With a grunt of pain, I pleted another space-traversing step, ing to a rest outside the hotel we had been staying at, stumbling and crashing very painfully into a parked car outside. My feet were barely held together by strips of sinew, now mostly just bones, and blood was sloshing from my boots when I moved. Yeah, doesn’t matter how tough I am, the adherence of the Geas is more than capable of overwhelming me… but…

  Ether Healing was w and given time I would make a full recovery. As the owner of the car, which seemed to be a police vehicle, panicked, leaping out and pulling a gun on me, shouting at me to stop, I raised my hands ciliatorily. “Sorry. I’m with the guests here… though that may be hard to believe.” I looked down, seeing my ragged state. It had been thhly exhausting, using my new Skill to traverse the whole of South Afri what was surely only minutes. Even with the greater produ and effiy spatial element, I was running oy, only enough to make space travelling steps a few more times.

  So yeah, this Skill doesn’t solve all my problems. At least not yet. Sure, I get where I o go fast, but if I had to make it back to Britain or Japan, I wouldn’t be able to do it. Unless I Rank up the Skill and my Chakra of course. I’ll work on it…

  The stress of using so many plicated Split Thoughts had likely strained me, as my thoughts were rag a bit, but ba the Boundary, I was finishing up dealing with Dino’s followers, who had lost all hope seeing Dino vanish, his form of wind and lightning disiing. I was also further Healing Midas and Hermodike, making sure they would survive the quering of their Anchors and the subsequent removal of their Favours.

  Taking a deep breath, letting my Resilience calm me, I was about to speak, when I head a familiar voice, though the words were slurred and hard to uand. “Watch… where you’re… toug, jackass. I’m fug hurt…”

  Gng over at the hotel, which was crawling with armed guards, the police as well as a small military detat, the rid important guests being ferried out by their own security, I could see Aliyah and Trey being carried out by an emergency medical team on stretchers. I felt relief when they were still alive, despite having spoken to her only a few minutes ago. Seeing is believing.

  “I o question you!” the Officer was saying. “This is a restricted se!” He pointed his gun at me, but I ignored him.

  “Later!” I promised, rushing over. On seeing me, Aliyah cracked a smile, her expression wildly ghoulish with her face a ruih missing and one eye blind. “You… don’t look so good.” I managed, feeling rather guilty that she had to face Chosee not being one.

  “No shit…” she managed. “I bet… I look… better than… I fug feel. But… you ain’t… got time to be here, jackass. The rich girl, her na?ve… little bodyguard… and the old… man…”

  Trey, who looked ier shape, though he had clearly been battered and shot a number of times, his limbs all braced up, grunted his agreement.

  “Aliyah’s right. We’re not dead, so… you fix us, ’t you? Get the hell out there and find them… letting kids die isn’t right. Besides…”

  “…they trusted… you’d keep them… safe.” Aliyah mahough the efforts exhausted her. The medics attending to her s her to calm down and sleep, trying to administer ahetics to knock her out, but she cursed them to silence, before tinuing, fixih her ghoulish ruiare. “…I know the old man… would say he’s… used to kidnapping attempts… but… isn’t this why everyos… you… in charge?” The long versation seemed to exhaust her, and she squeezed her remaining eye shut, before f out a final few words. “Prove you’re… worth it, bastard.”

  “What my sis wants to say is… do what you , s.” Trey managed, bringing a weary snort from his sister. “This wasn’t your fault, but… that doesn’t always make it easier. Now… they ’t have gooo far… you got back so quickly. No idea how. But… shit, if they’re smart, they’ll go to ground, hide…”

  I nodded, quickly p a little Healing into both of them. It wasn’t enough to effey major repairs, but it further pushed them out of danger and eased their pain. “Don’t worry…” My Eye bzed brilliantly, strohahe amber glow surprising the polid military around us. I could see the anding Officer, who seemed to be in charge, with the hotel manager, and he was ing this way.

  “…they ’t escape me. They won’t escape.” P aether into my Eye, further strengthening it, I felt a brief wave of dizziness as it was like I was a bird of prey, with incredible visual acuity. I usually do this when I’m stargazing with Eri… how I wish I was having that sort of fun now… It was harder on my brain, as I could also see through most ordinary obstacles, so the processing of visual data was abnormally high. Leaping up onto a nearby ambuhen up onto one of the oral trees that were pnted on the approach to the hotel, I quickly cmbered to the top, extending my visual rahere. Got you…

  I could see a non-descript four-by-four truck speeding towards the outskirts of Cape Town. In the back, only Ichijou-san was close to calm, Mayumi-san ale-faced and hyperventiting, a woman with a cruel-looking face beside her, while Katana-san was tied up with what looked like industrial copper wire, one arm broken, her face swelling. I guess she tried to resist…

  There was a driver, as well as tw-looking men, rounding off the passengers, and they were armed with guns. So I’ll o be careful… but again, at least they’re alive. As the anding Officer who was attending this i shouted up to me, I ignored him, vanishing in a spray of purple motes of energy which quickly faded behind me like a shower of violet ashes, my rec feet suddenly ripped apart again, bones crag.

  Landing suddenly on the bo of a car travelling around sixty kilometres an hour was nothing to me, but I did worry for the passengers, especially Katana-san, who was injured. Fortuhey’d all had Chirurgery, so even Ichijou-san was strohan the average adult in their prime. I elled aether, dispersing the force of deceleration, coing them, but the driver of the car wasn’t so lucky, his head smmed forwards into the wheel, stunning him. The other ordinary thug was thrown forwards, seatbelt preventing him from taking injury, though he was dazed, and his gun fell free.

  The two Chosen obviously weren’t halted, and the stone-faced woman, a hint of cruelty in her eyes, brandished a pair of brutal-looking scissors towards Mayumi-san’s face. Mayumi-san was hollow-cheeked and with a dead stare, barely responsive, but as the woman decred “Whoever the fuck you are, back off, or else I might…” I unleashed a precise barrage of light and wind elements. The scissors fell from her hands as her wrist ierced, blood blooming, and her body unctured in multiple other pces, cutting important muscles and tendons, rendering her helpless. The back window shattered as my wind struck it, glittering shards of gss sh out into the night, surrounded by a citrine glow. The woman the sailing out of the window, trailing streams of blood, hitting the pavement hard and rolling across the road with a pained cry and curses.

  The sed Chosen was alseted, but his skin was suddenly covered in a metallic sheen. It wasn’t enough to fully prevent my focused beams of ser-like light from doing him injury, but metal liquefied and seared his skin underh. My wind smmed him, but his weight was heavier than expected, so he merely hammered into the door, which buckled uhe impact, rather than flying out of the vehicle.

  I deal with that. Kig through the cracked and pierced windshield, shattering it, ign the knifing pains in my feet, I grabbed the Chosen, driving into him like a spear. We crashed out of the car, and he nded below me, his metallic armour still shielding him from the worst impacts. His fists filed at me, his face twisted into a rictus of paio the burns and craters my ser light had left on his skin, but I grabbed his wrists, my Eye glowing as my face twisted into a baleful expression.

  “You shouldn’t have goer those of us who don’t fight.” I warned. He tried to headbutt me, but my elbow cracked his metal pting, dazing him. “Now… you have to pay for what you’ve done…”

  Screams rang out as I quickly severed free his Favour, not paying too much care in how I dealt with his Chakra work. A quick pass of Healing to keep him alive, and he had fainted, metal skin vanishing. His injuries were suddenly severe enough to keep him in rough shape, but I had little sympathy for him, especially seeing the wretched state of Katana-san and Mayumi-san’s withdrawn, terrified stare. I could see that Ichijou-san, with the experience of age, and the vigour of Chirurgery, was n to uana-san now the opportunity preseself.

  The woman had dragged herself to her feet and was swearing in a sulphuric mix of what robably Afrikaans, English and some other native tongues. She could barely move, but her eyes were full of hatred as she scowled at me, and a surge of aether was rising, poisonous fog leaking from her mouth, nose and ears. Behind me, Ichijou-san cried out a warning. “Be careful, Akio-kun! That smoke turns into deadly poisonous snakes, it killed my hired guards…”

  “Too te!” the woman ughed, cag madly, blood sheeting down her battered face, as she jerked and shuffled like a zombie. “May Mammb you the misfortune you deserve!”

  “You’re a slow learner…” I observed, pletely uned. A jade typhoon surged around me, and the snakes of poisonous smoke were torn apart into a ball of pressed gas. I let a little leak out, and it burhe flesh of my finger I exteo it, but Ether Healing quickly adapted to it, rest the corroding, bing flesh to healthy pink in short order.

  Mammbo’s Braiing Venom was what my body identified it as, and apparently it caused necrosis, swelling and fatal damage to the brain and nervous system. Though with my Ether Healing at the Rank it was, to me it was rgely harmless. Seeing that, the woman snapped, howling and cursing, but moments ter she was quiet, lying on the ground, rog silently, as her Divine Favour was torn free, finishing this little skirmish.

  Turning back to the hostages in the wrecked vehicle, I paused for a sed, as my Eye fred e all of a suddeers scrolling ay vision, along with a strange feeling of… fort. Setting that aside for a moment, I wrehe door free from the vehicle, befrabbing Katana-san and lifting her clear.

  “It’s fine, let me deal with this.” I g Ichijou-san’s hands, which were bruised where he had tried to use the fallen shears to cut the thick wire binding her. “Here.” I let out Ether Healing, soothing his aches.

  “I am not the one in need, Akio-kun.” He insisted. “Ohta- here, she saw a ce when they were struggling to get us into the car and tried to help Mayumi escape…”

  “Don’t worry…” Wires flew free as I effortlessly sliced them apart, though not before wing as every step I was taking, and even standing right now, was less than fun on bloody feet. “I’ve plenty left iank. So, just what happerey and Aliyah are alive at least, but I’ll have to take some time fixing them up…”

  I pushed Katana-san’s broken arm into pce, careful to numb her pain as much as possible. Bone kogether and bruised and torn flesh began trow, the swelling in her face going down. I then frowned. “Sorry, this will hurt for a sed…” I reached into the surprised girl’s mouth and gripped a tooth. With a sharp motion I pulled it free, and she yowled, even with the pain numbed. Moments ter, her jaw began to itch, and slowly a ooth was restructed, filling in the gap that was occupied by a broken mor.

  “I’m grateful…” Katana-san muttered, looking at the broken tooth I was holding, which must have happened when she was hit. “But you shouldn’t be so careless with a woman. Hinata-sama will scold you.”

  “She’d probably find it funny. Whether Shaeu’s corrupted her, or she was like that before…” I shook my head. “That’s not important. I’m not going to leave you needial work, and when it es to teeth, it’s a lot easier trow a new ohan fix a brokehe same with Eyes… sadly…” Saying a silent prayer for Aliyah, I grimaced.

  “I am gd they survived. They fought well and would have id down their lives for us. Truly professional.” Ichijou-san approved. “Uhe Chosen Ichijou house uhed. Hinata- was right after all. They truly were inferior to you, Akio-kun. But then, nobody is invincible. Your panions mao kill one of the enemies, by w together and putting their lives on the line.”

  “I’ll be sure to give them a bonus, and I’d love to give them a vacation, but… not just yet.” Katana-san had regained her colour, and was w her restored arm, spinning it in circles to check her range of motion was restored. Seeig, she flushed a little, before carrying on the expnation.

  “Ordinarily, there was in risking Ichijou-sama and Mayumi-sama’s safety by any reckless as, but as we were taken away, I came to the clusion that they wouldn’t hurt them physically, due to wanting ransom and not wanting to provoke the Japaoo far. I would only have been riskialiation on my own person, which I was more than prepared to risk.” she fided, her word choid tone much more rexed and informal with me than I had ever heard from the quiet, reserved, often male-dressed girl. It’s not like I know her as well as Kazumi-san or Michiru-san, but… her attitude has ged.

  “Mayumi-san…” She looked over at her charge, her face ed, as Mayumi-san was still sitting there quietly. I had also knocked out the other ordinary thugs with precise flicks of wind, so there was no danger, but her quiet was… unnerving. If not ued. She’s been through a traumatic experie seems…

  “…she started to panic. She was calm at first, but that woman…” Katana-san turned and gred venomously at the fallen Chosen who I had robbed of her Favour. “…couldn’t resist taunting Mayumi-sama with those scissors, saying what she’d like to do if the ransom wasn’t paid, about how a finger or an ear or a nipple would make a wonderful e to pay up, and that she could snip off something else daily until the ransom aid…” If looks could kill, the woman would certainly be dead from Katana-san’s fury. “When the moment came that they tried to bundle her into the car, I saw my ce. I reacted, but… it was useless. I’m just not strong enough.” Her fury faded, now repced by self-loathing. “I was right, fortunately. They beat me, but even I have value as a hostage, it seems. Though they did threaten to hurt Mayumi-sama if I tried anything in future. In ways that wouldn’t show up.”

  “Don’t worry, they won’t be hurting anyone anymore. They’re done. You’ll make sure of it, won’t you Ichijou-san? Anyway, you call a car to take you all to the hospital? I’ll meet you there to make sure everyone is fine. I have a … small matter… to deal with first.”

  “Yes, I’ll ha. This is an iional i. Another o seems you have either very terrible, or rather fantastic luck, depending on how you look at it.” Ichijou-san rubbed at his bearded idly, trying tain his poise. “Oh, and enough with the formality. Just call me uncle Kira. And I’m sure Mayumi doesn’t need a stuffy -san from you. I would say she’s cute enough to be a - at the least!”

  “Uncle?” I raised an eyebrow at his unusual request. Before I could ent on his advanced age, he snorted light-heartedly.

  “Yes, while we are called the Three Grandfathers by the nobility, and it’s a title of respect, I’m as sprightly as a younger man, especially after your Chirurgery. Mayumi and my family won’t be burning inse for me any time soon, so yes, uncle will do.”

  “As for me… I see you as a fellow warrior.” Katana-san dipped her head in resped thanks. “You kept your word and saved us. So simply call me as you would a close friend. Though…” She paused for a moment, fused. “You were in Botswana. How did you get back here? There’s none of th Gates here, is there?”

  “And how’s Hinata-?” Ichijou-san… no, Kira-san, I supposed, asked, ed. “I hope she’s safe too?”

  I nodded. “Yes, there was trouble, a lot of it, and things got messy. I think my dreams of squeezing in a few side trips before I go to America have died…” I sighed at that. Still, a certairieval of Egil Andersen’s body and Seeds is better than a potential recovery from other locations. This has taught me I o secure what I and go from there. “…I think we’ll need Minister Morita-san in on this mess.” I said another silent prayer, this time to Morita Yuna-san, who was Japan’s Minister for Spiritual Matters.

  “That bad, huh? Worse than this?” He frowned, and I shrugged in response.

  “Potentially. Though so long as we get out of the situation without any major iional tensions it will have been worth it. Though we lost two Chosehis mess…”

  “Better we found out they were unreliable now, rather than when you weren’t here to intervene.” Katana-san shook her head, coldly pragmatic, perhaps remembering their performance.

  “Ohta- is right. It was a terrible experience, but… it worked out in the end. I always choose to look on the bright side. It’s why I became a monk in my golden years. Not that I was able to stick it out. Too wedded to Earthly pleasures, I’m afraid.”

  As Katana-san ughed softly, Mayumi-san stirred, her thoughts seemingly rebooting. She blinked her brow us, before looking around, seeing the two Chosen who mentally tormented her lyien and broken on the road, the vehicle she was travelling in wrecked, with unsen inside. She shuddered, befingerly cmbering out, though her shaking hands betrayed her fear.

  “She’s Katana, grandfather! I gave her a perfectly good name!” Mayumi-san’s voice was as bright as ever, though an octave lower, and the quaver in her words was ann she was on the edge of panic.

  “Maybe so, but… I think she’d rather be Ohta- right now.” At his words, the bodyguard blushed, looking down. “Anyway, Mayumi. Now isn’t the time, but… let this be a lesson to you. No matter how old our family, and how iial, a madman with skill and strength undo it all. Now more than ever. But…” Seeing his granddaughter’s pale face, he relented. “We talk about this ter. When things have… calmed down somewhat. Hinata- should be involved as well. Since she carries the same burden now.”

  “Not quite the same.” I shook my head. “Hinata… she ow protect herself.”

  “I see.” Kira-san uood from my words. “A be indeed, but… problematic. Yes, poor Morita-san will have her work cut out for her. Anyway…” He made a call, and soon sirens were bring, polid an ambuning our way. “…you have business, you said?”

  “It shouldn’t take long.” I advised. “Then I’ll regroup with you all at the hospital. We’ll need a new hotel, anyway…”

  “Are you… don’t go!” Mayumi-san suddenly grasped my sleeve, face ghostly white. She seemed surprised she had, and was embarrassed, but her fear overwhelmed her. “I… look, we could still be targeted!”

  “It’s fine. I’m just stepping away for a couple of minutes.” I gently disentangled her fingers from my arm. “If there’s any dao you all, I’ll stride ba a moment. Just like I did this time.”

  For a moment there was silence, Mayumi-san looking at her hand I had touched, face pink, before she nodded, and managed in a tiny voice. “See that you do. Hinata… Hinata would be very sad were I to e to harm. I hope… you would be too, Akio-kun.”

  “I sure would.” I agreed. Yes, Mayumi-san is incredibly frustrating, self-entitled and haughty, but… she’s Hinata’s best friend. And I wouldn’t want any girl to gh terrible kidnappings ahreatened with cruel tortures…

  “Good. Good!” Mayumi-san’s tone grew firmer. “Katana, grandfather… we should be careful. Maybe we should take the guns?”

  As Katana-san tried tue why that was a terrible idea, I waved, before heading off a short distaurning down some smaller, more deserted streets, my Eye guiding me. Once I reached my destination, I could see two figures dressed rgely in red, ones I had expected, ever sihis mess erupted.

  “Rha! You look like some shit a monkey’s been throwing, Hero.” Nkosi shough his expression didn’t look particurly hostile. “What happeo your fug feet? You’re walking like an old woman carrying a five-gallon jug of water ten miles from a watering hole.”

  “It’s simply the price of being fast.” I snorted, unwilling to humour the man. His beads had seeer days, a number of them missing, and others were smeared with blood, as was his chest, but he seemed unharmed.

  “Indeed. It is like the tale of the Antelope, who on being called to aid Anansi, ran until his feet were bloody and raw to outpace the fmes, carrying the spider on his back away from the bushfire. You strode o raw, yet here you are, in time again.” Zozibini spoke in a sing-song voice, as if narrating. “And the moral of that Spider Tale? No good deed goes unrewarded.”

  “Good deeds, huh?” I frowned. “It was all you. From when the Scales Of Judgement were produced, to Midas and his attempt to take from me, Dino and his treachery, the atta the hotel…”

  “Best keep a civil tongue…” Nkosi scowled in what I could only feel was dramatic irony. “This isn’t Japan, this is South Africa! Our home. Rha! Show us some damn respect.”

  “Oh I am. I’m resisting the urge to lose my temper.” I assured him.

  “Don’t wreat Nkosi.” Zozibini soothed, her beautiful dark hair swirling in the o breeze, perfectly matg the wine-red suit she wore. “He will not attack us. After all, he knows how the Spider weaves his Threads, and how they pull.”

  “It’s not like we did nothing. We took out most of those sent to the hotel by that pair of dangling balls Dino. Is he… dead?” Nkosi asked.

  “I should say so.” I agreed. “Midas and his wife aren’t, though… their story likely ends here. As for attag…”

  “I’m Qamata’s shining sun.” Nkosi scoffed, waving his spear. “If you do, you’ll get burnt to ashes.”

  “I don’t think so.” I disagreed. “But… I’d like to ask about… As the Fairy Mmoatia, you have navigated this story, this web of intereg tales and strands of Fate and Fortune. Along with Osebo the Leopard, and those in your service, you evaded being a mere partit, strangled by the weavings of the web, and now your story tinues, as a seed of the great Wisdom of the World.” I repeated the first part of the message I had seen once I had defeated the Chosen who abducted Mayumi-san and the others.

  “That’s too perfect. Fuck me…” Nkosi wheezed, ughing uproariously. “He now calls himself the Fairy. You had him pegged, Zozibini.”

  “As always, you are amused by the wrong thing, great Nkosi.” Zozibini chided him, before smiling at me, alluring and brilliant. She was geous ordinarily, but I had a feeling she had a phenomenal Charm Statisti top of that too. “Yes, none was better suited to be the Fairy Mmoatia than you. For you are ly human, are you?”

  “Human enough. But that’s only a bel, nowadays, and I’m sure you know that.”

  At my words, she nodded. “Of course. The Aors and other powerful beings who dwell within the Aral Land… there are those eaceful, kind, sharing, wise. And those that are warlike, cruel, avaricious and foolish. Just as we humans are. Iories, the Spider Tales, animals, forces of nature, tales themselves, have sapience, are beings as fwed and with the potential of us humans. Sometimes we fet that, dreaming that we are the masters of our fate. But no… we are just walking on spider webs ourselves.”

  “That doesn’t mean you’re not culpable. People died.” I pointed out, and she shrugged.

  “You wished your Seeds, no? Dino wished yours, as did Midas and his unfortunate wife. The pyers assemble, the tale was due to be lived. All I did articipate, alongside great Nkosi here.”

  “And what did you wish for? The Seeds?” I asked, and it was Nkosi who answered.

  “Rha! Don’t be a stupid pile of rhino shit. That power isn’t for us! Too chaotic, too… hard to handle. No, I just wanted Dino and his group of hippo-fuckers dealt with.”

  “But that’s a lot of South Africa’s Chosen lost… isn’t that a ? I thought you were a patriot, the Lion of Africa?” I ignored his thoughts on the Seeds. He wasn’t wrong, it had led Dino to his ruin, but that wasn’t necessarily the fault of the Seeds, just that the temptation of power, the improper use, was too much for those without a strong will.

  “And I suppose you let all the rotten fucks who get drunk on power just wander around Japan?” Nkosi scoffed, equal parts offended and amused. “Dino and his scum are vultures, hyenas. No, that’s a fug insult to carrioers. They’re locusts. They’ll eat a without a fug care, until nothing is left but ruin. Then they’ll turn on each other. Best cut out the rot.”

  “Great Nkosi is so passiohe fate of Afri his shoulders.” Zozibini ughed musically. “But to act ourselves… that is troublesome. Not just us here in South Afrid Botswana, but across the ti, we fight, we solidate, and we make agreements. Some would call us warlords…”

  “I prefer tribal leaders…” Nkosi muttered, and she tinued.

  “…but we are bringing harmony, proteg our is and that of South Afrid its inhabitants. Much as you are doing in Japan. So… while we fight often, and many of us perish…”

  I see. “It helps your cause now that I, an outsider, came in a with them. I be a warning, an iive, and your hands are . I’m impressed.”

  “You don’t sound very happy.” Nkosi chuckled.

  “Because I’m not. You used me, and while I live with that, for the right reasons… you put Hinata, Mayumi-san, the others in danger!”

  Seeing I was furious, Zozibini shook her head. “You misuand. I merely tugged orands a little. To cim I direct the stories is hubris. I merely guide our roles a little. Had you not sought your Seeds, the tale would have pyed out rather differently, with Dino, the one you call Midas, and great Nkosi g. We would have suffered great losses, though I daresay in the end, we would hold wisdom, ales ours.”

  “Take responsibility for your own as, Hero.” Nkozi sneered. “Fuck, we do for our own. If you feel aggrieved, I don’t mind taking you on, spear to spear, but… sure, you lost a couple of guys, Chosen, you call them. I think whatever God smiled on them was more of an ass than Antelope, when Rabbit tricked her into a pot and cooked her alive. They’re useful for nothing but being prey for the strong.”

  Appalled at his callousness, I grimaced. “And if it was your people who died to my scheming? I think just like Dino, you think because I’m polite and reserved and don’t like trouble, I’m a pushover!”

  “Hardly.” Zozibini assured me. “It is simply that you are a reasonable man. I saw that during the i with the Scales Of Judgement. It is hard to hide alterations to the Tales from me, I seugging orands. You asked your little blonde girl to aid me. And no good deed goes unrewarded. She is now part of this story and received some of your rewards.”

  The rewards, huh. It’s true… In addition to the amber text I had thought on previously, I also received two points in Fht, two points of Fortune, and four points of Fate. Intangible stats were hard to raise, so the rewards weren’t insignifit. Despite that…

  “You put those under my prote at risk! And one of the girls isn’t doing so well, she’s traumatised by the whole affair.” Fortunately, Haru likely help, though I feel bad adding more to her schedule.

  “Quit your damn bitg. Rha!” Nkosi shook his head, running a hand through his fiery hair. “You ’t expee to our try and treat it like it’s your own, taking what you want. sider it a toll. Besides, you mao protect what matters most, didn’t you?” He turned his head and spat, earning a disapproving frown from Zozibini. “So you weren’t asked if you wao take part. You ask everyone you’ve fought?”

  “What great Nkosi means to say…” Zozibini interjected, calming the rising tension. “…is that stories without risk have no rewards. But we do feel a measure of responsibility, since you aided me, asking for nothing. But si seems your panions are the wronged party… we shall ask them what they would deem as suitable pensation. I would not think you weak. Though being overly kind is weakness, many of the Spider’s Tales end poorly for those too na?ve and soft-hearted to protect themselves and others. Yet just as in this tale, good deeds be rewarded. But casting down Dino and Khumo is no easy feat. Even with your feet…” She smiled gently at my disfort. “…I would perish in a moment, and great Nkosi… it would be a fight for the ages, lion versus alligator.”

  “In your case, it would be more like trig Elephant and Whale into pulling the rope against each other, not you, woman.” Nkosi snorted. “Noill e another day, to talk about this shit. Don’t you have somewhere to be?”

  With one final grimace, I nodded. “Don’t think this is over. I just o make sure everyone is safe before we discuss this further.”

  “Rha! I’m so scared of you, I’m shaking.” Nkosi snorted sarcastically. “e, woman. It’s te… no, early, so I need my bed.”

  With that the two departed, Zozibini smiling warmly at me before she turned away, and I was left scratg my head. I had a definite urge to punish them, regardless of their iions, it had almost goremely badly for Kira-san and his granddaughter, Katana-san too… but in the end it wasn’t so easy. This isn’t Japan, I ’t do as I please. Holy, I ’t even do it bae, though I certainly have more freedom due to my bag, so long as I don’t go too far…

  I pulled out my cracked phone, sighing. I would o buy a rept, an expense I’d never have tenanced six months ago. There was a message from Kira-san, expining they were on route to the hospital, but that the polid military of South Africa would be meetihere, for an informal chat. Sihe Japanese embassy was ioria, ihe British Ambassador to South Africa was ing to assist us, since he was at the Kumba-Stillwater ga and hadn’t returned yet. The Japanese Ambassador was on his way, while the head of the local Japanese sute of Cape Town was on route and would arrive immily.

  Yeah, this is going to be a headache and a half…

  Ba the Boundary, I had finished with the Favour colle. I was actually holding five now, which was fairly unsustaihough fortunately breaking dowy of others had given me enough adhereo st for quite some time. Donovan’s old Favour, that from Taranis, was now paired with Shango’s from Dino, as well as the most suitable one remaining from his followers, a martial Favour from Nkunim, a god of victory in battle, and now the poisonous snakes of Mammbo, and the metallic blessing from ògún, a warrior and master of metalwork.

  This is an even bigger bounty thahe ese invaded. But it’s a great loss to Earth. Though I daresay the Gods might disagree, as during this mini Kodoku ritual here, I swallowed up a lot of the other is and grew stronger and more venomous…

  Fortunately, the battles seemed over, so my fyed sciousness, overworked wildly having to perform so many attacks, feats and careful ws of Ether Healing and Chirurgery in both realms at once, was now able to calm down. Soon, I had restored Hermodike to reasonable health, and she opened her eyes, face twisted in an expression of pain, before she suddenly remembered where she was and what had happened.

  “No, Dino… he… husband, where are you?” She looked around, only to gasp in horror as she saw Midas lying unscious beside her.

  “It’s fine.” I assured her, and she looked at me in fear, clutg her golden scarf, bracelets rattling around her arms, aher began to rise, despite the loss of her Favour. “He’s lost the Territory and Ajé-Shaluga’s Favour, but I’ve Healed him through the worst of it, and like you, he’ll recover.”

  At my words, the aether died down, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The scarf of golden hair and the other jewellery she wore were items crafted by Midas using his enhanced Favour, and they were actually rather potent in defence. If Dino had attacked her directly, rather than taking out her Territory, it might have gone poorly for him. Gng at her husband, she turned bae. “And Dino…?”

  “Dead, I’m certain. If not, he’s like you. No, worse off, as there’s nobody to fix his injuries, and he doesn’t have those protective charms your husband gifted you.” Seeing I realised what her jewellery was, she clutched them tighter, and Christina scoffed behind me. She still looked terrible, all the effort I’d uaken to fix her prior scars undone, but she seemed uned about that, except when I gnced over to her, whearted to hide the worst of them with her hair, twitg and squirming shyly in a very off-putting manner. Still not doh her infatuation, I see. How… lucky I am. Do I just attract crazy women? No, that’s not fair to Hyath, she’s positively charming in parison. Though if I must be fair… it’s not the same, as I know what Christina did, but Hyath’s potential acts of evil are in the distant past, in pces I don’t know…

  “If you think he is ied in your tris, you aren’t thinking clearly. He has better himself. Though I admit, I’m rather curious…”

  Hermodike hugged the scarf close, bag off, and I scolded Christina. “e on, that’s not helpful.” Turning back to Hermodike, I spent a while reassurihough it took an hour, until I woke up Midas, for her to fully calm down. As he woke, he gred at me, his expression furious.

  “You… you destroyed everything!”

  “Actually, you and Dino did that.” I shook my head. “Loki’s Seeds were as chaotic as he supposedly is. Even if you didn’t allow me to take them, you sparked this war by trying to take mine. And it was me or Diher way your Territory and Favour were done.”

  “I still… feel strohan before? Though there is a deep, lonely emptiness.” Hermodike offered.

  “Yeah, the Favour is a source of a lot of strength, but your subtle bodies have been ged regardless. I simply fixed up most of the damage. It’s not the end for you both, I know a couple of Chosen from Britain who lost their favours during the battle in London. But they keep training and persevering, hoping to fight alongside Princess Eleanor once more. But it is the end of Midas and Hermodike. The Favours were damaged signifitly as they were extracted. I wasn’t letting that bastard Dino have them. Not that the dead have need of much.”

  “Adam will be very pleased. There’s one off his proscribed list.” Christina giggled. “Even if Midas couldn’t do what he feared and create dangerous metals, he was still worried about shocks to the global ey and fidence by the potential crash of gold prices. ge is the enemy of the powerful, after all. Stability keeps America as king of the hill.”

  “I’m not sure hoy he’ll actually be…” I sighed, ign her. “But if you want to fight, you ’t do anything.” I warned Midas and his wife. “Your tris are det, but…” I unveiled St Moonlight, and tapped my ragged, slowly regeing Brigandine. “I’ve dabbled in crafting myself. I ha if you try me.”

  “Husband, we should… give up.” Hermodike said at st, and with a bitter frown, Midas looked around to see the imprisoned members of Dino’s group, those that he hadn’t killed with his golden dust anyway, in simirly bad shape. He then g the remains of Loki’s Chosen, the Seeds missing.

  “It seems I lost. What a farce.”

  “Yes, but we were dang on other’s strings. There was another winner.” I pointed out, and Midas uood.

  “I see. So, the spider herself strangled us. I should have known. We had traffic, I sometimes provided gold for… expenses… when they o secure untraceable goods.”

  “I’m guessing ons and so on?” I asked, and he nodded, aggrieved.

  “I would have preferred to partner with them over Dino and his bandits, but… she advised against taking what we offered. Not that we were antagonistic… I have o rule. But in the end, I was strong, but my wife… her power was not suited for struggle. I question Ajé-Shaluga’s wisdom.”

  “I get that. There are a few Favours I’ve seen that don’t seem a wise iment, but… actually, they be surprisingly potent if used properly.” Like Minerva’s Favour. Yes, Yasaka-san has almost no bat power, but… Skills be learned, elements obtained… and with a Book that answers questions, all these opportunities be grasped, as the weaknesses of your foes… I daresay Hermodike had simir opportuo leverage her gifts… “It also seemed like you were meant to be a pair. But that doesn’t matter. Like I said, that path is closed to you. Fortunately, Dino’s group is wiped out, and it seems that Nkosi’s forces aren’t antagonistic towards you.”

  “I have other enemies. But… I suppose at least the Ameris will stop hounding us.” He g Christina bitterly. She looked a bit unsure, and merely shrugged, so I offered my suggestion.

  “If I sought further vengea wouldn’t sit right with me. I’d have to kill your wife as well, as she’s a part of this. But… I’ve retrieved the Seeds…” And your Favours. “… but don’t misuand me. If Hinata had suffered harm, you’d see just how fiving I truly am. Now… since you’ve mao avoid the US agents for a while, you must have other safe houses? And I’m assuming you’ve been squirreling away gold? You’d have to be a fool not to.”

  Midas nodded. “I hardly appreciate your tone, but you are right. Yes, we have gold hidden here and in other boltholes. We survive.”

  “Good. And your wife still use the items you bequeathed her. So she’s not as vulnerable as she appears. I suggest you both think very carefully about what’s , but if I were you, I’d be lying low for the foreseeable future.”

  At my words, the two of them exged gnces, before nodding. “We will… discuss it.” Midas agreed, so I left them to it for now. Adelheid and Titan were both rec their strengths after the hard battle, while Christina followed me. Once we were out of earshot, she leaned in close, though I mao avoid her pressing her chest on me. She still seemed… strangely pensive and vat, but she was making an effort to act the way she was when we first met. “Go on then, you tell geous Miss Christina the truth. You have Midas’ Favour, don’t you? No way you’ll let that one slip yrasp. Otherwise you wouldn’t be able to let them off so easily.”

  Am I so transparent? “Actually, I don’t.” I shook my head, and she ughed.

  “Oh, lying by omission, I see. So, who did you give it too? Your young fiancée, I’m guessing?” she pressed, and since she was going to find out anyway, I nodded.

  “Yes, I put together both of their Favours, and Hinata was patible. I guess you could say she’s the new Midas now.”

  “I’d keep that from Adam.” Christina chuckled. “Though now I want to study her abilities. Holy, matter transmutation seems one of the more impossible, uific magics…” As she rambled on, Adelheid stalked over.

  “Are we dohen?” she asked, and I agreed we were.

  “Great. This was horrible.” She scowled at the battlefield. “I had enough trouble when people kept hunting me down in Berlin. But that was tame, pared to this. But I suppose we’ve had pig again, sidering the e.”

  I cocked my head, not uanding, and she expined. “It means to find good fortune. You don’t say that in English or Japanese?”

  “Nope.” I ughed, my good humour returning. “I’m not sure why pigs are lucky, usually they just get made into sausages, right?”

  “I hought about it.” Adelheid shrugged. “So what’s ? Shit, I could use a holiday. I’ve only been following you for a day or two and now this…”

  “I think you might get your wish.” I sighed. “This is likely to turn into a whole diplomatic issue, so we’re likely to have to stay here a few days. But I daresay there’ll be ample time for you to rex and enjoy yourself.” I emphasised the word and she smiled teasingly, looking like a little girl, her voice going singsong and high pitched.

  “That’s big of you, mister. I’ll be sure to enjoy myself, along with your pretty girlfriend! But you’ll give me some money, won’t you? I want to buy some treats…”

  “Stop that.” I grimaced. “I’m not a pervert you know, saying it like that makes it seem like I’m bribing little girls. Besides, you’re the ohat keeps telling me you’re not a kid!”

  She chuckled at that. “I’m just teasing. Us Germans are positively renowned for our sense of humour. So… we get out of here?”

  “Yeah, shortly. Hinata should be making arras to deal with our captives up above, and we just o work out where Dino’s survivors dived in from and have them arrested. Then…” I g Midas, who was f his wife, and the se made me sigh. Yeah, no point being overly vengeful. It wouldn’t be good karma either… “…you’ve got quite the helicopter ride back again.”

  “Lucky.” Adelheid snorted. “You’re already there. Though…” She gnced down at my feet, which were mostly healed but my boots were still smeared in silver and red blood here, mist faintly rising. “On sed thoughts, a nice helicopter ride sounds just delightful…”

  ***

  “I still ’t get over that.” Aliyah touched her face, which despite her rich, dark chocote skin tones was oddly pale from the pain, even mitigated, of having her ruined eyeball and defunct teeth scooped out by my expert hands. Blinking her refreshed blue orb, she grimaced. “If nothing else, that’s one hell of a power.”

  “Calm down, sis. It’s not like it’s anything to be so shocked about, is it? I mean…” He nodded over at uests, Miss Lindiwe and her father, who were here to apologise, sihey held themselves responsible for Dino’s rampages, sidering he came to their party uninvited. Not that they could have stopped it.

  “…didn’t he cure her aggressive cer? It’s all the same, flesh, bone, blood…”

  “Yeah, for some reason in stories, Healing doesn’t repce lost blood. I’ve no idea why. It doesn’t seem logical.” I shrugged. “Oddly enough, the actual hardest part was fixing the lingering problems Ixitt’s salve caused. Nasty stuff. But it did help keep you alive, so I’ll t it as a win. But I won’t be using any.”

  “Yeah, I handle pain, if I have to. Don’t like it though.” Trey agreed. At that, Aliyah snorted, and they started bickering about their past experiences about getting shot and stabbed, and Aliyah mocked Trey for ‘bawling like a bitch’ when a bullet was dug out his bottom. He shot back by saying she cried like a little girl the first time she got knifed in the ribs, and Aliyah she sound like ripping cloth.

  “Fuck you, Trey! We all know I’m the toughest of us, I mean, all my scars are badges of honour. They’re impressive, right?” she asked me, and I nodded, before we realised Trey was silent, before he sighed, spping his head.

  “Bragging about how Akio’s seen every inch of your body again, sis?”

  Aliyah realised that was what she had implied, and she looked embarrassed and horrified for a moment, befrowling menagly. “I told you about that in fug fidence when I was under duress, bastard! Besides, you’re just jealous that he’d ogle me and not you. You don’t have the tits and ass for it bro, and you have a few dangling bits too much for his taste!”

  Seems she’s decided it’s her brother’s fault rather than mine. Well, that’s good… I went over to the TV and tur on. This was one of the best rooms in the best hospital in Cape Town, so the TV could get programmes from America, Europe, all of Africa, a, and of course Japan. Si was getting on for five iernoon in Japan, the charity cert had been in full swing for a while, but I was curious, so after some fiddling with the els, we brought up the ce. I don’t reise the group dang right now, but… I of course reised the host, Arisu-san, who was looking absolutely stunning. Chosen don’t really need makeup as their skins are usually perfect, but she’s wearing a little, applied with great talent. Instead of her usual bck owns, she was wearing a white and gold dress, a little daring but not too showy, elegant ce sleeves and chest piece keeping it from being overly revealing.

  “She’s one fine looking woman…” Aliyah stopped arguing with her brother to admire her oV. “Though she’s certainly not my type. I don’t like the cold ones.”

  “That’s… Arisu Arisugawa, isn’t it?” Miss Lindiwe asked, having seen our interview when it was broadcast iionally, making FujiTV famous iionally, and quite the sum of mohough Arisu-san hasn’t fiven the executive… I think his name was Miyauchi Masaki… for breaking his agreement with her. Nor the hosts that interviewed us. I know something’s going on behind the ses there, but I haven’t had time to ask about it. It’s not really in my wheelhouse, anyway…

  “It is indeed.” I agreed. “She’s a friend of mine, a friend of one of my fiancées. She’s also a powerful Chosen in her ht. And really, this is her eback, to show the world she was wronged arayed. So… I’m sad I’m not there to see it.” I grihen, remembering. One advantage of being able to mentally unicate with Eri whenever I want is I find out how things are going. Eri’s not that excited about the cert, not like my sis, Yae and Rika-, nor Kana and her friends, but… she is being productive. Apparently she and Daiyu are paying special attention to potential idols for Daiyu’s Sect. I still ’t believe we’re going to end up with a group of Cultivators that are mostly famous idols…

  “Fortunately…” I tinued. “…there’s plenty of us there to support her. Shiro will be there, along with the others.”

  “That’s nice.” Miss Lindiwe smiled. “But, as for your situation… I apologise again.”

  “As do I.” Her father, Mr Mand approximated a trite, Japayle bow. “I do hope this doesn’t sour things between us. My daughter lives thanks to you.”

  “It’s tough for you to face down Chosen, I don’t bme you for failing. Just so long as you keep yreements with us. I’ll handle pushback from Nkosi and his crew.” After they caught me in their schemes, I’ll not let them interfere with us any further.

  “That would be… appreciated. Gone are the days when money solves all these sorts of problems, it seems.” Mr Mand ughed nervously. “Anyway, I have expined on your behalf to the military and the National Director of Public Prosecutions, many of the dignitaries at a have responded with support as well. The calls from Miss Hinata helped a great deal.”

  “Yeah, I imagine.” Hinata was busy on the flight, though she’d be here soon. She had been making calls, trying to stabilise the situation, cashing in favours and promises made to her at the ga. Kira-san had also pulled strings, and with the support of the British Ambassador, and soon to be our Japanese one, once he arrived, we’d be able to make some headway.

  “I do hope this doesn’t colour your impression of South Africa. I would hate that.” Miss Lindiologised again. “It’s a fine try, and with good people. It’s just… things have ged.”

  I waved away her apologies, and I didn’t bme them. The hotel, I was less le with. Obviously, they were totally uo stop armed men and Chosen busting in, but… they didn’t even try, leaked our room number, and deyed calling the authorities. Those responsible, no matter how coerced, had to be held responsible, and I knew Kira-san would be extrag pensation.

  “In that case, you know where we are if you need anything. Anything at all.” Mr Mand bowed again, before retreating, Miss Lindiwe promising to return when Hinata was back, and also expressing a hope that Mayumi-san would be feelier soon. I assured her she was just tired from her ordeal, and as she left, Aliyah snorted again.

  “No shit. It’s enough stress to really make a kid exhausted. But… she’s tougher than she looks, I reaybe it’ll be a call for her? Rich girl thought she was the tre of the world. Plenty of folks like that in the good old US of A, for sure.” As Trey nodded uandingly beside her, she made her point. “Sure, she might have uood she was in danger of being kidnapped, on an intellectual level, but she always believed in her security. But nothing’s certain in life. Now it’s happened, and she’s watched her security die in that horrible way, and watched us get our asses kicked… though we did kill a fucker…” Since she seemed to raise for that, I gave it generously, and she grinned, proud. “…it’s shaken her world view, and her feelings of safety. She’s one of the lucky ones. She’s only got mental scars, and she’ll get over it in time. You’ve got that ghost girl, Haru, who help too. But… it ges a person, seeing the ugly side of the world up close.”

  “Yeah, we’ve fought in many tries. And we’ve seen some shit that makes me questioher God exists. I uand killing for power, for wealth, even for honour… but some bastards take pleasure in it. That Anja chick was like that.”

  “Yeah, it’s why I don’t like mean women.” Aliyah agreed. “Her and her damn scissors, she got off on threatening the girl. Of course, you put paid to that. Good fug job. But our point is… she realised that she ’t rely on being Mayumi Ichijou to keep herself safe anymore. And her family name don’t t for shit when the scissors e cutting, her flesh bleeds just as easily as a on girl from the slums. So… it’s a shock. She’ll either grow from this, or she’s hopeless.”

  “Don’t worry.” I nodded, uanding her viewpoint. “Hinata won’t let her break, and she’ll force her to froy. That’s what friends are fht?” I winked, and Aliyah ughed, ba good humour, now her injuries were Healed. Though she did insist I left a couple of the new scars. She’s an odd woman, Aliyah is. I thought women all wanted smooth, unblemished skin. They were all in pces easily hidden by her clothes, though…

  “No shit. Anyway, Trey and I need our rest, we went through hell out there, waiting for you to run your ass back here. And we ain’t answering any questions the cops ask until we’re good and ready. You’ve got things to do, so scram. We’ll watch this cert of yours…” She poio the TV. “…Asian girls are growing on me. I’ve always liked them cute. Some of those outfits are damn nice. Anyway… you at least get us some beers? I’m valesg!”

  “This is a hospital, sis!” Trey protested, and she smirked.

  “The best hospital. And we’re only still in for checks, and to make sure that the bastards who attacked us get nailed by the w good and pretting the pre-Healing injury reports was a great call.” She ehe thought of her enemies getting what was ing to them. “Anyway, don’t bullshit me, Trey. You want booze too, I know it. We always used to get hammered when rec from injuries back at the Bck Wolf base.”

  “I admit, it sure would be o have something a bit strht about now. I’m feeling a touch wistful.” He agreed.

  “Fine, I’ll have some booze sent up, some food too.”

  “In that case…” Aliyah shook her head at me, though it seemed off, as her hair beads had been taken out at the hospital, and her frizzy hair was now hanging down rather straighter than usual, framing her face. “…like we said, you’ve got pces to be. Just don’t fet the damn booze!”

  As I left, shutting the door behind me, leaving them watg the cert and chatting, hearing the casual chatter that clearly showed they were used to surviving life ah struggles, I smiled, heading for the room where Mayumi was sleeping, Katana-san, no, Ohta-san, as I didn’t want to treat her just as a bodyguard, watg over her. I’ll just look in on them, check everything’s okay, and then… ugh, time to deal with more iional politics… I ’t say I’d rather have Mayumi-san and Hinata in danger, but I prefer ho battle to this sort of diplomatic skirmish. Shaking my head wryly, amused at how much I’d ged, I sought reassurance from Eri, who began regalih some tales from the cert…

  ShipTeaser