"I never should have left June alone," Madris said. "I should have known there would be trouble. This is my fault."

"Don't be silly," Galatea replied with a dismissive gesture. "This sort of self-deprecation is uncharacteristic of you, Madris. You couldn't have known. Besides, you were only separated from her for a few days. If you'd left her alone for weeks and months on end, it would be different."

"It was a bit more than a few days," Madris muttered, sighing. "Do you think Regina is going to see it that way? I'll be lucky if I'm still allowed in the Empire after this is over."

"Stop being so dramatic," Galatea said. "If she does blame you, it would be hypocritical. She's the one who allowed you to come here and help with this project, leaving June and Edmund on their own. If she complains about it now, I'll knock her head on straight."

Madris raised an eyebrow. Gwen, who had been listening silently and was clearly growing more uncomfortable with the conversation, shifted from one foot to the other and started tapping her fingers on her leg.

Tia also kept quiet. She had been listening to them with one ear, while focusing on what she could find out with the psychic link. Now she turned her attention back to her current companions. She wasn't a psychic herself, but she didn't think she needed to be one to assess their current mental states. It was clear everyone was a bit agitated and on edge.

Tia was agitated, too, she just tried to keep calm. At least they now knew the identity of one of the new Champions the gods were raising, but it was not good news that it was a king of a country to the east. And June being seriously injured and in his power made it worse, of course, especially since Edmund and all of their guards and companions were also there.

It was galling to think that June might have been even worse off if this new Champion hadn't been raised in such a manner, considering their fight against these monsters. That was definitely the feeling she got when she'd spoken to her Mother, at least — Regina was clearly conflicted, but still furious. It almost made Tia glad not to be near her right now.

Although it was a little funny, right now, to have all of these important and powerful people shut off in a small room not much bigger than a closet in the basement of a temporary structure atop an archaeological dig site. It was too new to be dusty, but she noticed Gwen was squinting in the dim light and Galatea looked more insubstantial than normal.

"What's the latest we have heard from June or Edmund?" Tia spoke up. "Last I heard, the king had put them in new quarters and healers were looking after her, but not giving them a good prognosis. Has something changed?"

Madris glanced at her and visibly released some tension. "It's largely unchanged," she said. "Although, there are more indications he's planning on keeping them there, he is simply not coming out and saying it. Taking them hostage would be one thing, insisting on good care and treatment is another; it's giving him a fig leaf for his actions. Though that might not last. All of June's servants have been restricted from leaving the castle and they're clearly being watched wherever they go regardless. The Swarm Drones they brought have also been moved — Zoe almost came to blows with some knights, Edmund said."

Tia nodded. "Are we still hoping to resolve this diplomatically?"

"To be honest, I don't think Regina has really come up with a coherent plan yet," Galatea said, frowning contemplatively.

"That would mean it is on us to do so, I suppose," Madris murmured.

"Yes. Though given the circumstances …"

She trailed off, but they all knew that it was not a good time. There was a reason all of them were here, and if anything, they probably needed more soldiers sent to the east of Cernlia, not sent away to fight. Or kickstarting the war everyone had been anticipating early.

"I may not know all the details," Gwen spoke up hesitantly, "but I do know this hunting party should not have been in such danger. The monsters were clearly too numerous and aggressive. Almost like a monster wave, which is not due right now. It's not a good sign. This increase in monster activity is itself increasing. We have a responsibility to deal with it."

"She's right," Tia muttered. "It's still dozens of kilometers to the border from here, it's not good that this phenomenon is spreading so much, and it might be increasing exponentially."

"The only way I can think of to deal with it is if we break through that door," Galatea said with a sigh. "It's not like we've been planning to do anything else."

"For which you need me here," Madris said, pacing a few steps up and down, constrained by the walls. "That is a dilemma."

"Well, we can probably manage without you," Tia offered. "We can move a few of the other students here. They should be able to at least help us hold out and monitor the situation for any change or increased danger from that psychic defense. I know we probably need a powerful psychic for the breakthrough attempt, but, no offense, at least you're not the only psychic we have."

"Well, if Empress Regina moved here, it would bring down all of the attention we've been avoiding on this place," Gwen said. "Is there any other psychic student who could suffice for this purpose?"

"Perhaps June," Madris said. "But you see the problem."

Tia frowned again. The way she saw it, the most logical course of action was for them to wait while Madris rescued June. Then they could help with investigating this find and stopping the surge of monsters.

Of course, that would be easier said then done.

"I want to get Princess June back as much as any of you," Gwen said - although Tia privately doubted that. She didn't think the two of them were especially close. "But we shouldn't risk escalating the situation. If Madris goes and takes her back by force, it will only push this king deeper into our enemies' camp. Maybe we should try and put diplomatic pressure on him; perhaps Her Majesty can demand their return? We could at least force him to choose between tying his fate to that of the Esemen or backing down. If he refuses, we can always go with the extraction plan."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"I understand your point, but that would pose increased risks to June and Edmund," Madris said. "It will be easier to get them out the sooner I act, and they're more likely to remain relatively unharmed if we don't give our enemies that kind of time and forewarning."

"And what about the rest of the people with them?" Galatea spoke up again, sounding pensive. "Including the guards and attendants. Do you believe they would be left alone, or might they be tortured or killed? Do you think you could get everyone out safely?"

Madris hesitated for a moment. "I don't know," she admitted. "I could try and assess this king's character. But you're right that it would be uncertain. Securing everyone would require a bigger operation."

"Then that speaks against trying to use force. We cannot simply abandon them," Gwen said. "Demanding everyone's return won't make much of a difference diplomatically …"

They kept arguing for a minute longer, tossing opinions and arguments around, but mostly retreading old ground. The situation was pretty clear, in Tia's opinion, but what the best way out would be wasn't.

Tia cleared her throat. "You said it would need a bigger operation, Madris. That doesn't mean it's impossible. Who else would you need? Or what else?"

Madris visibly tensed. "Taking enough control in that castle might require me to do things I am not certain I would be willing to do, even to help June," she said, clearly taking care to keep her words level. "Otherwise, more psychics would be helpful. Perhaps a few powerful mages, but every extra person is an additional risk and burden, especially if they cannot shield their minds. Especially if we meet enemy psychics …"

"What about other support? Drones, military forces?"

She frowned. "It could be helpful, depending on the circumstances, if it comes to that."

"It still seems like our best bet," Tia said. "We can start preparing; I assume it will take a little time anyway. In the meantime, Regina or Kiara, or both, could deliver a diplomatic message straight away, demanding everyone's safe return. Maybe they can set a time limit, even? And if that doesn't work, we have another option. We'd just need to move quickly."

"Yes. Perhaps —" Madris said, then paused. She, Gwen and Galatea all looked up and turned to the only door into the room.

Tia raised an eyebrow and waited a few seconds until it swung open. Iseis Alturiel looked in. "So this is where you are," she said, cocking her head a bit as she swept her eyes over them. "Did I miss something?"

"Just some discussions, I'm sure you've heard what happened," Galatea said calmly. She strode forward and out of the room, calm as you please. Tia followed after her, glancing at the others. At least the corridor they emerged in and the room opposite, which housed their most important finds, were empty.

"Alright. I'd like you to tell me later, but for now I believe your attention is needed," Iseis said. "There has been some activity. Let's go to the door, if you don't mind?"

Everyone knew what she meant. They nodded and started moving. Tia exchanged a few glances with the others, then turned her attention to the psychic link to get reports from the other drones.

The old priestess — or whatever she was — had only arrived recently, but she'd already helped quite a bit here, both in interpreting what they'd found and in analyzing the defenses they wanted to get past. Iseis had confirmed that the symbols on the doorway were written in 'Late Aishan', and after waiting a night, the next day she'd even provided translations for parts of them. Tia wondered if she'd communed with Leian in some way, or maybe she'd just used some meditative technique to focus memories and knowledge.

They walked mostly in silence, but quickly enough that the walk only took a few minutes. They passed a few other people on the way, who quickly made way for their group. Tia checked in with the drones stationed around the excavation site.

When they reached the doorway again, she wasn't surprised by what she saw, since she had already asked ahead.

One of the symbols was glowing. More specifically, a symbol — or cluster of symbols, really — which hadn't been glowing before was now shining with white light. Several others had already started glowing over the last few days, though not as strongly. They might be glowing a little more brightly now, too, though she wasn't sure about that.

The others fanned out a bit as they approached the door, and Tia shivered slightly. She didn't really have magical senses, not the way a proper mage would, but she could still sense something. It was like her shell was itching. And there was the pressure against her mind, of course. It felt a bit distant, like someone was pushing a sharp point against a thick plate armor she was wearing, so the danger was blunted, but the pressure was still present, just milder. She knew the psychic link protected her — but it clearly wasn't perfect.

Then Madris grumbled something to herself and the pressure decreased, while Tia was suddenly more acutely aware of the dark elf psychic's presence. Judging by the way the others relaxed, she had done the same for them.

"What does this mean, Alturiel?" Madris asked, nodding at the door.

Iseis stepped closer, frowning slightly. "I'm not entirely sure about the order in which those should be read," she admitted, murmuring softly as if she feared to wake something. "But this is the word for 'power'."

"I thought that was the word for power," Gwen said, pointing to another glyph further down. It definitely looked similar, but distinct. It was slightly glowing.

"Yes, but more power in the sense of 'charge', like electrical power, the fuel for something," Iseis explained. "This is a more general term for power."

"It's similar," Galatea noted. "Some of the same letters."

"Yes, they use the same base word origin."

"Letters?" Tia asked.

Iseis glanced at her then tapped against the air in front of the symbols. "Yes. Aishan does have a limited alphabet, similar to Global. But unlike Global, words are formed by putting letters together in arrangements, with some overlap. Usually, anyway. It makes them more compact and quick to read at a glance if you're familiar."

Tia nodded, looking more closely. It did seem like several simpler symbols were put together, sometimes rotated differently, forming patterns. "Do they do the same with words, to form sentences?"

"Not usually, as far as I know." Iseis squinted at the door. "But this does look familiar. Maybe it's an artistic form or they did do such arrangements for magical arrays, who can say? I don't have the knowledge I would need to be sure."

"As interesting as that is, and I'm always open to talking linguistics," Galatea said, "maybe we should focus on what it means. They've been lighting up further; is it a countdown? Is 'power' related to the agitation of the monsters getting stronger?"

Iseis frowned. "I would caution you against letting it all light up, I think," she replied. "Apart from that, I can't say."

"It's probably better to assume the worst here," Gwen said. "We should try to break through soon." She glanced at the others. "Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it soon."

Tia nodded absently, still focused on the door in front of her. And on what may lie behind it.

"It's a shame we can't just scry in," Iseis said with a sigh.

Tia nodded again, then froze. Her eyes slowly widened as she turned to the others. "I'm an idiot," she said. "Have we actually tried to scry June, Galatea? Or what's going on in the east?"

The mana-form was still, not emoting this time. "I haven't yet. I will."

Tia sighed. They'd basically stopped thinking of scrying as a go-to tool, in the preparations for the war that was coming, since both sides were setting up anti-scrying defenses regularly now. All major installations they knew about, or cities in general, were covered. And finding anything else, like forces gathering in secret, was hard, since they would have to search blindly, just poking at what each side thought were likely spots. Tia had personally participated in the arrangements to set up 'scrying blind spots' more or less randomly across the Empire, mostly for less-than-critical locations. They would serve as decoys. The Western Confederation was probably doing the same.

The kingdom of Prekan was far poorer and less prepared; they might get lucky there. At least they had a fixed location in the castle, it wasn't underground, which would have made scrying hard, and they could still talk with June and Edmund inside.

Maybe, with Madris and the other psychics, plus support from the drones she would move closer to act as backup, they could actually do it.

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