[TWS] Chapter 299 – Allies From All Around the World

After waking up and lazing in bed for a few minutes, just enjoying each other’s comfortable company, Asterios and the girls jumped into a quick bath, followed by a light breakfast. At least as light as it could be while they were under Queen Civienne’s care. She didn’t join them personally, but her servants made sure that her important guests lacked nothing.

They felt a little bad leaving the table set with mountains of delicious-looking food, but it was impossible to reduce as the dutiful maids and butlers kept piling more and more delicacies whenever something disappeared.

Bidding a sweet farewell to Asterios and the others, Tina and Silvia parted with the group, heading to fulfill their roles in the elf court. They would either accompany the queen or the investigation team together, or they would go separate ways to take care of other tasks all around the beautiful castle and the entire settlement.

During that time, Ast’s objective remained the same as the previous day. They had finished visiting the rulers they were in touch with and could focus on their other friends and allies. Before departing, Asterios brought Miria, Selene, and Grea to a bakery dealing with sweets and cakes, where they made a list of people they wanted to meet and try to recruit.

At first, it ended up quite long and extensive as everyone chimed in with their suggestions, including the girls absent from their brief meeting, who pitched their ideas mentally. But, after much discussion, Asterios managed to convince them to reduce it to a more modest record. Perhaps one day their forces would include all the girls’ friends and companions, but right now he wanted to keep things as manageable as possible.

Therefore, they revisited their past adventures and encounters, picking the most suitable candidates amongst those they trusted explicitly. The list began with Principal Teireshia, who was Grea’s suggestion. Tina supported that candidature, of course. They could use someone knowledgeable and respected in Rosewind.

That would more or less complete the locations they had been to in Ast’s realm, but he decided to add Svertaniel before they moved off-world. The demon man’s loyalty was definitely unshakable. He had helped them a lot during their travels and various events. No one objected, knowing well that he would do anything for a chance to form a connection with Umbra.

Then, from Miria’s and Selene’s world, they accepted the fox lady’s request to include Lerisse and Ronye, the two Spiritual Foxes from her hometown. They already had Zoe in Miria’s village and could use someone at Selene’s place. The matriarch would technically be enough, but Asterios knew how much Selene cared for her younger friend’s development, and he didn’t reject the offer to take them both under his wings.

As they were discussing Bryn’s world, the candidate for their ally was obvious to everyone. Their Valkyrie friend sent them lots of appreciation at their unanimous vote for Atra, the quirky, winged scholar woman from Brage. Bryn understood that they didn’t really trust any other council members from the other ARKs after their experiences and she agreed with their evaluation.

Finally, the list closed with Imadil and Cynthia, who had already made multiple vows and promises to keep their secrets and aid them. To not disturb the master artificers during their research and craft, they would be approached at the very end. While the elf duo seemed glad to be working with them, Asterios wasn’t completely sure if they would be interested in tying themselves down to him after attempting to cut their ties with the queen.

Having a clear schedule ahead, they wrapped up their strategy meeting, finished the delicious sweets they had been snacking on, and moved out. Since they had ended on the Demon Continent the previous day, they decided to return there and begin with finding Svertaniel.

They didn’t have to look for the demon man for too long. Right after they popped up in the middle of the demon capital, Umbra located their friend in one of the local Adventurer’s Guilds. It looked like he hadn’t moved somewhere far away, thankfully. There was always a chance he had even changed continents in the meanwhile.

The guild was kind of crowded, but Svertaniel still managed to find a lone spot in the far corner of the main hall. He looked as mysterious and unapproachable as always. At least whenever he wasn’t around Asterios and his party. His demeanor tended to swiftly change at that time.

He most likely hadn’t expected anyone to approach him, not to mention tap him on the shoulder, so the demon man turned at the nosy person with a deep frown. It took less than a second for him to recognize his old traveling companions and switch into a wide, welcoming smile, inviting the group to join him.

The conversation focused on their respective adventures after their separation as they recapped their own experiences. When things began to move onto a bit more delicate topics, Asterios surrounded them with the Alcove of Serenity and spoke freely of what they had discovered about him in Bryn’s realm and further on. Svertaniel’s attention focused greatly on the mysterious woman they had met during the summoning incident as he was fascinated by the fact that even Umbra couldn’t get a read on her.

When they finally breached the main reason behind their visit, he was a tiny bit skeptical about the prospect, but as they had expected, did a fully one-eighty the moment it was revealed that the respected Lord of Darkness shared a similar connection with Asterios, which would technically allow the two to communicate as colleagues.

Realizing that the demon man would most likely bother Umbra as much if not even more than Welrond would awkwardly nag Kindra, Asterios asked his shadowy familiar if it was truly alright with him before they moved on to the ritual. And, naturally, they also moved to a more private space to seal the deal.

Afterwards, Svertaniel was in too much joy and euphoria to continue any further talks so they left their demon friend to celebrate the day he had become closer to his idol. Not wasting any precious time, Asterios and the girls jumped to Rosewind, immediately getting hit by a wave of nostalgia. All four of them held plenty of memories in Ast’s hometown. If they included Tina, it would be the place where their fates intertwined together and brought them where they currently were in their lives.

So, the blue-haired girl quickly joined them as they strolled through the streets. A new semester at the academy was already in full swing and the rush accompanying it was clearly visible. Only during breaks the number of dashing and flying beasts lowered at the well-known hub of Summoners. Though, there were things that had definitely changed since their last visit.

For one, at least two respected families had moved out of Rosewind, and their mansions either stood empty or had already changed hands. Tina sighed wistfully at the signs of other people residing in her old home, but she reassured Asterios and the others that she was more than happy to have her relatives by her side in Glimmervale.

Finishing their trip down memory lane in front of Ast’s old house, they headed for the academy, eager to see how their old school was doing. The first change they noticed was present right at the gates leading onto the institution’s premises. The sentries guarding the entrance were much stricter and more serious, checking even plenty of students as they passed through, stopping Asterios and his party.

Ast’s group expected to struggle to get in, but the men recognized Tina as the academy’s ace from some kind of a VIP list and let them through, sending a message about their arrival to the principal. That scene caught a few curious stares from the passersby, and some might have potentially caught onto their identities in that short moment, starting to whisper excitedly between themselves.

To avoid disrupting the classes and other activities, Asterios and the girls didn’t wander around too much and slowly walked to the principal’s office. They realized that the atmosphere on the campus and between the students was somewhat different from what they could remember. In a good way, thankfully.

Grea barged into Madam Teireshia’s chamber without a hint of hesitation and greeted the older human woman with a loud, excited voice. The principal was delighted to see them all again and to learn that they were doing good on their own outside the school. Asterios and Tina remembered rather well just how supportive and caring their old mentor was and felt warm seeing the woman so happy about their visit.

Their demon friend dominated the conversation from the get-go. No one from the rest of the group dared to interrupt Grea as she sang praises and tales of Ast’s and Tina’s achievements. Since they were going to try and recruit Madam Teireshia later, she didn’t have to keep herself in line and could openly share the most exciting parts with her old boss and coworker.

No surprise, the principal was flabbergasted at the news of Ast’s origins and lineage. Things finally started clicking into place as every secret they had kept to themselves was properly explained. To show their sincerity and some proof, they showcased the summoning gates as well as parts of Ast’s draconic features and powers, finishing with their offer.

That was a little bit too much for the older lady to handle at once and they briefly switched the topic to the academy itself so that the principal could catch a breather from all the unbelievable reveals. Things were looking good for Ast’s and Tina’s favorite teaching institution. The princess’ involvement had brought lots of great changes as the Council was no longer in a position to abuse its power, not to mention the fact that almost its entirety had been replaced.

The curriculum and the way everyone’s efforts and results were evaluated had been altered to some extent too. The latter was still the most important, of course, but the staff paid more attention to the students so that no one felt oppressed due to their inability in one or more aspects. In the end, no one could really predict if they were just late bloomers or really didn’t have much talent for Summoning Magic. At least, the more scholarly types weren’t shunned as much as before.

Making use of their presence, Principal Teireshia invited Asterios and Tina to host a small meeting with the freshly admitted students. They were truly anxious about such a prospect, but Grea didn’t let them decline, supported by Miria’s pure excitement and bursting pride. Thus, they conducted a brief introductory lesson together while also answering a flood of questions from the overeager newcomers, with many clearly arriving at the academy due to their performance during the last graduation ceremony.

Finished, they were exhausted, but also felt satisfied. Tina especially. She wouldn’t have thought that it could be so much fun. Grea teased her about becoming a professor just as the principal mentioned in the past, making the shy Summoner girl blush heavily.

Afterward, they returned to the quiet office and finalized things. Madam Teireshia gladly accepted the given position and offered to share as much knowledge from her own experience and the academy’s archives as she could muster. Naturally, in return, she was allowed to research and experiment with the information Asterios brought in, save for some specific draconic details, of course. Grea was ecstatic about the prospect of elevating Summoning Magic even further and it was clear that the two women would be chatting quite often about it.

Escaping the academy before the news about their visit spread way too much, Asterios, Miria, Selene, and Grea switched worlds while sending Tina back to the Garden of Sinners with a loving kiss from her beloved. Arriving at Selene’s mansion, they decided to dress up for the occasion and jumped into the traditional local clothes. Asterios appreciated their oriental design as much as the girls themselves, matching Selene’s sleek and sexy outfit.

Then, the fox lady turned into a literal fox and they climbed on her fluffy back. Selene unhurriedly trotted through the air without a hint of a struggle. People pointed at her from below with smiles, recognizing their priestess-turned-goddess in mere moments. Asterios was glad she was getting the recognition she deserved after so many long years of suffering. He lovingly played with Selene’s long, vulpine ear as they soared toward the main temple.

This time, the mischievous vixen didn’t play any tricks on the priests and scholars and obediently headed for the shelf behind the matriarch’s office. It turned out that Lerisse was having a meditative meeting with the younger Foxkin and her arrival still spooked them out as the giant white fox landed right outside.

Asterios apologized for disrupting their focus as Selene returned to her humanoid form with a smirk. While she and the girls sat down with Lerisse to talk about their sudden visit, he took a seat by Ronye’s side, curious about how the silver-haired young lady was doing with the little hints and guidance of his notes and research.

Ronye was a tad timid and nervous at first, as she had often been around him recently, but they quickly dove into their own little world of spiritual knowledge and exercises, both growing excited to talk to each other. It brought smiles to Selene’s and Lerisse’s faces as the duo discussed other, also quite important matters amongst themselves.

The moment Ast’s vulpine mate laid out all the details in front of her old friend, his and Ronye’s little chat was finally interrupted. The matriarch could hardly believe the offer being extended not only to her but also to her current pupil. Thus, everyone came to sit together for the upcoming conversation, focusing on the same topic this time.

After learning about the benefits of accepting Asterios as their master, both fox girls seemed to be thrilled about the opportunity. They felt like it was a great chance to grow even stronger, just like Selene had by his side. Perhaps to a slightly different extent, considering the nature of their bonds, but the possibility was still there. The Lizardkin slaves had partially evolved and grown stronger under their first master’s rule.

Therefore, the help from the two vulpine ladies was quickly secured. Furthermore, Lerisse promised to think about gathering the most talented Spiritual Foxes she knew of with the goal of creating a group that could be under Ast’s orders whenever he would need them, and which she could actually bring to his side in the future. Ronye volunteered immediately, surprising everyone with the eagerness and excitement in her raised voice, which brought a heavy blush onto her adorable face a second after.

Though, the fact that the matriarch began listing names largely sounding all-female did raise some suspicion in Ast’s mind.

He decided to shove that issue for a later date and they proceeded with the ritual. Almost immediately after they were done, he could sense a faint buzzing in his head and noticed that the two fox ladies were already on with their usual banter, taking it to a private, mental connection this time. He had a feeling that this too would be a common occurrence and realized just how much activity the back of his mind was going to be subjected to going forward. He wondered if the other True Dragons experienced it like that or if their bonds were largely silent due to the obvious oppression the other side was subjected to.

Nevertheless, he assisted Ronye in testing out her new ability while Selene and Lerisse tussled amongst themselves and they soon prepared to depart, leaving the two Foxkin ladies to return to their previous activities. Their next destination was in Bryn’s world and the Valkyrie welcomed them in the central fortress, where she was reading through some reports and documents.

Naturally, she received a hand from each of them before being transported to Brage so as not to skip on her duties and obligations. Then, Asterios moved to the other ARK and they joined him right away. Judging by the mid-day hour, Bryn assumed that Atra would most likely be at the library they had first met her at and led them to the archives.

But, no matter how hard they looked, they couldn’t find the petite Valkyrie anywhere in the building. Asking the staff about her, they finally learned that Atra hadn’t visited it in quite a while, which puzzled them a little bit, especially Bryn. They weren’t sure what to do until Grea suggested checking the Descending Spire rather than the entire ARK. It was a decent idea so they switched places immediately.

And, her guess proved to be correct as the first person they approached inside the Spire confirmed that Atra was in fact hanging around various floors. They were advised to check the ones containing libraries and archives. From what they learned, those were the levels where the elevators had blocked their path with a barrier during their last visit, which seemed logical. The various levels of knowledge were hidden behind various segments of the Spire. The lower you went, the more sensitive the information must be, or something like that.

Using the token Asterios had received from Supervisor Sidr, they reached the bottommost archive and hunted for their winged friend. Miria sniffed the Valkyrie out first and the short woman jumped in fright as a group of four suddenly stepped out of crimson gates, followed by a figure materializing in a deep shadow. Recognizing her ambushers, she throws herself at her taller, better-endowed friend with a wide smile, greeting everyone happily.

They then move to a more comfortable part of the archive and catch up a little bit on each other’s journeys and experiences. Bryn had naturally been more or less up to date with the reports from the Spire and the ARK floating above it, but Atra shared some of her own findings she had dug out of the ancient libraries. Sometime after their departure after the liberation, she had accepted the position of record keeper and inspector. She had already shared lots of interesting facts and tales with the supervisors and her people.

But, as excited as she was to tell them all about those, it couldn’t match the level of fire in her small frame at the mention of joining Ast’s forces. Her sudden burst of euphoric energy could rival if not beat Miria’s as the petite Valkyrie celebrated the opportunity. In her craze, she even lunged at Asterios and drowned him in kisses, some more than just thankful and appreciative. Only Bryn’s firm cough brought the realization onto the heated Atra and the tiny researcher backed off as red as never before.

No surprise, they went through the ritual right away and showed Bryn’s friend the ropes of mental communication and other boons. It was only after she fully calmed down that they discussed some more details about their current plans and recruitment spree. Atra almost lost herself in her vision of Asterios leading an entire army of valkyrjas through the realms to serve as his personal strike force.

Or, perhaps if they ever elected the next Sky Queen, and had the person be one of Ast’s subordinates, they could bind their entire race to him like to their ancient gods and be brought to a new world through the spatial ability of his that the girls had mentioned.

It was something close to unimaginable for Asterios so he dismissed that dream for now. He could feel the hope and yearning coming from Bryn, though. While Atra’s vision unnerved his current self at the moment, he promised himself to revisit it in the future. Standing atop a full village of subordinates was already way above him, not to mention an entire race.

The effort it took for him and the other girls to knock the idea of a Dragon Emperor God from Grea’s head was truly immense and they feared they would have to knock her out cold to make the crazy woman stop insisting on him embracing his destiny. Thankfully, sealing her too-active mouth with his and assaulting her tail and horn proved to be enough to pacify their wild friend. Though, as a result, she became painfully turned on.

After dealing with Grea’s needs as they were ignited partially as his fault, letting the petite Valkyrie scholar watch as a punishment for the naughty demon lady—or reward, judging by the manic grin taking over Grea’s lips for the entirety of the process—they left the archive before the crimson-skinned woman managed to fully recover and cause another situation. With their list almost fully completed now, they returned to the Garden of Sinners. Taking a brief rest and fixing their disheveled appearances, they headed for the forge of their elf friends, wanting to close the entire thing before going to sleep.

Imadil and Cynthia were still experimenting with the ores and their designs, not wanting to reveal any bits of the latter to Asterios and the girls, for obvious reasons, so their discussion was pretty short. They didn’t want to interrupt the elves for too long so they got straight to the point. The duo actually welcomed the idea of working for a True Dragon and they became Ast’s servants without a shred of hesitation. He promised to supply them with all the materials his draconic body could provide, and whatever mystical information he could gather during his journeys, like the mystery of the tin ore and his blood.

Thus, after testing their new connection, they bid farewell to the elves and returned to their accommodations for the night. They couldn’t fall asleep for a few hours, chatting about the potential creations of the Spellsongs that they would receive soon. Everyone was excited, without an exception.

But, exhaustion finally caught up to them and they fell asleep to dream about magical artifacts capable of destroying entire worlds at their hands.