On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

“Is sister back yet? Either sister?” Adoria asked hopefully, twisting a finger in her long pink hair, a nervous habit she had picked up over the recent months, ever since her father hadn’t returned from his last mission. Her maid, on seeing that, had a look of compassion on her face.

“Princess Claira has not returned, she is once more at the front lines.” She paused, unsure of how to proceed, but eventually chose to praise Adoria’s sister. “Without Princess Claira and her tireless efforts, holding the remaining fortresses would be impossible. When the injured return, they sing her praises, her form in battle shines, blue, pink and white ice driving back the endless hordes of demons, leaving them slain in their thousands.”

Sister Claira has never recovered from the shock of father being dead. I know mother lied to try and spare us, but sister took it very hard. Ever since then she has barely returned, and only to recover from her injuries. Poor sister. She was so beautiful… no, she still is. Just… her injuries and scars are accumulating. “Sister Claira is a hero, nobody knows that better than me.” Adoria said stoutly. “But even with Princess Demera able to fight and support her again, they can’t be everywhere at once…”

“There’s no need to fret. The situation hasn’t reached the worst yet.” Her maid reassured her, handing her a goblet of sparkling, fruity juice. Adoria took it, the sweet flavour not able to lift her spirits as usual. “The demons are concentrating their attacks on other countries, I’ve heard from those who have returned. That gives us time to replenish our forces.”

Adoria shook her head. “How fast can we replenish? The re-risen make up an ever-increasing proportion of our forces, I’ve heard people whisper. And…” I won’t say it. If it’s true and we are forced to fall back on creating the soulless, despite mother’s hatred of her cousin and her ways…

Troubled, her words failed her, and her maid spoke again. “Why don’t you go and talk with Lady Kiela? She’s here again. The company might do you some good, Princess.”

“I see. Yes, you might be right.” Adoria sighed, her own worries submerged in worry for her sisters and their troubles. Mother too. She’s barely sleeping at all. What with the untimely and unexpected death of the Chancellor recently, she’s been forced to shoulder too much alone…

Entering the Palace, she moved to the guest room, where Kiela was sitting in a chair, listening intently to someone else, and Adoria felt a surge of joy. “Sister Elenya, you’ve come back!” she said, surprised, rushing forwards and giving her green-haired sibling a hug. Her green eyes lost their usual coldness and sparkled with warmth for a moment as she stroked the pink hair of Adoria, not avoiding the contact as she usually might. It shows how troubled I am, that I forgot sister Elenya doesn’t show much physical affection. But she did. She knows I must need it. As usual, eldest sister is very considerate.

“Yes, I returned just an hour ago.” she said softly. “I was coming to see you, but I heard that little Kiela was here and wanted to give her something.” She glanced down at Kiela. She was wearing her usual black, lacy dress, covered in frills and ribbons, which matched her beautiful raven-black hair and stoic, almost emotionless demeanour.

“Is that… a book?” Adoria asked, looking at the worn, ragged collection of papers open in Kiela’s lap. Narrowing her eyes, she attempted to read the words, but the ink was very faded, and the language… “How old is that? I can barely understand it. “…decision was made to stop the…” she muttered, trying to make sense of it all.

“Ancient.” Her oldest sister said, and there was something strange in her tone. Adoria looked at her face instinctively, and in her deep green eyes Adoria though she could see a shadow, something heavy, lurking there, but then she blinked and Elenya looked the same as always, a gentle smile on her beautiful face. Wait, did I imagine it? No, sister is under a lot of stress. After all, her wedding date is set… That brought back memories of her own proposed unions, which she ruthlessly pushed down to the back of her mind. There’s no point worrying about it now. Not when sister Eleyna and sister Claira, and even mother, are hurting far worse than I am.

“You are a kind girl.” Elenya said, hugging her more tightly. “I hate that your destiny is to fight, just like Claira is. If I was stronger, but my Wind… it is not a force on the battlefield. Perhaps I simply lack talent.” Her self-deprecating words hurt Adoria, who opened her mouth to protest, but her sister spoke first.

“I know you worry. But… I am prepared. After all, we have to pass on the Elements, our rare Bloodlines. Is that not what we have been taught?”

Adoria nodded. Yes, only the Bloodlines of the Elemental Princesses, strengthened enough over the years, can hope to hold back the terrible demons. Sister Claira and Princess Demera are proving that. “You’re right sister, but that doesn’t mean you should be so upset. Not everyone is fit for battle. My Light is weak too. I can’t freeze armies like our sister does, or stand firm and unbreakable like Princess Demera. Kiela here… you struggle as well, don’t you?”

Kiela tiled her head, puzzled. “You think so? I see.” She then went back to scanning the book quietly, blue eyes sparkling.

“That aside, I brought the book because I felt that Kiela would enjoy it. And understand the true meaning. You know Kiela likes to read, yes?” Elenya said, and Adoria nodded, still being held in a tight hug. Embarrassed, she squirmed a bit, and she was released. As the two of them sat down beside Kiela, Adoria looked at the book once more.

“Yes, Kiela’s quiet. Too quiet sometimes.” she said with a sigh. “But books… finding a new one is rare. Nobody has time to write anymore. Kiela must be pleased. Wherever did you find it? I thought you were…”

“Consider it a present for my wedding.” Her sister changed the subject. “But having read it, it was very interesting indeed. I just knew Kiela would adore it. It’s a history book.”

“History?” Adoria cocked her head. “You mean like of the Palludia kingdom? That must be an old book then. Who has time to write nowadays? I’ve read all the books we keep in the palace, Kiela too.” Almost everything is invested in the war, and so much is lost, mother says. Even the Noble Elves now, they are beset, I hear…

“When I said it was ancient, I meant it, sister.” Elenya said softly. “No, this is from long ago, before the Palludia kingdom was born out of chaos and war.”

“Before? You mean…” Adoria was surprised, and Elenya looked animated for a moment, her eyes intense.

“Yes, from before the demons came. The time of the heights of empire. All a lie of course.” Elenya dropped a bombshell, and Adoria’s orange eyes went wide.

“Sister, you can’t say that! What do you mean?”

“It is quite simple. The two thousand years of the Elemental Princesses is nothing but a lie. No, in fact, our history goes back a mere eight hundred years. A mere…” she snorted, an unusual display of crudeness.

“Are you sure? The tutors here and the books say otherwise. This one could be wrong. I… I don’t want you getting into trouble. Mother would hate to hear you talking like that.” Adoria warned, and Elenya looked pleased.

“You are a good girl, Adoria. You and Claira are my treasures. Damn this cruel, unending war. If there was some way I could save you both, end the war…” she shook her head. “You too of course, Kiela.”

“I am fine.” Kiela said. “I agree with you. I like Adoria and Claira. You as well.” It was unusual for her to say so much, and Adoria was a little taken aback.

“I am glad.” Elenya said quietly, her tone heartfelt. “Which is why I believe you would like the book, Kiela. You always were interested in stories of far off times and places. But as to why I believe this is real…” Adoria waited for the answer, only to be disappointed. “… I cannot tell you, not yet. But suffice it to say I believe it to be largely true. Though nothing ever is entirely the truth.”

“Stop teasing me, I’m not a child.” Adoria pouted, and Elenya sighed.

“Yes, you are not, I know that all too well. Your time of sacrifice is coming. Now, the book…” her green eyes shone, intense. “It talks of before the Elements, in fact, how the Elemental Princesses first came about.”

“Everyone knows that. Out of the scattered, barbarian tribes, daughters with great affinity for the Elements were born, and they then discovered that the Elemental Princesses could pass down the affinity to the next generation, and strengthen it if they had a child with a man of similar affinity.” Adoria reported what her tutors and the Church of the Elements had taught her.

“That is not… entirely… untrue. But as I said, the Elements are not two thousand years old, but in fact a mere eight hundred.” Elenya lectured her. “I had my doubts, history seemed too clean, too… designed. To make us accept what we must accept. This book…” she smiled. “…what came before were the gifts of the Gods.”

“You mean the Elements?” Adoria asked, and it was Kiela who shook her head this time.

“No, this says… other beings. Not the Elements. And what they gave us…”

“Yes. The messengers of the Gods came bearing many gifts. The kingdoms that had formed at that time, they were torn apart by two hundred years of strife. That was a thousand years ago. Too many gifts, too many selfish people. There were no demons then. No, we were the demons. So little has changed.” Elenya said.

“That’s blasphemy!” Adoria said again, shocked. Brilliance bloomed around her as she instinctively drew on her Elemental gifts of Light. “Please don’t say such things, sister! I… don’t like hearing that.”

“Yes, I was not delighted.” Elenya agreed. “But a truth that is painful is a truth that should still not be avoided. It was after two hundred years of strife, and the bearers of these gifts starting to diminish, that the Elements arose.”

“Changing the given gifts… to ensure that the rulers always had power.” Kiela said, fascinated.

“I understand why they did it. And perhaps we should be glad they did. Else how would we face the demons now?” Elenya asked. “But…” she looked at Adoria, who was confused. Just what is sister Elenya getting at?

“No, it does not matter. For now… if you want to read, when Kiela is finished you can.”

“I will be done soon.” Kiela promised.

Adoria shook her head. “No, it looks too hard for me. Kiela, you can tell me about it later, all right?”

Kiela nodded, a trace of a smile on her pale face. “I’ll do that, cousin Adoria.”

Where did it come from? There’s something different about Elenya today as well. No, I know what it is. It’s nearly time…

********

“Are you looking forward to our upcoming union?” Barbro grinned, and Adoria immediately scowled, though Eleyna merely held her face impassive. Barbro reached out a hand, and she lifted hers, and he stroked it gently. Is that why my sister put on some gloves? She’s so smart. Adoria loathed Barbro, and he was even more insufferable now that his father the Chancellor had died. That was strange. He seemed healthy, but all of a sudden he had an illness that nobody could cure. She shuddered, remembering talk around the Palace of the horrible way he had died, covered in his own shit and puking blood, after having wasted away alarmingly quickly over just a week.

“I will do my duty. I swear it to the Elements Above.” Elenya said, and Barbro scowled. He was handsome enough, Adoria supposed, with his brown hair and matching eyes, and he was quite tall, but knowing the rumours, that he had many mistresses and was hardly loyal, Adoria felt a great pain in her chest, seeing him smiling at her oldest sister that way, barely disguising his lust.

“It may be a duty, but you will find pleasure in it.” Barbro promised, his arrogance having spiked now he was head of his household, though mother had resisted giving him an official position, unlike his deceased father. “A shame about the Elves, but then for a race that calls themselves Noble, they were rather stupid, getting so many killed… oh, a poor choice of words.” He shrugged, looking at Adoria, and she shuddered as his gaze licked over her slender body. I hate you, hate hate hate you! Fortunately I am of Light, so I will never have to suffer him like sister. “Your father perished in that battle. A great loss. I understand why the Queen tried to keep it secret. Morale is low enough already. I hear your sister has taken it hard, but has used the rage and sadness to reach new heights. An inspiration to us all. I am eager to finally become her true brother, as I am yours.”

Seeing Adoria about to explode, Elenya stepped in, freeing her hand. “The Noble Elves were indeed foolish, you are quite correct.”

“Call me by my name. We will be wed soon enough, and together we will pass on the legacy of Wind to another generation, strengthened by our great powers.” He grinned, and Eleyna managed a nod.

Sister, you are so strong. I couldn’t do the same. “Sir Barbro…” she managed, hating giving him a title, but unwilling to call him just by name, or worse still, having to call him brother. “…can you give my sister and me some privacy while we wait for mother?”

He looked at her again, before smiling in what he likely felt was a reassuring manner. “Of course, Princess. I shall take my leave for now. There is still much to organise. Though it seems many from our allied kingdoms will be unable to attend. I trust that Princess Claira will set aside her rampage long enough to bless her older sister though?”

“Claira should rest. I would not have her waste her life over this.” Elenya said, and I frowned, puzzled.

“Yes, it would be a tragedy. Claira is a true beauty.” Barbro slipped, forgetting to call her by her title, yet both sisters ignored it, eager to see him gone. After more pointless flattery, he finally left, and Elenya relaxed.

“How can you bear him? He’s awful. You know the rumours.” Adoria said mournfully.

“Faithfulness is a luxury. That course was set eight hundred years ago. Our gifts are strong, but… they must be further nurtured. He may be inconstant, but he does have talent. And our choices grow ever more limited. Your turn is coming too. Claira as well, though Claira is more use on the battlefield right now. But… what is the alternative?”

Adoria thought about that, chewing on her lip, depressed. “I don’t know. Maybe mother…”

“The Queen has her own fears. And the loss of your father has wounded her deeply. Lying to Claira and you, giving you both false hope… it was a mistake, but I sympathise. She has tried hard, but…”

“But?” Adoria asked.

“Results are all that matter now. I do not wish to see Claira hurt any more, or you to suffer. Neither does the Queen, but she will do what she must, even if it breaks her. Hence the soulless. Though she condemned them, and tolerated the re-risen, with the demon’s attacks becoming ever-more relentless, her stance has softened. It is far easier to create an army of the soulless, and replace them. As long as we have competent commanders, such as the Metalguard, directing them, they do a decent enough job holding the tide back. Would you rather have another wound on our distraught, mourning sister, or compromise on principles?” Her green eyes bored into Adoria’s orange ones.

Sister, so serious. But… I know what you mean. “I don’t want Claira to suffer. She’s already given so much, and all she has to look forward to is an unhappy marriage, like you sister.” Me as well.

“I do not know about that. Just because we have no choice, does not mean that we will find no joy in it. Remember this, please, dear sister. Just because something is forced on us, does not mean it is necessarily bad. And there may be good reasons, even if it brings sorrow.” The way she was speaking was strange, and Adoria listened to her sister’s impassioned words, trying to divine the meaning behind them.

“Just like the soulless. We must make sacrifices. The Queen hates to admit it though. But… if the only way to triumph was to be like her cousin, breaking one of us to create an army… could she pay that price?”

Adoria shuddered. She had only heard rumours, whispered and hushed, but it seemed that the cruel waste of her daughters had stalled the demons, her army having victories that matched what sister Claira and Princess Demera could muster. But at what cost…

“No, never. Mother loves us. You too, despite your worries, sister.” Adoria denied her. “She hates it so much. She would never countenance it.”

“Just like she never countenanced the soulless?” Elenya smiled sadly. “You are an adorably innocent child, but in the face of annihilation, all sacrifices are acceptable.”

“It’s not the same. The soulless might be terrible, but they aren’t alive like we are…”

“And when they fail to stem the tide, what then? If it comes to Claira falling on the battlefield, or…. being of more use to raise a batch of powerful warriors, even at the cost of her sanity and joy…” Elenya pressed. “To be Queen is to be ruthless. Yes, she has to preserve our Bloodlines, but without a country or the people… what use are we?”

“No, mother… she wouldn’t…” Adoria insisted, yet a treacherous voice inside her head was whispering to her. But mother is making Elenya marry Barbro. Perhaps Claira or I could be happy with whoever we end up marrying. Sister Elenya is right, it might not be so bad, if not what we would have chosen. But Elenya will absolutely not be happy! Barbro is a snake, a toad! His father dying… no, surely it wasn’t him? Wind shouldn’t be able to do that… should it? So if it was a choice between the fall of our country, and one of us…

“I can see you have worked it out. The sacrifice of the few for the many… a ruler must do it. But then, if one is not enough to sacrifice, what about two? Or three. Perhaps young Kiela too.”

“No.” Adoria denied that. “If the Elements are lost, then even saving the country will be meaningless. Why… why did it come to this? Mother has all that power and authority, but there’s so much she can’t change.”

“Then read the book.” Elenya said sadly. “The choices of those who claim to represent the Elements led to this day. We Princesses are the strongest, but even with all our power, we are fated to have few choices. Power is not enough alone.”

“Then what can we do?” The great door to the throne room in front of them was beginning to creak open, and a herald was ready to announce their entrance, to visit their mother, the beleaguered Queen. “I hate seeing you so sad, sister. I… my Light is not as strong as sister’s mighty Ice, but I could…”

Elenya’s smile now was genuine, and she reached out, rubbing Adoria’s head gently. “It is enough that you are thinking of me, even though I am only your half-sister.” Elenya whispered. “Put aside thoughts of striking out against Barbro. Even if you succeeded, it would only delay the inevitable. We may be individually gifted, but there are many others with remnants of the gifts who command Elements too. We have privilege, but in exchange we give up freedom. No, I am happy. It makes me think my choice was not wrong.”

“What choice?” Adoria asked, curious and worried, though enjoying the rare physical contact. Sister is being unusually animated today, and she seldom comforts me. Do I look so pitiful I need it, despite her own sorrows?

“On what to accept and what to give up. Just as the Queen does, I too am of an Elemental Bloodline, no matter how it came about, it does not change what our destiny is.” The doors were open now, so they had but a few moments before entering, and Adoria could see her mother on the throne, her usual cold beauty diminished, dark bags under her eyes barely hidden by makeup, her face gaunt, having lost some volume as though the weight of responsibility was slowly yet inevitably shrinking her.

“One question, sister.” Elenya said, as they started to move slowly and elegantly, all eyes on them. “How do you think we can survive the demons, when we lose at every turn?”

If I knew that I’d have told mother, so my sisters and I wouldn’t have to suffer! Even so, she considered the question seriously, since Eleyna seemed so different today. “I don’t know. Get help from elsewhere? But there’s no other countries not involved. Or we could run away, maybe? But mother would never allow that, and where would we go? Or… get stronger, strong enough to destroy the demons? But even sister Claira, who is hailed as the most powerful Element in recent memory, she isn’t enough… I just don’t know.” She shook her head, troubled.

“Not bad. I considered those too.” Elenya agreed, as they approached the throne, and her voice fell. “Of course, other options as well. But in the end… there are no prefect solutions. It all comes down to what price is one prepared to pay, and what one has to accept, in order to protect what absolutely cannot be left unprotected.” Before Adoria could reply, they had reached the foot of the throne, where her mother awaited them.

“Your Majesty, we have come as requested.” Elenya bowed deeply, and Adoria hurriedly did the same, as it was an official audience, to raise the morale of the people. What has to be sacrificed, and what has to be protected? I… don’t want my sisters or cousin Kiela to suffer. Nor mother, who has tried so hard. Why can’t it be those who are bad people who pay? Why does it always have to be us? I don’t care whether that book was true or not, but by the Elements Above… please, help my sisters, I don’t want this sorrow anymore. Though even as she prayed, she knew it was futile, else the demons would never have been able to ravage their world for so long, shattering so many dreams, ending so many lives. And mother, I pray you never have to make the sort of choices Elenya worries over. Believe in us. We may be weak, unlike Claira, but… we won’t let her fight alone. We’ll do something, I swear it!