On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

“Are you forgetting about me?” Before I could speak to Aine, Christina’s smug voice sounded. Unlike usual, I wasn’t expanding my vision with aether, as being dropped back to my Astral body had jolted my brain and consequently, I had lost a lot of the workings I usually maintained. My greater stats should have meant I noticed her, but my mind was still a little disarrayed, and my thoughts were fuzzy.

“How sad. Everyone forgets poor little Miss Christina. And here I am thinking I’m unforgettable…”

I turned to see her, rather than expanding my vision again, as I still felt a little sick, and my head was aching. Eri and Rose were having a conversation, perhaps getting to know each other better, and while they could communicate with each other via the Bonds of Lovers’ Link, they had to do it through me, rather than directly. I used one of my Split Thoughts to partition that off, paying little attention to it, and then paused for a moment.

That’s… unexpected?

Her eyes narrowing behind the glasses she was wearing again, Christina gave me a sloppy, triumphant grin. “That shocked you, didn’t it?” She put down her own mug of steaming, sweet drink and raised her arms, stretching, making sure her assets bounced in the shrine maiden hakama she was wearing, her usual lab coat discarded. “It’s sort of like fetish wear, isn’t it?” She let out a dirty chuckle, but she sounded washed out and exhausted, her face bone-white, dark rings around her eyes not hidden by her glasses. “I can’t say I understood that before. I mean, it’s just reproduction and a bit of fun, but…”

“If Kana hears you say-say that, she will be very angry.” Shaeula pointed out. She had regained her senses too and scowled at Christina. “It is not-not purely that. It is a religious garment. Although it is quite-quite true Akio is rather fond of it… but on you, you do not-not deserve attention!”

“How cruel. You don’t like me much, do you Shaeula?” Christina asked, though with her faint smile, it was clear she knew the answer.

“Who does?” Haru shrugged. Tan and Shiro had also recovered, but as Shiro was still channelling Divine Possession, she was mostly dormant, Taṇhā’s beauty shining through.

“You’re not exactly likeable, are you? Although…” Haru paused, glancing at Aine, who was watching us warily, though her eyes brightened when she focused her gaze on the exhausted Hyacinth, Haru, me, and also oddly enough Christina. “…it seems little children don’t know better. I thought they were supposed to be perceptive about dangerous adults…”

“How hurtful!” Christina pouted, though like most of her emotions, it didn’t seem entirely genuine, as if it was constructed, somehow, from first principles. “I thought if anyone would understand me, you would, Haru! After all, we’ve shared so much. Though you should be fortunate you didn’t share most of this…” She glanced at Aine with a lopsided smile on her face, oddly warm and also curious. “…I overestimated myself. Much more of that and I certainly would have broken. Humans aren’t built to take such levels of mental strain. But…” She bounced happily on her feet, making sure other things bounced as well, and she winked at me. “…you’re right. I’m not wearing a bra. I heard under traditional Japanese clothing you shouldn’t wear underwear. When in Rome…”

“That is a myth Westerners believe.” Haru sighed. “Yes, under certain kimono and yukata, that might be the case, but… hakama? That’s just wrong on so many levels. Now, can you please be quiet for a minute? I know you are trying to appeal to him. If you weren’t so… you… it would probably be endearing, but… I’m dead tired of this.” She rubbed at her temples.

“Indeed. Thooough I am more inclined tooo forgiveness than others.” Hyacinth observed. “I have dooone bad things too, and I have been forgiven. Thooough…” She narrowed her silver-violet eyes as she stared at Christina, who shifted bashfully under her piercing, searching gaze. She then turned to peer at Aine. “…it is harder to forgive oooneself… but… sooometimes there are small steps, small hopes. Like green shoots breaking through barren grooound.”

“Right.” I was still feeling a little… off, somehow. That made sense, as I had been through a series of unexpected and tense events, but it was still keeping me off balance. There’s no time for distractions. “This was a good thing. But…” I glanced around, looking for Wanderer, only to see him being tended by several maids, seemingly unconscious. A significant amount of aether and some adherence was being drawn into his slumbering form, and I could observe his body changing with my Eyes, his Chakras, especially his lunar and crown, beginning to shine with elemental energies.

“I’ve had reports that all around the Territory the Goblins collapsed.” Haru explained. “Even the ones in the Material at the construction site. There were a few injuries, a couple serious, though fortunately Selensha was more than capable of healing the worst of it. No deaths, luckily. Anyway, we’ve brought them all to a central location to tend to them.”

“It’s curious.” Christina agreed, her eyes shining with faint amber light. “Oh, how wonderful it is to truly be able to see these things, rather than just rely on second-hand accounts.” Her grin was off-putting, but oddly enough, Aine didn’t seem scared by it, though she was clearly disorientated and nervous. Off to one side, the High Kobold was watching in clear, smug satisfaction, and I knew I’d have to get to the bottom of his secrets soon enough, but right now…

Ignoring Christina, I addressed Aine, my tone gentle. “Are… are you all right now? I know this must be very confusing, and you don’t know who we are, but… you’re safe here.”

“I know who you are.” Aine answered, and in my head, Rose was snickering. “I was sleeping so long, but… I could feel it, feel them. So… few. My parents, brothers, sisters… all gone.” Her face shook, and faint tears glimmered in her luminous eyes, but she forced a smile, taking a sip of the sweet, warm drink to cover her sadness. “But my blood remains. Not many, yet…” She glanced over at the sleeping Wanderer. “…they must have suffered so much. I was scared, I didn’t want to wake up and realise I was all alone, but… I heard her voice. She told me… if I wanted to never be alone again, what I needed to do…”

Your Path… Our path… Rose corrected, as Eri began to chide her, telling her to not forget that they walked with me… is not a simple one. At its heart it might be. Bonds, Connections, Growth, Fortune… all seem to stem from the same roots, but they are not quite the same. But perhaps close enough the Path will hold. To forge a Path is far from trivial. But… I do enjoy miracles. And to see you face the Norns for us… I shall remember it. Lin will too. And the others…

Get to the point! Eri grumbled.

Oh, sorry. This is fun. It’s like I have a ninth sister now, not just eight. Amusing…

You have a lot more than nine. But I suppose you’ll understand in time.

Oh, I see what you mean, Eri. But… only you can talk with me, like how my Valkyrie sisters can. What matters here is… she is a creature of Bonds, which form Connections. And… she carries a great misfortune. Your fate is to sever such cruel ties and replace them with ones that shall last. I know it well, for I tasted that darkness that cursed her. Such a unique existence is perfectly aligned with your Path and should certainly be an Adherent. As a benefit, all those bound to her shall follow your Path too, strengthening you and them. Her thoughts were coming across as sly now. I wonder, do the Compacts apply to idle thoughts? I am merely thinking to myself, I can hardly be blamed if others hear. Not even the Throne, in all its arrogance, can rule the secret hearts and minds of those away from its borders. Though I daresay it wishes it could. I know you wonder… I do too. It is why I like reading. In better times, we Valkyrie had more time for the arts, such as music, literature, painting. Just as Helmwige is proficient in instruments and I in Runes… did you know, Lin is an excellent dancer? And can sing wonderfully. Despite her rather sadistic streak, Waltraute is a majestic painter, and eldest Gerhilde enjoys hunting for sport. Though that’s not what my point is… I just thought you’d be interested in our lives. No… I like to know how things work, as do you. Though I fear too much knowledge too early might be a mistake. After all, you’ve come so far on your own. So… a merest hint. I listened to your talk of ‘photons’ and ‘interference’ with interest. So… ask yourself this. What in the Material and Astral are truly fundamental, and what are, for want of a better term… derivative of those fundamentals? When you understand… your Path will be solid.

Yeah, I’ve been wondering that… Again, I wasn’t a novice at Physics, though my knowledge was shallow, but even I knew photons and electrons were indivisible, yet protons and neutrons weren’t, yet all fulfilled a purpose with atoms, which made up everything. The Astral had long mystified me, the reason the elements existed as they were, despite being laughably dissimilar to actual elements, and even each other. Adherence too… it seemed like aether, just with a more powerful yet narrower scope. Then there was Qi…

It… can it be that? I had an idea, and if it was so, it would explain a lot. I hesitated to say it, but… Are you saying… adherence is a Path? Elements too?

You’re quick. Too quick. Eri, you must have your hands full with him. How long has it been down there? Surely not even a year…

He doesn’t know when to slow down. Eri agreed, and I could feel she was building a rapport with Rose, which relieved me. But he’s not doing this alone. Even that annoying mad scientist gives him ideas. Arisu-san too. And he talks to Fae and other creatures… and honestly… he’s always been clever. I admired that.

My stats begged to differ. At the start I was barely above average. I felt embarrassed by their words, but also slightly proud. I guess I like to look good in front of those I love.

Love, huh? It… shockingly thrills me when you say that. Perhaps I never should have used the Runes to accentuate that Connection between us. It was only possible because I used a part of my Truesoul to tie us together. But… it is like Jörmungandr, the great snake that bites its own tail, forming a circle. The Skill feeds off love, but also strengthens love. Perhaps this was Fate. I don’t regret it though. Perhaps I’m no longer capable of such regret. Regardless, yes, you are correct. A Path indeed. Maybe the greatest of all.

In that case… who is the beneficiary of that Path? They’d surely be incalculably powerful. It can’t be…

You are again correct. Though… once a Path is established, other Paths can build upon it. And while it would always be subordinate to the primary Path, it would have autonomy in many regards, and the strength transmitted would be reduced significantly. Ask Taṇhā why her Pantheon is called the Six Paths. There are far more than six, but the others would be subordinate to the primary six.

All this conversation had taken place within the span of moments in our minds. Troubled, I turned most of my attention back to the situation in front of me, while Eri began to insist Rose never do again what she did to strengthen her own Connection with me. I did detect a trace of sympathy in Eri’s thoughts, which showed that she, despite everything, was still a soft-hearted girl to those she didn’t dislike.

“So I listened. It was hard… I’m… not as strong as the others.” Aine’s voice crackled with emotion. “I don’t know why I was the one who had to go into the crystal. They said it was because I wasn’t as tainted, being the youngest, but…” She wiped at her eyes with her free hand, and instinctively I walked over and patted her head. She seemed startled, but moments later leaned into my embrace, perhaps craving familial closeness. “…she showed me how. Through her…” She pointed at Haru, who gave a gentle smile, her brown eyes shimmering with kindness. “…I could see… it stretched in front of me… out into the distance. So… I took a step… and… I don’t feel so alone.”

“Don’t worry.” I promised. “I can’t replace those that are gone, but… I can carry on their wishes. They wanted their daughter, their little sister, you… to be safe, to have a chance at life. And to protect what few of their family, their fellow Goblins, as they could. And so you can answer their hopes, by living a full, happy life and growing up as the beacon for Goblinkind.”

“That is quite-quite right.” Shaeula agreed. “I know that Goblins are not-not respected, seen as pests and perhaps even as Unseelie too cowardly to defect, but…” She narrowed her amber eyes as she starred at the watching High Kobold. “…I have-have learned the error of this foolish line of thought. Not-not all are created equal. But not-not all are responsible for the sins of their own kind. I used to call Kobolds worthless mutts and yapping-yapping curs… I regret it. They, even now, work hard-hard and create great beauty still. Ratkin, much-much reviled, serve as our maids, guards, Mortal Engineers and many other roles. Talaisha is not-not a bad female, despite being a foxkin, and even the daughter of that worthless firefox Duke Vulpatrius. And mortals… there are many-many good, some bad too, of course, but… I now-now judge all on their merits.”

“Then why are you so harsh to me?”  Christina protested. “I’ve reformed!”

“It is not-not a matter of regrets, or even willingness to change.” Shaeula rolled her eyes. “It is simply a matter of… you are most-most annoying! And tears do not-not wash out blood, as Emily does say. You should not-not expect forgiveness, nor-nor demand it. But take the time and earn it.”

“She’s… not bad.” Aine shook her head, surprising us. “I know. I could feel her taking away a little of the bad stuff… and it hurt her.”

Christina cackled, though what she actually said surprised me. “You can both be right. I’m not bad now… but whatever my reasons, the facts speak for themselves. I performed terribly unethical research on many, and… people died. Others went mad. I’m fortunate…” She winked at Haru. “…in that you were able to help so many come to terms with it. That would be a handy Skill to learn. I won’t say it makes what I did any better. It doesn’t. I’m no student of history, but I do know many scientific breakthroughs were gleaned from the horrific experiments of the Germans during the Second World War. Of course we used them, the damage was already done, but… the crimes those scientists committed remains. As do mine. And it pains me to say it… if I had never been subjected to your light, Haru, if I was to go back in time, I’d likely make the same choices again. But… now I know better.”

It annoyed me that her smile was kind of cute now. A little shy, rather lewd, and bitterly self-aware. She continued her explanation, half to Aine, and half to me. “I could make bold claims of how the sacrifice of the few to save the many, the handful to improve our knowledge and save the lives of an entire planet, is mathematically and logically justified… how a little evil now leading to a much greater good is surely the right things to do… but… that’s just because my thinking was too narrow. And despite all my knowledge, science, the vaunted power of America behind me… I was too weak. What is it young Daiyu always says? Big fists are the last word? She’s right. My fists were small, insufficient, and I confused pragmatism with intellectual cowardice.”

Aine seemed rather confused by a lot of what we were talking about, but she listened intently, as did the others, judging her. I was too, and I had heard her say a lot of this before, but… honestly, never so clearly, so… self-aware.

Has she made a breakthrough in her mindset? Even if she has, I can’t forgive her, but… I could maybe see a distant future where I might… distant.

“You’re a cute and a lucky little one.” Christina teased Aine. “Akio doesn’t weigh up the odds, calculate in good or evil. He calculates in happiness. Sacrificing the few for the many appals him. That just means he’s not strong enough, smart enough. So… to stand here, at the centre of the world, I need that strength too. I’m still… rather puzzled by a lot of my emotions. I want him to forgive me, but… sometimes it thrills me when he looks at me coldly, when he disdains me. It makes me want him more! Honestly, don’t you think I’m pretty, little one?” Christina asked, and Aine, with the innocence of youth, frowned.

“Your face looks bad. Are you ill? Oh… I’m sorry. Maybe it was the bad stuff that made you unwell?”

“Undone by my own question.” Christina laughed, not offended. “Look past that, I’ll be better soon.” She squeezed her arms together, pushing up her chest, hakama straining. “I’ve got a good body, I’m willing and eager to learn… If he wants to be harsh with me, let loose the dark lust he can’t show the others, I’d be more than happy to sate him. If it hurts, if it’s uncomfortable… well, I’m a blank slate. I don’t mind. Maybe I even deserve that. But sadly… he’s not so easy to win over. Because… I’m the sort of person he hates. Though I do feel it’s unfair. Tamamo-no-Mae is surely a worse person than I am. But… it’s because he hasn’t seen the impact of her actions, it was long ago… but again, it all comes down to big fists. Or maybe big tits? Mine are big, but hers are obscene!”

She giggled, a touch melancholy. “If I can’t make him fall for me, it just means my charms aren’t strong enough. Hence the change of outfit.” She paused then, her exhausted face making an ‘oops’ expression. “Oh sorry, I got sidetracked. What I mean is… I’ll never hurt you, and nobody will here. I’m happy I could help you, even a little. Because… honestly, while I have a great, all-consuming need to know the truth of the universe… I genuinely wanted to make the world better. I just thought… breaking a few eggs to make omelettes was worth it… but that’s not our path, is it?”

“I understand you well.” Tan spoke up suddenly. “The princess… she very much disdains you, but in her heart… it is because she knows the truth. When she made her agreement with me, she was prepared to allow any number of innocents to die for my goals, and her benefit. I am not… evil… I disdain the term. No, I am simply pragmatic, as you are. I would not hurt others needlessly. Though to sate my thirst, perhaps I might go too far… on occasion. Though now I have plenty to drink to quench both my body and spirit. However… Akio halted our course. Yet had he met us later, her hands might already be red with blood from innocents, not merely the guilty I slew. And not just her…” She narrowed her crimson eyes, and her smile was teasing and triumphant, and I had a feeling she was paying me back for embarrassing her earlier. Yeah, definitely tsundere.

“…Akio here, when the princess was dying… he threatened me. Not just me, but my Pantheon, and all who lived within it. He promised to slaughter his way through it to me, unless I helped him save her. I was rather moved by his sincerity. None with great power can be wholly good. Even the Gods. So… do not mistake him.” She addressed Christina seriously. “Yes, he loathes sacrifice, and wishes to make a world free of it, as much as possible, but… for those he treasures, he could commit worse atrocities than you. Which is why…”

“He needs us. We knooow what it is to make mistakes, dooo terrible things.” Hyacinth agreed with Tan. “Ooour hands are not clean.” She knelt down so as to look Aine in the eyes. “Hyacinth is sooorry. Despite everything, I watched. I did nooothing. Because… because I was a servant. It is nooot a servant’s place to gainsay her master or mistress. I was also a coooward. But I paid for it. Yes, yes I did.” She shuddered. “If yooou hate me…”

“I don’t hate you.” Aine whispered. “I… I don’t know what you mean, but… you helped. You took away a lot of the bad stuff. It… it hurt you.”

“I am used tooo being hurt.” Hyacinth shrugged. “But… nooow I only wish to hurt our enemies. Most of the time, I barely even hear the voooices. Because…” Her eyes met mine. “…looove has stitched together the cracks in my heart, and my spirit is watered.” Her heartbreakingly pure smile was truly beautiful and sincere. She then turned her attention to Christina. “I dooo not hate you. Compared to the Dark Maidens, whooo did crueller than you for nooo reasons at all but simple sport, and to revel in suffering… you seem almost pathetic… besides…” As Christina wasn’t sure quite how to take that, Hyacinth finished. “Yooou may not understand the difference between looove and lust, but… you know the one truth. Only through looove can we find our better selves. And to looove someone is to give of ourselves tooo them.”

“This is all a little difficult for me…” Aine muttered, confused, and I stroked her long, sliver hair, which was soft, ephemeral.

“Don’t worry. It’s too soon for you yet.” I insisted, acting as a good big brother. “Adult relationships are hard.”

“I see.” Christina chuckled. “I’m certainly lustful. I’m unashamed to admit it. After all… I know you all go at him like rabbits when you get the chance?”

Hyacinth’s only response was to giggle wickedly, twitching, while Shaeula refused to hide her own lusts, nodding proudly.

“But, I get it. I… it’s hard for me to feel shame. I’m not built that way. But… when I think I offered myself to several people, thinking the act a mere transaction, selling a renewable resource, well worth the potential gains… I now definitely feel something wrong. It’s not like when Akio gazes at me in disgust, it’s just… a mixture of regret and relief. I… I’m happy I was so unlikable even my beautiful, buxom body wasn’t enough to tempt them…”

“It’s more you are a classic landmine.” Haru sniffed. “There’s not many men who could resist you in a nightclub if you approached them, but… those that knew your personality…” She looked to me for an answer to her next question. “…you’re a man, Akio. You can explain, right?”

“It’s embarrassing in front of everyone, but…” I gave in. “…yeah, Christina, objectively, you’re gorgeous.” I smirked meanly, ruffling Aine’s hair playfully, which put a smile on her face. I could see sorrow hidden beneath it, which made sense, as she had only just recovered, but in time her wounds would fade, and we could help her enjoy her new life. “She doesn’t always look so dreadful.” I told Aine. “She’s got a pretty face, and… yes, her figure is great. She’s right any man would give her a second glance, and there’s few that would turn down her advances. Until you realise she’s a dangerous woman. Her utter lack of common sense, and muted emotions… there’s a good chance she’ll end up stalking her one-time lover, or worse… and that’s just not worth it.”

“Maybe.” Christina shrugged. “I’m not sure if sex is a mere pleasurable exchange, or it resonates with our feelings as much as the women here suggest. But if it did stir my frozen heart… oh yes, I’d most definitely become obsessed. Just as I am now. But… you’re worthy of my obsession. And… despite the fact you disdain me, you’re still considerate in your own way.” She cut through my defences. “Even this suffering… you don’t need my help with your experiments. But you let me, because… you want to give me a chance to make amends. I respect that. I don’t just fancy you… I respect you too. And…” She winked at Tan. “Thank you for that story. It makes me feel less… less shitty, I suppose. I am a shitty person. That’s too mild a way to describe it. Whether it’s all my fault for being born this way, not understanding how other people think, believing in the purity of probabilities and percentages over kindness and emotion, or whether it was just inevitable…” She patted Aine’s head too, careful not to touch my hand, though I knew she wanted to. “…I’m not starting with a blank slate. In fact, my slate is crammed with all the mistakes I gleefully made… no, not gleefully… I can’t even say I was truly happy. I was just satisfied.”

Satisfied, huh? A rather loaded word, considering…

“My slate is written in blood and pain, but… the back side is blank, and… maybe I didn’t do much, I’m still pitifully weak, but…I’ve written that I helped save a cute little Goblin from her solitude. I have a lot more to write, until the slate is full, and maybe then I can start overwriting the other side, wiping a little away. But…” She winked at me then, before turning back to Aine. “…consider me your new big sister. I’m very clever, but not overly bright, but I’m also quite fun! Akio here’s surely planning to take you to the Material world, show you around, so… I can be your guide. I’ll have to rush to catch up Pilgrimage anyway, and this gives me a good excuse to cram it later. Doesn’t that sound fun, little one?”

“I’m Aine.” She surprised me by saying her name. “It means brilliant happiness. I… don’t feel very happy. I’m sorry… I’m sorry…” Tears began to fall as the realisation of her situation caught up with her.

“Hush!” Christina continued to stroke her hair, as did I. “Of course you’re not. Even I understand that.” She glanced at Haru, who nodded, well satisfied. “Which is why we’ll stay with you until you can smile again. And… even beyond. We may never be your old family… it took me a long time to work out that humans aren’t just numbers but are unique and irreplaceable… but… we can be enough to keep you from being lonely. And you have all your other Goblin friends too, yes?”

This is… quite the sight. If this is all calculated, Christina is a genius in more ways than one. But… even if it is… Aine managed a tremulous smile and nodded, sniffling. “Mother and father said that the humans were scary. Bright iron to pierce us, fire to burn us, ashes and salt to ward us off… but…” She put her head down, into Christina’s chest. “…you helped me. You all did. And… I don’t want to be lonely…”

“Oho… jealous?” Christina chortled, winking at me again. “You can any time, I’ll even take off this hakama…”

I rapped her on the head, which left her pale face turning red, her breathing faster. “Don’t spoil it. For once… I’m a little impressed.” I patted Aine’s back. “Yes, humans can be scary, but… the world is also a beautiful place. I was planning on having Nie Ling come and send her to the Material. I’ll… leave her with you, but… take someone else, okay?”

Spoiler

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“Nie Ling, the woman who killed far more than me, though in her case it was a cruel trolley problem. Was her life worth more to her than many others? Me… I’d have made the other choice.” Her grin was rueful. “Not through any sense of altruism though. Simple mathematics. Oh well…” Christina, despite her exhaustion and terrible memories of the pain of the Woe, took Aine in her arms. “…you’re right though. My idea of fun might not be to her taste. I’ll ask a few of the younger shrine maidens to meet me. I know Fae ages can be deceptive…”

“What-what are you trying to say?” Shaeula grumbled.

“Oh, nothing.” Christina teased. “You’re very cute just as you are, and Akio likes you. I’m utterly jealous, and you know it. But… I think Aine might be at ease with those around her mental age. Marika Takeyabashi might work, or… what was Kana’s cousin… oh yes, Keomi Izumi, yes. She may be older, but she acts like a little kid. Anyway…” She glanced at the High Kobold, pretentiously named Darkflame. “…I expect you want to put someone else other than me through the wringer, yes?” She smirked, and Darkflame merely smiled back, seemingly unbothered.

“That’s true.” I narrowed my eyes. “I do indeed…”

***

We made haste and set up the preparations we needed. Shaeula returned to the Material and joined up with my Material Body which I reformed. We were going to continue Shaeula’s birthday plans, and then meet up with the main pilgrimage at Hikawa-Kawagoe shrine to finish the day’s exertions, though we would be resigned to rushing the Pilgrimage locations overnight again. In between whatever Shaeula has planned anyway. There’s the viewing party, but I know she’s also booked a hotel in Tokyo too…

Christina departed with Haru and Aine, planning on meeting up with some of the younger girls, and introducing her to the Material in the safest way possible. Hyacinth had also left, but Tan had remained. When I asked why, she shrugged, and had pointed out that she too could rush the Pilgrimage if needed. Shiro had then resurfaced, allowing Tan to rest, and even now, she was teasing me.

“Rose is a real beauty. Lin too. In fact, they all are. Shit, Aki, you’ve gone beyond my expectations. And… when you say they are sisters, are we talking figuratively, or… XXX-rated taboo type sisters?”

“I’ve never asked.” I shrugged. “And it doesn’t matter. I’ll not abandon Lin and Rose now. But that aside… are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Shiro stretched. “It’s a bit of a strain using Divine Possession for so long, but… it started feeling easier in the middle. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Skill Ranked up. Anyway, no pain, no gain, right? And I won… or at least Tan did, an invite to Shaeula’s evening festivities. I’ll take the little victories.” She then turned her gaze on the High Kobold. “Now then… what about you?”

“Me? I am simply… curious. And my curiosity has been sated.” He seemed incredibly calm, despite Shiro radiating her League, which while not on par with mine, wasn’t exactly low. “The little Goblin… Aine… giving her name. Quite the surprise. I do enjoy… miracles. And happy endings.”

“Really?” I asked. “I’ll give you credit for waltzing in here and remaining. But… you didn’t exactly enter openly, did you? How long have you been lurking about?”

“Oh, a while.” Darkflame was unconcerned by our interrogation. “As for my method of entry… why, by the Mines and the jewels of blue, I swear I mean no harm to this Territory or those who dwell there. Why… many of my poor, unfortunate fallen kin labour in your mines. I simply wished to see them, and this place I have heard of, even in my distant land.”

That piqued my curiosity. “Distant land? You don’t mean the Seelie Court?”

Darkflame shook his head. “No, I and my few fellows never joined the Seelie Court, unlike many around the lands who did. We… felt it unwise. And it seems we were proved justified. There is great strength in numbers, yes, but…” He waved his lantern as if to illustrate his point, drawing lines of fiery violet through the air, which almost seemed to form moving images, like particularly skilled pyrotechnicians using sparklers to delight and amuse. “…in numbers is also… weakness. We did not denigrate the clans who sought safety over independence. Many chose that in the early days. Elves, Dvergr, other stranger beings… we Kobolds were among those. The Goblins too. But… you see them now. Fallen. And continuing to twist and turn.”

Shiro nodded. “Yeah. I get what you’re aiming at. Aki does too, don’t you?”

I nodded. “Kobolds… modern doglike and even lizard-like Kobolds don’t have much basis in mythology. No, you’re probably a pure, original Kobold, like Aine is an original Goblin, yes?”

“Indeed. I am not merely a Kobold though, but a High Kobold, strong and wise, a capable miner, wise to the threats of firedamp, collapse and silence. Is it any wonder I came to see the poor, unwise, pitiful clans who thought the Seelie Court would protect them, only to… twist them.”

“And then you found Aine and her protectors, right?” I asked, and Darkflame nodded, that smug grin still on his frail face.

“Yes. Quite the coincidence. We Kobolds do not share a blood connection, as they do, but… we shared a similar fate. I wanted to see… see if you could do it. Break her free. But… that could have been a great mistake. Even though the… Woe… is purified… that is only one of the threats.”

“Adherence too.” I nodded. “But don’t worry. She’ll not change.” I was sure of that. I concentred, feeling my Path, and the bright stars within it. “After all, I accepted responsibility for her when I broke her crystal coffin. And whether she’s my blood sister or not… a good big brother never lets his sister suffer.”

“Big words from the guy who left Ai alone in Nishimorioka, Aki.” Shiro teased, and I grimaced, unable to refute that.

“Everyone makes mistakes. But I’ve learned. And you know it.”

“Yeah, can’t argue with that.” Shiro agreed. “Tan’s… not sulking, but she doesn’t want to talk to you right now. But… she can taste the adherence that hung around Aine. It’s persistent, certainly, but…”

“We can counter it. And under my Path, I can shield her.” I was the one to cut Misfortune, and I’d do it. “And through her, the other Goblins. Though there aren’t many…”

“Opposing the weight of millennia and much indoctrination is no easy task.” Darkflame confirmed he understood as well as us what had happened. “You are a rock… perhaps even a boulder, trying to dam a flood leaking from a collapsed lake. Even the strongest bulwark is washed away.”

“Maybe so. But that’s the point of Connections. There’s plenty of other rocks to toss in too, and… our Bonds are the cement that holds us together. Besides…” It was my turn to smirk, enjoying my superiority. “…fight belief with belief.” On the Material, I sent a text to Christina, advising her of my plan, as well as Arisu-san. The replies I got were rapid.

“Sure thing. I don’t think it’s wise for me to be on TV, I don’t want to attract trouble, but I’ll make sure Aine is fine!” Christina’s reply was to the point, but Arisu-san’s was even more terse.

“More work. Very well. You owe me.”

We were already making a move, this is just an additional fix. It’s time to start taking control of the narrative, in preparation. Already, Tokyo is experiencing a wave of Astral visitors moving between shrines, and… it’s only going to be a more common sight. Fortunately, we still have the buzz from the Palace broadcast…

Speaking of, Tsurugi hadn’t really understood much of this at all, and had even fallen asleep. I would have to wake her up before I left, but she’d had a lot of excitement since I woke her and her fellow Regalia, so I let her rest. The other two were following Yukiko.

“I see. Do you think yourself a King, perhaps, able to move the hearts and minds of a nation? Even that shall not suffice. Can you shape the world?” Darkflame asked.

“A King? A Prince for sure. Twice over.” Shiro snorted. “As for being Emperor…”

“No way. I’m not interested…” I insisted, but Shiro shot me a withering glower, clearly unconvinced.

“Yeah, sure, sure Aki. Setting aside you’re going to be Astral Emperor, you have to be, to keep your promise to the Norns, if the people of Japan call for Yukiko to be Empress… and why wouldn’t they, damn, her older brother was such a total bag of shit… you’d support her, right?”

I suppose so. But I don’t think that’s a good idea… she’s not really keen on it…

“Thinking she’s too shy, or doesn’t want it?” Shiro rolled her eyes. “She’s changing, Aki. We all are. Confidence is a feature of how we see ourselves, and how those we love see us. But whether it happens or not…” she lectured the High Kobold. “…he can get the message out.”

“But to turn aside a great tide…” he began, and I cut him off.

“You’re out of date. Not just here in the Fae Realms, but in the Material. I get your point, this adherence seems to be the product of a systematic manipulation of how humanity sees the Fae. At least one of the problems that was afflicting Aine. This surely was a herculean effort at the time. But… the world is different now. I can reach a large part of it easily, and… I have enough fame to at least persuade some. It’ll be a work in progress, but… I’ll make it happen.”

“You certainly have a great deal of arrogance.” Darkflame suggested. “I had heard tales of the spoiled weasel princess even in our far-off Mines. It seems you are perfectly matched.”

“It’s not arrogance.” I argued. “And didn’t you see Shaeula’s changed attitude? Now, get to the point. I will too. You want me to help the Kobolds, don’t you? It’s certainly not as easy as freeing Aine, but… the Kobolds were my first allies, even before Shaeula, and they’ve done a lot for the Territory. I wasn’t perceptive enough before, but…”

As I grew stronger and more sensitive to adherence I could detect faint traces. It was like aether, everywhere, but… most of it was a muddled, hard to use mess. Whereas the more targeted strands… the Woe that affected Aine was drawing it in, but… there’s more to it, I’m sure. Hyacinth seems to think so. I don’t want to pressure her to talk, but… seeing how happy she was that Aine and her fellow Goblins were freed, I made up my mind to help her experience that again and again, perhaps lightening her burden of guilt and regrets.

Not a servant’s place to gainsay her master or mistress, huh? Fortunately, she’s not a servant any longer…

“I’ve no issue trying to reverse the effects of adherence upon them. I don’t know if I can, unlike Aine and her bond which protected the other Goblins even as they slept, though obviously imperfectly… the Kobolds lack that. But… what can be done can be undone. But let me talk about you…” I narrowed my eyes. “And that Lantern you carry. It seems suspiciously similar to those carried by the Red Caps of the Wild Hunt. And that makes me wonder…” I narrowed my eyes menacingly. “…just where did they come from? After all, the Way-Wardens have already told me they only appeared relatively recently.”

“Where?” Darkflame’s smile never faltered. “Do you often ask questions you believe you know the answers to?”

“I like to be sure. So, tell me…” I allowed my League and Majesty to oppress the confident High Kobold. “…did you provide the Wild Hunt with them, or do you know who did?”

“That is hardly the right question.” Darkflame shivered under my intense pressure. “The correct question is… why?”

So I was right. Yet he claims he means my Territory and those in it no harm, and I don’t think he’s lying, but… it doesn’t quite add up. I exchanged a glance with Shiro who nodded.

“All right then.” There was no chance he could cause any trouble here, with me and Shiro watching him, so it was time to get to the bottom of this mess. “Care to answer the proper question?”

“I believe in… give and take.” he countered. “I want something in exchange.”

“And what would that be?” I asked, and his smile broadened.

“You are already offering it. I came here because of rumours heard within the ground, vibrations of a sanctuary. And I have indeed seen a miracle. So… show me another, and… I shall answer the questions you need answers to, but do not yet know how to ask…”