On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Two Hundred And Five

“That’s better.” I sighed, the barrel of water we had let through the wind barrier (after careful observation from our Mystic Eyes of course, to be sure there was no leakage of the deadly Myconid Spores) used to sluice us down, washing off our suits. The now tainted water, full of dying Myconid spores, we gathered in a separate empty barrel for disposal later, when it was safe. Grulgor and Ixitt had left the barrier when clean, while Hyacinth, Shaeula and I had stripped off our rubber suits, as we no longer feared spores of this level.

“Indeed it is.” Shaeula shook her damp hair, relieved to be free of the stifling confines of the hood and mask. “I must-must admit to being rather impressed at the feat we have achieved. Still, the work is not-not yet done.” She looked at the tree, in its tragic condition. Asha was crying, still in her protective gear, though we had at least washed her down, but the dreadful wounds her tree had endured were reflected back to her.

“It will be fine, master, mistress.” Hyacinth said, observing. She was back in a maid unform, pulled from who-knows-where, and was offering us mugs of cold, clean water, which we took gratefully. “It is still alive, sooo we can save it. Nooo problems for us!” she pushed out her ample chest pridefully.

“Yeah, even so, I can see why she is anguished.” I sympathised, certainly. We had handled the tree roughly. It had already been desiccated and ravaged by the fungus that crawled all over it from the spores, veins of corruption running through the wood, and its remaining branches were bare of leaves, like skeletal arms reaching for the sky, but our descent had wounded it greatly. First we had worked hasty surgery, ripping away the majority of the bark and a number of branches, with even more snapped and cracked from the mad journey down through the pestilent forest. In addition, the wind-weasels and harness hooks used to secure it and us had dug deep, exposing some core heartwood, and it was criss-crossed with deep gouges from Shaeula’s pinwheels and water-lasers from the Myconid Aquamancers. Still, Hyacinth is right. it’s alive. And we can keep it that way.

Now we were back in our Territory, we could draw on the aether that the Ether Spires gathered, rather than wastefully pulling ether from the Silos and converting it, and since Shaeula was bound to a Throne, she too could benefit. I was already starting to feel refreshed, so it was time to start work on the decontamination. Though damn, this is no easy task. Even so, without the constant reinfection from windblown spores, I think we can do it.

Patting the crying Asha on the back, she looked up at me in surprise, her eyes moist with a mixture of grief, pain and hope. “You can take off the gear now. It looks like the spores all got trapped in the barrier mixture so you should be safe. We’ll clean it off, boil it and then work on healing your tree. But first, let me say one thing.”

She looked at me quizzically, and I grinned. “Welcome home!” At that the dam on her emotions burst, and she slumped to her knees, wailing loudly.

“You made another female cry it seems.” Shaeula mocked me gently, amused, and Hyacinth nodded.

“Master breaks many hearts, he is a sinful man, nooo question!”

“Yeah, yeah. You both know she’s just overwhelmed by the realisation she doesn’t have to die in that hell.” I waved them off. “Give her some space, we need to get to work on this. I want the tree stable quickly, we have to head back and retrieve the other two, if they survived. Of which I have my doubts. Without Asha there, I suspect the weaker Rhyming Trees will succumb quickly. Still, there’s no way the Myconids would expect such a quick second raid, and the other trees are much smaller and lighter… It seemed like a joke that I was planning to uproot a massive tree and run with it on my back for miles, but with Body Enhancement and aether lightening the weight, it was by no means impossible for the smaller trees.

“Very ambitious.” Shaeula approved. “I am most-most pleased. My husband should be greedy! Very well, I am exhausted, but I can at least assist you.”

The first step was to remove the contaminated barrier cream. We dug a quick moat around the tree to contain it, and I then used aether, concentrating on imagining a deluge of water clinging to the tree from the top down, washing all the tainted slime into the trench. Since imagination was a key factor in using aether effectively, with my ever-increasing stats, my ability to use it was growing rapidly. Since I broke the bottleneck to Rank 6, I can feel my talent growing the more I use it. Lightening the tree so much was definitely a hard task. I think the day I reach Rank 7 is not too far off.

As the tree was sluiced off, the moat filling with foul water, I idly wondered if other candidates were improving as rapidly as I was. Some will be, surely, but I have no doubts a lot will be like Kondou Kazuo, unwilling to put in the effort. That was one reason I wanted the Tree so badly. It was risky, but a risk I could anticipate and manage, but in exchange, the reward was a massive long-term benefit.

“I see you thinking.” Shaeula said, working her healing on Asha, who had finally stopped crying. “So just what-what do you plan to do with the bounty the tree provides?”

Using aether to boil the mass of filthy water, a task that would have been far easier with flame energy, but sadly I was only just starting to recover that, I considered my answer. It was obvious, really. “First thing we need to do is continue to increase our ether generation, so I think we take the bounty it gives and upgrade all the Ether Spires to Rank 3 at the least. It may cost three hundred thousand ether for a rush build, but tying up a queue for fifty days isn’t great, and the quicker we get them, the quicker they pay for themselves and start giving us profit. When they are all Rank 3 we should have very significant amounts of ether coming in, and we can consider some more ambitious builds, like Rank 4 Ether Spires or even a Rank 3 Throne. Maybe some Rank 3 and 4 Barracks too.”

My Eye scanned the bubbling goop, noting the spores had died off. It smells positively vile though. I’ll get the weaselkin to drain the crap and fill in the ditch later. “All right then. The tree… time for some Ether Healing.” I decided to start from the top, climbing up using the fissures in the trunk. Once I reached the crown I looked out over my Territory, the strange auroras of the Boundary overhead casting everything with a pretty glow. Yeah, it’s nice up here, but I’ve no time to enjoy the view. Idly wondering whether Asha would let us build a viewing platform and terrace up here for drinking and relaxation, I extended tendrils of aether into the tree, seeking out pockets of corruption. It was simplicity itself to annihilate the tainted spores and fungi, since I had adapted to it, but there was still a lot. Even as I destroyed pestilent pockets of corruption, I was using Ether Healing. The scarred wood was swelling, cracks filling in, and fresh bark was forming, soft and springy, smelling of nature. Beside me, one branch suddenly burst with leaves and blossoms, and several cracked branches started growing, with fresh buds sprouting from the trunk, slowly becoming new, virgin branches.

Pretty! I became lost in the healing, finding it truly fascinating how the tree was both a plant and somehow also a Fae. I could also feel Asha through it, though only faintly, and as my healing energies brushed her bond with the tree I could feel her shiver. Slowly descending the tree, I continued to be surrounded by blooming branches, until a voice snapped me out of my trance.

“I think-think that should be enough for now.” Shaeula said, grinning, sitting below me on a branch. “You have been at this for some hours.”

Really? I looked up to see that I had descended nearly a dozen metres, and the canopy of the tree was hanging above me like a natural parasol, green leaves and pink and white blossoms shining with ruby and garnet energies. “Whoa, yeah, I must have worked hard.” Indeed, my mind was fuzzy with exhaustion and my chakra network was burning from effort, though the sensation felt good, natural. Looking down I could see the base of the tree was also restored, around three metres of fresh bark and branches jutting out. On seeing my gaze, Shaeula grinned. “I have not-not been slacking either. I thought I would-would fortify the base of the tree and the roots. I believe even if we do no more the tree will endure, though when we have more-more time we can complete the healing. But first-first there is someone who wishes to see you.”

Looking down I could see Hyacinth, busily using her nature energy to infuse the tree, but beside her, Asha was looking up at us, with a solemn expression. I waved, and she shivered, before bowing, keeping her head down. We quickly descended, and on reaching the ground she looked at us, biting at her lip, tears flooding down her face.

“Oh come on, no tears.” I chided her. “This is a happy occasion. Your tree will live and thrive. Hell, we even have another Rhyming Tree not too far away, though it’s a darkness element. I promise you, we’ll drive out the Myconids too. One day the Spring and its surrounds shall bloom anew. Maybe you can even see it, plant some trees over the graves of your fallen kin.”

“You surely must-must be doing this on purpose.” Shaeula muttered beside me. “Sometimes I find myself in agreement with Eri. Still, it matters not-not I suppose. A dryad is a worthy…”

I didn’t catch the end of Shaeula’s whispers, as Asha suddenly threw herself at me, wrapping me in her long auburn hair. Her face was close to mine, beautiful tears spilling from her yellow eyes. “I would like that. They would like that, and be at peace. What was it you said, that I had to live for them now, since they can’t? Well I shall live, my tree shall live, and one day the forests shall return.” She looked at Shaeula then. “After all, perhaps one day the Spring of Clear Reflections will be your Territory. You have the bloodline and pedigree for it, it seems, for as its liberators, who could tell you no?”

“You think so small.” Shaeula smirked. “But I do not-not disagree. It shall be ours, and then you can restore it to the pristine forests, rivers and lakes. Anyway, how long-long are you planning to cling to Akio?” she raised one eyebrow, amused.

Asha realised she was still wrapping me in her hair, her body mere inches from me, and she flushed, her pale, green-tinged skin turning a light pink. On releasing me, she bowed once more. “Akio, Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan. I shall keep my Oaths. The tree will live. I will live. It is not cured yet, I feel the pain of the rot deep within still, yet it is on the retreat, and fresh life surges through me.” She smiled then, a little impishly. “My only complaint is the earth element here is not as rich as my old home. It is sufficient, yes, but it will take quite some time to fortify it to the depths I love.”

“Well, about that…” I checked the Elemental Silos and grinned. Not quite there, but soon. I whispered something to Shaeula and she nodded, joining me in plundering what wind energies we had within the Silos, speeding our recovery and creating space to absorb more earth element. “I was planning something for a while, but maybe it’s the right time.” Right, build queues. Let’s take a look.

The first queue on the Build Queue Spire had completed the two Rank 2 upgrades to my Silos, and had one and a half days left on an Elemental Silo to Rank 2, with one more following that.

The next had the new Throne of Heroes with just half a day left, which pleased me, followed by two Barracks upgrades to Rank 2, for a shade over twenty days total.

The Throne of Heroes Rank 2 upgrade in the next queue now had twenty-nine and a half days left, while my final queue had four Ether Spire upgrades to Rank 2 (two more having completed while I was away) and then the Material to Boundary Connection Rank 2, for a total of thirty-five and a half days left.

Right, so the cheapest Queue to clear would be the Elemental Silos, and that is helpful too…The cost was only around seven thousand ether, so I dropped that without a worry, clearing out the queue. My ether stocks were standing at well over a hundred thousand, even considering what I’d drawn in to convert to aether to support my reckless tree-stealing exercise, and the further excess I had blown stopping the tree from slamming down when we exited the Ring Gate. Yeah, the bounty from Myconid murder is decent indeed…

White Snake Earth Altar Rank 1 Unique – This building can only be constructed at Shirohebizumi shrine. It will strengthen all earth-aspected creatures and allies under your command, and this ability will be magnified for the kami of the shrine and his adherents. The kami of the shrine will be able to gather more adherence and utilise it more effectively. Earth element production and purity in the area will be increased, very slightly increasing the chance of unique elemental earths forming.

This was the building I wanted, and now that I was examining it with my Mystic Eye of the Tree of Knowledge I could see through the previous question-marks, the amber letters intriguing. Adherence seemed to be the belief and prayers that nourished certain spiritual beings such as kami! On a hunch I checked the Ether Spire description, and indeed, while there were still amber question-marks, some had been defeated, and adherence could also be collected by Ether Spires, though apparently at a pitifully insignificant rate.

The Elemental Silo was a touch low on the five hundred earth elemental essence we needed, but it would only take an hour or so to fill up the last few drops we needed. Checking the rush-build options, luckily it only doubled the ether cost, not the cost in elemental essence, so I could afford the hundred thousand for an instant completion. It was killing two birds with one stone as well. I had promised Izumi-san and the White Snake kami I would strengthen the power of the kami and the shrine, and in addition it would please Asha. Rank 2 was even more interesting, however. The cost was up to a quarter of a million ether and two and a half thousand earth elemental essence, but it offered further strengthening, and also… earth element aspected allies have their maximum level raised by two. The kami of the shrine, his adherents and devout worshippers have their maximum level raised instead by four.

“Does this mean what I think it does?” I asked Shaeula, and she thought it over, before nodding.

“I think so. I believe Kana and her family would benefit, being the guardians of the shrine. A modest boost, but a welcome one indeed-indeed.”

“I am confused, what are you talking about?” Asha asked, stroking the healed lower trunk of her tree, as she had wandered over instinctively while I was lost in thought checking the menu. Her eyes were still teary, but she looked more at peace.

“Oh, just what I can do to help you find this place a bit more liveable.” I grinned as I watched the elemental essence fill the Silo. “After this maybe we could retrieve the other trees, if they survived.”

“I do not hold out much hope, I am afraid.” At the mention of the other trees in her dying grove, her expression twisted. “They were gravely sickened, and without the presence of me, even in my maddened state, they will quickly succumb. Even so, I appreciate the sentiments.”

There we go. Time to spend big… “Well, maybe this will cheer you up.” I declared, and queued and rush-built the Earth Altar. Immediately a pretty, shrine-like building, surrounded by white snake statues draped with brilliant crimson shimenawa ropes, sprung into existence, and the red-tiled roof and white and red walls began to glow with earth energies, the density around us increasing noticeably.

“What did you do?” she asked, stunned.

“What master always doooes!” Hyacinth declared, from behind the tree where she was toiling away. “Making things better!”

“The ground, the air, it is full of an even richer energy!” Asha exulted, and Shaeula stuck her hands on her hips and jutted out her chest proudly, as if this was her work being praised. I guess in a way it was. She helped us gather ether after all.

Our happy talk was interrupted by the White Snake kami, who came slithering over, and suddenly I was busy again, with more explanations.

********

The White Snake kami was rather pleased, as I expected, and even the Boundary version of his shrine looked more respectable now, as if adding the Earth Altar outbuilding had affected it too. Still, I had other matters on my mind, and had spent some of my remaining ether, to finish the Throne of Heroes Rank 1. I also stuck the final Rank 1 Barracks upgrade to Rank 2 in the vacant queue I had, just to utilise it properly.

Now I was meeting with Ixitt and Suzuki Haru-san, Shaeula beside me. Ixitt looked weary still from our struggles, but his lashing tail signalled his excitement, while Haru-san was bobbing there shyly, her ghost sisters indistinct blurs behind her.

“I wanted to speak to you both, as you are the two primary candidates for this Throne.” I said, getting straight to the point. “Haru-san, I promised I’d get you back to the Material, and this can do it, but… to be honest, I need Ixitt more right now. I’d like it if you can wait until we upgrade this Throne. I hope I can queue it in soon, since we should have much more ether coming in. I feel bad about making you and your father wait though.”

“I understand.” Haru-san said quietly, her ghostly face downcast. “I know you have been good to me. I worry for daddy but… if you could pass on a message, let him know I am all right and thinking of him, I can endure.” She implored me, and I nodded.

“Of course. Anything to make the two of you feel better. And don’t despair. I hope before Christmas you can reunite, a Christmas miracle indeed. Though then, you’ll have a lot of work to do for me.”

“I know.” She said quietly, looking at Shaeula. “You are not evil like him. The smile of the girl as she stands by your side shows me you are kind. I’ll help you, as I promised, if I can go home and see daddy again…” a thin trail of phantom tears down her cheeks made me feel bad for her, but I had decided to not let myself be swayed by the tears of girls unless it was absolutely necessary. Hardening my heart I turned to Ixitt. His expression was rapturous, but I had to be firm.

“This is a big reward, but an equally stern obligation.” I warned, and Shaeula backed me up, telling Ixitt to heed my words. “You’ve ben a great help to me, but when you accept the Throne, you become my ally and servant in truth, an unbreakable bond unless we both agree to end it. Can you live with that?” I finished.

His answer was a toothy grin. “Is that even a question?” he laughed. “Listen to me, you healed me, you gave my family and my kin a place to live. We have pushed the boundaries of Mortal Engineering to such a degree the vile Myconids are helpless before us. We stole a moon-damned Rhyming Tree from the forest of death!” His laughter grew more frenzied. “I have made guns, mortal artifice I have long envied. Ulfuric, my old friend, looks as if a weight has lifted from his broad shoulders. And now you say I can walk the mortal world as the princess does, see with my own eyes, experiment, master my craft as no Fae ever has?” He bowed to me. “I don’t even consider it a price to pay. I would follow you and the princess to the end of your journey, for only through that can I ever be satisfied. If I was a woman, I would be proposing right now!”

“Yeah, no thanks, I can live without that.” I laughed. “So, you are resolved to aid me, craft what I need, improve our weapons, armour and science to heights beyond both mortal and Fae?”

Haru-san looked a bit put off by his eager vehemence, but there was a twinge of regret in her eyes. Don’t worry, your time will come sooner than you think.

“Resolved?” Ixitt scoffed. “I would rather die than miss out, and being under your rule is no hardship. Besides, the princess wishes to be Queen, does she not? I’ll be quite the favoured one then, a fair turnabout to those that scorned me for being ratkin. Now delay no longer, Akio, my master! I accept!”

Here we go! And with that, Ixitt was my second Chosen Hero. I had expected Fae-Bonded to level but it didn’t, maybe as he wasn’t a Noble Fae. Still, now I could check his status, which I did, amber letters flaring brightly, as Ixitt capered around, snickering, marvelling at the new knowledge he gained of my Territory.

“Hmm, you aren’t that strong, are you?” I said, perhaps a touch rudely, and he sniggered.

“Well, of course not. My bloodline is rather plain, unlike the princess here. I rely on my crafts and ingenuity to balance my weaknesses.” He patted the shotgun at his waist. “One does not need to be strong to be deadly, and brains often overcome brawn.”

“True. I like both though.” I agreed. “Still, you don’t have a Fae class. Is that because you don’t have an element, as far as I can see?”

“Perhaps.” Ixitt shrugged. “Though being unaspected does have its perks. I notice the princess was rather uncomfortable around the Rhyming Tree and the dryad. Earth and wind seldom get along.”

“I would not-not say that. It was somewhat unpleasant, and having the density of earth element raised here makes me itch, but I can not-not be bound by that forever. After all, I am also a Fae of flame. Admittedly, flame does not much care for earth either, but still…” she pouted, arms crossed.

“Well, one day you’ll master the earth too, I’m sure. Anyway, I’m curious about a few of your skills so I’m taking a look, Ixitt.” At his nod my Eye glittered amber.

Mortal Engineering – A rare school of crafting that blends multiple techniques and arts together with mortal knowledge and know-how to create devices that can bring great weal or woe, and can often surpass the limits of either mortal or spirit. A Mortal Engineer has good fortune when performing experiments and finds their success rate when utilising multiple disciplines of crafting and science together greatly increased, with the chance of an unexpected positive outcome.

Faecraft- A measure of the ability to utilise elemental energies and Fae arts and sorceries, to create wonderous devices that often draw on the mysteries of fortune and charm.

Alchemy- The art of creating potions, powders, chemicals and ointments that have mystical and magical effects. It also dabbles with metallurgy and healing, and the arts of transmuting one material into another.

“Well, okay, those are all kind of cool. I want them. Your classes too.” Fae-Crafter offered boosts to Precision and Alacrity, as well as crafting success, and could be gained by having Ether Crafting and Faecraft skills, so I was halfway there, and Master Of Many Crafts required five different types of crafting skills, but increased Fortune and crafting success significantly.

“I am humbled by your praise.” Ixitt grinned, rubbing his hands together. “I can hardly wait to get started on learning all the knowledge I can. Chemistry, biology, physics, engineering… so many books and resources. Just tell me what you want me to make, and I’ll produce a wonder you have never seen before!”

“Well, you’ll have to wait for a while.” I could feel my elemental energies having largely recharged within me. “Because we’ve tarried here too long. We need to try for the other two Rhyming Trees now, before they die. Go grab Grulgor. Shaeula, you get Hyacinth. I’d hate to let them slip through our grasp…”