The walk to the Princess’s tent wasn’t too far but Nate used the time to go over his Skill improvements and the results.

  Conceptual Insight 51 > 53

  Conceptual Material Shaping 34 > 38

  Farsight of the Runic Artist 52 > 54

  Conceptual Runic Mastery 51 > 52

  Conceptual Spatial Manipulation 43 > 45

  Conceptual Amplified Magic 41 > 44

  Conceptual Automated Existence 25 > 27

  Conceptual Spatial Empowerment 26 > 33

  Space Is All Around You 16 > 21

  With Space Is All Around You reaching level twenty-one it was ready to evolve. One of his considerations with the evolution was to see if he could push it towards a synergy with Conceptual Spatial Empowerment. Keeping part of his mind focused on his sphere of awareness, he dived into the next notification.

  Space Is All Around You (R) is ready to evolve.

  Evolutions Available! Please Select 1.

  Skill Evolution Options:

  Space Fractures at Your Passing (Epic)

  Space is one of the true constants of the material multiverse. You have fractured space and all that occupied it, wielding space as a weapon. Draw deeper upon the nature of space and find all before you are reduced to dust. This Skill decreases the mana cost of Spatial Skills and Spells by drawing on ambient mana with an affinity for space to offset the mana required. Mana cost reduction increases at Skill Level x 1. Additionally, Spatial Skills and Spells are Skill Level x 1 percent stronger at piercing your enemies’ protections.

  Space Opens Before You (Epic)

  Space is one of the true constants of the material multiverse. Wherever you go, whatever you do, you occupy space and through this Skill you find that paths once closed are now open. This Skill decreases the mana cost of Spatial Skills and Spells by drawing on ambient mana with an affinity for space to offset the mana required. Mana cost reduction increases at Skill Level x 1. Additionally, Spatial Skills and Spells are Skill Level x 1 percent stronger at passing through barriers and wards.

  The two options made sense considering how Space Is All Around You functioned and what he had been doing. Fracturing space went back to how he had used his Spatial Golem when attacked by the retainers of House Desmarais. Violating wards with space wasn’t new, but also wasn’t something he had done a lot. However, with Conceptual Spatial Manipulation, he could see a lot of options going forward, especially with lower tier barriers. In the end, his decision was based on his approach to life and his path. He preferred finesse to force. Selecting Space Opens Before You he was greeted with another notification.

  Skill Synergy discovered between your Conceptual Spatial Empowerment (Legendary) Skill and Space Opens Before You (Epic) Skill. Combine these Skills to gain Conceptual Spatial Authority (Mythic) Skill.

  Proceed?

  The synergy on offer was one he had been hoping for and the name of the synergised Skill sounded useful, however there was a secondary reason that he wanted the two Skills to synergise. The two named Skills were his last non-Mythic Skills and he was curious if there was an Achievement potential in having only Mythic Skills. Kiri had mentioned that she got an Achievement for reaching more than five hundred in a single stat before her Second Evolution and then a second Achievement for doing so with a second stat. Nate was pretty certain that Kiri’s total Stats now exceeded his own. He had known it was coming, just because of how their builds and approaches differed. Kiri was incredibly reliant on her Stats for everything she did, be it controlling Soul Energy or fighting. For Nate, his Stats still played a role, but much of his power was derived from his knowledge and application of Concepts and his ability to prepare. Still, more Achievements couldn’t hurt and he wanted the Skill anyway. Selecting for the synergy to proceed, he reviewed his newest Skill.

  Conceptual Spatial Authority (M)

  All Mages need to empower their Skills and Spells beyond what their affinities can provide. Some turn to tools, enchantments or alchemy. You have turned to sequestering mana to further empower your Skills by concentrating mana with your spatial affinity. This Skill empowers anything that utilises the Concept of Space, be it Spells, Skills, Runes or more esoteric applications. Empowerment is equal to Skill Level * 3 plus Magic Control / 40 percent. Mana cost for Spatial Effects decreases by Skill Level x 1 percent. Spatial Effects are Skill Level x 1 percent more powerful at passing through barriers and wards.

  Conceptual Spatial Authority 1 > 27

  The Skill synergy had improved the Skill functions in three areas. The first was a minor improvement to his Magic Control Stats’ impact on the Empowerment effect. Nothing amazing, but it was better than nothing. The other two enhancements were far more interesting. Previously, the Space Is All Around You and its evolution, Space Opens Before You, had reduced the mana cost and effectiveness against barriers of Spatial Skills and Spells. Now, the wording said Spatial Effects, which Nate took to mean that his runes and his runecrafted items would count for the bonuses. He could already sense that his Runic Gallery was draining less mana to maintain itself. The icing on the cake, however, was the last notification waiting for his attention.

  Congratulations on achieving all Mythic-tier Skills before your Second Evolution.

  Your achievement has been recorded.

  A guard for one of the Nobility glared at Nate as he passed but the grin on his face wasn’t disturbed. If that wasn’t a Mythic Achievement, Nate didn’t know what was. The rest of his trip to the Princess’s tent felt like he was walking on air.

  The Swords barred his way before he got within ten metres of the tent and, after a short wait, Hildi poked her head out the tent flaps.

  “The Princess will see him.”

  Inside the voluminous tent, not much had changed since the night before.

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  Morgane waited for him, seated at the main table as she read a report while taking her breakfast. His stomach growled at the sight of the food and his grin turned a tad embarrassed, even as he sensed the hum of Resonance surrounding the Princess.

  “Hildi, a serving for Nathaniel please,” requested Morgane before her golden eyes flicked from Nate to the anti-scrying enchantment sitting within reach of her plate and back again. “Join me.”

  Nate took a seat next to her and ignored the reports as Hildi placed a plate full of steaming eggs and meats with some purple tuber-like vegetables before him. He was hungry enough after not eating throughout the night and perhaps a bit tired that he didn’t bother to wait, immediately digging into the food. Hildi raised an eyebrow in the background but Morgane just smiled and picked at her own food.

  “How did it go?” she asked.

  In response, Nate rolled one of the spatial storages across the table to the Princess. The ring held a fraction of the mana they had taken from the Asmuisillans but it should be more than enough to replace the Princess’s own losses.

  “Spatial Mages,” muttered Morgane with an amused smile. “Some of the rarest and most problematic individuals to deal with.”

  Hildi snorted in the background.

  “What now then?” Nate asked, ignoring the comments as he paused between mouthfuls. The food was delicious and he wondered if it had been stored spatially, if there was a chef around here somewhere or if Hildi was just an amazing cook.

  “Now…” replied Morgane, leaning back in her chair, the wood creaking under her armour. “More of the same, I am afraid. More raids. More battles without committing our full force, on both sides, as we try to wear down each other's mana supplies enough until one army is forced to retreat.”

  “Pardon my confusion, but it seems an odd way to do battle,” remarked Nate.

  “A full commitment would mean using mana that could go towards other things. No one wants to spend what they don’t have to. That goes for both sides. So we will keep trying to force small engagements. Try and make our opponents spend more mana than we do. Small raids and inflict damage to supplies, until one army is forced to capitulate. That is at least, how we will conduct ourselves. Bordain may take a different approach.”

  “And your brother, Prince Thane?” he asked.

  “He will use himself as a fulcrum to turn the battle in his favour. Asmuisil will likely need to commit three Platinums to contain him, unless they have managed to hire a gem-rank from the Adventurer’s Guild.”

  “And if he wins and forces the Asmuisillans to flee?”

  “A land and Dungeon grab, I imagine. Whether he can hold it is a better question,” replied Morgane.

  “Would that not put him closer towards becoming your Father’s heir?” asked Nate.

  “It would. But at this point, I am not sure there is much any of us can do about that. The only person who can compete with Thane is my Father, the King. The changes I want will take time. Not losing my supporters is all I can focus on for now. After this war…we can look at ways to apply pressure for change within Etrua. Your own capabilities could be of great benefit to those ends.”

  The Princess was clearly hinting at what she wanted and last night Nate had already made his decision. Kiri and Aisling were on board. The rest would follow, each for their own reasons, but they would follow. So Nate could finally make his position clear. A position that hoped to improve Etrua.

  “I’ll support you.”

  “Thank you, Nathaniel,” replied with the Princess. “There will be another gathering tonight. Join us? Kiri as well.”

  Nate nodded, finishing up the last mouthful of his breakfast, “We’ll be there, your Highness.”

  “If there is nothing else, I need to go supervise the Nobility. Today’s battle will begin shortly and I would prefer to make sure they don’t drag it out for too long and see more of the conscripts killed than is entirely necessary.”

  Taking the dismissal for what it was, Nate headed for the exit. Hopefully Kiri would be willing to come this evening. He hated being in that den of vipers on his own and Baroness Olithia was becoming more and more forward in her advances. Using his sister as a shield was just good planning.

  *************

  Aisling sat by the campfire, listening to the whispers of the wind. Even before she had made her decision last night to support Nate, she had been gathering a storm. The wind whispered that this entire house of paper was preparing to collapse under the faintest of breezes and when that happened, she wanted to be ready. The clouds gathering in the distance were drawn towards her. She just hoped her timing was right, so that when everything devolved, she could protect the Guild, Nate and Kiri. In her heart, she was more worried than she had ever been. When Nate and Kiri were finally revealed for what they were, it would be the end of peace for her and the Guild in Etrua. But, that was the price of victory. Etrua had been a thorn in the Guild’s side for decades, and she was making a bet, with the Guild's continued presence the prize. If they lost, the Adventurer’s Guild would be forced to flee Etrua until a gem or two could be called. If they won, it would almost certainly mean the end of the Nobility as a form of government for the country.

  The wind whistled past her ears and it contained no answer — just a warning. A storm was coming, and it was yet to crest the horizon, but when it did, it would reshape a nation.

  *************

  Bordain stared across the churned battlefield and the corpses that littered it. The weak were nothing more than parasites, draining away that which belonged to the strong. So he had spent them, as was appropriate, letting the parasites kill each other. The Asmuisillans hadn’t expected him to send so many of his Nobles against them at once. They had scrambled to react and it had cost them. Their army was fleeing in tatters. Such an approach hadn’t been without cost, and eight Nobles of Etrua had joined the dead. But, that was just the price of weakness. He was cutting away the rot and waste from Etrua, to make the country into what it should have always been. A pillar of power in this world.

  Obsidian stepped up beside him, the man almost as large as he was. The first and most useful of his vassals.

  “Your forces are ready, my Prince,” whispered the man.

  Bordain turned to Sapphire, “I leave you in charge. Gather our remaining forces and head for Thane. Keep the Asmuisillans at bay.”

  “Your will, my hands, my Prince,” replied the deviant smoothly as he spread his hands.

  Bordain ignored the man’s antics, turning back to Obsidian, “We return to the Capital. It is time.”

  The Second prince watched as his favoured servant, Obsidian, turned and ripped open a portal to the Royal University. It was finally time to claim his birthright.

  *************

  Celeste looked at the note in her hand as it burned away. Tonight was the night. A small part of her warred against the bindings on her soul. Her time with Flash had been good, even if she was just playing a part. But her Mother, Charlotte Desmarais, had given her her orders and she could not disobey them without sacrificing her sister — her twin. She’d had many names over the twenty years of her life. The recent ones had been Helena and Celeste, but her birth name was Abigail Desmarais. Her twin sister had been Gabrielle and was currently Lisette, embedded with House Landin, vassals of her parents, but like Abigail, her sister had been born with another name. Genevieve Desmarais.

  Tied together by their Mother’s powers, they were what they had been made to be. Unseen, the assassins and informants of a Noble House. But their mother, in her wisdom and cruelty, had made sure that they had always had each other. That Abigail had always had Genevieve, the twin sister she loved. Their Mother, the Duchess, had used that against them. To disobey, was to watch her sister die a horrible and painful death.

  Tonight, the twins would carry out their task, suicidal as it was, because it was better to die together than to watch their other half die and be left in this cruel world alone. Tonight, at the dinner within Princess Morgane’s tent, Abigail and her sister would attempt to assassinate a Royal. Their chances of success were fleeting, but she would do it anyway. Death might not be so bad, as long as her twin was there with her.

  *************

  Coralie cried into her pillow. Tonight, Kiri would take her along to the gathering in the Princess’s tent. The opportunity her Mother wished for her to seize would be within her grasp, and Coralie hated herself for using her girlfriend like that. Even now, she didn’t know if she could follow through with it. She wanted to believe she could stand up to her Mother, but the whispers in the back of her mind told her she would fold, like she always had, and always would.

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