“I say this every time, but whoa, way to make us all look bad, Aki!” Shiro said, though there was touch of pride on her face, as if my achievements were hers. Which I allow. I’ve only e so far thanks to everyone w together, and the stage of strength relies heavily on her efforts…

  “I don’t really get it, I find it hard to visualise.” Kana said, idly stroking the torc around her neck, thinking. “I know I feel a lot stronger, faster and smarter with just my own gains from the Divine Favour, but I don’t know my o pare.”

  “It’s like this, Kana-san…” Eri expined her own numbers, from the st time I told her, before the disaster in Kyoto, and Shaeu then jumped in, grinning.

  “It seems I am the closest to Akio in terms-terms of strength. Though…” she looked at Hyath, who was stantly improving. “I should not-not rest on my urels.”

  “Strength is important.” Daiyu added, uanding most of our versation, and having the rest transted. It makes sense, but she has been fog her learning on cepts reted to the Boundary, Cultivation and more, though that has apparently fused her nguage teacher a lot. Oh well, the pay is good… “But without talent, these skills as you call them, you are but a paper tiger, all sound and fury, no true strength. It is these which I am ied in. Especially this Silver e.”

  “Yes, that one seems exceptionally valuable.” Motoko agreed. Looking at the Ring Gates, she realised the most important fact. “It means that you effectively move between Tokyo, Kyoto and even London at will, and if Hyath create more…”

  “I dooo it. I have uood just what to do. If Akiooo needs mooore, I will make it so!” she said, her silver-violet eyes now shining with a vivid purple sheen, sparks of the same colour dang in her hair.

  “…think of it. A hub, eg every important try in the world. You would be able to respond to any i within mere minutes.” Motoko finished, awed by the prospect.

  “Poor Akio, he’ll be stretched thin, won’t he?” Natsumi ughed. “It’s amazing though. I think… if Fujiwara-sama hadn’t acted, then the nobility would be left behind, and would find their glory fading.”

  “Thank me for that!” Hinata said happily, befng at me. “Though I suppose I should thank the fact that Akio, Shaeu and Eri aren’t good at keepis. But you’re right. We’ll be w with more and more Chosen, right? Those from the JSDF aren’t bad, and from what I know, Saionji-san from the faith is powerful. But pared to Akio…”

  “Yes, I doubt any could have saved me and my Tree, much less achieved this. But no other will enter my eyes now.” Asha vowed, her skin tinged a faint red.

  “Of course, it’s not simply a matter of strength. It’s utility that ts.” Hinata tinued. “Imagine if that could be bined with the Divine Favour of Laverna? Moving items the same way would have endless possibilities.” I could almost see her eyes lighting up as she thought about it.

  “There’s something else.” Natsumi pointed out. “What does it mean that you create a body?”

  “I wohat too.” Kana admitted.

  “I love you, but I don’t want copies of you running around.” Eri said, shaking her head. “I never did like the idea of shadow es.”

  I was a little surprised at Eri remembering that skill from the old ah the highly visible ninjas, but she had watched it together with Aiko when we were younger. I found I agreed though. Before I could say so, Daiyu spoke up, intrigued.

  “Such ing Teiques are written of in the scrolls and tags my Sect held.” She looked momentarily downcast, before her dark eyes firmed with resolve, her damp hair and clothes perhaps reminding her she had achieved a Foundation beyond her wildest expectations. “There are those said to be indepe beings, while others are merely split bodies, that are trolled by the Cultivator. As Teiques go, they are said to be amongst the most esoterid arduous to master safely. I wonder if even any from Kunlun, the Saints of old, were able to create them?”

  “I have s.” Motoko agreed. “How would I know which is my true husband?” She also looked troubled, and the irls agreed.

  Yeah, it does sound like some ero doujin sario. But it’s too potentially advantageous an ability not to at least try out. From the way it sounds, we’re ected, so I think it’s like Split Thoughts…

  “While Eleanor, David and Raidre are getting the tour and it’s just us, I might as well test it out. I need a voluo go back to the Material.”

  “I’ll go.” Kana raised her hand.

  “Are you sure?” Eri asked her, and Kana nodded.

  “I am. Even if it’s a copy of Akio, he’ll still be Akio, so he won’t suddenly attack me, since we have an easy-going, slow retionship. It’ll be fine, Eri-.”

  “I’m fident it’s not an issue.” I reassured her. With that, everyoched curiously as Kana disappeared, and I trated, and a shining silver cord rippled ience, eg me with the Material. This is a strange feeling. It is like Split Thoughts, just so much more… My eyes shot open, and a wave of brutal vertigo assaulted me, my mind trembling. As I paled, I heard the girls asking if I was all right, some of them taking my arms to steady me. Simultaneously, I also could see the Material, a newly formed body appearing. Oh damn, what about my old one? I’ve not left a corpse, have I?

  “Akio, are you all right?” Eri was askihe words running at a faster speed than the movement ierial. Separating the troving difficult, so I allocated more and more of my Split Thoughts to processing the faster flow of time, and the pain and dizziness diminished, even as sweat was dripping from me. Both of me. It’s not a e, I’m actively in both pces. The doubled vision, hearing, smells… that’s not something easy to manage…

  Your Resilience has increased by 2.

  Your Resilience has increased by 1.

  Your Resilience…

  A slow steady drip of messages was burning in my Eye, each point minor, pared to my overall Resilience, but every gain was wele. Yeah, even looking at the damn Klein bottle wasn’t this harrowing. But…

  “I’m fine.” I decred, at the same time I entered my bedroom ierial. Fortuhere was the empty body of Shaeu, but mine had vanished, gone as it if it never existed. Matter ’t be created or destroyed, huh? Not true it seems. Although… Mortal Engineering did rgely follow stific ws, but mixed with spiritual ones, so perhaps taking into at the Astral as well, the missing mass or energy still existed, merely transformed. “This is a strange feeling. Definitely.” I said, as the door to my room opened again, and Kana stepped in. She looked at my Material form warily for a brief moment, before asking the important question.

  “Akio? Is it you? No, I’m so stupid. I mean… are you a separate you?”

  I shook my head in denial, while answering questions from the girls around me in the Boundary too. “No, I’m in both pces at o’s discerting. Worse, time flows at a different rate, so it’s giving me a headache like you wouldn’t believe.”

  “I see. I’m relieved.” She leant in and kissed me on the cheek, smiling. “The only you we care about is you. Even someone identical wouldn’t do.”

  Hearing the same said by some of the irls, I smiled back. “They are saying the same thing. Damn, this will take some getting used to. It’s way more intehan Split Thoughts.”

  “I’m going back then.” She smiled. “ I use one of the other rooms?” At my nod, Kana turo leave, before turning back, her smile wicked. “Oh, and no peeking on me when I’m sleeping, all right?”

  I let out a chuckle as she left, opening up my ptop and switg it on, all the while having a versation in the Boundary.

  “Motoko, Natsumi, we spar?” I asked them, and they readily agreed. Soon I was g practise spears with them both, but my movements were slower and less coordihe simultaneous overy of both realms throwing me off. Motoko even nded a hit on me, which just inspired Natsumi to try harder. Meanwhile I was scrolling through some Wikipedia articles I had been meaning to look at for a while, memorising the knowledge. Yes, in theory I double my productivity, but…

  “You’re definitely slower.” Natsumi said, taking a hit from my practise on, even as she nded her own blow. “Not so mu how fast you move, but your reas are dull.”

  “It’s no wonder.” I said, feeling like I was making an excuse. “I’m having to use all my Split Thoughts just to cope with the variation in time-flow, which means I’m having to tough it through the jumbled, overppiions with pure Intellect. I do it, but I’m bound to be less effective.”

  “That’s a .” Natsumi said, and moments ter Kana reappeared, giving everyone a pair of victory signs. She wi me, and I knew she realised she was teasih her gestures.

  “It’s all good. It’s not a e.” Kana advised them.

  “Yeah, and the Aki here hasn’t ged either. Though he’s filing about like an idiot. I guess being some sort of hivemind isn’t easy if you aren’t used to it.” Shiro smirked, enjoying my disfort.

  “I believe you have to overe this, and train until you are as effective with both selves at once as you are just as one.” Daiyu said. “A Teique is to be mastered, it must not master you. Besides, the bes…”

  Agreeing, I opened my mouth to speak, only for Shaeu to beat me to it. “Ihe best-best be.” Her smile was teasing. “Now Akio easily aodate another dozen-dozen females of worth!”

  “Are you stupid?” Eri shot back, shaking her head in denial. “That doesn’t make sehough…” she looked at me then. “If you be in two pces at ohat does mean we expect twice the time with yht?”

  “It’s strahat Eri- and Shaeu think in almost the same way.” Kana said theatrically, and Hinata giggled.

  “No, it’s perfectly normal. After all, weren’t they the first two, and the reason we have our ce?”

  “Look, I’ve not gaihis ability just to spend more time with you all…” I began, and at the looks on some of their faces, I hastily amended my words. “… of course I’m happy it will probably work out that way, you know my biggest fear is I won’t be able to give you all the love and attention you deserve. But…”

  “But it’s more about making it useful, right Aki?” Shiro said for me. “You’ve always been an industrious guy, even helpi with my game. Although any man worthy of the title would give their right arm to aid a beauty like me.” She couldn’t resist her usual jokes. “But with this, you still train even while doing other things, or even train two things at o’s a growth cheat to the max!”

  “Assuming I master it.” I said, blinking away another couple of notifications about increased Resilience. “But yeah, even now I’m scrolling through some articles and sources I wao read up on but never had time for.”

  “Awesome, I want to test that.” Shiro grinned. “A an obscure question Aki won’t know the ao, and look it up?”

  I spent the few minutes doing various online searches, greatly amusing the girls. Shiro asked obscure questions about anime, manga and games, while Hinata asked for stock prices and data on the odity market. Evehers got in o. When that was done, I was slowly starting to adapt to the storm of information I ulling in from two separate pces.

  “There’s so many illegal and uhical things you could do with that, Aki.” Shiro grinned. “Sitting an exam and being able to just google all the answers for one. Or perving on our sleeping bodies while we’re here…”

  “I said that.” Kana ughed. “Akio wouldn’t though. Why would he o? Everybody here…” she blushed.

  “Exactly. Good girl.” I praised Kana, rubbing her head affeately. “It’s not that easy anyway. The other body is linked by the Silver e, so at least for now it has to be ierial while I’m here iral, and the opposite is also true. So we o get the Treetop café back up.” I wi Asha. “How else I take you all on Boundary dates while I’m doing b busywork oerial?”

  “I will wele you any time, my husband.” Asha smiled soothingly, and after some more humarding that, I dismissed the Material body, the relief of not having to use all my Split Thoughts on it palpable. The keen-eyed Motoko noticed my stance was different, and after I expined I now wao test travelling to the Material in London in person, she uood why. Though holy, while I do o test that, it just feels so horrible using both bodies. I know I have to train it, but… not tonight. Too much has already happened and I’m mentally exhausted, despite my stats.

  Rexing with some of Asha and Hyath’s drinks, the honey and fruit meads and wines pleasant, we waited for the return of David and the others. It didn’t take too long, and judging by the expressions on their faces, our tour had the desired effect.

  “Nice pce you have here.” David sighed. “My fidence has defiaken a damn hit.”

  Raidre beside him was looking at Shaeranna and Shaeraggo warily. On seeing that, Shaeranna scowled, and he flinched. “You had best protect, must guard your Isle and the Gate my precious little U wishes secured. Uand?”

  “By the salt and smoke, what a pain.” Raidre griped. “Of course I will guard it. Bermondsey isle is our home. And the Princess his alliance. I see that now.”

  “Yeah, how e your pce is full of all these powerful royals, a lumbered with Raidre here?” David spped the Selkie on the back to take the sting from his words. “If we’d have had this level of defehen the mad nun bitch, stupid redhead and -boy wouldn’t have stood a ce, they’d be floating dead ihames about now.”

  “Language, David!” Eleanor said, sdalised. “I apologise for him, he’s a rough speaker, but he means no offense.”

  “We get it.” I said, waving away her apology. “It wasn’t easy to build up to this. I was fortunate, but I also worked hard.”

  “Indeed.” Shaeu agreed and told the tale of how I bested her and forced her to yield, which was one of her favourite stories. She the on to the Trial of Three, which left Shaeraggo looking chagri his attitude, and worse, Shaeranna grabbed him by the ear and twisted it painfully, befiving him a beating, for letting her darling U suffer sudignities, grave injuries.

  “You have lived an iing life since July.” Eleanor said, amused, even if her pleasant expression was crag a little at the one-sided brawl between Shaeu’s two siblings. “I hardly imagine how you must have suffered, without access to such boons as the Armour of the Green Knight. I feel rather shamed at my own worries and inpetence.” She frowned, remembering. “I think it is no ce you succeeded to this extent. It takes a certain willio risk oneself, and unshakeable resolve.”

  “That’s right. Akio has always been like that!” Eri nodded, ears flickering. “Ever since he was a young boy.”

  “From where I’m standing, you’ve done all right.” I soled Eleanor, who was still feeling down and rife with mencholy about the betrayals and her own killings, even two weeks ter. “You made the hard choices you had to. And it doesn’t matter how you start, it’s how you finish that decides whether you did a good job.”

  “It’s how we finish. Yes, that’s true.” Her expression ged, to a genuine smile now. “And we have a long way to go until the finish, don’t we?”

  “No kidding.” David pined, pointing at the Tree and the White Snake Earth Altar, surrounded by Silos and the glittering silver needles of Ether Spires. “We have a lot of catg up to do. But I’ve never been a quitter. Old man Arthur isher. Nor the schoolteacher or our little Princess-lover. And you areher, Princess.”

  “I ’t afford to be. Not now. For the dead, and for those who suffered thanks to my y.” Eleanor also gazed up at the t Tree. “And also, I have made the choice to give away some of what my aors have guarded. Until I see that was the right decision, there’s no quitting.”

  “Excuse me.” Hinata interrupted. “ I ask a question?”

  “Of course you .” Eleanor looked at me, pursing her lips. “She’s young, isn’t she?”

  “Yes. I feel bad about that myself. But she’s of an age where she make her owionship decisions. I don’t feel she o justify her choices. Nor do I, except to my own sce.”

  “I know. I ’t say I approve of it, as a woman, but I am not a fool. I was just surprised. Perhaps I shouldn’t be though.”

  “No kidding. Girls like strong men, men with power. I could tell you a few stories about my own quests…” David began, but Hinata raised a hand.

  “I’m sure they are fasating, but I’d rather talk business.” Hinata grinned. “Besides, when it es to quering, look around. There’s a Faerie Princess, a legendary Dryad, a powerful maid, then there’s a ossessed by a Goddess, girls from the nobility, another Chosen a mysterious fn Cultivator… and a catgirl.” She smiled slyly at Eri, who made an indelicate didn’t say anything. “And that’s just his fiahere are famous crafters, other Fae royalty and heroes, we have a trade agreement with the famous Night Parade of a Hundred Demons… our foundation is rock solid, so long as Akio holds firm.”

  “I know this. I find it hard tet when you all came to my aid.” Eleanor ceded. “At the moment of despair, hope blossomed. But what is your point?”

  I know that smile. Hinata’s about to try and gouge Eleanor for everything she .

  “My point is, what’s your overall goal, Eleanor? I call you that, right?” Hinata said, and under her cute smile, Eleanreed.

  “I suppose so. Here I’m not so much the Princess as just anods’ Chosen.”

  “That’s right. So, a question. Just what are y to achieve? Is it just proteg Britain, keeping it safe from danger? Or do you have ambitions to rule?”

  “Rule?” Eleanor shook her head. “I may be a royal, but I was never fortable in the limelight like Richard and Henry. I attended a few social events, it was unavoidable, but I mostly kept to myself. No, I have no aspirations to rule. Even in leading, I’ve been rather a failure, haven’t I?” her expression was rueful.

  “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Princess.” David sighed. “I didn’t see the betrayal ing. I did have my eye on that bitch Mary Stuart, and I rusted that fucker Max, but to think the ungrateful…” he ground his teeth, eyes fshing with deep anger a.

  “Yes, but I was warned.” She looked at me, shaking her head. “I did take some precautions, but it wasn’t enough. I’m not cut out to be a leader.”

  “We all fail. I did the same. I lost people too.” I told her about not taking my Fht seriously, and how the yakuza attack could have eragically for Kana and her family.

  “Yeah, that was seriously scary.” Kana shuddered at the memory. “But it was when I realised I wasn’t a coward, I wasn’t as selfish as I thought. It was when I made my resolve you owed me, and you’d be mine.” She met my gaze resolutely, and I shrugged.

  “Sorry it took so long for me to stop being unfair.” I then tinued, expining about Yamato, and also the death of Tsukiko-san during the sed Kyoto i. Eleanor, Raidre and David listened in silence, before Eleanor apologised to me.

  “I’m sorry. I should have expected you would have had your own suffering as well. Once more I was being na?ve, lost in self-pity.”

  “That Yamato prick, what an idiot. Though pared to our womanising little traitor, he was just a greedy fool, not a scumbag. But…” he looked at me, his face set firmly. “…everyone makes mistakes. As long as you own them, I think that’s fine. Shit, not even I win every fight.”

  “That’s right.” Natsumi ughed. “Akio beat you eight to one, if I recall?”

  “Yeah.” He admitted. “But he still owes me one, no two more rounds.”

  “Such a power. Kioration…” Raidre said, shocked. “I had heard rumours that you were born with a great power, princess, but that you were spoilt, arrogant and too weak to use it properly.”

  “All true.” Shaeu admitted, despite Shaeranna and the battered and subdued Shaeraggo denying it. “But now-now I use it fwlessly, as Akio. Tsukiko will return. There is no-no doubt of that.”

  “So, we got a little off track.” Hinata chimed in, her sly smile charming. “What I see is, you care for your home try, as you should. Akio, he was born there, and his mother is British. I think you t him as one of your own.”

  “I do see him as British. I am not so foolish as to dist your love for Japan, your homend for many years, but I hope you have a fond pce for Britain in your heart.” Eleanor said to me.

  “Of course. My mom, my grandparents Jad Evelyn… they wouldn’t want Britain to be destroyed. Nor would I.” I firmed, and Hinata tiriumphantly.

  “You see? If all you want is to protect Britain and have it prosper, then look around.” She spread her arms happily. “Akio has built this all from nothing. He’s going to help you rebuild too, and form a mutual defence agreement. But is that actually enough?”

  “What do you mean?” Eleanor asked, and Hinata waved her hands, illustrating her point.

  “Why not go further? Instead of mutual defence, why not have a full alliance? If you want to rule, to be the Astral Emperor, yoing to have to beat Akio and those like him. Do you think you ? But if all you want is to safeguard your try, why not get in early and bee an important ally to someone who rule? Do you want to be uhe rule of those like this Mary Stuart, or be from someone fair like Akio?” she paused to let that sink in, before pressing on. “He even offered to give you extra ether, pletely unasked, just because thanks to his, Hyath and Asha’s efforts, things weer than he hoped. I think that says more than my words . He’d never mistreat those who depend on him. And you depend on him. Let Akio take the lead, and take some of the burden off your shoulders. He ha.”

  Shaeranna was watg silently, her green eyes shimmering with emotion. Shaeu ughed, joining Hinata in her praise. “Indeed. Eleanor, you know-know what it is to be one of our friends. Akio now is everonger. In fact…” her grin was teasing. “… he ow move freely betweeerial and the Boundary. So should danger befall you even in the mortal world, he could-could be at your side through the Ring Gate in but a mere moment. He also be in two pces at once.”

  “Seriously? That’s bullshit. How do you get such a broken ability? I thought my Battle Hymn was good, but you have something just like it…” David was jealous, though looking at the giggling Natsumi, who he’d taken a liking to, he shrugged. “Laugh all you want, but I’ll hone my skills until I’m the King again.” He sighed, before his grin turned wicked. “I wouldn’t trust any sort of e. ing home to find him in bed with my girlfriend would be my worst nightmare. He might even try to repce me.”

  “David!” Eleanor was sdalised again, but I shook my head.

  “David’s right. I’d hate that too. But it’s not a e, just…” I expined, and they nodded in uanding.

  “Truly incredible. You have reached heights I never dreamed of. No longer human, but a spiritual being like Raidre, who freely move between the worlds. I ’t pete, that’s true.”

  “And you don’t o.” Hinata tinued, honeyed words dripping from her lips. “Wouldn’t it be reassuring to entrust all the hard work, the hard decisions, to someone who won’t betray you like the others did. You know he’s not that sort of person. His as prove it. Deeds, not words.”

  “I still don’t think I . I have responsibilities…” Eleanor said softly, and Hinata ughed.

  “Yes, and you fulfil them by supp Akio. You don’t want to take over the world, but others will. So pick a side. Just think about it. For now…” she yawheatrically. “Motoko, Natsumi, we should be getting back, it’s really te. As for you…” she looked at me. “… you did want to test your new ability to see if you ma in London. Why not show it to the Princess? You make a start on yenerous, unasked fift as well.”

  “I’m off too.” Kana agreed. “Eri-, you should e too. I know Akio has improved your dition, but we don’t know how much it’s ged ba the Material.”

  “I’ll stay here with the Tree.” Shiro said, looking at Asha. “I want to get a feel for buffing it, since I get that I’m going to be doing it a lot from now on…”

  As we anised who was ing, I looked at Eleanor, who let out a small sigh. “I o speak to my grandmother. I… I certainly will not turn down your assistance. Our Avalon, our Territories, they are certainly a mess. Your advice would be wele, and appreciated. And we talk more about your ambitions…”

  Hinata gave me a stealthy thumbs-up, and I shook my head, smiling. More than an alliance, huh? She’s n, despite having the Tower, I’m not fident that Eleanor and her group has the strength to dominate, nor the ination. She strikes me as a woman doing her duty despite hating it. Being under someone else’s dire could relieve a lot of her burden, and I certainly wouldn’t hate having more Chosen on my side, as well as an allied try, especially wheill have to face the Red Dragon of the East, that which lurks within a, and the potentially massive host of their own Chosen and Cultivators…

  With those thoughts in mind, I passed through the Ring Gate, apanied by Shaeu and Hyath, back to London…

  ShipTeaser