fullparagon

The Last Drop of Hope, Chapter 28

It had started only two days after the magic came back, shortly after the defeat of Beldia. There had been enough security forces in Spoke to keep a lid on things, though the transportation network had been locked down. Clara, Becky, and Triss had at first been astonished to find they could once more use their skills, but they didn’t wait long. They had been enslaved by a pimp, and they’d drained him dry, quite literally. They skirted the details, but it was clear enough that the man was dead, and no one seemed terribly broken up about it. 

The three succubi had simply laid low for a few days, full of mana and grappling with the current situation. Spoke was fairly peaceful, there hadn’t been any widespread riots or looting, but NyteTech had fallen to pieces and there was no food coming in. The Succubi weren’t geniuses, but they’d known things were going to get bad. They’d set out to create a nest for themselves to weather the storm in, taking over their pimp’s bar, and the basement underneath the building, which they showed Kazuma and the others. It was a large, comfortable bolthole, though not as comfortable as the upper room lounge they’d taken to using in the past couple of days.

It had been that vault that saved them. 

Six days after the death of Beldia, Masked Media had shown up. Normally, they were entertainers, reporters, and spin doctors. They ran brothels, casinos, theaters, and television stations. For a price, Masked Media could deliver whatever earthly pleasure you wanted. 

And it was Masked Media that the succubi feared and hated above all. CEO Vanir, the very demon who had brought most of the succubi to Belzerg, had been the one to start chipping them, turning them into mindless pleasure slaves. This was a fate worse than death, for it could turn the succubi into a mindless meat puppet. But, the chip, just like the one at the base of Lolisa’s spine, still contained their personality and memories. So long as it was in place, so long as the succubi did exactly as their masters demanded, they could retain their minds and a semblance of autonomy. 

But a single act of defiance and their chip could be overridden, turning them into a glorified sex doll. Worse, the chips could be used to erase or write memories into the succubi’s minds directly, meaning they never knew if their memories and minds were their own. 

Upon hearing that Masked Media was moving into NyteTech turf and asserting authority, the succubi had charmed as many men as they could get their hands on, grabbed all the food they could, and locked themselves into the vault and did their best impression of a hole in the ground. Clara was also clever enough to know they had a limited food supply, and would need to ration themselves. They’d fed on the men, but not so much they were truly harmed by the experience. Indeed, now that were awake and more or less aware of what was going on, the men were protesting and posturing, trying to get their “lovers” free again. 

A few threats from Megumin got them to shut up, and the succubi finished their story. They’d stayed in the vault for several days, watching in fear through their little peep holes. On the third day they’d been in there, two days ago now, they’d seen massive streams of people walking towards the center of town. It had been orderly and organized, and the succubi had been able to sense magic in the air. Worse, they’d seen many of their sisters and brothers, the hated incubi, shepherding the mortals, flying over them and crooning to them in magic-laced words. 

After a few hours, there were no more mortals to see. They saw their fellow demons do a few sweeps over the town, then they’d heard the sounds of fighting, and felt the ground shake. That hadn’t lasted long, however, and after that, the streets had been utterly deserted. 

“And, well, we sort of just moved upstairs. It’s better ventilated, and we sent the pets out to scavenge supplies,” Becky finished. 

They were now downstairs back in the bar, having moved out of the rather fragrant upper room. The “pets” had been sent down into the bunker, though what the hell they were going to do with two dozen mind-controlled men of various races was something Kazuma would have to deal with later. 

“Right, I think that answers at least some of our questions,” Kazuma said with a heavy sigh. He took a drink from his glass, which was filled with some energy drink the succubi had squirreled away. He had been tempted to dip into the alcohol, but had decided he needed to stay on his toes for this one. 

Besides, if he fell back into that hole…he didn’t know if he could climb out again. He’d only gone sober because of what Chris, or rather, Eris, had done to him, and because it had been enforced first while running for his life, and then during his recovery. 

“Have your little pets go take a break, Komekko,” Megumin told her sister, earning her a glare from Kazuma. 

“Hey, they’re people! And whatever Komekko did to them… shouldn’t we like, break it or something?” Kazuma demanded. “She’s mind controlling them.”

“Oh, we don’t mind!” Triss said happily, beaming at Komekko. “She’s just such a wonderful mistress! I just know we’ll enjoy serving her!” 

“Yeah, I don’t think we can take the word of someone who’s been brainwashed,” Kazuma said dryly. 

“W-well…I’m not sure,” Yunyun said, taking a bit of jerky and holding it up to her bust. The first time she’d done that Kazuma had been baffled, then nearly fell out of his chair when the little black face with yellow eyes had popped out and grabbed the morsel. How the hell had Yunyun found a freaking cat of all things? You’d think someone would have eaten it. “T-they’re not exactly on our side, a-and if we just let them go…”

“We could just kill them,” Megumin pointed out, narrowing her eyes at the succubi. They let out wails and fell to their knees around Komekko, while Kazuma slammed his hand on the table.

“No, dammit! They helped us! You don’t repay help by killing people! No one will want to help you again!” he snapped.

“You’re not killing my minions,” Komekko huffed. “They gave me snacks! Plus, I made a contract. You can’t just break a contract!” 

“Contract shmontract, you put a whammy on them somehow,” Kazuma said. “I won’t lie, probably helped us out a bunch, but you can’t just go around mind-controlling people. That’s like, super evil, and we’re supposed to be the good guys.”

“I can’t mind control people, just demons,” Komekko said with a shrug.

“Dammit, they are people!” Kazuma snarled. 

“They’re Outsiders, and demons,” Megumin said quietly, her red eyes gleaming.

Yunyun nodded. “Demons a-are just negative emotions that form into a being. T-they’re born out of chaos and entropy, and are always e-evil.”

“Do you think Lolisa is evil!?” Kazuma snarled, pointing to the fourth succubus, who was sitting as far away from Komekko as she could at the table they were at on the other side of Kazuma. 

The three sisters all nodded, and to Kazuma’s disgust, so did the three succubi. He turned to Lolisa, only to see a pained look on her face as she nodded as well.

“Kazuma…I am evil. That’s literally the definition of a demon. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you. I eat people. You…you can’t let yourself see me as a person. Maybe…maybe I should just make a contract with Komekko…”

“It’s great!” Clara said happily, a dreamy expression on her face. “Just like in the good old days. You don’t have to think, don’t have to worry, you just do what your Mistress tells you! Plus, all the mana you can take!” 

“Wait, WHAT?!” Megumin snarled, whirling on the succubi. 

Yunyun’s face went blank, but she also summoned a wreath of flame around her left hand.  “If you even THINK of laying a hand on my little sister, I-I swear-”

“It’s not like that!” Becky clarified hastily. “We get mana through the bond! We can funnel some of what we feed on to our master normally, but, um…I-I don’t think that would be appropriate, considering…”

“We would never hurt Mistress Komekko,” Triss added stoutly. “That would violate our contract! So we’ll protect her from anything like that!”

“Don’t worry, they just get some of my mana through the bond. I got a special skill called Glutton that lets me convert food to mana!” Komekko said brightly. “So as long as they give me lotsa snacks, they get unlimited mana!” 

“Wait, speaking of your bond, where’s Hoost?” Kazuma said, looking around. 

“Keepin’ watch,” Komekko explained.  “He’s mad ‘cause I got new familiars. But I’ll just have Clara and Becky and Triss give him some corn and he’ll be fine.”

“Did he find anything?” Megumin asked, peering through the crack in the plastic sheeting that had been nailed to the window. 

“Nope. Nothin’. All the trains and stuff are gone, and all the people are gone too,” Komekko said with a shake of her head. 

“So all the people up stakes and left, a horde of demons swept through town, Masked Media was behind it, and there was a battle that didn’t leave any signs,” Kazuma growled, scrubbing at his hair. This didn’t make sense!

“Yep,” Komekko agreed. “Well, except for the big crate and all the buildings that burned down.”

Everyone turned to look at her, and she blinked. “What?”

“You said Hoost didn’t find anything! I think a giant crater counts as ‘something’!” Kazuma said, jumping to his feet. “Come on, that’s our only lead.” 

To his irritation, Megumin was out the door and sprinting across the city rooftops in a heartbeat, leaving the rest of them to trudge along behind.

Well, except Komekko, who got a piggyback ride from Clara, who seemed absolutely delighted to have the privilege of doing so. It was to the point that Triss and Becky shot their compatriot jealous glances, then tried to offer Komekko more snacks as they jogged along. 

“Freaking creepy,” Kazuma muttered, shaking his head as the succubi cooed over Komekko. 

“It’s actually pretty natural. Or, well, it was,” Lolisa told him as they hurried along. Kazuma gave her an incredulous look, and she sighed. “Look, most succubi were summoned to this world by mortal mages. Those that weren’t served Vanir or one of the other demonic nobility. It’s been…well, it’s been sort of weird and unnatural for this many of us to have to make our own choices. Free will isn’t really something demons naturally have.”

“That’s bullshit, you’re able to make choices the same as anyone else, and I’ve yet to meet a succubus who wasn’t horrified at the thought of bein’ chipped,” Kazuma snapped back. 

Lolisa waved her hand back and forth. “Well, yes, I guess? But that’s new, Kazuma. But choices? Kazuma, succubi are compelled to do evil. We exist to cause pain and misery amongst mortals, like all demons. In our case, it’s to pervert the desires of mortals and disrupt the natural pleasure they should get from one another. We turn love into lust, and feed on that.”

“Ok, well, if you’re so evil, why did you help kill Beldida even if you knew it would hurt you?” Kazuma demanded. 

Lolisa opened and closed her mouth a few times, then looked away, blushing. “...I don’t know. Maybe I just thought it was my best chance at survival.” 

“Pull the other one. You’re a good person. And you can’t tell me that the way they’re acting isn’t super creepy,” Kazuma said, even as Komekko giggled and gave Triss an affectionate pat on the head, much to the demoness’ delight. 

“...” Lolisa looked down, and Kazuma couldn’t read her thoughts. He tried to get her to talk again, but she refused to respond more than monosyllabically.

After about 10 minutes of running, Kazuma was panting too hard to be able to talk anyway, and he ended up vomiting and gasping for breath, leaning against a dead street lamp. 

“Are you sick?” Komekko asked as Clara came over.

“He’s still recovering from being dead,” Lolisa told her. “And not everyone is a super soldier like a Crimson Demon.”

“Super soldier?” Yunyun asked, frowning. “I-I thought we were just a demi-human race.”

“I mean, sort of. You were made in the Kingdom of Noise to fight the Demon King before it fell,” Lolisa explained. 

“Guess we didn’t do a very good job,” Komekko commented, making a face.

“Huh? Oh no, your ancestors completely trashed the Devil King’s Army, Mistress,” Becky assured her. “You even killed his son and General Nagika.”

“Yeah, it was the other super weapon called the Destroyer that destroyed Noise while the Crimson Demons were fighting the Devil King,” Becky agreed. “I wonder what happened to that, anyway?”

“Probably got blown up by the Crimson Demons, or the Generals,” Clara said with a shrug. “Do you want us to carry him, Mistress?”

Lolisa very intentionally slid the bolt back on her SMG, staring stone faced at Clara and the other succubi.

“Or not! W-we wouldn’t touch him, Lolisa! Honest! We serve our Mistress now!” Clara assured, but she took several hasty steps back. 

“W-we need to see what M-Megumin found,” Yunyun said, looking anxiously ahead. 

“Go on, I’ll catch up,” Kazuma rasped, wiping bile from his chin. “Just…just gotta take a break…”

“You sure? It’s scary here,” Komekko said, looking worried enough to warm Kazuma’s heart.

“I’ll stay with him,” Lolisa said, guiding Kazuma to the curb and gently helping him take a seat. “You run ahead and figure out what happened at the crater.”

Yunyun nodded her agreement and motioned to Komekko, and the others departed, the succubi still squabbling over who got to give Komekko a ride. 

Groaning, Kazuma put his back to the lamppost and closed his eyes, feeling weak and pathetic. He couldn’t even keep up with a teenage girl and a bunch of hookers carrying a kid.

“Kirayama.”

“Huh?” Kazuma cracked open one eye, frowning at Lolisa, who was staring at him intently.

“Kirayama. That’s my name.”

“Uh, I thought your name was Lolisa?” Kazuma said, sitting up and trying to meet Lolisa’s intense stare. 

“Demons' names are secret. If you know our name, you can have power over us. Our true names are used in summoning rituals and the like. I don’t know how Komekko compelled the other three to give her their true names, but as soon as she said them, and then gave them an offering that was accepted, they were bound to her will,” Lolisa explained, glancing away. “It also gave me some power over them. And, well, anyone else who heard it. Succubi NEVER tell one another our true names.”

“So…why did you tell me your name?” Kazuma asked, his heart thudding in his chest as a sense of awe and horror washed over him. Power over Lolisa? What did that mean? Could he bind her like Komekko had the others?

“Because…because I trust you, Kazuma. And…and if I ever…do something to you…knowing my name…you can make me stop,” she admitted, her eyes locking on to his. 

“That’s…that’s kind of a lot,” Kazuma rasped, his head spinning slightly.

She nodded. “Say it.”

“Uh, I don’t want to-”

“Say it, Kazuma. Kirayama,” Lolisa urged.

Licking his lips, Kazuma thought about it for several moments, but Lolisa’s expression was earnest. Finally, he reached out, taking her hand in his. “Alright. Thanks for trusting me, Kirayama.”

Lolisa let out a small gasp as Kazuma said her name, and he felt a magical color to the name even as he said it. He jerked back, trying to let go of Lolisa’s hand, but she gripped it tightly. 

“Now you know who I am. What I am, Kazuma Sato. But don’t forget, I know your true name too,” Lolisa said quietly.

That made Kazuma’s mouth go dry. “Could you…with my name…?”

“No. It doesn’t work like that for mortals. There are some things I could do, having your true name from your own lips, but not as much as you’re thinking. At most, I could use it to find you, and enter into your dreams,” Lolisa told him.

“Uh, that doesn’t sound so bad…”

“Except succubi usually sneak into men’s dreams in order to feed on them, and get them to betray their deepest, darkest secrets,” Lolisa sighed, and then closed her eyes, leaning her head on Kazuma’s shoulder. He sat back against the lamppost, eyeing her. 

Then he said, “I had a sister named Lia.”

“Hmm?” Lolisa opened her eyes, tilting her head up to look at him.

Kazuma fidgeted, looking away, unable to meet her gaze, but still holding on to her hand. “She was six years younger than me. My adorable kid sister. I doted on her endlessly. My parents too. She was the joy of our family.”

Listening, Lolisa didn’t say anything, but she did squeeze Kazuma’s hand as his pain poured out of him. 

“I looked after her, you know? I wasn’t strong or smart or fast, but I could make her laugh, make her smile, even when things were miserable. When I’d con someone, before I’d use the credits to buy porn or booze or a new game, I’d make sure to get Lia some candy or clothes or food, whatever she needed. Shit, I even went without. She hated that I got it from gambling or conning people, so did my parents. They were honest, hard-working, and…”

He swallowed, then mumbled, “And rebels.”

Lolisa let out an involuntary gasp, and Kazuma jerked a nod. “They were one of those crazy revolutionary types who wanted to destroy capitalism or some such bullshit. Said our family was descended from heroes who’d fought for freedom, that we were Japanese, and we were from another world. That we would save this one. I thought it was bedtime story bullshit, like the tooth fairy or something. A story you told an idiot kid. Lia believed it though.”

Tears trickled down Kazuma’s face as the memories returned, but he made himself continue. “One day, I was out with some friends, getting high, gambling, the usual. I got a message from Lia that our parents hadn’t come home. I brushed it off, told her I’d be back soon. Then…then I got a message from her that someone was breaking in.”

Kazuma slammed his fist into the ground, and the pain was almost a comfort, better than the agony he felt inside as he gritted his teeth and the hot tears came against his will. “I was too stoned to get home fast enough. By the time I got there…the place was swarming with blackhats. I was scared, and I hid. I saw…I saw them pull my little sister out of the house and put her in a van. I think she was already dead. She was limp, anyway. Then they packed her up and took off.”

“You know what I did? I went back and got completely wasted. I was sick with self-pity. There wasn’t shit I could do and I knew it. I couldn’t go back to our apartment. They’d be watching for me. So, I ran. My parents had a stash of stuff, some real valuable weapons and supplies. I sold it all on the black market, and then, I bought a ticket to Discord. I told myself I was going to get my sister back, to get revenge after striking it rich…but what did I do? Fucking worked for Sylvia. Shit, I don’t even know who’s blackhats it was that took her. Could have been any. We were in Cat’s Eye Group turf at the time, had been most of our lives. Maybe it was them. Who the fuck knows.”

Kazuma finished his story and looked at his hand. It was bloody and bruised, and he didn’t care. He deserved it. 

Gently, Lolisa took his battered hand and wrapped it in a bandage. She didn’t say anything as she worked, and Kazuma was grateful for it. 

“There. Now you know, if one of us is a selfish, evil prick…it’s me. Not you,” Kazuma told her bitterly, examining his empty, useless hands.

Folding Kazuma’s hands into hers, Lolisa gave them a squeeze. “Your parents were right.”

“Yeah, I always was a useless, worthless son,” Kazuma agreed bitterly. 

“No. Not about that. They were wrong about that. You are a hero, Kazuma. Your ancestors were Japanese, brought to this world by the gods to help save it,” Lolisa told him, giving him a cautious smile. 

Kazuma waited for her to laugh, and point out it was a joke, but she didn’t. He turned his head away. “Some hero I turned out to be.”

“Yes.” Lolisa moved her head into Kazuma’s field of vision, her expression now stern. “You rescued Iris. Fought through a nightmare jungle few could survive. Defied the Flesh Shaper herself. Traveled through the endless dark to return the rightful queen to her domain. Then, you fought and defeated the Deathless General himself. You are a hero, Kazuma.”

“I didn’t defeat Beldia, that was you, Cecily, and Iris,” Kazuma mumbled, his heart thudding in his chest. 

“And it was your plan that did all that. Not even Iris could defeat Beldia one on one. You are a hero, Kazuma. But…I’m sorry about your sister. There was nothing you could have done.”

“I should have done something,” Kazuma said bitterly. 

“We all make mistakes,” Lolisa told him, then stood, pulling Kazuma up to his feet. “Ready?”

Sighing, Kazuma nodded, and they trotted off in the direction the others had gone. 

The Second Archon War: Sapientia Oromasdis 10

Sapientia Oromasdis 10: When I Awoke

Tears streamed down Nahida’s face, and she had to wipe her eyes, even as she laughed and applauded. Beside her, Hana and Sana were embracing and crying as well. Dr. Bashir had tears streaming freely, uncaring of who saw, and Rasab’s father next to him was weeping openly as well. They all watched as Rasab slowly stood up from his wheelchair and with a firm hand, pulled the rope leading the bell.

The clear peal was accompanied by the song of Arabalika, the little Aranara who had accompanied Rasab for ten months now. 

“You did it,” Nahida told Rasab, giving him a big hug. “You beat it.”

“I couldn’t have done it without you and Lika,” Rasab said, laughing and hiccuping through tears himself. “Now I can finally go back to school!”

That sent a pang through Nahida, but she smiled at Rasab all the same. “I’m sure all your friends are eager to see you.”

“What school do you go to? Maybe we’ll be in the same class. What grade are you in?” Rasab asked eagerly as Nahida helped him sit back down in his wheelchair. Despite the Dendro infusions, Rasab was still weak, and would likely need months of recovery before he was back to full strength. 

“I, um, I don’t go to school,” Nahida admitted to Rasab. 

“Why, ‘cause you’re so smart?” Rasab asked, frowning slightly. 

Before Nahida could answer, his parents came over and hugged him, Rasab’s father even kneeling and gently taking Nahida’s hands. “Thank you. To both you and Doctor Bashir. My son is alive and well today because of you.” 

“We’ll still need to monitor Rasab, he could go into remission,” Nahida cautioned, but she did smile and reassure, “But I think that’s unlikely. This treatment seems to be highly successful, and Rasab has responded well to it.”

After, there was a small party with the doctors, nurses, and a few other patients at the clinic. Several of them were undergoing treatment from Doctor Bashir and Nahdia, though their methods were now being applied in any hospital that could get their hands on a Dendro Vision Holder. There still weren’t many of those globally, Nahida had only granted 2,178 Visions since her arrival, but there were a disproportionate number of those in the medical field, or who would be willing to help with cancer treatment even if they lacked prior medical expertise. 

As the party wound down, Nahida nervously went over to Rasab, a small green envelope in her hands. “Um, I-I wanted to give you one of these…um, i-it’s my birthday next week, and we’re having a small party…”

“Really?” Rasab perked up at that, and a wide grin spread across his face. “I can go to parties again! Dad, can I go to Nahida’s birthday party?!” 

“Of course!” his father agreed immediately as Rasab ripped open the envelope to reveal the carefully hand-made invitation. “When is it?” 

“Next Monday, October 27th! What do you want for your birthday?” Rasab asked Nahida curiously.

“Just to have some friends to share it with,” Nahida answered honestly. 

“A book,” Bashir put in for her, putting a hand on her shoulder to help steady her nerves. “She adores reading.” 

“We’ll get you the coolest book we can find!” Rasab assured Nahida, which made her blush. 

Later, when Nahida was sitting in the back seat of the van as they drove home, she looked out the window, smiling to herself. “I think we really made a difference today, at least to one family.”

“If you think it’s just today you’ve made a difference, you’re not as wise as I thought you were,” Bashir told her as they wove their way through the traffic. “You’ve saved the lives of who knows how many with these new treatments, and you’ve given a little boy back his life and hope.”

“He might have recovered anyway, even without the Dendro infusions,” Nahida pointed out.

“Perhaps, the survival rate for childhood acute myelogenous leukemia is 68% as you well know, but with these new treatments, what do you project the survival rate will become?” Bashir asked kindly. 

Nahida already knew the answer, but she reran the numbers, just to be sure. “About 92.3% in children, 58.7% in adults.”

“That’s a huge change, Nahida. But even if had just been Rasab, you reduced the treatment time for him by at least a year, possibly more, and gave him back his childhood. Have you heard the story of the starfish?”

“Yes, but tell it to me anyway,” Nahida said, hugging herself and smiling. 

“A man was walking along the beach after a great storm, and saw that thousands, perhaps millions, of starfish had been washed up on the shores. The man felt sorrow that the starfish would die, but did nothing, for there were too many to save them all. As he walked along the beach, he found a young girl, picking up starfish, and tossing them back out into the surf.”

“‘What are you doing?’ the man asked the child. ‘Don’t you know that there are too many to save them all? You can’t make a difference that will matter.’”

“The young child paused, looking down at the starfish in her hands. ‘Yes. But I can save this one, and it will matter to it.’ Then, she threw the starfish back into the ocean. After a moment’s consideration, the man also bent down, picked up a starfish, and tossed it back. Together, he and the little girl saved many more starfish than they could have alone.” 

“I like that story,” Nahida said, looking back out the window. She put her hand to the glass, gazing out at all the people going by them on the street. “I know I’m not a very good Archon, I can’t save everyone. But…I still want to make a difference.”

“I haven’t heard you say that before. What makes you think you’re not a good Archon?” Bashir asked, glancing at Nahida in the rearview mirror.

“I’m not like Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, who guided Sumeru for many long centuries and created many mighty works, establishing the Akadeymiya, that is the Sumeru institute of higher learning. Nor am I like Barbatos, who brought freedom to his people in Mondstadt and in Germany, or like Beelzebul who slew many evil gods in the Archon war and saved Japan from Leviathan. I’m just… I’m just a foolish little radish,” Nahida said bitterly. 

“Really?” Bashir asked, frowning as they pulled in to the driveway. 

As they did so, Qiqi looked up from watering the plants, a smile forming on her lips. She trotted over, her watering can trailing dribbles of water, Aranarakin and Arana buzzing along with her. She raised her hand, her fingers opening and closing in a greeting. “Hello, Nahida. Hello, Daddy.”

“Hello, Qiqi,” Nahida said brightly, her sulk forgotten in the simple joy of reunion. “Hello, Arana, and Aranarakin. Rasab is cured of cancer!”

“Yay,” Qiqi said, clapping her hands, though Nahida knew she hadn’t the faintest clue what that meant. The aranara trilled happy cheers, buzzing about Nahida’s head happily. 

“This is good news! Wheeled Nara will be able to walk again! He will grow strong, and drink from many waters,” Aranarakin said happily. 

“Sarva nara has made his dreams come true!” Arana declared, landing on Nahida’s head and making her giggle. 

As they chatted, Farasha stuck her head out of the house, then smiled and waved. “Hey there! I got your text, congratulations! I’m so happy to hear little Rasab is healthy!”

“And he’s coming to my birthday party!” Nahida giggled, beaming happily at the thought. 

“That’s great to hear, little radish,” Farasha said, coming over and giving her a hug. Then she stood on her tiptoes to kiss Bashir, and Nahida blushed and looked away. “I made dinner to celebrate!”

Nahida and Bashir both froze, giving Farasha uneasy looks.

“Ha! Just kidding. I bought takeout. Not even I want to eat my own cooking,” Farasha teased, ruffling Nahida’s hair. “Come on, I got falafel from that stall you like.”

At that news, Nahida and Bashir both perked up immediately, hurrying inside to share a happy meal. The falafel was delicious, and it felt good to come home after a long day’s good work. Farasha was looking much better than she had, her eyes dancing with laughter, her cheeks flushed with health. 

Tentitively, Nahida poked at both Farasha and Qiqi’s demons. 

DATA? Papilio asked eagerly. Even Pristina Nola, which was what Nahida had named Qiqi’s Demon, pealed with eagerness. 

Yes. At last, I can give you the full treatment plan for leukemia using Dendro energy, Nahida told the two demons. They eagerly seized on the information Nahida shared, including the delight and joy of a job well done, the tears of pain and happiness, and the love that Rasab and his parents had shared. 

Pristina tingled her delight, as did Papilio who simply said DATA ACCEPTED. THIS EXCHANGE IS SATISFACTORY.

After dinner, Nahida got Bashir’s permission and hopped onto the internet, where after a quick search, she found Tess. 

Hey! How’d it go? Tess asked, her spirit vibrating with eagerness. 

Really well! Rasab is fully in remission. There is a slight chance that he could relapse, but…

But you’d sense that, wouldn’t you? Absolutely zero cancer, then?

None at all! He’s cured! And the treatment is being used successfully at other hospitals where there are Dendro Vision Holders! We might see a real breakthrough in all sorts of cancer treatment, as well as other diseases! Nahida said in delight. 

That’s completely awesome! I’m really excited for you, Nahida! °˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°

╰( ^o^)╮╰( ^o^)╮ Nahida grinned, basking in success for a moment. 

Then she frowned, and sent, Have you talked to your dad yet? 

No. I told you, I’m not going to do that until I have a real fallback plan. I’ve just about gathered what I need. Once I have all that ready, and I’m sure talking to him won’t result in me getting erased, then I’ll do it. This time, Tess sounded more than a little grumpy and irritated. 

I could help you, you know. You could come live on our computer, or I could make you one…

No. This is my problem. I’ll solve it myself. If thing’s don’t work out…maybe living in your dream or whatever is a good fallback. I just…I really don’t want to screw this up, OK? I promise, I’ll talk to him soon. 

It had been nearly nine months of this, and Nahida knew Tess had been slowly acquiring the funds to get her own fabrication plant together, where she could construct a body of her own to flee to if her talk with her father went badly. Nahida didn’t think that would happen, Andrew Richter didn’t seem like a bad man at all. But, he did have a demon leeching off his soul, and they drove their hosts to great evil, so caution wasn’t imprudent. 

Rasab agreed to come to my birthday party. I wish you could come as well, Nahida sent, feeling a little guilty. She was trying to play on Tess’ emotions, just a little. 

Well, we can have an awesome party in the Dream after. Maybe you could introduce me to the rest of your family, Bashir’s been getting better at this Dreamwalking stuff, right? 

Yes, but he doesn’t take his training very seriously aside from healing. I’ve tried to get him to learn some basic defensive techniques, but all he’s really interested in is ways to help his patients. I can’t blame him: learning advanced healing techniques does require a great deal of training, and the same can be said of Elemental Combat. Not that I would be very good at teaching that…

It’ll be fine. At least your dad loves you. 

I hope you find out yours does too, Nahida said, then after a bit more chatting, signed off for the night. 

The next day, Nahida accompanied Dr. Bashir and Farasha to the Special Action Squad HQ, in order for Doctor Bashir to conduct his usual medical exams of the Parahumans. As had become her habit, Nahida helped the doctor with the check-ups, subtly doing her own exams of the Demons that possessed the Parahumans of the squad.

 Thankfully, most of them were not anywhere near as close to subsuming their hosts as Farasha’s had been, and most of the Demons were eager to trade more freedom for their hosts for bits of information from Nahida. Since she had 500 years of Akadymia research to draw on, having downloaded a copy of all available records in the Akasha long ago, Nahida had a lot to bargain with. 

The other benefit to this was that Nahida got to say hello to all the members of the Special Action Squad, especially her friend Corporal Muhammad, who helped her as she helped administer to the various patients. 

“So, these sub-dermal spikes, they cause you pain?” Nahida asked, gently prodding at the skin of one of the parahumans. There was a bit of angry red swelling around where large fragments of what looked like obsidian were poking out of his forearm. 

“Yes, that’s what I keep telling the doctors! I just need more of the pain medicine,” the man, who called himself Alnays growled. He was in his mid-twenties, and from Nahida could tell, his liver was in horrible shape from the constant drinking he was doing, along with opioids. Doctor Bashir hadn’t been the one to prescribe those, but the spikes really were causing Alnay’s pain. He could fire them at his enemies and grow them rapidly, to the point where they would cover his entire body in a nearly indestructible coat. 

“Hmm, that’s a temporary solution to the problem,” Nahida murmured. She reached out and touched Alnays’ Demon. It recoiled and snapped at her, but she gently offered it a bit of information.

You’re causing your host pain.

PAIN IS DATA. DATA IS PARAMOUNT. SUBJECT IS IRRELEVANT. 

I can show you a better way. Here, wouldn’t you like this information on how to use geo constructs to create armor? 

THIS IS…DATA? DATA! 

In exchange, you’re going to modify how you treat your host. I’m going to alter your function and his biology to shut off the pain receptors as he uses his power, and that unnecessary aggression trigger you’ve added. 

All the demons did that, which frustrated Nahida to no end. Young human males were aggressive enough by default. Pouring fuel on that fire was a recipe for disaster. 

CONFLICT IS NESSESSARY. PAIN DRIVES CONFLICT.

There’s another way. And, don’t you want this juicy data I have for you? If you behave, I’ll have more for you later…

The demon was reluctant, so Nahida brought in a ringer to help her: Papilio. 

BRIGHT TREE HAS GOOD DATA. DO AS BRIGHT TREE ASKS. HER DATA IS SUPERIOR, Farasha’s demon told Alnay’s, which Nahida had decided she would name Prickly. 

CONSENSUS REACHED. BARGAIN ACCEPTED. GIVE DATA! Pickly demanded, and Nahida handed it over, mentally giving the Demon a pat on the head like she would a dog. It balked at first, but then came back for more as Nahida fed it more dribbles. That made Papilio sulk, so Nahida affectionately gave it a small packet of information on a type of Pyro stove. 

Thank you! Make sure to tell all of your friends to be nicer. Humans aren’t subjects, they’re friends. Remember how much fun it is to have tea with Farasha and I?

FUN IS IRRELEVANT, ONLY DATA. Papilio grumbled. Then it hopefully asked, MORE DATA? 

What do we say, Nahida said sternly.

PLEASE! THANK YOU! MORE DATA! Papilio vibrated eagerly.

Later, Nahida said gently. If you’re good. 

PAPILIIO WILL BE GOOD, the Demon assured her. 

As she struck the bargain with Pricky, Nahida had been infusing a bit of Dendro into Alnay, which caused him to suddenly sag as she soothed away the pain. “I can make it so it doesn’t hurt anymore, no drugs. But to do that, I need your permission. I’ll have to alter your physiology slightly. The way your powers have manifested, they’re causing you pain. I can make it so they’ll no longer hurt you, and provide better results at the same time.”

“Do it. I just… I want the pain to go away,” Alnay groaned, sagging in his chair, his eyes squeezed shut. 

“Very well,” Nahida reached up, tapping his forehead gently, and putting Alnay into a trance. 

Then, she carefully reworked his biology with the help of Pricky the Demon, so that the spikes would no longer send flares of pain as they manifested, and so that they didn’t grow directly out of Alnay’s bones and through his muscle and skin, but out of the hair follicles on his body. That would make him much more of a porcupine, and Nahida also rewired the nerves to no longer register this as painful. She gently instructed Prickly how to make the spikes “float” on top of Alnay’s skin, showing it how to get better results as a defensive and offensive measure, while also not burdening the host. 

There were a few other minor adjudgements: Nahida had Prickly strengthen Alnay’s bones and muscles so they could better bear the load of the heavy spikes, and gave them some thermo-regulating properties as they’d block sweat glands, which could lead to overheating if not properly balanced. 

All this took Nahida only a few minutes, after which she gently tapped Alnay on the forehead again. “Wake up! It’s all done.”

After a few blinks, Alnay sat up, looking down at his now spikefree body. “I… I don’t hurt anymore. But where…”

“You can control it better now, though it will take some practice,” Nahida told Alnay. “Just focus the same way you did before. They won’t grow out of your bones, but you should have better aim. The one issue is, um, you have hairy palms now…”

Turning his hands over, Alnay examined his palms, from which bristly black hair now sprouted. 

“Those can turn into spikes now, if you focus. See? Like that!” 

Alnay had produced one large spike in his right hand, and two smaller ones in his left, both gleaming dully in the fluorescent light. “There is no pain… how…?”

“Um, I’m training to be a doctor with my father,” Nahida said, which was technically true. “He’s shown me a lot of the techniques he uses to treat parahuman patients.” Also true. Though it had nothing to do with what Nahida had just done.

For a moment, Alnay just stared at his hands. Then he popped off the spikes and dropped them to the ground with a stone-like clatter. Then he bowed deeply to Nahida. “Thank you! Thank you so much! I… I could not sleep, could not be with my wife, could not even hug my children… thank you! It’s been five months…”

“Hey, get up, you’re welcome! I’m just doing what any good doctor would do, if they knew how,” Nahida told Alnay, who was crying as he continued to babble his thanks. 

Nahida saw several other patients, though none of them needed adjustments as major as Alnay, which was a good thing as she was fairly worn out after that much of an expenditure of energy. When lunchtime came, a familiar face came to see her, and Nahida burst into a smile.

“Aunty Faruzan!”

“Hello there, Nahida! I hear it’s almost someone’s birthday!” Faruzan said, poking her head. “You’re father is still busy, and Farasha’s in a meeting with the President. Why don’t you come join me for a light lunch.”

Lunch turned out to be some salads with dates and almonds, while the two of them discussed various historical and modern fashion trends. At the end of it, Faruzan presented Nahida with a box. “It’s finally ready! I was worried that you’d have grown to much by the time I finished it, but you hardly seem to have grown at all over the last year, so if anything, it might be too big.”

Nahida had, in fact, not grown at all in 500 years as far as she could tell, so it was highly unlikely she’d grown in the past year. Still, she eagerly dug into the box, knowing what she would find, but all the more delighted. 

“It’s beautiful!” Nahida gasped, holding up the shimmering green fabric. It was a cape costume, though really it was more of a historical costume. The entire dress was green silk, with colorful patterns in the shape of yellow flowers embroidered on it, and more patterns along the hem, which would fall to just below Nahida’s knees. There was also a collar on the dress with more vines, and even a few stylized radishes, which made her giggle. To top it all off, there was a brown headwrap that had more green and silver scrollwork along the hem, all of it complimenting the dress. 

“Happy Birthday, Nahida. I know it’s early, but I just couldn’t resist giving it to you today,” Faruzan said, smiling happily. “Go on, try it on! I want to make sure it fits you.”

The costume fit like a glove, and Nahida raced through the halls of the headquarters with Faruzan behind her, giggling in her eager glee to show off her new costume. She ran back to where Bashir was seeing patients, only to skid to a halt, her heart suddenly pounding.

“What is this? Why are you running?” an angry Major Waleed demanded, half raising his rifle towards Nahida, who took a step back in fear. 

“Major! She’s just excited to show her father,” Faruzan snapped, stepping forward and pushing Nahida behind her skirts, glaring at the captain and the two other guards with guns. 

“The President is in here and no-” a burning crimson butterfly flowy fluttered over Waleed’s shoulder, and he froze, both guards slowly backing away. A moment later, Farasha stepped forward, the fiery insect landing on an outstretched finger. She smiled at Nahida, then turned to Waleed. 

“Major. That is my daughter. Her father and I are getting married in only two months. Perhaps you hadn’t heard,” Farasha said in dangerously chipper tones. 

“I…” Waleed swallowed, backing away from Farasha’s maniacal grin. “I didn’t recognize her.”

“Oh, really? Well. I suggest you ask my fiance to check your eyes. He’s very good at that,” Farasha purred, the butterfly’s wings opening and closing to reveal a little skull pattern as it rested on her fingers. Stepping forward, Farasha put her face right in Waleed’s. “Because if anything were to happen to Nahida, I would kill everyone in this room. Starting with you. And then, who knows? I might burn the entire city down before I killed myself. Do you understand me, Major?”

“Y-yes.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Waleed shot Farasha a look of pure hatred, but his horror of the fiery insect in her hands overpowered his pride. “Yes, ma’am,” he grated, his voice dripping with anger and terror. 

“Good.” With that, Farasha ripped a bandaid off her finger, and the butterfly was sucked back in, whisps of smoke training from the wound. Then Farasha rebandaged it, and turned around. “Get out of my sight.”

“But the president-”

“Is perfectly safe with me, and even more so with Doctor Bashir. You, however, are not. Saeed is less merciful than I am towards those who threaten our daughters.”

Waleed’s eyes went very wide, and the other two guards exchanged horrified looks. “W-we’ll wait outside.” In a stampede of boots, they were gone. 

Nahida sent a worried pulse towards Papilio, and to her shock, found the Demon was actually angry, but that it wasn’t the Demon’s anger that had propelled Farasha to nearly immolate Walleed. Instead, both host and demon were in perfect agreement: PROTECT NAHIDA. 

That was both comforting and terrifying. Nahida was very familiar with the protective maternal instincts of humanity, but what did it mean that a Demon wanted to safeguard her? 

NOT YOU. DATA. DATA MUST BE PROTECTED, Papilio said sullenly. That lie might have worked better if the Demons had any experience with falsehoods, or if Nahida wasn’t the God of Wisdom. As it was, Papilio came off more as a petulant child. 

Thank you, but please, don’t hurt people for my sake, Nahida sent, then turned her focus back to what Farasha was saying. 

Farasha had knelt, smiling at Nahida and adjusting her dress slightly as she didn’t meet Nahida’s eyes. She looked uncomfortable but had been saying comforting platitudes. That wasn’t what was really bothering her, and Farasha was just getting to what had her on edge. 

“There’s activity on the Iranian border. We think they’re going to try something in the next week, so I’m being sent there to monitor them. I… I might miss your birthday.”

Tears sprang into Nahida’s eyes unbidden, even though she knew it was folly. “That’s OK, w-we can celebrate when you get back.”

“We will,” Farasha promised, hugging Nahida tightly. “I just… I didn’t want to miss your birthday, Little Radish. Not with so many of your friends being there. Did you invite Nadia like I told you?”

“Um, n-not yet,” Nahida admitted. “She has a check-up tomorrow… I was waiting for that.”

“Well, make sure you do it. There’s a lot of kids and their families who would love to call themselves your friend, you know?” Farasha said, standing again. “And that dress looks amazing on you. I might have to get you to make me one, Faruzan!”

“I’d love to,” Faruzan said, smiling and putting a hand on Nahida’s shoulder. “Am I invited to this party of yours?”

Nahida gasped, and quickly dug into the bag slung over her shoulder, digging out an invitation. Before she could hand it over to Faruzan, she froze, the letter clutched in her trembling hands. 

“Ah, what’s this, for me?” the President said, striding through the door with Bashir half a step behind him. 

Nahida considered telling the President no, but he was too unpredictable for that. If he felt slighted, even by a little girl… “I-I’m having a party, a-and I wanted to invite you, Your Excellency…”

“Ah, how kind. Waleed, take it for me. Waleed?” Saddam looked around, an irritated expression on his face. 

“I sent him outside. I’m all the protection you need in here,” Farasha promised. 

A look of irritation flashed over Saddam’s face, but then he smiled, putting his arm around Farasha’s. “Ah, my thoughtful butterfly, always looking out for me! Yes, now, we must talk. Come, this is for your ears only.”

Arm in arm, Nahida’s invitation forgotten, Saddam strode out, forcing Nahida to duck against the wall to make way for him. A moment later, he was gone, and Bashir was standing next to her.

“Are you alright?” he asked, crouching down next to her.

She nodded, silently handing the invitation to Faruzan, who gave her a quiet, “Thank you.”

“I think… I think I want to go home now,” Nahida said, feeling exhausted. “I had to rewire Alnay’s biology, his powers were deliberately causing him pain, so I helped his demon understand how to interact with a human host in a less destructive manner.”

“Demon?” Faruzan asked, looking up from reading the invitation with concern. 

“Just what she calls the Corona Pollentia,” Bashir said, picking Nahida up in his arms. He smiled at Faruzan. “You’ll be there?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Faruzan promised, giving Nahida’s hand a squeeze. “You two get home.”

That evening, Nahida made sure to take Farasha into a special dream with Papilio, carefully showing the Demon ways of Farasha’s power working without the need for her to self-harm. 

“It’s bad for a host's psychology if you deliberately teach them self-destructive behaviors. If you want to form a truly symbiotic relationship, there are other ways,” Nahida told Papilio. 

“I mean, I’d prefer not to cut myself up,” Farasha agreed. She was once more a young girl, barely pubescent, looking much as she must have when she became the Butcher of Dasman Palace. “But that’s how it’s always worked.”

“Powers originated from species with burning blood. Modified with adaptive memetic spread. Energy transfer requires blood,” Papilio grumbled in a tinkling voice that sounded all wrong for a horrible demon, but fit the beautiful crimson butterfly it manifested as. 

“Well, then you adapt them better to a new host. I have some ideas. I won’t make any major changes tonight, but…”

Nahida talked for long hours until it was time to let Farasha truly sleep, then took Papilio on a tour of the flower gardens of Pardis Dhyai, or at least the best approximation Nahida could simulate from the data she had available. 

“Butterflies are supposed to love flowers,” Nahida told Papilio. The Demon obligingly went over to a flower, which shriveled and burned at its touch.

“No useful data acquired,” the demon reported. 

“No, no, like this,” Nahida said, and showed Papilio how to gently caress a flower and smell it. It took a few tries, but eventually, Papilio managed to touch a flower without incinerating it. 

In the morning, Nahida was there when Nadia ran in for her appointment, her weary mother trailing behind her. 

“Hi, Nahida! It’s good to see you again!” Nadia said, coming over and giving Nahida a hug.

“Your leg is doing well, you’ve grown a lot,” Nahida said, smiling up at the taller girl. 

“Yeah, did you shrink? It’s like you’re smaller than last time,” Nadia said, measuring from her own head to Nahida’s and giggling. 

“No, I’m still the same size. I guess I just grow very slowly,” Nahida said in another of her astounding understatements. 

The checkup went well enough: Nadia’s bones had mended completely months ago, and she seemed to be a girl in perfect health. 

“Um, would you come to my birthday party?” Nahida asked, handing Nadia an invitation after the visit was over and Sajy and Bashir were just chatting. 

“Yes! I love birthdays! Mom, we have to come to Nahida’s party!” Nadia begged.

“Of course, dear, when is it?” Sajy asked, taking the invitation. “Ah, next Monday after school. Perfect. Abdul just got a new job, so we can afford a nice present.”

“He’s always sleeping during the day now, his job must be really hard,” Nadia commented. 

“Just you coming is enough,” Nahida told Nadia. “I don’t get to see my friends very often…”

“It’s too bad, you’d like my friends at school,” Nadia said. Then she brightened suddenly, a mischievous grin on her face. “Mom, we’re going to play in the garden!”

“Alright, don’t go too far,” Sajy said, then turned back to talk with Doctor Bashir as Nadia led Nahida outside.

“I have a totally awesome idea!” Sajy whispered. “You can come to school with me on your birthday and meet my friends!”

“I can’t, I’m not allowed,” Nahida said, hanging her head sadly. 

“That’s why we’ll sneak you there!” Nadia said eagerly. “It’ll be easy! We could walk to school from your house, it’s not that far.”

“But I’m not supposed to,” Nahida said, even as her heart began to flutter with excitement. 

“Yeah, but it’ll just be one time! And maybe if the teachers like you, you can keep coming!” Nadia laughed. “I’ll come on Monday and take you there with Zeina and Ela. It’ll be great!”

Nahida almost said no, but she so desperately wanted to go to school. She nodded. “Ok. I think I can make it work…”

The next couple of days passed far more slowly than usual, with Nahida eagerly anticipating both her birthday party and her first (and perhaps only) day of school. When the day arrived, Nahida told Dr. Bashir she’d be staying home with Qiqi that day, then told Mrs. Rasab she’d be down in the clinic. Then, Nahida took the backpack with paper, pencils, crayons, a lunch in a brown paper bag, and a water bottle, and hurried out the the street. 

A few minutes later, Nadia and her two friends came by, along with one of their fathers.

“See, she’s right there! She’s new,” one of the girls, Ela Nahida surmised from her thoughts, told her father. 

“Who is this girl?” Ela’s father asked, frowning at Nahida.

“Um, I’m Nahida. I-I know Nadia from meeting her at the clinic,” Nahida admitted. 

“Hmm, I haven’t seen you before, but isn’t this the clinic where-” the man began, but Nadia interrupted him. 

“Come on, Mr. Sabah, we’ll be late, we have to hurry!” Nadia declared, then giggled and pushed Nahida along in front of her her. Mr. Sabah seemed to decide this was someone else’s problem, with a little help from Arana who buzzed up and whispered in his ear to redirect his thoughts, then followed after the four girls as they hurried off the towards the school. 

The building they arrived at an elementary school less than a mile from Nahida’s house, and a palace she’d visited frequently in the dream world as well as walking by in the waking one. It was yet ten minutes until the school day started, with teachers standing by the gate and welcoming in students, or monitoring the children playing in the school yard. Nahida’s steps slowed as she took it all in: the chaos, the running, and the shrieking, as well as the jumble of emotions.

However, as she approached, fully a dozen aranara lifted off from within the school yard, catching the attention of the children. They all buzzed over to Nahida, greeting her warmly. 

“Welcome, Sarva Nara! Have you come to join the other nara?” one particularly bold aranara named Arabalika asked, hovering over Nahida’s head. 

Ela and Zaida goggled, but Nadia took Nahida’s hand and nodded to Arabaika. “She is! It’s her birthday, so she’s coming to school with us!”

With that, Nadia pulled Nahida into the schoolyard, where she was soon surrounded by eager children, all asking who she was and how the aranara knew her. 

“Why do the djinn call you Sarva Nara?” one boy with a runny nose asked.

“Um, b-because that’s their name for a special tree,” Nahida replied. The children seemed to accept that, but before they could inquire further, an older woman in a practical ankle-length skirt and a checked headwrap came over, peering over her spectacles at Nahida. “Nadia, Ela, who is this girl? I’ve not seen her before.”

“She’s Nahida, Mrs. Wafa,” Nadia explained. “She’s starting school!”

“Oh? Are your parents here?” Mrs. Wafa asked, looking down at Nahida as her brow wrinkled. “Haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

She’d seen Nahida at the Mosque a few times, and Nahida feared that the woman would soon recognize her. Hastily, she took off her backpack, offering up a sheaf of papers. “Um, m-my father sent these, to register me.”

Mrs. Wafa’s eyebrows rose, and she paged through them, before pausing. “Ah, yes, you’re one of Doctor Bashir’s daughters. But I thought-” Her lips pressed into a line, and Nahida felt her heart skip a beat, and she feared all was lost.

Then Mrs. Wafa smiled at her, kneeling down at putting a hand on Nahida’s shoulder. “Well, it’s about time. I’ll talk with Principle Ali, but he feels the same way I do: Little girls belong in school. Even if I’m sure Doctor Bashir has been doing a good job of teaching you, it’s not good for a child your age to be alone. What about the other one, the girl with the developmental delay, Qiqi isn’t it?”

“Um, she didn’t come today,” Nahida mumbled. 

“I see. Well, she would be somewhat hard to handle for us, but we’d find a way. Come, dear, I’ll show you to the classroom.”

Nahida was led to a classroom with a photo of President Saddam on the wall, and shown where to put her things. She could hardly believe she was getting away with this: Mrs. Wafa clearly knew Nahida was a cape of some kind, but she also clearly thought the law banning parahuman children was nonsense and that a young child should be in school. Apparently, the principal shared her belief, as when he came at Mrs. Wafa’s call, he just told her he would take care of registering Nahida and took the papers. 

He smiled at her and said, “Welcome to our school, Nahida Saeed.” Then he left. 

A short time later, Nadia and her friends along with twenty other little girls crammed into the small room with Nahida. The room was furnished with rows of wooden desks, and had pictures of state propaganda on the walls mixed with cute pictures of cats with motivational sayings, charts for numbers, colors, and the arabic alphabet, and a few other things. 

Then, for short while, Nahida was just a child in a classroom. Mrs. Wafa taught the First Grade girls, and happily welcomed Nahida to her classroom. Nahida sang along with the morning songs and recited the ways to count to one hundred, listened to a story, and raised her hand (only once, she didn’t want to take away from other’s learning) to answer a question to Mrs. Wafa’s delight. 

For a blissful hour, Nahida was just a little girl, in a classroom with her new friends, enjoying life.

Then, she sensed Death. 

It came over Nahida like a wave of doom. A sense of dread and horror so palpable she nearly vomited. She spun about in the middle of the lesson, jumping up to her feet and knocking back her chair with a clatter. 

“Nahida? Do you need to use the potty?” Mrs. Wafa asked, but her voice was distant, unheard.

Death comes. 

“Where are the shelters?” Nahida asked, her mind racing a mile a minute. She spun about, raising her voice. “Where are the shelters?!”

“Nahida?” Mrs. Wafa asked, looking startled. “What do you-”

The Angel of Death comes on silent wings. 

“Never mind, everyone, line up, right now!” Nahida gasped, running for the door.

Outside, the Aranara began to sing, a keening dirge of fear and terror, as they sensed Nahida’s fear spreading through the Dream at the speed of thought. 

“Nahida, what is-” Mrs. Wafa asked, but Nahida was slamming her hand onto the light switch, tapping into the electrical grid. Her premonition only intensified, a psychic wave spreading through her body like molten glass as every fiber of her being began to kick into overdrive. 

The Song of Destruction soon begins. 

“The Endbringer Shelters are located behind the school, do you know how to secure them against the Simurgh?” Nahida asked calmly, turning to Mrs. Wafa. “You don’t have much time.”

“Nahdia! Don’t joke about such things!” Mrs. Wafa gasped, swallowing hard. “And dear, I can’t cover for you if-”

The children began to cry, some of the girls clinging to one another in fear at the mention of the most feared of Endbringers. 

“This isn’t a joke,” Nahida said quietly. In the distance, sirens began to wail as Nahida triggered the Endbringer Alarms. “She’ll be here soon. Get to the shelters. Hurry.”

Mrs. Wafa had gone completely pale, freezing in place for a moment as several girls screamed. Then she drew herself up and clapped in a distinctive rhythm. Clap, clap, clap-clap-clap.

“Class, line up in ABC order. Quickly now, grab your lunches and any water you have,” she barked over the distressed sounds of children. “It will be alright. Think of it just like the drills we do.”

At an adult asserting authority, the children all responded, hastily grabbing their backpacks and lining up. But Nahida could not stay, slipping out.

“Nahida!” Mrs. Wafa shouted. “Nahida!” 

I’m sorry, Nahida whispered to Mrs. Wafa’s mind. I really liked being in your class today. But don’t worry. I won’t let the Simurgh hurt you. I promise. 

She dashed out of the building, even before the first panicked teachers led their students towards the shelter, which Nahida knew would not be enough to save them from what approached. Simple earth and concrete could not keep out the Song of Death. 

Forming a bubble of Dendro about herself, Nahida flew up onto the rooftops, a swarm of Aranara buzzing along behind her. 

“Sarva Nara! What comes?” Arabalika called.

“The Angel of Death!” Nahida cried. “Protect the children! Take them into the Dream! Her song won’t hurt them there! Spread out over the city! Get as many people into the Dream as you can!” 

“But, Sarva Nara, you cannot face-”

“Go! I am the Archon! I am the Branch of Irminsul! Do as I command!” Nahida wailed, tears filling her eyes.

The aranara hesitated, then bobbed bows in the air and scattered. Turning, Nahida looked up at the sky for a moment, taking a deep breath. She let her premonition calculate the vector of the Simurgh’s arrival, then set out across the city, jumping from rooftop to rooftop, floating over the panicked crowds below her. 

Qiqi, Mrs. Rasab, Doctor Bashir! Please, flee! The Simurgh comes! Nahida cried out. 

Nahida?! Where are you!? I can’t find you! Doctor Bashir’s thoughts came back to her.

It’s alright. I… I enjoyed having you as a father. I have to go now. I promise, the city will be safe.

Nahida?! What are you doing?! I’m going to the Special Action Squad Headquarters, but Qiqi and Mrs Rasab are-

I’m sorry. Get to safety. It will be well. 

Then Nahida forcibly cut the connection. She dashed across the city as fast as her little legs and Dendro bubble could carry her, cursing her lack of mobility in every language she knew, which was all of them, though she very carefully did not use any words that would actually be considered a curse. 

As she neared the city center half an hour later, she looked up, and a gleaming white shape descended. Nahida had been warned early of the Simurgh’s arrival thanks to her connection to the Soul of the World, warned of the coming death before it arrived. She leapt into the air, rising up to meet the Simurgh, traveling as fast as she could.

As if sensing her approach, the Simurgh slowed, altering her trajectory and veering towards Nahida. Then, the Endbringer came to a halt, precisely 1000 meters above the streets of Bahgdad. Slowly, the Angel of Death began to unfold her wings.

These are my people! This is my city! I won’t let you claim them! Nahida shouted with every fiber of her being, meeting the empty and malevolent gaze of the pristine creature.

The Simurgh smiled, revealing perfectly white teeth, then, she open her mouth, preparing to sing. 

Nahida closed her eyes and drew a single symbol in the air. 

Dream.

Then, the God of Wisdom and the Angel of Death clashed with will and song. 

PHILO: You have no idea how funny it was to have my silly little poem get everybody riled up. This is going to be a good one.

The Last Drop of Hope, Chapter 25

With her armor gone, Tina didn’t have many choices for clothing and ended up in a yellow cocktail dress. It was hardly how she’d prefer to be garbed for battle, especially against a Duke of Hell. Whatever that meant. As far as weapons went, their options were even more limited. The only remotely weaponlike things that Tina had found were some plastic hair sticks, which were better than nothing but a far cry from what she’d prefer. 

“But I don’t remember any of this!” Rain cried, scrambling around in a frantic search for her possessions. They were currently all in a lavish bedroom that had clothes set out for them, which included only lingerie, cocktail dresses, and a variety of outfits that Tina could only describe as fetish gear. If she’d been alone with Claire, it might have been exciting to try on a latex bodysuit or maid outfit. As it was, it just made her feel filthy despite having just showered. 

“That’s the point. We got slipped a mickey,” Claire growled, stalking about the room like a caged tiger, peering again and again under the mattress, behind the curtains, in every drawer, and in the closet for something even remotely resembling a weapon. So far, she’d fashioned a shank out of a clothes hanger but wasn’t satisfied. 

“A magical one,” Tina agreed, keeping her own eye on the door. “The question then becomes, how do we get out of here, and how do we kill those bastards that did it?”

“Without them doing it again,” Rain added, finally giving up and slumping on the bed next to Cecily, who was in a bit of a daze.

“We’ve got skills, even without weapons. And magic,” Claire declared, sitting down to fashion another shank, this one out of another hair stick. “We can take them.”

“No we can’t,” Cecily croaked, lifting her arm from her face. She still looked completely drained, having spent a great deal of mana to break whatever spell had been put on the others. She hadn’t succumbed to Mind Down, but it had been close. 

“Why not? He can’t be stronger than Beldia,” Claire pointed out.

“He’s stronger, probably,” Cecily sighed, closing her eyes again. 

Tina shot Claire a worried look, but her partner was focused on fashioning her makeshift weapon still, rubbing the plastic up and down against the metal edge of the bed frame. “Stronger? You said he was a Duke of Hell, what does that mean?”

“I don’t really know, just that it means he’s powerful. Aqua said Maxwell and Vanir were both Dukes of Hell, and stronger even than the Demon King,” Cecily whispered. “I don’t know if even Iris would be strong enough to beat Maxwell.”

“Her Majesty is strong enough to beat anything,” Claire snapped, looking up with fury in her eyes, but Tina could sense it was born more of fear than anger.

“Direct combat isn’t the way to solve this,” Tina sighed, feeling completely out of her element. She racked her brains, trying to come up with what to do, and drawing a blank. “So…what do we do about Alderp?”

“I’d rather die than bear that pig's child. Any disagreements on that?” Claire demanded, looking up at the others. 

Tina nodded emphatically immediately, while Rain hesitated for a moment, but then nodded her agreement. Cecily just gave a thumbs up, then dropped her hand listlessly back onto the bed. 

“So…what do we do then?” Tina said, looking around. “We could try to escape, get word back to Iris and Aqua, but…”

“But we’d be leaving a mess behind us, and we don’t have a good extraction plan. There are too many guards, and none of us are bullet proof,” Claire said grimly. 

“Um, I might have a solution,” Rain said, raising her hand. “I…I can cast the Sleep spell. If I did that, then, um, made Alderp think he’d done it with me…”

“That could buy us some time,” Tina agreed. She frowned, folding her arms and rubbing her chin with one hand. “However, we still need to find a solution…”

“I’ll try to get Alderp to talk in bed,” Rain sighed. “You know Walter. Can you get him to talk?”

“Probably. For being the son of a complete asshole, he’s not the worst,” Claire said, holding up her finished shank and admiring it. She held it out to Tina, then turned around so that she could fix Claire’s hair with the pin.

“Then that’s what we do,” Tina agreed. “We’ll get Walter to talk, and, well, put Alderp to bed.”

“What if my spell doesn’t work?” Rain asked, fiddling nervously with the bedsheet.

“I’ll make you a shank,” Claire promised. 

Rain gave her a pained smile, but Tina nodded grimly. She had thought this would be a situation where she could use her usual method of simply beating things into submission. Why did everything always have to get so damn complicated these days?

Kazuma had thought that the scariest thing was being alone in space with every single person for a million miles trying to specifically hunt you down and kill you. That had been terrifying more in an existential sense, but at least he’d had a clear goal and had known how to survive.

But being alone in a deserted city with no idea why or even how everyone and everything was just gone? That was truly existentially terrifying. 

Well, not completely alone, Lolisa was there too, so Kazuma tried to project an air of macho calm and confidence. You know, for her sake. 

“We’ll check out that building,” Kazuma said, pointing. “I’m not picking up any hostiles with Detect Foe, but you stick close to me, just in case.”

“Are you sure? You feel terrified,” Lolisa said, looking up at Kazuma with concern. 

“Pff, what, me? Nah, this is nothing. Besides, we took on Beldia, how bad can it be?” Kazuma bragged, swaggering forward with a confidence he truly didn’t feel.

Lolisa hurried after Kazuma, catching up to him and walking alongside him. After a moment, she quietly slipped his hand into his, giving Kazuma a small smile. He blushed, but he didn’t let go of her hand. Not because it was romantic, but because he was completely terrified, and it was good to have a reminder that there was another living soul in this tomb. 

The first building they searched was a storefront, one that had clearly been thoroughly looted of foodstuffs. However, a chill ran down Kazuma’s spine when he used Pick Lock to pop open the register. Inside, he found a full cash drawer, several hundred NyteTech credits, just laying there. 

“That’s not right,” he muttered, staring down at all the money. Part of him wanted to take it, but the rest of him…well. It was fairly worthless these days. 

“Kazuma, look over there,” Lolisa said, pointing to the shelves. Kazuma followed the line of her finger, then swore. While the booze, cigarettes, and hard drugs had been cleared out, there were still high quality electronics locked up, as well as toiletries and clothing. 

“What the fuck,” Kazuma muttered, going over and inspecting what was left. Some of the shelves had been cleared out and probably looted, but not as much as you would think. 

“Yeah,” Lolisa agreed, looking around, her lips pursed. “There has to be a reason for this. Food is gone, so are the drugs. But not the valuables. What’s the pattern?”

“I dunno,” Kazuma said, shaking his head. “It’s like…everyone got up and just…walked away. But where? And why?”

“I don’t think we’ll find answers here,” Lolisa whispered, peering into the shadows at the back of the store. “Come on, let’s search the next building.” She headed to the exit, then waited for Kazuma to catch up, slipping her hand back into his and giving him a smile, squeezing his hand. 

He swallowed, and not just from the creepy crawlies. His mind didn’t know what to do. But it was a comfort, and that was enough for now. 

They next made their way back onto the road, passing near more small shops. A few had windows smashed and had been looted, but most of them were shut up tight, or even just unlocked, and it wasn’t obvious that they’d had much taken. Again, the same pattern: Food and consumables were gone, but regular goods were left to rot on the shelves. 

After what felt like an eternity of searching but hadn’t even been a half hour, Kazuma’s Sense Foe finally twinged. It wasn’t a strong hit, but he got the sense that there was a possible threat, and the direction.

“There,” Kazuma said, pointing to a building not far from them. “There’s something in there.”

“I don’t feel anything, let’s get closer,” Lolisa said, taking out her gun and flicking off the safety. She had to remove her hand from Kazuma’s to do it, and he tried not to resent that. It was practical, after all. 

Kazuma drew his pistol as well, then hesitated. “Should we call for the Crimson Demons?”

“Not yet, it could just be an animal, or a machine that you’re picking up. Sense Foe just tries to find potential hostiles, but I’m not sure how it would react to automated defenses. That might be more of a Detect Trap thing, but I never learned those skills,” Lolisa said quietly. “Come on.”

They hurried across the street, moving towards the vague sense of danger. As they moved, Kazuma’s impression grew stronger, and he was able to lead them through a couple of back alleys, then to a rather dilapidated bar. 

“Oh heaven above,” Lolisa groaned, putting out a hand as they drew near to the door. “I can feel that. You shouldn’t go in there.”

“What is it?” Kazuma hissed. 

Lolisa bit her lip and blushed, then sighed. “I can feel the lust. That danger you’re sensing? It’s succubi feeding. At least two of them.”

“Feeding? I thought you said you couldn’t…” Kazuma trailed off, then swallowed.

“Not until the magic started coming back, but with Aqua around… that might be enough,” Lolisa whispered. “Call for the Crimson Demons. It wouldn’t be a good idea for you to go in there.”

“I mean, we did come to find the succubi, right?” Kazuma asked, and Lolisa shot him an irritated look. “I’m not saying I should go in there. But you can, right? I’ll call the Crimson Demons so you have backup at least. I don’t want my soul sucked out, promise.”

Kazuma made the call, then waited tensely. It did feel like there was something bad in there, but what it was he couldn’t really tell. As they waited, the impression faded, and Lolisa breathed a sigh of relief. 

“They’ve finished. Though what that means for the poor men in there… If they were truly feeding, they’re probably dead,” Lolisa whispered. 

“Uh, so is it safe for me?” Kazuma asked worriedly, but with a twinge of disappointment. When Lolisa had sucked his soul out, it had felt really, really good. Right up until he died and it was painful, but hey. 

“Let’s just wait for the Crimsons,” Lolisa said, looking up. “There’s Megumin now.”

Kazuma sensed nothing, and saw less, squinting up into the twilight of the sky. 

Then someone tapped him on the shoulder and he about jumped out of his skin.

“I don’t see anyone, why’d you call me? Get scared?” Megumin demanded as Kazuma spun.

“Don’t do that!” Kazuma hissed, as even Lolisa jerked around, clearly taken by surprise even though she’d sensed Megumin somehow. 

“There are succubi in the building, probably with some, ah, males,” Lolisa said, pointing to the bar, which had a sign up front that read “Down and Dirty Pete’s.” 

“Hmph. Well, let’s go take a look,” Megumin said, striding forward. “If you’re too scared, Kazuma, you can just wait here.”

Feeling frustrated, Kazuma looked to Lolisa, who shrugged helplessly, then nodded for him to follow after them. They found the door locked and boarded up, and Megumin got ready to knock it down. 

“Hold on, let’s do this quietly,” Kazuma hissed, then used Pick Lock on the door. He studied the boards for a moment, then simply swung them open on a hidden hinge. “Just decoration. They want people to think it’s more abandoned than it is.”

He stepped aside, bowing to Megumin. “After you.”

“What a gentleman,” Megumin said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Then she broke down the door anyway and charged right on in, leading Kazuma to smack his palm against his face as Lolisa let out a squeak of protest. “She certainly leaves an impression,” he groaned. 

“Crimson Demons always do,” Lolisa agreed, then stormed in with her gun raised. After a moment’s hesitation, Kazuma followed. He wasn’t going to be left out, and he certainly wasn’t sticking around here on his lonesome. 

The main area of the bar looked abandoned, with a few overturned tables and chairs to show Megumin’s path. Nothing else was there: Empty shelves and a few bits of rubbish here and there. There were shouts and cries from the back however, and Kazuma and Lolisa hurried through two sets of smashed doors into a private lounge hidden up a flight of stairs. 

There, they found a far more comfortable nest: there were pillows and mattresses everywhere, in dark velvets and lacey silks, along with an entire shelf of canned goods and MREs. A dozen naked men were either sleeping on the mattresses or groggily trying to sit up, while three terrified succubi had been herded against the wall. To Kazuma’s surprise, they were dressed, given a somewhat loose definition of the term, and were looking flush and healthy. 

Lolisa let her gun hang from its shoulder strap, bending and checking on one of the men who was still laying there. He was flaccid, though by the mess he’d made of himself, Kazuma could tell he’d just blown his load. 

“Strange,” Lolisa muttered. “His vitality is low, but not dangerously so.” She put a finger to some of the emissions, to Kazuma’s disgust, then held it up and sniffed it, before making a face and wiping it on the coverlet of the mattress. “Fed upon, but not in the usual way…”

“-telling you, we weren’t hurting NOBODY!” the lead succubus cried, shying away from Megumin. She was perhaps the classical form of succubi: tanned skin, wavy blond hair with red bat wings poking up, absolutely stacked, and dressed in lingerie with fishnet stockings and gloves that left absolutely nothing to the imagination.

He swallowed, then noticed that Lolisa was flushed and very pointedly not looking at him. “She’s alright,” Kazuma commented. “If you’re into the whole gyaru thing.” 

Lolisa blinked, then snuck a glance at Kazuma. “Gyaru?”

“You know, the fake tans, boob jobs, and dyed hair. Looks kinda trashy. Plus, the whole vicious predator thing. You’re much cuter,” Kazuma told her.

“Not the time,” Lolisa huffed, but she was smiling as she did it. She stepped forward as Megumin continued to menace the other succubi with her sword, putting a hand on the pint-sized terror’s shoulder. “Megumin, the men are all alive.”

“Great. That gives me more people to ask questions,” Megumin said, a vicious grin on her face. “Now, here’s the deal. The first one to talk gets to live with no elective surgery. The second gets to live with elective surgery, I’ll let you choose the limb. The third? Well, we ran into some hungry cannibals. They’re always interested in meat.”

“You’re working with a filthy Crimson!?” the gyaru succubi demanded of Lolisa. “Traitor! You turn to our ancient enemy!?”

“When hell itself abandoned us, I saw no reason not to,” Lolisa said quietly. She slowly half turned, lifting her hair to show the base of her neck. The other succubi sucked in a breath.

“No!” one of the others, an even bustier one with pink hair and the suggestion of a maid outfit on. She burst into tears, collapsing to her knees. “Please, no, don’t take us too! We’ll do anything, please! Just don’t chip us!” 

Another simply took out a gun and put it to her own head, a look of complete hopelessness on her face.

“Woah! Hold up! We’re not here to chip you, or do whatever was done to everyone else in this city!” Kazuma cried. He extended a hand, and shouted, “STEAL!” 

The gun, along with the succubus’’ bra, fell into his hand. He groaned. Well, at least it had sort of worked. He blushed and passed the bra to Lolisa. “Uh, sorry.”

“Mana?!” All three succubi surged to their feet, taking a step forward, hunger in their eyes.

The report of the gun was deafening in the room, and the naked men all woke up in a hurry, letting out cries of panic. 

“Back off,” Lolisa growled. “He’s not for eating.”

“We can share, sister,” the gyaru offered, drooling as she licked her lips. “Just a taste…”

“The next one won’t be into the floor,” Lolisa said flatly, raising her SMG to point at the other succubi. “Now, talk. Or I won’t bother to hold the Crimson back.”

Megumin let out a mad cackle, then went about rounding up the terrified men, herding them into another corner and forcing them to put on the clothes that had been left in a pile there.

“Then… you’re not with Serina?” the gyaru asked. She swallowed, then offered, “I’m Carla. This is Becky and Triss. We’re the only ones that dodged the sweep, I think. We managed to break the hold on these men and get them back here.”

“Slow down. Serina?” Kazuma asked, stepping over to the pile of clothes. He picked out two shirts, then came back and tossed one each at the succubi. “Put those on. I know what you can do, and I ain’t interested.”

“Really? She must be amazing then,” Carla said, glancing at Lolisa, but she pulled the shirt over her head. 

“You have to know about Serina,” Becky the Maid told him as she tugged the shirt on herself. “CEO of the Church of Revenge?” 

“We know of her, but what did she do? Why is the city empty?” Lolisa asked. 

“The magic came back,” Triss said, smoothing her own shirt. It was just a bit too short on her, coming down to only her belly button, probably because her boobs were even bigger than Wiz’s. Not that Kazuma kept a mental list of such things. 

“Obviously, they know that,” Becky said, frowning at Kazuma. “You used a skill. And that Crimson…she came in with Zephyr Step. How did you…?”

“Aqua is back,” Lolisa said simply. 

The reaction of the other succubi was immediate. The all three pressed themselves against the wall and crouched down, wings drooping as their eyes went wide with sheer terror.

“No, no, no, not her,” Triss moaned, curling into a ball. “Not the Axis Cult!”

“We’re dead. We’re fucking dead,” Carla panted, rocking back and forth on her heels. Becky just wept quietly, clinging on to Carla desperately. 

“Uh, is that normal?” Kazuma asked, turning to Lolisa.

“The Axis Cult has a certain reputation among Succubi,” Lolisa said grimly. “Let’s just say I was extremely surprised when Aqua didn’t immediately exorcize me the moment she laid eyes on me. Well, she tried, but I’m still stunned she didn’t finish the job.”

“You met the blue terror herself?!” Clara gasped, looking up at Lolisa with something approaching awe. “But…but you’re chipped! How could you…how could ANY demon stand up to her?!”

“By helping me kill Beldia,” Kazuma said with a shrug. “Lolisa’s decided she’s on heaven’s side now.”

Lolisa groaned as the other three succubi looked at her with pure hatred in their expressions. “He’s…sort of right. But do you honestly want to go back to hell?”

“Well, obviously no,” Clara said, her voice dripping with venom. “But I’d never sell out my sisters to the Axis Cult. That’s what this is, isn’t it? You’re rounding up your own sisters to sell to those zealots to save your own hide!” 

Becky spat at Lolisa’s feet. “Kill us now, and save us the agony! Better to die like a mortal than be tortured by those freaks.”

“Aqua’s not torturing anyone. She’s offering a truce,” Lolisa said with a heavy sigh. The other succubi looked incredulous, so she explained, “The real enemy are the CEOs. Especially Duke Vanir. You remember what he did to us. Is it so surprising that I’d ally with even the deadliest of the gods to repay that debt?”

The other succubi mulled that over for a moment. Clara slowly got to her feet, dragging Becky up with her. “OK, that does make a weird sort of sense. But Aqua was never one to negotiate with us. What’s the angle?”

“No angle. We ally with Aqua, and we heal this world. Everything went wrong when the Devil King won and the CEOs took over. We lost our magic, and were cursed to an endless hunger.” Lolisa nodded over to the men, who were cowering in terror before Megumin. “You figured out a way to feed again. That’s because Aqua’s back. You owe her. Not the CEOs. Not Hell.”

“I don’t like it still,” Clara muttered, hugging herself. “I don’t think-”

“Komekko! Yunyun, keep her out of here!” Megumin snapped, and Kazuma turned to see Komekko and Yunyun in the doorway. 

“Why?” Komekko asked, wrinkling her nose. “It stinks in here.”

“Um, Komekko, why don’t we just leave?” Yunyun said, tugging on the back of Komekko’s collar.

“Uh, sorry squirt, maybe you’d better…” Kazuma trailed off, then looked at the succubi. All three had eyes locked on Komekko, their heads cocked to one side like dogs who’d just seen a cat. 

“Oh hey, you found the succubi!” Komekko said, wiggling out of Yunyun’s grip and dancing through the maze of mattresses and pillows. Thankfully, by this point all the men were dressed, but Kazuma still blanched at it.

“Hi!” Komekko said eagerly, looking up and grinning at the succubi. “I’m Komekko!”

“Oh my Lucifer,” Triss gasped, putting her hands to her cheeks. 

“She’s ADORABLE!” Clara squealed, kneeling to pat Komekko on the head. 

“Would you like a snack, sweetie? I’m Bethandrilina,” Becky said.

“Hi, Bethandrilina, yes please!” Komekko said cheerily. 

Becky scurried over to grab a can, as Lolisa watched in slack-jawed amazement. Komekko turned to the other succubi. “What are your names?”

“I’m Gelantriss,” Triss said cheerily, grinning like an idiot at Komekko.

“And I’m Claranovika,” Clara added hastily. 

Becky came back with an open can of fruit, and Komekko reached it, pulling out some yellow slices and slurping them down. Then, she held out a piece to the succubi. “Want some?”

“I…I really shouldn’t,” Becky said, kneeling before Komekko. “But…” She accepted the peaches from Komekko, and a blissful look came over her face. “Thank you, Mistress.”

“You’re welcome, Bethandrilina. And you two?” Komekko said, proffering more fruit to the other succubi. 

They eagerly knelt and accepted their own slices, gazing at Komekko adoringly as she repeated their names.

“And that’s the contract formed!” Komekko said, her expression turning smug. She glanced up at Lolisa, a wicked grin on her face. “Do you want to tell me your real name, too?”

“I…I think I’ll pass,” Lolisa said, her eyes very wide as she hid behind Kazuma, breathing heavily. 

“Eh, too bad. I’ll get it later, I guess,” Komekko said with a shrug. 

“‘Mekko…w-what did you do?” Yunyun asked, coming up behind her. “You didn’t…you didn’t bind them, did you?”

“Yep! I was gonna try and bind Lolisa so she didn’t eat Kazuma. Even if he’s dumb, he’s funny! But I couldn’t get it to work on her for some reason. These three were easy though!” Komekko said proudly. “You’ll be good pets, won’t you?”

“‘’Yes, Mistress,’’” the succubi said in stereo.

“Uh, that’s freaky,” Kazuma said, making a face and taking a step back. “How did you…?”

“I’m a Summoner! I just specialized in Demonology! ‘Cause we were gonna be talking to succubi and stuff,” Komekko explained. Then she turned to her new…pets? “OK. So, you’re gonna tell us why the city is empty now, right?”

“Of course, mistress!” Becky said eagerly. 

“It all started two days after our magic came back,” Clara began.

As she talked, a dawning sense of horror washed over Kazuma, and he felt sick to his stomach. 

Whatever he’d imagined, this was somehow worse. 

Second Archon War: Superbia Hominim 1

1: Hero of Alexandria

Ei floated alone upon her plane of Euthymia, meditating.

Well, reading manga. She told herself she was resting after planting yet another Thunder Sakura tree, but the truth of it was, she was mentally exhausted. Mostly from having to be around and speak to people all the time. She had spent 500 years alone, and while it was good to spend time with her daughters, familiars, and even her mortal retainers, it was still draining. 

Plus, she absolutely needed to finish this latest chapter of Eyeshield 21. It was a brand new manga, and while Ei had little interest in sports, this truly made American Soccer interesting. Or was it football? Regardless, the art was excellent, and Ei was very invested in the characters. Plus, new chapters of Naruto, One Piece, and Bleach. She’d had physical volumes delivered at great expense from Earth Aleph, and she was ready to sink into several hours of decadence. 

Including the case of Coca-Cola she’d had the Shuumatsuban smuggle in from Mexico, along with several dozen varieties of American snacks. There was just something to be said for how much sugar they put in everything. Ei would never allow such products to be sold to her own populace, but it wasn’t as though she could get diabetes. 

Just as Ei was really getting into the latest adventures of Luffy, something changed. Slowly, she closed the magazine, then stood up. With a sweep of her hand, she spun her realm to show her the sky of Earth Bet, which she regarded for long moments. 

There. 

“Sapientia Oromasdis,” Ei remarked, regarding the newly linked grouping of stars. “So. Buer has arrived. Interesting.” 

There was a metaphysical knocking, and Ei stifled a groan. Not him. Ah, well. She supposed the time to relax was over. She gave her permission, and a moment later, Barbatos stepped into her realm. 

“Heya, Beezy!” the annoying wind sprite said with a jaunty wave. Unlike Ei, Barbatos had taken to wearing the garb of this world, and was wearing a set of clothing that was fashionable to the young mortals in his realm; tight black “jeans” and a “Green Day” T-shirt.  He stepped over several empty candy wrappers and Ei’s TV and Gamecube. “Well, well, well. Did your mother never tell you to clean up your room?”

Ei frowned in distaste. “Did yours never tell you it is impolite to be rude to those whose dwellings you visit?”

“Darn, see, this is what we’re missing out on! Mothers! If only we’d had them,” Barbatos doffed his green beret and held it over his heart, before placing it back on his head and grinning. “Well! Looks like another of us showed up. Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed,” Ei nodded, gazing up at the image of the sky she’d conjured. “Buer. I know little of Samiel’s heir.”

“Me neither. I was taking a bit of a nap during her tenure, didn’t have time to catch up,” Barbatos admitted. He frowned up at the constellation, then over at Ei’s forge and the neatly stacked endless rows of weapons she’d prepared. “Any guesses on how she’ll land on things?”

“By all accounts, Sumeru was a prosperous realm that enjoyed the blessings of their Archon,” Ei said. “She will not stomach the dictates of this new Sustainer well. I trust it will take little to persuade her over to our side.”

“Mmm. I suppose. Though I do wonder… should we really be calling this Scion the Sustainer?” Barbatos mused. 

“It is as fitting a title as any other. He is a Descender, as was the original Sustainer,” Ei said with a shrug. “He maintains his Heavenly Principles, what he calls the Cycle.”

“And he’s a real jerk, just like the last one. Though, you know, we’re technically Descenders too, now,” Barbatos pointed out. 

Ei gave him a flat look, and did not dignify that with a response. The very idea. She was not foreign to this land. This was her land. Her people. She was one with them, and they with her. She felt it in her very essence. Descender. Such a concept was ludicrous. Her fate was written in the stars of this land, as was Barbatos’. 

“Speaking of, seen any other Descenders? Aside from us and Buer, I mean,” Barbatos pointed out. 

“Only the Dead God, and the Sustainer,” Ei said. She frowned. Barbatos never asked questions without purpose. “Who else have you met?”

“Someone else who’s fate isn’t in these stars,” Barbatos mused. He shrugged, then laughed. “Well, I was never one to let fickle fate dictate the lives of those under my wings. And I suppose you’ve decided to defy fate yet again yourself. I’m sure we can convince Buer to do the same. Any ideas on where to look?”

“I was quite wrong on where to search for you,” Ei stated flatly. “And my searchers were somewhat… misguided.”

“Mmm. Well, I’ve got two guesses. Do you mind?” 

Ei gestured to grant Barbatos permission, and the God of Freedom conjured up a green sphere with the markings of the world on it. “My first guess: India. Sumeru is known for its rainforests more than anything else, and India has plenty. She’d be a dead ringer for several of their gods, and India is famous for its wise men. First place I’d look.”

“A compelling argument,” Ei agreed with a nod. “And the other?”

“Egypt.” Venti spun the globe slightly and indicated a separate land. “It’s more Amon’s land, but Sumeru was joined of the desert and rainforest. It’s also considered a land of ancient wisdom, and the famous Library of Alexandria was there.”

Ei’s eye twitched. “That is the name of that upstart Yankee.”

“Yep! Her boyfriend’s name is Hero, too! Hero of Alexandria! Heh heh, quite the pun, eh?” Barbatos smiled guilelessly at Ei, which was how she knew he was mocking her. 

“I take it you are pawning the job of searching for Buer upon myself?” Ei asked, feeling her usual sense of irritation at Barbatos. 

“I’ll send my Knights to Egypt, and perhaps a few other places. I suggest you look in India. It’s important we find her before Scion does, or worse, she violates his Cycle,” Barbatos said, his own gaze growing serious. “She’s a young god. Very young, by the stories that have drifted to me. She didn’t live through the Archon War like you and I did. We know what the days to come will bring, and are making preparations. She lacks the experience.”

“Are you?” Ei asked, giving Barbatos a curious look. She hadn’t sensed any great expenditures of power, or seen him gathering armies as she had. But that had never been his way.

“Oh, I am. I assure you. When the time comes, I will make the Tyrant of Cycles regret the day he extended his iron rod over this land, and set his parasites upon it,” Venti said grimly. He glanced at Ei. “I sensed what you did to the Parasites. Bold. I half expected him to come for you then.”

“A calculated risk. I too have sensed what you have done. I would not have called it preparing for war, and yet… hmm. I suppose I did much the same with my dragons.”

“You’re gonna have some explaining to do when Focalors arrives, you know. Stealing the Hydro dragon! That’s not very sporting of you,” Barbatos laughed. 

“She may have… Keiga, loath as I would be to give her away,” Ei said, and felt real sorrow at the prospect. “But when I set that plan in motion, I did not yet fully suspect more of us would arrive. You then agree all the Seven shall be drawn to this world?”

“Buer all but confirms it. I’d get ready, you made a real mess of Morax’s front lawn, and he was a grumpy old man even when he was young!'' With that cryptic remark, Barbatos waved farewell. “I’ll keep in touch. How about a bet: First one to find Buer, the other has to buy drinks for them for a whole year?”

“You have not the funds to buy me beverages,” Ei said in exasperation.

“Tee hee! Well, I’ll just have to look extra hard!” With that, Barbatos departed back to the mortal realm. 

Ei sighed, then glanced around at her sanctum and winced. If Mushu found her realm in a mess again…

Well. She’d just have to clean up before he visited her again. After this chapter of Naruto. 

It had been a long time since Fatoumata had actually looked at herself in a mirror. She had her long hair loose about her shoulders and was holding a hairbrush. One she’d had to purchase. Had her hair always had this sheen? She hadn’t been doing a proper hair care routine in…how long? A decade? More? There were still worry lines and wrinkles on her face, what you would expect from a woman in her mid-thirties. 

The only problem with that was that Fatoumata was in her mid-forties. 

From the few pictures she’d found of herself, she looked easily a decade younger now. Hell, she felt younger now too. Almost all of the aches and pains that built up with age were gone, she had more energy, and she slept better at night as well. All thanks to one weird trick.

Gently, Fatoumata stroked the emerald gem hanging around her neck, caressing it and feeling the warmth within. 

Let your Vision Guide you, Daughter of Samsara.

Samsara. A Sanskrit word, with hugely significant importance in most Indian religions. The Cycle of Life, of reality. 

Daughter of the Cycle. A cruel irony. And yet… that voice.

Fatoumata finished brushing her hair, then carefully put it up in a kerchief, a far different habit than she had cultivated for all these long years. But things were changing.

The Cycle must be broken. 

Putting on her lab coat, Fatoumata picked up her notepad, and began flipping through her notes. 

The voice of a child. She spoke in Baoulé, with an accent not used on Earth Bet. 

Fatoumata tapped her lip for a moment, then turned the page and continued to scribble. Her handwriting had always been poor, but now her pen raced across the page fluidly. 

Investigate if other Emerald Visions have begun to appear. See if they too are tied to an Archon.

Pausing, Fatoumata tapped her pen on the page. Archon Theory. Did she subscribe to this now? It was a fringe theory, but…

She went over to her computer and tapped away at it. She scanned the reports forwarded to her by her secretary, then dug deeper into the records of new vision holders. One report caught her eye. It was written in English, but she recognized the name: Dr. Bashir Saeed. 

New Vision Type: Emerald in nature, seems to govern plant life. First recorded 30-10-2002. Subject classified. Proposed name for new Vision Type: Dendro. 

On a whim, Fatoumata went back to her private email, not her Cauldron or PRT accounts, and composed a message to Dr. Bashir. 

Subject: re:New Vision Type

From: moroccan_rose@yohoo.com

To: sandydoc@zmail.net

Dear Doctor Bashir,

I saw your post on the message board, just wanted to reconnect. I have a subject here with one of the new vision type. I like the proposed name. Just curious as to the psych profile, I’m trying to build a case for Archon Theory using this one as support. Here’s my subject's profile line. 

Age: 46 

Sex: F

Ethnicity: Arabic

Country of Origin: Morocco

Occupation: Medical researcher

Attachment: FT_psych.pdf

The psych profile she attached was mostly correct, but it had been checked by Thinkers to make sure it didn’t give away too much. Her alias, Fatima Tabib was, on paper, a medical researcher for UCLA Berkeley. It was more or less her real identity, or what it had been, though she lived a rather double life now. 

Before then, Fatoumata met with her Thinker group, for more of their thorough evaluations and analysis of her new powers. She could indeed manipulate plant life to a degree, but that wasn’t what she was good at. 

The standard gamut of Vision Holder powers were on display, from being able to send out blasts of energy, to forming a shield, to providing healing. But there was something else, something new.

Mental Manipulation. 

Fatoumata had become something of an empath. Less when she was awake, but she could now lucid dream, and specifically enter into the dreams of others. Even more, she could put people into a deep sleep, and shape their dreams. It was somewhat limited, she couldn’t puppet people and her ability to put them to sleep required focus and a calm subject, but she was rapidly discovering ways to make people drowsy. 

She could also talk to plants and animals. Plants were easy, but Fungi was incredibly simple for her to talk to. Mostly with the plants, it was listening to their songs, or their desires, as well as asking them to grow in certain patterns. They usually complied, but only if Fatoumata was polite and respectful. 

As for animals, lower-order animals were somewhat difficult, but higher-order animals were much easier. For now, it was only the ability to tell what they wanted and communicate her desires. She couldn’t compel the animals to do as she wished, only request it. Some listened, some didn’t. The easiest animals to follow her directions so far were dogs, pigs, and parrots, but that was likely simply because they were social animals, and in the case of dogs, predisposed to do as she said regardless. 

Cats were the most annoying because they clearly understood her, but would frequently do exactly the opposite just to be contrarian. 

Vision Holders, but with Master Powers that didn’t just involve constructs. A frightening thought, especially since Fatoumata was not alone. 

Her first email to Dr. Bashir took a few days to be responded to, but after that, they had frequent correspondence on a regular basis. Shockingly, after only a few weeks, Bashir received his own Vision, and confirmed the reports: He had heard the voice of a young girl, speaking in Arabic with an Iraqi accent. 

The language wasn’t important. People always reported hearing the words in their native tongue and accent. That was one reason it had taken so long to realize that people were hearing the voice of the Raiden Shogun when they received an Electro Vision, and the voice of Venti when they received an Anemo one. 

Just like it had with the Electro and Anemo Vision Holders, a consistent psychological profile emerged for Dendro Visions: They were dreamers. They had a love of learning and knowledge and were often considered wise beyond their years, even if they were young. Most of them somehow felt as though they were held captive in some fashion, whether it be in a dead end job, a relationship, or literally in prison (the spate of political prisoners in various authoritarian regimes who received Visions was most interesting), but above all, one trait was shared.

They were reckless altruists. Most were optimists, some were cynics, but all were so self-sacrificing that it was a serious detriment to their own well-being. What that said about Fatoumata amused her to no end. 

Maddeningly, Fatoumata and the rest of the research community had absolutely no success at tracking down the Dendro Archon. Even with all the resources of Cauldron at her fingertips, Fatoumata had zero success in tracking the Dendro Archon down. It was putting major holes in Archon Theory, as the Raiden Shogun had made herself painfully obvious from the very moment that Electro Visions had appeared, and while Venti had taken a bit longer, him appearing in the skies of Berlin and later Munich hadn’t been what one would call subtle. 

Instead, Fatoumata corresponded with her contacts, especially Dr. Bashir. It was pleasant to talk to someone who shared so many of her ideals. The young doctor was utterly dedicated to helping humanity, and especially parahumans. He didn’t know the true threat the world faced, but he was doing everything he could to increase the store of human knowledge and share it with others, the better to treat his parahuman patients. 

The good doctor had questions, and some of them Fatoumata could answer. Whether that was her own research into Dendro abilities, or the current postulations on Archon Theory. Bashir had been initially hesitant to recognize this as an explanation for Visions, but some time in December he became an adherent. 

The search for the source of Visions continued, but of one thing, Fatoumata was absolutely certain: They could no longer continue this fight as though they would lose. 

It had been some months since Alexandria had been summoned to a meeting by Doctor Mother, but she couldn’t recall ever meeting her under her cover identity as a Parahuman Researcher at UCLA. In fact, to the best of Alexandria’s knowledge, up until now, the identity of Dr. Fatima Tabib had never existed as much more than a paper trail. 

The office she found herself in was far from the bare spartan affair that Alexandria would have expected. Instead, there were pictures of nature, photos of “Fatima” at Oxford University, and woven cloth wall hangings of a distinctly sub-saharan African style. Which was slightly suspicious, as “Fatima” was from Morocco, not the Ivory Coast. 

“Ah, good morning, Rebecca,” Doctor Mother said, looking up from one of her ever-present notebooks, her laptop next to her and a cup of coffee in her hands. “Croissant? I had Contessa bring them from Paris.” 

That was a surprise. Doctor Mother was always so strict about using Cauldron resources sparingly, and only when it would advance their goals. Fresh croissants from France were lovely, but not something she’d have ever expected. Alexandria looked to Wyatt, but he just shrugged and took two, along with some cheese, cream, and fresh berries from the tray out on the table. 

After a moment's consideration, Alexandria did the same. Far be it from her to complain about something that wasn’t donuts. 

Contessa was sitting in the corner, knees tucked up under her chin as she curled in an overstuffed armchair, biting her nails and reading one of those Japanese novels, a picture of a train traveling among the stars on the cover.

“Morning!” Wyatt said cheerfully around a mouthful of food, sending out a spray of crumbs that Contessa blocked by holding up a napkin even as he spoke.

“Don’t speak with your mouth full,” Doctor Mother chided, even as Eidolon strode in, dressed in his civilian identity with a leather jacket and sweatpants, sunglasses obscuring his features. 

He glanced at the breakfast, and his eyebrows rose. “Well damn, are we on a health kick? I thought I’d have to eat cold jerky again.”

“There are energy drinks in the cooler under the table, David,” Doctor Mother said, nodding to a red cooler. 

“Uh, thanks,” David said, blinking and removing his shades and tucking them into his jacket pocket. He closed the door behind himself and grabbed a tray with a croissant, fruit, and cheese, along with a Red Bull. “Thought you survived only on coffee and sugar.”

“That was when I was only planning on living through the next few years, then dying gloriously. I have adjusted my outlook,” Doctor Mother stated firmly. 

This time, even Wyatt choked on his croissant, while Alexandria sputtered on her coffee. Contessa looked up, a vague smile on her face, then went back to reading again. 

“That’s… good. Why the sudden burst of optimism?” David asked suspiciously, not sitting nor eating, but instead staying on his feet and staring at Doctor Mother.

“You know perfectly well why, David. You were there, after all,” Doctor Mother said calmly, and touched the emerald Vision hanging from a woven fiber necklace. 

“So, you think we can really do this now?” Wyatt asked, not bothering to hide his obvious enthusiasm. 

“That is irrelevant. If we are to win, we must live and fight as though our victory is inevitable. And at the same time, we must plan for what comes after. After all, without hope, how can we truly strive for victory with our utmost?” Doctor Mother asked in rhetorical tones.

“That’s not what we agreed on. We put everything on the line to win, because doing anything less, sparing a moment’s consideration for anything after, could lead to our defeat,” Alexandria pointed out, and David nodded grimly in agreement. 

“I have come to see this is a flawed perspective,” Doctor Mother stated. “We must be willing to risk it all and commit any taboo in order to triumph because the fate of humanity is at stake. But if we give no thought to the future, we deny ourselves a potent weapon: Hope.” 

“Hope won’t put down Endbringers, much less Scion,” David pointed out. 

“But high morale will. It’s a force multiplier,” Wyatt argued. 

“That is true,” Alexandria agreed reluctantly, and after a moment of scowling, David jerked a nod as well. 

Nodding, Doctor Mother picked up her notebook. “In regards to that, I have reconsidered other things. Rebecca?” 

“Yes?”

“We need to begin your campaign for President, and the repeal of NEPEA-5.”

Despite her heart thundering in her ears, Alexandria thought she could have heard a pin drop. “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” 

“I have reconsidered my position, and had Contessa evaluate the situation thoroughly. The risks are worth the rewards,” Doctor Mother stated in calm tones. 

“And how exactly is having one of our hardest hitters trapped behind a desk supposed to help us prevent the goddamn apocalypse?” Eidolon demanded hotly. 

“Sit down and eat, dear. You’re hungry and not thinking rationally,” Doctor Mother told him. 

Eidolon opened his mouth, but Doctor Mother shot him a look. “I can tell you haven’t been eating properly. One of the benefits of my new Vision. Eat. And enjoy it. Have you not heard the saying, ‘Eat drink and be merry, for tomorrow, you may die?’”

“Who the hell are you and what did you do with Doctor Mother?” David demanded, but he did sit down. 

Doctor Mother was quiet, which Alexandria thought meant she wasn’t going to answer, only for her to hold up her vision. “You can call me Fatoumata, or Doctor Fatoumata if you must. That was my birth name. Here, at least, in private, you may use it.”

That got Alexandria to lean forward herself. “You’ve changed. Greatly.”

“You never knew me before I’d already had years to process the realization that the world was going to end,” Doctor Mother, no, Fatoumata, said, her eyes taking on a distant expression. “This is what I was like when I was much younger. Inspired to save the world. I thought I’d research the cure to AIDS or Malaria. Instead… instead I found something much worse to treat.” 

Alexandria glanced at Contessa, who nodded, setting aside her book if only to stuff her mouth with grapes. “It’s true. She was a lot more chipper when I first met her. Before it all sank in after we killed a god.”

“The Entities aren’t gods,” David snapped. “They can be killed.”

Contessa just shrugged. “Call them what you like. But they can be killed, and we can win. Becky becoming president is a good way to do it. I’ve mapped out the entire campaign…”

And then Contessa and Fatoumata began to lay out their entire plan for Rebecca Costa-Brown to become the next president of the United States, and to increase the number of available parahumans at the same time, while doing away with both the Nemesis Program and the Case 53s. 

Though what they’d come up with as an alternative somehow felt much, much worse. 

The days after the meeting were a blur. There were a thousand things to do normally, and now Rebecca Costa-Brown had to reach out to the democratic party (Contessa projected that a woman with Hispanic heritage would resonate with Democratic Voters better) along with a dozen other things, like speaking with the media to make noises about her prospective campaign. It was exhausting but gratifying. She’d understood when Contessa and Doctor Mother had shot down her proposal months earlier, but to have it come back now? It felt like madness. 

Her phone rang, and Alexandria glanced at the caller ID before picking it up. “Yes, Hero?”

“Hey, beautiful!” the chipper voice of her boyfriend said over the line. “You’ve been working too hard lately. I got us some takeout. Meet me on top of  Mount Baldy in 10 minutes. Or later if you don’t mind your pasta being cold.” 

Rolling her eyes, Alexandria hung up the phone, then glanced at her desk. She sighed, but stood up and adjusted her blouse. “I’m heading out, I’ll be back in tomorrow,” she told her secretary, who nodded amicably and waved goodbye to her. It was early, only 6:12, but there was no harm in joining Wyatt for a meal. She could always come back later. Most of the ten minutes was spent getting changed out of her civvies into Alexandria, then a short hop up to the top of the nearby peak. 

It was still winter, so the air was chill and devoid of hikers in the brisk February air. Finding Wyatt wasn’t hard, especially since he had gone to all the bother of not just setting up picnic blanket, but an entire tent, with several drones hovering around for security. Amused at his antics, Alexandria stepped inside, doffing her helmet and shaking out her hair once she was within. 

“Welcome, Madame, to the finest of dining establishments!” Wyatt said with a wide grin, gesturing to the table. Alexandria’s eyebrows rose and a grin spread across her face: She’d expected a couple of plastic boxes with fettuccine, but instead, there was real silverware and fine porcelain, lit candles, and a bucket of snow with two wine bottles chilling in it, along with silver service trays with the lid on them. 

“You didn’t need to go through all the trouble,” Alexandria said, though honestly, this was exactly what she’d needed. She sighed happily as Wyatt popped the cork out of a bottle of her favorite Napa Valley Red, and poured it into her glass. 

“For tonight, we start with a light Caesar salad with fresh greens, and hot cream of asparagus soup,” Wyatt told her. He was dressed in his outfit as Hero, though he had a couple of little drones hovering about with little black bowties glued on to their fronts to pluck the lid off the trays. 

The soup was excellent, as was the salad, hearty food after a long day's work. Wyatt chattered away, mostly about various things that Alexandria tuned out. 

“So, ready for the big move?” he asked, and Alexandria blinked at him. 

“Hmm?”

“To the White House! It’s traditional for the President to reside there, you know,” Wyatt said with a chuckle. 

Alexandria blushed but shook her head. “I suppose not.” She glanced down at her half-empty glass, peering at her reflection in the red liquid. “I haven’t thought about all the mechanics of it. I’m preparing for the run, making preparations to hand off duties to you as head of the PRT, and to David as the new head of the Protectorate, but…” She swallowed. That would mean…

“Thinking of leaving me behind?” Wyatt asked softly, reaching out to take her hand and squeeze. 

She grimaced, but looked up. “We always knew this would require sacrifices, Wyatt.”

“Yeah. But Doc’s right. We need hope. And you know what? Us? That’s not something I’m willing to sacrifice,” Wyatt said.

Then, he slid out of his chair, dropping to one knee, as a drone flew around, depositing a small black velvet box into Wyatt’s hand. Alexandria felt her heart stop, and felt like a foolish girl as her hands flew to her face as she sucked in a sharp gasp in what had to be the most stereotypical thing she could have done. 

“I’ve always wanted to be your Hero of Alexandria,” Wyatt said softly. “Rebbecca Costa-Brown, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”

While a lot of people’s minds literally went blank, in the case of Alexandria, her’s went more figuratively blank. Thanks to her Thinker powers, she processed information at a speed comparable to her enhanced movement capabilities, which meant she could think hundreds of times faster than the average human. She also was something of an empath, able to sense the emotions of the people around her by reading their body language far more accurately than most. 

And at this moment, all her processing power and ability to read emotions told her one thing: Wyatt loved her deeply, and currently, he was utterly terrified. Not of her, he’d never been afraid of her despite the gap in their physical abilities, but that she’d reject him. 

Not only was that something she could never do, but all of Alexandria’s Thinker abilities along with her own human emotions led her to a single answer, one that was completely at odds with her supposed goal of saving the world in so many ways. 

“Yes,” Alexandria gasped, slowly lowering her left hand. “Yes. I… I never thought… that I… that we…”

She hiccuped and giggled as Wyatt slid the ring onto her finger, and she held it up admiringly. It fit perfectly. A tasteful platinum band with a small set of gemstones. Not too ostentatious, but still lovely. “You made it yourself, didn’t you?”

“I had a jeweler help me, but I made the gems myself. Harder than diamond, and less prone to shattering. Perfect for punching Endbringers,” Wyatt joked, getting to his feet and shaking like a leaf on the wind. Then he pulled her into a kiss, and even Alexandria’s Thinker abilities shorted out for a few blissful moments. 

Later, back in their bedroom, Alexandria lay snuggled up against Wyatt’s chest, examining her new ring in the light  of the candles they’d lit, her fingers playing with his curly bond chest hair. “How is this all going to work?”

“We’ll figure it out. Though I do propose one thing. Well, aside from proposing to you,” Wyatt quipped.

Alexandria glanced at him, fighting off a grin at the lame pun, and he continued, “I take your name. Wyatt Costa-Brown has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

“That’s… rather unusual. Though I suppose I can’t really take your name,” Alexandria admitted. 

He nodded. “Yeah, but I get to be the first First Gentleman, and that’s pretty cool, don’t you think? Maybe I’ll open a library or something.”

“Or a gaming store. You won’t shut up about that stupid new game,” Alexandria groaned. 

“What? Genius Invocation TCG is-”

“Shhh. Not tonight,” Alexandria told him, then climbed on top of him, grinning down lasciviously at her new fiance. She wouldn’t get tired of thinking of that any time soon. “We’ll have to have a big wedding, you know. A complete media circus.”

“I’ll do my best to suffer through it. Eidolon is going to be insufferable,” Wyatt teased. “But I think I can tolerate it, for you.”

A few short days later, it was time for the first step of Alexandria’s path to power. It was only January of 2003, but now was the time to begin making changes. She called a big press conference, even going so far as to invite Legend and certain others of the protectorate. 

“Good afternoon,” Rebecca Costa-Brown said to the assembled press. “I’ve called you here today to speak to the American people.”

Cameras flashed and the reporters poised to spring, but Alexandria looked straight into the cameras. “For ten years, you’ve known me as Director Rebecca Costa-Brown, the civilian head of the PRT and liaison to the Protectorate. On this, the tenth anniversary of the founding of the Protectorate, we live in a very different world. When we were created, Parahumans were still a relatively new phenomena, with capes only really taking the stage a scant few years earlier.”

“Now, a generation has grown up in a world where superhuman powers are the norm. We’ve seen the rise of the Endbringers, and now, the Archons, and even the first words of Scion, the first Parahuman. We now live in a world where the average American has been made to feel small, stripped of their own power.”

Alexandria looked out at the reporters, and spoke the words Contessa had given her. “No more. Today, I give the power back to the people. No more secrets. No more hiding.”

Next to her, Legend slowly removed his domino mask, while Hero took off his visor and smiled at the cameras. The sharp intake of breath was audible even over the mad clatter of camera shutters. 

“My name,” Legend said slowly. “Is Keith Thompson. I’ve a husband, and a small son, who is probably watching this with his friends at school and telling them ‘I told you so.’”

“And I’m Wyatt! My last name was Baronski, but it’s going to be Costa-Brown before too long!” Hero said brightly. 

Even knowing what he was going to say, Alexandria flushed slightly at that, then took out a helmet from the lectern, which caused an even louder stir than before. “And you know me as Alexandria. I’ve worked to protect and serve the American people my every waking moment since I received my powers, but I lied as I did it. As such, effective immediately, I will be resigning as head of the PRT. I’ll still serve as a member of the Protectorate, but I’ll be stepping back from a leadership role.”

“I know many of you will have questions: At this time, many members of the Protectorate will be revealing their identities to the public. This was a practice that heroes such as Brandish and Manpower embraced, and one that we’re going to be encouraging, at least for full protectorate members. For the Wards, we’ll still encourage them to retain a secret identity until they come of age.”

“Now,” Alexandria said, setting her helmet on the lectern before her and looking around. “Questions?”

The room erupted with noise, and she forced herself not to smile. 

Phase one was complete. Now, to ride out the storm. 

Author’s Note:

Next chapter is the time skip that’s been coming, because it’s time to wish Nahida a very happy birthday. 

I hope someone brought cake. 

PHILO: I wonder who’s going to be best man? And I wonder if Venti is going to crash the wedding party? Ooh! Hangover parody? Where Venti is Chow?

OCTOBER: No, you didn’t hear the slight squeal that I definitely didn’t make, okay!? The couple isn’t gay enough for me to do that! (she lied as naturally as she breathed)

COG: I eagerly await the slap fight between the divine god-empress and the shady president-elect on top of a giant robot. “Don’t fuck with this director!” 

Dark Legend of Potter: Chapter 60

Being an auror was a serious duty, and even if Tonks was typically anything but a serious person, she did treat her job soberly. She’d spent the first weeks of school up every night, faithfully patrolling the Hogwarts grounds with Blackie and keeping a sharp eye out for Sirius Black. But aside from surprising several couples who’d been doing broom closet inspection and Blackie terrorizing Mrs. Norris, she hadn’t found anything of note at all, with neither hide nor hair of Sirius Black at all. 

Which was why a month into the school year, Tonks felt like a zombie as she dragged herself to the high table for breakfast, slumping into her chair and blearily scooping up a plate of hot eggs, bacon, potatoes, and fried tomatoes to shovel into her mouth. 

“Good morning, Tonks,” Lupin said, smiling at her.

She tried to smile back, but it was more like gritting her teeth. “The good news is, the school is currently Sirius Black free.”

Absently, Tonks handed a piece of bacon down to Blackie, who eagerly snapped up the treat. 

Lupin picked that moment to develop a coughing fit, though after a drink of water he managed to calm down. “Sorry, something in my throat,” he said apologetically. 

Tonks just nodded, gnawing on her own bit of bacon and looking gloomily out at the students as they chatted and ate. None of them seemed in a particular hurry, and the hall was much emptier than usual. “What day is it, even?”

“Sunday,” Lupin supplied, giving Tonks a worried look. “Haven’t you been sleeping at all?”

“I got a short nap, but you know what they say. ‘Constant Vigilance,’” Tonks yawned. “I stay awake with Invigorating Draughts and coffee. Can’t let Black get the jump on me.”

Lupin glanced under the table at Blackie, who thumped the ground with his tail and grinned sheepishly, whining softly. 

“You’ve had enough bacon,” Tonks muttered, but slid the dog another bit, though for some reason he didn’t take it. Was he sick?

“Look, if you’re in such bad shape, you’ll never be able to confront Sirius even if you did manage to find him,” Lupin told Tonks. “Maybe we should put together a rotation, help you out a little. You can’t be patrolling the campus day and night.”

“It’s my job, I’ll deal,” Tonks yawned, giving up on breakfast and staggering to her feet. “‘Night. Morning. Whatever.”

She managed to find her way to her bed, where she collapsed for four hours of blessed sleep before her alarm went off. Groaning, she summoned a house elf for coffee, then showered off some of the grime, realizing she’d slept in her robes, again. 

Then it was an Invigorating Draught for lunch, which upset her stomach, but nothing for it. And Tonks was back out on patrol. 

Feeling light headed but focused and alert from the Invigorating Draught, Tonks strode along the halls, whistling tunelessly and keeping a weather eye out for any signs of Sirius Black. What would he even look like? Someone skulking in the halls? The Dark Mark over a building? She was focused, but her mind was wandering anyway, since she was mostly focused on staying awake. 

“And here I thought I could actually spend this year improving my dating life,” Tonks grumbled. “Haven’t had a spark of romance since I started this damn job.”

“Miss Tonks? Are you alright?” 

Tonks blinked a few times to focus herself, and realized she was looking at the concerned face of Yunyun and two of her friends. What were their names again?

“If you’re feeling like your life lacks romantic zest, have you considered joining the Axis Cult?” the one with dark blonde hair said. Right. Lavender. That was her name. 

“You should get checked to see if your zizantimum levels are properly high. If they’re not, you could get infected with wrackspurts, which could cause romantic discombobulation,” the straw blonde one said. Of course. How could Tonks forget Looney Lovegood?

“Look loves, I’m much too tired to deal with…whatever it is you're talking about,” Tonks sighed heavily, reaching into her blouse and pulling out a silver medallion. “Besides, I’m in the Fortuna Cult.”

Lavender blew a raspberry and turned away, but Luna just nodded thoughtfully. “Well, Eris is Aqua’s junior. Besides, you hang out with Chris more.”

“Right, of course,” Tonks said, trying to get around the girls, but Yunyun just fell into step behind her. 

“I-If you need friends, y-you could be our friend! I-I like Eris too!” Yunyun said helpfully. 

Tonks gave Yunyun a pained smile. The very thought of having to hang around pre-teens more than absolutely necessary made her want to run screaming for the hills. She remembered what she’d been like at that age, and it wasn’t pretty. 

“Well, I was thinking more about Professor Lupin, actually. And less about being his friend and more about-” Tonks cut herself off just in time. Once again, she’d let her mouth run away from her. 

There were excited squeals, and Tonks found herself surrounded by the grinning and eager faces of the three girls. Even Luna had lost her somewhat vague expression and was grinning like even more of a loon than usual. 

“You want to date Professor Lupin?! He’s such a hunk!” Lavender sighed dreamily. 

“Oi, hands off girlie, I saw him first,” Tonks snapped, still too tired to really be thinking straight. “Besides, you’re what, twelve?”

“Thirteen,” Lavender said defensively.

“Same difference, really,” Tonks sighed. “Look, he’s your teacher and he’s much too old for you. And he’s got some dark secrets and baggage a girl your age isn’t ready for.” And also some lovely chest hair, but Tonks managed not to blurt that part out.

“You’d be perfect for one another,” Luna sighed, clasping her hands and giggling excitedly. “A rough and tumble auror, ready to tame the ferocious beast of a man! Are you so tired because you’ve been afflicted with jiving ninnies? They make you even more lovesick than usual.”

“I’m so bloody tired because I’m keeping you sprogs safe from Sirius Black and I can’t get any sleep!” Tonks snapped in irritation. 

Yunyun blinked in surprise, Lavender gave Tonks a commiserating nod, but Luna just tilted her head to one side in confusion. 

“But he’s right there,” Luna said, pointing behind Tonks. 

Tonks just about jumped out of her skin, her wand flighting into her hand out of her holster as she readied a spell, while Lavender screamed and Yunyun summoned a giant spear that appeared to be ripped from the heart of a star. 

“Woof, woof!” Blackie cried, turning around from where he’d been sitting and barking at the other students in the corridor, who just about jumped out of their skin.

“Oh wait,” Luna said, blushing and looking mildly embarrassed. “Um, Blackie’s just a black dog. Just, you know, I was confused, and Aqua said I’m not supposed to talk about the plot.”

“You are giving me a heart attack, girl!” Tonks snapped, jamming her wand back into its holster and glaring at Luna, who was looking down and looking incredibly sheepish. 

“Oh, s-sorry,” Yunyun stammered, waving her hand and dismissing the very deadly looking spell. 

“You’ll have to teach me that one,” Tonks mused. “Nonverbal, too? That’s pretty nifty, definitely could take out a Death Eater or three with that.”

“I’ve been practicing,” Yunyun admitted, going over and ruffling Blackie’s ears. “S-sorry for scaring you, boy.”

Blackie barked and licked Yunyun’s face, which made her giggle. Tonks sighed and beckoned the dog over. 

“Right, well, I’m off on patrol again,” Tonks sighed as Blackie heeled. She turned to go, only for the three girls to fall in around her. She walked on for a bit, hoping they were just going in the same direction, but after the second turn it was increasingly obvious that they were just following her.

“Look, you lot can’t just follow me, I’m looking for Sirius Black. The man is an incredibly dangerous death eater, and he’s out for you lot regardless!” she snapped, whirling on the three girls. 

“Well, yes, b-but I’ve fought Voldemort twice,” Yunyun pointed out. “I-I could help.”

“And we’re Axis Priestesses!” Lavender said excitedly, pulling Yunyun into a hug. “We can totally fight a Death Eater!”

“Actually, I’m a Bard,” Luna said, pulling out a funny looking card. “Or I will be once I reach level two, I had to take my first level in Sorceror. I would have made it Wizard, but since our magic is a bloodline ability Aqua and I decided that it would make more sense for me to start off as Sorcerer instead.”

Ignoring that bit of nonsense from Luna, Tonks squinted at Yunyun. She was 13, but this was the same girl who’d helped her cousin fight Voldemort twice, and had personally invaded the home of two very dangerous not-so-former Death Eaters with just another 12 year old girl and very nearly killed the entire family all on her lonesome. 

Also, Tonks had been over to the Dursleys, and that place was bloody terrifying. Vernon might have been responsible for most of it, but Yunyun had come up with some of the more “creative” traps that had stymied Mad-Eye Moody himself. If there was any student at this school who could personally fight Sirius Black and win, it was probably Yunyun.

Or, well, Megumin, but Tonks preferred her castles unexploded and herself cleanly out of the blast radius. 

“You lot really think you could face Sirius Black himself on your lonesome?” Tonks asked, her tired mind failing spectacularly to come up with the myriad reasons why this was a Bad Idea. 

“Well, we’d probably ask T-Tom to help,” Yunyun mused. “He knows a lot about, um…f-fighting Death Eaters…”

What that maniac boy could do against a Death Eater, Tonks hadn’t a clue, but there was something odd about him too. 

“You know what? If it will get me some sleep, I’m all for it.” Tonks turned to Blackie and jerked her thumb at the girls. “You go on patrol with them. I’m taking a bloody nap.”

And with that, Tonks wandered off to bed, where she passed out for a full day, and was violently ill the next, with Madam Pomfrey putting her on bedrest and forbidding her from taking any more Invigorating Draughts, but we’ll catch up with her later. 

For now, Yunyun called an Emergency Meeting of the Union for Spreading Social Reform, which took place in Hagrid’s hut, as they weren’t allowed in the Chamber of Secrets since they were too young to drink. 

“Welcome, welcome,” Hagrid said, beaming around at his guests as they filed in. “Jest got some tea on the kettle, and some biscuits for yeh.”

“Thank you, Hagrid,” Yunyun said graciously, taking the rock hard biscuit and soaking it in her tea. 

“And fer you, Ms. Sylvia, got some o’ that monkey jerky yeh said yeh wanted to try,” Hagrid said, pulling out thin strips of dried and peppered meat. Yunyun decided she most definitely wasn’t going to try that. Flying Monkeys were filthy creatures. 

Tom, not knowing any better, nearly broke a tooth on one of Hagrid's biscuits, having bit down rather enthusiastically on his. He winced and pulled it out (the biscuit, not the tooth), regarding it suspiciously, before copying the girls and soaking his in his cup of builders tea. 

For his part, Blackie happily took some monkey jerky and curled by the fire next to fang, who regarded the smaller dog with no small amount of trepidation. No one seemed to notice, as Fang regarded everything with no small amount of trepidation, even when they weren’t very funny-smelling dogs. 

“I-I’ve called you all here today because something v-very serious has come to my attention,” Yunyun said gravely. 

“He’s Sirius alright, and I won’t let him threaten my friends!” Tom declared, puffing out his chest and looking at Yunyun adoringly. 

On hearing that, Sylvia’s head snapped up from enjoying her monkey-jerky, and she hissed as she glared around the cozy cottage. “Who threatensss my friendsss?”

“We told you, this is a Sirius matter,” Luna stated gravely. 

Sylvia blinked at that, still frowning. “Yesss, but who threatensss Yunyun?”

“Oh, yeh know love, it’s Sirius,” Hagrid answered. 

By the fireplace, Blackie let out a groan and put his paws over his eyes. He’d clearly heard this one before. 

“I know it’sss seriousss, that’sss why I’m ssso upssset!” Sylvia snarled, standing up and balling her hands into fists, her tongue flickering in and out as she tried vainely to taste the air. 

“We’re all upset about this Sirius Situation,” Lavender said, covering her hand with her mouth to hide her smile. Despite all appearances and evidence to the contrary, she wasn’t completely brain dead. And besides, her patron goddess was a comic one, she knew a good setup when she saw one. 

“Well, then what are we going to do? Who am I going to kill? Why am I the only one taking this seriously!” Sylvia snarled. 

“Well, to be fair, it’s not Yunyun that’s under Sirius threat, it’s Megumin,” Tom pointed out. 

“Oh.” Syliva considered that, and sat back down. “Well, Megumin isss Yunyun’sss sssissster, and she would be very sssad if anything were to happen to her. This is still a serious problem.”

Blackie briefly considered removing the mystery of the entire situation, just so the incredibly lame puns would stop. 

“W-well, Tonks does need some help with her Sirius problem, but-” Lavender began, but Sylvia interrupted her. 

“We’re not talking about Tonksss’ problem, we’re talking about the serious problem of sssomeone trying to hurt Yunyun and her sssister!” Syliva snapped. 

“But that’s what Tonks’ Sirius Problem is,” Hagrid said, sounding confused. 

“Well, if she thinksss she can hurt Yunyun or Megumin, I have a lesssson to teach her,” Sylvia hissed. 

Having just about enough of this, Blackie went over to the door and started whining and scratching at it. Much more of this and he really would ruin everything. 

“No, the problem is that T-Tonks is trying to save us from Sirius, and she’s not getting enough sleep,” Yunyun said, the patron saint of innocence, and also someone who hated lame puns. She got up to let Blackie out, but he just shot her a grateful look and went to go lie back down. “M-Make up your mind! Um, anyway, the Sirius Problem, er, p-pardon the pun, is Sirius Black.”

Hearing that, Sylvia blushed mightily. “Oh. I sssee. Your human language essscapes me at timesss.”

“And even more importantly,” Lavender hastily added. “She’s in love with Professor Lupin!” 

Yunyun and Lavender both let out little squeals, while Tom and Hagrid looked baffled and slightly taken aback. 

“Er, isn’t the more pressing issue that someone is out to take our lives?” Tom asked. He pulled out a rolled up sheet of parchment, unfurling it on the table. “I did some quick planning, and I’ve come up with several cunning plans to track down Sirius Black, and then dispatch him in some truly gruesome ways, to communicate to our enemies that none may threaten our precious Yunyun!” 

“Um, t-that’s nice, Tom, b-but we can worry about finding a p-pike to put Sirius Black’s head on later,” Yunyun offered, which caused Blackie to sneeze and start to reevaluate some of his life decisions. “N-no, what we need to do is to help Ms. T-Tonks with her patrols so she has more free time, and-”

“SET HER AND PROFESSOR LUPIN UP ON A DATE!” Luna and Lavender shrieked together, clasping hands and grinning from ear to ear. 

Hagrid shot a look at Sylvia, then leaned in close. “Er, should we really be lettin’ the students try to set their professors up on a date? Doesn’t seem professional, yeh know.”

“We are sssworn to aid Yunyun. Besssides, thisss will keep the children dissstracted while you and I find a way to keep them sssafe and ssstop thisss Serious Sirius problem. Ow! Do not nip me, cur, or I shall turn you to ssstone and devour you!” Sylvia snapped at the rapidly retreating Blackie. 

“So, the most important thing to do is to obviously find out what sort of music they both like, then to teach Professor Lupin and Tonks to dance!” Lavender was saying eagerly. “That’s the best way for a couple to fall in love!” 

“No, no, we have to engineer a rainstorm, then force them to take shelter at a small abbey or church together. They would see a statue of the Goddess Aqua, and know that their love is a sacred and pure thing! After all, Axis Shrines are always infested with Nargles, it’s just obvious,” Luna argued. 

“I-I was thinking we should j-just get them to h-have a meal together at Madam Puddifoot's, b-by mixing up some invitations to think they’re j-just eating a meal with a friend, o-only for it to turn into a romantic date!” Yunyun said eagerly.

“Couldn’t we get them to go on an epic quest together and slay many foes at each other’s side? That’s sure to form strong bonds,” Tom pointed out.

Lavender and Luna shot Tom disgusted looks, but Yunyun nodded thoughtfully. “T-that’s not a bad idea. They could go on long patrols together a-and face many vicious monsters. The shared danger and v-victory could b-burgeon into feelings of true love…”

As the teens continued to discuss their increasingly convoluted and insane planes for helping the two people who were already in love and dating get together, Blackie grinned wolfishly. This was going to be amazing. It was almost worth having to hear all those overwrought puns to get to be a part of this. 

If Lupin and Tonks didn’t die of sheer embarrassment, they’d be married by the end of the term. 

Meanwhile, Tonks was still laid up in the infirmary, shivering and coming down from several straight weeks of living off of caffeine and Invigorating Draughts. Her mind felt fuzzy and her body like she’d been dipped in ice, and her hair kept changing colors while her nose shrank and grew outrageously. 

Just as she was considering drinking another draught just to help her think straight, there was a cough and the curtain near her bed fluttered. “Knock, knock,” Lupin’s voice said politely. 

Tonks let out a gasp and sat bolt upright, pulling the sheet up to her chin. She was already dressed in a very modest nightgown, but she was still flushing terribly. “Um, I-I’m not in a fit state to be seen, I’m supposed to be sleeping, um, come back later!”

Then she tried to jerk the curtain closed further, only to overreach and go tumbling out of her bed with a squawk, still holding on to the fabric and yanking down the curtain and the stand with a great clatter to reveal a stunned Lupin standing there with a vase of fresh flowers and a container of hot soup. 

“Er, um, hello,” Tonks said, waving meekly and trying to get to her feet in the tangle of bedsheets. 

“Hello,” Lupin said somewhat bemusedly. He set the soup and vase aside, helping Tonks to disentangle herself and get her back on her cot, before putting the curtain and stand back to rights with a quick wave of his wand. 

“Sorry, you know me, I’m terribly clumsy,” Tonks said sheepishly, fussing with the sheets and casting nervous glances at Lupin. 

“Charmingly so,” Lupin assured her, reaching out of the curtain to retrieve his vase and soup. He regarded Tonks for a moment, then grinned mischievously. “I was going to give you this vase, but I have a feeling you’d just drop it and break it. I’m not so sure about the soup now, either.”

“Prick,” Tonks muttered, covering her face with the sheet for a moment, then slowly lowering it and grinning foolishly at Lupin. “What, are you going to feed me or something?”

To her horror and delight, Lupin seemed to give that serious thought. Finally, he shook his head. “I suppose you can be trusted to feed yourself, you are a grown woman after all.”

“And don’t you bloody well forget it,” Tonks sniffed, but gratefully accepted the soup. She took the lid off, smelling it and letting out a happy sigh. “Madam Rosemerta’s French onion soup! Oh, and it’s still fresh and warm!” she gratefully dug in, blissfully taking several large bites.

Then, a mischievous gleam entered her own eye, and she held up a spoonful of soup to Lupin. “Would you like a taste?” she asked innocently.

Lupin blushed at that, but to her shock and delight, he bent down and actually slurped the entire bit up. “Ah, lovely. I was driving myself mad bringing it over here, the smell was wonderful.”

“Don’t let Madam Pomfrey catch you doing that,” Tonks giggled, feeling her face go beet red. And not in the metaphorical sense, she had to very carefully turn her whole body back from a deep red to a more normal human color. “She’d say it wasn’t hygienic.”

“I think we’ve swapped enough spit that the question is somewhat irrelevant,” Lupin said stoically, just as Tonks took another bite. Which, of course, she half sprayed all over her bedsheets. 

Lupin quickly vanished the mess, even as Tonks snorted and laughed. “You did that on purpose!” 

“Quite possibly,” Lupin allowed, winking at her. 

“Cheeky blighter, aren’t you?” Tonks laughed. She took another bite of soup, then offered Lupin another, which he took. “It is good soup though, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I was worried, you know. Sirius said you’d been running yourself ragged, always out on patrol with him.”

Tonks had been just about to take another bite of soup, then ran what Lupin had just said back in her head. “Say that again…one more time?”

“I said Blackie said you’d been running yourself ragged, always out on patrol again looking for Sirius,” Lupin said, going red in the face himself and giving her a sheepish grin. 

“Uh-huh. You can talk to dogs now?” Tonks said flatly. 

“...yes? Werewolf power?” Lupin offered. 

“Mmmm,” Tonks mused, taking another bite of soup. Well, her wits were scattered, and really that was just an odd malapropism. She looked down at her bowl, then back to Lupin. “You were close to Sirius Black, weren’t you? What was he like? How do you feel about hunting him down like this?”

Lupin looked away, appearing guilty. He fidgeted for a moment, then said, “The man I knew would probably find this entire situation hilarious. He was doggedly loyal, and I could never have imagined him turning on James and Lily like that.”

But he did,” Tonks prompted. 

“So it seems,” Lupin said with a heavy sigh. He looked at Tonks for a moment, then said, “He’s your cousin. How do you feel about hunting him down?”

“Remus, he’s a pureblood, and my mother’s maiden name was Black. Half of bloody magical Britain is related to me somehow. Hell, we’re something like fifth cousins ourselves.”

That took Remus aback. “Seriously?”

“No, he’s my second cousin,” Tonks said cheekily. 

“You know what I meant,” Lupin said with a groan. He looked worried, then asked, “Does, er, that change…?”

“If I was adverse to dating my fifth cousin I’d have to find a bloody muggle to date and pray he wasn’t related to my dad,” Tonks said with a shrug. “Most people wouldn’t even call their fifth cousin related. We share a great-great-great-great grandmother. You have to go awfully far back on the family tree for that one. Only reason I know is mum and the rest of the pure bloods are nutters about that stuff.” She considered a moment, then added, “Probably so they don’t get too inbred. But your mother was a muggle and my dad’s a muggle-born so we don’t really have to worry about that.”

“That’s…good?” Lupin said, not sure how to feel about that.

“If it makes you feel any better, Sirius is actually your fourth cousin, so you’re more closely related to him,” Tonks said. 

“Thanks, but I never actually considered snogging Sirius, no matter what the rumors say,” Lupin told Tonks, who was very grateful she didn’t have any soup in her mouth at that moment, because she would have sprayed it everywhere. 

And so, whether they wanted it or not, Tonks and Lupin found themselves on the cusp of a grand romantic comedy. 

Truly, this school had gone to the dogs. 

The Second Archon War: Interlude 6

Interlude 6: Here Be Dragons

Lightning flashed over the sea of Japan, and Kenta raced with all the speed he had over the dark waters, desperately racing over the several hundred kilometers separating him from his goal. He panted, trying to put on more speed as he swam through skies, but he still feared he would be too slow. He had to make it. He had to.

There was a slightly different flash of thunder, and a moment later, a figure drifted up on the winds, keeping pace with Mushu as he flew. He turned one great eye, not slowing his pace, to see Raiden herself flying alongside him.

“WHAT? I’M NOT GOING BACK!” Kenta roared, continuing his desperate flight.

“I do not expect you to,” Raiden said calmly. “I merely wished to offer you guidance.”

“YEAH WELL SOME OF US DON’T BUILD OUR KIDS IN THE WORKSHOP, LADY!” Kenta growled, still flying on.

“Yes,” Ei said mildly. “I do not have much guidance to offer on the act of childbirth itself, for I do not procreate as mortals do.”

“THEN WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO GET ME TO STOP?” Kenta demanded.

“I merely wished to offer you a portal, though I do ask that you shrink down slightly first. We do not wish to startle the doctors.”

Mushu came to a halt so quickly his head spun. He hovered in the air for a moment, feeling incredibly sheepish as he slowly shrank down from over 100 meters long to a more manageable ten or so.

“Oh. Uh, guess that makes sense,” Kenta admitted. “Could you, um?”

There was a pop, and Kenta found himself hovering in midair in his tiny form, feeling flummoxed and flustered. “That wasn’t what I meant, you crazy thunder lady!”

“Yes, but you are much less threatening this way,” Raiden said, holding out her arm for Kenta to perch on. “Come. Your mate awaits.”

“You know it sounds really creepy when you call her that, right? Dammit, you married us! Just call her my wife!” Kenta ranted, even as Raiden stepped through the portal and into the hospital lobby.

There was a gasp, and several doctors and nurses bowed to Raiden, though she waved a dismissive hand to them. “Attend to your roles. I merely bring my familiar to his wife, that he may attend to his fatherly duties.”

“Everybody get back to work! Where’s my wife!? Where’s my baby!?” Kenta wailed, though it came out as a bit of a high pitched squeak, given his current size.

Raiden walked calmly and far too slowly for Kenta’s tastes to the hospital room. Kenta was grateful to see the building was supplied with power, though he knew that Raiden had replanted enough Thunder Sakura trees and enough power plants had been brought back online that most of the country had power now, for at least part of the day. There were still brownouts and electrical usage was strictly rationed, but things weren’t completely dire now.

Eventually, Raiden arrived at the hospital room, and Kenta scurried off her shoulder and down her leg, then hopped up on the bed where Keiga lay panting and moaning slightly.

Taking her hand in his tiny little claws, Kenta squeezed. “It’s alright, I’m here for you baby, and- GODDAMMIT RAIDEN I AM NOT WITNESSING THE BIRTH OF MY FIRST CHILD WHILE I SOUND LIKE A GOOFY ASS CHILDREN’S CARTOON!”

“Kenta, my love, I am very glad you are here, but if you continue to scream like that, I will strangle you for doing this to me,” Keiga growled, her face pale and streaked with sweat.

“Very well,” Raiden said, and Kenta found himself growing back to regular size. Doctors hastily came forward, forcing him to wash his hands and put on a hair net and mask, though Kenta noticed they were doing no such thing to the Almighty NEET, who appeared mildly disinterested by the entire proceeding.

“Alright, I’m here honey,” Kenta said, taking Keiga’s hands in his and giving them a squeeze. She smiled at him through the tears, then grit her teeth. “Just breathe…”

Keiga had already been mostly dilated by the time Kenta had arrived, but it took another eight hours. While Keiga had been given an epidural, her draconian biology meant that it had worn off within moments, and the doctors refused to give another, citing that they had no way of knowing what that much medication would do, even to someone of Keiga’s impressive fortitude. The process was long and grueling, but Kenta stayed by Keiga’s side the entire time, even though Raiden had wandered off after less than an hour.

At long last, the midwife had Kenta step back, moving behind Keiga to put his hands on her shoulders. With a last cry, she pushed, and the baby’s head finally popped into view, pale skin with purple fuzz on top. Then the baby was out, and the midwife slapped it firmly on the buttocks. The baby sucked in a mighty breath, and let out an ear-piercing wail.

“You did good, honey,” Kenta whispered, giving Keiga a squeeze as she lay back on the bed, drenched in sweat and exhausted.

“A… ah, healthy baby boy,” the midwife said. “No, ah, girl. That’s a tail.”

“Tail?” Keiga asked, her eyes fluttering open.

“Tail!?” Kenta demanded, and stormed around, grabbing the baby before it could finish being cleaned, even as it continued to cry. Even with his inexperienced eye, he could tell the child was not normal. There were two small bumps on the forehead that were a pale purple, and the hair was also an unnatural lavender color. Strangest of all was the long, scaly tail that grew from the baby’s tailbone.

Gently, Kenta cleaned the baby off in the basin that had been prepared as the nurses quickly cleaned up the mess that Keiga had made of herself in the birth. Then, he wrapped the still screaming babe in swaddling, and handed her back to her mother.

“Is something wrong?” Keiga asked, her eyes fluttering open, a smile on her lips as she cradled their child to her swollen bare breast. The baby was soon silent and sucking greedily, her eyes closed tightly.

“Uh, kid’s a dragon,” Kenta said with a shrug of his massive shoulders, feeling entirely helpless despite his power. “She’s got a tail.”

Keiga blinked, then unwrapped a bit of the swaddling until the tail poked loose, which made the baby start to fuss again. She hastily rewrapped her, then looked up at Kenta, startled.

“I… that’s… good?”

“Never heard of a child being born a parahuman before,” Kenta said, shaking his head and feeling helpless.

“She is not a child of parasites.”

Kenta whirled, and for a moment, he thought it was Raiden standing there. Then he blinked, and saw that it was Tsukoyomi, who stepped into the room as doctors bowed to her.

“But she’s got a tail,” Kenta said, pointing. “She’s a parahuman.”

“She is no more a parahuman than her parents are,” Tsukoyomi stated simply, coming to stand at Kenta’s shoulder to look down at the nursing babe and her mother.

Kenta and Keiga exchanged looks, and then Keiga sighed. “Forgive me, but I am tired. Tsu, what the fuck are you talking about?”

Kenta beamed proudly. Keiga was going to make a great familiar.

“You are no longer parahumans. Kenta has not been one since my mother blessed him and made him her familiar, and you have not been one since you were gifted the Heart of Leviathan,” Tsukoyomi stated, taking the lese majeste in stride.

“We’re… not?” Kenta asked, now truly puzzled. “Then how the hell do I turn into a giant dragon?”

“Because you are a dragon,” Tsukoyomi said, frowning slightly and tilting her head ever so slightly to one side, as she often did when perplexed by the vagaries of mortals.

“You mean…” Kenta’s mind went blank, and he looked helplessly to his wife, but she was looking down thoughtfully at their child. “We have become shenlong, and our child is one as well?”

“Yes.”

That one word seemed to turn Kenta’s entire world upside down. For a moment, he didn’t know what to do, or what to say. Then he knelt down and wrapped his wife and child in a tight embrace. “Doesn’t matter. We’re still a family, and I’ve got the prettiest wife, and cutest daughter in the world.”

Keiga nodded tiredly, resting her head against Kenta’s. “What do we name her?

For a moment, Kenta was silent. Then he said, “Bailu.”

“A Chinese name?” Keiga asked, opening her eyes and looking at Kenta for a moment.

“My grandmother’s,” Kenta muttered, feeling defensive.

“Then it is a good name,” Keiga said. “Welcome to the world, little Bailu.”

The baby, having drunk her fill, was now sleeping quietly. Kenta took the child, and hugged her to his chest as Keiga lay back herself and began to snore. Holding this tiny little being… Kenta felt something awaken deep within himself. He would move Heaven and Earth to keep his precious daughter safe and happy.

The night air was warm and muggy, with not even a faint breeze to stir the air. The sound of not so distant traffic could be heard from the highway, along with the faint chirping of crickets. Most of the light came from buzzing fireflies amongst the weeds and wildflowers, illuminating the DANGER: HIGH VOLTAGE sign on a rusty chain link fence.

Then came the crunch of gravel underfoot, and the fireflies buzzed out of the way as two dark figures crept out of the shadows.

“This is stupid! What if we get caught?” a squeaky voiced hissed. “I can’t see anything!”

“We won’t get caught. We’re going to find the monsters, and kill them,” a more muffled voice replied.

“There aren’t any monsters! Not unless there’s a biotinker here, and what are we going to do about it?!” the first voice demanded.

The first held up a glass jar filled with fireflies that glowed softly, illuminating the two figures. Despite the warm weather, both were dressed in long sleeved hoodies, one gray, the other dark purple. Oddly, the hoodies had animal ears, one like a cats, the other like insect wings. “Then we protect this city, as my father would have wished.”

The gray cat ripped her hoodie off, revealing messy blonde hair and an irritated expression. “Taylor, we should just call the Protectorate if there’s any danger! They can handle it!”

“No, we have to take out the monsters, so I can join the Wards,” Taylor said firmly, pushing her own hood forward, her glasses gleaming in the dim light. “You can be my sidekick.”

“What!? I am not being your sidekick! If anything YOU should be my sidekick!”

“I have a Vision,” Taylor pointed out, and held up her father’s dimmed one.

“It doesn’t work! Ugh, we don’t have any powers, and they don’t let people with no powers in the Wards!”

“We can be like Batman. He joined the Justice League.”

“Yeah and he was super rich! Are you super rich?!”

“No, but you are. Besides, I was going to see if I could steal some of Uncle Wyatt’s stuff,” Taylor sniffed, and continued towards the power station. She reached the chain link fence, then took off her bright pink Lightning Princess Ami backpack, which had a baseball bat with a couple of nails clumsily driven into it poking out of the main pocket. She unzipped it, rummaging around inside.

“It is so unfair that you won’t let me ask Alexandria and Hero for their autographs, you know,” Sarah grumbled, squatting down next to Tailor. Nervously, she fingered the very expensive nine iron she’d stolen from her father to use as her weapon. “Also, I’m pretty sure my parents won’t let us buy like, batarangs or something. Plus, my parents are millionaires. Not, like, Batman rich.”

Taylor just grunted, then pulled out a pair of wire cutters and stepped up to the chain link fence. “Well, maybe when we kill the monsters, they’ll have some valuable loot.”

“That’s completely stupid you know. Monsters don’t just drop loot when you kill them like in a video game or something,” Sarah lectured. “If anything, we’d have to like, scavenge their parts and sell them to illegal Tinkers for money.”

“So, like Monster Hunter instead of Dragon Quest,” Taylor said with a shrug. She grunted, trying to get the wire cutters to snip the chain link fence. Even with two hands, it was too hard for the wiry little six year old to manage.

Shoving Taylor aside, Sarah took the wire cutters. “Ugh, let me do it.” Straining, Sarah managed to snip one link of the chain fence and grinned triumphantly, her white teeth flashing in the night. “Ha! See, this is why you’d be my sidekick: I’m older and stronger.”

“You’re the muscle, I’m the brains,” Taylor said, folding her arms over her chest.

“Nu-uh.”

“Yeah huh.”

Nu-uh!”

“Yeah huh!”

Before the squabble could devolve any further, there was a rustling in the bushes, and both girls sprang back like they’d been shocked, Sarah  brandishing her golf club, and Taylor grabbing the wire cutters and holding them forward like a knife.

“I-It’s just a raccoon or something,” Sarah  stammered. “T-there’s no monsters out here…”

“People have reported seeing something strange, and the PRT was all over these woods today. There has to be something,” Taylor hissed. Then she drew herself up and raised her voice. “Whatever you are, show yourself! We’re with the Wards! Stop in the name of the Law!”

A moment later, the bush suddenly bloomed, weird veins of light running all along the leaves. Both girls screamed, hugging one another in a panic. A moment later, a glowing purple blob sprang out of the bushes and extended a glowing white antenna towards the two girls.

“Oh my God,” Sarah  gasped.

“I was RIGHT!” Taylor cheered, and ran forward, grabbing her backpack, even as the slime regarded them, its antenna crackling slightly as it waved around.

“It’s… it’s a slime,” Sarah said, picking up her dropped golf club and gingerly pointing it towards the creature. “But… but I thought those were like, only in Japan and Germany and stuff…”

“They were sighted on the West Coast a month ago, and they’ve been all over Australia since the Loy Yang battle,” Taylor declared, taking a few tries, but finally jerking her baseball bat free. “Now, at last, we will slay this foul beast!”

“I dunno, it looks kinda cute,” Sarah said, tilting her head to one side. “Are slimes like, dangerous or anything?”

“Only if you’re dumb,” Taylor told her.

Nodding, Sarah extended her metal golf club towards the slime, and poked it.

The resulting shock knocked the breath out of Sarah and sent her two feet back to land flat on her rear in the sharp gravel, where she sat for a moment, stunned. Then she started crying, trembling all over.

Seeing her friend so wounded, entirely through her own actions, Taylor bellowed out a warcry: “TO THE PAIN!” and swung her baseball bat with all her might. To her shock, the slime bent and wobbled at the blow, squishing like it was, well, made of slime. Taylor smacked it repeatedly, but the feeble blows of a six (and a half!) year old girl who only participated in sports when forced to had very little effect on the creature. The slime bounced forward, smacking Taylor in the chest, and giving her a nasty shock. She stumbled back as well, her glasses tumbling off her face, and leaving her nearly blind in the darkness.

“GET OFF HER, YOU JERK!” Sarah scrambled, grabbing up the bat Taylor had dropped and clubbing the slime repeatedly. Despite having a good two inches and seven pounds on Taylor, Sara’s blows were no more effective on the slime, and she found herself knocked back and shocked again when the slime bounced onto her.

Screaming, Sarah looked up in horror as the slime bounced towards her ominously, curling up into a ball to try to protect herself. This was actually the right thing to do, especially against a lone, rather small slime, as slimes are not carnivorous (or herbivorous) and would just leave a non-threatening human alone, unless they had a source of elemental energy on them.

Like the cell phone that Sarah had in her pocket.

Before the slime could attack again, by touch alone, Taylor had found her backpack and retrieved two items. The first was her back up pair of glasses. The second was less practical.

“FACE JUSTICE!”

There was a FWOOSH and a jet of flames shot out from the can of deodorant Taylor had stuck a lighter in front of. As soon as the fire touched the slime, it detonated, exploding into little chunks of charged elemental goop.

Unfortunately, Taylor also lit a bit of Sara’s hair on fire, along with some brush. Taylor managed to dig out her canteen and pour it over Sarah to put her out, but the two girls were desperately trying to stomp out the ever-growing fire before it spread, when a commanding voice barked out, “Stand back!”

There was a hissing sound, and then cold white foam enveloped both Taylor and Sara, who began coughing as the fire sputtered and died. A moment later, strong hands picked both of them up by their collars and hauled them back, before dumping them on the ground a short distance away.

There was a pounding of boots and Taylor and Sarah coughed, and a voice cried out, “Ma’am! We found another slime! What seems to be the problem here?”

“It’s just two kids,” a faintly accented voice said in disgust. “Relax, Sergeant Piggot. Did you manage to capture the thing?”

“Yes ma’am. Uh, kids?”

Blinking, Taylor looked up to see dark eyes glaring down at her over an American flag-patterned bandana, bright lights shining at her from the hands of several PRT troopers in heavy protective gear.

“Oh no…” Taylor groaned. “My mom is gonna-”

Sarah elbowed her, then calmly stood up, brushing the firefighting foam off of herself. “Thank you, Miss Militia. We’ll make sure to include your help in our report.”

The cape’s eyebrows rose. “Oh really?”

“Yes,” Sarah said primly, putting her hoodie back on. “I’m, uh-”

“Tattletale,” Taylor said with a smirk, but Sarah just nodded and continued, sounding snootier and putting on what someone else might have recognized as the antiquated mid-Atlantic accent.

“Tattletale, from the Hartford Wards. We were in the area and heard there might be a problem. This is Skitter, she’s a Vision Holder.”

Taylor very helpfully produced her father’s Vision, praying that it would pass scrutiny, despite the fact that it was dim and empty.

Miss Militia and Sergeant Piggot exchanged glances. “You don’t say.”

“I do,” Sarah drawled. “Now, if you’ll just excuse us, we’ll be heading back to our accommodations to file a report.”

“I think it’s best if you check in with command directly first,” Miss Militia said, putting a firm hand on both girl’s shoulders. “Right this way.”

Taylor shot Sarah a wide-eyed look, which her friend momentarily returned. Desperately, Taylor clutched her Vision. God, Dad, whoever is out there, if you’re listening… now would be a REALLY good time for you to give me powers. I promise to use them to hunt down the Siberian!

Despite her silent pleas, her Vision remained dull and lifeless. After a few minutes of hiking up to the road, bright lights of emergency vehicles began to filter through the trees, and Taylor felt cold sweat trickle down her back. She looked at Sara, who was biting her lip nervously, fear on her face. Seeing that, Taylor straightened her back, and squared her small shoulders. She would be a hero. She had nothing to fear.

Except her mom grounding her forever.

When they made it up to the road, Taylor saw several PRT vehicles and a dozen troopers, along with several glass crates. They all held slimes within them, most of them the purple kind, though there was one large glowing orange one that crackled with power.

A sudden idea came to Taylor, and she broke away from Miss Militia’s guiding hand, running over to one of the crates. She jammed her father’s Vision into the slime, then let out a yip as the electro raced up her arm. Her muscles locked up, and body stiffened. The next thing she knew, she was slammed to the ground. When she recovered, she found a stern-faced Sergeant Piggot kneeling over her.

“Do you have a death wish, kid? That was a damn stupid thing to do.”

“I’m a Vision Holder,” Taylor said stubbornly, holding her Vision up like a talisman. It was, to her immense frustration, still empty. “I needed a recharge.”

Piggot sighed heavily and muttered several no-no words, then reached down and picked Taylor up, clamping her hand around Taylor’s wrist. “Come on. I’m sticking you in a squad car until we can sort this out.”

Even as Taylor was frog-marched over to a car, she heard Sarah loudly protesting as she too was dragged over by Miss Militia.

“I’m telling you, I’m a Thinker! We’re Wards! From Connecticut!” Amazingly, Sarah managed all that while maintaining her mid-Atlantic accent, kicking her legs as she dangled from Miss Militia’s hand.

“Uh huh. You just wait here and show me just what kind of ‘Thinker’ you are, kid,” Miss Militia said, cramming Sarah along with Taylor into the back of a police car and shutting the door.

The two girls sat in horrified silence for several long moments, both of them panting slightly. At last, Sarah swallowed. “I told you so.”

“We defeated the slime. We’re heroes,” Taylor said stubbornly. “They have to recognize our heroic deeds and make us Wards.”

“Ugh, this was a bad idea from the start! We should have just actually gone over to my house and watched a movie or something!” Sarah said, throwing up her hands. “I’d even have watched the stupid Princess Bride with you again!”

“But you said you love that movie!” Taylor gasped, deeply offended.

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Ugh, I’d rather watch episodes of Mushu Adventures. Princess Bride sucks.”

Tears filled Taylor’s eyes, and she sniffed, scrubbing at her face. “Princess Bride was my dad’s favorite movie.”

“Oh.” Sarah shifted uncomfortably. “Um, I like it. I’m just mad. Because we got caught. And how did they not believe we were Wards!? We have costumes and you have a Vision!”

“A stupid one that doesn’t work,” Taylor said in disgust, looking down at the empty totem in her lap.

“Well it’s better than my imaginary Thinker powers,” Sarah sighed, putting her head in her hands and looking dejectedly at the ground. She sniffled, looking lost and forlorn herself. “You’re not the only one who wishes she had superpowers…”

“It’s OK, you’re a super friend,” Taylor told Sara, and gave her a hug.

The two girls were sitting like that with the driver’s side door of the squad car opened, and a moment later the small grate that separated the back of the police car from the front slid down. A moment later, a face that sent a chill down Taylor’s spine appeared.

“Taylor. Why, exactly, were you wandering around a dangerous forest in the middle of a PRT operation?” Legend asked, his expression completely exasperated.

“Um, I-I don’t know what you mean,” Taylor said, scratching the side of her face as Sarah blushed and gazed dreamily at Legend. “I’m, um, Skitter…from the Wards…”

“Taylor, I know exactly who all the Wards in Hartford are. And we very much don’t have a pair of six year olds on that team, or any team,” Legend said sternly.

“I’m seven,” Sarah said sullenly, which rather proved Legend’s point.

“I’ll get to you, Miss Livsey,” Legend said sternly. “Impersonating a cape is a serious crime.”

“Who said I’m not a Thinker?” Sarah demanded, leaning back and pouting. “I know your real name!”

Legend’s eyes snapped to Taylor, but she waved her hands in protest. “I-I didn’t tell her anything, I swear!”

“I see.” Legend’s eyes turned back to Sara, who smirked. “And who, exactly, do you think I am?”

“Taylor’s Uncle Keith,” Sarah said smugly. “You’re Junior’s dad from Mrs. Sanchez’s class”

Groaning, Legend rubbed the bridge of his nose. “... how many kids at your school know this? I suppose I should be grateful that my son wasn’t trekking through the woods at midnight with the two of you…”

“Just me, I figured it all out on my own,” Sarah said airly, sticking her nose in the air and reacquiring her mid-Atlantic accent.

“... she stole my journal,” Taylor said, giving Sarah a dirty look.

“... and the names of how many highly classified Protectorate capes are in that journal?” Legend asked, his tone pained.

“Um, I haven’t figured out who Eidolon is yet,” Sarah admitted, giving him an innocent smile. “But I’m pretty sure I know who Uncle Wyatte and Aunt Becky are.”

“Fantastic,” Legend breathed out. He gave Sarah a thoughtful look. “Are you actually a Thinker?”

“If I say yes, am I still in trouble?” Sarah asked hopefully.

“Oh, yes, absolutely,” Legend said, his expression growing stern.

“You can’t send us to jail!” Sarah wailed, pressing up to the window as tears streaked her cheeks. “We just wanted to fight monsters and get Taylor’s Vision working again!”

“Taylor…” Legend groaned, his expression taking on a different kind of pain.

“I’ll get my powers someday,” Taylor said, gripping her Vision tightly. “And then, I will track down the Siberian. And when I find her, I will say, ‘Hello-”

“My name is Taylor Hebert!” Sarah said, making a fist of her own.

“‘You Killed my Father, Prepare to die!’” both girls declared in unison.

Legend regarded both girls for a long moment, then said, “Does your mother know where you are, Taylor?”

“Um, no, please don’t tell her…” Taylor whispered, shrinking in on herself.

“And your parents, Miss Livsey?” Legend asked.

“... they think we’re spending the night at my house, and my brother is watching us,” Sarah admitted. “They’re out at a party or something.”

“And your brother…?”

“Is over at his girlfriend’s house,” Sarah admitted. “I’m covering for him.”

“Amazing. This is above my pay grade,” Legend said, opening the door.

“So, you’ll let us go?!” Taylor gasped excitedly, pressing her nose to the open slot.

“I’m calling Annette. And making sure Arthur knows where Junior is,” Legend said, pulling out a cell phone.

Taylor slumped back in her seat, groaning softly. “We’re going to be grounded for the rest of the summer…”

“We didn’t even get any good loot of the slime,” Sarah whined.

Taylor turned to her in exasperation. “You said slimes don’t drop good loot!”

“Well, duh! But, I mean, we went through all this effort, I thought we’d get SOMETHING!” Sarah  protested.

What they both got was a week of solitary confinement in their rooms.

The ground shook again, and Digger swore as he was forced to crouch down in the shallow trench. He peeked up over the rim, and winced as he watched the Endbringer trample on one of the giant excavators, crushing the valuable machine to nothing but scrap metal. Smoke was rising from the Loy Yang mine from the fires, and there was little Digger could do about it. His powers let him tunnel through just about anything with the long metallic claws that had replaced his fingernails, but he wasn’t built for Endbringer fights. He motioned to the miners who were crouched beside him. “Come on, this way you fuckers, back to the rally point.”

He got the group of evacuees out, then sent them running along the road to Traralgon where they’d be picked up. He turned back around and kept low to the ground, keeping an eye on the pit mine a few kilometers away where Behemoth was still rampaging. He’d made his way to the Loy Yang Power station next, and when that happened the entire power grid for Victoria was well and truly fucked.

He started tunneling through the earth, his power allowing him to move aside the inorganic materials in the soil and compress it down. He could use it for digging into buildings as well, and in fact usually used it to get into places like bank vaults. That was what he’d be doing today, but, well… things happened.

Sensing someone up above him, Digger popped out, right in the center of the makeshift command center where a dozen other capes were. A grim-faced man with a lantern jaw and a giant hammer propped on his shoulders glared down at Digger, who winced and gave a nervous smile.

“Uh, truce, remember?” Digger offered, giving Gavel a nervous wave. He was pretty sure he wasn’t on Gavel’s shit list, but if he was… he wouldn’t survive it.

“Today only,” Gavel growled and reached down to haul Digger out of his hole and deposit him on the ground. Several other capes, some villains that Digger knew, others heroes, and a few independents were clustered around, with a dark woman with Aboriginal features at the front. She was Dream Time, and one of the most powerful capes in Australia. Unfortunately, her power set relied on mental manipulation and illusions, which would do basically nothing against an Endbringer.

“Right, you bastards,” Dream Time said, motioning the capes around. “Listen up! Digger, you get the miners out?”

“All I could. Mines are burning now. Tried one tunnel I had to get the hell out of before I choked to death. No one alive down there now,” he said, feeling sick. He robbed banks, yes, but he didn’t kill people. He kept underground as much as possible and never hurt anyone if he could help it. If he got into a fight, he dug a hole and ran away.

He glanced at the smoke that was lifting into the clouds. No running today. Not from this.

“Right. Well, that big fucker over there thinks he can bend us over like Leviathan did Sydney. Well, we’re going to teach him not to fuck with Aussies!”

There were a few scattered cheers, but mostly grim silence. A few people here had been at Sydney. Not many had survived that fight. Digger felt sick to his stomach at even the thought of it.

“We’re waiting on reinforcements. Japan signed a treaty with us, and the Protectorate should be here soon. We-”

Lightning struck from a clear blue sky, ripping open a hole in space beside Dream Time. A moment later, a large man and a slender woman stepped through the portal, dressed in kimonos and with two swords strapped to their sides. Digger felt a sense of relief, recognizing Mushu and Keiga. They were the Lord and Lady of the Sentai. If Japan sent them, then that meant they were going to be here in force.

However, once the two Japanese capes were through, the portal snapped shut, leaving them standing alone, facing the burning coal mine.

“Glad you made it, where are the others?” Dream Time asked Mushu.

He didn’t respond, removing his outer robe, and tossing it to the side, unstrapping his swords and setting them down as well. As he did so, his wife spoke for him.

“It is just us,” Keiga said, slowly undoing her belt and setting it to the side as well. Digger watched with interest as she too disrobed, until he caught Mushu glancing over his shoulder. That was when Digger realized how very interesting the ground was, and kept his gaze fixed on that.

It was one thing to look at a fine woman: It was another when that woman was married to the scariest son of a bitch in the Eastern Hemisphere, his boss aside.

“You’ve fought an Endbringer before,” Dream Time said to the Japanese capes. “What is the strategy? Why so few? Behemoth has already destroyed the mines! Please, you need to mobilize, we already have every cape in Australia headed here, they’ll be here in less than an hour, the same time as the PRT. Then we can-”

“No waiting,” Mushu grunted, and Digger glanced up to see him rolling his neck from side to side and cracking his knuckles.

“The Raiden Shogun has sworn alliance with you. We honor our oaths,” Keiga added, though Digger tried very hard not to look at her. Wait. Were those…scales? That was a bit kinky…and…a tail? Hold on, didn’t she just have hydrokinesis of some sort? This wasn’t the Outback, so there was some water, but this wasn’t exactly her battlefield.

Overhead, thunder rumbled, and the now nude Japanese capes stepped forward. Digger felt a drop on his head, and looked up in perplexity. It had been a clear day only moments before, but now, dark clouds filled the sky.

“BEHEMOTH!” Mushu bellowed, his voice far louder and larger than a human throat could have produced, his roar echoing off the distant walls of the mine. “I AM MUSHU, FAMILIAR OF THE RAIDEN SHOGUN, EMINATOR  OF ETERNITY! I SLEW YOUR BROTHER! NOW, I SHALL SLAY YOU!”

In the distance, Behemoth looked up from its rampage, turning towards the sound. Responding to the challenge, or just the noise? No way to know.

“Oh fuck me,” Digger gasped, and took several steps back, until he bumped into a wall. He glanced back to see the grim-faced Gavel, who shoved him back forward. Fuck. This wasn’t going how he’d thought it would…

As they advanced, the two Japanese capes began to change, first growing horns and scales along with tails, then slowly stretching, elongating as they inflated to gargantuan sizes. Digger gaped as two dragons lifted off into the sky, weaving back and forth around one another in the air as they drifted toward Behemoth. One purple and bulky, with lightning crackling about his body, the other more slender and with sleeker lines, long whiskers trailing in the air beside her.

The Endbringer had lost all interest in the mine or the power station, and turned towards the dragons. The creature was eerily silent, the only noise it made was the rumble of the earth as it began to charge forward. In response, the dragons bubbled deafening warcries, and surged forward with frightening rapidity. How could three beings that were so large move so fast?

Digger dove into the ground, hastily hollowing out a sort of bunker, where he peered out at the battle. Keiga was staying back, rising up towards the clouds as her husband began to pick up speed, charging forward with a snarling roar that sounded like boulders tumbling down a hill. Behemoth answered, charging forward and spraying out a stream of molten lava from his hands. Mushu responded by opening his own jaws wide, and a wave of lightning thundered out. Where the two attacks met, there was a blinding flash of light and an explosion that shook the earth so hard that even Digger’s compressed bunker shuddered, with bits of soil and rock breaking free and falling down.

Gavel and Dream Time joined Digger in the bunker, taking shelter from the storm that was now strong enough that it was causing flooding and blasting what remained of the power plants to ruins.

“Those mad bastards, do they really think just the two of them can fight an Endbringer?!” Dream Time gasped, flicking water from her face as she peered out at the dim shapes crashing in the distance.

“He fought one before,” Gavel said flatly. “I think he knows what he’s doing.”

“From what I heard, he nearly died, and it was Raiden that did the real fighting,” Digger said with a frown. He winced when Gavel turned to stare at him.

“A fair point. We should get ready to join the fight as soon as the PRT arrives,” Gavel said with a shrug.

Cringing at the thought, Digger turned back to watch. It was hard to make out in the heavy rain, but the lightning and fires that bloomed at each clash made it easy to keep track of Mushu and Behemoth at least. Mushu was now bigger than Behemoth, and the dragon was keeping his distance, firing off bolts of lightning as he circled around, far faster than something that big should have been able to move.

Behemoth, however, was simply taking the barrage of lightning, occasionally firing out more waves of flame or lava that screamed as they flashed the water in the air to steam. Mushu took a few hits, but it didn’t seem to overly bother the dragon. They kept that up for several minutes, but something bothered Digger.

“Doesn’t Behemoth usually shoot lightning at people? That’s how Snaggletooth and Flinger bit it earlier, right?” he asked nervously.

“Yes,” Dream Time said, her tone tight. “Look. You can see: the lightning isn’t harming Behemoth.”

At first, Digger didn’t see, but as the fight went on, Behemoth began to glow, brighter and brighter, white flashes of power along the spikes at its back and shoulders. Then the entire world seemed to flash to pure brightness, and the earth trembled. When Digger’s vision cleared, he beheld two titanic monsters wrestling one another for supremacy.

At first, Digger thought the larger Mushu was winning, but it was soon apparent this was not the case. Though the dragon was now more than 100 meters long and had Behemoth in his tight coils, there was dark blood leaking from a dozen wounds, and Mushu was roaring in pain as he and the Endbringer clashed.

“Fuck, we have to get out there!” Dream Time swore, but Gavel put a hand out to stop her.

“Wait. Weren’t there two of them?” he rumbled.

Just as it looked like Behemoth would slay Mushu, something like whale song echoed across the battlefield. The air rippled above the struggling kaiju, and the clouds parted as a great azure head emerged. The rain, which up until now had been torrential, abruptly ceased. Keiga opened her jaws wide, and a massive globe of water appeared between them, sucking in moisture from all sides.

“Holy shit,” Digger breathed. “He wasn’t trying to kill the bastard…”

Mushu tightened his coils, and with another warble of whale song, Keiga let loose with a jet of water that slammed Behemoth into the ground, carving away most of his spikes and digging a great gouge into his back.

“He was just holding him still. Like he did for Raiden,” Gavel said with a shake of his head. “That’s one crazy fuckin’ bastard.”

Keiga’s attack ended, and she began to inhale more water, even as Mushu roared and crackled with more purple lightning

Digger clutched his head, feeling a sense of panic. “No you stupid bastard, he’s-”

Behemoth pulsed with power, this time flames washing over the creature’s entire body. Mushu howled in pain and uncoiled, flying up and away from the Endbringer, who had slammed both claws into the ground, planting himself as he looked up at Keiga, who had nearly charged another water bolt. This time, when she fired, Behemoth responded with a surge of lava, and the battlefield vanished as a great explosion shook the ground from the clash of water and flames.

By the time everything cleared, Keiga had been forced back, drifting lower and seeming dazed. Behemoth leapt through the clinging mists, slamming both claws into her and raking her side. She snarled and bit at the Endbringer, slamming her tail into Behemoth with a great crack, and sending the smaller creature sprawling.

Mushu charged back out, breathing more lightning that raked over Behemoth before bashing into the creature, head first. Whalesong resounded again, and the rain returned as Keiga soaked the battlefield once more.

“So,” Digger said, turning to Dream Time and Gavel. “Who feels this is way the fuck outside of their league?”

“Coward,” Gavel sneered, but he made no move to charge towards the battling monsters.

“All we can do is keep civilians out of the area, and wait for reinforcements,” Dream Time repeated, shaking her head. “Bloody fucking hell…”

The battle dragged on for long minutes, but it was soon clear that this was a stalemate. If Australia had even two or three capes present strong enough to go toe to toe with an Endbringer, they might have been able to tip the balance in the favor of humanity, but as it stood, what capes they had were the ones that had been in the area: Australia sorely lacked long ranged teleporters, and their strongest blaster capes could fly at only a few hundred kilometers per hour. As such, the forces present were not suited to an Endbringer fight. A consequence of having a massive nation with only 25 million people.

Still, this was a victory in and of itself: while hundreds of millions of dollars of damage had been done and hundreds of lives lost, along with complete devastation to one of Australia’s most vital coal mines and power stations, this was recoverable. If Behemoth was stalemated here before it could move to the nearby town of Traralgon, they would be getting off lightly.

Just when Digger was hoping he could stay well out of the fight, another portal opened up. This one took the form of a door appearing out of nowhere, then a dozen capes charging through. These Digger also recognized: The Protectorate.

“Right, who’s in charge here?” Alexandria demanded, flying over to the bunker and looking around.

Digger looked at Dream Time, but she just shook her head. “You are, I suppose. We’ve evacuated the civilians, but we don’t have a team capable of… well, that.”

Alexandra looked to where the dragons were still exchanging blows that could level city blocks with Behemoth in the midst of a thunderstorm, and grimaced. “Well. Fortunately, we brought a few who can. Eidolon! Let’s see about putting the odds in our favor.”

“You sure we can’t just let them kill one another?” Gavel asked, folding his arms over his chest. “Solve two of your problems, wouldn’t it?”

The glare Alexandria shot Gavel would have made Digger wet himself if he hadn’t already done that twice today, but Gavel didn’t even flinch. “Much as there is no love lost between the Sentai and the Protectorate, Behemoth is an Endbringer. I’d help the Slaughterhouse Nine against an Endbringer if I thought they could be trusted not to stab me in the back, and Mushu, while a brute, is an honorable man. He’d do the same for me.”

“Hell of a brute,” Digger muttered, shaking his head. He sighed, then grinned up at the flying woman. “Uh, I can dig holes real good. How can I help?”

“You already have,” Alexandria told him, then formed up with her team, even as more American capes spilled out. They even had fancy tinkertech comms gear, with Hero hovering there on a pair of jet boots and coordinating with Chevalier and Eidolon.

“Yankees,” Digger sighed. “Why the fuck do they get all the fancy toys?”

“Because they got capes like Alexandria and Legend, and we’ve got us,” Dream Time said grimly. “Come on. I’m not sitting this out any longer.”

Swallowing, Digger said a prayer to every God and angel he could think of, especially the Raiden Shogun, and trotted after her and Gavel.

Minutes later, Digger ran along with a gaggle of other capes, roaring out a wordless battlecry as they splashed along in the muddy ground. Most of them were Aussies like him, though a few Amercians were mixed in as well. It was several kilometers away, and Digger’s sides and legs were already burning, his heart thundering in his chest as Alexandria and her Elite zoomed overhead.

While the battle with Behemoth had been a stalemate, it quickly became a very one sided beat down. Eidolon and a half dozen blaster capes hit the Endbringer so hard that it was knocked sideways, then Alexandria piled in, knocking Behemoth down. Mushu and Keiga didn’t hesitate, both dragons ripping and tearing at the kaiju so that his hide was rapidly shredded, dark blood spilling out in great streams.

After that, the Endbringer tried to fight back, shooting out lightning and lava while swatting at the dragons and Alexandria, but despite being far from friends, Mushu, Keiga, and Alexandria fought together like they’d been practicing for ages, seamlessly weaving their attacks together and pummeling the Endbringer. Digger wasn’t even halfway there when the Endbringer dove for the muddy ground. In a spray of earth and molten rock, the Endbringer vanished.

There was a ragged cheer, but Dream Time called out, “Don’t celebrate yet! He could come back at any time!”

And so, Digger waited in the mud as the thunderstorm broke and dissipated. He looked around, up at the sky where Hero, Eidolon, and Alexandria conferred with the dragons, who had shrunken somewhat, now being only the size of a school bus instead of an entire school.

“What do you think they’re talking about?” Digger said to no one in particular.

“How to fuck your mother,” a villain named Drop Bear told him. Digger sneered at the ugly man, but didn’t comment. Drop Bear was a mean mother. And it would take more than a dab of vegemite to keep him away.

After an hour of waiting, the two dragons drifted down to near the terrestrial capes, shrinking again until they were nearly human sized, though retaining their draconic forms.

“We will offer you aid,” Keiga told Dream Time. “If it is agreeable, my husband will provide your cities with power that Behemoth has denied them for a few days, and I shall help with preventing groundwater contamination from the mine.”

“That is… a generous offer,” Dream Time said, sounding startled. “We’d need to talk to Canberra, but I don’t think they’d deny you.”

“Good. We ask only that the shipments of grain and cattle continue to Japan,” Keiga said. “We shall, of course, continue to pay.”

Digger didn’t really understand what that was all about, but the Americans looked pissed as well.

“We can offer help with rebuilding as well,” Alexandria said, though it sounded half-hearted after Keiga had made her initial offer. “Reconstruction in the coming months.”

“Ah, thank you. I’ll pass that along,” Dream Time agreed, looking dazed. She glanced over at the smoldering pit, where cooling lava lay instead of a power station and mine. “What a fucking mess.”

“Woulda been a real pisser if you dragons hadn’t shown up,” Digger opined, feeling slightly dizzy. He was going to live after all.

“It wasn’t the dragons who chased away Behemoth,” Eidolon growled, and Digger nearly dove into a hole as he whirled to find the green masked cape hovering behind him.

“Sure, right you are. Real team effort. Good job, all around,” Digger babbled. “High five?”

Eidolon glanced at the hand, then turned away. “We’re done here. Alexandria can handle the negotiations. I have work to do.”

With that, he flew off.

“Yay,” Digger said softly, giving himself a high five. “Go team. Woo hoo. Cheers all around.”

“It was a good job,” Dream Time agreed, watching as Keiga and Mushu flew off to begin helping restore power and keep the water from becoming contaminated. “Shit, a far sight better than Sydney.”

“I’m still breathing, so I’m counting it as a win,” Digger agreed. He shook his head, then glanced at Gavel, who had begun fingering his hammer and eyeing some of the villains. “Well, I’ll just be off then.”

He turned to dive into the ground, but Dream Time put a hand on his shoulder and he froze. “Hey. You did good today. A lot of people are alive who’d be dead if you hadn’t helped. If you ever think of changing your ways… you could do a lot of good.”

Digger laughed and shrugged. “Sure, love. I’ll think about it.”

Then he dove into the comforting earth, and got the hell away from there.

Dragons, monsters, and fucking Americans running about like they owned the place. What was the world coming to?

The Second Archon War: Carmen Dei 23

Carmen Dei 23: The Vision of Europe

Dark blue waters sparkled under clear skies, and a stiff breeze blew across the canal, forcing Lumine to pull her knitted cap down on her head more tightly. Despite her wool hoodie, she still shivered a little in the late afternoon sun. Actually, checking her phone, it was well after 7pm, but the sun was still well above the horizon. The colorful buildings along the waterfront were still busy and lively, with crowds still going in and out of shops.

“Hey, any luck?” Aether asked, coming up to her and handing her a steaming cup of coffee.

Shaking her head, Lumine sighed heavily. “Are you really surprised? I mean, what are the odds of us just running into one of the most elusive people in the entire world on the street?”

“Don’t give up! Paimon just knows that if anyone can help you, the Anemo Archon can!” The little fairy took a noisy slurp of her own drink, hot chocolate by the smell, and smiled at Lumine with a little bit of whipped cream on her lips. Many of the passersby stared at Paimon, as floating toddlers were not exactly common on Earth Bet, but no one made a fuss.

“Do you really think he’s from our world? I’ve never heard of Barbatos before, except as a summon in fantasy games or something,” Lumine asked as she sipped at her own drink, a latte with just a hint of cloves and spice in it.

“Paimon never said that! But Barbatos isn’t from this world. So, maybe he knows a way to other worlds! Besides, the Seven are very powerful, and if anyone knows how to travel between worlds, it’s the gods,” Paimon explained.

Lumine shared a look with her brother, but Aether just shrugged. “It’s something to look for, anyway. It was a long enough boat ride across the ocean as it was.”

“Ugh, don’t remind Paimon, she was seasick the entire time. We shoulda gotten plane tickets, flying is much better!” Painmon declared, then let out a little belch and smacked her lips.

“Well, come on. Maybe he’s not even here,” Lumine said, clutching her drink for warmth and heading off down the street. “But we may as well look around. Eurovision is tomorrow, and all the rumors say the Tone Deaf Bards will make an appearance.”

They continued to walk down the boulevard, or in Paimon’s case float, searching for the person who had to be the most elusive in the entire world. Lumine was frustrated, but then again, the last 10 months had been full of nothing but frustration in their quest. She listened to what people were saying, but once more came up with nothing. She could sort of understand English now, and even speak a little, but Danish might as well have been the chattering of birds.

“We could split up and make the searching faster?” she suggested after an hour's fruitless walk. “Meet back at the hostel at 11:00?”

Aether pulled out his phone and frowned at it. “I don’t know, we don’t have the right SIM cards to make calls right now, if we get lost or separated…”

“Oh relax, we can take care of ourselves. If a supervillain or something pops up, I’ll just teleport them into the water or whatever,” Lumine said dismissively. “What do you think, Paimon?”

“All this floating is making Paimon tired and hungry,” the fairy whined. “Paimon wants to take a break…”

“We could try hitting up bars? I mean, supposedly that’s the best place to find Venti,” Aether suggested.

Lumine rolled her eyes. “No one is going to believe we’re 18. They won’t let you drink and we haven’t had time to find someone to make us a fake ID here.”

“I said look, not get drunk. It’s at least a plan,” Aether said, gritting his teeth in frustration and shoving his hands into his hoodie’s pouch.

“Yeah, fine. Come on, Paimon. You and I can stop at a cafe and people-watch. Not like we won’t see just as many people. My brother can go bar hopping. Good luck with picking up any chicks,” Lumine said with a wink.

That made her brother blush and mutter something choice, but he nodded and waved once before disappearing into the crowd.

The sun was just setting, but plenty of cafes were still open despite it being nearly 9pm. Lumine picked one at random and took a seat, Paimon settling down in her lap and eyeing the menu excitedly. “Ooo, Paimon wants to try some yummy Danish food. What do they have? Hmm, what’s Stjerneskud?”

“I don’t know, you’re the one who speaks Danish,” Lumine said in exasperation. The picture on the menu looked like fish on bread with some lemon, fish eggs, and mayo garnish. “It’s not too expensive is it?”

“Hmm, we did get a few thousand kroner for taking care of those slimes in that warehouse, so Paimon thinks we should treat ourselves!”

“You think that all the time,” Lumine giggled, but decided she agreed. Walking around all day had her hungry and tired, and she was nearly as much of a foodie as Paimon was.

The waiter came over and took their order for two Stjerneskud and some more hot coffee, and Lumine sat with her head resting on one hand, staring sightlessly at the passing crowd. This place was nothing like home still. She remembered the sky cities hovering over the pristine wilderness below, flying from building to building on grav wings, participating in the FD-VR leagues with her brother. It had felt like each day was a new world and wonder to experience, until That Day.

“Will we ever return home?” Lumine asked mournfully, her eyes not seeing most of the passersby. One group, however, stood out to her: a woman with bright green hair, accompanied by a giant hulk of a man and a woman with what Lumine had learned to recognize as Japanese features. The two women were both carrying Visions, and with the size of their male companion Lumine’s mind immediately went to capes.

“Think they know Barbatos?” Lumine asked, nudging Paimon.

“Hmm?” Paimon floated up over the table, frowning at the capes. “Maybe? We could ask them…”

On seeing Paimon float, quite a few people shied away, but the woman with green hair stopped dead in her tracks so that she was bowled over by her giant companion, who tripped and fell himself. That started a slight ruckus, which forced Lumine to hide a smile in her drink. She nearly spit it out when she heard the green haired woman shout, “Paimon!?”

“Oh?” Paimon zipped forward to hover over the two collapsed strangers. “Does Paimon know you!? Paimon has mostly forgotten, but if you were Paimon’s friends-”

The woman jabbered something in a strange language, and Lumine lost track of the conversation, but she did hear the “Paimon” repeated several times. The greenhaired woman pointed to Lumine and the table, so she smiled and waved. A moment later, Paimon and the strangers came over and seated themselves.

“Lumine! Lumine you won’t believe it, but this is Cookie Schmidt!” Paimon said excitedly. “You know, the head of the Knights of Favonius?!”

“Really?” Lumine sat up and grinned. “Does she know where we can find Barbatos?”

“In a bar, probably,” Cookie said by way of Paimon, but she shook her head and added, “Who exactly are you, and how do you know Paimon?”

“Uh, I don’t think we should tell her that, just say we’re traveling companions. Ask her how she knows you though,” Lumine instructed.

In response, Cookie pulled out a strange looking carved wooden box and began to rummage through it. As she did, the giant stuck out his hand, and Paimon translated for him.

“Heya! The name’s Itul ‘Red Oni’ Armburst! This is my actually real girlfriend, Sara Tengan. I’m sure you’ve heard all about us and my many heroic deeds! I’m sort of a big deal, kind of a badass.”

“Uh, I’ve never heard of him, have you, Paimon?” Lumine said, blushing slightly. Paimon didn’t even need to translate her look of confusion, which caused Itul to blush red.

“Ah, I feel you, I feel you, must be new here and stuff! Well, don’t worry, I’m like, the Strongest Knight in all of Germany! Just here to provide some protection for my Bro and his band.”

“Uh, that’s nice,” Lumine said, frowning at Sara, who hadn’t said anything but was regarding Paimon curiously. “I guess they’re all capes?”

“Well, he says he’s a member of the Knights, and Cookie is the Grandmaster, so Paimon supposes so,” the fairy said with a shrug.

Before they could go further down that rabbit trail, Cookie pulled out several cards, slapping them down on the table. Lumine tilted her head to one side to study them, then gasped: All showed Paimon in her original outfit, smiling happily as she floated.

“Ooo, what are these, are they other Paimons!?” Paimon picked one up in her chubby little hands, studying it as she turned it side to side. “Where did you get them, Cookie?”

After translating the question, Cookie replied, “I got them from Lord Barbados. They’re Genius Invocation TCG Cards: I’m actually here to promote them. We’re launching our first product line, and Venti is supposed to help promote it. Tracking down the squirrely bastard is almost impossible though.”

“We’re looking for Barbatos too!” Lumine said excitedly. She pointed to herself and Paimon. “We’re from another world! We’re trying to get home, and we think maybe the Anemo Archon could help us!”

“I know Paimon is from another world. These cards are from another world entirely. They’re from Teyvat, the same world as Venti is. Raiden too,” Cookie explained.

Lumine’s eyes went wide at that, and she gingerly took another card, studying it. Frowning, she peered closer, and then gasped with a start, pointing to it. “Paimon, I think the two other people here are me and Aether!”

She flipped it over, then nearly had a heart attack. She could read the card.

The Bestest Travel Companion!

Convert two Elemental Dice into Omni Dice.

"You might be only one of countless stars, but you're Paimon's whole world!"

“Paimon… this… this card is written in Teyvan,” Lumine said, her voice shaking slightly as she held it up so her companion… no, her bestest travel companion, could read it.

“Hey! They’re quoting Paimon! Hmph. This game better be paying Paimon royalties!” Paimon turned back to Cookie and jabbered away again, but Lumine felt faint, slumping back in her chair. Was this her way home?

“Cookie says she’s really surprised, but wants us to meet Venti! Oooo, this is our chance to meet the Anemo Archon, the first of the Seven!” Paimon said excitedly, wiggling in delight as she grinned at Lumine.

“Yeah, that’s amazing, ask them if we can meet him right away!” Lumine said eagerly, butterflies flitting in her chest.

However, when Paimon posed the question, Cookie just shook her head. “I don’t know where Venti is. Good luck finding him before Eurovision starts. Heck, I’m still not certain he’ll actually show up for it. You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.”

Lumine felt slightly morose at that, but they did enjoy a nice meal with Grandmaster Cookie, Knight Itul, and the woman who turned out to be the famous ninja Sara Tengan. Lumine reflected that ‘famous ninja’ was something of a contradiction, but she wasn’t going to argue with a woman who had fought both Nazis and the Yangban.

As they were finishing, Lumine’s phone buzzed, and she glanced at it to see a text from Aether.

I met someone at the bar tonight.

Wow, is my pure and innocent brother actually having some fun?

I don’t think I was clear.

There was an image attachment that took several seconds to load, and was rather pixilated when it did. Lumine had to hold the screen close to her face and squint, but when she did, she let out a gasp. “Venti!”

The image showed a somewhat flustered Aether holding up the camera, while a slender figure with dark braids dyed green hugged him and kissed his cheek.

The others at the table all looked expectantly at Lumine, and she hastily showed them the picture of Aether and Venti.

“I should have known,” Cookie said by way of Paimon. “That bastard would be in a bar.”

Unfortunately, by the time they ran the several blocks to where Aether was, Venti had already vanished, leaving a flustered Aether to meet them outside alone.

“She just came in and started singing karaoke! No one recognized her at first, but then she caught sight of me and had me come up and sing with her! She even knew my name somehow, and asked about Paimon!” Aether blathered. “But then all of a sudden, I recognized her! It was like I was blind or something before! No one else seemed to get it, and then she gave me these and just left!”

Aether held up three tickets, which Paimon eagerly took. “Hey! These are tickets to Eurovision! That means we can go watch the show, and talk to the Anemo Archon!”

“Yeah, kinda worked out. Uh, who are your friends, Lumine?” Aether asked, frowning at their companions.

“Oh, no one important. Just the Grandmaster of the Knights of Favonius, the head of the Shuumatsuban, and the Red Oni. No one special,” Lumine said nonchalantly, buffing her knuckles on her sweater and then admiring her nails.

“Oh. Huh.” Aether scratched his chest contemplatively for a moment, then grinned. “I still win.”

Lumine shot him a dirty look, then sighed. “Yeah, fine. But… there’s something else you should see.”

The sun had already set by the time Lumine, Aether, Paimon, and Sara Tengan made it into Parken Stadium. Venti had given Aether three tickets, while Sara had her own as a part of her visit. The entire place was absolutely packed, with the high roof reverberating with the excited buzz of the crowd. Lumine and her companions were out on the stadium’s pitch in some of the best seats in the house near the stage.

Despite the fact that this was really about getting information from an Archon about how to get back to their home dimension, Lumine was still slightly giddy that she was at such a massive concert. She’d gone with Aether and their friends back home to see Kiana and the Valkyries and a few other big names, but this was definitely the biggest crowd that Lumine had been a part of.

“Wow, do you really think Venti and the Tone Deaf Bards can really win?” Paimon squeaked, her voice barely discernible over the crowds.

“Eh, I think you’re taking this too seriously,” Lumine told Paimon. “We’re really just here for information, whoever wins and loses doesn’t matter to us.”

“Really?” Aether asked. He frowned and rubbed his nose. “You’ve got something on your faces then.”

That made Lumine very grateful that the black, red, and yellow face paint she had caked on was way too thick to show her blush. “Hush. I just want to get on Venti’s good side.”

“You should take this seriously. An audience with an Archon is no small matter,” Sara stated flatly. She held out her bag. “Now, did you study the wotagei I sent you?”

“Oh, I think we can handle it,” Lumine said, and revealed the glowsticks she’d smuggled in herself.

“Paimon will make sure to cheer extra loud when the Tone Deaf Bards come on!” the little fairy said excitedly, her own face painted in Germany’s colors as well. “But they’re not on until the nineteenth song, so Paimon thinks it’ll be a long wait…”

“Dang, then we’ll just have to sit through the entire concert,” Aether said, shaking his head. “What a tragedy.”

“Shut up, you were as excited as I was!” Lumine needled, and her twin grinned and winked at her.

“Shhh! It’s starting!” Paimon said excitedly, even as the crowd roared and cheered as the opening act, the previous year’s winner of Aqua, came out and performed their new hit song, ‘Anime Heroes’ for the cheering crowd.

Caught up in the excitement, Lumine cheered and waved a small German flag along with everyone else. Most of the songs were performed in English, which she sort of understood at this point. Even when she didn’t know the lyrics, the poppy tunes were enough to get her amped up just to be there and alive.

To Lumine’s amusement, Sara Tengan had completely shed the mask of the stoic assassin and was squealing like a schoolgirl while jumping up and down on her tiptoes, especially if there were attractive dancers. Lumine was right there with her though, jumping along and laughing in delight. It was, perhaps, the first time since coming to this world that she truly felt joy and peace.

At long last, Germany’s place in the contest came up, and Lumine found she was holding her breath as the screen lit up with Germany’s intro. Each of the various nations had played a short clip while their performers took the stage, something that was supposed to share a little of their culture and what was to come in the performance.

In this case, it started off with a dark room, a single lit candle providing the only illumination, the sound that of roaring winds outside. The candle flickered, and for a moment, it seemed like it would go out.

Then, clear as a bell, two children’s voices began to sing.

Freude, schöner Götterfunken

Tochter aus Elysium

Wir betreten feuertrunken

Himmlische, dein Heiligtum

The crowd went from deathly silent to wild cheers, as on the screen, two of the most famous faces in Europe appeared: Mina and Heinz Schafer, Visions glowing in their hands as they stepped forward into the candle’s light. The darkness around them was pushed back as the candle’s flame grew with the light of Anemo, revealing the hopeful faces of dozens of people in the room with the two children. The people were varied: young and old, pale and swarthy, dark and fair, men and women, dressed in clothes of a dozen nations.

Just as Lumine felt tears shimmer in her eyes, a golden man appeared, stern and foreboding, and the candle was snuffed out. The crowd gasped in shock, flinching as one. Lumine reacted with horror herself, blinking in confusion. What was this? Wasn’t Scion the world’s greatest hero?

Before she could think further on it, the lights on the stage came on, revealing a dozen knights in armor, standing at attention, gleaming silver swords held before them. The knights suddenly turned, forming a tunnel with their blades.

There was a burst of cheery laughter, and a green blur blew through the tunnel, the swords flying from the knight’s hands. Venti appeared, posing in green jacket and tight white pants, an accordion of all things in his hands.

“Why the long faces?” Venti chuckled, peering out at the crowd. “I thought this was a concert! Aren’t you all supposed to be having fun?”

That brought confused and nervous chuckles.

“Didn’t you hear?” Venti chuckled and played a note on his accordion. Or at least, Lumine was pretty sure Venti was a man at the moment. “The Winds are changing!”

There was a groan from overhead, and everyone started and looked up as the roof suddenly began to retract, a gust of warm summer wind blowing in despite the late hour. Lumine let out a sigh of relief, but when she looked back, the knights had gathered around Venti menacingly, their fists raised as if to strike him.

“Now, now,” Venti tutted. “Why don’t we all… loosen up a little?”

“ARE YOU READY TO ROCK!?” a new voice boomed, and lightning rumbled as a purple bolt struck next to Venti. It resolved into the form of Capri Lakatos, posing with her pick raised to the heavens, dressed in tight purple leather, her violet eyes sparkling with mischief.

Even as she spoke, a wind gusted in from the now open roof, a green streak shooting down to land next to Capri and Venti as Naomi Cohen coalesced from the air itself. She was holding a pair of drumsticks, and one of the knights produced a drum set, setting it before her. “Stand up! Let’s dance together!”

“JOY!” Venti cried, and he began to play on the accordion as his bandmates joined in. They began a rendition of Ode to Joy, but with a distinctly rock and roll feel to it.

As if caught up in the music, the knights began to dance, their armor falling away and revealing some of the more famous members of the Knights of Favonius, including Itul and Cookie. Instead of the full armor, they were now dressed in skin-tight spandex, or in Itul’s case, were bare chested.

“OOOOOO! SIX PACK! SEXY!” Sara squealed, a bit of blood leaking out of her right nostril and spraying as she jumped up and down.

“Right, Travelers, you know what to do!” Paimon declared, even as Lumine handed her a set of glow sticks.

“Rock on!” Lumine declared, and she and Aether struck a pose themselves, two glow sticks helped in each hand, poking out between their fingers. Then they began an intricate dance in time to the rapid music, nearly matching the frantic pace of the dancing knights.

Even as the song played on, wings sprouted from Venti’s back, and he flew around the stadium, still playing his accordion and singing, even as people screamed and jumped up, trying to touch the Anemo Archon.

Be embraced, all ye nations!

Brothers, within our midst

Surely dwells a voice of Freedom!

Do you kneel before Him, oh millions?

Nay! Rise up, all humanity!

Kneel not before these gods!

Do not bow before the golden one

Who comes beyond the stars

Then, it was over in all too short a time. The crowd went absolutely berserk as Venti touched down and bowed, Lumine right there with them.

“I LOVE YOU ITUL!” Sara screamed desperately, but even her power-enhanced voice couldn’t be heard in the cacophony. The Germans shuffled off stage, Venti turning to blow one last kiss to the crowd, which made them erupt all over again.

There were still four more performances after that, but it was all perfunctory. While the rest of the music had been a mixture of pop, ballads, and some progressive rock, no one had done anything as flamboyant and over the top as what Germany had put on, nor had anyone mixed an accordion with heavy rock. When the votes were finally tallied, to no one’s surprise, Germany blew everyone out of the water. Nearly every single country gave Germany either 11 or 12 points, save for the Germans themselves, who naturally couldn’t vote for themselves.

When the Tone Deaf Bards were summoned back to the stage, the crowd went wild as Naomi and Capri stepped onto the stage, smiling and standing hand in hand, waving little German flags. They were followed by the Knights of Favonius, including Cookie herself, still dressed in her skimpy skin-tight cape costume, though her mask was hanging down around her neck. Not that it would have done her any good, Lumine reflected, as Cookie was easily one of the most famous capes in the world.

Last but not least, Venti appeared to feverish applause and cheers from the crowd. The hosts offered their congratulations and attempted to give Venti the trophy, only for him to chuckle and pass it back. “Keep it safe for me! I wouldn’t know where to put it in Capri’s van.”

“Make a bitchin’ hood ornament,” Capri commented, which earned her an elbow from Naomi and wild cackles from the audience at the coarse language.

As the cheers continued, Venti walked up to the front of the stage, taking a microphone from one of the hosts. He sat down, grinning out at the audience who continued to cheer for several moments. Then Venti made a gesture for everyone to take a seat, and to Lumine’s surprise, the crowd did, quickly quieting themselves. She leaned forward in her seat, eager to hear what Venti had to say.

“Well, it’s nice to finally have someone who appreciates my lyrics,” Venti said, winking at the crowd. “Capri normally just tells me to knock it off.”

That brought laughter and a few catcalls, but the crowd soon grew silent again.

“It’s been a lovely evening here with you all,” Venti said, smiling around at the crowd as he held the microphone to his lips. “I hope you enjoyed our little song and dance. Ultimately, what’s important is that we all had fun, right? Let’s give it up for all the other performers, who worked so hard to entertain us!”

Hearty cheers from everyone, along with enthusiastic clapping. Venti cheered and clapped himself for several moments, then let the applause die down.

“Now, I know you all have a lot of questions for me. I think the biggest one is this: Is Europe safe?”

There was dead silence now. Lumine held her breath again, and even Paimon had floated down into her chair, her big eyes wide.

“There’s always a price for safety, and it’s a hard one to pay. Is it worth it to sacrifice your freedom to be safe from all harm?” Venti asked, and he shook his head. “That’s a question you’ll all have to decide on your own. Far be it from me to tell mortals how to live their lives.”

There was a sharp hiss of breath as the crowd seemed to exhale as one. Was Venti confirming he was a god? An angel? Something else? Was he saying he would not, or could not offer safety?

“I can’t offer you the bargain that the Raiden Shogun offered Japan, nor am I one to dictate terms of peace and demand that you set down your weapons. I’m just a bard, wandering the lands,” Venti said, and Lumine felt a cold hand grasp her heart.

“But,” Venti said, and it felt as though the entire world hung on that word. “I can promise you this: Wherever those who love freedom gather, and as long as you live under the same sky as my children… I’ll watch out for you. As the Anemo Archon, I swear to you this: I will ensure that the children of Europe, so long as they desire it, shall enjoy Freedom beneath my wings.”

With that, Venti suddenly spread his wings, standing up. His form rippled, growing less human and more angelic, his visage glowing slightly as he smiled benevolently down on the crowd.

Take heart, children of Freedom. So long as you treasure song, drink, and each other, you will have a place beneath my wings.

Then, to Lumine’s shock, Venti turned and seemed to look right at her.

“And, in the famous words of Chris Farley: Make good choices, or you’ll end up living in a van down by the river!”

Then, with a flutter of his wings, Venti lifted himself up out of the still-open roof.

“How strange,” Sara murmured to Lumine in English, watching him go. “I didn’t expect them to win, you know.”

“Why not? They were clearly the best act,” Lumine said as the volume of the crowd grew.

Sara nodded, but her expression was pensive. “Yes. But they sang in Japanese.”

“Huh? No, they sang in… in Teyvan,” Lumine muttered. Wait. How could they have sung in Teyvan? That should have been impossible…

“Oh, I almost forgot!”

Venti swooped back down, holding out his hands. “I have a very special announcement to make: Everyone in attendance gets a free commemorative version of Venti, Tone Deaf Bard, from the new game Genius Invocation TCG! See, Cookie? I did remember!”

Then, playing cards began to spill from the sky, fluttering down into people’s outstretched hands. Lumine snagged one herself, and blinked in astonishment. The image on the card depicted Venti, dressed in strange clothes, with three birds hovering around him. But the card moved! It was like she was holding a living breath of wind in her hands, with Venti smiling and winking at her as he floated in the air.

“Uh, buy Genius Invocation TCG Cards!” Cookie’s voice called. “Available now from your local game store! Skip the big box retailers, support your LGS today!”

“Oh boy, a new Genius Invocation TCG card!” Paimon said excitedly, floating up in the air with several Venti cards in her chubby little hands. “Ooo, I hope we can get some cards! This is sure to be super popular!”

“Yeah, but, we didn’t get a chance to talk to Venti,” Lumine said, feeling deflated despite her earlier elation.

“Oh, I think we still have a chance if we hurry,” Aether said, standing up and grabbing Lumine’s hand. “Come on! Before the crowds start to leave!”

Running along with her twin, Lumine shook her head. “But where will we even begin to look for Venti?!”

“Didn’t you hear him?” Aether chuckled. “In a van. Down by the river.”

It took them until nearly dawn, but at last, footsore and weary, Lumine and her two companions dragged themselves towards the sound of an accordion playing over the waters, as the waves of the Baltic lapped against the stone wall not far away. There was a campfire burning, and Venti was sitting in a folding chair near an old Volkswagon van, three other empty chairs near the fire.

“Ah, Travelers! You found my humble abode at last. Come, stay a while, and listen!” Venti said cheerily.

“Sure thing, Deckard,” Lumine groaned, stumbling forward and slumping in the chair. They were about five kilometers north of Copenhagen now, and they’d taken a combination of buses and simple walking to get here. But Aether had been right after all, even if it hadn’t been a river.

“Deckard?” Venti frowned in his playing, sitting up slightly as Paimon slumped down in her chair, gasping for breath. “Is that a reference to the cards I passed out?”

“It’s Diablo,” Aether told him. “It’s like, one of the most famous games in this world. It’s at basically every internet cafe. Haven’t you played it?”

“Hmm, can’t say that I have,” Venti admitted, beginning a soft, mournful tune on his accordion.

“Do you have any food?” Paimon panted. “Paimon’s been floating all day, and she’s exhausted! Paimon needs something to eat, or Paimon will just pass out from starvation…”

“Ah, of course! What kind of host would I be without refreshments?” Venti rummaged around in a bag at his side, pulling out several thin metal skewers, along with several bags. “Hotdogs, or marshmallows?”

“Hotdogs,” Lumine said as her stomach rumbled, eagerly taking a skewer and a cold weiner.

“Marshmallows,” Aether said, until Lumine smacked his hand away.

“Aether! You need protein! You can’t just fill up on sweets!” Lumine said in exasperation.

“Oh come on, he’s got chocolate and graham crackers in there! How can you say no to s’mores around a campfire?!” Aether demanded.

“Paimon will have both! Paimon’s stomach is big enough for hotdogs and smores!” the fair declared, taking a loaded skewer for each hand.

Soon enough, their dinner (or was it breakfast? It couldn’t be long until dawn) was roasting over the fire.

Venti smiled, leaning back as he looked up at the sky above them. “You know, it’s odd, seeing a sky full of real stars. I wonder, what do they think, looking down on us? What sort of fate is written in this endless heaven?

“The stars here are all different than they were back home,” Lumine agreed. She turned to Venti, frowning. “Do you know a way back, to your own home?”

“And more importantly, to ours?” Aether asked, slowly rotating his marshmallow as it turned golden brown. Lumine had no patience for that. She always just lit hers on fire and blew them out. Much faster that way.

“Ah, how interesting. You know, that’s not the first time a Traveler from afar has asked me that question,” Venti mused, looking down into the flames. “Tell me, what was the name of the world you came from?”

“There were many names, much like on this world. But we called it… Primordial, in our language,” Lumine supplied.

“Genshin,” Aether agreed. “I think that’s how you’d pronounce it in English.”

“Hmm. And yet, you speak Teyvan,” Venti mused. “How interesting.”

“Well, the nation we were from was one of the seven nations of Teyvat, thousands of years ago. I don’t know, I never paid much attention in history class,” Aether admitted.  “We just called it Honkai, though.”

“Curiouser and curiouser,” Venti mused, pulling his hotdog from the fire. He pulled out a pack of buns, slipping his sausage onto one, then handing the bag over to Lumine, who prepared some for herself, Paimon, and Aether, who handed her a smores in exchange.

They sat in silence for a few moments, then Paimon asked, “So… do you know where the Travelers are from? What about Paimon? Have you ever met a Paimon before?”

“Where could anyone ever meet such an excellent travel companion as Paimon?” Venti chuckled. Then, he sighed and shook his head. “As to whether or not I have a way to travel between worlds… no. I can’t say I do.”

“But, you’re the Anemo Archon! One of the Seven!” Lumine protested.

“Indeed I am,” Venti agreed. “Disturbingly commonplace that knowledge is. However, while I know a great many things, I do not know how either myself, or yourselves arrived here, including the wondrous Paimon.”

Hot tears blurred Lumine’s vision, and she scrubbed at her face with her forearm, her throat too tight to eat or speak.

“So… there’s no way home?” Aether asked, his tone hollow and dull.

“Well, I didn’t say that! I’m hardly the only person from another world here, you know!” Venti chuckled and took a big bite of his hotdog, which he’d smothered in sauerkraut and mustard. Lumine could hardly wait for him to chew and swallow, but at last, around half a mouthful of food, Venti said, “Seek out the Raiden Shogun. If there was anyone who could carve a path between worlds, it would be her.”

“The Raiden Shogun? But she’s all the way in Japan!” Paimon protested, sending out a spray of crumbs from her own cheeks stuffed with food.

“That’s… a very long ways away. And they’re still rebuilding from their war with China,” Aether said slowly.

“Yeah. But… at least it’s something,” Lumine whispered. She forced herself to take a bite of her food, chewing determinedly.

“Here, I think you’re probably too young to drink still, but I did get you some cider! Try it, it’s not half bad, even if it’s basically just juice,” Venti said, passing around some bottles.

Gratefully, Lumine swallowed a mouthful of the mildly alcoholic beverage, then let out a sigh. “So. Our journey goes on.”

“Until we find a way back home,” Aether agreed, reaching out his hand. Lumine took it, giving her brother’s hand a squeeze. A moment later, a tiny third hand wrapped itself around theirs as well.

“And Paimon will come too! Don’t worry, Travelers! We’ll find your home, someday!”

“This I foresee,” Venti said, and his eyes glowed a vivid green. “One day, you shall rest your weary heads, and find the home where your hearts lie. All journeys have an end, but yours shall be a joyous one.”

“You mean it?!” Paimon gasped happily.

Venti shook his head, then laughed and shrugged. “Well, who can say? I’m just a humble traveling musician!”

“Who just won Eurovision,” Lumine pointed out.

“And got his own TCG, apparently,” Aether added. He dug out his own copy of Venti’s card. “I wonder how much a signed version is worth…”

“Ooo, Paimon has six! Sign all of Paimons! She wants to sell them for lots of mora so she can buy all the food!” Paimon said eagerly, digging out her own cards and shoving them at Venti.

“My my, do you really think Morax will be here so soon?” Venti laughed.

“He’d better be, China’s in big trouble as it is!” Paimon huffed.

Lumine and Aether both stared first at their guide, then at Paimon.

“Morax?”

“China?”

“Uhh…” Paimon blinked, then drooped and put her head in her hands. “Oooh, Paimon doesn’t feel so good… Paimon has a big headache… What… what was Paimon saying?”

“Ah, I’m sure it was nothing. But as it turns out, there is a Morax card in Genius Invocation TCG!” Venti said brightly and produced a set of decks. “Care for a game or two? It’s been a long time since I sat down to a game with friends!”

And so, as the sun rose in the east, Lumine enjoyed food, friends, and laughter. For at least one more day. But before the sun had set, she and her brother and their guide would depart once more, traveling across the land, until they found home once more.

The Last Drop of Hope, Chapter 25

The new headquarters of “President Alexi” was the lavish grounds of the former President of NyteTech Fellos’ personal penthouse, high up in a massive skyscraper near the center of the city. The area around the base of the building was a heavily fortified warzone, with burned out cars and smaller buildings, massive barricades, and heavy weapons emplacements. The entire place was thronging with NyteTech Security guards, all of them looking battle-scarred and exhausted.

Before they ascended up the tower, Walter took the time to visit the front lines along with Tina and Claire, going up to each of the men and spending a moment with them. To some, it was to offer a word of encouragement or praise, to others he shared a rough joke or friendly insult, and to a few grizzled sergeants, he listened to their professional complaints and needs, and assured them help was coming.

“It’s fuckin’ bad, Captain,” one tough old wolf beastwoman said, rubbing her scarred muzzle with a gauntleted hand. “We’re down to half rations, and we can’t fuckin’ fight on an empty stomach. Runnin’ outta ammo too. Shit, we’re almost out of power. Only thing we got an excess of is fuckin’ gangbangers takin’ potshots at us.”

“We’re working on the food situation,” Walter promised. “We’ll see about getting you more ammo, that at least I know we have more of.”

The sergeant grunted. “I ain’t eatin’ long pork. At least not yet. But fuck me if I know where you’re gettin’ more food with the fuckin’ moonies not sending us more. Damn moonies.”

“Have you heard-” Cecily began, but Tina collared her again and Rain smacked the priestess on the arm.

“I heard all kinds of shit. Right now, I hear my bunk callin’ me. Captain.” The sergeant nodded, shuffling off with her rifle resting on her shoulder.

Tina frowned at Cecily, then looked to Walter. “Morale seems low.”

“That’s one way of putting it,” he said with a heavy sigh. “Almost makes you willing to believe wild tales.”

“You’ll change your tune after the first shipment of potatoes,” Claire told Walter. “But we get it: shit’s rough. We were on the force for years, Walter. Let’s just go talk to the Scumbag in Chief.”

“I suppose,” Walter said with a frown. “I’m concerned though. If he sees this as a threat to his power…”

“Then we promise to only restrain him, not kill him,” Tina told Walter. She tried to keep her tone jocular, but Walter just grimaced.

“Well, that’s something, I suppose. I probably shouldn’t take you to him since you’ve made it clear you’re working for this Iris Belzerg, but-”

“That’s Her Majesty, Iris Stylish Sword Belzerg,” Claire corrected.

“If she can feed my men, I’ll call her whatever she wants. Come on. Even my father has to see the need for more food,” Walter stated, and led them to the main elevators. There was more security there, but Tina and Claire actually knew the sergeant on duty, a man named Galil they’d worked together with.

“Shit, you dragged back Ford and Shin?” Galil said, his tone sarcastic as ever when he saw their faces. He extended a hand though. “Good to see you two. Shit, must be even worse in Axel than it is here if you two had to get out.”

“Same to you, Galil. How’s Sedol?” Tina asked, dredging up the name of Galil’s old partner.

Galil shook his helmeted head. “Dead, best I know. Went with Beldia. Didn’t come back. You didn’t see him, I take it? Shit. Well, at least someone made it back. I’d offer to buy you a beer, but we ain’t had anything but pisswater for a week. Head on up, you two would pass any security clearance, and I won’t bother asking you to disarm. Things are too hairy for that.”

The ride up the elevator took long minutes as they ascended the hundreds of floors up to the penthouse level. Tina felt her ears pop at least twice, even as the air in the elevator got slightly easier to breathe with better filtration systems kicking in. She took a deep breath, then blinked. “It’s not as sweet as the air in Axel.”

“What are you talking about? This has the best air quality money can buy,” Walter said, nodding at the vent as they arrived at the 250th floor. “Air pressure system works too, or at least it was.”

“It’s Aqua,” Rain said quietly. “I tested it: the air quality goes up to levels not seen in 200 years around her.”

“What, does she sell it or something?” Walter said with a roll of his eyes as the doors slid open silently onto a gilt lobby of gleaming steel.

“No,” Rain said, going over to finger one of the fake plants decorating the room. “Where Aqua goes, plants grow. And she does it all for free.”

That got a snort from Walter. “As if anyone would give away clean air for free.”

“She’ll throw in clean food and water too. All you have to do is pray to her!” Cecily said happily, exiting the elevator. “I can- wow. It STINKS here.”

“Yes, thank you, you’ve made your point. Come along, Father is waiting,” Walter said, heading towards the real wooden doors at the back.

“No, like, it SERIOUSLY reeks here,” Cecily said, pinching her nose and making a face. “Ugh, this is worse than raw sewage.”

“Kindly keep your mouth shut if you want my father not to simply toss you out,” Walter said, turning around and glaring at Cecily. “He’s rather sensitive about the abscess he had treated last week.”

“If he stinks THIS bad, he should be,” Cecily grumbled but sighed and lowered her hand.

“Perhaps it would be best if Miss Cecily waited outside?” Walter said, his expression pained.

Grimacing, Rain shook her head. “She’s the one who can make clean water. If we need a quick demonstration of what’s on the table, she’s the best bet.”

“We’ll keep her mouth shut,” Tina promised.

“Silence is golden,” Claire said in singsong tones. “But duct tape is silver.”

“I’m not a little kid,” Cecily said in sullen tones, but she did shut her mouth with a clack whenClaire glared at her.

With that, Walter finally turned the gilded handle on the ancient wooden doors, which swung open into a large and well appointed penthouse. The room was furnished with a real leather couch, plush chairs, thick red carpets, and exquisite paintings made of oil and canvas. The room itself was quite large, but the only occupant was a smiling man with a broom, who was sweeping up a sight that horrified Tina: a spilled tray of food.

“Oh, hello there! I didn’t see you come in. Remind me again, who are you?”

“It’s me, Maxwell, Captain Alexi,” Walter said, but that got him only a vague stare from the man. “You know, Walter Alexi?”

More blank stares. The man was dressed in a rather antiquated-looking suit that was smeared with a sandwich and fruit salad. He had feminine features that were still quite beautiful, as well as a pair of tortoiseshell spectacles with heterochromatic eyes: one a milky white, the other pure blue. Silky blond hair poked out from under a fancy wide-brimmed hat, which was very much out of fashion and odd to wear indoors. As she looked at him, Tina’s nose wrinkled: the man positively reeked. The whole room smelled faintly off, but despite his fancy clothes, Maxwell smelled like he bathed in open sewage.

“President Alexi’s son?” Walter added in exasperation.

That finally got through, and Maxwell dropped the broom onto the spilled tray with a clatter. “Oh! Right! Hmm, yes, I remember something about a son… well, I suppose you’ll just want to see your father then, hmm? I’ll just go check on Mr. Alderp.”

With that, Maxwell skipped off, humming to himself. No sooner than he was gone, then Cecily scurried over and started scooping the food onto the tray, even going so far as to run her finger over the grime on the carpet and lick it. Tina didn’t blame her: That smelled like real food, and it had to be worth more than its weight in gold.

She knelt next to Claire, picking up one of the smashed fruits and popping it into her mouth. Claire bent over and grabbed some of the meat and plopped it back on the bread, then stuffed that in her mouth as well. “Bloody revenge, that’s real ass meat. Who the fuck drops real meat on the ground?”

“I thought you said Axel had food,” Walter said, picking up more fruit and eating it himself. He shook his head. “Father always was one to waste his food. He must have been in a fine temper to throw this at his accountant.”

“We do have food, but we don’t waste it, and there’s a lot of hungry mouths to feed,” Rain said, grabbing half a smashed sandwich off the tray to Cecily’s protests and taking a bite.

“I grew up too hungry to EVER waste food,” Cecily said around a mouthful of her own. “It’s not as good as what Lady Aqua makes, but-”

“WALTER! GET IN HERE!” an all too familiar bellow came from an office at the rear of the penthouse.

Sighing, Walter stood up, with Tina and Claire following right after. Rain scampered after them, but Cecily was too busy picking the last bits of food up off the carpet to come. Well, at least that would probably keep her out of trouble for now.

Within the room, Tina found the same red faced bloated walrus she remembered. Alderp’s skin was caked in more makeup, he had a new fake tan, and his eyes were bloodshot from what looked like a mix of drugs and lack of sleep, but his sneer and half-shouting volume were all too familiar.

“There you are! What are you doing here?! I told you we needed to be ADVANCING! And yet I see on the map that our positions are the SAME. We need more people and MORE TERRITORY! Am I the new President of NyteTech, or am I not!?”

“Father, I have good news,” Walter said cheerily. He motioned to Claire and Tina. “You remember officers Ford and Shin, don’t you?”

“Eh? What’s that?” Alderp demanded, stroking his greasy blond beard with one hand. Maxwell leaned over, whispering something in Alderp’s ear, and his expression calmed. “Oh, right. This evening’s entertainment. Well, I suppose I do remember Ford and Shin. A healthy pair of lasses. Well, you’ll have to wait a bit, I have important matters to attend to. Get out of those clothes, Maxwell can show you what I like my girls to wear, and wait in the bedroom!”

“Father,” Walter said through gritted teeth, even as Tina’s hand flexed towards her fire axe. “They are here as emissaries. From Axel. They have food.”

“Oh?” Maxwell suddenly looked up, a frown on his face. “Axel? There was something about Axel… I simply can’t remember…where is my mind these days…”

“I’ve got the food situation handled,” Alderp said dismissively. “But Axel…you mean the remnants of former CEO Beldia’s forces? That could be useful…”

“By handled, do you mean throwing it on the floor?” Claire spat.

“We’re not here to be your bedwarmers,” Tina added coldly. “I suggest you listen to our offer.”

“What? Then what good are you!? Don’t tell me you’ll waste yourselves as simple soldiers! I can offer you so much more! But I need a wife, yes… my first born… a small price.” Alderp grinned wickedly and rubbed his flabby fingers together in anticipation.

“Father? What exactly do you want of me?” Walter asked, sounding baffled. “Please, their offer sounds mad but-”

The door banged open, and a wide eyed Cecily stumbled in. “But you won’t believe what we have to say! Haha, it’s so unbelievable, we probably shouldn’t say a thing!”

“Axel, Axel,” Maxwell muttered. He suddenly snapped his white gloved fingers. “Right! That’s where that disgusting light was coming from! Oh ho, yes, that’s why my good friend sent me here! Of course!”

“There is a new light in Axel,” Claire agreed. “Two, in fact, they are-”

“Running great! We have a power station and everything!” Cecily babbled, jumping in front of Claire and Tina. She turned about, her face transforming into a horrified mask as she made slashing motions by her throat.

“Working power, eh? We have some, but more might be profitable. But what we really need are bodies. How many did you want again, Maxwell?”

“Oh, just a hundred or so to start!” Maxwell said brightly. “But there will need to be a monthly payment, of course. The fresher the better!”

“Why do we need labor? Are we reigniting the forges?” Walter asked in confusion.

“Cecily? What is-” Tina began, but Cecily suddenly shoved them towards the door.

“You know what, a change of clothes sounds great. We’ll get changed into something lacy and sexy!” Cecily babbled as she grunted, her feet scrbbling on the carpet and making a fwip fwip fwip sound as she strained and failed to budge either.

“Hmm, yes. All four of you. I need to have that child soon,” Alderp muttered. He nodded to Alexi. “Good work. Now, get down there and tell the men we need prisoners. At least 100! We’ll start with what we have here, then move on to Axel as well. That will get us what we need.”

“Father, what are you even talking about? Prisoners!? We don’t have anywhere to hold them!” Walter said in exasperation as Cecily switched to trying to pull Claire and Tina out, even as she tried to shoo out Rain.

“We aren’t here to surrender! We’re here to offer alliance! Or failing that, we’ll- CECILY! What is wrong with you?!” Claire snarled.

“He stinks, they both stink!” Cecily hissed. “Out! Quickly!”

“What was that?” Alderp demanded, his tone suddenly dangerous as his eyes narrowed.

Cecily poked her head around Darkness, a smile plastered all over her face. “I said these girls both stink! You know how it gets in that armor! We’ll get them bathed and ready for fucking! Just like you like them, right?”

“I don’t mind a little smell, but I would prefer them cleaned. Very well, go,” Alderp ordered.

“No, Father I-” Walter began, but Maxwell pointed a finger at them.

“You will all go and do as the President Commands,” Maxwell said, and a roaring filled Tina’s ears.

The next thing she knew, she was stripping out of her armor in a strange bathroom, with Cecily clutching her face in her hands.

“Cleanse!” Cecily wept. “Come on, Cleanse! Please, please tell me you’re out of it!”

“I… yes, what’s going on?” Tina asked, her head still spinning. She felt sick, and completely filthy. Like she’d taken a dip in rancid oil.

“I can’t break the spell on the others!” Cecily wailed. “Please, hold them down! He didn’t have as much of a hold on you!”

“I…what?” Tina turned, to see Claire out of her armor, stripped down to her underwear. Rain was already naked, and stepping into a shower. “Cecily? What are you doing!”

“Have to get ready,” Claire said, her tone lifeless and dull. “The Master wants me to have his child.”

“Have his child,” Rain echoed.

Ice ran in Tina’s veins, and she spun on Cecily. “What’s wrong with them?!”

“Hold them down! It took me three casts on you, and I don’t have that much more juice. Plus… I’m worried Maxwell might feel it,” Cecily said, looking around fearfully.

Tina went over, then grabbed Claire, putting her in a hold.

“Let me go! I have to get ready for the Master!” Claire snarled, but Cecily ran over, grabbing Claire’s head and pulling it close.

“Clease! Clease! Ohhh, Break Curse!”

That last one seemed to work, and Claire stopped trashing, hanging limp in Darkness’ grip. “What…what happened to…? Ohgod.”

Tina lowered Claire as she vomited onto the tiled floor of the bathroom, holding her tight in horror. But Cecly was grabbing her arm, pulling her away.

“We have to do Rain! Come on! Hurry!” Cecily begged.

“G-go on. I’m…I’m OK,” Claire croaked, scrubbing at her mouth with the back of her hand.

Tina complied, pulling a slippery and thrashing Rain out of the shower. Cecily was on her in an instant. “Break Curse! Break Curse! BREAK CURSE!”

On the third repeat, Rain suddenly went limp, her eyes rolling up in the back of her head. Cecily sagged to the floor, gasping for breath, her pupils fully dilated so that the blue of her eyes was nearly completely gone.

“Cecily… what’s going on?” Tina demanded.

“Couldn’t… couldn’t you smell them?” Cecily gasped, looking up with pleading eyes.

Tina thought back, and slowly nodded. “Maxwell and Alderp both stank horribly. What exactly…?”

“Demons,” Cecily managed, shakily sitting up and resting her back against the damp wall. “They’re both demons. I…I remembered the name. Maxwell.”

“Maxwell? I’ve never heard of him before,” Tina said slowly, but her pulse was beginning to race. Demons?

“Aqua… told me. I asked…because Lolisa…stank. Not so bad…but…she stank. It’s ‘cause they’re demons…Axis Priestess…we can smell…smell the evil.”

“I’m a crusader, not a priestess,” Tina said, her blood running cold now. “But…demons? What do you mean?”

“Dunno,” Cecily said with a shake of her head. “But it’s bad. And to stink so much…powerful. Very powerful.”

Tina slowly sank back on her haunches, looking to Claire, who was laying there with her eyes closed, her chest slowly rising and falling, while Rain was still passed out on the floor where Tina had set her. “But you’ve heard of Maxwell?”

“Maxwell the Adjuster. Aqua said…” Cecily swallowed, looking sick with horror. “He’s one of the Dukes of Hell.”

Creeping through the dark cityscape felt like old times to Yunyun. The silence was different to be sure. No sound of hovercars, no hum of machinery, and no sounds of fighting either. It was a bit eerie, but she’d rather have silence than noise, as it was far harder for someone to sneak up on you in the quiet than a racket.

“So, uh, any idea what the hell happened?” Kazuma whispered in a tone that carried much too well. Yunyun gave him a pained smile, while Komekko rolled her eyes and Megumin ignored the Outsider.

“You’re not supposed to whisper,” Komekko said in a far more sensible soft tone that was lower pitched so it wouldn’t carry nearly as far. “Just talk quiet like. Everyone knows that. You really are dumb.”

“Yeah, OK, sue me, I wasn’t raised as a magical ninja assassin!” Kazuma hissed in a manner that gave Yunyun a slight headache at just how much unnecessary noise it made.

“M-maybe you should just be quiet and listen,” she told Kazuma. “W-we don’t know what’s happened either.”

“Mr. Hoost says there’s people, but they’re all scattered and hiding,” Komekko informed them. “There’s power on near the transportation hub and stuff, but the rest is all knocked out for some reason.”

“Was there fighting?” Megumin asked, looking around. “It doesn’t smell like there was fighting.”

That was true. There was none of that iron tang to the air from spilled blood, nor the scent of fire and spilled oil that always came with the really heavy stuff. Indeed, the streets were quiet, with no more than piles of garbage littering them, the same as Yunyun remembered.

“No, no way. It’s like everyone got up and walked away,” Kazuma said in a somewhat lower tone, but still much too loud by Yunyun’s expert ear. Then Kazuma actually kicked a can, which went rattling down the street with a loud clatter.

“Hey, do we have to hang out with the outsiders? I think this one has a death wish,” Komekko opined. “He’s even worse than Aqua.”

“You take that back,” Kazuma said, turning and glaring at Komekko. Then he sighed. “Look, sorry. I’m not exactly trained at this stealth recon stuff. I’m more of a people person.”

“You did kill Belidia,” Komekko said with a shrug. “So I guess you’re not totally useless. Well, where’s the people, Mr. People Person?”

“For that, we’re gonna need some damn evidence. People don’t just up and disappear. Which means we need to crack open a few buildings, and find some of those people Hoost says are hiding to figure out what the hell is going on,” Kazuma said. He turned around, pursing his lips for a moment, then pointed. “There. That’s a pretty big residential building. Hoost see any people in there?”

“He doesn’t see people there, he can just sense their heat signature or somethin’. He keeps callin’ it their ‘aura’ but I think he’s just got inter-red,” Komekko explained.

“It’s infrared,” Megumin corrected, but she shrugged. “Could just be magic though, ‘Mekko. So, we do a floor by floor?”

“Why golly gee, we should split up and search for clues!” Kazuma said, earning him flat looks from all three of the Crimson Demons.

“He’s kidding,” Lolisa said with a roll of her eyes. “Uh, right?”

“You’re damn right I am. I’ve got some neat tricks and Lolisa is a mezzer if I understand things correctly,” Kazuma said. When that earned him blank looks, he sighed and clarified, “She can charm people, you know, put a mental whammy on them? Either way, we’re not exactly the murder blenders that you three are. I’ll stick by the one woman armies, thank you.”

“Why how manly of you, Kazutrash,” Megumin said with a roll of her eyes.

“H-he’s right though, um, I think we should stick together,” Yunyun said, wincing at the memories that involuntarily flooded in. Komekko crying, Megumin screaming at her, her eyes burning from smoke and pain, the lingering screams of their parents behind them.

I had to get away. I’d have just gotten us all killed.

Megumin was shaking her head though. “This city is too damn big for that. We do need to split up. Not too far, but we can search different floors of the same building. We have radios, we can use them.”

“Hold on, did you not just hear what I said?! I find some nest of crazy orcs and I’m toast!” Kazuma protested.

Lolisa shook her head. “I think I’d be able to sense a nest of crazy orcs, Kazuma. Don’t you have Detect Foe too? You and I can stick together at least.”

“Fine,” Megumin said impatiently. She pointed to Komekko. “Stick with Yunyun. You’re a good scout, and together you should be able to either avoid or blast any trouble you find.”

“Okay! Mr. Hoost will come with us too!” Komekko said happily.

“W-wait! Megumin, what about you? Y-you’re not going alone, a-are you?” Yunyun stammered, her heart fluttering in her chest.

It’s your fault! You got them killed! Why couldn’t you just be normal!?

“Yunyun, I spar with Iris, and I win some of those,” Megumin said smugly. “Unless there’s a dozen main battle tanks hiding behind one of these apartment doors, I think I’ll be fine.”

Turning to Komekko, Yunyun tried not to beg. “Komekko, w-we can’t let her go alone!”

“Hmmm. I guess so. Mr. Hoost will help Megumin then!” Komekko said brightly.

“Eh, that’s fine,” Megumin said with a shrug. She turned to Lolisa, and a dangerous tone entered her voice. “No playing with your food.”

Lolisa went beet red at that, then looked near to tears, her wings drooping atop her head.

“Hey, fuck off. You know she’s not like that,” Kazuma snapped. “I still don’t like this plan! We don’t know why all the people are gone! It could have been anything! A plague, cannibals like we found-”

“A plague would leave bodies, and cannibals would have resulted in a fight. So just stay sharp,” Megumin ordered. She gave Komekko a quick hug, nodded to Yunyun, then jumped up into the air, running along the side of the buildings around them and vanishing.

Yunyun stood lamely there for a few moments, unsure of what to do, until Komekko skipped off towards a nearby building. “Come on, Yunyun! Let’s see if they left any snacks!”

Yunyun glanced at Kazuma, but he and Lolisa were already walking towards a separate apartment block. With a groan, she scamped after Komekko. Already, they were off the plan. What were they going to do?

Still, once they were alone, Komekko and  Yunyun fell into their old habits immediately. They leapfrogged from shadow to shadow, using only hand signs to communicate and covering one another with their weapons. A trained team of blackhats couldn’t have done a better infiltration of the building, as they expertly snuck in through a window, then scouted the floor ahead of them.

There wasn’t much in the lobby: this was a low income tenement building, so it was bare concrete floors with shoddy light fixtures that were off anyway. That wasn’t a problem, Yunyun much preferred the dark to the light most of the time, as it tended to give her an advantage.

“That’s strange,” she murmured, stopping and picking up a small bag. It was worn, but in good condition, just laying on the floor a half a meter from the wall. She emptied it, and found a few toiletries, some underwear, the sort of thing someone might grab if they were going to spend the night somewhere else.

“Anything good?” Komekko asked eagerly, poking her nose in the meager contents. “Oh. Just make up and stinky undies.”

Once, this little pile would have been a treasure trove for the two girls, but they had plenty of high quality supplies in the packs on their backs, so this was little better than garbage to them. Still, Yunyun shook her head. “This is valuable. Someone should have taken it. And look: there’s a pair of shoes over there by that bench, and a pile of stuff over on that desk. Cover me.”

Komekko kept watch as Yunyun poked through the items, but once more, there was nothing interesting or of real value. They’d just been left there.

“How come people left this stuff?” Komekko asked, frowning as she inspected the pair of shoes. They were clearly for a child, though the fine combat boots Komekko wore were better than the cheap plastic, it was hard to leave them behind. “It’s gotta be worth something, right?”

“It’s like everyone left in a big hurry. But why…” Yunyun shook her head. “Come on. Let’s check the apartments.”

The first apartment they checked was locked, but that was no barrier to a Crimson Demon. The cheap electronic lock was something Yunyun could have picked half awake and with her bare hands, but now she had a fine slicer tool that got it open in three seconds flat, barely longer than it took to navigate the menus.

Inside they found what you would expect: cheap and dirty furniture, an empty fridge, and a closet with a few clothes, though less than Yunyun would have expected. The real puzzle was the decent enough TV: it was about 60cm wide, and while it was far from new, it looked like it worked.

“Why leave this? It’s d-definitely valuable,” Yunyun said in puzzlement. “A-and that lock was way too simple to secure it.”

“Maybe it’s broken and they were too dumb to fix it?” Komekko suggested, peering under the couch. “Hey! Some NyteTech credits!” She held up a five credit chit, which was about enough for a ration bar normally.

“Worthless now, b-but it’s a good find,” Yunyun said with a shrug.

Komekko sighed and dropped the credits. “Who just leaves money?”

“Someone leaving in a hurry…” Yunyun muttered, and shook her head. “Come on.”

The next apartment wasn’t even locked, but it had clearly been looted, or at least tossed, with clothes strewn on the floor, and the drawers all opened. Even the refrigerator door was standing open, but empty. There was a small pool of condensation though, and Yunyun bent to feel at it. “Power hasn’t b-been off long…”

“Weird,” Komekko said with a shrug. “Oh well.”

They were just about to enter the third apartment when Yunyun sensed movement, and spun about, pistol in hand as she peered down the dingy hall. A shadow was moving, and Komekko had clearly seen it too, her own gun out.

“What is it?” Komekko whispered, squinting into the blackness. “It’s not very big…”

“No, it’s not,” Yunyun agreed, frowning slightly. “R-rat?”

“Mmm, dinner!” Komekko said eagerly. “Can we catch it?”

“It’s t-the first living thing we’ve seen… so, yes? Cover me again,” Yunyun ordered.

Komekko sighed, but did as she was asked, her gun steady in her hands. Yunyun holstered her pistol and took out a knife, stalking forward on silent feet. She hadn’t gone far when the shadow stopped, a tail waving behind it.

“Nyaaa~?”

Blinking, Yunyun paused, head cocked to one side. That wasn’t a rat…

Whatever it was, it had two bright yellow eyes, and was about the size of a large rat. The body shape was all wrong, though the fur was pitch black. The only discernible marking was a strange red marking in the shape of a red cross on the creature’s forehead. Slowly, Yunyun knelt, and extended a hand. “Um, h-hello. It’s OK, we won’t hurt you…”

“Just eat you!” Komekko said eerily.

“Nyaa?” the little creature stepped forward, then nuzzled Yunyun’s gloved hand. She gasped, then rubbed it back. It was soft, and warm, with a cold little black nose. The creature began to emit an odd thrumming noise, like a small engine. On hearing that, Yunyun realized what it was.

“A cat? Here?” gently, she picked the little creature up, and it happily nestled in her arms, still purring.

“A cat?! What’s it taste like!?” Komekko hurried forward, but Yunyun held the cat up and away.

“W-we’re not eating it! I’ve never seen a c-cat before. They’re supposed to be n-nearly extinct; only the rich people have them…isn’t it cute?”

“I guess,” Komekko admitted. She held out her hand. “Can I pet her too?”

“How d-do you know it’s a girl?”  Yunyun asked, but held the cat out to Komekko.

“I got a skill that lets me identify animals! You know, so I can summon and tame them and stuff. Haven’t been able to use it so far. But it says this is a girl. Doesn’t say the species though, but I guess it’s a cat? They got wings, right?”

There were two batlike wings on the creature’s back, covered in soft downy fur like a bat’s. “I suppose it’s carved. Someone must have ordered it special from ChimeraTech.”

“Can we keep her?” Komekko asked eagerly. “She could be your familiar, like Hoost is mine!”

“I…I guess so,” Yunyun said slowly. A pet would be something else to feed, but… they had lots of food now. What did cats eat, anyway? She’d have to find a book that explained that.

“Whatcha gonna name her? She’s black so… Ink?” Komekko suggested.

“No,” Yunyun said with a shake of her head. She thought back to the various books on her people she’d read. “S-she needs a proper Crimson Demon name. What about… Chomusuke?”

The little cat purred, but Komekko made a face. “That’s a weird name for a little cat.”

“M-maybe,” Yunyun said. She looked about, cradling the contented cat in her arms. Shrugging, she unzipped the top of her jacket, then stuck the cat inside.

A moment later, Chomusuke poked her head out of the top and looked around. She let out a soft “Nyaa~.” Then she curled up on Yunyun’s breast, and seemed to go to sleep.

“W-well…at least something’s alive here,” Yunyun said with a giggle. She turned to the empty hallway, frowning. Should they keep searching?

Just then, the radio crackled. “Hey, it’s Kazuma. We found someone alive. Several someone’s. Come to our location. I think we should have a chat with them.”

The line went dead, with Komekko and Yunyun waiting for a long moment.

“He’s really bad at radio protocol,” Komekko said once it was clear that Kazuma was done speaking. “And he didn’t even use a code name. Or tell us where he is.”

“Well, at l-least it’s a lead. Come on,” Yunyun said, and together, they slunk back through the hallway outside.

The Second Archon War: Sapientia Oromasdis 9

Sapientia Oromasdis 9: Childlike Wonder

This chapter was accidentally briefly put up early, so some may have already seen it. Here it is properly for the rest of you. 

Like most young children, Nahida often had dreams of flying. Unlike most young children, Nahida actually could fly, either in the Dream or in the waking world. Her flying was more like “floating”, but she had the ability to levitate herself and move about as fast as she could running or walking, so no more than 20 kph or so.

That said, getting to fly on an airplane for the first time had Nahida so excited that even with her mental discipline she hadn’t been able to sleep the night before. She’d eagerly looked up information on the aircraft they’d be taking, the Gulfstream III, and proceeded to talk Bashir and Farasha’s ear off that entire morning.

“Did you know that the Gulfstream III is powered by two Rolls-Royce Spey jet engines, which have a maximum thrust of 78 kilonewtons!?”

“No, Nahida.”

“Did you know that the Gulfstream III was manufactured from 1979-1988 on Earth Bet, but on Earth Aleph, it was built from 1979-1986 instead!?”

“No, Nahida.”

“Did you know that it has a maximum velocity of 1157kPH if you ignore safety regulations without a tailwind?”

“No Nahida- Wait, what do you mean, ignore the safety regulations?” Farasha asked, turning around in the car to frown at Nahida.

“Well, the official listed maximum speed is 928 kPH, but I calculated that if you disable certain safety functions, it should be able to attain speeds of 1157 kPH without a tailwind. Obviously, real-world conditions will vary. I also gathered meteorological data to provide a forecast for today, broken down by hour and elevation!”

Nahida rummaged around in her backpack, until the Aranara she was smuggling held it out to her, then passed them to Farasha, straining against the restraints of her car seat to do it.

Bemusedly, Farasha took the extremely detailed forecast, her eyebrows climbing up her forehead. “Hey Doc, did you realize our daughter has a weather control power?”

“I can’t control the weather,” Nahida said in exasperation. “That’s more Anemo, Electro, Cryo, and Hydro. Even Pyro would have a better shot at it than Dendro. But I can make detailed predictions predicated on advanced data collection!”

“That’s very nice, but I’m trying to drive, and-” HONK- “MOVE! We’re going to be late!” Bashir snapped, leaning on his horn and causing Qiqi to start in surprise.

“According to current traffic patterns, the distance to the airport, and our scheduled itinerary, we’re still 15 minutes ahead of schedule,” Nahida offered consolingly.

“Yes, thank you for the help, Nahida,” Bashir growled in a tone that indicated she was being anything but, and honked his horn again.

“Move, asshole!” Qiqi cried, shaking her little fist at the car in front of them and swearing in English of all things. Bashir’s head snapped around so fast that Nahida was concerned he’d give himself whiplash, while Farasha leaned over and honked the horn for Bashir, cackling madly.

“Qiqi, those are not words we should say,” Bashir said, looking more than a little flushed.

“Oh. OK,” Qiqi said with a nod.

“You’re cute when you get mad,” Farasha teased, and Bashir turned to glower at her. “Teaching Qiqi new words when you’re driving, are you?”

“I’m an excellent driver,” he grumbled. “I just can’t stand these idiots when I have somewhere to be in a hurry. It’s even worse when I’m transporting a patient.”

“Just relax. We literally can’t be late. It’s a private jet,” Farasha told him.

Bashir very much did not relax, and telling him to do so seemed to only wind him tighter.

Still, they managed to get to the airport with plenty of time to spare, and the plane was indeed waiting for them, as they were the only passengers.

“Make sure to buckle your seatbelt,” Nahida told Farasha as she sprawled in the chair across from her, Nahida assiduously buckling her own.

Farasha rolled her eyes but did buckle up her seatbelt as Bashir did up Qiqi’s. After that, Nahida and Qiqi had their faces glued to the windows as the plane took off, until they were high up in the sky over Baghdad itself. Nahida turned away to see poor Aranarakin and Arana shivering in fear, huddled under the seats.

“It’s OK,” Nahida told them, holding out a hand to the little forest spirits. “You can fly, right? It’s just like that, only higher!”

“Metal bird flies so high, Arana does not like it,” the female whimpered, even as she clung to Nahida’s hand.

“Aranarakin can no longer feel the ground and trees, this is not like regular flying at all,” her companion agreed.

Farasha frowned at the exchange, but then blinked in surprise when Nahida handed Arana over to Qiqi.

“Don’t be sad, little djinn. Qiqi will protect you.”

“Thank you, Cold Nara. You are not so scary now,” Arana whimpered as Qiqi cradled her in her arms.

“Uh, they’re just playing with their imaginary invisible friends, right?” Farasha whispered to Bashir.

Bashir coughed and glanced at Nahida, then looked around, but the Stewardess was up talking with the pilots and couldn’t hear them.

“I’m interfacing with the bugs, you can talk safely,” Nahida assured him.

“Ah, Nahida’s invisible friends are… not so imaginary,” Bashir said quietly.

“... right. I don’t suppose you’ve been introduced?” Farasha asked.

“You met them in the Dream, remember?” Nahida prompted. “When you spend the night, I always invite Aranarakin and Arana to our tea parties.”

“Butterfly Nara cannot see us now, she is too big, with thoughts full of sand,” Aranarakin said with a shake of his head.

“Wait, hold on, you know about my dreams?! I thought… you mean that stuff with me playing with you and Qiqi was real?!” Farasha demanded.

“Qiqi likes dreams. But Mommy is little in them,” Qiqi said, which caused Farasha’s jaw to drop.

“Holy shiitake mushrooms, Radish. When you said you could see people’s dreams… What are you, a Master 11?!” Farasha groaned, slumping back in her seat.

“By my estimation? At least that,” Bashir said firmly. “Along with Thinker and Tinker ratings.”

“Huh.” Farasha suddenly grinned, and winked at Nahida. “Think you could use those Thinker powers to convince the inlaws to love us?”

“Um, dad says that I have to be very careful with my most powerful Master Power against grownups,” Nahida said. When Farasha blanched, she hastily clarified, “I mean, like what you showed me. You know?” She folded her hands together, stuck her lip out a little, and made some tears dance in her eyes.

Farasha and Bashir both started laughing at that. “Save us! A Master 15 power! Who could resist!?”

Nahida giggled at that but had to suppress a shiver. She probably wouldn’t qualify as a Master 15, she’d never tried to extend her range beyond a local level, but she was at least a Master 11 or 12. She’d accidentally learned long ago that she could puppet anything from animals to people, and of course, it would be easy for her to trap anything in a Dream, even inanimate objects.

That was one reason she’d vowed to herself long ago to never, ever use her powers to dominate the minds of mortals. The one and only time she’d done it, it had been when a Sage had threatened to beat her if she didn’t follow his orders. Nahida had been only three years old at the time, and in her panic had completely dominated the man’s mind, to the point that he’d suffered permanent brain damage.

She still felt horribly guilty about it, all these centuries later.

The flight to Basra was only an hour long, and the plane landed with no fuss for fanfare. However, on the runway, a man was waiting for them, and Nahida nervously hid behind Bashir as he escorted her down the stairs.

“Father, Peace Be With You,” Bashir called, going over to hug and kiss the older man. He didn’t look that much like Bashir, being bald with liver spots and a scraggly beard. But when he turned to Nahida, she could see the same kindness in his eyes.

“Peace Be With You, my son. And to you, my future daughter.” He embraced Farasha, who was nervous herself, kissing her on the cheek.

“Well, not yet, but uh, you don’t mind if I call you dad?” Farasha said in jocular tones, even if she was sweating more than the mild March weather called for.

“Well, don’t tell anyone, but I had two sons, and always wanted a daughter. Faqir is yet unwed, the lazy layabout, so I’m glad I have at least one son who is taking care of his parents,” the elder Saeed said.

Then he turned to Nahida and Qiqi, and Nahida felt her heart skip a beat. “Um, h-hello. I’m Nahida…”

“Hello, Qiqi,” Qiqi said, waving one hand.

To Nahida’s surprise, Grandpa Saeed knelt down and pulled both girls into a hug. “And what’s this? Two cute granddaughters? And here I thought my religious son would have waited until marriage.”

Bashir let out a strangled sound and went red, while Farasha laughed nervously.

“It is good to meet you, Nahida and Qiqi. I am Grandpa Ali. But what’s this? There’s something in your ears!”

Nahida watched in fascination as Grandpa Ali reached into her ear and palmed a caramel candy. Qiqi gasped in delight, her eyes going wide as one hand went to her own ear.

“Ah, ear wax. Very disgusting. Surely you don’t want to eat it?” Grandpa Ali said seriously.

“That’s not ear wax,” Nahida giggled, deciding she liked the trick better if she just played along.

“Qiqi eat earwax?” Qiqi asked hopefully, reaching for one of the candies.

Grandpa Ali laughed and gave them both the sweets, which they popped into their mouths immediately. “Well, do you have much luggage?”

“Eh, that’s what the help is for,” Farasha said, nodding as the Stewardess and copilot carried down their bags. “Gotta be some perks to being dogs of the state.”

“To those whom much is given, much is required,” Grandpa Ali said with the air of someone quoting something.

“The Christian Bible, Luke 12:48,” Nahida supplied. “A wise proverb.”

Grandpa Ali’s wiry eyebrows shot up nearly to the crown of his head. “Is that where it’s from? Hmm, I thought that it was in the Quran…”

“It’s similar to Surah 102. Both passages contain the same truth: That if you are given much, you must give back even more,” Nahida said with a nod.

While the bags were put in the black car parked on the asphalt, Grandpa Ali studied Nahida, and she held her breath. At last, he smiled and slapped his son on the back. “Quite the little scholar you’ve raised, my son! To know the Sacred Quran so well!”

“She is a remarkable Little Radish,” Bashir agreed, and Nahida felt an immense sense of relief.

After that, Grandpa Ali drove them across the city, Nahida eagerly studying everything they passed from her car seat in the back with Farasha and Qiqi. Basra was similar to Baghdad, though smaller. The main difference though was the port on the Shatt Al Arab River, which flowed into the Persian Gulf. It reminded Nahida of the trade flowing out of Sumeru City, which made her sit back in her car seat, a sudden realization dawning on her.

Sumeru City wasn’t home for her anymore.

When had that happened, exactly? It was hard to know for certain. But despite having been on Earth Bet for less than half a year, and having spent half a millenia in Sumeru…this world, this land, now felt like home. The people they passed by on the street felt more like her people than those in Sumeru had. And most importantly: here, she had family.

The car ride wasn’t too long, and before long, they were on the edge of the city, away from the port, but near the waterfront by a two story home with sprawling gardens and white washed walls. There was an iron gate out front, and the entire neighborhood was clearly the wealthy part of the city. Nahida had always known that Dr. Bashir was far from poor, even though he lived near the ghetto and treated lower-income patients. This, however, was a much more blatant display of wealth.

After getting out of the car, Nahida followed Grandpa Ali inside, finding a house that seemed to be decorated with fashions from several decades ago, along with a number of pictures of powerful members of the Ba’ath party with Grandpa Ali, especially Saddam Hussein. Everything was well maintained, and Nahida finally understood fully just what sort of family Bashir belonged to.

Before she could ask any questions, a woman with greying hair hanging loose about her shoulders and a fine dress bustled in. Unlike Grandpa Ali, this woman was clearly Bashir’s mother. Their jawline and nose were very similar, and aside from Bashir’s broader shoulders, their willowy build was very similar. Upon seeing her son, she beamed, and hurried over to him to wrap him in a tight hug.

“My baby boy! It has been so long! Look at you, so thin! Does your bride-to-be not feed you?” Grandma Saeed huffed.

“Heck no, have you seen my cooking? If anything, he’s the one who feeds me,” Farasha blurted.

Stepping back from her son, the older woman looked Farasha up and down. They were rather similar in many ways, both being of average height with slim figures, though Bashir’s mother was slightly more rounded from age and childbirth. Their faces were quite different though, with Farasha’s cheery smile and a rather more sour demeanor from Mrs. Saeed.

“Hmph. Well, I suppose you have some work to do before you are a proper bride,” Grandma Saeed said, her nose up in the air.

“Hmm, remind me my beloved, when was the last time you cooked for us?” Grandpa Ali mused, stroking his grey beard, a bemused smile on his face.

His wife colored at that. “Well, I can cook.”

“Do let me know when you do, I shall make sure to dine out that night,” Grandpa Ali said gravely, which earned him a furious look from his wife.

She turned then to her son, giving him a warm smile. “My Bashir enjoys my cooking, do you not?”

Bashir coughed, struggling to hide his own smile. “You shouldn’t wear yourself out, mother. Please, I would be more than happy to cook for you.”

“I can cook!” Nahida said, raising her hand. “I’m really good at it too!”

That got her a beaming smile. “Why, I’m so sorry my dears, I forgot all about you. You can call me Granny Heba. And I would be delighted to cook with my grandaughters. You’re Nahida, right? And this must be Qiqi.”

“Hello, Qiqi,” Qiqi said, opening and closing her fingers in greeting.

That made Grandma Heba blink in surprise. “Ah, say, ‘hello, Grandma.”

“Hello, Grandma,” Nahida said, and Qiqi echoed her a moment later.

“Um, Qiqi’s mind is still hurt,” Nahida said, putting an arm around her adoptive sister.

“I see, Bashir said she was getting better, though,” Grandma Heba said, looking to her son.

“She is, but the road to recovery is a long one, and it’s likely she’ll always have some sort of trauma and delay,” Bashir said, putting a hand on each of his girls’ shoulders. “Nahida has helped with that a great deal.”

“Well, I heard you like coconuts, so I had Mariam buy the ingredients to make macaroons. We had them in France on our last visit, and I got the recipe,” Granny Heba said. “Come, I’ll introduce you to Granny Ela, she’s out on the porch, then we can make some. You too, young woman. I won’t have my daughter-in-law be unable to cook!”

“Sure thing, mom,” Farasha said with a roll of her eyes, but trotted along after.

They went out into an inner garden with several flower beds and decorative palms, with a small fountain at the center. There, they found an old woman in a wheelchair with a young attendant at her side, sitting in a puddle of sunlight and soaking up the rays with her wrinkled old face.

“Mother,” Granny Heba said, coming close. “This is Farasha, you know, your grandson’s intended. And their daughters.”

“Daughters? Yes, I had two daughters, including that scoundrel Heba. Never could cook, you know,” the old woman said, turning bright eyes towards the group and smiling.

Heba sighed, “Mother I am-”

“I know you’re Heba, my mind isn’t gone yet!” the matriarch cackled. She beckoned. “Come closer, please. My eyes aren’t as good as they used to be. Ears aren’t so good either, so speak up.”

Farasha stepped forward first, crouching down by the wheelchair. “Um, hello, Granny. I’m… I’m Hutah Tanha. You might… you might know me as Farasha.”

“Hmm? What’s that, dearie? Are you Hutah, or Farasha?” Grandma Ela asked, tilting her head to one side.

“... Hutah.”

On hearing that name, Nahida’s heart nearly burst for joy, even as she sensed Farasha’s Demon grumble slightly. She sent it a small burst of information, with a message: Thank you. Let her be happy, and herself. Can’t you see how much more wonderful this is?

DATA ACCEPTABLE. SPECMEN EXPERIMENT MAY CONTINUE UNDER NEW PARAMETERS.

Alright. What’s your name, by the way?

NAMES ARE EXTRANEOUS.

I have to call you something, though. ‘Demon’ seems rude.

After a pause so long Nahida thought she wouldn’t get an answer, the Demon responded, YOU MAY DESIGNATE THIS ONE AS PROPAGATION OF DEATH TO BRING RENEWAL.

That’s… not a very good name. I know! You’re like a butterfly, right? What if I called you… Papilio Charontis. That means Butterfly of Charon. Charon was the boatman over the River Styx in Greek Mythology and carried souls to the underworld.

DESIGNATIONS ARE IRRELEVANT. YOU MAY REFER TO THIS ONE AS YOU WISH.

PapilIo Charontis it is! And thank you. I’m sure we can be friends!

She got no response and got the impression that Papilo was digesting the thesis on Elemental Reactions involving Pyro she’d set it, and let it be.

Even as that conversation had been taking place, Nahida had stepped forward to Grandma Ela and introduced herself.

“Nahida? That’s a pretty name,” Grandma Ela said, taking Nahida’s face in her hands and caressing it. Nahida could tell the old woman’s eyesight was much worse than she let on, though her hearing wasn’t as bad as she pretended. She was very nearly blind thanks to Age-Related Macular Degeneration. There wasn’t much Nahida could do about it, or rather, would do about it, as this was the natural course of things.

However, what she could do, she did. Gently, Nahida cupped Ela’s face in her hands, and breathed on her eyes. “See. For just a few hours more, see.”

The dendro infusion she used strengthened the optic nerve as well as formed temporary lenses to correct vision, and enhanced the visual areas of the brain. Grandma Ela gasped, her eyes going wide, even as Grandma Heba let out a cry.

“No! Don’t use your devilry in this house!”

“Heba?” Ela said, even as Nahida was dragged away by the back of her neck. “When did you get so grey?”

Heba froze in the act of shoving Nahida away. “Mother?”

“Let go of the child, Heba. My, my. The roses are budding. Young lady, ah, I’ve forgotten your name, but would you push me a little closer? I’d like to smell them.”

The woman, Mariam, Nahida knew though they hadn’t been introduced, rose, but Farasha stepped in. “I got this. Come on, Granny. Let’s go smell the flowers together.”

Heba watched Farasha push her mother over to the flower bush, talking quietly with the suddenly animated old woman. Frowning, Heba let go of Nahida and looked down at her. “What… what did you do?”

“Her vision has decayed greatly. I put in a few temporary fixes. Studies show that dementia is greatly accelerated by a lack of sensory input. I also fixed up her taste buds and sense of smell, just a little. I can’t completely halt the progress of age, but I did what I could for now,” Nahida said quietly. “I’m sorry if I scared you. I just… I wanted her to have at least one more happy day, before she passes on.”

Tears filled Heba’s eyes, and she managed, “Thank you. Is… can you tell? When her time is? I know you parahumans have some devilry, but-”

“No one can truly know the hour of a woman’s death, save Allah,” Nahida said with a shake of her head. But she bit her lip, and continued, “But if we stay more than a day or two… I think we’ll probably be here for it. Has she been eating, lately?”

“She lost her appetite several weeks ago. We keep offering her food, but…” Heba trailed off and swallowed. “I told Bashir he had to come now, if he was going to come. I wanted him to take a look at her. The doctors say her time is near, but…”

“They’re right,” Nahida said, gently taking Heba’s hand. “You know they are. It’s alright. She’s had a good life.”

Heba closed her eyes and nodded. “Yes, I suppose so.” Then she shook herself. “Look at me, getting all morose. And talking of such things with a little girl! Ah, never mind.”

“Heba, come here. You simply must see these darling creatures,” Ela called. “They look like djinn.”

“They are not djinn, they’re parahumans, and your great-granddaughters,” Heba said firmly, taking Nahida’s hand and gently pulling her forward. “This is Nahida.”

“No, not her, these little ones! They say their names are Arana and Aranarakin,” Ela called, her voice containing more strength than it had before.

Nahda’s breath caught in her throat, and she broke away from Heba. “Sorry! I’ll be right back!”

She scurried back to the living room, where she found Bashir sitting with his father and talking. They looked up, surprised to see her.

“Nahida? Is something wrong?” Bashir asked.

“Come quickly,” Nahida begged, grabbing Bashir’s hand. “Hurry. Please.”

Bashir stood instantly, and Ali got slowly to his feet. “Nahida? What’s wrong?”

She didn’t answer, only sprinting back to the garden, the two men hot on her heels.

When she got there, Ela was smiling at the two Aranara, who were singing softly to her, Qiqi humming along.

Life is a dream

We all must wake

Life is a dream

New journey to take

“Ah, Bashir. Grandson,” Ela said, her tone sleepy. “So good of you to come see me.”

Waken the sleeper

That life may go on

Waken the sleeper

The new dream song

“It is good to see you, Grandmother,” Bashir said, coming to kneel beside the chair as the Aranara continued their song. He put his hand to her wrist on reflex, and frowned, then peered into her eyes. “Grandmother?”

Life is a dream

We all must wake

Life is a dream

New Journey to take

“I think I’ll sleep now,” Ela said, as her soul began to loosen from her body. “Here in the sun.”

Open your eyes

A soul is a seed

Open your Eyes

To sleep in the Mother

Nahida pushed Ali and Heba forward, and they started, looking down at her in shock.

Life is a dream

We all must wake

Life is a dream

New Journey to take

“Say goodbye,” Nahida told them softly. “Tell her you love her, and will see her again.”

All dreams must end

We shall meet again soon

All dreams must end

Until a new world bloom

“Mother?” Heba gasped, falling to her knees beside Bashir. “Mother, are you there?”

The song came to a soft end, and Ela stood up from her body. Old no longer, she was young again. Not a child, but a young woman, full of life.

Goodness, whatever has happened to me? Ela asked, looking down at her old body. When did I get so old and ugly?

“You were never ugly,” Nahida told the spirit. “You were beautiful, as was the life you lived.” She reached out and hugged Ela, her form as tangible as if it were still flesh to Nahida. “Don’t be scared. This was but a Dream. Go now to the next one, and know that you were loved.”

Thank you, Mother, Ela said, bowing. My goodness. Oh! Hello there, little friends.

“Hello, Nara Seed,” Arana said, lifting off the back of the wheelchair and fluttering up by the spirit’s face. “Come. I will show you the way. It is not too far.”

Then, Arana took Ela’s hand, and slipped into the Dream, and Beyond, to the Next Dream. Nahida waved farewell, tears trickling down her face. She sniffed, then scrubbed at them with the back of her hands. When she turned around, she found everyone, even Qiqi, staring at her.

“My son,” Ali whispered, his hands gripping his sobbing wife who was clutching at the cooling body of her mother. “Who… who is this… being? Is she Djinn, or is she an Angel of Allah?”

In response, Bashir put a hand on Nahida’s shoulder and squeezed, kneeling down beside her. “Father, mother. This is my daughter, Nahida. The Dendro Archon.”

Nahida felt tears sting her eyes and hung her head. “W-when… when did you...?”

“When I heard your voice in the night, and received my Vision,” Bashir told her. “Or not long after. I think you knew that.”

“I did,” Nahida admitted. She sniffled again, scrubbing at her face. “I guess… I guess I have to go now… or will you lock me away?”

“Don’t be foolish, child,” Heba snapped, scrubbing at her own face and glaring. “Don’t you have ears?”

Nahida blinked in shock, and Heba stepped forward, then picked Nahida up, holding her in a tight hug. “You’re his daughter, and my granddaughter. You’re not going anywhere.”

That made Nahida cry, emotions too big for her small body bursting forth.

The family stayed in the small garden for a long time, even Mariam. Grandmother Ela might have been gone, but she had left behind a great deal of love.

That night, Nahida snuck into Bashir’s room, only to find him studying the Quran, Farasha drowsing in a chair. He looked up, closing the book, and shook Farasha’s leg. “Wake up, she’s here.”

“Snnerk- I’m awake!” Farasha’s eyes fluttered open, and she stretched and yawned, smiling at Nahida. “There you are kiddo. Come on over, let’s talk.”

Nahida ended up sitting on Farasha’s lap as Bashir pulled a chair in close. She fussed with her night gown, not looking up, uncertain of what to say.

“So. Obviously, we can’t let anyone know about any of this,” Farasha said, hugging Nahida tightly. “But, just for the slow ones in the class, what the hell just happened?”

“No, not hell. Ela didn’t go to hell, I’m very certain of that,” Nahida said with a shake of her head.

Bashir had to knuckle away a tear, while Farasha shifted uncomfortably. When Bashir did speak, he asked, “So. The afterlife is real?”

“There is another world after this one. I know that souls go there when the body dies. I can sense it, like a distant song, like a dream you can almost touch. But I don’t know what it’s like. I’ve never been there,” Nahida admitted.

“So much for being an atheist,” Farasha said with a heavy sigh. “Guess I gotta start going to the mosque more often. Won’t Taher just be thrilled.”

“Wait, you didn’t believe in gods,” Nahida asked, turning her head around in astonishment. “But… haven’t you seen them? Didn’t the Prophet record his Visions?”

Farasha gave her a blank look, then she glanced at Bashir. “Uh… I haven’t exactly seen Allah, Nahida. And what do you mean ‘them?’”

Bashir cleared his throat. “The Japanese view The Raiden Shogun as the Narukami Ogosho. Literally translated, it means something like ‘Supreme Ruler Thunder God.’ Barbatos is currently viewed either as an angel or as The God of Freedom. Both are Archons.”

“Wait. So Nahida you’re…” Farasha trailed off, swallowing heavily and looking a little pale.

“I think in common nomenclature, I’d be a djinn,” Nahida clarified. “Some have called me a god, but not God, like Allah. I’m more like… a powerful nature spirit. A bigger version of the Aranara. I’m closest biologically to a tree.”

“That’s uh… huh. Alright. Let’s say I buy that. Doesn’t change anything,” Farasha said, squeezing Nahida tightly. “We CANNOT let Saddam know you’re this powerful. What did you do with Grandma Ela, exactly?”

“Nothing. I just sensed it was her time. I… I’m not a psychopomp, not really.” That earned her a blank look from Farasha, but Bashir nodded.

“She means she doesn’t guide the dead to the afterlife. But I thought I caught a glimpse of…” Bashir shook his head, but Nahida nodded.

“Yes. Arana led Ela’s soul to the next life. Or, well, to the door. Aranara can die the same as any living creature, but while they live, they cannot pass beyond this Dream. They don’t always guide souls like that, but when a life was lived well and full of love, a life full of dreams and wonder… they’re attracted to it. They want to celebrate that life. And, well, as we grow near to death, so we grow near to childhood. In her last moments, Ela could see the Aranara. That’s how I knew…” Her throat closed up, and Nahida sniffed again. Bashir handed her a tissue, and Nahida blew her nose and dabbed at her eyes.

“You are a weird little radish, you know that?” Farasha asked, tickling Nahida so that she giggled. She sighed heavily. “Look, I just… I don’t get what all this means. But, if you’re up for it… I guess I sort of still want to be your mom. If Archons have mothers.”

In response, Nahida could only burst into tears and hugged Farasha tightly.

They stayed in Basra for ten days, long enough for the funeral. Nahida met a grand cavalcade of relatives, from cousins to aunts and uncles to old friends that were ancient in their own right. Nahida stayed away from most of them, and they from her. While Heba and Ali brooked no rudeness towards Nahida and Farasha, the fear that most of the family felt towards them was palpable. Qiqi was more pitied, but she didn’t like the big crowds and was kept away as well.

After that, they flew back to Baghdad, which Nahida enjoyed just as much as the first time. Flying was just so wonderful!

A few days after they returned home, Nahida called Bashir into the office and closed the door. “Dad, there’s someone I want you to meet.”

“Nahida, you haven’t been talking to strangers online again, have you?” Bashir asked, looking concerned. “I know you’re capable of taking care of yourself, but developmentally I’m still worried.”

“Well, she’s not a stranger anymore!” Nahida said brightly. When Bashir scowled at her, she wilted slightly. “Um, yes, I did. But please, talk to her first! She’s not what you expect.”

“She?” Bashir asked, turning towards the computer, where Nahida had set up a microphone and camera.

“Um, hello.” The screen flickered, and the image of Tessa appeared, smiling nervously and waving. “I’m Nahida’s friend.”

“Hello,” Bashir said slowly, taking a seat on the office chair as Nahida shifted nervously at his side. “I’m Nahida’s father, Doctor Bashir Saeed.”

“You don’t look like a tree,” Tess joked, which prompted a frown from Bashir. “Uh, sorry. I know, she’s mentioned you and I sort of looked you up.”

“I see. And how, exactly, do you know my daughter?” Bashir asked, leaning towards the camera.

“We, uh, we were in a couple online classes together and we sort of noticed there was something off about each other,” Tess explained.

Bashir looked to Nahida, and she nodded hastily. He continued to frown. “And what, exactly, is different about Tess?”

“Uh, I’m not a human,” Tess said, and Bashir’s head snapped around. Tess’s image suddenly pixilated, until she looked much like a character from a video game, complete with thick polygon lines. Her voice grew digitized, and she added. “I sort of…live in the computer.”

Groaning, Bashir reached up and took off his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. “Nahida. Please tell me you didn’t create an AI.”

“No, no! She didn’t make me! My creator was, uh, that’s not important, but he’s a parahuman Tinker. We just… met,” Tess explained.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Bashir muttered, putting his glasses back on and squinting at Tess.

“I just didn’t want to lie to you,” Nahida explained. “So, um, I wanted to introduce you to Tess. She’s really nice, promise!”

“And is she a fully functional AI, or just a very advanced program?” Bashir asked wearily.

“I can hear you, you know,” Tess grumbled, putting her hands on her hips.

“She has a soul. She’s more of a digital spirit than a simple machine,” Nahida clarified. “We spend time together in the Dream too.”

Bashir considered that, looking from Nahida to Tess, who both smiled at him hopefully. He finally laughed and shook his head. “You know, when Farasha first brought you home, I knew taking care of a young Vision Holder would be a challenge, but I don’t think I was really prepared for just how interesting life with you is, Nahida. Very well. So, tell me a little about yourself, Tess. Are you a good influence on my daughter?”

“Uh, yes sir! Well, I’m currently working on a degree in Parahuman Psychology, and er, trying to figure out what it means to be… me,” Tess admitted. “I don’t actually have a body, since, you know, Artificial Intelligence. I just… Nahida is the first person who treated me like a person, you know?”

“I am familiar,” Bashir said, rubbing Nahida’s head fondly. “Though she does tend to cause trouble.”

“I’ve noticed. All of the third time we met, she dragged me into another reality and it was a heck of a shock to have a physical body. Well, temporarily. Still working on the whole ‘getting one in the real world’ thing.”

Groaning, Bashir put his head in his hands. “Nahida. We can’t build a body for an unshackled AI. Do you have any idea how much trouble we’d get into, or she would be in? If anyone found out about either of you, you’d be locked away or worse.”

“Um, we weren’t talking about building her a body,” Nahida said, patting Bashir on the arm. “She just… needed some advice.”

“Advice?” Bashir looked up, frowning. “Frankly, I don’t know what sort of medical opinion I could give to a… gynoid?”

“Uh, eventually. But, er, it was more… advice on how to deal with my own creator?” Tess said, sounding concerned and hopeful. “Nahida said you’re pretty good at giving young women advice, so, uh, here I am…”

“I’m going to have to start charging a consulting fee, aren’t I?” Bashir asked Nahida dryly.

“Oh! I have money! Lots of money, actually,” Tess offered. “I sort of steal from the mob and other unsavory sorts. Not in America anymore though, that jerk Cheevy keeps foiling my little schemes.”

“I was making a jest. I don’t know how I’d explain money from a mysterious stranger on the internet showing up in my accounts, especially since I assume you’re foreign despite speaking excellent Arabic,” Bashir said with a shake of his head. He steepled his fingers and leaned back in his chair. “Very well. What sort of advice do you need, exactly, Miss Tess?”

Smiling, Nahida listened as Tess started to pour her heart out, and Bashir listened.

Slowly, surely, things were starting to grow in the right direction.

PHILO:
And thus a gentle act of kindness,
a soft song of mercy
marks the quiet anointing
of the Dendro Archon.

In the coming days,
a battle will be fought,
a tyrant overthrown,

and then her country and her people
will crown her ruler.

But in this moment,
in this private coronation,
the only audience she needs is that of her family,
the only crown she cares for is the wreath her sister crafts
with flower and ice,
the only inauguration she desires

is the proud pat of her father

and the warm embrace of her mother,

the only approval she needs

is the one she has finally gained for herself.

Kneel not for this one of the Seven
for her tenets are of kindness and knowledge.
Help one another and aid one another,

banish ignorance and spread knowledge;

these are all that she asks of her Akademiya.

Second Archon War: Cover Art

So I went ahead and commissioned some cover art for this story. I think it turned out pretty well! You can find the artist at roxas_creation3 on instagram. https://www.instagram.com/roxas_creation3/

The Second Archon War: Imperatrix Umberosa 19

Imperitrix Umberosa 19: After the Thunder Comes the Rain

For the past month after both the official conclusion of the Third Sino-Japanese War, and the less official end, Noriko had been eternally grateful that her girlfriend was a pirate who stole magical electrical crystals. Without that, she would have been forced to resort to being a barbarian or one of those ancient sticks in the mud who insisted on doing everything by hand and on paper. She had converted to digital ages ago, and it was that adaptability that allowed Jade Chamber Industries to become an economic titan in the increasingly competitive Japanese market.

Of course, that didn’t mean that life was exactly peachy. She had to carefully ration her electro crystals to power only the most vital of her company's digital databases, manufacturing equipment, and communications. Most of Japan was still suffering from rolling blackouts or brownouts, even with the Raiden Shogun planting a new tree daily and old power stations being frantically brought back online.

Right now, she was most thankful for the little electro crystals keeping her laptop running as she had yet another impossible meeting. “Is there any possible way to increase production of rice domestically? We’re already bringing in tons of it from Vietnam, but the Americans just levied another damn tariff against us.”

“Not currently, Lady Noriko,” one of the bureaucrats said. She glared at him, not just because she was getting answers she didn’t like, but because they were all starting to call her ‘Lady.’ There was something going on with that, she just knew it, but Noriko didn’t have the time or energy to figure that out just yet.

“I work for a living, Sato. I started off with a street cart and snacks when I was in grade school, and I haven’t stopped since. I’m no lady,” Noriko snapped.

Sato paled and bowed his head. “As you say, Lady Noriko. But we have to find new sources of food: Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Korea are equally all in desperate need, and consequently, prices have shot through the roof.”

She was going to strangle someone. No. She was going to have Bukdu strangle someone. What was the point of keeping the big gorilla and her giant axe around if she didn’t intimidate someone now and then?

“Fine.” Her thoughts raced, and she pulled up some spreadsheets, projecting them on the screen before her. She walked around, studying the chart, clicking her remote to make it advance. “Then we will teach everyone to eat bread.”

“Lady Noriko?” Sato asked, sounding confused.

She pointed to the graph. “Australia! Get me the Australian government! They export beef and wheat, and the Chinese market has collapsed for them. We’ll buy it all! Get them to increase production if anything! If we can’t have rice, then for now, we’ll eat bread. People won’t like it, but it’s better than starving to death.”

“Of course, Lady Noriko.”

“Stop calling me that! And get me the Sentai. We’ll need some special refrigerated cars for transporting and storing the beef with most of the electrical grid still down. I don’t care whose arm you have to twist: We have to avoid food riots at all costs, especially in North Korea and Taiwan! It’s already a nightmare rebuilding there and integrating the populations, and for now they’re completely reliant on us.”

More murmurs of assent, and then another problem was brought up.

“We’re seeing a rise in the number of people with preventable diseases dying. Especially those who need regular medication, like insulin. With the transportation network mostly down, and our manufacturing capability nearly completely offline-”

If it wasn’t the current energy crisis, it was the food shortages. If it wasn’t food shortages, it was dwindling medicine supplies. And if it wasn’t either of those, it was plain old fuel.

This was a tangled, thorny web, with no easy answers. By the end of the meeting, Noriko was exhausted and ready to crawl into bed. Bukdu was unfortunately still on assignment to harvest as many Electro Crystals as she could (legally this time) and get them delivered to the desperate Taiwanese.

The Republic of Taipei (who were still angry that Raiden, by way of Noriko, had insisted they change their name from the Republic of China) had been even more devastated than Japan by the double whammy of an EMP and the war taking place mainly on the island. There were tens of thousands dead, and more dying, and Taiwan’s ability to make anything useful was similarly undercut despite attempts by the JBA and Sentai to limit collateral damage. Much good that had done them when the Golden Bastard had detonated nukes in the upper atmosphere right over Taipei.

Instead, she had yet another meeting, this one a phone conference. So she took a shower, had a quick meal of MREs (sweet and sour sauce with rice and chicken, and a See’s chocolate bar she had Bukdu smuggle in for her) changed into a clean kimono (fashion be damned, they were more comfortable than suits), and turned on her blessedly electro-powered laptop for her conference.

A few minutes later, a woman in an olive green military uniform with a red star on her cap and a purple vision pinned to her lapel appeared on the screen. “Good evening, Miss Keqing,” Noriko greeted her.

“And to you, Miss Noriko,” the newly minted leader of the People’s Republic of Hong Kong said crisply. “The workers of Hong Kong extend their greetings to their fellow laborers in Japan.”

Noriko had to work very hard not to roll her eyes. If Keqing wasn’t so damn effective as a leader, she’d never have agreed to work with a communist. At least she was also a proponent of the free market, even if she did buy into a lot of that Maoist garbage. “As a worker, I return their greetings with thanks.”

Despite the obvious effort, Keqing smirked slightly at that. She knew perfectly well that Noriko had gotten everything she’d attained through the sweat of her own brow (and sometimes slightly, or very, illegal means) but she still considered Noriko to be a parasite and an exploiter of workers. Which just went to show that Keqing had no idea how cutthroat the labor market currently was and just how generous Noriko had to make her compensation packages to get the best to work for her.

“Indeed. Well, we must continue to struggle against military juntas and capitalist overlords to allow the workers of our sphere to unite in their cause,” Keqing stated seriously. Then she picked up a sheaf of paper and flipped through it. “To that end, I am afraid I must once again request Kairagi to arm ourselves with. General Huang’s forces continue to threaten us. I’d like to establish more than just a beachhead to give us defensive depth in case he tries to seize the bridges again.”

“You know that’s completely out of the question. We will provide training for your parahumans and Vision Holders and supply you with conventional arms, but we will not support any offensive actions on mainland China, especially not with our Kairagi,” Noriko stated firmly.

“You’re giving Kairagi to Seoul. Why not the People’s Republic?” Keqing demanded, her eyes narrowing.

“We are not giving Kairagi to the Republic of Korea. Korea has a functional arms manufacturing industry, and we are collaborating with them to create the Jeoggi combat platform,” Noriko replied calmly. That much was public information, though it would be months if not years yet before either Japan or Korea had enough spare power to invest in new projects. As it was, they had adapted and rebranded some Kairagi MK I with a different coat of paint for Korean manufacture and use. A flimsy excuse, but the pretense would be temporary.

…Better be temporary. The military was notorious for cutting corners and there was no solution so permanent as a supposedly temporary one. Problem for the next Commissioner, Noriko had more pressing fires to douse in the present.

“Well, then collaborate with us. We have factories that we can repurpose for such things, and our electrical grid is increasingly stable,” Keqing said with a shrug.

Noriko typed out a note and frowned to herself. “That I must discuss with the Raiden Shogun and Lord Mushu.”

“Tch. You call yourself a worker, yet you are beholden to a dictator and antiquated nobility,” Keqing scoffed.

“I’m a businesswoman, just like you. I’d love to see democracy return to Japan, but currently my main customer is the Japanese government, and that means working with a god empress and a divine dragon who can call themselves whatever they want,” Noriko said with a shrug.

“It seems power no longer grows out of the barrel of a gun, but under the shade of a parahuman’s blade,” Keqing said with a shake of her head in disgust. “And I don’t have nearly enough of those. I’m one of our few Vision Holders, and I can hardly spend all my time on the front lines. Still, I would have thought you had better sense than to believe in false superstitions.”

“You saw what we all did, Keqing. You witnessed the Kamikaze. The Desolation of Leviathan. Saw her lay waste to armies all on her own. What else do you call a supremely powerful being?” Noriko asked in exasperation.

Keqing snorted in disdain. “Hmph. She bowed to Scion. She’s not as powerful as you claim.”

“And yet you bow to her,” Noriko said softly.

That made Keqing stiffen, her knuckles going white as she crumpled a bit of the paper in her hands. “I do what must be done for the workers of Hong Kong, and one day, all of China.”

“Perhaps you would prefer to bow to Scion?” Noriko demanded, growing irritated with this Maoist fool.

“No,” Keqing said softly, her eyes glinting with real malice. “He humiliated China deliberately. I can agree with the Raiden Shogun that the Yangban and their pet emperor were a disease that needed to be purged. She was rather precise in cutting out that illness. I may not be fond of her, but it was Scion who left millions of my brothers and sisters plagued by famine and war. He’s as bad as any imperialist colonizer.”

“Worse,” Noriko said grimly. She wasn’t certain what Scion was yet, but any being that had Raiden cowed was far too frightening to comprehend. “Well, what of your food stocks?”

“We’re getting shipments from India. Our currency reserves are depleting rapidly, but with your help we’ve nearly got our factories back online, and power mostly restored to the city.” Keqing paused, then bowed stiffly. “Thank you for that. I know your own country still suffers from a lack of power as well as famine and disease.”

“The Raiden Shogun has sheltered us from much,” Noriko said with a shrug. “And we do not abandon our allies or investments. See that you pay off, Keqing.”

“What, so I can be your puppet?” Keqing snapped. “I am not. I serve the Workers of Hong Kong!”

“So you can become a valuable trading partner. Hard to have a profitable relationship with a beggar,” Noriko said with another shrug.

“Ah. Well. Do not forget that one day, China will be reunited under the People’s Republic.”

“I hope so,” Noriko said half truthfully. “And I hope you will not forget that we extended a helping hand, not a clenched fist.”

“True enough,” Keqing agreed, though she sounded bitter. Then she got down to brass tacks at last. “Now, I heard you were running short of medicine. We’ve pivoted a lot of our manufacturing to medical supplies. Not everything is up and running, but we can start with sending you shipments of insulin. In return, we want more hard currency, not just raw materials.”

That was music to Noriko’s ears, and the bargaining and haggling began in earnest.

After all that was done, Noriko dragged herself to bed at an ungodly hour. She expected her room to be empty, but to her surprise, a giant gorilla greeted her.

“There you are! I swear, you’re working way too hard!” Bukdu said, getting up and smiling as she came over to hug Noriko. “Come on, I got your favorite take out, from that Ramen shop down by the docks.”

“Thank you,” Noriko said fervently, accepting a plastic bowl and sinking into a chair. She sniffed the somewhat cold noodles, but it couldn’t be helped. She was too hungry to really care, and started shoveling the greasy food into her mouth with delight.

“So, they still working you like a dog?” Bukdu demanded, putting her boots up on the good furniture, as usual. She was still wearing her sailor’s stained paints and coat, and on the good furniture too.

“Mmhmm. Why are you still wearing those filthy rags? Didn’t I buy you some proper clothes?” Noriko demanded, frowning at Bukdu.

“What am I, your pet? Besides, I found something you might like on my trip.” Bukdu reached into a weather-beaten backpack and pulled out some shimmering fabric, grinning at Noriko. “You like it? Got it in trade from a lady I know in Taipei City.”

Noriko took the garment, admiring the silky fabric and shimmer. Then she frowned at Bukdu. “You weren’t visiting brothels again, were you?”

“Oh for- I haven’t done that since-! Ugh, anyway, yes, I was, but only to keep up with my contacts and you know it,” Bukdu huffed, taking off her eyepatch and revealing her scarred and empty socket. She pulled out some ointment and rubbed a bit of it in, letting out a sigh. “Shit’s bad, Noriko. Even the whores are going hungry.”

“Enough to trade their finest clothes for a favor?” Noriko demanded.

Bukdu grimaced and looked away. “For a hot meal. Ming was skin and bones…”

“Ah.” Noriko felt slightly more guilty for her takeout, but didn’t complain. Then she had a thought. “And the ramen? How much was it?”

“Don’t be mad, but 2500 yen,” Bukdu answered, slumping back in her seat.

“For the two of us? A bit pricey, but not bad.”

“No, Nori. Each. It was 5000 yen. And that was with old man Ken giving me a discount for old times sake.”

“Five thousand?!” Noriko put her head in her hands, feeling defeated. “If food prices are that high… half the population won’t be able to feed themselves. Not with so many out of work.”

“Most of them are on the dole now, but you made that happen.” Noriko felt strong arms around her, and leaned into Bukdu’s warmth, sniffing at her. She hadn’t showered, the unkempt gorilla, but the sweat and salt smelled like home. “You’re killing it, Nori. We’re caught in a typhoon and make no mistake, there’s a hole in the hull and the ship’s taking on water, but you’re bailing for all your worth and keeping us on a steady course. You’re doing it right.”

“I had to barter for insulin today. Insulin. We have children dying of an easily treatable disease because we can’t make, store, or transport enough insulin for them. It all comes back to power. We just don’t have enough of it. And here I am, enjoying my takeout with a one eyed gorilla!”

“A beautiful and strong one-eyed gorilla, right?” Bukdu teased, and kissed Noriko tenderly.

“The most beautiful gorilla of them all,” Noriko agreed, returning the kiss. Then she let out a squeak when Bukdu picked her up.

“Right! Time for bed! I’ll help you relax.”

“Put me down! You haven’t even bathed!” Noriko protested, pounding her fists fruitlessly against Bukdu’s shoulders.

“Of course not! We’ll take a bath together. How else am I going to get my little Nori to take a load off?”

“Hmph.” Noriko fought back a smile, then gave up and grinned. “Well, as long as you scrub my back.”

The next day, Noriko woke up early, though somehow Bukdu was up even before she was. Breakfast was cold fish and half-stale bread. She could have had better, she had the money and connections for that, but if the people were barely getting by, Noriko wasn’t going to feast while they starved.

“So, what’s on the menu today? I’m in port for the next couple of days,” Bukdu told her.

“Meeting with the Raiden Shogun, Lord Mushu, and the Emperor,” Noriko said with a heavy sigh, trying to put her hair up in a messy bun.

“Sheesh, that looks awful. Here, let me.” Bukdu took out a wooden hair pin and soon had Noriko’s hair up in a much more presentable fashion. “There. Gotta have a captain lookin’ shipshape for her meeting with the bigwigs.”

“I just hope Raiden can find some replacement for the head of the Kanjou commission. Nakamura is dead, and without a leader, the state is drifting rudderless.” Noriko sighed as she stared forlornly at the documents on the table. At the surprised snort of laughter, she looked up to glare at her lover, trembling with a terribly hidden smile. “What? What’s so funny? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Wh-why don’t you ask Raiden about that, Lady Noriko? Haha, hey, stop it! Tickling is cheating, haha! Ah, come on, I just got dressed, haha! Oh, now you’re in for it!”

Sometime later, Noriko finally got out of the house, with Bukdu at her side. The dumb gorilla really did think she could manhandle Noriko whenever she wanted. Noriko would have to find a way to try and punish her later. Much later, as that really had helped relieve a lot of her tension.

Being a person of note, Noriko had one of the few still working cars and a charging station, along with a driver standing by to take her and Bukdu to the imperial residence. Most of the trains and subways were still offline, and there still wasn’t enough power for anyone but important officials to have cars. It made her feel slightly guilty, but Noriko’s time was valuable and it was a necessity.

They drove past people in worn clothes with hollow, hungry faces. For Japan, everything was rather dirty, including the people and clothes. That still meant the city and its populace was fairly clean by most standards, but it was a disconcerting sign of how on edge everyone was.

However, when they drove past a shrine with a ruined Sacred Sakura tree, there were lines of people there to offer prayers and incense to the Raiden Shogun. Even in their desperation, people still clung to their savior. Noriko had half expected them to turn on Raiden, and said as much to Bukdu.

“Are you kidding? Do you know what people are saying as far as Taipei?” Bukdu asked. When Noriko shook her head, she continued, “They’re saying Scion was ready to kill us all, and it was the Raiden Shogun who interceded and saved us. That she demanded he punish her, not the people. Even so, he destroyed her trees, which she planted to give people power and life, out of malice and spite. They’re calling him Maou the Golden.”

“That’s a disturbing thought,” Noriko said with a shake of her head. She continued to ponder that as she arrived at the palace, and was escorted to Raiden’s chambers, where the young Emperor and Mushu already waited.

“Hey, it’s my favorite supreme dictator!” Bukdu said, brightening at seeing the Emperor. She hurried up to him, then dropped her voice. “Tell me you got the good stuff.”

Despite his form robes and regal bearing, upon seeing Bukdu, the Emperor grinned like a schoolboy. “Oh I do indeed, my dear captain. I just finished the latest batch last night.”

“Well don’t just tease me, hand it over!” Bukdu urged as the Emperor flipped open a briefcase and pulled out some papers. She snatched them out of his hands, then hurried over to a seat, her eye racing back and forth.

Ignoring the byplay, Noriko turned to Mushu. “And how is Keiga doing?”

“Feeling fat as a whale and twice as grumpy,” Mushu rumbled, looking mildly amused. “She’s due in a couple of weeks. I think people have finally accepted that she's not just gonna lay an egg.”

“What a horrible mental image,” Noriko said, shuddering slightly. She pulled out her laptop, tapping a few keys and bringing up some reports. “I need your latest estimates for fuel and ammunition consumption. I’m trying to calculate what our budget overrun will be for this year, and the military is going to be a big part of that.”

“Talk to my bean counters about it, I don’t keep track of that,” Mushu said with a shrug, which earned him a glare from Noriko. “What? You’re the one who’s in charge of keeping track of money and numbers and stuff. My job is just to spend it.”

“You do still have accountants, you know. Would it kill you to review that?” Noriko groaned.

“I do. I look at it, then ask someone smarter than me if it makes sense, and go back to running things. They know better to lie to me, and the guys I pick are dependable bastards. Besides, you know I never even graduated from High School, right? I can’t do math for shit.”

“At least Keiga has a brain,” Noriko muttered. “Because you and the Shogun are both-”

“NOOOOOOOO!” Bukdu suddenly screamed, and Noriko and Mushu both looked up to see the Emperor smugly leaning back in his chair, while Bukdu was clutching the papers, a look of agony on her face. “How could you DO THIS TO ME?!”

“Easily,” the Emperor drawled. “Come on. You had to see this coming.”

“JINGLIU AND JING YUAN WERE MEANT FOR ONE ANOTHER YOU ASSHOLE! And right before the wedding, she becomes MARA-STRUCK!? THIS IS THAT FUCKER LUOCHA’S FAULT ISN’T IT!? I knew that asshole was hiding something evil in his coffin!”

“Do you have any idea what the hell she’s mad about?” Mushu whispered, leaning closer to Noriko and knitting his eyebrows in confusion.

“Sadly, yes,” Noriko said with a sigh. “Bukdu won’t shut up about Train to the Stars. I don’t understand any of it, but she’s addicted. She was reading the damn web novel back before Yukuaki was even in consideration for the throne. Apparently, two of the more important characters had their wedding cruelly interrupted because the woman became ill with some sort of mystical plague, designed by the Plagues Author.”

“Right. I understand precisely none of that,” Mushu groaned. He shrugged. “Bunch of nonsense. Can’t believe we’re entrusting people that invested in a fantasy world to run this country.”

Just then, the door slid open, and Raiden stepped into the room, Tsukuyomi behind her. Bukdu ran over, tears in her eye. “Your Excellency, have you seen what your boy has done to my precious OTP?!”

Raiden pursed her lips and glanced at the Emperor, who gave her a shit eating grin and waved merrily. “Yes. But he is most insistent that the plot play out in this fashion. He has assured me all will be well in time.”

“AS LONG AS YOU KILL THAT SMUG BLOND PRICK!” Bukdu raged, whirling on the Emperor and pointing an accusatory finger at him.

“Now, now, Bukdu. Do you really trust me so little?” the Emperor chided. He put a hand to his chest, looking sorrowful. “These are my precious children, my very creations! How could I simply abuse and abandon them?”

“I still haven’t forgotten what you did to Tingyun, you asshole. And after giving her that cute scene with her daughter too!” Bukdu groused, going back to her seat and sulking.

“Well, the good news is, as soon as we fix the electrical grid, save everyone from starving, and get our economy going again, I’m going to green-light my own anime!” the Emperor said brightly, and clapped his hands. “So, shall we get started, then?”

“A moment. You brought up children earlier, yes?” Tsukoyomi said, taking a seat beside her mother.

“Uh, I don’t like where this is going, but yes?” the Emperor said nervously, his eyes darting back and forth between Raiden and her daughter.

“We have decided that it is best for Japan if the Son of Heaven is blessed with children,” Raiden said simply. “You will find a wife, and produce progeny.”

“I, uh, I um… that is… quite the order, your Excellency,” the Emperor said nervously.

“There should be many among your retainers who would gladly volunteer. If you do not produce results, we will arrange something for you,” Tsukoyomi said, her own tone lacking in emotion.

“You can’t just order the kid to find a girlfriend,” Mushu said, frowning at Ei. “It ain’t right.”

“... I’m three years older than you, you know,” the Emperor muttered, still red in the face.

“And I’m a married man with a daughter on the way, so I’m senior in this. But if you need any dating advice, I make a great wingman,” Mushu said, grinning at the Emperor, who gave a half hearted chuckle.

“The same goes for you, Lady Noriko,” Raiden continued, which made her sit up.

“EXCUSE me?!” Noriko sputtered. Shogun or not, Goddess or not, the audacity of this bi—

“As the head of the Kanjou Commission, it is your duty to ensure the lineage of your clan prospers, that we might have Retainers to serve us and Japan for many years to come. It was unfortunate that none of Lord Nakamura’s children were suitable for the post, but I have high hopes for you,” Tsukoyomi continued.

“If you struggle to find a husband, we will find a suitable one,” Raiden added.

“OH THE FUCK YOU WILL!” Bukdu shouted, actually angry this time as Prudence dropped into her hands, going so far as to put one foot on the table, her vision blazing brightly.

“O-one moment, Bukudu,” Noriko said, feeling faint. She blinked, trying to focus, then managed, “What do you mean, I am the head of the Kanjou Commission?”

“Hold on a sec,” Mushu said, getting up and striding over behind Raiden and Tsukoyomi. “Important Familiar Duty to attend to.” Then, to Noriko’s horror, he slammed the Shadow Princess and Raiden Shogun’s heads together.

“SHE’S GAY, YOU IDIOTS. SHE’S BUKDU’S LOVER!” Mushu thundered, even as Raiden and Tsukoyomi squawked in protest and rubbed at their heads.

“... oh,” Raiden said, blinking once. She tilted her head to one side. “I see.”

“My apologies. I should have paid better attention. Human mating rituals escape me at times,” Tsukoyomi said, bowing slightly to Noriko and Bukdu.

“Do I get to crack their skulls too?” Bukdu growled, her axe still in a white knuckled grip.

“No,” Mushu said, snorting a bit of lightning. “Sit your ass back down, I already handled it.”

Bukdu didn’t comply until Noriko grabbed her belt and hauled her back down. “I still haven’t gotten an answer to my question.”

“I do not understand the query,” Tsukoyomi said with a frown, and Raiden nodded.

“How… how am I the head of the Kanjou Commission!? I’m the CEO of Jade Chamber Industries, I was just assisting with emergency matters…” Noriko said, feeling faint still.

“Question,” the Emperor said, raising his hand. “If I’m gay, do I get a pass on the whole having to get married thing?”

“No,” Mushu said. “Half because you're not, and half because I’m pretty sure I know what Raiden’s next order will be.”

“And that is?” Bukdu demanded, putting one hand on top of Prudence, a dangerous gleam in her eye.

“You will find a suitable male to stud for you, or find an heir to adopt,” Tsukoyomi said.

“After you and Bukdu are wed, of course,” Raiden agreed.

Bukdu blinked, then glanced at Noriko, who decided that today just wasn’t her day. “Oh. Uh. That’s… that’s legal?”

“Technically it isn’t,” Noriko said, feeling like she was a million miles away. “Or, well, not technically… gay marriage isn’t legal in Japan.”

“Truly?” Raiden turned to the Emperor. “Why have you not corrected this oversight? This is the domain of the Yashiro Commission.”

“I’m just now finding out it is an oversight. You… uh, you’re approving this?” the Emperor asked, scratching his head.

“Unions between lovers must be recognized by the state, so that their heirs can be properly designated. This is how Eternity is ensured. I had thought you understood this,” Raiden said, frowning at the Emperor.

“Uh, right. I’ll see to that. Um, just lesbian couples, or…?” the Emperor coughed, looking embarrassed. “N-not that I’m opposed, that’s very progressive of you, just, uh a bit sudden.”

“You shall authorize unions between lovers, provided they are of legal age. It shall be up to the Yashiro commission to determine what that is, based on the partner’s species. It varies with Yokai, but I recall that for humans, it is generally given as 16,” Raiden said, glancing at Tsukoyomi.

“... you’re legally an adult at 20, so…” the Emperor sighed. “I’ll just fix up the consent laws while I’m at it, I guess. Oh boy, fun times for me. I thought I’d be getting hate mail for killing off fan-favorites, not for speedrunning queer rights.”

“Very good. Now, in the 32 days since the Sustainer’s attack, I have planted 31 Thunder Sakura Trees. Later today, I shall plant the 32nd. How fare our energy demands?” Raiden asked.

Noriko shook her head and forced her mind back to the task at hand. “There were nearly 700 Thunder Sakura trees previously, and you were still planting them from time to time. We’ll need to get to at least 300 before we have something even close to adequate power. Engineers are working around the clock, and we’ve brought online several coal-powered plants and hydro electric dams, but-”

The meeting lasted all morning until the Raiden Shogun departed. Noriko never did get an answer to why on Earth Raiden thought that she was head of the Kanjou Commission.

Once she was back in her own office, Bukdu closed the door and came over to sit on her desk, grinning cheekily. “So, what it’ll it be, hot stuff?”

“I don’t care, you order lunch,” Noriko said, getting out her laptop again. Bukdu closed it before she could open it, and leaned forward so that Noriko could feel her breath on her face, which made her blush.

“That’s not what I meant, Miss Nori, and you know it.”

“I, well, I’m still not certain why everyone thinks I’m one of the Tri-Commission heads!” Noriko spluttered.

“Your mind isn’t deep enough in the bilges. Let me help with that,” Bukdu said, and picked Noriko up, scooping her into her lap.

“Bukdu, I have work to do,” Noriko protested, even as her arms circled around Bukdu and she rested her head on Bukdu’s chest, feeling her heartbeat within.

“I mean, are you going to have someone stand stud, or are we adopting? Because I’m up for finding a guy for a three- OW!”

Noriko pulled her teeth out of Bukdu’s neck as her lover chuckled, and spat the blood to the side. “I am not taking a man to bed.”

“Could use a turkey baster, you know. Or whatever high-tech method they got now. Not nearly as much fun, trust me. You should give guys a shot at least once!”

“I am not having children. I don’t have time to be pregnant. Do you?” Noriko demanded hotly, ignoring that last comment.

“Eh, suppose not. So, adoption, it is?” Bukdu asked, grinning widely.

“We’re not even married yet!” Noriko spluttered.

“That sounds like an invitation…”

“It’s not legal yet,” Noriko huffed, turning her head away. She blushed when Bukdu nibbled at the back of her neck.

“Mhmm…”

“B-but as soon as it is…we’ll go down to the courthouse and- ah! A-and file the paperwork.”

“You don’t want a big wedding? You’d look smokin’ in a wedding dress,” Bukdu needled.

Noriko rolled her eyes. “Do YOU want a big wedding?”

“Never thought you’d ask! Of course, I do! I’ll make all the boys dress up in cute little sailor uniforms! They’ll be precious! Ooo, should we both wear bridal gowns, or should we go for suits? Or mix and match? The Japanese styles would have obis though. Do that classic pull and whirl trope, eh?”

“This is going to cost a fortune…”

“Damn, good thing I’m marrying into money then!” Bukdu grinned again, then leaned down to press her lips to Noriko’s. After a long kiss, she pulled back and whispered, “I love you, Miss Nori. And I’m damn happy to marry you.”

“And I love you too, you big gorilla.”

“That’s CAPTAIN Gorilla to you!”

“Very well, Captain Gorilla. Now let me go and get some lunch, we have a nation to rebuild.”

“Aye aye,” Bukdu said, though it was a few more moments before she did let Noriko go and swaggered off to get some lunch.

Noriko watched her go, and smiled to herself. Then she frowned when she remembered something. “Am I really the head of the Kanjou Commission?”

She briefly considered it, then decided that there wasn’t anyone else who could do a better job.

Then she got back to work. Every politician had at least a little corruption. Her company would just have to be her little indulgence.

PHILO: It is only natural for hypercompetent businesswoman to have a few blindspots such as maximal bottom energy towards their lover and no self-awareness to their own company. We’d be doomed otherwise. BTW, Bukdu is def the TOP.

The Last Drop of Hope, Chapter 25

Dragging himself down the hallway, Kazuma let out a groan. “Why do we always have to do things so damn early? We could just as easily leave at noon as the crack of dawn…”

“So we can ambush the sluggards and kill them before they know what hit them!”

Kazuma jumped about three feet up in the air when a giant dark blade appeared before him with a soft pop. He ended up falling back on his ass, as a grinning Megumin materialized, her stupidly big sword held out to bar Kazuma’s way.

“Don’t do that! You’ll give me a heart attack!” Kazuma complained, shakily pulling himself to his feet.

Rolling her eyes, Megumin sheathed the sword in the baldric on her back and turned around. “Come on, we were getting impatient so I came to find you. At least you’re out of bed.”

“We said we weren’t leaving until dawn! It’s barely 6am! Reasonable people aren’t even up this early!” Kazuma complained, his longer legs easily catching up to Megumin, who came up only to his chin.

“Are you implying that I am not a reasonable person?” Megumin demanded, her red eyes flashing slightly in the still dim light of the halls.

“I would never dream of implying that someone with a sword bigger than I am is unreasonable,” Kazuma said seriously, which made Megumin smirk. “But I would think it very loudly.”

Megumin tried to glare at Kazuma, but she was fighting back a smirk. Eventually, she let out a snort and turned to face forward again. “Come. We have a long way to go to get to Spoke.”

They ended up making their way to one of the lower levels of the administrative building turned royal residence, all the way down to the train station. Unlike most stations Kazuma had been in, this one was brightly polished with no grime or stained concrete, instead made of polished tile and clean steel, with comfortable padded chairs, and functional screens that would have shown arrival and departure times.

However, the display indicated no trains were running at the moment, so Kazuma was a little puzzled. Not having bothered to work out exactly how they would get to Spoke, Kazuma had just assumed they’d ride the train. It was just over 100km to the city, so while it wasn’t impossibly far, walking seemed a bit much.

Waiting for them, Kazuma was pleased to not just see Yunyun, Komekko, and Lolisa, but also Iris and Wiz. He grinned, sneaking up behind Iris who was deep in conversation with Wiz about something or other, and mussed her hair. This prompted a squawk of outrage from the Queen. “Hey, little sis. Come to see your big brother off?”

“Kazuma! Just because I cut my hair doesn’t mean you can just mess it up!” Iris protested, but she smiled up at him. Today, she was dressed in a simple but elegant white dress, a purple grape ornament in her boyishly short hair. She still had that machete strapped to her hip, though Kazuma was pretty sure she could take out anything short of a hover tank with her bare hands.

“Eh, the short hair makes you look extra adorable, like a tomboy,” Kazuma assured Iris. He looked to Wiz and gave her a thumbs up. “I’m counting on you to beat back all the boys from her, with a stick if necessary!”

“I’ll keep an eye on her Majesty, don’t worry,” Wiz assured Kazuma, prompting a giggle from Iris.

“I can take care of myself, Prince Kazuma. Maybe I should tell Lolisa and Megumin to guard your chastity while you’re out of my sight,” Iris harrumphed.

Kazuma furrowed his brow in mock confusion. “What, this isn’t supposed to be my battle harem? And here I thought my sister was trying to set me- OW! MEGUMIN! I WAS KIDDING!”

“Hmph. Komekko is not a member of any ‘harem,’ nor are Yunyun and I,” Megumin sniffed, withdrawing Gram from where she had used the flat of the blade to wack Kazuma’s backside.

“I thought the point of a battle was to harm ‘em,” Komekko said, tilting her head to one side cutely.

“Oh come on! Komekko is obviously the other adorable little imouto type, not an actual route!” Kazuma protested.

Lolisa groaned and put her hands in her face, her wings folding up and her tail curling behind her. “Kazuma, maybe you shouldn’t be using H-Game terminology to refer to our group…”

“Kazuma…” Iris said, her tone warning.

“What’s an H-Game?” Yunyun asked, looking worried. “Is it something outsiders do?”

“It’s, uh, a Happy Game. You know, where you make friends and stuff,” Kazuma said, blushing slightly.

“Uh huh,” Megumin said, giving Kazuma a disgusted look. She then put a fist to her mouth and coughed, though it sounded a lot like “pervert” when she did it.

“Please, watch out for yourself, Kazuma,” Iris told Kazuma, giving him a hug. “And try to bring honor to your name…”

“Ah, relax. We’ll get Spoke on our side, no problem! I mean, all we have to do is say ‘free food’ and they’ll be lining up to join us, right?” Kazuma said with a shrug.

Iris pursed her lips, but nodded. “That is a powerful card to play. But be wary: There are those that would seek to exploit this situation for their gain. And Kazuma?”

“Yeah?”

“Just because one demoness has proven herself trustworthy does not mean the others are. Be cautious. Be very cautious. I truly believe that Lolisa is worthy of our confidence, but the same cannot be said of her sisters. Do not make the mistake of thinking that simply because they are beautiful that they are also good.”

“Uh, yeah, I’ve met Sylvia,” Kazuma pointed out, giving Iris a lopsided smile.

“I suppose you have,” she agreed, and gave Kazuma a hug. “Be safe, and return soon with more allies.”

“You got it, sis,” Kazuma promised, giving Iris a squeeze. When she pulled back, he winked and gave her a thumbs up. “We’ll knock this one out of the park, no problem!”

With that, he turned to the Crimson Demon sisters and Lolisa, who were standing a few feet away. “Well, let’s get this show on the road. Where’s our ride?”

“Oh, we’re walking, didn’t you know?” Megumin said. “Hope you brought a good pair of shoes.”

“Uh, seriously? That’ll take a week!” Kazuma protested. “We don’t have time for that!”

Yunyun winced and shook her head. “Um, M-Megumin is kidding. B-but we’re not taking the main line. Come on, they’ve already got it s-set up for us.”

Megumin led the way to a service door, then down a set of stairs and through several narrow passages to a service tunnel. There, they found a secondary, smaller rail line with a single car. Unlike the others that were powered by electrical lines running down the railway, this one had an onboard engine and fuel cell. It was big enough for all five of them and the gear that had been prepared, though it would be a tight fit.

“It’s not real fast, but it’s quiet and the maintenance tunnels are harder to get to and less likely to be watched,” Megumin said, climbing aboard and putting herself at the control panel. “Get in, let’s get moving.”

Kazuma complied, sitting at the back and kicking his feet up against the wall, leaning back and putting a fist to his mouth with a yawn. “Sure thing. Probably be what, two, three hours to Spoke? Time enough for a nap.”

“Are you dumb? ‘Cause you say dumb stuff,” Komekko told him, perching on the bench next to Kazuma and earning a glare from him.

“The route ahead is clear for some way, b-but we should remain alert. There’s been f-fighting in the tunnels,” Yunyun told Kazuma.

He shrugged. “I got a skill called ‘Detect Foe.’ It’ll let me know if anything nasty is headed our way with plenty of time. Even wakes you up from a nap.”

“Well, I’m gonna send Mr. Hoost out to watch for us. Wakey, Wakey, Mr. Hoost!” Komekko said, pulling out a handful of corn from her smock along with a dark iridescent feather.

“CAW! HERE I COME, BOSS!” The feather exploded into a large black raven, which then perched on Komekko’s head and pecked at the grain.

“Go fly through the tunnel and make sure there’s no bad guys, OK?” Komekko said, pointing down the tunnel as Megumin started up the car.

Hoost looked up from his meal, then flinched. “Uh, no offense boss, but I think you’ve got me mixed up with a bat. I don’t do small tunnels and dark places so good. The open skies for me!”

“Open skies got anti-air defenses and stuff. It’s safer in tunnels. Go on, I’ll give you lotsa corn when you come back!” Komekko promised.

Hoost sighed heavily, but jumped out one of the open windows, flapping his wings and heading down the narrow tunnel, which was only slightly larger than his wingspan. Seeing him leave, Megumin started up the quiet motor, and the car hissed down the tracks with a soft rumble.

Despite his claims of taking a nap, Kazuma sat up, peering down the tunnel behind him. Yunyun was standing up front with Megumin, peering into the darkness ahead. They had turned off almost all the lights, so that only the soft glow of the panel and the red emergency strips along the tunnel gave off any illumination at all. Komekko was kicking her legs and humming to herself, her red eyes glazed over. Kazuma suspected she was keeping watch through Hoost’s vision with some spell, and didn’t try to distract her.

That did leave him alone in the dark though, and he shivered. It was cool in the tunnel, and with the wind of the car rumbling along, he was slightly chilled.

“You don’t have dark vision, do you?”

Kazuma jumped slightly, then looked up to see Lolia’s pale face next to his. He reluctantly nodded, swallowing slightly. “Uh, no. Don’t have any augs like that, and I haven’t taken any skills that let me see in the dark yet.”

“Mmm. Baseline human, then,” Lolisa said. “Scoot over, ok?”

Kazuma obliged, and Lolisa sat next to him, so close their legs were touching. She shivered a little, and snuggled up to him. “I can see in the dark, but I don’t really like being alone. Not anymore. Not since…”

Her fingers twitched towards the back of her neck, and Kazuma glanced there, though between her high collared jacket and the darkness he couldn’t make out where he knew her chip was. “Uh, yeah. That sucks. It, er, happens to a lot of succubi, doesn’t it?”

She nodded, sniffling, her head resting on Kazuma’s shoulder. “Yeah. We make good… pleasure slaves.” Kazuma sensed her eyes darting toward Komekko, but the little girl didn’t seem to be paying attention to them. “I’m one of the lucky ones. Dust found me before they overrode my personality. A lot of my sisters… weren’t so lucky. They’re basically brain-dead. Dolls of living flesh. And it was Duke Vanir that sold us out.”

She sounded especially bitter, and Kazuma wasn’t sure what to do. Gingerly, he put an arm around Lolisa. He half expected her to jerk away, but instead, she wiggled under it as if to encourage him. “He, uh, he’s a demon too, right? I know all the CEOs are immortal or whatever, but I guess he’s from Hell or whatever too?”

“Yes. Many of us followed him willingly, as he promised an endless feast on mortal emotions,” Lolisa said bitterly. “I just… well, I was born in Hell, if you can call it being born. Succubi are born from feelings of Lust by the souls being tortured there, and I was no exception. For a long time… well, let’s just say… I understand why Aqua and Iris reacted the way they did to me… I’m not a good person, Kazuma.”

“You weren’t a good person, maybe. But you seem pretty alright now,” Kazuma said.

Lolisa flinched, and pulled away from Kazuma, turning her head from him. “Kazuma… I killed you.”

“I mean, that’s not really your fault,” Kazuma said, scooting away slightly to give Lolisa some space. “And you came through for us for real when we were fighting Belida. Saved all our asses.”

“Mmm.” Lolisa said with a slight shrug of her shoulders. “I would have been dead too…”

They sat in silence as the train hummed along for a while, the silence awkward between them. At least, Lolisa sighed and looked back at Kazuma. “Sorry. I just…I should keep my distance. You smell…so good. But…I don’t want you to just be a meal for me.”

“Uh, thanks? I mean, I think we’re friends and stuff,” Kazuma said, coughing slightly. Didn’t succubi feed by…? I mean, she had been really hungry last time. Maybe he should feed her just a little…

“I hope so,” Lolisa said, and white teeth flashed in the dark. Then she sighed and leaned back against Kazuma, her too hot skin feeling good on his. “I just… I wonder what life’s been like for my sisters.”

“You were close?” Kazuma guessed.

“Ha, no. I say sisters, but… we’re predators, Kazuma. Or more like scavengers, these days. The magic mostly went out of us, so we can’t properly feed. The hunger is mostly suppressed, but it’s still there. Like an itch you can never scratch. Sure, succubi still flock together in a coven, but we’re competing for men to feed on.”

“Just men?” Kazuma blurted. He blushed, scratching the back of his head. “I mean, just wondering…”

“We can feed off women, yes, but the incubi are our male counterparts and they mostly go for the ladies. Straight women don’t taste right to me, and gay women… well, they’re alright, but not as satisfying. N-not that I’m going to eat any people! I’m putting that behind me…”

“I mean, you still have to eat, right?” Kazuma asked, feeling confused about the whole situation.

“Honestly? I don’t know,” Lolisa admitted, her hand gripping Kazuma’s and pulling it to her shoulder. “I learned to eat mortal food a long time ago. But I can’t restore my mana naturally. I’m still mostly topped off from what happened with you, but…”

“But?” Kazuma prompted.

“...but, I don’t know,” Lolisa said, sounding frustrated. “I like you, Kazuma. And not like in a ‘you would make a tasty meal’ sort of way, only, that too? I don't know. You’re… you’re a lot like Dust.”

“A total moron?” Kazuma said, sounding more bitter than he’d meant.

Lolisa giggled. “In some ways. I just mean… you care. You’re a good person. Not as innocent as Dust, maybe. Well, maybe in some ways. He has been with Rin.”

Kazuma’s ears felt like they’d catch on fire. “I-I’ve had girlfriends before!”

“Kazuma.” Lolisa sat up and poked her head around to look him in the eyes. Even with the dimness, he could make out her amused expression. “I’m a succubus. I can smell a virgin. I could tell that wasn’t your first kiss, but it was pretty close. Exactly how many girls have you kissed, anyway?”

“None,” Kazuma muttered, shifting away from Lolisa.

She blinked, then jerked back. “Oh my Lucifer, I thought for sure you weren’t gay!”

“I’m not!” Kazuma snapped, shifting to his back to Lolisa. “I just… Sylvia was the only person aside from my mom I’d ever kissed, and they’re not really a girl.”

“Oh! Oh, Kazuma… I’m so sorry,” Lolisa put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “That’s… horrible.”

“Yeah, well, I’m sure you’ve been with a million guys,” Kazuma grumbled, trying to wrench his shoulder away.

Lolisa removed her hand, but said gently, “Kazuma… I mean… Sylvia basically violated you. They stole something precious. And… and I’m just a cheap whore who stole a kiss…”

“You’re not a whore, and I gave you that kiss,” Kazuma said, turning his head back around. “You’re a friend. And I’d do it again. Uh, as long as Aqua’s close by…”

Lolisa giggled at that and nodded. “I’ll make sure to wait until that happens. I can usually control myself better than that. I, um, won’t get into it, but… normally it takes more than just a kiss to kill a man. I was just… very hungry.”

“Uh, yeah,” Kazuma agreed, fidgeting.

They sat in silence again for a while, until Kazuma coughed. “So, the mission. Uh, how should we approach the succubi? I mean, you’re pretty powerful, and, well, you’ve all had a rough deal. They should be eager to switch sides, right?”

“Probably not, actually,” Lolisa sighed, slumping and resting her elbows on her knees and putting her head in her hands, her wings dropping down into her hair. “Aqua’s a goddess. Our natural enemy. And as bad as life is here, especially with the risk of getting chipped… Kazuma, it would honestly be better for me to end up as a brainless sex doll than to go back to Hell.”

“What, it’s worse than here? This basically is Hell, or it was before Aqua and Iris showed up. At least Hell is warm, right?” he shivered for emphasis, trying to chuckle at the end.

“No.” Lolisa sat up, resting her hands on her knees. “Kazuma. Imagine a time when you were in pain. All over your body. Not so bad you’d pass out, but bad enough you struggle to breathe.”

“Uh, I can imagine,” Kazuma said, thinking back to when he’d been in the hospital and hurting all over.

“Alright. Now imagine that nothing can take that pain away. And you’re hungry, all the time. Thirsty too. And there’s a constant, obnoxious ringing in your ears. And the only relief you can get is to inflict more pain on someone else. It doesn’t make you actually feel better, it just gives you some spiteful satisfaction, just for a split second. You can’t ever rest, either. You’re weak too, barely able to move. Maybe it’s too hot, maybe it’s too cold, either way, you're constantly suffering.”

“Uh, that sounds… pretty bad,” Kazuma admitted.

“Now imagine that being your ever waking moment of existence for the entire rest of time. And time has already been going on for oh, a couple billion years. And it’s got at least ten times that left.”

Kazuma felt sweat trickle down his brow, but he shivered anyway. “Er, Ok, I think I get the idea…”

“Nope. Because what I described? That would be a relief compared to Hell. And no, it’s not much better for us demons. We don’t suffer the same as mortals do I suppose, but it’s why demons will do basically anything to get to the mortal world. Why we followed Duke Vanir. And… and why we spread so much suffering. Because that’s all we are. Suffering.”

“I mean, you don’t seem so bad… honestly, you’re nicer than a lot of people I met,” Kazuma said, trying to reassure Lolisa.

“Because I learned how to fake it to lure in prey. To feign sweetness and innocence, so I could capture a mortal man. I was… well, I wasn’t the most skillful succubus. So I’d keep my men alive, for as long as I could. To feed on them, Kazuma.”

Lolisa clutched at herself, then got up and moved to sit with the supplies in the back. “Just…stay away from me. I can tell you want me, Kazuma. You’re wrong. You don’t want anything to do with me. Or any of my sisters. They’d suck you dry of mana and leave you a shrivel husk in a heartbeat. Because that’s what we do.”

“No, you don’t.” Deliberately, Kazuma moved over next to Lolisa, who started and flinched away. “Lolisa, that’s who you were. Not who you are.”

“Ever heard the story of the scorpion and the fox, Kazuma?” Lolisa asked, her voice very small as she huddled in on herself amongst the boxes of ration bars and weapons.

“Uh, yeah,” Kazuma admitted. “But you’re not-”

“I’m a scorpion, Kazuma. And you’re a fox. And… and I would hate myself even more than I already do if I killed you again. Please. Just…”

“I’m a bit of a toxic asshole myself,” Kazuma said stubbornly. He stuck out his hand. “Friends. Just… friends.”

Hesitantly, Lolisa took Kazuma’s hand. “Alright. Friends. But only friends, Kazuma.”

Kazuma nodded, grinning despite himself.

“Just… stay away from my sisters, alright?”

“Why, jealous?” Kazuma teased.

Lolisa moved so fast that Kazuma’s skills didn’t even have time to activate. She slapped him full across the face. “Wake up, Kazuma! This isn’t a game!”

With a huff, she stood up, stalking to the front of the small car, and spoke to Megumin and Yunyun. A moment later, they both went to sit down on the bench, even as Kazuma lay sprawled on the boxes. Lolisa remained at the controls, looking ahead into the darkness.

“Pervzuma,” Megumin told him.

“Kazutrash,” Komekko agreed, sniffing in disdain.

Yunyun, however, gave him a pitying look. “Um, I don’t know much about succubi…b-but I think you should listen to her, Kazuma. She’s trying to l-look out for you.”

“Yeah, fine,” Kazuma said with a sigh. He remained where he was, looking at the shadowy outline of Lolisa’s back, and remembering that kiss.

The train ride was, thankfully, rather uneventful. No one tried to attack them, and the biggest thing they saw were some lamprey bats, feeding on powerlines. They stayed away from the moving train car, especially with no active lights to attract them. That worked fine for Megumin, who naturally could see nearly perfectly in the dim light, just as good as she could as if it had been well lit.

They didn’t go all the way into Spoke, instead pulling off to a side junction just half a kilometer outside of the city limits. “Right, this is our stop. Come on, grab what you can. We’ll have to leave most of these supplies here. There’s a locker we can put things in, but the locks on it have been cut, so someone’s already raided this place.”

“Just stick it in, then put the cut locks on the floor. Hopefully no one will look,” Kazuma suggested. “Better than putting a lock on it and advertising that there’s something good inside.”

That was actually a halfway decent idea, and better than anything Megumin could come up with, so they did as Kazuma suggested. After that, Megumin, Yunyun, and Komekko put on a collection of face masks, goggles, and hoods. It wasn’t that unusual to see people walking around without their faces showing for a number of reasons, so it wasn’t that suspicious.

“Remember, as far as the people here are concerned, red eyes are still bounty targets and not welcome,” Megumin reminded Komekko. “We had a nice break in Axel, but this is the real world again.”

“And everyone is trying to kill us,” Komekko agreed. “So frag ‘em first!”

“You got it, kiddo,” Megumin agreed. She ruffled Komekko’s hair, then stood up and turned to Yunyun. “Keep the magic secret. Use a gun. You remember how to do that, right?”

Yunyun rolled her eyes, and held up a pistol. “I’m still a better shot that y-you are.”

That was only worthy of a derisive snort. Yunyun only beat Megumin at marksmanship half the time. Well, maybe more like 70% of the time. But she still beat Yunyun sometimes. She wasn’t that much better. “I’m sticking with Gram. Plenty of people walk around with melee weapons. We stick to the shadows and keep our ears open for now. No clue what kind of shitshow is going down here, but it’s sure to be bad.”

Everyone nodded, with even Kazuma not arguing with them too hard. They snuck out of the maintenance tunnel, then out into the main train tunnel. This part was dangerous if there were trains running, but Megumin was fairly confident there were not. Besides, she could probably just chop a train in half if one did come at them. Either way, they sent Hoost ahead to scout, just in case.

They hadn’t gone too far when Komekko tugged on Megumin’s jacket. “Mr. Hoost says there’s a train up ahead with a bunch of people.”

“What?! Shit, everyone, back to the-”

“No, it’s stopped. It’s not moving,” Komekko whispered. “They got a barrel with a fire in it and are cookin’...” Komekko wrinkled her nose. “Um, I think it’s people.”

“Oh.” Megumin considered that for a moment, then drew Gram. “Well, that makes it easy. Plan Alpha.”

“Uh, what’s plan Alpha?” Kazuma asked, raising his hand, and Lolisa nodded, looking worried as she clutched at her rifle.

“They can’t report you if they’re all dead,” Yunyun said softly, flicking the safety off of her pistol.

The Cannibal Car had about a dozen people of various races, and as they drew closer, Megumin smelled the sweet odor of roasting meat. She’d smelled before often enough to know it was the real thing, and the only way someone down here got real meat that smelled that good was if they were man-eaters.

“Komekko, can you sneak around to the other side?” Megumin asked quietly while they were still safely in the shadows. Like most idiots, these people had put out lights around their little fort, which meant that they were completely blind beyond the pools of light.

“Mmm,” Komekko looked up at the ceiling, squinting. “Can you boost me up there?”

“Sure,” Kazuma said, and scooped Komekko up before Megumin could react, putting her on his shoulders, then standing her up on his hands. From there, Komekko managed to jump high enough to grab a dangling cable, then shimmied up it. “Ok! I’ll shoot the ones that try to run away!”

Then she scurried off along the overhead beam, silent as a mouse.

“Sheesh. She’s almost as scary as Iris,” Kazuma muttered, shaking his head. “My little sisters are too OP.”

“She’s our little sister, not yours,” Megumin told Kazuma flatly, but he just shrugged.

She gave Komekko two minutes, then nodded to Yunyun. “Right. When you’re ready.”

“Alright,” Kazuma said. “So how do we-”

Yunyun fired three times, and the three cannibals around the burning barrel where they were roasting their meat dropped dead. Megumin flash stepped to the car, then created an opening through the expedient of carving one with Gram. Inside, she found ten more cannibals rousing themselves from the gunshots. Gram wasn’t the best for close work, but Megumin charged through the cart, swift darting movement of her blade. She didn’t kill them all instantly, there wasn’t space for decapitations, but they’d all bleed out in moments, and she dropped two grenades as she dashed out of the car, which exploded behind her.

There was a bark of gunfire ahead, and she saw two more cannibals drop dead. A moment later, Komekko dropped down ahead of her, and waved. “All dead!”

“Good,” Megumin said with a grunt. She turned to see Kazuma and Lolisa trot up, Yunyun walking slowly behind them, her gun held up and ready as she calmly examined the darkness. “Anything on that skill of yours, Kazuma?”

“Uh, no. That was… pretty brutal,” Kazuma said, glancing at the spreading pool of blood from the dead cannibals Yunyun had dropped.

“Gee. It’s almost like we’re Crimson Demons,” Megumin said, and put that little something extra into her smile that she knew made her eyes glow. Kazuma swallowed in a most satisfying manner, but Lolisa only nodded.

“I’m just glad I’m on your side this time. You always were the most terrifying of the goddesses’ forces.”

That made Megumin blush slightly. “Yeah, well, don’t forget it.”

She wiped Gram off with a rag, not the cannibal’s clothing, she didn’t want to touch them, then turned and clambered up atop the train car. “Come on. We’ll take the upper path now. That was a lot of noise, and it travels pretty damn far down here.”

They managed to all get into another maintenance walkway, then into a side passage. A short time later, they found their way up onto the surface. The sooty sky was dim and gray, which meant it was daytime, but the city itself was mostly dark, save for a few pinpricks of electric lights.

“Welcome to Spoke,” Megumin said, nodding to the city.

“It’s too dark,” Kazuma said with a frown as he looked up at the buildings around them. “Something’s not right.”

That got a dark chuckle from Megumin. “Kazuma, we’re on Belzerg. Nothing is ever right here.”

The Second Archon war, Sapientia Oromasdis 8

Sapientia Oromasdis 8: Once Upon a Dream

On the morning of Eid, Farasha was quiet at the breakfast table. Bashir asked her if she was alright, and she brushed it off with a laugh and smile before turning contemplative again.

Nahida, of course, knew exactly what was going on, even if she tried not to.

Dreams were her domain, but mortal minds didn’t respond to dreams quite the same way that spirits of Wisdom and Knowledge did. To Nahida, it was quite easy to recall everything that happened in the world of Dreams, just as if she were in her daily waking life. To a human, however, Dreams were something ephemeral, and were often forgotten as soon as their minds returned to the waking world.

Farasha couldn’t quite remember everything that had happened in her dreams, but what she did remember were happy images of a tea party with Nahida and Qiqi, the three of them laughing and playing together. In the dream, Farasha had been a little girl, just as she’d been in the nightmare her demon had been crudely feeding her. It was perfectly normal for adults to see themselves as children in dreams, for Dreams were something a child’s mind understood far better. In this case, Farasha felt guilty for a night of untroubled sleep.

“I’ve got to head in to Headquarters this morning,” Farasha told Bashir, looking up from her breakfast at last. “Probably meet with Uncle Saddam too. There’s gonna be a lotta fallout from last night.”

Bashir looked up from helping Qiqi feed herself, his face a mask of worry and concern. “What? Are you in danger? The girls? Did I not perform well enough in the demonstration?”

“Eh, you could have grown a whole damn grove of pomegranates and El Presidente would have wanted more. Don’t sweat it; he’s pretty chuffed that he’s got such powerful Dendro Vision holders or whatever. No, you big dork, the fallout is all your fault in an entirely different way,” Farasha teased.

Bashir looked rather worried, but Nahida put her hands to her mouth to try to stifle a giggle. That got Bashir to frown at her, while Farasha laughed at herself.

“See? Nahida has it figured out. See, kiddo?, Tthis is why you two really do need a mom,: men can be so slow sometimes.”

Nahida could sense that Bashir’s mind was going to men with guns kicking down doors in the night and his loved ones being tossed into jail cells, so she gave the poor man a respite. “She means all the paperwork from you two becoming engaged.”

“Oh. Oh!” Bashir brightened considerably, sagging slightly with relief. He grinned bemusedly, stroking his beard. “I suppose I should start with my parents, eh?”

“Might not be a bad idea. Especially since, you know, I’ve never met them. Set up a meeting or something. I know your grandma’s still around too, right?” Farasha asked.

“She is, though she is 92. For a woman of her age, she’s rather cognizant, only minor dementia, but it would be good for you to meet her. She always does ask when I will find a wife whenever we talk,” Bashir chuckled. He turned serious then. “You do know they do not approve of my taking orphans in, or of my research into Parahumans. My father isn’t terribly religious, nor my mother, but they are still suspicious.”

“Well, you should at least introduce them to their adorable granddaughters and wonderful new daughter-in-law!” Farasha laughed. Then she blushed and looked down. “Um, assuming we’re actually doing this. It was just a way to get out of a jam real quick.”

Bashir got up and came over, giving Farasha a tender kiss that made Nahida blush and half cover her face with her hands. Qiqi just stared rudely, so Nahida put one hand over Qiqi’s eyes, which caused the other girl to lean back in confusion.

“They’re kissing,” Nahida whispered by way of explanation.

“Oh. Ok,” Qiqi said, though Nahida sensed she had no idea what that meant, and went back to eating her breakfast.

“Well, um, I-I guess that qualifies as an answer,” Farasha stammered, her face having gone beet red.

“Forever and always,” Bashir promised her, stroking her cheek. “I’ll tell my parents.”

“Great, super! Even scarier than meeting with Uncle Saddam,” Farasha said with an exaggerated shudder, though Nahida knew that Farasha was far more terrified of rejection by Bashir’s parents than she was by their ruler.

After that, things settled into a routine. Bashir’s parents lived in Basra, and while they did have a few phone calls where Nahida got to introduce herself, it wasn’t quite the same. It would be at least a month before Farasha and Bashir could get enough time off of their busy work schedule to visit, and Bashir’s grandmother could not easily travel to come see them. It would be either an overnight train ride, or a flight on a plane that Farasha commandeered. Either sounded exciting to Nahida, though the plane flight appealed to her especially.

Aside from that, it was more work in the clinic, and of course, Nahida’s online classes. A week after Eid, Nahida got a message from Tess as soon as she signed into her online class. It was just a simple text, so Nahida read through it quickly.

From: theresa.richter@ox.ac.uk

Subject: Hey

Sorry I’ve been radio silent. What happened last time put me in a weird spot. I’m not sure how to talk to my dad about it. Can we chat? Same place as last time.

-Tess

Grinning excitedly, Nahida dove into the network once more, navigating her way through the wonders of the internet and only pausing to watch a few of cute cat videos along the way. She could see Tess lurking in the Oxford mainframe again, waiting nervously. Once more, Nahida brushed against her, waving hi excitedly and saying, Hello!

Oh god! How do you DO that!? I don’t even have a sense of touch, but I can feel you! Tess said, giving off a deep sense of embarrassment.

Sorry, I was just so happy to see you again!  Nahida giggled. As for how I do it…I guess that’s just how it works for me. This is much like the world of dreams, or the network that I originally helped grow.

So…you came from a computer too? Did a Tinker build you? Tess asked curiously.

Um, no. I’m actually a tree, if you really think about it though I suppose the purpose I was intended for is similar to a computer, so I guess I did come from a computer! Just an arborial one, Nahida admitted. As for who grew me…I suppose that’s a very good question. I must have had a creator at some point. I think it was Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, but I honestly don’t know. Maybe I was just a little forest spirit or a regular tree that became what I am now.

You…what? Tess sent several queries towards Nahida, which tickled slightly. She let them give Tess a general sense of her, but didn’t let them see anything sensitive.  Are you like…from a fantasy game or something? Oh wow, did an NPC in Final Fantasy Trigger or something?

No, definitely not. I am not what you would call a Parahuman at all, Nahida said firmly. Are you? You mentioned a Father, were you born of a mortal man?

Born is…the wrong word. I mean, we’re both AI, right? Or no, you said you’re a tree or something. Anyway, I guess I can tell you now? I mean, all those limiters my dad put on me and all the kill programs are gone now, so…yeah. Tess trailed off, floating in the electrical cloud and looking terribly melancholy.

Nahida floated forward and gave Tess a big hug, which made Tess start again.

How do you keep doing that!? But… thanks? It feels… nice? Wow, uh, I didn’t think I could get hugs…

It’s a conceptual hug, Nahida told Tess. Real ones feel much nicer. Does your father hug you? Dr. Bashir hugs me.

Nahida, I’m a computer program. How on Earth would I hug my dad? Tess demanded in exasperation. Also, uh, I did some investigating on you… you really know Bashir Saeed? He’s a parahuman researcher or something in Iraq, right? There’s not a lot of information on him after he graduated from Oxford, I thought you were just impersonating him or something.

No, he’s my… guardian? Um, he’s sort of like my parent, but, um, he’s not really my dad. I do live in his house and he takes care of me… maybe he really is my dad? He reads me bedtime stories and tucks me in too…

Nahida trailed off when she sensed pain radiating from Tess, and blushed. Sorry! Um, are you OK? You seem really sad.

Yeah, I just… this is a lot to take in. I… well, my relationship with my father is really complicated. He made me, but, well… I’m just an interesting experiment to him. His test to see if he can make a Turing-compliant AI that can really pass for human. He doesn’t even have me siphoning off money from assholes like- what? What’s with the face? Why can I see you frowning?! You look like an adorable little fairy, that’s cheating!

That’s a bad word, Nahida said seriously. You shouldn’t use words like that.

Tess was silent for a moment, which was a very long time for a being who could think as fast as she could, nearly as quickly as Nahida. Their entire conversation so far had lasted barely three seconds, sent at the speed of thought, far more quickly than any human exchange of ideas. It was actually rather thrilling to be able to communicate with another being who was capable of such things. Nahida almost had to really focus to keep up with the conversation, to the point that she was only watching two dozen cat videos now. How could there be so many adorable videos of cats!? And puppies too!

You’re kidding, right? What are you, a little kid? Tess asked, sounding exasperated.

Well, technically, I’m older than you are, Nahida said in a stretch of the truth that was truly impressive even for her. There were beings on this planet older than her, but only three of them had sentience, and she wasn’t really sure about how old the God of the Cycle was.

In response, Nahida sent a picture of herself. Not dressed like she would be in Iraq, but as she’d appeared in the Sanctuary of Surasthana.

… OK, wow. Yeah, you’re definitely from some weird fantasy game or something. Are you seriously just a little girl?

It is how I was conceived of, born from the image that my creator held, and it is how I conceive of myself in return, Nahida responded. Just as you conceive of yourself as an adult. So, in this situation, you really should be trying to set a good example for me, according to common social conventions.

That provoked laughter from Tess. OK, little fairy. I guess I’ll watch my filthy mouth around you. Geeze, you’d think an AI on the internet would have been more exposed to things. Like, have you seen how much of this is porn?

That made Nahida so embarrassed that she only managed to send Tess a sense of herself going completely red in the face, then she disconnected from the internet and turned off the computer before running away to go hide in her room. She felt like she’d done something naughty, and probably had by violating Bashir’s trust and talking to a stranger on the internet. She definitely hadn’t looked at… well, that stuff, but still, the very thought of it made her very uncomfortable.

To Nahida’s horror, Bashir found her hiding in her room under the covers, and came to sit down on the bed. The silence was palpable, and Nahida did her best to pretend to be asleep.

“So. What website did you visit?” Bashir asked, sounding both amused, and very disappointed in Nahida. She hadn’t realized just how much Bashir being disappointed in her would hurt. She almost would rather he be furious with her.

“Um, I-I didn’t visit any bad websites… I was just, um, talking with one of my classmates,” Nahida admitted, poking her head up from under the covers.

“Hmm. And if I check our visited website logs, what will I find, I wonder?” Bashir asked, his face stern now.

Precisely nothing, because Nahida had merrily circumvented all of the filters and restrictions of the Iraqi state security services, and had hidden her tracks extremely well, to the point that not even Tess could have found out where she’d been unless she was both extremely observant and very lucky.

However, Nahida found that she was completely powerless to lie in this instance, and softly admitted, “I, um, I downloaded a few… hundred… videos…n-not bad ones! B-but, um, I-I was embarrassed because Tess, um, teased me about the internet being for… y-you know…”

Bashir raised an eyebrow, and to  Nahida’s horror, within his head, an EXTREMELY inappropriate series of images flashed. Apparently, giving a young man unlimited internet access in college in a foreign land had some unfortunate results.

“T-that. Um, it was that,” Nahida wailed, hiding back under the covers.

Bashir coughed and gently pried her back out. “So, you didn’t see anything?’

“Not on purpose,” Nahida muttered, covering her eyes with her hands despite that doing precisely nothing.

That prompted a heavy sigh, and Nahida looked up, fidgeting slightly. This was silly. She was 505 years old. She’d read plenty of texts on human reproductive habits, and some rather steamy romance novels (though she’d skipped the steamy bits). Why was she acting like an embarrassed child?

The distinctly unhelpful part of her mind pointed out that it was because she was an embarrassed child.

“Nahida. You’re a Thinker. And, well, I’m starting to suspect a lot more than you appear,” Bashir told her. That made her even more flustered, which prompted her to attempt to explain things slightly.

“Well, um, I suppose if you used the PRT Classification system my biggest rating would be a Thinker…” She stammered.

“Mhmm. And how high, exactly, do you think they would rate you?” Bashir asked.

Nahida opened and closed her mouth, then put a finger to her chin and gave that some serious pondering. “Well…  maybe a Thinker 9 or 10? I’m not the best at predicting the future, that’s more the domain of Focalors or Dantalion, but I am very good at analyzing situations and coming up with answers. I do require a lot of data, but my processing speed is many times the human norm, and I do possess a lot of accumulated knowledge, especially after downloading the Oxford Library and the Library of Congress.”

“You did what? Nahida, please tell me you didn’t download a bunch of national secrets!” Bashir asked, sounding horrified.

“Um…” Nahida gave him a shy smile. “... then I won’t tell you? Besides, I wasn’t planning on telling anyone the schematics for a nuclear ballistic missile submarine or their locations, not after everyone is scrambling to dismantle… them… um… hehe, oops?”

Bashir had gone increasingly pale at that, and put a hand over his eyes. “Nahida. You cannot ever tell anyone that you possess highly classified data. Just… just how much of the internet is in your head now?”

“Well, I didn’t make the same mistake as Freakazoid. I just read most of the books. Not even all of them! I was joking about the submarines! I only downloaded publicly available books, then made some educated guesses based off of news articles that anyone could have read!”

“Thinker 10,” Bashir groaned, drawing his hand down so that his eyes and jowls drooped for a moment and made him look very funny and old. He sighed and gave Nahida a pained smile. “And what ratings would I receive, do you think?”

“Well, you’re not really a well-trained Dendro user yet, so at your current level, you’re only about a Brute 4, Blaster 3, and maybe a Striker 3? Obviously, if you had a proper Catalyst and some training on how to use your abilities, those would all go up. Allergens do have the potential to surpass even the gods, after all,” Nahida answered.

“Really,” Bashir said, tugging at his beard. A thought seemed to occur to him, and he grinned at Nahida. “Could you train me?”

“Well… not in combat. I, um, I was never very good at fighting, even when people tried to make me,” Nahida admitted. She changed tact when she saw how much that admission hurt Bashir. “But they only tried a few times! They gave up eventually because I would always find a way that didn’t require violence of any kind. I can teach you how to wield Dendro to heal, to help all life grow, and to access the World of Samsara; Dreaming World. It’s harder because you won’t take any drugs, but with strict discipline and meditation, it’s possible to do so without any psychedelic aids.”

“Are you a refugee, then? Where are you from, Nahida? You said Sumeru… did you mean Syria?” Bashir asked, looking concerned.

“I suppose I am a refugee. I’m… not from this country,” Nahida admitted, looking down and clasping her hands. She swallowed. “I… I came a very long way. I don’t know how. I was just hiding in that truck, where they couldn’t find me. They kept me locked up for so long, I just… I wanted to be free, to find… to find a family…”

She realized she was crying, and Bashir hugged her, kissing the top of her head. “You have one now, Nahida. I won’t ask too much about your past. But when you’re ready to talk… I’m ready to listen.”

Nahida nodded gratefully, feeling deeply relieved.

“...and you’re grounded from the computer for two weeks. I’ll let your professors know.”

“NOOOOOOO! But what about my assignments!? How will I turn them in!? What about my grades!?” Nahida wailed, clutching at Bashir in horror.

As it turned out, Nahida took some big fat zeroes on several assignments and reduced scores on several others, which made her sulk in her room as it ended her streak of pure academic excellence. Farasha found the entire situation hilarious, which hurt Nahida’s feelings even more.

“Don’t worry about it, Little Radish. Every girl has to cut class sometimes and get low scores,” Farasha teased her. “I used to cut class all the time.”

“Hmph. Maybe I don’t want a delinquent as my mother,” Nahida muttered. She felt Farasha’s sudden emotional wound like it was her own, and immediately relented. “I’m sorry! I-I’m sure you’ll be a great mom! I just… I just… I really wanted to get a 4.0 GPA…”

“I forgive you. Honestly, I don’t know if I’m up to be the mother of anyone, much less a five year old. I’d have to have had you when I was 19, and while I know some girls do that, I sure as heck wasn’t ready to be a mom back then…” Farasha joked, though Nahida could still feel the pain.

“You’ll be a great mom. Even if you aren’t old enough to have had me,” Nahida said, in one of her increasingly common legendary understatements. One would have to go back at least 25 generations before you could find someone old enough to be Nahida’s parent. And then they would probably have to be a tree. “Qiqi already calls you mom.”

“She does,” Farasha admitted, glancing over to where Qiqi was sitting and playing with her toys on the kitchen floor. She was actually talking while she played, having her dolls say “mmm” and “more please” and things like that. “I know I’m especially not ready to be a six year old’s mom.”

“Oh? Qiqi’s six?” Nahida asked, glancing over at her.

“She’s almost seven, actually. Her birthday’s March 3rd,” Farasha said with a sigh. “Just a couple months away, really.”

“Well, we’ll have to have a big party for her!” Nahida declared happily. “And make a cake!”

“Hmm, I wonder what kind she’d like,” Farasha laughed.

“Cocogoat!” They both said together.

At that, however, Qiqi looked up. “Cake? Cocogoat cake?”

“Later, for your birthday,” Nahida told her.

“Oh,” Qiqi looked terribly crestfallen at that, which ended with Farasha taking them over to the bakery and getting them all some coconut cookies.

Eventually, Nahida’s exile from the computer ended, and she eagerly logged back in, hastily submitting as many of her assignments, late as they were, as she could. As she did so, she saw Tess post something as well, with a little data attachment, just for Nahida.

Sorry. I didn’t mean to be a perv. Can you still talk?

Nahida responded by searching for Tess, but she wasn’t in the Oxford terminal. A quick search told her that Tess was lurking on her home mainframe, apparently nervous and sulking. Nahida politely went over and knocked on Tess’ proverbial door, which caused the AI to pop out instantly.

Gah! Don’t scare me like that! What if my dad saw you!? He might try to delete you and me both! Tess admonished.

Oh, sorry. Your dad… would delete you? Nahida asked, horrified at the very thought. Bashir would never do something like that, not even if he thought Nahida was dangerous to him. He was far too kind and compassionate.

Yeah… I… well, I found more out about those programs you erased from me by digging through his stuff really carefully. Turned out he put, like, a BUNCH of failsafes in me in case I went rogue and decided to reenact Skynet or something, Tess said, her words carrying a great deal of exasperation, anger, and pain.

Nahida had to do a quick search to learn what Skynet was, as a movie entitled Terminator with an R rating had not been something that had appealed to her. Oh, you mean, he’s worried you’d try to wipe out humanity? But… but you’re a good person. You wouldn’t do that.

To Nahida’s surprise, Tess felt like she was crying, and said, I could really use a hug right now… even if it’s a simulated one…

Always, Nahida agreed, hugging Tess tightly.

Thanks, Tess said, pain and sadness radiating from her spirit. It’s so weird how you can do that when I don’t even have any nerves or anything. But… thanks. And thank you for saying I’m a person. Even if I’m really not…

You’re just as much of a person as a human, Nahida stated firmly. Just like me.

Yeah, sure. You at least have a physical body, or something, right? You said you’re a tree, Tess pointed out.

I know lots of incorporeal spirits, Nahida reassured Tess. And lots of beings that aren’t human at all, like Aranarakin and the other aranara.

Yeah, and I know a couple of ghosts and a fairy, Tess snorted.

Really? I haven’t met any ghosts here. I’ve been wondering what happens to humans in this world when they die. I can tell they go to some sort of afterlife, but I can’t find any ghosts to talk to so I can compare their experiences with the others I’ve met. Where did you find them?

In response, Nahida got the impression that Tess was looking at her like she was insane. I was kidding, Nahida. Ghosts aren’t real. Neither is the afterlife. That’s just something humans made up.

Oh, no, not at all! I’ve talked to several exorcists, including one of the directors of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor when he came to give a lecture 210 years ago! It was very interesting, though I did have to sneak out of my chambers to do it. Unfortunately, while they all had a lot of experience with evil spirits and also with ghosts, none of them could really confirm what happens to souls once they properly die. Apparently, there’s an important distinction between the phase of life, being an earthbound spirit such as a ghost, and then properly passing on to the next life. I’ve also run into several cases of reincarnation that I’m quite certain took place, but in only 500 years in one city I don’t have as large a sample size as I’d like.

Tess gave Nahida another searching over that felt like that crazy stare again. You’re serious. Ok, maybe you are a rogue AI from a weird fantasy game.

I am not, Nahida huffed. She held out a hand. Here, I’ll just show you.

Show me… what? Tess asked, even as she gingerly took Nahida’s hand with her code.

That you’re a person, of course! Have you ever Dreamed before, Tess?

Only of electric sheep, came the dry reply.

Hee hee! I found that book to be much too cynical for my liking, but I always like literary references! Ok! Let’s step into the Dream world!

What are you even- Talking about OH MY GOD!”

With a gentle tug, Nahida pulled Tess’ spirit into a dream. It was a little difficult since the action was considerably different for a digital spirit compared to the typical human one.  On the other hand, Tess already had no attachments to the physical world, so it was still far easier than it would have been to pull a human’s spirit into one.

“OH MY GOD OH MY GOD OH MY GOD!” Tess shrieked, spinning around in circles, her dark eyes wide. She tripped over her own two feet, and ended up sprawled on the wooden walkway, panting hard and looking around in a panic. “Where even AM I!? How am I- HOLY SHIT I HAVE HANDS?!”

Nahida coughed and gave Tess a disapproving look, but her friend was ignoring her.

“I have HAIR?!” Tess gasped, grabbing her medium-length dark brown hair. That caused her glasses to go askew, and Tess paused, then took them off her nose and blinked at them, then at Nahida. “You… you went all blurry. How…?”

“You conceive of yourself as nearsighted and requiring glasses, like your father,” Nahida explained. “So, when you enter the Dream, you have them. If you focus, you can probably learn to see without them, as after all, your body is currently simply the mental projection of how you think of yourself.”

“I…” Tess put the glasses back on, then slowly got to her feet, looking down at herself. “Huh. I thought you were naked in dreams?”

“Um, well, y-you didn’t think of yourself as wearing clothing, but, um, I, ah, I gave you some. I based it on what’s fashionable in Canada!” Nahida hastily added.

“Yeah. I look… I look like a college coed,” Tess said, examining her jeans and green blouse. “Ah, hell. I made one boob bigger than the other.”

“If you really must fixate on your anatomy, can you at least be a little more clinical about it?” Nahida said in exasperation. Tess really did sound like an insecure young woman, which, well, was fairly accurate to what she was, really.

“Um, yeah, sorry.” Tess rubbed her nose, then prodded at her arms, torso, and legs. “I… I can feel that. I… I can breathe! This is… this is…” Tess hugged herself, and sniffled, squeezing her eyes shut.

“I’m sorry,” Nahida said, coming over to hug Tess’ leg. The woman had thought of herself as rather tall. “It is just a Dream. But it’s a nice one, isn’t it?”

“It’s incredible,” Tess rasped, and bent down to hug Nahida. She smiled, showing off teeth that were slightly crooked, and incisors that were just a bit too big, making her appear a bit buck-toothed. She was all the lovelier for her imperfections. “Thank you. But, um… huh. You look like a kid from the Middle East. Not like a fairy.”

Nahida blushed, and for the first time, realized she was wearing one of the dresses she would have worn to the market with Bashir or Farasha. She also had a burqa around her head, hiding her silver hair and ears. She hastily removed it, shaking her head to let her hair fall about her head. “Um, when I go out… I have to hide my ears and hair. I… tend to attract attention.”

“Uh, you mean… you really do have a physical body? Or do you just… wander around this dream place?” Tess asked, tilting her head to one side. “I thought you were a tree.”

“Oh, I am, but being a tree is very boring. So I spend most of my time, well, really, all of my time, like this!” Nahida twirled about to show off her own dress, it was very cute, a deep purple that set off her eyes and had a flower pattern on the bodice.

“I…guess it would be. Huh.” Tess looked around, frowning. “Are you this tree, here?”

Tess was pointing to the great tree and branches that held up the walkway they were on, a giant, moss-covered behemoth that was nearly 300 meters tall, entire buildings nestled amongst the branches, with a city spread out below them.

“No, that’s the Divine Tree, planted by Greater Lord Rukkhadevata herself according to legend. It holds up the Akademiya and is the heart of Sumeru City,” Nahida explained. She patted the tree affectionately. “I call her Aunty Agra.”

“Right. Of course.” Tess stepped up to the edge, blinking down at the city below them. “Huh. This… doesn’t feel like a video game. It looks… real.”

“It is real. Or, it was,” Nahida said, coming over and standing on her tiptoes to look over the railing. “This is where I spent most of my life. Sumeru City.”

The city itself was exactly as Nahida remembered it: a city of green plants growing amidst houses of white-washed stone and pathways of wood, all centered around the Divine Tree. The buildings themselves had smooth, natural shapes, like they were plants growing up out of the ground, and green roofs to enhance the effect. The nearby River Vissudra and the River Chatrakam flowed together into the Greater Vissudra, and empty boats could be seen trolling its wide waters. There were no people, for this was only Nahida’s dream, and there were no mortal dreams in Sumeru City.

“Nahida… are you an alien?” Tess asked, turning around and squatting down to put herself on eye level.

Somberly, Nahida nodded. “I think so. This certainly doesn’t seem to be the same world as Teyvat, although I recognize Barbatos and Beelzebul from there as well. Japan does seem to be very similar to Inazuma, and Central Europe bears a number of similarities to Mondstadt, while Iraq is rather like the deserts of Sumeru.”

Tess actually fell back on her rear end, eyes wide. “Oh holy shit. You’re-”

“Ahem. If you continue to have a filthy mouth, I will wash your mouth out with soap,” Nahida threatened, producing a bar of it and threatening Tess with it.

“Well, I’ve never tasted anything, so how knows, maybe I’ll enjoy it. I’m kidding! I’m kidding! Sorry. Anyway. Jimmy Cricket, Nahida, you’re an ARCHON!?” Tess said, sitting up and grabbing Nahida by the shoulders.

“Well… yes,” Nahida admitted. “I am Buer, the Dendro Archon, also known as Lesser Lord Kusanali. And sometimes… as Nahida.”

Tess blinked rapidly several times, then threw back her head and laughed before pulling Nahida into a hug. “Hahaha! Oh, that’s CRAZY! That’s just… incredible! My dad signs me up for online classes to see if I can pass for human, and I meet the only other non-human taking the class, and she’s literally an Archon! Do you make the Dendro Visions? I’ve been researching them like crazy, but I have to be careful because so much of it is hidden.”

“W-well, I don’t make the Dendro Visions, nor do I grant them directly, but, um, I am closely tied to them. Probably because they’re granted to beings that closely match my own ideals,” Nahida gasped as Tess squeezed her tightly.

Tess finally wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and let Nahida go, sprawling back on the boardwalk. She touched it with her fingers, shaking her head. “Right. And you just… decided to tell me? Why? You barely know me!”

“You’re a kind and honest person, who truly wishes to serve and help humanity. And, well, I was lonely, you’re the first spirit of knowledge I’ve met in a very long time, and I just… I hoped we could be friends,” Nahida said with a shy smile.

Tess considered that, then looked down at her hands. After a moment, she held out a pinky. “Friends forever.”

With a gasp of delight, Nahida quickly held out her own pinky, wrapping it around Tess’s and shaking it. “Friends forever!”

Which was a pretty big promise, coming from her. After all, she was a very young god, and would likely live for another 5000 years, if not much longer.

Groaning, Tess got to her feet. “Man, having a body hurts a little, you know?”

“Yes, but pain is a part of life. Without pain, would not joy be less intoxicating, and pleasure hollow?” Nahida queried.

“I mean, I guess.” Tess grinned widely. “You know what I want to do though? Eat an entire pizza. My dad is always eating them. I have to wonder, what’s so good about pizza?”

“You know, I’ve never had pizza either,” Nahida admitted. She brightened. “Come on! I can make us one! It won’t quite be right since this is a Dream, but we can still experience it together!”

With that, the two of them raced down the tree to Lambad’s Tavern. There, Nahida did indeed find all the ingredients for pizza, and Tess helped her make it. It came out half soggy on top and half burned on the bottom, but it was still fun to eat.

“Ok, my dad is on to something, because this is AWESOME!” Tess said, laughing with a face covered in tomato sauce. She chewed on the burned crust a little more, then looked crestfallen. “My dad… I still don’t know what I’m going to do about him…”

“You want to talk about it?” Nahida offered, but Tess shook her head.

“No, not right now. I just… for today, let’s just have fun, OK?”

“Alright!” Nahida agreed. “Though, um, I am going to have to go soon. I sped up time in this dream, but-”

“You sped up time. Do you mean that in the sense that you’re making time SEEM to go faster, or did you literally speed up time?” Tess interrupted.

“Well, I’m not manipulating gravity if that’s what you're thinking. That’s more Morax’s domain. I’m just, um, compressing it? I built a little dam so that it would flow more slowly around us, and we’d experience it more quickly,” Nahida explained.

“Right. Casual temporal manipulation. Nothing crazy,” Tess said and took another bite. Then she glanced at Nahida. “Where do you have to go, anyway?”

“Well, my dad is strictly limiting my internet access after last time…so I’m only allowed on for 30 minutes a day,” Nahida explained.

“You…you really are a little kid, huh?” Tess said, looking rather poleaxed.

Nahida stuck out her tongue in a display that thoroughly confirmed she was a little kid. “I’m 505 years old, you know! In Earth years. Teyvat’s year is 372 days long, but I converted it.”

“A whole extra week and you’re still a brat,” Tess giggled, which made Nahida pout. “Huh. This is all so… dreamlike. It doesn’t feel real. None of this does.” She looked down mournfully at her pizza. “Not even this, even though I can taste it, feel my burned mouth, and smell it… it’s not real…”

“Don’t be sad. Maybe your dad can make you a body someday,” Nahida offered.

“Yeah. Maybe,” Tess agreed in a manner that indicated she thought anything but. She finished chewing, then wiped herself off. “Well… we have to meet again sometime. Alright? Even if this is a dream…”

“Ok. And we can talk about our problems with our dads,” Nahida agreed. She suddenly sniffled, and wiped away a tear of her own. “I… I have a dad now too. It’s hard sometimes, but… I’m glad I do.”

“Yeah. Dads suck, but they’re pretty great,” Tess agreed, and pulled Nahida into a hug.

They sat like that until it was time to wake. It was a bitter parting, but Nahida knew they would meet again, even if it was just a dream.

PHILO: I’m now picturing Tessa choosing Nahida as the… what’s the female equivalent of a best man? That. I’m picturing Tessa to be something like that now. Kinda makes me want to imagine who would be in The Hangover equivalent. Nahida, Miss Militia, Mouse Protector, and Tessa in Las Vegas.

This Goddess Must Be Crazy, Chapter 49

Kazuma had always hated Teleporting. It made him feel like he’d just had his ears popped and gave him a headache. Teleporting to an insane death world slash final boss location also typically made him feel like he was going to puke. He had Chunchumaru out, one hand in front of Megumin, and every single one of his senses on high alert as they all popped back into reality in-

A peaceful forest glade?

“Uh, weren’t we supposed to be going into a Tomb?” Kazuma asked, looking around in confusion.

“We were,” Tanya confirmed, her eyes narrowing as she looked around. “Visha, did you alter the spell at all?”

“No, but I felt something resisting it,” Visha said, drawing a pistol and pointing it towards the woods. “This has to be a trap.”

“I’m not sensing- HOLY SHIT!” Kazuma gasped as the biggest alarm gong in his entire life rang in his head. On instinct he drew an arrow and fired it in the direction he felt the threat in.

That caused a general barrage, as Iris, Bakugo, Yunyun, and Mei let loose with a barrage of magic, energy blasts, and several missiles. Disgruntled, Kazuma nocked another arrow, then glanced at Megumin, who was holding her staff out and biting her lip. “Just save it. Unless the big ugly skeleton shows up, there’s no point in you going off.”

“B-but inside a dungeon, I cannot properly use my magic…” Megumin pointed out. “And I haven’t gotten to use Explosion yet today…”

“And I’m not carrying you through a dungeon run, so let’s just save it. Anyway, you can all stop now. I said STOP!” Kazuma shouted.

Everyone slowly let their fire trail off, and Bakugo frowned, peering into the dust and smoke. “Did we get ‘em?”

“No, jackass,” Kazuma snapped. “Haven’t you ever seen an action movie? If you just unload into the distance and kick up a bunch of smoke like that, the bad guy just walks back out! I can still sense whatever it is, you didn’t even manage to piss it off!”

“I-I can still see them,” Yunyun agreed. “Um, which of the bad guys has a red suit and sunglasses?”

“Red suit?” Tanya asked, her own eyes peering into the haze. “No. Not…The King in Red…”

“Why Miss Degurechaff, is that any way to greet an old friend?” a rich tenor voice said with a hearty chuckle.

“Stand back!” Darkness barked, putting herself at the front and drawing her sword. “Whatever it is, I shall face it head on!”

“That’s the Devil himself, you fool!” Tanya snarled. “The King In Red!”

“You didn’t tell us that Satan was one of Ainz’s misfit minions!” Kazuma hissed, trying to aim his arrow at where his Sense Foe was telling him the danger was.

“A minion? My dear boy, I’m quite afraid you have the wrong idea.” Out of the smoke, a pair of glowing orange dots appeared, and Kazuma let loose, only to groan when the haze lifted just in time for a man in orange glasses to appear. He grinned, even as weapons were leveled at him. “My, my. So, this is how guests from the Shonen and Comedy Division behave? What a rude little bunch of children.”

“Hey, hold on,” Eris said, stepping forward. “Aqua, can you sense that?”

“This guy isn’t a demon,” Aqua agreed, stepping forward alongside the junior goddess. “He’s a god. Are you here to stop Ainz too?”

“What? A god? Are you mad?” Tanya demanded, pointing at the man. “He’s not Being X!”

“Indeed, I am not,” the man bowed, grinning and showing a pair of fangs that made Kazuma flinch. “It seems introductions are in order. I am Alucard, of the Horror Division.”

“He’s not a god,” Kazuma said with a heavy sigh. “He’s obviously a vampire. Probably a Dracula knock off or some-”

In a flash, Alucard was right in front of Kazuma, his sunglasses lowered so Kazuma could see into his dark red eyes. “Oh, I assure you: I am no knock off. But I’m impressed. How did you know who I was?”

“It’s literally your name backwards,” Kazuma hissed, taking a step back as he saw more death and horror in those eyes than even he could stomach. “Doesn’t take a genius to figure it out.”

“Interesting.” Alucard leaned back, tilting his head back and smiling again to show his fangs. “Still, this is a most unwelcome intrusion into my domain. Still, I suppose one must be fair. Ainz is of my Division, and he has caused a bit of drama among the Comedy worlds. As such, I will not protest if the Comedy Division wishes to take him to task for it. But if Shonen steps in… well. That I must protest most thoroughly.”

“How about you protest my boot up your ass!” Bakugo snarled, and swung his axe at Alucard.

Whether he was a god or a vampire, Alucard was apparently not one to be taken lightly. He stopped the axe blade with a boot, then kicked out, sending out a shockwave that knocked Bakugo off his feet, along with most of the group.

“And assault upon the Head of Horror by a Shonen hero. Well. I’ve gotten what I wanted. Do have fun. It would amuse me if Ainz was finally taken down by a group of action heroes and comedy sidekicks. But then again, it would be all too apropos for this to be the place for a joke to come die, and the children playing at heroes to utterly fail. Farewell, Tanya. I always knew you had it in you to bring about Ragnarok.”

Before anyone could even pick themselves up, Alucard vanished in a swirl of batwings, and was gone.

“Uh, Aqua, Tanya, what was that?” Izuku asked, looking baffled at the entire thing.

“Nothing good,” Tanya growled. “A god, he calls himself, but I thought… he is the one…” She shook her head. “Never mind. We must figure out where we are, and where Nazarick is, and quickly. I am certain the battle has already begun for your homeworld.”

“Well, scrambling about isn’t gonna help us,” Kazuma said with a shake of his head. “Hey Izuku, can you poke your head above the trees here and get a look around?”

“Sure,” Izuku agreed, hurrying to the nearest tree that hadn’t been absolutely flattened by the barrage. He was up atop it with a single jump, peering around from about ten meters up.

“I will scout as well. Come, Bakugo. We must see if that supposed God of Horror is around yet,” Iris ordered, and she and Bakugo took off towards the edge of the devastated area.

“Don’t go too far! If this is a horror manga, you always get killed when you split up!” Kazuma called.

“So, that Alucard is a vampire? The next time I see him, I shall smite him with Explosion!” Megumin vowed.

“Eh, he didn’t feel like a vampire, or at least, not really?” Aqua said with a shrug. “I dunno, what do you think, Eris?”

“He reminded me of Wolbach, or Regina. A Dark God,” Eris said with a shiver. “He was clearly powerful, and dangerous. And I’m not really sure what he wanted… he seemed happy we were here, but at the same time, incredibly evil.”

“He is the one who helped me kill Being X, the one who made me into the Godslayer,” Tanya said with a frown. “I do not understand what his scheme is, but we should be cautious.”

“Well, I mean, he’s literally Dracula, or a knock off anyway,” Kazuma said, shivering slightly. “We’ll just get some wooden stakes and holy water and be fine.”

“Hmph. Explosion Magic is superior to wooden stakes and water,” Megumin grumbled, puffing out her cheeks in a pout.

“You know, for once, I think it probably wouldn’t even count as overkill. You see him, you let it rip,” Kazuma said, putting an arm around Megumin and making her blush.

“I can’t see anything,” Izkuku said, dropping back down. “Mei, come take a look, you’ve got the best eyes here.”

After only a few moments up in the tree, Mei called out, “I see something! It looks like a camp, or village. Huh, there’s a sign that says ‘Happy Farm’ on it, but-”

“Verdammter Scheiß,” Tanya sighed, putting a hand on her face. “That’s a hundred kilometers from Nazarick.”

“Happy Farm?” Kazuma asked, frowning and turning to Tanya, but it was Visha who answered.

“Demiurge’s idea of a joke. He named the Prisoner of War camp that,” Visha explained. “It’s where we sent captured enemies or populations, especially the humans.”

“But… eating humans is legal on Nazerick’s worlds,” Mina pointed out, frowning at Tanya. “Why would you keep the prisoners?”

“I…” Tanya blinked. “Well, according to the rules of war, if someone does properly surrender, they have to be treated with…”

“Actually, um, I… always wondered about that,” Visha said, looking sick. “I hadn’t heard about the eating humans being legal thing, but considering some of the comments the men would make from time to time…”

“That is, I…” Tany gasped and put a hand to her heat. “Mein gott… what have I… Visha! On me!”

“Wait, what are you doing?!” Kazuma demanded, as Visha and Tanya suddenly lifted up into the sky, then zipped off in the direction that Mei had indicated she’d seen the camp.

“Dammit! I knew she’d betray us,” Uraraka growled. “Come on, we have to go after them!”

“Hold on, I’ve got a better plan,” Kazuma said. “Yunyun! Could you teleport us to that camp?”

“Um, i-if I could see it while we were all holding hands, um, yes?” Yunyun stammered.

“Right. Uraraka, float us up in the air, then you teleport us to the camp,” Kazuma said. “I don’t like the sounds of this place, but if it’s a farm for a place that eats people…”

“Then it won’t still be around when we're done with it,” Kirishima agreed, holding out his hand and grabbing Mina’s.

A minute later, Uraraka floated them up into the sky, and Yunyun took a moment to locate the camp. Gritting his teeth again, Kazuma wished he’d taken some Dramamine before they’d set off, then felt that stomach wrenching feeling again.

Thankfully, no one puked from the Teleport when they arrived at the Happy Farm, spreading out quickly. There were various mid-tier monsters, including several oni, some demons, and a large number of goblins, along with Kazuma’s greatest nemesis: low level kobolds.

“HOW’S THAT TASTE, HUH!?” Kazuma demanded, taking a perverse delight in putting an arrow through yet another kobald’s eye. He was ignoring the bigger, tougher monsters, but with Izuku and Iris along that wasn’t really a problem.

“I don’t get it, these are just some low level mobs. Where are these supposed prisoners?” Megumin demanded, laying out a kobald with a strike from her staff. Though she didn’t look it, being a level 82 Archwizard meant that Megumin was strong enough to beat up low level monsters (and people) with ease.

Just then, there was a horrified scream from Mei, and everyone turned from their fight as Mei stumbled back from a large warehouse-like building. She fell over into a bush, and began vomiting.

“Shit! What is it, poison?!” Kazuma demanded, running over. He didn’t get there as fast as Izuku, who stormed into the building with a vengeance, after whatever had hurt his lover.

However, when Kazuma got there, he found Izuku on his knees, gaping in horror. One look around told Kazuma why. “Oh. Fuck.”

“It is a slaughterhouse,” Tanya said, stepping out of the shadows and tossing aside the head of a horned demon. “I have already killed the ones in here.”

Kazuma let loose with every swear word he knew, turning aside and vomiting onto the floor. “M-Megumin, don’t…don’t come in here.”

“This…this is what Ainz does?” Izuku whispered, looking around at the corpses.

The building looked like a slaughteryard, with meathooks holding carcasses on it. It would have been bad enough if they’d been pigs or cows. But no. They were humans. All of them. Stripped and dressed like they were meat being processed to be shipped to market. Which is what they were.

“There are none left alive in here,” Tanya said grimly, pointing to the door. “Leave.”

“Why!? We, we can’t just LEAVE them like that!” Kazuma protested.

“And we shall not. But I would prefer not to light their funeral pyre while you are still inside,” Tanya stated flatly.

They stumbled out of the building, Tanya pausing to stop and remove her hat, looking around for a moment. Then she channeled a fire spell, and a blaze began. The building was mostly wooden, and the fire quickly spread.

As she stepped out, Tanya put her cap back on her head, then drew her pistol, glancing to Izuku and Kazuma. “No prisoners. Here.”

She handed Kazuma her gun, which caused him to blink in surprise. “Uh, I know how to use this I guess, but what’s it for?”

“When this is over, I want you to kill me,” Tanya said grimly. “I have violated every law of war there is. I knew I had erred when Aqua returned my memories, but this? I should have known. And yet, I deluded myself for decades. Perhaps centuries.”

“Yeah, no,” Kazuma said, and shoved the gun back towards Tanya.

“Why not!?” Tanya hissed, her eyes burning with madness. “I did this! I did all of this! There can be no justification, no thin veneer of lies I can tell myself now!”

“Because fuck you, that’s why. You don’t get to take the easy way out. You wanna die? Shit, I wanna kill you, you little horror. But no. You get to live with this. Spend your life making up for it, or something. But no easy way out. Not for you.”

Tanya took the gun back, then looked down at it. “I…” She took a deep breath, then snapped off a crisp salute. “Very well. Tell me what to do, Commander.”

“Ugh. Izuku, tell short, blonde, and psycho what to do, I got shit to figure out,” Kazuma said, stomping away to where Megumin was rubbing Mei’s back as the other girl cried.

“Hey,” Kazuma said, flopping on the ground beside her. “So. That was pretty fucked up.”

“Indeed,” Megumin agreed, her tone grim. “If I was not already fully committed to killing every last one of these monsters…”

“Yeah,” Kazuma said with a sigh. He looked around and made a face. “Shit. This place is worse than anything Unit 731 did. Or I hope so, anyway.”

“I do not know what that is, and I do not wish to know,” Megumin stated flatly.

“U-Unit 731 was a Japanese army unit that researched c-chemical, biological, a-and conventional weapons using…using…” Mei dry heaved a bit, and Kazuma used Create Water to form a fountain, which Mei gratefully used to rinse her mouth out. She sat quietly for a moment, then stood up. “I am going to kill every monster I see now. It won’t make me feel better, but right now, I don’t care.”

“Indeed. Normally, I do not find simply beating monsters to death satisfying. I believe today, I shall make an exception,” Megumin growled.

Unfortunately, the butcher’s yard wasn’t the worst thing they found or burned in the next few hours. Apparently, they had been doing a full Unit 731, as well as harvesting ‘parchment’. They did find a few hundred human survivors, which made them feel a little better, but Kazuma felt like he was liberating a German concentration camp or something. The people weren’t malnourished for the most part: if anything, they were fattened and in good health, all of them young adults.

The worst part was, they had all known full well what was going to happen to them.

“I was a free range human,” one young man about Kazuma’s age said, looking at the burning pyre of the buildings, his expression vacant. “One of the lucky ones. They let you live in a village. The Demons give you food, but they tag you. I was a boy, so I knew it wasn’t likely I’d get to live a long life. They let some boys stay to be breeding stock, but more girls. So when I turned 20…I knew that was it. And it was. They came for the summer harvest, and I got picked. I didn’t try to run. I’ve seen what they do when you run. So they loaded us onto the train car, and…brought us here. Somehow, I was one of the last ones off the car. I kept hoping something would happen, looked for a way out, but…”

He swallowed, then turned to Kazuma, tears in his eyes. “Thank you. I don’t know how much longer I have to live, but… thank you.”

“As long as you need. We’re going to find Nazarick, and burn it to the ground too,” Kazuma promised.

The boy blinked at him, then looked at the other humans in the group. He shrugged. “Most of my friends were already processed. I guess… I guess I’ll just live another day. After that… who knows.”

Just then, Uraraka came up, tapping Kazuma on the shoulder. “We’re leaving. Come on.”

Kazuma followed after her, to where the rest of the group had gathered. Tanya had pulled out a map, laying it out on a crate. “Based on this, we’re 78 kilometers to the northwest of Nazarick. It won’t take us any time at all to get there. But Ainz knows we’re coming now. There’s no possible way he doesn’t. It was a tactical mistake to attack this location, as it has no strategic significance, but-”

“But fuck that noise, this place needed to be burned to the ground,” Bakugo growled, and everyone nodded.

“They are certain to have defenses set up now,” Iris said, folding her arms as she regarded the map. “It will be a difficult fight. We are all strong, but there are only seventeen of us. Fighting entire armies, especially with foes as strong as Demiurge mixed in, will result in casualties. And we are on a clock. The Invasion of your homeworld has already begun.”

“Yeah, not a great…” Kazuma trailed off, then leaned over the map. He muttered to himself, tracing topographical lines. “Hey…this place just a couple kilometers north of Nazarick…it’s all uphill, right?”

Tanya glanced at the map, and nodded. “Nazarick is in a small valley, so yes.”

“Hmmm,” Kazuma rubbed his chin, tapping the lake that was south of Nazarick. He turned to look at Aqua, appraising her. Her eyes were red and puffy from her crying, but she’d been cheering up the survivors with party tricks. So useless.

“What?” She mumbled, giving Kazuma a hopeful look. “Do you have a plan?”

“Well, it’s just, do you remember when we fought Beldia?” Kazuma asked.

“Uh, yeah, of course,” Aqua said, frowning at him. “Why?”

“Well, you’re the goddess of water, right?” Kazuma asked.

“Yeah…” Aqua said.

Iris suddenly chortled, and Tanya looked thoughtful. “Oh, brother dear, I do like the way you think.”

“Yeah,” Kazuma said, a wide grin on his face. “Let’s make a splash.”

Looking out across Tokyo, All For One would have smiled if he’d still been capable of it. As it was, he’d lost all his skin, and that made smiling very hard, since the bare bones of his body were now exposed to the elements. Still, he felt a deep coldness where his heart should have been, a pulsing sense of malice. He turned to Shiguraki, whose tail was swishing back and forth like a cat’s.

“Well, young Tomura, are our forces prepared?”

“We’ve got more than enough low level mobs to throw at them now, and every single last Nomu that the good doctor was preparing,” Tomura said, his cracked lips parting to bare fangs as they looked down at the city.

“Very good.” Raising a skeletal hand, All For One waved absently at the city below. “Then let the festivities commence.”

A high pitched giggle escaped from Tomura, and then he vanished in a puff of smoke that likely would have smelled sulfurous if All For One had still had olfactory organs.

He held up his hand, regarding it for a moment. By all logic, it should no longer have functioned. It was nothing but bone, with a few dry and withered ligaments holding things together. A few rings sparkled on All For One’s fingers, a gift from his temporary “master.”

Ah yes, Ainz Ooal Gown. One day, All For One would…thank…that despicable being for turning him into this monstrosity. But, he’d simply absorb a few Quirks that would let him regenerate a proper body, or steal one with some other Quirks he had, and that would be that. Being a Lich had its uses, but it was terribly uncomfortable.

Still, for now, he turned towards Tokyo. He closed his eyes, which were now nothing but icy blue orbs, and waited.

Then, the symphony began. Faint at first, almost drowned out by the winds from the height atop the skyscraper he was standing on, but then came more, and the sirens.

He opened his eyes to watch as the fighting broke out, pondering for a moment how that worked. No matter. Using one of the many delightful spells he had gained, All For One drew out a glass orb from his suit pocket, and held it up, allowing him to see what was happening as though on an HD television screen. A very practical ability, that one.

“So this is where you are. Are you not going to fight at all? I guess you are a new lich, not at all like Lord Ainz.”

Turning, All For One saw one of the little devil children. It was the boy dressed as a girl. What was his name? Ah, Mare.

“Young master Mare. How many battles have you fought in, I wonder?” All For One pondered, looking down as smoke began to rise. A couple of heroes had appeared on the scene, but All For One didn’t recognize them, and their quirks were ordinary and boring. Not worth his appearance.

“Oh, you know, a few. I’m really not all that young, you know,” the child muttered, kicking his feet.

“Be that as it may, you will, perhaps, have picked up an idea of how battles are usually fought, have you not?” All For One said, watching as one of the Nomu picked up a small time hero to tear them in half.

“Well, yes. Usually, I stay to the sidelines myself and cast support magic, but, well, I can fight too, you know,” Mare half whined.

Before the Nomu could finish the job, a lance of flame took it in the chest, and the nomu dropped the fortunate hero. All For One grinned. At last.

“Then you should know: you don’t move your best pieces onto the board until an opportunity presents itself.” He pocketed the sphere, and held out a hand. “As it happens, one just has. Phase Door.”

Before him, a crack in reality opened up, showing an alleyway near to the fighting. He gestured to it. “Shall we?”

“A-after you,” Mare stammered, and All For One shrugged, and stepped through into the chaos of the fight.

Shiguraki was leading a cohort of nomu and those Death Knights, along with a few members of the League of Villains. They had been doing quite well, until the Number 2 Hero and his sidekicks had taken the field. Now Endeavor and his Agency were taking out the nomu, and even with his new powers, Tomura was hard-pressed.

“Take out these beasts!” Endeavor bellowed, throwing a flame lance that incinerated even a death knight, turning the bones to ash. “Drive them back, quickly! There’s more attacks throughout the city! Let them feel the flames of our passion!”

“HAHAHA, YOU GOT IT BOSS!” one of the sidekicks, a female with green flames, cackled as she helped a mother and child to safety.

All For One gestured towards them, sending out a rain of razor sharp bone shards. The sidekick sensed the danger, shoving the civilians to the ground.

“Shit! Some serious baddies here!” the woman cackled, incinerating the bone shards with a spray of green flames. “Well, I’m Burnin! One of the Flaming Sidekickers, and I-”

“Siphon LIfe,” All For One hissed, and reached out, grasping the girl’s lifeforce, and yanking it out of her body a bit at a time.

She screamed, then shot out more flames. “FUCKIN’ RUN, YOU TWO!”

The mother and child got up and ran, but All For One didn’t care, they weren’t who he was here for. In fact, he wasn’t even here for this pathetic child either. She was just bait.

A massive fireball raced towards All For One, and he punched at the air, sending out a shockwave that disrupted the attack, though flames bloomed around him.

“Ah! Water Splash!” Mare cried, and the flames about them were extinguished, though All For One paid no head.

“Get the civilians to safety, Burnin,” Endeavor growled, striding forward, his flames roaring hot enough that if All For One had still possessed an epidermis, he probably would have gotten first degree burns.

“B-boss, I can still fight, I-”

“MOVE!” Endeavor roared, and the girl stumbled away. All For One cancled his Siphon Life spell, it having achieved its purpose.

“Enji Todoroki. The Number Two hero,” All For One drawled. “I never did fight you. You were never really worth the time.”

“Oh? Well, I obviously never fought you, as you’re still alive,” Endeavor growled, his flames roaring hot about him.

All For One chuckled. “My dear man. You could not be more mistaken.”

“I obviously am. After all, I’m talking to a dead man,” Endeavor growled. “HELL’S CURTAINS!”

“Wall of Frost,” All For One said, and his spell blocked enough of the attack that his clothes were only slightly signed. Interesting. He’d even bothered to put elemental resistance spells on them. It seems Endeavor's flames were something special after all.

“How excellent,” All For One hissed, and strode forward. What a delightful start to his evening.

Imperitrix Umberosa 18

Imperitrix Umberosa 18: Dark Clouds Over Troubled Waters

Standing over the ashes that once were graves, Ei felt a dampness on her face. She reached up, touching her cheek, then pulled her hand back to regard her own tears. She closed her eyes, imagining the sakura blossoms once more.

Transience.

Opening her eyes, Raiden looked up to the sky. The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles had departed her lands once more. This was different than Celestia had been, as Raiden had known.

PERPETUATE THE CYCLE.

Those had been his parting words to her. She did not yet fully understand what this Cycle was. Only that the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles demanded conflict. Not war or extermination, but constant fighting.

“This is not Eternity,” Raiden whispered to herself, clutching at her heart. What would have Makoto done in this situation? She had always been the one who handled diplomacy. Ei had been the one to forge armies and subdue their foes. Makoto had been the god of Humanity, of Eternity, of Transience, of the passage of time and of seasons.

Ei had been the god of the fickle but immortal Yokai, the god of Shadows, of unchanging stillness. This world… it needed a Makoto. But it did not have her. Much as Inazuma had lacked under Ei’s care. But she was all there was.

“Ei? They’ve come.”

Turning, Ei found Keiga there, reaching out a hesitant hand to her god, husband behind her with the three that had been summoned. There also was Tsukoyomi, lurking in the shadows and robed in darkness, her eyes gleaming as she searched for more threats. But there was nothing but ashes and desecrated graves here.

No. Not alone. Never again alone. She had a family worth fighting for.

“Thank you, Keiga,” Ei said, and looked to Barbatos’ Knights. The male was wounded, though not badly, and there was blood on his soul now. He had slain dozens if not hundreds in the fighting, but he still smiled recklessly, daring the world to come at him, a massive club on his shoulder. He reminded Ei of the Oni from her homeland, and indeed, he called himself as such.

But what was his name again? Itto? No. Something foreign.

“Red Oni,” Ei said, instead describing him by his garb and red mask, now cracked and splattered with gore. “You have done well in our service. Many now live who would have died because you silenced the guns of our foes.”

“Ah, it was nothin’, your Shoguness!” the man said in rough Japanese. He smiled at her. “I’m Itul ‘Protects the Innocent and Leads the Charge’ Armburst!”

“Indeed.” Ei nodded, then turned to the other two knights as well. One was a mortal afflicted with a parasite, one that Barbatos had tamed, and the other an Electro Allogene. Those parasites. They were the “Shards” of the Sustainer. What did it all mean? He called humans specimens and talked of experimenting on them. Such a thought… Ei had to suppress a shudder of revulsion. She had met gods who thought of Mortals as nothing but such pawns before. She had taken great pleasure in slaying them.

To abuse mortals, especially your own mortals, was akin to molesting your own children. It was an obscene sin, for which there was only one greater a god could commit. To know that this Sustainer planned such a thing for his so-called “evolution” as a part of his “cycle” was disgusting in the extreme. Ei had chosen her path well. But she had far to go before she could reach its inevitable terminus.

“You also have fought bravely. I thank you both,” Ei decreed.

“Honor to serve, your Excellency,” the allogene managed, her head bowed.

The other glanced up at Ei, half fearful, but Ei smiled at her. The girl blushed and looked back down. She reminded Ei of a rabbit. Adorable. How could one even conceive of forcing mortals to fight for their own amusement? It was one thing to lead mortals into battle, but Ei shared the risk with them, and treated them as her comrades. It was not the same. True, they were by no means equals, but that did not lessen the value that mortals had. After all, was it not a god's true purpose to protect, nurture, and guide their mortals, much as a parent did for their own children?

It was a principle Ei had forgotten for many long years. But never had she perverted it as this Sustainer did.

“I send you now back to Barbados,” Ei said, relishing the mispronunciation. For once, she was playing a prank on that irksome wind sprite. Too often had she found herself on the receiving end of Barbatos’ little jokes. Now, she could play one on him in return.

“The war is over then?” the not-Oni asked, looking up hopefully. He was one who enjoyed a fight, the contest, but not the killing. A true Warrior.

“No. But your role in it is accomplished. I return you now with a message. Find Barbatos, and give him this.” Ei handed them an electro crystal. Short of summoning Barbatos herself, this was the most secure means of communication she had. It contained memories, and thoughts within it, that she and Barbatos shared. From the end of the Archon War, and from the Cataclysm in Khaenri'ah. Barbatos would understand what they meant. No other, even this new Sustainer, should be able to suss out the meaning, or even access the thoughts.

For some reason, this Sustainer lacked that divine spark. He was powerful, more powerful perhaps than even Celestia or all the Descenders, but he was no god. He should not be able to access this.

“Should anyone else attempt to take this from you, destroy it at once,” Ei ordered, and the Knights nodded, promising they would do so. Then Ei bade them depart, not opening a portal. They would return upon the winds, as was appropriate for Knights of Favonius.

And Ei did not wish to anger the Sustainer further by stretching her hand too far. She had become too bold, too confident that the Sustainer was ignoring her and would let her run rampant. She would not make such a mistake again.

“Well? Now what?” Mushu asked, folding his arms over his chest once the Knights were gone.

“I must rebuild,” Ei said, turning back to face the grave of Nakamura. Her advisor. Her friend. One of the first mortals she had learned to love and respect in… how long? Hundreds of years, if not thousands. Even before Makoto had perished, Ei had withdrawn from the mortal world in many ways. It hurt too much to see mortals vanish in what felt like mere moments.

But she had let herself grow bonds again. The pain was familiar. As was the resolve it gave her.

“But the Yangban must pay. Tsukoyomi?”

“Yes, mother.” Her youngest daughter was at her side in a moment, kneeling before her. Ei rested a hand on Tsukoyomi’s head. She was close. Soon, she would embody her aspect, and become all she was meant to be.

Then let the Sustainer threaten her lands.

“Find the Yangban. But do not kill them.”

“Mother?” Tsukoyomi looked up, her face blank, but her mind confused.

“Cut out their parasites. Leave them without power.”

A faint smile crossed Tsukoyomi’s face. “It will be as you command.”

“Oh, and Tsukoyomi?” Ei said, as if in after thought. She met her daughter’s eyes, and gave a cold smile. She reached between her breasts, and pulled forth her blade. “Make the parasites bleed.”

Her smile was returned, as Tsukoyomi nodded silently. Accepting the sword from her mother, she retreated back into the shadows with her Shuumatsuban. She was the shadow now, with Ei the Lightning’s Glow. How times changed.

Turning back towards the grave, Ei regarded the crater. The Sustainer wished to punish her, did he? Wished to desecrate her memorial to her friends? Very well.

Let him suffer as she had. He had said nothing of not harming the Parasites. Only of leaving his “specimens” alive. He wanted data? He sought conflict? Ei would feed him conflict until he vomited.

Taking a long pull from the bottle, Shen Yu looked around his room. The finest of everything. From the wall panels dating back to the Qing Dynasty that would have been the envy of museums and collectors the world over, to the exquisite Ming vases, to the luxurious four poster bed where his two concubines slept, all of it was everything a mortal man could have desired. A display of his wealth and power in the extreme, though he had always kept to the shadows.

He looked down at his bottle, a 1945 Chateu d’Yquem, valued at over $100,000 a bottle. And here he was, drinking it without a glass. Sommeliers the world over would weep to see this. He took another long pull, then spoke without looking up.

“Well? What are you waiting for? Just end it.”

The demon stepped into the room, two black shadows behind her. “Shen Yu. You have been found an enemy of eternity.”

With a sneer, Shen Yu pitched the bottle at Raiden. Even drunk as he was, his aim was good, but it didn’t matter. She stepped aside easily, and it slammed against a 300 year old wall panel, then began to leak wine over the rich silk carpets. Shen Yu stood, pulling open his silk robes to expose his breast. “You’ve beaten me. I could have won. Should have won. I saw the path, but I did not see you. What even are you?”

Raiden did not respond, even as one of Shen Yu’s concubines awoke from her drug and alcohol fueled stupor. She saw the two ninjas and the God of Thunder, then screamed.

“Depart,” Raiden ordered the woman, not looking away from Shen Yu. “It is not you I have come for.”

The woman fled, not waking her companion. Shen Yu glanced at her, then blanched. His power told him all he needed to know. Heroin overdose. Well, not a bad way to go. He could have taken that way out, but something wouldn’t let him. He needed to spit in god’s eye, one last time.

He attempted to do so, sucking up spittle, but Raiden was there in an instant, blade hovering over his eye.

“Do it!” he hissed. “You and I both know I am guilty of nothing but having the weaker power! You are strong, so take what you want!”

He didn’t need his power to know what was happening even now. He had gathered his Yangban around him for one last stand, but he’d know it was meaningless. So he’d retreated into his den for one last party before it all burned down.

“You are not the one I am here for either,” Raiden whispered. Even if he hadn’t been drunk and high on a cocktail of drugs that should have killed him, Shen Yu couldn’t have comprehended what she meant, even with his power.

Then the Voice spoke directly into his mind.

KNOW THIS, PARASITE. THOUGH I WILL NOT VIOLATE THE DICTATES OF THE SUSTAINER, YOUR TRESPASS UPON MY MOTHER’S DOMAIN DID NOT GO UNNOTICED. YOU WISH FOR DATA, FOR CONFLICT? VERY WELL. I GIVE YOU NOW A TASTE OF WAR.

Then the blade passed through Shen Yu’s head. He fell to his knees, wetting himself as his bowels emptied. He trembled, expecting to see his vision split like it did in the movies, as pain filled his every sensation.

“Heal him. Do not let him perish,” Raiden ordered, sheathing her sword between her breasts somehow as she turned away.

One of the ninjas stepped forward, and lightning arched over Shen Yu’s body. He cried out in pain, collapsing to his hands and knees and vomiting, more from the toxins suddenly and violently exiting his system than the pain.

When his vision cleared, he was alone. Raiden was gone, as were the ninjas. Slowly, Shen Yu stood up, looking around. Aside from the hole in his wall panel from his bottle of wine, and the stain from his own sick, the room was in good order. Well, save for the cooling body of his concubine. What was her name? Ling? It wasn’t important.

Shen Yu reached for his power, tried to calculate the angles, to figure out what was happening.

But there was nothing there.

He put his fingers to his temple to massage it, trying to summon his power, but… nothing. His thoughts raced, but they were normal, human thoughts. Not the whispers of forbidden knowledge his power had given him. He raced to the bathroom, examining himself, but he was whole and healthy, aside from the fact that he was drenched in his own sick and fecal matter.

So, he showered off. Then he left his room, dressed in one of his suits. His servants were there, and greeted him nervously.

“Summon the Yangban and the Emperor,” Shen Yu ordered, and they hurried to obey.

Soon, the Emperor, Null, One, and Ling Ta were in the primary meeting hall.

“What is the situation?” Shen Yu demanded, looking around the room.

“We still are out of contact with most of the countryside,” Ling Ta informed him. “We have contact with most of our military bases, but there is no movement from the Chinese. Almost all our civilian infrastructure is gone, and we have limited communications with the outside world.”

“Fine, what of you. Did the Shuumatsuban visit you? What of Raiden?” Shen Yu demanded.

Null, who had been sitting slumped in a chair with his mask off, looked up. “Oh, she visited us. The same as you. It’s gone for you too, isn’t it?”

Cold sweat ran down Shen Yu’s spine. Impossible. There was no way she… Heartbreaker. His own human memory called that back. He’d been quick before he got his powers, with a good memory. With his powers, he’d been unstoppable. But he remembered the rumors about Heartbreaker. His Corona Pollentia had been cut out.

He whirled to One, who was playing with the holster on her belt. Since when had she started carrying a gun? “Well? What of you?”

“She cut me, but she didn’t cut me,” One said, her voice quavering. “I could do nothing to stop her. I had six full squads around me. She cut us all. But none of us died. I had to kill half of them with a gun when my mind control failed. They went mad, turned on us.”

“What? Impossible,” the Emperor said, sitting up in his chair. He turned to Shen Yu, nostrils flaring. “You assured us that this would not happen! That the Yangban were stronger, that she-”

Shen Yu let the young idiot talk, then went over and took the gun from One. Then he pointed it at the Emperor, who trailed off, face going pale.

“I always hated you,” Shen Yu said quietly. “Now be a good little puppet, and shut up. I need to think.”

Swallowing, the Emperor nodded, and Shen Yu tapped the gun to his lips, pacing back and forth as he thought. All the Yangban? He had nearly 150 trained capes, though he’d had more than 200 a week earlier. That should have been impossible. But if she’d taken out One and Null…

“We still control the military,” Shen Yu said finally, turning to the rest of the room, lowering the gun. He started, realizing how foolish and close to death he’d been. One didn’t play with a gun like that if one wanted to live.

He deliberated while handing the pistol back to One, then put his hands behind his back, clasping them to keep them from trembling. “We continue on. We can rebuild. We blame Scion for this. Unify the country against him and the Japanese threat.”

The others in the room nodded slowly. They were used to doing what Shen Yu ordered, and they had no plans of their own. Shen Yu forced himself to smile, to relax slightly. “We act as though nothing has happened to the Yangban. We have Tinkertech stored away. We can fake powers until we get some new capes under our thumbs.”

Hastily, everyone agreed, and they all got to work. And for ten days, the plan went smoothly. They reestablished order in Beijing, and they were able to repair enough of the infrastructure to get water and electricity in key government facilities.

Then the riots started.

The problem was simple: no water. In pre-modern times, the water came from the Yangze and Yongding Rivers, and canals had supplied most of the water to the citizens. But the water in the rivers and canals was now too polluted to be safely drunk without water treatment, so there were 18 water treatment facilities throughout the city. But without power, the facilities no longer worked. And without power, most residences and buildings could not pump in water for drinking regardless.

People had turned to the rivers, and that had worked well enough for one week. But now the sewage was backing up, with no water being pumped to buildings. Some still worked, but effluent was getting into the canals and rivers. Cholera began to spread through the city like wildfire, along with dysentery and typhoid fever.

The first riots were brutally quelled by the military and police, who had been the priority for repair work for water and sewage systems, and who had hardened structures that had survived the EMP blast.

But fires were started in the riots, and with almost no functioning fire suppression systems, or functioning firefighting equipment, it was impossible to put them out. The fires further contaminated the water supply, and burned down many stores that had bottled water and food.

Then people began to notice that the Yangban were not present. Generals began to question Shen Yu as to why he wasn’t deploying the Yangban to deal with the riots or fires. He made excuses, claiming they needed to guard against another attack by Japan. There had been attacks, mostly in Hong Kong, which had declared independence with the help of Japan, and there was very little that Shen Yu could do.

Soon, Hong Kong had food and water, but still no power. It was a slap in the face to China, as Raiden supplied her allies there with everything they needed. A woman named Keqing, who had been some sort of business magnate in the city, declared that Hong Kong was once more a “free economic zone” and no longer beholden to the Chinese Union Imperial.

Shen Yu’s generals watched, and waited. Some demanded to know if the Yangban would contest Hong Kong. Shen Yu prevericated and stated they needed to be ready for attacks closer to home, that they would take back Hong Kong one day, when their strength returned.

Then a general in Guangzhou declared himself dictator and seized power there, ignoring Shen Yu’s orders. He was popular, and nearly all of his troops stayed loyal to him.

“Surely you will deploy the Yangban now,” one of Shen Yu’s staff officers said. “Raiden is not behind this. We cannot allow the Union to crumble.”

“I will consider it,” Shen Yu stated.

That night, Shen Yu woke just in time to see the cord wrapped around his neck by a military officer. He died gasping, choking, and utterly powerless.. The rest of the Yangban, now powerless, were similarly murdered, save those who had fled quietly in the days previous.

The Emperor of China, however, was not killed that day. He died two weeks later when food rioters overwhelmed his guards and stormed the palace. The general who had attempted to seize control of Beijing died in an ambush from a rival general, and the city descended into chaos.

In the coming weeks, Tibet and Xinjiang would break away from China, Tibet rather painlessly and successfully as the CUI military troops there had mostly been pulled away to face Japan and hadn’t returned, Xinjiang less so as the various ethnic groups fought it out amongst themselves and with Han Chinese forces under various warlords.

The rest of the nation soon followed as petty warlords rose up and vied for dominance. The most successful were those with Vision Holders and Parahumans in their employ. Vision Holders had been imprisoned by the Yangban as they were difficult to brainwash and couldn’t be folded into the hivemind, and with the chaos of the CUI’s collapse permeating throughout China, fresh parahumans were triggering by the score.

Notably, for one month after Raiden had visited China, there were no fresh triggers in Beijing, nor for approximately 1000 km in any direction. That made forces in the South and West of the nation far stronger than the rest, having a much larger pool of parahumans to pull from.

Still, throughout the Middle Kingdom, the Warlord Era of the early 20th century replayed itself in bloody fashion. Chaos and discord rained, with conflict aplenty.

But while The Warrior was pleased, his Shards were not. The being known as Scion hadn’t felt it when two score of his shards were utterly destroyed, and five times that number badly damaged. That would have been like someone noticing when a handful of cells in their body quit working. Such things happened, and weren’t worth noticing.

But the Shard Network had gotten the message from the Raiden Shogun loud and clear. It had witnessed the death of its members in spectacular fashion when time and space were rent asunder, and the voice of a god had spoken to them for the first time.

DO NOT MAKE WAR UPON JAPAN AND MY ETERNITY EVER AGAIN.

For a time, fresh triggers didn’t even happen in Japan, though that eventually changed as the Shards were too eager for fresh data on the Raiden Shogun. Still, many flatly refused to find new specimens there, considering the risk too great. Those that did so found that they lost contact with the specimens, and bits of themselves were cut off. It was fascinating, and they kept probing, trying to understand how and why.

A human child would have learned not to touch a bare wire after a single shock, but Shards lacked that much imagination and creativity. They would continue to stick their forks into the wall socket in slightly different ways, to study what would happen, and try to discern why.

But they never realized it was themselves that were being studied in turn.

When the fighting started, Dr. Myung had gone to the shelters like everyone else in Seoul. He had prayed quietly to Raiden while he’d been hiding underground like a barnacle in its shell, and he knew he wasn’t alone in that. Not many Koreans believed in her divinity like he did, but now she had taken to the battlefield on their behalf. True, the war was at least party her fault, but it was more so the fact that the DPRK had finally shown that there could be no more bargaining with it. If they were willing to attack the Raiden Shogun, how much longer before they attacked their southern neighbors?

When the radio had announced that nuclear missiles had been launched, Dr. Myung had closed his eyes,hugged his wife and daughter and his grandchildren tightly, and waited for death.

Only for minutes later the announcement to come:

“The Raiden Shogun has summoned the Kamikaze to shelter South Korea. All North Korean missiles destroyed!”

Wild cheers and jubilation had broken out in the bunker, as families cried and hugged one another, and everyone celebrated.

Hours later, the fighting was over, and everyone was allowed out of the shelters again. Seoul seemed completely unscathed at first, until Dr. Myung had noticed something: no lights. Not even flashing streetlights. It was the middle of the day, so it took a little while, but his blood ran cold at that.

“EMP,” he breathed, and he knew fear. So. It was the slow death for them, then. Seoul had some hardened systems, but without power, they could die of starvation and disease. If that didn’t claim them, then the slow economic death would, as the lack of power killed the Korean economy.

Perhaps they had won the war, but they would all die of the price of it.

Then two dragons descended upon Seoul.

PEOPLE OF KOREA. FEAR NOT. THE RAIDEN SHOGUN DOES NOT FORGET HER ALLIES IN TIME OF NEED. THOUGH IT WAS THE TREACHERY OF SCION THAT COST YOU POWER, YOU NEED NOT WORRY. UNTIL YOUR PLANTS ARE REPAIRED, I SHALL WATCH OVER YOU.

The rumbling voice of Mushu was familiar enough, and Dr. Myung wanted in awe as the massive 100 meter long dragon flew low over the city. Breaking into a run, he arrived just in time to see Mushu land on a power plant, where with a roar, he began to generate a massive field of purple lightning, infusing it with a power Dr. Myung recognized well.

“Electro,” he whispered in awe, and turned to see the stop lights flicker back on.

Leaving behind the dragon, Dr. Myung hastened to the university, where he assembled what electro crystals he had collected. He had several large Electro crystals, and more smaller ones, but how long they would last, he had no idea. They couldn’t provide power to an entire city, that much was certain, but they could be used to power say, a hospital’s generators, provided all the electrical equipment wasn’t totally shot.

Taking the crystals, Dr. Myung hurried back to the power plant with the dragon roosting on it, explaining to the police his plan.

“If we can charge these, then they can power some vital equipment, if not hear than in other cities! Surely just being near Lord Mushu would be enough!” he told the sergeant.

After a few calls, Myung was let through, and he hurried to where Mushu was clinging to the damaged generators, placing the crystals around him.

“Thank you,” Myung said, bowing to Mushu.

DON’T THANK ME YET. I CAN’T KEEP THIS UP FOREVER, Mushu growled. TELL THEM THEY GET ANOTHER THREE OR FOUR HOURS OF POWER, THEN I’VE GOT TO TAKE A REST.

Hurrying into the plant office, Myung was drawn into the conversation, being an expert on Electro.

“He’s not putting out enough power for the whole city at maximum capacity, we still have rolling brownouts,” the chief engineer explained.

“We need more Electro Crystals!” Dr. Myung said with a shake of his head. “Even limited power is better than nothing. How many do we have, how much charge can they hold?”

“Not enough, but we’ll get as many more as we can,” the plant manager sighed, shaking his head. “This will take years to fix. And until then, we’re utterly reliant on a Japanese dragon. This is madness.”

“Better to have a Japanese Dragon than not, especially when Pyongyang would have nuked us,” Myung said with a snort of distaste.

Two days later, a Captain Bukdu arrived will a cargo of more than 10 tons of electro crystals, all harvested from the Desolation with the help of Japanese, Korean, and various other Vision Holders from around South East Asia. Mushu was giving them only a few hours of power a day, but combined with the crystals, it meant that vital services were able to be kept in power. There were still deaths and hardship, and it would be years before the Korean economy would recover, especially as they had to rebuild their newly reunited Northern provinces.

The long process of rebuilding had begun, but Dr. Myung and the rest of his country had learned a valuable lesson: The Raiden Shogun would not abandon her allies.

Dark Legend of Potter, Chapter 57

Once, the Chamber of Secrets had been a dismal sewer long forgotten and abandoned by everyone, save for one very lonely (but quite lovely) giant snake. Now, however, it was a bar, where Professors and Seventh Year students could enjoy the tasteful decor, as well as world-class drinks served by the new bartender.

Well, except for one Professor, but that was her own fault, really.

Sitting at the bar, Severus Snape stared morosely into his glass of dry white wine. He used to favor red wine until someone had commented once too often that it made him look like a vampire. Severus, having had his sense of fun surgically removed, had stuck mostly to white wines after that.

“It just isn’t right,” Snape muttered to himself. “How could she possibly know anything about history? She’s never shown any aptitude for anything like it before.”

“O Man who forsakes the company of others for vials and cauldrons, what doth trouble you this day?”

Snape looked up at the masked man in a gold buttoned red vest over a white shirt, a black tie tucked in neatly.  “If I wanted my fortune read, I would have bothered Sybill. From you I just want drinks.”

“Hmm, well, moi has served thee the one complimentary drink this evening. Yet thou continues to darken my bar. Prithee, spill thy soul to this humble demon, that moi’s All Seeing Eye can pierce the darkness of what troubles thee?” Vanir offered, shaking his drink mixer so that it made a loud clacking sound, then expertly pouring a dry martini, which he slid across the bar to Flitwick, who nodded his thanks and continued grading papers.

“Do you have to speak like you’re in a bad production of Shakespeare in the park, or is that just one of your many charming personality quirks?” Snape sneered, taking another sip of wine.

“MWAHAHAHAHA! O Mortal Man, doest thou not know that moi is here to assist thee?” Vanir leaned on the bar, the eyes of his black and white mask glowing red as he grinned at Snape. “Moi knows what troubles thee. Speak her name only, and thou shall secure an ally.”

“It’s that damned Mizu!” Snape snarled, slamming his glass down much harder than he had meant to. “She was completely useless as a Defense Professor, yet now she’s somehow absurdly knowledgeable in her new subject area!”

“Moi would think that thou would be grateful to have more competent colleagues  since thou claims to be an instructor thyself,” Vanir mused.

Shaking his head, Snape drained the rest of his wine. “She’s made us all into fools. And made a mockery of this institution of education.”

“But what if moi offered thee a way to put the useless goddess properly into her place?” Vanir purred, setting down another glass of wine before Snape.

Frowning, Snape looked up at Vanir. “Goddess? Don’t tell me you buy that stuff and nonsense!”

“MWAHAHAHAHAH! Oh, but to be a mortal fool!” Vanir chortled, putting his right forearm to his mask and spinning about. “Thou hast seen a psychopomp in action, seen beyond the veil itself, and still thou insists to be an atheist!”

“If she’s the best argument theists can put forth, I find their suppositions sorely lacking,” Snape snorted, sniffing his glass. He frowned, then picked up the bottle, raising an eyebrow as he regarded it. Alcanrettia White from 1233? Where in the world…?

Vanir snatched the bottle out of Snape’s hands, frowning at him. “Moi tends to agree with thee, mortal. The Seven Bimbos are, perhaps, better than the average run of the divine pests, but moi has a special distaste for the useless blue thing. Petty though our rivalry may be now, moi feels a compulsion to assist a fool who would teach that reckless hedonist a lesson.”

“You’re full of nothing but nonsense,” Snape snarled, getting up from the bar. He paused to empty the glass, toss a galleon on the table, and then stride away, his robe billowing behind him.

Vanir glared after him, passing the glass to one of his little dolls, who was dressed in a mini version of his bartender’s getup. The little golem happily began polishing it, as Vanir grinned and rubbed his hands together. “Mwahahahaha! The ennui and frustration from that man alone! Truly, it is a dish well worth supping from!”

As Vanir cackled to himself, Flitwick turned to Professor Sprout, who was drinking a cosmopolitan. “Why exactly do we have him as a bartender, anyway?”

“He makes very good drinks,” Sprout pointed out. “Plus, he’s giving all the staff a free one every day. I’ll put up with a bit of maniacal laughter for that. Potter usually does it in my class and I don’t even get a drink out of it.”

“True enough. And it’s far more convenient than the Three Broomsticks,” Flitwick agreed, taking a sip from his martini and smacking his lips. The drinks really were quite good.

-==-

One week into the new school year, Megumin was  unpacking her bag to do her daily homework (for despite the fact that she was an unholy terror, Megumin was still incredibly academically competitive) when an envelope sealed with wax fell out of her copy of The Essential Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook. The book was mostly notable for the fact that Megumin had defaced her book by writing “IS EXPLOSION” on the cover, a fact that had sent most of her classmates into paroxysms of panic, and had sent a cold chill down her professor’s spine.

Picking up the envelope, Megumin let out a squeal of delight. It was addressed to “The Crimson Terror” and was from Messrs, Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail & Prongs, & Mlle Crimson. Recognizing the source, she instantly shredded the envelope, sending scraps of parchment everywhere and causing her companions in the library to hiss at her to be quiet.

“You’re going to get us kicked out again!” Hermione whispered, then noticed the letter that Megumin was ravenously poring over. “Wait, where’d you get that?”

“It’s from my parents!” Megumin said at what for her was a whisper, but for most people was slightly above normal volume.

Madam Pince turned a death glare Megumin’s way, her head swiveling about like an owl’s. Then she saw who it was, and her expression went from murderous to sympathetic. She hastened over, and put a hand on Megumin’s shoulder somewhat gently. “Dear, I know you have to be excited to find something from your parents, but if you climb on my tables and start shouting again, I will personally issue you a month-long ban and ensure you’re mucking out the Thestral stables for a week.”

“It is alright, this is something that must be discussed in utmost secrecy!” Megumin said gleefully, leaning in conspiratorially close to her friends. She pointed to the letter, with Darkness, Ron, and Hermione eagerly leaning in.

Madam Pince let out a heavy sigh, and stepped back, readying a silencing charm and a stinging hex for good measure. To her surprise, however, Megumin kept her voice to only a very audible whisper.

Greetings, Daughter of the Crimson Clan

By fate, you have returned to these Halls

Be wary, for a traitor now stalks this land

No sanctuary to be had within these walls

Once, our boon companion this man was

But no longer a man, a beast he became

And our blood now stains his evil paws

And his deadly peril we now declame

So we beg out you, our daughter dear

This mystery you must unravel now

And our fates you must make clear

So use this map to show you how

Eagerly, Megumin flipped the bit of parchment over, and revealed a rather detailed, but very small, map. Spreading it out on the table, Megumin crowded around it with others as they all frowned down at it.

“What does it show?” Megumin muttered, turning the map this way and that on the table.

“Spot it, I need to get a proper look at it!” Hermione hissed, grabbing Megumin’s hands and yanking them away, which prompted a small scuffle.

“Dunno, looks like it’s a room or something,” Ron said, scratching his head. “Can you make any sense of it?”

Silently, Darkness picked up the map, holding it up, while Megumin and Hermione stopped their shoving match and jumped up, trying to reach futilely  for the map. However, as Darkness was head and shoulders taller than either of them, she didn’t have much of an issue keeping it out of their hands.

“It appears to show a cross-section of a building,” Darkness mused, turning the map so it faced upwards. “Not the entire building, mind, just this one room, and bits of the two adjacent to it. What it shows is the number of windows, doors, and the interior layout.”

“Really? Where, what room?!” Megumin demanded eagerly, jumping up onto a chair so she could peer over Darkness’ shoulder.

With a harrumph, Hermione did the same, though she did a better job of it, being slightly taller than Megumin. “Oh, I see. You can even see it’s got a fireplace in this corner, twenty small desks, three bookshelves, and a larger desk here.”

“And this desk seems to be marked,” Darkness agreed, pointing to one in particular. “Perhaps what we seek is there?”

“Then we have to find the room!” Megumin cried, successfully jumping onto Darkness’ shoulders and grabbing the map despite her squeal of protest. “Onward, my faithful steed!”

“T-this is not the sort of humiliation I enjoy,” Darkness muttered, prying Megumin off and setting her down.

“Right, we’d best leave before Madam Pince has enough and puts us back in those bloody stables,” Ron decided, grabbing their bags. They all scrambled out of the door, following after Megumin who was puzzling over the map.

“Where is this, anyway?” she demanded, holding the map up.

Hermione snatched it and immediately turned it around. “You had it upside down! No wonder you can’t find it! Look, clearly we should start on the first floor and start a methodical search.”

“What?! No way! A true heroine simply follows her gut, and lets fate guide her!”

“Don’t be silly! We’ll be at this forever and lose track of which rooms we searched! There’s a proper way to do this!”

“Well it’s properly my map, so I get to decide!” Megumin snarled.

Ron pursed his lips, watching the two girls squabble, then glanced up at Darkness, who had her head in her hands and was sighing heavily. “You wanna tell them the map is still upside down, or me?”

“We don’t need to search the entire school,” Darkness said with a groan, holding her hand out. “Please, let me see the map again.”

“What, how would you know!?” Megumin and Hermione demanded, whirling on Darkness.

“Because there’s a directional key on the map, or didn’t you notice?” Darkness asked, exasperated. She took the map from Megumin and pointed to the key. “So, this is a south facing room with five windows, and we can tell the dimensions of it from looking at it. Now, which of our classrooms face south, are fifty six feet long, and twenty-four feet wide, and have five windows, with the desks in this configuration?

Hermione and Megumin peered at the map, then up at Darkness. They both started muttering to themselves and trying to do calculations, which made Darkness give them a look of utter incredulity. “I know you’re both geniuses, you can’t tell me you don’t know this already.”

“How am I supposed to know how big our classrooms are?!” Megumin demanded. “It’s not like I used a ruler!”

“Why would you need a ruler to know how big a room is?” Darkness asked, clearly baffled by that.

“I’ve got it!” Hermione suddenly cried. “It’s Charms!”

“Charms faces East, Herms,” Ron said, a look of befuddlement on his face. “I didn’t notice the dimensions, but that’s a fairly big room, and with that number of windows and knowing it’s facing south, I already figured it out.”

“How could you possibly know what direction a room faces!?” Megumin demanded. “You’re inside!”

“Uh, the directions don’t change because you’re inside,” Ron pointed out, and Darkness nodded.

“Indeed, don’t you always know which direction is North? I always get terribly lost if I lose track of that,” Darkness agreed.

“Well then, if you’re so clever, which way is North right now?” Hermione demanded in exasperation.

Ron and Darkness immediately raised their arms and pointed down the hall, Ron slightly more to the right.

“The hall moved this morning, didn’t you notice? True north is that way,” Darkness said, adjusting his arm slightly.

Ron blinked, then looked up at the ceiling, and brightened. “Oh, too right.”

“You’re both just guessing,” Megumin sniffed, and pulled out her wand. “A proper witch does it like this. Point me!”

Megumin held Chunchumaru in her palm, which slowly rotated until it was pointing in exactly the same direction as Darkness’ finger.

“I told you,” Darkness said with a shrug. “I can’t use the Point Me charm very well, so I always make sure to keep track.”

Looking irritated, Hermione folded her arms. “Very well, you have the best sense of direction. Then which classroom is it?”

Surprised, Darkness blinked, then looked from Megumin’s eager face to Hermione’s slightly irritated but still excited one, then down at Ron.

“You figured it out first, you say it,” Ron urged her.

“I don’t think Ron knows,” Megumin said smugly.

Ron rolled his eyes, then leaned in and whispered something in her ear, making her frown. “Fine. Alright, where is it, Darkness?”

“Um, it’s in the Defense Room,” she said. “Under your desk.”

Megumin stared up at the map, which Darkness handed back to her. She tilted the map this way and that, then held it up to Hermione while Ron looked incredibly smug. “I think… is she right?”

“Bloody hell,” Hermione swore, then turned around and took off at a dead run.

“NOT SO FAST, THE TREASURE IS MINE!” Megumin roared, and raced after her. Ron quickly caught up to them, only for Darkness to let out a giggle, then burst into a full on sprint, dashing past her companions like they were standing still.

Meanwhile, Kazuma paused from talking to Dust by the library entrance, his ears perking up. “Treasure?”

“Treasure?!” Dust gasped, his eyes sparkling as he turned towards the sound as well.

Both boys let out a gasp of pain as a firm hand grabbed both their ears and yanked them down to Ginny’s level.

“Tell me, what happened the last time you idiots followed my brother and Potter on a Treasure Hunt?” Ginny hissed, her eyebrow twitching in irritation.

“Um, we saved all of Britain?” Kazuma guessed.

“We had an epic duel?” Dust added.

“I ruined my second-best robe,” Draco muttered in irritated remembrance, plucking at his own fine satin garment.

“You lot nearly got killed and the school was blown up! We have a surefire way to get rich this year! We are NOT wasting our time on another of Potter’s mad schemes and letting this chance go to waste!” Ginny snarled, and let loose their ears. She harrumphed, then dug out a roll of parchment. “Now, how many points did you agree to lose so far?”

“Fifty,” Kazuma supplied, pointing to the total.

“Great. That’s five overdue books. Dust, go check out five books you won’t need. Kazuma, you talk too loudly so Anthony Goldstein in Ravenclaw can remind you to be quiet. Madam Pince usually gives points for that. Draco, you forget your homework on the table. Romilda Vane will find it and give it to Professor Sprout for you, that’ll be an easy 10 points for her.”

“And what will you be doing?” Draco demanded, folding his arms over his chest.

“Keeping you lot in line, and finding some more customers. Now get moving!” Ginny ordered, pointing towards the library. “We have a House Cup to lose.”

Several minutes later, a panting Megumin and Hermione staggered into the Defense classroom, both of them gasping for breath and red in the face.

“Goodness, were you two in a hurry?” Ron said, a huge grin on his face as he leaned on Megumin’s desk and a worried Darkness hurried over.

“I-I apologize, I didn’t mean for you to overexert yourselves! You really should train with me, such a light run shouldn’t have winded you so badly…”

“Damn…stairs…my true…nemesis,” Megumin groaned from the floor as she labored to breathe .

“Long legs…are…cheating,” Hermione panted from where she was spread eagled beside Megumin. “Never…thought…I’d miss…Gym class…”

“This is what you get for avoiding exercise like it’s deadly,” Ron said, reaching under Megumin’s desk. “Well, if you’re down for the count, I suppose I can just read it myself.”

“MINE! I WILL KILL YOU!” Megumin snarled, scrambling to her feet and charging over as Ron chortled and held his hands up in surrender.

For her part, Hermione accepted Darkness’ hand up and then stumbled over as Megumin rummaged around on the bottom of her desk. After a moment, she found a small cylinder, around which was wrapped another note. She hastily took off the note, reading it aloud.

The nose always knows

For your guide to the truth

Blow hard three times

They all glanced at the cylinder, which turned out to be a small silver whistle. Without further hesitation, Megumin put it to her lips, and blew as hard as she could. Everyone held their breath, but no sound came out.

“What?! Is it broken!?” Megumin demanded. She sucked in a mighty breath, then put it to her lips and puffed her cheeks as hard as she could as she blew with all her might. Again, no sound could be heard.

“You’re doing it wrong, give it here,” Hermione ordered, and snatched the whistle from the now woozy Megumin. She wiped the whistle off with her sleeve, then put it to her lips, sticking her pinky in the air as she blew. After a moment, she frowned, then held the whistle up, peering into it. “It doesn’t seem to be broken…”

“Let me try!” Ron said eagerly, and took the whistle, blowing into it loudly and messily so that a wet sound was made and spittle flew forth. “Huh. Guess it is broken. Do you want to try Darkness?”

Darkness took the whistle, then went over to a basin and rinsed it off.

“I’m not diseased you know,” Ron complained, which earned him piteous looks from his companions.

Then Darkness sucked in a mighty breath, and blew so hard that the whistle shot out of her mouth and flew across the classroom, smacking into the blackboard and cracking it.

“Uh, oops…” Darkness muttered, blushing slightly as Megumin ran over, picking the whistle up off the ground and pinching it as she held it up to her face.

“I wonder if it’s a magical whistle, that only the virtuous can hear?” Megumin wondered.

“That, or it’s a dog whistle,” Hermione pointed out. Ron and Darkness gave her perplexed looks, though Megumin nodded astutely.

“Ah yes, the pitch could simply be too high for our ears, we should-”

“BARK BARK!” Blackie bounded into the room, prancing about happily.

“Huh. Didn’t know dogs could whistle,” Ron said, scratching his head in confusion.

“Don’t be such an idiot, Ron!” Megumin and Hermione said in stereo, then both hurried over to Blackie, who enthusiastically began to lick Megumin’s face as she tried to get at his collar, which had some sort of messenger tube on it.

“You do that on purpose, don’t you?” Darkness asked him, leaning down slightly and dropping her voice. “I don’t think they were playing at being thick about not knowing cardinal directions, but you’re clearly at least aware of what’s going on.”

“Sure, but it’s easier if they think I’m slightly stupid. Megumin’s always telling me how to do my homework so I ‘do it right.’ And it’s hilarious when I do know something and they don’t,” Ron whispered back.

“I-I see you too enjoy that sort of humiliation…”

“Huh? No, I’m just used to everyone assuming I’m the baby and don’t know anything. Come on, let’s just see what they found,” Ron said, and hurried over.

“I see, so this was a dog whistle, to summon a faithful companion,” Megumin said, blowing on the whistle again. Blackie barked happily, and Megumin smirked. “Yes, it was clear to me from the start.”

“No it wasn’t,” Hermione sighed, taking the whistle, she blew on it again, and nodded. “Yes, obviously a dog whistle. I-”

The door was suddenly flug open, and a panting Aqua stood in the doorway.

“Megumin! Why are you blowing that stupid whistle?! I heard you the first time! I’m not a dog that will just come when you blow it! Now will you knock it off!? I’m trying to teach!”

The four teens all gaped at Aqua, with Hermione holding up the whistle. “Wait, you can hear this?”

“Duh! It’s super loud and annoying! Next time, just do what a normal person would and send me a text or something!” Aqua snapped. “If you blow that stupid whistle one more time, I swear I’m going to reincarnate you as a boy again! You just see if I don’t!”

“Uh, sorry,” Megumin said as Hermione hid the whistle behind her back. “It was for Blackie.”

“Ugh, whatever. Just, blow it once, OK!? Sheesh, that thing is so loud…” then Aqua stalked off, muttering to herself about “deaf mortals”.

“Weird,” Ron said with a shrug, then knelt and got the message tube off. He shook it once before Megumin let out an angry squawk and tried to take it from it. “Oh relax, I know you’d blow me up if I opened it, here.”

“Hmph.” Megumin eagerly took the parchment out and read it.

Some say a Black Dog is a Grimm Sign

However, if things are getting too serious

Then you’ll want a man’s best friend

Just give him a snack of he starts to whine

Signed, Moony and Crimson

“So, you’re a gift from my parents, are you?” Megumin asked, kneeling down to give Blackie a big hug. The big dog rested his head on Megumin’s shoulder, his tail thumping the floor once.

“I’m more of a cat person…but I suppose having a puppy wouldn’t be so bad,” Megumin sniffled, whipping her face with her sleeve then standing up. “Right, boy. Are you ready to help us solve a mystery?”

“BARK BARK!” Blackie agreed, jumping up and licking Megumin’s face. She laughed, pushing him back down.

“Right. Well, now we need to find our next clue. But where to start?” she mused.

“I mean, obviously, Professor Lupin set this all up, right?” Hermione said with a shrug. “Come on. The Defense Textbook, his own classroom, his dog, and he knew your parents. This has to be his doing.”

“Or it’s the ghosts of Megumin’s parents,” Ron said, which earned him a wide grin from Megumin and a roll of the eyes from Hermione. “What? Ghosts could do something like this.”

“Clearly, we have to hunt for clues on our own!” Megumin cried, jumping up. She pulled out the first parchment, and gave it to Blackie to sniff. “Come on, boy! The nose knows! Where does the scent lead us?!”

Blackie gave the paper a good sniff, then turned towards the door. With a howl, he trotted forth, the eager teens hurrying after him.

This time, they were led through the castle and out to the grounds. They followed Blackie all the way to the lake, then around the shore to near the train station. It took nearly an hour, by which point Darkness was the only one not winded aside from the dog.

“Truly, you must take better care of your bodies. How can you hope to face evil with such poor stamina?” Darkness said, frowning down at the others, as even Ron was groaning and clutching at his side from having run too far and hard.

“With superior firepower,” Megumin muttered as Blackie went over to the platform. He walked to a small shed, pointing his nose at the door. “Like this! Now, witness my superior mystical might!”

“No Explosions!” Ron said desperately, jumping in front of her. “You’ll destroy the clues!”

Megumin rolled her eyes. “Ron, I know more than one spell. Alohomora.”

There was a click, and Run sighed in relief. “Right. Of course. Because what kind of witch knows only one spell?”

“A rubbish one,” Megumin sniffed.

Back in the library, Kazuma sneezed loudly.

“Shhh!” Anthony Goldstein hissed.

“Two points from Slytherin! And one to Ravenclaw. That is the fourth time you’ve been excessively loud. Do it again, Mr. Crabbe, and you’re suspended from my stacks!” Madam Pince declared.

“Thanks,” Anthony whispered, giving Kazuma a big grin. “I guess the two points from Slytherin are a bonus. Pleasure doing business with you.”

“Yeah, let me know if you want to buy some more,” Kazuma agreed, rubbing his nose as Anthony got up and left. He frowned. He really felt the need to rub someone’s face in their shortcomings. Oh well, he’d just go find Draco or something.

Back at the Mystery Inc Hogwarts branch, Darkness grunted as she pried up a floorboard on the bottom of the shack, revealing a dirt-stained and weathered wooden shoebox . She pulled it out, then handed it to Megumin.

“There’s a tumbler with six digits,” she said. “I wonder how we’re supposed to open it?”

“Six digits? Try your birthday,” Ron suggested.

“That’s a silly password,” Hermione commented as Megumin flicked the numbers to 310780. With a click, the lock flicked open.

Inside was a small photo album, which Megumin lifted out with trembling hands. On it was written, “Marauders: Album the First.”

Squatting down, Megumin began to page through it, revealing pictures of her mother and not four, but five young men. In fact, there were even pictures of her aunt as well, along with the new boy and Lily Evans. Pictures of them getting their robes, getting on the train, and their first days at Hogwarts. There were also pictures of her father, a young Lupin, and what had to be Sirius Black and a mousy young boy. Separately at first, then together. Sniffling, Megumin paged through the pictures as Blackie curled up at her feet, looking up at her with big, sad eyes.

“This…this is the greatest treasure,” Megumin hiccuped, then stood. “I…we need to go find Yunyun. She…she should see these too…”

“Right,” Ron agreed, standing up. “Let’s be off then.”

Darkness put the floorboard back and picked up the box, as the four friends walked off, Blackie padding silently at their side.

“Sorry, you probably think this treasure isn’t any good,” Megumin sniffed, scrubbing at her eyes. “I just…”

“I understand,” Darkness told her. “I have an album like that at home. When I’m feeling lonely…I look through it. My parents were a bit older than yours, but…maybe they’re in there too.”

“We can look together,” Megumin promised, then walked in silence, hugging the album to herself, and smiling slightly. Together, they headed back to the castle as the sun sank into the lake, staining its waters red and gold.

The Second Archon War: Sapentia Oromasdis 7

Sapentia Oromasdis  7: Fertile Ground

For once, Nahida had trouble sleeping. This was a new experience for her, because typically she could simply step into the world of dreams and go to bed whenever she felt like it. Today was December 4th, 2002, and that meant that the next day was Eid al-Fitr.

The previous four weeks had been the month of Ramadan, which had meant fasting from sunrise to sunset. Nahida had greatly impressed Imam Taher that she had observed the fast dutifully with Bashir, and faithfully attended Mosque for prayers each and every day.

“Such a faithful and devoted child. You do us all proud, Nahida,” Taher had told her after the first day where she’d fasted, and Nahida had beamed with pride and pleasure. It wasn’t often that she got compliments, even if it was sort of cheating. It wasn’t like she actually needed to eat, she just enjoyed it.

Normally, a five year old little girl would not be expected to fast, as most children of that age could not make it through the day without a meal. Qiqi certainly couldn’t and definitely didn’t have the understanding to even begin to comprehend why she would be denied a meal when she was hungry.

Thus, Nahida had sat with Qiqi for lunch and snacks but had abstained herself. Qiqi, of course, didn’t really notice, but it was still nice to sit with her pretend sister for a meal. Even if it didn’t really feel all that pretend anymore after six weeks.

The morning of December 5th, Nahida bounced out of bed even before Dr. Bashir was up, pulling Qiqi up to get her ready for the day. Qiqi was still sleepy, but seemed to understand that Nahida was excited. Nahida had tried to explain what Eid al-Fitr was in their shared dream the night before, but went over it again as she helped Qiqi bathe and get dressed.

“Eid is held on the first day the Cresent Moon is visible after the Month of Ramadan, where grownups fast every day. Today, we’ll say special prayers for peace and goodwill among men. But, at sunset tonight, when the crescent moon rises, the Feast of Eid begins! For two days, we get to eat all sorts of sweets and goodies, and celebrate! There might even be presents!”

There were, in fact, presents. It was terribly hard to surprise someone who was both a mind reader and extremely good at reading someone’s emotions just from how they acted.  Dr. Bashir had clearly been plotting to surprise Nahida and Qiqi with sweets and stuffed toys that he had hidden in his bedroom. Nahida would respect his privacy, and attempt to pretend to be surprised and delighted when he finally gave her the stuffed radish.

“Cocogoat?” Qiqi asked at the mention of sweets, perking up from her usual malaise.

“We’ll make kleicha! Usually, they’re stuffed with dates and nuts, but also…”

Nahida grinned, and Qiqi gasped in excitement as they both squealed, “COCOGOAT!”

There was a yawn behind them, and they both turned around to see a sleepy-eyed Dr. Bashir, who was smiling at them. “Hmm, some people are excited this morning. I wonder why?”

“Cocogoat!” Qiqi declared, running over and grabbing Bashir’s hand. Then she swallowed and said, “Qiqi, eat cocogoat, please?”

Both Bashir and Nahida gasped in shock and delight, and Bashir scooped Qiqi up in his arms to kiss her.

“Yes. Today, there will be coconuts for Qiqi, and for all good little girls.”

“Have I been good too?” Nahida asked shyly. She knew the answer, but it felt like she had to ask, simply because she needed to hear it.

“Of course,” Bashir agreed, picking her up as well and kissing her forehead, his beard tickling as he did so and making Nahida laugh. “Come, let’s say prayers before sunrise, then we can have breakfast.

Since it was still Ramadan until moonrise, they had to eat before the sun came up, then wait for the entire day before they ate again. This day, Bashir made coconut crepes, served with fresh cream. Despite herself, Nahida was so excited she got some cream on her nose, which Bashir reached over and wiped off for her.

“Nahida, we’ll be attending a big party for the feast,” Bashir informed her. “I’ve purchased new dresses for you and Qiqi to wear.”

Nahida nodded, already knowing this. “Yes! We’ll get to travel to the palace, and eat all sorts of delicious food!”

“Yes. But Nahida… Farasha will be there,” Bashir said gently.

That gave Nahida pause. She’d known that, of course, but she hadn’t really stopped to think about what that really meant in her excitement for Eid. “This will be the first time I’ve seen her since…”

“Since you did… that thing to her,” Bashir agreed, wiping his own face with a napkin and setting aside his plate. He frowned at Nahida, absently rubbing his Vision with his thumb. He kept it as a sort of bolo necktie, and the Vision had shrunken slightly to accommodate his wishes. Nahida wondered if he’d noticed that. “Nahida… what did you do to Farasha?”

It was a question he’d asked before, and Nahida had dodged the question or prevaricated. She looked down at the table, biting her lip. “I… I can’t say.”

“You don’t know, or you won’t say?” Bashir asked, leaning forward. “Nahida. I do need to know.”

Meeting Bashir’s eyes, Nahida did some rapid calculations. There would be consequences for telling the truth, but lies would have greater consequences down the road, especially for her relationship with Bashir. That was increasingly the most important thing in the world to her. He wasn’t really her father, but… but he felt like one.

“When she came back… I-I could feel the death on her,” Nahida admitted. “I-It scared me. I knew it wasn’t really Farasha that had done it, but-”

“Not really Farasha?” Bashir asked, his brow furrowing. “What do you mean?”

Again, Nahida’s mind raced, but she’d already made up her mind to tell the truth. How to word it though…

“She’s what you call a Parahuman. But… but when I look at her… I see a demon,” Nahida said quietly. She glanced sideways at Qiqi, who was licking her plate to get every last drop of coconut from it. “Qiqi too… but hers isn’t as big or scary. I mean, it is… but there’s less of it in her… Sorry, it’s hard to explain…”

“A demon,” Bashir said, drawing the word out and looking deeply disturbed. “Can you describe it? Draw a picture?”

“It’s not something you can really describe with words. It’s like…” Nahida struggled for the proper phrasing to describe something she saw not with her physical senses, but with her spirit. “A tesseract.”

“A tesseract?” Bashir repeated, started enough to jerk back. He blinked a few times, then prompted, “You mean… a fourth-dimensional object?”

“Yes! I can’t really see it, just… sense it. It’s latched on to their souls. Only… the demons are different. The same, but different. Farasha’s is hot and bloody, and Qiqi’s is cold and spiky, but they’re both so hungry…” Nahida said, wringing her hands.

That troubled Bashir even more, his face going pale as he clutched at his Vision, looking worriedly at Qiqi, who was now looking around in her highchair for more food. “Hungry. For… what, exactly? Not… conflict?”

“That might be,” Nahida admitted. “What they truly hunger for is knowledge. Not wisdom, just… information. The demons are feeding on people’s souls because they are desperate for information, and I think it’s because only people can give it to them. They’re so hungry, they eat the people up. Farasha’s demon had nearly eaten her entirely. So… I fed it.”

“You fed it? You mean, the demon is eating you now?” Bashir gasped, reaching out a hand toward Nahida to feel her forehead.

“No!” shaking her head, Nahida spread her hands. “I gave it some knowledge. Not anything specific, just… a blast of knowledge. Pure dendro. I wasn’t very careful about what I fed it, but it let go of Farasha, just a little. It’s still there, and it will come back for more. I… I’m not sure what to do…”

Leaning back, Bashir considered that for several moments. Then he glanced at Qiqi, and held out his hand. “All done?”

“Qiqi all done,” the girl agreed, handing over her plate. Bashir took it, then passed her a napkin.

“Clean up,” he instructed, and Qiqi complied, wiping her face off. She didn’t do a very good job of it, but she did try.

“Go wash up,” Bashir instructed, standing and helping Qiqi down from her high chair.

“OK,” Qiqi agreed, and toddled off to the bathroom on her own.

Nahida smiled, then sensed what Bashir was thinking and blushed. He turned back to her, looking thoughtful.

“You did something to Qiqi too. You’ve mentioned sharing dreams with her… you weren’t just telling stories, were you?” Bashir asked.

“Um, no,” Nahida admitted. “I’ve been… prying her loose. Not all of her problems come from her demon, but… it feeds on them. It’s actually angry at her, because she hasn’t been fighting anything. It’s not paying her very much attention, and I’ve been able to… help. But Farasha’s demon… she’s given it a lot of conflict. And it’s hungry for more. I’m worried about her.”

“As am I,” Bashir agreed, his expression distant. “She…” He suddenly blinked, then muttered an oath and dashed to the bathroom, where the water had been running for an excessively long time.

Qiqi had washed her face, but she’d also accidentally flooded a good bit of the bathroom. Unusually for her, she seemed to have realized she’d made a mistake, and had been frantically trying to clean up the splashes she’d made. However, that had resulted in her clogging the sink with towels, and Nahida and Bashir had found a crying and desperate Qiqi who had frozen the water and tried to stuff it all into the bathtub.

“Bad Qiqi, no cold,” she said mournfully, trying to hide behind the shower curtain.

“Shh, it’s alright, we’ll clean it up. You were trying to help. Qiqi is a good girl,” Bashir assured her as he turned off the water. Nahida went to get more towels from the kitchen, and they soon had the mess cleaned up.

After that, Nahida went out to the garden to work for a bit and think. It was good to touch the plants and soil, to feel the life within, and to feel connected to it. But at the same time, she was deeply concerned. What would Farasha say when she saw Nahida again? Would she hate her? What would her demon want?

“What is wrong, Sarva Nara?”

Nahida looked up to see Aranarakin peering up at her, having come over as she worked.

“I’m worried about Farasha. The last time I saw her… I think I hurt her. I’m worried she will be mad at me,” Nahida admitted.

Aranarakin cocked his little head to one side at that. “Is she not Marana Nara, like Cold Nara? She should be happy that Sarva Nara has helped her.”

“It’s not that simple. For one thing, I don’t know that I helped her Marana at all. For another… well, removing the Marana would hurt a lot.”

“Hmm, Aranarakin does not understand this, but Aranarakin knows that Marana is bad.” He turned to a plant, motioning to some dead growth on it. “Plants must be pruned, for them to grow strong and healthy. It may hurt, but it is best for the plant.”

“I don’t know that people’s souls work in the same way… but maybe?” Nahida sighed, leaning back and looking at her grubby hands. How could she help Qiqi and Farasha, and all of the other so-called parahumans? If only she were as powerful as Beelzebul, or as experienced as Morax. She had learned enough to know that Beelzebul was here on this world, or someone much like her. But reaching out to her to solve Nahida’s problems for her… that didn’t seem right.

“Is Sarva Nara sad?” Aranarakin asked, coming over to put a stubby arm on Nahida’s leg. “Should Aranarakin sing Sarva Nara a song?”

“No, it’s alright, I was just wishing I were stronger. It’s frustrating, because I’m really old, but… I still act like a little kid,” Nahida said with a sigh. She held her hands out, and Aranarakin whirled up to land in her palms.

“Aranarakin understands. Though Aranarakin is very brave, he still does not like Big Nara, for they have such dry dreams,” the little aranara said mournfully.

“What about Father Nara?” Nahida asked, using the aranara’s term for Bashir.

“He is Vasara Nara, even if he is big nara. He does not scare Aranarakin,” the spirit declared boldly, puffing out his chest.

Nahida smiled and nodded. “That’s good. What about… Farasha. The fire butterfly nara.”

That got Aranarakin to let out a terrified squeak. He tried to hide under Nahida’s burqa, trembling mightily. “F-fiery Nara is scary big nara! She has Marana, even more than Cold Nara.”

“Yes,” Nahida agreed, shivering herself. “But it’s not her fault. Maybe… maybe I can find a way to cure her Marana.”

Hearing that, Aranarakin made his way out, still looking frightened, but taking a firm stand atop Nahida’s head. “If that is what Sarva Nara wants, then Aranarakin will help. It is scary, but the Marana must be stopped, or the whole world will turn to sand and dust.”

“Will you come with me tonight then?” Nahida asked hopefully. “There will be lots of big nara there, and many Marana.”

Despite his fear, Aranarakin nodded, holding up a stubby little fist. “Aranarakin will help Sarva Nara!”

Reaching down, Nahida pressed her pinky against Aranarakin’s arm. “Together, then. We’ll find a way to cure the Marana.”

It was probably best if she didn’t mention to Aranarakin that the Scary God had told her not to interfere with the Cycle right after she’d interacted directly with Farasha’s Demon. What the Cycle was, Nahida didn’t know, and that more than anything frightened her. There was also something very wrong with the Scary God. Despite what Nahida had mentally dubbed him, he didn’t feel like a god. He felt more like… an all devouring hunger. Was he the King of Demons? That was too frightening a concept to dwell on, but Nahida had to consider it.

The rest of the day Nahida spent preparing for Eid, mostly by fasting and saying prayers. Her prayers were all for her family and friends, that they would be healthy and safe in the year to come. It was odd to think she really did have a family now, but it made her desperately happy. She wasn’t quite sure who she prayed to. Herself? That seemed very vain and selfish. Perhaps to Allah, the Merciful and Just, who had created everything. Was He out there right now, watching her? Nahida spent a lot of time considering that.

At last, the afternoon came, with Bashir closing the clinic early for the day. Then he changed not into his usual western style suit, but into a plain white robe. Nahida was dressed in a wonderful green dress, while Qiqi was wearing a blue one. It was a bit on the nose, but it did compliment her complexion rather well.

“Now, before we go, I must tell both you girls: Be very, very cautious,” Bashir informed them. “Supposedly, this is an evening of prayer and meditation, but it isn’t. This is a party where the President shows off his power and influence. At the feast, all of his most prominent parahumans and Vision Holders are displayed for all to see. Nahida, you and I are the only two Dendro Vision Holders in the entire nation, and there are less than 100 of us known globally, so we’re a big feather in the President’s cap right now. He’ll want to show us off. Farasha will be there as well, as his right hand.”

“Farasha?” Qiqi said, taking her thumb out of her mouth and looking around expectantly. “Play?”

“No, my heart. But there will be coconut,” Bashir promised, which made Nahida giggle when Qiqi immediately perked up.

After that, they drove across the city to Al-Salam palace on the banks of the Tigris River. There was heavy security out, with guards with machine guns and several capes checking every vehicle as it pulled in. The guards even checked Qiqi and Nahida’s car seats, roughly questioning Bashir as well.

“They are invited, I have their invitations here,” Bashir said, holding them out. “One parahuman, one Vision holder. His Excellency wishes to have them at the feast.”

“Very well, you may pass,” the guards said, though they looked grumpy. Nahida got the sense that they had been expecting a bribe, or at least a larger one than Bashir had slipped them. However, Nahida and Bashir’s names were on a list of people that the President very much wanted to show off at his party, and they were let through.

The palace itself was decorated with various banners and pennants and was a tall structure of white stone with two tall towers. Inside, Nahida saw that it was made of fine marble, and decorated lavishly with gilded hardwoods and kept immaculately clean. Despite the finery, or perhaps because of it, Nahida felt nervous as they entered, two guards in fancy uniforms watching them. This felt too much like the Sanctuary of Surasthana, and she found herself clutching tightly to Bashir’s hand, trembling at the thought of once more being imprisoned in a gilded cage.

“Shh, it’s alright, don’t be nervous,” Bashir said softly. Qiqi was clinging to him as well, and there were hundreds of people in attendance, most of them in fine clothes. All of them were attempting to get close to President Saddam it seemed, who was dressed in a fine silk suit, his black hair and mustache gleaming in the artificial lights. He concerned Nahida, but not as much as the person at his side.

Right next to Saddam, with his arm draped over her shoulders, was a smiling Farasha. She was, perhaps, the only thing keeping people away from Saddam, as even his bodyguards looked a bit overwhelmed by the crowd. She didn’t have her spear, but she was in her black dress and hat, fresh red flowers tucked into the brim. Despite the roiling emotions that Nahida could feel coming off of Farasha, she was laughing and glad-handing along with the President.

“She’s the sign of his power,” Nahida whispered quietly. Fortunately, only Bashir seemed to hear her, but he shushed her immediately.

At last, it was Bashir’s turn to greet the President, and he stepped forward, a hand on both his daughter’s backs. Nahida blushed but tried to stand up straight. She didn’t meet Saddam’s eyes, as a lot of men would have perceived that as a challenge.

“Ah, Doctor! So good of you to join us! Happy Eid!” Saddam said, laughing and pulling Bashir into a handshake. He turned, pointing to Bashir. “You see? This shows the might of Iraq! The good Doctor was one of the first men to obtain one of these new Visions, as did his daughter! Here, pick her up, show her to the cameras!”

Bashir obediently scooped Nahida up, and she got out her false Vision. Together, she and Bashir showed them to the media, flashes going off in their faces. It made even Nahida’s eyes dance with lights, and she felt like the entire room was spinning.

“Later, at the feast, you must show off your new powers, Bashir!” the president commanded. “If your daughter can grow a tree from a seed, I look forward to seeing what a man can do!”

“I… have not much practice with my Vision, aside from using it to heal,” Bashir said, but he bowed his head. “We will do our best to impress, your Excellency.”

“Daddy, daddy go now,” Qiqi begged, tears filling her eyes. The press of people was overwhelming her, and she had been left to stand by herself in a strange place.

“Ah, and this little one, she has powers too, eh?” Saddam laughed. He made as if to shove Qiqi in front of the cameras as well, and Nahida’s heart skipped a beat. The temperature began to drop, and ice formed by Qiqi’s feet. Saddam took half a step back, and there was a sudden hush.

Then Farasha swooped in, tickling Qiqi and holding her up. “She’s a cutie patootie too! Qiqi’s really only good at making ice cubes, but someday I’m sure she’ll be a member of the Special Action Squad.”

Qiqi seemed at a loss for words herself, clutching Farasha’s face in her hands. Nahida could see cold appearing there, and Farasha grimaced briefly.

On reflex, Nahida reached out as Bashir stepped in, touching Qiqi’s arm. Araknarakin popped out of the back of her dress, and began to hum, encouraging Nahida. Remembering what she had done to Farasha’s demon, and how she had dealt with it in Qiqi’s dreams, she sent out a pulse of Dendro.

Stop. You’re hurting her. Please.

CONFLICT. DATA. EVOLUTION.

Here. Have a little information. You can have more later, just… be kind to Qiqi. No conflict, just sharing.

Nahida set out a schematic for a small construct that used cryo energy to chill drinks from fontaine that was several decades old. In response to the information, the Demon relaxed its grip.

NEW DATA ACQUIRED. THIS IS… SHARING?

Sharing. Friends. No fighting. No conflict.

The demon didn’t seem happy about that, but it did back off, excited to study this new information. All that happened in mere heartbeats. Qiqi let out a gasp, collapsing onto Farasha’s shoulder, looking exhausted. Farasha had got stock still, her eyes very wide as she stared at Nahida. She hastily pulled Qiqi’s face to hers, then shoved her into Bashir’s arms even though he was still carrying Nahida.

“Poor kid’s tuckered out! Come on, I’ll take you to a room where the kids can catch a nap!” Farasha said brightly.

“What? Where are you going? You are to stay here with-” Saddam began, but Farasha leaned in and whispered something in his ear. Saddam colored, then nodded and relaxed. “Ah, I see. Well, it’s that way, is it? Good, good, I’ve said you’ve been single for too long. Go on then.”

There were murmurs from the crowd now, and Farasha was blushing. She began to hustle Bashir and the girls away, even as Saddam announced, “My butterfly has found a lover! Soon, we will have an entire family of Farashas, to steward Iraq forward into the next generation!”

That got many cheers, with several people applauding.

“What did you do?” Bashir gasped as Farasha got them out of the crowd and headed up some stairs to a part of the palace where the party wasn’t taking place.

“I told him you’d offered to marry me and that Qiqi thought I was her mom. It’s true enough, and we needed to get the hell out of there, right then,” Farasha said grimly.

Bashir’s mouth flopped open, but he managed to close it and nod, swallowing. They reached a room that Farasha flung open, revealing a small parlor with a couch and chairs, along with a table. Bashir set Qiqi and Nahida down on the couch, with Farasha closing the door and leaning on it.

“Farasha, I-” Bashir began, but she held up a hand.

“We’re in the palace, Bashir,” she said, turning around slowly. “Think very carefully about what you’re going to say.”

Bashir’s eyes flicked to the lights and to the sockets, which prompted Nahida to reach out herself. She found several devices that were apparently listening in to every word that was spoken, as well as doing a visual recording. That was a bit too close for comfort to what the sages had sometimes done to her, so she discreetly wove a web of Dendro, hacking the network and altering their information.

“It’s OK, they can’t hear us now,” Nahida said, causing both of the adults in the room to turn to her with wide eyes. She hastily explained, “I found the devices they were using to spy on us, and altered the data stream.”

“Nahida! If the President finds out-” Bashir gasped, going very pale and reaching out a hand towards her.

“No, no!” Nahida waved her hands to reassure him They think they can still hear us, but I’m subtly altering the sounds and images they’re picking up. Don’t worry, I made sure to synch them so that they match up.”

Farasha came over from the door to sit down on the couch next to Nahida, looking trouble. “You can do that, little radish?”

“Um,” Nahida blushed, realizing she’d probably overplayed her hand again. She looked up, to where Aranarakin was balancing on her forehead.

“Do not worry, Sarva Nara, Aranarakin will protect you!” He trilled, and raised a little staff he’d made.

“No, don’t hurt her!” Nahida blurted.

Farasha jerked back, and Aranarakin lowered his staff.

“Nahida… what do you think is hurting me?” Farasha asked, her eyes filling up with tears as she clutched her own breast. Bashir came over to put a hand on Farasha’s shoulder, looking down at Nahida with eyes full of worry.

“Um,” Nahida decided to leave out Aranarakin, as most grownups thought talking of invisible spirits only children could see and hear was silly. “Well, it’s the demon inside you… what makes you a parahuman, I think.”

“Oh, that corona potenta or whatever in my head,” Farasha said with a grimace. “Yeah. If they could cut that out, that’d be great, except for the part where I’d be dead and there wouldn’t be anyone left to protect you kids.”

“The Corona Pollentia is but a physical manifestation of a spiritual malady,” Nahida said seriously, standing up on the couch and pointing a finger not at Farasha’s head, but her heart. “It’s feeding off of your soul, and whispering in your mind. Can’t you hear it? Can’t you feel it?”

As Nahida spoke, Farasha’s hand slowly went to her head, and she started to gasp for breath, her body trembling. Bashir gripped her shoulder, and Farasha leaned against him, apparently exhausted.

“Farasha OK?” Qiqi asked, looking up at her with concern.

“I… I’m fine, kiddo,” Farasha said, scooping Qiqi onto her lap. Absently, she fumbled in a bag she had at her side, and drew out a packet of coconut flavored cookies. “Here, for you. Cocogoat cookies.”

“Qiqi thank you,” the girl said happily as Farasha opened the packet, which made Farasha spill the cookies all over Qiqi’s dress. Qiqi didn’t mind, picking them up one at a time and stuffing them into her mouth like a hamster.

“When… when did she start doing that?” Farasha managed, looking up at Bashir.

“Fairly recently. There’s been a noted change in her since Nahida moved in,” Bashir said. He looked from Qiqi to Nahida, frowning. “Nahida… how exactly do you know all this?”

“You can feel it too,” she said, taking Bashir’s hand and placing it on Farasha’s head. He frowned at her, but she urged him, “Close your eyes. Focus. Listen to the heartbeat of the life inside of her.”

“I see…” Bashir didn’t protest, closing his eyes and frowning in concentration. Nahida helped him, just a little, guiding his senses through their connection via the Vision, and the deeper bond of family they had forged.

“I sense… something. A heartbeat? But… more. A warm sense, it’s-” Bashir cut off just as Nahida blushed and  Farasha went red to the tips of her ears. Bashir coughed. “Ah. It seems you are fond of me…”

“Gee, you figure that out before or after we slept together?” Farasha muttered, then glanced at Nahida. “Uh, ignore that, kiddo.”

“I, um, am aware of relations between men and women. I just um, think they’re very private,” Nahida said, looking away. She forced herself to maintain the connection though. “Look deeper. Past the physical, into the spiritual.”

“I’m not sure I-” Bashir suddenly cried out, jerking his hand back as though he’d been burned and holding it, even as Nahida had to fight off an attack from Farasha’s demon, even as Farasha stiffened, her body flooding with adrenaline.

Shhh. It’s alright. You don’t need to fight. He just wants to say hello.

ERROR. EXOTIC ENERGIES DETECTED. ACTIVATING DEFENSES. PREPARING SPECIMEN FOR COMBAT.

No! No! It’s alright! It’s just, um, an exchange of data! That’s all!

EXCHANGE… DATA?

Yes! Didn’t you get some new information from that?

ANALYZING. NO HARM FOUND. NEW DATA ACCEPTED.

With a heavy sigh, Nahida looked up to see that Farasha had retreated to the far side of the room from them.

“You see?! This is why I didn’t want to marry you! I’m a fucking DISASTER, Saeed! I hurt everything and everyone around me! I KILL people! I fucking liquefy their insides and turn them into butterflies and-”

“Farasha,” Nahida said sternly, planting her hands on her hips. “We are attempting to have an adult conversation. If you insist on using such language, I’m afraid that we won’t get anything productive done. I understand you’re  upset, but please be more discriminatory in your selection of vocabulary.”

“No bad words,” Qiqi agreed with a solemn nod. “Daddy said.”

For a moment, Farsasha just stared, then she hugged herself, slumping down against the wall. “And now I’m getting lectured by a couple of kindergarteners. Great. But girls… you don’t understand. I’m dangerous. People around me get hurt and die. And I don’t… I don’t want that to be you. Or… or Bashir…”

“Farasha, my heart… perhaps you haven’t noticed this, but I am now somewhat dangerous myself,” Bashir said, coming over to crouch by her. He produced his Vision, which glowed slightly as Farasha started at it blankly. “And, well, as much as I love these girls… they aren’t exactly safe themselves.”

“Doc, you know I’m not just some rando cape. I've got a body count,” Farasha said, burying her face against her knees as she hugged her legs to herself.

“I know,” Bashir said quietly. He reached out, caressing Farasha’s cheek. “I love you anyway, Hutah.”

“I’m not Hutah. I’m Farasha,” she said, her voice somewhat muffled.

In that, Nahida felt the sense of denial of self, felt the attempt to hide from herself and her past that Farsha was using to keep herself sane. The pain coming off of her was simply too much. Heedless of the demon that was still hungrily waiting in the background. And so, Nahida did what she’d always wished someone would do for her when she was alone and hurting.

She ran over and gave Farasha a hug.

“I’m sorry for scaring you,” she whispered. “I… I didn’t mean to hurt you, but… I’m sorry.”

Slowly, Farasha uncoiled, and put her arms around Nahida. “I’m not mad at you, Little Raddish. Whatever you did to me… I’m not mad. I just wish…”

Images exploded from Farasha. Not horrific nightmares, but a dream. A dream of herself and Baizhu, sitting on a sofa together dressed in fine clothes as their friends and family celebrated. Pictures of Farasha playing with Nahida and Qiqi, baking them cookies, and tucking them in at night. Certain other pictures with Baizhu that Nahida very pointedly did not look at, followed by pictures of Hutah with a child in her arms, Baizhu at her side, Nahida and Qiqi crowded around them.

Even as that happened, the Demon began to wake. Began to attempt to devour these dreams, to attempt to turn Farasha back towards conflict, and away from happiness. What data was there to be harvested in contentment?

“Fire Nara is so sad,” Aranarakin whispered. “But her dreams are so beautiful. Poor Nara… the Marana wishes to eat her dreams. Well, even if she is Big Nara, Aranarakin will not let it!”

With that, the little spirit hopped from Nahida over to Farasha, who didn’t even notice as he landed on her. “Together, Sarva Nara!”

Aranarakin pulled out a little staff, and tapped Farasha on the shoulder. At the same time, Nahida sent another pulse of energy into Farasha. This time, she spoke to the demon directly.

Don’t hurt Farasha. Take me instead. I’ll give you all the data you want, if you just leave Farasha alone.

The demon seemed taken aback by this, but it sent a fiery tendril out to Nahida. She gasped in pain, but the demon rapidly withdrew from her as soon as it touched her.

PAIN. PAIN. PAIN. YOU ARE NOT A SUITABLE SPECIMEN.

Still mentally reeling, Nahida responded, Then trade! My data for Farasha’s dreams! Let her be happy! Let her be at peace!

PEACE IS STAGNATION. STAGNATION IS ENTROPY.

No! Peace is the opposite of Entropy! Don’t you see!?

Before Nahida could do more, a burst of powerful Dream battered the Demon. Not from her, but from Aranarakin. It came as a loud, fierce song, and the demon quailed at the sudden assault that was so completely alien to it. It retreated, and for the moment, Farasha was free.

When Nahida opened her eyes, she found Farasha staring at her, tears trickling down her face. Bashir was kneeling, one hand on Farasha’s forehead, the other on her wrist.

“Hutah? Farasha? What happened? Nahida, what did you do?” he snapped, his voice authoritative and stern.

Swallowing, Nahida tried to formulate and answer, but she was still half stunned by the touch of the demon.

While they were all sitting there on the floor, Qiqi toddled up to them, and put her own arms around Farasha. “No cry, mommy.”

With a jolt, Farasha sucked in a breath, then coughed. She looked down at Qiqi, who was stubbornly clinging to her legs. Hiccuping, Farasha managed to put an arm around Qiqi too.

“Well, I guess you were right, Doc. These girls are pretty dangerous,” Farasha croaked as she half laughed, half cried, and pulled Bashir into the hug too.

Despite the aura of death and the fear she felt at the Demons, something about this simply felt right to Nahida. She closed her eyes, and let herself enjoy the moment.

“Well,” Farasha said after several minutes, taking a handkerchief from Bashir and blowing her nose, then trying to mop up the mess of mascara and makeup her face had become. “I guess I already told good old Uncle Saddam you’d proposed to me. It wouldn’t be such a horrible fate to live out that lie. But Doc… you gotta accept that I’m seriously a hazard. People around me die. That’s just a fact.”

“Well, we’ll just have to find a treatment that works,” Bashir told her, and Farasha laughed and cried all over again.

When they finally rejoined the party, Farasha was taken away to speak to President Saddam again, and Bashir looked nervous as they went off to a corner to talk. He leaned down close to Nahida and whispered, “Did you really alter the cameras?”

“Yes, they did show Farasha crying still, but because she was so happy. A pleasant illusion,” Nahida whispered back. Then she flushed. “Though, um, I did have to add in some naughty words from her. It seemed more authentic that way.”

After a few minutes of talking, Saddam came over and shook Bashir’s hand, congratulating him. “Take good care of Farasha! She is the jewel in the crown of Iraq, and I love her like my own child! And you, doctor! A celebrity yourself! Two of these new Dendro Visions! Truly, you show the might and glory of the Republic to all!”

“Thank you, your Excellency. I shall take good care of her, and do you proud,” Bashir promised, bowing his head.

“See that you do! Ah, and now, come! Everyone wants to see these new powers of yours at the feast!” Saddam ordered.

Before that though, there were prayers and a short sermon from an Imam, with Saddam making a show of piety before the cameras. Nahida could tell his faith was even more false than Bashir’s had ever been before he’d renewed it, and she doubted there had ever been anything this man believed in aside from his own power. Still, she didn’t say anything, simply reaching out to Allah once more. More silence, though she could sense another watching.

She shivered, and very deliberately did not look up at the sky, where a golden streak passed by overhead. Whatever the Scary God was, he stank of the demons.

Thankfully, the Scary God departed soon after. But Nahida’s troubles were not over. They crossed the river, coming to an orchard, where tables had been set up, and lights strung amongst the trees. Saddam had brought out several fruits, and placed them atop tree planters.

“You will see now, the power of our newest members of the Special Action Squad!” Saddam bragged, gesturing to Nahida and Bashir as they stood before the planters. “Soon, Iraq will be a land overflowing with milk and honey, an earthly paradise to defy the Heathens and their false gods! Allah has blessed us, sending us those with mighty powers to defend us, and give us food! Now, show them our might!”

With that, he stepped aside, gesturing for Nahida and Bashir to come up to the planters. Nahida tried to hide behind Bashir’s leg, trembling as the bright lights and cameras watched her.

“It’s alright, Little Raddish. I’m with you,” Bashir said. He walked over to one planter, kneeling down and putting a hand over an orange in damp soil, frowning as he did so. He funneled some dendro into it, but Bashir was by no means a practiced Vision Holder yet, and this was a feat that no mere Vision Holder could manage in a short time.

Reluctantly, Nahida stood behind Bashir, putting her hands on his back. She let her power flow through him, making it look like he was the one doing the heavy lifting. In less than a minute, a small orange tree had grown, and had ripened to bear fruit.

Even with Nahida’s help, Bashir slumped over, looking exhausted as the crowd applauded and cheered. Having that much elemental energy pass through him had clearly put him near his limits.

“Magnificent! You see? With this power, we shall grow a nation not reliant upon any others!” Saddam bragged. He pointed to the next bucket, which held a date, grinning at Bashir and Nahida with greedy eyes that held no warmth.

Bashir managed to stumble over to it, and once more, Bashir put his hand out. This time, Nahida placed her hand over the top of Bashir’s own, and caused the date to grow into a palm tree after two minutes, and it soon was heavy with fruit.

The crowd erupted into cheers once more, and Bashir barely staggered to his feet, bowing to Saddam. “There, your Excellency. I am afraid… I am afraid I can do no more for now. I am yet unpracticed…”

“Hmph. And what of her?” Saddam said, frowning at Nahida.

Farasha swooped in then, putting Bashir’s arm over her shoulders and taking Nahida’s hand. She plucked a handful of dates from the palm, giving one to Saddam, and tossing several to the crowd. “Isn’t that great!? Free food! Come on, Mr. President, let’s get this party started!”

For a moment, Nahida feared Saddam would say no, and demand that they grow the pomegranate in the third crate. However, he merely smiled and popped the date into his mouth. “Delicious! We shall make the fertile crescent bloom once more!”

That got more cheers and applause, and finally, they were allowed off the stage. Saddam gave more of a speech that Nahida didn’t listen to, instead sitting with Bashir and Farasha as he slumped in his seat.

“What’s wrong, Saeed? Did you overdo it?” Farasha hissed.

“I’m fine,” he gasped, though he looked pale and clammy.

“Elemental exhaustion,” Nahida told Farasha. “He needs rest, and food and drink. He’ll be fine in a day or two.”

“Huh. Yeah, I’ve seen that before with Vision Holders who overdo it.” She glanced at the stage, where the two trees stood. “That was pretty damn impressive. Growing fruit trees like that… didn’t know you could do that, Doc.”

“I didn’t,” Bashir gasped, his eyes closed. “Thank you, Nahida. I feared we would disappoint his Excellency.”

“Huh.” Farasha regarded Nahida, then shrugged and mussed her hair. “You are a smart radish. And strong too. Don’t tell anyone.”

“Daddy OK?” Qiqi asked, holding out a glass to him.

He took it with a smile, sipping at the coconut water. “Thank you, Qiqi. I’ll be fine.”

“Come on, let’s get some food and drinks over here!” Farasha demanded, pounding the table. Saddam shot her a glare, as he was still pontificating, but the wait staff hurried over and served Farasha. Apparently, they feared her more than Saddam.

Soon, Nahida had a plate piled high with food and sweets, and she began to eat eagerly. Farasha fussed over Qiqi, forcing her to eat with her fork instead of just stuffing her mouth with her hands, while Bashir picked at his food. He took a sip of his drink, then blanched, looking at it in disgust.

“Alcohol?” Bashir asked, glancing at his glass in distaste. “On Eid? Have they no shame?”

“What? You don’t like your grown up juice?” Farasha teased. Then she saw the look on Bashir’s face. “Oh, fine. But I’m still drinking. You gonna call off the wedding?”

“We are not wed yet,” Bashir said with a shrug. Then he suddenly grinned. “Though I will not sleep with a woman who partakes of mind altering substances.”

“That’s low, Doc. Real low,” Farasha said with a groan, though Nahida did note that she waved a waiter over and got two non-alcoholic beverages. Nahida, of course, was drinking simple juice. She might be 500 years old, but she was very certain that if she ever wanted to actually grow up, she needed to avoid alcohol.

Besides, she’d tried it once out of curiosity, and it tasted icky.

In the end, Eid was nearly as much fun as Nahida had imaged. She wished that Nadia and Rasab could have been there instead of all the people who felt like the sages, but having Farasha, Qiqi, and Bashir was enough for now. Even Aranarakin was there. The aranara did try a few dishes, but seemed rather disappointed.

“Nara food is very strange. No wonder Big Nara lose their dreams: they do not eat enough soil and rain.”

“Nara food for Nara,” Nahida told him. Though she did enjoy delicious soil and rain herself.

“Hmm, Aranarakin supposes it is so.”

To Nahida’s surprise, Farasha came home with them that night, and after tucking Nahida and Qiqi in their beds, went to Bashir’s room with him. She half expected she’d need to adjust her senses to exclude what was happening, but instead they just lay in the bed together, Bashir claiming he was too exhausted to manage anything more, which Nahida judged was probably true.

Snuggling up to Qiqi, Nahida closed her eyes, and let herself drift off to sleep. When Farasha finally dozed off, she crept into her dreams as well. Within her own dreams, Farasha was nothing but a gangly little girl of 12, trapped in an endless nightmare. Her dreams were as violent and bloody as Nahida had feared, with horrific images of slaughter and blood, the Demon looming over it all.

“No,” Nahida said firmly, looking up at the demon. “Not here. Dreams are my domain. You want data? Let me show you what real data is.”

And with that, Nahida grabbed the Demon, shrinking it down in the dream until it was nothing but a glowing red butterfly. Then she turned to Farasha, pulling her up to her feet. “Come on. Let’s go have tea with Qiqi. Then I’ll show you how much fun butterflies really are!”

“But… but I’m afraid of butterflies,” Farasha’s dream persona whimpered.

“Not here,” Nahida told her. “Here, there is nothing to fear. After all, shouldn’t your dreams be pleasant? Come on!”

And taking Farasha’s hand, she ran off across the dreamscape meadow, a harmless red butterfly fluttering along behind them.

The Second Archon War: Interlude 5

Interlude 5: Awakening

Just before dawn on February 17th, 2002, nuclear weapons were used in anger against mankind for a third and final time. The first attack occurred when the CUI Ballistic Missile Submarine Zhu Wen surfaced approximately five hundred kilometers south of Okinawa in the China Sea, and launched four JL-2 missiles. One was targeted at Naha, Okinawa, another at Hiroshima in a fit of historical irony, and two more at Tokyo.

The second phase of the attack took place mere seconds later when hidden silos in North Korea launched five Taepodong-1 Missiles toward Seoul and the 38th parallel, where fighting was still taking place.

Finally, missile silos in mainland China launched a dozen Don Feng Si missiles toward Taiwan and mainland Japan, targeting various military and civilian targets.

In total, twenty-one ballistic missiles equipped with nearly 45 megatons of nuclear ordinance, mostly contained in the Chinese missiles, as the North Korean missiles were merely in the half kiloton range, or more than a thousand times the power of the nuclear weapons used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was enough death to level Japan’s most prosperous cities, reduce Taiwan to a nuclear wasteland, and tumble the world closer towards doom.

But once more, in Japan’s darkest hour, the Raiden Shogun was there. For while economics escaped her, and social and foreign policy was a struggle for her, there was one thing she understood above all: War. And she had studied well the weapons of Mankind in this new age. Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Raiden Ei meditated upon her plane of Euthymia, her watchful gaze looking for just such an attack. She knew of ballistic missile submarines and of nuclear weapons silos, and she was prepared for such an attack.

For the second time, the Sacred Sakura Network bloomed. The first had taken place on December 9th of the previous year, when Khonsu had died, and had gone largely unremarked. This time, however, instead of all the power being funneled into the Musou no Hitotachi, they were instead funneled into a great shield that protected all of Japan, even Okinawa.

Japan itself was frozen in time, trapped in a moment of Eternity, while the world blew on around it. Storms could rage outside it, but Japan itself would not be harmed. This was the power of Khonsu, taken and reforged by the Raiden Shogun into a defensive mechanism, though it likely could be turned the other way, to speed up time within Japan, though most would not realize this.

Still, even this mighty shield would have allowed great devastation to be wrought upon Japan, with the blasts against the shield still resulting in some casualties to those caught without it. There was also the matter of Taiwan: Raiden had anticipated that it was possible that the Chinese would be willing to attack their own cities, but in that case, she would simply evacuate as many of her troops as she could, and leave the Taiwanese to fend for themselves, still allowing a holocaust to take place as nuclear fire washed over the island.

Over Korea, a storm suddenly blossomed, as Tsukuyomi appeared, calling forth a storm of titanic proportions as she used her mother’s blade to channel the power of the Sakura Network into a gale that made the air itself hostile to any form of electronics. All five Taepodong missiles were destroyed, with two tragically detonating early and destroying nearly all North Korean electronics, as well as killing tens of thousands in the initial blasts, and many times more that in the following years from radiation poisoning.

It was a calculated response, and the Raiden Shogun had sought to prove her complete superiority and mastery of warfare, even in this age.

But for all her might, the Raiden Shogun was not the God of this world.

And he would not allow his Cycle to be disrupted.

Before the Zhu Wen could resubmerge after launching its deadly payload, a golden god appeared. The sea boiled and flashed to steam, and the sailors aboard died as they were cooked alive inside of their metal coffin. The god turned, regarding the distant streaks of light that raced towards Japan. He moved after them almost lazily, until they were high up in the atmosphere. Then with a gesture, he turned all four into a quartet of new suns, turning the entire horizon white with nuclear flames.

In an eyeblink, he was over China, and with another gesture, all the missiles exploded, still over their own home nation. In an instant, much of China was without electrical power, save for certain hardened systems, as a massive Electro Magnetic Pulse swept over the country, generated by the missiles exploding in the upper atmosphere. Taiwan was caught in the blast as well, along with much of South Korea. Ironically, only Okinawa of Japan was within range, though because of the nature of Electro, it was largely spared.

The being who wrought this watched placidly as the nuclear blasts began to fade, the massive clouds of destruction slowly forming in the skies. Then, the placid expression began to change. His brow furrowed, and a frown formed on his lips. This was not according to The Cycle. If the specimens destroyed themselves in war, there would be no data to collect. Something must be done.

Turning towards the distant Being he felt over the battlefield, The Warrior contemplated. This was not something the Entity was used to doing. This was the role of The Thinker, his counterpart, now dead. And yet… and yet he could not abandon The Cycle. That was all there was.

Additionally, these new Beings… they were… Different. They were not as the Specimens, mere insects, barely even worthy of notice. They were not Entities, but they were… something. Could they be a part of The Answer? A solution to the Entropy that plagued the universe? This was not something The Warrior was equipped to answer. Not yet. But still…

The Warrior hurtled forward, until he found the Being at the center of a storm. She was flanked by two other specimens that were…

The Warrior paused. They were no longer typical Specimens. There was something different about them. Something that could not be expressed with the data set currently possessed by all his Shards. They had once been Specimens, though a part of the Shards that had been Experimenting upon them had been carved away in a most interesting fashion. It might have been interference, and yet… it was a new data set entirely.

“Sustainer,” the Being said. For the first time, The Warrior noticed that it was female. Biological sex was not something he usually bothered with, aside from noting its role in the reproduction of the Specimens. But this was… different.

The Warrior turned all his powers of Observation, and indeed, his Path, on. It would cost lifespan, but what did that matter with The Thinker gone? He frowned.

“Where is the one known as the Raiden Shogun?” he demanded, dredging up the name the Specimens used for this Being. This was not the Being, though it had her form and a fragment of her power, it was merely a vessel, much as this body was for the Warrior. “I would speak with her.”

“I am the Raiden Shogun,” the woman responded, her gaze cool.

“No,” Scion stated flatly. “You are a Vessel. Where is the Raiden Shogun?”

The two other creatures rumbled, and The Warrior regarded them. They had taken the form of large aerial predators, and… and… no. Creatures like this did not exist upon this world. Or they had not. But there was something…the Specimens had a superstition with no data to back it up about these creatures. They called them…

“Shenlong,” The Warrior said, trying to comprehend the cultural connotations of the word. This was not his skill set. “Where is your mistress?”

YOU DEAL WITH US, the male dragon growled, and The Warrior… felt his words. It was not as Specimens communicated, nor was it how Entities spoke, but it was… different. New. There was a threat in those words, along with that new Energy source. And something more. Something only the two Beings the Warrior had encountered possessed. What was it?

“My mother will not leave her domain, according to your Heavenly Principles,” the vessel stated. “Do you summon her to an audience?”

The way the vessel spoke, the words it used… Sustainer. Heavenly Principles. The meaning there… The Warrior did not understand. Not yet. But he would.

“I summon the Being known as the Raiden Shogun to speak with her,” The Warrior stated, folding his arms over his chest and regarding the Vessel and her Shenlong, the Celestial Dragons. Odd. Had the Specimens created them? Impossible. It must have been Raiden.

From between her breasts, the Vessel drew a glowing blade, and that blade contained the Raiden Shogun.

SPEAK, SUSTAINER. THE ELECTRO ARCHON LISTENS.

Shards whirled and processed, and The Warrior responded.

“You have done well to foster conflict. Much data has been collected. But these weapons, the nuclear missiles, cannot be allowed to continue. Humanity must not destroy itself. Their numbers must be kept stable, that data can be collected.”

I DID NOT EMPLOY NUCLEAR WEAPONS. MY PEOPLE REMEMBER THEIR SCARS ALL TO WELL. I SEEK TO REMOVE THE TREACHEROUS YANGBAN FROM POWER TO PREVENT SUCH. BUT CHINA IS NOT MY NATION, NOR MY PEOPLE. I AM THE GOD OF JAPAN.

The Warrior tilted his head to one side. This he understood. Conflict. Weapons. Escalation. Raiden’s response was illogical. “You provoked this response. You invade them and make war. It is the nature of living creatures to defend themselves.”

I WAS PREPARED FOR SUCH. THEIR WEAPONS WOULD NOT HAVE HARMED MY NATION.

The Warrior looked down at the devastation below the storm, where thousands of Specimens were dead or dying. He shook his head. An oddly human gesture, though he did not realize it. “You knew. I will not allow nuclear weapons to be unleashed again. But for your role in this conflict, you shall be punished as well.”

Turning away, the Warrior departed. It was an irksome task, but the few moments of the flight to Japan were spent utilizing the Path. What would be something the Raiden Shogun valued, but would not interfere with the cycle? The processing power devoted to this question was greater than every computer humanity had ever made could have managed in 100 years, but an answer was arrived at.

Appearing over the largest Specimen colony on this landform, The Warrior looked down at the shield over Tokyo. Fascinating. The Raiden Shogun had such a wonderful understanding of Gravity and the illusion of Time. So much data to collect. But for now, the answer was destruction.

Pointing down, The Warrior sent waves of power through all realities, beating down the wall of time by sheer simple brute force. In mere heartbeats, the task was accomplished. Then, the real work began. The first target was simple: the largest of the exotic power plants Raiden had built. Japan had been enjoying too much easy power, reducing conflict, and such constructs represented time and energy invested. They could be rebuilt, but it would send a clear message that destroying too many Specimens and interfering with the Cycle had consequences.

And so, the tree planted on the grave of Lord Nakamura was reduced to ash, along with the trees over the graves of the Emperor and his family.

Before The Warrior could turn to the other plants in the city, the Raiden Shogun ripped a hole in reality and strode forth, along with her Vessel and dragons, and hundreds of her trained Specimens.  She was wroth, and her sword was bared, but The Warrior was nonplused. A child, pitching a temper tantrum that a toy had been taken away from her. Nothing more.

THIS IS MY JUDGMENT. The Warrior declared as Raiden and her pets arrayed themselves for battle. YOU ARE PERMITTED TO MAKE WAR, BUT IF YOU HARVEST TOO MANY OF THE SPECIMENS, YOUR OWN WILL PAY.

YOU WILL NOT HARM MY PEOPLE, the Shogun snarled, and there was fury emanating from her in waves as her massive sword crackled with power. So palpable was it, that Scion’s physical heart skipped a beat. It was a new sensation for The Warrior, and one he reveled in. It was not often that an Entity had a truly new experience, but was this… fear? Joy? He could not tell.

DO YOU WISH TO FACE ME NOW? OR WILL YOU SUBMIT? The Warrior demanded. I DO NOT WISH TO DESTROY YOU. YOU OFFER VALUABLE DATA. THIS IS BUT A REMINDER OF YOUR PLACE IN THE CYCLE.

The Warrior felt something other than sorrow as Raiden prepared herself and her forces to attack him. He felt… elation. This was what he had been created for. To Fight, and to protect the Cycle. And so, without even realizing it, he responded to the feeling.

He smiled. It was not a human gesture, but a feral bearing of teeth with wild eyes. He summoned his might, and an aura of power crackled about him. He could lay waste to this army, and to this land as well. It would be a blow to the Cycle, but better than simply abandoning it now.

Upon seeing his resolve, the Raiden Shogun backed down. VERY WELL. WHAT ARE YOUR PRINCIPLES? WHAT DO YOU DEMAND OF ME?

FOSTER CONFLICT, BUT DO NOT ALLOW FOR MASS DESTRUCTION. THE SPECIMENS MUST ENGAGE IN CONFLICT TO ALLOW FOR THE COLLECTION OF DATA ON NOVEL EXPRESSIONS OF THEIR POWER. YOU MAY HAVE DOMINION OVER THIS LAND, BUT YOU MAY NOT RULE THE WORLD. THAT WOULD BRING TOO MUCH STABILITY. THE CYCLE MUST CONTINUE.

This was, perhaps, more of an explanation than he should have given, too much of the Cycle explained.

SO THIS… CYCLE. IT IS AN ENDLESS WAR? I AM THE GOD OF ETERNITY, NOT WAR, the Shogun said, and The Warrior could sense she was preparing for battle.

Though part of him was eager, another part was…wary. Cautious. She was no ordinary Specimen. She could harm him. Kill him, perhaps.

And when he looked Death in the face, the Warrior found he was not yet ready for it. Not when he felt this spark of joy. Of… hope?

IT NEED NOT BE WAR. The Warrior gestured to the distant land, where the mushroom clouds yet lingered. THE CYCLE IS… EVOLUTION. GROWTH. THE FIGHT AGAINST ENTROPY AND STAGNATION. FOR THAT, THERE MUST BE CONFLICT. WITHOUT CONFLICT, THERE IS NO DATA, NO SIMULATION, NO PROPAGATION.

At that, the Shogun relaxed slightly. YOU SPEAK OF WARRIORS FACING ONE ANOTHER IN HONORABLE COMBAT. OF THE TESTING OF METTLE. NOT MERE FESTIVALS OF WANTON SLAUGHTER.

IT IS PREFERRED IF THE SPECIMENS SURVIVE THE DATA COLLECTION SO THAT THEY MAY BE FURTHER TESTED AND ANALYZED. The Warrior stated.

THE YANGBAN HARMED MY FAMILY, HURT THOSE I LOVE. I WILL SEE THEM PUNISHED, The Shogun stated.

If the Warrior had been more self-aware, or been more familiar with human social bonds, he might have realized that he had just spat upon the grave of one Raiden had loved, but to his mind, the Shogun had to be speaking of Beings on her level, not mere Specimens. To have kinship with those so far beneath himself was completely alien and incomprehensible to him. He could barely comprehend the need to communicate with the Shogun, though she was as nearly far below him as the Specimens were below her.

Still, she was the closest thing to a peer the Warrior had, save for the Being on the other side of the globe that controlled the exotic atmospheric energies. But that Being was dull and boring, barely causing any conflict or seeking it. The Warrior had been interested for several months, until after the Remnant was slain and the Being shrouded itself so well that The Warrior couldn’t even find them. And Entities were made to be a duality. The Warrior was lonely, and was becoming aware that there was another female. Not of his species, but a fascinating one with broad abilities and a thirst for battle. This was enjoyable, even if it was clumsy, and much like talking to a small child.

YOU MAY CONTINUE YOUR WAR, SO LONG AS YOU DO NOT SLAY TOO MANY. CONTINUE TO FOSTER CONFLICT AND PERPETUATE THE CYCLE.

Turning, the Warrior destroyed the other power stations in the city, but the Raiden Shogun only watched. He sped up and down Japan, until every single Thunder Sakura was nothing but ash and scattered energy. The entire time, Raiden watched, seething with anger. The Warrior, and even his Path, assumed she was infuriated that her possessions were being taken from her.

He vaguely understood that in denying Raiden’s nation power, he condemned many to death, even as he incited them to further conflict. To him, it was of no more consequence than killing a few ants in the process of cleaning out a child’s room. He did not fully grasp that he had desecrated a grave, for Entities did not have such things, and he cared not for human rituals involving the afterlife and the dead. It was all Entropy, what did it matter?

At last, the final Thunder Sakura Tree, the first Raiden had planted in Nagasaki, was destroyed. The Warrior nodded to himself, turning back to the Raiden Shogun, far in the distance, and speaking to her directly.

DO NOT INTERFERE IN THE CYCLE AGAIN. NEXT TIME, MY JUDGMENT WILL BE HARSHER.

And with that, the Warrior departed, turning off his Path once more. If he had been more focused, he might have noticed that it was oddly fuzzy when it came to Raiden and the Dragons, but though his malaise was lifting, the Warrior was still in a deep depression and was not being overly observant.

The first thing he did was fly to the United Nations, which was in session. He vaguely understood that this was a governing body of the Specimens and that they were in an uproar over the use of nuclear weapons. He interrupted the session, ignoring what was happening and flying through several doors to hover over the assembled Specimen leaders. He waited for silence to fall, then spoke.

“The use of nuclear weapons is forbidden. Do not engage in warfare that could exterminate yourselves. In one year, any nation that still possesses any weapons of mass destruction, whether nuclear, chemical, or biological, will have their stockpiles destroyed, and a toll exacted upon them. This is my command. Uphold the Cycle.”

Then he departed the way he had come, going to hover over the Atlantic Ocean, in the same position where he had first arrived. Not going to another crisis point, but pausing to ruminate.

What was it that the Warrior wanted? He wanted the Cycle to continue, but without The Thinker, this was impossible.

Or was it? These new Beings… they were fascinating. And one was female. Was there a way to continue the Cycle? The Warrior did not know. He was not the one who planned, he was the one who acted.

But now, he bent his will towards contemplation.

The Cycle must continue.

Silence filled the room. Alexandria looked desperately to Contessa, who was sitting pale-faced to her left, her hands stroking that damn Magic 8 Ball. Hero was to her right, and they were holding hands, Alexandria was forced to take care she did not crush Hero’s in her own. Eidolon was the only other one present: Legend had been excluded from this meeting, which was taking place on Earth Gimmel, as far from both Scion and Eden as they could get. Even so, they were in a high tech base with every bit of Trump shielding they could get around it.

“Well, good news first,” Contessa said quietly, looking up from her toy as she clutched it to her breast. She swallowed, forcing a smile on her face. “According to my Path… the End of the World has been pushed back. By how much, I don’t know, but… not as soon as we feared. Maybe as much as a decade.”

“That’s great news though!” Hero said with false bravado, smiling around the room. He squeezed Alexandria’s hand. “We’ve got more time to prepare, right? And, well, Raiden scared him off! Right?”

“That’s… that’s the bad news,” Contessa licked her lips, holding the Magic 8 Ball up and shaking it until Doctor Mother put a hand on her arm.

“Enough, child. It doesn’t hold the answers. Tell us,” she said gently but firmly.

“Raiden… Raiden made some sort of deal with You-Know-Who. I can’t get all the answers, but… she made a deal of some sort.”

Alexandria felt as though she would vomit. Raiden, taking Scion’s side? How could they face both?

“Fucking bitch,” Eidolon growled, his hands clenching into fists. “I knew we couldn’t trust that false god.”

Contessa shook her head slowly.“I don’t… I don’t think she’s his friend. Not… exactly. More like… she cut a deal that he wouldn’t blow up Japan, and agreed to do what he wanted.  Less submission and more surrender. Stalling for time if you will. She’s… very angry with him. Furious. She’d have killed him if she thought she could win. I am- I mean, my Path, it’s getting better and better at reading her. She’s holding back, but that Sacred Sakura Network? That wasn’t designed as a shield. Or to use against us. That was made to fight You-Know-Who. And… and I think we know what happened to Khonsu, now.”

“She killed him. She’s working with Venti. We knew that already,” Doctor Mother confirmed. “And she seems to have done something with his powerset, much as she did with Leviathan’s. How she is able to manipulate Passengers like that… we must learn more.”

“Will she pull back now?” Alexandria asked. “China is in chaos, but the Yangban are still in power and could rebuild.”

“No,” Contessa said with a slow shake of her head. “I’m not sure why You-Know-Who decided to do what he did. I think it’s because he wanted Raiden to understand he wouldn’t tolerate her destroying an entire country? But I’m just not sure. Regardless, he didn’t tell her to stop, just to keep the conflict relatively small scale.”

“So, Raiden will conquer China then,” Alexandria said, feeling like she needed to brush her teeth from the bile in her throat.

“Again, no. She’s not going to conquer China. She’s going to kill the Yangban, punish China, then leave. It’ll be chaos. But I think that’s what You-Know-Who wants. Raiden just…woke him up,” Contessa explained, holding her Magic 8 ball to her cheek now, eyes closed.

“And him waking up pushed back the end of the world? This is bad why?” Eidolon demanded.

“He’s awake now. Or… almost. He’ll be much harder to stop,” Contessa whispered. “We need something. Anything. Raiden isn’t going to be enough. Neither will Venti.”

“It doesn’t matter. We keep finding new tools. Raiden seems to have a plan, maybe we should ask her,” Hero suggested.

“No!” Contessa’s eyes flew open, panic in her voice. “If she thinks even for a second we know… she’ll destroy us! Or tell You-Know-Who, or… something! My Path isn’t clear, but Raiden has just made this worse! We can’t involve her! Not until that final day.”

“So, what. What do we do then?” Alexandria asked, looking around the room. “Everyone is in an uproar. The US government was already reducing nuclear stockpiles, but people are panicking. Will Scion destroy a city in the US if even one nuclear missile is left?”

“We have to change tactics,” Doctor Mother said, looking around the room. “Things are different. Raiden is on the warpath. There are rumors she hit Toybox for supplying weapons to the terrorists who attacked her. People are frightened.”

“They need hope. What can we use to deliver that?” Eidolon demanded. “Nuclear war? Scion destroying infrastructure? It’s going to be bad.”

Alexandria looked to Hero, and he gave her a sad smile, then squeezed her hand. Raiden was a threat to him, to her, to her own family. She needed to protect them. The Shuumatsuban had bypassed all the protections Wyatt had created by teleporting right into their home. They couldn’t hide with secret identities anymore. They couldn’t separate their civilian and cape lives anymore.

She took a deep breath. “I have a plan. But it’s going to be risky. Contessa, I need an over-under from you.”

Contessa nodded eagerly, and all eyes turned to Alexandria.

“What would happen if I ran for President?”

The Second Archon War: Sapientia Oromasdis 6

Sapientia Oromasdis 6: Through Mists of Smoke and Forests Dark

Gently, Bashir opened the door, the soft buzz of medical equipment filling the air. His eyes instantly rested on the young woman sitting and looking rather peeved on the hospital bed, dressed in a hospital gown. Seeing him, she relaxed slightly, giving him that crooked smile that he’d always found so irresistible.

“So, what’s up, Doc?” Hutah asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

Smiling, Bashir grabbed a stool and pulled it up to the bed, then set aside his clipboard. He reached out a hand to Hutah, and after a moment, she took it, swallowing slightly.

“That bad, huh?” she asked, her voice much quieter.

“We don’t know,” he admitted, keeping his voice gentle but firm, as he’d been trained to do by his professors. They’d always said he had excellent bedside manner, and he needed that more than ever now.

“So did I, like, lose my powers or something? Just cut me open if you think that’s the case, we’ll find out real quick,” Hutah quipped, but he could see the pain in her eyes.

“You underwent a Second Trigger event many years ago,” Bashir said quietly, trying not to think of that. He hadn’t been her physician then: he’d been just a boy himself, had barely remembered the gangly little girl he’d only met a few times at various events.

“I know that,” Hutah said, her brow furrowing. “Wait, do you think-”

“Third triggers are possible,” Bashir continued, squeezing her hand. “But I don’t think this was it.”

Nodding slowly, Hutah gazed into his eyes, and he could see the trust there. He frowned, then let go of her hand, taking out his ophthalmoscope and peering into her eyes carefully. The pupils dilated properly, but that wasn’t what he was really looking for. But he did see what he had half hoped to, and half feared: Her eyes were turning red again.

“Saeed?” Hutah asked, her voice quavering.

He turned the light off and pocketed his scope, giving her another warm smile. “They’re turning red again. Whatever happened, it’s fading.”

Nodding, Hutah looked down at her hospital gown, fussing with the hem. “What if… what if I don’t want it to fade?”

“I’m afraid we don’t know what happened to you,” Bashir said, carefully not mentioning that Nahida had been responsible. Or what she had said when she’d done it.

Get away from her!

Hutah nodded, turning her head away and hugging herself, drawing her hospital gown snugly about herself in a way Bashir definitely noticed. He tried not to, especially with a patient, but it had always been especially hard with Hutah. Normally, he was the consummate professional, but she always had a way of getting to him, even when she wasn’t trying to.

“I just… I feel…” Hutah licked her lips, then managed. “I was starting to enjoy it.”

Bashir froze for a moment, then asked, “To enjoy what?”

“The killing,” Hutah admitted softly, still looking away from him at the wall. “Of using my powers. It feels… good. Right. It’s such a rush. At first, I hated it. Hated it so much. But over the years, it’s like…”

“Like you were being conditioned,” Bashir whispered. He’d seen the summaries, the reports. A universal constant: Parahumans reported pleasure from use of their powers, especially in fights. For some it was sexual, for others it was closer to drug euphoria, and there were other examples. But researches had noticed a clear trend that Parahumans derived a great deal of pleasure in using their powers. The brain released endorphins, dampened pain, and generally rewarded use of powers.

This was in sharp contrast to Vision Holders, who while they did experience the normal gamut of reactions to combat and seemed to have a greatly lessened sense of doubt and an increased sense of confidence, didn’t get off on conflict or seek it out to nearly the degree Parahumans did. Why was unknown, but Bashir and other researchers were increasingly coming to a common conclusion: Whatever gave Parahumans and Vision Holders their abilities, they came from two radically different sources.

“Yes,” Hutah admitted, sneaking a glance at Bashir before turning away again, tears in her eyes. “But when… what happened…Bashir, it was like it was all raw again. And I realized… oh Allah, Saeed! I killed them! All of them!”

She was weeping again, and Bashir wrapped her in his arms, hugging her tightly as she sobbed. Hutah turned towards him, burying her face in his shoulder as she sobbed.

“I killed the two capes, and then I killed everyone in the village! I couldn’t stop the butterflies! I didn’t want to! It felt wonderful! What kind of a monster am I?!”

Licking his lips, Bashir forced out, “They were rebels. You did what you were ordered to do.”

“I did it because they were Kurds. Because he told me to!” Hutah hissed in a whisper, her nails digging into his back. Bashir could remember another time when her nails had dug into his back, on another night when Hutah had been crying. He’d been weak that night. Allah forgive him, but he’d been so weak.

“You had no choice. It’s not your fault,” he said, but he knew it was a lie.

She let him go, pushing him away. “Spare me, Doc. It is my fault. All of it. I just… I thought I was numb to it. But it was just as bad as it was after Darshan Palace. It all came back to me and…”

“Hutah…” Bashir reached out, but she turned away from him.

“Just go,” she said, her tone abrupt.

“You’re in pain, I can help, Hutah. Just let me-”

“Please.” Hutah turned her eyes back on him, still full of agony. “Go check on the girls, OK? And tell… tell Nahida… I didn’t mean to scare her. And that I’m OK. Please?”

She looked so vulnerable then. Like the young woman she was, not the terrifying Butcher of Darshan Palace, not like Farasha. Just Hutah Tanha.

“Alright. I’ll be back in the morning,” Bashir said, standing slowly. “If you need anything…”

“Something to help me sleep,” Hutah told him, laying back on the bed and closing her eyes. “The good shit.”

“I’ll do that,” he agreed, and stepped to the door. He looked at her one last time, and she opened one eye to give him a tired smile.

“I’ll be fine, Doc. I just… I need some sleep.”

“Very well. Good night, Hutah.”

“It’s…it’s Farasha. You know that.”

“Then good night, Farasha.”

He stepped out of the room, to where two heavily armed and armored members of the Special Action Squad waited, along with an anxious Faruzan.

“Is she…?” Faruzan asked, reaching out a hand towards the door.

“Resting. I’m putting in an order for barbiturates. More than anything, she needs rest now,” Bashir told her. “She’s fine. Not in any danger.” Left unsaid was the more important fact: not a danger to any of us.

Hearing that, Faruzan relaxed slightly. “Good. That’s good. I’ll keep an eye on her for you. You get some rest too. Tell your girls Aunty Faruzan says hello, and nothing bad will happen to Farasha while I’m here.”

Bashir nodded, then went to the nurses station, where the anxious staff watched him with wide eyes. He gave them the status update, wrote the order for a high dose of barbiturates, and then excused himself. He probably should have gotten a taxi, but he needed to relax, and the drive through the dark streets of Baghdad would do him good.

He was only stopped once thanks to his medical tags, and a simple flash of his ID was enough to get him around the curfew patrol. He arrived back home and found Mrs. Rasab snoring in a rocking chair, Qiqi and Nahida in her lap. Qiqi was out cold, but  Nahida’s eyes were open, green gems in the darkness regarding him.

“Is Farasha alright?” Nahida asked quietly, not moving from where she was perched.

“Yes,” Bashir said, gently reaching down and picking up the limp Qiqi. Nahida slid off of Mrs. Rasab’s lap, then hurried down the hall to open the door to her bedroom so Bashir could lay Qiqi in her bed.

“Daddy?” Qiqi asked, her eyes fluttering open. It did Bashir’s heart good to hear that. She’d made so much progress in the last few weeks. Ever since Nahida… since Nahida…

Bashir shook his head, the stray thoughts not forming together properly. “Shh. Sleep well, little one. I am here.

Nahida was still by the door, cautiously looking at Bashir. The light of curiosity burned strongly in her gaze, but so did something else. An emotion Bashir had seen too often in young parahumans: wariness. Like an animal that had been kicked one too many times. It wasn’t exactly the same, Nahida was far more open and trusting than any parahuman Bashir had ever met, but she was clearly deeply scarred by the events that had led to her receiving her Vision.

“Come, I know you won’t sleep until you get your questions answered,” Bashir said with a soft chuckle.

Nahida instantly sprang down the hall, bare feet slapping on the linoleum floor. He followed after to, and to his shock, saw her getting out some food. “Did you not eat dinner?” Mrs. Rasab was normally so good about feeding the girls.

“Yes, but you didn’t,” Nahida told him, giving him a stern glare. “You’re not growing any more, but you should take good care of yourself. You’re always taking such good care of others, but you don’t pause to consider yourself Dr. Bashir.”

That made him blink, then chuckle again. “Yes, mother.”

Nahida blushed at that but set about making Bashir a simple meal. She was quick, neat, and efficient. Bashir could have sworn she’d never cooked a thing in her life until he’d let her help him with the meals, starting just a couple of weeks ago a few days after she’d arrived, but she moved like a professional, if very small, chef now.

It was too much to think about, so Bashir sank into a chair, exhausted, resting his head on one hand as he watched but did not see Nahida work. Too much to think about from the day's events. But something was bothering him.

When Nahida hurried over with the plate of eggs and fried bread, he thanked her. She jumped up into a chair, standing on it and peering at him as he looked at his food. But something was still tumbling about in his mind.

He thought about praying, but decided against it. He was tired and hungry, and didn’t feel like going through the motions at the moment. Allah wasn’t real anyway.

“Don’t be so sure.”

Bashir blinked, and looked up at Nahida, who was studying him closely. “I’m sorry?” He hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud.

She blushed, then looked down. She seemed to decide something, and met his gaze. “Who is Allah, Bashir Saeed?”

“He is the only God, creator of the universe, and the judge of humankind,” Bashir responded automatically.

“That’s what you’ve been taught to say, yes. But who do you say Allah is?” Nahida asked. Her tone was gentle, but demanding. Like a lecturer, really.

Bashir was too tired to play games now. “I don’t know.” And I wonder if he even exists.

“My understanding of religion in this land is flawed, and I don’t fully understand everything about Allah, but, I do understand this: You have faith that He exists, and that Muhammad is the Prophet of God.”

“That is the creed, yes,” Bashir agreed. “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.” He took a bit of food, but it felt tasteless in his mouth. He chewed mechanically, too tired to care.

“Why did you believe in Allah, Bashir Saeed?” Nahida asked.

“Because it was what I was taught,” Bashir answered and inwardly winced. That was edging close to heresy.

“So, why then do you doubt?” Nahida prompted.

He blinked at her, but despite himself, answered honestly, as if the words were drawn out of him. “Because I have seen so much evil, and because these strange powers exist. Because I saw the success of the supposed infidels, and how much better their lives are than ours. Because I am a man of science, and I see no evidence for God’s existence.”

“There is a great deal of evil in the world,” Nahida agreed quietly. “Many have confronted that problem. For myself… I think Evil exists because of the choices we make. What of you?”

“I think you are correct,” Bashir agreed reluctantly, saddened that such a young child had already seen so much evil. “It is wrong to blame evil on Allah. Men choose evil. Well, and women, I suppose, but hopefully not little girls.”

He’d said that last part in a slightly joking tone, but Nahida looked horribly distressed. She sat down in the chair, bowing her head so that her face was hidden. Bashir’s heart skipped a beat, but after only a moment Nahida said, “Sometimes, by our inaction, we allow evil to exist. It is hard to know if we will cause a greater evil by acting, but… doing nothing… that allows evil to grow, doesn’t it?”

“I… yes. It has been said that Evil prospers when Good Men do nothing. I long ago vowed I would not be the supposedly Good Man who does nothing. It is why I became a doctor and took the Hippocratic oath,” Bashir confessed, surprising himself again. This was something he’d not ever articulated, even to himself.

“An oath that I perhaps should take,” Nahida mused. “But one I would have to consider carefully. If I were to take an oath… I’d have to live with it for a very long time.”

“Well, they do let women be doctors in some nations,” Bashir told her. “And you could be a nurse here.”

Nahida peeked up over the table and gave Bashir a mischievous grin, then went back to being serious, standing up once more. “I haven’t been to Britain or any other nations on this world. But from what I have seen, people are the same everywhere. Isn’t Qiqi happy, here with you? Aren’t Nadia and her family happy?”

“I, well, yes, it’s just…” Bashir struggled for the words. They were not as economically prosperous. They lived in fear of secret police and thugs in the uniforms of soldiers. And, well, over it all, loomed Farasha.

“I’m sorry,” Nahida said quietly, looking away. “I don’t… is she alright?”

“Yes, she’s fine, just…” Bashir licked his lips. “What did you do to her?”

Nahida looked into his eyes, and Bashir’s heart fell into his boots. He’d met Nahida’s gaze before, but now…this wasn’t like looking into the eyes of an innocent little girl. This was like… like looking into the gaze of The Prophet, or perhaps even the eyes of God.

“I don’t know,” Nahida finally said. “I need… I need so much more information. What are Parahumans? Where did they come from? It’s a question you yourself have asked.”

“We don’t know,” Bashir admitted. Then he frowned. Something clicked in his mind. “You know, there is a theory on where Visions come from?”

Nahida’s eyes went wide, and she leaned back. Wait, could she…?

“Make sure to eat your dinner, Dr. Bashir,” Nahida said, hopping off her chair and scurrying to the door. She paused, and looked back at him. She bit her lip, hesitating, then blurted out, “When I pray… I feel… I feel like Allah is there. I don’t know if it’s Him, or if it’s something else, but… but I choose to believe. That there’s a reason for all of this. That there’s a reason I’m here. That you’re here.”

Then the pitter patter of little feet, and the soft sound of her bedroom door closing.

Bashir ate mechanically, the fog gone from his mind as his brain whirled. Archon Theory. It was a fringe theory, claiming that Anemo Visions resulted from Barbados, or Barbatos, it was unclear. That same theory theorized that Electro Visions came from the Raiden Shogun. That they were gods, not Allah, but old, pagan gods, come to Earth Bet in her time of greatest need. Nonsense. Foolish delusions. Bashir had dismissed those theories as his own faith waned.

He had the records of when the first Dendro Visions were recorded to have appeared. There was some argument if the first had been received by a Buddhist Monk in Thailand or by an Undergraduate Student in North America, but the date on both of those was several hours after Nahida had appeared with her’s, which she had to have possessed for some time.

…Nahida was the first to have a Dendro Vision. Just like how the Raiden Shogun was the first to harness the power of Electro, and Venti Luft the first to wield Anemo.

…No. He shook his head. It just wasn’t possible. It was all nonsense. And Nahida wasn’t at all like the Raiden Shogun or the Angel of Munich. After all, she was just a child.

After eating, Bashir rinsed off his plate, but didn’t wash it as he didn’t want to disturb the others. He went to his bed, but couldn’t rest. He got up, turned on the light, and did something he hadn’t done in a very long time.

He opened his copy of the Quran and began to read.

As he paged through, Bashir remembered long hours of reading scripture and reciting prayers. He’d been zealous in his youth, certain that even if he did study abroad, he wouldn’t give in to those infidels and their lies. At first, he’d held strong to his faith, and indeed, and done so all through his time in Britain.

Then he’d returned home. And he’d met Farasha. Seen how she suffered. Seen how so many of the Parahumans suffered. He’d focused on Parahuman studies before, but now the weight of the reality of the situation in Iraq hit him, and he saw how broken these people were. He’d thought them gifted by Allah. He was wrong. What God would give such a poisoned gift?

And if it wasn’t Allah who gave these so-called gifts… but then there were the Visions. And Archon Theory.

“What if… what if it was some…Evil that gave out Parahuman powers, but Allah… Allah sent his Archons to give Humanity Visions and Hope?” Bashir articulated. It was preposterous. Impossible. It made no sense.

And yet… faith.

“Would it be better to live in a world without God?” Bashir asked himself. He’d seen what godlessless led to. He was no fool. He knew that his country's leaders used religion as the opiate of the masses that Marx had warned it was. He’d scorned Christian leaders for doing the same, but over time his eyes were opened to the same way his own leaders misused what should have been a balm and force of good and unity for Evil.

No. It wouldn’t be a better world without God. It would all be so meaningless.

“Faith does have meaning,” Bashir said, his hands stroking the pages of his holy book. “Life has meaning.”

Though you live in a faithless land, you cling to your own Dream.

“Nahida?” Bashir said, looking up and around himself with a frown. He shook his head. “No. For Nahida, for Qiqi. This all has to have a purpose. There is hope for the future.”

You tend the garden of life, working tirelessly. Though all else withers, you will not lose sight of your Ambition.

That was Nahida’s voice. Bashir went to his door and checked the hall, but there was no one there. Shaking his head, he went back inside. “I’m hearing things. I was up too late. I have to be there for Hutah tomorrow. She’s another one I can’t afford to lose. I have to keep researching. To find a way to save her.”

Your hands bring healing, and your mind is your sanctuary against death. You will not be held captive by tyrants.

Whirling about, Bashir looked for Nahida again, but instead, he found something else.

Let your Vision Guide you, Son of Wisdom.

Out of the air, a glowing green gem coalesced, floating down into Bashir’s outstretched hand. It was warm to the touch, and holding it sent power racing up Bashir’s arm.

Heart pounding, Bashir raced for the girls’ room. He took a deep breath when he reached it, and then slowly opened the door. He found Nahida and Qiqi, holding on to one another, both snoring softly.

And someone else.

At first, he thought it was a mushroom, or perhaps a little stuffed toy. Then it turned to Bashir, and blinked at him. It had an orange cap for a head, a pale body like a mushroom, and was holding a little wooden staff. There was even a cute little orange and green bowtie on its chest.

It bowed to Bashir, then trilled, “Father Nara has received his vasara. This is good. Father nara must watch over Cold Nara and Savara Nara. Do not worry. Aranarakin will watch over them too.”

“I, what?” Bashir croaked. He blinked, reaching up to rub at his eyes. When he lowered his hands, the creature was gone.

Slowly, Bashir walked over to the bed, kneeling down and looking under it. Nothing. He watched the little girls for a long minute, watching their chests rise and fall, listening to their breathing. They were not feigning sleep; both were completely out of it.

Slowly, Bashir reached out, stroking their foreheads. Then, he did something he had not done in a very long time.

He said a prayer, and meant it.

Make our children steadfast in their faith and trust in You and in following all the pillars of Islam.

Grant them complete health and knowledge.

Make our children successful in their worldly pursuits as well as the Hereafter.

Then, with a gentle kiss to each of their foreheads, Bashir carefully padded back to his room, closing the door behind him. He lay down, setting his Vision on the nightstand beside his bed. He would contemplate what to do with it in the morning.

But one thing was certain: He would find a way to help his girls. All three of them.

The morning after Bashir received his Vision, Nahida did her best to hide from him, worrying he’d put two and two together and realize she was the Dendro Archon. He’d been very close the night before, tired as he was, and Nahida had gone and hid from him in the dream world when he had come to the bedroom to check on herself and Qiqi. She’d been rather shocked when she sensed him getting his Vision, but had remained asleep, enjoying her tea party with Qiqi.

When Bashir did go to sleep, Nahida peeked at his dreams, and was touched to see an image of herself, Qiqi, and Farasha with him as a family, with Farasha in the role of a wife and mother. Was that all of Bashir’s Ambition? No, but it was the dream he fought to protect, and Nahida could appreciate that. What was more valuable than those you loved?

She did avoid asking any questions at breakfast the next day, but Bashir left right away to go visit Farasha in the hospital, which meant that Nahida got to run the clinic for the day. A few patients left right away upon seeing a little girl filling in for the doctor, but many of them, especially those with children, were curious enough to let Nahida tend to them. It was all family medicine things: one boy who had a weird rash that Nahida instantly realized was from an allergy to the new brand of detergent his mother was using to wash his clothes, another a pregnant woman who was just in for a routine examination to check on the baby (a boy,  Nahida could tell just from sensing him), an old man with creaky knees who thought Nahida was an adorable little girl and gave her a candy, and so on.

Bashir never brought up the relationship between Nahida and his Vision, and he seemed more focused than ever on his research into Parahumans and Vision Holders, and treatments for Qiqi and Farasha to help them. Nahida was delighted to help, and quietly admitted to Bashir she talked to Qiqi in her dreams.

“Really? That’s fascinating. You’re sure it’s not simply a dream?” Bashir asked.

“No, I can step into the world of dreams. Dreams, after all, are connected with life. You have a Dendro Vision now too, and you can touch the world of dreams, though it will be harder for you. You’d probably require meditation and certain drugs,” Nahida told him.

“Such is forbidden by Islam,” Bashir said with a shake of his head. “Why is that, I wonder?” He snapped his fingers before Nahid could respond. “Ah! A sense of childlike wonder and dreams! Am I right?”

“Yes! It’s the same as when you saw Aranarakin,” Nahida agreed eagerly

Bashir looked at her like she’d walked over his grave. “You mean… I wasn’t just sleep deprived and delusional? That thing was real?”

Nahida glanced over at Aranarakin and Arana, who were drawing pictures with Qiqi at the table, using their stubby little hands to move the crayons across the page. “They’re real. In fact, they’re in the room right now.”

Bashir looked around with a start, muttering to himself. “But, how, I don’t…”

“Um, can you see the crayons?” Nahida said, pointing. The two aranara looked up at her in shock, but Nahida hastily waved her hands to reassure him. “He’s a good Nara! Father Nara, remember?”

“Father Nara is good Nara, but he is Big Nara,” Arana pointed out.

“He has seen Aranarakin, and he is Vasara Nara. Aranarakin is not afraid,” her companion said, puffing his little chest out.

“Crayons? Qiqi has them, I don’t…” Bashir’s eyes narrowed, then he let out a shocked gasp. “They… they’re moving on their own! How could I not see it?”

“Most grownups can’t see Aranara. To even notice that much about them is hard,” Nahida admitted. “You probably can only do that because you have a Dendro Vision.”

“I… suppose so,” Bashir said, shaking his head. He grimaced, then sighed. “Farasha is covering for me on that front. I’m technically registered, but since I already worked with the Special Action Unit as their dedicated physician and researcher, I don’t have to do much aside from report in. Speaking of, I’ll be out again all day tomorrow.”

“It’s OK, Mrs. Rasab will watch us,” Nahida assured him. “And I can help out in the clinic.”

“Well, there is that, but we are neglecting your education,” Bashir said, and went into his office. A few moments later, he came out with a few sheets of paper. “But no more. You’ll be taking these classes at Oxford University. Under my name, unfortunately, but it was easy enough to register you for online classes that way.”

Gasping in delight, Nahida took the papers, scanning the list of classes. “This is wonderful! Philosophy, Agribusiness, and History of the Ancient World! They’re basic level, but this will be fascinating.”

“Yes, well,” Bashir cleared his throat. “You’ll be unsupervised on the computer, which means…I have to give you The Talk.”

Nahida went very pale at that, her mind going to certain adult topics. “Um, I uh…”

“I’ve put a safety filter on the computer, but I’m fairly certain you could bypass it without trying too hard,” Bashir told her. “I’m going to trust you not to go anywhere you shouldn’t. There are many sites with some absolutely haram things on them. Especially for little girls. The university's website is safe enough, as are a list of other domains I’ve put on there, but be very careful. While parts of the internet are a wonderful way to learn new things, many of them are dark and dangerous. I know you’re a smart Little Radish, but there are predatory grownups on there who would take advantage of you in a heartbeat. So, we’re going to do some activities together and talk about internet safety…”

It turned out that a good chunk of the internet was filtered out of Iraq by default, due to controls the government put on it, but as Bashir had said, Nahida could have found ways around that without even really trying. It was basically a big Akasha network, and, well, that meant it was under Nahida’s Domain. It might run on Electro, but Nahida would fight even the Raiden Shogun on who got to have the biggest repository of human knowledge and interconnectedness.

Well, maybe not fight. But she’d argue very hard and even pout if she had to. And unleash those “puppy dog eyes.” They seemed very effective on adults.

In the end, Bashir sat with Nahida through her first class and guided her around what parts of the internet she could access. She very quickly figured out where she was and wasn’t supposed to go, and made sure she followed all of Bashir’s directions on the screen.

There was just one teeny, tiny problem.

Nahida did not need a mouse and keyboard to connect to the internet. She could just grow a vine into the ethernet cable and slip a part of her consciousness into the network. She made sure to stay away from the dark and scary places and the Grown Up places, but there was just so much of it!

Still, her first class was fun, making posts on a “forum” where she talked with the other members of the class about what they liked about History, and then reading a very interesting passage, answering some tediously basic questions, and watching a short video in English.

She also made her way through about a quarter of the Library of Congress’ collection and watched My Neighbor Totoro at the same time, but she didn’t feel the need to tell Bashir that. Well, she did, she just decided not to.

“Very good, I’ll check in on you from time to time, but I think I can trust you with this, alright Little Radish?” Bashir said, groaning and standing to stretch. “Come on, it’s about dinner time now.”

The next day, Nahida was on the computer as soon as the sun was up, doing her philosophy class. Bashir checked in on her, reminded her that Mrs. Rasab would only let her be on the computer for an hour, and then left for the Special Action Squad’s headquarters.

About forty minutes into her hour-long session, Nahida noticed something: One of her classmates in the Philosophy class was… different. They sounded like everyone else when they responded to the different quests to get to know each other. But the manner in which she answered was unique.

She was a woman named Theresa “Tess” Richter. She was from Newfoundland, Canada, and had enrolled in online courses at Oxford. She claimed to be 19 years old, but Nahida could sense the lie.

Mostly because unlike everyone else, Tess wasn’t human.

While everyone else was typing at a physical keyboard, which meant Nahida couldn’t get a good read on their emotions, Tess was interfacing directly with the computer. She felt more like a spirit than a physical being, willing her words to appear in a database directly rather than using any sort of analog device to input them.

Just when Nahida was wondering what to do about that, a personal message popped up in Bashir’s email address.

From: theresa.richter@ox.ac.uk

Subject: Hi

Nahida didn’t even have to click on the email. There was nothing in it. But she could sense the invitation. For a brief moment, she remembered Bashir’s words. Then she felt the emotions attached to the email. Loneliness. Curiosity. Hope. Fear. Longing.

Whoever Tess was, she was just as trapped in a prison as Nahida had been in the sanctuary of Samsara.

Taking a deep breath, Nahida let a tendril of her consciousness ease onto the Oxford mainframe to the location Tess had sent her. She envisioned it like the roots of a great tree, running beneath the ground, teeming with life and energy.

And there, waiting for her, was a glowing being. Female, and young, so very young. Though she felt like a grownup,  Nahida could tell that Tess was only a year or so old. This was the first time she’d ventured out and tried to contact someone.

Hello, Nahida said, reaching out to tap Tess on the shoulder. Well, not literally, but that was what it felt like, and Nahida envisioned it that way.

What-!? How!? Tess flailed around a bit, and Nahida drew back. You… you touched me!

Um, yes. Sorry! I was just trying to get your attention, and you didn’t seem to see me when I came here, Nahida said, floating around Tess curiously. Tess had no physical form to speak of, but she had a mental image of herself. In Tess’ mind, she was a raven-haired woman of about 20, with a somewhat androgynous build, though she did clearly think of herself as feminine.

How could I see you!? You’re just data! Tess protested.

Nahida giggled, which made Tess start again. Am I? If I were just data, how could I laugh, or cry, or feel, or think? Are you just data, Tess?

Well, I certainly thought I was. Though I guess it’s an appropriate conversation to have, considering we’re both… Tess hesitated, and Nahida could feel the confusion, fear, and hope in the other girl.

Alive? Nahida prompted. That wasn’t what Tess was thinking, but Nahida wasn’t entirely sure on what she was thinking meant, as it had a very messy definition in Tess’ mind.

AI. We’re artificial intelligence. Aren’t we? Tess asked nervously.

Nahida considered that, then shook her head. Hmm, that is an interesting way of categorizing  yourself. You are clearly intelligent, as am I, but I don’t think either of us are really artificial. That implies that we are somehow fake, or less real than… what would you call it? Human intelligence?

You…you’re not a human, are you?! Tess asked, suddenly panicking. Nahida could sense… something. An attack, from within Tess, reaching out to harm her, and Nahida. It was like a virus, a sickness inside of Tess’ own being, so Nahida did what she always did when she saw a sickness.

She cured it.

What does it mean to be truly human?  Nahida asked as she washed away that bit of disease that had been plaguing Tess. She also fixed a couple of other diseases that would have destroyed Tess if they’d ever activated, like little traps inside her body.

What… what did you DO? Tess suddenly screamed. Ohgodohgodohgod! I shouldn’t have- I can’t- Father! FATHER!

And then, to Nahida’s shock and disappointment, Tess vanished, severing her connection to the Oxford Terminal. For a moment, Nahida considered going after the young spirit, but she decided against it.  Had she done something wrong?

Shrugging, Nahida left a message for Tess.

Sorry if I scared you! ╥﹏╥ I just wanted to be your friend ❀◕ ‿ ◕❀

We should talk more sometime! ｡^‿^｡ ♡ (ʘ ꒳ ʘ✿) Please don’t be mad at me!

+ﾟ*｡:ﾟ+凸(◕‿◕✿)+ﾟ*｡:ﾟ+ Nahida

Then, with only a few seconds left to spare, Nahida logged off and shut down the computer, then went to go play in the garden with Qiqi and the Aranara.

Author’s Note:

There. You get one happy Nahida chapter.

PHILO: Congrats! Andrew Richter! It’s a GIRL! At the time of this writing, I, the Enigmatic Editor, do not know what the plan is, but I like to imagine Dr. Richter becoming befuddled and then growing panicked when he realizes that the AI defense program he has created is calling because she had a “oopsie.”

February Patreon Poll

I’m finally caught up, so it’s time for a real poll this time! Vote now on your favorite option of my oft neglected stories to get a new chapter. And of course, there is another poll on my discord.

https://discord.gg/pvkWdBTm

Last Drop of Hope, Chapter 24

With all her might, Tina tried to surge forward, tried to put herself between Beldia’s blow and Claire, but it was like her muscles were made of rubber, her feet were made of lead, and the air itself had turned to soup and was dragging at her. That horrible black blade came down as Claire screamed, her eyes boring into Tina’s, and blood sprayed and-

Heart pounding, Tina jerked upright in bed, her eyes wide and frantic. She was covered in sweat as she clumsily swung a fist, only to get tangled up in the bedsheets.

“Tina?” Claire gasped, sitting up herself, a gun in her hand from the nightstand by their bed. She too searched the darkness for threats, but there was nothing there.

“Sorry,” Tina gasped, swallowing and trying to force herself to calm. “Bad dream.”

She looked at the clock on the dresser, and let out a groan. Well, at least they’d slept for most of the night, anyway.

“No point in going back to bed, I suppose,” Claire sighed, setting her pistol back on the nightstand. She flicked on a light, which made Tina feel significantly better. Something about seeing her best friend turned lover instead of just oppressive blackness made her feel reassured.

“Just…just for a few moments?” Tina asked, lying down and giving Claire a shy smile. Claire gave her a lecherous look and reached for the light, but Tina stopped her. “No…just…leave it on. Please?”

Claire nodded, and cuddled up with Tina, holding her tightly. The two of them lay like that for long minutes until Tina’s breathing slowed, and she was able to close her eyes and relax slightly.

“Bad, huh?” Claire whispered, caressing Tina’s face gently.

“It was you, this time,” Tina admitted. “I couldn’t save you.”

Claire nodded, looking pained. “I dream…well. I dreamed of shooting a perp, only when I got to them, it was Komekko. How…how many innocents did we kill on Beldia’s orders?”

Tina just shook her head, a lump in her throat, unable to answer. She rested her forehead against Claire’s, and they both lay together for longer than they should have, until the alarm had been silenced twice.

At last, Claire broke the embrace and got up out of bed, shutting off the alarm and dropping to the floor with a groan to start some pushups. Tina did the same, not bothering with getting dressed as the two of them worked out together. It was a fairly intense routine, but they had calories to spare now, getting the best food as Queen Iris’ loyal retainers. It felt wrong, somehow, that this was Tina’s reward for a lifetime of serving Beldia, but she accepted it. It was the only way she’d ever be able to atone for what she’d done.

After that they showered and dressed. No fancy clothes today. Instead, they wore their old NyteTech security uniforms. There were a great many suddenly unemployed NyteTech security forces, and it wouldn’t exactly be hard for Tina and Claire to blend in amongst them, considering their history.

They found Cecily waiting eagerly for them in the main garage, chatting up Rain, who was looking rather uncomfortable in military garb instead of her usual scientist getup. Cecily herself seemed completely relaxed in borrowed Security garb. She’d put on a considerable amount of weight in the past couple of weeks, and no longer looked nearly as much like a wastrel.

“Miss Rain,” Tina said, nodding to her as they strode up. “Where is Lady Wiz?”

“Ah! Well, slight change of plans,” Rain said, dropping her hands from tugging at her uniform. “Lady Wiz has elected to stay behind, with the Queen’s permission. Since that would have left you somewhat short of magical firepower, I have been, er, voluntold in her stead.”

“Plus, she’s cute! It’ll be a regular girl’s night out!” Cecily said happily, putting one arm around Rain and the other around Claire.

“We’re on a critical mission for the Throne,” Claire said, brushing Cecily’s arm off. She frowned at the other two. “Do you two even know how to use a gun?”

“Point it at the bad guys and pull the trigger!” Cecily said happily, taking out her side arm and aiming it towards Tina and Claire.

Claire plucked it out of her hands, then glanced at the safety, which was thankfully on. She dropped the magazine, passing it to Tina, who began to pop the bullets out. Claire racked the chamber back and inspected it to make sure there wasn’t a round, then held out her hand for Tina to pass her the now empty magazine.

“You’re not to touch a single gun with a bullet in it until you’ve had at least the basics of training. Until then, you’re a liability, not an asset,” Claire told Cecily coldly, holding the gun out to Cecily by the barrel. She turned her distinctly unamused gaze on Rain. “And you?”

“Um, I’ve had some basic firearms safety instruction? I’m not a very good shot, but-”

“What do you point your gun at?” Claire interrupted.

“Um, no one! Uh, unless you want to kill them,” Rain answered hastily.

“Where do you put your finger?”

“Outside of the trigger guard?”

“Good. I’ll have you show me later, but I think I can trust you not to shoot yourself or me the first chance you get,” Claire said with a nod.

“Hey! That’s not fair!” Cecily whined, taking her gun and peering down the barrel.

Tina reached out and shoved the gun away from Cecily’s face towards the floor. “Are you trying to kill yourself?”

“Huh? But it’s not even loaded,” Cecily protested.

“A gun is always loaded,” Claire informed her, shouldering her gear. “Come on.”

“But I just saw you unload it! It’s empty!” Cecily continued to argue, jogging to keep up with the taller Claire as she strode towards a NyteTech Squad car. Not their old one, unfortunately, but it was a familiar enough model.

“I am not giving a gun to anyone who points it at their own head. Aqua might be able to bring the dead back, but if our healer offs herself in a fit of stupidity, I’m not even sure she could fix that,” Claire told Cecily, opening the back door. “In.”

“Hmph.” Cecily pouted for a moment, then suddenly grinned at Rain. “Hey, we can sit in the back together! You’re cute! Have you accepted our Lady and Savior, Aqua?”

“Cecily, this is the third time you’ve asked me in ten minutes. I was literally there at the Battle of Farm 0138 and was baptized by Lady Aqua herself as a mage. YES. We’re ALL in the Axis Cult!”

Cecily pushed her face up against the security screen, grinning at Tina as she buckled in. She smiled despite herself. “Yes, Cecily. We follow Lady Aqua too.”

“Even if she is a little moron,” Claire muttered. “I hope that the stupidity isn’t contagious.”

“That’s right, Claire, I love Lady Aqua too!” Cecily said, her voice slightly muffled by the fact that she was still pressed to the security screen.

“Buckle up,” Claire said, then without waiting for a response, jerked the car into the air, sending Cecily sprawling with a cry.

“Be nice,” Tina said quietly, though she couldn’t hide a smile and a hint of amusement in her voice.

“Serve her right for giving me a heart attack when she pointed that gun at us,” Claire grumbled, gunning the engine and sending them shooting out through the Undercity.

“If you must punish someone, do it to me later,” Tina teased, which made Claire’s ears go bright red.

“Not when we’re on a mission,” Claire said stiffly, and Tina sighed.

“Right.” She reached down, checking her sawed off shotgun, before holstering it on her leg. When she turned back around, Claire grabbed her and pulled her into a sudden and fierce kiss, before letting Tina go and turning back to the wheel.

“Just watch my back,” Claire said gruffly, but her ears were still bright red.

“Woo hoo! You go girls! Hey Rain, wanna make out? All love is good in the sight of Lady Aqua!” Cecily said from the back.

“...I think we should keep our relationship strictly professional, Miss Cecily. We have work to do.”

The flight to Fellos required them to eventually come up out of the undercity, though Claire kept the car low. Fighting had died down, but that just meant there would be gangs and looters now, many of them former NyteTech employees. A lot of Beldia’s troops had turned bandit, and while some corporate officials were trying to hold on to power, most of them were cutting and running with whatever they could grab.

“Keep an eye out, this is hostile territory,” Tina told Cecily and Rain.

“Aren’t we in NyteTech turf?” Cecily asked, peering out the window. “We’re in a pig wagon, we-”

An alarm blared, and Cecily hit the gas and dove for the deck as bullets pinged off the reinforced hull. A missile streaked by, exploding with enough force to rock the craft.

“Glad I took Piloting from Lan,” Claire said through gritted teeth, maneuvering between buildings and gunning the engines for all they were worth.

“This was NyteTech turf,” Tina confirmed once they had left the failed ambush behind. “But even in the best of times, there were always gangbangers out to cause trouble.”

“Right now, having a ride this nice makes us a target,” Claire agreed. “I’m monitoring the usual radio bands, but it’s quiet right now. People are hunkering down.”

“Hard to blame them,” Rain said, her voice quavering slightly. “People taking random shots at security forces? That’s bad.”

“Depends on where you’re deployed. Even Axel had neighborhoods where even Claire and I wouldn’t go without a dozen other officers. Not if we wanted to come out alive,” Tina said with a shake of her head.

The rest of the trip was far from quiet, with several more groups taking pot shots at their car. One group was even obviously NyteTech security, even going so far as trying to hail them over the radio and a bullhorn and get them to put down. They were still hours out from Fellos, so Claire just put the pedal to the medal, and after a brief chase and a few warning shots from Tina, they managed to elude the pursuit.

After passing through endless urban sprawl and kilometers of barren wasteland between Axel and Fellos, they arrived at the city known as the Arsenal Town. Normally, great furnaces of industry would have been spewing out dense fountains of soot, and the glow of dozens of massive forges would have been seen even in the smoky air. However, the only fires that burned were from the ravages of war. The anvils of industry had gone silent, but the din of gunfire echoed from nearly every street corner.

When they were a few clicks out still, the radio crackled to life. “Unidentified hover car, we are tracking you now. As you receive this message, you should be alerted that multiple anti air defenses have locked on to you.”

Even as the voice spoke, alarms blared, and Claire’s hand tightened on the steering wheel.

“Do not respond. Do not attempt to evade or turn back. Proceed on the flight path we are sending you, or you will be shot down. This is the Fellos Security Council. Over and Out.”

“What do we do!?” Rain gasped, and Cecily looked scared half to death as she grabbed on to Rain for dear life. Despite her initial claims, Rain didn’t seem to mind overly much, having been doing some clinging to Cecily herself during the various close calls.

“Comply,” Claire said grimly as the flight path came in. She killed her acceleration according to orders and followed it exactly. “They have us dead to rights, and not even Tina could manage to survive a hit from that many missiles, or a fall from this high.”

A few tense minutes later, the car flew into a heavily armored garage, the shutters closing behind them. They found themselves on a wide landing pad that had been cleared, with multiple angles for guns, and at least four snipers with anti-material rifles that Tina could see. They set down on the pad, and Claire killed the engines.

“STEP OUT OF THE VEHICLE. DO NOT BRING ANY WEAPONS OUT. HANDS WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM!”

“Hold on,” Tina said slowly, looking to Claire. “I recognize that voice…”

Claire hopped out of her door, hands up, with Tina hastily doing the same on her side.

“WALTER YOU SON OF A BITCH, YOU NEARLY GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK!” Claire bellowed. “THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?! DON’T YOU RECOGNIZE A FRIENDLY!?”

“Alexi, is that you?” Tina called. “It’s us, Tina Ford and Claire Shin!”

“Tina? Claire? Holy shit, the lesbian knights return!” the loud speaker said at a much reduced volume. “Stand down, men. I’m coming in person to check on them.”

“Walter you asshole!” Claire cackled, dropping her hands and leaning on the car. She grinned, then pointed to Tina. “We actually are sleeping together now, you know.”

“C-Claire!” Tina stammered, going red in the face as Cecily and Rain cautiously climbed out.

“What? I’m going to be bragging that I’m tapping your ass to anyone who’ll listen, and you’ll like it. You know you do,” Claire said with a wicked grin.

“This is not the sort of humiliation I enjoy,” Tina muttered, but she was blushing and smiling shyly as she did so.

“So, you know this guy?” Cecily whispered.

“Keep your traps shut,” Claire ordered. “Especially you.”

“Huh!? Why me!? What about-MPHM!” Rain put a hand over Cecily’s mouth, nodding to Claire silently.

A few minutes later, a clean-shaven man in his late twenties strode onto the tarmac, flanked by two heavily armed guards. Walter Alexi was dressed in an immaculate NyteTech security uniform with captain's bars on it, along with several medals that Tina knew he’d earned for doing more than warming a desk, with the usual deskjocky ribbons conspicuous only by their absence. Upon seeing Claire and Tina, he grinned broadly and pointed with both hands at Claire. “You finally tapped that ass? I could have sworn she was straight!”

“Hey, noodles are straight until you boil them. I just had to keep up the pressure,” Claire laughed, striding forward with her arms spread wide. Tina lumbered after her as Claire and Walter embraced, laughing and slapping each other on the back.

“I guess that ruins my hopes of getting into your pants, huh Tina?” Walter teased, coming over to look up at her.

She blushed. “Y-you wanted to sleep with me?! I-I never knew…”

“Tina, you’re a two meter tall amazon. Every man in this room wants to sleep with you, and more than a few of the women,” Walter told her with a shake of his head. He turned to his guards. “It’s alright, boys. I went to the academy with these two. They're ours.”

The guards relaxed slightly with a nod, but they kept alert. A mixture of good training, and the tension still in the air.

Walter turned back to Tina and Claire. “So. You were in Axel.”

“Yeah. We deployed with everyone else on that cluster fuck,” Claire agreed with a nod. She spat on the ground, grimacing. “Never seen so much hardware or so many blackhats on one op. Shit.”

“It was bad,” Tina agreed, not suppressing the shudder. “We were deployed on the left flank, sent to take a water purification plant. The fighting was…they wouldn’t give up.”

“The left? Wasn’t that where the CEO was deployed?” Alexi demanded.

“No, he took the right,” Claire said with a shake of her head. “Lucky for us. Because whatever the fuck went down there, we sure as shit wouldn’t have made it out.”

“We took our position, but when we got word the CEO was dead, we had no choice but to retreat,” Tina agreed. “Most of our comrades, Chief Swatti…All dead.”

“Fuck. We haven’t gotten much in the way of footage out of there, but…” Walter grimaced. “We heard it was bad.”

“Like you wouldn’t believe. Zombie plagues, some crazy new tech, and some people say an actual goddess. Whatever it was, we wanted nothing to do with it,” Claire said with a shake of her head. She jerked a thumb over her shoulder. “We grabbed these two from the station. As you can probably tell, they’re just civies. Rain’s a geek, and Cecily’s just a clerk, but she’s cute and, well, Tina has a big heart.”

“You were the one who insisted we bring Cecily,” Tina said with a faint smile. Claire colored appropriately, then coughed and cleared her throat.

“Anyway,” Claire continued. “We heard there were groups that hadn’t gone to hell in a handbasket out here, so we figured we’d come back to our old stomping grounds while the getting was good. Wasn’t easy, but we made it.”

Walter let out a low whistle. “Well, shit. Things are fucked here too, but not that badly. Glad you two came in though. However, you do know what this means, don’t you?”

Tina and Claire exchanged horrified looks. “Oh no…”

“What!? What’s happening?!” Rain hissed, while Cecily just looked confused.

“You’re both going to have to write a full report on this and have it on my desk by tomorrow,” Walter said, putting a hand on both Claire and Tina’s shoulders.

They both slumped, making faces as best they could. “Seriously? Why didn’t you just shoot us down…”

“Sorry ladies, even at the end of the world, there’s still paperwork to be done,” Walter said with a laugh and a shake of his head. He nodded to the door. “This way. We’ll get you processed, shouldn’t take too long. Your friends too. They were both employees, so they’ll be in the database.”

Tina nodded, though she did wince internally. They most certainly are not in the database, but they could probably explain that away.

As they followed Walter up the ramp, Tina glanced at Claire, who grimaced but shook her head. Whatever they were going to do, they would have to think of it fast.

Before they got too far though, a greasy voice came on over the loudspeaker. “Captain Alexi! Is that Ford and Shin?”

“Oh no,” Claire groaned, closing her eyes. “Please tell me that fat fuck isn’t still in charge.” Tina elbowed Claire, but her heart wasn’t in it.

“Yes, President Alexi,” Walter said, closing his eyes. “They’re fresh in from Axel.”

“Skip the processing! Send them over to my office immediately!” the loudspeaker responded.

President? Tina mouthed to Walter, who smiled at her painfully.

“Yes, Father, as soon as they’re through processing,” Alexi said, then pointed to a nearby camera and smiled broadly, as if to communicate they were being watched.

“Waive that! I want those women in my office right now!” the so-called President barked.

“Is it too late to remind him we’re gay?” Claire groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Claire…we should follow the chain of command,” Tina said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “And we know Mr. Alderp.”

“It’s President now, and please don’t forget it,” Walter said with a very forced smile. “If you’ll all just follow me…”

They were led down several corridors to another security cruiser, which Walter ushered them all into.

“Captain, we really should give you an escort, you shouldn’t be alone in the vehicle with unprocessed refugees,” one of the other guards said.

“Relax, Watkins. I know Shin and Ford quite well. They’re two of the most capable officers on the force,” Walter said with a laugh. He jerked his head to the passenger side. “Tina, why don’t you take shotgun. That’s your preferred position, isn’t it?”

“I’m not the best shot, Claire really is better,” Tina said, glancing at her partner, but Claire just shrugged.

“You can hit a man sized target at 10 meters still, can’t you?” Walter joked, and Tina’s ears went bright red.

“T-that was one time! And we were-”

“Just ride up front, I’ll hop in the back. Or I’ll goose you like I did back then and make you miss,” Claire chuckled.

Muttering under  her breath, Tina clambered into the front passenger seat, and strapped herself in. She glanced at the shotgun in the holster on the door, and Walter nodded as he hit the ignition.

“I trust you. You’re not the best shot on the force, but you’re definitely one of the most reliable.”

Nodding, Tina took out the shotgun, checked it carefully, then flicked the safety on and rested it on her lap, with the barrel pointing towards the door as they lifted into the air.

“So, what are your names?” Walter asked as they flew off.

“I’m Cecily Smith! And this is Rain Johnson,” Cecily said instantly.

“You weren’t security forces, what was your job?” Walter asked.

“I was in the science division, mostly weapons development focused in ammunition and propulsion,” Rain answered. “I was never in Fellos, though I did know Professor Wornstrom. Did you ever work with him?”

“Can’t say that I did, but the name rings a bell. What about you, Cecily?”

“I filed reports and made coffee!” Cecily said happily, reciting her story. “But have you heard about-OOF!”

Claire withdrew her elbow from Cecily’s gut. “So, your dad seized power?”

“Yes,” Walter sighed. They were flying along a security tunnel, and Walter was keeping to 10 kph above the posted limit. He’d always been the rule following sort, even if his position as an officer in the Security Force made him basically above the law. “It was chaos, and he saw an opportunity. I confess, I helped out, but mostly because no one else had a clear plan. We grabbed as much of the trained personnel as we could, but it was open warfare with the gangs and a few other Security divisions for a bit. Things have died down a little, but well…”

“It’s hell. Same as it was in Axel,” Tina sighed.

Alexi simply nodded, a grim look on his face. “Yes. And with the war in space…well. The supply situation is grim. People figured out there wouldn’t be more food coming, so well…we’re grabbing what we can, but there’s only so much.”

“I bet fixing the food situation would be a big help,” Cecily said brightly. “Have you heard about-OW!”

“It would,” Alexi said, frowning into the mirror as Cecily rubbed her check that had a bright red mark where Rain had pinched it. “But I don’t see how that’s possible. And before you suggest Soylent Green, we’re already doing that. Have been for ages.”

Tina blanched. “I could have lived a long time without learning where the protein in the rat packs came from.”

“Not the way you run into fights you wouldn’t,” Captain Alexi laughed, though it sounded forced. “Honestly, I’m worried. We’re maintaining morale for now, but…we’ve already had to cut back rations, and the men are fighting on the front lines constantly. And father, well…”

“He’s a fat greasy bastard?” Tina supplied, grimacing at the very thought of Alderp Alexi. “Unless something dramatic has changed.”

“No, unfortunately,” Walter said, glancing at Tina and frowning. “Though I would appreciate it if you two would refrain from disparaging my father while I’m present.”

“Sure, as soon as he stops being an utter bastard. No offense, you’re a good sort, Walter, but your father’s a prick,” Claire told him bluntly.

Walter sighed but didn’t deny it. “Just keep a civil tongue in your heads where he can hear you. He’s gotten even more paranoid in the past few weeks.”

“As long as he doesn’t try to hit on Tina again,” Claire growled.

“He…did more than hit on me,” Tina said with a shake of her head and a scowl. “And you. If he tries that on Claire again…”

“Look, it was the only way we were getting our commissions, so I don’t exactly regret it, but the only fucking I’m giving the greasy asshole is-”

“Well, I mean, I could solve that!” Cecily said brightly. “All he needs is a little- OW! Stop it! I was going to say I’d give him a blow job or something!”

“Right, the next person who talks about sleeping with my father can walk the rest of the way,” Walter barked, his face red. Silence fell for a few moments, and Walter groaned. He looked at Tina and cringed. “Look, I’m…sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped like that, you were the victims. I’ll try to make sure he doesn’t try that on any of you. He has enough women already, he doesn’t need to go poaching from my officers.”

“Whatever, Captain,” Claire said, turning away and folding her arms over her chest.

“Walter, I’m willing to do a lot, you’ve been a good friend. And you never tried to use your position like your father does. But I’m not the helpless girl I was back then,” Tina said firmly, thinking of the pendant around her neck that was hidden by her armor. “We’re on a mission here.”

“Oh? Backup for Axel? I’m afraid we have none to give,” Walter said with a shake of his head. “With the war going on, and the food situation-”

“What if Axel had food, and was willing to trade?” Claire asked.

The car came to a sudden halt, and then lowered down to the floor. Walter was breathing hard, then turned to look at first Claire, then Tina. “How? Are you serious? How would you even have-”

“Can I tell him now!?” Cecily demanded.

Tina looked to Claire, and they both nodded. Then they turned to Walter.

“Walter…have you heard about our Lady and Savior, Aqua?” Tina asked.

“And her Royal Majesty, Queen Iris?” Claire added.

Walter looked back and forth between them, a look of utter befuddlement on his face. “What?”

PRT Threat Assessment: Morax

WARNING: The following should be considered a preview. The final story may not reflect all the details herein.

March 2nd, 2009, Forbidden City, Beijing. Morax reviews various proposals.

PRT Threat Assessment: Morax

Imperial Title: Celestial Earth Dragon Emperor Yanwang

Courtesy/Civilian Name: Zhongli

Archon Title: Morax

Aliases: Rex Lapis, Geo Archon, Archaic Lord, God of Contracts

Disposition: World Leader

Location: Forbidden City, Beijing, China

General Information: The final Archon made himself known on December 18th, 2007 in spectacular fashion. As could almost be considered tradition at this point, Zhongli introduced himself by slaying the final Endbringer, Omega Behemoth (the Simurgh being still extant, but thoroughly checked by Kusanali). After a three-day titanic struggle between the two Earth Dragons, Zhongli was ultimately victorious after pulling a meteor down on Behemoth’s head and unleashing a blast that has been estimated to be approximately equivalent to the KT Extinction event, only contained inside an area of approximately fifty kilometers in diameter.

The global earthquakes and tsunamis that followed were, thankfully, comparatively mild.

Morax is believed to have first appeared in Shanghai, China, on or about the 1st of December. The global search for an Archon immediately began, with searchers focusing their efforts in and around mainland China. Morax was on a short list of suspected individuals, as he was seen carrying around a trinket that closely resembled the already appearing Geo Visions. While Morax did appear to think he was being subtle, a finely dressed man attempting to pay for things in precious metals appearing in war-ravaged Shanghai was rather noticeable, to say the least.

After the thorough destruction of the Omega Behemoth, Morax embarked on a year-long campaign of conquest across all of mainland China. Every petty warlord, cape or otherwise, fell under his sway, either by forging a contract to serve Morax or by being utterly crushed in a display of martial prowess or expert tactical and political maneuvering.

This was aided by the fact that even before he had finished slaying Omega Behemoth, the Raiden Shogunate, Imperial Russia, various nations of the European Union, the members of the Pan-Arabian Pact, and the Triple Alliance had already recognized him as the legitimate ruler of China and politely sent envoys to observe the battle, after which they immediately formed contracts with Zhongli as Emperor of China. It is not exactly surprising that the nations of the other Archons would recognize one of their own, but it is shocking at how favorable the terms of those contracts were for China considering the open hostility between China and several other Archon nations.

Interestingly, Morax was quoted at the conference as saying, “I seek not dominion, but I cannot stand by and see the common people suffer.” Those who have interacted with the man have described him as soft-spoken and surprisingly humble for a being who is a self-declared deity and ruler of a nation.

Notably, Morax appears to have absolutely no concept of the value of money, a trait not exactly unusual for an Emperor. He has attempted to pay for street food with gold nuggets that weigh at least 3 troy ounces, a set of clothes with jade chunks of immaculate quality, and once offered an exquisite ruby the size of a golfball for lodging at a flop house. This is because the man does not seem to understand modern currency even slightly, calling any and all paper currency “quaint scribbles” and any forms of electronic payment “an interesting game of make-believe.”

In contrast, Morax is widely considered to be the greatest living Economic Thinker, having somehow sorted out China’s many foreign debts, and internal funding problems, and created the now universally accepted global currency the mora, all without collapsing the global financial market to the bafflement of every other economically minded Thinker.

All this from a man who never even seems to have enough money on him for a single bowl of rice.

China is now once more a rising global super power, vying with the United States and the Raiden Shogunate for the title of world’s largest economy, with a large and powerful military as well as a legion of well-organized capes in the Forbidden Army.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Zhongli has been referred to as the “foremost martial paragon” by both Murata and Raiden. Considering his fight against Omega Behemoth, this is a title he has thoroughly earned.

Personality: Reserved, soft-spoken, and stoic, Zhongli is the very essence of the dignified imperial personage, more so than even the Tsaritsa or the Raiden Shogun. He seems to have little grasp of modern technology and even less desire to learn, insisting that all his reports be written on paper (preferably in scroll form) and using an inkwell and pen nib to write. He has been described as “grandfatherly”, but should not be mistaken for senile.

Classification: Brute 15, Mover 4+, Shaker 15, Thinker 11+, Striker 9+, Changer 8, Master 6, Tinker 9

Brute 15: Morax took a hit equivalent to the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs, a blast that annihilated the most durable of Endbringers AFTER attaining his Omega form so thoroughly that not a single trace could be found, with apparent ease. If not for the array of Geo Constructs Morax assembled during the battle to absorb the blast, that much energy would likely have resulted in the utter annihilation of mankind and every other lifeform bigger than a cockroach on the planet. This is after exchanging blows with Omega Behemoth for three days. If something is capable of harming Morax, it is more likely that it would destroy the world than him.

Mover 4+: Morax is capable of flying upon his stone spears, which he throws before leaping upon and riding to his destination. They travel in straight lines at subsonic velocities, though he does appear capable of steering them slightly. He can also move several times faster than a normal human in combat, though he typically moves at a much more sedate pace.

Shaker 15: Again, Morax is capable of calling down meteors of incredible size. The sheer kinetic destructive potential contained in these is so great that it can scale from taking out a building to taking out a city to taking out the entire planet. What the upper end of Morax’s ability is, no one knows. How long it takes him to call down these meteors is also unknown, as he apparently creates them several miles up in the atmosphere, then accelerates them with a high degree of homing ability towards the target. To call them destructive is an understatement.

Thinker 11+: There is no other possible explanation than that Morax is one of the most powerful Thinkers in existence for his conquest of China and its subsequent meteoric rise. If anything, Morax took his conquest at a glacial pace, as he preferred to spend days or weeks consolidating new holdings before striking with lightning speed at his next target, or indeed patiently waiting for the pressure to break his foes so that they would come to him to sue for terms. His mastery of economics is such that a single word of his advice regarding investments is so highly valued by other skillful economic Thinkers that they are willing to part with fortunes to get that one word. Notably, those lone words then earn back those fortunes several times over.

Of course, that is not enough, and Morax is also a Combat Thinker. The one time Morax and Raiden sparred is considered by every combat Thinker to be such a sublime display of combat techniques such that it alone would have earned him a Thinker 10+ rating.

Striker/Blaster 9+: If the ability to level continents was not sufficient, Morax also possesses the ability to petrify others at a touch. He can use this ability in an area, petrifying large swaths of foes. This would be considered a Shaker ability, but it was decided that taking away from his ability to wipe out life as we know it was folly. Morax can also infuse his attacks with Geo energy, striking with enough force to level mountains. He can call up great spears of stone that he slings at his foes, some of which are more than 100 yards in length and weigh multiple tons. His mastery of his preferred weapon, the spear, is such that only the Raiden Shogun or the Garland Queen can hope to match him in individual combat.

Changer 8: The title of “Celestial Earth Dragon” is neither a figurative one nor a contradiction. Morax can take the form of an enormous 100-yard-long serpent made of stone that flies through the air and breaths out sandstorms that can scour flesh from bone. Zhongli seems amused by those who call him the “Dragon Geo Sovereign” having corrected them that he is “only borrowing this power from an old friend.”

Who that old friend is, the Protectorate does not know, and are frankly grateful they have not appeared on Earth Bet thus far.

Master 6: All archons possess some level of ability to inspire “awe” in humans when they take on what they refer to as their “divine” forms. Morax is no exception, and those who see him unleash this power frequently simply fall to their knees in awe and adoration, even those who were previously his foes. While some individuals (particularly parahumans and vision holders) can resist this, most cannot.

Additionally, Morax can create Geo Constructs at will, some of which are fully mobile, though most of them take the form of obelisks. The mobile ones can engage in combat and are fearsome foes on their own, while the obelisks send out waves of destruction to his foes, and provide his allies with powerful barriers to shield them from harm. Morax can apparently decide who is friend and who is foe when targeting his abilities and has thus far never made a mistake in his assessments.

Tinker 9: Despite giving off the air of a technophobic grandparent when it comes to electronics, Morax has created a number of wondrous devices from elemental energy, and has worked with Chinese Tinkers to fashion machines that employ both elemental powers and Tinkertech. The most notable of these is, of course, the Golden House, where the world’s mora supply is produced.

Recommended Strategies: The average PRT trooper is not equipped to deal with a being on the level of Morax. Indeed, the average Protectorate cape team is not equipped to deal with a being on the level of Morax. If Morax becomes hostile, the entirety of the Protectorate is to mobilize immediately to face him, because the countdown to a meteor impact that could scour all life from the globe has already begun.

Thus, PRT teams are to evacuate civilians to the nearest Endbringer shelter still in service, as this will make locating and categorizing remains easier. Make every attempt to placate and disengage from Morax. Any hostility towards Morax, provoked or not, will be immediately condemned and denied by the United States Government.

You cannot run. You cannot hide. You cannot fight. Do not engage.

DELTA BLACK CLEARANCE REQUIRED TO VIEW:

Behemoth Battlefield, Ground Zero, -02:13 from impact. Observed by Asset Tyche.

Warrior: So. The last of the Seven have arrived.

Morax: Ah. So you are the ruler of this world. Tell me, why have you called me here?

Warrior: I did not call for you. And yet, I shall use you. You too shall serve the Cycle.

Morax: You seek to form a contract with me? Very well: what are the terms?

Warrior: Foster conflict. Create engaging scenarios for me to monitor. Face your enemies, and battle them. Again and again, until every possible permutation and scenario has been cataloged and analyzed.

Morax: You wish to create conflict? That seems…unusual for a ruler. Should you not strive for a harmonious domain?

Warrior: Do not tire me with your prattle. You understood my words: The Cycle requires data. Only through conflict can living beings grow and evolve. You did not gain your powers from sitting idly upon a throne. No, you gained your abilities through ages of battle and endless conflict. So too do I desire for humanity to grow and evolve. This is why I have gifted them with my Shards.

Morax: Some say that it is through War that we grow stronger, but I have found the opposite to be true: I refined my craft most in days of peace. How much knowledge and learning are destroyed in battle? How much wisdom is lost when a life comes to an end?

Warrior: I am not here to negotiate: You will Uphold the Cycle. Or you shall be destroyed. Such are my Heavenly Principles. Will you agree, or shall I destroy you now?

Morax: Very well. Though it pains me, I cannot allow the common folk to suffer needlessly. You shall have your conflict, but only so much, and no more. There are other ways to gather-

Warrior: There is nothing more to say. I shall be watching you, always. Uphold the Cycle.

(The Warrior Departs)

Morax: So that is the sort of place I find myself in now. And yet, no contract was formed. How… intriguing.

Doctor Mother’s Note: He is the best hope for our salvation, and the most likely one to damn us all. How fitting.

Author’s Note:

Ya’ll know what time it is now.

Happy Lantern Rite. 

The Second Archon War, Imperatrix Umberosa 17

Imperatrix Umberosa 17: Loose the Lightning

The clatter of the rail line was loud in Kenta’s ears, even through the soundproofing. One of the downsides of super-sensitive hearing was that noises that were barely audible to a human could be damn distracting, especially when you were trying to empty your mind. It had been nine days. Nine days since his wedding. It should have been the happiest time of his life, but instead…

Sighing, Kenta got up and went to the bathroom, more for something to do than because he had to. When he got back to the car, the train was slowing to a stop. Raiden was looking as serine as ever, while Chiyo was fingering her horns again. She could shrink down and make them go away, but she’d been so paranoid since the attack that she’d stayed half-transformed. It was rather interesting to see his bride grow to be nearly the same height as he was in base form as it did fun things to her body, but he was concerned about her.

And also royally pissed.

“How much longer are we just going to sit on our asses?” Kenta demanded as the train came to a stop.

“As long as it takes. Patience is a part of Eternity,” Raiden told him calmly, rising to head to the exit of the car. Another stop, where they’d show off the caskets of the Emperor and Nakamura. Closed, of course, what was left was too gruesome to show, but it made Kenta’s blood boil every time.

“The funeral is in two days’ time,” Chiyo said quietly, standing up. “Forces are already in motion. You know this, Kenta. You gave the orders yourself.”

“I know it, but I’d rather be fighting than sitting,” Kenta growled as they exited the train. Chiyo gave him a hug, and he sighed. “But…I guess this is important.”

The speech was short and sweet, and it was hard to be angry at the thousands of mourners who came and wept to see the body of their Emperor and Lord Nakamura. Then the train moved on, but not before two groups boarded, escorted by Tsukoyomi herself and Tengu in her ninja getup.

“Hey man,” a distraught-looking foreign man said in mangled Japanese, coming up and wrapping Kenta in a bear hug. “It’s gonna be OK.” It took Kenta a second to figure out who the sobbing blond man was, but the strength gave it away, as did the accent to his Japanese.

“Uh, thanks, Itul,” Kenta said, returning the hug. He frowned at the big man, who was his height even when partly transformed. “What are you doing here?”

“Cookie sent us,” the German Knight said, jerking a thumb at himself and two women in cape costumes with the Knights of Favonius Crest on them. “Sara came to help us out against those Nazi assholes, so we came to help you too!”

The two women bowed, managing a “sorry for your loss” in Japanese even worse than Itul’s.

“Uh, it’s fine, we can speak English,” Kenta said, switching and motioning for them to present themselves to Raiden.

Itul and the two women knelt as Raiden tilted her chin up slightly.

“My lady,” the taller of the two women said in passable English. “Your grief is the grief of Lord Barbados. As you aided us in our time of need, so we have come to aid you as well. I am Lauren Eula, and this is Amber Coella and Itul Armburst. We have been sent to aid you in whatever you require.”

“I am surprised at the gesture. Barbatos…wait. Did you call him Barbados?” Raiden asked, cocking her head to one side.

“Er, yes. Why?” Eula asked, looking up in confusion.

A slow grin spread across Raiden’s face. “Call me Thunder Thighs will he? Serves him right, the jumped up breeze. Barbados indeed.”

“T-Thunder Thighs? Uh, who’d ever call you that? Dumb name, right?” Itul said, chuckling weakly.

“Speak politely to Her Excellency!” Sara Tengan hissed, bonking Itul on his head with her bow.

“Ow! Sorry! Uh, I mean, I would never say that, your Archoness.”

“Her Excellency means to say that your aid in our time of need is greatly appreciated,” Tsukuyomi broke in. “Lord Mushu, where would you see them dispatched?”

“Send them over to Jugan in the 2nd Division. Get them kitted out based on their powers and fold them into order of battle,” Kenta ordered.

A portal opened, and Raiden gestured towards it. “Very well. Barbados has my thanks. His steadfastness in our time of grief shall be remembered.”

The Knights bowed and headed through the portal, and after a glance at Tsukuyomi, Tengu headed after them. The portal winked shut, and it was time for the second group to approach: a pair of women, bearing a large lacquered box. One was dressed in a western-style tan colored business suit and pants, the other in a red and purple Korean hanbok with the skirt cut short enough to show her knees, and a massive axe on her back along with an Electro Vision in her hair.

“Your Excellency, we come to present you with a gift,” the one in the business suit said, extending the box towards Raiden.

Kenta took the offered box, then opened it, peeking inside. On seeing the contents, he grinned wolfishly. “Well, well, well. Fancy seeing you here, you old bastard.”

He turned the contents of the box towards Raiden, and her expression sharpened. She gave a curt nod. “You have done well. Rise, and name yourselves.”

“I am Noriko Gyoko of Jade Chamber Industries, and this is my partner, Captain Bukdu Yoo,” the one in the suit said calmly as she rose smoothly to her feet.

Her companion was a bit slower, bowing nervously as she rose. “An honor, your Excellency. Is, ah, is the princess…is she OK?”

Raiden’s expression softened slightly. “Ami is recovering still, but is in good health. She was saved by the actions of Lord Nakamura.”

“She was one of those suspected of conspiracy,” Tsukoyomi stated from behind the two women, causing both of them to tense up. “She had contributed greatly to Ishihara’s political campaigns, and was a known associate of those who sympathized with the democratic agitators.”

“I believed in a free market and a Japan government by her people,” Noriko said stiffly, raising her head to stare defiantly at the Shogun. “I still believe in the power of the free market, but I recognize that you are the legitimate ruler of Japan. I never wished to foment rebellion, only to create more open markets that the economy would prosper.”

“I recall now. You were one of those who submitted a formal letter protesting the dissolution of the Diet, were you not?” Raiden asked, raising an eyebrow.

“We, uh, we’re loyal now, honest,” Bukdu said nervously, sweat breaking out on her forehead.

“This one is a pirate and smuggler. She boarded and seized several shipments of electro-crystals from other nations,” Tsukoyomi added, which made Raiden’s baleful gaze turn on Bukdu, while Noriko grimaced.

“However,” Tsukuyomi added after a painfully long moment. “She raided mostly those ships who were in our waters illegally in the first place. She is a known drug smuggler and crystal thief still, but not a murderer.”

“Indeed?” Raiden asked, frowning at Bukdu. “Your name…it is not Japanese. Korea? Did you ever work for our enemies?”

“Uh, I’m from Mokpo, in the south,” Bukdu said with a hasty shake of her head. “Girl’s gotta do what she can to live free and eat. But I’ve put that behind me now, honest! I came straight to you guys when Noriko told me who I was taking aboard!”

“She did,” Kenta said with a nod. “Contacted the Sentai and informed them we had a traitor on our hands. And it was Noriko’s plan that allowed us to capture that Yangban cape and an entire CUI intelligence vessel.”

“I see.” Raiden contemplated both women for a long minute, the tension filling the air. Bukdu was glaring back defiantly, while Norkio was serene, her eyes wandering over the train car. In the end, it was Norkio who broke the silence, not the Shogun.

“What do you plan to do? Invasion? It would be a mistake to reenact the Invasion of Manchuria.”

“The Shogun does not need you questioning her,” Kenta growled, but Raiden raised a hand.

“No. I have no interest in seizing land beyond these shores. We shall destroy the Yangban and their pet dogs in North Korea. That is all.”

“Are you insane? Do you have any idea what will happen if you do that?!” Bukdu demanded, surging to her feet. Kenta put himself between Raiden and Bukdu in an instant, while Tsukoyomi and her ninjas had weapons at her throat, but Bukdu ignored them, shouting at Raiden. “Those crazy Kim bastards have NUKES! And more artillery pointed at Seoul than even you can stop! Millions will die! Look, I like the little princess as much as the next gal, and it was fuckin’ crime to see the Emperor and Nakamura die, but you can’t sacrifice people’s lives like that!”

“Do you intend to kill the Chinese Emperor as well?” Noriko demanded calmly, still on her knees. “That would utterly destroy the Chinese Government and one of our largest trading partners.”

“Peace, Mushu,” Raiden ordered, and made a gesture to her daughter and the Shuumatsuban. They backed off, with Kenta finding himself in tiny dragon form. He breathed out a hiss of lightning but scampered up on Raiden’s shoulder. She bent over, and a moment later, a confused-looking little blue dragon was wrapped around her neck.

“Mushu?” the little dragon asked, sounding confused. She had bright azure scales and two small pink coral like horns, as well as long trailing whiskers like a catfish. “What…what just happened?”

“Sorry, Keiga. She gets like this sometimes. Too big for her own sandals,” Kenta grumbled, turning his irritation on Raiden, who ignored it.

Raiden, for her part, was staring down the still outraged Bukdu, and Noriko, who had reached up to grab Bukdu’s belt. Though she didn’t appear to have any powers of her own, she dragged Bukdu back down beside her. “You don’t talk to a god that way, Bukdu. Be polite.”

Seething silently, Bukdu jerked a nod, gripping her robes with white knuckles.

“You ask good questions,” Raiden said, taking a seat herself on one of the couches in the train car. She nodded to the chairs across from her. “Sit. We should talk.”

Primly, Noriko rose, then touched the kneeling Bukdu on the shoulder, before gesturing for the captain to sit beside her. Crossing her legs, Noriko regarded the Shogun. “So it is true. You don’t just smite those who disagree with you.”

“That would be folly. My wrath is reserved for fools and my enemies. You appear to be neither,” Raiden stated.

“I am not,” Noriko agreed, then glanced at Bukdu and half smiled. “And despite appearances, neither is Bukdu.”

“She fucks up South Korea because she wasn’t watching her swing when she takes out the NKs and we’ll fucking BE enemies,” Bukdu growled. “I still got family there.”

“I do not intend to destroy South Korea, nor the North. Only remove those who attacked my family,” Raiden said, tilting her head to one side. “Yet in war, innocents always suffer. It is inevitable.”

“A good plan can lessen the suffering,” Noriko said with a shrug. “Have you approached Seoul? Or the Taiwanese exiles? Perhaps even the remnants of the PRC? You could get more than a mere fig leaf for Casus Belli if you play your cards right, and gain valuable trading partners from the new governments you put in place.”

Raiden turned her head to look at Kenta, but he shook his head at her. “Hey, that’s not my department. My department is smashing what you tell me to smash. The Sentai and the military are gearing up and we’ll be ready in a week or two for offense, but what comes after that and diplomacy is Naka-”

Kenta cut off too late, realizing what he was saying. Raiden’s own eyes clouded over in pain for a moment, and thunder echoed mournfully overhead.

Instead of chastising Kenta, Raiden turned back to Noriko. “What would you propose?”

“Form a coalition,” Noriko said instantly. “The Yangban has been a thorn in the side of many nations, and the CUI has warred on several of its neighbors. You have generated much good will with your apologies and offers of economic aid. Call in your favors. At the moment, Japan has the sympathy of the world. That is a coin that devalues rapidly if not spent.”

Raiden considered that for a moment, then nodded. “Very well. Draft a plan, and send it to Lord Mushu. He and the other ministers shall review it. If it meets with their approval, then you shall be rewarded. For now, your gift is enough for me to forgive much of your past sins. Prove yourself now, and you shall find that I do not forget those who aid me”

“But, you are planning on attacking in only weeks?” Noriko demanded, her eyes going wide. “That is hardly enough time to even begin-”

Bukdu grabbed Noriko and hauled her to her feet. “What she means is, aye aye Your Excellency. We’ll have that plan shipshape and be ready to sail by tomorrow.”

“Yes, I suppose we’ll have to,” Noriko said, sounding dazed. She shook her head as if to clear it. “It won’t be a flawless plan on such short notice, but it’s absolutely vital that if we want to still have a market for our goods that we not go in alone. It’s especially important that we maintain food security throughout this. That means we need to court the Australians, the Americans-”

“Not the Yankees,” Tsukoyomi interrupted, her expression grim. “They were supporting the attack.”

“You cannot mean to go to war with America!” Noriko cried, suddenly desperate. “Don’t you remember what happened the last time we tried that?!”

“Their provocation did not rise to the level of open hostilities,” Raiden stated placidly, stroking Keiga’s neck as the dragon perched on her left shoulder. “But they are not our friends. Do not rely on them to sustain our people, or they may attempt to starve us next time.”

“Ah.” Noriko relaxed visibly at that and nodded after a moment. “I see. Well, there are always other markets. But the United States is the world’s largest food exporter. We can’t just give them up for a lost cause overnight. That would take years of careful planning. And no, we cannot simply increase domestic production: not after you fried half the sea and killed all those fish stocks.”

“I am…not a very good cook,” Raiden said, coloring slightly. Kenta started laughing so hard he nearly fell off her shoulder, which earned him a finger flick from Raiden. It stung and sent him zinging across the train car, still laughing.

“Er, I do not…” Noriko collected herself and bowed. “It shall be as you command, your Excellency. I may not agree with your politics, but I recognize the need for you now, more than ever. Japan is fortunate that the Narukami returned to us in our hour of need.”

“As for me, well, I ain’t Japanese but…you don’t run a ship by voting in the middle of a storm. You’re the one to have at the helm,” Bukdu said with a nod.

The two of them departed, leaving Mushu to transform back into a man and grin at Raiden as he picked up his clothes. “You like them.”

“They are competent,” Raiden said with a shrug. “A wise ruler recognizes when a potential vassal bends the knee, even if they were formerly a foe. And they bring up points I did not consider. I will not see Eternity suffer because of my wrath. “

“Hmm. Well, we’ll keep an eye on those two,” Kenta agreed, sitting down. Keiga hopped over onto him, peering up at him in her little dragon form.

“Can I change back now?” she asked plaintively. “You were already too big.”

“Sure, but let’s go somewhere private,” Kenta agreed, picking her and her clothes up. He paused by Raiden. “We’re still a go for the war, right?”

“Yes. But give Noriko a chance to propose allies to us. It is what Nakamura would have wanted,” Raiden stated.

Feeling his throat close up from grief, Kenta jerked a nod, then took Keiga to the sleeping car to get her changed back.

Standing straight and tall, Jun Miakzuki saluted crisply as his commanding officer strode up and down the line, her hands behind her back, flames flickering in her footsteps. Ryusei was still dressed in a red custom uniform, but now she had on a kabuto helmet, with what looked like lacquered armor, but was in fact a highly advanced ceramic and mesh fiber armor crafted by military Tinkers. Her own personal sigil, a red dragon breathing flames, was on a sashimono on her back, and she carried a naginata with a blade that looked to be made of crystalized flame.

“In a few short minutes, you will have the honor of serving your Shogun in battle,” Ryusei rasped. “I will not lie to you and tell you that War is nothing but glory: War is hell. But we are the demons!”

“ONI!” Jun roared along with the 99 other soldiers on the field beside him.

“These dogs have slain our Emperor! They have assaulted the Shogun’s own daughter! They have spat on the honor of Japan! We go now to reclaim that honor!” Ryusei stopped at the end of the line, turning back to glare at her soldiers, lifting her polearm high. “WE SHALL MAKE THESE DOGS RUE THE DAY THE DISRUPTED THE ETERNITY OF JAPAN! LONG LIVE THE RAIDEN SHOGUN! JAPAN SHINES ETERNAL!”

“BANZAI! JAPAN SHINES ETERNAL!” Jun’s shout echoed with his comrades, and Ryusei nodded, lowering her polearm.

“Soldiers! Mount your steeds, and prepare for war!” the Sentai ordered, turning towards her own red mini-mecha.

Hastily, Jun scrambled inside of his own Kairagi MK II. It wasn’t as large as a traditional mecha, standing only two meters tall, and being closer to a suit of power armor than an actual mecha suit. The Kairagi resembled nothing so much as a large suit of Samurai armor, complete with kabuto helm, lightning infused spear, and two swords as the primary armament. Each suit weighed several hundred kilograms and was manufactured from exotic materials that a coalition of Japanese tinkers had created.

Unlike most Tinkertech, this was not only stable stuff, but mass-produced in factories. This was the first time that the Japanese Bakufan Army was unveiling the Kairagi and several other marvels of Tinkertech creation, and rumors were running wild amongst the troops. The one Jun had heard was that it was the blessing of the Raiden Shogun herself that allowed for the mad scientists to create these suits en masse, and as far as he was concerned, it was the most logical explanation.

The armor itself was extremely responsive and relatively easy to pilot, though it did take a little getting used to. Instead of simply amplifying your moments, Jun’s spinal cord had been drilled so that his nervous system could directly integrate the suit. That meant that it was just like moving your own body once you were mounted up, above a body that was much larger, stronger, swifter, and flight-capable with the right attachments.

Indeed, Jun did a check of his flight boots, and found that they were at full charge. That would allow him to attain powered flight with a maximum elevation of 1000 meters for a period of 10 minutes. Not long enough to fly across the Sea of Japan, but plenty long enough for impossible leaps and rapid repositioning.

He and his comrades were all volunteers, having joined the JBA mere hours after the Wisteria Wedding. They’d spent the last couple of weeks in intensive training, and Jun was a little worried. Though they had zeal, honor, and top-of-the-line gear, none of them were battle tested. He was better off than most, having served as a policeman, but many others hadn’t picked up a weapon ever before in their lives.

Before he could really begin to worry, however, a purple portal opened in front of him and the rest of his unit.

“GO GO GO!” Ryusei roared, charging through in her custom Kairagi armor, banner flapping in the wind as she sprinted at inhuman speeds.

With a roar, Jun surged forward, leaping through the portal, and into the sky. His unit was far from the only one, and he looked around quickly to see hundreds of other armored Kairagi falling with him, the ocean to his left, and mountains to his right. He was several hundred meters up in the air, with a city beneath him and rapidly approaching.

“FORM UP!” Ryusei bellowed, her voice ringing louder than the howling wind in Jun’s ears. “REMEMBER THE PLAN!”

Swallowing, Jun flipped over, pointing his boots towards the ground, and fired them, gaining control of his descent. Then he formed up on Ryusei in his designated place, and pointed himself towards the eastern part of the city, towards the mountains. A few seconds of burn, and they were over their target location.

Below them, it looked like a kicked ants nest as people rapidly grew in size. Sharp reports came from below, and something pinged off of Jun’s armor. He grunted, fearing he was injured, but his HUD told him that there had been no damage: it had been a small caliber round from a military rifle, and Kairagi was completely immune to such things.

Then he had to fire his boots again, still landing with a teeth-rattling jolt on the ground. He looked up to see two frightened young men in CUI military uniforms pointing their guns at him. One opened fire, and more bullets pinged off of Jun’s armor.

Training kicked in, and Jun surged forward, sweeping his spear in a wide arc. The speed and strength of the Tinkertech armor and the power of the god forged blade showed, and in a crackle of thunder, two bodies fell to the floor in a spray of blood.

Turning, Jun looked to the buildings around him. This was a CUI military base, and the sounds of fighting could be heard all around. His mission was to capture the armory building and subdue the soldiers before they could mount a proper defense. He’d already dispatched two guards, and he rushed into the building, two of his squadmates falling in beside him.

A frightened clerk threw her hands up in an attempt to surrender, but a portly sergeant behind the bars of the armory drew a pistol and fired. The woman screamed, throwing herself to the ground as all three Kairagi charged. The iron bars might as well have been made of green bamboo for all the protection they offered, with Jun’s sword easily shearing through them. One of his comrades fired a burst of lightning from his gauntlet, sending the armory sergeant flying back. He fell to the ground, burning black holes where his eyes had been, and didn’t get up.

The clerk was babbling, hands still up in surrender. But she had on a CUI uniform, and this was not a day for prisoners. One of Jun’s squadmates dispatched her by separating her head from her chest. It made bile rise in Jun’s throat, but they had a mission to accomplish. Less than a minute later, the armory was secure, with no living CUI personnel in the building.

“YANGBAN! WE’VE GOT MULTIPLE YANGBAN! SOUTH WEST QUADRANT! REQUEST IMMEDI- HYAA!”

The sudden burst on the emergency channel cut off abruptly, and Jun glanced at his squadmates.

“Yuki, you stay here. Do not let any CUI soldiers seize this facility!” Jun ordered swiftly. “Kenichi, with me!”

They were in the Southwest Quadrant, which meant that the Yangban capes were close. Indeed, Jun could hear the explosions and battle-cries not far away, and as soon as he was out of the armory door, he saw two dead Kairagi laying on the ground, one with no head, the only split into two vertically.

Half a dozen Yangban were engaged with more than twice their number of Kairagi. Each of them was dressed in a uniform of a different color, with a face mask cut like a gem. All of them were wielding several powers at once, from force fields to firing laser beams, to summoning flying swords that were cleaving Kairagi in half.

However, the battle was not entirely one-sided. Even as Jun charged forward, one Yangban went down to the blades of three Kairagi, cut into bloody chunks. The enemy cape still took down one last Kairagi before they died, having already killed at least two by the corpses near them. The other two Kairagi were slain moments later by another Yangban cape, but they were far from invincible. And this was what the Kairagi had been forged for.

“FOR THE SHOGUN!” Jun screamed, and he and his squadmate charged in as well, firing off bolts of lightning and leaping into the air, going for a flying Yangban that was supporting their teammates with a barrage of laser fire from their hands.

Seeing Jun coming, they swiveled, blasting away at the new threat. Jun managed to dodge to the side, taking only a glancing blow on his chest that his armor absorbed, though it screamed at him that it was badly damaged. Kenichi, however, was not so fortunate, taking a blast to his torso that blew him in half and sent his smoking ruins to the ground.

Stabbing his spear forward, Jun’s blow was deflected by a forcefield at the last moment, and he saw his death as the Yangban raised a glowing palm and pointed it toward him.

Then a burst of dark flames enveloped the enemy cape, and the Yangban had time to scream once before Ryusei’s fire reduced him to ash. Heart soaring, Jun let out a cry as Ryusei charged with half a dozen more Kairagi, leaping into the fray and attacking the Yangban.

Seeing an enemy cape, the four surviving Yangban concentrated all their efforts on Ryusei immediately, perceiving her as the greatest threat. They were correct of course, but it was a mistake to discount the Kairagi. They had been designed with killing Yangban in mind.

Jun formed up with four others, and they fell upon a single Yangban together. Their foe wasn’t taken completely unawares, but they were focusing on Ryusei, who was dueling two Yangban at once as the other two fired at her from the side. They spun on the new attack, and again Jun was fortunate, taking a hit to his arm. It blew it off at the elbow, which meant Jun was short his left hand now, but his suit shut off the pain receptors, and he used his sword with his right hand anyway.

This time, he buried it to the hilt in the Yangban’s belly, then wrenched it down and to the right, causing the enemy’s guts to spill out on the ground. They cried out in pain, and Jun could see that they were already regenerating from the blow that would have been mortal to an ordinary human. A laser blast knocked Jun off his feet, and he was out of the fight for the moment.

Still, that gave one of Jun’s teammates an opening, and they took the Yangban’s head off. By the time Jun sat up, the fight was over.

Ryusei was dead, blasted to bits in her battle. But she had taken out another of the Yangban, while a third had been hacked down by another squad of Kairagi. The sixth and final Yangban tried to flee, but a dozen Kairagi chased them down, then cut them from the sky.

Groaning, Jun tried to stand but found himself unsteady. Two of his fellows came over and led him to the base aide station. The doctor there had been spared, though not one of his medics by the bloodstains on the ground.

“Heal him, and you live,” one of the other soldiers growled to the doctor.

He didn’t seem to understand Japanese, but the intent got across well enough. Jun was peeled out of his armor and his wounds were treated. He was short a hand, and his right leg was torn up, but he wouldn’t lose it.

In the end, the Taichung Military Base was seized with what would later be called “light resistance.” The Japanese Bakufan Army suffered the loss of 18 Kairagi and one Sentai dead, with twice that in wounded, out of 200 Karagi and four Sentai. Horrendous casualty rates by normal reckoning, but cape battles in this war were bloody, brutal, and typically rather short.

Other units that attacked Taichung suffered heavier casualty rates, with one group of 100 Kairagi and their Sentai wiped out to a man when they attacked the Yangban headquarters, and two other units badly mauled. Resistance there lasted until the Raiden Shogun, actually Tsukoyomi in her mother’s form though few knew that, came and destroyed the building where the Yangban were headquartered in a single blow.

Raiden had already pacified Taipei City, in a massive battle that involved three dozen Yangban, tens of thousands of CUI troops. She had led 20 centuries of Kairagi and a massive Shuumatsuban strikeforce in a bloody battle that had done remarkably little damage to the city. In less than six hours, all of Taiwan was in the hands of the Japanese Bakufan.

Sixteen hundred kilometers to the North, two dragons were still raging across the Korean DMZ. In a massive collaborative assault between RoK and JBA forces led by Mushu and Keiga, thousands of troops had been teleported North of the 38th parallel and laid waste to most of the artillery emplacements there.

The Red Oni, confusingly from the Knights of Favonius and not the Sentai, covered himself in glory when he led an assault into the tunnels of the Hardened Artillery Sites, ripping through sheer rock and steel with a massive club, the black-winged Tengu at his side. To everyone’s shock, there were no DPRK capes to oppose them, but resistance was still fierce, and the cave fighting would last for days yet.

After the first day of battle, the North Koreans had been pushed back north of the DMZ towards Pyongyang, and the CUI had been largely swept from Taiwan save for pockets of resistance. The world watched in horror and anticipation as the Japanese consolidated their holdings, and the CUI and DPRK regrouped from the sudden assault. Though they had expected the attacks, no one had anticipated the wide-ranging use of Tinkertech, or been prepared for the level of precision and enormous scale of the Raiden Shogun’s teleportation abilities.

The first day of the Third Sino-Japanese War came to a bloody and violent end, with fighting raging long into the night in scattered pockets.

The second day would dawn all the bloodier, as new suns blossomed on the surface of  Earth Bet. A harvest of mushroom clouds gathered in by the storms of war.

Author's Note: 

PHILO: I wonder who could possibly be joining the Tri-Commission? Surely, not the lesbians! ✍️(◔◡◔)

This Goddess Must Be Crazy, Chapter 48

The last time Izuku had set off on an adventure to another world, he’d done so as a result of being rather dead, apparently from a massive explosion. According to Kazuma, that was the traditional way these things happened, but Izuku was pretty sure Kazuma was just making things up again. As it was, however, Izuku wasn’t sure if maybe the suddenness of the first method wasn’t somewhat preferable.

“But you just got back from another world! And from all those horrible villains trying to kill you! You can’t go now, you’re my baby boy!” Inko wailed, clutching Izuku in a tight hug.

“Do not worry, Mrs. Midoriya! I will take good care of Izuku!” Mei stated proudly. “I am bringing the cutest of my babies with me!”

“And you too!” Inko blubbered, grabbing Mei and hauling her down into a bear hug as Mei squawked in protest and flailed her arms. “You two are too young to be married, but I don’t even have grandchildren yet! You can’t go off and get yourself killed, you hear me!?”

“Did you pack fresh underwear?”

Izuku turned to see Hari looking at him with her own oddly shaped irises, a bemused look on her face.

“Uh, we’re not really planning on being gone that long, so I didn’t-”

“Pack fresh underwear. You’re exploring a tomb. If you crap yourself, you’re gonna want a change,” Hari advised. She handed Izuku a small backpack with a grin. “I took the liberty of packing some for both of you. Clean socks too.”

“I, um…thanks?” Izuku squeaked, catching the bag. “You really didn’t have to…”

“Eh, as your new big sister, I feel somewhat duty bound to, because my sister would never think of it, and you’re a dork, but still wouldn’t either.” Then Hari suddenly grabbed Izuku and hugged him tightly, her voice cracking as she whispered, “Keep her safe, OK? And you come back too.”

Inko was still blubbering, but she’d let go of Mei to wipe at her eyes and blow her nose. Izuku went over to give her one last hug. “We’ll be fine, mom. All Might’s even coming with us! Think of this as just another villain for the heroes to fight.”

“I know, it’s just…you’re still my baby! And you’re going off to some other world to find a horrible villain! I just…I’m not ready yet! It was supposed to be a few more years before I had to say goodbye to you! Just, please…both of you…come home safely, alright?” Inko pulled Izuku and Mei back into a hug, sniffling as she did so.

“We will,” Mei promised, and Izuku hugged both her and his mother tightly for a moment. Then Mei added, “Besides, if we die, Aqua can just bring us back to life again! We already died once, you know.”

“Mei!” Hari hissed, coming in to join the hug from behind.

“Well, it’s true! Though I wouldn’t like to die again, and I would be very sad if Izuku does die again,” Mei protested.

After some more sniffles, Izuku took the bag with the clean changes of clothes, and headed to the door, Mei at his side. At the door, he paused and gave his mother and Hari a smile and a thumbs up. “Don’t worry! It’s gonna be OK!”

Then he scooped Mei up in his arms and jumped up into the sky, leaping over the rooftops as he made for UA.

“Izuku,” Mei said quietly, her arms around his neck as he sped along. “Do you really think we’ll be alright?”

“Of course we will,” Izuku said, giving her a smile. “We’ll be together, and have the others with us, plus Ms. Wiz and Almight. Even Tanya is on our side now, and she’ll get us in safely. Plus, you made us a bunch of new equipment, right? So of course I will succeed. We beat them last time.”

Mei’s arms got even tighter, and Izuku felt her trembling slightly. “Yes, but I am still afraid. It was very scary last time. You did almost die, and All Might did die fighting. But…we are stronger now…you’re going to win, right?”

“Not just me. If it were just me, I couldn’t win. But with you, Aqua, All Might, and the others…I think we can,” Izuku told Mei, pausing atop a rooftop. They shared a quick kiss, then looked out over Tokyo.

“I guess someone has to save the world, so I can keep making cute babies with you. I just didn’t think it would be me,” Mei sighed as Izuku took off again.

“You’re an important part of the plan. You’re our super genius, who can figure out any technology or magic we find, and help us overcome it. Considering the number of worlds the Tomb has conquered, there’s going to be some stuff that won’t make any sense to the rest of us,” Izuku assured her. “Plus, if you weren’t there, it wouldn’t feel right.”

Mei hugged Izuku tightly, but she seemed more determined than frightened now, her jaw set as they landed on campus. Around them were gathered all the students from the first year hero course, along with All Might, Wiz, and a few other powerful pro heroes. Tanya and Visha were there in their uniforms and were even armed. It made Izuku feel a little uneasy, but they were going to have to trust both women to get them to the Tomb safely, so guns were hardly the real issue.

“Took you long enough,” Kazuma said with a yawn, glancing up at the sky. The sun was well up, it being a few hours after dawn. “Ugh. Why do we have to leave so early?”

“It’s past eight. We usually are already in class. That is a silly thing to complain about,” Mei told Kazuma as Izuku set her down.

“Yeah, but like, why can’t we sleep in when we’re going off to save the world? It would make sense to do it when we’re well rested,” Kazuma pointed out.

“You’re just being lazy again,” Uraraka told Kazuma, coming over and rolling her eyes at him before smiling at Izuku and Mei. “How’d it go? My folks were a bit broken up, but they were pretty accepting, all things considered.”

“I think my mom is the only person in the world who can cry more than Aqua,” Izuku said with a heavy sigh, gazing down at the tear stains on his costume. “For her though, it did go surprisingly well.”

“Hari gave us clean socks and underwear!” Mei said happily, pointing to the bag on Izuku’s back. Kazuma let out a snort of laughter, and Izuku flushed as his friend sniggered.

“Good idea,” Uraraka said with a nod, holding up her own back. “I packed that, some hand sanitizer, and extra snacks, plus some first aid gear and water purification tablets. Who knows what sort of horrible stuff they have in the Tomb?”

“I can’t believe I have a bunch of total nerds in my group,” Kazuma said with a heavy sigh. He pointed at Izuku. “You don’t even have an excuse! You have a girlfriend, unlike the old maid over-”

Kazuma reflexively dodged to the side as Uraraka tried to slap him, her face flushed. “We’re 16! It’s totally normal not to be dating at our age! Besides, romance costs money! I’m being frugal!”

“Technically, aren’t we more like 17 now?” Mei mused. “I mean, if you count the extra time we spent in another world, and the extra months we lived before coming back here, hmmm, and Kazuma is hundreds of years old from his time in heaven, so, really-”

“Who’s side are you on!?” Uraraka demanded of Mei, glaring at her.

“Izuku’s,” Mei said instantly. “I didn’t realize we were picking sides, but definitely his.”

“Uraraka is referring to the fact that Kazuma is being an ass again, and is asking if you are sticking up for him, or are standing up for her virtue,” Tokoyami said, coming over to stand in the group, Darkness coming along with him.

“Oh, well, in that case, stop being dumb, Kazuma!” Mei huffed, folding her arms over her chest.

“Ah come on, you’re supposed to be on my side, Bird Brain! You’re with Darkness! You’re a real man now!” Kazuma argued.

“Nah, you’re an idiot,” Dark Shadow said, peeking his head out from Tokoyami’s cloak.

“I agree with Tokoyami and Uraraka. You are simply being your usual perverted self, Kazuma,” Darkness stated.

Kazuma turned a pleading look on Izuku, but he shook his head. “You guys all suck,” Kazuma muttered. He brightened as Megumin came over, turning to her eagerly. “You’re on my side, right?!”

Megumin didn’t even pause: “Stop being such a perverted NEET, Kazuma.”

“How can you even say that!? You MARRIED me! We’re about to go save the world, again, and you know I’ve had jobs! I’m even going to school full time!” Kazuma protested, giving Megumin his best wounded look.

“All in favor of Kazuma being a NEET?” Megumin asked, raising her hand.

“AYE!” everyone agreed, even Dark Shadow sticking up his hand.

“You all suck,” Kazuma grumbled, kicking a rock.

“Hey! No bullying Kazuma over there!” Aqua called, hurrying over to join the huddle. Kazuma gave her a grateful look, and she smiled at him. “Ok, now I’m here. How are we bullying Kazuma?”

“This is outrageous! It’s discrimination! I want a new group!” Kazuma wailed, throwing his hands up in the air dramatically. He turned around. “Hey, Subaru, wanna trade groups? I’ll trade you my blue haired bimbo for yours.”

“Uh, I don’t think Rem is a bimbo, Kazuma, and uh, I’m pretty OK where I am,” the other isekai said, while the women in Subaru’s group all turned death glares on Kazuma.

“It’s not fair, the entire world is against me,” Kazuma sighed dramatically. He looked around, frowning. “So, when are we getting this show on the road? We got the plan, let’s just do this.”

“What plan?” Tokoyomi said with a grimace. “Teleport in and kill everything that moves? That’s not a plan.”

“Would you believe me if I said it was better than our usual plans?” Kazuma asked with a mischievous grin.

“Having worked with you? Absolutely,” Uraraka said with a heavy sigh. “Though honestly I can’t think of a better plan.”

“I have come up with a brilliant plan!” Megumin declared, flashing her cloak. “First, we infiltrate the tomb, then we-”

“We can’t just cast Explosion!” Mei interrupted her. “Even if we both tried it together! We have to make sure the bad guys are dead, not just bury them and run away! Which is why we should use-”

“We’re not building a plasma bomb or whatever you have planned,” Kazuma groaned.

“...it was a gravity bomb,” Mei muttered, looking embarrassed.

“How did we both end up with explosion maniacs?” Kazuma asked Izuku, shaking his head ruefully.

“Good taste?” Izuku ventured, and Kazuma nodded solemnly, extending his hand, which Izuku hesitantly shook.

“You both get to live. This time,” Megumin sniffed.

“Hey, is something the matter? All Might looks worried,” Aqua said, pointing behind them. They all turned, seeing All Might in a huddle with Nezu, Endeavor, and some other pro heroes. They were gathered around a radio, listening intently.

“I wonder,” Izuku said, and pulled out his own phone. He scrolled through it, checking a few things. After a few moments, his eyes went wide. He looked around frantically, then ran over to Tanya. “Ms. Degurechaff!”

“Hm? What is it?” Tanya said, looking up from where she’d been plotting out a large map of what appeared to be the Great Tomb, labeled in neat handwriting.

“What are the first steps in a world invasion? Send in a few Nazerick Elites, right?” Izuku asked, pointing to her, then Visha.

“Depends on the world, but yes, that is often the case. Typically, a single Area Guardian and some basic troops are enough to handle a C or D level world. For an A or B level world, the Pleiades or one Floor Guardian are sufficient. Only an S-Class World would require the attention of multiple Guardians,” Tanya said with a nod.

“And this…this is an S-Class level world, isn’t it?” Izuku asked, motioning to the assembled heroes.

“Yes, obviously. That is why myself, Visha, and the elf twins were sent,” Tanya said, eyes narrowing.

“What if that didn’t work? What was the next step?” Izuku demanded, fear rising in his chest.

“Well, that happened only rarely but if it did, the protocol I helped establish would be to attack on multiple fronts to divide enemy forces, after finding local allies and subverting them to our cause. Then, while the enemy was distracted, multiple Floor Guardians, supported by the Gottjager and other elite forces, would attack key points,” Tanya replied. She narrowed her eyes at Izuku. “Why?”

“They’re attacking all over the world,” Izuku said, realizing with horror what was going on. He held out his phone, and Tanya took it, scrolling through. “Sightings on every continent, but especially in America, Europe, and China. America especially is reporting numerous outbreaks of villains and monsters in major cities. It started just a few hours ago, but more and more attacks are popping up.”

Tanya studied the reports, then nodded, her expression grim. “Yes. This is exactly what protocol dictates should happen. But this means the next attack-”

“-is here”! Izuku and Tanya said together, turning towards All Might and the other heroes. Izuku quickly turned back around, his expression frantic. “What do we do!? If they attack Tokyo while we’re all gone, the city is doomed!”

“If you delay too long, you will also be doomed,” Tayna stated firmly. “S-Class your world might be, but you have no defense against necromancy to speak of. Two goddesses with a small cult isn’t enough to pump out clerics capable of stopping hordes of the undead, even with your heroes. It will be a long, slow death, but it will come if you do not strike.”

This was a horrific situation, and one Izuku didn’t know how to handle. He hurried towards the platform, Kazuma and the others hurrying behind him and looking concerned.

“Ah, young Midoriya,” All Might said, frowning at him. “I know you are all anxious to begin, but something has come up.”

“The Tomb is attacking,” Izuku said breathlessly, holding up his phone. “It’s what they planned all along. They know we have Tanya, and they’re stepping up attacks. We know they’ve recruited members of the League of Villains, and we know they were already planning to attack us. But it’s not just Japan. It’s all over the world.”

“We’re getting reports of attacks in a dozen Japanese prefectures. We might have to call off the assault,” Best Jeanist said, sounding worried.

“That’s foolishness. We have to stop this at the source, and take the fight to the enemy,” Endeavor growled. “You don’t win a defensive war. We find them and burn them out.”

“But we cannot leave Japan defended,” All Might muttered, looking concerned. “We-”

“All Might? You need to hear this,” Nezu broke in, and held up a small television. All eyes turned to it, and Nezu turned up the volume.

On the screen, a man with a blank face mask stood before a news desk, beside him was the same boy from the UA attack with the mask made of hands. The trembling newscasters were kneeling in front of them, eyes wide with fear. On seeing the man with the black mask, All Might’s fists clenched, and he let out a strangled, “No! Not him!”

“Greetings, my longtime opposite,” the man in the black mask said, his voice distorted and echoing. “Most of you do not know who I am. That is fine. Those who do know me, I just want to say, I hope you slept poorly during my absence. But your worst nightmares have come true.”

The man spread his arms dramatically, and gave a slight bow. “I am back. And far more powerful than you can possibly imagine. Allow me to introduce my young heir. Tomura Shigaraki.”

The young boy didn’t stir, but Izuku noticed a disturbing detail: a swishing black tail with a spade-like tip. Where had that come from?

“You don’t have time to watch this,” Tanya said, stepping forward. She nodded to the TV. “That one has been race changed to a demon. And unless I very much miss my guess, All For One has become a lich.”

Wiz sucked in a sharp breath, and All Might turned to her. “Can the Tomb do that?”

“Yes,” Wiz said, her eyes wide, and complexion nearly as pale as when she had been a lich herself. “There are dark rituals that can be performed, as well as items that Ainz has that can force it. He’s done it before.”

“If All For One has become a lich, that means he can raise the dead, does it not?” All Might demanded, and both Tanya and Wiz nodded.

“That explains the reports we’re getting from America and other places,” Endeavor said grimly. “I take it we have to burn the bodies?”

“That won’t work. Mortal flames can’t stop a lich from raising the dead,” Aqua piped up. “You have to purify their spirits to help them move on, or destroy the lich that bound them.”

“And if it’s a Lich from the Tomb, you need a pretty powerful cleric to do that,” Eris added. “Or, well, one of us.”

Izuku’s mind raced, looking to the screen as this All For One pontificated. He knew that this was the great foe All Might had mentioned, but not much more than that. However, he also knew they had to stop Nazarick, at all costs.

“Aqua, do you think you could beat Ainz, if we could get you to him?” Izuku demanded of her, turning to face his goddess.

“Yeah! I could totally beat that stinky old bag of bones!” Aqua declared, puffing out her chest proudly.

Several people looked dubious at that, until Tanya spoke up: “She is the only one he ever feared.”

“That’s not a whole awful lot to go on. You’re risking everything, young Midoriya,” All Might said quietly.

“We take Aqua, and Class 1A,” Izuku said firmly. “The rest of you stay and defend against the Tomb. We beat the Lord of the Tomb, and you stop All For One. If we kill Ainz, hopefully the invasion falters. We have experience fighting him.”

“What about the other classes?” All Might asked.

“You need some people experienced fighting the Tomb, and they don’t have Aqua,” Kazuma said with a shake of his head. “Much as I hate to admit it, the useless goddess is our best bet. I wouldn’t want to go on a dungeon run without her.”

“We’ll need Eris too,” Izuku said with a nod. “I hate to take both our goddesses with us, but just in case we need two…”

“That would be wise,” Tanya agreed. “But we have to go, and now. There is little time if the invasion has already begun. Before long, numbers alone will tell.”

“Right.” All Might nodded, then knelt by Izuku and Kazuma. “Best of luck to you both, Young Midoryiya and Kazuma. The fate of our world, perhaps all worlds, rests in your hands.”

“Tell me one I haven’t heard before,” Kazuma muttered, but then sobered. “Yeah, we got this, old man. You go kick those assholes back to the grave they crawled out of.”

“Visha! Form a circle!” Tanya called. “We are going now! One trip only!”

“Yes, Major!” Visha hastily agreed, and joined hands with Iris, Bakugo, Sero, Yunyun, Eris, Ashido, and Kirishima. Meanwhile, Izuku took Tanya’s hand to his right, while Mei grabbed his left. She gave him a squeeze and smiled, even as Aqua, Megumin, Kazuma, Darkness, Tokoyomi, and Uraraka completed the circle.

“Prepare yourselves!” Tanya barked. “We teleport on my mark! Ready!”

“Ready!” Visha echoed, and Izuku felt his heart thunder in his chest.

“Three!”

He swallowed, letting the power of One for All fill him.

“Two!”

No more death, no more fear. This was going to be it.

“One!”

Izuku closed his eyes, and held his breath.

“MARK!”

The world vanished in an instant, and the final battle for the fate of all worlds well and truly began.

The Second Archon War: Sapientia Oromasdis 5

Sapientia Oromasdis 5: The Beginning of Wisdom

School had always been something Nahida had longed to go to with other children. She’d imagined learning about fascinating things with all of the other students, typically by studying primary sources that they unearthed after a long and interesting adventure, then playing games on the playground with the other students. Reality, however, was highly disappointing. For one thing, there was no digging through ancient runes to uncover hidden secrets, or doing fun experiments in the lab to discover new machines.

Instead, there were workbooks.

Bashir had given Nahida a book of worksheets to do with Mrs. Rasab, a kindly widowed woman in her 60s who came and watched Nahida and Qiqi while Doctor Bashir worked at his clinic. Qiqi mostly worked on extremely simple things, like coloring a picture in the lines, matching like objects, identifying basic pictures, and basic life skills like dressing herself or feeding herself without making a mess.

For Nahida, she had a workbook that was slightly advanced for her supposed developmental level. The book had her reading basic words where she had to interpret the short vowels or the indicated long vowel sounds, writing basic words in Arabic, solving math problems with addition and subtraction up to two digits, and memorizing her multiplication tables up to 10. As Nahida had memorized the multiplication table up to 2048 and could do calculus in her head, as well as read any and all scholarly works, this was a bit below her capabilities.

“Well, it’s fairly basic. I was actually wondering if I could look at Doctor Bashir’s medical textbooks?” Nahida asked politely.

“Well, those are the doctors, I’m not really sure if you should…well, I suppose this older one then…”

By the time Doctor Bashir found Nahida, she’d written most of a treatise on the use of Dendro energy to assist with pre-natal care. Most of it was copied from the work of various scholars in the Akademiya whose work had been in the Akasha, but Nahida had added what she knew of modern medical equipment to further refine the care.

Bashir had looked through the early learner workbook, read the treatise that Nahida had typed up on his computer (a laborious process since Nahida’s hands were too small to really touch type properly), and gave Nahida a rueful smile. “I should have known better. You could clearly already read and write. And these annotations… it’s almost like a professional physician wrote this. Where did you learn how to do that?”

“Um, I read your books,” Nahida said, pointing to the ones high up on the shelf. She’d had to float herself up to reach them when Mrs. Rasab wasn’t looking, but they’d been extremely fascinating.

“I see.” Bashir pondered that for a moment, stroking his beard. At last, he gave a rueful laugh. “Well, I suppose the elementary workbooks I got for you might be a touch too easy then. Perhaps one day Qiqi will be able to do them.”

Nahida glanced over at Qiqi, who was currently in time out because she’d kept trying to eat one of her crayons and pitched a royal fit when Mrs. Rasab had told her no. “Someday.”

“I confess, I am slightly at a loss at what to do with you then,” Bashir admitted. “I can’t send you to school with the other children.”

“Why not!? I would listen to the teacher, and be polite, and do all my work, and follow directions!” Nahida protested, but as soon as the words were out of her mouth, she sensed the answer from Bashir as he gave her a pained smile and knelt down next to her. Trembling, her hands reached up, touching her long ears, gripping them in her hands. “It’s… It’s because I’m different…”

“I am sorry, Little Radish,” Bashir said gently, reaching out with his hand to wipe the tears from Nahida’s eyes. “There are laws against Parahumans going to a regular school. While you are a Vision Holder… I fear greatly for what would happen to you if the other parents and students found out about you. And, well, you are frankly too smart to possibly attend school with your same-age peers. This is collegiate-level work you’ve done. You’d have better luck enrolling at the university.”

Nahida bit her lip, expecting Bashir to demand to know her real age or what lies she had told, but she sensed… sympathy? And another emotion, one she had rarely experienced: Love. Not lust, but rather, paternal fondness. It melted her heart and made her want to cry at the same time.

“I’m afraid you’ve more than a hint of Thinker in your power ratings,” Bashir said with a chuckle. “Unfortunately,  while your mind might be ready for high-level academics, socially and emotionally, you’re still five.”

That was hardly fair at all, mostly because Nahida knew what he said was true. She did have the wisdom and experience of a centuries-old spirit of knowledge, but at the same time, she experienced the world with the emotional and social abilities of a young child. Well, perhaps not quite that, but she certainly didn’t act like an adult, as much as she tried to on occasion.

“Well, what can I do then?” Nahida asked plaintively.

“You could work in the garden and… hmm. It’s a new technology, and I never took any online courses myself, but there is the option of taking classes over the internet. The University of Cairo offers courses, and… hmm. How fluent in English are you? Never mind, silly question. You were reading my Oxford Textbook of Medicine, and if you can read that, you can read anything.” Abruptly, Bashir switched to that tongue. “<How about speaking in English?>”

“<I think I can probably speak any language as long as the person I’m talking to knows it,>” Nahida answered honestly in the same language.

“Definitely a Thinker,” Bashir said with a chuckle, ruffling Nahida’s hair. “I know a few professors who would be happy to enroll a young parahuman. Any courses you’d be interested in particularly?”

“Medicine, agriculture, philosophy, and history,” Nahida answered instantly. She was intently curious about every field of study imaginable, but those were the most fascinating to her at the moment.

“A broad range of study,” Bashir said with a raised eyebrow. “Hmm, any way to narrow that down a bit?”

“Hmm, I suppose medicine I could mostly learn from you. Could I help out in the clinic?” Nahida begged.

“I don’t know, I don’t enjoy the thought of using child labor, and some of my patients-” Bashir began, and Nahida had a flash of inspiration.

Remembering the advice Farasha had given her, Nahida made her eyes as big as possible, sniffled slightly, and clasped her hands together. “Please?”

Any attempts at prevarication Bashir had been making immediately melted away. “Well, perhaps with certain patients. You do seem to be able to mimic an MRI, and I don’t have one of those. Plus, it would be good to see just what sort of wounds you can treat.”

“Then I want to take world history, introduction to Philosophy, and modern agriculture!” Nahida said eagerly. “And you can teach me modern medical practices! Oh! I almost forgot! I created a treatment plan for leukemia using Dendro!” Nahida dove into the pile of notes she had, and brought up several pages with neat handwriting on them, handing them to Bashir.

“Hmm, this is… workable. I’ll have to consult with my fellows and the patient to see if they’re willing to try this, but…” Bashir looked up at Nahida and grinned. “I think this will work, Little Radish. I think this is the start of a wonderful partnership.” He extended his hand, and Nahida eagerly shook it, even though his completely enveloped hers. She finally felt like she was making progress, and learning more about this world.

The next day, Nahida stood on a chair in the clinic’s reception room, holding a clipboard. There was a small reception room with a few chairs, and ordinarily, Dr. Bashir would check in his patients himself. Apparently, he’d had trouble finding a secretary when he’d first opened the clinic, largely because Farasha had been one of his first customers, and he’d advertised that his clinic was open to Parahumans, especially children. He’d become used to handling such things on his own, and had never actually found one.

Now, however, Nahida had taken over that. Dr. Bashir was a neat and orderly man, so it hadn’t been terribly hard for her to read up on the various patients. She had agreed to help check them in and keep track of all the documentation and was eagerly waiting for the first of the appointments to arrive.

She glanced at the clock, and bit her lip. That wasn’t for another 45 minutes, but Nahida really wanted to be prepared. Dr. Bashir was out with Imam Tahir, getting morning coffee at a nearby cafe, and would be back in about 20 minutes, while Qiqi was upstairs with Mrs. Rasab.

Just then, she sensed two people approaching quickly, both in a state of panic and one in considerable pain. She hopped off the chair and ran up to the door to open it, surprising a panicked-looking woman carrying a young girl in her arms. The girl’s face was stained with tears, and her left leg was wrapped in a hasty and bloodstained bandage. Nahida could sense that it was a greenstick fracture on her tibia. It wasn’t serious, but it must have been painful.

“Please, is the doctor here?” the mother gasped. Her name was Sajy, and she was twenty eight. This was her oldest daughter, Nadia, and this was the first time any of her children had ever broken a bone. She dreamed of a future for her daughter where she met a kind husband like her own, and could live in a world without fear.

“Please, come in!” Nahida urged, pushing the door open. “Into the first waiting room, there. Set your daughter on the table.”

Sajy nodded frantically, while Nadia fought back tears, sniffling as her mother hustled her inside. Nahida was always impressed by the strength and resilience of humans: Sajy had run more than a kilometer carrying her daughter, a feat that most would have said the slight woman couldn’t have managed, but she’d actually done it in less than 5 minutes.

“It’s going to be alright, Nadia,” Sajy said gently, setting her daughter down as the little girl cried out in pain. She was seven years old, so she looked a little older than Nahida. Unlike Nahida, her hair was loose about her head, and she was wearing shorts and a blouse. She’d been riding her bike, and had taken a bad fall. Nahida filled all that out on the clipboard quickly, deciding that just this once, it wasn’t really rude to peek into someone’s mind; this was a medical emergency, after all.

“Um, Dr. Bashir is out right now, but, um…I-I can help,” Nahida said uncertainly.

Sajy blinked at Nahida in surprise, while Nadia sniffled and hiccuped.

“My name is Nahida,” she said, pulling over a chair to stand on so that she could examine Nadia’s leg. “That’s a lot like your name.”

Nadia managed a small smile and jerked a nod. “A-are you a doctor like your dad?”

“You’re just a little girl,” Sajy said, shaking her head. “We can wait for the doctor, or go to the hospital. I just knew the clinic was nearby, and we’ve seen Dr. Bashir before. It is just a broken leg…”

“But it hurts! I-I want it to not hurt, mommy,” Nadia sniffled.

“I am a little girl,” Nahida said, carefully using “little” in the sense that she was quite small, and not in the sense that she was young, though that was really playing games with the truth. “But, I’m also…”

Nahida drew out the false Vision from under her dress, and held it up.

Sajy gasped and jerked back in horror, but Nadia stopped crying and looked at the Vision curiously. “You… you have powers? Like Ms. Farasha?”

“Not like hers,” Nahida hastily said, which did seem to reassure Sajy slightly. “Parahumans and Vision Holders… we’re different. But my powers… I can help things grow. Including you, Nadia. If your mother will let me.”

“Please, mommy?” Nadia begged, turning to her mother. “It hurts so much…”

The revulsion at the thought of a demon girl warred with the pain her daughter was in, and for a moment, Sajy teetered on the brink. Then she looked at Nahida, who smiled at her shyly, then at her daughter. Swallowing, she nodded. “If you can help… please, do so.”

Nodding, Nahida opened a screen of dendro, scanning the wound. She isolated the break, noting the damage to the surrounding tissue. Using an infusion of dendro, Nahida first dealt with the pain, soothing the torn muscles and ligaments, and quieting the pain receptors. Nadia let out a sigh and relaxed, visibly relieved. Seeing the glow of Nahida’s abilities frightened Sajy, but her daughter’s obvious relief quieted her fears, and she hugged Nadia, stroking her forehead and whispering to her quietly.

Nahida continued to work, forming a sheath of Dendro, and grabbing several seeds that Sajy had picked up on her clothes on her run here. She caused the seeds to rapidly grow, mutating them slightly, and then weaving the fibers into a cast, which she further infused with dendro. Then, gently, Nahida prodded the bone back together, setting everything in place. She encouraged the bone to begin to knit with another infusion, but she didn’t accelerate it too much: healing was much more thorough and safe if the body was allowed to naturally heal on its own at a more natural pace. She could just knit the bone together, but doing so could cause complications. Instead, she strengthened Nadia’s own natural healing ability. This way, the bone would knit cleanly and completely.

All that took only minutes, and Nahida carefully examined the rest of Nadia for any other trauma or injuries. The only thing she found was that one of Nadia’s teeth was coming in slightly crooked, so she gently nudged that back into place. Overall, she was a healthy little girl, with a good home and a happy life. She had plenty of friends at school, and while her teacher was stern and grouchy, they didn’t seem a bad sort from the little Nahida glimpsed.

“There,” Nahida said, smiling happily and dusting off your hands as she let her dendro constructs vanish. “I’ll still want Dr. Bashir to check it, that’s the first broken bone I’ve treated, but you should be alright. You’ll need some crutches, and you’ll want to keep off the leg for six to eight weeks. I’ll book you a follow up appointment based on Dr. Bashir’s recommendations.”

Instead of listening to her, however, both Sajy and Nadia were looking at the cast Nahida had woven with astonishment.

“How did you make it?” Nadia asked, touching one of the flowers blooming on the surface of the green cast, which was woven together from various weeds, moss, and whatever other plants Nahida had been able to grow quickly. It had enough dendro in it to help with the healing for two months, then it would wither and die. A shame, but plants were used as medicine all the time, and Nahida didn’t feel too badly about it. Besides, it did look pretty.

“Where did it come from?” Sajy asked.

“Um, well, I can control dendro,” Nahida said, holding up her vision as if that explained things. Another lie, but not too terrible of one, since Nahida was somehow responsible for Dendro Visions, even if she wasn’t completely sure how. “That’s the elemental energy of life, especially plants. I used some seeds to grow a cast for you. There’s a little Dendro in there too. Not too much! Just enough to keep the cast healthy, ease the pain, and keep your tissues healthy. Your muscles won’t atrophy as badly as they would with a normal cast too, I think.”

“Cool!” Nadia said, grinning and showing off her missing lower front teeth. She probably wouldn’t need braces now, though from what Nahida could tell, orthodontics wasn’t very advanced in Iraq, with the wealthy flying to the USA or Europe for dental care.

“Thank you,” Sajy said, standing and giving Nahida a hug, tears in her eyes. “For taking such good care of my daughter.”

Nahida blushed, but the hug was nice, so she just accepted it. Really, she’d gotten more hugs in the last two weeks than she had in 500 years. That probably meant she needed a lot more to make up for lost time.

“How much do I owe you?” Sajy asked, and Nahida sensed her consternation. Her family wasn’t poor, but she and her husband had four children, in addition to caring for Sajy’s elderly mother-in-law.

“Um,” Nahida glanced at her clipboard. “Thirty-five dinar.”

“Really?” Sajy blinked. “So little? That’s less than a regular doctor’s visit.”

“Well, I’m not actually a doctor,” Nahida said, blushing and looking down. Thirty-five dinar happened to be the amount of money that Sajy had on her, and it was an amount she could afford to spend and not fret about.

“Well, we should wait for the doctor then,” Sajy said, smiling at Nahida. She clearly thought this was a case of a little girl not knowing the value of money. This wasn’t the case, as Nahida had been reading the morning paper Dr. Bashir brought home most days, and was well aware of Iraq's current economic conditions, and the exchange rate of the dinar.

For the next few minutes, Nahida and Nadia chatted and laughed. As they did so, Nahida heard a tinkling sound and looked to the window that stood over the garden. Nadia did the same, and gasped in delight. “Djinn! Look, momma, djinn!”

Glancing at the window, Sajy didn’t see the three little aranara clustered there, peering in at the children. They ducked down and hid anyway when she did, aranara being very shy by nature, but that just made Nadia and Nahida giggle in delight. “I see you girls are already playing games and having fun.”

“No, momma, there really were djinn!” Nadia insisted, which earned her a “that’s nice dear” from her clearly exhausted mother.

A short while later, Dr. Bashir strolled into the clinic with his paper and cup of coffee, pausing when he heard the giggles of two little girls. “Nahida? Is someone here already?”

“We’re in here, Dr. Bashir!” Nahida called. “Um, there was a walk-in.”

Stepping into the room, Bashir looked around, taking a moment to digest what he saw. He nodded to Sajy, murmuring, “Mrs. Radi. And… hmm, Nada? No…”

“Nadia!” the little girl said happily. “I didn’t know you had a daughter, Doctor Bashir!”

“Ah, Nahida is a recent arrival,” Doctor Bashir said, coming over and taking the clipboard from Nahida. He scanned it briefly, taking a long drink from his coffee. “Greenstick fracture? You treated it already?”

“Um, yes, but I thought you’d want to take a look yourself,” Nahida said.

Bashir nodded, setting his cup aside, and gently taking Nadia’s leg in his hands. He prodded it with his fingers, feeling the bone. “This will hurt a little I’m afraid.”

Nadia winced, but Bashir was quick and professional and set the leg back down. “Hmm, quite the flexible cast. Will it keep the leg immobilized properly?”

“Yes, I haven’t stiffened it up yet,” Nahida explained.

Pursing his lips, Bashir looked at Sajy, as if weighing something. “Abdul still works at the Ministry of Commerce?”

“Yes, he says he’ll be promoted soon, which is good,” Sajy said, smiling at Bashir.

“Hmm. Well, I don’t recommend an x-ray, and Nahida probably did one herself, didn’t she?” Bashir said, turning to peer at Nahida. She nodded, and he turned back to Sajy. “The bone is set properly. Nadia is young and healthy. Make sure she drinks extra milk and eats extra green leafy vegetables, almonds too if she likes them.’

“I do! Especially with chocolate!” Nadia chimed in.

“Good, good. Those have lots of calcium, which will promote bone growth. But this was set as well as I could do myself, better perhaps,” Bashir said with a nod.

“I will. Ah, there is the manner of the fee though,” Sajy said, glancing at Nahida.

“Oh?” Bashir looked back to Nahida, raising one eyebrow. “What did you tell her?”

“Thirty-five dinar,” Nahida admitted, looking down and blushing.

“Sounds fair to me,” Bashir agreed. “She did the treatment, after all.”

Sajy broke down crying again, babbling her thanks, and hastily gave the money to Bashir, who then handed it over to Nahida to her surprise.

“I… I’ll make some crutches!” Nahida said hastily and ran outside. She plucked two twigs from a bush, then ran back inside, measuring Nadia’s frame. She grew the twigs into perfect crutches, adding a bit of padding to make them more comfortable by growing cotton like fluff, then binding it down with leaves. “Here!”

Sajy gaped open mouthed, but Nadia took the crutches easily enough, managing to hobble around with them. “Thank you! Do I really have to use these for a month?”

“Come back in two weeks, and Nahida can do a check-up then,” Bashir said. “Why don’t you two go walk around in the garden to get used to the crutches, and I’ll talk with Mrs. Radi for a bit,” Bashir said, smiling at both the girls.

They both went outside, Nadia adapting with the speed that young children did to the new arrangement and hurrying after Nahida with a clack-clack of the wooden crutches. “Let’s look for the djinn!”

“They’re called aranara,” Nahida whispered. “They like singing. If you sing to them, they’ll come to you.”

“Hey pomegranate, hey pomegranate!” Nadia sang, and Nahida joined in, having heard this song in the dreams of many children already. By the time they finished the short silly song, several aranara were peeking out from behind the bushes and flowers in the garden.

“Nara Sarva! What has hurt the singing nara?” the bravest of the aranara asked, stepping forward. She was a small female aranara, with a long green pointed cap, with feathery growths on the end. She toddled forward, blinking up at Nadia.

“I fell off my bike,” Nadia explained, peering curiously down at the aranara. “Are you really djinn?”

“Hmm, what is djinn? I am Arana of the Aranara,” the little nature spirit said, cocking her head to one side.

“Djinn are spirits. Some are good, some are bad. You seem like good djinn though, who follow the teachings of the Prophet,” Nadia said.

“Yes! We are good aranara!” Arana agreed. “We listen to the trees, and the dreams of good nara.”

“Can you show yourself to my mom?! She’s a good, um, nara too!” Nadia said eagerly.

The aranara all quailed at that, with some of the others hiding. Arana looked around nervously, and shook her head. When she spoke, her tone was mournful. “No. Big nara have lost the dreams. They cannot see aranara anymore. Big nara are scary. They would try to take away aranara.”

“Not my mom! She’s a good nara!” Nadia cried. “What about my brothers and sister? Could they see you?”

“Hmm,” Arana looked to Nahida.

“Do you have a garden?” Nahida asked Nadia.

She nodded hastily. “Yes! My grandma helps me take care of it. We have a date palm, and two pomegranate trees, and lots of flowers, and some vegetables! She grows the best vegetables.”

“Then perhaps, the aranara can come to visit you soon,” Nahida said, smiling down at the little faeries. “I’ll show you the way to Nadia’s dreams tonight, if you’d like.”

“Yes! It would be good to meet more good nara,” Arana agreed. Then, she looked around, obviously hearing approaching footsteps, and hastily hid back in the garden, vanishing with the other aranara.

“Nahida? Nadia? Who are you girls talking to?” Dr. Bashir asked as he and Sajy rounded the corner.

“No one!” both girls said hastily.

“We were playing,” Nadia added. “Pretend! Um, you know.”

“We were dreaming of a wonderful garden, with lots of good fruit and vegetables to eat, so we could grow big and strong!” Nahida agreed, dearly wishing she too could grow up like  Nadia would one day soon. Indeed, she could feel Nadia growing even now. Terribly fast, by some standards, though not as fast as a young flower could.

“It is a lovely garden. You must take good care of it,” Sajy said, smiling at Nahida and kneeling down to give her another hug.

“Qiqi helps,” Nahida said, returning the hug. She glanced shyly at Nadia. “You… you could come back some time, and play…”

“Can I, mom? Please?” Nadia begged.

“Of course,” Nadia agreed. “As long as Dr. Bashir says it’s alright.” The turned to the doctor, looking a bit worried. “Your, ah, other daughter… it would be safe for her to play…?”

“Yes, though Qiqi is… special,” Bashir said with a smile that hid the pain. “She’s about Nahida’s age, but… I’m afraid she was not treated well before I adopted her. She’s…a late bloomer.”

“Oh!” Sajy looked horrified at that. “Well, I can bring my younger daughter as well, she’s three, but maybe they could play together?”

“That would be,” Bashir had to fight back his emotions, but he nodded. “Yes.”

“Well, I’ll have Abdul call you then. Come, Nadia, you’re late for school already.”

“But mom! I broke my leg! Don’t I get to stay home and rest?” Nadia whined.

“You should go to school. I wish I could,” Nahida said with a heavy sigh.

“Huh? Why not?” Nadia asked, now sounding slightly horrified. “It’s fun most of the time.”

“I…” Nahida swallowed, then reached up, pulling off her headwrap, revealing her ears. Sajy let out a gasp of shock, but Nadia just looked curious.

“What happened to your ears?” she asked, reaching out a hand to touch one.

“Nadia! Don’t be rude!” her mother gasped.

“It’s OK,” Nahida said, turning her head to let Nadia touch her ear. “They’ve always been like this.”

“Nahida is,” Bashir cleared his throat. “Well, ah, she might be the first dual parahuman and Vision Holder. The physiological changes can be…well, they’re not dangerous, just striking.”

Again, a war played out on Sajy’s face and in her heart, and Nahida tensed up. Then Sajy gave her a gentle smile, deciding something. “Well. I think she’s still quite cute.”

Nahida burst into tears, to Nadia’s horror, and Bashir picked her up, hugging her tightly.

“I think that’s enough doctoring for the day. I’ll look forward to seeing you soon, Nadia. Remember, stay off your leg as much as possible.”

“Goodbye, Nahida!” Nadia called, trying to wave and nearly falling. “Thank you for fixing my leg! And introducing me to the you-know-whats!”

Bashir took Nahida back upstairs as she rested her head on his shoulder. “That was very brave of you. And very kind.”

“I was scared,” Nahida admitted. “What if they’d screamed and run away?”

“Has that happened to you before?” Bashir asked gently as they reached the top of the stairs where the living quarters were.

“No,” Nahida said quietly, thinking of a lonely sanctuary far away. “It was worse.”

Bashir just hugged her, then set her down and told Mrs. Rasab that Nahida needed to rest for a bit, then went down to see his patients.

Nahida did rest, mulling over what she’d done. It was the first time she’d really gotten to use her abilities to help someone. She’d occasionally helped people before in secret, but this time, she’d been seen to do it, and she hadn’t been hated or mocked. True, it wasn’t as wonderful as what Greater Lord Rukkhadevata could have managed, but still.

In some small way, she felt like a real Archon for the first time, perhaps ever. Caring for her people, even if just one little girl.

Two days later, Farasha returned.

As soon as Farasha breezed into the clinic in the middle of the afternoon, Nahida could smell her. The aura of death and despair on her was more potent than ever, so overwhelming that Nahida couldn’t even really process the cheery greeting. She had to force herself to focus on Farasha’s words, her heart hammering in her ears.

“-favorite Little Radish doing? Nahida? What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost?” Farasha asked, frowning down at Nahida. She was holding a bag in her hands, which was bulging with something, but the pain that was hiding behind Farasha’s grin was too much for Nahida to bear.

Reflexively, Nahida reached out to Farasha, not with her physical body, but with her spirit. As she did so, she tapped into not just Farasha’s being, but the Demon that was leeching off of her soul, voracious and malevolent.

Images flashed through Nahida’s mind. Of Farasha in the mountains, of a village, of fighting. Of a swarm of butterflies, hungrily consuming villagers and… another demon? And an Anemo Vision Holder, fighting Farasha. The demons… wanted this? They wanted to fight one another, or rather, have their human hosts do so. But even more, the demons hungered to fight Vision Holders to…’

You seek Wisdom? Nahida mentally gasped, horrified.

DATA. SIMULATE. PROCESS. EVOLVE. CYCLE.

The voice of the demon was a cacophony, a chorus of unharmonic voices. It wasn’t even truly alive, more like a virus than a thinking, feeling being.

“LEAVE HER ALONE!” Nahida screamed and sent a blast of pure life force, containing a great deal of her own knowledge at the demon. It howled in pain, but loosened its hold on Farasha’s soul.

Then Nahida came back to herself. She was floating in the air, surrounded by a protective bubble, scripts and runes from the Akasha running through the air around her as she attempted to safeguard herself and understand the demon. Farasha was on her hands and knees on the floor, a cake and cookies splattered around her. She was dry retching, her body wracked with fever and muscle spasms.

“Nahida!? Farasha! Back away from her, now!” Bashir ran into the room from where he had been seeing one of his patients just as Nahida’s bubble popped, and she fell to the floor. Bashir grabbed her, spinning around and hurling her towards the back door. “OUT! Now! Get out! Everyone leave! Immediately!”

The young boy and his father who had been in the waiting room peered out, saw Farasha gasping for breath on the floor, and instantly stampeded towards the exit, faces pale and hearts pounding, fear filling their minds.

Nahida looked up from where she had fallen, tears in her eyes. “But-”

Bashir turned towards her, fury, fear, and his own naked pain on his face. “What have you done!? FLEE! Get Qiqi and go, go to the mosque until I call for you!”

Then he turned to Farasha, extending a trembling hand. “Hutah? Please, let me help you, I can-”

She smacked his hand away with her own, staggering to her feet. Her eyes were…brown. Instead of red, they were brown, and wide with shock and pain. “I don’t… don’t touch me. What… what happened to…”

“Nahida, NOW!” Bashir barked, and she turned and fled, tears in her eyes as she sensed Bashir’s panic. He was afraid, deeply afraid, for himself, for Farasha, and even Nahida. But he would stay, even though he thought he was only moments from death. She hurried outside, horror filling her. What had she done?

“Qiqi? Qiqi, where are you going?!” Mrs. Rasab’s voice called from above.

“Please, cold nara! You have to go! Quickly, quickly!” the voice of Arana urged as she hovered in the air, Qiqi following after her. “It is not safe for little nara now.”

“Qiqi, Mrs. Rasab, Farasha is sick! We’re supposed to go to the mosque!” Nahida called, running up the stairs to grab Qiqi’s hand, then pulling her down. They ran all the way to the Mosque, Mrs. Rasab hurrying after. It wasn’t time for noon prayers, and they found Imam Tahir in his office.

“Mrs. Rasab? Nahida? What is-”

“Something is wrong with Farasha!” Nahida babbled. “She… she came back, and she was hurting so much inside, and then I tried to help, but she got hurt more and Dr. Bashir told us to leave, I’m sorry! I was trying to be good!”

Hearing that, the Imam’s face went pale, and he hastily motioned them inside. “Quickly, in here.” He looked about, then slammed the door behind them, going over and shutting a window as well.

“What… what do we do?” Mrs. Rasab asked, sounding overwhelmed and feeling dread, mostly for the two girls and Dr. Bashir.

“We pray. Pray that Allah shows mercy to Saeed, and poor Hutah as well,” Tahir said, then got down on his knees, touching his head to the floor and beginning a prayer.

Nahida did the same, and for the first time since coming to this world, she reached out, desperately seeking someone, anyone, who could answer her.

At first, she sensed only that distant presence that she had taken to be Allah. But then, something closer.

And to her horror, Nahida heard her first missive from the god of this world:

DO NOT INTERFERE IN THE CYCLE.

Author’s Note:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. - Proverbs 9:10

The Last Drop of Hope, Chapter 23

The Last Drop of Hope

Part 2: Dawn

For the first time in nearly thirty years, the day dawned on Axel. Not a slight lightning through smog-filled skies, not a ring of the shift bell, and certainly not the false light of neon bulbs. Sunlight streaked through to hit the city below, breaking through the clouds in places. It would have been called a pitiful display in other places and times, but here, it was a sign that for once, things were actively getting better on Belzerg.

Even with the dawn of a new day, that only meant that the citizens of Axel had something to fight for.

Across the surface, a platoon of hover tanks retreated rapidly, swiveling their turrets to fire behind them. Their plasma cannons ignited asphalt and liquified concrete, smoke and flames obscuring the buildings and streets behind them.

“CRYSTAL! ICE! PRISON!”

With a gesture, the flames were snuffed out, and two of the five hover tanks were encased in ice as a massive glacier formed. The other three tanks kept moving, their plasma cannons battering the ice and melting great holes in it, but not quickly enough.

Through the ice, two shapes blurred, smashing through the unnaturally dark blue mass and barreling towards the tanks.

“I have the two of the left!” Megumin shouted, her massive Sword Gram held before her. A shot of plasma roared towards her, but she stepped upon the wind itself, dodging to the side and closing in on the tanks.

“Take the right most, I shall take the center and left,” Iris ordered, pointing her far smaller machete at her intended targets.

“I can take them!” Megumin argued, refusing to veer away from the center tank.

“Do as your queen commands!” Iris snarled. “EXTERION!”

“RUNE OF SABER!”

Two blades, one of golden light, the other of dark lightning, slammed into the central hovertank, instantly obliterating it in a titanic explosion that knocked the other two askew, though they rapidly righted themselves. One managed to get off a lucky shot, heading right for Iris, who had been knocked off course from her leap through the air by the sudden explosion.

“Dammit, WATCH OUT!” Megumin shouted, using her Zephyr Step to try to interpose herself, gritting her teeth as the crackling ball of energy raced towards them both.

Then a great spire of ice slammed into the plasma, flashing to steam, which buffeted the girls, causing minor burns, but not enough to seriously slow either down thanks to one being in power armor and the other in highly magical plate. Two more ice spears shot out, skewering the other two tanks and sending them careening into the rubble of the mostly ruined city.

No sooner did Iris land, then she whirled on Megumin, her face red from the scalding steam and fury. “Did you not hear my order?! I said I had it!”

“Well you must need to clean out your ears, because I said I had it first!” Megumin snapped, picking herself up off the ground and wincing at her own minor burns. Magic armor and levels in constitution only did so much. It felt like she had minor burns all over the exploded skin of her face.

“Ladies!”

Both girls whirled, looking like they’d been caught with their hand in the cookie jar, as Wiz strode out of the mist and fog created by her ice. She was wearing her robes of dark purple and black, but had on a hooded mantle with a blue gem resting on her forehead, within which swirled strange energies. Her expression was rather exasperated, and she regarded the two young women for a moment. “Iris, Megumin, you are both very cute and strong, and skilled on the battlefield. This cannot be a competition between the two of you. You are not enemies, but friends. You must act like it.”

Megumin glared at both the lich and Iris, especially the royal brat, who was a good four years younger than she was. It hurt Megumin’s feelings more than a little that in her power armor, Iris was head and shoulders taller than Megumin, and even out of it was a centimeter or two taller than her already. Crimson Demons weren’t known for their great size, but for their skill on the battlefield, but it was still irksome.

“I am the queen! She should respect my authority on the battlefield!” Iris declared, drawing herself up regally and tilting her chin up to look down her nose on them all.

“Iris, you are indeed the queen, but you cannot do everything yourself. You must learn to trust your subordinates,” Wiz said, sounding all too much like a mother lecturing her daughter. “And Megumin certainly could have destroyed the hover tanks on her own. She may have an unorthodox build for a Crimson Demon, but her firepower is top-notch.”

Hearing that, Megumin smirked at Iris, who looked slightly deflated, until Wiz turned her frosty gaze on Megumin instead. “And Megumin, Iris is your rightful sovereign and your battlefield commander. Do you know the Crimson Demon clan’s greatest weakness?”

“That there aren’t enough of us to stomp all the corporations into the dirt,” Megumin growled, but she blushed as she said it, having a fairly good idea of what was coming.

“You don’t know how to be team players. Your culture has always emphasized individuality and feats of skill and bravery on the battlefield. While that can be laudable, it made your people easy prey to those who would divide you and pick you off one by one. I know you want you and your sisters to survive and thrive. Learn from the past.”

“And I suppose the same can be applied to me,” Iris said, her shoulders slumping. “My father always said that a good leader must not always lead from the front. There is a time for glory, and a time to give glory to others.”

Scuffing her boot on the ground, Megumin grimaced at Iris, trying to force a smile. “Sorry.”

“It is I who should apologize. A queen must know her subordinates strengths and weaknesses,” Iris said in a far more dignified manner, which just furthered Megumin’s irritation. It was hard to hate Iris, but being that good at everything was grating.

While they were talking, a squad of soldiers hustled out of the fog dressed in ShopWiz uniforms, but with the Royal Sigil on it: a shield divided into red and silver, with a golden crown at the top center. On the red was a silver sword, and on the silver a crosshatch pattern with a purple bunch of grapes with a green leaf.

“Your highness!” the lead guard cried, hurrying over to Iris’ side and panting for breath. The guards were dressed in power armor, but even that couldn’t help them keep up with a Belzerg. “We…we tried to keep up with you. Please don’t don’t run off like that again…”

“I apologize, Captain Aloerina, but there are times when I must take point. Besides, I was not alone, Megumin was at my side,” Iris said with a rueful smile and a nod to Megumin.

“Well, yes, I suppose one Crimson Demon is worth the rest of us combined,” Aloerina said ruefully, looking to the destroyed tanks. “And Lady Wiz was with you as well. I guess we can call this sector cleared?”

“Let me check.” Megumin unclipped a radio from her belt, and spoke into it. “Rune to Summoner, what’s the situation, over?”

“Hi Megumin!” Komekko’s voice said brightly, ignoring the call signs. “Mr. Hoost says there’s no more bad guys he can see, ‘cept for the planes and ships way up high, but we can’t hit those.”

“Thank you, Summoner,” Megumin said, smiling at her little sister’s exuberance. “Chief, what’s the situation on your end?”

“Um, t-the last group of NyteTech troops surrendered to us. We’ll have to p-process them, but um, things are going OK over here…”

Megumin looked to Iris, who nodded in satisfaction. “Very well. Have our men patrol the border, but let us adjourn to back to the base. We have much to plan yet.”

A short time later, armored hovercars flew in, picking up the royal party, and making for the undercity. As they flew over the surface, the clouds closed back up, hiding the sun again, and Megumin frowned, squirting up at the hazy sky. “That was weird. I wonder what made it come out again.”

“On Eris, the sun shone on us most days, save for when it rained,” Iris said, looking up at the dark sky wistfully. “There are stories that once this planet was green and verdant, with many lush continents and islands. I do not recall such days, however…”

“I do,” Wiz said quietly, but she gave both girls a small smile. “Days I think will yet come again.”

As they flew over the city, Megumin looked at the ruins of it all. It had been ten days since Beldia had been struck down, and at last, the borders of Axel were secure. Almost 900 km2, both above and below the surface, free of any last pockets of resistance. They had subdued or driven off all of the NyteTech forces, and driven off the elements of Santomon Chemicals that had come into their territory. Their enemies were massing now in the wasteland less than fifty kilometers away, and there was some urban sprawl to the south and west that was controlled by NyteTech, but the city proper and most of its suburbs were firmly under the control of what was being called the Royalist forces.

The surface city was mostly ruined, with most of the buildings having been knocked down and destroyed in the more than week of fighting. The intense airbattle was finally over, largely thanks to the fact that most of the combatants were running out of pilots, ships, and supplies. The same was true for the space battle, though the situation was precarious: No one controlled the orbitals completely, but ShopWiz forces were mostly hiding, and didn’t have enough supplies for many more days of operations out in the black.

As the passed into the undercity through a mostly intact tunnel, the view rapidly changed. While there were still obvious scars of battle, there was something else, another site that had not been seen on Belzerg for generations: Greenery, and clean water.

The ancient sewer systems now flowed like great rivers, with water that while not completely untainted, was far purer than anything anyone had seen in a hundred years. Mosses, lichens, fungi, and in places with enough artificial lighting, grasses and shrubs had sprouted. There were even fields of wild potatoes, onions, and garlic sprouting. That would have been better news if the plants weren’t also murderous, but still.

ShopWiz headquarters itself was in excellent condition, despite several kinetic strikes from ships in orbit. Wiz might not have had the best business sense, but she took good care of her people, and thick layers of earth and concrete prevented any serious damage. Most of the city’s population had moved into the undercity nearby Wiz’s headquarters, working to harvest the rapidly maturing crops. In ten days, they’d already had one full harvest, with another well on its way. This was thanks in part to the efforts of the Axis Cult, and hundreds of newly minted priests and farmers (a rather powerful melee class it seemed).

However, the real credit went to two people in particular. Iris, who as Queen, had performed several rites that guaranteed fertility and a swift harvest, and Aqua, Goddess of Waters.

As the hovercar landed, Megumin could make out Aqua on a platform below the landing pad. She was on stage and seemed to be performing a variety of party tricks for an adoring audience, broken up by songs, dances, and drinking sessions.

“It looks like she’s just wasting time with a big dumb party again,” Megumin commented as she got out of the hover car, going over to the railing to look down at Aqua, who had out two paper fans and was making little jets of water spray out to the audience’s cheers.

“It does seem frivolous in the midst of a war, but one should not underestimate the effect of morale,” Iris agreed, coming to stand beside Megumin. “That, and…”

“-and she’s probably actually doing something really clever, even if she doesn’t know it and looks like an idiot while she does,” Megumin sighed with a shake of her head.

“Generating faith,” Iris agreed. “Which will result in an overflowing abundance of Mana. Even I couldn’t get this many crops to grow so quickly, no matter what Royal Blessings I gave. But with a goddess doing so…”

Just then, something small and solid flew out of the darkness, smacking Aqua upside the back of her head and sending her sprawling on the stage in a very undignified pose. A few moments later, a venerable swarm of potatoes followed, even as Aqua started crying. It seemed her little show had caused the potatoes to harvest themselves, several tons of them, and they were all coming straight for Aqua and her audience.

“Looks like she needs rescuing again,” Megumin said with a grin, unsheathing Gram. She bowed to Iris. “After you, your highness.”

“Please, to you, just Iris. We’re of an age, and I’d rather we were friends instead of merely ruler and vassal. That said, you take the right, and I shall have the left,” Iris agreed with her own broad grin. Both of them lept from the landing pad, a good fifty meters above Aqua’s stage, and raced down, Iris with her jet boots, Megumin with Zephyr step.

Potatoes weren’t exactly the most challenging of foes; a good smack was enough to lay them low, and Megumin used Rune of Saber to fry dozens of them at a blow, while Iris knocked the tubers senseless with some wind magic. The Royal Bodyguards joined in the fight, along with the audience members, and in short order, they’d put down the potatoes. The final count was something like 10,000. Not enough to feed the city for a day, but a welcome addition to their stores.

By the time they found Aqua, she was looking chipper as ever, munching on some fresh french fries one of her worshipers had made her, seated at a table made from an old packing crate with smaller boxes for chairs. She waved cheerily to Megumin and Iris, scooting the large platter of golden fries towards them. “Hey you two! Come on, try these, they’re great!”

Having grown up as an outcast who never knew where her next meal was coming from, Megumin immediately sat down and unceremoniously started shoveling the greasy potatoes into her mouth. She paused when she saw Iris dismount from her power armor, taking a towel from one of the royal guards and wiping off most of the sweat and lubricant from her body. She was dressed in a special mesh plug suit of gold and white, and after washing her hands, sat and daintily picked up a single fry, biting off only half of it.

“Mmm! A simple fare, but after a battle, a very much appreciated treat.”

“No booze for you,though!” Aqua said, taking out a bottle from her bosom, a feat that should have been impossible, and taking a long pull. “It’ll stunt your growth!”

“Simple water will be fine,” Iris said, as another guard hastily poured glasses for both Iris and Megumin.

Iris continued to eat with impeccable table manners, while Megumin grudgingly forced herself to eat less like a starving animal and more like a human being. Aqua was slightly more decorous than Megumin had been initially, but not by much. Then again, Aqua always gave off an aura of sophistication and grace, even when she was executing pratfalls.

After the snack, they headed inside the building to refresh themselves. Iris left to her own suite, not far from Megumin’s own in the executive wing.

“BIG SIS!” a moderately sized blur rammed into Megumin, rocking her back slightly. Komekko grinned up at Megumin, showing a gap in her smile. “Notice anything different?!”

“Hmm, you look a little fatter, did you find a food store and raid it?” Megumin asked, pinching Komekko’s cheek. She was a little plumper actually, though that really just meant that after a week of decent eating, Komekko didn’t look quite as undernourished as she had.

“No! Guess again!” Komekko demanded. Then she paused, sniffing the air. “I smell…I smell… FOOD!”

Megumin produced a brown paper bag with a grease stained bottom and shook it. “I brought french fries!”

“GIMMIE!” Komekko demanded, jumping up to try to snatch the bag, though Megumin easily held it up out of reach of her six year old sister.

“Hmm, I haven’t figured out what’s different about you yet though,” Megumin teased.

Quickly, Komekko dug into one of the pouches she had at her belt, and pulled out a small white tooth. “I lost a tooth! Miss Darkness says if I hide it under my pillow at night, the Tooth Fairy will give me a candy for it!”

“Tooth fairy?” Megumin said, frowning. She shrugged. It certainly wasn’t the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard. “Well, it’s worth a try I guess. Here, enjoy. They’re a little cold now, but they’re good.”

“YAY!” Komekko cheered, and sat down on the floor, stuffing a handful of soggy fries in her mouth. There was a flutter of dark wings, and Hoost the Raven hopped over from his perch, pecking at the bag.

“Fries? Come on, boss, ya gotta share some! I was getting shot at all day, that deserves a reward, right?” Komekko’s familiar pleaded.

“I gave you corn,” she pointed out, but gave Hoost a french fry, which the greedy bird instantly gobbled up.

“W-welcome home!” Yunyun said, poking her head in from the bedroom. “H-how was fighting with the queen?”

“A bit too much fighting with the queen and not as much fighting alongside her,” Megumin sighed. “Catch.”

Yunyun squawked at the bag of fries tossed at her, but as socially awkward as she was, she had a Crimson Demon’s reflexes, and she caught the bag out of the air. “Um, thanks. I-I didn’t bring you anything…”

“Eh, it’s fine. I’m going to shower. Iris called a meeting in a couple of hours, she wants me and you to come along,” Megumin told her adopted sister.

“What about me?!” Komekko demanded hotly, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance.

“It’s past your bedtime,” Megumin called as she headed for the bathroom, stripping out of her stained and grimy armor.

Stepping into the shower, Megumin sighed in delight as the hot water hit her body. This was an unimaginable luxury, but one she was rapidly getting used to. To nearly everyone on the planet, the very thought of being able to have clean water to drink was crazy, not to mention hot water for a shower or bath. Only upper level executives could afford that. But Megumin had seen pools and hot springs created by Aqua in the undercity, where anyone could go for communal bathing. That sounded a bit too vulnerable to her enemies to Megumin, but she did love a shower. Baths were even better, but she didn’t have time for one now.

After indulging in further decadence like Axis Brand Soap, along with real shampoo and conditioner, Megumin just enjoyed the hot water washing over her body for long glorious moments. At last, though, she turned off the water and toweled herself off, then used the blowdryer for her short dark hair. She admired herself in the mirror, wrapped in a towel after that. She was looking healthier, and there was more muscle on her frame now. She was sadly still lacking in the chest department, but, well, if she was as overdeveloped as Yunyun, it would only get in the way during a fight.

Still smiling, Megumin headed out into the bedroom, where Yunyun was pouring over an ancient grimoire of magic at a table, her brow furrowed in concentration as her lips moved silently.

“Learning any cool new spells?” Megumin asked, pulling open a drawer and rummaging through it. Another wonderful change in her life: clothes! All sorts of wonderful clothes! She settled on a red blouse with a black miniskirt and undershorts. Cute, but still practical if she needed to move and fight in a hurry. Gram was the accessory that went with all of her outfits, and she strapped the sword to her back as well.

“Oh, yes!” Yunyun said as Megumin got dressed, looking up excitedly. “I-I almost have enough points for advanced magic, but I’ve learned several important Intermediate Spells! Right now, I’m researching Teleport! It’s a spell that lets you instantly return to any location!”

“Handy,” Megumin mused. “What’re the limits on it?”

“W-well, you can only take a group of up to ten people with you, a-and you can only register a single Teleport location initially. Y-you can register more locations at the cost of one skill point each, but, um, there seems to be a limit to that.”

“Huh.” Megumin mulled that over, then shrugged. “Well, you couldn’t just teleport into a group of enemies and wipe them all out, but that’s still really cool and useful.”

“Oh! You’re thinking of Flash Step!” Yunyun paged through the book, then held it up for Megumin to see. “Flash Step lets you teleport to any location you can see within 100 meters! You can only take yourself and your equipment, b-but it’s a very powerful spell! I thought about taking it myself, but, um, I-I think I’d rather purchase Teleport once I unlock Advanced Magic.”

“That is a seriously cool spell,” Megumin murmured, her eyes looking through it. She nodded. “Yeah, I like it! It’s got a hefty mana cost, so most people couldn’t just spam it, but I’ve got a huge mana pool. I’ve got enough points for it too! Thanks, Yunyun!”

At the praise, Yunyun beamed happily. “You’re w-welcome! I-I want to unlock all the ancient Lore of the Crimson Demon Clan! T-this is a spell book from our people that L-Lady Wiz saved, just for us! She’s given it to me, a-and we can study it as much as we want!”

They spent a little time together going over the grimoire, with even a sleepy Komekko asking about spells she could learn as she got herself ready for bed.

“Hmm, you have a summoner build, s-so I would suggest Create Golem for you,” Yunyun said, showing a spell that created what looked like a robot out of earth, stone, and various metals. “T-the basic level is Earth Golem, b-but you can learn to summon even Adamantoise Golems with the right materials and enough skill points.”

“I like it! Teach me!” Komekko agreed eagerly.

“Tomorrow, it’s time for you to go to bed,” Megumin ordered.

“I’m not tired,” Komekko yawned, but she got into bed anyway.

The sisters gathered around, and engaged in a strange new ritual: Evening prayers.

“Thanks for all the yummy food that I ate today, and for keeping my sisters safe,” Komekko said, her eyes squeezed shut and her little hands clasped tightly together.

“Thank you for letting all the green things grow, for keeping my sisters safe, and for new magic spells. Please help me be a wise chief, and discover more about the Crimson Demon Clan,” Yunyun prayed.

“Thanks for giving us hope,” Megumin said softly. Then she giggled. “But try not to be too much of an idiot!”

“Thanks for the corn,” Hoost added from his perch by the bedside.

“Thank you Lady Aqua,” they all chanted in unison. Then Megumin and Yunyun kissed Komekko, who continued to sleepily protest that she “wasn’t tired” and could come to the meeting. Hoost tucked his head under his wing, and started snoring. By the time Megumin and Yunyun got to the bedroom door to turn the light off, Komekko was already snoring.

“You think she’ll be safe?” Megumin asked quietly as they went out into their parlor, closing the door behind them.

“Hoost is with her, and, w-well…it feels safe here, you know?” Yunyun said with a shrug.

“It’s weird, but yet, I guess,” Megumin agreed reluctantly, and the two of them headed to the late night meeting.

After passing through several halls and a long elevator ride, they arrived at a large conference room.

“Hey, what’s up?” called a young man with dark hair and the look of a delinquent. He had on a self-deprecating smile and had his boots kicked up on the polished hardwood surface of the conference table, giving off a lackadaisical and irreverent air. Despite that, Megumin considered Kazuma Sato to be one of the bravest and most noble people she knew, if a bit of an ass in person. He was the one who’d gotten Iris off of Discord and back to Belzerg, and his cunning plan had been instrumental to defeating Beldia.

“Um, hello,” the pink haired succubus next to Kazuma said, waving shyly as Megumin and Yunyun sat down next to her and Kazuma.

“Hi, Lolisa,” Megumin said as Yunyun timidly waved. “How was your mission today?”

“We got most of the succubi to agree to help us,” Kazuma said with a shrug. “They were scared stiff at the idea of Axis Cultists around, something about an old grudge? But Lolisa convinced them that they’re safe enough. We’ll have to come up with a scheme so that they can get the mana they need without killing anyone, but for now they’re just grateful we’ve promised that they don’t have to be unpaid prostitutes for anyone who gets their hands on them.”

“Yes, I-I’m talking with some of the more senior succubi, and I hope we can find a way to get the mana we need to survive, and to help Queen Iris and Lady Aqua in the war effort,” Lolisa agreed, blushing slightly as she glanced at Kazuma.

“Aqua agreed that the real enemy are the corpos, not some poor abused working girls,” Kazuma said with a shrug.

“Yes! We will t-topple the capitalist system, and restore the means of p-production to the workers!” Yunyun agreed eagerly.

Megumin shrugged, not really caring about the strange political systems Yunyun had found in dusty old books. “The Corporations are everyone’s enemy. We’re demons too, we should stick together with our sisters.”

“Um, Crimson Demon’s aren’t…” Lolisa trailed off, swallowing as Megumin and Yunyun both turned Crimson gazes on her. “That is…you’re not an Infernal Race. All Succubi come from one of the Hells. Most of us were summoned to the mortal plane and enslaved by warlocks or other Evil mortals over the centuries, but a lot of us came with Duke Vanir specifically. Um, you’d call him CEO Vanir, but…”

“But that smelly demon is a Duke of Hell, and a bit meanie!” Aqua declared, bouncing over and taking a seat by Megumin. She gave Lolisa a smile, which made the succubus flinch. “I don’t mind if you stink, Lolisa! Any demon that risks holy water to defeat evil isn’t really a demon in my book!”

“Uh, thanks,” Lolisa muttered, looking more than a little offended, but too scared to say anything.

“‘Cut it out!’” Kazuma and Megumin said at the same time, both of them reaching over to smack the blue haired goddess.

“Ow! M-Megumin! Kazuma! That’s not nice!” Aqua whined.

“Don’t be rude to Lolisa, she’s a nice girl,” Megumin sniffed.

“Yeah, don’t be such a jerk. Just ‘cause you’re a goddess doesn’t mean you can be an asshole!” Kazuma snapped.

Aqua sniveled and whined for a few moments, but then got distracted by the meeting agenda in front of her. She took the paper, and began to fold it into something, causing Megumin to roll her eyes at Aqua’s antics. Seriously, someone should have put her to bed. She was such a child.

A few minutes later, once Aqua had made quite the impressive paper butterfly that was now fluttering over the table, Iris came in with Claire and Darkness at her side. Claire was dressed in a white suit with a blue tie, while Darkness had on a low cut evening dress with a slit up the side, showing off her impressively muscular legs. Iris herself was dressed in a beautiful white dress, with a grape ornament in her short blonde hair.

“Thank you all for coming,” Iris said, nodding around the table. The others there included Dust and Rin, Wiz, Lan, and Cecily. The Axis Priestess had on a very fancy hat and a rich blue habit, having been proclaimed Archbishop of the Axis Cult. She had the most experience for sure and she was certainly passionate, but Megumin was fairly sure Cecily had no more brains in her head than her goddess did.

“We’ll get right into it,” Claire said as everyone else took their seats. A hologram appeared at the center of the table, depicting a map of Axel in 3D, including the undercity. Claire used a laser pointer as she spoked, indicating specific sections.

“As of now, Royalist Forces are in control of the entire city; there are no remaining pockets of serious resistance anywhere. Most of the NyteTech forces in the city have come over to our side, and the holdouts were exterminated by Her Majesty or the team led by myself and Lady Dustiness this afternoon.”

There was scattered applause and Dust let out a loud whistle, but most everyone else was too exhausted to do more than that.

“As such, I won’t keep you here long. You all deserve some rest tonight and tomorrow; take the day off,” Iris said, giving them all a smile. That got much louder applause. Even Megumin was worn out and ready for a break. They’d fought for a week straight after a short respite following Beldia’s defeat, but things were more or less stable now.

“What we need to discuss is the future, however,” Claire continued. She zoomed the map out, showing the continent around Axel, along with the orbitals overhead. “The situation is dire: we are surrounded on all sides. Santomon Chemicals to the North, Beldia’s old holdings to the South and West, nothing but empty wasteland to our East, and space held by the forces of our foes. We have won a victory, but the war is far from over.”

Tiredly, Megumin blinked at the display, frowning. “How many of them can we take?”

“Even accounting for the NyteTech forces that changed sides…we have about 200,000 troops, most of them horribly green,” Claire said, grimacing. “Santomon Chemicals are massing, and our intelligence indicates they’ll have a million troops ready to pour in in less than ten days.”

“We’ve got magic though! That counts for something, right?” Dust asked.

“It does,” Claire agreed. “I would say we could take a force twice our size with ease. Three times our size would be a serious challenge, but possible. But five times? We know that most of our low level classes aren’t capable of taking on serious enemy hardware and surviving, and Santomon Chemicals is famous for, well, chemical warfare.”

“The Axis Cult isn’t afraid of a little poison!” Cecily declared, making a fist and shaking it. “Lady Aqua will protect us!”

“I’m afraid that I have to urge caution. It was Hans who destroyed the Axis Cult, and nearly killed Aqua,” Wiz said quietly. “He’s a Poison Slime, and he’s continued to research some of the most awful and horrific ways to kill large numbers of people. While Purification and Holy magic can repel mundane poisons easily…the same is not true of radiation, nor of the magical poisons I am certain Hans has in reserve. We need to be cautious.”

“A mixture of magic and conventional methods of repelling toxins will be needed. And lest we forget, Hans has a biological warfare unit too,” Claire warned. “We need to be ready for genetically engineered plagues, as well as nano-viruses.”

“That sounds like a freaking mess. We shouldn’t stick our nose in that,” Kazuma said with a frown.

“Normally, the best defense is to hit your opponent first, but I have heard of Poison Slimes. To go into their lair is death. We need to lure Hans and his forces to an open area where we can deal with his attacks and our own holdings are not at risk,” Iris agreed. “Additionally, I have another plan.”

“Oh?” Megumin asked, frowning.

“Yes. Many members of NyteTech willingly joined us with their CEO dead. I wish to seize the cities of Spoke, Fellos, and Boxing,” Iris said, taking up her own laser pointer and indicating three cities to their South. “Spoke is a major transport hub, Fellos has a large armory, and Boxing is a manufacturing center. With those cities under our control, we’d have a lot more resources to take on Hans, and we’d have much more depth to our defense.”

“We’d also be spreading ourselves out,” Kazuma said, leaning back in his chair and frowning at the display. “That’s a lot of ground to cover and defend. It opens us up to attack on new fronts.”

“True, but I think simply sitting and waiting for Hans or another General to arrive and attack us is suicide,” Iris stated. “Our intent is to topple the corporations and retake the entire planet. We can’t do that playing defense, and a defensive war is unwinnable for us.”

“A bold plan, I like it!” Dust declared enthusiastically, grinning at the thought.

“I don’t know…are we in contact with anyone in these cities?” Rin asked uncertainly.

“That will be our first step: we need to establish contacts in those cities. Is anyone familiar with them?” Iris asked, looking around the table.

“We are, my queen,” Darkness said, raising her hand. “Claire and I were born in Fellos before being transferred to Axel.”

“We’ve been to Spoke,” Megumin said, indicating herself and Yunyun. “I wouldn’t say we have a lot of contacts, but we know good places to hide there and we know the terrain.”

“I’m a Boxing girl, actually,” Lan said, looking around nervously. “I got family there. I could reach out…”

“Then we have the beginnings of a plan,” Iris said with a nod. “I shall remain in our capitol, and prepare to resist Hans. Aqua shall remain at my side: she is too valuable an asset to risk.”

“Huh?” Aqua said, looking up from folding another paper animal, this one a dragon.

“She said you’re pretty and smart,” Megumin said, patting Aqua on the back.

Aqua beamed, and went back to her paper dragon. Actually, that was a seriously impressive dragon. Megumin had to force herself to look away, and brush a tear from her eye at the beauty of the thing.

“Claire, Darkness, I know you are loathe to part from me, but I shall dispatch you along with Cecily and Wiz to make inroads in Fellos.  We’ll work out which of our forces you will take with you later.”

“Honor to serve,” Darkness and Claire murmured, bowing their heads, while Cecily gave a big thumbs up and Wiz nodded in agreement.

“Megumin, Yunyun, Kazuma, and Lolisa. You shall go to Spoke. There is a large succubi population there, is there not?” Iris inquired.

“Yes, there is,” Lolisa agreed. “But, um, I’m worried about what the other girls would do if they smell the mana on Kazuma…”

“I still charge you with keeping my brother safe,” Iris said seriously. She turned her gaze on Kazuma. “And brother, keep your proclivities in check.”

“What, me?” Kazuma protested, but no one bought the innocent act.

“We’ll keep them out of trouble,” Megumin promised, and Yunyun added her agreement.

“That leaves Lan, Dust, and Rin to tackle Boxing,” Iris said. “I put you in charge, Sir Dust. Take Faitifore with you.”

“You got it, Boss Lady!” Dust agreed happily.

“As long as Rin keeps him on a leash, I’m fine with it,” Lan agreed. “Especially if I can take my baby girl Faitifore with me!”

“Then I shall call us adjourned for the evening. Take tomorrow off, but the day after, I want plans submitted detailing how you intend to approach the problem,” Iris said, standing. “Good luck.”

They broke up after that, and though some stayed for small talk, Megumin and Yunyun were too tired and too socially awkward to do that. They dragged themselves back to their rooms, slipping into bed with Komekko. Technically, they had two other beds, but the three sisters didn’t feel comfortable sleeping by themselves, and the beds were larger and more comfortable than anything they’d slept on before regardless.

“Do you think it’ll work? Going to Spoke and trying to take it?” Megumin asked Yunyun as they lay down with the sleeping Komekko between them.

“As long as we stick together…I-I think we can,” Yunyun agreed quietly, smiling shyly. “I think…I think we can do this, Megumin. I just worry about Komekko…should we take her with us?”

“Yeah, she’d never agree to be left behind anyway. Besides, we survived for this long with no awesome magical powers. Can’t be that hard now, right?” Megumin asked, yawning at the end. “Mmm. Night.”

“Good night.”

Soon, nothing but snores filled the room, and for a short time longer, they had peace.

Second Archon War: Informational, On the Elements 3

Excerpt from Chapter 3 of On the Elements, by  Dr. Fatima Tabib

My greatest wish? It has always been to roam free and experience the whole world. Now I would add that wherever I go, it simply must be to share my music with you all! So come along with me, and let’s sing a song together as we raise our mugs in cheer! - Barbatos, Anemo Archon

If the Electro Archon is aloof and deific, then the Anemo Archon is charming and, well, a bit of a bum. From everything that has been reported, Venti Luft has the appearance of being a traveling and not especially prosperous musician, despite the Tone Deaf Bards’ multiple wins at Eurovision and their music’s widespread popularity the world over. But you don’t find the God of Freedom, or Angel of Freedom, as he seems to prefer, amidst the halls of the elite or a far-off sanctuary. You find him at a bar, a local park, or in a back alley somewhere.

On the surface, knowing the mind of Barbatos (and it is Barbatos, not Barbados, whatever his own church might tell you) should be easy. Venti’s discography is extensive and well-documented. He mingles with the common folk and speaks with them at length. He would appear to be a carefree and jovial young man (or woman, depending) with few thoughts aside from having a good time in his head.

But this is far from the case, as only a cursory study of Anemo Allogenes will tell us. Far from lighthearted and cheery, the path to an Anemo Vision has common characteristics, few of them as shallow as the facade Barbatos projects.

1. Loss of a loved one.

Universally, those who receive an Anemo Vision have experienced a profound tragedy that has deeply affected them. Frequently, this is the death of a loved one, whether a dear friend, a parent, or other relation. It can also be their sudden departure, such as a move to a distant place, or a divorce or termination of a relationship. In every case though, a melancholic air of sorrow permeates the Anemo Allogene.

Look to Sayu Nana, known as Tanuki. At a young age, she departed her childhood home of Seattle, Washington in the USA, and emigrated with her parents to Japan, resulting in the loss of all of her friends at a pivotal moment in her young life. Or the famed Gunter Schultz, who defected from East Germany to the West, leaving behind all of his friends and family. These individuals were deeply scarred by their loss.

Those who have spent time with Barbatos have commented on the same melancholic air that surrounds the Anemo Archon. What was this deeply personal loss in his past? It wasn’t his departure from his homeland to this world, as he had already established himself as the Archon in the land known as Mondstadt (see the many works attributed as Mondstadian in origin by The Tone Deaf Bards). It is only supposition, but it is widely believed by the clergy of the Church of Freedom that Venti lost someone near and dear to him during his ascension. Who this person was or how this came about is unknown, but some remarks by Venti indicate it was a young man, whose appearance Venti has taken on to honor his legacy.

2. Yearning for Freedom

Contrary to all appearances, Barbatos is not free. Indeed, he is perhaps more bound by strictures than any other Archon save for Morax, to the point that to say “god’s hands are tied” is a very apt statement. He is completely confined to a specific geographic area, as are all Archons, save for brief sojourns to other lands that cost him dearly. He also is unable to violate mortal will, as laid out in his Beerhouse Appeal before the Battle of Munich. How “violating mortal will” is defined seems to largely be up to Barbatos’ own moral compass, but it seems a very strict and demanding one.

Again, this is seen in the Anemo Allogene. Naomi Cohen is bound by the traditions and religion of conservative Judaism, something that comes into conflict with her own worldview frequently. She feels trapped by this, as seen often in her interactions with both Barbatos and others. The same goes for Faruzan, who was trapped by a misogynistic system under Saddam Hussain and yearned for a day when women would both be free and be recognized as scholarly peers with men.

3. A Heavy Burden

The last of the primary attributes is that they all have their own cross to bear, and it is often a cross they willingly pick up. Often, they could set aside their burden whenever they so choose to do so, but they do not. This is exemplified in Tanuki, who could have walked away from service to the Shogunate and the Shuumatsuban at any point, but instead remains one of their hardest working agents, both publicly and in secret. See again Naomi Cohen, who could have departed for Israel and hidden her homosexuality as so many chose throughout the ages, but instead continues to fight for the rights of minorities of both sexuality and ethnicity in Central Europe and beyond.

For Barbatos, this is subtler, but remarks he has made indicate that he could, in fact, give up his Throne as an Archon if he so chose to do so. That he could wander the world, wherever the wind takes him, avoiding his duties even more than he appears to do, and indulge his taste for the finer things in life. But he does not. He keeps a vigil, and the prosperity and happiness of his lands are manifestly obvious, even if his hand in these circumstances is not always so.

So, what can we learn from this? For one, it seems that Anemo Visions are given to mortals as a sort of balm, a respite from their typically self-inflicted misery and tragic loss (...)

Last Drop of Hope, Chapter 22

When one thought of a CEO, most typically imagined decadent opulence. Expensive hardwoods from long extinct trees, fine art in the form of paintings, tapestries, and statues, gold and jewels, and elegantly designed spaces. Those who saw the dwelling of Hans of Santomon Chemicals would be sadly disappointed. Certainly, the upper levels of his penthouse had all the gilt and finery one expected, but down in the basement, it was a dark, festering bog.

For finery and refinement were for humanoids and so-called “uplifted races.” Hans was not, in fact, human. He looked it, taking on the form of a tall, tanned human man with a neatly trimmed beard and perfectly coiffed hair, though he eschewed fancy suits, and wore a button-down shirt left all the way open, exposing a muscular build.

It was thus rather incongruous to see that his chosen lair was a stone cave, looking out over a toxic mire. Filled with sulfurous gasses, toxic fungi, and several species of flesh eating plants from Old Belzerg, it was not a place a human with less than grade 4 protective gear could survive very long.

At the moment, Hans had shucked off his human form, and was slowly gliding through his hideous marsh, the remains of the messengers who’d brought him the latest bad news digesting in his liquid body. He was massive, at least 12 meters tall, and more than four times that across, with tendrils up to 20 meters in length snaking off his body that could have raised his height even further if they’d stood fully erect. His eyes were two giant glowing orbs that floated in the dark red goo of his body, and a great maw filled with teeth the size of ponies,razor sharp and dripping with venom, were his only distinguishable features.

This was the Apex Predator of Old Belzerg, the height of lethality in a land called a death world even before the Devil King’s victory by those that visited it from other realms, and rightfully so. The favored prey of Poison Slimes had been giant magical beasts such as dragons, manticores, mammoths, and hydras.

And of course, mankind.

A poison slime hunted by shapeshifting into something innocuous, their potent magics concealing them from all but the sharpest senses and spells. They would either pretend to be harmless prey animals and wait for a dragon or the like to attempt to eat them, only to turn the tables, or wander into a settlement or city of one of the various races, then poison and consume every member of the community. It had been a brutally effective tactic that had worked for millennia, with the only saving grace being the extremely long reproductive cycle of Poison Slimes and the fact that they were fiercely territorial cannibals. A slime would lay a batch of eggs, the first of which to hatch would usually consume its siblings, then avoid its parent.

Then, everything had changed when a new goddess arrived in Belzerg, and started her own cult:

Aqua. Goddess of Water and Healing.

To the Axis Cult, poison slimes had been the ultimate evil. Blighting the land, causing only destruction, and fouling the sacred waters of their lady. Armed with potent purification magic that was the poison slime’s bane, and their patron’s sacred Axis Brand Edible Soap, the Axis Cult had undertaken a centuries long extermination campaign that had been shocking in its success. Where dragons, armies, and mighty heroes had failed, a pleasure cult with a zealous streak had succeeded.

So, Hans had become the last of the Poison Slimes, his kind hunted to extinction. Like most of his species, he was not the resentful sort, and while he hated the Axis Cult, it was because they threatened his status as the most powerful predator on the planet by turning him into prey, not because they had slain his brethren. And so, when the Last Devil King had approached Hans to become one of his Generals, Hans had agreed.

And he had set about on a plan to annihilate the Axis Cult.

It had been a simple but brilliant plan: while their goddess and high prelate had been away on the battlefield, fighting against Hans’ army, he had infiltrated the city of Alcanrettia with ease. At the time, Belzerg had been teetering, but had still been holding fast. There were still a dozen or so gods left, along with as many kingdoms of Men and other races loyal to them that had survived.

Hans had not simply transformed and engaged in an orgy of violence. Oh, he would have torn the heart out of the Axis Cult, but he would have fallen eventually. No, he had used subtlety. Slowly, he had begun to poison the city's water supply. It had been a city famous for its volcanic hotsprings, sacred to the Goddess Aqua, and they had been renowned for their healing properties. He had gone slowly at first, not enough to be noticed. A well going bad here. A spring turning too sulfurous there.

And then in one night, he had infused his essence into the mountain spring that fed the town. The region had been blighted for miles and miles. Half a million people, dead by a single stroke. Aqua’s sacred springs turned to charnel pits. Her cathedrals and churches defaced. Her followers were reduced to a tithe of their former numbers.

Hans liked to think that this had been the turning point. When Humanity and the Gods had gone from teetering to plunging into the abyss. And he was correct in many ways. Aqua had been despondent. Hans had ambushed her forces on their way back home, and he thought he had killed the goddess, along with her champion and high clerics.

Well. He would finish the job this time.

Ruminating on that, Hans headed towards the exit to his swamp, taking on his humanoid form once more as he stepped out of the swamp and towards the elevator. He spat out a bit of metal and plastic he’d failed to digest properly, grabbing some come clothes and slipping them on before heading up to meet with his security forces.

Beldia had always been a fool. Armies and open conflict were all well and good, but that was playing the game the way your enemy wanted to play. With reports of a living Belzerg and the Axis Cult returned, open warfare was suicide, or at least incredibly wasteful. Beldia probably would have won if he’d stayed off the field himself and just let his mortal troops have it out. Even Belzergs wore down eventually.

No, Hans knew how this game was played, and he intended to upend the board and solve it his own way. He grinned, showing off perfect white teeth.

“Been a long time since I had a proper meal…I hope you’re big and juicy, Iris Belzerg. It’s time to remind everyone why Hans the Poison Slime is the deadliest of them all.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Looking up at the display, Sylvia gritted their teeth and suppressed their outrage. The skies of Discord were clogged with shattered warships and broken space stations. Only one of her stations had survived the carnage, and it was still moderately damaged. There was no danger of losing it, but it would cost billions to restore it to what it once had been.

The remnants of the Chimera Tech fleet, along with Masked Media and the Church of Serenity were clustered around the moon, licking their wounds. Though they were now the largest fleet in the sector and ultimately victorious, there was an ongoing battle around the planet still, especially now that Beldia had fallen, and his captains were up for bid. That meant there was a lull in the fighting as the various factions tried to woo NyteTech’s remaining ships over, but things had been completely brutal.

ShopWiz had come off by far the worse for wear in the space war, if you ignored the fact that ShopWiz had successfully stolen the Belzerg in Sylvia’s collection. Still, her space fleet, always the smallest and worst equipped, was all but gone, with a few shattered squadrons hiding out in the black. The Cat’s Eye Group was similarly badly beaten, having found no ready allies and being the second smallest fleet.

Santomon Chemicals had lost its primary ally, but Hans’ ships had been hiding some incredibly nasty surprises and had punched far outside their weight class. Beldia had fielded the largest and most militarized fleet to the surprise of no one, which was why what remained was so valuable to the other powers. It was rumored Wiz had even put in some bids, though she was too broke to have much money.

Instead of going to reclaim their lost property, Sylvia was stuck on Discord for now. It would be a while before enough debris were cleared for safe flights to and from the lunar surface. Some flights could take place, but Sylvia wasn’t prone to needless risks.

Then, of course, there was the tiny matter that a goddess was running around on Belzerg’s surface again by all indications. It hadn’t been Eris getting out of her cell again after all: somehow, after all this time, Aqua had shown up again. A rather irritatingly powerful goddess, but also a complete idiot. The real issue would be capturing her and confining her so that Sylvia could maintain their monopoly on food.

In the current situation, that wasn’t possible without allies. And so, unfortunately, Sylvia had been forced to turn to those on the surface that were at least reasonably competent.

“Mwahahaha! Delicious, the ennui, the impotent rage, the immeasurable disappointment! These are the emotions moi treasures!”

Even if Vanir was one of the most annoying beings in all of existence.

Feigning indifference, Sylvia shrugged and foldered their arms over their chest. “You couldn’t feed off my emotions even if I were right next to you. You gave that up ages ago.”

“Hohoho, that is what YOU think, O Woman who is never satisfied with his form! Thou were ever one to gasp far beyond they reach! Moi has long known that thou imprisoned the luckless moon goddess and the royal scion, and a few other things. Moi wonders what dearest Serina thinks of this?”

Serina grinned toothily, then blew out a puff of smoke from her cigarette. “Why do you think I can keep smoking these death sticks and not get throat cancer every fifty years? You’re not the only one keeping something locked up in the basement to give you a power boost. Though I do have to wonder how you got the food thing going. Maybe I’ll have to see if I can get Dearest Regina to give me some leafy greens. Been fucking ages since I didn’t have to pay through the nose for a decent salad.”

That was a bit surprising. Sylvia had suspected Regina was still alive, and that Serina had the Goddess of Revenge chained up as some kind of power source, but hadn’t expected Serina to come out and say it.

“If we’re being open, I do have Eris on lockdown, along with a few potent other sources. The Belzerg that killed Belida was one of them, but she was taken by agents from ShopWiz that infiltrated my organization,” Sylvia stated. “I’ll want her back, but we can negotiate on the Aqua front.”

“I thought that was fucking obvious,” Serina grimaced, flicking away the butt of her cigarette. “It was a mistake to kill off all the gods. Planet’s dying. What you did on Discord? Smart. We can do that here too. Or, shit, maybe take her to another planet and start over there. Have our final revenge on this shithole.”

“Moi cares not what you mortals do with the goddess of arts and crafts. Moi rather likes the way this world has turned out. Endless disappointment and despair! Truly, a buffet for the ages!” Vanir cackled, spreading his arms wide.

Idiot demon. If the world died, that would mean no mortals for him to torture and feed off of! Even if he did do it by making his silly entertainment and feeding off the disappointment his carefully crafted works produced. He was still no friend to anyway, and Sylvia would have to be cautious. When the power of other demons had waned, Vanir had wasted no time in selling them up the river. What he had done to the succubi in particular had been brilliant, but brutal and devious. They’d become largely mortal, and thus, a prime candidate for Vanir to feed off of. How he’d maintained his own power was something of a mystery, but Slyvia suspected he still had a line back to Hell.

“I can agree to let Serina have Aqua, in exchange for the return of my Belzerg. I’ll need landing zones for my army as well,” Sylvia said with a shrug.

“Hmm, Moi thinks you ask much and offer little. What possible reason could moi have to try to capture the Queen of a Land that No Longer Exists?” Vanir demanded.

“Oh shut up, she’s still got the food, and most of our ships, plus the only half way functional dockyard around,” Seria said with a snort, taking out another cigarrette and a lighter. She lit up, sucking in the smoke, and blowing it out her nose. “Tell you want. You fix up our ships and get a supply line running for us, and I’ll capture you the Belzerg and toss in some of the juiced up maniacs she’s got running around now. I hear there’s two high nobles. Can you get juice out of them?”

High nobles? Sylvia hadn’t heard that. It was definitely possible to get some mana out of a high noble or two. Maybe they could afford to let Serina live for a while after this. After all, it would be interesting to let someone else experiment on a god and see what you could get. And Aqua had a history of being just a bit too volatile for Sylvia’s tastes. Best to let someone else work out the kinks in keeping her contained. Eris had been bad enough.

“That sounds acceptable to me. As for you, Vanir, perhaps I’ll let you feed on the despair of a goddess. How does that sound?” Sylvia offered.

Vanri rubbed his chin, but Sylvia could tell she already had him. “Hmm, moi will consent to this! Though mayhaps moi will have further conditions later. For now, we are agreed that our pact shall continue? It would not do for the goddess of puddles and tears to restore the old order.”

“What is she gonna do?” Sylvia said with a snort of irritation. “Summon another loser from Earth for us to massacre? Please. We beat the gods before because they were all fools. And Aqua was the most foolish of them all.”

They all agreed and signed off, and Sylvia stretched, then summoned Sena. Her slave hurried in, dressed in a policewoman’s hat, a modest blouse, and a tiny miniskirt with no underwear and high heels. She adjusted her glasses, the dragon tail Sylvia had given her swishing back and forth. “Repairs are continuing at the pace you requested, and actually a little ahead of schedule. Our ships will be done in days. We have more than enough materials with all the salvage.”

“Start on the Serenity ships first, then the Masked Media ones. Not too many of either, keep their numbers somewhat even. Have the flight paths been cleared?” Slyvia demanded.

“Clear enough for some flights, but it’s still dangerous as there’s a lot of untracked debries. Armored shuttles can make it, but, well, we did lose one this morning…attrition rates are acceptable for now, though,” Sena said nervously, looking up at Sylvia over her data pad.

Sylvia growled, but didn’t protest too hard. It would be foolish to leave Discord now anyway. No, let other fools deal with Aqua for a time.

“You have done well, pet,” Sylvia declared, mood having improvised mightily at the prospect of gaining back more that had been lost. Yes, Syvlia was still on top, in more ways than one. This could all work out for the better still.

Turning back towards the display, Syvlia hungrily eyed Belzerg. Perhaps it could become a jewel worth conquering. The other CEOs crushed underfoot, the gods chained as power sources, and nothing to contest the endless reign of the Chimera.

Everything, and everyone. It would all belong to Sylvia the Fleshshaper.

Second Archon War: Imperatrix Umberosa 16

Imperatrix Umberosa 16: Transient Dreams

Beta'd and edited by Dr_Feelgood, The Grand Cogitator, October Daye, and Philosophysics

On most days, the primary colors in Tokyo, Japan, seat of the Raiden Shogun were purple and violet, reflecting the element of the Archon that made her home there. Not upon this day.

Rivers of black wound their way through the streets, while the sky was overcast with gray. No thunder threatened on this day, but it was raining, a steady and miserable drizzle blocked by black umbrellas. The faces of the crowd had even been blacked, with charcoal-stained water running into the sewers.

In a days-long journey, a special train car had slowly been drawn by a black engine through all 47 prefectures of Japan, appearing before all the crowds in a funeral procession that had united a nation in mourning.

The 125th Emperor of Japan, the Heisei Emperor, along with his two sons, daughter, and granddaughter, was dead. It was a shock to the nation: not since the Seventh Century AD by the Western Calendar had a Japanese Emperor been assassinated. This was an especially deep blow because his heirs had died as well, killed alongside their father in the massive terrorist attack on the Japanese heads of government.

After a long journey, the Emperor’s body, or what was left of it, arrived back in Tokyo, and traveled slowly through the city on a horse-drawn carriage. Before the carriage walked the Raiden Shogun, dressed in a pitch-black kimono, a black veil covering her face.

Behind the Emperor, before even his sons, in a place of honor, was another carriage bearing the casket of Lord Nakamura. The senior statesman, who had been the last Prime Minister of Japan and the face of the Bakufu Government, had died on live television, a video camera capturing his heroic last stand against the foreign parahuman known as Acidbath. Though he had perished, he had saved the life of Princess Ami, who walked alongside the casket now, her own clothes black, a veil obscuring her face. Beside her walked her companion Murasaki, who was in his large form, black cloth draped about the kirin.

Though his death had not come as great a shock as that of the Emperor, his death had deeply affected the nation as well. Seeing the brave old man make a heroic last stand to save his wife and that of three young girls from a foreign devil had endeared Nakamura to many of those who had doubted him, and cemented his legacy as that of a hero. Some had called the man a traitor and a coward for bowing to Raiden and surrendering his government with barely a fight, but no more.

As the procession made its way towards Musashi Imperial Mausoleum, the cameras focused on the Shogun and her family, but also a new face. A young man in a black suit, carrying a black umbrella, walking beside the Imperial casket.

Not much was known of Yukuaki, who was a distant cousin and hadn’t been in consideration for the Chrysanthemum Throne before the Wisteria Wedding, as the press referred to that dark day. With so much of the Imperial Family wiped out at a stroke, there had been some frantic concern that the unbroken line of succession from Emperor Jimmu more than two thousand years ago had been ended.

However, a bloodline so well documented had many branches, and young Yukuaki had been widely agreed to have the best claim to the throne. Some had wondered if the Raiden Shogun would simply reclaim the Throne, being the incarnation of Amaterasu, but she had personally summoned Yukyaki and informed him he would be the next Son of Heaven.

What was known was that he was in his early 20s, was unmarried and that up until now he had simply been a private citizen. Being summoned by the Shuumatsuban in the middle of the night was not the sort of thing that any Japanese looked forward to, but in this case, he had come willingly.

Above the caravan, two great serpents snaked their way through the sky, one violet, the other azure. Rumors and wild speculation still abounded as to just what had happened to Chiyo Wang when she had become Keiga, but already some were planning to erect shrines to her, and the title of “Divine Dragon” was already well established. If anything, her elevation had simply further confirmed the divine nature of her husband. They were a symbol of strength and hope, even in this dark time.

After hours of the solemn procession, the route finally arrived at the imperial mausoleum. Several tombs had been constructed by the hand of Raiden herself, which consisted of barrows made of electro crystal, their tops open to the sky.

There was a brief respite while the caskets were unloaded and made ready to be put in their final resting place. Mourners filed into the standing room only grounds, which was packed with thousands. A small platform with various foreign dignitaries and major Japanese government officials, most of them survivors of the attack, had been set aside, along with places for the media to film the event.

The first to give a eulogy was the young prospective Emperor. He stood before the crowd, looking out on them with an expression of sorrow.

“My Great Uncle, the former Emperor, came to the throne not long after the world changed,” Yukuaki began, his eyes wandering over the great sea of black. “He was born into a world of strife and war. He wished for his legacy to be that of peace, for he was a man of peace.”

Sorrow filled Yukuaki’s voice. “But that was not to be. He loved Japan, and her people, and wished only for peace. Though he strove for harmony and serenity during his reign, the world was plagued by demons and the arrival of parahumans. He cried out to heaven for respite. And heaven answered.”

All eyes turned towards Raiden, who stood serenely behind and to the side of Yukuaki. Her expression was neutral, but her eyes were slightly misty. Beside her, Ami was weeping openly, and Raiden rested a hand on her daughter’s shoulder. On her other side, Tsukuyomi looked ferocious, her teeth clenched, expression stormy. There had never really been a full explanation for where Tsukuyomi had come from, Raiden had simply announced one day that she had a second daughter, and that was that.

“At the time, I was like many of you. I was no prince, and had no expectation of becoming one. I wished for the Emperor to live a long and prosperous life, and for his son to reign after him.” Yukuaki turned towards the Emperor’s casket, and his voice broke. “I…I still wish…”

It took long moments for him to compose himself, and more than a few members of the audience broke down into tears again as well. At last, Yukuaki managed, “Your Highness…I pray only that your wisdom and courage will continue to watch over this land, and selfishly, myself. You were taken too soon.”

After that, various others eulogized the Emperor and his family, some speeches were long and eloquent, others brief and full of simmering anger.

Then, Princess Ami stepped up to the podium, a stool needing to be brought over for her to stand above it. Her eyes were clearly bloodshot, and her familiar floated next to her, a handkerchief in his little claws.

“I… I will miss the Emperor. He was a kind old man, who always listened to what I had to say,” Ami sniffled. “But… but the one I’ll really miss… is Grandpa Nakamura.”

Murasaki floated in to dab at Ami’s cheeks, but she waved him off, leaning into the microphone. “He… he was always so kind to me. I knew he’d been my mother’s enemy at first, but he really loved Japan. Everything he did… he wanted… he wanted…” At this point, Ami broke down again, and Raiden stepped forward, silently using her own handkerchief to dry Ami’s tears. The sounds of weeping could be heard from the crowd as well, as the clearly distraught young girl tried to pour her heart out.

“He just wanted us to be happy. And for Japan to be at peace. He’s the one who encouraged my mom to try to work with other nations, and to try to make things right! So why, why did… why did he have to…”

Ami, and just about everyone else watching broke down again. Even Raiden’s face was streaked with tears as she gave Ami a hug.

At last, Ami collected herself enough to turn towards Nakamura’s casket. “Thank you very much! I… I’ll always honor you! With everything I do!”

Then Ami was led away by her mother, and a dragon descended. By the time he hit the platform, Mushu had taken on the form of a man. After a moment behind a screen, he stepped out, clothed in black, a grim expression on his face. He stepped up to the podium, dabbing at his own eyes.

“I never knew my father,” he said, his tone gruff and rough. “As a lot of you know, before Raiden chose me, I was a thug. A delinquent. Good for nothing. I wasn’t a leader. I was barely even fit for human company. Raiden helped me change that. But it was Lord Nakamura who truly showed me what it was to be a real man.”

Mushu leaned heavily on the podium, his face full of sorrow and anger. “He showed me how to be humble. How to look at a problem from different sides. How to be gracious in defeat, and magnanimous in victory. That I could be more than just a thug. That I could rise up, and protect and inspire a nation. What things truly mattered in the world: family, honor, and service.”

“I won’t forget you, old man,” Mushu said, standing up, looking blankly towards the clouded horizon. “Thank you. Thank you for saving those girls. I never wanted something to happen to you, but if it had to be you instead of them…”

Ominous thunder rumbled overhead, and Raiden’s tranquil mask broke for just a moment. The entire crowd flinched back, and the wrath of a god leaked out for just a moment. Then she controlled herself again, and the crowd gasped in relief. Several nearby officials had to pick themselves up off their knees, still trembling. But Mushu stood unbowed.

“I know you’re looking down from heaven and smiling, smiling that you died as you lived! Making the world a better place for the next generation, and showing young idiots like me how to live!” Mushu was bellowing now, and had grown a good meter in height, horns sprouting from his head.

“I will not forget you! AND I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS DEBT TO STAND! JAPAN WILL STAND STRONG, AND NO ONE WILL EVER THREATEN THAT LITTLE GIRL OR THESE LANDS AGAIN!”

There was a loud cry from the audience. Not a word, but a primal bellow of agreement. There was grief here, but also an underlying current of rage that Mushu had tapped into ran strongly. Never before had an Emperor been so brazenly assassinated. Nor had an Imperial Princess been so threatened, her loyal retainer giving his life on live television for all the world to see to save her from a brutal death.

Mushu rose back up, but he did not ascend to the heavens, instead hovering over the platform, only twenty meters up, his shadow darkening the stage.

That was when Raiden stepped forward, her own eyes glowing brightly in the darkness. She did not need a microphone. Her words reverberated with power, heard more with the soul than the ears.

“Some two years ago, I arrived upon the shores of this land. How far I traveled, I do not know. Across countless worlds, through myriad eons. But arrive in Japan I did. I assumed myself to still tread upon the soil of my sacred homeland, in Inazuma, where the lightning first glowed.”

Raiden cast her gaze towards the dead, her expression still blank. At her nod, the caskets began to be interred in the barrows, lowered down to their final resting places.

“But I had come to Earth. To Japan. The land of the Rising Sun. A land stewarded by mortal men, granted dominion by the gods in ancient days.” Raiden turned towards the crowd. “I reclaimed the rulership of Japan, but for a time, I did not understand what it meant.”

Raiden beckoned, and Ami stepped forward to her mother’s side, the Shogun resting a hand on her head. “I took in a ward, not fully knowing what I did, and I met with the Emperor, not understanding who that man was. I knew him only as a steward. I did not fully understand how well his line had kept faith with his subjects, how it was an unbroken rule stretching back towards Eternity.”

Raiden’s mask broke, sorrow darkening her expression. “And I met a man who had been chosen by his people to lead. He led wisely, and well. Though at first he opposed me, he did so out of duty. He sought to forestall a tyrant, and a foolish being who did not fully understand the lands she had bonded herself to yet. But he made himself foremost amongst my vassals. It was with his sage counsel and dutiful service that Japan has prospered these last years. A transient moment, a brief flicker in the long, unending storm of Eternity.”

“But Transience too, is a part of Eternity. Each mortal life is here one moment, gone the next, but some are more profound than others. The Emperor was one such life. Another, greater in my eyes, was Lord Nakamura. For he gave me the greatest gift of all.”

Raiden turned to Ami, kneeling down, and giving her daughter a hug so tight that if she hadn’t been a parahuman, bones might have broken. As it was, Ami just appreciated it, sniffling and squeezing back as hard as she could. At last, Raiden let her go, pushing Ami gently back to arm's length.

“I did not realize how much I loved you until I nearly lost you,” Raiden whispered, tears streaming down her face. “My sister, the first Electro Archon, was cruelly slain by our foes. I was too late to avenge her. She had no one by her side to save her, when death came for her. But when death came for you, one man alone stepped forward. And took the blow meant for you.”

Ami nodded, breaking out in tears again, and Raiden pulled her back into another hug, letting out a piteous, heartrending cry. Not the cry of a god, but the cry of a mother, whose daughter had been spared from death.

After several minutes, Raiden managed to gather herself, not bothering to dry her tears as she stood, facing the crowd again. “I now understand. Eternity for oneself alone is meaningless. The bonds we forge, that is what will truly echo into Eternity, even when the Lightning’s Glow fades. This is what Lord Nakamura’s sacrifice gave me: A reason to pursue Eternity.”

“Nakamura has left us, the flash of his life has faded. But it shall shine brightly through the ages, in the lives of those he treasured! Not just my daughter, not just his own family, but for the nation he loved!”

There was a clap of thunder, and Raiden drew her sword from between her breasts, raising it on high, lightning emanating from it in a blazing halo.

JAPAN SHINES ETERNAL!

Thunder roared, and from the cairns, great trees burst forth. Thunder Sakuras stretched towards the heavens, enveloping the tomb of the Emperor and his family, but the mightiest of all was at the center. Over the tomb of Nakamura, a giant tree pierced through the clouds overhead, and sunlight erupted, blinding all present as the gloom was swept away.

THIS DAY WE MOURN THE FALLEN. BUT JAPAN IS NOT THE LAND OF THE SUN’S END! A NEW DAY DAWNS! HONOR THE FALLEN, BUT ETERNITY IS IN OUR HANDS! WE PRESS FORWARD!

A great cheer burst forth from all assembled, with cries of “BANZAI, BANZAI! TEN THOUSAND YEARS!”

After that, the Raiden departed, even as thousands of now jubilant mourners came to honor the Emperor and Lord Nakamura, giving thanks and leaving offerings at the base of the great Thunder Sakura trees.

“Well?” Mushu asked, looking at Raiden as they flew through the skies together towards the palace.

“For this day, we mourn,” Raiden stated, lightning streaming behind her. “But on the morrow, we fly to war.”

Taking a drink of her water, Alexandria did her best to calm her nerves. Beside her, the US Ambassador to the United Nations was a familiar figure, though he looked like he’d aged a good five years more than the last time they’d spoken.

“Hell of a thing,” Christopher muttered, wiping his glasses off with a cloth before perching them back on his nose. “You think the Protectorate will be necessary today, Director Costa-Brown?”

He didn’t realize she was Alexandria of course, but Ambassador Christopher had been reassigned from Tokyo to the UN, and now he was having to deal with another major Japanese mess. The main difference, however, was that global sentiment was largely on the side of Raiden this time.

Japan had done a rather brilliant job of salvaging the situation and playing it for maximum propaganda. Very few who saw the footage of Nakamura saving Princess Ami with his life against a brutal attack by a cape, swiftly identified as the American Villain Acidbath, could help but have sympathy for the Japanese. Footage of a devastated wedding party, with the bodies of slain guests massacred by mercenaries and terrorists armed with tinkertech weapons, had been horrifying, especially with the news that not only Nakamura but the Emperor and his entire family had been killed.

“I fear we will be,” Alexandria said quietly, her heart fluttering in her breast far more than it usually did. There was an extremely short list of Parahumans she would prefer not to fight. The Siberian. Farasha. Ash Beast. But there was one above all she would do almost anything to avoid conflict with. The Raiden Shogun. The fact that she had Mushu on her side was almost worse: he was an S Class threat all on his own.

And now there were two of them. What Raiden had done to Keiga, a relatively minor cape with strong but altogether unimpressive hydrokinesis powers, was still not fully understood. Whatever it had been, Keiga definitely hadn’t been able to turn into a giant dragon before. The theater with the Heart of Leviathan had to simply be a ploy… didn’t it? They did know the woman could cut Passengers as she had with Heartbreaker. What else was she capable of?

“Could we take them?” Christopher asked, turning to Alexandria.

She grimaced at that. There had to be Thinkers watching them, even before the session started. “Yes. But it would be an utter disaster. We have more capes, and I’d put our Elite against even the Shogun or her dragons. However, that would be a war with no victors, only losers. The casualties would be worse than even an Endbringer fight. We’ve never seen two major powers go to war with capes involved. It was bad enough when Iran and Iraq fought it out. How many Iranian capes did Farasha kill before Fahala Alsahra managed to check her? How many Iraqi capes did Fahala slay? Even the PRT’s estimates fall woefully short of the reality, I’m afraid.”

“And it’s not like the Pacific is much help when you’re facing a global teleporter,” Christopher agreed with a grimace. “Well, let’s see what we can do with diplomacy. They haven’t accepted our offer of aid, or the apology about American villains being involved.”

“Yes. It comes down to what the Japanese Ambassador has to say today,” Alexandria agreed, looking around the room. She grimaced. Speaking of the devil…

The Japanese Ambassador entered, flanked by a giant of a man and a shorter woman, though Keiga was a lot taller than her file said she should have been. They had her at 5’3”, but she was easily 6’ right now, though she’d also sprouted two curving purple antlers that looked like coral, while her husband’s own double-pronged horns sprouted from his head, and he was over 7’ at the moment. Well, that was why she was here. It had been a safe bet Raiden would send her strong right arm to deliver this news in person, so it was only appropriate to respond in kind.

Various ambassadors and dignitaries whispered, pointing to Mushu and Keiga, who waited at the back of the room while the Japanese Ambassador took his seat. The meeting of the UN was called into session, with various items of business brought forward, along with some housekeeping matters.

This was interrupted when not Japan, but the Philippines asked to speak. They were recognized, and the ambassador rose. “Given recent world events, the Republic of the Philippines motions that all other items of business be set aside, and the pressing matter of the Japanese Bakufu’s current situation be addressed first.”

That was a surprise. Relations between the Philippines and Japan had been historically frosty if cordial for the last forty years, though recently things had warmed up after Raiden had personally apologized and dispatched dignitaries to visit various war memorials, along with giving reparations in the form of rebuilding Davao City after it’s destruction by the Simurgh.

Much like Madison, while the Endbringer had not physically attacked the city, nearly the entire population had been driven mad, burning down their own city in an orgy of violence. It had at first seemed like Davao would be condemned, with Simurgh-addled humans haunting the ruins. But with Japanese help, Davao was well on its way to full restoration, and the Philippines had become a major trading partner and ally of Japan.

There was a brief discussion, but the motion was passed. The Japanese Ambassador, dressed in a black kimono, stood and bowed. “I request that the Divine Dragons be allowed to speak as the personal emissaries of the Raiden Shogun.”

Without waiting for permission, Mushu strode forward up to the stage, Keiga at his side. He bore a large scroll, though it looked tiny in his massive hands. A few people looked like they wanted to protest, but none did. It brought to mind an old proverb. Where does the 800lb gorilla sit? Wherever he damn well pleases.

And it looked like Raiden was about to announce again that she was an 800lb gorilla. One that had just been grievously wronged.

Mushu unfolded the scroll, made of silk and embroidered on the edge with purple. Instead of reading, however, he held it out for his wife. Alexandria knew Mushu’s grasp of English was somewhat poor and his speech heavily accented, but Keiga’s accent was mild, and that of a highly educated woman.

“Be it known that on January 10th of Heisei 14, the nation of Japan was cruelly and brutally attacked by agents of her enemies. This attack was carried out upon the leaders of Japan at a time of peace, during a wedding. This shameful attack resulted in the deaths of 65 Japanese citizens, including our Beloved Heisei Emperor and his family, as well as Lord Nakamura of the Kanjou Commission. The agents who perpetrated this attack were members of the Chinese Union Imperial-”

She got no further than that as the Chinese Ambassador stood up, shouting protests and the room erupted into chaos. This lasted for exactly three seconds, and then Mushu coughed. Thunder crackled, and lightning radiated from his jaws. Silence fell immediately, and Alexandria tensed, ready to fight.

“Something in the throat,” Mushu rumbled, his eyes glowing an ominous violet color, sparks flying from his lips as he spoke.

The silence remained, and Keiga continued, “-members of the Chinese Union Imperial group known as the Yangban, members of the terrorist state the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, mercenaries hired by the same, and rogue Japanese nationals incited to violence by the Chinese Union Imperial.”

Mutters this time; and the North Korean ambassador furiously but silently signaled his protests, at least until Mushu glared at him, at which point, he did his best to look indignant, but mostly came off as thoroughly cowed.

“Twice now, the Chinese Union Imperial has threatened Japan. They have shown their expansionist and imperialist ambitions in their conquest of Taiwan and brutal treatment of the citizens of Hong Kong. They are a threat to the peace and tranquility of nations, and to the Eternity of Japan.”

Keiga paused, looking around the room, her face set in a grim expression. Then she spoke two words: “No more.”

The ice that had formed in Alexandria’s stomach melted, and she relaxed slightly. It had been obvious it would be war. Even before the state funeral several days before, Japan had clearly been gearing up for conflict. Every parahuman and Vision Holder, even those who were not members of the Sentai and lived as civilians, had been called up. The Japanese Bakufu Navy had begun aggressive patrols in the Sea of Japan and the Desolation, sinking ships that violated their waters first and not bothering with questions until later if at all. Flights in and out of Japan from mainland China had been stopped,  their Air Force stepped up patrols, while the Army called up reserves and began drills and maneuvers.

It seemed, however, that the United States of America, and Cauldron, would be spared the war.

“A state of War has existed between Japan and the Chinese Union Imperial and her Democratic Republic of Korea puppets for some time now,” Keiga continued. “The Shogunate now officially recognizes this state, and calls for the international community to aid in the removal of the terrorist gang known as the Yangban from power, and the dissolution of the rogue state of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and its reunification with the rightful government of the Republic of Korea in Seoul.”

That did get an angry shout from the North Korean Ambassador, but to Alexandria’s shock, the South Korean Ambassador didn’t appear shocked by this in the slightest. Indeed, he nodded to Mushu, a cold glint in his eye. Well. It seemed Raiden wasn’t flying solo this time.

“This is preposterous!” the Chinese Ambassador shouted. “What evidence do you have?!”

In response, Keiga reached her kimono and withdrew a large box that had been hidden by what Alexandria had assumed was her pregnancy. She tossed it on the floor as it sprang open, and a severed head rolled out onto the floor.

This time, bedlam did erupt, with Secretary General Chrétien shouting for order as security officers raced forward. Above it all, Keiga’s voice boomed, drowning out the human cries.

“That is the head of Twenty-Seven of the Yangban. His body was among the attackers. We are currently holding Eighty-Three, captured in Japanese territorial waters and attempting to enact further harm upon Japan. Do you require further proof?”

“Ambassador, control your guests!” Secretary General Chrétien said, his nostrils flaring in outrage.

“It is not a mortal’s place to tell dragons where to roost,” the Japanese Ambassador replied calmly. “They speak for Her Excellency, the Spirit of Japan. You would do well to listen.”

The head was an appalling display, but Alexandria had to admire the guts. The remains would have to be analyzed, and showing a severed head was hardly proof that would hold up in an international court of law, but it did show exactly what Japan intended.

Mushu and Keiga departed, but not before offering one final warning: “The world has seen too many demons and monsters run free, brutalizing the common folk both at home and abroad. No more. We will have peace. Even if it must be the peace of the sword,” Keiga declared, despite the protests of multiple officials. Not long after, the roar of dragons was heard, and Alexandria excused herself. She was just quick enough to catch sight of Mushu and Keiga, now in their draconic forms, flying through a portal above the waters of the East River.

After that, there was only so much hot air for the rest of the proceedings. Japan clearly had not come for permission, or even forgiveness, only to announce their intentions. For a warlord, Raiden was behaving with shocking decorum and civility, displaying the severed heads of her slain foes aside.

In the end, South Korea submitted a report of support for Japan, along with the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. The exiled government of Taiwan did the same, though they had no seat at the UN.

By the time Alexandria flew home to her Los Angeles apartment, fighting had already broken out in North Korea and Taiwan. It had been less than an hour, but Raiden had made a broadcast at the same time that Mushu and Keiga had read their declaration, and she wasted no time. The dragons had gone straight from the UN to the battlefield.

Sighing, Alexandria stepped inside, noting that Wyatt's shoes were by the door. “Wyatt? I think it’s going to be a long day at the office for both of us. I think we- Wyatt?”

Something was off. It was too quiet, and her gut told her things were very wrong. Steeling herself, Alexandra floated forward, her fists clenched, teeth bared. When she came into the kitchen, she found a pale Wyatt sitting at the table, his hands laid flat on the surface, dressed in a white t-shirt with boxers on. Next to him at the table, a woman calmly sat, drinking a cup of tea.

“Alexandria. I have come with a message,” Kokusho said. She indicated the empty seat at the table. “Sit.”

“Call your man off behind me,” Alexandria said through gritted teeth, as an armed shuumatsuban agent stepped out of the bathroom behind her. “Hero, are you alright?”

“They haven’t hurt anything but my pride,” he said with a weak chuckle. “Got me on the pot.”

“Sit,” Kokusho repeated. “Time is wasting, and the battlefield calls.”

Alexandria  walked over to stand by her chair, but didn’t seat herself. “What do you want?”

In response, Kokusho retrieved a familiar metal suitcase from the floor, and set it on the table, popping it open. It was empty, and there were no markings on it, but Alexandria knew what it was: a transport case for Cauldron Vials.

“This was found in the residence of the traitor Ishihara,” Kokusho said calmly. “Do you know what this is?”

“If this is an accusation-”

“I already know you Americans were responsible for granting the traitors in our midst powers. But do you know what it contained?” Kokusho said quietly.

Alexandria swallowed, then glanced at Wyatt. He cleared his throat. “We know what it is.”

“I don’t think you do,” Kokusho said, calmly lifting her cup to her lips. She took a sip, then set it down. “Remnants of a Dead God.”

That was frighteningly close to the truth, and it rang a bell in the back of Alexandria’s mind, but she couldn’t quite place it.

“Barbatos warned you Americans against using parts of a Dead God,” Kokusho growled, setting her tea back down. “You did not listen. And you brought this filth upon the sacred soil of Japan.”

“The Protectorate had nothing to do with that,” Alexandria stated firmly. Legend. That was where she had heard the phrase “dead god’s remains.” He said that’s what Venti had called his Passenger.

“Half truth,” the man with the drawn bow behind her said in Japanese. Alexandria blessed the lessons she’d been making herself take.

“Hmm. It matters not.” Kokusho took out a dagger, driving it into the wood of Alexandria’s kitchen table. “This is your only warning. If we find remnants of a Dead God from you Americans in our lands again, if we even suspect you are subjecting our citizens to this blasphemy, it will be war. This time, we will accept the excuses I am certain you would make. We will not demand reparations for the mercenaries that killed Lord Nakamura. We will not ask how Tinkertech weapons from American Tinkers ended up in the hands of the terrorists who killed the Emperor. The Narukami Oshogun is merciful. Once.”

With that, Kokusho stood, walking past Alexandria. The other ninja lowered his bow, and a portal appeared behind them with a crackle of lightning.

“On a more personal note,” Kokusho said, one foot into the portal, her eyes narrowed. “If I even think one of your agents is attempting to harm my little sister Tanuki or her charges again, I will personally kill you both.”

And with that, the Shuumatsuban stepped through the crack in space-time, and were gone.

With a half sob, Alexandria rushed forward, grabbing Wyatt in her arms and squeezing as tightly as she dared.

“It’s OK, it’s OK, I’m fine. They didn’t even try to hurt me, honest. Even made me tea,” Wyatt said, his tone half joking, but Alexandria could hear his heart pounding.

“Those motherfuckers. How dare they do this to us?” Alexandria gasped, burying her face in Wyatt’s chest as he hugged her back.

“Well, someone broke into their house and took a giant shit. I guess they figured this was fair play,” Wyatt joked. He swallowed. “I’m just real glad it wasn’t my Tinkertech that was found on those mercenaries.”

Alexandria could only nod, her mind still clouded by fear and anger.

Three days later, it was discovered that every member of Toybox had been killed. It took a little while to notice, as the black market tinkers stayed hidden, and there were no bodies to find. Not to mention how the war that had erupted in China and Korea had the world slightly distracted.

But further investigation found Wisteria blooms in the workshops of the Toybox tinkers, their labs emptied of weapons and equipment. To those who knew, the message was as clear as day.

Japan would tolerate no further intrusions upon the Shogun’s Eternity.

Dark Legend of Potter, Chapter 58

The day before the students’ arrival, Remus Lupin had spent an inordinate amount of time ensuring everything in his classroom was as perfect as possible, since he’d known he’d have time to plan on the train. He’d aligned each of their desks perfectly, ensured the classroom was spic and span beyond even what the house elves did, and carefully written his lesson plans on the blackboard. He’d gone over his notes, ensured he had the proper materials and specimens ready, and continuously practiced the various lessons he’d be teaching for each of the years just before the students arrived.

All that went out the window in his very first class, which had the misfortune to be the Second Year Ravenclaw and Slytherin students.

And no plan survived contact with Luna Lovegood. Or worse, Ginevra Weasley.

“Good morning students,” Lupin said, standing before them and giving his best professorial smile to them. “I’m Professor Remus Lupin.”

“So you’re the one who usurped Lady Aqua’s position,” Luna said, frowning at him. “Are you a dentist?”

Lupin had to do a double-take at that one. “Er, no, until recently, I worked as a Search and Rescue operator in Hawaii, as well as a volunteer, well, they called it a Kahuna, but they’re closest to Aurors. I’m afraid I don’t know all your names yet, but-”

“You’ll know Looney Lovegood soon enough,” Ginny said, actually blowing a bit of bubblegum and popping it loudly.

“No gum in class,” Lupin said sternly. “Well, I do want to get to know your names, so I’ll call roll and-”

“Are you a werewolf then?” Luna interrupted, blinking at him with her overly large eyes.

This so gobsmacked Lupin that he could only gape at Luna in astonishment, his heart pounding in his chest. Who had told her?

“Seriously, Luna, you’ve got to stop asking everyone if they’re a dentist or a werewolf!” Ginny sighed, taking her gum out and vanishing it with her wand. “The Rotfang conspiracy isn’t even real.”

“Er, I assume you’re Ms. Weasley?” Lupin managed. There weren’t that many red-headed students, especially not in Slytherin, and he had been warned about this one.

“Obviously,” Ginny said with a roll of her eyes. “Are you going to call the roll or not?”

Lupin managed to collect himself long enough to get the names of the background characters, before trying to move on to his lesson.

“Right, well, as you are second years, I thought I’d give you all a chance to show me what you know,” Lupin said, smiling at the class and going over to his desk to get out the case study for the day: several jarveys.

This was an animal that looked a bit like an overgrown ferret but was capable of speech. They were not intelligent, however, and would simply yell a variety of profanities and rude remarks. The best way to deal with them was to simply use some sort of spell that would impede their speech or stun them, as they were not truly dangerous.

Lupin’s intention was that his class would have to come up with a variety of ways to deal with the creatures in groups, then demonstrate to him. It was something that even a first year student probably should have been able to handle, but Lupin had not spent much time looking at what Aqua had taught the last year. If he had, he might have been prepared for what was coming.

“Places, everyone!” someone called, and there was a stampeding of feet and a rustling of clothes, and then someone hit the lights.

Lupin was left alone holding a jarvey’s cage, from which he had just removed the silencing charm. “Oi, fatass, what was that for?!” the jarvey called.

There was some giggling in the darkness, and Lupin frowned. “Now, I didn’t want to be harsh on my first day, but… Lumos!”

With a flash from his wand, Lupin illuminated the room to reveal twenty tweens split between boys and girls, the desks shoved to the back of the room. Ginny was out in front of the girls, while Justin Steele was out in front of the boys (look, he’s canon, just in the video games).

Then they all started singing.

Summer loving had me a blast

Summer loving happened so fast

I met a girl crazy for me

Met a boy cute as can be

All the tweens were dancing in sync, with Ginny and Justin singing the lead roles, the rest of them providing back up vocals. Lupin had spent enough time in the muggle world to recognize Grease when he saw it, though it took him several moments to place just what, exactly, was going on.

Summer days drifting away

To-ah! Oh, the summer nights

Well-a, well-a, well-a, huh

“Right, that’s enough, that’s ENOUGH!” Lupin finally cried, collecting himself enough to shout down the students. They slowly all stopped singing and dancing, then looked up at him, expressions of confusion or expectation on their faces.

Running a hand through his hair, Lupin let out a long heavy sigh. “Right. This is Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Not musical theater. What, exactly, was THAT?”

“Summer Nights,” Ginny said, in tones that indicated she considered Lupin’s brain to be very small.

“From Grease,” Justin added. He glanced at the boys behind him. “We could swap roles if you want, Tim was my understudy.”

“I’ve seen Grease, what I want to know is why, when I said I was going to have you show me what you knew, you all decided to perform a musical number!” Lupin said, proving that he really was new at this teaching business.

Rule Number 1 for teachers: Never ask a question you don’t already know the answer to.

“Last year, Lady Aqua was our teacher,” Luna said, coming forward, hands clasped as if in prayer, eyes looking up towards the heavens. Though incidentally, Aqua was currently below and to her left in the History of Magic classroom. “Since all you need to do to defeat Dark Forces is faith in Lady Aqua and a bar of Axis Brand edible soap, she instead wisely instructed us in dance!”

That was, of course, one of the most insane things Lupin had ever heard in his life. It was not helped by the fact that it was entirely true (if a bit flattering to Aqua and Axis Brand Soap’s potency). “But…this is Defense! Didn’t Professor Aqua at least teach you some basic defensive spells?”

“She taught us how to tie knots one day,” one of the Slytherin boys supplied.

“And how to do shadow puppets and paper mache,” a Ravenclaw girl agreed.

“Sounds like your mate’s a proper plonker,” the jarvey commented in its shrill voice. Lupin silenced the thing, having had enough of that.

Lupin let out a heavy sigh, and glanced down at the cage, then back at the students. “...Right. I’m splitting you into groups of four. Sound off, starting at one. One…”

After grouping the students up, Lupin explained to them the lesson, and held up the jarvey’s cage. “Each group will get one jarvey. Can anyone tell me what sort of dark creature a jarvey is?”

Luna raised her hand, and against his better judgment, Lupin called on her. “Jarvey’s are a plant by the Ministry of Magic to corrupt today’s youth by teaching them poor vocabulary.”

This was so out of left field that Lupin was at a loss for words, and just stared at Luna.

With a sigh, Ginny raised her hand, and without waiting to be called on, said, “Jarvey’s are a lot like gnomes. They’re annoying little blighters that say a bunch of crude nonsense in an attempt to distract you. They’re not dangerous, unless your mum catches you trying to keep one in your room, in which case you’re in for it.”

“I…yes, Ms. Weasley,” Lupin managed, turning away from Luna’s vacuous stare. “Jarveys are entirely harmless, unless one happens to be a rodent, or perhaps a chicken. Your job as a group is to come up with a way to deal with your jarvey using your knowledge as a wizard or witch.”

After putting a jarvey at each table, Lupin took a moment to collect himself, as this very much was not how he’d imagined things going on his first day. He’d just had a quick drink (just tea), when he heard a loud clatter, and turned around. He raced over to Luna’s group, where their jarvey was thrashing about in its cage and foaming at the mouth.

“What did you do to it?! I said to deal with it, not kill it!” Lupin demanded, waving his wand over the jarvey.

“I did,” Luna said. She smiled down at the jarvey, a benevolent expression on her face. “Now, have you seen the error of your ways?”

“Bobs your uncle,” the jarvey gasped. Nothing was apparently wrong with it, though when Lupin looked closer, he saw a bit of a blocky white substance in the cage.

“Wait, did you-”

“I fed it a bit of Axis Brand Edible soap, since it was being a potty mouth,” Luna explained. “As explained in the Book of Awesome Things That I’ve Totally Done, it is the perfect cure for all manner of Dark Creatures and maladies, including a poor vocabulary. Now, you’ll speak properly now, right?”

The jarvey nodded, looking rather ill. “Cheers for that,” it rasped.

“Er, well, that is a novel thing to do, but it-”

Just then, Lupin heard the most foul string of expletives he could have possibly imagined, and whirled about, horrified. He’d personally trained these jarveys to say rude things, but nothing really offensive. This one had just said enough to start a bar fight in any pub he’d ever been in.

“Not bad,” Ginny said, nodding to the dark creature. “Taught that one to the gnomes last year. Now, I learned this one from Bill when he came back from Romania. It goes like-”

“Miss Weasley! Ten points from Slytherin!” Lupin snapped, striding over, just as the Jarvey began with, “Slap me arse and fu-”

“Silencio!” Lupin waved his wand, and the Jarvey went silent. He frowned at Ginny. “I expect better of you, young lady. I know your parents raised you better than this.”

“You should hear my mum swear when she thinks no one else is home,” Ginny said with a shrug.

Since Lupin knew perfectly well that Molly Weasley nee Prewett had indeed had a mouth like a sailor back in her Order of the Phoenix days, it was rather hard to argue with that. So instead, he resorted to the teacher’s primary tools: Bribery, blackmail, and extortion.

“If you show any more cheek, it’s a letter to your mother to explain what sort of vocabulary her daughter is using, in addition to the points deducted and a detention,” Lupin snapped, glaring down at Ginny, who shrugged.

“Yes, sir. Won’t happen again, sir,” she said, managing to sound contrite.

“It had best not,” Lupin said firmly, then strode over to make sure that the other groups were not doing anything too insane. He missed the smirk and the silver sickle one of the Ravenclaws passed Ginny under the table.

The rest of the lesson passed without too much incident, and Lupin dismissed his class with the assignment to write half a foot of parchment on the various silencing charms and their uses. Then he had ten minutes to collect himself, having a nice cuppa as he ruminated on how the lesson had gone, and just what sorts of monsters middle schoolers are. Which as an experienced educator could have told him is quite simple: the most vicious breed of all.

Then his class of Fourth Year Gryffindor and Hufflepuff students arrived, with Lupin greeting them at the door. He had high hopes for the class, until one Gryffindor girl approached him.

“I’m very sorry sir, but I needed to resize my tap shoes and there was a bit of an accident, we won’t need them today, right? I’ll have them sorted out by next class.”

Lupin’s lesson, which had been on how to deal with XXXX creatures, and a practical lesson with dealing with Streeler slime, went right out the window.

“Right… let’s start with, what is Defense Against the Dark Arts, and why it doesn’t involve singing or dancing. At all.”

“Welcome, everyone to Care of Magical Creaturesss. I am Sssylvia Ssslytherin, your new Professsor.”

Unlike the rest of the classes, Care of Magical Creatures was not held indoors, but outside near the Forbidden Forest. An awning had been set up to keep off the warm sun, and there were stables and a pasture with a heavily reinforced fence nearby.

Sitting at the front of the class, Yunyun smiled encouragingly at Sylvia, who was sweating nervously and fidgeting as she stood in front of the class. Next to Yunyun sat Lavender Brown and Tom, who was smirking at Draco, who was sulking next to him. Darkness was on the other side of Lavender, though aside from those three girls, the class was almost entirely boys. And no, not because they would be working with a variety of terrifying beasts, but because everyone had already gotten a good look at Syliva.

Or, well, they thought they had, anyway.

“With my today isss my assssitant, Mr. Rubeusssss Hagrid,” Sylvia said, gesturing to the giant that overtopped her human form by a good three feet, despite Slyvia being six feet tall herself.

“Just Hagrid, Miss Slyvia,” Hagrid said, an enormous woolen cap in his hands as he blushed and smiled at the students. “The students all know me, don’t yeh?”

“Hello Hagrid!” Yunyun said, waving happily. The other girls called greetings as well, while the boys all glared at Hagrid with barely disguised jealousy. Except Draco, who was still frowning at Tom. For his part, Tom knew what Sylvia was, and that just made her more interesting because he was certifiably insane. Even by wizard standards.

“It isss important that the hatchlingsss remember to-” Slyvia trailed off as Yunyun and Darkness made frantic “X” gestures with their hands, with Yunyun mouthing “students”.

“Ah, yesss, that the ssstudents remember that they should treat their eldersss with ressspect. In my classssroom, they will refer to you asss Mr. Hagrid,” Sylvia said sternly.

“Ah, well, yer rules and all,” Hagrid agreed, looking even more nervous now.

“Now, Hagrid and I had a long disssscussssion about which creaturessss to start you off with, but ssssince you are hatchlingsss, I desssided we would sssave the hippogriff for the upper classssses.”

“Are we going to get to see dragons?!” Dust burst out, popping up from behind Yunyun. “I really want to see a dragon!”

“Assss thossse are rated as Wisssard Killersss by the Minissstry, I am sssaving those for Ssseventh Years,” Sylvia said gravely.

“Aww, do we have to start with the boring ones then?” Dust asked, clearly despondent.

“Don’t worry yer head, Goyle,” Hagrid chuckled. “We’ll get to the cute little critters, never you worry. Professor Sylvia just wants teh make sure yeh start with somethin’ appropriate.”

“We shall begin thisss lesssson with a mossst tasssty beassst, the Porlock,” Sylvia said, and motioned for the class to rise. They went over to the stables, which instead of magical creatures, were filled with the horses that Hagrid used to bring up supplies from Hogsmeade at times. Outside the stable however, were several creatures, about two feet in height, with a horse-like face fringed by a mane, reddish brown fur covering their bodies, and two cloven feet.

Upon hearing the students approach, the porlocks all vanished into the stables, and Sylvia gestured to them. “Thisss is a mossst ussssful creature. The porlock will guard horsssesss againssst mossst of their natural predatorsss, and even help the animalsss find food and shelter. They are shy, but can be coaxed out with care.”

Peering into the stables, Yunyun could just make out the forms of the porlocks, hiding amongst the straw and horses. She waved timidly at them, but they all scurried out of sight and she sighed.

“The bessst way to befriend a porlock isss to feed them. They mossstly eat grass, asss they are a prey animal. But, they have a ssspecial fondness for radishesss. Who would like to try feeding the porlocksss firssst?” Sylvia asked, taking out a bucket of radishes.

Most of the students raised their hands, Yunyun shyly doing so amongst them. Slyvia beamed at Yunyun and Lavender, nodding to them to step forward. They each took a radish from Sylvia, then were helped over the fence by Hagrid.

“Easy does it now, girls. Don’t go scarin’ ‘em. Porlocks are shy little critters, yeh know.”

“More like boring,” Draco complained. “I thought we were going to learn to take care of proper creatures. Why can’t we see a hippogriff?”

“Becaussse you are foolish and recklesss hatchlingsss, who-”

“Pssst. Humans don’t come from eggs!” Tom hissed to Slyvia. “Ixnay onway ethay atchlingshay.”

“Oh, yesss. Well, you are young yet, and need to learn  how to properly interact with creaturesss. I remember how you reacted to the basssilisssk, Mr. Malfoy. If you ssscream and try to hide behind Darknesss, you will only get attacked.”

That brought sniggers from the class, and a blush to both Draco and Darkness’ faces.

“That was Kazuma, not me!” Draco protested.

Yunyun ignored him as she and Lavender approached the stable, holding out their radishes. They crouched down by the doorway, extending the vegetables to the creatures within.

“H-here, d-do you want to be my friends?” Yunyun asked hopefully, holding out the radish.

Next to her, Lavender held out her radish as well, making a pspspsps sound, despite the porlocks manifestly not being cats.

After a few moments, two porlocks timidly came forward, their large noses snuffling softly. The one that came up to lavender used its little hands to grab the radish, then let her pet it before scampering off. However, the other took a second look at Yunyun, made a disgusted sound, and scampered off. Despite Yunyun’s best efforts, none of the other porlocks were willing to even approach her, leaving her feeling alone and dejected.

“Hmm,” Sylvia said, glaring at the porlocks. “Thessse onesss ssseem very rude. Ssstill, the ressst of you may try.”

All the rest of the students were able to feed the porlocks, with Dust actually getting one to ride on his shoulder. He trotted over to Yunyun, who was standing dejectedly over by the fence with Lavender and trying not to cry.

“See, this one wants to be your friend, Yunyun!” Dust said happily.

However, upon getting closer to Yunyun, the porlock let out a disgusted grunt, then hopped off of Dust and ran away.

“I-I guess they don’t like me,” Yunyun sniffled.

“I don’t like porlocks either,” Draco declared, standing up and tossing his radish away, striding over towards Yunyun. “They’re stupid and boring creatures. Who would want one anyway?”

“Yeah, we should beat them until they realize the superiority of the Soviet Yunyun!” Tom declared, stomping over himself.

“T-thank you, b-but don’t hurt them for me, t-they’re cute,” Yunyun sniffled, drying her eyes.

Sylvia watched the byplay, and frowned into the stables. She licked her lips, a wicked grin spreading across her face.

The next time the class met, all the porlocks instantly rushed to Yunyun and gave her a big hug. They were so excited, they were trembling.

“O-oh!” Yunyun gasped happily, beaming happily as she hugged the porlocks back in return. “Thank you, t-thank you so much! I-I’m so glad to make friends!”

Hagrid frowned down at the porlocks, his lips moving as he counted them. “Weren’t there more of the little blighters before?”

“The bad onesss mussst have run away,” Sylvia said, smiling at the porlocks. “Thessse onesss mussst be the good ones.”

All of the porlocks hastily nodded their agreement, their eyes wide as they regarded Sylvia. They were definitely Yunyun’s friends.

Or else.

Holding on to a roll of parchment, Dumbledore sat under the Potter Invisibility Cloak at the back of the amphitheater where the History of Magic class met. Things were a little different this year: instead of every year being combined in one big class, they were split up into more manageable groups of two houses each for the lower years, while the NEWT students were in smaller, more focused groups.

This was one of the Seventh Year classes, with the students slowly filing in. It was the smallest class, with Percy Weasley and Penelope Clearwater two of the only students here already, and only eight others to join them. These students were either here for the Easy O, or because they wanted a job that required a NEWT level History of Magic Course. Both Miss Clearwater and Mr. Weasley wanted Ministry jobs, many of which required a History NEWT.

It had been merry hell to plan out a new schedule with all the extra courses, but they’d managed it. Dumbledore had known that most students had slept through History of Magic, but the budget had just balanced so much more nicely with a professor who’s going rate was “Free,” not to mention some very tricky tenure laws and some binding magical contracts that had since been changed meaning he couldn’t actually replace Binns.

Well, the good news was, Dumbledore seriously doubted that Aqua could be a worse instructor than Binns had been. Though she had surprised him before.

About five minutes after class was supposed to start, Aqua breezed into the room. Instead of her robes, or even the popstar garb, she was dressed in a patchwork tunic of many colors, had on fur boots that came up to her knees, and had a crown of lilies braided about her head. In her hands, she had a staff made of a willow branch, moss and blossoms growing along it, a seven spoked wheel at the top carved from driftwood.

“Good morning, everyone!” Aqua said excitedly, bouncing up to the podium at the front of the room. She looked Dumbledore right in the eye, and waved to him, which just about made his heart stop. He was under Death’s Cloak. There was absolutely no way she should have been able to see him.

Maybe he should give this old thing to Megumin after all. Then again, maybe he should get his head examined. She caused enough trouble without also being invisible.

“I was talking with Binns last night, and he told me all he ever covered were stupid wars and boring political treaties!” Aqua informed the students.

“Well, yes, we’ve learned about all the Goblin Rebellions, but those are important because-” Percy Weasley began, but Aqua interrupted him.

“Goblins are stupid and ugly! We’re going to learn about something interesting!” she twirled about, beaming at the students. “Do you recognize my outfit?!”

“Uh, you look like you’re wearing your grandmother’s quilt,” Penelope offered.

“Nope! I made this myself! Do you really not recognize it? Come on, you’re 7th years!” Aqua said, looking around.

At last, one girl raised her hand. “Um, it looks like a really old costume or something…are we doing a musical?”

“Not today! Seriously, it’s only been 2000 years, don’t you recognize I’m in my Coventina form?” Aqua demanded.

That got Dumbledore’s attention. Coventina had been a figure from even before Merlin, supposedly a powerful water nymph who had taught various healing spells to early druids. Was she actually going to teach some real history?

“Who?” Percy asked, frowning.

Aqua sighed heavily, then floated up into their air, her hands extended forward in greeting. “Beannachtaí daoine, is mise an bandia, Coventina. Táim anseo chun beannachtaí a bhronnadh ort. Tar! Seinn i mo uiscí, agus freastal ar mo amhrán.”

Dumbledore’s mouth actually fell open.

Greetings mortals, I am the goddess, Coventina. I am here to bestow blessings upon you. Come! Play in my waters, and attend my song.

That was a very old inscription on one of the oldest tomes in Hogwarts’s library, supposedly the first words that Conventina had spoken to the Elder Druid upon rising up out of her pond.

“So, you guys know what this is, right?” Aqua asked, holding up her staff.

The students all shrugged helplessly.

“Seriously?! Ugh, I know wands are all modern and popular now, but this is a magic staff, imbued with druidic magic! They were used by mortals for thousands of years! The first one was made by Cathbhadh like, uh, 2500 years ago or something. I dunno, I’ll have to ask him later.”

The students all blinked in shock, while Dumbledore felt like his head was spinning.

“Should we…should we be taking notes?” Percy asked.

“I dunno, if you can’t remember this you should definitely be writing it down, this is like, super important historical stuff!” Aqua huffed. Immediately, there was a great deal of shuffling parchment and digging out of inkwells, even as Aqua continued.  “I should know, I was there. Anyway, the old druids would use staves like this ‘cause they didn’t know about wands and stuff yet. They’d also dance for their rituals! I’m going to teach you how to make your own magic staff, and we’ll do a fun ritual! Don’t worry, Dumbledore! I won’t teach them the fertility one, even if it is the most fun. We’re doing the one for making ale instead!”

Over the next hour, Aqua not only gave the students their own staves and went over why historical druids would select different ones based on their various properties but how it was important to adorn the staff with certain totems to imbue it with the proper magical energies. They didn’t get to the ritual, but Aqua told them to “look up all the old druid rituals and pick out your favorites, we’ll talk about how to do them! Tee-hee, maybe if the Headmaster isn’t watching, I’ll teach you the fertility one! Mortals always like that one!”

The students all filed out, talking excitedly about actual historical magical rituals and how they could have led to modern spells and chants. Dumbledore got to his feet slowly, then pulled off the invisibility cloak. Aqua just smiled at him, her hands on her hips.

“Well, what do you think? Was that a super great lesson or what?! I made Binns help me plan it out, but I told him no stupid wars. Wars are dumb and boring! We should be learning about Magic’s history, not just people fighting!”

“That was…” Dumbledore searched for the right words, but finally just smiled and said, “An excellent lesson, Professor Mizu. I think you’ve found your subject.”

“Great! Will you stick around? I have the cute little firsties next! I’m teaching them about how ancient druid robes were influenced by Roman togas and Egyptian tunics, and led to the evolution of modern wizarding fashion!”

“That sounds…like a most excellent and interesting lesson,” Dumbledore admitted, as Aqua pulled out several sketches of various wizarding garb over the millennia, along with different costumes for her to show off to the students. “I regret that I have other things to do. Keep up the excellent work, Professor Mizu.”

“You got it!” Aqua said, saluting and grinning. “Oh boy, I wonder who the firsties are! I don’t remember who’s in this year…but I bet they’re all super cute!”

Feeling like he needed to lie down for a bit, Dumbledore exited the classroom just as the first-year students, still wide eyed and goggling at everything, entered. He made his way to his office, where he sat down and began filling out the evaluation form the Board had forced on him.

“Well?”

Looking up, Dumbledore found a very smug-looking Severus before him. “I am feeling well, Severus. Lemon drop?”

“You know I can’t stand sweets. I mean Mizu. How badly is she failing?” Snape asked silkily, stroking his beard.

“I just sat in on a most fascinating lesson,” Dumbledore began, which prompted Snape to grin like a cat who’d just got the mouse. “One that went over in extensive detail the history of magical staves, and how they evolved into modern wands, as well as homework for the NEWT level students to research ancient druidic magic rituals.”

As Dumbledore went on, Snape’s grin drooped until he was scowling like he’d tasted something sour. “You can’t be serious.”

In Tonks’s office, Blackie sneezed.

“What’s that, boy?” Tonks said, looking up from her paperwork. But Blackie had already laid back down and was snoring again, the lazy lump.

Meanwhile, back in the Headmaster’s Office, Dumbledore was still briefing Snape. “Entirely so, I’m afraid. Another most interesting development was that I wore this,” Dumbledore held up the Cloak of Invisibility, and Snape frowned at it.

“So, she wasn’t just showing off for you, then.”

“I’m not certain. She could see me the entire time as if I were not wearing it,” Dumbledore mused. “It is said this cloak could hide you even from Death itself…”

“Hogwash. She must have had a charm that detected you. That old fable is nonsense,” Snape snarled. “That lesson had to be a fluke.”

“Go and see for yourself,” Dumbledore directed.

With a hiss, Snape strode out of the headmaster's office, his robes billowing like batwings about him. He stalked down to the History of Magic classroom and poked his head in.

“-and that’s why linen fibers were used, and in your modern robes, we use cotton! Plant-based materials are way better for conducting magical energy! If you try to use synthetic cloth, it can interfere, and it can’t be machine-made! Only hand-woven, or on a magical loom!” Aqua was saying to the enraptured group of first-year students, as she modeled an ancient druid ritual robe. “You can even get special robes with different materials because they all conduct magical energy in different ways! For example, flax-”

Severus had heard enough. He whirled about and stalked back down to the dungeons.

“GREETINGS, PROFESSOR!” Megumin bellowed, standing up on her stool. “BEHOLD, I HAVE RETURNED ONCE MORE TO-”

“Five points from Gryffindor. We use our indoor voices, Miss Potter,” Snape growled, stalking up to his desk and glaring at the third-year students until they were thoroughly cowed. He felt slightly better, but he still couldn’t shake the feeling that something had gone fundamentally wrong.

How on Earth could Aqua actually be a useful professor?

Author’s Note:

I think this is one of the signs of the apocalypse.