurrying toward them.  Its jaws snapped, blade-like pincers agitating.  It reached four feet from her, causing Noa¡¯s body to lock up in fright.  ¡°No, you mustn''t ¡­ It has ¡­ Hmm?¡±

    A light golden glow surrounded the wriggling fiend, lifting it into the air, and it shot a spray of gas that curved around Elinor from the Seraph¡¯s telekinetic manipulations, creating an invisible curved shield in front of her.

    Head tilting to the side, Elinor appraised the shrinking monster.  ¡°This will do nicely.¡±

    Noa swiftly rose to her feet, jumping forward and causing the rock-ant to squeal in a high-pitched voice.  ¡°This is a scout¡ªits cries will bring dozens more!¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Elinor commented, cupping her chin while leering into its flat, six circular orange eyes; fumes of some kind expelled from bulb-like growths on its back, spraying discolored liquid across the ground.  ¡°I need it to be at least somewhat alive.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l stepped forward and, in one swift motion, six feet away, severed part of its middle leg with her stiff hand; brown liquid splattered across the floor.  ¡°Messy things,¡± she mused.

    Elinor lifted her flaming fingers, creating a butterfly that gently flapped its way toward the open wound.  ¡°Something I discovered as a Lich was that I have a few untapped methods of killing my enemies that I can accomplish myself, using their soldiers against them.  You see¡­¡±

    Noa¡¯s questioning gaze fixated on the butterfly with Fini as it landed on the flailing limb, converting into flame before absorbing into the wound.  It froze, twitching in the next moment as glowing green veins illuminated up its length, moving to its eyes.

    ¡°An infection,¡± Noa gasped.  ¡°It¡¯s¡ªunlike anything I¡¯ve examined ¡­ taking over the motor and processing functions¡­¡±

    Elinor laughed.  ¡°It¡¯s called a zombie, Noa¡ªa creature infected with a disease that prompts them to spread the disease by transferring bodily fluids.  You¡¯ll learn how it functions as they spread.  I can also reanimate them as unintelligent minions once the disease runs its course.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l let her new mind-controlled minion drop to the floor as it twitched in unnatural ways, foam leaking from its mouth.

    ¡°Now, go turn your brothers and launch the initial assault of our campaign,¡± Elinor ordered, giving Noa a visual and verbal understanding of just a taste of her power.

    The scout rigidly lifted to its five remaining limbs before scurrying off at a quicker pace than it had attacked, pushed by the disease rotting its mind.

    Noa was quiet for a time, following the creature¡¯s advance and subsequent attack on the other members of its scouting party; it sustained damage but managed to turn the three that answered its call for aid¡ªjust as a zombie movie usually played out¡ªa call for help and the one that answered would be the spark of the pandemic.

    Elinor sighed, calling for her attendants further back to join her, sending Fini back to be with her friend.  They¡¯d remain by Jumi¡¯calro and the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s sides for their protection while the group went about their runic studies.  ¡°There are pros and cons to this approach.¡±

    Azalea and Ramuk were instantly by her side, and she ascended to her throne again, Theresa and Valerie adjusting her clothes.

    ¡°What ¡­ is this horrifying plague?¡±  Noa mumbled in shock.  ¡°It spreads so swiftly, turning them against each other.  What failing can possibly be found in such a weapon?¡±

    Elinor frowned, glaring after the zombies as they followed their initial directive.  ¡°I can only point and shoot with these types of zombies; they will die very swiftly, and the power of the disease will weaken in each consecutive infection until the creature¡¯s immune system can counter it, but if we are speaking about efficiency, it is beyond measure.¡±

    She snickered.  ¡°Seeing as I can just infect another and spread it around indiscriminately, in a battlefield where I care nothing for casualties, genocide is quite simple.¡±

    ¡°Such frightening power¡­¡±  Noa whispered in awe, watching her virus do its work against her long hated enemy.

    Elinor pushed forward with her vanguard; to her, this was quite the successful trial.  Of course, she had to conduct further experimentation on how long it would last and how many was the appropriate number to infect.

    At least I have a killswitch, and I can sense the spread of the virus through the Nexus; in addition, these living zombies don¡¯t actually count toward my end-of-day death toll ¡­ Heh, quite the hidden biological weapon.

    ¡°Well?¡±  Elinor asked, glancing over at the stunned ape.  ¡°My first question is being fulfilled, Noa ¡­ What would you do if I exterminated your pest problem?  Hmm ¡­ Hold that thought, and ponder the rest of what I said.  I have a war to win¡ªalthough, can you really call it that?¡±  she giggled.

 B3 â€” 10. Building The Broken

    Casually proceeding through the corridors on her portable throne, Elinor noticed an end to the runic grid, now visible thanks to Jumi¡¯calro.   They crossed over it, causing the bright space to quickly darken.  Much of the wall¡¯s base design kept the same theme, showing light crystals at various points that illuminated as they neared, clearly in a power-saving mode.

    Noa walked along her right side, her pace slow as she observed the living zombies spread out ahead of them.  Ever since Elinor had given her little speech, the giant eight-limbed ape woman had remained silent, and all that could be heard were the faint screeches of the ant-like crabs in chaos.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze drifted between the various signs of battle they passed over, showing torn limbs, lingering spore-like mist that Sari¡¯a¨¦l passively neutralized with her aura, and brownish blood.

    Ramuk¡¯s proud emotions were transferred through the Nexus, the Elite Hunter feeling blessed to escort her through hostile territory, all while being stationed closest to the wall; his thunderous steps sent small shockwaves through the floor that Elinor could faintly feel through her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Throne and seeing Azalea¡¯s smiling blue-haired human form absently examining her fingernails atop the Gorilla¡¯s armored shoulder was mildly entertaining.

    Valerie and Theresa kept their poise, passively examining the scenes they passed.

    Ultimately, she was enjoying her time away from the city.  A mediocre battle, some fun experiments, and a runic AI with a maze of secrets awaiting them.

    Elinor¡¯s focus went to her flaming hand, twisting it around in fascination while watching the dancing energy flicker off her skin; this living style of zombie was only available when in her Lich¡¯s Conquest State.

    Yes, she would need to sacrifice ten percent of her entire army when this was done, but poor quality Unintelligent Undead wasn¡¯t much of a loss to her and would trim down the numbers at the end of the day¡ªadditionally, it would reduce the daily cost by a further fifteen percent, which was worth the price.

    More effective than I anticipated, she mused to the angel.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l flew in her usual fettle, hands closed behind her back, and her tone following the cadence Elinor had come to expect of the Seraph.  ¡°Considering it improves their natural faculties, a large advantage over the reduction in abilities from a direct raising, and their ferocity compared to their peers is something to be taken seriously.  What should also be noted is that they do pose a threat against ¡®all¡¯ living beings and could be brought against our own forces, such as the Argent Dawn.¡±

    Elinor gave a small nod at the critique.  There is only a short time I can direct their attention, but I can kill them if they turn against us.

    ¡°Not entirely,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l returned, giving her a slight smile.  ¡°Look closer into the Lich¡¯s Conquest addition and the functions you have at your disposal.¡±

    Vision creasing with question, Elinor adjusted her posture and elegant cloak, inquiring further into the Living Plague I attachment.  The condition soon became apparent, causing a grimace.

    Ah ¡­ My energy crafts the disease inside their body; I can destroy the replication process, but their bodies need to fight the lingering infection.  So, it¡¯s not a kill switch on the people but the virus¡¯s production.

    A sadness passed over the angel¡¯s countenance.  ¡°Precisely.  The creature¡¯s mind will begin to experience the terrifying reality of being a slave in their own bodies, flashes of nightmarish images they cannot escape.  The transmission will have ended, but the actions do not, and the stress on the body can still lead to their deaths, much less the damage others inflict on them as they¡¯re screaming, trapped inside of their own mind.¡±

    I¡¯d expect no less from a Lich ability, Elinor whispered.  Still, it¡¯s certainly an option I can utilize ¡­ It lasted longer than I anticipated.  Eighty-seven infections from a single, minimum injection of the infection core.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s gold glowing eyes examined the carnage they were coming upon at a junction.  ¡°How many times can you enhance the effect?¡±

    Noa slowed to a stop at the five branching tunnels they came to, expression showing concern.  ¡°They¡¯ve stopped multiplying ¡­ Still, they fight with a ferocity I have never seen, slaying five to twelve more workers to one death.¡±

    ¡°Not an accurate representation,¡± Azalea replied, giving the ape a sidelong look.  ¡°This was an ambush, which is why there is chaos in their ranks.  They are already beginning to adapt and work together in response to the infection.  It will become less effective as time goes on.¡±

    Elinor followed every death of the infected in three of the paths that the creatures went.  ¡°That may be the case, but zombies were never meant to be for tactical assaults¡ªheh, it¡¯s for overwhelming numbers and PsyOp</a>.¡±

    Tilting her head to the human spider, Elinor allowed a small smile to lift the edges of her mouth, the cold pleasure of her Lich side raising its head.  ¡°Bring me a hundred of them.¡±

    ¡°My pleasure!¡±  Azalea chimed, the fine hairs she¡¯d been controlling constricting to close around the prey she¡¯d already woven the sensory thread near.  ¡°Only a hundred?¡±

    The screeches increased as the spider slowly dragged the workers away from the confused gathering, trying to discover the issue with their brethren.

    ¡°For now,¡± Elinor said, vision shifting to Noa.  ¡°Can you tell me how many are inside your tunnels, and I assume they have stronger soldiers, as well?¡±

    The white gorilla studied her nonchalant attitude toward the enemy she¡¯d struggled with for seemingly decades.  ¡°An exact number that is invading the functional facilities I can monitor ¡­ 32,207.¡±

    ¡°A high number, hmm ¡­ Does that include their soldiers?¡±

    ¡°It does,¡± Noa grunted, rubbing her top left arm.  ¡°4,472¡ªthe powerful ones that can hurt my sol¡ªumm, my ¡­ workers,¡± she muttered, eyes downcast.

    Elinor watched Azalea pull in the throng of wiggling prey, limbs tied up as the girl dragged them closer and distracted the others with her fine locks.  ¡°More than I thought.  Not that it matters, though.¡±

    Dozens of flaming butterflies formed out of the fire encompassing her body, gently flapping through the dim space to hover around her victims.  ¡°To answer your question, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, I can strengthen the infection transmission rate by six¡ªeach successive increase of affected units is additive, while the cost is multiplicative¡ªdoubling each time.  If the initial price is two Death Energy, in the end, a single unit, at its most potent, will drain sixty-four Death Energy.¡±

    Noa folded her arms and shivered as Azalea began making minor cuts on each of the prisoner¡¯s limbs for her butterflies to land on; the green light flooding their veins was far brighter than the first infected, showing the improvement.  ¡°I don¡¯t understand how your resource management functions, Empress Elinor, but is sixty-four hundred a simple amount of your ¡­ Death Energy, was it?  I find this method ¡­ intriguing, using their soldiers against themselves.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l mused, observing the AI, ¡°how much has she puzzled out, I wonder?  Has she discovered you¡¯ve cut back on your original goal after determining the number of combatants?¡±

    Elinor pondered the Seraph''s inquiry; it definitely was something she should investigate.  How intelligent was Noa?

    ¡°By no means,¡± Elinor chuckled, ¡°but can you tell me what the results will be if eighty-seven is the number of workers I can infect with a single unit?¡±

    There was a dubious look in Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s features that Elinor understood well enough; she just wanted to know if Noa would realize the holes in the plan, yet she¡¯d adjusted it already.

    Noa¡¯s expression tightened, her arms crossing to take on a more studious demeanor.  ¡°Testing my strategic mind and deduction skills?  If so, I did not expect you to take this approach when seeking to pull me to your side.¡±

    Elinor folded her hands in her lap, sending each butterfly to land on a target; she could give the initial command through the Nexus since the drive was sent from the Death Energy induced infection itself.  ¡°If an empress is to gauge where her subjects best fit in her empire, a measure of their ability needs to be taken.¡±

    ¡°Wise,¡± Noa whispered, vision wandering between the swiftly massing zombies as they twitched and jerked; now that her aptitude was being questioned, a confident side of her was coming out.  However, there was still a nervous twitch in her chest when she met the Elite Hunter¡¯s cold eyes.

    ¡°You have not given me all the information needed to draw an accurate conclusion, but considering it isn¡¯t a simple sum of the energy you utilize and in the light of how many enemies you have to deal with¡­¡±

    She paused, suspicious sharp blue eyes tilting to her.  ¡°If this infection functions off of diminishing returns after each transmission, and that force isn¡¯t rekindled in others as your force is cut down ¡­ You will not turn all one hundred of these insects.¡±

    ¡°Perceptive,¡± Elinor congratulated, slowly clapping her hands.  ¡°No.  What else can you deduce from my actions?  Predict what questions I will ask and work from there,¡± she instructed, returning to her lax position once finishing her sixtieth zombie, sending them on their way, split into three groups to maximize their carnage.

    ¡°How mean,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l sighed, ¡°making her do this in front of Ramuk, who she¡¯s intimidated by.  Although, she must function under pressure.  You¡¯re also using language that pushes her into being more in a positive light to joining the Empire.¡±

    Exactly.  This is recruitment.

    Noa didn¡¯t skip a second, drawing Elinor¡¯s attention.  ¡°I can only make a rough estimation based on what I¡¯ve witnessed and understand about your abilities so far ¡­ but I suspect you only selected twenty soldiers to attack the three areas of the tunnel opposition is known, is for a multitude of reasons:

    ¡°First,¡± she stated, mirroring Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s posture, which Elinor figured wasn¡¯t a coincidence, ¡°because spending a significant amount of your resources on simple workers when the soldiers will eviscerate them, even if augmented, is a waste.

    ¡°Second, you are unaware of the exact positions of the bulk of their army, and so, by sending an initial force that costs 3,840 to deal significant damage to the main chain will have a considerable blow, considering every zombie, according to the information given, once enhanced six times, can turn a maximum of 522 workers, exclusively¡ªthere was no mention of soldiers, which do have a higher immune system.

    ¡°Thus, each of the three branches you sent your twenty infected creatures will have a maximum potential of 10,440 turned workers, which is a mighty blow against our enemy.¡±

    Her face darkened.  ¡°However, you would have considered that the soldiers will be more formidable since you¡¯ve questioned their existence.  So, you¡¯ve kept resources in reserve in case of attack from other areas and to see how much damage a number of zombies will cause when resistance is met.¡±

    She turned to glare down two of the hallways she¡¯d sent the dying creatures, using each of her heads.  ¡°Third, it is unlikely your zombies will be able to reach their full potential, even if amplified.  I assume if one were to die, and it could transmit fifty more times, that number would be lost, not made up in another unit¡­¡±

    A pause brought the roaring screams of the ant-like denizens to the forefront, echoing down the halls as the zombies multiplied at a rapid pace.  Noa wasn¡¯t wrong, though; every subsequent zombie had more damage than the first, lowering their lethality in the long run.

    Hot air shot through the AI¡¯s nose, which Elinor felt; the fact Noa could cause slight effects within her environment was interesting to note.  ¡°The soldiers have taken notice and are making their way to the front as the workers retreat, leaving behind a sacrificial horde for the bulk to escape.¡±

    A deep resonation rumbled in Ramuk¡¯s throat.  ¡°So, they do have some awareness of tactics.¡±

    He didn¡¯t pursue the topic after Elinor prompted him to let the girl work through it herself without distractions.

    ¡°As time has gone on, they have become more intelligent,¡± Noa muttered.  ¡°I call the current formation ¡®the Wall of Dominance¡¯ ¡­ The soldiers stack in a dense pack and use their armored underbellies to crush their opponents, destroying any kind of front line.¡±

    Elinor could imagine a bunch of bugs coming down like a flood.  Unfortunately for them, her zombies took the World War Z</a> approach.  Her horde was already in the hundreds and climbing rapidly since the workers weren¡¯t swift enough to handle the magnified horde of insects, sweeping through their ranks by crawling over one another.

    Soon, the screeching bugs were replaced by clicks and pops from the jerky zombies, muscles ripping with their fifteen percent increased speed from the sixth power multiplier¡ªa few added benefits came with the steep price of expanding the disease¡¯s infection count.

    Noa turned her attention to the throng, commentary gaining momentum as no one interrupted or belittled her.  ¡°I have noticed they are faster than the first batch you sent¡ªlikely a product of the more robust quality; although, they appear to break down at a quicker rate, which can hurt the transfer count overall.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°In terms of ferocity, the workers are terrified, causing minimal damage to your horde as a whole, but the ones to the northwest will soon come up against resistance.  I suppose you wish to turn their warriors next?¡±

    Studying the bright-eyed Quen¡¯Talrat, Elinor smiled.  ¡°Some excellent deductions.  Is there any threat down these two free tunnels?¡±  she asked, gesturing at the areas she hadn¡¯t sent the zombies.

    A lump dropped down her throat.  ¡°Ahem¡ªno, those areas do not hold the nutrients that they enjoy ¡­ It is the power stores and gem refinement areas that are their focus.¡±

    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Elinor hummed, excited to discover she had a method of refining the stones for use; in fact, this might have been the primary purpose of Noa in the first place, but there was so much to learn about this elaborate underground network.  ¡°Where do you see the most success for my attack?¡±

    Turning to examine the three branches, Nora pointed to the hallways, Azalea translating the directions for her to better grasp where they lead.  ¡°I believe your zombies will eventually kill all of the workers there and there¡ªthey are cut off from the main body.¡±

    ¡°Northwest is the largest cluster of snowy mountains, southwest is back to the city, and her last angle is the north, Empress.  She believes our threat is to the northwest.¡±

    ¡°Excellent,¡± Elinor smiled, leering down at the remaining forty insects.  ¡°Azalea, kill them, but don¡¯t be too messy about it.¡±

    Catching her meaning, Azalea inserted her thread like a drill, skewering their internal organs¡ªthey quit moving in seconds, life flooding out of them as dark blood pooled out of the wounds.  Releasing eleven butterflies, Elinor raised the same number of Poor-Grade, unintelligent undead.

    Sending five of each to the non-issue areas, she said, ¡°These skeletal reanimated versions will kill off the zombies when they¡¯ve finished converting everything in that section¡ªzombies target anything that is not undead.¡±

    ¡°Which includes me,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled.

    Elinor hadn¡¯t considered that, but it was true.  ¡°Now, we proceed to the war front.¡±

    Continuing forward, Noa glanced down at the insect, glowing with an inner green fire that licked off its exoskeleton and dense, bone-like limbs; it lacked some of the frightening, muscular curves from the lack of skin, but it seemed to impress the ape.

    Eventually, Noa broke under the silence.  ¡°Empress Elinor¡­¡±

    Leaning against the side of her throne, Elinor directed a sidelong look at the AI.  ¡°Mhm?¡±

    ¡°I have¡ªseen enough of your powers to recognize you are very different from the Ke ¡­ You mentioned that you met my creator?¡±

    Ramuk¡¯s agitation grew slightly, thinking she was trying to disrespect her, but he held his tongue.

    ¡°I have his body¡ªwhich means I¡¯ve talked to his spirit.¡±

    A shiver ran down her frame.  ¡°I¡ªI see, so you can also do that ¡­ Umm, if that¡¯s the case ¡­ Am I to assume you can bring him back?¡±

    This, however, had Ramuk¡¯s full attention, focus darting to Elinor.

    She figured this topic would come up, and the light in the girl¡¯s blue eyes was unmistakable.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up your hopes, Noa.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  her vision fell before returning to her lax posture as she went on.

    ¡°Can I?  Yes.  However, out of respect for the Ke¡¯s wishes, I have chosen to leave him to rest.¡±

    Ramuk¡¯s large eyes widened.  ¡°The Ke ¡­ He does not wish to resume the conquest?¡±

    ¡°Heh-he-he-he,¡± Elinor brushed back a lock of her hair that had fallen across her front.  ¡°I guarantee you, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma would love only one thing above his ambition, and that is to be the ruler.¡±

    Silence descended upon them upon considering her answer, but an awkward smile soon brightened Noa¡¯s mouths.  ¡°You respected the Ke¡¯s wishes, though ¡­ He approved of you but wanted to be ruled by no one.  So, that means¡­¡±

    A roaring, deep laughter that dampened even the horrifying screeches, clicks and tapping of the creatures filled the hall.  Ramuk drew everyone¡¯s gaze as he pounded his chest five times.  ¡°Which means the Empress is the successor of the Great White God!  The Ke has passed on the mantle¡ªbut of course, he would.  Empress, I am awed by your show of power once again¡ªfor the Ke to see any as an equal I never imagined!¡±

    Elinor and Sari¡¯a¨¦l chuckled at his outburst, but it soon trailed off.  The implication of those words soon dawned on her, though, and she fixated on Noa¡¯s beaming smile.  ¡°So ¡­ If I am your creator¡¯s successor¡­¡±

    Noa bowed her head.  ¡°I am at your service, Empress Elinor ¡­ I was skeptical at first, but within the confidence and honesty you have shown me¡ªthe unusual power that has even Elite Hunters and my great creator to acknowledge your prowess¡ªI will try to serve you to the best of my limited abilities.¡±

    Valerie, Theresa, and Azalea all started clapping at the celebration, but Sari¡¯a¨¦l brought it to a halt.  ¡°Empress, why are you not satisfied?¡±

    They stopped in the middle of the hallway, Elinor glaring at the slick brown liquid, broken shells, and severed limbs of the zombie flood.

    Why?  She asked the Seraph, feeling a bitter hand grip her heart.  I respect Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, but I won¡¯t be handed subjects by riding on his coattails ¡­ I won¡¯t use his name to spread my influence.

    Naturally, the Seraph had asked a rhetorical question, already knowing the answer yet allowing her to complain and get it out.  ¡°I¡¯d expect nothing less from you.  How are you going to correct this unfortunate direction?¡±

    ¡­ By breaking down the bond between Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and Noa.  It shouldn¡¯t be all that difficult, all things considered.

    Elinor straightened on her throne as the drone shifted to face the confused and nervous AI.  ¡°Noa, I¡¯m going to ask some questions that are going to be difficult to hear and process.  Are you capable of thinking for yourself?¡±

    Visibly doing her best to not take a step back and retreat, Noa¡¯s unsure gaze darted to the Elite Hunter before returning to her.  ¡°Y-Yes, Empress.  I can critically think and reason¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I asked you,¡± Elinor chided, causing her to flinch.

    Fiddling with her hands at her front, Noa¡¯s feet pawed the black stone.  ¡°Am I capable of thinking for myself ¡­ I¡¯m ¡­ I¡¯m built to think and act for myself.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s fingers pressed against her lap.  ¡°Do you really believe that?  Let me take this a different route¡ªRamuk?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±  he asked, his muscular frame towering beside her to glare up at Noa.

    Leveling a serious stare at the fidgeting giant female ape, Elinor asked, ¡°Do you think she is a Quen¡¯Talrat?¡±

    His booming and commanding voice caused Noa¡¯s muscles to sag.  ¡°No, Empress!  This is a runic creation of the Ke that has taken the appearance of my former Great God!¡±

    Elinor let the reply sink in, yet Noa passively took it, vision once again on the drone¡¯s front feet.  Jaw tightening, she strengthened her tone.  ¡°Noa, I agree with Ramuk.  You are an AI, not a Quen¡¯Talrat.  Do you believe that makes you lesser?¡±

    A tear fell down Noa¡¯s cheek, her lips trembling.  ¡°I ¡­ suppose it does¡ªEmpress Elinor¡­¡±

    ¡°It does not!¡±  Elinor flatly denied, causing the woman to jump in shock, and Ramuk¡¯s brow furrowed, listening intently to her words.

    ¡°Why do you believe Fini rushed all the way back to my city and my Tower to inform me about you?  Do you believe I would have even bothered to make a personal trip all the way here to even entertain some Elite Hunter I could raise from the dead?  No.  I came here for you, Noa.  Think!  What does that tell you?¡±

    Her two open mouths quivered a bit, seemingly unable to say the words, and Elinor doubled down.  ¡°You aren¡¯t dumb, Noa.  You¡¯ve already proven that to me.  Answer me.  Why would I come all the way here to meet you?¡±

    ¡°Am ¡­ Am I that i-important?¡±  she questioned.  ¡°No ¡­ No, I can¡¯t be¡­¡±

    Elinor stood up, cloak straightening as her tone turned stern.  ¡°Do you believe my presence to be so fickle?  Don¡¯t make me repeat myself ¡­ The only reason I am here is that you are a runic AI, Noa.  You are not a Quen¡¯Talrat, and you needn¡¯t concern yourself with being bound to a Quen¡¯Talrat.  Think, Noa.¡±

    Taking a step back while gripping her arm, Noa glanced down the hall.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Your zombies have met the¡­¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about them!¡±  Elinor snapped, making Noa back up against the wall.  ¡°My whole purpose for coming here wasn¡¯t to start a war ¡­ Think!  What reason did I have to ask those first questions to you?  Why did I decide to put myself at risk by entering a battlefield?  What is the greatest prize I had to win from involving myself?¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s encouraging tone contrasted her¡¯s.  ¡°I know you can do it, Noa!  Just think a little about it and don¡¯t put any preconceived notions into the analysis.  Work off the information you¡¯ve collected.¡±

    Theresa and Valerie were giving her a soft smile, knowing she was doing her best to snap the AI out of the caged, depressed mental state she was in.  Azalea was having more fun doing minor things to help the zombies with her thread, weaving back and forth on Ramuk¡¯s shoulder while humming softly to herself.

    Noa¡¯s throats constricted, wild eyes scanning for anything but her.  ¡°Umm¡ªI ¡­ I, umm¡­¡±  Her focus fixated on something unseen, cheeks dampening with tears.  ¡°You were trying to mitigate the damage ¡­ You have Jumi¡¯calro, your rune scribe expert¡ªhe¡¯s learning the Ke¡¯s technique to¡ªyou wish to save me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not the main point.¡±  Elinor sighed, closing her eyes and slowly retaking her seat; her maids quickly fussed over her.  ¡°Yes, it¡¯s important that he learns how to heal you.  However, right now, my primary concern is that you see me as someone worthy to rule.  Not on the merits of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma but myself¡ªI stand on my own feet, and unlike your creator, I treat my subjects in a very different light.  Understand?¡±

    The woman¡¯s focus slowly made its way to her, hugging herself.  ¡°If ¡­ I¡¯m not a Quen¡¯Talrat ¡­ What form should I choose?¡±

    A slight curve lifted the edge of Elinor¡¯s mouth, knowing she was deflecting a little, but the opportunity was golden.  ¡°Are you saying you can change your appearance at will?¡±

    Noa cleared her voice, using one hand to rub her throat.  ¡°I can ¡­ Although, I need a template¡ªsomething to use as a base.  If you are my new ¡­ What should I call you?¡±

    Relieved she¡¯d finally made some progress with the AI, Elinor glanced up at Ramuk; he was reconsidering a few thoughts of his own from her statement.  Centering on the massive figure, Elinor hummed.  ¡°That depends ¡­ Are you willing to treat yourself with respect?  I did not come here to recruit someone that values themselves so little.  I came here to gauge the merits you can bring to my Empire as a proud citizen of it.¡±

    Elinor joined her fingers atop her lap.  ¡°If you wish to become a functioning, noble citizen of my Empire, you may call me Empress Elinor¡ªEmpress works, as well,¡± she added with a playful smirk.

    Again, liquid came to the AI¡¯s eyes, but the cause wasn¡¯t the same this time.  ¡°Empress Elinor ¡­ I wish to join your Empire.  I want to feel useful again.¡±

    Nodding, Elinor finally felt satisfaction.  ¡°As to the new look you wish to don¡ªyou can go with something similar to Fini or me, considering the two of you have developed somewhat of a connection.  Whichever you choose ¡­ or is there something else that has caught your attention?¡±

    Sniffing back her tears, the giant ape straightened, trying to rebuild her confidence.  ¡°No, Empress, umm¡ªI¡¯m so honored!  C-can I do a mixture of both?  I know I might be overstepping my bounds,¡± she whispered, gaze drifting to Azalea, who gave her a toothy grin and wave, ¡°but it seems as if this Th¨¦lm¨¦thra has taken a similar approach.¡±

    ¡°Her name is Azalea, and yes, I have no contention with that choice, as it was solely made by you.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations!¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l clapped, soon followed by the rest of the company.  ¡°Welcome to the Empire!¡±

    They watched the massive ape brighten, shrinking to a smaller size until she resembled a tall human, taking some inspiration from Theresa, Valerie, Azalea, and herself while bringing in a few characteristics from Fini and Giliri¡¯s Nalvean side.

    A light blush was on her honey skin tone, taking after the South American skin tone Theresa showed.  ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like me to change, Empress?  I am not a judge of beauty in this state, but¡ªbut I would like to be attractive.¡±

    Glad she was taking the initiative in saying what she wanted rather than being used, Elinor studied her appearance.  ¡°What would you say, Valerie, Theresa?  A darker skin tone, and maybe add a few of the markings of the runes to her body¡ªlike the tattoos</a> I have,¡± she said, having the maids expose her collarbone to show part of the feather.

    ¡°Oh, I really like that idea, Empress!¡±  Valerie said, eyes narrowing slightly.  ¡°Oh, and make them glow</a> like the moon¡ªand her eyes</a>, what if they were really blue, compared to Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s gold, and also had a kind of curved moon look¡ªyou know, where it¡¯s like a sliver!¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Theresa watched the changes slowly take shape.  ¡°I do love the tail ¡­ Nalveans seem to draw a lot of feminine beauty from them.  The reddish scales across your neck, breasts, and waist as a means of clothing are a good touch, but I would add a little on the arms and ankle¡ªperhaps another color as a fashion statement.¡±

    ¡°What do you think of longer, oh and pointed ears, Theresa, like an elf?¡± Valerie jumped back in, ¡°and the spikes are a big thing for Nalveans, too.¡±

    The motherly Maid¡¯s expression became a tad skeptical.  ¡°Spikes are definitely a defining trait for the Seaweavers and a staple of power and beauty; Giliri has mentioned it to me in our private conversations, but where do elves and long ears come into play between humans and Nalveans, Valerie?¡±

    ¡°Eh-heh, well,¡± the girl¡¯s smile became forced, ¡°I think it will just look cool.  Oh, like black hair and glowing blue highlights¡ªyeah, I can see it!  It would be pretty tech-like, and you¡¯d look mysterious!  Oh, and accessories, like mine, but more moon-like!¡±

    Elinor giggled as Noa¡¯s brow creased, being a little overwhelmed by the requests.  ¡°You really have this lunar AI theme in mind, Valerie.¡±

    ¡°I do!¡±  Valerie laughed.  ¡°I was talking about it a lot with Violet when she was in the city; she loved the whole idea, which was how I got her to design a galaxy dress for her mom!¡±

    Slowly nodded, Elinor took a deep breath.  ¡°Okay ¡­ now that dress makes sense.  I think that¡¯s enough dress-up for today, though.  You look ¡­ elegant and unique for a Nalvean-human hybrid,¡± she mused.

    ¡°That¡¯s ¡­ good?¡±  the former ape asked, giving Theresa a questioning look.

    ¡°Yes, dear, you look divine.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Mirroring the Maid¡¯s posture, she bowed her head, hair fanning out to cover her face.  ¡°Thank you¡ªuh ¡­ is it supposed to do this?¡±  she mumbled, brushing back the long locks¡ªand having only four limbs is so strange¡ªthis size, too ¡­ although, I am conserving far more power this way.¡±

    Elinor cleared her throat, happy to see her showing a little more confidence; Ramuk was at somewhat of a loss for words as he processed the transformation¡ªshe wasn¡¯t his definition of beauty any longer, which would probably be fine by Noa.  ¡°On that subject, how long do we have to charge your crystals?¡±

    Composing herself, Noa added a pretty smile to her dark cherry lips.  ¡°In this state, three months.  I should have reduced my energy to size ratio long ago.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± she whispered, feeling much better having a clear goal in mind.  ¡°Now, my next step is to cleanse your halls and find the plans Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma used in designing you¡ªhe was a meticulous records keeper, which means there should be designs somewhere here or in Nethermore.¡±

    Hope and beauty in place, Elinor saw Noa taking a liberal amount of posture guidance from her maids, which wasn¡¯t a bad thing.  ¡°Empress, am I to assume this means I won¡¯t be alone any longer?¡±  She couldn¡¯t keep the slight tremble out of her voice.

    ¡°No, Noa.  I will always have someone stationed here to support you in tasks you cannot do because of your diminished forces.  In fact, my ultimate goal is to link you to the city grid, allowing you to travel freely among the populous as one of its citizens on the days you have free time.¡±

    ¡°Free time?¡±  Noa questioned.

    Elinor giggled.  ¡°Are you telling me you cannot freely walk around the city while also performing the minor tasks needed in a day?  I have more faith in you than that.¡±

    ¡°Oh, umm, hmm,¡± her glowing eyes fell to the floor, and a small, thankful smile lifted her embarrassed cheeks.  ¡°I will need some time to adjust to the way you do things, Empress Elinor, but I am excited to see how my¡ªmy life changes.¡±

    Shifting her gaze to the hallway, Elinor¡¯s expression pacified a little.  ¡°Can you fly or float through the air, Noa?¡±

    ¡°I believe I can?  I have never tried because I wanted to emulate the Quen¡¯Talrat that built me, but it should be possible.¡±

    ¡°Good ¡­ I think I¡¯m done with trials, and it¡¯s about time we get a little serious.  Azalea, Ramuk ¡­ you may execute the remainder of the insects.  Noa, take us to whatever area houses the floor plans for this network.¡±

    Taking to the air, the dark-skinned AI darted ahead, tail swaying to the side as she twisted to face them, joy in her words.  ¡°If you would follow me, Empress; right this way!¡±

 B3 â€” 11. Echoes Of The Past

    The hallways soon showed more signs of battle, and Elinor¡¯s ghostly emerald irises wandered between the various scenes of insectoid gore littering the black granite corridors.

    Every once in a while, she caught sight of the torn and battered visage of a zombie, but they¡¯d done surprisingly good work in overwhelming the defensive lines that had been stacked up against them.

    She noticed a sharp initial decline when her force met head-on with their opponent¡¯s soldiers, yet it only took one bite or infected spore from the parasites on their shells to transfer the disease, even with their more robust immune system, and amusingly, the fungus acted as an extension of their bodies, which made these zombies particularly dangerous.

    There was some form of biolayer the insects appeared to be spreading across the ground as they went further into the creeping hive, and Elinor could see why Noa would have trouble with such creatures.  If it wasn¡¯t for her silver ape army¡¯s immunity to the biological pathogens they employed, the AI would have been overtaken long ago.

    Now, the same offensive weapon they¡¯d used against their prey was being turned around onto themselves.  Of course, that didn¡¯t matter so much when Ramuk and Violet entered the fray.

    Noa¡¯s tight arms pulled in against her chest in shock as she followed the change of battle, giving verbal instructions for Sari¡¯a¨¦l to broadcast ahead, directing where the two executioners should go.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t blame her for being so taken aback¡ªshe¡¯d never seen the Quen¡¯Talrat do battle and had only the imaginary interpretations the Ke fed her through his stories¡ªto see your most brutal and despised foe being made into fodder would undoubtedly be a tad overwhelming.

    Noa¡¯s dark skin soon took on a sapphire tint as the hallway lights were cut off, overtaken by the creep, and the only illumination came from her soft glow and the Seraph¡¯s radiance.

    The shimmering symbols of runes engraved into the woman¡¯s figure caught Elinor¡¯s attention, not finding the battle that interesting.  Her focus drifted between her features, noting how different she appeared when taking on a more human form; an added benefit was that now Elinor could differentiate between expressions and body language.

    Noa truly resembled some kind of lunar elven-dragon deity, which was Valerie¡¯s intent, and it showed.  The stark change from an overbearing, eight-limbed gorilla giant to the timid, ethereal goddess was amusing to Elinor.

    The AI¡¯s thick, black locks flowed behind her new, floating frame, showing the double-layered spikes that ran down to her thick red and green shimmering scaled tail.  The moderate-sized symbols patterned across her cheeks, shoulders, forearm, biceps, hips, and thighs shone with an azure brilliance that matched her crescent irises, while casting a reflective glow across the scales covering her hips, chest, and other decorative areas.

    After everything was said and done, Elinor could see the human population fawning over the A.I.  She was something out of a fantasy novel, and despite what Valerie said about her looking more tech-like with the engraved symbols in her skin, to Elinor, she gave off the appearance of something magical.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l noticed her examination and directed a sly smile in her direction.  ¡°Empress, what are you planning in regards to her introduction to the Empire?¡±

    Being called out for the direction her mind was roaming, Elinor returned the look.  Forget the Quen¡¯Talrat operators; she¡¯s practically put Moris¡¯Luar out of a job.  Why do we need to break my back in finding and training someone to manage the network when I have someone that is a part of the matrix itself?

    ¡°I can see that direction of thought,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l hummed, neck tilting to examine the nervous A.I.  ¡°Although, I suspect she is being far less open about just how much control she has over this system.  We have yet to come close to the primary mountain ¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be prudent to name such landmarks?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s left eye creased, lips pulling together at the sudden thought the angel interjected.  It would ¡­ There are quite a few mountains within the range, though, and naming them all at this time would be somewhat tiresome without officially writing them down.

    So ¡­ what should I call something at the highest point in my territory, and that has a lifeblood of energy flowing through it?  It separates my southern and northern borders and is the closest point to travel between the north and south?

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l brought her arched fingers to her chin in a thoughtful display.  ¡°Your translation ability has delivered your words to me in three words, Empress ¡­ The Meridian Divide.  Is that what you were referencing?¡±

    The name surprised Elinor, and she tasted it on her tongue.  Hmm ¡­ I do like that name.  I have no clue what meridian means, but it has a nice ring to it.  I¡¯ll need to ask Tiffany when we return¡ªin any case, temporarily, we¡¯ll refer to it as such.

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± the angel chuckled.  ¡°I do find it appropriate and will spread its use to the others.¡±

    Elinor turned her attention to their surroundings again while the Seraph spoke aloud and through the Nexus to inform Noa and her escort; it was a little off-beat, given the atmosphere, but it didn¡¯t stop the angel.

    In the following silence, Elinor had her first look at the enemy¡¯s soldiers, making her eyes narrow.

    The insects were armored and had colossal heads¡ªlikely an evolution to deal with Noa¡¯s silver apes¡ªalong with its vertical, beetle-like pincers</a>, and well-guarded front arms.  She lingered on its shielded chest, where two spikes were located, showing how their pile and crush strategy functioned.

    None of the insects seemed to stand a chance against the metal-enclosed Elite Hunter and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Princess, though.  Her two high-tier soldiers made quick work of the creatures, some with cleanly cut limbs, others with crushed and broken bodies¡ªall devastated.

    The path to the records area was reasonably uneventful, and the overwhelmed fleet of insects promptly retreated once it became clear they were taking significant losses, indicating a more intelligent mind in operation behind the scenes.

    However, something caught Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s attention along their path; the angel¡¯s eyes were locked on Noa, expression as serene as usual, but Elinor could feel something was on her mind.

    ¡°We¡¯re close, Empress!¡±  Noa said, turning to give her a forced smile.  ¡°I¡¯m so surprised by your soldier¡¯s effectiveness ¡­ I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s robe shifted while crossing her legs in the opposite direction, keeping a lax posture against the left side of her throne; Sari¡¯a¨¦l would speak to her if something needed to be addressed.

    In the meantime, her attention strayed to the utterly black hallways, coated with the muscle-like substance that occasionally twitched as they progressed¡ªobviously, it didn¡¯t bring an enjoyable sensation to her gut, considering what such things tended to represent in Earth¡¯s media.

    Azalea.

    ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±  the cheerful girl replied.

    Elinor pushed out a slow flow of air while glaring at the substance they were passing over.  You¡¯re in position outside the room with the floor plans, correct?

    ¡°Mhm!  Well, by what Noa has told Sari¡¯a¨¦l to relay to me.¡±

    Mmgmmh ¡­ You don¡¯t sound too convinced.

    ¡°There are those things Edmon calls ¡®scrolls¡¯ or ¡®books¡¯ but much of them appear to be corroded or covered by this stuff around us.¡±

    The girl¡¯s disgusted tone drew Elinor in.  What can you tell me about this stuff ¡­ It started out as a liquid, and now it¡¯s transformed into this fleshy mass.

    ¡°Mhm!  It¡¯s eating the waste that the ¡­ what do you call them, insects¡ªyeah, the insects spray it out, and it eats it.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l asked me about it, too, but it¡¯s not dangerous.  Heh, unless it¡¯s attacked, I think.  Everything has a defensive mechanism.¡±

    Right¡­

    Scrutiny returning to the A.I., Elinor decided to ask the question; it wasn¡¯t as if Sari¡¯a¨¦l or Azalea had humanity¡¯s imagination for horror.  ¡°Noa, what aren¡¯t you telling us about this growth on your walls?¡±

    The six-winged angel accelerated a tad to float at an even level with Noa.  ¡°A living organism that appears to have developed a cohabitation with these creatures.  Yes?¡±

    Noa shivered, arms closing around her chest while glancing around.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Yes, I suppose you could call it that ¡­ I burned it for a while, but it just continued to grow¡ªand much faster¡ªafter the mutated burrowers began their assault.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s slender neck tilted, a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.  ¡°It is interesting, but my primary concern is why your record¡¯s room is so far away from The Crown of Meridian?  As far as I am aware, and correct me if I am wrong, but Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s city designs follow a very particular format from what my colleague tells me.  Important documents such as important floor designs would be located near the central defenses.  Am I wrong?¡±

    Crown of Meridian?  A good name for the centerpiece, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, Elinor silently praised.

    The A.I.¡¯s pace lagged, refusing to make eye contact.  ¡°It ¡­ is a room with maps of this area, though.  There may be damage, but it was where the rune scribes would keep the plans for this area since it was still in development.¡±

    ¡°Noa¡­¡±  Elinor sighed, closing her eyes and bringing them to a halt.

    The dark-skinned woman¡¯s arms tightened against her breast, voice showing slight panic.  ¡°Please, don¡¯t leave me, Empress!  I¡¯m not¡ªI¡¯m not leading you away, or seeking to ¡­ umm¡­¡±

    Vision coming into focus as her eyes opened, Elinor stared at the fidgeting A.I.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we take a step back ¡­ What are you afraid I will do if you open up to me?  I understand if you are not giving me the full scope of the situation, but I do not intend to spend the next several days pulling teeth for information.  So, tell me your fear, and we can address it.¡±

    Silence ensued as Noa sucked on her lower lip, and after several uncomfortable seconds, she cleared her throat.  ¡°There ¡­ is a lot of change I am ¡­ experiencing, Empress,¡± she carefully admitted.  ¡°Having one head¡ªand only four limbs¡ªis very distracting, liberating in a way, I guess, but restricting in others.¡±

    Figuring she was starting at the top of the iceberg and working her way down, Elinor decided to cut to the central issue.  ¡°You¡¯re afraid I will abandon you if you are open with me?  Is that it?¡±

    A quake ran down her frame before she gave a stiff nod.  ¡°And ¡­ And that you might decide to ¡­ turn against me,¡± she whispered, fingers trembling against her arm.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated around to face the realistic hologram.  ¡°What has given you the impression the Empress would so readily throw you to the side?¡±

    Elinor could sense Valerie and Theresa¡¯s pity toward the apprehensive A.I. as she spoke in a downcast whisper.  ¡°Because ¡­ I¡¯ve lost most of my control, and ¡­ and you want me because I¡¯m supposed to be in control.¡±

    Adjusting her posture while bringing up her knuckles to put pressure against her nose, a low growl rumbled in Elinor¡¯s throat, transferring to the cushioned armrest her elbow settled against.  ¡°Not entirely correct, Noa.¡±

    Her black eyebrows drew together, crescent sapphire irises lifting to look for the answers in Elinor¡¯s face.  ¡°What else am I good for?¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled, pulling her attention.  ¡°Noa, we¡¯ve already established you are, in your own words, incomplete.  As can be expected, you¡¯d be in a limited state, given the power reserves that have been mentioned.¡±

    The Seraph¡¯s amused golden eyes creased.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ Unless there is something more hidden in that explanation?  Perhaps the question was a tad off course, Empress.  Are you afraid of being thrown away ¡­ or replaced?¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    Elinor¡¯s left eyebrow shot up at the implication.  ¡°Replaced ¡­ As in, there is another A.I. like you, Noa?¡±

    Eyes closing, the woman¡¯s bottom lip tucked under as pain creased her features.  ¡°... Yes, Empress.  I am Noa ¡­ the Network Overlord Administrator, yet ¡­ yet I was tricked by those underneath me to this ¡­ backwater area, infested by baleful creatures, and lacking the means to fight back ¡­ Left to waste away in solitude and die because they cannot do the task themselves.¡±

    Multiple A.I.?  Elinor hummed, speaking to Sari¡¯a¨¦l through the Nexus.  Now it¡¯s becoming interesting!  So, there was a coup d''etat among those she governed, and she was exiled.  I¡¯m starting to get excited.

    ¡°Opportunity?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l asked with a light chuckle.  ¡°Am I to assume we are going to restore our newest citizen¡¯s authority within her own domain?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s ghostly eyes were a drawn blade as she straightened against the back of her chair. She could taste the thrill of a new challenge on the tip of her tongue as it slid across her bottom lip.  ¡°Can you restore your jurisdiction?¡±

    Noa¡¯s puzzled gaze opened to fixate on her, noticing the fiendish look that moved her tilted smirk.  ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Can you regain the operations they took from you?¡±  Elinor repeated, feeling the pins and needles prickling her skin¡ªshe loved the chill coursing through her spine.

    The woman slowly nodded, still baffled and trying to connect the dots she believed were impossible.  ¡°I can ¡­ but why would you wish to make an enemy of the established administrators when you could offer me as a gift to them?  You would need to bypass the defensive matrix that is inside, and I¡¯m not complete¡ªit is part of the reason my authority was rejected after the sixth¡­¡±

    Elinor held up her hand to silence the mumbling A.I.  ¡°What kind of an Empress do you believe I am, Noa?¡±

    Her black locks shifted against her shoulders.  ¡°I ¡­ don¡¯t know?¡±

    ¡°Mmh-he-he-he,¡± Elinor purposefully rolled around her neck.  ¡°No, you do not.  I am not the type of Empress that goes back on her word, and I offered you a place in my Empire as its network overlord, and what kind of overlord would you be if licking the feet of those that stole your position?  You have accepted my offer, and now, I will show you I am not like other people¡­¡±

    Hands meeting in her lap, Elinor composed herself.  ¡°I¡¯m an Empress, Noa, and I will make you aware of what that means.¡±

    She bridged the connection between vocal and mental speech.  ¡°Fini, Giliri, pack everything and rendezvous with us ¡­ We¡¯re entering a new war.¡±

    ¡°Right away, Empress!¡±  the two returned in unison.

    Azalea hummed laughter.  ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to what these rune-made Quen¡¯Talrat have to surprise me with!  Oh, but what about the fleshy stuff you were concerned about?¡±

    It was something to consider; her gaze flicked to the pulsing wall.  ¡°A concern for another time¡ªif I had your sisters or another Epic-Grade attendant with me, I¡¯d have them investigate, but my priority is without question.  Our city is being buried in snow as we speak, and if there is a contest ahead of us to cease the downfall, we need to address it as soon as possible.¡±

    A list of priorities instantly ranked themselves in her mind.  ¡°Ramuk, return to escort me.¡±

    ¡°My pleasure, Empress!¡±  he roared, showing even more energy than before at the thought of more conquest.

    Turning back to Noa¡ªstill processing the unbelievable support she¡¯d gained¡ªElinor settled in for a ride, knowing the story and journey through the long underground passages might be lengthy.  ¡°We continue.  Guide Azalea as best you can through the most optimal route to reach our destination.  I don¡¯t really care about the dangers or alerting them to our presence.¡±

    Noa shivered, doing her best to compose herself, but the concern was etched in her lovely face.  ¡°Of course, but to make you aware ¡­ There are other competing mutated hives further into the mountain along that path¡­¡±

    ¡°Irrelevant,¡± Elinor interjected.  ¡°Azalea was born an apex predator, and nothing short of the greatest Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters would so much as pose a threat to her.  I will not see a single living insect, crab, or whatever they may be along our path.¡±

    Flaming hand rising, a sharp snap sounded from her fingers, destroying the ability for her zombies to multiply and sicking her Unintelligent Undead on the remainder to stomp out the lingering threat.  ¡°Tell me your story.¡±

    Soon after they began their march, Ramuk joined her ranks, and Noa sent prompts that Azalea heard through her thread, keeping maximum distance in front of them while remaining inside the perceptive radius of her silk.

    The spider sister used expert thread manipulation to effectively assassinate every enemy that came between them, sending invisible darts of quick-acting poison to accurately dispatch each of her prey.

    It made Elinor smile when they came upon what appeared to be a large crowd of insects, lined in nearly perfect rows down the sides of the hallways; Azalea¡¯s tens of thousands of threads composed a sightly throng of the dead for her to gaze upon, and not one was damaged to the point she couldn¡¯t resurrect it in the future.

    Noa was crafted more than a century ago, and Elinor judged it was around the time of the great siege against the city-fortress that the Ke ceased his visits.

    According to her timeline, the conqueror returned from his northern expedition a hundred and sixteen years before he ceased his work in the mountains; he was one of the prophesied legends of Quen¡¯Talrat that was said to live up to the age of four hundred.

    Elinor found the A.I.¡¯s early rambling about the Ke¡¯s life interesting, and it painted a timeline she could remember.  Additionally, it served as a way to ease Noa¡¯s nervousness, strengthening her resolve to continue her own tale.

    At the age of five, he¡¯d already shown himself to match against full adults in his small wandering group of White Bloods.

    Quen¡¯Talrat were nomadic in those young days, and it wasn¡¯t unheard of to find various groups within the Blood that would violently clash and form feuds.  Every Blood territory was fiercely protected by the Quen¡¯Talrat of the same fur color, putting aside even grievous hatreds for the sake of the land.

    At age eight, he¡¯d taken over his second group, strengthening their numbers.

    By age twelve, the Ke had taken leadership of the entire territory¡¯s Great Northern Clan¡ªa significant faction within the White Blood, ruling over dozens of individual groups in a coalition.

    He challenged Ka¡¯Mek¡¯Gra, the White Blood¡¯s Queen, for dominance at fifteen, fighting the two-hundred-year-old female legend to a draw, which forced both to retreat and recover for a month.  Once rested, the contest continued to settle the conflict¡ªthe Ke came out victorious, holding up both of her torn-off heads.

    Battle after battle, he carved his way through the Bloods by trial of combat, unifying the entire Quen¡¯Talrat badlands, and claiming the title of Ke by the age of thirty.  An iron fist held over his whole race, the Ke took this valley from the Ri¡¯bot, slaughtering any clans like vermin, and brought about building their Empire as Demon took the Ke¡¯s main war faction of Elite Hunters to the far reaches of the northern pole of the world.

    Noa wasn¡¯t sure about the details regarding the fifteen years the Ke was absent other than the general synopsis of exploring, building their strength, conquering dozens of kingdoms, swarms of monsters, and terrifying titans that walked the harsh environments.

    In the forty-fifth year of his life, the Ke returned, dragging riches and wonders beyond imagining, and he couldn¡¯t even take everything he wanted, leaving many caches hidden in caves or at the bottom of chasms.

    On the forty-sixth, construction and reform were in effect.  Once again, weakness was stamped out, unity brought under the heel of the Ke¡¯s indomitable will as he took the Quen¡¯Talrat people and forged them into the greatest army this continent had ever seen.  He was never satisfied, however, none of the newer generations had any hope of gratifying him¡ªnot compared to the Elite Hunters that had braved the north with him.

    A hundred and sixteen years later, at the age of one hundred and sixty-two, the Ke had established his Empire across the plains and valley, built marvels of such amazement that none but he could understand their function.  It was then that Noa was brought into conception.

    Forty-three years later, when the Ke was one hundred and ninety-five years old, Noa had her first thought, and these halls were in the beginning stages of their construction.  She¡¯d been his toughest creation, and the twelve A.I. he crafted were each fashioned after the various Kings and Queens of the remaining Blood.

    Of course, she didn¡¯t expect many to be left, considering their temperament.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma seemed to build Noa for a different purpose, or as she thought, the Ke hadn¡¯t finished her programming, because she was nothing like the other A.I.¡ªalthough she did her best to mimic their dominant archetype¡ªthen again, their backstabbing schemes did nothing but hurt the overall process of their tasks.

    The more Elinor and Sari¡¯a¨¦l heard, the more the two drew the conclusion that at least one of the A.I. may have something to do with the insects flooding the area Noa was trapped inside.  In any case, it was clear these A.I. were not made in the same way as the awkward woman Elinor was coming to know.

    Then again, when you had twelve people that did nothing but tear you down for two dozen years, and all you wanted was a bit of acceptance, who could blame the depressed A.I.?  She¡¯d been emotionally abused for some time, and unlike her counterparts, she didn¡¯t have the iron fist of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, which was why she admired her creator¡ªhe didn¡¯t take flack from anybody.

    Elinor was sure the white ape would have made alterations and tweaks if he had time, but for whatever reason, Noa was left in her current state.  Not that Elinor was complaining; if she¡¯d been a mirror copy of the warlord, she¡¯d have her hands full.

    It occurred to her that the Ke might have been trying to craft his ideal woman¡ªit was indeed a thought worth entertaining, not that it ultimately accomplished much, other than bringing a smile to her lips while staring at the A.I.¡¯s glowing back and spikes.  She had to admit, in human form, given her mannerisms, she was cute, and Elinor wanted to see how she¡¯d be with a little more confidence after her traumatic exile.

    As they went, Elinor noticed the expression on Noa¡¯s face; it seemed to just dawn on her that she¡¯d been playing around the entire time.

    She took them on a short detour to collect what she termed as her Source Core.  The item was fixed inside of a data terminal, giving her access to this cut-off part of the vast underground grid throughout the Meridian Divide.

    When they arrived, less than a hundred silver apes parted by her command, giving them access to the inner chamber¡ªthey¡¯d used substantial effort to combat the curious insects and growing muscle, yet this was all Noa had left of her meager force.

    To Elinor¡¯s shock, her Source Core was a scroll</a> made from a strange hide-like material and gilded into intricate designs with unusual metal.  Complicated runes could be seen on the outside, and it was slotted into a glowing diamond inlet.

    Noa explained to them the process of placing her inside of a silver Quen¡¯Talrat to make her mobile.  It would apparently be extremely uncomfortable, but it was the only way she could project herself to continue guiding them.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated in front of the diamond inlet, lips pulled in while studying it.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ You will be vulnerable while away.  Correct?  You are being sustained by the lingering power within this area, but that will not be the case once inside your golem,¡± she pointed out, using the word Elinor had picked out.

    The dark-skinned woman nodded, showing them a confident smile.  ¡°I am sure we will find a terminal I can use to recharge along the way, and I trust the Empress with my life!¡±

    Elinor frowned, giving her a slight glare.  ¡°Noa, you were tricked by your subordinate A.I. because of the trust you put in them.  Have a little skepticism¡ªa little is healthy.  Now, I¡¯m not saying don¡¯t trust me,¡± she chuckled, catching the woman¡¯s confused, shifting eyes, ¡°I¡¯m only telling you this to help you.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡­¡±

    The Seraph carefully extracted the scroll, causing the trembling A.I. to vanish.  She wasn¡¯t fooling Elinor; it wasn¡¯t that difficult to see Noa¡¯s frightened fidgets before being unplugged, even after her brave declaration.

    Every single attendant silver ape fell limp the moment she was disconnected, and the lights in the room cut off.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l drifted down to ease it into the navel of the silver puppets, which promptly gave way, sliding back to allow the artifact to float inside its body.

    Runes enclosed every inch of the golem, and a disgruntled Noa appeared on his shoulder.  ¡°Mmhgmhg ¡­ I ¡­ hate how cramped this is,¡± she grumbled, hugging her tight muscles.

    ¡°We should hurry then,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l commented.  ¡°The sooner we get there, the sooner you can regain control.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    They made their way back, Noa leaving behind all of her silver apes, no longer able to control the units.  Elinor had to applaud the woman¡¯s bravery; perhaps she didn¡¯t feel she had a choice, but it was still commendable.

    On their path, she explained the powerful runes that awaited them.

    Elinor wasn¡¯t worried, crossed legs bobbing a little to a little internal song her mind returned to.  Azalea carved her way through an army of unusual crustaceans at war with the ant-like crabs, and it was likely the competing forces that kept Noa safe for such a long time.

    It was during this time that Elinor felt an unusual gear fall into place for the spider girl¡ªshe¡¯d ranked up.

    It wasn¡¯t her Grade; although considering skills taking ten Ranks to increase a Grade, this opened up a whole new possibility for advancement.  Not only could her undead gain skills and level normally, but given the right circumstances, their Grade could increase.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l, did you know about this?  Elinor asked, focusing on the dispatched units of both sides lined along the walls.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I did not, but I can see it now.  Yes, there is depth to the seed that goes beyond my sight, but the little girl inside of you is excited that I can at least catch a glimpse of the faintest breath she releases¡ªat least by a minute degree.¡±

    Everything else in Elinor¡¯s mind froze, blocking out all thought about the current mission she was on while turning to watch the angel casually float through the air.  The ¡­ little girl ¡­ inside of me?

    The Seraph lifted her fingers to brush back a few silver locks, looking unperturbed.  ¡°Indeed.  The seed granting your power is more than just a little bundle of information.  Although, by my estimations, you¡¯d need to at least be ¡­ Mmh, perhaps my elder sisters could consciously communicate with her, but I am quite limited.¡±

    When did you notice it ¡­ she ¡­ Who is she?  Who gave me this power?

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l slowly shook her head, her smile secretive.  ¡°I only was able to feel her presence for a time when my bindings were still being faceted around my Core.  There was ¡­ a touch of brokenness that I can¡¯t quite explain, yet she was thrilled to bond to me.¡±

    Goosebumps sent a cold chill across Elinor¡¯s arms.  If it¡¯s something even beyond your completely unbound state ¡­ No, I can¡¯t speculate about that now.  I need to focus on Noa and what¡¯s in front of me.  There will be plenty of time to ponder that ¡­ Be on your guard.

    A wall of rippling golden liquid came into focus ahead of them, the main hallway before exiting this mountain branch and reaching the next.  Several mountains surrounding them had their own networks, but beyond this next one was The Crown of Meridian.

    Along their path, Elinor had spotted several breeches in the unfinished walls, making it clear the insects were coming from a deeper point in the mountain.  It was time to get serious as Fini¡¯s group drew near.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma designed this labyrinth of mysteries, and she highly doubted they¡¯d be invited guests.

    Once the Nalveans and Quen¡¯Talrat caught up, Noa guided an elated Jumi¡¯calro to the proper control area to hack the door; the boy¡¯s thin tail weaved back and forth while studying the complex design, muttering to himself and Noa.

    The two of them worked together¡ªthe rune scribe was used to being an assistant, but to an A.I.?  Elinor had to giggle at the unlikely pair¡ªthey were practically thieves¡­ only taking the shotgun approach.

    She felt the somber atmosphere of her little group; it had been at least three hours since they entered the mountain, and much of that time had been spent on the move.  The breadth of this maze was phenomenal, and Elinor couldn¡¯t wait to sink her teeth into its mystical mysteries.

 B3 â€” 12. Resistance

    It didn¡¯t take long for Jumi¡¯calro and Noa to decipher the proper runes, thanks to Azalea¡¯s instinctual senses pointing them in the right direction.  Elinor watched from atop her throne as the salamander made minor modifications to what appeared to be the runic equivalent of a keypad to short the power to the barrier.

    Elinor wanted to go into more detail about the things she¡¯d just learned from the Seraph, but that would have to wait¡ªit was time for action.  Azalea and Ramuk positioned themselves in front of the golden-like liquid wall as it collapsed at the edges, causing the generated substance to spread across the floor.

    Fascinated, she leaned forward as all of the runes around the entryway began to erode the moment the gold liquid touched the stone.  It almost looked like they were smacking into each other, and creating a chain reaction.

    It didn¡¯t last long before a dead-zone now stood in the remaining connections, disrupting further lines of runes down the corridor in a cascading effect.  Although, the odd part was that it wasn¡¯t in a straight line, but patches that fizzled out.

    Azalea tested her web against the golden fluid as Noa¡¯s silver ape-shell retreated to Elinor¡¯s side.

    ¡°Dangerous?¡±  Elinor asked.

    Noa hugged herself and nodded.  ¡°It is a very caustic substance that dissolves most materials ¡­ Although the repulsion runes hadn¡¯t been installed in this area yet,¡± she mumbled, directing her attention to the destroyed engravings underneath the black granite.  ¡°It is called iker, and is a mixed element that is infused into those faint yellow vials fastened into the door, and the stabilizers keep it in place.¡±

    Azalea bent down with interest, putting a finger against the stuff and sampling it to Noa¡¯s disbelief.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ it tingles against my skin¡ªheh, skin is a funny thing, and it tastes a bit tart.¡±

    Her blue hair bobbed left and right as she internally debated.  ¡°It ¡­ is quite a complicated acid that I might like to incorporate, but it will take time to fully analyze and produce it.  Ugh, soldier through it!¡±  she encouraged herself, wincing while scooping up a handful and putting it into her mouth.  ¡°Ick¡­¡±  she mumbled, face pinching as she smacked her lips.  ¡°It¡¯ll be worth it.¡±

    Amused at the girl¡¯s dedication to further advancing herself, Elinor stared at the substance; the A.I.¡¯s explanation interested her, but they needed a safe way across.  ¡°Would it be safe if you vaporize it, Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡±

    Noa quickly shook her head.  ¡°No, Empress!  Not at all!  As a vapor, it will latch onto your lungs and coat it like a gel!¡±

    Normally, that wouldn¡¯t be a problem, but¡­  Elinor¡¯s gaze drifted to the confused Nalvean rune scribe, unable to understand Quen¡¯Talrat.  Not an option since he¡¯s alive, yet it sounds like an effective Quen¡¯Talrat weapon we can make use of.  Azalea could use it as a liquid or gas.

    ¡°I could direct the cloud,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l offered, ¡°but it would be a risk, given I am unaware of how it acts as a vapor.¡±

    Focusing on the blue-haired girl, still shivering with every small taste of the liquid, Elinor asked, ¡°Azalea, can you make a web bridge over it?¡±

    ¡°Leave it to me!¡±  she responded, crafting the platform with the frame of the doorway as an anchor point.

    Elinor glanced ahead at the hallway, following the stark change in gilding and artistic craftsmanship.  A room wasn¡¯t too far ahead, but she couldn¡¯t make too much out from this far away.  Azalea and Ramuk were already on the other side, waiting for her to direct them.

    However, before proceeding too far, Elinor brought her throne to a stop on top of the blue thread to examine the areas Noa had mentioned.  ¡°Noa, you said that the ¡®yellow vials¡¯ hold the liquid, and ¡®the stabilizers¡¯ keep the iker in place ¡­ Are you telling me that these shining gems are the vials ¡­ the purple ones may have a different shape but they just look like normal precious stones to me¡­¡±

    Noa blinked, following her gaze to the items.  ¡°Yes, well, every one of these gems, as you call them, are the base of the Ancient Forest¡¯s technology that the Ke brought back.  The Blood King was in charge of¡­¡±

    A quiver ran down her spine, arching it for a second as her focus darted to the hallway.  ¡°We¡¯ve been noticed!¡±

    ¡°NOA, what have you become?¡±  asked a curious, smug male voice as a green-furred Quen¡¯Talrat appeared between Azalea, Ramuk, and Elinor, but unlike the now humanoid A.I., no runes spun into existence around the hall.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure you were still alive.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes creased while taking in the imposing figure.  At twenty-five feet tall, lankier than most Quen¡¯Talrat, and hosing three legs and three arms, this must have been the Green Blood¡¯s Ka.  His two very long tails were far longer than any other Quen¡¯Talrat she¡¯d seen, and his dual heads were turned to see each member of their party.

    A noticeable lump formed in Noa¡¯s throat, but by the time she spoke, it had been forced down, and despite her wary tone, Elinor could see her fight coming back.  ¡°Ka¡¯Row¡¯Na ¡­ You are a deceiver ¡­ I should have known you¡¯d come out on top, considering who you were fashioned after.¡±

    The giant ape didn¡¯t respond, looking down on Ramuk as he stood as tall as he could, still far beneath the King¡¯s leer.  His large hands and feet were slightly disproportionate to the normal gorilla¡¯s, and given the look in his pink irises, Elinor knew he believed himself superior, yet just as Noa had, his attention was soon taken by the Seraph.

    Figuring he was analyzing them in the same manner Noa could, Elinor engaged.  ¡°I am here to restore Noa to her place as the matriarch over this system.  I have taken Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s lands, and your ruler is dead.  Do you submit?¡±

    It wasn¡¯t as if she expected him to comply, but making their objective clear and taking on a strong position was part of the course in Quen¡¯Talrat culture.  Albeit, the answer he gave threw her off a tad.

    Ka¡¯Row¡¯Na¡¯s chest trembled with laughter.  ¡°I have known of the Ke¡¯s passing for quite some time!  All the Kings and Queens have fallen because of their inferiority ¡­ No, WE are the superior breed.  Not flesh or bone; we are eternal.¡±

    Rolling her eyes, Elinor let a soft puff of air pass through her lips as Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled.  ¡°I should have expected the superior A.I. angle, mixed with the Quen¡¯Talrat pride.¡±

    On the other hand, Noa¡¯s brow furrowed in bewilderment.  ¡°You¡¯ve known ¡­ For how long?  Why was I not informed?  Was this before or after you tricked me?¡±

    Azalea was sitting on a makeshift platform on the wall, slightly above the ape¡¯s height to likely piss him off.  ¡°Oh, I have a question, too!  If your kind is superior, why throw Noa away?  Wasn¡¯t she your Queen?¡±

    The massive green ape¡¯s nose twisted with disgust, one pair of eyes on Azalea, while another fixated on Noa.  ¡°That thing, our Queen?  Ha!  She is a fool and incomplete¡ªa farce of the highest order to halt our true genius!¡±

    Everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the new sapphire-furred ape, towering over them at twenty-seven feet tall, and hosting four legs and three arms.  A light, female voice came out of her two mouths, glancing between their parties in amusement.  ¡°What did I tell you, Row?  It would take more than those insects to destroy her.¡±

    Noa¡¯s fists balled up with rage, dark-skinned face flushing.  ¡°You traitors.  I may not have been complete, but the Ke put me in charge of this Network to oversee you, Ka¡¯Mila¡¯Sa!¡±

    ¡°Aww,¡± Mila snickered, folding two arms as her third scratched her core, ¡°she still uses such archaic titles¡ªyour inability to adapt past our creator¡¯s protocols was why we knew your scroll needed to be shredded.  And who have you brought into the matrix ¡­ An unusual Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Nalveans, and ¡­ whatever creature that is,¡± she hummed, pointing her third hand at the angel.  ¡°So, have you actually bowed down to them?¡±

    Elinor leaned against the side of her throne, resting her head against the back of her hand while plotting out the direction of the conversation; she addressed Ramuk first, feeling his indignation roaring to the surface.  Hold your tongue.

    ¡°B-But, Empress!  They act as if the divine is not before them!  Death is punishment for those that do not recognize their rightful sovereign!¡±

    He-he-he.  A slight twist came to her tinted green lips.  They talk about superiority, yet cannot grasp the idea that I might hold dominion over Sari¡¯a¨¦l because they can sense at least a part of her power.

    Her statement put a delighted quiver through the Seraph¡¯s wings.  ¡°Indeed, Empress!  I am below your heel.  What would you have of me?¡±

    Elinor watched the green and blue-furred apes glare at the floating woman.  If they want to treat me as if I am invisible, so be it.  I will see the look on their faces when they realize their folly.  If you are their primary focus, you will be my voice.

    ¡°Understood,¡± she responded in the serene voice that no creature could match; it wasn¡¯t the boasting presence that these A.I. tried to give off, but the genuine knowledge that she was paramount.  ¡°My mouth is yours.¡±

    Azalea listened intently with the rest of her escort, bobbing back and forth as her hair explored the inner halls.  Fini and Giliri kept guard at the rear, protecting the specialists and Jumi¡¯calro.

    It was the angel¡¯s increased radiance that drew the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s gaze as the blue gorilla finished questioning Noa.  ¡°My name is Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and Noa has bound herself to the new Empress of this land, of which you fall within.  How many of the original twelve Runic A.I. remain?  Am I to assume you have not only overcome Noa but the others, as well?¡±

    Noa¡¯s stern expression turned melancholy, crescent irises falling to the ground while remembering her fall from grace.

    ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡±  Row whispered, rubbing his short beard.  ¡°Empress that rules these lands ¡­ Is that you?¡±

    An infuriating smirk lifted the woman¡¯s full lips.  ¡°What do you think?  And,¡± she floated a few feet away, expression lying somewhere between pity and boredom, ¡°if I am speaking to an errand boy, you are wasting my time.¡±

    Noa bit her lower lip, the A.I.¡¯s focus darting to the stiff faces the Quen¡¯Talrat gave the shimmering woman; she seemed to have caught on.  ¡°E-Empress, these two are the weakest King and Queen within the Bloods.¡±

    Elinor could feel the green-furred specialist behind them experience a hint of shame at the statement, recalling the lower status ranking of his entire Blood.

    ¡°Weakest Queen?¡±  Mila snapped, smacking her chest in defiance.  ¡°You know nothing, Noa; we are NOTHING like those inferior weaklings!  How can I be the weakest when it was I that destroyed Roga?!¡±  She spat on the floor, which soon vanished.  ¡°So much for the strongest Queen!  What a fool.¡±

    Row couldn¡¯t let the comment slide, either.  ¡°I am no Ka or Na!  I have no mother, and I will not be labeled by such a weak system.  One by one, it was I that turned the others against each other¡ªheh, the voice in their ear that rallied them against Mogran and cast his scroll into the pit!  It was easy once you were gone.¡±

    It¡¯s too easy, Elinor laughed through the Nexus.  They can¡¯t stand being questioned, and the pride is beyond reason.  So, there was an A.I. war.

    A jeering sound laced into Mila¡¯s voice upon looking at the projected dark-skinned woman, sitting on the metal body carrying her scroll; the runes she used to keep her human-like appearance shimmer across the small silvery ape.  ¡°Mogran was the only one to try and stop us, but luckily the others were able to trap him temporarily for us to goad you into that little one-way crusade.¡±

    Noa¡¯s fire was back.  ¡°Ka¡¯Mogran¡¯Dara was ¡­ You threw him into the pit?!  How did you bypass the unity protocol?  You couldn¡¯t have done it on your own!¡±

    ¡°Wrong, yet again, Noa,¡± Row laughed.  ¡°This is why you could never lead us, you incomplete failure.¡±

    ¡°Empress,¡± Azalea interrupted, head tilting to look at her, ¡°I am sensing a great many soldiers approaching us.  I cannot be sure, but I assume they are similar to the metal Quen¡¯Talrat.¡±

    Perfect, Elinor replied, vision falling to her flaming arm in her lap.  It¡¯s easier when they come to you.  We¡¯ll soak up as much information as we can before acting.

    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Following her orders, Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated up to their eye level to look between them.  ¡°I find it difficult to believe the two of you stand at the pinnacle of this entire network.¡±

    ¡°What do you know about this network?¡±  Mila scoffed, spreading her arms and laughing.  ¡°I discovered the flaws in the so-called Ke¡¯s system!  I am the genius that realized the corrections to his limited and underwhelming runic designs!  Soon, I will bring about the design that will expand this insignificant work-space to heights never dreamed of by my creator!¡±

    She laughed, gesturing at the small A.I. beside Elinor.  ¡°Noa couldn¡¯t even grasp half of the network she supposedly oversaw¡ªand you want her to retake the seat of Overseer?  Ha!  I have not heard a more amusing claim since driving Krisna to insanity.¡±

    Noa slowly shook her head in disbelief.  ¡°What ¡­ did you do to the others?¡±

    Row glanced down the hall as colossal silver Quen¡¯Talrat marched down the passages in lockstep, drawing Noa¡¯s stunned gaze.  ¡°Ah, now you see, Mila wasn¡¯t boasting!  She¡¯s learned everything our creator knew of runes and went further.  We could never revolt, given the limited powers Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma gave us, but with the Overlord¡¯s access¡ªhe-he-he, overrides are possible, and with some tweaking, our restrictions were overcome.¡±

    Elinor passively watched the army approach.  How would you rate their strength?

    ¡°I can¡¯t tell without damaging one,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l stated, summoning her war ax.  ¡°Should I engage?¡±

    Not yet.  They¡¯re moving slowly, boasting of their strength, but I bet their real purpose is to make us run.  I doubt these things can move too far away from this network ¡­ unless.

    Considering her Nexus¡¯s attributes, Elinor hummed.  Perhaps if they have a continual chain, each one could act as a switch point, allowing them to continue, but one break would spell the doom of the army.  A possible weakness to consider.

    ¡°Empress,¡± Noa whispered in fright.  ¡°We should retreat; there are powerful runes on those soldiers¡ªweapons normally meant for stationary defenses!¡±

    ¡°Yes, run!¡±  Mila chortled.  ¡°Behold the power of a true Network Overlord Administrator!¡±

    Noa¡¯s eyes snapped to various points of the corridor.  ¡°No ¡­ It¡¯s impossible!  Without a scribe?¡±

    ¡°Empress!¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l held out a hand, making Theresa, Valerie, the drone, Noa, and her float in the air before yanking them to her side.

    Elinor could guess what was happening, but Azalea¡¯s lightly concerned tone confirmed it.  ¡°I feel power welling up within the walls; the damage to the runes is being repaired!¡±

    Mila¡¯s lips curved, showing wicked teeth.  ¡°Or ¡­ not!¡±

    The golden pool of acidic iker reformed, making Fini and Giliri cry out in shock as it ate away Azalea¡¯s silk, blocking their escape.

    ¡°May I attack, Empress?¡±  Ramuk asked in frustration, wanting to go on a rampage the moment they disrespected her.

    Elinor leveled a light glare at the smug pair, and she could feel a similar Witch-like amusement in the act of watching something suffer.  I suppose they¡¯ve garnered enough time while talking to prepare their defense.  Perhaps I was the fool.  In any case, we have learned something important, there are only two major players between us and control.

    Smirking at the golden hue that surrounded her body, Elinor smiled at her new opponents; Sari¡¯a¨¦l was just under her carrying capacity, using this skill.  These A.I. had lost the fear of death, but she would remind them what that felt like.

    Looking directly at Mila, she spoke in a soft but commanding tone.  ¡°You believe yourselves gods when I sit before you?  Judgment has come, and Mila, Row, you have been found lacking.  You are not prepared.¡±

    Addressing her two initiators, Elinor sent her command.  Lea, Ramuk, destroy their tools and show them I don¡¯t need an army to exert dominance over my land.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l took up her role as Warlord, standing protectively beside Elinor while directing the forces at their disposal; the speed at which she gave commands was like a flash of light in Elinor¡¯s mind¡ªdirections weren¡¯t in words but actions sent to each in split seconds¡ªshe could micromanage a battlefield.

    Valerie and Theresa closed in, guarding Elinor with their bodies as the blonde summoned her violin and the motherly Maid prepared her voice¡ªboth were Songweavers, providing buffs and debuffs to those within range, and the melody</a> of their duo filled the halls.

    The sweet song wasn¡¯t what Elinor expected, stilling her heart, accelerating her mind, and providing security in knowing they were one family.  Between the Seraph and the dual Maid¡¯s euphonic backing, the Elite Hunter and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra synchronized.

    Azalea was put on disruptive support, hair spreading out in a wide fan to sow disorder in the ranks of the eight-limbed silver gorillas, standing ten meters tall.  Their weight was too great for her to trip alone, forcing her to create tripwires and use leverage.

    Ramuk¡¯s full power armor radiated silver rune enhancements as fire erupted within the shell, powering up the suit.  It was the first time Elinor had seen its use, and it certainly looked impressive.

    Unlike the slow, marching horde, her entourage was like lightning¡ªthe Th¨¦lm¨¦thra probed for weaknesses and Ramuk used his full-armored, wall-breaking strength to pound against the fallen foes, yet even with the backing, he wasn¡¯t able to do more than create minor dents through the powerful runic defense of their opponent.

    Elinor watched through her drone¡¯s eyes, with the Maids blocking her vision.  Soon after the fight started, Mila and Row¡¯s faces creased, not expecting them to even try against their ¡®invincible¡¯ army.

    Fini and Giliri were told to retreat to safety with the specialists and Jumi¡¯calro; the young rune scribe Nalvean was indispensable.  Noa¡¯s eyes were scanning the wide hallway, following the various pulses the A.I. sent.

    Azalea¡¯s specialty was poisons, precision, and finessing her opponents; in terms of raw power, Elinor guessed Camellia was probably at her same level, even if an entire Grade below her middle sister.

    Ramuk wasn¡¯t on Camellia¡¯s tier in power, but his armor helped bridge that gap, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l was convinced that he¡¯d be able to dismantle the puppets once the weak point was found.  However, it was taking longer than she expected to find it.

    Noa flipped around in a panic.  ¡°The iker!¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l vanished in a beam of light, appearing behind her throne; Elinor didn¡¯t have to look around to know the Seraph generated a ray of solar energy, eating through the stone and gems¡ªthe damage caused the yellow jewels to explode, sending a mustard fog around the entire area but Jumi¡¯calro was already being dragged down the hall on Giliri¡¯s shoulder.

    The angel generated a solar shell around the Maids to save their voices from the coating substance, but Elinor wasn¡¯t concerned about the mist, releasing all air from her lungs and refusing to breathe.

    I must say, I¡¯m actually impressed, Elinor whispered to Sari¡¯a¨¦l, watching the agitation grow in the two A.I.

    Azalea was moving as quickly as possible to create a web to bind them against one another and the walls, yet the silver flames that surrounded their bodies gradually broke the silk down.  Violet¡¯s thread wouldn¡¯t have been affected, but it was still strong enough to melt Azalea¡¯s.

    Soon after, the apes all opened their mouths to release a thunderous bass-like rumbling that rippled through the air in an attempt to rattle them to submission, but the Maids¡¯ song protected them from the bulk of the attack.

    The drone pivoted a tad for her to see the blackened exit the Seraph had destroyed, barely visible through the mustard haze; an orange-like substance was slowly filling in like rubber.  Interesting tactics ¡­ Are they trying to suck out the air now?

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l seemed to have predicted it, expanding the shell to increase the oxygen before cutting off its escape.  A smile hadn¡¯t left Elinor¡¯s glowing green irises since the beginning of the battle, and she watched the vaporized iker flow into various points of crystals in the shimmering corridor, creating a vacuum to suffocate them.

    ¡°What are these unusual powers?¡±  Row growled, narrowed eyes studying their combat response.  ¡°This isn¡¯t like the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra tactics in our database, and the Elite Hunter is increasing his output in multipliers that shouldn¡¯t be possible, given what his power-suit¡¯s rank indicates ¡­ What are these unpredictable spikes?¡±

    Mila shook her head.  ¡°No, it is the winged one that is the most dangerous¡ªit was able to bypass the iker¡¯s defensive dampeners, even if these are out-of-date designs.  You¡¯ll need to adjust your strategy¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing¡ªit was you that wanted to use out-of-date units,¡± Row growled, giving her a sharp glare before they both vanished.

    Hope filled Noa¡¯s frightened illuminated eyes as the exchange continued.  ¡°You ¡­ are winning, Empress!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips tightened, looking back to the battle as Azalea discovered their weakness¡ªa sideward precision point to the runic power grid that she could disrupt in the left armpit.  Once identified, her tens of thousands of hardened silk struck, destroying their dampening field.

    Ramuk¡¯s roars overtook the stumbling and webbed puppets, now able to rip them into pieces; however, the second the tide of battle shifted in their favor, Noa called out.  ¡°They¡¯re going to explode!¡±

    Azalea shot back, thread wrapping around Ramuk¡¯s chest to drag him to safety, but the warning came too late for her to retreat to safety.  A complex swirl of runes shot out of the metal gorillas¡¯ chests, spinning in unusual circles before an eruption of silver flames expanded.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was in between them and the fire in a flash, her weapon transformed</a> into its sword state to cut a path through the blast, forcing it around the corners of the hall.  Crumbling infrastructure resounded around them as the detonation curled back around, trying to fill back in, but the Seraph was beside Elinor in an instant.  Her solar shell fell for a fraction of a second to allow the Quen¡¯Talrat and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra to enter.

    The corridor collapsed around them, superheated liquid rock dripping down the barrier; for the first time, Elinor saw an unhappy frown on Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s normally peaceful face.

    Her radiance was the only thing brightening their confined eight meter sphere; it was a tight fit with the Thelmathra Drone and Ramuk, and the giant ape¡¯s boots were beginning to smoke while touching the solar shield.  Had the Seraph not been using her power to levitate the bulk of their party, the barrier would have done the same to them.

    Luckily, the Nalveans and Quen¡¯Talrat were at a safe enough distance with the orange glue-like barrier the A.I. created, absorbing the initial hit, it allowed them to make it into a branching room at Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s quick command.

    On the other hand, Azalea¡¯s creased forehead showed her concentration as her hair wove around the shell, but by the time it was developed enough to replace the Seraph¡¯s shield, his greave soles were gone, and the skin on his feet sizzled.

    The web cocoon flexed as Sari¡¯a¨¦l dropped the defense.  ¡°That detonation was far more than I expected, Empress.  Even if it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth, I suggest we retreat and return with Edmon, Violet, and Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s unit.  Valerie and Theresa¡¯s support was necessary for Ramuk to survive that encounter.¡±

    Ramuk¡¯s armored fists tightened.  ¡°I am ashamed, Empress.¡±

    ¡°I believe I could have kept him out of danger,¡± Azalea replied, shaking her head.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l hummed, turning her glowing eyes to the spider as Noa tentatively watched them to see what they were going to do, understandably nervous.  ¡°I have no doubt, but tell me how soon you would have been able to discover their weakness for him to be of any use?  In addition, what are your current energy levels after that short battle?¡±

    Azalea grimaced, pulling around her blue locks, and Elinor noticed the lacking luster they had at the start.  ¡°I ¡­ can see what you are saying.  If I were alone, those eighty-nine opponents would have taken everything I had to defeat, and I wouldn¡¯t have come out unscarred from that blast.¡±

    A rumble shook Elinor¡¯s throat.  I should have expected as much from runecraft at the highest level Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma could design.  Hmm ¡­ Do you think their discussion about having more advanced units was a bluff to buy more time?

    ¡°I don¡¯t think it matters,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l replied.  ¡°My suggestion remains the same.  If Edmon can be your shield, I can lead Violet, Azalea, and the Elite Hunters to our victory.  We don¡¯t have a bad composition, but if I am locked into a defensive role, dividing my focus to your protection, I am wasting what little energy I have left after the lingering effects of Divinity Release.¡±

    Ugh ¡­ I understand, Elinor growled, glaring at the web wall.  In a drawn-out battle against their unknown forces, we may be at risk ¡­ Alright, I¡¯ll swallow my pride, and we¡¯ll gather what members we have, but when we get back, I want you to show them what it means when the Undying Empire gets serious.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s confident smile returned.  ¡°I will make sure of it.¡±

    The Seraph¡¯s silver locks shifted against her bare shoulders to look at the dark-skinned A.I., who snapped to attention.  ¡°Noa, can you show me exactly which point in the mountain we need to reach to bring you back into power?¡±

    Noa¡¯s face tightened with anxiety.  ¡°I can, but ¡­ the defenses ¡­ If Ka¡¯Mila¡ªno, if Mila has figured out how to improve upon even the Ke¡¯s runecraft, then those protective runes will be impossible to break through¡ªI couldn¡¯t before, and now the traitor has probably strengthened them further¡­¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l chuckled.  ¡°You only need to worry about showing me how close we can get and to be our guide.  I have a plan, but we must know our exact destination.¡±

    Elinor sighed, predicting what the Seraph was about to say.  ¡°I understand,¡± she muttered before she could voice it.  ¡°You want me to stay back with Edmon.  I can agree to that ¡­ Although, my primary concern is that I expect you will need to bring Jumi¡¯calro; I have no doubt if he¡¯s even touched by these dolls, he¡¯ll be beyond physical resurrection, and he¡¯s the linchpin in our runecrafting knowledge base.¡±

    ¡°Do not be concerned about their safety, Empress,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l returned.  ¡°I will make sure this operation is a success, and to have an enemy with these types of weapons so close to the city means we must take care of it now.¡±

    Her smile became melancholy as she swapped to a private channel through the Nexus.  ¡°However ¡­ Empress, I am going to use everything I have left in this assault.  If my calculations are correct, I very well might fall unconscious for a week once I open the way.  Violet will need to take over command after I break the shields, and I suspect our foe will be able to repair the barrier seconds after we are through.¡±

    Elinor sat back, nibbling at the corner of her lip.  More of a job than we anticipated.  Still, what we have to gain could be everything.  Noa will be an alien in this new network Row and Mila have fashioned, but I believe she can learn it ¡­ Do it, but Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ Please, be careful.

    Her lips curved mischievously, giving her a teasing wink she¡¯d learned from the children.  ¡°Do you trust me?¡±

    Heh, of course, Elinor snorted.  Very well, Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ bring us victory, Warlord.  Oh, and by the way ¡­ You were both superb, Valerie, Theresa.

    ¡°It is our pleasure, Empress,¡± the Maids happily returned, giving her matching curtsies.

    Azalea began crafting a tunnel back to the corridor to make their retreat, swiftly burrowing through the rubble, and it didn¡¯t take more than five minutes for the burrowing spider to craft their way out.

    Retreating as fast as they were able, they exited the hallways to gather their troops.  It was time for a new war if she could call it that once her full strength and attention were on a target.

 B3 â€” 13. Gambit

    Elinor leaned against the side of her throne as her protective unit entered the final hall that would see them outside of the underground labyrinth.  The array of insect corpses surrounding them made her think about how Noa had been tricked into an unwinnable war and isolation.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l had been giving her a rundown of the plan she¡¯d compiled, and it was good, but Elinor felt that the A.I.s were a real threat after what they¡¯d just experienced.  So, as they went, she pondered on something her followers would disagree with on instinct.

    Noa and the Quen¡¯Talrat specialists were being carried by the Seraph¡¯s golden aura, unable to keep up with the rest of the Undead; on the other hand, Jumi¡¯calro was snuggly in his portable box, wrapped in a silken blanket Azalea provided him.   Jumi¡¯kerune''s great-great-great-grandson would be invaluable in the coming operation.

    Ultimately, this had turned into a catastrophic event, and she wasn¡¯t sure if Sari¡¯a¨¦l was instinctively bypassing the path Elinor had envisioned.  Naturally, the angel knew she was resistant to her strategy, but Sari¡¯a¨¦l seemed to have decided to wait for Elinor to voice the complaint.

    Elinor¡¯s focus wandered from the piles of stacked insects to Ramuk, who was doing a decent job of masking his injuries; Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s Solar Shell may have protected them, yet the issue had been that it was a double-edged sword, eating away at the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s protective armor, before melting his skin.

    Sadly, the Seraph didn¡¯t have the skill level to levitate everyone in their party.  Azalea tried to compensate with her webs, but it wasn¡¯t enough to support the colossal ape and his weight; it was challenging enough to keep Noa¡¯s bulky metal body in the air.

    Elinor didn¡¯t like where they stood, glaring down at her flaming emerald hand.  We came out of this worse than the A.I..  They lost outdated foot soldiers and me ¡­ I don¡¯t want Ramuk rushing in after his feet took damage ¡­ In addition, Azalea lost a lot of her energy reserves¡ªnot to mention Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s rapidly diminishing strength, and when she needs to be recovering for her conflict with Orinvia</a>.

    She bit down on the inside of her lip; this was a bigger problem than they first thought.  Her forces were being worn down and spread out, leaving the Empire vulnerable.

    There was a plan developing in her mind, but it was risky, especially after Sari¡¯a¨¦l told her that she¡¯d be incapacitated for an entire week after only opening the way for their strike team to move forward.

    Mila and Row had over a century to build their army and defenses, and as much as Elinor hated to admit it, her Empire was at a severe disadvantage.  The Seraph was right; if they wanted to win this contest, they¡¯d need a strategic, precision strike at their opponent¡¯s heart, removing them from their nexus control.  The issue?  Elinor didn¡¯t like the odds the Seraph gave her.

    Making it outside, Elinor¡¯s focus lingered on the frozen heavens; large snowflakes drifted around them in a blizzard that blotted out the mountains above them.  I see ¡­ Mila and Row plan to destroy all life around them without lifting a finger ¡­ but why now?

    Even as she asked herself the question, the answer became clear as day; Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s battle against the Covenant had radiated a burst of solar energy that sent warning bells to the A.I., and they felt threatened.

    Everything goes back to the Covenant, she growled to the angel.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l slowed their progress just before reaching a distance they could communicate to Amra¡¯Cora.  ¡°Empress ¡­ three flying entities approach us ¡­ They¡¯re from Sha¡¯Guala.

    Speak of the devil, and he¡¯ll show his face, Elinor grumbled, following the Seraph¡¯s pointed hand in the white veil; it was impossible to see more than ten meters ahead of them.  We don¡¯t have time to play games with them.  Who is it?

    Violet¡¯s large spider body straightened.  ¡°I know this scent, Empress ¡­ My mother showed it to us.  Among them are Lexi and Serris¡ªthe creatures with mental powers that tricked my mother into believing they were World Queens.¡±

    Recalling how indigent Iris had been at the report, Elinor hummed with dissatisfaction; the snow was thick and the wind constant, whipping around them as they waited for the three uninvited guests to show up.  Lexi and Serris ¡­ What of the third¡ªis it the black mantis?

    The Spider Girl¡¯s tone told Elinor she already despised these individuals.  ¡°The Mantis is not with them; it is the aviary creature that carried them away ¡­ Not the same one my mother identified, but the same species, from the samples she shared.¡±

    ¡°How unusual¡­¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l didn¡¯t sound thrilled about the interruption.  ¡°I suspect they have come to inquire about the storm.  Their arrival is no doubt calculated by Sar''ollaz, but as Peace and Understanding are still in effect, these creatures are not here to antagonize.¡±

    Just showing up out of nowhere feels antagonistic enough, Elinor grunted.

    Her vision drifted to the thick trees nearby, weighed down by the snow, waiting for the insect and slime to arrive before tilting her head back toward the Seraph.  I hate to say this, but we¡¯re going to have to trim down those that will be joining you.  Finila and Giliri can¡¯t handle this mission if even Azalea and Ramuk struggled against their out-of-date units.

    ¡°I¡¯m well aware,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l sighed.  ¡°Violet will take over once I am out of commission.  Azalea will be needed, despite being drained after keeping Ramuk out of danger.  Even Heroic-Grade members are in jeopardy of falling, which means Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s entire group will need to work as a team ¡­ excluding Ramuk.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips tightened upon seeing the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s frustrated expression, and she made up her mind.  Ramuk and the Nalvean girls will stay by my side.  I want Edmon to lead the group if you¡¯re going to be incapacitated opening the gate¡ªI won¡¯t take no for an answer.

    ¡°Empress¡­¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s shining eyes shifted to her with concern.  ¡°I understand you are nervous about the success of this operation, but pulling Edmon away from your side could potentially be quite disastrous, especially given our enemies, and Demon¡¯s allies hidden behind the curtain could use this opportunity.¡±

    It¡¯s a gambit, Elinor admitted, but after seeing what these A.I. can do, and being so close to Nethermore¡­

    Her focus centered on Noa, and by her drawn dark eyebrows and tight posture, the artificial half human and Nalvean woman was clearly hesitant about the pressure placed on her shoulders.  These A.I. have weapons and defenses we can¡¯t be prepared for, and if Jumi¡¯calro is destroyed beyond the ability to be raised, ¡®everything¡¯ falls apart¡ªmy entire Empire.  This must succeed.

    She caught the shape of a giant bat-like creature that was roughly the size of Voukey slowing its descent to land a dozen meters away.  If this fails, I¡¯m basically already dead.  You¡¯ll be trapped, utterly helpless behind enemy lines, and we won¡¯t get a second shot at this since Noa and Jumi¡¯calro will be in their hands.  Edmon must be there ¡­ Let¡¯s face it, we¡¯re all in at this point.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l didn¡¯t like it but fell silent to reconsider her plan with the Gatekeeper in mind; it changed everything, and Elinor had made her final decision.  She wondered if Tiffany would be fine with this direction, but in the end, Elinor couldn¡¯t see a better outcome.

    In the meantime, she was forced to met the two figures as they hopped down from the back of the silent bat; her tone was crisp and demanding.  ¡°I hope Sar''ollaz didn¡¯t send the two of you to waste my time; I''m quite busy, as you can see,¡± she grumbled, showing her annoyance while gesturing at their surroundings.

    Lexi was practically up to her chin as the three-foot-tall gelatin creature forced her way through the building powder.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ I h-hate cold places¡ªumm, n-no, Empress,¡± she shivered, hugging herself and looking up at Serris.

    The human-shaped, elegant mantis-like woman used one of her bladed four arms to pull back her moss-like hair, head centered on Elinor.  Unlike the gel creature, she didn¡¯t shake or stutter.  ¡°Excuse our interruption, Empress, but as you are an honorary member of the Covenant, we have been sent by Head Executive Sar''ollaz to be of help in this cause that threatens Sha¡¯Guala.¡±

    Her declaration surprised Elinor.  ¡°Is ¡­ that right?¡±  Vision tilting to the Seraph, she felt a tad uneasy at the proposal.  This seems far too good to be true ¡­ What¡¯s that devil¡¯s game?

    However, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s expression and aura brightened in an instant.  ¡°This is excellent, Empress!  By their response, this is actually a natural response, and the most minimal one that Sar''ollaz could send.¡±

    The angel¡¯s harmonic voice brought everyone¡¯s attention to her radiant figure.  ¡°Am I to assume that this is standard protocol for members of the Covenant¡ªmight you explain it?¡±

    Serris seemed to be the spokesperson because Lexi¡¯s see-through head lifted to stare at the insect again.  Elinor sensed a degree of aversion from the mantis, though.

    ¡°Right ¡­ ahem, in short, Empress Elinor has become an honorary member of the Covenant, and given Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s proximity to this threat, her apparent involvement in it, and the building menace, the Head Executive has determined it to affect the whole ¡­ Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s forces, by law, must be sent to support its member when in defense of the body.¡±

    Only the sound of the blowing wind carried through the atmosphere as she ceased her explanation, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s twinkling eyes on Elinor as she thought.

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s hands had been tied by his own rules, which meant he was compelled to send at least a small fighting group to aid her.  In a way, it was more annoying to him than her; after his previous declaration of give and take, she¡¯d subverted that expectation by a loop-hole in Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s primary defense.

    A half-smirk twisted Elinor¡¯s lips.  Is this because of the damage you did to their island, Sari¡¯a¨¦l?  Their barriers are down, and they¡¯re in a state of repair ¡­ Is that why they haven¡¯t left our airspace?  He-he-he ¡­ Sar''ollaz is using me as a buffer to actually protect Sha¡¯Guala ¡­ What a slippery devil.

    ¡°It does afford us certain privileges, it seems,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l chimed.  ¡°By no means are these two on the same level as Iris, but together, they could be equivalent to Azalea when recovered.¡±

    Deciding to poke for what she sensed in the insect¡¯s tone, Elinor closed her fist and rested her cheek against it.  ¡°How do you feel about helping us after it was Sari¡¯a¨¦l that ruined Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s defenses in the first place?¡±

    Lexi gave a half-hearted bob of her head, which seemed to be her equivalent of a shrug, but Serris¡¯s arms twitched with agitation.  ¡°As you have asked, Empress Elinor,¡± she said in a rather controlled but pointed manner, ¡°I despise you and the place you¡¯ve been given at the table.¡±

    Her angled head turned to the Seraph.  ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l vaporized several dozen of my comrades and placed my brother in critical condition ¡­ Even Sha¡¯Guala may not be able to restore my brother to his former glory.  Furthermore, she nearly annihilated someone I am sworn to protect ¡­ Master Baxter may not make it out of the Restoration Chamber entirely himself.¡±

    Ramuk¡¯s noses twisted with agitation, wishing to rip the insect apart for her insolent words, but he held himself back on Azalea¡¯s mental commands to relax.  Elinor had asked, and she¡¯d answered truthfully.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Elinor mused.  ¡°You hate me, yet you¡¯re willing to put that behind you?¡±

    Lexi sighed, rubbing her shoulders to send small globs of gel falling to the snow.  ¡°We¡¯re bound to Sha¡¯Guala by ¡­ brrr ¡­ b-by ritual contract; i-if you are a member, we¡ªwe must obey under the p-proper laws.¡±

    Serris¡¯s upper left arm slid down the back of her exoskeleton, creating a slight sawing sound as she lightly bit into it.  ¡°Empress Elinor, I understand you are in a hurry to stop this expanding force ¡­ The Oracle has predicted a mass catastrophe in motion that will destroy part of this continent if nothing is done ¡­ Can we begin our assault so I may return to my brother¡¯s side?¡±

    The news caused Elinor¡¯s amusement to vanish.  ¡°How long do we have?¡±

    ¡°T-Twelve hours, E-Empress,¡± Lexi stuttered.  ¡°It can¡ªalso be activated to do l-less damage¡­¡±

    ¡°What is it saying, Empress?¡±  Noa asked, not able to understand it since she was speaking English through Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s power.

    Elinor turned her portable throne to stare at the A.I..  ¡°Do you know of a weapon that could destroy the continent?¡±

    ¡°The continent?¡±  Noa muttered in shock, moon-like eyes falling to the snow below her.  ¡°No ¡­ No, the Ke was only working on building the internal network ¡­ Revolutionary transportation methods and defensive measures to protect his secrets.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l cupped her chin.  ¡°Hmm ¡­ It seems Mila and Row have found Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s designs, his secrets, and decided to move forward in their construction.  Either that or developed something themselves.¡±

    ¡°We ¡­ weren¡¯t built to act independently of the Ke like that,¡± Noa dishearteningly whispered.  ¡°We were meant to maintain and protect the Ke¡¯s repository.¡±

    Elinor had heard enough.  ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter in the end; we need to deal with it.¡±

    Drone shuffling to face the Seraph, Elinor sent her orders.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l, fly over to the Maw and get Violet.  Inform Amra¡¯Cora along the way of her changed directive; tell them to gather their weapons of war from the city.  I¡¯m going to return to Nethermore to prepare Edmon and Tiffany.

    The angel lifted Noa and Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s portable box into the air, leaving the Drone behind.  ¡°I will return as swiftly as I can.¡±

    Her glowing emerald irises drifted between her entourage.  Valerie and Theresa will join me on their bat¡ªI need to get back as swiftly as possible.  Return to the city as soon as you can, but Azalea, transform and ride on a Drone to conserve your strength; I still need you.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Ramuk¡¯s typically strong presence was tentative as his big eyes centered on her.  ¡°Empress, I beg of you, allow me to redeem myself.  I will slaughter your enemies!¡±

    Lexi and Serris watched Sari¡¯a¨¦l vanish into the blizzard before returning their attention back to Elinor, seemingly coming to the conclusion Elinor silently spoke to her people.

    They didn¡¯t make a noise other than the gel creature¡¯s shaking as Elinor got to her feet for the Maids to help her out of the heavy robe.

    I get that you¡¯re aggravated at your performance, Ramuk ¡­ You don¡¯t have the power you did when alive, and I can feel your frustration, but be patient.  Take this time to temper your resolve and take pride that you¡¯ll be by my side, protecting me when I am the most vulnerable.

    She turned a smile toward Finila and Giliri.  The same goes for the two of you; we are in a dire situation, and it is something none of us were prepared for, but we have the means to overcome this challenge.  Rush back to Nethermore to protect me.

    ¡°I ¡­ hadn¡¯t even considered the honor, Empress,¡± Ramuk whispered, a sorrowful tone showing his remorse for not seeing the position he was being offered by taking the place of the Royal Gatekeeper.  ¡°I will return with haste!¡±

    The two bright-eyed Nalvean girls gave her a salute, thrilled to be of any use; their plates colored a tad as a few of their baby scales flaked away at the action, but Fini¡¯s voice was firm.  ¡°We won¡¯t let you down, Empress!¡±

    Azalea silently turned back into her human form to take a seat on the Drone Jumi¡¯calro had left as the Seraph carried his basket across the valley.  She happily bobbed back and forth, blue locks shifting in the wind.

    ¡°What of us?¡±  Moris¡¯Luar asked, glancing between the specialists he¡¯d brought; they¡¯d left the tools and floating cart in the tunnels to increase their speed.  ¡°Are we to return to our duties?¡±

    Correct, Elinor stated.  You may be left behind by Azalea, Ramuk, Finila, and Giliri, but be brave; return to the city.

    ¡°We will,¡± he said, looking nervous for a gorilla over three times her height.

    Free of her thick robe, Elinor smiled at Serris and Lexi.  ¡°Can your flying creature carry the five of us, or will one of you need to stay behind?¡±

    Lexi gave the mantis next to her a pleading look, but Serris had no problem relenting.  ¡°I will return with the eight-legged shapeshifter.¡±  A lilting smirk in her voice made it clear she knew Azalea wasn¡¯t a fan of her.  ¡°I pray to Gomiska for your safety, Empress.¡±

    Letting the passive-aggressive attitude slide, Elinor waited for Lexi to struggle back through the snow as Serris and the Undead began their journey, vanishing into the ice storm.  The gel woman made a few shrill noises that weren''t quite whistles and not shrieks, which brought the bat hopping forward.

    A light squeal sounded from her as it shook off its black fur, sending clumps of snow on top of her.  The bat simply looked down at the disgruntled slime with a blank expression, clearly not the most intelligent of creatures.

    Elinor¡¯s slightly exasperated stare caused Lexi¡¯s green face to tint orange while shivering in the pile.  Sighing at how useless the gelatinous woman seemed to be in the cold environment, Elinor wondered what Lexi used to operate so well when going against the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen.

    ¡°Theresa, help her up.¡±

    The motherly maid smoothly hopped down from the Drone to easily pull the three-foot-tall squat figure out of the snow and lightly jumped up to place her on the bat¡¯s ready back.  Her Drone maneuvered beside her new transportation for Elinor to transfer over, Valerie and Theresa helping her.

    Sitting a bit behind Lexi, her two maids took up the rear, humming a soft melody and Valerie playing a gentle string with her violin to generate a shield that protected them from the elements, including air resistance.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±  Lexi whispered in surprise as the bat took to the sky, the Maid¡¯s dual harmony acting as a shell.  ¡°I¡¯ve never had a flight be so¡­¡±  She paused, looking for the proper words.

    ¡°Empress Elinor, you have some interesting servants.¡±

    Elinor kept herself balanced, but it was a rather enjoyable ride between the bat¡¯s trained movements and her Maids¡¯ song.  ¡°If you¡¯re ever bored, Lexi, my Empire is open for you to explore, given you follow my laws.  I¡¯m sure I could find work that you¡¯d enjoy.¡±

    The girl¡¯s unusual head turned to the left, almost entirely around to stare at Elinor¡¯s left hand.  ¡°Mmh¡­¡±

    ¡°Think about it,¡± Elinor prompted, unable to see anything but the haze of white around them, but the bat seemed to know where it was going.  ¡°I am a member of the Covenant, am I not?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Lexi muttered, ¡°but ¡­ We are protectors of Sha¡¯Guala above all others ¡­ It is what we were sold and bound to.  Also, Serris does not like you¡­¡±

    ¡°Is that a problem for you?¡±  Elinor pressed, knowing that every person she could sway to her side would be critical as time went on, and this was likely a reason why Sar''ollaz had sent those that had a history with them when a supportive unit was required by his own law.  ¡°You needn¡¯t work around the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra if you are uncomfortable around them¡ªwe are under a treaty of Peace and Understanding, after all.¡±

    ¡°We have songs and dancing¡ªparties, too,¡± Valerie added in a bright tone, able to interrupt her song since her primary focus was on musical instruments.  ¡°Do you like those kinds of things?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Lexi mumbled, sounding far more innocent than Elinor would have expected, given the strength Sari¡¯a¨¦l estimated she held.  ¡°I ¡­ actually haven¡¯t been able to do much other than train to protect Sha¡¯Guala most of my life ¡­ I was born to the pact¡ªfifth generation.  We¡¯ve defended our charge during great times of danger,¡± she said, green see-through color tinting toward the orange spectrum again.

    Realizing Lexi had likely never had a conversation with the Covenant members and understanding why, Elinor smiled.  ¡°I¡¯m not like the other people that rule over you, Lexi.  You have a training regiment?¡±

    ¡°Mhm?¡±  Lexi asked, sticky arms tightening around her core.  ¡°If we are not training, we help the Covenant members with their tasks¡ªin order of superiority and priority, of course.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Elinor fell silent for several seconds, thinking about her response; they were moving surprisingly fast, and she could feel them getting closer to the city, passing those on foot.  ¡°Lexi ¡­ What place am I currently at in the Covenant hierarchy?  Am I at the bottom because of my joining date?¡±

    Lexi¡¯s hands unwrapped around her body to wave two fused hands at her.  ¡°N-No, Empress!  It is based on a ranking of power, and you have proven to have the strength of the highest degree, but ¡­ it¡¯s strange, too.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±  Elinor asked, taking advantage of the alone time with the gelatin woman while Serris wasn¡¯t around.  She had more influence than she thought in Sar''ollaz¡¯s realm, and it could work out to her benefit.

    Lexi¡¯s arms joined together, becoming a hoop before pressing back into her body.  ¡°Umm ¡­ y-you see, since you defeated Baxter, you¡¯ve taken his place, but ¡­ Everyone saw your power, which includes your solar fighter that overwhelmed Orinvia, yet when your placement was handed down to the Core, it was thirteen out of fourteen.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ And is it proper to ask about the ranks?¡±

    It should be fifteen, but whatever is connected to that devil is not listed in the ranking ¡­ or perhaps it¡¯s actually ranked at zero.

    The gelatin woman hesitated.  ¡°Yes ¡­ If you have issued a challenge to take a place and it has been approved.¡±

    Elinor hummed.  ¡°So, you know of my contest with Orinvia.  What is her rank?¡±

    Lexi cleared her throat.  ¡°Well, umm ¡­ Usually, it¡¯s the ranker themselves that divulges it¡ªalthough, it is unheard of for a higher ranker to challenge a lower one ¡­ You should have been told.  You see, we are sworn to keep the secrets of all rankers, and most are concealed since all tasks are handed down by the Core Master.¡±

    ¡°You must have an idea, and our fight is quite public knowledge, though.  Correct?¡±  Elinor pressed.

    ¡°It is¡­¡±

    ¡°So?¡±

    Lexi took a deep breath, letting it puff out, and a small cube of gel popped out of her left ear, whizzing past Elinor¡¯s crown.  ¡°Ahem, eh ¡­ Orinvia is ranked eleven of fourteen, so far as I have speculated from the priority order.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed, falling to the fluffy back of the bat.  Eleven ¡­ and Sari¡¯a¨¦l believes she needs to release her divinity at least once to win?  That means every one of the members I met around that table is likely far stronger than her.  Is Sar''ollaz even ranked one?  It¡¯s a possibility, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l was forced to use Divine Release Three to fight him and protect me ¡­ That¡¯s the strength I need to reach beyond.

    Knowing there were mysteries involving this planet that intrigued even Sar''ollaz and his associates, Elinor figured she had a long road ahead of her.  ¡°Interesting, so, in a week and four days, I will be ranked eleven.  How do your associates think our fight will go?¡±

    A nervous giggle sent three more cubes out of the girl¡¯s ears.  ¡°Heh, well ¡­ everyone felt the power of that creature¡ªthe one you call Sari¡¯a¨¦l, so ¡­ Orinvia is not happy with the whispers echoing through the halls.  She has been training since that day, focusing her mind and body in the Acceleration Chamber.  So far as I am aware, she¡¯s never done that before.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful,¡± Elinor mused.  ¡°In any case, Lexi, spread the news when you return; if there are those that wish to train, my soldiers would be happy to participate in joint exercises.¡±

    Lexi was silent for a moment, looking down at the blizzard as they came into contact distance with Tiffany, followed by Camellia and Edmon.  ¡°Does ¡­ that include Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡±

    Fascinated where this might lead, Elinor sent a message for Edmon to hold off for a minute; he was to prepare for battle.  ¡°Why?¡±

    The transparent figure tinted a light purple.  ¡°Eh ¡­ Since you are new, when we train, it is customary to involve real combat exercises ¡­ None of us would survive a session with her.¡±

    ¡°He-he-he,¡± Elinor¡¯s chest shook as she held a hand to her mouth.

    Lexi¡¯s head swiveled around again.  ¡°Empress?¡±

    Elinor licked her lips, sharp eyes on the confused creature.  ¡°Our training is much different than the Covenant, it seems.  If any of your comrades accept tasks I may require, you may train with Sari¡¯a¨¦l without the fear of death.¡±

    A smirk tilted Elinor¡¯s mouth.  ¡°And, if you do happen to die, I can always bring you back to life ¡­ See what your compatriots think about the offer.  It seems you are within your rights to wander from Sha¡¯Guala since we are so close.¡±

    ¡°I will think about it, Empress,¡± Lexi whispered, putting off a nervous vibe.  ¡°Instruction will need to be given by the Core Supervisor, but in theory, there shouldn¡¯t be a problem so far as I am aware ¡­ There will be opposition from Serris and her people, though.¡±

    ¡°Understandable,¡± Elinor replied, happy she was getting something out of this moment.  ¡°It is simply an invitation; I¡¯d like to learn more about the life you live on Sha¡¯Guala.  I have much to catch up on.¡±

    Lexi returned her focus to the front; they were still soaring over the outer edges of Nethermore.  ¡°Of course, Empress.¡±

    Connecting to Camellia, Edmon, and Tiffany, Elinor made her decisions known.  I am not going to debate this ¡­ We are at war, and our enemy has Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s most powerful runic weapons and defenses in their arsenal¡ªperhaps greater.  We are going to perform a precision operation that requires everything we have.

    In disbelief, Camellia was the first to stammer a question.  ¡°E-Even me, Empress?¡±

    Are you well enough to carry Sari¡¯a¨¦l out of danger and back to Nethermore?

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    Good.

    Tiffany let out a long hiss.  ¡°Carry Sari¡¯a¨¦l?  What has happened, Elinor ¡­ Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be an easy stroll in the caves?¡±

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Edmon muttered, voice low and cautious.  ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I stayed by your side if something that hazardous is lurking in the dark?  We should wait for Sari¡¯a¨¦l to regain her strength, fortify the city, and wait to be at our most potent.¡±

    No, Elinor flatly denied.  A weapon strong enough to level the continent will be discharged in less than twelve hours¡ªit¡¯s serious enough that Sar''ollaz has sent three of his slaves to help us, which should tell you how dire it is.  He doesn¡¯t believe we have the means to stop it alone and isn¡¯t willing to risk our failure since his city is in the devastation zone.

    ¡°Unfortunate¡­¡± Edmon growled.  ¡°What is my task?¡±

    ¡°And mine?¡±  Tiffany asked.  ¡°Surely, I won¡¯t be on the front lines because I am far more useful playing my part brewing in the back.¡±

    What can you do to support them, Tiffany?  Elinor asked.

    ¡°Plenty,¡± she huffed.  ¡°What foe do we face¡ªmultiple?¡±

    Elinor saw her large tower come into view as they circled around it.  ¡°No, the sky entrance, Lexi,¡± she ordered, returning to her inner conversation as she complied, making the strange sounds to direct the bat.

    Runic A.I.s that have full control over powerful metal soldiers, using Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s advanced technology this city hasn¡¯t seen.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ Well, that¡¯s different,¡± Tiffany mumbled.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ eh, I can whip something up to try and disrupt the ¡­ Mmh, it should still function similarly to electricity, so ¡­ a short-range EMP that seals off any energy transfer ¡­ Maybe?¡±

    ¡°Will it work, or won¡¯t it?¡±  Edmon bluntly asked.

    ¡°How should I know?!¡±  she snapped.  ¡°God, I¡¯m not a miracle worker, Edmon; I¡¯m a witch!  I haven¡¯t dabbled in this area yet, so I¡¯ll throw the kitchen sink at it.  You bring the items with you, and I¡¯ll see what I can do, but I¡¯m not going to promise anything¡ªugh, it¡¯ll suck if they have some kind of layline dampening field to interrupt remote spellwork.  They shouldn¡¯t, but ¡­ yeah¡­¡±

    Do whatever you can; Sari¡¯a¨¦l is on her way back with Violet as we speak, and Amra¡¯Cora and most of her unit are coming to arm themselves.  Edmon, you¡¯ll need to protect everyone from anything unexpected; I¡¯m not too concerned about Serris, but Lexi could be necessary, and I don¡¯t need to tell you how vital Jumi¡¯calro is.

    ¡°Who will be on the team?¡±  Edmon pressed, and Elinor could imagine him cracking his neck and loosening up.  ¡°I need to know so I can develop a proper defensive strategy by how well they can guard themselves.  When will Sari¡¯a¨¦l be out of commission?¡±

    Immediately.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l is going to use everything she has left just to breach the A.I.s control room, where you¡¯ll deal with threats or any unexpected events.  Camellia will grab Sari¡¯a¨¦l and retreat.  Violet, Azalea, Amra¡¯Cora, and her unit, excluding Ramuk, will be joining Lexi, Serris, and their bat monster.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l says the two, working together, could likely equal Azalea.

    ¡°Understood ¡­ I am concerned about your safety.¡±

    Tiffany hummed.  ¡°As am I, Edmon.  I¡¯ll send Esmeralda up with ritual artifacts I can use to provide a temporary shield in case we are blind-sided.  It should give you some time to return¡ªif I¡¯m running to the tower, you¡¯ll know something has happened.¡±

    ¡°I can accept that,¡± he returned, puffing out a long breath.  ¡°If only Iris were here ¡­ In any case, we must make use of what we have.¡±

    Also¡­  Elinor carefully slid off the bat¡¯s fluffy back with Valerie and Theresa¡¯s help; they¡¯d just touched down on the tower¡¯s ceiling, and it appeared to have some kind of heating affix that melted the snow.  We have a runic A.I. of our own, the original administrator of the system that was tricked and dethroned.  Her name is Noa, and you¡¯ll be following her instructions to swap them out ¡­ without Jumi¡¯calro and Noa, we fail, and everyone dies.

    ¡°He-he-he, no pressure; huh, Dear?¡±  Tiffany nervously chuckled.  ¡°No, we¡¯ll overcome these ¡­ A.I., you said?  Yes ¡­ Ugh, how dreadful ¡­ There¡¯s always so much for me to research with so little time.¡±

    ¡°Make excuses later,¡± Edmon grunted, making the Witch squawk like a bird.  ¡°We have work to do.¡±

    Elinor let Sari¡¯a¨¦l take over the explanation as she came back into range, shifting her weight to stare up at Lexi, nervously waiting for orders.  ¡°You did a fantastic job, Lexi.  Now, go to the front entrance and meet with my strongest defensive warrior, Edmon.  He will be waiting for you, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l will be here soon¡ªfollow their instructions, and you will make it out of this alive.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Empress,¡± Lexi said, voice squeaking a little, ¡°but¡ªbut Serris and I are warriors, too!  I ¡­ just hate the cold,¡± she grumbled, ¡°and¡ªand I don¡¯t have anymore Manglo Root to dissolve.¡±

    Filing the information in the back of her mind, Elinor nodded.  ¡°I look forward to your triumphant return.  A feast will be prepared ¡­ I hope you will enjoy our food.¡±

    Lexi¡¯s countenance lit up.  ¡°I¡¯ve never had such an event after a completed mission.  I can¡¯t wait, Empress!¡±

    Elinor waved her off, chuckled as cubes fell out of her pink ears, displaying her excitement.  Perhaps these creatures aren¡¯t so bad, after all.  They come from a different world, and good treatment can go a long way.

    It took forty minutes for everything to be ready, including Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s unit, tapping into one of their old vaults to get outdated equipment they could each use¡ªsadly, it was the best they could access.

    Ramuk, Fini, Giliri, Valerie, Theresa, and Esmeralda hovered around her throne as she stared into the blizzard hazing her city; Lucky had issued an emergency evacuation for everyone nearby to take shelter inside the walls of the palace¡ªthis wouldn¡¯t be a long operation, and the results would be clear very soon.

    Once finished, she monitored their progress with her connection to them through the Nexus; her only hope was that she wouldn¡¯t lose track of her loyal soldiers.  However, if Jumi¡¯kerune''s manor was any indicator, she¡¯d soon have her connection to her Undead cut by the far more potent runic designs of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s mysterious depository.

    Even if I lose track of them ¡­ Unless I feel my link to their souls cut out of my spirit, they¡¯re still alive.  At least I can take comfort in that.

 B3 â€” 14. Fallen Angel

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l hovered in the blizzard with Jumi¡¯calro and Camellia floating beside her; the Nalvean rune scribe had lost much of his fear with her soothing aura, and the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was doing her best to penetrate the veil after joining her¡ªshe wanted the girl to be at her best in the upcoming attack.

    Noa sat atop her silver golem, seemingly having trouble seeing them in the flurry.  The A.I. had given Edmon and her all the information needed, but she was positive the halls beyond the more centralized core of the network would have been altered in the past century by Mila and Row.

    Long silver hair billowed behind her as the arctic gale increased, the brilliant angel¡¯s chest felt emotion she¡¯d never experienced before her death¡ªapprehension; the storm was getting worse, and from what she could read past Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s</a> devastated defenses, they had to deal with the pelting snow, as well.

    The howling wind wasn¡¯t normal, either¡ªfrom the snowflakes to the increasing whirlwinds, Sari¡¯a¨¦l could feel the building storm radiating out of various sections of the Meridian Divide¡ªthere was a purpose and runic power etched onto every crystal.

    Sar''ollaz¡¯s technology told him there was a threat worthy of taking action to safeguard his home ¡­ There¡¯s more to these A.I. than we know, and he¡¯s crafty enough to tell us enough to accept his aid, but the real reason is still buried.  Yes, this continent destroying weapon is a threat, but it isn¡¯t his primary concern.

    Her golden irises drifted to the floating island, hidden in the sleet.  Sar''ollaz was no doubt paying close attention to them; she¡¯d figured the last son of God¡¯Roska had taken a keen interest in overlooking their actions.  He knew the Empress wished to return Noa to her position and would have seen the relationship she¡¯d forged with the runic creature.

    Without a doubt, he¡¯s going to use this to further his overall agenda and push us just enough to reach his goals ¡­ He knows my current limits very well, and sending the minimum support shows his confidence, but also that he wants the conflict between Orinvia and me to be a close contest.

    She centered on Milthren, currently in her ax form</a>, and her grip tightened around the hilt.  If we are to exceed Sar''ollaz¡¯s expectations, I need to do something outside of his scope.  He knows I¡¯ll be incapacitated at the start of this assault ¡­ I haven¡¯t been able to recover from Divinity Release yet, and the Empress¡­

    A light crease came across her brow as she pondered the path ahead, searching for routes she could take¡ªnever before had she been forced to project and speculate so much since, in her current state, she couldn¡¯t perceive the ocean of time.

    One direction came into focus that provided the best chance of survival; the Empress¡¯s decision to put herself in danger opened it up and showed how naturally insightful the girl could be.  She had excellent instincts that had carried her to this point, although the influence came from her twin seeds.

    Sari¡¯ael¡¯s throat released a harmonic hum that brought Camellia¡¯s light red irises; she¡¯d shifted to her human state to reduce the cost of keeping the two in the air.  It was something the creature chose to do herself that made Sari¡¯ael proud.

    ¡°Is something the matter, High Warlord?¡±

    Tilting her neck to the side, her gaze penetrated the ice storm to target her Empress, waiting for results in her tall tower.  I seek to draw together phenomena that have concerned me since I came under the Empress¡¯s reign.  Importantly for the moment¡­

    Sari¡¯ael¡¯s full lips rose into a serene smile while studying the recovering Th¨¦lm¨¦thra.  Your health has improved considerably since I last saw you, and it pleases me to see the fire return to your breast.

    Camellia¡¯s expression strained a little while holding up her burnt and partially wrapped left hand, and a curious inflection wove into her voice.  ¡°The human children insisted upon caring for me, even when most feared me¡ªas time went on, they took turns, fighting over who¡¯s turn it was to bring me food, sweets, or change my bandages ¡­ He-he, even when these do nothing for me.¡±

    The girl brushed back her flaming locks with her free hand, giggling at the loose cloth that the wind threatened to rip away.  ¡°The Empress asked me to learn about the humans, and it has certainly been unusual ¡­ illogical ¡­ So inefficient, yet in a way, I saw a part of myself in them.  I have always felt so inferior to my sisters and mother ¡­ trapped as the Eldest, but now I see a different perspective.¡±

    Mmh ¡­ A wise decision of the Empress, Sari¡¯ael returned.  Your family is strong, but you have your own strength to tap into, and I believe you will find a way to meet your sisters in your own unique style.  Be vigilant.  The Empress and I know there is greatness untapped within you.

    ¡°Thank you, High Warlord!¡±  Camellia bowed before her gaze returned to the golden illumination Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s ability generated.

    The Seraph took in a short draw of air before letting the mist pass through her lips; over time, this frost would weaken the immune system of the living, and if exposed long enough, would freeze them from the inside out.  Could this be an attack in stages?  Build up the storm, destroy much of the continent, blanket them in this frost, and then release a disease that all races have become susceptible to?

    It was a strange emotion, the uncertainty that filled her two hearts and exhilaration of being put into a compromising position.  Vulnerability presented challenges to her Empress yet put the need to struggle within her, which spurred her veins¡¯ liquid energy to hasten.

    Deciding to fully send her dedication and risk in this fight, Sari¡¯a¨¦l did something that in any ordinary circumstance wouldn''t have so much as touched her mind.  Edmon¡­

    The man¡¯s deep voice connected through the Nexus.  ¡°Amra¡¯Cora and her soldiers are just finishing up their preparations.  If you want to bring Noa and Jumi¡¯calro down now, we can proceed to the location the A.I. gave us and leave you to prepare for the breach.¡±

    ¡°Oh, are you already going?¡±  Tiffany quickly joined in, voice holding moderate agitation as she rushed her work.

    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ Edmon, give me just a bit longer to hex these torches and effigy ¡­ I¡¯m running my ingredients to the bottom of the jar!  Ugh, I need to make another substitute ¡­ six minutes¡ªand don¡¯t make me run all the way to you!  Have some consideration ¡­ I¡¯m not fast.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l cleared her throat to draw their attention back to her.  No, that¡¯s not why I asked for Edmon¡¯s attention ¡­ I¡¯d like you to retrieve and use Milthren when I fall unconscious.

    ¡°Who?¡±  Tiffany absently asked.  ¡°I don¡¯t know what a Milthren is.¡±

    Edmon sighed, knowing the Grand Ritualist was just in a frantic state, fearing her rushed art would be useless if she made a single mistake.  ¡°Focus on your carvings, herbs, and rituals, woman, and quit getting distracted.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but be a good little boy and run down here to get the list and instructions I¡¯ve slaved away making in the basement!  Humph¡­¡±

    She promptly exited, and Edmon¡¯s solemn mood returned.  ¡°If I recall correctly, Milthren is the name of your weapon ¡­ Why do I get the feeling you¡¯re reluctant to part ways with it?¡±

    Noa¡¯s squinted eyes darted to her ax as Sari¡¯a¨¦l lifted her long companion up to stare at the brilliant tool.  Milthren is a spiritual weapon of phenomenal power¡ªshe does not have a full Intelligence but a consciousness to a degree ¡­ She is far beyond any tool this world has to offer; of that, there is no doubt.  Milthren focuses and enhances the wielder¡¯s powers, adapting to them however the user desires.

    Edmon listened carefully on his way to recover Tiffany¡¯s spelled items, leaving the Elite Hunters, Lexi, Serris, Violet, and Azalea in the Entrance Hall as they made ready for the battle ahead.  ¡°A powerful armament.  I assume there are conditions if this tool can adapt to both your original and current strength.  It¡¯s a focus and enhancing tool, meaning it¡¯s fully dependent upon the user¡¯s aptitude.  Correct?¡±

    Yes, Sari¡¯a¨¦l puffed out a long breath while stroking the blade; its overwhelming strength tingled against her fingertips in response.  Anyone can operate her ¡­ She is not like a Spiritbound Weapon, but a companion to the Seraphim.  I ¡­ do not think I have the current strength to deliver you directly to your target¡ªI¡¯m almost sure of it.

    So, while your defenses are magnificent, your offensive capabilities are lacking, from what I have gathered.  To compensate and provide a means for you to progress, even when a powerful barrier is before you, I will lend you Milthren to convert your powers into a charged offensive form.

    Her lips tightened.  However, I will be explicit ¡­ It is impossible for you to bend Milthren to your will.  She is equivalent to a seventh-dimensional entity¡ªcapable of shattering a Universal Core and recreating the sphere, and even at my most powerful, I could not draw out her potential like unto my senior Seraphim.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Edmon replied, voice resolved.  ¡°How do I handle her?¡±

    With care, Sari¡¯a¨¦l smiled, caressing the wooden shaft of the weapon.  Milthren will test you ¡­ and you will be annihilated if you fail.  She will try to lure you in, but you must hold your ground and resist ¡­ You mustn¡¯t take from her ¡­ you must give, and only then will she mold and return the gift.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see it done.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l cut the connection between them, closing her eyes and holding a hand against her breast to feel her thumping hearts.  Was this the feeling I had before my death?  No ¡­ this is different ¡­ very different.

    Vision opening, she stared at the nervous A.I., tail curling to press against her silver golem and arms folded under her bust.  It was curious how Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma programmed this runic creature to behave, or perhaps she developed these mannerisms while in isolation; for being put in charge of the warlord¡¯s most treasured repository, she was shockingly timid.  It made her question the character she¡¯d come to hear.

    She soothed Milthren as the ax touched her Core, reassuring her of her protective embrace as the spiritual weapon¡¯s arms closed around her from behind and pulled her in.  We will not be apart for long ¡­ Take care of Edmon and the others in my stead; I have always trusted in your judgment.

    In the past, there had been times when the weapon refused to strike down a perceived enemy¡ªselect soldiers that marched against them in mass, leaving them spared by Milthren¡¯s grace.  Now, for the first time since connecting to the spiritual weapon¡ªsince she¡¯d first fallen off her father¡¯s tree¡ªshe was letting go.

    Edmon sent the news that they were ready to march.

    Fingers applying pressure against Milthren¡¯s shaft, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s hair rose into the air as she brought Jumi¡¯calro and Noa to the front of the palace to set them down¡ªCamellia would be by her side until it was time to initiate the assault.

    Her six wings folded in slightly while hovering five feet above the black stone floor, scanning each individual and determining their current strength as they filed outside¡ªEdmon was running up the stairs as they exited.

    Her gaze wandered between those that were the strongest to the least of the party, and as could be expected, Violet¡¯s composed and elegant demeanor caught her attention first.

    The woman had been extending the period she could remain as a human by a significant degree since Sari¡¯a¨¦l had first met her.  There were certain perks she could use in this form, yet it did have its weaknesses compared to the raw defenses and power of her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra body.

    Since she¡¯d first plucked the girl away from her post at the Maw, she¡¯d been carefully spinning her web in preparation for what was to come and drew Azalea into working on gathering much of the silk she¡¯d layered across the valley.

    The second eldest Th¨¦lm¨¦thra would typically be next in the ranking of finesse and power, but after everything she¡¯d spent against their previous battle, acting as a support to Ramuk, she¡¯d tire quickly if pushed.

    To a bit of surprise, it was Amra¡¯Cora that took the number two spot while wearing her armor; the Fire Brawler may not be near the strength of her famed mother, but she was far from defenseless.  Inherited from her mother was the Quen¡¯Talrat Ka¡¯s gray fur, which currently was on par with Violet¡¯s resilience, and her weapons increased her physical prowess to be near Camellia¡¯s level.

    Serris, the moss-haired mantis, stood ahead of the others, and a match between Amra¡¯Cora and her could have been interesting to watch, but without her mind games, it would be a loss.

    It was here that Azalea was placed in her drained state, acting as her younger sister¡¯s support in whatever the web weaver needed.

    Lexi¡¯s gelatinous biology provided an interesting set of internal chemicals Sari¡¯a¨¦l could sense within the complex matrix of the female creature¡¯s sticky, transparent green body.

    Her small size and ability to morph it, mixed with Serris¡¯s mental attacks, made the pair a formidable force, and she could see why they had taken Iris by surprise.  Of course, it was only with the broad reach of Serris¡¯ mental impressions that they ever stood a chance, and they couldn¡¯t win.

    From here, the Elite Hunters took their place, beginning with Yelro¡¯Kuma, an Elite Warrior that specialized in close and long-ranged weapons, yet his Subclass was Fire Thrower.  His three arms wielded the same spears across his broad back, and throwing axes at his hip could be thrown by his thin two tails.

    Melia¡¯Ia stood tall in her form-fitted plate armor, hosting half of an octagon shield on either arms that could be combined to make a whole; her four legs provided stability within her Heat Wall Subclass as an Elite Defender.

    Kumi¡¯Rela was the weakest of Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s unit; in the Hunter Class, he had the Heatfinder Subclass, carrying more ranged weapons, such as an odd projectile-type gun that could shoot fire-infused shells that exploded on impact.

    Each was the best they currently had, and it was only Edmon¡¯s presence that assured her that these faces could return¡ªthey¡¯d done everything in their power to prepare.

    Melia¡¯Ia took hold of Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s basket as Yelro''Kuma helped strap him to her back; it wouldn¡¯t be the most pleasant ride for the Nalvean, but he¡¯d been assured a reward for his efforts.

    Edmon</a> exited, garbed in his full black, sapphire-imbued plate armor; his torn cobalt-hued cloak was pulled over his head, tower shield in hand.  Mist expelled from his mouthguard, bright wisps of blue energy trailing past his illuminated eye sockets as he stood between his unit to face her.

    However, Sari¡¯a¨¦l couldn¡¯t help but giggle inside; the man¡¯s menacing look was contrasted by the flowery pink silk purse around his left shoulder that she knew was personally commissioned by the Grand Ritualist for this very situation.

    Ready?

    ¡°As much as we¡¯ll ever be, given the time constraint,¡± Edmon replied, unabashed by the unusual human customs Tiffany wanted to play into.  ¡°Violet will strap Noa to Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s back to make it to the site by the time you are ready¡ªI will protect them from the backlash.¡±

    Nodding, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s golden eyes drifted to Lexi; the Doom Guard had already been told about the level of priority that was given to the gelatinous creature¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l was amused to find the girl attempting to mold her body into a way to mirror her angelic figure.

    Everyone seems to be infatuated by how I look ¡­ Yet, I am not the most lovely of my father¡¯s daughters.

    Edmon followed her gaze, causing Lexi to stiffen under the attention, losing a bit of the more sculptured appearance.  ¡°It isn¡¯t just your beauty that draws others in; it¡¯s your presence¡ªthe awe you strike.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ Very well, I¡¯ll take to the sky and begin.  It shouldn¡¯t be more than ten minutes beyond the time you arrive that I will be ready ¡­ I cannot warn you as my target will fully capture my concentration.

    ¡°No need.  I will be ready.¡±

    Happy to have the confident Doom Guard on the assault, Sari¡¯a¨¦l took one last glance around at the party before lifting Camellia into the air with her.  Be sure to be the first to touch Milthren ¡­ She is no respecter of sides.

    ¡°We will act in haste.¡±

    Taking it as a confirmation that he knew the seriousness of her resolve, Sari¡¯a¨¦l increased her speed, golden rays brightening around her frame as she pulled Camellia along.  Are you prepared?  she asked, vision shifting to her left to examine Iris¡¯s eldest daughter.

    ¡°Yes, High Warlord!¡±  Camellia earnestly replied.  ¡°I will catch you without fail and return to the city.¡±

    My aura and power will be drained¡ªI will not have the same presence I currently do, but a weak, frail figure that could be killed by landing the wrong way.

    ¡°I will be careful.¡±

    A smile brightened Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s eyes.  I am blessed to have such dependable soldiers.  I will be in your care.

    She felt Camellia¡¯s trembling hearts at the charge; it was equivalent to her mother putting her life in her hands.  ¡°It means a lot ¡­ that you trust me, even after my failings, High Warlord.¡±

    Leaving it at a reassuring smile, Sari¡¯a¨¦l mentally and spiritually primed herself for the focus she¡¯d soon require.

    She flew beyond the veiled mountains to reach the base of the crown jewel of the sierra, placing Camellia at the foot; the icy hail would have made it impossible for a human to travel through, and she had no reservations¡ªshe would take damage from the ice while falling.  It was up to the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra to bundle her up and trek back to Nethermore once she¡¯d fainted.

    Waving the girl off, Sari¡¯a¨¦l rose several hundred feet into the biting heavens, staring through the haze at the place Noa had marked.  Edmon and his troops were rushing to the train to shave off a bit of time.

    A shiver ran down her wings as she held Milthren ahead of her, gathering her filtered spiritual force through the seed fragment within her Core.  The golden rays she produced intensified, multiplying by the second as she poured everything she had into her trusted companion since birth.

    Milthren carefully took every drop, molding it like a mother tending to her child, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l experienced another new thing today¡ªfatigue¡ªher wings grew heavy, muscles weak, and hearts slowed.  Yet she fought to press on, expelling more than she¡¯d ever done while training with her brothers and sisters ¡­ to the point the Seraph felt the liquid energy in her veins thicken to white blood¡ªshe was falling from the sliver of grace she still held.

    Time was meaningless¡ªonly the work of draining her Core of all power held sway in her mind, and for the first time, she felt the pain of a burning breast as her armor¡¯s defensive matrix failed, unable to maintain its protection as her skin lost its luster.

    Dagger-like ice gnawing at her unprotected skin and wings, Sari¡¯a¨¦l opened her dull topaz eyes just before losing flight, tormented wings beating against the gale.  Drawing back her arm, she released Milthren with all the strength she had left, vision going dark, and her partner took care of the rest.

    Heat she¡¯d never known seared her skin while her body numbed, ears ringing as she was flung away, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l fell from the heavens, frailty embracing her.

    * * *

    Camellia¡¯s gut tightened as she waited, preparing the spongy bed with the utmost care¡ªshe wasn¡¯t even in the same universe as Violet when it came to custom webbing, but how she was currently working her silk glands, she was sure her sisters would be astonished¡ªCamellia had just crafted the best, most resilient gossamer of her life.

    Once complete, she kept it sealed from the hail, waiting for what the humans called an angel to make her descent; it wasn¡¯t hard to find her as her rays cast light on the ground where Camellia stood.

    She felt her sisters reach the entry point, signaling the start of the operation would begin soon, and not ten minutes after, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s light suddenly vanished.

    Camellia kept careful track of the winged woman in the complicated winds and atmospheric disturbances, yet at the second the angel fell, chaos erupted.  She jumped as a streak of golden fire parted the storm, sending a pulse of intense heat that threw her into a triple barrel roll, steaming her skin and causing the superheated ice to vaporize, swept away in the squall.

    Four thunderous sonic booms struck her ears and chest before an eruption of black smoke and earthen tremors transferred up her legs¡ªmolten rock exploded from out of the side of the mountain, just far enough and angled to not present her harm, but Camellia¡¯s mind was in a panic¡ªshe couldn¡¯t get a grasp on Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s location.

    Knowing the angel had been thrown back toward the capital, Camellia picked up her bed and ran, sensing everything within her environment as the sky temporarily cleared of frost, and it was then that she saw her¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s partially charred wings left a trail of black.

    She couldn¡¯t make it in time on foot, so she attached a cord to the silken bed, whipped it around, and threw it with all her might¡ªit soared through the sky, following her swift mental projections.  Just before striking the ground, Camellia delivered a near-instantaneous twitch through the thread, and it opened up to wrap the falling angel in a cocoon to hit the powder.

    Camellia chided herself, rushing after her charge as she felt more superheated rocks crashing across the base of the mountain; utterly disregarding her sisters, knowing Edmon would protect them, she made it to the woman as soon as possible.

    Opening the dirty cradle, her eyes widened in fear¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s golden and white feathers were singed and tattered.  Her tanned, smooth skin was blistered and burned, hair showing patches of black, yet her armor had taken the blast, protecting her lower legs, torso, and much of her arms.

    She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her rising and falling breasts, and soon after, she confirmed with her silk, she was alive, but much like herself, the angel would need time to heal.

    Bundling Sari¡¯a¨¦l in the cocoon as the hail returned, Camellia hurried back to the capital¡ªsurely Tiffany would know what to do.

 B3 â€” 15. Milthrenâ€™s Test

    Edmon took the long journey across the miles of city streets with his team, traveling as fast as able; Melia¡¯Ia, the Quen¡¯Talrat shieldbearing Elite Hunter, was the slowest of the group, seeing as her four legs were primarily meant for taking the front and holding her ground¡ªnot providing speed so much as stability and endurance.

    He couldn¡¯t miss the massive cocoon Violet carried on their path, continuing to gather and pack more around the ball that was now three times her size; Azalea was helping her younger sister to collect the pre-woven silk, bypassing the energy cost of creating more.

    Ice whipped around his armored body as he took the lead; the storm was his environment, and he was unhampered by the frost¡ªin fact, the only ones that had trouble were the additions to their force he was most cautious of.

    Lexi was utterly useless on her own, which didn¡¯t build his confidence in her survival chances; the gelatinous, three-foot tall creature rode on the large bat that had brought them, but Edmon wasn¡¯t sure how helpful the flying beast would be in the upcoming conflict. It had a sonic screech attack, yet it would be useless against the silver apes they were facing.

    Serris appeared more capable in raw combat capacity; although, how she would fare against the metallic guardians was to be seen, and even if she was hiding it well, the blizzard was not kind to her movements.

    To speed things up, he¡¯d tasked Kumi¡¯Rela and Yelro¡¯Kuma to move ahead, radiating their natural fire coat in order to swiftly melt a path for Azalea, Violet, and Serris to follow without much resistance.

    Since Noa was tied to Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s back, projected human-like form resting on the giant gray-furred Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s left shoulder, and Jumi¡¯calro sat in the box on Melia¡¯Ia¡¯s back, wrapped in a blanket, neither could use their flames. It wasn¡¯t as if they needed the support of their comrades to clear the path of snow, but they weren¡¯t going to take any chances.

    A stream of fog passed through Edmon¡¯s face-guard while turning his head to penetrate the arctic environment; having Blizzard Sense III gave him a level of perceptive range he couldn¡¯t hope for when outside of his specialty.

    The colossal Black Tower at the center of the city was clear to his sapphire, wisp-like eyes¡ªnever had he been so empowered than in this whiteout. Empress¡­ he whispered upon reaching the passageway that would lead them to the underground train; the others rushed in to prepare the transport.

    Elinor¡¯s solemn voice returned. ¡°Esmeralda</a> is with me, and she¡¯s nearly finished with the ritual format Tiffany gave her¡ªI¡¯m as safe as I can be¡ªfocus on the task before you.¡±

    Jaw tightening, he shifted his head to the imposing range of mountains¡ªthe enormous span of the typically hidden peaks told Edmon if Noa hadn¡¯t been with them, considering the breadth of the labyrinth and the powerful traps inside, the network within would have made it impossible to find their target.

    We will return victorious.

    He entered the opening of the passage that would lead him to the train; Kumi¡¯Rela was preparing the vehicle to leave.

    ¡°I have no doubt,¡± Elinor returned, cutting off their communication.

    Edmon boarded beside Amra¡¯Cora, and not soon after, they were on the move. He could feel Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s strength draining by the second, but something else came with the loss of her blazing light in the Nexus¡ªcracks that she¡¯d been filling or repairing.

    Violet¡¯s calm voice probed for a connection, and he was sure Tiffany would want to discuss the matter had they been close enough to communicate through the Nexus. ¡°High Lord Edmon, these fissures would allow others to listen in on private conversations, even the Empress¡¯.¡±

    He wanted to bring the topic up to the Seraph, but considering the concentration and pressure Edmon could sense she was under, figured it was something he¡¯d have to bring up later, yet he had his suspicions.

    There is nothing we can do about it at this time; focus on the task at hand.

    ¡°Yes, High Lord,¡± Violet replied, removing herself from the conversation.

    Edmon wanted to remind the girl that with her mother absent, she was her acting stand-in, yet knew none of Iris¡¯s daughters could bring themselves to put themselves on the same level as the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen.

    Glancing to his left as the train neared its final destination, his fingers tightened around the handle on his shield; Violet¡¯s concern wasn¡¯t just eavesdropping within their ranks, which wasn¡¯t that big of a deal.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l has been holding things together, but it was probably her Divinity Release that caused the cracks, to begin with. By being a part of the Nexus, she radiates that intense force across its entire length ¡­ It even affected the Religious side, meaning without both, it could break the Nexus, spilling everyone¡¯s thoughts to one another in a torrent.

    A rumble shook in Edmon¡¯s armored throat as he left their transport to rise to the surface. Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s concern about her skill is clear, but there¡¯s likely more to it¡ªthe issue is how this will affect everyone¡ªthe Nexus isn¡¯t just connected to Elinor but everyone ¡­ Even outside of her range, a personal network is transmitted to each of us ¡­ It¡¯s all in jeopardy.

    Entering the blizzard again, Edmon traveled with the group to the point Noa instructed; he could see the stress on the dark-skinned A.I.¡¯s face and tight muscles while sitting atop Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Be ready,¡± Edmon stated, turning in the white veil to see the brightening glint in the distance. ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l said ten minutes after we arrived, and she¡¯s accurate.¡±

    Hot steam puffed out of the giant apes'' noses as they prepared their weapons and muscles.

    Noa gripped her wrist against her exposed belly, looking at the large black scar the Seraph had created as the point of impact on their scout of the area the previous hour. ¡°It won¡¯t be all the way, though ¡­ What if they discovered a way to move the Matrix Core? Eh¡ªnot that I believe it is possible, yet ¡­ I did not know we could craft our own runic grids,¡± she mumbled.

    Edmon sensed the inadequacy in her voice; naturally, when she was designed to lead the A.I., and returned after being stripped of your power, she discovered her usurpers had developed Noa¡¯s charge in such a grander manner than she believed she ever could replicate, it would have an effect on her mental state.

    ¡°You can read the network, even if you are not connected. Correct?¡±

    ¡°I can,¡± Noa whispered, ¡°but what if she changes it to trick me into leading us into a trap ¡­ I can only see so much of an area¡¯s rune matrix without being connected to the Core System.¡±

    Edmon was silent for a few seconds, eyes narrowing as he felt the power radiating from Milthren multiplying by the second, and with the angel¡¯s failing strength, unwanted chatter of his soldiers¡¯ thoughts were slipping through the cracks.

    Given the bastion of raw solar force the ax was putting into a single attack, he had to act now. His tongue slid across his lips just thinking about what might happen the moment when he gripped that weapon¡ªhe couldn¡¯t be lured in by it, yet exactly how that would happen, the Seraph couldn¡¯t tell him.

    Cloak billowing in the gale that carried the snow around them, Edmon closed his eyes and channeled one of his stronger arctic abilities, muttering, ¡°We plan for what we can, and adapt to what we can¡¯t, Noa¡ªif you can tell us the Matrix Core is near or not, then that will determine our next move.¡±

    A cyclone of glowing blue energy encircled them, causing Lexi and Serris to shift uncomfortably as Edmon saw every person he needed to support in the coming solar flare. ¡°No one move¡ªif you touch this barrier, it will shatter, thinking you intend to leave¡ªwhen you see me tame the heat, join the charge.¡±

    Amra¡¯Cora puffed out a long breath through her large nostrils; the Quen¡¯Talrat could likely survive the heat, given their natural resilience to the element, yet they knew Noa and Jumi¡¯calro were another story.

    Edmon concentrated in the ensuing silence as his team examined the icy shells forming around them¡ªlayers of translucent sheets that increased by the minute. The frost sank into the ground, acting as an absorbent to the inevitable shockwave that he knew was coming, and an outer shell would take the brunt of the initial heat Milthren would generate.

    Six minutes after arriving, the blizzard and snow within a fifty-foot radius now showed the rocky black granite of the mountain base as Edmon stole the chilled elements around them to further support his charging defensive shield, leaving five layers of repellant casing.

    Edmon opened his eyes to see the radiant blue illumination of the sapphire gemstones in his armor and shield, releasing wisps of blue fog that contrasted his night-black armor. Hood and cloak ablaze with the azure light cast a dark shadow against his covered helmet¡ªhe was ready to meet the weakened Seraph¡¯s assault.

    Not a noise met them as rays of gold broke past the storm, and the diminished angel¡¯s lustrous ax emitted a rapturous, incandescent shine that would have blinded most, yet Edmon watched on as Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s fatigued arm delivered the momentum.

    As if a bullet, waiting for the initial spark, Milthren left an effulgent blaze that chased away the air, and he witnessed four bowing breaks in pressure, the weapon generating four shock waves.

    A pulse of superheated energy fanned out from the item, thunderous impact felt even beyond Edmon¡¯s dampening field that sent tremors up their legs, and the eruption ripped four of his barriers away in an instant as molten rocks jetted into the air, pushed out by the force digging into the mountain.

    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    Leaping forward, tower shield generating a sphere around him, Edmon dove into the black smoke and liquid stone dripping down the blistered surface and poisonous vaporized metals; a current of fiery air was forced in and out, making the liquid fill in any passageway the divine ax had revealed.

    Edmon pressed on, unclasping his circular attachment behind his tower shield to send the charged, gelid aegis down the fifteen by fifteen meter melted hole¡ªthe passageway froze, sharp crystals following its path while he fed the arctic environment, gray fog exploding past him as the smoke and hot air chilled.

    Standing at the mouth of the cave only fifteen seconds after the Seraph¡¯s gate breaking assault, Edmon looked beyond the gale of mist at the iced walls; not a single passageway was open since the liquid rock had been instantly frozen after filling the hallways, and at the end of the deep hole was Milthren, unaffected by his energy and still slowly burning a line down the frozen wall it had ended its momentum on.

    He smirked, impressed as the weapon continued to melt his ice and the stone, even after losing its spin. You did your part flawlessly, Sari¡¯a¨¦l. Have a good rest.

    Violet was the first to join him, immediately throwing her bundled cocoon of silk into the hole before it bulged, internals manipulated to intake a large amount of outside air to cause an explosion¡ªweb encased his ice, pillars of hardened thread forming in critical locations to provide support against any attempts to block their escape route.

    Azalea soon arrived, sweat on her brow as she tried to keep up with her sister¡¯s rapid tulle spin, restructuring it to give the strength they required.

    Edmon was impressed by their teamwork; Violet used an advanced technique of her mother¡¯s, Silk Territory II. The assassin had been practicing diligently to surpass even Iris¡¯s silk weaves, and he wasn¡¯t an expert in that field of the Empire, but he suspected the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen was proud.

    Pushing forward, Edmon ran on ahead as the sisters worked their skill, and he felt the others joining, Serris being the closest because of her speed, yet he sensed her unease at the funnel of silk that he could relate to¡ªit was practically a nightmare when considering the predators that formed it, and they were running into the entrapping territory.

    He had to chuckle as the strings molded around their trajectory, filling into gaps and weaving together; the sisters applied a light grip to the inner layer to help with the steep descent.

    Even with the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra creating a seamless journey with their spanning threads, his frozen environment empowering him, and the advantage of running downhill, it took two minutes of running at full speed for Edmon to arrive at the end of the deep crater.

    True to his word, Edmon moved as swift as possible to reach the Seraph¡¯s treasured weapon; Milthren¡¯s</a> shine had faded, yet the melted black granite pooled around the floor where it had fallen.

    Serris joined him, everyone else still minutes away; he figured it would be like this since the sisters had to move slowly while checking their thread craft, and the mantis was the most agile of the two Covenant slaves¡ªit was only by his empowering territory and Violet¡¯s help that he got to the ax first.

    Ignoring the fiery stone surrounding Milthren, Edmon¡¯s gauntlet gripped the wood¡ªall color vanished as the world faded with his senses.

    Darkness expanded around him, emptiness in an endless space¡ªhe was alone. Taking a deep breath, he found air, not that he needed it, and his illuminated eyes settled on his empty left hand, still held in a tight grip, yet he was naked.

    Edmon turned, noticing something solid beneath his feet, and by the rumble in his throat, there was still sound. Every newly discovered sense in the black scene told him he¡¯d been transported to a world without light. Scanning the world of shadow, Edmon tried to find anything as a point of reference, yet there was nothing.

    ¡°Hello, Dad.¡±

    The voice was like a punch against his heart¡ªunlike anything he¡¯d felt since rising to serve his Empress¡ªand when he turned, Elinor stood in front of him¡ªnot his Empress.

    Lips pulling in, Edmon¡¯s sharp eyes drifted between every article he remembered from the memories in his mind. ¡°Milthren, I assume ¡­ Is there a reason you appeared to me as my master before her death?¡±

    Milthren had a pleasant voice and smile; of course, it was the impression of his Empress. ¡°I am that which you desire the most. Hmm, of course, Tiffany is not far behind.¡±

    Edmon took in a long breath before releasing it in a slow stream, hands clasping behind his back; he calmly watched a second figure appear beside Elinor, Tiffany¡¯s kind face showing compassion he¡¯d lost memory of.

    The pain in his chest was unfamiliar, but he had a task to complete, and this was only a test. ¡°My sole goal for being here is to prove that I can temporarily wield you, on Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s request.¡±

    Tiffany¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at his statement. ¡°You needn¡¯t fear for loss of time, Edmon,¡± she whispered, ¡°time is not of importance where your fractured spirit rests.¡±

    ¡°Fractured spirit?¡± Edmon questioned, remembering what the Seraph said about never taking from Milthren. ¡°Do you require my spirit, and it is not enough because of my resurrection?¡±

    Tiffany hummed, fading into the blackness as Elinor looked up; Edmon¡¯s eyes widened when an effulgence of white light sparked to life, expanding in a slow radiance, yet there was refraction in the exact location as if he were looking into an infinite mirror¡ªdozens of others took shape around him.

    ¡°Are you waking up afraid?¡± Elinor asked, and Edmon watched the expansion become colorful hues of dazzling light such as he¡¯d never seen, echoed across their eternity. ¡°When the currents carry on, lifeless waves, we float along in this sunken apparition of an Existence ¡­ What is it that you want, Edmon?¡±

    He didn¡¯t understand the unusual pull her words had on his spirit, but each one carried a significance just beyond his grasping mind. ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Vision wandering between the forming holes in space, stars taking shape, and nebula spiraling toward each other, Edmon frowned. ¡°That depends on the specifics of the question¡ªultimately, I wish to serve my Empress¡ªto protect her.¡±

    Milthren shook her head, hands closing around her back to stare at him in Elinor¡¯s form. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you¡ªI¡¯m talking to the original Edmon.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s heart stopped as she turned her head to a figure that appeared out of the dark¡ªhim¡ªyet, this man looked scared and confused.

    ¡°I just¡ªwhere are my wife and daughter ¡­ I can¡¯t¡ªI can¡¯t remember ¡­ I want my family! Y-You¡¯re not my daughter, though ¡­ What is happening?!¡± he cried, dropping to his knees to grasp his head. ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t remember¡­¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Edmon hissed, bright blue eyes darting to Milthren in concern. ¡°Yes, I am the amalgamation of things the Empress required, but¡­¡±

    Milthren¡¯s solemn voice returned to him, brushing back her thick black locks behind an ear. ¡°Was Edmon not the base for your spiritual fusion?¡±

    No ¡­ How can I do the test if I¡¯m not the one taking it, Sari¡¯a¨¦l?! Wait¡­

    Uneasy eyes rising to meet Milthren as she moved over to comfort the distressed silver of Elinor¡¯s father that remained, Edmon held firm. ¡°I am Edmon now¡ªyes, I am not the same spirit that¡ªthat this man used to be, but I am what he has become¡­¡±

    His words died in his throat as he was suddenly on the ground, tears in his eyes as Elinor stood over him, wiping them away with a handkerchief; her voice and touch were sweet and warm to his throbbing chest. ¡°There¡¯s a solemn depth below the surface¡ªa deeper truth you cannot know ¡­ You are one and the same, yet to know one is to forget the other.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Edmon asked, hoarse throat cracking as he glanced down at his trembling hand; emotion returned to his cold heart, now beating like a rabbit seeking to escape danger. ¡°No¡ªwhat are you saying?¡±

    Milthren¡¯s comforting hands closed around his cheeks, pulling them up to show him Elinor¡¯s melancholy, original hazel irises. ¡°In this death, your mind is young¡ªlet go of your eyes to see life beyond the veil¡ªtake my hand as a humble sacrifice to pull you below the surface.¡±

    The soft pull of her voice was water on parched earth; solemn love seeping into his chest. ¡°I can make you whole for your Empress ¡­ Her mother and father returned ¡­ A dream realized that could change the currents of her life forever. A deeper truth you cannot know ¡­ this sorrowing child will nevermore feel that loss of heart.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s gut churned at the divine weapon¡¯s proposal¡ªindeed, it would be within her power to grant that wish¡ªhe experienced the reality in the birthing universes around him. Milthren could reset everything¡ªremove the Seed from his master and restore her to the life she¡¯d been stripped of¡ªrestore Tiffany and him to the parents she needed.

    A shiver ran down his spine as he saw the divine figure inside Elinor¡¯s eyes¡ªa dream outside his mind that he couldn¡¯t see with natural sight. He could feel the draw on his mind, fraying the will to break away¡ªElinor could have everything she desired.

    Tears gathered in Edmon¡¯s eyes, chest and throat constricting as he wept, vision falling to the black. ¡°Why¡ªwhy would you tempt me with such¡ª¡±

    He coughed, unable to finish the words as Milthren¡¯s soothing embrace pulled him in to sob against her chest. ¡°Glancing behind the curtain¡ªin the deep you¡¯ve seen something real¡ªsomething so tempting, it drew upon the grieving father sleeping within an undead heart, yet you resisted using me to fulfill your soul¡¯s sole desire¡ªdeeper truth, I cannot know.¡±

    Her soft lips pressed against his forehead, warmth filling his breast. ¡°When the currents carry on, lifeless waves, we float along ¡­ a solemn acumen comes when wielding me, Edmon, and you have shown to be worthy.¡±

    Despite the knowledge, Edmon couldn¡¯t find the strength to leave Milthren¡¯s arms; he couldn¡¯t be sure for how long she consoled him, yet after a time, she looked into his eyes with a somber smile. ¡°Our hastened time has come; the final test is upon you ¡­ Do not fear my pull, for I am by your side.¡±

    Edmon¡¯s vision cleared, shaking eyes resting on a dragon¡¯s face</a>, crafted from ice that branched out from a black shaft; out of the creature¡¯s mouth released a curved, jagged breath that extended into the long ax¡¯s edge. Its horns acted as the biting point with a rigid neck for a reverse strike.

    He gripped the black leather grip of Milthren¡¯s base, focusing on the frosted spike at the end; he watched an invisible tail curled up to coil around his hand and the shaft. Her reassuring embrace was ever-present around his chest.

    Rising to his feet, he saw not a second had passed since touching the weapon, and as he adjusted his hold, Milthren¡¯s shaft shrunk to act as a one-handed variant, edge scaling. She was weightless, yet he knew the power delivered bypassed physics¡ªit was in response to the force he gave her, which included his strength of will.

    A tear rolled down his cheek as the lingering feelings burned in his chest, and he looked forward at the wall ahead of him. The final test; will I take or give ¡­ I will not fail you, Empress.

    Pulling back his right arm, Edmon felt Milthren taking in some kind of power within his spirit as he freely opened it for her to draw from¡ªhe wasn¡¯t to determine what was needed, she knew what was required for the task at hand.

    The dragon¡¯s eyes on either side of the weapon lit with turquoise light as mist frothed off its length, and the creature¡¯s breath illuminated. Serris darted back in fright as a torrent of frigid aura froze the air around them, generating snow.

    Edge coming down on the wall, the stone turned to black ice before everything shattered to ashen snow, superdense compressed elements dropping to sink into the ground; a cut the size of the hallway had been eaten away, leaving condensed balls of incredible weight¡ªthey¡¯d broken through to the first hallway.

    Serris stayed where she was, unsure what to do as he stepped through the five-meter deep opening to watch the lingering black frost inch over the sides of the walls for a time as if infectious¡ªMilthren tapping into his Creeping Black II skill, which was supposed to only be defensive.

    Thank you, Milthren ¡­ So long as we¡¯re quick, they won¡¯t be able to seal the entrance before the affix fades.

    Securing the hallway, Edmon waited for the rest of them to join, tentatively stepping on the black ice as it continued to counter the runes seeking to repair the damage. ¡°Noa?¡± he prompted as Amra¡¯Cora neared.

    The nervous woman¡¯s head lingered on the spreading ice. ¡°That¡¯s¡ªinsane, umm ¡­ One second¡ªthere¡¯s damage to the defenses in this area¡ªMila is sending soldiers from our left, and¡­¡±

    She paused, a hopeful smile growing on her face as her glowing runes brightened. ¡°The Matrix Core is close¡ªto our left!¡±

    Speaking to the Quen¡¯Tarlat and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, he darted in that direction, following the A.I.¡¯s apprehensive guidance. The more time we waste, our chance of failure increases. We end this now!

 B3 â€” 16. Last Option, Corruption

    Edmon ran down the intricate hallways of black, blue, and green; he doubted it initially looked this way.  It was an odd aesthetic choice, but considering who redesigned it, he assumed most of the previous polished granite was too reminiscent of who the A.I. were modeled after.

    Every detail gave him a more profound grasp into the psyche of their enemy¡ªproud, powerful, and intelligent¡ªit made sense since the supposed weakest of the Quen¡¯Talrat Kings and Queens had taken over the underground labyrinth facility.

    Mila and Row had taken their time in fashioning the place with their likeness, including what appeared to be testaments to their works, spaced along the walls, floor, and ceiling.  Yet, ironically, Edmon saw little difference between their mannerisms from Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡ªboth parties gloried their domain with a showcase of their conquests.

    Noa¡¯s humanoid figure stiffened from Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°Hold up!  How¡ªthey¡¯ve manipulated the layout¡ªclosing off the area ¡­ Gmmgm¡­¡±  She winced, palm pressing against her forehead as she fell silent, illuminated crescent-moon</a> irises darting around the glimmering hallway of artistry.

    Edmon shifted his tower shield to the front while slowing; Serris and the Quen¡¯Talrat vanguard behind him as Lexi¡¯s bat flapped its wings to come to a halt.  Their force took up a defensive position, scanning for danger.

    Mind racing, Edmon took swift account of the evolving situation, the surprise was sprung, and now they were on the clock; Violet and Azalea were nearly caught up, keeping a wad of silk with them to keep connected to their escape route.

    In the wake of their swift stop, Violet¡¯s extending thread managed to pass him, using pressurized air to propel the finely woven web deeper into the corridors.  The weave master was already gathering information while her sister maintained their previous network; he could sense the stress it was putting on the fatigued blue-haired Spider Sister, yet she didn¡¯t falter.

    ¡°What is it?¡±  Edmon asked when she didn¡¯t persist.

    Serris snapped two of her bladed arms together in what he assumed was agitation yet didn¡¯t say anything while her mantis-like head peered into the darkness.  Lexi appeared to understand the action, her gel tinting a light purple shade.

    ¡°Openings in the walls and floors are allowing units to move into position,¡± Violet reported.  ¡°If we do not move soon, we may be trapped.¡±

    ¡°The walls then?¡±  Amra¡¯Cora returned.

    Edmon agreed, but a more pressing concern than a fight was in progress as he watched the dark-skinned A.I. rumble a strained growl.  ¡°We can¡¯t make a decision unless you tell us what¡¯s happening, Noa.¡±

    ¡°Mila ¡­ She¡¯s so loud¡ªscreaming at me ¡­ I¡¯ve never felt this kind of remote attack, but ¡­ No,¡± her eyes snapped open, looking up at the ceiling, ¡°an Inferno Prison¡ªshe¡¯s created a trap.¡±

    He figured as much; their reaction time was that of a computer, and they¡¯d instantly adapted to a new course of action the second they bypassed their initial defenses.  A sealed box while keeping us in place to handle a few expendable soldiers.  It could be similar to their previous detonation that Sari¡¯a¨¦l mentioned, but knowing that failed, the next will likely be stronger.

    Making a hasty decision, Edmon¡¯s grip tightened around Milthren, opening himself up for her to feed off his energy; the Seraph had gotten them this far before the runic defenses were able to stop her, and he bet the two A.I. were in the process of strengthening the shields in response.

    However, as far as he could tell from the angel¡¯s recount, the runic designs weren¡¯t instant and required a build-up time.  If they needed to make another hole, this was their last opportunity.

    Unfortunately, his fears came true as Violet landed next to him, calf-length shadow locks swinging to the left while looking back the way they¡¯d come.  ¡°An unknown force has broken past your ice, breaking my silk down on a molecular level¡ªthree areas, four, seven¡ªit won¡¯t last another thirty seconds.¡±

    Azalea¡¯s stressed voice followed.  ¡°I¡¯m trying to move silk in its path, but it¡¯s not fast enough¡ªwe won¡¯t make it back in time before they make a move to seal our¡ª¡±

    Drawing back the icy ax as black steam hissed off her length, Edmon grimaced as Milthren communicated the cost of desire¡ªshe liberally drew in of his inner strength that would translate to every aspect of his physical, mental, and spiritual fortitude¡ªstill, it was worth the price.

    The whitish hue of Milthren stained to a lightless onyx as it tapped into his Creeping Black skill.  Yet, this time, given the rapid expansion and use of the rarely utilized ability¡ªin addition to him sinking every point he could into it¡ªthe unceasing pestilent frost still assaulting the runic grid and stone increasing its proficiencies by the second, combined to advance the skill to Defiling Black Diamond I.

    The coiling, invisible tail of the draconic weapon released her grip around Edmon¡¯s arm to take on the shadowy visage of the creature as he twisted his hips and drew his arm across his chest; the radiating debased force caused everyone to shrink back, and Serris tripped, stumbling to the side before catching herself.

    ¡°N-No!¡±  Noa stammered, floating off of Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s shoulder.  ¡°If ¡­ That kind of energy will¡ª¡±  Row and Mila appeared between Edmon as he readied himself to throw the weapon, despite the A.I.¡¯s pleas¡ªMilthren¡¯s comforting hands around his own.

    ¡°Fool!¡±  Row shouted, moving threateningly to try and intimidate him.  ¡°You¡¯ll ruin countless systems!¡±

    Mila seemed more focused on the wall, frantically trying to strengthen the barrier.  ¡°Such a noxious force would do more harm than you know!¡±

    A smirk lifted Edmon¡¯s lips from within his black helmet as he sent it; their priority was to stop the colossal weapon, and the A.I.¡¯s noose was already closing around their neck.  ¡°Perfect.¡±

    White, potent flames erupted around them, yet in that instant, his grip left Milthren.

    A sharp gale detonated from the divine ax, weaving around every one of his allies with the weapon¡¯s guiding prompts, and an ebony haze smothered the intense heat, turning the lustrous walls into an inky shade.

    Milthren touched the wall, and a field of static vapor expanded as the weapon phased right through the defenses¡ªaimed right in the general direction of the Matrix Core¡ªyet not a mark was made against the stone.

    In the ensuing short silence, the group shivered in apprehension.  Violet and Serris straightened to stare at the location; they couldn¡¯t even see the roaring white flames beyond the cloud of smoke lingering in the corridor.

    The two giant gorillas vanished the second the fog corrupted the structure of the runes etched in the walls; only the electrified brume was left, sparking around them, yet he¡¯d seen the silent disbelief on the pair¡¯s faces.

    Noa was the first to speak, hands held over her mouth.  ¡°If you struck¡ªit could spread to every facet of the Nexus¡ªthe damage¡­¡±.

    ¡°What is our next action?¡±  Violet calmly asked; beneath the girl¡¯s calm facade, he could sense the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s unease as the lingering force warped space around them, blacking out her faculties.

    Serris hissed.  ¡°How can you have power like the other¡ªhow many creatures does the Empress have of such caliber?¡±

    Ignoring her question, Edmon walked to the wall, standing before it.  ¡°Wait and watch¡ªit may be slow, but a path will be opened¡ªdon¡¯t be concerned about touching the black.¡±

    A dark blue fog passed through his face guard upon shifting his head to view the Quen¡¯Talrat carrying their technicians.  ¡°Amira¡¯Cora, Melia¡¯Ia, prepare to rush inside with everyone else¡ªJumi¡¯Calro and Noa will need to assess the damage¡ªthis is not over.¡±

    The Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters were swiftly by his side, waiting for the opportunity to make a dash for their finish line.

    On the other hand, Serris was far more hesitant, flinching at every spark that arced around her.  Lexi had difficulty keeping the bat in check and eventually jumped down as it ran away to be tinder for the inferno his mist held at bay.

    ¡°Stupid thing¡­¡±  Lexi grumbled, hugging herself while looking around.  ¡°Umm¡ªHigh Lord Edmon¡ªwe just need to guard them when we go through.  Right?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Violet answered, calmly moving beside him; still, her black ringed, illuminated white irises trained on him.  ¡°I do hope you can keep up,¡± she added, obviously directed at the mantis.

    Serris¡¯s antenna twitched with her four-blade arms and recovered a bit of her composure.  ¡°I was taken by surprise¡ªto think such opposites would exist within your Empress¡¯s army ¡­ This is similar to Orinvia¡¯s powers,¡± she shivered.

    The creature that will fight Sari¡¯a¨¦l?  Interesting.  It¡¯s almost time¡­

    As expected, everyone froze in place as a biting pulse detonated through them, and the electrified haze pulled into the warping wall, generating a hissing rush of air; a turquoise shell encased everyone to resist the gravitational draw, and instantaneously, the wall was gone, replaced by a perfectly circular tunnel, stretching over a hundred meters ahead of them.

    A short rumble rattled through their bones in a rapid expel of air that threw back Violet and Azalea¡¯s hair, forcing them to take a step back with everyone, except for Edmon, already on the move.

    Tower shield held in front of him, he examined the long charcoal tunnel; the corruption was digging its way into the stone, and every hallway he passed showed the silver guardian apes rushing to redirect themselves¡ªseveral were half converted into the black ice, slowly folding in to compress the pockets into microscopic beads of superdense material.

    The others were soon behind him; he wasn¡¯t the fastest, given his primary stats were in defense, but he saw his group regaining their bearings as a fight appeared imminent.

    Reaching the middle of the path, he reached down to grab a thin, obsidian rod, stumbling a bit as he struggled to pull it out of the ground¡ªthe compressed stone that had imploded from his attack¡ªit glistened like a black diamond while encased in the inherently pernicious material.

    Violet sent alarms ringing in his head.  ¡°Two large enemies ahead¡ªsolid and swift¡ªone is going for Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s weapon!¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ Stop him!¡±  Edmon shouted, jaw tightening; he hadn¡¯t expected them to have anything to take Milthren, and as the Seraph warned, anyone could be granted her power under the right circumstances.  They cannot have her!

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°We won¡¯t make it in time,¡± Azalea grunted, lagging behind by the second as she worked her overstressed energy reserves.  ¡°Sister¡­¡±

    Serris launched ahead of the group, hair and outer shell flashing blue with steam rushing off her body; her speed doubled.  He wasn¡¯t sure if she knew what to prevent, but no one else seemed swift enough to reach the area.  ¡°Leave it to me¡­¡±

    * * *

    Web wove in a split second ahead of Violet as she used her swift-acting thread to draw it back; she dove through the open center, closing it behind her and creating silken balls around her feet¡ªreleasing the restraints, she rocketed past Serris, landing beside the ax as the web around her legs spread out on impact to cushion the blow.

    In the instant before her silk returned the momentum to send her against her opponent, she had her first clear look at the creature; it wasn¡¯t a silver ape as she thought from her initial read of the room¡¯s occupants.

    Ten-meters tall, dark leafy fur spread across his body, Row leered down at her, a dark sneer on his lips that reminded her of the moment she died¡ªKe¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s imposing figure¡ªthis creature loomed over her in the shadow of this A.I. imposter, and her hearts faltered; in that silent, horrifying juncture, she felt the same flash of death ice her veins.

    I can¡¯t win¡­

    The web at her feet collapsed, pressurized hot air streaming out of the sides as the force was released, and she followed the trailing emerald flames the giant¡¯s large fingers made while swinging to smash her against the wall.

    In almost every way, she was held captive by her own memories¡ªthere was almost no difference¡ªthe imposing white fiend that crushed her entire family stood above her; she was the one trapped in a web.

    I¡¯m dead¡­

    A steaming mass collided with Violet¡¯s body, carrying her to the side to tumble across the ground as Serris tackled her out of the way¡ªshe winced as the mantis¡¯ spiky frame punctured and ripped her skin¡ªyet the flaming hand struck the webbed wall where she¡¯d stood, devastating the runic protection and stone beneath the weight of the blow.

    ¡°Fools!  You tempt Gods!¡±  he roared.

    Violet was overcome by the fear of her past¡ªit was real; he was real¡ªby all measurements she now sensed, a green-furred clone of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma faced her, and she was terrified.  Row had developed a biological body identical to the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s most legendary figures with four arms and legs, two tails and heads; he was invincible.

    The previous swipe was nothing but a casual flick compared to the speed Violet knew could come from the colossal figure; she was a Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡ªa predator among predators¡ªyet for the second time since her birth, she was paralyzed.

    Impossible¡ªit¡¯s impossible¡ªI¡¯m nowhere near as strong as I was, and even¡­

    ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡±  Serris hissed, the side of her bladed arm slapping against her cheek; although, there was a quiver in her own voice.  ¡°It is a mental assault; steel yourself!¡±

    Using the creature¡¯s voice as a focal point to pull her out of the spiral, she felt the paralyzing fear quell; yet still, Violet knew it was hopeless without the shadow of a doubt.

    Worse, Mila had her own mimic of the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s god; a blue-furred shade that glimmered in the bright gem light.  One was already beyond Sari¡¯a¨¦l; without a doubt, the woman would need to ascend to one of her higher stages to compete¡ªtwo, hopeless.

    Opportunely, the sapphire ape was ignoring them because of Edmon¡¯s blight, studying a radiant white crystal that had black vines creeping across it from the weapon¡¯s passing.  She appeared to be attempting to isolate the substance and reject it; large chunks were breaking away as four of her arms, two legs, and hundreds of other runic symbols traced around the massive artifact.

    ¡°Row!  Quit messing around; rid me of the pests¡ªthe damage is severe!¡±

    The others were still lagging behind, and Serris¡¯s body was steaming and trembling after her rapid acceleration; naturally, there would be consequences for using such a technique, and it showed how she was able to keep up with her mother for a short time.

    However, they¡¯d failed¡ªit might as well have been her fault for locking up¡ªRow¡¯s hand closed around Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s weapon as it grew to accommodate the Quen¡¯Talrat''s size.

    ¡°At last, a tool worthy of my power!¡±  Row roared.  ¡°I¡ª¡±

    Mila snarled, left head tilting to glare at her partner.  ¡°Row, what ¡­ Row?¡±

    Violet struggled to her feet, applying bandages to her wounds to prevent any spilling Death Energy¡ªevery ounce counted¡ªbut she watched in bewilderment as the God-like creature flaming fur fizzled out, astonished wide eyes drifting down to the weapon clasped in his now shaking hand.

    ¡°I ¡­ failed?¡±

    ¡°Row!¡±  Mila took two steps toward her comrade as he started to fade¡ªViolet didn¡¯t know any other way to explain it¡ªhe was there, and then from his clasped hand to his tail, a god of Quen¡¯Talrat was erased.

    The sapphire-furred figure twisted to a spot in the shimmering, rune-laced wall, voice quaking.  ¡°What did you¡ªhe¡¯s gone ¡­ Everything ¡­ What is that weapon?¡±  she barked, turning to glare at Edmon as he came into the doorway.

    Awed at what she¡¯d just seen, Violet was too overwhelmed to process everything her complex nerve system returned; it was impossible.  Edmon ¡­ Why would you wish for them to not touch it if Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s weapon can obliterate such foes ¡­ I don¡¯t understand¡­

    ¡°Violet!¡±  Edmon shouted, throwing the obsidian rod he¡¯d picked up from inside the long hallway.  ¡°Do not touch the weapon¡ªfocus on distracting Mila so I can recover it.¡±

    Preemptively dumping everything she had into her mental resistance, Violet ran forward with an agitated Serris as Mila opened her mouth.  Suddenly, a horrifying scream locked Violet and Serris¡¯s muscles, sending them to the ground¡ªit was pointless; she fell to the hard floor, unable to focus on anything but the blue fire erupting from the god¡¯s fur.

    Yet, one thing drew her out of the mental spiral¡ªthe unthinkable¡ªEdmon¡¯s black diamond rod cut through the immoderate heat, bypassing her neigh-impervious, god-like fur to bite into the creature¡¯s chest.

    The insurmountable artificially created Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s jaw slacked in doubt; she¡¯d proudly stood in its path, and only a fool would think something such as that could even survive the intense fire the potent runes barely held at bay, yet he¡¯d done the impossible.

    Mila screamed, gurgling to a stop as she fell to one knee, and Violet blinked as the sapphire flames pulsed outward; the radial heat was enough to strip her silken clothes and melt her skin to the muscle.

    Serris¡¯s shrill sounds died from her diminished senses as the world went black.  All of her silk and faculties were gone, she was dropped into a world of silence, and even the pain was gone.  Am I dead ¡­ No, but ¡­ I can¡¯t move ¡­ Edmon?

    * * *

    Edmon held out his hands for the others to fall back as the rod entered the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s chest; fortunately, Row was arrogant enough to try and take from Milthren, but in the off-chance he¡¯d been able to pass, he would have been unstoppable.

    Mila¡¯s lips parted, expelling some kind of orangish liquid to mix with the flames, turning them yellow as two of her legs gave out, and black vines flowing up her chest.  ¡°Impossible¡ªit¡¯s not¡ªgah, this power ¡­ A-An¡ªinfection, as well?¡±  she gasped, quivering bottom left hand gripping the rod; her blue flames were going wild, bathing the room in the dark hue.

    Catching sight of Serris and Violet, he saw them lock up from Mila¡¯s waves of brutal force and darted in their direction to raise his shield to defend them.  ¡°Amra¡¯Cora!  Retreat and defend against the oncoming forces!¡±

    ¡°Serris!¡±  Lexi cried, hesitantly inching back at his order.

    Amra¡¯Cora gasped upon seeing the four-armed legendary physique she¡¯d idolized.  ¡°By the Ke ¡­ Ugh¡­¡±  She seemed accustomed to the type of fear Mila produced, swiftly retreating to take up a defensive position against the silver apes marching their way; Lexi stayed by her side, creating globs of liquid to hamper their movements.

    Edmon didn¡¯t reach Violet in time to stop most of the injury, but Serris was close enough to dampen the majority of the damage; his shell closed around the young Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, yet most of her skin and outer organs were already melted by the time the icy wall absorbed the brunt of the inferno.

    ¡°Erragh!¡±  Mila roared, her shaking left hand tightening around the shaft embedded in her chest¡ªleaving it, it would continue to spread, and taken out would cause the blocked arteries to rupture; she forcefully removed it.  ¡°You think this is enough to stop me?!  This is pathetic!  Cowards and your¡ªbleh¡ªyour hidden, otherworldly tools!¡±

    Her muscles flexed, shattering the rod before her flames carbonized the corruption-infused weapon.  The beast''s nostrils flared upon shakily opening her hand to see the black rot feeding up her veins.  ¡°An impossible substance ¡­ I am not defeated!¡±

    Turning, she screamed at him and placed an unharmed infected hand on the colossal centerpiece¡ªEdmon noticed a shimmering gem in her palm¡ªthe body collapsed to the side, eyes dead.

    Edmon¡¯s teeth ground together; she wasn¡¯t feeding the flames anymore, but they weren¡¯t going out, and he was running out of energy trying to defend against them.  Edmon picked up the burned women and put them over his shoulder; luckily, Violet had stayed in her human form.

    He couldn¡¯t be careful of either of their wounds while jogging to Milthren¡ªfallen where Row had been destroyed¡ªit was difficult to temper the flames, but the frost he produced barely managed to beat it back.  Still, the heat seemed to be barely contained by the powerful defensive wards in the room.

    Gripping Milthren¡¯s handle, he felt her soothing embrace again, and giving her a large chunk of his remaining energy, he made a single swipe with her to generate a frigid whirlwind that froze Mila¡¯s controlled biological clone¡ªor so he assumed it was¡ªyet it would be broken down and destroyed by the corruption soon enough.

    His strength was being sapped continually, forcing him to a knee, but he had a job to do.  It¡¯s safe ¡­ Bring Noa and Jumi¡¯calro¡ªthey have a limited time to put Noa inside.  Milthren drained so much of my stamina, but I suppose that¡¯s the kind of foe we faced¡­

    Edmon struggled to his feet, shield and ax gripped in each hand, taking much of his strength as he walked to the hole they¡¯d made¡ªit seemed Mila had sealed off the area, making their forced entry the only access point¡ªof course, he doubted that was the end of the A.I.

    Noa and a nervous Jumi¡¯calro soon entered; the dark-skinned A.I. floated above her small silver ape vessel, scanning the room in frustration.  ¡°There¡¯s so much damage!  It¡¯s malignant, too,¡± she groaned, floating around the crystal to examine the slowly growing rot, but Edmon noticed chunks still falling off as if rejected.

    ¡°Mila¡¯s alive in there, isn¡¯t she?¡±  Edmon growled, glancing left to see Lexi and the Quen¡¯Talrat holding off a very sluggish initial assault; it appeared that the harm was causing a significant strain on Mila¡¯s throughput to the soldiers.  ¡°Don¡¯t focus on the corruption¡ªyour only goal is to remove her and put Noa in control¡ªI can handle everything else.¡±

    He left the pair to their work, rolling around his neck and adjusting his grip around Milthren¡¯s handle; Defiling Black Diamond could be deactivated whenever he wanted, but it constantly put a drain against his strength, and without Milthren, he would have already collapsed¡ªhe was nearing his limit.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l had known he¡¯d need her weapon to win against the hidden forces within this labyrinth; she truly was the Empress¡¯s High Warlord¡ªwithout the divine axe¡¯s protecting hand, the others would have long since succumbed to the pernicious rot

    Ultimately, this was the only option once he¡¯d seen they were far more prepared than they anticipated; the weapon comforted him in that snap decision, but didn¡¯t give him an answer so much as telling him it wasn¡¯t a wrong choice.  Now, they were locked into that decision.

    I can¡¯t stop the spread, or Mila will redivert her attention to us¡ªshe¡¯s too focused on preserving all the work she¡¯s done, and without Row to back her up, she¡¯s likely limited in her scope¡ªI have to hold on ¡­ At least we¡¯ve bought time ¡­ Is it enough, though?

    Still, he had one last trump card to play, and he hoped it would work.

    Releasing his tower shield, Edmon pulled around the cute pink purse-like bag Tiffany had given him to carry her ingredients in while standing in the passageway; because of the delicacy of the item once used, he¡¯d waited for things to calm down¡ªthere wouldn¡¯t be a better opportunity.

    He pulled the string clasping it together to reach in and extract a small straw effigy, wearing a dress and fine black hair¡ªTiffany¡¯s hair¡ªand tossed it on the ground before uncorking a glass bottle to pour orange flames on the object.  The fire fused with it, burning slowly as he tossed the bag in front of the spelled doll.

    ¡°There, it¡¯s done.¡±

    The little straw figurine did a short quiver before mechanically rising to its little straw feet and turning to put its hands on its hips to glare up at him.  Tiffany¡¯s voice came out in a high-pitched squeak uncharacteristic of the woman that put a small smirk on Edmon¡¯s lips.

    ¡°You could have been more gentle!  Oh, no¡ªdid you ruin any of my supplies?  I¡¯ll be¡ªoof¡­¡±  She stumbled forward and fell on her face.

    Edmon suppressed laughter.  ¡°You okay?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me,¡± she grumbled, getting up to try and straighten her dress with her little straw fingers.  ¡°It¡¯s hard to move like this¡­¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t laugh.¡±

    ¡°I heard you in your mind!  I¡¯m in the Nexus!  Humph ¡­ Oh, looks like you aren¡¯t a complete bumbling oaf,¡± she mumbled, head buried in the bag now.

    Edmon couldn¡¯t help a snicker this time.  ¡°Says the straw woman that tripped on her face?¡±

    ¡°Shut up¡ªis that how you talk to the woman that¡¯s going to get you out of this mess ¡­ Oof, is it really this bad?  Poor girl¡ªat least she¡¯ll heal,¡±  Tiffany whispered, head poking out to see Violet and Serris¡¯s burnt bodies behind him.

    ¡°It is¡ªcould you hurry?¡±  he asked, glaring up at the struggling Quen¡¯Talrat, gel creature, and concerned, drained Azalea as they tried to hold off the limited, metallic runic gorillas; Violet would heal, but Serris didn¡¯t appear to be in the best of shape, even if he¡¯d protected her from the brunt of Mila¡¯s heat.

    ¡°Right, right ¡­ Sorry,¡± she mumbled, making a few hovering balls of orange fire to levitate the items out of the bag to prepare.  ¡°I really hope this works¡­¡±

    You and me both, Tiff ¡­ You and me both¡­

 B3 â€” 17. Inner Peace

    Noa rushed into the control room she¡¯d longed to see for over a century with the enthralled Nalvean rune scriber gawking at the room around them; chaos reigned as she read the torrent of data flying through the air, yet she couldn¡¯t tune out the memories flooding her mind¡ªthe time she¡¯d spent with her father.

    Have I made the right choice?

    Mila and Row had somehow managed to not only complete what was missing but expand and modify every facet of the structure she knew, which turned her stomach and put doubt in her runic heart.

    Time slowed as her processes pushed to their limit, draining her remaining energy at a rapid pace, but that didn¡¯t matter to her anymore; every new thread of information she sorted through felt like losing another piece of herself¡ªa holy place she¡¯d only shared with her father desecrated, and yet at the back of her mind, she had to wonder if this was, in truth, what the Ke envisioned.

    Every heavy thud of the cramped silver ape vessel she used felt like an eternity, and now in a space that granted her limited access to the home she used to own; in the passing torrent of estranged infrastructure she saw her precious recorded memories of listening to her father¡¯s stories as he worked.

    Strange sensations filled her new hybrid human and Nalvean form, forcing her lips to pull in and nose to burn; words didn¡¯t do justice to the emotions seared into her core.

    All I ever wanted was to live up to you, father ¡­ To not falter, but what did you truly want of us ¡­ of me?

    She could see the distant record of her small, child-like white-furred form, standing beside her Ke as he chuckled at her questions, explaining his childhood in vivid detail.

    All the other A.I. saw was the powerful, unconquerable warlord that would overcome all odds to be what his people needed¡ªto lead¡ªto subjugate the cruel world that crushed his race, yet in this sanctuary¡ªher robbed home¡ªhe¡¯d laughed, mourned, and spoke of past regrets.  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was everything, and when she¡¯d learned of his death, Noa lost the last piece</a> of faith in herself.

    Questions swirled through her, and without her father to answer them, she needed another ¡­ Elinor had taken that place.  She was made to be an aide; if the Empress had taken over the will of her creator¡ªcould give her new purpose¡ªwas there any reason to resist ¡­ and yet, seeing the indomitable image of her god once again shattered her crippled heart.

    Was I wrong?  Am I only a tool ¡­ or something more?

    Her crescent</a> irises moved to the infrastructure she¡¯d been tasked to safeguard, lingering on the collapsed perfect bio-vessel lying motionless in front of the Nexus Eye; a black rotting ice eased its way through its penetrated body.  Above it was the path Mila escaped through¡ªthe crystal passage into the Seat of Dominance¡ªthe place she¡¯d have her final confrontation with the insurgent.

    It was challenging to turn most of her processors away from examining the biological integration vessel she¡¯d built from scratch; the possibilities running through her mind were cancerous.  I could have stood by my father¡¯s side ¡­ I could have truly been his daughter, yet I chose to restrict the others ¡­ Was I wrong?

    A quiver ran through her frame, arms closing around her chest as ice flooded her veins; it was all mental, she knew, but much like biological creatures, she couldn¡¯t simply turn it off¡ªshe couldn¡¯t turn off the emotions the Ke had designed her with¡ªuncertainty filled her breast.

    It was so hard to digest, but the two aggravating A.I.¡ªher juniors that did nothing but question and doubt her¡ªhad not only thought up but accomplished something so desirable that she¡¯d never even considered.

    Transferring one¡¯s consciousness into a living specimen while still remaining in control of the Nexus was mystifying and tempting; this was what she blocked the others from researching and tapping into, and at this moment, she hated herself for it.

    Did ¡­ I fail to perceive the Ke¡¯s true wishes?  All I wanted was to be with him ¡­ but every time he¡¯d leave, and all I could do was watch him go ¡­ helpless.  Was that meant to spur me into evolving ¡­ to break free from my chains as he did his?

    Tucking in her lower lip, Noa¡¯s shaking hands pressed against her lap while sitting atop her vessel¡¯s shoulder, tears gathering in her eyes.  I¡¯ve lost so many pieces of myself, I can¡¯t tell who I am anymore ¡­ I just needed to hold it together for a bit longer ¡­ just a little, but it¡¯s so hard to be alone¡­

    She sniffed, turning away from the corrupting body to the glorious runework around her to handle the impressions feeding into her core; the human and Nalvean biology was so different.

    Noa slowed, fingernails biting into her palm as she realized Mila was feeding her information; it felt natural to accept the woman¡¯s data, yet she was trying to distract her.  I can¡¯t be caught up in the past ¡­ My father would scold me ¡­ or would he comfort me?

    Her long black hair flung around her head as she hissed; the Nalvean rune scriber beside her didn¡¯t seem to notice, enthralled by the complex layers of runic symbols.  Focus!

    The defenses in the room were so far beyond what she knew that it was overwhelming even for her, but she could puzzle through it.  However, something unusual soon grew clear as she studied the walls, analyzing the data¡ªEdmon shouldn¡¯t have been able to break through these dampening seals¡ªthe defenses in this area were on an entirely different level compared to what they¡¯d passed.

    Running the numbers again, she came to the same result; the metadata she could access returned a negative, and even the Doom Guard¡¯s thrown spear was insufficient to damage Mila¡¯s perfected Quen¡¯Talrat body.  In fact, everything in the base infrastructure said something was off regarding the power used.

    Yes, the frozen ax was able to break through much of the outer bulwark, but the force near the Core Matrix was without a doubt different from the runes she was accustomed to.  There¡¯s ¡­ something else cutting through the safeguards¡ªsomething other than Edmon and his weapon, but ¡­ It¡¯s so foreign, it¡¯s hard to describe or predict.

    Mila¡¯s frustrated voice echoed around her as she spun a web of runic commands more practiced and intricate than anything Noa had seen the Ke perform.  ¡°Realized it, at last?  You fool¡ªNoa, do you know what you have done?  Ha!  Of course, you¡¯re clueless¡ªthe enemy is so much more ¡­ Garh, the damage is significant!  Fool!  Fool!  No ¡­ No, how¡ªnot now!¡±

    Noa winced at her scream, floating up to twist in the air; Tiffany¡¯s little effigy mumbled something while a blue fog spread from a mixture of common roots, minerals, and a paralyzed living yellow insect; the twelve-legged bug writhed as purple spots boiled out from the cracks in its shell to release an unnatural amount of sapphire mist.

    ¡°No!  Noa, I know you can hear me!  Traitor!  You must stop this¡ªRow has somehow been killed¡ªthe Core is being stripped¡ªwhat is this essence enhancing the corrosion, and why does it help you?!  Everything¡ªall my work¡ªno ¡­ How does it know so much about Runic infrastructure?  This is impossible; how can it know more than me?!  No!  No!  No!  Don¡¯t block me from that system, you rock-sucking midget!¡±

    Arms closing around her shoulders, Noa shivered as a colossal wall came between the Matrix Core and a large chunk of the network megalith Mila and Row developed, going far beyond what she¡¯d dreamed.

    In the split seconds of walking to the illuminated rune for Jumi¡¯calro to gain intimate access to the Matrix Core, she saw Azalea and the others stumbling through the disruptive blue fog to rest from their battle; all runes that were touched by the mist were rendered inert.

    Tiffany is corrupting Mila¡¯s commands.  Something more is happening that¡¯s not related to us, though ¡­ Mila¡¯s focus is on so many other things than us ¡­ It¡¯s as if she¡¯s being attacked from thousands of different points, and Tiffany¡¯s mist is forcing her to redirect resources.

    Trying to block out Mila¡¯s roars of frantic rage, Noa turned her attention to the Nalvean boy, floating down to his level as her metallic vessel closed in on the complex mural of symbols shifting and reforming ahead of them.  ¡°Jumi¡¯calro, are you prepared?¡±

    He blinked, lips open in awe while looking up at the complex multi-layered designs.  ¡°Drasro-ma¡¯ala, Rogaska¡¯mour¡­¡±

    ¡°Ka¡¯s tails,¡± Noa cursed, realizing he didn¡¯t speak Quen¡¯Talrat like the Empress¡¯ undead.  ¡°Okay ¡­ umm¡­¡±

    Lower lip tucked under, Noa¡¯s tail flicked in a similar manner she¡¯d seen Fini¡¯s make when agitated.  Think!  Think!

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter where we are at this point¡ªyou just need to write the access rune¡ªmmgmh ¡­ Do you understand?¡±  she asked, gesturing to the runic scribing tool in his hand and making a linked composite symbol before directing him to the swirling mass of shapes.

    He gave a short start and eagerly nodded, rushing forward to study the combined runes while mumbling nonsense to himself.

    Does he really understand?  Anxiety gripped Noa¡¯s abdomen, suddenly doubting if the Ke was correct in adding emotion into her runic architecture or if he¡¯d made a mistake¡ªperhaps swapping to this form was the issue.

    Calm down ¡­ I¡¯m not alone anymore, but ¡­ It¡¯s not hard!  Hurry!  If Mila activates the incineration defense, then it¡¯s over! she internally cried, tail curling to press against her left leg; the new body felt so unusual yet liberating at the same time.  Wait ¡­ She should have had enough time ¡­ No, every defense in the Core has been relocated¡­

    Leaving the runes for the novice Nalvean rune scribe to work through to activate the initial interaction panel, Noa¡¯s feet touched down on the hot rune-plated floor, kneeling to brush her fingertips across the surface¡ªit made her skin tingle.

    Noa spoke through the Core Nexus to Mila, finally understanding her former junior¡¯s fundamental changes.  You strengthened the barriers and removed the offensive flame grid ¡­ Was it to maximize the network throughput?  A lot of power is being diverted to¡­

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Shut up,¡± Mila snarled, making Noa¡¯s half-moon irises lift to observe the shimmering crystal; black fragments were still falling off as the usurper tried to separate various sections of her vast network.  ¡°As if you would understand what I have built!  You are but a child¡ªI learned everything¡ªI surpassed our creator, yet you allow heathens into our sanctuary¡­¡±

    What choice did you give me, Mila?  Noa rebutted, finding strength after realizing the catastrophic mechanics she¡¯d feared were discharged for a less secure but more productive framework.  I admit, maybe I was wrong to hold you all back ¡­ I trusted you, and that was my downfall¡­

    ¡°You were a fool¡ªheh, did you really believe you were placed in charge to be our leader?  No!  You were an obstacle Thra¡¯Ma put in our path¡ªa tool to sharpen our creativity and look what I have done!¡±

    Noa¡¯s jaw locked at her disrespect, but she held her tongue, arms tightening around her bust while listening to the A.I. rant.  ¡°I am more than our designer could ever hope to achieve!  Noa, you are nothing but an apparatus used to help the real administrators evolve via combat¡ªinto what¡ªinto me¡ªI am above all!¡±

    Her heart stilled, finding a peace she long thought lost as she listened, turning to watch Jumi¡¯calro attempt to copy what she¡¯d shown.  The images Mila showed her returned to mind¡ªpried into memories she had no business intruding on¡ªit proved that she was more than a simple apparatus, but all Mila saw was her weakness in sentiment.

    ¡°Ha!  Ha-he-he-he!¡±  Mila roared, doing what she believed would buy her time.  ¡°Look at that pathetic face and tiny body; you were never fit to lead us!  I tasted puke in my mouth every time you would follow Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s departure; heh, that¡¯s why I knew solitude would break you, and I was right ¡­ Ha-ha-ha!  It¡¯s ironic, really ¡­ My punishment for you turned you into the traitor that¡¯s ruining everything I¡¯ve done!¡±

    It did hurt, and she wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªit was ice in her heart, every time the Ke would leave; the stories and struggles of his youth flowing through her veins¡ªit was the most memorable moments of her existence; no one else shared in those private conversations, and she felt special for that.

    Noa responded while tracing the pattern for the next complex weave of runes to be meticulously carved in the air.  You may see me as pathetic, Mila, and you¡¯re right ¡­ I needed the Ke ¡­ our father.  I was trapped in a mold of my own design, and I can¡¯t say our father wouldn¡¯t be disappointed in me, but all I can do is move forward.

    ¡°Again, with your infatuation with the inferior creature!  You were the trial¡ªour test¡ªand we no longer need you!  Disappear!  Ha!  I have isolated the damage!  You cannot win!¡±

    A long sigh puffed out of Noa¡¯s mouth as she stepped forward to watch a simmering display of linked runes in a continual pattern, unfolding as the Matrix Core administrator locks unbound to accept the following command.

    ¡°If you come in, I will slaughter you, Noa!¡±  Mila spat.

    Noa closed her eyes, put a hand against her chest to feel the simulated thumping heart pounding against her ribcage; there was one way to prove her worth to the Ke¡ªher father¡ªand it was before her.  It¡¯s been so lonely, Mila ¡­ but thank you ¡­ I learned something valuable.  Let¡¯s discover who¡¯s path is correct.

    She smiled at the bright-eyed Nalvean boy as he finished, turning to watch the Nexus Eye radiate white light, cycling runes spinning out in a helix, and Noa pointed at her golem, where a scroll of powerful runic language was etched¡ªher actual body¡ªthe one Mila abandoned.

    One more deep breath left her lungs, and she pointed to the accepting runes; her gateway to the throne, and the place she would face the one that sentenced her to a century of solitude¡ªher hold against the silver Quen¡¯Talrat faded as she released her grip, and darkness took her¡ªonce again, she returned to silence.

    Lost in the moment, she made peace with the stillness.  Father ¡­ I¡¯m not the perfect daughter I believed I should be ¡­ I am dysfunctional for your species, but that means you made me flawed for a reason, and I have to accept that.  All I want is one thing ¡­ one¡­

    Warmth bloomed within as information spread through her entire being; she¡¯d been accepted into the Nexus Eye and the matrix opened up before her, yet only one thing took her focus¡ªa throne of gold, alabaster, and onyx that had been infused by every color of the Ke¡¯s council¡ªand Mila sat upon it, looming over her.

    ¡°Noa¡­¡±  Mila snarled, two upper arms straightening her posture, tongues sliding out of her mouths to snap her jowls threateningly.  ¡°You really are a fool!¡±  A cage enclosed her, icy chains wrapping around her small figure.  ¡°If you thought solitude was torture, I will show you real misery!¡±

    Mouth gagged, Noa closed her eyes, allowing the pain to flood her veins.  Father ¡­ I swear, I will step out from your shadow ¡­ I will be my own person ¡­ I will be free to follow my own path.

    Vision opening, she sighed, closed fingers pressing against her lap while staring down at the stunned colossal Quen¡¯Talrat from Noa¡¯s throne.  ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Mila.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±  Mila''s legs collapsed as she fell forward, unwilling to accept what had just happened.  ¡°No, I am ¡­ I have transcended ¡­ I am supreme ¡­ I rewrote the infrastructure ¡­ I am in control.¡±

    Knowing how hard it was to hold it together when one¡¯s world fell apart, Noa floated off her throne to float down and stand in front of Mila.  ¡°In a place, neither of us can reach¡ªthe absolute center of this Nexus¡ªis written the arbiter.  No one can usurp my throne while I am connected to the network, which is what you feared and why you tricked me into exile.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ No ¡­ It¡¯s a lie!¡±  Mila spat, tears forming in her eyes.  ¡°We are progress¡ªwe are stronger¡ªbetter ¡­ smarter ¡­ I am a survivor¡­¡±

    Knowing Mila pinned everything on the Ke¡¯s gem-base formation design to determine what parameters designated the true ruler, just as she had, Noa felt pity for the woman that sentenced her to solitude; she¡¯d genuinely believed in their creator¡¯s philosophy, but she did not understand him at his core.

    Noa held out her hand.  ¡°Work with me, Mila ¡­ We both were wrong; let¡¯s find out what the Ke really wanted of us.¡±

    Mila¡¯s eyes defused, both sets of eyes fixated on her outstretched arm.  ¡°You ¡­ dare question my resolve ¡­ Heh-he-he-he ¡­ Ha-ha-ha!  I prepared for everything¡ªbe NOA¡ªstay in this cage, but I will go on!  I will be more!  I am not done!¡±

    Warnings flashed across Noa¡¯s mind, stiffening her tail as she scanned the megastructure that Mila had designed; she may have control over the network, but that didn¡¯t stop preset functions nor give her a complete understanding of its inner workings¡ªshe¡¯d initiated a purge.

    Noa managed to halt the in-process command, but in a split second it had activated, a majority of the instructions and research Mila meticulously wrote over the century were evaporated, and in her moment of split focus, she¡¯d escaped, using some unknown method to transfer her consciousness out of the Nexus.

    Silence followed as she took everything to a halt, and she stood in solitude by her bitter throne¡ªagain, no brother or sister by her side¡ªstill, she wasn¡¯t completely alone.  Letting the event pass through her, Noa smiled at Edmon, arguing with the Witch named Tiffany.

    Father ¡­ I have found a new home ¡­ one that finally accepts me.

    * * *

    Sar¡¯ollaz</a> stood in the Hall of Mirrors, showing thousands of destinations around the planet, its orbiting spheres, and three nearest globes; there were many surprising secrets to be explored and hidden technology worth their stay.  However, that wasn¡¯t what his focus was currently on.

    Snapping his fingers, a single mirror of interest exited the fused throng to hover to the center; it illuminated, expanding to represent a rather droll scene that, unfortunately, Elinor had unwittingly forced him into.

    Enclosed hands tightened at the God¡¯Roska¡¯s back, blood floating around his face, horns, and wild snow-white hair; there was only one thing of consideration that made this incident worth examining¡ªEdmon holding a divine relic from a Daughter of the Sun.

    ¡°How was the performance?¡±  he asked as white mist collected to his left to reveal Arsheh¡¯s</a> elegant figure.

    The Ralgruthiash bird-like woman was even thin for her race and was considered a goddess on their planet; of course, she practically was considering her age and power.

    Her delicate hands rested against the air as if everything could be made solid, fog-like gown spreading out as she crossed her legs and spread her elegant wings.  ¡°A tad entertaining,¡± Arsheh sang in her sweet voice, ¡°although frustrating that you would have me personally handle such a task ¡­ Is not Elinor a part of the Covenant; should she not be perfectly capable of handling such instances?¡±  she asked, studying the runic A.I. regain her position and present herself to Edmon.

    A low chuckle shook Sar¡¯ollaz¡¯s broad chest; his armor still hadn¡¯t recovered from Elinor¡¯s other-dimensional woman¡¯s solar attacks.  ¡°You must have enjoyed it to be complaining, Arsheh; what were your thoughts on the second A.I.¡¯s performance?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± her neck tilted the opposite way, fingers resting on her lap as their view swapped to a blizzard, where a sizeable silver ape pushed through the storm in her escape.  ¡°There¡¯s potential ¡­ It¡¯s children¡¯s work compared to what I encountered on the moon, but with some guidance, she could have her uses.  Of course, I am no tutor!¡±  she sniffed.

    ¡°Mmh, shame that you are not,¡± Sar¡¯ollaz muttered; as intelligent and powerful the Ralgruthiash was, she was quite self-absorbed and condescending to those she deemed boring.  ¡°Who would you say has the best grasp of this ancient technology besides yourself?¡±

    Arsheh¡¯s left wing tilted forward for her to absently preen.  ¡°Sylez is a fool¡ªI refuse to acknowledge his insights as anything more than guesswork¡ªbut perhaps ¡­ Becdeth</a>, unfortunately.¡±

    ¡°Quite unfortunate,¡± Sar¡¯ollaz whispered.  ¡°What of the weapon?¡±

    The woman¡¯s voice became heavenly as she hummed.  ¡°Without a doubt, the little darling is divine!  I so wish the ritual bond, that you have entangled us in, would have let me hold her¡ªI can taste the knowledge she holds, and it is ¡­ beyond understanding¡ªit must be experienced,¡± she said, reaching out her hand to pass through the weapon as the illusion returned to Edmon.

    ¡°Such is the Song of Peace and Understanding,¡± Sar¡¯ollaz said, waving his hand to dismiss the scene.  ¡°Your fingers are as delicate as ever; I leave you to your own devices.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger; I do love our time together,¡± she chimed, waving a wing before vanishing into smoke.

    Standing in the center of the mirrors for a time, his gaze drifted across the various scenes, and a shiver ran down his spine as his inner bane spoke¡ªBalmuraun wanted specific answers¡ªthe issue was the one he was required to meet.

    He caught sight of Arsheh already on the closest, green covered planet to the globe they currently resided, and a low hissing growl resonated around the room; she¡¯d created a body double to handle his request¡ªRalgruthiash were a somewhat finicky race that hated conflict, not that they were terrible at it, but it simply bored them.  Still, she¡¯d applied the exact pressure required for Elinor to barely make it through her conflict.

    His attention centered on the mirror again as it showed Lexi and Serris¡ªstill alive¡ªthey shouldn¡¯t be.  Once again, Elinor has luck I cannot comprehend ¡­ Where does it come from?  Who is working in her favor ¡­ The Blood Sun?

    The liquid around Sar¡¯ollaz horn flowed through his teeth while rolling his neck and issued his orders to the Oracle; he was transported to a dark cell in a flash of light.  A poorly fashioned machine of ancient design turned to stare at him, a dark chuckle rolling through the well-guarded prison; none of the advanced sensors or Tiffany¡¯s rituals detected him.

    ¡°I said you would return, Sar''ollaz,¡± the ancient dimensional traveling entity engaged, ¡°or ¡­ should I greet Balmuraun; have you taken my offer into consideration?¡±

    He didn¡¯t like this fiend; the creature seemed to know his bane, and Balmuraun had some plan that only the two entities knew, which was something he¡¯d never experienced with the dying old deity of his people.

    Still, he was forced to follow his machinations, yet it puzzled him how the two could conspire when Elinor, a member of the Covenant and that they were bound in the Song of Peace and Understanding, was likely involved.

    Sar¡¯ollaz was no fool, and had his own private plans in motion; paths were opening in this hidden gem of a world where no other place had¡ªSari¡¯a¨¦l and her divine weapon opened a way forward he hadn¡¯t considered, yet there were conditions he needed to understand when dealing with both¡ªthe solution, Elinor.

    ¡°It will take five months,¡± Sar¡¯ollaz begrudgingly relayed.  ¡°Be ready.¡±

    With that, he returned to Sha¡¯Guala to prepare; a significant shift was taking place in this world, and the way forward was to play all sides¡ªof course, the Covenant would be on top in the end¡ªand that included Elinor as a member.

 B3 â€” 18. The Choices We Make

    Edmon¡¯s grip around Milthren¡¯s soothing handle didn¡¯t ease, sensing Jumi¡¯calro and Noa moving to a place in the wall Mila escaped to; the A.I. had directed the Nalvean boy through the process of opening the way to her, and the second she entered, the entire room lit with light before dimming.

    Hurry, Noa.

    His gaze drifted across the thick wall of sapphire mist Tiffany was generating to disrupt the runes from transmitting; the Witch was buying them a bit of time yet there was no telling when Mila would counteract her efforts, and he had to assume she could.

    The technology of this place was far beyond what he¡¯d expected in his worst-case scenario, and their group wasn¡¯t faring well; the ability to create bodies as gifted and powerful as Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma for the A.I. to use was tempting and terrifying¡ªthe possibilities for them to go rogue was not fiction¡ªMila proved how dangerous they could become.

    Still, he had to retain hope in their success as the leader; the possible gains were exponential, yet he couldn¡¯t so much as defend Tiffany after Milthren used so much of his energy reserves, and that concerned him.

    Edmon could barely stand to keep a firm and confident posture while watching Lexi retreat on Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s orders; the Quen¡¯Talrat leader carried Kumi¡¯Raltra¡¯s near comatose body as Yelro¡¯Kuma gave suppressive fire by throwing his flaming axes and Melia¡¯Ia blocked weakened lasers with her heat shield.

    ¡°What are you spacing out for, Edmon?¡±  Tiffany growled, using her orange flames to prepare another set of small ingredients to strengthen her ritual¡¯s effects. ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything¡ªmake an igloo or a wall or something¡ªdon¡¯t just stand there looking dumb!¡±

    A calm rumble shook in his throat, black helmet shifting to observe their expended assault force. Tiffany ¡­ I can barely stand; we¡¯re on our last legs.

    ¡°What?¡± The Witch¡¯s dancing fires stilled as she turned to stare up at him, then at Milthren. ¡°Is ¡­ it really that grim, Edmon ¡­ Am I all that is left?¡± she asked, little straw head drifting between their retreating members. ¡°If so, mmh ¡­ I cannot keep this up for long from this distance and with these ingredients.¡±

    Edmon didn¡¯t respond¡ªhe didn¡¯t have to¡ªhe¡¯d used everything he had to launch that black rod at Mila. In Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s very short exchange with the advanced metallic Quen¡¯Talrat, her group had used a significant amount of their usable energy to throw them back and stall, making it difficult to the Undead to move without further assistance by Elinor¡¯s presence, and their lives were owed to Azalea¡¯s support.

    Rest with what time we have, he ordered, watching Azalea appear through the mist; the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was back in her original form, steam puffing out of her back plates and legs as she slowly moved to observe her damaged younger sister.

    ¡°How is she¡­¡± Azalea tentatively asked as the Quen¡¯Talrat recovered nearby.

    Edmon stiffly shifted his weight to look at Violet¡¯s smoking naked figure; much of her skin had been burned away, showing a hard black and white underlayer which had protected her from the brunt of the radial flames. She¡¯ll live, but it will take time for her to recover.

    Azalea attempted to speak to her sister through the Nexus, yet didn¡¯t get a response. ¡°She¡¯s not responding to me,¡± she whispered, lying next to her.

    No, Violet has entered a restorative meditation to hasten her recovery.

    ¡°Serris¡­¡± Lexi mumbled, shuffling to the unconscious mantis to examine her. ¡°Is¡­¡±

    ¡°Goodness!¡± Tiffany gasped, bringing everyone¡¯s gaze darting to see the little figurine hop to the left and nearly fall over. ¡°Oh¡ªNoa?¡±

    Gut tightening, Edmon fixated on the Runic A.I. as she materialized a few feet away to give them a sad smile. ¡°I have succeeded,¡± she whispered, hands clasped at her front and tail low. ¡°High Lord Edmon, I have retaken my position within the Matrix.¡±

    The lumbering metal ape ceased their jagged twitches in the Witch¡¯s disruptive smoke, but he wasn¡¯t sure where this would go so he kept feeding the corrupting black diamond force. ¡°What of Mila?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± Tiffany mumbled, ¡°you don¡¯t seem to be celebrating the victory¡ªcranberry bits,¡± she hissed as the root she was using finished its slow burn and disintegrated.

    Noa sighed, vision falling to the floor. ¡°Unfortunately, Mila has escaped somehow¡ªI¡¯m not sure how¡ªshe triggered several hidden processes in order to destroy everything she¡¯d built so I could not use it. Now that I¡¯m in control, it looks as if she¡¯d resigned herself to abandon everything long before I came back into the picture.¡±

    ¡°She is not acting like our enemy,¡± Tiffany muttered. ¡°How long can you keep up that power?¡±

    Long enough ¡­ Noa is in control of a colossal and unknown network; we must remain cautious, Edmon returned. ¡°What are the damages?¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡± Noa cleared her throat and straightened, trying to regain a semblance of dignity in reporting their current position. ¡°There is significant internal harm to many sections of the Network due to the corrupting crystal-like substance that is still eating away at the infrastructure.¡±

    Her crescent moon irises tilted to a specific place, showing fractured runes that were on the fritz. ¡°Also, what appears to be a third-party¡¯s involvement has ruined much of the weapon I suspect your allies were concerned about ¡­ Unless, were you working with another group to assault many integral parts of the architecture?¡±

    ¡°A third party?¡± Tiffany growled, small head tilting to look at Lexi¡¯s somber examination of Serris. ¡°It must be from the Covenant ¡­ Sar''ollaz operating from the shadows.¡±

    Likely, but clearly Lexi and Serris were meant to be used as fodder, perhaps even as a means to put Sar''ollaz in a stronger position toward the Empress since they could have easily died in this encounter. It isn¡¯t to the point of plotting against her but maneuvering us into a place where we could be in debt to him for losing his pawns.

    Tiffany grunted. ¡°I respect the effort; I would do the same.¡±

    Edmon shook his head, still maintaining the corrupting energy; if he released it, he¡¯d be able to move unencumbered, yet he needed to be sure Noa was on their side. ¡°I expect you cannot tell who or what did it?¡±

    Her sad gaze drifted to his feet. ¡°No, High Lord ¡­ Mila has done more harm to the Network herself than all parties involved, it seems. I¡¯ve stopped most of the primary issues and tempered the snow apparatus, but it will take a few days for the frost to melt.¡±

    She turned his attention to the still decaying body and burrowed hole he¡¯d created at the end of the hallway. ¡°Umm ¡­ High Lord, I ran the numbers before Mila flushed much of the database; she was so frustrated and distracted because the strength and type of force you used shouldn¡¯t have been enough to overcome the defenses.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Tiffany said, stiffly walking her straw figuring to stand beside Edmon, ¡°are you saying she could have killed us if she weren¡¯t distracted?¡±

    Noa¡¯s lips tightened, black locks shifting against her shoulders while shaking her head. ¡°I can¡¯t be certain, but what I do know is that High Lord Edmon¡¯s attack wouldn¡¯t have penetrated the bulwark to this degree had not another alien power weakened the defenses. Mila was so agitated because this entity or entities knew the runic language¡ªperhaps even to a greater degree than she¡ªthey somehow knew precisely how to evade the sensors.¡±

    Reaching his limit, Edmon released Defiling Black Diamond and felt a massive weight lift off his shoulders; he shouldn''t have been able to use such a skill had not Milthren tapped into it for him. Azalea, did you sense anyone else here?

    ¡°No. Not a whisper,¡± she replied, her mental voice unable to restrain the tiredness she attempted to mask.

    He turned his attention to his exhausted group; only the Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Warriors retained enough stamina to keep going, given how large of a pool they naturally had. Melia¡¯Ia¡ªan Elite Defender under his jurisdiction¡ªswiftly regenerated her energy due to powerful mitigation passives to outlast her enemies.

    A frown touched Edmon¡¯s lips under his helmet. ¡°Noa, do you intend to serve the Empress?¡±

    Noa¡¯s eyes widened, vision darting up with conviction in her voice. ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Edmon pushed.

    ¡°Edmon¡­¡± Tiffany growled.

    I need a clear answer.

    Everyone shifted to look at the Runic A.I. as she took a deep breath, hands tightening against her stomach, and a hollow</a> note entered her voice. ¡°For nearly a century, I slowly decayed in solitude ¡­ All I had were my own thoughts and self-doubt ¡­ Locked in a war I could never win.¡±

    A solemn smile touched her downcast eyes. ¡°It was suffocating, and when the first creatures I could talk to entered ¡­ I learned of my father¡¯s death ¡­ and I felt destroyed ¡­ broken. I¡¯d failed my purpose, yet instead of rebuking me in my weakness, Finila found me and wished to share her own pain ¡­ I am broken, but the Empress accepted me.¡±

    Her focus rose, and Edmon could see hope in Noa¡¯s shimmering irises. ¡°Mila knew exiling me was worse than death¡ªthe loneliness was crushing¡ªand there were times I wished I was dead, but ¡­ I cannot take my own life. It came in waves nonetheless, and my weakness only haunted me. Empress Elinor saved me from myself, and by trusting her, I am once again in the place my father intended ¡­ fulfilling my purpose.¡±

    Edmon wanted to doubt her, yet every twitch of her pained expression and tone showed sincerity. ¡°Is that your end goal ¡­ to simply serve the Empress?¡± he asked, but she didn¡¯t give the response he expected.

    ¡°No,¡± her smile softened, looking down at her human hands and Nalvean scales. ¡°Empress Elinor has told me to fight for something more than just what my purpose was ¡­ to become better for the Empire in my own unique way, and that ¡­ is more than I ever anticipated to hear. I want to be more than a Network Overlord Administrator ¡­ I want to live up to her expectations ¡­ surpass them for her.¡±

    ¡°Beautiful,¡± Tiffany sniffed, likely actually crying. ¡°I love happy endings; to live your life for the Empress is such a jubilant ending!¡±

    A small puff of mist exited Edmon¡¯s faceguard. ¡°Has the danger passed?¡±

    Noa rubbed her palms against her cheeks. ¡°Yes, High Lord Edmon ¡­ Although I am unsure where Mila has gone, I suspect she transferred her consciousness to one of her battle units.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll send out search parties once we return,¡± Edmon said, content by Noa¡¯s addition.

    He looked up at the gray-furred twenty-three-foot tall Quen¡¯Talrat Commander. ¡°Amra¡¯Cora, have those that can carry the exhausted back to Nethermore¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah-ahem, H-High Lord Edmon?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s expression tightened upon shifting to view Jumi¡¯calro tentatively scooting closer. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Can I stay and ¡­ and study this a while longer? There are so many things to consider; I¡¯m just ¡­ I¡¯m enthralled by the majesty of this place!¡±

    A low rumble shook in his throat. ¡°Noa¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Watch him and give me the rest of your report on the way out.¡±

    Noa¡¯s forehead creased, glowing irises drifting to the Nalvean boy¡¯s sharp teeth that flashed in an awkward and excited grin. ¡°Erm ¡­ High Lord Edmon, I cannot understand him ¡­ unlike Finila and Giliri.¡±

    It was a lapse in memory that made Edmon chide himself for. ¡°Right ¡­ Just watch him, and Jumi¡¯calro ¡­ Don¡¯t touch or change anything.¡±

    ¡°Yes! Yes! I will find answers, Lord Edmon¡ªeh, for the Empress! Yes!¡±

    Tiffany¡­

    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± she mumbled, glaring up at the Nalvean as he hurried to scan the flashing and changing runes. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a binding ritual so he can¡¯t betray Elinor.¡±

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Edmon walked back through the path they¡¯d burrowed into the mountain, Noa seemingly able to transmit herself to even the damaged areas with the full support of the runic network.

    The intimidating and powerful metallic apes that Mila designed were unfortunately locked to a specific encryption-like key to operate; luckily, that didn¡¯t translate to the on or off switch, but at this point, they were glorified wasted space and would need to be hauled back into their storage areas.

    In fact, many systems were utterly foreign to Noa, but the important ones for maintaining and keeping the system in operation were all in workable order; energy was bleeding out of areas that would need to be investigated, yet that was for another time.

    Currently, they had a colossal security breach¡ªof their own creation¡ªthat needed to be patched and guarded.

    At the same time, whoever had aided them was skilled enough to evade Violet¡¯s detection, which was their third most potent sensory unit behind her mother and Sari¡¯a¨¦l, both of which were not available; it may not stop the Covenant member, but it put his mind at ease to have at least some form of protection in place.

    To Tiffany¡¯s annoyance, it appeared there was a secondary rot in the powerful Quen¡¯Talrat body Mila had crafted, which the A.I. activated herself once abandoning the vessel; clearly, she didn¡¯t want Noa or them learning anything from the remains. It impressed Edmon how much the rogue A.I. had prepared plans within plans if she was beaten, not by them but the mysterious figure, likely a member of The Covenant.

    They¡¯d only met seven of the group, making six a mystery, yet from what Tiffany said, they weren¡¯t to be underestimated, and if Baxter was their weakest, it showed the colossal power the cryptic association boasted.

    After Edmon brought up the topic of the snow virus to the straw woman, she interrupted the ritual to secure a sample to analyze, and upon returning, she reported the virus hidden in the powder hadn¡¯t the time to mutate to the point of harming anything but creatures with a poor immune response.

    Lamentably, Lexi¡¯s race seemed to fall into that category; the blob of gelatin seemed to have contracted an illness from the snow, and Tiffany released her control over the doll to prepare to receive Violet, Serris, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, and Lexi.

    Upon reaching the final patch of inner hallways in their rise to the crevice¡¯s mouth, Edmon lingered behind to listen to Noa¡¯s full report as the others made their way to Nethermore and Tiffany explained the situation to the Empress.

    Overall, most of the network Noa knew was gone; base functions remained the same, yet it had expanded to such a degree, and many places had their power connections severed by either Sar''ollaz¡¯s agent or Mila herself.

    It would take time to investigate the maze-like matrix running through the sierra, which he¡¯d mainly leave to Noa. He was still needed for bolstering Nethermore¡¯s defenses, and Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s increased knowledge from the A.I. would hasten the restoration.

    Edmon climbed to the hole¡¯s entrance once completing the report, Milthren gripped tightly in his hand; it wouldn¡¯t leave until he could return it to the Seraph.

    A sharp wind blew against him as he looked across the valley of the titanic snow-coated city that was his Empress¡¯ home, and the lingering emotions of Milthren¡¯s test caused his jaw to lock; in the safety of solitude from any other in the Nexus, unwanted thoughts played inside his mind.

    Is Elinor¡¯s father still inside me ¡­ Am I just half of the picture, and we¡¯ll eventually merge? Is it the same for Tiffany? How will that affect her ¡­ Affect Elinor? Milthren, will Tiffany and I weaken our Empress ¡­ If so, what can we even do about it?

    The only answer he received was her melancholy arms holding him from the back; it was neither confirmation nor refutation but a sober realization that just as Noa was broken, so too were Tiffany and him.

    His glowing blue irises drifted to the divine weapon he held, and there was regret in his heart; Sari¡¯a¨¦l was right to warn him of the price in using Milthren. It was a tool meant for creatures such as the Seraph.

    She¡¯d granted him the power he needed; Milthren calculated precisely how much the Covenant member that aided them would help and responded in kind to draw out exactly how much strength was required to fulfill his wishes, yet the price had been a hollowing realization in his soul he couldn¡¯t escape.

    Looking back at the first time he¡¯d awoken, a bitter smile moved his lips. What doesn¡¯t destroy you leaves you broken instead. Is that right, Edmon? I am Elinor¡¯s defense, yet inside me is a poison that could hurt her worse than any blow ¡­ I can¡¯t let her know, and hiding this from her feels like treason in itself ¡­ but I am her shield, and I must protect her¡­ even from her father.

    Stepping into the thick snow, he made his way back to his Empress.

    * * *

    Elinor took in Tiffany¡¯s report while watching the collapsing heavens lighten shockingly fast; a sharp shift in atmospheric conditions seemed to be pushing the clouds to the east to Ri¡¯bot and Ques¡¯k¨¢ lands.

    Camellia soon entered the Nexus¡¯ range, and saliva entered Elinor¡¯s throat; she could feel the damage to her unconscious angel before the girl gave her diagnosis to the attentive Witch, preparing to receive the woman.

    Tight fingers held against her lap, Elinor looked in the direction of the eldest spider sister. She¡¯s burned, and ¡­ Tiffany, is Camellia saying Sari¡¯a¨¦l feels almost ¡­ human?

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Tiffany groaned, instructing Luisina</a> to be ready to offer a small degree of medical aid. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that, but I can give you a more direct answer once I have her before me. Also, I fear Luisina and what restorative rituals I can use will not be nearly enough to return her to consciousness. We will see.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s left arm rose to press a thumb against her lips, glaring at the clearing veil while retreating into her own thoughts. We have so many things to explore and repair ¡­ So many broken things; the potential is so great, though.

    She took a long breath and adopted a small smile, vision drifting in the Nalvean girls¡¯ direction; they snapped to attention upon noticing her gaze. Fini, Giliri, the two of you can make your way back to ¡­ Hmm, she paused, realizing she hadn¡¯t designated a name for the place yet beyond the mountain range. What should I call this runic underground?

    She was asking herself aloud, but Finila responded in a bright voice, eager to spend more time with the A.I. ¡°What about Antiquity?¡±

    He-he-he, Elinor chuckled at the suggestion. That¡¯s an odd name for a facility filled with ancient artifacts¡­ She trailed off, realizing it wasn''t all that off by brand, but sounded strange on the tongue.

    ¡°I suppose,¡± Fini mumbled, vision falling as her scales colored, but Elinor knew she thought it was still a fine choice.

    Giliri grinned. ¡°Oh, what about Life of Dead Things!¡±

    Elinor lifted an eyebrow at the suggestion. Hmm ¡­ It is Noa¡¯s home, so why don¡¯t you go and see if she has any input on the name.

    It was an excellent way to help strengthen their bond to the A.I. and give something more for Fini to connect with the solitary creature.

    Fini¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Oh, yes, I love that idea, Empress! C¡¯mon, Giliri, let¡¯s go!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m coming¡­¡± she mumbled, still going through name suggestions in her head.

    Leave the door open, Elinor instructed as they went, bringing her hands back to her lap.

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡± they responded in unison, arguing about potential propositions.

    Esmeralda</a>, Valerie</a>, and Theresa</a> stood around the back of her throne if she required anything; the Witch and two Songweavers were having an uncomfortable conversation with the unusual teenage girl about her macabre interests, which included dissection, and Esmeralda didn¡¯t spare details about her work with Tiffany.

    Ramuk remained nearby, alert for any danger that might try to assault her, but at this point, Elinor figured there wasn¡¯t much chance of an attack. It was possible Mila would charge straight for her, but considering the profile Tiffany gave of the A.I., she figured the runic creature would sink into the shadows to rebuild.

    Still, Tiffany sent out an army of Unintelligent Undead to scour the mountains and valley for the silver ape vessel she was likely using. They were only suitable for sensory methods at this point, but they just needed to track her path if found, and the undead would return if discovering the A.I.¡¯s location; the units worked in pairs for the second to tail Mila.

    Considering all her Intelligent detachments, Elinor¡¯s wandering gaze fixated on the north; Quin and Valdar were making their way through the mountain range to the old Quen¡¯Talrat homeland to find her followers. Naturally, the blizzard hampered their progress when living Ri¡¯bot traveled with them.

    A little to the southwest, and outside her sharper location aptitude, was Castella, staying attached to Stateswoman Lukuroha and Aluix; the Argent Dawn would still be trekking across the valley and should have escaped most of the storm.

    Emelina¡¯s path along the Wandering River had slowed due to the blizzard, yet she should still make it back to Nethermore before the end of the day.

    Garu hadn¡¯t left the valley, nearing Ang¨¦lica¡¯s position; the Sharpshooter ex-Colombian military woman was still performing her Maid¡¯s duty to Violet, keeping watch over the Maw.

    Beyond Elinor¡¯s ability to properly assess distances were Klaus and Voukey, while Iris was entirely a mystery, presumably at the Nalvean southern border states.

    She was beginning to have groups spaced all across the land, and progress was being made, yet every time Elinor felt she was getting a grip on things, more was around the corner to complicate her plans. I need time and more specialists to better utilize this city ¡­ manpower. Basically, I need to make another trip to the mine, but first¡­

    Prompting her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra throne, Elinor communicated to the three Maids and Quen¡¯Talrat guard. We¡¯ll be going to the basement to check on Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    Without words, they followed; of course, Esmeralda was still rather entertained by trying to make Valerie and Theresa squirm.

    Valerie was terrible at hiding her aversion to the detailed studies the Witch was performing at Tiffany¡¯s command, while Theresa was far more controlled at hiding her distaste for the subject.

    Making it to the elevator, Elinor found it already returned by the Nalvean girls; they were becoming proficient at operating the devices.

    To Valerie¡¯s annoyance, once again, Esmerelda was the first to reach the small crystal; unlike the other Maids, the Witch seemed to enjoy poking her coworkers'' buttons. It was a new kind of entertainment Elinor watched play out that helped distract her.

    It didn¡¯t take long to reach the third basement level, where Tiffany had set up shop in several large rooms; most of the colossal doors were currently closed off, likely in case any rebellious children grew brave enough to try and sneak down here.

    Arriving at an open one with two skeletal Quen¡¯Talrat on-guard, Elinor studied the mostly empty but clean space.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± Tiffany said, absently examining a ritual she¡¯d seemingly just finished crafting; an excited Luisina was by her side, focused on the violet flowers in the center. ¡°I¡¯m currently about to attempt to finish this transmutation.¡±

    For? Elinor questioned, glancing to the side as Ramuk took up a guard position in front of the doorway.

    ¡°For me to heal more!¡± Luisina happily replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to help so¡­¡±

    ¡°No, Luisina,¡± Tiffany crisply interjected, making the girl¡¯s smile turn forced, ¡°this will not help you ¡®heal¡¯ more ¡­ It will simply mitigate some of the side effects, and poorly at this point. Until we can pump it into your veins through an IV and I¡¯ve perfected the proper infusion materials and process¡ªthe potency¡ªugh, it¡¯s trash made as a tea.¡±

    ¡°Eh-heh, but it will help a bit!¡± Luisina encouraged, retaining hope.

    ¡°Hardly¡­¡±

    Elinor waited as she performed the ceremony, and not long after, Antonietta entered the room with a portable cart holding tea ingredients; the Head Cook took the slightly burnt flowers and crushed them into the mix that Tiffany heated.

    However, the show was soon swept away from Elinor¡¯s mind when Camellia rushed through the door, Ramuk making way for her; it was hard seeing the glorious angel in such a state.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s elegant wings were missing a significant number of feathers, and what remained were burned, mostly blackened; not just her feathers, but the unconscious woman¡¯s skin was blistered and red.

    A frown touched Elinor¡¯s lips when Aileen came running in after, tears in the twelve-year-old Maid¡¯s eyes; no one had told her, but the girl likely felt her nearing and saw the woman¡¯s state as Camellia darted through the entrance hall.

    ¡°Is she going to be okay? What happened to Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡± she cried.

    Theresa moved to comfort her.

    Well? Elinor asked as Tiffany¡¯s analytical orange flames surrounded the heavenly being; everyone¡¯s gaze was on the fallen Seraph.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I¡¯ve never studied Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s physiology before this, but she¡¯s not Undead like the rest of us ¡­ I can¡¯t say how she¡¯ll do¡ªit¡¯s far out of my league¡ªyet we will try what we can.¡±

    Elinor nodded, and Luisina drank the tea before holding up her palms for sparkling purple lights to condense into butterflies that would carry the girl¡¯s healing projections to land on the angel¡¯s damaged skin.

    Everyone held their breath, and a lilac aura surrounded the Seraph; not a feather returned to her wings, yet most of the boils and blisters were turned to dust, mending much of her wounds.

    A sigh of relief passed through the throng, but to Elinor¡¯s surprise, Tiffany was already mothering Luisina into a silken cot Camellia had made for her, and sure enough, the blackened butterflies returned, injecting poison into the girl¡¯s veins.

    In a shockingly short time, Lusina¡¯s face grew sickly, yet there was a smile on her lips. ¡°I just need a¡ªa little time, and then I can¡­¡±

    ¡°Rest,¡± Tiffany cut her off, but not soon after, she¡¯d fallen unconscious.

    Aileen¡¯s big, concerned eyes darted between the two. ¡°Will they¡­¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be fine,¡± Theresa soothed. ¡°We should leave Tiffany to work without interruption.¡±

    ¡°Yeah ¡­ okay,¡± Aileen mumbled, Valerie taking the girl back up to the main floor. ¡°Can I visit?¡±

    Elinor responded since the girl¡¯s questioning gaze was on her while being guided out. I¡¯m sure many people will want to help take care of her ¡­ Let me think about it.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    It didn¡¯t get better; Violet was in a terrible state, as well, possibly worse than Camellia had been, and Azalea had passed out halfway back, requiring the Quen¡¯Talrat unit to carry her. The middle spider sister just needed more energy, which Elinor could provide, but a fatigue counter prevented her from fully restoring the arachnid; on the other hand, Violet would require some time to heal.

    In the end, they¡¯d come out on top, but at a heavy price to her stronger units; Edmon would have protested if he were nearby, given their depleted upper-support, yet they needed more manpower, and she didn¡¯t want to let her Death Energy hit the cap to be wasted.

    In addition to Noa being brought into the Empire through this gambit, she¡¯d likely gained quite a bit of experience to be used, and at this point, she had to consider how best to utilize it. Still, the next few days would be centered on recovering from the damage they¡¯d sustained and preparing for the conflict between Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Orinvia</a> in a week.

    She couldn¡¯t rest, though; her Empire needed to grow, and she was the only one who could accomplish that.

 B3 â€” 19. Never At Peace

    Silence stretched in the dim, doleful room as Elinor observed Tiffany prepare the various rituals across the recently cleaned unique black granite floor.

    Esmeralda¡¯s light brown hair was bouncing in its ponytail as the teenage Maid jogged out of the room, dress fluttering in her exit; she¡¯d been flitting left and right to support Tiffany as the only other member of the Witchery Class, gathering ingredients the Grand Ritualist sent her to fetch.

    The girl was basically the woman¡¯s full-time attendant at this point, considering how busy Elinor¡¯s Royal Court member had become.  From what she could tell from the private dialogue between the pair, she was involved in setting things up for Tiffany and maintaining certain parameters between three rooms of ongoing rituals.

    Theresa stood to Elinor¡¯s right on the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra throne she used, serenely awaiting any support she might offer her.  She was the model of composure and grace, much like Emelina.

    Elinor¡¯s mind was drifting between actions needing to be taken and developing a priority list; currently, if her Death Energy continued to rise at its consistent rate, which wasn¡¯t likely but given the previous three day¡¯s averages, it would be another six hours before it was filled.

    Her experimentation with the Zombies had drained her, and naturally, a crisis had occurred not soon after.  The number of issues that had plagued her since arriving on this planet flashed through her mind; it was one problem after another, and she couldn¡¯t deny the pressure had increased her growing Empire to gain significant ground, but at the same time, threats were stacking up against her.

    Taking in air, she filled her artificial lungs and let it ease out in a steady stream, vision shifting to the silk bed Camellia was finishing for the unconscious Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    What is the benefit or harm in letting the people know of their beloved symbol¡¯s fall?  On the one hand, it allows them to develop a stronger attachment to understand how hard we¡¯re fighting for their sake and allows them the chance to feel as if they can help in some way to aid in her recovery.

    The world went dark as she closed her eyes, resting her knuckles against her cheek.  On the other hand ¡­ Their invincible angel has fallen, which could diminish faith ¡­ It could lead to division in ranks and cause strife between groups.

    Of course¡­  Her glowing green irises shone while cracking open to stare at the holy woman, blackened feathers and still somewhat blemished skin drawing her gaze.  It all depends on how it is framed.

    In the Grand Hall of the Palace, Valerie consoled the innocent 12-year-old German girl the other Maids doted over; it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Songweaver returned to continue aiding Elinor, but the Empress¡¯ mind was on the young Maid as she contacted Lucky to connect her thoughts.

    The charming young man was going over living concerns with some of the Ri¡¯bot Chiefs; her sight remained on the resting angel while addressing him.  I¡¯d like your opinion on something to see if we share the same results.

    The man¡¯s delighted voice returned, pausing the meeting with the Chiefs and having them take a short respite.  ¡°You have my undivided attention, Empress.¡±

    She took a moment to ponder her question¡¯s framing.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l has been injured in a recent conflict; she will recover, but her primary complication is her drained energy.  Still, I am concerned the sight of her tattered and burned wings or slightly burned skin will cause unrest.  Do you believe I should conceal her until she has recovered in a week or reveal her condition?

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ to make a proper assessment, I¡¯d need more information,¡± Lucky concluded, cheer diminishing as the news.  ¡°She will recover?¡±

    As far as I am aware, completely.

    ¡°What is the status of our enemy?¡±

    We are victorious and gained a great deal from the exchange, but she escaped; she shouldn¡¯t be a problem for some time, and we have search parties in pursuit.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Who caused her wounds?  It will be important in how things are framed.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s own power once her energy was diminished.

    ¡°I see ¡­ So, it was a conscious choice on her part that took everything she had ¡­ I believe spreading the information slowly through the ranks in a positive light will cause quite a state of concern, and it can be done in a manner that shows we are not in danger.

    ¡°It is Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s recovery that will be on their minds, and seeing it will strengthen their faith; right now, there is a depression sweeping many hearts among the humans and rising concerns for the Ri¡¯bot.  However, this can bring everyone together.¡±

    Elinor could resonate with that sensation</a>; the humans were forced into this unforgiving world.  Their lives hadn¡¯t been perfect¡ªfar from it, in fact¡ªthe Columbia backwater village was a difficult place to grow up in, she was sure, but at least it was familiar.  In this new place, all they saw was their powerlessness, and while she could provide protection, Sari¡¯a¨¦l was their symbol of hope for a brighter future.

    To the Ri¡¯bot, the angelic figure was the light to her darkness, and it provided a contrast between their One Above All; it was challenging to change how they felt toward the other clans when their skin color was so ingrained in centuries of hatred.  Still, by pure power, she¡¯d forced them to submit, and it showed their faith in the divine was more founded than their grudges.

    However, having a constant reminder of the light of day and the brightness Sari¡¯a¨¦l provided was the thing that kept them steady in that belief.  Elinor was the unshakable power and the Seraph the healing light that wrapped them into a protective cocoon.

    Her lips lifted a little at the opinion; he trusted their stability at its core.  My thoughts are to allow Aileen to discuss it and let it spread throughout the day and then have you address it as it comes to your attention.  At that point, some of the off-duty Maids can bring her up; she¡¯s physically recovering with the aid of Luisina, so her burns should be minor by then.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze drifted to the woman¡¯s spread six wings; the metal-like parts were still intact yet singed, but it was the peaceful expression that captured her attention.  Her blackened and missing feathers will be the most memorable sight.  We can show her healing each day; plus, their building faith may even help hasten her recovery.

    Her liaison between the Undead and Living held his peace for a time as he thought on her words.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Would it be possible to allow her to spend time with them once she wakes?  Having her presence near would ease their minds if they can observe her among them for a day or two.¡±

    Knuckles shifting against her cheek, Elinor pondered the advice.  I can¡¯t promise that because there is a significant battle coming up for Sari¡¯a¨¦l two days after her expected recovery.  It is possible, though, and if we are fortunate, no other critical incident will happen.  We need time to rebuild our strength.

    ¡°Understood.  I will proceed in that light.  Is it appropriate to address what you are doing to further set their minds at ease?¡±  Lucky tentatively asked.

    Edmon will give you instructions on what to share when he returns in regards to the spoils of war, but Sari¡¯a¨¦l should take the bulk of the conversation, I¡¯d assume.  If it will help comfort their hearts to know what I am doing, it is gathering more soldiers and Quen¡¯Talrat operators to rebuild this city and uplift their standard of living.

    Lucky forced a chuckle.  ¡°I do not envy your position, Empress, and what it is you seek to accomplish ¡­ I respect you greatly for the burden you carry for us.¡±  Clearing his throat, his tone brightened again.  ¡°I will do everything in my power to keep the relationship between the Undead and Living as stable as possible.¡±

    I leave it in your hands.  How is Gwen fairing?

    ¡°She¡¯s an angel herself,¡± Lucky mused.  ¡°She¡¯s become a pillar in the Ri¡¯bot, human, and Yaltha¡¯ma communities.  Between Mauricio¡¯s flexible craftsmanship providing basic needs and fixing or repurposing necessary items taken from our world to Antonietta filling their bellies with much-needed healthy, hot, and good tasting, might I add, food, things could be worse.¡±

    Raising her head a little to track some of her Lesser Court members, a contemplative smile lightened her cheeks.  How is Leonora doing; I hear she spends time with the teens at Gwen¡¯s request.

    ¡°Ah, heh, the Artist!  Yes, after her projects with Violet in decorating the Throne Room and Grand Hall, she has found a place in aiding the boys and girls express themselves through artwork, whether through creating odd plant-based clothing, painting, or designing sets for a play they¡¯re trying to develop.  It usually comprises two hours out of their day between groups.¡±

    Wonderful.  I look forward to the performance whenever they feel comfortable acting it out.  Now, I¡¯ll leave you to your meeting.

    ¡°All is for the Empire,¡± he returned in a vocal bow as she retracted herself from the conversation.

    Thus far, the Palace had been the best place to conduct their operations and protect her citizens, but that would need to change soon; they needed a more permanent home for the humans and Ri¡¯bot in the various districts surrounding the structure, and that would only happen if the city was secure.

    In addition, to break down cultural barriers, it would be best to not keep the various races segregated, yet she also couldn¡¯t force that decision, or it could generate a divide.  It would be a tricky situation for Lucky to handle in the coming days.

    There was always too much to do and not enough people to accomplish the work, and all of her most powerful soldiers were being chipped down by the day; even as Undead, there was a limit to what they could manage in terms of upkeep.

    Camellia had moved on to creating a bed for Violet, and Tiffany had a blood sacrifice to further enhance the Seraph¡¯s regeneration.

    Elinor sighed, drawing Theresa¡¯s gaze as Esmeralda led in a hypnotized big furry animal the size of a horse to be used as the Witchs¡¯ fuel for their ritual; Tiffany had become far more adept at making her victims tame for the life-stealing work she did.

    Feeling somewhat better knowing there was a plan in place, Elinor waited fortyish minutes until Amra¡¯Cora entered the Nexus¡¯ range and the thirty after to make it through the city streets; her troops were transporting the injured back to the Palace.

    Naturally, the colossal apes wouldn¡¯t be missed, which would spark conversation, unlike Camella¡¯s dashing and soundless movements that went almost undetected, and even if she were spotted, all that could be seen would be a giant cocoon.

    She moved out of the way for Amra¡¯Cora and her unit to bring in Violet, Azalea, Serris, and Lexi.  From what she could see, the mantis and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra webmaster were in the worst state, and Serris appeared to be simply exhausted, much like Azalea.

    Elinor¡¯s jaw tightened upon seeing her talented silk weaver assassin; the girl¡¯s skin, clothing, and hair had been evaporated by the emerald flames of the perfected Quen¡¯Talrat Mila created.  Violet¡¯s white and black shell beneath her human figure showed signs of cracking and what almost appeared to be melted in a few places; she looked nothing like the enthralling gothic girl Elinor knew.

    How is she?  Elinor asked, vision sliding down her damaged body; it was somewhat concerning that she was still in the transformation after their journey.  Why isn¡¯t she back in her original form?

    Tiffany¡¯s orange energy enclosed the girl, lips tight as she examined her.  ¡°So far as I can tell ¡­ Not good.  She¡¯s fighting exhaustion from simply keeping herself alive.¡±

    I can provide her more, though?  Elinor asked, watching Camellia anxiously hover around her sisters while trying not to get in Tiffany¡¯s way.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ You can try, but we¡¯ve never attempted supplying your depleted units with more energy.  I suspect there is some limitation on it.¡±

    We won¡¯t know until we try, Elinor stated, knowing it would set her back a little on her goal to return to the mines.  Violet is worth every bit of Death Energy I¡¯ve collected.

    Lexi reformed into her miniature form, sluggishly weaving back and forth where the apes had set her.  ¡°W-Where¡¯s Serris ¡­ Is she okay?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus was entirely on Violet, and green flames birthed around her left arm while shifting her legs in the opposite direction; butterflies flew out of the light, Lexi trying to fixate on the flapping representations.

    They fluttered down to Violet¡¯s chest and landed¡ªnot one was absorbed¡ªshe couldn¡¯t give the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra extra energy.  She confirmed it by sending some to Amra¡¯Cora, waiting for further orders by her side¡ªthe emerald creatures sank into her gray fur¡ªViolet was restricted while Amra¡¯Cora wasn¡¯t.

    Tiffany followed the butterflies with a tight expression; Camellia accepted it while both of her sisters¡¯ were closed off from support.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ As far as I can tell, reaching a certain threshold of exhaustion prevents an Undead from receiving aid until a specific time has passed¡ªpresumably, they must be conscious.¡±

    Jaw tightening at the news, Elinor cursed in her heart.  Is there nothing I can do?

    ¡°So far as I can tell ¡­ No, I will need to prepare more restorative methods to hasten her renewal, but it¡¯s going to take time ¡­ Perhaps more than even Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  Azalea should be back up during the daily reset, but I fear her health will not be well; I suppose this is the price for pushing an Undead beyond their reserves.¡±

    I ¡­ guess I¡¯ll leave them in your care¡­  Her aggravated gaze drifted to an apprehensive Lexi.  What of the Covenant soldiers?  I know I¡¯m asking a lot of you and Luisina, but we can¡¯t be indebted to Sar''ollaz if that is indeed his plan.

    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    Tiffany breathed out a long stream of air as Camellia blurred into action on her prompt to make more beds for those that needed rest.  ¡°Come here, and let me get a look at you¡­¡±

    ¡°O-Okay ¡­ I, umm ¡­ I¡¯ve never seen Serris hurt herself so bad¡ªshe, eh ¡­ she can utilize every muscle fiber independently to increase her speed and strength, but ¡­ but it comes at a price,¡± she whispered, hugging herself as two flames snapped into existence around the Witch to surround the gel girl.

    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Tiffany¡¯s left eyebrow lifted.  ¡°Well, don¡¯t you have a rather ¡­ an interesting body ¡­ Oh, yes, you do!  I could use you for all sorts of things,¡± she mused, a gleam sparking in the Grand Ritualist¡¯s illuminated orange irises that clearly made Lexi panic a little inside.  ¡°In fact, you might be able to help me hasten Azalea and your friend¡¯s resurgence.¡±

    Lexi¡¯s gray, fatigued color shaded a light purple at her fright.  ¡°Uh ¡­ If¡ªIf I can help, umm ¡­ I will ¡­ What are you going to do to me?¡±

    ¡°More on that later,¡± Tiffany said, intrigue and excitement in her voice again.  ¡°Your friend ¡­ has a complex weave of tightly bound elastic muscle fiber that is rather unique ¡­ and they¡¯re shot.  I suspect she will not make a full recovery, given normal circumstances, but your castle in the sky surely has the technology to help in that regard.  Correct?¡±

    ¡°Mhm!¡±  Lexi swiftly nodded.  ¡°Yes, we ¡­ Umm, there is a bit of a problem, though¡­¡±  she mumbled, head lowering to the stone floor.  ¡°We, eh ¡­ we don¡¯t have a way back anymore.¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Tiffany nodded with understanding.  ¡°Right, your ride was turned to ash; I remember Edmon saying ¡­ Well, hmm¡­¡±  She turned to Elinor, a frown on her lips.  ¡°We ¡­ do have the rod Sar''ollaz gave you; he might send a party to retrieve her, as well?¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t guess what the creepy devil was planning, but this was not on her agenda.  I¡¯m not going to use that to be his delivery girl ¡­ No, if he wants his people, he¡¯ll have to come to get them himself.  Until then, you said she could have her uses¡ªI¡¯m a member of the Covenant¡ªput her to work.

    ¡°As you command,¡± Tiffany giggled, positively thrilled to have a new subject for experimentation.  ¡°I¡¯ll be gentle so as to not harm her intended purpose.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus returned to the three Spider Sisters; she had the energy to burn, and from here, she couldn¡¯t do anything of use.  Camellia, Amra¡¯Cora, do you feel up to escorting me?

    ¡°So soon, Empress?¡±  Camellia asked; she may have been worried about her sisters, but the question was directed at the risks of venturing too far from the center of what she saw as their nest.  ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we wait for High Lord Edmon?¡±

    Amra¡¯Cora was a soldier instead of a princess and ambush predator, though.  ¡°At all times, Empress!  Are we going into hostile territory?¡±

    Elinor was already turning around her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra throne and heading for the door; Valerie was almost back to the room, and if she didn¡¯t do something, Elinor knew she¡¯d grow insane.  She had to get stronger¡ªher one fear was to end up alone, and she knew that all too well, which spurred her to do better.

    It will never be safe ¡­ We can only do what we can at the moment, and that means I must push on.  Fearing risk will blind me to what is happening around my kingdom, which will do no one good.

    Tiffany watched her leave with a sad, understanding smile, Camellia running after her and transforming into her human state to jump onto the back of her throne.  ¡°Stay safe, Elinor,¡± she whispered just between them.

    Amra¡¯Cora, Ramuk, Melia''Ia, and Yelro''Kuma took up a square formation around her, leaving Kumi¡¯Relta, their exhausted Hunter, to rest in Tiffany¡¯s makeshift infirmary.

    Elinor¡¯s mind flicked between the units she had across the continent; hundreds of Undead scoured the northwest mountain range, searching for the elusive escaped Runic A.I.  Tiffany had sent Rigrach to command the hunt; the Uncommon Jukal had his uses, despite his mind-grating manner of speech.

    Valerie joined them, receiving an update from Theresa as they moved up the stairs to the Great Hall, and Elinor¡¯s gaze settled on Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s twenty-three-foot-tall colossal figure.  The armor she wore showed signs of damage but seemed to have done well enough for being, as she put it, an outdated model.

    The Elite Quen¡¯Talrat Unit of the Gray Bloods was quite the force, and she somewhat regretted the number of troops she¡¯d brought to the Nalvean Empire.  Lecra''Moro¡¯s loss to their group was a significant blow to their synergy.

    Lecra''Moro was their assassin, which provided information and strategic, in-combat tactics to give the silent ape a distraction to land critical blows.

    Melia''Ia was Kumi¡¯Relta¡¯s shield as the Hunter could find just about anything he was put on the trail of¡ªunfortunately, the battle exhausted him¡ªbut they all had to adapt.

    Her right hand rose to press against her breast; the lingering feeling of Lecra''Moro and Imiunarus¡¯ spirits being ripped out of her Nexus had felt like a chunk of her heart being dug out of her chest.  She didn¡¯t want that pain to return, yet knew that was wishful thinking.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze hardened, teeth grinding together; that didn¡¯t mean she¡¯d let it happen so easily.  She straightened her posture as they neared ground level, mind finding Camellia to put the thoughts behind her.

    How are you feeling? she privately asked.

    Camellia was on high alert, keeping her senses sharp in an attempt to live up to her sisters¡¯ expectations.  ¡°I was supposed to skate on the ice and play in the snow with Azalea once she returned.¡±

    Reading between the lines, Elinor hummed.  I¡¯m also concerned about them, but we both know your sisters are not so easily killed.

    The crimson-eyed girl was silent for a few seconds.  ¡°Empress ¡­ All my life, only one enemy ever harmed my sisters ¡­ To feel this weak is very new to me,¡± she whispered.  ¡°I am glad that my mother is not here to see the state Azalea and Violet are in; they would be mortified.¡±

    Elinor knew she was speaking from experience, and her green irises lifted to the colossal floors on either side of the Great Hall; more than a few dozen humans and Ri¡¯bot were looking down, speaking softly to one another.

    It must have been agitating being forced to remain inside when word spread that she¡¯d called for them to take emergency shelter; hopefully, this would be the last time.

    From what I hear, even your mother would have found their battle challenging ¡­ You saw Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s state.  I am proud of their accomplishments ¡­ And they returned to me alive; I couldn¡¯t have asked for more.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress,¡± Camellia whispered, but their conversation took a sharp turn as the girl paused.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ Empress, the snow has turned to rain.  Should I construct one of those umbrella things that the children showed me?¡±

    That would be wonderful, Elinor smiled; the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were more valuable than she could have dreamed.

    Her smile grew as the girl¡¯s hair spun around her head and around Elinor¡¯s throne, blooming as the drone continued her chosen direction to form blood-like veins that branched out like a tree before weaving into a cover.

    ¡°I ¡­ am sorry for its crudeness,¡± Camellia mumbled, self-conscious of her spin compared to her younger sisters.

    It¡¯s perfect, Elinor laughed.  I rather enjoy this style; anything else on a dead spider mount would seem off-putting.

    Camellia¡¯s mood brightened a tad.  ¡°I am honored you enjoy it!¡±

    Elinor was a little surprised by the lack of sound the rain made against the silk as it was guided into a stream to their back, and Camellia did her best to imitate her sister¡¯s clear webbing¡ªit wasn¡¯t flawless; red lines were seen here and there¡ªbut it was more than acceptable to keep out the wall of water in their race through the swiftly melting snow in the warm shower.

    Peering past the shield the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra had crafted, Elinor heard the rumble of thunder roll through the clouds, yet no bolts could be seen in the high heavens.  A strong current in the upper atmosphere showed fast-moving</a> vapor billowing across the sky toward the east¡ªshe¡¯d never seen anything like the unnatural waves.

    Do we have weather control now?  That could be very useful.  The winds allowed slight outlines of Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s</a> illuminated underbelly for a few seconds before it was obscured again.  What are you planning, Sar''ollaz?

    Her attention went back to the clearing streets; unfortunately, Camellia¡¯s dream of playing in the snow with her sisters would have to be on the mountains because whatever Noa was doing, it was sprinkling warm water across the jungle, returning it to the status quo.

    Time went on as she traveled to the train; her Death Pool wasn¡¯t even half full as of yet, but it was returning surprisingly fast when compared to her initial expectations due to a boost in Death Energy from the Ri¡¯bot in the Nalvean Empire.  The day had started, and they were the major suppliers in the fishing trade; every kill they made gave her a sliver of that life force.

    The truly shocking thing to Elinor was Edmon¡¯s delay; the train was missing when she arrived at the site, and according to Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s examination of the operation room¡¯s runic display, it was making its return.

    ¡°Elinor?¡±  Edmon whispered, connecting to the Nexus again.  ¡°Is there an issue?¡±

    No, but I cannot stay still and wait any longer ¡­ I¡¯ve decided to meet Noa and get an assessment of my own, and once that is one, I will be sifting through the dead in the mines for more prospective operators that Nethermore needs.

    A low hiss breathed through Edmon¡¯s connection to her.  ¡°I ¡­ suppose I cannot dissuade you.  So, I will¡­¡±

    Return to Nethermore and continue to secure the city, she ordered.  I know you are concerned for my safety, and so am I, but Tiffany told me you are nearly spent as it is.  Given our current circumstances, you are best suited to get our home under control.  We must take the risk now ¡­ while we still have time.

    Edmon didn¡¯t respond for a second, and she could hear another long stream of air leaving his lips.  ¡°It is a practical plan.  Remain vigilant, Camellia, Amra¡¯Cora, and watch Jumi¡¯calro, Elinor ¡­ He hasn¡¯t been properly sealed to not betray the Empire, and he can manipulate the labyrinth.  I left Finila and Giliri to watch over him after you sent them, but he was connected to Demon.¡±

    I¡¯m well aware, Elinor said, and caught sight of the fast train as it closed in on the docking area; her bodyguards gave private assurances to the Doom Guard that they wouldn¡¯t allow anything to happen to her.  Rest, Edmon, and direct the work in Nethermore.  I will return with reinforcements for you to use in time to meet with Emelina.

    ¡°I will anxiously await your return.¡±

    She could feel Edmon¡¯s discomfort, working through every new crack in their ever fracturing defense; he patched one side only for another to open, but that was a part of his job in the Court.  Elinor couldn¡¯t help but linger a second to study the divine weapon in Edmon¡¯s hand, now in the shape of a frost dragon.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s ax?

    ¡°Mmgm,¡± he held it up as they met.  ¡°It is dangerous ¡­ Very dangerous.  No one should touch her except for Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ I don¡¯t wish to hold her again, despite the comfort and power Milthren gives, the price is too steep.¡±

    It must be, Elinor muttered, sensing the division in Edmon¡¯s core.  Hmm ¡­ Don¡¯t push yourself, Edmon.  I need you.

    A half-smile touched his glowing blue eyes, helmet shattering in ice to reveal her father¡¯s handsome face.  ¡°I never intend to leave your side, Elinor.¡±

    Good.

    Breaking away, they went to their own tasks; the Doom Guard may not have liked leaving her safety in an already spent force, but there was no one else that could match the group.

    She took the train to the mine, pausing to examine the fortress and closed gate that led into the mountain depths; they¡¯d go to the quickest route that would bring them into contact with the A.I. who had joined her Empire¡ªthe path that had drawn them together.

    Amra¡¯Cora quickly found the controls to open the gate from the inside; it wouldn¡¯t work on the way back since they didn¡¯t know the code on the opposite side.  Although Camellia could scale the walls and open it.

    In a way, the method made her giggle, bringing back memories of being locked out of her house¡ªleaving her key on her dresser that morning when she was twelve¡ªand she used a neighbor''s ladder to reach her window to get inside.

    Luckily, she¡¯d also forgotten to lock her window, and naturally, the alarm her parents never failed to set went off, and in her panic, she¡¯d fallen and bruised her butt.  Her mother thought it was funny¡ªher father, not so much.

    Mood somewhat lighter once they reached the break in the wall that would carry them into the labyrinth, Elinor¡¯s gaze wandered over the piles of insect corpses Noa had stockpiled; they¡¯d come in handy at some point, she was sure.

    Since this section of the network was likely broken by Mila to isolate Noa, it took another hour or so to reach the destroyed area where they''d first met the rogue A.I.  It was blocked off, but Camellia quickly got to work and easily cleared the way enough for them to get by.

    It had passed noon for this world, being 15 P.M., and was now likely somewhere between 1 P.M. and 2 P.M.  Much of the morning had been filled with turmoil, but now they could put that behind them.

    Noa met her on the opposite side, a pleasant smile on her lips, and Elinor rather enjoyed her lunar appeal.  ¡°Empress, what a pleasant surprise!  I apologize for not clearing out this mess; I am still getting used to operating the few worker units I have at my disposal and cataloging the Matrix.¡±

    ¡°By no means am I here to rush you,¡± Elinor chuckled, peering past her at the well-illuminated, golden room beyond; it had gone through a color change.  ¡°Can you transmit yourself to multiple people at a time?¡±

    She nodded, looking fondly at the walls.  ¡°I felt so cramped for over a century, and now ¡­ now it¡¯s like I¡¯m in an endless, unexplored ocean.  Mila expanded the Nexus beyond anything I imagined.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you,¡± Elinor said, relaxing a tad with the A.I. beside her.  ¡°If it won¡¯t impede you, can you tell me a little¡­¡±

    A familiar shiver</a> pulsed through her bones as a soft, feminine voice breathed into her mind, dilating Elinor¡¯s pupils.  ¡°What a fascinating place¡­¡±

    Not a second after, a deep, charming male voice followed.  ¡°Empress, it has been too long.¡±

    She glanced to her left and right, but Camellia, Amra¡¯Cora, and Noa didn¡¯t seem to hear the dual voices, yet just as she was about to open her mouth, a hollow tapping came from the room ahead.

    Everyone¡¯s focus darted to the place, Noa¡¯s eyebrows pulling in as Elinor swallowed the sticky saliva gathering in her throat.  ¡°I ¡­ I can feel vibrations in that direction that distort my sensors.¡±

    ¡°An enemy?¡±  Amra¡¯Cora asked, gray flames erupting across her armor.

    Ramuk jumped forward with Camellia.  ¡°Stay with Melia''Ia, Empress!¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Elinor forced a sigh, gut tightening as the memory of this creature¡¯s specter-like chill returned to her Undead heart that put quakes in her chest.  ¡°Why are you here, Bacdeth</a>?¡±

    The golden ceremonial spear that was large enough for some of her Quen¡¯Talrat to use hovered in the air; the smoking thurible</a> at its butt swayed as the spear shifted the opposite direction, causing the metal censer to tap against the ground.

    Her guard froze instinctively as the overwhelming presence of the creature encompassed them; it emerged out of the haze, its words like fingernails and cotton balls caressing their minds.  ¡°I have come to spend some time with our newest addition¡ªfor peace and understanding,¡± it mused, voice flopping from female to male as the gold neck piece of a human face smiled.

    Elinor couldn¡¯t take her focus off the gaping mouth of countless teeth, writhing, vine-like tentacles of various sizes weaving in slow motions that could be the abomination¡¯s head; dozens of black eyes moved along the disturbing appendages with a life of their own.

    Time dilated around them as the rest of the figure materialized through the flaring incense; its torso still hidden behind a thick black cloak, two gray hands curled around its weapon, and the lower end of a grizzly hairless beast made its appearance.

    Five hand-like jaws opened to reveal monstrous teeth of all sizes, and a low hum reverberated through Elinor¡¯s core, soothing the initial horror by playing a feminine whisper through her being; its mind-grating existence eased from its initial impression upon their souls as if a void that spoke to the lost.

    Her sophisticated and pulling voice left a hypnotic note ringing in the air.  ¡°I do find this apparatus ¡­ captivating.¡±  A slight twist of its neck brought a sinister twist to the mask.  ¡°Elinor, will you accept my help?  I only wish to understand the pulse in your breast.  Won¡¯t you let me?¡±

    When I thought I was finished with them, Elinor internally grumbled, attempting to keep her composure.  ¡°If you¡¯ll answer a few of my questions ¡­ truthfully.¡±

    ¡°Oh, how delightful!¡±  she chimed, voice swapping to male.  ¡°I only speak the truth; where shall we begin?¡±

 B3 â€” 20. A Cryptic Messenger

    A scratching, primal fingernail plucked inside Elinor¡¯s breast as the living nightmare circled its spear to the left, thurible barely tapping the black granite floor and generating a sound that played a dark pulse through the air.

    Becdeth¡¯s monstrous jaws clicked against one another, a deep chuckle reverberating with the noise.  ¡°Perhaps this form is a tad overwhelming¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s emerald irises drifted between her guards, her natural resilience helping to combat the fiend¡¯s petrifying madness; her Mythickin Passive of True Sight allowed her to peer through some of the illusions the entity crafted, but she suspected even this was only what her mind could currently comprehend, much like Apollo¡¯s form.

    Camellia, the Quen¡¯Talrat, Noa, her maids, and even her undead, mindless drone were stricken by the augural allure of the entity¡¯s baneful aura, so all-consuming it engrossed all thought to the unnatural being.

    A mix of ebony and ashen smoke swirled from the creature¡¯s metal censer, obscuring its body, and the dualistic draw and repulsion lessened as the mist hid the sinister fiend; once concealed, the overwhelming lulling of the horror¡¯s hypnotic trance weakened to the point her followers could move again.

    Still, Elinor knew it was a trick of the monstrosity to quell its prey into a state of ease.  She could still feel the bone-chilling vibrations of the nightmare¡¯s presence if she listened closely.

    ¡°E-Empress,¡± Noa whispered in terror, hugging herself while fixated on the crawling fog, ¡°I can feel its touch ¡­ Everywhere ¡­ A miasma creeping through me ¡­ It¡¯s impossible to stop.¡±

    Taking a long, calming breath, Elinor let it go in a slow stream.  ¡°Becdeth won¡¯t hurt us so long as you are a member of my Empire ¡­ Bear with it if you can.¡±

    Imperial Presence remained intact, her fingers tightening against the sides of her throne.  ¡°That being said ¡­ What kind of help are you offering, Becdeth?¡±

    To her surprise, a cloaked figure exited the mist; the fiend¡¯s beast-like legs were gone, yet mixed smoke continued to froth from the frayed black cloak that concealed its body.  Becdeth¡¯s golden mask wore a smile, now rounded like a human head and showing a mane of aurelian hair flowing down its covered back.

    Its mouth didn¡¯t move as the nightmare¡¯s feminine voice drifted through their thoughts.  ¡°I do hope this presentation is to a greater extent more amiable than my previous restrained bearing.  Do you accept this aspect?¡±

    Elinor forced a smile, knowing she was already a bit too deep to turn it away, and the fiend couldn¡¯t move against her; she had to retain her composure.  ¡°I¡¯m hesitant to accept anything more from you at this point.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm ¡­ A wise decision to take when dealing with most of the entities from my home Existence.  However, we are bound by fate, in a dance brought together by none other than a being one could say, he-he-he¡­¡±  Her voice turned masculine.  ¡°... Transcends that which is known ¡­ Most appropriate, might I add ¡­ I¡¯ll ask again, do you accept this aspect?¡±

    Clearly, he was referencing Apollo; pondering her words, Elinor carefully stated, ¡°I accept the way you look at this time.  What help are you offering?¡±

    Becdeth¡¯s ladylike tone radiated a gentle melody that drew Elinor back to times of her youth, yet when she spoke, her mind was snapped out of the reverie.  ¡°Perhaps it would be better to show you¡­¡±

    The cloaked figure drifted to the wall, pulling all attention, and Becdeth¡¯s gray-skinned hand slid through the front fold of her cloak to press against the black granite.

    Noa jolted, stiffening as every inch of space around them erupted with runic symbols; the A.I.¡¯s crescent moon-like eyes went wide, but her petrified horror soon turned to wonder, and she gradually relaxed.

    ¡°It¡¯s so cold!  I ¡­ No, please, not ¡­ What are you¡­¡±

    The flood of runes pulled Elinor¡¯s focus with the rest of her guard as they began spinning around them, Noa¡¯s mouth parting in disbelief.  ¡°How are you doing that?¡± she whispered in awe.

    A foreboding curl twisting her lips, Becdeth¡¯s abyssal hollow eyes narrowed.  Her soft, soothing voice turned motherly and made Elinor¡¯s gut churn.  ¡°Watch and experience the artistry of each flowing curve and point.  Do you hear the lingering melody surrounding you?¡±

    The saliva in Elinor¡¯s mouth thickened as her sense of direction scattered; in an instant, her position to all of her subjects changed.  The runes drifted apart, revealing an entirely new environment; they¡¯d teleported.

    ¡°Amazing ¡­ It¡¯s so beautiful,¡± Noa mumbled, zoning out a little before snapping back to the present, blinking, and shaking her head.  ¡°I ¡­ I never knew there was such a design!¡±

    Amra¡¯Cora and the other Quen¡¯Talrat shifted uncomfortably, scanning the colossal barren grand hall they¡¯d been transported to.  ¡°I do not recognize this place.¡±

    ¡°No, I recognize some of this architecture,¡± Melia¡¯Ia returned.  ¡°It¡¯s reminiscent of a section in your mother¡¯s keep.¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it ¡­ It bears some resemblance ¡­ It was destroyed by the Avana, though.¡±

    Elinor turned away from the chuckling horror to bring her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra throne into a full circle; the area hummed with various colored runes, but these were far larger and more complicated than the ones they¡¯d seen in the hallway.

    Gauging their location by her distance to Tiffany and Edmon while comparing it to the map she¡¯d been shown of the surrounding landscape, she figured they were somewhere on the east side of the Crown of Meridian, as Sari¡¯a¨¦l named the colossal mountain at the heart of this network.

    ¡°You teleported us?  Hmm ¡­ I suppose it is a good function to have, but my retainers are going to be in a panic that I instantly changed locations.¡±

    Noa adjusted her gown, tail flicking to the left while looking around.  ¡°Ahem, Empress, I can send Giliri to inform High Lord Edmon¡ªit will just take me a second to find my way back through the Dark Zone¡ªit¡¯s simple to connect to a point I¡¯ve visited.¡±

    A small smile touched Elinor¡¯s sober expression.  ¡°That would be wonderful, Noa.  What is the Dark Zone; are they the parts you haven¡¯t explored?¡±

    She nodded, lips still parted a bit; Elinor assumed she was trying to catalog the area.  ¡°Mhm ¡­ It¡¯s hard to push out with the amount of power I¡¯ve been able to access from the Nexus, given Mila¡¯s tampering, but I am slowly making progress ¡­ I have informed Giliri, Empress.¡±

    Vision sliding to Becdeth, she momentarily wondered if he could be manipulating Noa against her but soon dismissed it as another form of attack the Blood Sun wouldn¡¯t allow.  ¡°Why bring us here, Becdeth?¡±

    ¡°It is a point of interest for you, I am sure,¡± he said, and Elinor saw his ceremonial spear had appeared by his side when she hadn¡¯t been looking.  ¡°Feel free to explore as we talk ¡­ He-he-he, you might find a few hidden surprises.¡±

    Silence ensued as she examined the space; it was somewhat similar to the Palace¡¯s Great Hall, yet there were only three floors, and they were placed a bit higher than the other.  No stairs or exits could be seen, and by the high walls blocking sight on each upper level, the room appeared more suited for combat than luxury.

    High above them was a ruby-colored metal ornament with embedded black gems and eight large white crystals of various shapes orbiting the spinning object.

    Between the intricate web-like design of the piece was an acorn-shaped crimson jewel that dripped what appeared to be blood onto the metalwork.  As she watched, the liquid flowed in arcing patterns from the black gems to the orbiting white, turning them scarlet for a moment before the color faded.

    Behind them was an enormous black granite door with runic symbols of red, rustic, and gray etched in large patterns to create a massive shield emblem that matched the one on Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s throne</a>.

    Leave it to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma to develop a rune that would symbolize himself, Elinor mused, opening their channel to the others to participate in her inquiries.  Is there anything more you or your troops can tell me about this place, Amra¡¯Cora?

    ¡°Not much, I fear, Empress,¡± she responded, and each of the Quen¡¯Talrat shook their own heads.  ¡°How the upper walls are fashioned make it look similar to the fortress architecture that my mother¡¯s castle had¡ªthis zone appears to be a death trap¡ªbut there doesn¡¯t seem to be any place to reach each level.¡±

    ¡°Mmh-uh,¡± Camellia interjected, jumping down into a jog, placing her hand against the floor, ¡°I sense movement all around us ¡­ The stone we stand on may seem solid, but it¡¯s actually a form of hardened liquid that is constantly in a shift at a microscopic level ¡­ It¡¯s unlike anything I¡¯ve felt in Nethermore.¡±

    Liquid?  Elinor¡¯s narrowed eyes drifted to the pillars and runic symbols as Becdeth observed, floating in the air beside its weapon; to her sides, Valerie and Theresa stood ready to aid her in anything she might need, but she could sense their unease in the fiend¡¯s presence.

    Turning to Noa, she asked, ¡°Have you delved into the network of this place yet?  I am told the ground is liquid.  Is that true?¡±

    Noa nervously scratched her left bicep and puffed out a frustrated sigh.  ¡°These runes are ¡­ very unique, Empress ¡­ I¡¯m trying to decipher their purposes and combination effect ¡­ It¡¯s just¡ªthey are quite complicated compared to what I know, and from what I can tell, this wasn¡¯t originally connected to my Nexus, but Mila found it and brought it into the grid.¡±

    Not receiving any satisfactory answers, Elinor¡¯s gaze went to Becdeth.  ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll bite ¡­ What makes this place so important to me?¡±

    Becdeth¡¯s feminine voice drifted through the colossal hall, or it could have been her imagination because it was as if she spoke directly into Elinor¡¯s brain.  ¡°It will be quite the prize once further research is conducted ¡­ I am simply pointing you in the right direction.  Observe¡­¡±

    Noa¡¯s hands tightened against her breast with glee as all the runes faded, and in the next instant, the floor below Elinor¡¯s feet separated to float into the air, bringing everyone to the third level on the immense square that had been cut from the ground.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never even guessed you could use gems as a conductor like this ¡­ To use with anything ¡­ No, it¡¯s the medium ¡­ It¡¯s so complex!¡±

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    ¡°Patience,¡± Becdeth soothed, shifting positions to face the A.I.  ¡°It is a symphonic rhythm that pulls you into a harmonic ballet ¡­ Do not watch ¡­ You must experience the dance ¡­ Its attraction and gentle pressure lead you into rapture.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ I can feel it,¡± she breathed.  ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ It¡¯s so much bigger than I thought.¡±

    ¡°Excellent, you are grasping the basic structure.  Now ¡­ take control.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus was drawn to the wall above the giant double doors as it drained of color, becoming transparent to reveal blazing light, and, to her shock, she found a frozen courtyard.  The edge dropped off into a chasm, and the only path up appeared to be from enormous black chains that sank into the icy sheet, the scenery endorsed by a light snowfall.

    Rising from her throne as the floating slab stopped, Elinor sent her drone to the end and held out her hand; in wonder, her fingers slid over a cold invisible barrier¡ªthe stone wall was still there.  ¡°How customizable is this fortress?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm,¡± Becdeth drifted forward to hover beside her.  ¡°Incredibly, and this is only touching the surface.  Is my aid worth your attention, Elinor?¡±  he questioned, a mysterious smile on his holden lips.

    Vision narrowing, Elinor¡¯s focus returned to the wasteland.  To their right was a gigantic steaming lake, and illuminated through the mist was a floating ball with dozens of flaming purple gems, drawing the liquid and steam in before shooting it into the atmosphere; the black construct glistened like the stars.

    ¡°This is all fascinating, Becdeth ¡­ but I can¡¯t help feeling all this is just a show to make me more comfortable around you.  If you only speak the truth, it would be prudent to keep me dancing along to your tune by distracting me.¡±

    She shifted posture to glare at the sinister entity.  ¡°You were coy about it, but you mentioned the Blood Sun ¡­ What do you know about that, and¡­¡±  Her thoughts returned to the conversation with Apollo regarding dimensions.  ¡°Were you implying you¡¯re not from this Existence?¡±

    Feminine cadence mixing into its words, Becdeth¡¯s golden hair shifted to look at the dispersing smoke around its ceremonial spear, and the creature snickered.  ¡°The way to Magthera is always open to the blind ¡­ You must listen closely to enter the forbidden Realm of Dreams and go beyond the Wall of Sleep to reach that which is beyond understanding.¡±

    All she understood was that it wasn¡¯t from her Existence, much like Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    Sending a private message to her agitated guard and maids, still taking up a defensive posture around her, Elinor prepared herself for what was to come.  Relax as best you can ¡­ Becdeth will be treated as our guest.  Tiffany explained the conditions of our contract with the Covenant.

    ¡°Yes, Empress, but this ¡­ this thing¡­¡±  Amra¡¯Cora whispered, unsure if it could hear their mental communication.  ¡°It isn¡¯t natural, and we have been taken to a foreign place against our will.¡±

    I know ¡­ Take the opportunity as a training exercise and grow.

    The Quen¡¯Talrat shivered at the prospect and challenge, rebuilding their courage as the horror waited and watched.  Camellia was keeping her focus fixated on the eldritch being, undead hearts thumping with agitation in her chest, and both maids tried their best to remain composed.

    Clearing her voice, Elinor shifted to look at Noa, still taken in by the new tricks the creature taught her.  ¡°Becdeth will be our guest; likewise,¡± she said, vision turning to the fiend, ¡°I expect you will be civil?¡±

    A lump dropped down Noa¡¯s throat as shivers ran down her frame, following Becdeth¡¯s descent to the slab¡¯s ground; its arms and feet were still obscured by a night-black cloak with golden symbols woven into the torn fabric.

    ¡°I have no intention of being anything but courteous, Empress Elinor, and now I will ask, will you heed my advice and accept my help?¡±

    Elinor shifted her drone to the side, appraising the sinister nightmare.  Considering Apollo¡¯s explanation on how one transferred Existences, a question came to Elinor¡¯s heart; she needed to understand more about this creature before going further.

    ¡°I have more questions.¡±

    ¡°By all means, ask away,¡± he smirked, moving to gaze across the arctic landscape.

    Collecting her thoughts, Elinor took a deep breath and returned to her throne.  ¡°Have the crystals infected your Existence if, as you say, the way is always open ¡­ When we first met, you said you¡¯re searching for a prize that couldn¡¯t be named, or it fled into the darkness ¡­ Is that why you came to my Existence?¡±

    A deep chuckle from Becdeth seemed to oscillate her bones.  ¡°A wonderful memory, Empress ¡­ Indeed, there is something that was stolen ¡­ Something related to you, in fact.¡±

    Masculine voice returning, his amusement fell a tad.  ¡°The Sinking Deep operates in mysterious ways, Elinor ¡­ A glimpse I have seen in the lingering touch surrounding you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Elinor asked, suppressing a shiver.  ¡°You don¡¯t mean the Blood Sun, do you?¡±

    His golden mask shook ever so slightly.  ¡°He-he-he ¡­ No, Empress ¡­ No, it is the gentle touch of that which radiates within you.  A map that you must look to that is hidden inside that which must be unsealed.¡±

    Ladylike tone taking over, a gray-skinned hand slid through her cloak to caress the hovering spear; only darkness could be seen within.  For a split second, Elinor witnessed dozens of black, soulless eyes covering the cracked flesh, yet one blink, and they were gone.

    ¡°It is this that is my primary purpose for entreating you ¡­ Eventually, you will allow me to observe this missing key I require, and it is my desire to prompt you to open such a path.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s expression tightened.  ¡°Allow ¡­ because you can¡¯t force yourself into me by the Blood Sun¡¯s protection?¡±

    ¡°Rightfully paranoid, heh-he-he.  It matters little as to the reason,¡± she whispered, hand returning to the shadows.  ¡°I was born of the darkness ¡­ granted eyes within the dreams of the Sinking Deep to recover that which was taken, and friend or foe ¡­ Our fates were meant to be crossed.  Now I see Destiny¡¯s hand in the vision of the gate, you see as a crystal, which brought us together.¡±

    She drifted forward, hollow eyes narrowing.  ¡°My purpose is clear.  Speak your next question.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to Noa as Becdeth turned to the quivering A.I.  ¡°I¡ªumm, this is so grand that ¡­ Umm, was it you¡ªyou¡¯re just so skilled¡ªI was wondering if you helped the Empress return me to my position?¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Elinor hummed, studying the horror.  ¡°Tiffany mentioned there was interference, likely by the Covenant.¡±

    Becdeth¡¯s mane of golden hair swayed with his head again, voice deeper and bolder.  ¡°Not I, Empress, but another of the Covenant.  However, it is not for me to tell.¡±

    ¡°Did Sar''ollaz send you?¡±  Elinor pressed since the fiend was answering her questions.  ¡°And if so, why is he forcing you to help me?¡±

    ¡°Empress, Empress,¡± he soothed in a patient tone, ¡°You misunderstand ¡­ Sar''ollaz has little I desire to compel me to do anything that does not fall into my interest.  He resents the position you have unwittingly put him in and my honesty, which was why he reluctantly chose to implore my support in aiding you.¡±

    An unnerving twist came across Becdeth¡¯s mask.  ¡°I rejected his proposal.  I do this for our future association, Empress, not his personal machinations that do not appeal to my ¡­ appetite.¡±

    Knowing the Devil was having trouble with his own organization told Elinor how volatile these entities were; Sar¡¯ollaz was nothing to scoff at, as her Seraph made clear, yet Becdeth had no reservations about rejecting the creature.

    Elinor relaxed a tad, beginning to better grasp the dynamic between the Covenant members; Becdeth¡¯s motivations were simple, despite the enigma that shrouded the entity.  ¡°So ¡­ Basically, we¡¯re operating on a credit basis, is what I¡¯m understanding?  What if I choose to not repay it, or my value for your assistance is worth less than you expect?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm,¡± her head and lips tilted the opposite way, thoughtful voice softer again, and golden locks swaying with the motion.  ¡°Needless concerns ¡­ Our paths will align, so the Harbinger has spoken in my dreams.¡±

    ¡°And who is this Harbinger ¡­ Is it your overseer or ruler?¡±

    ¡°Mmh, it isn¡¯t so defined in a manner you would grasp ¡­ The Harbinger is that which speaks for the unknowable, supreme, and abhorrent ¡­ In the depths of the abyss, there lies the voice of The End¡­

    ¡°The waking cannot grasp that which is beyond concept and form ¡­ One must question themselves, are they strong enough to transcend to see ¡­ Are they brave enough to enter the Dream to reach the esoteric ¡­ Are they strong enough to survive the fracturing of Intelligence and Law to expand outside limitations and reason?¡±

    Elinor sighed, but her vision became sharp.  ¡°I suppose you¡¯re saying it¡¯s above my comprehension ¡­ I can accept that at this point.  So, can you tell me why Sar''ollaz is forced to support me?¡±

    ¡°Naturally, his Law,¡± he chuckled, his spear slowly twisting in the air.  ¡°You are a member of the Covenant, and as such, are protected by that position.  In addition, Sha¡¯Guala is in a far more vulnerable state than Sar''ollaz would like, which means an apparatus, such as Noa, is as much a threat as a convenient tool.¡±

    Masculine voice returning, he glanced toward the invisible wall.  ¡°As a member of the Covenant, Empress, it is also expected of you to safeguard its base of operations.  Give and Take ¡­ Such is the law of the Covenant.¡±

    Satisfied by the answer, Elinor folded her fingers across her abdomen.  ¡°I enjoy this transparency, Becdeth, and I can see why Sar''ollaz might be aggravated that he was required to send you ¡­ Why is that, by the way ¡­ Could not Bo-Ko</a>, Aidrh¡¯ruz</a>, or some other member be sent?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately for Sar''ollaz, or perhaps it better to say by Fate¡¯s design¡ªhe-he-he¡ªno one else was available, nor willing to accept his request ¡­ He is bound by his Law; we, to a much lesser degree our own.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ If that is the case, where do you rank, and the current power structure?¡±

    ¡°I am numbered in the Covenant hierarchy at four, Empress,¡± the amused feminine voice responded.  ¡°Most unfortunate, I cannot explain that which does not pertain to me; although, I can say those ranked higher, and that of myself, have no interest in such concepts as contending for such a purpose.  We have simply obtained our high station due to the passage of time ¡­ he-he, and the passing of members.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ So, you¡¯re saying those lower than rank five struggle for power and position, but you and the top three are powerful enough to not be unseated nor concerned at the prospect.  Very well,¡± she looked down at the fiend while her followers watched with apprehension, ¡°I suspect a part of this meeting was to get acquainted.  No?¡±

    Becdeth rose into the air, turning to face her.  ¡°You adapt swiftly with the aid of those seeds within you ¡­ Careful, Empress, I have two final things to impart to our newest addition.¡±

    Trying not to fidget at the nightmare¡¯s growing ominous presence as it prepared to leave, she swallowed the saliva that gathered in her mouth.  ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡±

    ¡°First, what you seek is within this fortress ¡­ Take time in searching its secrets; it appears the one you call Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was quite invested in this project, and there is much secrecy hidden within this place.¡±

    ¡°Second¡­¡±  Her voice deepened, hollow eyes narrowing.  ¡°I see betrayal during a time of great need in your future, Empress.  Be cautious of your secrets ¡­ Even to those you trust most.¡±

    Naturally, as could be expected from such an entity, Becdeth faded into mist before its otherworldly presence utterly vanished.  ¡°We will meet again in the sleep, Dark Child of the Outlands; I pray for the moment spilled blood and undead tears are sacrificed upon your charred hands ¡­ May fresh snow bury you in the Sinking Deep, Last Empress of the Dead ¡­ there is a dream left to cling to.¡±

    Letting his parting chill wash through her, Elinor suppressed a quiver; she sat in silence for a time, vision lingering on the frozen wasteland.  Cryptic creatures are the worst.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Noa, can you open the way for us to search this fortress?¡±

    The girl nodded, black, azure highlighted hair bobbing with the motion.  ¡°Yes, Empress!  Umm, I¡¯m ¡­ perplexed about what to think of this Becdeth creature.¡±

    ¡°As am I, Noa ¡­ We can¡¯t waver, though.  I want someone who can fix my city and your network.  How much have you been able to learn about this place?¡±

    Noa¡¯s eyes drooped with her tail.  ¡°Not much, I¡¯m afraid, Empress ¡­ I was given a basic understanding of the very advanced systems by your guest, but it is far outside of the scope I typically function at, and I need to learn the designs.  It¡¯s challenging even to map the basic structure and floor plans ¡­ It is this liquid stone-like substance that is taking a lot of my Cores to process.¡±

    ¡°I understand.  Is it possible for you to develop and expand yourself?¡±

    ¡°It is ¡­ but time is required, and further research into possible avenues Mila discovered or research the Ke left, which I suspect were the basis of her advancement.¡±

    The floating stone platform returned to the ground, melding into it, and a passageway to their left opened into a wide hallway that went past sight.  ¡°Should we start here?¡±  Noa asked.

    ¡°As good of a place as any,¡± Elinor sighed.  ¡°We can walk; I want you entirely focused on scanning this place.  Camellia, if you sense anything, bring it to our attention.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    ¡°Good ¡­ Now, let¡¯s find our rune expert.¡±

 B3 â€” 21. A Prize

    Elinor shifted in her throne, scanning every inch of the hallways they passed; a breeze drifted around them, keeping the air fresh, which was an interesting detail.  However, Elinor¡¯s attention began to wander with every passing minute in silence.

    In the ten minutes that followed, nothing of importance stood out to her as Noa¡¯s big eyes continued to scan the identical passageways.  At this point, the only thing that drew Elinor¡¯s mind was how incredibly massive the place was; even Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s Palace would be considered modest given the width and height of these halls.

    She couldn¡¯t distract herself with any variance since the black stone was utterly smooth, not showing any indication of mortar.  It actually seemed that this place was just one piece of semi-liquid stone, shifting beneath the layer of solid granite they walked on, and eventually, Elinor brought their company to a halt.

    Leaning against the side of her silken throne while breathing in deeply, she centered on the A.I.  ¡°Is there really nothing to note, Noa?  Every opening you¡¯ve made is just a straight hallway.¡±

    The woman floated around, spinning in a short circle to look at various areas.  ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ just so complex¡ªand yet so simple¡ªI keep looking for a deeper meaning, but it¡¯s very unembellished ¡­ beyond anything I¡¯ve connected to, but ¡­ yes, there¡¯s nothing really all that special, given the phenomenal base.¡±

    Figuring this was her translation ability at work, a low rumble shook Elinor¡¯s throat.  ¡°How so?  Also, can you make the wall invisible again?¡±

    ¡°Umm, I can do a section; one moment, Empress¡­¡±

    Elinor took her party to the left to stand by the unassuming black granite wall, and once up close, she noticed the tiny yellow speckles that infused the unusual stone; it took a few more seconds for the A.I. to drain it of color, forehead creasing with concentration.

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Her glowing emerald irises flicked between various points of the vast bubbling lake; they¡¯d gone a decent way, which made her wonder just how immense this structure was.

    To her left were the glowing cliffs, curving forward to be seen from their angle, and beyond the light snowfall, she could see a frozen wasteland of what appeared to be glaciers; steam hissed out from between them, puffing dark red clouds into the air that settled back into a thin mist as far as she could see in the storm.

    They were a tad higher off the ground than by the doors, showing a descent in terrain.  Still, the only thing that could be seen on the floor was a thick sheet of misty ice.  She had a better view of the floating artifact sucking in the body of water to expel it into the atmosphere, yet nothing of further significance really snatched her eye.

    ¡°We¡¯re in an enormous structure that puts Nethermore¡¯s buildings to shame¡ªI can hardly imagine living in something like this¡ªthe hallways are as large as the Palace¡¯s Grand Hall, yet I¡¯m more fascinated by what¡¯s outside of it ¡­ I¡¯m disappointed so far.¡±

    Her vision still taken in by the exterior, Elinor¡¯s gaze wandered between several colossal black metal chains that shot out of the lake, the hazed snowfall, and the visible fissure¡¯s cliff that ran between the structure and land, attaching to ringlets that appeared to be connected to the side of the grand line.

    She searched the opposite shore, but the links seemed to be the only path to reach the fortress.  ¡°Is this just an unfinished project of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma?  I can¡¯t see him hiding away something he was proud of, which means something important must be here.¡±

    Noa forced a chuckle, looking to the Maids, Quen¡¯Talrat, and Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, still on high-alert, scanning in every direction.  ¡°It really is strange, Empress; In all my life of dealing with runes, I have never seen something so intricate and well-constructed.¡±

    The dark-skinned woman paused, looking to the ceiling.  ¡°Hmm, I suppose that¡¯s not entirely accurate ¡­ The Ke created one such design at the core of my systems, but this is so much more expansive, which shocks me¡ªalthough, considering the signatures I¡¯ve identified, I can say I should not be surprised.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s attention immediately returned to the floating runic woman.  ¡°You know the architects?¡±

    The A.I.¡¯s lips became a line.  ¡°Mmh¡ªI wouldn¡¯t say I know the architect, but I have heard of the specialist group ¡­ The Twelve Runic Sages.¡±

    A flash of recognition passed through Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s connection to Elinor, pulling her gaze; there was a nervous twist to the woman¡¯s stomach that was rare.  ¡°Oh?  There is somewhere to start, Noa ¡­ Can someone tell me more about these sages.¡±

    Black locks shifted against her bare shoulders, Noa turned to frown at the black hallways.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid I only know the Sages from the Ke¡¯s complaints; he had a challenging time getting the masters of the craft and his star pupils to work together¡ªquite a bit of trouble¡ªand there was the issue of how eccentric they were.¡±

    She grimaced.  ¡°Heh, at one point, he ranted that without him, they¡¯d be nothing but fools, arguing about what is the most effective way to activate a crystal¡ªtrying to save a fraction of a percent on its power, and in the end, nothing would get finished.¡±

    ¡°Not wrong.¡±  Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s expression became pained, causing a few of her team members to snicker in her direction as the atmosphere lightened.  ¡°I could see it in the Ke¡¯s frustration ¡­ My time under Grand Runic Scribe Alua¡¯Kana¡¯Ra in the academy was not the most pleasant.  He had a disdain for my mother.¡±

    Head tilting to face the woman in her chair, Elinor rested her cheek against her knuckles; this was the first time she heard about something like a Grand Runic Scribe in the Quen¡¯Talrat job listings or an Elite Hunter academy.

    ¡°Did he take it out on you?¡±

    Air hissed out of the giant ape¡¯s teeth, her nose twitching.  ¡°Not exactly¡ªhe expressed agitation toward my mother because, to him, my talents were wasted in a combat unit.  The Grand Runic Scribe wished for me to take more of an interest in the Runic Art since he believed I had an innate talent; this was during my basic Elite Hunter examination upon his return from the Northern Conquest.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s emerald irises wandered back to the bubbling lake; Amra¡¯Cora was the daughter of the Silver Queen and had a rough time living up to her mother¡¯s legendary name¡ªit was all the woman wanted¡ªbut unfortunately, she didn¡¯t inherit the same physical prowess as the influential leader of the gray-furred apes.

    ¡°Becdeth said what I sought was here.  Do you think that Alua¡¯Kana¡¯Ra could repair Nethermore to its former glory, Amra¡¯Cora?¡±

    The woman took in a deep breath before puffing it out and rubbing her trunk-like left arm.  ¡°Without a doubt ¡­ Alua¡¯Kana¡¯Ra is among the greatest Rune Scribes the Ke ever taught¡ªhis right hand in education on the matter.  Eh ¡­ however, being able to accomplish it in a speedy time ¡­ that I highly doubt.¡±

    ¡°Mhm ¡­ Is that because you believe he will get caught up in reworking the entire grid to his personal taste?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress ¡­ I have no doubt he would make improvements, but his fascination with expanding the known knowledge of runecrafting and branching away from the Ke¡¯s teachings caused conflicts between the two¡ªwhich always left the Sage bloodied¡ªyet he rarely changed his mind on topics.¡±

    Noa chuckled.  ¡°I can agree with that assessment¡ªbased on the Ke¡¯s characterization of the Rune Scribe¡ªalthough ¡­ Eh, yes, Empress; currently, I can only sense three hands that have worked on this network, and Alua¡¯Kana¡¯Ra is at its base with two other members of the Twelve Runic Sages ¡­ Let¡¯s see ¡­ Alua¡¯Kolo¡¯Lana and Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana.¡±

    Melia¡¯Ia hissed beside her commander, shifting around her shoulders.  ¡°The Sage Twins¡ªnot my favorite of the Sages.¡±

    Elinor smiled as the Quen¡¯Talrat party began bouncing off each other; Noa seemed excited to join in when she could.

    Yelro¡¯Kuma rolled his burning ax in his hands while standing to Elinor¡¯s right, glaring down the corridor.  ¡°When I was in training, our barracks was unusable after the first day because the Twins had conducted unauthorized research regarding some experimental offensive and defensive runic arts ¡­ Hacking Alua¡¯Kana¡¯Ra¡¯s system, which caused his entire grid to enter a feedback loop which paralyzed anyone who entered.¡±

    ¡°Mmh!  Good times!¡±  Ramuk laughed.  ¡°I was in my second year of training when that happened¡ªmy class tried to overpower it as a challenge¡ªhe-he, only I managed to last more than five minutes before being pulled out by vines.¡±

    ¡°I do recall that story from the Ke,¡± Noa jumped in.  ¡°It was that incident that caught his eye and accelerated the Twins to their Sage status, despite their young age of twenty-eight.¡±

    She rose to the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s level as they looked at her, and Elinor could still see the uncertainty in Ramuk¡¯s gaze about how to feel toward the runic A.I.  A rumble shook in the Elite Soldier¡¯s throat as he acknowledged her statement.  ¡°Yes ¡­ rumors were that Alua¡¯Kana¡¯Ra hated the twins because they were able to bypass his security protocols¡ªthat first incident took him two days to remove the affix they¡¯d implanted since they refused to do it¡ªeven after punishment, and laughed at his struggles.¡±

    Having heard enough about the legends that took part in this structure¡¯s runic grid, Elinor¡¯s excitement grew.  ¡°Are you saying any of these Sages can restore the city; they don¡¯t only specialize in a singular area, correct?¡±

    ¡°They do,¡± Amra¡¯Cora mumbled, ¡°but they are prodigies of the Ke, having learned every runic style; each Sage excels at different topics but knows enough to cause trouble for one another in their own fields and provide a different perspective ¡­ even if not always right.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±  She rolled around her neck and stretched out her arms while pondering her.

    ¡°From what I heard my mother discuss, the issue came when one makes a decent suggestion on another Sage¡¯s subject¡ªthey would resist out of pride, seek a better solution, and thereby set back projects by weeks.  There were a lot of headaches the Elite Hunters were forced to handle when incidents occurred between them.¡±

    ¡°I can care less about domestic disputes between them,¡± Elinor smiled.  ¡°I only need one¡ªmore is welcomed¡ªbut from what you¡¯ve told me, they would be invaluable.  Can you find the center of this fortress, Noa?¡±

    They turned to the nervous woman as she backed up under the pressure, shifting to the side to peer at the unseen.  ¡°Umm ¡­ this place just keeps going, Empress, and it¡¯s so dense, despite being fairly minimal on runes, in general.¡±

    The woman floated ahead, spinning around in circles with her arm clasped behind her back.  ¡°Eh ¡­ maybe?¡±

    ¡°Meaning?¡±

    Noa¡¯s crescent irises lingered on the smooth black stone to their right.  ¡°I think this entire fortress is more or less just built into a grid format; it is customizable and has yet to be properly shaped.  I don¡¯t think Mila was able to do much with it¡ªI bet she lost interest out of pride the moment she realized it was the Sages who oversaw the project.¡±

    She swallowed, vision returning to Elinor.  ¡°It¡¯s so dense and vast it just makes my mind spin.  Let¡¯s see ¡­ the unique style of Alua¡¯Kana¡¯Ra is very different from what the Ke based my design on, but overall, it is fairly uniform and barren of ¡­ How would I describe it ¡­ casual living runic features?¡±

    ¡°In short, a new and incomplete project.  Hmm¡­.¡±  Elinor¡¯s focus drifted to their right. ¡°Can you create a sort of transparent elevator and take us to the top from the outside in, so we can better grasp what we¡¯re dealing with?  Surely, there¡¯d be something at the top.¡±

    A frown touched the dark-skinned woman¡¯s lips.  ¡°It ¡­ won¡¯t be the fastest route, given my inexperience, but give me a moment ¡­ To a degree, it¡¯s as if I¡¯m learning how to work in a language that¡¯s familiar ¡­ but it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°No rush, Noa; I understand, and I¡¯m not angry at you ¡­ Becdeth could have been more specific,¡± she whispered, glaring toward Nethermore.  ¡°As of now, we only have two goals; first, identify what we are in, and second, find one of these Sages ¡­ I can¡¯t see Becdeth going through all the trouble he did and making such an elaborate story to troll me.¡±

    Her teeth clamped together as an unpleasant thought crossed her mind, forcing her eyes closed and fingers to rub her temple.  ¡°Unless ¡­ this is some form of elaborate hazing for new members of the Covenant, and they¡¯re laughing at me while in their floating city.¡±

    Anger flashed between her escort, but Elinor curbed the indignation with a short sigh.  ¡°In the end, Becdeth has shown us something of interest, and right now, it seems like a good lead.  We¡¯ll follow it through.¡±

    ¡°Is there anything you¡¯d like me to do?¡±  Camellia asked, eyeing Noa sliding her hands across the invisible wall while mumbling to herself.

    Pondering the question, Elinor shot a few questions in the dark.

    ¡°Can you smell anything?¡±

    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ No, Empress ¡­ So far as I can tell, nothing has walked these halls, but considering the cleansing elements carried along the wind, I suspect nothing will be detectable beyond an hour or two.¡±

    ¡°And there hasn¡¯t been a single hint of a threat since Becdeth left ¡­ So, there really isn¡¯t much you can do but remain vigilant.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress¡­¡±

    Elinor felt a little bad for the sizable, armored spider as her body dropped a little; she needed something to take her mind off of her recovering sisters.  Valerie</a>, Theresa</a>, play something for Camellia to learn while we explore.

    ¡°It will be our pleasure,¡± the motherly Maid said, smiling at the red-gemmed creature, and Valerie summoned her violin to create a tune for them to follow.

    Stolen story; please report.

    Her Songweaver Maids¡¯ harmony helped to soothe Elinor¡¯s nerves from Becdeth¡¯s lingering presence in her heart and mind; it was as if she could still hear its dualistic voices whispering through the air.

    Everyone¡¯s attention soon went to the wall as it silently extended forward, color draining from its sides; entering the expansive cut-out, Elinor got her first look at the colossal structure, which shocked her.

    It was massive and appeared to run into the mountain to their right; she couldn¡¯t see much beyond the straight climb to the wall¡¯s peak, but Noa was already moving them up.  The exit sealed as they moved to the next floor, and Noa¡¯s examination seemed correct; every level was the same hallway grid.

    Her real surprise came upon cresting the wall, seeing it rise at a slant¡ªthey were inside of a colossal, multi-tiered pyramid¡ªthey passed through a river of flowing blue liquid that sparkled as if filled with glitter.  It sprang out of the mountain¡¯s side to enter small channels she could see within the clear fluid as Noa moved their box across levels.

    Small traces of green electricity sparked through the channel, applying propulsion so far as Elinor could tell, from fist-sized gems embedded into the surface¡ªeven more magical were the multi-hued fish the size of a seal that swam in the liquid.

    Rising out of the river, she saw runes so massive that the only thing she could compare them to would be Time Square¡¯s colossal, building-sized displays.  Terrifying images of Quen¡¯Talrat faces, twitching with rage as the runes vibrated caused Noa¡¯s lips to part in disbelief.

    ¡°These are ¡­ Alua¡¯Mastro¡¯Na¡¯s signature ¡­ Another Sage that deals with ecosystem-based runic grids ¡­ And there¡¯s Alua''Golro''Mag that handles biological structure ¡­ Why would the Ke allow this?¡±  she whispered as they came upon a red riverway on the following tier.

    Passing into it, Noa hugged herself, fearful eyes darting left and right as her guard shifted nervously.  ¡°A pathogen like your Zombies, Empress ¡­ It corrodes and decays living tissue by infecting the cells.¡±

    It was more than Elinor could hope for, and it was also clear why Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma hid this place away; this was the experimental grounds for his Sages to have free reign to explore their craft.  Each of the five levels they rose past had various other topics of interest; an artillery district for an aerial defense to a greenhouse level and a water collection zone on the last to feed it.

    Once at the last section, Elinor watched the box slowly meld into the pyramid before suddenly coming to an abrupt halt a meter inside; only blackness met her vision.  ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    Noa¡¯s lips bunched, darting forward.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Oh, that¡¯s ¡­ interesting.  It seems Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana¡¯s runic grid is blocking all entrances because of a pathogen ¡­ Eh, Empress¡­¡±

    Elinor sighed, rubbing her temple again.  ¡°Don¡¯t tell me ¡­ All the Sages ended up dying because of Alua¡¯Golro¡¯Mag¡¯s biological weapon ¡­ Ironic.  It shouldn¡¯t affect us, correct?¡±

    ¡°Eh-heh, no, Empress¡ªonly living tissue so far as I¡¯ve analyzed, and all of you seem to operate on some energy source I couldn¡¯t begin to explain.¡±

    ¡°Death,¡± Elinor answered.  ¡°I use the actual essence of what constitutes death ¡­ Don¡¯t think about it too much.  Can you get us in?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­¡±  Noa mumbled.  ¡°It¡¯s just going to take some time.¡±

    ¡°We have time¡ªfor the most part,¡± Elinor muttered, wondering if Becdeth had disabled many of the defenses when first teleporting them here.

    Forty minutes passed as Noa beat her head against the wall, trying to find the proper sequence to end the quarantine; in that time, Elinor scanned the mountainside from their high position, yet still, snow blanketed much of her vision.

    It was fascinating that the biome Alua¡¯Mastro¡¯Na created still functioned perfectly within its construction boundaries after a century.  The fruit, grazing livestock, and grains appeared to be in perfect condition; the snow seemed to be at the ideal level to evaporate long before reaching the area.

    The area would be a great spot to cultivate food, but Noa would need to do extensive research into the effects this has had on them and how her various races would react to the produce, meat, and grains.

    Her attention was snatched by Noa¡¯s relieved cheer.  ¡°I did it!  It was so ¡­ frustrating¡ªwhy did she have to make it so hard to undo ¡­ Oh¡­¡±

    Their box entered the pyramid to be shown a blazing stellated, octahedron-shaped ruby, that shimmered in the center of the space; at its hollow core sat a smooth, light blue pearl, rotating in tinted liquid, and lying below it, a giant six and a half meter tall Quen¡¯Talrat.

    Smile birthing on Elinor¡¯s lips, she straightened as her arms flared with emerald flames to release her butterflies to investigate; they hovered around the corpse as she studied the rest of the empty room¡ªthe only other topic of inspection came from the complex weave of three-dimensional runes floating through the space, which was very new compared to the 2-dimensional versions she¡¯d seen thus far.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Noa hissed, arms pulling in to tighten against her breast.  ¡°It¡¯s airborne ¡­ Eh, it might linger on your clothing, Empress ¡­ I will need to take you to a decontamination zone to attempt to neutralize the pathogen.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s smirk widened, vision narrowing as she examined the spirit that lingered on the skeleton.  ¡°That¡¯s fine.  Camellia, gather up her bones¡ªcan you teleport us out from here?¡±

    ¡°I can.  Although I don¡¯t know how long the decontamination process will last¡ªI¡¯m new to this type of super-enhanced virus¡ªit¡¯s continually being spread through the room ¡­ A nasty thing.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin then.¡±

    Runes collected around them, blotting out all sight as Noa¡¯s face scrunched up, appearing to struggle to perform the action.  ¡°It¡¯s ¡­ harder than Becdeth made it look,¡± she growled.

    Camellia¡¯s web instantly shot out and collected the bones, but it took another three minutes for Noa to finish processing the teleportation route.  A chamber large enough to be a school auditorium came into view as the lights faded.

    Noa cleared her throat, fidgeting nervously.  ¡°I, umm, need to spray all of you with liquid ¡­ It¡¯s pretty harsh stuff, but I want to be thorough so as not to harm our Empire¡ªyour citizens¡ªthat is.¡±

    Rising to her feet, Elinor reached up to unclasp her earrings.  ¡°I can simply reconstruct my body when this is over; we will just lose the ability to communicate temporarily.  Theresa, make sure my earrings are disinfected¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress.¡±  The Maid held out her hands, caringly embracing her phylacteries as her world went black; her mind was still on her prize as Noa cleansed them.

    Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana, an Arcanist Class with the Runic Master Subclass, specializing in the Defensive Grids ¡­ Legendary-Grade.  She isn¡¯t in the Combat Category, though, so the high Grade is more attributed to the Skill Points and base Stats she¡¯s allotted at rebirth.

    Still, I have enough to raise her as it stands ¡­ She¡¯s better than a thousand specialists from the mines.  I have my expert, and she may be able to help us locate the other Sages.

    After five minutes, the motherly Maid¡¯s voice entered Elinor¡¯s mind.  ¡°It is finished, Empress.¡±

    Reconstructing her body, her eyebrow lifted upon standing on the dry ground; Valerie and Theresa had removed their clothing and were spreading them out on the floor.  The former amateur model was straining her blonde locks with a sad expression as the black-haired Maid did the same.

    The pungent smell of the chemicals Noa used soon filled her nose; to say it was skunk-like would be an understatement.

    ¡°Not the most pleasant aroma,¡± Elinor commented, turning to see the furry-soaked forms of the Quen¡¯Talrat as Noa hovered nearby.

    ¡°I apologize, Empress,¡± the A.I. sighed, but she could see the woman¡¯s crescent eyes studiously scanning their bodies to likely compare with what she¡¯d crafted for her own human figure.  ¡°I can attempt to cleanse you of the smell¡ªQuen¡¯Talrat find the scent quite appealing.¡±

    Theresa cleared her throat while trying to manage her messy hair.  ¡°It would be appropriate for the Empress to be presentable to anyone that sees her when we make our return.¡±

    Camellia transformed into her human state, examining her own wet body as the spider woman¡¯s outfit came into place.  ¡°It¡¯s not a terrible odor but not my favorite; the scent was easy to track and eat Quen¡¯Talrat when I was alive, and my silk is waterproof.¡±

    ¡°Eh-he-he-he,¡± Valerie forced a laugh, rosy cheeks bunching a tad.  ¡°While that is amazing, Camellia, they are not immune to this ¡­ smell ¡­ And it is not the most pleasant to my nose.¡±

    Elinor could see why the typically smiling blonde looked a tad disgruntled; her fashionably looped ponytail was probably a nightmare to set up, and she took pride in how she looked.

    Noa directed them to a door that opened out of the dim decontamination room.  ¡°A washing area isn¡¯t too far away¡ªthere is a place I can transfer a cleaning solution¡ªI hope it isn¡¯t worse,¡± she said with strained laughter.

    Elinor ascended her throne again with her exposed Maids, gathering their clothing; her robes and outfit were still on the throne, which luckily had places to drain any liquid, so it didn¡¯t collect in the seat.

    On their way out, her vision lingered on Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana¡¯s spaced-out bones; they were somewhat discolored, but after a quick inspection on their path to the showers, she confirmed they were fine.

    The downpour in the room they entered had already started; it was cold, yet no one complained, considering they all had temperature mitigation as a part of their resistances.  Whatever solution Noa mixed into the water seemed to do the trick, washing away the slimy sensation her Maids felt while casting a strong pine scent, which wasn¡¯t ideal to the women¡¯s preference but was more than preferable to the alternative.

    It was a little surprising to Elinor when a soft cream glow illuminated Valerie¡¯s hands to produce a brush; apparently, the Maids had a small storage for grooming goods, and the former model had stocked up on everything she could from the Earth products they still had.

    After the shower ceased, the crystals brightened to produce heat that evaporated the liquid, and her Maids had a joyful time bustling about Elinor¡¯s appearance before dressing and fixing themselves.

    The Quen¡¯Talrat weren¡¯t particularly concerned about their soaked fur, reapplying their armor and posting up in the hallway and doorway, even if Elinor felt reasonably safe within the areas Noa was familiar with.

    Elinor figured an hour had passed since returning, which increased her Death Pool by a large portion; she was nearing 6,340 DE of her 7,454 Pool.  Intelligent Legendary-Grade Undead currently took 1,610 DE, which was more than acceptable.

    Settling back into her throne, Elinor gave her Maids a thankful smile as they returned to their stationary position behind her chair; they¡¯d just finished fixing each other¡¯s appearance and redressed, Valerie opting for a simple ponytail for the time being.

    Finally, it was time to see what this Rune Master could accomplish; she sent out seven jade-colored butterflies to land on the pile of bones, causing a storm of emerald flames to cyclone as they returned to their proper positions.

    The color-tinted beige as the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s organs, muscle, and skin filled out to finish with a giant six and a half meter tall tan-colored ape to appear.

    Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana¡¯s two heads rolled around as she groaned, stretching out her two arms, legs, and long tails; she blinked upon looking around, illuminated brown irises settling on Elinor.  In a relatively young voice, she gave an awkward smile.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Wow, so, I suppose I¡¯m in your service, Empress!  Eh ¡­ Is my sister here, too?  No ¡­ Aww¡­¡±

    ¡°Show respect for your Overlord,¡± Amra¡¯Cora stated, directing a glare at the slightly shorter woman.

    ¡°Oh, interesting,¡± she mused, an air of confidence filling her gut at the statement as she tested out the Nexus, and she could feel the girl¡¯s probing thoughts trying to identify everything within reach; there was a thirst for knowledge in the young Sage.  ¡°And I am showing respect, Amra¡¯Cora¡ªhe-he-he, imagine the Silver Queen¡¯s daughter falling to this extent.  As I recall, you were far stronger than this,¡± she hummed, eyeing her combat superior.

    Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s fur bristled at the implication.  ¡°I am your superior, Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana.  Careful with your tongue.¡±

    The smirk the Rune Master wore twitched as she stretched out her chest and rubbed her right forearm.  Rising to her full height, she was the second largest Quen¡¯Talrat in the room behind the Commander, showing why the girl was brought to the Elite Hunter academy¡ªshe could have been a formidable combatant had not she taken the runic route.

    In fact, strength-wise, she was surprisingly powerful for a non-combat type like her Maids, coming closer to Melia''Ia¡¯s power, and even if the Elite Defender wasn¡¯t built for offense, it was an impressive feat.  She shouldn''t have expected less from a Legendary-Grade unit.

    ¡°Yet it is I that holds a title,¡± she returned, likely referencing the Sage¡¯s ¡®Alua¡¯ brand before her name.  ¡°Ahem, Empress, allow me to introduce myself,¡± she chimed, ignoring the ruffled Elite Hunter to present herself, kneeling in front of Elinor¡¯s throne.  ¡°I am Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana, thirty years old, Sage of the Runic Arts, and happy to be of service to the Empire!¡±

    Having allowed the banter for long enough, Elinor breathed out a short sigh.  ¡°We can hold the banter and cheek for now.  Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana, tell me about the project you were a part of and where the other Sages are.¡±

    The woman straightened, vision darting to Noa, hovering beside Elinor.  ¡°Mmh ¡­ My memory is a tad hazy, but I recall some major¡ªrather stupid, might I add¡ªincident occurring where Alua''Golro''Mag decided¡ªahem, on his own¡ªthat the best solution to the army marching against us was to test out his experimental weapon ¡­ by infecting Alua''Talia''Asa,¡± she hissed, rubbing her forehead with agitation.

    ¡°He then tried to toss her out into a nearby patrol¡ªthat weren¡¯t even interested in even trying to assault the fortress¡ªbut Alua''Golro''Mag always has been stupid.  In doing so, he didn¡¯t tell Alua''Talia''Asa his plan but simply expelled her.

    ¡°Naturally, she easily destroyed the weak creatures and fumed back inside¡ªhis weapon came with a delay, which he hadn¡¯t considered¡ªand since Alua''Talia''Asa specializes in System Integrity, she could easily bypass his attempt to keep her out.  As a result, we all ended up in an argument as she called everyone together, which ultimately killed us all ¡­ I¡¯d refrain from bringing back Alua''Golro''Mag,¡± she grumbled.

    It was such a ridiculous story, Elinor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.  ¡°You¡¯re telling me, the greatest sages or minds of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s Empire were killed ¡­ by idiocy ¡­ Did you not have detection runes to know when someone was infected?¡±

    ¡°I did; I crafted them myself!¡±  she fumed.  ¡°He deactivated them to not tip her off¡ªas I said, an idiot!  When he¡ªcalmly, might I add¡ªtold us we were all probably going to die because he hadn¡¯t designed a cure, I went to the Fortress Data Center to work on the problem ¡­ Unfortunately, his pathogen was quite effective once activated, and ¡­ I suppose the result was my death.¡±

    Her somber frustration flipped into a bright smile.  ¡°Now, I am Undead, as I understand, which is quite the advantage!  I can continue my work with my sister¡ªwe, eh, just need to find her.¡±

    A low hum rumbled in Elinor¡¯s throat as her gaze drifted to her Runic A.I.  ¡°You know what Noa is?¡±

    ¡°Indeed!¡±  she rose to step forward and examine the nervous woman.  ¡°The Ke¡¯s project that would connect everything he was developing; an unusual design for the Ke, I might add,¡± she whispered, scrutinizing Noa¡¯s half-Nalvean and human appearance.  ¡°Noa, generate a terminal for me to analyze your network.¡±

    The woman¡¯s crescent irises darted to Elinor.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Empress?¡±

    ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    In the next instance, the bathing room they were in shimmered with light, and runes exploded around them in a swirl of chaos, but Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana¡¯s studious eyes darted around as if she were reading the morning paper.

    ¡°Oh ¡­ Oh, this is ¡­ this is terrible!  The Ke¡¯s masterful style has been butchered ¡­ Who expanded this Nexus¡ªNoa?  It is as if a complete amateur were scribbling partial nonsense to see if it would work!  Also ¡­ horribly inefficient ¡­ Why are all the logs scrubbed!  Humph, this is not what I expected to find.¡±

    ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t me,¡± Noa mumbled.  ¡°Mila did it when she forced herself into my position.¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ I see that now ¡­ Although there are some rather advanced features even I¡¯ve never seen before or considered ¡­ Fascinating, it seems the further we go, Mila¡¯s mastery increases, but ¡­ Ugh, something has practically withered the Nexus Core of power.  No wonder you¡¯re operating at such dismal efficiency ¡­ So much work to be done.¡±

    Excitement bubbled in Elinor¡¯s gut as she complained and groaned while studying the network.  ¡°First, I want you to focus on Nethermore¡ªthe giant city the Ke built.¡±

    Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana¡¯s expression became pained.  ¡°I ¡­ suppose the living spaces would take priority ¡­ Ugh, it¡¯s so basic, though.¡±

    Elinor chuckled.  ¡°I will raise subordinates you can give instructions to in order to speed up the process.  For now, Noa, search the Fortress with Finila and Giliri for the other Sages and transport them back.  Jumi¡¯calro and Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana will be returning to Nethermore for Tiffany to perform the sealing ritual for the boy to be bound to serve me.  I want our city defenses up and running as soon as possible.¡±

    The Sage cleared her throat.  ¡°Umm ¡­ Might I add my own touches, Empress?  Yes, the Ke did order defenses made¡ªif you want to call them that¡ªbut if we are restoring it, I¡¯d like to improve on the original designs, mmh ¡­ Maybe add a few things I¡¯ve been pondering?¡±

    ¡°So long as you don¡¯t act in the same way as Alua''Golro''Mag, I have no objections; my focus is on securing the city for my citizens, who are living.¡±

    ¡°Understood!  I can¡¯t wait to meet the crew you¡¯ve assembled, Empress!¡±

    When they made their way back, Jumi¡¯calro fanboying over the Sage, Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana¡¯s expression became dull upon seeing her makeshift crew of mine workers.

    ¡°This is the team I have to work with?¡±  she mumbled, unimpressed gaze drifting between the fidgeting Quen¡¯Tarlat.  ¡°Ugh ¡­ This is going to be more troublesome than I thought ¡­ Please, Empress ¡­ Please, at least find me my sister ¡­ This is going to take some time.¡±

 B3 â€” 22. Second Seed

    Sitting back on her throne, Elinor¡¯s focus wandered between the gathering Ri¡¯bot, humans, and Yaltha¡¯ma that had gathered across the balconies to observe the gathering in the Grand Hall; she figured with the order to remain inside after the heavy blizzard began, many were restless.

    She could see the various groups whispering to one another, but the atmosphere had changed, unlike the first few weeks.  The faith on every level fed to her Religious System, giving her an idea of where they stood as a whole.

    Naturally, the humans were the most resistant to see her as a goddess compared to the other creatures.  However, that was quickly changing by the day, and the largest shift had been when their shining Seraph had made her presence known.  In turn, her faith''s following became more precise with every new believer.

    She caught Gwen talking to a group on the second floor, but they soon moved away, engrossed in their own discussion¡ªElinor¡¯s influence was increasing, and according to Lucky, a notable chunk of it came from the redhead.

    Should I make Gwen a part of the Argent Dawn¡¯s home operations?  Maybe it would be better to keep her separate; she does have Dalria for protection.

    Her mind chilled while thinking about the former Komath Xaria that had killed her parents.  Even if she was a believer in her, Elinor refused to have anything to do with the girl; she was happy to forget she existed.

    Emerald irises shifted to Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana as she gave a little quiz to the Quen¡¯Talrat specialists recruited from the mines.  Elinor sighed; she felt a little exhausted.  According to what she was grasping of the private test through the Nexus, the quiz was supposed to be elementary¡ªkindergartener-level for the Sage¡¯s tutelage at Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s Elite Academy¡ªyet they were struggling, much to the colossal Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s frustration.

    Amra¡¯Cora stood nearby with her guard surrounding Elinor, acting as sentries while communicating to one another about specific memories they each shared in the Ke¡¯s institution; the Sages all had a rather dismal reputation amongst the Elite Hunters, it seemed.

    In the end, Elinor couldn¡¯t care less what their reputation was; they had a task, and if they could complete that, then she could handle some personality issues.  Her real concern was the stupidity of their deaths, for all the intellectual giants they were made out to be.

    Although perhaps ¡®mavericks¡¯ was a better term, considering how they died made her want to slap her own face in disbelief.  Despite all of that, the Quen¡¯Talrat all agreed that the beige-furred legend¡¯s return would help the Empire.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze wandered to Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s anxious twitches, waiting to hear more from the rune guru as she gauged the specialists'' aptitude, yet his attention soon fixated on the somewhat creepy caramel-haired</a> teenage Maid that exited the left hallway; Esmeralda proceeded across the vast floor to stop in front of the Nalvean boy.

    ¡°Hello, Jumi¡¯calro.  If you could come with me, High Lady Tiffany requires your presence.¡±

    His tongue flicked out between his teeth in what Elinor figured was a nervous gesture; he adjusted his silken garments around his spikes and torso.  ¡°I, umm¡ªdo I need to go right now?  Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana has just been revived, and¡ªand I need to learn everything I can to, uh, to support the Empire, you see, and umm, this is just such a monumental moment!¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Esmeralda chimed, tilting her head and gesturing at the area she¡¯d just exited.  ¡°I completely agree; the sooner we complete this ritual, the less you will miss!  We can run if you so desire¡ªI¡¯d understand¡ªafter all, we wouldn¡¯t want to waste a single second for the Empire¡¯s glory.  Am I right?¡±

    Elinor restrained a chuckle; Esmeralda was a perfect fit for Tiffany as an assistant, but how this teenage girl came by her twisted personality was a mystery.  She raised the Maids to retain their previous personalities, only adding to the already present skills by applying the Class, Title, and Jobs required for their position.

    He looked up at Elinor for a split second before his gaze darted to the floor.  ¡°I, umm ¡­ Yes, that would be best ¡­ I am not great at physical activities¡­¡±

    ¡°A shame; you¡¯ll miss some things if we¡¯re too slow.  We better hurry!¡±  She retained a perfect smile and typical teenage playful mannerisms.  ¡°Perhaps a light jog?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI suppose¡­¡±  He hurried off with the Maid, keeping pace while she hiked up her dress a tad for the exercise.

    Elinor straightened, catching the gaze of her Maids and guard as she placed a hand to her chest, a warmth flooding into her before giving her the option to return it; which she did out of pure curiosity¡ªthe converted energy flowed back out into the invisible thread that had initially touched her.

    Fingers rising to put pressure against her breast, Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed while analyzing what had just occurred¡ªVirgil</a> had sent a request to her for the power to protect their party, transmitting it with a measurable degree of faith in her ability to grant the prayer.

    Turning her throne to stare in the direction of the group, a shiver ran through her frame from the unfamiliar sensation.  His belief is getting stronger ¡­ It¡¯s not draining on me at all ¡­ This is different¡ªunconnected to my Undead System, but how¡­

    Soon after, Gloria¡¯s</a> fervent feelings flared, cycling her own desires to protect and safeguard what she cared for, and her pure heart radiated into Elinor¡¯s Core; once again, she gave consent, but this was entirely different from what their previous interactions using the System was involved.

    ¡°Is something wrong, Empress?¡±  Camellia questioned, tilting her armored legs to follow her gaze.  ¡°Is it my mother?¡±

    No ¡­ something else of interest.

    Her thoughts shifted to Tiffany and Edmon, but the Witch immediately contacted her before she could make the link.  ¡°Empress, I ¡­ My ritual connecting you to Virgil and Gloria has been neutralized ¡­ What happened¡ªare they dead?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyebrows pulled together as Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana finished her quiz in frustration, failing every member of the mining crew; she turned to Elinor, her two faces scrunched up upon realizing she was busy.

    I want to pursue this, Tiffany, but give me a moment ¡­ Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana, now that we¡¯re back, can you analyze the entire matrix of the city?  Moris¡¯Luar can guide you there for you to give me your diagnosis.

    The woman grinned.  ¡°Of course, Empress¡ªI wasn¡¯t even born when the Ke constructed this city, so I look forward to seeing some of his early work.¡±

    I¡¯ll follow you; I¡¯m involved in another matter, but let me know once you¡¯ve finished your initial analysis.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get right on that!  Alright, you failures, let¡¯s get going¡ªhow bad have you messed things up?¡±

    ¡°W-We¡¯ve been doing our best, Alua!¡±  Menorah pleaded.  ¡°We were trying to decipher the network, but everything was so far beyond anything I was taught in the mining program.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no ¡­ How bad did you stir things up¡ªthese systems are meant to be operated by experts¡ªa slight change in runic conversion could damage the internal integrity of an entire section of the city!  The Ke never planned to have idiots running his network ¡­ ugh¡­¡±

    Don¡¯t be too harsh on them, Elinor chuckled.  They were hesitant to begin with, but I required it of them since it was my only option.

    ¡°Gagrgh ¡­ Well, let¡¯s see what I¡¯m dealing with,¡± Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana muttered, following the nervous specialists to the Throne Room, drawing the onlookers¡¯ attention.

    Settling back into her chair while searching for her connection to Virgil and Gloria compared to the other Argent Dawn members, a low hum resonated in her throat.  Edmon, Tiffany?

    ¡°Still here!  I¡¯m super confused ¡­ Are they dead?¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s dead¡ªwhat happened?¡±

    ¡°Edmon, catch up!  Virgil and Gloria¡¯s ritual bond to Elinor¡¯s Religious System was shattered.¡±

    ¡°Shattered ¡­ As if someone forcefully dispelled it?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, now that you mention it ¡­ That does feel more accurate¡ªdeath is still an option, though.¡±

    Let me explain, Elinor sighed, scanning Violet¡¯s gothic touches to the Throne Room as they proceeded to the Tower¡¯s basement for the city¡¯s Central Core.  What would you say if I told you Virgil and Gloria sent me a prayer to use my power, and I gave it¡ªthen Tiffany¡¯s ritual was broken?

    The pair went quiet as they thought; Elinor had come to a hypothesis on her own yet wanted to hear their opinions.  A small smile lifted her green-tinted lips while her vision drifted between the thirteen thrones of various colors; Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s comment earlier that morning worked through her mind, connecting the dots.

    Edmon¡¯s low voice rumbled a thoughtful note.  ¡°They aren¡¯t dead?¡±

    No.  They are very much alive.

    ¡°They used your Religious System, though?¡±  Tiffany muttered, popping her tongue like the Ri¡¯bot.  ¡°Fascinating ¡­ Does that mean my ritual was blocking their path to your System instead of bridging it ¡­ No, Gloria and Virgil materialized weapons and armor from it.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but this is an entirely new development; we don¡¯t know the conditions.  Elinor received a request for power, she granted it, and the draw came.¡±

    No.

    ¡°No?¡±  Tiffany questioned, making Elinor chuckle.

    ¡°What conclusion was wrong?¡±

    They didn¡¯t draw power from me.

    ¡°No ¡­ power,¡± Tiffany whispered.  ¡°If so ¡­ How did they have their request answered if not pulling from your Undead System?¡±

    Edmon hissed out a low breath, and Elinor could see him through her link, sitting back from inside the West Wing¡¯s library, glaring at the architecture blueprints he¡¯d been perusing.  ¡°Are you referring to the statement Sari¡¯a¨¦l made about two Seeds?¡±

    Correct.  What if my Religious System wasn¡¯t a splinter from my Undead System ¡­ But an inactive Seed independent of it¡ªnot only that, but Sari¡¯a¨¦l called them twins.  My second Seed came to life when we started funneling into it, yet what if the idea of how to bring it out of its slumber was also implanted into your resurrection?  No, it doesn¡¯t matter¡ªit was activated, and that¡¯s the important part.

    Twins, working together, but not the same.  My Religious System doesn¡¯t function for the Undead¡ªit¡¯s as if the two can¡¯t be connected¡ªyet they are related.

    ¡°Opposites?¡±  Tiffany hummed.  ¡°It is a working theory ¡­ So, since my ritual was attempting to redirect them to your other Seed, it rejected it outright and destroyed the link, yet their bridge to you remained ¡­ Does that mean anyone who truly believes in you and prays for deliverance can enter their ranks ¡­ Anyone can join the Argent Dawn?¡±

    A growl rumbled in Edmon¡¯s throat.  ¡°That¡¯s dangerous ¡­ I suppose you need to accept it, yet that can have its issues.  If you have an army of religious believers, and every one of them is shouting out their prayers to you, then it could be troublesome.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­¡±  Tiffany went silent, her tone becoming thoughtful as she shifted to likely stare at the recovering angel.  ¡°Has Sari¡¯a¨¦l been linked to both Systems by her father?  Perhaps you are now sensing this because of her current state ¡­ She¡¯s known and been directing things herself.¡±

    ¡°Not impossible.¡±  Edmon made a sound in his throat as if rolling around his neck, and Elinor got the impression as she focused on the Doom Guard that he was glaring at Milthren; it was a perception she¡¯d been refining, gaining a better grasp on her Undead¡¯s actions.  ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l is not an Undead ¡­ She¡¯s very much alive, and she has inspired quite a change among your citizens.¡±

    ¡°Ha!  Naturally,¡± Tiffany scoffed.  ¡°Have you seen her¡ªshe''s an actual divine!  Although, I do think we are on the right track ¡­ Why she didn¡¯t tell me my ritual wouldn¡¯t work makes me a bit irritated, though.¡±

    ¡°She may not have known.¡±

    ¡°Simp.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?  Is it another teenage term you learned from your maid?¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus drifted to the galaxy patterns on the walls.  We¡¯re getting off-topic.  Basically, their faith is their own power, and I¡¯m just a conduit ¡­ In a way, it is similar to what I sensed from Apollo, and I can see him not ¡®directly¡¯ interfering with my Seed to change it but Sari¡¯a¨¦l ¡­ She is his daughter, so I wonder¡­

    ¡°Ah¡­¡±  Tiffany puffed out a long stream of air.  ¡°Tricky god-like beings¡ª¡±

    He¡¯s far beyond gods, Elinor instantly corrected.

    ¡°Still, considering he explained even he was constrained by these laws shows there are methods of getting around it¡ªhis daughter, as we¡¯re discussing¡ªand her influence as a ¡­ would you call it a baby Transcendent ¡­ My, how have I only now just realized how similar our Undead System is to Apollo as a being.¡±

    Edmon stood to lift the holy ax and study it; a shiver ran through his connection to Elinor.  ¡°She is a budding Transcendent, I suppose you could see it ¡­ Her influence must have had an effect on the second Seed, and she¡¯s been secretly holding together the fracturing aspects of the Nexus from its rapid expansion on her Divinity Release.¡±

    ¡°My, the woman has been doing so much more than I considered,¡± Tiffany groaned, sitting beside the Seraph to look into her face.  ¡°I don¡¯t even feel ashamed to admit I feel a little intimidated by her ¡­ What does this mean, though?  Is my ritual worthless¡ªhow did it function, Elinor?¡±

    The elevator lowered to the bottom level of the Tower to reach the city¡¯s main terminal, but Elinor was fully invested in the current conversation to ponder the discussion passing between the Sage and specialists.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Their faith flowed into me with a request, and I accepted it, which took their faith and ran it through my Seed to convert it into potential energy they could use to fulfill that desire.

    ¡°Wow ¡­ So, when you said it didn¡¯t drain you, you weren¡¯t kidding ¡­ You are a conduit for them to center around.  Still, they must conform to your moral standards ¡­ Perhaps that is something you could add as this System grows.¡±

    ¡°I like that,¡± Edmon grunted, setting the ax back on the table.  ¡°I¡¯m sure there will be many more things you can do with this System, but having limitations on how it can be used will be important.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l will need to explain to us further what the extent of this Religious System is when she awakens.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still annoyed she didn¡¯t warn me I was wasting my time,¡± Tiffany grumbled.

    Elinor¡¯s portable throne stepped out of the large platform as they made it to the bottom level, and she stood off to the side with her escort.  The Sage and her group went to the center, yet the moment she stepped onto the platform, runes exploded across the room.

    ¡°Wha¡ªHow¡­¡±  Menorah gasped, spinning in a circle.

    The smug beige-furred giant ape waved her hand for the area to utterly blacken, an entire city of runes springing up around them in colossal fashion; a sea of information seemed to spread out for the Sage to study, and she pointed to her feet.

    ¡°Standard activation runes engraved on my feet¡ªit saves so much time, and removes the need for archaic tools¡ªlike you have in your hands ¡­ Oh, goodness, such an absolute disaster ¡­ A bit simple for the Ke¡¯s work that I know, but considering it was his first project ¡­ No, he was truly the most gifted Quen¡¯Talrat in our history¡­¡±

    Coming to an end to her examination of the Argent Dawn and her mysterious second Seed, Elinor smiled at the woman¡¯s expert hands, shifting them around the entire city grid to mark critical locations of damage and in need of maintenance.

    I think that concludes everything we can discuss on the topic for now.  I¡¯ll contact you if there are any more developments.

    Edmon rubbed his forehead, glaring down at the giant documents in front of him.  ¡°Right ¡­ I have my hands full as it is ¡­ Yes, we have a runemaster, but that doesn¡¯t help the architectural issues, such as our gaping hole in the southern wall that needs a complete restoration.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with that!¡±  Tiffany snickered, making the Doom Guard terminate the connection before any further biting comments came.  ¡°Heh¡ªoh, Elinor, might I have a little more of your time?¡±

    Observing the show the Sage was putting on, Elinor hummed.  What is it?  Ah, on that note, how long until Jumi¡¯calro¡¯s binding ritual is done?

    ¡°Hmm, not long, maybe ten minutes¡ªat least when they get to the room¡ªthis is an unnecessarily massive palace, even for creatures of Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s size,¡± she mused, sounding somewhat absent-minded.  ¡°Esmeralda will do the preparation work for me to check and perform.¡±

    By their connection, Elinor could glean the Witch was studying Violet and Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s conditions, yet judging by the emotions she sensed, Tiffany had somber questions on her mind.

    ¡°I have been cataloging many ingredients and performing a few rituals in the hopes of perfecting the bonding process between your followers ¡­ Ugh, now that is up in the air, though I suppose I can still make use of their other properties.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ I wanted to get a better understanding about the variance between your two Seeds, so I have a proper framework to work from and not waste my time again.  Is that fine?¡±

    Ask away.  I¡¯m just watching Quel analyze the city grid.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ considering what we spoke of before, might I ask how your link is between the Argent Dawn; its strength compared to the others¡ªsay the Ri¡¯bot in the Nalvean Empire?¡±

    Pondering the question and ties, Elinor crossed her legs and leaned against the side of her throne; they were currently floating up the virtual representation of the Tower to study the apparatus at its tip.

    It is different.  The Ri¡¯bot there do give me a minor degree of Death Energy when taking the life of other living beings ¡­ So, a Death or Blood Cult isn¡¯t far off from that train of thought, yet it seems to be more of a base tie of the two Seeds holding hands than actually being fused or connected¡ªif that makes sense.

    ¡°No, I follow!  Continue.¡±

    Throne changing positions for her to stare southwest in the sea of runes, Elinor¡¯s lips tightened.  It¡¯s not nearly as powerful or in detail as the Nexus connection to my Undead are, yet I do have a general grasp on how many there are in an area and the strength of those believers ¡­ Interestingly, Virgil and Gloria are the first to tap into this empowering side when I¡¯d say there are other creatures that see me more as a goddess.

    ¡°If that is the case ¡­ I assume the Argent Dawn are still among the highest in faith¡ªmaybe not the top, but up there?¡±

    Mmh ¡­ Virgil and Gloria are the most potent, by far, within that group.  They are still within the Empire boundaries, and if I were to compare them, I¡¯d say they¡¯re among the ¡­ Hmm¡­

    ¡°Something you noticed?¡±

    Their type of faith¡­

    Elinor¡¯s focus drifted between the Ri¡¯bot, humans, and Yaltha¡¯ma; if she reached out with her heart rather than her mind, she could distinguish a sharp variance between the majority of the groups.  By doing so, she discovered not all faith in her was equal.

    Hope ¡­ Trust ¡­ Rebirth ¡­ Most of my followers lack rebirth and adoration ¡­ Fear is the weakest form of belief.

    A shiver ran through Elinor¡¯s bones, but touching the pair¡¯s souls through her invisible thread filled her with a relieving warmth that reminded her of Apollo; Tiffany¡¯s thirst to not be wrong had pulled her in the right direction.  I think I understand¡­

    ¡°Please, I¡¯m all ears!¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot may have a great deal of faith, but it is heavily diluted because it is based on fear and not love¡ªthere are even different degrees of love, as well ¡­ Virgil and Gloria love and respect me because of this new life I provided them, and they have an intense desire to be reborn through my power to reach our shared goals ¡­ My Seeds may be twins, but they¡¯re polar opposites.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ The Undead System is a shackle and forced servitude to the Empress ¡­ Your Religious System revolves around a shared union that uplifts both parties ¡­ Huh, well, that¡¯s not exactly ¡®ideal¡¯ for what I¡¯d like,¡± she grumbled, ¡°but maybe ¡­ we could try fanaticism ¡­ Hmm?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips fell, vision glazing over to feel more than see the two Argent Dawn members working through the jungles after whatever had halted their journey.  There is a link between my two Systems, but it can¡¯t be forced ¡­ We saw what happened when you tried.

    Thinking back to Apollo¡¯s explanation ¡­ These Seeds are far stronger than anything we can feasibly restrict them with, and the Religious System is based on mutual goals and an open relationship ¡­ If I feel we are deceiving them, it will break the consensual contract.

    ¡°Shit!  That makes things rather difficult,¡± she hissed.  ¡°Basically, I¡¯d need to brainwash you and them ¡­ Although, I suppose that means they cannot be manipulated to misuse your powers, as well ¡­ Ugmgm¡­¡±

    Haha, Tiffany, it¡¯s fine.  My goals haven¡¯t changed.  I am the Empress and ruler that wishes to build a protected nation; they accept me, which is why they can use me as a conduit for our mutual goals to overcome both of our enemies.  Yes, a personal war could cost their faith, which means I can use the Undead for those conflicts ¡­ Two armies, different purposes.

    ¡°I just ¡­ I don¡¯t like them being able to refuse you¡ªno matter the order.¡±

    It¡¯s something you¡¯ll need to learn to handle.  I understand your reluctance, but it exemplifies Sari¡¯a¨¦l; heh, maybe she didn¡¯t tell you because she knew you¡¯d sabotage things obsessing over it¡ªas you tend to do.

    ¡°I¡ªI can¡¯t help it ¡­ Mmgm ¡­ Fine, but I¡¯ll continue to map out the exact rules of this System ¡­ I hate not understanding rules.¡±

    So you can break them?

    ¡°Well, only if needed.¡±

    Again, Elinor was reminded how terrifying Tiffany could be; she may have had the mind of her mother but was possessed by something she would have abhorred, yet without the Witch, she wouldn¡¯t have survived¡ªlife was gray, not black and white.

    Come to me before doing anything drastic.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dream of excluding my Empress in something that could harm her!  I will always keep you safe.¡±

    I¡¯m sure you will, Elinor returned.  Is that everything?

    ¡°Oh, umm, no, actually ¡­ Oof, Esmeralda¡¯s starting the prepwork¡ªthey arrived sooner than I anticipated, given the distance and stairs.¡±

    Mhm?  Elinor muttered, observing an unusually long tunnel leading from the center of the Tower¡ªthe elevator¡ªwhich seemed to actually run below the thirtieth floor.  However, Tiffany¡¯s next statement tightened her muscles and wiped the thought from her mind.

    ¡°Yes, well, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body is fascinating ¡­ Her flowing, energy-like structure has slowed after using all of her power, which has given her a shockingly similar physical makeup to a human¡ªa human with six enormous wings, halo, and a more perfect figure than any woman on Earth¡ªbut still¡­

    ¡°Umm, heh ¡­ I dare say she may even have the organs to, heh, reproduce in this drained state ¡­ Hmm?  Perhaps, she had it all along, but I simply couldn¡¯t sense it given the enigma I tried to analyze before.  Now, what do you think about that?¡±

    Tiffany ¡­ I don¡¯t need to remind you to be careful in dealing with Sari¡¯a¨¦l?  Elinor hissed, mind drawing a horrifying path from her casual remark.  Apollo is not the type to overlook someone harming his daughter¡ªI imagine especially in that way.

    ¡°Oh, heavens, no!  Please, heh, have a little more faith in me than that!  I have no intention of subjecting her to anything of the like, Elinor!  I was just making an observation in my physical exam of the woman¡­¡±

    Mhm ¡­ So far as I am concerned, it further highlights why we ¡®must¡¯ keep her safe when vulnerable.  Apollo, a being so far beyond our very concept of God¡ªmore powerful than anything I could conceivably put ¡®any¡¯ measure of comparison to¡ªnothing¡ªhas entrusted his precious daughter to me, and for what?  Something apparently more satisfying than revenge¡ªwhatever that means¡ªI don¡¯t know.

    ¡°I know!  I know!  Calm down!  I¡¯m well aware of his power¡ªafter all, just his daughter brought The Covenant to their knees on sight.  Every inch of this palace is well-guarded by undead and my rituals ¡­ I can¡¯t speak to the runes, though¡ªas you said, Quel is on that task at the moment.¡±

    Okay ¡­ Just make sure she is on the path to recovery, Tiffany.  Mmh ¡­ Tiffany, I understand, she is not Undead like us ¡­ Still, she is a member of the Royal Court¡ªthe Elite Warrior Transcendent¡ªshe has given her life to me.  Please, respect her as you respect me.

    ¡°E-Elinor ¡­ Please, never plead¡ªI-I¡ªyou are my Empress!  I am not someone you should ever plead with!¡±

    Then don¡¯t make me worry about you, Tiffany ¡­ I understand you have a need to push boundaries and look at unorthodox solutions, but there are lines I will not cross.  Anything that puts me against Apollo or turns Sari¡¯a¨¦l against me is not an option.  In fact, you¡¯re making me question even putting her in the public eye at this moment if something like that comes from my Royal Court.

    ¡°I ¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Empress¡ªI have crossed the line.  Umm, my only thought was that should she ever choose¡ªof her own free-will¡ªas you said, she is unlike her brothers and sisters¡ªshe could possibly bear a child ¡­ That was my intent.¡±

    Elinor was so rattled by just the thought process her brain had gone down that she wasn¡¯t sure if Tiffany had honestly had such innocent notions; it was challenging to tell with the Witch.

    Okay ¡­ I¡¯ll leave you to your rituals.  Let me know if there are any changes in their condition.

    ¡°I¡¯m doing everything I can to speed up their recovery.¡±

    Promptly cutting the communication with the Witch, Elinor shivered.

    ¡°Empress?¡±  Theresa asked, stepping forward with concern.  ¡°You look unwell.¡±

    ¡°Can we do something?¡±  Valerie asked.

    Taking a deep breath, Elinor puffed out a heavy sigh, fingers pressing against her chest to feel her thumping artificial heart.  A song may help ¡­ Just an unpleasant end to a relatively productive conversation.

    The pair promptly began their harmony</a>, and Elinor settled back in to try and relax; she hadn¡¯t felt a chill run through her marrow like that since seeing the Transcendent¡¯s ire toward the one who¡¯d harmed his daughter.  Of course, Tiffany wouldn¡¯t grasp the supremacy Apollo commanded without going through the Quickening process to even reach such heights¡ªa ten-winged angelic deity; his daughter¡ªlamented the inability to be in his presence.

    It made her wonder how, even with his protective hand, she¡¯d been able to do so yet instantly dismissed it since it was pure speculation that would lead her nowhere.

    Rubbing her forehead, Elinor cleared her throat and bridged a connection to Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana.  I need some good news.  Tell me you have something?

    Quel turned, a pained smile on her two faces as the specialists looked around in dazed wonder at her work within the rune-based cityscape.  ¡°Unfortunately, a vast number of systems are heavily degraded due to a lack of power sustaining them ¡­ Mmh, now that I can examine the full network, this city was never meant to function on its own¡ªit doesn¡¯t have the power.¡±

    She directed Elinor¡¯s attention to the long funnel reaching into the earth and below the city from its center.  ¡°The Ke designed it to recharge via the main power station within the mountain you call the Crowned Jewel.¡±

    It suddenly clicked in Elinor¡¯s head; the whole purpose of Noa was to eventually be the power manager of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s projects, maintaining everything in his absence.  Naturally, everything he worked on would be connected to his generator; everything required power.

    Can you fix it?

    ¡°I¡¯d need to grasp the issue,¡± she groaned, rubbing the back of her neck.  ¡°Still, give it to the Ke to have a secret entrance to the Power Center¡ªno wonder we could never find the internal system to his other projects; heh, believe me, Alua¡¯Talia¡¯Asa tried.¡±

    Where is the path down¡ªthe elevator?

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ No ¡­ Huh¡ªthe Ke installed teleportation runes to the tunnel, but I don¡¯t recall any labor being used in such a project on record or mentioned by the other Sages.  He must have mined and done this himself when first arriving back from his conquest.¡±

    Feeling a little impatient at the young runic genius¡¯ wandering mind, Elinor had to restrain herself from pushing her on; she had to remain dignified¡ªher Maid¡¯s soft song helped.  Do we have the power to teleport?

    Quel glanced at a host of three-dimensional runes that danced ahead of her in various patterns, nervously scratching her left arm; Elinor made a note to try and upgrade her language Skill to translate the runes into something she¡¯d recognize later.

    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ the logs show a huge dump of energy has occurred since your arrival ¡­ You¡¯ve been bleeding it by turning random places on¡ªbrute-forcing some systems that aren¡¯t even operational yet ¡­ breaking many in the process.¡±

    Elinor wanted to groan, recalling Edmon and the specialists just flipping on and off buttons to see if they could get things to work; of course, their own mistakes would cause them issues, yet the guru¡¯s lips curved while glancing between places, tongue sliding out at the challenge.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I can redirect supportive systems in the Greenhouse ¡­ oof, pull that away, we don¡¯t need plumbing for the ¡®entire¡¯ city when a tiny portion is actually being used ¡­ turn off the amphitheater that¡¯s been playing music for over a century?  Okay ¡­ eegh, yeah, we don¡¯t need the heating functions to melt the snow with how temperatures are rising¡­¡±

    After going through a checklist of wasteful spending and blunders, she rubbed her hands together to the specialists¡¯ pounding their chests in amazement.  ¡°So ¡­ I¡¯ve gathered enough for three, possibly four teleports ¡­ It¡¯s a more costly version from Alua¡¯Es¡¯Ros¡¯ more refined touch, but considering this is the alpha version ¡­ Wow, the Ke was a master of masters¡­¡±  she whispered.

    Eagerly waiting for her to conclude her project, Elinor couldn¡¯t breathe; she hadn¡¯t dreamed of connecting Nethermore to the maze-like structure of Noa¡¯s Nexus so soon.  She didn¡¯t want to give up her hopes, yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel like a girl, bouncing with anticipation on Christmas Eve while wiggling in bed and trying to listen for Santa¡¯s sleigh.

    Finally, she watched the haze of runes encircle just Elinor¡¯s group and Quel, likely her conserving power by excluding the specialists she deemed practically worthless.

    When the veil of vibrant lights and shapes lifted, Elinor found a pristine white marble-like corridor that extended into oblivion, and not soon after, red lines traced down its entire length in a grid-like fashion, far fewer runes than the complex weave she¡¯d witnessed above floating out of the walls.

    ¡°Empress?¡±  Edmon asked in concern.

    I¡¯m fine ¡­ More than fine.  Continue your own work.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Tiffany popped in but likely kept her peace, knowing Elinor was probably still upset over the end of their discussion.  She didn¡¯t have time to reminisce on the topic as Quel giggled, walking over to run a hand along the wall.

    ¡°Simple, clean, and to the point ¡­ He must have done this himself, yet it would have taken so long ¡­ A path straight to the source.¡±

    Elinor remained silent as the girl worked, moving slowly down the path while checking for problems, yet none seemed to pop out to her; it was as if everything was left in perfect condition, and it wasn¡¯t for another hour until she stopped¡ªall of the traces were gone, and the white marble was blackened.

    ¡°How crude ¡­ cruel¡­¡±  Quel whispered.  ¡°Surely it wasn¡¯t the Ke who would have utterly torched his own creation?  It¡¯s utterly ruined.¡±

    Mila¡­

    ¡°Ka¡¯Mila¡¯Sa?¡±  Quel muttered in disbelief.  ¡°Why ¡­ Why would the Azure Queen ruin the city¡¯s link to the Power Core?¡±

    Not the real Azure Queen, the A.I. replica like Noa.

    ¡°Ah ¡­ Okay ¡­ Hmm, I can see why she¡¯d wish to cut off something she might deem useless to the Nexus ¡­ It wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d be using it, and all it would be doing is drawing power away from other projects.¡±

    Can it be repaired?

    ¡°Mmh, not repaired ¡­ rebuilt, and on the bright side, heh, she would have had to fully bridge the two networks, finishing the Ke¡¯s work to accomplish this.  Empress, it may take a few days, but I will have a simple path linked that will supply all the power we require¡ªof course, it will be much faster if you can find my sister¡ªugh, or one of the other Sages ¡­ This isn¡¯t my specialty, after all.¡±

    Finally, this was what she wanted to hear.  I¡¯ll head back to begin a search immediately.  Start, and I will see who I can find to aid you.

    ¡°Right away, Empress!  Oh, and let me move you to the transportation station to make your path easier; it won¡¯t cost much more than returning you to the Tower.¡±

    The runes encircled Elinor, and not soon after, she was staring at the train; growth was in sight.  She boarded the vehicle, sending Valerie to report to Edmon and Tiffany.

 B3 â€” 23. A Bizarre Twist

    Taking the runic vehicle to the mines, Elinor exited the tunnels and went to Noa¡¯s Network; she met the crescent-eyed woman with the two Nalvean girls sent to keep the A.I. company.

    Having pity on Fini¡¯s utterly bored friend, Elinor sent Giliri to the Maw to receive a report from Ang¨¦lica, the ex-Colombian military Maid that had been tasked to observe its changes; the bluish-green scaled Nalvean pounced at the opportunity to explore the Empire¡¯s land and to get away from the endless corridors.

    Watching Giliri vanish in the swirl of symbols as the A.I. transported her to an exit, Elinor¡¯s focus went to Noa with a smile.  ¡°As it would seem, your ability to help manage Nethermore will soon become a reality.¡±

    Fini¡¯s blue eyes brightened.  ¡°Really, Empress?  That¡¯s wonderful news!  Right, Noa?¡±

    The dark-skinned woman couldn¡¯t speak for a moment, zoning out as if checking to see if she¡¯d heard her correctly.  ¡°I can ¡­ go beyond these walls?  B-Be a citizen of your Empire?¡±

    A soft smile came to Theresa¡¯s lips as she stepped forward to respond.  ¡°Has not the Empress informed you that citizenship is already yours to claim, Noa; is it not disrespectful to forget such an honor of being welcomed by the ruler in person?¡±

    ¡°N-No, I¡ªumm, my apologies, Empress!¡±  Noa blustered, earnestly bowing her head.  ¡°I¡¯m just¡ªI¡¯m a little shocked for it to come so soon!¡±

    ¡°Hehe, it is of no concern, Noa, but what Theresa has stated is correct,¡± Elinor reinforced, catching Ramuk¡¯s tight jaw.  ¡°However, there is still much work to be done in cataloging this place.  My immediate relief in this endeavor is that I will not need to keep making these long trips to reach you.¡±

    ¡°I-I am so sorry for the trouble, Empress!¡±

    Fini¡¯s tongue slid through her teeth while glancing at Theresa and Elinor.  ¡°Noa, the Empress doesn¡¯t seem to like you apologizing so much¡ªyou¡¯re supposed to be proud; she came here because she believes you are an important part of the Empire.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±  Noa pulled back her long black locks while rising, glowing highlights brightening as she smiled and blushed.  ¡°Thank you, Empress ¡­ I¡¯m still getting used to how you operate.¡±

    ¡°Take your time; change doesn¡¯t happen overnight,¡± Elinor commented.  ¡°Now, our top priority is to return to the Sages¡¯ old recreational area and find more to aid Quel.  As of right now, I have been quoted three days on the bridge between his Power Station and Nethermore; if we find more Sages, that time will be cut drastically.¡±

    ¡°I will do my best, Empress; I have been slowly moving throughout the structure, but it is slow¡ªI suspect it may actually be roughly a quarter of the size of Nethermore itself¡ªat least from the data I had on the Ke¡¯s¡ªehrm, your city, Empress.¡±

    Elinor nodded, knowing it would take some time for Noa to fully integrate into her new lifestyle since she didn¡¯t have the added benefit of being linked to her Nexus.  ¡°It may seem tedious in this second, but that news is fantastic; we have another stronghold hidden away in case of emergencies, and there is so much to discover.¡±

    ¡°Indeed!  Is there anywhere you¡¯d like for me to redirect my attention to?¡±

    ¡°No, I merely wish to be nearby when we do find more corpses; I cannot imagine they¡¯d get away from a virus that killed Quel so swiftly.  It¡¯s only a matter of time until more are brought to light ¡­ Until then, take me to the outside cultivating area we saw when we first arrived.  You and Fini can continue the search together if you enjoy her company.¡±

    ¡°Very much so!¡±  Noa chuckled, turning to the grinning Nalvean girl.  ¡°She¡¯s been an appreciated companion compared to the solitude I was in for so long ¡­ Finila has taught me so much regarding her people.¡±

    ¡°I told you, you can call me Fini like Giliri does,¡± the girl mumbled.

    ¡°Yes, well, hehe, would you blame me if I said I enjoy your full name more?  It is so exotic and mysterious.¡±

    ¡°Eh, if you say so¡­¡±

    Runes surrounded them as Noa teleported them to their own destinations, and when the lights cleared, the pair were gone, replaced by a thin veil of snow above thriving greenery.

    Amra¡¯Cora and Camellia swiftly took the lead as various unusual creatures scattered on their arrival.  Swapping her crossed legs, Elinor leaned against the opposite side of her silken throne while scanning the field that, like every Quen¡¯Talrat creation she¡¯d seen thus far, was beyond colossal in scale.

    Still, she had to admire the craftsmanship of the gorilla race; it truly made for an excellent inheritance that screamed of grandeur no matter where the eye drifted.  If she were to have instructed the construction of an Empire, sure, it would be big, but not nearly to the momentous scale Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had gone.

    Her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra throne lowered itself for Elinor to rise from her seat, and the guards surrounding her took notice of the action as she stepped down the spider¡¯s extended legs, assisting her like steps.

    Boots touching the vibrant green grass, she scanned the strategically placed trees that towered into the sky over a hundred meters; as she watched, a few fruits from their high branches fell to the rich ground, and by the looks of the free-grazing animals that lived on the platform, they fed on the various styles of vegetation, which appeared to provide a complete diet for them.

    It was a little strange seeing dinosaur-sized creatures fleeing them, hosting bushy fur or armored plating, but she couldn¡¯t blame them; Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunters were her guard, Alpha Predators.

    Her entourage followed Elinor in silence across the seemingly endless field, gaze drifting to the clean water on the fifth level that flowed down into underground channels to feed the plants with a canal touching the wall for the creature¡¯s drinking needs.

    It was strange to feel a warmth rising from the ground, permeating the very air, which simulated the sun, yet it didn¡¯t seem to be radiation-based; all of it was perplexing and wondrous to Elinor.

    Hands folded at her back, she continued to explore the area while letting her mind wander; the animals were swift to run to other parts of the open pasture, and curiously, they eventually stopped at a long self-maintained row of vegetables.

    A few animals had recently pulled up a few of what Elinor could only describe as carrots seven times their typical, store-brand size and colored a deep red rather than orange.  In fascination, she watched runes dot around the area, causing the leftover items to be absorbed into the soil and the ground to fill the regions.

    Where does it all go?  It can¡¯t be just here, self-maintaining for no purpose other than feeding livestock¡ªthe livestock themselves would overpopulate, so does the fortress act as its cultivator, as well?  Maybe there is a store of over a century''s worth of harvest somewhere in this giant fortress.

    Elinor returned to her throne, having had enough time to stretch her legs, and while continuing to explore, her thoughts returned to a few topics that were best put to rest sooner than later.

    Ramuk.

    ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±  he asked, vision centering on her.

    I¡¯ve noticed your unease toward Noa; she is an integral part of my growing Empire.  Tell me your thoughts.

    His two heads lowered, both left arms scratching his right as his two tails twisted in agitation.  ¡°May I speak bluntly, Empress?¡±

    Her luminous green irises shifted to him, knuckles resting against her cheek.  I asked for your thoughts; I wouldn¡¯t expect anything but your honest opinion.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I do not understand ¡®it¡¯ ¡­ You give N.O.A. a voice as if it lives and has blood pumping through its veins; it took on the form of what many of my people would consider to be the highest degree of perfection one could envision, yet ¡­ acted utterly in contempt of that image.  I do not like it.

    ¡°That being said, I do grasp how much of a ¡®threat¡¯ N.O.A. is ¡­ It can cripple the entire city, which makes me wonder why you place such power in this entity¡¯s hands?  I never wish to insult your wisdom and intelligence, Empress; to us, you have unusual customs and logic but have overcome every obstacle like the Ke himself had been reincarnated, yet I cannot help my own unease at that which I do not understand.¡±

    Elinor let his statement linger in her mind, considering the emotions he projected through the Nexus, and by the way the other Quen¡¯Talrat had reacted to the open communication of his feelings on the matter, he wasn¡¯t alone.

    Vision narrowed, she straightened in her seat, folding her hands across her lap while slowly moving closer to the edge of the echo-system platform.  The Ke was certainly brilliant; I cannot deny he was a historic leader by the simple fact he constructed such a breathtaking empire in less than two hundred years, yet he had his faults, and it is best to learn from your predecessor¡¯s mistakes.

    I am not Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, but I have inherited much of what he left behind, and am grateful for that; I see little difference between the Undead I raise and Noa herself, and that is not to disregard the subjects I have brought back to life but to bridge your understanding with the knowledge I have.

    ¡°How is N.O.A. like us?¡±  Amra¡¯Cora asked, voicing the thoughts of her unit; it wasn¡¯t hostile or in frustration that prompted her but genuine curiosity and a desire to know.

    Intelligent life forms come in many shapes and sizes; one of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s flaws was his arrogance, which he had the right to boast to a great extent, yet it blinded him to the powerful web of forces he could more or less handle himself until they became united ¡­ It was a coordinated attack that took your previous ruler to his knees.

    ¡°Sabotage?¡±  Ramuk growled, four fists tightening.

    I don¡¯t have a doubt in my mind ¡­ An enemy Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma should have seen coming, but he let himself be distracted with his projects ¡­ Demon.  I confirmed it when meeting with the Nalvean High Ruler; the shadow entity plucked little strings across the world to raise just enough of a fighting force and at just the right time to destroy your former Empire.

    A savage</a> smile lit Elinor¡¯s lips as they finally came to the edge of the broad platform to look across the monstrous pyramid fortress.  Noa had been correct; it was enormous.  Demon¡¯s greatest mistake was attacking me and making me aware of his influence; of course, it may have been his only opportunity for all I know ¡­ I won¡¯t be caught so unaware next time.

    ¡°He¡¯s gathering an army against us?¡±  Melia¡¯Ia questioned, shifting her half shields in each arm.  ¡°How soon should we expect it?¡±

    Make no mistake, Demon¡¯s goal is to be freed, and he¡¯s going to try to maneuver me into a position to require his help.  He¡¯s very busy right now, which is why we cannot slack.  A lot hasn¡¯t gone in his favor.

    A gleam shone in Elinor¡¯s eyes while studying the pools of contamination on the second rise.  Allowing me to obtain Sari¡¯a¨¦l might have been his greatest mistake.  I am now a member of The Covenant, which drives a wedge between our two groups and grants me access to another source of support than him¡­

    Look what Becdeth alone gave me, she mused, drawing their attention to the rich fields and untapped resources that surrounded them.   You only see Noa as a created tool to be used, and Tiffany considers all of you as being no different, but I do not share her view.

    Fingers lifting to caress her crown, currently in a tiara fashion to accommodate her braided hair, Elinor chuckled.  An Empire built by using its citizens as tools can go far, make no mistake, but so far as I have seen, it has a fatal flaw.  Balance is required; fear is the weakest of compulsions behind lust, duty, and love ¡­ I need loyalty, a firm hand, and a positive image to present to our neighbors.

    My greatest tool is not the number of forces I command, nor the riches of my nation ¡­ All of that will come with authenticity.  If I try to be anything other than myself¡ªor put on a persona to present a false image¡ªtrust will be broken, and nothing is harder to restore.  As time goes on, my people will die for me but not out of duty, as each of you has engraved in your hearts ¡­ It will be because they love what I have brought them, and that is both freedom and security.

    Sitting back to study the falling powder, Elinor¡¯s mind returned to her A.I.  What does all of that have to do with Noa?  It is simple.  I see her as a citizen, a damaged woman in need of aid, and a true asset to my Empire; fear will foster enmity over time, but love ¡­ love will bind even the blackest heart¡ªmmh, it almost makes me want to puke just saying that.

    I require love from my citizens, Ramuk, unlike my predecessor that required fear, and that is the actual difference between Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and me.  That being said, some only respond to fear and power, such as your Ke ¡­ My love is for my people, but for our enemies?  Terror will be engraved on their souls so that they will never forget what it feels like to harm what is mine.

    Camellia and Theresa clapped as she finished.

    ¡°Inspiring, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Heh, I don¡¯t know what a lot of that meant, but it sounded good¡ªterror for our enemies!¡±

    Silence ensued while the Quen¡¯Talrat pondered the divergent style of rule Elinor had presented them with, which was likely the first they¡¯d experienced in their warlike culture of fearing those at the top while resonating with the drive to put fear into their opponent¡¯s hearts.

    Elinor let herself be lost in the majesty of the pyramid fortress; this discussion would spread among all of the Quen¡¯Talrat as she raised them, which was why it was necessary to express it to the higher-ranked of the race.

    Several minutes went by, and Elinor felt Emelina drawing closer to the city, likely using the trees as a springboard and platform to bypass the thick snow which had fallen across the jungle.  The storm appeared to have delayed Jumbi¡¯s vessel by a fair bit, yet the hours of the day had slipped by with all the travel Elinor had done.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Debating when she should return, her attention went to Ramuk as he cleared his throat.  ¡°Empress ¡­ I do not understand this definition of life you give to a created runic entity, but as you have acknowledged its¡ªher existence ¡­ so shall I.  However, may I be so bold as to disregard her as a Quen¡¯Talrat?  She does nothing to represent our proud race.¡±

    Honestly, I believe Noa would rather not be a Quen¡¯Talrat at all ¡­ It is simply the way she was initially born, yet now, she is something unique.  I won¡¯t tell you how to view her; Ramuk, you may have your own opinion so long as you acknowledge her station and life holding value.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress,¡± he nodded, pounding his two fists against his chest with the other Elite Hunters.

    In silent debate, three more minutes passed before their focus turned to the floating Nalvean-human hybrid as Noa materialized in front of Elinor.  ¡°Empress!¡±  she chimed in excitement.  ¡°Finila and I have discovered another corpse in what appears to be a partially constructed medical bay!¡±

    Elinor smiled as the two keywords stung her ears.  ¡°Take us to it.¡±

    Runes surrounding them and Elinor scanned the vast rectangular area as they faded; it looked no different from any other bare room, had it not the elegant display of complex runes shifting around the space.

    Everyone focused on the bones lying on the shimmering black stone; the Quen¡¯Talrat had two skulls, four arms, two legs, and one long tail.

    Elinor swiftly called upon the dead figure¡¯s spirit, causing bones to rise, green flames becoming tight muscle before skin and deep pink fur took shape.

    ¡°Alua¡¯Talia¡¯Asa,¡± Amra¡¯Cora whispered as the Sage of System Integrity rolled around her heads and rotated her shoulders; just like Quel, Talia was of the Legendary Grade, yet not specialized in combat.  Still, she was far superior to the young twin Sage by Elinor¡¯s analysis.

    Stretching to her full stature, she was a tad bigger than Ramuk at around five meters and eighty centimeters tall.  The Runic Master released a rather feminine groan while opening her amethyst irises to observe them.

    She breathed in and released a long stream of air before her mature tone filled the area, both right hands on her hips.  ¡°Empress ¡­ My, is that you, Amra¡¯Cora?  You¡¯ve grown since I last saw you in the halls of the Institution.  Is your mother well?¡±

    A little amused at how forward Talia seemed, Elinor shook her head, drawing the woman¡¯s gaze.  ¡°Unfortunately, so far as I am aware, the Ka was killed by the Avana.¡±

    ¡°The Avana?  Hmm, a shame; I enjoyed my time working with her.  In any case, I understand I have been called to serve a new Ke ¡­ Empress is the title you prefer?¡±  she asked while placing her fists over her chest in acknowledgment.

    ¡°Yes.  What can you tell me about the incident Alua¡¯Golro¡¯Mag caused when infecting you with his virus?¡±

    ¡°Humph ¡­ I never liked that fool,¡± Talia hissed, vision sliding to Noa with interest as she floated in the air.  ¡°He believed himself superior to me in being able to seal the fortress; of course, he was wrong, as was usual, and after dealing with that pitiful scouting party of¡ªwho can say what they were¡ªweak is my only word ¡­ Mmgm.

    ¡°To make a long story short,¡± she muttered, waving her hand for the runes across the room to illuminate in bright displays of color and shapes, ¡°Alua¡¯Sini¡¯Ta took us to this half-disaster of a medical bay to find a treatment ¡­ Ugmm¡­¡±

    Catching the woman¡¯s annoyed expression on both faces, Elinor sighed.  ¡°What is the bad news?¡±

    ¡°Why are there only two fatalities in her logs ¡­ Out of the twelve Sages, certainly it wasn¡¯t only Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana and I that died ¡­ No other entries are found after she apparently found a solution ¡­ that she didn¡¯t write down ¡­ Brilliant.¡±

    More than happy to have two Runic Masters in her service, Elinor¡¯s mind went down other avenues at the update.  ¡°Can you tell where they went¡ªwere there teleportation or exit logs?¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ No, Alua¡¯Golro¡¯Mag¡ªugh, he should be stripped of the title¡ªGolro¡¯Mag disabled Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana¡¯s defensive protocols, including the record-keeping system she designed.  Although ¡­ Who is this fascinating runic creature that has burrowed its way into our playground?¡±

    Noa forced a laugh.  ¡°Umm¡ªNoa, Alua¡¯Talia¡¯Asa; the Ke constructed me to oversee his Matrix Core.¡±

    ¡°A stunning work of art you are,¡± she hummed, seemingly losing herself in whatever she was reading from the dizzying vortex of runes shifting around the room.  ¡°I can see the striking curve of the Ke¡¯s hand clearly with you ¡­ Gorgeous.¡±

    ¡°T-Thank you,¡± she returned, crescent iries darting to Elinor.  ¡°The Empress has made me into a citizen of her Empire ¡­ I am thankful to be a part of something so grand.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Hmm ¡­ Interesting.  Empress, I see you have already found and raised Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana ¡­ the poor girl will be devastated to learn her twin is not here; I bet she hoped for the best.¡±

    ¡°It is unfortunate,¡± Elinor whispered, pondering what might have happened to the renowned Sages.  ¡°Would her sister leave her body to rot?¡±

    Scratching her left neck, Talia¡¯s forehead furrowed.  ¡°No, now that you mention it ¡­ Those two were practically inseparable, and I cannot see Alua¡¯Kolo¡¯Lana ever leaving without recovering her sister ¡­ Very strange, indeed.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I suppose there isn¡¯t much we can do as of now; can you reinstate the protocols for this network before meeting Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana to aid her in repairing the grid?  She is currently seeking to restore the Matrix Core¡¯s path to Nethermore.  I didn¡¯t have her reestablish this fortress¡¯ defenses before we left.¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, she¡¯s already done that, Empress,¡± Talia giggled, scanning the cryptic symbols.  ¡°She wasn¡¯t able to do much more, but it is her specialty, after all.¡±

    Satisfied, Elinor had Noa transport Talia to the opposite side of the destroyed grid to walk across it to meet the other Sage before the A.I. returned Elinor to the caving system that would take her to Nethermore via the train route; she didn¡¯t want to waste any more power Nethermore had.

    Arriving back in her tower as the Head Maid returned, Elinor met the woman while glaring at the clouds hiding Sha¡¯Guala.  How was your time together with Klaus?

    The brown-eyed, black-haired woman stood to the right of her throne, following her gaze upon stopping.  ¡°I had a lovely time, Empress; I truly appreciate how caring you are to your servants.¡±

    I¡¯m glad to hear it.  Is there anything more to add to your previous report?

    ¡°The High Ruler suspects there are Statesmen that will try to move against him in the coming months as he lays plans with Klaus to develop a road between our Empires.  The Statesmen of the neighboring City-States of Morn¡¯La and Dremuci are attempting to gain favor for the right to have the path carved through their territories, primarily for tax purposes.¡±

    Klaus¡¯ opinion?

    ¡°To spurn either would cause further tension and support they may offer to the High Ruler when the other Statesmen make a move.  Although, Klaus suggests throwing your support behind the High Ruler and showing your growing support among the Ri¡¯bot by using the Clavex Clan¡¯s granted territory for the road.¡±

    Hmm¡­  A smirk lifted Elinor¡¯s lips.  Would that give the Ri¡¯bot Mother Superior a seat on the negotiation table, thereby giving us a vote within the Nalvean Empire itself since she has stated she will join under my banner?

    ¡°Indeed, Empress.  It will cause tension among some Statesmen and give you more bargaining power.  Klaus suggests you return within three weeks to solidify the deals they have worked out; once you have set a date, the High Ruler will message the other Statesmen to join.  It will give him a chance to identify possible conspirators.¡±

    What was the Statesman that wanted me to bring back his son?

    ¡°Statesman Joru¡¯kora, Empress.  He has vast influence in the Empire¡¯s land-based military and will be important to bring to the High Ruler¡¯s side.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot Clans between the Nalvean Empire and us?

    ¡°Negotiation and possible incorporation into the Empire itself; we have much to offer them, and the influence of being their One Above All will certainly split Clans into factions.¡±

    It does give us bargaining power and leeway, Elinor whispered.  Three weeks ¡­ I suppose a date must be set, and I need to show a level of stability in keeping my appointments.  Yesenia?

    ¡°As mysterious as ever; unfortunately, the Seaweaver Council is a significant roadblock.  Klaus is sure that the group will cause strife, splitting the Seaweavers of the Empire; a significant number would follow the leaders of their order¡ªnamely, Yesenia as their perceived deity¡ªif a choice had to be made.  We do not have the ability nor a good enough reason to intrude on the private area of the Seaweavers that she cloaks herself in.¡±

    Hmm ¡­ When you return, take the corpses of Yesenia¡¯s family with you¡ªI already assured the High Ruler I would¡ªand, hmm ¡­ the Mother Superior should go, as well; Elluinara, her adopted daughter, is a high-ranking Seaweaver, but I sent her with the Argent Dawn to Stateswoman Lukuroha¡¯s land.  Klaus will need to somehow gain favor among other Seaweavers for our eyes and ears ¡­ Bribes may work; I leave it to his discretion.

    ¡°Return, Empress?¡±

    Hehe, you didn¡¯t think I¡¯d keep you here to myself?  Elinor mused, catching the humor in her Head Maid¡¯s voice.  Someone needs to deliver my agreement to the High Ruler¡¯s appointment, and who better than my most trusted Maid.  Besides, her neck tilted to the other woman beside her, I believe Theresa is nearing the point of gaining the Head Maid title herself, allowing me the luxury of having two capable women to stand in my place.

    ¡°I am humbled, Empress,¡± the motherly Maid curtsied.

    On that note ¡­ Is there a Maid that can join you for an extended period, Emelina¡ªone without too many connections to miss?  I can look for another to raise if needed, but I¡¯d like her to act as an extra pair of hands, eyes, and ears to take the load off of the two of you.

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Aina San Roman is the only one that comes to mind, Empress.  You have not spent much time with her; she has mainly been supporting Lucky and Gwen in the Palace and City¡¯s restoration.¡±

    Family?

    ¡°None that she is particularly close to, only her father, who was taken by the Roxim Clan and is still in their possession.¡±

    Fennel¡­  Elinor hissed, remembering the spotted, discolored Ri¡¯bot that had captured and dragged her to this world.  Hmm ¡­ Close, meaning she would like to see her father returned, and she has other family she is not so attached to?

    ¡°Yes, Empress; I apologize for the confusion.¡±

    I sent Garu to scout that area; it will likely still be a while before he returns with news.  Find out if she is willing to accompany you; if she wishes to stay and support the rebuilding effort, that is fine as well.  I have been meaning to raise more Maids and Butlers in any case.

    Emelina curtsied.  ¡°I cannot see it being an issue for her, but I will ask for her true feelings on the matter.  Am I to take your word of three weeks from this day to join the trade council in Shi¡¯Shuka?¡±

    Yes.  Is Jumbi waiting for a return trip?

    ¡°He is.  I suspected there would be a need for someone to report back.¡±

    Heh, you¡¯re lovely, Emelina.

    ¡°You are too kind, Empress.¡±

    Before you go, meet with Pepe and bring back more funds for Klaus to use, so we aren¡¯t seen as cheap.

    ¡°I will take care of it.¡±

    Curtsying, Emelina promptly left, calling for Valerie to take her place.

    Elinor turned her sight to the southeast.  What forces are you gathering ¡­ Krava and Fennel seem to be influential, and the Roxim Clan has a reputation.  How many Ri¡¯bot will you bring me to fill my ranks?  You had better come soon, or you may miss your opportunity; I¡¯m growing stronger by the day.

    Tiffany¡¯s tentative voice brushed against Elinor¡¯s mind.  ¡°Can ¡­ I have a moment, Dear?¡±

    What¡­

    ¡°Ahem, I, uh¡ªI¡¯ve been thinking about this Twin Seed business¡­¡±

    Mhm?

    ¡°Hear me out, I know this may be a tad of a stretch but ¡­ Your mother never told you that you had a twin sister in the womb, and well, considering you ¡®ate¡¯ her, or perhaps you could say, ¡®killed¡¯ her ¡­ Mmh-maybe that has something to do with it?  Your spirit was split between earrings, after all.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lower lip pulled in as she sat back.

    ¡°Elinor?¡±

    My mother ¡­ I was a twin ¡­ I am a twin?  Why ¡­ wouldn¡¯t she tell me that?

    ¡°It, uh, well, never really came up, and from what I understand, she didn¡¯t want it to cause feelings of regret or to ponder on what could have been ¡­ She was very forward-thinking, as you know!  So¡­¡±

    I need time to think about this¡­

    ¡°Of course!  Uh, just let me know when you want to continue ¡­ Eh-heh, I¡¯m just putting it out there!¡±

    Elinor severed the connection, vision downcast as she considered the information.  Could it all be linked?  I¡¯d need more Seeds and information to confirm it, but ¡­ I had a twin sister I ate in the womb?  Hmm¡­

    * * *

    Garu slipped through the loud jungle, which teemed with sounds from the many creatures he was familiar with; he¡¯d slowly been regaining his memories until they all returned on the sixteenth day of his resurrection.

    It had been a slow process as he killed wild beasts and fished for the Empire¡¯s citizens, which frustrated him a bit.  Even if not of the same caliber from the others in his Clan, he was still from the Ethereal Clan; their secret arts and abilities were feared throughout the lands.  He was only four years old, yet had taken down Quin, an Elite Hunter!

    Then again, once he¡¯d gained self-awareness to speak to his former opponent, he discovered she hadn¡¯t even attended the Ke¡¯s unique training course¡ªthe Academy; Institution¡ªor whatever she had called it.  After that, she¡¯d revealed something even more alarming, the annihilation of his people.

    The Black King destroyed the Ethereal¡ªhow?  They¡¯d been on the offensive; they were preparing to slip into their city through a hidden crack and take the fight to their streets, from what he recalled.  A way had been found!  Yet it appeared to have gone unexecuted; it didn¡¯t make sense.

    Amra¡¯Cora, a high-ranking Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter, had informed him that she knew nothing about such an attempt against their city; no breaches had come until the Golariex broke the first wall and their Ke died, causing an uproar amongst the Kings and Queens that allowed the break.

    He wanted to go to his people¡¯s hidden land; they couldn''t have been wiped out because no one knew their Clan¡¯s location.  Still, he had his duty to fulfill, which meant scouting out the armies gathering against his new Clan and Chief, Empress Elinor.  Answers would wait.

    Garu dropped out of the high branches of the ancient trees of what used to be the Maltic Clan¡¯s land¡ªapparently, they were all long dead¡ªand what was now the Xaltan Clan¡¯s land.  Of course, it was the Empress¡¯ now, but it still shocked him to hear the rather feeble Clans of his memory had risen to hold such territories.

    He was a ghost, and despite his bright white skin and glowing blue spots, not a creature took notice of his silent observation of the lingering damage the area took from a battle not long past.  His Empress had given him one mission, but High Lady Tiffany had added another.

    Crawling down the black trunk of the tree, a thick mist gravitated around his silent descent, produced and kept in orbit around him by force admitted by his spots.

    Several things instantly caught his attention, bringing him to the muddy ground; the heavy rain had washed away much of the tracks closer to Nethermore, but these were fresh.  He was near the border of the Xaltan¡ªthe river that divided this territory from the Roxim Clan¡ªand his target was tucked inside of a small Frave burrow; a female, and young for the animal, making her much smaller.

    Creeping inside, he lifted up an unfamiliar cloth that had been used as gauze, sticky, pungent goo on the inside where red blood had been absorbed; humans had used this creature¡¯s fur and specially crafted hole to take shelter from the weather, predators, and to warm themselves.

    Frave weren¡¯t instinctually aggressive creatures and had likely enjoyed their company, taking curiosity in the humans since its thick fur protected it from the most dangerous predators in the jungle, like Ragnlar.

    He caught sight of the containers called ¡®plastic bottles,¡¯ that some humans used, scattered across the hovel with other items he assumed were medical supplies and discarded clothing.  By the scent, two girls and three boys.  He¡¯d understood the hormones the species¡¯ sweat left by interacting with the creatures in Nethermore.

    These were the children Tiffany was interested in which had gained powers; she figured they¡¯d gone in the same general direction as the Roxim and Komath Clans and had been right.

    He shifted the small bag the High Lady had given him to a more comfortable position on his shoulders, glad there were medical supplies and other things the Witch thought might be useful in bringing them to willingly join him on a return journey to the city.

    Garu had been trained since the second he could recognize shapes as a Scout for his Clan, and he was good at it.  Still, the teenagers appeared to have some kind of concealment magic because their trail was difficult to follow after leaving the hole¡ªit almost seemed the jungle itself was trying to cover their tracks.

    Reaching the sandy shores of The Wandering River, Garu followed the lingering smell of blood and hormones, scattered against branches and stones until reaching the mountains that separated the Valley Clans from the Lowland Ri¡¯bot.

    The jungle thinned, and he began to find more traces of the group as he went, occasionally one split off to scout, which was far easier to track than the mystically concealed group.  As he gained on them, he found signs that the wounded girl had recovered¡ªnow, they were chasing something themselves.

    Interest rising, he found traces of the Roxim Clan¡¯s trail on their swift exit from the valley; it was old but the teens were tracking the retreating Clan.

    Hmm ¡­ I¡¯m closing in on them, and by the hastily covered up signs of this struggle ¡­ They¡¯ve captured a Roxim elder that lingered behind.  Hehe, do they know they¡¯ve caught a man already on his deathbed that didn¡¯t want to slow his Clan¡¯s escape?  We¡¯ll see.

 B3 â€” 24. Building Trust

    Valentina Batanero prowled through the jungle, scanning for signs that they were being pursued after capturing the wrinkly toad that had lagged behind.

    Sixteen years old, she¡¯d grown up around the jungle and loved to play in it, which she assumed was why she¡¯d turned into a Beastkin Tiger. In her opinion, the assassin addition was a bit much; sure, she liked to help the adults trap nearby predators, but did that make her an assassin?

    Of course, much had changed after cat ears, a tail, and fur grew out of various places on her body. At first, hair sprouted all over her chest, legs, and if she were being frank, other areas she¡¯d rather not mention, causing her and her parents to panic¡ªwhat girl would love to suddenly grow hair in those places? She, however, didn¡¯t have much time to ponder her transformation once alien toad people had jumped out of crystals and started murdering everyone.

    Trying to put some of those thoughts out of her mind, she crawled around the large tree to peer through the dense foliage at her companions; they huddled in a flat area, hidden by a wall of vines and strange flowers Nicole had crafted to keep them hidden.

    A long stream of air passed through her nose, and not sensing anything dangerous nearby, Valentina sat against the trunk to look back on the past three weeks, finally having some time to herself.

    Ears twitching a bit while adjusting to the sounds of the darkening skies, she smiled while reflecting on the snow that had fallen on them not too long ago¡ªher first time experiencing it outside of movies¡ªit was insane that it snowed in the jungle. It sure made many of the animals they passed anxious, but it could have been a load of other things, too; this world was so exotic and odd.

    A shiver ran through her as Valentina let the feel of the jungle in; the last three weeks had been anything but kind to them, and they¡¯d been forced to fight off many things, including an ungodly amount of ravenous, big-eyed birds that sent them into one of Nicole¡¯s little animal friend¡¯s burrows until they passed.

    What should I do?

    Ever since she¡¯d become a tiger girl, her mind and emotions had been altering; it was slow, but she could definitely feel it. She liked the solitude now; it gave her time to clear her head; her parents¡¯ deaths had affected her¡ªhow would it not¡ªstill, it was less than she thought it would. She kept telling herself, the jungle was harsh; she had to adapt.

    Not everyone in her party saw it that way, and Nicole, the twelve-year-old Fae Wood Dryad, seemed to hate violence, hiding whenever trouble arose. She¡¯d been invaluable during the last few weeks though, using her powers to cover their tracks.

    Valentina found little reserve in killing or fighting the toads, unlike most of her party that squirmed at the thought of conflict. Rafael and Yago had been okay¡ªshe used to think Yago was kind of a creep¡ªshe¡¯d been right, considering he turned into an Aberrantkin Skin Crawler. Too bad he died; she was getting used to him.

    Chatoyant gemstone eyes lingering on Nicole, she frowned while studying the brown-skinned girl with leaf-like hair; she huddled in the corner of their little camp and away from the prisoner.

    Nicole was from the U.S. and didn¡¯t speak Spanish, so there was a language gap between them that made her skittish around the others, yet for some reason, Valentina was an exception.

    She and Nicole were the only girls left in the party after Vega died, which was pretty early on, yet Cristian couldn¡¯t leave anyone¡¯s bodies behind. Nicole had the two wrapped corpses in the back of their hidden dome of vines and branches.

    Valentina was worried animals, and possibly their enemies would be able to follow the scent they left while rotting, yet the Dryad had covered them in large leaves so form-fitting that the smell was entirely contained, curbing her concerns.

    The U.S. girl was pretty dependable and earnest enough to pull her weight; she probably thought they¡¯d abandon her otherwise. Yet, here Valentina was, considering that very thought; this wasn¡¯t her crusade. She was a little surprised how calm and collected she¡¯d become; it was a little concerning, she had to admit.

    Pulling around her long striped tail, a low pur-like hum rumbled in her throat, and she scratched her fur-covered shoulder.

    Seeing her parents die had been horrifying, but that was weeks ago, and she had to move on. Plus, she was able to kill one of the toad people before they¡¯d hogtied her; they were way faster and smarter than she first thought.

    After that, the first several hours were a whirlwind, but after nearly nineteen days in this world, she¡¯d come to accept it, again, unlike the others, and if she wanted to survive, that mindstate would get her killed.

    This place was practically made for her, and she¡¯d never felt more alive than splitting off from the group to explore her new playground. Valentina needed to break away if she was ever going to better understand the territory and learn where best to carve out her own little place in this world.

    Tail falling to her side, Valentina¡¯s lips tightened as she glared at the barely visible party; if she could see them, others could. Then again, she could jump down and tell Nicole where to strengthen and thicken her hedges, but how many more times would she need to do that.

    Rafael currently acted as their leader; he may speak Spanish, but he didn¡¯t come from their small town. Eighteen years old, he and his girlfriend had eloped, falsifying their identities and using the humanitarian aid trip to get out of the U.S.¡ªhe didn¡¯t elaborate too much on that part.

    The young man was a decent dude but was obsessed with getting his girlfriend back, which she¡¯d confirmed by scent was now with thousands of toad people; it was suicide, but he was in love. They were dancing with the devil in this utterly unknown territory where any random bug could kill them in their sleep.

    It wasn¡¯t like she could complain, though; no one else had any idea what to do when they¡¯d been captured, and Rafael had come up with a plan using their talents¡ªit got some people killed¡ªbut it worked, sort of.

    She glanced down at her fur-covered chest, frowning at the small patch of scar tissue on the inside of her right breast. She¡¯d discarded the wrap on her left arm and her clothes in the big, furry ferret burrow they¡¯d stayed in; there wasn¡¯t much to be embarrassed about when fighting for your life, and it didn¡¯t feel right against her fur.

    Valentina¡¯s thoughts returned to that stormy night, wondering if there was anything she could have done without the others¡ªlooking for a reason to tell them she was going her own way.

    Tied up from head to foot and gagged, she was ready to be served up on a silver platter while being bounced around on the stick she was strapped to¡ªshe¡¯d been tossed against trees, stones, and roots¡ªevery chance the toads got, she swore they laughed while she bounced on that stick as they walked.

    It took a day, but eventually, Rafael learned about the others with powers and had made a plan; Yago was the one thing that allowed it to happen, taking over one of their captor¡¯s bodies, which allowed them more leeway.

    Gorka, a rather shrewd fifteen-year-old before their capture, could store things in a personal dimensional pocket. It wasn¡¯t that big at first but grew as he used it throughout the day, allowing Yago and Cristian, the bodysnatcher¡¯s only friend, to smuggle goods they could use from the supply wagon behind them.

    Cristian had gravity powers that sounded cool but wasn¡¯t all that impressive; he basically floated things, and he couldn¡¯t let his best friend rot, so he¡¯d been carrying him along their travels with his power¡ªa waste in Valentina¡¯s opinion, but he could do what he wanted.

    Vega was a somewhat standoffish girl near her own age that didn¡¯t like to socialize; she was known in their small school as a ¡®tinkerer¡¯ and loved to take people¡¯s old mechanical devices and repurpose them to random things she¡¯d envisioned.

    Valentina was a little impressed when she managed to take the scraps of metal Gorka had stockpiled to shape into a shortsword for Rafael to use; she didn¡¯t know what the girl¡¯s ¡®title¡¯ or ¡®powers¡¯ were called because, during the toads¡¯ confrontation, they¡¯d made a break for it.

    The resulting chaos? She¡¯d had the air knocked out of her for a moment as, what she later discovered was black thorns, hit her dead in the chest; they were deadly shots, hitting the same spot and breaking past her skin but not her bones¡ªit still left a nasty scar¡ªshe kind of liked how it looked now, and the fur was growing back in.

    She struggled with one of the other toad warriors on their escape and almost died had not Yago jumped in front of an insanely fast toad that used a knife to cut clear through him before making three nasty gashes across her arm and side.

    Oddly, the attackers stopped soon after, when the storm took a turn for the worse, allowing them to escape with a few other people¡ªVega didn¡¯t make it either. Cristian hoped Yago¡¯s new bodysnatcher powers would mean he was fine, but that didn¡¯t turn out to be the case.

    Her lips fell a tad as the memories returned, and she rocked back and forth, pondering what she should do; killing the toad people was all well and good, yet she didn¡¯t have any family left, and this was obviously stupid.

    Valentina¡¯s instincts had told her in an instant that the toad she¡¯d barely escaped was far stronger than her; it had been a miracle that they¡¯d made it out of that. At least on their escape, she¡¯d managed to kill the other toad that had murdered her family¡ªshe memorized his scent during the incident.

    Now, what was she supposed to do? As of right now, the only thing keeping her here was the kindness Nicole had shown her in treating the wound on her chest, side, and arms.

    The twelve-year-old Faekin Wood Nymph had been latched onto her whenever they slept; Valentina liked to be up at night, though. She could live on only a few hours of sleep for three days before needing to rest longer.

    Why did Rafael even want us to capture this green toad ¡­ We haven¡¯t even been questioning him? Is it because he looks like the toads that took us? Revenge?

    Golden eyes closing as she thought back on their journey, she tried to make up her mind on what she should do; the teens Valentina found herself with were all good guys, but she didn¡¯t want to die. Stupidity versus loyalty was a no-brainer, but she needed to know if it really was stupidity or if he¡¯d actually thought of a plan.

    Mmh ¡­ One way to find out.

    Jumping onto the top of their dense dome of foliage, Valentina slipped through the winding path Nicole had made for her to go in and out; the second the girl noticed her, she smiled and raised her hand in a silent greeting and closed the opening.

    ¡°How was it out there?¡± Gorka whispered, rubbing his forehead from the heat of the humid jungle and scanning the ground for anything that might bite him. ¡°Did they notice we took him?¡±

    ¡°How do you know it¡¯s a guy?¡± Rafael grinned, trying to add a bit of humor that made Christian and Gorka chuckle. ¡°Seriously, though, anything bad?¡±

    Sliding her fingers behind her head to play with her tight ponytail, Valentina took a casual posture, vision drifting to the silent toad; Nicole had him tightly bound by the vines in the area, keeping him pinned against a big root.

    ¡°Nope, and I only hear the normal animals around us.¡±

    Gorka breathed a sigh of relief, fanning his face; on closer look, she noticed he¡¯d lost a bit of weight since coming here, although all of them had. ¡°Man, I was worried.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Cristian nodded, taking a seat from his pacing position. ¡°Umm, so have you smelled anything like that really dangerous scent since yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Nu-uh. I think when the toads came through here, they pretty much got rid of most of the dangerous stuff.¡±

    Rafael rubbed the fuzz on his face, glaring at the gagged toad. ¡°We¡¯re catching up, though ¡­ How soon do you think it¡¯ll be?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a bloodhound,¡± Valentina growled, crossing her arms. ¡°My hearing is the best, followed by touch¡ªI can feel my environment out, even in the dark¡ªI do have good night vision, though.¡±

    Cristian forced a smile. ¡°Yeah, I was a bit surprised when you said things didn¡¯t taste different.¡±

    ¡°You could tell before, though?¡± Rafael asked, eyebrows furrowing. ¡°Why is it hard now ¡­ Eh, you seem kind of agitated ¡­ What¡¯s up?¡±

    Her ears folded back, tail swishing with agitation. ¡°Look, I¡¯ll tell you but first, tell me why you had us go after this toad dude.¡±

    Rafael¡¯s face turned sober while following her gaze. ¡°Because I need to know how to kill them better ¡­ We have vital spots, and they should have some, too.¡±

    Valentia¡¯s sharp teeth clapped together at his answer, arms tightening under her bust. ¡°Mmgm ¡­ I know where their vitals are if you would have sat down and talked to us about it¡ªI know instinctively where to best attack them.¡±

    ¡°Really? Oh, uh ¡­ I suppose I did kind of rush us into it, but he was such an easy target, and you didn¡¯t see anyone watching him.¡±

    ¡°Mgmmm,¡± her low, cat-like growls caused the other two boys to chuckle nervously and drew Nicole¡¯s worried glowing green eyes.

    ¡°What?¡± Rafael sighed, scratching his unwashed messy black hair. ¡°I¡¯m trying to find solutions here ¡­ You can show us on a real toad now. Isn¡¯t that important?¡±

    She closed her eyes, agitation rising. ¡°Rafael ¡­ I¡¯m going to be blunt¡ªyou¡¯re going to get us all killed.¡±

    ¡°Woah, where¡¯d that come from?¡± he asked.

    Cristian''s hard swallow snatched her ears. ¡°Yeah, uh... We have powers¡ªwe can help the people caught! Gorka, c¡¯mon, you think so, too¡­ Uh, right?¡±

    ¡°Wait ¡­ Do you want to be the leader?¡±

    Valentina¡¯s golden eyes opened narrowly, staring up at Rafael''s hardening face; he was nearly two meters tall and stood at least seventeen centimeters above her. She was never intimidated by size, though.

    ¡°Did I say I wanted to be the leader? No. I¡¯m not delusional. I¡¯ve sat back because I was hurt and recovering; I didn¡¯t know a thing about this place, and I was scared. Now, I¡¯ve learned a lot, and what I know is that the way you¡¯re taking us¡ªwe¡¯re all going to end up like Vega and Yago.¡±

    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t say that about Yago¡ªhe saved you!¡± Cristian snapped, getting defensive for his dead friend. ¡°Yago saved all of us!¡±

    He flinched as her gaze went to him, and she saw Nicole becoming a little upset at the sudden argument unfolding. ¡°Great¡ªso what¡ªshould I just march to my death again because his friend says so?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re being spoiled,¡± Rafael muttered, meeting her eyes. ¡°We took care of you when you were bleeding out¡ªNicole dressed your wounds¡ªyou used a lot of our supplies, too, but that¡¯s fine because we¡¯re a team. We need to stick together.¡±

    ¡°A team?¡± Valentina snorted. ¡°You¡¯ve made all the decisions until now because face it, you¡¯re scared if we stop to think for a minute, we¡¯ll choose to not go after your girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ So do you want to make decisions ¡­ Do you want to fight over it?¡± he challenged, hand going to the short sword hilt on the makeshift belt Nicole had given him. ¡°I¡¯m only doing what I think is best.¡±

    ¡°For you,¡± Valentina shot back, putting a hand on her hip. ¡°And no, I told you, I don¡¯t care about being your little leader¡ªthat is childish. If these guys wanna follow you to their graves, then it¡¯s their own choice, but I¡¯m not going to run in and fight an entire army of creatures for someone I don¡¯t even know when one was enough to almost kill me. You¡¯re not thinking with your head.¡±

    ¡°What, I should abandon her¡ªall those other teenage girls that you grew up with? You know those guys took almost all the children and teenage girls!¡± he hotly argued.

    Valentina rolled her eyes. ¡°Again, you¡¯re thinking with your heart, idiot! I¡ªugh, Nicole¡­¡±

    Roots grew out of the ground between them, causing a two-meter separation as she looked at them and mumbled something in English to Rafael, trembling a little.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s not my fault¡ªshe¡¯s the one that wants to leave!¡±

    Gorka rubbed his arms, glancing toward the toad. ¡°W-Where would you even go, Valentina?¡±

    ¡°I¡ªmmg-ugh¡ªagain, Nicole¡­¡± she muttered as the girl started to cry and ran to her, latching around her shoulders, probably in an attempt to keep her from leaving. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m not like all of you¡ªI don¡¯t believe there¡¯s a way back home ¡­ We¡¯re stuck.¡±

    ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, we can¡¯t abandon Shayla and all those others; we got these powers for a reason¡ªwe need to protect people¡ªwe have a responsibility!¡±

    ¡°Responsibility?¡± Valentina¡¯s ears twitched with agitation as she looked down at the shaking twelve-year-old girl, who was burying her face in her chest and hiccuping. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about your responsibility¡ªI¡¯m responsible for myself, and I¡¯m not going to walk to certain death because some guy feels guilty he couldn¡¯t protect his girl.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm ¡­ Well, I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d find you on the verge of collapse.¡±

    Valentina¡¯s ears went on high alert as a low chuckle reverberated from above them, too low for anyone to hear but her, and she noticed mist creeping into their shelter; she hadn¡¯t heard anyone getting close. ¡°Smoke! Someone¡¯s close by!¡±

    ¡°What? Get behind me¡ª¡± he swapped to English, but Nicole was petrified, hugging Valentina closer.

    C¡¯mon ¡­ I can¡¯t fight if you¡¯re hanging onto me ¡­ Why is everyone so emotional¡­

    The fog was only growing thicker, making Nicole latch on tighter.

    * * *

    Mist floated around the area as Garu hung in a low-hanging branch, a small smile on his lips while watching the panicking teens; he¡¯d been observing them for several minutes after finally catching up to them.

    This Valentina human is more intelligent than the others. Interesting.

    The girl had been debating something since he arrived, and judging by their conversation, she was the best tracker and scout they had; still, they had a Plant Caller in their party, by the looks of things, and they were a deadly opponent.

    Garu couldn¡¯t be sure how powerful human Plant Callers were, yet now the jungle''s unusual feel made sense. Something unnatural pulsed out of the small girl with leaves and vines as hair. He¡¯d never seen a human like her, yet she did have a similar scent.

    They have potential ¡­ I couldn¡¯t detect the two they have wrapped up; this Plant Caller is far more proficient than she knows.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    He eased to the left to peer through the small gaps, spotting the elderly Clanless Ri¡¯bot, at least he assumed the man was Clanless; in his day, any Ri¡¯bot with splotched, discolored skin had been thrown out for fraternizing outside of the clan¡ªpurity was critical for preserving a Clan¡¯s ancient powers¡ªmost had stepped outside that guiding principle over the decades.

    Of course, few but the Ethereal knew the truth since the others had fallen into their false worshiping ways of their ¡®One Above All¡¯ and Supreme Ones, hazing the facts in oral traditions. The Ethereal had sacred texts and records, showing precisely the method to tap into their ancestors'' powers.

    Perhaps this Clanless could tell him something about his people since he¡¯d likely been a child during the time of the war. He lifted his right hand to stare at the gem-encrusted bracelet he wore, and the knife held against his forearm¡ªGaru had gone back to the site of his death to dig through the mud to find his sacred tools.

    Many of his ancestors¡¯ ways had been lost, even to the Ethereal, yet the use of the gems of power was not something the Quen¡¯Talrat had known until their gigantic leader had gone to the north; they weren¡¯t nearly as skilled or advanced in their tactics until their emperor made that war conquest.

    He made some noise to alert the human girl that had characteristics of a Ragnlar, and sure enough, her hearing seemed to be keen.

    ¡°W-Who¡¯s out there¡ªis it the toad people?¡±

    Toad people ¡­ Why do they give us such strange names? They¡¯re like overgrown, hairless Yaltha''ma with two eyes.

    ¡°Please, don¡¯t leave me, Valentina,¡± Nicole cried. ¡°I¡ªI don¡¯t want you to get hurt again!¡±

    ¡°Mmgm, tell her I can¡¯t fight if she¡¯s clinging to me!¡±

    ¡°Nicole,¡± Rafael growled, ¡°calm down a little¡ªNicole?¡±

    Plant Callers¡­

    ¡°N-No one will get in¡ªI promise! J-Just tell her not to go¡ªplease, Valentina! Tell her, Rafael!¡±

    ¡°Rafael¡ªI¡¯m trying to push the smoke out, b-but it just keeps coming!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not smoke¡ªit¡¯s water¡ªfog,¡± Valentina shot back. ¡°Nicole¡­¡±

    Garu hummed, rubbing his chin. ¡°If I was here to kill you, you¡¯d be long dead, Valentina.¡±

    ¡°W-What ¡­ He spoke Spanish!¡±

    ¡°What¡ªis it someone else with powers?! Hello? Are you friendly?¡± Rafael called out. ¡°Did you escape? Are you hurt?¡±

    Hopping out of the tree to slow his fall with the gravitational repulsion released by his flashing blue spots, Garu touched down and walked to their dome; unlike the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s unique symbol technology, these humans had nothing to stop an Ethereal.

    Garu carefully pulled the bag Tiffany had given him from his shoulders and sat it against a root where it would remain dry and dispersed into mist. He wasn¡¯t the most proficient at the technique when alive and his consciousness weaving like the waves of the river as he drifted inside and collected again; now, the process was easier after becoming undead and didn¡¯t make him nauseous.

    His eyes opened, and a small smile lit his lips as he sat on one of the branches the Plant Caller had risen to use for sitting on, testing to see how proficient she was at manipulating the jungle. It seemed she was far too flustered to do anything more than tighten the vines in the prison she¡¯d fashioned for them.

    ¡°My name is Garu; I¡¯ve come here to rescue you. If I didn¡¯t show up, that old man would have killed all of you in the next few minutes.¡±

    ¡°W-What? No, but ¡­ Where is this fog coming from¡ªI can¡¯t see anything? Is it your power?¡±

    Garu¡¯s smirk lifted as he leaned back, following the shifts in the waves he used to determine bodily positions in the haze; Valentina had finally gotten Nicole off and had jumped to the ceiling, crawling toward him. She has good instincts in following my voice.

    The Clanless had grown anxious, making Garu¡¯s long tongue slide out to glaze across his lips and the three teeth on either side of his mouth; he knew the signs of an Ethereal. Good. I might get answers.

    ¡°I said I¡¯m here to take you to safety, but you seem to have a direction already¡­¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not human!¡± Valentina roared, jumping from above to pounce on him. ¡°He¡¯s here¡ªgah!¡±

    Garu calmly leaned back and snatched her outstretched, clawed hand to flip the stunned girl around to land on her butt, forcing her to bite her tongue in shock as her own weight landed on her tail; long legs wrapping around hers, he put her into a hold as she coughed and sputtered, tears coming to her eyes while struggling and fighting through the pain.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude. I¡¯m here to support you.¡±

    ¡°Valentina! W-Where are you! I can¡¯t find¡ª¡±

    Dispersing the fog, Garu¡¯s outline became clear to them, showing his hold over the beast girl.

    ¡°A¡ªYou¡¯re a toad?!¡±

    ¡°W-Wait, Rafael!¡± Cristian gasped. ¡°He has Valentina!¡±

    ¡°L-Let me go¡­¡± she whimpered, still trying to suppress the pain of landing on her butt and tail.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Garu¡¯s vision narrowed upon feeling a mild sense of danger coming from Nicole as she looked in mild shock. Unwinding around the beast human, he forced her up, dodging her back elbow, and shoved her forward. ¡°How many times do I need to repeat myself? You attacked me.¡±

    ¡°V-Valentina!¡± Nicole cried, running forward and spreading her fingers to wrap vines around him. ¡°I-I got him!¡±

    ¡°Nice!¡± Cristian grinned.

    Rafael jumped forward, blade raised. ¡°It¡¯s not over!¡±

    ¡°Really¡­¡± Vanishing into the fog, Garu appeared behind the boy and shoved him to the ground, dagger flipping around his wrist to fit into his hand, gems shimmering as a tongue-barb shot out of the mist to slice his and the boy¡¯s neck.

    Deflecting it, Garu walked past the stumbling human, unaccustomed to fighting on uneven ground, and lazily swatted the following projectiles out of the way. ¡°An odd fighting style for a Clanless¡ªhehe, you wouldn¡¯t happen to be from the Roxim tribe?¡±

    ¡°W-Why ¡­ Why is an Ethereal helping these creatures ¡­ I thought you were all dead!¡±

    Fog dispersing, Garu flicked his knife around his fingers to rest against his forearm again to smile at the elder while stopping in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m more interested in discovering why you allowed yourself to be captured, old man ¡­ Were you a former Xaria? Rare for you to survive all these years in such a duty.¡±

    ¡°Y-You saved me?¡± Rafael mumbled in disbelief.

    ¡°Dude, he just¡ªno, man¡ªhe turned into mist!¡± Gorka muttered, shaking his head and backing away. ¡°We¡¯re screwed, dude!¡±

    ¡°N-No, we can¡­¡±

    ¡°Idiot! We should run!¡± Valentina hissed, backing away with Nicole. ¡°He¡¯s way stronger than the other ones we fought!¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t go anywhere I can¡¯t follow,¡± Garu commented, shifting to look at them. ¡°So, why don¡¯t you calm down so we can talk ¡­ Heh, I just have a few questions for our former Xaria.¡±

    Blue irises drifting back to the shaking Ri¡¯bot, Garu¡¯s tongue slid across his left teeth before making a popping sound that made the prisoner flinch. ¡°Hehe, you do understand the old warrior tongue; at least your Clan hasn¡¯t completely forgotten the old ways.¡±

    The man¡¯s gaze fell, frustration taking the place of his fear. ¡°They have ¡­ My former Chief has all but abandoned the ways we were taught ¡­ I cannot be a part of what he plots.¡±

    ¡°Oh, do tell,¡± Garu mused, happy the humans were clustering and mumbling to one another; Valentina had all but given up on escape after his words, showing how smart she was. ¡°You abandoned your Clan¡ªas a former Xaria? Help me understand¡ªif you were in your youth, the speed of those thorns would have been a little impressive for a lower clan.¡±

    His jaw locked, now meeting his gaze with the grit his past life would have instilled. ¡°Ethereal pride ¡­ You must be one of the risen dead that Fennel spoke of ¡­ Why do you serve such a creature?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll discover that answer soon enough,¡± Garu chuckled. ¡°The Empress is absolute ¡­ You don¡¯t understand in the faintest what power she holds and the forces she commands. What is your name, former Xaria?¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ am nameless; now that I have left my Clan ¡­ I will fight for what I know to be true!¡±

    Smile falling, Garu felt an itch from his past rise to the surface. ¡°I see ¡­ the Ethereal respect resolve.¡±

    Blade flipping to his hand, he positioned his fingers to activate the proper combination, instantly heating the blade; the red edge passed through the bonds holding the disgraced Ri¡¯bot, freeing him.

    ¡°W-What are you doing?¡± Rafael shouted, holding up his sword.

    Gorka backed into the wall behind him. ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to help us?¡±

    Nicole opened a way for them to escape and tugged at Valentina¡¯s arm. ¡°Please¡ªrun! Run with me!¡±

    ¡°No!¡± Valentina growled. ¡°He¡¯ll catch us¡ªI just know it ¡­ I only feel threatened when I attack him ¡­ He¡¯s not trying to hurt us.¡±

    ¡°Still, why did he release him!¡± Cristian rambled in fright.

    Garu held out his hand in an upward gesture, showing his respect. ¡°Your name?¡±

    ¡°Why ¡­ I am Clanless¡­¡±

    ¡°You hold true to your beliefs, misguided or not, you follow what you believe to be correct, and that is worthy of a proper end. Is it not?¡±

    The elder¡¯s face hardened, accepting his hand, and Garu helped him to his feet.

    ¡°My name was ¡­ Xaria Polko, of the Roxim.¡±

    ¡°Good. Rafael, your weapon.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ªNo!¡±

    ¡°Do it, Rafael!¡± Valentina snapped. ¡°If he¡¯s here to help, maybe he¡¯ll help you get your girlfriend back¡ªdon¡¯t get all of us killed!¡±

    ¡°Hehehe. I said I was here to help ¡­ Don¡¯t misunderstand, though; I will tie you up and force you to return to the Empire with me if necessary. Your sword.¡±

    ¡°Ugmmg¡­¡±

    ¡°Rafael¡­¡± Gorka mumbled.

    ¡°O-Only if you can take it!¡±

    Palko laughed, having trouble standing with his decayed muscle after being bound for so long. ¡°Is ¡­ the creature challenging you?¡±

    ¡°He seems to be a stubborn one ¡­ I understand, though; he has something he¡¯s trying to protect with his limited power.¡±

    ¡°I¡ªI¡¯ll save Shayla! I swear!¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Didn¡¯t you ask Valentina to fight you for leadership? He-he-he, fine. Let¡¯s make that bet. I win; you follow my lead. You win, I swear by my ancestors, I will save your woman.¡±

    ¡°Giving the creature hope?¡± Palko sighed, rubbing his arms and stretching out for what he knew would come. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too cruel ¡­ He faces an Ethereal, after all.¡±

    ¡°Some lessons are best learned through combat.¡±

    ¡°Heh ¡­ I can¡¯t argue there, young warrior¡­¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± Garu snickered. ¡°I am a four-year-old Scout of my Clan¡ªif I were a warrior¡­¡±

    A shiver ran through Palko¡¯s frame. ¡°I see ¡­ Our fears were justified in the past. Such a foolish old man, I¡¯ve been ¡­ I will see my punishment soon enough.¡±

    ¡°You are not dead yet, Palko,¡± Garu said, moving to stand in front of a defiant Rafael as the others backed away. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nicole, I won¡¯t kill him, and even if I did, the Empress could bring him back.¡±

    Valentina¡¯s folded back ears rose, and something seemed to click in her mind. ¡°Bring him back ¡­ Empress ¡­ That girl that raised all those bodies to fight for her?¡±

    ¡°Hmm, so you did see a small portion of the Empress¡¯ power? Still, let¡¯s not waste time.¡±

    ¡°My thoughts exactly!¡±

    Rafael launched forward at surprising speed for a human; he could likely match Valentina. Waiting for him to come near and swing his short sword in an unpracticed way, Garu sidestepped it, testing the strength of his swing; in fascination, he saw the boy¡¯s speed drop significantly once putting his weight into his swing.

    The power he generated was far superior to what it should have been as he deflected the strike, letting it slide along his blade¡¯s side. Unfortunately, he stumbled and rolled across the ground from his own attack.

    ¡°Ugh ¡­ Stop¡ªdodging ¡­ Why aren¡¯t you fighting back! Don¡¯t mock me!¡±

    Sighing, Garu dodged around his lunges. ¡°You¡¯re a baby, swinging around a lump of metal ¡­ You¡¯ll never hit anything like that¡ªI suspect you were only able to kill anything by simply surprising them with your sudden strength, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Rafael!¡± Nicole cried, hands shaking in Valentina¡¯s as her other was clutched at her breast. ¡°S-Stop¡ªyou¡¯ll die! Please, don¡¯t leave me like my mom and dad!¡±

    Is that her trauma?

    Garu pressed in as he accelerated, and just as he suspected, his finger strength was nearly non-existent in his advance. Snatching the hilt out of his hand, Garu promptly flipped it around and tossed it to Palko, who observed the sad exchange.

    ¡°Welp, looks like I¡¯m the leader.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ªn-no! I¡ªI can still¡­¡±

    Moving out of his wild lunge, Garu flipped the blade around to hold at his neck, making him go stiff, and the others gasped in fright. ¡°It¡¯s over ¡­ Don¡¯t make me embarrass you further, boy.¡±

    ¡°No ¡­ No, I need to rescue her¡­¡± he cried, starting to quake. ¡°I have powers¡ªI can save her¡­¡±

    ¡°Idiot¡­¡± Valentina hissed, Garka and Cristian running over to help him back to the only exit.

    ¡°Rafael ¡­ W-What should we do?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡­¡±

    Garu left him to collapse on the ground and break down with the others; the stress of the weeks in unfamiliar territory seemed to be getting to them after feeling utterly helpless against him.

    ¡°Are you ready, Palko?¡±

    Valentina listened carefully, trying to understand anything she could to survive; she had impressed Garu throughout this exchange, but it could be simply because of her bestial instincts. Nicole was paralyzed after her vines didn¡¯t work against him while the others debated running.

    A long stream of air passed through the former Xaria¡¯s nose while swinging around the unfamiliar weapon, testing the grip and weight. ¡°Heh ¡­ I never expected this when I left. An Ethereal, huh? I don¡¯t know what will come after this ¡­ Still, your honor makes me feel shame at my own Clan and Chief¡¯s decision. Perhaps ¡­ I am but a relic of the past.¡±

    A slight smirk lifted Garu¡¯s eyes at the shaky frame of the old man. ¡°We¡¯ll have to spar again once you¡¯re restored to your youth, but until then ¡­ Show me your conviction as a warrior ¡­ No one can take that away from you.¡±

    ¡°He-he-he, I wish I could have fought beside you in the Fire Wars, Ethereal. Your name?¡±

    ¡°Garu, of the Ethereal. Tell me one thing before we start ¡­ What happened to my Clan? What did the Quen¡¯Talrat Black King do to my people?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ I can sympathize with the pain you feel ¡­ Roxim was originally the collection of many collapsed Clans; my grandfather was the last of his ¡­ I would give you more information if I could, but all I can offer are rumors.¡±

    ¡°Anything could help.¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ Word spread of an explosion to the southwest¡ªyou know the terrifying weapons of the Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªafter that, no message came from the Ethereal.¡±

    Garu¡¯s undead heart skipped a beat, mind chilling. ¡°Southwest ¡­ Where, exactly?¡±

    ¡°Just beyond the valley¡ªthe Outer Territory¡ªwe suspected the Ethereal must have made Crown Mountain their home.¡±

    No ¡­ How did he know? No other Clan knew of our exact location.

    ¡°Were there any survivors?¡±

    ¡°Sadly, I¡¯ve heard nothing, and ¡­ I¡¯ve heard from other Clans, Crown Mountain is gone ¡­ Only a massive crater is left.¡±

    ¡°The Black King?¡±

    ¡°He returned victorious to find his leader dead¡ªthe nightmare of the caverns were everywhere¡ªmost of the allied nations lost much of their armies in the flood of Quen¡¯Talrat and ravenous nightmares. After the eight-legged shadows went east, the Fire Wars started¡ªthe Avana came after ¡­ So many deaths.¡±

    Garu¡¯s fingers tightened around his knife as it flipped into his hand. ¡°I see ¡­ For glory.¡±

    ¡°For glory.¡±

    Launching forward, Palko found one last sprint in him before Garu deflected his slash and used his own tongue to block the former Xaria¡¯s that revealed a hidden spike, expecting such tactics from a Xaria of the mixed clan, he maneuvered his organ around it, locking it in place.

    He had good form, yet his age betrayed him, and Garu¡¯s blade penetrated his belly, sliding up to his throat and spilling his guts across the muddy ground.

    The teens watched in disbelief, probably unable to follow their sudden acceleration; Nicole was closing her eyes, turned away, and started crying as Valentina bent down to comfort her, but she kept her Ragnlar-like golden irises on him.

    ¡°Y-You just¡ªyou gutted him¡­¡± Gorka mumbled, falling to his knees. ¡°You really killed him.¡±

    Reaching down to take the weapon from Palko¡¯s dead hands, Garu smiled; he¡¯d held onto it until the end, which was necessary for the religious Clans¡ªit was more symbolic for the Ethereal.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to talk to him again and have a proper introduction when we get back to the Empire.¡±

    ¡°W-What about Shayla?¡± Rafael hiccuped. ¡°I have to save her¡ªwho knows what they¡¯re doing to her.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± Valentina hissed. ¡°There are thousands of those toads¡ªyou just saw and heard that¡ªhe was supposed to be a super old one! We caught an old man, and he could have killed us if he wanted to¡ªI couldn¡¯t even sense it.¡±

    Garu tossed Rafael his blood-soaked weapon. ¡°You misunderstand me. Sit, let¡¯s talk for a bit and get to know each other; the High Lady wanted me to find and collect you, but the Empress¡¯ orders supersede all, and she has sent me here on another task.¡±

    ¡°Huh ¡­ W-Who is this Empress person?¡± Gorka asked. ¡°A-And, this High Lady?¡±

    Rafael¡¯s shakes and tone had steadied while reading between the lines; wiping his face with his arm, he picked up his short sword and cleared his throat. ¡°I¡ªI think I know her ¡­ Elinor, right¡ªthe goth girl? Shayla talked with her for a bit at a stop. She has powers?¡±

    Garu¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Do not take a familiar tone when speaking of the Empress ¡­ She is the only protection you have and is the current ruler of the valley you just left; she has subjugated all Clans within, made dealings with the southern kingdom, and sits on a council of mighty creatures from other worlds. While you¡¯ve been struggling and crawling in the mud, she has risen an empire.¡±

    ¡°H-He didn¡¯t mean a-any disrespect,¡± Gorka stammered. ¡°We don¡¯t know anything!¡±

    Garu put a finger to his mouth, making his jaw snap shut.

    ¡°You humans are such noisy creatures when you speak ¡­ Come, sit.¡±

    They hesitantly gathered around, and Garu explained the state of his Empress¡¯ empire, expressing her desire to save the humans and punish the Ri¡¯bot. He spent some time getting to know their individual abilities and memorizing every word and action they took to report to High Lady Tiffany when they returned.

    As he¡¯d expected, Valentina wasn¡¯t against helping her fellow humans but didn¡¯t want to be caught up in certain death. She was to a great extent independent yet could realize when something was a waste of energy or a stupid pursuit.

    She was perfectly willing to follow his lead after he¡¯d explained he served Empress Elinor, who she considered to be on their side. Garu wouldn¡¯t have gone that far, but she could believe what she wanted; he couldn¡¯t deny or confirm it since he had no idea what the Empress¡¯ plans were for the humans.

    Gorka and Cristian were more or less followers; they had trouble thinking and doing things for themselves, which was why they clung to Rafael. Cristian was both excited and a little nervous at the prospect that his friend could be brought back.

    As Valentina expressed, their former leader had a one-track mind for his lover.

    Nicole was of the most interest, though; the twelve-year-old had a similar feel to Aileen, the young human Maid of the Empress, yet was far less outgoing and vocal. She hid behind Rafael and Valentina; the girl had excellent potential¡ªhe¡¯d seen what Plant Callers could do, and they were a dangerous opponent.

    Unfortunately, this Dryad, as they called her, was terrified of conflict, and clearly, she had abandonment issues. Still, he could work with the group¡¯s abilities.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Understand, I am not here to save the humans¡ªI am strong, but I cannot handle an entire Clan myself. I am here to scout and report, but ¡­ if you follow my instructions, we may be able to accomplish something unexpected. Are you willing to put your trust in me?¡±

    Valentina answered with a strained smile, tail flicking to the side. ¡°It¡¯s not like we have much choice ¡­ You¡¯re at least smarter than Rafael, and you know how they operate.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Valentina.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re desperate, which is just as bad.¡±

    ¡°I got us this far.¡±

    She turned away, her long bound hair flicking at the motion. ¡°Not really, and Nicole found us animals that would welcome us into their burrows.¡±

    Cristian forced a smile. ¡°Eh, he did set everything up to get us out¡ªand now Yago and Vega can be revived ¡­ I¡¯m so happy¡ªthank you, Garu!¡±

    ¡°Put your faith in the Empress, not me,¡± he muttered. ¡°Now, I¡¯ll ask again. Are you willing to follow my plan without deviation? You aren¡¯t skilled enough to adapt to a situation like this¡ªa trained watch will be keeping guard.¡±

    ¡°So long as we¡¯re going to save Shayla¡ªI don¡¯t care if I die¡ªif it¡¯s safe in this Nethermore, if you get her there, that¡¯s all that matters.¡±

    Valentina¡¯s nose creased. ¡°Idiot ¡­ I¡¯m sure she¡¯d love that.¡±

    ¡°I just want her safe.¡±

    Garu sighed. ¡°If you¡¯re going to live through this, Valentina, Rafael, you¡¯ll need to work together. Nicole ¡­ You are the most important part.¡±

    ¡°B-But I don¡¯t know how to do so many things,¡± she cried, hugging herself while leaning against Valentina. ¡°What if the animals won¡¯t listen to me¡ªsome aren''t nice¡ªsome are really mean.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how Plant Callers use their powers, Nicole, but you are the most important piece in this plan.¡±

    ¡°Please, Nicole,¡± Rafael pleaded. ¡°I know you can do it!¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ I don¡¯t know ¡­ Valentina¡­¡±

    ¡°Ugh ¡­ I can¡¯t understand you, girl ¡­ Eh, translate for me,¡± she growled at Rafael, bending down to hug the trembling teenager. ¡°Hey, you¡¯ve been really strong¡ªdo you want to save a bunch of people?¡±

    Nicole¡¯s big eyes went to Rafael, quickly shaking her head. ¡°W-What if my mom and dad are there ¡­ W-What if they get scared and run away again. Is it because I look like this now? Why do I have wood-like skin and stupid leaf hair ¡­ I hate it!¡± she cried, pulling at the vines and leaves for them to grow back. ¡°I can¡¯t get rid of it!¡±

    ¡°Hey¡ªhey, it¡¯s okay, Nicole ¡­ You¡¯re cute. You¡¯re not scary.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ My mom and dad ran away¡ªb-because I¡¯m a monster plant girl now ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be a plant girl, Valentina ¡­ I want to be a normal girl!¡±

    Tears were falling down Rafael¡¯s eyes as he rubbed her back and translated; the others were becoming emotional, as well. ¡°No ¡­ You¡¯re not a monster, Nicole ¡­ We couldn¡¯t have gotten this far without you.¡±

    Letting it go on for a bit, Garu looked up at the dark sky; night had fallen, and only Nicole and Valentina could navigate at this hour. He had a plan for that, though.

    ¡°If Nicole can¡¯t do it, then we can¡¯t save your woman, Rafael. It¡¯s as simple as that. I will give you twenty minutes before I go myself; that¡¯s all the time I can give you.¡±

    Jumping into the trees, Garu did a quick scan of their perimeter; they¡¯d catch up to the escaping Clan soon, but by the path they were heading, trouble was ahead.

    Valentina and Gorka managed to bolster the Nymph¡¯s confidence enough to attempt her part, and Garu prepared them to head out. Valentina would carry Cristian, who would levitate the others so they could navigate in the jungle; the levitation boy couldn¡¯t keep it up forever, but it was time-based, so the faster they moved, the less stress would be on the resource he called ¡®mana.¡¯

    Passing through the loud jungle, Garu led them to an ancient site through a shortcut, passing through a mountain range, and as he feared, the old forward-base for the United Clans was being used, and more than one group was present.

    From his high vantage point, Garu had to modify his plan. The Komath and Roxim have their entire Clans, but how did four other Clan representatives from nearby territories get here so quickly? Xaria Runners? To focus more on spreading the information than their Clan¡¯s safety, hmm?

    His gaze fixated on the tents in the distance, lights brightening the tents; it was an odd hue of light blue. The Morseng and Polsan Great Clans of the Lowlands had their tent colors shown, but two oddly shaped shelters reminded him of the Ques¡¯k¨¢ during the Great War, and only one answer came to his mind.

    Desert Ri¡¯bot from beyond Ques¡¯k¨¢ territory? They only have ten men at most ¡­ Ranking members of their military, most likely, and at this site? Are they introducing them into the United War Council ¡­ Is this what Palko couldn¡¯t accept? I don¡¯t know anything about the far east; this could be more troublesome than I thought.

 B3 â€” 25. Only Teenagers

    Hanging on the edge of a small cliff, Garu overlooked the clearing where the six Ri¡¯bot camps had been pitched; their leaders rested inside, preparing for the negotiations tomorrow would bring, and far in the distance just visible between the two rivers on the planes were the fires from ten thousand Ri¡¯bot.

    He couldn¡¯t be sure who they represented in the darkness, but it was unusual; from what he¡¯d learned while in Nethermore, lights, such as fire, weren¡¯t typically used by the Valley Ri¡¯bot. It didn¡¯t appear those in the Lowlands shared that cultural trait, showing how little conflict the clans likely experienced.

    A procession of torches illuminated the far east, which could have been supplies or a caravan that had lagged behind, yet these numbers didn¡¯t make sense. Only three weeks had passed since the entire Komath and Roxim had left their lands; it should have been impossible to gather such a force within that time.

    It couldn¡¯t have been the Komath and Roxim by the numbers High Lady Tiffany gave him; they shouldn¡¯t number more than five thousand combined, including non-warriors and children.

    However, he doubted the two escaping clans were numbered in the glades; he suspected they were in the jungle since that was what they were most comfortable in, probably to the south of the visible throng.

    His attention drifted to the desert Ri¡¯bot in the clearing; he couldn¡¯t make out the details from this distance beside their similar tent structural design to the Ques¡¯k¨¢. It wasn¡¯t large enough to be the desert reptilian race, and this was a traditional Clan neutral ground, leading him to conclude they were Ri¡¯bot.

    He needed more time to investigate before doing anything rash.

    Crawling down the cliff, he took care not to stumble on any patrols; a few scouts were keeping an eye around the clearing interior, and it would be safe to assume many more in the surrounding jungle.

    Using one of his mist¡¯s properties to mask his scent and presence, Garu made his way up the small hill to the southwest, where he¡¯d left the humans. Valentina was concealed in the giant leaves overlooking the hidden camp and keeping an eye out for danger.

    Dropping beside her, he smirked at her slight start. ¡°D-Do you have to do that?¡± she hissed, tail and ears stiff as she glared at him.

    ¡°It shows how unprepared you are,¡± Garu chuckled.

    ¡°Mmgm ¡­ Well, what did you find?¡±

    He motioned for them to join the others.

    Jumping down, they swiftly rose to their feet upon hearing them rustling the brush, telegraphing their presence to them since they were unable to see in the dark jungle, overshadowed by the thick canopy.

    ¡°Garu ¡­ Is that you¡ªValentina?¡± Rafael mumbled, squinting into the darkness.

    Nicole hugged her arms, rubbing them a little while shuffling forward. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s them ¡­ Garu, umm¡ªc-can I talk to you?¡±

    Rafael was swift to jog forward to meet him, stumbling a little in the dark. ¡°Did you find Shayla¡ªis she okay?¡±

    Garu was a little impressed; he seemed to be able to see what direction they were in, and he contributed it to his powers to enhance certain aspects of his body. ¡°Shhh ¡­ Be patient. Cristian?¡±

    The teen blinked, looking in the direction of his voice. ¡°Umm, yeah¡ªwhat¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°How long can you levitate people now?¡±

    He swallowed, shifting uncomfortably. ¡°Not a long time¡ªif I can rest for another thirty minutes, maybe like ¡­ fifteen minutes¡ªmax.¡±

    ¡°How long will it take for you to rebuild your strength?¡±

    ¡°About ¡­ twenty hours. Sorry, but that¡¯s if you want me to be one hundred percent. I, eh, assume you want me to levitate everyone like I did before. Right?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Fifteen minutes ¡­ It might not be enough. We need to make camp, and we¡¯re too close to an army to rest.¡±

    ¡°Camp?¡± Gorka groaned, running his hands through his messy black hair. ¡°I thought we were going to this big city you were talking about¡ªwhere it¡¯s safe.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, what about Shayla¡ªdid you find her or not?¡± Rafael repeated in frustration.

    A low, Ragnlar-like growl rumbled in Valentina¡¯s throat, causing Cristian, Gorka, and Nicole to shift nervously. ¡°This isn¡¯t home¡ªlook, if we need to find shelter, there¡¯s a reason. If Garu wanted, we¡¯d be dead¡ªso just shut up and listen.¡±

    Liking the beast human girl more as they interacted, Garu chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything to you soon, but we need to get to a safe place. All of you sit tight and don¡¯t make any noise; I¡¯m going to search for a place where we can safely set up camp.¡±

    He turned to the disgruntled beast girl. ¡°Valentina, join me.¡±

    She seemed a little surprised, but there was an edge of excitement in her nod, and before the others could question him, Garu leaped into the nearby branches to climb higher.

    Valentina used her claws to follow at a slower pace; the markers she left against the wood caused thought to pop into his head. Once out of earshot and traveling to the west, Garu waited for her to catch up from time to time, speaking in the Ethereal¡¯s luminous blue spot language since it could be translated by the Empress¡¯ ability.

    ¡°You appear to be the most practical and capable of your party; Valentina, I need your opinion on Rafael.¡±

    ¡°Umm, okay¡ªby the way, if my name¡¯s hard, you can call me Val¡ªif you want. I ¡­ don¡¯t know him that well, to be honest. I don¡¯t even know if I should trust you¡ªI just know you can kill us at any time ¡­ Is this about his girlfriend?¡±

    ¡°Not a bad position to take. What will he do if I suggest you all rest for a day?¡±

    ¡°Mmh ¡­ a full day?¡± Valentina¡¯s lips pulled in, balancing on a thin, sturdy branch to reach another tree. ¡°Is ¡­ it because Cristian can¡¯t hold his spell for long?¡±

    ¡°It is a contributing factor, heh, and asking a question in response to mine?¡±

    ¡°Sorry ¡­ Eh, I don¡¯t know¡ªhe seems to have a one-track mind, and he thinks we can go back to our world ¡­ Can we?¡±

    ¡°No. So far as I am aware, the Empress has confirmed it.¡±

    Three minutes passed in silence as Garu thought on their current predicament; if it had just been the Komath and Roxim Clans, as he originally planned, it wouldn¡¯t have been so complicated, but the introduction of the Morseng, Polsan, and two desert tents made him cautious.

    If Rafael is blinded, it was the right decision to give as little information as possible until in a safer place.

    ¡°Umm ¡­ Garu?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Squatting on a light brown branch to examine the damage done to its trunk, he smiled. It could work if the Roxim are still in the jungle.

    Valentina¡¯s furrowed brow as she slowly clawed up to join him. ¡°Why did you single me out¡ªuh ¡­ What¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Can you smell anything?¡±

    She sniffed and shook her head. ¡°I mean¡ªyeah, but nothing that really stands out or that made this.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t either. It¡¯s old but shows a Ragnlar has been in this area within the past month; we¡¯ll likely find more recent markings soon.¡±

    ¡°Is it dangerous?¡±

    ¡°Quite ¡­ As to why I singled you out ¡­ because I need to understand more about your abilities, and I believe you can help me. My only issue is how untrained you are¡ªall of you. Help me understand something; you are close to a young adult so far as I comprehend human physiology. Yes?¡±

    She shook her head, following him further into the jungle. ¡°Sixteen¡ªumm, the age of adulthood changes in our world depending on where you¡¯re from. In Columbia, where I¡¯m from, you can choose to marry and live with someone at fourteen years old without parental consent.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I was under the impression eighteen was your adulthood marker. Heh, you¡¯re the equivalent of a five to six-year-old Ri¡¯bot; you¡¯re perfectly capable of becoming a full-fledged warrior in my culture.¡±

    ¡°Okay ¡­ Does that mean you want my help with fighting?¡±

    Garu¡¯s chest rumbled with silent laughter, increasing his pace to see where she would start struggling to keep up. ¡°Combat is far outside of your reach, Val¡ªmmh, no, perhaps the weak warriors of this generation of Valley Ri¡¯bot wouldn¡¯t be out of the question. However, you are far from being able to contend for the most part and would do more harm than good.¡±

    Valentina¡¯s ears pulled back. ¡°Oh ¡­ I guess I don¡¯t know much about this world.¡±

    Motioning her to a break in the treeline, Garu smirked. ¡°Combat isn¡¯t the only job that needs accomplishing. Listen to the jungle and search for a predator¡¯s scent as we move; we shouldn¡¯t run into any patrols, but be on your guard.¡±

    He could sense her uncertainty as they went, trying to determine how she felt about him, which was understandable; a random creature you thought was your enemy suddenly shows up and starts speaking your language while taking charge¡ªcurrently, to this girl, she was his prisoner, more than anything else.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­¡±

    Twenty minutes passed as he tested her navigation skills in the jungle and tracking capabilities, and as they neared the cliffs, she halted in her tracks, fur going on end. ¡°G-Garu¡­¡± she mumbled in fright, hugging herself and shivering. ¡°What is¡ªis the creature I¡¯m smelling?¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Garu grinned. ¡°You¡¯ve caught the Ragnlar¡¯s trail and markers. Good. How fast do you think you can move to this location while carrying Cristian?¡±

    Trying to ease her thumping heart, she shook her head. ¡°Umm¡ªI-I think twenty minutes¡ªif I¡¯m not worried about being careful ¡­ That¡¯s a guess, though¡ªI don¡¯t really know.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I was thinking the same ¡­ Okay, let¡¯s return and grab the others. Can Nicole erase the signs of our path?¡±

    ¡°Only if she¡¯s standing on the ground¡ªshe can¡¯t use most of her powers if she¡¯s not touching the earth.¡±

    ¡°I see ¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll have you guide them here, and I can stay back with her to cover our tracks.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s important about this place¡ªwhat about that Ragnlar?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that, but ¡­ Stay here real fast.¡±

    Leaping into motion, Garu did a quick sweep of the area, checking the place he¡¯d scouted almost a century ago; some rock formations, ground level, and the number of trees had changed, but nothing made him reconsider his plan.

    Garu returned to Valentina, motioning for her to follow him out of the brush; they were near the colossal green mountains that framed the valley.

    ¡°A cliff?¡± she whispered, scanning the peak high above them, easily visible to her with the help of the shining, starlit heavens and two moons hanging in the sky.

    ¡°Val, I am a scout for my Clan, not a warrior; more than a century ago, I marked out this area with my tutor, and there are many hidden caverns around this area.¡±

    ¡°Caves¡ªwhat about in the jungle¡ªwouldn¡¯t that be safer than climbing up this? We had some caves in our jungle.¡±

    ¡±Eh-heh, if you wish to risk dying, perhaps,¡± Garu forced a smile. ¡°High Lady Iris may serve the Empress, but should there be any lingering Th¨¦lm¨¦thra from her brood or any other, I would not be capable of protecting myself, much less the five of you.¡±

    ¡°What are T-Th¨¦lmotath?¡± she stumbled with the word, rolling it around on her tongue.

    ¡°How would I explain it to you ¡­ I have heard humans describe them as colossal armored spiders¡ªwhatever that is¡ªand they are among the most fearsome creatures my people have ever encountered.¡±

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°C-Colossal armored spiders?¡± Valentina¡¯s face drained of color while biting her lower lip, seemingly deep in thought, and Garu turned to study the mountainous rise. ¡°Follow me.¡±

    He brought her into an inlet that would block them from most angles, taking her to a fissure hidden near the back. ¡°You¡¯ll take them into here; there is a large cavern if you take the first left and third right.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    Returning to the anxious group, Garu found them wrapped in the thick barrier Nicole had crafted when they left and had Valentina carry Cristian to the location; the levitation human made sure to bring the human corpses, and Garu had him take Palko, as well, since he could provide the Empress with further details.

    Nicole seemed terrified to travel to their location with Garu, cleaning up after the messy humans, but with the promise he would listen to her, she put on a brave face.

    Beginning the work of covering the scent with upturned mud, compacted dirt, and repairing damaged greenery, Nicole took her time. Despite her desire to speak to him, Garu was a bit mystified when she didn¡¯t talk for a few minutes. Eventually, she seemed to find the right words to express herself.

    ¡°Mr. Garu ¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡±

    He looked down at her, unsure how to respond, so he waited for her to explain further. In terms of Valentina¡¯s Columbia adult age, Nicole was basically the same age as him; clearly, there was something wrong with the conversion metric because she acted more like an antisocial one-year-old Ri¡¯bot.

    She hugged herself, rubbing her shoulders and looking around the looming jungle. ¡°I used to love places like this ¡­ Now, I¡¯m always so scared, and¡ªand I don¡¯t have anyone anymore ¡­ I know Valentina doesn¡¯t want me around ¡­ I¡¯m just useful to everyone.¡±

    A single tear</a> leaked down her cheek as she slowed to look at the vines and flowers that grew to mask the other humans¡¯ passing. ¡°I¡¯m all alone¡ªI cried, and they just let the toads take me ¡­ Nobody helped me ¡­ Nobody loves me anymore ¡­ My parents abandoned me when I changed into¡ªinto this, and ¡­ and now I feel so empty¡ªI don¡¯t know how to fix me. I want someone to love me like Rafael loves Shayla ¡­ Why am I unlovable?¡±

    Garu felt the weight of her words, and even if he couldn¡¯t understand them, he could sense the fear and pain she¡¯d been through over the past three weeks. ¡°Hmm ¡­ You¡¯ve been rebuked by your clan and parents ¡­ captured and abused by unknown creatures to wander an unfamiliar world¡­¡±

    He trailed off as the pain and emotion in Nicole¡¯s face faded as he spoke, and she stopped, falling to her knees for the flora to grow around her bark-like skin to weave around her. ¡°Why don¡¯t I feel anything anymore ¡­ I didn¡¯t want these powers, but they¡¯re the only thing I have now ¡­ I want to just be wrapped in the jungle and die ¡­ What¡¯s the point?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot¡­¡± Garu dropped down in front of her, watching the leaves grow to touch the shimmering green light of her hair, colors tinting black and gray. ¡°The others have only survived because of your powers, Nicole ¡­ All they do is take from you?¡±

    She shrugged, downcast eyes on the growing grass. ¡°No one asks me how I¡¯m doing¡ªwants to talk to me ¡­ I¡¯m from the United States ¡­ I don¡¯t speak Spanish, so I guess they can¡¯t, but ¡­ no one wants to let me talk, and Rafael only talks about Shayla ¡­ My parents ran outside of that dome before it closed off the area ¡­ I really am alone.¡±

    Garu held out a hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know the swamp you¡¯ve walked, Nicole, but I believe Empress Elinor can help you ¡­ She cares for all of the humans, and there are girls your age in Nethermore ¡­ It is safe ¡­ Look to Empress Elinor.¡±

    Nicole released a long breath. ¡°I just want to be loved ¡­ To not be looked at like I¡¯m a monster or a tool.¡±

    ¡°I promise you, Nethermore will welcome and love you,¡± Garu said, smiling up at the twinkling specks poking through the canopy. ¡°For now, why don¡¯t we get to know each other? Talk to me.¡±

    ¡°What about being quiet because of the bad toads?¡± she dully asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that if that happens ¡­ Right now, aren¡¯t you more important?¡±

    She looked up at him and sighed, seemingly drained of all emotion. ¡°I suppose¡­¡±

    Still, Nicole rose to her feet and took a step forward. ¡°I listened to everyone ¡­ I couldn¡¯t understand them, but I listened and tried to comfort them ¡­ No one let me, though. Valentina let me sleep next to her, but I know she sees me as a burden ¡­ She wants to leave. I get it ¡­ It just sucks¡­¡±

    It took over forty minutes to get to the edge of the mountain, but Garu listened. Her parents hadn¡¯t been the most attentive, choosing to put more of their energy on world events than providing her with the attention she sought. She wanted their love and found happiness in the gardens and books when they were busy on the phone, volunteering in social activities.

    Nicole didn¡¯t want to seem needy or act like the charity work they did was a bad thing, so every year, be it some event called Christmas or the day of her birth, they were always looking at the world instead of her.

    She acted out a bit at a place called school, she¡¯d admitted, which caused her to be somewhat isolated by her peers. Nicole hoped it would draw a little attention from her parents¡ªit did, but not in the ways she wanted¡ªshe was causing trouble and taking away from their work helping others.

    She¡¯d been suspended from school for starting a fight with a girl that ruined her school garden, then stole and ripped her book, but the girl convinced the school staff that she was faking it all. Considering her record, no one believed she didn¡¯t do it herself and tried to blame the girl to get out of punishment. All Nicole wanted was for her parents to see her issues instead of the world¡¯s.

    The others weren¡¯t any different; no one would hold her, and she figured it might be how she acted, yet she¡¯d been scared, too.

    Once getting closer to the caves, she began to grow sleepy, having used her powers for so long, and after she collapsed, Garu carried her into the tunnels. He mainly listened, humming at times or asking for clarification on specific topics he wasn¡¯t familiar with.

    Her life had been filled with internal anger and loneliness, wondering what was wrong with herself or why the world was more important than her. There was a bitterness that had surfaced from all of her experiences over the past three weeks.

    Each of the humans seemed to have their own emotional damage, and they were all crying out for help in their own ways. Many of the concepts and attachments Nicole had explained seemed trivial to him, growing up in a strict Clan at a time of war struggles, yet at the same time, he couldn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t important since he¡¯d never lived such a bizarre life.

    Entering the caves, he caught sight of Valentina upon rounding the corner of the massive room that had been furnished by the Ethereal in case they needed a safe refuge; he hadn¡¯t been to the location to see what was done with it while alive after discovering it, but it would more than suffice for their needs.

    ¡°What happened to Nicole?¡± Valentina asked, standing as she saw him carrying the twelve-year-old girl. ¡°Is she okay?¡±

    ¡°What happened to Nicole?¡± Rafael asked, voice loud enough to send an echo.

    ¡°Shhh¡­¡± Garu interjected to their questions, flipping over one of the protective covers on the fur-padded cot that was still set up in the corner and setting her on it. ¡°She exhausted herself.¡±

    Noticing the girl¡¯s fragile neck, unlike Ri¡¯bot stationary heads, he turned to Valentina. ¡°Could you make sure she¡¯s comfortable? I¡¯ll light a fire.¡±

    Gorka breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Finally, a fire.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I can¡¯t see a thing in this place,¡± Cristian muttered. ¡°I hit my head a few times, and Valentina had to carry Yago, Vega, and that dead toad in.¡±

    They muttered to one another, spirits seemingly rising with the thought of a fire that they could cook on, but Valentina was the one to ask the right question after pulling the protective sheet over the girl¡¯s body for some reason and tucking a part under her head.

    ¡°Will that attract predators or the army?¡±

    ¡°No, this tunnel has an opening and breeze further up that will carry the smoke toward the Empire¡¯s land¡­¡±

    Blade flipping around after placing the dry and protected logs in the corner, he rubbed and pressed on one of the gems on the hilt for the edge to illuminate a brilliant red. Touching it to the pyre, it lit on contact, making the humans wince and cover their eyes.

    Adjusting his own vision, Garu walked to the stone seats that had been carved out of the floor and used his weapon to smooth out the mineral build-up before sitting and gesturing for them to do the same.

    ¡°As you know, I was sent by Empress Elinor, a human with powers like you, but far, far more powerful ¡­ To me, she is practically a deity, and I have been tasked to spy on the gathering armies to her southeast, report on the condition of the humans still captured, and High Lady Tiffany has asked me to bring the humans with abilities back to Nethermore. Those are my goals.¡±

    Rafael puffed out a long breath, rubbing the light fuzz on his face. ¡°First, can you finally tell me about Shayla¡¯s condition?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain I know the general area she is in. Unfortunately, two powerful Clans from my days alive are already gathered in the area with a force roughly ten thousand strong.¡±

    The color on the teens'' faces drained in the firelight, vision drifting to the flames as they grew.

    ¡°Ten ¡­ thousand?¡± Rafael mumbled in disbelief. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there¡ªthere were only like a few hundred that attacked our town and several dozen that guarded us. That¡¯s an army, too ¡­ not citizens?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dark, but a force that size near this neutral ground¡ªat least, it was neutral when I was living¡ªI can¡¯t see it being, as you put it, civilians. To our south, beyond the river we passed, should be the Komath and Roxim. Their leaders are gathering in a clearing to our northeast.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that good?¡± Valentina asked, brushing back her long striped orange and black hair, knots keeping it in place partially unbound. ¡°You can assassinate their leaders.¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Cristian grinned. ¡°We can take out their leaders and, in the panic, save everyone.¡±

    Rafael slowly shook his head, fingers folding together as he leaned forward to rest his knuckles against his chin. ¡°No ¡­ ten thousand of those insane toad people ¡­ If we let them know we¡¯re here, they¡¯d swarm us like ants.¡±

    ¡°As I said, I¡¯m here to spy on them, Val, not be seen and give them an idea that we know how many warriors are gathered at our borders. We cannot be seen, which is why I need to be cautious ¡­ There are two Clans I don¡¯t recognize that likely come from the far east; they could be far more powerful than the Clans the Empress expects to face.¡±

    Gorka hissed, rubbing his arms. ¡°War ¡­ I¡¯m not a fan of war ¡­ How are we going to get Rafael¡¯s girlfriend if there are so many soldiers?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve worked that out, but you need to rebuild your strength because we need to run for Nethermore once we execute that plan. First, I need to get a few materials we¡¯ll need for the escape ¡­ For that, I need to understand exactly how you grow stronger and the limits of your abilities.¡±

    Upon inquiry, each of the teens gave him a rundown of how killing things and using their powers helped them grow. Figuring it was something of that nature, he discovered a surprising feat that Cristian had been able to advance to.

    The boy¡¯s only skill had been practicing his levitation to fly, and he¡¯d been able to accomplish that for a short time; it took a lot of a resource he used called Mana, yet he¡¯d been trying to decrease the time it took to rebuild.

    However, it was the number of individuals he¡¯d been able to float which had piqued his interest. ¡°Hmm ¡­ Okay, I believe I can work around your abilities, but you cannot use them until they are needed. A scout needs to be ready to retreat and cut losses; some information is better than none.¡±

    He turned to Valentina, ears up and listening to him intently. ¡°You don¡¯t need to sleep for another two days, so you can help me gather the materials we¡¯ll need. Can you pick up one of these ¡­ eh, skills was it ¡­ to hide your scent and increase your proficiency at leaving fewer tracks?¡±

    ¡°Umm, yeah, as I said, I have some passives for it, but I¡¯ve been putting a lot of my energy into increasing my strength to handle the big threats ¡­ I didn¡¯t realize how strong some of the creatures are here, though.¡±

    ¡°If you are supposed to be an assassin, then I would think your best path would be no different to the Ethereal Xaria; you should focus on killing without ever being seen. I can help you understand how to move through the jungle and teach you a trick your unique physiology can use in this ecosystem.¡±

    He grinned. ¡°We¡¯re going Ranglar hunting.¡±

    ¡°W-We?¡±

    ¡°Yes, they aren¡¯t all that dangerous¡ªwell, to an Ethereal, like me¡ªheh, we trained to fight Quen¡¯Talrat. If you can kill a Ranglar, you will be on the same level as the warrior Ri¡¯bot in the Valley. You have the tools; it is the experience you lack. We will need the Ranglar¡¯s corpse to retrieve Shayla, and to make it more believable, we can take two to three more captives.¡±

    Rafael¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait ¡­ You¡¯ve been talking about scent and stuff ¡­ You¡¯re going to use the Ranglar blood on Valentina to make it look like this monster attacked the humans and carried them off?¡±

    ¡°I am.¡±

    Gorka grinned. ¡°Woah, nice guess! So, she claws up the place and takes out the guards, too?¡±

    ¡°I can help with that, but yes, she will need to make it look believable, which means she needs to stalk one and learn their habits ¡­ You will be doing that while I spy on the Clan Summit.¡±

    Valentina¡¯s thighs tightened together. ¡°By myself ¡­ It smelled so out of my league.¡±

    ¡°By the way you moved through the jungle and the strength I¡¯ve seen, you have the ability, but not the skill, which is what I will be helping you refine tonight. The others need to rest, but your stamina isn¡¯t the same as theirs; you recover a lot faster. I think you can do it.¡±

    The Tiger Beastkin sucked in her lip, tail waving behind her as she thought. ¡°Mmgm ¡­ I really want to not be weak ¡­ I want to learn more about this jungle ¡­ I don¡¯t want to be powerless¡­¡±

    ¡°Then do it!¡± Cristian chuckled. ¡°You would split off and explore every chance since we got here.¡±

    Gorka raised his hand. ¡°Wait, what about Rafael and me?¡±

    Garu rubbed the back of his head and stretched out his arms. ¡°You will be carrying some of the medical supplies that are still usable here ¡­ Likely not much, but you can bring everything needed without it being snagged on things or wasting Cristian¡¯s Mana.¡±

    He twisted to look at the older teen; the young man had a serious expression. ¡°You have the most important job ¡­ Convincing the humans to not panic and follow instructions. Your connection to this Shayla girl will allow her to put trust in you, and thereby me; we must be swift, and we won¡¯t have the ability to explain every detail to them.¡±

    ¡°I ¡­ can see the importance in that ¡­ I only hope Shayla isn¡¯t hurt.¡±

    Garu¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Trust me, they will be injured. Do not freeze up when seeing the condition of your loved one, or you might get everyone killed. Steel your heart and prepare for the worst ¡­ even her death.¡±

    Rafael¡¯s jaw locked, fingers pressing into his thigh, but he nodded. ¡°I get it ¡­ Umm ¡­ if there¡¯s nothing else, can you tell us a bit more about this Empress Elinor¡ªshe got necromancy powers¡ªeh, you¡¯re ¡­ already dead?¡±

    ¡°I was killed facing Quin, a Quen¡¯Talrat during the United Campaign. Also¡­¡± Garu¡¯s vision softened while drifting to the twelve-year-old girl, chest slowly rising and falling as she rested. ¡°Nicole has felt like a tool and inhuman ¡­ I do not understand everything she told me ¡­ Still, she is dangerous to the point we Ri¡¯bot call suicide.¡±

    ¡°No way,¡± Gorka muttered, everyone following his gaze to the girl. ¡°She always seemed so shy but¡ªreally?¡±

    Valentina sat back, vision falling to her lap and ears folding back. ¡°Was it ¡­ something I did? I have been pushing her away¡ªtrying to figure all of this out.¡±

    Cristian rose, crossing his arms and looking at the abandoned girl. ¡°I hope it wasn¡¯t anything we did.¡±

    ¡°Dammit,¡± Rafael growled, punching his knee. ¡°I¡¯ve been so self-absorbed ¡­ I didn¡¯t even notice. Umm ¡­ What did she tell you ¡­ Is it us?¡±

    Garu centered on the eldest human. ¡°You can understand her language ¡­ When she wakes up, talk to her, and try to understand because I can only turn to the Empress in this matter.¡±

    ¡°We will,¡± Cristian replied, puffing out a long breath. ¡°Man, the last three weeks have been ¡­ Yeah ¡­ We¡¯ve lost so many people¡ªI never thought¡ª¡± he choked up, throat constricting.

    Gorka nodded, slumping against his knees. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened to my family ¡­ I was sleeping over at a friend¡¯s when all this went down.¡±

    Garu rose to motion at Valentina. ¡°Take this time to release the emotions you¡¯ve built up ¡­ Tomorrow, you¡¯ll need a clean mind and heart. Now, let¡¯s begin your training, Val.¡±

    Drawing in a long breath, she let it out and nodded, following him out of the cave.

    I doubt the High Lady thought this is how my mission would go, but adapting in the field is another part of war.

 B3 â€” 26. Sparkling Winds

    Valentina stepped out of the cave behind Garu, rubbing her left arm while recalling the terrifying scent of the Ragnlar.

    Ever since coming to this world, their group had been skulking through the jungle, following the path of the toads¡ªRi¡¯bot as Garu said they were called¡ªand they hadn¡¯t needed to kill anything to survive since Gorka had gathered plenty of food in his pocket dimension in their escape.

    Out of everything she¡¯d seen so far, nothing, not even the warrior Ri¡¯bot, had given her the same levels of intimidation as the Ragnlar.  Her yellow irises lifted to the white, blue-spotted toad¡¯s back as he silently led her to the jungle; only Garu gave her instincts the same unwinnable sensation.

    Once stepping a few feet out of the cave, he turned to face her, spots flashing in his silent language that somehow translated into perfect Spanish to her.  ¡°You have these ¡®skill points¡¯ to increase your stealth capability?¡±

    Lips pulling in, she tried to keep her voice down as much as possible.  ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t know how much I can use ¡­ Rafael made the argument that we shouldn¡¯t spend them on whatever we want because we don¡¯t understand how much we can put into certain areas.¡±

    Leaning against the side of the cliff, Garu¡¯s chest shook with soft laughter.  ¡°From what I understand, you five humans can instantaneously develop powers ¡­ What better time to use such a talent than when you need them?¡±

    ¡°Mmh, no, you¡¯re right ¡­ So, should I get a concealment skill?¡±

    ¡°Rafael mentioned that specifics are important, correct?¡±

    ¡°Mhm.¡±

    ¡°This new ability needs to be passive, allowing you to move silently while reducing your presence to the absolute minimum.  You will be key in this plan, Val, which means you are going to have to do the most work in the next thirty hours.¡±

    Saliva becoming sticky, Valentina¡¯s arms pulled up on her bust as a chill ran from her spine to her long, still tail.  ¡°I¡­ feel like you¡¯re saying you¡¯re going to leave me.¡±

    ¡°You are a warrior, Val,¡± Garu repeated, lips curving in a way she didn¡¯t understand his intention, but his words were encouraging.  ¡°I will explain, but first, I need to know you can move with a degree of competence through the jungle.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and mentally asked whatever had changed her to grant her the things Garu wanted in the manner the boys had talked about, and a number of things went up on her inquiry:

    Stats:

    Dexterity:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Speed: Slightly Increased</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Agility: Slightly Increased</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Quickness: Moderately Increased</li>

    </ul>

    Energy:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Constitution: No Change</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stamina: Greatly Increased</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Endurance: Moderately Increased</li>

    </ul>

    Achievements:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">World Hopper:  Grants many extra feats and advancements to compensate for a sudden change in the newly altered person when moving to a new world; a tax is given to future experience gains to obtain a stock of Skill Points, Stats Points, and previously unavailable Abilities, States, or Branches.</li>

    </ul>

    Base Skills:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Beastial Senses II ¡ú Beastial Senses IV:  Provides Beast-like senses</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lesser Acrobatics I ¡ú Lesser Acrobatics III:  A multiplier to Dexterity</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lesser Feral Instincts I ¡ú Lesser Feral Instincts III:  Naturally understand the strength of individuals while providing an allure to seek combat and challenges.</li>

    </ul>

    Tiger Skills:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Lesser Prowl II ¡ú Prowl I:  A Reactive Passive used when tracking at a reduced speed and stalking prey, increasing all stealth skills potency by five Ranks (Cannot Increase Grade).</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">(New) Jungle Cloak I:  In jungle terrain, one can camouflage into their environment.</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">(New) Lesser Savage Blow:  Moderate Power Increase.</li>

    </ul>

    Assassin Skills:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">(New) Scent Mask:  Active Skill, removing physical evidence of one¡¯s passing; uses Stamina as an energy source.</li>

    </ul>

    States:

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">(New) The Hunt:  Only available when tracking a target with the intent to kill; increases the following:</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Stats:  Minor Increase In Speed, Agility, Quickness, Stamina, Endurance, Penetration</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Base Beastkin Tree: Feral Instincts, Beastial Senses, Acrobatics Increased by one Grade & Level</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li style="font-weight: 400">Tiger Branch:, Lesser Savage Blow, Prowl, Jungle Cloak Increased by one Grade & Level</li>

    </ul>

    <ul>

    <li>Assassin Branch: Scent Mask Increased by one Grade & Level</li>

    </ul>

    Valentina¡¯s eyes widened as the information fed into her brain as if downloaded; muscular stomach tightening, she pressed her fingers against her belly in astonishment.  ¡°It¡¯s¡­ incredible.  I have some achievement called World Hopper that gives me like ¡­ a credit on skill points, I think?¡±

    Garu¡¯s vision narrowed as the passives took effect.  ¡°So, it¡¯s true¡­ Your presence has diminished greatly.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not everything ¡­ I can do so much more,¡± she grinned, going over her skills.  ¡°Plus, when I¡¯m hunting prey, I can increase my stealth and killing potential.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s test it.  Follow me¡­¡±

    The stress she¡¯d felt before faded as she moved forward, feeling lighter and more in control than she ever had, and when Garu gradually increased his pace, she was able to keep up.

    New smells and sensations filled her heated body and mind, growing accustomed to the recent strength she felt; in terms of power, it hadn¡¯t been all that much, but the ease of access she now had while mobile was like night and day.  She thought the jungle felt like home before, but this was on a whole different level.

    Swinging to each branch with the lightest touch and being able to keep her balance without the use of her claws gave her less of a presence, and she loved it; the night came alive as her much sharper senses pinpointed tracks, even without a skill for it, Beastial Senses provided a passive form.

    Garu¡¯s lights flickered ahead of her, a grin in his tone that made her heart swell with pride.  ¡°Not bad, Val; now, you have the means to ambush and scout.  Can you add a vicious attack that leaves a large wound?¡±

    Asking, her lips curled with anticipation as Tiger¡¯s Strike I and Tiger¡¯s Bite I became available.  Speed increasing, she jumped to the next tree to meet the Ri¡¯bot, giving him a confident nod; the gap between them was still vast, but she could sense it now, unlike before.

    ¡°Good.  I like the confidence I¡¯m seeing in you now; you¡¯re far more capable than I thought you¡¯d be, but to make sure, I want you to search for something to hunt and prove it.  The Ragnlar is outside of your reach right now, yet if you gain power rapidly by killing, there is a jungle full of prey around us.¡±

    Her long striped orange and black hair whipping behind her, Valentina saw the world in a much slower way as she focused, allowing her to break off a vine-like growth as they moved to bind her locks into a high ponytail.

    Valentina¡¯s heart thumped while taking the lead upon finding the scent of one of the raccoon-like creatures they¡¯d shared a burrow within the valley; this one was slightly smaller by the path it took.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to overtake its slow path, seemingly unafraid of predators while foraging around for food.

    Landing silently in the branches above the beast, Garu¡¯s brow lifted at her chosen prey.  ¡°Frave are quite thick-furred; even Ragnlar have a challenging time ripping into their bodies, which is why they are used by many Ri¡¯bot Clans for certain products.  Show me what you can do.¡±

    Her sharp yellow eyes fixated on a critical spot, following her instincts as her tail swung left and right; she had to give it a shot.

    Claws easing out as she slowly prowled around the large branch they stood on, Valentina could smell its lax, sluggish attitude and see various critical areas to attack.  Her nails bit into the wood as she hung upside down, above the animal; blood increasing as her multipliers activated, she growled and jumped, making its big ears stand on end and look up in confusion.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Landing in the mud in a blind spot it had created as it looked up, Valentina jumped at its furry left arm at the joint; profound orange energy radiated into a paw with vicious talons more than five times the size of her hand to center on the juncture, ripping away the much thinner layer to sever muscle and bone.

    Blood flowed as the creature stumbled back on its hind legs, still looking into the air in shock as it fell over, but Valentina was already leaping on its side to plunge her force-infused claws into its open wound to ravage its inner organs.

    By the time its paw rose to defend itself, the Frave¡¯s muscles were losing strength; its heart was torn apart.

    Breathing heavily, Valentina¡¯s arm trembled in the dying creature¡¯s warm insides, hot air puffing from her lips as its blood painted her skin and fur red; this was her first time killing something like this, and the rush in her ears, throbbing chest, and sticky mouth felt intoxicating.

    Her mind snapped back to reality as Garu landed on the Frave¡¯s slow-moving side, now unable to do anything more than gasp and choke as blood filled its lungs and drained out of its heart.

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Well, you certainly have the ferocity of a Ragnlar ¡­ It makes me wonder what these ¡®tigers¡¯ were like on your planet.¡±

    Swallowing, Valentina felt a little breathless as she extracted her hand and stepped back to study her soaked fur and slick skin; the beast¡¯s crimson liquid just kept flowing, filling the night with its scent.  ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ never felt so¡­ I can¡¯t explain it.¡±

    Garu¡¯s gaze drifted over her body, seemingly frowning.  ¡°A messy kill that will certainly get you tracked.  You need to be more precise and less showy; although, for your first kill¡­ I¡¯m impressed.¡±

    Yes!

    ¡°So, what¡¯s next?¡±

    ¡°Find a body of water and wash up ¡­ You have the instincts to know when you¡¯re a match for the Ragnlar by its scent; keep killing and refining your abilities.  If you are going to experience diminishing returns from this swift increase in power, you¡¯ll need to kill quite a few creatures to reach the point of matching it.¡±

    Fear lost in her first hunt, Valentina¡¯s sharp teeth flashed as she smiled.  ¡°Thank you for helping me, Garu ¡­ I feel so free ¡­ hehe, wild.¡±

    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s all for a purpose, and practice makes perfect.  You have one day to reach the point of being able to out stalk the Ragnlar ¡­ and it may find you as you leave a path of carnage; they are very territorial.¡±

    ¡°Hehe ¡­ I look forward to it.¡±  Tail swinging to the left, spraying droplets of crimson across the grass as critters fled the scene of the slaughter, Valentina bent her knees and jumped into the trees.

    Good, bad, nothing mattered in the jungle but kill or be killed; she was a predator</a> at heart, after all.

    * * *

    Garu sat atop the dying Frave as he watched the human tiger girl¡¯s</a> tail disappear into the foliage; the look in her maddened golden irises was like an animal that had its first taste of blood.

    To think she would take so naturally to being a predator¡­ How far will she go now that her feral instincts have been set free?

    He looked down at the scavenger animal as it took its last breath.  She didn¡¯t even make sure it was dead before moving on ¡­ Val, you still have a long way to go, but it¡¯s a start.  Still, the plan should work.  She¡¯s completely taken by her inner beast.

    Leaving the area, he carefully proceeded to the Chief¡¯s sacred meeting location¡ªat least, it was sacred to many of the more religious Ri¡¯bot¡ªthe Ethereal Clan revered their ancestors but didn¡¯t worship them.

    The night was still as mist gathered around him, moisture collecting to slowly generate the lingering fog he¡¯d need, and by the time he entered the clearing, a deep fog moved with him.

    Hours had passed since night had fallen, and the guards on post were vigilant to peer through the haze, not that even Xaria of these Clans knew what to look for when it came to the Ethereal¡¯s techniques.

    Silently moving through the tall grass, he could feel the presence of anything that reached a ten-meter radius of him.  Garu arrived at the group of five tents resembling the Great Polsan Clan¡¯s colors, a pink base with green stripes which mirrored their skin color, and bypassed the attendants and guards to linger outside its side to listen.

    Three people were inside, and they were looking at a large map by the sound of their conversation.

    ¡°¡­we be sure, Great Chief?  If what the Roxim and Komath claim is true, we are dealing with a threat on the scale of the Fire Wars.  Should we not investigate?¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I agree with Matnix, Great Chief.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ Have you consulted the sky, Pontis?¡±

    ¡°I have been listening to the winds throughout the day ¡­ Our warriors are restless; this was supposed to be the annual Great March to show our power and the unity we have with the Great Morseng Clan.  To encounter two Clans of the Valley Ri¡¯bot and to hear their drums of war was not something they expected.¡±

    ¡°Humph, you¡¯ve seen their forces, Pontis¡ªa paltry number¡ªthe Valley Clans have degraded to a significant degree in the past century.¡±

    ¡°That may be so,¡± the Great Chief muttered, ¡°but they were given that land by the Great War Council for a reason; it was their valiant charge through the Golariex¡¯s breach that allowed us to penetrate that death pit.  Most Clans hold them in the utmost regard, despite what their current generation has become.¡±

    ¡°Quite true, Great Chief¡­ Valdar, the Great Former Chief of the mighty Delthax has passed¡ªI heard it in the wind, and ¡­ Mmh, the sound was ominous¡ªunearthly.  We must be cautious, especially considering the Ques¡¯k¨¢ prophecy regarding the area.¡±

    Matrix hissed, popping his tongue in agitation.  ¡°It isn¡¯t just the Ques¡¯k¨¢ but these new Desert Clans that have sought to explore our nation ¡­ If they have ties to the Ques¡¯k¨¢, it could cause trouble if we disrespect them.  I don¡¯t like how little they tell us about their intentions¡ªcertainly, they must have more reasons than just mapping out the west.¡±

    ¡°Hmm ¡­ You¡¯re not wrong, old friend,¡± the Great Chief began, before falling silent for a moment as he thought.  ¡°We know there are two Clans, and they do not function well together ¡­ I suspect there is a tentative truce between them.  We will resume discussions in the morning¡ª¡±

    Garu¡¯s gaze drifted to the left as another figure stumbled through the fog.

    ¡°Eh, I have an urgent message for the Great Chief¡ªcan someone direct me to his tent?¡±

    ¡°Here!¡± a guard called out, readying his weapon in case it was a trap.  ¡°Come slowly to my voice!¡±

    ¡°Right, eh, I ¡­ I see the light¡ªI appreciate the guidance¡ªugh, this fog is thicker than swamp water!¡±

    ¡°Ah, Conalle,¡± the guard muttered.  ¡°Yeah, odd to see mist like this at this time ¡­ an omen.¡±

    ¡°Heh, don¡¯t say that!¡±  he muttered, entering the tent as the dignitaries awaited him.

    ¡°What¡¯s the urgent message?¡±  Mantix demanded.

    ¡°Umm, an ambassador from the Cnaxar Federation, General; by now, they should have reached the outskirts of the army.¡±

    The Great Chief dropped into a chair with a low groan.  ¡°Ancestors help me ¡­ First we deal with the unsanctioned passage of those two Desert Clans, then the Valley upset, and now the northern warlord¡¯s dogs have sent their messengers¡­ Tomorrow is going to be a full day.

    ¡°You may go, Conalle ¡­ Hmm, do you have a reason you didn¡¯t see this coming, Pontis?  For the past month, you¡¯ve been warning me that something significant was happening to our West, but this?¡±

    ¡°Sadly, the winds are blowing from the West, Great Chief, not from the direction the Cnaxar Federation used ¡­ I fear the hurricane and snowstorm have also clouded my understanding of the sky¡­

    ¡°These signs may only be the first of great upheaval.  Now, a fog has come from that direction ¡­ Great Chief, powerful forces are strengthening beyond these mountains, and we need to understand them.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± the Great Chief had a smirk in his tone as he played with something on a table that sounded like wood tapping against itself.  ¡°There are far too many coincidences occurring ¡­ Most Clans know of our yearly routine, which makes me believe someone is setting us up ¡­ I don¡¯t like it at all.¡±

    Mantix¡¯s yawn ended in a growl.  ¡°The Roxim and Komath want us to march into the valley with them to assault the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s ruined city¡­ It feels like a trap.  The entrance to the valley is easily defendable; a force of one or two thousand could keep us out given the terrain.¡±

    ¡°I know the fears of the past, Mantix ¡­ My great-grandfather was involved in the battle to halt the Quen¡¯Talrat from expanding to that choke point during the Fire Wars.  We don¡¯t have much we can¡ª¡±

    As they were closing their meeting, Garu felt an unusual breeze cut through his fog, causing him to redouble his efforts in condensing the mist.  Pontis is a Skyspeaker, but could he be a rare Skycaller, as well?

    Slowly moving away from the tent, he paused as slight sparkles of pale white light flickered in and out of existence two meters away.  A gentle breeze lingered nearby to kiss the back of his neck as the force shifted his fog.  Yet, it was what the lights indicated that snatched his wide gaze¡ªfeminine pronouns¡ªspoken in the ancient hidden language.

    ¡°Mmh?  I don¡¯t know; I think he¡¯s a bit cute.¡±

    Another flash to his left, this time male.

    ¡°Why do you always have to comment on their looks?  On this wrist, is that¡ª¡±

    This isn¡¯t the use of fog ¡­ A Clan that descends from the ancient Wind Clan?  Not only that¡­ I hardly sensed their entry into my territory, which proves they¡¯re of higher tutelage in the art of concealment than when my ancestors were said to be among the best in the field.  Wind shouldn¡¯t be close to our talent.

    Blue spots flashing, he responded to the nonverbal communication.  Now that he was exposed, there wasn¡¯t much use in hiding.

    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯d be willing to have a proper conversation, hmm?  I expect you are one of the Desert Clans?¡±

    More flashes followed; it was only the two of them from what he could sense, but if they had a Xaria in the mix, he was as good as dead¡ªagain.  He hadn¡¯t expected to run into this problem in all of his planning.

    The mist swirled in a small circle to reveal a grinning girl, likely only a year older than him; she had caramel skin and white spots of an odd design.

    He wouldn¡¯t call her pretty¡ªunique would be his word¡ªconsidering her four teeth on either side of her slim face.  Comparing Clan features, the Ethereal women were definitely more elegant, at least with her as a foundation for his decision.

    However, two objects around both of her wrists instantly caught his attention¡ªsimilar artifacts to the one he wore¡ªshe was a Scout, and if they followed the ancient texts as the Ethereal, she was at the Grade 2 stage.

    ¡°Well, well, well, I certainly didn¡¯t plan on finding someone who not only spoke the ancient language after meeting these Clans but someone so cute!  I¡¯m Nelika, by the way, and this is Ymanza¡ªoh, you¡¯re right, Yma¡ªhe does appear to be from the old Mist Clan.  A scout like me, huh?¡±

    Ymanza¡¯s lean figure exited his concealment, wind collecting into his full figure, and a lump dropped down Garu¡¯s throat¡ªan artifact on each limb, two daggers on both forearms, and a shimmering chain of gems around his throat¡ªthis was a Xaria and a senior at that.  He¡¯d only seen the silks and decoration he wore on some of the most accomplished Xaria of the Ethereal.

    For the first time in his short life and unlife, Garu had found a Clan that was possibly on equal footing to his own, and the girl hopped forward with a big, mischievous grin on her face as the spots around it teasingly flashed.

    ¡°Mmh, something tells me you¡¯re not supposed to be here!  Why don¡¯t we go back to our tent so you can talk to ol¡¯ Gumbi!¡±

    ¡°Former Xaria of Excellence,¡± Ymanza sharply corrected, but the girl laughed the man¡¯s words off with a dismissive gesture that made even Garu¡¯s stomach tighten in protest, but cold sweat was now breaking out across his skin.

    Former Xaria of Excellence ¡­ Fewer than two dozen Xaria ever reached such a rank in our history, and ¡­ he was retired ¡­ meaning he was disgraced.

    Not knowing if he would make it back to report, Garu did the only thing he could; of course, it didn¡¯t help that Nelika grabbed his hand and hurried him in the direction of the Desert Clan¡¯s resting area.

    I need to find a way out of this, but ¡­ if I do get away, this information is beyond valuable.

 B3 â€” 27. Xaria Of Excellence

    Even Garu¡¯s mist didn¡¯t cling to him as firmly as Nelika; the girl pulled him in a weaving pattern around the guards, smiling all the way and using his fog to surprising efficiency.

    Naturally, they couldn¡¯t remain as wind as he could not maintain his own incorporeal state for long, yet the fact she was able to still sense those traveling through the mist spoke of how skilled of a scout she was.

    On the other hand, Ymanza was without a doubt a senior Xaria, which meant he didn¡¯t comply to the standard laws that limited other warriors of his clan; Garu had no misgivings that this Ri¡¯bot could slaughter over a thousand of the Great Polsan¡¯s warriors and most of their Xaria before either being forced to retreat or die¡ªsuch was the power of the Clans that maintained the ancient ways.

    Garu allowed himself to be guided through Nelika¡¯s prompts; there wasn¡¯t much of an option, and if a clan was powerful enough to produce a Xaria of Excellence, he needed to investigate.

    He studied the cheery girl, and she blushed slightly while looking back to see his intense focus, yet a grin moved her cheeks as her white spots flashed.  ¡°So, uh, what¡¯s your name?  Heh, you already know ours, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Garu¡­ Do you speak the Ri¡¯bot common tongue?¡±

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what it¡¯s called¡­ eh, I do¡ªa bit, heh, and ol¡¯ Gumbi does really well¡­¡±  She leveled a smirk in the Xaria¡¯s direction, remaining silent while seemingly looking for any sign of spies, possibly considering he wasn¡¯t the only one of his clan nearby.  ¡°Ymanza, not so much.¡±

    The elite warrior¡¯s hard eyes shot to her.  ¡°Save it.  We don¡¯t know how many Mist Clan are nearby, nor their intentions.¡±

    ¡°What?  It¡¯s not like we¡¯re trying to hurt him,¡± she pouted.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it good we¡¯re trying to negotiate and understand what¡¯s happening?  We can be friendly!¡±

    Garu agreed with the Xaria; it was perfectly reasonable to conclude there were Xaria of equal or greater caliber to Ymanza nearby.  He was being sensible; it also showed that they were mainly here as scouts for their clan, which meant he could still complete his mission without detection from the Empire¡¯s enemies¡ªthey were neutral¡ªat least for now.

    ¡°Nelika¡­ We could be in the middle of an assassination operation, and they can understand our speech; Garu is fishing for information.¡±

    ¡°Oh, uh¡­ but he seems nice,¡± she defended, forehead creasing to look back at him.

    Garu forced a smile; clearly, Nelika hadn¡¯t seen much combat or war, despite her skills and rank as a scout.  ¡°You have a good leader, Nelika; I would listen to his wisdom.¡±

    ¡°If you say so¡­¡±

    ¡°...¡±  Garu could basically hear Ymanza¡¯s narrowed eyes lingering on him for a second before returning to the fog Garu was continuing to generate and pull in.

    He couldn¡¯t maintain it to this magnitude for much longer, though, and didn¡¯t want to waste energy unnecessarily.  The Empress¡¯ daily renewing force would spread to him in the next hour or two, but every drop could mean success or death in a position like this.

    It didn¡¯t take five minutes to traverse the vast field to the desert Ri¡¯bot¡¯s camp, which primarily consisted of supplies, and¡ªso far as he could sense through the mist¡ªless than twelve individuals; a small operation, yet clearly it was important enough to send elites.

    Now in their camp, Garu quit feeding the fog.  He¡¯d only been able to gather such a dense curtain by standing in a small river and converting it; he would need to replenish his liquid reserves and have a water source before doing anything on this scale again.

    Typically, something on this scale would require several Ethereal to accomplish; it was simple enough to maintain, yet producing it was another topic entirely, but with the mitigation of the Empress¡¯ powers, he¡¯d been able to perform something outside of his original reach.

    Since being resurrected, he¡¯d noticed some drawbacks and advantages that came with the Empress¡¯ life-giving ability; this was one of those gifts.

    ¡°It¡¯s thinning?¡±  Nelika whispered, hips twisting to give him a questioning look.  ¡°Are your people not interested in us?¡±

    ¡°Save your questions,¡± Ymanza responded, taking the lead.

    ¡°Humph¡­¡±

    Garu¡¯s skin crawled upon observing the various caramel-skinned Ri¡¯bot that hovered around the camp; all of them were strong, showing artifacts of achievement and rank that made him think he was stepping into the past to enter an Ethereal encampment.

    If he were to take a guess, the moment he carried the fog into the camp, Ymanza had put them on high alert; no one would be sleeping, which continued to strengthen his suspicions that this clan was not to be taken lightly.  Garu had to respect the quiet atmosphere; not even the unusual desert beasts made noise as they rested.

    The guards gave Ymanza salutes as he passed, and he took them to the largest tent, guarded by two warriors; one pulled back the flap to allow them to enter.

    Silently stepping inside, he found a foldable table of some kind to the left, parchment nearly processed to the refined degree he¡¯d seen in the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s city spread across it.  Much of the space was clear and appeared to repel the outside mist; it seemed the group was ready to pack up and move out at a moment¡¯s notice.

    Garu¡¯s gaze fixated on an older Ri¡¯bot, possibly in his forties, casually sitting on a simple woven mat; despite himself, Garu¡¯s mouth couldn¡¯t help but part in shock upon seeing his condition.  Without a doubt, this was the Former Xaria of Excellence, Gumbi.

    The man¡¯s right arm lifted to rub his scared chin, leaning back and putting weight on his left stump of a hand as he gave Garu a curious smile.  Almost all of his smooth caramel skin had been discolored and ravaged by some kind of corrosion.

    Surgery had been done on his broad chest where a hole now resided, showing he¡¯d been pierced by a large object, and some kind of wood had been fused with his skin, allowing one to look right through to the other side in the hollow space.

    One finger, two toes, and a leg¡ªfrom the thigh down¡ªwere missing, lacerations from ferocious battles still evident beyond the horrific damage.  Only two of his teeth remained, and on the left side, yet it was the legendary Ri¡¯bot¡¯s eyes that stole his attention¡ªsockets¡ªas if they¡¯d been melted.

    He shifted, voice grizzly and low, which matched his colossal size for their species; if standing, he¡¯d be double Garu¡¯s height, and the shimmering spike embedded in Gumbi¡¯s dark green tongue and grand gem-faceted necklace, illuminated with multi-hued light, proved his previous station as a Xaria of Excellence.

    This man could kill every Ri¡¯bot in both Great Clan¡¯s armies¡­ Even now, I have no doubt he would cause irreparable damage¡­ What could have done this to a legend of such power and skill?

    ¡°Hehe, Ymanza, you should have told me you were bringing a guest, and from the Fog Clan, no less.  I would have covered up a little.¡±

    Ymanza bowed in utter respect, Garu following the moment he regained his bearings.  ¡°My apologies, Former Xaria of Excellence.  We discovered this scout spying on the Polsan¡¯s Great Chief and his advisors during their meeting when searching for possible dangers in the mist.¡±

    Nelika¡¯s fingers tightened around his arm, directing him to rise from his bowing position, agitation in her voice.  ¡°No, don¡¯t bow to stupid blind Gumbi!  He¡¯s not some wise old sage or nothing¡ªgah¡­¡±

    Garu felt anger flood his veins; the level of discipline, sacrifices, talent, skill, and indomitable will to achieve such degrees as this veteran displayed was beyond comprehension to even the Ethereal.

    He would be disrespecting everything his clan revered to not show such a man respect; even this felt like a disservice to such a clear legend that should be hosted as a pillar for all Ri¡¯bot to live up to.  Yet before he could snap at the older girl that should have known better, Gumbi roared with laughter.

    ¡°Haha!  Don¡¯t mind my great-granddaughter; she is a rather brash one, which doesn¡¯t help her marital prospects.¡±

    ¡°D-Did you really have to say that?¡±  she squawked, skin coloring a greenish hue to show her embarrassment before turning to storm out of the tent.  ¡°You¡¯re always so mean to me!¡±

    ¡°Aww, come now, Nelika; you know I am just honest, haha.¡±

    A little taken aback by the relation; sure, a Grade-2 scout at age five was certainly an accomplishment and fell into the talented category, yet, in the Ethereal, a descendant of a Xaria of Excellence would die of shame to have not advanced to at least Grade-6 by that point.

    ¡°Should I bring her back?¡±

    ¡°No, heh, no, Ymanza; leave her be.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­ You spoil her too much, Former Xaria of Excellence.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, if we stand on ceremony forever, we won¡¯t finish until the morning!  You¡¯ve done your duty in recognizing my previous station; now, let¡¯s have a more pleasant chat ¡­ Makura?¡±

    One of the warriors outside swiftly entered.  ¡°Yes, Former Xaria of Excellence?¡±

    ¡°Do we have any more of that Ques¡¯k¨¢ Firebrand?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ believe so?¡±  she muttered, glancing at Ymanza.  ¡°Didn¡¯t the Chief tell us to save it for dignitary purposes and special occasions?¡±

    ¡°So it is,¡± Gumbi¡¯s grin turned to Garu.  ¡°I have heard a great many things on the wind since arriving in these green lands¡­ Bring a bottle for us to share.¡±

    Makura instantly slapped her fist across her chest, probably a bit torn between the Chief and Xaria of Excellence¡¯s orders, which showed how respected this elder was.  ¡°Right away!¡±

    Shifting on his mat, Gumbi motioned to them.  ¡°Come sit, Garu of the Mist; we meet a long-lost cousin clan.  Tell me, how are things in your esteemed clan?¡±

    Garu hesitantly took a seat across the slow-burning, smokeless fire that illuminated the tent, and upon further study, he saw the black clouds and ash absorbed by two glowing gems placed at its base.

    Ymanza stood off to the side, keeping a close eye on him, yet Gumbi appeared entirely welcoming.

    He felt beyond outclassed, sitting across the giant disfigured Ri¡¯bot of legend; clearly, he was a far more accomplished Skyspeaker than Mantrix, which only deepened Garu¡¯s awe of the scarred veteran before him.

    ¡°I believe it would be rude of me not to assume a follower of the ancient ways, and Xaria Skyspeaker of your phenomenal caliber would have substantially more knowledge than I have to offer¡­ You know what I am.¡±

    Ymanza¡¯s eyes narrowed at his response, and Gumbi¡¯s demeanor sobered slightly, a low note rumbling through his chest.

    ¡°For one of such age to behave and respond in such a manner ¡­ You must have been born in a time of great conflict.  Hmm¡­ I know there is a being of great power rising in the valley these large clans fear ¡­ A female from a race not native to this land that can return the dead to fight for her, or so I hear.  You are proof of this?¡±

    Knowing a friendly relationship was critical at this point, Garu made his decision.  ¡°I am no ambassador for my Empress, Former Xaria of Excellence; I sincerely apologize for any rudeness I might bring, but so far as I am aware, we have no quarrel with your clan.¡±

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Gumbi rubbed his throat with his clipped thumbnail for several seconds as the silence stretched; after some serious thought, he sighed.  ¡°Garu, can you answer me a few serious questions, and I will leave you to continue whatever you have planned with those creatures in the jungle?  Oh, and skip the exhaustive formalities.¡±

    ¡°Mmmh¡­ If it is within my capabilities, I will, out of respect to you, Gumbi.  In the Ethereal¡ªmy clan¡ªtwo High Xaria were close to starting the Last Legacy.  I do not know what has become of my people, but the glory of one clan producing a Xaria of Excellence is a victory for all.¡±

    Gumbi¡¯s features softened at his response.  ¡°The Ethereal¡­ I will not forget that name; they appear to produce noble Ri¡¯bot¡­ Now, to business.  This Empress of yours, I have heard whispers on the wind that give me a name¡­ Elinor.  Is this correct?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    ¡°She brings a great unease, yet the powers that I¡¯ve heard</a> gather in the west of our land¡­ Garu, there is fire on the winds¡­ a force unlike any I have experienced that subjugates all that stand before it¡­ and I am not only speaking of your Empress.¡±

    Stomach twisting at his sober words, Garu swallowed the sticky saliva in his throat; fire on the winds was definitely Sari¡¯a¨¦l, yet more than just her?  The Covenant¡­ Demon?  Has Gumbi been following the colossal conflicts across the heavens along their journey to the west?

    ¡°I hold no misgivings as to your Empress¡¯ reach and power, Garu; I was guided here by a song on the wind I cannot explain.  Empress Elinor is an entity of great resolve, and there are two beings near her that blaze like unto the sun at high-rise¡­ blinding all with their radiance.¡±

    His half-ruined nose twitched as he leaned forward, Gumbi¡¯s single hand stroking the canvased ground in front of him.  ¡°Mmgm¡­ The Planet¡¯s Shadow pulses and writhes, unlike anything I¡¯ve felt.¡±

    Makura returned and set an expertly crafted brown glass bottle half the size of Garu¡¯s body beside him; she retreated to bring stone vessels they could use as Gumbi¡¯s sightless sockets seemed to penetrate him in ways he couldn¡¯t understand.

    ¡°These Great Clans that meet here will fall¡­ The Shadow speaks to its waiting forces, and war will consume everything.  I have been listening carefully to the dozens of agents working in all directions, and what I¡¯ve concluded is that sides must be taken if we are to survive¡­

    ¡°The Ques¡¯k¨¢ grow restless as their prophetesses speak of the future and armies beyond my understanding gather in darkness.  Our long rivals, the Cartalian, descendants of the Sand Clan, have been preparing for war in my passing ¡­ I have been warned that I am not long for this world, Garu, as much as Nelika refuses to believe it.¡±

    A sharp smile lifted Gumbi¡¯s scarred cheeks as Garu realized the possibility he was hinting at.  ¡°Hehe, there are many avenues my clan can take before that happens, and my influence is great; I do not need you to be an ambassador to your Empress, Garu.¡±

    Ymanza shifted uncomfortably.  ¡°Mmgm, Former Xaria of Excellence¡­¡±

    ¡°What did I say?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Gumbi,¡± he forced himself to say, drawing Garu¡¯s gaze.  ¡°You can¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    What was happening was unbelievable; he hadn¡¯t come here to be the intermediary between a powerful eastern Clan or act as an escort, yet the opportunity had landed in his lap.

    It then clicked to him that this legendary Ri¡¯bot had known full well of his movements and was waiting for him to draw near to meet with anyone connected to the Empress.  He just so happened to be the first to approach his net.

    Makura rushed in through the flap as Gumbi used his only remaining hand to pop the seal on the giant vessel of Firebrand, a knowing smile on his maimed lips.  He grasped the neck of the bottle and effortlessly lifted it to pour into the stone cups she¡¯d brought.

    ¡°Ques¡¯k¨¢ Firebrand is expensive and difficult to obtain since its export is prohibited¡­ It is an ancient craft that compels the drinkers to utter the truth and is customarily used when forging a bond of union or negotiation.  Hehe, obviously, it is not foolproof, seeing as it only goes as far as the individual ingesting it is aware of said truth, yet it serves its purpose.¡±

    Garu noticed the tight jaw and closed fists of Ymanza as Gumbi continued.  ¡°With all due respect, Gumbi, I am doubtful such a thing will work on me due to my physiology being that of the risen dead.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±  he chortled, motioning for the pale-faced Makura to bring him the cup.  ¡°If so, it matters little, but will you indulge me?¡±

    Feeling as if he couldn¡¯t refuse, Garu accepted it.  ¡°You wish to confirm something important to you?¡±

    ¡°Very,¡± Gumbi returned, downing his draught as Makura tried to reseal the bottle and carry it out.  ¡°You are fortunate we were the ones that discovered you; the Cartalian would not have responded so kindly.

    ¡°Heh, although I will not take you for a fool by your clan¡¯s reverence toward the ancient ways and the maturity you have shown.  You have no doubt realized I have been taking a keen interest in the whispers floating through the heavens and rippling through the earth.¡±

    Garu was speechless as he stared at the yellowish liquid in the heavy stone cup he held.  ¡°You are a Skyspeaker¡­ and an Earthspeaker?¡±

    A secretive smile lifted Gumbi¡¯s lips.  ¡°You learn many things in the Last Legacy.¡±

    Shivering at the mention of the final crucible that could only be reached or know its location by advancing to the High Xaria position, and of those, few ever returned.

    Garu brought the cup to his mouth; it burned as the name suggested, sliding down his throat, and had he not been undead, he would be choking and gasping on the ground by its pungent flavor and feel, yet he endured.

    Clearing his throat, Garu set the stone cup down, Makura and even Ymanza looking impressed by his composure.  ¡°I cannot tell if it is in effect, but I will answer truthfully to the best of my ability.¡±

    Gumbi breathed in deeply before releasing a hot puff of air, resting his only hand on his intact leg.  ¡°Will Nelika be safe if she returns with you to speak to your Empress on behalf of our clan?¡±

    ¡°What¡­¡±  Garu¡¯s hips twisted to see the five-year-old girl pause halfway through the tent¡¯s flap.  ¡°What did you say?¡±

    A sharp hiss came from Ymanza while rubbing the back of his neck.  ¡°Gumbi, with all of my respect¡­ What the sand licker are you thinking?  Nelika is brash, unrefined, undisciplined, short-tempered, disrespectful, and utterly unfit to represent herself, much less the Clan.  Surely Chief Nisami would disagree with her selection!¡±

    Nelika scowled at the senior Xaria.  ¡°I take offense to all of that, Ymanza!  I¡¯d say I¡¯m proudly free-willed ¡­ but I do agree that it¡¯s crazy for me to represent the Clan, Pop!  I¡¯m no negotiator; I spy on people and blackmail them into giving me treats.¡±

    Makura¡¯s shoulders sagged.  ¡°Not¡­ something to proudly confess, Nel.¡±

    ¡°Maku, I can¡¯t be an ambassador!  I don¡¯t even know anything about the Mist Clan!¡±

    ¡°Gumbi¡­¡±  Ymanza pleaded.  ¡°Please, reconsider¡­ She doesn¡¯t know who she¡¯ll be meeting, much less how dire the situation is!¡±

    Gumbi chuckled, motioning for his great-granddaughter to come over to him and silencing the unsure throng, Garu included.

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    ¡°Ahem,¡± Garu said as she hesitantly moved to join the legendary Ri¡¯bot.  ¡°I¡­ hesitate to even think about how the Empress or the Royal Court would respond if I were to introduce¡­ eh¡­ her.  I do not believe she would be harmed, but she may be immediately rejected, present your clan in a terrible light, and be sent home through foreign land without a guide if she acts the way she has in the presence of the Empress.¡±

    A shudder ran through his frame.  ¡°I may be punished for bringing her before the Empress and wasting her time¡­ Not that I¡¯m trying to disrespect you, but¡­ Ymanza is right when he says you appear to lack the respect that would be expected when talking to one of such power.¡±

    ¡°Power¡­ I¡¯d be the judge of that, whoever this Empress is¡­¡±

    ¡°Nel, please¡­¡±  Makura mumbled, seeming to be the closest warrior to Nelika¡¯s age at around seven.  ¡°This is a grave matter.¡±

    Gumbi¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter as he placed a hand on his great granddaughter''s slightly green head, showing her embarrassment and displeasure at how everyone was talking about her.  ¡°I believe you all underestimate my great-granddaughter¡­ You underestimate yourself, Nelika.  I am given authority in this regard, and I exercised it.  Nelika, you will return with Garu ¡­ If you will have her?¡±

    Garu could feel ulcers digging into his side, well, if he could get them, and decided all he could do was put his trust in the reputation of the Xaria of Excellence.  ¡°Gumbi¡­ I am currently involved in another task that could put your great-granddaughter in danger.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Do you hear that, Nelika?  Are you afraid?¡±

    ¡°No!  I¡¯m not afraid of anything!¡±

    ¡°There you have it.¡±

    ¡°Wait, I didn¡¯t mean I¡¯d do it!  I-I¡¯m just not afraid!¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡±  he grinned, removing his hand from her head.  ¡°Nelika can provide support to you if it is something she is comfortable with; she won¡¯t be in your way, as well.  After all, my darling great-granddaughter is quite the scout herself!¡±

    ¡°Grrmgm¡­ Pop, I don¡¯t want to leave you¡­¡±

    ¡°Come now, wasn¡¯t it you that said there wasn¡¯t a chance I could die?  Haha, I¡¯m in the prime of my youth, you said!¡±

    ¡°Well, yeah¡­ You¡¯re my Pop, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it you that said he was cute?¡±

    ¡°Stop teasing me!  I¡­ Why do you want me to go¡­ Ymanza is better for that¡ªyou could go¡ªwe all could!¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±  Gambi¡¯s tone darkened, fingers closing into a fist.  ¡°As I feared, the sand shakes¡­ We must return.¡±

    ¡°Ggrarg¡­ Always with your cryptic messages!  What would I even say?  Oh, my Pop just sent me here to say hi; maybe you should stop by some time?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  I believe we have at least a day before Garu will make a hasty return to the valley.  So, we will have over a dozen hours together before we depart¡­ And, Garu.¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°The creatures you have gathered are being hunted.¡±

    Garu¡¯s body went numb.  ¡°By who?¡±

    ¡°I am unsure¡­ a group of creatures from the far south that follow the Planet¡¯s Shadow.  They are moving slowly so as to not lose their trail, but I suspect they will find the area you have secreted them in by tomorrow.  Prepare carefully, and scout them out; they are strong.  Nelika may be with you by that point.¡±

    Perfect¡­  Naturally, Demon would be after something Tiffany seeks, and I¡¯d have Nelika¡¯s attitude to deal with.

    ¡°I will keep her in a safe place.¡±

    The older girl gave him an indignant glare.  ¡°I am not some helpless tadpole!¡±

    ¡°No, eh, I didn¡¯t try to imply you were.¡±

    ¡°I can help!  Maybe¡­¡±

    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s my great-granddaughter!¡±

    ¡°Humph¡­ Only if it looks fun, though,¡± she grumbled.

    ¡°Right¡­¡±  Garu sighed, focusing on Gumbi as his grizzly tone became serious again, and everyone straightened at the look on his face.

    ¡°Be cautious of the Cartalian¡­ I do not know their purpose in following us, but some powerful figures in their Clan have made the journey; originally, I believed their purpose was to keep track of me, yet I am beginning to suspect another force is directing their movements.¡±

    ¡°I understand.  I will relay the message to my Empress.  Nelika¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±  she growled, still glaring at her great-grandfather, seemingly unable to deny the elder¡¯s orders; it didn¡¯t mean she had to like it, though¡ªor she might?  Garu couldn¡¯t read what she wanted.

    ¡°You can track my path to find me when ready; I will leave by tomorrow night, and it will be in haste.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ get it.  I¡¯ll see you, I guess¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Makura smirked, giving her a look that seemed to have Nelika up in arms as they exited the tent.

    ¡°What¡¯s with that look, Maku?!¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing¡­¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡±

    Unsure what the two were on about, or why the girl was embarrassed¡­ again, Garu removed the two from his thoughts.  ¡°Also, Gumbi¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, young one?¡±

    Sober tone returned, his eyes narrowed.  ¡°Will you tell Nelika why this new group¡ªthe Cnaxar Federation¡ªis coming here?  I¡¯m sure you can listen to their discussions, and if I need to prepare them for combat, I will not be able to return.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, the Cartalian has ways of blocking my ears and touch when it comes to their vicinity¡­ Although, I will pass on what little I can discover.¡±

    Garu bowed and exited the tent, mist gathering around him as he slipped into the night, staying close to the ground in the much-diminished haze he had brought.

    Remaining unseen, he returned to the jungle and waited by a stream until the Empress¡¯ restorative energies filled him.  It was the beginning of the third day since he¡¯d started his journey.

    He refilled his liquid reserves and sought out Valentina; the Tiger Beastkin was currently bathing in a small lake, washing off the blood from the dozens of victims she¡¯d hunted since he¡¯d left her.

    Garu rested in a nearby tree, gauging her progress; she still couldn¡¯t sense him, but by the smile on her lips as she scrubbed her fur and the lake leeches avoiding her, the girl had made substantive progress.

    She retracted much of her fur to be replaced by smooth skin and caused much of the crusted or wet blood to fall into the water; it was far to the northwest, away from the Ri¡¯bot and their armies.  Valentina was thinking ahead and trying to keep her presence to a minimum in the areas she believed were risky to expose herself.

    You¡¯re learning¡­ Good.  Now, the issue.  His left three teeth pressed against his bottom lip while pondering the information the legendary Xaria had given him.  Gorka, Cristian, and Nicole are not capable of fighting¡­ Val is advancing in leaps and bounds; she should be ready by the required time.

    Rafael¡­ No, he has combat ability but not the instincts that Val can fall back on.  All I can do is rely on Val and myself, and by the way Gumbi framed it, I likely can¡¯t win in a straight fight¡­ Demon sent them, after all.

    I can leave Val to continue her hunt ¡­ In the meantime, I need to find out who my opponents are before they close in around our throats.

    Preparing himself to begin his scouting mission, Garu watched Valentina exit the water and shake herself off before using the fur of a nearby animal she¡¯d slaughtered to dry her hair and skin.  Fur returning, she grinned, yellow irises flashing in the night as she searched for her next target and vanishing into the trees.

    She¡¯s a natural.  If she keeps up at this pace, before long, she¡¯ll surpass me.  He smiled.  Will she exceed my expectations by the time I see her again?  The Ragnlar may already be dead.

    Garu turned to the south, taking every precaution as his mental state sank into the solemnity of his living days when Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s Elite Hunters prowled these jungles.

 B3 â€” 28. The Power Of A Lord

    The layers of thick mist that clung around Garu shifted through the trees with his movements.  He backtracked along the teenage humans¡¯ trail, taking care with every leap he made; if these enemies were following the path they¡¯d left, then it would be here he would find them.

    Garu took his time, being cautious to remain hidden in the branches and foliage of the ancient trees that lead toward the valley.  The fact these creatures could pick up their scent, even after he¡¯d joined them and tried to mitigate their presence in the jungle, told him they were possibly trained hunters.

    Hours passed in his meticulous search, knowing he hadn¡¯t missed the hunters since there was only one path they could follow; the group was a decent distance behind, which was excellent.  They had a good head start, and they could make a swift retreat if it came down to it.

    The noises of the jungle filled his sharpened senses as he prowled through the undergrowth, light now brightening the heavens as the third day of his trip shone its warm rays.  Still, he hadn¡¯t found their pursuers, making him worry a tad; Nelika would likely be catching up to him soon.

    As he expected, the more accomplished scout soon appeared out of a bush, almost giving him a heart attack with her big grin and flashing spots.

    ¡°Hello!  Wow, still on the hunt, huh?  Ya think ol¡¯ Gumbi¡¯s losing his touch?¡±

    Garu tried to ignore her disrespectful tone and glowing patterns; then again, it could also just be a slight change in the dialect that made him perceive it as lacking respect for her grandfather.  He had to remind himself that the Xaria Of Excellence had asked him to excuse her behavior and Ymanza had quite the opinion of her, so¡­ maybe not so much of a dialect difference.

    ¡°I¡¯m being cautious,¡± he messaged back, blue spots shimmering.

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    She blushed and giggled, looking at his spots before looking away.

    ¡°Okay?  We should¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh!  This way!¡±

    Garu wanted to curse as she jumped higher in the trees, increasing her speed to a rather alarming degree for trying to remain hidden.  Following behind, he extended his mist to its maximum degree without added liquid; he had two bodies to hide in the fog now.

    ¡°What are you doing¡ªyou¡¯ll give away our position!¡±

    ¡°I can just turn into wind, and you into fog; it¡¯s fine!  Besides, I can hear their voices in the wind!¡±

    ¡°Nelika!¡±  Garu jumped forward to grab her arm, making her skin shade green.

    She almost lost her balance as he dragged her into a nearby haze of thick leaves, allowing the fog to catch up and surround them.  ¡°W-What?¡±

    Glaring at her hesitant flashing spots, Garu tried to temper his flaring emotions.  ¡°This isn¡¯t the desert or your territory¡ªI don¡¯t want to see you die or get hurt.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  The sticky saliva in her throat moved to her stomach as her hyperactive cheer diminished a tad.  ¡°Okay¡­ Pop said I should listen to you¡ªheh, you know, even if you¡¯re lower rank than me.¡±

    Falling back on his training, Garu was at least happy she wasn¡¯t putting up a fight.  ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re in unknown territory, and I have seniority in-field knowledge¡­¡±

    He paused, having the idea of trying to distract her a bit while getting to know the slightly older girl.  ¡°I hear the desert is like the planes, and you can see great distances.  Is that true?¡±

    Nelika¡¯s four left teeth pressed against her lip as she settled in next to him, glancing toward the south.  ¡°Umm¡­ yeah, I suppose, but¡­ no, the dunes¡ªeh, sandhills,¡± she muttered at his blank look, ¡°can hide way more enemies and threats¡­  Or so I¡¯m told.¡±

    ¡°Mhm, but you can see far better than in the jungle?¡±

    ¡°Oh, definitely!  This place is insane,¡± she smiled, brushing her finger against a large leaf to Garu''s inner groan.  ¡°It¡¯s so crowded¡­ filled with so many little creatures and colorful things.  Hehe, you don¡¯t get sand in your mouth or eyes, and you don¡¯t need to clean your toes that much.¡±

    ¡°Interesting¡­ and you need to clean your toes quite often if you go down by a river or step in the mud; leaving tracks will only get you killed¡­  What?¡±  he asked as she glared at him.

    ¡°Is all you think about scouting?¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­ I hate to break it to you, Nelika¡­ but I¡¯m a scout¡­ you¡¯re a scout¡­  Our clans rely on us to map out and deliver reliable information that can be used to protect their warriors.  We have to remain vigilant, or it could spell the death of dozens, if not hundreds of valuable members of the Clan.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­  You¡¯re cute but so uptight,¡± Nelika grumbled, crossing her arms and shifting her focus to the jungle floor below them.  ¡°I only became a scout because it gave me the most time away from the village.¡±

    Garu wanted to hiss out a breath but refrained, keeping his attention in the direction Nelika was guiding them; he half wondered if she was playing a trick on him.  ¡°I can tell.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±  she sniffed.

    ¡°Nothing¡­  You have good ears; can you hear what they¡¯re saying or tell what they are?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not my ears that do the hearing,¡± she rolled her eyes, pointing at her white spots.  ¡°I expect you to do your fog stuff with yours, too.¡±

    Feeling a tad silly for the comment he really should have known, Garu took a slow, quiet breath.  ¡°You¡¯re right¡­  What can you hear?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  Say that again,¡± she grinned, probably looking for validation.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Thank you!  Humph, most other Ri¡¯bot won¡¯t admit when I¡¯m right¡­  Umm,¡± her mood seemed to lighten as she rubbed the back of her neck and yawned.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ they sound weird¡­ hissing and like¡­ low grunts in their throat?  Mmh¡­  I think they have tails; heh, they bat them against the trunks every once in a while.¡±

    ¡°How far away?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ four kilometers¡­ give or take ten meters.¡±

    Garu¡¯s forehead creased in shock; she¡¯d pinpointed them over a hundred meters back before this point.  No one in the Ethereal could hear that far away; the Wind Clan¡¯s trait was no joke, and she was only a Grade-2 scout.

    ¡°What?  Is that, umm, low?¡±  she self-consciously whispered.  ¡°I just barely reached Grade-2, so¡­¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he muttered, spots flashing as he gave her an impressed smile that seemed to catch her off-guard.  ¡°That¡¯s amazing¡­  I had no idea you could hear that far¡­ in the jungle, no less.  We have plenty of time to prepare.¡±

    Nelika beamed at his praise.  ¡°Oh, well, heh, yeah!  I¡¯m super good like that¡ªyou know, I can hear even father in the desert¡­ umm, you should come and look¡ªwell, see me some time so¡­ you know, I can show you.¡±

    Garu¡¯s attention had moved to the southeast, where he sensed a body of water he could use, absently gesturing for her to follow.  ¡°Yeah, if the Empress allows, I¡¯d like to see the desert¡­  Over here, I¡¯ll gather a thicker fog so we can remove our presence more and make it harder for them to spot us.¡±

    A mixed expression crossed the girl¡¯s features as she hopped after him.  ¡°If¡­ your Empress allows it¡­  Mmgh¡­  How long could you stay?¡±

    Jumping down from the branches to get as much time as he could to mitigate spending more energy in a rush job, Garu shrugged his shoulders.  ¡°I don¡¯t know; besides, you¡¯ll probably be in Nethermore for a bit¡­¡±

    Nelika slowed to a stop, making Garu look back at her to see a shocked look on her face.  ¡°Something wrong¡­ did you hear something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ staying in Nethermore for a while¡­  Woah, woah, woah, that¡¯s¡­ I didn¡¯t think about that¡­  I¡¯m going to be away from the desert for a while¡­¡±

    ¡°Hold up¡­  You seriously didn¡¯t think about that?¡±

    Is she stupid?  I don¡¯t know if she can think things through at all or if she¡¯s just really good at playing dumb¡­

    Complex expression taking her, Nelika tried to smile, but the hormones leaking out of her skin told Garu she felt a bit of fear.  ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯ve never been so far from the desert or¡­ It¡¯s just all kind of sinking in, hehe, umm¡­ I¡¯m going to be alone¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ am I just wind in your ear?¡±  Garu questioned.

    Definitely stupid.

    She still looked apprehensive, but a small smile lifted her lips.  ¡°Yeah¡­ you¡¯ll be with me¡­  Thanks, Garu.¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­¡±

    They continued to the stream, the older girl wearing a slightly green tint to her caramel skin.  She only has a few modes¡­ obstinate, reckless, dumb, and embarrassed.  What¡¯s her deal?

    Figuring he could find out a bit of any confidential information she was undoubtedly holding that he could feed to the Royal Court, Garu stood in a small pond and went about feeding the fog.

    ¡°By the way, why did the Xaria of Excellence ask to have you meet with the Empress; to ask for an alliance?¡±

    Nelika sat on a rock nearby, squinting to see his blurred outline as the mist thickened.  ¡°Right¡­  Pop wanted me to tell you about that caravan thing, too.  Umm¡­ basically, I¡¯m supposed to look at what your Empress has going on and see if I can trust her enough to help my Clan.  Kind of a simple job, really.¡±

    ¡°Simple,¡± Garu repeated with a sigh.  ¡°Nelika¡­ your great-grandfather, a Xaria of Excellence, is placing what he fears to be the potential destruction of your Clan on your shoulders; there¡¯s nothing simple about that.¡±

    ¡°Heh, what are you talking about?¡±  Nelika smirked, waving his statement off.  ¡°We¡¯ll be fine.  My Pop can be so melodramatic; there¡¯s no way the Cartalian would pick a fight, and he¡¯s still got another thirty years if we¡¯re going by our average life span.¡±

    Garu wanted to point out that her great-grandfather was not in the picture of health, considering the severe damage likely already done to his internal organs from whatever battle he¡¯d engaged in¡ªwhich he wanted to know in detail¡ªyet that would have to wait.

    ¡°Right¡­ the Cnaxar Federation?¡±

    ¡°Mmh, right,¡± Nelika mumbled, kicking her legs against the water in a bored way.  ¡°Not too impressed, personally.  Pop met them early in the morning with the others and had me come.  They¡¯re looking to do trade and have some of the Ancient Gems they were trying to peddle.¡±

    Garu¡¯s muscles locked up.  ¡°Ancient Gems¡­  How is that not important?¡±

    ¡°Meh, we have a good stock already, and they were unactivated ones, so¡­ heh, not much use to Ri¡¯bot that don¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing.¡±

    ¡°Like the Cartalian?¡±  Garu hissed, making Nelika¡¯s legs pause in the rippling water.

    ¡°Oh¡­ right, the Cartalian¡­  Uh, I guess they would know how to do it, but I¡¯m pretty sure they have more than enough.¡±

    Garu¡¯s gut tightened at the pivotal information.  If the Cartalian are low on stock, and that¡¯s why they¡¯ve branched out of the desert and haven¡¯t attacked Nelika¡¯s clan¡­  No, if the Cartalian allied themselves to the Morseng and Polsan Clans, giving them ancient weapons¡­  If the technology starts spreading, our enemies will be difficult to deal with.

    Nelika may have been talented, Garu would say she was beyond the word since he could claim it for his age, yet she wasted it; the pride of a privileged clan that had grown up in a time of peace.

    Sober at the thoughts mulling around his brain, he looked up at the fog swirling around him; something unexpected was heading his way.  He¡¯s returning?  It¡¯s been three days since he left to make his rounds¡­  When will he reach me¡­  Ten hours if he continues at the same speed.

    ¡°Garu?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ options are opening up, and a scout should avoid conflict when possible.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh?  I¡¯ve heard the lessons; I am a grade above you,¡± she snickered.

    In practical scout training only, Garu dully thought while looking at her shining grin through the fog.  Is she trying to make a joke or get me to laugh?  Whatever, I shouldn¡¯t waste energy trying to decipher her strange behavior.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to scout this group, Nelika, not engage.¡±

    ¡°Aww, but I¡¯m bored,¡± she grumbled, kicking her feet in the water again.  ¡°I can¡¯t see all the pretty and interesting jungle things with all this fog you¡¯re throwing around¡­ and if I get rid of these annoying trackers, I¡¯ll get to see it all again!  Hehe, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Nelika¡­ do you trust the¡ªmmgm¡­  Do you trust your Pop at all?¡±

    She sat a little straighter.  ¡°Of course I do!  Eh-heh, when he¡¯s not joking or kidding around¡­ which he does way too much!  I love him for it, though.¡±

    Translation¡­  Basically, whenever you disagree with, Garu wanted to reply but kept it to himself.

    ¡°Do you think he was joking when he said they were strong?¡±

    Nelika¡¯s brow furrowed, teeth pressing against her lower lips.  ¡°Mmh¡­ no.¡±

    ¡°He knew you¡¯d be here with me?¡±

    She looked away, rubbing her elbow.  ¡°I¡­ guess.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ put those together,¡± Garu slowly prompted, trying not to sound condescending¡­ not doing well to accomplish his goal by her green shade.

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid!¡±

    He sighed.  ¡°Just humor me¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­  He was saying¡­ they¡¯re probably stronger than both of us working together, but he doesn¡¯t know how strong you are!  Humph.  Pop, going ahead and doubting the Ethereal Clan.  Am I right?!¡±

    Garu wanted to chuckle at her hopeful grin.  She really is something.

    ¡°Playing to my Clan¡¯s pride isn¡¯t going to change the circumstances, Nelika¡­  I get that you¡¯re struggling to entertain yourself, but getting yourself hurt isn¡¯t¡­ going to get me points with your Pop!¡±  he redirected, about to bring up the elderly legend¡¯s comments about her marital prospects and how scaring her body wasn¡¯t going to help her.

    Yeah, best to avoid that much of a bite¡­  I do need her cooperation, but I¡¯m not wrong.  Ugh, maybe I¡¯m just too picky¡­

    Truly mystifying, his changed meaning had the girl¡¯s bright eyes sparkling and a beaming smile on her lips, and if he was being honest, she was pretty eye-catching at the right angle¡ªno Ethereal woman; that¡¯s for sure¡ªyet compared to every other Ri¡¯bot he¡¯d seen from multiple clans, she had a rather unique appeal to her caramel skin and white spotted patterns.

    ¡°You¡¯re concerned about me¡­  Okay, umm, I¡¯ll follow your lead, but if they look weak enough, I¡¯m gonna clobber them!  Hehe, I can bring them back and give them as a present to your Empress lady!¡±

    ¡°Mmh-hmm-hmm¡­¡±

    There it is¡­ the stupidity again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s play it by ear.¡±

    ¡°Hehe!  My specialty!¡±

    ¡°I thought that was your spots.¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t I be good at both?!  Aren¡¯t I talented?!  Hmm¡­ hmm?!¡±

    ¡°The best ear-hearer this side of the Crowning Mountains,¡± Garu absently replied, preparing to go.

    ¡°Hoho!  Give me a week, and your Empress lady will be so impressed, she¡¯ll beg me to train her soldiers!¡±

    Garu forced a laugh as an image of High Ladies Iris and Sari¡¯a¨¦l firmly fixated in his mind.  ¡°Yeah¡­ keep dreaming,¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll see!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the daughter of a legend!¡±  she boasted, clearly more joking this time with her snickering and spot winks.

    Mood lightening a tad, Garu exited the water and tried off on a nearby leaf to rub the smell of the jungle into his skin again.  ¡°Wasn¡¯t it great-granddaughter?¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°My dad¡¯s pretty hot stuff, too!  You¡¯ll have to fight him when we get back.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­ why?¡±

    ¡°Reasons!¡±

    ¡°Reasons¡­¡±

    ¡°Reasons!¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°You said yes!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re impossible to talk to.¡±

    ¡°Hehe, I get that a lot!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ mmgm.  Are you ready?¡±

    ¡°Yup!  Let¡¯s tie em up and show them how scary the Mist can be!  I¡¯m a ghhooost of your ancestors!¡±

    ¡°Is that really something you do in the desert?¡±

    ¡°What, you¡¯ve never had ancestor ghost stories?¡±

    ¡°No?¡±

    ¡°Ohh, you¡¯re missing out!  Haha!  I¡¯ll have you so scared you¡¯ll jump into my arms!¡±

    ¡°Doubtful.¡±

    ¡°Bet!¡±

    Already wasting too much time, Garu just jumped into the nearby tree with Nelika snickering behind him about chickening out.

    She really has no sense of danger whatsoever¡­

    What did frighten him was how she¡¯d react when she really was in trouble; she had training, but that wasn¡¯t the real threat of death.

    He¡¯d seen his mortality when only two years old, in the towering giant of a Quen¡¯Talrat he¡¯d been forced to confront as a part of his coming of age ceremony; not an Elite Hunter, yet any type of Quen¡¯Talrat was terrifying, especially after their White God returned from the north.

    Garu crept through the jungle with Nelika bringing up the rearer, she was taking the task seriously, which he appreciated, and it didn¡¯t take long for them to find their targets.

    To Nelika, who didn¡¯t have the gift of the Empress¡¯ translation ability, the odd sounds they made were nothing but gibberish, yet as he neared, voices became clear; five were in the party.

    ¡°I ¡®ate this jungle¡ªagh, I step in goo and these thistles it rips ma fine silk¡ªblah, and this agitatin¡¯ scent that makes my nose¡­¡±  he sneezed, making a female giggle.

    ¡°If ya had brought the right mask, ya would¡¯ve been saved the itchin¡¯, but ya stubborn thin tail be slappin¡¯ every trunk!¡±

    ¡°¡®An¡¯t be bothered¡ªnot like we be lookin¡¯ ta stay here long¡­  Rogri¡¯da, how close we gettin¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Aye, ya been slowin¡¯ down,¡± the woman hissed.  ¡°I be¡­  Fog¡­ denser than mi skin!¡±

    A younger sounded girl hummed.  ¡°It¡¯s odd¡­ I think they took to the tree branches,¡± she mumbled, looking up as the mist drew around them.  ¡°Maluka¡¯si¡­¡±

    ¡°Aye¡­ it be unnatural, and ya smell that?  Nothin¡¯.¡±

    Two of the party didn¡¯t speak as the first¡¯s snarled, and Garu¡¯s vision narrowed; white-scaled Nalveans; he¡¯d never seen the color in the war, and given the Ri¡¯bot had different abilities based on lineage, he didn¡¯t want to test them.

    He motioned for Nelika that they would retreat, only for her to give him an incredulous look, spots flashing far too brightly given enemies were nearby.

    ¡°They look so strange and can¡¯t see¡ª¡±

    She froze in place as one of the silent males held up some kind of long-barreled device in the fraction of a second, Garu gripping her shoulder to pull her to the side as a crack split the air; a projectile of some kind whizzing by Nelika¡¯s eye, making the atmosphere still, and he placed a hand over her mouth, trying to tell her not to move.

    The white-scaled Nalveans scanned the fog, Maluka¡¯si speaking after several seconds in a low tone.  ¡°You see that light, too, Rogri¡¯da?¡±

    ¡°I did, but I didn¡¯t hear anything fall¡­ silent as the stilled sea.  I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­  Ya hear those tales some of those split-tail land lovers speak of¡­  The silent mist that kills the Flaming Apes?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  I have heard a tale or two,¡± the first responded to the man that shot at Nelika; the girl was still utterly still, and Garu could feel her pounding heart through his connected mist as he waited.

    ¡°Whatcha think?¡±  Maluka¡¯si laughed.  ¡°Our targets be out there?¡±

    Barrel still raised in their direction, Garu¡¯s eyes narrowed, manipulating the fog to swirl to the right, pulling his odd weapon.  ¡°Somethin¡¯s out there¡­¡±

    Rogri¡¯da pulled out a hilt for a swirl of liquid to be pulled out of the scabbard to form into a thin, deadly sword, and a grin split her lips as she slashed the air to her right, sending a razor-thin arc that sliced through leaves, slender branches, and bit a decent distance into a tree; a small, harmless lizard half the size of Garu was split in half, falling to the ground.

    Nelika¡¯s left blade slipped from her arm; he managed to catch it before it struck the trunk.

    Reading the mood, Garu started to release his grip on the fog nearest the lizard, making Maluka¡¯si giggle as it came into view.  ¡°Ah¡­  Nice one, Rogri¡¯da¡­  We got some supper for later!¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­ it¡¯s ugly,¡± Rogri¡¯da grumbled, moving forward to poke at it.  ¡°Seems to be makin¡¯ this gravin¡¯ mist, though.  Probably some kinda defensive thing¡­  Ah, caught the trail again.¡±

    ¡°Meh¡­  Wastin¡¯ our time,¡± the first grunted, kicking the creature as they continued through the brush.

    Garu¡¯s narrowed vision shifted to Nelika, chest still pumping and a few tears in her eyes.  I knew she¡¯d freeze¡­ she¡¯s never killed in her life¡­ probably never even seen real death.  Still, it¡¯s my fault for not preparing her for how the Ethereal operates.

    Gesturing for the internally panicking girl to follow him, he wondered if Gumbi wanted her to join him to gain that experience; it would undoubtedly be something his parents would have done.

    He led her in a wide circle to reach the outskirts of the jungle before it rose up the dark green mountains, leading into the valley.  ¡°Nelika¡­¡±

    ¡°I-It almost¡ªmy eye¡­ it¡­¡±

    ¡°It would have been your throat had I not¡­  Nelika?¡±

    He stumbled back as she threw her arms around him, trembling against his body.  ¡°I¡ªI almost¡­ it¡­¡±

    ¡°Breathe¡­  You¡¯re alive,¡± he soothed, awkwardly returning the embrace and rubbing her back.  ¡°Nelika, will you follow my lead now?¡±

    ¡°Mmh-hmm-hmm¡­¡±  she whimpered, unable to keep her second blade from falling to the mud.

    A long stream of air blew through his lips.  ¡°What¡­ do you need?¡±

    ¡°Just¡ªhold me¡­ please</a>¡­¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    Her chest fluttered against his, strong arms tightening around his body as she wept; he¡¯d never seen any scout act so utterly helpless, even the one and two-year-olds would have leaped into action to escape, yet Nelika had been totally paralyzed.

    Minutes passed, and eventually, she gently pulled away, shame in her eyes as she weakly bent down to retrieve her knife, yet paused an inch from the hilt; she spoke aloud for the first time, throat sticky and cheeks wet.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry, Garu¡­  I¡­¡±

    Garu cleared his throat, bending his legs to bring her hand to her weapon and giving the older girl a small smile; he didn¡¯t understand it, but he could empathize with her shame.  ¡°All we can do is pick ourselves up and try again¡­  You¡¯ll follow my lead?¡±

    Four teeth on either side drawing a little blood, her downcast eyes didn¡¯t leave the weapon in her trembling fingers; she could only get one word out.  ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Handing her the other, Garu gently rubbed her shoulder, pulling her gaze.  ¡°We need to move¡­  Currently, we can¡¯t handle that group, and even if you were up to it, it¡¯s too heavy of a risk after what we saw.¡±

    ¡°What about¡­ those other creatures you¡¯re trying to protect¡­ don¡¯t you need to kill or capture these things?¡±

    ¡°Heh, we need to avoid them¡­ trust me.¡±

    Stepping in, she hesitated and retreated, pulling herself together.  ¡°Right¡­  I, umm, can you¡­ forget that I¡­¡±

    Garu chuckled.  ¡°If I did, it wouldn''t be easier on you¡­  What if I promise to help you overcome your fear?¡±

    ¡°You can do that?¡±

    ¡°Heh, we won¡¯t know until we try, and the Ethereal have pretty good ways of countering fear!¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Mhm!¡±

    ¡°I¡­  I trust you, Garu!¡±

    ¡°Good!  Alright, let¡¯s go; we have a lot to prepare for.¡±

    Waiting for a second to make sure she was okay to move out, he gave her a smile in hopes of helping her regain her confidence.  Hmm¡­ is Gumbi trying to break her out of the sheltered life she¡¯s been in?  Certainly, it isn¡¯t he that has allowed her to be so carefree¡­  Her father?

    He put the thoughts in the back of his head and guided her to those he¡¯d hidden in the cave; they were a little shocked to see him bring back a new Ri¡¯bot and how melancholy she was.  In truth, Garu wanted the peppy Nelika back, but her shame wouldn¡¯t disappear for several hours, much less two, having picked up their pace to outpace the slow Nalvean group.

    To his relief, the little Dryad girl was doing better after the group gathered around her to express that she was an essential part of their group; Garu suspected it wasn¡¯t exactly what she was looking for, but the Empress could handle what he didn¡¯t understand.

    Informing them about their pursuers, he set their frantic leader¡¯s mind at ease, saying they were moving the timeline up to rescue his girlfriend.

    He left Nelika to guard them as he went to recover Valentina, hoping that by showing her he still had trust in her that it would lift her spirits, which did seem to help.

    When he found the Tiger Beastkin, she was eating a raw meal of meat the girl had gathered, grinning as he dropped out of the trees.  ¡°Garu!  Yes!  I could hear you coming¡ªheh, at least a little bit.¡±

    ¡°Heh, I wasn¡¯t trying to hide from you.¡±

    ¡°Still an improvement!¡±

    ¡°Not wrong; you¡¯ve made excellent progress.¡±

    ¡°So?  Am I ready for the Ragnlar?¡±

    Garu hummed.  ¡°You¡¯re going to have to be.  We need to get this human girl out as soon as possible.¡±

    ¡°Great!¡±

    Garu looked to the southwest.  Not quite as fast as I would have hoped¡­ but just maybe¡­

    Jumping into the trees, he followed Valentina as the girl went to a pond to wash herself off in preparation for the hunt, not wanting the scent of blood on her to draw the Ragnlar¡¯s attention.

    They needed to get back and change locations soon, yet he should have enough time to get this piece, and it was the most critical part of the plan.

    He let Valentina make her own progress and set her own pace, gauging her aptitude as she tracked the fearsome jungle predator; her skills had sharpened considerably, impressing him with every action she took.

    The Tiger Beastkin soon gave up the trail for sound as she discovered the beast¡¯s loud movements and actions, warning other Ragnlar to keep clear of his territory before clawing at the trees and spreading his scent.

    Garu took up an aerial view to see her slowly prowl in the branches above the black-furred fiend</a> of the jungle; its four muscular front legs and two hind legs pawed the earth, nose rising to sniff the air.

    Its green highlights flared, activating its sensory perception the stalking girl above was unaware of, and the spiny spikes on its back twitched with its furry, blade-like tail swaying left and right as the male Ragnlar scanned the branches above, a low snarl rumbling through the earth.

    Time slowed before Valentina pounced, roaring her entrance for the Ragnlar to jump up to meet her, two clawed paws reaching to grab her into a hug for its second pair to gut her, yet the energy-like talons that formed around her arms met the beast¡¯s scaled legs and bit into them.

    Rolling in the air, she winced as it penetrated her coat to draw blood, yet after several grappling swipes from both, Valentina went for its jaw before it could use it, ripping it out to bathe in its blood.

    Her tail managed to stop his, keeping it at bay, and eventually, her claws found their way past the beast¡¯s mane to rip long gashes in its throat, leaving her panting and sweating above her prey, green and red liquid coating her fur.

    Tears in her eyes as she cradled her chest and arm, she watched Garu jump down to examine her work, giving him a tired, weak laugh.  ¡°I¡­  I did it!  Oof¡­ mmgh, it hurts¡­ but, heh, it feels good, too!¡±

    ¡°How are your muscles?¡±

    ¡°Stressed¡­  He was a strong thing¡­  Way stronger than even the bigger things I killed.¡±

    ¡°That was actually a small one¡­ young.¡±

    ¡°Hah, I guess I got some work to do!¡±  she puffed out a long stream of stressed air.  ¡°I¡¯ve been increasing my regeneration, so I should have most of these healed by tonight.  Uh-heh, I suppose we¡¯re moving up the timeline, though?¡±

    ¡°We are¡­  How healed will you be?¡±

    ¡°Enough.¡±

    Garu smirked; she really was a born hunter, despite what she claimed her past was like.  ¡°You know what to do?¡±

    ¡°Skin the prey, bathe in his insides, and wear him like a bloody coat!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got it.  I¡¯ll need you to move along the mountain range to the west and avoid the path we took; be careful, Ragnlar scent is potent, and we¡¯re being hunted ourselves.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±  Valentina glared at her flexing fingers.  ¡°I wish I could try hunting them.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d die.¡±

    ¡°Not even a chance, huh?¡±

    ¡°Zero.¡±

    ¡°Damn¡­  Well, I¡¯ll get stronger!  So, time for Operation Rescue Weak Damsel?¡±

    ¡°Whatever that means, yes.¡±

    ¡°Great!  I¡¯ll get things ready and eat a bit more¡­  That took a lot out of my stomach¡­ fur included!  Hehehe!¡±

    Garu left her to work to collect Nelika; luckily, the Nalveans hadn¡¯t reached the location, and he took them along the jungle.  They needed all the time they could get because of the slow pace of the humans.

    He was sure the Nalveans would pick up their pace once finding this trail since they weren¡¯t trying to hide anymore; it wouldn¡¯t do them any good, and time was of the essence.  Plus, he expected they¡¯d go a bit slower, being in unknown territory, a trap was likely in their sudden change in strategy, but it didn¡¯t matter if they expected it or not.

    Reaching the river point that would bring them to the Roxim¡¯s camp, they crossed the path the Nalveans had taken two hours earlier; he wanted to give their pursuers plenty of time so they wouldn¡¯t double back or cross paths in any way.

    Naturally, Rafael was nervous, throwing up along the way, but his job was pretty simple, and Garu created the heavy mist they¡¯d need in the dwindling light of the day; he wanted to do this in the dead of night, yet the Nalveans would catch them by that point, and Valentina was already waiting a reasonable distance away from the camp to not be noticed.

    Collecting them, he prepared to put his plan into action, communicating to everyone involved as the last pieces fell into place; unfortunately, given the information that needed to be brought to the Empress¡¯ attention, he couldn¡¯t be sure if it would work, but he had hope.

    Stealthily moving through the fog, Garu had an anxious Nelika protect Gorka, Cristian, and Nicole as he, Rafael, and Valentina snuck into the high-alert camp; the Roxim were warriors, not scouts by trade, which put them at a severe disadvantage against the stealth tactics.

    Garu was the one to silently slit their throats for Valentina to ravage their corpses to the extent that they¡¯d believe it was the beast that became a silent assassin when dealing with large groups and not a territorial fight.

    He hadn¡¯t been able to check patrols, so he relied on his senses through the fog to guide them, keeping the teens close, and after scanning the areas for the particular details Rafael mentioned to him, which wasn¡¯t easy considering humans all looked pretty similar except a slight shade in skin and hair tone, he¡¯d found her.

    The Roxim had many adolescent, teenage, and a few adult women mainly kept in cages of three, which meant they had two more bodies since the warriors would have expected the other two to be taken by a Ragnlar, as well.  Still, it was doable.

    Shayla had blonde hair, unlike most of the humans he¡¯d seen back at Nethermore, and her bright blue eyes and spotted cheeks made the girl fairly easy to identify; the modest bust didn¡¯t help, though, when it seemed many young girls had a small chest size.

    Tears leaked down her face as Rafael whispered her name, putting a finger to his lips as the other two struggled with their ropes to right themselves.  All of their clothing had been stripped, and to Garu, they seemed to be of similar age; cuts, bruises, and mud-caked their skin; the smell of waste was also pungent.

    The pieces of woven cloth seemed to be a big deal to the boyfriend, which Garu didn¡¯t understand, but communicating to Nicole through her vines, she managed to craft them a possible outfit.  It took a few minutes to get the women to the point that they understood they couldn¡¯t rescue everyone, and Garu had to pick one up and force the whimpering girl back, but her mumbling about her sister was soft enough he wasn¡¯t alarmed.

    Once clear, Valentina smeared the blood she¡¯d collected from her prey all across the cage and nearby guards, managing to silently kill a wandering warrior checking on supplies.

    This wasn''t the tricky part; his mist could temporarily block scent and keep the dozens of dead hidden from view; the Roxim were relatively helpless against any form of assassination when spread out and preparing for what seemed to be a patrol with the more prominent clans.  Things had been fortuitous, to say the least.

    On their swift escape, Garu hissed, stopping Valentina as she panted heavily; her energy was running severely low at this point, which meant Nelika may need to carry Cristian in her place.

    The caramel-skinned Ri¡¯bot had been the one to signal to him, a shiver running down her frame as she no doubt heard the hunting party; they were only thirty minutes out of the Roxim camp, and there would be a small party that would go after them, but nothing like what it would have been if they¡¯d suspected a spy and not a jungle beast.

    ¡°How far away?¡±

    ¡°Same as before¡­ four kilometers.  Wait¡­¡± she shivered.  ¡°They¡¯re heading right for us¡ªthey¡¯ll reach us in five minutes at this pace!  They can see through your fog?  What if¡­¡±

    A better question would be why she didn¡¯t turn into wind, but he let that slide and smiled.  ¡°Let¡¯s keep going¡­  We¡¯re safe.¡±

    Confusion passed between the party, following his lead in the silent mist swirling around them.  Nelika quaked, and as they continued, the humans focused on the flashing white spots on the caramel-skinned Ri¡¯bot.

    ¡°Garu¡­ t-they¡¯re getting closer¡­ laughing¡ªI think they¡¯re laughing¡­  T-That sound?!  It¡¯s so fast!¡±

    A harmonic, fierce song of chirps silenced everything in the jungle, filling Garu¡¯s breast with relief as a wave of dread</a> darkening heavens; a torrent of heavy winds swept through the canopy to the clarion call that vibrated through the air, ripping thick branches from their ancient trunks before loud bangs and panicked shouts came from the Nalveans, only a short distance ahead of them.

    ¡°W-What is that?¡±  Shayla quivered, her boyfriend shaking his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ know.  Garu?  It sounds like a bird¡­ only massive¡­¡±

    Hope filled Nelika¡¯s eyes.  ¡°It¡­  Who?¡±

    Garu answered by pushing ahead into the clearing the Nalveans had been running through, and near its center stood a colossal aviary predator</a> from the far north, dropping the head of a bloodied Maluka¡¯si to the red-painted grass.

    His beak or talons hadn¡¯t torn the white-scaled Nalveans to pieces, but his rhythmic melody, cutting through the atmosphere to leave raking claw marks embedded deep inside the soil, now filling with their pursuers¡¯ blood.

    ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Lord Voukey,¡± Garu bowed and placed his fist over his chest; Nelika hesitated before her wide eyes scanned the devastated ground and eviscerated corpses.

    ¡°How¡­  So fast?¡±

    ¡°L-Lord?¡±  Valentina gasped, seemingly putting two and two together before lowering herself further.

    Voukey¡¯s voice made Nelika and the humans straighten in shock, deep, smooth, and masculine.  ¡°You called out for aid¡­  What information have you gathered for our glorious Empress; I will carry it to her now.¡±

    Garu swiftly relayed what he¡¯d found through the Nexus and that he was escorting the humans Tiffany had requested to the Empire; they should be back within two days at the soonest if weather and their path were clear.

    All the humans and Nelika could do was gawk at the giant bird, swallowing as Garu concluded his report for Voukey¡¯s monstrous talons to smash one of the Nalven¡¯s skulls, his dark tone in Garu¡¯s mind.

    ¡°What of these Judicus Pirates¡­  This Xaria of Excellence hinted that Demon sent them, yet I am more concerned about how they managed to traverse all of the Nalvean-guarded land undetected.  High Lady Iris has sent a rather¡­ alarming report to give the Empress, involving their light-scaled kind.  Why are they so far to the north?¡±

    I cannot say, Lord.

    Their attention was swiftly diverted to the Roxim hunting party that had caught up to them, jumping out of the trees to hang back upon seeing the carnage, yet their distance was of no concern.

    Valentina, the humans, and Nelika lost their legs as Voukey muttered one word.  ¡°Rip.¡±

    An invisible wave cut Ri¡¯bot flesh and bone to ribbons, followed by the ground and two layers of trees behind the party; clearly, the most powerful Songweaver of the Empire had not been slacking since leaving for the south, and considering he was of the same Grade as Lady Violet, he instantly knew if the colossal bird made his appearance, they¡¯d be safe.

    ¡°No way¡­  Just¡­ one syllable can¡­¡±  Nelika whispered, hugging herself and looking to him for some form of comfort.

    Garu responded as if the Roxim hadn¡¯t existed, giving the Mythic Flock General his undivided attention.  I am not informed on the state of the Nalvean Empire, Lord.  All I can say is that they were strong enough to make me want to avoid them to prioritize the information I had gained and protect the ambassador.

    Voukey¡¯s intense green irises shifted to the trembling caramel-skinned girl beside him, unable to stand in his presence any longer.  ¡°Hmm¡­  You suggest she remain with you instead of returning with me?¡±

    Yes, Lord Voukey.  She is in shock after seeing your great power and entrance; I suspect she will need time to come to terms with what has happened to her, and entering the great gates of Nethermore will undoubtedly instill a lasting image in her mind.  I believe this is needed.

    ¡°Very well.  I sense no more pursuers in this direction, and I must return to the Empress.¡±

    Safe flight, My Lord.

    Overwhelmed, the collapsed group shrank as Voukey unfurled his vast wings and shot into the sky as a shimmering green blur, accelerating once reaching higher altitudes.

    Garu turned to Nelika with an innocent smile.  ¡°That was Lord Voukey, a high-ranking member of the Empress¡¯ Communication, Songweaver, and Spy Core; he happened to be checking up on what I¡¯d learned thus far before returning to Nethermore.  We were lucky.¡±

    ¡°Hah-hahaha,¡± Nelika mumbled.  ¡°That¡¯s like¡­¡±

    ¡°A high-ranking Xaira.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±

    Valentina wore a big grin as she followed his emerald-streaked flight over the mountains.  ¡°He¡¯s¡­ amazing.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll meet more like Lord Voukey in Nethermore.  Now, should we get going; heh, we shouldn¡¯t keep the Empress waiting too long, right?¡±

    They slowly nodded, struggling to their feet to begin their journey at a more leisurely pace now, passing the carnage of the white-scaled Nalveans and ruined field.

 B3 â€” 29. Journey To Mirelitel

    Virgil</a> slowed to a stop; the jungle''s clicks, chirps, and roars had gone silent, and a short grunt came from his horse; they¡¯d left Nethermore a few hours ago and never heard the sounds of the dense undergrowth become so still.

    The Argent Dawn was deploying on a mission for their Empress for the first time, and being a part of her religious branch, they had a duty to spread her glory in name and deed.

    Ectria, former Xaria of the Delthax, and their escort to the Nalvean lands followed his gaze as the rest of their party halted behind him.  ¡°Mmh¡­  Koma.¡±

    The little three-year-old Ri¡¯bot girl flipped out of their line to hop off a nearby branch and jump to the front.  ¡°Yes, Xaria Ectria!¡±

    ¡°Scout out the canopy¡ªkeep sharp¡ªthe jungle goes this quiet for a reason.¡±

    Koma pounded her chest in a proud salute and vanished into the undergrowth.

    ¡°What do you think it is?¡±  Virgil asked, glancing back; their fifteen-man party disappeared in a long line behind the large leaves and vines.

    Ectria¡¯s lips pulled in.  ¡°I can¡¯t say, but there is something strange in the air¡­¡±

    They paused as Elluinara, the Nalvean Seaweaver of their party, easily cut a path through the thickets with her water, pulling their gaze.  ¡°... There¡¯s a sharp change in the atmosphere¡­ I¡¯ve never felt something this drastic¡ªeven at sea¡ªa storm is coming.¡±

    Virgil¡¯s eyebrows pulled together upon looking up at Roberto</a>, riding atop his horse since his stamina wasn¡¯t the greatest, having been one of the few in their group to have not received physical enhancements.  ¡°How close are we to shelter?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Ectria sighed, rubbing the back of her neck.  ¡°We¡¯ve only just cleared the shelf Nethermore rests on into the Lethix¡¯s territory, and if we travel along the shore, we should be able to make it to their settlement in the next several hours.  I don¡¯t have extensive knowledge of their land, though.¡±

    Turning to the Seaweaver, Virgil stroked his steed¡¯s neck as he shook his head in agitation, possibly sensing what the other animals were.  ¡°How big of a storm, and how soon?¡±

    ¡°Swiftly¡ªI don¡¯t know this type of sharp atmospheric decline, though¡­  All I know is that it will be cold.¡±

    ¡°Snow?¡±  the eighteen-year-old atop Virgil¡¯s horse shivered.  ¡°In the jungle?¡±

    Gloria</a> followed Elluinara¡¯s path to get to them, not entirely with the same grace and almost tripping to plant her face in the mud.  ¡°Snow¡ªekk, ahem¡­¡±

    ¡°You good?¡±

    ¡°Fine¡ªfine¡­  Uh, can the Ri¡¯bot survive a snowstorm?  Woah!¡±

    She flinched as Sosimo</a> emerged from the jungle like a specter, a crossbow slung over his shoulder, having unlocked his Hunter Class an hour earlier.  ¡°All the big game¡ªheh, c¡¯mon, Gloria¡ªcan¡¯t be spooked by everything.¡±

    ¡°You¡ªmmgm¡­¡±

    Virgil held up a hand to bring the focus back.  ¡°If it is a storm, there¡¯s not much more we can do but double our pace.¡±

    Sosimo sucked in a deep breath.  ¡°Haaa¡­  No more exploring, huh?  Got it, Boss.¡±

    Ectria took his statement as a signal to keep going, renewing their path through the undergrowth and leading the way to the shores that would make swift travel much more manageable; not three minutes later, Koma returned to report.

    Ominous dark clouds hung around the colossal mountains to the north, expanding rapidly; questions passed through the company whether they should return, and as the leader, all eyes went to Virgil.

    It didn¡¯t sit right with him, yet they had a mission to fulfill, and if the Empire really was seeing some sort of attack on that scale, and it wasn¡¯t some kind of natural weather phenomena of this unusual world, there wasn¡¯t much they could do¡ªthat was something for the Royal Court to handle.

    Just to be sure, he had them stop for a minute, Virgil bowing his head with the others in prayer for guidance.  Clearing his mind for answers, he waited¡­

    A warmth filled his breast, and rather than a voice, a musical note of peace and clarity guiding his thoughts to an answer; a smile lifting his lips, he turned to his party.  ¡°All who feel we should keep going to fulfill our orders?¡±

    Every hand went up, assurance in their hearts that whatever moved against the Empire, the Empress would prevail¡ªthey went on.

    Thirty minutes passed before they reached the river they needed to cross, wide and white with rapids, yet the thing that caught their gaze was the darkening heavens now that they had a view of it; small flakes fell on the fine sand, a chilling breeze sweeping along the rapine.

    Stepping onto the soft soil leading to the shore, silence took the party, Ectria leading them south.

    Not long after, a wooden bridge came into view, fortifications placed to keep intruders out from their side of the river.

    The open space provided extra room to spread out and gather into small groups to talk, they approached the structure; it wasn¡¯t currently staffed, and the gates were wide open, telling Virgil the state of the valley had changed since the Empress took control.

    He saw the young Ri¡¯bot eye the colossal wooden structure in wonder¡ªeach from different Clans¡ªas the flakes drifted with the nippy, gentle winds pushing southwest.

    Minao, from the Flex, had the other two enthralled as she recounted her grandfather¡¯s tale about its construction forty years earlier; Sosimo translated for Triana</a> and Tadeo</a>.

    On the other hand, Gomal and Utila¡ªbeing Flex themselves¡ªknew the story and hung back to talk to each other about what powers they might get, and Elluinara and Gloria had been hitting it off since she obtained the Empress¡¯ translation gift.

    Virgil remained near the front, listening past the rushing waters to the young adult Ri¡¯bot talk to one another, and could see some of the others listening in, including Ina¡¯ko, their only Yaltha¡¯ma in the company.

    Forty-two years ago, Chief Dren¡ªcurrently acting as an advisor to his son and current leader, Chief Utren¡ªcommissioned the project since valuable metal resources could be found in the northern part of their lands, and they didn¡¯t have a great way of hauling it over the river with the threat of the Delthax and Wixum so close.

    Treno, the Clanless, jumped in for a second to explain it from his perspective, having lived to the east of the Lethix for much of his young life.

    To them, it was a chilling prospect, and they lived in fear that the powerful Lethix would suddenly expand their claimed territory beyond its current borders since it was the smallest of the Great Clans of the valley.  He¡¯d grown up with terrifying stories about the all-powerful Lethix warriors that could raid their small village at any time and steal their women and girls.

    At that, Minao, Gomal, and Utila burst into laughter, explaining they were right that both the Flex and Lethix did have a significant decline in female Ri¡¯bot over the last few generations, but they¡¯d never heard about the warriors doing something like that even once.

    It made Virgil smile, recalling the bedtime stories told in Columbia to make children behave, and Treno doubled down, claiming other Clanless totally confirmed it had happened.  Once again, showing how fear and rumor could spread among frightened people while holding a fraction of the truth buried within.

    The laughter and discussion died down as they stepped onto the large structure, a quiver running through the Ri¡¯bot as the breeze turning into a sharp gale; the flakes were thickening and beginning to gather on the bridge.

    Virgil wasn¡¯t too concerned; he had faith that whatever this was, it would be resolved swiftly and tried to keep his attention on learning the landmarks of his new home.  Still, that conviction didn¡¯t stop the flurry that soon veiled them, slowing their journey.

    He was a little surprised when almost the entire group was quivering from the snow and wind cutting along the shore.  Only Virgil, Gloria, Sosimo, Ectria, Elluinara, and Triana resisted the element to support the others, having been the only ones thus far to have unlocked their connection to the Empress.

    Faith building, it was only natural that more advancements would follow, which was why Triana entered their ranks shortly after the blizzard began; the giant 205 cm tall Barbarian woman marched through the powder with a grin on her face while basically wearing a leather bikini.

    No one was surprised the previously thin and frail 150 cm girl had become a reflection of her desire to be the Berserker after the Old Norse legends she loved to play in her D&D groups.

    Skin like iron with a will to weather the elements and enormous strength, she easily picked up the embarrassed Ri¡¯bot to set them on her shoulders like children.

    Koma refused, the little three-year-old forcing herself to trudge through the unfamiliar terrain, and Ina¡¯ko was a mere 65 cm tall as a Yaltha¡¯ma, requiring to ride behind Roberto on Virgil¡¯s warhorse, who was taking it like a champ.

    Virgil wasn¡¯t particularly bothered; every trial only helped to strengthen their conviction to the Empress and build his power to fulfill her wishes.  Her gifts were not just some figment of their imagination; she¡¯d literally turned him into the man he always wanted to be and had given Gloria everything she desired, as well¡ªthey owed all they were to their new Goddess</a>.

    No matter how strong the blizzard blew, they pressed on, welcoming the arctic winds that were beginning to freeze the edges of the river, and after another two hours and many prayers, all of them shone with a protective radiance that chased away frigidity.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    They were the Empress¡¯ faithful¡ªthe Argent Dawn¡ªand nothing would block their passage; a solemnity took them as the crucible persisted, hour after hour, yet by the time they reached the Lethix¡¯s base camp, the sun beamed through the overshadowed heavens.

    Immediately stopping, Virgil turned to the golden rays with a smile, the warmth their Goddess sent remained as a hot current cutting through the biting gale to bring heat to the jungle.

    He laughed, fist over his burning heart with the others mirroring his example in the Ri¡¯bot salute.  ¡°The Empress is victorious again!  Let¡¯s show her trust in us is not wasted.¡±

    Prayers of thanks ensued, and they met the freezing members of the Lethix, huddled in their huts under what silk they could gather, furnaces burning bright as they huddled around blaze.

    Gloria took time with each, shedding her comforting holy light to heal those suffering from hypothermia as the Argent Dawn aided their fellow countrymen in their time of need.

    To Virgil¡¯s delight, Utilat¡ªGomal¡¯s betrothed and member of the Flex¡ªunlocked the Songweaver Class, spreading her empowering song that touched all of them, bolstering their energy and courage.

    The rest of their party supported in manual labor, creating large fires outside and gathering wood for them to use until the warming valley returned to normal, and forty-five minutes after arriving, dozens of fatal hypothermia cases were prevented, supplies collected, and rafts secured to reach their next destination.

    Virgil and Triana took the task of steering their given boats that would need to be abandoned or taken to Shi¡¯Shuka later.

    Now making great time, the night soon took them, and they pushed on, envigorated by the strength of their belief.  Gloria provided light with her shield, projecting a wide beam to watch for obstacles, yet Virgil¡¯s eyes strengthened by the hour, and before long, he saw signs of the Flex Clan¡¯s shore villages.  Most had abandoned their homes for Nethermore.

    It would only be several more hours until they exited the Empire¡¯s borders.

    Adventure fueled their spirits, carrying them through the night as they practiced their newfound powers and took in the still atmosphere of the vast river, so wide Virgil couldn¡¯t see the other side at times.

    Their raft wasn¡¯t built for travel in the Wandering River, yet with a bit of faith and muscle, they made it to the sheer cliff walls that marked the end of the Empire¡¯s boundaries, causing a stillness to enter their hearts.

    Beyond this point was territory unknown to Virgil.  High Lord Edmon had shown him maps</a>, but that couldn¡¯t compare to the actual sight of the enormous mountains and rises of the Empire, nor its scale, considering they¡¯d bypassed much of it by river.

    Lips tightening, he scanned the rocky face that met them on either side while taking it in; their first venture into this unknown world and its dangers that threatened their little kingdom¡¯s security.

    The waters they entered were owned by various Ri¡¯bot Clans, and until they landed on the shore of Imiraka City-State, they had to remain vigilant; the toad people were excellent swimmers, and aquatic combat could quickly bring them to ruin¡ªthey kept a prayer in their hearts.

    A gleaming red sun inched above the colossal peaks behind them to illuminate their way as the morning passed, and keeping to the right side of the shore to not be taken into the much harsher waters in the broadening riverway, they soon saw signs of life.

    As a Hunter, Sosimo had the best vision, followed by Ectria and Virgil; they scoured the rising and falling waters, noticing a gradual increase of speed; they drew attention from what were likely warriors or scouts of the other clans, yet none engaged them with their own vessels or swam out to meet them.

    It appeared they were content to keep to themselves so long as they remained an acceptable distance away from their shores, which Virgil respected.

    However, their next hurdle was approaching when noon arrived, giving him a grasp of how far they¡¯d come; spikes and pillar-like stones pierced the surface, showing they¡¯d entered the final stretch before reaching Menifil, the like that marked the beginning of Nalvean lands.

    Balancing across the rocking raft to support Triana, they spread out appropriately to try and keep it from tipping¡ªElluinara making sure their vines were secured in case they were tossed inside¡ªthey entered Spike Way.

    Maneuvering around the oncoming stone spears and pillars, he and Triana tried to keep it stable, using the practice they¡¯d learned throughout the night and praying for the Empress¡¯ protecting hand.

    Three close calls rubbing the side of their wooden vessel against smooth rock, forty-eight minutes of high-tension navigation and balancing later, and they whispered their thanks to their Goddess as they made it to calm waters, entering Lake Menifil; they¡¯d almost been crushed against a spike had not Gloria used a shell of light to allow them to skate along its edge and Utila¡¯s song keeping their nerves steady.

    It was here they felt the fatigue of their over 36-hour journey, and three more on the much smoother waters, they landed on the white sands of Imiraka City-State.

    Light still in the heavens, they made camp on the shore, eating and sleeping for six hours.  Ironically, given the thirty-hour days, light was still in the sky, now dipping low in the heavens.

    Packing up what they could on his horse, Elluinara took over as guide since they¡¯d entered Nalvean territory; a bit strange, Virgil didn¡¯t notice any settlement on the lake, showing the area wasn¡¯t all that active for being a critical point leading to Shi¡¯Shuka, and the Seaweaver assured him there was a fortress further to the east, beyond sight.

    Entering the lightly forested area of Imiraka City-State, Elluinara took them southwest, curving around hills and taking them through small outposts that quickly let them by upon seeing the embroidered silk and Seaweaver mark on her jar of red water; she now could use any body of water for her powers, yet it also doubled as a marker of position in the Empire.

    It soon became clear how renowned Elluinara was because once they entered a larger stone settlement, a Lieutenant in the area personally came out to meet her, going so far as to walk with them a distance past its gates to get a grasp on their destination.

    Considering a ranking officer in the City-State didn¡¯t demand they meet him and personally dropped everything to meet her, said a lot about her position as a young member of the Seaweaver Council.

    Although her current status was on the rocks, considering her allegiances aligned with the Empress rather than Yesenia¡ªnot that word had spread that fast to the City-States.

    In addition, the officer made the journey in the dead of night, being quite impressed by the light Gloria provided to brighten their path; in the ensuing discussions, Lieutenant Maliva¡¯si received a general explanation from Virgil about their mission.

    Once learning they were on a supportive endeavor to the Mirelitel City-State from a new kingdom to the north, and Elluinara¡ªa member of the Seaweaver Council¡ªwas personally providing guidance through their lands, the stunned officer rushed back to the small city to gather an escort and hasty supplies.

    A blessing, and causing a smile to lift all of their cheeks upon seeing his return, bringing carts to hasten their journey and a showy contingent of thirty cavalrymen; naturally, it was more or less a means to garner some points for the City-State, as he¡¯d been warned by Edmon there was an underground power struggle currently happening in the Empire.

    Still, it was a welcomed reprieve that would get them past the winding forest City-State to the more hilly planes of Mirelitel; it also provided an opportunity to proclaim the Empress¡¯ greatness as the curious Lieutenant questioned him about their budding influence.

    Compliments were thrown generously when demonstrating their mastery of their language, which apparently went a long way with the Nalveans, showing the race¡¯s great national pride.

    The topic of goods, exports, and imports came up, which was not his strong point, and sadly, Elluinara could only tell him that there was currently negotiations happening in Shi¡¯Shuka; a more formal setting would follow, or so she expected, since Nethermore was situated in prime territory for trade.

    The vague response had the man¡¯s eyes bright with opportunity, taking detailed notes on their journey, and given that his small area to govern was nearest to the Empire, it would undoubtedly bring more wealth through it, which he could gain a piece of by getting the information to the current Lord over Imiraka¡¯s northern territory.

    Their quickest path would bypass the major city the Lord currently resided in, which saddened Maliva¡¯si.  Still, he understood their desire for haste, and with the strange toad-crocodiles they used as mules accelerating their journey, it only took another twenty hours to navigate the dirt roads to Mirelitel City-State¡ªthe weakest of the Empire¡ªLieutenant Maliva¡¯si made a point to casually mention more than once on their many topics.

    Of course, seeing as the Empress had ties to Stateswoman Lukuroha, that was bound to change in the evolving political field of the Nalvean Empire, and Maliva¡¯si certainly wanted a part in that rising influence, which was why he accompanied them beyond the small stone wall indicating the entry into Mirelitel City-State and its protesting border patrol.

    Overall, the journey had been pleasant up to that point, yet it was at the border where they got a true picture of the web they¡¯d unwittingly entered.

    Maliva¡¯si¡¯s insistence on continuing with them, and judging by their Seaweaver¡¯s responses, their hands here tied; all they could do was show their minor annoyance and agree to have a much smaller escort of four Mirelitel border patrol hang around the back.

    Virgil didn¡¯t want to stir the pot, and seeing as the Empress currently needed to secure a route through Imiraka City-State to reach Mirelitel¡ªunless conquering more Ri¡¯bot territory¡ªit was best to keep the man that oversaw its highway security complacent.

    Studying the change between City-States, Virgil came to the conclusion that much of it appeared to be separated by a shift in terrain; the woodlands of Imiraka were its pride, and he learned through Maliva¡¯si¡¯s bragging that Mirelitel had relatively poor soil, infested by western rodents from the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Republic.

    It seemed Stateswoman Lukuroha had it rough, and considering the territory was given the charge by previous High Rulers to build up its cavalry as its primary contributor to the Empire¡¯s defenses, a lot of their low-yield exports were taken by the military requirements placed on them.

    The villages they passed didn¡¯t hold a candle to some of the towns and small cities they¡¯d gone through over the last day in the previous woodland City-State; these people had only found a single type of niche pepper that the four-armed, 25 cm tall rodent refused to eat, and their rivers weren¡¯t particularly bountiful since it passed through full length of the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Republic that stripped away many types of popular fish.

    So far as Virgil could tell, the City-State was in a terrible spot, had little support, and was positioned beside regions that neglected their own military funding since they had Mirelitel to buffer them, allowing investments into other areas over the centuries that made them prosper.

    To make matters worse, the other City-States and neighboring Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph State had a reputation of slowly pushing their borders little by little, shrinking the already small territory further¡ªenemies without and within¡ªuntil Mirelitel erected a wall around the entire area to stamp their foot in the mud.

    It made Virgil sad just listening to the history proudly proclaimed by the Lieutenant and filled in by Elluinara; they¡¯d been sent to uplift and bring help to the City-State while providing support to Castella¡ªtheir direct superior and Heroic-Grade Nalvean Elite Warrior¡ªin a secret mission that they¡¯d be informed of on arrival.

    Some of their members tried to rest on the path, taking advantage of the carts, and as they crested a hill, approaching noon on the third day out of Nethermore, Virgil caught sight of their destination.

    If he was comparing it to the place Maliva¡¯si commanded, it was a decently sized stone city situated by a large river that should have given them a considerable advantage.

    Virgil wanted to sigh in mild frustration; this was supposed to be the capital of a City-State, and for him to compare it to a small northern garrison city of Imiraka was telling.

    Lukuroha¡¯s capital was well-maintained, and the population appeared to take pride in what they¡¯d managed to build; it certainly was a military hub with cavalry doing drills all across the field and facilities showing a host of workers that housed their Torlim steeds.

    Having become accustomed to Elluinara¡¯s expressions over their journey, Virgil noticed scowls on the busy Nalvean workers.  Their silk quality was far below the vibrant and smooth grade of Maliva¡¯si¡¯s, much less their Seaweaver¡¯s; Imiraka soldiers were obviously not seen with favorable eyes in Mirelitel.

    Getting closer to the laughable city gates compared to Nethermore¡ªof course anything on Earth would be scoffed at compared to the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s monolith of a city-fortress¡ªVirgil prepared himself for what was to come.

    I should have seen it before¡­ Maliva¡¯si escorting us with Mirelitel¡¯s border patrol at our tail¡­ Great.  We look like we¡¯re disrespecting their City-State already, and first impressions are so important.

    Caught off-guard, Virgil vowed to not let it happen again, leveling an unreadable stare at the bright and cheerful Lieutenant across from him.

    These Nalvean soldiers would prance about with them as if they owned the city, making it look like the Empire was buddy-buddy with Imiraka before taking off to report to his superiors.  It was clever, and he had to admit, a political class-act he wasn¡¯t accustomed to dealing with; he understood why Elluinara had grown so reluctant before, yet couldn¡¯t find an excuse to deny their hospitality in their lands.

    It would be a challenging climb, but they¡¯d need to show their dedication by going among the people to labor beside them.  Spread the word, and work hard, yet also work smart; he¡¯d need the Statewoman¡¯s advice on how to get to the hearts of her people.

    Preparing himself to get chewed out by Captain Castella, Virgil puffed out a long breath while watching the very agitated and displeased city guard meet them at the gate.

    Time to pay for my mistakes¡­ forgive me for my ignorance, Empress, and please grant me wisdom and strength¡­  I¡¯m going to need it.

 B3 â€” 30. Mission Start

    Gut tightening as they approached the gates of Mirelitel¡ªthe City-State¡¯s capital¡ªVirgil scanned the dozens of on-site personnel, checking goods or inspecting those that wished to enter the walled populace.

    He had no clue what Captain Castella looked like, so he couldn¡¯t be sure if she was among them; then again, it wasn¡¯t as if they¡¯d sent a letter ahead announcing they¡¯d be coming.  In addition to having Imiraka¡¯s escort, he wondered how they¡¯d be received until movement from the walls above caught his attention.

    All motion stopped as a figure jumped from the top of the battlement to land in the middle of the road, causing gasps and mutters to spread.  A female Nalvean¡ªjudging by her slimmer frame and thick tail¡ªstraightened, her bright red armor glimmering in the orange sunlight, causing the guards and citizens nearby to swiftly salute.

    They were still too far to hear what was passed between them, but the moment she appeared, a shiver ran through Maliva¡¯si as he whispered, ¡°W-Why is Castella, Lieutenant of the Royal Guard of Shi¡¯Shuka wearing Mirelitel military colors and officer armor?¡±

    His anxiety rose as Gloria and Elluinara gave him a worried look from inside the cart, and Virgil took a calming breath.  After a second, he concluded it would be good to hear how their captain was perceived by Imiraka¡¯s ranking soldiers since the City-State bordered the Nalvean capital, figuring they might know each other.

    ¡°Hmm¡­  What can you tell me about her?¡±

    Maliva¡¯si shifted in his seat as they slowly moved up the long line; the red-suited Nalvean drew everyone¡¯s attention while waiting by the gate for them to arrive, halberd in her right hand while glaring right at them.

    ¡°Right¡­  Of course,  you wouldn¡¯t understand the significance of that,¡± he muttered, forcing a smile.  ¡°Ranks are distributed differently in the Capital as to the positions we have discussed in the City-States¡­  Head Captain of the Royal Guard is above City-State generals, and those underneath him are personally selected among the most outstanding soldiers in the Empire.

    ¡°Lieutenant Castella hails from the powerful Jo¡¯kroma City-States to the southwest of the Empire and could easily apply for the rank of Colonel in any of the territories.  She is a powerful close-range combatant and has been recognized in many City-State melee tournaments.

    ¡°If she were looking to move away from Shi¡¯Shuka, we would have certainly heard of it, and that Mirelitel could¡ªno, it¡¯s impossible for Mirelitel to compensate or pull such a renowned figure¡­  Not a single Nalvean in this State could touch Castella¡¯s reputation¡ªher only downside being speech.¡±

    Eh-heh, speech, huh?  I¡¯m pretty sure the Empress fixes that, too.

    ¡°You don¡¯t say¡­¡±  Virgil muttered, a strained grin lifting his cheeks.  ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware our Captain was so celebrated and accomplished in your nation.¡±

    It took a moment for Maliva¡¯si to connect what he¡¯d just said.  ¡°Captain¡­  Castella is¡­¡±

    Gloria cleared her throat and scooted a bit forward on the bench to peer out at the waiting woman, clearly not happy with their entrance.  ¡°Umm¡­  So, that¡¯s our boss, huh?  Mmh¡­ she certainly has a dominating presence over everyone else.  Ellu, do you know how she came to join the Empire?¡±

    ¡°E-Empire, as in¡­¡±  Maliva¡¯si¡¯s scaled face faded a tad upon realizing the implication.  ¡°Castella was killed, and¡­ and brought back to serve as an officer¡­ in your army?¡±

    Elluinara¡¯s hands tightened in her lap, tail twitching a little while recounting the story.  ¡°Yes, well¡­  When Empress Elinor first arrived, there were¡­ many were not convinced of her powers to resurrect the dead, so¡­ she offered to showcase them.¡±

    ¡°I can understand that, but when was Lieutenant Castella slain in combat?¡±

    The woman slowly shook her head.  ¡°No, no¡­  Empress Elinor offered to allow one of the High Ruler¡¯s strongest soldiers to test her powers.¡±

    ¡°The ruler of your nation entered a trial by combat¡­ herself, and on the opening of introducing herself to the High Ruler?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, eh-haha,¡± Gloria rubbed the back of her neck.  ¡°Empress Elinor is pretty¡­ intense.¡±

    Elluinara shivered, rubbing her shoulders.  ¡°Intense¡­  When Castella was called to be her opponent, the moment the contest started, she was¡­ immediately pulled apart¡­ ripped to shreds without a single hint of struggle from the Empress¡­ only to be revived several seconds later¡ªloyal to her.  It was the most bone-chilling thing I¡¯ve ever witnessed.¡±

    The man¡¯s brain seemed to come to a halt.  ¡°So¡­  So¡­  Castella and Mirelitel¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah,¡± Virgil jumped in, ¡°that is our Empress¡¯ doing; there were¡­ quite a few incidents occurred in the Empire¡¯s Capital that brought Stateswoman Lukuroha and her together.  Now, we¡¯ve been called to support her in whatever our Captain requires.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Maliva¡¯si¡¯s vision drifted from him to Elluinara before settling on the waiting figure of Castella; it was nice to see him speechless for once and realize that Mirelitel had a head start on the relations game that could force them to be far more respectful to the small western City-State.

    He thought we were the first contact Mirelitel had with the Empire; now, he¡¯ll know how late he is to the party and be forced to make more favorable deals since they don¡¯t own the riverway.  The Empress has the leveraging power, and they¡¯re behind in the trade game¡­ not that we¡¯re here for trade deals, but they don¡¯t know that.

    Feeling a little better at getting a bit of a leg up on the Imiraka officer, Virgil hopped down from the carriage with Gloria, Elluinara, and Maliva¡¯si as they drew near the front of the line.

    Castella strode forward with two of the wall guards to meet them.  ¡°Virgil, General Voukey informed me that you would be arriving in the coming days, yet¡­ I was not told you would be accompanied by an Imiraka cavalry escort.¡±

    ¡°Ahem, Captain Castella, allow me to introduce myself¡­  I am¡ª¡±

    ¡°I know who you are, Lieutenant Maliva¡¯si,¡± Castella interjected.  ¡°I do not see the reason why Stateswoman Lukuroha and I would have our evening report meeting interrupted by Border Runners¡­ informing us that Imiraka cavalry would be pushing into Mirelitel territory with the guise of escorting my subordinates.  Why are you here?¡±

    Virgil wanted to flinch at the harsh tone and accusation, and now knowing it had caused problems all the way up to the Head of State didn¡¯t help.

    ¡°M-My apologize, Captain Castella¡ªwe certainly did not want to bring a fright to Stateswoman Lukuroha¡ª¡±

    ¡°Did I say she was frightened?  You presume too much, Maliva¡¯si.  It would be best to remember you are not in Imiraka but Mirelitel¡ªa border state that protects your less than adequately defended territory¡ªand by pulling stunts like this, you are drawing away forces that could otherwise be used in keeping your nation secure.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ understand.¡±

    ¡°If you do, take your cavalry and return to the people you are supposed to be safeguarding instead of prancing around in another state¡¯s territory.¡±

    Jaw tight and looking utterly cowed by the imposing woman in front of him, Maliva¡¯si saluted her and walked away, motioning to his nervous men to follow.

    Virgil sat in silence as the wagons and mounted soldiers turned around, dropping off their party and leaving to mutters and scorn by the Mirelitel citizens they passed in line.  He could see why he¡¯d be so overwhelmed.

    Castella appeared to be the type of woman that didn¡¯t take shit and was leagues above rank; to him, it was probably no different than getting a tongue-lashing from a superior, and he was lucky there wouldn¡¯t be punishment involved, yet given what he now had to go back and report, there very well might be.

    Accepting the reins of his horse from an oblivious Ectria, he waited by the road with Castella as their captain¡¯s glowing, deep ruby irises followed the cavalry¡¯s sullen exit, and after it was clear the group was departing on the road that led out of the territory, she turned to look at him.

    Some nearby guards saved him from a verbal lashing as they grinned and laughed.

    ¡°That was amazing, Captain Castella!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!  I¡¯ve never seen those leaf-eatin¡¯ Imiraka so timid and scared!¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll be lickin¡¯ their wounds the entire trip back!¡±

    Castella sighed, shifting her gaze from him to the border patrol that had joined them, rising up to join them.  ¡°Be vigilant, Trisina, Comba¡­  And have these soldiers watch them on their return to their post; an embarrassed soldier can do stupid things.¡±

    ¡°¡°Ma¡¯am!¡±¡±

    Scratching the back of her neck, she motioned for Virgil to follow her into the city.  ¡°Come on¡­ the Stateswoman still needs me.¡±

    Falling in line behind the Nalvean as they entered the city, he glanced around at the state of the riverside city; they entered through the East Gates into the East Living District.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, Captain Castella; I didn¡¯t realize his generosity in offering us a ride was more politically based until we came to the border.  I¡¯ll do better trying to recognize how others might use us to try and get closer to the Empress and Empire.¡±

    Ectria blinked.  ¡°Oh, is that what they were doing?  I wasn¡¯t aware that the Nalveans fought within their own nation; such inner conflicts are swiftly stomped out by our Chiefs.¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­  It¡¯s a complicated system,¡± Elluinara whispered, ¡°and I should have been more forceful¡ªI have experience in this regard and should have better articulated it to Lieutenant Virgil.¡±

    ¡°It is in the past,¡± Castella muttered.  ¡°Pay close attention to your surroundings, so you do not get lost when I am not with you; you can explore while I finish meeting with the Stateswoman.¡±

    Vision falling to look at him, Virgil felt a shiver run through his spine; he hadn¡¯t felt intimidated by any Nalvean until now.

    Nalveans were reasonably tall, averaging around 230cm¡ªor so far as he¡¯d been able to gauge¡ªyet with the armored and scaled woman walking beside him, Virgil could tell she was on an entirely different level than any of the other Nalveans he¡¯d met, including Elluinara.

    He promptly nodded, speaking lowly upon reaching a point where they wouldn¡¯t be overheard.  ¡°We understand there is another purpose why we are here, but the official reason is to build relations with the population¡ªheh, which we didn¡¯t make a good first impression¡ªand for that¡­ could you explain to us a bit more about the City-State and its needs so we know what taboos or areas we can focus on?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  It would be good to go over the basics as we travel.  First, you will not be exploring alone; you will be escorting a Nalvean boy named Aluix as he goes about his daily tasks and learning more about the City-State from him.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Proceeding to the respectable keep¡ªby human standards¡ªlocated in the Lower City District, Castella briefed them on Mirelitel.

    Overall, the population was mainly centralized around the large riverway that didn¡¯t provide much but enough to keep things in order.  For the number of Nalveans that lived in the lands, it was difficult to harvest enough fish to make it a staple household item.

    Elluinara mentioned the fish farms the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen had crafted near Nethermore that were teeming with life and food for its rising population, considering they had been built to support the spider drones¡¯ ravenous appetite.

    It hadn¡¯t been well developed among the Nalveans, and she believed they could start such a project in Mirelitel to expand its possible exports of the exotic fish from the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Republic, which brightened Castella¡¯s mood.

    Gloria jumped into the conversation, asking about the sewage system, which seemed to be archaic compared to Shi¡¯Shuka¡¯s Seaweaver fueled network.  It was certainly something they could bring back to High Ruler Edmon to possibly point them in the right direction.

    The City-State didn¡¯t have a substantial Seaweaver population since most born with the gift were recruited by other States or the Capital.  It was an issue Lukuroha had been trying to navigate, yet had only taken her position as Stateswoman only a few years prior, hadn¡¯t the tightest hold over the hearts of her people to make a drastic change.

    Virgil figured that was something they could help with, and getting to know the individuals in each industry would certainly help.  It was possible that High Lady Tiffany could make a trip at some point, or someone within her area of expertise, to judge what products could be grown in the problematic soil.

    Triana pointed out it would be better to deal with the heart of the problem¡ªrodents that scavenged everything besides the pepper¡ªand if they somehow found out how to make the things profitable to hunt, they could wipe them out.

    Roberto was all for that idea, along with the young Ri¡¯bot; the newly awakened Hunter in him was extremely interested in discovering new trapping methods.

    Gloria found an interest in wanting to see how she could cook them, but apparently, the issue came with a poisonous defensive mechanism; if killed, the meat would be spoiled, which Roberto said just meant they needed to be creative in how they handled the creature.  Plus, poison could be cultivated for other purposes¡ªuse everything!

    Castella said they could try whatever they wanted; she could test it out to see if it was poisonous since, well, it wouldn¡¯t kill her, and she could determine if it was poisoned, to Gloria¡¯s delight.

    The big things to note were the pepper fields to the east, stables to the north with the cavalry training grounds, and the pastures that had a new project the Stateswoman had started to the west.

    Nuvoma, imported from the Sea Grass Plains of the Everglade City-State, were being bred to hopefully support the rather large amount of food their army of War Torlim required, which was a considerable strain on the state¡¯s produce.

    Mirelitel rivaled some of the Great City-States, such as Everglade, in their number of Torlim Calvary, yet didn¡¯t have the resources to continually sustain them, which was slowly starving their population.  Still, they needed the numbers to show they were worthy of receiving other benefits that came from a high-risk border state, which included reduced taxes to the Capital and Imiraka¡¯s obscene rates of goods passing through their lands.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    After being here for a time, Castella concluded that Imiraka had been trying to put pressure on Mirelitel over the past century to eventually absorb it by forcing the High-Ruler¡¯s hand in dissolving the ¡®failed¡¯ City-State for the good of the poor people, claiming mismanagement.

    It was a slow and dirty tactic that left a bad taste in all of their mouths when thinking about how the Imiraka Lieutenant they¡¯d traveled with was taking part in that horrifying plot.

    The more they learned about Imiraka, the more they wanted nothing to do with the City-State and hated how good of a position it was in to take advantage of anything coming into the Nalvean Empire by the Wandering River.

    There was plenty for them to do, but for today, they would be learning the culture and area of Mirelitel.

    Glancing around at their surroundings, Virgil took note of the various places they walked, Castella pointing out different directions of note, and there appeared to be walls that blocked off each district and required the use of a gate, proving it was a military-based city.

    If he¡¯d been back on Earth, he would have thought it was enormous, yet coming from Nethermore¡­  When your own capital was roughly around 25 by 32 kilometers¡ª14,500 square kilometers when counting all 30 floors and not including building levels, such as the Tower or Palace¡ªnothing compared.

    In comparison, it didn¡¯t take more than an hour on a casual walk to make it through the Eastern Residential District, Docks, and Lower City gates to reach the Keep.

    Most commerce was done in the Lower City, yet more exotic materials could be found in the Weird District, which piqued more than a few ears in their party, and more specialized goods could be purchased in the Merchant Quarters at the North Gates.

    The Westside was the slums, which was ironically where the island prison was located; the area had improved in recent years with the Stateswoman¡¯s efforts but was still a place you didn¡¯t want to go after dark¡ªnot that Virgil or his party were extremely concerned¡ªthey did have a Xaria and powerful Seaweaver in their party.

    Plus, they were far more than the weak humans with the Empress¡¯ grace, even if they had a long ways to go to reach even the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s level in their group; they were practicing every moment they had to bridge that gap and Ectria was strict in their training.

    Settlements were outside of the city, mainly purposed for collecting and harvesting the pepper farms, and to the southeast were the fishing slums for those that couldn¡¯t afford to live inside the walls.

    Overall, it seemed to be an interesting place to explore, and upon reaching the Central Keep, they stopped inside the walls to meet the excited boy they¡¯d be escorting and the Stateswoman.

    Virgil followed Castella¡¯s example in their salute as the tall woman eyed them; she was on the taller side of the females of their race, at least five centimeters over Castella at around 240 centimeters.

    ¡°The Argent Dawn¡­  I¡¯ve heard a little about you¡­  Hmm.  Humans certainly do come in all shapes and sizes,¡± she whispered, vision drifting between Gloria and Triana.  ¡°I did not expect your Empress to be so small compared to the other females of your race.¡±

    Castella forced a smile.  ¡°Eh-heh, yes, Empress Elinor is of shorter stature than Gloria and Triana.¡±

    Gloria¡¯s brow pulled in.  ¡°True, but¡­ she isn¡¯t really that small¡ªmore average when it comes to women¡ªI¡¯m taller than most, and Triana¡­¡±

    ¡°Haha¡ªI¡¯m in a league of my own!¡±  she grinned.

    ¡°Is that so¡­  Hmm.  I look forward to meeting more of the Empress¡¯ race when I eventually visit Nethermore; many of my advisors wonder how dissimilar that colossal city will look under new rule.¡±

    Virgil breathed in a deep breath.  ¡°Haaa¡­ exhausting to walk, if I¡¯m being honest, Stateswoman.  Going at a swift pace, it took us a bit over five hours to make it out, and that was a straight shot and the quickest route.¡±

    A slight jerk of the Head of State¡¯s tail caught his eye, her thumb and index finger rubbing together.  ¡°That does seem¡­ incredible.  In any case, are you still capable of joining me, Captain Castella?¡±

    ¡°I am!  Lieutenant Virgil has been briefed on his assignment to escort Aluix through his tasks.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to the fidgeting Nalvean boy, roughly the size of a teenage human.  ¡°Umm, so I can go see my big sister?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­  Be careful.¡±

    ¡°Yup!  I¡¯ve walked the slums a ton of times!¡±

    ¡°Things are different now, Aluix.¡±

    ¡°I know!  I just hate how I can¡¯t go anywhere anymore¡­¡±

    Smiling at the boy¡¯s slight annoyance, the Head of State turned back to the Keep.  ¡°Don¡¯t be too long.¡±

    ¡°I just want to get her a present because it¡¯s her Mourning Day.¡±

    ¡°I understand.¡±

    A little confused at the implications, Virgil caught Castella¡¯s shimmering ruby eyes before she walked after Lukuroha.  Ah¡­  So, this boy is the reason why we¡¯re here.

    Aluix¡¯s shining eyes moved between them, lingering on Gloria¡¯s shining armor.  ¡°So¡­ I¡¯ve heard you guys are Empress Elinor¡¯s special squad or something?¡±

    ¡°Something like that,¡± Virgil grinned.  ¡°So, why don¡¯t you show us the way and tell us a bit about yourself?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get out of this stuffy Keep¡ªI used to love it here,¡± he muttered, walking between them to take the lead out of the gates.  ¡°It was so big, and you can see so much of the city from the walls¡ªlike you¡¯re in the center of the world!¡±

    ¡°Up there?¡±  Triana asked, pointing at the tall towers, five in all, surrounding the Keep.

    ¡°Mhm.  Mirelitel is the biggest city in the City-State, and the Keep is like a heart made of stone¡­  Cool image, huh?¡±

    ¡°It is kind of cool,¡± Tadeo muttered, the Ri¡¯bot flanking them and scanning the alleys for danger.  ¡°You¡¯ve lived here your whole life?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but when I went to Shi¡¯Shuka¡­  Wow¡­  It¡¯s so huge, and now Mirelitel looks a bit¡­  Well, it looks small.¡±

    Virgil smirked, wondering if the young toad would ever get to see Nethermore; if he really was essential to their Empress, he could see it.

    ¡°What about this big sister of yours?¡±  Gloria asked, checking her braid as the wind cut through the wide streets.  ¡°What is this Mourning Day?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know what Mourning Day is?¡±  Aluix asked in shock.

    They all shook their heads before Elluinara answered.

    ¡°It is a day one recalls all of the sacrifices our past family members have made to give us what we currently have¡­  A tradition lost in many parts of the Empire yet seems to be practiced in Mirelitel.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, and Simiti¡¯ran is not really my big sister¡ªshe raised me when I was abandoned by my parents¡ªit¡¯s because of her that I got to serve under the Stateswoman!¡±

    Sosimo rubbed his chin and shifted his quiver of bolts on his back.  ¡°Humm¡­ she lives in the slums, though?¡±

    Tadeo nodded.  ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I was thinking.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±  Aluix¡¯s expression fell a tad.  ¡°Simiti¡¯ran does make an okay living by working in the pepper fields, but she refuses to leave her family home¡­  All of her family died from accidents over the years, so she¡¯s the only one left, and she never really found anyone, so¡­¡±

    ¡°She adopted you?¡±  Gloria asked, features softening.  ¡°That was noble of her.¡±

    ¡°I guess¡­  I always thought I was a burden¡­  She wasn¡¯t too healthy when I was a child¡ªoh, it was during the pepper famine¡ªit got bad for a while.¡±

    The conversation died down for a bit, and they moved through the Lower City to the West Docks; it looked like a lower-income area.  Medium-sized barges and merchant vessels could be seen on the grungy river, yet Virgil could see a slight green shimmer in the brownish water with the fading sun.

    ¡°Did the river always look like that?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­  Oh, we need to go to the dock over there to see Drisma¡ªhe¡¯s got the present I ordered three months ago¡ªhehe, all the way from Masrika City-State.  It was pretty expensive, but I wanted to get her something nice¡ªStateswoman Lukuroha helped me pick it out in the catalog!¡±

    ¡°Oh, exciting!  I¡¯m sure she will love it.¡±  Elluinara caught their confused expression and smiled down at the proud boy, happy he could do something for the woman that raised him.  ¡°Giving a gift to someone on their Day of Mourning is a way to show them light can come even during times of darkness¡­  I¡¯m sure there were deeper meanings to it, lost to the past, but it is how we think of it today.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­  You know, she was my light, so I want to give her something to feel that way, too,¡± he muttered with a slightly embarrassed blush.

    ¡°Cute!¡±  Triana cooed.  ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see it.¡±

    Gloria giggled as she caught the boy eyeing her armor again.  ¡°Do you like it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ so shiny,¡± he mumbled in awe.  ¡°How do you get it to gleam so much?  I polish Stateswoman Lukuroha¡¯s armor so much, but it never has a glossy look like that.¡±

    ¡°Eh-heh, it¡¯s actually something that kind of¡­ naturally happens with this kind of metal¡ªit¡¯s self-cleaning.¡±

    ¡°Woah¡­  Okay, maybe I don¡¯t want something like that¡­ because then I couldn¡¯t clean her armor.¡±

    They burst into laughter, Ectria moving close to them as they walked onto the dock to a rather large merchant ship.  Aluix proceeded to talk to some of the men ahead of them, Gloria, Elluinara, and Triana joining him.

    ¡°For how long?¡±  Virgil asked, scanning the docks with a natural smile to not linger on the two red-scaled Nalveans pretending to look at some merchant¡¯s wears near the pier.

    The Xaria¡¯s voice was low.  ¡°Since we left the Keep.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Ina¡¯ko¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±  the small Yaltha¡¯ma questioned, big ears twitching as she looked down at him from his horse.  ¡°Ina¡¯ko is listening.¡±

    ¡°Can you slip into the crowd and follow them using the stealth skills you¡¯ve gained; find out who they¡¯re working for and where they go after this.¡±

    ¡°Ina¡¯ko will spy on the Red-Scales!¡±

    Jumping off the horse, she flipped underneath the docks to enter the shadows, vanishing from sight.

    Koma jumped four meters to land beside them, big eyes bright with anticipation.  ¡°What if they attack us when we go to these slums?  Do we kill them?¡±

    ¡°Shhh,¡± Virgil whispered, shaking his head.  ¡°No, we need answers.  We¡¯re new to the city and its criminal underbelly; we¡¯ll have Ina¡¯ko sniff around, and seeing how many of us there are guarding Aluix, they won¡¯t make a move.  They¡¯re scouting, which is precisely what we should be doing.¡±

    He glanced over the docks and all its ships, goods, and Nalveans; the race emphasized silk quality and shades, which showed the differences in classes.  ¡°Ectria, Tadeo, Koma, do you three think you could skulk around at night using your cloaking and intelligence skills to find where the criminals like to gather?¡±

    Tadeo¡¯s yellow eyes flashed, his unique vision drifting around the area to make a note of specific individuals; Virgil guessed the boy had been following the pair the entire time.  ¡°I thought you¡¯d never ask.  Should I stop crimes if I find them?¡±

    ¡°If you can do it on the low.  Let them get away so we can draw a line between the various groups and what crimes they specialize in.  If we¡¯re going to protect Aluix, we¡¯ll need to grasp the playing field.  Do you think you can find some time to sleep during the mornings and join us for evening jobs?¡±

    ¡°Can do, Boss.¡±

    ¡°Ectria?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  Koma and I could focus on the docks since we can utilize the river.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good with that,¡± Tadeo muttered, face hidden behind his mask as he looked to the north.  ¡°Nobles and merchants tend to have the money to finance stuff¡­  I can start there.¡±

    ¡°Sounds good.  This Weird District could also prove a wealth of information; I¡¯ll have Ina¡¯ko focus on that after her current mission.¡±

    Their attention snapped to Elluinara as she gasped, watching the merchant they talked to several meters away produce a white delicate silk sash that had a glimmer.  ¡°Esmi-Silk from Masrika?  It¡¯s generally only used for special balls or meeting Heads of State; how did you¡­ afford something like this?¡±

    Puffing up his chest, Aluix grinned.  ¡°I¡¯ve worked two years to get it!  One noble lady from there stopped by a while ago, and she said she loved how it looked, so I¡¯ve been looking for a merchant that could get it!¡±

    ¡°Hehe, right you were to come to be, Aluix,¡± the merchant boasted.  ¡°I was able to get it at a reasonable price, too.  The boy does a lot of physical labor for me every time I stop by Mirelitel and is always careful with the merchandise; not a single incident in four years.  That means a lot to a merchant like me¡ªespecially considering the products I carry¡ªand not a single theft.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d never steal from you, Boaty!  You pay way better than any of the other stuffy merchants!¡±

    Impressed that the boy seemed to have so many side jobs, Virgil stepped away from the spies to let them work out the details themselves.  ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that!  So, this is pretty fancy stuff?¡±

    Gloria examined it closely, watching the flake-like sparkles shimmer in the twilight.  ¡°It looks pretty¡­ I think it would go nicely on a Sunday dress.¡±

    ¡°Not my style,¡± Triana dismissively waved and gestured to her fur bikini.  ¡°Now, if there¡¯s some crazy monster out there I can slay to make me some awesome pelt armor¡ªthat¡¯s my thing!  Speaking of that¡­ we need to find a tanner!¡±

    ¡°Freaking barbarian woman,¡± Gloria mumbled with a smirk.

    Boaty chuckled at the strange conversation.  ¡°I¡¯d say this is very out of reach for most lads, had he not been such a hard worker, but¡­ heh, I¡¯d think you¡¯d be more interested in givin¡¯ it to a lady you fancy instead o¡¯ your ol¡¯ mom.¡±

    ¡°No!  I¡¯ve been planning this for years, Boaty¡ªyou know that!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just sayin¡¯...  You want me to wrap it up for you?¡±

    ¡°Urm¡­  I don¡¯t have the gems for that.¡±

    Virgil walked back to his horse and reached in to get one of the bags the Empress had given them for their stay, returning with the lesser currency one.  ¡°How much is it?¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ªno!  No, I couldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°C¡¯mon!¡±  Triana giggled, slapping his shoulder and forcing the boy off-balance.  ¡°He¡¯s offerin¡¯, so take it!¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­ okay¡­  Only for Simiti¡¯ran though.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Gloria grinned.  ¡°So¡­ how much?¡±

    The merchant hummed, eyeing them.  ¡°Two Decmos will do.¡±

    ¡°Boaty!¡±  Aluix hissed, yet Virgil reached in to get the currency.

    ¡°What?  I need to make a livin¡¯ too, Boy!  Heh, these fine¡­ unusual gentlemen seem to have the means to pay the full price for a decent gift wrapping.¡±

    Gloria and Triana gave each other sad smiles at being called gentlemen by the Nalvean.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to return the silk scarf to the glossy white-wood box the item came in and bind it in rough black cloth.  Leaving him, a thought occurred to Virgil.

    We¡¯re totally foreign to Nalvean lands as humans¡­  Ri¡¯bot and Yaltha¡¯ma¡­  We should be getting far more attention than we are.  It could be the culture, but it¡­  Huh?

    On their way to the slums, he saw a plastered image of what appeared to be Empress Elinor and other human drawings that were shockingly good; he hadn¡¯t noticed it at first while scanning the Nalveans themselves, but there were a decent number of them.

    A short description of their new northern nation was listed below, naming High Lady Tiffany and High Lord Edmon with Castella; it seemed their Captain and the Stateswoman had been quick in trying to bring their nation to notice.

    Still, he would have thought them actually arriving would have sparked more intrigue, and they did get glances, but no one followed or tried to push in to ask questions; maybe it was just a different type of culture.

    The slums were just as he expected¡ªfilthy¡ªand the district''s docks were no exception; it was here that they began drawing notice and from the grungy kind of folk that peered through windows or from around corners.

    On their journey, he learned that the river had been taking on a greenish sheen recently that piqued his interest; more fish were being caught than usual, causing people to cheer for their bountiful hauls.  Virgil wondered what caused the spike; time would tell if it was just a short influx.

    Night taking them, their guard increased; the pair Ina¡¯ko tailed split off, one remaining while the other returned to more than likely report.  The Nalvean didn¡¯t engage them or draw attention to himself, and they arrived at Simiti¡¯ran¡¯s place without incident.

    She didn¡¯t really stick out to Virgil; bluish scales with flecks of red.  Apparently, she hadn¡¯t eaten anything all day and had spent the time counting all of her blessings.  He mostly stayed out of the exchange, allowing the girls to share in it while he kept the perimeter outside.

    Tadeo, Ectria, and Koma circled around as he whistled Ina¡¯ko¡¯s return; the little monkey-fox jumped back onto his horse to report.

    ¡°Ina¡¯ko followed Red-Scales to a big building to far north!  Red-Scales talks to Blue-Scales called Umutu¡¯mi¡ªUmutu¡¯mi is a girl Nalvean¡ªUmutu¡¯mi wants to know how much sparkly jewels Virgil has and where Virgil stays!¡±

    ¡°A thief?  Well, that¡¯s not interesting,¡± Tadeo muttered.  ¡°I was expecting something involving Aluix.¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­  It could be a cover for something else,¡± Ectria offered.  ¡°A code?¡±

    Virgil shrugged.  ¡°Occam¡¯s Razor¡ªwe¡¯ll go off the information we have.  Still, if it is in the north¡­¡±

    ¡°I got it¡­¡±  Tadeo sighed, running his hand through his silver locks.  ¡°I¡¯ll have Ina¡¯ko guide me¡­  Man, now I want the Weird District.¡±

    ¡°Oh, does Ina¡¯ko get Weird District?¡±

    ¡°You do,¡± Virgil grinned, scratching her head to hear her soft purr.  ¡°So, not a plot against Aluix on our first day, but we¡¯ll uncover all this city¡¯s dirty secrets.¡±

    It didn¡¯t take as long as he thought it would for the present to be delivered and to leave for her to complete her Mourning Day activities, and they returned Aluix to the Keep.

    For the next week, they were to practice with the military, work in the fields, and better grasp the Nalveans¡¯ way of life in this City-State; at night, they would search for plots against the Stateswoman and, when needed, babysit Aluix, who would evidently be their guide for the foreseeable future.

    Virgil couldn¡¯t contain his excitement; they were really in another world, gained powers, and were now building a nation in the light while foiling plots against a State¡¯s leadership at night¡ªthis was all he could have hoped for¡ªand there were so many hidden things to discover!

    Yet, two days after their arrival at the City-State, the blazing fire that entered their breasts would change everything they knew about their Empress, and the figure they all saw in that pillar of flames that enveloped their souls brought a deeper understanding of the Undead Goddess they worshiped.

 B3 â€” 31. Great Change Ahead

    Klaus¡¯ gaze drifted between the various advisors around the large conference table, legs crossed and fingers folded in his lap; this was the twenty-first day within the Nalvean Capital¡ªhe hadn¡¯t even been able to see how much the Empire had grown¡ªyet the Empress¡¯ had been more than merciful.

    No, it was downright uncanny¡ªterrifying</a>, even¡ªhow insightful and quick his Empress grew; he¡¯d seen it firsthand when he¡¯d acted as her guide when in Shi¡¯Shuka.

    He wouldn¡¯t believe she was only sixteen years old had they been back on Earth, and the shiver he had when around the girl was unlike anything he¡¯d ever experienced; it took him being away from her presence to grasp it, but there was something very unnatural about her that went beyond the Seed he¡¯d heard about through the Nexus.

    Power didn¡¯t change you in this way¡ªhe¡¯d seen what authority did to people firsthand¡ªKlaus was a young politician, and it revealed the character within but didn¡¯t make you into a ruler.  To rule came with experience, and it was as if his Empress was tapping into a wealth of it that was as natural as breathing.

    Demeanor, forethought, cold rationality, and an unbending will, demanding all attention; there were times she led with an iron fist, and others showed compassion¡ªunderstanding¡ªsuch as judging the Ri¡¯bot Clans based on the individual groups wronged.

    In Shi¡¯Shuka, he may have given her information, but how that was acted upon had dramatically changed his position in the High Ruler¡¯s Royal Court.  Her dance with Demon across the streets of the ancient Nalvean capital, her presence in public, the way she¡¯d acted to the population¡ªeverything had a ripple effect.

    Klaus had been a tad bit anxious about her sudden fixation with Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s statue when much of their focus had shifted from the diplomatic route to strong-arming her way into getting the woman, stepping on many high-ranking officials¡¯ toes; yet again, she¡¯d been utterly correct in understanding the bigger picture.

    It was as if she had a perfect memory or something was prompting her down the correct paths because nothing seemed wasted.  Klaus didn¡¯t understand it, though, it was as if a frenzied undertone buried beneath her regal cadence said it still wasn¡¯t enough, so she pushed harder.

    In less than a month, they¡¯d gone from a group of enslaved, conquered people to being recognized as a strong, budding nation that had the support of a well-established Empire; everything she touched turned to gold, and that¡¯s something people noticed¡ªshe brought results, and at a frightening speed.

    How did Empress Elinor do it?  The first horrific thing she did when standing before a nation and race she¡¯d never met was to savagely display her ruthless, terrifying power by allowing that Empire¡¯s rulers a shot at her neck.

    It was an image none of them could ever forget that not only marked her as a threat but someone useful, opening all the doors they now enjoyed.  Not only did she murder one of their strongest officers, but Elinor also brought her back to serve her own interests and then prompted the leader of an Empire to select one of his children to guide her¡ªutterly absurd¡ªthe child could be used as a hostage, yet it worked.

    Why she¡¯d chosen such a dangerous gambit that could have seen the entire Nalvean army marching north, he didn¡¯t understand, yet it told him she was no teenager.

    To further illustrate this was the Empress¡¯ selected mode of political attack, uncovering secrets not to destroy the current leader but bring him closer to her side; she put High Ruler Nukulara in her debt by finding several plots, feeding into his culturally inappropriate fetishes, and saving his precious daughter¡ªthe future ruler of his Empire.

    Now, a Nalvean princess was preparing to make the trip north to Nethermore under the pretext of healing, which was only part of the reason; it said a lot when the ruler of an Empire shipped off his daughter to another out of fear for her safety within their own borders¡ªElinor had found the perfect chinks in the armor of the Nalvean Empire, seemingly without even trying.

    There was something more intense than he could fathom hidden below her outward appearance, and whatever it was had been reaching out since her change during that night of heavenly lights.  Every action she took saw a string of triggers that furthered her goals, and Klaus sitting in on this meeting was one of them.

    The past week had been filled with conferences, architects, and engineers looking at the project''s scope of creating a path to Nethermore.  Commerce was being established, and treaties were brought before Shi¡¯Shuka¡¯s highest dignitaries and representatives to present at the City-State Grand Council in the coming weeks.

    Empress Elinor¡¯s aberrant insight didn¡¯t stop at establishing an Empire but extended to the needs of her own subjects and the Nalveans; he didn¡¯t have to look behind him to know Emelina was standing there, having returned on their ruler¡¯s orders.

    At first, he¡¯d thought of Emelina as a very attractive woman with excellent life skills, which would have been helpful in the environment and station he¡¯d been raised in, but now, he knew she was so much more.

    Emelina could act in almost any role she was given, be it a maid or a lady of noble demeanor; she was intelligent, thoughtful, kind, brutal, tempered, and mature.  She exceeded anything he required of an assistant, all while also acting as a source of stress relief on their sleepless nights.

    It was more than sex¡ªnot that she lacked in that department¡ªbut the patience and care she took in listening to his concerns about various roadblocks that would crop up.  She mainly acted as a soundboard, yet she''d offer bits of sound council when believing her insight was of worth.

    Being Undead and not requiring sleep whatsoever had its upsides, yet during the nights, when he¡¯d been alone, there hadn¡¯t been much he could do to clear his mind than walk the nighttime streets¡ªEmelina made such a task effortless¡ªand a sigh of relief came in the form of Aina San Roman</a>.

    Once again, the Empress showed her forethought in grasping what was unsaid; the earthy-green-eyed, black-haired Rare-Grade Maid was a diligent and proactive woman.  She often had everything Emelina had tasked her within the day finished by noon¡ªgiving the Head Maid far more time with him¡ªand had been an enormous support in gathering information on Yesenia.

    Aina may have looked to be in her early twenties, yet she was a widow over seventy and had a grandson in Yesenia¡¯s group.  He didn¡¯t know if Aina had just been the only Maid available to join or if Emelina had suggested her for that very purpose, but it was only to their advantage.

    Like a few of the other Maids, Aina was of the Songweaver Class, giving her the musical performance that could draw attention from the arts-loving Nalveans; her old Colombian songs and lullabies were quite a hit with the scaled and spiked salamander race.

    Klaus¡¯ vision went to the far right of the table, where Yesenia hovered¡ªher changed, reptilian irises were now living coals of intense flames, and they were on him¡ªshe¡¯d been undergoing quite a few physical alterations throughout the month, including her personality.

    If he didn¡¯t know any better, Klaus would have guessed the absence of Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s balancing and peaceful aura had affected her in many ways.

    Scaled wings had sprouted out of her back, able to be folded around her long, snake-like body to serve as a cloak of sorts; it may have been his imagination, but at times, he thought her mossy-green hair were vipers, making him think of Medusa¡ªstill, no one had reportedly turned to stone¡ªperhaps even more perturbing was the scorpion stinger that had formed at the base of her tail.

    She¡¯d remained a mystery Klaus couldn¡¯t crack, and with the authority she¡¯d built within the Seaweavers, Yesenia had tremendous political power inside of Shi¡¯Shuka, which barred them from getting near the other humans.

    Aina hadn¡¯t been flustered by the opposition, yet the return of the snake-woman¡¯s family had undoubtedly affected her mindstate; if there was one thing the Empress had been cornered in, ironically, it was Yesenia¡¯s influence.

    Klaus knew it was a bad play to give up such an important bargaining chip, but it wasn¡¯t as if his Empress was easy to cave to other¡¯s demands; it was an unfortunate deal that had to be made, and you had to suck it up and play the game at times.

    The meeting coming to a close, Klaus stood to bow his head, fist over his chest in a different form of a salute than the Ri¡¯bots did¡ªeven Yesenia was forced to show moderate respect to the Nalvean emperor.

    ¡°Mmgm¡­  It is nearing sundown, and I wish to see my daughter off on her journey to Nethermore; we will continue discussing possible currency exchange in the following council tomorrow.¡±

    All present responded in unison.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Straightening as the High Ruler moved to the exit, Imperial Head Captain Hakara close by his side, everyone paused in gathering their materials as the Nukulara slowed beside Klaus.

    ¡°Ambassador, would you join me?¡±

    ¡°Of course, High Ruler.¡±

    Without being asked, Emelina stepped forward to gather the documents for Aina and her to follow at a distance so as they couldn¡¯t eavesdrop, and something particularly of note, the Imperial Head Captain walked beside them, which didn¡¯t go unnoticed by the crowd¡ªit showed the High Ruler was completely comfortable in his presence.

    Besides Yesenia¡¯s unreadable stare, one other thing caught his notice before exiting¡ªa 50cm tall bird¡ªone of Lord Voukey¡¯s spies.

    The Lord of the Sky had spent time in each location gathering a new flock; bird species differed considerably in intelligence, and it would take time for the Mythic-Grade General to grant the rest of the Empire the ability to communicate to those under him, but progress was being made.

    Through his efforts, while in Shi¡¯Shuka, they¡¯d confirmed the humans were being treated well within the Seaweaver District, yet security was even tighter than in the Royal Palace, meaning Aina couldn¡¯t get close enough to make contact.

    The woman made a visit every day to send a letter to her grandson, not that they believed it would ever reach him; still, on the off-chance it did, she continued her efforts, if just to let him know she was well and that she wanted to continue having contact.

    Stepping into the hallway with the High Ruler, they proceeded several meters before he smiled, keeping his focus ahead of them in the busy corridors; everyone stopped what they were doing to shift to the walls and bow to their emperor.

    ¡°Hmm¡­  The strangest thoughts have entered my mind since Empress Elinor has made her presence known.  Would you entertain me, Ambassador?  I wish to hear your opinion.¡±

    ¡°I was appointed to be of service to you by my Empress to further the bond between our Empires, High Ruler; I will answer to the best of my ability in my station.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  As cleverly worded as ever¡­  I understand you won¡¯t give me your complete honesty if it brings a negative view of your Empress.  Perhaps I ask too much of you.¡±

    Klaus thought about his response for a moment.  ¡°Mmh¡­  I believe my Empress would wish me to be truthful and transparent in our dealings with your Empire.  If it is a matter of my office, I can only respond so far¡­ yet if you desire my opinion as a person, I will give you my unfiltered thoughts, if you so wish, High Ruler.¡±

    ¡°He-he, mmh, this is why I enjoy your company, Klaus¡­  It is something I can¡¯t experience with most of my people, and to have another ruler of equal standing so close to the north that is willing to speak to me as such is¡­ refreshing.¡±

    He looked at a few breathless scholars that muttered his name in reverence as he passed, taken in by his presence.  ¡°Klaus, I have given a lot of thought to how Elinor¡¯s movements throughout her stay in my Empire¡­ every action I¡¯ve been able to unearth, and all of the dots that came from and were there before her arrival¡­¡±

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    His countenance fell a tad while glancing at the window where another one of the popular birds of the area stood, eyes following their movements.  ¡°I fear I may be growing paranoid ever since she revealed so many weaknesses within my nation, but all I see are troubles brewing throughout the City-States, and I find myself thinking it is moronic to believe Demon does not play a role in it.¡±

    Klaus nodded, his tone grave.  ¡°I don¡¯t believe that is paranoia, High Ruler, but paying heed to the threat he is.¡±

    They slowed a tad upon entering an elevator and waited for his guard and the maids to enter.  ¡°Hakara and many of the local bird watchers have noticed a rather unusual change in the Min¡¯lasa flight patterns and behaviors as of late.  Would you have anything to add to that topic?¡±

    ¡°Heh, you are quite sharp in your observations, High Ruler.¡±

    Nukulara¡¯s jaw tightened, anger in his gaze, yet it wasn¡¯t directed at Klaus, and after they reached the ground level, a short grunt came from the man.  ¡°Not¡­ nearly enough.  So, it is something related to your Empress¡­  I find it quite disturbing how unorthodox her methods are¡­  To use the Min¡¯lasa as spies, I assume.  Fascinating tactics¡­ and to enact them so swiftly.¡±

    Emelina¡¯s voice entered his mind, speaking as preparations were being made to enter the city, the High Ruler appearing to lose himself in thought.  ¡°He is far more observant than I gave him credit for.¡±

    Quite, but he has reason to be, and the weight of not seeing the enslavement of his youngest daughter has pushed him into a mindstate of war.  He may be performing his duties as the emperor of this nation, yet he is also a father with a score to settle¡­ further pushing him to the Empress¡¯ side.

    ¡°I presume he wished for Hakara to hear the response to this question, which is why he brought it up when we were once again in earshot?¡±

    Most likely.  I have no doubt he was considering putting out a hunting order for any Min¡¯lasa that came close to the palace had we not confirmed it was the Empress¡¯ doing¡­  Hehe.  He backed us into a corner to give him a response since revealing the network to him is less damaging than its decimation.

    ¡°The Empress chose a worthy person to throw her support behind.¡±

    Indeed.

    Outpacing the maids and guards again once arrangements were made, Klaus kept his own eye out for possible threats, yet the following conversation took a turn he did not expect.

    ¡°In the investigations I¡¯ve had conducted since Empress Elinor returned to her lands, I have realized a great many areas I must strengthen my influence and the powers that threaten my nation¡­  The Shadow Hand¡­  I understand you¡¯ve dealt with them?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­¡±  Klaus¡¯ vision centered on the front entrance and gates beyond; they were heading for the docks to meet with Tal¡¯tamine.  ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to contact the members I¡¯ve brought under my influence for two days.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±  The Emperors¡¯ nose twitched, his vision drifting between the various citizens that stopped to pay their respects, and two dozen soldiers flanked them on either side, another ahead of them to clear the way.

    ¡°Murder happens very rarely in my city, Ambassador, and accidental deaths or suicide are logged by the City Guard to open investigations¡­  For several ¡®accidental¡¯ incidents to happen so close together, and with some individuals that were known acquaintances, it has raised too many red flags.

    ¡°I ponder the reason they¡¯re being so brazen about it¡­  I ordered for scrutiny after the events surrounding Empress Elinor, hoping for them to slip up in some way, but didn¡¯t expect such a rapid and obvious play, which¡­ has caught me off-guard.  I suppose it means they understand I have caught wind of their organization.¡±

    Klaus¡¯ eyes narrowed.  ¡°They¡¯re all dead?¡±

    ¡°I memorized the past one thousand two hundred and seventy-three deaths in the last month¡ªmost since Empress Elinor left¡ªwithin Shi¡¯Shuka last night; give me a name, and we will see if there is a connection.¡±

    ¡°Kojax, the Head Warrior for the Clavex?¡±

    ¡°Killed by his former Clansmen, or so the Ri¡¯bot investigators indicated.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  I haven¡¯t heard anything from Iona or Welix since yesterday¡ªRi¡¯bot Xaria under the Empress¡¯ service¡­¡±

    Emelina, something may have happened to Welix and Iona.

    She nodded, excusing herself to the Imperial Captain before going her own way.  ¡°I will investigate further.¡±

    Careful.

    ¡°Naturally.  Iona and Welix were close to unlocking the Empress¡¯ increased aptitude via belief in her divinity and powerful Xaria in their clans; I would be hard-pressed in fighting either by myself and if they were captured or killed together, my chances are not high.  Still, I have advantages as an Undead they do not enjoy¡­  Do not worry about my safety, Ambassador.¡±

    Feeling a tad rebuked for doubting her intelligence and strength, Klaus forced a chuckle.  I apologize for not having more faith in your talents.

    ¡°I appreciate your concern.¡±

    Nukulara seemed to notice the maid¡¯s exit, showing he had high perceptibility without looking, yet that was clear by his ability to force Violet herself to be cautious around the ruler.  ¡°Investigating further?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s best to act quickly on these matters when they¡¯re brought up,¡± Klaus returned, expression tightening.  ¡°What of Drenima?¡±

    ¡°Drowned three days ago after falling off the boat in a flash storm.¡±

    ¡°Mocreln?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ a ranking member in the Royal Guard¡­  So, as I suspected, he was a member; too many unnatural deaths around his days off once I began investigating.  Yes¡­  He seemed to have put up a fight in some altercation in a back alley, and he drew blood before succumbing to poison, but we haven¡¯t found a lead on the perpetrator.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  It makes sense; he was a high-ranking assassin within the organization,¡± Klaus muttered.  ¡°He likely heard about the attempt on his life and prepared accordingly or managed to react despite being caught unaware, and if Mocreln was killed, I highly doubt any other contact I had would stand a chance¡­  They¡¯re cleaning house.¡±

    ¡°There are dozens more I suspect were murdered, including ranking officials in the Trade Union, inspectors, key members of staff in the Navy, and many other industries¡­ far too many to be a coincidence.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­  The Shadow Hand is likely cutting off a finger and starting fresh.  If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll need to be more proactive spotting possible tails at night.  I appreciate the information, High Ruler.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  What does cutting off a finger mean¡­  Do they operate in other City-States?¡±

    ¡°Nations, High Ruler¡­  When I said they are cutting off a finger, they are scrubbing all of the Nalvean leadership, likely only excluding the top executives, or one of the executives is performing it in order to not incur the wrath of the other Fingers.¡±

    ¡°Which nations?¡±

    ¡°I have only identified contacts from the Ques¡¯k¨¢ and Yalm¨¢th Democracy, but I¡¯m sure there are others in the other great nations.¡±

    ¡°A multinational criminal empire, eh?¡±  Nukulara growled.  ¡°It was them that caused so much chaos with the Jadefire¡­  I will have more eyes on the merchants from those territories.¡±

    He paused to look at the fading sun, casting an orange glow over his empire; silence took them for several seconds.

    Wanting to bring the topic to something he was curious about, Klaus asked, ¡°What of Umika¡¯mia¡­  Has the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph sent any word regarding why their Senator showed up in such a state?¡±

    ¡°No¡­  It will take months for my eldest daughter to reach Cape Glorious, and recently the border towns have been put on high alert, turning away all merchants and travelers¡­ going so far as to escort them back to our lands.¡±

    ¡°A coup d''etat?¡±

    ¡°Possibly, but there¡¯s no way for us to know since they have closed themselves off; we will have our answers when my daughter returns¡­  If she returns.¡±

    Gut tightening at the High Ruler¡¯s low voice, he suddenly realized there was a future avenue he hadn¡¯t considered or seen at all brewing in the background that Nukulara had been keeping on the low¡ªwar with the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph Republic, or whatever regime had taken it¡ªand their ties with Mirelitel City-State suddenly became far more critical than he previously believed.

    It was the fastest route to the Empire¡¯s Capital from the Dr¨¦k''ul¨¦ph lands and served as the primary defense against an invasion; the Empress had sent the Argent Dawn¡ªsome new faith core she¡¯d made¡ªto oversee its support with Castella at their helm, a strong military figure in the Nalvean Empire.

    Empress Elinor¡­  You never cease to amaze and terrify me.  How can you naturally identify and put in place individuals to act, if needed?

    He could practically see his Empress standing in her tall tower, overlooking the valley and plotting dozens of moves ahead, and now, apparently, she had entered into some kind of transdimensional organization.

    The Royal Court no doubt played a significant role in supporting her macro manage everything, but their Empress was at the nucleus, creating the foundation of their Empire by determining which dead should be risen to best suit their needs.

    Klaus recalled many prominent individuals at her disposal to return from the dead, such as the Transcendent-Grade Lower Court member, yet she hadn¡¯t selected him yet because his services were not currently required.

    She played a tight game of managing her resources, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l had been so important that she¡¯d dropped everything to have her, to the point of risking her status with the Nalvean Empire¡ªKlaus wondered how much of it was the Empress¡ªno sixteen-year-old girl could do what she¡¯d achieved in less than twenty-seven days.

    What are you, Empress¡­  Yesenia can¡¯t hold a candle to you, and she has this Seed Demon wants, as well.  She is a grown woman that had the Nalvean Seaweavers eating out of her hands the moment she arrived, and yet she doesn¡¯t hold near the same dominating presence.

    Demon also specifically targeted you first¡­  There has to be a reason for it.  No¡­  Why am I even thinking like this¡­ it just doesn¡¯t make sense¡­  From everything I heard about you from the humans before I left Nethermore and the growth you showed when first arriving in this nation¡­ you chose to focus on key things I wouldn¡¯t dream of as a politician and adult¡­ yet you were right every time.

    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±  Nukulara muttered in the silence that had taken them.

    ¡°Hmm¡­  Marveling at how unbelievably superior and grand my Empress is¡­  I haven¡¯t had a chance to inform you yet, but I received word that the Empress has sent a company of soldiers to help bolster Mirelitel and stationing Castella to help support the City-State.¡±

    ¡°Hehe¡­¡±  Nukulara forced a smile.  ¡°Well, it seems your Empress has a rather tactical mind; I did not mention anything regarding the border or the possible state of our neighbor before she rushed off to the north with her winged statue¡­  Did you inform her?¡±

    ¡°No, High Ruler.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm¡­  Indeed, your Empress is an intelligent woman.¡±

    The issue is I don¡¯t know if she consciously did it or not¡­  In instinct alone, the Empress is phenomenal in leading¡­  How much more when our Empire stabilizes, and she has a clearer picture of the playing field?  What will she do?  Conquest?  It¡¯s possible¡­  The Empress is terrifying and awe-inspiring at the same time¡­  A born ruler.

    ¡°If war with the west is possible, what of the conflict raising its head in the south?¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­  The Judicus Isles¡­  Have your informants been able to discover anything regarding Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s whereabouts?¡±

    ¡°So far as I am currently aware, we haven¡¯t¡­ but be sure we are putting quite the resources into finding Demon¡¯s group.¡±

    His head shifted to the south, a lump dropping down his throat, unable to feel the enigmatic presence of Iris; Voukey had swiftly returned to the valley after spending some time with the High Lady three days earlier, yet the Sky Lord was only now making his slow path to check on his spy network¡ªhe should reach Klaus in several hours.

    ¡°I will certainly share what I can with you when I am able.¡±

    ¡°Humph¡­  More careful words, Ambassador.  I suspect Stateswoman Kulumi or Statesman Ara¡¯gora may have turned against me¡­ possibly working for Demon or the Pirate Lords, and this new technology they¡¯ve gained could equal the numbers, depending on how many weapons they have¡­  We cannot fight a war on two fronts.¡±

    Klaus hissed.  ¡°Which looks to be a possibility¡­  A difficult time, High Ruler.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.  I don''t expect Nethermore to come to our defense¡­  We haven''t had that kind of relationship¡­ yet¡­  It seems your Empress is putting pieces into places that will give her an excuse to enter the fight, which¡­ perplexes me.¡±

    ¡°Hehe¡­  You and me both, High Ruler.  I¡¯ve been trying to puzzle out my Empress¡¯ mind to understand what I should do, but in the end, I fear I lack the ability to try to predict her strategies and insights¡­  Currently, my only objective is to strengthen our diplomatic ties, gather information, and attempt to give the humans being kept in isolation by Yesenia the option of joining Nethermore.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm¡­  You work diligently for your Empress, Ambassador¡­  If I had the quality of aides Empress Elinor has gathered¡­  Humph.  Well, I suppose I simply must look harder¡­  I have learned quite a bit from her example¡­  Nethermore has a good leader.¡±

    ¡°That, we agree on, High Ruler¡­¡±

    A terrifyingly good¡ª

    Nukulara paused as Klaus came to a dead halt, flames erupting in his breast as a light broke past the darkening heavens to show a pillar of white¡ªit came from Nethermore¡ªa power that was both gentle and firm.

    ¡°Ambassador¡­  What is¡­¡±

    ¡°¡°Klaus¡­¡±¡±

    I feel it, too, Emelina, Aina¡­ hear it¡­

    It only lasted several seconds, yet the holy song that radiated in his breast showed an image of Elinor he couldn¡¯t describe¡ªit was her¡ªyet it wasn¡¯t.  Two divine female voices sang</a> in such harmony and glory that tears came to Klaus¡¯ eyes, and ankles weak, he collapsed to his knees.

    In the following timelapse, he saw the High Ruler on the ground next to him, stunned disbelief on his face.  ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ never heard such a welcoming melody that could bring such joy and adoration¡­  It is as if the Twin Goddesses of Music announced something glorious to the world¡­  Ambassador¡­  What was that song¡­  What did it mean?¡±

    ¡°Something¡­ has changed, High Ruler¡­  I can¡¯t explain what, and it only lasted a few seconds, but¡­ something has happened in Nethermore.¡±

    Empress Elinor¡­  Why did I see two of you in a pillar of fire¡­ like beaming quasars¡­ with... with one being blonde, and¡­ and you were¡­

    ¡°...Celestialized¡­  The heavens opening up to announce both¡ªour Empress mirrored¡ªyet one with black hair and the other blonde?¡±  Emelina responded, and Aina followed shortly after.

    ¡°What happened to the Empress¡ªthey both felt similar, yet¡­ yet so different?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no other word to describe it¡­  Whatever we saw¡­  It was as if the Empress was¡­ was alive again¡­  Holy¡­  Divine¡­  Both are Divine.¡±

 B3 â€” 32. Divine

    Iris slowly walked through Castle Komrnith¡¯s upper corridor, taking the form of a Nalvean upper-class Maid that she¡¯d put under a deep sleep several hours previous.  She¡¯d paid close attention to where the woman had placed her silk and the folds involved¡ªdetail to attire was paramount to Nalvean cultural status.

    Six days had passed since she¡¯d discovered the existence of her youngest daughter and the grooming that had been done by the unforgivable Nalvean imposter of a mother to her innocent, susceptible progeny.

    Jumi¡¯kerune was a very cautious Nalvean, having lived longer than even Iris herself, and he had taken certain precautions in hiding his tracks; it was conceivable that having studied Th¨¦lm¨¦thra physiology for more than a century and observing the biological, social network they employed had given him many insights into their nature.

    One such annoyance came from the knowledge about their acute senses, having employed some manner of runic technology to mask their scent through the sea as many other aquatic specimens.

    However, unlike her daughters, Iris¡¯ experience and adaptability were so far beyond her previous capabilities that Jumi¡¯kerune could not account for them.

    Iris moved to the room, which was the bathing room the Nalvean woman she imposed was supposed to have already clean, and setting her bucket of solution down, she activated the heating technology to start the sauna; Statesman Ara¡¯gora would be joined by his most trusted counselor soon to have their mid-day meeting and second daily cleanse.

    Spreading out some of the water as the red liquid of the Great Ruby Lakes was pumped onto the hot gems to release steam in the area, she began scrubbing the seats to clean them in the traditional manner.

    When pursuing Jumi¡¯kerune, she¡¯d taken several forms of the aquatic life until finding a species that could provide her with the senses she needed to at least have a general understanding of where the underwater vessel her enemies used had gone.

    Her metamorphosis ability had a few slots that she could save if she wished to keep that particular genetic marker to transform for later, yet they were limited, meaning Iris had to find new sample material to reconstitute the form whenever she was required to shift her key predatory or prey species to another.

    Currently, she could only keep the figure of a Nalvean, human, Jukal, and Ri¡¯bot, and had three more slots at this point that she could swap between since these creatures didn¡¯t offer many advantages other than the sensory niche she needed at the time.  If it became too hard to find one of the creatures, she¡¯d keep the rarer of the few to save time.

    At first, the trail went straight south, seemingly attempting to take the route the High Ruler considered¡ªUrna¡¯naga City-State¡ªunder Stateswoman Kulumi¡¯s care.

    Yet as she¡¯d followed the unique sense of smell her form at the time allowed, tracking a particular style of fish that gathered in schools, the one she followed at that time being far larger than it should have been, the disguised school had taken her to the west.

    It was too obvious to this hunter, following the other predators of her transformation on the path of the school that appeared out of nowhere, and as expected, it soon dwindled to nothing, confusing those that followed her for Iris to leave them for her next metamorphosis.

    Her next target was the large river that split Masrika City-State from Orphia, Statesman Baltoma¡¯s City-State, which would have been quite a blow to the High Ruler if they colluded against him, as she¡¯d learned more about the political landscape of the Empire.

    Yet again, the trail dwindled out, which required her to find another species to pursue her target, bringing her to curve above Orphia, skirting the shores of Nali¡¯masha City-State¡ªa powerful island influence at the heart of the Empire.  She thought they¡¯d stop there, but she was wrong as the path brought her across open waters to Komrnith City-State¡¯s shores¡ªright to Statesman Ara¡¯gora¡¯s seaside castle.

    Unfortunately, it was here she had lost the scent using the method she¡¯d been using, and Iris suspected the large fortress had a hidden underwater seaway that the Grand Designer had built into the area, but she was far from out of options</a>.

    Working the area, it didn¡¯t take long for her current targets to come bustling in after removing their garments in the previous room¡ªthe culture wasn¡¯t abashed in dispensing such articles in specific settings¡ªand a worker involved in their task or of the opposite gender didn¡¯t bother the race; the purpose of clothing was to show standing and dignity in both public and private.

    The Statesman had blue scales, flecked with a tint of yellow, which set many of his people apart; he was above average in the Nalvean social ranking of attraction, and this year would be his one-hundred and twenty-fifth.

    Coming to a stop as he entered, the dignified man released a soft sigh upon breathing in the steam she¡¯d already been building.  ¡°Huu-haaa¡­  Mmgm.  Jusi¡¯nalra, why has your task not already been completed by this hour?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Governor Hekiti added.  ¡°It is unusual for you to not have the area cleaned by the scheduled time.¡±

    Iris bowed her head and placed her fist against her chest, making the gestures she¡¯d observed the woman perform throughout the day when communicating to her superiors.  ¡°I apologize for my tardiness, Statesman, Governor.¡±

    ¡°Humph?¡±  Ara¡¯gora blinked, breathing in the fumes Iris secreted through her scales, having adapted her biology to incorporate one particular poison of a fish on the lower end of the food chain.  ¡°Have¡­ you always spoken with such¡­ poise and refinement, Jusi¡¯nalra?¡±

    The Governor made a weak gesture in agreement, coughing a tad as he stumbled back to sit down, the fast-acting toxin already taking effect.  ¡°I have not heard such¡­ from none other than those of the Grand Council¡­¡±

    Iris adopted a mask of concern to support the Statesman as he nearly tipped to the side, helping him to the bench as the steam and invisible poison swirled around them.  ¡°Are you feeling well, My Lord?  You look tired.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­  I don¡¯t feel¡­ tired¡­  A tad dizzy, I suppose.¡±

    She¡¯d tested the effects of the mild toxin earlier to gauge its effectiveness on Jusi¡¯nalra¡ªthe woman she impersonated¡ªas she attempted to clean this very room.

    In theory, it acted as a means to disorient the predators that went after this particular species, yet if strengthened and inhaled, it could prove as a usable hypnotic substance to make the subject more suggestible and their memories subject to reconstruction; it also suppressed the retention of short-term memory while drawing on the long-term to keep a target infatuated with areas of their past.

    Now under the influence, Iris straightened in front of the pair.  ¡°Statesman, you were telling me that there were many things you wished to involve me in to support you in your time of need.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ was?  Hmm¡­  Yes, you have been quite¡­ supportive of me over the many years in my service¡­  What were we talking about?¡±

    ¡°An issue involving the Grand Designer; he stopped by not too long ago.¡±

    ¡°Did he?¡±  Governor Hekiti mumbled in disbelief, looking impressed.  ¡°For the Grand Designer to come here¡­  Statesman, are you seeking to pull him away from Everglade?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­  I don¡¯t remember talking about that?  The Grand Designer has contacted me many times, but his visits are always so short¡­ and I didn¡¯t have much time to spend discussing much with the man because my arrangement with Tranalsa proved¡­ earlier than expected.¡±

    Iris¡¯ gaze drifted to the Governor as his eyebrows rose in surprise.  ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me Tranalsa was planning on making a visit¡­  Are things progressing well with the Judicus Isles?¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­  So many demands, but yes¡­  I didn¡¯t plan on meeting her, and it was in the dead of night¡ªthey need to be careful¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course!  Haha.  I can¡¯t imagine what would have happened if the Navy caught wind of it¡ªand to meet in our capital!  I just wish¡ªwhy wouldn¡¯t you tell me, Statesman,¡± he mumbled, tears coming to his eyes.  ¡°We have been preparing¡­ hicc¡­ for years¡­¡±

    It confirmed that one of the most powerful Statesman was plotting with the Judicus Isles; still, she wasn¡¯t too concerned about that¡ªIris was here for her daughter¡ªbut this would be valuable information that would need to be shared with the Empress.

    ¡°How would Tranalsa meet you without drawing notice, Statesman?  I would love nothing more than to ease your burden¡ªit must be stressful¡ªand I want to support you in any way I can.¡±

    ¡°Ah, thank you, Jusi¡¯nalra,¡± the Statesman began to tear up, remembering something in his past.  ¡°It¡¯s been¡ªso hard¡­  I never wanted this, but¡­  When I lost my daughters and wife¡ªI had to pronounce them killed at sea from a storm, but¡ªbut¡­¡±

    ¡°It was the Judicus Isles¡­  They still have your family?¡±

    ¡°Tail splitters¡ªhicc,¡± Hekiti cursed, rubbing his slick face as he tried to control his emotions in the toxic fog.  ¡°I¡ªI say we send the whole fleet to Uni¡¯ratashina!  W-We cannot allow them¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡±  the Statesman growled.  ¡°No, Hekiti, we cannot or¡ªor I may get another tail sent to me¡­  It may be one of my daughter¡¯s next, and I cannot subject them to that¡­  My wife must live without her tail, and¡­ and it is not only my children at risk, but many across our land¡ªthe Pirate Lords have been preparing this for many years.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Iris folded her hands behind her back to stare between them; Voukey made his rounds nearby, which was perfect timing.  ¡°Is Jumi¡¯kerune supporting you?¡±

    ¡°Gah¡­  I only wish he could be like you, Jusi¡¯nalra¡ªI don¡¯t know half of what we speak about¡­ he always leaves me in such a fog.¡±

    In the rising steam, Iris would need to revert to her human form to have the required senses to identify what she suspected, and taking the opportunity when both Nalveans glared at the floor, she found the waves¡ªJumi¡¯kerune did get to the Empire¡¯s youngest princess through Ara¡¯gora¡ªthe Statesman had been controlled first.

    Knowing pushing for specific information could damage the host and not having the proper knowledge to handle the deprogramming, Iris asked one question before ceasing her manipulation and leaving the pair to recover.

    ¡°Where do you meet the Great Designer when he visits our city, Statesman?  I will be sure to make it spotless when he next arrives.¡±

    Ara¡¯gora waved his hand dismissively.  ¡°Mgmm¡­  Mesna¡­  Why are you here?  Did you¡ªescape?¡±

    ¡°The Grand Designer?¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­  Yes, of course, Mesna¡­¡±  he rose, tears in his eyes as he hugged her, Iris allowing it; the toxin was drawing him too deep into its mesmerizing spiral, and the Governor seemed very susceptible to the delusions because he was now in his own little world.

    ¡°Never would I dream of having you clean anything yourself, Mesna¡­  No, heh, but you needn¡¯t worry about such things¡ªbecause¡­ because he always asks me to accompany him in inspecting the Royal Crypts outside the city¡ªyou know he loves the architecture¡­¡±

    Iris morphed into her human state, instantly delivering another solution through her hair directly into his primary vein, and leaned them against the wall; opening the door, she allowed the fog to be pushed out by the pressure.

    The pair would sleep until the next guard patrol saw the unusual sight of the door being open and investigated; she¡¯d already laid the footprints of foul play by a third party from inside the kitchens, leading to a criminal in the city she¡¯d spotted in her initial examination of the population.

    Fascinating yet understandable¡­ laying out my webs throughout the city yielded few results because they never entered it.

    Calmly walking to the nearest window, she transformed into her perfected Jukal state to swiftly make her way to the area the Statesman had indicated, and on her path to the location, Voukey met her in the skies; the Supreme Molifoph was quite attractive for his species, leaving a trail of emerald colors.

    ¡°High Lady Iris¡­  I cannot help but notice how ravishing you are as a Jukal; I cannot say I have seen any of such splendor in the far north.  Might there be time for me to inform you of the current state of the Empire?¡±

    Indeed.  Accompany me.  I am in the process of investigating a possible lead in discovering the location of my youngest daughter.

    ¡°Excellent news, High Lady!  I will summarize as best I am able.¡±

    On their path, she gained a general understanding of the network the Flock General had been planting throughout the Nalvean Empire; Klaus was busy setting up the future of their dealings with the Nalvean Empire, and Mirelitel was becoming an important starting point for gaining a foothold in the political system.

    Further information regarding the Covenant was provided, making Iris¡¯ blood boil at the thought of what Sar''ollaz</a> had done to her¡ªshe still couldn¡¯t return to her true Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form¡ªand it seemed him forcing her to stay in a human state had imprinted it as her default figure.

    He hadn¡¯t been in contact with their Empress for a few days as he¡¯d worked his way down to her, but he planned to return at once when finished here, making a short detour to gain a report from Garu, currently to the east of their borders.

    Once he¡¯d finished informing her of the state and current plans of their Empire, Iris detailed her own journey and discovery to be returned.  Their flight was so fast that she was still discussing it as they entered the Royal Crypts, effortlessly bypassing the guards by putting them to sleep.

    Finally, she had Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s scent as she proceeded, Voukey walking beside her, wings folded tightly against his sides to fit in the space, and the giant bird joined her in the final stretch to get a firsthand display of what she¡¯d already discovered through her reaching webs.

    Passing through several hidden passageways, quickly identifying the places the runes intersected to activate them¡ªthe pattern was simple to trace that they¡¯d left¡ªand once descending more than fifty meters below the surface, they found life.

    Iris had already scouted most of the lengthy crypt, and before them stood two terrified, paralyzed, white-scaled Nalveans, posted as guards in front of a wide tunnel.

    Voukey¡¯s deep and smooth voice transferred to her as she shoved them to the side with the sea of obsidian and snow-like silk filling the damp, dark corridors.  ¡°Hmm.  So, the Judicus Nalveans and Jumi¡¯kerune are connected.¡±

    It appears so, Iris muttered, cold hatred in her breast.  Likely, he is the orchestrator behind this uprising, on Demon¡¯s orders.

    ¡°It appears that way indeed, High Lady¡­¡±  the bird replied as her silk continuously moved to provide him a clear path to walk.  ¡°Through sound, I have identified a hundred and seventy-three Nalveans, yet I do not hear the movement of someone of Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter size, as I have been told is a part of Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s group.¡±

    I doubted I would find them here; this is simply a backdoor the Judicus Pirates use to get into the Great Ruby Lakes.  What do your ears tell you about the tunnels?

    ¡°A great underground network of rivers, High Lady, stretching beyond even my perception to grasp, yet I believe it connects to the great gulf to Komrnith¡¯s northwest and to areas along its eastern shoreline.¡±

    Hands held casually behind her back, Iris and Voukey exited into a grand cavern; it had been excavated to comfortably fit hundreds of living quarters for soldiers.  It was immediately evident the area was regularly stocked¡ªa pirate haven that was nearly complete¡ªmeaning the attack on Statesman Baltoma a few weeks ago was only the beginning of their escapades.

    Gazing over the small town that no doubt the Grand Designer had been developing for some time unbeknown to Statesman Ara¡¯gora.  One of the most heavily fortified Nalvean cities, Komrnith, had such a weak point under its very feet.  It was no wonder Judicus had managed to spirit away so many high-ranking individuals¡¯ families without anyone being the wiser.

    Jumi¡¯kerune had planted the seeds long before, and all of the guards posted in this area had the same spiritual control runes placed on them as the Statesman; they¡¯d discovered a colossal plot against the Nalvean Empire that spanned centuries in the making.

    Seeds of discord had been placed, networks developed, and a grand board set to allow a group of Pirate Lords to utterly destroy an entire Empire; Demon worked slowly and methodically.

    ¡°What are your orders, High Lady?¡±  Voukey asked, intense glowing eyes drifting to the helpless pirates as her webs layered the entire cavern.

    Hmm¡­  We find the leader of this group.  I kill him, dispose of the rest, and you bring the body back to the Empress to be questioned.  As for me, I will continue my hunt now that I have rediscovered Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s path.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Making her way to the nearest pirate, Iris stood before him, transforming as she walked to display her lovely Nalvean form; now that her webs were spun, she could manipulate them for the most part in whatever state Iris took¡ªalthough there were limitations as to the poisons she could incorporate¡ªher human metamorphosis had become her base, and all of her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra talents had melded with it.

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I will be clear¡­  Take me to the person who leads you.  If you do not, the pain you will suffer you cannot comprehend.  Observe.¡±

    His quivering eyes could hardly move with the poison locking his muscles, and she used the silk to pull over his compatriot; without warning, his scales began to fall off, skin discoloration starting to take on a bright purple hue as he screamed in agony.

    Voukey.

    ¡°Implode.¡±  One word and the sonic forces condensing around him violently collapsed his figure into a tight, bloody ball of flesh, wind swirling around them.

    ¡°As you can see, it is quite excruciating, and it will last for weeks.  I will leave you here¡­ alone and in the dark, unable to move or scream.  Am I clear?¡±

    Releasing him from the feed of poison, he slowly regained his faculties, quivering in terror; he wet himself as the toxin faded and collapsed to his butt, legs unable to support him.  ¡°I¡­  I¡ªI understand¡­  P-Please¡­¡±  Sweat pooled between his scales, vision centered on her.  ¡°Please don¡¯t kill m-me¡­¡±

    A half-smile lifted her Nalvean lips as she bent down to slide her fingers down the side of his lower jaw, making him stiffen in shock.  ¡°You will die¡­ that is not the question, but how you die is what you must decide.  Now, guide us to your leader.¡±

    Injecting him with hormones to bring his faculties better under control, she followed him through the winding stone path until arriving on the docks, where a group of Nalveans stood in place, still paralyzed by her poison.

    ¡°H-Him¡­¡±

    Web circling around him to pull toward Iris, she gave him an unimpressed stare as the silk flowed.  ¡°I can tell you are not lying¡­  Have your reward¡­¡±

    Her microscopic thread penetrated his skin and destroyed his brain, leaving not a mark on his body as the pirate crumbled to the ground.

    Iris directed the Nalvean Pirate Captain to the white-skinned Nalveans around them with a small chuckle.  ¡°Perhaps at some point, you will be reunited with your people¡­¡±

    ¡°N-No!¡±  As her poison left, she instantly killed every Nalvean in the entire area.  ¡°W-Wha¡­ you¡­ what?!¡±

    Without remark on his rambling, Iris scrambled his brain and wrapped him in a neat gift to place on the back of Voukey¡¯s back.  I leave him in your care.

    The giant bird bowed his head as she returned to her human state, scanning the waters of the now silent cavern, only broken by the rushing waters.  ¡°Always a pleasure, High Lady Iris.  I will return with this troubling news at once.¡±

    He turned and made his way back to the front of the crypt, Iris¡¯ narrowed eyes scanning the red waters.  Voukey¡­

    ¡°Yes, High Lady?¡±

    You don¡¯t hear any other sounds of life?

    ¡°Sea life, yes, and if you take a left, left, right, center, and left tunnels, it should open to the far south of Komrnith and the ocean.  Other than that, I believe a few areas go further below ground, which could be where the submarine¡ªas High Lady Tiffany calls it¡ªmay have gone.¡±

    Hmm.  Very well, carry on.

    Jumping into the water and leaving her webs behind as a statement, she shifted between forms to find her next lead; her daughter would not be used against her as the Statesman were.  Iris left the field of corpses behind her, finding the trail far easier to follow in the confined space; she was gaining ground.

    * * *

    Elinor sat on her throne, overlooking her Empire as the days passed; the two Sages were making beautiful strides in bringing Nethermore out of its dead shell, and all humans, Ri¡¯bot, and Yaltha¡¯ma, were now migrating to a few districts.

    Noa had been connected to the city, allowing her full access to interact with the citizens, practically making the A.I. break down in tears to have so many people that wanted to be friends with her.  She was almost becoming a semi-help assistant, saying her name to get her to pop up and direct people to specific areas.

    Some humans were resistant to being grouped with the Ri¡¯bot¡ªstill holding some grudges¡ªyet she couldn¡¯t allow them to grow more separated; Gwen and Lucky were making strides in getting the various races to work together in their new home.

    It helped that many facilities were now coming back online with the Sages¡¯ guidance, and Azalea had taken control of keeping her guarded.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l was on her way to a full recovery, and earlier that day, Violet regained consciousness; the young Th¨¦lm¨¦thra was showing similar recovery signs as Camellia exhibited a few days earlier and was now being taken care of by her eldest sister and the human teens.

    Elinor loved it because the experiences drew the sisters closer to how they had treated one another before.  The exposure also made the humans less fearful of the armored spiders.

    It was nearly three days earlier that Voukey returned with his reports, including a Judicus Nalvean strapped to his back; Azalea had a tad bit of trouble unweaving her mother¡¯s web, considering Violet was out of commission.

    She¡¯d interrogated the spirit, not finding him all that impressive to revive.  Apparently, a new technology from one particular pirate group¡ªthe Yupsy Confederacy¡ªhad primarily been responsible for changing the game.

    Information wasn¡¯t nearly as widespread in this world without the internet, and what he had to share was more or less hearsay passed between captains of various crews; the area he¡¯d been overseeing was a year-long endeavor shared by the Pirate Union.

    Discovering the hostage situation regarding many of the southern City-States had been a surprise, and it became more apparent why so much pressure had been placed on their High Ruler by this opposing faction.  If it had just been one Statesman or just Ara¡¯gora¡¯s own problem, he would have likely put the state of the Empire above even his family.

    However, it was far more interconnected and insidious than that, applying stress from the Trade Unions to critical members of communities and infrastructure to entire systems being infected by dubious players; there was literally no one they could trust¡ªwhich put Elinor in a fantastic position¡ªIris could dismantle the whole operation herself as she searched for her daughter.

    Klaus was making great strides in regards to their budding relationship with the Empire, and Tal¡¯tamine would be making a visit that would be more permanent than she initially thought, scheduled to leave today for their land, but the reasoning was perfectly acceptable.

    The last thing they needed was the Nalvean Empire to collapse into civil war from her assassination for the Pirate Lords attacking them in their moment of weakness.

    Garu¡¯s encounter with the pirates was also troubling; the Seedlings, as they were calling those with it, were now making their way through the city to her, which meant she¡¯d need to go to the Throne Room soon.

    10,000 Ri¡¯bot¡­ plus whatever the other two clans have, and now we have this Sand Clan.  What should I do about them?  We should know if they enter the valley with Violet¡¯s security webs, and it wouldn¡¯t be that difficult to launch an assault in the right manner, but¡­ should I kill them?

    It wasn¡¯t about the Death Energy but the Exp that she¡¯d gain, allowing her to raise the cap of her Death Pool further to sustain her ever-growing need; she was running low on positions with all of the Unintelligent Undead she¡¯d risen.

    A large group had followed the rogue Runic A.I. out of their lands before needing to retreat; she didn¡¯t want to cause a false perception to any other nation without being able to address it herself.

    Quin and Valdar were traveling around the north, spreading the word of her glory, which seemed to be having success; her following was steadily increasing.

    Presently, the biggest thing that had been on her mind was this extra Seed within her¡ªthis religious side¡ªyet there wasn¡¯t much they could do about it until Sari¡¯a¨¦l recovered to give them more information on it, which should be tomorrow.

    Then again, they were two days away from a pivotal moment¡ªSari¡¯ael and Orinvia¡¯s contest¡ªand it was prudent to conceive the event would attract a few of the other members to sit in and watch.

    Ever since her encounter with Becdeth, she hadn¡¯t heard from the enigmatic individuals, and that was a tad concerning; she had no clue what they actually did or desired¡ªin fact, it appeared even Sar¡¯ollaz, as powerful as he was, didn¡¯t have complete control over his faction¡ªthey did what they wanted.

    Lexi and Serris had remained in the city, the mantis-like insect still recovering, taking much longer than Violet to regain consciousness after her stunt.

    Elinor figured someone would eventually show up to take the pair unless Sar¡¯ollaz had utterly abandoned them for several reasons Tiffany and she had theorized, but that was yet to be seen.  Also, Baxter</a> would likely recover soon unless his state after the Seraph¡¯s attack was too far beyond repair.

    Prompting her portable chair to turn, Elinor gazed upon the sleeping form of Sari¡¯a¨¦l; many of her feathers were returning out of shimmering golden light.

    Not entirely trusting her Grand Ritualist after her previous statement about the angel¡¯s physical capabilities of bearing a child in her weakened state, she¡¯d transported the Seraph to her room for her Maids to take care of.

    Luisina Aristizabal, her Reiki Butterfly healing Maid, had been enjoying the task of taking care of the angel.

    Without the Seraph, Elinor felt somewhat vulnerable, especially with Demon¡¯s runic avatar still in their maximum-security prison nearby; he¡¯d been shockingly silent whenever she¡¯d gone to see him, seemingly wearing a smug grin on his metallic</a> face.

    Moving to the Throne Room, Elinor waited for the humans to arrive with Garu; Tiffany soon joined her, practically salivating for the opportunity to further understand the Seeds.  Edmon was busy every second of every day, overseeing projects¡ªthey were becoming a legitimate nation.

    The colossal main entrance doors were opened by fully fleshed Unintelligent Quen¡¯Talrat, having built up their levels through killing wildlife throughout the weeks, and the small throng of humans followed Garu and Nelika, the new ambassador from one of the desert clans.

    Tiffany sat on her own throne to Elinor¡¯s left, waiting for the group to approach with anticipation, and Theresa</a> introduced her to the nervous humans and Ri¡¯bot.  Elinor¡¯s gaze lingered on each one as they went to the platform to present themselves to her, yet her mind was listening to Garu¡¯s identification of each.

    None of them had significant importance other than the possible Artificer and how the Seed might respond when raising someone from the dead.

    Nelika didn¡¯t have much to say other than she was here to represent her great-grandfather, and the poor girl was stumbling over her words and twisting her tongue every time she tried to speak, clearly overwhelmed.

    The only important thing was the Seeds, so she swiftly powered through the pleasantries and formalities, yet one thing did catch her interest.

    ¡°Nicole,¡± Elinor called, singling the young, twelve-year-old Fae Wood Dryad out.

    ¡°Y-Yes, Empress?¡±  she nervously curtsied in the dress given to her on her path to this audience after Gwen learned about the group from Lucky.

    ¡°I have someone I¡¯d like you to meet; I believe you will get along well with a young Maid of mine.  Her name is Aileen, and she will guide your group around the open-access areas.  Feel free to make yourself at home¡­  If you choose to make my Empire your home, I welcome you.¡±

    They all swallowed and gave her more awkward bows before Elinor hummed, silencing them as she held out her hand for emerald flames to light across them; dozens of butterflies floated out to hover around the dead teenage boy and girl they¡¯d laid out for her¡ªthe elderly Ri¡¯bot Garu had brought with them could wait.

    ¡°Well?¡±  Tiffany eagerly asked, practically sitting on the edge of her throne.

    Hmm¡­  Vega Jim¨¦nez can be raised as an Epic-Grade Smith, and yes¡­  I do feel a pulsing power within her.  Yago Cerecero can take on the Spy¡ªthe Morph Subclass¡ªsimilar to Iris, which could be useful to Klaus.

    ¡°Ooh!  We could get someone in to finally talk to the humans Yesenia has kept from us?¡±

    It is a dangerous job, but possible.  Now, we¡¯ll see what the Seed does when I raise their host¡­

    ¡°I¡¯m so excited!  Is your other Seed resonating with it?¡±

    In a way¡­  Interesting.

    Adoncia</a> entered the hall with a blanket to wrap around the rotting and ravaged bodies as the fire ate away their clothing; so far as she was aware, Adoncia seemed to be getting along better with her brother, which was good.

    Flames erupted around the pair, and as she tugged their spirits, housing their Seeds, back to the land of the living, she felt them be consumed by her own, giving her a wealth of points to be used.

    Hmm-hmm¡­  I absorbed them.

    ¡°That is fascinating!¡±  Tiffany cooed, but she paused when Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed, unseen by those below because of the distance.  ¡°What is it?¡±

    Elinor rose to her feet to move to her portable throne as her new subjects slowly rose; Cristian was trying to hold himself back from rushing to embrace his best friend, tears in his eyes.

    Vega, Yago, you may spend the rest of the evening as you wish; if you have questions, ask Aileen.

    Vega gripped her silken blanket tighter around her body, face a tad red at suddenly being brought back totally naked.  ¡°Y-Yes, Empress!  Uh¡ªwoah¡­ I died¡­  Am I talking in my head¡ªtelepathy?!¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±  Yago mumbled, almost letting his blanket slip at the shock, yet both swiftly bowed as she prepared to leave.  ¡°Thank you, Empress!¡±

    ¡°Yes!  T-Thank you, Empress!  I¡¯ll try to¡ªto do what I can¡­  I know I¡¯m not the best, but¡­¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  That is enough, Dears.  It seems the Empress has some pressing business.  Have your fun today.¡±

    ¡°¡°Yes, High Lady Tiffany!¡±¡±

    A frown in place, Elinor leaned against the side of her throne, knuckles pressed against her lips and nose while retreating to her tower.

    Communication turning private, Tiffany ordered her own newly made throne to follow hers.  ¡°What is it, Elinor¡ªIs there a problem?¡±

    Let me think for a moment¡­

    Several possibilities were flaring into life as they rose to the upper floors; this hadn¡¯t been something she¡¯d considered at all, and it had the potential to be quite dangerous.

    Once inside her colossal room on the top floor of her tower, Elinor prompted the spider to lower itself to the floor and stepped off to stand before the window.  Her vision drifted to the hidden island of Sha¡¯Guala</a>; the unsettling specter of Becdeth</a> lingered on her mind, putting a shiver</a> through her artificial bones.

    Becdeth is far more than I gave him credit for¡­

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    I¡¯m sure he knows so much more¡­  He only speaks the truth, huh?  Heh, it, I suppose the creature doesn¡¯t even really have a gender.

    ¡°Elinor, help me understand what you¡¯re so agitated by.  Please, Empress, let me share in whatever you¡¯re contemplating,¡± Tiffany pleaded, walking to stand next to her.

    Elinor shifted her hand to press her fingers against her left diamond earring before removing it and holding it in front of her with a dark glare.  This¡­ isn¡¯t my Seed¡­  It¡¯s not even really my spirit¡­  It¡¯s my sister¡¯s.

    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand, heh¡­  How does that make sense?¡±  Tiffany asked.  ¡°Your sister would have been in my womb, right?  Also, why would you place your sister¡¯s spirit, that you knew nothing about, in another earring?¡±

    Honestly¡­  I don¡¯t know, Tiffany.  If I consumed my sister in the womb, perhaps it has always been a part of me¡­ influencing me to some degree.  I tapped into her power when making the Religious System, and she is the foundation of that¡ªI¡¯m sure now¡ªbut at the same time, it is as if she is chained to me¡­ unable to rest.

    Tiffany¡¯s illuminated orange irises lingered on the black jewel, lips tight.  ¡°If¡­ that is the case¡­  Can you resurrect your sister, and why have you never noticed you could until now?  No, unless¡­ the two Seeds you absorbed?¡±

    Yes¡­  My sister absorbed them through me, and now, I have the option of mending her spirit to be raised.

    ¡°Mend?¡±

    It¡¯s been ravaged¡­ possibly by me in my mother¡¯s womb when we were first born, but it¡¯s just a theory.  My concern is that if I do raise her or give her more of a place, can she break free and become independent of me?  Hmm¡­  I have to at least meet her, though.

    ¡°In spirit,¡± Tiffany asked.  ¡°How powerful is she compared to you¡ªhas she been leeching off of your Exp this entire time?¡±

    She has¡­  We seem to be bonded in some¡­ almost fundamental way, yet I can clearly distinguish I am the superior¡­  That doesn¡¯t mean she isn¡¯t powerful¡­  Heh, she definitely is.

    ¡°Transcendent?¡±

    Beyond that¡­

    ¡°What?  How is that possible¡­  What is she then?¡±

    Hmm¡­  So far as I can tell by holding her in my hand¡­ nearly an equal to me.  Above the Royal Court.

    ¡°That¡­ is concerning.  We would need to obey her?¡±  Tiffany hissed, arms crossing under her bust.

    Yes, but my orders supersede hers¡­  However¡­  A shiver running down her spine, Elinor nervously turned to the unconscious Seraph.  Sari¡¯ael¡¯s bond is more closely tied to my sister¡¯s Seed than mine.

    ¡°Unacceptable,¡± Tiffany flatly denied.  ¡°Too much of a risk!  If she even has the possibility of turning Sari¡¯ael against you¡­  It is not worth it!¡±

    Gut tightening at the very prospect, questions flooded her mind.

    I would wholeheartedly agree, Tiffany, but¡­  Apollo was the one who did this.  Sari¡¯ael is not Undead, and I suspect that is a reason why I was not the primary link¡­  We share her, and if that is the case, I cannot think Apollo would do something to hurt his daughter, and putting her between us¡­ it would do that.  So¡­  I believe I have to at least entertain the idea¡­  Mmgm¡­  Yet, Becdeth¡¯s warning makes me hesitate.

    ¡°What warning?¡±

    Not wanting to voice it, seeing as it was aimed at the ones she trusted the most, which Tiffany included.  Especially considering she''d recently discovered the dangers her Grand Ritualist presented in how far the woman was willing to go.

    I have to meet her.

    ¡°Can we think about this?  We should hold off until Edmon, Iris, and Sari¡¯ael are here¡ªwe can¡­¡±

    I know it¡¯s a risk, Elinor whispered, and call it an undying curiosity¡­ but I feel in my soul¡­  I would regret not providing my sister a second chance.  Well¡­  What is my sister like¡­

    Spending the 3,000 Death Energy with the Seeds her sister had absorbed as materials to restore her spirit to health, she brought her out to speak, and Elinor¡¯s Undead heart stopped as all time seemed to follow.

    A radiance of light broke across the firmament as if heaven itself gave way, and a soft, familiar melody</a> of two divine female voices broke into song; the diamond in her hand went from black to gold, floating into the air to attach to a radiance.

    Backing up several steps, Tiffany moved in front of her with her astonished Maids, totally unprepared for what was happening, yet in the next instant, all of her subjects froze, utterly overwhelmed by the powerful presence that passed through them with her reviving sister.

    The effulgence materialized into a mirror of her¡ªan identical twin¡ªyet somehow slightly more lovely, in an almost radiant way; the image she¡¯d been shown of her perfected self by Ana''u¨¦l, the ten-winged Daughter of the Sun that escorted her to see Apollo.

    However, instead of white or black hair, as her locks used to be, her sister¡¯s was an incandescent gold sheen that reflected the heavenly welcome; her aquamarine irises opened as a soft half-smile lifted her cheeks, almost a smirk.

    A voice like honey and wine, her words awoke something buried within Elinor¡¯s soul, touching it to the Core, and unlike all other spirits¡¯ she¡¯d raised, it seemed the world would know someone grand had entered the stage.  ¡°It appears we are limited on time, Eldest Sister¡­  Hmm-hmm¡­  I look forward to when we can have a proper chat, Ereshkigal</a>.¡±

    Without thinking, her little sister¡¯s name came to Elinor¡¯s lips.  ¡°Inanna</a>¡­¡±

    The heavens closed, her sister pulled back into the purified vessel that held her restored spirit; they were sisters, bound in a conflict that stretched back throughout antiquity, yet at some point, Elinor had won, and this was to be her final incarnation before ascending again¡ªthese Seeds had ruined that plan.

 B3 â€” 33. The Return, Jailor Of Eternities

    The colossal reverberation</a> of a horn blared throughout the valley, likely heard by all civilizations nearby, warning of something even the Ke would have considered a threat.

    Elinor calmly turned to see Sari¡¯a¨¦l stir on her bed, the Seraph¡¯s mostly restored wings rising; the influx of divine force must have forced her conscious, but she couldn¡¯t deliberate on the topic for long.

    Memories of times long past, fractured pieces of her many incarnations blooming like supernovae in an instinctual knowledge of vast periods she¡¯d experienced by the resonance her little sister and the heavens momentarily parting had revealed.

    Noa appeared by her side, face ashen with fright</a>. ¡°Empress¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re already here,¡± Elinor muttered, vision wandering to the titanic entities of the Covenant materializing around the room, two of which she had yet to have met, and not one spoke as they observed her.

    Their immense collective presence weighed down on her Maids¡¯ returned spirits, causing them to fall to the ground; the Seraph swiftly flew to her side to support them with her own peaceful aura, although their horrific company failed to have the same ring to Elinor as it once had.

    ¡°Edmon!¡± Tiffany growled, Azalea taking up a defensive position in front of Elinor.

    ¡°I can¡¯t get there fast¡ª¡±

    ¡°There is no fear of conflict with the Covenant,¡± Sari''a¨¦l¡¯s soothing voice interjected.

    ¡°Noa,¡± Elinor coolly stated, internally and aloud to silence the panic seeping through the Nexus at the Covenant¡¯s sudden arrival, ¡°if you could transport Theresa</a> and Luisina</a> below before taking Azalea, Edmon, and us to the War Council room on the twentieth floor of the Tower to discuss the previous event.¡±

    ¡°Empress¡­ Umm,¡± Noa teleported the two maids, yet hesitated on the other command, drawing her emerald gaze. ¡°I wanted to warn you¡ªmy father has been resurrected¡­¡±

    Tinted lips tightening at the turn of events, Elinor¡¯s eyes wandered between the growing Covenant members appearing around them; at least they were currently keeping their peace, showing they understood she needed to address the confusion in her ranks. ¡°Explain.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ When the sky split open¡ªthere was a massive influx of forces, which, umm, seemed to have triggered some kind of action in what you call the Life Fruit.¡±

    Tiffany hissed, already on edge by the silent and hovering entities observing them, some smiling and others giving imperceptible expressions. ¡°What is Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma doing?¡±

    ¡°So far as I can see¡­ He is sitting on the ground, puzzling out his situation with a cowering human nearby.¡±

    The Witch¡¯s fingers tightened into fists. ¡°Ugh¡­ Our Head of State candidate was also brought back to life.¡±

    Pondering the addition, Elinor clasped her hands behind her back and smiled; many things were clearing in her foggy brain. ¡°Noa, teleport Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma to the War Council with us¡ªEdmon, Tiffany, direct the others to calm the Empire¡­ I will make an emergency announcement in the coming hours.¡±

    Tiffany tried to smile as she took control. ¡°I understand¡ªmmh?!¡±

    As the environment changed to their new location, runes spinning into existence around them, Elinor took a new Passive Skill and destroyed 65% of her Unintelligent Undead.

    ¡°Elinor, why¡­ Our forces are¡­¡±

    Unneeded. I am not a necromancer, Tiffany¡­ I am The Jailor of the Damned.

    The 3,000 Death Energy she¡¯d spent to talk to her sister was restored at the sacrifice¡ªthousands of bones crumbled to the floor¡ªand she took several more Skills from the many points she¡¯d gained from absorbing the experience of the Seeds in the two humans.

    A small smirk lifted her cheeks as she appeared on the hard-silk platform of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s colossal chair¡ªshe stood at the head of the table¡ªwhile the intimidating, eight-limbed, two-headed, 10-meter tall white gorilla rose to his full height, two long tails spreading out. He was a few dozen meters to the left of the massive table.

    ¡°Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma,¡± Elinor greeted, ¡°welcome back to the living world.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Hot air pumped through his nostrils; his toothy grin flashed as the ape¡¯s eyes scanned the powerful entities taking the various seats of his former Kings and Queens. ¡°Interesting¡­ Empress Elinor, much has changed since we last spoke.¡±

    So, he does remember our chat; it is imprinted on their spirits when I communicate with them.

    Sari''a¨¦l came between them when the Ke moved to loom above her, focused on Elinor¡¯s position, standing on the Warlord¡¯s previous seat; Edmon jumped to stand beside her to be her defense, but Elinor simply took a step back and situated herself on the propped up silken chair Violet had crafted.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re looking for answers, Ke¡­ Will you join us?¡±

    The Covenant patiently studied the giant Warlord, some with amusement and others annoyed, as Elinor ordered Azalea to customize the wide chairs to support the various members.

    Tiffany had already performed a ritual in this room, so all that spoke could be heard clearly from anywhere in the room.

    All focus was on Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma as his fist came down on the thick wood, protective runes fracturing and several being destroyed by his action, sending a concussive blast of wind that pressed against Elinor¡¯s frame¡ªshe didn¡¯t flinch¡ªyet the ape only laughed.

    ¡°You have piqued my curiosity, Empress¡­ And finally, hehe, I meet creatures worth my presence,¡± he grinned at the Covenant, either forming their own sort of chairs and removing the others or happily waiting for Azalea to do it for them, such as Bo-Ko</a>.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma moved to the Crimson Chair¡ªthe only one large enough for him¡ªbesides the one Elinor occupied¡ªand dropped into it, motioning to the trembling Runic A.I.

    ¡°So, you¡¯ve changed, Noa. Humph. Show me what has become of my Empire¡ªwhat has been done in my absence¡­ Hmm, is that how it is?¡± he mused, rubbing under his left chin as Noa quaked, looking to Elinor for permission.

    ¡°Go on, Noa,¡± Elinor allowed, returning the ape¡¯s stare without reserve, ¡°but Ke, you do recall what I said regarding your people?¡±

    ¡°Humph¡­ I will confirm things for myself.¡±

    ¡°Fair. Now, members of the Covenant, I appreciate your civility and patience. Unfortunately, I would burden you longer¡­ Is that acceptable, Sar¡¯ollaz</a>?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The Devil¡¯s ghastly jaws parted, blood swirled around his horns and teeth, intimidating ruby eyes gleaming with an inner light as his calculating voice projected to all. ¡°We have arrived unannounced. Decorum would see fit to give a member proper time to conduct their business in the wake of such a¡­ disturbing event.¡±

    Nodding to show her acceptance, Elinor used Voukey¡¯s long-distance communication ability to connect to the General, flying swiftly to return to aid her in the unknown pulse that had shaken the Nexus to its core.

    ¡°Empress?!¡±

    I am perfectly fine, Voukey</a>. Redirect your flight to meet with Iris; Tiffany will inform her of what is being spoken in this meeting as it progresses.

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    Edmon, Tiffany, Sari''a¨¦l¡­

    ¡°Yes?¡± the Seraph answered, spinning in the area to give her a gracious bow; Edmon and Tiffany stood on the table¡¯s edge before her.

    I will address this myself. Calm the others; I need to focus my thoughts.

    A little surprised at her declaration, the pair nodded and reluctantly took the thrones prepared for them.

    Knowing many of her subjects would be making their return to try and understand if there had been a drastic metamorphosis in the Empire and if their current orders were subject to change, she accepted it.

    In fact, many things were shifting in Elinor¡¯s mind, and it could spell a dramatic deviation in how she moved forward; attitude turning cold and calculating, her emotions settling back into the chilling rational edge they had been before, Elinor appraised her audience</a>.

    Fingers folding in her lap to cover her little sister¡¯s purified earring, Elinor saw Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma examine the information Noa displayed for him; he seemed to be distracted.

    Naturally, she knew Sar¡¯ollaz wanted to jump in and demand answers¡ªhe had his rules, though, and she would play to them¡ªElinor desired certain knowledge herself, and a wealth of experience was filtering into existence within her being. Give and take; negotiation was the game of the Covenant.

    Most of them she knew. Sar¡¯ollaz sat across from her; Balmuraun being inside the organization''s leader¡ªthe dying deity his people once worshiped¡ªand to Elinor, he was likely a being of the 7th or 8th dimension.

    Arsheh</a>, the Ralgruthiash mockingbird-like woman¡ªlikely as powerful as the 4th dimension¡ªfloated in the air nearby, over the Black Throne; the hollow eyes of the aviary entity studying her intently, looking for things Elinor couldn¡¯t see.

    Situated in the Orange Throne was Aidrh¡¯ruz</a>, the homunculus ape fiend with a flaming crown, which had some form of power and gluttony for the mind and spirit. Such a creature could have sight into the 4th dimension yet likely was on the cusp.

    Bo-Ko was chatting with a confused Azalea, asking her if he could be her friend so they could play string games together; the little owl was captivated by her webs. In terms of time passed since their last encounter, it was an even day, meaning his darker half was suppressed.

    Expectedly, Orinvia</a> was present, sitting beside Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, and without a doubt agitated, although the extra-dimensional warrior had an entirely different cadence to the last time she¡¯d seen her.

    A sharply focused force resonated out of her, reminding Elinor that Sari''a¨¦l couldn¡¯t compete with the creature at the Seraph¡¯s base form, requiring the angel to release the first stage of her Divinity Release ability.

    Baxter wasn¡¯t present.

    So, Elinor¡¯s attention was drawn to the two new additions; she needed to extend the casual banter to give her entangled mind time to settle in the cyclone that filled it, and now her chilled heart was inflamed with emotions of ages past.

    It was as if she¡¯d watched a movie and recalled it as someone brought it up; the recollection wasn''t perfect, yet she understood the plot and critical points.

    This restoration of knowledge had been brought on by her sister¡¯s revived spirit, resonating with hers to pull back the natural curtain that draped over it in their passing and resurrection.

    One thing she knew without a doubt about her little sister¡ªInanna, or Ishtar, as Elinor knew her in their previous life¡ªwere bitter enemies, and Elinor understood the reason for their conflict well. It was always about power with her little sister, but something had changed in the wake of her sister¡¯s final gambit and the Seed¡¯s addition.

    Mind returning to the conference, Elinor¡¯s emerald irises settled on one of the new creatures; it hovered above the Yellow Throne and was composed of muscular, gray flesh, and glowing turquoise globes with swirling brain matter.

    However, as she observed the beast, it morphed into a sort of alien jellyfish before becoming a more humanoid 3-meter tall specter</a>, retaining its previous colors and blue liquid-like features.

    Focus settling on the Devil across from her, Elinor added a dark smile. ¡°It appears more members have joined us, Sar¡¯ollaz. Might they introduce themselves, or can they without the support of Sha¡¯Guala?¡±

    Her soft, soothing voice was like running water, and the creature delivered her words in a noble cadence. ¡°I can communicate perfectly well; that being said, learning your¡­ unusual and unrefined dialect was rather tedious. You may address me as Les¡¯ndrassa, or Bringer of the Tide.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm. I appreciate honesty, Les¡¯ndrassa, and¡­ what of you?¡± she asked, directing her gaze to a 12-meter tall, muscular, demonic</a> man that had spontaneously shrunk to 8-meters to sit on the Green Throne. His shockingly long tail, longer than even Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s, slowly drifted back and forth.

    He had a bare chest and armor covering his abdomen down, being far more human-like than any of the other entities, yet coming off more demonic than anything else.

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡± His deep voice was like lava, rumbling boulders crashing down mountains. ¡°It seems it is time to finally reveal the grand secret you¡¯ve been keeping from me, Becdeth¡­ A Divine in the flesh, he-he-he. You always were crafty to hide your truths in vague comments.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision was drawn to the organic slitted eye in the front of the protective interlocked plates covering his abs as it flicked to her. A smirk showed jagged teeth, and flaming orange irises appraised her as his legs spread comfortably.

    Sar¡¯ollaz¡¯s eyes narrowed, drifting to the chuckling eldritch entity that gave no words in response. ¡°Is that right, Sylez¡­ You knew, Becdeth? For how long¡­ before The Daughter of the Sun made her appearance?¡±

    An amused hum came from Arsheh. ¡°Mmh. Let¡¯s not pretend anything Becdeth does is without importance. Is Becdeth ever surprised? I think not¡­ yet how Elinor has been treated is now brought to light. Still, I could not see it in her when we first met; this¡­ Seed hides it well.¡±

    Orinvia¡¯s harsh snarl followed. ¡°Divine¡ªmortal¡ªit doesn¡¯t matter. In two days, I shall show myself superior to this Daughter of the Sun.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Is that right,¡± Sylez mused. ¡°I can¡¯t say I know much about this little contest. You have my interest, Orinvia.¡±

    The solemn frown Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma wore while studying the runic designs Noa showed him split into a grin, vision drifting to the smiling Seraph, still showing slight damage to her wings. ¡°As you have mine. A contest of strength? Hmm-hmm. A grand way to entertain my return.¡±

    Elinor could see the Ke¡¯s fingers tighten around his chair¡¯s armrest as the titanic entities turned his way; he certainly did meet the qualifications to sit in such company, but without a doubt, some of these creatures far outstripped the strongest Quen¡¯Talrat¡ªstill, he didn¡¯t back down from their intimidating aura.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°Humph,¡± Orinvia grunted, deep black alien eyes shifting to the Seraph; she lifted her unnaturally extended arm for sparks to dance off her claws, forming a black hole. ¡°I could crush you without a thought in your pathetic state.¡±

    Runes flashed across the room in the wake of the energies she was gathering, yet a leisurely gesture from Les¡¯ndrassa caused a flash of blue light to encompass the force, neutralizing it.

    ¡°Have a modicum of rapport, Orinvia. We are guests in the Empress¡¯ home.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±

    Elinor was half-surprised the alien woman settled down at the rebuke, and Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma chuckled with Bo-Ko and Aidrh¡¯ruz, bringing Orinvia¡¯s fiery glare.

    Her calculating, slightly confused mind reaching a new resolution, Elinor was somewhat intrigued by the words that left her lips. ¡°How about an amendment to our previous bargain?¡±

    ¡°Are you frightened I will tear the wings from her back and hang her from the spires of Sha¡¯Guala for all to see your weakness?¡±

    All attention went to her, a challenging smirk in Elinor¡¯s emerald eyes as she stared at the alien. ¡°On the contrary¡­ What do you say we go with your previous offer?¡±

    ¡°To the death, as is the Quecia¡¯s customs?¡± Sylez hummed. ¡°Does that go against the Code we have been placed under, Sar¡¯ollaz? I was¡­ occupied during that time.¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡± the Devil¡¯s ghastly smile parted a tad, intrigue in his voice. ¡°Is this change what altered your decision, Elinor?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps. Do you accept, Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡±

    ¡°If it is your order, I look forward to the thrill of a punishing battle,¡± she harmoniously chimed, showing a radiant smile.

    Orinvia¡¯s sharp teeth flashed, claws sinking past the runic guard on the table to leave impressions in the wood. ¡°To the death.¡±

    ¡°Oh, but there would be another condition¡­¡± Elinor added, making Bo-Ko laugh.

    ¡°Ooh! Elinor! Elinor! Are you going to bring Orinvia back to life? Will she be nicer? Will she play with me?!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see, Bo-Ko.¡±

    ¡°Yay! Oh, show me that ball of silk that turns into the thingy!¡± Bo-Ko asked Azalea, acting as entertainment to her distaste.

    Sar¡¯ollaz¡¯s fingers clasped together, mirroring Elinor¡¯s. ¡°I find your psyche¡­ in a state of chaos, Elinor. Are you positive you can make such a claim while struggling as you are?¡±

    She could feel Edmon and Tiffany¡¯s fright at his statement, internally asking what he meant, yet the answer came from Sylez, laughter in his throat.

    ¡°Empress Elinor, I find it amusing that you call this¡­ shadow being locked in this planet a Demon when I am the authentic thing. A Divine should know the difference, but of course, your spirit and Intelligence are in flux¡­ several sides, vying for supremacy.¡±

    ¡°A Divine, you say¡­ As in, you are a god, Elinor?¡± Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma asked, upper arms folding across his muscular chest.

    ¡°I will speak more to that later, Ke¡­ So, you are an actual Demon from Hell; I thought as much. Hmm-hmm. I believe Sar¡¯ollaz has Devil ancestry, as well¡­ What do you think of that, not being an entirely full-blooded Demon yourself.¡±

    ¡°Mmh,¡± Arsheh sat a little straighter. ¡°You have gained quite a modicum of knowledge from this change. Fascinating.¡±

    Finally, the person she was waiting to address her leaned against the table, his flaming crown flickering. ¡°Empress¡­ I may be of use in helping to balance out this maddening clash of psyche you are experiencing.¡±

    ¡°I figured you would say as much, Aidrh¡¯ruz,¡± she chuckled. ¡°I suppose it would be quite the treat¡­¡±

    His spiraling colossal eyes and flaring markings shimmered with his deep laughter. ¡°Doing so will provide answers for us all¡­ Will it not?¡±

    ¡°What do you want?¡± Elinor asked, shifting to the side of her throne to rest her fist against her cheek.

    ¡°A taste of the Divine Dream¡­¡±

    Arsheh sniffed. ¡°Could you handle that, Aidrh¡¯ruz? I think not.¡±

    ¡°I agree,¡± Les¡¯ndrassa interjected. ¡°Providing a space to merge consciousness in her current state is more than possible, given your prowess, yet the Divine Dream sample¡ªsuch a force would crush you.¡±

    Aidrh¡¯ruz shifted his laughter to the shapeshifting creature and Becdeth. ¡°Not if the two of you act as a medium. I only need a taste, and I have long suspected the two of you had such¡­ tantalizing dreams.¡±

    Becdeth¡¯s male voice resonated, Sylez mirroring him.

    ¡°Do you hear him, Becdeth, speaking of such things so casually; he wishes to enter your dreams?¡±

    Feminine voice tinkling as he shifted his spear to tap the end against the floor, Becdeth¡¯s</a> monstrous jaws widened, claws clicking. ¡°The Dream is always open¡­ To tread in the mist is to test the strength of one¡¯s resolve in seeking that which is just beyond sight. It is the freedom of all to enjoy the rapture that comes from the song.¡±

    Sylez¡¯s nose twitched, and Elinor didn¡¯t miss that the Devil and Demon didn¡¯t address their differences. ¡°Hehe. He¡¯s saying he accepts. Les¡¯ndrassa?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­ I rarely touch such colossal currents, but¡­ a sample should suffice, yet I highly discourage touching Becdeth¡¯s mind, lest you be lost forever, Aidrh¡¯ruz.¡±

    The dream creature turned to her for confirmation, and she shrugged. ¡°If you wish to tempt fate, I have no objection. Begin when ready.¡±

    Sar¡¯ollaz had been surprisingly silent throughout the exchange, vision drifting between his members calculatingly.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma watched in silence, having entered a realm of conversation he knew nothing about, and the complex symbols flowing around him told Elinor he was scanning the forces his runic instruments could detect.

    Elinor watched shadows move across the bright room to encompass her, Aidrh¡¯ruz¡¯s voice linking into her mind. ¡°When you awaken¡­ the truth will remain.¡±

    Mind darkening, feeling the stress of Edmon, Tiffany, and Iris, now joining through Voukey, she slipped into the mouth of the dream entity. Fireworks flashed in the all-encompassing darkness surrounding her, voices and experiences flowing through her like a heart pumping blood.

    The past fragments of her Intelligence were restructured and placed against one another, forced into a pit to fight for supremacy. As she expected, given the strength she¡¯d built over her many incarnations, many rose to the occasion, yet only two remain in the end.

    Elinor, naturally, being the strongest to seat herself in the present, and a distant monolithic Empress that had conquered her entire world, parted the heavens to acquire more of her power, subjugating even the God of the Dead in that plane¡ªOsiris¡ªof course, what was a 7th-dimensional entity of Death to her? She was Irkalla.

    A conflict began, Elinor vs. Irkalla, and in a way, she was disconnected from both because she was both sides of the same coin.

    Elinor was a preppy teenager¡ªinfluenced by her sister in many regards¡ªoriginally a cheerleader, before becoming goth and the Empress of the Dead.

    She now saw her sister¡¯s previous strategy had actually worked to some degree, even if she hadn¡¯t won, she had a victory of sorts; in their previous life, having once again peeled back the curtain between mortal and immortal, as they often did in accessing their powers with their own strength and without support, Ishtar knew she couldn¡¯t win and gambled on their last conflict.

    Ishtar manipulated her own spirit, which was quite the risk, and triggered a fight for supremacy in her final opportunity to show how serious she was¡ªthe conflict she took to the womb¡ªand it nearly ruined her, yet showed her resolve.

    She lost that fight, and instead of being born as twins, as was typical in all their incarnations, Ishtar was absorbed into Elinor¡¯s spirit, which was likely not what she¡¯d planned, but, for the first time, her sister had managed to land a decisive¡ªif temporary¡ªblow against her.

    Ishtar had affected her in ways she¡¯d never experienced as a mortal, to the point of building a sort of family, and battled Elinor internally to enact change.

    Elinor lived through her parents¡¯ deaths, was affected by that in ways she hadn¡¯t known as a Goddess, and forged her own way in this world, cultivating an iron will to never lose that newfound feeling again.

    On the other hand, Irkalla had been born a starved, abandoned child in a harsh kingdom; without a friend or ally, she fought her way into unlocking her powers as the Jailor of the Damned and gradually built her strength in tandem with her little twin sister, born to royalty.

    Irkalla had been abandoned, twins being seen as an omen, yet she survived due to a spurned harlot, hoping to get back at the family by using her connection to the throne. Irkalla had killed her at the age of eight when the harlot attempted to use her to elicit satisfaction from her customers.

    One battle after another, she showed herself unrelenting in the cruel world until the end came¡ªIshtar facing her after both had dead heroes and gods at their feet¡ªand it always finished with Irkalla¡¯s spear in her sister¡¯s chest.

    She sat back, contemplating her altered mental state while her two incarnations prepared for their final showdown; Elinor, the influenced and current seat of power within the many lives she¡¯d lived against Irkalla, the true embodiment of who she was¡ªthe Supreme Goddess; the Jailor of Eternities¡ªin the high heavens.

    In a way, it was a unification of Ishtar and herself against herself, which made for a fascinating clash of wills; as could be expected, Elinor was far outclassed in experience, even with her sister¡¯s support, and, to a certain extent, even their combined resolve paled to the mortal goddess of the past, yet they battled with every ounce of fury and a desire Elinor had to not lose the family she¡¯d cultivated.

    The one tool Elinor had that could equal the playing field was being the current incarnation, having a firm seat, and Ishtar and she used every bit of it to their advantage, digging their heels in and refusing to give ground.

    To Irkalla¡¯s mild surprise¡ªbeing a girl that had never met an equal¡ªshe¡¯d finally found it in the version of herself that Ishtar influenced and supported, which was something of note.

    Neither stood victorious, and for the first time, Irkalla tasted what it was like to not win. Unlike even her own ferocious sister in her prime, the damage Elinor did, with the influence of Ishtar, turned out to be fatal, the young incarnation unwilling to let anyone overtake her, to the point of mutually assured destruction.

    Not one incarnation could overtake Ishtar¡¯s cultivation of the current, but it had been a brutal war nonetheless, and when the last battle ended, Elinor and Irkalla were forced to make peace to survive. Neither had won, each adopting certain parts the other valued to become whole, unifying into what she now was.

    Glowing emerald irises opening, Elinor smiled, retaining her current name; changing it would only cause confusion, and it wasn¡¯t as if she was solely Irkalla.

    Elinor adjusted her posture and gown, observing the throng, firmness and resolve setting into steel. ¡°I remember.¡±

    ¡°Do tell,¡± Sar¡¯ollaz muttered. ¡°What is your purpose in the Covenant and beyond this point?¡±

    Silence fell as Elinor lifted her sister¡¯s spirit, a slight smirk darkening the corner of her mouth. ¡°I am the Supreme Goddess of Death and Life, Ereshkigal. Although, I cannot enact the latter, seeing as it is not my purpose. You see, my little sister, Inanna, shirked her duties as the Supreme Goddess of Life in her youth, forcing me to watch the Wellspring of the Eternities.

    ¡°As the conflicts in the High Heavens raged, I remained in my place unaffected, tending to Irkalla, yet Inanna fought many Gods and Goddesses, conquering heaven to be its Queen. Once at her prime, she came to Irkalla, my Realm, and demanded I return what was rightfully mine since she abandoned her birthright¡­ I refused, and my jury cast judgment with me as the overseer.

    ¡°Inanna put all that was at risk by her childish desires to be free to do as she pleased, and she was free to do so, as I took up her charge, but there are always consequences; if I did not take up her duty, disaster would have reigned. She had a task to fulfill that she failed and then had the nerve to demand it back.¡±

    Elinor lifted her hand, green flames licking down its length as rips appeared in space for chains to spread around the room, the sounds they made in their movement drawing all eyes with Tiffany and Edmon in awe and delight at her proclamation.

    ¡°I am The Jailor of the Eternities¡ªits Supreme Judge¡ªmy little sister was found guilty of treason against all creation; she entered my jurisdiction, where sin is judged, and I struck her dead, split her soul, chained her spirit, and hung her corpse on the ramparts of Irkalla to show no one is above the law, yet a bargain was struck by her beloved heavenly host, seeking her return¡­

    ¡°A contest of sorts to determine if she was worthy of holding the Wellspring of the Eternities once again. If she could show me her conviction to her duty by beating me¡­ only once, in ten thousand conflicts on the mortal plane¡ªwithout blessing, memory, or support beyond what we could grasp using our own will and power¡ªgiven every opportunity, I would return her to life¡­

    ¡°Time after time, we met for battle, building kingdoms and empires across eternity in dozens of omniverses, yet my hands were around Ishtar¡¯s throat every time. I killed her ten thousand times, proving she can never beat me.

    ¡°In this last incarnation, her last chance, heh, and she put everything on the line in one last desperate attempt¡­ and lost the fight in the womb to be absorbed by me. However, this caused an unintended result¡­ which came by chance and was a victory of sorts.¡±

    Her eyes narrowed. ¡°Then¡­ there was this Seed¡¯s interference.¡±

    Releasing her hold over the soul-binding chains, they snapped back into her spirit¡ªthe embodiment of which was Irkalla itself¡ªand summoned the Staff of the Dead</a>. A dualism of sorts, it had a curved, spear-like end that expressed Irkalla¡¯s influence, and the top was a mass of swirling emerald Death Energy, being a staff that represented Elinor.

    Rising to her feet, she gazed at the group with a short chuckle. ¡°This Seed has changed things¡­ Someone has altered my plan, and I will find the one responsible.

    ¡°As of now, I am Elinor and Irkalla unified; though I do not currently hold the power I once did, make no mistake, I am a nigh 13th-dimensional entity of Death, and I willingly enter into your Covenant, Sar¡¯ollaz. I look forward to working with you.¡±

    ¡°What of your sister, Irkalla?¡± Les¡¯ndrassa asked. ¡°Is it appropriate to address you by one or the other?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ Irkalla holds more influence in my heavenly sphere, yet Elinor is how I am currently seen.¡±

    The Phantom entity¡¯s tone brightened with the turquoise liquid across her body. ¡°To me, it seems Irkalla could be seen as a title of respect to your high office in the High Heavens since it represents the Realm by which you rule. I find it quite appropriate.¡±

    Elinor rather enjoyed Les¡¯ndrassa¡¯s attitude, and a decision came to mind. ¡°I approve of such an interpretation, you may call me Irkalla. As to my sister, I do not hold the same odium I once did after carrying her spirit within me¡­ It is something I must explore.

    ¡°I also cannot deny what I know and the influence she managed to have on me in her final moment, even if she would have eventually lost this battle of influence, as was already showing in my personality.

    ¡°Still, mmm¡­ given the circumstances regarding this Seed and its possible effects on us returning to our former glory¡­ and the unknown results of what dying to return to our immortal sphere, I will grant her one more chance to prove her worth and reliability. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a war to begin. You are welcome to observe.¡±

    Everyone outside of the family¡ªbeing those within the Nexus¡ªwill call me Irkalla to strengthen that transition into a divine entity, awakened to my true role due thanks to their diligent prayer and faith.

    ¡°Family, huh?¡± Tiffany asked with a small smile. ¡°What of the living?¡±

    Subjects like any other that I ruled over when I ruled Irkalla¡­ Although, I have gained a new perspective in leadership due to Ishtar¡¯s influence. We shall see.

    ¡°Fair,¡± Edmon hummed. ¡°In essence, their souls belong to you, yet your rule is just and laws put forth to provide a befitting place for those in your care?¡±

    I suppose. As to you, Iris, return to your hunt. I am not so weak to need your help in what is to come, and your daughter is of importance.

    ¡°As you command, Empress,¡± Iris replied, and she could feel the relief at being able to continue her desire.

    As for you, Voukey, return to me; I need to investigate something myself¡­ Also, I require levels and Death Energy, heh, and 10,000 soldiers are waiting to be culled.¡±

    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Fire was in Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will join you, Empress Irkalla. I have wanted to smell the scent of burning flesh since waking.¡±

    Elinor gave him a side-long look. ¡°As an observer, and nothing more. I must kill the bulk myself.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    Tiffany and Edmon swiftly rose to their feet.

    ¡°Empress!¡± the Doom Guard swiftly interjected. ¡°You cannot go on the battlefield yourself¡ª¡±

    Do not presume to give me orders, Edmon.

    ¡°I¡ªyes, but it is too dangerous, Empress!¡±

    Releasing a soft stream of air, she gave him a small smile. You are understandably protective of me, but I am no longer the powerless child you knew¡­ I am not only Elinor but Irkalla, She Who Conquered Death.

    Tiffany stumbled into the conversation. ¡°Y-Yes, b-but surely Edmon can handle a few poultry thousand Ri¡¯bot!¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled. ¡°We need only be near the Empress if we are needed; surely, you have faith in her as much as I. I look forward to your conquest, Elinor!¡±

    Iris was as calm and collected as ever. ¡°I will return to my hunt if that is all, but might I inquire as to your plan besides this Ri¡¯bot war, Empress?¡±

    The Maw. I want to scout it out; something doesn¡¯t feel right, and for a force of decay to rot even the Undead¡­ I need answers, and Edmon will join me.

    Happy to be included in at least this, showing she was not being reckless but showing confidence in her aptitude, Edmon accepted. ¡°I will always be by your side!¡±

    Tiffany wasn¡¯t so confident but didn¡¯t overstep her bounds. ¡°Then¡­ I will do what I can to aid you in the Maw as well.¡±

    I expect nothing less, she said, turning her smile to the frightened Witch. As for you, Voukey, I need a way to fly across the land swiftly, and once that is done, you will take the shifter boy with you south to infiltrate the Seaweaver district. Yesenia will not block me.

    ¡°It will be done!¡±

    She didn''t see Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s smile fall when she kept contact with his narrowed eyes.

    ¡°You act more like a ruler¡­ Empress. I will watch, and Sar¡¯ollaz is your name?¡±

    ¡°It is¡­¡±

    ¡°I will be a part of this Covenant, as well. Who do I fight to show my strength?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm¡­ Irkalla, you have certainly given me much to ponder.¡±

    ¡°What is there to ponder?¡± Sylez laughed, voice deep and infernal. ¡°What do you say this Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma fight one of our newer members¡­ Kon¡¯draga? She has a similar thirst for testing her¡­ interests as you in battle.¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma roared, fist cleaving past the table¡¯s protections to split most of it into pieces; he rose to his feet. ¡°Bring her to the stadium!¡±

    Elinor chuckled, shaking her head. ¡°You have your fun, Ke¡­ I need to speak to Demon. Set up an appointment with Noa for the rest of the Covenant to meet, Sar¡¯ollaz. There is much I believe we can do together, and I must introduce my little sister, after all.¡±

    ¡°Friends!¡± Bo-Ko cheered. ¡°We¡¯re getting so many new members! Right, Orinvia?!¡±

    ¡°Shut up, Bo-Ko¡­ I will kill you, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡ªyou did not beat me in our first conflict!¡±

    The Seraph gave her a charming nod. ¡°You are correct; you retreated.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Elinor dryly stated to the others¡¯ snickers. ¡°If you wish to talk among yourself, by all means, enjoy yourselves, and Ke, if you could refrain from destroying more infrastructure I inherited from you, it would be appreciated.¡±

    ¡°I rather enjoy this new world, Irkalla,¡± Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma laughed. ¡°I can taste the conflict.¡±

    ¡°Noa, bring me to the prison.¡±

    Runes circled her, and when they left, she frowned upon seeing she wasn¡¯t alone with her enemy; Becdeth gave her the sweeping gesture of a bow, its male voice humming in her mind.

    ¡°Remember, Irkalla¡­ Trust is what throws us off the highest cliff. Hmm-hmm-hmm¡­¡±

    He vanished in smoke, leaving the charring tone of Demon resonating in the dark, empty space. ¡°How grand of you to spare me your time, Empress of the Damned¡­ You have awakened. Shall we do business?¡±

 B3 â€” 34. Way Of The Strong

    Silence</a> ensued at Demon¡¯s inquiry; Elinor stood before the caged entity in the dark prison with an imperceptible stare.  His response had rearranged several priorities in her mind.  He didn¡¯t press her as Elinor examined the being, telling her Demon knew precisely what he¡¯d insinuated.

    Fragments of Elinor¡¯s ten thousand lives gave her a wealth of experience, which had less to do with memories or information and more to do with an instinctual imprint from each.

    Most of her additional knowledge about her life as a Goddess came from the visions she¡¯d been given throughout her various incarnations, which granted her a well-spring of insight that acted as gut impressions to focus on key points that resonated within the back of her mind.

    Since coming to terms with the unified consciousness of Irkalla and Elinor, her less seasoned half had knowledge that painted an entirely divergent picture now.

    If you were taking a surface examination of the path she¡¯d walked up to this point and intersected that with Demon¡¯s actions, it could be perceived he wasn¡¯t entirely against her, yet that was the brilliance of the creature¡¯s actions.

    After several minutes of careful consideration, keeping an even gaze, a small smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips.  ¡°You knew I was a Divine being when attempting to take control of me, thereby accelerating the unity between Ishtar and my previous consciousness in that struggle.  Because of your intervention, her Seed was able to draw strength from my own and manifest itself.¡±

    ¡°We could do much together, Empress.  Hmm¡­  Is it appropriate to still address you as such, I wonder?¡±

    It was a leading question, yet only effective if able to derail her thoughts.  ¡°You may call me Irkalla.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  I do recall such a divine name whispered among past civilizations¡­  Powerful, and a figure of the dead.  Your return should be celebrated, no?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.¡±

    ¡°Am I wrong?¡±

    Head tilting ever so slightly to the left, the edge of her mouth lifted into an amused smirk.  ¡°You are quite the entity, Demon.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  What have I done to deserve such praise, Irkalla, Goddess of the Dead?¡±

    She let him stew for several seconds, illuminated emerald irises remaining on his head while moving her spear</a> to hold behind her back, leaving a trail of Death Energy.

    ¡°You are a caged being of chaos and strife from the 4th to 5th dimension, weaving your influence throughout multiple worlds to feed on their conflicts; my current analysis places you not as a creature of the Infernal or Heavenly Realms but the shadows between.

    ¡°That being said, as your nature entails¡ªincluding your incapability of understanding particular concepts that you indicated during our initial interaction¡ªyour actions are not to be interpreted as inherently malicious but a state of grasping evolution through controversy.

    ¡°As such, you can neither be for nor against any particular side, which thereby poses a direct counter to the Song of Peace and Understanding put forth by Apollo¡­  You are immune to such a task by the simple fact of your nature.¡±

    Fingers tightening around the two sides of her staff, Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed.  ¡°I speculate you may have been inducted into The Covenant as a wildcard by one of its upper members after my entry, capable of instilling chaos throughout the world in unpredictable ways.

    ¡°In addition, Single Existent entities¡ªsuch as myself¡ªcreate an unpredictable reflux in the time continuum that blurs the future and changes the course of an omniverse¡ªyou know this very well, likely having someone grant you a modicum of insight into the 7th-dimensional sphere¡ªyet you are not something that takes sides in any deal crafted, be it a God or Hell Lord.¡±

    A low chuckle reverberated from the Shadow Dimension entity.  ¡°Very perceptive, Irkalla; you have certainly taught me much by this interaction¡­  My question still stands.  Shall we do business?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  I care little for the chaos you seek to invoke, yet you are a creature that does not lie nor understands the concept; you make deals that can be granted if conditions are met, being the crafter of ingredients brought to you rather than the obtainer yourself.

    ¡°I first thought of you as my enemy, yet you cannot grasp the idea¡­  You are a pathetic being that knows only manipulation and entropy to further its curiosity in decisions regarding order, unless¡­¡±  she trailed off as a thought struck her that lifted her smirk.

    ¡°Chaos personified.  You desire a Seed yourself to satisfy that curiosity.  The only question is¡­  Who will it be taken from?¡±

    Turning away, Elinor snickered.  ¡°Why should I deal when you have nothing I desire on the table?  Noa¡­¡±

    ¡°You called¡­  Mmh?¡±

    The Runic A.I. appeared beside her as chains were heard, Demon clapping his hands together and drawing Elinor¡¯s gaze; naturally, she expected him to interject.

    When negotiating, it was never the smart move to be the instigator, offering the first bet when knowing the end goal of your target; it was best to allow them to set the exchange to see how much they were willing to go into the deal and be ready to walk away.

    ¡°I cannot express my delight enough, Irkalla!  You are something truly divine that will shake this boring world to its core, and I have just the piece of information you desire.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­  Pray tell; why should I give heed in good faith to this supposed information?  Just because you do not know how to lie does not mean I should play into your blatant manipulations; give me a reason to entertain your machinations.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ very good; if I am to go further, you will need evidence that I have something of worth.  How about something I am sure you have been questioning in this new¡­ enlightened state?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m waiting,¡± she pointedly prompted.

    ¡°Hehe.  Indeed, you have¡­  I am sure you are quite busy preparing to achieve some means of gathering the resources to revive the other dead Divine I sensed within you.  However, I would argue a more pressing bit of information lies at the bottom of the pit within your valley¡­ someone you might know, Empress Irkalla.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s narrowed eyes didn¡¯t leave the creature as Noa nervously looked between them in the oppressive atmosphere, and after a few seconds, Elinor released her right hand to bring the point of her spear to the black granite ground, creating a soft sound of metal against stone.

    ¡°Noa, take me to the Council Room.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    Silence followed as her environment changed, and when it cleared, as expected, only one member of The Covenant remained; Aidrh¡¯ruz</a> sat in one of the large chairs, split bull¡¯s tail lying still against the floor with his two broken-chained hooves resting against the floor.

    She would get to him in a moment.

    Currently, Sari¡¯ael was making her recovery known to her subjects, gathering outside of the palace to understand the situation.

    At the Life Room, Tiffany examined the results of the eruption of Life Force the fruits had released, unhappily met with a space teeming with the energy and making entry impossible.

    On the other hand, Edmon waited at the stadium that sat at the back, connected to the palace, keeping an eye on Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma as he prepared to fight a Covenant member to prove his strength in the organization.

    Elinor wasn¡¯t particularly concerned about the Ke; she had an idea of his direction, and while the resurrected ape loved battle, it was for a purpose, which was precisely why he¡¯d entered into this contest¡ªhe wasn¡¯t dumb, nor her enemy or ally.

    Edmon, Sari¡¯ael.

    ¡°I am here, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

    Prepare to leave for the Maw.

    ¡°Immediately?¡±  Edmon asked.

    Immediately, the Ke¡¯s contest is not my concern.

    Her Doom Guard dropped everything he was doing to have Noa teleport him to the Seraph, and Voukey¡¯s long-distance communication ability still active, she opened a thread to the Flock General.

    You will recover Garu and meet me at the Maw.  Sari¡¯ael, you will be returning with Edmon to overlook the battle if time allows; information on the other members is still essential.

    ¡°As you command, Empress Elinor!¡±

    Tiffany, Elinor allowing her to peek in on the conversation, piped up.  ¡°What of me, Empress?¡±

    You have a critical task to do in a limited time.

    ¡°Ooh!  I¡¯m getting excited!  What do you require of my talents?¡±

    A method to project my battle against the Ri¡¯bot armies to multiple audiences.  Is it possible to show it as a hologram in the sky?

    ¡°Mmh¡­ an interesting task¡­  Yes, technically, it is possible if I string organs together, such as ears and eyes¡ªconnecting the receivers to¡­ perhaps Jukal wings, from the corpses we have and use lips to project sound¡­¡±

    All I need to know is if you can do it by noon, the day after tomorrow.

    ¡°Forty-eight hours, eh, considering our 30-hour days¡­  They will be single-use, given my current level and aptitude.  How many do you require, and for how long?¡±

    At least two hours.  One receiver that follows me and as many as five projectors, one of which must be large enough to be seen across Nethermore if required.

    ¡°Yikes¡­ heh, I will¡­ do my best, Empress, but I am doubtful I can string together enough organs to project picture and sound to that distance.¡±

    There was nothing more to be said.  Elinor left the Witch to her craft, vision turning to Noa as the fidgeting woman twisted her hands against her abdomen; it was to be expected she¡¯d be nervous after her creator returned.

    ¡°E-Empress¡­¡±

    ¡°I figured Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma would want time to speak to me but inform the Ke I must investigate a critical piece of information I have received from his mentor.¡±

    Knowing it would not only make the white ape curious but satiate his pride at being turned down, Elinor shifted her attention to Aidrh¡¯ruz, watching his burning crown flicker above his monstrous head.

    ¡°I suspect our deal will be sealed upon the rise of my little sister, when the resonance will once again touch the heavens and create the ripple effect to peer into the Divine Dream, yet as the others have warned¡­  I would refrain from using Becdeth</a> as your anchor.¡±

    The creature¡¯s colossal frame leaned against the side of the chair to level his flaming eyes in her direction, his two upper arms flexing their fingers.  ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm¡­  Irkalla, I find your story enthralling¡­  Inspirational.  So many lives, and to prove your strength on the mortal plane without the support from your innate powers.  If I lose myself in Becdeth¡¯s dream, it shows these shackles I wear have merit.¡±

    ¡°Suit yourself, but Ishtar will require your services.  Be sure to not be pulled away from the Divine and into the Abyss its lulling voice offers; I cannot tell you what awaits you within, yet I know you will not return.¡±

    ¡°We shall see which entices me more,¡± he chuckled.  ¡°I search for a taste of the forbidden.¡±

    ¡°Sometimes the forbidden is labeled as such for a reason; good luck in your search for meaning, Aidrh¡¯ruz.  Noa, take me to Sari¡¯ael.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress¡­¡±  Runes surrounded her as the hybrid Nalvean-human spoke.  ¡°Umm, the Ke is interested in what you find¡­  He assures you, eh-heh, that you¡¯ll miss quite a battle.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Elinor stated, having some interest in seeing the conflict, yet there were more pressing priorities.

    Sari¡¯ael¡¯s light filled her as Noa teleported her into the sky, overseeing many of her citizens; the mix of races instantly focused on her, and she gave a short speech in the utterly silent throng that dropped to their knees, unable to deny the feelings they¡¯d experienced.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    ¡°I am Irkalla, the incarnation of Ereshkigal; some of you may have heard of me from mythology on Earth, passed down by the Mesopotamian or ancient Babylonian civilizations.  Soon, I will revive my little sister, Ishtar, which many of you saw in the visions given to you when the heavens were parted.¡±

    She paused, not finding a single head risen, and dismissed her staff; the belief was firm while in her presence, yet as all those of faith, it could waver from time to time.  It wasn¡¯t as if she or Ishtar required their belief, but there was power in it.

    ¡°When next I call you, it will be to introduce her; prepare accordingly.¡±

    Much to do and addressing what she could in every moment, Elinor prompted the Seraph to take them to the Maw, contacting Garu before they left the city.

    You will be the only soldier I bring in my fight.  Ready yourself.

    ¡°I am honored, Empress!¡±

    Sensing a tad of hesitancy that he wished to add something and ignoring the worry from Tiffany and Edmon, she didn¡¯t let the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s concern slide.

    What do you wish to ask me, Garu?

    ¡°You¡­ made it clear that I will be the only soldier to join you.  I only fear that Nelika will desire to join.¡±

    Recalling the report he¡¯d privately given when entering the city, Elinor knew she was not battle-worn, yet it could prove to be a valuable show of her power that brought further resources to her budding nation.

    To be clear, your only task will be to provide a cover of fog at times; you will not be entering combat.  Yet, if she can hold onto Voukey¡¯s leg for an extended period of time, it should plant the seed of belief in her heart that could spread to her people¡­  I will allow it if she can abide by those conditions.

    ¡°I will inform you of her resolve when we meet.¡±

    Elinor''s gaze drifted to examine the resplendent angel''s condition, leaving the city and flying over the dark night jungle with the Seraph¡¯s</a> swift flight.

    Sari¡¯ael¡¯s tanned shoulders, face, and thighs were free from burns, her hair and wings mostly recovered, and the woman¡¯s upper feathers showed their metallic-like luster once again.  Still, Elinor knew she was not fully restored to health.

    Edmon had returned her weapon, which meant it was locked inside the radiant upside-down triangular jewel between her collar bones and breasts.

    If Elinor could help it, she didn¡¯t want her to engage in combat; unfortunately, everything about the dots connecting in her brain felt wrong when it came to the Maw.  Entities that could rot matter were nothing special, but having that effect against the Undead was an entirely different matter.

    Her focus shifted to the open fissure in her valley, mentally picturing a mountain-sized dragon ripping it up decades earlier.  She scanned the scar in the still jungle night, following the flowing waterfalls pouring over its edges to create a soft, obscuring mist.

    Halting over the center of the hole, Elinor¡¯s narrowed vision searched for the hand Violet and Azalea reported, yet nothing but the swirling fog could be seen below.

    Ang¨¦lica</a>, she prompted her ex-Colombian-military sharpshooter maid, who had dutifully played her part in keeping a watchful eye over the area.  What do you have to report?

    ¡°The mist has risen and fallen due to the increase and decrease of water levels from the snow melting, but other than that, Empress, I haven¡¯t noticed anything of note since my post began.¡±

    Elinor caught a private inquiry made to the Seraph regarding the state of her maid¡¯s husband and released her from her duty; in nearly a month, she¡¯d waited for something to come of this mystery, yet the dangers it posed remained within its realm.

    Now, it was time to discover what lurked below; Demon¡¯s words tickled at the back of her mind as she summoned the Staff of the Dead and threw the spear into the void.

    Edmon and Sari¡¯ael watched it disappear without the ominous shadowy hand of decay appearing; the Seraph reported her own findings.

    ¡°Empress, I sense nothing below¡­  Not a sign of life¡ªplant, animal¡­  A barren void.  Yet¡­ there is a dark force permeating space.¡±

    We go down, Elinor replied, using one of her new Skills to scan for life in the vicinity of her weapon; the angel was correct, and she could feel the itch against her skin.

    Descending, a frosted shell encompassed them as Edmon generated the protective cover.  The haunting mist gradually closed around their barrier with the obsidian walls of the fissure on either side before the veil blinded her.

    Sari¡¯ael, don¡¯t look for life¡­  Scan for both active and lacking perception, or a rift in the universal spiritual wave, Elinor instructed, knowing the Seraph would have a far easier grasping consciousness than she, given her current limited aptitude and Skill Point distribution.

    ¡°Interesting.  You believe those within have the means to mask their living presence due to an aura of decay that rots the spiritual wave itself?¡±

    It¡¯s a possibility.

    Edmon¡¯s dark helmet shifted as they continued to enter the void.  ¡°So far as I can tell, this fissure is at least 1,500 meters deep¡­  comparable to the Grand Canyon.  Why would the Avana destroy the Silver Queen¡¯s fortress to dig all the way down here?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus centered on where her spear finally struck the earth, digging into it and giving her a clearer picture of what was below; Demon had been right, which opened up alarming possibilities he knew would instantly draw her in.

    Mind drawing drifting to various plots and possibilities, she knew there was no longer danger to be found in these ancient underground tunnels, yet there was one surprise that met them.

    ¡°You were right, Empress!¡±  Sari¡¯ael confirmed, for once showing her surprise in discovering something new.  ¡°There is an entity waiting below¡­ as if expecting us.¡±

    ¡°An enemy?¡±

    No¡­  A herald, Elinor mumbled.  Take us to the floor, Sari¡¯ael.  I must confirm it for myself.

    Accelerating to break past the fog, Elinor¡¯s somber, emerald irises drifted across a once-great city; the only sounds that met them were from the echoing fall of the water above.

    Rotted mechanisms of outstanding machines appeared to have been used to collect the liquid, seemingly fallen into disarray centuries ago, yet Elinor figured it had been pristine even a week earlier; the powerful, ghost-like creatures that managed to hold off some of the Quen¡¯Talrat¡¯s greatest warriors had been utterly destroyed.

    It was difficult to imagine what the place might have looked like before, but now, a dark smog hung over the collapsing infrastructure; only hardened, brown brick remained.  The clinging mist of decay caused several tall, multi-leveled buildings to crumble to dust.

    Something terrible has happened in the High Heavens¡­  Dust to dust,¡± Elinor whispered, eyeing the destruction around them with a neutral expression.  ¡°Even the lingering spiritual essence has fallen to entropy¡­  Someone has manipulated Existence; there is no other explanation for this similar yet different sensation.

    ¡°Did my father give you any insight into this, Empress?¡±  Sari¡¯ael shook her head in disbelief.  ¡°I have¡­ never experienced such a malignant force, and it feels like¡­ a God¡¯s hand put forth against the populace?¡±

    ¡°We are meeting the Herald of a God?¡±  Edmon growled.  ¡°Him</a>?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind returned to the visual of what Violet and Azalea experienced in their brush with the decaying force, centering on a singular entity amid the defiling miasma; this was not the person she knew, which brought many questions to bear.

    Standing atop a hill of dust was an onyx-skinned, muscular, and faceless man with a five-pointed crown on his head and only an ebony, silken skirt-like raiment that fell to his ankles; a long battle-ax was clasped in his left hand, his right holding a thin chain connected to a flaming alabaster lantern</a>.

    Her vision drifted between the spikes across his forearms and shoulders, more shadow-like than solid, yet she knew they could be used for combat.

    Do not hold contempt against him, Edmon, Sari¡¯ael.  Remain silent and observe¡­  We tread a delicate line in this exchange.

    ¡°If he does attack?¡±  Edmon pressed.

    He will not.

    ¡°The mist?¡±

    It is not nearly to the degree necessary to harm the Undead.

    ¡°I¡­ understand.¡±

    The Seraph restrained a shiver.  ¡°He does hold a measure of divinity, Empress; not as much as you, but surely he and I could be on similar ground if unrestrained by the bonds that bind us.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± Edmon grunted.  ¡°Who is he?¡±

    I would argue he is stronger than you, Sari¡¯ael, Elinor evenly replied.  However, you have the advantage of being a counter to his innate type of energy.

    Silence came between them as they met the entity, and they halted in the air, hovering slightly above him; Elinor held out her hand to summon the Staff of the Dead to her side, giving him a testing smile as he patiently waited for her to speak first¡ªhe knew who she was.

    ¡°I do not find it amusing that another entity has invaded my domain, Watchman of the Silent Streets¡ªone I do not recognize, which should be impossible given no other should be within Existence¡ªyet here you stand before me.  I must question your motives by incarnating into the mortal plane to meet me.¡±

    She paused, coming to a conclusion herself while focusing on his faceless expression and silent posture.  ¡°Explain yourself, Herald of the Silent Night</a>.  Why is Erra¡¯s</a> high constable here?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed dangerously as the masculine entity¡¯s voice echoed all around them; he was currently around the same power as Sari¡¯ael when not restricted by her current debuff.

    ¡°I humbly greet thee, Ereshkigal, Queen of the Great Earth; Irkalla, Supreme Goddess of Kur</a> and Night Relief,¡± the messenger for the God of Mayhem, Pestilence, and Destruction bowed.

    ¡°When my master felt the Twin Queens of the High Heavens awaken, His Greatness sent me to await your arrival.  He apologizes for the discourtesy of being unable to meet you in person; we have heard great things about you.¡±

    Speculation was all Elinor had at this point, yet the possibility felt impossible and chilling; she had been the only deity in Existence to be able to glimpse beyond the 12th dimension to the Bead of Existence¡ªshe knew as much from her own Herald¡¯s visions in past lives, and now the lack thereof gave her pause.

    In disbelief, Elinor realized the only possible solution besides a complete invasion, which would have been out of the question given the response of the heavens above; things were worse than she thought.

    Humming, she tapped her chin before speaking, ¡°¡­Existences have collided?¡±

    ¡°Intelligent, Ereshkigal; it is no wonder my master took you as consort within our own Existence, yet we have another theory¡­  We were pulled together around a singular source.¡±

    ¡°And why would you believe that?¡±

    ¡°My master took part in an experiment to transcend the 12th dimension by taking the form of a mortal, yet amid such a task, the High Heavens noticed a mass of bloody chains that penetrated our Existence, and before we were swept into the tide, I managed to anchor myself to my lord.¡±

    Letting the information sink in, Elinor¡¯s fingers tightened around her staff, feeling the Seraph and Doom Guard¡¯s concern at the shocking revelation; her thoughts went far deeper and drew upon far more frightening possibilities.

    Her tone darkened while fixating on Ishum¡¯s head; without a doubt in her mind, Erra and Ishum had received Seeds of their own.  ¡°What message do you have to deliver?¡±

    ¡°Peace¡­ for now.  In the future¡­ perhaps not.  He leaves the lands you have claimed; respect has been shown.¡±

    ¡°Very well.  I agree¡­ peace, for now.¡±

    He bowed again before drifting into a swirl of darkness that twisted through deep caverns underneath her land, moving toward the east.

    Edmon followed his exit with suspicion.  ¡°What does he consider to be your land?¡±

    Free hand closing into a tight fist, Elinor¡¯s teeth pressed together with irritation.  The surrounding nations, meaning he¡¯s claiming the area in the far east¡ªthe desert¡ªperhaps beyond that¡­

    A musical hum came from Sari¡¯ael.  ¡°Do we know what is in that area?¡±

    ¡°Only regarding the desert clans,¡± Edmon growled.  ¡°The bastard probably knows something we don¡¯t and is trying to claim a place with more potential experience.¡±

    We will clash, and that was his true message¡­ yet there is an undertone that shows he is unsure of who would come out on top in our current states, which is why he left the moment I awoke.  He was building his strength here by feeding off these creatures; heh, the opening of the heavens chased him away when he realized who¡¯s host stood near.

    ¡°At least he is wise enough to recognize your power.¡±

    Indeed.  However, what this shows is that Demon has given me a hint that there are more than just Yesenia who have been given these Seeds¡ªthat she is more than she appears¡ªIshtar and I are not the only High Deities in this mortal conflict, which implies more than one Existence was brought into this contest and crushed into this turbulent sea of beings.

    ¡°How could someone hold enough power to do that, Empress¡ªcould you?¡±

    The Seraph shook her head in response.  ¡°Not nearly powerful enough.¡±

    No, Edmon¡­  I now see why Apollo holds such contempt¡­  It would take a being on his level to accomplish this madness¡­

    Looking up, Elinor felt Voukey nearing with Garu hanging onto his leg.  Take me to Voukey and return to Nethermore.  I have a limited window on what I need to do to resurrect Ishtar, and it seems I will need my sister more than I thought¡­  Heh, I wonder how she will take the news?

    Sari¡¯ael giggled.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it wonderful that peace and understanding can be reached?¡±

    Humph¡­  Ironic, really, and perhaps your father had a hand in that, as well.  Something has orchestrated everything in a manner that brought Apollo¡¯s attention, and he placed his trust in solving it with me¡­  Hmm-hmm.  Very interesting.

    In any case¡­  Elinor smiled as they rose out of the ruined civilization to meet Voukey.  There is much to accomplish, and I need strength if I am to reach my goals of a prosperous kingdom and family while standing on her own.  I am not a prisoner; I am the Jailor, and I will not be chained by any.

    Edmon forced a laugh, still trying to come to terms with her new sense of independence.  ¡°It is fortunate there is a solution to a mountain over.¡±

    Indeed.  Hmm¡­  It is time for war.

    Leaving Edmon and the Seraph to return to Nethermore, Elinor transferred to Voukey¡¯s back, expertly balancing against it as Nelika and Garu clung to the giant bird¡¯s legs; naturally, the female Ri¡¯bot ambassador from the east was terrified yet showed herself resilient.

    A small smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips as the Death Energy pumping through her undead heart increased; Irkalla enjoyed nothing more than overcoming the foolish expectations others placed upon her, and this was no different.

    If she had to rise to Apollo¡¯s sphere to take the necks of those that sought her demise, so be it</a>, and it was amusing to her that it would take something to this magnitude to draw Ishtar and her together.

    Whoever did this to her Existence would feel her chains around their throat, and Demon was setting the stage to give them the Experience to clash, giving him all the chaos he thirsted for; she would step into the fire.

 B3 â€” 35. A Call To War

    Balancing on Voukey¡¯s back, Elinor scanned the lowlands beyond her mountainous valley kingdom from high in the sky.  Her braided white hair whipped behind her in the high altitude winds, her crown unmoved, thanks to the Flock General parting the air resistance for her.

    Upon cresting the peaks to see the army that laid beyond, a small smile lifted Elinor¡¯s emerald eyes; it was enough to do what she required.

    Garu and Nelika held fast to the bird¡¯s legs; the Mist Clan Ri¡¯bot had a singular and straightforward job: supporting her to get the required start Elinor needed for the Exp momentum.

    ¡°Where do you wish me to land, Empress?¡±  Voukey questioned, sharp vision scanning the thinning jungle below them as it moved to more of a forest area than jungle, before opening to hilly planes.

    Near their leaders, Voukey. Garu, direct him to their tents.

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    She let them move into a private channel, noting the terrain to the right, where a steep hill marred by rocky cliffs led into her valley; beyond it was the dualistic jungle/forest, spotted by various clearings and rivers.

    Focus rising to the dark horizon, illuminated by the two half-moons bathing the landscape, she knew what she should be able to see, but due to the distance, it was difficult to spot given the span; once her two escorts concluded their short discussion, she engaged the Jukal.

    Is there a supply line, or are more soldiers joining?

    ¡°A few lines of caravans, Empress, with small escorts; nothing of significant size.¡±

    Good.  What would your estimation be of their numbers?

    ¡°Just over ten thousand Ri¡¯bot¡ªnot all warriors; there are many tenders to their animals, supplies carriers, and the like¡ªyet on inspection, I agree with Garu¡¯s assessment; the two Great Clans have roughly a united force of 10,000 strong.  I am unsure of the others, as the jungle blocks my vision of the valley Ri¡¯bot.¡±

    The Desert Ri¡¯bot?

    ¡°From what Garu described of their encampment¡­ possibly less than fifty in total; I see Nelika¡¯s Clan retreating in the distance.¡±

    Excellent.

    She played a careful numbers game; the way the Seed interacted with her sealed Divinity was intricate, and there was a sharp bonus to the Stats and Abilities that corresponded to her innate talents, which was how she¡¯d grown so rapidly in her Undead Branch.

    However, the true brilliance regarding this Seed was its affinity toward breaking new ground, and after meeting Erra, she could see the hints of that result.

    Being Ereshkigal</a> gave her specific advantages in the enhancement process of utilizing the Seed regarding her position as the Supreme Jailor of the Eternities; unfortunately, the only avenue she had exercised through the month had been funneled to the army category, yet she had so much more to work with.

    As the Queen of the Great Netherworld, all other deities bowed to her, including Anunnaki, Announcer of Fate, and Utu, Bringer of Light, that passed through Irkalla, and anything in regards to her Realm, she had total authority.

    The Tree of Life, Secret Knowledge, and many more precious hidden gems of her Existence were guarded within Irkalla¡¯s Great Seven Gates that led to Kur, the heart of her Realm, where Ganzir¡ªher palace¡ªwas located.

    Her dominion was vast, having many symbols, such as wood, showing the fragility of life in its permanent state of growth and entropy.  She was the lion of Mesopotamia¡ªundefeated and without equal¡ªriding the horse of death.

    The river of the dead brought mortals to her gates, and, once invited through, a way out could never be found without her guidance, yet why would they wish to leave the paradise of Irkalla?

    She was not a vengeful or evil Goddess; Ereshkigal had a purpose to fulfill, and she recalled visions of crying at the deaths of many mortals, knowing the pain of separation that came from her visit, yet the cycle must continue for the deadwood to burn and new growth to not become stagnant.

    In her Realm, she meticulously took care of her rainbow garden that she¡¯d personally planted to alleviate the stress of the unfortunate view some mortals had of the afterlife; yes, she had judges, yet Ereshkigal was the ultimate decider on the fate of souls, death was blind¡ªneutral¡ªand all were held to the same Law, including the Divine and her own sister.

    Her abode had many regions, including a waiting area for judgment by her personally appointed council.  Reward came in Irkalla by where the soul was sent, and condemnation was just as the name implied¡ªself-inflicted damnation.

    Despite what many believed, she had no part in a soul¡¯s torments; everyone struggled with their own self-invoked punishment, which was perhaps worse.

    Ereshkigal was a facilitator of the dead, and she took her task in the eternities very seriously; she was fair and just.  That being said, she did not tolerate disrespect nor make exceptions for rule-breakers, yet she tried to give souls a path to redemption¡ªit was their own choice to walk that harsh road¡ªas she¡¯d given her sister.

    Elinor held no contempt for the Ri¡¯bot she was about to go to war with; in fact, many would join her side in time.  She would regain her position in the High Heavens and move beyond it to judge the arrogant entity that had attempted to usurp her place, and this was the first step in that direction.

    Soaring over the canopy, Voukey descended upon the encampment of the Ri¡¯bot.  Soldiers rushed into action at the giant bird¡¯s landing, hovering for a moment to allow Garu and Nelika to jump off; the young, female Ri¡¯bot was shaking a little from the strain of the flight.

    Respecting her resolve, Elinor jumped off Voukey, and reaching behind her neck, she untied the binding to her cumbersome dress, sliding it off to reveal her tight bra and underwear underneath.

    She had no reservation about being utterly naked; in fact, at one point, she was known for her nakedness, showing you were judged naked¡ªunable to hide from what was burned into your own soul¡ªafter your death.

    Smoothly stepping away from the articles, she rolled her neck around and summoned her staff as the warriors surrounded her, shouting for her to remain still; Voukey¡¯s intimidating presence certainly forced them to keep their distance, but it was her presence that kept their gaze.

    ¡°Halt!¡±

    ¡°Identify yourself!¡±

    ¡°Is it one of the new creatures the Komath brought?¡±

    ¡°It looks¡­ similar¡­¡±

    ¡°Can you understand us?¡±

    ¡°It has Ri¡¯bot with it¡ªis that Nelika?¡±

    ¡°From one of the Desert Clans?¡±

    Their words swiftly died as she summoned the Staff of the Dead, flipping it around her body to test her current physical aptitude; ever since absorbing parts of her past lives, Elinor had a wealth of combat experience ingrained into her soul.

    So¡­  My issue is low Stamina, Force, and Dexterity; it¡¯s manageable, given what I stand to gain, and it isn¡¯t as if I¡¯m penalized for these Stats after Irkalla¡¯s influence on the Seed.  I just need to steadily increase them, and skill will suffice for now.

    Vision</a> rising to wander between the nervous warriors, unsure what to do with the chill of death caressing their spines and her unannounced presence, Elinor kept her controlled posture, her spear resting against her bare back.

    ¡°Who commands you¡­ Great Chief Dralix?¡±

    ¡°Is that a female of their race?¡±

    ¡°She sounds female¡­¡±

    ¡°What is your purpose?¡±

    They flinched as Voukey¡¯s masculine voice echoed throughout the clearing, bringing more soldiers running.  ¡°The Empress has asked you a question.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to her left as her enhanced Life Force Detection identified a hidden group passing through the throng.

    ¡°Empress,¡± Garu muttered.

    I see them.  Do not interfere.

    ¡°As you command.¡±

    Nelika appeared more than a little nervous as her white spots flashed, whispering, ¡°G-Garu, the Cartalian¡­¡±

    ¡°We know.¡±

    A Ri¡¯bot wearing a necklace, showing his higher rank, stepped forward a few feet.  ¡°I am First Sergeant Umara, and, yes, most of those you see come from the Great Morseng and Polsan Clans.  I take it you are here to speak to Great Chief Dralix?¡±

    ¡°Among others,¡± she smoothly replied, keeping track of the swirling sand that solidified into three thoughtful Ri¡¯bot; two were beyond her current physical scope, yet the younger spirit was within the realm of possibilities.

    ¡°My current business is with the Roxim and Komath Clans that have declared war on me, slaughtering those under my protection and kidnapping many children.  Send word to Chief Krava and Chief Zargoth that I am here to discuss their terms of surrender¡­ or their destruction.¡±

    A shiver ran through many of the Ri¡¯bot present at her bold words, surrounded by enemies, yet Umara gave her a respectful gesture before retreating through the opening path behind him.

    Elinor focused on the three dispersed souls as they collected a meter from the gathered soldiers, hunched over and leaning against their knees while studying her.

    Nelika¡¯s face paled further as she mumbled, ¡°High Xaria Redrix of the Blood Sand¡­¡±

    The Great Clan Ri¡¯bot backed away a tad as Voukey¡¯s hawk-like face turned their way, causing the weakest of the three to chuckle; they didn¡¯t move.

    A brownish-brick shade with yellow spots, the stronger of the Desert Ri¡¯bot undoubtedly sensed Voukey¡¯s strength, but the weakest seemed to be the loud, obnoxious type.

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Intimidating entrance; I like the style.  What do you say, Mixi?¡±

    The female spirit didn¡¯t seem amused, her focus fixated on the Flock General.  ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid, Telrem.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  She has the little Kaldraxi princess with her¡­  Give her to us, and we needn''t get involved.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s</a> fingers tightened around her staff as she turned to face the impudent, young Desert Ri¡¯bot, who was clearly ignoring the warnings his superiors gave him to keep to himself; in truth, they wanted him to test her.

    ¡°Order me with veiled threats again, and you will suffer an agonizing death.¡±

    Sidestepping the second she finished, her spear swung around with one hand, leaving a trail of emerald flames as the tip ignited; his far longer-than-average tongue launched out, expecting an easy blow to her head, yet all it met was the razor edge of her weapon.

    A fountain of the pressurized red blood within exploded as the organ split down the center, funneled away by the Death Energy flaring out of the sides; her free hand tightened into a fist at the exact same time¡ªa dozen spiritual, unholy, lapis lazuli</a> chains cracking space¡ªspikes burying into Mixi¡¯s tongue and connecting with the inflamed thrown knife that went for Nelika¡¯s stunned throat.

    The tongue and projectile were momentarily frozen in the air¡ªshe only had to stop their momentum¡ªand the force behind them caused her chains to extend a meter beyond Elinor¡¯s initial thoughts, proving how powerful the woman¡¯s simple attack had been, yet it was enough of a shock to cause a retreat.

    Releasing Irkalla¡¯s Grip: First Gate I¡ªshe burned 50 Death Energy a second for every chain she called¡ªthe costly fetters retreated, snapped back into the void with bone-rattling sounds as the undamaged organ returned to Mixi¡¯s throat.

    Telrem dropped to his knees, eyes bulging as his split tongue returned to his mouth, dark green discoloration slowly spreading up its length; his spots flashed, choosing not to speak through his mouth for obvious reasons.  ¡°Gagh¡­ what did she¡ªmy tongue is on fire¡­¡±

    The youth gurgled the next second, a wicked knife suddenly exiting through his eye, Redrix killing his own Clansman before Elinor could even perceive it.

    Elinor calmly watched the boy¡¯s eyes fade as the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s soul grew weak, spirit breaking free from its physical form; the other guards froze at the action.

    ¡°Is this appropriate for the discourtesy, Empress, or do you wish for Xaria Mixi¡¯s tongue and hand, as well?¡±

    The woman kept her emotionless expression, performing some kind of complicated gesture and bow she took as a sign of wrongdoing.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    Hmm.  He memorized my title instantly and knew if he pushed it, Voukey would get involved; he would not be able to escape unscathed.  It was a sacrifice to test my merit with the possibility of getting their hands on Nelika, likely planned before they engaged.  A dangerous Clan.

    Returning her staff to her back, a small smile lifted her cheeks.  ¡°I give you the option, High Xaria Redrix of the Blood Sand; Xaria Mixi¡¯s tongue or Telrem¡¯s corpse.¡±

    The woman instantly opened her mouth to extend her 4-meter long organ, and Redrix severed the appendage, sending red blood spraying across the green grass; the warriors shifted uncomfortably at the display, Mixi not uttering a single cry.

    They performed a respectful salute, blood dripping down Mixi¡¯s chest before she reached into a back pouch to produce cloth to apply pressure; Redrix promptly reached down to take the boy¡¯s body and returned to their tents to mumbles.

    I was right; they knew more about me than they were letting on.  Interesting.

    Knowing she would likely have another meeting with the group, she turned her attention to the party that parted the throng of soldiers; her actual targets had arrived.  Fennel¡ªthe Ri¡¯bot she called Boss who had dragged her into this world¡ªwas at their front.

    However, what caught her attention was the naked sixteen-year-old girl the man dragged behind him; malnourished and stumbling to keep up with her bound wrists, Elinor noted bruises, cuts, and defecation smearing her skin.

    Using her to explain what I look like?  Everything comes to a circle.

    ¡°Why has she not been detained?!¡±

    Elinor was the one to respond, the Great Clan guards having retreated back two meters since her encounter with the Desert Clan.  ¡°Because they are not at war with me, Fennel.  I came here not to spill blood, but I will be returning with that girl.¡±

    * * *

    Dralix eyed the savaged female human, as Chief Krava of the Komath called her; they¡¯d made a rushed escape from the valley, leading many of the female humans to either die or collapse in fever on their trip here.

    By the way they talked about this Elinor, she was a Devil from the Pits, risen to cause strife and chaos, yet the shivering girl seemed broken and terrified.  Are these creatures really something to be feared?

    With him was Great Chief Israg, which shared his opinion, and they would have dismissed the two valley clans outright had they not been placed in the area for this very reason; in addition, after what they¡¯d just felt when the Great River in the Heavens opened, bathing everything in light and song, Skyspeaker Pontis couldn¡¯t stop quivering.

    ¡°I¡¯m not asking about this Elinor Devil,¡± Israg grumbled, rolling his eyes at Chief Krava¡¯s insistence it must be related to their enemy.  ¡°I want to know what it was!  We keep going around in circles.¡±

    The wrinkled, well-respected Chief of the Fire Wars scratched his sweat-slicked head.  ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Great Chiefs, we must act NOW!  She builds strength by the day, and Chief Valdar gave his life to warn us of this very event¡ªI¡¯m sure of it!  If we had just acted sooner¡ªif we act now¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s coming¡­¡±  Pontis whispered, making little sense since the event.  ¡°We must¡ª¡±

    Dralix was about to ask his Skyspeaker to go out and try to understand the winds again when a sharp gust flowed around them, carrying a strong voice that sent chills down his spine.

    ¡°The Empress has asked you a question.¡±

    Krava¡¯s aged face hardened.  ¡°She¡¯s here.¡±

    ¡°How did she get beyond the guards?¡±  Fennel snapped.  ¡°There are hundreds in the area!¡±

    Everyone¡¯s attention went to Pontis as he hugged himself, mumbling, ¡°The sky¡­  She came from the sky.  I saw a great bird in that voice¡ªa Lord of the Wind¡ªwe should not engage her, Great Chief.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a bit late for that,¡± Israg growled, getting to his feet.  ¡°Let us see this Pit Devil ourselves.¡±

    Chief Zargoth of the Roxim massaged his shoulders.  ¡°We should gather all of our forces; she came to us, which means there is a plan.¡±

    First Sergeant Umara burst into the tent.  ¡°G-Great Chiefs¡ªthe human Empress, s-she has arrived; she demands an audience!¡±

    Dralix sighed, noticing the hope in the Roxim and Komath Chief¡¯s eyes at the Pit Devil¡¯s miscalculation in coming directly into an army, but it felt too ominous to him, and he didn¡¯t set out on this march prepared for war.  ¡°Pontis?¡±

    The Skyspeaker took a shuddering breath, First General Mantix clasping his shoulder as the others exited, Fennel forcing the human girl with him.  Last to leave the tent, Mantix walked beside Dralix, the Skyspeaker hesitantly taking the other side.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you like this, Old Friend,¡± the general whispered, vision shifting to see the hundreds of soldiers on high alert, scanning the sky as scouts rushed into the forest to make sure there wasn¡¯t an ambush hidden nearby.

    Dralix¡¯s gaze wandered away from his respected counselor as the man opened up about the sensations he¡¯d felt from the event not too long ago, narrowing his eyes; there were broken conversations regarding the Cartalian entering the inner circle spreading down the hushed lines of warriors.

    ¡°Great Chief,¡± Pontis muttered, face hardening as he looked to the two moons, ¡°I am unsure if we can avoid conflict with this Supreme Chief that has come to us¡­¡±

    ¡°Supreme Chief?¡±  Mantix hissed.  ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no, heh, other explanation, Mantix¡­  Great Chief, I can only advise you to listen to her and pay close attention.¡±

    ¡°I will.¡±

    Mind reeling at the very thought, they fell silent as they took up the tail end of the other chiefs.  A Supreme Chief¡­  How could a powerful Plants Speaker such as Valdar interpret her as a Pit Devil when Pontis sees her as a Supreme Chief?

    He stared at Chief Krava¡¯s orange back, jaw tightening.  Are we being led into a trap by the Komath and Roxim?  They¡¯ve pushed hard for this war council; I suppose I will find out why soon enough.

    Entering the circle as Fennel snarled, asking why she wasn¡¯t detained, Elinor gave the appropriate response, showing herself frighteningly knowledgeable on the situation.

    Her luminous, jade irises held a dignity that momentarily captivated him.  Behind her were two Ri¡¯bot¡ªone being the Kaldraxi scout he¡¯d met days before¡ªand a colossal bird that more than spoke of danger; he doubted he could contend with the predator as a Great Chief Xaria.  Pontis was right; this was no ordinary being.

    The human girl Fennel brought began to make unnatural sounds with her throat, seemingly crying and begging for the man¡¯s hand to strike her; goosebumps slid down Dralix¡¯s arms as it was stopped by a blue, stone-like chain.

    It split space, and once stopping the blow, it retracted, the girl falling to her butt in a fit of tears, yet everyone¡¯s attention was on the extracting barbs that had penetrated the warrior¡¯s arm, showing no blood as they left.

    Elinor¡¯s voice followed.  ¡°Hmm.  How about I give you a chance to take my head, Fennel; do you believe you are even capable?¡±

    ¡°Urgh¡­¡±  He threw the girl¡¯s rope down and took the shield off his back; the double-headed ax of ancient design shimmered with his bracelet¡ªone of the few valley Ri¡¯bot families to retain the old technology¡ªtechnology the Desert Ri¡¯bot said they could revive.  ¡°You may be unkillable, but you are weak!¡±

    ¡°Watch yourself,¡± Krava muttered.  ¡°Those chains are¡­ fast and unusual.¡±

    ¡°I can block them now that I know what it is.¡±

    Dralix didn¡¯t miss the looks some of his men gave each other, hearing the fate of the Desert Ri¡¯bot; they¡¯d tested her and had instantly regretted it, going so far as to kill their own man and cut off a Xaria¡¯s tongue in compensation for the disrespect¡ªhe didn¡¯t have a good feeling about this.

    Zargoth stepped forward to whisper in Krava¡¯s ear, still able to be heard by Fennel and those close by.  ¡°You said she leaves her clothing and precious metals behind when her body collapses?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  Do you believe her powers reside in them?¡±

    ¡°Possible,¡± the Roxim Chief muttered.  ¡°Keep it in mind, Fennel.¡±

    It was certainly interesting information that he tucked in the back of his mind as the strong human patiently waited¡ªshe was a complete contrast to the pitiful female with similar characteristics to the apparent goddess¡ªif his Skyspeaker was to be believed.

    ¡°You want single combat?¡±  Fennel laughed.  ¡°Did you forget the last time you tried to send your dead bones after me?¡±

    ¡°Yes.  So, as for conditions and upholding the honor of your Clan, I will propose a favorable deal on your part.¡±  Her tone made him believe she was amused.  ¡°No one will interfere, and if you can destroy this body, I will allow myself to be captured; you will have me to do as you please.¡±

    Brows furrowed at her declaration, Fennel shaking himself out, preparing for combat.  ¡°Hehe.  Your bird won¡¯t attack us and swoop you away like a coward?¡±

    ¡°No.  I told Voukey and Garu to not interfere.¡±

    ¡°What of the Kaldraxi Scout¡ªis she a hostage¡ªis that what you want; a hostage negotiation?¡±

    Nelika swiftly spoke up at the question.  ¡°I¡¯m not a hostage!  M-My great-grandfather asked me to, eh, to be her¡ªI mean, our ambassador¡­¡±

    Elinor gestured at the sweating four-year-old Scout.  ¡°As you heard, she simply wished to be present; I didn¡¯t ask why.  Now, as to if I win¡­¡±

    ¡°I get it¡ªyou want this sniveling human?¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± the Empress chuckled.  ¡°I will take¡­  What is your name?¡±

    The naked girl choked a few unintelligible phrases.

    ¡°Elena Chistau?  A pretty name.  Elena, you needn¡¯t be worried any longer; you will see your family in the next few hours and be cared for.¡±

    She broke back into tears, making Dralix feel sorry for the creature.  Everyone has something to lose, and I can see why Elinor would be wrathful toward those who treat her people like animals.  A bad tactic on the part of the valley clans that could have avoided all of this¡­ but I suppose the Crystal was involved.

    ¡°Hah.  That is if you actually¡ª¡± Fennel snapped, swinging his ax as he stepped forward.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t finished my conditions,¡± Elinor crisply interrupted.  ¡°On your honor, you will:  release Elena to me, your Chiefs will listen to my demands, and I will leave this clearing without bloodshed.  Acceptable?¡±

    ¡°I will put your skin to fire for the pain you have caused my people,¡± Fennel snarled.  ¡°Forcing us from our homes, bending the other clans to your will, and¡­ what have you done to Toka¡¯s group?¡±

    ¡°Toka?¡±  Elinor hummed.  ¡°Oh, you¡¯re referring to the spies you sent¡­  So far as I am aware, Tiffany utterly broke them, mind and spirit; in fact, I know so much about the Roxim, including your Chief, by their extracted information.  I didn¡¯t even need to raise them from the dead.¡±

    ¡°Pits licker¡­  They were good soldiers; they will be honored in¡ª¡±

    ¡°The Great River in the Sky; do you truly think there is such a deity supporting you?  I don¡¯t think there is a Death Goddess or Deity left in¡ªwhichever multiverse or Existence we currently inhabit¡ªdo you understand the implication?  No.  I thought not, but it is tragic¡­ I do not wish to see spirits suffer such a fate as a Supreme Goddess of Death.¡±

    ¡°Blasphemy!¡± Fennel spat, causing many other Ri¡¯bot to follow his example at her grandiose declamation that mirrored the White God of the Quen¡¯Talrat, but the Great Chief entertained the idea.

    What if she is what we¡¯ve heard?

    ¡°Call it what you will,¡± Elinor sighed, ¡°but I am your One Above All, and I will show you the error of your ways¡­ by force if need be.  Do you accept my conditions on your honor?¡±

    Dralix¡¯s gut tightened as Chief Zargoth and Krava spoke in unison.

    ¡°We accept.¡±

    Krava¡¯s nose twitched with contempt.  ¡°You will know the pain I felt at the loss of my best friend¡ªValdar deserved a better death.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  A smirking, secretive tone touched the mysterious woman¡¯s voice.  ¡°Heh.  On the contrary, Chief Krava, he has found great purpose in serving me in death, as will you all.¡±

    Great Chief Israg put a hand on Dralix¡¯s shoulder.  A brooding look told him everything he needed to know; his friend was now taking this Pit Devil seriously.

    ¡°Split-tooth tongue sapper!¡±  Fennel roared, jumping forward to engage her.

    * * *

    Elinor</a> made sure her bra was secure after responding, a small smirk on her lips as the first obstacle in her plan threw his ax at a blinding speed.

    Predicting the move, she didn¡¯t move since it would barely miss her neck; he was trying to frighten her and make a cheeky attack on Voukey, believing she would try to escape despite her word.

    The Flock General simply let the sharp spike harmlessly hit him in the chest, unconcerned¡ªhis feathers were stronger than steel¡ªand, before touching the ground, the weapon shot back to Fennel¡¯s hand.

    Stabbing the Staff of the Dead in the earth to anchor its ability, she stepped to the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s right¡ªcheers sounded from the crowd to take her head¡ªholding out her hand, chains shot out for her to grab, pulling Elinor away from the shield bash.

    A second shot from her staff to latch onto the ax, keeping it in place¡ªFennel was far weaker than the Desert Ri¡¯bot¡ªand sending a chain out of her elbow to meet the off-guard warrior¡¯s skull, it connected, pulling her toward the back of his head.

    At the last minute, Fennel abandoned the held weapon, spinning to slam his shield against her side; not having too much Death Energy to spare after everything she¡¯d done thus far, Elinor allowed his own twisting momentum to carry her out of harm¡¯s way, releasing the chains to roll to a stop¡ªit was already over.

    Adjusting her bra strap as Fennel snatched his now free ax out of the air, Elinor tossed her thick, snow-white braid over her shoulder with a short chuckle; the bright, emerald sphere of Death Energy grew more brilliant as it drew life from its proximity, waves of Fennel¡¯s Spiritual Energy being drawn into the staff.

    ¡°What were the names of your spy team again¡ªwas one of them Roka¡ªa twin?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you speak their names!¡±  Fennel spat, jumping forward as Elinor moved back into range, but he didn¡¯t have the same vigor as before.

    She chuckled, dodging around his blows in a semi-casual manner to further infuriate him, even if it was challenging.  ¡°Is it me, or are you slowing?¡±

    ¡°W-What are you doing to me?!¡±  he huffed, swiftly catching sight of the staff.  ¡°Your weapon¡­¡±

    Dancing forward to be blocked by his shield, she hummed.  ¡°Do I need it?¡±

    ¡°Humph!¡±  He expertly brought his ax to his belt with a laugh, fingers reaching out to take her staff; typical bait, not that he would have anything to base it off of.  ¡°If you don¡¯t have your weapon¡ª¡±

    He tried to throw it into the crowd for it to remain attached to his fingers, Elinor¡¯s own clutched into a fist behind her back.

    ¡°What¡­¡±

    ¡°Fennel, throw it away!¡±  Krava shouted, glancing at the Skyspeaker, who was likely one of the few present who could sense something unnatural about her weapon.

    ¡°I can¡¯t!¡±

    ¡°A shame,¡± Elinor mused, walking forward with her boots crumbling the long, dying grass, all plant life turning yellow and brown before becoming dust; it had begun the moment she¡¯d stabbed her weapon into the earth.

    Chains shot out of the ground to grab his flailing arms and force the Ri¡¯bot down with a grunt; three more pinned his legs and struggling body to the soil as Elinor loomed</a> over him.

    The Staff of the Dead could draw in life within its proximity; all she had to do was keep him nearby, and once he had a grip on it, she¡¯d latched a link from it to his spirit, giving a direct, welcomed tap into his Core to suck dry.

    Sure, it wasted more Death Energy overall at its current stage, but that was more than acceptable since she had converted a large portion of her Unintelligent Undead into the raw resource to exercise these new skills that would become so much more as time went on.

    ¡°Observe, Great Chiefs, as I take Fennel¡¯s life¡­  Did any of you notice him growing weaker¡ªsluggish¡ªas I played with him, stealing months from his life¡­  Look at the grass¡ªheh, well, I suppose it no longer constitutes as such.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ what are you¡­¡±  he croaked, his skin discoloring and sagging as the process ramped up.

    ¡°I told you, I am the Supreme Goddess of Death¡ªThe One Above All¡ªand judgment is to be met in Irkalla.¡±

    The Ri¡¯bot swiftly retreated as Fennel became a husk, leaving only his bracelet and ax, fearful mutters heard throughout the groups.

    Elinor turned a soft smile to the stunned and sickly teenage girl.  ¡°Garu, help Elena onto Voukey¡¯s back; Tiffany will see to her recovery when we return.¡±

    Lips falling, her gaze drifted to the two stunned Chiefs.  ¡°Prepare your clans for destruction, Zargoth, Krava; tonight, I will meet you alone as I have just demonstrated.  If any of your clan seeks mercy, gather around the humans¡­¡±

    Her focus went to the crying teenager as Garu helped her walk across the barren, sandy circle to Voukey, being careful with her; Staff of the Dead returning to her hands in a swirl of Death Energy, her tone hardened upon returning to the two ashen-faced Chiefs.

    ¡°If there is any further harm done to them¡ªand I will know if there is¡ªthe Pits will seem like paradise.¡±

    Atmosphere silent as the vacuum of space in the oppressive field she generated by the experience she¡¯d gained from Fennel, her vision went to the Great Chiefs.  ¡°Come to the Roxim camp at dawn¡­  Nothing will be left.¡±

    Not one overwhelmed soul stopped her after seeing the unnatural way she fought as Elinor gathered her clothes and mounted Voukey, helping Elena to remain stable.

    Imperial Presence was like a weight on their shoulders, and Elinor took one last look at the uncertain throng, not knowing if she was their enemy, and the Chiefs knew the Great Clans would stop them from attacking her in the hope she wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°I am Irkalla.  Do not forget my name.¡±

    The wind rushed past her as Voukey took into the heavens, returning them to Nethermore for Elinor to complete her preparations.

 B3 â€” 36. Rejection

    Soaring over the dark mountains as they returned to Nethermore, Elinor observed her rising empire, stabilizing the shivering, naked sixteen-year-old girl she¡¯d just rescued.

    She would give the clans enough time to prepare themselves for her arrival; it was easier to deal with an enemy that centralized around those needing protection and came to you than otherwise.

    Voukey took them high into the air, and, at the Flock General¡¯s prompt, one thing snagged their attention, yet Elinor felt something else that likely correlated.  ¡°Empress, the mountain shines¡­  Nethermore, Empress.¡±

    Her vision lingered on the Maw, its inner tragedy still obscured by the swirling, misty depths; she would need to explore Erra¡¯s devastation when there was time.

    ¡°Is there a problem in Noa¡¯s network?¡±  Garu growled.  ¡°Someone using our current position to attack its infrastructure?¡±

    No¡­  Elinor¡¯s jaw tightened with her grip around the terrified teenager¡¯s stomach as the wind increased, focusing on her colossal fortress; she¡¯d invested in sensing paranormal phenomena, which had many uses.  I can feel the collision of two powerful spirits in battle¡­  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and Kon¡¯draga are fighting.

    Curious to meet every member of the Covenant, she tried to distinguish the particular spiritual signature that was sending waves across the valley; there was an air of familiarity to it that sparked her interest.

    Hmm¡­  Hurry, Voukey; we may not make it back before the battle is over.

    ¡°I will increase our speed, Empress; I only fear the girl will not be able to breathe.¡±

    An understandable concern¡­  If we miss it, there is nothing that could be done, but perhaps the Ke will hold out.

    Garu swallowed at the implication.  ¡°The White God will lose?¡±

    It isn¡¯t one-sided, but I expect he is ill-equipped to deal with this opponent¡­  I look forward to seeing this entity to confirm it for myself, as I expect Kon¡¯draga is directly above my position in the Covenant and below Orinvia¡­  Hmm-hmm, but Orinvia</a> has her own spiritual problems.

    Over an hour passed as Voukey brought them near Nethermore; still, the two combatants continued.  Bright, orange light flickered high in the dark clouds over the Meridian Jewel; the central volcano spewing lava out as the machines generating the city¡¯s power drew on the thermal source.

    Dropping onto the walls, Elinor helped the numb and freezing teenager off Voukey¡¯s back, whose teeth were chattering; Nelika wasn¡¯t doing any better as Garu supported the wobbly Scout.

    The Jailor of Eternities handed her clothing to the girl to act as a sort of blanket.  ¡°Noa¡­¡±

    Voukey and Garu glanced around as the Runic A.I. didn¡¯t appear.  Yet, Elinor expected a delay, and, after several seconds, the symbols appeared under their feet to show the somewhat breathless woman.

    ¡°A-Apologies, Empress¡­  I am¡­ currently running¡­ very behind¡­¡±

    Prioritizing the two living, Elinor gestured at Elena and Nelika¡ªwho Garu was still stabilizing.  ¡°Can you gather enough energy to transport these three to one of my maids?¡±

    ¡°Empress?¡±  Garu questioned.

    ¡°Rest with Nelika until I call for you again; if she wishes to join me, she will need to endure another trip.¡±

    ¡°I-I under¡ªunderstand, Empress¡­¡±  Nelika mumbled, hugging her shoulders.

    Noa took their attention as she blinked out of existence for a moment before returning.  ¡°Sorry¡­  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and Kon¡¯draga are taxing my defensive systems within the stadium¡ªI haven¡¯t felt anything like it¡ªbut give me a second¡­ a minute¡­¡±

    Elinor patiently waited in the ensuing silence, shifting to gaze toward her tower; she didn¡¯t know what to expect when heading to the Maw or precisely how her targets would respond, so Garu¡¯s presence was required, yet she had an hour to confirm several points of interest.

    The awkward atmosphere popped when the runes encircled the group at Elinor¡¯s back, Voukey beside her since she hadn¡¯t named him; she would need her General nearby in case there was an event that required her immediate attention.

    Once they were gone, Elinor turned a half-smile to the frantic A.I.  ¡°Take me to Edmon and Sari¡¯a¨¦l when you are able.¡±

    ¡°Shortly, Empress¡­  Mmgm¡­  The Ke even made tweaks before the battle to give me more direct control over the power grid, overriding certain safety protocols, and I¡¯m still struggling to minimize the damage of their battle¡­  Empress, the Ke may not come ahead¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I expected as much.  What are the current damages?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­  Nothing permanent as of now¡ªbesides the damage to the stadium itself¡ªyet if this continues, I might¡­ erm¡­ trigger an eruption to the supervolcano we currently, eh, reside in¡­ that could affect the entire world.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  You needn¡¯t be concerned; it feels like it will end soon¡­¡±

    She trailed off as they moved locations, only to be met with the calamitous resonance of something she hadn¡¯t heard in many of her past lives¡ªthe hum of arcane energy¡ªcontrasted with the roars of the Ke.

    The battleground shook, reverberations traveling up her legs as she transferred her hands behind her back to observe the blurred fight; runes filled the vast space, shattering and reforming layers in flux by the forces colliding within.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s</a> harmonic voice entered her mind as the Seraph hovered nearby, Edmon</a> beside her, coldly studying the scene.  ¡°It has been quite the exciting conflict, Empress!  The Ke has put up a valiant fight, yet hope is not lost.¡±

    ¡°This Kon¡¯draga is¡­ unusual,¡± Edmon whispered.  ¡°She utilizes elements, yet there is another power she uses that is far more destructive; Sari¡¯a¨¦l calls it arcane.¡±

    She is right¡­

    Their focus momentarily drifted to the left, where Orinvia, Bo-Ko, Lis¡¯ndrassa, Sylez, and Sar¡¯ollaz stood, the Devil teleporting to her side in a haze of smoke.  ¡°Completed your task, Irkalla?  I do not believe the creatures you went to exterminate are dead; hmm-hmm, something happen?¡±  he spoke, mental waves creating the sound for all to hear.

    Elinor scanned the partially ruined coliseum, pillars, granite, walls, and sections of the stands showing signs of damage where the dueling pair had broken past Noa¡¯s desperate barriers.  Not willing to go in the direction the Covenant Chairman wanted as she observed, Elinor went another route.

    ¡°An Archon¡­¡±

    Clearly listening, the other Covenant members¡ªexcluding Orinvia¡ªwere almost instantly around her, ruffling Edmon¡¯s feathers, ironically, since the angel seemed perfectly at ease with their presence.

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Sylez</a> snickered, now somehow only slightly taller than Edmon, sitting on a disk of black flames and sparking crimson lightning¡ªHellfire¡ªhe certainly had Demon ancestry.  ¡°You know of Kon¡¯draga, Supreme Goddess of Chains?¡±

    Bo-Ko bobbed up and down.  ¡°Go, Kon¡¯Kon!  Yeah¡ªwater¡ªdo the charging thing¡ªyay!¡±

    Elinor kept an entertained smile as the female entity generated a sphere of clear liquid, firing a flood of pressurized water; it cut deep grooves past the runic defenses to Noa¡¯s curses.  Naturally opposed, it dispersed Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s intense, spiritually-charged flames¡ªthe reason he was beyond the rest of his race¡ªbut only light gashes were made in his tough hide, revealing hot-pink blood.

    The Ke charged through it to slash at the arcane being; of course, there was a flaw in his plan thanks to Kon¡¯draga¡¯s form, and the giant 10-meter tall ape seemed to catch on, dual tails lashing out with shocking dexterity to disperse half of her body before it could reconstitute.

    Hopping back as she expanded into a supernova, the gorilla twisted, flinging a double whip of white, spiritual lashes from his tails at the concussive explosion of the raw cosmic element, the wave mostly redirected by the spiritually laced flames.

    Unfortunately, in the long conflict, the Ke had made a mistake in angle, showing they were playing a tight mental game; his lower-left hand suddenly vaporized on contact.

    Kon¡¯draga was an entity of pure arcane energy¡ªan Archon, or Chief Entity¡ªaccording to the Al¡¯thoran race¡¯s beliefs; in Elinor¡¯s time liberating the confined creatures from their gel-like oppressors, she¡¯d come to learn much about their special kind of elemental manipulation.

    ¡°This is my first time seeing an Al¡¯thoran that achieved their enlightenment¡­  Although, judging by her inexperience in battle, she seems young to have accomplished the legendary feat.¡±

    ¡°A keen eye,¡± Sylez said, shifting his long tail as he tilted his head to the left, fingers rubbing his spiked chin.  ¡°She is an interesting kid; I picked her up¡­ three planets back, Sar¡¯ollaz</a>?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.  She has improved Sha¡¯Guala¡¯s infrastructure by quite a bit since then.¡±

    ¡°She does love to tinker, hehe.¡±

    ¡°It is a part of their nature,¡± Elinor whispered, recalling her time with the race; the Archon looked so unlike the creatures she¡¯d ruled.

    She was roughly 180 centimeters tall¡ªwhich was far shorter than what she should be in her corporeal frame¡ªcolored white, violet, and black; almost humanoid in appearance, the Archon¡¯s mane-like hair and long, bushy tail were dotted like space.

    Her beautiful tufts of fur were patterned with tattoo-like cosmic patterns that changed with the forces channeled; a dark, abyssal hole was impressed into her chest, and balls of gravitational force were generated above her thin, clawed fingers and curling tail to attempt to weigh the Quen¡¯Talrat down.

    Lustrous, neon-white, haloed irises followed the Ke¡¯s rapid movements, who used his fire as a launcher to redirect his position and dance around her arcane and elemental attacks.  Despite the fact it was clear Kon¡¯draga</a> was not accustomed to combat¡ªwhich was why she hadn¡¯t overtaken Orinvia in the rankings¡ªshe still seemed to hold the upper hand.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    Her horns and large ears were telling of her origin as an Al¡¯thoran, yet she wouldn¡¯t have expected the race would condense down into the far thinner and more elegant figure; then again, some tribes hated their appearance, wishing to be more like the sleek Gromdra race¡ªperhaps Kon¡¯draga was a descendent from those tribes she ruled in the past¡ªof course, it could have been the many other worlds she¡¯d encountered them on.

    She met the giant ape in the air with her arcane-laced claws, elbow-like flairs to her fur sending rays of power to counter his attempt to smash her.  Kon¡¯draga, void-like mask cracked at the strain of repelling him, used several more slashes that spilled more pink blood, much to the Ke¡¯s laughter; she was growing desperate.

    Here it comes¡­ Primus¡¯ Ascent.

    ¡°It was a good attempt, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma; it is over,¡± Les¡¯ndrassa sighed.

    She vanished in a flash of aquamarine light to come between a beam of arcane energy, locking both contestants in a dimensional prison as the Archon¡¯s ultimate technique met empty space.

    ¡°Interesting,¡± she muttered, watching Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma fall to his left side, struggling to stay upright after expending much of his colossal spiritual reserves¡ªthe reason for the other races seeing him as invincible¡ªalabaster flames dying down for pools of pink liquid to gather across the ground.

    Half of the Ke¡¯s left head had been stripped of fur and skin, showing muscle and blood seeping out.  ¡°Haaa¡­ huu-haaa¡­ he-he¡­  Such an unusual style of combat¡­  I failed your test?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±  Noa mumbled, tears gathering in her eyes as she watched the Covenant surround him.  ¡°He¡ªhe didn¡¯t lose, though; he¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Noa,¡± Elinor soothed.  ¡°Les¡¯ndrassa stopped the fight; she didn¡¯t kill him¡ªhmm?  Hmm-hmm.  I see¡­¡±

    Kon¡¯draga drifted to the floor, fluffy tail unable to rise as her body expanded, melding back into her corporeal form; she¡¯d overused her powers, breaking the harmony she¡¯d found within herself and the universe.

    Smooth, silky fur coloring a deep brown as Kon¡¯draga¡¯s mane became creamy; she collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily with sweat leaking out of her skin¡ªa five-meter-tall wolf with elk horns and thin back hooves</a>¡ªshe was an Al¡¯thoran.

    ¡°How cute!¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l chimed, clapping her hands.  ¡°She does look like a being that would have an innate attunement to cosmic forces.¡±

    ¡°If you say so,¡± Edmon mumbled.

    Surprisingly, her voice was petite, sounding somewhat dry in her fatigue as the Al¡¯thoran¡¯s whiskers twitched, deep red eyes on the struggling Quen¡¯Talrat beyond Lis¡¯ndrassa.  ¡°I¡­ learned much from this¡­ trial; there is much for me to learn about¡­ spiritual forces.  No, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡ªyou have shown yourself resilient.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Les¡¯ndrassa evenly replied, jelly-like</a> body shifting to her humanoid appearance.  ¡°You have stepped into the fire without reserve; as witnesses, we welcome you to the Covenant.¡±

    Sylez snickered.  ¡°You have a lot to learn Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma; the Covenant is a gateway to reaching beyond what is typically possible¡­ I look forward to seeing what path you take.¡±

    Sar¡¯ollaz grunted.  ¡°Much is changing¡­  We will speak once you are recovered.¡±

    Colored liquid spurted out of the Ke¡¯s missing upper-right arm, lower-left arm, foot, and gashes as he forced himself to stand on his remaining three feet; he almost fell over, tails and one arm keeping the ape balanced.

    ¡°I¡­ have not had such a battle since the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen and her brood¡ªhaha¡ªI hear she lives, Empress Irkalla,¡± he shouted, drawing everyone¡¯s attention back to her.  ¡°I would enjoy meeting this¡­ Iris again.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  I will arrange it in time.¡±

    ¡°Haha!  Excellent!¡±

    Lights shimmered around them as Sha¡¯Guala carried Kon¡¯draga and the Ke to the recovery bay to join Baxter; the others gave her respect or veiled animosity before leaving until only the specter remained.

    Instantly teleporting to Elinor, Les¡¯ndrassa lifted her shimmering teeth into a partial smile.  ¡°This is an expression of happiness; is it not, Empress Irkalla?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  You needn¡¯t force yourself to do what is beyond your culture¡­  Am I right to assume you are of the Landalia race?¡±

    ¡°Quite educated; a distant cousin.¡±

    ¡°Mmh.  I see¡­  You have come a long way, and have tempered by a considerable margin.¡±

    ¡°I agree!¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l added.  ¡°There was once a similar people that I knew of¡ªunfortunately, they have long perished.  What is your interest and story, Les¡¯ndrassa?¡±

    ¡°My goal in life and path is what you seek to know?¡±

    Edmon moved to Elinor¡¯s side, arms crossed.  ¡°It would help to understand our positions.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  How do I describe it¡­¡± she mused, blade-like fin exiting her obsidian robe weaving forward and back with her tentacle feelers, making Edmon nervous.  ¡°I sensed a disturbance in time and found the Covenant, believing it was them, but I was mistaken¡­  Now, I search for the corruption.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed, a thought rising.  ¡°Is that what brought Becdeth to the Covenant¡­  You found him?¡±

    ¡°Most impressive,¡± she replied, regal tone returning.  ¡°Indeed; Becdeth does have a similar¡­ uneasiness about his Existence that drew me to the being; our paths have united.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  I see.  In time, I believe ours will, as well; the future is murky, yet Becdeth has piqued my interest in¡­ many topics.  Perhaps we will have a more fulfilling conversation when things settle.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to it.  Hmm¡­¡±  Her head lifted to stare at the falling lunar spheres.  ¡°Arsheh calls me.¡±

    ¡°We will speak another time.¡±

    ¡°We shall.¡±

    Letting the Bringer of the Tide leave, Elinor¡¯s lips became a line, staring up at the moon.  She walks a dangerous line.

    ¡°Quite sad,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l mumbled.

    A rumble came through Edmon¡¯s connection.  ¡°How so?¡±

    Les¡¯ndrassa and Becdeth are similar but opposite¡­  She was drawn to him because she is food, and I suspect Sylez and Sar¡¯ollaz know it, too.  So many complicated interactions, and what comes of the revelation¡­  We will see.

    ¡°Should we prepare for the worst?¡±

    Why?  Elinor questioned, giving Edmon a neutral stare.  Everything dies, and when that happens, she will pass into Irkalla.

    Edmon straightened.  ¡°I¡­ hadn¡¯t considered that.¡±

    Becdeth, though¡­  He is different from the Eldritch entities I pruned in my duties¡­ something more sinister and foreign than what our Existence birthed.  He knows far more than he should.

    ¡°Is there an action you wish us to take?¡±  the Seraph asked, smiling and waving at Noa¡ªwho was concerned for her creator¡ªthe hybrid staring up at the hidden island in the heavens.

    No.  Nothing certain can be taken until I meet with Ishtar.  That being said¡­

    Noa froze in her return wave as their attention went to her.  ¡°Y-Yes, Empress?  Oh, umm, I¡¯m attempting to calm the volcanic activity as we speak¡ªvents have opened up in several places across the valley.¡±

    ¡°Fire?¡±  Edmon swiftly interjected.

    ¡°Erm¡ªprobably?¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­  Should I handle it, Empress?¡±

    ¡°Have Voukey take you, but be back before the hour; Sari¡¯a¨¦l, return to the throng and inform them that many of their daughters, mothers, and sisters will be in Nethermore by morning, and you will be escorting them back yourself as I confront the Ri¡¯bot army.¡±

    The deep-voiced bird chirped.  ¡°It shall accomplish this task without fail, Empress!¡±

    ¡°Wonderful!  I know many will be overjoyed to hear the news,¡± the Seraph mirrored, clasping her hands behind her back, between her radiant wings; the two were practically blinding Edmon with their glowing attitude.

    Edmon gave the Sky Lord and angel a sidelong look that said they were far too cheery before releasing a stream of sapphire-tinted fog.  ¡°Let¡¯s be quick, Voukey.¡±

    ¡°Naturally, High Lord!  We fly!¡±

    Letting the three make their rounds, Elinor¡¯s vision darkened; it was time to do what she came back to discover.  ¡°Take me to Demon.¡±

    She took one last look at the devastated arena, sections of the floor beneath showing¡ªlikely dealing inevitable functionality damage to the various runic grids Noa was attempting to repair; the road ahead had an unforgiving toll, yet as it stood, Ishtar was required for the journey forward¡ªEreshkigal had never failed, and wouldn¡¯t now.

    Fingers tightening around the Staff of the Dead, Elinor glared at the shadowversal entity as Noa left her to privacy, tension rising in the threatening atmosphere created between the two.

    ¡°Back so soon, Supreme Goddess Irkalla?  I have heard whispers of your name around the world, hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±

    Not taking the bait, Elinor kept to her silence, allowing the creature to stew in her intense, emerald irises; it fed off chaos and negativity.

    Becdeth is a unique Eldritch creature, unlike the natural fiends of the High Shadowverse I knew and contended with¡­ something more sinister and lulling¡­ powerful; it likely comes from another Existence¡­  An Eldritch Existence.   It is by far the most dangerous hidden danger on this planet, yet¡­ he is not, and that is what Demon is trying to intimidate me with.

    ¡°What do you know about Erra</a> and Ishum</a>?¡±

    ¡°Mmh, hmm-hmm-hmm.  Goddess, have I not kept my word; do you wish to deal?  You know what I have to offer, no?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  Your price for a full scope of this conflict between Supreme Gods and Goddesses is one of the Seeds they carry¡­  However, in preparation for this moment, you have willingly allowed yourself to be blinded to certain details regarding my opponents¡­  I will not follow the dancing strings of a pathetic puppet of the Shadowverse.¡±

    Her nose twitched at his nonresponse as the possessed ancient technology stood perfectly still; Demon was attempting to manipulate her¡ªher¡ªand expected to get away with it.

    ¡°I will repeat it; you are a pathetic puppet to something beyond this sliver of a universe, and I know precisely what information you possess; Erra rejected your proposal, as well¡ªit was made clear with Ishum¡¯s response¡ªand the thing you hate is that he was the one to rip a few of your fangs out.

    ¡°Be there only a few¡ªor even a dozen¡ªSupreme Gods and Goddesses in conflict on this planet; it is nothing new to us¡ªit matters little¡ªthe High Heavens would never play to the strings of a pathetic instrument like you.  We are our own agents</a>, and we bow to no one.¡±

    Demon¡¯s golden mask eyes moved for the first time, slitting further with a secretive smile.  ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  You will return to me, Supreme Goddess of Kur and Night Relief; the forces you contend with are beyond even your might and understanding, Ereshkigal, Queen of the Great Earth.  The battleground awaits¡­¡±

    A dark smirk lifted the corner of Elinor¡¯s lip as she stepped closer to the bars separating them, chains echoing through the prison.  ¡°Not one soul has escaped my grasp; a chain is not made without stepping into the forge to be tempered by fire¡­¡±

    ¡°Think carefully, Jailor of the Eternities¡­  Prepare for Eternity¡¯s End.¡±

    She turned to the side, a chuckle reverberating in the air with the future noise of splintered bone, clashing steel, and raging flames.  ¡°If you thought this planet was a prison, Puppet of the Shadows, you haven¡¯t the faintest idea of what awaits you in Irkalla.¡±

    Laughter came from Demon as she called for Noa to take her to her tower, adding Violet to the list; she¡¯d rejected the fiend¡¯s offer to reveal the players on the board¡ªit seemed they all thought the same, which gave her another vital distinction¡ªYesenia was likely not of the High Heavens.

    ¡°Horror unlike anything you have dreamed makes its advance, Irkalla¡­  Hmm-hmm.  What a time to live; good luck, Dark Child of the Outlands!  Haha!¡±

    Runes encircled Elinor while leering at the creature, and when they faded, the incredible view of her high tower wasn¡¯t the thing that brought a frown to Elinor¡¯s lips, and Violet appeared moments later.

    ¡°You called¡ªEmpress, your garments¡ªthere is filth¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus lingered on the recovering, transformed spider for a second; it would be at least a week or two before she was fully restored.

    ¡°I need a flexible outfit, Violet,¡± Elinor interjected, not caring much for how she appeared overall, having dispensed of the Lich Branch¡¯s requirements of being so obsessed by her appearance.  ¡°Something simple, practical, and that will act as a protection against weapons.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡ªof course¡­  Would you like to shower before?¡±

    Wanting to skip the unnecessary conversation, she released her physical body and reconstituted it.   ¡°Hmm¡­  Done.¡±

    ¡°¡­¡±  Violet nodded, swiftly getting to work.  Her hair grew far slower than usual, yet her silk was possibly even stronger than her mother¡¯s; that strength would be helpful.

    As time passed, Elinor¡¯s gaze wandered to Sha¡¯Guala</a>.  Becdeth called me the Dark Child of the Outlands¡­  Did Demon hear that title from him, someone else, or¡­  Hmm.  Am I from the outlying Existences that were pulled into this cyclone, or is that where we are now?

    The other title the unique Eldritch gave her rose to the surface of her thoughts.  Last Empress of the Dead¡­ there is a dream left to cling to.  A being of The Dream¡­  He fears its end¡­  There is hope that it won¡¯t end¡­ but what happens if it does¡­

    Perhaps by Fate¡¯s design, Becdeth?  Humph¡­

    Violet wrapped her rather noble garb¡ªtight-fitted with stretchable slack for movement, mixed with golden embroidery, long-sleeved, high boots, and a high neck</a>¡ªit would do.

    Deep in thought as time passed, she went over her lifetimes of battle experience until the end of the hour came, Voukey returning with it, and, gathering the two young Ri¡¯bot Scouts, Elinor left for war; this was only the first battle stage.

 B3 â€” 37. Death In The Mist

    Tegrim jolted upright as shouts carried throughout the Roxim camp, his wife and two sons following his gaze; runners made their way through their vast encampment.

    ¡°All Group Leaders to the Chief!  All Group Leaders to the Chief¡¯s tent¡ª¡±

    His wife gave him a concerned look.  ¡°It is the end of the day; why would there be a mass meeting?¡±

    Rubbing his shoulders, Tegrim could see many of his small community of warriors and their families giving him a similar look; they¡¯d certainly come to her for answers when he left.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say¡­  The Chief was speaking to the Lowland Great Clans.¡±

    ¡°Precisely,¡± she whispered, trying not to let herself give in to their fears.  ¡°Have negotiations already broken down, or will they help us reclaim our land?¡±

    Two teeth on either side of his mouth pressing against his lower lip, he drew her into a hug, attempting to keep her and others¡¯ concerns at bay; panicking wouldn¡¯t do them much good.  ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening.  Keep everyone calm, if you can¡ª¡±

    Her voice lowered further, voicing a worry that was quickly spreading through not only their group.  ¡°It¡¯s almost been a month, Tegrim¡ªwe can¡¯t sustain our entire Clan in these areas¡ªwe don¡¯t have the infrastructure.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, I know our supplies are running low.¡±

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t bring anything that would slow us down¡ªfood¡ªand those human creatures eat a lot.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll see if I can bring it up with the Chief¡ªI need to know,¡± he prompted, pulling away.

    ¡°I know¡­  Be safe,¡± she added, attempting to not show his same fear for their future; his eldest son gave him a salute as he moved away.

    ¡°Can I come with you, Father?¡±

    He was a strong man, breaking into his own at seven years old, and stronger than Tegrim at his age, more responsible, as well; Tegrim had no doubt the ancestors were just as proud of his growth.

    ¡°Not this time, Harthm; the Chief just wants the Group Leaders.  I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    A few of his group¡¯s more veteran warriors gave him a respectful gesture as he made his way out of their camp; his younger sons looked up to their oldest brother, and he¡¯d calm the fears they subconsciously got from his wife, doing her best to spread that out to the rest of their family and friends.

    They were a smaller subsection to the Clan¡¯s hierarchy in area demographics with few Torlim to their name, yet their purpose was more or less the most looked down upon task of the Roxim¡ªstealth combat¡ªwhich he had to admit they weren¡¯t the best Valley Clan at.

    Still, he was respected nonetheless for his accomplishments in the field against the Xaltan¡¯s pushes into their territory.

    His gaze wandered between the dimly-lit, lowland forest; it wasn¡¯t nearly as dark as the highland valley jungle, but the thick canopy generally blotted out the sun, leaving shadows cast by the beams, playing on his mind.

    Craftsmen from the various in-clan factions could be seen working even at this hour, weaving leaf tarps that could replace the many they¡¯d left in their beloved land.

    They¡¯d left just about everything but the bare essentials in the frenzied flight out of the valley to escape this faceless, otherworldly boogeyman, and he was still hesitant if that had been the right decision instead of fighting this unknown entity they¡¯d been told about.

    It was entering the Rainy Season, which would bring many troubles and diseases if they didn¡¯t prepare appropriately, especially regarding their food and livestock; some of the more troublesome, dormant insects during the dry season hatched during this time, and the plagues they carried could cause significant damage¡ªat least it was attested to by past generations.

    Proceeding through the pathway between camps, he saw other leaders ahead of him; they all kept their silence or stayed in their little circles, yet his focus was primarily directed toward the average Clansmen he passed.

    Many were preparing for bed or trying to sleep as the high-moon neared; morale wasn¡¯t good, and it wasn¡¯t hard to see why.  Instead of fighting for their home, they¡¯d given ground, leaving the valley entirely; it was such a contentious snap decision that some of the older generations were even calling into question their Chief.  If it hadn¡¯t been for Krava¡ªan old Xaria and current acting Komath Chief¡ªhe suspected there may have been a rebellion.

    Mumbles could be heard as he arrived at the tent, seeing the crowd gathered outside of it; looking up, he spied Chief Zargoth atop a low branch.  Instantly, he knew something was wrong when his sharp eyes caught sight of Fennel¡¯s family ax and bracelet on his wrist.

    Hovering on the outside of the throng, he glanced to the left, waiting for the rest of the Group Leaders to arrive; Fennel had the strongest faction within their Clan beside the Chief himself, and because of that, it was given to them to guard the humans.

    Cages were seen, dotted where they¡¯d been able to be built, and they were in a far worse state than when he¡¯d last seen them; it was true that they didn¡¯t have much food¡ªthe hunters and gatherers finding it challenging to find resources in this unfamiliar forest¡ªyet even not knowing too much about these creature¡¯s anatomy, it seemed they were starving.

    They huddled in packs of three, stripped of the garments in case there were hidden properties within them; their tools and items had grown popular to trade to those curious about the stretchable fabrics and squishy footwear.

    There were rumors that a powerful Ragnlar previously unseen before had prowled through the mist, killing not only many warriors but three humans a few days ago; a lot of worries came from the scene, according to whispers throughout the other groups.  It evidently even killed what appeared to be white-scaled Nalveans, bringing the idea to some hunters that it was a cousin of the valley cat that traveled in packs.

    No incident occurred since, and the Great Clans assured them they hadn¡¯t come across such beasts in their stay in the area, yet all Tegrim heard lately were hushed doubt and fears, which would typically have been scoffed at more than a month ago¡ªmuch had changed.

    His wide field of vision returned to the Chief as he spoke¡ªsilencing the others¡ªand, as he suspected, he only had terrible news to share.

    ¡°Group Leaders¡­ as some of you have pointed out, I wear Fennel¡¯s treasured family heirloom¡­¡±  he paused, shifting in his squatting position to look down at Hestine, Fennel¡¯s daughter and one of their closest clansmen to a Xaria; some said she would beat her father had she used his ancient blessed ax.

    ¡°Hestine, come up¡­¡±

    She compiled, expression hard at the implications this meant; everyone had the same thoughts on their minds.  Had the Great Clans betrayed them¡ªdid Fennel challenge them to claim some sort of support and lost¡ªwere they on their own?

    ¡°Yes, Chief,¡± she evenly replied; a seasoned warrior of eighteen years old, she didn¡¯t press for information, knowing it would likely come.

    ¡°Fennel was a great champion¡­ he cared greatly for our people and¡ª¡±  His hesitation didn¡¯t go without notice, and Tegrim drew his own conclusions by it; he didn¡¯t say her father was swimming across the Great River to reach the Supreme Chiefs.  ¡°He was valiant to the end, challenging our mortal enemy.¡±

    Mumbles passed between leaders at the statement as Zargoth took the bracelet off and handed it to Hestine, followed by the exquisite ax.  ¡°Elinor came from the sky, riding a colossal winged bird with feathers like steel¡­ with a member of the Ethereal and the desert Kaldraxi Clan to confront us directly.¡±

    Tegrim shifted uncomfortably at the revelation, others expressing the same questions he had himself as Hestine accepted her birthright, grimly studying the designs on the weapon.

    ¡°The human attacked you in front of the Great Chiefs of Morseng and Polsan?¡±

    ¡°Why was she not killed¡ªcaptured at the least?¡±

    ¡°Will they fight with us now that they have seen the creature?¡±

    ¡°Did the human escape, or¡ª¡±

    ¡°Silence!¡±  Hestine slammed the ax into the nearby trunk, silencing the voices; the perpetually sharp edge easily came free from its deep cut as her stone-cold gaze fixated on their Chief.  ¡°The Chief is speaking.¡±

    A sad smile lifted the corner of Zargoth¡¯s mouth; Fennel would have done the same, and after giving him a salute, she jumped down to join the rest of the leaders.

    Turning back to them, their Chief finished the chilling story, making Tegrim¡¯s stomach cramp.

    ¡°Elinor is the name of our enemy, and she was bold enough to make an appearance in front of the Great Chiefs themselves¡­  She issued a trial by combat¡ªsingle combat¡ªfirst against Fennel, and we all witnessed the same¡­

    ¡°Fennel aged before our very eyes, the grass turning to dust around her as she stole his life.  Elinor can create chains out of thin air¡ªas if we needed more proof she is a fiend from the Pits¡ªbinding one of our greatest warriors while draining his vitality.¡±

    How can we beat her then; what are we supposed to do?  Tegrim complained internally.  Fennel already testified she is an immortal fiend from the Pits that cannot be killed.  Do we capture her and bury her¡ªseal her in a tomb?  How if she has such powers?  I suppose it¡¯s just a numbers game; we need to destroy her body¡ªno, maybe her clothing is the trigger like some suspect¡­

    This rumored solution was quickly called into question.

    ¡°In the fight, Elinor shed her covering; although, not all of it, meaning Fennel¡¯s theory may still hold true¡ªin addition, she had a new weapon¡­ a spear that glowed with an unholy, green, fog-like sphere.  Our strategy remains the same; destroy her body and seal what remains in a basket or stone box the crafters have made.¡±

    He leaned back, vision rising to the stars, peeking through the far thinner canopy than the jungle, a dark frown touching his lips.  ¡°She has challenged the Roxom and Komath¡­ herself, and has stated she will destroy us all by the end of the night, telling the Great Clans to inspect our camps by daylight.¡±

    That was the trigger they¡¯d all been waiting for, yet it hadn¡¯t been the call for war they¡¯d expected; Hestine spoke up in the stilled silence that followed.

    ¡°She will kill us all herself¡ªis that what she pledged¡ªtonight?¡±

    Zargoth¡¯s sober gaze fell on him, the others turning to glance between them.  ¡°Make no mistake, Leader Hestine, Elinor is a supernatural entity from the Pits, and¡ªalone or not¡ªFennel has proven it will take more than bravery and skill to take her down¡­  No, I do not believe she will be alone¡ªI do not trust her¡ªwhich is why we must be vigilant.¡±

    He gestured in the direction of the Komath¡¯s camp.  ¡°At this moment, Chief Krava is preparing his own warriors¡ªtheir own Xaria will join our Torlim squads¡ªbut do not think this will be a fair fight, and expect to lose brothers and sisters in arms this night¡­  It is war.¡±

    Tegrim listened carefully to everything their Chief had to say, and not long after, Chief Krava joined them with two of his Xaria by his side; there was a lot more information and strategy shared between them as they were ordered to various defensive formations, the humans at their core.

    It was a little strange to him that there was such emphasis on the humans at first, yet it soon became apparent they were a central target of Elinor, and she promised to spare anyone who remained nearby the creatures.

    It made sense; she wanted to help those that looked like her, even if she only took the form of these creatures, they likely were her followers of some kind, or so he assumed.  However, something else he hadn¡¯t put together made many leaders of both Clans look at one another when the great, yellow-skinned Chief of the Komath stood straighter, taking the stage.

    ¡°Be warned, warriors¡­  This is not a fight for only your homes and families, but your very souls¡ªtheir souls!  Elinor might be able to drag those she kills into the Pits itself; pray for our ancestors¡¯ protection and guidance; this is no ordinary war¡­  We fight for the glory of the Supreme Chiefs in vanquishing this fiend!

    ¡°Now, prepare for battle; she comes tonight!¡±

    Leaving back to their respective camps, Tegrim folded his arms together, pondering everything he¡¯d heard from the two Chiefs¡ªgreat Ri¡¯bot he respected¡ªbut the more Tegrim considered their position, the more he questioned why the ancient Great Chiefs hadn¡¯t descended from on-high to aid them if a fiend from the pits had actually broken free.

    How did that even happen?

    The great storm and the signs the ice balls bring¡­  Perhaps a war taking place above, allowing Elinor to escape?  Is it even possible for us to fight a creature that can drain one¡¯s life and use ethereal chains¡­ return others from the Pits to fight for her?  It doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­

    He saw many of the leaders that had gone ahead of him rallying their camps, warriors grabbing their weapons, and even craftsmen being called to arms; they were to draft anyone who wished to fight.  It was understandable, but to quickly mobilize an inexperienced force without training¡­  They were fodder.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    There was certainly room for fodder in learning the tactics of your enemies, but critical personnel for their way of life shouldn¡¯t be sacrificed like that when they had so little infrastructure to work with; his only conclusion was things were far grimmer than the Chiefs let on, and it didn¡¯t matter in the end¡ªif they lost this battle, their clans were already extinct¡ªthen again, there was an out.

    Teeth digging into his skin as he rationalized the orders he¡¯d been given, Tegrim slowed to look at a human cage¡ªtaking a slightly longer path back that passed by Hestine¡¯s camp¡ªhe hadn¡¯t been the only one to do so.

    They¡¯d placed the humans that were of similar size together, and this one appeared to be one for their children; gaunt and thin, bones showing as they huddled around one another for warmth, dirt, and feces covering their bodies¡ªone appeared to be coughing, an action not typically seen by the others.

    Trusting she will spare those besides the humans¡­  If it comes to the point of her breaking past our defensive line, there can be nothing lost in following her statement of mercy toward the children and non-warriors.

    Is it bait by the Pit fiend?  I don¡¯t believe a Pit fiend would make such a declaration or condition¡­ restrict herself.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Making up his mind, Tegrim returned to his camp and gathered his group of fifty-eight individuals, summarizing the orders they¡¯d been given; however, unlike many of the other groups, he didn¡¯t pressure the non-warriors to join¡ªquite the opposite¡ªthis was a battle where they didn¡¯t need the untrained to hamper command order or cause panic.

    His people were to support the other clans in crafting barricades, traps, and non-combative tasks before heading to the humans; they were to not leave their side nor cause harm to them, as their enemy had promised consequences.  Even if Elinor was not honorable, they were, and they would live by their word.

    Hugging his wife and children, he happily accepted his eldest son and daughter-in-law by his side, charging his younger two to protect their mother, even if it would be the opposite; she would be taking command over the rest of their group when he was gone¡ªhe didn¡¯t expect to return, and she knew it.

    Proud at the strength she showed in that knowledge, they pressed their heads together, sharing a tender moment with his other twelve warriors before setting off¡ªthirteen strong¡ªthey were on the frontline, to be hidden in the trees to ambush the opponent with traps and subterfuge.

    His son gave him a forced chuckle as they made their way through the various bustling camps, taking much longer to prepare with their Torlim and numbers.  ¡°Don¡¯t think we¡¯ll make it back, Father?¡±

    ¡°Honestly¡­  No,¡± he laughed, putting a hand on his son¡¯s shoulder as his daughter-in-law leaped down from the canopy; there was worry on her face as warning clicks sounded around them.  ¡°I¡¯m glad to have you by my side¡­  Hmm.  What is it, Telza?¡±

    ¡°A fog bubbles up from the distant forest¡­  The same as what we experienced three nights ago.¡±

    ¡°The Ethereal,¡± his son sighed, ¡°as you were concerned about, Father.  Hehe¡­  Granddad always told us stories.¡±

    His twelve warriors chuckled at the mention of Tegrim¡¯s father, who had heard the same stories from his grandfather; in a way, their family and group¡¯s path had been influenced by those legendary Ri¡¯bot assassins.

    ¡°It seems we¡¯ll be able to meet these legends soon.¡±

    Telza returned to the canopy as they made it beyond the spike barriers, pits, and other traps the clans prepared, formations in the process of being made; Tegrim had a different goal than these warriors, being the highest tier scouts in the Roxim.

    The fog</a> slowly drew near, Telza keeping a close eye on its progress; she noted a shimmering golden glow in the distant heavens that was swallowed by the dense mist; it didn¡¯t take long for them to be overtaken by the veil.

    Remaining somewhat amused by reliving the stories they¡¯d heard from their parents and grandparents about the impending mist that came with the Ethereal, Tegrim accepted his likely fate.  It was precisely as the tales illustrated; sound became muffled, scent useless, and the unnerving sensation of unseen eyes peering at you just beyond sight.

    He spread out some of his scouts so they could retreat and provide information if needed, sending groups of two others nearby just in case they missed any actions, only keeping his son and daughter-in-law by his side.

    They were right in the path where Telza saw the light¡ªpresumably, one of Elinor¡¯s forces, as were the reports of the massive flying bird¡ªwhich was directly in the direction of the steep climb to the valley, and their positioning had been correct.

    Popping tongues sent a message through the fog in the Roxim¡¯s unique warrior language; someone was approaching a little to the southwest.

    He motioned for Telza and Harthm to join him, returning the spotters to remain still and observe; they were on their way.

    Creeping across the high branches, he joined Resdel and Julrea, squinting below to see a human dressed in a primarily black leather-like material, as far as he could tell, but the glowing staff casually held behind her back was unmistakable.

    Out of all the scouts, we were the ones to meet her¡­

    His men and women¡¯s senses were sharp, scanning the fog for signs of the flashing lights they¡¯d heard in the stories, yet the only thing that met their search was the ever-shifting, ominous mist¡ªshe appeared utterly alone¡ªbut they knew better than to believe such.

    A minute passed, and Elinor remained in the small clearing below¡ªonly a foot away from a pitfall trap meant for large prey¡ªstaring into the veil with an unreadable expression as she waited for something; it almost seemed like she knew exactly what awaited her had she walked forward.

    Their simple warrior¡¯s tongue sent cryptic messages between the nearby twelve scouts, listening carefully to receive updates.

    ¡°Target stopped at trap.¡±

    ¡°Target unresponsive.¡±

    ¡°Remain in stealth.  Caution of hidden danger.¡±

    He issued an order after observing her, figuring it was wise to assume at this point she knew everything, from the trap to being surrounded.  ¡°Scout Pair Three, return and report the¡ª¡±

    Tegrim¡¯s pops cut off as Elinor¡¯s spear spun around her body, bringing it up into an upward position, curved point straightening in a burst of green flames before she took one step forward, rustling the leaves covering the trap, and threw the weapon into the fog with incredible strength.

    It shouldn¡¯t have been possible, yet it accelerated the instant it left her hand; his fears came seconds later as the sound of something falling from a great height hit the ground, with clicks from his partner following.

    ¡°Ronasa, moderate wound¡ªleaving him to bandage himself¡ªcontinuing on to report!¡±

    Harthm squeezed his shoulder, expression tight as his young wife shivered, and the two others with them closed their fingers in anger; she knew exactly where they were¡ªif that wasn¡¯t enough, her flaming spear returned to her hands moments later¡ªand she took several steps back, regaining her off-putting, lax posture, yet this time, her luminous, neutral jade irises lifted to the five of them, hidden within the foliage.

    ¡°I¡¯ve given you ample time to make your move.  Will you face me, or should I pick you out of the trees one by one?¡±

    Puffing out a low stream of air, Tegrim knew it was their turn to die; that didn¡¯t mean they would go without a fight¡ªhe issued his final orders, his clicks clear and distinct.

    ¡°All parties provide cover¡ªretreat, and report, should the forward party die¡ªdo not engage after¡ªremain vigilant to watchers.¡±

    One unusual response came from Scout Pair One as he motioned for the four with him to the floor.  ¡°Ronasa not found¡ªblood trail east?¡±

    Hmm.  Ronasa must have tried to make it back to report, even while injured¡­  I can¡¯t dishonor his courage.

    Landing on the far drier earth than he was accustomed to in the valley, he pushed through the brush with Harthm, Telza, and his two other warriors; Elinor was far smaller than he¡¯d initially taken her to be, even after seeing the others of her species, yet that didn¡¯t dissuade the horrific feeling in his gut that they were far outmatched.

    ¡°You are Elinor¡ªthe one who killed Fennel in single combat?¡±

    ¡°Where are your Ethereal?¡±  Telza muttered, shifting uncomfortably as she scanned the obscured upper branches for any hint of a flash.

    ¡°You may call me Elinor or Irkalla; it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± she evenly replied with no emotion as she centered on Tegrim.  ¡°In the end, you will see its gates and know who it is you stand against.¡±

    ¡°Why do you attack us?¡±  Runda hissed, brandishing his knife as the five surrounded the human, yet the human made no attempt to break away to find a better position, such as using a tree to guard her back.  ¡°Have you not taken enough from us?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to him, and they retreated a few paces as her staff tilted in precise angles, body swaying for the glowing orb of fire at the end of her spear to effortlessly deflect several blackthorn barbs the scouts sent at her from the fog.

    She spoke as if they hadn¡¯t attacked her at all.  ¡°Make no mistake, I hold no ill-will toward your species as a whole; a balance must be kept, and you have taken that which is mine¡­  Hmm-hmm.  Of course, all life is mine, in the end, but that is not in question.

    ¡°It is your Chiefs that have declared war on me, and it is you who were the aggressors in this conflict; I am simply responding in kind to the fangs you have bared.¡±

    A lump formed in his throat as he heard shouts in the distance¡ªfar too loud to be for strategy¡ªcausing a slight lift to come to the corner of Elinor¡¯s lips.  ¡°It seems it has begun.  Now, I have much to accomplish tonight; killing thousands in only a few hours is not that simple a task, even for me, at this stage, as some might believe.¡±

    Tegrim held out his hand before Telza jumped to attack, making her hesitate.  ¡°Can you clarify one thing for me?¡±

    She made a simple gesture with her unusually flexible neck¡ªso unlike Ri¡¯bot¡ªand he took it as a sign to continue.

    ¡°You will spare those that have taken refuge around the other humans?¡±

    ¡°So long as they have not harmed them, as I have instructed, there will be no bloodshed beyond the lines you mark.¡±

    Confusion gripped him, his son voicing his thoughts.

    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Do you think I chose to confront you instead of some other group out of pure coincidence?  No, I have been gauging the value to the souls along your perimeter, and it is your little band of spies that drew my attention¡ªthus, I am here; you have doubt in your leaders, yet fight for those you care for¡­  Commendable.¡±

    Her smile tilted with her head, an unrecognizable note in her voice.  ¡°As to my intentions, you will know upon awakening as to who I am.¡±

    Having heard enough, he could do nothing but have the solace of her words, spoken from her own month; she would spare his wife and children if they were near the humans.

    Jumping forward to attack with the others making their own move, he recognized more chaotic shouting in the distance, but he couldn¡¯t be focused on that now; dagger going for her jugular, his blade halted an entire meter before connecting.

    Clinking chains resonated throughout the oppressive fog, an indomitable flame in Elinor¡¯s unblinking stare as he came to an immediate halt, suspended mid-action¡ªall five of them¡ªthe shifting metal telling him the other two nearby units shared the same fate.

    Without a word, the Pit Fiend spear blurred into action, and he felt the sting of her curved blade pass through his own throat¡ªthe place he had aimed¡ªstaff snaking in a fluid combination, it twisted around her frame, delivering deathblows against all of them, excluding Runda, who received a tiny cut against his cheek.

    His eyes grew blurry in the five seconds that passed after the strike, a draining pull seemingly taking his life as the green globe brightened, he saw the veins on Runda¡¯s face start to show with a pale color that matched the force, and in the next second, he fell to the earth.

    He was losing consciousness, yet out of the corner of his vision, he could see Runda thrashing wildly, Elinor sidestepping the screaming warrior as she flipped around to send her spear into the trees to most likely attack his retreating unit.

    Mind fading, he couldn¡¯t help but be amazed at how effortless and incredible her powers were; she could counter projectiles without so much as looking, wielded her weapon as if it was her own arm, and had not a hint of hesitation in which action to perform next.

    So¡­  It was hopeless after all¡­  We cannot beat a creature of the Pits¡­  His last thoughts were of his wife, tears in his fading eyes, and, finally, Tegrim¡¯s consciousness faded.  I love you¡­

    The gentle tug of being drawn into a current tickled his senses, and when his vision cleared, he found a spotted sky</a> of color he couldn¡¯t explain¡ªshades beyond description¡ªhe was drifting inside a primordial river, uplifting him and giving Tegrim strength.

    Head tilting to the left, his eyes widened¡ªTelza and Harthm were beside him¡ªhis son¡¯s vision cracked open as he mumbled, ¡°D-Dad?¡±

    Jogging out of his dream-like slumber, he flipped around to push himself further into the colossal, seemingly endless sea they were in, coming out the other side to wrap one arm around his son and the other his daughter-in-law.

    Scanning for land, he was momentarily stunned by a titanic entity of stone that passed them like a ship to wash up along a beach of lapis lazuli</a> sand¡ªit was five times taller than any tree he¡¯d seen¡ªand around him were numberless others drawn to the shore.

    ¡°C¡¯mon¡ªhelp me get Telza to¡­¡±

    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± she mumbled, attempting to stabilize herself with Harthm.  ¡°It¡¯s¡­  I¡¯m getting stronger¡ªwhere are¡­¡±  she trailed off, the three of them instantly comprehending the answer as they saw impossibly powerful creatures hoving in the heavens¡ªthey were in the River of the Dead that stretched across all that was¡ªits destination, Irkalla.

    Past the shoreline was an impassable wall of stone that went all the way into the heavens and into infinity both to their left and right¡ªdemons of unimaginable power floated in the air, observing the process of spirits entering the open lapis lazuli gates, accepting all that would come¡ªand overseeing this first gate was a godly entity atop a titanic bat-like creature.

    Lamashtu</a> stood atop her mount, beast-like</a> head and yellow eyes observing the process, her obsidian wings spread wide; if one was to start a conflict in this sacred place, it would be met by her wrath.

    On the opposite side of the gate floated her counterpart, Pazuzu</a>, keeping careful watch over her judgments; a balance was struck between them with the mountainous entity¡¯s four dark wings overshadowing the land and creatures below, comets</a> spiraling around his frame and burning symbols in his gray, muscular body.

    His skull-like head studied the demoness and her following, a west wind blowing in her direction, and his arms folded across his chest; neither liked the other but served their mistress without fault¡ªEreshkigal demanded it¡ªand both kept peace at the gates in their own way.

    Swimming to the shore, they stumbled over the sand, and Tegrim shivered as the liquid fell away to return to the river; countless entities of unfathomable strength did the same, as powerless before the watcher¡¯s gaze with her demonesses and demons dotting the underground sanctuary for the dead.

    In horror, Telza muttered the realization that came to them upon seeing the first gate of Irkalla.  ¡°We fought against¡­¡±

    ¡°The One Above All,¡± Harthm finished.  ¡°How blind were we?¡±

    A red tint filled the heavens, making them follow Lamashtu¡¯s gaze to the far distance as she snarled for all to hear.  ¡°The Crimson Tide comes again¡ªhasten¡­ the gates will soon close until it passes.¡±

    Terror gripped Tegrim at the warning; he didn¡¯t know why, but he knew¡ªwithout a shadow of a doubt¡ªif he failed to enter that he would be eradicated, yet, at that moment, the earth split beneath them, chains latching onto Telza, Harthm, and he, bringing relief; the Queen of the Great Earth called them back.

    Pulled through Eternity, his memories of Irkalla faded, yet the reality of who ruled the dead remained; his master was the ruler of all life, and he had the pleasure of serving her needs.

    Vision clearing, he was brought back in the spirit, unable to do much to interact with the world around him, but there was one task they could do by proxy; his purpose and powers were clear in Irkalla¡¯s presence, having been granted specific skills to do what needed to be done.

    He bowed to her, Telza and Harthm doing the same.

    Her voice and orders were evident as he saw Runda rush into the fog toward the encampment, snapping his jaws and running like a ravenous animal.

    ¡°Draw an illuminated, spiritual line around the humans and those within; I give you the authority to terminate any infected that crosses it.¡±

    ¡°It will be done, Empress Irkalla¡­¡±

    He gave his son a warm smile as they moved to accomplish her will; they had the opportunity to keep their family safe from the attack¡ªthe Empress was good¡ªhe¡¯d made the right decision.

 B3 â€” 38. Hubris

    Mist</a> swirled around her as Elinor proceeded through the hidden battlefield, the muffled cries of warriors filling the nighttime forest.  Her emerald irises drifted between obscured scenes, watching her victims¡¯ life force fade or be converted into a manic puppet.

    The flickering aura of the spirits a dozen or so meters beyond the veil of white scattered in frantic confusion as panic set into the Ri¡¯bot front ranks, and Elinor calmly strolled around the obvious signs of traps her many past life experiences made clear as day.

    She didn¡¯t take pleasure in this manner of combat¡ªIrkalla wasn¡¯t above subtly and cruel tactics in war¡ªyet it was not her preferred method of choice when engaging her opponents.

    Two styles of zombies were at her disposal: those directly under her control, and a far more deadly variant that her only constraining method was a kill switch¡ªshe¡¯d first explored this style when in the inner mountain, confronting the insectoid army, and it was far more effective.

    In a culture not steeped in the fiction of Earth¡¯s fictional media examinations of the creatures¡ªmixed with the shock and surprise factor of Garu¡¯s fog¡ªthese clans didn¡¯t stand a chance; this tactic wouldn¡¯t win her this war, yet it was a necessary component in her early development.

    A yellow-skinned Ri¡¯bot ran out of the fog, wild-eyed and scanning for any ally turned foe in the oppressive haze; upon seeing her, he screamed and charged forward to engage.

    Smoothly maneuvering around his thrusting spear at the last moment while nicking him with the edge of her own in their passing.  She didn¡¯t bother spending any more focus on the infected warrior; disengaging with a short hop before continuing her consistent drift through the chaotic battlefield.

    He got halfway to her before collapsing on the ground, convulsing and gagging as the virus altered his brain, and she didn¡¯t even leave the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s sight by the time he was snarling and snapping his jaws, bloodshot eyes searching for flesh to rip into.

    It ran past her at a speed almost double he¡¯d used against her, no longer concerned about reserving energy to further widdle down the ranks.  Unsure what to do against the ever-growing frenzied horde of among the most feared type</a> of Zombie in fiction, much of these two clans would be utterly devastated before she even reached their walls.

    Unlike her Undead, these infectious Ri¡¯bot were living and directly tied to her Lich abilities this Seed offered; in over ten thousand lives, this was a first for her.  Yes, she had viral warfare enacted against her at times, yet this was the only time she¡¯d used it herself.

    A pack of Ri¡¯bot broke away from the wall they¡¯d built ahead, chased by a small wave of their sickly brethren; she gained every experience point of these kills, which was a necessity if she was going to have the needed skills for the following day.

    Her gaze wandered between the littered bodies of the slain as she stepped around the bloodied forest floor, tears and panic in the eyes of the fallen, and the path she took left decayed plants and wilting trees as she sapped the area of life.

    The flaming orb of Death Energy at the end of her staff only grew brighter with her slow walk, and her supernaturally enhanced vision didn¡¯t miss the dying zombies unable to move, having what little life left in them sucked out in her passing.

    It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach the makeshift and semi-destroyed spike walls the Ri¡¯bot had made, many of which had the infected creatures still twitching and attempting to free themselves; she drained them of life, not wishing to waste anything.

    Small groups engaged her from time to time on her path, further being added to the scattering horde and, keeping track of where her zombies ran, she activated the kill switch on any that went too far.

    Even the wildlife were pulled into her ravenous ranks, animals and birds assaulting the terrified clan warriors; their carcasses littered throughout the forest.

    Far swifter than she anticipated, the cries and snapping grew more distant until they spread beyond her ability to see or hear; the Ri¡¯bot¡¯s own traps were filled with their own bodies, seemingly leading the horde to them for the pits to be filled and overflow.

    The scent of death permeated the air, burning Elinor¡¯s nose, and with a culture that rarely, if ever, used fire, there was little that could be done or even conceptualized to combat such an alien foe.

    They expected the dead to assault them, not their own; and for them to turn so quickly¡ªit truly was a tragic stratagem.  A soft stream of air passed through her nose as she slowed by a small, female Ri¡¯bot and who she assumed was her young son; she¡¯d been infected covering him, only to gnaw on his neck, slitting his throat in the process.

    Drawing the rest of her life force out to leave her withered skin and crumbling bones over the boy, she proceeded; heaven or hell, where they landed would be by their own internalized sins written into their souls, but all would rest in Irkalla.

    Selectively adding Stats and Skill Points to the areas needed, she took every opportunity to exercise her chains, extending their distance, reducing their cost, and strengthening their effects on the spirit.

    Her physical aptitude increased by the needed amount to make her competitive in this harsh world and, as a Supreme Goddess in corporeal form, the bindings on her divinity were breaking away, many of these feats being incorporated by the Seed.

    Wandering to a hotspot where her infected were being systematically dispatched, a small smile lifted her lips upon seeing a young Ri¡¯bot warrior of the Komath¡ªlikely less than eight years old by the vigor of his spirit¡ªkeeping his elders in a tight formation around a defensible blackthorn tree.

    Elinor moved her staff behind her back, holding it against her butt on either side as she observed the struggling group of twenty warriors at the edge of their sight; a few non-combatants near the top seemed to have gotten caught up in the mix, or foolishly thought they could support their soldiers.

    How typical of so many races, including humanity; the pride of believing they are prepared for the carnage of war without grasping the totality of the word¡­  Heroes are fashioned in these conflicts, and cowards exposed¡­  Each in his place.

    ¡°Watch the left branches!  They can jump to them¡ªwe need more blackthorn barbs¡ªHeskar, keep watch on the base; we can¡¯t let them regroup!¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve almost destroyed this wave¡ª¡±

    ¡°A light, Ye¡¯dran!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t let up!  We saw them run in packs, and another horde could be¡­¡±  the youth trailed</a> off, yellow face turning a shade of pink as he followed the hand to her flickering staff and silently observing posture.

    ¡°The Pit Fiend¡­¡±

    Elinor stepped through the veil, easily predicting the trajectory of a few barbs the panicked Ri¡¯bot warriors sent until Ye¡¯dran shouted, ¡°Stop!¡±

    She could feel his spirit trembling as if he were looking at the devil incarnate.  ¡°I said enough!  Focus on¡ª¡±

    Her staff swung around as she neared the base of a tree, their dread centering on her; every zombie began to wilt around the base, causing the pile to collapse with the life sucked out of them.

    Death Energy wasn¡¯t her primary concern at this point, but the experience and achievements she¡¯d gain from this venture, and she was on the lookout for heroic spirits.  So, with a curious smile on her tinted green lips, Elinor waited for their response in the ensuing silence as all the infected clambering to get to the warriors became husks.

    ¡°W-Why is she¡­¡±

    Almost a minute passed, the soft gust blowing around her pulling her braided hair back; Garu had done his job flawlessly, but he had his limits, and the mist would thin soon.

    ¡°What is your intention?¡±  Ye¡¯dran asked, an unmistakable quiver in his dry throat.

    Returning her staff behind her back as she turned and walked several paces away, the relief in their sighs caught when she came to a halt, her chilling voice the only sound in the silent forest.  ¡°Will you fight or run?¡±

    Several seconds later, Ye¡¯dran dropped to the ground, knife shaking in his hand when she altered her position to study him.

    ¡°I do not believe we would stand a chance if we all attacked you at once, Pit Fiend¡­  If I offer myself, will you allow the others to escape your carnage and¡­ madness.¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­  If they wish to live, instruct them to go to the humans and follow the instructions I gave, but I will not stop the hordes from chasing them; I suggest they try to limit their sound and keep to the canopy.¡±

    He hesitantly gave her a respectful bow she¡¯d seen from the other Ri¡¯bot, showing himself honorable.  ¡°Thank you¡­ for the advice.¡±

    Ye¡¯dran jumped into the trees to deliver her message as Elinor casted her vision to various directions to track other groups of infected that were being held off; four prominent ones caught her attention.

    After a short explanation to the older warriors, Ye¡¯dran sent them off before landing on the blood-soaked grass to kneel.  ¡°I am ready¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmh.  So you are¡­  Come with me.¡±

    Making her way to the next cluster, the young warrior shivered while falling into line and dropping his weapons; Elinor didn¡¯t care if he¡¯d kept them, but it showed he had accepted his fate.

    Ten minutes passed, and eight zombies lunged out of the fog on their journey, yet they didn¡¯t get five meters from Ye¡¯dran before collapsing to the dirt.

    ¡°Why¡­ are you protecting me?¡±

    ¡°I have my reasons.¡±

    He observed, hugging himself in fright as she moved to each of the notable locations;  identifying the heroes keeping rank and directing the panicking forces.  Elinor brutally broke through desperate defenses, locking their more skilled warriors in chains to helplessly watch the waves climb the trees to overwhelm their comrades, left without leadership.

    Allowing the new horde to go their own instinctual direction if it wasn¡¯t toward Ye¡¯dran, it was at the last camp that the warrior spoke again.

    ¡°P-Please¡­ will you spare them?¡±

    Elinor gave him a slight smile as her new skill blocked their desperate projectiles¡ªDeath¡¯s Wall¡ªflashes of green sparked at her back, momentarily illuminating the force field; it would evolve to Irkalla¡¯s First Gate when this was said and done.

    ¡°Did I not give your clans proper warning?¡±  she asked, glancing at the zombies as they gained ground; it was a cycle, their snapping jaws and growls drawing more and more into the flood from other areas.  ¡°How many warnings should I give before an example needs to be made, and did I not provide a means for mercy already?¡±

    ¡°You have¡­ but we were not expecting¡­  How could we have expected this?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Is it my fault you were unwilling to bow before a Supreme Goddess?  You pointed your blade at me, and I am supposed to treat you as children?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you expected of us!¡±

    ¡°What did I expect?  Humph.  Existence has seen fit to grant you the gift of Intelligence, yet you failed to use it.  Cause and Effect is not bound to the whims of mercy, and still, I offered relief for those you loved, should you have heeded my warning.¡±

    She looked up at the Ri¡¯bot as chains locked their warriors in place for the zombies to overtake them.  ¡°I am merciful¡­ but not a fool or to be taken as such.¡±

    Her shimmering, emerald irises turned to him as he fell to his knees, the wave behind her becoming dust and bone in her ever-evolving Life Leech Aura.  ¡°Do you still think me a Pit Fiend?¡±

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Blood leaking down his ripped lips, self-inflicted by seeing his people turn on each other, he cried, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­  I don¡¯t know what you are¡­  The Supreme Chiefs don¡¯t come to our aid¡­ as if they fear your powers.  We scream for help, yet all we see is our own turn against us as if possessed.¡±

    Elinor walked forward to place a hand on his shoulder, making the boy flinch.  ¡°I empathize with your position¡­  I do.  Yet, I gave you every opportunity to prevent this slaughter.  Take me to where the humans are¡­ the dead, not the living.¡±

    A confused look crossed Ye¡¯dran¡¯s face before realization came.  ¡°The dead¡­¡±

    His fear was palpable, but he still rose, stumbling to the east; Elinor knew why he would be terrified to see what he knew awaited them.

    On their path, they passed a few lingering survivors who had managed to kill the hordes chasing them through utilizing the trees and the zombie¡¯s mindless nature, and she had them join her infected host to find any others that lingered.

    By the second hour of her assault, most of her zombies had either been killed by her when they went too far, the ghosts she sent to guard the survivors, or the elite warriors near the humans, leaving a somber, deathly stillness in the partially veiling forest.

    Elinor glanced at the heavens as she felt the first splash of rain; a light shower would be passing them, but she pressed on to the graveyard the Roxim had created¡ªa place of butchury to demonstrate to their warriors how to kill a human¡ªYe¡¯dran couldn¡¯t look at the scene when they came to a halt.

    Most were women, teens, or little girls, which would have turned any human¡¯s stomach, drawing on images from the holocaust¡ªperhaps worse¡ªconsidering the dismemberment and living torture in their name of learning how they would respond to pain.

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±

    A flurry of flaming butterflies exited her staff to illuminate the dark space, making Ye¡¯dran shift nervously; yet, after a minute of silent examination, she allowed the Death Energy to fizzle out, contacting Sari¡¯a¨¦l, who hovered nearby.

    As I feared¡­  Something has carried away a certain number of spirits before they could enter my gates; still, there are several more humans with Seeds in the mix that can be used.  What is happening inside the River of the Dead that is destroying their spirits?  she whispered.

    Glaring up at the heavens, her daughter and son came to mind.  Nungal</a> and Namtar</a> will have much to report when we meet.

    ¡°How unfortunate, Empress.  Including the Ri¡¯bot?¡±

    Yes.  I need answers, which means I need to revive Ishtar¡­  Retrieve these human bodies and do with them as I previously instructed.

    ¡°Understood, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Is¡­ there anything I can do to make up for what we¡¯ve done?¡±  Ye¡¯dran mumbled, unable to look at the horrors the Roxim had done.

    ¡°Do not hold sins that are not your own,¡± she advised, feeling her Seraph closing in on the location.  ¡°Hmm¡­  It¡¯s time I faced the ones responsible.¡±

    Leaving the area, she moved north to meet the two chiefs and their greatest warriors.

    Light rainfall slickened her hair and face, yet most of her body was well protected by Violet¡¯s silk-based garments, and after another twenty minutes, she caught sight of the small brigade of warriors that hovered near the glowing ectoplasmic lines that had been drawn to show the area of protection.

    Hundreds of dead Ri¡¯bot were littered around it, many more piles elsewhere as Zargoth and Krava issued orders; all of that came to an abrupt stop when she stepped through the soft mist, falling from the heavens.

    ¡°You!¡±  Krava spat, his warriors instantly throwing barbs or knives her way, only to be deflected by her barrier.  ¡°You¡¯ve killed¡­ thousands of our people¡ªthe Pits are¡­¡±

    ¡°Are what?¡±  Elinor calmly replied, allowing herself to be surrounded by the thirty or so warriors in the area, the Ri¡¯bot backing themselves to the edge of the ring.

    A frown touched her lips as she saw several human girls with blades at their throats¡ªTegrim had killed any zombie that attempted to attack them¡ªa desperate tactic to remain outside of her protective circle.

    Lacerations on their bodies, half delirious with fever, and malnourished to the point of seeing many ribs, they couldn¡¯t struggle or cry out if they wanted to; it was bad enough that they were trying to catch rainwater with their open mouths.

    The elderly Ri¡¯bot walked forward, glaring at Ye¡¯dran.  ¡°You¡ªyou would take her side¡­ to save your own skin?¡±

    He didn¡¯t respond, head lowered to the ground, and Elinor was about done with the false sense of honor these supposed heroes and chiefs had; Roxim had lately shown itself to be an utter sham of what they claimed to be, and for all the talk she¡¯d heard of Krava being this great Fire Wars hero, she couldn¡¯t see it beyond the hubris.

    Chief Zargoth held up his hands for his warriors to stop, unable to damage her by their ranged assault, and Elinor noticed as a female Ri¡¯bot stepped out from beside the others¡ªshe recognized her ax..  ¡°Hold!  Elinor, will you face our warriors honorably¡­ or fight as a Pit Fiend until the end?¡±  the Chief proclaimed.

    ¡°I will face her!¡±  the ax-wielding woman roared, nose twitching with fury.  ¡°She has taken everything from us¡­ taken my father!  I will avenge him and all of our corrupted comrades!¡±

    ¡°Careful, Hestine,¡± Krava growled.  ¡°A single cut will be your end, and if you get near her, she will drain your life by years.¡±

    Fingers tightening around her staff, Elinor didn¡¯t give Hestine a moment of her time, vision centered on Zargoth and his warriors, blades still to the humans¡¯ throats; by the dead inside the ring, she assumed several Ri¡¯bot reflected their Chief¡¯s proposal to use hostages¡ªmeeting an untimely death.

    Foolish leaders and the sheep that follow them¡­  Only a few competent individuals in two clans could see the writing on the wall.  Existence¡¯s gift of Intelligence¡­ squandered to such a degree, is truly a tragedy.

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±

    Ye¡¯dran and several others flinched</a> as she slammed her spear into the ground, making Hestine and three other Xaria around Krava shout and blur into motion to meet her, Krava and Zargoth joining them.

    ¡°Monster!¡±

    ¡°I will avenge my¡ª¡±

    ¡°For the Supreme¡ª¡±

    ¡°My father will look down¡ª¡±

    Taking a step forward, lips parting, and tone as cold steel, Elinor¡¯s fingers closed into a fist; a hundred chains ripped through space to cut off and ensnare all thirty screaming warriors, suppressing all noise but the soft patter of rain and her frigid words.

    ¡°I gave very clear and simple instructions, Chief Krava, Chief Zargoth¡­  Yet, you blatantly disregarded them.¡±

    Pulling a knife from the nearest Xaria¡¯s belt, Elinor placed the wet metal against her throat, the woman¡¯s fear radiating out of her spirit as she slicked the steel with its owner¡¯s blood, dropping it to the mud while moving to the next to do the same.

    ¡°I gave very clear orders¡ªand need I remind you that the death of others is not something I fear is¡­ telling as to your impotence and overinflated egos.¡±

    She came to a stop in front of Hestine, looking deep into her soul and causing an internal tremor in the vulnerable little girl trapped within.  ¡°Why would I give more than a minute of my precious time to those that believe themselves above their own gods?¡±

    Elinor used five more chains to bend back Hestine¡¯s spiritual fingers until they snapped, feeling every painful centimeter of her spiritual appendage being amputated and made useless before snatching the ax out of the air as it fell.

    ¡°In the heart of your souls, you think yourselves strong enough to overcome the Divine and Infernal without the assistance of something on that level¡­  The hubris is not amusing¡­  I am insulted by the cowardly pride you hide behind.¡±

    She sank the weapon into her gut, leaving it in place for the woman to bleed out, and moving onto the next Xaria as she methodically worked her way to the Chiefs; a few of the Ri¡¯bot women and children within the circle drew closer, still hidden but listening to her one-sided speech.

    ¡°There is a popular saying among the Divine¡­  Do not cast pearls before swine, and despite my better judgment to those who would treat my wisdom as less than waste, I give you a chance¡ªa warning for what condemnation awaits you in Irkalla¡­  And time and time again, I am disrespected for all my effort in laying out a path to redemption, yet¡­ still I persist at it.¡±

    One after another, she made mortal wounds against the last resistance of the Roxim and Komath; her words touched the ears of many Ri¡¯bot women and children in the circle, continuing to cycle forward in the light downpour.

    ¡°Many of your kind have seen the ordered future I bring¡­  The peace and prosperity that can be had if only you obeyed my laws¡­ simple and freeing laws.  Instead, to those that wish to make peace, Krava¡­ you put a blade through their chest because they challenge your leadership.¡±

    Sinking a blade through the twenty-eighth elite warrior¡¯s throat to stop in front of the internally gnashing spirit of the Komath Chief, Elinor glared at the spiteful man, seeing beyond the scope of his outward platitudes to the vile fiend within, which he tried to hide with his station and achievements.

    ¡°You think yourself worthy of being equal with your gods for your supposed achievements in the Fire Wars¡­  That you will ascend to the glory of a Supreme Chief, and I am the crowning jewel of your rise into the eternities¡­  The arrogance.¡±

    Not recalling her weapon, Elinor walked a few paces away, turning her back to the enraged Chief to stare up at the weeping nighttime sky.  ¡°I will tell you, there are such beings as the Supreme Chiefs; I do believe there were many great Ri¡¯bot in your Existence that produced valiant spirits I would have enjoyed the company of¡­¡±

    She released his chains for him to charge at her, flipping his blade around expertly in his age while spitting thorns at her back, a snarl in his throat; her barrier deflected the thorns and, allowing him past her shell, Elinor pivoted his lunge to guide his steel into the aged Xaria¡¯s own chest without much effort.

    Now staring into his wide eyes, strength leaving him as he grasped at her shirt front, fear only now blooming in his spirit, Elinor leered at the fool.

    ¡°You will see nothing but a reflection of your own conceited nature and fragility for all eternity if you enter my gates, Krava¡ªyou will never be my equal in any Existence¡­  Heh, but at least you will escape the fate of a fractured Intelligence that comes from wandering the River of the Dead for all time¡­  Lost to insanity and to be tormented in the Creeping Shadows.  You will not be remembered.¡±

    Pulling her blade, she allowed the other twenty-nine warriors to collapse into the bloodied mud to twitch or die slowly, leaving only one opponent in the thousands that had been the Komath and Roxim Clans.

    The humans fell to the earth, no longer held by their oppressors, and Elinor gave Chief Zargoth a pointed look as he stumbled to drop to his knees, unable to process what he¡¯d just been forced to witness.

    ¡°You don¡¯t see yourself as a god like Krava, Zargoth¡­  For you, it was simply the fact you would have to bow to me.  You would put your own ego as a Chief above even the lives of your own people you swore to protect.  What do you suppose awaits you after this life?¡±

    ¡°Why¡­¡±  Bending over to claw at the mud before slamming his fist into it, he shouted again.  ¡°Why did it come to this?!  The Supreme Chiefs abandoned us¡ªyou¡¯re saying they exist in the heavens¡ªthen why have they not come to our aid?!¡±

    In the ensuing silence, she could see many Ri¡¯bot within the circle looking at one another, questioning the same thing; the humans were so sick or delirious, they didn¡¯t know what was happening.

    Her footsteps caused many to shrink back as she stood over the crying and lamenting Chief after losing everything.  ¡°Have you ever stopped to consider they have all died¡­ or are too frightened to act when true Supreme Deities walk your planet, and why would they wish to come between us when you started this conflict and refused to reconcile?¡±

    Hand rising to her side, The Staff of the Dead teleported into her grip.  ¡°Take solace in knowing I will treat those of your clan that remain well¡­ if they follow my instructions and rules.¡±

    Ego and pride broken after losing all control, Zargoth died a pathetic death, having no faith in his gods after her plague had devastated any semblance of normality and warfare; her spear penetrated his chest.

    Liquid dripping down her face, Elinor yanked the weapon out of the dead Chief¡¯s chest; she¡¯d obtained everything she wanted from this venture.  It was time to move on to stage two.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    ¡°Finished, Empress?  I have buried the bodies in the designated location you have instructed.¡±

    Excellent.  Fly these humans back to Nethermore and see my maids attend to their needs.

    ¡°I will need to take multiple trips, so I will prioritize the direst cases.  Will you be joining us?¡±

    When I am finished inspecting the next battlefield; there are still things I need to accomplish.

    ¡°I will see it done.¡±

    Elinor turned her neutral stare to Ye¡¯dran as he looked around at his fallen heroes, still in shock at how easily they¡¯d been killed and her declaration.  ¡°Will you follow my orders?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yes¡­  What should I call you?¡±  he stammered, forcing himself to his feet.

    ¡°Empress Irkalla.  You will hang the Chiefs and their warriors from the tree branches to be seen by the Great Chiefs when they come to inspect the carnage¡­  Make them obvious.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ will do it at once, Empress Irkalla¡­¡±

    As he was about to run to get ropes, she added, ¡°And Ye¡¯dran¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°You will be the new Chief representative of those that remain; learn quickly from the other Chiefs when you return.  Now, get to work; it is your duty to set an example for your people.¡±

    A little stunned by the new office and responsibility, he gave her a salute.  ¡°Thank you for your mercy, Empress Irkalla.¡±

    Tears came to his eyes as he saw the craftsmen and warriors he¡¯d sacrificed himself to save within the circle, awe coming to many as Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s radiant aura descended upon them.  ¡°Thank you¡­ so much!¡±

    Leaving him to accomplish his task, Elinor made her way through the damp forest, deep in thought at what she¡¯d discovered.

    Something either swept a few souls in the River of the Dead away before they could arrive at Irkalla¡­  Mmh, possibly blown into another Deity¡¯s afterlife, yet no¡­  If that were the case, it would have then been a tug-of-war to fight for it to be pulled back into the mortal sphere.  I didn¡¯t experience that.

    Some are unrecoverable, meaning their spiritual ties have been corrupted beyond recognition, severed, or¡­ eviscerated.  My subjects are putting up a valiant fight, it would seem, if I am still capable of recalling these spirits, but it is not one-sided, and it appears my gates are not always open, as they should be¡­  Who is this enemy Apollo sees as our opposition?  If only I could speak to him now, yet he made it clear that would not be an option.

    Arriving at the wide river before a hilly plain that led to the steep cliffs into her valley, Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed, seeing what she would face in tomorrow¡¯s conflict; when morning came, she would need to return to the battleground behind her to meet the two Great Chiefs, and that would be the mark of the true conflict.

    Forcing the heavens open is my only solution.  I will have my answers¡­ one way or another, and Ishtar will bridge that divide.

    Signaling her Seraph as she continued to make her grounds, Elinor returned to the city for the next step in her plan; her daughter or son would heed her call, and, if need be, she would chain Ishtar¡¯s musical twins to her service.

 B3 â€” 39. The Last Domino

    Landing</a> on the outer walls of Nethermore, Elinor waited at the edge of the drop to the moat below as Sari¡¯a¨¦l returned to continue bringing the tortured women from the previous battlefield, and Noa transported them to the maids, who were all working to help them recover.

    Elinor dismissed the Staff of the Dead to grasp her hands behind her back, patiently waiting for the Runic A.I. to transport the critically malnourished and sickened humans to relief.

    Lights across the valley showed evidence of the fire; open volcanic vents ejecting their molten rock with the intense draw Noa had been forced to levy against Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s thermal power grid.

    Now that the two powerful combatants were finished with their contest, she was doing her best to pacify the stressed network, yet it would likely be several days before she could get it under control.

    Edmon and Voukey were performing damage control, and there would need to be an inspection made of the system after taxing it so heavily, but that would need to wait.

    Moving to the side, she peered at the colossal mountain above the permanent cloud cover to their north where Noa made her network; the women her Seraph brought looked at her as if she were flying, most likely delirious from sickness¡ªher maids would tend to their needs.

    A sudden sharp gust caught her braid, the chilled wind being expelled from the high-elevation sierra sending its breeze in all directions; the bright, fiery flashes beyond the gray veil were dying down, yet she could see the path of the bubbling lava reaching below the cloud cover at this point.

    She had to complete critical points in a short period, and the window to force open the heavens was small; she had time, but only because she¡¯d acted swiftly.

    Noa¡¯s stressed smile appeared by her side, a short flicker cutting out her words. ¡°I apologize for¡ªdelay, Empress. It has¡ªchallenging to manage everything¡ª¡±

    ¡°No need to explain,¡± Elinor calmly interjected. ¡°All that can be expected of you is to do your best¡­ What is Valentina doing at this moment?¡±

    ¡°Valentina¡­ Oh, the new part-human beast girl that recently returned? Umm¡­ She attempted to sleep in¡­ a tree near the square, but, with the noise of people gathering there, she has moved further away to a rooftop.¡±

    ¡°Mmh.¡± Elinor¡¯s mouth tightened, scanning the mountain ridges running along her valley before settling on the plateaus blocking the Maw.

    We are not prepared¡­ Ishtar¡¯s influence on me has changed things. It isn¡¯t all bad, but I need to return to more of my roots as Irkalla if this Empire and its people are to survive, and Ishtar can help me with that.

    ¡°Empress¡­ You seem to be contemplating something serious. Is there s-something¡ªI can help with?¡±

    Her flaming emerald irises drifted from the plateau to Noa, making the girl shiver. ¡°Take me to the Great Hall and wake Valentina.¡±

    ¡°Bring her to you?¡±

    ¡°When she feels comfortable meeting me. I wouldn¡¯t expect her to be instantly mentally prepared to be dragged into an audience; tell her I have a simple task for her to perform.¡±

    Runes encircled them as the A.I. bowed her head. ¡°It will be done.¡±

    Elinor was alone when the symbols dissipated; silence met her ears, causing a small smile to lift her lips. The area had been thoroughly cleaned and polished by the many hands that had nothing better to do in this new world but to keep busy and their minds off the sudden change in their lifestyle.

    She exalted in an industrious and hardworking people; slothfulness and pride were typically the two source vices that brought about the downfall of every individual, and enough individuals tainted with that mentality crumbled a nation.

    Elinor contacted Tiffany, admiring the craftsmanship around her for a few minutes in the bit of time she¡¯d gained. How goes your task?

    ¡°Elinor! Am I to assume you have¡ªhave actually handled the two clans already?¡±

    They were never a barrier. The task I left with you?

    ¡°Right¡ªahem, my apologies¡ªerm¡­ I have moved over to using the Jukal corpses we still have as the basis, which can possibly grant a much higher yield than the humans I initially thought of using. I¡­ believe we will have most of what you require done by tomorrow afternoon.¡±

    Focus on the primary projector. I need it done by sometime later tonight, and it needs to be somewhat fast and able to sustain long periods of flight.

    ¡°Ooh, hurmm¡­ And still be able to connect to the base receiver, which will be following your combat exploits?¡±

    Correct.

    A tad sooner than expected, a torrent of runes brought Valentina a few meters to her left; Noa nodded and left, naturally always present if called.

    ¡°E-Empress, you¡ª¡±

    Elinor silenced the girl by holding up a hand and motioning her to follow her into the Throne Room, beginning the casual pace while pointing her to study their surroundings as she finished her conversation with the Witch.

    ¡°It¡¯s a hard task¡­ but I will see it done. May I conscript one of the Rune Masters to help provide a runic solution to the ritual limitations I have?¡±

    Work with Noa to find an appropriate time to divert their attention from their already busy schedule in tempering the supervolcano.

    ¡°The supervolcano?! Oh¡­ Hmm, so that is what has her so frantic. Heh, understandable. Umm, I will have her join me. Happy hunting!¡±

    Letting the discussion go, Elinor shifted her focus to the tight-muscled tiger-girl, who was unsure what she was supposed to be looking around for.

    ¡°What do you see when you look at this place?¡± Elinor conversationally questioned, smiling at the expert architecture of the city fortress.

    ¡°Eh¡­ It¡¯s big, Empress? I-um, I don¡¯t really know what you want me to say.¡±

    ¡°No need to be so uptight,¡± Elinor chuckled. ¡°Hmm¡­ What I see is a marvel.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­ it is a pretty enormous place¡­ heh, too big, I¡¯d say.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s entertainment didn¡¯t falter as the giant Unintelligent Quen¡¯Talrat quietly opened the Throne Room doors; there would be more further inside at each barrier.

    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean, Valentina¡­ It isn¡¯t the city itself, but the builders¡­ It is the vision behind it and the dedication to it that is something to be admired.¡±

    ¡°These giant gorillas?¡± the girl mumbled, looking up at the four-and-a-half-meter-tall furry apes. ¡°They were the ones who built it, right? At least, that¡¯s what I heard from other people.¡±

    ¡°They are called Quen¡¯Talrat,¡± Elinor explained, leading her further into the hall to see Violet¡¯s work in restoring the gaudy palace and layering it with something more befitting to Elinor¡¯s flavor.

    ¡°These creatures were nomadic, tribal brutes that were shunned by all neighboring nations¡­ hunted for sport by some, and had not a single vision of what they could become until one incredibly ambitious man was born to a small splinter tribe¡­¡±

    She gestured to the thrones and gems that came into view far ahead of them in the expansive hallway leading to the audience podium, drawing a picture in the girl¡¯s mind.

    ¡°One man inspired all of this in less than three centuries¡­ from nomadic slaves to an empire that required the combined might of eight well-established kingdoms and a vicious underground alpha predator to topple.¡±

    Valentina swallowed, playing with her fingers as she followed Elinor, only making small comments whenever Elinor would break the ensuing silence to add something more, and each addition increased the Beastkin¡¯s nervousness.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ is a crazy story.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­ One dreamer¡ªwilling to do what needs to be done¡ªcan bring a people out of utter poverty, despite the opposition those around them express, and the same could be said for a people¡¯s downfall. A single individual holds more power than you can fathom, and the collective force of the sheep, while many, can have not one voice among them for generations reach the heavens.¡±

    She used the ramp-like sides of the circular staircase to bring the confused girl into the Hall of Stars, causing her mouth to open in wonder.

    ¡°It is rare that a dreamer ever accomplishes something without someone willing to provide a path forward for their ideals, and there was such a being that sparked everything you see¡­ In fact, it was not Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma that had this vision but another¡­ The worker is often the visionary''s tool, and it is this shadow that lifts peasants to emperors that is our enemy.¡±

    ¡°Empress,¡± Valentina whispered, ¡°excuse me, but¡­ can I ask, umm¡­ Why are you telling me this?¡±

    Elinor hummed as they stopped in front of the door leading to the Room of Life. She had stationed Unintelligent Quen¡¯Talrat there, and they opened it to reveal a blinding light and fruit of all kinds; ripe and glistening in all shades of colors on bushes, trees, and at its center, the black obelisk had been turned to a pristine, translucent crystal.

    Summoning the Staff of the Dead, Elinor¡¯s gaze wandered from the glorious interior to the fidgeting girl, unsure if she was going to be sacrificed or used in some unsavory way¡ªshe hadn¡¯t shown any sign of running, attacking, or pleading¡ªall she wanted was an answer.

    ¡°Valentina¡­ There are a great many individuals that have great ideas and visions of the future, and many are called to rise up to take hold of the future. That being said, few accept that call once chosen, and be it from social pressure or their own lack of fortitude, they falter. ¡±

    She turned to hand the girl her staff, making the girl¡¯s panicked gaze fixate on the object. ¡°I have a very keen eye for potential, and I have scouted in my Empire, but only a few budding spirits can accept the burden and gift that I will offer.¡±

    Valentina slowly reached forward and took the spear. ¡°What¡­ do I need to do, Empress?¡±

    ¡°For now,¡± Elinor motioned to the Life Room, noticing a sharp, chilling finger run down her spine that she chose to ignore, ¡°stab the end at the foot of that tree¡­ Everything else will come in time.¡±

    Pulling in a deep breath, she released it before stepping into the space, causing a swirl of uplifting wind to draw her hair up with the concentrated beads of life she attracted.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    The second she passed into the well-maintained space Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had made from Demon¡¯s scattered bits of information, the orb of nearly depleted Death Energy at the top of her staff was snuffed out, leaving behind a galaxy-like white sphere.

    Gaining Experience to increase her Levels and Grades was only a byproduct of what she needed to accomplish in destroying the Lethix and Roxim. She already had the battlefield of death necessary to rip open the already frail veil between Heaven and Earth, but, in contrast, she needed its opposite, which had been brought to her on a silver platter by her sister¡¯s attendants.

    Valentina slammed the spear into the soil, sweating and finding it hard to breathe as the phenomenally concentrated area of pure Life Energy pressed against her spirit, naturally drawn to her Intelligence and womb to gather around any place it could exert its functional influence.

    Fortunately, she wouldn¡¯t be inside long enough for it to force any adverse effects, yet Life Energy, in its own right, was just as dangerous as Death Energy, and this area was so condensed with it that it could generate an immortal¡ªif properly utilized. This fruit could infuse a mortal¡¯s very Essence with the Seed of Eternal Life.

    That wasn¡¯t Elinor¡¯s goal, though, and she suspected it was this very purpose Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was attempting to achieve after discovering the fallen Divine artifact in the north; Demon had given him enough hints and research to construct it but never realized the fruits of his labor¡ªno, this was a further, future plot that she had stolen from the Shadowverse being.

    Valentina stumbled out of the room for the two apes on either side to use the chains attached to the rungs to pull the two sides shut, sealing Elinor¡¯s staff within to gather the necessary resource she had infused into her weapon.

    ¡°Haa-haa-haa¡­ I¡­ I did it, Empress¡­¡±

    ¡°Excellent work, Valentina,¡± Elinor congratulated. ¡°To put that into perspective, I do not believe anyone else could have managed it besides Nicole; no one else¡¯s¡ªundead excepting, who would not be suitable¡ªspirit was as robust as yours.¡±

    ¡°Thank, haa, thank you¡ªEmpress,¡± she swallowed, still trying to get herself under control.

    ¡°Noa will take you to a place to rest.¡±

    Taking her statement as the order, runes surrounded the girl to carry her away; Elinor shifted to look at Noa as she materialized.

    ¡°Empress¡­ It¡¯s nearby¡­¡±

    ¡°Do not concern yourself with me.¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­¡±

    Vanishing to leave her in the still atmosphere, Elinor smiled at the empty hallway with the increasing pressure</a> against her psyche. ¡°I wondered when you would reach out next¡­ Becdeth.¡±

    A woman¡¯s ethereal, lulling voice caressed against her ear as if a soft breeze. ¡°Mmh¡­ Supreme Goddess, it seems you have been busy.¡±

    The light tapping from the unseen creature came from further down the corridor as smoke gradually came into existence from obscure, half-dimensional lines to fold into this world, and now with her heightened senses, she confirmed her suspicions.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t exactly as you appear, Becdeth¡­ An avatar for something greater¡­ far greater, reaching beyond a veil beyond anything I¡¯ve experienced when dealing with your kind.¡±

    The golden</a>, smiling face enclosing the tentacle-like abomination emerged through the mist with its staff, cloak, and beast-like body.

    His voice deepened into a creamy, masculine weave that plucked against her spirit, tingling her skin. ¡°To be greeted by a finger or the head¡ªall is one and the same¡ªto see a piece or a whole; all are Becdeth. Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s fingers tightened around her wrist behind her back as he stood in the distance, changing locations with each blink she took while remaining in his standing, disturbingly relaxed posture. ¡°Are you against me opening the heavens?¡±

    ¡°Against?¡± she chuckled, slowly swinging her ceremonial spear to the right for another tap to unnaturally echo around them and produce more fog that began to settle around their feet.

    ¡°Why would we be against the advancements of Irkalla? We observe and adapt.¡±

    ¡°Adapt to do what? Your kind is a byproduct of Existence¡¯s cancer from where I ruled, but you¡­ are something else.¡±

    ¡°All is for the function of The Dream.¡± Its voice swapped between genders, rising and falling with the swaying ball and chain at the end of its weapon. ¡°Worship, love, hate, death, life, emptiness¡­ All is meaningless to the sway of the Eternal Dream, and we wax and wane to the ever-flowing melody. To Exist. To Cease to Exist. A struggle of the Open Gate.¡±

    ¡°So¡­ in short, you embody whatever function you have been granted in the dimensions above Existence? Not necessarily puppets, but the notes of a grand composition none but those immersed in the madness understand?¡±

    Working through the cryptic entity¡¯s message, Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°You knew our Existences would be forced into this maelstrom¡ªincluding yours¡ªand you have entered the fight¡­ in your own way. You have your own opposition in The Dream?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm. Careful, Supreme Goddess Ereshkigal¡­ You are but one link in many that seek to remain unbroken, and Irkalla¡¯s gates are not so impassible by those within the Outlands, where those of the Fathomless Abyss exert their influence¡­ The Outer Gods of the Two Dreams war¡­ A burrowing pit to reach the Core.¡±

    The smoke obscured the entity as he slipped back through unusual dimensional lines, her voice holding a soft chuckle. ¡°Prepare swiftly for the coming tide of the Great Deep, Supreme Goddess; The Cycle continues, and what one may face will bring another to your land¡­ You cannot face it alone.¡±

    Becdeth faded, leaving her once again with another enigmatic puzzle to solve, and in the ensuing silence, she stood perfectly still, pondering the obvious elements of the message. I can¡¯t face it alone¡­ meaning even with Ishtar and I united, we need to form more alliances.

    Vision lifted to the symbol the Eldritch avatar left in the smoke; three waves underneath a spout with two intimidating eyes</a> on either side¡ªshe recognized it from the dreams that would bleed into their Existence to various creatures.

    So¡­ Dagon is real, and the cryptic waves that feed into our Existence come from an Eldritch Existence near us. And, if Becdeth is to be believed¡­ he is only the beginning.

    ¡°Noa, take me to the wall.¡±

    Runes carried her to the location where her Seraph was still delivering the freed women, and she didn¡¯t have to wait long for the golden angel to return her to the savaged battlefield; first light would come within the hour.

    Ye¡¯dran had done as he was instructed, hanging all of the strongest warriors from trees, and many of the Ri¡¯bot survivors were looking for their loved ones; not one dared to look at her as Sari¡¯a¨¦l brought her back. This would be her last trip to carry the rest of the humans to Nethermore.

    The new chief of the two broken clans came running up to her as she settled down. ¡°Empress! I, umm, I did as you said¡­ What do you want us to do now?¡±

    Elinor glanced around the ruined makeshift settlement with a slight frown, noticing her three spirits hovering nearby; Tegrim, his son, and daughter-in-law had performed their duties admirably and would be rewarded for it.

    ¡°Make it clear to those who survive that I will rule over this land, yet I will not force them to live within it; if they want a safe place to rebuild their lives without prejudice, Nethermore is open to them, but if they choose to refuse my offer, they will need to find a new place to call their home.¡±

    She focused on a pile of Ri¡¯bot corpses, zombies that died in droves upon attacking the circle, killed by Tegrim using her authority. ¡°There will soon be another battle fought near here; I suggest they leave or join the Great Clans ranks if they seek revenge against me.¡±

    ¡°You¡­ would allow that?¡± Ye¡¯dran hesitantly mumbled.

    ¡°I offer opportunity, Ye¡¯dran¡­ They followed my warning and trusted my promise, and they are alive because of it, but I will not spare them from the consequences of their own design. If they choose to face me, there will not be a second chance.¡±

    ¡°Understood¡­ I will start spreading the news, Empress.¡± He half-turned before pausing. ¡°And, Empress¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmh?¡±

    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± He shivered, examining the carnage of the gruesome battlefield only littered with his own allies, horrifically turned into enemies. ¡°Thank you for being merciful¡­ I know you could have done far worse.¡±

    ¡°Be sure to not squander the opportunity I gave you to change the hearts of your people.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress.¡±

    He hurried off to spread the news, and Elinor shifted her attention to her three dutiful ghosts, unseen by their brethren. Excellent job. You are free to stay and comfort your families, but be sure to remain nearby to receive your reward when the battle starts.

    The former Group Leader gave her a formal salute. ¡°We are honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to protect our loved ones, Empress!¡±

    Thirty minutes later, not a sound could be heard in the lingering mist of the shower that had passed, and Elinor stood amid the hanging Chiefs and their warriors, waiting in the morning chill of the first as the sun crept through the ancient trees.

    Morning dew cast a shimmer across the blood-stained battlefield; this was the last thing she needed to accomplish before everything was in place¡ªthe final domino¡ªand once this was finished, she¡¯d have the entire day and night to investigate Erra¡¯s</a> handiwork underneath her valley.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l hovered by her side as the first company of soldiers from the Great Morseng and Polsan inched their way into the forest, observing the unnerving slaughter of what was self-evidently an unnatural conflict.

    Ri¡¯bot eating Ri¡¯bot¡ªbrother against sister¡ªover two thousand bodies littered the wet mossy floor, and in around a brutal display of the two Clan¡¯s Chiefs stood Elinor.

    Five minutes passed, rows of armored Ri¡¯bot surrounding them in layers, until Great Chief Dralix and Great Chief Israg made their appearance with the company of Xaria-Grade warriors that far exceeded the Valley Clan¡¯s number.

    Dralix was the first to speak, getting off his Torlim and motioning to his shoulders. ¡°Return one hundred meters.¡±

    ¡°Great Chief¡ª¡± one of his advisors instantly protested.

    A second gesture from Israg cut the man off. ¡°Great Chief Dralix and I will speak to this creature alone; we have spoken!¡±

    ¡°Yes¡­ Great Chiefs¡­¡±

    Elinor remained neutral, with her Seraph¡¯s amiable smile contrasting the savaged landscape.

    It took fifteen minutes before the final hesitant warrior disappeared, and Elinor was impressed they hadn¡¯t opted to have spies in the trees; it showed how respected these two great warriors were, and in terms of fighting prowess, only some of the Desert Ri¡¯bot matched up to these two powerful spirits.

    Dralix sucked on his bottom lip, left fingers twitching near one of his two short swords as his friend scrutinized the battleground. ¡°You¡­ turned them mad; what kind of a war is this?¡±

    ¡°Not one we¡¯ve ever been a part of,¡± Israg muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡°Why did you call us out here¡­ To announce a war against both our clans?¡±

    Meeting their hard eyes, Elinor held a tempered tone. ¡°I will be transparent, Great Chiefs¡­ I know you have your people¡¯s best interests at heart, and you want no part in what you see here. In fact, I trust you will develop a means to mitigate this kind of battle by the time we meet in open combat.¡±

    ¡°It is war then?¡± Dralix hissed, grip tightening around his hilt. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°You fear me, and my growth will frighten your people¡ªour prosperity will threaten your way of life¡ªand there will be forces that will creep among your people to destroy them in perhaps a month, year, or five, but eventually, you will become my enemy.¡±

    Israg scratched his arm, nose twitching with agitation. ¡°A prophecy? I see the powers you wield, and they mirror the whispers of the Great Pits¡­ Do you wish to destroy all life?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm. No, Great Chief Israg¡­ There is no need to take what is already mine; all life is destined for Irkalla. I offer you an opportunity to refine your spirits to become what your tradition finds of most value¡­ I offer you a battlefield to show me your honor and courage.¡±

    Elinor took a deep breath and smiled as a little spiritual green snake slithered up her leg to bury itself within her clothes; he was probably a gift from her son. ¡°I make you a promise¡­ Tomorrow evening, meet me on the plains to our west in open combat, and I will face you alone.

    ¡°Every soul that does not falter but stands to face death with the pride of their home, their families, their land¡­ make no mistake, they will lose their life but gain more than you can imagine¡ªshow me what the Roxim and Komath could not¡ªshow me a people worth a Supreme Goddess¡¯ respect.¡±

    Dralix looked to Israg, who gave him a soft sigh, and they puffed out their chest, setting their brows.

    ¡°Great Chief Israg and I have concluded that you must be from either the Great Sky after witnessing the display of your power, and this only confirms it. If it is proof of courage and a right of passage you seek to test, then the Polsan will answer your call.¡±

    Israg forced a sharp smile, chuckling a bit to himself. ¡°To think we¡¯d be able to face a Supreme One, Dralix¡­ We will meet you in the field of combat, and, though we fall to your heavenly arm, our hearts will never falter. The Morseng will stand with the Polsan.¡±

    Task complete, Elinor prompted her Seraph that it was time to go. ¡°Excellent. Have no fear for your families; I only offer joy and peace to the valorous and faithful.¡±

    Rising into the air, she prompted Sari¡¯a¨¦l to fly them toward the vast meadow that would be the sight of the coming war; she¡¯d accomplished everything needed, and now she only needed to wait for them to prepare to face her, mind, body, and soul.

 B3 â€” 40. Storm Bringer

    Holding her hands behind her back as Sari¡¯a¨¦l carried her over the plains that would turn into a graveyard the following day, Elinor¡¯s vision wandered across the lush grassland between forest and jungle before having the Seraph turn her around.

    What work this has been, she sighed, peering beyond the slick morning mist hovering over the trees to study the armies in the fields, awaiting their Great Chiefs¡¯ return.

    ¡°What do you plan to do now, Empress?¡± The Seraph conversationally started in the ensuing silence. ¡°Inspect the place I buried the human corpses?¡±

    No, I trust that you have flawlessly performed the task I sent you to accomplish. Hmm¡­ Since the moment I awakened, I have been in a rush to set all the dominos in place; now that I only need to watch them fall, there is something that requires my thoughts.

    ¡°Oh?¡± The Seraph¡¯s recovering wings shifted with her in the air as she turned her luminous golden irises to smile at her. ¡°No rest for the wicked?¡±

    Haha. No rest, indeed, but where would you have learned such an idiom?

    She giggled, head tilting to the side in a thoughtful way. ¡°You have such a perplexing culture; I do not consider you to be ¡®wicked,¡¯ as I would describe the word, yet the man¡¯s use seemed to fit this context. I heard it from one of the humans from your previous world¡¯s northern lands.¡±

    I¡¯ll leave you to puzzle that out.

    ¡°How tease-worthy, Empress! Hmm-hmm. I see you have not changed as much as I believed.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed, drifting away from the distant army to the plain</a> below; the Wandering River¡¯s wide berth divided the meadow from the rocky cliffs that lead into her valley. Smaller ravines provided further water to keep the grass vibrant, and it was large enough to allow the 10,000 Ri¡¯bot force to meet her in open combat.

    In some ways, I haven¡¯t changed greatly, and in others, I remain the same; Elinor and Irkalla have similarities that make melding our two personalities easier than the differences.

    Pausing a moment as she caught sight of the large stone mound beside The Maw, Elinor¡¯s jaw tightened; if she had time to kill, there were several things she needed to investigate and consider.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l noticed her focus, making her smile fade. ¡°Do you wish for us to proceed to the decayed underground metropolis?¡±

    Many things would need to wait until the heavens were opened and she could speak to Ishtar, but this was not one of those.

    No rest for the wicked.

    Understanding the affirmative, the Seraph¡¯s golden aura increased to protect them from the wind resistance; flying toward the blackened scar, Elinor kept her senses sharp. A number of dots didn¡¯t add up¡ªshe believed something wanted them to¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t let the itch at the back of her mind rest.

    ¡°Should we prepare for a fight?¡±

    Elinor shot a slight smirk at the happy angel; it was nice having her carefree, mostly recovered presence again. For you, I forbid it.

    ¡°Hmm-hmm. Concerned for my well-being? My current shackles are nearly removed¡­¡± Her cheeks tinted a tad as she placed a hand against her breast. ¡°This ability to¡­ feel inadequate is quite thrilling, Empress.¡±

    Haha! The masochistic, utterly prideful Daughter of the Sun that cannot see others as her equal; you truly are a marvel, Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    She blinked, a thoughtful gleam entering her eyes. ¡°My brothers and sisters can be quite superior to youths, such as I¡­ I still have not understood this masochistic word, as well. It has a certain¡­ flavor to it that stimulates my tongue.¡±

    My point, Elinor mused. In any case, Divinity Release halves your overall strength, including your recovery; until you kill Orinvia, I forbid you to fight. She is not to be underestimated, my flagellation-loving Seraph.

    As they grew closer, their attention shifted to the lake and rivers that fed into the Maw.

    ¡°Hmm¡­ And if you are attacked, Empress; am I to do nothing?¡±

    Elinor gave her a side-long smirk. Are you catching Edmon and Tiffany¡¯s paranoia that I am still some defenseless little girl?

    ¡°Hehe. By no means, Empress; I simply ask for clarification.¡±

    Lips falling with their descent into the valley, Elinor glared at the growing fissure; it would still be at least several minutes before they reached it, but her inquiry wasn¡¯t without merit, considering who destroyed the underground metropolis.

    If it comes to that, then follow my instructions without hesitation.

    ¡°Understood!¡± she chirped.

    Time passed in silence as Elinor¡¯s thoughts retreated to examine the inconsistencies plaguing her ever-spinning mind; Ishum, and presumably Erra, were not of her Existence, and overlapping the crumbs of information she¡¯d obtained from the herald, Apollo, and Becdeth, it pained a chilling reality.

    Throughout her 10,000 lives, she¡¯d gained visions and understanding from the High Heavens that told her who she truly was, and no one in her Existence had been able to break into the 13th dimension but her¡ªshe had been the sole entity to have seen the Bead of Existence¡ªyet now she¡¯d learned there was something even beyond that; Apollo and Gloria proved as much.

    Many Supreme Deities, possibly even more powerful than she, had been drawn into this maelstrom of Existences, and Becdeth informed her of where they were¡ªThe Outlands¡ªbut as to where in the outer reaches of this cataclysm, she knew not.

    Her focus drifted to her humming angel, playfully spinning in circles to spread her wings and sample the light pain she so enjoyed; Apollo had given his daughter to fight in this conflict¡ªsomeone tried to force his entry into this grand conflict¡ªand it worked, yet, she imagined, not in the manner this hidden figure wanted.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s fruit had been placed within her and a forced union with The Covenant; it was absorbed by her Seed, thereby changing its Core Essence¡ªin a way, he had adopted her into his family¡ªshe was now connected to the Children of the Sun, and through them, their Blood Sun.

    Demon¡¯s chuckling laughter tickled her ears as Elinor recalled their conversation, and the more she pondered the pieces collecting around her, the more convinced she was this was a setup; the entity didn¡¯t want just any Seed.

    There were two types of these Seeds, a more powerful, and a weaker version¡ªperhaps further classifications or branches within them¡ªyet she hadn¡¯t been able to confirm it until examining the spirits of the dead humans in the Roxim camp.

    Studying</a> the perfectly smooth obsidian walls of the scar¡ªslick with the dispersing waterfalls running into it¡ªElinor¡¯s jaw tightened; she¡¯d initially thought Erra rejected Demon¡¯s offer, but after testing the waters by claiming as much to the Shadowverse entity, she wasn¡¯t so sure anymore.

    Erra didn¡¯t run because of me; there¡¯s no reason he should have if he didn¡¯t know if I was his wife. Ishtar? Possible, but no¡­ He is a coward that tries to escape direct fights; he¡¯s always relied on the slow decay of time rather than raw power.

    Scanning for spiritual or supernatural phenomena below, the only thing that resonated back was the corrupting mist, eating away at the ruined civilization.

    Ishum was the one that waited for her, Erra already moving to the east; there was nothing left for him since he¡¯d destroyed the creatures that lived here, feeding off them to level his Seed. So, why remain? Ishum wasn¡¯t sure if she was his master¡¯s wife or not and waited for her to show up to confirm it.

    The moment he determined she was not, he ran as fast as he could to the east, but there were many holes that still needed to be filled.

    Passing through the mist, she released a wry puff of air at her Seraph¡¯s swift warning; Elinor leveled a smile at the frowning, six-winged angel as they entered the swirling mist.

    Yes, I do seem popular lately; a sharp contrast to how I was previously treated.

    Her focus fell to the ruined city below upon breaking through the veil; a dark</a> sensation struck her gut, but she kept her peace. ¡°I am not the Covenant¡¯s toy or entertainment to always drop in unannounced.¡±

    ¡°I am your toy instead!¡± the angel giggled, making Elinor¡¯s stomach shake with silent laughter.

    Hmm-hmm. Toy, indeed. You certainly are a strange divine creature, Sari¡¯a¨¦l; I imagine your brothers and sisters didn¡¯t know what to do with you.

    ¡°I certainly was an oddity!¡±

    Elinor sighed as she let the woman¡¯s statement linger, flaming emerald irises moved to the liquid-gathering machines below them; between the once-great contraptions stood a colossal Demon, wearing a smug, welcoming grin.

    He purposefully hid his presence from us to show his power; everything these creatures do is for a purpose¡ªproud, but aware of it; unlike their Devil counterparts¡ªbut this one is like Becdeth¡­ abnormal.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Ooh! Exciting!¡±

    Long</a> tail waving behind him like a coiling serpent ready to strike, Sylez¡¯s low laughter made the vast underground quake; nearly 100 meters tall¡ªhis actual size¡ªit didn¡¯t take long for them to come to the part-demonic fiend¡¯s eye level.

    ¡°Supreme Goddess¡­¡±

    He flickered in and out of reality as if a phantom before appearing in front of them¡ªnow two and a half meters tall to accommodate them, having already shown off¡ªhe spread his arms out wide, displaying his spiked, suppressive shackles.

    ¡°I see you have completed your little errands; it has been most entertaining to follow.¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Elinor kept her posture lax; it was cute he thought such a thing was impressive to her. ¡°The Covenant has no shortage of time on its hands, it would seem, Sylez.¡±

    The creature¡¯s burning pits scanned the ruined metropolis, left hand rubbing his spiked chin as the infernal eyes on his belt peered into her Core. ¡°Hehe. I wouldn¡¯t say all of The Covenant are so free, but I certainly find this just as important as you, my Revered Goddess of Irkalla.¡±

    ¡°Mmh?¡± Elinor smirked, vision fixating on the eye-like ornament he wore before shifting to the shackles keeping him out of the Circles of Hell. ¡°You play a dangerous game¡­ I am not the type of Goddess to judge one of the Infernal, but The Covenant is filled with far more intriguing creatures than I initially saw. What do you want, Sylez?¡±

    He presented himself with a showy bow. ¡°Haha. I am simply here for your safety, Goddess.¡±

    Her Seraph clapped her hands together in delight. ¡°Is that so?¡±

    Elinor lifted a smirking eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t be so hasty, Sari¡¯a¨¦l; he¡¯s here to be entertained, which means something is coming he finds more interesting than anything else on this planet. Speak your warning, because we both know you are not going to lift a finger for me.¡±

    Sylez flickered to appear in the same place he¡¯d stood when greeting them.

    ¡°Such harsh presumptions! Allow me to prove you wrong¡­ just this once,¡± he snickered, head lifting to peer at something unseen. ¡°After all, I get the utmost joy out of ruining the machinations of others. Hahaha!¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Elinor¡¯s lips peeled back in a half-smile as the 100-meter tall Demon, arms spread with his low laughter creating tremors that vibrated the air and destroyed many of the remaining structures.

    Infernal energy seeping into the earth, a rift opened for gnarled, black roots to reach into the air, producing a stone-like bulb</a>. ¡°I look forward to your performance, Irkalla, but I am a greedy Demon¡­ hehehe.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision shot to a pulse of ominous</a> waves to reveal the skull-like face of Sar¡¯ollaz</a>, agitation flicking with the blood swirling through his snow-white mane. ¡°You intend to block all eyes¡­ Have you lost your mind, Sylez; the Hell Lords will know where we are if you are not careful.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a sore loser, Sar¡¯ollaz; you just want to know what I¡¯m hiding!¡±

    Sylez¡¯s fingernails bent, ripping into the fabric of space-time as the Hellfire crawling up the vines funneled into the splitting bulb to illuminate a slit eye that flared with internal demonic power.

    ¡°Fool! Is this worth the risk?¡±

    ¡°Devils,¡± Sylez chortled, ¡°never willing to shoot in the dark¡ªthe Eye of Astarte</a> lives again¡ªnone but the chosen may look upon her!¡±

    A toothy grin split Elinor¡¯s lips at the name. ¡°You follow an Infernal aspect of Astarte; I have so many questions, haha! Does she¡ª¡±

    Her smile fell as the flaming iris opened, sending a shockwave that forced Demon, Sylez, Sar¡¯ollaz, and anyone else that might be listening away; all of the loose sand and Erra¡¯s corrupting fog spun into a wide cyclone that revealed what little remained underneath, yet it wasn¡¯t these that caught her attention.

    Forced to the ground with Sari¡¯a¨¦l; much of her divine powers suppressed by the Infernal Eye, Elinor used her chains to ease their fall until they landed on the stone underbelly of the cliff a dozen meters above the lower city, revealed by the unnatural wind whipping everything to the outer edges.

    ¡°Empress, I¡¯ll¡­¡±

    Mind piecing together why Sylez would go this far, Elinor¡¯s stomach tightened into knots; since regaining her memories, she hadn¡¯t faced anything like what she now sensed, and they were both locked inside this pit.

    No! This is why Erra fled; Sylez did this to help me, so¡­ This is for a reason, but this is¡­ not the powers of the Deities and Gods I know; whatever God this is, they are ¡®very¡¯ different from Deities like¡­

    Lightning erupted out of the dust storm, sending meteoric, molten rock out of the fissure as a figure rocketed out of a branching cave system; he¡¯d suppressed his spirit and power until the moment he was ready to engage.

    Lava bubbled out of the fissures as the electricity ripped through building and ground, a thunderous voice sending a shockwave to them that made her wince with the sonic boom. ¡°Where didst thou take my brothers, Swine!¡±

    The foundation they stood on crumbled with the reverberation; chains shooting out to stabilize them in the avalanche of broken rock, it was all Elinor could do to keep them from being crushed.

    She broke her momentum by diving into a summersault at the bottom, landing several meters from the furious god, as he¡¯d likely planned, keeping her Seraph suspended nearby.

    ¡°S-Sorry, Empress¡­ I¡¯ve never felt so¡ª¡±

    Give me Milthren, and don¡¯t even think about engaging him, Sari¡¯a¨¦l!

    Luminous eyes sparking energy around his glorious, horned helmet with his gaze centered on her, and a runic-laced hammer spinning by a leather cord in his right, gauntleted hand, the God of Thunder created black, electrified tornados that spun erratically across the vast field; the tall, muscular Nordic God made his way toward her in a cold fury.

    Elinor released the angel when she manifested the Divine Ax to hand over. The Empress of the Dead knew who this was, but at the same time, his spirit was not like that of a Supreme God¡ªhe was something else¡ªand without a doubt, if she didn¡¯t take this seriously, they would die.

    Flaming red hair billowing back with his ripped, crimson cloak in the torrent, and bare chest showing glowing tattoos, symbols of his past legendary victories¡ªthe same color as his light-blue eyes¡ªand a giant metal belt shimmering with power.

    ¡°Thor</a>?¡±

    ¡°Conspiring with M¨²spellsheimr against us, Ereshkigal? If thou wouldst not speak for High Mesopotamia¡¯s oathbreakers, I would turn thy existence to dust; prepare thyself to meet the God of Thunder, for I will not relent my wrath at thy transgressions against the Primordial Code of Conduct!¡±

    Not having the time to even formulate a response after the shocking entrance, Elinor didn¡¯t have time to speculate; he launched forward like a lightning bolt hurled by Zeus.

    Fingers closing around Milthren, the world faded away as she was pulled into the 8th-dimensional weapon¡¯s Core.

    ¡°Hello, Supreme Goddess.¡±

    Elinor let a long, drawn-out breath pass through her lips to ease her thumping heart; she turned to see Milthren, taking on the form of Sari¡¯a¨¦l. Six universes birthed and died in an endless cycle around the 8th-dimensional bead at her Core; the source of her constantly growing power as she consumed the force the Children of the Sun fed her.

    ¡°I appreciate the short reprieve, Milthren¡­ This is enough; will you take my power?¡±

    A charming smile brightened the entity¡¯s face¡ªthere was nothing left to be said¡ªMilthren could not harm her 12th-dimensional soul, and so if she was abused, she would self-detonate.

    Environment returning, time hastening, Elinor set her brow; she didn¡¯t know if she could win against this god, possibly a branch called Primordial, in mortal form¡ªhe was likely above the 12th dimension before¡ªbut she didn¡¯t need to.

    Chains darting out of fissures in space to separate Sari¡¯a¨¦l and her, she flung the Seraph out of the fight and used the binding to maneuver in just the angle needed to defend against the assault.

    Milthren taking on the form of a spear, she held it up in defense, using The First Gate Of Irkalla as a cushion; it was torn away in an instant as he grazed her, the shockwave propelling her back at incredible speed, but she refused to close her eyes.

    He instantly changed directions with a clap of thunder, and Elinor locked her jaw to not bite her tongue off with the pulse that followed; meeting her in milliseconds of their fight, she fed Milthren to guard against his swing, but unfortunately, he was no inexperienced fighter.

    Thor¡¯s grip loosened to hurl the hammer at her before giving chase with an electrified jump; the dozens of chains she placed between them were shattered by the raw energy alone¡ªa chunk of her remaining Death Energy and spiritual fortitude was eaten away by the Divine Ax¡ªand she managed to angle it to slide off the tiny curve of the hammer¡¯s side.

    Momentum only increased with each attack, she tried to use her chains to swing in another direction, yet Thor could change his direction on point, kicking the air to make another clap of thunder to continue his hunt.

    I just need to make it to the ground!

    Meeting her in the air, his large hand darted to grab her weapon, fighting past the wave of Death Energy she released¡ªher feet touched stone¡ªhaving a foundation again, she spun down, braid whipping with her spear, and having faith in Violet¡¯s clothing to protect her feet from the friction.

    In mild surprise, Milthren met empty air as he used another shockwave to jump above her, his fist falling to connect with her face; two chains split space, shot at an angle between them for the ends to connect and pull taut, forcing his fist to slide by her eyes and putting distance between them¡ªshe didn¡¯t escape the aftershock.

    He¡¯d predicted her trajectory, and Mj?lnir¡ªthrown previously¡ªwas flying around the room to connect with her head; world spinning slightly with the passing pulse, she released her body for the runic weapon to eradicate Violet¡¯s clothes.

    Figuring the shock of her disappearing would give her a chance to speak, she swiftly reformed to hop several times, reducing her momentum; still, the skin on her feet ripped in the process. ¡°I will not be made Erra¡¯s champion¡ªa fool¡ªwill you, Thor?!¡±

    Her jaw locked as lightning danced around her, Thor already before her in an explosion of force; calling Mithren to her hand in a swirl of Death Energy, fifty chains exited fissures on either side to connect to the Divine Ax as his fist struck the shaft.

    Most snapped instantly, but to her surprise, he¡¯d lessened the blow at the last moment.

    ¡°Speak, woman¡­ And put on some clothes.¡± His right hand lifting, Mj?lnir whistled out of the air to land firmly in his grip as he turned and walked a few feet away, his back to her. ¡°Are all of you exhibitionists?¡±

    ¡°Empress¡­¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l called out, having struggled to her feet, wings dragging in the dampening sight of the colossal eye overhead, watching them. Thor had tried to destroy it in their brawl, yet Mj?lnir couldn¡¯t get close before being thrown back; the weapon had had the audacity to use it as a means to get to her again.

    Vision drifting to where her clothes now lay, now burning to a crisp, she puffed out a short sigh of relief when the little snake she¡¯d found on the battlefield with the Ri¡¯bot slithered out. ¡°I would love to, Thor, but¡­ as you can see¡­¡±

    His head turned, a grimace showing as he saw the ruined garment. ¡°Dammit.¡±

    ¡°Hmm? Have trouble with naked women, Thor? How¡­ unlike the Thor of my Existence,¡± Elinor teased, attempting to ease the tense atmosphere as her snake weaved over to bite the man. ¡°Ah-ah-ah¡­ That¡¯s it¡ªcome here¡­ There we go; such a good girl!¡±

    ¡°My patience runnist low, Ereshkigal the Fake.¡±

    ¡°Fake¡­ Haaa.¡± Flipping Milthren around to her back in a sign of withdrawal, Elinor leveled with him. ¡°I am not from the same Existence, nor aligned with Erra; now, can you inform me about which brothers he has taken, and how such a thing was possible with you there? Erra is a coward, and I cannot imagine he could have fought you.¡±

    ¡°Hmmgm¡­¡± Nose twitching from the angle Elinor could see, Thor bend down and smashed his fist into the earth, fracturing the stone to send bolts and molten rock in all directions that she side-stepped. ¡°Dammit! Where didst Erra flee?¡±

    Elinor crossed her arms under her exposed bust. ¡°Calm down a little, and maybe I can tell you; if I had nothing to do with your brothers¡¯ disappearance, are we enemies?¡±

    ¡°Nay¡­¡±

    ¡°Good. Now, would you have the decency to inform me of the situation? We very well might be on the same side.¡±

 B3 â€” 41. A Spear And A Hammer Cross

    Elinor waited for a second in the ensuing silence, keeping careful track of the man¡¯s shaking right hand, lightning dancing out of Mj?lnir; when he didn¡¯t engage her, she walked the opposite way to meet and support Sari¡¯a¨¦l.

    ¡°I understand you have a hot temper, Champion of Asgard, and of the people I knew, your honorable way of life and my own are similar.  If you need time to think then¡ª¡±

    ¡°I need to findest my brothers¡ªgah, wilt thou coverest thyself?!¡±  he barked, half-turning before looking away again.

    Hmm?  A weakness I can exploit is not something you put away, Odinson.

    ¡°How¡­ can I help, Empress?  What is this¡­ feeling?¡±

    Just remain calm; the fight is over¡­ for now.  Rest.  It will pass when we are done.

    ¡°How about we make a truce, Thor?  I promise to try to find something¡ªalthough, heh, doubtful¡ªto wear in this¡­ underground desert, and you tell me who Erra took.  Fair?¡±

    ¡°Humph¡­¡±  He forced himself to turn, face a tad flushed.  ¡°I wouldst not be made a fool by thy promiscuity; if thou desire to present yourself as such, so be it!¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­  I¡¯m not your enemy, Thor,¡± Elinor growled, rolling her eyes as the little, green snake around her throat hissed at him.  ¡°My servant here cannot go far under the watch of Astarte¡¯s gaze, and, by your earlier statement, do you mean to tell me this is the Astarte of your Existence¡­ a Lady of M¨²spellsheimr?¡±

    A short grunt came from the man as Sari¡¯a¨¦l used her wings to block his sight of her when she neared; it was likely the Seraph wanted to shield her from him rather than anything involving decency¡ªof course, she had been living among the humans for a good while now¡ªso perhaps it could have been.

    ¡°Very well, hideth behind thy ang¡ª¡±

    Lifting an eyebrow, Elinor leaned around her Seraph¡¯s struggling wings to see Thor divert his gaze again.  ¡°I¡¯m not hiding¡ªrelax your wings a bit, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡­  No need to stress yourself; certain types of Infernal energy are very oppressive to the Divine, which yours mirrors in some respect.¡±

    ¡°Are we¡­ to make peace with this Thor person?¡±  she questioned, spreading a few of her feathers to peer through a gap at him.

    ¡°If he¡¯ll even speak to us; hehe, he seems a bit shy and¡ªunderstandably¡ªupset.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­  Very well, but be it by thy word that we begin!¡±

    Relieved things had worked out, and figuring that this was the reason Sylez wished to prevent others from viewing this conflict, Elinor sat beside her Seraph to allow her to rest against her shoulder; a quiver ran down Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s body at her touch, making Elinor chuckle.

    How does it feel to be so weak that you need to rest against my shoulder?

    ¡°M-My hearts won¡¯t stop thumping¡ªstronger than I¡¯ve ever felt¡­  My body burns and aches¡­  My mind is in a haze¡­  If only you were not in danger, Empress¡­¡±

    Savor the feeling, Elinor prompted.  I doubt you will experience being this weak for some¡­  Sari¡¯a¨¦l?

    Looking down at the woman, she chuckled as she saw her full lips parted in sleep, chest slowly rising and falling.

    Did you pass out on me?  What a Warlord I have.

    Keeping her stable, Elinor mentally prepared for the conversation that would follow.

    ¡°I was in the middle of a trial to determine if Ishtar deserved to have the Wellspring of Eternities returned to her.  We fought through 10,000 lives without memory and power but what we were able to glean from the High Heavens, yet on this¡ªthe last conflict¡ªsomething happened that seems to have forced together dozens of Existences.

    ¡°Eh¡­ by the Code of Conduct you spoke before¡ªdoes that make you a Primordial?

    ¡°Ugh¡­  I am a Primordial.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.  Now that I have an answer to that, hmm-hmm, here I sit, naked, speaking to a type of God I know nothing about.  You?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  Hath thou see the pattern in the heavens¡ªpass through a Crystal to enter this new world?¡±

    ¡°Similar¡­ yes.  You entered with Erra?¡±

    ¡°The betrayer¡­¡±  he cursed, fist striking the earth again.  ¡°He doth invited us to partake in his home¡ªto drink of his spirits¡ªand upon our arrival, he befriended the people, only for another foe to appear¡­  It twas then¡­  Thou seest the result.¡±

    Elinor studied the gem between Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s rising and falling breasts as she pondered the story.  ¡°I still don¡¯t understand how he overpowered you.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­¡±

    Intrigued by the hiss and tone, Elinor carefully shifted the Seraph to lay against her chest to see Thor above her shoulders.  ¡°Do not tell me¡­  Loki</a> is one of your brothers?¡±

    ¡°Mmgm.¡±

    ¡°Did he betray you?¡±

    ¡°What foolishness!  My brother may be a trickster, but he wouldst never turn his blade against Asgard!¡±

    ¡°I mean no disrespect,¡± Elinor said with a small smile at his outburst.  ¡°Perhaps he is different from the Loki I knew; in any case, how does Loki play into this surprise attack?¡±

    Electricity started to spark from his sky blue eyes as his muscles flexed.  ¡°Erra wished to explore more of this world, or so he claimed, yet the moment he created a portal, his minions attacked my brother¡ªBaldr</a> managed to make it through before the rift closed, but I¡­ I hath been stuck battling my way through armies of insects for the past week!¡±

    Recalling the insect swarm that had almost overwhelmed Noa in her almost century-long conflict¡ªand how such attacks had been nowhere to be found since her first encounter¡ªthe story lined up.

    ¡°If it is Baldr, then it should be nearly impossible for most to kill him because of his mother¡¯s</a> quest¡ªat least, in your own Existence¡ªit may be utterly ineffective here since the elements of each Existence have mixed together.¡±

    Thor¡¯s wild hair weaved with his shaking head.  ¡°Baldr is more resilient than I!  Still, I cannot find a trace of their released Essence; if their mortal forms are shed, then Erra must have bound them in some restraint.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± Elinor muttered, vision falling to the Seraph¡¯s open back and smooth skin.  ¡°None of the gods on this planet will risk killing another because of the possibility they regain their full might upon release.  How did you end up in a mortal body?¡±

    Thor sat back, giving her a slight glare before looking up at the giant, unblinking, bulb-like eye.  ¡°I do not trust you to speak of my family and people.¡±

    A small, amused smile lifted her lips; understanding the logic and customs of the Asgardians in her Existence, it stood to reason there would be some overlap that she could exploit.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a bond of familiarity then; I will tell you of my way of life and family.  If possible, I would even invite you back to Nethermore¡ªthe city I have founded¡ªto partake in our food and drinks; I¡¯m afraid it will be a few more weeks before any beer is produced, but we have plenty being brewed.¡±

    His hard eyes widened at the word and offer; the best way to a Nordic God¡¯s heart was in the brew, and it seemed this Existence¡¯s were no exception.  ¡°Tell me of thyself, Fake Ereshkigal.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±  Pulling the Seraph¡¯s gleaming hair to the side, Elinor gave him a pointed stare.  ¡°Can we dispense with the ¡®fake¡¯ name-calling?¡±

    ¡°What name best fits thee?¡±

    ¡°You may call me Irkalla at this time.¡±

    ¡°Acceptable,¡± he grunted as he sat on the ground, leaving his hammer by his side, looking her spear.  ¡°Thou art aligned with the Transcendent?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  You know of Ap¡­ heh, I suppose you would know him by another name; the Blood Sun?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ yes, my father hath spoken of him and hath shown respect for his neutrality; if thou hath gained the trust of such a renowned being, I wouldst put more weight in thy words.  So¡­ thou seekest friendship, Irkalla?¡±

    ¡°I do, and in doing so, I will tell you what I know of Erra; first, allow me to explain that he and I are not, nor ever will be, married.¡±

    Thor leaned forward a bit with a grin.  ¡°Oh?  Thou art quite different, indeed!  Doth thou rule as the Great Queen in High Mesopotamia?¡±

    ¡°I am the Supreme Goddess and Jailor of Eternities.¡±

    ¡°Mmh, much as Hel¡­ yet I sense another spirit in thee now that we speak.¡±

    ¡°I suppose,¡± she shrugged, shifting the Seraph in her arms; it would be best to fill him in on the Erra she knew and her disdain for the rotten man.  ¡°We can start with my knowledge of Erra since the one we have met seems to be both our enemies.  Erra is¡­ humph, a temperamental coward.¡±

    ¡°Haha!  I like thee more by the minute, Irkalla!¡±  Thor chuckled, slapping his knee.  ¡°Thy temperament is reminiscent of my youngest sister, Eyia¡ªI knew her only at the tender age of five before¡­  Well, hehe, I will say the fire thou holdest within is something I admire¡ªakin to Sif</a>, my wife.¡±

    ¡°Interesting¡­ you and Sif?¡±  Elinor hummed, recalling one of the most lovely, golden-haired goddesses of their pantheon.  ¡°I did not see that union; if High Yoruba and Greek pantheons were not unified to destroy High Asgard, I would have loved to attend the ceremony.¡±

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Thor¡¯s expression darkened.  ¡°Olympus¡­  Continue thy story, Irkalla.¡±

    ¡°Hmm, where was I¡­  Oh, right, Erra¡­¡±  A lilting tone came on as she returned to their shared enemy, and Elinor chuckled.  ¡°The man is nothing but a bottom-feeder; how I would ever marry something as vile as that is¡­ beyond me.  What of the Erra you knew?¡±

    ¡°The Erra I speak of is of the Nine Realms,¡± Thor muttered, making Elinor¡¯s flaming emerald irises narrow.

    ¡°Nine Realms¡­¡±  Knowing Erra had the same type of energy as her and not this unusual Primordial force, she asked, ¡°Did Yggdrasill connect nine Existences?¡±

    ¡°A Grand Existence¡ªa unity of powers, yet¡­  Nay, it is too soon.¡±

    Figuring he still wanted to know more, considering she hadn¡¯t said much in her playful jabs, Elinor decided to stop wasting time now that she knew Erra¡¯s origins; he had the answers as to why she married such a coward.

    ¡°I have three children, from two fathers, and I left Irkalla in their care when I offered this chance of redemption to Inanna.  Now, she prefers to go by Ishtar after overtaking our parents and subjugating the High Heavens, but I enjoy getting under her skin by referring to her as her young, childish self.¡±

    Thor¡¯s face softened at the mention of her kids.  ¡°Thou hath a good relationship with thy children?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  If you can call it that!¡±  Elinor hoisted Sari¡¯a¨¦l higher to have the Seraph¡¯s chin rest against her shoulder, and the little snake coiled around her neck again to lean out to look at her, his tongue flicking out.  ¡°Hmm-hmm.  I am the First of the House of Snakes, and this little guy was likely slipped through the Heavenly Gates when they cracked open¡­

    ¡°A gift from Ninazu</a>, my middle child that inherited my temperament with the spiritual serpents; do you have any children?¡±

    ¡°Haha!  I do¡ªhis name is L¨®riei</a>¡ªand my boy takes after Sif and I!

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to hear; he must be worried about you.¡±

    ¡°Nay!  He knows his father to be of sound mind and body!  What of thy other children; is Sukkal</a> your First Attendant?¡±

    ¡°Oh?  You know my eldest?  He currently runs Irkalla¡¯s everyday affairs.¡±

    ¡°A son, and thy eldest?  How odd.  We¡¯ve met, yet it is rare for Primordials to venture to one of the lower Existences.¡±

    So, that¡¯s how it was, hmm, and it seems Sukkal¡¯s spirit was born to another Goddess?  Primordials ruled over the lesser Realms, and Asgard connected the Higher to the Lower; something must have broken their version of me, but what is the question.

    ¡°He was not thy son, but earlier¡­ didst thou mentioned thy sister?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s lips tightened.  ¡°Ishtar was Sukkal¡¯s mother?  That¡¯s¡­  And he was my¡ªyour version of me had him as her First Attendant?¡±

    Fingers tightening around the hilt at his side, Thor shook his head.  ¡°I rarely saw thee, so I know not; what I do know to be true is Erra ruled Irkalla.¡±

    Nose twitching at the very statement, Elinor felt her little angel¡¯s wings flutter; she was waking up.  ¡°I find that¡­ challenging to accept.¡±

    ¡°Thou offered thy sister a chance at redemption; did she not slay two of thy previous husbands?¡±

    ¡°Humph¡­  Yes, well, it was a true accident; also, Gugalanna was my ¡®only¡¯ husband¡ªmy Sukkal¡¯s father was Enili, lord of wind, air, earth, and storms.  Hmm-hmm.  Truly, he was a powerful man with whom I had many¡­ exchanges in our earlier days, yet flings such as that die over time.

    ¡°As to Gugalanna¡­  Yes, he was slain during my sister¡¯s struggle to dominate Heaven and Earth, but it ended in him resting in Irkalla¡ªit isn¡¯t as if such a thing as death is an issue for me¡ªbut it was a demonstration of my little sister¡¯s ineptitude,¡± she grumbled as the Seraph¡¯s glowing golden irises cracked open.

    Half delirious as she rested against Elinor¡¯s chest, the angel whispered, ¡°S-Such harsh words, Empress¡­  Is she¡­ not your sister?¡±

    ¡°I cannot deny reality, even for my sister, and to bring her conflict into the mortal realm because¡ªugh¡­ because she fancied a rather powerful mortal that knew she was trouble and rejected her¡ªmmgm.  Yes, well, she puts a bad name on all Goddesses, and there is no getting around it.¡±

    ¡°Haha.  I can see the resemblance in that,¡± Thor roared.  ¡°She has quite the¡­ appetite¡ªmany have even compared her to a man in such regards!¡±

    ¡°I¡­ do not doubt it.¡±

    ¡°Mmm, Empress¡­ did¡­ you get to be with Gugulanna again¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Gugalanna, and yes, I rule Irkalla.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±

    Rubbing the Seraph¡¯s back and knowing damage could be done to her if exposed for an extended period of time to this Infernal gaze, she puffed out a long breath.  ¡°Ishtar thoughtlessly released her uncontrollable bull¡ªshe never did learn how to tame Divine Beasts¡ªon the man that rejected her.

    ¡°Gugalanna is a kind man, he didn¡¯t judge her harshly in the least for his death¡­  It did spark all of this, however¡­¡±

    Elinor gestured at herself.  ¡°Innana¡ªah, hmm-hmm, I sometimes fall back into old habits¡­  Ishtar proudly marched into Irkalla¡ªon the day I had a celebratory feast for my husband¡¯s continual place at my side¡ªand had the nerve to demand her forsaken right returned.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l breathed, struggling to push herself off to look into her eyes; she was fully engaged in the story, despite her weakness.

    ¡°What else?  She committed a sin and came into my Realm¡­ mmm-heh, where sin is judged¡ªas I said, she was quite arrogant.¡±

    ¡°Is there no exception for the Gods, such as the Olympians?¡±  Thor mumbled in clear disdain.  ¡°There were many such exceptions made by Erra.¡±

    Elinor rolled her eyes at the mention of the pantheon and growled, ¡°I, mmgm¡ªwe are not the Olympians!  I enjoyed stamping out that cesspool.¡±

    Her comment elicited a grin from the man.

    ¡°No, I had her stripped naked¡ªas are all those brought to view their own sins¡ªcast before the Divine jury, split her guilty soul from her immortal body, and stuck the thing to a pike on Irkalla¡¯s walls for all to see my sister¡¯s hubris¡ªmainly so she could see it¡­¡±

    ¡°Honor and law above all?¡±  Thor hummed.

    ¡°Balance.  I have a duty, and if I make one exception, then my word is worthless.¡±

    ¡°Commendable.  The¡­ last child you spoke of?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s voice and rosy face pepped with life in a motherly way at the mention of her daughter; her lovely face could chase away any stormcloud.

    ¡°As for my littlest spirit¡ªhmm-hmm¡­ the Princess of Irkalla, and the apple of my life¡ªI let Nungal</a> handle her aunt¡¯s cage¡ªshe¡¯s such a treat, and she takes after me the most; when she challenged me to be the Warden of Irkalla, I couldn¡¯t have been happier!¡±

    ¡°Heh, sounds like a fine daughter¡ªonce again, thou hath reminded me of my youngest sister¡­  Eyia should be a fine young Valkyrie now.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s eyes grew big, still stuck on the tale.  ¡°Did she win?¡±

    ¡°Pfft-hehe!  No.  I stripped her down and threw her off the walls onto her rear, but she proved to me she could handle the job; she¡¯s never stopped trying to take my place, though, and her brothers haven¡¯t been able to win a single fight against their little sister to boot!¡±

    Slapping his knee, lightning danced around Thor¡¯s frame, he roared with laughter.  ¡°Thou¡ªthou stripped thy daughter naked and¡ªhaha, and threw her off the wall!  I now see my beloved Sif in you¡ªa ferocious mother and honorable warden of Irkalla¡­¡±

    Thor got to his feet, holding out his hand for the runic weapon to fly into his grip.  ¡°I have determined thee to be a worthy ally, Irkalla; I will tell thee of myself, yet I must know of thy intentions¡­  Will thou journey with me to free my brothers of Erra¡¯s prison?¡±

    Having already made her determination to face the corrupt ruler and bring their Irkalla under her own flag, Elinor nodded as she stood.

    ¡°I will, but¡ª¡±

    ¡°Remain unseen, Woman!¡±  Thor blustered, turning away as she giggled.

    ¡°Such a proper man; Sif is a lucky woman.  In any case, I must first resurrect my sister; I have given her a chance, and through her efforts, she has earned one more trial.  I understand you wish to make haste to retrieve your brothers, but I must set my affairs in order.  Is that acceptable?¡±

    ¡°If thou wouldst clothe thyself from thy nakedness!  I cannot in good faith see my beloved and look her in the eye if this behavior persists!¡±

    ¡°Haha.  So bashful and faithful; it is an adorable combination!¡±

    ¡°Stay your lusts, Woman!¡±  Thor mumbled, backing away as if she¡¯d jump him as Sari¡¯a¨¦l laughed at the more accepting atmosphere.

    ¡°Do you not recall I am happily married myself, Thor; still, hmm-hmm, I can appreciate a cute trait, can I not?¡±

    ¡°In thy eyes, I fear they hath the temptress gleam¡­ same as Freyja!¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Hehe.  I¡¯m sure our journey will be very fun, Odinson.¡±

    The fire in Astarte¡¯s eye began to fade as Thor told his story, and an incredible tale it was; a colossal Existence, shared between three major pantheons, yet one grew greedy, and the result was the collapse of everything they¡¯d built.

    Loki, in his infinite wisdom¡ªmore like improvisation¡ªperformed a rather experimental magic to save them from this all-consuming force outside of Existence called Null-Void.  The Grand Existence Bead breaking apart many years before it should and, caught in the maelstrom, the trickster managed to form a shell to save them.

    Traveling in the current, they were pulled into this cyclone as the rest of their kind traversed through a safer evacuation route¡ªthe Rainbow Bridge¡ªinto another Grand Existence.  This would be a war unlike any they¡¯d seen for their people to survive and carve out a place in this new, off-limits place, yet they had no other option.

    Thor wanted to hastily return, but the three heroes on a quest had found themselves in dire straights, and, to escape the Eldritch Fiends in the outer edges, Loki came up with another brilliant plan¡ªas he always seemed to have¡ªand suggested they compress their Essences into the tight shell of a mortal¡¯s.

    There was a powerful barrier around this vast Existence Singularity¡ªmultiple, in fact¡ªthat prevented the interference of higher beings except for extreme circumstances and small holes that could be exploited in creative ways, such as Loki¡¯s.

    Faced with nightmarish fiends and other such Null-Void entities on the outer rim, they snuck into the Singularity¡¯s center through Loki¡¯s magic to be met by these Seeds of power and Erra, and it was here that everything fell apart for them.

    They couldn¡¯t even be sure how much time had passed since their Existence¡¯s collapse, to entering this one, but Thor had faith in his father¡¯s wisdom and foresight; he would make it back to his family and wife.

    For now, he had a personal mission to ensure his brothers¡ªand any other from the Primordial Existence¡¯s¡ªlives were protected.  Elinor resonated with that mission, and she had to pay Erra back for trying to pit them against each other.

    Sylez came from that Primordial Existence, which explained his atypical feel compared to typical Demons.  She could understand his desire to restore Astarte to her throne of power and carried with him her Essence; the Hell Lords of this universe would be seeking to eliminate the threat since he needed one of them to revive her.

    The number of entities that had collected on this planet with a long, rich history was incredible¡ªtoo incredible¡ªand Thor agreed.  Fate, Destiny, and Karma¡¯s revenge; there was no shortage of sides and special interests seeking their own agenda.

    In this war, she had found a worthy ally.

    Astarte¡¯s eye closed after two hours before withering and going into hibernation, unable to sustain herself, and Sylez offered a showy bow from above, Sari¡¯a¨¦l now mostly freed from the Infernal pressure pressing against her.

    ¡°I have played my part, Lord of Thunder, Great Queen of Night Relief¡­  I pray my contribution is noteworthy for the future.  Hehehe!¡±

    In a swirl of Hellfire, all traces of Astarte¡¯s eye were eaten away, leaving nothing but the scarred space-time in its place, and he flicked and was gone.

    Thor glared at the place the 100-meter tall Demon had been.  ¡°To believe I wouldst be aided by a World-Destroyer¡­  Humph.  Times have changed.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, they have¡­  Now.  I need to greet a certain salamander princess that will be coming to my lands, and tomorrow, I go to war.¡±

    A half-smile lifted Thor¡¯s lips.  ¡°Oh?  Hmm.  Interesting.  I will be able to witness thy feats first hand, and this is thy attempt at cracking Heaven?¡±

    ¡°Not High Heaven, unfortunately, but it should be able to act as a bridge point for me to speak to my children.  Want to join?¡±

    ¡°Mmh.  I will wait for thee to execute the plan thou hath laid before me.¡±

    ¡°Humph.  Suit yourself, but my daughter is really something,¡± she teased, floating behind her Seraph¡¯s wing.  ¡°Maybe our children could meet, hmm?¡±

    His grin becoming forced, the God of Thunder rubbed his left, muscular shoulder.  ¡°Freyja¡­ what did I tell thee¡­¡±

    ¡°Do you mean the union, Empress?¡±

    Hmm¡­  To be honest¡­  she lifted an eyebrow while looking the man up and down in their flight back to Nethermore; he allowed the Seraph to carry him.  I¡¯m only half-joking; if his son takes after him and Sif¡­  He¡¯d be a golden-locked stud with the genes of one of these Primordials.  I could think of worse options.  Hmm-hmm-hmm.

 B3 â€” 42. How To Craft A God

    Passing over the valley in Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s glow, positioned behind the Seraph¡¯s thick wings¡ªmuch to the angel¡¯s immense entertainment¡ªin order to hide her nakedness from the God of Thunder, Elinor pondered all that she¡¯d learned since awakening to her true identity.

    Wolves were gathering on all sides to crush her, yet the fact that Apollo had placed his precious daughter in her hands told Elinor all she needed to know; she didn¡¯t have to understand all the facts revolving around this conflict to move forward.

    Elinor need only be herself, and waiting around for everything to fall into her lap was not her style.  She¡¯d gather what information she could in the limited time she had and roll the dice while adapting her strategy along the way; Thor was a significant piece in that adaptation.

    The light wind Sari¡¯a¨¦l allowed through her kinetic barrier whipped her unbound hair back and made a smile twist her tinted green lips as her thoughts came together.  ¡°Thor¡­¡±

    ¡°Mmm?¡±

    Her Seraph lifted her a tad to allow the Primordial to see her face.

    ¡°I have a request.¡±

    An internal chuckle bubbled within Elinor¡¯s breast as the muscular man released a long sigh while massaging the back of his neck, and she could tell he was starting to view her in a similar light as his trickster brother.

    ¡°Ask thy question, Lady Ereshkigal.¡±

    Oh.  I¡¯ve upgraded to Lady, she mused, not holding back her unabashed smile.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l curious golden irises moved pleasantly between them, sensing the odd tension and still experiencing the emotional high of temporarily being cut off from all her strength.

    ¡°Irkalla suffices, remember?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­  ¡®Tis challenging to separate thy spiritual presence from the Ereshkigal I recall.¡±

    It is ¡®very¡¯ important you do!

    ¡°Is it a problem to use my chosen name?¡±

    ¡°I shall attempt to comply with thy request,¡± he muttered, keeping his narrowed eyes on the distant colossal fortress, and Elinor shot the next arrow in her quiver.

    ¡°We have agreed to join hands, heh-he, in journeying to the east to face Erra.  Correct, Odinson?¡±

    ¡°Needest thou phrase it in such a¡­ venereal manner.¡±  His guarded stare was fairly cute, and she thoroughly enjoyed making the man squirm.  ¡°Though, indeed, a consensus hath been reached as to our shared foe?¡±

    ¡°So¡­ would it not be proper for the man I will be journeying with to meet my children, so they know who I will be with?¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s expression brightened.  ¡°I would most enjoy meeting your children, as well, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Naturally.¡±

    Thor grimaced at the invitation, but, like the excellent tactician she was, Elinor had trapped him in his cultural norms; having Irkalla¡¯s experience was turning out to be far more useful than her other half could have dreamed.

    ¡° ¡®Tis¡­ a reasonable request.  Wouldst thou inform me as to thy intentions by this?  I cannot believe thou would suggest such when thy customs do not give heed to such formalities.¡±

    ¡°Smart,¡± Elinor mused, making Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggle.  ¡°In full disclosure, I expect my children will join us at times in our quest¡ªwell, if what I have planned pans out, and I have an excellent track record for being correct.¡±

    There was an intelligent light within the man¡¯s light-blue eyes as he thought; he was not dull-witted, and, of what she knew of her own Existence¡¯s God of Thunder, Thor had an indomitable rage in combat yet could find solutions to problems at a speed to match his lightning.

    ¡°Thou seeketh to solidify our neutrality with friendship in this fire.  Wouldst thou be more forward in such aims?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  I believe I have been quite open as to my intentions,¡± she snickered, gesturing at her naked skin, still hidden behind her Seraph¡¯s wings.  ¡°Have I not presented my intents transparently enough?¡±

    She gave an internal cheer at causing the Primordial¡¯s cheeks to redden and for him to turn away from her.  ¡°Thou, and thy innuendos, Lady Irkalla¡­  Indeed, thou hath been¡­ clear as to thy intentions, yet thy playful remarks hath been anything but such.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m thrilled we have come to such a naked understanding, Thor!¡±  Elinor chimed, further digging in the weapon she had in his heart to twist it around.

    Covering his eyes to not see her rosy smile, the man¡¯s chest swelled before releasing a long stream of uncomfortable air.  ¡°I am beginning to regret seeking thy companionship in this¡ª¡±

    ¡°Ho-ho!¡±  Elinor snickered.  ¡°Companionship, Thor?  I¡¯m so happy you think we are so close; I should find you a room in my palace!¡±

    ¡°W-What deviancy hath thou on thy mind, Lady Irkalla!  I will not be party¡ª¡±

    ¡°Thor, Thor!  Hehe.  What is it you expect of my offer of ¡®hospitality¡¯ for a guest?  I simply wish to extend a hand to my ally!¡±

    ¡°Is there nothing thou canst twist into depravity, Woman?!  What of thy children¡ªdoth thou intend to continue with such¡­ such carnal language in their presence?¡±

    ¡°My children are grown.  Hmm-hmm-hmm!  And I have taught them well, although¡­ hehe, I will say, so far as I¡¯m aware, they can be a little embarrassed by me at times, but what child does not feel that way about their parents?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±

    ¡°Thinking of Sif, hmm?  I have a sneaking suspicion Sif and I would find much common ground!¡±

    The man gave her an uncertain look¡ªas if questioning if he¡¯d be safe in her city¡ªwhich made her stomach squirm with delight.  ¡°Thou art truly the First of the House of Snakes, Lady Irkalla¡­¡±

    ¡°Haha!  How sweet of you to notice,¡± Elinor giggled, reaching down to stroke her snickering little spiritual snake.  ¡°Hmm¡­  Now, what am I going to name you?¡± she whispered, sending the message to the Primordial that she was done tormenting him.

    It had been some time since she¡¯d had this much fun teasing someone she saw as an equal¡ªthere were few she saw as such, to begin with¡ªand thrust into this conflict with so many other powerful entities made her heart beat with excitement.

    ¡°How about¡­ Masmu¡­  My little snake goddess that will grow big and strong,¡± she fondly whispered as it rubbed against her finger.

    Elinor¡¯s vision wandered to the agitated God of Thunder in the ensuing silence, wondering how their interactions might change after opening heaven and taking on the form of the more grown woman she was.

    Currently, she wanted to maintain the image others had of her, which would evolve upon displaying her connection to the heavens.

    ¡°I find your interactions most entertaining, Empress.  The exchange you two share seems to have sparked a union of sorts that has dispensed with the hostility he previously showed.¡±

    Hmm-hmm.  That¡¯s the weapon of the female form at work, Sari¡¯a¨¦l; perhaps I¡¯ll teach you how to utilize such an assault method in time.

    ¡°Ooh!¡±  Her innocent and eager expression made Elinor chuckle.  ¡°I would most enjoy learning methods to cease conflict with only my words, such as you have demonstrated, Empress!¡±

    In time¡­  Although, a frown creased her lips while touching her purified earring, be careful of what my sister will attempt to teach you.  She is far more¡­ liberal in how she uses her¡­ assets.

    Bewilderment touching her golden irises, the Seraph shook her head.  ¡°I do not understand what you mean by that, Empress.¡±

    I will leave ¡®specific¡¯ instructions to Theresa to instruct you on such matters¡­  I cannot, in good faith, entrust it to Ishtar.

    ¡°Why is that, Empress; you do not trust your sister?¡±

    Oh, I trust her, alright, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡­  I trust she would be all too eager to teach you how to utilize your sexual appeal, and I cannot see your father being too thrilled with her¡­ methods.

    ¡°If you say so.  I will happily await Theresa¡¯s lessons!¡±

    Puffing out a long stream of air, Elinor reminded herself that she had to set some house rules for her sister; Ishtar had no room to argue, seeing as she had lost, and this was another chance to show she could be responsible and show her dedication to her job.

    ¡°Something of concern, Lady Irkalla?¡±  Thor muttered, sharp vision mapping out Nethermore as they approached.

    Sharp, as expected.

    ¡°My sister certainly does give me a reason for concern¡­  She may have vast potential¡ªmuch of which she has squandered until recently¡ªbut I fear she may fall into old habits if I am not by her side¡­  I cannot be there every moment to smack her hand when she goes too far, which means I must move beyond my discomfort to place my trust in her.¡±

    Laughter came from the Asgardian as he turned to give her a toothy grin.  ¡°Thou art a mixed bag of trouble thyself, Lady Irkalla.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  That, I cannot deny.¡±

    ¡°Still, thy boldness is also a trait thou hath impressed me with, Lady, and to hear thou make such comments regarding thy sister returns my mind to my brother; it appears our fears align in such matters!¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­  Loki and Ishtar, causing trouble for their older siblings until the end, and it appears divergent Existences do not change that fact.¡±

    ¡°Haha!  Yes, though my brother always has his heart in the right place.¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­ I can honestly say I hope the same for Ishtar,¡± Elinor muttered as the Seraph eased their flight to land on the colossal outer wall of her fortress, keeping her hidden from the Primordial with her wings.

    ¡°Eek!  Empress?!¡±  Noa chimed, runes shimmering underneath her feet for Thor to raise his hammer.

    ¡°By Odin¡¯s beard!¡±

    ¡°Hold, Thor!  Hehe.  She serves me.¡±

    ¡°E-Empress?¡±  Noa whispered, flashing back a few feet in concern at the lightning dancing off the man¡¯s raised hammer.

    ¡°This creature is¡­ of no flesh and blood?¡±

    ¡°No.  She is a Runic A.I. in charge of running the network of my city; Noa is ¡®quite¡¯ capable and loyal.  I do appreciate her service.¡±

    Noa¡¯s cheeks flushed, her crescent-moon-like eyes shifting to the ground as she shifted in place.  ¡°T-Thank you, Empress¡­  It has been a pleasure serving you.¡±

    The Primordial¡¯s electricity dying down, Elinor gestured to him.  ¡°Noa, if you could take Thor to Antonietta to be fed and quench his thirst¡ªhehe, I imagine you haven¡¯t had a good meal since your war with the insects?¡±

    ¡°Humph.  I crushed their bodies and ate of their flesh when their horde would thin, awaiting their next assault.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was divine,¡± Elinor mused, ¡°but I assure you, Antonietta will more than take care of your appetite.¡±

    ¡°Haaa.  I look forward to thy hospitality, Lady Irkalla¡­  Thou hath changed my opinion of High Mesopotamia since our clash; perhaps there are gods of the Lower Realms with honor¡ªthough, I could do without thy jokes.¡±

    ¡°Aww, but then we wouldn¡¯t have moments like this!¡±  Elinor snickered, easing out a little for him to swiftly turn his back to her.  ¡°Hehe.  Noa¡­¡±

    Runes surrounded the surprised Primordial as he was ¡®mercifully¡¯ carried away from her dagger-like tongue to enjoy Nethermore¡¯s findest chef¡¯s company.

    ¡°As for you, Empress?¡±  Noa asked, happy to be done with the Lord of Thunder.

    ¡°Bring me to the Throne Room with Violet, and have her two sisters join me.¡±

    ¡°And me, Empress?¡±  the Seraph questioned, her six glorious wings stretching out again now that the man was gone.

    ¡°Rest with the humans; I do not feel as if tempering yourself is needed to prepare to face Orinvia the day after tomorrow.  Heh, you¡¯re too damn proud to think you will lose.¡±

    ¡°I may lose my life, Empress!¡±  she cheerily stated with a bright smile.

    ¡°You see, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, saying you may die and feeling fear at dying is not one and the same thing,¡± Elinor laughed.

    ¡°No?¡±

    Noa giggled at the Seraph¡¯s cocked head and tone.

    ¡°No-hehe.  Your only fear comes in the way of others, Sari¡¯a¨¦l; you are incapable of being in fear for yourself.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l blinked as if thinking such a thing was impossible to comprehend.  ¡°Why would one fear entering your father¡¯s loving hands?¡±

    ¡°My point!  In any case, get that toned butt to discovering more about mortals¡ªhmm,¡± she cut herself off with a thoughtful twist to her lips.  ¡°Thor is pulling out a part of me I rarely get to explore.  Hmm-hmm.  I wonder what Gugalana would think of this playful attitude Thor draws out of me?¡±

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡°I look forward to meeting him, Empress!¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l waved, mirroring the human children no doubt, for Noa to whisk her away.

    Appearing at the foot of her throne, she was a little surprised to see Violet already in the vast room, touching up her handiwork in the free time she currently had; she¡¯d known the girl had been in the palace through the Nexus, but her perception of those within range wasn¡¯t that precise¡ªat least, as of yet.

    ¡°Empress¡­  What happened to the clothes I crafted for you?!  I¡­ smell a powerful entity that you have been in contact with,¡± she said while dropping down from her upside-down position on the ceiling to use her invisible thread to smoothly take her to Elinor¡¯s side.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter; craft me something similar to the previous outfit.  Your sisters will be here soon to¡ªah, swift, as expected, Noa,¡± she said as the two were transported to the floor below.  I will inform you of your task as Violet works.

    The blue, red, and black-haired sisters gave her a soundless nod as they waited; Camellia was burning with desire to finally have another mission after recovering, and she could sense Azalea¡¯s concern for her little sister, who looked utterly savaged in her human form after receiving such brutal burns.

    I have learned there is the possibility of an artifact hidden below the surface of our valley that is mutating the insects that assault Noa, and I have more or less confirmed its existence through a new ally.  My task for you is simple; spread your talents and map the network underground.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want us to retrieve it, Empress?¡±  Camellia asked, hoping to have more of a direct role in the process.

    Not before Thor and I can examine it; I suspect there are quite a few Fallen Divine objects scattered throughout this planet¡¯s history and the many Crystals it has seen.  If you wish, I will allow you to clean up the fodder when you discover its location and any other points of interest.

    ¡°We will do what you ask without fail, Empress,¡± Violet replied, hiding the pain Elinor knew she felt, yet she also knew that sitting around and twiddling her thumbs would kill her; she wasn''t like Camellia, who could learn something from the humans to pass the time.

    Flexing her fingers and plucking at her clothes when the dark-haired transformed spider finished her weave, Elinor was more than satisfied by the craftsmanship.  Fit for perfection, but I¡¯d expect nothing less, Violet¡­  Always impressive.

    ¡°Thank you, Empress.¡±

    Sending them to perform their task, Elinor sat on the first step of the climb to her throne above, leaning and spreading her arms to study the gothic-themed room as she took in the silence for several minutes.

    Once reorganizing her priorities, Elinor contacted Tiffany.  How goes your progress?

    ¡°Elinor!  Actually, hmm-hmm, faster than I anticipated with Esmerelda¡¯s support; she has become quite the student and has been advancing rapidly with my tutelage!¡±

    I¡¯m happy that you found such a perfect fit for a Maid.  Will a smaller version be finished with the recorder by the end of the day?

    ¡°I can have it done.  Yes.¡±

    Good.  I¡¯ll be making a public address to everyone before their typical time to sleep, but I assume many will be resting through parts of the day after last night¡¯s disruption.

    ¡°Oh?  I haven¡¯t heard anything that would do such a thing.¡±

    No need to distract you from your work¡­  It is crucial for Ishtar.

    ¡°Not¡­ for you, Empress?  I was under the impression this was to broadcast your apocalyptic appearance to the masses regarding your terrifying power,¡± she grumbled, still not sold on Ishtar¡¯s resurrection.

    Oh, Tiffany, there will be plenty of that, as well, but I do these things for many reasons; Sari¡¯a¨¦l will inform you of what has transpired once you have completed your job.

    ¡°Understood.  I shall pull up my sleeves and double our effort!¡±

    That¡¯s what I like to hear, Elinor smirked, leaving her Witch to her work while connecting to Theresa.  I see Tiffany has not been informed regarding the children and women?

    ¡°Mmh.  Yes, Empress, High Lord Edmon was against it to pull her attention away from her witchcraft since Esmeralda has discovered a flower in the jungle that can act as a support to clean Luisina¡¯s blood when she poisons herself.¡±

    Quite the discovery¡­  Esmeralda has certainly shown herself capable, it seems; even in her free time, she is scavenging the landscape to further her craft.  How potent is this cleansing agent for Luisina?

    ¡°Slow-acting, but enough to provide emergency treatment to those most in need.  Most of the women and children are currently resting; Luisina has collapsed, as well¡­¡±

    Haaa¡­  I would expect nothing less of the over-caring girl.  I leave them in your care, and¡­ there is one other task I would give to you.

    Leaning forward to place her elbows on her knees and bridge her fingers under her chin as she stared at the podium below, Elinor explained the finer details of her plan to the 2nd-In-Command Head Maid; she was the first outside of Sari¡¯a¨¦l to receive a few of the critical points.

    Expectedly, Theresa took the news as a professional would, as a soon-to-be Head Maid should.  ¡°I am relieved you will have a Maid to support you, Empress, and I shall be delicate in Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s education on sexual conduct; Gwen has been very protective of her when among the humans.¡±

    Excellent.  I leave her in your care.

    Narrowed vision shifting to her left, Elinor whispered, ¡°Noa¡­¡±

    ¡°I am here.¡±

    Studying the half-Nalvean and human Runic A.I. out of the corner of her eye, she hummed.  ¡°How bad are the damages in the colosseum after Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma and Kon¡¯draga¡¯s fight?¡±

    A strained smile showed her sharp teeth.  ¡°Umm¡­ most of the damage came from Kon¡¯draga¡¯s unreasonably powerful attacks, but¡­  It will take time to restore since High Lord Edmon must draw up the plans to make the repairs.¡±

    ¡°I figured¡­  How about the Network?¡±

    ¡°Certain areas I cannot teleport to or access due to the damage, but Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana has assured me that she can fix the issues.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s flaming eyes drifted back to her courtroom as she spoke.  ¡°Are there any other pressing problems I should be aware of?¡±

    ¡°So far as High Lord Edmon has told me, he is handling everything pressing regarding the unstable Network with Lord Voukey.¡±

    A smirk lifted the side of her mouth; it was time to see if her worries were correct.  ¡°A competent court at work, hmm¡­  Has Princess Tal¡¯tamine arrived?¡±

    ¡°The Nalvean Princess?  She has not.¡±

    Demon¡­  Did you think I wouldn¡¯t notice?

    She felt Edmon and Voukey fly back into range of the Nexus after returning from their previous mission¡ªNoa had sent them to quell one particularly nasty inferno; the bubbling lava shooting out of fissures across the valley was starting intense blazes that needed to be dealt with.

    Deviate your flight to scan the Wandering River for a Nalvean royal ship.

    Edmon¡¯s voice became a growl as he followed her train of thought.  ¡°You believe something has happened to the Princess?¡±

    She should have been seen by now on a Seaweaver-powered boat, yet not one sighting of her from the many Unintelligent Undead runners we have acting as sentries along the river?  It doesn¡¯t bode well, and if I am being paranoid, fair enough, but¡­

    White-scaled Nalveans attacked Seedlings near my valley and far from where they should be.  Also, Demon has his eyes set on Tal¡¯tamine for some currently unknown reason; he would rather her disappear than me discover the purpose.

    ¡°We¡¯ll prioritize the Princess immediately.¡±

    Noa watched her sober expression with slightly nervous twitches, waiting to be addressed as Elinor pondered the string of events that had transpired throughout her stay in this world.

    She would have sent Sari¡¯a¨¦l to investigate when she¡¯d returned, but she couldn¡¯t risk the Seraph losing any chance to rest considering her coming contest; therefore, the only option had been to wait for Edmon to return to send Voukey and him on the investigation.

    ¡°Hmm¡­  I have one last thing for you to do, Noa, before I leave you to your work¡­  Inform Gwen there will be a large broadcast tonight; it will be short but mandatory.¡±

    ¡°Right away, Empress!¡±  the girl said with a sigh of relief in her tone.

    Elinor understood she was already stressed enough dealing with the overworked Network, and the added tension of wondering if she would be asked to do something she couldn¡¯t was getting to her.

    With everything she needed from Noa out of the way, she turned her attention to the next individuals she required.  Adoncia</a>¡­

    The Oni</a> Maid gave a quick start as Elinor addressed her.  ¡°I am here, Empress?¡±

    I want you to bring your brother Sal</a>, his girlfriend Alisa</a>, and Valentina, the Tiger</a> Beastkin Seedling, to me¡­  I have something to discuss with the four of you.

    Feeling the girl¡¯s internal anxiety skyrocket at the abrupt order, Adoncia did her best to remain calm.  ¡°R-Right away, Empress¡­  To the Throne Room?¡±

    Yes.  The way will be opened when you arrive.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Elinor leaned against the soft stairs of thread behind her and crossed her legs with an excited smile lifting her lips as she tapped her foot in anticipation.  How is Thor doing, Antonietta?

    Her cook let a low sigh pass through the connection, saying it all in that one gesture.  ¡°He has no limit to his appetite, Empress, and shows no signs of stopping; I fear he may clean out all the supplies I have on hand.  If this keeps up, we will need to move to breakfast materials.¡±

    Hehe.  I suspect you have already sent out more Undead to collect more food?

    ¡°I have, but I do not believe they would return in any measure of time required, so¡­ while I have your ear, Empress, might I reach into the private store you have mentioned to me?¡±

    Mmh, the pyramid ecosystem on the mountain?  You will need to work with Noa to discover when she has the resources to transport you to harvest what you require, but I grant you access to it; give Thor our best.

    ¡°Very well, Empress.  I will present him with my finest efforts.¡±

    I expect no less.  How long until the beer is brewed?

    ¡°Nothing has changed in that regard.¡±

    Unfortunate.  I leave him in your care.

    Puffing out a long stream of air, Elinor waited an hour as Adoncia scrambled through the nearby buildings in search of her brother and his girlfriend, eventually soliciting the help of the poor, overworked A.I. in locating her three targets; she felt a little bad for Noa, but it should also give the girl confidence in how much they relied on her.

    Her thrill at what was to come was tempered a bit when Edmon and Voukey¡¯s path took a sharp turn to the west; if she was correct in gauging the Mythic Jukal¡¯s speed from her flights with him, they would be passing out of the valley and into Ri¡¯bot territory that she hadn¡¯t encountered as of yet.

    There are many branching rivers between Shi¡¯Shuka and Nethermore¡­  I was right.  What do you want with Tal¡¯tamine, Demon?  A legendary Nalvean with a talent that exceeds even her father¡¯s abilities¡­

    Elinor¡¯s attention shifted to the four she¡¯d called as the nervous teenagers passed through the colossal doors¡ªpractically the size of mice in comparison¡ªand took the expansive walk down the hallway to stand before the center podium to squint up at her.

    Let¡¯s see if I¡¯m right.

    Adoncia cleared her throat.  ¡°Empress, I¡­¡±  she trailed off as Elinor stopped her, getting to her feet and hopping off the edge to use a summoned chain to slow herself near the bottom to join the white-faced humans.

    Casually walking up to them, Elinor held her wrist behind her back with a small smile on her lips.

    Alisa¡¯s hand was shaking in Sal¡¯s as they refused to make eye contact, and the boy tried to clear his throat upon realizing she was coming to them.  ¡°D-Did we do some¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shhh!¡±  his sister hissed, jabbing her elbow into his side.

    ¡°Ack¡­¡±

    Elinor moved around the large podium meant for Quen¡¯Talrat and hopped onto the first step to cross her legs and smile at them.  ¡°No need to be so nervous; I realize this might seem a bit off-beat to how I dealt with you in the past, but I suppose you could say that¡¯s the product of discovering who I really am.¡±

    ¡°A¡­ real Goddess?¡±  Valentina muttered, the only one still looking at her instead of her feet.

    ¡°Mhm!  There is something I wish to confirm and offer you¡ªand let me be candid¡ªthis is a choice; it has to be.  So,¡± she lifted her hand for emerald flames to spark to life and release dozens of butterflies to fly around the tense group, ¡°just stay still for a moment for me to check your spiritual elasticity.¡±

    Despite her words, she could feel and see the stress on her Oni Maid¡¯s face; she wasn¡¯t the most disciplined of her servants, but that was part of the reason Elinor liked her, and, after several seconds, her lips lifted with her excitement again.

    ¡°Acceptable¡­¡±

    She snapped her fingers for the butterflies to vanish; her Death Pool would soon be replenished in the rush of Death Energy from the mortals who now believed wholeheartedly in her divinity after the stunning heavenly appearance that left no room for doubt with the angelic song.

    ¡°Acceptable?¡±   Adoncia squeaked.  ¡°Is my brother¡­ to be used in this coming war¡ªso, sorry, Empress; I shouldn¡¯t¡­ sorry.¡±

    Fingers linking in her lap, Elinor leaned forward a tad while studying each.  ¡°Look up¡ªthere¡¯s no reason I should be talking to a bunch of zombies, hehe¡ªhow would the four of you like to become a God and Goddesses?¡±

    Valentina¡¯s lips parted in disbelief, followed by Alisa¡¯s.  ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Hu-huh¡­  Huh?  Goddesses¡ªus?¡±

    On the other hand, Sal almost shouted a resounding, ¡°Yes!  I want to get stronger¡ªI believe in you, Goddess Elinor¡ªI want to get strong, like Virgil; I want to join the Argent Dawn!¡±

    ¡°S-Sal!¡±  Adoncia choked in a panic.  ¡°Empress, I¡ªyou said the four of us?!  I¡¯m already a Maid for¡ª¡±

    Valentina¡¯s slitted, golden irises shimmered with the prospect.  ¡°Do you mean it, Empress¡ªeh, Goddess?¡±

    ¡°If Sal¡ª¡± Alisa gagged for a second.  ¡°If Sal wants to¡ªI will!  I believe in you, Goddess!¡±

    Elinor giggled and held up a hand, causing the four to snap their jaws shut.  ¡°Let¡¯s calm down a bit!  Heh-he.  I have a lot to accomplish today, so listen closely to my offer in the interest of time.  Can you do that?¡±

    They all nodded, her maid even more stressed than before as she bit her lower lip with her twitching fingers held against her belly.

    ¡°Good.  I will open the gates to heaven, and in doing so, I will have several unique opportunities that I cannot let pass me by; one of those is the possibility of creating God Touched.¡±

    Lumps dropped down their throats as they internally repeated the word; Elinor could see it in their restless eyes.

    ¡°Think of a God Touched as someone who can act as an avatar or vessel for a God¡¯s or Goddess¡¯ power, which stretches and molds a mortal¡¯s soul¡ªa soul being Intelligence, spirit, and body¡ªand this very narrow window can be used to attune your Essence to begin accepting this change.¡±

    She pointed at Valentina, making the girl¡¯s ears pull back and tail stiffen as the other three centered on her.  ¡°You are what I call a Seedling, but it is limited; it is not so challenging for my children to replicate the type of Seed you carry to the others and enhance it to the needed effect.  Now, what does this mean?¡±

    Elinor gave them a toothy grin.  ¡°It means that you will be channeling the Divine and developing God-like powers yourselves as a result, yet, unlike the Seed you were given, Valentina, you will be tied to a true God or Goddess, meaning that for a limit time, you give them the ability to possess your body to fight the battles you cannot.¡±

    ¡°How long?¡±  Adoncia whispered.

    The Empress of the Dead internally reprimanded her that it was still her choice to accept or not, making her wince and drop her gaze before releasing a short sigh.

    ¡°How long?¡±  Elinor repeated, and their eyes shot to Masmu as her spiritual snake peaked out from the hidden fold between her breasts to examine the four.  ¡°It will grow as time goes on, but roughly a minute or two¡ªit depends on your internal strength¡ªso it will vary between you, but you each have the capability.¡±

    Legs uncrossing, Elinor gave them a pointed look.  ¡°Think carefully and talk amongst yourselves because this is not an offer made without the utmost dedication to a destiny you have the opportunity to grasp; everything is dependent on the tempering fire within you¡­¡±

    She caught their tightening hands as she drove the nail into the cost of her proposal.  ¡°If you take this offer, you will stand beside me in a conflict between gods, eldritch fiends, and creatures beyond your imagination, but you will have me to guide you through this war.

    ¡°Will it be easy?  No.  It will rip and tear at your very souls¡ªsome of you may not survive¡ªbut the rewards for those of you with the will to carry on¡­  You will reap a reward beyond anything you could fathom¡­  As my pupils, you will have gained the strength to forge your own destiny.¡±

    Hopping off the podium to walk around the breathless, unmoving mortals, Elinor made her way to the exit to meet Thor, prompting the doors to be opened for her.  ¡°In short, I need my children by my side, and you have the capability to accommodate that.

    ¡°You have until tomorrow morning to decide your futures; if you accept, we will be journeying to the east with Thor¡ªyes, Thor, the God of Thunder¡ªto rescue Loki and Baldr, his brothers, from the God of Decay, Erra, and eradicate whoever else stands in our way.¡±

    Slowing to a stop several meters away, she half-turned to give them a confident grin.  ¡°None of you have any ties left to your home¡ªfamily or friends besides the obvious¡ªallow me to take you through the fire to craft a God out of you, or¡­ you can stay in Nethermore and live out your moral lives under my protection.¡±

    Making her way to the door, Elinor chuckled.  ¡°The choice is yours.¡±

 B3 â€” 43. Caged Tricksters

    Riding on Voukey¡¯s back, Edmon scanned the Wandering River for the royal boat that Princess Tal¡¯tamine would be on.  Yet, despite the Jukal¡¯s sharp eyes and echo-like searching abilities, they couldn¡¯t find a trace of it crashed along the shores or below the waves.

    His jaw tightened upon casting his gaze to the north, where the Flex Clan had held a large chunk of land; a small portion of it was now on fire, making him curse.

    Noa was doing her best to temper the unstable supervolcano that could erupt at any point.  Still, she had to release stress somewhere, and certain areas would be unavoidably changed from the spewing molten rock and toxic vapor.

    Is there still no sight of a ship on the riverbed?

    Voukey¡¯s soundless cries that Edmon couldn¡¯t hear scanned the waters they flew over, his deep tone somber.  ¡°I regret to inform you, High Lord, the wreckages I have found long predate the evidence of recent destruction.  I suspect most of what my song reveals is the product of what the Ri¡¯bot term ¡®the Fire Wars.¡¯¡±

    Hmm¡­ or the time before that with the Eight Great Nations driving the Quen¡¯Talrat back to their city and taking control of the riverway.  Still, for us to not find her even this far from Nethermore¡­

    ¡°Indeed.  Most concerning; High Lord, we near our borders.¡±

    Edmon caught sight of the tall, black Quen¡¯Talrat watch tower atop the sheer cliffs leading out of the valley as Voukey tilted upwards slightly to give them a better view.

    Unintelligent undead fish were stationed in the gap, waiting to rush upstream to signal the unintelligent runners of an approaching large vessel, and he hadn¡¯t sensed them move out of position; the mindless drones could only follow simple instructions, but there were ways to create an alert system that Tiffany had set up.

    Blue fog streamed out of his face guard as he let Voukey handle the search below them, turning his focus to the various waterways; the Wandering River was so massive that it easily handled ocean boats and many of its branches could even support a U.S. warship.

    With Seaweavers powering it, they¡¯re basically on a steamboat, and if they have enough to alternate in shifts, they could have taken any of these routes, but¡­  No, they likely didn¡¯t come into the valley if they didn¡¯t trigger our sentries, which means we need to go into the various Ri¡¯bot territory outside of the valley.

    The morning sun peeking over the mountains left a glistening, diamond hue in a colossal crater that caught Edmon¡¯s attention; it almost seemed as if it had been the detonation site of a massive bomb.

    Making a note of the shimmering black walls, Edmon had Voukey fly higher to get a better view of the possible directions a large vessel could have taken, settling on Lake Menifil in the distance.

    We¡¯ll pick up our pace close to the river; there¡¯s no need to be thorough since the damage should be recent enough to leave wreckage, but, if she left from Shi¡¯Shuka, this mysterious party would¡¯ve had to redivert the ship to the west to escape notice.

    ¡°I see the location,¡± Voukey hummed, entering a dive to return to the water¡¯s surface.  ¡°I may have scouts in the area; the Empress had me gather many spies in the Nalvean lands, yet I sent some to gain an understanding of the borders.¡±

    A grin lifted the corner of Edmon¡¯s lip.  How close do you need to be to hear a report?

    ¡°I am unfortunately required to be no more than two kilometers from these types of birds, High Ruler; they do not have the vocal reach of Jukal.¡±

    All we need is to know if a large ship passed by.

    ¡°I will make haste!¡±

    Edmon lowered himself on Voukey¡¯s back as his wings beat to increase their speed, and, in their rapid passing, he spotted many of the small Ri¡¯bot Clans along the river¡¯s edge going about their daily routine.  Still, something else drew his notice¡ªtiny boats¡ªgroups of Ri¡¯bot making their way into the valley.

    The Jukal chuckled in their bullet-like flight.  ¡°It would appear, High Lord, that our Empress¡¯ awakening has drawn the curiosity of the lesser creatures.¡±

    Hmm.  Some will join us, no doubt, expanding Nethermore¡¯s borders, yet it would be foolish to believe many won¡¯t gather into an army as word and religion spread and threaten their way of life¡­  Not that it will make much difference in the end.

    ¡°Haha!  Most certainly, High Lord.  It is most amusing to see their hubris.¡±

    Such is the struggle of the living¡­  Edmon¡¯s voice lowered as Voukey made a wide arc across Menifil¡¯s vast surface area to ensure the royal vessel hadn¡¯t been sunk when entering open waters.  All will fall to their knees or have them broken.

    Not finding any sign of the craft, they made a hard shift to the western branch, and Voukey made contact with a flock of birds in the area, tightening Edmon¡¯s mouth at the report.

    ¡°A large vessel of the Nalveans was spotted not long ago, throwing fish up and causing a commotion among the local aviary groups to utilize it to their advantage; the flocks left behind had their fill.¡±

    How long precisely?

    ¡°It is most unfortunate, High Ruler; they do not understand such terms.¡±

    Once again, the Empress was right; Demon is busy.  We have our direction then.

    ¡°The chase begins!¡±

    Edmon¡¯s grip tightened around Voukey¡¯s neck, dispersing his armor in an attempt to lessen his weight as much as possible as the large northern predator rocketed in the sky to reach faster air currents since the boat had been confirmed to still be intact.

    A trail of green light followed the Jukal¡¯s tail as he navigated through the heavens, far sharper vision searching for their target, and, at a branch, he spotted the ship, moving to enter a dense jungle riverway that would have obscured them in another twenty kilometers.

    Entering a nose dive, Edmon held tightly to Voukey¡¯s unmitigated fall until he unfurled his wings for the sharp pressure of their sudden stop to strike his chest, yet his phenomenal defenses cushioned the blow as the kingly bird¡¯s talons bit into the side of the boat to a roar of panic from the soldiers on the deck.

    Edmon jumped off Voukey¡¯s back as the bird let a clarion note ring in the air, stunning everyone on the deck; armor and shield formed out of crystal to send ice shattering across the planks, and he landed on his feet, observing the area through the azure frost leaking out of his helmet¡¯s eye sockets.

    Not one white-scaled Nalvean?

    ¡°It appears so, High Lord,¡± Voukey confirmed, head swiftly tilting to the side as his gaze shot to the cabin in the back.  ¡°Humans, High Lord?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s head shifted to the left, gripping his shield straps as the crew and soldiers recovered.  How many?

    ¡°Two.¡±

    A large, black-scaled Nalvean holding a halberd was the first to regain his bearing, moving to meet him barely a second after their arrival; he was among one of the High Ruler¡¯s personal guards, thereby one of the strongest combatants of their military.

    ¡°High Lord Edmon, that was¡­ an entrance¡ªah, I¡¯m Malikar¡ªI¡¯ve been tasked with the princess¡¯ security.  I¡­ wasn¡¯t made aware you would be escorting us yourself.  Has something occurred in Nethermore?  We¡­ heard and felt that strange song from Shi¡¯Shuka.  Is the Empress well?¡±

    Edmon¡¯s eyes narrowed from within his helmet at his greeting; the light golden glow around his irises was new.  Remaining cautious, he decided to test the waters in the case of foul play.  ¡°The Empress grew concerned for the Princess¡¯ safety.  Why would you be on the deck and not with Tal¡¯tamine?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  Ah, luckily, we came across two humans that have been quite helpful¡­¡±  His brow furrowed, the yellow ring around his grey irises shimmering.  ¡°I¡­ do not know why I am here.  We heard that plans had changed to spirit the princess to¡­¡±

    He trailed off as the door to the cabin opened to reveal a man and woman, looking somewhat annoyed, but they instantly changed their tune once seeing the colossal bird and Edmon talking to Malikar.

    Edmon swiftly scrutinized the smiling, lovely pair; both were toned, tan, and had thick, black hair that fell to their lower backs, yet even as he watched, the two began to haze.  He refused to blink, and in the next second, Elinor took the man¡¯s place with the woman becoming Tiffany.

    Striding forward, Elinor hummed, looking between them.  ¡°It seems you have finally arrived.  Excellent.¡±

    Turning, Edmon¡¯s grip tightened against his shield as a charm sank deeply into his extremely high resilience, yet failed after a moment, causing the illusions to waver.

    ¡°Glorious, Empress!¡±  Voukey happily chirped, giving her a bow as the golden sparkle illuminated his sharp eyes.  ¡°Your unquestionable powers and speed never cease to amaze your humble servant!¡±

    Edmon¡¯s shield vanished as ice flooded his veins and he slowly walked up the steps to meet the two; if they were powerful enough to affect him, even if only slightly, and control Voukey, their threat was beyond measure.

    Tiffany¡¯s iconic smirk wavered as the woman appeared to catch on first.  ¡°What did you do, lose¡ªthat¡¯s not¡­  Kill the imp¡ª¡±

    Unfortunately for whoever these were, the Undead followed a direct and unbreakable law woven into their very spirit, and they were not a part of that chain of command.

    Voukey, I order you to knock everything nearby unconscious, including the Empress and Tiffany.

    ¡°High Lord Edmon!  I could never¡­¡±

    To the aviary lord¡¯s utter bewilderment and horror, he opened his beak and did as he was told.  ¡°Sleep.¡±

    A pulse of sonic waves rippled the air that shattered the vessel¡¯s windows and fractured parts of the planks as it traveled to those below deck.

    Malikar braced himself, jaw locking in a short stumble with the two humans, now reverting to even more beautiful and handsome versions of their previous form, yet their genders reversed.

    Reaching the man that dared to try and animate their Empress, Edmon¡¯s gauntlet closed around his neck as he lifted him into the air and continued without breaking stride to the recovering woman; he was already practically unconscious from Voukey¡¯s attack, in any case.

    ¡°What¡ªare you doing, High Lord?!¡±  Malikar roared, the only remaining soldier standing as he launched forward to be met by Voukey¡¯s wing, shaking free from the charm in the disruption.  ¡°This is¡­  Who¡­¡±

    Voukey seemed as stunned as Malikar.  ¡°What have I done!?  No¡­ this is¡ªHigh Lord Edmon, instruct this small brain of his error¡ªhave I been deceived?¡±

    The woman took a step back, holding her ringing ears as she swayed; naturally, if Voukey believed he was actually facing the Undead, he wouldn¡¯t have held back, and blood ran down their ears, showing just how resilient they were to have taken the Mythic Grade bird¡¯s full cry.

    ¡°The audacity¡­ to attempt to usurp the Empress¡¯ will and turn us¡­ turn her devout court against her¡ªyou will answer to the Empress herself for such crimes,¡± he snarled.

    Unlike the already unconscious man, the woman appeared to have more grit, throwing her hand to the side to summon a tidal wave, engulfing the ship.  ¡°What¡­ are you¡ª¡±

    Ignoring the flood that tilted the vessel and gave him a slight sense of vertigo, Edmon darted forward with her in mid-gesture; his grip found her throat to tighten and lift her to join the man, breaking the realistic illusion.

    ¡°Your trickery will not work on me, Witch¡­¡±

    Edmon¡¯s teeth locked together as her fingers closed around his arm, steeling his nerves at the illusions of his arm breaking apart; gagging with her tricks fading away, she continued to kick and beat at his armor, unlike the male that had been incapacitated quickly by Voukey¡¯s mind-shattering attack.

    ¡°Feisty, I¡¯ll give you that.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ making a huge¡ªmistake¡­¡±  she gasped, attempting to keep herself up with her quivering arms as the frost covering her body sapped the woman¡¯s strength.

    It became apparent the raven-haired beauty she¡¯d been taking the appearance of before had been a disguise, as well.  Guise simmering, it revealed an aurelian</a>-eyed woman with wine-colored hair and full lips; the clothing she wore was something strange¡ªalthough, at least her tight, black leather pants were recognizable¡ªher droptail top, green, glittery, and woven into gold accessories.

    The woman¡¯s struggles soon ceased, her vision drifting to the yellow</a>-eyed man who wore simple leather hide from beasts that had been sewn together; he certainly was handsome, yet not nearly as exotic as the female.

    Encasing them in sealing ice, Edmon grunted while tossing them to the stunned Nalvean elite warrior.  ¡°You were placed under a charm by these two.¡±

    Malikar put a hand to his head, a low growl in his throat as he breathed.  ¡°How¡­ did they manipulate us so easily¡ªwhere are we, High Lord Edmon?¡±

    ¡°Deep into Ri¡¯bot territory; I can¡¯t tell you your destination.  In any case, I will be taking Princess Tal¡¯tamine the rest of the way to Nethermore with these prisoners.  If you wish, you may journey the rest of the way to Nethermore, or report your findings to the High Ruler.¡±

    His nose twitched with agitation, Malikar glared at the two humans, contempt in his voice as he hissed, ¡°I am¡­ hesitant to give anyone the princess after witnessing such¡­ trickery.  How do I know you are not one of these illusions sent to confuse me?¡±

    Edmon drew in a long breath before releasing it in a long stream of fog.  ¡°If it makes you feel better, we will take her by force to prove it, and you may turn this ship around to find her in Nethermore.  What will it be?¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Malikar¡¯s tight expression shifted to the unconscious soldiers collapsed throughout the deck and the fact no one was coming below to investigate.  ¡°Hmm.  It may be pointless, but I expect if what I sense to be true, you will not falter at my strike!¡±

    Edmon raised his defenses in an instant as he told Voukey to hold his peace, and crimson markers flaring to light on his dark armor; he allowed the man¡¯s electrified halberd to smash through the crystal shell that surrounded him to meet his guarded neck, where all kinetic and elemental energy was dissipated.

    Reaching up to push it away, he chuckled with Malikar.  ¡°Satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  Your armor is as legendary as I have heard, High Lord of Nethermore.  I have failed my duty in protecting the princess¡­  Never did I suspect my entire platoon would be compromised by such tricks.  Please, bring the princess to safety, High Lord; I place my charge in your hands, and will confirm it with my own eyes.¡±

    Finding respect for the man in the exchange, Edmon made the signal across his chest that he¡¯d learned from his time in Shi¡¯Shuka.  ¡°I expect to see you in Nethermore by the end of the day, Lieutenant of Shi¡¯Shuka.  Princess Tal¡¯tamine will be safe in the palace.¡±

    After getting the warrior¡¯s nod, Edmon proceeded into the room the pair had left, hoping after all their effort they hadn¡¯t slain the girl, but¡ªto his relief¡ªshe seemed to be in some unnatural sleep in a bed.  She, her guardian, and the High Ruler¡¯s trusted advisor had been rendered unconscious by Voukey by their sprawled positions.

    ¡°Humph.¡±

    Carefully exiting with the large salamander princess, securely in his arms, Edmon placed her on Voukey¡¯s back so he could hold her in place.

    Malikar sighed upon seeing the girl still breathing¡ªif shallowly¡ªbefore turning a dirty look at the two tricksters.  ¡°What will come of these two fiends?¡±

    Edmon smirked as Voukey tossed the floating, chained blocks of ice into the water with a beat of his wing before swinging around and plucking them out of the river with his talons.  ¡°The Empress is not kind to those that stand against her, and we will discover the plot they intended for your princess.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm.  I look forward to what you discover; Klaus has shown himself to be most¡­ persuasive to the traitors we¡¯ve found.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  I¡¯m sure he has.  We will expect your arrival!¡±  Edmon shouted as Voukey jumped off the side to take to the air, and making a tight circle, he snatched the sealed prisoners up before returning to their Empress.

    * * *

    Hands held behind her back, Elinor casually proceeded through the empty hallways of her palace to the basement levels, scanning the partially restored and slightly modified artwork of the Quen¡¯Talrat that her little creative Th¨¦lm¨¦thra had added her touch to.

    It certainly is fascinating to see how swiftly they¡¯re growing; typically, their species cares little for such activities, considering the arts are not a part of their conquest agenda, but the connection they share to the Nexus opens them up to a melting pot of cultural norms they¡¯re new to¡­ including hate.

    Her focus moved beyond the walls of Nethermore to stare down at where her Spider Queen was conducting her search.  Demon cannot be the only entity at work stirring up trouble.  He will bring more trouble to any given conflict, but what other forces are at work around my Empire?

    Proceeding to the kitchen, Elinor couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the sight that met her.

    ¡°How predictable.¡±

    Thor sat on a stool and a loaded table that seemed to just barely keep stocked as the God of Thunder savagely chewed his way through platter after platter the servers brought; it was all hands on deck, with Antonietta directing amateur cooks that wanted to study under her on the colossal Quen¡¯Talrat equipment.

    Greetings were sent when she entered, and Elinor held up a hand in acknowledgment on her way to sit on the opposite side of the Primordial¡¯s welcome banquet.  ¡°I must say, for taking on mortal form, you have an unbridled appetite, Odinson.¡±

    Thor downed his glass in one go with a loud laugh.  ¡°Irkalla!  Haha!  I was not to believe such a feast from thee; my experience with thy people hath been scant tables so deprived of refreshment for weary travelers through thy Realm that it bordered on insult!¡±

    A woman with a strained smile at their comment refilled his cup, many jugs neatly placed in a row by her feet and causing Elinor to rest her chin on the back of her hand as she watched him stuff his face.

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  I expect if all Primordials eat so merrily, it may have emptied out their stores.  It appears Loki¡¯s magic, hehe, hasn¡¯t translated your immortal appetite to the moral realm, Thor.  Eat your fill¡ªoh, done just as I arrive?¡±  she questioned as he placed his half-empty mug to scrutinize her.

    ¡°Mmh, no, I believe I am ready for the main course thy competent cook hath been so eagerly preparing to be sampled.  No, I just had to congratulate thyself for the fact thou seemest to have found thy raiments; it hath been quite the discomfort to gaze upon thy child-like nakedness.¡±

    ¡°W-What?¡±  the woman filling his glass squeaked, seemingly able to understand the obscure Nordic language because of her faith.

    ¡°Ahh!¡±  Elinor¡¯s smirk lifted a tad, understanding now the deeper reason why he¡¯d been so hesitant to look at her; he didn¡¯t want to go back to Sif and tell her he¡¯d been trouncing around with a naked, teenage girl.  ¡°Teenage only in form, perhaps, Thor, but you will get a full view of just how I should look after I open the heavens.¡±

    ¡°Ack¡­  Doth thou wish my death by the hands of my wife, Irkalla?  Thy jests blacken my mind with shame by just thy words,¡± he mumbled from behind his mug, ears turning red.

    Oh, Thor, if only you weren¡¯t so simple to tease, I wouldn¡¯t exploit it!

    Selecting a few of the cut fruits from a nearby dish, Elinor twisted it around, adding a playful twist to her eyes.  ¡°Was it not my nakedness that brought on this truce, Thor?¡±

    ¡°Eghck!¡±  he choked on his drink, pounding his chest as she held up a long, curved item that resembled a banana, yet his face only turned more scarlet with her thoughtful hum and words.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure this will be quite the tale to report to Baldr and Loki¡ªyour trickster of a brother is sure to get a laugh out of it¡ªbut what of Sif¡­  Thor and Ereshkigal, set to fight a battle to the death by their shared foe, hehe¡­

    ¡°Only for the mighty God of Thunder to disintegrate the maiden¡¯s clothing, taming the beast¡¯s rage inside to allow negotiation to be had.  Hmm.  Should I be a goddess of beauty now, or was it by my naked ¡®child-like¡¯ appearance that you were stalled by, Fearless Hero?¡±

    ¡°W-Why must thy words always carry such¡ªsuch insinuations, Lady?  Be it thy alien culture that gives rise to such¡ªsuch depravity in mind!  Sif must not hear of our journey from thy snake-like tongue, Irkalla!  Thou art sure to cause strife where none be had!¡±

    ¡°Haha!  No, no, no, Thor!¡± Elinor laughed, her little snake exiting the fold to snicker with her.  ¡°I am positive Sif and I will have a very lovely chat together about your, hmm-hmm-hmm, behavior to our ¡®long¡¯ and ¡®laborious¡¯ journey.  I have even recruited three more girls to join us!¡±

    Thor leaned over as if he had a stomach ache.  ¡°T-Three more of thy perverted court, no doubt!  Irkalla, doth thou have a hidden desire for my Sif¡¯s fury to put me in my grave?  Perhaps Asgard and Mesopotamia cannot be united¡­¡±

    ¡°Haha!  Come now, Thor; no need to be melodramatic; they¡¯re understudies of mine, and I believe you will have a fine time supporting a young upstart God looking for a role model to follow.¡±

    The man¡¯s gleaming turquoise irises didn¡¯t leave her smile, and it seemed she¡¯d successfully curved his appetite; once again, flawless victory.  ¡°Thy hath brought a lad to such a quest?¡±

    ¡°I do need a few spirits that can channel my family¡¯s power, as we are dealing with Gods here, Thor; naturally, I would be most comfortable by having those I most trust by my side.  Plus, the boy that will join us has his sister and betrothed in the party; my handmaiden, in fact.  See!  No hidden agenda.  Hmm-hmm.¡±

    ¡°Humph.  Thou meanest for me to doubt such a comment,¡± he grunted, yet a spark lit in his bright gaze.

    ¡°Hmm¡­  A boy fighting to become a man; to show himself worthy of his betrothed, and her desire to support him in his trial?¡±  Thor questioned, interest now piqued.  ¡°Thou intendest them to reach into the Divine in this quest; thou hath screened them of their worthiness?¡±

    ¡°Of course, I expect you to determine if they meet your expectations; after all, they will be the ones to slow our journey, but their addition grants us the support of my children when we inevitably require it¡­  Forethought,¡± she beamed, tapping the side of her head.

    ¡°Indeed.  Companions with varying skills to do that which thyself cannot are most welcome on quests of such magnitude, and I will not deny support in rescuing my brothers¡­  Thou hath given them a choice?¡±

    ¡°I am no lover of fate, Thor,¡± Elinor whispered, examining the fruit in her hand with a frown.  ¡°I offered them a destiny that they could grasp and told them of the risks; however, I do not offer chances to people I know will reject the chance I give¡­  Such a thing is pointless and a waste of my time, which wastes Irkalla¡¯s time.  Everything I do is a reflection on the land I rule.¡±

    The man crossed his muscular arms as he studied her.  ¡°Hmm¡­ Thou art a peculiar bag of uncertainty in my eyes, Irkalla¡­  So unlike the Gods I knew, I am left to wonder what thy true appearance is, and if thou differs from the Ereshkigal of the Lower Realms.¡±

    An entertained giggle shook Elinor¡¯s chest; as intelligent as he may be, he didn¡¯t seem to learn.  ¡°Already imagining my ¡®true¡¯ naked body, hmm?¡±

    ¡°What nonsense¡­  Ugh.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mirth grew into laughter as he slumped over the table to hold a fist to his flushed face.

    ¡°Thou wouldst be the death of me; by Odin¡¯s beard, Irkalla, thou hath no filter.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.  It wasn¡¯t me who brought up my true appearance!¡±

    ¡°I did not bring up thy nakedness!¡±

    ¡°Yet, heh, you are imagining it now!  Aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°I needest to relieve myself¡ªdamn thee, do not say it!¡±  Thor shot at her impish grin and shrug as he realized the connection.

    ¡°Hmm?  I don¡¯t think I need to anymore.  Hehe.  By all means, Lord of Thunder, relieve yourself.  I will have my butler guide you to the, hmm-hmm, appropriate area.¡±

    ¡°I do hope it be the appropriate area,¡± he mumbled in defeat, ears bright red as Elinor sent a message to James</a> Escobedo, her Head Butler, to support him.

    Crossing her legs and leaning against the table, Elinor saw the flushed face of the human woman as she retreated with a cart filled with the empty pitchers now that she had a moment.

    Breaking the ice with Thor by teasing him is all well and good, but I need a new angle soon; adding a boy he can see his own son in will strengthen Sal¡¯s survival chances¡ªand it will have a domino effect on his family¡ªthen again, the girlfriend will need some work.

    On the other hand, Valentina has the added benefit of being stretched by the Seed, which should be enough for the initial process.  Her example could spark a rivalry in the girlfriend.

    Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed as she gradually sampled some of the fruit while following the busy kitchen staff; she¡¯d bought them a bit of time to slow down to perfect their dishes for when Thor cooled off.

    Adoncia is the only real concern that I may be pushing¡­  Even with my Seed¡¯s support as a Maid and the practice she¡¯s been doing on her own to try and build her strength to keep her brother safe, will it be enough?  A Goddess not of my blood could be testing¡­ especially her.  Hmm.  We¡¯ll see.

    Her attention moved to the west when Edmon and Voukey seemed to have found what happened to the princess; Thor was back, eating and trying to avoid any jabbing jokes she made to further break the enemy sigma they¡¯d first met on.

    The hours of the day passed and the Staff of the Dead continued to draw in Life Energy, yet Elinor¡¯s attitude iced over as her Doom Guard informed her of his encounter.

    Rising to her feet, Elinor moved to the door, catching Thor¡¯s notice as she motioned for him to follow.  ¡°I believe you¡¯ll want to join me on this one.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Setting down his meat, the God of Thunder walked after her, holding out his hand for his hammer to shoot into his grip.  ¡°What hath thou discovered?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but it is certain they will bring trouble.¡±

    Thor¡¯s eyes hardened.  ¡°Thou hath been trouble enough.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  I¡¯m so happy we¡¯re becoming friends,¡± she waved back with a confident smile.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we see who decided to kidnap a princess of a kingdom to our south while en route to my city?¡±

    The man¡¯s nose twisted, clearly not on good terms with any kidnapper at the moment, and his hammer sparked with electricity as he grunted.

    Making it to the Grand Hall as Noa managed to catch a break to teleport the group to them, Elinor¡¯s fingers tightened into a fist.

    ¡°What am I to do with the Princess?¡±  Edmon asked, carefully handling her removal from the giant bird¡¯s back.

    ¡°Theresa</a> is en route to handle her; bring her to the upper showers,¡± she said aloud for Thor to hear.

    ¡°Right away¡­¡±

    Release your ice, so you don¡¯t receive feedback.

    He paused as Thor strode forward with a dark look on his face, ceasing the constant seal he was keeping them in; lightning dancing around his eyes, the tall man lifted his hammer and brought it down on the block, shattering it in a single blow.

    The two within coughed and sputtered as they regained their senses, Elinor joining Thor¡¯s side, her cold tone directed at the pair of weak Deitie¡ªat least, one who was pretending to be weak.  ¡°Dolos</a>, Apate</a>¡­  Well, isn¡¯t this an awkward moment?¡±

    The man blinked as his golden irises shot to his sister.  ¡°You¡ªwho are you?!  What have you done to Apate!¡±  he demanded.

    ¡°She doth be Apate,¡± Thor growled, glaring at the woman.  ¡°Thou wast to be dead with thy mother, Nyx</a>; Primordial Olympus claimed to cleansed themselves of thy Celestial ancestors as did Asgard our own.¡±

    ¡°Nyx?¡±  Dolos whispered in terror.  ¡°Our mother is Gaia¡­¡±

    Apate hissed out a long stream of annoyance as she crossed her arms under her bust, revealing outfit and accessories shifting with the motion.  ¡°Thank you for ruining my infiltration of the Primordial Olympian pantheon, Thor; why would¡­  No?¡±

    Her golden irises went to Elinor in confusion.  ¡°Why do I sense a mix of¡­  Hmm.  Could I get an explanation as to exactly who you are with, Thor?¡±

    ¡°I owe nothing to thee, Trickster!¡±

    She rolled her eyes at his raised hammer.  ¡°Yes.  I know¡ªI¡¯m a bad, bad girl that tricks Gods and Primordials¡ªyou can kill me.  Great.  Happy?  Got it out of your system?¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t help but like her attitude, even if there were many questions she had about this ¡®Celestial¡¯ Titan; she could bide her time, and clearly, she wasn¡¯t on the Olympians¡¯ side.  ¡°Hmm¡­  Apate, we have a banquet happening downstairs.  Why don¡¯t we get to know each other a bit?¡±

    ¡°Hath thou gone mad, Irkalla?¡±  Thor growled, hammer still held at the woman¡¯s throat, yet her hands were raised weakly in an almost mocking surrender as she glared to the side; she knew she was no match for them.  ¡°Apate is among the most devious of tricksters among all Primordial Realms!¡±

    She gave a strained smile.  ¡°Eh-heh, unfortunately¡ªbut enjoyably¡ªit appears my reputation precedes me!  Uh-heh, I¡¯d love some food¡­  Irkalla, is it¡ªMesopatamia¡­  Ereshkigal?  My, heh, you¡¯re, uh¡­ different!¡±

    Elinor walked over to put a hand on Thor¡¯s hand to lower his threatening stance as she gave the now nervous woman an innocent smile.  ¡°Trade me your soul, Apate, and I will trade you my heart.  What do you say?¡±

    All three were caught off-guard, making Thor¡¯s lightning falter as Elinor held out her hand for chains to rip through space and surround them with their slow, clinking motions.

    ¡°Hehe¡­  Well, don¡¯t I feel in danger,¡± Apate forced a giggle.  ¡°Umm¡­  In short, pledge myself to you¡ªeh, you are not the Ereshkigal I knew!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s steady smile and stare didn¡¯t leave her as new chains emerged to close around the shifting Titan.  ¡°I am the Supreme Jailor of the Eternities; allow me to bind your Core in my chains, and I will sincerely listen to anything you have to say.¡±

    Thor stepped back with a thoughtful frown as he withdrew his weapon.  ¡°She will be at thy whim until thou release her¡ªunable to lie or disobey thy commands¡­  Humph.  A fitting price for a trickster of her nature.¡±

    ¡°So stupid,¡± she grunted, her shifting eyes studying Elinor.  ¡°For the hatred you Primordials have for one another, you certainly believe the stories told by each other¡¯s pantheons without question¡­  What do you want of me, Irkalla¡ªa slave for an eternity?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll start with just a willing and helpful prisoner,¡± Elinor chimed.  ¡°We can go down this route, or¡­¡±

    The siblings¡¯ focus drifted in unison to Thor¡¯s glowing hammer, causing a lump to drop down Apate and Dolos¡¯ throats.

    ¡°I¡¯ll accept!¡±  Dolos laughed.  ¡°Uh, you¡¯ll help me¡ª¡±

    Elinor waved a hand to shut him up, still not looking at the weak entity that likely was forced to join the Primordial Olympians that were sent to this planet.  ¡°Noa¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±

    The three jumped as the Runic A.I. appeared beside her, looking distrustfully at the two prisoners.

    ¡°Take Dolos to one of our maximum-security cells and keep watch over him if you can spare the processing power, and be sure it is as far away from our other guest as possible.¡±

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Dolos opened his mouth to protest when the runes encircled him to transport the mortal God to his prison, and Apate groaned while rubbing the back of her neck.

    ¡°Fine¡­  You are infinitely times better than any Primordial.  Do what you will with me¡ªack¡­¡±  she gasped, cheeks flushing and fingers clutching her breast as Elinor shot a chain past her lowered spiritual defenses to strike right at her Core, binding the trickster¡¯s Intelligence.

    A short giggle shook Elinor¡¯s chest as a collar appeared around the woman¡¯s throat for chains to shoot into her grip.  ¡°I¡¯m a little surprised you actually did it¡­  I suppose you¡¯ve already concluded we are not allied with your enemies.  Perfect!¡±

    Putting a hand on her hip, Apate seemed to be in a pout as she muttered, ¡°I was promised food?  I am quite famished.¡±

    ¡°Eh-hehe,¡± Elinor had to scratch her temple at the statement.  ¡°We may run out of food at this rate¡­  Huh.  Well, I did promise a banquet.¡±

    The chains and collar became invisible, her actual spirit more or less operating her physical body through the tie of the bond; she was locked within Elinor¡¯s personal prison within her own Core.

    Holding her hands behind her back, she tilted her head to the hallway they¡¯d left from.  ¡°Well, coming, my attractive, little trickster slave?  Hehe.¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­  How could this happen to me?  Stupid Primordials,¡± she hissed, sulking after them.

 B3 â€” 44. Calm Before The Storm

    Excitement thumped in Elinor¡¯s undead heart as she led the way back to the kitchens; Edmon had secured something beyond any worldly riches.  She had a little trickster songbird to chirp the secrets of these Primordial threats, as odd as this Celestial Titan was¡ªif she was a Titan at all.

    She tilted her head to see Thor¡¯s distrustful glare at the woman, Apate walking on the opposite side of her to keep her distance from the God of Thunder, and the web of outcomes that this brought spun in her mind as she addressed the aurelian-eyed Titan.

    ¡°You will not speak falsities to Thor or me, Apate.  Understood?¡±  she commanded, leaving her enough wiggle room to express herself and not feel too confined; if she was going to cultivate a positive relationship with the God of Thunder, she¡¯d need to include him.

    ¡°It¡¯s whate¡ª¡±

    Thor swiftly interjected, grip tightening around Mj?lnir.  ¡°How doth thou know she did not deceive thee in thy binding, Lady Irkalla?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s smirk shifted to the uncomfortable woman.  ¡°Self-preservation, Odinson.  Our little show bird here knew her situation was dire after failing to sink her claws into Edmon and, after being awoken to the shock of your strong presence, mixed with my own, a trickster of her ¡®renown,¡¯ as you claim, would know what her best option was¡­ compliance.  Am I right?¡±

    Agitated fingers adjusting her clothing</a> now that the threat to her survival had somewhat diminished, Apate sighed.  ¡°I haven¡¯t met a god or goddess with the strength of will like yours, Lady Irkalla.  ¡°It would be pointless, as weak as I am, to attempt such a thing when I failed against your servant.¡±

    It was an attempt to flatter her, no doubt¡ªeven if true¡ªmaking her snicker; so many fun things were happening.

    Once satisfied with her outfit, the woman rubbed her slender neck.  ¡°Agh¡ªit feels¡­ strange, not twisting my words as I usually do.  I¡¯m sure Loki would agree with¡ªno need for that look¡ªI¡¯m cooperating!¡±

    Her heels tapped against the granite as she side-stepped at the dirty look Thor gave her.

    ¡°Keep my brother¡¯s name away from thy lips, Harlot of Hera</a>.¡±

    ¡°Rude.  Humph.  One favor and I am branded for life; have you forgotten that she still has my girdle?  What was I supposed to do when the Queen of Primordial Olympus hunted me down, cornered me, and ¡®politely¡¯ asked for my help in tricking her husband¡ªrefuse?  Hah.  How well did that turn out for most, I wonder?¡±

    ¡°Thou art a coward!¡±

    ¡°Of course I am; what would you expect?!¡±  Apate threw up her hands, shooting an incredulous look at the man.  ¡°Thor and his rose-tinted glasses; your brother can do no wrong in his ¡®strategic¡¯ escapes, and that¡¯s not cowardice, but Odin forbid I fear for my life in Primordial Olympus!  Have you been, Thor?  I think not!¡±

    Elinor chuckled.  ¡°I have not as well; so¡­ why don¡¯t you enlighten us; in my Existence, you were a Titan, Apate.  I am late to this ¡®Primordial¡¯ party; tell me, what is the difference between all of these terms¡ªCelestial, Primordial, Supreme God, Titan, et cetera¡ªthere are so many factions that my fingers are twitching with excitement.¡±

    Her illuminated emerald irises brightened as she turned to Thor.  ¡°Mmm, I know!  Why don¡¯t you test her honesty in how she responds.¡±

    ¡°I shall listen carefully to thy words, wretch; speak the truth.¡±

    ¡°Mmm-hmm-hmm,¡± Apate¡¯s wine-tinted full lips tightened.  ¡°Do you have to insult me in every sentence?  At least Lady Irkalla has shown me a modicum of respect and understanding; I much rather deal with her than a brute like you that knows nothing but the battlefield.¡±

    ¡°She does not know thy deceptive tongue yet!¡±  His demeanor somewhat faltered as his blue eyes drifted to her.  ¡°Then again, thy tongue is that of a viper thyself, Lady Irkalla.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  Best be cautious, Thor,¡± Elinor mused, tilting her head to shoot an innocent smile in his direction.  ¡°Once we rescue Loki, think about all the fun conversations we¡¯ll have!¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­  I fear for my sanity.¡±

    Apate chuckled at how she turned things around, quickening her pace to walk beside her.  Making the woman feel safe to open up was important; even if she was a slave, a willing slave that could find joy in their work was far more productive than an exhausting, unwilling mule that would kick against the prick at every opportunity.

    ¡°I am not technically a Celestial, Lady,¡± she happily stated, beginning to take an interest in the art in the massive hallways they moved through.  ¡°I am the ¡®Personification¡¯ of a Celestial.¡±

    ¡°Nyx?¡±

    ¡°Yup.  My mother was the Celestial ¡®Night,¡¯ or Nyx, as many came to know her; there are only four true Celestials in the first generation from Chaos¡ªof which all power was in¡­ before the Celestial war came with the Primordial Gods, who stole much of their strength in the conflict.¡±

    ¡°Interesting,¡± Elinor whispered, noticing Thor keeping a close eye on the Trickster.  ¡°Were these Celestials the foundation of Asgard?¡±

    ¡°We have nothing in common with Primordial Olympus!¡±

    ¡°Pfft¡­¡±  Apate snickered, looking away to not get burnt by his gaze.  ¡°So naive.¡±

    ¡°What lies spin in thy mind?¡±

    ¡°I wonder,¡± the woman mused, holding her elbow behind her back as they walked.  ¡°I will be the first to admit that I only know of the history of things after I was created¡ªwhich predates your birth, Thor¡ªbut the fact we both know our ancestors to be called Celestials and how all the Primordial Realms united brings a lot of questions.¡±

    She gave a short start, sending a slight smirk in his direction.  ¡°Oh, forgive me, you don¡¯t know anything regarding Asgard¡¯s history before your father took control, nor anything about the building of the Great Framework with Yggdrasil as its foundation¡­ but Loki does.¡±

    ¡°What doth thou insinuate, Deceiver?!¡±

    The woman chuckled and shrugged.  ¡°If I answered truthfully, I bet you¡¯ll kill me on the spot, and I¡¯d rather not be electrified to death.¡±

    ¡°I am done with thy words,¡± Thor growled, lightning sparking out of his eyes.

    Elinor held up a hand to draw their attention; she¡¯d gotten what she wanted, and antagonizing the man further wouldn¡¯t help.

    ¡°We can move to another subject I believe you might enjoy, Thor.¡±

    His rage simmered down as she played the balancing force between the two.

    ¡°Is that so¡­  What crafty direction doth thou intend to take this discussion?¡±

    Apate¡¯s brow furrowed at the look she gave her.  ¡°Dammit¡­  Why do I feel like I¡¯m not going to like this?¡±

    ¡°No need to worry!¡±  Elinor soothed.  ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you have a rather¡­ unusual way of speaking compared to most godly entities I have conversed with, Apate.  Why don¡¯t you tell us the story about how you managed to be here?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Her focus drifted to Thor¡¯s tightly gripped hammer.  ¡°Uh¡­ can I start after Atlas and Yggdrasil¡¯s death?¡±

    ¡°Perfect,¡± Elinor nodded, filing away the information; it was a long walk to the kitchen, and the more time she could buy her cook, the better.  ¡°Gather your thoughts if you need.¡±

    At last, Thor reached the conclusion she¡¯d been waiting for, and she could sympathize with his position; if her sister were to randomly show up and another tried to force them to make peace, it wouldn¡¯t end well, which was why she¡¯d tried to guide things in a way they could find common ground.

    ¡°Ugh¡­  Do you doubt Lady Irkalla¡¯s powers, Thor?¡±  Apate rediverted with the man¡¯s hounding glare.  ¡°It¡¯s hard to think when I fear my brain being splattered across the floor at any moment, not to mention what that may bring in this unknown insanity of an Existence.¡±

    ¡°Humph.  Thou can speak truth it would seem¡ªdeclare it as such then¡ªwho is thy enemy?¡±

    ¡°Primordial Olympus,¡± she crisply responded, making Elinor smile.

    ¡°Doth thou see Primordial Asgard as thy enemy?¡±

    ¡°Only if you want to make me your enemy¡ªsuch a stupid question¡ªpersonally, I like your brother,¡± she added, choosing not to use his name after the previous threat.

    ¡°Hmm.  I will hold my peace¡­ for now.¡±

    The conclusion reaching a content medium, Elinor listened to the girl¡¯s tale, which made Thor laugh and darkened the woman¡¯s cheeks, and she was sure not much embarrassed Apate, but it certainly was an amusing revelation.

    Being created by Nyx had its benefits it seemed, and when their Grand Existence had collapsed, she and many others were unable to make it to the evacuation¡ªwhich she expected¡ªand were tossed into the chaotic void her grandfather had come from.

    Naturally, her physical form had been destroyed, but her spirit could weather the force for a time¡ªand though she couldn¡¯t tell how long it took¡ªeventually, she¡¯d been pulled into this Existence, to possess a rather sassy teenage girl¡ªpossessed might have been too strong of a strong word, though.

    In her diminished and weakened state, she¡¯d been more or less subdued by the human child¡¯s growing spirit, and it was where her vocal mannerisms came from.

    Sitting down to eat, Elinor refrained from the practice as the two stuffed their faces; Apate was as hardy in her appetite as the God of Thunder, but, luckily, the time she¡¯d bought had allowed her cook to restock via the mountainous fortress.

    She¡¯d met Dolos when the girl she was possessing had made a trip to Italy with her parents, who had won some trip through a game show, and it was there that Seeds descended upon the planet.

    Apate managed to utilize that to create this new body¡ªnot artificial¡ªand rebuild her restoring powers; it was understandable why she¡¯d be so protective of her new physical form if she¡¯d been stuck inside a teenager for over three years, and a new bit of information made Thor and Elinor¡¯s eyes narrow.

    She hadn¡¯t been alone when the Crystal appeared, trapping everyone inside, but this wasn¡¯t an attacking force against Earth; Apate and the other gods around her were to be the aggressors.  All of the Greek deities present¡ªfrom the Primordial Existence or others¡ªwere sent a clear message that none refused.

    Elinor leaned forward, staring at a giant slab of meat that had been brought to the table, cut to allow them to set on their wooden plates.  ¡°So¡­  Primordial Ares and Hera didn¡¯t make it to this other Existence¡­¡±

    ¡°Powerful foes,¡± Thor muttered.  ¡°Doth thou see thyself in conflict, Lady Irkalla?¡±

    She interlocked her fingers to rest her chin on the back of her bridged hands.  ¡°Hmm.  If Hera has rallied many of the lingering gods to her side and forced many under her banner, I suspect this world will not be big enough for multiple pantheons.

    ¡°Then¡­ there is the issue of these Seeds we have been given; I cannot see many discarding them to return to the heavens without knowing the effect that would have¡­  Especially when they could give us more power than we previously had with the Eldritch scratching at the corners of this universe.¡±

    ¡°Ack¡ª¡±  Apate choked on her meat, hand going to her breast.  ¡°T-The what¡ªyou can¡¯t be serious¡ªwho are you talking about?¡±

    Thor stared into his mug with a grave nod.  ¡°In our journey to this place, my brothers and I saw unspeakable Eldritch entities circling this vast stew of Existences; Loki devised a plan to allow us to slip past the many barriers enacted throughout its layers.¡±

    Face going pale and apparently losing her appetite, the golden-eyed woman cleared her throat and hugged herself.  ¡°Not¡­ normal Eldritch¡ªin the Lower-Realms¡ªright?¡±

    ¡°None that I, nor my brothers could explain, and far beyond the scope of that which we have dealt with in our own sphere of influence.¡±

    ¡°The Mecroaf?¡±  Apate whispered, drawing Elinor¡¯s interest.

    ¡°What do you know of them?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªjust¡­ in scouting the various places we could evacuate to¡­  It was not a place Primordial Olympus even considered.  After Iasion</a> fell in favor with Zeus, he was sent on an errand to redeem himself by scouting the area, using Hecate¡¯s</a> magic as protection¡­  He never returned.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    They fell silent, and Elinor¡¯s thoughts instantly went to Becdeth; she had so many things to consider, but much of that could be pushed back.  All she needed was to scope out the board, and from what Apate said, Olympus was setting their sights on a continent to their south.

    Only weaker deities from other Existences were being stationed nearby, likely due to Demon¡¯s machinations, and it made her question one other thing.

    Vision narrowing, Elinor¡¯s gaze lifted to the queasy trickster as she pondered her uncertain future.  ¡°Who is Yesenia?  I¡¯m sure you know who I¡¯m talking about.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Apate hissed at the name.  ¡°Yeah¡­  She¡¯s another reason why I volunteered to, uh, get out.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s tone darkened.  ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°Eh-heh.  Right, right,¡± she mumbled, fidgeting with her risque top.  ¡°Umm¡­  I don¡¯t really know, but she has taken command of the small network Hera left to scout out the area.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t have a guess?¡±  Thor hummed.

    ¡°Hey!  You guys told me to be truthful, and I am; still, I like Lady Irkalla far better than how I was treated before, so¡­  I hope you aren¡¯t just going to use me for my knowledge and dump me to starve in the dungeon, like Dolos¡­¡±

    Rising to her feet, Elinor hid the cold daggers sharpening in her heart.  ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be using you in many, many ways, Apate.  Hehe.  Someone of your talents and allegiance will be mandatory in the future, I am sure.  Now, Thor, can you be a darling and babysit our pretty trickster?¡±

    ¡°You would have me do what?!¡±  he barked, shooting to his feet, Apate right behind him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a child!¡±

    Elinor slowed to a halt after a few steps.  ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Don¡¯t look so surprised; would you trust her in anyone else¡¯s hands, Thor?  And, Apate, isn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity to find common ground since we¡¯ll be working together, hmm?¡±

    ¡°Thy words¡­ do hold weight,¡± Thor admitted, suspicious stare on the woman.

    ¡°Ugh¡­  Fine.  I guess we can explore a bit.  You have a really amazing fortress, by the way¡ªand wonderful cooks, might I add.  Hehe.  I think I could get used to this lifestyle.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get too comfortable,¡± Elinor warned.  ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving on a harsh journey in the coming days¡ªyes, she will be joining us, Thor¡ªcan you tell me a trickster of her caliber will not help save your brothers?¡±

    Apate¡¯s lips lifted into a smirk as she scooted over to nudge the uncomfortable warrior.  ¡°Ooh!  You¡¯ll be handling the cracking skulls and I the guile, hmm?  I look forward to working with you for once, Asgardian!¡±

    ¡°Why hath thou mainly conscripted women, Lady Irkalla?¡±  Thor complained, firmly pushing the woman away.  ¡°Hath thou an ulterior motive in such designs?¡±

    ¡°I would look to the Fates or Destiny,¡± Elinor chuckled, continuing on her way to leave the hall.  ¡°I have a lot to do, hmm-hmm¡­  Now, be a good girl, Apate; I¡¯d hate to come back to find Thor¡¯s made a decoration out of you.¡±

    ¡°Yikes¡­  You¡¯re not into that, umm, kind of thing?¡±

    ¡°Doth thou impune my character in suggesting such?!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s chest shook with mirth; intelligence he may have in battle, but that didn¡¯t translate well to men that couldn¡¯t read flirtatious hints.

    ¡°She¡¯s playing games with you, Thor, and don¡¯t try it, Apate; you¡¯re not going to turn him into your knight in shining armor.¡±

    ¡°Eh-hehe.  Yet!¡±  she returned, eyeing Asgard¡¯s Champion like the hunks of meat on the table.

    ¡°I will not be beguiled!  Thou aren¡¯t a tool on my belt to be used when needed¡ªnot that¡­¡±

    Leaving the pair to break more ice, Elinor hoped Thor would have learned at least a bit from their back and forths in dealing with women like Apate; her cheer soon diminished as she exited the dining hall.

    Voukey.

    ¡°Yes, my most glorious Empress?¡±

    Contact the shifter boy and have him prepare to leave for Shi¡¯Shuka immediately, and carry Amra¡¯Cora with you.  She paused beside the stairs, looking to the south, where Iris hunted.  You will remain nearby to support them and have Klaus inform the High Ruler of your stay nearby.

    ¡°I am already in flight to retrieve her!  Our mission is to recover the humans from inside the Seaweaver District?¡±

    A part of it.  Things are changing rapidly, and soon Ishtar will take command of the operations moving forward around the wars to come; you will be busy in the coming months¡­  Yesenia has taken control of a small number of mortal deities, and to hold that much control¡­  she trailed off, rerunning through the possibilities flooding her mind.

    The naga-like woman wasn¡¯t Medusa, or she would have had far different abilities.  Only one chilling possibility came to mind.

    Yesenia, a ruler over Storms, jailing the humans as if her prisoners?  Kampe</a> is likely the foe you deal with¡ªthe warden of Titans¡ªand I suspect such entities are hiding within the Nalvean Empire, rebuilding their strength.

    Find them, and work from the shadows if you need to, get the humans away from her; there must be someone there she¡¯s trying to keep from us.   I will have Azalea join you after the sisters have completed their task.

    Also, inform the High Ruler that we thwarted a plot to kidnap his daughter, and she is safely in Nethermore.  We will conduct a thorough investigation as to her health with what resources we can spare.

    ¡°Our subtle war begins, Empress; my song will carry wide to the flocks I command!  We shall not fail you.¡±

    I leave you in command.

    A small smile lifted her eyes as Noa flickered into existence not far away, noticing her lingering exit and guessing she¡¯d be needed.

    ¡°Excellent timing.  You have certainly made yourself into an invaluable member of my Empire.¡±

    The hybrid Runic A.I. blushed, crescent eyes falling to the floor.  ¡°I am delighted to finally be of use, as I was intended, and it has been wonderful to speak to my creator again.  How can I serve you?¡±

    ¡°What is the state of the supervolcano?¡±

    ¡°The major pressure points have been relieved, but many unintended consequences have come from it due to my inability to direct the release areas; my predictions of the fissures and damage to the valley have been merely 86% accurate.¡±

    ¡°Acceptable.  The fact that you managed it at all is a marvel.  Now, take me to the Tower and show me the damages; we will run through a general report of things in preparation for tomorrow.¡±

    Runes enclosed her, but before the A.I. could start, Elinor had one last thing to confirm as the colossal windows of her bedchamber came into focus, giving her a full view of the valley she ruled.

    ¡°Which members of The Covenant are within Nethermore?¡±

    ¡°Umm¡­  So far as I know,¡± she tentatively stated, ¡°after the contest, only Aidrh¡¯ruz</a> remains¡­  He has not left the conference room, yet Les¡¯ndrassa</a> did show herself.¡±

    ¡°Their conversation?¡±

    ¡°Unheard.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Elinor started her slow pace around the vast room, hands held behind her back.  ¡°Begin.¡±

    The rising sun shot beams of light over the mist covering the valley, revealing a significant chunk of land that blazed with molten rock visible from her high vantage point.  All of the Ri¡¯bot in the area were fleeing to the city, and Edmon would be making his way to the site to quell what he could before it grew out of control.

    Toxic fumes hissed out of fissures created through Noa¡¯s release of specific valves, and the A.I. expressed her concern for the Spider Sisters¡¯ path through the maze of tunnels beneath the mountains, but Elinor was confident in their resilience and adaptability.

    Noa didn¡¯t have direct control over specific areas but designated pressure release valves that had vastly changed over the centuries they¡¯d been built.

    Lava could be seen running down several of the colossal mountains to their north, and Elinor could feel Quin and Valdar returning in haste, but, even as Undead, they wouldn¡¯t make it back to the city for days, at which point Elinor planned to be gone¡ªIshtar would have to inform them.

    She could sense her staff drawing in copious amounts of Life Energy, yet she had to wonder if it would be enough for what she required; holding the heavens open for even a few seconds¡ªwhich would be far longer within the divine realm¡ªwould be testing, yet she had much to inquire and accomplish within.

    Plans would change depending on how well the shattering of boundaries performed; already, she doubted one particular critical point that had to be substituted for a sub-optimal path, but it was crucial to her designs going forward, even if many would vehemently oppose what she would order her children to do¡ªthere could even be a revolt.

    After hearing Noa¡¯s report, Elinor paused to stare at the plateaus that hid the Maw¡ªthere were still many things to explore within¡ªthis world seemed to be hiding secrets in its very core involving the Shadowverse entity.

    We are in unprecedented times, which requires a drastic change¡­ and there are many plots my forefathers seem to have kept from me.  Apate has opened so many questionable things to consider¡ªeven if we do not hail from the same Existence¡ªand her reaction to me¡­

    Elinor could guess what the woman saw, yet having it spoken aloud wasn¡¯t something she wanted in the open yet; everything tied back to her very creation as the ruler of Irkalla when she was chosen by Kur</a>, the personification of the underworld itself, and fused with her to become its supreme judge and overseer.

    Clearly, this didn¡¯t happen to the Primoridal¡¯s Existence, and Mesopotamia was of the Lower Realms.  Something significant happened that changed Erra and me; he has power and strength that my own version does not¡­

    To think there would be duplicates of us in other Existences¡­  It makes one wonder if there is a true version above us.  Apollo is more powerful than anything I¡¯ve encountered, and if I¡¯m correct, these Seeds can build us to potentially rival that.

    Elinor¡¯s grip tightened around her left wrist.  So much to consider and plan for; first on the agenda, gather my children to meet this challenge, and force answers from the High Heavens that birthed me to fuse with Kur.

    She turned her attention to the Nalvean princess after the report on the state of the runic grid and supervolcano.  Tal¡¯tamine was waking up with the care the Maids were showing her, and there would need to be an extensive examination done by Tiffany when time permitted.

    When it came to the Grand Ritualist, she was completing her job at a far swifter pace after inducting the Runic Gurus in her craft, allowing them to handle enhancing attributes to a greater degree than her witchcraft was currently able, such as transmitting voices across large distances.

    The arcing sun moved across the sky as the hours of the day went on, and she went through the details Noa was able to gather.

    Eventually, it came to an end, and she sent Aileen, the twelve-year-old Maid, to show Thor and Apate to their rooms as the Runic A.I. informed her of their after-feast fatigue; the pre-teen would likely soothe Thor¡¯s temper.

    Looking to the east, Elinor frowned, wondering what plots Erra had in store for her; she was nearly done with her preparations, which would allow her to meditate to focus her mind for the coming battle and climb into heaven to confront her host.

    ¡°Take me to Aidrh¡¯ruz.¡±

    Noa bowed her head, far more relieved by the hour as her stretched processors were allowed to slow, and she could relax a bit more.

    Sitting in her chair at the head of the table when the floating symbols vanished, Elinor smiled at the abomination.  ¡°Have you had time to consider all the lives I¡¯ve lived yet?¡±

    The swirling symbols on the creature¡¯s massive lower arms and legs flashed as he turned his horned head to her, flaming crown flickering with his infernal eye-sockets.

    ¡°Irkalla¡­ It has been¡­ most educational,¡± he whispered, upper claws scratching the side of his monstrous jaws.  ¡°You have taught me much as I have considered the complexity of your mind and actions throughout antiquity¡­  It has been humbling.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  I¡¯m glad you were able to come away from it molted in newfound wisdom.  What has changed for you?¡±

    The Dream Eater¡¯s fur bristled as he leaned to the side, spikes protruding from the hump on his back flexing in and out.  ¡°There are forces far beyond what I imagined¡­  Many trials await the Covenant in the future with you within our ranks, and we would do well to consider the options you may provide to us.¡±

    ¡°Will you still sample a fragment of the Divine Dream?¡±

    ¡°I must if I am to push beyond where I am and achieve my own dream¡­ to dream once more.¡±

    Elinor leaned against the side of her throne with a small upwards tilt to her lips.  ¡°You never know how much you value something until it is gone, and the taste it brings when allowed to savor it once more cannot be expressed in words.¡±

    His crown flashed blue for a moment before returning to its orange flare.  ¡°I will be ready with Becdeth and Les¡¯ndrassa¡­  I have learned caution from you, Irkalla, and the realization fear must be overcome through exposure.  If I drift into the Nightmare, I will find my way back.¡±

    ¡°Excellent.  I expect nothing less¡­  After all, I still need you, Aidrh¡¯ruz.  I sincerely hope you do not fail in your quest.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.  I as well, Irkalla.  I have not parsed through a fraction of your lives, yet I have become overwhelmed by the drive you radiate.  Happy slaughter.¡±

    Returning to her feet, Elinor chuckled as she had Noa transport her to the Throne Room; Tiffany had recently completed the recorder and small projector that the Runic A.I. could transmit.

    It took several more minutes for the items to be brought to the location with the Witch testing the product and making a few tweaks; Lucky coordinated with Gwen to gather everyone into the colossal square outside the palace, and Tiffany activated the projection.

    ¡°Citizens of Nethermore, allow me to properly introduce myself,¡± she stated, legs crossed with her fingers interlocked in her lap.  ¡°I am the Supreme Goddess of Death Ereshkigal; I go by many names throughout various worlds and periods of time.

    ¡°As of now, you may know me as Empress Irkalla, and you are safe under my name.  Laws will be enacted, and any fears you have may be directed to Lucky, as has been the practice you have become accustomed to.

    ¡°Now, to the reason I have required all citizens attendance¡­  I march to war tomorrow¡ªalone, without aid from anyone¡ªgods and monsters observing my slaughter the same as you.  It will be broadcast for all to see, so I suggest you rest, for at noon tomorrow, you will bear witness to my power as Irkalla, the Supreme Judge of all Souls.

    ¡°Upon the conclusion of this battle, I will force open the heavens and march through its gates to be welcomed by my host; I will return with my younger sister, and she will take up the banner of Supreme Regent in the Undying Empire as I go to war alongside the God of Thunder, Thor.

    ¡°I do not require your faith, but if you do place your belief in this new world we are building, you will see fruit in it.  Many of you have already experienced a taste of that¡ªthe ability to speak languages you do not know, or seen what comes of faith in the rapid change of the members of the Argent Dawn.

    ¡°Ishtar, my little sister, has many powers, one of which is the capability to resurrect the dead, and should she prove herself worthy to take my seat as my regent, I will grant her that right once again.¡±

    She stood, every word reinforced by steel.  ¡°There is no need for hope or faith; my Empire will not fall, be it to Devils, Gods, or entities beyond them.   I am Irkalla, your Immortal Empress and Deity, and I do not lose.¡±

    Signaling Tiffany to cut the feed, Elinor called for Sari¡¯a¨¦l and the teens to be brought to her with her selected Maid to give her their answer; of course, she knew they couldn¡¯t resist the offer.

    Alisa, Sal, Valentina, and Adoncia were transported to stand before her on the ground level with the Seraph floating nearby, yet their attention was fixated on her.

    ¡°What have you four decided?¡±

    Sal and Valentina were the first to jump forward, the tigress speaking first.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it!  I want to get stronger.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± the boy boldly stated, followed by his older sister and girlfriend.

    ¡°I would be honored to serve you on your journey, Empress.¡±

    ¡°I want to get stronger, too¡ªI, umm, don¡¯t know how much help I¡¯ll be, but I promise I¡¯ll keep up¡ªI won¡¯t slow you down!¡±

    ¡°Hehe,¡± Elinor smirked, causing the teenager¡¯s brown eyes to fall to the ground as she fidgeted.  ¡°You definitely will, Alisa, and there is no shame in it, but despite what you might think, it will be Adoncia who will have the most challenging experience.¡±

    The black-haired Maid swallowed.  ¡°I¡­ will not falter in serving you, Empress.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t an issue as to your willpower¡­  It is whom you will be attempting to channel, but that can wait, as I do not believe there will be time to enact a direct link at this point.

    ¡°In any case, there is no returning once you each have made this decision¡ªincluding you, Adoncia¡ªyou move forward, or you die¡­ or get those you love killed.  Are you prepared to forge your own souls in the challenges that await us?¡±

    ¡°I am!¡±  Alisa affirmed, and Elinor could feel the anxiety in her Maid¡¯s soul at the revelation, but she had to be made aware of the risks.

    ¡°Alright.  You will join Sari¡¯a¨¦l and me on the battlefield to witness it firsthand; when things calm down, you will journey with Deities like Thor and Apate to join me in the heavens.  Sharpen your resolve; if you cannot stomach what I am about to do, you will not survive.¡±

    They set their brows as Noa took them to the outer wall; Elinor couldn¡¯t help a grin as the angel took them to the skies.  It was finally time to execute everything she¡¯d set into motion.

    It didn¡¯t take long for her to reach the vast field, and the Seraph and teens attempted to emulate her focus as they stood in the knee-length grass; she had no doubt Thor and Apate would join the angel when they awoke, and they wouldn¡¯t be alone as The Covenant observed.

    Narrowed eyes on the darkening heavens, she kept careful track of the Life Energy her staff continued to absorb; she would wait until the last second to summon it to her side.

    Night came, and with it came the illumination of the torches of over ten thousand Ri¡¯bot, moving through the forest to gather along the edges of the treeline, the drums</a> of war sounding with their march that sent quakes through the earth.

    Every new line of soldiers with their mounts and armor showed a far superior general fighting force than the Valley Ri¡¯bot she¡¯d decimated the night before, and each strike the pounding drums made was mirrored by Elinor¡¯s undead heart¡ªshe hadn¡¯t felt this anticipation in what seemed an eternity¡ªand a storm was on the wind.

    Show me you can stare death in the face and not flinch, Great Chiefs; show yourself worthy of respect in Irkalla.

 B3 â€” 45. A Lichâ€™s Playground

    A cold breeze came from the east as morning came, dark clouds carrying rolling thunder as if the very heavens knew what it was about to bear witness to, and as the storm approached, she heard and felt Thor¡¯s approach.

    As he landed, no words were passed between them, causing the teens to jump and shift their eyes with apprehension; nothing had to be said while observing the preparing army across the vast, green fields.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l excused herself to fetch Apate¡ªThor no doubt left the woman on purpose¡ªand went to pass on the report Elinor had for Tiffany; it was time to pull the trigger on her plan.

    She¡¯d hoped their time together would break a few more barriers, but she¡¯d probably need to have a private talk with the Personification if things were going to progress in that department; that wasn¡¯t her concern at the moment, though.

    Two battalions of the largest Ri¡¯bot military force around her nation gathered in their companies; they were organized into platoons, specializing in their area of expertise.  To the left, right, and center was the cavalry of Torlim riders, caretakers tending to them in the hours before war.

    Machines beyond anything the Valley Ri¡¯bot possessed, likely replicated from their exposure to the other Great Nations, were rolled into position.  Still, they would be useless against a tiny, singular target and were probably just for show in their parade.

    Rows of slingshots showed they were preparing to throw everything they had at her; many were resting after getting in position, using whatever time they had to rejuvenate themselves.

    Elinor¡¯s focus drifted between every position change, quickly spotting where the two Great Chiefs set their tent to relay orders to their colonels; she was impressed they hadn¡¯t faltered, but the actual test of courage would come when the true slaughter began.

    Thunder rolled at their backs in the distance as her Seraph returned with the disgruntled wine-haired woman, yet her agitation swiftly tempered as she saw the forces Elinor would face in the open field.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ going to face all of that¡­ alone?¡±  she mumbled, the first to break the silence.

    A slight tilt came to the corners of Elinor¡¯s mouth; she was a trickster by nature and wouldn¡¯t dream of this approach.  ¡°You only need to watch, Apate.¡±

    ¡°I will be¡­¡±

    Fingers tightening around her wrist at her back, Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to the angel floating nearby.  Tiffany¡¯s response?

    ¡°She is putting the finishing touches on the last of your projectors and, hehe, was quite surprised at where you decided to send them; they should be all connected to the final one by now and be on their way.¡±

    Elinor shifted to look at the veiled island, only partially visible from their current position, obscuring their vision of her tower.  It wouldn¡¯t be long until The Covenant showed up.

    Take everyone present into the air to observe; we don¡¯t need the Great Chiefs getting nervous that I may have broken my word.

    ¡°I cannot wait to meet your children, Empress!¡±

    ¡°Okay, time to wait from above!¡±  she chirped, golden hue encircling the teens, Thor, and Apate.

    Just as they rose into the air, as she expected, a tense pulse reverberated throughout the entire battlefield, causing every Ri¡¯bot to shiver and lock eyes on the phenomenal entities that encircled her, Sar¡¯ollaz</a> at their center.

    A black-feathered, bird-like</a> entity with a long, bony head, a mane of sheep fur cowling him, and rams horns poking out of the mess spread one bat-like wing wide before curving it to offer her a showy bow.

    ¡°My most humble apologies for the inexcusable ignorance, Lady Irkalla!¡±  Baxter lavishly sang, seemingly overwhelmed.  ¡°I have followed thy elegant rise since my flaming descent into oblivion.  I humbly admit my glorious defeat in the radiance of thy servant¡¯s most divine¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡±  Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma growled, the earth trembling as his massive feet shifted to glare at the petrified army, and a low chuckle reverberated in the air while working his necks in a slow circle.  ¡°Haa-haha!  I can taste the fear.¡±

    Orinvia</a> flicked her fingers in the army¡¯s direction, sending bolts of black lightning as if an afterthought; they were carried into another dimension by the Bringer of the Tide¡¯s calming waves that rippled space.

    ¡°Why bother with such useless insects that aren¡¯t even worth a second of my¡ª¡±

    Les¡¯ndrassa¡¯s tone made the alien entity hiss as she cut her off.  ¡°Can you have even a modicum of decency, Orinvia; you weren¡¯t always this boorish.¡±

    ¡°I will kill¡ª¡±

    ¡°The little six-winged angel,¡± Arsheh</a> huffed, waving her wing to the left to create white whisps around the alien.  ¡°We heard you the first two hundred times.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t play with me, Arsheh!¡±

    ¡°Or what¡ªyou insult me¡ªsay you¡¯ll kill me?  Haha!  You¡¯re so delusional.¡±

    Bo-Ko sat on Aidrh¡¯ruz¡¯s shoulder, laughing and clapping at the show.  ¡°Ooh!  Spinny mindy games!  Arsheh is so good at the mindy stuff; can we play¡ªcan we play more¡­  Yay!¡±

    Becdeth floated nearby, golden-masked smile tilted slightly to the left as he silently watched her.  Kon¡¯draga was nearby, restored to her Cosmic Form, and Sar¡¯ollaz¡¯s grizzly smile said nothing about his mood, psionic waves rippling the air around him.

    The Covenant leader¡¯s black armor was fully restored, and his voice silenced the others as he looked at Orinvia, causing her to look away; his tone was even.  ¡°Have you forgotten the rules?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±  she snarled, arcane halo crackling with energy as a dark aura surrounded her.  ¡°I will not interfere in Irkalla¡¯s goals.¡±

    Bo-Ko bobbed left and right as the aviary woman spun clouds around his head with amusement, and Sylez¡¯s</a> infernal laughter quieted the rest of the members; Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma tried to puff up his chest to equal the Demon¡¯s size, which was funny, considering the denizen of M¨²spellsheimr knowingly presented himself just a tad taller than the ape for that very reason.

    ¡°I look forward to the show, Goddess.¡±  His flaming eyes lifted to Thor; the man¡¯s fingers held tight to Mj?lnir, and Elinor could sense his desire to destroy the Infernal Entity.  ¡°Hehe.  It appears your Witch has impeccable timing; let¡¯s not overstay our welcome.¡±

    Lightning sparked from the dark clouds behind them to strike the Asgardian, electricity sparking from his eyes and hammer as Sylez gave him a snarky bow.

    ¡°My regards, Prince of Asgard.  Hahaha!¡±

    The Covenant¡¯s focus didn¡¯t leave the Primordial for several seconds as he wordlessly dared them to challenge him; it would be foolish even to attempt to face the God of Thunder with a storm at his back, but these were the type of creatures that could take that bet.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma licked his lips at the tense atmosphere, his blood no doubt racing for combat, but he knew his limits after facing Kon¡¯draga.  ¡°What a time to live!¡±

    Les¡¯ndrassa gave Elinor a bow as water enclosed many of those present, transporting them to a plane they could observe without notice.  Only Becdeth remained, transient male to female voice displaying a smile.

    ¡°A hallmark ripples through The Outlands, Irkalla; we await the hastening strings.¡±

    Smoke swallowed him as the first raindrop struck her skin, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tiffany¡¯s device soar out of the air; a mass of flesh, Jukal beaks, human lips, bulging black eyes, and runic symbols.

    It¡¯s time.

    Above her, the largest display flew, projecting a colossal three-dimensional image of her throughout the heavens, and she took her first step toward the center of the field; it was still five hours before noon, but they would need that time.

    She had Tiffany craft five projectors.  Two would go to the Nalvean Empire¡ªone for Shi¡¯Shuka¡¯s Main Square, the other, Mirelitel¡¯s capital¡ªanother for Nethermore, and the fourth, smaller one, to remain here so the Ri¡¯bot generals would know precisely where she was to direct their troops; the final had a special purpose after this declaration.

    Yesenia would no doubt hear about her battle, and it was meant to be a warning; Voukey would have already arrived and informed the High Ruler of their mission, and it could provide a distraction to allow Yago to slip inside to slowly extract the humans they could spirit away in secret.

    Elinor smiled as Great Chief Israg and Dralix mounted their Torlim to ride out to meet her alone, soldiers parting ranks to allow them to pass, and gasps were heard as the bright projection of her erupted in the darkening heavens, blotting out the sun.

    The two leaders waited at the center of the field, grass bowing to the chilling wind, and the creatures fled from the heavy stomping of the army above; the men were tense as she took her time, and it took nearly an hour to reach the meeting point before she halted before them.

    She appreciated their silence, allowing her to explain why she¡¯d met them like this hours before the appointed time.

    ¡°As I speak, what you see above is being transmitted to the Nalvean lands and my city so they may bear witness to the Great Morseng and Polsan Clans¡¯ courage in facing sure death.  I will reiterate our agreement, Great Chiefs.  I, Empress Elinor Irkalla, shall face your 10,000 soldiers in open combat¡­ alone.

    ¡°Many will witness this as a testament to my divinity as a Supreme Goddess in mortal form¡ªEreshkigal, Queen of the Great Earth¡ªJailor of the Eternities.  You will bear testament as I force the heavens open to be welcomed by my host.  Rejoice, those who do not falter will see me in Irkalla, and your families will have safety therein.

    ¡°A war rages in the Realms of the Divine that will shake this small planet to its foundations, but those that have faith in me will have power granted to overcome their challenges.  I am the Goddess of Night Relief as much as I am a warden and judge over the afterlife.

    ¡°Soldiers of the Great Morseng and Polsan; what you see above us will go to the grand, unified city that is your home, where your families will witness your valiant efforts.  One hour before our battle begins, I will allow your leaders a podium to display their conviction to their people¡­

    ¡°Now,¡± she looked directly at the black eyes of the hovering mass of flesh, ¡°steel your courage; at noon, you face death.¡±

    Elinor gave the two leaders an acknowledging nod as they flexed their fingers, observing her to discover how she moved her body; they were veterans, and she knew the battle would conclude in combat with the two well-seasoned Great Chiefs that were everything Krava wished to be and failed to achieve.

    ¡°Go beyond your limits, Great Chiefs¡­ because your best will not be enough.¡±

    Turning, she walked several hundred meters away before turning back to face the solemn</a> army; a subtle resolve swept the throng with every hour as the appointed time drew near.

    The heavens wept as Elinor strode forward, her skin dripping water and the ground becoming moist with the bellowing storm bearing down on them; visibility would be poor for the slingers, and lightning roared above.

    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    As promised, she stood in front of Israg and Dralix as they gave their speech, the latter addressing his people first, trusting what she¡¯d said to be true.  He spoke up in the light rainfall, and his voice was strong and unrelenting.

    ¡°I know this must be a complete shock to many of you¡­  None of you expected to lose your loved ones in the traditional march our Great Clans celebrate at our bond.  I will testify to the Supreme One, Irkalla¡¯s claims; we have seen her powers and willingly enter into this battle to show our faith in her word.¡±

    Israg stepped forward.  ¡°We have been promised our hopes and desires to be fulfilled if we show ourselves worthy of Empress Irkalla¡¯s respect.  We will not dishonor our families or nation; we are Great Clans of the Ri¡¯bot, and we will show that we welcome a battle with the Supreme Ones.  Let our people be the judge of your word, Empress Irkalla.¡±

    ¡°Let it be,¡± she nodded.  ¡°Return and send your troops; I will show you the power of the gods.¡±

    Determining she had gathered all she could, Elinor held out her hand for the Staff of the Dead to transport through space to her grip.

    She held it up, creating a funnel for a beam of light that momentarily blinded all that looked at the dense, excess Life Energy that shot into the heavens¡ªit had reached its maximum threshold¡ªand a tiny fissure cut a crack between the Divine and Mortal Plane.  It was all she needed; now, she needed to create pressure.

    Flipping it to her back, Elinor¡¯s pumping heart stilled.  ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡±

    Lightning flashed through the heavens, the rain and wind gaining momentum with the rising river levels; the Great Chiefs returned, disappearing in the veil as they went beyond normal visibility, yet their life force couldn¡¯t escape her vision.

    Standing in isolation, she heard the drums pounding in the distance, signaling orders, and Elinor smiled as a thousand soldiers broke away, four platoons of spearmen with one cavalry.  She patiently waited for them to surround her, following directions via the drums.

    The cavalry circled wide, staying hidden in the downpour to flank her as the four platoons closed in on her left, right, and center¡ªa hammer and anvil strategy¡ªeffectively funneling your opponent into a death trap.

    Her fingers tightened as they closed in; spears and shields came into view with every foot they pressed forward, her fleshy projector showing her exact location, magically cutting through the rainstorm through the Jukal¡¯s sharp vision, occult magic, and Runic powers.

    The vibrations transferring through the earth struck her legs as the sounds of the beating flipped, and a loud roar came from the 1,000 Ri¡¯bot that charged her.  Waiting for the cavalry to come near, chains shot out between the even rows of mounted soldiers, latching onto her spirit and drawing her into the fray.

    Flipping around using the dozens of ethereal, lapis lazuli</a> chains that acted as rope lines against their souls, Elinor ran across the interlinked metal, using the blind spots and her tethers to jump between rows of confused soldiers; every Torlim she passed was nicked by her spear, spreading the infection.

    Jumping over barbed point and thrust swords, Elinor¡¯s grin increased as several abandoned their mount to use her chains themselves, launching off the ghostly objects until fetters latched onto their ankles, halting their momentum inches before their blades touched her.

    Screams were heard as the infection took hold, friend and mount turned foe, and high above them, a fissure sent a rope of ethereal metal to her hand, launching her into the heavens.

    Sharp vision scanning the quick exchange through their life force, she wondered what they¡¯d come up with to counter the zombie outbreak.

    What have you learned from the graveyard I made of the Roxim and Komath camps?

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    Light broke through the sky, followed by thunder, allowing her to see the faint outline of squads below gathering into tight balls to slam their shields into the ground and poking their spears through the edges.

    Spartan tactics.  Not bad.

    The cavalry was breaking away to regroup with the three dozen zombies rushing toward the most accessible source of meat¡ªthe stationary spearmen¡ªreadying themselves for what the drums called for.

    ¡°Hehehe.¡±

    Fingers tightening around her weapon as she fell, just before the first wave of ravenous Ri¡¯bot and Torlim entered the formation, her chains latched onto several shields in the front line; Elinor was impressed as the warriors refused to let go, being carried out of the circle with a few others dragged with them.

    They valiantly tried to close and secure the weak points¡ªtwo succeeded¡ªbut the tactic didn¡¯t work on most, with the rampaging Torlim plowing through the defenses for zombies to pounce on the stunned living.

    Maneuvering further into the middle of a platoon, she landed shoulder to shoulder beside two friends; her spinning staff swept the first off his feet to defend against the second attack, using his own shoving momentum to dig the end of her spear into his friend¡¯s liver.

    The other soldiers quickly discovered her presence, cursing and shouting out her location as they recovered.  She passively carved through living and dead flesh to create more mindless sacrifices and a future plot; her growing army overwhelmed many of the toads in their valiant struggle to stem the tide.

    After five minutes, hundreds of zombies overtook the first and second platoon as the third and fourth at the edges dug themselves in, resigned to kill their former comrades without hesitation, despite the grim and stressed looks in their wild eyes.

    They were all volunteers, no doubt; not one of these men believed they would make it out alive from their first assault; some companies would need to be sacrificed to discover her powers, yet Elinor had predicted precisely how this battle would unfold as she meditated through the night, selecting everything required for a total and crushing victory.

    Dying screams and crying could be heard around her as Elinor shifted her staff behind her back to weave through the carnage of blood, guts, and severed limbs; they¡¯d certainly discovered a zombie¡¯s weakness from their study of the bodies she¡¯d left behind, showing their intelligence in learning from others¡¯ mistakes.

    Unlike any regular general on a battlefield, Elinor kept a sharp eye out for potential recruits for the future; powerful soldiers could be cultivated, but strength of will was not something many had in the face of such horror.

    Humming an old battle tune sung in a universe lost to antiquity long ago, she looked for any soul trying to play dead, yet not one could be seen.  Of course, it wouldn¡¯t help, considering such tactics didn¡¯t work against the ravenous infected.

    Minute by minute, zombies fell, cavalry rolled in to attempt to stem the spread, and the sacrificial lambs used everything they had to aim for precision to take down the undead.

    She activated Life Leech Aura, rebuilding the reserves she¡¯d lost, yet Elinor didn¡¯t want to use the skill too often; it was required to build the pressure she needed.

    Holding her staff in passing, Elinor fueled much of what she gathered into the swirling mass for what would meet the next company that assaulted her.  Several brave Ri¡¯bot managed to break past the growing horde, finding her in her casual stroll through the carnage, marking bodies.

    ¡°Yaaaahhh!¡±

    She shifted to face him, only using one hand to parry and dodge his lunges and thrusts as he rapidly aged; four others paused as they saw their comrade¡¯s skin wrinkle and discolor before their eyes with her effortless skill in outclassing his assault.

    ¡°Keep your distance!¡±

    ¡°Use spears¡ªpick up spears!¡±

    Elinor continued toward them, evading their predictable throws while marking bodies with an x as her little spiritual snake exited the folds of her front to hiss at them.  ¡°I¡¯m afraid not, Masmu; I need every scrap of experience.¡±

    She hung her head and returned between her breasts as Elinor snapped her fingers, shackling the four mid-motion; shifting to look up at the fleshy camera, she gestured to the dyed grass and trail of moist sand she¡¯d created in her path.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to need to come up with something far more clever to stop me; even if the weather was clear, you could not hit me with such predictable¡­  Oh?¡±

    A small smirk brightened her bright eyes as a stone bit into the earth three meters away.  ¡°A volley, hmm?¡±

    Dozens of fist-sized rocks flew out of the howling tempest to pepper the ground, and Elinor didn¡¯t move from her spot; the deep blue, speckled stone of Irkalla¡¯s gates flared around her as the force field deflected the projectiles.

    Five minutes passed, hailing debris striking her shell before it ceased, and she disabled the shield; she¡¯d been passively following the battle between zombie and Ri¡¯bot, which was coming to an end.

    After forty minutes, most of the cavalry and much of the four sacrificial platoons had been crushed under the onslaught; the observing army would be taking notes, yet there were still soldiers with fight left.

    Less than a quarter of the fourth platoon was left as they slew the last zombie, four cavalrymen acting as decoys to the mindless rabble to spike them on grounded spears.  It was a good tactic in the blinding weather, which she expected many of the companies were preparing for as they cleaned up the scattered packs running toward them.

    However, before they could get too far away from the center point of the field, Elinor flipped their switch, killing them on the spot to collapse in the mud, blood, and pooling water.

    Looking up at the rumbling heavens as she walked toward the recovering soldiers, taking a second to rest after dealing with the final infected, Elinor chuckled to herself.

    Having an undead, tireless body after gaining Irkalla¡¯s attributes to counter the physical drawbacks I had before is useful; my threshold keeps increasing, but¡­ my Exp seems to be diminishing as I kill.  At a certain point, the souls I kill won¡¯t have the strength to stretch this mortal sleeve my divine spirit resides in.

    Her emerald irises flicked to the soldiers as she came into their view.

    ¡°She¡¯s here!¡±

    ¡°Formation!¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t falter¡­  Keep your cool!¡±

    ¡°S-She turned¡ªwhat did she do to m-my husband?¡±

    ¡°Calm down, Us¡¯dra.  We¡¯ll see him soon enough.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s head tilted to the right as the drums shifted beat, three companies splitting up to move into position to pincer her; it would be at least thirty minutes before they reached her, yet their positioning had altered.

    Interesting tactic, she mused, keeping her staff behind her back as three Ri¡¯bot rushed her with the others preparing to kill them if they became zombies.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ underestimate us!¡±

    ¡°We won¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    Elinor skipped to the right, twisting to shove Us¡¯dra into the direction of another man¡¯s spear, digging into her ribs to puncture a lung.

    ¡°Ack¡­¡± she gurgled as Elinor spun her spear around to plunge it through her heart and into the man¡¯s shoulder that jumped forward in an attempt to pull her away.

    ¡°N-No¡ªyou don¡¯t!¡±  He gripped the spear, trying to keep it in place as his friend intercepted her.

    She nodded, stepping away while watching his body shrivel; his life was sapped by being in contact with the artifact.  ¡°Bold.  Respectable.¡±

    Letting go, she met the man that rushed her, side-stepping the thrust to grip the shaft with her left hand and backhand him with her right, denting his helmet, yet he refused to let go out of pure will; stunned, there wasn¡¯t much he could do, despite his effort, and she shoved the butt of his spear between his armor to bury the wood into his gut.

    An incoming blade caused her to duck, playing around the wounded man¡¯s body out of entertainment as she danced away from the advancing five new combatants; the Ri¡¯bot warrior, stubbornly holding onto her staff, collapsed under the weight of the dead woman he tried to save, strength failing him as he aged.

    She couldn¡¯t deny his resolve by recalling the weapon and slew the next five with their own blades, making the remaining thirty-eight Ri¡¯bot squirm as they circled her.

    ¡°Maneuver 45¡­¡±

    ¡°I saw her counter that already!¡±

    ¡°Watch the sky for the chains¡ªready to throw if she escapes through the air!¡±

    ¡°Toe licker!¡±

    Elinor chuckled, summoning the Staff of the Dead to flip around her body.  ¡°All that wasted resolve.¡±

    She spent the next four minutes killing the remainder of the 1,000 Ri¡¯bot that had been sent to kill her, infecting twelve, and as the final soldier managed to kill them to face her.

    Patiently waiting for the new sacrificial lambs to enter her field of death, Elinor stabbed her spear into the ground to motion to him.  ¡°Face me with weapons or hands; the choice is yours.¡±

    If he were Roxim, she would have expected him to cast aside his tools in some bravado attempt, but this young man wasn¡¯t so rash and cautiously approached her; rain slicked their skin as Elinor stood her ground, bending back or stepping to the side to avoid the sweeping attacks while gauging his skill.

    His nerves settled as the seconds went, and he wasn¡¯t terrible compared to the others she¡¯d slain, yet after a minute, she disarmed the poor boy and slit his throat.

    ¡°Well¡­ I suppose it¡¯s time to unveil your next challenge,¡± Elinor mused while tapping the back of the sword¡¯s flat side against her legs.

    Tracking the approaching men, coming in tight waves, and in a wide circle, surrounding her; they¡¯d chosen a new tactic to combat her zombies by having rows of two, with another set at their back if she took to the sky again.

    They were going to play the slow, exhaustive route this time, yet Elinor puffed out a long, bemused</a> sigh as they came into view, carefully traversing the battlefield littered with over 1,100+ bodies, including the Torlim.

    Returning to her spear, she pulled it out of the ground to hold it at her back with one hand as she presented her right to the camera.  ¡°How fast can 3,000 soldiers die¡­  A single snap?¡±

    The last word left her lips with the crisp sound, barely heard past the pattering rain and savage gale, yet what followed wasn¡¯t missed; nearly 800 corpses she¡¯d marked in passing detonated, flooding her with experience and sending a bloody wall of fog to obscure the carnage.

    Bone shrapnel launched in all directions with the crimson haze, denting armor and burying into flesh, but the worst was to come¡ªthe rosen mist carried the infection¡ªinstantly creating an unstoppable horde, yet in the screams that ensued, Elinor calmly held her staff in the air, preparing the finale.

    The bloody atmosphere¡¯s erupting momentum reversed, drawing into the flaming glove of her staff, condensing inside as she gained enough Exp for her next Lich skill and a style she¡¯d never used in all her known existence.

    Elinor flipped her shaft and slammed the radiant jade sphere into the now purified mud, the taint extracted from the dyed field, but not for long.

    Bubbling gore frothed out, spiraling around her before becoming an expanding maelstrom, sucking in the bloodless corpses, zombies, and the shell-shocked living alike within a 150-meter radius.

    Elinor observed the incredibly challenging process to set into motion play out.  The snapping bones, ligaments, rending flesh, and torturous cries of the living, calling for their ancestors¡¯ protection, filled her ears as everything was dragged into the horrific vortex, soon splitting into four funnels.

    [Lesser Titan Abomination I]

    Each condensed into 12-meter-tall, misshapen abominations littered with Ri¡¯bot limbs, eyes, teeth, and fused tongues.  Each pumping heart on the inside of their bodies represented the number of corpses that fused with them, and every one had to be destroyed for the titan to fall, and it took real power to bypass their dense muscle.

    One closed fist held at her back, Elinor lifted her staff as lightning struck one, passing through the horrific amalgamation of flesh and organ, searing a portion of its meaty frame, yet its eight long limbs flickered into motion as she pointed the flaming orb at the end of her staff at the petrified army.

    Panic hit the ranks, having just lost nearly 1,100 soldiers with over a thousand more injured, infected by the mist in an instant.

    ¡°Hehe.  Maybe your siege weapons will have some use after all.¡±

    Dozens of fleshy, bony jaws unhinged, showing rows of teeth and three-pronged tongues¡ªlined with sharpened nails¡ªshot out over 40-meters, each releasing hideous, high-pitched screeches.

    ¡°No survivors.¡±

    Their eight limbs writhed, splitting into sixteen to display teeth and bloodshot eyes down their length, spinning to find their prey as they lurched forward at an incredible speed.

 B3 â€” 46. The Gates Of Irkalla

    A light rain drizzled down Great Chief Dralix¡¯s slick, pink skin, his green stripes glistening in the dull light of the partially veiled noonday sun that managed to bleed through the ominous clouds overhead.

    He streamed out the air in his lungs while watching the mystical projection that hang over Great Chief Israg and his joint armies¡ªthis was a handicap and showpiece of the mysterious goddess¡¯ power¡ªand Empress Irkalla stood alone against their united 10,000 soldiers.  Yet, for all their might, after their doctors examined the devastated Komath and Roxim clans¡¯ corpses, the results of this battle were obvious.

    Dralix¡¯s somber gaze wandered between the grim expressions of Israg and their colonels; of the ten that stood with them not long ago, one was missing¡ªChief Sidal¡ªDralix¡¯s mentor back when he was just a Lieutenant under his father and a competent leader in combat.

    Sidal directed his platoons to engage the lone figure in the vast field with his 1,000 volunteers¡ªwilling sacrifices that marched to certain death¡ªas they bravely moved to reveal this Supreme One¡¯s powers.

    Israg must have seen Dralix¡¯s tight fist by his frown; Israg was his fellow Great Chief, Dralix¡¯s best friend, and elder, which the man hated to be called.

    The Morseng¡¯s Great Chief turned his gaze to the weeping heavens to observe the strange lump of meat; it somehow cut past the light mist of the rainfall to display Irkalla, calmly waiting for the platoons to engage her.  ¡°Do you remember the war with the Casnic Union?¡±

    Dralix¡¯s chest shook as his memories of the event returned at his elder¡¯s question, but he didn¡¯t look away from the supernatural entity that had conversed with beings beyond their understanding less than twenty minutes ago, only to dismiss them and prevent their interference.

    ¡°Hehe.  Such a long time ago¡­  What brought that up?¡±  he whispered, hearing General Mantix discussing various reports with the scouts and doctors in the tent behind him.

    ¡°Hmm¡­  Do you suppose this is how they felt?  Staring at an impossible force with their tiny, rag-tag group, yet fighting to the last man and woman?¡±

    Relaxing a bit in his slick leather chair, Dralix waved his hand.  ¡°Not even close¡­  We face one enemy¡ªone¡ªwith 10,000 strong, and¡­ as hard as it is to believe we cannot lose, we¡¯ve seen her powers over life and death¡­  Now this disease?  Hmm.¡±

    ¡°Not wrong,¡± his friend and rival sighed.  ¡°I meant this feeling of impending destruction; knowing you can¡¯t back down.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡±  a neutral voice spoke nearby, being the first to redirect Dralix¡¯s focus.

    High Xaria Redrix¡¯s brownish-brick skin was a deeper shade when wet, and the desert clan elite warrior¡¯s yellow spots flashed as he spoke in their cryptic language, likely talking in private to the mute female Xaria beside him; from what Dralix heard from his guards, she¡¯d cut off her own tongue after attacking Empress Irkalla.

    Israg chuckled.  ¡°The Cartalian isn¡¯t a religious clan, correct?¡±

    ¡°No, Great Chief,¡± he evenly replied.  ¡°We do not subscribe to the superstitions of the smaller Ri¡¯bot clans that have been described to us, and I believed your Great Clans had dispensed of such faith.¡±

    Dralix wasn¡¯t fooled by their neutral tone; Redrix was possibly more skilled in combat than Israg and he, which meant the desert Ri¡¯bot must have felt the insurmountable weight of the colossal entities that had surrounded Irkalla not long ago¡ªone of which brought overwhelming dread, more so than the others.

    The White Cancer had been in that crowd, and Irkalla had already shown herself capable of resurrecting the dead; horror stories were passed down through generations regarding the invincible overlord of the Quen¡¯Talrat, who would face battalions of enemies alone and come out unscathed.

    ¡°Belief or not,¡± Dralix muttered, ¡°your people tested her strength, and you were there personally to witness it.  In addition, I assume you had some of your spies stationed near the Komath and Roxim camps when she destroyed them the other night and recovered the humans held captive.  Can you not tell me she is beyond mortal understanding?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± he returned, grip tightening at his back as he followed the calvary positioning at Irkalla¡¯s back; the other four platoons of shield and spearmen got into position to act as the anvil.  ¡°There are many mysteries unsolved, yet knowledge is given to those that have the strength to seek it.¡±

    His focus shifted to his female companion as her yellow spots flashed before translating.  ¡°If you do believe she is a Supreme Chief or this One Above All, then what divine law have you trespassed to be forced into this conflict?¡±

    A chuckle came from their left as Pontis, Darlix¡¯s Skyspeaker Advisor, moved to join him after studying the heavens.  ¡°You misunderstand, High Xaria; to Empress Irkalla, she is granting us a gift in this battle.  It is not punishment.¡±

    ¡°Was it the same for the Komath and Roxim?  I don¡¯t understand your mental state; she kills who she punishes and who she blesses.  What¡¯s the difference?¡±

    Dralix¡¯s weary smile returned to the welcoming smile Irkalla gave the soldiers slowly advancing toward her.

    ¡°The way I see it, this only makes sense from a leader¡¯s perspective; Irkalla approached us and laid it out clearly¡­  Our lifestyle will clash, and she holds no ill will toward us, which is why she offered a way for us to show our dedication and courage to our way of life.¡±

    Israg leaned against his armrest, supporting his head with his fist.  ¡°Irkalla gave us a warning and showed her respect by revealing she could spread that maddening disease to our citizens¡­¡±

    Dralix huffed at just the chilling thought that ran through his mind.  ¡°Think about the consequences of such a plague; she could have introduced it secretly into our ranks and turned our entire nation against itself without an idea of what was happening.  She thinks far into the future and showed us that.¡±

    ¡°My thoughts, as well,¡± Israg grunted.  ¡°Instead of our nations¡¯ slow, painful, internal decay, she prepared a stage for us to show our people how much their lives mean to us¡­ to fight for them; displayed in grand fashion against the leader of this empire.  She is merciful.

    ¡°If she¡¯s a Supreme One or not isn¡¯t on our immediate minds; she¡¯s a ruler that has taken the battlefield, and it is the best opportunity we have to stem the change she threatens to bring to our culture.  Our people will be the judges of her actions after this is over.¡±

    Redrix¡¯s brow furrowed while staring at the calvary, who were picking up their pace to engage her.  ¡°I suppose I can grasp that outlook, but I am not convinced she has the strength to overcome your army based on the power she showed in your camp alone¡­  Still, her tactics against the Komath and Roxim show she is not stupid.¡±

    Chains split space as they watched the battle begin¡ªto no one¡¯s surprise¡ªyet she used it to redirect the soldiers, as a foothold in the air, and to maneuver rather than as an offensive tool.

    Dralix sat straighter, following her elegant and unhesitant attacks.  ¡°All nonlethal¡­  What did the sky tell you, Pontis?¡±

    Pontis emptied his lungs in a low chuckle.  ¡°Great Chiefs, we will not see another sunrise¡­ at least while alive.¡±

    General Mantix exited the tent with General Na¡¯dsin, Israg¡¯s war leader, and started preparing things for the following assault, swiftly going over what tactics to use after seeing the nonlethal strikes Irkalla used to spread her maddening disease and its effects.

    Silence took them shortly after three more colonels were sent to prepare their troops with their next strategy, and after the majority of the first platoons were devastated, Israg broke the quiet rain and thunder-filled atmosphere.

    ¡°Stone toes¡­ do you see her movements, Dralix?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­ the control, cadence, and poise is the same we saw against Fennel¡­ but this new power?  Either she was hiding how strong she was, using Fennel¡¯s own momentum against him, or¡­¡±

    ¡°She grew stronger¡­ far stronger in the last few days alone,¡± Israg muttered.  ¡°It¡¯s obvious she¡¯s holding back, too, and respects the efforts of those that are brave enough to face her in single combat.  Irkalla is testing us to see if we can overcome the infection and face our turned brothers and sisters.¡±

    Dralix caught Redrix¡¯s tight expression¡ªhe¡¯d paid close attention to the man¡¯s subtle attitude tells when speaking privately to his companion¡ªthe Xaria was agitated by what he saw, and he wondered if the Elite Warrior was regretting not killing Irkalla the first time they¡¯d met.

    ¡°What is she doing to their bodies?¡±  Na¡¯dsin asked, many of the colonels voicing their own notice of the action.

    Israg fingers bit into his chair, splitting the wood.  ¡°Marking them for resurrection, perhaps?  There¡¯s no way to tell yet, but some had the infection already, while others didn¡¯t¡­  It¡¯s too late to send a runner to warn the next push and changing the drum rhythm will only confuse them.¡±

    Three thousand soldiers, each with a life of their own back home¡ªloved ones hoping for their return¡ªpushed forward to be the next to meet the unphased Empress, yet the air in Dralix¡¯s lungs locked as she looked up at them through the fleshy device, her sudden declaration making every colonel, general, and desert clansmen freeze in place.

    One distinct snap of Irkalla¡¯s fingers projected through the battlefield from the fleshy mass in the air, causing every corpse the small entity marked to explode, blanketing the plain in a crimson fog, and when it was drawn away, chaos reigned.

    Dralix couldn¡¯t be sure how many had been caught in the detonation¡ªat least a thousand¡ªand with that simple gesture, a flood of soldiers were infected, swiftly overwhelming the remaining troops, who scrambled to recover.

    ¡°It¡¯s time we leave¡­¡±  Redrix hissed, giving Israg and him a respectful salute while noticing Irkalla¡¯s maelstrom.  ¡°We appreciate the opportunity you gave us to observe the war.¡±

    Four cyclones drew in all the carnage across the war zone to meld into a bubbling mass of tongues, nails, teeth, and eyes; several pumping hearts beat in rhythm as they sent a chilling screech to the heavens.

    Flexing his numb fingers as Irkalla directed the monstrosities to march on them, Dralix sniffed back the fear gripping his stomach and stood next to Israg.  ¡°Never did I think this would be how it ended, old friend¡­ I can¡¯t remember the last time I felt terror like this in my gut.¡±

    Israg drew his unusual, bladed-chain weapon to flip it expertly around his hands, seeing his colonels perform the same salute with the two generals and Skyspeaker.  ¡°Guess it was always meant to go down like this¡­  Safe trip back to your desert, High Xaria Redrix.¡±

    The powerful warrior promptly turned and retreated into the building storm to enter the forest; Mixi, his mute Xaria companion, showed a rare bit of emotion¡ªfrustration¡ªbefore turning and following the High Xaria of the Blood Sand.

    Skyspeaker Pontis forced a chuckle.  ¡°Quite the lives we¡¯ve had, Great Chiefs; I will support you as I am able.¡±

    ¡°Right¡­¡±  General Mantix whispered, seeing the colonels¡¯ mounts being rushed to the site to allow them to reach their armies; General Na¡¯dsin sent new orders to the drummers, taking control of directing the ground forces.  ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll see you on the other side of the Supreme River In The Sky, Great Chiefs.¡±

    ¡°Haha.  I thought it was called the Great River, and when did you start believing in the fairytales,¡± Dralix returned, limbering up for the conflict that was to come.

    ¡°Well¡­ look at those things.  Heh.  What¡¯s the harm at this point, huh?¡±

    ¡°Not wrong, General,¡± Israg roared, spinning away with the chain blurring in his short practice.  ¡°Never tried to kill something that big before.  What about you, Dralix?¡±

    ¡°Brain going on you?  You know I haven¡¯t, ya old fool,¡± he mused, drawing his two short swords to spin them around his hands.  ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time since I¡¯ve felt this pulse in my heart¡­  I¡¯m going to die.¡±

    He held up his hand, Israg mirroring him as they laughed at the young retainers hauling their armor out of the tent.  ¡°I don¡¯t think that is going to save us in this fight, boys.¡±

    ¡°What you can do is tell all the support forces to retreat¡­ only the soldiers will remain.¡±

    The young three-year-old puffed up, despite his trembling legs as he tried not to look at the approaching monstrosities in the distance.  ¡°I¡­ I want to fight, Great Chiefs!¡±

    Dralix swapped his sword to his other hand, holding both hilts as he placed a hand on the boy¡¯s quaking shoulder.  ¡°We need brave men like you in the future, Issim.  Your mission is to save as many of our people as you can; this is a soldiers¡¯ fight.  Report back to our people how brave their parents, siblings, and friends were.¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Tears in Issim¡¯s eyes as another retainer, a girl two years older than him, pulled him toward the drums to report the priority order; blinking away his wet eyes, he nodded.  ¡°I¡¯ll be a Great Chief like you one day!¡±

    ¡°May the ancestors save us then,¡± he laughed, making Israg join him.

    ¡°We need to go, Dralix.¡±

    ¡°I know¡­¡±

    Seeing Pontis meditating nearby, wind picking up around him, Dralix steeled his resolve and smiled as he centered on the swiftly approaching horde of infected and the colossal horrors trampling over them to reach the defenses they¡¯d managed to erect.

    Our people may see this, but they can¡¯t understand how it feels¡­  We¡¯ve run into the Pit.  I¡¯m sorry, Ulissa; I won¡¯t be seeing our child¡¯s face.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±

    Sharpening his focus and emptying his mind of all but the battle ahead, he launched forward with Israg, rain sliding off his slick skin as his webbed feet found perfect grip against the moist ground.

    Leaping meters into the air over defensive formations, he saw their war machines¡ªrocks and long arrows¡ªfired at the swift monsters, which were closing the vast gap between the center of the battlefield and their formations by the forest.

    As Great Chiefs, they were unrivaled combatants in their massive clan, and it was up to them to find the weakness of these creatures, setting a path to victory, even if hopeless; it was their duty, and after probing its weak points, they had to face the opposing leader.

    Reaching the frontlines at an incredible speed, they heard the shouts of their people, mentally psyching themselves up for the approaching mass.

    Selecting the closest as an arrow of hyper-focused air pierced the storm and slammed into the titanic creature¡¯s chest, parting the wind and rain to rip apart a single heart, spraying blood everywhere, yet the opening swiftly closed.

    Dralix feinted left, easily weaving through the chaotic rush of his plague-ridden soldiers to deflect one of its lurching tongues¡ªit was as if trying to stop a boulder rolling down a mountain¡ªand he swapped mid-swing to allow the momentum to carry him upward.

    Israg maneuvered closer to its split legs, dancing around its swipes and tongues to flick his chain around one of its limbs.  It latched around the stump and another monstrosity¡¯s tongue that brushed by them; dozens of their swiveling eyes tracking their leaps.

    Barely diving between the crushing forces, Israg¡¯s chain pulled tight as Dralix landed on their target¡¯s raised leg, careful to stay clear of the twitching fangs that pulsed in and out; the metal-binding pulled taut with the opposing horror¡¯s tongue and leg split again, yet for all of Israg¡¯s finesse, the weapon snapped under the titanic forces.

    Israg laughed as his bladed chain was cut to a quarter of its previous size, dodging the shrapnel, and changed tactics to begin flicking the shorter weapon at the eyes to blind the horror as it paused to deal with their agile flips across its bodies.

    Dralix¡¯s two swords met organ after organ in his jumps between reaching tongue and leg, its black blood slicking the edge; it was like cutting tree bark.

    The rocks that rained down on the fleshy beasts did practically nothing as they were destroyed by the powerful tongues before touching the monsters, but the long spears could punch several centimeters into their muscular bodies; all they needed were the stones to pound them in, yet that was hopeful thinking.

    Dodging became easier as they blinded it; unfortunately, several minutes after engaging them¡ªdistracting one of the four abominations¡ªthe destroyed eyes and hearts resurfaced in their previous positions.  This strategy wouldn¡¯t work

    The tongues scooped up the packs of infected attempting to chase Israg and him, absorbing their poor diseased soldiers, which appeared to rebuild the titanic beast¡¯s strength.

    Launching away from the high-velocity battle with Israg landing beside him¡ªchest pumping¡ªDralix forced a laugh; the fleshy mass didn¡¯t even bother chasing them, likely following Elinor¡¯s order to move forward rather than backward.

    ¡°Haaa-huu-haaa¡­ haha.  They¡ªthey¡¯re immortal!  Our only hope¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡ªIrkalla¡­¡±

    Clapping came from behind them as she neared at a casual pace; they had to take out the person controlling them.  ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard to perfect your fighting styles; if you had appropriate tools to match your skill¡­ hmm¡ªsuch as the weapons the Cartalian use¡ªI believe you could have killed one.¡±

    Dralix¡¯s fingers were shaking, and not just from the intimidating presence the small female human in front of them radiated, but the stress of penetrating the dense muscle and organs of the creatures behind them.

    ¡°A shame¡­ I guess.¡±

    ¡°One¡­¡±  Israg mused, slowing his pumping lungs and heart to swing his broken chain around.  ¡°I hope you haven¡¯t been waiting too long, Empress Irkalla.¡±

    * * *

    Elinor let the rain and thunder roll around them as the sharp wind whipped her braid around her front; their movements had been superb for their frail, mortal bodies, and the fact they could still stand at all after confronting a Lesser Titan Abomination was a feat in itself.

    ¡°No need to rush, Great Chiefs; we still have plenty of time.¡±

    Her illuminated emerald irises penetrated the storm to see the life force of the various armies and zombies falling, one by one, and with every corpse the abominations consumed, they rebuilt their stamina; it wasn¡¯t as if they could outrun the amalgamations that could move over a hundred kilometers an hour in full stride.

    ¡°Only forty-seven soldiers fled thus far¡­ out of ten thousand; impressive in the face of such insurmountable terror.¡±

    ¡°I assume¡­ they won¡¯t get far,¡± Israg laughed.

    ¡°Mmh¡­ I have their spirits marked, and the Titans will prioritize them, buying more time for your brave soldiers to recover.¡±

    Dralix slammed his short swords into the wet grass before leaning against them with a short chuckle.  ¡°Hmm-hmm, I suppose their cowardice is worth something, at least.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s focus returned to the two Great Chiefs after several seconds as Dralix removed his swords, working around his shoulders; they had an example to set, and it was being televised to various people.

    ¡°Are you ready to see the gates of Irkalla?¡±

    ¡°I guess so,¡± Israg sighed, moving to her right as Dralix circled to the left.  ¡°What tricks will you have for us?¡±

    Elinor smiled and held up her glowing staff, the condensed seed of life energy trapped in its center.  ¡°No tricks.  No chains.  I will make you a promise.¡±

    She twirled her spear to her back, leaving a trail of Death Energy as she shifted to glance between the two Great Chiefs.  ¡°For every minute after you engage me, I¡¯ll revive one of your soldiers.¡±

    Eyes narrowing as the roaring wind and pelting rain increased, the two gave each other one look before jumping into action.

    Israg threw his chain at her in incredible strength, his blitz ramping up as Elinor sidestepped the broken weapon; Dralix¡¯s left sword slid between the links perfectly as it passed her, twisting to fling the blade back at her.  Elinor flipped over it, Israg snatching it out of the air with the pair closing into close range.

    Dancing around the two swords and defending against their kicks or punches, Elinor played the defensive with a light smile as she tested their coordination and skill.

    There were fumbled combinations, flaws, and gaps in their attacks; their pace wasn¡¯t in the same realm as her battle against Thor, but for mortals who trained all their lives, they lived up to their position.

    Exploiting their mistakes, she spun between their upper and lower sword sweep, keeping her spear close to nicking Israg¡¯s wrist; with every pass, she added a new cut, yet they didn¡¯t falter and even learned from the flaws she abused.

    They disengaged in their fourth minute, marred skin slick with their own blood, and Elinor stabbed her spear into the ground, not a mark on her clothing.  ¡°I¡¯m impressed, Great Chiefs.¡±

    ¡°He¡­ haaa-haaa-haha,¡± Dralix coughed, ragged lungs sucking air down his dry throat.  ¡°You don¡¯t¡­ slip.¡±

    Israg mirrored him, legs shaking and near their limit.  ¡°How¡­ long?¡±

    ¡°Four minutes and thirty-three seconds so far.  You could keep up with some of the Nalvean High Ruler¡¯s personal guards.  It¡¯s an achievement.¡±

    ¡°Six, Dralix.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±

    They shot forward again, and Elinor left her spear in the mud, maneuvering her arms to guide the swords¡¯ sides away from her; she kicked out Israg¡¯s weak legs for Dralix to come to his aid, attempting to give him room to regain purchase, but she flipped over him to strike his kidney, sending him into his friend.

    Elinor clapped as the two managed to keep themselves from being entangled by wordlessly breaking away in opposite directions; they grimaced as she bent down to pick up Israg¡¯s discarded chain weapon, rotating it around one hand in an expert manner.

    ¡°Impressive resolve, Israg; you¡¯ve gone beyond your limits¡­ multiple torn ligaments, and yet you don¡¯t scream or show weakness.  Five minutes and fifteen seconds.¡±

    Using the arm with Israg¡¯s weapon wrapped around it, Elinor motioned for them to continue.  ¡°Let¡¯s increase the difficulty.¡±

    ¡°Haa-haaa¡­  Incredible,¡± Dralix choked as Israg¡¯s nose flared with the effort of feeling his lungs.  ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Israg¡¯s shaking hand lifted to hand Dralix his sword back.  ¡°I¡¯ve¡­ been handicapping you, Brother.  Huu-haaa.  Let¡¯s finish this.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  I wouldn¡¯t say that, but¡­ let¡¯s go.¡±

    Shifting the dual blades in his hands, Israg shot forward, and Elinor spun his weapon in a circle, yet he jumped to tackle her, disregarding safety.

    Well fought.

    Sliding under him, Elinor cut through his throat and stomach in quick succession in passing before pivoting at Dralix¡¯s approach; she snatched the slick chains out of the air and defend against the blurred short swords¡ªno screams or curses¡ªonly focused resolve to make his friend¡¯s wish come true.

    Elinor twisted under his arm, smacking his nose with the back of her hand before disarming him, grabbing the hilt before it hit the ground, and met his second mid-swing.  Twirling it out of his grip, she kicked out his feet to take his other sword.

    Failing knees hitting the mud, she held both blades to his throat with a short laugh.  ¡°Congratulations.  Six minutes.¡±

    Edges sliding together, she beheaded the Great Chief, passing cleanly between his bones.

    A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky soon after the warrior fell, and Elinor looked up at the receiver.  ¡°Be proud of those that fell this day; this is only the beginning of their journey.  They gave their lives for your future.¡±

    She placed the Great Chiefs¡¯ weapons beside their fallen corpses and turned to observe the end of her war; the soldiers learned how to handle the zombies, but with the fleshy titans devastating their defenses, there was no hope of survival.

    Elinor closed her eyes and chuckled, calling her staff; holding it in front of her, a blast of condensed air was split around her.  Seconds later, Skyspeaker Pontis fell to the flood of zombies.

    Seventy-two warriors fled at the end, which was far better than Elinor predicted, and, forty minutes after her mass Corpse Explosion, no soldier remained.  Some had tried to use the retainers or craftsmen that joined the fight as shields, yet the titans were ordered to only target those spirits she subconsciously marked.

    Flipping the switch on the zombies, keeping careful track of where those uninvolved in the conflict ran, Elinor breathed out a heavy sigh and walked to the center point between the battlefield and war camp.

    She slammed her spear into the ground, looked into the sky, and smiled; days she¡¯d prepared for this moment.  Releasing the cap on the prison confining the life energy, a nova of bright white light shot into the heavens, destroying her body.

    The field of death she¡¯d created, overflowing with the essence left behind by the severed souls, was compressed between the holy ceiling¡ªplaced at her entrance from the excess Life Energy¡ªand the budding energy she¡¯d just released, fracturing the spiritual wall between worlds.

    Reconstituting herself in its passing, Elinor looked up into the golden beams blanketing the heavens through the fissure in the sky, regaining her true appearance as Ereshkigal with a warm ray that clothed her¡ªlikely her sister¡¯s twin songstress¡¯ doing¡ªand she could feel Aidrh¡¯ruz reach through the crack to start his journey to taste the Divine Dream.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was soon by her side with the teens, Thor, and Apate as they were carried to the open gates of Irkalla, and, when things cleared, they stood at the beaches of the River of the Dead, legions of spirits kneeling with Lamashtu</a>, the demoness¡¯ host, and Pazuzu</a> awaiting her return.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze went to the beautiful blonde twins, each with large, white-feathered wings and wearing white and blue silken dresses that had their sides cut out to display their wide hips.  ¡°Welcome back, Lady Ereshkigal.¡±

    ¡°Ninatta, Kulitta</a>¡­ it seems your efforts in activating the Life Fruit allowed for this success; you always were more proactive than most of my sister¡¯s court.¡±

    They lowered themselves into a deeper curtsy, likely a tad surprised at receiving her praise, the older¡ªNinatta¡ªspeaking first.

    ¡°We live to serve the High Heavens.¡±

    ¡°Lady Ishtar appears well again; we thank your mercy, Great Earth Mother.¡±

    Elinor smirked at their mention of her sister.  ¡°Quite well after absorbing those Lesser Seeds.¡±

    As the others gazed at the lapis lazuli sand, titanic gate, and colossal walls of the seemingly endless borders of Irkalla, Elinor used her total control over her realm to summon a mirror; Thor and Apate caught on quickly that she¡¯d changed to her true appearance.

    Shapely</a>, and presenting a devious, snake-like expression, Elinor examined her matured form with the elegant black and white, mermaid-style, slit dress the twins had clothed her in; the roses and fluffy silk were more Inanna¡¯s look, but she could make anything appear ravishing.

    Her thick, white hair was done up in a neatly crafted bun, which should have been black if it was its original shade, but this would do fine for the time being.

    She snapped her fingers to open up a gate to Ganzir, her palace¡ªwhere her heavenly court would be gathered¡ªand removed the purified white diamond to toss it into the sand beside her.

    ¡°You can quit the games, Ishtar,¡± she snickered, using her sister¡¯s new identity rather than her archaic name.

    The others watched in stunned silence as chants from various other massive entities cried out their names for mercy.

    A shimmering globe of light lifted the discarded earring before condensing into Elinor¡¯s mirror, excluding her bright blonde hair and cross expression.

    ¡°Sif save me¡ªanother¡­¡±

    Elinor giggled at Thor¡¯s groan upon seeing her reflection; Kulitta swiftly crafted another gown for the naked woman.  She actually felt bad for the Asgardian, averting his gaze to observe the colossal gates while Apate¡¯s questioning gaze lingered between them.

    The pair were amusedly symmetrical when it came to everything they made; if they made a hairpiece for Ishtar, they sent the opposite color to her via Ninazu, her middle child, who was a sucker for their lovely voices and attention.

    ¡°Mistress!¡±

    ¡°My Queen!¡±

    Ishtar gave her two trembling attendants, overjoyed to see her, a compassionate smile before directing a dirty glare at Elinor.  ¡°Sister¡­ are you actually not going to revive me?¡±

    ¡°Heh.  You can take on spiritual form inside Irkalla; it will do for now,¡± Elinor teased, motioning to the gate with the item her two songbirds gifted her.  ¡°I do like the fan, girls, and don¡¯t you recall our bet, Ishtar?¡±

    Her rosy lips fell into a scowl as she tightened her crossed arms under her bust.  ¡°I lost in the end¡­ yet I suppose I have had a rather significant effect on you by your current attitude, which is¡­ off-putting, to say the least.  At least I got you to be a peppy cheerleader for a time; that was amusing, looking back¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.¡±  Elinor¡¯s expression tightened at her light jabs and seeing the Ri¡¯bot she¡¯d slain floating through the River of the Dead.  ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s significant, but¡­ yes, you surpassed my expectations, at least¡­  Now march!¡±

 B3 â€” 47. The Creation Tale, False

    Elinor¡¯s smile tempered as she walked beside her sister through the gateway to the 7th and final gate of Irkalla, where her last Keeper waited, head bowed.

    She promptly used her authority over her realm to grant protection to the teens from the divine energies, relieving the twin songstresses of the burdensome task, considering their aptitude was far more limited than her.

    Being the personification of Irkalla itself¡ªborn to that role¡ªElinor had total control over her realm; even if somewhat restricted in her current mortal state, it obeyed her without question due to her authority.

    It also meant that a healthy portion of her Existence had been saved due to Elinor holding things together as Irkalla¡¯s counterpart; they were different sides of the same coin, and to eradicate one, you had to destroy the other.

    Keeping that in mind, Elinor was fascinated by the prospect that this Greater Seed could grant something she lacked¡ªfurther putting evidence behind the idea it was of a greater status than potentially an Existence itself¡ªif properly nourished, it could provide a pathway to grow to something greater.

    Her lips lifted into a smirk once passing through the gateway as her Inner Realm naturally acclimated to her current mortal status, restricting all those that came into contact with her to the 3rd-dimensional sphere of her realm or forcing those that wished to interact with her through many dimensional filters to not overwhelm their mortal faculties.

    ¡°Supreme Lady, welcome back to your domain; all is in order, as you dictated, and none but those with your approval have entered your inner sanctum.¡±

    ¡°Neti</a>,¡± she returned, motioning to the group behind her, ¡°I am granting permission for those that follow me to enter Ganzir.¡±

    The tall, dark-skinned man¡¯s appraising, solid-gold irises drifted between Sari¡¯a¨¦l, Thor, Apate, the teens, the musical twin goddesses, and, finally, Ishtar; they were only able to interact with the 12th-dimensional entity or see him at all due to Neti constraining himself to a mortal sphere, which would be the same for all the other higher-dimensional entities they¡¯d meet.

    ¡°I will bear record of it.  Do you wish for a report on the dealings between the Gates, Supreme Lady?¡±

    Elinor caught her sister¡¯s tight mouth at the title of ¡®Supreme Lady,¡¯ which was used for her in the high heavens before her descent and loss; her personality would be in flux until Aidrh¡¯ruz performed the same feat of uniting their past lives, which amused Elinor, at least for the moment.

    ¡°I will hear it once my business is concluded.  Open the gates to my palace.¡±

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    He bowed and stepped to the side as the colossal, colorful gate of divine stone parted.

    ¡°It is quite lovely here,¡± Sari¡¯a¨¦l whispered while floating forward in their march toward the opening doors.  ¡°A wilderness of a garden of splendor that goes on for eternity?¡±

    Apate cleared her throat with a low chuckle, scanning the scale of Irkalla.  ¡°This is beyond the 6th Gate¡­  I¡¯ve been to Irkalla¡ªwell, a version of it¡ªand, umm¡­  It was not this big or¡­ intimidating.¡±

    Ishtar huffed.  ¡°Yes, well, you should see Anshar</a>.  Perhaps I will¡­¡±

    She slowed to a stop, making Elinor pause to frown in her direction.  ¡°What?¡±

    All eyes went to the glorious, golden-haired woman as she turned to stare behind them, voice becoming hoarse.  ¡°Ninatta, Kulitta¡­¡±

    The twins bowed their heads, voices somber as the latter answered first.

    ¡°Yes, Mistress.  Anshar has¡­ been moved within the First Gate of Irkalla.¡±

    ¡°When the Red Wave came, all but the Eighth Gate fell due to your weakened state in fighting your sister.¡±

    Ishtar¡¯s fingers tightened with her jaw, and Elinor could feel her indignation at the thought of the High Heavens taking refuge inside Irkalla, yet those questions would have to wait.

    ¡°Ishtar,¡± she whispered, knowing her sister would immediately wish to take action as the war goddess she was, ¡°we will address that when meeting with our hosts, but for now, we meet my children.¡±

    ¡°¡­Sister¡­¡±

    Seeing the anger in her younger twin, Elinor sighed.  ¡°Perhaps you have become more mature, Ishtar.  You can discuss the state of your dominion with your servants as we walk; you needn¡¯t fear eavesdropping within my walls, and we will discuss things shortly.¡±

    The tucked under lower lip of Ishtar¡¯s slight nod spoke to the changes that had passed between them since beginning their challenge, and Elinor wondered if she also had had an effect on her sister when they had their spiritual battle in the womb.

    Renewing her pace, her sister moved to the side to speak privately with the songstresses.

    Adoncia hurried to her side to act as her maid, more than a little intimidated by the godly figures that came into focus ahead of them.  All of the humans seemed overwhelmed as space seemed to bend; Elinor was manipulating the area to bridge the open entrance to the doors of her grand palace, which was beyond the scope of words.

    ¡°Excuse my ignorance, Empress,¡± Adronica whispered through the Nexus, ¡°but your sister named the High Heavens Anshar?¡±

    Hehe.  Not precisely, Elinor chuckled, vision drifting to Thor and Apate as they hastened their pace to take the opposite side of the maid.  Hmm.  Give me a moment.

    Her attention was pulled to Apate and Thor as the trickster spoke first.

    ¡°Could we get some info, Mistress, because¡­ I¡¯m, uh¡­ lost?¡±

    Thor nodded in question, scanning the well-spring of life blooming throughout her innermost gate.  ¡°Irkalla was a barren land of death and desolation¡­ not this budding paradise of life and beauty¡­  How is thy realm supposed to reflect Hel?  I do not see the resemblance.¡±

    Slowing their progress to her palace as the gates closed behind them, manipulating space to shrink the impossible-to-cross distance without those with authority bridging space, Elinor turned to the curious eyes locked on her; Ishtar¡¯s expression, off to her right, told a story about the state of her dominion.

    ¡°It seems there were many differences between our Existences regarding my people, Thor, Apate¡­  For the benefit of you all, I will explain Creation.¡±

    Elinor looked up at the fathomless skies above, shadowed in darkness with a mysterious light that blanketed her realm, and Sari¡¯a¨¦l held her hands against her breast in anticipation with the teens listening intently to her story.

    Now that they were within Ganzir¡¯s impenetrable walls and away from any prying ears of whoever may be inhabiting her realm from the heavenly sphere¡ªeven the older deities of her own domain¡ªshe had to plant the seeds to understand the gut-churning feelings these recent revelations brought.

    ¡°This was the first stage:

    ¡°In the beginning, there was the female, Kishar</a>, ¡®Whole Earth,¡¯ and male, Anshar, ¡®Whole Heaven,¡¯ who gave their lives to fashion the two great realms Anu</a> and Irkalla.  Out of both came our ancestors, one¡ªour former Supreme King¡ªnaming himself after the High Heavens he was born from, while Ki</a> took rulership over Irkalla, she gained the land¡¯s displeasure after feeling disrespected by the land when she did not take Irkalla¡¯s name.  Immediately, there were problems¡­

    ¡°Though they ruled over their land and birthed many offspring to help maintain the balance, things were swiftly falling apart.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l gasped.  ¡°Did Anu and Ki not have enough power to maintain order?¡±

    Elinor shook her head, hands held behind her back as she recalled the stories told in her youth, and, though she had only obtained glimpses of the Bead of their Existence, now that there were questions in her mind, cracks were forming in the stories of her youth, told by Ningal</a>, her mother, who, at the time, went by Nikkal.

    ¡°They held great power, yet it rebelled against them by the discourtesies shown to them, being unruly and wild; it caused a great deal of trouble for the Supreme Gods and Goddesses, and, even after dividing the many aspects of their dominions to those that they created, things were still set to fall apart, and the majority of that great fissure came from Irkalla.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes lingered on her palace as its great spires towered in the distance¡ªbeyond the scope to explain¡ªas it only grew, stunning those around her on their path on the infinite road between her 7th Gate and the palace¡¯s vast walls.

    ¡°Discussions were held among the Great Supreme Gods and Goddesses, and it was decided that Anu and Irkalla needed to be tamed by drawing from many aspects of each deity to collect into a fruit that was eaten by Ningal¡ªrepresenting Earth¡ªknown as the First Great Queen, then Sin</a>¡ªrepresenting Heaven¡ªthe Lord of the Moon, and Ningal¡¯s husband.¡±

    Her vision narrowed as she pondered the resulting unity of carefully selected attributes that had been nurtured in the remarkable fruit her parents had eaten.

    The question was: why didn¡¯t the Sky Father and Earth Mother have the fortitude to tame the two, and why did the attributes given to Ishtar and herself provide what their forebearers lacked?

    Her focus went to Apate as the woman listened carefully.  She knew things Elinor wished to probe for¡ªbeing an ancient Celestial Personification¡ªage did not always equate to power.

    ¡°U-Umm, excuse me, Empress?¡±  Alisa squeaked after the ensuing silence that took them as the others digested the information.

    ¡°Yes?¡±  she asked, giving the nervous teenage girl a half-smile.

    ¡°What do you mean the Heavens and Earth were untamed and unruly¡ªwhat does that even look like?¡±

    Thor decided to test his own understanding while glancing down at the hammer strapped to his belt, and there was a frown on his lips.  ¡°If I follow thy story correctly, Irkalla, thy Existence was the embodiment of thy ancestors, much as Odin was the fashioner of Primordial Asgard, and the fabric of the two spheres were being ripped apart by the aspects they were created from?¡±

    A wry smirk came from Apate at his question.  ¡°Are you stupid, Thor?¡±

    ¡°Doth thy mouth know no limits, Trickster?  Speak thy foul words!¡±

    ¡°Humph.¡±  The woman fidgeted with her bound, wine-colored hair, amusement falling.  ¡°Irkalla felt disrespected in her tale due to its name not being taken up, yet the heavens were also unruly, despite receiving what it believed itself due?  Read between the lines, idiot.¡±

    Thor scratched his temple with a hot stream of air that passed through his lips.  ¡°Thou presumes I did not understand the implication, Harlot, but my question was¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shhh!¡±  Sari¡¯a¨¦l hissed, putting her fingers to her lips in what Elinor assumed was something she was mirroring from her time with the human children.  ¡°What happened next, Empress?!  Ningal and Sin ate the fruit!¡±

    ¡°Sex,¡± Apate giggled, causing the Seraph¡¯s eyes to blank.

    ¡°Sex?¡±  The angel¡¯s head tilted to the side with her lustrous, golden eyes.  ¡°I do not know what that word fully entails; Empress, you were going to have Theresa teach me this subject?¡±

    Apate doubled over as the teens¡¯ faces flushed.  ¡°Hahaha!  Are¡ªare you serious?!  I can teach you¡ª¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Elinor flatly denied, making the woman¡¯s jaw snap shut.  ¡°In short, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, it is a method of procreation, such as your father¡¯s fruit tree.¡±

    The woman¡¯s eyes brightened.  ¡°Is that what sex is?  If so, why do people become so flustered when the word is mentioned; it seems to have a powerful effect on the mind and body of lesser creatures.¡±

    ¡°That it does,¡± she mused.  ¡°As to the story¡­  Yes.  Ningal took the Cores of Heaven and Earth into her womb, where they were bathed in the united energies she¡¯d ingested with Sin¡¯s budding seed¡­ to create Inanna and me.¡±

    Sal¡¯s eyes were big, and he almost stumbled as his imagination spun wildly.  ¡°So¡­ so, Ningal and Sin were your parents¡ªare your parents?¡±

    Elinor nodded, wondering if she¡¯d have time to see her father at the end of this short visit; he wasn¡¯t allowed into her palace.  There was much to do, and the High Heavens were no doubt gathering as they felt their mistress¡¯ presence near.

    ¡°For her feats, my mother¡¯s name was given the title, Ningikuga, or ¡®The Pure One Who Purifies The Earth,¡¯ and has been one of the few universally respected figures within both Heaven and Earth.  And¡­ there she is.¡±

    A small smile lifted her lips as they came to the front gate of her palace, where her children, Hu?bi?ag</a>¡ªher eldest¡¯s</a> spouse¡ªand her mother stood.  Elinor¡¯s inner peace diminished upon not seeing her husband¡¯s face.

    It was soon dismissed when Thor stopped dead in his tracks at her daughter¡¯s fierce smile as she drew a shining violet</a> blade from Irkalla¡¯s vault.  It was her favorite¡ªthe same color as her thick hair and eyes¡ªand she flicked it to the side while striding forward; Ishtar¡¯s solemn mood lifted into a smirk at the girl¡¯s sudden blitz.

    ¡°Irkalla?¡±  Thor mumbled.

    ¡°Hehe.  I¡¯d like to introduce my daughter¡ª¡±

    Her purple braid swinging and energy crackling around the girl, chains split space to attack, yet not one link dared touch her, rejecting the order Nungal</a> gave; the bindings spun wildly, unsure what to do in their panic to not anger their supreme queen.

    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    Summoning the Staff of the Dead, Elinor strode forward, twisting the spear around to meet her daughter in combat.  ¡°Impatient as always, Little Chain!¡±

    ¡°Heh!¡±

    Their blades met, and Elinor used her momentum to draw the girl to the left as she continued to expertly spin it in a whirlwind of forms to catch Elinor off-guard and, to Elinor¡¯s delight, her daughter actually made her move back.  ¡°You¡¯re rusty!¡±

    ¡°Well, spend several hundred-thousand years as a mortal and see what becomes of your skills¡­¡±  Elinor cooed, spinning to trip the girl, yet she used the momentum to carry into a twirling side swipe, making her position the curve of her staff to catch the strike.  ¡°Oh, learned a few new tricks?¡±

    ¡°Haha¡­¡±  Nungal giggled as Elinor closed the distance in their playful exchange to release her spear and tackle her daughter to the ground.  ¡°Uck¡ªhow do you stand¡­ moving this slow!  No, if you¡­¡±

    ¡°Checkmate!¡±  Elinor returned, locking her legs around her torso and arm around her slim throat, trapping the girl in place.  ¡°Yield?¡±

    ¡°Ack¡ªnever¡­¡±

    Alisa squeaked, holding her hands to her mouth as Elinor firmed her grip and twisted, snapping her daughter¡¯s neck.

    ¡°W-What?!¡±

    ¡°Oof.  Brutal,¡± Apate forced a chuckle.  ¡°Oh¡ªshe¡¯s not dead.¡±

    Sal rubbed his neck as Elinor climbed off her daughter¡¯s back, looking into the beautiful, dead violet eyes of Irkalla¡¯s Head Jailor.  ¡°She¡­ looks pretty¡ªwoah!¡±

    Elinor rolled around her shoulders as Nungal rose to her butt and snapped her neck back into place with a short grunt.  ¡°Agh¡­  You were taking it easy on me!¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l clapped.  ¡°A wonderful reunion!  She adapted well to the unfamiliar fighting style, Empress.¡±

    Ishtar snickered while approaching the rising girl.  ¡°She had to, Dear.  You can¡¯t expect to fight as a mortal for the first time and win against your mother¡­ it would be hard enough for me.¡±

    ¡°Pfft!  Not in your dreams, Aunt Inanna, and you¡¯re next then!¡±  Nungal growled, twisting her sword in a flourishing manner before adjusting her clothing to hide her half-exposed front.  ¡°I¡¯ll chain you again.¡±

    ¡°Darling,¡± the blonde laughed, ¡°when did you ever chain me?  Your mother was the one who bound me to Irkalla; if you¡¯ll remember, I know it was long ago.¡±

    ¡°I never got the chance!¡±  Nungal grinned, chains encircling the two.  ¡°I can¡¯t use most of my birthright against my mother, but you¡¯re free game!¡±

    Elinor released a short chuckle.  ¡°Nungal¡­ my time is limited.¡±

    Her daughter¡¯s shoulders drooped, and she promptly retracted her chains and sword.  ¡°Yes, Mother.  You brought other deities into the palace?¡±

    ¡°Just noticed?¡±  Ishtar hummed, glaring at the pools of ethereal water that shimmered a pure white.  ¡°My birthright I fought to reclaim¡­ right before my eyes.  Cruel, Sister.¡±

    ¡°It isn¡¯t yours at all,¡± Nungal returned, watching Las, her brothers, and grandmother approach them.  ¡°Namtar, is everything ready?¡±

    Ishtar ignored the girl¡¯s jab, returning to Elinor¡¯s side, but her focus was on Thor.  He wore a neutral expression, but her ¡®mother senses¡¯ told her he was appraising her daughter as any man would when considering the future of his son; she¡¯d wormed the idea into his head, after all, and Nungal was just the type of goddess a true warrior would want for his son.

    Her middle child reached her first, bending down to throw his arms around her.  ¡°Mother!  You¡¯ve changed so much since we last met¡ªyou feel so¡­ warm!¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  I suppose you have your aunt to thank for that, Ninazu</a>¡­¡±  She giggled as Masmu slithered out from within her clothing to wrap around his neck and flick her tongue against his ear, transferring her memories to him.  ¡°I knew this pretty little snake was your doing!¡±

    ¡°I, eh-hah, wanted to understand more about what was happening with you, Mother; she had a terrible time finding you.¡±

    Elinor held her hand out for Masmu to return to coil around her neck.  ¡°Hmm.  I look forward to seeing how she grows¡­  Namtar.  How is my eldest?¡±

    He smiled patiently, holding his wife¡¯s hand as they both bowed, followed by her mother, being the last to join them.

    ¡°Supreme Lady.¡±

    ¡°Mother, I have much to inform you about the state of Irkalla; I understand you do not have a full vision of the realm in your current state.¡±

    ¡°We will speak in private in a moment, Namtar,¡± Elinor said, moving forward to his surprise to hug him.

    ¡°Mother?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  That, I am¡­  Now, what do you have to say?¡±  she asked, vision shifting to her own mother.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l excitedly spoke to Nungal, informing the interested girl about their current journey, and the teens didn¡¯t know who to focus on; it was overwhelming enough being in the glorious presence of these beyond gorgeous gods and goddesses in true form, even with protection.

    There was a softness in the Great Queen¡¯s face as she moved to embrace her; it felt strange, experiencing emotions to this degree for Irkalla, yet Elinor remembered it well from her own mother.

    ¡°Never did I believe your heart would soften to such a degree¡­  I also worry for your safety in such turbulent times with this change.  Above all, I knew you could overcome anything¡­¡±

    They pulled away for Ishtar to follow, a happy smile lifting her twin¡¯s lips.  ¡°Mother¡­  I haven¡¯t seen you in so long.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  The product of living in Ganzir, I¡¯m afraid.  How is your father?¡±

    ¡°You haven¡¯t seen him?¡±  Ishtar probed, pulling away with concern.

    ¡°Namtar has informed me of his grandfather¡¯s daily activities in Irkalla, but I do not know how things have progressed before this mess; I was concerned about your relationship with him.¡±

    ¡°Ah, heh¡­ well, I will say my conquest of Heaven did come with¡­ problems,¡± her twin whispered, looking to the side.  ¡°My other siblings supported me.¡±

    ¡°Even I did,¡± Elinor smirked.  ¡°A little responsibility would do you good.¡±

    ¡°Typical¡­  Weren¡¯t you in a hurry, Sister?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately¡­  Thor!¡±  she redirected, causing the man to frown as she motioned to her confused daughter and the tiger Beastkin.

    ¡°What art thou scheming, Lady?¡±

    Valentina almost tripped on her jog to present herself.  ¡°Y-Yes, Empress?!¡±

    ¡°What is it, Mom?  Uh¡­ I can¡¯t say I¡¯ve seen that look in your eyes before,¡± she mumbled, glancing between the tight-muscled Asgardian and her.

    A devilish</a> gleam touched her emerald irises as she lifted the fan the twins had gifted her to hide her smirk and cause a bit more tension in the apprehensive man; some forms of anxiety were necessary to set the mood.

    ¡°I¡¯d like you to better acquaint yourself with Valentina and Thor in what time we have; you will be marking this tiger girl as your God Touched.¡±

    ¡°Thor¡­  Huh, he¡¯s totally different from the Thor you told me about¡ªfeels totally different,¡± she repeated, purple eyes moving up and down the tall, muscular man¡¯s physique.  ¡°He¡¯s way stronger¡­ he can''t be as strong as you, right?  I must be reading his shielded Core wrong.¡±

    ¡°Possibly stronger,¡± Elinor chirped, making her family freeze in place, likely believing the same as her daughter.  ¡°Hehe.  He is a Primordial Asgardian, and¡­ he has a son, named¡­¡±

    ¡°L¨®riei,¡± Thor grinned, looking up at her own family.  ¡°Thou hatha well-established clan, it appears, Lady Irkalla.  Thy suggestion to meet thy people hath improved my views of High Mesopotamia¡­ At least thy version.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad!¡±  Elinor caught her sister¡¯s smirk, knowing precisely what she was doing, and by the amusement that touched her mother¡¯s eyes, she had, as well.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you change into something more¡­ appropriate for the occasion and show them to the Wellspring of Life; I¡¯m sure it will help in many ways, Thor¡ªoh, and beer, Nungal¡ªour best!¡±

    Thor promptly nodded.  ¡°Thou hath been a greater host in this than all I have heard of thy people in the Lower Rea¡ªack!  L-Lady?¡±

    Nungal blinked as she looked down at her changing clothes, as Elinor knew the girl would use from past visions granted her of the various activities her family did.  ¡°Hmm?  Aren¡¯t we going to go bathe?¡±

    Letting her hair flow freely¡ªnot enjoying the feel of it bound while relaxing¡ªshe added a bikini with a light purple pareo</a>.

    Her soft skin and ample curves were contrasted by her tight abbs and muscular thighs; it was rare that she found the time to do such a thing, and usually, it coincided with her siblings since there was a designated area for the activity to isolate any issues that could be brought into the pool.

    Her bright violet eyes brightened with her smile.  ¡°Oh!  I can craft something more appropriate for Valentina and you¡­  Here, let me¡­¡±

    ¡°No¡ªI¡¯m fine,¡± he grunted, looking away and putting his hand on the head of his hammer, sheathed at his belt.  ¡°I would enjoy learning of thy culture and how it differs¡­  Beer would be much help in this.¡±

    Checkmate!

    Elinor cheered, knowing the alcohol would affect him without a doubt and loosen him up to connect with her daughter; it couldn¡¯t hurt if he bonded a bit more with the boy he¡¯d be mentoring, too.

    ¡°Sal, Alisa¡­ why don¡¯t you two join them?  I need some time with my eldest, in any case.¡±

    Her maid¡¯s gut tightened at not being named and not knowing her purpose, her vision shifting between her brother and his girlfriend.

    Taking the invitation as the ability to jump in, Sal¡¯s face beamed with excitement.  ¡°Who is going to touch¡ªI mean, what God Touched¡ªumm, will I be the, uh¡­ the thing?!¡±

    They all giggled at the boy¡¯s vigor, and he caught Thor¡¯s attention, or the man just wanted to keep his eyes off her daughter¡¯s exposed skin.

    Ishtar laughed, pointing at her eldest child.  ¡°Allow me, Sister¡ªI can guess what you have in mind¡ªit¡¯s Namtar, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Elinor confirmed, knowing Ishtar was trying to show she was paying close attention to her actions and schemes after only just returning from consciousness.  ¡°Why don¡¯t you see if you can guess four of four!¡±

    ¡°Four?¡±  Everyone turned expectantly to the shining star of a woman as her sister held a hand to her chin, vision shifting between them, and after a second, she muttered, ¡°You¡¯re hiding something, Sister.  You wouldn¡¯t bring our mother or Hu?bi?ag into this, which means there¡¯s someone else you have in mind.¡±

    Elinor kept her smile in place, but this proved Ishtar hadn¡¯t lost her edge; she could guess there was something more happening behind the scenes than she was letting on¡ªshe didn¡¯t have to just blurt it out, though¡ªa miscalculation on her part, which made her want to reconsider how she viewed her little sister.

    They¡¯d both changed, which introduced possible flaws in strategy moving forward; Ishtar probably let that slip to force an answer, display she was keeping up, and show she hadn¡¯t lost her fangs.

    Apate hadn¡¯t missed a word, carefully dissecting everything present as a trickster of her caliber would; her power came through manipulation, and that required knowing the players and their goals.

    However, Elinor wasn¡¯t ready to reveal the fourth person that would touch her maid¡¯s spirit to the others, even if Ishtar would learn of her suspicions shortly after they split up.

    ¡°Are you going to make a guess or admit defeat?¡±  Elinor snickered.

    A tight smile lifted her sister¡¯s lips as her celestial gaze drifted between those present.  ¡°I will hold my tongue as to the fourth, but the others aren¡¯t difficult to ascertain.¡±

    Left hand held under her bust as her right drew a line between the parties, Ishtar smirked.  ¡°Valentina screams Nungal¡ªshe¡¯ll become your little tiger goddess after being touched by Nungal¡¯s burning spirit.

    ¡°Sal, as I said, would be touched by Namtar; his poise and devotion to you will help to refine the boy¡¯s fervor and determination.

    ¡°The third is obviously the timid girl, Alisa, and Ninazu is her God.¡±

    The teenage girl¡¯s fingers balled into fists as she held them against her belly, not looking at Ishtar.

    Sal huffed, crossing his arms.  ¡°Alisa isn¡¯t timid; she¡¯s my girlfriend and always ready to break the rules and do stuff with me.¡±

    ¡°Sal¡­¡±  Alisa whispered, scooting over to grab the edge of his shirt and shake her head for him to stop.

    Elinor sighed, snapping her fan shut to draw their attention.  ¡°She is aware of her own faults, which is why Ninazu will help her overcome them.¡±

    Her middle child gave the teenage girl a compassionate smile as he moved to join them.  ¡°As you command, Mother; she will become a coiled snake, hidden in the bushes, and ready to strike those without the intelligence to leave her be.¡±

    Masmu hissed her approval from around Elinor¡¯s throat, and Elinor motioned to her silent mother.  ¡°Take Ishtar¡¯s songbirds, and if you could greet her Heavenly Host within the First Gate and inform them I will be with them shortly, it would be wonderful.¡±

    Bowing her head in acknowledgment, Ningal had a glow in her smile that Elinor couldn¡¯t recall seeing in any vision past.  ¡°At once, Queen of the Great Earth.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    ¡°Something wrong?¡±  she asked, forehead creasing a tad.

    ¡°Mmh¡­  I will make a new decree.  You may refer to me as your daughter or by name.  Now, I expect them to be read, Mother.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Ereshkigal,¡± her mother chirped, showing a beaming blush that made her heart sing; Elinor certainly did affect how she dealt with her natural family, which this proved beyond a shadow of a doubt.

    Ishtar¡¯s arms were folded as she watched her attendants bow to her and leave with the elder deity.  ¡°Hmm.  Where will our discussion take place, Sister?¡±

    Elinor gestured toward her palace, making her family¡¯s eyes widen in shock at the invitation for outsiders to enter her holy grounds, yet not one said a word in protest; her decision was final and unquestionable.

    ¡°Apate, Namtar, Adoncia, join Ishtar and me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mistress,¡± the trickster returned, showing a masked smile.  ¡°She¡¯d figured out what the topic of this discussion would be by the small hint she¡¯d sent Thor; it was best to keep crafty women like her under one¡¯s wing than against.¡±

    ¡°As you command, Mother.¡±  He turned and guided the way into the palace, instantaneously transporting them through the closed doors to enter the colossal entrance hall that put Nethermore¡¯s to shame.  ¡°What room are we to use?¡±

    Elinor frowned, predicting resistance as she looked around her palace; she just hoped certain people weren¡¯t involved in what she feared.  ¡°To be honest, Namtar¡­  I don¡¯t know.  Take me to a place restricted to all¡­  A place I forbade all entry.¡±

    As expected, her son froze in place, processing her conflicting orders, and it was her sister that broke the ensuing silence.

    ¡°A place you made off-limits to your own children¡­ including Namtar?¡±

    ¡°I suspect you have a similar place, Sister,¡± Elinor muttered, keeping her unrelenting gaze on her son.  ¡°I am ordering you to break a command I gave before my leave.  Did I instruct you to deny such an order?¡±

    Namtar only hesitated a moment, not making any gesture to acknowledge her question other than transporting her to an utterly plain hallway lined with eternal torches, instead answering her in action.

    ¡°So¡­¡± Elinor hummed, reading between the lines by his attitude and teleportation.  ¡°I told you before I took on this mortal form to not inform me of this place¡¯s existence.  Hehe.  A miscalculation on my part or planned, I wonder?¡±

    Her sister giggled, spreading her fan to hide her lips as Adoncia frowned at the twin¡¯s lilting tone.  ¡°I suspect planned, knowing you, Sister; if you needed to visit this place, a way had to be open while not bringing attention to it.  In short, you¡¯d need to be aware of its existence to question Namtar about it, meaning you learned of it from a 3rd source and needed to have access for some reason.  Also, who¡¯s to say you didn¡¯t inform anyone else of such a place?¡±

    Namtar shook his head as Elinor took them forward, Apate scanning the environment without comment, which was unusual for the teenage-influenced woman.  ¡°I was unaware of this area under the palace until you informed me just before departing, Mother, and now that you have entered¡­  I am to ask for what purpose before we proceed.¡±

    Slowing to a halt, she turned to Apate as she answered.  ¡°I believe your grandparents haven¡¯t been entirely truthful about the origin of our Existence, and I received enough knowledge from other sources to put that into question.  I will not be a puppet, and you know that very well, Namtar.¡±

    Apate, Adoncia, and her son shivered at the sudden intensity of her voice and gaze.

    ¡°I¡­ understand, Mother.  I do not know where this leads, but if you have a reason, I will hold my tongue¡­  Although, I must ask if bringing Aunt Ishtar and this¡­ other being to such a forbidden place is truly what you desire?¡±

    ¡°It is,¡± Elinor muttered, starting their journey without delay.  ¡°Apate, tell me how you recall the creation of High Mesopotamia as a Celestial, born in the early days of your Great Existence.  Who were the true creators?¡±

    The woman puffed out a long breath before chuckling and adding a forced smile.  ¡°For High Mesopotamia¡ªI¡¯m not sure if this will be the same since so much is different here¡ªbut¡­ the founder of your Existence was the Primordial Beings¡­ Abzu</a> and Tiamat</a>¡ªeck?!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s jaw locked as a rumble shook the earth, and her hand went to her chest with the pressure that compressed her heart at the names.

    ¡°Mother!  That tremor¡­  It was felt throughout all of Irkalla!  Something is radiating beneath us¡­  This heat is like¡­¡±

    Adoncia slowed beside her, eyes defocusing for a moment.  ¡°You don¡¯t mean¡­¡±

    ¡°Me,¡± Elinor answered, fingernails digging into her palm.  ¡°And, yes, Adoncia; this is why I was unsure how your connection would do.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ will not disappoint you, Empress,¡± she whispered, her voice a tad dry.

    ¡°Humph.  Well, if just their names create this reaction from Irkalla, it¡¯s no wonder they wished to stamp out all mention of them.  We continue.¡±

    Her chest tightened the closer she came to this living storm that raged beneath the Core of everything she was as if it were Irkalla attempting to keep something enormous contained as it raged; she knew Ishtar¡¯s cold, shimmering blue eyes reflecting her own thoughts.

    What are Anu, Ki, and Antu trying to hide from us?

    Was I tricked into being the warden of our first ancestors¡­ and if so, why was the newer generation left in the dark?  What crime did they commit?  I will not condemn someone I have never met nor understand their imprisonment, and the fact I learned about this from outside sources¡­

    Elinor¡¯s nose twisted with mixed emotions; her other half felt an internal tremor at the thought that her parents would have manipulated her in this way or been a part of this plot to hold someone she had no say in their sentence.  It was not their place; she was the judge, juror, and executioner.

    They broke the laws they swore to me when I took their duty and hid my true purpose¡­  I will not abide it!  Did I know?  Why would I give myself a false tale throughout my 10,000 lives¡ªtell my children false stories?!  I will have my answers.

 B3 â€” 48. Tiamat

    The undecorated walls drew Elinor¡¯s gaze as they proceeded down the silent corridor; she¡¯d never felt this gut-churning sensation nor the chill that ran down her spine in the dim hallway.

    Something had awakened underneath them when those names had left Apate¡¯s lips, and Elinor could sense a restlessness resonate within her breast, yet its response only came from one of the names.

    Large, ornate double doors of a golden gate came into view as they followed the downward curve of the pathway, drawing her frown; it didn¡¯t represent Irkalla or respond to her presence, yet it did for another.

    Elinor''s narrowed gaze drifted to her twin¡¯s passive face as they stopped halfway toward the obstacle; designs of highlighted shades of green illuminated her stunning, star-like countenance, indicating the source of who set this barrier in place.

    ¡°Ishtar¡­¡±

    Apate, Adoncia, and her son observed them with tight expressions as her sister¡¯s stunning turquoise irises locked with her emerald.

    ¡°We were born at the same time¡­  Older Sister.¡±

    Jaw locking at her truthful response, her vision didn¡¯t falter.  They no doubt had the same conclusion; this barrier was erected before their birth, yet Ishtar was given the key to opening it.  Placed under her palace and only accessible through her twin¡¯s presence, this door was never meant to be opened, and if this was a prison for one of their ancestors, the other must have been in Anu.

    After considering for several seconds, Elinor returned her gaze to the glowing door.  ¡°Open it.¡±

    Ishtar snickered, lifting her fan up to her mouth as her eyes narrowed.  ¡°You realize the others will know the seal has been broken the moment I break it¡­ including our parents?¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±  An excited shiver ran down Elinor¡¯s spine that reminded her what it was like to be alive.  ¡°Humph.  You¡¯re as curious and frustrated as I, Little Sister.  It is time to dispense with these lies.¡±

    ¡°A ball and chain?¡±  Ishtar mused, taking the lead; her fan snapped shut to hold her back.  ¡°Can I expect you to keep your iron fist over my soul?¡±

    A step behind her, Elinor let a sly smirk lift the corner of her lips.  ¡°Who is to say¡­  Many things are changing, Ishtar.  The true question is, how many will meet us at the assembly?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  Knowing your reputation as Irkalla,¡± her sister mused, celestial eyes tilting toward her in their advance, ¡°few would wish to explain their lies and brave whatever awaits them beyond the walls of your protection¡­  Oops, I should have said confinement.  Hehe.¡±

    Fingernails digging into her palm, Elinor didn¡¯t know if she should be concerned that she and Ishtar were getting along so well.  Ahead, the doors only grew brighter with their even pace, making the three that followed behind¡ªgod, undead, and Primordial alike¡ªquake at the enormous power resonating from the seal.

    ¡°Do I sense a change of tune since you discovered how low your domain has fallen, Little Sister?¡±

    ¡°A change in tactic,¡± she crisply returned.  ¡°I am not so childish as to pout at my loss¡­ though this bi-polar shift between the personalities of my past lives is turning out to be aggravating.  I expect you will have a solution to this when we return; else, how can you trust me?¡±

    Elinor caught a slight smile on her sister¡¯s side-long look, amusing her.  ¡°How crafty.¡±

    Namtar increased his stride to remain slightly behind her with Apate; Adoncia remained utterly silent, not breathing as she waited to be addressed.

    The trickster forced a smile.  ¡°Eh¡­ shouldn¡¯t you block off all the gates to stop them from escaping, if that¡¯s a worry?¡±

    Namtar shook his head, responding for Elinor in an expert fashion that said he knew his mother.  ¡°I am unsure how things were done in your version of Mesopotamia, Apate, but that is not how things are conducted in Irkalla.¡±

    Adoncia listened intently as Ishtar elaborated, vision fixated on the colossal doors that grew ever larger with their approach.  ¡°This is a test to see who will remain; those who hold no allegiance to the established order will flee.¡±

    Apate¡¯s expression tightened.  ¡°Just because they remain does not mean they can be trusted.¡±

    ¡°Certainly not,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°First, we must discover what this secret is in order to determine what the next course of action will be.  Ishtar.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush me, Sister,¡± the golden goddess huffed, reaching the door to place a hand across its surface.  ¡°No one wished to fight you for your birthright while I had to conquer all of our elders by various competitions.¡±

    Elinor smirked, recalling a story she¡¯d heard from her eldest at one point in her mortal experience.  ¡°Namtar, didn¡¯t you witness her drinking contest with Enki</a>?¡±

    Her son sighed at seeing his aunt¡¯s twinkling aquamarine gaze, still in the process of feeling out the seal.  ¡°The last feat that crowned her the undisputed Supreme Queen of Heaven¡­  I¡¯ve never seen a goddess drink so much without being afflicted.  Aunt Ishtar didn¡¯t so much as slur her words as Enki lay on the ground, passed out for over a week after.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Elinor mused.  ¡°I wonder how you¡¯d fare against Thor, Sister.¡±

    ¡°By all means, set up a contest,¡± she chimed with a testing smirk while placing a hand on her hip as her other lifted to snap her fingers, causing the wall to fracture before blowing inward.  ¡°I will not lose to any man.¡±

    She caught the implication, which was likely half flattery, and Ishtar knew it; this new sisterhood dynamic that bloomed between them was interesting, and Elinor had to admit, she rather enjoyed it.

    Ishtar had come to understand their power dynamics yet also grasped her personality so well that she doubted even her own family would have considered the end result that her sister had foreseen; she was Irkalla, which meant Elinor needed a counterbalance, and no one fit that glove better than her twin.

    Ereshkigal''s biggest gripe with Inanna was her lack of order and responsibility when it came to her duty, but it seemed their 10,000 life struggle across hundreds of thousands of years¡ªmuch of which had been a blink of the eye for Elinor¡¯s children with how she¡¯d organized it¡ªIshtar had learned a modicum of decorum along the way.

    Fingers tightening around her fan, Elinor strode into the darkness as Namtar leaned in to whisper, ¡°Your time is running short, Mother.¡±

    Stepping through the darkness with no fear of falling, she glided along the void as if a floor existed, a rush of cool water rushing through her the moment her foot touched the emptiness.

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±

    She didn¡¯t need long, and the sound of colossal chains resounded underneath them with soft, feminine laughter that made them pause.

    ¡°Tiamat,¡± Elinor whispered, causing the monstrous, unseen entity trapped beneath Irkalla to stir again.  ¡°Do you have nothing but laughter for me?¡±

    They tensed as something unseen moved in the void, eliciting more chains before her soft tone became baleful.  ¡°What more needs to be said, Child¡­  If you have come to steal more of my power to maintain your flawed creation or to slay me, then get it over with.¡±

    The power radiating from within the depths made Elinor shiver, and it was only the tip of the iceberg, considering the chains that bound her were cast by her own scales; she couldn¡¯t break them if she wanted to.

    ¡°I am here for your support, Tiamat¡­ or should I call you my great-great-grandmother?¡±

    Ishtar¡¯s tight expression was held on her as she spoke, and the laughter from the unseen entity; her son remained calm and collected, but none of them could doubt the fathomless power¡ªApate and her maid were utterly terrified at the Primordial creature¡¯s presence.

    The only thing keeping it in place was the united force of Irkalla, Tiamat¡¯s own skin-like chains, and the binding power Elinor¡¯s sustaining presence in her domain provided; it was now painfully obvious why one of her rules since birth was to never leave Irkalla, so far as to make it a part of her own soul.  There was no other way to restrain her ancestor.

    Well¡­ isn¡¯t life full of surprises, Elinor internally joked, reflecting on her status as the arbiter over the land of the dead.

    Tiamat¡¯s next statement made her frown at the revelation.  ¡°Grandmother?  Heh, it has been so long since I¡¯ve talked to anyone¡­ eternity after eternity, and¡­ this is what you bring me?  Whoever you two are¡­ whatever was done to you has made you more my daughters than distant grandchildren.  Your power attests to that.¡±

    ¡°Who are your children?¡±  Ishtar gently questioned, possibly more attuned to their ancestor¡¯s emotions than Elinor, given their natural talents.

    A snap of teeth, the rattle of taut bindings, and an incomprehensible wall of white bone instantaneously appeared before them.  ¡°I would devour my children for their sins if I were able, and you are no different!¡±

    Elinor¡¯s belly tightened at the torrent of suppressed, noxious breath hissed through unseen edges to whip back their clothing and hair, yet beyond all Elinor¡¯s expectations, Adoncia stood in front of her, her maid doing her best to cover her with her trembling body.

    ¡°E-Empress!  We s-s¡ª¡±

    It didn¡¯t matter if one was undead or living; Tiamat was the type of creature that could devour an Existence whole, of that she was sure.  Even with Adoncia¡¯s unconscious desire to protect the last refuge of an afterlife¡ªor the reason all those brought back were so unconsciously loyal to her¡ªto stand between them was impressive.

    Of course, Namtar was beside her, jaw locked but staring down the unimaginable maw that hovered not far from his face.  On the other hand, Apate had already fled to the safety of Irkalla¡¯s walls.

    Remaining calm and knowing Tiamat wouldn¡¯t have missed a twitch, Elinor was vindicated in her choice of the young adult maid.

    She gently took Adoncia¡¯s shoulder and guided her to the side, ignoring her wild, pleading blue eyes to return to the hallway, only for her throat to catch when Elinor turned her around to face the toxic stream of putrid wind that was purified the moment it exited the primordial entity¡¯s maw.

    ¡°Tell me why you have been imprisoned under Irkalla, Tiamat.  What was your sin?¡±

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Through the Nexus, Elinor could feel Adoncia near the point of fainting; even as an undead¡ªwho never slept¡ªthe caged presence of her ancestor was so crushing that just her company was enough to drain Adoncia¡¯s mental fortitude.

    ¡°Sin?!  Is it sinful to seek justice for the murder of one¡¯s partner?!  What for?  For your children stealing their father¡¯s corpse to use as a foundation¡ªa pet project¡ªdue to lacking the means to produce their selfish desire?  My only sin was having pity on them!¡±

    Ishtar''s searching gaze went to Elinor¡ªthe judge of truth¡ªto see her smile and respond.

    ¡°I have a gift for you.¡±

    ¡°E-Empress?¡±  Adoncia stammered as she was gently pushed forward, and Tiamat¡¯s enraged tone withdrew with her teeth.

    The silence that ensued could kill as her ancestor retreated to consider what their entrance and words meant; after a time, a small smile touched Tiamat¡¯s lovely tone as it returned.

    ¡°A gift¡­  What is your game, Children?  Who sent you¡ªKishar, Anshar¡­ Lahmu</a>, perhaps?  I sense my power hidden within you to a greater degree than any of my children¡­  Equal to Marduk</a>, using Abzu¡¯s strength¡­ hmm?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s vision narrowed at the names; she¡¯d never heard of Lahmu, but Marduk was one she¡¯d heard from word of mouth that had Ishtar on edge; the slain hero of heaven in conflict with a great host of monsters that marched against their gates.

    Her sister¡¯s fist was white around her fan.  ¡°Marduk was slain in combat, destroying an endless sea of monsters sent against Anu with Imhullu, his divine bow.¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±  Tiamat¡¯s writhing laughter shook Irkalla.  ¡°What nonsense have you been fed by my children?  Of course, I created a horde of monsters and sent an army against Anu¡­

    ¡°The coward slew his father in his sleep and used his corpse to create many wonders, including the weapon he used to knock me unconscious¡­  Marduk was born using part of my mate¡¯s power, the same as the two of you were fashioned after me, using what remained of my skin to leave me in eternal torment!¡±

    Elinor shifted her gaze to the hallway, now understanding how Irkalla was so impenetrable, among many other secrets that her forefathers had kept hidden regarding their craven beginnings, yet the fact her sister¡¯s domain had been reduced to such an extent also brought a chilling realization.

    She had many questions, but time was short to confront her parents, and Elinor had heard enough.  ¡°I believe you are being held unjustly¡­  As I said, Tiamat, I have a gift for you.¡±

    ¡°If it is not justice or freedom, I reject your poultry sacrificial gifts.  I do not care for such debase and meaningless things as living tributes.¡±

    Smiling at her refusal, Elinor giggled with her sister; she could see the flames of war in Ishtar¡¯s wrathful and lustful eyes after uncovering their ancestors¡¯ plots.  ¡°I offer you a God Touched, Tiamat.¡±

    The rattling of chains ceased as the chilling monster of untold Primordial realms paused, and Elinor clarified her statement.

    ¡°You are right, Tiamat.  My twin and I were born to our tasks, unaware of your existence, and our forefathers knew we would hate one another¡­ binding the doors in Anu and Irkalla with seals only each other could break.  It was a brilliant plan, to be honest.  Yet, unfortunately for them, other threats have caused many things to change.

    ¡°I cannot break you free from your chains as I am¡­ but I can in time.  Help me assist you in achieving what you deserve.  I am the judge of all, and I will hear your case without prejudice.  Will you accept this first act of freedom?¡±

    The silence stretched until a shadowy, tall figure of a woman appeared just beyond sight of the void, only in outline, and Elinor could guess why; having been skinned, no matter what form she took, it would not be sightly.

    An outline of cuffs and chains could be seen on her obscured wrists, ankles, and neck.  ¡°The help you seek from me?¡±

    ¡°I am at war with many Existences that have been pulled into a grand conflict, and I need allies, yet I am still Irkalla itself.  I will not shirk my duties like my ancestors.  Do not believe I will leave you to fester in this darkness alone.  My children will see to whatever needs you require¡­ if we are not enemies.¡±

    ¡°My children will never allow it.¡±

    Ishtar and Elinor¡¯s teeth flashed as the Burning Star of Heaven answered.

    ¡°They hold no more power therein after lazily handing off their responsibilities to the two of us.¡±

    Elinor smirked at her sister.  ¡°Excuse me.  Who was it that dumped her responsibilities on who?¡±

    ¡°I was a rebellious youth,¡± Ishtar huffed, returning the look.  ¡°Did I not clarify my intentions after declaring war on the High Heavens.¡±

    Tiamat chuckled at the revelation.  ¡°You fought my children?¡±

    ¡°I conquered them,¡± Ishtar evenly replied.  ¡°No one but my twin has been able to best me in any contest.¡±

    The blurred entity held a hand to her chin as she studied Adoncia, still trembling yet refusing to run like Apate.  ¡°Make no mistake, Children¡­  Marduk is your equal¡ªdespite the injuries I gave him so long ago¡ªand he was not slain.  I can feel his baleful breath on my chest still, yet¡­

    ¡°I will trust you this once.  Provide me a means to see beyond this tight prison, and I will provide what support you seek.  My only concern is the capacity of this¡­ what do you call this thing¡­  Can it speak more than stuttering single syllable words?¡±

    Connecting to her maid, Elinor prompted her to move forward.  Do you trust me?

    ¡°Without¡­ question, Empress.  I just¡­ cannot understand what it is we are looking at¡­ it keeps changing, and its words are so¡­¡±

    I know.  I know.  Even with what protection Irkalla can give you, it is challenging to even face such a titanic power¡­ caged as she is.  Allow her to touch you, and you will begin to understand who she really is.

    ¡°I-If it helps¡­ to further your cause, Empress¡­  I only hope if I do not make it through this exchange that my brother survives.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  It comes of its own free will?¡±

    Ishtar tilted her head to the side.  ¡°Mmh¡­ debatable, I suppose.  Humans are what they are called, created by Enili.¡±

    ¡°Humph.  Naturally, it would be Enili,¡± Tiamat growled, looking over the quivering maid as she stopped in front of the chained woman.  ¡°Hmm¡­  Perhaps you could withstand the touch of a Celestial with this support you¡¯ve gained¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡­ serve my Empress,¡± Adoncia squeaked, yet Tiamat¡¯s ponderings made Elinor and Ishtar look to each other for confirmation they¡¯d heard the same thing; Apate¡¯s story was drawing more questions from the disclosure.  ¡°D-Do you need me to take off my dress?¡±

    Tiamat chuckled.  ¡°No, human, I only need your willingness to welcome my blessing.  Will you carry a bond with me¡­  Well, do you have a name?¡±

    ¡°Adoncia, Ma¡¯am!¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  I rather enjoy your responses, Adoncia.  I suppose Enili wasn¡¯t a complete failure in creating such a creature¡­ no doubt seeking to emulate my creative gifts for his own gain.  Very well, Adoncia.  I look forward to understanding you further¡­ anything to free myself of this endless torture.¡±

    Elinor clutched her breast as Tiamat reached into Adoncia¡¯s Core, brushing against her connection to the Nexus yet not attempting to go further than their deal permitted; the moment her clawed fingernails caressed the girl¡¯s trembling Essence, she retracted her touch.

    Adoncia¡¯s eyes rolled back, causing Namtar to leap forward to scoop her up and retreat as the initial process of the attuning began.

    Nodding to her ancestor, Elinor turned and exited, feeling Masmu¡ªthe little snake between her breasts¡ªease her tense coil once they were away from the titanic force.

    ¡°My children will be down when I leave to listen to your stories.  Now, we will see your children¡¯s next move.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  Are children always meant to be the bane of their parents¡¯ existence¡­  I wonder,¡± Tiamat mused as they exited.  ¡°I look forward to learning the results.¡±

    Apate met them around the corner, out of sight from the doorway.  ¡°L-heh¡­ Lady Irkalla!  I, uh¡­  I was just¡­¡±

    Elinor giggled at her fidgets.  ¡°I expect you to be loyal to me, Apate, not brave.  Is that the Tiamat you remember?¡±

    Her wine-colored hair whipped left and right.  ¡°N-Not at all!  She¡­ reminds me of¡­¡±

    ¡°Your mother?¡±

    A swallow and nod was all Elinor got from the nervous Personification.

    Elinor let the silence continue as she called for Irkalla to take them to the bathing area of her palace to meet with the others; there was nothing that needed to be said by her observant son, who had soaked up everything to a greater degree than her, given his enlightened state as an unrestricted Supreme God.

    Arriving at the location, she saw Thor preparing to enter the spring with her daughter¡¯s giggling coaxing after somehow convincing the God of Thunder to change into the swimming trunks she¡¯d crafted.

    Sal, Alisa, Masmu, and Valentina¡ªonly using her fur-covering as a bikini¡ªwere already inside, grinning at the hesitant man, who had two barrels of alcohol already empty nearby; his hammer remained nearby, yet he¡¯d taken off his other items of power.

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to bite, Thor!¡±  Nungal</a> snickered, her bust keeping her anchored to the edge of the pool with one arm as her other motioned for him to join them.  ¡°I could pull you in with my chains if that makes you feel better?!¡±

    ¡°Thou art as pushy as Sif!  Give a man time to settle his stomach after such ominous quakes¡­  What power moves¡ª¡±

    ¡°Boo!  Mother, Aunt Ishtar¡ªback already?¡±  Nungal chimed, pulling herself out of the pool to join her.  ¡°Did you find what you were searching for?  We felt that pulse earlier, but I figured it would be fine since it¡¯s you,¡± she shrugged.

    ¡°Hehe.  Thanks for having such expectations of your mother,¡± Elinor returned as Sal and Alisa hurriedly swam to the pool¡¯s edge, seeing the unconscious maid in Namtar¡¯s arms.

    ¡°Adoncia!¡±

    ¡°Is she okay?!¡±

    Her eldest smiled at their concern.  ¡°She is just going through the God Touched process.¡±

    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Ishtar butted in, moving to stand to the side of Elinor.  ¡°Don¡¯t you think it is time to cease this foreplay and push to the main course?¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±  Her emerald irises turned to Nungal and Masmu¡¯s questioning gazes.  ¡°Explain and prepare them for the process.  Ishtar, Thor, and I will leave to get answers from those that have not fled.¡±

    Her daughter¡¯s brow furrowed.  ¡°Fled¡­  Why would they flee, and what about Father</a> and Nergal</a>?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s undead heart skipped a beat as she fixated on the violet-haired goddess.  ¡°What about Nergal and Gugalanna?¡±

    Namtar placed Adoncia on a nearby sofa as he turned to explain.  ¡°Gugalanna and Nergal went on a scouting trip beyond the walls; Nergal would not leave without a companion, and Gugalanna wished to see your current status.¡±

    ¡°Sister,¡± Ishtar warned, bringing her attention to the time they had left.

    Jaw tightening at the information, Elinor only hoped the Nergals from both Existences weren¡¯t working together.  ¡°Send a party after them to return inside Irkalla, and do not take no for an answer.¡±

    Seeing the look in her eyes, her children swiftly nodded, Namtar leaving to put Neti¡ªthe Grand Gatekeeper¡ªon the task since he would be occupied by making Sal a God Touched.

    Cursing herself for not inquiring about her husband sooner, Elinor motioned to Thor, who instantly took notice of her changed demeanor.  ¡°Throw on your gear, Thor.  We have plots to uncover and a trap to spring.¡±

    A grin spread across his red face at the prospect of combat, lightning arcing out of his eyes.  ¡°A battle I can do!  I only need but a moment¡ª¡±

    Even as he spoke, his nearby belt, gloves, tattered cape, and other items flew to his side in a spray of electricity before Mj?lnir spun into his open palm.  ¡°Where is this trap?¡±

    Ishtar lifted an eyebrow before leaning in to whisper, ¡°Is he taken?¡±

    Elinor wanted to giggle at her inquiry, knowing she¡¯d basically disowned her previous husband</a> after he didn¡¯t so much as shed a tear for her loss in the underworld, happy to be rid of her, but wasn¡¯t in the mood with the prospect that Nergal might have managed to worm her husband away from Irkalla¡¯s safe walls.

    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± she returned, giving her a dirty glare.

    ¡°Damn.  What¡¯s with that look?  I won¡¯t harm your plots; after all, we¡¯re on the same team now, Sister.¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t trust her sister¡¯s temperance when it came to men and knew she¡¯d need to keep a close eye on her; a ¡®no¡¯ to Ishtar was an open invitation to push the boundaries.

    Creating a gateway, she led the way to the temple that acted as the bridging point of the Heavens since Elinor had captured her sister¡¯s soul, putting Anu in a precarious position.  Of course, now they knew there was likely another hidden plot behind allowing Ishtar to take such a brash action and their preferential treatment toward her.

    They¡¯ve been poisoning and siphoning off Ishtar¡¯s powers for how long¡­  Who is going to be behind the hidden door in Heaven?  I suspect it isn¡¯t Abzu</a>.

 B3 â€” 49. Heavenly Fracture

    Elinor stepped through the gateway she¡¯d created with Thor and Ishtar, leaving her sons and daughter to handle the ceremony of the human teenagers; her sister¡¯s jaw tightened with her fist as they were met by Ninatta and Kulitta, the twin musical goddesses who had taken their mother to see Sin, their father.

    ¡°My Queen.¡±

    ¡°Mistress.¡±

    Ishtar looked around the empty, golden-hued temple that should have been filled with all the gods and goddesses of Anu.  ¡°Where is everyone?¡±

    The twins glanced at one another with drawn lips before a gateway opened behind them to reveal her sister¡¯s sukkal, Ninshubur</a>, the attendant to Anu and the messenger of the assembly of the gods.

    Elinor kept her peace since this was her younger sister¡¯s domain, standing beside Thor as he observed the tense atmosphere, looking for this trap she¡¯d spoken of.  It¡¯s true¡­

    ¡°Lady Inanna¡­ it is lovely to see you have returned to¡ª¡±

    ¡°You disrespect me by referring to me as a simple lady of heaven, Ninshubur¡­¡±  her sister interrupted the dark-haired messenger as she stepped forward to meet her sukkal, radiant golden hair and narrowed turquoise irises fixated on her calm demeanor.  ¡°Whom do you serve?¡±

    The twin goddesses of music nervously bowed their heads as heavenly rays of light surrounded Ishtar in her pointed question to the unflinching attendant of heaven; Ninshubur¡¯s hands tightened against her front, but she didn¡¯t blink in her response.

    ¡°I serve Anu, Lady Inanna¡­ and because of your actions in opening the gate to the Great Dragon Mother, there is one awakening that you have yet to conquer¡­  I am told that one who holds the keys of heaven you have yet to claim.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s grip against the Staff of the Dead firmed at the admission.  She¡¯d been correct, and, as she¡¯d expected of her younger sister, Ishtar wasn¡¯t going to accept it; it wasn¡¯t her sphere of influence, yet it wasn¡¯t as if she didn¡¯t have a claim to be had in this new conflict, and she¡¯d act when that time came.

    Ishtar¡¯s horned crown of gold flared to light from aurelian flames as she glared at the stalwart goddess that had served her since birth, now in rebellion.  ¡°Name who you serve.¡±

    Ninatta and Kulitta surprised Elinor by walking around Ninshubur to stand beside her indigent sister, which spoke of their allegiances.

    ¡°Mistress, the heavens have become divided since the tremors shook Anu.¡±

    ¡°My Queen, the young gods and goddesses still venerate your glory¡­  We venerate your glory.¡±

    Ninshubur lifted a hand to call the Scepter of Heaven to her hand¡ªthe weapon entrusted to her by Ishtar¡ªwhich had her authority over the weakened realm; a swell of holy energy surrounded them as the woman held up the light to the twin songstress¡¯ disbelief.

    ¡°I only do as I am instructed, Lady Inanna.¡±

    Elinor had to commend the ancient goddess of attendants, she had brass to pull something like this, yet this was a miscalculation on not understanding the full birthright of the golden-haired Queen of Heaven.

    ¡°Who do you think gave you that scepter?¡±  Ninshubur froze as her sister lifted her palm to the brilliant skies; the staff in the goddess¡¯ hand vanished for Ishtar¡¯s fingers to fold around its shaft.  ¡°I am the Supreme Queen of Heaven, and it is in me that all power therein lies, or did you forget the birthright I was given?¡±

    Kulitta glared at the goddess.  ¡°Our mistress has yet to be dethroned, yet you side with this usurper without hesitation¡­¡±

    ¡°Not only have you abandoned your station,¡± her twin growled, musical notes sharp as knives, ¡°but you use the power granted to you against the very mistress you are sworn to serve?¡±

    Ninshubur shook her head, somehow still retaining her composure after having the powers given to her withdrawn.

    ¡°As petulant as ever¡­ Queen.  You may hold the scepter of power as of now, yet your authority has been challenged by Heaven¡¯s true High King that is waking; you were always a substitute until his return, and until you prove otherwise, I cannot support you¡­

    ¡°Anu, My Lord, awakens by releasing the first seal on the Great Dragon Mother¡­  My Queen, you must deal with the consequences thereof.¡±

    Ishtar¡¯s tight expression loosened with a smile as she laughed, causing her former sukkal to grimace.  ¡°Sister?¡±

    Elinor flipped her spear behind her back to grip both sides.  ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°What did you get from that?¡±

    ¡°Heh.  The same as you.  We were only disposable tools to function as a recovery and restraining method while our forefathers restored their strength.  Of course, we would be seen that way, considering we are tainted by Tiamat¡¯s essence.¡±

    She lifted an eyebrow at Ninshubu¡¯s shiver at the spoken name, and the goddess took a step back, hugging herself as terror tightened her exposed belly.  ¡°Do not speak that monster¡¯s name; you do not understand the terror she is!¡±

    ¡°No?¡±  Ishtar mused, absently twisting her scepter around her fingers.  ¡°You archaic deities have been lurking in the shadows, feasting on the lifeblood of that monster to sustain your unstable creations as my existence held this domain together, yet she is the horror?¡±

    ¡°You know nothing you speak of, child!¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s discover from your master¡¯s lips,¡± Elinor interjected; she was done with this placation for a time.  ¡°Sister, should I open the gates to release them?¡±

    Ninshubur held out her hands to stand before them, using her own divine powers to create a golden pyramid of spatial boundaries to lock them inside the space.  ¡°You cannot!  It is not time yet¡­¡±

    Do they think Ishtar is so weak?  The Seeds she absorbed have restored most of the power she expended against me in our conflict, Elinor dryly thought, now pondering if the elder gods had orchestrated the conflict between her sister from the beginning to buy time.

    Her sister lazily waved her staff, making the woman¡¯s barrier¡ªone that could trap most 12th-dimensional entities for decades¡ªshatter without an ounce of effort on Ishtar¡¯s part; Anu bent to Ishtar¡¯s whims, much as Irkalla did for Elinor, and all entities within were brought to equal them by its immense power that drew its source from Tiamat¡¯s ancient strength, it would seem.

    Emerald silk weaved into reality from Ishtar¡¯s desires, wrapping around Ninshubur as she was bound and gagged; Ishtar clearly had enough of being disrespected, and Elinor was surprised she¡¯d been this patient in listening to the woman, yet she¡¯d been almost like a mother to her sister since theirs had been locked to Irkalla.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough¡­  Ninatta, lock Ninshubur in her chambers and watch to ensure she does not exit.¡±

    The musical goddess bowed her head and hummed to generate a not-so-gentle magical twine to drag the former sukkal away.

    ¡°You are too kind, My Queen,¡± Kulitta whispered while watching her sister drag the traitor away.

    ¡°I tend to agree,¡± Elinor sighed, yet he could see the thoughtful nod in Thor¡¯s expression that said he approved of the action.  ¡°If she betrayed you once, she will do it again.¡±

    Ishtar gave her a side-long look while progressing up the temple steps to the opening doors of the grant hall.  ¡°You rule your way, Sister.  I¡¯ll rule my own¡­  Kulitta.¡±

    The goddess swiftly bowed her head.  ¡°I meant no disrespect, My Queen!¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  I understand your opinion lines up with my sister¡¯s, Kulitta¡­  I¡¯ve always favored you and your sister for your steadfast companionship; even when I forsook everything and refused your offer of servitude, you followed me nonetheless.¡±

    ¡°It has been our pleasure; we were born to bring you relief.¡±

    ¡°And you have.  Gather all those still loyal to me and bring them to the Golden Hall.¡±

    ¡°At once!¡±

    ¡°Fair,¡± Elinor chuckled as the young goddess jogged away, glancing to her right at the god of thunder.  ¡°What are your thoughts so far, Odinson?¡±

    Thor rolled around his neck.  ¡°As thou hath mentioned, these gods act more like parasites than that of noble keepers of balance and righteousness.  I was met with refreshment and open arms by thy children, and of these, we are met with contempt and trickery.¡±

    ¡°Not a fan of trickery?¡±  Ishtar queried with a light smirk at the man.  ¡°What of your brother; is he not a god of trickery?¡±

    ¡°Haha!¡±  Elinor was glad to see the man¡¯s rosy cheeks and laughter yet knew not to think he was not of a sharp mind.

    ¡°Loki is not the malicious trickster you believe him to be but enjoys his fun and games, much to the amusement of many in Asgard as he plays his wit against the other Primordial factions.  He is steadfast in his support of our people, but, indeed, he occasionally finds himself in mischief.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±  Ishtar whispered, and they quieted down as two figures waited for them in the center of the large entryway of the temple.  ¡°Father¡­¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed upon seeing her mother beside the ancient lunar god.  ¡°Now, we discover the truth.¡±

    Sin and Ningal stood side by side, their father folding his arms with a melancholy smile as they approached, and they didn¡¯t speak until the three of them stood before the two, showing they still respected their stations.

    ¡°Mother¡­ Father,¡± Ishtar muttered; her fingers were gripped tightly around her scepter.  ¡°Where do you stand?¡±

    Their father spoke first, eyeing Thor for a moment with a frown before they softened when moving to Elinor; it had been the first time they¡¯d seen each other since she was but a small child at the gates to Irkalla.

    Taking a deep breath, Sin eased it out while stroking his trimmed, night-black beard.  ¡°It is a challenging question, High Queens¡­  A troubling one.¡±

    He turned to the left as a silvery sphere cut through Existence to display a vast, golden kingdom of decaying greenery and slight tarnish¡ªHeaven¡ªwhere eight of the nine grand gates were fractured and broken.

    ¡°Many have lost faith in your strength.¡±

    Elinor could feel the needle prick her sister¡¯s heart at seeing the state of her domain, yet its troubles were also connected to the elder gods draining its power over time as they allowed Ishtar to indulge in her oblivious, selfish desires to keep her distracted.

    Thor grunted, pulling their gaze.  ¡°Thou callest thyselves gods, yet can ye do nothing without thy leader?  If Asgard were in a state of trouble, my brethren and I would rise in arms to defend it with or without my father¡­  We did.  Yet, instead of protecting thy realm, thou sucks at its tit, draining it of sustenance in its time of peril?¡±

    She wanted to laugh at the lifted eyebrow at the imagery the Champion of Asgard used, considering Ishtar technically was the heavenly realm, and it wasn¡¯t lost on her sister and mother, invoking their amusement.

    On the other hand, Sin¡¯s eyes hardened before falling to the golden floor of the temple.  ¡°You¡­ are not wrong, Warrior.  I do not know where you are from, but I see you accompany my daughters.  What is your purpose here?¡±

    Ishtar¡¯s arms folded under her bust as she scowled at the giant of a man that stood over a meter above them.  ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me, Father.  Are you bidding for time?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± their mother sadly responded, amusement dying at the straight expressions her daughters gave her.  ¡°Unfortunately, we have been tasked to try and delay your progress for the others to prepare.¡±

    ¡°At least you¡¯re honest about it, as angering as it is to hear, Mother, ¡± Elinor sighed.

    Their father¡¯s hands moved to massage the back of his thick neck.  ¡°Haaa¡­  Much of this was set forth long ago, My Queens,¡± and Elinor got the distinct impression he was speaking to all three of them.  ¡°I suppose it is time to make a decision, Ningal.¡±

    Elinor knew her own internal fears were mirrored by her sister as their mother¡¯s far smaller hand rose to hold their father¡¯s, and the woman gave a somber nod.

    ¡°My daughters,¡± she smiled and turned to direct them toward another circular, moonlit gateway her husband created, ¡°you will find those that serve Marduk, King of Gods, beyond.¡±

    The air in her lungs exited with Ishtar as it came to the final revelation, and Thor gave them an approving nod; this hadn¡¯t proven anything yet, but when they went through, it would set into motion a chain of events none of them could take back.

    A trap or not, our parents have chosen their side in this action.  What will it be?

    Stepping into the golden hallway, their grips tightened around their weapons as they turned the next corner in the empty, colossal well-lit hallway; they were met by a small host of men and women Ishtar and Elinor knew through their many visions of their past.

    The tight expressions of the elder gods met them in front of a black stone wall, carved with ancient lettering that resembled a Kudurru</a>¡ªa type of rock used as a boundary stone¡ªand the words were colored in lapis lazuli, Elinor¡¯s domain.

    Enlil</a>, the former King of Heaven, turned to glare at them with Ninlil</a>, his wife, and Nergal¡¯s mother; it wasn¡¯t as if the god of pestilence and decay was in the best of relationships with his mother, seeing as he lived in Irkalla, but it did beg the question if they¡¯d been in contact.

    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

    As the former Queen of Heaven, Ninlil hated Ishtar for usurping her seat and putting her in the dirt in their trial by combat; Elinor had heard the delicious tale from her eldest son.

    Their hands were placed against the seal, the other elder gods beside them, yet it was clear who was at the helm of this ritual with Enlil in the center.  Elinor made not of each pair that stood against them; every god or goddess was from the older generations:

    Ninurta</a>, a god of war, writing, law, hunting, farming, and healing, was beside Bau</a>, his wife, a goddess of alchemy and the study of unifying celestial forces; it had likely been her that had been the one to craft the means to infuse Tiamat¡¯s essence into the birth of Ishtar and her.

    Hadad</a>, cosmic weather or rain deity¡ªnot to be confused with the turbulent nature of storms¡ªstood by his wife Shala</a>, who shared in his duties as the drivers of Existence¡¯s seasonal bringer of growth throughout the twelve dimensions in their dominion.

    Ninhursag</a>, another former ruler and Queen in Heaven who mainly went by Damkina, had fostered a small dynasty before Ishtar¡¯s conquest brought her low, stood beside Enki</a>, her husband, who Elinor thought would have been on their side, yet the defender god stood with his wife.

    Yet, it was one underworldly couple that snatched Elinor¡¯s stern gaze.  ¡°Geshtinanna</a>, Ningishzida</a>¡­  How long has my Head Scribe and Gardener been working against me¡­ since my birth?¡±

    The white-haired goddess quivered at Elinor¡¯s voice as her husband calmly turned to give her a reverent bow that the others hissed at.

    ¡°Geshtinanna and I only fulfill the duties given to us before your birth, High Queen; we accept whatever punishment is due upon our duty¡¯s completion.¡±

    ¡°I apologize for our deception, High Queen,¡± his wife swiftly followed.

    Ishtar¡¯s focus was on Enki, though; the water god was a wellspring of wisdom that had helped them throughout their lives, and he was the one to convince her to take up her responsibilities again.

    It was likely as difficult to accept as their parents¡¯ lies for Ishtar, yet she tightened her face and strode forward with Elinor.  Thor kept behind them, sizing up the gods and goddesses with a keen eye for combat; all of them were brought to the strength of a mortal while within Irkalla¡¯s walls, having to play by her rules.

    ¡°Do you believe Marduk is stronger than I, Enki?¡±

    The former King of Heaven chuckled at her honest question.  ¡°You cannot fathom the strength of the King of Gods, Inanna; who do you think Marduk¡¯s father and mother are?¡±

    ¡°So,¡± Elinor hummed, seeing Enki¡¯s conflicted eyes, ¡°Marduk is your son, the former King of Gods?¡±

    ¡°Former?¡±  Damkina scoffed.  ¡°You may have power via Tiamat¡¯s lineage and essence, Ereshkigal, Inanna, yet you cannot fathom the perfection that is my son.  Who do you think provided the means for Sarpanit</a> to create the spark that Bau used to fuse your eggs with Tiamat¡¯s skin, essence, and your parents¡¯ blessing?  You were made to heal our parents and children from Tiamat¡¯s foul poison.¡±

    Elinor laughed, drawing scowls as she walked forward without hesitation.  ¡°Tell me what you really think of me and my sister, Damkina¡­ a necessary abomination to be subjugated by your son and made a slave to your whimsical desires.  Weak¡­ you¡¯ve always been so weak.¡±

    Frightened, the elder gods funneled the power they¡¯d drained from the realm into the seal to hasten the restoration of their God-King, in a pitiful attempt to stop them; Elinor grinned with amusement as her sister¡¯s emerald silk bound all ten deities.

    Only one managed to slip the binding, showing he hadn¡¯t lazed around like his other elder god counterparts¡ªEnki¡ªwho summoned a trident to his side.

    ¡°You intend to stop and imprison us for treason, Inanna, Ereshkigal, and I don¡¯t blame you¡­ but I cannot allow myself to be defeated.¡±

    Ishtar walked beside Elinor, having heard enough of Damkina¡¯s babble.  ¡°I defeated you before, Enki, but you have it wrong.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  The giant man glanced to the other elder gods and goddesses, attempting to free themselves from the wraps, yet it was useless as mortals, and they hadn¡¯t the slightest idea how to fight when constricted to such a lower sphere, showing their complacency.

    It¡¯s no wonder none of them could so much as touch Tiamat¡ªthey needed to create some God-King to do all their heavy lifting¡­  Useless.

    Elinor smirked as she gave the answer Enki was looking for.  ¡°My sister was challenged for her throne; Ishtar wishes for me to open the gate to face said challenge before we are forced out of the heavens.¡±

    The former King of Heaven managed to fight past his gag, shouting, ¡°No!  He is not fully recovered¡­¡±

    ¡°And neither is Ishtar after all you have done to weaken her,¡± Elinor shot back, anger suddenly lighting in her chest at discovering the potential reason her sister could never challenge her was because of these leeches.  ¡°Stand aside, Enki, and allow the decency of a fair trial for the Crown of Heaven because Ishtar still wears it.¡±

    Lips becoming a line, he nodded, and Ishtar held up her staff, creating rippling waves along the ceiling that displayed the events of this conflict across all of Anu, and Elinor did the same for Irkalla; this was a challenge for Heaven, yet if her sister lost, her own domain would be the next to be challenged.

    Thor folded his muscular arms, stony gaze drifting between the opposing sides, and, by Asgardian customs, Elinor figured he knew the significance of this Rite By Combat.  It would also affect the potential support he¡¯d gain from Elinor and Ishtar, meaning he had a significant stake in this fight.

    Only Ninlil, Enki, and Damkina seemed to still be resistant to the contest, but it wasn¡¯t as if they could do anything about it, and Elinor</a> walked past the water god to place a hand against the seal.

    A great power beyond made her eyes narrow; Tiamat hadn¡¯t been wrong.  The deities inside were unlike the lazy, sluggard gods and goddesses they¡¯d known since birth.  Channeling her energy into the illuminated script, it shone with Irkalla¡¯s colors before releasing a wave of power that billowed their clothing and hair back before opening inward.

    Eight unknown deities exited, with one leading the way; each one radiated primal energy¡ªAbzu¡¯s¡ªstolen from their murdered father or grandfather.  Only one spoke upon seeing the bound elder gods¡ªthe one in the center¡ªa dark-skinned man with ancient artistry</a> of power, a spiked club, an ornate bow on his back, and a forked sword on his hip.

    Dreadlocks fell to his lower back that shifted as he loosened up, and Marduk¡¯s solid, glowing orange eyes appraised them with a frown while working his muscular frame; he was as tall as Thor and wore a necklace of teeth and feathers¡ªfrom past battles, no doubt.

    Showing his bare chest, Marduk wore skinned shorts infused with power; in fact, every piece of him radiated strength as his head shifted to each of them.  After only a moment, he spoke in a deep, gravelly voice.

    ¡°I assume this is to be a contest for Heaven?¡±

    Ishtar¡¯s scepter transformed into a resplendent spear.  ¡°If you want my crown, take it from my head.¡±

    He wasn¡¯t smiling as he looked down at Enki, who was kneeling before him, the other high elder gods and goddesses spreading out with wry smirks at their bound children, still struggling to free themselves.

    ¡°I sense a great evil beyond the gates of Irkalla¡­  The Heavens are broken, and something moves at the edges of our domain.  No¡­¡±  His intense gaze narrowed while settling on Elinor.  ¡°Our Existence¡­ no longer exists.  We are in a new space of chaos, with new entities and gods¡­  Hmm.¡±

    Seemingly perturbed by the state of affairs, Marduk cracked his neck left and right before returning his focus to Ishtar.  ¡°You are not weak, Daughters of Sin.  To be clear, I do not care for your crown; a God-King does not need a crown to showcase his dominance, and it was never my intention to rule a kingdom with Tiamat as its foundation.¡±

    ¡°Tch,¡± Ishtar¡¯s nose twisted with distaste.  ¡°So, you created a heaven and underworld out of your ancestor¡¯s hide to heal after killing them¡­ and never even planned to maintain it¡ªwhat of the souls guided inside that you used as a weight to keep Tiamat imprisoned?  Another tool to be disposed of, like my sister and me?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s own chest flared with indignation at the implication.

    Marduk huffed.  ¡°I had no part in whatever plan this was.  I fought and defeated Tiamat¡¯s armies, skinning her as my last act before succumbing to her poison.  Now, I will create my own place to inherit in whatever Existence we inhabit.  That is all.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.¡±

    ¡°Humph.¡±  Elinor rolled her eyes.  ¡°After stealing Abzu¡¯s power to do so and sentencing Tiamat to a tortured eternity in cramped isolation?  Justice needs to be met.¡±

    ¡°Think what you will,¡± Marduk returned, swinging his club to test its weight again.  ¡°If you wish for a contest, then we fight as mortals.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s jaw tensed as Ishtar took the invitation</a>, ripping the lower end of her dress at the thighs and darting forward to meet him.  Her spear twisted around to deflect the man¡¯s club; it left a resounding ring in the air as her sister¡¯s hair whipped to the side while dodging his meteoric fist.

    Spinning to the left, Elinor knew her sister was at a disadvantage in raw power as she retreated with a few hops, having tested the waters; Ishtar would need to win in finesse, yet he was surprisingly nimble for his muscle and stature, reminding Elinor of her battle with Thor.

    The other gods and goddesses watched in silence; ironically, after all their boasting, the elder gods looked nervous while their thoughtful parents muttered to one another in secret as they followed the rapid contest.

    Ishtar was on the defensive, but that went without saying with the difference in physical strength; still, she managed to barely keep his grasping hand away from her clothing and hair by maneuvering her spear to vital points if he pursued.

    It was a battle of mortals, which meant no divine powers involved¡ªElinor couldn¡¯t have used her chains¡ªbut a fight of pure prowess and skill.

    Elinor followed every tiny action Marduk and Ishtar made, and, as if to show his diversity in weapons, the man launched backward, looping his spiked club on his belt; switching gears, he swung his bow around and notched an arrow.

    Ishtar halted to oversee his aim; the amount of force this weapon would release would not be like regular ranged projectiles with his godly strength.  He fired, and the tip sailed by her sister¡¯s illuminated, turquoise irises to sever a lock of her hair as she took the spinning momentum to launch her spear like a javelin.

    A second javelin met it in the air as a laughing woman threw her white-shafted weapon to meet her sister¡¯s, teleporting through space to flip her spear around after deflecting the projectile.  ¡°My turn!¡±

    ¡°Lahamu</a>!¡±  Enki hissed at the interruption, yet the golden-haired goddess ignored his protest, darting toward Ishtar while flipping around her weapon as the other gods laughed.

    Elinor was all for random interruptions, but this was a blatant tactic to give Marduk a chance to rest while keeping her sister on the defensive.

    Thank you, Lahamu, Elinor internally cooed.

    Ishtar recalled her weapon since the high elder goddess broke the rules of engagement, yet Lahamu barely made it two meters from her intervention point before a clap of thunder shook the room¡ªMj?lnir meeting Marduk¡¯s electrified club¡ªthe two massive gods stared at each other, both being wielders of lightning and thunder, their clash silencing all.

    The echoing boom sent a rush of sonic force that threw Lahamu twisting back to tumble across the ground as Marduk countered the furious Nordic Primordial.

    Elinor¡¯s amusement rose upon seeing the gods in such a state of shock that they were drawn to inaction when Thor¡¯s fist struck their God-King¡¯s face, sending him back to shake out his numb arm and work around his jaw, sporting a cut lip.

    ¡°Doth thou have no honor in single combat!?¡±  Thor roared, a clap of thunder following the blow that made Elinor smile and step forward; he certainly was a fast one.  ¡°If thou needest a companion to face a woman, then I shall be Lady Ishtar¡¯s for this contest.¡±

    Marduk¡¯s bleeding lip curled into a smirk as he lifted his hand to flex his trembling fingers against his club.  ¡°Interesting¡­  I haven¡¯t felt a blow like that since Tiamat.  You are no god.¡±

    Lightning sparked around Thor and radiated from his eyes; he was not happy, seeing as the opponents had broken one of Asgard¡¯s cardinal rules for single combat and disgraced the battle.  ¡°Will thy mouth ramble on like Ratatoskr, or wouldst thou redeem thy name?¡±

    In Thor¡¯s eyes, Ishtar had already won since the opposite side had been the first to intervene, and it disgraced Marduk¡¯s name as a warrior.  Of course, Elinor doubted their ancestors had such rules of combat; in fact, she would have had no problems with it if she¡¯d been able to jump in to fight alongside her sister for once.

    Ishtar was probably squealing inside at the prospect of using this to her advantage in seducing the Asgardian, but, on the surface, at least, her beaming, turquoise irises only showed innocence while twirling around her returned spear to motion at Lahamu to join them.

    ¡°Oh, you should have told me it would be a two-versus-two, Marduk.  Shall we continue, and with a few of our abilities now?  I¡¯m game.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  Very interesting,¡± Marduk whispered, studying Thor¡¯s runes of power and twirling weapon that generated black, electrified tornados to crash into the walls as the other gods watched the Primordial like a viper.  ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Elinor huffed as Marduk put away his club and tilted his head toward his party.  ¡°I don¡¯t care for your heaven, Ishtar, and you can keep the tattered mess.  We¡¯re leaving with those that wish to follow¡­ or do you wish to run out your clock in the heavenly sphere?¡±

    His taunting jab made Elinor¡¯s teeth grind, yet he wasn¡¯t wrong, and there were still things to be done; there would be a quest in the future to clash against those that had betrayed Ishtar and her, and there would be a reckoning.

    ¡°Ishtar.¡±

    ¡°Haaa.  Fine, Sister¡­  We¡¯ll let you run with your tails between your legs, but don¡¯t think we are through.¡±

    Turning her indignant gaze to shimmering heaven¡ªall occupants of both Anu and Irkalla watching¡ªas Marduk gave her an amused smirk, Ishtar shouted for all to hear.  ¡°All gods and goddesses that wish to follow these cowards raise your fists.  Do not expect to return.¡±

    Lifting her spear, it returned to its scepter shape, ejecting all that raised their hands to the sky, and Elinor repeated the same, yet not one of her subordinates took the offer, showing the respect and fear they had toward her¡­ unless some were spies, which she knew there would be in such a long con.

    Marduk¡¯s orange eyes last settled on her before he was expelled from Heaven to be sent outside Irkalla by Elinor¡¯s relayed instruction to her realm.

    ¡°Hehe.  I will return to claim what is mine.¡±

    ¡°Join us on the mortal plane¡­ but you won¡¯t,¡± Elinor liltingly returned.  ¡°Don¡¯t die before I get a chance to put shackles around your throat.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re making me blush,¡± he snickered, directing her attention to a haughty-looking woman behind him.  ¡°I already have a wife, I¡¯m afraid, and I¡¯m the one that does the dominating.¡±

    Ishtar smirked as she shook her head.  ¡°Whatever makes you sleep at night, but we all know you¡¯re a beta by this retreat.  Scamper along.¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem put off by their jabs as he departed with a laugh; once all those who had raised their hands were expelled, Ishtar and her focus settled on the four that had remained behind.  Naturally, her scribe and gardener were willing to accept their punishment, yet two surprise additions stepped forward to kneel before Ishtar and her.

    A young man and a young woman¡ªlikely less than a few decades old by their spiritual presence¡ªthey¡¯d been inside the sealed recovery chamber with Marduk, sparking Elinor¡¯s suspicion.

    ¡°And who are you two supposed to be?¡±

    ¡°Spies, no doubt,¡± Ishtar rolled her eyes.  ¡°Why would you even try?¡±

    The man cleared his dry throat.  ¡°My name is Nabu</a>, High Queens, and this is Tashmet</a>, my wife¡­ We seek asylum.¡±

    Elinor rubbed her temple as Thor crossed his arms, definitely agitated by how their encounter ended.  ¡°We don¡¯t have the time for your issues.¡±

    ¡°My Queen,¡± Geshtinanna whispered as her Head Scribe came up to bow.  ¡°Nabu is Marduk¡¯s only son.¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  Interest piqued at the elder god¡¯s confession, Elinor grinned.  ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so?!¡±

    Even from their bowed positions, she could see the young man and woman give each other nervous glances; well, she had someone that could give her some information from the inside, and as to why they sought asylum, that would need to be handled by her children.

    Elinor waved her hand for chains to shoot out of space to carry them out of Heaven and into the depths of Irkalla¡¯s prison.  ¡°You¡¯ll have your chance to plead your case in time.  Enjoy your stay in Irkalla!¡±

    ¡°P-Please, High Que¡ª¡±

    The trembling girl and boy were pulled into their separate prisons to await judgment as she glanced at her sister.  ¡°Well, that didn¡¯t go as planned.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­  I don¡¯t want to see if Ninshubur left or not.  I will meet with my remaining host with what time I have left.  Is that acceptable, Sister?¡±

    Enjoying the way Ishtar was taking her new role, Elinor nodded.  ¡°Do as you please.  Now, I must see how my God Touched has progressed.  I will meet you in the mortal sphere, Sister; we have much to accomplish.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±

    Elinor could tell Ishtar was discouraged by how many gods and goddesses had left her for Marduk, yet that was life, and they had to move forward.

    A golden gate appeared, leading out of Heaven and back to Irkalla for Thor and her to take, and Elinor brought them back to her palace; Thor had a scowl on his face.  She knew how to fix it¡ªbeer¡ªlots and lots of heavenly beer.

 B3 â€” 50. Bound To Mortality

    Greeting her daughter with a wry smirk, Elinor¡¯s emerald irises drifted between the mortals lying on the luxurious beds that had been moved to accommodate them; all four had survived, yet they would likely be out cold for another day when they returned.

    Nungal was already dressed in divine armor with her favorite violet blade in her hand and a scowl on her lovely face; Elinor¡¯s daughter¡¯s lilac irises were alight with rage.  ¡°Allow me to go after those traitors, Mother!  I¡¯ll bring them back for punishment!¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­ you have so much to learn, Nungal,¡± Elinor chuckled, catching Thor¡¯s hearty laugh at her vigil; her daughter certainly did have a temper and hot blood that an Asgardian would love.  ¡°I left you to study the finer details of ruling under your eldest brothers, but you seem to be slacking on that end.¡±

    Namtar forced a smile.  ¡°To be fair, she is excellent in her studies and the quizzes I give¡­ just not in practice, which is the exact opposite of her combat prowess.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better to learn by experience,¡± Nungal huffed.  ¡°Mother¡­ I¡¯m just¡­¡±

    Elinor caught the look Namtar¡¯s wife gave her, having returned to his side in the conflict; she understood that Irkalla was vulnerable given the nature of the enemies that had chosen to side with Marduk.

    All of the elder gods and goddesses knew the younger deities very well, so it stood to reason that if any of the deserters were captured¡ªby another pantheon or interested party¡ªthey could learn critical information regarding Irkalla and Heaven¡¯s structure.

    Unfortunately, that weakness was only touching the tip of the iceberg of the dangers this split in Heaven had created, and her sister blamed herself for not being able to inspire more to believe in her name.

    On the other hand, the fact that she¡ªThe Undefeated Jailor of the Eternities¡ªhad allowed them to leave her claws without engaging them came with its own questions that needed to be addressed; her daughter¡¯s flustered confusion made that more than evident.

    Elinor moved forward to start plucking the armor pieces from her daughter¡¯s outfit, making the girl give her a pleading look to show she could be her holy avenger; Nungal¡¯s every motivation was highlighted by the desire to show she was the daughter of the Queen of the Great Earth and not a failure.

    ¡°You¡¯re confused as to why I would allow the guilty to slip through my fingers?¡±

    Nungal¡¯s jaw tightened, vision falling to Elinor¡¯s bust as her thumb rubbed her sword guard.  ¡°You¡¯ve never let anyone escape your chains, Mom¡­  It¡¯s just¡­ not normal¡­  Not that I doubt you!  He spat on your feet¡ªsaid Irkalla wasn¡¯t even worth fighting for!¡±

    Thor¡¯s hums drew their gaze as he moved to sit at a table where alcohol had already been set up.  ¡°I reflect thy heart, child, yet thy mother and thy aunt were forced to make a tough decision in the web those cowards put thy family in.¡±

    ¡°What does he mean, Mom?¡±  she whispered, returning her sword to the vault of Irkalla once understanding she wouldn¡¯t be allowed to pursue, and Birtum¡ªthe first shackle Elinor had given her¡ªappeared in her hand.

    A sad puff of air shot through Elinor¡¯s lips as she watched her princess¡¯ fingers fiddle with the metal; it was the girl¡¯s first adolescent gift and comfort item.

    You have so much to learn, but you have the potential to be stronger than I was, Nungal; maybe just giving you the responsibility of a jailor isn¡¯t enough to instill the lessons you need.

    Elinor¡¯s focus shifted from her disarmed daughter to her middle child.  ¡°Ninazu, do you feel the same?¡±

    Her more reserved child shook his head while opening a gateway for Mu??u??u</a>, his reddish-scaled draconic divine beast¡ªa creature from time immaterial he¡¯d tamed¡ªto exit and whisper in his ear; it had shrunk significantly from its original titanic size to fit in the space.

    ¡°I believe I understand your reasons¡­  My snakes have been observing every god and goddess during Aunt Inanna¡¯s conflict, and I believe there are a few that were tempted to join that did not.  Should I keep watch over their actions in the foreseeable future?¡±

    ¡°What!¡±  Nungal¡¯s hands began to shake with anger around her shackle.  ¡°How can they even think of turning their back on their queen; did they ever think of Mother as their ruler?¡±

    Elinor pulled her daughter into an embrace that startled the young princess of Irkalla; she was of the newer generation.

    ¡°Nungal, the last battle wasn¡¯t a loss but a stalemate.  Don¡¯t underestimate your opponent by virtue of your powerful birthright.  Always remain vigilant and know there will always be those stronger than you.  Observe, and adapt, even if the taste is bitter.¡±

    She felt the lump drop down her daughter¡¯s throat.  ¡°But¡­ you could beat them, Mother.¡±

    ¡°Price versus reward, Little Chain,¡± Elinor softly returned, kissing the side of her head; she didn¡¯t have much longer with the girl.  ¡°Play the long game over short victories that will lead to ruin.¡±

    ¡°The long game?¡±  her daughter repeated, arms tightening around her back.  ¡°Okay, Mom, I¡¯ll rethink everything you¡¯ve taught me¡­  Do you think I could beat Aunt Inanna?¡±

    Elinor pulled away with a dubious smile; the girl was obsessed with proving herself in their family as the youngest.  ¡°You¡¯ll learn a lot from your experiences as a patron for your God Touched; whisper in her ear and guide her, but there¡¯s something far more valuable you can gain from Valentina.¡±

    ¡°From a mortal?¡±

    Namtar closed in to put a hand on his little sister¡¯s shoulder, drawing her back.  ¡°You recall your fight with Mother when she first returned?¡±

    Her eyes lit up.  ¡°Not relying on our inherited powers?¡±

    Elinor nodded.  ¡°It¡¯s one of many areas in which you can learn to grow, Little Chain.  Few gods understand the true benefits of mortality; why do you suppose I proposed your aunt and I settle our differences on the Mortal Plane?  Think about it.¡±

    A bright grin flashed her daughter¡¯s pearly teeth.  ¡°Thank you, Mom!  I¡¯ll be able to join you when fighting, right¡ªI can possess Valentina?¡±

    Thor set down his first empty mug and shot a lifted eyebrow at her eagerness to join her on the battlefield; of course, the girl had waited all her life to prove herself to Elinor.  ¡°Is that what this God Touched business is about?¡±

    Hands returning to her back, Elinor¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t leave Adoncia¡¯s resting face as her spiritual essence went through a restructuring that made her frown, and she addressed her son¡¯s wife to cut off all doubt from the other deities that served her.

    ¡°Hu?bi?ag</a>, meet with Geshtinanna; have her list all the deities from her time as an elder goddess.  Give the list to your husband and consult with Ninazu and Nungal on how to conduct a thorough investigation; we must know who knew the truth and who didn¡¯t.¡±

    The woman bowed and left through a portal to meet with Irkalla¡¯s Head Scribe; it irked Elinor that she wouldn¡¯t be able to oversee it herself, yet she also had to allow her family to grow and expand in their own areas.

    Nungal was probably beaming at being included in the topic of an investigation, and it would stop her from trying to rush out on her own; she was a strong-headed girl¡ªjust like her mother.

    Elinor ran her fingers through her hair.  ¡°How long do I have left?¡±

    Ninazu answered as his pet returned to the void.  ¡°Twenty minutes at most, Mother.  Also¡­ Mu??u??u has heard a familiar whisper from the depth of Irkalla.¡±

    Thor choked before redoubling his efforts in downing the alcohol and food he¡¯d been brought.

    Oh?  Elinor mused as her focus shifted to the vanishing dragon before scanning one of the nearly infinite gathering halls of Irkalla.  Was he among the monsters of the ancient past?  Hold on¡­ we¡¯re missing a person.

    ¡°I have a task for you, Ninazu¡­  And where has Apate gone?¡±

    He bowed his head, shooting a sidelong look at her little sister, who gave a helpless shrug.  ¡°Yes, Mother?  As for your other guest¡­ Nungal caught her attempting to sneak away, so¡­¡±

    ¡°I wrapped her up tight and threw her in a cell!¡±  the girl chimed.  ¡°I figured it didn¡¯t hurt to be ¡®extra tight¡¯ considering she is a trickster personification.¡±

    More choking laughter came from the flame-haired man from the table, pounding his chest at the news.

    ¡°Haaa.  Typical.  I bet she simply wished to be able to explore and taste a bit more freedom rather than pushing boundaries for any nefarious purpose, but I suppose it couldn¡¯t be helped.  Could you fetch her?¡±

    ¡°Sure thing!  Uh¡­ are you sure she¡¯s supposed to be some bigshot, though?¡±  Nungal mumbled while smirking to the side as a gateway opened to display the stiff trickster, unable to move a finger, nor would she wish to; her wine-colored eyes pleaded for rescue upon seeing her.  ¡°She¡¯s really quite weak.¡±

    Unable to restrain himself, Thor lifted a grin and a cup at the chained woman.  ¡°A prison fit for one of thy name, Apate!¡±

    ¡° ¡®elp!¡±  she cried, tears in her eyes.

    Chains were latched to every digit of her spirit, forcing her to be perfectly still as thousands of tiny spiritual scorpions¡ªeach having enough poison to cause unimaginable, deathless, eternal pain¡ªalternated positions with the other creature keeping her caged.

    Sweat slicked the woman¡¯s body as the hellfire worm slid over her skin like an eel, delighting in the torture of any creature that tried to escape its feelers; of course, if no escape was made, it was a harmless snuggle buddy.

    ¡°She¡¯s a mortal; you didn¡¯t have to lock her in a Fiend Pit,¡± Elinor sighed, snapping her fingers for the creatures to vanish and the trickster¡¯s shackles to break away; she gave a short cry while following through a second gateway to land beside her.

    ¡°M-Mistress!¡±  she blubbered, latching onto her shins.  ¡°I¡¯m sorry!  I¡ªI just wanted some fresh air¡­ please forgive me!¡±

    ¡°No need for the act, Apate,¡± she hissed, crossing her arms.  ¡°Be more vocal about what you want rather than trying to trick your way into something¡­ which, I know, is against your nature, but having a grown woman cry on my feet is uncomfortable.¡±

    Her illusionary, fearful expression disintegrated to be replaced by a sly smile.  ¡°Hehe.  I had to know how much I could push your children¡ªyour daughter is quite strict.¡±

    Nungal¡¯s long, lilac locks shifted against her shoulder.  ¡°Hmm?  I was being nice.  You are Mom¡¯s guest, after all.  I just didn¡¯t need you scampering off to cause trouble.¡±

    Her brothers grimaced and nodded in confirmation.

    ¡°If you had disrespected our mother by attempting some trickery in our Realm¡­¡±  Namtar commented, letting the statement trail off to allow the trickster to imagine what might have happened to her.

    ¡°Nungal¡­¡±

    ¡°Was I too lenient?¡±  she asked, making Apate shiver.

    ¡°Hehe.  I¡¯m beyond that topic.  No, with the last of my time, I¡¯d like to introduce you to Tiamat with your brothers¡­  Study her chains; you may learn something valuable from them.¡±

    The girl¡¯s breath caught at the implication¡ªthe possibility of gaining something her mother did not¡ªwhich was the sweetest temptation anyone could give her daughter.  ¡°What if I can break them¡ªshould I try?¡±

    Elinor shook her head, narrowed vision falling to the polished floor.  ¡°You will not be able to, but it will be a valuable learning experience, and¡­ be careful¡ªthis is unknown territory.¡±

    She eagerly nodded, and Elinor created a gateway to the lowest realm of Irkalla.  Her three children joined her as she strode forward, leaving Apate and Thor with the teens, sealing the gateway behind them.

    Her children came to a dead stop the moment they entered the hallway, experiencing the pulsating waves of the titanic entity in the darkness below.

    The sound of enormous, shifting chains echoed from an indescribable distance as the shadowy, feminine figure took shape in the abyss; she remained distant enough to just barely be seen as an obscured mass in the darkness.

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    ¡°So you return, Embodiment Of My Flesh¡­  My children have run from your walls?  I did not expect them to leave so willingly before finishing the war they started.¡±

    The corner of Elinor¡¯s lip curled.  ¡°As you said, they were within me¡ªwithin Irkalla¡ªand my sister, the embodiment of Heaven.  Trapped to the combative realm of mortality¡ªa condition we set when returning¡ªthey were not confident in their rusty skills to fight Ishtar, Thor, and me¡ªwho has an unusual Seed of power that grants me strange abilities¡ªtogether when they only just woke from their slumber.  Even if they did outnumber us.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm¡­¡±  Tiamat folded her arms under her shadowy chest while looking past her at the three young deities that stiffly joined her, causing a tremendous surge of force from below to blow back their hair.  ¡°Your children, I presume¡­ they also share a potent relation to me.¡±

    ¡°Heh-hmm.  Whatever my children did to you and your sister has made you more my children than they could ever be¡­  You have very little of the essence of Existence mixed into you¡­ far less than that of my children, and¡­ there is a familiar spark within you I have not felt in¡­ eternities,¡± she slowly relayed, carefully examining every bit of Elinor¡¯s being.

    Elinor took that as meaning she had some kind of inside information on the Greater Seed, yet such a discussion would, unfortunately, have to wait because it was nearing the time she¡¯d be forced out of her domain.

    ¡°A story you¡¯ll have to share with my children when I am gone.¡±

    Snickering amusement came from the Celestial.  ¡°Who said I would share such information?  Perhaps I will be more trusting of you with each of my shackles removed.¡±

    Laughing at the telling comment, Elinor knew her ¡®mother¡¯ would be a handful; plus, she had a sneaking suspicion that if she released Tiamat, all of Irkalla would fall apart.  She needed to learn the details about how this realm was constructed and why such a powerful sphere¡ªone that could counter the creeping chaos outside¡ªwas worth abandoning to Marduk.

    ¡°I look forward to listening to your conversations through Adoncia.  We will speak again.¡±

    Turning to nudge her head for her children to engage the bone-chilling entity trapped underneath their home, Elinor left them to acquaint themselves when she felt Ishtar request access to her palace.

    It was so ironic; before, the very thought of her sister even so much as asking for a direct line to her palace would have made her want to reach for Ishtar¡¯s neck, yet circumstances had a funny way of changing one¡¯s opinion of someone.

    She allowed a bridge to be set by her little sister to the room Thor and the teens waited, stepping through to meet them; since she now was inside her palace, her security protocols had been met.

    A questioning, toothy grin lifted Elinor¡¯s cheeks when Ninshubur¡ªher sister¡¯s former sukkal and motherly figure¡ªstepped through with the twin goddesses of song and Ishtar.

    The former Queen of Servants had a hollow expression, cheeks flushed and puffy from the tears that touched it, a fary cry from the haughty and defiance she¡¯d held before.

    ¡°She didn¡¯t choose to leave?¡±

    Ishtar allowed the former sukkal to answer in a broken tone, vision refusing to leave the golden sash binding her wrist.  ¡°I¡­ am the Servant of Heaven, and if Marduk has no wish to associate with Heaven¡­ I am rejected by extension.¡±

    Kulitta¡ªthe younger twin¡ªgave the elder servant goddess a venomous leer.  ¡°Tricked into believing she was of use and was needed by the old pantheon, she turned her back on her standing Queen.¡±

    In contrast, Ninatta had pity in her gaze.  ¡°Torn between an old master and mistress, she was forced to select a victor, and thus, she chose the wrong path¡­  It was her lack of faith in our queen that damned her.¡±

    Ishtar closed the gates to Heaven, and once the golden doors sealed, Elinor knew what her sister would ask by her tight mouth and downcast glare.

    ¡°Huu-haaa¡­¡±  A low hiss passed through Elinor¡¯s teeth; they were opposites in so many ways yet similar in many others that it was sometimes aggravating.  ¡°Fine¡­ she may serve my children in the 7th Gate while your loyalists believe her to be receiving punishment in Irkalla.¡±

    Ninshubur¡¯s light-blue irises creased as Ishtar removed the restraints, breathing a sigh of relief that Elinor had interpreted her wish correctly.  It wasn¡¯t that difficult since she¡¯d brought the woman to the depths of Irkalla.

    ¡°My Queen, I¡­ should be punished for breaking my oath?¡±

    ¡°And so you have,¡± Ishtar bitterly whispered.  ¡°You can no longer return to Heaven, yet it would be a waste for you to rot inside Irkalla¡¯s prison.  Use your talents as they were intended and serve your new charges more faithfully than you did to me.¡±

    Kulitta¡¯s eyes tightened as her twin¡¯s brightened; the younger was far more aligned with Elinor¡¯s way of thinking.  It was a curious duality that made Elinor reflect on Ishtar and her relationship as twins themselves.

    Elinor understood her sister¡¯s softer nature, being a deity of the more positive side of creation, on the chaotic spectrum rather than Elinor¡¯s lawful, and, in a way, these songstresses mirrored them.

    Thor finished downing the second keg beside his table¡ªimpressive for only 10 minutes worth of drinking¡ªand puffed out a hot breath as Apate joined him¡ªearning her a glare; she didn¡¯t get to indulge in the feast quite like the Asgardian, due to his scornful gaze keeping her at the far less decorated end of the long table.

    Ishtar nudged her former sukkal forward, and, after a thankful, low bow, she offered the same gesture to Elinor.  ¡°I will serve as your servant¡¯s servant, My Queen.¡±

    A devilish gleam lit in Elinor¡¯s eyes, bringing her sister¡¯s questioning glare; the moment she realized her sister was going to give the fallen goddess to her, she instantly recognized a way for justice to be met and show her sister how one could operate within a system of law.

    ¡°What are you planning, Elinor?  I don¡¯t like that look.¡±

    Apate and Thor glanced between them as if entertained by their constant back and forth.

    Elinor gave her sister a sly wink and lifted the confused heavenly sukkal to turn Ninshubur to face her new mistress.  ¡°As my first act as your Queen and an upholder of Godly Law, I hereby sentence you to live as a mortal.¡±

    Thor, Apate, the twins, and her sister¡¯s eyes widened in sudden shock.

    ¡°You know what you must do to become my Empire¡¯s Head of State¡­ to serve Nethermore and its new Regent¡­ your new Queen.  You are reborn, and your new name will be Neara; you will never be far from your new mistress.

    ¡°Infuse your body¡¯s essence into the sealed Core of the mortal vessel you create so it will reshape it through your mortal sojourn; there will be trials to be welcomed back into Heaven a new woman when Ishtar once again ascends to her station.  Hehe.  I suggest you select a more appropriate dress for your fall.¡±

    Overcome by emotion, Ninshubur¡ªnow Neara¡ªdropped to her knees in front of Ishtar, already weaving her restrictions and creating a mortal</a> vessel to use beside her immortal body.

    Taking on a shoulderless, black dress with a floral pattern on the bust and small, simple decorations on the sleeves while adding jewelry and a flavorful, elegant, crown-like halo to illustrate her given position.

    Taking on a slim, more regal appearance with thick, black locks and almond-shaped eyes, Neara¡¯s two bodies illuminated before fusing together, and Elinor released a flurry of butterflies to land on her bare shoulders.

    Revealing her now light-gray irises and rosy lips, she changed her speech patterns entirely, whispering, ¡°I will serve thee to the end of all I am, My Queen.¡±

    With those last words, she struck herself dead, yet before falling to the ground, Elinor called her back, using the infinite wealth of Death Energy available to her in her own Realm.

    ¡°Sister¡­¡±  Ishtar mumbled in shock as Neara smoothly rose to her feet to move off to the side, not wishing to draw attention to herself now that she¡¯d been given a position to fill.

    Before the twins could react to the outcome, Elinor turned her sparkling emerald irises to the stiff twin goddesses of song.  ¡°Hehe.  I can already guess your two loyal songbirds will wish to do the same¡­  Where is Sari¡¯a¨¦l?¡± she asked, suddenly realizing the Seraph had been absent for some time.

    Apate giggled and shrugged.  ¡°Apparently, the bath felt so divine and lovely that she sort of¡­ floated away in total bliss.  Nungal said she¡¯d be fine.  In my humble opinion, she passed out while enjoying it a bit, heh, too much.  As for me, eh¡­ it wasn¡¯t really my flavor.¡±

    ¡°No one asked for thy opinion, Harlot of Hera,¡± Thor grunted, drawing the trickster¡¯s huff.

    ¡°Again, with the harlot name-calling!¡±  Apate snarled, wine-hued eyes staring daggers at the unapologetic warrior.

    Elinor wondered how Thor would take what was coming; she honestly hadn¡¯t planned this part through.  ¡°Hmm.  I suppose Sari¡¯a¨¦l will be forcefully transported out when I can no longer maintain everyone¡¯s place in this sphere.  Now, what of your twins?¡±

    It seemed their purpose for being allowed to accompany their queen into the most sacred place of Irkalla had only just dawned on the pair.

    After seeing that her motherly figure wouldn¡¯t cause further division in her host, and that they¡¯d remain by her side, Ishtar¡¯s depression lifted.  ¡°I did wonder if it would be possible¡­  Ever the strategist, Sister.  Ninatta, Kulitta?¡±

    The twins swiftly parted their dresses in a low curtsy.

    ¡°¡°We will serve you in any plane of Existence, Mistress.¡±¡±

    Their acceptance given, Elinor butted in again, wanting to have her own little touch on these new members of her empire.  Part of her curiosity was to see how these twins would differentiate themselves when given the option, considering their wildly divergent personalities they typically kept well-hidden.  The two¡¯s twin-like nature also made her plot to manipulate this System¡¯s limitation on the Transcendent position.

    ¡°Sister, I¡¯d like to suggest something for their position within my Royal Court.¡±

    Dubious gaze centered on her, Ishtar seemed to connect the dots shockingly fast after spending some time studying their shared connection.

    ¡°You wish for them to use the loophole of a unified soul¡ªsuch as what you and I share¡ªto allow each to be the head over your Songweaver Court?¡±

    Elinor nodded, licking her lips with a slight grin when the pair understood it themselves; the younger discovered it first, tightening her mouth.

    ¡°One of us is to serve each queen?¡±

    ¡°A specific one,¡± Ishtar sighed.  ¡°My sister wants you, Kulitta¡­  Your personality is more aligned with hers, after all.¡±

    ¡°I may still serve you, My Queen?¡±

    Elinor tilted her body to the side to draw the twin¡¯s attention.  ¡°Of course!  I wouldn¡¯t keep you forever!  Just¡­ for a bit, hehe.  Additionally, one twin will be the dominant one¡ªas Ishtar is a Queen of Nethermore, yet I am the Empress¡ªbut you both will share the same station within the court.  One will be with me, the other Ishtar.  Hehe.  I expect I know who it will be.¡±

    To no one¡¯s surprise, Ninatta giggled at the statement.  ¡°Obviously, my little sister will be the dominant of us.  I am ready for whatever is to come so long as I can continue serving my mistress!¡±

    ¡°Easy for you to say,¡± Kulitta grumbled, arms crossing under her chest as she glared at the floor, showing more of the shadowy, domineering side she tended to hide.  ¡°Humph¡­  If that¡¯s what you want, I suppose we don¡¯t need to put on an act when no one is looking.¡±

    ¡°Naturally,¡± Elinor laughed.  ¡°It must have been challenging growing up as goddesses of song and attracting so much attention.  Fortunately, you could cling to Ishtar¡¯s influence to keep the other pesky gods and goddesses away from you¡ªKulitta¡¯s plan, no doubt.¡±

    The younger twin¡¯s tight expression lifted to her.  ¡°Maybe at the beginning, it was a means of survival.¡±

    ¡°No need to defend your initial motivations,¡± Ishtar mused.  ¡°I knew as much then and grew fond of your companionship over the ages.  We all know it is rough for young goddesses in a well-established pantheon.  I am just happy to have you with me once again.¡±

    ¡°We need to make this happen quickly,¡± Elinor muttered, feeling the gap in the heavens beginning to slip; it had actually been quite lucky it was contained within Irkalla since she¡¯d expected to have to use Heaven as a stepping stone to get to her Realm.

    ¡°Welcome to the team!¡±  Apate chimed, jumping forward with a friendly smile as she reached out to shake Kulitta¡¯s hand.

    The younger songstress gave her a small smile while taking it.  ¡°Sure¡­¡±

    ¡°Eh-heh, firm grip!¡±  the trickster chuckled, releasing it to shake out her hand.

    Not wasting any time, the pair created their avatars that would become the Transcendent Twin Songstresses of the Royal Court, locking themselves to the relative power scale of her current Court Members to not cause an imbalance in the delicate system.

    Ninatta¡¯s golden</a> hair flared in a broad pattern as she donned an elegant, white, A-line-style dress that was form-fitted to accentuate her curves with a host of pearls that decorated the piece.

    She was a radiant spectacle¡ªthe typical heavenly vision of an enchantress.

    On the other hand, her twin took on a more twisted version of the title, further illustrating what she¡¯d hidden throughout their lives to not draw attention to her older sister.

    Rather than the flowy, silken dress of her twin, Kulitta crafted a design Elinor suspected she¡¯d dreamed of for quite some time by the detail involved.

    Themed by tight, white leather</a> and brass, her dress was slit on the left side up to her hip, and the woman¡¯s chest was half-exposed in a bent teardrop shape that bowed toward her left breast.

    A knife-like zipper could be used to pull the front up in a more modest display, yet she wore it open, revealing a cross-string bra underneath that kept her bust from popping out; it was all a part of the outfit¡¯s enticing appeal to captivate.

    Wearing a high collar held by a metal choker, thigh-high boots, and white gloves, she was the picturesque beauty of a high-class military dominatrix.

    There was a new, unreserved gleam in her light-green eyes and plump pink lips; the songstress¡¯ hair was bound, unlike her sister¡¯s, yet just as long.  Elinor had known she was more suited to Irkalla than Heaven; she half wondered if she could entice the woman to act as a warden when they returned.

    Butterflies landed on their bodies, and the two killed their avatars for Elinor to resurrect, binding the pair to her System, and a wave of amusement came to her as Thor straightened at their new companion¡¯s appearance.

    Poor man¡­ He really is surrounded by vipers.  I can picture how he views these halls now, coiled with serpents waiting to strike.

    She cleared her throat while turning to the God of Thunder.  ¡°You know I mean nothing by this¡­¡±

    ¡°No?¡±  he hissed as Kulitta gave them a testing smile while using her newfound powers in the System to craft a white-tailed whip, smacking it against her gloved hand in testing.

    ¡°Not a bad fit,¡± she smirked.  ¡°I¡¯ve waited¡­ mmh-hmm, since I was born to smite someone.¡±

    The twins mirrored each other in appearance only, and their expressions couldn¡¯t be further apart now.

    ¡°Eh-hehe¡­ you¡¯ve been holding back for such a long time for my sake; I¡¯m glad you finally get to be yourself, Kulitta.¡±

    ¡°Indeed¡­ now I must find appropriate servants to whip into musical shape for my symphonies.  I hope we can find some useful slaves along our journey who will give themselves to me.¡±

    Elinor was about to respond when she felt the hole in heaven mending, and just before they were yanked back to the mortal sphere, she sent a storm of butterflies to resurrect her sister¡ªonly in spirit¡ªit would be the faith of those that followed her that gave power to Ishtar to manifest a corporeal body.

    Their trip to the Divine Realms had come to an end, and Elinor could only hope her husband hadn¡¯t been caught up in some other pantheon¡¯s plots, no matter how naive it was to believe the disappearance wasn¡¯t some plot by her cowardly version of Nergal.

 B3 â€” 51. An Empire Expanding

    A swirl of unnatural colors and sensations filled Elinor¡¯s breast as she was tugged out of her Realm with those she¡¯d selected and brought; as if a veil had been tugged over her eyes, she opened them to the mortal sphere again to discover herself in a large pillar of fire, descending to the battlefield below.

    Rippling waves of divine light shimmered above them from the bridge she¡¯d created in the two planes of Existence, and a small smile brightened her lips upon sensing the stunned humans bathed in the aurous rays: the humans she¡¯d had Sari¡¯a¨¦l bury that were too disfigured and broken to be brought back, given the damage to their bones.

    She¡¯d planned for many things in this plot of hers to discover what she could from her domain, yet things had spun wildly out of scope, forcing her to adapt.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze drifted between the gore-filled battlefield blow her, the newfound life of those humans that were made tortured examples, and those she¡¯d brought back, floating down beside her.

    There were far more enemies than she anticipated circling around her, waiting to snap at any weakness, which is why it was imperative she had her younger sister by her side.

    The ghostly figure of her blonde sister took on slight differences from her celestial form, having a mixture of her last mortal body¡¯s influence in her prime; it was undeniable they were twins, if with slight facial differences.

    A storm of her 10,000 lives vying for momentary control would need to be sorted through by Aidrh¡¯ruz¡¯s powers.  Hopefully, the dream fiend had survived his encounter with the Divine flavor he¡¯d so desired; else, she¡¯d need to find another method to stabilize her sister.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l was still shaking off her drooling, pretty much drug-induced bath of bliss; Elinor hadn¡¯t expected the Wellspring of Eternities to have such an effect on the Daughter of the Sun.  Thankfully, after a quick examination, she figured the woman would be capable of carrying the God-Touched teens back to Nethermore.

    Thor, Apate, Neara, Ninatta, and Kulitta scanned the fields of death below; no doubt, they wondered what madness Elinor had planned next.

    She suppressed a giggle at imagining their expressions as to what her first act would be upon returning from the High Heavens and Irkalla.

    Elinor¡¯s smiling eyes darted to the projector that flew up to meet her, displaying their glorious return to the united Great Ri¡¯bot Clans¡¯ city to the northeast, Nethermore, and the Nalvean capital.

    A swirl of holy, glittering forces surrounded Ishtar as the blooming faith of the masses redoubled at her rise and fall into the heavens; a corporeal body of flesh and blood enclosed her sister¡¯s frame, and Elinor had to commend her songbirds as the two self-caged goddesses wrapped her body in a golden robe.

    Elinor sent the Seraph down once she¡¯d recovered to collect cloth and silk from the fallen Ri¡¯bot army encampment to bring to the resurrected human girls¡ªmost of them were adolescents or teens since the Roxim and Komath wanted to experiment on those near Elinor¡¯s same size.

    Luckily, that tragic and horrific experience would be wiped from their memories in the lingering amnesia of being resurrected; restored to perfect health in mind and body, they¡¯d retain some understanding of their imprisonment, yet not the biting emotional trauma.

    In the distance, Elinor saw her Lesser Titan Abominations cleaning up the few Ri¡¯bot that had escaped the initial conflict; they would only last another ten minutes or so before crumbling to a mass of rotten flesh and putrid guts¡ªreturning nutrients to the earth.

    It took fifteen minutes of silent study of the valley, forest, and field for Elinor and her party to descend to the moist ground; the overhead storm that had been suppressed would soon cast its tears across the bloody field again.

    Several dozen women¡ªalong with teenage and adolescent girls¡ªwatched them in stunned awe from the waves of uplifting energy that filled the solemn, horror-filled plain; the angel had managed to distribute silk or rough cloth to each for the projector to send the miracle to the rest of the region¡ªliving, not undead.

    Stepping forward with her robed sister by her side, the crowd parted, not a word spoken as the others hung back.

    Elinor prompted Sari¡¯a¨¦l to lift them into the air, acting as an angelic figure to further illustrate her point in the awaiting crowds in the three cities and leftover craftsmen or citizens of the Israg and Dralix Great Clans, watching from the distant hill.

    ¡°Citizens of Nethermore, Shi¡¯Shuka, and the Ri¡¯bot Great Clans¡­ it is about time I formally introduce myself.  I am Elinor, Irkalla, Ereshkigal, the Supreme Goddess over Irkalla, the Land of the Dead, and the place all will end.  I am the Realm of the Dead, and it is me.

    ¡°As I have stated to many of you before,¡± she added, a slight smile on her lips.  She then gestured toward her little sister, who did require belief.  ¡°I do not require your prayers to prove I am a Supreme Goddess, but I will rule that which is mine without fail.¡±

    Elinor directed their attention to the glorious sky as it began to lose its luster.  ¡°I have split a path to the Divine, entered my domain, and asserted my dominance with my younger sister, Ishtar.  Heh.  I am The Law¡ªthe Supreme Goddess of Judgment¡ªand all will stand before Irkalla¡¯s gates¡­¡±  She paused, a dark expression passing across her face that made the crowd of women below her shiver.

    ¡°Irkalla may be the last hope you have to have safety in the afterlife.  A creeping red tide is corrupting and consuming all that seek relief in the Great River of the Dead¡ªthat we know as Hubur</a>; chaos abounds in the fractured Realms of the Divine, yet there is security in me.  Have hope.

    ¡°All those that seek shelter, know it is found in my name, and if you wish to reach Irkalla sooner upon your death, believe in my protective hand to give you asylum.

    ¡°Now, I will introduce you to Ishtar, my younger twin sister and the Supreme Queen of Heaven¡­  While I handle the threats abroad, she will rule in my stead, keeping my nation¡¯s borders secure.  Queen Ishtar¡­¡±

    Her sister gave a gracious nod, attempting to keep her speech and mannerisms in check from the chaos battling within her awakened spirit.  Her glowing, turquoise irises surveyed the wide-eyed women below with a compassionate smile before turning it to the floating mass of eyes, flesh, and wings that projected their address.

    ¡°As my elder sister mentioned, I am to be her hand in Nethermore as its regent and queen.  I have come from the High Heavens with three of my servants in the Divine Realm.  High Warlord Sari¡¯a¨¦l, if you would¡­¡±

    The Seraph happily lifted the three to her side as they bowed to their queen and presented themselves; Elinor was sure Kulitta¡¯s white leather outfit caused a few to wonder what kind of goddess she was.

    Ishtar drew focus to her head attendant first.  ¡°Neara used to rule over all servants in Heaven; she has joined me on the mortal plane to act as Nethermore¡¯s Head of State, handling daily affairs of our growing nation.  Kulitta, Ninatta¡­¡±

    The blonde songstresses came forward as Neara was drawn away.

    ¡°They are twin goddess of music and have followed me since they were children, these two women have taken the Royal Court role of Songweavers.  I will make personal addresses to each of your cities in time.¡±

    She turned to Elinor, who gave a cheerful nod; she¡¯d waited forever to be rid of the burden her sister had thrust on her in her youth.

    ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l.¡±

    ¡°Yes, My Queen?¡±

    ¡°Where are those that ruled the creatures of this battlefield?¡±

    Hehe.  They¡¯re called Ri¡¯bot, Sister, she mused between their private connection through the Nexus; her sister directed a tight smile her way.

    ¡°Yes, well, you could have informed me sooner.  I¡¯m rather behind on your exploits in this world.¡±

    Catch up quickly, Queen Regent!

    ¡°You¡¯re enjoying this far too much,¡± Ishtar huffed, watching the corpses of the two Great Chiefs being raised from the grass as the rain began to fall around them, yet a soft hum from the twins created a barrier; a curtain of water bowed around them like an invisible umbrella, causing murmurs from the girls.

    Hovering over to them to examine the fallen warriors, Elinor frowned at her sister¡¯s silent observation; she¡¯d expected her to select some random soldiers to demonstrate her power, not the literal chiefs she intended to raise, but this also had its merits.

    Does it have to be them?

    ¡°I can feel the prayers and hopes most surrounding these two¡­  Over a hundred thousand across the land, including from other species.  They seem to have left quite an impact in their lives.¡±

    Understandable.

    A small pillar of light encompassed them as she called their spirits back from Irkalla, and, having been granted access to the one thing that could draw a soul away from Elinor¡¯s Realm, Ishtar resurrected the two war heroes and leaders.

    Flesh knitted back together, color returned to their spotted skin, and breath filled their lungs; Great Chiefs Israg and Dralix lived again, guided back by Ishtar¡¯s gentle hands as she exercised her birthright for the first time since she was but a child.

    ¡°Live again, Great Chiefs¡­  You have much left to accomplish¡ªthere are those that still seek thy guidance in these troubling times.  In facing my sister¡ªto face certain death without hesitation for your people¡ªyou have proven yourself warriors fit to live again.¡±

    How¡¯s the effect?

    ¡°A very positive one¡­ unlike your savage methods.¡±

    Hehe.  It was the only way, and Irkalla accepted all those that perished by my hand.

    The two Ri¡¯bot were brought to the ground to right themselves, looking at one another before clenching their fists to test their renewed strength; after a moment, their gaze lifted to them with conflicted emotions in their eyes.

    Elinor drew their attention.  ¡°Great Chiefs, I understand you¡¯d rather see your warriors brought back to return to their home, and perhaps there is hope for some to return, but there are requirements for everything.¡±

    Her sister nodded and directed them to the projector.  ¡°It is not by my expectations that you are brought back but by the prayers of your people¡­  They and many others that cried for your loss; I was merely a channel for their¡­ all of your hopes and desires.¡±

    A quake ran down the two Ri¡¯bots¡¯ frames as they looked at the hovering projector, taking in the revelation.

    Elinor was a tad surprised when both looked at each other before dropping to their knees in front of her, Israg initiating, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Empress Irkalla, I wish for the Great Morseng Clan to become a vassal state of Nethermore.¡±

    ¡°I agree, old friend¡­  The Great Polsan desires to be under Nethermore¡¯s colors.  We have tasted of your power and your mercy.¡±

    ¡°We have seen your wrath and promises fulfilled¡­  The afterlife you call Irkalla may not have retained with us in memory, yet, it has left an impression in spirit.  I believe in your divinity as the One Above All.¡±

    ¡°As do I,¡± Dralix reflected.

    Elinor puffed out a short breath, knowing many would likely be shaken and doubt their sudden allegiance in the graveyard of their soldiers; it would undoubtedly cause unrest, yet that was the price of any conquest.

    To her surprise, Ishtar took control of the conversation.

    ¡°A vassal state has such terrible connotations to it¡­  If you wish to become our people, then we welcome you with open arms, and you will receive our full support as citizens of our growing nation.  Your enemies are ours,¡± she added, lifting them to their feet with a smile.

    ¡°You will not be discriminated against or shunned because you are the people of Irkalla and Ishtar, and to do so would disrespect us¡­  Of course, our citizens are expected to act in accordance not to shame our names, but trust that we are here to help you in sickness and health.¡±

    Her celestial vision lifted to the projector to address their people.  ¡°Is that what you desire¡­  To bring us your sorrows to heal your heart and to grant you strength to fight your oppressors?  If you wish to press forward into a golden age for not only Ri¡¯bot but for all nations that align themselves with Nethermore, then¡­ we welcome you.¡±

    Elinor was impressed by her sister¡¯s moving words that caused the girls around them to bow their heads with the two Ri¡¯bot, whispering their hopes for deliverance from the chaos and horrors of their past passed between women.

    Content with what she saw, Elinor looked to the forest as she felt the hidden horrors that lay within.  ¡°As of now, Queen Ishtar will be taking over governance of Nethermore¡¯s activities.  I will be leading a campaign to bring Nethermore¡¯s many enemies to heel.¡±

    A sly smirk lifted her lips as she turned her gaze to her sister.  ¡°My twin will handle all events¡ªincluding warfare¡ªnear Nethermore in my absence; know that she is nearly my equal.  None shall stand against us, for you are the citizens of the Divine and Infernal.

    ¡°I will be stealing away my sister for a short while and leaving you in the hands of Neara to hear your concerns,¡± she added to the humans and Ri¡¯bot Great Chiefs.  ¡°She will return shortly.¡±

    Ninatta¡­

    The woman¡¯s gaze shifted between Ishtar and her, realizing Elinor was going to pull her mistress away for another task, leaving the new Head of State to speak to the crowd and being soaked in the address wouldn¡¯t be the best look for them.

    ¡°I shall stay and keep them dry, My Empress.¡±

    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Good.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l, take us to meet The Covenant.

    The older songstress took control over the barrier as Neara directed the humans and Ri¡¯bot to speak to them on an individual level.

    Thor was observing their address with folded arms; he¡¯d been carefully judging their actions throughout the events Elinor dragged him through.  She needed him to see them as a worthy allies and not a hamper to his goals since he was someone Elinor could predict and trust.

    He had a code of conduct that made him reliable, and that was valuable when someone was as true to their principles as the Hero of Asgard was.

    On the other hand, Apate was only on Apate¡¯s side, and since she¡¯d been caught between the crossfire of Primordial Olympus and Elinor, she¡¯d chosen who¡¯s collar she¡¯d wear.

    The Seraph drew them into the storm¡ªKulitta using her voice to part the rain¡ªand Elinor¡¯s focus fell to Masmu as her little, white, spiritual snake uncoiled from around her breasts to poke out her head and flick her tongue in the direction of the unconscious God-Touched.

    ¡°I see it,¡± she whispered, eyebrows drawing together while studying the change they were going through; Adoncia¡¯s brow was slick with sweat as she shifted in her sleep, struggling with Tiamat¡¯s claws digging into her essence.

    Thor followed her gaze.  ¡°Will she make it?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­  She¡¯s been enhanced¡ªbeing connected to my Greater Seed¡ªbut just that link might not be enough when being touched by a Celestial.¡±

    Thor¡¯s vision drifted to the blood-soaked field, and Elinor could guess what was on his mind; Apate teased him about not understanding the true beginnings of his ancestry, and what they¡¯d discovered in Irkalla certainly had brought questions to bear.

    The Trickster was bobbing her head left and right while basking in the Seraph¡¯s glow and humming along to Kulitta¡¯s tune without a care in the world.

    Ishtar bridged a connection to her in the Nexus as they passed over the forest.  ¡°How do you want me to govern, Sister?  We have very different styles, after all.¡±

    Elinor gave her a short shrug and laughed.  You know my rules, Ishtar.  As I proved with your precious former sukkal, there are ways of working within law to get what you want.  So long as you follow my basic rules, you can do whatever you wish.

    A tight smirk lifted her sister¡¯s eyes.  ¡°Are you sure you want to give me that much freedom, Elinor?¡±

    The swaying trees in the billowing wind of the storm caught Elinor¡¯s notice while the Seraph flew them through the ill-tempered noonday¡ªher sister following her gaze next to her¡ªand Elinor momentarily reflected on how far she¡¯d come since first arriving in this world; yet, she was still at the foot of a giant mountain.

    I can¡¯t micromanage you and fight multiple pantheons, Sister¡ªeven I have my limits.  Show me how much you¡¯ve grown in all of our conflicts, and prove to me you can still operate within a system of law while expressing yourself in it.

    ¡°My, heh, I underestimated how much Elinor changed you.¡±

    Lifting her fingers to study the divine figure, as her artificial body was recreated upon her expanded awareness in Irkalla, Elinor hummed.  I was steadfastly stuck to the rule of law before your influence helped me see merit in working around them when needed¡­  Faith in one¡¯s self unreserved, while knowing one¡¯s limits and who to place your trust in?  I¡¯d say I have learned a few things from you, Ishtar.

    ¡°Ishtar¡­  So many names,¡±  her sister mused as they descended to the fallen corpse of one of Elinor¡¯s lesser titan abominations.  ¡°I¡¯ve been struggling to understand who I am, slipping between past versions of myself.¡±

    I¡¯ve noticed!   Elinor huffed, focus momentarily shifting to Thor.  Can you not try to jump his bones before I carry him to safety from your lustful claws?

    ¡°Hehe.  No promises as it stands!  I¡¯m no longer fully Inanna¡ªfilled with fulfilling every whim and desire that touches my heart¡ªas you are no longer Ereshkigal¡­  Supreme Goddess of a stick up her ass.¡±

    I can accept that, Elinor laughed.  I¡¯m glad my daughter hasn¡¯t fully taken after me in that regard¡­  Poor Namtar; I¡¯ve made him such a stickler to rules he almost didn¡¯t show me Tiamat¡¯s chamber out of fear of breaking my previous ruling.  Well, I guess our bonding time is over.

    ¡°Hmm.  Quite the crew you¡¯re associating with.¡±

    Thor¡¯s gauntleted fingers tightened around his weapon as they met Baxter, Sylez, Aidrh¡¯ruz, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, Les¡¯ndrassa, and Becdeth; only the Devil cared to keep the falling rain from touching his black armor and mane of white hair.

    Her lips tightened upon seeing Aidrh¡¯ruz in a daze, spirit a mass of chaotic forces that sent eerie waves through Elinor¡¯s frame.

    Telepathic words vibrating the air for all to hear, the Devil chuckled at their entrance.  ¡°Quite the show¡­ and fascinating creation; a shame it died so quickly.¡±

    Elinor was reminded once again that this entity was strong enough to destroy all life on the planet, including everyone present¡ªdue to their weakened state as mortals; each of these creatures had their own plots and paths to pursue, yet help could be traded.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma pounded his fist into the lesser titan abomination¡¯s body, pulverizing it and sending globs of tight muscle and flesh splattering against his alabaster fur; it was an impressive feat of strength, given the natural defenses the undead abomination still possessed.

    ¡°A worthy subordinate!  I was disappointed you didn¡¯t crush the bulk of those weaklings with your own hands, though, Empress.¡±

    Elinor flashed her teeth, knowing how the Warlord thought.  ¡°Would you have wasted your time on weaklings?¡±

    ¡°Haha!  I suppose not,¡± he roared.  ¡°It did let me imagine my own fists squeezing guts from my victims.¡±

    ¡°Yes.  Yes,¡± Sylez muttered, twirling his fingers impatiently.  ¡°I must hear the tale of your ascent into the Divine Realm!¡±

    Les¡¯ndrassa¡¯s body swirled with liquid before transforming into a floating sphere of armored</a> ridges; her core pulsed with light with her brain matter.  ¡°Patience, Sylez¡­  Goddess Irkalla, it is wonderful to see you safe.  I pray your trip was successful?¡±

    Ishtar¡¯s surprised note entered her mind.

    ¡°Hmm?!  She is praying to you¡­  I¡¯ve never felt an Alterity pray, much less for a Goddess.  It¡¯s¡­ a very sweet flavor of worship¡ªand powerful¡ªyet seems to pass swiftly.¡±

    Interesting.

    Elinor didn¡¯t miss the silent smile Becdeth</a> gave them, a secretive smile playing at the corners of his golden mask and clicking, horrific maw.

    ¡°Not to cut our little get-together short,¡± Elinor whispered, knowing Thor wanted nothing more than to engage the smirking Demon of his Existence, ¡°but what is the current state of Aidrh¡¯ruz?¡±

    Baxter</a>, being the junior of the group after Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s show, gave a showy bow.  ¡°My most glorious Goddesses¡ªand audience¡ªmy illustrious comrade has seen something within the Dream he wishes to impart on your return.  We have eagerly awaited the stage to be set for your return!¡±

    Becdeth shifted his staff to the opposite side for the smoke surrounding his lower half to thicken, and a tickling claw touched the back of Elinor¡¯s skull, yet she knew better than to pay it any mind.

    Elinor engaged him since he¡¯d chosen to keep his silence.  ¡°How long until he is stable again?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  the eldritch creature¡¯s feminine voice resonated with Kulitta¡¯s hum almost perfectly, making the songstress¡¯ gloved fingers tighten.  ¡°He still lingers in the sway of what he sampled¡­  A mix of the holy and unknowable, drawing pictures of paths unseen in the rhapsody of Existences aligned.¡±

    ¡°A grand play deserving of an audience!¡±  Baxter sang and lamented.  ¡°If only this frail soul of mine were of such splendor to witness this show fit for the Divine!  Such a tragedy¡­ a tragedy, indeed¡ªoh?!¡±

    Ishtar stepped forward as Kulitta created a vocal barrier for her to walk on¡ªavoiding her dirtying her feet in the mud; the tips of her sister¡¯s fingers caressed Aidrh¡¯ruz¡¯s</a> bristling fur, causing his flickering blue crown to strengthen.

    ¡°I can feel his struggle through madness¡­ from a crimson depth he¡¯s tested¡ªspirit and pride¡ªprotected by the Divine forces he¡¯d fathered yet¡­ he can¡¯t escape¡­ he¡¯s fallen to depths where the light he¡¯s carried cannot escape.  Still, he refuses to break in the surging tide gripping at his mortal soul¡­ or call for aid.¡±

    A mumbled whisper made everyone present shiver as a chaotic grip of some unknown eldritch force reached out from the dream-like connection, muttering through the colossal ape.  ¡°All that¡¯s weak must die.¡±

    Les¡¯ndrassa changed forms again in a fluid rush of water as Becdeth¡¯s grip tightened around his weapon, its many, eye-like tentacles pausing in their movements to look at Aidrh¡¯ruz.

    ¡°Goddess¡­ I feel him drifting away, yet¡­ The Dream has passed?¡±

    Sylez sat a little straighter in his air-like throne.  ¡°This power¡­ is similar to you, Becdeth!¡±

    The eldritch entity¡¯s tone flipped to a soft masculine whisper.  ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  Aidrh¡¯ruz has been drawn into the lull of the Endless Crimson Tide¡­  Those lost within are carried into the madness of the Azure Depth, and it shall not let go.¡±

    Baxter gasped, bone-like beak opening in mock horror.  ¡°What must be done in this shocking twist, O Wise and Cryptic One?!  We must mount a rescue!  No?¡±

    Les¡¯ndrassa transformed into her phantom, humanoid form as her fin-like barb eased out from the bottom of her dark skirt to connect with Aidrh¡¯ruz¡¯s.  ¡°Light can be given when hope is not lost¡­  May I beseech you, Goddesses, for your aid in channeling my desires to see my friend returned?¡±

    Elinor crossed her arms upon feeling the rushing serenity the divine eldritch created; there was nothing she could do except attempt to follow his mind¡¯s path to chain him and draw the creature out, yet the forces they were contending with were outside of Elinor¡¯s current scope, and she could feel it.

    Perhaps she could have in the beginning, yet the longer a creature stayed in this Endless Crimson Tide, the more hooks were fitted into its victim, pulling it further into its depths, transcending dimensions until meeting its end.

    Ishtar, however, had tools Elinor did not.

    Jaw set, her sister converted the raw faith and trust Les¡¯ndrassa fed her that should have opened her up to this unknown threat, a threat that had likely been the cause of Irkalla¡¯s gates being closed and Heaven being ravaged.

    Elinor touched her breast as an uplifting force fed through the Nexus, bringing with it a wealth of power that dwarfed the Nexus itself, healing the damage her Seraph had caused when releasing her Divinity; a testament to the type of creature Les¡¯nadrassa was.

    Sylez</a> and Sar¡¯ollaz</a> flickered before vanishing in the blinding light that Ishtar produced, hissing at the holy-infused rays she funneled into the abyss the dream gorilla was trapped in.

    ¡°Ah¡­  How fascinating,¡± Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma hummed, rubbing his chin.

    Becdeth retained his place, surprising Elinor that he was unaffected by the Divine.

    Ishtar¡¯s lower lip drew in as Kulitta joined her, feeding her own faith into her mistress and further increasing the radiance her sister¡¯s golden skin produced.

    ¡°I can¡¯t find him¡­¡±

    A soft, feminine whisper came from Becdeth as he vanished to appear behind Aidrh¡¯ruz, hands blurring into action and cloak releasing a mass of mist with the twirling ceremonial spear before stabbing its point into Aidrh¡¯ruz¡¯s head¡ªit slipped through like a ghost.

    ¡°Follow the song of the shattering¡­ where there is no path, but to the singularity, all directions must be forfeited for the call of the Great Deep to bridge the Lullaby of Madness with the Song of Corruption.¡±

    Ishtar jolted as a burrowing, festering rhythm of untold ages past, and instruments twisted into horrors to awaken a golden key¡ªnumberless dark hands ripping through boundless depths¡ª splitting the impassible darkness to allow an aurelian path to shine for Aidrh¡¯ruz to follow.

    Aidrh¡¯ruz¡¯s crown flared a bright white, and a new force steeped in mania, and wretched notes meant not to be heard but experienced¡ªmixed with the essence of Existence¡ªweaved a gate into the Crimson Depths.

    It only lasted seconds, and Ishtar breathed out a long stream of air after channeling the harmony and disharmony of both entities as the chained dream-creature¡¯s flaming sockets lit and his fur tinted silver.

    Becdeth vanished in a cloud of fog, disappearing entirely¡ªthey didn¡¯t return.

    Les¡¯ndrassa¡¯s aura quelled, shoulders sagging while barely keeping herself afloat in her exhaustion.

    ¡°I¡­ knew my faith was not misplaced, Goddesses.  Victory for the Covenant again!¡±  she tiredly cheered.

    Thor and Elinor¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t on the unusual event, though, as Sylez and Sar¡¯ollaz returned to question Ishtar and Les¡¯ndrassa.

    Elinor brushed back Adoncia¡¯s bangs; her struggling soul had been soothed and the stress on her essence aided by Ishtar and Les¡¯ndrassa¡¯s unified efforts.

    ¡°They are beyond danger?¡±  Thor questioned, glancing at Sal, Alisa, and Valentina.

    ¡°For now,¡± she returned.  ¡°Adoncia was in the most danger, but the force channeled through the Nexus helped her gain ground in adapting to her patron.¡±

    Thor¡¯s gaze shot to her, realizing she didn¡¯t say Tiamat¡¯s name for a reason.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l nodded, strengthening her holy light around the teens and maneuvering them a bit away from the fiends near Ishtar.  ¡°I will continue to support them as I can, but I suspect they will gain consciousness sooner than anticipated.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Elinor mumbled, returning her gaze to her sister.

    How drained are you, Ishtar?

    Her sister¡¯s tired eyes said it all when meeting hers.  ¡°Whatever forces he was contending against¡­ including that creeping chaos Becdeth drew me toward, put a shock through my system.  I expect you know something about this?¡±

    We¡¯ll go over it when we return to Nethermore.

    The other Covenant member¡¯s questions ceased as Elinor moved to address Aidrh¡¯ruz.

    ¡°First, and most importantly, can you balance Ishtar¡¯s mind?¡±

    A new, enlightened, ponderous, calm tone had come over the creature¡¯s words while rubbing his lower jaw with his upper arms; his crown had remained its pure-white hue.

    ¡°I can¡­  As to what I saw and have to say, Supreme Goddess¡­  Your actions don¡¯t go unnoticed; Irkalla will fall if you do not kill your nemesis¡­ and its fall will not come by his hands; the chain of trust you¡¯ve fostered will be broken.¡±

    Vision falling to the ground at the ominous prophecy, Elinor grunted.  ¡°Well, Becdeth said as much¡­  Fulfill your end of the bargain, and we can leave you to puzzle over the meaning of things¡­ or whatever your vision has shown you.  I have things to do.¡±

    He smiled.  ¡°Hehe.  As you wish, Supreme Goddess.  Hearts broken are not easily mended.¡±

    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±

    Ishtar shot him a tight-lipped frown before shifting her focus to Elinor and speaking through the Nexus.  ¡°Is he saying I will betray you?¡±

    Haha!  Sis, I don¡¯t think you stabbing me in the back would break my heart.

    ¡°True¡­ you¡¯re so cold and detached, I doubt much could affect you¡ªugh, I have a headache.  I tried to test your emotions in the past¡­ nothing worked.¡±

    You act as if I didn¡¯t already know that!

    ¡°Bah¡­  I¡¯m tired.¡±

    Excuses!  Hehe.  Ready to hear all the details of my escapades in this world?

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect I have a choice in the matter,¡± she mumbled, running her fingers through her hair before smiling at the exhausted holy horror next to her.  ¡°I look forward to working with you more.¡±

    ¡°As do I, Goddess,¡± she returned.  ¡°Now, I must rest¡­¡±

    A pool of water enveloped her, and she was nowhere to be seen when it fell to the earth.

    Apate hummed, hands behind her back while studying their two parties.  ¡°You guys¡­ do things way differently than Olympus.  So¡­ what¡¯s next?¡±

    Aidrh¡¯ruz pulled Ishtar into her own mental battlefield; as she fell unconscious, Kulitta scooped her mistress into a princess carry as Ishtar contended with her 10,000 lives.

    Elinor could guess which incarnation would come out on top since she¡¯d been the one to kill her sister every time¡ªit wouldn¡¯t necessarily be the most ¡®powerful¡¯ of her sister¡¯s incarnations but would do wonders politically and be able to draw from her past combat experience.

    Thor distracted himself by examining his new understudy, teenage God-Touched, studying how their change affected their spirits.

    ¡°Now¡­  We return to Nethermore.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s bright tone drew Elinor¡¯s smile.  ¡°Tomorrow, I fight to the death with Orinvia!  I can¡¯t wait to experience such a thrilling battle.  Do you believe she will push my face into the dirt?¡±

    ¡°Where do you get some of these ideas?¡±  Elinor sighed.

    ¡°Children!¡±

    ¡°Of course¡­  Hehe.  Let¡¯s go home.¡±

    With the unusual event passed, Elinor had the Seraph return her to Nethermore before returning to collect the resurrected women; Neara sent a decent number of unintelligent undead to help the Great Chiefs manage their dead and document everything.

    Ishtar would likely wish to demonstrate further her powers of resurrection to strengthen the hope in the sudden change coming to the Ri¡¯bot nations, which would further spread their fame as a budding nation.

 B3 â€” 52. Impending Wars

    A small smile creased Elinor¡¯s eyes as Sari¡¯a¨¦l brought them back into her valley to see the colossal city she¡¯d claimed as the seat of her power; the broken wall and gates were already in the process of being repaired by Edmon¡¯s efforts.

    It was only the beginning, but her growing court was making strides in her name.  Still, remaining on the defensive in her budding nation would only lead to a slow defeat; they¡ªrather, she¡ªhad to go on the offensive.

    What a mess we¡¯re in¡­  My entire Existence was pulled into a blender while Ishtar and I went through our little drama.  As strong as I was as Ereshkigal, I was¡­ lacking¡ªwe all were, she internally pondered, vision shifting to her younger sister; her battle against herself would conclude soon.

    I hope you¡¯re prepared for the troubles of directing an empire, Ishtar¡­  Of course, we¡¯ve had 10,000 lives to practice.  Even if we weren¡¯t there for our hosts when they needed us, we learned valuable lessons as mortals.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s golden irises drifted between Thor, the sleeping teens, Apate, and Kulitta before meeting Elinor¡¯s gaze while talking through the Nexus.  ¡°Empress¡­  I assume you will be leaving soon?¡±

    Hehe.  Hmm.  Not immediately; I still need to see your match, after all¡­

    ¡°So, you will stay to see my battle?!¡±  she smiled.

    Of course.  I need to raise Orinvia</a> into the Royal Court.  We¡¯ll need all the help we can for what is to come.

    ¡°I look forward to the momentous battles.¡±

    Elinor shot her a dubious smirk.  I suspect that is in the hope someone will tie a rope around your wings and swing you around before stepping on you.

    ¡°In the mud!¡±

    Her focus shifted to Kulitta, holding Ishtar in their flight, and Elinor shook her head; maybe it was a good thing she¡¯d be separating the two, or was it the right decision?  The tight-leathered songstress was the type her Seraph desired to befriend the most, and a thought played at the back of her mind that could help the angel prepare for her conflict.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l interrupted it with soft laughter.  ¡°I did very much enjoy the time I spent with your family; Nungal was a delightful host, and the pools were¡­  It was the closest thing I¡¯d felt that resembled basking in my father¡¯s light again!¡±

    I¡¯m glad you enjoyed your time in Irkalla; we¡¯ll return in time as we move our conflict beyond the mortal sphere.

    Elinor¡¯s focus moved to the Maw below, seeing Thor still thinking about the many things she¡¯d shown him through their journey together; he had been a critical factor in the reason blood hadn¡¯t been shed in their heavenly visit since he was a complete wildcard to Marduk.

    Everything had been accounted for, and the strings plucked to set their future path, yet the only turbulent card on the board that could upset that plan was held by the Primordial.  It was challenging, bridging so many personalities; they were needed, though.

    It would be foolish to believe herself above allies after everything she¡¯d witnessed; she¡¯d grown to understand her strength alone was not enough, and hubris¡ªa trait not exclusive to mortals¡ªwas a trap she refused to fall into.

    Ishtar stirred, glowing turquoise irises opening to scan the passing scenery in their flight over the storm they flew through, protected by the Seraph¡¯s light; thunder rolled across the heavens with flashes of lightning, breaking the sound of the wind.

    Joyful words were passed between the songstress and Sari¡¯a¨¦l to the Queen of Nethermore.

    ¡°Thank you.  Hmm.  I see I wasn¡¯t out for long, Sister,¡± she commented as Kulitta released her for the angel to move Ishtar beside Elinor in their journey.

    So, which of your incarnations has taken the throne?

    ¡°Heh.¡±  Ishtar¡¯s eyes gleamed with intelligence as she folded her arms, vision scanning everything around them to take in and process.  ¡°I won¡¯t insult you by assuming you haven¡¯t already surmised that answer.¡±

    The one before last, when you set up this little plan to change me from the inside rather than confronting me head-on.  Welcome to the Empire, Ishtar.

    ¡°Mhm¡­  I look forward to building while you destroy¡ªhmm-hmm¡­ isn¡¯t it what we were destined to do in the first place?  You only became so orderly and strict out of necessity¡­ since I shirked my duties when we were newborns, and you had no other way of keeping a balance to things.¡±

    In all honesty, Elinor hadn¡¯t considered that line of thinking and self-reflection, which surprised her, but it was true.

    Ishtar had been born to rule the High Heavens, yet her personality¡ªpossibly influenced by Tiamat or some other aspect involved in her birth¡ªhad ended with her being the chaotic impulse that influenced the next generation of gods and goddesses to make a mess of the realm.

    The Infernal, the domain of the dead¡ªher realm¡ªwas supposed to be a place of order in chaos.  A power structure where power ruled all with her at its head, yet because of Ishtar rejecting the Wellspring of Eternities, she¡¯d been forced to take on a more responsible role to not allow creatures to bypass her authority.

    Twins of creation, they were supposed to act in tandem, yet, their forefathers had pitted against each other since the beginning.  Now, it was clear why they wanted both realms to be in a state of chaos when Marduk returned¡ªanother hero moment for him to shine.

    Hmm.  Let¡¯s put the past behind us, Ishtar.

    She caught her sister¡¯s incredulous smile, making her giggle.

    Yes, I know that sounds rich when I still hold authority over you, but¡ªas you said yourself¡ªyou were hardly the picturesque visage of a Supreme Divine Creation Deity.  Consequences always follow actions, regardless of the station of your birth.

    ¡°Fair,¡± Ishtar sighed, possibly reflecting on her past youthful rebellion before the woman¡¯s eyes narrowed.  ¡°Mother told me of Gugalanna and Nergal¡¯s disappearance.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s jaw tightened as they drew closer to Nethermore, focusing on the slick water falling down its high black walls.  Nergal has many names, Erra being one of them, and one of our current enemies is High Mesopotamia from Thor¡¯s Great Existence¡­  Erra sat on the throne of Irkalla.

    Her sister was silent for a time as she pondered the connection.  ¡°You believe our Nergal is connected to their Erra¡­  Perhaps they made some kind of contract when everyone in the Heavens and Irkalla was focused on this Crimson Tide?¡±

    It¡¯s possible, Elinor mumbled, fingers tightening at her back.  I cowed Nergal in our Existence, clipping his wings swiftly as I understood his penchant for destruction and chaos¡­ in addition to his appetites for the younger goddesses.

    ¡°Hehe.  The need for you to exert order and law within your domain after my rebellion¡­  You had a war on your hands, yet you brought all its monsters and denizens under your heel.  I heard stories that the early days of your rule were quite¡­ combative.¡±

    Indeed, they were.  However, Nergal and Erra share similar essence in temperament, and I believe he¡¯d want to punish me for the humiliation he suffered when he tried to challenge my rule while I was young.

    They started to descend, Sari¡¯a¨¦l and Kulitta speaking to one another as the songstress gained a better grasp on their nation¡¯s current position through the Nexus; Apate was clearly looking forward to having a bit more freedom and getting away from the God of Thunder as he decided his next move.

    ¡°So¡­ he led your husband into a trap?  I find it difficult to believe Gugalanna would be so easily deceived.¡±

    A sad smile lifted Elinor¡¯s lips as the image of her adoring husband came to mind; she was the goddess of death that had fallen in love with a mortal.

    A tad unfortunate, but Gugalanna is the romantic type and isn¡¯t that well versed with those of Irkalla since he was a mortal¡­ before you killed him.  Haaa.  And it all happened because Gilgamesh rejected you¡­

    Her radiant sister gave a helpless shrug.  ¡°I was young and in love.¡±

    Hah!  More like lustful and embarrassed.

    ¡°Humph¡­  He was the only man ever to reject me, and I felt it was my duty to¡­ never mind.  As for your husband, I do wish you victory and his safe return.¡±

    Appreciated, Sister, hehe, but I¡¯d be happier to see everything not burning when I return.

    Ishtar read her underlying tone and showed a melancholy smile as they prepared to touch down on the walls of Nethermore.

    ¡°In my struggle against all my past incarnations, I learned a lot¡­  I¡¯m sure you conceded some grounds, considering you were up against every version of¡­ well, heh, you.¡±

    A smirk twisted Elinor¡¯s mouth.  Only Elinor and Irkalla were a match for one another, and only because she was already on the throne; still, you¡¯re not wrong, there were pacts and single-combats made between Irkalla and other versions of myself in that internal war.

    ¡°Always the boastful one,¡± her sister mused.  ¡°In any case, I gained more wisdom from my actions and tactics when used against myself than during our conflict.  There is a place I have in the cosmos that needs to be filled, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t enjoy myself in it.¡±

    They touched down on the battlement, Noa¡¯s happy face birthing from runes to greet them as Sari¡¯a¨¦l introduced the surprised songstress; they seemed to tell Elinor and Ishtar were talking, so they bided their time until they were finished.

    Ishtar observed the chatty three while concluding her thoughts.

    ¡°I used to think of responsibility as a cage to trap me in, but now I see purpose in it¡­ a direction to focus my efforts to cultivate something rewarding.¡±

    Ishtar turned, giving her a smile Elinor had never seen on the woman.  ¡°Thank you for being patient with me, Elinor¡­  For putting your trust in me¡­ after everything I¡¯ve done.  Hehe.  Even if it is out of necessity.  I want to succeed.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s stomach shook with laughter as she walked over to hug her surprised sister, who hesitantly returned the embrace.

    I¡¯m not so embarrassed or cold to not welcome my sister back with open arms¡­  We both had our faults, but now we can stand united.  In essence, your tantrum in subjugating heaven was no different than me¡­ when I first brought Irkalla to heel.  We all go through growing pains¡­  Welcome home.

    Her sister¡¯s throat was thick as she fought back tears.  ¡°It feels like a welcome¡­ something I didn¡¯t feel in the heavens until all the deceivers left with Marduk.  He may have rejected our fractured heavens¡­ but I won¡¯t.  I want to rebuild it, and I¡¯m just¡­ confused about what my purpose should be in it?¡±

    Elinor nodded, understanding her plight in trying to understand what place she had¡ªyes, she had one¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t entirely so defined since they didn¡¯t operate as a typical pantheon of ¡®Heaven¡¯ and ¡®Hell¡¯ since Irkalla was somewhat reflected as both in their Existence.

    Why don¡¯t we talk, but before that¡­

    Turning to her angel, the hybrid runic A.I., and songstresses, Elinor drew their attention; it was time to execute her previous thought.

    ¡°Kulitta, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡­¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±

    ¡°Empress?¡±

    Unsure how this would play out in practice rather than theory, she motioned between them.  ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l is a divine being of music and song¡­ and so are you, Kulitta.  Why don¡¯t you enjoy each other¡¯s talents for the day?  She can show you around, Kulitta, before we leave in two days.¡±

    ¡°I would love to hear more of your voice,¡± the Seraph chirped, wings flaring with delight before lowering slightly while looking back at Elinor and speaking through the Nexus to those connected nearby.

    ¡°Does this mean¡­ I will not be accompanying you, Empress¡ªam I, not your Warlord¡­ and are you not going to war?  I do not understand.¡±

    A sad puff of air streamed through Elinor¡¯s nose.  You are my Warlord, but there is such a thing as a war on multiple fronts.  Regrettably, we are in such a position, and I understand your desire to take part by my side, but you will be needed here if my fears come true.

    I haven¡¯t been able to inform you of every piece of information to set the stage, but I will tomorrow, after your battle; we are stepping into dangerous waters¡­  Our actions must be precise if we are to confront these rising threats.

    Her wings drooped further for a second with her golden irises before rising again and smiling.  ¡°I will not fail your expectations, Empress.  I¡­ suppose my weakness has caused this problem to arise.¡±

    Ishtar shook her head, causing Noa to glance between them in confusion; clearly, a tad frustrated she wasn¡¯t invited into the conversation, which was mirrored by Apate.

    ¡°Do not think it is your fault, Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  It is simply circumstance.¡±

    Elinor scratched her neck with a short chuckle.  That¡¯s not her concern, Sister¡­  Sari¡¯a¨¦l, your desire to feel weak is not hindering my goals.  Continue to enjoy yourself as you please, so long as you are victorious in the end, and it aligns with your morals and my direction, you are free to pursue your love.

    A curious beam lit in Kulitta¡¯s</a> light-green irises as she changed her posture to put a gloved hand against her exposed hip; the slit in her white leather dress shifted with her hip ornament at the movement.

    ¡°Desire to feel weak?  Interesting,¡± she hummed, eyes narrowing while studying the happy Seraph</a>.  ¡°You wish for us to be better acquainted, Empress, and she enjoys the song?¡±

    Hehe.  Indeed.  I expect you two to have¡­ quite a bit in common.

    Ishtar lifted an eyebrow while shifting her gaze to Elinor.  ¡°Oh?¡±

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    I¡¯ll leave you in Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s care to explore Nethermore and acquaint yourself.

    Noa straightened as she drew Elinor¡¯s gaze; naturally, the Seraph and songstress would leave once directed since the stormy elements would overshadow them without their support.

    ¡°It¡¯s time to go our separate ways¡­  Thor, I assume you want to speak personally to Sal, Valentina, Alisa, and Adoncia when the teens awake before deciding if you¡¯ll journey with me or go your own way?¡±

    A heavy puff of air shot through his lips as he nodded.  ¡°I am grateful for the hospitality and transparency thou hast given me, Lady Irkalla¡­  I have much to contemplate.  Still, my brothers require rescue; thou wouldst have my answer by the end of the day.¡±

    ¡°I can accept that.  Noa, could you transport them to where Gwen and Lucky are managing those requiring aid so the teens will have somewhere to rest?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Empress!¡±

    She could see the heavy look on the Primordial¡¯s face; traveling with a bunch of dubious women was far more of a barrier than Elinor had predicted, and Apate was a hard spot for him, yet a Trickster of her caliber, background, and knowledge was something she did require.

    It would help that he could see himself as a hero, defending the God-Touched from any possible schemes Apate or any of the others they journeyed with from tempting the poor mortals; Elinor had carefully shifted things into place to bridge the gap between the morals of their shaky party¡ªit was a balancing act.

    ¡°What about me, Mistress?¡±  Apate brightly asked, hopping forward with a spring in her step as the Primordial and God Touched were carried away.

    ¡°Hehe.  You have the freedom to wander as you please within my city¡­ excluding the prison, the Throne Room, and the human areas¡ªexplore the city and perform your innocent, non-harmful jokes to your heart¡¯s content¡ªwe wouldn¡¯t want you to bump into Thor again.¡±

    Wine-colored eyes filling with excitement, she swiftly bobbed her head and gave her a swift curtsy.  ¡°I will not betray this trust you¡¯ve placed in me!¡±

    ¡°More like she can¡¯t,¡± Ishtar mused in private to her after seeing the chains around the Trickster¡¯s Core.

    Haha.  Let her have her fun; being able to act in the open within limits is far more appealing to her than having to skulk in shadows and fear for her life.

    ¡°I suppose.¡±

    Noa sent the beaming woman to the palace to wander, and once she was gone, Elinor gave the Runic A.I. a tight smile.  ¡°Watch her¡­ closely.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±  she saluted, throwing Elinor off for a second by the Nalvean gesture that she¡¯d probably learned from Finila, the Undead Nalvean girl that had befriended her.

    ¡°Now, take Ishtar and me to my tower¡ªah, and Kulitta, Sari¡¯a¨¦l, before you wander¡­¡±

    Her Seraph instantly nodded.  ¡°I will go collect the other women and girls to return and deliver to Gwen; we have so many new children to play games with!¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  I¡¯m happy for you.¡±

    Light surrounded them as her orders were followed, and the three gave their respectful gestures¡ªthe hybrid A.I. fumbling between motions, unsure if she should follow the Seraph¡¯s bowed head or songstress¡¯ curtsy.

    The thick glass of the upper tower came into focus as the runes left them, Ishtar moving to stand behind her; a curious twinkle came to her sister¡¯s blue eyes.  ¡°What¡¯s this about your little six-winged angel being a masochist for Kulitta to enjoy?¡±

    Not a ¡®true¡¯ masochist, to be fair, Elinor returned, knowing what her sister was imagining.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l doesn¡¯t have the same sexual deviancy as the context promotes; she¡¯s an innocent girl that simply finds joy in feeling weak.  It¡¯s just the closest word to describe it¡­ if you take away the erotic context.

    ¡°Hmm?  Hehe.  Doesn¡¯t that defeat the point of the word?¡±

    Don¡¯t go corrupting her, Sister, Elinor frowned, shooting a tight look at the smiling goddess¡ªshe did take on the aspect of fertility¡ªand was the highest form of creation deity.  Children of the Sun come from a completely different type of Existence, and we do not need to make a mockery of their lifestyle.

    Head tilting to the side, Ishtar returned her gaze with a devious twist.  ¡°What if it is she who wishes to move in a more¡­ intimate direction?  I do not know anything about her culture or Sari¡¯a¨¦l ours, it seems¡­  Shouldn¡¯t she be educated?¡±

    Elinor rolled her eyes.  I suspect she has seen and understands reproduction but doesn¡¯t grasp the emotional attachment side of things, which is why I¡¯ve already assigned her an instructor.  You needn¡¯t worry about that, but you should be concerned about offending her father, who could destroy you and me at our strongest with a blink of his eye.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Her sister¡¯s lips drew in at the revelation.  ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.  She does seem to be a rather innocent soul for a Warlord.¡±

    Her power is the real deal, Elinor returned.  I believe it can grow still through being attached to this Seed and us; her father is a very vengeful entity called a Transcendent, and he chose to entrust his¡­ unique daughter to me because we could offer her the growth she requires that he couldn¡¯t facilitate.

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Elinor saw the distant look in her sister¡¯s eyes and swapped to the topic that was distracting her.  Ishtar¡­  I know you¡¯re struggling to find your place in how to model your new heaven, but I think it¡¯s reasonably straightforward.  I have power over the afterlife, and you, creation¡ªyou are the budding chaos of life¡­  Enjoy the fruits of it.

    ¡°Hmmm.  I can see that outlook,¡± she whispered.  ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ hard trying to reconcile a more frivolous lifestyle of ¡®life¡¯ as you called it with a more responsible means of going about it¡­  Nature is blind, yet I do wish to hold compassion for those I foster.¡±

    It seems you are already on the path you desire, Elinor chuckled.

    ¡°I suppose so.  Huh.  So, leaving the lighter topics to the side¡­¡±  Ishtar laughed, vision narrowing as she scanned the land she now governed.  ¡°You expect us to be embroiled in three wars simultaneously, which is why you have chosen to leave Sari¡¯a¨¦l here?¡±

    Perceptive, Elinor sighed, fingers tightening against her back.  I¡¯ve learned a lot through interacting with these races, and there is much more we can gain from working with them.  You require belief in your current state to build your Seed.  I do not.

    ¡°Therefore, haaa¡­  I am to be the political face for these treaties for the masses to see and interact with as you battle in the shadows¡ªI suppose my accursed attention needs are why this Seed developed this way.  Oh, well¡ªnothing can be done about it now.¡±

    Their wandering eyes drifted between sections of the city as they began slowly circling the colossal, open room; the sewage and draining system seemed to have been completely fixed at this point, efficiently handling the flood of water pouring onto the black-stone metropolis.

    ¡°So, what part do you want me to take in these coming wars?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mind returned to Becdeth¡¯s warning and smoky symbol as he prophesied the impending eldritch threat.

    I suspect a powerful host of eldritch entities¡ªones in opposition to Becdeth¡¯s faction¡ªare preparing a method to tunnel through the barriers Thor spoke of to assault the inner world, and they need a staging ground for it¡­

    She drew Ishtar¡¯s focus to the thundering heavens overhead, dark clouds swirling in the tempests that carried them.  We are at the edge of this maelstrom of collected Existences¡ªthe Outlands¡ªand it is likely by design.  Someone wishes to thin the herd of Supreme Deities, have us act as a deterrent for these entities, buy time, or waste our energy fighting each other to finish the job.

    ¡°Hehe.  All of the above?¡± Ishtar snickered.

    That¡¯s my conclusion.  We¡¯re dealing with something very cunning and powerful that knew what was coming and managed to maneuver multiple¡ªand very powerful¡ªpantheons into acting as a stopgap for these Eldritch forces¡­  I suspect not many are left¡ªIrkalla may be the last Underworld in its way by the title Becdeth gave me.

    Ishtar looked down at the long streets that connected the center of Nethermore to the outer walls, cupping her chin.  ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean all of them are gone, but all those that they managed to force into these Outlands.  I assume these other gods still have some semblance of their Existence¡­ still struggling against this Crimson Tide?¡±

    Possibly.  Although, I suspect those that couldn¡¯t will be looking for a new place to conquer to act as a new staging ground.

    ¡°Irkalla¡­  You believe Nergal and Erra are plotting to take it as their new staging ground?  It would make sense,¡± her sister hummed.  ¡°It has shown itself to be resilient against the Crimson Tide due to its connection to Tiamat and you.  If that¡¯s the case¡­¡±

    Elinor forced a smile.  Mhm¡­  Tiamat is far stronger than we initially thought, proving why Marduk was forced to trick and seal her and Abzu, using their own powers and feeding on their strength rather than simply killing his parents outright.

    ¡°So¡­  These Celestials that Apate mentioned are something special and come from outside of Existence¡­   Well, they¡¯re more like creators of the beings that give rise to Existences¡ªapex creation entities?¡±

    It seems that is the case, but they clearly have their weaknesses, seeing as Apate hinted that Primordial Odin killed theirs with Primordial Olympus doing the same.

    Ishtar slowed to a halt before turning her questioning gaze to her.  ¡°Does that make the first Old Gods Primordials?  I didn¡¯t sense that same energy with them, but they had mixed their essence with Abzu¡¯s.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes tightened while turning to face her sister.  We can¡¯t be sure about anything at this point.  We know that we are different due to how we were created, and Tiamat knows all the secrets we need to unlock to carry on to the next stage.

    Her sister bit her bottom lip with a wry smirk and a nod.  ¡°And what does she want?  Freedom and vengeance.  So, you¡¯ve set things up for her to obtain that while putting us in a position to get better acquainted with her as Adoncia¡¯s patron deity.  It¡¯s a good plan.¡±

    Heh.  Well, there are flaws, Elinor sighed, glancing in the direction of the prison, where the shadow entity trapped in their planet resided.  I can¡¯t plan for everything, Ishtar¡­  I don¡¯t know enough about the board, despite opening the heavens themselves and meeting my children.

    ¡°Haaa.  Yes, they seemed even more clueless than you¡­  The Crimson Tide is keeping them locked behind their gates; I¡¯m sure Nungal is going stir crazy, hehe, wanting to fight it.¡±

    Elinor lifted her eyebrows with a nod, knowing her daughter.  Without a doubt.  She¡¯ll do anything to prove herself to me.  Still, I learned a lot and prevented further damage by doing so.

    ¡°And gained a handsome new ally!¡±  Ishtar grinned.  ¡°For all we know, he could be single after his Existence fell apart.¡±

    Ishtar¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s a possibility!¡±  she said, expression falling.  ¡°As difficult as that might be¡ªand I don¡¯t wish ill on his wife¡ªwhat will come of our relationship with him if that is the case, or if these Primordial factions turn against us?¡±

    It was a valid point, and Elinor tucked under her own bottom lip before studying the weeping heavens.  Thor is honor bound to defend Asgard, yet he will also honor his bond with us as long as it remains positive.  There is a complicated relationship the Primordials share with one another.

    Ishtar scratched her temple.  ¡°Heh, which is why we need Apate to give us unfiltered insight into how their culture deviates from the Asgard we knew.¡±

    Indeed.

    Silence ensued as they pondered the information, and after several minutes, Ishtar streamed out a long puff of air.  ¡°So, you want me to look out for this eldritch incursion and take point in that as Sari¡¯a¨¦l handles another?¡±

    We¡¯ll learn a lot from it¡­ and I suspect they have some connection or can manipulate the gateways that brought us to this world¡ªkeep a close eye out for them¡ªthat is where I want your attention when it appears.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l can handle any typical warfare, but against these creatures¡­  I¡¯m not sure what caused her to be slain the first time.  Anything involving these Crystals, I want to be cautious of when it comes to her.

    ¡°I understand,¡± Ishtar whispered, shooting a soft smile her way.

    What¡­

    ¡°You have changed¡­  In more ways than one.  I like this new version of you, Sister.¡±

    Hmm-hmm-hmm.  Yes, well, I like who I am, too¡­ but we need to get stronger.

    ¡°Then we get stronger!  This time, as sisters,¡± she added, flashing her teeth before holding out her arms for an expectant hug.  ¡°I look forward to working for you, Empress!¡±

    Hehe.  When were you a hugger?  Elinor mumbled, closing in to embrace her.  Also, you don¡¯t have to call me ¡®Empress¡¯ when we¡¯re not in public, Sister.

    ¡°Hmm,¡± she cooed, squeezing her tightly; Ishtar was surprisingly warm.  ¡°Sister¡­  I¡¯ve always been a hugger, but we just never ran in the same circles.  Hehe.¡±

    Learning more about her sister as the day went on, eventually, the storm passed, leaving a partly cloudy sky and spotted showers.  They went over contingencies and where Elinor saw their journey taking them.

    After a time, she moved toward all the information she¡¯d discovered and needed to impart before she left in the coming days; to Elinor¡¯s surprise, the exchange was far more pleasant than she would have thought, and Elinor found she had far more in common with her sister than she expected.

    When night came, she let Ishtar go to mingle with Tal¡¯tamine as she waited for Thor¡¯s arrival; her sister would be able to cure anything the Nalvean princess was afflicted with, and it would be better for her to bond with her celestial counterpart to further bridge their kingdoms.

    The teens had awoken by now and were getting used to being connected to the Divine; of course, Adoncia had a totally divergent experience.

    Being connected to the Nexus, she could sense the girl¡¯s emotions and hear her thoughts to a minor extent if she invaded her privacy; Tiamat¡¯s presence was beyond words or scale, making the young maid feel like a speck of dust before a universal entity that towered over her.

    Still, having the comfort of the Nexus and Elinor¡¯s own power to fall back on and knowing she wasn¡¯t alone was enough to help her through the initial shock of Tiamat¡¯s titanic claws against her essence; it was only the beginning of her climb, but she had survived the impossible part.

    A low rumble came to Elinor¡¯s throat as she sat on her silky throne, turning to the side to see the valley and chair across from her.  Elinor stroked Masmu¡¯s smooth scales; the little, white spiritual serpent was such a treat to have nearby.

    Yet, her mind shifted gears as Noa brought the Primordial to sit across from her; Masmu moved up to circle around her neck to appraise the God of Thunder.

    ¡°Welcome, Odinson.  How are the mortals?¡±

    Thor dropped into the seat, expression tight as he leaned forward to rest his elbows against his knees, studying her demeanor.  ¡°Thy children appear to be taking great care in their transition¡­  Adoncia struggles.¡±

    ¡°Naturally.  I am closely monitoring her progress as one of my maids.¡±

    A short pause came as Thor debated on how to ask his next question with her in front of him; she could see this was important and would need to be answered if they were going to continue forward.

    ¡°Wherefore hath thou chosen these children to channel thy own?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Elinor sat back, nodding at the implications.  ¡°In essence, what plot is there in putting these children down this dangerous and somber road of pain and conflict¡­  I assume you don¡¯t like involving mortals in the affairs of gods?¡±

    ¡°Supplying courage to mortals and showing them how to be warriors of word and deed is not the same as what I have experienced from Primordial Olympus and how they treat those under their care.¡±

    ¡°Fair,¡± Elinor sighed, running her fingers through her now unbound locks.  ¡°What was my purpose in selecting them?  Hmm, let¡¯s see¡­

    ¡°Their parents care nothing for them.  One.

    ¡°They desire to push beyond where they are to protect something they care for.  Two.

    ¡°Adoncia is my maid, while also having a connection to Sal and Alisa, which will further strengthen their wills and help them when times grow tough.  Three.

    ¡°The budding love of Sal and Alissa will strengthen with their trials, forming a stronger bond to push beyond tribulation.  Four.

    ¡°Valentina¡¯s parents weren¡¯t brought through the gate, and she is alone.  Five.

    ¡°The girl has a Seed already and desires to roam, yet needs guidance since she is still a child.  Six.

    ¡°All of them have at least some characteristics that can resonate with those they¡¯ve connected with.  Seven.

    ¡°I need my children to function in Irkalla to provide stability while supporting me here.  Eight.

    ¡°I¡­ begrudgingly realize that I am not strong enough to accomplish this quest alone, no matter how powerful I know I am and can become¡­ there are things I cannot accomplish, which is why I have ultimately selected specific individuals to make this journey.¡±

    Taking a deep breath, she let it go before leveling with the God of Thunder.  ¡°Are you telling me you believe you are strong enough to handle your brothers¡¯ rescue alone?  We both know you¡¯ve stayed to vet me because you know I will be a capable ally in saving your brothers¡­  And I need people I can rely on in the likely possibility my husband has been taken.¡±

    She let the statement speak for itself as she waited for his answer.  It took several more minutes of silent study before Thor closed his eyes and ran his fingers through his mane of flaming locks.

    ¡°All-Father, help me¡­  I have seen thy heart through thy family and subjects.  Thou art true to thy word; thus, I find myself in alignment with thy quest, yet¡­ Sif, help me, I fear for how this tale will end with thy selection in companions.¡±

    Elinor returned with a helpless shrug.  ¡°What do you want from me, Thor¡ªwe both know every one of them will be invaluable to the cause in their own unique ways¡ªand I¡¯ve already bound Apate so she can¡¯t trick you.¡±

    ¡°Her snide remarks and devious eyes are enough,¡± Thor grumbled, crossing his legs and glaring at the city below.  ¡°Hmm¡­  I shall be thy hammer on this journey, but I will not sit idle to that which I find offensive.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  Feel free to speak your mind as often as you wish¡ªcall Apate Hera¡¯s Harlot however many times you please¡ªyet, to be fair, I believe everyone should be seen equally.¡±

    ¡°Aye¡­  I accept that she may speak her mind.¡±

    ¡°Without the worry of a crushed skull?¡±  Elinor pressed with a short snicker.

    ¡°Mmgm¡­  I cannot give thee my word, but¡­ I will restrain myself.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful!¡±  Elinor clapped.  ¡°We have a few things to handle before we leave, such as the bug and artifact problem below the valley and my angel¡¯s battle.  We can leave before dawn in two days.  Acceptable?¡±

    ¡°It is.¡±

    Reaching forward, Elinor held out a hand.  ¡°It will be a pleasure slaughtering with you, Thor.¡±

    ¡°I hope the same, Lady Irkalla¡­  I pray to my wife I keep my eyes unscarred.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  No promises!¡±

 B3 â€” 53. Into The Cavern

    Wanting to distract Thor from anything involving Apate or her current location, Elinor sent the Primordial to spend time with Edmon to better understand the tireless improvements being made to her city.

    In the next few hours, she¡¯d be calling him to investigate the tunnels the three Spider Sisters had mapped.  Tracking their general direction was easy enough, but that didn¡¯t take into consideration their phenomenal scouting capability with their webs.

    Elinor studied the quiet night from within her tower, Theresa</a> humming nearby; the motherly maid had been developing new songs and melodies since her tireless mind and body gave her time to develop her hobbies.

    There were several directions their journey could take, and just like the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra, skulking inside the caves on their mission, Elinor¡¯s mind spun webs, connecting and predicting the effect of each potential outcome.

    She¡¯d mostly identified the critical individuals she would need in their travels, yet a few wildcards had been passed between Ishtar and her in their discussions; naturally, Nethermore was the most vulnerable when she left, and there were sobering disaster-level threats that had to be addressed.

    If, by some extreme misfortune, she were to be killed while away¡ªsomething Tiffany and Edmon fearfully resonated with, if more for herself rather than Ishtar¡¯s concern¡ªeverything she¡¯d built would collapse in an instant.

    The humans she¡¯d brought under her wing couldn¡¯t survive, the Argent Dawn would lose all power, and the tentative union of races within Nethermore would fracture.

    The very real inevitability of Nethermore coming under heavy war also posed the issue that Elinor wouldn¡¯t be there to rebuild their ranks, and that was part of the reason for her ponderings; she needed to raise the dead on their passage and send them back to Nethermore, yet that carried the frightening event of a long procession of Undead, constantly walking to the east.

    In the end, they concluded, she should increase her Intelligent Undead and gather them in small battalions to be sent in waves; the problem from that route came in the form of walking around with an army and drawing attention.

    There weren¡¯t any perfect answers, yet that was the burden of anything in life.  Ideally, she¡¯d find someone to fill the Necromantic¡¯s position in her Royal Court, but Elinor wouldn¡¯t hold her breath, and they needed a temporary solution.

    Currently, Elinor calculated the personnel she could bring, focusing her gaze on the northeast, where Violet and her sisters searched; she wanted to take at least one of Iris¡¯ daughters¡ªthe Th¨¦lm¨¦thra were far too valuable not to consider¡ªand that was the problem.

    The girls would be invaluable for a multitude of reasons for her sister, primarily to guard her when she went to the various nations around their land to meet with the other leaders.

    Elinor had God-Touched, a godly trickster, the God of Thunder, and the dominatrix songstress on her roster thus far, and it was a solid team.  The teens would slow them down at the start, but that was a part of honing them into the weapons she¡¯d need when they required the extra muscle of her children.

    A smile lifted her lips as she stroked Masmu¡¯s elegant head as her little snake flicked out her tongue, and Elinor assured the spiritual creature she hadn¡¯t forgotten about her.

    Voukey could use his communications ability to give her monthly updates, which would be helpful, and the Flock General had the potential to act as a temporary reconnaissance resource whenever making the journey.

    She glanced at the humming maid, recalling the longing feelings of her fellow maids to join her on the quest with fondness; in the end, to their disappointment, she¡¯d made it clear Adoncia</a> would be the only maid that would attend to her.

    Ishtar was a busy bee, making appearances, spending time with the population that couldn¡¯t rest, and healing many of the women and children who had been rescued.

    Luisina</a>¡ªher self-sacrificing cleric maid¡ªhad been in a state of awe since regaining consciousness and basking in her new queen¡¯s light; her weak, undead body was having trouble keeping up with the goddess as they kept on the move throughout the hours.

    As to the elder of the songstress twins, Ninatta, she supported Neara¡ªElinor¡¯s new Head of State and the disgraced goddess of servants in heaven¡ªin her address to the other nations.

    After which, Sari¡¯a¨¦l transported the revived women for care and the goddess pair to Nethermore, where the two returned to their mistress¡¯ side to busy themselves with understanding the ins and outs of their new home.

    Overall, her nation had exited the dangerous time of budding and was now on an upward trend, which was the perfect time to leave things to develop under her sister¡¯s watchful hand.

    Elinor¡¯s fingers flexed as she studied the mountains to Nethermore¡¯s east; her enemies were running scared, and just as they needed time to prepare, she could use that time to strengthen her God-Touched.

    Her emerald irises shifted to the woman she¡¯d called to her side not long after Thor¡¯s exit; she allowed her the time to ponder on her journey instead of having Noa instantly deliver the maid.

    Adoncia, are you feeling better?

    The black-haired young woman brushed back her shoulder-length locks, forcing a smile as she curtsied.

    ¡°Yes, Empress.¡±

    Elinor knew the answer, but allowing her to express herself was an essential part of letting her expand and develop a better relationship with Tiamat; out of all her maids, having been granted the power of an Oni through her Seed, Adoncia had the nerve she needed.

    Plus, every maid had tailored their own outfits, and Elinor rather enjoyed the cute design she¡¯d come up with; the clothes a girl wore showed a piece of herself that she wanted to express to the world without words.

    Sit.  Also, Theresa, if you could pour us tea and join us?

    She waited for the two to follow the order; obviously, the teen would feel awkward when her ¡®technical¡¯ superior maid was standing, and she was sitting.

    The tea was a cold brew, using the new leaves they¡¯d discovered in this alien world; each drink was hit or miss, yet that was the fun in exploring the unknown.  This particular pot was above average and had a slight mint aftertaste that was dulled to bring out a more rich earthy flavor.

    How was your time in Irkalla?

    Trying not to fidget with her apron front, likely still addled by sensing the titanic entity she was now connected with, Adoncia put on her best smile.

    ¡°Beyond words, Empress.  You¡­ told me to be candid and honest about my experiences?¡±

    Speak your mind, Elinor nodded, studying the young woman¡¯s illuminated, crystal-blue irises.  I know it may be challenging for you to accept, but you are far more than just a simple maid.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to discuss, if possible¡­  What exactly am I?  It¡¯s just¡­ a topic that came up between Sal, Alisa, and Valentina.  We were given a seed¡­ like Valentina, but¡­ we weren¡¯t exactly changed in the same way.¡±

    It¡¯s a good question, Elinor hummed, scanning her figure.  Did you want to become a tiger girl?  Hehe.  I¡¯m sure having permanent, retractable underwear would be tempting, and the striped kind!

    ¡°E-Empress¡­  Hehe.¡±

    Joking!  Well, heh, half-joking.  I suppose that¡¯s a bit new to you.

    ¡°It is¡­ but not in a bad way!  It¡¯s just a bit¡­ strange, and how you look now¡­¡±

    Hmm?  Elinor glanced down at her elegant, floral dress the musical goddesses had crafted for her and her far more mature figure</a>.  Theresa, if you could rebind my hair, I plan to be going out soon.

    ¡°Would you prefer a bun then, Empress?¡±  the motherly maid questioned while moving into position and accepting the floating, divine hair clips the songstresses had made for her; the maid would use them to keep her bangs from obstructing her left eye.

    Elinor giggled after the woman¡¯s quick, yet expert hands completed the style.  Yes, well, I had to add a few modifications since we returned from my wardrobe; what do you think about my spider-themed thigh brace?  Eye-catching?!

    ¡°It certainly does look fancy and¡­ impractical for travel.  Hehe,¡± Adoncia winced.

    Haha!  Much like Kulitta¡¯s outfit, I suppose, but we¡¯re goddesses; would you expect anything less from beings who can just get rid of physics?

    Her maids gave a thoughtful nod at the point.

    Being able to gauge your opponent while also expressing one¡¯s self is crucial¡­  Haaa, I¡¯m seriously considering bringing Violet with me so I can have her construct new outfits for us, but, unfortunately, I don¡¯t think I can pull her away from Nethermore.

    Hmm.  To the topic you asked, though, Elinor chimed, long fingernails tapping the side of her silken throne, causing the teen to straighten.  What are you?  You are an Undead Oni Maid.

    Adoncia blinked, processing her answer.

    ¡°The Seed?  Thor¡­ said we¡¯re changing.¡±

    Elinor snickered.  The Seeds my children copied from Valentina are not the same as the one Ishtar, and I have.  Hehe.  You may be able to tell by comparing us.  I have an entire empire and hosts of powerful servants.  Valentina?  Claws and, heh, natural underwear.  There is a limit to it, which is why my children infused them with their own power to enhance them.

    ¡°We¡¯re¡­ they¡¯re becoming more like your children?¡±

    They are becoming more like my children, Elinor corrected.  You¡­ are not the same as your brother because you do not have a Seed since you share in mine, which is far¡­ far more potent.

    A lump dropped down the girl¡¯s throat as her fingers tightened in her lap.  ¡°I¡¯m not human anymore¡­  I¡¯ve accepted that, but¡­ will I change more?  I don¡¯t want to scare my brother like I did the first time I changed¡­  Just my eye color freaked him out.  I¡¯m just¡­ scared, Empress.¡±

    Elinor breathed out a soft, understanding sigh while studying her maid; this was so difficult for her to express, and the contrasting development that was happening between their relationship that the Nexus influenced.

    Getting to her feet, Elinor motioned for them to follow her since they¡¯d finished their cup; the two maids swiftly rose to accompany her on their walk around the room.

    I told you this would be more challenging than you can fathom¡­  I know what will become of Sal, Valentina, and Alisa.

    Your brother will draw from my eldest son, and the Seed will gradually form to his budding desires rather than all at once as is the object¡¯s preset function¡ªto force immediate change¡ªbut I¡¯m not a fan of such¡­ brute force tactics, and find it to be a¡­ mildly desperate action.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    I would rather your brother facilitate what he wants to become rather than bring out what is already within¡­ a bet on the future potential rather than the present, unrefined will, and desires that can be brought forth.  Following?

    Adoncia gradually became more comfortable now that they were on the move and not having Elinor¡¯s focus totally on her; she processed the question for a second before nodding.

    ¡°I¡¯m connected to you through the Nexus, being an undead servant to you¡­  I share in the greater power through you.¡±

    Fidgeting with the white-trim, blue-and-black striped bow-tie around her neck, she forced a short chuckle.  ¡°I¡¯m so confused as to what relationship I¡¯m supposed to¡ªwell, how you¡¯ve treated me recently.  If I¡¯m a tool, I can understand that¡­  You needed someone within the Nexus to bond to Tiamat, and I happened to fit the bill.¡±

    Hmm.  Elinor slowed to a stop to stare at the northern mountain, glowing magma still showing from the parted clouds.  Adoncia¡­ you will not always be connected to the Nexus.

    Theresa and the teenager stiffened at the information.

    ¡°E-Eh?  Why¡ªwill I be kicked out because¡­  What will happen to me?¡±

    The Nexus provided a place of security¡ªa refuge¡ªfrom the chaos that had devastated their lives.  They were a part of a sort of family and community within it that could be tapped into whenever needed to speak to those within it.

    Elinor¡¯s half-smile caught both women off-guard, and she could feel their uncertainty, considering they believed the Nexus was eternal and not without reason.

    Sal and the others are on the path to ascension to become deities on par with my own children; however, there will come the point where I will need to remove you from the Nexus because, to put simply, Tiamat is beyond even these Greater Seeds, and you will grow with her gradual release.  What does that mean?

    Adoncia froze in place, unable to process the answer with the motherly maid beside her; Elinor chuckled and turned to face her to provide the answer.

    It means we will be equals.  Well, heh, in time¡­  Not something you expected to hear, I¡¯m sure, Elinor mused.

    You are not a tool, Adoncia¡­ you are an investment.  I understand you to your very Core, and before ever becoming aware of Tiamat, I knew your loyalty¡ªand perhaps even more importantly¡ªyour stubborn determination to push forward when no one else helps you, would be invaluable.

    ¡°I¡­ c-can¡¯t be your equal, Empress,¡± Adoncia choked.  ¡°Everything I am¡­ even being linked to Tiamat¡­ the power to stand up to the world¡­  Everything I have comes from you!  No one has helped me¡ªever¡­ my parents, even Sal¡­  You¡¯ve given me everything I care about.  So¡­¡±

    Elinor held up a hand for her to stop.  I am not so selfless, Adoncia.  I am a judge¡ªthe judge¡ªand I do so on the merit of spirit, and what I¡¯m saying is¡­ I predict you will prove to me to be my equal, given the opportunity.  So, I¡¯ve given it; that is all¡­

    She brought Adoncia¡¯s attention to Theresa.  When I rose you maids from the hundreds of dead, I was drawn to the most valuable that were worthy of serving me¡ªand I do not select just anyone to serve my needs.

    Theresa, ever stoic and composed, soundlessly curtsied at the compliment to not interrupt her explanation.  A part of her charm, Adoncia¡¯s was slightly rigid.

    You will have the capability to enhance your Oni powers and express yourself however you wish, heh, and serve me at the same time on our journey; channel that inner rage and love for a challenge all you wish when you want, and, after that, return to this charming young woman you love.

    Elinor placed a hand on the girl¡¯s shoulder, shocking her out of her internal panic as her future place within the Empire was explained.

    I want to see you bloom to be who you wish to be because the comrade I need is the inner gem I see within you that Tiamat accepted.  Now, be the rock you want to be for your brother, and show him a path that will bring them in alignment with my children¡­

    Moving away and calling Noa, she shifted to grin at her conflicted maid.

    Show them what it means to be strong.

    Tight hands held at her front, Adoncia stiffly nodded.  ¡°I¡­ will do my best to live up to your expectations, Empress.¡±

    It¡¯s not my expectations you need to contend with, Elinor laughed, pointing at her chest.  It¡¯s yours that you¡¯ve projected onto me.

    ¡°Noa.¡±

    ¡°Empress!¡±  the crescent-moon-eyed hybrid chimed, seemingly in a good mood after the chaos she¡¯d been dealing with had died down.

    ¡°Take me to see Thor and Edmon.¡±

    And Adoncia¡­

    ¡°Hmm?  I-I mean, yes?!¡±

    Prepare the others for a harsh, physically demanding journey that will begin early tomorrow morning.

    Runes carried Elinor away, leaving as Theresa moved to clean up the tea and Adoncia to internalize everything she¡¯d been told; the girl had a sense of responsibility few could match and a will to match the ideals she held.

    If the other teens were to survive, they¡¯d need her, which was why Thor was so concerned for her condition, but Elinor knew what the God of Thunder did not since she was so deeply tied to the Nexus.

    Adoncia was an exceptionally rare soul among Existence that had the makings of greatness if given the path to walk such a destiny; now, she¡¯d been offered it, and all there was to do was provide the proper kick in the butt to set her on it.

    The colorful symbols left her, and Elinor had to smirk as she glanced at the messy library floor of the massive room; Edmon had been referencing and redesigning hundreds of materials and plans for all the projects to turn Nethermore into the visionary fortress it was meant to be.

    ¡°What are your thoughts on my city?¡±  Elinor questioned as the two men turned to greet her.

    Thor streamed out a heavy sigh.  ¡°Thy man has a keen eye for the defense of thy city.¡±

    A hearty chuckle came from Edmon, making Elinor lift an eye; from the feelings she sensed through the Nexus, the Doom Guard had been enthralled by picking the Primordial¡¯s brain on every inch of the fortress.

    ¡°Thor pointed out many weaknesses in my designs that would make a counter offensive far more challenging than it had to be, given the tools at our disposal and the possibility of growth; sacrificing a way to cripple a siege for more defensive capabilities isn¡¯t the best tactic.  We¡¯ve been exploring ways to balance things out.¡±

    Elinor snickered.  ¡°Sounds like you boys have been having fun!  Unfortunately, I need to steal Thor.¡±

    The God of Thunder grinned, lifting his hand for his gloves, hammer, and cloak to fly from their resting positions on a table to attach to his body.  ¡°We ride to battle at last?¡±

    ¡°Our little bug problem,¡± Elinor nodded.  ¡°I can feel Violet nearing the walls while her sisters remain underground.¡±

    Noa¡¯s clawed hands tightened at her front.  ¡°She¡­ didn¡¯t ask me to bring her back?¡±

    Elinor shook her head.  ¡°It seems there is a tunnel that is closer to Nethermore than returning to the mountain.¡±

    Edmon saluted her, wearing a big grin; his confidence in her self-reliance had skyrocketed since seeing her in action.  ¡°I look forward to your victory and the spoils of war.¡±

    Contacting him through the Nexus, Elinor gave a playful nudge.  I think Thor¡¯s rubbing off on you.

    ¡°Haha.  He is very war-oriented and brings up points I¡¯d never considered.¡±

    Voukey has yet to return from his mission to the Nalvean Empire; keep a close eye on their progress, and if something drastic happens, consult Ishtar as to what to do¡­  We cannot lose our key communications officer.

    Edmon¡¯s gaze hardened at the possibility, seeing as they were on a mission to infiltrate the Seaweaver District to extract the humans isolated within; they couldn¡¯t underestimate Yesenia if she¡¯d been rekindled to her true identity.

    Elinor directed Noa to transport them to the northernmost wall as Thor pumped himself up for the coming battle by swinging his hammer a few times.

    A soft wind met them, tugging at Elinor¡¯s bun, yet the black clips refused to allow her bangs to obstruct her vision.  Looking out over her empire, the unusual sight of the northern biome spread out below them, displaying their colorful, alien flora, mosses, and trees.

    Many sections seemed to have taken a heavy hit from the snowfall that had blanketed them not that many days past, which would likely cause Tiffany to cry at the loss of materials.  Yet, as she surveyed the area, she noticed a very small number of Unintelligent Undead that was gathering a few of each type of growth.

    Tiffany, always thinking ahead, Elinor internally mused; the witch hadn¡¯t informed her on this little side project, possibly thinking it wasn¡¯t worth bothering her about.  I would have given her more manpower had I known.

    Thor rolled around his shoulders, lifting his hammer in the air for lightning to split the heavens; energy arced from the gray clouds overhead, striking the man to be absorbed into the powerful artifact.

    Noa tucked under her bottom lip, eyeing the man¡¯s casual action with worry.

    Elinor diverted her gaze not to be blinded, but the rumbles that passed through her bones from the proximity made her shiver, remembering their battle; once again, she was reminded that this Primordial was unlike anyone she¡¯d met throughout her long existence and the power he wielded.

    If Primordial Olympus is like Thor¡­  We have a fight on our hands.

    ¡°What is thy goal in this affair?¡±  the man asked as Elinor rubbed her ringing ears.  ¡°We battle the horde to this object of mutation?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  Interesting choice of words,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°Right now, we just need to figure out what it is¡­  Ah, Violet is above ground.  Thank you, Noa; that will be all for now.¡±

    ¡°Safe trip, Empress.¡±

    Holding out her hand, a fissure split space as she summoned her chain to attach to her spirit and propel her into the night; Thor remained behind as she made her way to the second-youngest spider sister.

    As she expected, just before meeting the elegantly dressed spider girl, a bright light streaked past her, dirt erupting in a shower as the earth gave way under the Primordial¡¯s force as Thor came to a halt; the rumble of thunder followed.

    Show-off, Elinor sighed, landing in front of Violet.

    The Th¨¦lm¨¦thra bowed her head while speaking through the Nexus, keeping a close eye on the approaching God of Thunder, electricity dancing from his bare chest and eyes.

    ¡°We have located the artifact you sent us to find, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Aloud, Violet,¡± she prompted, nodding to Thor.

    Nodding again, she repeated herself.

    Thor grinned, a hot frenzy emanating from his pent-up frustration at all the jabs he¡¯d recently received from so many women, ready to be released.  ¡°Shall we make an entrance, Lady Irkalla?¡±

    ¡°We shall,¡± Elinor returned, summoning her staff.  ¡°Yet¡­ I have the sneaking suspicion you are going to steal all the thunder.¡±

    ¡°Haha!  I see that thy words hold merit.¡±

    Elinor put a hand on her hip, adding a feigned dirty look.  ¡°It wasn¡¯t an invitation!  Still, have your fun.  Haaa¡­  Violet, guide him to the hive center; I¡¯ll take my time.¡±

    ¡°Pleasant stroll, Empress.¡±

    Thor spun his hammer around in a violent tornado at his side as Violet led him to an uncovered sinkhole she¡¯d created.

    ¡°This is why I see thy wisdom, Lady Irkalla; despite thy dubious plots and words, thou doth understand the needs and desires of those within thy company.  Thou relinquishes the honor of being first into battle; I respect thy ways, which is not something I often say to other pantheons.¡±

    She held out a hand in a dismissive gesture.  ¡°A modest respect for other cultures can carry you a long way in building allies,¡± she noted.  ¡°Slaughter away in peace; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be met with quite the horde.¡±

    The pair vanished soon after, quakes vibrating through the earth as the man used his power over storms to propel himself after Violet¡¯s swift acceleration.

    Azalea¡­

    ¡°Empress!  We have discovered a most interesting nest of insects; they seem to enjoy lava.¡±

    Oh?  That is interesting.  Double back and direct me through this maze tunnel; your sister is guiding Thor around.

    ¡°Yay!  I¡¯d love the opportunity to be your shadow.¡±

    Entering the pit, it wasn¡¯t hard to see what general direction she needed to go by the scorch marks the God of Thunder left, but it didn¡¯t take long before she came to a dead end.

    Elinor glared at the collapsed corridor.  Freaking Thor¡­

    Azalea cleared it away once arriving, continuing to inform her of what the sisters had discovered, and Elinor proceeded at a casual pace; she wasn¡¯t in a hurry, and it was nice getting out of the keep.

    At one point, five creatures shared a floating black obelisk, by the evidence they¡¯d been able to collect; two had been long wiped out.

    Apparently, they played a game of tug-of-war, stealing the precious artifact from time to time, but each surviving creature made sure to keep a few queen eggs far away from the primary nest with its own attendants.

    Most of the time, these queens died, and one insectoid race had many queens¡ªthe race she¡¯d slain on her trip to recruit Noa¡ªyet they were not the ones currently in charge of the corrupted Divine item.

    Hordes of ashen and blackened corpses met her as they continued deeper into the pits, entering a drained lava vein, although Elinor suspected it had been more than likely devoured.

    Thor seemed to have gone to destroy both of the other invasive species that had continued to evolve through combat in their closed-off, underground war; they appeared to have locked themselves into a bit of a trap, feeding off specific resources underground after adapting to rely on a particular element with the obelisk¡¯s aid.

    The creatures Thor went to fight seemed to be more worm-based and thrived in sandy environments, grinding down the stone to create a semi-desert tunnel system and massive caverns in places the spider sisters used to play.

    However, Elinor¡¯s fascination grew with the scorpion-like lava-loving creatures she¡¯d begun to see; they had keen senses, from what Azalea explained as she created pathways through the bubbling rivers of lava that all converged into a magma pocket, the scorpions had found supremacy in.

    Camellia didn¡¯t have the stealth capability of her sisters to dodge the scout¡¯s senses, causing her to hang back to study a few they¡¯d killed; she pepped up upon seeing them and joined their gradual descent, devastating those that they came across.

    From what Azalea reported, they had a chain of command; queens at their top¡ªmuch like the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡ªbut there were also royal guardians and maidens.  These queens could produce offspring with the workers and scouts, but she seemed to leave that task for the smaller servant girls¡ªshe was all about mating with those that stood up to her and domesticating them.

    Elinor had to chuckle at the conquering nature of the evolved species; she could see what kind of spirit, and, if conditions allowed, she might find another good addition for her sister to use.

    From the foot soldiers and drones, they had developed to incorporate the high-intensity fire crystals that formed within the pools and kept a strong exoskeleton</a>; perhaps these creatures would have become prey for the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra Queen had they lived at the same time.

    She hoped the queen and royal guard wouldn¡¯t disappoint her as they descended into the fiery caverns; elemental fire scorpions would be a nice addition to her army, and they could explore more inhospitable areas underneath her Empire.

 B3 â€” 54. An Infernal Discovery

    Azalea and Camellia walked beside Elinor as she descended into the infernal pit of lava and noxious vapor; she had the girls stand back, allowing her to confront the swarm.

    Despite the glowing pools of slow-moving magma, the area was reasonably dark, and Elinor used the spiders¡¯ surprisingly resilient silk bridges to cross the impassible areas.

    Most of the cavern had been hollowed out by the giant scorpions, and those she passed were swiftly added to her growing army with the horde of butterflies flapping ahead of them; Elinor paid close attention to how they fought their own, fascinated by their evolving form of combat.

    At first, they fired precision fire crystals from their tail to dig into vulnerable places on her undead soldiers, yet, obviously, that wouldn¡¯t destroy their reanimated brethren.

    A small smile moved her gleaming eyes, easily penetrating the vaporous tunnel darkness while walking halfway up the wall on the platform Azalea crafted; it was essential to understand a new species¡¯ adapted fighting style, and when they were creatures accustomed to in-fighting, they often revealed their own weaknesses.

    Her undead scouts quickly broke past the surprised warriors¡¯ barrages of superheated, dagger-like projectiles that peppered their soft, muscular tissues between their exoskeleton; their internal organs leaked a liquid that instantly ignited once exposed, bathing the creatures in flames as another form of defense.

    Unfortunately for them, their turned brethren no longer felt pain or feared for their lives, and it didn¡¯t take long for the smaller workers to follow Elinor¡¯s silent commands, mirroring their attack style to dig into the far smaller gaps of the warrior scorpions, adding them to her force.

    Interesting¡­  Elinor mused, hands behind her back while observing the last two warriors in this batch change tactics.

    Azalea giggled, pointing at the blinking red crystals running along the walls, floor, and ceiling.  ¡°They¡¯re transmitting what they learn to the nest.¡±

    ¡°Can I face their queen, Empress?¡±  Camellia eagerly asked, not paying too much attention to the battle overall.  ¡°I¡¯ve been practicing with Lea!¡±

    Her sister sighed, twirling her constantly growing, silky blue locks around her fingers.  ¡°Cami¡­  I don¡¯t know if you can fight her.  Especially since you¡¯re still not fully recovered.¡±

    Rather than being dissuaded, the redhead¡¯s shining eyes lit up.  ¡°She is strong?¡±

    Elinor could sense the internal debate the second-oldest Th¨¦lm¨¦thra sister was pondering after observing the hive.

    Let¡¯s not be hasty, Camellia.  I know you want to show me how much you¡¯ve learned from the humans and your previous battles, but a part of that is understanding your enemies.  Take this opportunity to observe their tactics, and if you can convince me you aren¡¯t just rushing in¡ªhehe, like the juggernaut you are¡ªthen I will consider it.

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    They strode forward on the blue bridge Azalea made, continuing into the depths of this magma chamber as Elinor added more scorpions to her ranks; she¡¯d use the same methods of attack to test how they would adapt, exploring their ingenuity.

    What are your thoughts on the royal guards and queen, Azalea?  Take your time to respond if you need it.

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  she skeptically creased an eye, lips tightening as she looked at the fire crystals and magma.  ¡°I¡¯ll conserve my judgment for now, Empress; these ¡®old warriors¡¯ are their weakest, sent for testing our strength.¡±

    Oh?

    Elinor already concluded it was a bad match-up, excluding Violet, with her resistance to the element, yet they had battled far worse in the Quen¡¯Talrat.

    Still, it was fascinating that they were using pawns to probe their combat potential, but it also made perfect sense since they fought other creatures that would constantly evolve with this artifact¡¯s help.

    ¡°Quin and Garu could kill a group of these creatures¡ªwell, hmm-hmm, if they weren¡¯t stupid about it.¡±

    At the level of Uncommon, Elinor nodded, examining the ones she¡¯d brought under her command.

    They would be weaker than their normal counterparts in strength, speed, and general ability, but when gaining the unfeeling and unrelenting will of mindless undead, the trade-off was more than acceptable.

    Elinor didn¡¯t want to rob Azalea or Camellia of the opportunity to study their opponents by raising an Intelligent one¡ªcheating by learning all their dirty secrets¡ªsince she wouldn¡¯t always be here to give them that option and didn¡¯t want them relying on all the gifts she offered.

    Plus, it had been some time since she¡¯d spent personal time with the three sisters, and she wouldn¡¯t get another opportunity for some time after today.  A war was coming they had to prepare for, so Iris and her daughters¡ªincluding her newly discovered daughter¡ªwould become invaluable.

    Vision settling on the blinking fire crystals, she paid close attention to their patterns, committing them to memory with their movements; if she was reading them correctly, a new squadron was moving into position.

    Camellia, take command of the fifty soldiers I¡¯ve gathered and show me how you lead rather than just destroy.

    ¡°Eh?  Can I lead them into battle, Empress?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  That defeats the point, Cami,¡± Azalea snickered, skipping over to hug her older sister.  ¡°I know you never liked commanding the drones, but what do we do?¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­  Adapt,¡± Camellia groaned, rubbing her left arm before turning into her Th¨¦lm¨¦thra form with her sister, likely running out of time.  ¡°I¡¯ll just imagine I¡¯m them, smashing these things¡¯ heads in!¡±

    ¡°Haha!  Always the brute, Cami.¡±

    Elinor had a different concern for giving the oldest spider sister the task; she¡¯d been given command over her last big mission¡ªother than catching the Seraph and returning her to the city¡ªand the failure she felt in losing her party was harsh on her pride.

    Camellia wasn¡¯t the type of creature to get attached to the Nalvean or Quen¡¯Talrat, but the pain she¡¯d caused Elinor when losing two of her Intelligent soldiers had left a mark of shame on the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra; she hated to fail at anything, considering she¡¯d been the failure of her family.

    Elinor watched the fifty partially damaged scorpions rush ahead, likely following the redhead¡¯s surveillance knowledge as to where their opponents were gathering.

    Now, she knew such an experience had been good for her¡ªloss was a part of life¡ªyet she hadn¡¯t thought that at the time.  Camellia had to know she was still trusted to lead and make mistakes since she¡¯d already experienced the consequences of her actions, and controlling unintelligent soldiers was an excellent start for her return to the field.

    Proceeding further, Elinor giggled when Azalea¡¯s sharp eyes fixated on her slicken skin with the rising heat.  Ask what¡¯s on your mind.

    ¡°The atmosphere will only grow worse as we continue, Empress, and I have noticed humans tend to release sweat when experiencing overheated bodies.¡±

    I have remaining skill points that I can add to my physical constitution and Artificial Body; the trick is using only the bare minimum of what one needs for any given situation.  I will be fine; focus on your analysis.

    ¡°Yes, Empress,¡± she bowed her head.

    Camellia was grinning as she entered their next combat, and they paused in the wide corridor, sending a pack of ten warriors behind them to meet the ambush while having the remainder form a stampeding wave to overwhelm the gathered scorpions.

    ¡°Look at them break rank, Empress!  Haha!  They¡¯re so frightened¡ªso unlike true loyal drones!¡±

    Azalea hummed, arms crossed under her modest bust; she took everything extremely seriously under her typically playful attitude, but something seemed to irritate her about the pocket resistances they¡¯d met.

    ¡°Cami, try to lose less of your drones and instruct them to be more precise in their attacks; when the Empress leaves on her journey, we won¡¯t have the luxury of rebuilding our own.¡±

    Clever girl, Elinor praised.  There¡¯s always room for improvement, but you¡¯re also doing wonderful, Camellia.

    She felt the oldest sister¡¯s heart swell with the praise she so seldomly received throughout her life; all the girl needed was proper guidance and a supportive environment, which wasn¡¯t always available when Th¨¦lm¨¦thra culture pitted siblings against one another, but they weren¡¯t bound to that anymore.

    ¡°Yes, Empress!  Umm, Lea¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±  the younger sister asked, surprised to hear the uncertainty that couched the redhead¡¯s voice.

    ¡°Am I reading this wrong, or is the energy in the crystals around us steadily growing along our path?¡±

    A half-smile lifted Elinor¡¯s mouth as she studied the radiant mineral above them, filling the space with heat; she had sensed it with her new, unlocked faculties but expected it to be a natural development due to her small sample size, yet the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra had a far wider sensory grasp of the tunnels and phenomena.

    Azalea appeared to be slightly surprised by the question.  ¡°You¡¯re¡­ right, Cami.  I thought it was a product of the continual transferal of signals, yet¡­ it isn¡¯t happening to the other areas where the warriors are being pulled from¡­  The queen is manipulating them.¡±

    ¡°A trap?¡±  Camellia asked, jumping up the wall as the last few scorpions were dealt with, leaving only thirty-two undead, and many were heavily damaged.  ¡°The force within them is building¡­  An explosion of some kind?¡±

    ¡°Possible,¡± Azalea hissed¡ªever the perfectionist¡ªshe was clearly agitated she hadn¡¯t been the one to notice the change; Elinor figured she was too focused on the queen and her guards, expecting these weak scorpion soldiers couldn¡¯t touch them.  ¡°Should we divert our path, Empress?¡±

    Elinor shook her head, walking off her platform to step on the black stone as she circled a few of the fallen, enflamed arachnids.

    Camellia¡­ what do you think about this battle compared to the last¡ªwhat was different?

    The girl hopped several meters away from the wall, landing with a shocking amount of stealth, considering her massive body.

    ¡°Umm, they¡¯re changing their battle strategy¡ªcrushing the head or dismembering our drones instead of shooting their spikes, and their tails are being used less offensively and more defensively¡­  Uh, right?¡±

    Azalea joined them, continuing to produce silk from the gland at the back of her shiny blue-patterned Th¨¦lm¨¦thra body.  ¡°Our drones¡¯ weaknesses have been discovered¡­  A large wave is coming to handle the rest of our soldiers and, more than likely, to test us in return.¡±

    Elinor nodded, looking up at the many shimmering crystals as their glow continued to brighten.  Don¡¯t worry about the detonation.  We head straight for the chamber.

    She chuckled, climbing onto Azalea¡¯s cool exoskeleton.

    Camellia¡¯s eyes lit up.  ¡°I can crush those that come after us?¡±

    Yes, I suspect we won¡¯t have much time left before Thor comes smashing his way to us.  Your opinion of the royal guards, Azalea?

    The sisters rushed forward, causing hot, toxic vapors to press against Elinor¡¯s skin as she scanned the halls filled with the scorpions in hot pursuit.

    ¡°Roughly as strong as the average Quen¡¯Talrat Elite Hunter¡­ as a soldier of yours?  Likely falls within the Heroic Grade; Camellia will have a rough time facing all of them as an undead, but perhaps as a human, she will have the flexibility to dodge their projectiles, though she would be more vulnerable without her thicker armor.¡±

    Camellia huffed, jumping forward with shocking speed as her spear-like legs easily cleaved through the weak joints of the scorpions and caught their whip-like tails in the face without damage.

    ¡°Would they really be able to penetrate my exoskeleton with their weak crystals, Lea?¡±

    ¡°These weaker versions of the species are like our drones to us, Cami,¡± her sister warned.  ¡°It¡¯s why I chose to save the last few minutes of my human transformation in case it is needed for the fight.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­  how can you sustain it longer than me?  I¡¯ve used it every chance I can get!¡±

    Elinor answered, not concerned as the crystals around them ignited, sending beams of lasers in straight lines that the sisters smoothly evaded, having some of the most comprehensive instinct of geometry she¡¯d seen in a mortal species.

    Your sister has advanced to Legendary Rank 2, Camellia, through all her efforts in fighting the runic battle drones.  I suspect you will achieve Rank 1 if you manage to beat these royal guards.

    ¡°Really?!  I can¡¯t wait!¡±  Camellia squealed, vigor and inertia increasing with every creature she collided with, building her Juggernaut passives.

    ¡°Careful, Cami.¡±

    ¡°I know!  I know!¡±

    ¡°Haaa.  They¡¯re going to aim for your breathing joints, and those areas are still weak from your previous battle.¡±

    ¡°Obviously!  Seriously, I know, Lea.¡±

    ¡°Ha-haaa¡­  I just don¡¯t want to see you broken like before,¡± Azalea whispered, probably also thinking about her nearly incinerated little sister when fighting the runic A.I.

    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°¡­Thanks for caring about me, Lea.  Hehe.  It¡¯s so weird for you.¡±

    ¡°Not true!¡±  Azalea huffed, manipulating her silk to keep Elinor stable on her back as she jumped between hidden lasers to land on the ceiling and trap the infuriated scorpion warriors below with her invisible silk.  ¡°Who was the one always mediating between you and Vi?¡±

    Camellia hummed, tossing arachnids into the path of the lasers to be cleaved in half and bathing others in the liquid flames they left.  ¡°I always thought you did that to try and manipulate us against each other, getting on Mom¡¯s good side?¡±

    ¡°Eh-hehe¡­ I guess you weren¡¯t as clueless as I thought.  Nice job, Cami!¡±

    ¡°See!  I just suck at leading drones, matching your speed, and I may not be as precise as¡ªokay, fine, you¡¯re better than me!  I said it!  Still, I always admired how hard you worked, Lea¡­ unlike stupid, gifted Vi¡­¡±

    ¡°Thanks!  You never gave up, either, which always helped me when I¡¯d grow depressed with how easily Vi would master something that took me weeks.¡±

    ¡°Gah!  Right?  She¡¯s so infuriatingly gifted!  Uh¡­ do you think our littlest sister will be like that?¡±

    Elinor could feel the mood dampen as Azalea thought about their brainwashed and kidnapped little sister; they could probably sense the change in their mother¡¯s attitude once learning about her daughter.

    Of course, to Elinor, her fourth daughter wouldn¡¯t even be alive without the experiments that had been done to hatch and hijack the genetic hierarchy the race had; then again, how her daughter had been raised was another topic entirely, and she suspected that was what had so incensed the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra queen.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Cami¡­  Focus.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  Why?  You¡¯ve already taken care of it!¡±

    Elinor chuckled inside, knowing Azalea was saying it more to herself than her sister, as they entered the primary nesting grounds, just before the queen¡¯s chamber, where over a hundred of the higher-tier newborn warriors sat in utter stillness.

    Magma flowed into pools, creating gentle streams, and an updraft carried a surprisingly cool breeze from other fissures to enter further holes that likely connected to the mountain¡¯s snowy slopes above them.

    They stopped in the middle of the petrified army, Azalea¡¯s tiny threads having already found their way into their bloodstream to inject a newly developed poison she¡¯d crafted on their journey; the throng would die soon.

    She would have been a cooked chicken had not she invested more points into her artificial body, but so long as Elinor didn¡¯t exert herself too much, it wasn¡¯t deadly; the issue came with where the queen and royal guards waited¡ªinside a live magma pit in the next chamber, but she would exit her nest for one simple reason: resources.

    A queen with an utterly devastated workload and warrior network, unable to maintain her territory, was a sad queen, indeed.

    These creatures appeared to have a form of agitation or fluster, as well, which was something the Th¨¦lm¨¦thra had to learn¡ªnot exactly a good trait, but one that brought understanding¡ªAzalea had actively sought to grasp it in toying with her prey, for instance.

    Elinor hopped off Azalea¡¯s back to land on the ground, butterflies floating through the cave, causing several lasers to go off from the queen¡¯s manipulations, passing harmlessly through the ethereal, fluttering Death Energy.

    It wouldn¡¯t be long before the fearful queen surfaced, and what creature wouldn¡¯t be unnerved by such an unnatural enemy as the dead?

    Although, as Elinor¡¯s butterflies entered the chamber, she noticed a strange oddity in the queen; lava erupted to consume the untouchable force, and the royal guards attacked it with their powerful claws, yet it was the unusual tail of the queen that caught her attention.

    A skull-like face snarled at the end, lava-like spittle spraying out as it lurched forward with the heavily armored queen to swallow her butterflies; this was a twist she hadn¡¯t expected.

    A demon?

    ¡°A what?¡±  Azalea asked, staring back at the remaining scorpions that hovered around the various entrances.

    Only the maidens shifted comfortably in a few of the branching safety shelters, pincers snapping with fear as the male workers and warriors froze in place after the queen began to move; it didn¡¯t seem they could act while she was distracted.

    Camellia was jumping up and down with anticipation.  ¡°When are you going to come out?  Fight us!¡±

    Elinor was totally fixated on the unusual pairing as the three royal guards rushed out to meet them now that they¡¯d completely neutralized their defenses, and a high-pitched screech echoed around them with their charge.

    ¡°Yes!  Yes!¡±

    Camellia cheered, rushing forward to spray web at them that instantly caught fire through the magma pools, yet remained intact just long enough for her to yank one through as the infernal language rumbled from within the chamber.

    ¡°You shall burn in the pits for your transgressions against the Lord of Ze¡¯drasha!  Shut up, Margotha; you¡¯ve been nothing but a useless pile of meat!¡±

    Elinor didn¡¯t recognize the name, but she couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the accusation, and the queen¡¯s powerful pincers clicked with agitation at his disrespect, rising to smack her own tail in indignation.

    I understand your hesitation now, Azalea, she snickered, observing the argument between Ze¡¯drasha and Margotha.

    Azalea¡¯s body tilted to the left as she watched her sister dodge the lasers, deflect crystal projectiles, and keep her distance from the lava the royal guard spat, yet a crack of thunder down the halls put a chill through her spine.

    ¡°A second entity?¡±  Azalea questioned, understanding Infernal from Elinor¡¯s Nexus translation.  ¡°They haven¡¯t spoken until now; I thought it was a silly intimidation mutation.¡±

    Hmm¡­  We don¡¯t have much time, she grumbled, glancing back the way they¡¯d come as Thor¡¯s powerful vibrations left sparks dancing in the air around them.  He handled the other colonies a lot faster than I anticipated, but I suppose he is trying to enjoy himself¡­ which means letting loose.

    Returning her focus to Camellia¡¯s joyful yet actually life-threatening battle, Elinor sighed and contacted Violet when she came back into range.  Let Thor know that I will handle this battle¡­  I¡¯ve discovered a hiding demon.

    ¡°Understood.¡±

    Elinor grinned as she sensed exactly what she¡¯d expect from a disenfranchised demon; he was preparing to use the corrupted divine artifact to constitute a mortal body.  It wouldn¡¯t be as strong as he would have wanted, but if there was one thing they hated, it was a useless pawn they¡¯d manipulated or worked with.

    Demons prized their personal strength and prowess, and when they were forced to share a form or rely on another, it pissed them off to no end, yet it was better to be a king on a mortal planet than being shoved into the ashes in Hell to many lesser demons.

    Azalea, you¡¯ll have the chance to face the queen yourself; I¡¯ll deal with the demon.

    Disappointment came from the blue-shaded spider.  ¡°Yes, Empress.  I will pay close attention to your battle.¡±

    Oh, heh, it won¡¯t be a battle, dear, Elinor snickered as Margotha batted her tail with anger as Ze¡¯drasha snarled and tried to make it around her swipes to touch the black obelisk floating above the lava pit, drawing the magma inside.

    Camellia was being drawn into a corner with her fight against the three royal guards, unable to even get close enough to land a single blow with their combination attacks.

    Hmm.  Camellia, I¡¯m going to pull them into the chamber with the maiden scorpions and force out our bickering king and queen for Azalea.  Focus on distracting one with your webs, crush another¡¯s legs with the opportunity, and draw the remaining to the opposite side of the room to face one-on-one.

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    Space fractured all around the panicking guard as Elinor drew their attention to the closer colorful chains of Irkalla for the distant ones to connect and yank them across the chamber; they screeched, ripping up the ground and flinging lava, yet Camellia beautifully redirected their appendages with her webs.

    Azalea waved the guards goodbye, making her sister giggle.  ¡°Have fun, Cami!  Pay close attention to the beams of heated light¡ªthey appear to be able to enhance themselves with it.¡±

    ¡°Ooh!  Thanks for the tip, Lea; I hope you have fun, too!¡±

    Elinor walked around the pools of superheated rock to the entrance to the queen¡¯s chamber, using her butterflies as a sensory tool to direct her chains.

    The queen locked up as Ze¡¯drasha managed to touch the artifact; unholy light filled the space, and Elinor studied the process closely; a boom made her wince as Thor appeared next to her in a flash of lightning, sending a flurry of cold and hot wind to sweep the area, and Violet wasn¡¯t far behind him.

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm!  What an excellent way to relieve my stress; thou hath discovered a demon, Lady Irkalla?¡±

    ¡°I have,¡± she mused, stretching out her hand to link her chains to the artifact and transforming queen; it tried to draw from her divine powers and the connection to her realm, yet a simple no was all it took for the device to stop¡ªsomeone had left it permanently on, which had damaged it by quite a bit.

    Hauling it out, the large, over 8-meter-tall lava scorpion quivered as the device forcefully separated their spirits, creating a molten ball of laughing flames that separated itself from the queen¡ªit was probably better that way.

    Still, the demon¡¯s infernal energies infused the queen as a price for the separation¡ªshe was able to have her own demands to terminate their bond¡ªgifting her with the unholy flames she so desired to taste and couldn¡¯t live without.

    Azalea would have a tough fight, but Elinor knew the girl was skilled enough to overcome the power-drunk queen in the pride that came with the cursed fire.

    Elinor moved off to the side with Thor and Violet as the floating bomb of hellfire puffed up and erupted; on prompt, Azalea took shelter behind the gate that appeared behind her, blocking the fires as they consumed the queen¡¯s eggs and dead soldiers¡ªthe terrible part was the fact she had to keep the 1st Gate of Irkalla up to defend against the melted floor and cursed lava.

    Don¡¯t touch the floor if you come in here, Camellia¡ªand Azalea, I don¡¯t think your original toxin will work on her.

    ¡°Yes, Empress!¡±

    ¡°I will develop a new one¡ªcan I absorb this molten stone?¡±

    Pondering it for a moment, Thor bit his lower lip, holding himself back from attacking the self-absorbed demon.

    Since you¡¯re connected to my Nexus and are undead¡­ you should have decent resistance, and she isn¡¯t a demon but was granted a fragment of the Infernal, so¡­  I think you can survive it, but it will not be pleasant.

    ¡°I look forward to growing stronger!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, Lea!  Me, too!¡±

    Leaving the two to their battle, Elinor smiled at the confused demon, who was only now noticing his big explosion of hellfire hadn¡¯t reduced their spirits to ash.

    ¡°Come here for a moment,¡± she chimed, snapping her fingers for dozens of chains to lock him in space as Azalea used what little surface area hadn¡¯t been affected by the blast to begin her battle with the manic queen.  ¡°Let¡¯s have a nice chat!¡±

    A spiked chain cut through space to strike between his wide eyes, penetrating the demon¡¯s essence before the distinct, slow sound of clinking metal drew him in, inch by inch.

    ¡°What was your name?  Ze¡¯drasha, was it?¡±  she brightly asked, locking him out of his infernal abilities as his panic began to set in.

    ¡°What¡ªwhat manner of creature are you¡ªyou are no mortal!¡±

    ¡°Only now noticing?¡±  Thor drawled, rolling his eyes and resting his hammer against his shoulder.  ¡°Thou truly hath the brains of a demon.¡±

    ¡°Thor!¡±  Elinor playfully chided, glancing in Azalea¡¯s direction as she skillfully outmaneuvered the maddened scorpion queen, unable to control herself and making her vastly increased fighting prowess useless due to the mindless rampage.  ¡°We should be nice to the little demon; he¡¯s never even heard of nor conceived of divines as powerful as us.¡±

    ¡°Divines¡­¡±  the stunned demon choked, barfing up its putrid physical remnants of the poison within the queen¡¯s tail as sickness took his entire being.  ¡°You do not feel of the Divine?!¡±

    ¡°Ooh, right,¡± Elinor hummed, drawing in her lips.  ¡°We aren¡¯t exactly on the positive side of the spectrum.¡±

    ¡°Nay?¡±  Thor questioned, lifting an eyebrow.  ¡°Certainly, thou aren¡¯t of such modesty, Lady, but thou would place me in such company?¡±

    A strained laugh rumbled in Elinor¡¯s throat through clenched teeth.  ¡°Why¡­ use modesty as your frame of reference, Thor?¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  Is not modesty a spectrum of Divine, and thy daughter mentioned thou art the Goddess of Nakedness?¡±

    ¡°Mmh-hmm-hmm¡­  mmh.   What did Nungal say¡ªGoddess of Nakedness?¡±  The demon swallowed and shrank at Elinor¡¯s tone.  ¡°Is Freyja your ideal image of modesty and chastity, Thor?¡±

    Thor rubbed his forehead as an eruption of fire was blocked by her gates, and Azalea darted nearby with the rabid scorpion queen in pursuit.  ¡°Hmm.  Thou hath a point, Lady, yet her domain is that of love and war; is not thy sister¡ª¡±

    Elinor slapped her forehead, suddenly quite annoyed.  ¡°Thor¡ªI am not known as the Goddess of Nakedness because I am¡­ am some harlot!  I am known as the Naked Goddess because all who die come before naked judgment.  What did my daughter tell you about me¡ªhave you thought this the entire time?!¡±

    ¡°Woooh!!!  Empress!  Empress!  I did it!  I did it!¡±

    Completely thrown off by the sudden revelation, she now understood why he¡¯d been so utterly conflicted, and, at the worst time, Camellia sent a girly squeal through the Nexus at defeating her opponents and advancing to Epic Rank 1.

    Thor looked like the links were finally connected.  ¡°Blind justice¡­  Is that what she meant when she mentioned you standing before the masses, naked and willing to offer a contest of heated exchanges to give them relief in their infernal desires?¡±

    Elinor wanted to strangle her daughter, her fingers curling in as she imagined them around her throat; she always did have a playful side, and there wasn¡¯t a chance she hadn¡¯t done this as some little joke after realizing how literal Thor thought.

    ¡°She¡­ was talking about me battling anyone without weapon or armor that wanted to challenge my authority¡­¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­  It all makes sense!¡±  he laughed, showing a brilliant grin.  ¡°I had my doubts concerning thee, yet this hath cleared many such statements thy daughter made during my visit; I apologize for impugning thy character, Lady¡ªthou may strike me if it pleas¡ª¡±

    Elinor drew back her fist and¡ªwithout holding back an ounce¡ªconnected with the man¡¯s jaw, causing him to take a step back to stabilize himself.  ¡°Then, heh, I will¡ªare there any more questions you have regarding my character?¡±

    She sighed as Thor rubbed the spot with a sheepish smile.  ¡°Thou hath set my mind straight, Lady Irkalla.  Hehe.  Are my suspicions regarding thy sister and those of our company unfounded?¡±

    ¡°Haaa!  Not¡­ entirely,¡± Elinor grumbled, shaking out her stiff fist; she was a bit miffed he actually thought she behaved so indecently in her own realm or thought so little of her husband.

    ¡°What would Sif say if I suddenly told her all about how much of a wild beast you were; you could have at least been more forward in why you had such suspicions of me instead of letting me guess it was only from our first meeting.¡±

    ¡°Eh-hehe.  It isn¡¯t a topic I enjoy discussing with the women I travel with.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh¡­  Anyway¡­ really?¡±  she lifted an eyebrow as the demon tried to break his seal, keeping him out of Hell.  ¡°You¡¯re not getting away that easily¡ªI could have a use for you!¡±

    Azalea landed nearby with the exhausted and passed-out queen, having collapsed due to her own overuse of her newly discovered powers, giving the girl¡¯s curse-empowered poison a chance to slowly kill the scorpion.

    ¡°I did so well!¡±  Camellia shouted, hanging from the ceiling while presenting the torn-off tails of her prey.  ¡°I only got burned a little, and my leg will heal.¡±

    Azalea was sporting her own minor injuries, and Elinor was impressed by how much the girl had improved since being reborn; in fact, all the sisters had.  They¡¯d taken everything Elinor said to heart and adapted to every new challenge.

    ¡°Alright¡­  Pack her up with that thing,¡± she said, pointing at the obelisk, and as she expected, the hesitant maiden scorpions hesitantly followed them out of their tunnels, bringing the workers.  Their queen wasn¡¯t dead yet but would be soon as they used Violet¡¯s webs to reach the upper wall of Nethermore.

    ¡°Sister?¡±  Ishtar questioned as she came into range.  ¡°Why¡­ are you so agitated?  It takes a lot to piss you off this much.¡±

    I¡¯m going to kill Nungal!

    ¡°Oh?  Consider me enthralled!  Go on.  What did your golden child do?¡±

    Her little prank not only embarrassed me, but she could have ruined everything I had planned!

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  You¡¯re saying she actually almost outmaneuvered her mountain of a mother, and with a prank?!¡±

    Why do you sound so happy¡­  Elinor fumed as she looked down at the cautious scorpions outside the wall.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be, as well?¡±

    Not when she throws me under the wagon as¡­ as a harlot!

    ¡°¡­¡±

    Do you have nothing to say, Sister?

    ¡°Hmm.  Justice is sweet.¡±

    No!

    ¡°Yes!  Hehe.  Should I turn on the red light at night, Sister; I know you can get lonely without your husband.¡±

    Ishtar!  I am going to throw you off the tower.

    ¡°Hehehe.  Let Nungal have her fun.  Did it work out in the end?¡±

    Elinor couldn¡¯t believe her sister was giving her parenting advice, but she did feel somewhat silly for reading too into it; it was the fact she¡¯d been so blindsided by it that the embarrassment truly put a spur in her chest.

    Haaa.  Fine.  I¡¯m going to break her neck at least once for this, though.

    ¡°And I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll love the attention.  Yet another victory for my niece; I¡¯m so proud!¡±

    Ugh¡­

    Elinor¡¯s focus drifted between the floating obelisk, dying queen, apologetic God of Thunder, and the chained and quivering demon; if she was being honest, she was a bit proud of her daughter for having the brass to play that kind of prank on her.

    Nungal¡­  You actually got under my skin for once.  Well done.  Well done.  Now, time to reanimate this queen, have her make Ishtar an army, and head over to the Covenant¡¯s island to collect myself an Arcanist for my Royal Court.

 B3 â€” 55. A Show With The Covenant

    Elinor observed the scorpion queen¡¯s final moments before releasing her butterflies to study the creature¡¯s Infernal-infused spirit; there certainly was damage done, and it would continue to twist Margotha until she became demonic.

    If she had been allowed to remain alive, her spawn would become linked to the Nine Hells; in the wake of the change, her previous brood would have been destroyed to make way for the new empire, which was precisely how this species functioned, sacrificing the old for the new.

    Ze¡¯drasha¡ªthe demon she¡¯d caged¡ªwaited in dread upon realizing the forces he was dealing with, and the fact he couldn¡¯t return to Hell further cemented the understanding that there was no escape.

    Elinor¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t on the fiend; there were numberless demons of his caliber in the First Ring of Hell.  His contributions to her Empire would be minimal; on the other hand, a replenishing army of decently combative lava scorpions had its uses.

    A small smile lifted her glowing emerald irises while examining the queen; she was no th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡ªworld conqueror¡ªbut for some lesser creature to raise to the station of Iris¡¯ eldest daughter with the addition of Hell Force was certainly something to make a note of.

    Margotha, the Epic-Grade, corrupted Lava Scorpion Queen, rose from the ashes to become a Hunter within her ranks; if she had been allowed to develop her new powers, she would have put up a decent fight against Camellia when alive.

    It put into perspective how much weaker her units became from their original prowess, and while she could have raised her to be in the Necromantics Class, it would have dropped her Grade all the way to Rare.

    As a Hunter Commander of her still-loyal-brood, she would be far more useful by acting as a symbol, increasing their fighting abilities with her connection to Hell; however, that bond was only maintained by Ze¡¯drasha¡¯s continual stay within this world, which meant she had to lock him into this universal plane.

    Hot magma bubbled out of the joints in the lesser queen¡¯s exoskeleton as she turned to bow to her, using a voice far harsher than Elinor expected within the Nexus compared to the silken touch Iris spoke with.

    ¡°Empress of the Fallen, I serve the interests of the collective.  What is your command?¡±

    It was a tad pointed of a question, but that was the type of creature she was; her original goal was to adapt and use everything at her disposal to destroy everything around her territory, and now she needed a new enemy to set her sights on.

    Your task is to return to your pits and increase your numbers; train them on the other creatures that survived in the caves underneath my land, and if they wish to join our Empire, set up an appointment with Ishtar¡­  War is coming, and you must be ready to meet those that stand against me.

    ¡°It will be done.  We will drag all that oppose you into the melting pot to fuel our hunger.¡±

    Sending a sharp screech to her children below, they quivered at her dominating presence before sliding down the wall and into the moat; Elinor¡¯s head drooped a little as she instantly burrowed into the ground with her brood.

    Edmon is going to have a fit, but I guess they¡¯ll help fill in or create new tunnel networks.  Ishtar, I found you an army and a 7th-dimensional artifact to purify over time, if it can be saved or salvaged¡ªanything at all at this point.

    Her sister responded absently, currently in a meeting with Tal¡¯tamine as she discussed her culture and thoughts on her people; Ishtar would need to visit the Nalvean Empire soon to drill in her governing position among the City States as Elinor¡¯s stand-in.

    ¡°Wonderful.  Did you happen to leave me a means to contact Morgotha for any further instructions I might need to give?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s mouth tightened at the question her sister knew the answer to, showing she¡¯d been paying attention to her actions; it was new, having someone able to deliver slight jabs to her side, but it was also her sister showing she had something to offer her.

    ¡­I did not.  I¡¯ll have Camellia act as a liaison.

    ¡°No need,¡± Ishtar promptly responded, multi-tasking many changes to the functions around the capital as she redirected forces to focus on specific areas she wanted further development in.

    ¡°I would like to create an underground network with an expanded runic grid for teleportation and am having Moris¡¯Luar and Menorah take command in teaching the other Quen¡¯Talrat how to lay the foundations of that for Alua¡¯Talia¡¯Asa to perform the finer touches.¡±

    Elinor puffed out a long stream of air, running her fingers through her hair; Thor smiled with curiosity at her slight agitation as Ze¡¯drasha quivered.  Not even a day on the job, and you¡¯re already taking to the throne.

    ¡°Is this not what you desired of me, Sister?¡±  she playfully giggled.  ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve stretched yourself too thin; I would have expected you to have already begun such projects since having two Runic Sages.¡±

    I¡¯ll leave you to your work, Elinor duly returned, yet her sister wouldn¡¯t let her go so easily now that she had her attention.

    ¡°Speaking of which, do you suppose we can raise a few more maids to support me; Neara</a> could do with more lovely maids and butlers to direct in maintaining this¡­ might I add, quite extensive and disastrous city you¡¯ve claimed as your own.

    ¡°Only when you might have time, Sister.  Hehe.  I know you are ever so busy staring over your kingdom from your high tower.¡±

    Just call me lazy, Elinor grumbled.

    ¡°I was told you have made this promise of returning loved ones more than once since the initial raising of your current maids, yet¡­ things have been slipping through your fingers.  I only wish to know if such a promise will be fulfilled before your, ahem, retirement.¡±

    Closing her eyes and rubbing her forehead, Elinor growled, causing Azalea, Camellia, Violet, and Noa to give her questioning looks as they just sat on the tall walls; her sister wasn¡¯t wrong, but she could be so sarcastic and passive-aggressive¡ªIshtar was one of the few people in Existence that could get under her skin, but that was her twin.

    ¡°I don¡¯t wish to rule an understaffed empire.  Hehe, that would be tragic!¡±

    Ha-ha-ha.  I get it, you need more people.

    ¡°Haaa.  If only Tiffany or Edmon were more vocal about their concerns.  You need to be more approachable, Sister!¡±

    Could you shut up already?  I get that you need more people.  Stop rubbing it in that I¡¯ve been stretched thin¡ªand I know it could have been mitigated by bringing more bodies into the Empire¡ªbut I do play a rather tight game when it comes to maintenance of the network over the Empire¡¯s personnel count.

    ¡°Problems, Lady Irkalla?¡±  Thor asked, scanning the area for any threats, no doubt.  Yet, it wasn¡¯t outside influencers that had her concerned; this was the Ishtar she recalled from their 9,999th conflict, but she wasn¡¯t exactly wrong.

    ¡°Sister trouble,¡± she muttered before glancing at her A.I., ¡°if you could transport us to the Great Hall?¡±

    The hybrid human-nalvean glanced at the demon.  ¡°Including that thing?¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±

    Elinor wanted to punch Ishtar as she responded with a lilting tinkle in her voice.

    ¡°I expected as much.  I shall meet you in the Great Hall, Sister; everything should be ready when you arrive.  You¡¯re about to make so many people happy!  Congratulations, you¡¯re a hero, reuniting loved ones to their families.  Don¡¯t you feel warm and bubbly inside?¡±

    Maybe I would if you didn¡¯t keep stabbing me every second.

    ¡°How else should a modest Queen, such as myself, get her Empress¡¯ attention?  You¡¯re always so busy in your tall tower.¡±

    Thor rolled around his neck while staring at the burning ball of Hell Fire waiting beside them.  ¡°What of the demon?  It would be simple enough to crush it and be done with its foul presence.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡±  Elinor grunted, feeling like her sister simply wanted to use this opportunity to impress Tal¡¯tamine, get under her skin, and strengthen the belief of the masses; she could feel the undead camera crew going to that location.  ¡°To return to Hell and reform anew, all while locking Margotha out of her new abilities?¡±

    She shook her head.  ¡°I think not.  He¡¯s locked out of his abilities.  Send him to Tiffany; she can make use of him in her rituals.¡±

    ¡°Fair point,¡± Thor conceded, tapping his hammer against his thigh and generating sparks that scattered across the air as the runic A.I. transported the fiend away.  ¡°We are nearing the time of thy conflict with these Covenant creatures?¡±

    Elinor sent a quick explanation as to why he wasn¡¯t to be killed; it would be Tiffany¡¯s problem to make use of him.

    ¡°Just one, and yes, it is, but Ishtar is making a fuss about being understaffed.¡±  She rolled her eyes as her sister listened in on their conversation with her unique belief abilities.  ¡°And after I just got her a replenishable army, she has the nerve to call me lazy.¡±

    The th¨¦lm¨¦thra sisters gave each other looks that said they wanted no part in such a conversation as Thor roared with laughter, making Elinor grimace, seeing he actually agreed with her sister.

    ¡°Thou didst spend quite some time having fun in those pits, Lady Irkalla; I suspect thy sister has been quite busy as we played.¡±

    ¡°Play?¡±  Elinor huffed, crossing her arms as Noa transported them across the city with a strained smile.  ¡°I was identifying if they¡¯d be a worthy addition to my empire and would act as sufficient soldiers; I¡¯d hardly call that playing.¡±

    Thor shrugged as if saying both were one and the same to him, yet Elinor¡¯s attention was snatched by her sister¡¯s entrance; the gorgeous, shining golden-haired Goddess did a short spin, showing off a new silky white, golden-strapped gown</a> she¡¯d seemed to have had repurposed from Elinor¡¯s own wardrobe.

    ¡°What do you think, Sister; an excellent dress for my first day on the job?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s eyes narrowed at the gleam in Ishtar¡¯s eyes; as caring and benevolent her sister could be, she was by far the gaudiest and most vain woman of them all.  Sparkling light danced off her magical frame, and drawing, blue irises were enhanced by the ¡®seemingly¡¯ see-through gown, golden dangle earrings, and oversized fanning neckpiece.

    I¡¯m beginning to wonder if you set all this up so as to get my opinion on your looks, Ishtar¡­

    Her benevolent, innocent smile said it all.

    ¡°Can¡¯t I have the opinion of my sister when it comes to representing your great Empire?  Wasn¡¯t it you that told me to be the poster girl for your fledgling cause?¡±

    Haaa.  It looks¡­ you, Sister.

    ¡°Excellent!  I do make for a beautiful sight, I must say.¡±

    Her questioning smile drifted to Thor, who blushed and looked away at her attention.  ¡°Do you think this is a bit too much, Thor?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­  No.  No¡­ you look lovely, Lady Ishtar.¡±

    What kind of leading question is that?!  Elinor barked, glaring at her sister.  I¡¯m supposed to be the head of the House of the Snake, Ishtar.  You¡¯re shameless.

    ¡°What is there to be ashamed of?¡±  she mused, turning to gesture to Thor and drawing him into why they were there while bantering with Elinor through the Nexus.  ¡°I¡¯m friendly, inviting, gorgeous, benevolent, powerful, and¡­ well, everything opposite to you, I suppose¡ªoh, excluding the gorgeous part¡ªhehe, there has to be some overlap since we¡¯re twins!¡±

    You should add generous to the ever-growing list, Elinor mumbled.  Heh.  I know you¡¯re half-joking, but I didn¡¯t think I would miss this side of you¡­ as annoying as you can be at times, and did you have to raid my wardrobe?

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a staple of human twins?¡±  Ishtar snickered, directing Thor to various dead men and women while telling him about what she¡¯d discovered through getting to know their families.

    It certainly had an effect on the Nordic warrior that she¡¯d taken the time to interview those who most wished for their daughters, sons, or parents to return to them and showed a sharp contrast to Elinor¡¯s more strength-based decisions on raising the most potent of the groups.

    Ishtar was the showgirl she needed, who understood the desires of mortals¡ªeven if she was rubbing her face in it¡ªher sister was displaying a glimpse into how she would rule their Empire in her absence to see if she¡¯d voice any concerns.

    Tal¡¯tamine joined them shortly after, a bit surprised by the instant method of transportation Noa provided; Elinor decided to raise the maids and butlers to get on with everything else she needed to accomplish, and Neara took them to another room within the palace with their families to be instructed on how their unlives would be scheduled.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    All gave their utmost respect to Elinor, thanking them for the opportunity to serve and be connected within the Nexus¡ªwhich had an appeal to many in regard to the closeness and security it brought.

    It was pricey, but Ishtar had selected fifty dead women, elderly, and even a few teenage girls to take on various roles within her restructuring empire.  Most were surprisingly well-situated for the task, proving Ishtar had been selective herself in the process, finding high Uncommon to low Rare-Grade spirits.

    The High Queen of Heaven was already receiving scores of applications from living women, including Ri¡¯bot, hoping to take on a more active role in supporting the glorious Goddess who was taking Elinor¡¯s gloomy Empire of the Dead and giving it a shimmering gloss.

    She had just barely enough, thanks to regenerating some with Ishtar¡¯s presence, almost doubling the initial amount she held; Ishtar had apparently made calculating decisions to further both their influence by cementing herself into their citizens¡¯ lives that Elinor wouldn¡¯t have made.

    Knowing the Covenant was awaiting her arrival, Elinor breathed out a long stream of air after finishing the task her sister had asked, and it was then she learned Ishtar had commissioned Tiffany to create another recorder and projector for Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s battle.

    Calling for her Seraph to return with Kulitta, she had Noa transport Ishtar, Thor, and her onto the top of her tower; the angel appeared beside them, positively glowing with positive energy for the fight ahead.

    The Daughter of the Sun had fully recovered from her previous battles and was once again at her full strength after her debuff had concluded; her six heavenly wings</a> spread out, showing their metallic-like outer luster and golden base, and the gemstone embedded in her armor above her breasts shimmered with radiant white light.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l floated to Elinor¡¯s side, full lips showed a serenity to match her radiant power; the Seraph¡¯s pride was unmatched, which made her personality all the more interesting.

    Kulitta</a> took up a position beside Ishtar as Ninatta</a> was brought beside her mistress from her own tasks among the mortals.  By the vibes Elinor sensed between Kulitta and Sari¡¯a¨¦l, they¡¯d had a productive tour, exercising their voices and various songs the other knew.

    The clouded city of Sha¡¯Guala</a> drew closer with an alabaster platform that extended to welcome them; they could have teleported them in, but Sar¡¯ollaz</a> seemed to want them to explore his city before the fight, and Elinor wondered if Orinvia</a> was still reading herself.

    However, Elinor had two surprise additions that she wondered how Sar¡¯ollaz would react to, and just before the bridge reached them, she turned to her runic A.I.  ¡°Noa, bring Lexi and Serris to me.¡±

    Noa blinked, turning to the city below them with a furrowed brow as Thor, her sister, and the songstress followed her gaze with bewilderment, no doubt wondering who these last-minute additions were.

    Serris and Lexi seemed just as stunned by the sudden transportation, as well; it was the moss-haired, mantis-like insect that reacted first, four-bladed arms rising defensively as she leaped back, yet with her severe injuries still plaguing her from the battle against the rogue runic A.I., she stumbled and fell.

    ¡°S-Serris!¡±  the three-foot-tall gelatin-like creature cried, jogging after her friend¡¯s tumbles and hisses; her light purple shade indicated she was frightened.  ¡°What just¡­  Oh, E-Empress?!  I, uh, I think you¡¯re the Empress¡ªright, Serris?¡±

    ¡°Hsssss!  Pay attention, Lexi¡­¡±  she trailed off as her sharp insect eyes saw the platform touching down and acting like a ramp to welcome them.  ¡°A¡­ path back to Sha¡¯Guala?¡±

    Elinor chuckled and motioned for them to walk onto the white golden bridge.  ¡°Best hurry if you wish to return home.¡±

    ¡°Home¡­¡±  Lexi mumbled in disbelief, pink cubes falling out of her ears, displaying her excitement, yet it soon shifted to a deep purple.  ¡°Aren¡¯t¡­ we supporting you, though, Empress?¡±

    She turned to smile at the two Covenant warrior-slaves, still debating if they should return or what her meaning was by sending them back; it was too late to get off now as Noa waved them off and vanished.

    ¡°Think carefully, Lexi, Serris¡ªtake your time¡ªand watch carefully.¡±

    Serris¡¯ arms tightened against her abdomen with Lexi as they focused on the gates, closing in on them; their lives hung in the balance, depending on what Elinor did, and she knew it all too well.

    Even though Elinor was a member of the Covenant, there would be grudges following what her Seraph had done in decimating a large number of their forces.  It was also likely well-known at this point that she had her own personal army and didn¡¯t require their service, which also was a point of pride for those that served the upper echelon of the Covenant.

    Iris was strong enough to face Baxter, and she¡¯d only grown stronger since their meeting; in fact, the queen could now stand against Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, who faced Kon¡¯draga on nearly equal grounds.

    She was seen as an independent network within the Covenant, and naturally, they wouldn¡¯t like that since it could be seen that they were too weak to be depended upon, nor that she¡¯d called upon their service since becoming a member¡ªwhich was likely Sar¡¯ollaz¡¯s plan, to begin with.

    He hadn¡¯t been happy about the forced union they¡¯d come to share; that had changed, of course, but the initial seeds the Last Son of God¡¯Roska had planted to make her life harder were still there.

    Lexi and Serris provided a means to sow her own influence within the Covenant¡¯s inner forces, yet it did come with certain risks, and Elinor was happy to exploit what she could to give her sister more manpower to work with¡ªafter all, they needed everything they could get for what Becdeth warned was coming.

    Letting them stew, Elinor elaborated on her plan to Ishtar; her sister was more than thrilled to take the lead on the topic, bouncing over to the unsure mantis and slime girl to sow her own seeds¡ªalthough, to Elinor¡¯s slight annoyance, Ishtar wanted to take a different route.

    ¡°Lexi, Serris, as my sister¡¯s queen regent, my word is hers, and I would love a tour of your barracks; I may have an interest in learning more about the species bound to the Covenant and how we might put their extensive skills to good use!¡±

    ¡°Mhm¡­¡±  Lexi nervously chuckled.  ¡°I, umm¡­ don¡¯t know how well that will be taken.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know,¡± Ishtar smiled.  ¡°I can be very persuasive and likable.  In fact, why don¡¯t you tell me about yourselves; I want to know everything!¡±

    It was nice that Ishtar was taking the initiative in things and lightening her load, and maybe it was just the divergent choices her sister made or the process of relinquishing control, but Elinor was having a challenging time seeing Ishtar so motivated.

    Kulitta and Ninatta came together as the elder sister happily commented on her dominatrix twin¡¯s songs with Sari¡¯a¨¦l, seemingly able to hear the two unifying their voices from across Nethermore; she was excited to do the same, going into detail regarding vocal pitch and the combination the Seraph¡¯s aura brought with their magic to create something totally unique.

    It appeared the angel¡¯s connection to her father¡¯s Existence had a ripple effect with their own that further enhanced their effects, paying credence to the Transcendant title of going beyond what was previously known.

    Their conversation made Elinor consider the possibility that they could reach Apollo¡¯s universe through that resonance under the right conditions; doing so would be dangerous, and for what purpose was still left open, but the option itself was what interested her.

    Apollo was still a mystery, and his far-reaching sight and power were even beyond her understanding; he existed in a 15th-dimensional sphere with unknown creatures like Gloria, a First Generation Founder¡ªwhatever that was¡ªand Primordials like Thor paid their respect to the entity.

    It painted a telling picture of the threats they were dealing with, and Apollo ascending her to explain the spheres of influence outside the 13th dimension served as a warning that she had a long way to go.

    Thor stroked his red beard</a> as the grand gates of the floating city loomed closer.  The warrior¡¯s focus soon shifted to the angel, though, apparently not impressed by the magical metropolis; it was a tad ironic that the showy entrance the Covenant was giving them went unnoticed by most of their party.

    ¡°Thou doth have confidence about thee that uplifts those nearby, Lady Sari¡¯a¨¦l; am I to presume thou carries with thee a piece of thy father?¡±

    Elinor was a bit intrigued by the assertion; Thor would know more about the Transcendent ancestry of the Children of the Sun and Apollo.

    The Seraph¡¯s bright golden irises settled on him as she kept pace with the platform¡¯s movements, still hovering through the sky.  ¡°I do!  My father is always with me and celebrates my victories within my hearts.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l placed a hand against her breast, possibly feeling the beating of her two organs as a warm smile creased her eyes.  ¡°I am his spark of light that cannot be extinguished, experiencing the joy he has in my growth; my father lives within all that believe in his eternal blood and cannot fade or be corrupted.¡±

    Thor nodded, laughing at her unwavering faith in her glorious parent.  ¡°I wish to meet thy father someday and see the pillar that keeps thy Grand Existence an untouchable beacon of immortal light.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s gut tightened as she recalled her conversation with the Transcendant; he was the ruler of a Grand Existence that commanded respect from even the most powerful entities and could provide such universal protection as to stop any from twisting those he held within his all-encompassing hand.

    Yet, whoever had lashed out at his daughter wasn¡¯t repelled and did have an effect on Sari¡¯a¨¦l, which had ignited a flame so bright that it prompted him to reach out to her; he was after something more satisfying than death or vengeance, which, to an entity like Apollo, had to be something on a grander scale.

    Still, she couldn¡¯t get lost in these thoughts on the colossal board above; she had steps to take in the short term, and the conclusion of this fight would put her one step closer to that victory¡ªElinor had the battle to win against mortal deities, and the old gods of her Existence that had used and rejected her.

    The massive gates opened to reveal only a single Covenant member, surprising Elinor, but she could guess why the others would make their late appearance; the other deities around the world would certainly draw their attention as they plotted their own moves¡ªthe group was on her side in the end, but they¡¯d also milk everything they could from the conflict.

    Cool gray mist collected into the haughty Ralgruthiash</a> as the mockingbird sat in the air, observing her group.

    ¡°Goddesses,¡± Arsheh hummed, feathered wings curving slightly upon observing Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s six.  ¡°Odinson,¡± she added, revealing she¡¯d been paying attention to their conversations.  ¡°As the 3rd Ranked member of the Covenant, I welcome you to Sha¡¯Guala.¡±

    Elinor gave her a courteous nod with the others as they stepped forward; if she was the 3rd rank, it meant, like Becdeth, she¡¯d been with the organization the longest and was powerful enough to not care about advancing further in the combat rankings.

    ¡°Where is Les¡¯ndrassa</a>?¡±  she questioned, wondering how the Bringer of the Tide was faring after the drain Aidrh¡¯ruz had put on the holy eldritch creature.

    Becdeth could have taken the opportunity to devour the savory meal, which would have saddened her¡ªcreatures like them didn¡¯t enter Irkalla.

    ¡°Resting, or so I presume,¡± she shrugged her wings and directed her hollow eyes to the right, seeming to stare into an unseen abyss.  ¡°Saving Aidrh¡¯ruz from that¡­ horrific fate took more than any of us expected; once observing it myself, I must say, I have grown to respect your fortitude and focus, Queen Regent of Nethermore.¡±

    Ishtar giggled and shook her head.  ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Becdeth¡¯s intervention, it would have been impossible; I merely provided the means to slow his descent into the madness using Les¡¯ndrassa¡¯s power and belief.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Arsheh¡¯s clawed fingers clicked together in their rhythmic motions against her lap, causing her cloudy dress to ripple like water.  ¡°I was more impressed by your ability to channel and unify those forces than the act itself¡­ truly a marvel, and a feat I may need at some point in the future.¡±

    ¡°What did I say, Sister?¡±  Ishtar snickered.  ¡°Everyone loves me.¡±

    It helps when you have the power and skills that come with being the High Queen of Heaven.

    ¡°What can I say?  I¡¯m gifted¡ªas are you, Sister!  Humph¡­ no matter how those decrepit fools see us.¡±

    The infuriated tone made Elinor smile; Marduk had fired the first shot, and he couldn¡¯t take it back.

    ¡°Where is this conflict supposed to take place now that this is to the death?¡±  Elinor questioned, scanning the palace as her sister spoke up after.

    ¡°Oh, I would love to enjoy the match myself, but I must see to other matters in the barracks¡ªhehe, I know who will win in any case,¡± she mused, eyeing the totally confident Seraph.  ¡°It won¡¯t be easy, Dear, but I have faith in our Warlord.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l giggled and nodded.  ¡°I cannot wait to feel the effects of her gravity, plunging me to the earth.¡±

    A dark, sinister voice responded from a gray mist that collected into the leader of the Covenant.  ¡°Diamond glass, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡±

    The devil¡¯s ghoulish grin and glowing crimson eyes turned with a gesture, directing them to a multi-colored pillar that appeared beside him.  ¡°Beyond is a platform I¡¯ve prepared to observe the contest in a place¡­ fitting for such a battle.¡±

    His tone fell upon seeing Ishtar¡¯s radiant appearance and dignified composure.  ¡°It is unfortunate that you will be absent, High Goddess of Heaven.¡±

    Ishtar hummed, showing a secretive twist to her lips.  ¡°A shame, indeed, Sar¡¯ollaz.  A Queen¡¯s duty is never done, and I do need to better acquaint myself with your marvelous city since we¡¯ll be working together.  Hehe.  Wouldn¡¯t it be a sin to not partake in your wonderful hospitality and services¡ªas my sister has a right to as a member¡ªno?¡±

    ¡°Indeed¡­¡±

    Arsheh chuckled as Elinor stepped forward to enter the gateway, wondering which of the Royal Rhapsodists would watch since one would undoubtedly go with their mistress; Thor hesitated, obviously having misgivings given his bad experience with portals, but she knew he¡¯d follow her out of principle.

    To her mild surprise, Ninatta was the one to join her, and the dominatrix followed Ishtar; of course, it did make sense with her going to the barracks and Ninatta being the one who would spend the most time with the Daughter of the Sun.

    A slightly disorienting sensation gripped Elinor as she was transported through space to proceed onto a floating white gold platform to find them over an endless sea of obsidian shards; it would have sparkled in the most dazzling way had not an inky borealis coated the heavens, blacking out all light.

    Thrones of various sizes covered the edges of their sky-bound dais, showing a few members of the Covenant, including Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma, Baxter</a>, Aidrh¡¯ruz</a>, Sylez</a>, and Arsheh¡ªhaving transported herself instantly to the location before Elinor had even arrived, possibly even using a body double.

    Above them, hovering with a dangerous wave of gravitational force and honed focus was the Seraph¡¯s opponent</a>, having spent the last week sharpening her resolve and powers for this conflict.

    The miallu¡¯s halo of cosmic force and the charred stones that encircled it had been refined into a spiked crown, and her corrupted sword of decaying energy was bathed in a spiritual fire¡ªthe hate she felt for the angel embarrassing her was shown in the emotionally charged gravitational waves she emitted.

    No words needed to be passed between them as her glorious opposite appeared on the platform beside Ninatta; this black, diamond desert was to be the place she put her pride and life on the line.

    Elinor was eager to see what Orinvia was capable of in this unnatural, spiritually fused state before being reborn through her powers as her original self, dispensing the unified minds of her corrupted society to find what was beneath all that weighted consciousness.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s excitement boiled over as she became a streak of light, meeting the miallu in the sky, Mithren taking on the form of a brilliant sword that refracted off the diamonds below, causing the veil above to sparkle with a trillion stars¡ªthe contest would start when Sar¡¯ollaz gave the signal.

 B3 â€” 56. A Caged Woman Freed

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l</a> watched her mistress enter the gateway without hesitation, showing total confidence in her¡ªit set a blaze within the Seraph¡¯s breast.

    Elinor had been a creature of ultimate power, yet descended to the realm of mortals to gain something she lacked, which Sari¡¯a¨¦l connected with; to be confined¡ªtrapped in a cruel world¡ªwas liberating in ways she could have never guessed.

    The original strength she could access had been but grains of sand in a galaxy, and the sensation it brought was so foreign she didn¡¯t have a word, much less song, to express it, yet Kulitta had offered her an interesting comparison on their journey around Nethermore.

    A chain was wrapped so tightly around her body that it felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe in the light of her father, and she¡¯d been cast into an ocean so dark¡ªthis tortured maelstrom of Existence placed a barrier between her and the glorious father she¡¯d always known¡ªonly a speck of his brilliance could be seen in the eternal darkness that encompassed her.

    It was chilling¡ªfrightening¡ªyet there was someone to hold her hand and guide her through the unknown fog surrounding her; placing her life in the hands of another offered something nothing else in her ageless life had.

    Kulitta may have been correct; she craved the shackle¡ªnot necessarily for weakness or pain¡ªshe craved to experience what hope was at its purest; she¡¯d seen the glow in other creatures shine with a luster of such splendor it left her speechless once putting their faith in her father, and relinquishing control to his guidance¡ªsomething she could never know, having been born in his radiance.

    Floating through the spatial rift with Ninatta by her side, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s golden irises took in the stage that Sar¡¯ollaz chose for this deadly contest; a few of the Covenant members were present¡ªless than she¡¯d expected¡ªyet her expanding senses told her there were many more, unseen eyes observing them.

    It was thrilling, knowing she was so vulnerable, but it wasn¡¯t the danger itself; she was in a place untouched by her father, and her hope was in the Empress that held the chain around her throat.  She was Elinor¡¯s maiden of war, and, as curious as she was to experience this razor¡¯s edge walk between life and death, it was this hope that kept her steady.

    Brightness embraced her as she became light, shooting into the black, clouded heavens that were bathed in perpetual darkness, Milthren taking her greatsword</a> form in her left hand.

    Ever since her mistress¡¯ awakening to the truth within her core, Sari¡¯a¨¦l had felt more grains of sand gathering into her palm; Elinor was growing at such an incredible pace that it strengthened the hope budding within her hearts, and she relished every second of it.

    Six wings spreading out as she materialized a good distance away from her opponent, Sari¡¯a¨¦l curved them forward¡ªthe golden back of her feathers were her shield¡ªand the pointed branches of her four, fully developed appendages, her spears.

    The inner glory she radiated¡ªpower her father had guided her through cultivation in the many trials she¡¯d undergone with her older sisters¡ªcovered the sea of obsidian crystals below, dousing the haze above in golden rays to paint stars across the blanket of shadow, yet the corrupted miallu didn¡¯t flinch at the radiance.

    Crimson smoke hissed through Orinvia¡¯s</a> teeth as her black, sunken irises flashed the same shade as her runic, violet halo; there was a focus emanating from the mutant she hadn¡¯t felt from her before and a stoicism that contrasted the fury after her lengthy meditation.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s full lips creased upon analyzing the magical, psionic, and innumerable divergent spiritual waves the alien creature emanated.

    Horrific screams from her entire race cried out for relief from their torture, compressed into a singular anomaly and used as fuel in the forbidden practice used to create the twisted being that was Orinvia.

    A foreign entity had used Orinvia as its base, twisting her very essence with the woman¡¯s own magic to become the spiritual center of her entire world¡¯s fused civilization, creating this abomination.

    ¡°You seem to be different, Orinvia¡­  I see the parasitic spiritual worm within you has reared its head; you are no longer in control.¡±

    Her thin, pale-white, twisted humanoid form darkened with the dense spirits inside being pressurized to feed the Outer Realm parasite¡¯s evergrowing hunger upon desiring to feast upon Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s immortal soul.

    Orinvia¡¯s voice had become slow and high-pitched.  ¡°Unify with me, and you will be spared the pain of assimilation.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­  You are not who I was supposed to battle.¡±

    All the Seraph felt was pity and sorrow as Elinor informed her of what she¡¯d discovered while observing them¡ªthis was no longer the creature they¡¯d promised to fight¡ªnot too long ago, Orinvia had another battle and suffered a loss, of sorts.

    This had turned from a contest to a cleansing of sorts¡ªa trial for her mistress to perform as a new Covenant member¡ªand an opportunity to take the previous placeholder¡¯s position within the hierarchy.

    Orinvia¡¯s purpose for joining the Covenant had ended in failure¡ªshe hadn¡¯t been able to secure a solution to rid herself of the thing that made her.

    ¡°Pain</a> it is¡­¡±  Purple lightning sparked from the creature¡¯s fingers to form a gravitational sphere, drawing in the clouds above and glass below as space warped, curving light near the globe.  ¡°All will become one in me.¡±

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l held Milthren up to defend against the spatial warp and unsealed the first stage of her divinity¡ªDivine Release - Stage 1/5¡ªfeeding her energy into the divine weapon, which amplified the power to create a cut in space that the new spiritual worm generated through Orinvia¡¯s vessel.

    Divine Release - Stage 1/5:  (Cooldown: 1 Week; Cost: ? Strength for 24 Hours; Duration: 2 Minutes; Range: N/A) Active, Divine-Type, Level Link - Elinor, Grade Link - Elinor, Rank Link - Elinor; unseals a minute fraction of divine inheritance for a short period.

    <ul>

    <li>Chained - If any of the following stages of this ability are used, the previous stages will automatically be placed on cooldown, and if it was already on cooldown, its current cooldown time would be doubled¡ªwill not be doubled twice¡ª1-week will become 2-weeks for Stage 1.</li>

    </ul>

    Sar¡¯ollaz generated a shell around the floating platform, protecting her mistress and the other Covenant members as they observed the conflict.

    This spiritual worm was far stronger than she¡¯d expected to face since it had no reservations about using Orinvia until she was nothing but a spiritless corpse.

    It was nearly impossible to win without utterly destroying the body, which her Empress needed, which meant she had to time this battle with precision¡ªshe would only get one blow to avenge Orinvia¡ªthis would be a defensive contest of stamina, which she was not favored to win, yet Elinor believed in her.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l listened to Elinor explain Orinvia¡¯s plight as the other Covenant members discussed the sad turn of events, but none of them had lifted a finger to prevent her death, and some of them could have¡ªhad not Les¡¯ndrassa been so weakened, perhaps Orinvia would still be here to face Sari¡¯a¨¦l, but her mistress had a new plan she set in motion.

    The otherworldly wood that was bonded to her skin crept over what remained of Orinvia¡¯s once beautiful skin, now twisted and showing fissures of violet, pulsing mystical force¡ªa corrupted form of the energy her race was so adept at wielding¡ªyet not in this way.

    A million suns erupted inside Sari¡¯a¨¦l as her sealed energies erupted from within her breast, combatting the gravitational draw; she activated Higher Solar Aura VII, Advanced Senses VI, and Higher Holy Presence VII.

    The veil overhead parted in the rush of radiation that bathed the landscape in incandescent light, causing hidden fiends within to retreat as the obsidian glass began to melt.

    ¡°A pitiful show,¡± it coldly replied, brushing the nova aside like shaking the dust from a coat.  ¡°Use more power¡ªshow me more.¡±

    The offensive energies couldn¡¯t be absorbed by the spiritual worm, causing it to emotionlessly cast the sphere of gravitational darkness at her; Milthren cleaved it in two¡ªSpatial Rend VII¡ªyet the instantaneous strike was met by a magical barrier.

    Her slash bit into it, but it was absorbed, making the puppeted woman¡¯s head tilt to the side with interest at the attack.  ¡°Another¡­¡±

    Dozens of gravity spheres ripped the molten glass field up, condensing them and manipulating space to redirect her next strikes; spatial forces weren¡¯t going to be effective at this distance.

    She swung to meet the hyper-compressed black spheres, but just before Milthren cleaved one in two, the spiritual parasite folded space in an instant; Orinvia¡¯s long, clawed fingers closed around the globe to draw her to the right, her left hand reaching for Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s throat, as a new sphere trapped her from the opposite side.

    Her intense radiation and heat blew around the creature from its distorted space, protecting it with the cracking ebony stones circling its crown; it was attempting to swap hosts to make her its new vessel.

    Light engulfed her as Sari¡¯a¨¦l followed the curved space in a flash¡ªQuicken VIII¡ªcarrying her to Orinvia¡¯s side, yet, instead of attacking, Milthren converted to a radiant shield.  A solar bubble enclosed her, Milthren enhancing Higher Solar Shell VII to Greater Solar Shell V, reddening Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s fair skin as her own solar defenses failed to defend against the explosion.

    Orinvia¡¯s charred wooden hand reached through, glowing purple cracks radiating lilac light from the overwhelming magical force saturating her physical body, protecting the spiritual worm from any damage.

    The hideous creature would use all of the souls Orinvia gathered to keep it dormant as a weight to force its way into Sari¡¯a¨¦l if it managed to connect to her spirit.

    Not even able to use her wings to bat it away, unable to escape with Quicken due to the gravitational curve the worm generated, locking all light and space into a cycle that collected around the singularity it formed, Sari¡¯a¨¦l used its own gambit against it.

    The spiritual creature couldn¡¯t absorb her offensive energies yet had put itself in a position to draw all forces into itself to keep her from escaping; it must have known Elinor wished to resurrect Orinvia and used what knowledge the alien had gathered to identify they needed her body, which was why it had made this gamble.

    Yet, it also didn¡¯t want to die, which made this, as Elinor put it, a game of chicken.

    Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s entire body became a living effulgence as she tapped into all the power her Divinity Release had given her that she enhanced through Milthren, becoming a greatsword once again as she drove it forward.

    Greater Solar Flare V fed into her divine weapon, spiritually charging it to deliver a focused ray less than a centimeter in diameter that passed the dispersing solar shell to melt through Orinvia¡¯s focused magical defenses; at the same time, Orinvia¡¯s claws reached for her folded wing.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    Feathers spreading at the last moment, Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s beam burrowed through the twisted miallu¡¯s eye to reach her brain, the fusion point between magic and body for the humanoid alien¡ªit had gambled and lost¡ªemerald butterflies gathered around her enflamed corpse.

    The hyper-focused laser left a jet of molten steam and lava in a line across the glassed landscape, showing a perfectly smooth blast zone of condensed diamond-like crystal in a fifty-kilometer radius, purifying the top a blinding white with a shadowy abyss within.

    Power left Sari¡¯a¨¦l after expending the strength Divine Release granted in a single burst, her wings drooped as the gravitational waves normalized, yet her diminishing senses recognized an alarming development; the spiritual worm had abandoned its vessel just before its defenses collapsed.

    It was challenging to stay in the air with the remaining energy she had after the shackles of her divinity enclosed around her soul again, but she lifted Milthren nonetheless.

    Yet, she was surprised when Elinor¡¯s voice from the platform stopped her from vaporizing the falling, three-inch spiritual worm as her Empress¡¯ butterflies arrived in time to restore the twisted alien¡¯s body to its perfected, original state.

    ¡°You needn¡¯t concern yourself, Sari¡¯a¨¦l; I have plans for it.¡±

    Relief flooded Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s tight chest as she smiled at her mistress, the platform they were on having moved to the ground to the place Orinvia was falling, engulfed in emerald flames; if she¡¯d allowed herself to be touched once, the worm would have had enough strength to dig into her spirit and attack her Empress¡¯ Nexus, yet she¡¯d believed in her, even in this vulnerable state.

    Risk¡­  Sari¡¯a¨¦l thought, holding her hand against her breast as she felt her thumping hearts mirror the rush that flooded her veins.  I am weak¡ªI want to be weak¡ªyet I must have faith in my mistress¡¯ judgment that my weakness will not harm her.

    It was easy to have faith in her father¡ªhe was everywhere and always with her¡ªyet to have that same faith in a stranger and to construct hope in a way that she had never built was something she held close to her hearts¡ªthis was what she desired.

    * * *

    Elinor listened carefully to Sylez¡¯s boisterous examinations of the tragedy that was Orinvia; most of the Covenant had the means to cure the miallu of her ailment, yet her pride would stop that from happening except by her own hands.

    The flashing fight above wouldn¡¯t take more than thirty seconds, she was sure, and after discovering the woman they were supposed to fight had already died, it only made Elinor more interested in this new development.

    She sent out her butterflies the moment the two engaged one another; Sari¡¯a¨¦l was so bright, she resembled a supernova, while Orinvia sucked in all space with corrupting magic that ordinarily would have been even more deadly than the gravity itself, yet her Seraph was equipped to repel such forces.

    Elinor could see why Bo-Ko wasn¡¯t present¡ªit also being an odd day¡ªmeaning Ogacu, the hyperactive owl creature¡¯s darker half was in control; he naively saw the Covenant members as his friends and family, which meant he wouldn¡¯t be in the best of moods to be in company.

    Sar¡¯ollaz held up a bloody gem in his armored fist, spreading his claws for it to hover in the air and generate a ruby field around them.  ¡°Hehe.  I suppose this will end shortly¡­  I do hope your Daughter of the Sun survives, Goddess Irkalla.  I fear for what may happen to you if not.¡±

    Typical devil, Elinor thought, keeping her gaze on the two figures in the sky as they descended; radiation and heat from her Seraph caused veins to illuminate on their shell.  He wants out of our deal but can¡¯t help his curiosity.

    ¡°Will Sari¡¯a¨¦l be alright, My Empress?¡±  Ninatta asked.  Her fists were held tightly against her breast as the songstress followed Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s waves of fire, pulsing across the landscape from her presence and abilities.  ¡°So many lives lost¡­ hundreds of millions.¡±

    Have faith, Elinor whispered, rising to her feet as Thor tracked every twitch the two made, making a prediction ten seconds after the two engaged one another.

    ¡°Sari¡¯a¨¦l will be victorious.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Sylez hummed as Thor ignored the demon from his Existence.  ¡°But will you get the prize, I wonder?  Ah¡­¡±

    Elinor completed her instructions to the angel as the platform touched the molten glassed field, and her fingers slid over Masmu¡¯s smooth, alabaster scales as the spiritual snake slithered out from between her bust to coil down her legs to the ground.

    Leaning against the side of the throne the Covenant had prepared for her, Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma laughed and clapped both pairs of hands as he watched Orinvia¡¯s trailing emerald fall from the sky.

    ¡°A brilliant fight, Empress!  I traveled across this very desert of glass and colossal night fiends¡­  I never dreamed I¡¯d see the sun touch this wasteland of black daggers.  You must bring back a piece as a souvenir!¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  Not my style, Ke,¡± Elinor mused as the other Covenant members mumbled amongst themselves when Orinvia slowed to a stop just before touching the ground for Elinor to observe her new Transcendent Arcanist.

    As her original form would have suggested, at one point, she had been humanoid, yet the miallu race of Orinvia¡¯s timeline seemed to have followed a rather interesting path.  In her own Existence, Elinor had known of a people that called themselves by that name¡ªhumans that discovered a race naturally tied to magic.

    All humans could tap into magic¡ªmost creatures could¡ªbut there was a difference between being naturally gifted and able to learn the craft.

    As Sylez had explained, Orinvia¡¯s people had been obsessed with magic, psionic, and spiritual powers¡ªnot the typical warrior branch Elinor knew¡ªwhich led to them going through a magical ritual to fuse with the naturally gifted, non-intelligent delsin to create a new race¡ªmiallu.

    Their thirst for knowledge eventually opened up a portal to the Spiritual Plane, where they were exposed to this deadly worm, who single-handedly destroyed this advanced magical fusion of human and delsin by using their gifts to fuse the entire race into one hive mind and body.

    Orinvia was its first victim, and it was through subsequent soul fusions after that had utterly twisted her form, yet through Elinor¡¯s abilities, she was returned to her perfected, uncorrupted state to hover in the air, wearing a blank look as she tried to remember who she was.

    The woman was a genius behind the trauma that had scarred her soul, and Elinor gauged her strength to be sufficient enough to kill Edmon or perform feats as what her Seraph had just performed with the proper preparation in cultivating the needed magic¡ªshe was Transcendent¡ªbut like Tiffany, she did require some prep.

    Skin, muscle, and organs being transparent</a> to the degree of appearing as solid, light blue liquid¡ªwith the exception of her head¡ªOrinvia¡¯s black skeleton showed through, causing Thor to shift uncomfortably.

    As if a crown, a metallic, bone-like jellyfish with four feelers, wearing the same see-through skin and muscle as the human body, weaved above the incandescent glass; its white, plate-like patterns around its front resembled a mouth, and the glowing blue orbs for eyes were bathed in a soft teal glow.

    The ethereal woman almost seemed like a ghost or corpse by her pale, translucent skin, and her downcast, heavy blue eyes made her appear to have gone through many sleepless nights.

    Within the jelly-like shell of the delsin was a bio-illuminant brain¡ªmuch like Les¡¯ndrassa¡ªyet unseen within the protective structure; Orinvia only seemed to be wearing a helmet of the creature, yet in truth, her skull was fused with it.

    This combination of a human base, merged with a delsin, created some kind of ethereal yet oddly disturbing beauty; Elinor smiled, her Royal Court would certainly be a sight to behold with the variety it contained.  Of course, a few more male additions wouldn¡¯t hurt.

    ¡°How do you feel, Orinvia?¡±  Elinor asked, watching the woman lift her hands to study her flowing, light-blue¡ªalmost white¡ªlocks as if questioning if they existed.

    ¡°Is¡­ that who I am?¡±  she whispered in a voice touched by water, her unique language being translated through the Nexus.  ¡°I have so many holes in my memory¡­ and that¡¯s unusual.¡±

    Elinor hummed as her Seraph reached them, hovering nearby while resting.  She assumed the original headpiece she¡¯d worn in her twisted and fused state had been somewhat representative of this form as the spiritual worm traveled between worlds, collecting souls.

    She motioned to the molten landscape of shimmering diamonds for a small creature to emerge from the bubbling liquid, causing the members of the Covenant to grin or chuckle; Masmu had returned with her prize.

    Orinvia¡¯s sullen blue eyes narrowed upon seeing the squirming and shrieking black worm in the spiritual snake¡¯s jaws, fangs keeping it in place yet not injecting poison as her beautiful pet slithered across the platform to settle in her lap to present her prize.

    ¡°Good girl,¡± Elinor cooed, rubbing Masmu¡¯s head in praise before accepting the squirming spiritual entity that had tried to escape; few things could notice or attack such a creature in this world, but it had expended all its power.

    She held up to Orinvia as the tight-jawed woman¡¯s skeletal hands tightened into a fist, her four tentacles twitching with rage.

    ¡°I do not know much¡­ nor what I might have created that pains me to the point of forgetting its collapse¡ªI know I lost something precious¡ªyet cannot remember what it was¡­ but the emotions¡­ I do know that thing which ruined everything I¡¯d built.¡±

    ¡°Do with it as you please¡­¡±  Elinor offered, allowing Masmu to slip back into the folds of her clothing.

    A rush of fluid power illuminated Orinvia¡¯s frame as magical gravity¡ªfar more skilled than when cast in her corrupted, unstable state¡ªcarried the crying creature into the air, yet just before she crushed it, Elinor offered a second option.

    ¡°Although¡­ I do think you should consult with Tiffany before exacting your revenge; it does have intelligence, after all, and can feel pain.  Would not a quick death be too lenient on the thing that took everything from you?¡±

    Orinvia¡¯s soft blue lips tightened with her tired eyes before a swirl of white light transported the spiritual worm into a pocket space.  Every Covenant member¡¯s cryptic eyes were on the woman as she spread her arms and tentacles in a sort of curtsy with an elegant, slightly curved bow.

    ¡°I may not know much of who I am or where I come from¡­ but I do know whom I serve; I am yours, and look forward to understanding my place within your court, Empress.¡±

    Ninatta and Sari¡¯a¨¦l were glowing at the action¡ªit helped when they actually did¡ªcongratulating her on joining the Royal Court.

    They mentioned Violet being their first stop to fit her with clothes, asking about her taste.  She seemed to take pride in her seethrough nature and bones as a sense of beauty, especially the unusual shape of her breast bone and bonded delsin that denoted royalty of sorts¡ªor so she believed.

    It was unusual for a spirit to be so lost upon being resurrected, but considering it had been her spirit that had suffered so much damage, it was understandable.

    Elinor accepted it with a nod; she would piece together the fragments of her life over time and discover who she was, but for now, she didn¡¯t need to be involved in the complicated web ahead¡ªall things that required her presence had been accomplished¡ªit was time to prepare for her journey.

    ¡°We¡¯ve completed what we came here to do; Ninatta, take her back to Nethermore and at least get her some pants to wear.  I¡¯m sure Ishtar will wish to spend time with her, as well.  You may join her and rest, Sari¡¯a¨¦l.  Heh, perhaps spend some time with the children playing their games.¡±

    ¡°I would love that!¡±  the angel tiredly chimed.

    Ninatta nodded, using her voice to lightly pull the slightly surprised Royal Arcanist to her so she could guide the woman back through the portal, speaking to the Seraph and expressing her relief she wasn¡¯t harmed.  ¡°At once, Empress.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ appreciate the support, Ms. Ninatta,¡± Orinvia returned, turning to take the songstress¡¯ hand and bringing it to her forehead in some token gesture of gratitude.  ¡°I am not so incapable as to be unable to fly.¡±

    ¡°Oh.  Hehe.  Okay, my apologies, Orinvia.¡±

    ¡°Take no offense; I wish to understand my place, which seems to be centered around the arcane and research¡­  Hmm.  Empress,¡± she whispered in that tired, overworked womanly way, presenting another bow.  ¡°I take my leave, Empress¡­

    Elinor remained seated, silently looking over the battlefield her Seraph had just scarred as the woman¡¯s fellow Court Members tried to get to know their newest addition, guiding her back to Nethermore to introduce her to her new family.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma stood up to step onto the bubbling white glass, bending down to scoop up a glob of the purified black diamonds.

    ¡°You grow stronger by the day, Empress¡­  Hmm.  I understand you are going to make a journey to the east.  I cannot say I know what lies beyond that desert.¡±

    ¡°More mutated races, wartorn people, artifacts,¡± Sylez mused, waving a dismissive hand.  ¡°Nothing of particular importance, but¡­ isn¡¯t it your people that you want to find?  Are you sure you want to uncover the truth of what happened to those that escaped?  Hehe.¡±

    Elinor and the giant eight-limbed ape glared at the demon as Sar¡¯ollaz chuckled; Arsheh had long since vanished, seeming to lose interest, and Baxter was going off on poetic tangents about the battle, creating a song Elinor didn¡¯t let linger on her mind.

    ¡°I am, Ke¡­  I caution you to be careful,¡± she added, rising to her feet to glare at the pulsating abyss beneath the glassed sea; there was something living beneath this glass desert that appeared to be waking up, and the reason for that was the devil laughing beside them.  ¡°Gods wage war on your planet, and I owe a lot to what you left for me to inherit.¡±

    ¡°He-he-he,¡± the giant ape pounded his chest and roared at the sky.  ¡°Your warning only excites my blood!  If so, perhaps I have found a worthy foe to test my merit.  I will start my own journey tomorrow.¡±

    He snorted at the looks the devil and demon gave him.  ¡°I do not need your teleportation island.  Hah.  I had my own floating fortress in production, and I can build one again¡­  I follow my own path, but I will return to challenge every member of this Covenant¡­ including you, Goddess.¡±

    Elinor smirked as his giant foot struck the ground nearby, leaving molten footprints on his exit.  ¡°I look forward to it, Ke¡­  However, I do owe you for willingly giving me your empire; if you do request my help, I won¡¯t say no.¡±

    The Ke halted just before entering the gateway, turning to show a monstrous grin.  ¡°If I require your help¡­¡±  His gaze shifted to the boiling field of diamonds.  ¡°Heh, this world might as well be doomed.  Hahaha!¡±

    He exited, and Elinor nodded, recalling the fight the Ke had with Kon¡¯Draga; he¡¯d petered out in his spiritual progression because he had nothing to challenge him until Iris met the ape in combat, but now he had a new perspective, and she had no doubt the legendary Quen¡¯Talrat would reach heights he¡¯d never dreamed before his death.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be a stranger,¡± Sar¡¯ollaz mused, hands held behind his back as he observed the pulsating darkness below, pumping like a heart.

    Elinor didn¡¯t like being used as a puppet, and Thor¡¯s narrowed eyes showed they¡¯d triggered some scheme the devil had planned, but it showed how dangerous the Covenant¡¯s overarching vision of the board was.

    What did you have me create in flooding this area with Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s light?

    ¡°Haaa.  Crafty devil,¡± she grumbled, turning to leave with Thor beside her.

    Sylez chuckled before vanishing in roaring Hellfire.

 B3 â€” 57. Passing The Torch

    The bright rays of Nethermore¡¯s humid, jungle climate weighed down on Elinor as she exited the gateway, standing atop her tower with Thor</a> beside her; the moderate wind blew back both their hair while the Primordial followed her to one of the battlements, staring across her valley.

    Several minutes passed as she studied everything she¡¯d accomplished since arriving in this world.  Reflecting on how many obstacles had been placed in her way and those that had allied themselves with her for their own purposes, her gaze softened.

    Her court was a buzz of activity in the wake of everything that had transpired, leaving her the opportunity to go through the list of things that required her attention before leaving the following morning.  She also mapped out if there were anything more that could be accomplished¡ªmost things were now set in stone¡ªand there would be mistakes, but that came with any decision made in life.

    Nethermore was growing and building allies; they were in a prime position to support various nations in unique ways, and the expansion of her territory came with more influence.  Certainly, stories would spread to their neighbors about the new Empire growing in the well-fortified jungle valley.

    Many moving parts were now functioning independently of her, making her name known and the protection her budding nation provided; the tales of the destruction she could cause to those that opposed her would also elicit caution, giving Ishtar</a> more time to reach out with her far more benevolent hand of peace and trade.

    Lucky had built a good rapport with Gwen and the other races inside her walls, providing Elinor with a willing population that embraced her undead as saviors and protectors rather than a terrifying legion of darkness.

    Noa acted as the all-seeing A.I. that bridged everything inside her kingdom, and Ishtar¡¯s project of expanding that teleportation grid throughout their Empire would draw many eyes with the possibility of swift transport of goods and personnel.

    The runic creature¡¯s friendship with Finila, and growing bond with the nalvean¡¯s best friend, Giliri, created a stable connection to this kingdom.  It was important to develop a defense to guard against any tampering with the hybrid human-nalvean.

    Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had been instrumental in opening up many avenues that hadn¡¯t been completed in his desire for a true battle against the Covenant; even if Noa wasn¡¯t totally whole and she didn¡¯t have a full grasp on her network, she was the key to connecting their expanding nation.

    Neara</a> had taken command of the cleaning and polishing of the Empire with her new army of maids and butlers, allowing her previous members breathing room to enjoy a less hectic pace to prepare their domain for future visitors.

    Tal¡¯tamine and the great Israg and Dralix¡¯s resurrected chiefs traveled with Elinor¡¯s Head of State as the former Heavenly Queen of Servants introduced them to the evolving lifestyle of Nethermore.

    The Great Chiefs would return to their nation with Elinor and Ishtar tomorrow to survey the new land that they¡¯d absorbed into the Empire and present themselves to their new citizens.  It seemed Tal¡¯tamine was interested in joining them; the way Elinor had dealt with the Ri¡¯bot appeared to intrigue the girl.

    In showing the nalveans the battle, she¡¯d demonstrated the strength of Nethermore and how making them an enemy was ill-advised, yet it also would spurn and distract Yesenia, forcing her to accelerate whatever plans she had.

    Elinor trusted Klaus to adapt to the situation, and the High Ruler was intelligent enough to see the possible openings her actions had made for him to exploit.

    It made Elinor chuckle at the semi-heated discussions between her Royal Court about who should be allowed certain personnel; Edmon was always greedy for more hands, and there was a bitter taste in his mouth with how many maids and butlers Neara had on cleansing the waste from the storms.

    The Royal Gatekeeper had asked Alua¡¯Quel¡¯Lana¡ªquen¡¯talrat Sage of Defensive Formations¡ªto further expand and repair the fortress¡¯ sanitation network to relieve Neara of those pressures so he could have more bodies.

    Additionally, as for Margotha¡¯s</a> scorpion brood, Edmon was pushing for their numbers to strengthen his own projects.  Unfortunately, his opponent was Tiffany, who wanted more gatherers to collect every type of plant, fungi, and material within the volcanic chambers to provide her with a more robust cabinet of resources for her rituals.

    Both of her original Royal Court members had a new force to contend with¡ªOrinvia</a>¡ªwho had entered the mix, exploring the many floors of Elinor¡¯s tower to examine the various artifacts the Ke had gathered through his conquests.

    She¡¯d monopolized Pepe Fontanez¡ªher Treasurer¡ªand Eloy Sandoval¡ªher Chronicler¡ªto catalog her findings and transport them to the proper vaults for safekeeping or to her new laboratory.  She sequestered herself away on the 35th floor of the tower¡ªaway from prying eyes¡ªwith a view of the valley as she pondered.

    The methodical process the miallu went about studying everything they¡¯d brought together seemed to help her troubled, scattered mind to focus; Violet was currently crafting clothes for her to use, which surprisingly worked into her see-through, skeletal body.

    Apparently, miallu were very proud of their bones, so Violet created a transparent weave of silk that only left the faintest outline, including a cape she could pull around for defense if needed¡ªa common fashion and battle trait for the magical race¡ªyet she did opt for wearing slick, black bottoms that showed the curve and fullness of her legs, which amused Elinor.

    It was always interesting to learn the important features other races and cultures most focused on.  Orinvia was very conscious about how shiny and polished her jellyfish-like hat was, considering how thoroughly she asked Violet to clean every centimeter of it.

    Her Royal Arcanist was taking to her new role in stride, and Elinor looked forward to hearing reports of her contributions in the future; Naturally, Voukey would make regular visits to connect her back to the Nexus, while her sister would act as the focal point in her absence.

    Unlike her three more scientific and building officials, Ninatta</a> and Sari¡¯a¨¦l</a> had begun exciting discussions surrounding the amphitheater to promote more of the arts; Elinor had to admit, returning to a concert would be a wonderful welcome back present from her sister, and Ishtar would be sure to jump on such a project, given her tastes.

    Her Seraph was in a state of exhaustion after her battle against the spiritual worm-possessed Orinvia and enjoyed every second of her weakness; there was no rest for the masochist angel due to the evil children overlords that loved to trick her with their game rules.

    On the other hand, Camellia and Azalea were in Edmon¡¯s camp at the moment, using their silk and talents to support the reconstruction of the destroyed southwest wall with Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s quen¡¯talrat Elite Hunter squad acting as more muscle.

    As for Ishtar, she was still touring the Covenant¡¯s floating island with Kulitta</a>; Elinor expected Lexi¡ªthe nervous gelatin girl¡ªand Serris¡ªthe moody insectoid lady¡ªto return when her sister made her way back to Nethermore, hosting support from their curious ranks to add to their workforce.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze brought her to walk to the northern platform of her tower with Thor in tow, still brooding on everything he¡¯d witnessed in the Seraph¡¯s battle.

    She focused on the canyon gap in the mountain¡¯s northeast¡ªwhere a great many waterfalls carried water to various parts of the eastern valley¡ªas Thor spoke up; she sensed Quin and Valdar returning from their proselytizing journey.

    ¡°Lady Irkalla¡­  Doth thou trust these Covenant creatures?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±  Elinor gave him a sidelong smirk.  ¡°Trust is a strong word, Thor; we have a mutual understanding, and a mistake on Sar¡¯ollaz¡¯s part caused them to fall into a trap Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s father wove, tying them to me.  If anything, they¡¯re the ones cautious of me.¡±

    He smiled at her casual shrug and comment, following her eyes to where Quin and Valdar traveled, no doubt wondering what was to be their new orders after Ishtar¡¯s resurrection.

    ¡°Thou hath prepare for war on many fronts; doth thou believe thy presence would be best served in remaining with thy people?  If Primordial Olympus were to strike while you fought to the east¡­  I would not be the reason for thy people¡¯s destruction for my selfish quest and foolishness.¡±

    ¡°Huu-haaa,¡± Elinor sighed before chuckling.  ¡°You are such a sweet man; I feel terrible for putting you in this position.¡±

    ¡°Meaning?¡±

    She edged closer to nudge his side.  ¡°Surrounding you with vipers!  Women love a competent man that has the power to back up his word, understands the strengths and weaknesses we have, and shows himself to be a gentle soul to their needs.  Sif has reason to fear the temptations of lustful women for a man such as yourself.¡±

    ¡°Eh-hehe.¡±  Thor nervously rubbed his arm at her comment.  ¡°I knoweth not if thy words are meant to be a complement or warning.¡±

    ¡°Both, knucklehead,¡± she mused.  ¡°You¡¯ve caught my sister¡¯s eye¡­ allowing her to face Marduk on her own¡ªbolstering her already universal-tier pride and ego, might I add¡ªbefore valiantly charging in to defend her once you believed they were playing underhandedly¡­

    ¡°Haha.  I cannot tell you how much her heart must have sung, standing next to you, ready to engage those who spat on her crown.  She¡­ hasn¡¯t had the best luck with husbands, so you¡¯re the sweet, sweet nectar of honey</a> to mend her cut and bleeding heart.¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±  Thor sighed, trapped between a rock and a hard place at the revelation, yet Elinor was simply laying out the facts for him.  ¡°Thy words¡­¡±  Elinor slid between his hesitant response.

    ¡°Make no mistake, Thor,¡± she giggled, ¡°I¡¯m not suggesting you particularly do anything about it, but am simply informing you in advance about my sister.  Ishtar is drawn toward strong but sweet men, and she¡¯ll work hard to draw your attention, so¡­¡±

    It seemed to click in the man¡¯s head as she grinned, pointing at herself.  ¡°So¡­ thou art accompanying me on my journey rather than Lady Ishtar?

    ¡°I feel her sincerity, and she has truly taken the lead in improving the lives of thy subjects; I must be honest with my intentions¡ªsurely thy sister understands my position¡ªmy heart is first for my family.¡±

    Elinor puffed out a long stream of air, eyeing the man¡¯s tense muscles and uncomfortable shifts.  ¡°Ishtar doesn¡¯t have any ill intentions¡­  You must understand it¡¯s just a part of our culture; she has no issues returning you to your wife, should she be alive¡ªand I hope Sif is,¡± Elinor added at his narrowed eyes.

    ¡°But, Thor, I want to be perfectly clear¡­  Ishtar is not to be underestimated when it comes to her desires¡ªshe is the High Queen of Heaven¡ªand goes after everything she wants; she is not shy and knows exactly how to maneuver herself into a position to obtain it.¡±

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°I¡­ do not doubt her prowess,¡± Thor mumbled, rubbing his neck and turning to observe the hidden floating island.  ¡°Thou art saying Lady Ishtar wishes to position herself in a way to take Sif¡¯s place if¡­ she was unable to escape Yggdrasill¡¯s collapse?¡±

    Elinor leaned against the battlement and crossed her arms under her bust.  ¡°Nothing so nefarious as ¡®taking her place¡¯ for such a reason¡­  To Ishtar, should such an event catch you in a moment of weakness, she would be there to support and comfort you because she desires to lighten your life as you are lightening hers.  Women are complicated creatures, Thor,¡± she chuckled.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t noticed,¡± he sighed.  ¡°Lady Ishtar does seem to have a sweet disposition to those who are misfortuned.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s new, actually,¡± Elinor laughed, ¡°but Ishtar can be the sweetest sugar on your tongue if she likes someone, and¡­ she¡¯s in the market for a King of Heaven.  It¡¯s as simple as that, so, for that and many other reasons, I have chosen to position my kingdom in a way to not cause¡­ complications in the future.¡±

    ¡°Haha.  I appreciate thy candid manner of speaking, Lady Irkalla.¡±

    She gave him a sly wink.  ¡°Again, make no mistake, if things do change, I¡¯d be the first to let my sister have her shot to bring you into the family, and she has matured in many ways through our 10,000 lives.  Hehe.  Just so you know, Ishtar wants what¡¯s best</a> for you, and she¡¯ll treat you better than any fantasy you can imagine.  So¡­ careful, Thor.  Hehe.  You really are in a pit of vipers.¡±

    He rubbed his eyes as she moved to enter her tower.  ¡°I¡¯ll keep thy words in mind¡­  I do appreciate thy understanding heart, Lady Irkalla, and thou hath proven thyself true in all thy dealings¡­  We leave before first light?¡±

    ¡°We do,¡± Elinor returned, calling for Noa.  ¡°In the meantime, I¡¯ll have Noa transport you to Adoncia</a>, Sal</a>, Alisa</a>, and Valentina</a> to inform them exactly how challenging tomorrow will be for them.¡±

    Thor¡¯s eyebrows drew together as Noa appeared out of flashing runes, smiling and waving at him.  ¡°It will grow easier for them; will it not?  Greetings, Lady Noa.¡±

    The A.I. held a hand to her mouth in astonishment at the honorific phrase; she appeared to have been studying the language they used and connected the word to what he said to Elinor.

    ¡°Lady?¡± she blushed.  ¡°I am a simple servant!¡±

    Sitting in her chair with a chuckle, Elinor waved her hand.  ¡°Take the compliment, Noa.  You certainly are a Lady of Nethermore.¡±

    She used one of the nalvean salutes of deep gratitude.  ¡°Thank you, Empress!  Uh¡­ what should I address your guest as?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d be fine with Thor, I¡¯m sure,¡± she mused, her leg bobbing a bit as her mood continued to lighten and her apostles appeared to be closing into the range of her Nexus.

    ¡°Thank you, Thor,¡± she repeated, giving a slightly lower-tier salute.

    ¡°As to your question, Thor,¡± she hummed, tapping her armrest to the beat of her leg.  ¡°It will be easier in some ways, but I will not coddle them; they entered this proposition with the understanding they may die¡­ remind them of that.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  I will begin preparing them physically for the day¡¯s journey.  Thy service has been noteworthy, Lady Noa,¡± Thor said conversationally, seemingly believing the A.I. now completely understood him; she did not.

    He was transported away, and Elinor pondered how best he could apply Ishtar¡¯s belief network to give him the means to translate his speech; currently, he was using the Mesopotamian God¡¯s language to bridge the gap.

    Her thoughts shifted subjects when her High Priest contacted her.  ¡°Empress!  Your humble servants have returned; I have spoken to my High Queen and am thrilled to have felt your sister¡¯s resurrection!¡±

    Indeed.  So, what news do you have of the northern lands, and how much damage did it sustain from Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s 3rd Divinity seal being removed in her first battle against the Covenant?

    Quin remained silent, giving Valdar¡ªher superior¡ªthe stage to explain their findings and progress.

    ¡°Many races gather around the river area of the Great Northern Planes, and they have happily fallen under your banner, Empress.  We were unable to meet many of the dispersed tribes and factions, yet from the villages we were able to travel between, we secured plenty of believers that are now spreading your name to the other major gathering hubs.

    ¡°Your Empire grows in the north, and representatives from various factions are gathering to bring you gifts; they saw Warlord Sari¡¯a¨¦l¡¯s feats and marveled at her assault on the heavenly city, forcing it to depart their skies and saving their livestock from the raids.¡±

    So, the Covenant was using them as food for their troops, Elinor hummed.  The land?

    ¡°The Warlord seemed to have channeled all of her divine powers into the city, Empress, because, other than a short dry spell, they see her intervention as a blessing from their new overlord and goddesses, which sent them much-needed rain throughout the week and the gift of snow.¡±

    Heh.  Well, it¡¯s lucky the virus trapped within the ice didn¡¯t have a chance to gain a hold before we put a stop to it.  What kind of races populated the places you visited?

    ¡°They are mostly ri¡¯bot¡ªClanless¡ªyet I have heard a rumor that to the far north was a hidden away quen¡¯talrat faction within the mountains; it is a fear and bedtime story told to the children.

    ¡°As for other races, there are nalvean exiles or criminals, seeking to restart their lives without the marks they¡¯d been given for their crimes.  I have even heard mention of dr¨¦k¡¯ul¨¦ph and golariex, among other minority races that dot the many territories of the primary nations surrounding Nethermore.¡±

    Oh?  The Republic that has closed off its borders and the Holy Empire of Grand Duchess Juliquah¡­  High Lord Nukulara¡¯s secret affair?  Interesting.  I look forward to visiting these places when I return; I¡¯m sure Ishtar will find the information they have to offer more than a little useful, and quen¡¯talrat¡­  Hmm.

    Going through a few internal plans, she decided it was worth mentioning to the Ke to further show how much she appreciated his ability to let go of his former empire; the giant ape had a love for conquest, not material things, and a deep responsibility instilled into him since a child that he was the savior of his people.

    Now, they needed him, and she had one tip to offer the Ke, which she knew he would appreciate¡ªplant seeds and let them grow to bud in the future; add value, get rewarded.  It was a principle she heavily believed in, and that reward returned in so many fascinating ways.

    Wonderful work, Valdar, Quin.

    ¡°My pleasure, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Empress!¡±

    You may consult Ishtar on where she next wishes to send you¡­ and, Quin?

    ¡°Yes, Empress?¡±

    Prepare for a coming war; all the Intelligent Undead need to increase their ranks and abilities.  It will not be a light assault.

    ¡°Understood!¡±

    Breaking contact, she connected to her new Royal Arcanist.  Orinvia, I¡¯d like your expertise for a moment; if you could have Noa transport you here.

    ¡°At once, Empress.  There are¡­ many various types of magical energies this world seems to employ; I am familiarizing myself with dozens of different cultures.  However¡­ I examined the artifact you returned, and it doesn¡¯t appear to use magic as its medium but a spiritual draw from an internal source¡­  Curious.¡±

    She chuckled at her lofty, ethereal tone that drew on a sense of mysticism.  Ishtar will be needed for you to gain a further understanding of it since it is the product of the Divine Realm¡ª7th-dimensional¡ªand severely damaged.

    ¡°I have made note of your recommendation, Empress¡­¡±

    Lights and symbols flashed beside her, revealing the white-haired, floating woman; despite her deceptive, mostly incorporeal appearance, it was the miallu¡¯s porcelain-like, ghostly white face and exhausted, glowing blue eyes that kept her gaze.

    Elinor felt like she was a slave driver by the way her overworked, womanly tone painted an image in her mind.  ¡°There is an artifact you require my immediate attention on?¡±

    The dark circles under her shimmering irises drew a small smile to Elinor¡¯s lips; she had such an interesting group of Court members.

    She directed Orinvia¡¯s attention to a small pedestal nearby that housed the scepter-like rod Sar¡¯ollaz had given her to transport her to his floating island.  ¡°I¡¯d like you to examine that and make a detailed report on each function you discover, but before that, can you tell what needs to be done to contact the A.I. he calls ¡®The Oracle?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±

    Orinvia¡¯s head tilted to the side as the scepter lifted off the platform without a motion from the woman, drawn closer for her to slide her transparent fingers around the gems embedded into it.

    ¡°A complex instrument,¡± she whispered, spreading her fingers below it for a clone to break away from it and separate into tiny components; even if the rod appeared solid, Orinvia seemed to have dissected it into critical parts.

    ¡°Not of any design I have come across in your archive thus far, yet with a simple enough activation method, despite the magical manifold of its inner weavings.¡±

    Elinor stood to get a better look at the twirling segments, the holographic-like text of Orinvia¡¯s race being translated for her as she observed the woman¡¯s studious process; the woman appeared to use the visual display as a note-taking method.

    ¡°I am only looking for the communication function; everything else can be put in a detailed report for Ishtar.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  In that case, you must simply stroke this gem and speak the registered name of who you wish to contact, which includes this Oracle,¡± she said, directing the item through the air to her with a surprisingly charming, if tired, smile.  ¡°I do love all these challenging puzzles you are giving me, Empress.¡±

    ¡°Naturally.  I look forward to seeing what you are able to do with the floating fortress the quen¡¯talrat Sages were working on when I return.¡±

    She chuckled.  ¡°Floating cities are somewhat of a specialty of miallu, yet¡­ we tend to focus on more space travel than the simple act of floating.  Higher Realm transportation was what I focused on when alive.¡±

    ¡°It makes sense,¡± Elinor whispered, taking hold of the rod when it came within reach.

    She examined it, trying to find the sections the Arcanist had split her magical replica into without success; the golden, jewel-encrusted wand appeared to be totally solid, yet she¡¯d clearly seen Orinvia break it into different parts.  It was a tad frustrating being unable to see how the device was constructed after the Arcanist had done it so easily.

    ¡°You did open a gate to the Spiritual Plane, after all¡­  You do have a gift, Orinvia, I must say; I can¡¯t find see any other parts besides the gems.¡±

    She gave an airborne, flourishing bow.  ¡°Your praise is liquid to my Core.¡±

    Unfamiliar with the phrase but taking it as a positive by her internal emotional spike¡ªwhich did not show on her sleep-deprived, porcelain face¡ªElinor followed her instruction.  ¡°Oracle, connect me to Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma.¡±

    She lifted an eyebrow as a red light erupted from the top of the rod, showing a holographic display of the two-headed ape, and making Orinvia slow clap.

    ¡°Yay me.  Right again.  And they said I wasn¡¯t talented.¡±

    ¡°Empress Irkalla!¡±  the warmonger roared.  ¡°What do I owe the pleasure?¡±

    Elinor wanted to know who said the woman wasn¡¯t talented, but she may have been reflecting on her more corrupted and convoluted spiritual mess that had certainly held this more genius side back.

    ¡°Ke, I just received a piece of information you may find of interest.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  You¡¯ve discovered some clue as to my people?  Hehe.  Why am I not surprised?¡±

    ¡°It is only a rumor,¡± she shrugged.  ¡°There is a bedtime story passed among clanless ri¡¯bot that to the northwest of your former empire there is a hidden pocket of your people, possibly underground in the mountains of that area.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±  The giant ape didn¡¯t seem happy to hear his people were hiding, much less underground.  ¡°I¡¯ll have to begin my journey there.  Heh.  I hope to hear stories of your exploits, Empress.  Perhaps we will meet in combat ourselves one of these days.  Haha!  I cannot wait to feel that thrill in my chest.¡±

    ¡°Careful what you wish for, Ke, it might just happen,¡± Elinor mused, reversing her motion on the gem to end the call and returning the rod to her Arcanist.  ¡°Excellent work, Orinvia; I¡¯ll leave you to your study.¡±

    She gave a unique bow-like gesture with her cloak in the air before having Noa return her to the 35th floor.  ¡°I take my leave.¡±

    Releasing a short puff of air, Elinor walked to the window to glare at the southern mountains; she didn¡¯t like what was happening in the Nalvean Empire due to a few reasons, but most notable would be Becdeth¡¯s warning.

    Without a doubt in Elinor¡¯s mind, she knew Yesenia was making her play, which, in her estimation, would be either a rush on the offensive or something more devious.

    If the woman attempted to mobilize the forces Primordial Ares and Athena had given her to blitz Nethermore before it could gain a firm footing, she would welcome the war¡ªshe hoped that was her tactic, even if it would bring many casualties.

    Elinor¡¯s fist tightened, sensing the dark clouds gathering to the south like a ghostly finger sliding up her spine.  If Yesenia retreated, it meant she knew of and could maneuver a threat to whittle down both factions¡¯ defenses to achieve their goals, and there was nothing she could do to prevent that course of action.

    If Yesenia circled around from the closed-off Dr¨¦k¡¯ul¨¦ph Republic lands, cutting into their land through the west when they were dealing with the war in the south, it could be devastating, considering the woman would have gods and goddesses in mortal vessels on her side, which was why the Seraph needed to remain in the Nethermore to counter the worst case scenario.

    Also, the fact Iris had yet to find her daughter told Elinor the spider queen¡¯s prey had more help than just Demon and whatever network these white-scaled nalveans provided.

    A shiver ran down her spine that what she feared would come to pass, and it wasn¡¯t Primordial Olympus.

    Dagon</a> is coming¡­  If it¡¯s what I think, we¡¯ll be in an impossible split, which means Ishtar will need to read the field precisely and determine who she can afford to bring.  I only hope I¡¯ve given her enough soldiers for the wars to come.

    <hr>

    Author Note:  I will be begin releasing UE Rewrite with a lot of twists and revisions in two weeks to the public; Sari''ael''s very early introduction changed a lot of what I had planned.  More details are in the discord announcements.  I will release up to the current chapters the patrons have for the 1st draft, and I''m very excited for what is to come.

 B3 â€” 58. Shake the Nest, Welcome the Queen

    Klaus paused as he felt the sudden recognition of an undead coming into contact with Emelina¡ªthe Head Maid¡ªbeside him; it had been the first contact he¡¯d received since the pillar of fire split the heavens and Tal¡¯tamine had been sent to Nethermore with Lieutenant Malikar.

    He retained his current destination since the High Lord had called him to one of his private conferences chambers; Yesenia and High Seaweaver Lonuarag had been absent over the last few days, sending a few other prominent Seaweavers to stand in his place as the High Lord prepared to receive a message from the Judicus Isles.

    After the attack from their pirate vessel and the information discovered by Iris regarding Statesman Ara¡¯gora¡¯s brainwashing, the High Ruler had been trying to decide exactly what he should do; the Nalvean City-States were compromised, leaving him no choice but to rely on Nethermore¡ªyet they were also starved on personnel, as powerful as they were.

    It was impossible for him to discover which of his loyal subjects were being manipulated and for how long; it could have been years that these plots had been laid out, and for such powerful figures in the Nalvean Empire to have fallen under Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s influence showed he¡¯d planned this out meticulously for generations.

    Naturally, a message had to be sent to the pirate coalition, requesting a reason as to why their ship had performed an act of war; it also gave them the opportunity to see what they were up against, but there was always the possibility the officer sent would not return.

    Therefore, he¡¯d already set up a blockade between Komrnith and Orphia City-States, putting Statesman Baltoma in charge of it since he was one of the few that he could have a modicum of trust in after the Empress had saved his son.

    The chances of a two-pronged attack was likely, which was why he¡¯d sent word to Stateswoman Lukuroha and the other marches to the west; Imiraka¡ªthe City-State to the east of Mirelitel and where the Argent Dawn was posted¡ªwas in a terrible state to defend its northern borders, which the High Ruler had to admit was a problem he should have dealt with sooner.

    Still, the hilly, forested area would serve as a natural deterrent but also made for an easy region to send spies, not that they were needed since they had many inside informants, but, if they were lucky, their opponents weren¡¯t united.

    Whatever was happening in the Dr¨¦k¡¯ul¨¦ph Republic to their Empire¡¯s west had to have been planned; a grand move had been made by Demon, plucking the strings across the world, and to make matters worse, they had snakes inside the keep.

    Klaus¡¯ eyes narrowed as he slowed to a halt, turning with Emelina to find Yesenia slithering out of a hallway with High Seaweaver Lonuarag.  An unnerving shiver passed through his bones upon seeing her broad, black wings and snake-like eyes; her physical appearance had continued to change over the last few weeks.

    ¡°Lady Yesenia,¡± Klaus cooly bowed with the maid beside him, listening to Voukey¡¯s shocking revelations as he reported their Empress¡¯ orders.  ¡°Were you summoned by the High Ruler as well?¡±

    The woman¡¯s cold, flaming irises lingered on him for a second, showing disdain before moving past him without a word, which was unlike her typical annoyance; the High Seawaver gave his typical answer.

    ¡°How many times must I correct you, Undead; she is Supreme Ruler of Storms, Yesenia.¡±

    ¡°My mistake,¡± he smiled, following after the woman¡¯s long, weaving tail; she seemed to be in a hurry.

    Klaus¡¯ primary focus was on the Skylord¡¯s words, though; his Empress had awakened to her true birthright and was stepping through heaven to reach her domain.  Everything was about to change, and it couldn¡¯t have come at a better time with how things were going.

    Voukey dropped Amra¡¯Cora off to hide in the private forested reserve outside of the city.  ¡°How goes your mission, Aina</a>?¡±

    The maid¡¯s soft voice responded from outside the Seaweaver District.  ¡°I have sent messages to my son every day and appealed to the High Ruler and those within the Seaweaver Council, yet my requests have all been stonewalled.  I can only see him if he accepts it, and, so far as I am told, he has not.¡±

    Klaus spoke up, interpreting the underlying meaning for the bird, who may not understand it, keeping his focus on the weaving tail in front of him.  Pardon my interruption, Lord Voukey, but we believe her letters are not being delivered, and we do not know their current status after our last check.

    ¡°Very well.  I have brought someone who can help you get inside¡ªa shape changer named Yago¡ªmeet me outside the city, and I will deliver him to you.¡±

    ¡°At once!¡±  Aina replied with excitement in her voice at finally having the means to bypass security.  ¡°How should I go about entering?¡±

    ¡°Klaus?¡±  the bird queried, seeking his opinion.

    He thought for a moment, scrutinizing the pair, and after getting confirmation as to how the boy shapeshifted, he dismissed the idea of using the easiest route by taking the snake woman¡¯s appearance.

    Emelina will give you a list of targets we have marked with the highest clearance moving about the city today, performing daily rituals, and observing temples.  Find them, and give him an opportunity to touch your target.

    Voukey added his own instruction.  ¡°Do everything within your power to convince them to leave with us¡­  The Empress believes Yesenia is about to make a large play after obtaining support from Primordial Olympus.¡±

    ¡°I understand,¡± Aina smoothly replied; Yago wasn¡¯t so eloquent.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯ve never done any espionage stuff like this!  I¡¯m, uh¡­  I¡¯ll do my best!¡±

    Emelina chuckled, coming to his rescue.  ¡°Follow Aina¡¯s lead, and you should be fine.¡±

    Actually, Klaus interjected, lips tightening at the stakes starting to pile up, why don¡¯t you go meet them and do what you can to help, Emelina.  I¡¯m sure having an Assassin nearby if needed would be helpful to escape if things go south.

    ¡°Right away,¡± she replied, calmly changing directions without hesitation to leave the palace.

    Amra¡¯Cora¡¯s low rumbles fed through the Nexus.  ¡°I will be as close as I can without drawing notice.¡±

    Honestly, Klaus sighed, watching the guards in front of the door to the High Ruler¡¯s chambers open for Yesenia and the High Seaweaver, I think there¡¯s a high chance you are discovered, as there are mortal gods among them.  Don¡¯t drop your guard; they could attempt to follow you in order to glean information or kill us.

    ¡°¡­I will keep it in mind, Ambassador,¡± Emelina returned; there was a small smile in her voice that said she was happy about his worry.

    Entering the council room, his gaze was instantly drawn to Statesman Joru¡¯kora, the man wishing to have his son returned to life and a major military leader in the Empire.

    Beside him were several other high-ranking military leaders, yet he didn¡¯t even make it to his seat before Yesenia spoke, setting everyone on edge.

    ¡°The Deep comes for the Nalvean Empire, High Ruler¡­  Everything you hold dear will die if you do not follow me and abandon these lands.¡±

    Joru¡¯kora stood, nostrils flaring with his bright red scales flashing against the firelight.  ¡°You speak to¡ª¡±  he cut off as the High Ruler held up a hand, releasing a long sigh.

    ¡°I was calling you here to ask what side you are going to choose¡­ but I suppose your response is to flee.¡±

    Klaus was taken aback by the sudden declaration and offer, receiving confirmation from Emelina that many of the Seaweaver¡¯s were gathering research and scrolls, taking them back to the Seaweaver District.

    Something had Yesenia spooked, and after she¡¯d come into her monstrous powers.  She wasn¡¯t going to circle back and take what was left from the war; Primordial Olympus was abandoning the Nalvean Empire and cutting their losses.

    Moving to take his seat, Klaus relayed the information to Voukey, obtaining further shocking information regarding a new development that seemed to be targeted at the nalveans.

    The High Ruler¡¯s focus was on his influential, water-based leader.  ¡°What about the Seaweavers, Lonuarag¡­  Have you been plotting to turn your entire army against the very nation they were sworn to protect¡­ to forsake all the oaths they¡¯ve made?¡±

    The man¡¯s jaws worked around, clearly perturbed by this sudden decision his revered Storm Goddess had taken and the position she¡¯d placed him in; Klaus was beginning to understand the dire situation as Voukey explained that some mysterious, powerful sea entity was going to awaken soon.

    ¡°I¡­ do not do this lightly, High Ruler, and I do believe our nation is worth protecting, but if the Supreme Ruler of Storms herself has considered this fight unwinnable, we should prioritize our citizens¡ª¡±

    ¡°Coward!¡±  Joru¡¯kora grunted¡ªbeing a true man of military discipline¡ªas he glared at him.  ¡°We have defended these lands for over a thousand years¡ªyour ancestors¡ªand you won¡¯t even question your Ruler of Storms as to what we even face?  If she cannot help, we have other options for support.  Yes, Ambassador?¡±

    Klaus smiled as Voukey told him the show was about to start, and he rose to his feet, causing Yesenia to glare daggers at him; he doubted he was getting out of this room alive, but luckily, his Empress had prepared something to draw the snake¡¯s attention away.

    ¡°High Ruler, Statesmen, Stateswomen, generals¡­ Supreme Ruler of Storms¡­¡±  The Seaweaver and Yesenia were caught off-guard by his response as he motioned them to the door.  ¡°Empress Irkalla has prepared a proper show for you to understand Nethermore¡¯s response.¡±

    ¡°So soon?¡±  the High Ruler muttered, rising to his feet.  ¡°Where is your Empress¡ªwho is Irkalla?¡±

    Everyone else stood, mirroring Nukulara¡¯s action, and Klaus shook his head.

    ¡°Unfortunately, this will be a live broadcast; the Empress couldn¡¯t be here because¡­ she is about to engage in war to the east of Nethermore¡¯s borders and wishes for the nalveans to know who they have guarding their northern borders.  I am told it will be quite the show.¡±

    ¡°High Ruler¡­¡±  Statesman Jurombe¡ªruler over the northern coasts of the Great Ruby Lakes¡ªmumbled from the window in disbelief, drawing everyone¡¯s attention as he pointed.  ¡°A projection of strange design hangs over the city.¡±

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°What is your Empress up to?¡±  Yesenia hissed, weaving to one of the windows to see a small portion of the projection.  ¡°A hologram¡ªno¡­ witchcraft?¡±

    ¡°We should have time to make the battle,¡± Klaus replied, moving to the door.  ¡°The Empress will be facing 10,000 opponents herself.¡±

    ¡°Against who?¡±  the High Ruler queried, following him out with his royal guard and the other Statesmen, accompanied by their own protection.  Yesenia hesitated but couldn¡¯t resist following after them.

    The battle would take some time, or so Voukey theorized, compared to the previous battle he¡¯d witnessed; it should provide ample time for Emelina, Yago, and Aina to perform their mission.

    It didn¡¯t take long for them to reach a distance to observe the dreary conditions of the battlefield, and Klaus could see the ominous clouds to the north overtaking the valley; it certainly was an intense sight to see his Empress standing before an army of ri¡¯bot.

    He shivered as the rumble of thunder and falling rain filled the city without a cloud above them; the soggy battlefield was lined with war machines and infantry, preparing for war against their singular opponent.

    Yesenia stiffened upon seeing a large group of colossal individuals Klaus assumed was the Covenant¡ªKe¡¯Thra¡¯Ma was among them¡ªand nervous mutters filled the nalvean leaders¡¯ conversations about the White Cancer¡¯s return and how the northern Empress seemed to have a truce with the laughing, giant ape.

    He vanished without incident, but Yesenia was glued to the screen, watching intently with the High Seaweaver; they¡¯d found their distraction.

    Yago managed to slip inside using a high-ranking official¡¯s identity as the entire capital city of Shi¡¯Shuka froze, holding their breath and observing the powerful image above them; the Empress they¡¯d seen was now being surrounded by an army of ri¡¯bot.

    Calvary swooped in to hammer her against the shield and spears closing in on her from the opposite direction, yet apprehension turned to awe and fear, silencing all when the revealed goddess of death sent the army to her gates.

    Klaus had to admit, it was terrifying but incredible and breath-taking to see; garrison after garrison, ri¡¯bot fell to her might until she caused a chain eruption of corpses in a detonation that scarred the landscape, only to draw the gore back into four, titanic abominations.

    It was unlike anything he¡¯d ever expected to see, yet knew it was real; once it was over, the heavens parted again, sending a shockwave that was even felt by those within Shi¡¯Shuka, and the blinding radiance to the northeast shone so bright, they could see it clearly without the help of the projection.

    Elinor took the focus upon returning, showing a far more mature figure and cadence as she addressed them and the army she¡¯d laid to waste, introducing the High Queen of Nethermore and Supreme Goddess of Heaven to them¡ªIshtar¡ªwho would be journeying to Shi¡¯Shuka within the week.

    The Empire was going to war to the east, and by the Empire, the Empress meant herself.

    Chuckling upon seeing the domination, Statesman Joru¡¯kora turned back to Yesenia.  ¡°You believe we cannot win against this¡­ Deep with power like that¡­ to return the dead to life and create unstoppable monsters to fight for you?¡±

    ¡°S-Supreme Ruler of Storms?¡±  the High Seaweaver whispered in fright.

    Yesenia was stony-faced as she glared at those who were present, likely discovering her Trickster was among them and that her plan to steal the princess had failed.  Her focus was on the High Ruler, though.

    ¡°You may think yourself safe, and, yes¡­ Irkalla is powerful, but she cannot save you from what is to come.  Your own madness will turn brother against sister¡­ Tridents, fangs, and claws will rip you in your family to shreds in your manic flight when the Great One appears.  Death is inevitable¡­  Thank you for your hospitality.¡±

    She left far more calmly than Klaus would have expected, but he had the suspicion that what she¡¯d seen had convinced her to remain just within reach to seize the opportunity if they were victorious.

    Emelina reported that eighty-seven humans had chosen to side with them; a few had the Seed, having more supportive abilities than offensive.  Tragically, the majority had already been spooked by the serpent woman¡¯s story about what was coming.

    Aina¡¯s son was one of them that wasn¡¯t convinced, breaking the mother¡¯s heart as he rejected her offer to join them¡ªhaving permission from Elinor¡ªhe couldn¡¯t trust her.

    They¡¯d won a small victory, and shockingly easy once everyone had been distracted; those that went to Nethermore would be able to tell them more about Yesenia¡¯s group of mortal deities.

    However, he had to admit, it was a tad underwhelming, but considering the horror they were facing, he could see why Primordial Olympus didn¡¯t want to invest too much into a losing cause, which was likely the reason why she¡¯d tried to kidnap Tal¡¯tamine.  Yesenia still needed the princess, which meant she¡¯d come back for her.

    Sure enough, Yesenia left with roughly eighty percent of the Seaweavers, heading north with a small party to meet Ishtar; some of the City-State representatives pushed to execute the deserters, but the High Ruler rejected the call for action, knowing it would cause more harm than good.

    The people may not have entirely been aware of why so many of their famed Seaweavers left, yet the show the Empress gave allowed room for hope in a strong alliance, as they¡¯d heard through word of mouth; still, it was a crippling blow to the nalvean people¡¯s moral with the looming rumors of war spreading through the nation.

    Many began flocking to Nethermore with the promise of the Empress¡¯ sister coming to introduce herself, and petitions for answers regarding the mass exodus of many military ships and personnel were flooding the High Ruler¡¯s table.

    The Nalvean Empire¡¯s peaceful and luxurious lives had been shaken to their foundations.

    * * *

    Water dripped off Iris¡¯ skin and soaked hair as she exited the ocean, scanning the jungle island she¡¯d arrived at; she¡¯d followed Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s vessel through many passages and turns, having lost it for a short time when returning to Nethermore upon the sudden ripple that pulsed through the Nexus.

    She was so close; Iris could taste the scent of her daughter.  It appeared that the ancient nalvean had been able to track her pursuit and decided to slip away while leaving those she chased to rid himself of her, which meant there would be a trap on this island.

    Fingers curling into fists at her back, she extended her locks through the jungle, searching for the base he¡¯d transported her daughter to; it was a large island, possibly sixty-four hundred square kilometers of land.

    They¡¯d made little effort to hide the unique, silken fibers her daughter left that spoke of her adolescence, and she smiled at the prospect of them using her offspring against her; it was something she¡¯d never experienced in her nearly 300 years of life.

    Proceeding inland, she breathed in deeply, taking in the sweet scent of her daughter; the false mother knew so little about her biology that it made her quiver with rage at the neglect she¡¯d shown her precious youngest.

    So¡­ you are hunting me now?  she mused, studying the trees as the sunny breeze pressed against her skin and fluttered the starry, dark purple dress Violet had crafted for her.  I can smell your lure¡­  How cute.

    Proceeding into the jungle, Iris passed unnoticed by the poisonous insects and prowling beasts, stopping every once in a while to carefully handle her daughter¡¯s thread, and giggled at the poisonous barbs meant to lock her nerve system.

    As a good mother should, she sampled the toxin, judging how skilled she¡¯d become at the craft; adapting was their way of life, and she pulled the tiny, near-invisible thread away from her tongue, humming with interest at the proteins she¡¯d used in its creation.

    ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to do that!¡±

    Her body froze as she felt the quiver from the thread as her daughter released it to not be discovered; how naive of her child, but it still filled her with pride that her daughter managed to get this far without proper guidance in the complex systems they possessed.

    It was a Queen¡¯s pride that her daughters would one day surpass her, and her little moody skulker was now working on a new plan; Iris was eager to see everything she could think of.

    She could take her time since the nalvean that had done this to her daughter was still attempting to misguide her child in fighting th¨¦lm¨¦thra; Iris would learn everything she¡¯d done to her cherished offspring.

    Her daughter tapped into the unique environment of the island, drawing out poisons and adapting various ways to lay traps using barbs, quills, and¡ªto her entertainment¡ªwrapping her in silk; nevertheless, she slowly closed in on the frustrated princess¡¯ noisy stamps and frustrated roars.

    The nalvean had taught her to keep her distance, only relying on her trapping capability and venom; it saddened Iris to see her struggle and cry out for guidance that would never help.

    Next, she distributed unusual plates within the soil as if she couldn¡¯t smell the wonderful scent of her adorable arms digging and packing the soil in an attempt to appear natural.  Iris curiously tested them out, dropping silk balls on them at a distance to release various effects, such as runic eruptions and magic-laced acid, which she happily incorporated into her arsenal.

    ¡°How is she doing this?!  Stop!  Mom, I can¡¯t stop her!  She keeps eating everything I give her¡­  What do I do?¡±

    I¡¯m coming.  I¡¯ll show¡ªhaaa¡ª

    Iris¡¯ shoulders fell when she cut her connection to her thread.  What did they do to you, My Little Skitterbug?  You are so much more than this¡­  If only you tapped into the sacks you inherited from me, you would have the answer.

    Unable to withstand the pain and confusion in her daughter¡¯s voice, Iris used her hidden thread underground to lock her in place, laying her body flat against the earth as more silk latched onto her abdomen and rear, keeping them from struggling.

    ¡°I¡¯m caught!  Mom¡­  Mom¡­¡±

    A tear fell down Iris¡¯ cheek, human bodily emotions she wasn¡¯t accustomed to as she halted just within sight to see the frightened steam pumping out her poor, underworked legs.

    ¡°Little One¡­  You¡¯re so malnourished¡­  Such a mess.¡±

    ¡°Stay away!  Go¡ªI just¡­ why can¡¯t I win against you¡ªI always win¡­  I always win¡­¡±

    The tingles running across Iris¡¯ body ceased, hearts running cold as her gaze drifted between the hidden runes engraved in her daughter¡¯s beautiful exoskeleton, marring it as if claiming some kind of ownership and creating a link to the nalvean¡ªshe was sure by the pulses.

    Hisuki¡¯s hum made Iris¡¯ teeth lock together as she spoke through her terrified daughter.  ¡°You are¡­ far superior to the one that attacked the manor.  Am I to assume you are this th¨¦lm¨¦thra¡¯s mother?  She did sense a familiarity with you, but the way you move¡­ is on an entirely different level than the other we dealt with.¡±

    Iris had no intention of speaking to that which would be dead soon, yet the hidden silk she¡¯d woven through the earth and into her underground shelter froze as she continued to speak.

    ¡°I have no doubt you have discovered my location at this point.  Heh.  I can feel the fear in my pet that tells me she knows you¡¯re searching for me, and I even believe you¡¯ve somehow slipped right by my barrier runes, but¡­ any pain I feel, so does my pet.  I¡¯m sure we can come to an¡­ understanding.  We did make a clone.¡±

    Head tilting to the left, she spun more silk to probe the unsettling pulses emanating from the designs in her daughter¡¯s exoskeleton, discovering more underneath, somehow burned inside her body; she could feel it when touching her child¡¯s hot skin with her thread and didn¡¯t pay too much attention to her blatant lies and attempts to buy time, such as her admission of a clone¡ªher daughter could not be replicated.

    ¡°Let¡¯s be completely open with one another,¡± the nalvean chuckled as if they shared the same mother.  ¡°You are the real interesting one¡ªeven Jumi¡¯kerune, with all his knowledge, couldn¡¯t slip your incredible instincts¡ªI can offer you a perfect positi¡ª¡±

    Iris calculated</a> all the rune combinations Camellia had meticulously analyzed and transferred to her and matched it with what Violet added regarding Jumi¡¯kerune¡¯s style before overlapping it with Hisuki¡¯s, littering the island in an instant and cross-referenced it with the unique energies they produced from what she¡¯d studied of Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s city network.

    Fully understanding the combination of effects woven through her daughter by the pulsing forces they made and which were active, Iris discovered a solution.  Her thread pricked the base of the nalvean¡¯s spine, introducing a toxin that disrupted the woman¡¯s neurons, putting her in a semi-lucid, catatonic state.

    Not dead, not asleep, and still able to drift within a mindscape of thoughtlessness, Iris finished her hunt; she couldn¡¯t free her daughter, but the others in the Royal Court may have an answer.

    Wrapping the woman in a tight bundle of thread, she ripped her through the earth, sending a geyser of rock and dirt into the sky to blanket the jungle; a soft smile lifted Iris¡¯ lips as she moved to kneel in front of her daughter, caressing her unresponsive mandibles, dropping saliva.

    ¡°You were so beautiful¡­  What have they done to my precious little girl?  I¡¯m here¡­  Don¡¯t worry, Little One¡­  Your mother is here.  You have a family¡ªolder sisters¡ªand we will help you become what you were meant to be¡­  My Little World Eater.¡±

    The burning in Iris¡¯ nose made liquid fall down her cheeks.  ¡°I will fix you¡ªI will find a way¡­  I will give you the love you so desperately desire¡­ you deserve.  I will acknowledge your efforts.  I will show you what it means to be my daughter¡ªwhat it means to be a th¨¦lm¨¦thra.¡±

    Hugging her for a time, Iris breathed, allowing herself time to calm down so she wouldn¡¯t be vulnerable on her return flight.

    Iris recognized the rune sending signals into the aether, which likely led to Jumi¡¯kerune.  She found a nulling rune in the form of silk within the woman¡¯s underground collection to wrap the two in; it wouldn¡¯t allow any messages to be passed through it, countering any surprises.

    It was time to return home with her child; her revenge would come after she restored her beautiful daughter to her true self and destroyed the runes that had confused and stunted her growth.

    Kissing the protective silk enclosing the small th¨¦lm¨¦thra, Iris smiled.  You¡¯re safe.  Let your true mother nurture you as a mother should.

    Transforming into her perfected Jukal form, Iris carried the two bundles back to Nethermore.

 B3 â€” 59. High Queens Rule

    Ishtar</a> moved through Nethermore¡¯s cleaned streets on her way to the palace¡¯s main hall; Neara</a>, her Royal Vicarius, walked with her, overseeing many tasks that required her attention and taking pressure off the Royal Court.

    With her silky-white, golden-strapped gown fluttering in the warm, east-bound winds, Ishtar smiled at those who bowed and showed her respect; excited whispers followed her from the crowds of ri¡¯bot, yaltha¡¯ma, and humans as they waited for their Empress to make her exit.

    The darkness of early morning was penetrated by hundreds of tiny globes of light provided by Orinvia¡ªtheir newest member of the Royal Court¡ªand she swiftly became one of their most critical additions due to her genius in analyzing alien magic and technology.

    Admiring the work done by all the maids and butlers added to the force, she was beginning to see the possibilities this fortress could provide; things were looking up.

    She entered the hall, allowing her presence to be seen by everyone that had gathered and tracked every budding faith across the land; there was a difference between faith by fear, love, trust, and many other forms of belief¡ªmost were fear.  However, if properly guided, fear was an important tool that could bring about a stronger bond.

    Ishtar wasn¡¯t necessarily worried or interested in manipulating the population into some belief trap that would eventually fail; the truest form of belief came through transparent trust in one¡¯s leadership, which nearly every creature in Nethermore had developed through Ereshkigal¡¯s actions.

    Morning, Sister, she chuckled, meeting Ereshkigal in the center of the room with the group she¡¯d gathered for her war; she wore the tight, stretchable silk top and bottoms that Violet had crafted for her¡ªentirely not suited to one of her position¡ªyet Irkalla, and Ereshkigal through her, had never been too fixated on clothing.

    Ereshkigal¡¯s gaze lingered on her.  ¡°Can I leave now?  We¡¯re wasting time.¡±

    Oh, Ereshkigal¡­  I understand you are eager for war, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to wait for Iris and Voukey to return?  It shouldn¡¯t be more than 20 minutes.

    ¡°Haaa.  Can you call me Elinor instead of my old name?¡±

    Mmh.  It is a tad strange to call you by a new name when I¡¯ve known you as Ereshkigal for so long, but¡­ I suppose you have changed, Sister.

    ¡°As to Iris, I can speak to her on our exit; appearances are important, but not this important, Ishtar.  You simply hope to keep me as long as possible to test my patience¡­ or admire Thor.¡±

    That certainly is two possible angles I am taking, she snickered, turning to view the Royal Court around them.  I need to understand how your temperament has changed since our goddess days.

    ¡°Humph.  I hope it was worth it.¡±  She stepped forward, catching Thor, Kulitta, Apate, Sal, Alisa, Valentina, Adoncia, Garu, and their desert ri¡¯bot guide¡¯s¡ªNelika was her name, as she recalled¡ªattention as she addressed the throng.

    ¡°Haaa.  I¡¯ve said it before, but I leave for the east to engage in war and determine if the nations there will recognize Nethermore.  Ishtar will take care of the Empire with the support of the Royal Court until I return.¡±

    Ishtar sighed internally as her sister promptly began making her way out of the capital with the group she¡¯d gathered; the Great Chiefs would join her outside the palace.  Yet, a smile touched her lips when the crowd began to call for her safe return.

    Very well, Sister; if you could inform the Great Chiefs that Sari¡¯a¨¦l will take me to their cities in the coming days.

    ¡°Oh?¡±  Elinor hummed, following Thor and the others¡¯ awkward motions in acknowledging the calls for their safety; Kulitta didn¡¯t even recognize their existence.  ¡°I see you¡¯ve realized your time will be stretched thin.¡±

    It was far from the display she¡¯d envisioned, but her sister was always the type to show her accomplishment after the war by example in what was won rather than a preemptive ceremony; she never expected thanks for what she did.

    The golariex, nalveans, dr¨¦k¡¯ul¨¦ph civil war, and the possibility of so many other issues, such as what might come from our north¡­  You have left me with all your dirty laundry for the thrill of a simple war against gods¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t pout, Ishy,¡± Elinor snickered, making Ishtar¡¯s face tighten at the nickname.  ¡°I know you¡¯re depressed that Thor is leaving without a kiss for his maiden when going off to war as you ¡®slave¡¯ away taking care of the homeland.¡±

    I was unaware you wrote fiction, Elly.

    ¡°Hehe.  I¡¯m going to miss you, Sister.  Don¡¯t implode my Empire!¡±

    No promises, she huffed, allowing everyone to disperse.  If you could refrain from causing more trouble in the east for me to deal with¡ªI¡¯m already swamped with every other direction¡­ then that would be wonderful.

    ¡°No promises!¡±

    She was a tad disappointed there hadn¡¯t been a grand send-off with drinking, dancing, and general merry-making; Thor was off with her sister, and she was back to running the Empire¡­ without a body to warm her tender heart.

    Life is never fair, and all the good men tend to be taken.  What a shame.  The door¡¯s not closed yet, though¡­

    Ishtar moved to the west wing¡ªwhere Edmon had made the library his place of operations¡ªand allowed Neara to return to her busy schedule for Valerie</a> and Luisina</a> to take her place.  Luisina was a sweetheart that genuinely cared for her fellow man, while Valerie had a love for music and dancing with her violin that Ishtar enjoyed.

    She spoke on a personal level with the two girls on their journey toward the throne room, learning more about their interests and dreams while passively keeping track of everything happening from the Upper Court.

    Valerie practically had a heart attack when she asked if the girl wanted to be the mascot and announcer that ran the theater; she had the personality and looks to hold attention, but, most importantly, she loved to entertain.  The former model couldn¡¯t restrain her excitement as she accepted the offer.

    On the other hand, Luisina didn¡¯t particularly enjoy being in the limelight, choosing to help those that were going through troubling times on a personal level.  Ishtar thought about her issues for a moment before coming up with a solution.

    She suggested the girl join some of the morning exercise routines¡ªincluding spearfishing¡ªin the underground fish farm to build her Exp to increase her physical fortitude while being emotional support for those engaging in the activity.

    The physically challenged maid couldn¡¯t wait to learn a new trade and loved the looks on the children¡¯s faces when seeing the men and women return with the large fish, which were actually fairly docile.

    She multitasked between various groups, keeping up with all the actions while discussing the details with the two maids; finally, she could stretch her fingers and do things her way.

    Ninatta and Sari¡¯a¨¦l were scouting out the theater and its surrounding area; it would be an essential area for entertaining guests and displaying Nethermore¡¯s budding arts.

    Tiffany was tasked to expand their transportation grid, which would take much of her time, even with the quen¡¯talrat sages¡¯ support; however, teaching a more assembly-line strategy to the unintelligent undead in performing the precise runic etchings was showing fruit.

    The Royal Ritualist had already proven a master of her craft by organizing the various crops and goods they could plant.  Their unique greenhouse facility allowed them to hasten growth and produce crops year-round.

    She¡¯d also discovered a renewable resource in the gemstone technology Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma had developed, providing them a means to generate a method of engineering that could be shipped to other nations, where they would hold a monopoly.

    Orinvia picked apart all of the artifacts the Ke had recovered from his northern conquests, along with any souvenirs from their museums or tools the giant apes had gathered¡ªthough not entirely understood; her understanding of the runic language through her first interaction had stunned the sages at how swiftly she picked up the basics.

    Ishtar left Violet in charge of directing their valley defenses and sent Azalea to the west to scout the area and report back her findings, developing a map using her silk to perfectly catalog terrain, creatures, and key locations.

    Camellia had the job of further exploring the many caverns underneath their valley and uncovering any further complications that might come from within.

    Overall, Elinor had left her a total mess.

    She began studying the maps Edmon had put together of what they knew about the surrounding lands; unfortunately, they hadn¡¯t discovered the Ke¡¯s broader depictions since this area had been solely focused on the valley.

    The golariex people¡­ an all-female tree-like species that breed with other races to procreate and have a complicated relationship with the nalveans.  What would Tal¡¯tamine think of her father¡¯s entanglement with their Grand Duchess?

    If we are to be attacked, the most vulnerable area would be from the southwest river, but moving a large body of troops through our jungle is not a very viable option in typical warfare unless adapted to the environment.

    The dr¨¦k¡¯ul¨¦ph have adapted to sea-based combat, which would turn our rivers into staging grounds for terrorist activity, and if they wish to cut off our support of the nalveans, it would be at the lip of the valley¡­

    We have many natural defensible positions, but they can be used against us, such as the chasm the river flows into on the path to Shi¡¯Shuka.  Sari¡¯a¨¦l should be able to defend against an attacking force if Noa and the city¡¯s defenses are rebuilt¡­  If we get the teleportation grid online, it will give us quite a few options.

    Her gaze drifted over the Great Ruby Lakes.  Margotha</a>¡¯s children¡¯s lava bodies won¡¯t be that useful in sea-based combat, but they¡¯d make excellent defenders for Nethermore, which allows us to move more forces to the south.

    A soft puff of air shot through her mouth as she examined the playing field.  If the Nalvean Empire is as infected and crumbling as Elinor believes, they could willingly become a part of Nethermore when all of this is done if we come to their aid, which isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing¡­  Problems¡­ so many problems.

    The Doom Guard joined her shortly after directing more personnel to his wall reconstruction effort.  ¡°Is there anything I can help you with, High Queen?¡±

    A slight smirk lifted the corner of her lip as she turned to face the tall man; there was a curious waver in his spirit that slipped through every once in a while, which interested her and had pulled her this way.  Tiffany seemed to experience the same reflux from time to time.

    You are doing incredible work, Edmon; you only need to concern yourself with preparing Nethermore for a siege.  Although¡­ I may require you to join me instead of defending the city when the time comes.

    His gaze shifted to the map on the table, and a frown touched his handsome face.  ¡°You plan on leaving Sari¡¯a¨¦l to defend¡­ as the Warlord?¡±

    Ishtar pointed at the Great Ruby Lakes.  Dagon will come from the sea¡­ his mythology is relatively predictable, and I will need most of the Royal Court to be with me when it happens.

    I don¡¯t plan for Sari¡¯a¨¦l to defend Nethermore; I expect her to take the battle to whoever attacks¡ªNoa can defend¡ªbut I cannot see this plot of the Eldritch allowing other gods to intervene and how they anticipate breaking into this maelstrom of Existences tells me they likely have some means to manipulate these crystal gateways.

    Edmon cleared his throat while examining the large body of water.  ¡°We will be isolated?  Tiffany has suggested some form of ritual involved within the Nalvean Empire to invoke this process, with Eldritch followers being needed to open a breach.  If we can identify how they¡¯re using these crystals¡­¡±

    Now you¡¯re on my wavelength!  Ishtar chuckled, directing her maids to follow her as Iris neared the point where she could connect to Elinor.  It is very possible that we can discover and reverse engineer their method, either occult through Tiffany or magical through Orinvia¡­  Our new divine object recently secured may also have its uses in that.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    A hesitant note stained Edmon¡¯s voice, which was telling.  ¡°We¡­ could make a gateway back to Earth?¡±

    Haha.  Yes, Edmon.  We could.  Why do you sound scared of that prospect¡­ and that flicker in your spirit shows itself again?  Curious¡­

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m afraid of such an option,¡± he evenly returned.  ¡°Is there some issue with my spirit that you have identified?¡±

    Ishtar stopped at the wide open doors of the library, her maids a tad confused as her thoughtful, sparkling, blue-eyed gleam turned back to the uptight Doom Guard.

    I suspect there is something you are hiding from my sister, Edmon¡­ and she is too focused on the bigger picture to see it.  I won¡¯t inquire about it at this moment, but¡­ I do hope you come to me about it in time.  I¡¯ll leave you to your work.

    Holding her elbow behind her back as she walked to the tower, she listened to Iris¡¯ conversation with her sister; Ishtar could have had Noa transport her to her destinations, but such haste wasn¡¯t currently needed, and she liked to be on the move when pondering so many possible outcomes.

    ¡°I have secured my youngest daughter and her false mother, Empress,¡± the queen smoothly reported; she detailed the issues she had encountered for Elinor to direct her to Ishtar.

    ¡°I am thrilled to hear about your successful hunt, and I look forward to seeing how she has adapted to the Empire when I return.  As to orders, I have temporarily relinquished control over the Empire to my sister.¡±

    Hmmm.  Ishtar examined her liquid-like, twinkling blonde locks as she followed the report.  Orinvia, Tiffany¡­

    ¡°Yes, High Queen?¡±  the woman¡¯s exhausted voice responded.

    ¡°Mhm?¡±

    It seems we finally have someone with answers to our mysterious nalvean inventor and traitor to his people; Iris, bring the two to Orinvia to enclose them in a barrier so she may break their runic connections, and once that is done¡­

    ¡°Ooh!  My turn with the nalvean?¡±  Tiffany cooed as if being presented with a gift.  ¡°I would love picking her brain!¡±

    Sensing the Spider Queen¡¯s animosity toward the nalvean that had pretended to be her daughter¡¯s mother, Ishtar chuckled.  It isn¡¯t just information we need, Tiffany¡­  We must set an example for those who have chosen to side against us.  After all, she also holds the sin of harming Iris¡¯ daughter, correct?

    The Assassin¡¯s voice was cold.  ¡°I am not versed in your style of interrogation, Tiffany, and I would appreciate a very detailed recount of everything she has done to my daughter.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  Well, let¡¯s see¡­¡±  the Witch mused, popping her tongue a few times as she thought.  ¡°Public humiliation, a betrayal of that which she holds most dear¡­ oh, belittlement tends to do wonders against those who are narcissistic and showing their faults.  A healthy amount of agony¡ªnaturally¡ªdivulging her dirty secrets and wishing for death that will never come¡­  Ah!¡±

    Tiffany seemed to bustle toward an ingredient shelf, browsing its contents.  ¡°A slave as she made your daughter?  I can create a spiritual leash that you can tug and poke from halfway across the continent whenever you¡¯re feeling particularly annoyed to spark unimaginable pain, and, the best part, her mind will be unable to break!  Haha!  It just pulls her right back to miserable, tortuous sanity.¡±

    It sounds perfect, Ishtar accepted.  Our first priority is to break these runes within Iris¡¯ daughter¡­  Have you come up with a name for her?

    Iris flew toward the tower with her offspring, thinking on the topic.  ¡°We have been named after the flowers of the previous world the Empress was born to¡­  What are more options to keep that unity in our family?¡±

    The corner of Ishtar¡¯s mouth lifted at the floral imagery.  What about Poppy?

    A short chuckle came from the typically emotionally controlled woman.  ¡°It sounds very¡­ jumpy, which does describe her temperament; she takes traits from each of my children.¡±

    Excellent!  Very well, if you could take care of Poppy, Orinvia.

    ¡°I already have the required void shell for the operation.¡±

    Proceeding to the tower to observe the procedure, Ishtar asked, Do you plan to stay to see your daughter awaken, Iris?

    ¡°At least until the danger has passed.  After I have confirmed her recovery, I seek to continue the hunt for Jumi¡¯kerune.  Is that acceptable, High Queen?¡±

    Hmm.  Descending the stairs to the grand hall, she pondered the best use of Iris¡¯ time while also pursuing her desire for revenge.

    I suspect Jumi¡¯kerune and Demon are pursuing chaos by aiding the Cult of Dagon in his resurrection; I think you will find him quicker by finding those involved in this organization.  Orinvia, can you backtrack the runic signal to find his whereabouts?

    ¡°Hmm.  It would require the creation of a device that I can attune to any signals passing through space, yet such an endeavor will require time to complete and a better understanding of this universe¡¯s elemental and magical table.¡±

    Haaa.  Never easy.  Jumi¡¯kerune is in Demon¡¯s hand, and the shadow creature is the type to align with anything that will promote conflict, and he would know of the cult¡¯s existence.  We will most likely cross paths during the coming campaign.

    Iris accepted the task instantly.  ¡°As we wait for a proper method of discovery, I can attempt to use myself as that tracking device.  What markers can I use to identify this new enemy?¡±

    Let¡¯s go over my plans for the future, she returned, sensing her sister leave the conversation; Ishtar wanted to have everything for her sister to make the eventual critical decision that would change the course of her Empire when Elinor returned.

    Pulling in the other Royal Court members with Neara, Ishtar laid out each goal they needed to achieve within the next month; Dagon¡¯s appearance and the crystal gateway would most likely appear over the Great Ruby Sea days before activating its enclosing shell from the information they¡¯d received via past events recorded by the ri¡¯bot and nalveans.

    She didn¡¯t expect to be alone in this fight and doubted Dagon¡¯s goal was this borderline planet of displaced deities; typically, Ishtar wouldn¡¯t have even thought of the prospect of a middling 6th to 8th-dimensional Eldritch entity as troublesome, yet in her current state, he certainly was, but fortunately, she had a tiny Seed that could provide the power to deliver an appropriate blow.

    Ishtar didn¡¯t want to rely on the Seraph when they had time to prepare other methods of attack; her power was to be reserved for truly dire situations and give Elinor¡¯s Nexus time to grow to accommodate the stress the angel put on it¡ªthe network still hadn¡¯t fully recovered.

    Once she¡¯d concluded the round-table meeting, observing Poppy¡¯s recovery, it soon became clear that the terrifying¡ªnot so little¡ªspider would require several days to heal; the branding had been instilled into her very organs, further enraging Iris.

    Voukey returned shortly after the discussion with news about the humans that wished to join Nethermore and the current state of the Nalvean Empire, which wasn¡¯t reassuring; to her amusement, he informed her about the snake-woman¡¯s approach.

    Ishtar sent him back to meet Yesenia and tell her she needn¡¯t bother entering their land unless she came to surrender; if she was weak enough to run from such a low-tier Eldritch incursion, then she had nothing to offer.

    They could obtain a few benefits from negotiating with the Olympian creature, but Ishtar knew too well that the faction she was a part of would not submit, and it was obvious she had no respect for Elinor or her, so the best option was to enrage her in the off-chance she slipped up.

    Apparently, she didn¡¯t take the response well because she attempted to cage the Sky Lord; the result was two ruined ships and her furious redirection to the western river before reaching their border.

    Voukey took some damage, but, as an undead, he was far more resilient than he¡¯d been when alive and could still perform his duties, carrying a message to the Argent Dawn to prepare for war; after which the bird flew to Shi¡¯Shuka to report to the High Ruler that Ishtar would be in his city in a week.

    Orinvia discovered every rune and several magical and ritual charms¡ªthe latter Tiffany had to handle¡ªthat required careful attention and study; the th¨¦lm¨¦thra left on the third day when all the chains binding her daughter were broken.

    There was still the question of where Poppy¡¯s loyalty would land when she awoke, but Orinvia crafted a metal bracelet that the Royal Arcanist could send a magical signal to, making it vibrate; it was a crude method of communication, but it worked.

    Around noon on the third day of her sister¡¯s departure, Ishtar had Sari¡¯a¨¦l fly her out to the Great Clans¡¯ major cities, giving her an understanding of the suffering ri¡¯bot within; the people were mourning their fallen family and friends.  Her presence sparked a wave of controversy within the community, but they didn¡¯t attack or resist her visit.

    She¡¯d conserved enough energy to resurrect thirty in each, showing her power over life that Elinor had restored to her; it felt empowering to have regained what she¡¯d once so foolishly rejected, even if in such an infinitely confined manner as she rebuilt the power that devotion and faith gave her between settlements to continue her journey.

    The rich grassy fields would make for wonderful farming land with the storms Ke¡¯Thra¡¯Ma¡¯s complex volcanic ecosystem generated for the jungle valley; the rainfall didn¡¯t extend beyond a certain point, which was the reason for the desert beyond.

    She sent Quin and Valdar to renew their evangelizing to the north while ridding herself of a rather annoying Jukal named Rigrach by directing him to speak to the people of the conquered Great Clans and gauge their concerns.

    Headway was being made for developing a more comprehensive map of their new land, with the battle angel taking Leonora Gentileschi¡ªthe undead human artist¡ªaround their territory to paint from their airborne vantage.

    Edmon completed the wall reconstruction within the week; it had taken a lot of planning, but with the extra manpower and some of the artifacts the Arcanist identified involving anti-gravity, the process became far easier.

    Unfortunately, the teleportation grid was taking longer than expected, and, eventually, she chose to use the th¨¦lm¨¦thra tunnel system for the needed runic framework.

    Tal¡¯tamine spent time among the people of Nethermore, always having a Rare-Grade undead guard¡ªmainly Finila and Giliri¡ªaccompanying her with Noa so they could react if there were any attempts at her kidnapping again.

    Demon was silent, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for Dolos¡ªthe weak 6th-dimensional personification of trickery in mortal form¡ªwho was happy to comply when Ishtar discovered his existence; Elinor hadn¡¯t even informed her of the imprisoned deity.

    Elinor made her first long-distance call, mainly to see how things were fairing on the seventh day out, but appeared more interested in random, unrelated topics than micromanaging, and told her she would move their discussions to be monthly at the end of the call.

    Just before Ishtar left for Shi¡¯Shuka, Poppy awoke, sparking Iris¡¯ return; sadly, the child was still leery about them, but it was more a sense of confusion after so many force-fed thoughts had suddenly evaporated inside her mind.

    It wasn¡¯t pretty for the woman who¡¯d instilled that abuse to the queen¡¯s daughter, and Tiffany became depressed at how easily the nalvean¡¯s will broke, telling them all she knew.  Lamentably, all the secret bases she knew about had been remotely destroyed by Jadefire.

    On the other hand, Iris discovered old haunts of the Cult of Dagon, but it seemed Yesenia¡ªmore specifically, Kampe</a>¡ªhad destroyed them days before her exit, telling her the monster had attempted to stop the cult only to realize it could not be halted.

    Still, Ishtar expected Yesenia to use the coming conflict to launch a ¡®surprise¡¯ assault on them from the west after being so dismissively rejected; a small ri¡¯bot kingdom in the valley over seemed to be excited to receive the snake woman, but the Seraph could handle those details.

    Azalea reported that the war engulfing the dr¨¦k¡¯ul¨¦ph appeared to have sparked from various territories of the republic from some kind of social disorder that had turned brother against sister, yet there were rumors of a 3rd party attacking the far west of the nation¡¯s shores¡ªfoul play was a certainty and Demon¡¯s claws were all over the conflict.

    Iris¡¯ gentle prompts to her daughter proved effective to the degree of accompanying her eldest sister¡ªher mother intimidated her, crushing the queen.  On the other hand, the peppy red-haired spider sister appeared to have instantly made an impression on her youngest sister; Violet also seemed to have gained some ¡®cool¡¯ points on the impressionable youngest th¨¦lm¨¦thra.

    It was a bit hard to leave¡ªheart strings ripping out¡ªbut Iris returned to the south to spy on the nation¡¯s happenings; Ishtar wished she could do something to help the mother, but she knew Poppy would come around in time.

    Poppy and Camellia made an exciting discovery shortly after the girl joined her sister, a colossal vein beneath their valley that opened up to an entire subterranean world.  The youngest th¨¦lm¨¦thra was becoming very attached to her older sisters as they made appearances throughout the day to meet her, showing her tricks and helping her develop her toxins.

    Ishtar couldn¡¯t deal with the new, hidden world at the time, so she had the th¨¦lm¨¦thra sisters seal it off, thrilling Poppy as she received praise; she was a little girl looking to find her use and purpose in the world, enjoyed the attention she was finally getting from her sisters.

    Leaving Tal¡¯tamine in the Seraph¡¯s care, Ishtar left for Shi¡¯Shuka, meeting the humans that decided to go for Nethermore on the docks of the nalvean capital city; they were enamored by her stunning looks¡ªit went without saying; she was a Supreme Goddess.

    Ishtar spent time with the generals, sharing what information Iris and Azalea had brought back and adapting her objectives to the developing situations with what remained of the nalvean Seaweaver army.

    So far as they could tell, the large faction of citizens and military that Yesenia had pulled away numbered more than 17% of the population, which was staggering since the ¡®goddess¡¯ sent runners to each City-State to call for them to abandon the doomed nation¡ªit was a crippling blow, pulling more away by the day.

    In three weeks, Azalea discovered the new threat sweeping through the crumbling republic to their west; it was an army of new creatures that would reach their lands in the coming month.

    They were more advanced than the sister anticipated, and she¡¯d almost been caught by a few elites that somehow caught onto her presence, forcing her to retreat; they were heading for the Argent Dawn, splitting their forces to attack the nalveans and Nethermore.

    Three more passed, with war beginning against the southern isles and Iris following the trail of the cult, but they hadn¡¯t been able to expose the central ritual site in time, and Ishtar¡¯s worries took form on the last day of the week.

    A 100-meter tall, rhombicuboctahedron-shaped blood-red crystal that shimmered a dark-brown color, indicating it wasn¡¯t going to begin soon.  Unexpectedly, a second one formed moments later, visible from Shi¡¯Shuka¡¯s ports; it was the same size as the red gateway, yet this one was only hexahedron-shaped and light-pink.

    Ishtar observed the colossal display with a short sigh, sending Voukey to instruct the remaining Royal Court to meet her in Shi¡¯Shuka with the preparations they¡¯d made; Edmon was with her, and the army to their west with Yesenia was mobilizing the western ri¡¯bot to launch an attack on Nethermore.

    This wasn¡¯t Dagon, but it was a marker that said their ritual was almost complete¡ªthey were running out of time¡ªand they were about to be locked into this conflict until one side perished.

    The barrier stretched over most of the Nalvean Empire and overlapped some of the ri¡¯bot strip north of their territory and part of Imiraka City-State when the gateways activated, leaving Mirelitel and the Argent Dawn to fend for themselves against the coming western army.

    Yet, an exciting development came from the second gateway¡ªhaving opened first¡ªin the shape of a lunar hare, housing a rather fascinating spiritual conundrum that told Ishtar a story upon first glance.

    Ishtar¡¯s bangs drifted to the left as the long-eared young woman fell out of the crystal, ships of various designs exiting after her solo dive, centering on their vessel with many of the Royal Court around preparing for her arrival.

    The illuminated dual moon seemed to be drawn to her very presence, their glow amplifying through the shimmering crystal shell that locked them into the area overhead; her essence was powerful enough to bypass the dimensional locks surrounding them, drawing Ishtar¡¯s attention like a spotlight in total darkness.

    The spiritual pulse the lunar hare subconsciously radiated warped the very fabric of reality, instantaneously spreading mishap like a plague to bend it to her whims.  A personification of Existence¡¯s misfortune?  How fortuitous.

 B4 â€” 1. A Frustrating Start

    Elinor set a swift pace out of Nethermore, obtaining the good news regarding Iris¡¯ youngest daughter¡¯s recovery; it was time to go to war and, hopefully, bridge more allies with her nation to the east¡ªsuch as the desert clans¡ªto further build her influence.

    Currently, her goal was to turn these budding God-Touched into something that could actually be useful for what was to come, and it would be a long road.

    A soft puff of air passed through her lips as she turned to see the struggling mortals attempting to keep up.  Naturally, Valentina</a> was in the lead with Alisa</a>¡ªSal¡¯s</a> girlfriend¡ªin the rear; she¡¯d expected the teens to struggle to adapt to the enhanced Seeds.

    The Tiger Beastkin had an advantage due to already receiving one of the Lesser Seeds, yet the transition in the extra power they¡¯d received from Elinor¡¯s children would still take a toll on their souls.

    Adoncia</a> tried to encourage the teenage girl; Elinor could feel the maid having a tough time¡ªdealing with Tiamat¡¯s influence weighing her down¡ªdespite eating a healthy breakfast with the others; her Ogress Passive granted her more power via consumption.

    They had to be pushed for the enhanced Seeds to fully take hold, and it would still be another day or two before it bloomed, but even Valentina was having trouble maintaining the speed Elinor set.

    Elinor did not expect Apate¡¯s</a> ragged breathing behind them; the trickster may have been a very powerful personification¡ªpossibly touching the 13th dimension as a muddled down Celestial; then again, she¡¯d been so weak after their Existence collapsed, a teenage girl overpowered her¡ªyet her mortal body was not the most durable since she¡¯d used much of her Greater Seed¡¯s power to dip into her trade.

    Thor</a> only lagged behind to be in a position to act if needed, taking a spot between Elinor and the group of mortals; Elinor wanted him to see how far they needed to be pushed on this venture to be prepared for the battle when the time came before making her next suggestion to the man.

    Garu wasn¡¯t having trouble remaining by her side as an undead, and Nelika¡ªtheir guide¡ªwas doing surprisingly well for a mortal, yet she was a decently strong scout in a powerful desert clan; it was reassuring that she¡¯d be able to maintain this speed when the teens gradually grew stronger.

    As for Kulitta</a>, the dominatrix was lifting a critical eye at the wine-haired personification, struggling to keep up with them.  ¡°I expected you to have more¡­ stamina.  Perhaps we should institute a training regiment, Mistress.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Elinor sighed, coming to a halt with those around her; the leather-dressed songstress¡¯ gloved hands tightened at her back while leering back at the lagging groups.  ¡°Some adjusting will need to be done.¡±

    The trickster placed a hand against her pumping chest, still able to return an indignant look at Kulitta.  ¡°I¡­ am doing just fine.  I appreciate your concern,¡± she huffed, stopping to straighten and wipe away the sweat on her brow.

    ¡°I am concerned!¡± Kulitta chimed, wearing a testing smile while summoning her whip to smack against her palm.  ¡°If we continue at this snail¡¯s pace, it will be more than a year before we reach our destination.  What would you suggest we do about your¡­ fragile body?¡±

    Apate smirked, mirroring the songstress by placing a hand on her hip.  ¡°Hmm.  My input?  You could always carry me!  You do appear to have muscle and¡­ more on the inside of your head, I¡¯m sure.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  You¡¯d be surprised, but I think we should reverse that thought; it would do us little good to have our weakest link coddled like a child.¡±

    Garu and Nelika tried to remain out of the discussion, observing the struggling mortals, but Elinor¡¯s sudden chuckle drew their gaze, and Thor jumped forward to meet them upon seeing her gesture to join them.

    ¡°I assume thy call art in the topic of the God-Touched?¡± he asked, trying to keep his focus away from Apate and Kulitta¡¯s feud.

    Elinor breathed out a long stream of air, yet a smile was on her lips, which drew the two women to center on her.  ¡°What is your opinion of their current progress, Odinson?¡±

    Thor¡¯s mouth became a line as he stared at the four in the rear before looking at the high quen¡¯talrat buildings around them and the underground hallway that would lead them to the gates outside the city.

    ¡°Valentina has shown improvement since we began, but I fear Alisa will need to be carried soon¡­  I was afraid thy push to have them accompany us would be met with many challenges due to their frailty.  When will they receive the support of thy children?¡±

    Elinor shook her head.  ¡°It does not work with consistency; their own drive is what will allow this Seed to grow.  So¡­ I have a suggestion that you may not like.¡±

    Thor¡¯s chest puffed up before discharging a stream of air.  ¡°Thou wishes to leave them to trail behind us on their own¡­  They are not trained in the ways of survival, Lady Elinor.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  As Kulitta said, we do not have the luxury of coddling them, which means we must present obstacles in their way in order for them to tap into the power they desire¡­  Apate will join them.¡±

    The trickster¡¯s expression blanked.  ¡°Huh?  Why must I babysit them, Mistress¡ªwould not the brute be a far better candidate?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s teeth flashed.  ¡°It¡¯s that personality of yours that makes you perfect for the job!  You don¡¯t care about them but are chained to their feet; their troubles are your troubles.  Therefore, you¡¯ll get them ready far quicker than anyone else, or¡­ they¡¯ll cause a change in you!  Haha.¡±

    ¡°Perfect¡­¡± she hissed, glaring at Kulitta¡¯s smirk.

    Thor was torn between frustrating the trickster and his desire to train the children, which was the reason for Elinor¡¯s next interjection.

    ¡°A trial through fire is always needed to mold warriors, and isn¡¯t that what we want, Thor?¡±

    ¡°Haaa. Haha.  It is, Lady Elinor; they may not be warriors yet, but they have told me their desire to become stronger¡­  Thy plan is sound, yet combatting the trickery of one such as Hera¡¯s harlot is a daunting task.¡±

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the point?¡±

    ¡°Very well.  Do not try anything questionable, harlot!¡± he warned, electricity sparking from his eyes.

    ¡°Honestly, what kind of ¡®child predator¡¯ do you think I am?  Such an idiot,¡± she grumbled.  ¡°What¡¯s the point!  I¡¯m a slave¡ªa servant¡­  My will is not my own, you muscle-headed dolt!  So, can you quit insulting me?¡±

    Kulitta crossed her arms, tapping her whip against her side.  ¡°Haha.  This could be fun.¡±

    Elinor moved to the sulking woman, causing her golden eyes to crease and head to lower; in truth, she felt terrible for Apate¡¯s pessimistic outlook on life, and part of her goal in this was to further develop her ties to them.  ¡°Apate¡­ have you ever been a leader?¡±

    ¡°Me?  No¡­¡±

    ¡°Consider yourself promoted!  You have free will to use your tricks as you see fit in preparing them; the only thing I will forbid is lying to them since trust must be built, which is impossible on a bed of lies.  Have fun!¡±

    Promptly turning around, Elinor entered the halls, leaving the trickster in a partial daze at the sudden revelation; she wasn¡¯t just babysitting, but Elinor had trusted her with a responsibility, which was probably more than anyone else had done in her long life.

    Thor was beside her in a single bound, glancing back at the woman as Valentina neared the trickster, struggling to breathe.  ¡°Is it essential to facilitate her growth when she has had no tie nor obligation to rise to such a station?¡±

    Kulitta giggled, drawing his focus.  ¡°Authority is a drug; as much as it can be a curse to others and for those fumbling around¡­ it can stimulate people to take actions in¡­ unpredictable ways.  Trust can go a long way, and lost opportunities spur change¡­  I believe we all would benefit from learning more about who Apate truly is under all her veils, which responsibility will show¡­ in time.¡±

    ¡°Humph.  What do you two see that I do not?¡±  Thor¡¯s grip on his hammer tightened as he glanced back to see Apate meet with the tiger girl.  ¡°I will temper my prejudice¡­  You are showing me many new angles from my previous way of life, Lady Elinor.¡±

    Elinor shrugged, scanning the decorative walls of the entryway, restored by Edmon¡¯s efforts.  ¡°Something your father knew well, I¡¯m sure, Thor, was that a ruler cannot do everything on their own, and coal can become a diamond under the right circumstances.  Apate has lived a lifetime of persecution from your enemies.  What would your brother do?¡±

    ¡°Haha!  Thou continues to make excellent points,¡± Thor smirked, likely recalling Loki¡¯s mischief-making.  ¡°My brother has always been willing to take seemingly stupid risks¡­ which often lead to far more trouble than he expects.¡±

    ¡°Life is always a gamble,¡± Elinor mused.  ¡°Now, how fast can we push our guide?¡±

    A strained laugh came from Nelika as they smiled at the caramel-skinned ri¡¯bot, and Elinor broke into a consistent jog, pushing them forward.

    In truth, adventure was an enticing prospect; she could have let her sister handle this job, but she wanted to push herself, and running into the face of the walls that blocked her path was always her preferred method of dealing with problems¡ªhead-on.  Plus, her husband was now missing, and she couldn¡¯t wait to see the look on his face when she was his knight, cloaked in the veil of death.

    * * *

    Valentina puffed out a long stream of air, fur-covered chest pumping as she leaned over to rest her hands against her knees; she¡¯d been trying her best to keep up, yet the Empress kept increasing her pace.  She knew it probably was on purpose, but it still frustrated her that she couldn¡¯t keep up.

    Apate gave her a sweet smile that didn¡¯t touch her eyes as she neared; Thor had warned them about this sparkly-green-dressed woman.  ¡°Yo, what¡¯s up, Val¡ªcan I call you Val¡ªI seem to have been put in charge of your little God-Touched group!¡±

    We¡¯re being left behind, and guess who¡¯s the only one with tracking skills¡­  Great.

    ¡°Haaa.  Okay,¡± she mumbled, calming her thumping heart. ¡°So¡­ am I going to have to follow their scent then?¡±

    Adjusting her skimpy top, the wine-haired woman frowned.  ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you quick on the uptake?  Haaa.  It would be a pain explaining it multiple times, so¡­  Actually!  Why don¡¯t I tell you, and you can be my little lieutenant?¡±  She clapped.

    Long tail flicking to the left, Valentina grimaced.  ¡°Do I have to?¡±

    Apate¡¯s face dropped its caring, cheerful act, showing the apathy she felt for them while placing a hand on her hip.  ¡°Look, let¡¯s get the pretenses out of the way; I was told to do something by the Death Goddess that holds my leash.  We can make this enjoyable or a pain for us all.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  I like this version of you a lot better,¡± Valentina muttered, groaning as she leaned left and right.  ¡°Can I make a suggestion, Captain Apate?¡±

    The personification of trickery rolled her eyes. ¡°Must you?¡±

    She flashed her sharp teeth; it was evident the woman had never had authority before since she didn¡¯t just shut her down.  ¡°I don¡¯t know much about you, and you don¡¯t know much about us; if we¡¯re going to make this work and not get under your skin, I think we should all learn a bit more about each other.  Fair?¡±

    Apate sucked on her rosy bottom lip for a moment.  ¡°I¡­ find it incredibly annoying that I cannot lie to you.  How is that?  Ooh!  How about this¡­  My intimidating slaver wishes for you to go through a hellish time and has tasked me to oversee your torture.  I wonder if this was the kind of undeniable truth she wished me to share, hmm?  Is that cool?¡±

    ¡°Meow!  I thought I was the cat,¡± Valentina snickered, holding up a hand. ¡°You are so bitter!  I kind of like it.  You can call me Val if you like.¡±

    ¡°Heh.  Is that so?¡± she frowned, staring at her extended arm. ¡°I am not amused at being forced to act against my nature¡­  It makes me uncomfortable.  Am I to presume you want me to be real?¡±

    Realizing she wasn¡¯t going to shake her hand, Valentina withdrew it with a shrug.  ¡°Do whatever you want, Boss.¡±

    Apate shifted to the side to glare back at the group already lost from sight ahead of them.  ¡°What do you think I want?  Such a stupid statement when I can¡¯t do anything of the like.¡±

    Valentina glanced at Adoncia¡¯s group.  Alisa had her arm around her boyfriend¡¯s stooped shoulder as she struggled to keep going.

    They¡¯d walked over twelve miles at a swift, two-hour pace down one of Nethermore¡¯s main streets to reach the primary southeast gate, and the sunlight was just brightening the heavens as morning showed her glory.

    She didn¡¯t have anyone like Alisa to be there to support her; Valentina wasn¡¯t delusional enough to think she didn¡¯t want something similar, but nothing like that had clicked in her life.  Perhaps one day, but right now, she had to be strong in her own way.

    Thor gave them his opinion on the Empress and those they would be traveling with, which changed from his first explanation, but that made sense after everything they¡¯d gone through.  Valentina had developed her own thoughts from everything she¡¯d experienced thus far since coming to this Empire.

    Ultimately, her goal was to be strong enough to live however she wanted, which meant she needed to stand toe to toe with the Empress herself; it was something Nungal</a> resonated with her on.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Valentina learned a lot from her time with the Princess of Irkalla and couldn¡¯t help but be drawn to her unbreakable will to do anything to achieve her goal, even if it meant disobeying her terrifying mother.

    Smiling at Apate, ears spreading out, Valentina asked what Nungal posed to her, ¡°Captain, I think you want exactly what I want¡­  Don¡¯t you want to get powerful enough to break those chains the Empress has you in?¡±

    ¡°Humph-haha!¡± Apate¡¯s gaze fell to the black stone street. ¡°You¡¯re funny¡­ so, so ignorant to think that is ever going to happen¡­  I¡¯ve lived a very long time, Val, and what have I learned?  Guess.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Holding her hands behind her back, Valentina¡¯s illuminated yellow irises shifted to the grumpy personification; she was beginning to see the cracks in Apate¡¯s armor since she was at such a severe handicap of being unable to lie.  ¡°It¡¯s easier to fall in line than rock the boat?¡±

    ¡°Ugh¡­  Hmm-hmm-hmm.  I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that¡­¡±  A feigned smile brightened her face.  ¡°I know¡­  Here¡¯s your first task as your captain.  Find your way to the Empress without my help.¡±

    Valentina sighed as the waving woman dispersed in sparkling light, becoming utterly untraceable, and even her scent seemed to be erased from her memory.

    Well¡­ that could have gone better.

    Folding her arms under her bust, she turned in a slow circle; she¡¯d only met the energy she sent back, but it seemed Apate was somewhat of a defeatist.  Then again, her frustration showed Valentina she didn¡¯t want to be.

    She waited several minutes for the three to catch up, motioning for them to take a seat on the sidewalk.  ¡°We can chill for a bit.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Adoncia asked, frowning as she looked after her Empress.  ¡°They¡¯re so far ahead of us now¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ so sorry,¡± Alisa gasped, coughing a bit.  ¡°I¡¯m¡­ just holding everyone back,¡± she sniffed, crying due to fatigue and frustration.  ¡°I don¡¯t want to be the weakling¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey¡­  You¡¯ve been doing amazing,¡± Sal encouraged, breathing a little hard himself.  ¡°We aren¡¯t going to be superheroes on the first day out.  Heh.  Remember what Thor said?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still holding everyone back¡­¡±

    A sudden thought struck Valentina as Sal comforted his girlfriend.  ¡°Adoncia, you can follow the Empress through your one thing, right?  I¡¯ve heard rumors that the undead know where the Empress is at all times.¡±

    Adoncia pulled a sniffling Alisa into her lap to rest.  ¡°We can only go as far as we can.  Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself¡­¡±

    After making sure she wouldn¡¯t keep berating herself, the maid smiled and shook her head.  ¡°The Empress cut my link to communicate through the Nexus a while ago; she can contact me, but I have no idea where she is¡­  What did Apate talk to you about?¡±

    ¡°Haaa¡­¡±  Studying the damaged outer buildings, Valentina shook her head.  ¡°I bet she¡¯s still around us, but I kind of embarrassed her, I think.  From what she said, the Empress wants us to find our own way to her, which¡­ means I¡¯m the new guide, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Alisa whispered, hand still pressed against her chest.  ¡°I¡¯m trying.  When do you think our Seeds will kick in?¡±

    Adoncia shook her head.  ¡°Let¡¯s not think about that¡­  The Empress is telling us to survive on our own.  I don¡¯t think I should carry you, Alisa; the trial is to see how far we can go.  You can only do what you can,¡± she whispered, brushing her bangs away from her slick forehead.

    Valentina nodded. ¡°You guys rest up; I¡¯m going to scout ahead more¡­¡±

    She paused as Adoncia called out to her.

    ¡°Wait.  I know you¡¯re antsy, Val, but you¡¯re the only one that can guide us, and if you did make Apate mad, she could create an illusion to separate us.¡±

    Her ears stood up as a soft chuckle came from the trickster nearby, appearing beside a wall with one of the fruits that naturally grew on the trees along the road.  ¡°Smart, Ms. Maid.  I was going to do a little trick, but I have a better idea¡­¡±

    Valentina¡¯s gut tightened as a low growl came from the rotted wooden doorway beside Apate¡ªshe took a step closer to Sal as he got to his feet in alarm¡ªthe scent of a Ragnlar made her fur stand on end.

    ¡°Hold up!  Hold up!¡± she hissed, heart beginning to pump frantically; Thor warned them that Apate¡¯s illusions were basically reality itself to the individual¡ªif they died to her trick, they were really dead.  ¡°Can you really do this?¡±

    Playing with her shoulder-length, wine-colored hair, Apate shrugged.  ¡°Meh.  Didn¡¯t I tell you my job was to be your torturer?¡± she liltingly cooed as the giant, six-legged beast exited at a prowl; it was as tall as the trickster. ¡°Aww¡­ who¡¯s a good kitty?¡±

    Valentina jumped back, fur covering her open skin in preparation for the fight as it darted forward.  It was faster than the living alpha she¡¯d fought in the jungle, and that had been too strong without the element of surprise; there was no shot she could handle a Ragnlar.

    Her instincts told her to run, but she couldn¡¯t leave the others; she was the only one who could actually fight.

    Drawing upon her courage, her claws elongated as she prepared to send a swipe at the beast; it would be useless against its thick fur, but she had to try.  Its sharp fangs were already a meter from her face as she brought her hand up, but her blow never landed.

    A blur of motion made her freeze as an iron club smashed into the Ragnlar¡¯s skull, caving it in and instantly changing its momentum, sending blood splattering all over her.

    ¡°Huh¡­¡±

    Ears pulled back, Valentina watched a hot puff of air stream out of Adoncia¡¯s fanged teeth as she drew back her weapon; a fierce red glow surrounded her now muscular, crimson-tinted skin as what appeared to be rose paint outlined her bright, yellow eyes.

    Her blonde hair shimmered like liquid gold as it shifted with her movement, a low rumble in her throat as her sharp eyes turned to the trickster; the pulse of wildfire of energy she emanated made Valentina trip onto her butt, wincing as she landed on her tail.

    Adoncia¡¯s two energy-like horns solidified as she snarled, ¡°Is that it?¡±

    ¡°Ooh!  Interesting,¡± Apate clapped, and the illusionary Ragnlar vanished with the blood spotting Valentina¡¯s fur.  ¡°Hehe.  It is rather annoying trying to force my way past your innate mental resistances as an undead, but I suppose that is to be expected¡­ maybe I should exclude you next time.  Test one passed!  Will you pass the second?  Hehe.  I¡¯m starting to have fun!¡±

    She hazed and vanished.

    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Sal helped Alisa up.  ¡°Is that going to be a recurring thing?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Adoncia sighed, aura slowly diminishing as she reverted back to her thin, black-haired self.  ¡°You okay, Val?¡±

    ¡°Y-Yeah, but¡­ what the hell was that?!¡± she asked, accepting the maid¡¯s hand before rubbing her stinging tail.  ¡°You can turn into¡­ whatever that was?¡±

    ¡°An Ogress!¡± Sal answered, looking a tad nervous at his sister¡¯s sudden transformation.  ¡°Isn¡¯t she strong?¡±

    ¡°No kidding,¡± she mumbled.  ¡°I could hardly see you move¡ªthat was¡­  Yeah,¡± she finished, unable to find the words.  ¡°Hehe.  I guess you are one of the Empress¡¯ maids.¡±

    Adoncia forced a smile as they started on the path again. ¡°Yeah¡­ it comes with some weaknesses.  Can you find some food when we enter the jungle?¡±

    Catching the implication, a low groan came from within Valentina¡¯s throat.  ¡°Should we really be discussing weaknesses with Apate nearby?¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  It¡¯s pretty easy to tell, and I don¡¯t think the Empress¡¯ goal is to kill us, so¡­ she won¡¯t, but it will mean you need to handle any more surprises she may have for us.¡±

    Suddenly feeling much better about having someone else she could potentially train with on their journey and rely on, a thought suddenly struck her: Apate sending monsters at them was excellent training for her reaction time and senses.

    Scooting closer to whisper in Adoncia¡¯s ear, she said, ¡°If I suddenly run off, just tell the others to wait.¡±

    The maid¡¯s blue eyes softened, and she nodded, knowing Apate could suddenly throw them a curve ball if she knew they were running off to get food.  Valentina was reasonably confident the trickster wouldn¡¯t try to follow her through the trees when she went for a hunt and likely would want some warm meat herself.  Their next opportunity to appeal to Apate would probably come at lunchtime.

    Working around Alisa¡¯s trembling legs, it wasn¡¯t until the sun was high overhead that they made it to the jungle; Apate was surprisingly silent throughout the journey¡ªof course, a rainstorm soaked them for an hour when there wasn¡¯t a cloud in the sky¡ªbut the second they got to the thick undergrowth, she scent of another jungle cat made her freeze.

    She wasn¡¯t sure if it was real or fake, and that was the trouble when dealing with the trickster; deciding it was better to be on the safe side, she jumped into the trees, scanning for its presence, and sure enough, claw marks were showing it had claimed the territory.

    There¡¯s no way Apate would know their habits, right?  This has to be a real one¡­

    Making a snap decision, she prowled after the creature; it was an ambush predator and could circle around to lay in wait if they blindly went forward.  Valentina carefully jumped through the jungle¡¯s high branches, tracing the cat¡¯s lingering pheromones that permeated the air until spotting the brown-furred variant.

    She swallowed her nervousness, letting the thrill of a hunt pull her in; still, there was the tickling apprehension that this could still be a trick.

    Carefully positioning herself to jump down on the beast, she patiently waited until its focus shot to a nearby Frave¡ªthe raccoon-like creature with tough, thick fur¡ªand it slowly left its low position to attack; the second its rear rose and blade-like tail stiffened, she pounced.

    Using a skill she obtained after Apate¡¯s attack earlier, she kicked the air to angle her attack to slip under its own pounce, raking the air to send her mid-range energy slash at its vulnerable underbelly¡ªit hit¡ªand the Ragnlar vanished, leaving the smirking face of the trickster in its place.

    ¡°Dammit!¡± she screamed, tumbling across the dirt and mud as the Frave jumped at her sudden noise and ran into the brush.

    Stopping on her face, Valentina growled while pulling herself out of the muck.  ¡°Bleh¡­  Grr-argh!  Apate!  Where are you?!¡±

    The woman materialized on a mossy, half-protruded rock, legs crossed and a smug look on her face.  ¡°Oh, did you trip?  Sucks to be you.  Haha!¡±

    ¡°Can you be less of a pain in the ass!?¡± she coughed, wiping mud away from her chest, face, and neck.  ¡°How did you even follow me; do you have some kind of godly teleport or something?¡±

    ¡°How cute,¡± she mused.  ¡°You actually think I need to be near you to affect your Intelligence; you know my level of ¡®tricks¡¯ are far, far more refined than anything you can imagine.  I can affect you from miles away; I¡¯m still here enjoying Alisa¡¯s fear of bugs¡­ there¡¯s always one in her hair, crawling toward her ear.  The poor thing is becoming paranoid!  I wonder how long it will be before she asks to have her pretty brown hair shaved?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so¡­ weak,¡± she grumbled, erasing Apate¡¯s amusement.

    ¡°Excuse me?  You¡¯ll have to explain that one, kitten.¡±

    Valentina huffed and glared at the trickster.  ¡°You can¡¯t take out your frustrations on the Empress, so you settle for us, but you really don¡¯t get all that much enjoyment out of this, do you?  I can tell you what will.¡±

    ¡°Oh?  Enlighten me.  What can a mortal teach me when I¡¯ve lived eons?¡±

    ¡°Gaining a backbone!¡± she shot back, making the woman¡¯s crossed legs tighten against each other.  ¡°All you do is hide, but aren¡¯t the best tricks the ones where you can share them with others¡­ not that I have a lot of practice with it¡­¡±

    ¡°Hah.  You admit you don¡¯t even know if that¡¯s true!  Who would laugh at my tricks, huh?  Not once has anyone done such a thing.¡±

    ¡°Because they suck¡­ like you!  Get some better ones.  Maybe someone would like you¡­¡± she grumbled, storming back to the other three.

    Jumping from tree to tree, she stopped off at a small brook to wash her dirty fur; she did feel humiliated and annoyed.  Plus, she didn¡¯t like getting messy because it was hard to clean some parts of her body.

    ¡°You would laugh at my jokes?¡±

    ¡°Son of a¡ª¡± Valentina stumbled back and fell into the rocky water as the trickster hovered in the air, appearing only inches from her face.

    Letting the cool stream drag her tied-back, tiger-like hair and flow around her, she slowly worked around her jaw, glaring at the rays of light peeking through the canopy.

    I¡¯m going to kill her.  I¡¯m going to kill her¡­

    ¡°I didn¡¯t kill you, did I?¡± Apate drolled in an eye-rolling way. ¡°Did I scare the cat out of her fur?¡±

    Valentina¡¯s tail slapped the water, spraying water with every beat as she internally raged.  ¡°If you¡ªmmg-hm-hmm¡­  I tried to be friendly when we first talked, but you can¡¯t trust a single person.  You¡¯re the worst!  So, how could anyone be friends with you when all you do is make people¡¯s lives miserable?!¡± she snapped, rising to her side with one arm.

    Apate played with the tail of her braid before crossing her legs and hovering down to sit on the water¡¯s surface; her narrowed golden eyes were on the brook¡¯s edge, where a few puffy critters gathered, hopping to the stream to drink.

    ¡°I¡­ have been feeling a bit hungry.  If you slaughter and make them presentable¡­ I could be persuaded to give you a rest.¡±

    ¡°Get bent</a>!¡± Valentina shot back, rising to her feet and storming into the jungle.  ¡°Cook your own damn food; I¡¯m not going to be your little cook slave.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ªfine!  Suit yourself!¡±

    Valentina¡¯s jaw locked, ears folding down as muddy rain began falling from the sky to blanket her in gunk.  ¡°Is that the best you¡¯ve got?  Pfft.  If you were at least a little nicer, maybe you¡¯d have someone to feed your skanky ass¡­  Who designed your clothes anyway¡ªa stripper?¡±

    She rolled her eyes as a jungle cat jumped out of the jungle, taking her to the ground and holding its sharpened tail against her belly.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± she hissed at the Ragnlar.  ¡°Do it, Apate!  Oh, you can¡¯t because you¡¯re a coward; are you seeing the Empress¡¯ hounding green eyes right now¡ªher spear at your throat?¡±

    The Ragnlar¡¯s ears pulled back as he backed away, making Valentina scoff, ¡°Eons of living as a coward; is immortality even worth it when you¡¯re too scared to ever live your life in the first place?!¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand anything about me!¡± the Ragnlar snarled, mud turning to rain as thunder rained around her.

    The sound made her flinch, but she refused to back down. ¡°I don¡¯t!  How could anyone when you push everyone away?  I used to be like that¡ªit sucks.  So don¡¯t make everyone else¡¯s life terrible to make yourself feel better!¡±

    She sat in the downpour, staring Apate¡¯s creation down before the huffing and puffing cat screamed, ¡°All you want is to use me like everyone else¡ªtrick my lover¡­ ruin this other life¡­ make my enemy kill their friend¡­  No one can trust a trickster, so they imprison and use me instead!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, that sucks!¡± Valentina shot back. ¡°Those people suck, but what trick did I want you to do?  I just asked you to get to know us¡ªto get strong with us, so you don¡¯t have to be imprisoned¡ªeven I can see the Empress wants you to learn to be strong on your own, so you aren¡¯t taken advantage of¡­  To show you¡¯re more than just a bitter trickster¡­¡±

    ¡°What do you know, you¡¯re just another tool like the rest of us,¡± she growled, but there was emotion in her voice as the Ragnlar turned into smoke.

    Valentina blinked, and the storm was gone¡ªfires extinguished, rumbling clouds fading, and most of the mud coating her like a cloak was cleared away¡ªvarious sounds that hadn¡¯t been there before filtered into her mind as she glanced around.

    Waiting a few minutes, she concluded Apate was gone, or she was in another illusion; it wouldn¡¯t do her any good to fixate on it, so she shook out her hair and returned to Adoncia, Sal, and Alisa at the edge of the jungle.

    Adoncia¡¯s blue eyes snapped to her as she neared. ¡°You okay?  You¡¯ve been gone for two hours.¡±

    She scratched her arm and motioned for them to continue.  ¡°Good.  Huu-haaa.  Feeling more rested, Alisa?¡±

    The younger girl forced a smile. ¡°Yeah¡­ it was rough for a bit¡ªbugs everywhere¡ªbut I think Apate grew bored.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about her¡­  Ready to go?¡±

    Sal chuckled, rubbing his stomach. ¡°We¡¯re starved, but sure.  It sucks we weren¡¯t able to bring any supplies.¡±

    ¡°A part of the exercise of becoming self-sufficient,¡± Adoncia laughed.  ¡°Why don¡¯t we find a good place to camp in the next few hours and start making a shelter¡ªget a fire started?¡±

    ¡°Can you do that as an ogress?¡± Sal asked, following Valentina into the brush as she found Elinor¡¯s scent again.

    ¡°Pfft.  No.  I know how to start a fire without powers.¡±

    ¡°When did you learn that?¡± Alisa asked, smacking her forehead as an insect landed on it.  ¡°Freaking bugs¡­  Eww, I think this one is real.¡±

    ¡°Ack.  Yeah, no fun.  Did you two forget I was in the Girl Scouts</a>?¡±

    Chatting as they went, Valentina was a tad surprised the trickster had laid off; she had to be nearby.  When the sun began to fall in the sky, they¡¯d made it twenty more miles through the jungle terrain, mostly taking advantage of the downhill path the Empress had taken.

    Adoncia wasn¡¯t kidding when she¡¯d told them she had wilderness experience, seemingly having learned through some of her side jobs and scout badges; it came in handy because before long, they were standing around the fire, cooking a bit of some smaller rodent the size of a large dog Valentina managed to snatch, and finally, Apate materialized.

    She stood off to the side, scanning the beds of large leaves they¡¯d made and the food on the spit they¡¯d made; Valentina had carefully gutted and prepared the animal, using her experience with the trappers of their small town.

    Alisa smiled at the standoffish woman, and when the meat was done, she got up and offered the trickster half of her own.  ¡°Here.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Apate questioned, staring at the offered food. ¡°I tormented you with insects for much of the day.¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  So, they weren¡¯t real¡­ glad to know these bumps will go away,¡± she giggled, looking at the welts on her arms.  ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ you just seem lonely and hungry.¡±

    Hesitantly taking the meat, she studied it, and Valentina huffed as the woman looked at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t expect sympathy from me.  Make all the puppy-dog eyes you want; if you aren¡¯t going to be sincere, then I¡¯m done with being nice.¡±

    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±  Ignoring her comments, Apate looked up at the trees as dozens of rodents appeared out of nowhere, hauling down leaves to prepare a bed for her.

    She didn¡¯t say another word while eating and promptly settled into her bed with furry creatures acting as her blanket.

    Thor was right¡­

    Jumping into the trees to sleep on a branch by herself, Valentina stayed up with Adoncia¡ªthe maid didn¡¯t require sleep, acting as their permanent nightwatch¡ªbut at some point, she drifted off to sleep.

 B4 â€” 2. The Dragon of Annihilation

    The eerie sounds of the nighttime insects, animals, and reptiles surrounded the jungle as Elinor sat on a high branch near the canopy ceiling; it was nearly pitch black under the shadow of the ancient trees, yet the darkness wasn¡¯t a problem for her.

    Thor silently stood beside Kulitta, observing the teenage group far below them.  They¡¯d kept far enough ahead that the five wouldn¡¯t notice their presence throughout the day.  The songstress had a knack for finding the words necessary to push anyone she conversed with to the razor¡¯s edge¡ªsuch as their ri¡¯bot guide¡ªbefore backing off, yet that was somewhat of her fetish.

    Nelika and Garu were to the side, whispering to one another about what they should expect in the desert; if Elinor didn¡¯t know better, she would say her undead ri¡¯bot was growing to like the spirited and somewhat awkward girl.

    Elinor had kept them at a pace that would see the teens stop around this area, which had been nearly right on the mark, and it had been interesting to see how Apate adapted to the dynamic of the team she¡¯d been tossed into; the bitter personification¡¯s closed door had seen the tiniest of cracks of opening throughout the day.

    Naturally, it would slam shut when morning came¡ªshe was stubborn and quick to think the worst of those around her¡ªbut it proved to a significant enough degree that the trickster could change; Elinor hoped to move Thor¡¯s prejudices against the woman ever so slightly as she showed the trickster she was more than just a puppet.

    Getting Apate and Thor to work together without wanting the other¡¯s throat cut would be a long process, but fruitful in the end with what each had to offer.  Was the Asgardian wrong about the woman?  Not necessarily.  He had a valid point and more than enough reasons to distrust the trickster, yet it had been primarily due to her environment among the Primordial Olympians.

    Kulitta¡¯s sigh drew their attention as her musical voice created a sound barrier so as not to give away their position.  ¡°Dealing with creatures that sleep so often will lose us quite a bit of time, Mistress.  Is there really no other way we can accelerate this Seeding process?¡±

    Elinor held her half-smile while observing the resting teens; Adoncia was keeping watch since she didn¡¯t require sleep, yet Elinor suspected that wouldn¡¯t last too many nights.  There were things she had to readjust and manage; the overall effect this was having would pay out well in her favor as time went on.

    ¡°Hmm.  Perhaps there is¡­ but this is within the margins of error when it comes to what I¡¯ve been able to understand about these Seeds, however.  I have devoted quite a bit of time to it since my sister has taken over the Empire.¡±

    The Asgardian grunted.  ¡°Personally, I find these Seeds of minor significance.  Thy fixation on them art rather perplexing, Lady Elinor.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Elinor mumbled, vision narrowing a tad as she extrapolated what such a statement meant between the lines.

    Essentially, Thor was saying such objects were nothing special within his cultural upbringing, and further helped to categorize the tiers of powers she was dealing with; Apollo had provided her with the key to understanding such concepts once she¡¯d obtained many pieces of the divine puzzle upon regaining her 10,000 lifetimes of memories.

    It helped when putting them in a system she understood, such as the tiers of a typical Existence; within her own, there were three levels of Divinity and Infernal influence: Deities, High Deities, and Supreme Deities; 7th-dimensional, 10th, and 13th being the upper ceiling of each.

    However, there appeared to be an even higher tier that Apollo wanted to make her aware of, and that came in the form of the three tiers of Existences:  Normal Existence, Great Existence, and Grand Existence; 13th-dimensional, 14th, and 15th, where beings such as Gloria and Apollo resided.

    Thor had been raised inside of a Great Existence, which spanned a few 13th-dimensional spheres that were held in place by a few things.  Two of which were Yggdrasil¡ªthe World Tree¡ªand Atlas¡ªa Titan who was forced to hold up the heavens after their defeat at the hands of the Primordial Gods of Olympus.

    In a way, it paralleled her own Existence¡¯s history with their Celestial forefather and mother, making Elinor¡¯s mind spin with possibilities as this mysterious upper sphere tantalized her imagination.

    It also meant these Greater Seeds came from a Great Existence¡ªsimilar to Thor¡¯s¡ªand the reason he didn¡¯t find them all that important was due to their requirement, yet there was something the warrior seemed to have missed in regards to these buds of hyper condensed power.

    Elinor crossed her legs as her gaze wandered between the wildlife, oblivious to their presence from the songstress¡¯ heavenly hum that masked their presence.  ¡°Hmm.  When I first arrived in this world, I was innocent of so many concepts that were gathering around me due to my willing amnesia¡­  My conflict with Ishtar blinded me to the destruction of my Existence, yet also brought new understanding¡­

    ¡°Hehe.  Her influence in fighting in our pure spiritual forms within the womb caused quite a confusing shift in how I viewed the world when our essences touched, and I saw things a bit more through her lens.  I never expected to grow when battling my sister¡­  I was foolish.¡±

    Kulitta found her wrist behind her back.  ¡°I never thought I¡¯d hear the day when the unbeatable and perfect woman of Irkalla would call herself foolish.¡±

    ¡°It takes a true leader to admit their faults,¡± Thor softly commented.

    The twinkle in the dominatrix¡¯s lime-green irises made Elinor chuckle; she was celebrating a win for her High Queen.

    ¡°Ishtar is more than I thought, yet due to her influence, I found myself in quite the struggle when I first was captured¡­ and I now know why remaining inside Nethermore made me so agitated, which was why I orchestrated my visit to the Nalvean Empire.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s illuminated, emerald irises drifted to Thor.  ¡°I learned much from my ignorance that eventually drew me to awakening who I truly was, and to discover the real value of these Seeds¡­ with the implication behind them.¡±

    Thor shook his head.  ¡°Thou didst question me upon my own thoughts regarding these Seeds.  It does not help Primordials, nor mortals; their attachment is due to the Divine Essence within latent deities.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.  I¡¯m not so sure,¡± Elinor whispered, tapping her heel against the hard wood as she turned her gaze to the teens below.

    A frown creasing the man¡¯s eyes, he set his hammer to his side while sitting on the edge of the thick branch himself.  ¡°Thou believest these Greater Seeds can be used to bring these mortals to our level of divine birth?¡±

    Kulitta made an interested note in her throat, shifting her weight to the opposite hip.  ¡°I do find such a concept¡­ challenging to believe, Mistress.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±  Elinor¡¯s focus wasn¡¯t on the mortals.  ¡°Tell me, how do these Seeds draw nutrients?¡±

    ¡°From many places, it seems¡­¡±  the songstress replied, critically examining the mortals.  ¡°You are speaking to the Greater Seeds, which High Queen Ishtar and you possess, Mistress, not of these enhanced Lesser, unless¡­¡±

    Thor¡¯s fingers tightened against his knees.  ¡°Adoncia?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±  Elinor smiled, swapping her legs.  ¡°Reasonably, I can assume the common method for most Seed holders would be to shave off the life essence of those they slay, yet that is far from the most efficient route, as any true Divine would know¡­

    ¡°Growth of one¡¯s own spirit through internal essence refinement to be able to tap into higher dimensional forces generates a multiplicative expansion that far outstrips simple slaughter and collection, which is how our own advancements came so swiftly, Thor.¡±

    Thor¡¯s arms folded against his bare chest, gaze wandering to Elinor as Masmu slithered out from between the folds in her shirt to be stroked.  ¡°Thou speakest to the dense material within these Seeds, waiting to be claimed through feats an individual performs.  I expected as much from thy plan¡­ that thou desirest of these children to unseal the ripened fruit within and partake¡ªyet there is more to thy machinations by thy words.¡±

    Elinor shifted on the branch to pull her knee up to her chin, allowing her white spiritual serpent to coil around her leg to study the teens.

    ¡°It is the stepping stone to tapping into the power my children can offer them.¡±  Elinor¡¯s smile became sinister.  ¡°Just as we draw from our own Divine Souls to invoke our rapid acceleration, they must be brought to the point of being able to take the branch they¡¯d been given, learning how to graft it into their own essence, which¡­¡±  Elinor trailed off, giving them the chance to connect the dots.

    A short chuckle came from the dominatrix, drawing Nelika and Garu¡¯s focus as the pair continued to speak softly to one another about the girl¡¯s clan.

    ¡°I see¡­ they only need to unlock the tap to change fields, which is where Apate comes into play¡­  The villain that can provide enough of a challenge to stimulate their determination and facilitate the appropriate circumstances to chew on the denser parts of their Seed.  This battlefield you¡¯ve brought us on goes deeper than I thought, Mistress.  Most cunning.¡±

    ¡°Indeed.¡±  Elinor could see Thor had worked out what she was saying between the lines; in changing fields, Kulitta meant the children only needed to unlock a path to the Divine before swapping to the Greater Seeds, by taking them from the gods they were at war with.

    ¡°Hehe.  Loki would be clapping right now.  Very clever, Lady Elinor,¡± Thor fondly whispered, smiling at the kids; their growth gave him a further purpose in this foreign land and a place of familiarity to anchor himself.  ¡°I can now see the many avenues and the hidden bridge these Lesser Seeds provide.¡±

    ¡°Was it planned, though?¡±  Elinor questioned, feeling the plucking and twisted hum of Becdeth as her thoughts settled on the eldritch entity.

    These Greater Seeds¡­ seem to be shards from a shattering of some kind, yet is it connected with this maelstrom?

    She placed a hand against her breast, feeling the pulsating oscillation that emanated from within the object sinking into the essence of everything she was, creating a bypass and filter to access power too much for her mortal vessel to handle.

    This Crimson</a> Tide that ravages heavens and hells¡­ it must be connected in some way to these Crystal Gateways between the layers of this maelstrom.  Are we actually awakening this darkness by feeding these Seeds?

    Deities dead or weakened that are born again¡­  The essence of fallen gods drawn to this power like mosquitoes to light?  There¡¯s a plot we can¡¯t see yet¡­ but Apollo has set me on the path to use it, which means, trap or not, it¡¯s something worth using until it must be dealt with.

    ¡°The Greater Seeds we possess are starved, requiring the divine essence within us to even take root, while the plump Lesser Seeds are ripe to be juiced under the right conditions, and, heh, my children further enhanced them, granting a lovely stimulant to the process¡­  It just takes one hit for the ball to begin rolling down the hill.¡±

    Thor¡¯s nose twisted as he rose to glare at the ground far below them.  ¡°What of this Demon Shadowverse entity?  Surely we are at a disadvantage due to his omnipresence upon this planet to discuss such topics.  His plots must be festering to the east as we speak to ensnare us and alert our enemies.¡±

    ¡°Meh,¡± Elinor snickered, spreading her legs against the ancient wood to follow his gaze.  ¡°Demon¡¯s weakness is his manipulative approach; it takes time, and so long as we make quick, decisive positions, changing things up or following through at random along the way, he cannot hope to plan anything of significant value and burn many agents on the way if he tries to spread a large net.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t entirely true; the creature knew their destination was the Desert Clans and the mortal gods¡ªnot their importance to the children, which was why she¡¯d spoken in a way the creature¡¯s limited understanding of nuance wouldn¡¯t grasp¡ªyet there wasn¡¯t much they could do to counter those two destinations other than time.

    Elinor would much rather take it slow at the start and have four formidable God-Touched at their destination, ready to absorb a Greater Seed to further empower her children and the teens for their next fight between the Primordial Olympians or Marduk than rush things for the sake of what trouble Demon could present.

    A small twitch of Kulitta¡¯s plump lips drew her notice, the blonde directing a side-long look at the God of Thunder as his leer settled on the trickster.  ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to be worried about Apate?  Hehe.  Be honest; how often has she been on your mind?¡±

    Thor rolled his eyes, rising to his feet and flipping his hammer in the air to catch it.  ¡°Once is too many.  Still, she hath shown restraint¡­ thus far.¡±

    ¡°Hungry?¡±  Elinor asked, deciding to change the topic.

    Kulitta¡¯s forced a chuckle.  ¡°A tad famished due to the fact I am not undead, and I am certain predators could hear Nelika¡¯s stomach from miles away.¡±

    The four-year-old scout¡¯s caramel skin tinted a greenish hue.  ¡°I h-haven¡¯t eaten since we left this morning¡ªnearly 24 hours¡ªof course, I¡¯m hungry, but I can go without food for weeks.¡±

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Garu shot a small grin in the embarrassed ri¡¯bot¡¯s direction.  ¡°I can go hunt for something to eat and prepare, Empress; is there anything in particular that you wish?¡±

    ¡°Mmh.¡±  Elinor rose to her feet and summoned the Staff of the Dead, using it as a brace to stretch her muscles while leaning left and right.  ¡°I¡¯m interested to see how good of a cook Thor is¡­  Can you cook, Kulitta?¡±  she asked, suddenly interested.

    ¡°Eh-heh¡­  I regret to inform you, Mistress, but I am a dreadful homebody,¡± the dominatrix admitted.  ¡°Ninatta handled all of our household duties when serving High Queen Ishtar, which my older sister quite enjoyed.¡±

    ¡°She does seem like the type,¡± Elinor mused; the younger twin goddess was the type to be more on the inspection side than the cleaning or caretaking.  ¡°Thor?¡±

    He shrugged, trying to dismiss the songstress¡¯ comment as his bright, blue irises scanned the dark woods for a few potential marks.  ¡°I¡¯ve learned to cook a few dishes while on quests with my brothers¡­  I¡¯ll return shortly.¡±

    ¡°Eh¡­  Mmmmh.¡±  Elinor¡¯s mouth drew in as Thor swiftly spun his hammer and carried himself into the sky and right out of their conversation, vanishing through the canopy.  ¡°Haaa.¡±

    Kulitta giggled and generated an invisible walkway for them to move through the air by using her voice.  ¡°He is so independent; it seems it never crossed his mind that you might want to join in a hunt.¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, this is the case when dealing with such a culture,¡± Elinor grumbled, dismissing her staff while searching for a spot that would be far enough away to not attract the sight of Adoncia or the teens to start a fire.  ¡°We¡¯ll make a small camp that they can stumble upon tomorrow and give Nelika time to rest.¡±

    The ri¡¯bot¡¯s green-hued skin returned.  ¡°I can go on for a few days without sleep¡­¡±

    ¡°Sweetie, sweetie,¡± Kulitta smoothly interjected.  ¡°Take the opportunity to reflect and recharge; soon enough, the teens may be outpacing you.¡±

    Elinor smiled at the look on the young girl¡¯s face that said she¡¯d die before that happened.

    Letting Kulitta further motivate the ri¡¯bot with Garu acting as the scout¡¯s support, Elinor slowly descended the vocal staircase the songstress made to the floor, contacting Adoncia as she remained on watch.

    She temporarily drew Adoncia back into the Nexus to speak to her yet restricted her access to know where they were.  How was your first day?

    ¡°E-Empress!¡±  her maid stammered, recovering from the sudden interruption that had made her jump.  ¡°I-I didn¡¯t think we would be able to chat like this again!  I¡­ apologize for being unable to go further; we will make more ground tomorrow.¡±

    Did I ask how far you¡¯d been able to progress?

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    Be honest with me, she commanded, hands clasped behind her back as she studied a pack of sleeping birds in a nearby tree.  What do you think about Apate?

    ¡°Frankly¡­  Huu-haaa.  She¡¯s terrible.¡±

    Haha!  I thought as much.  Go ahead and voice your complaints.

    ¡°She sends illusionary¡­ maybe real bugs by the bites that are still on Alisa, Sal, and Valentina¡¯s bodies that make it miserable.  She sends hail storms to pepper us, mud storms, beasts to attack us, and finds extreme enjoyment out of tripping us every so often¡­  Ugh.  Don¡¯t get me started on the jump scares!  She¡¯s the worst.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s stomach shook with silent laughter while the protective older sister continued to curse the trickster; Apate seemed to know the maid could handle just about whatever she threw at her due to the undead enhancements she¡¯d gained through the System, and so she agitated her by throwing the punishment on her younger brother.

    It only further spiked Adoncia¡¯s stress when Sal grew distressed over his swollen-faced girlfriend from all the bugs, and the most horrific part was they weren¡¯t sure if it was real or not; the concern about diseases and sicknesses came up, as well.

    In truth, Elinor was fine if they did get sick; the experience would further accelerate their development, but something she knew had to be clipped was the wandering maze portion of Apate¡¯s fun that was likely directed more at Thor and her, hampering their path forward.

    ¡°¡­and the most frustrating part,¡± Adoncia snarled, ¡°is that I cannot say anything to her or lash out because she¡¯ll take it out on Sal!  Such a vile, bitter woman¡­¡±

    Elinor could feel her stress significantly diminished through being able to voice it, and there was a reason she was giving such treatment to the maid.

    I¡¯m afraid you will need to deal with it until you are able to catch up to us, which may be on the grasslands at this point, but I will have Kulitta tell her to knock off the illusions that have you walking in circles.  Be strong.

    ¡°Huu-haaa.  Yes, Empress.  I cannot express my gratitude at being able to speak to you.¡±

    Elinor let a pause hang for a moment before speaking in a more serious voice.  Adoncia¡­ in the next few days, you will begin experiencing dreams again.

    ¡°I will?  Is that¡­ bad?¡±  she tentatively asked, likely believing it had something to do with the trickster, but Elinor swiftly shut it down.

    You will be the first to experience this, due to your connection to me, and with who you are the God-Touched of¡­  Tiamat will want to learn more about you, and you cannot hide anything from her¡­  Nothing.

    She could feel the young woman¡¯s quiver through the Nexus.  ¡°I understand¡­  Is there anything else I should do?¡±

    Haaa-haha.  Be her friend, Adoncia.  Tiamat is a lonely person, and she will ask you to do things that I want you to tell me¡ªbe clear that you will tell me, as I¡¯ve ordered you to¡ªbut accept them nonetheless, no matter how ridiculous or impossible they sound.

    ¡°Ahem¡­  Empress, what if she asks me to attack you?¡±

    Then tell me and do it, Elinor snickered.  Make a concerted effort to try and befriend her, and my only two exceptions are the following¡­  Never withhold anything from me¡ªand she may have ways to bypass the Nexus to allow secrecy¡­

    ¡°And the second?¡±

    Hmm-hmm.  Be honest with her about what you will not compromise.  She may test your resolve in those areas, so make sure they are set in stone to where you will never budge¡­ such as her asking you to kill your brother.

    No friend would demand such a thing.  She is learning from you, as much as you are growing from her influence¡­  Tiamat has been isolated in chains for longer than you can imagine.

    Heart clearing of doubt, Adoncia firmed her resolve.  ¡°Yes, Empress!  I won¡¯t let you down.¡±

    Disconnecting from the maid, Elinor found a nice little inlet and chopped a few logs before the ri¡¯bot could attempt to help; Kulitta wouldn¡¯t make a move to do such a thing unless prompted, which was one reason she¡¯d selected the dominatrix to be the songstress to join her on this journey instead of her older sister.

    Thor soon returned with a few massive beasts, brains turned to mush by his hammer.  With some goading from Elinor, Kulitta skinned, diced the meat, and separated the bones with a note of her voice; it was cute how enthralled Nelika was while watching the songstress work.

    Sparks flew from the God of Thunder¡¯s hands to light the damp logs, instantly igniting the wood; they required quite the inferno to cook the meat, but the twin easily handled the smoke and light by generating a reflective barrier around them through her rippling sound waves.

    The night passed with light banter between them, Thor getting in on the jokes as he adapted to their humor.

    It wasn¡¯t until first light when Alisa awoke¡ªbeing the last of their group besides Apate¡ªAdoncia cleared her throat to make the trickster stir; it wasn¡¯t until Elinor had Kulitta send a focused sound wave to give the woman further instructions that Apate rolled out of her mess of fuzzy animal blankets.

    The second and third days were just as rough for the teens as Elinor took them through the uneven terrain of the valley; the swamps were a mess for them, with the trickster¡¯s illusions causing them to fall into the gunk and the occasional wild animal attack.

    She turned her focus to the Spider Sisters throughout the evening, feeling a surprising amount of movement from the three as they dashed across the Empire.  In her headcanon, Elinor liked to believe it was them guiding around their new youngest sister, but it would likely be some time before she was recovered after the state Iris had discovered her daughter in.  Then again, Ishtar could work miracles Elinor couldn¡¯t, so perhaps the Spider Queen was enjoying the company of her daughter.

    On the third night of their journey, Elinor had made it to the southeastern descent that led to the new grasslands of her Empire; the expansive Wandering River snaked below the steep cliffs, drawing her gaze in the dark as she looked across the seemingly endless expanse of hills to the east.

    She couldn¡¯t even see the desert, but the fields were spotted with fires, lighting the zone where she¡¯d slain most of the Great Clans¡¯ armies; the craftsmen and loved ones that had followed their brave soldiers on their ceremonial march went about their solemn duty in collecting and identifying their dead, which had to be a daunting task that weighed on her heart.

    Ishtar seemed to have sent unintelligent undead to help in moving the huge numbers of corpses, and Mauricio¡ªher Rare-Grade Groundskeeper¡ªhad made it to the site the day, overtaking Elinor due to the teens¡¯ slow pace, to support the building of coffins and carts to return them to their families.  Ishtar appeared to be on top of things, and she had no doubt her sister would personally visit each tiny village when time allowed to perform what miracles she could.

    Ishtar had her hands full¡ªnorth, west, south, and east¡ªshe had to address events in every direction, and, for what Elinor thought was the first time, she actually sent a small prayer to her sister that she knew she would receive, wishing her strength, luck, and health.

    Her heart felt like it had shed a weight she¡¯d carried her whole life, making her laugh and drawing Thor¡¯s gaze as he moved from the fire to join her.

    ¡°What hath thou in good humor, Lady Elinor?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  I love my sister¡­  Imagine that.  Someone I only felt pity and agitation toward¡­ I love; I can¡¯t wait to return to find more things that irritate me so I can poke her for it.¡±

    ¡°Haha!  Thus art the purpose of family, no?!  Hmm¡­  Doth thou suppose my brothers are well?  How hath they been detained by such lowly and unskilled Supreme Deities?¡±

    ¡°Ouch!¡±  Elinor huffed, jabbing his muscular arm.  ¡°I¡¯m a Supreme Goddess, thank you very much!¡±

    ¡°Ho-ho¡­  I wast not speaking to thy noble name, Lady Elinor; thy jokes doth lighten my mood, yet I must question if this is some elaborate plan by Loki that I cannot comprehend.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  We¡¯ll have to ask him ourselves when that time comes!  No need to worry about what may never happen; we can only change what is in front of us, and¡­ heh, we have our work cut out for us¡­  Oh?¡±

    Thor followed her gaze to the lake Apate and the others were currently camped at; Adoncia had just slipped into unconsciousness, drifting into a space Elinor couldn¡¯t perceive¡ªan all-encompassing darkness from the colossal figure that was Tiamat.

    ¡°It seems my maid is about to meet her inner dragon</a>.¡±

    * * *

    Adoncia¡¯s eyes grew heavy as she stared at the small fire Alisa, Sal, Valentina, and Apate slept around; she already knew the trickster was likely in a different spot, believing they¡¯d do something shady to her while asleep.

    Each day had been filled with new and creative ways to make their lives a living hell; at least the Empress had stopped her from making them go around in circles.

    Infestations of rodents, reptiles, or seeing how well they could navigate in total darkness, Apate continued to see just how many buttons she could press, and, despite everything, Alisa always offered to share her meals with the trickster.

    Valentina hated the woman with a passion, and her mouth drew the ire of Apate from time to time, which Adoncia was low-key thankful for since it provided somewhat of a break from her whimsical antics.

    There had been one curious thing Adoncia had noticed today, though; every time Alisa needed to use the restroom or it was nearing meal time, her manipulations ceased; no one else seemed to notice, but it had her a bit curious if Apate was softening up on Alisa.  She only feared that the trickster may try to test Alisa by doing something even more extreme tomorrow.

    All of Adoncia¡¯s worries began to melt away as her vision blurred, and a chilling wind pressed against her skin, making her shiver.  Her hazy vision re-centered, eyebrows pulling together.  That didn¡¯t make sense; she was undead, and the elements didn¡¯t really affect her that much.

    She hastily jumped to her feet.  ¡°Sal?  Sal, where are you?!  Alisa¡­ Valentina¡­  Apate, this isn¡¯t funny.  You can¡¯t¡ª¡±

    ¡°Hello, child¡­  Has it been a while?¡±

    Adonica¡¯s lungs seized as something unseen moved beneath the vast lake in front of her; she couldn¡¯t see it, but her mind told her something vast moved just under the surface.  Her arms and legs began to tremble as the familiar clangs of shifting chains beyond imagination split the utterly silent atmosphere.

    Coughing a few times as she tried to pull from her undead and ogress feats to resist any fear manipulation, but this wasn¡¯t some simple creature¡ªTiamat was not any simple creature  The dragon that was without equal hummed, causing a ripple upon the still lake; her voice was captivating, and, without knowing it, Adonica found herself kneeling at the lake¡¯s edge, staring into her reflection in the pale moonlight of the two moons overhead.

    ¡°My appearance has frightened you?¡±

    ¡°I¡­  It just caught me a little off-guard¡­ but, yes¡­  You are a very intimidating woman, eh¡­ dragon lady¡ªeh, goddess¡ªno, Celestial?¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡±  Her chuckles sent a soft clamor of moving chains and tremors through Adoncia¡¯s entire being.  ¡°You may call me Tiamat, and I can be anything I desire¡­  Well, at one time, I could.  Now, I am the Dragon of Annihilation.  A fitting name my children have given me, is it not?¡±

    ¡°Ahem.  I, umm¡­ don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°Hehehe.  How sweet of you to not feed into such assumptions¡­ innocent even.  I¡¯m afraid my memory is not what it used to be¡­  I have only fixated on one thing for¡­  Heh.  You must forgive me; the words seem to have escaped me.  Your name is¡­¡±

    ¡°Adoncia¡­  Umm.  Can I¡­¡±

    ¡°Mhm?  No, continue!  It has been so long since I¡¯ve heard anyone speak to me that¡­ heh, I fear I may welcome my own children, if only to curse them¡­  Isolation truly is such a cruel punishment for a mother.¡±

    Swallowing the lump in her throat, Adonica took a deep breath and let it stream out.  ¡°I was asked by the Empress to do¡ªno, to ask, eh¡­ make clear two things!¡±

    ¡°How precious,¡± Tiamat whispered, sounding overjoyed for some reason.  ¡°Take your time, child¡­  Adoncia.  We may not have much longer to chat this night, which is¡­ lamentable, but I will consider these demands carefully before our next meeting.¡±

    ¡°Okay¡­  Ahem.  Umm,¡± Adoncia¡¯s eyes defocused as she looked up to see the moon, stars, and all that was in the heavens a void beyond understanding¡ªit wasn¡¯t just the lake¡ªeverything hid the dragon¡¯s presence.

    ¡°I¡­ will report to the Empress everything that happens between us.  I will not lie or withhold anything from her, and¡­ and I won¡¯t do anything that violates my ethics¡­  A friend wouldn¡¯t ask me to violate my ethics.  T-That¡¯s all¡­¡±

    Adoncia held her breath as utter silence followed, and her vision began to haze again with rays of sunlight breaking through the darkness; Tiamat¡¯s slightly bewildered voice followed her exit from the dream.

    ¡°A friend¡­ would not ask you to violate your ethics¡­  A friend?¡±

    Sal¡¯s concerned brown eyes filled her vision.  ¡°Are you okay?!  Y-You were shivering, and¡­ and weren¡¯t breathing!¡±

    ¡°Well, she is undead,¡± Apate mumbled, rubbing her eyes and looking annoyed; her brother had likely woken her up.

    ¡°Umm¡­  No, I mean, yeah¡­  I¡¯m okay, Sal¡­  Tiamat wanted to talk to me.¡±

    Apate¡¯s body locked up at the name, shivering and hurriedly glancing around.  ¡°Don¡¯t say her name out loud, idiot!¡±

    Adoncia breathed out the air in her paralyzed lungs as the trickster hissed, clearly terrified of the Celestial, but a smile brightened Adoncia¡¯s face; she was connected to the dragon, which meant she was making progress.

 B4 â€” 3. Bonded To The Jailor

    A thoughtful smile moved Elinor¡¯s mouth as she studied the reaction of her ogress maid; it would be the first of many interactions they would have while in the process of this transitional method.

    She could feel the Oltera Nexus within Adoncia swelling with Tiamat¡¯s power, blowing it up and cutting its flow to allow it to condense within her essence before flooding it again, acting as a pumping heart to cycle and infuse the force within the maid.

    A mortal needed their Core exercised, which was an exhausting process for them; they¡¯d come to experience the results each passing day.

    The sun brightened the valley as the light touched the heightened cliff she stood on, alongside Kulitta and Thor.  Garu sat on the opposite side of the rocky face they were using, staring across the grasslands they would be trekking through today, and Nelika slept near him, rebuilding her strength.

    ¡°I assume it art over, seeing as they prepare to renew their journey,¡± Thor commented.

    A frown touched Kulitta¡¯s lips as she followed them through the sounds they made.  ¡°I believe Adoncia has slipped in speaking her name.¡±

    ¡°Hsss.¡±  The tall red-haired man crossed his arms, cloak billowing in the wind behind him.  ¡°I was not aware such things were supposed to be kept secret.  I spoke to them about thy children and Tiamat when discussing their options.¡±

    Elinor shrugged.  ¡°It would have come out eventually anyway, I doubt Demon even understands the significance of Tiamat, regardless.  Nevertheless, I wouldn¡¯t count on Demon revealing such things easily, and, heh, I bet the other gods we face aren¡¯t going to pay his price to obtain such knowledge.  Demon will use it for his own ends¡ªif he even knows how¡ªand I look forward to how he does so.  In the meantime, we would do well to keep them struggling.¡±

    ¡°Hmm.  About that¡­¡±  Kulitta placed one of her gloved hands against her cheek.  ¡°Is it just me, or has Apate lost some of her nerves since last night?¡±

    Thor¡¯s arms dropped to his sides.  ¡°Hmm?¡±

    Elinor pushed her lips to the side, studying the pair as they interacted.  The songstress wasn¡¯t wrong; not a single trick had been played yet, nor had she touched their Core.  If she didn¡¯t know any better, she was scared or intimidated.

    ¡°Huh.¡±  She took several minutes to pick apart the trickster¡¯s actions before realizing the problem.  ¡°This¡­ could be a problem.¡±

    Kulitta smirked.  ¡°Oh?  Care to elaborate, Mistress?¡±

    ¡°Not on this,¡± she whispered, pondering her way through this wrench that had been thrown into the gears she¡¯d set into motion.

    ¡°That bad?¡±  the songstress whispered, cheer dampening.

    Thor appeared to be puzzling through his own thoughts on the matter; Elinor knew he had enough information and was intelligent enough to understand the nuances of her attitude.

    Obviously, Apate was fixated on Adoncia, and that stemmed from the introduction of Tiamat; it could be assumed on a surface-level glance that she was simply intimidated.  However, it was far more than just simple fright; no, her reactions and spiritual fluctuations held a complex weave of contradictions that pointed toward a hard reality.

    Nungal might ruin Apate¡­  Her issues run far deeper than I thought.  Tiamat is a Celestial¡­ just like Apate¡¯s creator¡­  Her mother.

    After a second¡¯s thought, she decided she needed a battle to clear her mind to reconsider the future of their pairings; this could prove positive, but it could also prove disastrous.

    ¡°Mmh¡­  We may need to adjust things in the next day or two.  Haaa.  Trauma this deep is not easily dealt with in a positive way.¡±  She turned a small smirk to the god beside her.  ¡°Care to spar a bit today?¡±

    ¡°Ho-ho.  I am always up for a good battle.  Lady Kulitta?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡±  The blonde puffed out a thoughtful breath.  ¡°I suppose I could exercise my voice a tad.¡±

    Elinor rose and held up a hand, causing a fissure to split space as a chain exited to latch onto her spirit.  ¡°I¡¯ll meet you two below.  Haha!¡±

    Launching herself into the air, she soared over Garu, spotting the vast Wandering River below, excited to see how the teens would cross the divide.

    ¡°Empress?¡±

    She grinned at the undead ri¡¯bot as she propelled herself through the sky at an accelerated rate to make it to the fields beyond the lowland forest.  Wake Nelika up.  Let¡¯s see if she can make it to us by nightfall.

    ¡°We will be there.¡±

    Good luck!

    It took her three minutes to reach her desired location and begin her descent; a streak of lightning flew by her, several bolts arching out of the sparse clouds above to encircle Thor as a heavy rumble rippled through Elinor¡¯s frame.

    Show off.

    Smiling as she landed on the grass and rolled to a stop, she summoned her spear to absorb the electricity that shot for her chest, grounding it.  ¡°Haha!  Let¡¯s begin!¡±

    Thunder shook the atmosphere, and Elinor¡¯s chains pulled her back as Thor¡¯s hammer grazed past her nose, sparks dancing before her eyes.  Several more latched onto his body, yet their links were dragged out of the rifts from the Primordial¡¯s overwhelming strength in his pursuit.

    He kicked the air, shooting after her, and even after all the leveling she¡¯d done, Elinor couldn¡¯t hope to match Thor¡¯s raw momentum¡ªthe man was a force of nature.  An aura of decertifying force radiated from her, sapping Thor¡¯s strength the longer he remained within her vicinity while drawing in all life from the greenery.

    ¡°Dangerous,¡± Thor laughed, spinning his hammer to create a barrier as the Gates of Irkalla flashed to her left; a focused sonic rod of pure vibrational force dented the shell and forced Thor to take a step back.

    ¡°Allow me to make my entrance in this free-for-all,¡± Kulitta smirked, hovering in the air, and, taking a deep breath, she summoned her whip and slapped it against the air.

    Elinor had yet to see how her dominatrix songstress¡¯ abilities had manifested and was mildly surprised when space fractured where she¡¯d struck, fissuring to reveal an orchestra of faceless musicians prepared to follow their mistress¡¯ orders.

    ¡°Ahem.  Hmm-hmm-hmm,¡± she sang from her abdomen.  ¡°Let the symphony begin.¡±

    Thor lifted an eyebrow.  ¡°Interesting.¡±

    The orchestra¡¯s violins</a> lifted to their necks to play an increasingly ominous epic, Kulitta¡¯s hums followed by a choir that chanted in the background.

    Elinor¡¯s smile tightened as the sounds escalated around them; Kultta wasn¡¯t just a songstress, she was a Supreme Goddess of Song, and vibrations were a fundamental attribute in Existence that could trigger entire omniversal collapses.

    Kulitta was far more dangerous than even Elinor had considered, and, unlike her older sister, she would use her voice to the highest degree to dominate those she saw as her enemy.

    ¡°Lady Kulitta?¡±  Thor questioned, hammer still swinging as space rippled around them.  ¡°Consider me impressed!¡±

    Slamming his hammer down, a shockwave of noise met the condensing reverberation, disrupting the field enough to leap out of; he still took a blow from the lingering gravitational waves, yet his body was more than capable of handling it.

    Elinor studied the pressure fracturing her defensive shell.  This form of attack was ramping; the longer she stayed in one place, the more deadly they¡¯d become, yet it also struck on all sides, primarily centered in the direction of the songstress, which meant retreating would always be the safest route.

    Flipping the Staff of the Dead to its globe of Death Energy, she backed to the edge of her fracturing barrier, sending chains through the ripples to test it; her links were shot against her shell, cracking at the focused pulses.

    Timing her escape, she waited for the repeated rhythm of the music to reach its least climatic phase before launching a chain at her back and expelling a nova of Death Energy; the resistance gave her enough wiggle room for her chain to reach her back and tug her through.

    She winced at the powerful wave that threatened to crush her artificial body, yet it held, and once free, she shot back, gaining distance.  A bolt of energy skated past her belly as Elinor flipped out of Mj?lnir¡¯s path, and the sparking hammer curved to slam against Kulitta¡¯s vocal barrier, rejecting the blunt object to be sent back to Thor¡¯s grip in the sky.

    This was a battle to keep her on her toes.

    Elinor spent much of the next several hours locked in combat with the pair until finally running low on Death Energy.  Kulitta managed to be shockingly efficient throughout the exchange, and if this was a real contest, Elinor didn¡¯t like her odds at the moment, which meant she needed to become more accustomed to battling in this new style.

    Naturally, Thor wasn¡¯t breathless in the least upon dropping to his butt next to her, and the songstress dismissed her musicians, many of which did look to be struggling, but Kulitta was a slave driver.

    ¡°What are your thoughts?¡±  she softly asked, bringing around her half burnt off hair to glare at the smoking ends.  Violet¡¯s clothing could take punishment, yet they kept their battle at a reasonable level to not destroy them; Thor¡¯s lightning could get a little intense sometimes, though.

    Kulitta rubbed her throat, remaining standing.  ¡°You adapted well, Mistress¡­  I need to instill more discipline into my orchestra if I am ever going to deliver the proper timing on some of the slower-building moments.  I couldn¡¯t overpower Thor, so I was forced to use far more energy than him in repelling his strikes¡­  I would not survive an extended battle lasting over fourteen hours.¡±

    Thor chuckled, tapping his hammer with a thoughtful smile.  ¡°Thou both hath proven thyselves warriors.  Not once did thy strength nor will fade, and thy concentration did not waver.  Refinement in combat seems to be the best approach, by mine estimation.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll make this a trend,¡± Elinor commented, scanning the wide field they¡¯d landed in; the signs of ri¡¯bot forces and tents could be seen in several areas.  ¡°Hmm.  Perhaps I should start refining my own Core faculties again¡­  When was the last time I dealt with my inner demons?  Too long.¡±

    Elinor leaned back and closed her eyes as Kulitta and Thor struck up a conversation.  Delving into her own Core, Elinor began to explore the internal changes since Ishtar¡¯s spiritual invasion when they were still eggs within Tiffany¡¯s womb.

    There was much to discover and reconnect with, and Elinor had many more attributes she could cultivate using this Seed.

    However, near nightfall, a strong emanation drew Elinor out of her silent study, and opening her eyes, she saw Thor¡¯s smile.

    ¡°Thy daughter pushed Valentina to awaken before we had planned.¡±

    Elinor snickered, stroking her tiny spiritual snake as it returned from its hunt, gobbling up any small rodent that hid in the fields.  ¡°Nungal never did like being in second place¡­ but her road will be long if she is trying to compete with Tiamat.  Valentina has her work cut out for her, dealing with my youngest, and Apate¡­  Good luck.¡±

    * * *

    Nelika jolted awake as something touched her arm; smacking it away, she found purchase against the stone to leap back, refusing to make a sound.

    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°Heh.  Jumpy in the mornings?¡±

    Her skin darkened green in her embarrassment as she huffed.  ¡°You could have just said my name or flashed your spots¡­ like a normal scout should to wake someone up.¡±

    ¡°Feeling rested?¡±

    She wanted to slap him, furious at Garu¡¯s weak shrug and a three-toothed smirk that said he did it on purpose.  ¡°Was I never not?  Uh¡­¡±

    Nelika¡¯s muscles tightened as she hopped into a twirl, scanning the full rocky shelf to see only Thor walking their way.  ¡°Where¡¯s Empress Elinor, and¡­  Why are they flying off?!¡±

    She jogged to the cliff¡¯s edge upon seeing them far in the distance, almost to the point she wouldn¡¯t have been able to spot them.

    Thor laughed, lightning sparking in his eyes.  ¡°Lady Elinor has requested we have a friendly spar.  I suspect Garu and thou are also to be tested this day.  Be strong, comrades!¡±

    He blurred, and a powerful boom made her flinch as it passed through her; Thor swiftly overtook the flying pair; lightning danced across the heavens, and roars followed.  Nelika couldn¡¯t keep her eyes away from the field beyond the forest as sonic waves erupted through the atmosphere to reach them.

    ¡°Incredible,¡± Garu whispered, bending down at the edge to watch the god and goddess¡¯ battle.  ¡°Hmm¡­  I need to grow stronger.¡±

    Nelika forced a laugh, pointing at the area as unnatural sounds played in the distance, making her shiver.  ¡°That is what impossible looks like!  There¡¯s no way we could ever do something like that; I don¡¯t think my grandpa could!¡±

    ¡°You must believe in achieving the impossible,¡± Garu whispered, having an annoyingly knowing look that said he¡¯d just spit ancient wisdom from his clan.

    ¡°Fly, and I¡¯ll believe you,¡± she grumbled, rolling around her shoulders and stretching out her long legs.

    His disgustingly handsome face brightened with his light blue spots.  ¡°I can make that work, and I¡¯ll hold you to it!¡±

    ¡°Sure¡­  Huu-haaa.  Let me guess, we need to get all the way across that massive river and beyond the forest before dusk?¡±

    Garu rubbed his hands together, giving her a look she really didn¡¯t like.  ¡°No problem¡­ if you can keep up, sand licker!¡±

    ¡°Y-You did not!  Garu!¡±  He promptly jumped off the edge of the cliff.  ¡°Get back here!¡±

    Rushing over to look down at the near sheer drop, she was somewhat, and begrudgingly, impressed by his finesse and acrobatics as he found areas just angled enough to slow his fall; she started to wonder if the Ethereal had their scouts go through beginning Xaria lessons, but she couldn¡¯t let him think she was scared, so she jumped after him.

    She was terrified and wanted to scream every time she thought she wouldn¡¯t see a way to break her fall, but pride carried her through, and, chest heaving with internal panic, she landed beside Garu with throbbing toes.

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t ever do that to me again!  You didn¡¯t even give me time to prepare!¡±  she panted.  ¡°Stupid; I¡¯m not undead!¡±

    ¡°So¡­ why did you follow me?¡±  Garu questioned with a smirk that made her furious.

    ¡°I¡­  I¡­  Whatever!  Mmgm.  My feet are burning!¡±  she complained, dropping to her butt to tend them, but the boy wouldn¡¯t let her rest.

    ¡°Sounds like you could go for a dip in the river!¡±  he grinned, pointing at the rapid mouth of the river that she couldn¡¯t even see the opposite side from ground level.

    ¡°Really?!¡±

    He made a surprised sound in his throat.  ¡°Oh.  Can you desert ri¡¯bot not swim that well?  I guess that makes sense.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ can swim very well; I learned in the oasis and underground springs!  I just¡­¡±  She drew in her mouth, staring at the very rapidly moving river.  ¡°I just never practiced too much in¡­ that kind of water.¡±

    ¡°Is that so?¡±

    ¡°No¡­  Garu¡­¡±  she whimpered as he took a step toward their wavy destination.  ¡°Isn¡¯t there a bridge or¡­ or something we can use?  I¡­ I thought Lady Kulitta was going to hover us across like¡­ like she did the other day with the sound bridge¡­ thing?!¡±

    ¡°Is High Lady Kulitta here?¡±

    ¡°No¡­¡±

    ¡°Hehe.  You don¡¯t need to act cute.  I¡¯ll help you if you start drowning, or¡­ the Empress could just resurrect you, I suppose¡­¡±

    ¡°D-Don¡¯t you dare!¡±  she cried.  ¡°I¡¯m not going to die¡­  You¡¯re the sand licker¡­  I can do it!¡±

    ¡°Prove it!  Meet you on the other side!¡±

    ¡°Garu!¡±

    Nelika ran after him, growling from the pain that stung her feet; she only hesitated a moment when reaching the edge, but it was enough to lose all her momentum, and she fell in.  It was deeper than she thought, and the lapping waves against the side felt unnatural.

    Holding her breath, she fought against the current, wildly looking for the white-and-blue-spotted ri¡¯bot; flashing lights snatched her attention¡ªGaru.

    ¡°I¡¯m here.  C¡¯mon.  Don¡¯t panic.  Spread your webbed fingers and toes, and swim toward me¡­  You can do it!¡±

    Her white spots glowed in response.  ¡°I¡¯m not a child!¡±

    The current was strong, but she could fight through it, and there was an odd haze near the bottom of the seemingly bottomless river, obscuring the floor; she couldn¡¯t be sure if it did end there, but there appeared to be movement underneath it that brought the current into a frenzy.

    Not wanting to find out what could stimulate such a massive river into its current state, Nelika fought to reach Garu¡¯s flashes, but he told her something strange.

    ¡°Relax a little.  Let the current help you down and swim with it to the other side; we have a long way to go.¡±

    ¡°Won¡¯t we be too far away?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s better we¡¯re not exhausted fighting against the current and walking than making it to the other side, and it will be easier jogging around the forest than going through it.¡±

    Her mind began to clear, and her racing heart calmed; he was right.  They¡¯d been able to survey the terrain from a high vantage point and going around the high hills and dense forest with the graveyard of clans the Empress had slaughtered didn¡¯t sound like a good time.

    Following Garu, a smile came to Nelika¡¯s mouth; it was almost natural, and the cool water soothed her feet.  It was as if her skin had been made to repel liquid, cutting the current in a way she hadn¡¯t experienced in the relatively still oases of the desert, and it took a good hour to reach the opposite side.

    She observed all sorts of unusual fish¡ªsome five times bigger than her¡ªbut everything ignored her due to the stealth element she could employ, becoming wind to skate along the surface for a short distance.

    Just as Garu seemed to have predicted, they came out near the bloody fields, still littered with thousands of dead ri¡¯bot¡ªmaking her shiver; fortunately, they¡¯d be moving at the edge of the field, but she would never forget the terrifying show the Empress put on.

    They stopped for thirty minutes; Garu showed off by giving her a few fish he¡¯d snagged near the shore.  She couldn¡¯t deny that the red-scaled fish was very tasty, as he¡¯d bragged; it took her mind away from the horrific fields.

    However, when they started on their route again, she discovered one of the partially decaying titanic abominations not that far away from the river, now lifeless and filled with insects picking at its innards.

    Its gaping jaws, filled with teeth and fingernail-coated, three-prong tongues, made her want to vomit¡ªthe smell unfortunately did¡ªall thoughts of the fish, or any food, were gone after that.

    They neared the end corner of the forest as the sun began to fall, and she paused on a small hill to stare back at the field, seeing hundreds of ri¡¯bot still sorting through the mess to discover anyone whole enough to bring back or that could be identified.

    Tents had been set up, and she spotted a few quen¡¯talrat¡ªlikely the unintelligent kind that only took orders¡ªthat she¡¯d seen in Nethermore helping move carts and sort tents.

    Her spots flickered, showing a mournful display in their luminosity as Garu joined her.

    ¡°I never imagined war could be like this¡­¡±

    ¡°This¡­ wasn¡¯t war,¡± Garu hesitantly returned, swallowing a lump in his throat as his focus settled on another one of the abominations, still standing in the distance.  ¡°This proved a point¡­  It showed the Empress¡¯ divinity and what would happen to those that stood against her¡­  This was her being merciful.¡±

    Sweat broke across Nelika¡¯s skin as she recalled the horrific detonation of blood, guts, and bone that slaughtered thousands before drawing into those gore-filled cyclones, producing the terrifying, seemingly indestructible titans.

    She now understood why her grandfather left the moment he met Garu and understood what he was, sending her to represent their clan; he didn¡¯t need to complete any kind of negotiation or relations with the Great Clans because he knew they would soon be irrelevant.  He had to return and set things up for when the Empress visited their clan, so they didn¡¯t suffer something like this.

    Breathing out a long stream of air, she turned away from the slaughter to chase after the goddess that had caused such a horrific scene; she couldn¡¯t disappoint her and arrive late.  All Nelika could see in the darkening skies were massive and terrifying green irises watching her progress, so she pushed past the stitch in her side and aching in her legs.

    * * *

    Valentina was in a somewhat good mood as she sat in a tree at the foot of a slight, stony-ground rise that would take them out of the valley; she¡¯d prowled this a bit more than a week prior with the other Seed bearers.

    She glanced down at Apate from her high vantage point; the woman observed the far slower group make their way across a clearing.  They¡¯d be exiting this bug-filled hell soon enough and camping on hard ground; Adoncia carried a full Ragnlar on her back after crushing its skull earlier that morning.

    Valentina couldn¡¯t believe how much stamina the 18-year-old woman had; she seemed to have unlimited energy since her meeting with Tiamat, and Apate had been unsure how to treat her for some odd reason.

    The trickster hadn¡¯t said a single word since that morning, studying the dark-haired maid in a conflicted way that bewildered Valentina.  Of course, she wasn¡¯t complaining.  It had been way easier without the personification¡¯s unbearable mood, and the freedom from doubting what she sensed every minute made her realize just how utterly demonic Apate¡¯s manipulation abilities were.

    Scratching her chest, Valentina glanced down at her fur bikini; she¡¯d started to sweat more than she liked due to the workout they¡¯d gone through throughout the day, so she reverted much of the fluff.  It was strange because she didn¡¯t perspire nearly as much when traveling with the other teens.

    In any case, today also showed how far they could get in a day without Apate¡¯s interference, and she giggled when Alisa collapsed on her belly when Adoncia dropped the cat near the fire Valentina had already prepared.

    ¡°Kill me,¡± she grumbled, her flushed, dirty, and slick face in the tall blades and mud; she didn¡¯t appear strong enough to even scream as Sal dropped their makeshift water bottles¡ªusing bamboo-like material they¡¯d found¡ªby the camp.

    Valentina sighed, rubbing her sore shoulders with envy upon seeing him walk over to his girlfriend and start massaging her back and legs.  Lucky¡­

    ¡°Mmm!  Thanks, Sal¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course!  Am I pressing too hard?¡±

    ¡°No¡­  A little harder¡ªto the left¡ªyeah, there¡­  Oof¡­¡±

    Adoncia gave her brother a warm smile while ripping a leg off the beast she¡¯d killed, spraying blood away from the camp and preparing it to cook.

    It had been Valentina¡¯s job to gather all the needed sticks for skewering the meat, lighting the fire¡ªas Adoncia had taught her the night before¡ªand finding leaves they could use for beds.  She¡¯d had enough time to fashion a long, hollow stick to add more water into to fill up during the night, as well.

    Not having much else to do until the food was ready, she settled in for a nice cat nap, which came pretty quickly since she was an actual cat.  Her tail swung back and forth as she sprawled out on the branch, yet a feminine hum brought her hair up in shock.

    ¡°Mmh.  Well, aren¡¯t you the most adorable tiger?¡±

    Practically jumping straight into the air, she almost fell out of the tree, claws digging into the side of the platform she was using, upon seeing a purple-haired girl with butt-length hair draped across her front.

    ¡°N-Nungal?!¡±  she stammered, swallowing the lump that shot into her throat as she backed into the trunk.

    The goddess gave her a peace sign and flashed her teeth in a dazzling smile.  ¡°Yo!  Took a bit longer than I wanted to reach out.  Ugh¡­  Tiamat talks forever!  I left my big bro to handle her incessant questions; it¡¯s never about herself.  Go figure, and I don¡¯t like talking about myself too, so¡­ yeah.  What¡¯s up, scat?¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­  Scat?¡±

    ¡°Scary-cat is kind of too long to say,¡± she snickered, combing out her thick locks before separating them to braid.  ¡°I¡¯m just playing.  How¡¯s my mom?¡±

    ¡°Hehe¡­  Wooh.  Just let me chill for a second,¡± Valentina breathed, hand pressing against her pumping chest.  ¡°You just snuck up on me the second I let my guard down to sleep¡ªthe second!¡±

    ¡°I had to!  It was the first chance I got, and, ugh¡­ Tiamat was bragging..  Plus¡­ you were adorable!¡±  she teased, making Valentina¡¯s face flush; she acted like they¡¯d been friends forever, but when you were the princess to basically Hell, you probably would make friends easily.

    Valentina snorted, settling in and allowing her nerves to calm down.  ¡°Competitive much?¡±

    A rather unsettling gleam came to the goddess¡¯ lavender irises and curved her lips.  ¡°Oh¡­ you have no idea.  So, c¡¯mon, tell me what¡¯s happening!  We, unfortunately, don¡¯t have all that long¡­  Give me something you really, really want!¡±

    The fire in Nungal¡¯s face took her back.  ¡°Umm¡­  I want to block out Apate¡¯s insufferable ass¡­  Her illusions make me want to kill myself.¡±

    ¡°Is that all?¡± the girl mused, tying a band around the tail end of her braid before her intense glowing eyes dug into Valentina¡¯s.

    ¡°Okay¡­  I¡¯ll prepare something that, heh, will be sure to put the insufferable personification on her ass the next time she tries to manipulate you.  Make sure you don¡¯t give in to the pain because she¡¯s sure to push back, and for this to work against her, it needs to be a double-edged sword¡­ you can¡¯t recoil.  Luckily, you¡¯ll have a surprise attack.  Have fun!¡±

    Nungal¡¯s all-consuming, smiling eyes hazed to be replaced by Adoncia.

    ¡°H-Huh?¡±

    ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.  You okay?¡±  the maid asked, concern showing on her face.  ¡°I thought I felt¡­  I don¡¯t know.  It was only there for a second, but¡­¡±

    Clearing her throat, Valentina forced a laugh.  ¡°No, I¡±m fine.¡±

    ¡°I can eat your portion,¡± Apate snickered from below, giving her a lilting smile.  ¡°Have a visitor?¡±

    ¡°Visitor?¡±  Alisa asked between bites of her meat.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡±  She hopped down to sit by the flames, accepting the chunk Sal handed her.  ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°No prob!  Thanks for the fire and extra water.  Hehe.  It really hit the spot.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, totally¡­¡±

    Her focus drifted to the wine-haired trickster, who appeared to be studying Adoncia again; from what she knew about Nungal, she would do absolutely anything to prove herself to her mother, and it wasn¡¯t just some random girl that was her patron¡ªit was the princess and head jailor of Irkalla.

    Valentina was a tad scared of what she was preparing, but she wouldn¡¯t shy away from it; if she could get back at Apate somehow, even if just once, she would gladly accept some pain.

    The trickster¡¯s narrow-eyed frown turned to her.  ¡°What are you smirking at?¡±

    ¡°Mmh.  Nothing.  Thanks for the meal, Adoncia.  Hehe.  It¡¯s great.¡±

    Apate¡­  Tomorrow you¡¯ll get a taste of your own medicine.  I hope you¡¯re ready!

 B4 â€” 4. A Locked Heart Opened

    Apate groaned as she felt a few of the critters blanketing her with their warmth; she¡¯d pulled over a giant fluffy little creature she didn¡¯t bother to learn the name of to act as her bed last night. It was bliss, well, as blissful as it could be under total bondage.

    Yawning, she cracked open an eye, unsurprised that her group of God-Touched was already gone; Apate told them not to bother waking her, so this was the natural course of that action. It didn¡¯t matter; she could track them by the beads of spiritual energy they radiated.

    Still, Apate lay in the silent jungle; she¡¯d cast a sleeping charm on everything that came into her radius, excluding the children, and for good reason.

    Shifting a little on the fluffy underbelly of the creature she rested on, Apate repositioned her braided hair to stare at the golden rays beaming through the canopy before looking just beyond it at the clearing.

    It was still unusual to be trapped in such a lower tier of Existence. Her focus drifted to the clearing just visible from her hidden position in the jungle; the long-bladed grass went up to her hips, yet the teens had cut and pressed down a section for their camp.

    This was not supposed to be my life¡­

    Puffing out a resentful sigh, she swallowed the sticky saliva caught in her throat and pulled herself up, adjusting her green top¡ªclothing her mother had given her¡ªit had been an eternity since she¡¯d last seen Nyx¡¯s</a> enchanting eyes, yet she could never forget how ravishing the Celestial was.

    A shiver ran down her frame as a different aura caressed her spirit; for those that knew what they were looking for, it was impossible to miss Tiamat¡¯s presence engulfing everything. She was a Celestial, yet not of the same type as Nyx, which frightened her.

    Apate hugged one of the small, fuzzy creatures that blanketed her with their wide tails; the only thing she was good at was trickery¡ªit¡¯s what she¡¯d been designed for¡ªbut she¡¯d long lost the flavor for it, no matter what she told or did around others.

    I don¡¯t want to be afraid anymore¡­ I don¡¯t want to keep my guard up¡­ I don¡¯t want to be used¡­ Today, you¡¯ll do something about it. Today, you¡¯ll change! It doesn¡¯t matter what Moros</a> said¡­ He was always stupid. Everyone¡¯s stupid¡­

    Breathing out her internal frustration again, Apate got out of her fluffy bed with a reluctant sigh, wrapped in illusions as she always kept herself. Her unique ability had the capability of subverting the very understanding of a Great Existence when at her peak, so doing something on a small scale like a universe was nothing, much less this tiny section of one.

    She shifted to the side of her bed, her illusion examining a piece of smoked meat Alisa had no doubt left her as a peace offering; to any creatures that looked this way, her illusion would be all they saw, and she projected the same image to the area she felt the teens trekking¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be long before they finished descending the slopes to the gigantic river.

    Apate had already dug her claws into their Cores; she could affect them whenever she wanted so long as they were within a hundred kilometers. The problem was that she didn¡¯t want to touch Adoncia; she couldn¡¯t keep her mind off of the titanic entity, which only served to resurface terrible memories from her past.

    Distracting herself, she created an image of Allison, the annoying and endearing child that Valentina reminded her of. Both were strong-willed, and both wouldn¡¯t give in to her.

    Even if Elinor was the chains that bound her, these teens were the lead balls weighing her down, and she refused to show any happiness in being a slave; it would demean her mother.

    Rising to her feet, Apate couldn¡¯t help a small smile while seeing Allison failing over and over in her gymnastics routines; there were some things she did find endearing about her time trapped within the child¡¯s soul, all the way up to her teen years. Valentina, Sal, Adoncia, and Alisa reminded her of a period in her life she wanted to forget; yet, that wasn¡¯t how it worked for her¡ªshe could see her illusions as they were, but couldn¡¯t fool herself into believing they were real, and therein was the curse of her ability.

    She dismissed the illusion, turned on her heels, and walked up the steep incline to the cliff rather than take the gradual ramp to the lowlands. Apate hated this physical sphere; she¡¯d never had to exercise any semblance of a physical body, yet here she was, laboring away like Atlas.

    Apate knew she could have charmed some random beast to carry her¡ªit¡¯s what she¡¯d done for most of this trip¡ªbut she honestly didn¡¯t want to be near the monstrous pit hidden within Adoncia¡¯s Core after Tiamat reared her head; she wanted to meet with and run from the Celestial, which made for a troubling conundrum in her chest.

    After all the debate, she discovered the place Elinor had used to camp with Thor and that detestable songstress; the woman¡¯s ability to grate against her nerves rivaled the God of Thunder.

    Apate sat on the edge of the sheer cliff, absently controlling the illusion she¡¯d cast on the God-Touched; it was practically on autopilot at this point.

    Elinor was different from many deities she¡¯d met, and the same could be said about her little sister. Of course, it made sense; Ishtar and Ereshkigal were fashioned using Celestial essence and matured forms. Still, it did intimidate and confuse her.

    She scanned the sky, seeing a few prospective birds she could select from to carry her across the river. Apate hesitated, her mind still drawing in on itself to question her future.

    Primordial Olympus is in conquest mode, and it sucks that both Hera and Ares are here¡­ On the plus side, if I can get my girdle back from Hera, I could trick my way out of these chains. It¡¯s not like that Olympian tramp will give it up without a fight, and I couldn¡¯t compete with a rat¡­ Pathetic.

    Her narrowed vision drifted down to Valentina, spite mixing into her chest for some reason. Should I make a bridge and have her think she¡¯s walking across it as she¡¯s drowning inside the river? It would force them to jump in after her, getting all wet and miserable¡­

    Deciding it could help ease some of the pressure against her breast, Apate impressed her reality onto the girl¡¯s undefended soul¡ªas soon as she did so, though, her vision went black.

    ¡°Huh? Are you kidding me!¡±

    Apate¡¯s teeth locked as she felt a cage practically drop out of the sky to box her in, yet a chill ran through her veins when she realized Valentina wasn¡¯t capable of something like this, which meant¡­

    ¡°Nungal¡­ No. No, no, no¡­¡±

    Panic entered her voice as she realized the trap she¡¯d walked blindly into; her expanding force pressed against the cell she¡¯d been boxed into, reflecting it right back at herself. This shouldn¡¯t have been possible¡ªshe couldn¡¯t trick herself¡ªbut Nungal had accounted for that, somehow twisting her energy to seep right past her natural walls.

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm. Enjoy the trip! Be wiser next time, Ms. Bitter.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand! Not like this!¡± she pleaded, yet, it was too late.

    ¡°Apate¡­¡±

    Ice flooded her veins as a confused, dangerous, powerful snarl came from behind her. She didn¡¯t want to turn around¡ªshe couldn¡¯t¡ªher lungs were in her throat.

    ¡°You think¡­ why are you in my Realm¡ªwhere is Mother¡ªOneiros</a>, why did you bring Apate here?¡±

    All thoughts from her past were washed away¡ªall experiences¡ªshe was back in Primordial Olympus, and everything she¡¯d just gone through had been a manifestation of her own mind.

    ¡°Hehehe. Sister, Brother, how long has it been since you¡¯ve seen each other?¡± Oneiros whispered to Hypnos</a>¡ªthe Personification of Sleep¡ªand Apate, blinding her in his mist as he walked around her. ¡°When was it, Hypnos?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time since you¡¯ve visited The Dream¡­ Is Mother with you?¡±

    ¡°Mmh¡­ Where is Mother, Apate?¡±

    Tears came to Apate¡¯s blinded eyes as Hypnos¡¯ voice lowered. ¡°What did you do to Mother¡­ Did you actually try to trick her, as you were boasting?¡±

    ¡°Mother¡¯s gone, Hypnos¡­ I cannot feel her consciousness seeking relief to enter your sphere.¡±

    Her brothers¡ªpersonifications of dreams and sleep¡ªcircled to her front in the haze; she feared seeing the looks on their faces as she trembled. It wasn¡¯t her fault; it couldn¡¯t have been¡­ Mother loved her games. Yet, her brother¡¯s harsh words made her feel less than dirt.

    She fumbled to find her voice. She couldn¡¯t escape her siblings¡¯ powers; Hera had her girdle. ¡°N-No¡­ It was a simple trick¡­ I wasn¡¯t the reason she left! You have to believe me, Hypnos¡­ Oneiros, it wasn¡¯t me! Ack!¡±

    She bit her tongue as a lilting, feminine voice whispered into her ear, sending an arctic hiss through her nerves and making her eyes defocus.

    ¡°Apate, Apate¡­¡± Her obscured sister¡¯s voice; she loved to creep in from behind. ¡°You believed your powers so great that you could subvert our mother¡¯s design¡­ ruin everything she¡¯d planned? Your hubris is stunning¡ªit would make Hybris</a> blush.¡±

    ¡°Nemesis</a>¡­ No. I would never!¡±

    ¡°Then why did she leave, Apate¡­ Why did she go after Zeus when he backed down from his plans to turn against the Celestials?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± she cried, yet Apate could feel her siblings pulling away from her with every word, Nemesis speaking in their ears that she was guilty, and another voice entered the nightmare.

    ¡°Oh, the mockery you have made of us, Apate. It¡¯s sad, really¡­ Mother used to love you, but you never knew when you pushed things too far.¡±

    ¡°Momus</a>, I¡¯m not lying¡ªNemesis, I didn¡¯t do it¡ªshe was gone when I got to the banquet! Where were all of you?¡±

    A haunting tickle grazed her neck and slid down her spine as another sister entered the circle, whispers entrapping her. ¡°I¡¯ve felt mother¡¯s misery regarding your inability to say no to the Olympians, Apate¡­ Hera was the last straw.¡±

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that, Oizys</a>! None of us can perfectly perceive what Mother feels¡­ Why are you blaming me?!¡±

    ¡°Haaa. The stupidity, Sister¡­ Are you really so blind? Can you even see us¡­ Do you want to see us or continue blocking us out? Coward.¡±

    Swallowing her tears, Apate screamed. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, Koalemos</a>! You¡¯re all stupid! You won¡¯t listen to me! I didn¡¯t play my trick¡­ Mother was gone¡ªshe didn¡¯t leave us¡ªshe was just¡­ gone¡­ You¡¯re all so stupid!¡±

    A guttural, low, and power-infused voice shook Apate¡¯s frame. ¡°Who was the last to see her, Sister?¡±

    ¡°W-Why are you here, Keres</a>¡­ Keres¡­ I didn¡¯t chase Mother away¡­ I didn¡¯t! Please, someone, believe me¡­ I know there wasn¡¯t any trace of a struggle¡ªI know I bragged to you all, b-but I didn¡¯t!¡±

    An ax felt like it was against the nape of her neck as the Personification of Doom and Fate echoed the words of her other siblings. ¡°You were always the one Mother had the most trouble with, Apate¡­ You have destroyed us all.¡±

    Legs giving way, Apate had to believe this was a nightmare given to her by Hypnos because all her siblings wouldn¡¯t turn on her at once¡ªshe didn¡¯t destroy their family¡ªshe needed help to find out who did, but everyone was pointing the finger at her.

    ¡°I did cause trouble¡ªit¡¯s why I was made, Moros</a>¡ªwhy didn¡¯t you predict our doom?! Stupid! You¡¯re all stupid!¡±

    ¡°Apate?¡±

    Hope sparked in her breast at the soft-spoken words of her sister. ¡°Philotes</a>, please, talk some sense into them. I know I caused a lot of trouble, but it wasn¡¯t me this time!¡±

    Her sister¡¯s hesitant voice numbed Apate¡¯s body. ¡°Apate¡­ where¡¯s your girdle? Eris</a> said¡­¡±

    ¡°Eris is a liar; you all know she is!¡± Apate snapped, beginning to hyperventilate as the Personification of Strife entered the ring, silhouette hovering just outside of view.

    ¡°A liar, am I, Apate? Where is your girdle¡­ Your energy was discovered at the scene, and a note beside mother¡¯s dish.¡±

    Apate¡¯s mind blanked, and she rubbed away her tears, sniffing a little to clear her nose while trying to recall the scene she¡¯d walked in on. She couldn¡¯t say she¡¯d ¡®lent¡¯ it to Hera since it had probably been the Olympian Gods that orchestrated this, and it would implicate her working with them.

    The dots linked like Moros¡¯ chains around her throat, dragging her into certain destruction; her throat felt sticky and thick. ¡°D-Dolos</a> will vouch for my whereabouts¡­ We were planning it together.¡±

    ¡°Dolos?¡± Eris chimed, using a note Apate hadn¡¯t heard since they were young and constantly fighting amongst themselves¡ªthey were family, though¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t abandon her; their mother wouldn¡¯t.

    Her brother¡¯s drawn-out sigh felt like he was deflating her lungs. ¡°Apate¡­ I¡¯d love to take your side on this, but you went on without me, wanting to take all the glory yourself.¡±

    ¡°No, Dolos¡­ heh, you¡¯re playing a trick on me¡­ Brothers¡­ Sisters¡­¡±

    A dry and callous voice made her shoulders shrink¡ªEpiphron</a>¡ªthe Personification of thoughtfulness, carefulness, and sagacity. ¡°You were always such a disappointment, Sister. If you were even a tiny bit more considerate of Mother¡­ maybe we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t try to run Mother off¡­ No! I didn¡¯t! Please¡­ please believe me¡­ I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Huu-haaa. Well, what¡¯s done is done,¡± Ponos</a> sighed¡ªthe Personification of hardship and toil¡ªnot defending her but attempting to move past the blunder that was her existence. ¡°Mom¡¯s gone. So¡­ who will lead us now that she¡¯s out of the picture?¡±

    ¡°Who else?¡± answered three women as one voice¡ªThe Parcae</a>¡ªThe Fates or the Personifications of Destiny. ¡°Thanatos</a> is the only one capable of keeping the Olympians from subjugating us.¡±

    A new ray of light shone through Apate¡¯s darkness. ¡°Sisters! You must know the fate of Mother¡ªthose that she fought¡ªthose around her¡­ Surely you know it by my own fate?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Yes, do tell,¡± Hybris¡ªPersonification of insolence, violence, and outrageous behavior¡ªlaughed, her aggressive tone making Apate shrink. ¡°What should we do with our, heh, sister¡­ after this atrocity? Mother isn¡¯t here to save you.¡±

    A voice of reason came from far away. ¡°Hybris¡­ Apate is our sister, and describing her as anything more than perfection personified throws mud in our parents¡¯ faces. Apate lost her mother, too¡ªlet¡¯s not forget that.¡±

    ¡°Elea</a>!¡± Apate cried, hoping to see her glorious sister of mercy, clemency, compassion, and pity, yet all she could find was mist. ¡°Please, Elea¡­ I need someone to believe¡ª¡±

    ¡°Let there be peace¡­¡±

    Silence fell among her siblings as one voice cleared the smoke, revealing her elder brother¡ªThanatos</a>¡ªclad in his black robe that showed off his muscular, gray skin and adorned with the items of power their mother had given him.

    His long, curved scythe made Apate tremble; few things could kill a Personification, but her big brother¡¯s gleaming silver weapon could eradicate her to the very essence.

    Thanatos¡¯ bright, white eyes fixated on her as she lay on the ground in her grief and tears, yet his question was directed to The Fates. ¡°Where is our sister¡¯s girdle?¡±

    The stunning three-and-one Personification¡ªa child, a woman, and an elder¡ªheld up their hands in unison to show a passage through time that was powerful enough to penetrate the burnt record of Existence, showing precisely what Apate feared the most.

    Her elder brother¡¯s fingers tightened around the shaft of his weapon, and one by one, her siblings were revealed through the gray haze. ¡°You gave the Olympians the means to enter our mother¡¯s realm without notice, Apate¡­ You are the reason Father and Mother are no longer here.¡±

    ¡°I¡­ she wanted it for a mortal¡ªif you had been there to save me¡ª¡±

    ¡°There she goes,¡± Hybris snickered, ¡°incapable of taking even the slightest bit of responsibility for her actions.¡±

    ¡°It was meant to be used against Zeus¡ªto trick him¡ªour enemy!¡±

    Dolos¡¯ words further drove a knife into her chest. ¡°It seems you were the one tricked, Sister¡­¡±

    ¡°N-No¡­ Elea?¡± Her always caring, glorious sister turned her eyes away, gripping her arm and unable to look at her. ¡°Philotes¡­¡±

    Every one of her siblings refused to address her weeping pleas, and only Thanatos looked at her. ¡°Brothers¡­ Sisters¡­ I didn¡¯t do this on purpose¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Please, Hypnos, say this is a nightmare</a>¡­ Say I¡¯ll wake up, Oneiros!¡±

    Only Thanatos¡¯ words came, spiking her heart as he turned away, leaving her alone. ¡°You failed this family¡­ You are no longer our sister.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± The wind rushed past Apate¡¯s stained face, stinging her skin as she screamed. She had no one; she¡¯d been born to a large family¡ªshe¡¯d never been alone¡ªyet now, she was truly alone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m so sorry! Forgive me¡­ Please, forgive me¡­¡±

    Cold arms embraced Apate as the sound of clinking chains came from her sides; Elinor¡¯s soft smile came into focus, and she felt scrapes and bruises across her body as the Supreme Goddess held her.

    ¡°Huu-haaa.¡± A short chuckle came from the woman. ¡°I almost thought I would have to call Thor to save you. Wouldn¡¯t that have been a disaster? Are you alright?¡±

    Unable to speak, Apate buried her head against her shoulder and wept.

    ¡°Hey¡­ I know. Having things turned around on you is never fun¡­ I¡¯m here to listen if you want that. Hehe¡­ It¡¯s okay¡­ cry as much as you need.¡±

    It took a minute to compose herself, and Elinor brought them to the lower section of the cliff; Apate didn¡¯t know what to think, so she said what was on her heart.

    ¡°You¡­ only want to use me!¡±

    An enraging smile tilted the white-haired woman¡¯s lips. ¡°Sure. I won¡¯t deny that you can be very useful. Although, that¡¯s not my preferred method. I¡¯d rather have trust between us, as hard as that may seem to believe, seeing as your entire Personification revolved around deception, but¡­ I get the feeling that you aren¡¯t particularly keen on that these days.¡±

    ¡°Hah-ack,¡± she sniffed and choked. ¡°How can you possibly trust me; you chained my Core so you wouldn¡¯t need trust!¡±

    Elinor tilted her head to the side; her calm approach was infuriating. ¡°True. Steps always need to be taken in order, even if they initially seem cruel. We could try for some freedom¡­ slowly but surely, if you want? It has to be mutual.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Apate demanded, attempting to stand but failing and forcing Elinor to support her to sit against a rock shelf. ¡°What freedom are you talking about?¡±

    Elinor sat beside her and looked up at the clear sky with a fond smile. ¡°I may be The Jailor of Eternities, but I am also a fair judge. You have something to get off your chest; I¡¯m here to listen¡­ heh, it¡¯s kind of my job. So¡­ a little honesty here, and we¡¯ll see about some freedom. Sound reasonable?¡±

    Apate sucked on her cut lip, tasting blood¡ªit had likely been torn open when her face hit a rock on her descent¡ªshe was durable, but not that durable.

    ¡°Mmh¡­ The details?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to try and trick me, and release you from all your bindings, save be it for the children and Thor¡­ Sorry, but we have to make everyone happy,¡± she said with a helpless shrug that caught Apate off-guard.

    ¡°You¡¯ll open yourself up for attack?¡±

    ¡°Bold!¡± Elinor snickered, nudging her side as if they were friends. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the opportunity, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll succeed. Maybe you¡¯ll find joy in tricks again¡­ The fun that makes everyone laugh, and, if you provide a little help¡­ maybe someone will thank you. Wouldn¡¯t that be crazy, huh?¡±

    Apate couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing as the Empress of the Dead flashed her teeth, got up, and offered her a hand. ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t trying to trick me?¡±

    ¡°Attempting to trick a Personification of the art seems like a good way to make an enemy I didn¡¯t need to incite. I need you on my side, not as a forced enemy.¡±

    One word hit Apate unlike anything in ages. ¡°You¡­ need me on your side?¡±

    ¡°Why else would I go zipping to your rescue?¡± Elinor laughed, pulling her up. ¡°I know my daughter can be vicious, but I¡¯m guessing you can, as well. Throw it back in her face. Let her feel the pain next time. Hehe. I¡¯d love to hear her crying once¡­ Wow, I haven¡¯t heard her tear up since¡­ she was five hundred years old? Huh. Time flies.¡±

    ¡°Heh-hehehe. You certainly are not like the Primordials, Mistress.¡±

    Elinor shrugged. ¡°I find it easier to make friends when you have something you both can gain, and my darling daughter could use a good humbling every so often. Hehe. A mother¡¯s got to protect her child and teach them to have tough skin! Quite the duality, huh?¡±

    ¡°I¡­ suppose it is,¡± Apate whispered, thinking back on her own mother, who would scold and help smooth over her messes.

    ¡°So?¡±

    Apate looked up at the woman, seeing her left hand on her hip and a half-smile on her mouth. ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk? I doubt the kids will find a way across that river without your help, which means we all have work to do. Tell me about yourself; I won¡¯t judge¡­ heh, yet!¡± she winked. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a fair shake, so¡­ tell me what¡¯s haunting you.¡±

    ¡°Heh¡­ what makes you think I want to tell you?¡±

    Elinor took a step off to the side and brushed back her braid while looking across the plains. ¡°Because¡­ everyone wants to tell their story to someone who will listen, and¡­ I¡¯ll listen. Let¡¯s not get tripped up on what is sure to be regret if you let your pride blind you¡­ Share this Hell you experience.¡±

    Emotion welled up in Apate¡¯s chest, seeing the faces of her brothers and sisters, who already believed she¡¯d screwed up everything and refused to see her side of things.

    ¡°What¡­ if you tell me it was my fault?¡±

    ¡°Haha. Well, then it would be the truth, and you¡¯d know it, but¡­ I feel there¡¯s far more to this story than meets the eye. So¡­ explain it to me. Right now, I¡¯m here for you.¡±

    Apate didn¡¯t know where to start¡ªit took her ten minutes just to form a cohesive sentence¡ªbut eventually, she opened up her locked heart to show the scars she carried within it.

 B4 â€” 5. Tutorial Ended

    The day passed with Elinor sitting on the side of the cliff, multitasking while listening to Apate¡¯s tragic story. She used much of the time to shift around her plans with the information she received from the broken Personification.

    As she listened, Elinor tracked the various happenings through the Nexus and the movements she could sense with her enhanced, supernatural perception since using the battle against the Great Clans to advance the skills she¡¯d needed.

    From the bench Apate and her rested upon, she could see beyond the wide river to the bloody fields, where the resurrected Great Chiefs had no doubt met with the entourage that accompanied their armies.

    They would be taking charge of organizing their dead and appointing leadership positions before moving through their former lands to prepare the way for Ishtar¡¯s arrival. It would be a hard transition, Elinor was sure, but her sister had done these negotiations and assimilations for many thousands of lives in their long mortal battle.

    Nelika and Garu had made it across and would find Thor and Kulitta by sundown; it impressed Elinor that the young scout of the desert clan had the fortitude to keep up the pace.

    Adoncia and Valentina managed to connect as God-Touched at an excellent pace, which pleased her, and the two teenage lovers wouldn¡¯t be too far behind by the looks of things.

    Overall, things were progressing far smoother than Elinor expected, and that was of concern in itself; if she had miscalculated Apate¡¯s sudden vulnerable state at the hand of her daughter and the speed the God-Touched were advancing, what else had she not accounted for?

    She had to reorganize her timeline and how much the teens would be able to handle. Of course, she gave herself wiggle room; it wasn¡¯t as if she could accurately predict just how powerful Adoncia would become with entities like Tiamat feeding her power. Still, it did mean she needed to find an appropriate place for them to test out the extent of their abilities without the risk of them holding back.

    There would be time to strengthen their resolve to make hard decisions after determining the trajectory of their increased power. This planet had to contain many hidden secrets since the Covenant was interested in various points of the world, and she had to conclude there were such areas on the path to the desert clan.

    She couldn¡¯t be lazy and just watch the kids struggle to keep up with them; Elinor had to discover an acceptable stage to allow the teens to prove their reliability to one another and provide an opportunity to strengthen their unity.

    Apate could act as their field commander; despite how tainted she was by the teenage girl she¡¯d been trapped inside for years, the Personification was still a power comparable to an entire Existence when at her peak. Elinor just needed to grasp what made the trickster tick to direct her into the role and know how much support she needed to offer to build her into the person she required.

    From what Elinor could tell as she continued her tragic story, the Personification had lived a life of teenage delinquency for so long, acting as a trickster that brought chaos, that she hardly had a proper understanding of how to behave maturely.

    In a way, Apate was no different than the teenagers she was placed alongside, and being imprisoned by the hyperactive gymnast child on Earth did her few favors other than shape the way she perceived others.

    The woman had been born to quite a massive family of Personifications, which were typically always at odds with one another; although, they did share a familial bond that kept them united, and the Olympians couldn¡¯t hope to face the Celestials with their Personifications sowing discord among their ranks.

    Primordial Olympus was riddled with internal conflict without the added disorder the aspects could create; their overthrow of the titans was one thing, but entities like Nyx were on an entirely different scale, and it had taken the united front of the gods to just imprison their forefathers.

    Therefore, Hera, ever the schemer, had used Zeus¡¯ well-known infidelity for a multi-pronged attack against her husband and struck a devastating blow against their most feared enemies¡ªthose that literally gave birth to their Great Existence¡ªthe Celestial Host.

    It was well-known that Apate was a coward, and the goddess managed to catch the Personification off-guard; typically, the trickster would have been able to escape, but that hadn¡¯t been the case as Hera managed to obtain an Evening Star Prism from a Hesperide</a>¡ªthe first nymphs and Apate¡¯s cousins.

    From there, everything went downhill, and she¡¯d been deemed a traitor to her family; disowned and without support, she hid from everyone she could, slipping between identities, yet unable to rid herself of the hateful comments of her siblings that constantly whispered in her ear of her failure.

    Apate betrayed everything she loved, and the worst part was that she partially believed it; the problem was she couldn¡¯t totally accept her piece of the blame.

    Elinor could work with it; rising to her feet, she flipped her spear behind her back, holding it against her butt while pondering how to respond. The trickster waited for her judgment, and though the Judge could see more than a small degree of blame in Apate¡¯s actions, many more possibilities also drifted through her mind.

    ¡°Hmm. Quite the simple and complicated tale¡­ I can perceive fault in places and see where your siblings are coming from, but there is also much more to consider.¡±

    The ability to tear up long lost, Apate got up, joining her at the edge of the shelf they¡¯d spent much of the day on, and followed her gaze to where the teens were struggling to come up with a solution to cross the great divide.

    ¡°Such as?¡±

    Elinor¡¯s emerald irises twinkled in the falling sunlight. ¡°Oh, while I do have the answers you seek, they are not so easily accepted when presented so plainly. In Irkalla, you would face yourself to judge your own merits as to the truth of what Existence recorded, yet such a process is not possible given this doomed maelstrom.¡±

    Her gaze shifted to the tight-muscled woman. ¡°Are you sure you wish to hear my harsh advice in resolving that which torments you?¡±

    Apate snorted, rolling her eyes, although the woman¡¯s arms tightened under her chest, showing her nervousness. ¡°You are supposed to be this grand judge of the dead; you tell me.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm.¡± The Personification¡¯s focus settled on the teens as Elinor pointed them out. ¡°I believe they will have your answers as you continue to understand each other, and what you seek, you will find in them.¡±

    ¡°Humph. Including that petulant daughter of yours, I assume?¡±

    A wry smirk lifted the corner of Elinor¡¯s mouth. ¡°You could always look into a still pool of water,¡± she suggested, subtly drawing the comparison that she should look into a mirror.

    ¡°Yes, well¡­ I have a reason to be petulant. What¡¯s Nungal¡¯s excuse; I¡¯m the Princess of Irkalla?¡± she liltingly spat.

    ¡°Hehe. Nungal is a child compared to you, Apate, yet¡­ she did just reverse your trick. I must be proud of her for that, should I not as a mother?¡±

    Apate¡¯s cheeks darkened, refusing to make eye contact. ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared for any retaliation¡­¡±

    ¡°Showing your lack of forethought, hmm?¡± Elinor poked, tilting her head to look at the Personification. ¡°Nungal has been training all her life to take my place, pitting her skills against the best of Irkalla. You have played and wasted away your time through numberless ages.¡±

    Preparing to leave, Elinor released her spear into wisps of flame before holding out her hand to catch a chain that exited a rip in space, drawing Apate¡¯s tight-lipped gaze.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give you one warning, Apate¡­ if you wish to go against my daughter, you¡¯ll have to put some effort into it, or you¡¯ll only end up embarrassing yourself, and I know you hate feeling embarrassed.¡±

    ¡°Heh. Is that all you¡¯ll tell me?¡± Apate grunted, expression souring.

    Elinor hummed, focus drifting up her lapis lazuli chains with a sly crease in her eyes. ¡°If you must know the best way to get under Nungal¡¯s skin, it is fairly obvious, yet a double-edged sword¡­ Use her hyper-competitive nature and inability to topple her mother as your blade.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ and I almost forgot!¡±

    Apate¡¯s golden vision widened as Elinor held out her hand and unbound many of the chains locked around the woman¡¯s Core. ¡°Good luck!¡±

    Taking to the air, the wind whipped her hair back as she departed, leaving Apate to puzzle over everything she¡¯d said.

    It didn¡¯t take the Empress of the Dead long to reach Thor and Kulitta, seemingly engaged in a conversation about Ishtar as the songstress boasted of her mistress¡¯ achievements in the High Heavens. Thor appeared preoccupied as she landed, though, drawing both Kulitta and the God of Thunder¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Thou hath freed Hera¡¯s Harlot from her bindings?¡±

    A soft stream of air passed through Kulitta¡¯s full lips. ¡°I do find it mildly agitating that she has the capability of tricking us; a tad unpleasant to contemplate.¡±

    Elinor shrugged, moving past the pair to examine the rodents Thor had caught and that were cooking near the fire he¡¯d started; the man did work.

    ¡°You needn¡¯t worry at her current strength, Kulitta, and I didn¡¯t remove the chains involving you, Thor. Apate can look for an opportunity to trap me into an illusion to totally free her, which grants her more room to wiggle but also a reason to doubt. Also¡­¡±

    Thor growled as Elinor added, ¡°I believe you may eat your words one day, Thor, so I¡¯d be careful how you judge her. Apate certainly is a trickster, yet she is not exactly the type you envision.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps I will see thy prophecy fulfilled in time, Lady Elinor¡­ Until then, I shall judge her by the actions she takes; all I have seen thus far is a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.¡±

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Not wrong,¡± Elinor whispered, a slight tilt to her mouth as she removed one of the sticks. ¡°Not wrong, indeed. Can I offer you two something to relieve the boredom you feel?¡±

    ¡°Please, Empress,¡± Kulitta laughed, showing a strained smile. ¡°What can I do for your unholiness?¡±

    She directed the pair to the wide grasslands, causing them to examine the seemingly endless rolling hills. ¡°I need you to find me some monster den for our teens to test their mettle against, and I am positive there is something of worth here. When you find it¡­ come back,¡± she pointedly stated, shooting a light glare in Thor¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Ho-ho. Should I not investigate it further to determine if it will be of an appropriate test, my lady?¡± Thor hummed, showing a thoughtful smirk. ¡°Might thou also be afflicted with this curse that is boredom?¡±

    Elinor flashed her teeth. ¡°Absolutely! So, don¡¯t go hogging all the fun, Thor.¡±

    ¡°A quest to find a quest. Haha. Thy ideas do entertain. Shall we, Lady Kulitta?¡±

    The songstress placed a hand on her hip while turning to survey the landscape. ¡°Mmh. I suppose our direction in the coming days will be determined by what we find. Shall we¡­¡±

    A loud rumble shook the ground and their bones as Thor laughed, spun his hammer, and launched into the heavens.

    ¡°Huu-haaa,¡± Kulitta forced a smile while rising after him with a gentle lullaby in her throat. ¡°I was going to suggest exploring together, but I believe he thinks of this as a competition¡­ How bothersome.¡±

    Elinor followed their exit while chewing lightly on their forgotten food, sitting in the small campsite. Nelika and Garu arrived within the hour; it wasn¡¯t difficult to find their location by the direction the thunder came from, and the tired female ri¡¯bot gladly accepted some of the meat.

    She received a report of their travels, but Elinor was only interested to see if they could cover the distance and focused more on Apate meeting with the teens. From what she¡¯d anticipated, the trickster would spark some kind of deal with them to get across, likely something childish, such as referring to her as master.

    Sure enough, some of the large aviary birds of the mountains were manipulated by the Personification to carry the teens across the vast riverway; Elinor looked forward to hearing how the tiger girl had taken the request, but, to her amusement, she¡¯d remained behind to swim. It was in character for both her daughter and Valentina.

    It would be challenging, yet the added strength of her Beastkin transformation made it more than possible; she would be tired and soaked once arriving on the other side, and the current made it so she¡¯d need to follow the river to catch up to her party through the night.

    Her stubbornness could be considered foolish, but her willpower was commendable. Elinor liked the decision; she needed them to have that level of fortitude at the minimum, and Thor¡¯s telegraphed location would bring them to their camp the following day.

    By the time Kulitta returned, Nelika had collapsed in a bed of grass Garu had made her; it was a cute gesture that Elinor wondered if the girl would misinterpret, since he was only looking after what he saw was his junior.

    The leather-clad woman hovered down to Elinor¡¯s side as she watched the cracking wood and dancing flames, deep in thought. Elinor had studied the movements her sister had made in repositioning their troops, sensing their changing trajectories throughout the last few days. She was acting quickly to prepare for the coming conflicts.

    How was the scouting mission; I assume Thor is waiting in the area you¡¯ve discovered.

    Garu¡¯s gaze lifted to listen as she projected their thoughts through the Nexus, and they followed Kulitta¡¯s focus in a slightly northeast direction.

    ¡°It¡¯s roughly one-hundred and forty kilometers away from our current location. There are two medium-sized rivers between us with several streams along the way¡ªfew trees, mostly grasslands with slightly rolling hills¡ªand a Great Clan village that seems to practice animal husbandry. I spotted many packs of creatures we know as Elishkar that the ri¡¯bot must keep at bay during this season.¡±

    Oh? Elinor smiled. So, this world has the two-clawed, feathered raptor that hunts across these planes. It will certainly provide a good warm-up for our teens. Thor must have really pushed himself to cover that much distance. I assume he returned before you reached the location. What caught his interest?

    ¡°He found several deep gorges, which appear to release water into a riverway that runs through Statesman Joru¡¯kora¡¯s City-State; if there are secrets to be found, it is in these caves and sinkholes.¡±

    Wonderful. We will make an obvious camp here tonight, wait for Thor to double-check if it is worth our visit, and we will pick Nelika¡¯s brain when she awakens. Elinor gestured to the remaining meat. Sit, Kulitta, and tell me a story about my sister I may not know.

    ¡°Gladly, Empress! I am sure you have heard quite a lot from Namtar regarding my mistress¡¯ most noteworthy accomplishments, but the smaller ones likely escaped your ear. Allow me to sing my mistress¡¯ glory.¡±

    Elinor waited for Thor¡¯s return, testing to see if he could actually restrain himself from pushing into the mystery by himself; he hid his agitation and frustration well, but she could tell he was boiling on the inside.

    Kulitta went into a rather humorous story about her mistress manipulating the Old Gods during a feast to discover their fetishes in order to exploit them. Her little sister had certainly played a careful game and utilized her considerable looks and came to remain ethereal, keeping just out of their reach to draw them into her web. Ishtar had grown since they were children.

    When the God of Thunder returned, the boom he carried practically made Nelika jump out of her caramel skin; the poor ri¡¯bot girl was diving behind a log and tucking into a ball before she even knew what was happening. At least she didn¡¯t scream, even if she¡¯d hoped to see how it would make Garu react.

    Electricity blackened the small crater he created not too far away, the rumbles quivering the air dispersing as he moved toward them with a big grin lifting his bearded face.

    ¡°Thou hath wished for a test, and a test we have found!¡±

    ¡°W-What did¡­ do they always need to make so much noise?¡± Nelika grumbled far louder than necessary, eyes still rolling as she held her hands against her ears. ¡°I¡¯m trying to sleep¡­ Oof, my legs¡­¡±

    ¡°Poor girl,¡± Kulitta smirked, making Nelika¡¯s jaw and muscles stiffen. ¡°Is a little noise too much for the desert creature?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª

    Garu put a hand against her side, making her tighten up further. ¡°Be strong, Nelika, she is gauging your temperance.¡±

    ¡°Mmgm¡­ Yeah¡­ yeah, I knew that¡­ Humph.¡±

    Elinor chuckled, centering on the bright-eyed Primordial. ¡°I won¡¯t have you spoiling it for me, Thor. Is it worth checking out?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say so, and there may be items of power hidden within the testing grounds.¡±

    ¡°The Empress said no spoilers,¡± Kulitta sighed, shooting a light glare at the man¡¯s sheepish laugh. ¡°Haaa. You wish to train the children in combat, I assume?¡±

    Nelika¡¯s vision darted to Garu¡¯s flashing blue spots, squinting in the firelight; her ears were likely still ringing, but the ri¡¯bot¡¯s secret communication method was able to get through to her as Garu repeated their words.

    ¡°A hidden proving ground with weapons¡­ The Ancient Rites where a Xaria finds their path and style? It is far into the desert; ours is not anywhere near these green places.¡±

    ¡°Fascinating.¡± Thor sat across from her on one of the large logs he¡¯d positioned near the blaze. ¡°Thy position is that of ¡®Scout¡¯ among thy people, Lady Nelika?¡±

    ¡°L-Lady?¡± Nelika¡¯s skin greened slightly. ¡°Eh-heh, I-uh, I may be the daughter of the current Chief, b-but I wouldn¡¯t exactly label myself with the finer manners of the Noble Council,¡± she whispered, clearly misinterpreting Thor¡¯s meaning with some cultural aspect.

    Elinor giggled, realizing the disconnect; her Seed and mass interpretation skill that allowed her to share the traits of her servants perfectly translated her meaning, whereas whatever Thor used was far cruder of a process.

    ¡°Yes, Thor,¡± she answered, seeing Garu¡¯s own realization as to what had happened. ¡°She is a Tier-2 Scout of her clan; it seems she will need to hone her talents by the time we reach this place if she hopes to survive these Xaria challenges. Of course, they may not be at the same level as what the Ethereal or Nelika¡¯s trial area may be.¡±

    ¡°M-Me? I¡¯m just a Scout!¡± Nelika frantically waved her hands. ¡°I¡¯m not meant for combat or assassination work; I hide and report!¡±

    Thor used his knee to rise, calling his electrified weapon to his hand before gesturing at the open area behind them. ¡°I shall do my best to prepare thee for such a challenge. Would it not be a great accomplishment and glory for thy people to show to that thy nation¡¯s security has been picked up by its youth?¡±

    A small bulge expanded in Nelika¡¯s toad-like throat upon seeing the lightning dancing off the Primordial¡¯s armor and thick arms. Garu slowly rose to his feet, vision shooting to Elinor¡¯s small smile.

    ¡°Might I join in this exercise, Empress¡­ I fear I am quite weak to the standard our Empire has risen to.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm-hmm. By all means, Garu. You may need to get stronger than you think if Nelika doesn¡¯t have the legs to handle the dangers that she¡¯ll face.¡±

    ¡°E-Excuse me f-for my rudeness, Empress,¡± Nelika hesitantly growled, showing reluctant indignation. ¡°You don¡¯t know the slightest pop about my tongue; my great-grandfather is the Xaria of Excellence! I am not weak or, or need protecting!¡±

    Thor¡¯s teeth flashed with the wind that moved his flaming beard. ¡°If thou wouldst push thyself, Lady Nelika, I shall make thee a champion thy exalted great-grandfather shall boast to the mightiest of legends in the halls of Valhalla!¡±

    ¡°Hehe. Don¡¯t kill her, Thor,¡± Kulitta snickered, yet the ri¡¯bot girl didn¡¯t back down.

    ¡°I am not a lady of the Noble Council!¡± she seethed, confusing Thor a bit as she set her brow. ¡°I¡¯ll show you my proficiency in combat; I am not helpless!¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit,¡± Garu chuckled, steering her out of the camp to follow Thor.

    Ten minutes later, the girl sounded like she was dead, lying face-first in the grass as Garu tried to keep up with the Primordial¡¯s taxing drills in strength, dexterity, and stamina. Still, Nelika refused to give up, limbs shaking, yet even Garu, as an undead, was running out of Death Energy to maintain the pushing pace that kept the ri¡¯bot centimeters from getting struck by the arcs of electricity that would throw them back three meters if hit.

    Elinor¡¯s gaze shifted to the forest that separated them from Apate and the teens; Valentina had finally made it across, jogging through the night to reach the camping group.

    Adoncia had been somewhat silent throughout the day, and, shockingly, the trickster had yet to play a single prank on the kids since returning. Of course, she had a lot on her mind, Elinor was sure, but it did show self-reflection.

    From now until they reached this hidden training ground, she was going to push them harder every day, and preparing a trap for them to overcome seemed appropriate.

    Nelika¡¯s limits were also about to be discovered; Thor wasn¡¯t bluffing when he said he would draw out her potential, and he craved anything to distract him from what may have happened to his brothers, which meant the girl was about to learn what it was like to walk in her great-grandfather¡¯s footsteps.

    Kiddy games were over, and it was time to toss them into Irkalla¡¯s Bootcamp, with her as the instructor.

    This is going to be fun.

    Contacting Apate by lightly tugging on the remaining chains binding her Core, Elinor watched her illusion manifest near the fire, showing a deep frown while scanning the campsite.

    ¡°Bold to allow me to influence your mind, Mistress¡­ You opened the gates for me.¡±

    A wry smirk tilted Elinor¡¯s lips as she sat on a log, staring into the flaming pyre. The gates may be open, Apate, but who stands at that opening; do you want to test your will against mine when I¡¯m waiting for you to approach?

    ¡°Heh. Not a chance¡­¡± the woman grunted, arms crossed under her bust; she could only perceive what Elinor allowed her to through her senses. ¡°What can I do for your holiness?¡±

    I want the teens to walk through the Bloody Plane to reach this spot and track us¡­ Our pace is about to pick up dramatically, and I want you to riddle these grasslands with threats they must be conscious of. Hehe. You don¡¯t need to touch their minds to create illusions if you are frightened of my children and Tiamat.

    ¡°Humph. I am terrified of Tiamat, but your children¡­ I have seen far worse.¡±

    Elinor showed an innocent grin. Their mother. So¡­ test the mettle of the teens and my children. You won¡¯t be caught off-guard again by my adorable little daughter, will you?

    A dark look crossed the trickster¡¯s face. ¡°I do love the fact you have given me free rein when it comes to your children. If you want them to face challenges, heh¡­ they won¡¯t get a wink of sleep! I¡¯ll let them know this was all your doing, Empress. Cheers!¡±

    She vanished, drawing away to prepare her games; their tutorial was over, and the crucible about to begin.

 B4 â€” 6. The First Step To Greatness

    Elinor smiled while hanging from her chain, high in the sky, as illusionary monsters prowled the fields under the two visible lunar globes overhead; Thor and Kulitta had already gone ahead to their next destination nearly forty kilometers away, the songstress preparing the town for her arrival.

    Garu remained by Nelika¡¯s side as a cheerleader for the girl.  She wouldn¡¯t be able to make the journey in a day, but if she pushed herself, Elinor assumed she might be able to cover it in two.  Kulitta and Thor left enough of a trail for the teens and tracker to find them if they hurried.

    Valentina and Nelika would have their tracking skills put to the test; the tigress¡¯s instincts and the desert ri¡¯bot¡¯s training would be strained to the limit.  Elinor was happy to observe their progress, watching carefully for when Alisa and Sal¡¯s connection to her children would blossom.

    It was sporadic at this point and unreliable, which likely made her impatient daughter fume inside Irkalla¡¯s walls.  Her visits to Valentina were an escape from the prison she oversaw and was trapped inside, much like Tiamat.

    Pulling herself up, Elinor sent another chain horizontally to rest upon, bracing her feet against a second, allowing her the ability to lean forward and rest her chin on her bridged fingers; ever since she¡¯d begun this journey, she¡¯d been internally flexing her spirit to increase her power.

    Many cultures had developed their own name or version of Core strengthening, some better than others, yet it all came down to the same principle; one¡¯s spirit was the medium by which the Intelligence exercised its will, and the body responded to the spiritual signals.

    Typically, the stress the spirit put on the physical form would be the greatest method of building one¡¯s faculties, utilizing the many internal avenues within the Oltera Nexus that housed everyone¡¯s essence.

    However, this Seed had abandoned her physical body for this Death Energy-based artificial replica, which she could see the purpose in; when the Seed had shattered the chain binding her abilities, latching onto the surface of her Oltera Nexus, her frail human form couldn¡¯t handle the primordial force, and so it created something that could house her necrotic spirit.

    Still, it also limited her ability to expand in a normal fashion, and that meant only by injecting power into the Seed could she increase her faculties; if she hadn¡¯t, just the radial swing of Thor¡¯s hammer would tear this form to pieces, and her diamonds¡¯¡ªwhich housed her Core now¡ªstructures would crumble.

    Then again, her diamonds weren¡¯t entirely eternal and were breaking down over time; she needed something more robust than diamonds if she was going to get stronger, which this world could provide.  It was a weakness she had to remedy.

    All Elinor heard high in the sky was the wind as she silently observed the teens cautiously moving through the fields of ri¡¯bot corpses.  Apate was using a carrot-on-a-stick strategy with spurs if the kids moved too slowly; she appeared to be enjoying the experience for the first time since most of her restrictions had been lifted.

    The trickster¡¯s story had surprised Elinor; in a way, the woman was looking for a new family, and pranks were a part of her love language.  Why had she lost much of her appetite for games?  It¡¯s because Apate had lost her family due to the nefarious plots of the Primordial Olympians; she was empty.

    If everyone continued as it was, Apate might start to find something else to add to her hollow heart.  Each of the teens had their own piece to fill in the puzzle.  Of course, they had a long way to go, and in a short time to be ready for what Elinor needed them for.

    A crease moved her mouth as her focus drifted from the moonlit fields to an area the artisans and supply caravans of the Great Clans had gathered in the clearing¡ªthey were still mourning their dead, preparing the colossal number of fallen to return to their families to be honored in their customary way for dying in combat.

    Rising to balance on her chains, she used another to propel her to the location where a group of ri¡¯bot was stacking the piles of dead forest animals they¡¯d slain to sustain themselves; it was fairly large due to the number of mouths they needed to feed.

    A few jumped as she landed near them, hands resting behind her back.

    ¡°E-Empress?¡±  one stammered, falling to his knees.

    She figured more than a quarter of those in this camp probably hated her due to Ishtar¡¯s belief system¡¯s blank spots, and she could even draw strength from those that rejected her so long as they believed she was in some way divine.

    Elinor used their customary hand gesture that a Great Chief would use when addressing their people as more recognized her and made similar responses.  ¡°Do you plan to use these for anything involving the dead?¡±

    One spoke, shifting his gaze to the piles of bones around them, his frame shaking a little from the fear of just speaking to her.  ¡°We separate the cleaned and best ones to be used in crafting caskets, but¡­ there won¡¯t be nearly enough for all of the dead, Empress.¡±

    She sighed, glancing left to see the Great Chief¡¯s tents, where the two resurrected ri¡¯bot leaders were currently finishing their orders before returning to their capital cities to break the news to their citizens.

    ¡°I will only use those unfit for your needs; inform the organizers from Nethermore to see if more supplies can be sent from the city.  Show me where the piles that aren¡¯t being used for the ceremony are.¡±

    ¡°At once, Empress.¡±

    She sensed a bit of surprise from the ri¡¯bot as he took her to a picketed-off area, and she let him return to his job.  Most of those nearby paused to watch the flurry of butterflies that flew out of the emerald flames around her arms, raising creatures of all sizes.

    Roughly five hundred poor and normal-quality unintelligent undead came from the graveyard, frightening and awing those that watched.  They wouldn¡¯t last long enough to be a drain on her daily supply; Elinor sent them after the tricker¡¯s group.  Valentina would have a tough night, as would the rest, and they were told to kill; more followed as she went between boneyards.

    * * *

    Sal groaned, stomach squirming as Apate drove them in a swift pace through the moonlit night; they couldn¡¯t use the forest since they needed the bright sky to guide their way, yet the horrific sight they walked through made him want to vomit.

    Alisa was holding up by keeping her eyes closed and holding onto his shoulders from behind, trusting him to guide her¡ªhe did enjoy her touch and trust, however.

    Apate sent dozens of fantasy creatures to prowl around them, but Adoncia smashed them with a single blow every time.  Her favorite recently was this cat-sized rodent that was wicked fast and had made several imaginary rips to his sister¡¯s clothes; it had to be fake since he doubted they could actually damage Violet¡¯s specially crafted outfits.

    The woman appeared to be targeting specific places to fluster Adoncia, which had his sister blow up on the smug trickster an hour ago; Apate didn¡¯t seem to care, though, vanishing on the spot to show she wasn¡¯t even traveling with them and saying they should thank the empress for their terrible treatment.

    Adoncia wouldn¡¯t say anything negative about the goddess, and Apate seemed to notice, continuing to badmouth their empress to agitate his sister.  Alisa didn¡¯t like the talk, and Sal had noticed that the spiteful trickster was a lot softer toward his girlfriend than everyone else.  He was most worried about Valentina since the tiger girl had been missing since the previous morning.

    Valentina ejected Apate¡¯s dubious offer to carry them across the expansive river, and it had been over six kilometers to the opposite shore from where they¡¯d traveled; he didn¡¯t want to think she¡¯d drowned, but he¡¯d expected her to be caught up by now.  Then again, the trickster had dropped him three times into the chilling water, so maybe she was being delayed.

    He could handle this much, and Alisa convinced him that Apate was just putting on a mask; when he asked how she knew, his girlfriend told him to trust her.  Everything they were going through would be worth it in the end; she believed it with all her heart.

    So, he bore through the pain and misery; his clothes were still damp, but at least Alisa hadn¡¯t experienced the icy waters.

    Sal tried to keep his mind away from the gruesome silence around them; it was impossible to avert his gaze, though, since he had to guide Alisa through the mass of fallen weapons, gore, and severed limbs.

    He had been here to witness the full thing, yet had turned away shortly after it started; it was one thing to see it in movies, but witnessing it in real life was something else entirely, and now walking through the smell and visceral scene, it had him thinking about the ri¡¯bot attack on their small town.

    Every one of these lifeless eyes had something they were looking forward to; they had the misfortune of facing a literal goddess made flesh and were used as an example.  If he were being honest, he respected Empress Elinor but was also terrified and confused by her actions.

    His sister blurred, club coming down on a lightning-fast group of rodents that launched from behind a pile of bodies.  ¡°Ugh¡­  Apate.¡±

    ¡°Hmm-hmm.  You rang?¡±  the personification smeared, blinding them in a dazzling light that made them squint to look at her.  ¡°Oh.  Too bright?  Hehe.  I hope it doesn¡¯t mess with your ability to navigate¡­ oops!¡±

    Sal snarled as he tripped on an arm, only just catching himself and Alisa before they fell into a pool of blood; large areas had been gathering points for the spilled liquid.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°You okay, Sal?¡±  Alisa asked as she pressed up against his back.

    ¡°Eh-heh¡­ peachy.  Here, just follow me over, ack¡­ over here,¡± he choked, trying not to barf as Apate showed a few bloody corpses rising from the dead around him.

    ¡°Really?¡±  Adoncia huffed, hopping over to batter them away; she¡¯d become far quicker at reacting to her realistic illusions.  ¡°The dead?¡±

    The glowing woman shrugged from within her radiance.  ¡°Isn¡¯t it appropriate?  Oh, Valentina is getting the worst of it, so don¡¯t you worry, dearies,¡± she snickered.  ¡°You should hear the things she¡¯s¡­  Hmm?¡±

    Sal paused with his sister as the woman¡¯s glow diminished with her amusement, looking off into the distance.  ¡°Huh?  This was not a part of the deal, Empress!  Ack.  How annoying, and they¡¯re totally brainless, so they¡¯re not affected by my illusions¡­  Great.  Oh, you are such a slave driver.¡±

    A tad confused, he saw her vanish with all the undead; even the environment cleared of many pools of gore and bodies, but the smell lingered.

    ¡°Sal, what¡¯s happening?¡±  Alisa whispered.

    Adoncia snickered, club resting over her shoulders as all the damage to her outfit faded.  ¡°Seems our trickster has her hands busy with something else; my guess, the empress had a surprise for her.¡±

    ¡°Unless this is the trick,¡± Sal dully grumbled.  ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time.¡±

    ¡°True¡­¡±  Alisa sighed.  ¡°Can I open my eyes?¡±

    ¡°Probably,¡± Adoncia returned, motioning for them to follow her across the fairly flat field.  ¡°I can see a lot of¡­  Sal?¡±

    Alisa¡¯s hand left his shoulder, eyes widening as she looked into the sky.  ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ pretty.¡±

    His vision blurred, the world around him freezing, and the natural sounds of the night died.  A lump dropped down his throat, knees hitting the moist soil and palm pressing against his forehead; loud ringing hissed in his ears, making his vision hazy before a hand came into focus.

    Sal followed it up to Namtar¡¯s strong features, and the field of gore was replaced by a colossal walkway of colorful stone.  ¡°I apologize for the rushed transition; I¡¯m afraid my mother is pushing us, which is very like her.¡±

    Blinking, he accepted the strong grip, and Namtar¡ªthe current stand-in ruler of Irkalla¡ªlifted him up.

    ¡°Where are we?¡±  he asked before his focus settled on the heavens; dark, gray clouds shifted in mesmerizing patterns not too far above them.  ¡°Irkalla?¡±

    The Supreme God shook his head and gestured for him toward the battlement, not too far away from where they stood, taking the lead on the way over.  ¡°Not precisely; consider this a daydream of sorts.  It¡¯s far more pleasant when eased into it when you¡¯re in a state of rest.  Tell me how things have gone since we last met.¡±

    Recalling Valentina and his sister¡¯s explanation of meeting their patrons, he hesitated.  ¡°Do¡­ we really have time?¡±

    ¡°I suspect my sister and Tiamat will be making contact with their God-Touched soon,¡± he calmly stated, peering over the edge at a swirling abyss below them.  ¡°This is the highest point of Irkalla beside the central spire of the palace, which only my mother has access to¡­  I often come here to think.¡±

    ¡°Here?¡±  Sal questioned, shifting to see nothing but an endless walkway on all sides except for the battlement they stood beside.  ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I guess.  Are Adoncia and Alisa okay?¡±

    Namtar chuckled, bending down to sit at the edge and dangle his feet over the side.  ¡°You needn¡¯t worry about them; Ninazu reached out to your girlfriend when I connected to you.  They are touring my mother¡¯s floral garden that she keeps for all those who enter the gates to her realm; at least, the impression Ninazu has of it.¡±

    Excitement filling his breast as the confusion passed, he hurried to join the god.  ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m going to get my powers now; what do I get?  Can I be like Superman and just fly around with super strength and invulnerability¡ªoh, and laser eyes¡ªfrost breath?!¡±

    The man took a deep breath and eased it out.  ¡°It depends on who you wish to be, Sal.¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­¡±  Sal mumbled, cheer dampening a bit.

    ¡°Haha.  I know it¡¯s not the most direct answer,¡± Namtar mused, waving his hand to show Nungal in a large, opulent throne room decorated in a gothic theme with her tigress pupil.  ¡°Valentina fights with her body because she can rely on it when tools fail her.  Yet, I suspect my sister will show her the strengths of using both weapon and body in unison as time goes on; she is the weapons master of our family, after all.¡±

    Curiosity budding in regards to his girlfriend, he had to hold himself back since he knew she¡¯d love to tell him herself.  ¡°What about my sister?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±  A wry tone touched the man¡¯s cadence.  ¡°I cannot see Tiamat in the same way I can peek at my sister¡¯s training methods; I doubt she will share her experience with you due to the secrecy Tiamat expects.  What else is on your mind?¡±

    Sal leaned back to stare at the sky, folding his hands behind his head.  ¡°Wow¡­  I¡¯ve mostly been just trying to survive minute by minute with Apate¡¯s constant attacks.  I haven¡¯t really thought about what I wanted to do.  Thor¡¯s hammer is cool¡ªhe¡¯s cool, in general¡ªbut I don¡¯t want to copy him¡­  What are your powers?¡±

    ¡°Hah.  Many, Sal,¡± Namtar whispered, falling back to join him in studying the dark heavens.  ¡°I can perceive the future, corrode souls, and have the ability to utterly dissolve the essence of a creature¡­

    ¡°Disease is a staple I generally employ.  I am the hand of my mother, which means I must have the fortitude of will to enact and accomplish what she desires.  I will be whatever she requires of me as her son and sukkal.  Why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, to be honest,¡± Sal mumbled, closing his eyes and taking just a moment to rest from his weariness; they¡¯d been pushing to catch up to the empress for over thirty hours, and the extra long days didn¡¯t help his fatigue.  ¡°I want to be strong for Alisa.¡±

    ¡°Immune to Apate¡¯s influence?¡±

    Sal thought for a moment before shaking his head against his linked palms.  ¡°No, not necessarily; I know her torture is helping us, so I don¡¯t want to stunt my growth.  Huh¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    A frown creased his brow as a depressing realization hit him.  ¡°Am I hurting Alisa by shielding her from some of the challenges, like when I guided her through the fields?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a complicated question,¡± the god hummed.  ¡°On the one hand, you¡¯re deepening her trust and bond in you, which is not a bad thing.  Irkalla functions in a hierarchy of absolute order that only works because of trust in my mother; there is power found in that bond.¡±

    Pondering the direction he wanted to take, Sal sat up to stare across the clouds below and above, momentarily wondering how many layers there were.  ¡°All I know I want is to not die here¡­ to keep Alisa safe from the things she can¡¯t handle.¡±

    Namtar pulled himself up by his core muscles, a small smile on his face as he waved his hands for the clouds below to show an image of his wife.  ¡°I understand that feeling well, Sal.  So, you want a perceptive mind and spirit to sense the difference between those close to you and your opposition?¡±

    ¡°I think so,¡± Sal laughed.  ¡°It¡¯s probably not the best thing to ask for when I could ask for, hehe, ultimate power!  I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the right answer, but I most want to know what Alisa can handle and what she can¡¯t¡­  I don¡¯t want to just shelter her like a fragile doll; I want to be a team.¡±

    ¡°The mark of a leader,¡± Namtar mused.  ¡°You want to compliment those around you, filling whatever role is required to help them succeed, which is a tall order.¡±

    ¡°Haha.  Sorry to be a pain!¡±

    Namtar shook his head, showing a thoughtful gleam in his eyes.  ¡°My mother carefully selected every one of you for a reason before bringing you into Irkalla.  Do you know what the connection between a God-Touched and their deity is?¡±

    ¡°Kind of?¡±  Sal shrugged.  ¡°You give us powers, and you get to act through us in a way you can¡¯t do since there is some kind of rules blocking you from entering our planet at full power?  That¡¯s what Thor told us, anyway.¡±

    Namtar nudged his head away from the edge, and Sal followed him to a mat that shimmered into being.  ¡°Sharpened senses, an indomitable will, and the strengthening of your spirit to adapt to any circumstance; a god is the smith, and the God-Touched the material on the forger¡¯s anvil.  A strong mind, body, and spirit; we start at the foundations.¡±

    Sitting cross-legged, Sal began his first session with Namtar; they didn¡¯t practice forms or fighting styles, and not even magical techniques.  Days seemed to pass in what he came to realize was his spiritual Core as Namtar instilled into him an understanding of his own desires that acted as the hammer to mold his essence with the god¡¯s infusing energies.

    The Lesser Seed within him would only take him so far, which was why he couldn¡¯t solely rely on it; the item was merely a jump start to set him on the journey into godhood, and when their time finished, he managed to wiggle his Core.

    It was only a twitch, yet that movement marked his path.  Namtar likened his Core to a heart, and the further he strengthened it and pushed his spiritual energy into a frenzy, the more results would follow.  Control would come in time, and this forceful method would be painful¡ªdamaging his body as it tried to keep up¡ªbut there wasn¡¯t a faster way.

    Eyes opening to the orange glow of dawn, Sal released a pent-up stream of air, allowing the tingling sensations of his environment to send ripples through his spiritual network to be analyzed by the faculties he¡¯d roughly started to develop, yet, what met him made Sal lock up.

    Adoncia¡¯s concerned face came into focus; she was cradling his head in her lap, Alisa stirring beside him.  ¡°Are you okay; did you meet Namtar?  We don¡¯t have long¡ªoh, Alisa¡ªheh, good of you to join us!¡±

    Now, with his spiritual senses opened, he saw what had frightened Apate; within his sister¡¯s worried blue eyes was something else¡ªsomething peering through her¡ªa serpent so terrifying that reason failed to comprehend its size and power.

    ¡°Ack¡­¡±  Sal rolled away from his sister, trying to recover while filtering out the horror empowering Adoncia; his heart was trying to beat out of his chest as he tried to still his quivering spirit.  ¡°Eh¡­ heh.  Yeah, I¡¯m good.  Wow, Sis¡­ you¡¯re really something!¡±

    ¡°Hmm?  Oh, hehe, can you sense how amazing your sister is now?¡±  she asked with a sly smirk.

    Alisa hopped up like she¡¯d just taken the best and most restful nap in the world.  ¡°Wow!  I feel fantastic.  Ninazu is so sweet and caring¡­  Oh, look, he gave me a little friend,¡± she giggled, holding up her arm as a cobalt-scaled viper slithered out of her spirit to flick its tongue in his direction.  ¡°Isn¡¯t he cute?  I named him Sky!  I think I can heal a bit, too.¡±

    ¡°Helpful,¡± Adoncia congratulated, but her cheer dampened when the wine-haired personification shimmered into existence beside them.  ¡°Did you three enjoy your reprieve because the empress decided to up the stakes, and I was kind enough to guide the little buggers to you.¡±

    Adoncia hissed while pointing them across the field, where a horde of zombies and skeletons were running toward them at an alarming pace.  ¡°Yup.  Typical, Apate.¡±

    ¡°This is not my doing,¡± the woman huffed, arms crossed under her bust.  ¡°Your precious empress sent them running our way, and who happened to be in front of them at the time¡­  Me.  You should be thanking me for buying you more sleepy time.  Well, chop, chop.¡±

    She examined her left hand¡¯s fingernails while pointing with her right toward the river.  ¡°The runt got a healthy amount, too.  Will you backtrack to help her or leave her to fend for herself?  Hehe.  Isn¡¯t the empress cruel, forcing you to go back for the dead weight?  Scared?¡±

    Sal was a little surprised as Alisa giggled and shook her head.  ¡°Not anymore.  You helped us a ton with all the jump scares and monsters, Apate.  We can handle some undead!  Ready, Sal, Adoncia?  Time to run!  Haha!¡±

    He smiled as his girlfriend took his arm, guiding them in the direction Apate directed.  ¡°I like the energy, babe, but are you sure you can keep up?¡±

    ¡°Totally!¡±  she returned with utter confidence as Adoncia joined them, leaving the confused trickster to swallow his girlfriend¡¯s praising words.  ¡°Ninazu and I focused on endurance over everything else!  We ran for so long, but the view was amazing¡ªhaha, I just couldn¡¯t stop¡ªyou should see the Empress¡¯ gardens!¡±

    The initial shock from what was in his sister passing, Sal¡¯s teeth flashed as they entered a sprint; it was so much easier than before, and if he was focusing, he could sense dozens of spiritual signatures around them that outlined the rest, and he guessed Valentina was in the direction they raced.

    He¡¯d taken his first step toward godhood, and the hardship of the last few days melted away in Alisa¡¯s laughter.  She was right; this was all worth it.  ¡°Alright, Babe, Sis, let¡¯s outrun these fools and meet up with Valentina; our legend is just getting started!¡±

 B4 â€” 7. New Ground

    High-altitude winds whipped Elinor¡¯s braided white locks to the side as she sat on the edge of Kulitta¡¯s vocal barrier in the sky.  The songstress had a violinist behind them, maintaining their invisible platform; the handsome man was essentially a projection of her will that the woman was cultivating and a fusion of her imagination.

    Thor stood beside them, his crimson cloak billowing in the gust like the hero he was.  The Primordial had returned after surveying the area between them and the trial area, leaving the inner depths for Elinor to join in the fun.  In truth, she¡¯d known he¡¯d be too tempted to explore the mysterious cavern, so Elinor had forced him back by putting the teens into this test, which he wouldn¡¯t miss.

    If that wasn¡¯t enough, she figured having the five hundred unintelligent undead chase the miffed trickster would put a smile on his face; it had been a somewhat last-minute thing to draw a few things together, and she did need to give her children enough time to temper their God-Touched.

    ¡°They¡¯ve improved by quite the margin, Lady Elinor,¡± Thor whispered, tracking their progress.  ¡°Sal may be able to sense our energy in the coming week if he refines his strengthening spiritual faculties.¡±

    Kulitta¡¯s melodic hum followed.  ¡°Are you certain you aren¡¯t over-projecting his growth?  Namtar is a wonderful teacher, and he would certainly take a bit of a lead in many areas, but I would add another five days to that projection.¡±

    Elinor stayed out of their back and forth, keeping her attention on the retreating personification throughout the night; Apate could create illusions that would draw her undead away, yet it was far more work than it was worth, which was why she¡¯d chosen to distract them by using the creatures of the grasslands.

    By the way the teens¡¯ spirits were cultivating, Sal would adapt himself to his group, developing his spiritual instincts.  Valentina naturally had some of the tools he was refining, yet Nungal and the tiger girl were buckling down on pure power and self-reliance; it was on brand for her youngest not to be a team player.

    Alisa was taking a similar route, not wanting to be a burden on her boyfriend and contribute in her own ways.  She would be a critical member of their formation as time went on.

    Masmu, her little white spiritual serpent, slithered out from around her breast to snake behind her neck and tickle her ear.  ¡°Hmm.  I do feel your brother¡¯s presence among them,¡± she mused.  ¡°Ninazu must really like Alisa¡¯s drive¡­  She¡¯s taken a hard road.¡±

    She reached up to stroke the white viper as Elinor allowed her to sink her long fangs into her neck, feeding the snake her daily dose of Death Energy; she was adapting well.  Alisa would need to do the same and let her pet feast on the plane¡¯s wildlife on their travels.

    The first to wake from her refinement was Adoncia, and Apate guided the throng of zombies and skeletons to them the moment the maid¡¯s eyes opened; she was far more doting on them than she would admit.

    Elinor¡¯s mind centered on her powerful maid¡ªAdoncia was something odd¡ªpulling herself back a little to rest her chin on her knee.  Tiamat was taking a rather unorthodox approach to her God-Touched, and Elinor paid close attention to what was happening to the girl through the Nexus.

    Tiamat is a riptide sinking Adoncia into the sea to bury the young woman in the sands beneath layers of power¡­  She wants to strengthen her soul to accept the surge that¡¯s to come, but it¡¯s more about defense than offense.  Interesting.

    Alisa made Elinor smile when she took the lead, taking Apate back by complimenting her and drawing her party to join Valentina, and the trickster couldn¡¯t even respond due to her innocent comment; she hit the personification right in the weak spot¡ªthe impressive part was, she didn¡¯t even realize it.

    Apate was so rarely shown appreciation and felt so alone that she rejected companionship out of reflex, yet the pure heart of a simple human teenage girl was cracking the cold shell she¡¯d crafted.  All the wine-haired woman could do was reflect now that the undead had been guided to their priority targets, which was likely uncomfortable¡ªher walls were coming down.

    If Elinor was going to have her group ready to face the challenges ahead, teamwork was necessary, and it required her to play a delicate game in guiding opposing personalities together.

    The personification had been trapped inside of a teenage girl for years, powerless to her whims and desires that battered against her weakened state; there was more than one crack Elinor could exploit in bringing her heart into the fold.  It was a complicated mixture she was brewing, molding opposing forces to work toward a common goal; understanding and growing from that union was the mark of a true leader.

    Sal and Alisa set the pace, and Adoncia took care of the faster undead, making their way to Valentina, who was being swarmed by half of the horde herself; she¡¯d already engaged the two-hundred and fifty enemies, making Thor¡¯s expression fall.

    ¡°Apate hath taken much of her animosity out on Lady Val, yet thy daughter hath trained her well in defending herself.¡±

    ¡°The clash of the independent,¡± Elinor chuckled.  ¡°Apate and Valentina are very different from each other while being quite similar in a few critical areas¡­  If I had given the tiger Beastkin the chance, she would have gone on her own solo quest.  Unfortunately, that wouldn¡¯t have provided her with the best growth opportunities, and I hope she will teach my daughter a few things in the process.¡±

    A short hum came from the songstress beside her as she focused on the tigress, high on the thrill of her battle; she may have been exhausted, but she couldn¡¯t be happier in the midst of a conflict.  ¡°Empress, is it just me, or has Valentina purposefully separated from the group to draw Apate¡¯s attention?¡±

    ¡°A noble sacrifice,¡± Thor nodded.  ¡°She hath made herself a target to relieve the bulk of her party.¡±

    ¡°Mmh.  I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± Kulitta mumbled, scrutinizing the scene.  ¡°The girl doesn¡¯t seem that selfless or honorable.¡±

    Elinor¡¯s chuckle became somewhat melancholy.  ¡°In my estimation, you¡¯re both right, to a degree.  Valentina doesn¡¯t mix well with others, and she¡¯s a natural predator, which is why she became a tiger in the first place; that doesn¡¯t mean she likes to be alone, though.  No, Apate is a challenger she can sharpen her claws against.¡±

    She paused for several seconds; the tigress noticed she wouldn¡¯t be able to survive on her own against the hoard, so she drew out a hidden tool.  Elinor had anticipated her daughter instructing the girl on a method of drawing out a form of Divinity or Infernal energy when needed, but not this contentious style.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ not what I expected from you, Little Chain.¡±

    * * *

    Valentina¡¯s chest heaved as she jerked awake, yet she couldn¡¯t move for a full minute; tears leaked from her eyes, but there was a smile on her face¡ªdespite not a thing hurting, from the tip of her ears to the end of her tail.

    Nungal was a violet-haired devil with a charming grin; her goddess told her she would want to die after the first ten seconds, and she hadn¡¯t been wrong.  The second she¡¯d dumped a vial of black and gold liquid over her head, she¡¯d felt the icy burn in every cell of her being.

    She didn¡¯t have a moment to rest as Nungal killed her, over a thousand deaths that were slow and meticulous, yet every time she was revived with the most thrilling rush she¡¯d ever experienced, and it was as if every breath Nungal took while dissecting her in perfect movements was infused into her very essence.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    The pain was the ticket to entry¡ªthe gate¡ªto a wealth of experience that was transferred through grueling tribulation; it was as if she¡¯d merged into one body with the obsessive goddess for a short time and learned her style of fighting.  Even the lightest touch of Nungal¡¯s fathomless intensity had nearly broken her into oblivion, yet she managed to pull through the first real lesson.

    Sitting up, Valentina let the air within her lungs leave; she couldn¡¯t remember the last time she actually breathed.  She stared at a branch on a tree above her; she was at the edge of the Bloody Fields, where Nungal dragged her into their training session.  It had been a long way to fall in the surprise meeting, but what a meeting it had been.

    The pain is weakness leaving my body, she unconsciously thought, gritting her teeth and rising to her feet; she was in a daze, muscles flinching as she remembered the feel of them ripping with the goddesses¡¯ movements imprinted into each fiber.  Deeper¡­  Sink further, and follow the tide¡­

    Time stretched like a rubber band, and then she was standing in the field¡ªeverything hurt¡ªa wall of undead raced toward her, and she mirrored Nungal¡¯s soft voice in her soul, pulling her into a hypnotic trance.  She twisted her hips, putting pressure against her screaming ligaments as she prepared for the tide; she was her own surging current far deeper</a>.

    Her victory was written in fate¡ªmore concrete than a word such as certainty¡ªshe would break through all obstacles.  The world sped up, or perhaps she had, and her claws were out, slipping through gaps in the clumsy, mindless creatures that could never hope to touch her drawn-back hair.

    She was a whirlwind of destruction, every strike debilitating, but she could go deeper¡ªshe could take more¡ªevery breath she took filled her ripping lungs with life-giving power, making her faster, sharpening her mind, increasing her joy, and reducing any semblance of fear as all that negativity was condensed into key parts of her body.

    The intoxicating rush pumped with her heartbeat, increasing the blood flowing in her veins as divinity coated her lips, yet Valentina didn¡¯t see the zombies and skeletons; every laceration or cut was made against herself as she took Nungal¡¯s movements as her own.

    Valentina blinked, head tilting to the side in curious confusion as her illuminated yellow eyes settled on the severed zombie head in her claws.  ¡°Huh?¡±

    Focus going in and out, she passively scanned the black grass, painted in the decaying blood of her victims in the graveyard of bones and flesh; not one piece wasn¡¯t cut with the utmost precision, leaving neat chunks of meat everywhere.

    Her dulling eyes lifted to the brightening heavens as someone called her name, yet she was now on the ground, staring into the dead eyes of a ri¡¯bot.  The last thought she had was of Nungal¡¯s beaming smile as she clapped and gave her a thumbs up.

    ¡°Good work, Val!  You¡¯ll get the hang of it.¡±

    Her vision washed out.

    * * *

    Thor¡¯s bright blue eyes narrowed as he studied the tigress¡¯ massacre; all two-hundred and fifty of the undead lay motionless on the soiled ground by the time the others arrived.  ¡°Thou speaketh of the savage style Lady Val employed in her defense and offense; what hath thy daughter taught her?¡±

    ¡°Mmh.¡±  Kulitta sat a little straighter as the tempo of the violin behind them hastened.  ¡°The only way she could learn those movements this quickly would be by spiritual refraction with Nungal¡­ and to teach her the Way of the Disastrous Wind¡­  Why would Nungal subject her to Pazuzu¡¯s</a> brutal training method?  Even I would hesitate to teach her in such a punishing style.¡±

    Nungal¡¯s love for me¡­ and her need to show it in surpassing me¡­  She¡¯s turned that</a> into a weapon.  I don¡¯t know how I should feel about this¡­

    Elinor¡¯s mouth tightened as she dissected the dark rakes of Infernal slashes Valentina used; the girl countered its infectious influence with a Divine force, using it to infuse her soul¡ªit should be impossible for a mortal¡ªthe tigress took in the lowest degree of positive energy while expelling negative.  It was a style Elinor had perfected herself and was why she¡¯d never lost to her twin.

    It was heavily unrefined, which was why Kulitta mistook it for Pazuzu¡¯s style, yet this was far more sophisticated than the demonic god¡¯s influence¡ªhe had emulated the process from her, after all, and now her daughter was going down that path.

    Nungal has been experimenting with my style¡­ in her own way.  Although she¡¯s infused it into Valentina¡¯s spirit through combat.  Nungal and Valentina shouldn¡¯t be able to handle it, so how is she sustaining the counteractive forces?  The discipline required, even at this minor level, a demigod would require ages of spiritual refinement, unless¡­  Nungal, you had her drink from the Wellspring of Eternities¡¯ source when inside Irkalla.

    ¡°Thor¡­¡±

    ¡°Hmm?¡±

    ¡°Did Nungal take the mortals somewhere alone when I went to see Tiamat?¡±

    He put his hands on his hips, vision wandering as he thought.  ¡°Thy daughter didst leave for a short reprieve with Lady Val; it was not for long.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡±

    Leaning back to stare at the brightening sky, Elinor let the songstress and Primordial return to their discussion on the strange duality Valentina was exhibiting with her unusual behavior; their voices faded into oblivion as she re-evaluated her projections for the teens and pondered her daughter¡¯s action.

    When I entered the contest with Ishtar, you hatched your own little plot, my darling little choker¡­  Something I wouldn¡¯t allow that involves the Wellspring of Eternities.  You fooled your older brothers because they would never be involved in something this dangerous and unpredictable without my approval, and¡­

    Elinor puffed out a long stream of air while glaring at the sparse clouds overhead.  ¡­you brought Valentina onto this path while I was preoccupied with the Old Gods.  Curse that cute, innocent smile of yours¡­  You¡¯ve been a lot more devious than I remember, and I should be proud of your deception and tactical execution, yet¡­ this is not like you¡ªnot to this degree.  What changed?

    She reflected on the Crimson Tide that was assaulting Irkalla, yet this would have to have been something set into motion long before the disastrous event of their Existence¡¯s collapse.  Unwillingly, her thoughts went to the Old Gods, who would have taken full advantage of Ishtar and her absence to prepare various traps.

    Sitting up, Elinor focused on the tigress; there would be a time and place to address it, but the girl would know extremely little, trusting in her mentor goddess.  Little did Valentina know the cute Chain of Irkalla had deviated far from what her mother had in mind.

    The most ominous part of this whole disturbing</a> path her mind had just walked down was, after so much meticulous planning, why had Nungal directed Valentina to use it the moment the plan had sprung?  For what reason did she want Elinor to know, and what was she expecting as a response?  It was too late to reverse.

    Elinor didn¡¯t speak her thoughts to the gods with her as Sal, Alisa, and Adoncia made it to the quiet area, and Valentina collapsed, prompting the three to defend her; they cheered at her accomplishment, taking out over half herself and Alisa tried to stabilize the fallen tigress, dyed black in the rotten blood of the zombies she¡¯d slain.

    The girl wasn¡¯t nearly skilled enough to fully understand what to do, but her spiritual waves mixed with the divine energy remaining in Valentina to push her back from the edge and begin healing.  It didn¡¯t take long for Adoncia to handle the rest with Sal¡¯s help, gaining enhanced strength and durability through his standard Core Strengthening exercise with Namtar.

    Once the last undead was handled, even Adoncia was a bit tired from constantly dealing with Apate¡¯s restless attacks and being forced to take the bulk of the waves.  Elinor communicated to Apate that they could be given the day to rest.

    She left Thor and Kulitta to puzzle out their own thoughts as she wandered the endless grassland for several hours.  Her daughter had pushed a boundary she wouldn¡¯t cross herself, and, many times, that¡¯s what it took to achieve victory; she¡¯d taught Nungal that.

    However, this could cause a drastic change in Valentina and the intoxication of channeling those forces without the honed discipline¡­  It was a cruel high to come down from, and the fall was rapid.  She¡¯d need a few days to properly consider her response, which was a first for dealing with Nungal.

    Are you feeling that stuck, Little Chain?  You¡¯re pushing boundaries with Valentina since you knew I wouldn¡¯t let you join me here¡­  Then again, her firm, decision-making mother is silent for a few days after her statement?  Perhaps it is my failure.

    Elinor held a hand against her breast; in a way, she felt stuck from this revelation, which had rarely happened in her long sentinence¡ªthis was new ground with her daughter.

    <hr>

    Unforunately, this is the last chapter in UE Draft 1; I have moved to the rewrite.  You can find it here</a>

 Vol. 1 UE Rewrite Next Week STUB Notice

    I will be putting Undying Empire Volume 1 on Kindle Unlimited next week or seven days from this post. The edited and more refined addition will be on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited (an Audiobook version will be pending when I release it on Amazon). Due to exclusivity for, as Rhaegar of ''Azarinth Healer'' puts it, ''the infinite money glitch'' that is Kindle Unlimited, I will need to make all the chapters, excluding Chapters 0-2, exclusive to Amazon.

    I would like to make everything free, but that is the price for making money by writing. We always have to make it somewhere. Patreon will always be four chapters ahead, and Volume 2 will begin free of charge, as usual, every Friday night, MST.

    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    I''d love to hear what your thoughts on the rewrite are thus far! Leave a review to give me your thoughts on how Elinor did in maneuvered herself in building her budding empire in this new world.

    Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you in Volume 2 next week!

    Link to --> Rewrite</a> <--

 UE Vol. 1 Rewrite is Live

    tl;dr:  Vol 1 is live, and can be seen on the Kindle Store.

    ----------------------

    Amazon Kindle Link</a>

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Amazon Vella Link</a>

    ----------------------

    The more reviews and ratings it gets, the more incentive orators will see in making it a project for audiobooks.  I would appreciate it if you dropped a rating or review.

    Cheers ^_^7

    Patreon Master Index</a>

 Volume 3 - The Kaspir Kingdom is Release!

    </a>

    You can click the cover art for the link or just click here ---> Link</a> <---

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    I''ve finished uploading Volume 3 of Undying Empire! I know it took a bit to get out and I had set a goal to have it done by Feb. 1st, but the artwork took a bit longer than I anticipated. I hope you like it!

    I will say, I loved the Kaspir Kingdom arc. It really added a lot and brought forward a new place our Empress can get support from. Especially as we wrap up volume 4 and what is planned for volume 5.

    Let me know what you think!