“Ahahaha, you got royally chewed out!” Karen-san was laughing as she swayed about, drunkenly leaning on my shoulder. Shit, when she relaxed after accepting my offer she got hammered…

“You looked like a deer in the headlights. Yes father, sorry father, no father, I understand, father! Pfft hahahahaha!”

Yeah, she’s a truly, truly annoying drunk. Still, I can’t blame her, and I’m happy to see it. Looking at her, all beaten down and having given up on life, well, if this is the other option I’ll take it, even if she is spitting and drooling all over my shoulder.

“Whoopsie!” she sniggered as she stumbled, her heel catching on the pavement. I caught her, careful not to grab anywhere I shouldn’t, and set her upright, which brought more laughter.

“You can laugh all you want, but…” I said, ready to get my own back. “… come the weekend, there’ll be your first unexpected request.”

“What, you want me to go on a date with you? We already did hahaha! Oh god, ugh…” suddenly her laughter was interrupted as she turned green and staggered to the side. Bending over she was noisily sick, the tension and alcohol having proved a bad combination. After spending some time patting her back while she was unwell, eventually she had emptied her stomach.

“Feel better?” I asked her, getting her a bottle of water from a nearby vending machine. As she took a drink and used some to wash her face, she sighed.

“Sorry, my bad. I’m not fired on my first day, am I?” she gave me a wan smile.

“Nope, I’ll be sure to forget everything. but in exchange, you’ll carry out your unexpected and unusual request, which is, you’ll have to meet my father and reassure him I’m not doing anything shady. That’ll be punishment enough…”

********

After seeing Karen-chan home and putting her to bed, leaving her some food and water I bought from a twenty-four hour supermarket, I returned to my own room and undressed, throwing my soiled top into the bathroom for later. It was time to re-join Shaeula in my Territory.

Hopefully everything is okay. She’d surely have retreated if not…

The Anchor still stood, the halo of ether around it a shining silver constellation. There was even more than before, probably from all the invaders we had killed. Checking the progress of the Anchor upgrade, there were still 72 days remaining. I hate the Territory being defenceless, but then I need at least 250,000 ether for my next plan, ideally I’m going to need another 150,000 or so on top of that for the quick build of a new set of Ether Spires to start raking in the ether as soon as possible…

Yeah, it was a thorny problem. Still, leaving all this ether out and unprotected could potentially lead to enemies finding my Anchor, so… Oh man, this hurts my soul, but… Most of the ether around the Anchor and Silo were suddenly absorbed into the Anchor, a hundred thousand of my stock vanishing nigh-instantly. The glow around the Anchor intensified and the shaft thickened and lengthened, small buds forming at the bottom, three of them, the purpose as yet unclear. Checking my Territory again I sighed. 61 days left now. A full hundred thousand, and all it gets is eleven days. Most of the bounty I had gained in Las Vegas was gone now, though luckily I still had a full Silo. Oh, and some Etherite ores too. Mustn’t forget them.

Having made my decision, and feeling a twinge of regret at spending the money for a slender gain, I left and headed for the shrine. As I did so I was met by Shaeula, who had sensed my entry and had hurried over.

“Master, are you well-well?” she asked. “I felt the Territory tremble.”

“Don’t worry about it. I decided to use some of our excess ether to try and speed up progress. I may regret it later when I’m poor again, but for now… sixty-one days. I could bring it to an even fifty, but that would leave us way too lacking in ether…”

“I see-see.” She nodded. “Well, whatever your decision is, Akio, I shall-shall support it. Now, to business. We should return to the shrine and hold council. We have this area under watchful eyes, have no fear-fear.”

At her words I glanced around and could see several white snakes hiding amidst the rubble, their innate earth essence helping them blend in. “I see. Clever. Have there been problems with more ghosts?”

“We have spotted them lingering outside of our borders, watching our movements, yet they have not dared-dared to intrude. Perhaps they fear my flames, as they should!”

“That’s good news. And other attackers?” as I talked with Shaeula I discovered that while there had been a few minor incursions while I was gone, mostly the enemy was quiet. Shaeula asked me in turn about the girls and whether they got off safely. When I explained that Karen-chan would be working for us and the trouble she went through, Shaeula was quiet for a moment, before glaring at me, her eyes stern. “I agree-agree. We should make her oppressor rue the day he was born. A male should secure a female by his charm, wit and nobility, not through vulgar force-force. I insist that we crush this company when we are able!”

As we continued our banter we arrived at the shrine, crossing the salt barrier, Shaeula once more hopping over it, as if it was something dirty. Grulgor was seemingly out roaming again, but the White Snake kami was there, and we had a small war council.

“Since you can spare us some time now, we should try and discover the enemy Territory, like we did in the desert.” Shaeula posited. “If we are only defending, eventually we will be worn down-down, or an attack will break us. After all…” she took a pose, one I had seen on the magical girl anime she liked to watch. “… attack is the best form of defence!”

The kami hissed assent, declaring that it was ‘an inssssult to the ssssshrine…’ for intruders to be allowed to assail it. Looking around I could see more weaselkin than before, all well-armed with looted weaponry. Concentrating, I could feel trickles of energy leaving me through Kin Bonding. Seeing my concentration, Shaeula grinned.

“Indeed, with us both supplying energy to my kin, and us being far-far stronger than before, they return rapidly. Soon-soon I feel even my Kamaitachi shall be beside us again.”

“You know, I’ve always thought your Mystic Eyes was a broken skill, but seriously, Kin Restoration might just be the most overpowered skill of all. Doesn’t that mean if you were strong enough, you could practically replace your forces as soon as they fell in battle?” Yeah, she won the superpower lottery all right.

“Not you, Akio. We. For do you not share my skill now? I dare to say-say the skill is not as almighty as you believe, for a being slain in quick succession will be damaged, and the energy to restore them greatly increased. Also… legend tells of vile creatures that can destroy the very connection to one’s soul. Should that happen, they would be lost to us-us…”

She shivered at that, and I could hardly blame her. Yeah, every skill does have its drawbacks, but even so. If she ever did make it to the Throne of the Seelie Court, wouldn’t that… make all of the Fae her kin? Just thinking about it … wow…

Putting that aside for now, I had another thought. Most of the essence of earth that the shrine generated was being drawn into the wards, but I could still see a red haze of energy. After my success with mastering fire, I should be able to take the next step and master earth energies too, right?

Seeing my gaze, Shaeula swallowed nervously. “I shall pass-pass master. If you ordered I would try, but…” her gaze was pure yet shy, eyes aglow.

“No way.” I cut her off with a rough hug. “I told you, I don’t want to see you die. I believe you will be able to tame earth energy too one day, but until we can be sure it’s safe for you, I forbid it!”

Shaeula nodded in relief, before raising one eyebrow sardonically. “I appreciate your care master, but what would Eri think, should she see you manhandling me like this-this?”

Damn, I did it instinctively. She’s been so flirty and upbeat lately it was an involuntary response to her being cute and bashful. Letting her go I laughed nervously. “Yeah, sorry, my arms moved by themselves.”

“I forgive you for being enraptured by my many charms. So, if you wish-wish to begin, I shall observe you, for reference.”

After checking with the kami that it was both religiously acceptable to take the energy, and would not disrupt the wards, I moved to where the energy was thickest, a heavy, earthy feeling surrounding me as I approached the hill behind the shrine, where the ruby energies were strongest, blowing from cracks in the soil and rock.

Concentrating, I began to draw in the crimson light, where it began to pool in my root chakra, the sensation solid, gritty, unpleasant… I continued to draw more, and when ruby met emerald there was a clash, energies exploding violently through me.

I vomited silver and red blood, which was steaming with a mix of fire, earth and wind. Come on. Earth… earth… it… well, damn, earth is complex as hell. Different types of stones, soil… is metal classed as earth? I don’t understand it nearly as well as air or fire…

Even as I struggled to use my insights I ran into another problem. Citrine fiery energies were being swallowed by the garnet glow, the earth energies growing in strength, my chakra network hiccupping at the unconstrained powers…

“Master, I suggest…” Shaeula was saying something, not that I could clearly hear her, but I got the gist of it. Yeah, this is way too hard…

With some effort I expelled the rampaging crimson light, and staggering away from the source I slumped down, beaten, feeling like I had terrible cramps all through my body. Shaeula came over and pulled up my head, sliding it onto her lap, where she began patting my head gently. “Poor Akio. I suspected so, but it was too much, even for you-you. Trying to balance three energies, both opposing and consuming… such a feat is unprecedented.”

“Yeah.” I groaned, my throat raw, the tang of scorched soil and hot wind in my mouth. “I also realised I didn’t know enough about earth after all. I thought I did, but well…” I wanted to get up, but my body was aching and it was pretty comfortable, lying on her legs. “I wonder… what does darkness oppose? Light, I’m guessing? Maybe I could master that…”

“Foolish master, ever eager to push your limits.” She said fondly. “But before, you knew little of shadow and darkness. Has this changed?”

“Yeah, I’m afraid not. If it was light, then I reckon I’d know pretty much everything about it. Darkness to me is just absence of light. Still, maybe if I try to take in a little it’ll spark something, some breakthrough or even just a hint. I think it’s worth a try.”

“Very well, but you must first recover, your network was not damaged for you wisely stopped your efforts, yet the energies within are still turbulent indeed-indeed. I will allow though…” Shaeula gazed into my eyes from above, amber meeting moonstone. “… seeing your efforts first-hand has proved rather enlightening. I still would perish, trying to mix stone and wind, yet… perhaps a path does exist…”

“Cool. Well, I’ll hear your insights another time. For now I’m just going to enjoy the momentary peace.” We spent a little time making cheerful small-talk about trivial things, until Shaeula advised me I was stable enough to attempt my next feat. Somewhat regretfully I got off her lap and we headed towards the graveyard. Her legs were soft, and she smells good… smell huh… damn, I do love thinking of pointless things. Besides, I shouldn’t be smelling other girls… sorry Eri.

The graveyard was as I remembered it, and since it was unlikely to be targeted since the tree seemed to be a naturally occurring thing, we had left it unguarded. Although thinking about it, the tree is probably providing something like half of my incoming ether right now… “I think we need to make sure the Rhyming Tree doesn’t fall to the enemy. It’s too valuable.”

Shaeula nodded. “I shall have some of my kin stationed here. Should there be an attack they can raise the alarm, or should-should the worst happen, I shall know if they fall in battle. So, are you ready?”

“As I’ll ever be.” I said, taking my place under the gloom of the tree. Adopting a meditative pose, I couldn’t help but grin. “You know, in certain Eastern stories, people meditate for years under trees like this to gain wisdom.”

“Well, I would like my master to be wiser indeed, yet we do not-not have years to spare, so do your best!” Shaeula snarked.

All right then… grasping at the darkness energy that permeated the surrounding space, I started to absorb it. Unlike the prickling of wind, burning of flame, or solidity of stone… this was… intangible somehow, both cold and hot at the same time, hard yet also soft as finest silk, an impossible dichotomy. As the dark energy trickled in I could see that it wasn’t in fact black at all, no, it was a deep blue. The energy started moving to my throat, and the chakra there began to absorb it.

So, darkness. An absence of light. In fantasy stories it is often used by necromancers and other beings. It also doesn’t seem to have much interaction, if any, with the wind and flame energies…

As I wracked my brain to come to an understanding with it my lunar chakra started burning, spikes of pain jabbing into me everywhere. Still, Shaeula motioned for me to continue, so I struggled to draw in more, grasping for understanding.

Darkness and Light. Yin and Yang. Female and Male. Dark is more associated with females in cultivation myths. Yin also tends towards the emotions of turmoil and chaos…

I meditated under the tree for several hours as the pain continued to build, until finally I was defeated, expelling the darkness from my chakra network as best I could, helped along by aether to cleanse it. As I staggered to my feet, the torment diminishing, Shaeula commiserated me.

“A noble effort indeed, and one much more successful than with that vile earth energy.” She said, taking my hand in hers.

“You think? I guess I didn’t do myself any damage, not that I made much progress.”

“I believe I told you when we first met-met. It takes a great deal of time to master the understanding of an element of the four, let alone a rarer one such as this darkness. Only by understanding the essence of it will you tame it-it, and if you do not know, then slow, incremental steps, by taking in and feeling the nature of it, is the only path to mastery.” She gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. “We have time yet, master. If it takes you months, or years, or even decades, I shall be here-here, watching.”

“I hope it is quicker than that.” I returned the squeeze, grateful for her support. “Still, that’s enough for now. Time to find out where our enemy is lurking. I would love to refill our ether stocks…”