On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

The atmosphere on our bus was a little tense to start, but after a while I managed to thaw mom’s slightly icy mood a little. We were talking about her childhood, and trips to the seaside she’d taken with my grandparents, Jack and Evelyn, in her youth. It was a British tradition, even then, when foreign holidays were just becoming more accessible. Though apparently, she’d never visited our destination.

“Oh, I have been there.” Liz, who was sitting with us added, after smiling archly at my sis. “I opened the new shopping centre there back in ninety-seven. Of course, our family tended to holiday in Cornwall or the western coast and isles of Scotland. But… Hastings. Quite the coincidence for us, isn’t it, my dear granddaughter?”

Ellie, who was occupying a seat in the row behind us, listening idly as she stared out of the window at the trees and fields, and small, historic towns, which passed us by, nodded. “Yes, I suppose it is. The Battle of Hastings. Ten sixty-six, as they call it, after the year. The last Anglo-Saxon King of Britain, Harald the Second, fell there, to the Norman invasion under William of Normandy, who became our new King, and set the Norman dynasty upon us.”

“And even then, Harald and his family did their duty.” Liz added. Mom was listening carefully now, knowing the history, but not this hidden side of it, surely. “His widow, Edith the Fair, despite her bitterness, passed on the knowledge of the Grail, confirming the veracity of the testament Harald carried with him into battle, in case he perished there, as indeed he did, his brothers with him. William believed it and her, and indeed, the Tower itself was built over the site under his reign, ostensibly as a symbol of dominance and a military post commanding London, which indeed it was, but more importantly, as the repository you have all seen. Many treasures were added to the Tower during his reign and that of his issue.”

“It’s… bigger than I ever dreamed of.” Mom was uncharacteristically sombre, which irritated me a little, as it was upsetting my sis, I could tell, even if she was trying to put on a brave face, but there was no fooling me.

I could cut Brother’s Bond, but… you’d still know. Sometimes it’s a bit frustrating having a bro… and a best friend, I haven’t forgotten you either, Eri… Smug silence was somehow heard in our minds. …who just gets me, even when I didn’t always understand myself. Yeah, I’m upset, but… well, you’re being considerate and not prying, bro. I appreciate it. I’ll talk about it later…

I nodded, while listening to mom’s conversation. Yeah. No point until we’ve shown the lessons we want to teach.

“I never knew that our history was so… meaningful.”

At her words, father agreed. “Oh, I understand just how you feel. Japan had lost the mysticism before I was born, after the Humanity Declaration. So to see that the shrines and temples hold truly unfathomable powers… it shook me. Yet…” He glanced at my sis and me. “…what shocks me more is that my son, and now my daughter too, is at the forefront of these circumstances, and indeed, you both carry such heavy responsibilities. It is… natural… for us to be concerned, I feel.”

“Oh, undoubtedly. But concern has to be balanced with knowledge. Otherwise it does nobody any good and can even be harmful.” I warned. “But enough gloom. So, just what’s the situation at Hastings then?” I asked, and Ellie grimaced.

“It’s hard to say. Now that we have an unshakable alliance with Japan, we have access to your Ministry intelligence and more. The Inuyama incident seems to align well with the situation there, although…” She let out a bitter sigh. “…it pains me to say it, but while Hastings is a picturesque, historic town, it’s also a seaside town, so a hotbed of poverty and substance abuse too. Hence why the higher rate of deaths went largely unnoticed, or at least felt explainable.”

I nodded at that. Japan’s suicide rate was far too high, but violent crime was low, so it was that spike which had drawn attention. Father was watching on, listening intently as we talked about these matters, and I at least hoped he was impressed at my dedication to resolving these crises.

“But… the situation in Hastings, while more than we can handle with our depleted resources after the disastrous events of London…” Ellie admitted, frustrated. “…doesn’t seem to fit. There are endless, rather powerful and irritating enemies, yes, but… no being such as your corrupted Kami, at least not that our sorties have found. No, it is simply an invasion at scale from the channel, and many dug-in nests which would be too costly and risky to purge unaided.”

“I see. In that case, we need to keep an eye out. The unknown is more perilous than the enemy in front of us.” Father nodded at my pious line, and after that, talk again turned to lighter matters. Soon, we could hear the raucous sounds of seagulls, even this far out, and the grey, stormy winter skies had an almost steely tint to them, and Ellie murmured that the clouds matched my eyes. Hopefully that’s a good omen. Anyway…

As the coaches pulled into the expansive carpark of a large hotel on the outskirts, Liz grimaced, and at my quizzical expression, she pointed to the hotel building, and I felt I could see what she meant. “This used to be a rather wonderful old hotel. Then it was bought up by a rather ghastly fellow, and he stuck that horrible, ill-fitting annex on it, ruining the ambience. Not all modernity is good. I do hope you shall keep the Goring’s character.”

“Oh, definitely.” I promised. “Just as we have the Tengokusentou. It’ll be better than before, and you’re always welcome there.”

“Marvellous. And it would be so simple to just pop through to Tokyo and take tea with Shige and Kira, Katsuro and Kenji too.” Liz chuckled.

“Not unless you get permission and have suitable escorts, granny!” Henry warned, and Liz rolled her eyes, ignoring him. There was some laughter, but as the buses ground to a halt, I looked at mom, father, uncle and auntie, my expression serious, and that affected them too.

“Right then. From this moment, we’re on a battlefield footing, so don’t act on your own, obey orders from me, or from the on-site commanders. Adamant has its own Officer structure, and David is commanding the Knights, so… please don’t do anything foolish, okay?”

As if to illustrate my point, David was disembarking his Knights, and the other buses were disgorging dozens, maybe even hundreds, of Adamant troops. The numbers are growing again. I don’t recognise some of them. There were human girls and women, yes, probably new nobility Hinata had ensnared, using talk of my acceptance of Miyu, but also a number of Fae, some wearing mortalform. Wait… that’s Tillyae, yes?

The weaselkin, who had spent a great deal of time on the Material, learning music and various instrumental techniques, was a willowy, graceful white-haired and blue-eyed woman, and the uniform suited her well. Behind her came a dozen weaselkin, and I spotted Ling, who was probably disconsolate about having her holiday interrupted for this. Sorry, but there’s no rest for the wicked. I sympathise.

“All right then.” David was martialling the Knights. “Listen up, if your ears aren’t stuffed with shit.” Behind him, Sir Arthur, who had been a Knight in practice, though of a more modern sort, smiled ruefully at David’s stern antics. Mary-Jane, Aditi and Callie were with him too, everyone ready to fight for Britain.

“We’re treating this as a proper campaign. That means a secure basecamp is vital.” Not just our Knights were listening, as everyone grouped up, they were paying close attention. “There are several types of operation. Firstly, we could do a long-range Boundary run.” Despite his gruff personality, David was quite an excellent orator, and I remembered Natsumi saying that his trash-talk against opponents was actually rather witty. “That would involve, for example, cutting through from London all the way down to the coast. We could do it, a non-military example is the Pilgrimage in Japan, but the logistics are rough. Still, in that type of scenario, there’s likely to be no specific base camp. Get it?”

At a few murmurs of agreement, David snorted, raising one eyebrow. “I can’t hear you! Shout like you mean it, else I’m going to drag you bastards into the Octagon and put you through your paces!”

“Yes, Sir David!” the Knights chorused, and even a few of Adamant, and a number of playful Fae, joined in.

“Better. Guts and fighting spirit are what matters here. I know you bunch of sad sacks aren’t experienced or fully trained yet, so make up for it with grit and enthusiasm, and learn from those who’ve done this shit a dozen times over.” He glanced at me knowingly, and I inclined my head in a nod of approval.

“Second type is what we’re doing now. We rock up close to the site and enter the Boundary from here. It doesn’t work so well trying to breach a Territory, but that’s not an issue here. If it was, we’d have tried the first style. You’re lucky it’s off-season and the hotel is largely empty, or you’d all be sleeping in the bloody buses.” David continued. “Be grateful! Sometimes, this sort of mission might even have you all in tents, or even just rolled up in your coats. But… that means that our base camp, and sleeping bodies, more importantly, need guarding. Get it?”

As everyone shouted that they did, David nodded. “Ordinarily, I’d be splitting off a quarter of you to guard here, but since we’re in the presence of the man, the myth, the legend…” David couldn’t resist getting in some sarcastic jabs at me, which made me smile. “…Akio, Hero of Britain, he’ll be taking point on that, so you can all get some battlefield experience.”

“I’ll be keeping back a few from Adamant…” I glanced at some of the youngest members, who I didn’t want fighting yet unless they had to, such as Arisa-san. “…so they can experience that part of the operation. And so I have somebody to talk to here.” Though obviously I’ll be around everyone in the Boundary too, so it’s more an excuse.

“Makes sense. Just behave yourself, if the Princess and the others come back to find you in bed with your little uniformed girlies, there’ll be hell to pay.” There was laughter at his quip, even Eri, who was fairly stony-faced at the moment, cracking a smile.

“Anyway, basically, if there’s a strong Territory, then we cut through the Boundary to strike, if not, we can get close and use this method. There is a third type…” David glanced at Ling, who was idly tapping on her phone, bored. “…which is our girl here drops a small, elite squad into the Boundary directly. But that’s surgical strike, assassination-type shit. Anyway…” David clapped his hands loudly. “…get on with it. We haven’t got all day.”

As the Marquise-rank Officers of Adamant gathered their squads, as they’d be crowding into rooms together, I caught sight of Bell and Teare, who gave me cheerful waves. I also saw one very unexpected face, and when she saw me staring, she blushed, pulling her uniform jacket shut, before giving up after a moment, and, with her face set, she ignored the giggling of her fellow Adamant warriors around her and strode over to me boldly, pretending to be unbothered, even if her pink face belied her apparent confidence.

“I didn’t expect to see you here. When did you join Adamant, Mizuki-chan?” I asked the fiery young middle Takakura sister.

“Just the other day. Don’t get the wrong idea!” she shot back, though she was struggling to meet my gaze. “I’m not interested in you that way! It’s just… I remember what it was like to nearly die. You’re putting a lot of effort into big sis Katsuki-chan, Kia-chan and me, but… I don’t want to feel that helpless ever again. Besides…” She met my gaze challengingly, and I felt I was being heroic levelly meeting her stare. “…you said it, everyone else did too, that you’re not constantly ogling me, and you won’t take advantage of those from Adamant, so… I’m trusting that, and trusting you, okay?”

“Sure thing.” I chuckled. “I…” Glancing over at Arisa-san, who was the youngest in Adamant, too young for battle, if you asked me, I remembered that Mizuki-chan only had a couple of years on her. But then…

Yes. she has fought and nearly died. Shaeula agreed mentally, even as she was organising her own troops, Tillyae and her musicians among what Shaeula planned to command here. To say she should stay away from conflict is foolish now. Better she internalises the helplessness, the despair, and channels it to a more positive direction. Besides… it is no bad thing. Those three females have as much potential as Chiaki and Chiasa, do they not?

Yes. The five of them together, six if we add Haru, could in theory make the most broken ability we can think of. Even Rose is impressed and aghast at the implications.

In that case, her resolve is admirable and benefits us all. Best encourage it.

Oh, I intend to. Honestly, she’s got one of the strongest little sister vibes going. Teasing her is a lot of fun, but… it also makes me want to see the results of her growth, and her sisters’ too.

She has grown quite enough, for her age, I think… Shaeula’s mental snort accompanied that joke.

If she hears you, she’ll scream.

“…hope you can do your best, okay?”

“Huh, you don’t need to tell me that!” Mizuki-chan grumbled. “Now then, I have to go!” She turned and scuttled off, and I watched her leave with some amusement, before my senses detected someone invisible approaching. Moments later, Byakuren and Kokuren appeared, and seemed a little put out they couldn’t catch me off-guard.

“Hang on a moment…” I paused, before addressing one of the Kunoichi dressed as sexy secretaries. “Kokuren, isn’t your ability darkness element?”

“Oh, indeed it is. But…” She glanced at Chiaki-chan and Chiasa-chan, who were chatting with Ren-kun, Asami-chan, Mio-chan and Kana. “…we are Kunoichi, we observe and gather intelligence. It’s what we do.” She winked playfully, and while all their displays of emotions and body language were calculated over long years of fierce, often cruel training, I got the feeling, hoping it wasn’t just my imagination, that she was genuine. “And we are amongst the greatest geniuses of the Kōga, alongside poor, unfortunate Himawari. So…”

“Darkness is just the absence of light, and so, I simply fill that absence with my own light. And…” Byakuren added. “…likewise, darkness is an absence, but light is a wave, sound is a wave, so together, we can even mask that. Our powers work better together, it seems.”

“Great.” I was always happy to see such progress, as it went against the Kodoku nature of the Astral Emperor struggle. I was hoping to win via cooperation, not pure conquest. “Oh, so…” before I could ask my question, Byakuren answered it.

“We caught the train, then a taxi. It was quicker. Don’t worry, the task is done. Although…” Her eyes were unfocused for a moment, before she smiled. “…it’s amusing and rather fitting that you came up with one of the Chūnin techniques yourself. Self-hypnosis so we can’t remember the task itself, only the steps we need to do to set things in motion. Clever.”

My head ached a little, but I nodded. “Yes. Information management. And… fishing. Anyway, are you joining the battle?”

“We are Chūnin.” They chorused. “And worth more than just our virtue and bodies, we hope. Yes, we need to earn trust, so we will aid Princess Mikasa and Haru-sama during this campaign. Though we will mostly be gathering information. From the files, matters don’t match up.”

I nodded. “That’s right. The sea invasion is troublesome, sure, but… I think there’s something else hiding here. The lack of Territory is puzzling, but then…”

“Sometimes the absence of a thing is more telling than its presence.” Liz agreed behind me, eyeing the Kunoichi sisters, in their business suits, with mini-skirts and rather sexy stockings. “This is your taste then, young Akio?”

“I’m not going to lie and say it isn’t…” I chuckled. “Anyway, I want you to be very careful. If the Queen gets injured on my watch, it’ll be an international incident, to say nothing of how upset Ellie and Henry will be.”

“Oh, have no fear. I am just here to watch, and to strike a blow against Britain’s enemies, and for my own self-satisfaction. I don’t know about you…” She turned to my parents then. “…but it sits poorly with me to let the world change without at least leaving a mark. Yes, we have to pass the torch to our grandchildren… children, in your cases, I suppose, but…” She clutched the reforged Rod of Equity and Mercy. “…even so, we have our pride, yes?”

“Please keep an eye on her.” I begged Henry, and my parents, who along with Hana and Junpei, would be staying back and observing alongside me. “Don’t let her run off into the thick of things.”

“I am not a child. Though it’s refreshing to be so roundly criticised. You’re a bold lad, Akio. Perfect for Eleanor, who is far too stubborn and reserved. Opposites attract, and warfare makes strange bedfellows. Speaking of…”

Ellie, waiting nearby, went crimson. “I’m not talking about that. It’s time for duty, grandmother!”

“Yes, yes. I suppose it is!” Liz agreed with a chuckle. She watched as the remaining forces trickled into the hotel. “It reminds me of wartime. Though with far more good cheer. Those times were rough. Bombs dropping every night, so much death and despair, yet everyone pulled together.” She gazed at me then, her blue eyes serious. “I daresay it will come to that again. I hope this generation can meet adversity with as much grit and determination as mine did.”

“I’m hoping we can avoid such disasters, but…” There was silence in my mind, but I knew Rose and Lin felt that chaos was inevitable when the Boundary collapsed, and Tsukiko had prophesied many dangers. “…well, at least we’re getting a head start. This should be a good experience for everyone.” As those around me nodded, I firmed my resolve. I’m not planning to interfere, though… nobody dies today. No matter what happens…

***

On the Material, after meeting a few of the others before they entered the Boundary, doing a few small tasks and offering needed reassurances, I sat in the hotel bar. I was accompanied by Arisa-san and a half-dozen other members of Adamant, who were showing expressions of excitement at being chosen, and in some cases disappointment at missing out. In addition, I was with Carrie. The group of my fellow Norse Chosen had arrived here as well, eager to see just how me and my allies handled ourselves, and they’d be accompanying us, though a way behind our battle formation, observing. Carrie, however, had elected to stay behind, considering she wasn’t as curious as Dorte or Ekaterini, and was only here as Helmwige had asked her, and out of solidarity with her fellow Chosen.

Meanwhile, in the Boundary, everyone had finally gathered, and David was giving out the orders, supported by Motoko, oddly enough.

“Right then. We’ve got intel on the enemies. They are mostly concentrated by the coast, but as we get within a couple of kilometres of the shoreline, we’ll start to encounter hunting parties, taking advantage of the urban terrain, and aggressive scouts, mostly airborne. Big, ugly fuckers.” David spat sourly, and Motoko spoke rather more politely.

“I am told they are seagulls, nominally. If you can consider birds with seven-to-ten metre wingspans such, of course. Those of you who have experienced attacks by predatory birds in Kyoto should be aware of the dangers. Now then…”

As the plans were laid out, with a screen of scouts to the front, and skirmishers to the sides, as well as the Knights and a platoon of Adamant warriors led by Teare and Bell armed and ready with the latest generation of Ixitt’s Mortal Engineering rifles, positioned in the centre to shoot down any interlopers, I turned to my parents and Liz, who was practically frothing with excitement.

“See? It’s not a game, mom, dad.”

“I know that.” father responded. He glanced over at Aiko, who was with Eri, Shaeula and a number of my other fiancées. “I understand it is serious. How could I not? But…”

“Just keep watching.” I insisted, and as everyone began to move out in good order, we followed just ahead of the rearguard, in what was likely the safest position of the march. For the first kilometre, then the second, things were calm, but as the shimmering, stunning sight of the boundary sea appeared over the horizon in the distance, a beautiful azure ribbon gleaming with both great geysers of orange water element, and the reflected ripples of light from the aurorae above, things changed.

The sudden tweet of alarm whistles rang out, and overhead, a dozen indistinct shapes were visible, only to resolve into the massive seagulls.

“It’s not every day one sees this, is it?” Liz chuckled without fear, while my father tensed, but I put a hand on his arm.

“Don’t worry. Everyone’s responding properly. Be proud, dad, mom. Not only did I get a career, but Aiko and Eri did too. Make no mistake, we’re soldiers, even if we work for ourselves and what we want to protect, rather than for an existing military organisation such as the JSDF or the British Army. Now watch…”

Indeed, I was impressed that this ragtag, mixed group, many of whom were ordinary, sheltered young woman only weeks or months ago, responded well, though the enhancements to stats granted by Chirurgery did make even the weakest, helpless young girl as strong and swift as a professional athlete.

As the birds swooped in, there were flashes of light, and heads exploded, the seagulls… no, the ugly bastards look like a cross between featherless gulls and dragons. Like some warped Dinosaur… which survived scattering, but those in the sniping team, such as Bell, Teare, and Natsumi, wielding Hebihikoukiba Twin and launching arrows of fierce light, kept up a barrage, and soon the scouts had perished.

“Collect the ether!” Motoko commanded. “Break it down to aether to help your sustain when you start feeling fatigued.” I was impressed at her practical use of a gaming term she’d picked up from me or Shiro.

“Though if any of you fucks…” David smirked at his Knights. “…starts feeling tired before the girls here, I’ll make you run up and down the fucking twin hills of Hastings carrying a tank on your backs. Got it?”

“Yes, Sir David!” they responded. They still weren’t fully used to the cache of weapons I’d given them, but being as they had familiarity with rifles, they’d soon adapt. It’s probably the swords that’ll give them more trouble.

As the march restarted, the pace picking up a little, the streets ahead were a tangled mass of old-fashioned buildings, claustrophobic alleyways and odd cairns of piled stone and what looked like bleached, weathered human bones. White crusts of what seemed to be salt were covering the walls and ground, and towering towards the seas were two peaks, small compared to mountains such as Fuji, but still imposing, orange sandstone glimmering with fissures of ruby and citrine light.

“The narrow streets are trouble.” I observed. “It doesn’t offer much room to move, and obstructed views and plenty of places to launch an ambush, so…”

“A woman’s work is never done.” Kana sighed. She was with Grulgor and also the smaller, merely four-metre-tall form of Tsukuruyama, the Maker of Mountains, and Tarōbō, as well as our other earth elemental specialists. Soon, the ground was a churning tidal wave of crimson, glowing like magma that gave off no heat, and a broad thoroughfare was swept through the packed alleyways and slums, wide enough for a safe advance, although…

“Of course this would stir up a hornet’s nest…” Kana grimaced, and the mud and stone sprouted spikes, impaling the enemies which had rushed out. Strange, mermen-like beasts, some with fish heads, others with pallid, human faces with mouths full of fangs, some moving with a bow-legged gait, others hopping on fish-like tails, flooded out, and even as Kana’s stone spikes penetrated dozens, more were coming, and their keening cries were attracting attention.

“Focus. Those with accurate ranged attacks, handle the flyers.” Motoko commanded calmly, and indeed, the sky was filled with flashing lines of light and fire, arrows and bullets, and ether was raining down. Some of the birds flapped in lazy circles, avoiding shots, and one swept down towards a small group of Adamant who lacked ranged firepower, before another four followed.

“Son, you…” father began, alarmed, but I knew the situation was fine.

Indeed, Motoko moved, effortlessly beheading the first with Utsuroihebi Twin, before light flashed and a second was pierced through one eye, brain cooking. Daiyu charged as well, and her palm strikes and kicks effortlessly killed another. Shaeula’s wind blades beheaded the fourth, and as for the final bestial bird, it changed its mind mid-dive, pulling up, only for Eri to sprout clumsy wings and soar after it. Hana gasped loudly, but Eri’s only response was a flickering of her ears, as her axe swept out, her arms elongating to make the strike, and the bird split in two.

“Don’t think you’ll always have the Princesses to bail you out.” Hinata chided the small group who’d been caught flat-footed. “Remember your training! You are Adamant! Chosen! The best, the luckiest, the most blessed! Women worldwide would sell their very souls to be where you stand now! Children will grow up aspiring to be you!” Beside her, Mayumi, who I’d had reservations about letting come, nodded her agreement. Still, Hinata promised to look after her, but… not too well. A little shock therapy to get over her lingering trauma from South Africa, she says. Oh well, just one more person for me to keep an eye on. It’s fine.

“She gives a good rousing speech, does Hinata-chan…” mom managed, a hint of her usual brightness resurfacing.

“Yes. My granddaughter could stand to learn a little from her.” Liz agreed, and Henry sighed.

“Granny, saying things like that will only pressure her. Ellie’s doing just fine. See?”

Indeed, Ellie, resplendent in her Armour of the Green Knight, was cutting a swathe through the fish-men, accompanied by Yukiko. Her flaming Sun of Amaterasu was inimical to them, burning dozens to ash. More seagulls were massing overhead, high above, and they surely assumed they were out of range, but Bell, Teare, Natsumi and the other snipers swiftly proved them wrong, and another dozen were quickly blasted apart.

“Of course, if it was this easy, I doubt Ellie and her team would have struggled.” Henry added, and I agreed. Still, as the tide of mermen fell back, stinking, fishy blood reeking as it stained the salt beneath our feet, we pushed through the tenements with the help of Kana’s engineers. Even so, we were attacked by enemy snipers, fish-men using slings which hurled jagged balls of coral which exploded like grenades, and conical shells fired like pearlescent bullets.

“Area purge!” Motoko ordered, and as the injured Adamant recruits were rotated back through the lines to allow Ether Healing, areas the attacks were coming from were identified. Moments later, a pillar of flame rose up, Yukiko’s Sun scorching an area to ash and char. Another explosion rang out, Shiro engulfing a lair in flames. The ground exploded, beams of light fell, and even my sis got in on the fun, blazing balls of flame leaping from her hands and barraging fleeing enemies.

“Get some defences up.” David grumbled, watching as one wincing young woman was wiping blood from her face, as fragments of wickedly sharp coral had shredded her flesh, nearly taking an eye. Shaeula ambled over, and soon had her restored, even her short hair regrown, but while none of the injuries had been severe, it was a wakeup call. “Shit, if any of your girls died here, miss samurai, I’m running before Akio gets pissed and nukes the whole town.”

“He would not be so reckless. Furious, certainly.” Motoko nodded, before addressing Hinata.

“Yes, the flank defences are vulnerable to ranged fire. Perhaps shields?”

“Good idea. But let me first!” Hinata grinned, and the salt under her feet suddenly shimmered a metallic gold, before blowing upwards in a gale of glittering motes. “All right then…”

Indeed, now another type of ranged enemy had appeared, fishmen riding giant, scuttling crabs the size of flatbed trucks, and as they threw bombs and fired chitinous missiles, Hinata’s golden sand formed a protective shell. Behind them, shields were withdrawn from spatial storages, and while they looked thin and fragile, the diamond-shaped wards were actually rather tough, and the battle shifted again as Adamant reformed into a tighter line.

“Above!” came the cry, whistles sounding, and now a pack of more than a hundred of the giant ugly birds swept down. No more than a quarter were shot out of the sky, and that was a credible result due to their swiftness.

“This is… frightening!” Mom was pale, clutching at father’s sleeve. Hana was equally ashen faced, though as her gaze fell upon Eri, who had charged the landing birds and was hacking through them like she was a superhero, felling them in rapid succession, her own natural strength massively boosted by Lovers’ Link, she tutted.

“Little Eri’s not very ladylike. All covered in blood…”

“You say that, mother-in-law, but… right now she’s at her most beautiful. See?” I pointed, and indeed, Hana nodded. While the forces of Adamant were performing well, better than I’d expected, honestly, many girls, organised into cells under their commanding Marquise, splitting apart, encircling the birds and bringing them down, though honestly more due to superior weaponry than stats and skills, some were struggling. And Eri had leapt to their aid, turning the tides of the skirmish.

Kanami-chan and her friends are doing well. And Mizuki-chan’s holding her own, honestly. Though to be fair… it was favouritism, but I’d taken a quick look at her gear before she’d entered the Boundary, and made a few small tweaks, raising the overall quality a notch.

“Eri’s still Eri, but… now she has more to fight for than just me.”

“Though I’m sure without you, Eri wouldn’t be putting in the effort…” Junpei added knowingly.

That’s technically true. Eri agreed, as she leapt a dozen metres into the sky, and her gleaming axe, her treasure from the Tower, swept out, and darkness fringed the edge, flashing out in a crescent-shaped wave which sliced through a trio of flapping enemies. But there are some here I wouldn’t want to see hurt, so I don’t mind exerting myself. Besides… Hinata, Shiro and Shaeula might have been hasty, but… they are yours now, these girls of Adamant. They don’t need to be in a romantic relationship for you to see them as precious. You have an army of sisters…

Wow, Eri… Aiko’s loosed blazing arrow exploded the head of a lumbering, tank-like crab, and as more and more were charging through the collapsing tenements and hovels around us, she clicked her tongue, and aether surged, a dozen gleaming reddish-gold women appearing, larger than before, towering some nine feet tall. Eri, Shaeula, Shiro, Mae… that one astonishes me, but damn, even the tails are replicated in lifelike manner. The colour isn’t too dissimilar to her rich, reddish-blonde fur either… Daiyu, Natsumi, Motoko, Kana, Tsukiko, Ellie, Yukiko… wait, is that Yae?

The statues were also armed with what looked like weapons made from fire and light, and as they surged out, clashing with the press of crustaceans and mermen, while also surrounding and felling grounded birds, Aiko shook her head. If you’re trying to provoke me, you fail! I’m totally at peace with my bro having other sisters. Because… I’m not defined by that anymore. Don’t get me wrong…

The… Hihi’irokane Sister Army… charged onwards, Aiko’s heavy consumption of energies balanced by Brother’s Bond filling her with strength, and they helped bring the conflict to a momentary pause. Though not alone. Everywhere, others were doing their best. Daiyu’s combat stances were ruthlessly efficient, and if injured, she shrugged it off and regenerated easily. Dozens of spiral, shell-like bullets popped free from her pierced flesh, only for her to grasp them with Qi and hurl them back, striking down her assailants. Shiro was half silver-haired, half-flaming crimson, and a great wheel of fire was before her, and fishmen dried out and shrivelled, moisture evaporating, shells cracking and exploding like popcorn, as Tan licked her lips.

Shaeula of course was a dervish of destruction, her winds, enhanced by Mortal Fragarach, turning a large area into a pink, frothy blender of storms and devastation, her Pinwheels soaring through the skies, slicing apart seagulls. Even Haru was getting involved in the battle, projectiles and sweeping claws from the giant crabs passing through her body harmlessly, to great confusion from her enemies, confusion which didn’t last long, as her light formed deadly lasers, decapitating them.

…I’m never, ever going to regret being your sister, not for a nanosecond, but… this is the world we can build, where one bond doesn’t close off another.

Well said, sis. Connections matter.

As Yu-mi and her fellow Korean members of Adamant, Kim Eui with them, as Daiyu brought her along, surrounded and finished off a fallen seagull, I couldn’t help but find it amusing the way they high-fived each other, fresh-faced and splattered with blood, so incongruous to their usual mature, fashionable charms. My finger itched, as within the tip of it, the fang of a Hound Of Arawn had been sealed inside.

“Take a good look, everyone.” I advised, as the retreating enemies were barraged by rapid-fire, staccato streams of bullets from the rifles of Adamant and the Knights. Tillyae had struck up a defensive song after the initial injuries, so the sporadic incoming fire was blocked by a combination of that, Hinata’s golden sands, which had also sliced apart a number of the larger crab-beasts, and the shields of the warriors.

“Mom, dad, this is reality. We’re not worrying about whether Aiko will go to university or not, whether she’ll get a boyfriend and settle down, no, her concern is training, growing stronger. You know…”

As David and Motoko got the march back in order, any injuries treated, our forces finally broke past the Boundary shadows of the town proper, and onto an open plain, a beautiful one at that. With the two hills looming above us on either side, the shoreline was a jumbled cascade of stones and boulders of all shapes and sizes. The footing was terrible, and the orange-filled waves beat on the shore, sending foaming whitecaps spraying everywhere, leading to a faint fog, pregnant with amber energies, building, shrouding the coast.

“…Aiko always wanted to be the best at something but never had the confidence. Hard work, sure, nobody can claim, or should, unless they want to answer to me…” I threw in a joke to lighten the tense atmosphere. “…that Aiko won’t work hard. Kyūdō, volleyball, she’s never let herself down when it comes to effort. But… she always felt something wasn’t right. Now…”

Her Sister Army had formed up, and though the effort was fatiguing her, she gave us a thumbs-up as she felt me watching, and I knew she was taking this opportunity to push back her limits once again. “…Aiko knows. She begged me to get her a Favour, but honestly… like Eri, she wouldn’t have needed it. But I’m more than happy to get them any gift if it’ll keep them safe, help them reach their dreams. Now…” I smiled at my parents. “…can you go look her in the eyes and tell her she’s wrong? To stop?”

“That’s… you know that’s not what we’re upset about, Aki!” mom protested, and I shook my head.

“Yeah, maybe so. But… here’s the thing. Aiko will do great deeds. Be famous the world over. Save many lives. Hundreds. Thousands, maybe even millions. Everyone here is a hero. So just watch. Take it all in. see what everyone’s struggled for, what everyone trains for, what everyone won’t take a backward step for. That’s all I ask. Then we’ll talk properly. Besides, now is not the time.” I let out a dry chuckle.

“No, but… I could die quite fulfilled now.” Liz chortled. “This is the sight my ancestors never saw. Not since the days of King Arthur Pendragon. I wonder… what must Harold Godwinson, our King Harold the Second, and William the Conqueror, his invading enemy, have thought, as they shed blood on the mortal version of this beach?”

“Technically, wasn’t the actual site of the clash at Battle, a few miles away, Granny?” Henry added, and she waved one hand.

“Hush, you! Can a young whippersnapper who failed all his exams talk back to me like that? It’s poetry, romance! Details hardly matter. And speaking of…”

“Yes.” Hana breathed. “It’s magnificent, but terrifying.” Out of the ocean rose spires of delicate, filigreed coral, like a natural fortress. Natural catapults and arrays of conch-bearing mermen thronged the minarets and ramparts. In the sea, which was far deeper than it would have been so close to shore on the Material, massive sea turtles with vibrant blue and purple skins swam like battleships, and crabs skittered out of the tides and onto shore, some with claws like massive scythes. Overhead, mutated, gigantic seagulls flocked, and amongst them were larger, even more vicious-looking creatures, appearing like a hybrid between sea eagles and crocodiles.

“This is…” Father shook his head. “Even after experiencing the terrorist attacks, this is far beyond my comprehension.”

“Yeah. And the scale is only going to get grander, more incredible. But…” I narrowed my eyes. I could feel a Territory now, though it was weak, as if just recently begun. “…we’re used to attacks in Sagami and Tokyo Bays, but compared to this, we’re barely being probed. I’m curious. Why here, why such a force? In any case…” I glanced at Liz. “…yeah, this is definitely the sort of problem we need to tackle as an alliance. Though I do feel a bit bad. Maybe like the Renyu who invaded with Ling and her deserters, they could be reasoned with, but…”

The conch horns blew, a sonorous sound making our teeth rattle and bones ache, drowning out Tillyae’s orchestra. The seas churned, and from the depths rose massive, fanged maws, pale eyes the size of windows staring at us, long, glowing balls hanging down on long, ropey tendrils from their foreheads. Tentacles also rose from the waters, thick as trees, whipping around, sucker cups and long, hooked needles pumping virulent toxins dribbling to the waters below, befouling it.

“…they seem more the sort to attack first and ask questions never.” Clicking my tongue, I watched David and Motoko reform the lines, barking orders. From the coral castle, a faint noise could be heard, and a massive burst of water, like a thick orange laser, blasted from the fortress. I readied countermeasures, but fortunately, Hinata was up to the task, and her golden dust surged, forming a shield, and the impact was tremendous.

“Golden… Fleece!” Hinata grated out between gritted teeth, and as her gold was pushed back, she focused more of her strength, and the sand grew ruddy, glittering like rubies.

“Hihi’irokane Fleece!” She upgraded her defence, and after what seemed like an eternity to her, but what was surely no more than a dozen seconds, the beam of water subsided, droplets raining down in a fine shower to the stony beach below.

“Yeah, it wasn’t this bad before.” David was telling Motoko, who was assessing the situation. “We weren’t holding back intelligence just for the fun of it.”

“Oh, situations in war are always fluid, so grandfather says.” Motoko agreed, before turning to Hinata, who was breathing heavily. “An excellent defensive barrier. Now then…”

“If we may?” Liz raised her voice, having to shout over the noise of the upcoming battlefield. “As Monarch of these Isles, which certainly does extend to this Boundary, we feel…” She was back in Queen mode now. “…but even if such is not the case… we declare it now, before you all, good citizens of Britain, and those who are from foreign lands, or even not human, but still fight at our side, for our cause. No, for his cause…” Liz smiled at me, her eyes wise and yet with a youthful sheen. “…fortunately, our granddaughter is a woman of fine taste and discernment. Why yes, of course, it is only natural to wish for our children’s happiness, and those of our grandchildren also… ordinary happiness is not for us! Not now, not in this world!”

Mom and father were silent, listening, and as the two hosts were set to clash, Liz hurriedly finished her speech. “No, not for my Eleanor, one man, one woman. But… in this world, to have love, to be protected, is more than boon enough. Just as we protect this land!” Her Sovereign’s Orb, a beautiful, bejewelled sphere of gold, pearls and precious jewels appeared in her hand in a spray of violet sparks. “Eminent Domain! Not a single speck of soil, drop of water, nor breath of air, shall we relinquish to invaders!”

Around us, the world shivered, and Tan paused, glancing over, impressed, as Britain gave up adherence, and a shimmering curtain of light appeared between our army and the onrushing host.

“After all, we very much wish to give it to Eleanor. It is troublesome… seeing girls grow up…” She waved the Rod, now The Rod That Commands The Merciful Lands And Equitable Seas, I supposed, even as she smiled cheerily at my parents. “…even if the match is not what in the past we would have wished, in this present… I am sorry to say this, but…”

Father’s lip was set in a frown, and mom was shaking her head, but Liz was not deterred, even as she brought the Rod down. “…right now, in this world we must live in, Akio is certainly a man we can trust our precious treasures, our family, with, even if it goes against what we believed in previously, such as monogamy. Now then… this Land passes judgement. Invaders, leave naught behind but blood and bones, to fertilise the soil!”

The rod blazed, and the light illuminated Liz, almost blinding, only my eyes able to see through the glow to her. The adherence she commanded was powerful, flooding in from all around us, and the ground rumbled, rocks shaking, before, even as the first wave of mermen and the creatures slammed into the barrier of indigo light and were repelled, flesh searing, underfoot erupted into geysers of rock and stone, spikes ripping upwards, dozens, then hundreds, of the invaders pierced through, only for scores more to be mortally wounded by the falling pebbles, rocks and boulders, descending like missiles.

“Yes, that felt rather magnificent.” Liz staggered, and Henry and I steadied her, while mom and father watched on, worried. “Is this how you experience life all the time now, Akio? It is equal measures terrible and wonderful.”

“Use the barrier as a fallback…” David was exhorting an assault, while Motoko was organising fire teams, as the flying enemies were able to bypass the barrier, though a few misjudged and smashed into the top, where the light was fading to near-invisibility, and fell, necks shattered. Bell and Teare were firing off bullets, striking heads and necks unerringly, but then Adamant was forced to scatter, as the seagulls began to copy Liz’s ferocious attack, dropping heavy barrages of stones, which scattered like shotgun pellets.

“Terrible, yes. There’s nothing wonderful about fighting. I’m constantly scared someone I love will get hurt, but…” My eyes narrowed. “…I won’t stop, because it’s got to be me. Because if I don’t win, then those I love won’t be content, won’t have the lives they want. I got the law changed on Polygamy, simply because I didn’t see why the girls should have to sacrifice their dream of a wedding ceremony. If fools disdain them, call them lesser for marrying me, then we’ll ignore them, or crush them if they threaten us. Just like…”

As Shaeula, Hinata, Daiyu, and indeed, Aiko’s Sister Army, clashed with the enemy hosts before the barrier, I let aether flow into Liz, soothing her aching body, which was overtaxed by channelling such potent adherence, even aided by her Regalia. Conch horns, frantic music, bitter screams, shouts of resolve, it all blended together into the heady, yet unique cacophony of battle.

“…those that stand in the way of our duty, and our happiness. Making those I love happy is my duty. Now then…” I forced my Split Thoughts to their maximum, brain running hot. “…my duty here is witnessing just how far everyone has come, and what we can do when we work together. Mom, dad, uncle, auntie… this isn’t the world you know, but it’s the world we live in, so…”

As Shaeula sliced through a towering crab as though it was butter, ether spilling free, her exultant battle-cries rang in my head and on her lips. “…open your eyes, and your hearts. As Tanya would say…” I didn’t smile, as the situation was serious, and I was ready to act in an instant should someone be truly imperilled. “…a different wind blows here, and in Japan. So… either be the tree that bends and endures, or the oak that tries to resist the storm, and is uprooted…”

Yes. I’ve had to accept many things I didn’t care to. Eri too. Ellie certainly, even now. Nothing is ever going to be perfect, no more than Eri’s life would have been, even if I stayed in Nishimorioka and married her. But… the time for talk is over. Now…

As Hinata’s golden dust sliced through dozens of mermen, the glow of ether scattering, as David and the Knights charged forwards, as Keiko-chan and her fellow members of AKB, wearing Adamant uniforms, calmed their trembling limbs and opened fire with their rifles, as Suzu’s puppets joined the fray, backing up Aiko’s Sister Army, as a hundred smaller acts of heroism were playing out before our eyes, now I smiled, though it was a grim one. War is hell. So very wasteful. But if we’re going to do it, we’ll do it right, no mistakes, and… the tears afterwards will at least be mitigated by the strength everyone will gain… although…

I couldn’t help but have the nagging feeling something was missing here. Foresight? Been a while. Well then… It looked like perhaps I’d be needed after all…