On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Shiratori Himeko, Shirohime

The moment Tan spoke, the Chinese girl, Chen Na, acted. She had remained slightly behind Shiro and Hyacinth, letting them draw the attention of the enemies, and as Tan’s arrogant words made the green-eyed and blonde-haired woman, who was surely Mary Stuart, from Akio’s description, twist her face into an expression of disgust, Chen Na unleashed her power.

Sudden bubbles of force swallowed up the three hostages, shimmering, near-transparent fields surrounding them. The axes wielded by the Judges bounced back, staggering them, and Eleanor blinked in surprise. Bubbles also enclosed Mary Stuart herself and the red-headed woman standing with her.

Drawing their attention was a good move, Tan! Now we don’t need to worry about the hostages being exploited. Though with Mary Stuart trapped, this should be over…

Do not be so sure, princess. The followers of the Ninth Heaven have many abilities fuelled by powerful adherence. I anticipate her escape… Even as Tan’s thoughts reached her, Shiro heard a painful, esoteric word, that made her spirit shiver and head burn with phantom pain.

[Open!]

At that word, a collection of strange, inhuman syllables, the bubbles of energy containing Mary and the other woman turned fully transparent, and the two of them stepped out, Mary Stuart looking particularly offended. She wiped away a trickle of blood from her mouth, and glared at Tan furiously. “Vile demon, your kind should not be here! The True Revelation says we should be protected from your ilk until the shallow eddies around this world calm and shatter!”

“Demon? I am rather offended.” Tan shot back coolly. “Demons are grotesque things, whereas I am flawless, pure.” She tossed her head, red hair trailing out behind her like a fiery tail. “No, I am no demon, though my father was often called one. Now…” Tan’s gaze flickered to Princess Eleanor. “I have come to aid you, at the behest of him.” She waved one arm backwards, to where the pillar of yellow flames had died down, but was still burning, acrid smoke rising. “So you may lay down your burdens. We have protected your allies.”

Eleanor’s face tightened, and she clutched her sword tightly, shaking her head. “I’m grateful for your aid. I didn’t expect it. I thought… I would have to die here.” she admitted. “Though I would make sure to take you with me, Mary Stuart!” Her voice was cold, calm. “Now that you are here, I will fight with you! The Tower has to be protected at all costs!”

Tan turned her attention to the Tower, and the storms of adherence and ether it was pulling in. Shiro was more sensitive to such when Tan was possessing her, the Divine resonating with it, and it was quite beautiful, like a maelstrom of barely-visible diamonds. “Yes, I can see why. It is a treasure, or rather, two treasures overlapping. You have managed it improperly. How disappointing.” Tan breathed out.

What do you mean?

“No wonder this Territory is pitiful.” Tan snorted, and Eleanor looked ashamed. “The treasure here draws in adherence, but also ether. Most of your gains would be drawn away from you. Power without control is nothing but a curse. Disappointing.”

Eleanor flinched, but Mary Stuart glowered, her annoyance plain. “Wretched creatures…” she looked at Hyacinth, realising she also wasn’t human, and technically Chen Na was not either, since she was reborn by the Throne. “… mocking the stolen power of the Lord. They say that despite evil speaking with a forked tongue, sometimes the Devil tells truths though. Yes, it is a travesty, the waste of power. It must be taken back into our hands. Now… [Kneel and Prostrate!]”

Shiro felt a painful tugging on her spirit, but her body did not bend, as Tan stood strong, sneering, her ruby eyes and hair blazing with flames. Hyacinth fell to her knees, but her defiant expression as she kept her body upright was quite magnificent. Chen Na hit the ground, kneeling with her forehead pushed down, but Tan and Shiro paid her little mind. Since she can’t hold Mary Stuart, she’s only an auxiliary…

“Be careful!” Eleanor cried. “Those strange words are powerful!”

“Yes.” Tan said, stepping forwards slowly. “They contain great adherence. Always the way of the Ninth Heaven, so wasteful. But then, they have the reserves.”

“You resisted the Words of the Metatron?” Mary said, stunned. “You truly should not be here! You have to fall! You are too dangerous to be allowed to live! Attack!” she ordered, and her forces raced out, the Choir starting to sing, the Judges forming up for an assault, and the white-clad warriors charging.

Tan, don’t kill them if you can help it. They aren’t monsters…

I will do what I must, princess. But take heart, I am not so cruel as to kill needlessly. Although… She gestured with one hand, and a flaming humanoid six metres tall appeared, and it breathed out, flames dancing like dragon’s breath. The red-haired woman, her expression pale, stepped into the blast, shield raised.

“Sarah!” Eleanor cried, and one of the protected hostages, a battered and bloody man, also called out, calling her a damn fool. The expected end was not met though, as a shimmering shield blocked the flames, and though she was pushed back, her face and hair a little scorched, she was unharmed.

“Shit, ye be a real handful, ye ken?” The woman, Sarah snorted, her arms trembling, only for energy to fill her as the Choir directed the surrounding ether and adherence with their droning songs. Hey, this is a bit like Tillyae and her musicians, right? So, a group of bards for buffing. I bet they can debuff too…

Shiro found herself proved right as baleful energy started gathering rapidly in the air above them, and Eleanor cried out another warning. The fire giant Tan had summoned was barraged with halos of light, shrinking by a full metre as fire scattered, the rings forming bindings holding it trapped. The white knights were charging, and as Shiro panicked, Hyacinth moved, her violet eyes shining with rage. Her legs trembled, buckling under the pressure of the words Mary had spoken, only for blood to spray from her mouth as she bit down hard. Slowly she rose to her feet, and stood, Mary’s eyes going wide in shock.

“Hyacinth will never kneel again. I am a slave nooo more. This pain… is nooothing to me now.” Her cold gaze saw the oncoming soldiers, and nature energy surged around her, a thick, dark tide of jumbled orange and red energies, becoming brown like the bark of an ancient tree.

“This… this is madness, that strength…” Raidre managed, still impaled on spears inside the protective cage of energy. “… I knew she was dangerous, but…”

“Hyacinth, calm down!” Shiro took over and spoke for a second, but Hyacinth merely shook her head.

“I am calm. I am very, very angry thooough. Ooonly the foulest would force others to kneel, to be slaves. Hyacinth prooomised herself that she wooould shatter them all, for Akio, and make a wooorld where everyone can be happy. There is nooo room for these in such a wooorld.” Raising her hand a tide of spores billowed outwards, drowning the oncoming white-armoured warriors.

“Such strong power.” Mary said. “But it is useless. The martyred dead are simply that. Already dead. Your natural curse will have no… effect…” she tilted her head, puzzled as Hyacinth grinned.

“Bone is food just as much as flesh, and spirit, that can die toooooo!” The warriors stumbled to a halt, and as they started shuddering and twisting, contorting into shapes no living creature could, armoured helms and plates fell away, only to reveal gleaming white bone becoming dark and mottled with fungus, fine threads at first, before mushrooms, toadstools and more sprouted, eating into the bone, reducing them to powder, the entire host disintegrating, ether scattering, of which a large portion was swept up in the maelstrom around the Tower and taken inside. Is that…

Yes. What lies beneath is powerful and yet greedy. Well, no matter. What does matter is…

Eleanor watched on open-mouthed as the entire army of skeletons collapsed to powder, all that remained a field of massive fungi amidst the scattered armour, like an eerie, Faerie graveyard. “That’s… impossible!” she gasped.

“Yes, it is, isn’t it?” Mary agreed, suddenly solemn. “How… frustrating. The martyred dead are not infinite. So wasteful.” She clicked her tongue. “Everyone, kill her first, an abomination such as she cannot be allowed to live!”

As Hyacinth glared at her confidently, her eyes showing no fear, the Judges all paused, and the song of the Choir was suddenly off-key, the effects broken, as a massive pressure pressed down on everyone, the effects of a great League, though Shiro merely felt it as a soothing, reassuring balm, Hyacinth too. He’s here. About time. How long does it take to destroy a few crappy towers?

“You… I should have expected this seeing her.” Mary Stuart said, looking at Aki as he strode forwards, his trenchcoat armour that almost seemed to suck in the light flapping as he moved, long sword in hand.

“Yes. Me.” Aki agreed calmly. “Sorry I’m late, turns out there was a second Territory with a lot of Buildings that were causing trouble, so I nipped over to wreck them. I left the Anchors in place though, it’s not for me to judge British traitors. Oh…” he smiled, looking at David trapped in the bubble in bad shape. “How’ve you been, David? Looks like this battle didn’t go your way?”

“No shit.” David laughed, his voice cracking. “I thought I was fucked for sure. Was going to go out like a mother-fucking boss though, cracking heads to the end.”

“Ach, David, ye damn fool…” Sarah said bitterly, her expression grave, even as she looked at Mary who was frozen, her fingers tracing the golden ring on her fingers idly. In fact, the sudden pressure had frozen everyone, and even now, the fire giant was struggling free of the failing bindings of the Choir.

“So, yeah, you’re late!” David spat, and Aki laughed, a sound that Shiro really liked to hear.

“I’m not accepting that this time. In fact, we’re early. I thought we would have had time to prepare and then this erupts when we get here. But…” he looked at Eleanor, who was standing there, red-faced and uncomfortable. “Princess, it’s good to see you are still okay. Though there was one of your companions we saw heading for the Tower, which was a bit puzzling.”

“Donovan, that treacherous piece of shit.” David growled, his wounds worsening as he clenched his fists. “He sold us out just to get the Princess. That mother fucker. Don’t just stand here, go back there and protect her, break the fucking neck of that rat!”

“It’s all right.” Eleanor said, the shocking appearances of unlooked for aid having rattled her calm acceptance of her fate. “I’m not where he thinks I am. If we defeat Mary Stuart and Sarah quickly, we can go back.” She peered at Aki, and Shiro couldn’t help but notice she was smiling in relief. Yeah, I get that. When Aki says everything is going to be okay, it will be. “I also locked the door.” She said, and nobody else there seemed to know what she meant, except Hyacinth, who snorted.

“Looks like yooou listened. I still hate yooou though. Hyacinth will not forgive your slanders to Akio and the mistresses!”

“Oh, I’d say it’s more than all right. I sent someone to take care of it. In fact, here she is now… as well as…” Aki smirked cheekily. Shit, Tan. Is it wrong of me to love Aki more when he’s being an arrogant prick? He just looks so cool doing it!

I think your brain has rotted, princess. But then, I suppose that is what love does. But arrogance when warranted is necessary for an Astral Emperor. After all, those with power must express power.

From behind, the towering troll form of Grulgor came rushing over, dragging a massive mace the size of a small tree effortlessly with one hand. The speared seal-man opened his eyes wide at that. “A troll? One of great power too. By the salt and the smoke, is that Grulgor, leader of the trolls under Duke Formor?”

“Oh, and do I not-not merit a mention, skin-shifter?” Shiro recognised Shaeula’s voice, as she appeared, entering the Boundary from the Tower beside them, the Territory defenceless after the barrier collapsed and most of the Buildings were destroyed. “I fear I am quite-quite offended.”

“… who are you? You smell of Nobility… no… that tang…” Raidre clashed his tusks, confused. “Like lightning streaking across the skies…”

Shaeula ignored Raidre’s puzzled words, strolling over as though the frozen stalemate in the battlefield didn’t exist. “I dealt with the wretched male. He was quite-quite the piece of trash. Well, he will live, if you can-can call that life.” Her gaze fell on Eleanor, and her lips curved up into a smile. “You were quite-quite clever. It is a good place to hide, I am now next to you, and have added some additional defences. As long-long as we finish this quickly, nobody shall touch us.”

“Thank you?” Eleanor said, phrasing it as a question for some reason. “Please excuse my rudeness, but could I have your name?”

Shaeula glanced towards Raidre slyly, and nodded regally. “I am Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan, princess of the Seelie and Duchess of the Spring of Clear Reflections. As one-one princess to another, after this, we should talk. But for now-now…” her amber glare fell on Mary and Sarah, and the scattered Judges. “… I believe we should-should do what we came for.”

“No, no. No, no, no, no!” Mary said suddenly, her face contorting. “This isn’t how things are supposed to be!” Her anger changed to laughter, disturbing everyone. “The Lord of the Ninth Heaven is with me, I have luck on my side. I am always lucky. No, perhaps this is good fortune. Sarah, we can sweep away more heretic filth. Everyone, [Every Weapon Fashioned Against Us Shall Fail]”

Again, those strange words. The fire giant burst apart, scattering into embers, and everyone else staggered, the oppression offsetting the League Aki was throwing out, though he stood there untouched, and so did Tan and Shaeula. What is she doing, Tan?

“Such a waste of precious adherence. It will not serve you though.” Tan looked at Eleanor, who had dropped her sword and was trembling, her whole body wracked with pain. “It is time. But… such victories come at a price.”

********

Princess Eleanor Elizabeth Diana Windsor

“Such victories come at a price.” The words spoken by the flame-haired woman resonated with her. Victory? Can we win here? I know Akio is strong, and so should that woman be. The Princess of the Seelie too. And I’ve seen that maid perform a hellish miracle, and the troll looks strong… even with all that, Mary is powerful…

Mary was giving off an aura of great strength, for a brief moment a match for the thing below the Tower. Swallowing blood and spit, she nodded. “I understand. But I cannot compromise on protecting what lies here.”

“You could not stop us if we wished to take it.” The flame-haired woman said seductively. “However, he likes win-win trades. Perhaps we shall show you how to use it as it was intended…”

“No! That grace belongs to us, to the Lord!” Mary declared. “Now come forth, Principality! Let the unbelievers burn under your holy light!”

“That’s a shit-ton of adherence.” Akio remarked, seemingly unconcerned. “It’s got to be nearly on the level of that stupid bastard toad clone. How is she holding so much? Won’t that collapse the Boundary?”

A brilliant light was forming, rainbow energies coalescing into a golden radiance, in which an abominable figure was forming. Sarah took a step backwards, her eyes revealing she had seen such before, and as she did so the troll attacked.

“Grulgor thinks letting this happen is folly!” he roared, mace whistling, a ton of heavy metal swung with great force. It then hit a shimmering, nigh invisible barrier.

“Bellona, fortify me!” Sarah ground her teeth, jaw locked in stress, pushed back by the heavy impact, the troll, Grulgor, bouncing back too. He shook his massive stony arm and grinned, a frightening sight, especially the cold cunning in his beady yellow eyes.

“Grulgor thinks you are interesting, little human. But there is nothing Grul cannot break now!” He laughed, and another impact resounded, the shield Sarah had summoned quivering, her own wooden shield splintering a little.

That’s impossible. When Sarah invokes her gift from Bellona and couples it with the shield she received from the Tower… how can she be pushed back?

Bubbles of force similar to those protecting David and the others appeared, trapping the Choir, and the ground exploded, vines bursting free to snare and capture the Judges. Those that tried to cut themselves free were struck by lightning that flashed from the hand of Shaeula, drawing wide-eyed gasps from Raidre.

“Royal lightning! How can the foolish weasel princess wield such?” he barked, only to quieten as she looked at him, irritated.

“I was indeed-indeed foolish in my youth, but is it not-not more foolish to disparage your rescuers?”

“I fear she is right, master Raidre.” Sir Arthur managed. “My apologies, good Princess.” As Shaeula looked pleased at his words, the flame-haired woman and Akio continued their calm conversation, watching as the golden figure became clearer, legs and arms with multiple odd joints giving it an unearthly silhouette.

“It is but a copy. A true Principality would rend apart the Boundary like a rotten shell. She has no power to command such. But even a shadow like this will be dangerous if it persists.” She shook her head. “I suggest we destroy it now. Or rather…” she licked her lips. “Leave this one to me. I thirst for the adherence within.”

“Can you handle it, Tan?” Akio asked.

“I can, and my Foresight prickles at me, keep your strength. It will be needed.”

“You can stop the Principality, demon? Unless you have a power equal to those half-Fae witches, and fortune exceeding my own… you are finished!” she cried, as the golden radiance disappeared, and Eleanor fell to the ground, the pressure even more intense than Akio’s. Her mind reeled at what she saw, wings spread out covered in a multitude of unblinking, reptilian eyes, the feathers like swords, hands and feet bird claws, the head eyeless, yet with beautiful white hair. On seeing that, the flame-haired woman laughed.

“Yes, I know your hair is prettier.” She said, seemingly to herself. “Now… Akio, Shaeula, you may confront the summoner.”

“Such arrogance.” Mary snorted, and Eleanor clutched her own sword as she stepped up beside the others, watching as Grulgor continued to pound on Sarah’s defences, forcing her back step by step, her shield crumbling away slowly. “Well, fools who don’t understand never will. But… Judgement day is coming! [Let Your Blood Boil, Your Spirit Blaze, For The Ninth Heaven, Be Martyred!]” Mary slumped to her knees, blood spraying down the front of her robes, bells tinkling. Eleanor flinched, prepared to be struck again, only to realise it wasn’t directed at her. The prisoned Judges suddenly roared, a brutal aura radiating from them. They tore free from the vines or pulled themselves to their feet, despite the lightning that had struck them. Grabbing fallen weapons, they surged forwards like a horde of zombies, muscles bulging grotesquely.

“It will be fine.” Shaeula suddenly patted Eleanor on her shoulder, which snapped her out of her fear. “Such petty-petty tricks will be useless. Even strengthened, a horde of mice can not-not defeat the lions.”

“You’re right. We can’t lose here. Not… not now.”

The Principality moved, and Eleanor’s eyes could barely follow it. A great flame giant roared into existence again, blocking it, grabbing at the clawed hands. The giant was pushed back and the eyes on the wings glowed, a number of beams of golden light piercing it. Akio threw up a wall of water, steam billowing, while Shaeula hurled lightning, aiming at the stricken Mary, yet the bolts curved, slamming into Sarah’s barrier.

“Annoying. But useless.” Tan declared, flames roaring, wreathing her and consuming the bolts of light. “I can manifest more of my strength, now that the princess is stronger. It is still merely a fraction, but…” she exhaled, and flame rained down on the Angel. It let out a piercing, unearthly cry, the words indecipherable, similar to the words Mary often spoke. Eleanor shuddered, ears bleeding, but engaged the first of the Judges who rushed at her. It swung an executioners’ axe at her, and she blocked it, only to nearly lose her own sword, the impact massive. So strong. But… Undaunted, she smashed her shoulder into the face of her assailant. Bone gave under the impact, but the berserk warrior did not fall.

Pushed back, Eleanor spun, and her sword plunged into the throat of her attacker, the axe missing her, burying the blade deep in the ground. As her first attacker fell, she put aside the fact she had killed another person, focusing on what mattered. A mace crashed into her side, denting her armour and breaking ribs, but she was used to pain. Retrieving Samuel’s dagger she stabbed it deep into the eye of her opponent, and the third who attacked with a sword longer and heavier than her own she allowed to strike her, the blade cutting deep into her shoulder. Got you. Her head slammed into the opponents’ nose, again and again, until she felt only soft wreckage when she impacted him. Pulling free, more were rushing at her, and her arm and ribs were still broken, even her great gifts of healing far from inexhaustible, her recovery rate dropping, perhaps hampered by the curse from earlier as well.

I still have to fight… Clutching her sword in her good hand, she looked on as more and more of the Judges raced at her, blood and silver mist rising from their bodies. Some were falling, cut down by blasts of emerald air and citrine fire, but more were there to replace them. I can do this. I can. I didn’t survive this far to fail now…

“Dooo not make that face.” Hyacinth, the Fae maid said, stepping up beside her. “These fools are already dead. Have nooo pity for those who would throw away their lives fooor such a cause.” She raised her hand, and spores spread over the battlefield like a cloud, targeting them. Immediately they fell, fungus spreading on their arms and legs. A few erupted completely, dying and forming new growth, but most simply fell, immobile and raging, though more died from struggling in vain, ruining their own corrupted bodies.

“You… you are a monster!” Eleanor said reflexively, before shutting her mouth, cursing herself for her rudeness. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for.” She apologised, but Hyacinth merely tossed her head.

“I am nooot a monster, I am whatever I wish to be. Akiooo said that, and Hyacinth believes him. Pooower is not evil, power is power. Evil is what ooone does with power. This is merely mercy. Hyacinth has nooo wish to make them suffer. But death for a cause is fooolly. Only death for those you looove is worthy, and even then, Hyacinth hates it. What use is a deed that hurts thooose you love?”

What use a deed that hurts those you love? Eleanor echoed Hyacinth’s words in her thoughts. Henry you meant well, but you failed. Melissa, grandmother, brother Richard, mother and father, me… trying to help is fine, but… don’t leave us with regrets. She nodded. “I understand, if I am to sacrifice myself here, even for victory, I hurt those I leave behind. And… I make all your efforts futile.” She smiled for the first time at the strange Fae maid.

“Yes.” Hyacinth nodded. “Dooo not do that.” Her pout was surprisingly cute. “Nooow, we go to help them!”

As Eleanor turned her gaze back to the furious battle between the Angel and Tan, as well as Grulgor against Sarah, while Akio and Shaeula confronted Mary Stuart, she saw she wasn’t the only one affected by Hyacinth’s words. Sarah was frowning, looking at her and David, her expression anguished, even as she wielded her defensive might, far in excess of any strength Eleanor had ever seen from her.

“Sometimes, we have tae make choices we nay want tae.” Sarah shook her head, staggering as the great metal mace slammed her barrier once more, causing her to wince. “Even now, it’s nae too late tae stop this, Eleanor. The Angel is nae easy tae defeat, I promise ye that.”

“You’re pathetic.” David snorted, shaking his head. “Trying to justify betrayal. And holding to false hope. You think the Angel will win?” He flinched as light from the multiple eyes cascaded everywhere, and then looked angry at himself for panicking as it bounced off the barrier bubble he was in, though it couldn’t take much more, as it cracked audibly.

Eleanor sighed. It’s terrible, I feel my knees quivering just looking at it. But they… they are terrible too. Just what have all of us been playing at here? It’s like children pretending to be adults… and then the real adults come and kick down our toy houses and trample on our pride…

********

“Too slow.” Mary laughed, as my bullets of water and flame were drawn to Sarah, or annihilated by beams of golden light. Beside me, Shaeula clicked her tongue, growing frustrated.

“Grulgor, can you not-not handle one female?” she scowled, and he laughed heartily in response.

“Grul can and Grulgor will. But she is strong. This is fun, what Grulgor wanted. Strong opponents, fierce battles. New strength.” His mace was bent, the metal twisted and buckling, unable to take the repeated furious impacts.

“It is simply a matter of adherence.” Tan said, a great flaming wheel serving as a shield blocking the claws and light rays from the angel, the other wheel twisted and malformed into a sort of fiery chainsaw-type sword. When one fire elemental fell, another giant roared into existence, and Tan was bombarding the angel with her own violet-gold flames, which was making the creature flinch. One reptilian eye popped with a sizzle, and Tan grinned, and I could feel her strength increase a little. “It is like a fountain. While the adherence flows their strengths can be enhanced many times over. Of course, as with all things, there is a commensurate price to pay.”

“You will not be here to see the bill come due.” Mary proclaimed, looking at us with a wicked gleam in her emerald eyes. “[And He Placed A Flaming Sword That Flashed Back And Forth To Guard The Way]” At her words, invisible furrows were carved in the ground, heading towards Shaeula and I. We leapt aside as the ground exploded, flames roaring, golden to match the Angelic fires. I countered with blasts of light energy, focussed into a laser, but somehow Mary suffered only a few superficial cuts.

“To injure a woman’s skin. You Asians really are barbarians. Has your mother never taught you to treat women gently? I believe you said she was British? She should have.” Mary chided me pretentiously.

“In battle, there isn’t male or female, only victory or defeat.” I said, and Shaeula laughed, her own bursts of light element flashing out, forcing Mary to chant more words to defend herself, her already pale skin rapidly whitening, her lips spotted with dark blood. Several bolts were drawn away, bouncing off the shield Sarah was holding, one even piercing a smoking hole in Grulgor’s shoulder, which oozed clear water before healing up. As his reproachful gaze, Shaeula grinned apologetically.

“I apologise. Her ability is most-most annoying. Now…” she turned back to me, pulling out her pinwheels. “… I am pleased you realise this. Though I should not-not have worried. You have slain females that deserved it, just-just as males. But this one…” Her gaze glittered as she sent her pinwheels arcing towards Mary Stuart, yet somehow, despite her stats seemingly being lower than Shaeula’s, and far lower than mine, she was able to dodge the wires. Even when Shaeula activated the hidden trick, more thin blades sweeping out, Mary got away with only a few superficial wounds, though her robe was torn, bells scattering.

“Trying to disrobe a woman of the cloth in front of a man.” She said primly, holding the severed fabric together, heedless of the blood on her hands. “How shameless. You make a good couple. I was lucky I suffered no great harm, but then, the Lord protects me.”

“We do make a good couple.” I agreed. “But do you really think your luck will hold?”

“Oh, I guarantee it. The loss of so many believers, so much adherence, I dare say that the Revelation-Cardinal will scold me, but as long as I reclaim the false Grail, these losses are nothing. [For We Wrestle Not Against Flesh And Blood, But Against Principalities, Against Powers, Against The Rulers Of Darkness In This World, Against Spiritual Wickedness In High Places] … agh. I envy Konstantin for having no tongue, it feels as if it is burning. Ahh, Metatron…” she said, ecstatic and delirious.

A vast surge of adherence poured from her, my Eye not strong enough to see it all, and the Angel went berserk. A halo of light formed above it, and suddenly Tan was being forced back, her shield of flames shattering, arm broken. I held in a cry, as Tan stabbed out with her flaming sword, and one wing was torn free as the jagged blade cleaved deeply, her Flames of Thirst and Famine consuming it, making the creature scream, the sound like knives. Light flared, heading in random directions, one bolt heading for Hyacinth, but she was suddenly in a shield bubble, which shattered under the blow, throwing Hyacinth clear.

Hyacinth! For a moment I panicked, only to sigh in relief as she staggered to her feet, smoke rising from her armour, merely a little dazed.

“Grulgor has had… enough!” he roared, casting aside his mace. Reaching out with one hand he punched it into the ground, and the earth shattered, stone rising to coat him in massive rocky armour, but he was not done. His other hand stretched out, and water from the Thames gushed up, forming a whirling vortex as it rushed to him. Absorbing it all into his body he grew to a towering height some eight metres tall, looking down on Sarah like she was an ant.

“Little girl was fun, but Grul has to end this.” With one stony foot he stamped down, and her shield cracked, the backlash tearing her skin. He stomped again, and again, faster and faster, and I was amazed at the way she was holding up, even if my Eye could see thick adherence shrouding her. I had no time to watch though, as I launched Foehn at the enraged Principality, supporting Tan. I know she wanted to take it alone, but we need to end this. It gushed over one arm and a leg, spreading like wildfire. Tan grinned, forcing her broken arm to heal, and conjured another wheel, slamming it down on the head of the Principality, even as the other arm reached for her and was consumed in the Flames of Thirst and Famine, even adherence burning away.

“Goodbye.” Shaeula laughed, lightning storming around her, forming a number of glowing balls, shimmering with flame and wind energies. “The shield girl is busy now. Block this-this!”

As Grulgor stomped down again Sarah’s shield completely collapsed, and David and Eleanor cried out as she was about to be crushed to death. She looked up at the colossal descending foot, rosary in hand, her blue eyes sorrowful, only for the foot to turn into a mass of shimmering water. The impact was still mighty, forcing her breath from her lungs, but instead of turning into a messy paste of red and white, she was left bedraggled and stunned in a large, water-filled crater, Grulgor returning to his normal size, grinning in satisfaction, while Eleanor was sighing in relief, David shutting his eyes, to hide his complicated emotions.

“Ball Lightning Storm!” Shaeula intoned, followed by more words as wind energy surged. “Emerald Wind Prison: Second Form!”

The shining balls of energy were unleashed, soaring towards Mary Stuart. Once they were close enough, crackling arcs of lightning flaring in all directions, she encased her and the balls in a whirling mass of vibrating winds, forming an imprisoning sphere around her. “Let us see if you can be so-so cocky now.” she sniffed, satisfied, as the wind energy began to give off the strong scent of ozone.

At that, the burning Angel grew more frantic, and was now trying to regenerate itself, new flesh bubbling out of the severed stump of its wing. Hyacinth raced in, vines rippling out to hold it, though light blasts quickly severed them. Grulgor attacked from behind, mace crashing into it, bouncing off, while even Eleanor approached resolutely, but I waved her away. “Get the injured clear. I don’t like this…” I shouted. “Chen Na, drop the bubbles, then get ready!”

The woman nodded, and moments later the shields fell. Eleanor ran to David, helping him up, before moving towards Sir Arthur. “Hyacinth, help her!” I said, and she retreated, a thorny shield of her vines barely enough to block a burst of light from the eye, ashes and sparks falling everywhere.

“Damn, this thing is an annoying bastard!” I said, frustrated, as even being burned by Foehn and Tan’s flames, it was still going. Tan slammed it with the flaming wheel again, and this time it separated out into a collar of chains, holding the Angel fixed in place by burning anchors. Now’s the moment…

“Prominence Dawn!” I declared, the shining orb forming, ringed by a dark aura, feeding my Foehn into it. Moments later it exploded, bathing the Angel in the ever-burning radiance, all its eyes exploding into flames, body smouldering. Even then, it reached at me, somehow breaking the chains that bound it, one leg ripped free, golden and silver blood filled with adherence scattering. My blade met the outstretched claws, and I poured aether in, triggering the lightning element within, deflecting the strike. Lightning poured in from the side, Shaeula staggering it further, boiling into the burning wounds, entering inside the Angel.

“Pale shadow. If you wish to defeat me, set foot on this world in person!” Tan laughed, a tidal wave of flame slamming into the blinded Principality, which shuddered and shattered, a great rush of ether and adherence flowing out, though Tan’s flame devoured a great deal of it, her hair growing longer, and flames flickering brighter.

You have gained in strength. Your level has increased from one hundred and twenty-seven to one hundred and twenty-eight. Your…

Only the one, huh? Well, Tan got most of the good eating. I was able to absorb a respectable amount of adherence, replenishing my flagging supplies, which was useful, as due to carrying Laverna’s Favour, mine was constantly ticking down. I glanced over to see Eleanor and the others looking back at us from the safety of the Tower entrance, her supporting David, Hyacinth carrying Raidre and Sir Arthur over her shoulders like they were bloody sacks of potatoes. I turned once more, to see that the wall of wind was crumbling, the air shimmering with electric sparks…