Gathered at the tre of our Territory, in a rather impressive fereyle hall that the kobolds and dwarves had built to specifications provided by Ixitt, as he had seen such things being used ierial world, I cast my eyes over the crowd. Quite a few are here today. I guess we have been away for a few weeks, by their timeframes…

  At my side was Ixitt, who was toying with the Lantern, trying to work out an automated way to extract Spatial element from it with the maximum effort and minimum risk of damage to it, his lenses down over his eyes whirring and clig, while numerous intricate tools and piles of metal ingots were scattered on his table. Asha was also here, holding one of my sleeves a bit gingerly. Her slightly green-tinged skin was now a healthy pink, but her smile, despite being shy and embarrassed, was radiant. Gng to my other side, where Shiro and Shaeu were sitting, Shaeu proudly polishing her Mortal Fragarach, obviously having learned from Ulfuric or a simir warrior, I received a wry, half-mog smile back from Shiro, who was looking at Asha stig close to me.

  “ing out of it now, Aki.” She mouthed, and I nodded.

  Speaking of Ulfuric, he had returned, along with a number of familiar faces. Shaeu’s brother and sister were here, as well as Selensha, whose aura under my eye was a mass of both e and jade energies. So, she succeeded then. Impressive. The three elves, the cheerful Soliteare and Belera, and the taciturn and solemn Moira, were also in pce, alongside several Way-Wardens I didn’t reise, and strangely enough, Taisha, the Way-Warden friend of Shaeranna, and the daughter of her enemy, Duke Vulpatrius.

  We’re quite crowded here today. That’s good. I have one final meeting this evening, and then we finally get down to implementing what we agree… “Hyath and Daiyu are both w.” I told Shaeu, who had wondered where they were. “Hyath has almost grown the Ring Gate, but as we expected, making the two Gates link to each other across half the world is proving a far greater challenge. As for Daiyu…” I quietly expihat I had turned our supply of water element into High Spirit Water. I had removed the moonlight aspect, to make it simpler for Daiyu to uand and process. Making it High Spirit Water did reduce the amount I could create signifitly, but the few drops I did make were trated and powerful, and Daiyu treated them as precious treasures, taking them within her aating on the effect she felt in her body with a solem excited expression oaciturn face.

  “I see.” Shaeu said, nodding. “I would most-most like Daiyu to master the Spiritually Pure Physique, so you - leareiques. I am rather yself as to how they work. Are you not-not as well, Shiro?”

  “Sure I am. Cultivation has always been a fasating fantasy. Of course I want to try it for real. Tan knows a bit about it too, but she’s not saying anything useful.” Shiro pouted, before her face turned expressionless. “But now isn’t the time. We have pany.”

  “Indeed. Later.” Shaeu promised, before nodding to me, winking one amber eye slyly. Taking that as my cue, looking at the other various delegates, such as the kobold High Foreman and other representatives of the races our Territory now held, I cleared my throat, then began to speak.

  “It’s good to see everyone, and it’s good to be back. We were away too long.” I apologised. “I thank everyone who helped protect the Spring and here in our absence, especially those of you who didn’t have to.” I Shaeu’s siblings. Shaeraggo merely snorted sourly, while Shaeranna waved off my praise, showing the differen their characters. It was Taisha who spoke up first though, her fiery red fur matg her temperament.

  “Think nothing of it. There would be no way we let the Unseelie recim the Spring, after it was finally liberated. Any of us Way-Wardens would rather perish than allow our eo triumph.” Nods went around at her bold words, and Shaeranna looked particurly starstruck, eyes sparkling.

  Following on from her words, Moira was o speak, ying out a map of the Spring on the tral table. “As you see…” she said primly, her voice calm and measured, quite uhe animated tone of Taisha. “… the Fae Stone Wards have finally beeablished fully around the Spring, and the Warning Bells have been lio the main defehis has strengthehe barrier around the Spring and will prevent most hostile a. Of course…” she pursed her lips, frowning. “That does not mean others ot ehe Wild Hunt have been unusually active of te. There have been raids at the borders of the Court. So, we must retain vigince.” Her hard gaze strayed to Ixitt and his efforts with the Lantern. Seeing that, he responded.

  “I uand. The Lanterns and their captive Spatial element do seem the primary didate for how they avoid the barriers.” Ixitt agreed. “My researto it does tinue. However…” he paused, grinning. “… right now we have a more pressing need for the Lantern. Once we have succeeded in our aims, I shall return my attention to the matter of how the Wild Hunt accesses our nds with seeming impunity.”

  “Speaking of the Wards…” Shaeu interjected. “I do-do believe it is time to begiing Fae Stones here, is it not-not? We had agreed on this as part of the reward for our aid, no?”

  “Of course. Father has agreed, and the other support him.” Shaeraggo said. “There is no-o be irritated sister, we have talked about this. We even have workers from Duke Formor…” his face twisted sourly, sharp fangs g, at that thought. “… assisting us with the transportation. The work shall proceed rapidly, we-we promise.”

  As Shaeu puffed out her chest proudly, I raised something I had been thinking about, which was going to bee relevant shortly. “While we are talking about the Territory barrier, I believe we are likely to have an expansion very soon, dramatically increasing the scale. Won’t that undo all the work we’ve pnned?”

  Ulfuric paused, thinking, before looking at us with his powerful eyes. Even though he’s often at the Spring, and now occasionally goes back to haters for Shaeu’s father again, now that matters with Shaeu’s safety are settled, he is still heavily involved in our pnning and has a good grasp of the situation in terms of both military resources and other assets. No wonder he’s surprised… our inal pn was a Material year if everythi well, and even that surprised the Fae… we’d budgeted for around two hundred and forty millioher to carry out the infrastructure build and upgrade, but if we grow Asha’s Tree safety and Shiro’s buffs tio work…

  “Soohan pnned?” Ulfuric rumbled, and I exged a look with Asha, who nodded.

  “Signifitly so, if all goes acc to what we expect.” I affirmed. “That’s part of the reason Ixitt is busy. I don’t want to talk about the details unless we be certain it’s happening, but assuming it is… just what should we do about the Territory?”

  “I have taken a sus, crude though it is.” Moira interjected. “When dealing with the ephemeral Fae, keeping track is often merely a matter of … approximation.” She sniffed. “More so uhe circumstances we bour under. We have Fae, many of which are from rather poorly regarded lihen there are the Yokai.” She looked at Shaeu, whed. “Some have arrived and are staying here. Whether they will remain, that is not for me to say…” her tone was blunt. “Not only does the Territory have a rather porous border, but we are lio the Fae Realms of the Seelie Court, as well as a pce of Yokai, this Kyoto. There are a number of mortal visitors stantly as well. Now you wish to go further, I believe.”

  “Rapid movement and response are worth the invenience.” I pointed out. “Battles are won and lost by having the advantage of speed and resources.” Many of the assembled Fae voiced their agreement, so I tinued. “We also he popution. They weren’t being utilised properly. Here they have wood living ditions and safety, as well as the potential tress. If they want to get involved in new industries or fields, I’ll wele them. Popution is power.” I said piously.

  “You stole that quote.” Shiro snickered. “it’s true though. In games or the real world, you don’t get anything dohout suitable people to do it. A kingdom without subjects is pretty crappy.”

  “I uand that.” Moira sighed, ping her nose. “I am hardly such a fool. It is why the Seelie Court has been deing after turies of skirmishes and pointless wars. My point is… where are they all ing from?”

  “I don’t uand? Word’s beeing around, right? We’ve been weling.” I said, and Moira looked at me as if I was a fool, before signing, realising she hadn’t expined clearly.

  “Yes, it is not the hat me, but… there are those that do not appear on the mas. We have beeering immigrants. It would be folly not to, the Unseelie and Wild Hunt are likely to try and stir up trouble, you have cshed with both, to their detriment. But we find groups that seem to have appeared as if out of thin air. Now, this again is not impossible…”

  “I remember Shaeu telling me lesser fae be born spontaneously, not from any parents.” I said, and Shaeu agreed.

  “Indeed, it is not-not too unusual for such to happen. They are usually not-not such Fae as we have here though…” she frowned. “… I fess, I did not-not pay plete attention in my studies when I was a child.” She flushed, embarrassed. “… I regret it now, being such-such a spoiled brat, but I do not-not believe I am wrong in this regardless.”

  “Yes, when we looked into it, apparently they were invited by other family members or s. But why we did not log them at the Gate…” Moira sighed, and the High Foreman barked his agreement, saying that many wandering and hidden tribes of kobolds had heard through hidden els about this pce, and they merely wished for a pce to be safe and work to satisfy their pride. “They cimed to have no ill i, and that seems to be the case, as our Foreman here states, many of them toil in the mines and work on stru without any appreciable problems. As to how they gained access… perhaps there was a localised failure of the Territory barrier? It happen, seldom a day goes by without some foolish creature or other trying to move in. I do io watch the situation closely though.”

  No ill i, huh? I looked at Shiro, who was thinking the same thing I was, it seemed. “I, Shirohime, ands you…” she pushed a hand to her eye dramatically, and everyone was looking puzzled, even Shaeu.

  “You’ve not seen that ahink.” I pointed out, troubled. “It’s quite a good one, I’ll see if I find a copy. But the point is…”

  “We’re not saying that these newers are traitors ents, but we’ve had experieh other Territories.” Shiro pointed out. “Even if I’ve not been specifically let into Haru’s Territory, for example, if I’m there with Akio to help, it doesn’t suppress me or preveering. The same with Arisu, Suzu and Bunta, who her Akio nor Haru knew. Isn’t that curious?”

  Ixitt, who had been fiddling with the Lantering down some ores, agreed. “It is a fasating area of study. Certainly the Territories granted by these Anchors have some subtle differences from those we know, such as the Seelie Court.” He produced some materials from the Materia Tree, which he was also using to create a device to fit the Lantern. “I would not say that the Anchor is alive, as a mortal, or even a Fae, but it is certainly not dead etal and stohe Materia Tree proves that beyond reasonable doubt.”

  “What are y to say?” Taisha leaned forwards, the other Way-Wardens with her, their expressions serious. “Have you realised something?”

  “I have. It’s nothing definite, but the pieces fit together.” As I expined my idea, Shiro chiming in with her thoughts and experiehere was silence around us as they pted our words, their expressions grave. This reinforces the need for my idea. When we do reach Territory Rank 4 I’ll add the Barrier Enha Anchor Spire, which strehe Territory barrier and also gives much more flexibility in how to deploy it. If we ’t trust that we secure a wider Territory, we o make sure we do the best to protect what we must rigorously.

  “There could be any number of other ways it works.” Shiro finished. “I’m nant enough to e in and say I’ve uood something that you all haven’t for turies, and Tan refuses to e out and speak about it…”

  “No, I think you are quite-quite the arrogant female.” Shaeu smiled, amber eyes hard, as she was thinking. “I do not-not hate that, not-not at all. But I do feel anger. Such tricks stink of Unseelie.”

  “Yes, and it seems to be the Wild Hunt that use them. We might be way off and it has nothing to do with this. I’d like to run some tests, but…” I shook my head. “I’m not evil enough to start messing with this. That’s a dangerous road to go down, the road to Hell is paved with good iions, after all.”

  “I shall pass this specution, this theory on to my father. Taisha…” Shaeranna said softly, uain.

  “I know. I know my father is… rather at odds with you all. But he is not and will never be a traitor. Like Duke Formor, he hates the Unseelie passionately.” The foxkin said, her tone brooking nument. “But for now, I shall keep this silent.”

  As the meeting broke into a bit of a mess, I coughed loudly. “Yes, this is important specution, but we were talking about the Fae Stone Wards in our Territory.”

  “Yes. We deal in what is, not what might be.” Mreed. “I agree it is worth sulting with the heads of the Way-Wardens and your her.” She looked at Shaeu, who nodded. “Prihethrion will wish to be appraised of this specution too. But for now… you are right. So, what did you have in mind?”

  “I think that as the Territory expands, it’s going to bee increasingly difficult to keep out determined intruders.” I had been thinking about this for a while. “Obviously, a stronger aer-protected Territory is what we want, but that’s what our troops and other defences are for.” Ixitt gri that, back to his tinkering on the Lantern, a thoughtful expression on his face, doubtless thinking about earlier.

  “I see. But what is ygestion?” Moira pressed. “Work is due to start soon, you uand.”

  “I know. But our pns should hopefully be accelerating. Wheerritory potentially expands to a radius ten times greater than now, we have more options in relog the Anchor a little without losing access to pces we need. As it is now, it’s too close to points of vulnerability, such as the Ring Gates. We don’t have much choice, I know, but I haven’t fotten how isoted it was during the Kondou Kazuo battles. It’s nowhere near as dire now, but I’d still feel much better proteg it, and key areas we ’t afford to lose no matter what. We lose ground and some Territory as long as our losses are small if we bleed the enemy, and take it back ter, but we ’t afford some losses.”

  “Thinking of London, I see?” Shiro said, patting me on the shoulder reassuringly.

  “Indeed.” Shaeu agreed. “Eleanor repared to lose everything to protect the Tower, was she not-not? I do believe you prefer methods where there are no-no sacrifices, Akio.”

  “Of course I do. But we achieve that in other ways. I’m more ed about restrig access to the most important areas. Fae Stone Wards help with that, as the Warning Bells. We’ll be able to create internal barriers at the expense of some overall barrier strength, so having those in our points of vulnerability, that only allow us access…” Restrig access to certain areas much more severely could alleviate the issue, or at least mitigate it…

  “Insurance. I get it.” Shiro agreed.

  As versation turned onto how we could make my new idea work, I looked at the nervous Asha, who knew my pns depended on her aree, at least in part. “It’ll be all right.” I reassured her. “If it turns out too dangerous we’ll stick to the inal pn. It’ll slow us down, but really, we’re still ahead of the game from what we’ve seen.”

  “Yes, Eleanor’s Territory was not-not impressive, though it is perhaps not-not so fair to judge her on it, sidering the circumstances.” Shaeu agreed.

  “That’s right. But It’s like an RTS.” Shiro said. Seeing the bnk looks from some of the Fae around her, she shrugged, a little embarrassed. “Basically, a war game, where you build up a base using resources you gather and use that base and resources to produ army. Early advaend to magnify over time.”

  “Of course, a hard ter make up for a deficit in resources.” I pointed out. “And that’s also what I wao talk about.” I turo Selensha. “gratutions on being dual elemental.” I said warmly, and she looked down shyly, before nodding.

  “It was hard, I have even more respect for Princess Estalian and the other a Fae who mao traheir limits. I would have struggled without the advid experience of those who came before me, such as you, sister-in-w. I admit, w with mortals was unusual too, but it made matters clearer.” She praised Shaeu, which made her as well as her siblings happy.

  “Good. We’ll be needing your experieoo, now that you’ve achieved success. But also, I was hoping you could spare some time, and also any other wielders of water element you know of who might be persuaded to help us with something.”

  “Of course, I would be happy to help.” Selensha said instantly.

  “Great. In that case, we o gather as much water element as possible. Our current geion is too slow.”

  “For Daiyu, right?” Shiro asked, and Shaeu thought bae of our earliest training, before g her hands, uanding.

  “I see-see. We will be gathering as much water element we , taking it from sister-in-w and the others, then verting it to Spirit Water and passing it all-all to Daiyu, correct? It is not-not too dissimir to when we and the sole surviving Kamaitachi of the time passed wind elemeween us to train.”

  “That’s right. I’d say learning Spatial element for myself, and Daiyu’s Foundation, are my two majoals of this training.” I then looked at Ulfuric. “My third is… I finally o grasp a style. You were right, those who have learo fight and are skilled do have the advantage over me, since all I do are the basics, albeit fidently.” I looked at Shaeu then. “Shaeu will o learn as well. Her pinwheels are still going to be a major part of her offensive capabilities, but now she has a sword worth using, it’d be folly not to at least drill her to my standards.”

  Shaeu’s face cramped a little, perhaps remembering the rough training she had witnessed her sister going through when she was young, before her exile and subsequeurn to the Court. Or maybe she’s remembering all the beatings I’ve taken… “I suppose… yes, I should learn. Indeed, do please take good-good care of me, master Ulfuric.” She said at st, her worry overshadowed by her desire to learn. Proud of her, I ruffled her hair gently, bringing a noise of annoyed disapproval from her brother, which we both ignored.

  “It would be my honour to teach you further.” Ulfuric said to me, his voiing, as he loomed over me. “Your sword is a work of art from master Bjarki, you should know how to do it justice. But… do you have any insight into your proposed style? I could teaine, but a style is extremely individual, what works for one may not be a perfect fit for another.” He paused, thinking how to expin it. “No learning is ever in vain. Even were my own teiques not a good fit for you, you would likely be more skilled than now, more uable, more powerful. But then your future road would be difficult, as yering new learning on top of old cause bad habits to bee ingrained, and styles may csh.”

  “That sounds like Daiyu and her Cultivation.” I said, agreeing. “I certainly want to try and build my own style, but like Daiyu, I want to do it right. I’m also curious as to whether the Tsumura Arts be included.”

  “You’re doing that just to make Motoko and Natsumi happy, right?” Shiro ughed, and I de.

  “I’ll fess, I’m certainly pleased I’ll have a ce to study it with them. But I’m also curious. Just like kyūdō, Tsumura Arts show up as a skill to my Eye.” I tapped below it gently, emphasising my point. “Even if I don’t get my own style out of it, I think it’s just like Ulfuric said. No learning is ever in vain. Not everyone is going to have the time or the strength to learn their own style, I’d like to form a systemie suitable for the trainees and even the military to use.”

  “Won’t they just be using guns?” Shiro asked, and I agreed.

  “Yes. I’m also not going backwards, rejeg progress. That’s a bad idea, right Ixitt?”

  He ughed at that gleefully. “Why yes, of course. Our firearms we are creating here outcss bows greatly in ease of use. But…” he looked at the scowling Shaeraggo. “There are arts that be performed with bows that we ot replicate. The right tool, in the right pce.”

  “Unarmed bat is the foundatio bows, spears, swords, guns or more.” I pointed out. “And ideally, we o incorporate not just physical skills, but aether, elements and more. I want everything to be a part of the greater whole, a synergy.”

  “I see. Master one on, know all ons.” Shiro said, somewhat misquoting the famous ese line. “You’re certainly ambitious.”

  “I’m not saying that everyone has to be a master, but we should have baseliraining, like the Army.” I pointed out. “Be flexible, nid. I first thought that styles would be mid and limiting than just knowing the basics. After all…” I grinned self-depregly, remembering what David had told me. “… making the best choice with the basics should always be the right choice, or so I thought.”

  “bat is not decided on skills alone.” Ulfuric shook his head, shaggy bd white mane rustling as he rubbed a gaued hand on his . “Though skill is essential. But if you act by rote, always taking the sure route to victory, those with talent and skill will pre-empt you. No, a style turns the foundation into a myriad of options, and even surpass what would be seen as perfe to the ordinary warrior.”

  “So yes. We o focus on that too.” I cluded, appreciating his expnation, which retty much as I uood it. “Holy though, most of the training will be focussed on the members of the training school. The expanded school, I should say. But…” I looked at Selensha again. “… of course, those of the Fae, and even Yokai such as the Kamaitachi, should be enced to grow stronger. After all, we have a long road ahead of us all.”

  “So, recisely are you requiring of us?” Moira asked, cutting through our talk, and as I expihe deployment of personnel and resources, with everyone chipping in their suggestions, I looked over at Asha, who was still beside me. She smiled back, and I squeezed her hand, feeling the faint tremors of her body. I get it. She’s nervous. It’s uandable. It hasn’t been long since her time in the corrupted Spring, and I’m askio do something unpreted. But together…

  “It’ll be all right. Really.” I said, despite my own slight misgivings. “After all, with all of us together, what is there to fear?”

  Asha looked over the bustle of all the Fae gathered here, and managed a nod, her yellow eyes ear. “I know. This pce, This Territory. It is my home. And I too wish for it to prosper…”

  “That’s the spirit.” Shiro agreed, before stifling a yawn. “Well, I’m off to get some rest until ter, Aki. What’s your pn?”

  “Ixitt and I will be helping Hyath try and link the Ring Gate, while Shaeu gathers as much water element as we . Then this evening, we’ll bring irainees and hopefully Arisu-san and the others, a everything humming. Then… it depends how quickly we make the Ring Gate work…”

  ShipTeaser