I watched as the stick floated above my hand, spinning first one way and then the other. I was trying to perfect my control of my new telekinesis ability, but it was clearly going to take a lot of practice. Lifting heavier objects took more mana, while this stick took less than I naturally regenerated. In theory, I could keep the stick aloft indefinitely.

  The practice part came from fine control. My eyes began to glow blue for a minute as I activated Aetheric Eyes and watched all of the wasted energy slough away. If I could minimize the waste, I would be able to manage a lot more with a lot less.

  I absentmindedly stroked the fox tails in my lap with my other hand while I worked. Yume, sitting back to back with me, let out a soft hum of approval. Deciding to see if I could increase my learning, I split my focus in two and levitated a second stick into the air. I felt as my mana depleted more rapidly, and watched as even more was wasted. Luckily, my Aetheric Eyes ability was fueled by qi, so it depleted a different resource.

  I grunted when I was suddenly hit in the face by a fluffy white tail and watched as both sticks fell to the ground.

  "Don't get distracted." My kitsune chided me in a playful voice.

  "My bad," I pretended to spit out hair as I resumed brushing her silky tails.

  I realized that while she was being playful, Yume felt a real need for connection at the moment. Through our recently formed bond, I could tell that her emotions had yet to settle from everything we'd been through, and my gentle attention was giving her some peace.

  After deactivating the runes at the primary site of corruption, I had received a notification that the fey shard was now under my control, and was officially a part of my territory.

  We went home right after, only stopping briefly to tell the kobold guards the news that Malachar was dead and the corruption defeated. They invited us to stay and celebrate, but we were tired, and there was more that needed to be done before I could rest.

  Dividing my focus once more, I maintained the thought instance that was enjoying Yume's softness while using the other part to levitate the stick back into the air. This power was new, but practice could make it into something invaluable. I hoped practice with splitting my consciousness would increase its effectiveness as well. As it was, it still took effort to maintain.

  I watched and focused as the stick spun with increasing speed. I pushed my mana out harder. I added as much pressure as I could, testing to see exactly what I could do. I paused when the strength, speed, and pressure I was applying with my mind was on the precipice of collapse, even as I strained to maintain equilibrium.

  "Oh, nice!" Ash's sudden voice in my ear caused my to flinch and lose control. The stick spun and flew at my head with tremendous speed. I ducked to the side while Ash banked the other way with a squeak. The stick flew between Yume's ears, causing them to lie flat against her head as she felt the wind from its passage.

  The stick continued to fly and was soon lost in the throng of goblins that were even now leaving the forest nearby. I flinched again when I heard a cry of pain from the procession, this time in sympathy. I exchanged glances with Ash before she darted behind me to hide.

  "Hey! Don't pretend you had nothing to do with that." I hissed at the blue and violet fairy dragon. Her only response was to giggle and use her illusion magic to vanish all together.

  Sighing, I stood up and began walking toward the goblins. Yume and I had been resting under the tree while Ash went to tell the goblins the good news.

  The goblins, under Ash's orders, weren't allowed to approach the tree, so they were waiting patiently some distance away. Far enough in fact, that I was secretly patting myself on the back for having enough telekinetic power to throw the stick so far with such speed.

  I cast a double shadow as I walked. The first was from the morning sun that seemed to have appeared with my conquest of the fey shard. The second came from the bright glow of my tree as it upgraded to Spire level 2. As it turned out, acquiring the shard and defeating Malachar had awarded me enough Aether to upgrade my tree with plenty left over. I was already planning to build more aether harvesters as soon as the spire upgrade completed.

  The crowd of goblins parted as I approached, revealing Chief Trundle rubbing a growing welt on his moss-green forehead. Trinket hovered at his side, her blue eyes darting between her father and the offending stick still clutched in his free hand.

  "Master Cai!" Trundle bowed deeply despite the injury, his voice wavering in mild confusion. "A most potent omen from your sacred tree. I wonder what it's trying to convey."

  "Oh, it only meant that someone got distracted while showing off," Yume murmured behind me, her tails swishing in amusement.

  I knelt to examine the bump on Trundle's head, ignoring the heat creeping up my neck. I also noticed that he now addressed me as master, though I decided to ask about that later.

  My fingers glowed subtly with golden qi as I channeled the healing technique I recently developed. "Let's call it...an enthusiastic welcome from my spire. How's that feel?" I said, addressing the old goblin.

  The chief's wrinkled face lit up as the swelling receded beneath my touch. "By the deep stones! I didn't know you had healing magic! That feels amazing. Nice and warm and comforting. Trinket, daughter, just imagine how good it would feel if he used this while you were having s—?"

  "F-Father! You sh-shouldn't say such things!" Trinket stuttered, covering her face in an attempt to hide her blush.

  "I saw it!" Ash's translucent form solidified mid-air above us, scattering prismatic light across the gathering. "I saw the whole thing! Our noble lord demonstrated precise projectile propulsion calculations to test your reflexes." She alighted on my shoulder, wings twitching smugly. "You passed... mostly." I sighed internally at Ash's antics.

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  The goblins on the other hand, erupted in appreciative murmurs. Trinket peeked between her fingers, still blushing. "W-We should return home before your 'reflexes' face further t-trials, yes?" She seemed to be in a hurry to prevent her father from reverting to the previous topic. The goblin inventor grabbed the chief's hand and began pulling him toward the portal, the rest of us following.

  Our procession traveled in the fresh morning air, Ash talking animatedly with a blushing Trinket as she sat on her shoulder. Yume walked quietly at my left, though her tails brushed my back with deliberate frequency.

  Looking to the side, I noticed a translucent black cat approaching our procession, moving directly towards Chief Trundle. Stepping quickly, I put myself between the illusionary cat and the chief.

  "I'm a little surprised your people were ready to move so fast." I noticed Ash's playful scowl when I interrupted her scheme and returned it with a smirk.

  Trundle ran his fingers through his now short beard, and I had to suppress a chuckle when I remembered the crochet knots he had tied in it last time.

  "Yes. We began making preparations as soon as my daughter returned to us. She hasn't given us any details, but she hinted that this place was tied to you in some way. If you won, we would be moving back. If you lost, than we wanted to be ready in case this realm collapsed." The wizened chief stopped scratching and gave me an embarrassed look when he realized what he had said. "Not that we thought you would lose of course! You and your women are obviously capable."

  I patted the air gently with my hand to calmly brush it off. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you had so much foresight. It just shows me once again how capable you and your people are."

  I may have been laying it on a little thick, but I wanted to keep a good working relationship with the Depthstrider clan —especially if they were intent on staying and becoming my vassals. Besides, I now felt bad that I hadn't considered what might happen to my domain —and the people in it— if I failed.

  "Oh, ho, ho." The old man chuckled, clearly pleased at my praise. "Of course! It's my job to see clearly into the future for my people."

  Trinket sighed. "Right, like it was your idea all along. Wasn't it you who said you were worried about the vengeance of the spirits of this place if we left? Something about a ca—"

  "So about your healing magic." Her father cut back in as if Trinket had never spoken. "Can it remove poison as well? For instance, if Trinket were to get drunk and pass out before you could—"

  A sudden blur of green and black collided with the back of the chief. I had to blink as the man who had been speaking with me a moment ago disappeared into a jumble of limbs. When the two goblins finally came to a stop, a blushing Trinket was pinning her father to the ground, hands held tightly over his mouth.

  A recently displaced Ash came drifting over to my shoulder, laughing so hard I was surprised she could still fly. I tried to stifle my own laugh, but failed in the end. The two goblins were just too funny. I did feel a little bad for Trinket though. I wasn't oblivious to her attraction, but I didn't feel any sort of need to pressure her. Her father obviously enjoyed his games, but the shy goblin girl was clearly having a hard time.

  Yume, who was able to keep her amusement to a chuckle, moved over to help Trinket up. Swallowing my own amusement as best I could, I stepped forward to do the same for the chief.

  Helping to brush the dirt from his linen shirt, I answered the first part of his question. "I haven't actually tried to cure poison yet, but I think it depends on the type. What I do is mostly encouraging the body to heal more quickly. If the poison were something the body could already cure on its own, than maybe." I shrugged. "I might also be able to cure the damage a poison is actively doing, though that wouldn't actually get rid of it. In the end, I simply haven't had the ability long enough to test it."

  Trinket, while still recovering from her blush, perked up at the change in topic. "I wonder how far you will be able to push your new power. Ash said you gained a lot from your last battle, but she didn't say anything about how you grow your strength. I would love to hear more about it."

  When she looked up to meet my gaze, she blushed once more and looked away. "Th-that is, if you d-don't mind. I-I mean, i-if you want to talk about it s-sometime." She fidgeted cutely with her hands, all the while refusing to look at me.

  I opened my mouth to reply, only to be cut off by an excited Ash. "Oh, the way he gets stronger is definitely interestin'. Especially the way that involves a partner. All he has to do is—"

  Gently, I plucked my fairy dragon girlfriend from the air and folded her up in my arms. She smirked but obediently took the hint to stop talking.

  Giving the fidgeting goblin inventor a smile, I answered her. "Sure, telling you about my abilities won't be a problem. After all, you're a part of our team, and I'll be depending on your genius to help me out in the future."

  Instead of answering, Trinket simply blushed more, nodded, and turned to continue walking to the portal. Ash chuckled as I let her go, and she flew forward to once again alight on Trinket's shoulder. Yume took my hand in hers as we followed after.

  At the shimmering portal to the fey shard, Trundle clasped my forearm with surprising strength. "We thank you again for you protection and shelter. I shudder to think what might have happened if you weren't there."

  "Of course. I'm glad I was able to help." I released his arm , looking down at the short goblin with a smile. "I already mentioned this to Trinket, but you and your people are more than welcome to stay under my protection."

  My smile faded as I grew more serious. "The shard is now a part of my domain, and everyone who lives there will be tied to the future we're trying to build. I can't guarantee there won't be danger, though I imagine that will be true everywhere soon enough. If you aren't comfortable with that, I will do my best to see your people somewhere safer."

  Chief Trundle shook his head and smiled up at me. "We were a part of the Feywilds not long ago, and even that great realm wasn't safe. We've learned to trust you. We'd like to stay and help if we can." His smile grew wider as he continued. "Besides, now that we aren't a part of the Feywild anymore, I think I'd like to build a real home. That place was always resistant to anything permanent."

  I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. "You might consider inviting the kobolds to join you in the endeavor. I know they feel guilty about what happened. They might be willing to help you."

  "Hmm." He once more scratched at his beard. "I think I might just do that. If we're going to be living on such a small shard, it would probably be best if we can learn to get along."

  "In that case, I wish you luck. I'll be around as much as I can, but I'll likely have a lot to manage very soon." I gave him a final pat on the shoulder before the old man led his people through the portal and back home.

  Once the goblins had left, we went to the recently completed Runic Foundry to look around. It was just as amazing as the workshop, though it certainly had a more mystical feel. There were some modern Earth conveniences, such as a lithography section and carving tools, but they weren't nearly as prevalent here as they were in the other structure.

  The tool Ash was most excited about was the console that would allow her to save her designs. The ingredients and tools that would help her make higher tier inscriptions was also a bonus. Beyond that, we were both excited to build a library that would allow us to access greater knowledge on the subject of rune making.

  Unfortunately, as excited as we both were to delve into everything the Runic Foundry had to offer, we were simply too exhausted to begin now. I was more tired mentally and emotionally than physically, yet it all seemed to have compounded over the last forty eight hours. I could feel over the bond that the girls were much the same.

  Going back to my condo style living quarters, we all curled up together and promptly passed out. The last thing I thought before sleep claimed me was how amazing it felt to hold both my lovers in my arms, especially now that Ash could be human-sized. I wouldn't have to worry about squishing her any more.