A Simple Transaction I

[Rihaku]

Cloud-Shadow's Key

The winner was [X] Compact of Kings with [X] Martial Route. A closely-fought vote!

Hunger and his party have decided to pursue the path of the Royalists. While it will be a difficult and fiercely precipitous route to navigate, at least it offers far lower chance of moral compromise. Fortune seems to have favored the itinerant Cursebearer; as if responding to the Pressure of the Walls themselves his own Rank has hardened and stratified, become denser with its influence more encompassing. Guided by this supernal threnody he found his way to a most auspicious lead...

[ ] The Princess Herself [2 Arete] - In a twist of fate, the vendor Hunger first spoke to was secretly an influential espionage asset of the Royalist faction, with connections capable of putting the wandering champion directly in touch with Princess Adorie. Secreted into the Opalescent Tower by means of a spatial passageway, the party are able to directly observe the sky-folded stone of this cloud-piercing bastion and plumb its depths through the power of their Ring-borne insight.

*Princess Adorie benefits from inherently high Rank due to her royal status within the Realm of Myth, only half a step below Catherine herself. Compassionate but not unpragmatic, talented in most aspects of rule, and superhumanly adept with voice and quill, nonetheless she somewhat lacks staying power in combat for a woman of her Rank.
*Combat Mission: Assassinate the Protector's flunkies which are patrolling the passageway. While they are presumptive elites, the kingdom's finest troops have all been deployed to the front lines. On a success, grants you...
*Jackpot! Grants access to the Tower swiftly and without fuss.
*Though she is skilled in many professions and well-learned in the history of her Realm, she lacks real-world experience. However, she is versed in many secrets of the Opalescent Sky itself.
*A capable and perspicacious leader for the realm of Nilfel, should she be instated.
+/- Spare the Innocent: Can be trusted to oversee your Voyaging Realm conquests without the prospect of corruption or usurpation. Apocryphal Curse will ignore Realms so administered and target you directly.

"I hope you'll forgive that my thinking's a bit ivory-tower. I've spent my whole life with my head in the clouds... An unfortunate condition I just can't seem to shake!"

[ ] Lord Eruntael - High Magister Eruntael is one of the few Royalists still to retain a position of relative power in this the Lord Protector's realm. Entire legions of Nilfelian might have been mustered from his ancestral lands, leaving his yeomen low on manpower but his influence great indeed for a man of his political views. Two full Legions garrison his personal lands while three are deployed within the army's First Expeditionary Force, a veteran legion group that is typically thrust headfirst into the teeth of the fiercest resistance to Nilfellian rule. While casualties have been somewhat severe, the soldiers that survive such repeated sallies are battle-hardened veterans whose resentment of the Lord Protector is greater than most.

*Can grant detailed tactical and strategic information about Nilfellian army forces and the scale of power needed to oppose them meaningfully, or overturn them completely.
*The Lord Protector cannot afford to purge him without losing a substantial percentage of his elite forces and inciting the prospect of open rebellion.
*Though his views are unfashionable, he's well-regarded enough among the nobility that the aristocracy would not support his removal from official position or title
*Combat Mission: A straightforward skirmish or battle to prove your worth to the High Magister. Pretty easy for one of Hunger's might.
*Can provide resources for quicker (+200%) Artifice development if necessary
*Existing forces at the head of powerful hero-units like Hunger, Gisena and Verschlengorge can achieve much even against superior odds, though one must be cautious of the enemy's heroic stable as well.
*A rather verbose individual, but a deeply philosophical ruler whose heart's usually in the right place.
+/- Is of lower Rank, but much greater personal power, than Princess Adorie

"Nilfel was a shining beacon; now we are common oppressors. And yet the will of the common folk is drawn to the 'Lord Protector.' Have we wisdom enough to credibly say that they have merely been seduced by his honeyed promises, and thus are now justified in overturning his reign? Or is this simply the true brutish face of human ambition? The problem hounds me daily, yet the suffering of my men and their conquered vassals grow more intolerable by the hour..."

"If treason is the only recourse, I would rather my name be stained with dishonor, than the tabards of my men with blood."

[ ] Shard of the Arcanist [10 Arete] - Pale, shallow remnant of she who once raised the Arcanist's Walls. The blood of the Builder Caste ran through her veins, but this specter is a mere fragment of the glory that once was Foremost among all peoples and territories of this shattered, fraying universe. Even so reduced, she could unmake all the Lord Protector's armies as easily as lifting a finger... if she could somehow be convinced to intervene. What say you, Praehihr? Dare you venture into the haunted halls of the Final Vestige in search of wisdom beyond reason, and power beyond madness?

*Combat Mission: The insane chromatic monstrosities which patrol the Final Vestige. Very difficult to overcome.
*Unstable and animalistic, her mind as broken as the imperium of her people.
*Incredibly dangerous to approach. Fuck up and you will be slain.
*None have returned from explorations deeper than one floor into the Final Vestige.
*Get her onside and all your problems here are solved!
*Can potentially teach you epic magics and powers of the Foremost, including the very arts by which the Walls of Myth were born.
*You can spend Arete on Advancements, such as Once and Future, to make yourself more powerful and this mission safer.
+/- Normally this mission would be absurd, but Hunger and Gisena theoretically have the social Attributes necessary to somewhat converse with her.

"Of course... the Implement! We shall consume it, and become worthy shadow of She-Who-Was-The-Arcanist! Surrender him to Us and She shall engineer you into Her own Implements... honor beyond measure for ilk of your stature..."

---

Aeira's element is evolving, perhaps due to consistent exposure to multiple Elements with perfecting, refining and enhancing effects, or perhaps for altogether unrelated reasons! Choose the form of her new Element:

[ ] Greater Shadowcord - As if responding to its caster's will, the Element re-purposes itself to better suit her desires. Slightly weakens the power and intensity of shadow cloaks placed on others, but massively increases the ductility, range, tensile strength, and overall durability of the Shadowcord Element itself, and dramatically improves the degree of Agility and Stealth enhancements granted to the caster.

*She still can't fight on Hunger's level directly, but she would be a capable bodyguard or independent asset for the others in most situations.
*A bad matchup against Aobaru (who can just spam massive AOEs and has his own huge Attribute buffs) means she's still not quite his superior in one-on-one duels.

[ ] Superior Shadowcord [2 Arete] - Cloaks of shadow placed on self or others now grant two discrete Stealth bonuses: a flat bonus proportional to the caster's power, and a percentage bonus proportional to the target's overall power. Massively increases Shadow-cloak utility for purposes of Stealth, though still not to the degree of a dedicated Stealth specialist of equivalent power to the target, assuming the target is as powerful as Hunger.

*Dramatically improves her effectiveness at her current main 'function.'
*Aeira will be somewhat displeased that her power has evolved in this direction.

[ ] Advanced Technique: Shadow Puppetry [2 Arete] - Twined strings of shadow can now manipulate the caster's body directly, acting as nerve and muscle-fiber rolled into one. Allows Aeira to reduce the effects of wound penalties on herself by 75%. She may now apply Shadowcord's bonus to her Strength and Protection, and her burst Stealth (for purposes of assassination or quick thievery rather than, say, surveillance or prolonged skulking) is substantially improved.

*Compared to Greater Shadowcord, makes her a more efficient assassin as opposed to a direct fighter.
*High Might and situational Stealth make her adept at dealing large bursts of damage undetected, while Protection & wound penalty reduction help her escape after her target is felled!

[ ] Complete Technique - Shadow Mastery [7 Arete]

Hunger and Gisena will actively help cultivate Aeira's developing talent, spending a considerable amount of time and effort on training in days to come. Grants all the above techniques and evolutions, including any synergies or interactions inherent to the set, then further increases all bonuses by an additional 100%. For example, Greater Shadowcord increases the magnitude of her AGI bonus by a great deal, while Shadow Puppetry applies that bonus to Strength and Protection as well, and then all three bonuses are doubled. She gains both enhanced Stealth, and further enhanced burst Stealth for exceptionally effective assassination technique!

*Aeira becomes a vastly more capable support magus and individual combatant, in both open warfare and operations-based conflict
*Unlocks True Shadowcord.
*Unlocks Threnody Sorceress.
*She can do it all!
*Aeira will be happy. ++Aeira Loyalty, +Aeira Potential (Elite -> High Elite). Aobaru will be inspired by her and their rivalry will escalate in earnest, increasing his own power and skill in response! +Aobaru Power.

---

Well, Hunger & Gisena rolled really well this time, and consequently have unlocked some ultra-premium options! Choose well, for the opportunities presented here may be difficult to acquire otherwise!

Hope you enjoyed the update! I now have a Patreon - Subscribers receive lots of patron-exclusive content, including early updates, Blurb Library, Discord roles, and exclusive time-limited bonus chapters. A huge thanks to existing subscribers, the amount of support has been absolutely breathtaking! Even more content is coming to patrons soon, with another time-limited bonus chapter later this week!

If you'd like to discuss the quest in real-time or just chat with the questers, you're welcome to join us on the AST Discord! We encourage substantive posts still to be made in the thread, and shitposting within the Discord.

 

[Rihaku]

The Contest of Kings

Some RL stuff has delayed the story component of this update to tomorrow (should be fairly early, maybe 7-8 EST), but that's hardly important in the face of our favorite part of the game... build votes!

[X] The Princess Herself and [X] Shadow Mastery were victorious.

Having braved the treacherous passageways of the Empyreal Shroud and thus invested the Opalescent Tower, Hunger has attained mastery of the very font by which Myth suffuses the Voyaging Realm. Power comes rarely without a price, and the price of this conquest was steep; the rewards munificent enough to rob the sting from all but the most grievous of losses, yet loss of such magnitude is not beyond the capacity of this enemy to inflict...

At what price power?

[ ] Dearly Departed - The Lord Protector's trap is sprung. A hidden guardian of immeasurable power sees a boon companion felled, and in the fearsome clarity of vengeance Hunger awakens to strength inconceivable. In many ways the most brutal of defeats, and yet also with a clear finality; the wound is made, the bone is set, and now healing can begin without the shadow of further menace.

*No future consequences beyond the nigh-irreversible death of a companion.
*Either Aeira (75%) or Letrizia (25%) will fall.
*The remaining companions reaffirm the strength of their bonds to each other and to their common purpose. +Relationships, -Heartlessness.

[ ] Runes of Mastery - They shall fall to neither blade nor bane, no matter what rains may come. For the King stands before them, and so long as his blade stays aloft, all may shelter within the shadow of his aegis. The King, fights harder than anyone else. The King, stands stronger than anyone else. The King, gives more of himself than anyone else. Only then do they acknowledge him, as King! For greater than any spear or shield or army of men is the shining ideal; and only he who embodies that ideal may become the Once and Future King.

*Burns away Hunger's ability to regenerate his wounded eye and lung beyond the scope of anything short of a True Wish, and inflicts horrific unhealable scars across parts of his face and body. -----Charisma, --Willpower, -2 Arete, Scars of Myth.
*No further consequences.
*Aren't you happy, hero? You saved them all.

[ ] Chains of Fate - The hero awoken before his hour. Beware, for the direst of all hunters has been loosed to exterminate him. In seeking to deny your fate, take care lest you unleash that which could plunge all that you care for into annihilation.

*Infused by the primordial wellspring of Myth, Aobaru awakens to his role as the Chosen One. This does not grant him any additional power, only responsibility... to see the Voyaging Realm saved and returned to the fullness of its glory.
*A being will be dispatched to eliminate the Chosen One before he completes his mission. This being has the potential to rival your power, even at its fullest expansion. Should this being succeed in their geas, you will arouse the deathly ire of the Apocryphal Curse, triggering Apocryphal Onslaught.

---

And what was the fruit of your labors? You have about 29.8 Arete and two picks. You may select one of the following. Choose carefully; your decision here will influence Hunger's attitude towards rule.

[ ] Once and Future I [23 Arete] - The power of Kings is no slumbering frivolity that dwells meekly within the personage, awaiting only destiny's call to awaken and adorn its bearer in triumph everlasting. No: it is a hard-fought, hard-won power, bitterly extracted from trials of abject cruelty. Only the coliseum of the uncaring world can confer the painful experience that makes a sovereign worthy of his crown; only its unending travails can carve away the mortal man to leave the King behind.

Channel a fraction of the Forebear's true might, and glimpse a small fraction of his true history. +1 Astral Rank, applied externally after all other factors. Does not raise the difficulty of improving Rank. +2 Astral Rank in matters military.

*Source: From Within.
*Bonus: Dearly Departed - Iron Conviction. +++Willpower, unlocks The King Stands Alone for 3 Praxis + 1 Ordinary pick. Hunger will be determined to avenge himself upon the Lord Protector. Unlocks [Once and Future] II.
*Bonus: Runes of Mastery - Rune King. Unlocks Dreadnought's Bearing for 7 Arete + 3 Ordinary picks. Unlocks What Rains May Come for 3 Ordinary picks. Unlocks [Once and Future] II.

[ ] Companions of the King [5 + 25 Arete] - A hero out of myth deserves a company of legends, but what foremost company could withstand the Forebear's presence itself? No mere shadow these; not his callously-refracted light, but true champions of power everlasting - for a King must have his Knights.

Requires Undying Vanguard, which can be purchased for 5 Arete and 0 picks. The character may ignore the other requirements for this Advancement during this experience spending point. You may designate up to five companions each of which is treated as possessing active Rank no lower than [Your Rank - 1]. This includes your base Rank as well as any permanent external modifiers to general Rank. Once designated, a companion cannot be replaced until they are slain beyond the possibility of recovery; take care that you do not raise up a Mordred or Lancelot.

So long as you are accompanied by a given anointed companion, your teamwork is effortless and masterful; you both receive +10% All Stats. The exploits of your companions redound on your own mythic history; receive +20% Rank gain for each companion anointed, so long as they are either directly assisting you or participating in tasks of legendary import. These effects can both stack. Finally, so long as even one companion is alive, you can always be revived from death via an incredibly difficult ritual.

*Source: From Connections
*Bonus: Dearly Departed - Never Again. Discounts Once and Future I by 5 Arete.
*Bonus: Chains of Fate - Font of Legends. +Int, +Cha, +Wits, +Luck.
*Obviously massive synergy with a given companion whose Element itself commands Pressure...

[ ] The Tears of Winter [25 Arete, 1 Panoply Slot] - The Crown Jewels of Nilfel are myth crystallized and spun into sharpness and light; they are pinnacle treasures beyond mere power or worth, transcendent droplets of pure creation rained down from the empyreal. Yet what is the value of a treasure, no matter how priceless, for a House that has lost the wherewithal to wield it, and the position to display it forth? Thus they are given to you, to rest in a Princess' crown, or a Duchess' necklace of jewels.

You may give the Tears of Winter to any titled noble with the power to wield them; channeling your own Accreted Pressure through the jewels to empower yourself and their bearer. Valid targets are Princess Regent Gisena I, Duchess Letrizia Artriez or Princess Adorie IX.

The Tears grant ++INT, ++APP, +AGI and +0.3 Rank to both bearer and beneficiary. Their dominion includes: ice, cold, rulership, intellect, calculation, beauty, finesse, quickness, overwhelming power, the season of Winter, grandeur, truth, and purity. In addition, they grant unique bonuses depending on the character they are granted to:

Gisena Allria - Shared Dominion. Gisena may wield the Domain of Blood, and yourself the Domain of Time, as if it belonged to your respective Rings and had been activated via Chief Dominion, including benefits from [Color] Flare advancements already purchased. This would grant Hunger fairly substantial power over Time, and Gisena comparable power over Blood, vastly increasing their effectiveness in combat and otherwise.
Letrizia Artriez - Proxy Implement. Letrizia Artriez now counts as a Praehihr for purposes of operating Verschlengorge, the Devouring Implement. Upgrades Sharpbright to True Sharpbright, massively increasing its power and utility in every scenario.
Adorie Mirellyian - Trueheart Phial. Doubles the Attribute and Rank bonuses provided by the Tears of Winter. Guarantees Adorie as a companion if desired (starts with +++++Adorie). Adorie's bloodline allows her to absorb and resist existential diminishment; empowered by the active Tears of Winter, she reduces your Praxis Exertion to 1/4th its previous level.

*Source: From Princess Adorie, given as payment to secure her kingdom from the Lord Protector's tyranny
*Bonus: Runes of Mastery - King and Crown. Refunds 2 Arete from the Feat: Crown.
*Bonus: Chains of Fate - Journey Into Myth. +2.5% Direct Apocryphal Mitigation.

[ ] The Opalescent Tower [25 Arete] - That which is long united, must divide; that which is long divided, must unite. Fold the Opalescent Tower into the Cloak of Evening and return the Cloak of Sky to its uttermost glory, the Empyrean Mantle restored at last. Requires Sky Veil.

Grants ++++++++++++++++++++++Protection, ++++++++++Charisma, and perfect modular control of Charisma and Charisma bonuses granted from the Cloak of Sky. Grants three Signs of the Empyrean Mantle, each a spell of tremendous power with manifold applications for adventurer or sovereign. You will vote on the exact Signs taken later, but example effects include: swift transport across the entirety of the Voyaging Realm, indomitable protection against enemy Rank or esoteric effects, mastery over weather and light, or the summoning and recall of powerful Astral denizens.

Upgrades all Evening Sky Advancements of 25 Arete or higher.

Silver of Evening: AGI and CHA to +120%. Increases perfect defense usage to once / week.

*Source: The Opalescent Tower.
*You will have to find another source of Decimator mitigation
*No Bonuses from path chosen above.
*That's a lot of Protection.

---

If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider subscribing on Patreon! Subscribers receive lots of patron-exclusive content, including early updates, Discord roles, and bonus chapters. A huge thanks to existing subscribers, the amount of support has been breathtaking! Even more content is coming to patrons soon!

If you'd like to discuss the quest in real-time or just chat with the questers, you're welcome to join us on the AST Discord! We encourage substantive posts still to be made in the thread, and shitposting within the Discord.

 

[Rihaku]

Gird For Battle

Hunger mulled over his options. Ultimately it seemed likely that the Royalist faction would be far more permissive in their attitude towards the fate of the Tower. They were in dire straits, while the Protector was essentially secure in his power. There were abilities Hunger could offer the man, meritorious service or the use of potent magics, but he had no way to knowing whether such services would - or even could - outweigh the Tower's value in the Protector's eyes. Profit decoupled from risk at certain levels of attainment; for an autocrat with effectively absolute control, simply minimizing disruption could matter far more than expanding the scope of his conquests.

The Royalists, on the other hand, would be desperate for victory from any quarter; thus willing to pay a desperate price. Assuming they had forces sufficient to be worth allying with, they were probably the better option of the two, and certainly the more ethically palatable.

"Well," Hunger said. "Since we ourselves are royalty now, it would only serve our purposes to defend the rights and privileges of our fellow monarchs. How easily power corrupts."

"Power is merely utility!" Gisena replied. "You'd only have been corrupted if you turned into a tyrant."

"Aren't I already one?" He raised an eyebrow.

"If that's your intention, you're doing a poor job of it!" she teased.

"Pffh," Aobaru protested. "Of course she'd say that, you've surrounded yourself with yes-men and women! A King, a Princess, a Duchess, a mercenary and a squire. Who could oppose you in the strength of your own court?"

"Maybe so," Hunger said. "Or perhaps I am merely a small fish in an even smaller pond. Nothing more than a frog in a well. For what is the trifling might of my Kingdom compared to the majesty of peerless Nilfel?"

Letrizia snickered. "These people do seem a bit full of themselves! Even compared to imperial nobility, they've had it easy. It must be nice to live in a land totally saturated by magic..."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Gisena said, frowning. "The magic of myth promises glory, but danger also. It simply doesn't offer power without commensurate cost."

They set out in search of the Royalist inner circle, Hunger allowing his Rank to guide him in the absence of any solid leads. Despite the numerous and powerful magics in their arsenal, they lacked an easy means of information-gathering besides the roundabout method of Gisena's Artifice. He'd prioritized raw power and comprehensive defense over more utility-focused magics, which had served him well in battle but caused them to somewhat flounder here.

Eventually he found himself back in front of the stall where they'd eaten. Midday cast gleaming sunlight down across the white stone of the city, a haloed iridescence rising off the Miren expanse. But a breeze of the east wind was equal to that challenge, carrying heat away before the glow of the sun became a glower.

The fish-vendor's stall now enjoyed bustling patronage, workers of all professions wrapped around the tiled sidewalk in patient anticipation of his marinade and dough. Yet the hawker waved Hunger over immediately when he saw him, pushing a tray of completed snacks into his hands.

Ignoring the envious glares of the customers, Hunger feigned aplomb as he took the food in hand. The vendor had greeted him convivially, and clasped his forearm to pull him close as if they were old war-buddies:

"I'd been looking for you. You're a mercenary, aren't you? You and your party. This trip isn't just for tourism."

Hunger played along, but kept his words noncommittal. "Anybody could be a 'mercenary' for the right job at the right price. It's not so much a calling as a vocation of circumstance."

The man chuckled. "Well said. I'd expect little less from a hero whose Pressure weighs so heavily upon the world. I've a job, if you'd be willing to hear it. And the reward would be no less than a prince's ransom!"

Hunger raised an eyebrow. Keen senses, to detect the Pressure that Hunger usually kept carefully restrained. Though, his power had grown swiftly in recent weeks, perhaps beyond his ability to effortlessly control. "You need help serving your overburdened customer line?"

The vendor laughed again, waving him off. "Nah, let them wait. The anticipation is half the joy of eating! No, I confess to being a patriotic sort, and the state of Nilfellian commerce is so execrable these days. No concern for customer service, only the ceaseless churning-out of watered-down product, substitution of diligence for inspiration. That's why the genuine work is so hotly demanded! I'd like to reach the whole nation if I could. Feel free to eat, it's on the house. Think it over? I promise it'll be wholly worth your while."

Briefly Hunger felt the counterweight of the vendor's own Pressure, a gesture of sincerity. Formidable, only two or three steps below his own. This was a soldier capable of singlehandedly felling cities, well comparable to the Nilfellian captains he'd witnessed on patrol at the Walls. Power tightly clasped, feigning weakness, but Hunger had no doubt this man's 'knee wound' only bothered him about as much as his own injured lung. It wasn't a meaningless wound, but no insult of such meagre severity could unmake a warrior of capacity such as this.

Convenient as it appeared to be, Hunger had no intention of falling into the clutches of Nilfellian secret police. Though his Rank rarely steered him wrong, it was prudent to be cautious when plotting against a nation populated by formidable magi. He ate carefully as he strolled around the city, tracking down the others before finally returning to the hawker's plaza.

As they heartily consumed a second lunch, Hunger consulted Gisena on the matter.

"I don't think he works for the enemy," Gisena said thoughtfully, "And he doesn't have any unusual magics active. But it's best to be cautious nonetheless! Just because neither of us can sense any duplicity doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Let's consider the worst case. What if this is some form of trap, perhaps even an unwitting one? Do you have any wonderfully devastating powers you could pull out of a hat?"

"A few," Hunger admitted. He grew fastest when exposed to direct conflict, but there were powers he could tap into that were less affected by the Ring's out-of-battle dampening. The might of the Forebear was chained within his Blade, even its shallowest remnant sufficient to bring this world and all its denizens effortlessly to their knees. If he could somehow tap the true harmonics of that essence, rather than just skimming its cloud-shadow...

But that was something to be reserved for utmost emergencies. It was no trivial thing to assume a fraction, even a sliver, of the Forebear's mantle.

"A few," he repeated firmly, "But it is as you said. The magic of myth does not offer power without commensurate cost."

Gisena tapped her chin. "In that case, I think it's our best lead! We didn't really have a plan besides relying on your Pressure and this is what it gave us. If it's not enough, we'll just have to pull out all the stops! Maybe I can awaken to some secret powers as well?"

"What a terrible plan," Hunger shook his head. "If only we had some kind of genius around to ensure our plans were good!"

"A genius is still limited by the nature of her implements! I'm sure I could build you a Royalist Lens if we had half a week to spare..."

"And take away my scouter?" He clutched the Decimation Lens protectively. "I know your Truth-scanning has only limited bandwidth. Mitigating the Decimator is a highly productive function."

"In that case," Gisena said cheerfully, "I suppose we're relying on a food-stall vendor to connect us to the forces of the Princess!"

"I suppose we are." Hunger squared his shoulders and returned to the hawker.

The man gave him a weathered smile. "So, what did your better half say?"

"We like your food and believe in your vision. Let's bring genuine inspiration back to this nation again. I suppose we'd be some flavor of public relations consultant?"

"You read my mind! Yes, that description fits perfectly."

After he finished with the lunch rush, the vendor lead them through twisting corridors of older construction. They walked for nearly fifteen minutes - a fairly long distance given the superhuman capabilities of all involved - to reach a dilapidated wooden door overgrown by a trellis of vines.

Gisena blinked, eyes green. "Spatial magic, and powerful. Rather more formal and concrete than most of the energies here!"

The vendor nodded. "The Lord Protector thought he'd closed all of these passageways, but there's a few that only the tower staff and garrison knew about. This'll take you straight to the Princess and the Opalescent Tower itself. She can make our case better than I ever could. Go on, she knows to be expecting you."

Aobaru scoffed. "Why should a King wait on the whims of a princess? My teacher's way more important than this girl. Let her know we'll be through when we're well and ready!"

"A king?" The vendor blinked slowly. An amused smile crept up his face. "Traveling so far from his kingdom? Well, I suppose stranger things have happened. You will find a stalwart ally in Nilfel, your majesty, should you restore our princess to her rightful crown."

"Is there something wrong with a King waiting on the whims of a Princess?" Gisena asked innocently, looking at Aobaru. "Shouldn't princesses exist to be spoiled and pampered by kings?"

"What you two get up to on your own time is your business," Aobaru said. "Don't involve me in that stuff!"

"We are supposed to be incognito," Hunger observed dryly. "Though I appreciate your enthusiasm in standing up for me, squire. And despite your total lack of operational awareness, you are correct. Kings exist to be figureheads to be spoiled by Princesses, especially Princesses Regent, who do all the paperwork for them."

"How repressive!" Gisena pouted. "You're doing a better job of being tyrannical already!'

He shrugged. "Practice makes perfect."

---

The vote update will be tomorrow in the late afternoon or evening. If you generate (or have generated, I haven't finished reviewing all the omakes) enough Arete to purchase two or more of the options, we may have to shift some things around to make sense. In that event it will be a consolidated build vote (individual options) rather than combinatorial, as you'll also have to vote on strategy going forward!

---

If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider subscribing on Patreon! Subscribers receive lots of patron-exclusive content, including early updates, Blurb Library, Discord roles, and bonus chapters. A huge thanks to existing subscribers, the amount of support has been breathtaking! Even more content is coming to patrons soon!

If you'd like to discuss the quest in real-time or just chat with the questers, you're welcome to join us on the AST Discord! We encourage substantive posts still to be made in the thread, and shitposting within the Discord.

 

[Rihaku]

The winner was [X] Chains of Fate. You have 51.4 Arete. Given the leading options in the previous vote, Hunger's attitude towards his royal position has been solidified.

Hunger's philosophy of Rule: Who Dares, Wins

Hunger does not see kingship or official station as imparting any especial duties towards the ruled; rather, he continues to be propelled by his existing values, without any additional loyalty to his subjects beyond those dignities he would extend to any populace. This is not to say he is a demanding taskmaster, or that he sees people themselves as only means to an end; merely that he sees the position of King as no different to his powers derived from Blade or Mantle - tools of purpose that exist to enact his designs.

He is opportunistic and may frequently do what is best for the world or for those he cares about (including himself) rather than what is best for the nation. He has a (perhaps justifiably) high opinion of his ability to navigate dangers, even in the face of changing circumstances. His greatest strengths as a ruler are his adaptability and cool under fire; his greatest weaknesses are his recklessness and greed. The bold and capricious temperament of a King who, with two days left on the clock, risks the well-being of billions to seize an opportunity - confident in his ability to neutralize the threat in the time he has remaining.

Select your Advancements. The first option will de-emphasize this characterization, the middle option will keep it as-is, and the last option will emphasize it.

[ ] King and Court

Once and Future I + Companions of the King [53 Arete].

If Aobaru is the chosen of myth, then let it be as he said. Who can challenge the King in the strength of his court? The Forebear's mantle looms in the eyes of his foes as a portent of doom inescapable, but to his allies it is the aegis under which all their peoples shelter. Manifold are his glories, and their slightest refraction sufficient to raise up champions among men.

Raises your Rank and immediately grants elevated Rank scaling with your own to your trusted allies... a powerful combination that allows for far greater scope of action across the cosmic chessboard of the Voyaging Realm. As this option fully intends to mitigate the Decimator's Affliction by destroying the Tower, both the strengths and weaknesses of the chosen characterization will be diminished. Good synergy with Once and Future; an additional +40% All Stats works well with +++++All Stats.

*Greatly improves the durability and effectiveness of all your party members
*Once and Future offers immense power, but your Rank will overshoot your stats, meaning that enemies your peer in Rank will tend to have higher stats - an Armament all full power has not only tremendous Rank but also incredible stats backed by the greatest bio-engineering that the Foremost could achieve at scale. They are also armed to the teeth with strategic-level weaponry appropriate to a star-faring civilization of ten thousand systems.
*Having +40% All Stats would help greatly with that.
*An additional +80% Rank gain would augment your future Progression. Rank will continue to be an uphill climb and Hunger needs all the multipliers he can get to maintain some semblance of rapid advance into the High Ranks.

[ ] All Under Heaven

Once and Future I + The Opalescent Tower [48 Arete]

With the Forebear's might comes the Forebear's dominion, and this callow universe shall kneel like any other. The Opalescent Tower shall be seized, its numinous fire grasped and embedded into the Cloak of Sky until all the Empyrean sits the King's shoulders, and why should it be otherwise? With power such as this, Hunger shall stride forth and put his Curse to the sword, for the King at hunt is swifter than all the winds, and inescapable as the sky shining down.

*Great immediate power and potential. Spends the least Arete of the options, potentially leaving room for All-Defeating Stance in the near or medium future.
*A powerful hybrid build that combines Rank with social and defensive stats.
*Grants access to Empyreal Signs which offer potent magical effects.
*Though he only has two days to find a solution, Hunger has immense power with which to pursue the task. Still, he will need to find a solution quickly, Rank alone is unlikely to suffice. The Empyreal Signs can overcome the tyranny of distance in the Voyaging Realm, but are unlikely to offer a direct solution to the requirements of the Huntress' Moon.
*Overwhelming power and majesty will allow Hunger a realistic chance to deal with the Lord Protector directly, if he so chooses.
*You should really get Iridescence to take advantage of those Evening Sky Protection +s.

[ ] Eye of the Storm

The Tears of Winter: Adorie + The Opalescent Tower [50 Arete]

Why settle for the Princess' abode alone? Claim the crown jewels as well; for while she lacks the power to enliven them, Hunger has no such limitation. Being a gracious ally he will encourage her to use them directly, as mere ownership suffices to confer considerable benefits. With the treasures of this land forthrightly plundered, sky and storm both will yield to the Winter King, who darkens their door like a looming thunderhead, the force of his strike like a star fallen to earth, and the fury of his ire like a blizzard fit to drown the sun at noon! Now is the time to lay claim to all this land can offer in preparation for opposing the Tyrant that stands at its helm. Leave no stone unscoured in the ceaseless quest for advantage, so that in time you may visit devastation upon your enemies and see them laid broken before you.

*The weakest of the options in immediate strength, being .2 Rank weaker in general matters and 1.2 Ranks weaker in matters military.
*Still a very respectable power increase, and manifold opportunities for future advance.
*Grants increased INT, Apocryphal mitigation, and reduced Praxis exertion alongside the benefits to general capability.
*Wielding both the Jewels and the Fortress of House Mirellyian, the snows of winter clasped to the endless sky, Hunger will gain the Title [King of Winter] upon completing Once and Future I.
*Naturally he must be accompanied by its final scion as well. It would be rather unkind to take possession of her Artifacts without looking out for her well-being.
*Recruits Adorie Mirellyian as a companion. She is an exceptionally capable administrator, orator, lore-master and vocalist, and would be happy to run your territories for you or help you research further Empyreal Signs.
*She's somewhat of a liability in combat, so will need bodyguards or some other means of defense.
*Exceptionally greedy, the only option that has worse than even odds against a Nilfelian Legion in a straight fight. However, the Lord Protector himself is considerably weaker than a full Nilfelian Legion as well. There are plenty of more circuitous routes to the victory you seek.
*Very potent in the long term, but you'll need to both deal with the Lord Protector and figure out some means of Decimator mitigation quickly. Enhances both Hunger's recklessness as well as his nerve under pressure.

 

[Rihaku]

The Empyrean Spread

You guys just love giving yourselves build votes! There may be a story update tomorrow, it will partially depend on my schedule as well as how fully resolved this vote is. Let's hope Gisena doesn't have to bail you out yet again; how embarrassing would that be!

The winner was [X] Eye of the Storm. You have awakened 3 Signs of the Empyrean Mantle, whose domain is all magics entire; sun and moon and stars and the unblinking void beneath. King of Winter, do you have enough signs?

First Sign

First Sign: Fleet Advance - Like swift-footed Hermes he outpaces the sunbeam, racing to the furthermost reaches of sky. Where the heavens touch, there is the King of Winter, and none subject to the turning of seasons may hope to forestall his advance.

[ ] Fleet Advance [Noonday Sky] - Speed perpetual as a messenger-god, and devastating as a god of war.
Synergy: Mirellyian Bloodline - Ordination of Quickness. By engraving its runes upon the Forebear's Blade, permanently gain +0.2 levels of speed along the Infinite Singularity Husk. Does not stack with Refinement of Quickness, which Tears of Winter: Adorie does already discount...

Casting time: Five minutes
Duration: Up to 72 hours
Cooldown: Until Next Noon

Grants effortless linear flight and improves travel speed in atmosphere by 1000%, applied after all other multipliers. Difficult maneuverability makes combat applications limited; interruption dispels.

[ ] Nightmare Flight [Evening Sky] - As sudden and total as the onset of night.

Casting time: Fifteen minutes to charge
Duration: Once charged, persists up to 24 hours or until used
Cooldown: Until Next Evening

The caster and up to four additional individuals immediately teleport to any location under the same sky. The location must be familiar to the caster. Can pierce wards created by lesser magics. The Empyreal Signs sit only modestly below the Royal Praxis in potential power, though such is difficult to realize...

Can act as perfect defense against attacks of insufficient range / area or spatial penetration, should the caster react in time. Allows the traversal of far greater distances in the Voyaging Realm than the Noonday version of this sign.

Second Sign

[ ] Second Sign: Indomitable Dominion [Noonday Sky] - Like Apollo resplendent he sunders all darkness, magnificent and untouchable as the sun unbridled.

Casting time: Five heartbeats
Duration: 24 hours
Cooldown: Until Next Noon

Massively extends the caster's resistance to hostile esoteric magics or supernatural phenomena of specific effect (broad-scale magics like Rank are minimally effected). The more dangerous the effect, the greater the resistance. For example, a power that slows the caster by 50% might only be reduced tenfold to 5%, while a power that instantly slays the caster might deal 2% of his total maximum Health in damage instead. Can, if desired, instead be granted to another target in the caster's vicinity at the time of casting.

Does not work on Curses.

OR

[ ] Second Sign: Bastion of Myth [Evening Sky] - Ineluctable and unconquerable as a neutron star; merely to approach is to be bent into his sway. Hostile gravitation finds little purchase against such deeper might.
Synergy: Hero-Defeating Stance - Doubles the effects of Hero-Defeating Stance in all parameters. Hostile Rank greater than the caster's has its respective difference halved, then halved again. Increases Rank by a total of +0.4 (does not stack with Once and Future). Discounts Once and Future by 2 instead of 1. Grants additional commensurate Might, Agility, and Wisdom.

Casting Time: Instant Upon Acquisition
Duration: Permanent

Third Sign

[ ] Third Sign: Break of Storm [Vast Empyrean] - If the Sky itself is laid across his shoulders, what amounts the defiance of thunder or cloud?

Casting time: Fifteen minutes
Duration: 1 Solar Year or until dispelled
Cooldown: 1 Solar Month

Alters the weather over a target area no larger than one million square miles. The caster may specify virtually any weather within the bounds of the climactic environment; a perpetual Category 5 hurricane over a desert is perfectly acceptable but total saturation of tornadoes and lightning strikes over every square inch of terrain would not be. His directives may be calculated or broad; faultlessly convenient weather for every occasion may be conjured, or precisely deconstructed patterns of rain and cloud to terraform specific plots of land.

The caster may simply direct the weather to defend, enhance, and in all ways support the populace of an area, greatly improving quality of life therein and making incursion impractical for those invaders incapable of shrugging off bone-bleaching sunstroke and cataclysmic defensive storm. An area so blessed for years continuously will slowly accumulate +All Stats % for those regularly living within, to a maximum of +50% All Stats.

The caster may dispel this effect at will.

[ ] Third Sign: Supreme Enclosure [Evening Sky] - The Luna Conquerer extends his reach, and within his grasp finds clutched a minion or servitor from beyond the arc of the physical.

Casting time: 1 hour
Duration: 1 Lunar month or until dispelled
Cooldown: 1 day after dispellation

Summons an Astral Entity of Rank no greater than the caster's own, minimum 7. The entity is incapable of directly harming the caster but is otherwise free to act, unless binding negotiations are entered into. If so, then both caster and entity will be bound to said conditions by the power of this sign; the summoned entity is by default unaware of this, but sufficiently powerful or capable entities may have means of making themselves aware. Entities can be dispelled by slaying them, or by waiting out the duration of this spell.

The summoned entity will tend to be useful for the caster's current short- and medium-term purposes, but this is not always the case. Their powers, tendencies and skills can vary wildly. Take care that you do not call forth what you cannot put down.

[ ] Third Sign: Pennants of Daybreak [Noonday Sky] - Dawn spilling forth like thunder become light, treachery's hour dispersing like a fearful mirage, only unmerciful glory left in its wake.

Casting time: 8 hours to charge. Up to five charges. For each Charge existing, increase casting time by an order of magnitude.
Duration: Charge persists indefinitely; activation lasts until sunset
Cooldown: 1 Solar Year

The Pennants of Daybreak offer power unimaginable, though only for a modest span. A single Pennant planted is a sigil of supreme radiance, the unfurling glory of morning given form; three is the supernova fury of a star's final defiance, power enough to scour worlds and systems from existence. Five unbound can shatter Realms and whole dimensions, the raw stuff of reality like molten taffy before such light and heat. All aspects of the caster's magical and physical strength are augmented when the Pennants of Daybreak are at last set free. At Hunger's level, a single Pennant would at minimum grant the equivalent of +1 External Rank for the duration of its activation.

The Pennants of Daybreak allow the caster to contest foes massively beyond his own power, but only for a limited time, and at an enormous cost in opportunities... Still, their application to a Bearer of the Apocryphal Curse could not be more obvious!

 

[Rihaku]

The Lion Before Winter

They bid the vendor farewell and stepped into the passageway, the trellised door creaking ominously shut behind them. The passage was dim and poorly maintained, light skirling off the periphery of one's eyes like will-o-the-wisps, darting and shifting as they moved.

"What is that?" Letrizia complained, blinking her eyes shut to drown out the disorienting movement of the light.

"Spatial magic," Gisena explained quietly. "It's an artifact of how heavily space is compressed here. The builders must not have been very skilled, or they could have compensated for the effect!"

"Or they simply didn't care about the help," Hunger said.

"Come now, would you attribute so uncharitable a posture to the royal family of Mirellyian?" Gisena teased. "Are you not both royalty, bound by honor and common interest to defend each other's rights?"

"That doesn't obligate me to like them," he observed. "Case in point, my Princess Regent is fond of causing me frequent vexation."

"You could just not play along," Aobaru said helpfully. Gisena's eyes glowed faintly emerald in the shadow as Aobaru lit an illuminating flame. For a while they walked in silence.

No longer after they reached a fork in the path, the left side caved-in, the right blocked by a shimmering waterfall. Hunger glanced at Gisena, who stepped forth, already examining the rightwards juncture.

"It's... a domain," she frowned. "The territory of some supernatural creature, with wards of shielding and divination. The vendor didn't mention anything like this. Think it's a trap?"

"Possibly. And the other side?"

"Wholly mundane, except for the usual magics."

"Halt," came a voice from the right, and Hunger felt a fell energy shiver down his spine.

A beast padded forward, a female lion with eyes of kaleidoscopic pink and grey, the sigil of an inverse E across her forehead. She stopped at the waterfall boundary and observed them with keen intent, the Pressure of her Astral presence like a curtain thrown across the world. The Forebear's Blade trembled greedily in his hand.

A worthy opponent at last. Since he'd killed the Rotbeast it'd had nothing but scraps. The Doom of the Tyrant flared within him. He would not be commanded by this creature, this monstrous beast. Not now, and not ever.

Gisena stepped back politely, but Hunger pressed forward, blue of the Praxis already materializing across his blade's edge.

The creature took a step back. "Please. I do not wish to harm you. Were we to battle, neither of us would escape unscathed. In actuality I come bearing a gift for one of you."

Hunger stopped, tide of the waterfall sheeting and humming over the edge of his blade, its supernal sharpness splitting the ward-magics down to their core.

"The Lord Protector summoned me to intercept you," The creature said. "But I see now that our mutual opposition would be folly. So long as the Chosen One travels alongside you, our interests are aligned. I, too, would see this Realm restored to its former glories."

It stared at Aobaru. "Come forth, Chosen One. Allow me to take a look at you."

"Not too far forward," Hunger said casually. "Don't let it lunge at you."

"Chosen One? Me?" Aobaru said dumbly, coming to a halt half a handspan behind Hunger.

"The legacy of the Builders lives on within you," the lioness explained. "Only you can re-activate the control array located at Realm's center. Power beyond the uttermost imaginings of your presently-mortal mind, should you prove worthy to hold it. But you are not awakened yet... Your potential lies curiously dormant. The hour of destiny has not yet come for you. I could change that, awaken what slumbers within. It would be a gradual transition, and you may attract dangers beyond your personal capacity to handle, but your friend the Praehihr should keep you well in stead. He seems eager for a fight, regardless."

"That sounds pretty amazing," Aobaru said cautiously, "But how do we know that any of what you're saying is true? This... this is crazy. Why me?"

"An accident of circumstance," the lioness shrugged. "Or perhaps something deeper. I would have you awakened to your potential. That is the only price I request for the safe passage of your entire party to the Princess' Tower... and the information I bear on the Lord Protector himself."

"I'm surprised at your latitude of action," Gisena commented. "He summoned you, but you wriggled very adroitly out of those bindings! Yet you don't resemble any of the Astral denizens I've met at all... I wonder where he got you from?"

"A place halfway between here and there," the lioness nodded, nudging the supernal blue of Hunger's blade-edge. Her muzzle came up fully against the cutting blue, and yet she was not cut.

His eyes widened. A being from somewhere along the gradient between this base reality and the true fundament beneath. Did it inhabit the same realm he'd ventured into to strike against the Rotbeast? What was the Lord Protector that he could call upon such a creature?

"I'll do it," Aobaru said. "If it gets us past you without having to fight, and also gives us intel on this Lord Protector guy... it sounds like a good deal to me. What do I have to do?"

"Nothing," said the lioness. "Simply stand there."

There was an instinct in him to halt this, to have the boy re-consider the precipitous course to which he'd agreed, but Hunger stilled himself. Much as he'd like to intervene, it was ultimately Aobaru's choice. That he personally had suffered from his stint as hero of destiny did not mean the boy was doomed to the same. Certainly not if he had anything to say about it.

The lioness gently stalked forward and laid a paw against Aobaru's hand. There was a brief flare of magenta light and Aobaru gasped.

"Whoa. I- whoa..."

"Now then," the creature continued, "As I have turned wholly against my summoner, we have limited time before the terms of my conjuring result in my inevitable banishment. Your chief priority must be the defense of the Chosen One; with the forces arrayed against him you can scarce afford further distractions. I cannot see your full intentions but I assume you will not be deterred from your opposition of the Lord Protector. In your current state you have very little chance of opposing him directly."

She paused and trembled, cracks like splintering stone forming across her back. Through them peered a light of unearthly paleness, like the sun filtered through clouds.

The lioness licked her lips and continued. "He is owed many favors by the foremost entities of this Realm of Myth. That said, you are a Praehihr and capable of progression beyond limit... look into the armamentarium of Mirellyian dynasty. They harbor artifacts that would work perfectly with your style of magic. The Tower itself is forged of the same material as your incomplete Cloak of Sky. Marshal your powers quickly and seek aid from the legions of House Eruntael. You may be sheltered against many divinations but your companions are not. The next entity he sends against you may lack my raw potency, but will be more finely-tailored to-"

At last the lioness could continue no further, the speed of her disintegration hastening until with a thunderous crack the fissures overtook her entirely. Like pulverized stone she shattered, leaving only fragments and dust behind, and the waterfall receded steadily, becoming an intermittent dribble.

"Well," Hunger blinked. "That was a lot to take in." They had underestimated both the speed and the resourcefulness of this Lord Protector. Had they been forced to fight, would he have won here?

"Whoa..." Aobaru said once more, before snapping out of his reverie. "That... was..."

"Care to share with the class?" Letrizia said archly.

He rubbed his brow. "I can't really describe it with words. She showed me a little bit of what the Voyaging Realm used to look like, millions of years ago. I think it - the section I saw - was some kind of amusement park."

"An amusement park?" Aeira said slowly.

He shook his head. "I know how it sounds. But I don't mean that in a frivolous way. They took amusement very seriously. The being we just met, she used to be part of their analogue to a petting zoo. A protector and companion for the kids that were dropped off while their parents and older siblings went on the rides."

"And she wants her job back?" Letrizia guessed. "Even after millions of years. Wholly committed to her purpose, just like Verschlengorge. The Foremost sure knew how to make 'em."

"Okay, roller-coaster tycoon," Hunger said amusedly. "We know you've got to revive the dilapidated park, but did you get any tactically useful information from this glimpse? What were the Foremost like? Were they humanoid in appearance? Did they display any unusual capabilities? Any hints as to the nature of the forces coming for you?"

"Nothing on that last one," Aobaru shook his head. "It was wild. There were dimensions involved that I can't really describe, and I don't know if it was purely metaphorical, but they looked like humans to me. More or less regular humans, though some of them had some pretty sick mods. Elf, orc, kind of like the stuff you'd see in Voyaging City but way more refined."

"Speaking of Voyaging City," Letrizia mused, "I really should be getting back... it's no hurry though! I want to stay with you guys and develop my Element as much as I can!"

"Unconcerned with matters imperial?" Hunger raised an eyebrow.

Letrizia pouted. "Just let me have this, okay! It's nice to be free, even if I'm just following you guys around. Besides, there's no place safer than next to my bodyguards!"

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Hunger turned to Aobaru. "I've been involved in the Chosen One business before. It never goes as trivially as they say. We'll do our best to make sure you have it easier than I did, but be prepared for severe adversity. When we're done here I'll tell you a bit about what I went through. It's not something I'd wish upon any but my worst enemies."

"Don't set yourself up as some sort of mentor figure," Letrizia said worriedly. "Those are almost always fated to die!"

"Fate promises many things," Hunger said bitterly. "It rarely delivers. And if it wants a piece of me, I would welcome the opportunity."

---

Vote update coming later tonight.

If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider subscribing on Patreon! Subscribers receive lots of patron-exclusive content, including early updates, Blurb Library, Discord roles, and bonus chapters. A huge thanks to existing subscribers, the amount of support has been breathtaking! Patrons got early access to this chapter! Even more content is coming to Patrons next week!

If you'd like to discuss the quest in real-time or just chat with the questers, you're welcome to join us on the AST Discord! We encourage substantive posts still to be made in the thread, and shitposting within the Discord.

 

[Rihaku]

The winner was [X] Tripartite Evening (Nightmare Flight, Bastion of Myth, Supreme Enclosure).

Hunger goes now to meet with the ostensible leader of the Royalist faction, their last surviving heiress Adorie Mirellyian. He intends to negotiate for possession of both Artifacts capable of contributing substantially to the contest against the Lord Protector in exchange for his entry into such. Of course, there are many other matters both diplomatic and practical to sort out as well. Princess Adorie is renowned as a skillful & charming negotiator with a comprehensive grasp on matters personal and theoretical. Care should be taken lest Hunger commit himself & his Kingdom unduly to a cause, especially if he decides to integrate the Tower of Sky rather than destroying it for Decimator mitigation.

[ ] Into the Breach - Some things are a King's responsibility alone. If he would shirk this negotiation, how well could those below him rely on his leadership when he administers not merely one Kingdom, but the entire Human Sphere? Undoubtedly the Princess is a formidable opponent in the social arena, but Hunger is no slouch himself. Note that due to the timing of this contest it will occur before Hunger has access to the Opalescent Tower or Tears of Winter EFBs, for obvious reasons. He is still guaranteed to acquire both Artifacts even if he 'loses' the negotiation. [+1 Arete for taking on the challenge]

*Unlike the other options, can generate picks and thus opens up an opportunity to purchase Once and Future, in theory.
*Adorie is a challenging opponent; though your interests are mutually aligned, Hunger would prefer maximum latitude of action and favorable trade terms for the Sovereignty while she would prefer to bind you strongly to her cause in exchange for her artifacts of legend.

[ ] Hide Behind Gisena - It's entirely the purpose of a Princess Regent to handle negotiations that are below the attention of a figurehead King! Hunger is merely the mouthpiece for Gisena's policy implementations so it's only fair that she handles this matter as well. Besides, it'll give her a chance to crush her rival Princess beneath her heel... or perhaps give her a much-needed comeuppance. Whoever wins, Hunger can't lose! [+Gisena]

*Higher chances of victory. Success here could bring great wealth and quality of life improvements to the Sovereignty, and potentially open up ways for Sten's civ to regain their extended lifespans. Though Hunger does not always act it, he is still responsible for the lives of all these people. Can improve Government quality beyond Adequate, improve the effectiveness and Elite-production rate of Throne Agents, and overall make life much better for Hunger's subordinate polities.
*Having Gisena do the negotiations means Hunger will be less stressed out and/or mentally compromised and is thus free to regale Aobaru & co with tales of his adventures
*Takes the outcome out of your hands; defeat is still possible and mid-battle power-ups are unlikely (?)
*Is it wise to yield this matter to an adjutant, no matter how trusted, when the nature of Hunger's progression requires conflict and adversity for him to grow?

[ ] Cut Through - Just give Adorie what she wants - a binding commitment to liberate her nation and oppose the Lord Protector - in exchange for her Artifacts. Table the matter of trade negotiations until after victory has been achieved. While this will significantly reduce Hunger's potential scope of action in the future (as he will give his word), in some ways it can be considered only fair to match House Mirellyian's commitment with one of equal scope. They are giving you their ancestral fortress and crown jewels essentially for work you haven't yet done... [+Adorie]

*Saves time, but Hunger will have to give his word. He considers this an absolute commitment.
*Goodwill can lead to a more amenable ally than any amount of formal strictures, but some would say it's power built upon a foundation of sand. When you base your strength on the kindliness of allies rather than strictly articulated obligations, you are ultimately placing yourself at the mercy of their interpretation of your circumstances.
*The matter of trade, even if procrastinated upon, may still rear its head in the future...

What's Hunger's attitude towards Aobaru's mission?

[ ] Impart, then Depart - The role of a mentor comes with occupational hazards because the story must remove the mentor's protective influence. But a teacher that simply transmits wisdom and is not present for the hazards of one's journey is at much less narrative risk for death. Hunger will train Aobaru intensely so that he may fight his own battles. The boy is welcome to accompany him until his first major threats are dealt with, but then their paths must split. ++Aobaru Power

*Hunger will keep Aobaru with him long enough to deal with the Chains of Fate-summoned enemy
*You'll eventually lose access to Aobaru's buff, though you may regain it after Aobaru finishes his mission
*Low, if any, risk from Fate intervening to kill Hunger
*Though you'd still have to worry about the Apocryphal Curse regardless
*At least you'd minimize Aobaru's exposure to it
*After he succeeds, Aobaru would be a powerful ally and potentially in control (?) of the Voyaging Realm or large segments thereof. Maybe he could turn off the mage extraction filter, or introduce some exceptions?

[ ] Priority Two - Aobaru should be kept close to maintain his safety, but Hunger intends to return Letrizia to the Human Sphere ASAP, and it's almost certain that events in the Human Sphere will conspire to keep Hunger & Gisena there. Thus it is of utmost importance that some means of extracting magi from the Voyaging Realm be found... +Aobaru Power

*As he intends to defend Aobaru directly, Hunger will not spend as much time training him
*You'll retain access to Aobaru's buff for the foreseeable future
*Aobaru won't be able to complete his destiny without enormous degrees of power and skill anyway, something that's likely in the far future
*Not long ago he was still a child. He'll be happy to see the Human Sphere and the Empire from which his predecessors departed.

[ ] The Long Voyage - Letrizia doesn't even want to return to the Human Sphere, so you might as well see this through ASAP. It'll be much easier to conquer the Human Sphere with the systems of the Foremost at Aobaru's beck and call. Even limited access could yield overwhelming advantages; what if there's some way to control or disable enemy Armaments? +Aobaru Power, +Aobaru Progression

*Committing to Aobaru's mentorship means Hunger will have a chance to confront and overcome the mistakes of his past, and his own feelings of resentment against Fate. +Mental Stability
*Those who were meant to protect him, failed, their promises unkept, the appellation of Chosen more curse than succor. It will not be so for this lad; for it is not capricious Fate that watches over him, but the scion of the Forebear himself, and he will see his charge defended no matter what rains may come. +What Rains May Come Advancement.
*Should you really neglect the Human Sphere this greatly?
*Fifty years is a long time for the Apocryphal Curse to wrest one province or another from Hunger's control. Maybe it would be wiser to deal with the Human Sphere as soon as possible, who knows how many technical violations the Curse could potentially force upon him, mandating a reset of the timer and future complications?

[ ] Procrastination - Just don't think about it right now. You've got more important matters to consider. [+3 Arete]

*It's free Arete, what could possibly be wrong with that?
*Even if it's a trap, you could use the power from that Arete to overcome it!
*Somewhat reckless, but eh

 

[Rihaku]

The Hungering Veil

Past the summoned feline there were no further interruptions to their passage. In a matter of minutes they reached a second trellised door, this one of marbled stone that glimmered like the opalescent sky. His Cloak of Evening reached out towards its counterpart, gently brushing against the stones, drawing greedily upon their power with the air of a drought-stricken wanderer slaking its thirst at last.

"Stop that now," Hunger frowned. As badly as his Cloak sought completion, nonetheless it was poor form to consume the Tower without at least informing its occupant of his intentions.

"Having wardrobe issues?" Gisena peeked over, hands behind her back. "Shall I discipline it for you, hun?"

"It'll behave," he said, forcing down the overeager Cloak with an effort of will. He had bound it irrevocably to himself; only by inattention could it ever act against even his unarticulated desires.

"How convenient," Letrizia laid a hand against her cheek. "You don't know how good you have it. If only Verschlengorge was so complaisant, all the trouble I would've saved..."

"You have a strong bond with him," Hunger observed. "Should you really be complaining?"

"T-that's true," Letrizia said, flushing slightly at the unsolicited praise, "B-but it wasn't always that way. And he has plenty of independent attitude even still. Which is pleasant on a personal level, but he tends to be far more aggressive than is tactically optimal, and loves eating people..."

"Hey," Aobaru narrowed his eyes. "Have you ever seen that holovid, Neuron Genesis Cathedrelion?"

"Shut it, Roller Boy," Letrizia growled. "Not another word."

"Don't need one," Aobaru said, cautiously amused. "That reaction tells me everything I need to know."

"At least she didn't call you stupid," Hunger observed.

"It's not even a holovid," Letrizia grumbled menacingly.

"Enlightening as this discussion has been, we should consider returning to our task," Hunger said. "Especially if we're forced to integrate rather than destroy the Tower in order to match the Lord Protector. Time will be short before the Decimator's Affliction returns. My bloodsense detects three people behind this door. Gisena, anything unusual?"

She shook her head. "They could hardly compare to our exalted magnificence! Likely servants or attendants of some sort."

"There is the outside possibility that the Princess is actively complicit in the Lord Protector's schemes," Hunger mused, "And the Royalist faction merely a convenient means by which dissent is funneled. Stay on your guard regardless."

"Um," Aeira said quietly, "I could use Shadowcord to cloak myself, Letrizia and the Chosen One? It might not help by much, but any enemies would be more likely to overlook us."

Aobaru blanched. "Whoa, don't go calling me the Chosen One like that! I'm still just plain old Aobaru, Aeira!"

"But your destiny is to be a powerful theme park manager," Aeira smiled teasingly. "All right... Roller Boy."

Hunger nodded at Aeira, giving assent to her suggestion, and opened the door.

They were met by three attendants, each heavily armed. The greeters swiftly apologized for the martial likeness of their dress, explaining that vigilance was the order of the day, and asked the party to accompany them to the Princess' receiving room. Senses alert, Hunger decided not to bring up the matter of the Foremost cat until they had a better understanding of the situation. The Evening Sky trailed avidly behind him, swishing across the floor-stones like a calligrapher's brush. Sky-folded opalescence swept into its embrace as it moved, leaving a trail of bleak mundanity behind.

Hunger raised an eyebrow and quelled the Cloak's appetite once more.

From the windows he could see that they were at an inimitable height, the bustle and mayhem of mighty Nilfel made minuscule obscurity against the vast landscape beneath. The perilous open sky occupied much of his vision, with faraway ground and peoples nearly an afterthought against that expanse of cloud and blue. Clearer than ever he could see the Outer Halo which encapsulated the Voyaging Realm, a sharply-limned band of gold like the unlidded eye of a god.

Sticking his hand out a window, the air was cold and harrowing, sharp contrast to the delightfully comfortable atmosphere within. Some invisible barrier truncated the two realms, despite their lack of physical separation; within and without as clearly divided as the sun and the moon by the sky. It seemed the tunnel's exit was far removed from the floor of the Princess' residence, which was even further up than this; they clambered steadily, ascending thousands of flights of stairs, though the air of the Tower held a resplendence of home and hearth that prevented even the teenagers from tiring overmuch.

Aeira had shaped their cloaks in the manner of traditional capes, each shroud of shadow clasped at the throat by a brooch of denser shadow-stuff, which shined like lucent amethyst in the light of an occasional sunbeam. The attendants paid little heed to the teens, engaging instead in small-talk with Gisena, though neither party disclosed any secrets of import.

At last they reached the Princess' antechamber, an octagonal room of faultless construction, milk-white stone carved with finely detailed depictions of nature, the floor patterned with runes of Mythic potency. Wide-paneled windows exposed them fully to the sky, thin bands of ivory holding up the ceiling, surmounted by stone songbirds and circled by carven vines. This far up, the upper reaches of the heavens took on a slightly darker hue, blue of the daytime gradually become indigo as air yielded to void.

Princess Adorie awaited them, hands clasped with the faintest touch of nervousness. She was slender and of slight figure, half a head shorter than Gisena, with bright blue eyes the color of the sky and hair of spun-sugar pink; a storybook figure stepped off the page.

Their presence was announced by the attendants that accompanied them, with Hunger and Gisena omitting their royal titles.

"Mighty champions," the Princess curtsied slightly. "Thank you for agreeing to this audience with me. Nilfel is in much need of heroes like you. Please, won't you sit?"

"After you," Hunger gestured, and they were all seated. "Let's get down to business."

"Mm," Adorie crossed her legs demurely, the picture of perfect innocence. "Are you not ones to stand on ceremony? I'll dispense with the formalities, then. Please help us!"

She scrunched her eyes closed, interlocked hands raised in a beseeching gesture.

Hunger ignored the aghast expressions of her attendants, answering evenly. "If the price is right. I don't work for free."

Adorie nodded. "Of course! I'd gathered as such from your name. We are fortunate to house the most spectacular kitchens in the Voyaging Realm. Whether it's pastry, pie, or the most exquisite cakes in all the land, I'm sure we can offer something to sate any appetite!"

"Cake sounds delicious..." Gisena murmured dreamily, shooting him an amused expression. No help from that quarter.

"It's a start," Hunger said noncommittally, "Though as down-payment for the restoration of your kingdom, we'd require something more substantial."

"Oh? Like sweetmeats, or one of those flourless confections? ...Or perhaps my Lord is more a steak-and-potatoes sort of person?"

Hunger shook his head seriously. "I'm afraid any one course would not be enough. I'm looking to secure a lifetime supply, which means acquiring the means of production. Something on the scope of your kitchens themselves, and all the lands that supply them."

The Princess was silent. She blinked enigmatically.

"...My lord drives a hard bargain," Adorie finally replied, proffering a tremulous hand. "But if this is the price of my people's freedom, then so be it. You may have my hand in marriage, and all the lands that come thereby, so long as Nilfel is liberated from the Tyrant's grasp!"

Hunger coughed.

"Sorry, sorry!" Adorie covered her mouth as she laughed. "It's just, I so very rarely get the chance to meet someone new. I can't help but get excited and end up making frivolous jokes! I've spent my whole life with my head in the clouds... An unfortunate condition I just can't seem to shake!"

"You are forgiven," Hunger said blearily, "I was going to ask for one major Artifact, but now you've doubled the price."

"Double? Thou art too generous, my Lord. My conscience will not be soothed unless you are offered triple, nay, quadruple what you are rightly owed!"

"Glad you're so accommodating," Hunger replied easily. "But does your armory hold treasures enough to account for all these debts?"

"Certainly!" Adorie produced a vellum-bound tome. "For have you not heard, my Lord, that every manuscript of note is a treasure beyond price? The contents of my library represent riches beyond measure!"

"The library, and the Tower it's housed in," Hunger rejoined. "That's one."

Adorie looked out the window. "It may be a prison, but it's been my home of the last twelve years..." A flash of sentimentality crossed her features, which she quickly shook off.

"Still," she continued, "It would not be seemly for me to hold on to it, when your cloak seems so eager to see me liberated! You will just have to let me borrow it from time to time, whenever I'm feeling homesick."

Negotiations proceeded apace. Hunger did not mind spending an hour or two hammering out the details of their agreement - there were still a few days before his Affliction returned, and he wanted no chance of misunderstanding that the Apocryphal could exploit. This was not a scenario where his personal power alone was guaranteed to carry the day; without the help of the Royalists and their home Legions, the campaign against the Lord Protector promised to be bloody and protracted.

---

[X] Into the Breach has won. In a comedy of errors Hunger and Adorie both rolled low, but Hunger slightly higher. He did not have All-Defeating Stance or access yet to the Opalescent Tower's Attribute boost so the result was more or less a draw for both parties. Hunger has maintained control of his own volition, avoiding any binding commitments. He has secured reasonably fair, if expensive, trade terms with the Kingdom of Nilfel for his own subordinate polities. He has gained significant experience in the dismal science of economic negotiation between kingdoms, something he will may have much opportunity to employ in the future given his Geas task...

You have acquired one pick.

[ ] Once and Future I - You will need to generate somewhat more Arete to actually pick this, but it should be eminently doable within a day or two so long as you keep a steady pace.

*Unlocks [King of Winter]
*Grants immense personal might, enough that with Eruntael's Legions you would be favored in a contest against the Lord Protector... so long as you do not give him too much time to prepare.
*You did take Bastion of Myth, so the general Rank bonus is not as impressive as it could have been

[ ] All-Defeating Stance + Exalted Spirit - The combined mental and social attribute boosts of ADS and Exalted Spirit will noticeably improve Hunger's strategic reasoning, vastly expanding the space of possible actions to be taken against the Lord Protector. While it lacks in raw power, it may grant Hunger the intellect to better leverage his existing strength, and the wisdom to apply it in a manner most favorable for all.

*Large Wisdom spike allows Hunger to re-evaluate his Philosophy of Rule, if desired
*Substantial INT, WIS, and LCK boost will improve your capabilities for lateral action against the Lord Protector, compounding the INT gain from the Tears of Winter
*Apocryphal, Decimator Mitigation
*Exalted Spirit is necessary for a large number of mental and social-based Advancements
*Since you took Bastion of Myth, still very powerful in a direct contest, and less vulnerable to the rare anti-Rank effects.

The contest between [ ] The Long Voyage and [ ] Priority Two is incredibly tight! We will keep that component of the vote open for now. But what is Hunger's chief immediate priority?

[ ] The Decimation - Integrating the Tower has not quelled the Decimator's Affliction at all. While expected, nonetheless it's a tad disappointing... Hunger will have to seek out another Huntress' Moon target ASAP. His current plan is to seek out the Decimator's target alone or with the assistance of a Supreme Enclosure summon, leaving Gisena to lead the kids + Versch to assist Adorie in pressuring the Lord Protector. You may propose and support alternate tactics if you feel this is too risky to the party as a whole, however.

[ ] The Lord Protector - The Lord Protector is too dangerous to be left unchecked. Initiate a full court press against the existing regime with the best tactics at Hunger's disposal (you may propose build-specific tactics). The hope is to overcome him before the Decimation clock runs out and then hope to hunt a Decimator's target in a less populated area. With Hunger and his entire party directing the entirety of their energies against the Lord Protector, the chance of confronting additional specialized summons is substantially decreased.

Please don't forget to include your preference of [ ] The Long Voyage or [ ] Priority Two as well!

---

If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider subscribing on Patreon! Subscribers receive lots of patron-exclusive content, including early updates, Blurb Library, Discord roles, and bonus chapters. A huge thanks to existing subscribers, the amount of support has been breathtaking! Patrons got early access to the draft version of this chapter, and even more content is coming to Patrons this week!

If you'd like to discuss the quest in real-time or just chat with the questers, you're welcome to join us on the AST Discord! We encourage substantive posts still to be made in the thread, and shitposting within the Discord.

 

[Rihaku]

Pursuit to the Utmost

The arsenal of House Mirellyian contained two artifacts of interest to the war against the Lord Protector. First was the Opalescent Tower itself, whose sky-folded stone maintained within it the opposite and complement to his Cloak of the Evening Sky, the skies of Dawn and Noontime that blazed unceasingly from the Tower's surface. By allowing his Cloak to absorb its substance in its entirety, he could at last complete the cycle of dawn and evening, wheel of the sky full and entire bound to his vestment.

It represented power far vaster than a mere doubling of potential; a complete engine to one half-formed. The truculent efforts of the latter were as mere incidental emissions of the former's glory unbound. Of course, the disappearance of the Tower in this manner would not satiate his Decimator's Affliction, and would simultaneously serve to alert the Lord Protector that something dire was afoot. Time was of the essence; once he went through with the full absorption, they would have to act swiftly to dispatch Curse and adversary both lest the humanitarian cost become unmanageable.

The second of the Artifacts, of equal power to the Tower on their own, were the ancestral jewels of House Mirellyian, the Tears of Winter which had until the Protector's ascension adorned their crown of office.

These were no simple ornaments, but light itself cast into matter, droplets of the empyrean distilled into material flesh, an incarnate conduit between base and supernal that shined with radiance undying. Adorie lacked the personal power to wield them to their fullest, but Hunger's art of Accretion was almost perfectly suited to the task. They agreed that he would take legal possession of the Tears, abducting them as he had the Forebear's Blade, but that they would stay physically on her person, for once activated mere ownership sufficed to impart a great fraction of their power onto him, and mere distance no barrier - as light of a hue might stream from one's lamps without diminishing the sun from which blazed the same. For as light itself was both particle and wave, so the Tears were both the jewels and their light.

On the precipice of that investiture they gathered, keenly aware of their limited time but unwilling to leave any aspect of their plans to unexamined chance. Adorie had set about the daunting logistical task of evacuating her Tower while Hunger's party discussed military strategy. To conquer took one set of skills; to rule took quite another, and they were fortunate that in this land, unlike the Sovereignty, a capable and willing administrator was already present to take up those reins.

"As soon as my Cloak consumes the Tower," Hunger started, "the Lord Protector will know that something is wrong. Given the power of the first beast he sent against us, it would be wise to pressure him relentlessly, prevent him from marshaling any further preparations unmolested. On the other hand, we only have two days before my Decimator's Affliction returns. Do we split the party and try to handle both matters at once, or focus all of our efforts on the Lord Protector alone, hoping that we can deal with him quickly enough to handle the Decimation afterwards?"

"The second option seems pretty ambitious," Letrizia mused, "But I've heard it's bad form to split the party. I'd rather we all stay together. If that means we end up decimating some people, well, it's nothing Versch hasn't done before, and stopping the LP from actually killing people in his conquests is more important than a few days' worth of fractional life-force reduction."

"I say we do it all," Aobaru replied. "Or at least try! The rest of us can hold down the Lord Protector while you take care of your Curse. The Princess has at least a few loyalist Legions that would back her play, right? They'll be a lot stronger with my Vigorflame empowering them. As long as we stay in their midst we should be relatively safe too, and we have Miss Gisena to counter any exotic magics the Protector tries to deploy!"

"Um," Aeira said tentatively, "I believe we should follow Aobaru's instincts in matters concerning the Voyaging Realm. He is the Chosen One, after all. Sorry, Letrizia!"

She clapped her hands apologetically together before the Duchess.

"Y-you don't have to apologize to me!" Letrizia exclaimed. "It's just a difference of opinion, no big deal!"

"Yeah," Aobaru said happily. "The Duchess is a lot less haughty than you'd think an Empire noble would be. Probably because she's also an Armament pilot! Is that a reflection of Empire policy as a whole? 'The strongest steel is forged in adversity,' and all that?"

"Ugh," Letrizia tossed her hair. "Don't tell me you're a fan of the pauper-prince system House Hegellian uses. That's just to humor Attramemnar. Verschlengorge's decimation is rough, but Attramemnar's selection criteria is even more brutal, and worse, almost completely pointless! It has nothing to do with its fundamental nature as an Armament, Attramemnar is just an asshole!"

"I guess you've actually seen it in play," Aobaru said thoughtfully. "Though we equally can't expect you to be objective when Armaments are involved. Of course you'd think yours is the best!"

"That's because he is," Letrizia said haughtily. "And that's simple fact. Completely objective. You agree, don't you Hunger?"

"Well yes," Hunger said placidly. "He's my bonded Armament, after all: speaking of which, we should decide on a plan quickly so you can go check up on him..."

"Waiting for me to weigh in?" Gisena smiled.

"The opinions of a genius should not be disregarded," Hunger dryly replied. "Care to enlighten us, Princess Regent?"

"Both plans have their flaws," She said airily, "Though, as someone who prioritizes your well-being personally, I would prefer to focus wholeheartedly on the Lord Protector, I already know that you agree with Aobaru! There's no need to further pretend, hun. You're the type that can only be happy when you have your cake and eat it too. And, it is only under such dire conditions that your strength can truly flourish! Perhaps that's the very nature of Hunger."

"Hmph," Hunger grunted. "And here I thought my poker face was all but perfect."

"It was," Gisena said cheerfully. "But I know you too well. That's why you should take me with you on your mitigation journey! Not only am I completely indispensable, I'm also the only one who can fix the Decimation Lens when it breaks!"

"Outvoted," Letrizia said glumly, slumping against her chair.

"There, there," Gisena patted her on the shoulder. "This was never a democracy in the first place!"

---

The winner was [X] Once and Future with [X] Priority Two and [X] The Decimation.

The plan is set. In quick succession Hunger will take possession of both the Opalescent Tower and the Tears of Winter. He will then immediately depart with Gisena towards another Huntress' Moon target, while Adorie and the kids will stay ensconced in the safety of a Royalist Legion. So long as the Decimation doesn't take more than a few days to sate, they should be relatively safer under the protection of Vigorflame-augmented legionnaires, especially while hiding under shadowcloaks. With Gisena's help, speed of execution should be feasible.

Allowing the Lord Protector time to prepare is somewhat dangerous, but perhaps the Sorceress of Nullity has a point... even if the magus can escalate hard in a short amount of time, can he out-escalate the outrageous Progression of Lord Hunger himself!?

What is your new Huntress' Moon target?

[ ] The Armament Fish - This epochal beast is the end of civilizations. Put an end to its world-harrowing rampage; before the might of the Praxis, it is but one more walking swimming apocalypse put to the sword.

*A three-pick fight, you could make good progress towards Stranglethorn or another DA!
*Still very dangerous; before a monster as colossal as this even the resilience of the Outer Shadow seems tenuous and frail. All it takes is one mistake against an enemy of this size, especially with the Apocryphal Curse in play... a three-pick fight augmented with Apocryphal Intervention could well be deadly if pursued to the utmost.
*A contest of almost pure martial might, and one Hunger is reasonably well-suited for given his access to the Artful Thorn

[ ] The Lord of Stalks - Termeran Venitari is not a pleasant man. Brusque, cold, imperious; of clipped affect and unmerciful gaze, he holds absolute dominion over the cities of the Planar Delta. His personal life is an unceasing parade of petty tyrannies, enforced by an unflinching devotion to order that has resulted in one of the safest, richest, and most stable territories in the Voyaging Realm. For though Termeran is a fastidious martinet whom anyone could despise, it is unquestionably the case that his rule is competent, his foresight long-reaching, his judgements scrupulously fair. His peoples are both happy and free, an equilibrium difficult for all but the shrewdest of rulers even to achieve, much less maintain for decades on end. And yet it all depends on a central fulcrum, on his own incorruptible self without which the position of Despot would attract exploitative oppressors eager to loot the powers of the Delta for their own gain.

His loss would be nothing less than a tragedy, the unmitigated dissolution of the Delta powers into infighting and strife, despite the relief it might provide to his inner circle and family.

*While his security forces are considerable, they stand absolutely no chance against the now-titanic combat powers wielded by Lord Hunger
*It would not be a particularly difficult operation, merely a consequential one. But if Hunger falls to the Armament-Fish, the much vaster kingdom of Nilfel will remain under the LP's shadow...

[ ] Territorial Waters - With the Rotbeast defeated, the Elixir Kingdom is experiencing a new and frightfully powerful surge of magical potency in its waters, their purity and efficacy reaching near-perpetual seasonal highs and drawing ever-more wanderers into the hotels at its nexus. By assimilating a truly colossal sum of energy from the Elixir Springs himself, Hunger can abate the power of Decimation for one month more, though obviously this is not something he can repeat. This will reduce the power of the Springs to slightly below their Rotbeast-affected levels, and see the Springs depleted in roughly fifty-five years, but that's essentially just a return to the status quo for the people of the Kingdom... in that time Hunger can accumulate more than enough power to compensate for the harms done, so why not go through with it?

*Gisena will need to build an Artifact that allows Hunger to absorb the appropriate amount of power from the waters. Should take 1-2 days if the Apocryphal doesn't interfere.
*By far the option with the fewest risks and consequences; moderately reducing the Kingdom's prosperity and rate of Elite-surgecrafter growth is a small price to pay compared to the safety of the entire Planar Delta, and much safer than going up against the Armament Fish in a battle to the death.
*And yet, to betray the very people who made him King...
*Perhaps it's a King's dispensation to do with the waters what he will, and it's not as if this action will be inconsistent with Hunger's philosophy of rule. Besides, he really is powerful enough to make up for it later, if he survives.

---

If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider subscribing on Patreon! Subscribers receive lots of patron-exclusive content, including early updates, Blurb Library, Discord roles, and bonus chapters. A huge thanks to existing subscribers, the amount of support has been breathtaking! Even more content is coming to Patrons this week!

If you'd like to discuss the quest in real-time or just chat with the questers, you're welcome to join us on the AST Discord! We encourage substantive posts still to be made in the thread, and shitposting within the Discord.

 

[Rihaku]

Hour of Reckoning

Is there a means of attaining contentment without excess self-satisfaction? Quick is the plunge to stagnation, once one's goals are attained.

-Notes of the Forebear

Monday, the 1059th world.

The treadmill of worlds ground on ceaselessly, and he increased his pace to match. Long had it been since his first dire transport, his first breathtaking emergence into mystery and wonder. Now there was only the drab gray abattoir of his trek, the mire of worlds each successively crueler and more ashen than the last, pith of his soul ground into an unfeeling husk. Yet even that dusky charcoal had not been enough for the Procession. By raw pressure alone it had smelted him into something harder, charcoal become diamond, become something that could neither tarry nor yield; but only press ceaselessly onwards into the abyss of worlds. There was no brightness in this mire, so all he could display was his sharpness: the power to pierce, to strike, to cut.

That sharpness he'd refined on the whetstone of worlds, until his fingers were bone and his marrow was wine, until his mind and soul like errant wax dribbled from his eyes and stained the cosmos beneath. One of the few benefits of perpetual reincarnation: the ability to train beyond the limits of any one body or self.

He cut those things which were easy to cut. He cut those things which were difficult to cut. He cut those things which were possible to cut. He cut those things whose possibility was in question. He cut, and cut, and cut, and cut, until he could cut through, even if it could not be cut.

That had been his first salvation. The spiral of things he could cut expanded slowly, torturously but without limit, and he knew that one day he would cut his way free no matter the cost.

Such edge, he thought dully, and briefly smiled. What would his younger self have said, if he could see him now? He whose life was some ghoulish nightmare out of his darkest dreamings, who a thousand times had died gasping only to awaken into a realm colder still? He could hardly remember the boy he'd been once, faintest glimmerings of a threadbare identity.

The Procession of Worlds was a staircase that only descended, and he its benighted warden, yet still he had lived and seen wonders beyond the reckoning of pallid mundanity, glimpsed and grasped power beyond the furthermost imaginings of men. Still it was not enough. Was that his curse, or merely his burden?

The enemy was upon him once more. Berserkers, a horde to darken the wide-rimmed horizon, each beast engorged with the swollen might of devoured pantheons; the pantheons themselves richly fattened by entire worlds enslaved, engines of exploitation so deeply engrained that their laborers had no word for even the concept of choice. How many quadrillions lived and breathed their own oppression, fearful yet hopeless, with neither the will nor the desire to conceive of better, knowing absolutely that their flat merciless existence was the best of all possible worlds?

Torments of such modest scope failed to quicken him anymore, yet he had no choice but to fight. The staircase was endless and without remorse. Conquest and dominion meant he would take only a single step down, while failure would see him descend entire flights, the power and torments of the worlds where he landed unthinkable to a mind of his present level. Had he not learned to cut... he shuddered at where his current existence might lie. Trapped and mewling in some torture dimension half a thousand steps up, perhaps. The Procession did not take kindly to those who ignored its implicit dictates.

He welcomed worlds where the opposition was mightier, for that meant their depravity could only be more mundane.

At last the Berserkers had concluded their glacial charge. He'd considered leaving them to their business, for the stench of evil upon their target-worlds had seeped beyond all mundane means of resolution, but the ingrates had presumed to attack him as well, mistaking indifference for weakness, or simply too stupid to care.

The Berserkers were judgement given flesh, a perilous flood to sweep sin away when the monstrosity of the universe grew beyond even their ravening evil. Perhaps in him they saw the shadow of an oppressor whose hands were too stained for any shred of mercy. Or perhaps their divine hunger was wholly unreasoning in its all-consuming impetus.

They were impressive specimens, the warpaint-bone of their masks harrowing to the very soul, their merest footfall the end of worlds, each errant stroke an age's close. These were beings whose clutch and weft could pluck free the bones of gods, the might of aeons a stripling yew before their methuselah provenance.

He drew the Blade and the realm was quelled, grown quiet and still in the presence of that steel. It had been an ordinary sword once, a bastard sword, hand-and-half of uninspired design, flat gray pommel and blade. Now it was the instrument by which his cut was delivered, and that sufficed to elevate it beyond the realm of gods, or those who devoured them.

The Forebear of Dynasties took one step forward, and cut once.

The Berserkers fell. Ambrosia and stranger things pooled from the bodies of the now-depleted army, half-digested remains of reveler gods.

"Do you regret sacrificing your name for power?" One foe remained, a statuesque woman dressed in silks. Space and time spooled about her like molten amber, her skin the pale bone white of her underlings' masks.

"I don't think about it," he answered honestly, preparing his second cut. The sides of his head burned in anticipation. All of it had been too easy thus far; he had expected a complication such as this.

"Names have such beauty," the woman breathed. "They are so critical to the essence of what we are. Know a being's name and you possess dominion over them, if only by a little. Exercise that dominion wisely, and it can become total control."

He struck, and the woman flashed back, but this third cut was aimed and thus inescapable. She split in half diagonally, and trembled once.

"I can offer you answers," she continued sedately. "The meaning behind your endless journey, this troubleshooter of worlds, this cosmic janitor. I can-"

He struck, and it was the fourth cut. Four was the number of death. She perished, and with a flick of his blade he restored his hearing, his ability to comprehend the spoken word.

The Forebear continued without regret for the data he might have lost. It was not his to wonder why, but merely to cut through, always and forever, until the task was done. It might not be achieved in finite time, but impatience was one weakness that had been ground out of him early on.

He stepped, and appeared on one of the few worlds un-ravaged. Its occupants bowed to him as a god and he discouraged them. He set his Blade down in the stance of rulership, sword in the stone with pommel upright, and severed the chains on their mind and soul. This sufficed not, for they had no spark of volition in the first place to stoke, and he resigned himself to the slow grinding process of deploying another Dynasty. Perhaps it was the very system of divine power-through-worship that lead to such unpalatable extremes. This realm needed to be restructured from the very fundament, the souls recycled and rebirthed into a plane more appropriate to some level of flourishing.

He cut, and felt the temporal noose loosen, and was confronted by the Greater Aspect of the woman he'd earlier slain. She was wreathed in the cosmos, the nebulae her accoutrements, and now wore a mask of blinding radiance, the primordial fire of all creation.

"How convenient," the Ur-Mother hissed, her voice a sibilance that transcended sound and imparted meaning without medium. "That you might wander the worlds and only ever encounter villains so vile that any atrocity might be justified by their destruction! How utterly and shamelessly appropriate for the likes of you."

"It is," he said nodding. That mere annihilation was a luxury wildly undeserved for his current regime of foes did weigh on him at times. Surely there were misdeeds of such scale for which vengeance was downright mandatory, and death a grave miscarriage of justice. But it was not in him to be just. The ideals of justice were just one part of the weight that added strength to his cut. So wielded, could anyone retain their appreciation for such?

"You seek to undo all that I have made," the Ur-Mother growled. "You, with your mere brute skill, your unseemly invincible power, would unseat me and make of this place the pale shadow of a paradise realm, something like the Earth which after all these eons anchors still your conceits of normality. Can you not see that such an act would shirk the purpose of all possible universes, reduce ineffably the grandeur of all that is? That you have discarded name and meaning, it does not follow that you must inflict the same upon every realm you tread!"

"I don't care," he said. "Are you done begging for your life?"

"I will ruin you," she began, "from beyond oblivion if I must. I am not some trifling pretend-divine, to be disrespected so-"

"Unconditional surrender," he said, "And l spare you. Else I will draw my Blade again."

"Hah!" She laughed. "You cannot so much as move as long as we speak, for my Speech is the very stuff by which this cosmos was made, and remade every instant with you inside of it. Now we will bargain, child, and you will find my reservoir of mercy has run low... but neither of us shall depart this moment until we have reached an accord."

He spent mightily of himself and cut through to the solution of this unpleasant dilemma. Better eons spent in recovery sleep than wasted on this dialogue.

The knowledge appeared in his mind. He arrayed his energies in the All-Defeating Stance, by which nothing that opposed him could not be ruined, even an ontological lack, and felt the last lingering curse of the Ur-Mother from her defeat three instants into the future.

One.

Ruin itself had permeated his form, and all that he touched would crack and dissolve. Useful if weaponized. He integrated it into the nature of his Stance and mastered it thereby. Perhaps there was more to the cut than a blade's edge, if body and essence could be arranged so profitably.

Two.

"Last chance," he said, and she desperately marshaled her energies, full realities fed to the cauldron of her ascension as she prepared to oppose him in direct strife. Numberless innocents incinerated on the pyre of such pointless hubris.

Three.

He pulled sword from stone. The hour of reckoning had come.

In the aftermath, the multiverse she'd burned rained like ash down upon the Realm of Forms. He'd collected what few remnants existed and seeded them into the hollow dimension he was in the process of restructuring. Without the Ur-Mother, causality itself was paused in this realm; he pulsed his newfound power, and Ruin pervaded reality, enabling the passage of events so long as they trended towards destruction in the end.

Ruin in such a guise was mere entropy, and though its ending would be dire, there would be spots of brightness in the universe to come, and that was all that was required for his task to see completion.

Enough. Time to rest. One day in the future he would be king of this patchwork realm, and witness its shining apex before departing to a world fouler still.

'Quick is the plunge to stagnation, once one's goals are attained.' Perhaps that is the wisdom behind my interminable journey. If so, have I any choice but the repudiation of all wisdom?

- Notes of the Forebear

---

The winner was [X] The Armament Fish. How do you think Hunger will react to this information? How should he react? Was the Forebear an example to be aspired to, or a cautionary tale to be vigorously spurned? Assuming that he's truly gone at all, of course...

Hunger has attained the Title, [X] King of Winter. Three EFBs acquired in a single update is truly power beyond all reason! Even so, the power of the Armament Fish is undeniably vast; and what better enemy to withstand a deluge than a Fish? Good tactics can improve his odds greatly.

Vote update later tonight or tomorrow!

If you enjoyed the chapter, please consider subscribing on Patreon! Subscribers receive lots of patron-exclusive content, including early updates, timed exclusives, Discord roles, and bonus chapters. A huge thanks to existing subscribers, the amount of support has been breathtaking! Subscribers received early access to this chapter, and even more content is coming to Patrons soon!

If you'd like to discuss the quest in real-time or just chat with the questers, you're welcome to join us on the AST Discord! We encourage substantive posts still to be made in the thread, and shitposting within the Discord.