“It’s too te to grow a sow, Khumo. You know the way the world works. You’re strong, but despite that, you ’t protect you and your wife alorength in numbers is needed! Besides…” Dino’s grin was fierce, as he g the giant lizard creature that down the slope, cws sinking into the ground like scythes. “…if you had any fidence, you’d have hahis alone. You needed our help!”

  My Split Thoughts were accelerating, allowio assess the situation calmly. It seemed bad at first gnce, but holy, while I hadn’t expected there to be trouble, I had pnned for it, so little went without problems nowadays that preparing for unanticipated disasters was sed nature. Plus of course there’s the Fht stantly eating away at me. It hasn’t picked up in iy or dropped, so I’m assuming it’s not about this mess…

  Having Hinata, Kazumi-san and Christina here wasn’t ideal, but also it wasn’t a problem. With my Chirurgery, Aether Manipution and them not resisting me, I could easily draw them dry in a moment, sending them back to the Material, where my other half was waiting, and it would be far easier to defend them there. As for being outnumbered…

  My Eye shone, and the giant lizard was identified as Agadzagadza’s Spawn [Wyrm] and it seemed to be some sort on-like creature, despite being a lizard. It seemed more powerful thawo Wyrms I had defeated before, though not overwhelmingly so, yet it would likely give a purely Statistic focused Chosen like Titan a hard time.

  I exged a meaningful gh Adelheid, and she spat a curse word in German, a satisfyingly guttural iive.

  “Nobody has a right to say what we do is wrong!” Dino ughed as his forces moved into position, including a number of spiritual beings still hidden within the cracked walls of the yon that he perhaps thought had gone unnoticed. “Our powers were given for battle, to take and take until only the stro remain! I know you agree!”

  As Titan skidded to a halt beside us, he breathed out a hasty apology, but I waved it aside. The dispute between Midas, Hermodike and Dino would decide the course of this battle, and in mere moments it would likely be another life-or-death struggle. While I was fident, I wasn’t arrogant, and repared for a hard fight.

  “Yes, but…” Midas g Hermodike, who was very clearly torn. “…in the end, we get to decide on our own sce.” His face was hard. “I… loathe the Ameris and others like them…”

  Christina fli that, looking downcast, but also somehow thoughtful. She didn’t speak though, and Midas tinued. “…I’ve fought for my beliefs, but… it seems we diverge here, Dino.” At his words, Hermodike finally breathed out a sigh of relief, looking at Midas with deep affe. “Our prireements are still in force, and we certainly colborate iure, but…”

  “Oh. In that case, we’ll be going then.” Dino turned away, before turning back, sneering. “Is that what you thought I would say? Do you have a hollow void between your ears like Nkosi does?” The lizard-like Wyrm had pulled to a halt now behind Dino’s forces, and I could see faint wisps of toxic smoke rising from its mouth as it fixed us with beady, yellow eyes. “Yes, we’ve worked well together. I thought you were a pragmatist. Ruthless. You’ve killed more men than me, Khumo!”

  “I am so.” Midas agreed, and I could feel aether rising, as well as adherence. Faint traces of energy were leaking from him as metal surged within his being. “Yes, it’s true. Ajé-Shaluga has spoken, and to gather the Seeds would strengthen us immeasurably. But… only a child would stoop to stealing from a good man. A child or a vilin. I see… it does not sit right with my wife.”

  “You’re no true man at all.” Dino spat, ughing. “There’s no good and evil, only whht in the end! Power! I thought you uood that. Do those starving while the rich feast care abht and wrong? No, only that they steal foods to eat! You let your wife’s tender heart dismay you…”

  “Without us, you have no way of using the Seeds. They are treasures, whieed to be handled with care!” Midas tered, and Dined, addressing his men.

  “You’re right at st, Khumo. True. We do need… your wife! It doesn’t have to be this way.” His expression was sad but somehow mog. “You’ve not lied. We’ve beed from each other’s help a number of times. It’s why we all have such a firm grip on the Aral Lands, and many of our enemies are dead or capituted.” Again some of the followers of Dino looked angry at his words. “If you could use all the Seeds yourselves, likely you’d have done so, but you ’t. Think this over carefully…”

  At his cold words Hermodike shrank baot being much of a fighter, while Midas’ stone face grew ever flintier. “I simply think you have gooo far. Despite everything, he did restore my wife to good health. They broke fast with us, having ko nuts and honey and wihey know about the Seeds, as much as we do, maybe more. We should all e together ahink this… peacefully. There is room for a sensus.”

  “sensus? Janco is dead. Now, it’s his own fault for losing, but… that’s one Seed wasted.” Dino scoffed. “And though I wasn’t fond of him, he was my man. I don’t let people take what’s mine, I take from others. As for them breaking fast… yes, I know where your home is, Khumo. You run bad try and stop those I’ve sent there, but… if you won’t aid me, your wife will. Rest assured, I’ll not mistreat her, so long as she transfers us all the Seeds. After all her face has only just been fixed, and I’m not a man to poach other’s wives. Though I do believe a man should chastise his wife so she learns to do as she’s bidden without backchat!”

  Dino then turo us. “Ohing I agree on is we don’t have to kill you. I should, because of Janco, but so long as I get what I want, I’m an easy man to like.” He swaggered annoyingly. “Maybe you’ll ge your mind soon anyway. We’re not all here. This is the time to act. I’ll capture those rich folks you travelled with, and also wipe out Nkosi and his idiot followers. With mohe Seeds, no rivals and you doing my bidding, Khumo, Lo, South Africa is mine in its ey, the whole Aral Land my pyground. And that’s just the start…”

  Damalks too much. Though… I could see the flows of aether and elemental energies with my Eye, it seemed that he was stalling, as several powerful attacks were being prepared. If only Hermodike withdrew her permission for them to be here, it wouldn’t boot them out, but it would seriously hamper them… Of course, we weren’t idle as well. Adelheid was sweating, but she was drawing on her abilities, ready to unleash them at my signal.

  “Hey, you know, you bark awfully loud for such a little poodle.” Christina tilted her head, breaking the mood. “I mean, here you are threatening two Double Vermillion, two of the top, at that, when we in the US cssify you as what, a mere Violet at best? You should at least have an appropriate sense of scale.”

  The sudden tense mood, which was mere seds from ht battle, froze over. Until Dino ughed, a bitter, yet amused sound, his fists g. “Very funny, bitch. You’ll not be ughing in a few minutes. Nobody kill her, when we seize her I’m going to take my time with her. Ameri womeo have no respeen.”

  “I’m so terrified, Mr Violet.” Christina smirked, but she did step closer to me, her face rather pale.

  “Last ce, Khumo, Lo. It didn’t have to be this way. We’ve worked well together for now…”

  There was something off about the whole situation. Something was niggling at me. Now, how we got here made enough sense. Just as I was using informatios to look for treasure, in this case, the Seeds, Hermodike and Midas had ced upon the Seeds early and had put them to use, and now wao increase their stock, using Hermodike’s own specialised treasure seeking Favour. This, coupled with their dealing with the more powerful Chosen warlords of South Afrid Botswana, had led to this situation, where they po extort my seeds from me. Yeah, I’m not prepared to take Seeds from my other Norse Chosen, but it’s a logical pn…

  It was there things started breaking down. Hermodike seemed rather soft-hearted, and clearly didn’t want to gh with things, and Midas was hardly an evil man, from what I’d observed, though there was a ce I was wrong, certainly. Dino… now he seemed fairly trashy, but there was no need for a fight here. In fact, there was little need for Janco to act at all to start our rivalry… huh. Could it be?

  “I think we should all pause ahink things, before we regret this.” Hermodike mao speak. “It seems you are already here so… why not e in, and my husband and I will serve you…”

  “Too te.” Dino growled. “You khis day would e, Khumo.” Dino lowered his raised hand, and all hell broke loose, the immi attack, which had hung frozen for this brief versation, springing into life. “That idiot Nkosi is right. There’s no room for two lions in Africa. He’ll be getting his euppance about now, don’t worry!”

  There. I see it. I thought it was merely a grudge targeting Miss Zozibini, but… My Eye bzed with aether, focussing carefully, ahere they were. I’m covered in tiny threads of adherence. As is Dino and Midas. I see…

  Anansi’s Threads Of Fate - These maions of Fortune, Fht and Fate ect together shared destinies, in a way that allows the bearer to uand and avoid ing tricks and traps, and weave their own schemes to fool and outsmart oppos, g victory and the greater the unfair scheme overe, the greater the rewards, and the greater the fall her oppo suffers.

  I see. I overlooked that, but it makes sense now, everything that’s happened here. I moved instantly, drawiher from Hinata and Kazumi-san. They were here to get experience, learn how I ducted myself in the Boundary, but risking their safety wasn’t something I relished. I also reached out for Christina, but she resisted as best she could, shaking her head frantically, so I relinquished my grip on her.

  At the same moment, Hermodike decred “None of you are wele here. Leave the Aral Land and e as guests to our home!” I immediately felt the pressure of the hostile Territory oppress me, my efforts suddenly more difficult. Fortunately it seemed that Dino’s group was affected too.

  “Fuck you, Lo! You’ll regret this!” Dino roared, as boiling elemental energies, twisting jade and amber, fred around him. “Storms take you, fools!”

  “Jealous Judgement!” Adelheid’s own ability was unleashed, rushing over the surrounding Chosen and spiritual beings like a wave. The effort of targeting so many clearly fatigued her, but her angry blue eyes showed little fear, only anger, and hr internal aether was rising.

  “This is war, Dino!” Midas yelled, and our strahree-way battle was in full swing. Motes of golden dust filled the air, targeted towards Dino and his ies, but Midas made little effort to prevent us from being in the line of fire. “I’ll call in my forces!” he shouted to his wife, who was regarding us with wnawing on her lips as she made to retreat.

  “Be quick, the barrier is utack… huh… beh us?”

  “I have to stay…” Christina was saying while this all happe once. “Even if I die… where else I experience what it truly means to be here in this other world? Besides… my life is in your hands anyway.”

  Stupid woman. But… Proteg Hinata and Kazumi-san was noiable, but if Christina wao risk her life, that was on her. I them jured my own winds, blowing away the tiny glittering particles of deadly gold, as well as smming into the gale of winds and water called on by Dino, the storm fronts colliding with a boom like thuhat was then joined by a number more different explosive noises, as twadzagadza’s Spawn had been lying in wait below, and now chewed their way through the rock below, bursting into the yon…

  Ba the Material, Hinata and Kazumi-san opeheir eyes. I quickly asked her to call Mayumi-sae the te hour, some of the threats Dino had made were w me. Hinata didn’t hesitate, while Kazumi-san pulled out her hidden ons, a pair of loal batons, which doubled as both tasers and wind cutters.

  “What’s the situation? Are we okay?” Kazumi-san asked, clearly nervous but resolute.

  Extending my senses with aether as Hinata dialled, I shrugged. “There’s several dozen people ing. I ’t imagine all, or even most of them are Chosen, so I should be able to protect us just fine, but…”

  “I know it’s te!” Hinata was snapping as Mayumi-san answered oher end. “If this turns out to be nothing, then I’ll apologise, but… we’ve got a credible threat that a kidnapping attempt is out for you and Kira-sama! Yes, I know you have Chosen guards. Yes, yes, I knoan will never let it slide, but… oh, just put Aliyah or Treyvon on, please!” Hinata seemed exasperated by Mayumi-san’s protests.

  “…Midas and Hermodike are here somewhere too. I’d imagihey aren’t careless enough to just be diving into the Boundary from their bedrooms with us here, but… even a vault might be breached with enough time.”

  “…yes, that sounds good. Akio says you don’t have to show mercy, in fact, better you don’t! Kidnapping uninvolved members of the nobility means war. There are smarter ways to earn money…” Hinata was agreeing with whichever of Trey and Aliyah she eaking to.

  “So, what do we do?” Kazumi-san asked. “If Midas and his wife are dealt with, won’t that make things easier?”

  “Yes, but…” I wasn’t sure, but there was a better way. Gng at the near-invisible threads of adhereanglihat I was vinced only I had noticed, I frowned. “…the best way is if I just beat everyone down, and worry about things when we’re the st oanding…”

  In the Boundary, I utting those words into practice. As the winds cshed and exploded, I pushed through, heading for Dino, but one of his Chosen stepped into my path. I could have avoided him, but I was furious, so spared a moment to attack. St Moonlight fshed, and the powerful wooden armour that had covered his skin, giving him a tree-like appearance, was no defend his arm was severed, silver and ruby blood gushing everywhere. The wound started closing at a visible speed to the naked eye, though it paled pared to Daiyu’s or Eleanor’s regeion.

  The Chosen screamed some words in a native nguage, woody face twisted into an expression of hatred, and roots burst from the yon floor. Tita flying past me, one of the Spawn having swatted him, but despite coughing blood, he had ehe hit.

  Time to be quick. I sprayed the golden dust I had gathered up from Midas at the Spawn, and it breathed that in, coughing and hag, bloody foam quickly sprinkling from its massive jaws. My sword danced, and the roots were severed, along with the legs of my oppo. “Don’t do anything foolish…” I warned as his st arm flew off. “…limbs be regrown, want to try your head?”

  My cold gre halted him, just as one of Dino’s Chosen jured a strange wooden bow that shoh aether and adherence from thin air. Christina, clearly terrified by the battle raging around us, and also exultant at seeming su impossible mess, let out a noise of appreciation, but for me it roblem. It’s aimed at Hermodike…

  “Die, bitch!” Adelheid had pressured the enemy Chosen, their speeds had dropped signifitly, the weight of their karma heavy on them, so o out a bitter growl and forced through the bsting storm winds and uscles bulged, and a whistling blow hammered down. Adelheid grimaced, dodging aside, but even slowed, this Chosen was quid powerful.

  Yeah, the Chosen here seem a cut above the Japanese average. Perhaps because they’ve been battling each urly? It’s the Kodoku in a…

  Adelheid was tossed to the side, grimag and spitting blood as the punch smmed her in the fnk. Moments ter the rebound staggered the brute as Avenging Judgement triggered, and his own ribs shattered, pierg his lung. Bloody froth foamed from his lips and Adelheid leapt up, heedless of her injuries, small fists breaking his nose and cheek, her fury rising, fortifying her. I sed her quickly, seeing that while she was hurt she’d live, and turned my attention to the arrow. Midas was moving too, and with a roar a spike of goldeal the length of a finger was shot like a bullet, pierg the archer. With his other haried to form a wall of metal, but the archer, grimag despite being punctured, grinned and his arrow turned, avoiding it, before swinging back towards Hermodike.

  “You bastard…” Midas growled, and the ughing archer suddenly looked horrified as veins of gold were spreading from his injury, and moments ter he colpsed, dead, his body ising with gold enpassing his internal ans.

  “Boom!” The arrow exploded at my word, as light element struck the arrow, and Hermodike blinked, seemingly surprised.

  “Midas!” I grated, rather unhappy at how this had all pyed out. “I just came for the Seeds. I had no iion of hurting you…”

  “A hand here, man?” Titan was also spitting blood as he fought one of the Spawn, gashes bloody in his flesh, the edges bing, as the cws of the Wyrms were tainted with filth. The yon was a battleground, spiritual beings g with Midas’ newly arrived army, and up above the metal needles were shattering, Hermodike’s Buildings beiroyed, though it was ing at heavy cost, as Dino’s forces were signifitly weakened, and some Defensive Empts in the distance had opened up, brilliant bolts sniping them.

  “Sorry, one sed!” I deflected a massive spray of fang-like projectiles from one of the Chosen wearing armour made of bones, a few boung off my flesh, leaving faint scratches which began to smoke and burn, venom itg before my Ether Healing tered it. Grabbing Adelheid, I pulled her off the Chosen she had beaten to the ground a a bloody mess. Her face was ghoulish, spttered with her own and her oppo’s blood, but as I poured aether in to Heal her, reasourned. She then filed her small legs, asking to be put down.

  “Sure. Just keep Judging. And keep any eye on Christina too…” The mad stist was staring around, her mind short-circuited by the chaos, and one cheek was bleeding red and silver but she hadn’t even noticed. With that said I leapt beside Titan, and grasped one massive reptilian paw that swung down. The impact drove my feet into the ground below, but with aether surging, heightening my Might to its maximum, I twisted, and the tere long lizard flipped, smming down, exposing its vulnerable ned underbelly. Then Foehn roared, and the lizard thrashed and screamed, tail smashing rocks from the walls and also mowing down a number of attag spiritual beings. Moments ter the lizard died, and amber letters fred ay vision.

  You have gained in strength. Your Level has increased from One Hundred And Forty-eight to One Hundred And Forty-nine. Your…

  “You think this is how it ends?” Dino roared. His storm winds that had been diminished by Hermodike’s Territory suddenly surged up, and I felt a pulsing in my wrist, a resonance. “No, once I win this battle, and Nkosi’s head is mine… I’ll reign supreme! Shango’s Divine Fury!”

  Now lightning was joining the gusting winds and driving bullets of freezing rain, and Midas and me were the two main targets. Midas called upoal, several long twisted rods rising from the ground, and it drew in the forked bolts, the air stinking of ozohe storm that fred towards me suddenly twisted, and a ring of light and darkness behind me drew it in like a star orbiting a bck hole. Brilliance fred, and I grinned maliciously. “Prominence Dusk!”

  “Shit. You were holding bae…” Adelheid muttered, her small foot smashing the skull of an attag snake-like spiritual being, showing no mercy. Yeah, this is a war. On small a scale, but mercy isn’t free… She then tugged Christina baow half her face was starting to show burns and abrasions, and her clothing was full of bloody holes, the backsh from the rain of watery bullets enough to cause injury. “Fug idiot, you think this is a stroll in the park? Well here we have the damn sad, don’t we?”

  “I not speak German…” Christina managed a halting reply in that tongue, uo tear her eyes off the spectacle, her injuries seemingly nothing to her. The two remaining Spawn were rampaging, and there were bodies falling down the yon to smash on the ground around us as the two armies cshed overhead. Dino’s storm, which certainly didn’t seem like a Violet level of ability, was raging, bullets of rain, wind that sheared like bdes and booming lightning all desding like the wrath of God, was the backdrop, and the air was full of glitterial particles that were causing huge damage to anyone who came into tact with them.

  Chosen abilities were being thrown with reckless abandon, and at the tre of it all, Hermodike cowered, standing over the remains of the Norse Chosen, blood on her fad clothes, eveerritory uo protect her. And all around us were nigh-invisible strands of adherence, like we were trapped in a web, her at the tre.

  “I hate dang to other’s tunes.” I grumbled, releasing the trapped energies within Prominence Dusk. One Spawn was immediately disied by flickering fshes of dark lightning, and the battlefield fell silent, sound vanishing, before a massive thundercp echoed, and the rock wall exploded, tons of rubble sealing that end of the yon, and burying an unlucky Chosen who had fallen back a moment to recover his strength, the sound of bones shattering revealing his final fate.

  For a moment, everyone looked at me, wide-eyed, which bought me a moment to act. Light fshed, beams surging at Dino’s legs and arms, aiming to cripple him, but his storm refracted the bolts. He was winged, and two of his fingers were bsted free, which made him curse. Fortunately another of his Chosen wasn’t so lucky, and the one spamming the poisonous bone fangs toppled, his arms and legs a mass of smoking holes.

  “They are flooding in!” Hermodike shouted, pained. “We ’t hold against suumbers!”

  “You think I’m a fool…” Dino grinned, sug at his bloody stumps to stop the bleeding. “…maybe I am. I thought we’d easily have the forces here to crush you all if you decided to double e, Khumo. But… I’m a strategist. I don’t use brute force like our idiot lion friend.” He g me then. “You fix injuries like this, it seems. How about I don’t take out my anger on your fiancée, and you put my fingers back before I strip you of your Seeds and your powers. I’m a kind man, I’ll leave you your life, if you piss off back to…” He dodged as light fshed. “…now, now. Don’t be like…” He screamed as the ground exploded underh him, and a single bullet of rock ripped into his thigh. He was solid, and protected by an armour of gusting wind, which prevented him from losing his leg, but I wasn’t done.

  “Burst!” The rock bullet, which I had created beh my feet and moved through the ground to strike him as he threatened Hinata, detonated, and Foehn which had been trapped inside gushed out. His screams as his leg was engulfed in the burning yelloalm was musiy ears.

  Christina cpped as if watg aing py, and I once more wo her sanity. Midas took that moment to create a long sword fed from gold, auck it through the chest of one of Dino’s hapless Chosen, who quickly perished, blood and gold frothing from his mouth. Titan wasn’t idle either, proving why he remiere Ameri Chosee a pin ability, as he grabbed a fallen boulder, hefting it above him, and with a grunt, hurled it, ploughing through a number of attackers.

  “You… fucks. Think… this is… over? I… ’t believe…” I wasn’t going to give him the ce to respond, and a bolt of lightning pierced his head, his brain fring to ash. Even then, he was smiling, and I had a bad feeling.

  “…have to show my… real… ability…” His voice was dang on the gales he had created, and as his body disied, not into aether but a surging cloud of lightning, his ughter echoed on the winds. “Living Embodiment Of The Storm…”

  Ba the Material, I attacked like the storm myself. The ordinary thugs, who were burly men armed with Russian and ese-make automatic rifles, were instantly taken down, their wrists and ankles broken, since I was in no mood for mercy. One Chosen was leading them, and he was one I had seen at the ga but who hadn’t spoken, and my Eye detected more of the strange spider-strands of adherence binding him.

  “You’re here? Huh?” He seemed fused to see me, especially as I had dispatched the intruders in mere moments.

  “I’m wherever I o be.” My fist smmed into him, and even with his enhaats he was helpless to resist. “That’s mine…” I didn’t have time to mess around making him safe, so I quickly wrenched out his Favour, repairing just enough damage to prevent his life being endangered, but without more Healing ent medical attention, he would be left with sting injuries. As I dealt with him, I suddenly panicked, as I heard a shout.

  “Akio-san, it’s…” Kazumi-san’s cry bellowed, and I moved only to see another Chosen had appeared, a small, non-descript dark-skinned man with shaven head and intricate bck tattoos c most of his exposed skin, even his face. Kazumi-san had attacked him with her batons, but now blood was gouting from her shattered arms, but despite that, she had ed her legs around him and was trying to bite out his throat, after g out so I could hear.

  My Eye didn’t spot him. Damn, I should remember my Eye is awesome but not infallible. It couldn’t tell the differeween Ginneka, Kinneka and the weaselkin maids inally, either. If this is a stealth-orientated Favour…

  Hinata was staring at Kazumi-san in horror, but worse, the phone in her hand was squawking out noises of battle, and I could hear loud cursing in English over it. Fortunately even with my focus split between here and the Boundary I could think and act without a pause, so I vanished in a shower of indigo light and then Kazumi-san was in my arms. Behihe man was blinking in surprise, as if w how I covered the intervening distan an instant, as if telep. Then he was w just where his arms had gone, as he colpsed to the ground, the walls painted red.

  “It’s fine. You did good.” I assured Kazumi-san as I began to repair her arms, but she stopped me.

  “I tried, but against him I was just too slow. I’m… resolved.” She g Hinata, who was shaking, uo such violence, but trying to hold herself together, as she knew she’d o be prepared for it to happen again iure. “Hinata, Akio.” I noticed she dropped my honorific, perhaps due to the stress. “I don’t care about the means. I need power! I’ll give up anything for it. I never want to be so helpless again.”

  Setting down Kazumi-san, I shook my head. “Later. For now…” I snatched the phone. “What’s the situation…?”

  “Bad, fug bad…” Aliyah groaned as though she was coughing up blood herself. Fortunately her phone was lio wireless mid earbuds so she could talk and fight. “Like we thought, those paper tigers were dogshit. We’re fug lucky… that… they uimated Trey and me. But… it’s still not looking good… I…” With that the pho off, following a loud g noise.

  Listening to the suddeone, Hinata looked at me, brown eyes wide with worry. “Akio… Mayumi… Kira-sama… will they… what if…”

  “It should be fine.” I reassured her, taking a moment to give her a soothing hug, before I apologised out loud to Midas and Hermodike. “Sorry, I’ll pay for the damn repairs.” I punched a fist through the wall and tore out a ton of internal wiring, pster and wood scattering everywhere, before releasing a surge of dark element into the mind of the armless Chosen, knog him out, before binding his legs behind his bad tying them to his neck, so if he struggled he’d strangle himself.

  “Anyway… Dino was talking about ransom. Worst case I’ll pay for their return. Hostages have to be treated well to have value. But…” I grimaced. “We o get back there soon… shit, a worldwide Ring Gate work would be so handy… when I’m Astral Emperor, that’s the first w I’ll impose…”

  Hinata forced a smile, pretending she was cheered by that, while ba the Boundary the situation was simultaneously calming and being more tense. Without Dino, and with Adelheid’s Jealous Judgement weighing them down, the Chosen and their forces were crumbling. Midas was infuriated, and spikes of goldeal had torn from the ground, pierg another Chosen, transmuting them to a gleaming, screaming statue.

  Adelheid had just finished beating down a number of snake-like spiritual beings, trampling them underfoot, and with a barrage of rock bullets I had filled with Foehn, the final Spawn had colpsed and was dying too. The battle on top of the yon had ended as well, though Midas’ forces had beely diminished.

  “Was this worth it?” I narrowed my eyes. “Worst case, you could have id cim to the Seeds that you earned yourselves. I’d probably have walked away.” It would have pained me, but as long as I get the ones from America, those should be enough.

  “Worth it?” One of the st standing Chosen under Dino scoffed. He was trying to appear calm, but I could see by the expression on his face he hadn’t expected things to go so disastrously. “You think we’ve lost?”

  “Looks like losing to me.” Adelheid spat. “But what beaten dogs do but yap?”

  Christina giggled at that, though then she winced. Veins of gold were slowly creeping through her skie my efforts, the chaotic melee had obviously spread Midas’ poisonous gold element past my defences. With a sigh, I cut into her flesh, using my Eye to guide me, and as blood tainted with gold aher sprayed from her wounds, flesh mending, she nearly passed out from the pain.

  “No kidding.” Titan agreed, taking a moment to catch his breath. “But this ain’t done, ya know.”

  “It is. If you’re relying on the forces attag the house, I’ve dealt with them. The stealthy, tattooed bastard really pissed me off. He’s very fortunate he isn’t dead. Now call Dino back here a him to call off the kidnapping ba Cape Town. Otherwise I am going to annihite you all, root and branch, iional diplomacy be damned. I o set an example that nobody profits from messing with those under my prote.”

  “You think Dino cares what we think?” One of the bone-armoured Chosen muttered, from where he was lying broken and bloody against a pile of rocks. “We only joined him because it was that or death. Sure, his favoured bastards got these Seeds… but he’s always in it for himself. Just as now…” He nodded knowingly. “We’re all… warriors here. The rewards… for defeating an enemy here…”

  A sudden look of horror passed over Hermodike’s features. A fsh of distant lightning pierced the sky, and a pilr of storms ected the skies and the earth. Moments ter the oppression of the Territory that I had been suppressing vanished, and Hermodike coughed blood, going limp and colpsing, As she did so Midas roared out in rage, howling the name “Dino!” to the sky in elongated fury.

  Everyone seemed to be stunned, frozen, and then I vanished, sprays of vivid violet motes of light scattering, and I the ptform where the remains of the Norse Chosen were, and I caught the falling woman, Eye bzing. Blood then bloomed as a dozen golden spikes hammered into my body, and I could feel the tagious gold eveing away at the aether my body was using for Ether Healing. With a grimace I unleashed Foehn within me, searing away at that and my own flesh and blood. Amber letters blinked ay vision, but now wasn’t the time.

  “Back the fuck off. I’m trying to help…” Her Divine Favour was being ripped from her, and I repaired the damage as best I could. But that wasn’t my entire aim. Aether flooded from me like a storm, adherence as well. With a curse, I drew out everything I had, and grasped the eg threads that were tearing the Favour from her. The Favour started to deform, but I halted the transmission. The moment I did so, I could sehe one oher end, Dino.

  I see. It’s like that, is it? You’re one cold bastard, but… The spider-like threads of Adherence around me were vibrating, and even as my flesh burned, I grinned balefully. “…for now she’s stable, but Dino’s quering her. What about your Territory?”

  Midas, who was about to charge me, ground to a halt. “It’s true, I’m utack, but…”

  “In that case, we have to things up quickly.” I advised, my gaze turning back to Dino’s remaining forces. “Every sed ts…”

  Seeing the cold, gring eyes of me, Midas, Adelheid and Titan, g their numbers and powerful Spawn, the remaining Chosen faltered… Yeah, dealing with the minions isn’t too hard, but… Dino’s far more powerful thaicipated, so… With a grimace, feeling a little guilty, but taking it for my payment, I expahe web of adherend aether I was weaving, and plu down into the remains of the Norse Chosen. Immediately a huge rush of energy filled me, and as more letters scrolled ay vision, time froze once more…

  You have gained in strength. Your Level has increased from One Hundred And Forty-Nine…

  ShipTeaser