On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Three Hundred And Forty-Eight

“Yes, I see no further issues. Your recovery is sound.” Bintara said to Shiro, as she released a probe of aether through her body, making her shiver. Finally. I made good on my promise, and the mistakes we made have been washed away. “Though I have concerns over that parasite within you, it is beyond my responsibility.”

At her harsh words to Tan, Shiro’s eyes flashed red for a moment. Biting her lip, eyes displaying her emotions, Shiro asked us again.

“Really? It’s really all healed?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Thanks to your buffs and help from Bintara here, which I very much appreciate…” I bowed to the Bitan gratefully, thankful to the strange Yokai that was dispatched here by Nurarihyon, and even though our interests coincided, it wouldn’t make me any less grateful. “… and I’ll be sure to repay the favour for.”

“As will I.” Shiro promised, rubbing at her damp black eyes. “If I have to fight the golden-eyed devourer, I will. After all…” she met my gaze steadfastly, despite her fears being plain on her face. “… I’ve already clashed with it. It’ll be it or us anyway. And we’ll do it together. I know you’ll never let a monster like that run free, Aki.”

“Yes, so pass on my thanks to Nurarihyon.” I continued. “As for you, Shiro… yeah, I might need to give your Material body a quick once-over with Ether Healing just to fully restore the skin and make sure there’s no underlying internal damage, but… you’re done. Cured.”

Her arms went around me, pulling me into a fierce hug. That left all sorts of interesting things pressing against me, considering how scantily clad she was, and as she went to thank me again, she noticed, her face reddening, but her smile turning wicked, back to the normal Shiro. “Oh, this getting you all hot and bothered, Aki? Well I’m glad. After all, you just got an eyeful of me. I’m pretty pissed off, I was hoping to save the full frontal until… well, the weekend, right?”

“It couldn’t be helped.” I sighed. “Instead, you should be thanking me for keeping a cool head when the junior I’ve always secretly longed for was naked in front of me.”

“Hmph.” She snorted sourly, releasing her hug, adjusting the undergarments she wore. “That excuse sounds so very good, but I’m not buying it. When did you get so silver-tongued, Aki? Well, no matter. I guess a bit of shame is a small price to pay for making sure I’m back to my former glory. It… it definitely won’t make you any less excited for the real thing, will it?” she said, suddenly vulnerable, her emotions high as the damage that had plagued her was finally fixed.

“Of course not. I’m serious. Yes, you’re dangerously beautiful, and it was hard to ignore that, but I did ignore it. All I wanted was for you to be healed. I’ll save getting excited for Saturday.” I winked. “I have it all planned out.”

“Oh you do, do you? Well, assuming Arisu doesn’t try and murder you, I’ll look forward to it. Damn, you are silver-tongued. I don’t know quite how to feel with you channelling those Hayato vibes.”

“I am not here to listen to your mortal pleasantries.” Bintara sniffed, and we hastily apologised. “Very well.” She continued. “My task is complete. I am eager to return to the Hyakki Yagyō. Though we shall likely meet again, on the fated battlefield that has been prophesised.”

“Well, thanks again for everything.” I reiterated, looking at her head, with one horn a mere stub, only now starting to regrow. “It wasn’t just Shiro you helped. I owe you, so if you are ever in trouble, get a message to me, all right? besides… Shaeula is one of the Parade too, so we should help each other when we can.”

“Yeah, sorry, my sudden feelings of normie-ness got away from me for a minute there.” Shiro laughed. “Me too. If you need help, I’ll give it. Just… try not to provoke Tan too much, okay?”

Bintara let out a long snort at that. “Such a parasite deserves no respect from me. It is creatures like her and the golden-eyed devourer that do not know their place, intruding where they do not belong, which are upsetting the harmony of our world. But my words matter little. There is no separating you now without great effort and risk I am unwilling to bear.”

Putting that aside, I asked how she would return to the Parade, since it had roamed away from Kyoto. She hesitated, before answering. “I have means of calling the Parade. All of us who rank highly do. So fear not, I shall return safely.”

“Great, well, if you disappear before we get to see you again, this is farewell.” I extended a hand, and after a moment, she took it.

“Indeed. Time marches on, and as the slowing ebbs, danger will come ever closer. Prepare yourselves.” With that she left the room we were occupying. As Shiro pulled on her discarded armour, I grinned, watching her turn red.

“Shit, I know you’ve already seen everything you can, but at least look away when I’m changing, Aki.”

“Why?” I asked, teasingly, and she started to explain, before realising I was joking with her. She pouted, finally fully clothed once more.

“Jerk. Switching between Hayato mode and Yasu mode makes it really hard for me to stay calm.” With that, she slapped her cheeks to shake off her embarrassment. “Oh fuck.” She suddenly said, and for a moment I panicked.

“What’s wrong?” My Eye flared as I scanned her, not believing Bintara would have been wrong about her healing being successful, but…

“Calm down. Though it’s cute to see you worry for me.” Shiro laughed, having got her revenge on me for my teasing. “it’s just that if I’m all better, then I should probably go back to University, right?”

“Yeah, that’s true.” I said, relieved. Though to be honest, I’ve got used to having Shiro around. It hasn’t been long, but it’s been fun.

“Aww, is Aki all sad that I won’t be hanging around you day and night anymore? Well, don’t be. I’m not going back just yet. I have a leave of absence for the rest of the year. I might as well take advantage. Yeah, thought so.” She reached out, poking my cheek. “You’re such a boy at times, Aki. But I don’t hate it. Seeing that smile makes me happy.” She hugged me again, this time without the desperate emotion of the past ones. “I really should go thank the girls at my dorm though. Since they were worried for me…”

Yeah, Shiro’s matured as well. It’s good to see her thinking of other people. Living here at the shrine with Eri, Shaeula and the rest has been good for her. “I’ll come too, if you don’t mind?”

“Well, you did tell them we’d eloped, so if you don’t, they’ll think I dumped you.” As we bantered back and forth, I considered my plans for the day. I had received a strange visit from Treyvon this morning, who had told me that Ixitt had invented a tree, or something along those lines. He seemed apologetic that he didn’t understand, but on checking my Territory, I could see a new building, one that was quite surprising. It’s just a shame that my Eye isn’t higher Ranked, as there’s still too many question marks, and indeed questions, to answer.

Materia Tree Rank 1 Unique – This tree has agglomerated from a mixture of Territorial Silver, Territorial Crystal, and small amounts of other similar materials, Territorial Gold, Territorial Mica, and others. Due to a strange ??????????? and the addition of scattered Etherite powder and stray ????????? as well as the remnants of a failed ??????????, ether of significant quality is being drawn from the surrounding Boundary and lower Astral, and converted into ????????????.

Ether density and quality around the Materia Tree will naturally increase from the overspill, and as it grows it drops fruits containing ???????????. The Tree will naturally regenerate taken Territorial Materials if supplied with ether, and can be grown by further ????????? and Etherites.

I haven’t had such an obscured reading of something in quite a while. Just how the hell did Ixitt create this? Well, I’m glad it’s not in Kyoto… We were trying to lower the density there. Fortunately, Tokyo was greatly inferior in that regard, despite all my efforts so far, so there were unlikely to be problems for the foreseeable future.

Upon exiting the building, we proceeded over to the area where the Materia Tree was located, in the area occupied by Ixitt and Bjarki’s workshops. As we approached I could feel the noticeably higher density of ether around us, and letting my Eye shimmer, the amount of reddish colouration I could see in the ether around us was lower than normal, a faint orangish hue leaking in. There were a number of Fae clustered around the site, many ratkin and weaselkin Mortal Engineers excitedly chattering away, taking measurements and using various strangely shaped instruments to probe the tree. On seeing our approach, Ixitt came trotting out of the crowd, smiling happily.

“Akio.” He declared. “Have you come to see the tree?”

I agreed. “Yeah. I don’t quite get what happened, but it seems beneficial, at least for now.”

The crowd parted, and now we could see the small silver tree, which was also sparkling, tiny shards of crystal within the metal shining in the light from the skies above. “Hey, that looks a bit like your Anchor, Aki.” Shiro observed, and she was right.

“It does.” I agreed. “But I don’t feel like it’s doing anything Anchor-like. Ixitt, how did this come about?” I asked.

“It is really quite simple. You know I have been experimenting with material from the strange Buildings in your Territory and others. I also brought back materials from the Territory controlled by your vassals, even that girl Miyu. Did you know…” he said conspiratorially. “… as a Chosen Hero, I can freely enter your vassal Territories? There is also now material from Kyoto. Well, using all of these, we have made many discoveries, though there is still so much we do not understand. But much material was gathered here and used to make Artificial Ether Spires, and more recently, Artificial Silos. Not every effort succeeded, and much waste and half-completed prototypes, failed devices and scatterings of excess Etherite dust was discarded here. Imagine my surprise when it all subsumed into this tree.”

“Yes, that does seem surprising.” Shiro agreed.

“So, the tree, it provides material?” I asked, and Ixitt nodded.

“Watch.” He carefully removed some of the small branches, which quickly broke down into the silver material, as well as a little with a golden hue, and some sparkling gems like tiny diamonds or chunks of polished glass. I then noticed it drawing in the surrounding ether, and the trunk budded, and slowly they expanded, growing out into fresh branches. “Fascinating, is it not? It is a ready source of material, and I assume this is just the beginning!”

As he fawned over it, the door to Master Bjarki’s workshop opened, and a rush of intense heat washed out, hot and dry, yet full of static. Fur on the many Beastkin Fae stood on end, as did Shiro’s long silver locks, which began to rise as though attracted to a magnet. She made an indelicate nose and began combing it with her hands, while I ignored my own frizzy state. Bjarki staggered out, his face pale, eyes shadowed, but on seeing Shiro he brightened.

“Great, if’n it be the lass with’n the gift. I need it again, if’n ye please. I be close tae a breakthrough, ye ken?”

“Yes, yes. It so happens I’m in an excellent mood today, so here. Same as usual?” she asked, and the dwarf nodded firmly.

“Aye. It’n be driving me tae new heights, I feel another breakthrough nearing. This’n will be my life’s work, I know it!”

“He has been working non-stop for days, ever since he first received these blessings.” As Ixitt watched, amused, as energy flooded into Bjarki, who then bowed in thanks before hurrying back inside, door slamming, he asked for his own buffs. As he did so, I had an idea.

“Shiro, can you buff Buildings?”

She paused, mouth open, before grinning. “I have no idea, Aki. But that’s some excellent out-of-the-box thinking. We can give it a go…”

“Now this I simply must see.” Ixitt declared, after receiving his blessing from Anesidora.

“Well, we might as well start with an Ether Spire, as the change should be measurable.” I said, and we hurried towards the nearest one, expressions eager…

********

“I’m done Aki, no more!” Shiro pleaded, leaning against me as we sat on a stone seat I had lifted free with a little earth element. “I’m not strong enough for all these buffs, I’m oom. Out of damn mana!”

“Shouldn’t that be oodm then?” I laughed. “No, really it’d be ooda, out of damn aether.” I stroked her head gently, kissing her cheek, delighted to see her flush a little. “I mean, I can top you up again if you want? Though it isn’t that effective…”

“Yeah, I mean, we managed to squeeze a couple more out of me, but you wasted a ton of your strength. I think that the aether used to activate my ability is mixed in with adherence, if I had to guess, or at least something similar. So you cant just top me up and expect good results, unlike if I was using a skill. I’d be curious to see if Haru or Kana have the same issues.”

“It seemed to work for the Chinese Chosen, but then, the aether that damn blob was giving off was rather filthy. There could have been anything mixed in.” I mused. “Yeah, we’ll run more experiments, but… well, we learned a lot.”

“Did we? It didn’t work no matter how many times I tried it.” She pouted.

“Didn’t it? Sure, nothing changed, and my dreams are dashed of having you push up the abilities of my Ether Spires a Rank, giving us stupendously boosted ether collection. But I think there’s potential, and even if not, we’ve learned a fair bit about how Divine Favours work or don’t work.”

“Yeah, that’s a shame, it’d have been great to… wait a minute.” Shiro’s pretty, dark eyes narrowed as she gazed at me, a frown on her face replacing her pout. “If I could do that, wouldn’t you have me out here buffing your Spires every time the buffs wore off? I’d be just like Miyu, who you make dance until she can dance no more! And what about my… well, Tan’s Territory anyway?”

“Well, I wouldn’t… no, to be honest, we both know I damn well would have you buffing away.” I winked. “But I’d definitely make it up to you, I promise. But most of my wives want to be working girls…”

“Phrasing, Aki. This isn’t one of those porn doujins you like.” She snickered.

“Nah, I’ll leave those types to Yasu-san. As for Tan’s Territory, and eventually yours, of course we’ll keep an eye on them. When I reach Rank 4, I’ll be able to surround and protect them. I’m sure Tan planned for her to reach that milestone first, but… I don’t see it happening.”

“Yeah. Arisu is doing a god job guarding it, despite her own troubles, but… well, you have a lead and a lot of allies, while we’ve been stuck here with you.”

“That wounds my heart!” I mock-cried, and she forestalled me with a cheeky kiss.

“You know what I mean. Anyway, we learned that it seems I can only affect people with Anesidora’s blessings.”

“Well, if we put together what we know. It seems that Divine Favours are quite specific in what they do, rather unlike skills which seem far more flexible, even if they have specific traits too.” It’d certainly help if I had use of Tyr’s Favour, as I’d be able to directly compare, it doesn’t seem like the Fruit of the World Tree I have follows the same rules. I do know a bit from the Favour Tsukiko-san passed to me though… My gaze went to the circling spirit lights being fed by Shaeula and I, constantly drawing on our aether. Some more weaselkin were shining brightly, soon to be reborn, and the glow of Ginneka’s was starting to slowly brighten as well. Tsukiko-san’s was still small and weak, but it would grow, I wouldn’t accept anything else.

“The Favours can strengthen abilities that match. Kana’s weak earth element abilities grew noticeably stronger when she received Ksitigarbha’s Earthen Womb. Likewise, when I gained The Future Reflected By The Moon, my light and darkness elements mutated. I don’t know for sure, but Haru-san’s affinity to light seems to be a consequence of her Favour from Kannon.” My sis too. Her related skills grew stronger too.

“I see. So they do have an effect other than their primary function, even if tangential.” Shiro posited. “That means… well, not a lot.” She shrugged, a wry grin crossing her features.

“You know, I think we know who to ask. Tan, are you there?”

Shiro’s eyes turned crimson, and her mouth opened lazily. “I am still digesting the remains of my meal. I will be sleepy for several days yet. But I was listening. I believe I confirmed there are many matters I cannot speak of, due to the agreements our pantheons all are bound by.”

“Yes, and we had this conversation before, didn’t we? You already broke them by taking advantage of Shiro. And you’ve told us a little before. I’m not asking you to spill any secrets, merely… drop a hint to the veracity of our speculations. That shouldn’t be a stretch, right?”

“I’d ask that too, Tan. We’re not asking for the answer, only… well, a pointer or two.” Shiro said, and Tan exhaled, a long sigh, full of annoyance.

“Fine. You are rather demanding. Your taste in men is questionable, princess. But you are in essence correct, though like all that one can know, you but scratch the surface, though deeply enough to impress me at least a little. Yes, Divine Favours are indeed crystalised adherence and also something I will not speak of. And that adherence is dyed to the task at hand. Making it act in ways it is not intended is… challenging. It also dyes the aether within you, bending it to suitable aspects. Thus merely pouring in more aether will result in colossal waste, as the aether is not suitable to the task at hand.”

“I get it.” Aether can achieve lots of tasks that seem impossible, so activating a Divine Favour should be no different, but as I’ve found out over time, the more rules, no, Laws, I suppose I should say… that a task breaks, the less it conforms to reality around us, the more aether is used, and the less we understand something, again, the more it uses. Hence the waste… I explained that, and Tan nodded in satisfaction.

“You have found your answer without my urgings. I have broken no compacts. The gift of Anesidora is for the living. Else you could strengthen anything. It would be foolish to spend the power that would require to strengthen a mortal, even to chance winning a world, and expecting most of that power to return. After all, we have seen much power devoured.” She licked Shiro’s lips. “And not merely by me. No… Favours are the least effort beings such as my Father believe they can spend for maximum chance of reward. There are many worlds, it would do us little good to spread ourselves too thin, weaken ourselves and suffer losses, for a mere chance of gain. Hence why I believed the princess was a chance worth the risk for me. Now, I am tired. Her Many Gifts and Blessing are for the living, not the inanimate, or trees of metal and glass.” With that Shiro yawned, her eyes turning dark again, before she met my grey eyes with her black ones, smiling.

“For the living huh, Aki? Not for trees of metal and glass? Are you thinking what I’m thinking? How did we not see it before?”

“Well, we missed the forest for the trees.” I smirked. “Well, it’ll take you time to recover your aether, so want to grab a drink first?” Thanks Tan. Though I’ll be honest, I’d grasped it when you repeated that the gifts were for the living.

“Sure. I’m excited Aki, but… you’re not going to enslave me and make me your buff machine, are you?”

“Nope.” I swept her up into a princess-carry, Shiro squealing with embarrassment, fists striking my shoulders softly.

“What the hell are you doing, Aki? This is embarrassing!”

“I’m still celebrating your full recovery. So let me treat you as a princess, Shirohime. For today at least. Oh, and Saturday!”

“Just had to throw that in, huh? Eri was right to warn me about you. Lecher.” She muttered, embarrassed. “But… it doesn’t feel so bad…”

********

“So, you ready?” I asked her, and Shiro nodded. “Yeah, I’ve enough for a few blessings. Shame it wasted a good chunk of your day.”

“I sent Azuki to say I’ll be late. I’m meeting a prisoner, it’s not like she’s going anywhere.” Well, the Detective and Officer Usui might be a little annoyed, but they’ll understand. “If this works, it’ll make a huge difference to our potential. So… ready?”

“As I’ll ever be. So, Asha, this is fine, right?” she asked the Dryad, who was smiling softly, ever since we had explained what we wanted.

“If you are not hurting my Tree, but instead blessing it for healthy growth and potency, how could I be disappointed? My Tree does love it here. The earth element is still a bit weak, but it is growing. In time… no, well, we can speak of that later. Please proceed, I await the results expectantly, Shiro.”

“All right then. Damn, now I’m getting nervous, having you both so focussed on me. Well, here goes nothing. Anesidora’s Blessing of Many Gifts.” She allowed her aether to flow into the Rhyming Tree, which was clearly alive. I don’t know whether it has skills to be enhanced or not, but it’s definitely living, and it’s a Fae Tree, if any plant would have skills, this would…

“Oh I feel my Tree. It shudders in joy.” Asha squirmed, her slightly jade-tinted skin now a reddish tone. The Tree waved its branches, as if there was a gentle breeze. “And the earth sings.” Keeping my eye on the Territory details, tracking my ether generation, which was by no means an exact science, as we had random amounts coming in from the efforts of all my forces, but I had mapped an average trend while I was drinking with Shiro, I waited. But not for long.

Shit. It… it worked? I stared at the amber numbers scrolling through my vision.

“So, uh… success?” Shiro asked, and I pulled her into another hug.

“Yeah. It’s pretty good. It hasn’t gone to Rank 6, well, there was no way it’d be that easy, but the gain is significant. If only there was a way that we could know how we could use the Blessing From The Box.”

“If you tell me what you wish for, I can assist. After all, without your aid, my Tree and I would be dead, and all memory of my fallen sisters lost for all time. I shall do anything you ask.” Asha promised, her expression kind. Shiro paused, eyeing her for a second, before shaking her head.

“Nah, I’m sure it’s nothing. Well, question then, if you don’t mind.” When she got a continued smile in response, she inquired further. “If I had to bless something to boost the way your Tree pulls in ether from the surrounding atmosphere, what would it be?”

My Eye is struggling to see anything, as I don’t know what I’m looking for, but if I had a hint, I think we could do it…

“I see. Well, this is a Tree born of Earth, so I would expect that it is the gathering of earth and sky. All Rhyming Trees call to the skies, the moon above, even if it cannot be seen here, but Earth Trees also call to the dark earth below, to soil and life, to…” my Eye blazed as she continued, and now that I had an indication, I was able to see the shining energy being drawn in by the leaves, and roots that drank deep of the ether and earth element hidden within the ground below.

Roots Nourishing Earth, Branches Drinking The Moon Rank 5 – This skill is the innate ability of an Earth Rhyming Tree to pull ether from the surrounding world, strengthening the ether density around it, and also absorbing and fortifying the earth element it requires to survive and grow.

“Shiro… oh shit, I’m shaking.” My hands were actually trembling. “Roots Nourishing Earth, Branches Drinking The Moon.”

“Got it. Damn, now I’m quaking, and it isn’t even my Territory.”

“What’s mine is yours, right?” I winked, getting myself under control, Resilience kicking in. “Now, go for it!”

Moments later the Tree was shining brilliantly, and Asha, who had barely recovered before, was now on the ground, a rapturous expression on her face, but one that couldn’t match mine, as amber numbers scrolled across my vision. The skill’s at Rank 6… it’s confusing my Eye as the Tree shows up as Earth Rhyming Tree Rank ??? Special at the moment, but the numbers don’t lie… and it’s not just Rank 6, it’s also strengthened by the other buff, so the ether coming in… holy shit. This is huge!

“Judging by that sloppy grin, I’m guessing that Miyu and I will be becoming the best of friends?” Shiro asked. “I guess it’s a good thing I won’t be going back to Uni for a couple of months…”

“Damn right!” I grabbed her, spinning her around. “You did it Shiro, you beautiful, beautiful princess! And thanks Tan, you picked the perfect gift for her!”

“Hey, put me down, I’m getting dizzy! I’m not used to this sort of roughhousing!” Shiro panted, and when I put her down, and helped the dazed, delirious and crimson Asha to her feet, getting her some water, I grinned. Gesturing to several weaselkin who were taking a break, I sent them off to fetch Azuki and Ixitt.

“I’m going to have to make more apologies to the Detective, but this can’t wait. We need to see just how far we can take this. I’ll need Haru-san here too. We were close to having enough to upgrade her Territory all the way to Rank 3, but now… it’ll be ready soon enough.” There are two more Rhyming Trees… sure, the leap won’t be immense, but it’ll still be huge. And I wonder… does Asha have any skills that are worth enhancing to help her Tree? Well, as soon as Ixitt gets here, he can start organising the transportation of ether using the mobile Artificial Silos. Then…

“I’m getting a bad feeling that my days of leisure are coming to an end…” Shiro sighed, watching me think. “Ugh, I’m nearly out of aether again.”

“That doesn’t matter. I don’t care how wasteful it is, right now I’m going to pour everything in me into your body. Every additional blessing is more data…”

“Phrasing Aki, phrasing.” Shiro grinned. “Well, I guess Tan knows me pretty well. I wanted to be needed. And I guess I am…”

“In more ways than one. Saturday is going to be the best night of your life, but until then… it’s buffing time, oh buffing princess!”

“Shit, that’s a condescending name. I’m not sure if Princess of Hungry Ghosts is better than that. Well, no rest for the wicked, I guess…”

No, none at all. Fucking hell, the Rank 5 Rhyming Tree was obscene enough, but if we can keep it running most of the time at Rank 6, no, effectively Rank 6 and a quarter… My mind was running the numbers. This changes things… a lot…