On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Fifty-Four

Shaeula muttered to herself as she controlled the large flow of elemental wind, twisting it into a drill shape, forcing the edges to be as dense and sharp as possible. Her tiny frame was trembling with the effort, yet her face was resolute, her eyes burning with willpower.

“A mere… fraction more and… I shall master it-it!” she said between breaths, a jade glow surrounding her. The wind drill shrunk further, compressing, and droplets of sweat were blown off her to disperse in the snow-flecked air of the etheric tide.

“Yes, that’s it, you are doing great!” I encouraged her, ignoring the weariness I felt myself, using the remaining fragments of wind and aether I held to shape our second set of wyrmscale armour, this time a sleeveless shirt for me. I had become faster and more precise with the drilling and carving, but even so it was tiring, meticulous work. Still, it would definitely be worth it in battle. Plus it looks kind of cool. I admired the scale dress Shaeula wore, as it fluttered gently in the great breeze she was raising.

“I feel I am nearing a… breakthrough.” She said through gritted teeth. “It is distant, yet I can barely make it out, so… tantalisingly close to me-me.”

I feel the same way. “Yeah, I know what you mean. My body and chakra nodes feel like they are on the cusp of some sort of change. I can feel wind rising within me.”

Our normal training regimen continued, leaving the challenge of expanding our Territory, defeating enemies and gathering any Etherite Ores found to Grulgor and his trolls. Having more personnel sure is helpful. I would like to gather even more if I can…

After some time I finished the wyrmscale shirt made for me, and after putting it on I practised a few poses with my spear, earning an amused snort from Shaeula. Looking good, if I do say so myself.

I had finished just in time, as it was my turn to practise with our gathered elemental wind energies. Taking it from Shaeula, concentrating on minimising the loss, I began to shape it into thin, almost invisible wires of wind blades, similar to the attack that had worked on Grulgor previously. As I worked up a sweat in the fading etheric tides Shaeula was sitting down watching me, her eyes glowing amber.

“I have not been able to master that technique you are using.” Shaeula pouted, watching intently. “I can form a blade that is sharp and deadly, but stretching it into such thin shapes and still making it sharp is beyond me yet-yet.”

“I think a lot of it is the visualisation. I’ve seen demonstrations of cheese cutters and other fine cutting tools, so it’s easier for me to force the wind into the shapes and thicknesses I want. When we return search the internet for monofilament cutters, seeing some videos might help you.”

As we bantered back and forth time passed. Our stocks of ether were rising nicely, and it would soon be time to queue in an upgrade to an Ether Spire. The cost may be massive, but it was necessary to increase our rate of gain. Our training was interrupted though, Grulgor and a couple of his trolls rushing back to us with worried looks on their faces.

“Is there a problem?” I asked, reaching for my spear.

“Grul says he is not sure.” Grulgor said slowly. “But a visitor has come, one Grul says we cannot ignore.”

“A visitor?” I asked, and Grul nodded. “The big snake from the holy ground on the hill has come down with servants. Grul says they wait at the border and want to speak to ruler here.”

“I see.” Turning to Shaeula I asked her advice. “What do you think? It seems like it could be a big deal.”

“Yes, you are quite correct.” Shaeula agreed. “There were three of us from the lands of the Fae here, Grulgor and I from the Seelie Court, and that wanderer the Raven Knight, but the fourth corner of power in this area was the shrine, but they did not get involved in our battles, so we left well enough alone-alone.”

“So if we can get them onside, or at least keep a neutral stance, we would only have to worry about the Raven Knight. I’d love to secure our Territory from local threats so we can expand with less worry.”

“True.” Shaeula nodded once more. “However do not forget that this snake will not be of the Fae, they will think differently to us-us. The Three Oaths and Boons will not be an enticement for them. I have little understanding of how the so-called ‘gods’ of this land thinks-thinks.”

“So caution is the watchword. Got it. Still we can’t just ignore this. Japan may be lousy with gods, the eight million, but most of them would be closer to the Fae in terms of being spirits of nature or folklore. Barring the major gods I feel we would be decently matched. Still, a snake… I hope it is no relation to the wyrm we killed…”

Turning back to Grulgor I spoke again. “Very well then Grulgor. Lead us to this snake-god. Bring all your trolls as well. I hope we can resolve things peacefully, but if it comes to violence…”

“Grul says he understands, if the snake causes trouble, Grul says he will break it and eat it.” Grul gurgled darkly.

It didn’t take us long to reach the boundary of our Territory at the base of the hill. Waiting there for us serenely was quite the sight. A large white snake, much smaller in scale than the earlier wyrm, but still massive, standing as high as me despite being coiled up, was waiting, wrapped in ceremonial priestly vestments, a crown made of snake fangs resting on its brow. It was accompanied by a half-dozen smaller snakes, wearing less flashy vestments, carrying an assortment of rods and sceptres on velvet cushions.  Well this is a sight you don’t see every day. How the hell do they move in those robes, it isn’t like they have arms or legs?

Putting aside my meaningless thoughts I smiled my brightest and bowed respectfully. “It is my honour to receive you, oh great snake of Shirohebizumi shrine, one of the eight million kami of this land, Japan.” It never hurts to be respectful. “So what brings you to our Territory? I hope we have done nothing to inconvenience the gods?” Like killing your kin… oh crap, maybe we shouldn’t be wearing the scales in front of the god…

The snake flicked out its long tongue with a gentle hiss, ruby eyes regarding me calmly. “I ssssimply wisssshed to vissssit our neighbour. You have caussssed quite the sssstir in this divine land of peacccce and quiet.”

Divine land? Does he mean the Boundary? I guess that makes sense as it seems to be the place spirits and gods dwell. Maybe this is an angle to look into?

“I’m sorry about that. I like to think I’m bringing back the calm. We have no intention of encroaching on your divine Territory. All we intend is to drive off or come to accord with the Raven Knight on our border, and to fend off any threats. Speaking of threats…” I bowed again. “If the great white wyrm that we slew was one of your kin I can only apologise, but it was us or him, it attacked us first and was mighty so we could not afford to be sparing in our efforts to defeat it.” Man speaking formally is hard.

“Worry not, that ssssnake wassss no kin of mine. No more than you would claim every human assss your own. So, you are not intending to forcccce us to be your slavessss?”

“Hardly.” I denied it. “I’m more interested in allies anyway, helping each other to fulfil our goals. I do however need to make sure my Territory is secure, as Exposition-san who gave me this power did say there would be others with the same abilities. And amongst those there are likely going to be many who would take what they want and attack others. I’ve made promises to Shaeula and Grulgor, and I will keep them.”

“Interessssting.” The kami hissed. “I ssssee more of your sssspirit now. Rumourssss from the Creator Godssss have filtered down as whissssperssss from upon high, about the chossssen and how the worldsss of both godssss and mortalssss will change. Even one of the lowly, ssssuch as mysssself, who ekessss exisssstencccce on the little worsssship my sssshrine providessss.”

“Yeah, I guess that tallies with the information I was given. A time of great danger for the Earth and all who dwell there, but the Gods will choose heroes to become an Astral Emperor. And setting up the heroes could be these Creator gods?”

“Very well then. I have determined your intentionssss. Sssso I will assssk you. Sssshould I join you, what assssssistancccce can you offer me?”

That’s unexpected. I was sure this was heading the route of a non-aggression pact… “Well, if you were to join me you would benefit from the defences of my Territory, which will hopefully only grow stronger. Should any other of these chosen heroes show up, which I guess is only a matter of time, I’ll defend my own to the limit of my abilities should they show you ill-will.” Looking at the expressionless face of the snake, I threw in my trump card. “I’ll also see if I can expand the influence of your shrine in the Material world. I think it should be doable. Who knows, maybe one day when we talk about powerful gods we’ll have added your name to the list.”

“You think you can do thissss?” the kami asked, coils shifting lazily.

“I don’t see why not. It can’t be any harder than making Shaeula Queen of the Seelie. Besides, I have already met the shrine maiden of your shrine, Izumi Kana. She felt that her father and grandfather would be most interested in our abilities. We can no doubt exert some influence.”

“To be a great kami again… a dream I cherissssh.” The snake gazed at me, eyes bright. “I am not sssstrong enough to give oraclessss like my sssstronger fellowssss. But you have a sssstore of power, do you not?”

“You mean ether? It can be used to perform feats one would call miraculous… or possibly divine…” I think I see…

“So you can use ether to increase your power too. That makes sense. I have great need of it myself to build and maintain my Territory, but as we grow in power we will have more at our disposal. Do you have need of some?”

“I would like to ssssend an oracle to my sssshrine. But my divinity issss far too weak for thissss.”

“In that case I think I can help.” It’ll be a shame to put off the upgrade to the Spire, but getting a kami as an ally, even one as weak as the white snake… well, long term I think it’d be better…

“I sssshall then join your causssse. Assss promissssed you sssshall defend my sssshrine from thosssse who would do me harm, assss well assss expand my influencccce. In exchange I sssshall direct my adherentssss to sssspeak for you to other sssshrinesss and kami.”

You have joined in compact with the kami Shirohebizumi, the White Snake. Your ????? increases.

The White Snake has conceded its Territory to you. You may now construct the unique building ‘White Snake Earth Altar’.

The White Snake’s followers have also joined your Territory. Your Barracks may now…

As the messages flashed across my eyes I was both pleased and a little disappointed. I really thought I might get another class there. Maybe you can only have one at once? Still… The Unique building had pretty useful abilities, but it was too costly for now. Still, at some point it would be worth doing…

“All right then. Welcome aboard. We’ll all do our best together.”

“Hmph. Be sure you recognise me as your senior, snake. You would do well to listen to me, for I have served Akio longest-longest.” Shaeula said grumpily.

“Have no fear, I undersssstand your clossssenessssss to him. Now, if you would…” The White Snake hissed.

“Be my guest.” I allowed it access to the Silo, and it began to consume ether, absorbing it. The snake glowed with a bright halo of rainbow light, and the air was filled with a sibilant hissing, scratching at the edges of understanding. This light grew brighter for a moment and then faded, leaving the snake with a drooping head, looking exhausted.

Holy crap, that brief oracle cost nearly twenty-thousand ether. We are definitely going to need to increase our supply to support the snakes’ goals. Still the benefits long term could be great.

“It issss done.” The White Snake spoke. “My adherentssss will lissssten to you now. Sssshould I hear anything from my fellow kami regarding other … asssstral emperorssss assss you called them, I sssshall advisssse you.”

“That sounds great. If we are forewarned we are forearmed.”  I quoted piously. “I’m going to take a quick look over the new Territory if you don’t mind.”

The snake nodded and followed, his attendants also moving with us. The shrine looked pretty different in the Boundary. The same basic form was unchanged, torii gates and buildings, but they were more magnificent, more… real, somehow, the reds bright and vivid, inlaid with golds, the buildings not the ramshackle state they were in on the Material, but well cared for and maintained. Still, if the Astral is the divine realm too, it makes sense…

The area of Territory we had gained overall was not inconsiderable, probably amounting to a sixth of what we had already controlled. Luckily the shrine was just within a kilometre of my apartment, so it was able to be brought under our control, though likely the Territory expanded out further than we could claim. There were snakes everywhere, most normal yet oversized, though a few other stranger forms were also lurking.

As we crested the hill to the main side building an excitable bark stopped us short. It was the kobold miner in charge of the kobolds. He was being followed by the rest of his kin, armed with spades, pickaxes and crude wheelbarrows. They quickly gathered around me, barking joyfully.

“A mine, a mine!” the leader wagged his tail ferociously. “A great mine is here. Just say the word and we can work on it, speak and we can begin mining!”

“Will it damage the area?” I asked, looking at the White Snake. “This is a holy place, after all, we can’t defile it.”

“We mine well, we dig clean.” The kobold insisted. “A small door in the hill, that will be all, that is it.”

“In that casssse I allow it. But pleasssse show resssspect to my sssshrine.”

“We will, we will.” The kobolds agreed. “We will offer tribute to the shrine too, offer wealth.”

Oh yeah, the shrine has an offertory box here too. Looking at the shrine by the bells there was a large box, ornately decorated, much more so than the one I remembered from Shirohebizumi from the Material world.

Now that was settled the kobolds began to dig, pickaxes and shovels working fast. As they did so ether was consumed, and my secondary build queue was filled with a Kobold Mine Rank 4 Special.

Rank 4? That sounds pretty amazing. My other buildings are at best rank 2….

“Have you noticed?” Shaeula spoke from beside me. I hadn’t noticed she had been quiet since we entered the area, so it came as a bit of a surprise. “The elemental earth is strong here. It is an uncomfortable feeling for a wind Fae such as myself… but if the energy can be harvested… trolls are Fae of earth, so it could strengthen Grulgor and his troops-troops.”

“Can we not use it ourselves? Earth and air together could come up with some great attacks.”

“Earth and wind are opposing elemental energies.” Shaeula shook her head. “To master both in one body would be fiendishly difficult-difficult.”

“But not impossible?” I pressed.

“Hmph.” Shaeula pondered. “I would say it was not possible, yet you have surpassed my expectations with your knowledge of the wind. It may be possible for you, but the path to success would be hard indeed-indeed.”

If it isn’t impossible then with enough hard work it’ll just be a matter of time… so I could really use some more Ether Spires so we can pull this earth elemental energy too. Maybe it would be better to upgrade my Territory Anchor to Rank 3 instead of the Ether Spire upgrade… though a hundred astral days of the Territory being defenceless… hmm, decisions, decisions…