On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

“What do you want to drink? We’re well-stocked here, it’s usually for VIP’s and billionaire passengers.” I asked our guests, taking a look at the full fridge and shelves.

Ileana and the elderly woman, Valeska, exchanged glances. I could feel they were still wary, which made sense, but I continued smiling reassuringly, and after a moment, Ileana, still speaking in a rather stilted manner, barely opening her mouth, asked for wine.

“I would like wine then. Red. What would you wish… grandmother?”

I didn’t miss the pause in her term of address. The information I’d received from Sir Arthur was hardly comprehensive, though I owed him and his comrades my thanks for making sure they didn’t run into any… unexpected… problems. The world is dangerous, yes, but unless there are means of tracking down fugitives via aether or similar methods, it should be more than possible to get to safety. This isn’t medieval times, where leaving your home village and travelling fifty miles was a large and dangerous undertaking, no, the world is both bigger and much, much smaller. Of course, with modern surveillance technology, it’s hard to stay off the grid, but… seems they only have one very old-fashioned and newly purchased mobile phone… curious.

“Wine will be fine.” came back the answer, though it had to be translated for me. I nodded, taking out a nice bottle of Cabernet-Merlot. Honestly, I wasn’t much of a wine drinker, I tended to drink beer or whiskey most of the time, or sake, but Hinata and the other noble daughters had quite the refined palate, and identifying and being knowledgeable about wines was one facet of that, so I’d picked up a bit of experience. I took out four glasses, and the translator seemed surprised I was offering him some, but I merely poured him a glass.

“Here.” I handed out the glasses, and before Ileana could take it, Valeska intercepted, grabbing it from me and passing it over. She then paused, frowning, before speaking rapidly in Romanian, to which Ileana translated, while my companion nodded along, verifying she hadn’t misrepresented her words.

“Grandmother apologises, but… she is wary. As am I, if I am being candid.” Her shimmering, multi-chromatic eyes seemed to reflect the rich red liquid before her, shining with a scarlet hue. “I saw your… country’s… broadcast…” Her words were hesitant, not helped by her odd method of speech. “…and was intrigued. I… cannot stay in my homeland any longer. Grandmother and I, we are… exhausted. Pursued relentlessly by those wicked monsters from the Church, our only fate death. So when I saw that your nation, that you had defeated their aggression… I thought perhaps we could find respite, for a while.” Her eyes narrowed, and she took a sip of her wine very carefully, before licking her thin, pale lips. “This is most excellent. Not inferior to my family’s…”

She was trying to keep her expression composed, but when she mentioned her family, she paused, and I could see muscles in her face clenching, her eyes going distant, for just a brief moment, before she shook that off. Immediately that garnered my sympathy, as I could imagine just why it was only her and her grandmother here.

“…I suppose I am not here to discuss wine.” Ileana demurred. “We hope for sanctuary, but… if you will forgive me…” Her gaze hardened. “…often those who shout loudest about their own virtues hide equal vices. Not many…” her gaze flickered involuntarily to Valeska. “…would risk their all for a stranger, and even those that would often expect compensation. Those who give freely and expect nothing are often foolish in their own way.”

I nodded at that. “If I’m being honest, I can hardly in good faith call myself virtuous. I’ve got blood on my hands, I’ve made compromises with morality at times, and… well, if you saw me on the news, you’re probably aware of my… relationships.”

Ileana nodded, before translating my words for Valeska, who shot me a rather scornful gaze as she laughed. She replied with a few words, and Ileana winced, idly rubbing at two golden rings on her fingers. “Grandmother says that perhaps a man as… lusty… as you will be kind to women, but that I am not desperate enough to fall for your charms.”

I was the one wincing now. “Honestly, I have my hands full enough at the moment. I’m not desperate enough to solicit favours from those who arrive here seeking asylum. Not romantic favours, anyway.” I took a sip of wine. In the Boundary, my sis and her allies in learning gold element had gathered, and I was explaining my plan to aid her breakthrough, and she was shooting me a very dubious look. Why is she taking this wager so seriously? If she thinks I’m not going to try my hardest to help her succeed just to win, I’m actually a little hurt…

“Obviously there’s the humanitarian aspect. Japan’s… not wonderful at accepting refugees. We do have a reputation for generosity when it comes to money, but when it comes to immigrants, not so much. But that’s why we set up the special passport scheme. Speaking of, the ones you got at the embassy are just temporary, you’ll have to get the proper biometric and aetheric versions done. But that’s for another time…” I paused, orienting my thoughts. The majority of my Split Thoughts were in Ise, obviously, so here I felt a lot slower and less insightful. Though compared to my past self, I’m still confident and perceptive…

“What matters here is that we are certainly happy to help out the oppressed. Humanity can’t afford to lose too many Chosen, but…” I approached the subject delicately. “…that doesn’t seem to be what you are, Miss Ileana, Ms Valeska…”

“Miss? How… unpleasant to my ears.” Ileana seemed put off by the English honorific, and by something else I couldn’t determine. “I am simply Ileana Roșuluminel. My family is… no more. Other than my grandmother, I am alone in this world.”

“Yes, you’d have to be, to flee halfway across the world. But… you didn’t answer my question. You’re not blessed by the Gods, are you? Either of you?”

“The Gods are cold and cruel. And if they choose instruments such as that vile cur Ardelean… I want no part of them. If they even exist. I have my doubts…” Ileana spat, and for a moment her mouth opened just enough so I could see her teeth, before she clamped her lips shut.

“I can prove without question they do.” I countered. “But that makes me wonder, just why was this member of the Church of True Revelation so interested in hunting you down? If you’re not a Chosen, that is…”

The two of them fell silent, and we merely sipped our wine for a few minutes. I poured them more glasses from a fresh bottle and waited for them to speak, but as time dragged on, I held in a sigh. Ileana is skittish, like a cat, whereas Valeska is guarded, wary, and rather more like a dog protecting her master. There’s a definite bond of affection there. Bonds… huh…

I was incredibly sensitive to such things now, my Path naturally revealing them to me, in a vague, intuitive manner. Rose… Huh, the names are quite similar at their root. Quite the amusing coincidence… while not knowing too many details about being the master of a Path, or even a highly-imbued Adherent, had done some reading and subtle questioning of some older Valkyries, and what she had discovered was that naturally, as a Path grew stronger, longer and one grew more attuned to it, then phenomenon associated with the nature of the Path would become more open and comprehensible. So perhaps that’s why…

I was sensing a heavy weight of Foresight, the feeling within me intense, that the young woman in front of me was key to resolving a terrifyingly thorny knot of destiny, and also that her own self was greatly imperilled. Coupled by the Oracle Engine’s prediction, I was sure that perhaps Ileana was the one we were seeking.

“I am… not.” Ileana said at last, after some hesitation. Valeska spoke rapidly, and the translator, perhaps grateful for some work to do, eagerly explained her words.

“She says that the girl is from a very old family, very old indeed, and that’s why the Church was after her. I suppose in some ways, rather than a grandmother, the old woman is some sort of servant? Perhaps a hereditary one? She was deliberately being unclear. Perhaps they have a lot to hide?”

“I see.” I nodded, tracing the rim of my wineglass with one idle finger. “I wasn’t aware the nobility still existed in Romania, but I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised with everything I’ve seen here in Japan. Britain too, and of course, China has it’s Cultivators…”

Ileana frowned, but her poise, despite the rather gaunt, deathly pale appearance, was certainly reminiscent of Motoko, or even Miyu or Sakura. “We have… little left. Time has been… unkind. So if you are seeking wealth or historic artefacts, I fear we shall disappoint you. As for what else we can offer…”

“It’s quite simple really.” I suggested as she trailed off, clearly showing her nerves, though her facial expressions were hard to read due to her pallor and closed mouth, but having spent a lot of time with Daiyu, Ileana still seemed rather expressive in comparison. “You might not be a Chosen, but you have talents. I would first like to inspect you carefully…”

As Ileana translated for her companion, she paused there, and Valeska stood, blocking my way to her, glowering at me fiercely, like the grandmother she claimed to be. Or someone protecting a treasure… She spat a rapid stream of foreign words at me, and the translator winced as he converted them to Japanese.

“She says that there’s no way she will allow your inspection, it isn’t proper to subject a young lady to such, and she suspects you have ulterior motives, impure ones.”

“Sadly, that’s my reputation preceding me.” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Let me explain.” I addressed Ileana. “I have a gift of my own, and that’s to see to the heart of things. I’d like to inspect you with my Mystic Eyes, and it’ll give me insight into what your abilities really are. The way you pick up languages is highly abnormal, as I’m sure you are aware.”

Ileana and Valeska exchanged a long, silent stare, before the older woman released a long sigh and began to speak. This time, Ileana translated, her facial expression a mixture of tension and anticipation.

“If you will permit us to be impolite, we understand we sought your aid, and it is certainly ungrateful to demand special treatment despite coming here as beggars entirely due to your benevolence, but my blood…” Again there was a nearly imperceptible pause, but I could detect she had frozen for a moment and changed what she was about to say. “…relative, my grandmother…”

Hmm, by Valeska’s own words before, wasn’t she a type of servant? Huh, maybe it’s similar to vassal families here in Japan? I’ll get to the bottom of the contradictions later, I guess. We’ve plenty of time, they’re here now.

“…she worries for me. Women alone in the world can suffer indignities beyond what most men experience. And I am… unused to living in such a world. By that, I mean…” Again a brief moment of pause, and that just made me rather more curious. Valeska was giving her a fond, wry frown even as she spoke, perhaps picking up on the odd hesitations too, despite not understanding the words spoken. “…it is as you surmise. I was rather sheltered by my family, but also well-loved. As for my gifts with language, my tutors always praised me. Languages, history, geography, politics, the arts, I learned them all. Yet… compared to the cruelties of men serving vengeful Gods, it is a flimsy shield.” Her ever-shifting eyes went vacant, lost in memories as she idly sipped at her crimson wine, staining her pale lips.

“Oh, do forgive me, grandmother.” She coughed, apologetic, before repeating the words in what I presumed was Romanian. They exchanged more words, and my phone buzzed, the translator conforming an accurate, or accurate enough, translation was being provided by Ileana, even if she was adding her own words. “As she wished to say, we are grateful, and I certainly chose to seek this asylum. Though I am a young woman, and still have my privacy, my secrets. I am… wary of such inspections, and the intent behind them. I hope you can understand.”

I nodded slowly. “That’s why I asked first, though bear in mind, it’s a non-invasive, innocent inspection, nothing lewd or crude, and… there are certainly potential benefits. Consider me sort of like a personal trainer, who is adept at working out just where special abilities can improve.”

Ileana nodded, though she seemed unconvinced, at least to me. Her next question was a little surprising. “Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan. This… Fae. You seem to be close with her.”

“I am. In fact, we’re lovers, and she’s my fiancée. Eventually we’ll get married, though right now there’s a lot of demands on our time, and… if you’ve seen the news, you are surely aware my life is… complicated.”

“It seems to be. So it does not concern you, that she is unlike you?” Ileana pressed under Valeska’s urgings.

“Unlike me? Hardly. Shaeula and I have an awful lot in common. But that’s not what you mean. Really, that’s a laughable question, but… I suppose I am Japanese, and we’re notorious for being insular and not liking foreigners much, as I explained earlier, so thinking of Fae, Yōkai and more… I can see why you might think that. But no, it doesn’t concern me. I’ve seen many strange things, this last half year. But one thing I’ve come to understand is that humanity isn’t biology, it’s a state-of-mind. Humans can be far viler than any so-called Demon. I’ve fought sick rapists who even in defeat would suffer themselves if they could see a woman suffer more. I’ve seen those who, for their religion, would attempt to murder innocents, including those harmlessly studying at school. And I’ve seen those who due to lack of empathy and sympathy could barely be even called human, yet… I’ve also seen such idiots try to change, no matter how pathetic their attempts. Conversely, I’ve met Yōkai who have done terrible deeds, on a scale that would shock you, yet they seem so very… alive. I’ve met berserkers who would fight to the death and then laugh about it with their enemies over sake the very next moment, sly seducers who are too pure despite their experience, cold parents who nonetheless love their children, brothers and sisters who love their siblings rather too much…” My lips curled into a wry smile at that. “Humans can be both saints and sinners, but we’re usually more a mix of both, of Yin and of Yang. Spiritual beings are the same, though… they’re more primal, tend to be more focussed on their own core. But just like humans, they can change too. So… is Shaeula unlike me? No. She’s a person. So are the others I’ve met. I… and those around me… we only care about who you are, not what you are.”

After Ileana translated my long speech to her grandmother, seeming thoughtful, the woman responded with more words for Ileana to relay to me. “She says your speech is touching, but… what of those types of being who struggle to coexist, or who are… born wicked? Ghosts, Demons. Strigoi.”

Strigoi? That’s a Vampire, right? “There are some creatures who won’t coexist, and yes, I’ve been forced to destroy them.” Duke Myrcolaxriath springs to mind, though… other Myconids surely still live, and aren’t causing as much destruction, nor seek to exterminate all other life, making it copies of himself. “But even in those direst of circumstances, there would have been paths to coexistence. The world is large, and the worlds beyond are even wider. There’s a place for nearly everyone. As for being born wicked… I don’t accept that. Sure, certain spiritual beings may have pressures to act that way, but… I’ve seen those change, just as I’ve seen humans change, for both good, and for evil. Those are just excuses. I’ll judge based on actions, rather than myth or hearsay.”

Ileana stared at me, one finger twirling her rose-gold hair around it, the light reflecting off it in a crimson sheen, to match her eyes, which I still couldn’t determine the actual colour of. Green, blue, copper, ruby, silver… many colours were mixed together in her pretty eyes, and they changed constantly, like a kaleidoscope. She’s definitely not human, or at least not purely so. But… Valeska certainly seems to be, but… there’s still something off about her.

“I see. Your reputation, if your words are as you say, is well-deserved. Forgive me for my caution.”

“It’s fine and understandable. And your grandmother isn’t exactly wrong.” I nodded at Valeska. “I’m very much hoping those that have sought out our aid will help us in turn. But it won’t be an exploitative relationship. Of course, Japan and Britain, our ally, are hoping to be the sort of countries who will gather those who are under threat from those such as the Church of True Revelation. So even if you choose to live quietly, help will be provided. I may come across as arrogant, though, but… those who work with me will want for nothing. Be that protection, comfort or job satisfaction.”

At my confident smile, Ileana blinked. Even without my Eyes, my Qi Perception and general sense of the flow of aether could determine that some small amount of it was being drawn from me, into Ileana, though it didn’t seem to be consciously directed, and I could also feel a heavy Bond between the two women. It was one-sided, dominating, yet also… somehow voluntary.

I’m truly eager to take a look at it with my Eyes, but Ileana and Valeska are both rather skittish, like deer ready to flee when they see humans. They must have been truly desperate to reach out to the Ministry. No, I’d best hold off.

“What kind of work? I am… not skilled at labour.” Ileana asked, and I glanced at her soft, callus-free hands and frail, slender form. “I… was raised with care, and not subjected to such… menial tasks.” She translated for her grandmother, who laughed loudly, until her eyes leaked tears, before staring at me, talking rapidly. Ileana didn’t interpret for me, so the hired translator did.

“She says that unlike her granddaughter, she has never been scared of hard work, so an old woman like her will earn their keep. They don’t want only charity, because such is suspicious.”

I nodded. “That makes sense. Those who are chased and betrayed will always fear it. Anyway, I…” Suddenly my face went deathly pale, and I held in a groan, biting my lip hard. My spirit rocked, shuddering, and my Material body, despite the reduced transmittance between my two forms, was assailed by damage.

In the Boundary, Shiro, or rather Tan, shook Shiro’s head, tutting, her crimson eyes both stern and sympathetic. “I did say this was unwise. Yes, you have made a remarkable breakthrough, but your Vessel is badly stressed, even now, and your lack of a Divine Flame means your ability to manipulate adherence properly is restricted. Despite that, you insisted on pushing through. I do not know whether to call you reckless or brave.”

“Why can’t it be both?” my sis defended me, her blue eyes showing their worry. “Wow, bro, you look like shit. You okay?”

I forced a grin, though it wasn’t just my head that ached as though it was splitting apart, my whole body and spirit burned, and my soullight was fluctuating and scattering weirdly. “Not exactly, but it’s certainly not going to be fatal.” My Ether Healing was working overtime, and while my control over aether had diminished temporarily, it was still passable. “Still, I don’t want to do this for long. But… it’ll be an experience I can remember and use later.”

“There is no need for such risks.” Tsukiko tutted, and beside her, Yukiko nodded.

“That’s right. We’re managing just fine here. I don’t like seeing you so hurt.”

“It’s all right, Tsuki, Yuki. Aki’s not an idiot… well, not an idiot in that way. Ai knows, which is why she’s just annoyed.” Tan let Shiro speak, and my sis nodded.

“Yeah, kind of pisses me off, you know, Shiro. I still haven’t forgotten how mad bro got over me burning myself to learn flame element, but he does this crap all the time. And before you complain, dumb bro…” She glowered at me. “…I know scars on girls are bad, and on boys it’s just a badge of honour, and I know burning my hand put Kyūdō at risk for me. But I trusted you’d fix me, bro. Besides, just like you get upset when we’re hurt, we get upset too. Look at Tsukiko-chan and Yukiko-chan, they’re sad, bro. But… I’m not a fool. I know it’s necessary. If we were weak, we’d have been tramped by those Church bastards, or others who aren’t.”

I nodded, and even that was difficult. The recent gains to the strength of my Vessel, small though they were, were far from enough to handle Adherence Manipulation, which had reached the second wall at the very peak of Rank 8, at least temporarily, under the buffs. My spirit was creaking, and that had a significant effect on my Astral, and also my Material, bodies, flesh and bones cracking and rupturing. Despite that, and the crimson and silver blood I was sweating, I forced a grin. “That’s exactly right, sis. Besides, I’m doing this to give you a boost.”

“Yes, you are.” she agreed, before her grimace turned wicked, hands on her hips. “And that’s why I’m not going easy on you when I win this bet, bro. Because it pisses me off that you’re just smiling like an idiot. Just because you’re right, doesn’t mean its right. Isn’t that right?”

At her words, Yukiko, Tsukiko, Hinata, who was here too, and even Tan nodded. My sis was clearly angry, despite being sympathetic, judging by her excessive profanities. “Anyway… come on Haanōbō, it’s not just about learning gold element now, it’s about making my stupid bro’s sacrifices matter. And also getting revenge.”

Haanōbō sighed, dipping her head, face still covered in her crimson mask, and also her white-feathered wings, while Hinata giggled, elemental energies surging around her. “I agree. I’m pragmatic, but it still makes me sad that Akio has to resort to such self-destructive experiments. Leave that to Christina, else why are we keeping her around? After this, I think you owe us all a nice group date. How about Kyoto?”

I chuckled, though the effort hurt, blood bubbling from my lips as I began to pull in and manipulate the heavy adherence that filled Ise. It was easier than ever and obeyed my thoughts smoothly, though every action stressed my Vessel and spirit, my League constrained. “Sure. Once I’ve Healed Yasaka-san, I’m at a bit of a loose end in the Material. But you still have to do your Pilgrimage first, okay?”

I gathered the adherence, and flowed it into Aiko, and also into Ren-kun, who was waiting quietly with Asami-san. “Okay, now try and draw in the flames from the Blessed Tear. Yukiko, your turn…”

She nodded, and began to pull in the light element variant of sunlight my sis and Ren-kun had stored for her. I split the flows of adherence threefold, the pain truly something indescribable, deep enough to spike into my Truesoul, my soullight dimming. “This is the heart of the Rising Sun, and the three of you want to hold the Sun, both light and flame, just as our sun is a ball of something that could be seen spiritually as both. I don’t think the adherence is at odds with what we want.”

“Yes, but… stealing what the nation’s faith has provided…” Tsukiko began, troubled, but I managed to pat her head reassuringly.

“It’s not stealing, it’s putting it to the intended use. Yukiko’s the Priestess of Ise, Amaterasu’s Chosen and shrine maiden. My sis is her sister-in-law, and Ren-kun…” I paused for a moment. “…well, just lucky I guess.”

Ren-kun rolled his eyes, through his efforts and the weight of adherence on him was making him sweat and tremble. Beside him, Asami-san giggled. “Yes, that’s my lucky Ren-kun. A fine girlfriend, two cute sisters, and the power of the sun. A winner in life!”

“It hurts how I’m standing next to him saying that. Chiaki-chan and Chiasa-chan idolise him. I’m not jealous, but they used to feel that way about me…”

“Aww, poor Ren-kun. I won’t be swayed, don’t worry. Kana-chan would bury me alive in her earthen tomb, anyway.”

As they bantered, I gathered my scattered threads of consciousness. Split Thoughts was being extremely overtaxed, but I could just about handle it. I’d considered Haru here as well, as she was also Kannon’s Chosen, so had at least an affinity for sunlight, but she had her own mutated flame, and I didn’t want to mix them yet before running my own experiments. A fourth thread of adherence was surging from me, pouring into the batteries of metal elements Hinata was holding, and into Hinata through that, making her shudder too. A fifth thread, into my reserves of crystal element, and my body crumbled a little, though I hid it well, knowing it was eminently survivable, and I could fix myself when done.

I’m not missing the chance to put Ise’s resources to use. Besides, this is… the sort of insight I’ll need if I plan to use adherence without kindling my Divine Flame, which is what Tan and Rose both suggested…

Meanwhile, back on the Material, my face showed some of the pain, but apart from a few external wounds which Ether Healing was repairing nearly as quickly as they formed, I was fine. However, there was something wrong with Ileana, and I blinked in surprise as her gaze had turned… hungry… her deathly pale face flushed slightly, her eyes, which shone with ever-changing pretty colours, shading to copper and red, and her lips parting just a little, with a damp, almost erotic sigh, her lips wet too… Just what’s going on here?

***

Ileana heard his words, and resisted the urge to nod.

“I’ll judge based on actions, rather than myth or hearsay.” His speech moved her a little, and to distract herself, she idly began to twirl her hair with a single finger, unaware of how oddly childish such a pose was. He continued to talk, all reasonable sounding words, the sort that had made Ileana want to take a risk on him in the first place, but despite everything, she was still wary, unable to relax.

He is not wrong. Since I awoke, all alone… I have been on edge, constantly unable to find a moment of true peace. Even with my blood child, I never knew when that monster Ardelean would find me. It is… strange… he did not. I know Valeska is cunning and crafty, but we were still in a greatly disadvantageous situation, so it makes me wonder, is this part of their scheme, or did something happen?

When her blood child suggested she was not afraid of hard work, and had the intent to rely on herself, rather than fully accept charity. Ileana felt oddly proud. I too… cannot simply be protected. My family is gone now. None will do it for me unbidden, and… I might perhaps be the last. Of my family, of the old, pure blood who does not fear the sun… I cannot spend my life recklessly, or simply… surrender to another. I must live my life for them too. But I want to believe his hopeful… words…

Ileana froze, overwhelmed by a sudden, primal instinct. Her nose twitched, a sweet, almost cloyingly rich scent, like nothing she had ever encountered before, making her eyes water and her mouth wet. The decent wine, which she had been enjoying for both its deep, rich colour, and its wonderful aroma and taste, was instantly forgotten, this new stimulation overriding it.

Seeing her reaction, her blood child looked at her warningly, as if to see if something was wrong, but Ileana did not know herself. Though… Perhaps… is this a trap? If so, then why… how…

It was getting hard to think, a crimson fog blanketing her thoughts. Her mouth opened a little, and she leaked a most unbecoming, damp sigh, which would ordinarily have mortified her, but now such concerns seemed… unimportant. Involuntarily, she rose from her chair, staring intently at Akio, who seemed rather puzzled, though…

I cannot, I must… Clamping shut her mouth, she placed a hand in front of it, the words of her parents echoing in her mind. I am never to show my fangs carelessly. The humans… they will fear, they will hate, they will ultimately wish to destroy… for we feed upon them, as they do cattle or sheep, or at least that is what they will think…

“I apologise, it seems my granddaughter is fatigued, likely from the long flight, and the… strain… of our escape.” Her blood child spoke, knowing that even if Ileana did not relay her words, the translator would. “As a gentleman, and a man of your word, you wouldn’t force a young domnișoară past her point of exhaustion to talk, would you? Besides, your… other guests… will be arriving soon. Where can we go and what can we do but rely on your hospitality anyway?”

Akio nodded at her words when he understood them, though he did glance at Ileana’s hidden mouth with a startling intensity. Did… did he see?

Instead, he merely lifted his wrist to check his watch, and Ileana did not miss the fact his movement was stilted, as if he was injured, and…

Saliva filled her mouth, teeth not merely itching now but feeling as if they had been immersed in boiling metal, and it was as if she was looking through a crimson filter, though somehow she could still distinguish red, more clearly than ever, and under his cuffs, a faint series of crimson drips were gathering, staining his flesh in carmine hues.

“Yes, forgive me. I forget that you’re not actually Chosen, so your stats might not be high enough to mitigate the jetlag and the constant fear of living on the run. We’ve arranged lodgings, of course, with proper security, so you can sleep at ease, and we’ll continue our discussion tomorrow, when you’ve both rested and refreshed yourselves.” He gave no indication he’d seen or was disturbed by her fangs, but… stats? I do not understand. It seemed Valeska did not know either, but more urgently, Ileana swayed, feeling dizzy, as if stimulated by something unspeakably potent.

Why? Yes, we crave the lifeblood of others, but… it is an impulse we can control, master, suppress! We are intelligent beings in control of our own lives and thoughts, I am! Yet this… Embarrassed, she felt her skin heat up, her sluggish heart beating erratically, so loud she feared that Valeska, and he… could hear it. …why does it call to me so?

Her arm trembled, and she knocked the half-full wine glass to the floor. It shattered, making her jump, and her eyes were drawn to the spreading puddle of red, reminding her of blood. A trap, it must be… why else would he be bleeding? He was not before. He smelt pleasant, yes. Enticing, but… I assumed that was because he is rumoured to be powerful, and seeing him…

Mind in disarray, Ileana’s thoughts meandered. Yes, she had keen senses, and could tell that Akio, this man, clearly exceeded their pursuers in might. That was both reassuring, and worrying for… if he turns on us, what can we do? It was challenging to escape our pursuers before. Here… here we are in an unknown land, with few resources. Yet it was still the better option, it was. Yet…

“Are you well, little light? Huh…” Valeska took her arm, and realised Ileana was trembling perceptibly, her skin oddly hot. Glancing down at the wine, her eyes widened, and suddenly she scowled, whispering urgently. “…was the wine drugged? Is this a trap? But why? It makes no sense for them to betray us to the Church. Or are the rumours true and he’s an absurd pervert, and he is taken with your beauty, and must have you, no matter what indignity he must perform…”

Ileana was shaking her head frantically. “Not… not the wine.” She gasped, her blood child’s care warm and comforting, but swallowed by the flames of her sudden desire, her need to taste the blood she could smell and see. “Trap… it must be. Why else… is he bleeding?”

At that, Valesha glanced up at Akio, surprised, but Ileana, moving almost despite her will, unable to resist, shook off her hand, taking a hesitant step forward.

“You don’t look well…” Akio spoke, concern on his face, and Ileana’s rapidly fading reason saw no falsehood there. She was an excellent judge of character, ordinarily, and if necessary she, with her sense of smell far keener than an ordinary humans’, could detect the subtle cues that showed falsehood and dishonesty, the stink of sweat that signalled untruth. Yet now, taking a breath only stoked her desire further, and she felt her canines lengthening, and her mouth opened.

No, this… this is wrong. I must not show… Leaking a wet gasp she licked her lips, the world in shades of red she could see narrowing her focus, and she stepped forwards slowly, tremblingly. Moments later, her blood child let out a roar, and grabbing the fallen wine glass, which was now just a shattered stem, with a sharp-edged break, like a makeshift dagger, she raced at Akio.

The translator cried out a word in a language Ileana didn’t understand, though it prickled at her brain, and she almost grasped it. It was probably ‘assassin’ or some such variant. Akio blinked in shock, before moving quickly, though that…

“Shit. Bad timing…” Ileana again nearly understood his words, surely in this Japanese language. As he moved, he was blindingly fast, yet somehow stilted, as if he was a jerky puppet with tangled strings. As he acted, Ileana almost fainted, the overpoweringly alluring smell deepening dramatically, and as she watched on, half in a trembling daze, a slash opened on his neck, blood trickling down, but not from Valeska’s thrust, as he had caught her arm with surprising gentleness. However, her blood child was not going to be defeated as easily as she was before, and with strength that her aged frame, even with her high level of fitness borne of living alone in the mountains, should not be capable of, she kicked out, aiming for a man’s most vulnerable area.

“Calm down!” Akio was saying urgently, though Valeska could not understand him, and Ileana, still shambling slowly forwards, almost within his reach now, could not translate, as her mouth was not responding to her commands. The translator had his phone out, urgently shouting down it in Japanese, but Akio waved a hand and asked him to stop. “This is all a misunderstanding. She can’t…”

Indeed, as Valeska’s kick landed on his leg, as he swayed aside a little, it was she who cried out as if her toes had broken.

“…hurt me. Sorry. I don’t know what’s going on, but…” His eyes suddenly glowed, a different shade of red in her carmine world, and Ileana stepped beside her struggling, restrained blood child, next to Akio, close enough to embrace him, or…

“So that’s it! I admit, it’s kind of…” He pushed Valeska back gently, and suddenly Ileana’s crimson vision was assailed by a darker red surge, and she felt her clothes and hair blow in a sudden, impossible indoor breeze. Akio was still speaking, but she couldn’t hear anything. As Valeska stumbled, the same coloured light swept over her, keeping her balanced, and then, as swiftly as it had first come, Ileana felt the red mist that had fogged her mind recede. Her nose twitched, and she involuntarily breathed in, but she could no longer smell the enticing, arousing, needful blood.

“Valeska, please stop.” Ileana croaked, her canines shrinking, though still being far more pronounced than usual. She even nicked her lip by mistake, and the rich iron tang of her own blood calmed her raging thirst, though it was barely a substitute. “I do not know what is happening, yet…”

Akio was surrounded by a thin green nimbus of light, and then water appeared from nowhere, scouring his body, leaving his suit soaked and clinging to his skin. Then the green barrier dispersed, and she could hear his words again. He was running a hand through his now-sodden hair, and as droplets of water, so reminiscent of the blood before, slid down his forehead, cheeks and neck, Ileana found herself swallowing. He is… certainly handsome. As much as my brother was…

“I see the issue. It’s a bad day for me to get injured.” Akio sighed ruefully. “Ileana, can you tell your grandmother to take a seat? I get why you reacted the way you did, and I understand it seems suspicious.”

Ileana nodded, before explaining that to her blood child. “I thank you for your efforts, but… it is as you saw. If he wished to subdue us, we could not resist. I fear… it is all just some unlikely coincidence, rather than malice. It seems he has suffered wounds in battle, and his blood is delectable, so ravishing…” She flushed still further, her skin tone almost normal now, and Valeska’s eyes widened at her words, though Ileana was too distracted to notice, her gaze still fixed on Akio. “…though I do wonder why I did not smell your blood before?”

“A long story. If I’d have known you were a Vampire, I’d have sent someone else to meet you.” He seemed embarrassed, but the shock was greater for Ileana. “Oh, sorry, is Vampire a rude term? My Eye says you are a Blood Light Drinker, Băutor de Lumină de Sânge, a race of powerful half-human Strigoi, but… from what little I know, Strigoi aren’t exactly… well regarded, are they? And you don’t look like a mindless undead creature to me, so maybe… Vampire, or since you’re partially human, Dhampir,  fits better?”

“I am no Strigoi nor Moroi!” Ileana reacted reflexively, scowling, her words emphatic. “We are not the dead, but alive as you are! We are simply… sluggish. Wait…” Her thoughts, slothful in the same way her heart was beating, an unusual occurrence for her, caught up finally. “You… are not afraid?”

“Weren’t you listening earlier?” he chuckled, and Ileana paused, suddenly feeling woefully foolish, an embarrassment she did not enjoy. “I don’t judge you by your race. And even if you were a wicked undead creature, a true Strigoi, or… a Moroi…?” He paused, committing the word to memory. “…I know an Onryō, a ghost formed of resentment and grudges, and she’s one of the kindest people I know, despite all that happened to her. I’d at the least hear you out first. Now then…” He gestured, and a wind swept up the broken glass, and water cleaned the spilled wine. “…let’s begin again, shall we? Oh, I apologise for appraising you when you had declined, but the situation was… tense. I wanted to avoid any further misunderstandings.”

“It was. But do forgive my grandmother, she simply feared you were trying to ensnare me.” Ileana licked her lips reflexively. “I… cannot say I do not fear that is still what is happening. Your injuries… why could I not sense them before?”

“Long story, and…” He checked his watch. “…our next guests are coming shortly, But we still have a little time, so let’s talk it out, and you pair can help me greet them, since they are Romanian too. Consider it compensation for your grandmother trying to stab me and kick me in the balls.”

When Valeska heard his translated words, she laughed derisively. “Even if he’s a good man, a thrashing to his balls will do him some good, considering his infidelity. But my little light, please don’t use such vulgar words.” She winced as she sat down again. “My foot is broken, but… it will heal. I’ve had worse recently. And we are hard to kill, aren’t we, my dear.”

“Even so, I do not wish to see you suffer…” Ileana bent over to check out her wound, pulling off her shoe, only to find Akio beside her. She flinched, but he took Valeska’s mangled, swelling foot, her toes lumpen and purple, and he let out some sort of energy that made her skin and teeth quiver.

“Where are you touching, young rascal… huh… wait?” Valeska fell silent, eyes wide, as her foot twisted and straightened, the swelling diminishing. Not just that, but her thin thatch of hair on her head sprouted new strands, and some were even greyer than the pure white of her original hair. Even some of the lines on her face faded, making her seem ten years younger.

“I’m not supposed to be doing much today other than recovering and a few… odd jobs…” his chuckle was self-deprecating. “…but it seems I’m cursed to never get any rest.” He released Valeska’s foot, before standing, and pulling over his seat. The distance between the two groups, barring the translator, who was still wary, staying at a safe distance, was now reduced to almost nothing, and Ileana felt a pang, as though she was sitting at a table with her family, a long-buried memory that seemed as fresh as yesterday.

“You’ve got a fascinating constitution, Blood Child Under The Sun…” Akio’s words caught them off-guard, and Ileana found herself gaping foolishly, before Akio tapped under his eye. “I told you, I have excellent vision. But I also know Bonds and Connections…” His expression hardened. “…and despite the nature of it, I can feel the love and compassion within, so I can give it a pass.”

“Thank you?” Ileana managed, and Akio shook his head.

“No need. I should apologise. I was suddenly injured due to something else I was doing, so I didn’t anticipate your reaction to my blood. Though I should have.”

“Injured, how?” Valeska asked, and when Ileana repeated the question, Akio sighed.

“That’s… hard to explain. But since I’ve seen your secret, I can share one in return.” He then spoke of the Boundary, and his unique nature, and when he was done, Ileana and Valeska were stunned.

“Did you know of this world, little light?” her blood child asked, and Ileana frowned, no longer bothering to hide her fangs, since that secret was out.

“I believe so, though from my tutors I learned that the world of the formless was dangerous and dead, and since then, our kind declined, as we were hunted down and persecuted by the very humans we once nurtured.”

“World of the formless, huh? In a way, that’s not a bad description. But dead? Certainly not, at least not now.” Akio disagreed.

“I am more surprised that we are merely speaking to… a fake. A clone.” Valeska grumbled, but Akio disagreed.

“I explained that. I’m both me. One mind over two bodies, though my mind is also able to think of a number of things at once. I know it’s hard to grasp. Anyway…” We watched out of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the private terminal as a large plane came in to land. “…our guests slumming it on public transport are arriving. So we’d best be quick.”

“I…” Ileana hesitated to speak. The story was unbelievable to Valeska, but Ileana was better able to separate truth from lies and a lot of it rang true to her, especially when coupled with what her pursuers had said and done. This… misunderstanding… aside, I am still nervous, but… Taking a deep breath, she asked what was on her mind. “…wish to know. I am no mere beast, and certainly not a blood-craving undead thing. I am learned and educated, and while I am… out-of-time… I am also blessed to have found someone by chance who risked herself for me, a near stranger. So I suppose it is not impossible that others out there still retain such nobility.”

Akio merely smiled at her warmly, which somehow irritated her, and her sluggish heart pumped her blood enough for her cheeks to heat. Annoyingly smug man. That was not exactly a compliment, so why does he seem so pleased?

“My question is…” Ileana took a deep breath, her teeth itching with remembered thirst. “…just why did I lose all reason? Your blood, why is it…” She trailed off, unable to finish due to the shame stinging her heart.

“Ah. That.” Akio’s expression was suddenly sheepish. “Unfortunately, and this might sound like bragging, but it certainly isn’t… my blood and other bodily fluids, through no fault of my own, just down to some Skills and Favours I acquired… are essentially potent and irresistible.”

Before she could translate for her blood child, Ileana burst out into scornful laughter at his humour. Moments later, realising his expression had grown more strained, she paused, her own eyes wide. “Wait, you are serious?”

“I’m afraid so. Wasn’t your reaction proof enough? Honestly, it’s not often I’m injured enough for the wounds to reflect on my Material body, so this shouldn’t happen again, but I’ll come up with a precaution as well. Maybe Ixitt can whip up a device that automatically cleanses blood with water element, or…”

As he continued talking rapidly, Ileana wondered if her understanding of his language was insufficient, as a lot of the terms made little sense to her, but from what he portrayed… He… is serious? But then… I did react strongly to his blood, more intensely than I ever have before… if that is the case… oh, no, this is unacceptable. I am in a position of weakness, a humble refugee, relying on his and his country’s kindness to protect me and my blood child. I cannot relinquish my dignity, or give him a reason to demand favours from me unwisely.

Mind made up, she watched as the doors at the far end of the room began to open. Though all she could think about was that carmine world, where everything was red, and unknowingly, she began to drool, her fangs quivering, until her blood child gently prodded her in the stomach with her bony elbow, and cautioned her to close her lips…