This is rather taxing. I hope it is worth it. Arisu-san mopped her brow which was sodden with steaming silver sweat, her long hair stig to her forehead. I gnced away from the slowly folding space of her Room, the degraded kobolds within standing motionless, only to look away again, as Arisu-san was in a rather dishevelled state, her dress ging to her, highlighting all her curves.

  Keep my mind clear, I’m not thinking anything. I definitely don’t wao kill me. As I looked aside, I saw Tan watg me, a smirk on Shiro’s features, so I covered my thoughts with a cough. It will definitely be worth it. Your help won’t be fotten, and if this helps Hyath work out how to link the Ring Gates, that will earn us many opportunities, and I’ll be sure to reward you.

  Arisu-san looked at me, before raising a single eyebrow, half-hidden behind her sodden bangs. I shall hold you to that. You know what I hate more than anything, no?

  Yes, liars arayers. Don’t worry, Shiro tell you, I look after my own.

  So, I am yours, am I? Even the sound of her thoughts was harsh. A little arrogant, especially with White here in front of you.

  You know I didn’t mean it like that. Don’t bully me. I chuckled as we exged our thoughts. It roving a bit of a strain for the twins, especially, to keep all the links going, but I was stantly funnelling them aether though Chirurgery, and it was surely increasing the strength of their telepathy as they grew more practised. But I am the head of this alliance, so you’re someone I have to look out for. And reward when you do good work.

  Aki’s always like that, Arisu. But try a him! It’d be way too weird if you fell for Aki too! Besides, you’d end up murdering some of the irls, I just know it!

  At Shiro’s amused yet armed thoughts, Arisu-san actually stumbled for a minute, eyes widening, before she sneered. Surely you jest, White. You know my thoughts on such matters. Now stop b me, this is difficult, intricate work.

  She does not jest, irely. Our princess is rather worried. Tan’s amusement in as she shared her thoughts. I suppose it is the pink siess in her head, she fears that every woman will find him irresistible.

  Yes. She has ged. You both have. I do not remember you taking time to talk about such trivial matters before. You were colder, hungrier. Arisu-san thought, while ing up her work, a surge of purple and violet sparks scattering. So, it is dohe third test, ence. She slumped to the ground, onto a chair of vihat Hyath had whipped up for her. Asha passed her a goblet of honey mead, which Arisu-san took gratefully, wetting her parched throat, as she wiped her soaked forehead and dabbed at her fad throat delicately.

  Oh, I am still thirsty, never fet that. Tan licked Shiro’s lips seductively, ruby eyes fshing. But since I am trapped here for now, I may as well enjoy myself. And I have an agreement… she looked at me, and I nodded.

  “All right.” Since I spoke out loud it drew more attention. “Enough ba my expense. Now we o tihe testing.” My Eye fred, increasing the e I felt with something high above, and the sudden influx of information made my head spin, only for the twins and Haru-san to redirect it into Tan with practised ease. Yeah, they are definitely gettier at this. Sure, doing it this way almost certainly lessens the effey Eye, but it’s still more potent than without buffs.

  The tration is increasing, the more pronouhe distortion of space, the greater the rate of formation and tration of the spatial element. Arisu-san observed ically, still tidying her appearahe energy required to maintain the distorted, closed Room far less than the great efforts required to create the ed geometries.

  This reminds me ooof that time… Hyath was looking at the kobolds within, which again puzzled me as to how the light was getting in or out. Ooonce again, Hyath will master it, I promise.

  “I know you will.” I spoke, stroking her hair. Haru-sa out a dry chuckle at that, and Asha smiled warmly. “But for now…” you see it? The build-up.

  Yes, it is faster than before. Is it because the space is even more torted? Ixitt thought, curious, and Arisu-san seemed to agree.

  I believe so. From what I uand, elemental energies are found in pces of significe, and also stress. Is that not correct, Red?

  Suformation is hardly a secret. It be pces such as this… Her crimson gaze took in the geysers of ruby elemental energies that were leaking from the hillside, ahoughts echoed to us. …where a flux of energies gathers. The seas or fierce rivers spawn water element, barren nds with great winds h pces might feysers of air element, voloes and fumaroles be ri fire, and sacred hills and mountains such as this may give birth to earth, or more be found deep below the ground. This however is not the only way…

  I remember the Foehn that Shaeu and I had found, and shared an image, and Tan agreed. Yes, a great earthquake, tearing the ground, may spawn stih element, or aion of a volo, or as in this case, a falling star, may give rise to fme that burns long. The Astral is a fickle world, more mutable thaerial below, so ges persist freat stretches of time, and then vanish just as swiftly…

  I get it. The desert in Las Vegas was a barren, wi pce, and the falling Foehn burned with fire, so when it struck, the two were bined. Formed through stress. Just like…

  Of course. Stressing the space around us causes it to fracture, releasing spatial energies. Truly remarkable. Arisu-san smiled, for once a genuine one, and it made me think she must have been stunning, ba her ag days. Maybe I’ll watch a few of her films…

  So, it’s a bit like a bck hole then? What was it… uh, gravitational waves? Ripples in space-time? I sidered it, and Arisu-san nodded cheerfully.

  I believe so. A massive object distorts space, aually with enough mass in a small enough area, space bees so distorted it colpses into a horizon, through whiothing should be able to escape. Though here, we still see… she shook her head. It does not matter. Have you heard of Hawking radiation?

  Ixitt was listening to our thoughts eagerly, as Arisu-san and I versed. Just the name. I thought back.

  I have not studied it iail myself. Though I did have a long time to read, during my … hiatus. Her sneering tone as she thought about that was unpleasant, and I could feel the plicated storm of emotions within her. Rese, ahirst for vengeance, pride. But now there’s also a little hope, excitement and wonder. I k, she’s eager to act again. It isn’t just about revenge.

  Even a bck hole is not iructible, inescapable. Space… is y. She tio share her thoughts, and several of us thought back to the strange void we could see with my Eye withirao her Room. So within it, matter is stantly created aroyed, always in bance. Yet dist space with such force, it disrupt the bance, allowing some matter to exist without destru, though the mass es from somewhere else, the bck hole. Of course, this is all theoretical. I find my uanding of the sce behind it far clearer nowadays. Perhaps I might bee a stist after all.

  No kidding. Having big stat boosts works wonders for everything, Arisu! Shiro’s thoughts were happy. Tan had fallen silent, but I could feel her approval.

  It’s dangerous to assume that the Boundary works the same as the Material, however… as we watched the density of spatial element expoially increase within the ed space, the kobolds within starting to break apart, slowly disiing, my Eye was giviailed information about that Paradoxical Doorway. Spatial element is being geed, and it’s f at a measurably faster rate than before. The kobolds are degrading faster too, but if you plot the rate of damage to the spatial density, then it’s linear. I wonder… could we not make a perma ed space, to gee spatial element indefinitely?

  Tan drew a breath at that, her eyes gleaming. We looked over, and she stood there silently, but her eyes were expressive. No good huh? Okay, we’ll do more resear that. We have the Lantern and Klein Bottle after all. The density in that is stantly growing as well. We use it to study the effects. There’s also the possibility we could create other artificial sources. I think it wouldn’t be impossible to replicate the birth of Foehn? Though the colteral damage might be unpatable…

  Enough. Oter at a time. I will not have your carelessness endanger White. Arisu-san stood, having tidied herself up and refreshed herself. The first kobold had now perished, shattering iher, and the stronger one, a degraded kobold miner, was starting to look very bad, ks of flesh dist and breaking apart. So, have you seen enough?

  As the miner perished too, I nodded. “I think so.” Sometimes speaking out loud made it easier to think. Gathering everyoogether, we discussed the possibilities. “I don’t think I need my Eye buffed any longer, you switch it bay chakra work?”

  As Shiro did so, the links disected, Haru-san and the twins breathing sighs of relief. With renewed vigour, my chakra work surged, and I looked at the violet-filled bubble in space. “So we know that the density increases at a predictable rate, and it rapidly bees harmful. That’s with it not being absorbed though. There’s no danger just being in the odd space, and we’ve tested getting a degraded kobold out, that works too.”

  “I am exhausted. I ma once more, otherwise I will o rest.” Arius-san said, and Shiro soled her, as Tan had relinquished her body once more.

  “Just push it through a little longer. Aki’s got a pn, right?”

  “Of course.” I agreed. “I’m sure that Arisu-san has already worked it out. She’s very knowledgeable. You know…” I said, smiling. “… never mind being the face of the Chosen, how about hosting sce programmes on us? That’s a showbusiness role, and ties into your hobbies. Obviously, we ’t spill as, but… if people uand the basics, they might be less fearful.”

  “That’s a brilliant idea, Aki!” Shiro enthused. “Hell, I bet Ixitt here would be a good guest star. He’s got the mad stist vibe down perfectly!”

  “Why thank you!” he bowed, shing his tail happily, and Hyath snickered.

  “I dooo not think that was a pliment.”

  “Perhaps not, but I take pride in my drive to learn. Every day since I arrived here has been a new delight. And speaking of…” he shrugged. “… you have not enlightened us to your pn.”

  “Sorry, I got off-topic.” Arisu-san didn’t seem too displeased by my suggestion, so I tinued. “The stronger kobold could survive the tumultuous ditions ihe ed Room lohan the weaker one, so Hyath and I should be able to st much lohan them. We should also be decreasing the spatial elemey by drawing it in, further increasing our safety.”

  The twins looked worried, so I smiled at them reassuringly. “Don’t worry, you know we’re strong, right Hyath?”

  “Yes, I have nooo fear, even if I suffer injury, such is naught tooo Hyath. Knowing I take wounds for Akio, for us all, it…” her words were cut off and she flushed as Shiro and I enfolded her in a hug. She seemed surprised as even Asha came close, reag out a hand and patting her head. “What is wrooong?” she asked, and Shiro answered for us.

  “Don’t say that, Hyath. It’s too sad. Even if it’s nothing to you, it’s bad for us! We don’t want to see you dismissing being hurt as nothing.”

  “Yes, I too have suffered greatly, but I know that does not mean I should bee numb to it.” Asha soled her. “If you do not take care of yourself, then it is us who feel sad. After all, you are one of my saviours, Hyath. I will never fet that.”

  “What they said.” I squeezed her tight and shook my head. “I’m not oo talk, I get hurt far too much, my sis rightly chewed me out about my double standards. But getting hurt is sometimes necessary. But it should never be accepted as just a matter of course, or dismissed because you’ve been hurt before. Don’t fet, you’re Hyath now. The past is gone.”

  “That’s right.” Shiro agreed. “So, at times like these, all you o say to reassure the twins is leave it to us, we’ve got this. Go on, you try.”

  Her silver-violet eyes wet with tears, Hyath nodded. “Dooo not fret for us. Akio and Hyath, we have gooot this. We will return triumphant, the power of spader ooour trol!”

  “I see. We believe in you.” “Yes, we know you do it.” The twins chorused, and as Hyath wiped her tears, we released her.

  “It’s a calcuted risk. And if Hyath and I make it work, then perhaps others too. But for now, Arisu-san has excellent trol, she’s proved that, and I am skilled at Ether Healing, so I’m fident that the risk itself is low.” I pointed out.

  “I shall endeavour to do my best, but I ot promise things will go as you wish.” Arisu-san said, only to be scolded by Shiro, and I ughed, pleased at her fht manner.

  “I uand. Right, time to link us up again. I want Ixitt, Arisu-san and Tan in the link. Asha, you sit this o, I think.”

  “Don’t fet about me, Aki!” Shiro shouted, and Arisu-san chided her that she came with Tan anyway. As the sensation of the ected minds flooded into Hyath and me once more, I looked at the newly-opened doorway, leading to the Room Arisu-san was strug. Oh well, here we go…

  ********

  How is it, Hyath? I cast my thoughts across to her. It was harrowing being ihe Paradoxical Doorway. Despite it looking normal from outside, albeit like a ft image, like watg a TV s, inside was like seeing a kaleidoscope of such images, yet somehow despite them appearing all around us, they were still a ft two-dimensional array. The human mind isn’t desigo cope with this. My Resilience is rising just by being in here. Paradoxical indeed…

  I dooo not care for it. The Dark Maidens would dearly looove it though… it would be a wonderful tool in their booox of tortures. She let out a quiet ugh, and even the sound was wrong, somehow ing from all dires at the same time as from Hyath, and also feeling oddly ft.

  Yes, I imagihat. I guess the Fae mind isn’t good with this either. We were huddled together in the small space, and faint flickers of violet light were starting to form. From within the ed Room, my Eye was able to dis more about the process of creation, and it was as we surmised, the impossible curvature and twisting of space fracturing it, releasing energy. Perhaps it wasn’t pure, but it definitely tained spatial element.

  Are you well? Arisu-san’s thoughts came to us. If you wish me to wrench open the sealed space, call out to us, and I shall affect your rescue.

  We’re fine., for now. It’s just… ugh, you ’t really describe what it’s like in here. See for yourselves. I let the images Hyath and I were seeing leak out, and everyoside trembled, going pale, clutg at their heads.

  That was mean, Akio-kun. Think of poor Chiaki- and Chiasa- before you do that! Haru-san was angry, and after I apologised, Ixitt, Arisu-san and I had a thought-versation about the images. In the end, that was just a distra while the spatial element was building up, and now it was starting to bee unfortable. Hyath’s skin was starting to fke, and silver and red blood was leaking from her ears, nose and mouth, and bd silver tears were streaming down her pale cheeks.

  Are you all right? That looks painful. I wasn’t immune myself, but my higher level of Ether Healing was easily handling the damage I was taking from the surrounding pressure. This is like ara-shitty Gravity Mae fron Ball Z. There’s no actual force ag on us, but the damage is piling up heless.

  Dragooon Ball?

  Never mind, it’s probably not something to care about. No, instead… I took a deep breath, despite not needing to breathe. My throat hurt, the softer iissues suffering more damage than my outer body. We should begin. Are you ready?

  Always, Akio. But I am nooot sure how to proceed.

  I’ll start. Arisu-san, Ixitt, if you have any insights, feel free to share. You too Tan. Not that I expect you to help with this…

  At their affirmative thoughts, and cheery support from Shiro, Haru-san and the twins, I focussed on my chakra work, which was running at a higher Rank than was normal, Shiro’s buffs pushing me past my limits. With my Eye I could perceive and pick out the highest purity of spatial element, so now all that was required was to draw it in, the through my body to the chakra. Easier said than dohough.

  Each element had its own fvour, and opposition. Fire opposed water, and fed on wind, in turn being fed on by earth, which opposed wind, and reyed on by water. A cycle of opposition and alig, like a wheel. Light and darkness opposed each other but had no ordinary iion with the other four elements. Yet they form positions. Just as wood or nature is the earth and water, and lightning is fire and wind, light and fme give rise to radiance, and darkness ah dust. Keeping elements in band harmony within the body grows ever more challenging. How will spatial pare?

  The violet motes, simir in shade to Hyath’s eyes as she watched me, her face close to mine, were drawn into my body through the silver cord and into the root chakra. Immediately I noticed the ck of opposition, it passed through the tangle of earth and wood element accumuting there effortlessly. As it passed, I felt my work suffer damage, but Ether Healing rapidly repaired the tears.

  It moved upwards, showing ion to water, fme or wind, leaving a trail of damage within me. I coughed blood, only for Hyath to reach up and wipe away a smear from my mouth, her eyes solemn. Doooes it hurt? Hyath hurts tooo, but I will watd learn. Fooor us, it is worth it. Sooo the others have a more peaceful time of it, nooo? I do not accept pain because of the past, but because ooof the future.

  That’s right. We’re bzing a trail, and that always es with dangers. But we’re the right oo risk it, aren’t we? At my thoughts, Hyath’s smile was beautiful. Most of my Split Thoughts were focussed on guiding the ever-increasing flow of spatial element within me and repairing the accumuting damage that the automatic part of Ether Healing couldn’t manage, but I spared a thread for Hyath. Hyath, you feel it?

  I . I knooow what you know, feel what yooou feel. It is a gift beyond what a brownie should enjoooy. After all, I knooow you care for me. I feel it, I do not have to wooonder. And… I looove you. Not as a servant, though it is a joooy to serve, it pletes me. But as Hyath. She kissed me, her tongue aggressively entering my mouth, and I respohe closeness of our bodies only heating us up.

  I do not o be subjected to this. Focus! Arisu-san’s thoughts were angry, while Shiro’s were amused, and Haru-san and the twins were embarrassed.

  Don’t fet, I am here too. It is not all girls, like usual. Ixitt’s thoughts were slightly mog. I admit, this is fasating though. Spatial element, it her opposes or feeds on or feeds darkness. But there is an effect…

  It was true. The motes of spatial element passed through the darkness, yet as it did so, the amount diminished. trating, my Eye fring, I tried to observe the process, only to fail. It wasn’t the darkness or the spatial element growing stronger or ging, they simply… vanished.

  Perhaps if I pare it to light element? As I thought that, I could feel Ixitt’s eagero share what I felt and saw. The growing flow of spatial element reached the third eye, where indigo light bzed, and this time the opposite happened. Again, there was nthening or opposition, but where the light and spatial elements met, there was a strange, inexplicable increase.

  I see. Darkness and light in opposition. Yin and Yang as Daiyu would likely say. So where is spatial element in that? If light is additive, darkness subtractive, then…

  As I thought that, Ixitt added his own thoughts. Is that not somewhat simir to your Twilight Prominence? Light adds your own strengths, while Darkakes those of others? There are differences, but…

  Yes, that makes sense. But… my thoughts were swept away as the flow of spatial element finally reached the chakra aed violently. My body vulsed, a storm of casg energy rippling through my body, hard to tain. Damn, this is hellish… Fire, wih, water. They were all easy to uand and grasp, after all, they were everyday things. Light was simple too. Darkness had proved a hard path to master, but…

  Aki, calm down. You’ve got this!

  We believe in you Akio-sama. Akio-sama you do it!

  All processes be uood, and thus mastered. This is no different.

  Spatial element… when I use my Room, it is hard to describe. I visualise it as a bubble filled with malleable foam, that I feely shape and manipute, yet which will disie if separated from its membrane…

  I don’t really uand it, but you o do this, right? So do it. Just like you did the impossible a me meet my daddy… err, father again.

  Akio. I am here. I am hooolding you tight. Show me the way! I will master this and make thooose mushrooms obey me! But to dooo that, you must lead! Hyath ot do it alooone!

  Shiro, the twins, Arisu-san, Haru-san and Hyath, they all poured their thoughts into me, and I momentarily stabilised, fixed on that to calm the ranging sea of forces erodihat’s right. I do this. This isn’t the first element I’ve dealt with, and it’s not even being opposed. No… Thanks everyone. But don’t worry. I tame that raging sea. It’s simply power, right?

  Uanding it. Spatial element. Just what is it? I uand ace is, but the element itself, is it actually space, or something that mediates space? My Split Thoughts surged, running through all my knowledge of physics. As I did so, a warmth began to build up, radiating outwards, and as I looked within myself, I let out a surprised gasp. Wait, isn’t that…?

  ShipTeaser