On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

We all listened solemnly as the Goblin, who insisted he had no name to give, but Treyvon was calling Wanderer, told his tale again. That seems unlikely. I could get his name the way I did Aine’s, but… it seems a cultural thing. I’m not saying that every cultural tradition has to be respected, just like some of Japanese work and idol culture is trash, bad traditions can be safely replaced with modern, better ones, but… this is harmless enough, and not too dissimilar to the Kitsune.

Perhaps guessing what I was thinking, Mae shrugged lazily, though I detected a wicked glint of satisfaction in her emerald eyes as I once more couldn’t resist being charmed by her bountiful, overflowing cleavage. Even though it was embarrassing, I was happy, as even a little simple display of emotion was proof Mae was recovering.

What concerns me is Child Of Woe… The other attributes of Aine were a rather confused mass of question marks and the odd word or phrase. It seemed odd, as I doubted the information was necessarily high level, but even so my Eyes didn’t seem to be able to provide me with it. Child Of Woe, however…

A Child Of Woe is a being whose very existence is at the centre of a complicated tangle of active Misfortune. Call it Woe, Evil Karma, Doom, Geas or any other name, this swirling vortex of maleficent energies is waiting to explode, bringing ruin to the Child and all linked to them, and that they come into contact with.

The poor Goblins. It doesn’t seem fair, but… My attention was now on Darkflame, the High Kobold with the long, German-inspired name. No doubt Adelheid would have found it amusing, but to us it was simply unwieldly. Darkflame had interjected at points, drawing parallels between the fate of the Goblins and the Kobolds, all the while stealing guarded, indecipherable glances at Shaeula, Hyacinth, Asha and the Elves.

“We Elves…” Bell exchanged a glance with her cousin Teare, who nodded. “…it’s true.” Bell’s beautiful face fell, her slightly elongated, pointed ears twitching, pink not with embarrassment or lust, but with shame, I wagered. ”We do look down on many of the other Fae. We see ourselves as beautiful, wise, brave…” She paused. “Honestly, Teare and I, we want you to see us that way, Akio. This is…” She cast her gaze on the Goblin child trapped in crystal, beautiful and ephemeral, yet mired in permanence. “…a time for honesty, and perhaps something never seen before in the Court.”

“Yeah.” Teare’s usual boisterous self wasn’t in evidence. She glanced at Mae, who seemed smugly satisfied, and I imagined something had passed between then while I was busy upstairs. “I know you don’t think we’re serious or could be interested in you. Maybe… maybe that’s our fault.”

“Oh, from what I have seen, it most certainly is.” Mae declared.

“Is this… a confession? I was aware these Elves were proposed as an arrangement…” Eleanor whispered to Yukiko, the two of them having similar circumstances and thus coming together to support each other now that things had changed. “…but it sounds like matters between them are… complicated?”

“Yes, you’re right.” Bell agreed. “It is our fault. Just like… we denigrated the Goblins, the Kobolds and many other… lesser… Fae, as we saw them. Honestly, the Seven Royal Lines… anything that wasn’t a part of them, even powerful Fae such as Giants and Trolls, we disdained them. Oh, it was so easy… especially for us, right Teare?”

Teare agreed, chewing at her lip. “As Way-Wardens, we are brash, combative and ever the first to fall in battle. It has been long since there has been a war between us and the Unseelie. Before our time…” Bell nodded, as she continued. “…though we could argue the reclaiming of the Spring of Clear Reflections was such a war… one fought without us.”

Shaeula nodded at that, chest puffed out in pride, but she didn’t speak. Everyone was listening, even our Goblin and Kobold guests.

“But even so, the Wild Hunt passes our borders and kills until we are mobilised to hunt them down. Deaths do happen. And for us Fae… even the shorter-lived ones… honestly, we see that as weakness. You’d live as long as we Elves if you had the strength of spirit…” Her words were bitter, and I could see sorrow in their eyes.

“Yes. We know. Even… in the times before, we were rather fleeting, though long-lived by mortal standards. But… what have you done with your endless days?” Wanderer pointed out bitterly. “Except let things decline. Waste away. Rot on the vine like so much worthless fruit.”

“It’s true.” Teare took over. “The Court… well, at its heart, the lights shine, alcohol is toasted, music plays, and we dance… but… the heart is wounded, it bleeds slowly out. The Queen, she seldom shows her face, and the King… he is seen by none but the Princes and Princesses, and a few worthy healers, who can do nothing to calm his wounds. Even we Way-Wardens, we fight, we protect, we train… but we were stagnant. We don’t innovate…”

“You had Mortal Engineers, though, didn’t you?” I asked, and Bell nodded.

“Yes. But again, they were often scorned, looked down upon. Ixitt, the best and brightest, only found work under Prince Shaetanao, who was reaching for anything to stave off his own decline. A decline brought about by… mingling with the outside. The Seelie Court… is a dead place, closed off.”

“It was.” Shaeula agreed. “But I shall not-not allow that to continue. Ixitt is quite-quite wise. But so then is Akio. We do not-not seek to change all that is good, simply… merge the best of our ideas, forge a new Court. We seek… to give purpose.” She smirked wickedly, before eyeing Wanderer. “Of course, we guide that purpose. We shall not-not mistreat anyone, no matter be they lowly or mighty, so long-long as their hearts are true and they strive for the future we seek. But… there must be rule, and the King and-and Queen, they have failed in their duties.”

Hyacinth seemed rather uncomfortable, and I glanced at her, but she shook her head, biting at her lips, her expression thoughtful.

“So, you have done well seeking us out-out for our aid. And we shall surely offer it.” Shaeula agreed. “But in exchange… you shall-shall continue to aid us in our journey. And all who strive shall be suitably rewarded.”

“It’s… uncomfortable. We’re Way-Wardens. The protectors of the Court. The unchanging Court.” Bell sighed. “We maintain the balance, hold fast against danger. But… when grandfather…”

“I thought he was your great-grandfather?” I asked, and she shrugged.

“When you reach his age, everyone is his grandchildren. Else it gets complicated, even with our low birthrate. But that doesn’t matter… grandfather suggested we should try and win you over. Honestly, among Elves, we know all of them. Our numbers are few. Many are close kin. We are not as Duke Vulpatrius, marrying his sisters and daughters. Our male brothers and close cousins don’t have any standout heroes, and… we Elves are rather too proud to mingle with most other species of Fae. Short-sighted, yes.”

“I should say-say so.” Shaeula sniffed. “I am a weaselkin, Hyacinth is a… Brownie, I suppose, for the moment. Asha a Dryad. And you, Elves. But I find-find the distinction matters little. Even Grulgor now, I hold a great-great deal of affection for the once-dumb brute. Everyone has their merits.” She paused, a look of disgust on her face. “As for being such as that vile firefox… it is not his marriage habits that make him vile, but his utterly rotten, bitter spirit. Do not-not ever try and imitate him.”

“Just as we Goblins had our own strengths.” Wanderer agreed, ignoring Shaeula’s added rant about Duke Vulpatrius. “In exchange for… frailty of spirit, as the other Fae derided us, so our histories teach, we had great power over light and darkness, and many other tricks. But… such power is corrupted now. The Red Caps and their ilk are beasts who only know to fight…”

“Not true.” I interrupted, and seeing the looks of curiosity, I shrugged. “I’ll speak of it once we’re done. But… I think this conversation needs finishing.” I looked at Bell and Teare, a conflicted expression on my face, and they sighed, nodding.

“Our point is…” Teare grimaced, embarrassed perhaps. “We kept saying we admired strength and bravery. And it’s true. We do. Any partner for us must be brave and resolute. But…”

“…it can’t be just anyone.” Bell agreed. “And I know it better than most. Mount Atago, that brief distraction, was thrilling and inspiring, and made my heart race.”

“I’m so jealous…” Teare mimicked crying. “I want to go on brave adventures, defeating terrible foes, and… end up in the arms of someone. We Elves live long, but… have less of a drive to bond with others, perhaps because of that.”

“Yet when we do, we feel it.” Bell took over. “Now… I shall be candid, as our attitude may have convinced you we were hardly serious.”

I nodded. “Yes, that would help.”

“I don’t know if this is what you mortals call love. I suppose we would call it such too, but… many Fae don’t speak of it that way. But… I know we are both eager to spend more time with you, getting to know you better, for you to know us. Our true selves, not our Way-Warden masks, where our sparks will eventually be snuffed out in battle. A worthy end, but an end nonetheless. We Fae… fear that.”

“Makes sense.” Christina, who was listening quietly, nodded. “It’s the Immortal’s Paradox. Firstly, your stagnation, although…” She had put on her glasses again, it seemed to help her think, and if I was being honest, they did suit her. Glancing over at Aine, trapped in her transparent prison, she shrugged.

“…I don’t think it’s merely the ennui and lack of urgency that we scientists posited any long-lived civilisation would suffer from. But in this case… if life is a series of endless repetition, then only things that transcend the mundane, like love and excitement, will stand out, and all the more so… and the thought of death… well, the mayfly doesn’t fear its end, but… losing the potential of hundreds, maybe thousands of years is far more terrifying than losing a few years.”

“Exactly. Though… we became Way-Wardens as that does brighten our lives, even if it puts them at risk.” Teare agreed. “And now… we see everything changing. Though… the silence at the heart of the Court lingers. But… many Fae are drawn into your endeavours, even the Princes and Princesses of the Fae, such as grandfather. And we feel alive, truly alive.”

“But that doesn’t mean much to you.” Bell suggested. “Nor should it have to. We’re both grateful. Even old gloomy, unfortunate Moira seems motivated nowadays. But what does matter is… forget what grandfather proposed. We… just want the chance to spend time with you, see if you are truly who we want. Not just your strength, your resolve, but… you as a person. Honestly, I think you are, at least for me… but…”

“Stealing the best part for yourself!” Teare put on a surly grimace, before her eyes twinkled mischievously. “We’re Fae. Be it a male, female, have no discernible identity, whether a person is already in love or not… that doesn’t change the fact that we deeply desire those whose spirits compliment ours. Fortunately, it seems you aren’t so wedded to human ways such as monogamy…”

Eri and Kana both huffed at that, and Teare apologised. “Sorry, I know we’re being selfish, but… it’s not just that. Akio…” She was serious now. “Please investigate your feelings for us too. Not as a match to secure power in the Court.”

“You hardly need that.” Bell agreed wistfully. “Grandfather was too late. With princess Shaeula, and also Asha, a noble Dryad… you have backing.”

“But we…” Teare asked earnestly. “…believe we are worth spending the endless days with. And… we think you are worth it too. All of you.” She bowed, Bell joining her. “So, allow us the chance to see if our meeting is more than just a failed gambit of grandfather’s, or a play we are doing to pass the time.” They then turned to Mae. “And thank you as well, for chastising us, and showing us the way. Our intentions have been misunderstood, and our emotions thus seemed light. Perhaps they are not heavy, but just as no Rhyming Tree is born a mighty one, emotions grow from small seeds, if given ample care.”

“Yes.” Bell agreed. “I’m rather certain I do love you. You shine and feel as much a Fae as even grandfather. Your spirit is rich, and calms and soothes us when we are near, yet also inflames us.” Shaeula, Hyacinth and Asha all nodded at that.

“But… while the Court may be mired in stasis, we still don’t need to hurry. But… we want a chance to be certain. And… to give you the chance to fall for us too. After all… we’re Elves. It hurts that we are easily matched by some of you humans, since we are supposed to be as beautiful as the finest creations of the Gods, and… we are. Yet don’t you wonder what it would be like, embracing us? We’re not yet old, by the measure of things, and… inexperienced.” She chuckled. “Some of the talk between us Way-Wardens can get quite ribald, but it is all innocent and amusing.”

“Just… we want to start afresh. And… be honest. We want to try and win you over.” Teare insisted. “And it’s purely because we see a future with you. We might be wrong, or you might… end up dismissing us. But… if we don’t try… Fortune favours the brave, no? And Bell and I, we’re brave. We give our all to everything we do.”

Nodding slowly, I understood. “I get it. Considering how matters have proceeded in my other relationships… I’d feel a bastard not giving you the chance. And… your honesty was appreciated. I did often feel that you liked me, but… it seemed superficial, a lot of the time. Which is understandable. We’re friends, but… it’s not a deep relationship, but one of convenience. If you want to become true friends to start… I’m all for it. More, I can’t promise, but…” I took them in, and they were indeed brave and beautiful. “…I’m seeing you both now. Rather than just looking.”

I paused, having a thought. “Though your words do fill me with disquiet.” At their puzzled expression, I grinned ruefully. “They way you talk about Fae seeking their partners… doesn’t that mean I’m going to have to fend off endless Fae trying to pair up with Shaeula, Hyacinth and Asha? I mean, they’re all incredible, cute, loveable and desirable. Damn, I’m going to have to start swatting bothersome flies…”

“Not I.” Asha chuckled gently, amused. “All know we Dryads are different. One Kiss, one who sows seeds.”

“Hyacinth will have nooo other master.” she insisted too. “If any tries, I shall choooke them until they perish. What use the stars, when the moooooon so bright is already in my arms?”

Damn, that was poetic.

Shaeula, not to be outdone, snorted, clearly unhappy at my suggestion. “While it is most-most certainly true we Fae are both fickle and oddly constant… I am not-not who I was. Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan shall have no-no other. Even would the King himself recover, and come seeking me, I would spit-spit in his face. Perhaps mortal ways have coloured me… but-but… this is happiness. But your jealousy does-does appeal and amuse.”

Hyacinth and Asha nodded at that, and they weren’t alone. With a frustrated grunt, Aliyah spoke up.

“Great. I’m kind of pissed off no hot Elves are hitting on me, but… good for you all. I’ve stopped giving a shit about these things now, I ain’t got the willpower. But now family drama is over… what are we going to do about this…” She jerked a finger at the crystalline coffin Aine was sleeping in. “…that’s what matters, yeah?”

Yes, what to do. I still had questions for the High Kobold, questions that needed answering, but time was ticking, and soon on the Material Pilgrimage was due to restart, and… glancing at Shaeula, she shrugged and winked, and I could feel her amusement, but also a little frustration. Don’t worry, I’ll not let your birthday plans go to waste. Fortunately… we’re still in Tokyo…

“I suppose the first thing is to break the coffin carefully and release her…” I began, omitting her name in deference to the Goblin. I was interrupted by Hyacinth, who was shaking her head rapidly.

“Nooo! Nooo, not at all! You cannooot do that, Akio!” she cried, her words a blur, as she seized my arm. Her silver-violet eyes gazed into my grey ones as she insisted. “The Woe… the stench of it burns Hyacinth’s nooose and my heart. I… know it well. Wooorse… I am nooot as clever as you, Akio, but… the tangle, it is bad. Looooook deeper!” she insisted.

Pouring aether into my Eyes, strengthening them as far as I currently could, I glanced at Shiro, who sighed mournfully. “Damn, no rest for me…” she grumbled. “You sure though? Bad things happen when I mess with your Eyes…”

“I’m sure.” I agreed. “I can handle it.”

“On your head be it. If you collapse and miss a chunk of Shaeula’s birthday, she’ll make you regret it.” I felt the surge of Anesidora’s Blessing and my Eyes sharpened. The heavier weight of information and knowledge flooded into me, and my consciousness wavered, but I had a trump card now, and… right on time.

I felt Rose taking a portion of the strain, and while I still couldn’t fully hear her thoughts, not like with Eri, I could sense her emotions clearer than ever, and in some cases emotions conveyed more than words ever could. She was eager, amused and also playful. I could feel Lin’s too, more muted, and there was a little frustration, and even… jealousy?

There’s no time for that. And I can’t follow the connection to the upper Astral today. No… imploring Rose to help me out, not forgetting to express my grateful thoughts to Lin, I looked deeper, at the dark mass of flavoured adherence coiled around Aine like dark tendrils. I felt Rose’s worry, she clearly thought that was dangerous, and so did I. It was almost as if some terrible Kraken was coiled around her, tentacles ready to snap her fragile neck, arms and legs, or do worse.

That’s Weal And Woe? Or just the Woe? If so…

I glanced at Shaeula, who was pouting, unhappy. “I can-can see what you are thinking. You wonder just why-why the Three Oaths And Boons are so-so… mundane in comparison to the power the Unseelie wields, yes-yes? If so… you are quite-quite mistaken.”

“At their heart… they are mirroooors.” Hyacinth explained. “We do nooot break Oaths lightly. For we suffer if we do… a mirror to the Woooe, but… Oaths we hooold…”

“Even Grulgor, back when he was just-just a dumb brute…” Shaeula took over for Hyacinth, who was wearing a sour, yet somehow wistful expression. “…chose Oaths that he could-could turn meaningless, should the need-need arise. But… we are what we swear. Just as Weal does not-not come without Woe, nor-nor does our bindings, which restrict us, come without… benefits.”

She shook her head, amber locks cascading. “I swore new Oaths to you in-in my heart, to bind me further. Because bindings are strength. We Fae…” She chuckled, a little embarrassed as she looked at the Elves. “Just-just as we do not-not care if the one our heart desires is male, female or already taken… our desires are strong, pure-pure… and such desires, such bindings… help define us. Violating them is not-not easy, but holding to them is strength. Such-such is the reverse of Weal And Woe, where the Woe is forced on others to gain-gain Weal, here, we bind ourselves, which can-can be both curse and blessing, to generate ourselves anew.”

“I see.” Indeed, I could, and Shaeula shivered.

“It is as-as if you are laying me bare, to my very-very spirit. Your eyes, they are quite-quite lewd.” She was clearly embarrassed, but played it off, wanting to appear strong in front of all those here, no doubt, by licking her lips. “Later. We shall have-have time, I have no doubt.”

I could see adherence within her, like miniature chains, part of her, yet also ephemeral. It wasn’t like the Binding Chains Of Sancus, which I so despised. It was simply… helping keep her as herself. I see. Fae… are mutable. All creatures of spirit are, compared to Material beings, but… Fae seem particularly susceptible. I glanced at the High Kobold, who was smirking knowingly, and I resisted the urge to interrogate him, as to why and how he was here. No, not yet. This first…

“I did think you Fae amusing.” Hana spoke. “My travels amongst them were a welcome distraction from my despair. Though I would certainly not repeat such now. After all, my tail has been caught.” She winked playfully at me. “I am a new woman, quite a faithful one. I could even be a dog, not a fox, if so needed.” She winked again, and beside her, Christina laughed, likely enjoying the mental image. Ugh, two nuisances together. I’ll have to make sure neither pick up the other’s bad habits and perversions… I can’t handle them multiplying together. Trouble squared!

“We Yōkai can maintain ourselves without such petty tricks, yet…” Hana shrugged. “Even we are somewhat shaped by the tides. Yet in the Parade, we are fixed by our Number.”

I see. I think? It was the same situation as the diamond I thought about earlier. Strength in number of atoms. In this case, number of Yōkai, all arrayed carefully to keep themselves strong, pure.

“It all comes down to adherence. I get that its belief, but… once you break ether down to aether, you can do the same sort of thing… so what’s the difference between aether and adherence?” I couldn’t quite grasp it, but knew when I could, I’d likely be able to transcend my limits as of now. In a way, this is a good opportunity, although… Expanding my vision, I glanced at Aine again. No. This isn’t the time for experimentation. Just… I need to unravel this mess and save her. It’s too pitiful otherwise.

“Well then…” I shrugged. “This was an interesting talk, and it gives me a few ideas. But for now, I just need to dispose of all the dark adherence, which shouldn’t be too hard…” I had a decent Adherence Manipulation Skill, and while it had stagnated, bottlenecked, I still felt up to the task. Gathering a little adherence, I was suddenly stopped by Hyacinth, who grabbed my arm, shaking her head frantically.

“Noooooooooooo! Most definitely do not dooo that, Akio!” Hyacinth appealed to me desperately. “It will nooot work, Hyacinth knows it.” Her eyes were staring into mine, and there was no sign of her usual demeanour, only a wistful yearning. “Hyacinth knows it all tooooo well.”

“All right.” I withdrew my probing. “But… are you willing to talk about it?” My words were gentle, and she nodded.

“I… know well Weal And Woe.” She began to speak, and everyone hung on her words. “It is… a way to shape what we cannooot with mere will alone. But… the Woe Backlash shooould make it clear, pooower always comes with a cost. And… just as Weal And Woe mirrooors the Oath And Boon… external, rather than internal, dark, rather than light… Oaths ooonly fortify from within, whereas… Weal comes from withooout… and like draws like…”

Like draws like, huh? I narrowed my vision, peering though the shadowy tentacles, but… the thick adherence was blocking my sight.

Sowelo! Succeed! Eihwaz! Let strength flow through you. Eihwaz! Be enlightened! Raido! The destination is also the journey. Pierce the veil and see!

I could somehow feel Rose weaving Runes, and a quiet sense of pride within her, as well as joy and triumph. I guess her Runic prowess and understanding has increased again. Using Runes through such a fragile bond…

The bond was strengthened by Anesidora’s power, and that was a slight clue. It’s charged with aether, yet… it has an adherence-like effect…

I still didn’t understand, not even with my Split Thoughts running, but I was sure I would, if I gathered a few more clues. The effect of her Runes made my Eyes burn, and my vision sharpened. It wasn’t giving me more detail, just… it cleared away what I didn’t need to see, the tendrils of dark adherence somehow escaping my attention, as if transparent. And what lay beyond was… oh.

Reaching out, I patted Hyacinth’s head softly, pulling her into a hug. Tsurugi, who had been watching with no comprehension of what was going on, seemed jealous and looked as if she was going to protest, cute cheeks puffed into a pout, but Yukiko, Eri, and surprisingly, Eleanor, all tried to reassure her, keeping her from interfering.

“Thanks, Hyacinth. I can always count on you.” I praised her, and she smiled, a tender, sweet one that for a moment stopped my thoughts dead. Seeing that, she giggled.

“I ooonly wish that was true, Akio. Hyacinth has a looong way to go, until she is the best. I… believed I was, befooore. That there was nooothing I could not dooo for… never mind. The past is gooone. Yet… the scars linger. This… is the legacy. Hence why I knooow it.”

“I see.” I didn’t, not really, but it was obvious I wasn’t Hyacinth’s first master. And whoever she served before, Hyacinth felt a great deal of regret regarding them. “So… the other adherence, it’s… a bit frightening, to be honest.”

It was like a magnet drawing in iron filings. The dark adherence that was the Woe around the Goblin was pulling in several other types of equally dark adherence. Worse, faint strands were tied to Wanderer, and skittered outwards and vanished just like a number of Silver Cords, likely touching other Goblins, judging by his story. Yes, there was a positive adherence too, the Weal, but… it was gradually being eroded.

I see. It’s not dissimilar to the Grail under the Tower of London. Adherence that is too alike gets pulled in too, and… the Weal and the Woe are no longer balanced. So to safely disarm this mess…

“Yes.” Hyacinth nodded. “It is mooost sorrowful. I can feel the Woe. If you try and clear it, she will nooot survive the backlash, and… neither will these Goblins.”

Wanderer opened and closed his mouth at that, but Hyacinth wasn’t done. Her face twisted into a scowl of frustration. “Akio, I knooow you want to save her, save them like you reached ooout a hand to me. I am… frustrated. If ooonly there was a way for me to take it upon myself. For… I dooo not fear the backlash. I can pay Woe in…. ooother ways.”

I remembered her abilities. “Yeah. Can we do it with ether? I’m not sure just how much it’ll cost to pay for such a terrible yet necessary curse, but…” If it delays our construction that’s a problem, but… we can always find ways to compensate for that.

“Nooo.” Hyacinth shook her head in my arms. “The universal currency of Woe… is pain.” Her smile was still so honest, and I clenched her tighter, burying her head in my arms.

“Pain, you say? Aren’t there other ways?”

Hyacinth didn’t speak for a while, before she sighed. “Ooof course. Before, I thought nooot, but… I am not who I was before, and… I learn. Yet pain cooosts nothing, can it be endured.”

“Wonderful!” Christina gushed. “A woman after my own heart. Now… pain… you say?” She repeated my words, perhaps trying to endear herself to me, and I shot her a glare, which merely made her chuckle. “Oh, don’t try and intimidate me, you’ll make me squirm. I was just thinking… if pain needs to be paid, then I’m your woman! I know that it doesn’t make the suffering I’ve caused any less, it’s not like stealing money, where you can replace what was taken with a different pile of banknotes. Pain is unique, individual. But… little Miss Christina has to start somewhere.” She winked. “Besides, you don’t want your maid to suffer any more than she has to, do you? Whereas you seem quite unmoved at watching me writhe and cry. It makes me rather damp, thinking about it. Though…” She shuddered then. “It’s not the sort of pain I enjoy. I’m all for emotional torture, if it’s from you!”

“You ruined it at the end there…” Kana sighed. “But…” She looked at Hyacinth, thinking. “Yeah, Hyacinth, you should treasure yourself more. Though… you want to help precisely because you recognise it, don’t you?”

“Yooou are sharp, mistress Kana.” Hyacinth muttered bitterly. “The Woe here, it is nooot…” She closed her mouth, frustrated. “…but what is drawn in…” she said at last, making up her mind. “…it is her doing. Not intentiooonal, but… actions are the responsibility ooof those who do them. I learned that here.”

“In that case, I’m now more motivated to deal with this.” I hugged her tighter. Hyacinth never asked for anything for herself, but clearly whoever this ‘her’ was mattered to Hyacinth, even if she claimed she didn’t remember. But as she grew stronger, just like I could remember things I had thought long forgotten, it was obvious her mind and memories were stabilising.

“Akiooo, it is not necessary…” Hyacinth began, but I disagreed.

“Oh, it is. You’re mine now, Hyacinth. I don’t know who she is, but this her… she’ll not get you back. But… I’ll help you clear your lingering regrets. Besides… you’re soft-hearted too, aren’t you? You see a lot of yourself in her…” I nodded at Aine. “Don’t you?”

Hyacinth nodded. “Though she at least has peace. Sleeping soooftly. Hyacinth was awake, and in the dark, sooo lonely.” She then lifted her head from my chest, caressing my cheek and kissing me. “Silly Akio. I will never gooo back to… to her, even were she here. Hyacinth is yooours, and loves it here, and the mistresses toooooo. But I wish…”

“To relieve some of her mistakes? Then we’ll do it.” I promised, and then it was Eri who spoke up.

“If it’s a way for others to take on the Woe, doesn’t that just mean you need a new connection?”

“I was just going to say that!” Christina pouted. “But I didn’t want to ruin the tender scene. I was taking notes for when it’s my turn.”

“You think that time will come? Dream on…” Eri retorted, but Christina merely chortled.

“Anticipation is quite the fun feeling.” Christina shrugged. “Regardless… your speciality is bonds and connections, just like with our Eyes, yes? Well, prove it. Forge a bond between yourself and the Goblin there, and then… we can all share it. A third each!” She winked, and for a moment I stared at her, before letting out a sigh.

“Sadly it’s far from that easy. I’m just a novice on this Path, but…” I narrowed my Eyes, gazing at Hyacinth, then across to Shaeula. Rose, your help… I think it’s made the difference. Not all connections are positive, so… can I cut them, or change them? I can never be a true master of such a Path unless I can make use of all connections, and forge them into something worthy…

“How about this then?” I had an idea, based on what I could see with my Eyes pushed past their ever-growing limits by Anesidora’s blessing and Rose’s Runecraft. “I swear three Oaths to you, Hyacinth.”

The room fell silent, and I could see adherence swirling, a new type, one the Fae were all possessing, deep within themselves. “Firstly, we shall free this child from her slumber, and protect the kin her sacrifice was meant to protect, removing that sin from her, and relieving your sorrow…”

Hyacinth’s eyes, purple with a hint of silver, gazed at me, shocked, but I continued.

“I shall share your pains from this day forth. Never will you have to carry them, either physical, or emotional, alone again. I won’t force you to speak of your past, but know… I’ll help you sweep away those regrets, and the regrets of any you feel pity for…”

At my words, she was silent, but adherence was swirling around us. I felt a familiar pressure inside me, as if I was a vessel too small to contain all that I was, but I ignored it.

“And finally… I swear an Oath that I shall never be without you. No matter who else may claim you, our hearts shall always be as one, and… we shall never be together in death, as we shall live, but… your end shall not be my end, and neither shall my end be yours. I repudiate such a sad fate!”

With a cry, I drew in the mass of adherence, and let it flow into Hyacinth. Shaeula received an ample backlash of it as well, as was expected, as I was making a fundamental change to something I strongly disapproved of. Asha too, trembled, as if hit but an unexpected sudden surge of emotion, though her yellow eyes showed it was not an unwelcome one. Adherence surged around her too, and she gazed at me warmly, hand on her belly.

I felt a searing pain within my spirit, as did Hyacinth and Shaeula. I winked at Shaeula and mouthed “happy birthday” at her, and she managed a cheeky wink, even as she shuddered, sweat springing up on her pale skin.

Your Class, True Faeduine has increased from Level Ten to Level Fourteen…

Your Class, Bondweaver…

Your Class, Taker Of…

You have gained a Skill, Weal And Woe Rank 2…

Yeah, that’s what I need…

The pressure inside me was horrible, it felt like things were splintering inside me, but I forced the pain away with a sheer act of will. It was then I felt Rose inscribing more runes, and the feeling vanished. I could feel a hot gaze on me, and with my expanded vision I could see Shiro’s eyes were crimson, a hungry expression on her face, but then I shut everything out, instead focussing on what mattered…

One Who Pledges Life And Love is a token of the unbreakable bond freely given between Noble Fae and a being who has traits of the Fae. It is a mingling of spirits, a deep connection, and is mediated by deep love and trust. Strength flows freely between those so bound, and Skills known by either partner are easier for both to grow, as knowledge is shared on a Spiritual and Truesoul level. In addition, extremely compatible Skills on a Truesoul level may be shared. While one endures, so too shall the other, for in times of great danger, the will to survive, to not abandon the other to a lonely, bitter sorrow, will be stimulated, drawing upon reserves of strength each possesses.

As this Class grows, all abilities involving Bonds and Connections will not only strengthen significantly, but will connect on a deeper, more fundamental level, surpassing Material body, Spiritual form, and touch and integrate into the Truesoul itself.

This Class has been woven together with an unrelated Skill, Lovers’ Link. The ability of Lovers’ Link to share Adherence and Soullight has been significantly increased. This Class should collapse, but due to the many aspects that strengthen such Bonds and Connections, this unique adaption functions, though not at its full potential. In time it will perhaps stabilise.

Finally, it worked. Though The World Tree got some snark in there again. Been a while since I’ve seen that. How nostalgic. Now… to call Haru over. She’s going to be frustrated I keep piling more work on her, but…

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