On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor - Six Hundred And Sixty-Seven / Side Two Hundred And Fifty-Three – Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan

“You alright, Shaeula?” Shiro asked, concern on her admirably beautiful features, and I nodded, despite the throbbing in my head, the terrible headache that had spread, not just from my mind, but through my very spirit, and was now causing my lunar Chakra, even as fortified as it was from my recent, delightful growth, to spin wildly within me, sending out spurts of irregular energies which were eating into my body, though fortunately, Ether Healing was repairing the damage as fast as it appeared. Something else I have to thank Akio and Hyacinth for.

As my winds gusted around me faintly yet outside of my control, I took a deep breath, forcing a smile to my lips, and surreptitiously used the scattered winds to sweep away silvery sweat from my brow, even as I clung to the fortunate winds, my treasure since childhood, waiting for that moment when Fortune aligned perfectly, and I would just know it was the time to act, and what followed would be spectacular. It came fleetingly, even now, though as my Fortune grew, so did the occasional whispers of my winds, and it was that I was listening for now, for what I was attempting… It might be beyond me. But even if it is… I have to try. Though if I am quite candid, it is a… heavy decision… and not one I am fully equipped to make. Balancing my love and desire to help, with… with this…

Fighting the urge to gnaw on my lip, I forced a nod to Shiro’s gentle concern. “Do not-not worry for me, I am well. It is simply… a rather-rather tricky proposition. But one I must-must succeed with.”

“Well, you say? Could have fooled me, because you look like shit. No offense.” Shiro waved one hand, chuckling, and indeed I took none, because she was not one to mince her words. “As for your plan… you’re sure? I’m all for it, but Aki… you know he hates us making these sorts of decisions, and…” She nodded over towards Hyacinth, who had just arrived along with the others, and I bit down on a sigh. Hyacinth, yes…

I saw Akio too, of course, and his smile soothed my spirit, and I returned it, but inside, I was in turmoil.

“…we can come up with a solution. Tan thinks at the rate we’re progressing, it doesn’t matter if the Boundary starts unravelling. It’s far from instant anyway. A few holes in the cloth only begin the dissolution. And it’s not like others won’t, a year or two or ten down the line. Tan would have said ten, anyway, but…” Shiro ran a hand through her bangs, brushing the metallic silver strands away from her flawless face. “…Earth’s constantly shocking her, and it’s not like what she’s read about or heard from others. So yeah, we’re way ahead, but it’s probably only a matter of a year or two before we’re not alone. Well, not counting those Aki’s going to put on the boost bus and power levelling train.”

I nodded. I feel the same way. And I understand those terms. I had taken a liking to mortal games, it was entertaining, though I did not much dabble with online games, where a boost would apply, but what Akio planned to do for Eleanor, Haru and more of his allies was indeed similar. Though it was fuelled almost entirely by the efforts of Asha, her Rhyming Tree, and Shiro. Magatama too, now. And all of us, taking our share of the Resonance.

I had taken much of it, of course, proud of my strength, strength I had gained through Akio, yet also through my own efforts. It was important to be realistic and not lie to oneself. Yes, Akio was the catalyst, and without his support, I could never have reached these heights. Lightning crackled about me as faint sparks, the tang of ozone lingering in my nostrils, as I stared up at the Anchor, which now it had less than ten percent to go to completion, was a towering edifice, though still dwarfed by Asha’s Tree, yet somehow… it feels denser, more powerful, despite the disparity in ether. Though I suppose it has devoured near our entire supply.

No, I could not lie, even to myself. My own efforts were half of the reason I reached where I stood in this moment. And it was that dichotomy, those twin, split loyalties within my very spirit, which had been holding me back, pulling at me. I had watched others surpass me, Eri… this Rose, Valkyrie I did not know well yet, even…

Hyacinth had come over, and I put on my best smile, but I was no fool. I knew, I was sensitive to these things. Hyacinth could have made the leap, yet… for my sake, she held back, denying her wants and desires. And her good intentions stung. But now, now… I am resolved. No wavering. Not now, not ever again.

“Even so, I feel-feel the need to try. Buying time is precious, for it is the only thing wealth can not-not, yes?” I smiled wickedly. “And much can change, even in a year, a moon, a day, an hour. See?” Akio was smiling broadly too, and I could sense that he had matured as well. His eyes looked clearer, sharper, faint traces of hesitation in his movements now gone, and he appeared more like a leader, more like a King.

Though I do suppose Emperor is more apt, is it not? He was just settling everyone in, so Hyacinth reached me first, and that was both good and bad.

“Hooow goes it?” she asked, and seeing her now, her skin no longer her somewhat melancholy grey, her hair a vibrant purple and green, her eyes mostly a vivid violet, only faint traces of silver within, I knew who she was. Not her name, no. Talk of the Unseelie, of the schism, was always hushed and bitter, fearful and hidden.

Pathetic. Shying away from the truth is meaningless. The King still remains injured and cannot rule, and the Queen… Selensha tells me she is working behind the scenes, yet… if so, she is either terribly slow, or awfully useless. No, we need a change. A change I believe I could bring, yet doing this… no, no matter. If they can not be competent, I most certainly can. My thoughts racing, I smiled at Hyacinth, hoping it was not too nervous, but as the etheric snow fell around me, pouring from the lightning-streaked skies overhead, I knew I was visibly sweating and trembling. Oh, and her name is Hyacinth, whether I knew what she was called before or not. That is who she is, and… to have strode ahead of me, she must have accepted that truth on a level to no longer be conflicted. I am envious, but… I am also prideful. I too… I too shall make my stand!

“Not-not without strife.” I laughed off my fears. “Oh, the act of upgrading, it is nearing completion, though our coffers shall-shall be bare afterwards. Best not-not let Princess Ffionnan see the expenditure, or she will faint at the empty Silos. As for… my-my part… it is not-not… trivial. Hyacinth, you must-must be aware…”

“Ooof course I am, mistress Shaeula. I am not a fool.” Hyacinth cut me off, a rather unusual occurrence. Her words had changed too. She still spoke slowly, languidly, but the pace had picked up a little, and her melancholy edge had dimmed. “Yooou worry I will not approve, that I shall see it as treason, a schism, nooo?”

I nodded, now finally giving in to the urges to gnaw on my lip, and I tasted metal. I glanced over at the Anchor, where Tsukiko was managing the upgrades, several more days shaved off in moments, ether greedily drawn into the pillar of light. As she ordered that, the skies trembled, and those of us with experience of the Fae realms understood. It was coming. The change.

“You must-must understand, that is not-not my intention. I am a princess of the Beastkin, My family, frustrating as-as they are, I love dearly. But… I know-know it now.” The coppery taste of my blood, the tang of ether and lightning both etheric and elemental, the scent of my winds, one laden with water, all calmed me, though my heart was still racing, hammering, and not just from the strain of my mental efforts. “I have to do this. I am not-not a female who can have split loyalties, who believes in half-half measures.”

As Hyacinth was silent for a moment, Shiro spoke up in my defence, and I was grateful, so very grateful. I have so many wonderful sisters and friends now. I can never go back, never give this up. And…

I noticed the way Akio was chatting with some of those around him, females I had been observing, and the vibe, as mortals sometimes called it, had definitely shifted for the better. Perhaps it shall not be too long before some who were friends, become sisters in truth. I shall have to try harder to make sure I am forever first in Akio’s heart and thoughts. But of course I can do it. Just… just as I can do this.

“Go easy on her, Hyacinth. You know she’s got the best of intentions. And… Tan thinks it’s plausible. Difficult, but… anyway, we spoke to the Goblins.” She nodded at them, all clustered around little Aine, a Goblin that was nothing like those I had known before. None of them were now, they had become true Fae, and I felt a power about them, one that could hardly be overlooked.

“That High Kobold too.” Shiro continued. “Arisu as well. Nobody’s more an expert on spatial element, are they? After seeing the Migration, she worked out how it functions, or so she says, and I’m not going to be the one to doubt her. I don’t want to be transported to the moon, dumped in outer space or at the bottom of the Mariana Trench, or simply just… splat, like a pancake.” She clapped her hands, wicked smile on her face. “So yeah, there are risks, but… Shaeula’s not doing it for the wrong reasons.”

I was so very grateful Shiro defended me, believed in me. I was even proud that Tan, a Goddess who even exceeded Akio in potency, at least for now, had helped with my scheme, and believed I had a chance of success. A failure… well, I did not wish to fail, of course, but even if I did, the chance of damage to the Court and the lands of the Fae as a whole was minimal, so… do or do not, there is no trying. I paraphrased a comment I had heard Emily say to Aiko.

“I know. If I dooo not, then who will?” Hyacinth remarked at last. “Though the best of intentions doooes not mean the end result will be good. What is it they say here? The roooad to Hell is paved with such. Yet…” In a shocking turn of events, Hyacinth reached out and gently pushed aside my own sweat-drenched hair, a cooling trickle of water mopping my brow. “…I know you, and knooow your desires. It will not happen again. I will nooot allow it. Nor shall you, nor yooou, mistress Shiro, mistress Tan, nor of course…” She smiled over at Akio, who was talking to Aiko now. She had bloomed beautifully, full of confidence, though she was still eminently fragile, with every three steps forward, two back, but… walking at that rate will eventually get you to your destination. And Eri, and I, and the others… we will take her hand and guide her to where she wishes to go…

“…shall Akio.” Hyacinth finished, and I was relieved I had not angered or upset her, for, if I was being candid, her new strength was quite frightening and set only to grow more as she feasted on a miracle foolish, battling Gods had left, as if for her.

“Exactly.” Tsukiko spoke up. “I am… no, I can hardly call myself an outsider, can I? But sometimes I feel a little detached from these matters. But… I see everyone doing all they can, and I feel proud to be a part of it. I feel it was all worth it. Now then…” The Ring Gate disgorged some other visitors, not merely more Silos laded with ether from Kyoto, as Eleanor and her companions, along with that frustrating Selkie Raidre, had come to witness this landmark event, which would hopefully transform all our fortunes.

“…Akio is here. We should hurry.” Tsukiko finished, her expression loving, and my lips, damp with blood but now restored due to my Ether Healing, curved into a smile.

“Yes. Yes-yes we should.” I closed my eyes and took another deep breath, before once more trying to achieve my goal, which was elusive, but I knew I could achieve it, or if not, I would simply manifest it into being through sheer force of will and desire. “I am not-not one for failing to grasp what I wish for.”

I reached out, channelling everything we had pieced together. Knowledge from Arisu, of how the Seelie Court existed without shredding apart the Boundary. It was most ingenious, the explanation. The reason the Court migrated was so as not to put pressure on the modest hole it drilled in the Boundary each shift, which was what tethered the Court and the Lower Astral it swam through to the Boundary. Over time, with the energies leaking through, the building pressure, the tear would begin to expand, the Boundary fraying and unravelling, but before it could become too severe, the Court would transition to a new home. Over time, the ragged holes would seal themselves, though as the Boundary weakened, and continued to do so… Yes, sooner or later, the Migration of the Court shall be useless, as the Boundary will not bear it either way, but for now…

Tan blinked one lazy red eye, some of Shiro’s silver hair having changed to crimson, as she observed my efforts. “We will not be able to do much about the merging here. Otherwise the Territory would have to adopt a method similar to your Court, and that defeats much of the purpose, of protecting this land. But… just as it is not merely the warp and weave of the Boundary melting into the Astral here that will cause great damage, but the continual pressure of the enhanced ether density, the variable flows of time, which will cause the areas surrounding the Territory to eventually break and collapse…. that… that can be mitigated. Though I doubt very much any lower world ever bothered to consider such.”

“Yet we must-must.” I insisted. “We are not-not yet ready. At the very-very least, we must buy time.”

Tan, or perhaps Shiro, nodded, and Hyacinth smiled, and advised me she had done as I had asked. My sister Anna had scouted the site, and while it was one of the prospective sites for the new centralised Ring Gate Hub which had been rejected, it would suit our needs.

“I have planted them. It is nooot so onerous now. Though…” She chuckled as Akio approached, raising a hand and waving, far more animated than before. Yes. She has changed. I too… can not merely stay the same Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan as I have been. I must break the prison of uncertainties which bind me. And through this… I shall.

“…I shall have to grooow many, many more this day, to fulfil the plan.”

“Hey, we’re nearly done.” Akio was here, and even now, my heart raced. My love had not cooled, if anything, it burned more furiously than Akio’s Foehn, which both thrilled and frightened me in equal measure. Just how much further can I fall? Yet… glancing around, I could see that the others felt as I did, even Hyacinth, whose smile was heartbreakingly pure, and gave me the confidence that what I was doing was right.

“Yep, way ahead of schedule!” Shiro gave him a lazy thumbs-up, one of her eyes still crimson, only to flinch as Akio flicked her forehead.

“Yes, too far ahead. Don’t think I haven’t worked out you’ve been pushing yourselves way too hard maintaining and mitigating your destructive buffs on Asha and her Tree. Our schedule isn’t so tight you have to hurt yourself for it.”

“Sorry, but that’s not true.” Shiro shook her head. “Maybe not for the upgrade itself, but… think about it. We’ve managed to shave off nearly two days from projections, and that means, even if we drop off the buffs in a little while, that’ll be two days of generation for Buildings. Even if you bank half as planned… you can do a lot with around four or five million ether, can’t you?”

“I hate that you’re right. Even so…” Akio flicked her forehead again, and Tsukiko and I exchanged wry glances, knowing Shiro secretly loved the scoldings, as it showed Akio cared for her. As he loves us all.

“…don’t do the impossible. And look after Asha.” He showed her concern, as she was carrying his children, something enviable, to be sure, but I was not ready for such yet, not until my dream was fulfilled. This… might slow my progress towards such, but…  if it takes centuries, then centuries I have. And they will not be dull times, with Akio and my sisters with me…

Akio and Asha discussed her health and the Tree, Asha assuring him that there were no concerns, the buffs bearable, and I once more turned my attention back to my goal. I had tried several times, and while it was impossible to by fully certain of the result before the moment the Anchor was completely reformed, it did not feel right to me, so I had withdrawn my efforts. Time was running down, now merely two hundred days or so remaining, no, one hundred and ninety-seven now. Ninety-six… thus I needed to be swift.

Offering a silent wish to my fortunate winds, that I may be lucky, as well as good, I once more reached out. I was able to manipulate the Anchor, as was Tsukiko, through Akio’s Throne and the bond we shared. Therefore, I could tie myself to its strength. Right now, doing that was rather painful, as it was unstable, constantly in flux, yet growing, as a tree would, towards a fixed, completed shape, and a presence far in excess of what it bore now. Still, I needed those threads, the countless, invisible strands seeping out from it. My Eyes blazed orange, and while I could not see the words, only sometimes, mere fleeting shadows of them, I could see the patterns, the skies, the very Boundary around us being unwoven, lightning flashing, snow falling, ether and other energies pouring down. It was like a deeper tide, yet… constant. The same feeling as the Fae Realms once again.

Grasp it. And… I let my will spread, as I could control Akio’s Territory as he could, sense it, and this time, instead of entering through the nearby Ring Gate, I used the distant one Hyacinth had set up. It was on the borders of the Territory, in the hills, and rich earth element fed the new mushrooms there.

I am… no stranger to being connected to multiple spirits… My kin, many of them had perished before, and I was surrounded by their spirit-lights. Fortunately, such casualties were rare now, but I remembered. These strands, weaving through the Boundary, they were alive, in a sense, if not conscious, sapient, so… I can weave them.

Restlessly stroking the Anulus Fortunae, the ring I had taken from that foolish female Mary Stuart, who, if she were wise, would have knelt before Akio and renounced her folly, begging for forgiveness, love and the honour of joining our cause. Instead… all she received was death. The ring though, bore no sin, and enhanced my already impressive good Fortune, and the effect was further bolstered by my winds, giving me luck only Tan could rival, and when the winds blew just right… I can perform miracles. Like now…

The key here was in the fact that while the Spring and mansion were part of the Seelie Court, those within it of power, even, apparently the Queen, though I had not met her, of course, acceded I was the Duchess, and thus the ruler of that part of the Court, under the Queen, of course. Thus the Territory welcomed me, and in turn all I welcomed. Coupled with what the Goblins and other mistreated Fae had learned over the years, how to become welcomed in a Territory, by invitation, thought, deed and even careful self-delusion, I knew I could do the same. I had… no intentions of usurping from the Court. Hyacinth’s grief was palpable when the Unseelie were mentioned, most understandable… no, I simply wished to… share.

And why not? Do I not share all with my Akio? What is his is mine, and mine is most definitely his. And the Court is not his foe… so, a Connection, as he would say.

I was upon his Path as well, as the Valkyrie said. A most interesting female. Well-learned, bold, and with the wisdom to seize upon Akio, even though both of her own so-called Chosen remained alive. She had helped guide me, and though I felt it a great shame and bother she had claimed the first Adherent position, which clearly should have been mine, due to my mastery of Kin Bonding, but… as the Path grows too so shall the available positions, she promised. And I shall have my due, never doubt it.

Akio, now talking to Eleanor, blinked, looking over at me, as if he sensed something. He probably did, since it was his Path, so I waved and smiled to allay his fears, and he nodded back, though his steely grey eyes, flecked with amber like mine, little stars, which Eri and I both adored for different reasons, shot me a reassuring gaze. Of course, no fooling you, is there? You know me too well, inside and out, yet… it could be more perfect.

Eleanor gave me a hesitant wave as well, and I nodded regally at her. She was a woman who understood how to swallow her pride, and so she would be rewarded for it, with a life of happiness and security. Eri, who had joined them now, was not even talking, and I knew she was with Akio in spirit and thought. Enviable. It should have been me, but… unlike Eri, I could not overcome that final hurdle. I am… not as pure as her. Though…

I felt bolstered by her care for me. She had reassured me that I was not worse than her, that she simply had fewer attachments, that Akio had always loomed large in her heart and mind, and so it was only natural for her. She was correct, of course, yet also… I can not deny the thorn in my heart, the whisper in my mind. But… today that thorn is wrenched out, and though I bleed, I will have a pure heart, and the whispers silenced, and in peace, I will find my truth…

Everyone was here, barring the Valkyries, of course. None would miss this, and as the Anchor broke the hundred days barrier, shadowy protuberances, almost like branches, visible through the glow, a great forest of them, I pressed onwards. The skies had cracked, and light was leaking through, but that was the opposite of what we needed. Yes, instead, if the Astral lies beyond, by making it the Court…

I experienced resistance, as if my spirit was being squeezed. I was powerful yes, yet not as strong as Queen Ariel, or even my Father, though… I felt that some of the rulers of the Court were not above me, not anymore. The Territory I was facing was what Tan called the Fifth Heightening, or Rank Five, and that was a wall a hundred times greater than facing our own Territory, though the gap was rapidly closing. Yes, if a hundred times is insurmountable, ten times… while murderously difficult, is just… within the bounds of probability!

Winds blowing, forcing them into a compressed ball, trying to spark them, as I had learned stars formed from a collapsed stellar wind, a gaseous mess called nebulae, a rather wonderful concept, I thought. There were concepts too, here on Earth. A Princedom, or in this case, perhaps a Princessdom… I did not wish to cause a schism, but… The Court owes us. We reclaimed the Spring, yes, we benefit, but… they can offer this at least…

The strands of the Anchor, or rather, what the Anchor represented, like roots trailing though the lower Astral, burrowing through the Boundary, were far too numerous for me to grasp, though I had been doing this a while, and even my failed attempts had some merits. Now I redirected all I could obtain, my heart and head bursting with spiking agonies, towards the new Ring Gate Hyacinth had set for me. The effort was rather excruciating, but as Akio was concerned, I kept my face impassive, not wishing to worry him. Have no fear, I shall claim my reward later, from your tender affection.

As the pain grew, me seizing far more than I should have, I remembered the way I used Kin Bonding, and that offered some assistance. What offered more, however, was that the flow of aether, of adherence, and more suddenly lessened, my consciousness splitting into multiples, and I realised I had certainly gained and improved a Skill. Split Thoughts, certainly. Also likely Aether Manipulation and Adherence Manipulation. Oh, how I wish for Akio’s Eyes. I am rather jealous of Tan, though I know he would give me a Seed if I asked, I believe… my Eyes shall take after his soon enough…

With the added leeway, it was like weaving. I had not been a good student, when I was young, and embroidery and weaving had not pleased me, but I knew a little, and so, I wove the strands through the Ring Gate, and, having them welcomed in, as if a sneaky Goblin who wished to enter where they should not, the Spring, the Fae Realms, the Seelie Court… all accepted them. But the time was fast approaching.

The glow of the Anchor was blazing, and there were fewer than fifty Astral days left now. And the Ring Gate here was disgorging more exhausted Mortal Engineers and those Fae aiding them, my very own weaselkin among them. They had looks of great fatigue, and sickness from the constant spatial leaps, but also expressions of anticipation, triumph and eager curiosity. I too confess to being eager, but…

As the web of strands of energy, the roots, quivered, threatening to spill from my grasp, I resorted to my trump card. Pure randomness, letting Fortune guide me. All my wind elemental energy was burned to the fortunate winds, and I even used Foehn, my Wind-Eating Breath, to seize the energies from my remaining winds, feeding it back in. I took from the Territory too, a small theft I was sure Akio would overlook, and even praise me for, emptying the Elemental Silos of what wind there was. As the countdown decreased rapidly, reaching below twenty, then ten, and then a mere five Astral days, the final completion mere minutes away, I grinned fearlessly.

“That’s a good look.” Shiro spoke up, having been quiet for a while. “Reckon you’ll do it?”

“Who-who do you think I am?” I puffed out my chest proudly, trying to ignore a twinge of envy that I was surrounded by Shiro, Asha, Tsukiko and Hyacinth, all who had ample bosoms. No, Akio delights in my elegant, slender charms as well, I know it. He is always most passionate. “Believe in me, and believe in the Akio who-who believes in me.” It wasn’t the exact quote, but I had enjoyed it somewhat when Shiro showed me that anime.

“I… can… and will… do this!” As the remaining Ether appeared, sucked in by Tsukiko’s order, I felt the pressure of the winds, and indeed, the golden ring of thorny knotwork on my finger seemed to burn, and…

“This is the moment. Yes-yes.” Surrendering myself to chance, though it was chance backed by talent and drive, and the desperate desire to be a part of Akio’s, of everyone’s, of truly my own story, in that moment, I seized control of the Anchor as the light died down, the final surge of threads shredding wildly through the skies. Lightning was blinding, white and actinic, and the skies collapsed in an expanding circle around us, chaotic colours burning behind, but…

“I am resolved. I do not-not see my loyalties as divided, my dream as a bar-bar to my true closeness with Akio. If-if it is… I, we, everyone… will change it. For that-that is the Path I walk. It is Akio’s Path, but he shares it freely with us, those-those worthy of his love!”

A massive detonation of wind blasted out from me. Hyacinth stepped in front of Asha, protecting her, and I was grateful, though I knew it would do her little harm. Shiro’s hair fluttered in the breeze, and Tsukiko staggered. Dust and debris were hurled into the watching crowd, but I did not care. Because… I see Akio as my Kin. My truest. They say the Court… the Court is alive. A conceit, but… it is the missing piece of the puzzle.

The detonating wind had shown me a possibility, a rare turn of probability. It had done nothing, yet provided me with a seemingly random flash of inspiration to achieve everything. If the land itself could be seen to be alive, in some ways, then… I could bond it as Kin. The weight, the weight was terrible, even only the Spring and surrounds that I had rulership of answering, but… there is a Path to throw that weight upon. And while the Path is new and fragile, it is strong enough to uphold this Bond I seek…

Akio came rushing over, his Eyes glowing in the way I loved, matching my own, and as I stumbled, he caught me, concern and wonder on his face, as well he might have. Despite my terrible headache and overstressed spirit, I leaned up and kissed him, our lips touching, as I was too stunned, overwhelmed by the moment for my usual greed. Later. Yes, later…

As the skies above suddenly went dark, yet lit by countless brilliant silver stars in the far distance, like Eri had scattered Nyx’s cloak over the Territory, the world shifted, and as Akio asked me just what I’d done, I smiled, and with my thoughts, which were now inextricably linked with him forever, feeling almost as intimate as sharing lunar Chakras, I responded, my mind and emotions surging.

It is simple, Akio, my dear prince. I bound your Territory to the Spring. They are still separate, yet… overlapping, just as the Material overlaps with the Astral…

His wide eyes and stunned thoughts were enough to thrill me, make all the suffering and effort worth it, the joy of finally understanding the core of who I was and what I wanted, driving me to kiss him again passionately, and this time, exhaustion or not be damned, my tongue sought his, and he responded, wet sounds echoing out, not caring that everyone gathered here today for this monumental moment was watching…

***

“We meet again. I trust you are well?” Sir Arthur said to Ileana and Valeska. The pair of them had followed me ever since they’d been brought to the Boundary, gaping like everything was incredible, though after her first impression, Valeska had tried to play it cool, but I saw her staring in wonder at everything when she thought I wasn’t looking. After greeting everyone back at the Anchor, chastising Shiro for her sly efforts, Shaeula seeming particularly stressed and busy, I waited for Ellie and her allies to come through and witness this. As they did so, Ellie resplendent in the Armour Of The Green Knight, Sir Arthur, Mrs Mary-Jane and Miss Callie crowded around Ileana and Valeska, causing the later to grumble loudly and attach and activate her makeshift translation device.

“You really should improve this. I get quite the headache using it.” she grumbled, in perfect English now. “And it’s far worse when there are crowds, everyone talking at once. My aching head.” She rubbed at her temples, and I gave her an apologetic grin.

“Sorry, yeah. Tanya complains about that too.” Adelheid, hanging back, growled under her breath about my misnaming, as per usual, but we’d fallen into a rather comfortable routine now, so I felt it was a little bonding ritual between us, harmless banter. “We’re working in improvements, and worst case, it’ll bolster your mental strength with prolonged use. It can’t be any fun for Ileana, having to translate too much.”

Valeska conceded the point, before she and Ileana began chatting with Sir Arthur, whom they’d had a brief meeting with. Ellie looked about ready to speak, only for David to beat her to it, clapping me on the back, hard. “Old man Arthur and the schoolteacher told me all about her. She’s too thin for my taste, looks like she’ll snap in a harsh breeze, but she’s a beauty for sure. Sometimes I really want to knock your teeth out, man.”

“You’re welcome to try beating up my fiancé and future Prince, David.” Ellie cut in, tone frosty. “If you’re an idiot, of course. But all you’ll get is humiliated anyway. Can’t you be quiet for a minute and enjoy the spectacle. Although…” Ellie pursed her lips. “…I’ve been told by the others she’s one of us. A Princess of the Six Paths.”

“We strongly suspect so.” Eri appeared, smiling softly. “I’m certain though, once I heard she’s basically a Vampire, or close enough. Akio’s bodily fluids are quite irresistible.”

“Are they?” I shut my mouth, realising it wasn’t a question to ask around women, as Ellie blushed, Eri shook her head and David laughed loudly enough to interrupt the conversation between Sir Arthur, Ileana and the others. As they looked over he waved that away, snorting, and I changed the subject. Miyu and Michiru both found it bitter, yet… Michiru said it was addictive, and drank so much. Though how much of that is the abilities I have affecting my fluids, and is just Michiru’s… inclinations… is up for debate.

“Whether she is or not, she and Valeska are refugees fleeing Church persecution so we’ll shelter them. I have ways of confirming her status, but that’s for another day. Today…” I spread my arms proudly. “Welcome to Rank Four. It should be the first in fifteen hundred years, and certainly the first Chosen.” There’s no way anyone can be ahead of me, the way we’ve exploited buffs and Asha’s Tree is simply crazy as hell…

“It’s certainly a spectacle.” Ellie agreed, admiring the stormy skies. “A little… intimidating, though. Are you sure everything will be fine?”

“It’s a necessary step. We’re mitigating as best we can, but… burying our heads in the sand and doing nothing won’t save us, only delaying the inevitable. Anyway, on a happier note, we’re almost ready. I’ve left the honours to Tsukiko, as one of my Chosen Heroes. There’s…” My Eyes glowed a moment. “…oh, under a hundred Astral days left. Of course, that’s still like three million ether to burn through.”

“Fucking bourgeoisie. When will the poor, downtrodden masses rise up?” David joked.

“Hey, I’m all about sharing the wealth. And you have to spend money to make money.” I looked around, and I spotted a number of Fae guests, including Estalian, who was flitting about, almost as curious as Ileana and Valeska were, and Ffionnan, of course. I expect she wants to check we’re investing wisely. If she knows how much this costs she’d freak out, but again, spend money to make money…

The Anchor drew in more and more ether ferried through the Gate, and I glanced over at Shaeula again. Foresight was prickling at me, and I could see she was using the fortunate winds, far in excess of her usual methods, even going to far as to integrate it with energies from her own Foehn. I was concerned, but Eri stopped me, shaking her head.

“She knows what she’s doing. And it’s for you. And for herself. I think…” She trailed off, and when I pressed her, Eri sighed. “…look, you know yourself it’s odd Shaeula hasn’t reached Rank eleven, don’t you? She doesn’t like talking about it, but… she was still conflicted. I think… one way or another, that ends today. But I know her. And I know on what side she’ll fall.”

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s… the Court, isn’t it? She still has some divided loyalties. Even her dream is the Court. Sure, I’m… we’re part of that dream future, but even so… unlike Hyacinth and Asha, she’s got family, is part of the Court, yearned for it…”

“Yes, but she’s also a fan of doing things your way, Akio. No compromises.” Eri insisted, and Ellie nodded.

“I can see that. Shaeula is very committed to her own desires. But I expect… she is like me. Wanted to be sure of her feelings. It’s rough, you know?” Her smile was quite charming, at odds with her martial appearance, dressed in her heavy armour. “Being a woman is hard sometimes. Being a woman in love with you is a thousand times more complicated and fraught with frustrations. But she wouldn’t change that. Nor now would I.” Her cheeks were slightly pink, so I smiled winningly, deepening her blush until David snickered, though he pretended to quail and get flustered under her blue-eyed glare.

“Me neither.” I admitted. “Though… today’s been a shock to me. Eri will… fill you in.”

“Will I? Wonderful.” Eri laughed. “I don’t mind, but… right now isn’t the time for it.”

“Yeah.” I noticed my Territory contained an extra Ring Gate, on one of the rejected sites proposed for the Ring Gate hub. My Eyes glowed, and I could see threads of aether and adherence piercing through the Boundary, ether leaking through the gaps it caused, but Shaeula, she was… she was weaving the strands, and a lot had already passed through the nearest Ring Gate, and many more were flowing to the new one.

What’s she doing? As I pondered that, the final ether was absorbed, and with one final, brilliantly blinding glow, my Anchor upgraded, and a surge of letters assailed my Eyes, alongside a massive, crushing pain as my Vessel shuddered under a great deal more pressure.

You have gained in strength. Your Level has increased from One Hundred Sixty-Three to One Hundred Sixty-Eight…

Your League cannot increase…

It was a wave of agony that stretched for a seemingly endless moment, but then another message cut through the others I was seeing, and the pain eased, though I still felt as though I was constricted, as if wearing a tight, ill-fitting suit.

Your Class, Quenched By Flame, Compressed By Connections has increased from Level Two to Level Five. Your Aether has increased by…

Now that the pain had faded, I caught sight of my Anchor. It was bigger than anticipated, thirty metres tall, and resembling a tree more than ever. However, I then felt the weight of something massive settle on my Path, which rocked but held, the Connections of those on it, mainly the Valkyries, acting like stabilising chains.

Above us, the skies shattered, lightning flashing down, earthing violently, scattering ether, which my Territory quickly pulled in. Shaeula’s winds detonated, spent, and she seemed to stagger, face abnormally pale, a pained expression on her face, so in a flash of purple sparks, I leapt to her, scooping her up in my arms, and she gazed up at me, eyes showing incredible fondness for me, before kissing me, but it was an exhausted, tender brushing of our lips, soft and damp.

Around us, everyone was gasping and awed, and not because of my daring dash to Shaeula. The sky shattered anew, lightning having vanished, and the threads of energies Shaeula had manipulated now tangled up those she hadn’t and guided them to the Ring Gate I presumed she’d had Hyacinth set up for her. Then the sky was revealed anew, and it was a dark, serene night, but then… millions of stars bloomed.

Beautiful. “So, what did you do? I can see it, but not quite understand it.” My head still hurt, the pressure afflicting my Vessel, even supported by my Class, only slowly diminishing as I became accustomed to it. With a smile, Shaeula answered, but, it wasn’t by words.

It is simple, Akio, my dear prince. I bound your Territory to the Spring. They are still separate, yet… overlapping, just as the Material overlaps with the Astral…

As I realised Eri was right, and whatever resolve or conclusion she’d come to here had broken her through to Rank eleven of Lovers’ Link, she, despite her exhaustion and sweat-soaked small frame, surged in my embrace and took my lips again, tongue thrusting in. I responded, hugging her slender, trembling body close, and despite everyone watching, we kissed for a long time, until we parted, a bridge of saliva linking our tongues for a moment, our lips sodden with each other’s saliva,

Beautiful. I thought again, this time to Shaeula, and she preened, well pleased.

Indeed I am. The world is beautiful, no? You asked me what I have done? I simply… made sure that when the Boundary here fragmented, what lay beyond was… the Seelie Court, and more importantly, the Spring. The Spring I rule, we rule. We are not a part of the Court, and the Spring is not part of this Territory, but… they will co-mingle, and still be under our authority. Her expression hardened. I will let none gainsay that. Even if my father, or the Queen herself, tries to interfere, none shall infringe upon our Princessdom.

Princessdom? Cute… Eri joined us. I knew you were bold, but… what of the implications?

Do not fear. A third thought sounded, it was getting crowded in my mind, and this one was languid, calm and unexpected.

No, perhaps I should have expected it. The reason why she didn’t before is gone…

Mistress Shaeula consulted with those who had understanding. There are… complications, and I did not expect this, yet… you do know what you are doing, do you not, mistress?

I knew you had broken through, Hyacinth. I did not need your consideration, I am no longer that jealous and petty, but… I welcome it, nonetheless. Yes, I do know, and while it may cause some friction, and certainly drag on the Court when it Migrates… it is a small price to pay. Now the Spring is even more impossible for enemies to capture. For any attack would have to break both Territories, most likely…

Eri was next to speak up. What’s ours is ours. I like it. But what are the actual benefits?

I felt a sudden ache, overtaking the pressure from my stressed Vessel, and then a circle of Runic Words burned in my brain, forming a ring. Eri, Shaeula and Hyacinth all fell silent, stunned and confused, as the Runes then blazed away in a cascade of energies not dissimilar, yet not the same, as adherence. When the light from the mystical flames had dimmed, I blinked in surprise. Inside my head, one of my Split Thoughts was broken off, no longer in my grasp, and that thread…

“How wonderful.” Rose had appeared, not just her thoughts, but… a small representation of her, perfectly formed, but around a foot tall. I blinked, looking down, and I too was there, equally small. As were a very confused Eri, cat ears flickering restlessly, black tail lashing, Hyacinth, blinking her violet eyes in surprise, and Shaeula, curiously peering at the newcomers.

“It worked. Your Runes truly have improved beyond all measure. You rival many of our older sisters who study the craft now, Rose.” Lin, her fiery hair perfectly represented in her mini-sized avatar, praised her, and…

“Don’t be so stuffy, littlest sister. This is crazy, isn’t it? Got to be against the rules. Those Throne bastards would be having kittens if they knew about this.” There was a third mini visitor, her orange eyes sparkling, her sky-blue hair blowing artfully, as if there was a breeze in this mental space. Siegrune continued to speak. “So, just reached the Fourth Heightening, huh? Good timing…”

I blinked mentally, and my mini avatar did as well. In fact, I could move it around, and it was oddly cute, as were all the other small girls. “I… don’t get why you’re here, Siegrune?”

“I told you, call me Run. We’re war buddies now, and you’ve taken in some of my scattered Truesoul. Sure, I’m not like littlest sister here, or bold Rose, but we’re not strangers!” She grinned wolfishly. “I’m just the sacrifice, testing whether Rose’s Wisdom World works. Since it seems stable, you might get a few more of us dropping by. Doesn’t half put a strain on my brain though.”

“That wouldn’t happen if you were smarter, Run.” Rose chided. “Anyway… “ She smiled at the three from my side. “Eri, Lin and I have known here. Shaeula and… you must be Hyacinth? Congratulations on reaching this level and finally joining us. I’m impressed. Lin was right. Earth isn’t normal. That’s both good and bad…”

“Do not worry about it.” It was curious hearing a physical representation of mental speech, as Shaeula’s words were still devoid of her usual speech quirks, but it was cute and fresh, so I just enjoyed it. “We understand and have consulted with Tan. But just because others have failed, it does not mean Akio shall. In fact, the challenge just makes it more valuable.” Little Shaeula grabbed onto mini me, arms in a hug, and the sensations were reproduced, though they felt rather like pale imitations of physical reality. “Facing danger and death is simply what we do. What we must do.”

“Just as Shaeula has here. I don’t get it, but… this seems big…” Eri transmitted her thoughts of outside to Lin and the other two. The Skies were gorgeous, dark as the Court, yet it almost seemed the milky way now lit the night too, and aurora borealis in silver and gold burned, fringed with the usual rainbow of prismatic colours.

“It sure is beautiful.”

My thoughts were echoed by everyone here. As Eri continued to share her thoughts, I was watching outside too. In places, the Boundary… no, where we were the Boundary had frayed in many places. It wasn’t a complete collapse, far from it, but…around the Anchor and the initial ten kilometre radius around Shirohebizumi had completely sundered, and further away, lands that I controlled in the Material, through Hinata and others, were experiencing a kind of… merging? It was slow, but definitely something of note.

“The Fourth Heightening is not so special on a Pantheon World.” Lin explained, and Rose’s little body shot us a sly smile from behind her, indicating she was allowing her youngest sister to take the lead on this, to make her feel better. “After all, they have no Boundary, it having long since vanished, and indeed, such are quite crowded with many Rank Four and Rank Five Territories, as you describe them now.”

“Sure is.” Run broke in. “Even we can scrape up a Fifth Heightening. Not that we do much but delegate their rule to our stewards. We’re Valkyries, born for battle and Choosing the Slain, not running empires. Though if I was an Astral Emperor…”

“Ambitious there, Run.” Rose laughed. “Dream on. The chance of that, of you joining Brave Sigrún and the barest handful of eldest sisters who reached that pinnacle… well, it is good to have ambitions.”

As they laughed, and we were quite bemused, Lin coughed, before continuing. “As I was saying, while it is a significant consolidation of power in the Pantheons, and the barest level of what we would consider a True Territory, Rank Three and below being worthless hills of sand anyone can kick apart if they wish… here in a Boundary world, it is a major step, only behind Astral Emperor itself. For it transcends any Boundary, and reaches the Astral behind. Normally…” Her mental image unfolded, and it seemed clearer somehow, and mini Rose stood taller, her chest puffed out proudly, as the circle of dim runes around this mental space suddenly glimmered brightly, readable now, yet fiendishly complex. “…behind the Boundary is unclaimed, virgin Astral land. One might be unlucky enough to end up contesting with an already existent force, yet that is vanishingly rare. Ordinarily. Your world… is a second Boundary world, where a great number of powerful spiritual civilisations have endured. Many who reach the Fourth will celebrate, only to immediately be thrust into conflict over the land they have reached.”

“It seems I am quite wise then. There shall be no conflict. And the lands of the Fae are… how did Arisu put it… not spatially congruent with themselves and the Fae realms. We have room to expand.” Shaeula puffed out her chest as well, matching Rose, which made us snort with laughter.

“It seems… so. An issue resolved.” Lin admitted with some relief. “It is quite a clever solution. While the merging will inevitably destroy the Boundary of the merged areas… this method should largely prevent, or at least slow the unravelling of the surrounding fabric. The pressure will vanish into this Fae realm of yours instead.”

“I told you, I did not misunderstand.” Shaeula continued to boast, while Eri smiled fondly and Hyacinth laughed softly. “Besides, I… need it. For myself. I needed to affirm my true self, my true… priorities. That does not mean I have severed my attachment to my dreams, not at all. But… I needed to truly find the peace in my heart.”

“That’s wonderful. I’m ashamed. My Connection is forged from Wisdom, unlike yours, made from pure trust, love and support. Yet… honestly, I feel I am not too far off from being able to snap this forged strand, Sever it, as our noble World Tree might say, and Weave it anew on the Loom of affection.” She winked at me, and I knew she’d been using her Eye and Yggdrasil had been up to her usual naming antics. “It is not about giving up, it is about realising that one’s true self, one’s true desires, are not chains such as Gleipnir, to bind and to pull in conflicting directions, but a bridge, like Bifröst, a rainbow of differing wants and needs, braided together as one, and the path to happiness. What is your Bifröst, Shaeula?”

“It is obvious. Akio is my bridge, my support, my love. And all those who walk with us, you included… you three, perhaps…” She smirked at Run, who turned her head, whistling innocently. “…are the colours. We are united as one, and Akio is the one thing I can never do without, lest I fall into the abyss of sorrow and loneliness below.”

“Poetic.” Lin murmured. “I like that. Now then…” She cleared her throat. “…this piercing will have sent ripples through your world. Anchors will tremble, and the skies will spark. For a day or so, there will be a surge of deeper tides, before it calms. So others may suspect a shift. As more and more reach the Fourth Heightening, these tides increase, gradually tearing apart the Boundary until it shatters. But… you cannot simply hide, for the Boundary was fraying anyway. It may be a safety blanket, but none can remain a child forever, and a blanket does not protect from the horrors of reality.”

“I see. So those with some knowledge, like that damn toad, will know someone has reached Rank Four?” I asked, and Rose nodded.

“Followers of the Ninth Heaven, most likely, too. It seems you’re the first, no wonder, that Tree is truly impressive, and what you’ve done with it…” Rose shook her head. “…but if you have the power, then it doesn’t matter. Defend yourself and all is well. Now, as to why we are here…” She and Run glanced at Lin fondly, and Lin’s small avatar actually blushed, it was adorable, the shyness at odds with her usual stern personality truly gap moe, but she pretended she hadn’t.

“Now that you touch the Astral truly, even the lowest parts, it might be possible to pinpoint your world. Difficult, certainly yet… we have a Connection to follow, so… we wish to send you a gift.”

“Won’t that break the Compacts?” Eri asked shrewdly, and Lin shrugged.

“It certainly would, except… all we are doing is tossing something out into the Astral. Nobody is bringing it, a return would be a sure violation. If it reaches you, all the better. If not… it was simply an accidental loss of a trinket.”

“The Six Paths believe in the Red Thread Of Fate.” Run chuckled. “I thought it pretty, poetic nonsense, quite like those philosophers, but I’m starting to warm to it, you know?”

All the girls nodded emphatically around me, though some, like Lin, were slower at it than others. “Anyway…” Run continued. “…therefore, if it’s meant to find you, guess it will?”

“This mental space will make it easier for you, Akio. It means we can communicate with each other without having to bother you. I know I stole one of your Split Thoughts, but it is one of the hardest Skills to improve after a certain point, I imagine, and… I think this might be a worthwhile temporary sacrifice.” Rose explained, and I nodded.

“Sure. I don’t mind. Now… I was flooded with notifications. I’ll share them with you three as well, but…”

That internal dialogue in Rose’s new… Wisdom World… as Run called it, happened in a mere instant, so outside, I was opening my mouth to speak to everyone crowding around me eagerly, Shaeula still in my arms, playfully pawing at me. I found I could indeed mute their conversations, though they were all still individually within my thoughts too, so there was no danger of missing a cry for help or some such other emergency.

“This is… quite interesting.” Tan was saying, Shiro having handed her the reins, as she surveyed the darkness around us. “Deliberately seeking out a spatially untethered part of the lower Astral, rather than accepting what lies beyond. I am both impressed and… rather relieved. That could have gone very wrong.”

“Nooo. Mistress Shaeula knew what she was doing. And none are luckier than her.” Hyacinth insisted languidly, Eri nodding beside her. “After all.” Hyacinth winked, surprising us. “…she did find her true looove, her bridge across the voooid of unhappiness.”

“It is your-your bridge too!” Shaeula shot back, but she didn’t deny it. As Estalian flapped over, Ffionnan also running this way, Shaeula sighed and bade me put her down. She straightened her yukata, before facing the two Princesses.

“What did you do?” Estalian asked frantically, wings flapping. “The Court, how is it…”

“Simply… unifying what must be unified.” Shaeula warned, standing up to her. “We are not the Unseelie, we do not separate. Akio’s way is the Path of Connection, after all. And now… now the Spring is part of that too. It is still of the Court, but…”

The Court shall be ours soon enough anyway, as the Oaths and Boons we swore. That has not changed, though… though my reasons have. Shaeula revelled in being able to merge her thoughts with mine seamlessly now.

“…I am the Duchess, and I can-can and will rule how I please, so long as I break-break no laws of the Seelie.” she finished firmly.

Ffionnan sighed, narrowing her eyes, coins (of which there were yen, dollar and pounds, as well as other Earth currencies added now, I noted, though the yen were easier, as some of our coins came with holes already bored into them) jingling in time with the swaying of her head. “I trust this has no impact on my… investments?”

“Nope. If anything, we’ve just written down a significant capital injection, but in return… our earning potential has gone way up, and we’ll make the cash back with interest in hardly any time at all. You’ve got the advantage, Princess.” I buttered her up. “Humans have to invest on short timescales because their lives are brief. But you… you have the leisure to make the big plays which guarantee massive profit, such as investing in us, because you can let the moves play out without worrying about immediate gains.”

“Yes. Yes.” Her repetition was more emphatic, and she nodded. “I agree. You are wise. So… everyone is waiting eagerly. Do tell us… what have we gained?” More eager nods from all around me. Ellie and her group, my lovers and friends, Adamant, Fenrir, the Fae, even Ileana and Valeska, Beth and Zack, Christina still in her wheelchair, eyes dulled by suffering but still glittering with eagerness, and many, many more.

All my allies, all my loves, everyone’s here. So… Taking a deep breath, I grinned. “All right, here’s the details. We’re… about to move into a new age now. The future is ours!” Everyone cheered and clapped at my basic speech, and then as silence fell again, I began to read…

Your Territory Anchor has been upgraded to Rank Four. This greatly increases the control you have over your Territory and substantially weakens intruders. Your Territory has pierced the Boundary and integrated with the lower shallows of the Astral beyond. Due to some… unanticipated… circumstances, the Rank Five Territory beyond has allowed safe yet separate integration, forming an overlap. This has slightly strengthened all Territory defences, and intruders and hostile enemies will be further weakened while within this Territory.

You have control of substantial areas of the Material that overlap with your Astral Territory. In these areas, the Astral and the Material will slowly merge, taking properties of both and expanding. A Territory barrier can be configured to protect these areas at further cost in overall Ether consumption of the Territory.

In areas of greatest control, it is possible for Spiritual beings to manifest with their Astral bodies, and Material beings to interact with the Astral using their Material bodies. Ether density will begin to normalise in these areas. This can be further enhanced by the obsolete Material To Boundary Connection and Boundary To Material Connection Buildings, which can now be reconfigured to the merged Astral And Material Connector, which strengthens the effect of integrated lands.

The area covered by your Territory has expanded to 100,000 metres in radius and its defensive strength has substantially increased. Defensive Emplacements will exert further additional offensive power.

You will draw more Ether from your Territory, and may now construct an additional sixteen Ether Spires. Your Buildings can be upgraded further. You can now construct or upgrade four Buildings at once. Highest Rank Ether Spires have their maximum efficiency cap improved slightly.

You may now construct a fourth Anchor Spire, each of which can be upgraded to a maximum Rank of Four.

You may now construct Satellite Anchors. These are smaller sub-Territories, linked to your main Territory. You may plant four Satellite Anchors currently. These Satellites cover a radius of 1,000 metres, but have a Territory barrier of the same strength as the main Territory. Three additional Ether Spires may be constructed within each Satellite. A single Anchor Spire may be added to the Satellite Anchor, though its Rank may not exceed the Rank of the Satellite Anchor, which currently is Two, and it only affects the Satellite Territory.

“Damn.” David whistled. “Yeah, making us look shitty. Best pull your finger out and start saving, our Princess will definitely want one for an engagement gift!”

“David!” Ellie flushed, scandalised. “I’ll get it in due course. If the plan is followed, we have to be alert for the danger to Japan and Yukiko, so… that first.”

I nodded. “Yeah, it’s one-hundred and ten kilometres from Kyoto to Ise as the crow flies, give or take a half dozen, and since Haru has a Territory Expansion Anchor Spire, at Rank Four she can protect Yukiko too. And Kyoto, which seems to be an obvious target. After that… London’s next. Anyway…” I glanced at the Anchor. It was now thirty metres tall, and much thicker. The Anchor Spires had grown, rising from the ends of branch-like silver structures, and now many other branches, with what looked like glass or crystal leaves, had sprouted, though they were quite slender, and angled upwards.

“It’s bigger than we planned for.” I mused, and Kana sighed.

“Yeah, and the branches are a pain. I thought we’d made the shaft here big enough, and I guess we have. For this Rank, anyway. I guess Grulgor, Tarōbō and I have our work cut out for us widening it and digging a bit deeper. Rank Five won’t fit…”

Tarōbō sighed, though his children didn’t console him, Haanōbō actually telling her father to ‘work hard’ which surprised me. Grulgor laughed and slammed a meaty hand into his shoulder in a display of camaraderie, and even the Giants and Trolls who’d been working with Grulgor (though that was temporarily paused during Pilgrimage, as Ling had been focussed on supporting us there) laughed, booming roars and sniggers.

“Father!” Tsurugi woke up again, fresh from her nap, her Tsukumogami form appearing. “What’s going on? Enemies to cut?”

“Nope, this time we’re not cutting, but building.” I chuckled, ruffling her hair playfully. “Go play with your sisters or Aine. This will be a bit boring for you.”

She pouted. “Nothing you do bores me, father, but…” She spotted the little Goblin gazing up at the Anchor in wonder, and while conflicted, finally gave in. “…Aine looks lonely. I’ll go!”

As she scurried off, I grinned. “Okay then. Time to relocate this to its new home.” I uprooted the Anchor, and as it lifted from the surface I caught sight of several glimmering silver strands linking to the root system. Is that… the Materia Tree? I’ll need to keep an eye on that.

“All right then. Let’s get this Anchor replanted, then we can start the major overhaul!” I declared, and there were cheers as the weaselkin musicians started playing heroic and jaunty tunes, and a festival-style procession formed up as we began to move. This time the Anchor relocated quite a bit faster than at Rank Three, but we weren’t in a huge rush, as the borders were defended.

“I see-see quite a lot of interesting things happening.” Shaeula giggled, pointing some out to me as we passed. The factory site, for one, was greedily sucking in ether from around us, and it was even vaguely possible to see some shadowy versions of the Material there.

“Indeed.” Ixitt clapped his hands together eagerly. “You simply must reconfigure the Connection Building as your Eyes indicated, and then… we can begin! Even on a smaller scale, a partial merging would solve all our remaining barriers. And besides…” Ixitt winked at Hinata, who grinned back.

“Yes. We’ve got an agreement with the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Their landfill site, the last in Tokyo… well, if we’re going to do it, we’ll do it right. The site is quite substantial, so… we’ll gain ownership of it, in exchange for digging for buried treasure. Run a new underground tunnel to it, and we can suck out all the long-buried waste and turn it to wealth.” She smirked greedily. “I know a lot of our waste has been the foundation of reclaimed land in the bay, which is a bit of a shame, but there is still a substantial amount of waste buried, and when the site is cleansed, we can convert it into useful facilities underground, and a grand park and forest up above. In the end, we’ll turn a profit, and end up with land, which will have astronomical value.”

Princess Ffionnan was listening raptly to that, and I chuckled.

“Yeah, it’s all going to start now. What’s our projected initial volumes?” I asked, and Ixitt shrugged.

“Alas, it is likely to be only in the tens of thousands of tons per day category to start with. Though I estimate we can escalate quickly. The issue is storage, not the Recycling Machines, but… if areas overlap… creating enough storage and then transporting goods to and from the Material becomes possible… we had plans for this, but were not sure it would happen this way.” He glanced at Shiro, and one eye flared red and she nodded. I did too.

“All right. Yeah, get things online as soon as you can. Let’s keep my promise to Asha and make Japan a green and pleasant land where waste is a thing of the past. Can we get our first power station online too?”

“Yes, certainly enough to power the facilities, and even export energy to Tokyo proper…” Ixitt rhapsodised, and I briefly regretted asking, but I needed to know these things, so as we headed north, and passed through areas which hadn’t been my Territory before, but had become mine the moment the Anchor finished its upgrade, I listened and made mental notes. Even now as we walked, Asha’s Tree was still bringing in decent amounts of ether, but other than transforming the Connection Buildings, which fortunately seemed to be a modest sum, we’d not need it right away.

“I shall soon be free of worries.” Miyu smiled at me, her expression rather more open than it had been before. “My Territory will be snugly sheltered, and defending Azabu shall fall to you.”

“Not quite.” I laughed. “You’ll still have an important role. I’m not planning on letting you go any time soon.”

“Say that again. Please.” Miyu’s face reddened, and I smiled knowingly.

“I said I’m not letting you go. Take that as you will. And yes, I’m not going to ignore you this time, Michiru.” Her breathing had sped up so I gently prodded at her with some verbal teasing. “I’ll be working you both harder than ever. Best rack up those Levels, because you’ll need the Fortitude.”

I enjoyed the relaxing stroll to the Jonan Hills, back to our estate, with its views of the stormy Tokyo Bay here in the Boundary. It had come under my control, of course, as this was one of the areas we had secured and travelled to regularly even though it wasn’t owned by me in the Boundary. Here in the Astral though…

The seas reflected the starry skies above, and I noticed that empty space had been filled by groves of trees and other plants. In fact, some of the procession were snacking on ripe fruits they had plucked, only for Shaeula to scold them, saying they were ours, and an extension of the Spring’s crops. Mirror Bees buzzed around idly, and even small Sprites and other winged Faeries were coming to see what the commotion was, darting around the crowd like little fireflies.

“I think… we’ve struck the jackpot, Ffionnan.” Hinata was saying, and beside her, Mayumi-chan was clearly caught up in her best friend’s excitement, as her face was red. “We theorised this could happen, but…” She observed the distant Tokyo skyline, which was like a shimmering mirage. “…as the merge occurs, land will… expand. Fortunately, we had laws made in advance. So some lucky homeowners will benefit, as will some businesses, but… any unclaimed or governmental land will go to us. Tokyo land prices should take a hit, but… even if they drop by half, we’ll end up with trillions of yen of new, pristine Astral land to build on and commercialise!”

“Yes, you can’t buy time, and land is a finite resource.” Mayumi agreed, ecstatic. “Both overturned here! We’re going to be rich beyond our wildest dreams!”

“We?” Hinata smirked, and Mayumi-chan flushed.

“I have investments! And… plans! You said if I brought you a plan you end up using, I could get a share of the proceeds…”

“A modest share.”

“I’m… a changed woman!” she insisted. “How could I not be? It seems not just me, though…” Miyu flushed as Mayumi-chan glanced knowingly at her, and I chuckled, as we reached our destination at last, the music from the band swelling triumphantly.

“Don’t worry, Aki.” Shiro had joined us. “Tan says that the expansion and integration at Rank Four isn’t that dramatic, except in certain areas where there’s great ether density, or your ownership runs deep. Rank Five though… yeah. Crazy. But honestly, there’s one profession that’s going to hate us so bad, Aki. Cartographers. How the hell are they going to map this out? The spatial distortions are going to be wild. Arisu will be even more dangerous…”

I chuckled. “Yeah, but she’s already dangerous enough. I reckon she’s the one here who could take me out if she planned it well enough. And I have no doubt she would. Just as she plotted revenge on those who betrayed her. So I’ll never give her cause.” The Anchor descended into the shaft Kana and the others had dug, and indeed, it was a tight fit, thanks to the unexpected branches. As it vanished into the depths, I’d noticed that the strands of roots from the Materia Tree seemed to have snapped due to the distance they were separated, but remnants were still tangled like string around the root system.

“Yes, best keep her sweet.” Shiro agreed. Moments later, the Anchor was rooted, and the Territory sprang back into full potency, and Mortal Engineers rushed to work, engaging the sturdy defences we’d had built into the Anchor’s new cradle. I quickly blew several tens of thousands of ether on reforming the Connection Buildings, which fortunately was near instant, not requiring any rush fees, and then, everyone’s eyes on me, I declared victory.

“All right then! We have Rank Four! But don’t be in a rush to celebrate. We’ve lots to do. But… celebrate a bit.” At my words there were cheers and clapping, before I addressed the crowd once more. “Get word to those watching the old borders, and gather your strength. We have a vast area to sweep, to bring under our control. And many projects to begin…” I turned to Hyacinth. “…first and most important, get the new Hub site prepped up, and reconfigure the Ring Gates so all spatial travel routes through there, so we can prevent infiltrators and protect Asha’s Tree and the Anchor.”

“It shall be dooone.” Hyacinth promised.

And now I shall never be apart from you, even if we are separate.

As her warm thoughts sounded within me, Eri and Shaeula exchanged knowing glances.

“She’s really mastered that so quickly.” Eri observed, and Shaeula snorted.

“Jealous, Eri? Do not-not be. Others shall join us within Akio’s very spirit soon-soon enough.”

As they bantered, and people formed up into groups, ready to kick the reformation of our Territory up into high gear, I took stock of the current situation.

The first thing I noticed was a number of Special Rank and a couple of Unique Buildings had come under our aegis. I’ll sort through those later, all in one go. No doubt we’ll accrue more when we expand out to the full hundred kilometres. Though claiming the seas will be… challenging.

All right then…

In addition to the Rank 6 Special Kobold Den and Rank 4 Special Mirror Bee Hive, which weren’t placed near any other major location, things were split as follows.

At our Jonan Hills estate, the Rank Four Anchor, with three Rank 2 Anchor Spires of the Build Queue Spire, Ether Density Spire, and Ether Spire Anchor Spire persuasion.

Adding the Barrier Enhancement Anchor Spire in the new free slot will be one of the first things we do, so that we can fully protect the new Ring Gate Hub, here, and Asha’s Tree.

Speaking of, back at Shirohebizumi, in addition to Asha’s Rank 6 Special Wood, Water and Earth Rhyming Tree, and Rank 3 Special Earth Rhyming Tree, there was also the Rank 5 Unique Materia Tree …it’s crept up another Rank, suddenly… and the Rank 2 Unique White Snake Earth Altar, which was another candidate for swift upgrading to Rank 3, or even Rank 4.

Of the four Ether Spires here, two were Rank 4, and twoRank 3. The Boundary To Material Connection was now a Rank 2Astral And Material Connector, and we had two Throne Of Heroes, one at Rank 2 and the other at Rank 3. An easy upgrade to pick, getting the other to Rank three as well adds benefits, and allows three more Enthronements…

A Rank 4 Silo with Rank 4 Elemental Silo and Rank 3 Expanding Silo, as well as a Rank 3 Treasury and Rank 3 Warehouse rounded off our storage options, though they paled in comparison to Haru’s Territory.

We also had a Rank 2 Barracks. The defences here had taken a hit during the Church attack, but we’d certainly be revisiting them.

The Rank 5 Faerie Ring Gate Hub would be… restored to a normal Gate by Hyacinth’s tinkering, though she suspected she might have to move the mushrooms wholesale and plant a new Gate here. Either way, she’d handle it. Lastly, a Rank 5 Special Kobold Mine was burrowed into the hillside.

Moving on to Shaeula’s old Territory, we had three Rank 3 and one Rank 4 Ether Spires, alongside a Rank 3 Silo with Rank 3 Elemental Silo and Rank 2 Etherite Silo, a Rank 2 Barracks and four Rank 2 Defensive Emplacements, one of which was a Sniper, and oneRapid-Fire.

That level of defence is largely useless, but we’ve plans to integrate military-style construction and Mortal Engineering weaponry and firepower with a great many more Emplacements at key points. We’re not going to be invaded again, without being as thorny and unappealing as a damn porcupine!

The graveyard, where the Rank 3 Special Dark Rhyming Tree lurked, was going to need a complete makeover. If my daughter with Asha was going to dwell in that Tree, as we expected, no way was I going to let her live in what was affectively a haunted mansion. We’ll beautify the area and guard it strictly, for sure.

The current set-up, mirroring Shaeula’s old Territory, with a Rank 2 Barracks and four Rank 2 Defensive Emplacements, oneSniper, Rapid-Fire, was clearly insufficient. In terms of infrastructure, there was also a Rank 3 Silo with Rank 3 Elemental Silo, and two Rank 3 Ether Spires.

Hisuikomushi Shrine was lightly supported, with a Rank 2 Barracks, and the usual four Rank 2 Defensive Emplacements, oneSniper, Rapid-Fire. Now he was even deeper within my stronger Territory, Shuta-san would surely be relieved.

The coastal defensive zone would need to be rethought, but it would depend just how far out into Sagami Bay we pushed things. As it stood, for now there were just two Rank 2 Defensive Emplacements, one of them a Sniper, three Rank 3 Ether Spires, and a Rank 3 Silo with a Rank 3 Elemental Silo.

At the factory site, we had twoAstral And Material Connectors, one Rank 2 and one a fresh Rank 4, which hopefully would kickstart our long-awaited enterprise. I need to check how they interact though. Before they filled separate roles, now with combined functionality, might be worth moving the lower Ranked one. It’s on my to-do list to check.

Lastly, there was the mining zone, and now there was an additional Ring Gate that Hyacinth had set up for Shaeula’s plan, we now had…

Rank 2 Special Faerie Ring Gate, Rank 3 Special Kobold Mine, Rank 4 Special Kobold Mine, two Rank 4 Special Dwarven Mines, a Rank 5 Special Dwarven Mine, Rank 3 Special Dwarven Smelter And Foundry…quite a significant mining enterprise over there, and I see the Foundry has Ranked up too… and finally there was the Rank 4 Special Kodama Grove.

Okay, quick inventory done. Now… let’s see what we can do now we have a Territory that won’t crack under pressure. Our opportunities now… are almost limitless!