On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

“Boss, he’s making a break for it!” Suzu called, waving her parasol frantically like a flag, as the scrawny Chinese dissident ran down one of the many side alleyways that made up this tangled part of Boundary Kyoto, overlapping walls and roofs of ornate design, festooned with streamers and prettily-burning paper lanterns, making a stunning backdrop ill-suited to the frenetic pursuit.

“I see him. He shall not escape us.” Tan said, still in charge of Shiro’s body by Divine Possession, and as Tan strode through the myriad alcoves, Shiro winced inwardly.

Hey, Tan, I’ve been thinking this for a while, but should you really be so rough with my arm? I mean, it’s pretty much ruined, yet you’ve been doing quite a lot of hard effort with it, like when you caught that fiery wheel…

Do not worry, princess. With my great adherence, forcing your damaged arm to work is a simple matter. Yes, it is suffering some backlash and further injury, but that will simply give that healer creature… the tone of her thoughts was cynical, unpleasant… …something further to test her skills.

I know you don’t like her, Tan, but don’t break me to prove a point! Shiro would have been pouting if she was in control of her face right now, and instead had to settle for indignant thoughts. You know how important it is for me to get back into good shape!

I do. Tan’s thoughts now contained amusement. I must say, I find your emotions rather charming. Even if I would rather devour your man whole. He grows ever tastier. But alas…

Alas my ass, Tan! There’ll be no eating Aki, or any of the others! I know you know that…

“I do indeed.” Tan said out loud, drawing a quizzical look from the silently following Arisu, who had recovered from her overuse of her Room. As Tan gestured it was nothing, her thoughts continued. I am resigned to such. Though it seems that my goals can still be met, even on this newer path. He has no attachment to the pantheon that has blessed him, so there is still hope he can be swayed to my faction. But you care little about that, no?

As they stalked their prey, Suzu constantly calling out his location, on him like a very pretty bloodhound, Shiro caught a glimpse of Bunta ahead of them, hunched down, moving rather quickly. Damn right I don’t care. That’s for the future. Now I’m just worried about my body and scars…

Well, when we catch our prey, you will see that the little additional injury the Divine Possession is causing will be more than worth it in the end. After all, pain is merely temporary, is it not?

Yeah, but it still damn well sucks. Hey, is that him again? Shiro asked, spotting their prey. Suzu leapt down from the rooftop she was on, scaring their opponent, who scattered to the left, passing under a shadowed archway, frantically trying to shake our pursuit.

A bad move.

Indeed.

Moments later the shadows moved, coils stretching out, and suddenly the fleeing man was bound, tendrils of solid shadow creeping up, twisting around his limbs, holding him in place. Bunta stepped out of his hiding spot, looking nervous but pleased, small eyes glittering darkly, and the shadows constricted painfully, causing the man to howl in pain.

Ugh, I’ve often thought this, but Bunta’s powers are pretty perverted. I bet Aki, Yasu and Shugo would love them… I’d not feel safe going near them. Well, I guess I can trust Aki… wait, can I? No, I’m pretty certain Aki wants to ravish me…

“Enough foolishness.” Tan proclaimed, her good eye blazing red, as she lifted their scarred face to sniff the air. “I smell a second. Excellent, this is one I wish to devour.”

A rain of brilliant white arrows of light started pouring down, and the bound prisoner tried to escape, his efforts futile, as several arrows grazed him, scattering blood which then steamed and smoked, the heat from the arrows of light intense. Bunta was still under cover, but the building around him was pockmarked and shredded, full of holes like a colander.

More arrows were aimed at Suzu, and she flung herself backwards, barely escaping the savage deluge. “Hey, watch out, if I get scarred or my legs get hurt, I’ll not be able to perform!” she squawked, indignant. The rain of arrows then marched towards Tan and Arisu. The later opened her Room and ducked aside, shooting a glance at the flame-wreathed form of Tan as she did so.

“I shall be fine.” Tan promised as Arisu vanished. Flames expanded in a halo around her, and Shiro marvelled at how much greater her control was. I feel a bit pathetic, you know. Maybe I shouldn’t have left everything to you?

Flames of Thirst and Famine clashed with the shining arrows, and the explosion as they fought each other shattered the hanging chains of charms and scattered the lanterns, now burning in their entirety. A nearby wall collapsed inwards, and the ground below their feet bubbled and boiled. Ouch, that’s hot. My poor feet…

Better that than being pierced by these arrows… “Show yourself, little fool.” Tan taunted, casting flames in the direction the arrows had come from. “I can smell you. You shall not escape my flames!”

“Help me! Please! I’m not a fighter!” the man trapped in the shadowy coils was pleading. ”Without me, you couldn’t be this strong!” Shiro felt bad as Tan translated his squeals for her.

“Pathetic.” Tan sneered, as the man was blubbering, his eyes streaming and his nose leaking snot. “They come here to kill, yet when the tables are turned…” more arrows of light interrupted her words, followed by a blinding flash of brilliant white light. Shiro felt pain as her body was pierced by several arrows, though due to Tan being in full control, they didn’t inflict fatal wounds, as they would have to her.

Hey, don’t let me get all beat up!

“I do not intend to.” Tan leapt, adherence and aether powering her leap, and as she cleared the nearby buildings, the opponent was visible, an old, wrinkled woman, wearing a shimmering white robe, that seemed to reflect the surrounding light into a prism of various hues. Her face was twisted into a scowl, and at her waist was another of the horrible bone blades. As Tan came into her view, she darted to the side with surprising grace, pointing her fingers, which called forth another torrent of the gleaming white bolts.

“So insolent.” Tan sneered, her flames once more overwhelming the projectiles, sending smaller fireballs raining down around their opponent. They could hear Suzu cheering from her new vantage-point, her dress torn and ripped, her face smeared with dirt.

“You’ve got this, boss! That old hag isn’t a match for you!”

“Old hag?” the woman repeated coldly, seeming to recognise the Japanese. She quickly shouted out something in Chinese, which Tan responded to, though she didn’t feel the need to translate it for Shiro. As Tan landed, she raced forwards, and the old woman leapt backwards as two tails of flame surged, striking the ground where she stood, a hungry inferno rising.

“She is quite skilled. I wager that she has fought before, in a mortal war or two.” Tan observed, as the woman was evading her flames skilfully, retaliating with volleys of brilliant bolts, using flashes of light to blind and distract, as well as leaving traps. As Tan advanced, the ground exploded upwards, light pouring free, and only swift reflexes prevented further injury.

I don’t care about that! We’re on the back foot here! Come on Tan, you’re supposed to be a Goddess, right?

I do not approve of your worry. The situation… it is well in hand. Tan breathed out, her flames tinged with adherence, and soon the woman was driven into a corner. See… she is… well, that is unexpected…

As the woman was surrounded by a blazing wall of thirsty flames she took to the skies, her light forming the shape of a phoenix underneath her, lasting only a few moments, but enough to carry her to safety. Arrows of light formed in the sky, pouring down once again, and Tan was forced to use her flames as a makeshift shield. “Yes, she is definitely used to battle. Talent is often more valuable than raw power.” Tan muttered.

The old woman shouted something again, pulling the bone sword free, and Tan grimaced.

What did she say? Translate for me!

As Tan shouted back, she relayed the translation. She says that the accursed blade she carries quivers in anticipation of devouring me. She wishes us no ill will, but says that it is a war, and that she will send our friends with us into oblivion.

How… generous… of her. No thanks. I’m not having my body stabbed with that!

My sentiments exactly. Besides… it is we… “… who are here to feast!” she roared, and flames formed a ring behind Tan, before splitting into a number of blazing wheels, which were launched into the sky. As the woman dodged expertly, a violet slash in space opened without warning, and her momentum carried her in. She tried to arrest herself, only for the doorway to close instantly, a severed, outstretched arm, finger shooting bolts of glowing energy which quickly faded, falling to the earth.

“A most excellent performance.” Tan called out, as Arisu appeared from another rooftop. Opening up her Room again with a cold expression on her face, she pointed and the old woman fell out, now having her remaining arm and her legs crushed, much like what had happened to Daizen. Yeah, once in Arisu’s room, she’s in complete control. It’d take real skill to escape from there, like that tricky bastard the Raven…

“… though you look extremely displeased.” Tan continued, and Arisu tossed her head, clearly furious, her long dark hair swaying like a mourning shroud.

“That sword…” she spat. “It was able to damage my Room. Ugh, I feel…” a thin trickle of blood leaked from her mouth, down her perfect pale skin. Eyeing the fallen bone blade which had landed some distance away , drooling vile sludge and emitting a thick purple mist of energy, snaking its way towards Arisu like some sort of bone slug, she snorted angrily. “I could feel the hunger of it. It maybe even exceeds yours, Red.”

“I see. I am quite… insulted.” Tan declared, her eye narrowing. “Though I do confess, in the myriad domains and Territories of the higher Astral, there are many creatures who grow stronger by devouring others. After all, do not mortals grow the same way? Flesh and blood begets strength.”

“Hey, not quite the same.” Suzu said, approaching, parasol in a sorry state now, a lollipop in her mouth. “We need to eat food or we’ll die. And us idols, we have it hard, we have to diet brutally to keep in shape, you know. These lollipops help supress my appetite. I don’t only suck on them because it makes me look cuter.”

“Well… this should be destroyed.” Tan paused. “Bunta… the one you have bound, it has a sword too. Bring it here. Carefully.”

“But… do I have to?” he whined, but Tan once again reiterated her command, and gingerly he started moving the captive over, careful to keep them in shadow so that his bindings wouldn’t break. Soon the two swords were together, the purple mist they were exuding intensifying.

“Yes, these are merely fragments of a whole. But an abomination. One it seems we are destined to face. So until then…” Tan’s fires darkened, the yellow turning a deep crimson, almost black. There was a surge of flame, and then the two swords were screaming, bathed in the cleansing fires. “… we should destroy what we can. These I would not eat, even were I starving.”

Speaking of eating… Shiro was starting to feel a bit ill. The guy bound in Bunta’s shadows was pretty much hysterical, and judging by the smell had soiled himself. The old woman was silent, face white from exertion, holding in the agony of her shattered limbs, and she wasn’t even attempting to attack anymore, merely watching as the blades burned. As the bone corroded, a savage purple mist started to rise from the two prisoners, their bodies starting to be devoured.

The woman spoke, and Tan laughed, the sound grating. “Have no fear, I shall give you peace. And your soul shall live on, for I have no interest in that.” A surge of yellow blazed, and the woman was engulfed in the Flames of Thirst and Famine. For a moment their eyes met, the old woman resigned, and Shiro wished she could cover her ears, to blot out the pitiful screams of the man who was thrashing at the unbreakable bonds of shadow. The woman mouthed something, and Tan cocked her head, her smile turning genuine for a second.

She thanks us. For granting her a merciful death. How… sentimental. An old warrior indeed. No wonder she was chosen by the Dark Lady. A suitable Favour for me, indeed. I can feel my strength surging. Sadly, I am still limited by my vessel…

Well excuse me for being weak and pathetic. If I wasn’t, you wouldn’t even be able to use me as your host, Tan! So don’t be a bitch!

A bitch? You are growing bold indeed, princess. Well, I suppose love changes a person.

It’s nothing to do with that!

As they bickered, the corpse was reduced to ash, only some slime remaining, which Tan destroyed with different flames, unwilling to devour it. With that, Tan turned, satisfied, eyeing the prisoner.

“Excellent work.” she praised Bunta, who looked down, flushing. “I did not wish this one to escape. After all, it is perfect for our needs.”

“Now I’m super curious.” Suzu giggled. “Just what would be perfect for the boss?”

“Well, I believe… a giver of gifts.” Tan smirked, and even though the captive couldn’t understand her words, he must have been scared by her tone, as he soiled himself again, squealing in fear.

You know, Tan… I wonder… are we the bad guys here? I mean, fair enough, that woman, we were fighting in battle, so it seemed a reasonable conclusion, but this… I’m getting a guilty conscience. I don’t know why. After all, I was going to give you the world, right? So why does this make me feel so damn awful?

Well, as I admitted, I did allure you a little, soothing your conscience. Not forcing you to obey, never that, I would not be so crass. Merely… softening the pain. Now that is absent, for your man, he made it very clear I was to allow you your own freedom. But I believe there is another reason…

Shit, yeah. I’ve always been cold and selfish. Who could blame me? But Aki… well, he shines the most when he’s out to save others, just like he saved my heart. I… I don’t want him to hate me. But then, I don’t want to lose either. Not to the other girls. I want to be the number one!

And to do that, you need your own power. Besides… this one may not have fought, but… the prisoner squirmed under her crimson gaze. He empowered others to kill, and I am sure his hands are not clean. None of those who came here are. They came to feed many lives to their blades. Besides…

Besides? Shiro was conflicted. The man was so obviously terrified of death, and had only fled, unlike the others Tan and her had killed, who had raged or fought until the end, or worse, betrayed her first.

Your man, did he not secure a Favour for his sister? That will have come from somewhere. From someone. He will not blame you for this. Yes, he may be saddened by the necessity of staining your hands with blood, he is soft like that. But it is I who am doing it. I have killed many over my endless lifetime, and some for less cause. Such is the path of power. You… you shall simply have the reward. And if you shed tears, show sorrow… he will hold you and soothe those tears away.

Tan! Shiro protested, mortified. That isn’t the point and you know it! Though that does sound pretty nice… ugh. Fine. I know Aki is prepared to kill to protect Kyoto, and that Tsukiko girl. I’m a bit frustrated.  She’s as beautiful as I was, which I find hard to believe, even having seen it myself. You’re right. I need… I need to stand out, to be special to Aki. He doesn’t want his sister, or Eri, or his little noble girls, to do things like this. So I can stand alongside Shaeula and Hyacinth. By his side, where the battle is thickest, and in his heart, where he has to comfort me. Do it. Before I change my mind.

Of course. “Flames of Thirst and Famine!” Tan declared, and a few moments later it was over, slime burning into ashes, the shadow bindings of Bunta crumbling.

“Whoa, that was brutal.” Suzu observed, as Tan released her Divine Possession, Shiro’s hair and eyes returning to their natural colours. She immediately cried out in pain, as her body felt the hard use of her ruined arm, and the new gouges in her flesh.

“Shit, Tan, this damn well hurts!” Shiro cried, before shuddering. “Hey, wait, what’s that? I can feel it inside me… hey…” she squeezed shut her eye, concentrating.

Suzu began to ask a question, but Arisu silenced her with a curt warning to be quiet, and Suzu shrank back, apologising silently.

“It feels strange, but… so this is what it’s like to be truly Chosen, like Aki, or Arisu?” Shiro said, surprised. “I see, so that’s how it works. Uh… you said this one is well suited to me, but really, I don’t get it…”

Oh, I believe you do. You think yourself a selfish, uncaring creature, only interested in your own wants and needs, but really… were you not always longing, wishing to be loved, needed by your parents? You believe they abandoned you as worthless, too much trouble. It is the same for your friends. You believe you exploited them to make them work on your game, your dream, but really, all you wanted was for them to spend time with you, on you, care about you. Need you.

Need me? I… Shiro shook her head, tears running down her cheek. I always wanted to give advice to Aimi and Hina, about love, about life, but what did I know about either? It was they who advised me, looked after me, when I was weak, they carried me home, when I was in trouble, they were there. The only advice I could give them was a pathetic sop to Hina, telling her to go for it, praying it would work out. False confidence, desperately hoping my reckless advice wouldn’t backfire. Shiro felt a pain in her heart. The boys too. Well, mostly Hayato and Aki, anyway. But yes… I wanted to be more than just be a burden. When… when my game was finished, I was going to ask…

I know. But now, things have changed. Your game, it is in the past. Now this is the arena you wish to be needed in.

“But…” Shiro cried, the heavy emotions working their way out, the shock of what effectively was an execution getting to her a little. “… I still want to finish it. Together with Aki. Together with everyone. I will!”

If you wish that, then you need to survive. Not just you, but your man, your friends, your rivals. Only should you all survive, will there be a time for peace. And to obtain peace, one must have unshakeable strength. That role… it is not for you. Do you believe you can ever match the strength of that Fae, or of your man?

Maybe… but, it’d be hard… Shiro admitted, saddened. “After all…” more words came out, and the girls were tactfully pretending they couldn’t hear, while Bunta scurried off. “… I’m starting with quite the disadvantage.”

So your soul cries for a way to be needed, be useful, be able to protect, the opposite of the needy, useless girl who needed everyone’s constant care and protection. You wish to shine, for he and the others to praise you. And so your soul is a perfect match for this.

Anesidora, she who sends up gifts. Uh, isn’t that just Pandora, from the Box myth?

Perhaps. I care little for pantheons other than my own. But… a gift that strengthens the abilities of others. Is that simply not what you have longed for? Not your own strength, but the strength to help those few you care for, princess?

Shiro wiped her tears, clenching her fist. “Yes, I think… I think it is. I worry so much now, that Aki is going to get hurt, die. And I can’t be with him all the time. There are dangers I can’t face. But this way… my love can always go with him.”

Ignoring the muttered choked laughter from Suzu, Shiro slapped her scarred cheek with her good hand, wincing. “Fine then. I think… well, can we go find Aki now? After all, I need to tell him I’m like him now. Besides, I want to try this out, and it has to be on Aki first.”

Well, there is still one that I want. But… the remainder are gathering. Two large groups, one straggler. Yes, we should return. I believe the battle is about to enter a brutal climax…