Abyssal Road Trip

Amdirlain’s PoV - Material Plane

Desolation composed of rock, mud, stagnant water, and noxious gases surrounded her within the cradle of the planet’s atmosphere. Nearby, the foul stench of rotten eggs wafted up from pits of bubbling mud stirred by volcanic forces far beneath the surface. A presence manifested beside her as she sang a breathable atmosphere into place. Death’s white wings seemed to stretch across the horizon, shrouding the planet in his care. Long white hair fluttered in the breeze, stirred by the planet’s renewed air currents.

Eleftherios smiled, his dark gaze ironically bright with power. “Amdirlain. Are you doing well?”

“Eleftherios, it’s good to see you again. I hope this plan doesn’t cause you a problem,” said Amdirlain.

I hope that wasn’t a lie. Please don’t let him be scheming to use me as well.

“Not at all,” reassured Eleftherios. “To me, this planet is abhorrent. It is sterile and lifeless.”

“That’s an odd sentiment to hear from the Aspect of Death,” noted Amdirlain.

“When something dies, its death returns to the realm so that new life can grow,” said Eleftherios. “Even the death of a star distributes energy to far places. Death is a step in the cycle, but this is just a bitter, unnatural end.”

“Has Gideon sent you to chastise me?” asked Amdirlain. “They were pretty bitter at me.”

Eleftherios smiled. “Gideon and I do not always agree. Though they have made a grand fuss about you breaking the Oath Link with Sarah, you had valid reasons in my eyes. I’m glad you survived the decision to do so. You and Sarah are doing well, correct?”

“Yes,” said Amdirlain bashfully.

“Good,” declared Eleftherios. “That is what matters, not what anyone else thinks.”

“Thank you,” said Amdirlain. “I’m glad someone can see it. Since you’re not here to chastise me, what reason do I owe for your visit?”

“I came to check on you and hopefully offer some useful advice,” said Eleftherios. “Though I’m concerned about how it will be taken since I know of others' attempts at manipulation.”

“I’m glad you’re self-conscious enough to realise how advice can be taken,” said Amdirlain tightly.

“Yes, how my sharing concerns can be perceived,” Eleftherios winced; his wings briefly fluttered and shadowed them both. “Will you hear me out and judge on what I say?”

Amdirlain nodded suspiciously.

“An understandable and unfortunately not unjustified concern. Your fellow prisoner in blood has ill intentions towards you as Amdirlain.”

Fuck Laodice, what’s she up to?

“Would she be fine if I was properly Orhêthurin?” asked Amdirlain.

“Yes,” confirmed Eleftherios. “She stated as much to Custodian. She believes that Orhêthurin might have left something behind with her power.”

I doubt it. There was too much relief about it being gone; in among the pain, a weight had lifted from her shoulders. It also matched her earlier message I got while at the monastery.

“Orhêthurin left a message for me in my Soulscape that told me she’d never be her again,” said Amdirlain. “Do you think she’d lie straight up to whoever came after? She clarified she didn’t know who or if someone would ever hear it. She deliberately set up a message to reassure any future reincarnations that retrieved it that she wasn’t a threat and would never rise to replace them. Orhêthurin wanted to die for such a long time that I don’t think she’d thank anyone who restored her to life. She must have said something that convinced Nicholaus to let her leave the realm.”

“I agree, though none of us overheard their exchange. It is in my sister’s nature to turn everything into a grand struggle for dominance,” said Eleftherios. “She can’t see that the cycle of life and death isn’t meant to be rewound, and I’ll admit I first thought you were Orhêthurin come again, but you’re not the same. To lean on my earlier example, Orhêthurin was the mighty oak that fell. Losing her saddened some more than others. I hope her prior existence only provides the materials for your greatness and doesn’t warp how you can grow.”

“That’s kind of you, Eleftherios,” said Amdirlain.

Eleftherios smiled sadly. “It seems I should have given her more kindness while she was among the living. You’re not the only one that Gideon sometimes shares the sharpness of knowledge.”

“What advice do you have for me?”

“You needed peace, but other pieces are moving. I’m unsure how long you can afford to linger in Livia’s Domain. You might have centuries or only years,” said Eleftherios. “You need to get that evolution and get to the wound before others take advantage of your delays. You’ll want plenty of time and strength to deal with whatever traps Balnérith has in place on the approach to the wound.”

I already had planned for that with the wound, but what pieces moving? Who is acting against me?

“How would they know I’m about?”

“Anyone with Analysis can find out the songbird is in play again,” said Eleftherios. “You might have the True Song crystal hidden from the perception of Roher and the other Lómë, but they aren’t gods, nor is Livia strong enough to stop many from peering into her Domain.”

“I’ve noticed,” sighed Amdirlain. “To be fair to her, it has been primordials looking in on me.”

“While you’ve had some visitors, they won’t be the last. Orcus isn’t popular, but he’s made enough noise that his enemies are looking to see what he’s after,” said Eleftherios, waving around them. “Closing off so many worlds like you did left traces. He now seeks structures of True Song.”

“Should you have told me Orcus was looking for them?” asked Amdirlain.

“Orcus is the least of those looking for crystal constructs. You’ve made too much noise. Moloch’s patron is also looking for traces after Gideon’s references to the Titan’s Songbird in the various landscaping you did.”

Amdirlain groaned. “I’ve just been trying to sort myself out and grow stronger.”

“I know why you lingered, and I’m glad you’ve found more peace, but you need to move on,” Eleftherios said, briefly clasping Amdirlain’s face, his gaze startlingly close. The gentle affection in the gesture kept her from objecting to his invasion of her personal space. “You might have decades or mere months. Please get somewhere safe from those seeking you for a time.”

This is as far from Laodice’s conduct as I could expect, closer to Custodian’s cheerful greeting.

Amdirlain frowned as he released her. “Given War’s behaviour when I visited Custodian last, I’m not sure how safely I can take advice from an Aspect. Gideon said that Nexus played games with my Planar Shift.”

“There are too many divided opinions, and Nicholaus keeps himself firmly within the rules. Some feel you have grand potential as Ori’s proper successor. Unfortunately, others aren’t as accepting for various reasons,” said Eleftherios sadly. “You should see Custodian again, as this isn’t the most recent of War’s misbehaviour. As a lesser Aspect, the rules don’t permit Custodian to initiate contact with those not directly under Protection’s banner. Still, they triggered something dangerous to get your attention so they could warn you.”

“What about you being here and in the monastery?”

“My visit to the monastery was skirting the rules,” advised Eleftherios. “I can only see you now when you are in a ruined world like this—the price of bending the rules with the Greek gods.”

They’re no longer a priority, but I’m still curious. Would he say anything further?

“You get in a lot of trouble off Patéras?” Amdirlain asked curiously.

Eleftherios smiled serenely. “Are you going to use that term for him all the time?”

That’s a straight-up subject evasion.

“Did he take it well?” asked Amdirlain.

“Very well,” Eleftherios said, nodding enthusiastically. “You are not the only one with scars from your past, Amdirlain. My only advice is to focus on what you love over what you believe you need.”

Amdirlain eyed him curiously. “And is that why you’re here today, to give me life advice? That’s a little ironic, given your role in the realm.”

“It’s not my main reason, but I will always endeavour to help your goals. Custodian has a bet with Kháos that I thought you should know about rather than getting taken by surprise,” advised Eleftherios.

Kháos is Greek for Chaos.

“I can’t believe the aspects bet on events,” said Amdirlain nervously, hoping that Custodian or Eleftherios wasn’t trying to manipulate her.

“We bet to make matters more personal and to help keep an interest in events beyond setting up more planets. It’s not the outcome but the journey that matters,” explains Eleftherios. “The more uncertainty within the events in question, the more attraction they generate. From how Kháos spoke, Custodian started this one, so I suspect they have a reason to need your attention. You should visit them more often.”

“Are you involved in it as well?”

“No, and I think Kháos might have told me about it just to see what I’d do,” Eleftherios shrugged. His wings drew shadows across the ground, and Amdirlain caught glimpses of what had lived and died in aeons past.

“I take it you mentioned it for a reason,” said Amdirlain.

“They are using one of your enemies to retrieve three Soul jars from a location where it’s not safe for you to go,” Eleftherios explained.

The news caused an icy feeling to lodge within her lungs.

More souls are captive in places they shouldn’t be.

“The Demon, the Hag, or the Fallen?” quipped Amdirlain.

Eleftherios frowned. “The Demi-god. Please get out of the habit of thinking of him as merely a Demon, he’s not just an individual with a powerful magic rating that you need to fear. He’s powerful, but it’s not the only threat to worry over Amdirlain. Enough magic thrown your way simultaneously will still slowly wear you down. How do you think we got overwhelmed while fighting within the Abyss? We were worn down with piecemeal but constant attacks chipping away at us until we couldn’t handle the Leviathan’s strength without cost. It’s best not to take even minor threats lightly. Always ensure you have a safe place to fall back to and recover from battles.”

“That’s the second time you’ve mentioned being safe,” noted Amdirlain.

“That’s because I’m concerned for your safety. With those searching for crystals, I’d recommend you move from the Outlands. Many dark powers and lesser beings are presently seeking traces of singers,” said Eleftherios. “Those that had reason to be jealous of the Anar and Lómë’s strength and don’t wish it restored.”

I’ll take the Jade Emperor’s invitation up sooner than intended. I thought I was being so clever with the library.

“Are they looking in the Outlands? Is it my library’s crystal that’s making waves?”

Eleftherios smiled. “Your library is noisy. The True Song makes it a beacon, but fortunately one that isn’t easy to trace. It wouldn’t be an issue except for other events, but they’re paying attention to that Power again after the devastation caused several times on Culerzic and Ternòx. The dramatic explosions, rivers of dammed going to sleep, not to mention the trillions of dammed souls and mortals you’ve stolen away.”

More souls than I’ve been able to process or have the weaponry to equip. Maybe I can ask Gilorn to help build more armaments for the towers.

“Thanks for the warning,” said Amdirlain, and she signalled the library’s songs to cease gathering information.

“It’s not just my warning, but there are limits to what Gideon can or will put in the notes,” said Eleftherios.

“They made their view of me quite clear. I wouldn’t expect them to offer much help,” said Amdirlain.

“Gideon, for someone so knowledgeable, can be an idiot. Ori would be so happy for you and Sarah. Try to be kinder to yourself. Remember that Ori was always hardest on herself, and that’s not a good example to follow,” offered Eleftherios, before he vanished.

If I bring things forward, we’ll need to deal with the exiled Lómë now instead of waiting to see how they behave. How will they react to their perspective being broadened?

Amdirlain notified Gilorn and refocused all her attention on the planet’s atmosphere. She was nearly done when Gilorn confirmed she’d completed the preparations to provide the insights to the exiled Lómë. Amdirlain returned to the Outlands and, in a sheltered glade away from the mountain, she explained the situation to Sarah and Gilorn.

Sarah wrinkled her nose. “Those with power are often jealous of others. I wonder how many entities worked behind the scenes to ensure Balnérith’s scheme succeeded. Nicholaus should pay attention to more besides creating the next planet.”

“He was always getting lost in his construction projects,” said Amdirlain. “Though it’s not his fault—the realm wasn’t set up for him to know everything. Neither of them wanted the temptation. If you weren’t violating the rules, they didn’t need to know, the rules would assess you and take care of it. It was only when the rules were being broken in a way that they couldn’t cope with that there was any notification.”

“Like the Eldritch,” stated Gilorn.

“Exactly,” agreed Amdirlain. “But that’s not what we need to talk about. Do I head for the lower planes now and level there, or go on the Jade Emperor’s trip? I’m thinking about the Jade Emperor’s trip to make it easy for either of you to vote that way. How do you two vote?”

There was an audible sigh of relief from Sarah, and Gilorn chimed happily in agreement.

“I’ll assume you’ve already got a list of things to handle before we head off?” asked Sarah.

“Qil Tris, the Exiled Lómë, a bunch of demi-planes to even out my levels, Xaos’ training hall. I need to remove the True Song Crystal there and in the Mousekin burrow,” said Amdirlain. “Set up an enchanted arena to allow my attendees a training mechanism after I take apart my training hall. Set up an access key for Livia to allow the dragons into the honeymoon suite once the situation arises.”

Sarah frowned. “Do the demi-planes contain crystal?”

“No, their expansion consumes the seeds,” said Amdirlain.

“I’ve got some enchanting teaching to get through, though I know some dragons could take over the lessons and pick up the pay,” said Sarah.

“We’ll look into the exiles first,” said Amdirlain.

Sarah paused. “Aren’t they living upon a world you’ll need to get summoned to?”

“I can take care of that,” reassured Gilorn. “I count as Mortal. Let me know when you’re ready to be summoned.”

Without further warning, she hopped away.

Amdirlain stepped close to Sarah and caressed her face. “We get to travel alone. Just the two of us to annoy each other.”

“Having you all to myself isn’t a hardship,” laughed Sarah and caught her in a tight embrace.

“I won’t be gone long,” reassured Amdirlain, her hands stroking Sarah’s back as she enjoyed the hug.

“Gilorn hasn’t even offered a guess yet about the time required,” said Sarah. “I’m going to assume it will take at least as long as Ebusuku’s trip through the Maze.”

“I’ll send you an updated time frame once I know it,” said Amdirlain. “You can break the bad news to my students.”

“Jinfeng is going to beg to come along as a guide,” cautioned Sarah. “Deserted by her Sifu, etc.”

“We won’t be near even the Western Kingdom for who knows how long,” said Amdirlain, and she reluctantly stepped away to signal Gilorn. “I’ll be back as soon as we’re done.”

Gilorn’s summoning had a different feel to the device, but the rainbow-walled conduit didn’t provide a prettier view. Amdirlain was glad when she emerged from the other end, though the mirrored circle it released her into showed her armoured jawline and hollow eye sockets with a wick of waving white flame within. When her presence stabilised within the circle, the barrier dropped, allowing her a view of the mountain landscape she’d sensed upon arrival.

Amdirlain resumed her Wood Elf form and, as the mountain breeze played with azure locks, cleared up the sludge that had leaked from her bristles. The music of the exiles was obvious to Amdirlain among the elves that populated this world. They’d already established a little community and had others paying court to them for their capabilities.

They’ve learned nothing about the cost of pride.

“I’ll get you to sing the accompanying pieces,” instructed Gilorn, displaying the music she’d projected to Amdirlain previously and highlighting the particular sets.

“That’s just as well,” agreed Amdirlain. “Just listening to their little worship centres has me furious. Cult camp 101.”

A run of sour notes emitted from Gilorn. “Are you sure I can’t just take their True Song away?”

“Let’s stick with the theme from the corridor of choices and see how they react,” said Amdirlain. “They’re skating out onto thin ice.”

I will not interrogate Gilorn about what other songs Ori taught her. I might behave if I repeat that to myself a few million times.

“We should gain a deeper impact if we take a few days or weeks,” cautioned Gilorn. “We can present a sped-up dreamscape, but the longer we take, the more vivid it will be. Unless you’d prefer to force choices onto them, they need time to process the moments.”

“They have to make their choices. I’ll ask Sarah to pass on the news to my students,” said Amdirlain.

Gilorn’s inner glow dulled briefly. “Ensure you don’t dip within their thoughts, or my song might entrap you in the melody, Amdirlain.”

“Then I’ll stick to the protective barriers and themes to maintain their bodies,” said Amdirlain.

As Gilorn’s harsh and sorrowful melody enfolded them, Amdirlain set protective barriers around each exile, ensuring each was safe and physically well. As they were drawn into a dreaming state, the options they would experience in the Abyss consumed their attention. Amdirlain kept her mind clear and listened to the other creatures in the region. The elves the exiled had sought to impress kept vigil for two weeks as they experienced the slow, insidious death of choices and Balnérith’s tightening noose that the other Lómë had endured.

While Gilorn provided the backdrop for their choices, Amdirlain sustained their lives and practised her spells.

Travelling now will be an issue; I’ve still not got my psionic skills progressed to powers, so I can’t take the Class I wanted. Yet I doubt Eleftherios would have bothered to warn me unless the danger was significant.

When the songs ended, Amdirlain felt the Lómë inhale in shock and disbelief. She released them from their protective shells and they collapsed, weeping. Each was relieved to find themselves once more in the present.

They’re relieved, but will their attitudes change? How will they react once they determine who inflicted that perspective on them? If they want to fuck around further, they’re going to find out what Gilorn wants to do.

The pair waited until the exiles were on their feet before they returned to the Outlands.

The warmth of the golden sunlight held a bitterness to Amdirlain after Eleftherios’ warning. “Can I get you to complete the demi-planes?” asked Amdirlain.

“I can do that,” said Gilorn. “You’ve had proposals from others about classes. Might I put forward a proposal of my own?”

“I’m listening,” said Amdirlain, and beckoned to Gilorn. “Hit me with your logic.”

“I’d prefer to share it with you. Your phrasing is so aggressive at times,” grumbled Gilorn. “While Aitherlar has proposed a psionic class for your last spot, you could take another True Song Class and then take that Psionic Class as part of your first Tier 7.”

“I’m trying to balance out the channels of energy I can handle, and that Class helps psionics and magic,” clarified Amdirlain. “Presently, my True Song Classes outweigh the others.”

“The transition to Empress Malfex will get you four blank classes, but you don’t have to take classes straight away,” said Gilorn. “You could level the species while you gain skills and powers to take the classes you want. Yes, presently your True Song Prestige Class gives you more progress than the others. Still, Bahamut didn’t say you had to balance them to break through to a Primordial. He said that whatever path you choose, strengthening the capability to channel energy is important. What have you enjoyed the most of all the things you’ve done in these last months? I recommend you choose a Class because it lets you do what you love the most. I don’t have a Class name for you, you should investigate and decide that for yourself.”

I’ve not looked at any of the True Song classes on offer. While punching out a Dragon would have once been an unthinkable achievement, I still feel sullied about taking the convenient route of being a murder hobo on a new mother. Tiamat didn’t care, merely devoured her Soul. Do I want to let Tiamat’s attitude that it’s strength that matters the most also drive me?

Have I avoided looking at other choices because I’m afraid of getting lost? Or because I’m afraid of living in her shadow?

“You should look for something beyond merely serving a particular purpose with Balnérith,” said Gilorn softly. “Perhaps something that would allow you to create life and care for souls?”

“You bring up a good point, and I promise I’ll consider it,” said Amdirlain.

Gilorn chimed happily. “In the meantime, you could complete enough demi-planes to get your other classes up to at least three hundred. Then your last class will require less effort to cross the threshold,” said Gilorn. “Are you going to leave immediately because of Eleftherios’s warning?”

“I don’t want to endanger anyone unnecessarily,” said Amdirlain. “There are, however, various tasks we’ll need to tie off first.”

“It would be faster to do the work ourselves,” noted Gilorn. “You know, it’s improbable that the Lómë can help you complete even one overnight.”

“I’m aware of that,” admitted Amdirlain. “Do we shock them, and have you join their efforts?”

“Since you’re taking Eleftherios’s suggestion to hide on the Material Plane, you could open a Gate to each world and sing with them from Vehtë,” suggested Gilorn. “You wouldn’t have to live with them, just shelter in the world’s barrier. Listen for a bit and learn the lay of the land before you travel.”

“The poem’s line about noiseless,” said Amdirlain.

Gilorn hummed. “Do you think there is more than one reason for that poem? It came well before you got this warning?”

Why do I have to be the one to sing with them?

“There is another option. You could sing with them,” Amdirlain said. “Or Isa, Gail, and yourself could handle it together.”

“Perhaps after you handle the first world with them. I want to ensure they know your strength and don’t take you for granted,” said Gilorn. “I take it you’d prefer I not travel with you.”

“That’s an excellent compromise,” agreed Amdirlain. “As for travelling with me, would you want to close off your Resonance?”

A sour noise resonated through Gilorn’s frame.

“I’ll take that as a no,” laughed Amdirlain.

“Very perceptive,” drawled Gilorn. “Message me regularly while you’re travelling, and don’t make your Móðir worry.”

“You won’t stay on Vehtë?”

“I think I’ll expand one of your demi-planes for myself,” said Gilorn. “Then I can hopefully resist the temptation to streamline your journey from afar.”

“Will you monitor Qil Tris for me and ensure our changes to the ghost caverns don’t cause issues?”

Gilorn hummed softly. “Of course.”

“I’m going to spend time with Sarah,” said Amdirlain.

“I’ll keep my attention on the outside of your barrier,” responded Gilorn, and with a grumpy huff, Amdirlain disappeared.

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Afterwards, Amdirlain lay curled up in Sarah’s arms, enjoying her warmth and the afterglow. Sarah’s hand rubbing slow circles brought forth a mix of warmth and spikes of nerves whenever she brushed against the top of Amdirlain’s pants.

Something has still got me flinching back. Stop, enjoy Sarah’s warmth, or think of something else.

Pieces of information swirled around in Amdirlain’s mind, and memories of two recent conversations swam together, pieces clicking into place.

“What’s up?” Sarah asked. Her fingers paused where they’d been caressing the skin of Amdirlain’s shoulder.

“Gilorn gave me some advice that fitted with something Eleftherios said.”

Sarah’s eyebrow raised. “Which is?”

“I’ve been looking at things wrong,” said Amdirlain, savouring Sarah's heady scent.

“They said that?”

“No, they were both addressing other matters, but now I realise I’ve been dragging my heels because I wasn’t comfortable,” said Amdirlain. “Power for power’s sake alone isn’t appealing. I’m going to take another True Song Class and get the transition to Empress Malfex, then I’ll take the time to get powers and skills for balanced evolved classes in my Tier 7,” said Amdirlain. “I’m afraid of what my transition to Empress Malfex is going to do, and I’ve been procrastinating about it.”

“Going to put more in the basket of True Song?” asked Sarah.

“My magic rating is a lot higher,” said Amdirlain. “Eleftherios and Gilorn separately told me to focus on what I love. I’ve said that magic and psionics are useful tools, but I don’t love them. I enjoy my martial arts and the Monk Ki powers, but don’t love them. My ability to take out a Dragon with a single punch brought grim satisfaction, but it didn’t bring me happiness.”

“There was no victory rush,” said Sarah. “No dopamine reaction that you’d get from your old games.”

“It made me wonder if I was just picking the convenient action, the choice the gamer slaying the monster of the week would take,” said Amdirlain. “I’m not trying to kid myself that she wouldn’t have killed me if she could have, yet I used her life and Soul as the price of admission to talk to Tia.”

“I hoped my little joke would distract you from going down that road,” said Sarah.

“I might just get you to deliver on the punch line one day,” said Amdirlain. “How would a metallic have reacted to a red entering their territory?”

“Metallic and chromatic dragons always fight to the death to keep each other from their territory. The chromatic because they want the metallic dead, the metallic because they know what fate awaits the territory if they give in.”

“Aitherlar predicted correctly—she was a brooding mother preparing for young,” noted Amdirlain.

“It was the three factors that made it predictable: her reported size, sudden appearance, and behaviour,” recounted Sarah. “If the Dragon had moved to the area alone, there would have been a slow escalation. That she was going for a large dramatic attack means she was herding prey out into the open in a hurry so she wouldn’t linger away from her nest. A chromatic just hunting to establish its territory would take its time and not disappear for days between raids.”

“That still doesn’t get to what I need. I guess I worded it wrong. How do metallic dragons view clashes with chromatics?”

“It’s the cost of keeping those in your care safe. They’d have taken killing the Red Dragon as essentially pest control. Do you sympathise with roaches or just rid yourself of them efficiently? It doesn’t matter if the bug is smart. It won’t live with you or others peacefully. She was a mother, but she would have raised her children to prey on everything around them. Then, instead of one rampaging Dragon, you’d have had three. Yes, dragons don’t need to eat after a certain point, but it doesn’t stop chromatics. Some will slaughter everything in their territory, regardless of their prey’s intelligence. Great wyrms will live on a barren mountainside devoid of life. It’s nothing for them to venture a few hundred kilometres away to pick up food if they want to eat.”

Amdirlain hummed thoughtfully. “There were places in the mountains beyond the Dragon’s lair that match your description.”

“This topic got you off track,” said Sarah, brushing a strand of hair from Amdirlain’s face. “What were you thinking about True Song class-wise?”

“I’ve not checked on them in ages, and I’ve opened up a number, but the most recent is promising,” said Amdirlain. She checked Analysis again, though she didn’t need it to remember the details of the new Class that caught her attention.

[Primal Maestro

Details: Masterful performers of True Song can make an impression.

Increases the chance of gaining significant insights into powers, skills, and knowledge that are directly related to True Song usage.

Requirements:

- True Song Genesis evolved to Lord Tier or Higher.

- Resonance evolved to Lord Tier or Higher.

- Seven Hundred Levels in True Song Classes.

Attribute increases:

+ 1 Melee Attack Power per 2 levels.

+ 1 Defence per Level.

+40 Health per Level.

+10 Endurance per Level.

+4 Free Attribute Points every four levels post level 22.

+8 Magic per Level.

Note: It won’t give you the insight and memory synergies you threw away, but it will benefit you.

Note: You’re already on the evolution paths for the powers this one can unlock.]

What does it mean by directly related? Harps, singing, composition, and hopefully understanding what I’m doing when I give a species a second heart?

“Primal Maestro,” offered Amdirlain.

Sarah blinked. “You got an evolution on True Song Genesis?”

Oh, I fucked up! I was so caught up I didn’t tell her.

“I’m...”

“That is great,” interrupted Sarah.

“I should have mentioned it,” said Amdirlain.

A gentle smile lit Sarah’s gaze, and she stole a kiss. “I know you’re self-contained in a lot of ways. You’re talking about it now, so don’t worry. I’m not complaining about your timing.”

Her insinuating tone drew a blush from Amdirlain.

“We had other things we were spending time on,” managed Amdirlain.

“Weeks of sorting out self-centred prats,” Sarah hummed thoughtfully. “You know something has been niggling at me.”

Is something wrong?

“What’s that?” asked Amdirlain carefully as she considered the changes she’d made to the distant Xaos. The training tower was now connected to a modest Demi-Plane, and the Mana in the surrounding Chaos stream would continually restore the constructs.

“My mother has teased you about it, and I’ve said nothing,” Sarah said, presenting her with a gleaming ring. Within it was an enchantment that rippled with her Ki. “Things have a proper order despite Aitherlar jumping ahead, and I’ve not declared my intentions. You don’t have to answer me anytime soon, but would you marry me?”

“Yes,” blurted Amdirlain.

“You don’t need a moment to consider your options?” asked Sarah lightly, a smile lighting up her gaze.

Amdirlain kissed Sarah softly, enjoying the sweetness of her lips and the warm line of their bodies pressed together. “I’m never getting a better partner than you,” breathed Amdirlain.

I’m the poor partner.

“Amdirlain, your self-doubt is trying to kill your happiness,” said Sarah. “According to Ebusuku’s rules, we were married when you said yes. Do you want a wedding?”

“No, I just want you,” said Amdirlain.

Sarah drew away to set the ring on Amdirlain’s middle finger and pulled her close again.

Though curious about the choice, Amdirlain didn’t break away. After a lingering kiss, Sarah revealed her reasoning without prompting.

‘You’re my centre,’ Sarah projected. ‘We can use whatever symbols or rituals we want to celebrate.’

Happy tears prickled at the corners of Amdirlain’s eyes, catching her by surprise.

I am wanted.

Enjoying another soft kiss, Amdirlain interlaced her fingers with Sarah’s. “I missed you.”

“You’ve got a lot to do before we head off, but you had better break the bad news to Livia first,” said Sarah. “Have you figured out what you’re going to tell her?”

“If I tell her evil dark powers are looking for signs of True Song Crystal, I think that will be enough,” sighed Amdirlain. “Tomorrow, I’ll start levelling.”

[Class selection:

Primal Maestro]

“Do you want to expand on that?”

“My goal is Empress Malfex before we travel,” said Amdirlain. “It’s time to stop being afraid of what it’s going to do.”

“What are we doing the rest of tonight?” asked Sarah, and she shifted position to draw Amdirlain closer.

Her hand resting at the base of Amdirlain’s spine brought only warmth and longing.

“I thought my wife might take my pants off me,” breathed Amdirlain nervously.

“Only if you’re feeling comfortable.” Sarah's hand moved from her back to cradle her hip.

Amdirlain gave a quick, jerky nod. “It seems part of my brain was waiting for the ring.”

“Your mind needed the familiar symbol of commitment. There is nothing wrong with that, my love. What exactly would you like?” asked Sarah, her fingers trailing teasingly down the front of Amdirlain’s thigh.

“You,” gasped Amdirlain.

The surge of desire that washed through Sarah’s theme vibrated off Amdirlain’s skin and the lingering buzz of pleasure intensified. A strange breathlessness flooded her, and desire drowned the nervous anticipation that started twisting inside her stomach. A tug shifted her pants downwards, and Amdirlain arched her hips to let them slide free. Sarah's soft kisses grew steadily fiercer, devouring her mouth until she cast Amdirlain’s shorts aside.

Sarah stopped, and her lips trailed downwards amid warm caresses as their hands explored each other. Kisses inter-spaced with tiny licks as she trailed across Amdirlain’s stomach, her hand gently cupped between nervously parted thighs, drawing a groan of desire.