On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor - Six Hundred And Thirty-Seven

“May you be as dry as dust, and your souls wander the barren lands without the mercy of water or sun!” the Chosen cried out, and a torrent of dust element gathered, as well as a tide of the mutated, stinking ooze. Seeing that, Shaeula, remaining Pinwheel circling, now that the Kamuy containing the fragment of Akoman had freed itself from the binding wire, let out a cheeky, teasing smirk.

“I have-have seen this before, and it was more impressive then. Are you becoming fatigued?” Her verdant winds swirled, capturing the onrushing tide of dust, and her rich water element, streaked with indigo light, bubbled and boiled out from her, meeting the rushing maelstrom of muck. “You were much-much stronger just a while ago. Do not-not worry…”

Shaeula’s Pinwheel spun, slicing through undead Kamuy, and the tide was turning. Daiyu had destroyed the Emplacements and most other visible Buildings, and was now circling the Chosen, who was wary of her after the barrage of attacks she had harmed him with before, while the rest of us were dealing with the spider-hand within the colossal mole Kamuy, other than Hyacinth, who had another task now her fungal growths had done their work.

“…you are not-not much of a male, it seems. Premature loss of your potency is naught to hide-hide. I shall sympathise, for I am most-most kind.” Shaeula finished her vicious insult, and I winced, for as a man, such a line was packed with withering contempt.

“You bitch!” The Chosen had become more erratic as the fight continued, perhaps angered by the loss of most of his infrastructure, and the diminishment of his army of the dead. “I’m going to leave you hanging until you beg for death!”

“Not-not the words of a hero, torturing and killing females.” Shaeula merely scoffed, and Mortal Fragarach commanded her winds, and the dust element was scattered. The tornado remaining blew towards the Chosen, who leapt aside, and the crater shuddered, more rock falling into the magma that boiled within the volcano, though the level of that had dropped significantly. Indeed, below us, further down the slope, was a sea of burning red and orange, as Hyacinth’s animated, shambling toadstool creatures had dug holes in the solid stone, even at the cost of their own destruction.

Any minute now and this will be over… Back in the Material, I was with Tsukiko, breaking into the underground of the Chosen’s home, and when he was in my grasp…

My thoughts were interrupted by a volley of boulders ejected from the mountain on the back of the Kamuy, though before I could slash through them, Hana let out a dry chuckle, and she simply leapt and threw them aside, her fists punching one back into the crater, her five tails lashing out like blades, shattering or deflecting the others.

“We have seen this trick a number of times.” She yawned theatrically, excellent at provoking hr opponent and getting under their skin, copying Shaeula’s earlier insult. “What failed once will fail again, and again. Are you not bored of this?”

“Har. You sure can be… a bitch sometimes!” Red, his broken arm forced back into place, cried out, chuckling, as he caught one of the fallen boulders and threw it, striking the flank of the parasitised Kamuy, staggering it. Blue took the chance to attack from the other side, and while she was a mass of bloody wounds, bone visible through a number of dust-infested slashes, she had managed to keep her sanity this time and was clearly enjoying her chance at vengeance.

“How uncouth.” Hana shook her head, and above her, a spear of wind formed, then hammered down, piercing the cracked stone hump on their opponent’s back, causing it to fracture, and inky mist and fetid, sluggish blood to spill free, evaporating as it made contact with the whirling air vortex left behind by the impact. “I am always perfectly charming. It is simply this disgusting wretch who spoils the mood.”

Listening to the banter, I swung Tsurugi, and the forepaw of the creature was sent flying, severed cleanly.

It’s annoying, father! I cut and I cut, and it keeps coming back together! Things should learn to stay cut! That’s the natural order of things!

Yeah, it’s certainly a pest… I agreed, slashing again and again, hacking the falling paw into dozens of fragments. …but it’s only a matter of time. Numbers can sometimes trump quality, but… not in this situation, where the numbers have dwindled…

As if to prove my point, Shaeula continued her taunting of our opponent, clearly feeling more relaxed regarding the flow of the battle. “Your words are but-but wind, and your hatred misplaced. We are not-not responsible for…” Shaeula paused, amending herself, as she hated telling direct lies. “…we here now are not-not responsible for the defeat of the Kamuy. To take-take your vengeance out on us…” She swung Mortal Fragarach, commanding the wind, strengthening her own potent abilities, and in a replication of what I’d been doing with Tsurugi, a savage, faintly emerald, nigh-invisible slash of wind element surged out, and as the pockmarked and soiled ground shattered, shards of rock flying in all directions, the Chosen screamed in rage, one arm torn clean from his body, blood blooming from cut flesh on his torso.

Seeing that, Daiyu didn’t miss her opportunity, and she flew forward, hands once more darting out, striking his key points, forcing him to cough blood, though at the triumph and hatred in his eyes, Daiyu’s intuition kicked in, and she leapt backwards, even as his blood erupted into a tide of corrosive dust. Daiyu was too close to dodge it cleanly, but her own expressionless face showed a faint smile, as the ring on her finger, which I had gifted her for Christmas, gleamed, and a burst of Foehn erupted from it, swallowing the incoming attack, sending droplets of flame scattering everywhere.

“You are all… all so wicked!” the man cried, tearing at his hair with his remaining arm. “And it is all useless! I am blessed! Reborn!” Once more his power surged, and his wounds, and those of the Flame-bearing Mountain Kamuy, were restored as if they were but illusions once more. Brushing off the fading sparks of Foehn, he glowered at Shaeula and Daiyu balefully.

“Your guilt is clear! All who destroyed the true heritage of these islands, of Ainu Moshiri, who slew the only true people, and the only real Gods…”

“Ah.” Shaeula’s smirk became colder. “That is the first-first time I have heard you speak in something other-other than Japanese. Can you not-not say anything more?”

Her words left the man stunned, and his dark skin, which now was a creamy tea colour, as it had bleached with each resurrection, blanched further, before it reddened, his eyes blazing as hot as the Foehn had, with loathing and hatred. Biting his lip so hard sluggish blood leaked, he swung his arms, calling up more explosions of dust and ooze, driving Daiyu and Shaeula back.

“More? You would ask that? Mocking, vile woman! How can I speak in a language that has been erased, how can I cry out in a tongue that has been silenced?”

“Oh? So I was-was correct.” Shaeula showed no mercy with her pointed arguments. “In the end, are you not-not Japanese yourself then?” Those words stunned the man, and the fragment of Akoman let out a displeased grumble.

“I had thought, considered, imagined, that the fire in his heart was worthy of being a gift for the Great Lord of Chaos. Such pure, perfect hatred is hard to find. Yet in the end, he is not as good as she was. Intelligence and cunning trumps the purity of vengeance. A sad loss. This will not do…”

I felt a sense of danger, and waved everyone back, even as Tsurugi swung again. Both slashing paws were severed this time, but the parasitised Kamuy didn’t react as I imagined.

“Stop playing, fooling, toying…” The Kamuy contorted, and fingers, now tipped with blackish-purple nails the colour of malignant bruises, burst free from the Kamuy’s flesh, forming extra limbs and weapons, almost like tentacles, and eyes erupted from the mountainous rock on its back, the pupils red, yellow, black and other poisonous shades. It seems nasty thinking those colours look wretched, when some of the girls have colours the same shade, but… in their case, they’re beautiful, like a sunset, whereas these eyes look like they are cast from murky, rotten sewage.

“…this is unproductive.” A fang-filled mouth erupted, snapping the head from the Kamuy, and resolving itself into a hideous maw filled with curved, scimitar-like teeth, and many grasping, venomous tongues. The painful voice which distorted our vision was like needles jabbed into our brains, and the two Oni stumbled. Seeing that, the fragment of Akoman chortled madly, leaking out trickles of vicious, fetid smog, which filled me with disquiet.

Just a little longer, and we can end this… My widened vision took in Hyacinth, who was concentrating hard, her sweat dripping to the hot stone below and flashing to silver steam. Wood element was boiling from her, and my keen ears could pick up the fracturing of rock deep below, as she searched and probed. I’ve discovered how they are affecting everyone on Rishiri Island, and in a few moments, I’ll have his Material body in hand…

“Fuck off! They dared equate me with…” the Chosen screamed, and the fragment tutted, displeased.

“The voices of those who spurn Wisdom are but the whining of gnats. You displease, disappoint, dismay me! Now… those who stand against us, taste the mist of Chaos! Let your mind free, clear, rise! Rebel against false chains of Wisdom, and know eternal, Chaotic truth!” It blew out a torrent of fog from its new mouth, and while Hana and I tried to blow it away with wind element, some sprayed over Red and Blue, and all of a sudden they staggered, as if drunk, and a glow of black blood began to shine from their eyes.

Oh great, that’s all we need…

“Equate? I have no-no issues with your heritage, claim whatever you wish.” Shaeula darted in, but seeing the danger behind her, her remaining Pinwheel spun past the two Oni and proceeded to wrap around them, the wire now strengthened with earth element, glowing a ruddy crimson, even as the Oni struggled frantically to resist. Seeing that, Hana reinforced the wires with her own earth elemental energies, and she caused the rock to flow and melt, dragging at their feet, just like the ooze had earlier, locking them in place.

“But-but… if your sister, your brother, your father, your mother, committed a crime, should you-you be punished? That is not-not justice, merely… misplaced vengeance!” Shaeula continued her taunts, and I felt she was going too far, as while she was right, it felt like bullying, considering the truth of history.

“Fuck you!” the man cried, incensed, not willing to listen, and the fragment of Akoman tutted again.

“Your passion, your chaotic malice and hatred, all are a delight, yet… to truly embody Chaos, one must paradoxically remain both clear, calm, controlled, and passionate, surging, reckless. The situation has turned. We must rid ourselves of these pests, then we can rebuild… use it!”

Even as the hideous, nightmare-fuel visage of the warped Kamuy scuttled towards the trapped, mentally unstable Oni, raising fingers to strike them down, since he couldn’t use them as a distraction due to Hana and Shaeula’s efforts, I moved, scattering sparks of spatial element. I blocked the blows that were going to slay our trapped… comrades, I supposed… No matter how impromptu our alliance here, we came together and have fought side by side… and slashed through one of the fingers, though once it was severed, this time the flesh began to bubble and melt like clay, forming into a smaller version of the fragment, another warped hand, this one around my size, and a blue pupil opened in the palm, eyeing me balefully.

Perfect timing. It’s too late now…

“I will…” the Chosen seemed momentarily conflicted, but seeing the grinning Shaeula, he set aside his doubts. “…life and death, it is a cycle, a wheel, and rotates. Hatred, loathing, despair, malice… it is all a pyramid, those who permit evil, those who do evil, they stand at the top, and the weak drown in the accumulated suffering! I refuse to be at the bottom of the pyramid any longer! No, I shall stand atop the pyramid, and all those who ate the poisoned fruits that sprouted from this hatred will finally vomit from the poison they consumed!”

“You talk-talk far too much.” Shaeula scoffed, and I echoed her thought.

“Sorry, but… it’s over.” My blade slashed through the smaller spider-hand, Tsurugi dicing it apart, and Foehn blazed, consuming it, leaving nothing but ashes. More dark mist was blown at me by the creature, and I retaliated by sending brilliant bolts of light into it, piercing the slobbering tongues, burning fist-sized holes, which admittedly began to repair themselves, but judging by the way the creature flinched and slobbered, it must have hurt.

“It’s never over! I’ll…” the Chosen staggered, words cut off and looked at me in abject horror. “…impossible!”

“Very possible.” I disagreed. Hana slammed her palm into Blue’s head, stunning her, and then Daiyu rushed over, helping her restrain Red as he thrashed around so hard that the wire of Shaeula’s Pinwheel sliced through his flesh and hung up on bone, tangling him further. “I’m standing over your Material body right now, and any further move and I’ll make you regret it.”

That confused him, as well it might, as I wasn’t yet aware of anyone other than me who could manifest in both worlds at once. Regardless of his doubts, I let a little aether out, working minor Chirurgery, and his body shuddered, reacting. “I see how your Favour works now, and it’s ingenious. You’re not even what I’d consider a proper spiritual body, hence why you can keep coming back from death. Clay, indeed. It has a number of drawbacks though…”

Even as I explained, the fragment of Akoman was determined to press its assault. Roaring and spitting, it charged, scuttling across the shattered ground on twisted fingers and stumpy legs, but I used what remained of my earth element to conjure a series of rocky spears to pierce the soft underbelly, holding it in place. While my body still held crystal element, my stats were outrageous, even exceeding the struggling fragment, so I wasn’t too worried about that.

“Akiooo!” Hyacinth’s excitement then spiked, and she rushed over, heedless of the sweat dripping from her. “I have fooound it. It was where yooou expected it to be. And alsooo… there is something else, something very strange. Hyacinth doooes not know what to make of it, sooo I am bringing it out.”

The volcano shuddered, as black roots began crawling from the ground, sliding backwards, drawn into Hyacinth’s sleeves, or rather, back into her body, breaking down to wood element once more. Seeing that, both the Chosen and the fragment of Akoman reacted, though the Chosen was prevented from acting further by my presence on the Material, holding his physical body hostage, and preventing any activation of his Favour and other abilities.

“Worthless, annoying, infuriating! Why do you oppose us? Do you not know the bliss of accepting true Wisdom, or understanding the freedom of Chaos, unconstrained by the false logic of others?”

The mutated Kamuy flung itself at me again, and Tsurugi effortlessly sliced through two more of the protruding fingers, and, unwilling to be caught out again, I quickly swept her in glittering arcs, slicing the severed digits into smaller pieces, before unleashing flames and light, destroying the cut fragments.

“Sorry, but considering the company you tend to keep, I’m not inclined to listen to you!” I pressed my advantage, and soon the fragment lay crippled, fingers sliced off, and this time no clay could be reshaped, no restoration of its form would happen, as I held the upper hand. Raising Tsurugi overhead, ready for one final strike, the creature began to hiss and babble, cursing the Chosen.

“Is your hatred so pathetic, paltry, inconsequential, your revenge so meaningless, trivial…”

“Revenge? It won’t solve anything. If you called it justice…” Tsurugi, one blow to finish him, all right?

Of course, father. I hate this thing, when I cut it I feel all shivery and unpleasant. It reminds me of when the Sun went away. Dark, cold… lonely. I hate it!

It’ll be gone in a moment, have no fear.

“…I’d be more inclined to sympathise. After all…” Tsurugi elongated, becoming a blade too large for an ordinary human to wield, growing to more that a half-dozen metres in length. Despite that, she was still a sword, and my Might was more than up to the task. Elemental energies surged, and with a single swing, I severed the fragment in two. The Kamuy it inhabited disintegrated, returning to dust, and as black mist scattered, the hand-spider, missing most fingers, trying desperately to pull both halves together, black mist oozing between the cut, I swung again and again, hacking it into smaller and smaller pieces.

“…much as I don’t like to admit it, like a lot of cultures, we Japanese were monstrous towards a native population here before us. But while we can do better in the future, not repeat our forefather’s mistakes…” Shaeula, Daiyu and Hana were all supporting me now, pouring out their elemental energies. Shaeula even used the Foehn in her ring, and as the disintegrating fragment… or should that be fragments, considering how badly I’ve sliced it up… burned away, I turned my attention to the captured Chosen, who was glaring at us with undisguised hatred. “…what you’re doing here isn’t the right way of dealing with it.”

“What would you know?” he spat, expression one of abject hatred and misery. “The strong oppress the weak. How is what you do here any different than what happened to my ancestors?”

“A good question. And believe me, I’m not feeling good right now.” I admitted. “This is exquisitely uncomfortable a situation. But then, we did try and come to discuss it peacefully. I knocked politely, sent up an ‘I’m here to talk’ signal flare, and even when I saw the abomination under the volcano, I swallowed my misgivings and wanted to discuss matters first.”

“Abomination?” The Chosen simply flopped down onto the ruined ground, heedless of the shards of broken volcanic rock slicing his flesh. “They are all monsters, demons.” He glowered at Hana and the two Oni, before spitting again, as if disgusted. “They aren’t people. And their deaths not only serve as justice, but as strength.” His dark eyes were glimmering faintly red, and my own Eyes could see that indeed, his Divine Favour from Osiris had suffered some encroachment by Akoman’s Evil Wisdom. It seemed that the fragments had a modus operandi which was rather predictable. Still, I doubted very much that all of the wicked behaviour of this Chosen was due to the involvement of the fragments.

“Have you kept clean hands?” he asked me, interrupting my rapid thoughts. Shaeula tutted, pursing her lips, clearly displeased at his question. “No, I’ve seen it. You’ve your ancestors’ blood. Dominate, suppress, purge.” He laughed mockingly.

While this was going on, Daiyu had congealed some High Spirit Water, and was using it, along with some of her blood, to scribe purifying Talismans for use on the pair of Oni, who were still struggling against the binding of Shaeula’s Pinwheel and Hana’s mud which had hardened like cement. They weren’t able to break free, but in their frenzy from the vile mist the fragment of Akoman had belched out, they were hurting themselves, heedless to the increasing injuries their frenzied struggles were causing.

“Are my hands clean? A good question.” I shook my head. “No, though I’ve tried to cause as little harm as possible. And I’ve actually been arrested. Twice, technically.” I chuckled, remembering the second time, which instead of being taken to a police station like the first, I was whisked off to meet Motoko’s grandfather, due to the political ramifications of my killing of US deep cover agents. “And if you’re asking about the denizens of the Boundary, then yes, I’ve killed plenty. Some with poor justification, most others not so much…” I stared at him, and he met my gaze unblinking, sure of his righteousness. “…but I’ve not indulged in torture, have I? Even criminals are treated with dignity in death.” Technically, Kondou Kazuo wasn’t treated well, but even then, that had a purpose, it wasn’t gratuitous…

“Dignity? What dignity do we have left?” The Chosen clearly wouldn’t concede. “Only those who have no concept of the cruelties of this world have the luxury of talking about dignity. Ask a child starving in Africa what dignity is worth, or a young girl who has run away from home due to abusive parents and is sleeping on the streets, selling herself. Or ask the Ainu… but you can’t, can you?” His baleful stare was triumphant, mocking, despite his situation. “It is as that bitch says…”

He glowered at Shaeula, who merely sneered back, clearly disdainful of his ire. “…I only know a few words from the Ainu language. Yes, I’m Japanese. It was how I was raised, it was the schools, those around me… but that’s only because I was robbed of the true heritage I should have had! This land was created by the Kamuy, made for us! And now it’s just a handful of forgotten words, while we worship your wretched Kami and false Gods, and the Yōkai run rampant.”

“Oh, how my heart bleeds for you.” A sultry voice broke into our conversation, and we saw Mae returning, accompanied by Sekka and Bintara, as they landed not far from us, shaking the already fragile mountain. Hyacinth let out a grunt of annoyance, her silver-violet eyes shining with concentration, and as Mae readjusted her loosened kimono, brushing off the dust and shaking her tails, ears lying flat against her skull, she gave me a rather teasing smile, showing her slight fangs.

“I see you have resolved matters here to my satisfaction. Though it seems that the Oni are as useless as I remember. All fight, no brains.” She waved a hand, and a powerful weight of water element fell upon them, and their black and red eyes rolled up in their skulls, and they passed out standing up, their bellows and roars ceasing. “What an infernal racket. My ears are quite sensitive.” As if to prove that point her ears were now flickering restlessly, no longer oppressed by the noise from the Oni pair.

“I still do not see why you are wasting time with this fool.” Mae pierced him with her emerald stare. “I would think being done with this gloomy place would be best. After all, you have much to do on the morrow.”

“Fool?” the man barked, and he might have leapt at her, if not for the control I exerted on his body from the Material. “You… you…”

“Yes, me, me!” Mae taunted, again making me feel a sting of conscience. Shaeula and Mae really dislike him, but it puts me in a difficult position. “Who knows better than I what a fool you are. After all, I knew Kamuy, fought against them, slew them. Just as I did you humans, Yōkai, Kami and much more. If you think they cared what happens to the humans that dwelled within these lands any more than the Kami did, you are sorely mistaken. When giants fight, those below them get trampled.”

“That’s not true. The Kamuy made Ainu Moshiri for the people…”

“No.” Mae interrupted him. “They made it for themselves, if make it they even did. Even I cannot know the truth. After all, I am not old enough…” Mae insisted. Behind her, Daiyu was applying the Talismans she had inked, and a steam of black malice was rising from the two unconscious Oni, dissipating into the sulphurous reek of the Boundary skies.

“…to know the beginnings of things. But even if they did… they lost. Does a sheep get to lament its fate at the claws and teeth of a wolf? Perhaps. But lamenting will not stay the wolf and its savage jaws. All life strives, for good, or for ill.” She waved her tails for emphasis. “Your display below… it is impressive. Many, many Yōkai have perished. Yet add them all together, and it still pales before those I slew. Add them all together, and… not a single Kamuy will praise you, nor your so-called ancestors raise a cry. Dead is dead. Gone to dust and ashes, as you should well know.”

Her speech delivered, Mae once more turned back to me. “I wish to see Caihong’er and Liena. Can we finish here? Oh…” She glanced at Hyacinth, who was still labouring, and her ears perked up, as if hearing what I could, the sound of something being dragged through fracturing rock. “…I see. I can wait a little. Matters here are in hand, except for the barking of a loser.”

“Can you please stop?” I asked. “I apologise for her.” While what Mae said was right, it wasn’t… what people wanted to hear. “Was it all for vengeance? Or was there another reason? The array below, with the Pillars… it looked to me like you were extracting something from them. Trust me, if you are listening to those damn pieces of Akoman, then I’d advise against it. I’ve seen their handiwork before, and it’s unpleasant, to say the least. They’re only interested in stirring up conflict and chaos. Just like you have here.”

I didn’t miss the faint flicker of defiance in his eyes when I mentioned the purpose of the scene below Mount Rishiri, and behind me, Sekka spoke up.

“Tamamo-no-Mae, perhaps you should mention…”

“There is no need. For now.” Mae cut her off calmly, and I understood. Since they returned, Mae must have handled whatever was there. It seems like there’s a tale to be told, but for now… we need to deal with this problem first.

“That’s none of your business.” he grunted. “What I do with my enemies is up to me, don’t judge me, you hypocrite! You’ve destroyed this place, killed my helpers…”

“Helpers? If anything, you’re just a toy to them, a tribute to the Great Lord of Chaos they kept mentioning.” I shook my head. “Let me ask a different question then. What happened to the other Chosen of Hokkaido, and also to the priests at the shrine here on the island? You’ve been poisoning the town with Akoman’s madness, You think that’s justified? There must be children and babies taking it in too…”

“The others here? Dead or fled.” The man laughed, deriding me. “And why shouldn’t they be? Just like Osiris, who was betrayed by his brother, I was the one attacked first! Also, like Osiris, I returned, and my vengeance was swift and sure!”

“Osiris, he is not-not a Kamuy, yes? I recognise the name…” Shaeula interrupted, and at our looks of surprise, she shrugged, cheeks slightly pink. “It was in one-one of the manga I read. Egyptian, I believe. I would quite-quite like to see that land of pyramids and golden sand, as far-far as the eyes can see.  Though sand can be somewhat irritating at times-times…” Realising she was distracted, she made her point. “I am not-not particularly well-versed in such matters, I was taught by the tutors of the Court, and they merely focussed on our own-own histories, to which I confess, like the spoiled brat I was-was, I paid scant attention. But we all study mythology, history, culture, in our spare-spare time now, for it serves a great purpose. Karen and the others collect and collate such-such information as we require.”

“Yeah, I probably need to do more of that myself.” I agreed, though right now in my vanishingly scant spare time, I consumed a few old stories from the Nordic region, as well as their history. From what I could glean from Rose, the World Tree Pantheon had many similarities, but of course, great differences too. Which only makes sense, as it can’t be native to Earth, we’ve just inherited their myths…

“My point is… you borrow power, yet you do not-not care about the providence of such powers. After all, did not-not the Egyptians enslave many cultures, and perhaps even-even exterminated others. Yet you do not-not decry such power. Does that not-not make you a hypocrite?”

The Chosen simply remained silent, though his hands were clenched so hard his knuckles were cracking, and he stared at Shaeula with utter hatred.

“It is quite-quite sad, I think. We are always quick-quick to reflect on slights committed against us, but those-those we commit, or those which do not-not affect us… oh well. It is not-not like we are any different. Though, you…” She slapped me on the shoulder affectionately. “…are too-too soft. You do not-not have to apologise for what your ancestors did. If it bothers you, try-try to do what you can now. But such revenge… it merely serves to darken-darken the heart.”

“What would you know, foreigner?” he spat, and Shaeula grinned nastily.

“More-more than you imagine. But speak. You killed the Chosen, yes-yes? When did those wretched creatures who delight-delight in destruction seek you out?”

The man bit his lip, remaining silent, and I pressed him further. “Your Skill is great, but it’s been modified… rather, it’s been corrupted by Evil Wisdom. Originally, you’d have a great affinity for earth and water element, and the power to separate your spiritual body from your Material one, to a great extent. Therefore, damage and death to it can be reversed, seeming like a resurrection.” It’s not actually that dissimilar to my Silver Connection, if more specialised and less powerful, but it’s a Skill with almost unparalleled flexibility. Yet it doesn’t extend to the Kamuy or the fragments, no, their meddling has changed it, and given him access to dust element too…

“You talk too much…” the man spat, suddenly calm, and I wasn’t the only one to notice the change. Seeing that, I glanced over at Mae, who only returned a faint smile of knowing satisfaction. Yeah, if he’s waiting for something over on Rebun Island, I think he’ll be waiting a long time…

“And you don’t talk enough.” I countered. “So what of the priest and his family?”

At that, the man barked a bitter laugh. “They were too pitiful to kill. They had no faith anyway, just going through the motions. They were some of the first to realise the truth. They held the nails as we hammered.” His laugh became a half-sob, half-chuckle. “Why the island? I had to start somewhere. All the Ainu left alive would easily be accommodated here. But to do so… even with my immortality, I can’t face the JSDF, or those like you. So I needed to grow, secure a foothold. Then, Hokkaido, swept clean except for a few lingering monsters…” His gaze at the beautiful Sekka contained no admiration, only revulsion and hatred. “…eventually we would have it back.”

“I see.” The concept was sound, but in practice, it was highly likely to fail. “Well done. You’re reenacting Choe-Museon Academy, just on a far grander scale. Yeah, those damn fragments definitely do like doing things a certain way.” Making up my mind to enquire with Tan and Rose about them when I had time, I was about to ask more questions, when Hyacinth cried out in triumph, and the abused crater split, a ball of blackened, charred roots pulling free, wrapped around something rather large, a bit smaller than the Mountain-Bearing Flame Kamuy’s body was, in a sphere, as if to protect it.

“I have dooone it, Akio. It was where yooour vision, mistress Tsukiko’s visiooon, showed.” Hyacinth was almost bounding with excitement, despite her great exhaustion. “It… I dooo not know what it is, but… I feel some affinity for it. Here.”

The bundle of roots was presented to me, and as the charred tendrils of nature element dissipated in a sea of red, orange and brown sparks, it revealed… Huh. That… looks a bit like… a root system, maybe?

It was around the size of a large cow or horse, a twisted, knotted mat of roots, connected to what seemed to be a piece of a trunk, though it was almost as if it had been chipped away, as what I presumed was bark was only on one side of the wooden protrusion, which extended to a height of about three or four metres, while the remaining pillar-like structure was smooth, and had an almost stony texture, with strange ripples and swirls of colour like strata within a mountain. My Eye glowed, and I couldn’t read anything about it, though this wasn’t because my Eyes were malfunctioning, though being close to the Chosen who had accepted Evil Wisdom was still having a slight discomforting effect. No, it was simply all question marks, the first time I’d seen such a barren description in a while.

Oh come on. That’s useless. But… I don’t need my Eyes alone to see it.

Extending out my Qi Perception, as well as a trickle of adherence, I began to examine it. Immediately, I picked up a faint resonance. It wasn’t adherence, but it definitely was like adherence. Getting an idea, I released a little soullight, and that too had a response, as if meeting a different Truesoul, similar to the work I’d done with Mae.

Your Skill, Qi Perception has advanced from Rank 3 to Rank 4…

Searching deeper, I found it was definitely alive, somehow, if not how we usually considered life. Dormant, or perhaps in suspended animation, might have been a better way to put it. Within me, my wood element, or the little I had left after donating to Hyacinth, surged, as if attracted by a magnet, eager to pour into the relic before me, though when it tried, it simply bounced back. I then attempted to offer my Spirit Water, but sadly, it didn’t permeate the stony exterior.

But, I think I’m not wrong…

Your Skill, Qi Perception…

I blinked away more amber letters, concentrating hard, letting them join the queue for things I needed to look at later, just like the Levelling up message I had after destroying the second fragment of Akoman. As I did so, finally, some of the question marks regarding this object vanished, resolving into words, though when I read them, I couldn’t help but bark out a derisive laugh. Really? That’s… still damn unhelpful.

???? ?? ??????? ???? ???? ??? ????

This living root system seems to be unknown, of a mysterious origin. It clearly contains a fragment of the Truesoul of ?????, and great latent energies which seem to have been exhausted, leaving it petrified and dead. Perhaps it can be rekindled, if the fragmentary Truesoul within is nourished, and a suitable Water can be found, though such would have to be a Water of astounding provenance and purity.

A trace of many faint Connections still lingers, tied to the roots. Perhaps if you twist those strands into a cloth you can inspect, you might be able to sever the ignorance that is before you, as to the nature of this object…

Just had to get the old Class name in there, I should have expected that. Still, water, you say? If even My High Moonlight Spirit Water was rejected, then what water would satisfy? Within me, the Lost Droplet still refused to integrate, hiding its true contents, but it seemed worth a try, and also… quite the coincidence, though from a logical standpoint…

Back in the Material, where Tsukiko and I were guarding the Material body of our Chosen prisoner, Tsukiko agreed with my theory.

“Of course. Tsukuyomi is not the only God who has an interest in the future, of the strands and skeins of the Destined and the Definite. The Norns too. And it stands to reason that if one is to predict a future event, then all predictions will be based upon what is and what will be, as well as what might be and what could be. Therefore despite differing viewpoints, it is the same potential future being observed. So naturally multiple parties might be interfering with the same threads. Though it does make me wonder just how so many meddling hands do not interfere with each other…”

“Meddling hands, huh?” I chuckled, as back in the Boundary I was continuing my inspection. A faint earth element, rich, heavy and full of a strange, almost wistful sensation, was leaking out of the passage Hyacinth had dug to retrieve this object, barely visible due to the ruddy glow of the depleted magma. “Not like you to say such…”

“Oh, perhaps I am simply trying to please you. I know how you can get.” Tsukiko’s cheeky words surprised me, and her smile was rather seductive. “A little jealousy is a good thing, but do not take it too far. What I meant was simple enough. While the Gods are far above us in both wisdom, knowledge and power… even they have limits. Yet I suppose Tsukuyomi, and these Norns, have deft, steady hands, to weave the threads of fate without disturbing the tapestry they wish to see…”

“Not you as well…” I grinned, as Tsukiko was making the same sort of comments as my Eyes were now.

Setting that aside, I finished my inspection, but as I did so, I noticed something odd. I’d only been investigating it for a brief time, but underneath the captive Chosen, blood had pooled, soaking into the stone below. Seeing I’d noticed, his expression shifted to one of wild hatred.

“Stealing, pillaging! That is clearly a treasure of the Kamuy, it belongs to me!” he cried out, smearing bloody trails across his ashen cheeks with his fingers, as his lifeforce had bled out, or at least the lifeforce his clay cloned spiritual body had. “Always plundering, always taking, robbing…” His speech patterns were becoming alarmingly like the fragments of Akoman. “…yet…”

Shaeula moved to silence him, winds flaring, but Mae seemed calm, merely glancing at me, and I nodded.

“You should have sat quietly. Hyacinth, where is it?” I asked, and as she answered, pointing, the man ranted on, ignoring the sudden bindings Shaeula’s wind placed around his limbs.

“…you asked why the torture? For this. The resentment, hatred, the endless loathing the Kamuy have for their murderers has been gathered, and now I unleash it! You will all drown in…”

I raised Tsurugi, condensing the last of my light element. “This eases my conscience a little. Sever the mountain, Tsurugi!” At my cry, I swung, and a beam indeed cut, and rock rumbled. The mountain wailed, magma boiling, and moments later, deep within, something exploded, and the Chosen convulsed, his spiritual body disintegrating, though back in the Boundary, I used Chirurgery to dampen the backlash of having his tainted Favour forcibly removed.

Your Class, Conqueror, has increased from Level Twenty-five to Level Twenty-six.

As the Anchor, well-hidden within a dungeon, further hidden deep within the volcano’s stony shell… I’ve got to take note of that, if nothing else. Learning from him about how to secure an Anchor is wise. Though Hyacinth still found it while searching, and Tsurugi’s ability to cut can even slice open such warped spaces… exploded, other things were destroyed as well.

I could feel what Tsurugi cut, we were linked intrinsically, connected on a deeper level. Looks like another three of the damn Pillars. Ether was scattering, the rest of the Territory, what few Buildings remained, turning to mist, including the remaining Pillars, and we pulled in what we could, a surprisingly impressive bounty of several million ether, though such amounts were, if not trivial to me now, hardly enough to excite me, though it surely eased up our timetable for the Rank Four upgrade further, giving us greater flexibility.

The ground rumbled, as though struck by a massive earthquake, and the faint flow of earth element Hyacinth had drilled down to began to leak out with increased intensely. Then the mountain shuddered once again, a series of aftershocks dislodging boulders and causing mud to explode outwards in scalding pyroclastic flows, while the vents and cracks left behind began to ooze a fell, toxic wave of… again, it was akin to adherence, though more chaotic, more turbulent, more… emotional, perhaps.

“Is that… what was being created by the tortured Yōkai?” Daiyu asked, having finished purifying the unconscious Oni. “It is a type of Yin energy, I think, or rather… it shares many of the same properties. If used in Techniques which utilise Curses and the like, it would be potent indeed…”

“I think now might be the time to speak, Tamamo-no-Mae…” Sekka insisted urgently, and Mae merely shrugged, her massive chest shifting, which drew my eyes, making her smirk at me mockingly, as she adjusted her deep neckline once more, hiding some of her cleavage.

“Oh, I could deal with this myself, if I must, and perhaps I should. This is a mess of my making. Not mine alone, of course, but… I was a part of it. Yes, on Rebun Island, where the Kamuy had their final stand, after long decades of vicious battles, we found a great lake of such energies. It is not the adherence the so-called Gods crave, but a similar power. These Pillars were drawing it in, using like to attract like. It is quite clever. I believe the Onmyōji have similar methods. Feng shui is the principle of sympathy, of attraction. Draw like to like and repel what is undesirable with their opposites. Of course, while I am no master of Feng shui, I can tell they were doing something else.”

“That is not all!” Bintara was ashen faced as she watched the mountain shudder, the trapped, almost contained slurry of this dark energy beginning to escape, rising towards us, perhaps called by the malice of the Chosen before I shattered his Territory and removed his abilities. “There was a Kamuy, a living one, and it did not reek of the madness of the one here, the one which was a puppet. It was alive!”

“That is not the main concern!” Sekka insisted, speaking so rapidly her frosty breath hissed out in a cloud of cold air. “Tamamo-no-Mae sent her fleeing when her ambush failed. No, what matters is that the warped space containing this deep reservoir of despair and hatred has cracked and will begin to leak. If it collapses, the disaster will spread, perhaps even reaching as far as my home.”

Oh? So that’s the secret of Rebun Island then? No wonder it wasn’t there in Tsukuyomi’s vision. Back in the Material, I had used Chirurgery to render the Chosen unconscious, after he woke up with an agonised scream as his Favour was removed, wrecking his network. The damage was modest, as I’d prepared for it, but it was still a useful experiment, giving me some insights into how to help Yasaka-san recover, and perhaps even restore a portion of his abilities, as such Favour removal was seldom entirely clean, due to the way it was entangled with the subtle bodies of the bearer.

I suggested to Tsukiko my idea, and she nodded. “It does seem to fit. Though interpreting visions and prophecies from hindsight is dangerous, as one can almost always make it fit. But if the island contains the trapped, festering resentment of an annihilated race, then metaphorically, it would not exist until after the slaughter we saw.”

“The situation is not as dire as Bintara and Sekka proclaim.” Mae insisted. “And I do not say that as my attempts to slay that aunt of the swampy bush once again worsened the damage…” Mae snorted, tails wagging, as she then proceeded to insult her enemy. “Swampy bush indeed. None, neither man nor woman, would wish to touch that rotten bitch and her filthy body. No wonder she takes such pleasure in threatening her betters with abuse and assault.”

Shaeula laughed at Mae’s crude joke, surprising me. I was going to open my mouth to ask for a solution, but Mae continued her explanations quickly, heading off my worries.

“It was truly her, yet… also not somehow. I would recognise her foul tongue and sour stench anywhere, even with my memories what they are now. Yet she seemed far weaker than I remember. Perhaps…” Mae then shrugged. “…some sort of rebirth, much as I have enjoyed? If so, it does cause one to wonder… oh, your impatience is rather adorable…” Mae frowned, licking at her lips idly, before getting to the point. “Yes, the dungeon there is fragile, and damaged, but it can be patched. You planned to extend a Territory here, simply add one there too, dedicated to repairing the damage and dealing with the leaking energies. It is a resource.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I’m not going to supplement our strength with such methods.”

“You mistake me.” Mae shook her head. “I am not telling you to torture, to create such baleful Pillars from the agonised spirits of others. This is…” Mae faltered in her explanation, and Shaeula piped up, understanding what she wanted to say, and having a suitable metaphor.

“Nuclear power, yes-yes? For this nation, which knows the true-true horrors of the atomic bomb, to use the same-same knowledge to produce electricity must-must sting. But this power already exists. It is like coal or oil, is it not-not? It is already in the ground. Though I do admit…” Sheula shivered, seeing the tide of malice seeping out, my Eyes identifying it as a muddy, chaotic mixture of aether, adherence, soullight and that other energy, which my Eyes wouldn’t identify, which made me glance at the large root Hyacinth had dug out for us.

“…I do not-not care for this, not-not at all. It is rather disgusting.”

Daiyu also nodded. “This strikes me as dangerous. It must be contained, yes, but used… those who are near vermillion are stained red, while those near ink, black. Such a power might be great, but if it taints the Dao… those vile creatures, those fragments of Akoman, as you call them…” Daiyu shuddered faintly. “…they are the antithesis of order, of what Cultivation is. I fear this…”

“Nooo…” We had forgotten Hyacinth, who was resting after her exertions, but now her violet eyes were glancing at the rising tide of energies with a faint hunger. “…there is naught to fear. I shall sooolve your worries.” She smiled calmly, and for a moment her expression shifted, and I blinked, stunned. I wasn’t the only one, as to our eyes, Hyacinth appeared noble, regal, and her shadow seemed to stretch into the distance.

“Yes, thooose next to ink do indeed end up stained black.” She strode past us all, reaching out a hand, thrusting it into the rising mess of energies. She winced, and her flesh blackened, as if corroded. Despite that, she paid it no mind and continued talking. “…Woe. How much dooo we suffer, simply to gain Weal? Nooo, instead, we make ooothers suffer. Here… this is sorrow, despair, the death ooof hope. Black. But Hyacinth…” Aether glowed around her, and not just aether, it seemed her soullight, small radiance that it was, was swirling too. “…knooows all too well. That what is made black can be stained red ooonce more.”

She paused, glancing at Shaeula and I, giving us a heartbreakingly pure smile, her violet eyes determined. “Red here is happiness, I thooought I should explain.”

“Oh, Hyacinth.” Shaeula shook her head. “We are not-not fools, we understood you clearly enough.”

“That is good.” Hyacinth giggled softly, before meeting Mae’s eyes. “Yooou say there is more of this?”

Mae nodded, her curious expression a mirror to ours. “A veritable lake of it. Far thicker. This place was merely a repository, drawing from the greater source.”

“Good. I think… it will be well. Mistress Daiyu, you indeed are wise. You dooo not want to touch such as this. It reminds me of the power she sought. It is simply sacrifice. Whether we pay it, ooor others do in our stead… such a power can never remake the world intooo anything but a smaller, meaner, darker place. It is why I looove you, Akio.” Her words tugged at my heartstrings. “Yooou know that ooonly by giving to the wooorld can it grow beautifully. Taking… taking merely smears everything with ink, ruining it fooor us all. First Weal!”

Wait, she just said using Weal And Woe wasn’t the right path. But… she’s smiling so happily, seems so sure of herself… The others had similar misgivings, Shaeula calling out, reaching a hand towards her, but roots burst from the shaking stone below, restraining her gently and ferrying her away.

“It will be all right. I cannot possibly make yooou cry. Besides, if I am stained black, there is enooough red in your hearts to colooour me anew, is there not? Endless Pot Of Virulent Malice!”

As she declared the Weal… shit, what the hell kind of Weal is that? …energy began to pour from her, into the Cauldron. The treasure drank it in, shimmering with unearthly colours, and it seemed to shriek and wail, the sound enough to make us shiver. It shifted between sobbing, screaming, pleading, all just below the range we could clearly hear, the sounds like fingers running down our spines. Hyacinth didn’t seem to notice, she was nodding her head, as if well satisfied.

How long is she going to go on for? Such a Weal would require a commensurate Woe… wait… Hyacinth can pay Woe in other ways, and… suddenly realising what Hyacinth planned, my eyes widened in shock. …if so…

“That should not be possible.” Bintara, who had come beside me, tossed her head, horns nearly grazing my cheek, as she stared at the vast flow of power rejuvenating and enhancing the Cauldron. “The energies here are the antithesis of my healing, they are corrosive to the body, the spirit, and what lies beyond even that…”

“That’s true…” I whispered, unwilling to be too loud, lest it disturb Hyacinth, and those of us watching her in amazement and awe. “…but Hyacinth’s not one to mind that. Her spirit… it broke, locked away in her box, but… when it was glued back together, it’s ended up stronger for it. I don’t think she’ll ever shatter again…”

As if to prove my point, Hyacinth raised one hand, drawing in a vortex of the leaking energies from the ritual chamber four kilometres below us. “First Woe! Haru Wooould Sympathise With Me!”

I nearly collapsed at that utterance. What the hell kind of Woe is that? No, I suppose it doesn’t matter at all, because…

The energy was drawn in, and Hyacinth was burning it. It was clearly causing her great discomfort, but her Ether Healing was recovering her from the physical damage, and my Eyes could see her Resilience constantly growing, with occasional spikes as her Determination caught up. A pure, unaspected adherence was flowing out from her, as well as ether, as the aether mixed in the mess condensed back out, an unusual occurrence, and I scooped up what I could, having great uses for both.

“Quite the sight.” Mae occupied my other side, her tails touching my side. Idly, I began combing through the fur with my fingers, and Mae let out a satisfied sigh. “Yes, that is the spot. I have quite the tension knotted there, after seeing that hag once again.” She bared her teeth at the memory. “In a way, I should be relieved. After all, you feel my actions then were wrong, do you not?”

I didn’t respond, merely working out the kinks in Mae’s tails, trying to ignore her occasional murmurs of pleasure, and the choked gasps of shock from Sekka. Hana came closer, and her wheedling expression was enough to annoy Mae.

“What? Jealous, my dear granddaughter?”

“If I say yes, you will only mock me, grandmother. And if I say no, you will still amuse yourself at my expense, and I will have no choice but to retreat, so…” Hana smiled at me, for a moment her expression the spitting image of Mae’s, just with azure eyes instead of emerald, and her hair slightly less golden in sheen. “…yes, I am most jealous. I have worked hard too. I have even gifted you a comb I had designed. I do not ask for much, but…”

“Fine.” I conceded. “If it’s just a little grooming. But that’s all it is, understand?”

Hana chuckled, suddenly in high spirits, her ears flickering restlessly, tails wagging. “Oh, most assuredly. I understand you might be a little mistaken about we Kitsune. It is an intimate act, yes, but… intimacy between friends is intimacy too, yes?”

I tried to ignore Bintara and Sekka rolling their eyes disdainfully and nodded.

“Fine. When we get a chance to rest, okay?”

“You may as well take care of my tails properly then as well.” Mae insisted. “I am sure my dear granddaughter does not object.” It was silently unspoken, judging by Mae’s expression, that if Hana did object, there would be trouble.

“Oh, perish the thought.” Hana agreed. “It is simply a small reward for my efforts, and while I am not so crass as to demand one, for we are all friends here… I know you will not be niggardly when it comes to thanks.”

“Yeah, sure. Though again…”

“I know, I know. I will not get overexuberant and mistake your kindness for affection.” Hana winked at Mae. “After all, I know the great Tamamo-no-Mae was delighted by your tender, meticulous care. And yet you have gone no further. Besides, I have but five tails, I am easier to groom!”

“This is… laughable.” Sekka grumbled bitterly to Bintara, as they tried to ignore us, watching Hyacinth. “Perhaps I am dying, killed by those damnable, decaying Kamuy, and this is a last fever dream before I expire. If so, my mind must have been damaged indeed to imagine this…”

“I wish I could agree with you.” Bintara complained, shuddering. “It turns the stomach, seeing this. I know Kitsune can be fickle and seek pleasure, but…” Bintara let out a long sigh. “…I too am tied to this madness, a noose around my neck, a string around my spirit…”

“Second Weal! Regaining Strength That Withered!” Hyacinth was drawing ever more of the tainted, jumbled energies to her, a vortex over her head a dark maelstrom that was sickening to look at. Though at least her Cauldron has stopped screaming, although… it’s climbed all the way to Legendary Class now, and its Type’s reached Principle? Unexpected gains…

“This is… very instructive.” Daiyu was amazed as the leaking energies that had been drawn here at the behest of our foolish enemy were now being sucked up forcibly into Hyacinth, and though the damage to her body and spirit accelerated, so too did her Resilience and Determination. Her very self was changing too, the strands of violet and green in her black hair thickening, growing and expanding, and the faint grey pallor her skin had was diminishing, becoming clear, the sort that Daiyu would likely call white and unblemished as jade.

“The energies are too corrupt to use, yet… she instead removes what is vile, the corrupted Yin, and sacrifices it to the Technique, this Weal And Woe, while absorbing the rest, and what she cannot take is offered out…”

“I had many-many misgivings at first…” Shaeula agreed, watching Hyacinth proudly. “…after all, Hyacinth was not-not of sound mind, and she was an Unseelie. Yet once-once more Akio proved himself wiser than I. Better another friend than another enemy. A lesson this-this fool…” She gestured at the spot where the Chosen’s false body had disintegrated. “…spurned. Now… now I am merely proud-proud of her. She has shown it is not-not what you are that matters, but who-who you are, and what you desire, dare-dare to achieve.”

The rate of absorption was growing, and as I moved onto another of Mae’s tails, fingers enjoying the feel of her soft fur, and the stringy, muscular flesh beneath, I continued pulling in the displaced adherence and ether, and the amount, while not matching what the destroyed Territory gave, was far from trivial. Hundreds of thousands so far, and Hyacinth isn’t done yet, I think. And Mae says there’s a vaster supply of this? No, can’t get greedy. Hyacinth’s suffering and struggling…

Hyacinth’s hair was now a vivid violet and emerald, and her bearing was regal, radiant. Her Chakra network blazed, as did her lunar Chakra, and she suddenly giggled, though it lacked the slight edge her usual laughter had. “Second Woe. I Did Nooot Suggest Grooowing Stronger Than Ever I Was…”

Once more I had to hold in laughter at the terrible, casual naming of her new Woe. Though I saw her point. The dark energies burned brighter, nearly eclipsing the dark aurorae above, and more adherence and ether precipitated out. This time Hyacinth had to burn several times more of it, strengthening herself obviously coming at greater cost in Woe than fortifying her Cauldron, but there was enough below. Everyone, myself included, had fallen silent now, though in the Material, as I made hasty calls to Haru, Karen, Katsuro-san and the Prime Minister, Abe-san, I filled Tsukiko in, and she was suitably awed, amazed, and thankful to the visions that guided our investigation here.

Yeah, can’t argue with that. While I dislike dancing on the puppet strings of fate, I know if I need to break them, I can. And while we’re gaining, I’m happy to aid the adoptive father of Tsukiko, as well as the three sisters who have promised to aid the Valkyries…

“Third Weal!” Hyacinth’s speech still had her overly slow, languid manner, but now even that had changed, and there was a… richness… to it, a humming that made those of us listening feel warm and comforted. “Those Who Need Strength, Take It!”

At her words, she let out a gasping cry of pain, body bending over, though she quickly recovered, wiping sweat from her brow. I was going to rush over, but her soft, confident gaze stopped me, and then…

The mountain cracked, magma spilling out below us. The remaining energy drawn in was carried up to us, and through fissures in the rocks I could see the tormented corpses of the Yōkai interred below evaporating, becoming a faint scattering of aether, dragged into the storm. Hyacinth gathered it all above her head, and the flames of the unknown, malignant energy disintegrating seemed almost tangible. The rest, the flows of adherence and scattered ether, as well as what I now recognised as purified, gentle soullight, scattered like shooting stars, raining down on those of us who remained here, as well as the strange root system Hyacinth had unearthed. Probably two thirds of all the energy was being sucked up by it, and the coloured strata seemed to shift, becoming ever more vivid, and the tangled mat of roots squirmed, dust falling free.

“This is… quite pleasing.” Mae was absorbing some of the light, and her slight internal injuries and misaligned meridians and capillaries, which even with my Skills I’d not been able to make perfect, were being restored, slightly improving her overall condition. It must have been a comforting feeling, as her tail under my grasp quivered.

“Yes.” Hana agreed, as some of the sparks landed on her too, and I could sense, through her zeroth tail, that her newly born fifth tail was stabilising, drawing in plentiful energies. “While there is a great deal of charm in being wicked, it seems that those who do good do not always go unrewarded.”

Sekka’s exhaustion, which couldn’t be fully cured by my Ether Healing, was also fading, and the two Oni regained consciousness, their shouts and questions about what was going on answered by Daiyu. She too was absorbing the light, as was Shaeula and I, and the energies were bathing the Lost Droplets we bore. They cracked and fizzled, silver sparks flying off within us, and my sacral Chakra began to accelerate, strengthening.

Your Skill, Sacral Chakra Of High Moonlight Spirit Water, has advanced from Rank 6 To Rank 7. You now generate significantly more High Moonlight Spirit Water, and your efficacy at converting ordinary Water Elemental energies into Mutated Elemental energies is greatly increased. In addition, you find it easier to absorb other Mutated and Unique Water Elements.

With that gain, and the power Hyacinth was throwing out gnawing at the diamond-hard Lost Droplet, I felt closer to unravelling its mysteries, yet I was still falling short. As the flow of power was used up, the volcano’s tortured shaking suddenly quiescent, Hyacinth gazed at us all, lips twitching into a smile, before she raised her hand to the maelstrom of dark energies above.

“Third Woe. I Am Sooo Very Done With All This Nooow. I Want To Rest!”

As if her words were a plea, she shuddered and shivered as the tide of baleful energies were purified within her, fed into paying the Woe. I supposed it would be highly compatible with that Unseelie Art, as after all, this was concentrated misery, suffering, hatred and more. What else was Woe, if not that?

“This is like… what was it Hinata said…” Hyacinth’s breathing was coming fast now, and her chest was heaving, as she processed the poisonous backlash of the incredible Weal which had showered us all, leading to healing, breakthroughs, or just general powerups. “…ah, yes. Hyacinth remembers it nooow. It is like paying back a loooan with sooomeone… else’s… moooney!” The strain was exacerbating her speech quirk, and only her gaze which insisted she was fine, and that coming too close would be dangerous, was keeping me from heading to assist her. Instead, I focussed on Mae’s tails, as it was keeping me grounded.

“That is very-very like her.” Shaeula agreed, also sweating, the strain of whatever benefits she had received weighing on her body as well. “It is far-far better we dispose of this leftover evil trash, rather than let-let it pollute the land. If we benefit, so-so much the better.”

“Yes.” Hyacinth agreed. “The wooorld has quite…  enough… Woe within it. That fooooool did not realise that you cannot fight Woooe with Woe, you must bring Weal. A lesson I wish ooothers had learned. Woe ruins, Weal… Weal heals. Though…” Hyacinth’s panting intensified, and even with her significantly strengthened self, the huge weight of the dark energies, exceeding what she had used on herself and her cauldron by far, was hard to bear, yet she never faltered, never stook a step back, until finally, after what seemed like hours, but was probably only a dozen or so minutes, the vortex of malice had been paid to the Woe, and I was thrumming with a great deal of pure adherence, which would certainly come in handy as I was holding Favours again, and they would require significant reworking to either become usable, or as supplements to others’ growth.

In addition, we’ve added another significant bounty to the ether we’re hoarding. A welcome side-effect of Hyacinth’s efforts.

As the last wisps of energy vanished, Hyacinth stumbled, and I leapt to her, grabbing hold, preventing her from hurting herself by falling. Her eyes were shimmering with vivid sparks of red, orange and violet, and as she trembled in my arms, utterly exhausted, I stroked her hair softly, marvelling at the silky feel of it, and the new, vivid colouration, as well as her flawless jade skin. “You pushed yourself hard. Too hard.” I chided her gently, and she giggled.

“Nooot as hard as you do, Akio. Besides…” She leaned in close, enjoying the moment, as the others showered her with praise for her efforts. “…my work is dooone for now. It is for ooothers to clean this mess up. And it will be difficult, will it not?” Hyacinth then turned to Mae, her customary, almost smirk-like smile returning, and I was relieved in my heart, that after everything, after her sudden growth, Hyacinth was still Hyacinth. “It sooounds like you made a mess, Tamamo-no-Mae. Dooo not worry, it is the task of maids to clean up after unruly pets who drag in trooouble.”

Hana burst out laughing so hard her swinging tails nearly knocked Sekka over, while Mae merely raised one golden-blonde eyebrow, keeping her temper admirably. Hyacinth, pleased at her restraint, continued. “You say there is still a great amount mooore of this to clean up? In that case…. I shall dooo so. Yet… perhaps nooot for a while. That was… so very, very exhausting.” She snuggled deeper into my arms, eyelids starting to close, but just before she fell asleep, she managed to murmur a few words.

“If pooossible, I should be the one to set up a Territory here, sooo I can clean the Island. But alas, I have nooo Favour. Who shall spare a gift for a poooooor, exhausted maid?”

“Poor maid indeed.” Shaeula snickered quietly, as Hyacinth slipped into sleep. “She has-has a point. If Tamamo-no-Mae is correct, it will take a great deal of time and effort for Hyacinth to cleanse such, yet… the rewards could be most-most amazing.” She stretched her arms above her head, also yawning. “Several blocks on my understanding were swept-swept away by her efforts, and the strange drop of water you found-found beneath the Spring and shared with me seems rather more… loose-loose, for want of a better expression. To think what she might be able to achieve with such a source of Woe…”

“It would be wise to dispose of it.” Mae agreed. “I had not imagined this outcome, I anticipated allowing it to bleed out slowly and disperse, once we cut off the problematic flow safely. Yet this solution is far more elegant, and… rather profitable. Certainly, leaving such a repository of tainted energies for others to use as they will has proved a definite danger.”

“Oh, so you are saying you planned the damage you caused to that place then?” Sekka sneered mockingly. “How insightful of you. I thought you simply forgot yourself in the haste to strike back at that Kamuy you have a bitter history with.”

“I am always insightful.” Mae chuckled, no hint of shame to be seen. She then waved a hand, and several Etherites flew out from the shattered mountain, glittering a pretty blue. Catching them, she tossed them to Shaeula for safekeeping. “We are finished here, though if we are to plunder, we may as well be thorough.”

Her grin was almost feral now as she glanced around at the shattered volcano, which had been dug through by Hyacinth and her mobile mushrooms, pierced and slashed many times by Tsurugi, rocked by surges of energy beyond belief, and generally mistreated, having partially collapsed in many places. “Who knows what other treasures lie undiscovered.” She gazed at the strange root structure we had unearthed, her expression contemplative, before she turned away.

“True. It’s been one hell of a day…” I agreed. “Oh well, Pilgrimage tomorrow should be nice and relaxed. You’ll get to see my hometown.” I glanced at the two Oni, remembering they had someone waiting for them, or at least for Red, there. Might be worth seeing if he’ll tag along…

“That is not-not important. No, I suppose it is…” Shaeula interrupted, an eager expression on her face. “But I simply must-must know… just how strong has Hyacinth grown?”

Beside her, Daiyu was nodding, equally eager for the truth. I admitted to being curious too, but with a gentlemanly smile, I shook my head. “I’m not going to peep on a sleeping beauty and unmask all her secrets in public. Once we’ve cleaned up this mess, checked that Su Caihong and her daughter are properly settled, and things are in hand in the Material… then we’ll see.”

Then we’ll see indeed. Her League’s certainly improved, I can tell that just by holding her. She said she grew stronger than she ever was in the past. If so… I wonder what miracle she’s forged from this dark sorrow here. Only Weal can fix things? She’s right… at least, I want to believe that’s true. Not just for her sake, but… for all the wrongs we foolish humans, and those of us who aren’t human, have perpetrated over the long centuries…