On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

It was definitely nerve-wracking, working on the President, especially as I still wasn’t entirely confident in reducing the pain during work on reconstructing Chakra networks. Oddly enough, the President bore it well though, and when he was done, he seemed pleased, swinging his arms happily. I had touched him up while I was working, of course, but he actually didn’t have any major health issues. Still, regenerating some damaged cartilage and worn bone, and cleaning out the cardiovascular system, would likely have as much of an impact on his health as the stat boosts.

“I feel like I’m twenty again!” The President boasted. “Though I’ve never lost my edge, of course. A full eighteen holes of golf, a steak dinner and a tumble with a woman, and I’m still full of energy…” He paused, realising his wife was there, undergoing my Chirurgery as well, her face pale and sweat on her brow. “…of course, that was my younger days. I wouldn’t now. Now it’d be a second round of golf instead!”

Despite the pain, his wife smiled a little, though I wasn’t sure whether it was resignation or the pain from the Chirurgery that was making her eyes twitch. As I finished up, I stepped aside, allowing the President the opportunity to comfort her, but oddly enough he seemed focussed on talking to me. “I expect you know what I mean. As a businessman, and a man of importance, you have to work hard and play harder, don’t you?”

I nodded slowly, a little put off. He had talked constantly during our time deep in the White House about the possibilities of my planned battery and energy generation business, and Hinata had advised me to let slip we were planning to work on pharmaceuticals as well. The President had taken the bait, and while I had assumed that the sitting President of the United States of America was forbidden from running businesses and personal enterprises while in office, Hinata had advised me that it was actually a political, rather than a legal issue.

Obviously, his head had been turned by the potential profits, but more importantly, I got the feeling he craved validation, that he wanted other people to praise him for being smart, insightful and an excellent businessman. Therefore, getting in early, investing in us while we were still relatively unknown (in a business sense of course, as I wasn’t modest enough to believe I wasn’t one of the hottest topics of conversation worldwide recently) was a way of him showing he was better and smarter than everyone else, than his detractors. It was a bit… childish… maybe, but I certainly understood the need for validation. Though I just need respect from my friends, family and lovers. The rest of the world… not so much…

We needed colossal sums of money ourselves, not just to secure the resources and land we needed for our Territories, but to make sure my vast extended family was safe and living a suitably pleasant life, but the profits we were likely talking if Ixitt and the others could successfully implement our plans were so incredible that we certainly could spare some for political capital, but the President here was a risky choice for a number of reasons. Still, Hinata told me to be non-committal, and that she, with help from her father and Kira-san, would negotiate with him in the future.

We can’t commit to anything. But if we brush him off, he’ll likely be offended. Grandfather says he’s notorious in the business community for being thin-skinned and quick to hold grudges, as well as equally fast to forget favours he owes. Though forgetting one to you… that might not go so well.Just play it cool, and it will encourage him to follow through on what he’s already promised, to secure the potential of further, more lucrative deals…

Listening to Hinata’s advice, I let him talk, and soon we were shaking hands, his blue eyes bright. “It’s been a rather enlightening visit.” he was saying. “I can’t say that the Chirurgery, as you call it, was fun, but I’m a big tough man still full of youthful vigour, not some doddering old relic of the stinking marsh with fading capacity.”

As he tightened his grip, showing off his strength, I held in a smile. He’s certainly competitive, but then… I guess you can’t run for political power if you aren’t either competitive and seeking fame, or wishing to serve others. Of course, both together is best, but…

“Anyway, from what the Director…” he often addressed Adam with contempt, I noticed, perhaps still holding a grudge over the earlier lack of clarity in his reports. “…says, the body you want to retrieve, as well as the people you wish to meet, are all waiting at a nearby secure facility. I’d love to come with you, take a look around, but… I’m a busy man. I run the free world. Busier than ever! But who else could do it?” he boasted.

“I know from talking to our Prime Minister that we’ve certainly increase the workload…” I admitted.

“I don’t blame you! At least things are interesting.” The President chuckled. “Now I’ve made arrangements as you requested. Military transportation back to Japan in stages. It’ll only save a few hours, but… time is money to us, isn’t it? Time is money. For Christina Bakker, the corpse and your other colleagues, they’ll fly back on a private jet, yes? Don’t worry, nothing will happen to them. You have my word.” He glanced back at his wife, before lowering his voice. “Though if I was you, I’d fly back with Christina. The flight would pass a lot more enjoyably. There’s a club I’m in, you know the one, right?” he ribbed me, showing off. He was a lot more relaxed now we were out of the setting of the formal state dinner.

“I think I know the club you’re talking about.” If Shaeula knew about it, she’d definitely want to make love on a plane. And she wouldn’t be the only one. “But Christina and I aren’t like that. Besides… when you have a lot of women, they all compete for the firsts. I’ll leave that for the future…”

“Sure you’ll be joining me, huh? I knew you were a man I could do business with from the start. We’re the same sort. Nobody who doesn’t have big ambitions and big appetites will succeed!” He paused, his grin sly. “I’m very much looking forward to the new year. I know that unprecedented events have been coming thick and fast, almost daily, but… I expect the ceremony the dear old Queen is hosting to go down in history. Better still… we can continue our talk on business there, assuming you have any time for it!” He laughed boisterously.

It won’t be me doing the negotiating anyway… I nodded, and as we exchanged final pleasantries, I was escorted back to my group. Adelheid was looking rather contented, while Christina seemed eager. On seeing me, she brightened, tottering over, still not used to high heels. “You’re back? How did it go?”

I glanced at the final member of the group, Christopher, who was clearly nervous, it showing on his face. He followed Christina over to me, but waited for my answer to her question. “Not bad. The President assures me there won’t be any unforeseen issues about your return to Japan. I said you were worrying too much. You could have stayed at your own home…”

“You don’t know Adam like I do!” Christina shook her head, reaching out to grab my arm. I could have dodged it, but I allowed it, since we were still in public, and she had accompanied me here. “Besides, it’s all about risk management. It’s not like it cost you anything, did it? If anything, it was a reward!” She pulled on my arm teasingly. “Not just anyone gets to sleep with me…”

“You didn’t?” Christopher asked, shocked, and I flicked Christina’s forehead hard, making her tear up as she rubbed it with her free hand, but she was still smiling, her face hot.

“Of course not. We just slept. In separate beds, may I add! But… I can’t lie and say she wasn’t too defenceless. If…”

“Stop there!” Christina insisted, her sloppy expression vanishing. She reached out with her free hand and aimed to flick my forehead this time. I let the blow land, and couldn’t help but feel a little satisfaction as she winced, her finger aching from the impact. As she shook her hand, she complained. “I may be inexperienced and unused to social norms, but… before, perhaps I might have been careless with my body. I didn’t see the issue, little miss Christina is nothing if not pragmatic. But.. I’m starting to understand. So… I only was so unguarded as I was with you. Don’t mistake it for a lack of modesty!”

That outburst shocked Christopher, and it took him a while to recover. Blinking, he had a different expression on his face as he observed her. “You’ve changed…”

“The only constant is change!” she intoned piously, and that made Christopher shake his head.

“Before, you’d never have said that. Weren’t you a proponent of the immutable beauty of natural and scientific laws?”

“Guilty as charged!” Christina agreed. “And they are still things of beauty. But… that’s not all there is.” She looked into my eyes then, her blue orbs containing a softness that surprised me, and also a deep hunger. “After all… what we are calling Material Laws are indeed fixed, but… aether and ether are either complex beyond our understanding in their immutability, or, as I suspect… endlessly flexible, if only we have the will and knowledge.”

I agree. My studies on ether, aether, elements… and I suppose adherence and soullight now… the beautiful linked spiderweb of different states… it makes me think that there’s some deep, underlying principle, but that principle is also somehow… not fixed, or rather… it can be shifted?

“I see.” Christopher was silent for a moment, before he sighed, troubled. “I spoke to Zachary and Bethany. Zachary was thrilled, as expected, and I could barely ask him before he agreed. Bethany… she is a smart girl, and more wary of trouble, perhaps due to her experiences… but honestly, she’s still young, and up for an adventure. Though she has only committed to winter break, though if she needs to ask for a leave of absence… it might be possible to do so with your assistance, considering her course is involving politics.”

“It’s an opportunity many would covet.” Christina agreed. “I’m already excited. Before… I kind of slipped away without getting permission off Adam.” She tittered nervously. “Of course, we had talked about repatriating the Japanese and British Chosen, so… I got away with it. But now… it’s official. The President himself is penning orders. I know you and Adam don’t much care for him…”

“I never said that!” Christopher denied hurriedly, and Christina’s giggling intensified.

“Sure, sure! My point is, it’s one thing to keep intelligence close to your chests, but quite another going against a signed Presidential decree! I’m home free…”

“I thought you wanted the best for America…” Christopher couldn’t help but argue, and Christina shrugged.

“I do.” Even as she clutched my arm, she smirked teasingly. “Which is why I’m cosying up good to Akio here! I’ll bravely sacrifice my dignity and chastity for America and win him over!”

Ignoring that, he shook his head. “Christina Bakker, I… if you do anything to my children…”

“I’m all for informed consent nowadays!” Christina assured him. “Of course, if they want to undertake some hard training, I’ll be sure to assist and document it. After all… girls should have Ether Healing, right?” She winked at me.

“It’s true. Bethany should certainly learn the basics. That way she won’t have to worry about spiked drinks and the like.” I agreed, thinking of my sister. Though now it would take another Chosen to cause her trouble when she goes to university in the spring. I assume that is still her plan… “Don’t worry, I’ll likely put them to work if their abilities are useful, but… I’ll also make sure they’re capable of defending themselves.” I promised.

“Now that is settled…” Christopher relaxed a little at my reassurances. “…I’m to escort you to the facility. Adam wanted to come, but… after your fiery exchanges, I felt I would be a better choice. And… I want to talk a little more.”

We were soon whisked away in an armoured truck with blacked-out windows, and on the brief journey, Christopher pressed me for information on just what life was like for Chosen under my protection. I answered his questions as best I could, though Hinata advised me on what I could and couldn’t reveal, and by the time we arrived, the truck let through a security checkpoint guarded by armed soldiers, he had fully relaxed.

As we left the vehicle, Adelheid was glancing around with some interest, while Christina was bored and contenting herself with teasing me, looking very out-of-place here in her green dress. A soldier, this one rather tall and imposing, and wearing the long bar insignia of a chief warrant officer of the highest rank, stepped out to usher us to our destination, and after a perfunctory exchange of greetings, Christopher showing off his identification, we were inside the secure facility, standing outside a heavy steel door, reminiscent of one inside a prison.

“Inside.” The warrant officer stated, and after swiping his keycard, green lights shone and a buzzing noise could be heard, followed by the heavy clicks as the locks disengaged. The door was opened, and inside the bare room, lit only by the glaring, harsh radiance of strip lights, was a single table, upon which lay a pale, well-preserved body.

Is that him? Egil Andersen? I reflexively turned to look at Christina, and a guilty expression crossed her features. “That’s him. We… didn’t expect him to die. He was a troublesome one, honestly. Angry and proud. Even after Adam’s operatives captured him, he never gave in or thought he was weak.”

“At least he’s at peace.” Adelheid took off her hat as a mark of respect. “By the Furies, he won’t be the last to go, will he? Let’s not talk around the hot porridge. The truth is most of us will end up just like him.”

“I want to tell you you’re wrong…” I replied, my Eye starting to glow as the door shut behind us, locking us in. Not that I couldn’t break that door if I wanted. “…but you aren’t. The events of yesterday prove that. So… I want to make sure as many of us can get through this mess safely, so there’s enough of us to protect the Earth.”

“My German is rather… rusty, I was always better at Dutch…” Christopher spoke up haltingly, surprising us. “But I’m glad to see you still say the same things when you think nobody can understand. It gives me confidence…” He switched back to English, exhausting his fluency, most likely. “…that I can trust you. That America can trust you. We… made mistakes. Through fear, perhaps. Of the unknown, of the world changing… but regardless of that… Japan and America, we’ve been friends and allies since the end of the War. Nobody wants that to change.”

“Honestly, I’m still furious about it, but… if the President implements my demands, and my visit here goes as planned… I’ll finally let it go. Though I still won’t forgive Adam easily. He’s clearly unrepentant.”

At my words, Christopher nodded, and I turned my full attention to the corpse, my Eye illuminating the Material and Astral bodies, which were occupying the same space, the Silver Cord a dull, frayed mess. Okay, I’ve learned something already…

Christina was about to speak, but she narrowed her eyes as she realised I had discovered something. Though her cheeks were puffed out, and she was tapping her foot restlessly, heels sounding a staccato beat on the stone floor of the cell. Seeing that, knowing she was hellishly curious, I let out a little aether and light element, forming an illusionary version of his spiritual subtle body so she could follow along. I’m also blocking the view of the cameras of course.

There were the obvious cameras, the hidden ones, and one final camera which was incredibly well hidden, likely prepared so that I’d stop looking after I found the other hidden cameras. Fortunately, with my stats it was easy to spot them. Knowing that the watching soldiers would be frustrated, I let out a broad smile as I pointed out my findings to Christina. With Christopher’s kids coming to Japan, even if it’s just for a while, he won’t find it easy to cause me trouble. Not that I think he would…

“You see, normally on death the Silver Cord should dissipate, The Material Body is left behind, while the Astral body, which seems to contain the spirit of a person… it goes to wherever spirits go. Though we know for certain the process isn’t irreversible. Kin Bonding And Restoration proves that, and… also, so does the Barracks, and the Spawning Spires. I’ve never really considered it before, but, in light of what I know…” I don’t think I should mention the Truesoul carelessly. I’m not bound like Tan to keep it secret, but no good comes of sharing deep knowledge too widely. But it makes me think. Material, Spiritual… Soul? So, if the spirit is…

I was straining for a realisation. The Barracks… it can create a form that the spirit-lights from Kin Bonding can occupy. But… the Barracks can also create perfectly conscious and sapient Fae even when we don’t have any dead weaselkin needing rebirth, and Fae also can be born from nothing, according to Shaeula… just… just what is the spirit? Is it the self, personality, memory? If so, then what’s the Truesoul?

“…it still seems a little strange. No… I see.” The Seeds were still there, fortunately, and the faint connection that trailed up higher, yet seemed to have almost no spatial position at all, the mirror to my own which I seemed to sense a little more clearly since I became aware of the Truesoul, had become tangled.

Grimgerde’s Thunder-Hair Bracelet Of Mighty Wisdom [Item Class: Legendary] [Item Type: Principle]

This spiritual item, attuned and implanted into both Material and Astral subtle bodies, is forged from a strand of Grimgerde’s Truesoul, hewn from her very existence at great cost. This creates a resonant bond with the bearer’s own Truesoul, forming a cascade effect that allows efficient strengthening and transferring of power, far in excess of what should reasonably be possible.

This strand of Truesoul has been forged together with ample Soullight, Adherence and Aether, and the essence of a Divine Favour of Thor. In addition, a number of Seeds of the Fruit Of The World Tree, Yggdrasil, have been lodged within, though the bearer of this miraculous bracelet has perished, the Seeds dormant, and gradually eroding, due to being starved of Soullight.

As the Seeds are absorbed, so too will be the Truesoul, leading to a greater resonant connection between the Truesoul of the creator and the bearer. The Favour within, Thor’s Thundering Might, will also be changed and adapted by the Seeds, the Adherence and Soullight within mutating. Since the Seeds have been but lightly exposed and dyed by the Adherence and Soullight of the past bearer, they shall readily accept further Adherence and Soullight from a new possessor, can they safely be entangled from the shell of their past bearer, and integrated safely to a suitable new host.

Yes, they still remain! All twelve… Unlike the few remaining that Midas and his wife were exploiting, this was a near-perfect set, and my Eye could see only faint traces of adherence within the seeds. The shining orbs, looking almost like molten silver, crackled with faint, almost imperceptible sparks of what seemed to be a sort of lightning element, likely drawn from the Favour trapped within.

I relayed the good news to Hinata, Eri and the others, and this time it was Eri who thought back to me.

So, can you use these? If so… you can win your wager with Tan, right? Without weakening yourself?

I think so. The ones I obtained from Siegrune’s Bracelet aren’t exactly optimal for what I want to do. At least not yet. If I flush out the adherence and soullight and effectively recolour them, then they’ll be usable, but these… the poor bastard, looks like Egil Andersen was like me, brave enough, or rather ignorant enough to take the second, harder way, starting almost from scratch, for promise of greater heights.

Only he was somehow even more careless with keeping secrets than you! Eri’s thought was harsh, and I could also hear Hinata’s laughter, and even Chiaki-chan and Chiasa-chan seemed amused through the connection they were maintaining.

Yeah, yeah. Mock me all you want! If I wasn’t, then Hinata wouldn’t even be here! Despite my harsh sounding words, everyone could feel I was being playful. You’re right though. At least I was aware of the dangers, Egil openly advertised his abilities, before he gained the strength to protect himself. And the result is this…

The thoughts shared with me went as silent as the room, as everyone pondered that. I bowed my head in silent prayer, wishing Egil Andersen’s spirit, and perhaps his Truesoul, well, wherever it ended up. Yes, it was a lie I told Adam White to get access to his body, but… while obviously I’ll have to take into account his family’s wishes, Egil deserves a Viking funeral. Perhaps he’ll even see this Grimgerde, wherever he ends up…

Gathering all my Split Thoughts, Body Enhancement thrumming, raising my perception and agility to the limit, I carefully began to work Chirurgery. This Bracelet was largely whole, and the Favour intact, if entangled, so I didn’t want to damage it. Fortunately, damage to both the Material and virtually dissipated Astral body wasn’t a factor, being as he was already deceased. My Eye was mostly concentrating on the connection that went higher, though.

I was able to understand my own connection at a deeper level, ever since I had bestowed a Rank of Lovers’ Link upon Ortlinde. The feeling was distant, yet somehow almost without distance. And it provided strength. Ironically, whereas I was the one to strengthen and empower the others, here, a portion of Ortlinde’s strength flowed back into me, her Aether Statistic especially monstrous. It’s why I have the reserves to do things such as this…

“That reminds me… Christina, you’re a scientist, aren’t you?” I asked. To the observers, it looked like I was simply standing there, but Adelheid could certainly feel the ripples in the surrounding ether.

“One of the best in the world!” She puffed out her chest proudly, straining her dress.

“In that case… say I can communicate over great distances with my thoughts. But… I don’t feel any appreciable lag. Isn’t information supposedly unable to be transferred faster than the speed of light?”

“Yes. Otherwise causality seems to break, according to our best models of how everything works.” Christina nodded. “But… if you are talking about those back in Japan… light travels at just under three hundred million metres each second. Japan is probably… oh, let’s see, eleven thousand kilometres, convert to metres, run the calculation…”

“I get it.” I nodded, my Intellect making the mathematics trivial. “Only thirty-seven milliseconds. Not something that would be noticed as a lag in any conversation, even those that rapidly take place in my mind. But…”

Ortlinde, and the conversation I shared with her fellow Valkyries Siegrune and Rossweisse, again, there seemed no lag. One could argue my consciousness was pulled along the bonds, shortening the distance, but despite that, something didn’t add up. I explained that, and Christina frowned, thinking. In the end, she shrugged.

“There’s a lot I can’t explain. It’s equal parts fascinating and frustrating. But… just as the so-called Boundary, the Astral, exists, perhaps your connection that allows communication also travels through another place. It only seems to travel faster than the laws of reality allow, but actually, the distance is either shortened or even perhaps there is no concept of distance in that place. Or alternatively, time could be halted, achieving the same thing? Is there a way to test it? Unfalsifiable hypotheses are utterly worthless…” Seeing her earnestly considering it, arms crossed, for a second I had the treacherous thought that she actually seemed a little cute, but I quickly reminded myself of all her irritating, annoying and also criminal antics, banishing such thoughts quickly.

“…regardless. Before I know the answer, I can hardly be sure, but… there are already numerous breaches in our understanding, though… I still suspect conservation of energy applies, as the system is never closed, so additional energy is supplied by ether, aether or other sources we don’t consider… of course, that still leads to the potential issue of faster-than-light communication, which could cause any number of paradoxes. Except… Earth is too small. Even at the furthest distance, there’s not time to do much. Now, colonise the solar system, or better yet the stars…” Her grin was wicked, and she paused. “…actually… the solar system at least… it’s possible, isn’t it? Couldn’t you get to the moon in the Astral, and perhaps set up a Ring Gate?”

“That or as Arisu-san’s Room grows stronger, she could get there…” I laughed, never having considered it. “Oh well, this was an interesting diversion, and helped me realise something. Thanks Christina.”

“Don’t mention it.” She flushed. “I like that you take an interest in science and knowing how things work. Anyway, can you continue the lightshow? I hate not being able to see what’s going on. I have a feeling that something incredible is happening here!”

Smiling ruefully, I expanded the visual presentation, and also created a zoomed in version, focussing on the area around the Bracelet. The drain was hardly trivial, but with power spilling into me from Ortlinde, it wasn’t an issue for me. So then, the Silver Cord… when I had it damaged against Duke Myrcolaxriath, or even in Las Vegas, those skittering pests making me feel odd… the Cord clearly exists, but after a certain distance from the body, it vanishes. And… when I had my White Cord Skill back at the start of all this, it stated that if I travelled too far from my Material body, my Cord could fray and snap. Doesn’t that suggest something… I see…

An idea in my head now, I carefully eased out the Bracelet. It had both a Material and Astral presence, though it didn’t show up on any scans or investigations that Christina and her team at project Star Mirror had done previously. No, it was as if the Material existence only happened when it was removed. Narrowing my Eye, I strained, wishing I had Shiro’s buff, but…

No, I can do this. My Eye, it’s strong enough. Yes, I see it. The Bracelet itself had a kind of Silver Cord, and not just one. Looking into myself, I quickly created my Astral body too, feeling the weight of my Territory Anchor. That was a bond to me, but also it was mediated through the Wolf-Hair Bracelet. It did seem odd, that we Chosen could create Anchors so easily, when most Territories were simply existent, rather than secured, at least below Rank 4. Tan mentioned some rare few Rank Three Territories could accumulate an Anchor, but generally, it took a Rank Four to form one. It all fits…

Pulling on the Silver Cord of Grimgerde’s Bracelet with my aether, I felt it shiver, and as I moved the Bracelet in both realities to my body, sliding it in, watching it tangle with the Bracelet I already had, the strands of connection that soared higher, they shivered, and it was the same sort of sensation as when I had connected to Ortlinde before…

So, time and distance, just why does time flow differently in the Astral? If the rate was different but fixed, that would make sense, wouldn’t it? After all, I’m no physicist, not like Arisu-san or Christina, but even I’ve heard of time dilation, time changes depending on how fast you’re moving, or what sort of mass you are near… wait, is that it?

Groping for a realisation, I remembered the most famous equation, E=MC². Time slows down around mass, and mass is also energy… but… Fortunately, my memory was now excellent, so I dredged out some old knowledge I learned at school. The ones experiencing such dilation would see it as a normal flow of time, but outside, it would seem to have slowed down. So those within experience a greater amount of time. Doesn’t that seem to match?

Obviously, there were problems with the theory, a number of them, but I wasn’t trying to solve a mystery Tan probably knew the answer to anyway. No, I was grasping for a realisation. With a grimace, I flooded aether, what trickles of adherence I had that wasn’t still frozen, and also something more, into the bonds, and with that, my consciousness shifted, surging upwards…

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!