Amdirlain's PoV - South Wind's Court

On the morning of their departure, Amdirlain had drawn the location from Kadaklan's mind and teleported. The sunrise illuminated the crystal clear waters beyond gently rolling surf, reflected off the white sands that stretched towards a town on the west side of the bay. Directly to the north on Bali was the truncated peak of a volcano, and a little further northwest was another. Across their slopes, Amdirlain sensed a dozen nesting phoenixes and a pair of them who shared a common theme with Kadaklan. A small fort on the northern slope hosted a half-dozen practitioners whose meditative focus was on the semi-dormant caldera.

"Shall we head towards the town or give them a chance to wake up properly?" asked Jinfeng.

"A lot of the fishing boats will be out already, so many of the families are awake," replied Kadaklan

"Is this the first town you came to?"

Kadaklan motioned northwards towards the east side of the volcano. "He lived in a smaller town closer to the volcano back then."

A horde underwater to the southeast drew Amdirlain's attention. "Kadaklan, how about you head in first and check on things? Sound them out to see how much notice they need to prepare against a Sahuagin swarm. I'll let you know if the swarm changes direction."

"How close are they?" asked Kadaklan.

"Four hours at their current speed if they head there directly. However, they're in the deep water, and if nothing changes, they'll swim past that island south of here," advised Amdirlain.

I didn't manage my European trip, but I made it to Bali. A duplicate of Penida Island is south of us, and the closest volcano is Mount Agung. That sect is small, but a much bigger group resides at Mount Sangiang. Agung is larger and more active, so that might be why they're based in Sangiang.

"It's still possible their target is the town. They might sweep around that island and strike from the southwest after nightfall or in a few days," advised Kadaklan.

"Sounds like alerting them is still a good idea then," said Amdirlain.

"Would you resolve a question for me?" asked Jinfeng.

Amdirlain lifted an eyebrow and waited.

"Sahuagin, do they have souls or not?"

"No souls. They're sapient weapons to serve as a whetstone for other races," replied Amdirlain.

Kadaklan frowned. "It's not whether a foe has a Soul, but how you conduct yourself in any situation that determines enlightenment."

"Yes, but if they also had souls, seeking a peaceful resolution would be a higher priority. If they're only monsters looking to feed and reproduce, I'm not second-guessing myself about the individual's right to live," countered Jinfeng. "Disarming a foe to get them to surrender is riskier than killing them."

"Will Sahuagin even surrender?" asked Klipyl.

Kadaklan grimaced. "They fight until the defenders prove themselves to be overwhelming. At that point, they'll drag the corpses away to their cities to feed the next generation."

"Unless someone kills the city's queen or queens, and the factions recall their forces to kill each other in the infighting. The ten kingdoms had an accord of some type with those closest to them, but I think that was achieved through a display of force. Then, when the Sahuagin queen who had signed it died, their city state tossed it out," explained Sarah. "Most worlds have other aquatic races that keep them in check, but here they came to dominate the oceans at some point."

Jinfeng eyed Sarah speculatively. "Do you want to attack them?"

"If you mean the city they originate from," replied Sarah.

"That would ensure this army is the last for a time."

Sarah pulled out a display that showed the islands and the oceanic depths. Far beneath the surface to the northeast, cities that looked like coral formations clung to underwater mountains whose peaks didn't close to the surface. "It'll be one of those."

"Can we isolate which one?"

"Please don't answer that, sweetie," interjected Sarah as Amdirlain went to respond. "I'll isolate which city from their minds, and then we can hit their queen's palace, but that won't stop this army. Kadaklan, are there enough defenders locally to deal with six thousand Sahuagin of mixed strength? Their generals have prestige classes."

"They can call on the sects to match their numbers in an hour. You're not just handling things as usual?" Kadaklan asked Amdirlain curiously.

Amdirlain smiled sheepishly. "I received an almost direct warning that I'm going to have trouble with what I've already done."

"The plinth's judgement?" questioned Kadaklan.

Sarah gave a sharp nod as Amdirlain shrugged helplessly. "That was before I helped a bunch of demons find souls, so I don't know how that will add to my tally."

"Plinth?" asked Jinfeng.

"I'll explain Redemption's Path another time," said Amdirlain. "You need to decide what you're doing."

"I can sense their minds as well," said Sarah. "Why don't you enjoy some sunshine?"

Amdirlain tucked her hands into her sleeves. "I'll behave."

"Really?" questioned Sarah.

"You need experience, and so does Jinfeng," said Amdirlain, nodding in the direction shown on Sarah's device. "Go handle it how you think best."

Klipyl looped an arm through Amdirlain's. "I'll stay with sis."

"Do I need to warn the town?" asked Kadaklan.

Sarah nodded. "We'll hit the city. The locals can harvest the home delivery experience if they've got the defenders for it."

As the trio took to the skies, Amdirlain perched on the rocks above the high tide mark and looked over the bay. Klipyl dropped beside her, and her entire demeanour radiated a conflicted nervous energy, her eyes wide and bright.

"Is everything well?" asked Amdirlain.

A series of sharp nods was the immediate response.

Amdirlain raised an eyebrow. "I'm not reading your mind."

"That would make it so much easier," murmured Klipyl.

"Not happening. You're glowing too much for me to intrude, so you need to decide what you want to tell me," responded Amdirlain. "I can wait."

Klipyl kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, sis."

Amdirlain returned the kiss on the cheek and tugged her earlobe. "How did you enjoy your time at the East Wind's Court?"

"We just going to have a casual chat?"

"Yep," said Amdirlain. "I've been relegated to the bench, so we've time to chat."

"Time is so subjective," said Klipyl. "It can race by so fast when things are good and drag painfully during the miserable years. It's your time, my time, and everyone else's all at once."

"Moments that we savour and others we'll eternally dread."

"In helping others find connections, I never expected to find connections for myself. Yet here I am, with a family I never expected, and maybe more."

"You adopted me," said Amdirlain.

"I expected you to shoot me down," Klipyl bumped shoulders with Amdirlain.

Amdirlain wrapped an arm around her shoulders and drew her into a one-armed hug. "Klipyl, you've come so far. I've told you before, why would I reject someone like you who wanted a family to love her?"

"Family," breathed Klipyl. "Celestials don't normally marry."

"I'm pretty sure you're not excited enough for a proposal to have occurred." Amdirlain tightened her mental filters even further to avoid picking up any hint of mental chatter.

"But I think he might want to ask," said Klipyl, pointing after Kadaklan. "He wants to introduce me to his alchemy teacher who lives over there."

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"Don't worry about what other celestials do or don't. Choose to follow your emotional compass, Klipyl, and let others follow theirs," said Amdirlain, patting her hand. "Don't assume what will happen, but do what's right for you if it does."

Klipyl rested her head on Amdirlain's shoulder. "Will we start towards the South Wind's Court soon or wait for the news to arrive and jump?"

"Slow and steady is my intention. An island hop next week and work our way towards the mainland. This begs the question: will you meet his parents before we leave here?"

"I don't know if it would mean anything to them."

"They might understand more than you'd believe. Not the concept of marriage, but their child with a mate of his own, that they'd get."

Klipyl shot a glance towards their volcano. "You've already isolated them, haven't you?"

"Maybe?"

"Am."

"Do I look like a complete sticky beak?"

"Are you trying for my pun title?"

Orders began to filter through the Sahuagin army and made her want to groan. She reached out and touched the minds of those issuing them and caught that the shift to attack hadn't previously been a part of their general's plans.

"I just wanted a few days outside the dome and away from expectations."

"What do you mean 'just wanted'?"

Amdirlain chewed her bottom lip as she considered the oceanic army she sensed in the depths. "Though I think maybe someone is playing games."

"Why?"

"They were moving southwards; now they're spearing towards the town here and speeding up. I don't think reinforcements will have time to arrive."

"What are you thinking about?"

"I like the townsfolk's melodies. There are arseholes in the mix, but I'm not just leaving the fight to them," said Amdirlain. "The problem is also that if I let them die because I'm worried what the plinth will say, it is still mortals affected by my emotional choice."

"No, I'll take care of it," declared Klipyl.

"Klipyl, something to remember: sometimes beauty needs protection," reassured Amdirlain. "You're my sister, and it's time Gideon paid up on the unique achievement of your journey."

Amdirlain caught the laughing tones in the notification that caught Klipyl before she moved. The classes offered made those provided to the knights of Anar royalty seem shallow.

Klipyl rose to her feet, and Class selections rang through her as she expanded to five metres. The ribbons across her back floated free, ignoring the mundane winds that stirred the sands. As Klipyl's clothing resettled, Amdirlain formed crystal and offered her what looked to be an unstrung recurve bow. She took the offered weapon and raised an eyebrow. Without questioning her, Klipyl reached out as if drawing back a string and found a golden line in her grasp with a broad-headed arrow already notched; its tip blazed like the sun. When she eased it off, the arrow disappeared.

"I'll be back soon," said Klipyl.

With those words, she released her four swords of light to float silently around her, their cutting power multiplied by her new knightly classes. She took off and raced across the water, her Angelic Aura piercing into the depths ahead of her. When she cut across their vanguard's path, the blades dived towards the forces in the depths, and a blur of arrows followed; their incorporeal nature was unobstructed by anything between Klipyl and her target.

Though the soldiers in the vanguard tried to break formation and dodge away, the arrows blazed in among them in a blur. Explosions of Celestial energy, each a hundred metres across, shattered chests and cracked open skulls, dismantling the lead ranks before Klipyl plunged downward. She continued firing, equally unaffected by the water closing around her. In contrast to the underwater booms from the explosions, the blades under her control drove silently for the commander.

Their passage carried a calm, purifying energy that cut through every Sahuagin they touched. Their passage didn't even heat the water, as they freed each shark they passed from the Sahuagin's mind control. The blood in the water provoked them to turn on their former masters.

Klipyl's ribbons expanded and split as the horde turned towards her, a hundred rapiers that stabbed out, the enemies' spears and tridents insufficient to block her attacks. As the battle raged, wild sharks came in, lured by the blood. The protective aura glowing from Klipyl shrugged off attempts to dominate them, and they fed off the wounded foes and those coated in their blood.

When Klipyl rose from the waves, she hadn't given her foes time to flee.

'I've already told Kadaklan not to worry them,' projected Amdirlain, and she tilted her head towards the town. 'Why don't you catch up with him and get that introduction?'

'But!'

'You don't have to worry about me. I'm going to sit here and watch the tide play with the sands.' Amdirlain nudged her mentally. 'Go be with your sweetie. Thank you for helping me accept mine.'

Klipyl blew a kiss and sped off, changing into a Human form as she flew.

When Klipyl was well out of earshot, Amdirlain sighed. "Are you going to play games, Laodice? An army commander just changed his mind. Did you think I would miss your touch?"

An oppressive atmosphere silenced the animals in the nearby jungle. The only sound was waves washing across the sand as the first pieces of the swarm hit the shore. Amdirlain shook her head.

Play stupid games and win stupid prizes.

"Ori would destroy you if you resurrected her completely as she was, with all her misery and loneliness. Powers are a channel for directing energy. Have you considered that I'm a channel for the realm having a new songbird? Yet the channel you want will restore her to her despairing state. A man wise in war said to win, know yourself and your enemy. You might think you know me, and maybe you know yourself. One thing I know is you never knew Orhêthurin. She didn't let anyone except Sly get that close to her. Say you get her back; what prize do you think you'll win then?"

A bloody outline of a jagged gauntlet appeared on the rock before Amdirlain. The challenge to battle was evident.

"You're such a dumb-arse. We could have stayed friends, but you wanted to take this route. Shall we compete in Hades? You move your pieces, and I'll be the sole being on the battlefield from my side. Want to give it your best shot and all that?"

The outline vanished.

[Achievement: Declaration of War with War

Details: You agreed to a challenge from the Aspect of War.

Note: Why?]

Gideon, that wasn't a declaration of war; Laodice has already worked against me. This is a company's poison pill against a hostile takeover. If I lose, what do you think Patér will do to Laodice? When is Nicholaus free to act outside the rules? When his daughter comes to harm, that isn't covered by any rule. There are rules for conflict between aspects. Are there any for the songbird fighting aspects? I can check with Lethe, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case. Of course, I'd prefer to survive, that was always my end goal. Yet even if Laodice wins, it will be a Pyrrhic victory, and the 'I of my Soul' will be safe from her meddling.

Amdirlain opened small gates and expanded every unused Demi-Plane she'd made; armies of crystal colossi shimmering into existence. She ignored the first level surge into Songbird as she worked, but the final tally of nearly nine billion only raised that Class three levels. The accumulated points went into Willpower and Amdirlain opened a connection to her library with its gathered information—the Psi-crystal within fed her the information it had on Hades' failing Domain and the Plane itself across the planar threshold. As the day progressed, she stripped out all the information and returned to studying the Abyssal Lore, which she'd often procrastinated over.

While she studied, she changed the atmospheric rules within a final seed and then pushed harder. She expanded the Demi-Plane as she studied the memory crystals on the deep planes. Its boundary pushed far beyond anything she'd previously established, creating a massive void approaching the size of Vehtë's sun.

Nightfall was nearly upon her when she felt Sarah and Jinfeng approach; Amdirlain took in the scores of level increases spread across Jinfeng's classes.

Sarah didn't settle for shock and awe to dominate their queen. I think I'll stay away from checking on those cities.

She closed the gates that touched the expanding Demi-Plane and tidied up. Kadaklan and Klipyl were still in town talking to an elder Alchemist.

When Sarah landed, she wrinkled her nose. 'You know you cleaned up too much?'

'I didn't want to leave any traces of the Gate. I was undertaking preparations for my Hades trip, making a little golem army, and a small tidbit to offset any games,' admitted Amdirlain.

'You expect them to get involved?' projected Sarah.

'Absolutely. Laodice was already playing games, and she tried some eerie shit here, so I threw the gauntlet in her face.'

'You realise that means Moloch's boss is bound to get dragged into the mess?'

'I'm counting on that, my love. I plan to sow chaos between the devils and demons. If it were just the demons, it would be much harder to get Moloch's underlings to wiggle in his fist.'

Jinfeng glanced towards the town, unaware of the exchange. "Did Klipyl go to get introduced?"

"Yep, his old teacher has already shared many stories with Klipyl of when Kadaklan was young. Skinned elbows and gangly legs, getting into trouble while gathering," offered Amdirlain. "It would be high-quality blackmail material if Kadaklan was concerned about his image."

"Have you told Jinfeng how your seduction aura suckered him?" asked Sarah.

Jinfeng spluttered, "Seduction aura?"

"I'm so not going into that," protested Amdirlain. "I'm just glad I've resolved those issues."

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Kadaklan's PoV - Outside Alchemist house - Early evening

As he stepped through the backdoor, he found Klipyl back in the Human form she'd taken on for their entry into town. Long black hair spilled past her pink and gold obi and a cherry blossom kimono.

Kadaklan stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Klipyl from behind, his chin resting on her shoulder. She kissed his cheek and resumed listening to the animal cries that echoed through the jungle beyond the town's walls.

"Will you marry me?" Kadaklan asked, surprised when the words came out in the barest whisper. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Will you marry me, Klipyl?"

Klipyl had already turned at the first question, and her smile gave the night a fresh dawn when he repeated himself. "Aren't you supposed to introduce me to your parents first?"

He waited patiently, drinking in the mischief in her gaze.

She rubbed the tip of her nose against his cheek, the suppressed giggles bubbling against his arms. "Though maybe it's better to meet them when we're mates. Am said they'd understand that better than marriage."

"Does that mean yes?"

"You are my beautiful Phoenix. Who else would I marry, my love?" asked Klipyl. "If you need the formality for your concoction of life. Yes, yes, yes, I'll marry you."

"Three has a special synergy," noted Kadaklan, glad his heartbeat quickly settled.

Klipyl turned in his arms and gave him two quick kisses, but the third continued until his knees were weak and his heartbeat raced.

She pulled back enough to speak, but her face and bright gaze filled his awareness. "I hope that makes us married now."

"You don't want any formalities?" gasped Kadaklan.

"While Am held out for a ring, I'm not into jewellery. Do you have a ribbon? You could tie up my hair. I feel that would be ceremony enough," offered Klipyl.

"I'll be right back."

With that, Kadaklan rushed off to the town's Seamstress. Though he disturbed her family at dinner, he convinced her to provide him with ribbons in every colour she had. He blurred back to Klipyl, leaving the seamstress marvelling at the dozens of healing vials he had spilled into her hands in payment.

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