1 week later
North pole of Svartalfheim 

Achilles was lost in memory lane, he remembered when he killed his first ice drake as a rite of passage when he first awakened. It had been exhilarating and dreadful, all the blood and guts he had spilled that day laid the foundation to who he had become today. His brother hadn’t helped or defended him and had just stood there giving him advice on how to slash the beast’s throat and to slash its tendons before slaying it.

Just like right now.

“Brianna, step back!”

“Belle, fire at its hindquarters! And Ishtar, swing that big ass sword at its neck!”

Kin! The ice-like scales resisted the Zweihander’s blade slash.

Ishtar rolled to the side to evade a swipe of the drake’s claw, she succeeded; however Belle was sent flying by the tail of the beast and landed in the snow bank ten meters away. Achilles clicked his tongue and ran behind the drake, cutting off it’s tail.

ROAR!!! The beast roared in pain, opening its slit eyes widely; a moment that one of its foes took advantage of. In one smooth move Brianna took throwing knives that were hanging from her tool belt and sent them soaring into the drake’s eye with all her strength. Achilles looked on as the creature reared on its hindlegs in pain, showing it’s tender abdominal scales making a perfect target for Ishtar blade.

Ishtar jumped and planted her sword in the drake's sternum and let her weight pull her down to the creature’s belly and slice it vertically. Blood and guts exploded out of the beast’s belly and splattered down before it.

GRRRLLK… was its final groan and it fell forward. In a dark blur of speed, Achilles caught Ishtar before she got crushed by the ice drake falling down, they reappeared at Brianna’s side.

“Well that’s that. Messy kill, but excellent teamwork!” Achilles said as he patted Ishtar on the back, then he took off his helmet. He should have kept it on. As everyone was looking at the downed ice drake, Ishtar turned to the black armored speedster and slapped him. “Achilles! We almost died!”

Achilles held onto his savaged cheek, then he smiled back at her. “Oh Ishtar, I could have killed it anytime I wanted! I just wanted to give you all experience in fighting magical monsters.”

They had traversed the portal to find themselves in some sort of arctic tundra like landscape. Then were confronted by the ice drake that Malicia had left there to be an obstacle for Elissa returning home. This was supposed to be a graduation for the Snow Princess. But fate conspired against them and instead of returning back to Earth to her family Elissa has chosen to stay and do what a Snow does best; found a country and rule.

Everyone wore a winter version of their armors and costumes, wearing highly reflective lenses with their specialized goggles. Brianna was given a magitek spear similar to Achilles, Ishtar a sharp two handed sword enchanted to be unbreakable and have weight manipulation by the local blacksmith in the Daphne Snow school. Belle was given a prototype plasma rifle by Tesla.

The scientist had strangely been in a hurry when Achilles had asked him for a weapon, completely distracted by a project as well. He just ordered one of his automaton maids to give Achilles the best rifle in his arsenal and he returned to work.

When they crossed the portal, the women of the group had at first been mesmerized by the fact of finding themselves in another world. But as they battled the magical creature, the wonder turned to horror, they would have panicked more if Achilles hadn’t been there to give them clear instructions. 

Brianna bopped her fiance behind the head, tag-timing him with Ishtar. “Achilles… this wasn’t the time to go all sensei on us.”

He raised his hands to placate her, making her stop talking and look at him sullenly. The speedster put his hands on her black and silver pauldrons and looked at her attentively. “Bri, we aren’t on Earth where it’s safe. Svartalfheim is described as a lawless and wild world. It’s surface is infested with monsters, so many that the current inhabitants had to flee underground and have not dared to retake it yet.”

Brianna planted her spear in the ground and leaned her weight on it, rolled her eyes and told him what she thought of his lesson plan, “Huhu, your information is outdated though. Sanctum has told us that your niece created a country on the surface, a safe haven?”

Achilles hated when Brianna poked holes in his reasoning, he held his helmet against him. “Well, yeah that’s what the Snow do, they conquer and make it safe for everyone.”

Ishtar didn’t know what to think, the more Achilles and Brianna spoke about that teenage girl, the more the image of her in her mind became distorted. *Was Elissa Von Braun this formidable?*

The superheroine walked up to Achilles and asked, “We need to find the girl and get her back, but how strong is she? Because I know she’s not going to want to come back, teens are stubborn.”

Achilles looked into the sky, his eyes protected by his protective goggles. The sun in this star system was more powerful, it was like being back on Phantasia; he felt reinvigorated by his exposure to the powerful inflow of cosmic energy seeping into his body’s cell and an ache that he had felt for sixteen years was being soothed away.

*Cosmic energy depletion, I can’t believe we stayed on that planet for this long with the weak background radiation. I understand why Elissa kidnapped her sister now. I feel like I’m gradually getting back to my prime.*

Achilles eyes fell back onto the white and silver heroine in skin tight armor, if he hadn’t met Bri he would have without a doubt fell for Ishtar, she reminded him of his mother. “Seeing that she held her own against Malicia? It would be a terrible battle… before, I was certain that I could take her, but now? Elissa has been steadily growing stronger since the last time I saw her.”

Ishtar asked herself, *Why did I come here? Fighting an omega level superhuman who would be able to fight against that demoness?*

Malicia had come to their training session and showed off when the Justicar team had assembled. The mock fight she had with Achilles and Heracles tag teaming her had been eye opening. Phantasia produced monsters dwarfing the power level of those of Earth. A new ranking system was in the works after Malicia confessed that the Empress of her people was thousands of times stronger than her.

“Is that normal... for your people?” Ishtar was hesitant, holding her sword that suddenly got sheathed in its leather sheath, she held it on her shoulder.

Achilles chuckled. “Yes, but it’s even more pronounced in the Snow bloodline. The next generation is always more powerful.”

Clicking her tongue, Ishtar was having less and less hope of getting Elissa back to Earth. “Shit, can’t we just use… I don’t know, diplomacy?”

“We will try that.” Brianna intervened.

“Hey guys can you give me a hand? I think I'm stuck!” Belle cried out as she was getting ensnared in a nice Bush with tentacles.

The girls looked behind them and ran to save Belle who struggled; Achilles smirked as he turned toward Belle, but he felt presences all around them in the Snow dunes, he slowly stepped back toward his group and armed his magitek spear whose blade separated to reveal a cannon-like aperture glowing with purple light.

“Hum girls, I think we have company.” Achilles said as at least twenty people in white cloaks surrounded them and trained bows and spears on them.

Belle, who had finished stepping on the snow bush monster in revenge looked around with her powerful senses and swore.

---

 

15th day of the 3rd month of the Aryther Queendom Calendar
September the 11th, 2018
Aryther
Citadel
Palace under construction

Elissa sat on her chaise longue, overseeing the construction of the Boreal palace, at her side Dawn was sunbathing while Dicinna was slowly covering her in sunscreen. Her eyes often naturally slid to Dawn’s exposed pale flesh and her dark elf’s dusky glistening skin.

She averted her eyes, when Dicinna caught her watching. Those two had been ganging up on her when they got out of their cells; at first it was out of revenge, then because it seemed fun. Elissa’s eyes went back to the hardworking dwarves who had dug the foundations sufficiently deep for the palace to not sink.

Seeing the dwarves out and about was like seeing a play, the water and earth benders, what they called their mages all linked themselves into a circle. In one hour they already covered in stone the thick adamantite support pillars that will hold the weight of the entire castle. It pleased the young Queen that so many of those people worked with abandon after getting out of the regeneration tanks.

Elissa had inherited several competent crafters, builders, miners and the rare alchemists. The regeneration tanks were working at full speed to get everyone back on their feet and start the development of the Queendom. 

“Elissa, you really like watching them work?” Dawn’s voice interrupted Elissa’s musings.

The platinum blonde turned her head to her fiancee and nodded. “It’s like watching a play, right River?”

In a flash of blue light, the elemental in the form of a tiny sylph appeared and sat on Elissa’s head. The elemental cheered as she saw a team of water benders sculpt a stone pillar with water pressure as if they were a robotic construction chain. It was amazing and she saw combat applications for her own water spells.

All of a sudden, someone placed themselves between her and the building site. Pale white skin, voluptuous curves and a black bikini, short brown hair and a heart shaped face showing a taunting vulpine smile.

“So you prefer watching sweaty dwarves instead of me?” Dawn passed her hand on her body.

Elissa gulped loudly. It seemed to make Dawn smile harder as she enjoyed Elissa’s reaction, the space mage had been shy before and completely lacking in confidence. She hadn’t understood what Elissa saw in her at first and thought that at some point the ancient human would ditch her for another girl or guy. She knew that Elissa was bisexual, but her worries were put to rest when the platinum blonde told her she fell in love with her.

“Hum… I guess I can watch their techniques later if I can have my hands on those.” Elissa’s eyes were focused on the two perfect orbs on Dawn’s bust.

“That’s the spirit, those belong to you.” Dawn pawed her boobs making them jiggle slightly.

Elissa was about to catch her and kiss her to death when another familiar sultry voice interrupted.  “What about me?”

Dicinna wore blue skin tight short shorts and a white and blue striped bikini top, her bonding tresses in full view with the green emerald shining under the sun’s rays. She was always prideful of the fact that she was married and showed proof of it all the time.

Dawn tilted her head. “Are you jealous, Cinna?”

She didn’t notice when Elissa’s arm snaked around her waist, ready to pull her onto the chaise longue with her at any moment.

With lust in her eyes, the dark elf strode to the brunette. “No, but I wish to stake my claim on you, and Elissa’s breasts will soon be mine-”

Cough. Everyone turned to the intruding person who just ruined the moment. Elissa wasn’t surprised to see Tsarra in an aqua blue tunic with silver trim, knee length black skirt and ankle length soft boots. Her hair was free and combed over in a middle parted hairstyle, on her forehead was a mythril circlet with the moonbow religious emblem.

“Hey, Tsarra.” Elissa waved her hand at her best friend.

The redhead’s cheeks were completely red as she gazed upon the bacchanalian scenes before her. “Are you three always like this?”

Between the chaises there were rolling trays loaded with food, fruits and beverages, some of them alcoholic. The three bonded were all half naked and didn’t mind that they were in full view of a building site with male dwarves looking at them.

Elissa didn’t understand, she was just enjoying the scene with the loves of her life. “What do you mean?”

Tsarra didn’t know what to think, Elissa seemed genuinely clueless; or it was more the fact that she didn’t feel threatened at all by the men working and her attitude was contagious. She would have never thought that Dawn would have the guts to do this, but here she was. Dicinna? She didn’t know her well, but she knew she was the oldest of the three and should be more responsible than this. “You three are so… so lewd.”

“Aww, are you embarrassed?” Dawn asked as she went to sit at Elissa’s side. 

Tsarra huffed. “No, but you could do that from your tower in Dragonfall!”

“It wouldn’t be as fun?” Dicinna answered with a grin.

Tsarra glared at the other elf, those two had been slowly circling around one another trying to gauge the other. It might turn to dislike if Elissa let them continue interacting in this context. “Okay, girls calm down. Tsarra, I am sure you didn’t come here to just reprimand us.”

Opening her eyes wide, Tsarra fumbled with a roll of papyrus with the Snow family emblem on the seal. “Oh, huh yes! I came to ask you about this missive you sent us?”

Elissa put on a mischievous smile as she saw what Tsarra held in her hand. “Yes, there’s court tomorrow.  I intend to give your father lands and a title.”

Tsarra’s expression went slack as she looked at her friend. “Elissa… you don’t have to, we owe you a lot alr-”

River floated away from Elissa’s head and went to examine the bottles of beverages while Elissa interrupted her friend with a hand held up. “Tsa, you don’t owe me anything you are my best friend and the one who introduced me to elvish pastries and you taught me your language and… you don’t owe me anything. I am selfish, I want you with me forever and you to keep doing what you are doing, being my friend and make me better than I am, okay?”

Dawn giggled as she glued herself even more to Elissa. “Give up Tsarra, she won’t let you go. She will find more ways to tie you to her if you do.”

“Very well, I will advise father to accept.” Tsarra said imperiously, raising her chin for effect and looking down on them.

Elissa chuckled, Tsarra may be reasonable but she was still a sun elf; haughty, demanding and prim. “Don’t make such a face, Tsa. You can see it as a way to help your new homeland, we need good merchants and you can easily continue your line as you inherit.”

A thin depreciating smile blossomed on the redheaded elf as she wistfully thought about her situation. “Sometimes I wish I had more siblings, being alone with dad was too much sometimes…”

Dawn squinted her eyes, she just noticed that they knew nothing of Tsarra’s mother. “Where is your mother?”

Sigh. “Can I have a drink before we have this conversation?”

The trio looked at each other and then at Tsarra, and nodded. Dicinna made the redhead sit on the sturdy chaise longue and gave her some dwarven ale. The story the redhead began to tell was sad enough that it ruined the sexual and happy mood the three girls had going on; it started with Rynlar going to Asgard as a startup merchant coming to sell Alfheim wine and enchanted jewelry.

The elf became successful and rich enough to get his first million of Woden, “That’s the currency named after the Allfather.” Dicinna explained to her two lovers.

“So, father racked in the money and was beating gold diggers with a stick until he met my mother.” Tsarra said as she looked into her silver cup.

Tsarra’s mother was named Sorial, and she was a high elf. High elves were to elves what superhumans were to normal humans; Dicinna or the elf whose name Elissa forgot and had killed in the final of the tournament in her home city. The dark elf looked at her bonded with a smug smile.

Tsarra took a swig of ale. “You know, when dad told me how he met my mother, I found it so romantic. It was like they were characters in a romance novel. Father met my mother when she was 180 years old and she was about to graduate from the Asgardian Magic Academy and she was looking for a present for her own mother.”

“Let me guess and they discovered their halves?” Dicinna interrupted with a smile in her voice.

Tsarra nodded. “Yes, they felt the bond come alive almost instantly.”

The dark elf placed herself between Elissa and Dawn, placing her arms on their shoulders. “Just like for me and these two.”

Tsarra held her cup and raised it at that. Knowing your bonded was instant for elves and separating them was dangerous and irresponsible. Wars were started for less and empires fell because of halved souls who had just found each other. Putting the cup full of ale to her lips, Tsarra drank until it was empty.

As she put the empty cup on the tray, she continued her story, “The problem was that my mother is a high elf and my father an upstart nouveau riche that my grandmother hated because by meeting they had ruined her plan to unite with another family as prestigious as hers.”

“But it’s a crime to separate a newly bonded pair.” Elissa intervened as she began to piece together the story, the drama in it at least.

The young Queen asked herself, *What is it with the elves and arranged marriages? I keep saving my friends from them!* That would never happen to her kids she vowed.

Tsarra nodded at Elissa’s outburst, she was right. “Well, mother and father went back to Alfheim and lived there for one hundred years before having me. We were happy. And I wanted for nothing.” 

The redhead looked at her friend fondly. “Mother would totally like you, Elissa. You are the kind of elf she approves of.”

Elissa snorted, she was only an elf for appearance sake. “Happy to know that!”

Dawn frowned, guessing that Tsarra’s mother wasn’t dead. “But where is your mother now?”

Tsarra smoothed out the fold on her dress with her hand as she said, “Somewhere on Asgard, her family needed her for something they didn’t feel that I should be privy to.”

Elissa scowled, the temperature shifted as anger laced her voice when she asked, “Do you need me to…?”

Knowing where such feelings led Elissa, the redhead shook her head; her hair bouncing left and right. “Elissa, I don’t think that going to wreck the holding of my mother’s family on Asgard is going to help the situation.”

Sighing heavily, Elissa’s anger cooled but still simmered on the surface. “Okay, don’t bite my head off for that.”

Dicinna was getting worried about Elissa, she put a hand on her knee. “She’s right, Eli. Asgard isn’t like Svartalfheim or Alfheim. The people there are all as powerful as you, the gods still walk the realm there.”

She could barely imagine it, people as strong as her… “Fine I will let it go, but if you ever need an army to get your mother back, you know where to find it. Right, Tsa?”

“Right.” Tsarra said as she took the bottle of Alfheim wine on the tray and poured it into her cup. She drank it and then decided to leave, her mood down. Dicinna noticed how lonely the ranger was as she left.

The sight of Ocima following Tsarra was strange though, her sister had a wistful expression on her face and it was vaguely familiar.

“Is it just me or does Ocima look a little love struck?” Dicinna asked her women who just giggled as if they knew something she didn’t.

 

---

 

16th day of the 3rd month of the Aryther Queendom Calendar
September the 12th, 2018
Dragon Fang Tower
Throne Room

Danny didn’t feel at all at ease, she looked at herself; black skintight leather armor with somewhat heavy plated mithril armor shining with polish as if it was made to blind everyone, she had a short sword at her hip, a present from Elissa. It was enchanted to conduct her lightning power without damaging the weapon.

She looked around the throne room, the silver and engraved walls depicting epic sagas, the blue tapestries with silver hem and snowflake emblazoned onto them. There were no windows or terraces giving an opening into this floor; Elissa must have thought of it being a risk.

“Hold yourself straighter.” Tsarra’s voice reprimanded in a whisper at her right.

Danny’s slouching posture straightened as she raised her chin and spread her feet on the dark blue carpet on the ground.

There were a lot of people around her, the Sisterhood, decked in black and silver armor just like her; they were all stoic and elegant. The only exception was Brunhilda who had a tiara on her head and she looked irritated by that fact. There were a lot of different races present in the throne room, dark elves, dwarves and humans represented by her group.

People were positioned in the throne room by their rank and ties to the Storm Queen’s family. Kiomdra Zerloth was basically at the foot of the dais holding the thrones.

“This is so boring.” Tabitha said from behind her.

Danny didn’t turn, not wanting to have words with the catgirl. Tabitha was the one friend of Elissa’s that she found to be lazy and irreverent, they had a hard time getting along. But for some reason the catgirl worked her way into Elissa’s heart and had become someone she listened to. The fact that she was stronger than Elissa at the moment elicited a bout of jealousy from Danny.

“When is Elissa going to appear? She’s playing power games already.” Tabitha whined, as she yawned with her mouth wide open, Tsarra pinched her tail for her trouble, not liking her bad manners.

The catgirl eeped voicelessly but didn’t make more of a scene; Tabitha glared at her.

Erika who was at Danny’s side remarked, “You know, for someone who hates politics, Elissa is strangely gifted in it.”

Danny nodded at that, making everyone wait was a psychological show of force.

In a hushed whisper the blue curtains at each side of the throne moved and spread to show the Storm Queen and members of the royal family enter. First was Elissa, followed by Dicinna and then Dawn; Cassandra trotted behind them. They all wore white arachne silk dresses lined with their personal colors, red for Cassandra, black for Dawn, green for Elissa, and blue for Dicinna.

Elissa’s dress was more elaborate, the black and white shimmering dress was long and clung to her body, showing a high level of cleavage through the armored corset she wore. Over the armored dress was a long black coat lined with white fur and on her arms and feet pieces of armor shone under the magical lights. The fashion statement showed that she was in no way a wallflower, but a warrior Queen who killed and climbed her way to the top.

Danny looked impressed by Elissa’s silent and political statement; she was disappointed by Dawn and Dicinna’s choices of simple wear. But maybe there was more to it, they didn’t want to outshine Elissa or give away what their roles were?

*We will see, I guess.* Danny thought.

They put themselves before their respective thrones, Elissa before the mithril and adamantite one veined with red fire crystals; a trophy she took from the unlamented Siodhanth which would later be spoken about in the history books of the realm. Dawn and Dicinna placed themselves before the consort twin thrones expressly made for them in a hurry and crafted by one of the artisans who recovered the usage of his hands, it was made of mithril, ebony and sapphire.

Cassandra’s throne was simpler, it was made of black marble veined with ruby, it had somewhat darker visual effects, some of the courtesans might think it didn’t suit a child, but when you knew the nature of the young girl you found that it fit her perfectly.

Elissa summoned Gram, it appeared in a flash of blue light, everyone but the Dwarven Queen Vanhyld and the representative of the Dryads, Apis and Raccoon people slightly bowed. The Storm Queen then sheathed her sword and sat with it on her throne. The rest of the royal family sat and then Elissa’s eyes slid all over the room and the people present.

“After travelling throughout the lands over the course of many days, it is a great pleasure for us to host representatives from all of Svartalfheim.” The Storm Queen loudly intoned, her voice rang from everywhere.

Danny had jumped at that, she was still so unused to those preternatural displays. *Magic is bullshit.*

Tsarra noticed that Danny didn’t complain about the royal us that Elissa had thrown in her speech, she decided to tease her about it later.

Elissa leaned forward on her throne, putting her sword on her lap as she magnanimously smiled at everyone present. “A warm welcome to every one of you! Those of you who are gathered here represent parts of the land under my dominion: Aryther as it is today.”

The Storm Queen’s gaze settled on the Apis, Dryads and Raccoons delegates who shuffled on their feet as they weathered the cold gaze of the monarch.

“But what is Aryther?” Elissa asked.

Danny, knowing Elissa had been raised in France and the United States understood what angle Elissa was employing. She smiled at her friend who seemed to be a Queen but had decided to still believe in people and give them a limited amount of freedom. She didn’t seem inclined into being a tyrant either. *Thank god for that.*

As no one had an answer for her, Elissa continued her speech, “Aryther is high mountains and deep fjords. It is wide open spaces and an imposing lake. It is islands and archipelagos. It is lush farmland and rolling moors. The lake’s waves lap the shores in the north, west and south. Aryther is a big and sparsely populated country.”

She took her sword by the sheath and stood up, descended one step of the dais and stared at her subjects. “But above all, Aryther is its people. In other words: Aryther is you.” Elissa pointed her finger at everyone. “Aryther is us.” She then opened her arms wide.

Danny looked around her and noticed how everyone stood straight, their eyes strong, a sense of elation and wellness overtaking the courtiers. As if something affected them all and gave Elissa more gravitas and oratory skills and its effect caused this feeling in her.

Elissa’s sheathed sword was made to hit the ground, giving momentum to her next words, making everyone’s blood stir. “My greatest hope for Aryther is that we will be able to take care of one another. That we will continue to build this country – on a foundation of trust, fellowship and generosity of spirit. That we will feel that we are – despite our differences – one people.”

“That Aryther is one.” The storm Queen looked meaningfully at her courtiers. 

Then as swiftly as the serious monarch facade of Elissa had appeared, she smiled like the girl Danny had learned to know and love. “Once again, a warm welcome to you all! I hope we will have an enjoyable time together.”

With that court started in earnest.

Aeruirn, the elven personal aid of the queen began with the trivial affairs and opportunity that certain merchants decided to offer. Three of them were received, selling metals, wanting to establish a route from Nirnyarh to Dragonfall. Danny looked at the Dwarven Queen at the side of the envoy.

She was simply regal, clothed in a red and gold gown, her hair was styled in an updo that meshed well with her golden crown set with rubies in triangular patterns engraved in it. Queen Vanhyld looked completely disinterested by the so called silver tongue of the envoy.

Danny looked around her, and saw that most of the dwarf women looked angrily at the male dwarf speaking to Elissa. The same expression adorned Tsarra’s face as well; there was something that the electrokinetic was missing in the dwarf proposal. As Danny watched Elissa stare intensely at Queen Vanhylde, Danny got the impression that they were communicating somehow.

The Storm Queen’s gaze fell on the envoy and then she spoke adding a lazy drawl to her voice. “So if I understood well, you wish to create an outpost between my border and yours for trade and security? Mainly border security, I guess.”

“Yes, your Highness.” The dwarf smiled and nodded, slightly bowing making his black robe swish. 

From where she was positioned, Danny could see the condescending eyes of the man; and the buzz of his electromagnetic aura and brain patterns told her that he just lied. This ability to read bioelectrical organisms was just another application of the power up granted by Elissa some days ago. She had barely scratched the surface of what she could do, but knowing when someone was telling the truth was a huge boon.

Elissa leaned forward, her voice became deceptively sweet, “Then would it be shared or should I build a mirror outpost?”

The envoy began to sweat bullets under Elissa’s gaze, after a moment she snorted at the male dwarf. Her gaze focused on the Dwarven Queen. 

With a raising of her left penciled eyebrow, Elissa asked, “Your husband’s handiwork?”

“Was it that easy to guess?” Vanhyld deadpanned.

A throaty and mirthful laugh emanated from Elissa. “I trust him to be predictable, and this ham fisted attempt at placing spies near my borders was so inelegant. You would have presented the idea differently, Queen Vanhyld.”

“The man is stubborn and didn’t like having his plans thwarted.” Queen Vanhyld chuckled.

There was something that Danny wasn’t aware of, like some kind of inner joke; she also noticed that no one was laughing, more afraid of what the two would do if that happened, or was it protocol of not speaking when two monarchs were conversing? *Fucking royalty.* Danny swore like any true american would.

“I see, we will discuss this over tea Queen Vanhyld. Would you please follow one of my handmaidens, she will guide you to my study.”

Danny’s gaze fell on the envoy whose face was frozen in worry, as he should because as Vanhyld followed one of Elissa’s Demoness, the sexy robed one, her eyes then slid to Elissa, as her attention came back onto the as yet unnamed dwarf or was it that he was so inconsequential that she had forgot his name? *Yes, it must be the latter.*

Out of nowhere two elven guards materialized behind the robed dwarf who noticed his sudden precarious position when their spears’ butts clanged on the carpet. The dwarf briefly looked behind him and panicked. “Y-your Majesty, I a-assure you that King Etrin has good intentions tow-”

Elissa leaned in her throne, crossed her legs and sent him a vitriolic look. “Be silent. Keep your forked tongue behind your teeth! I have not passed through fire and death to bandy crooked words with a witless worm…”

The crowd tittered at that; Danny didn’t understand most of the words but the electrokinetic hoped that he could be sent to the burn ward because it sounded like a severe burn. It seemed that something was lost in translation or that the language spell placed on the realm was having a bad day.

Elissa raised her chin. At this sign, the guards took the dwarf by the arms. “Now, begone. Queen Vanhyld will be who I treat with.”

They picked him off the ground and dragged him away from the throne; it was humiliating. Danny doubted that the dwarf would be welcomed in the realm again.

“Did she just quote Gandalf?” Tsarra asked silently at Danny’s side while pinching her nose, eyes closed in annoyance.

The Electrokinetic nodded. 

“Yes she did…” Danny wanted to laugh but she didn’t. *Those people have no idea that they are being trolled hard.* She thought as she looked around her, Brunhilda laughed loudly, forgoing propriety and some elven matriarchs hid their faces behind their luxuriously decorated fans.

Elissa’s sheathed sword thumped on the ground, calling everyone’s attention back to her. “Now that this loathsome individual has been taken care of, let’s move on to the main business of today. Rynlar Olaneiros present thyself before mineself.”

The doors opened and dramatically, Rynlar Olaneiros strode into the room; the courtiers looked on as his long and silky red mane billowed as he moved. With a golden tunic with tree patterns, a brown leather belt encrusted with emeralds, black pants pasted on his legs and brown boots, the elf cut a dashing figure. To Danny, he looked like one of those celebrities playing an elf in a fantasy movie.

Fortunately for Danny, she didn’t like the pretty boy or dandy look; she preferred her men tall, powerfully built and with intelligence. Donovan was everything she liked in a man.

The tall and middle aged elf arrived before the throne, staying five meters away from it, he stood straight, feet spread and in an ‘at ease’ position even though he wasn’t a military man.

Elissa stood up and said loudly, “Rynlar Olaneiros, you were betrayed by the royal family of Illusius on Alfheim, people you had pledged allegiance to and looked to for protection; they attempted to steal your daughter and subject her to slavery and to treat her like chattel. We and your courageous progeny have saved you from imprisonment, however, there is no debt between us; Lady Tsarra is our friend and confidant.”

The elf looked uncertain, Danny was sure that he knew what he was going to be asked to become one of Elissa’s staff. The electrokinetic looked at Tsarra from the corner of her eye, she was calm and composed. Everyone’s attention was on the redhead elf maiden for an instant.

Then it switched to Elissa when she continued to address Rynlar, “However, this situation leaves you without a homeland to belong to. This won’t do! Your daughter substantially expunged on your abilities and work ethic and Goddess knows that Aryther is in need of competent personnel.”

*Ah, just like I thought.* Danny was happy to be right, she knew Elissa would be generous.

A thin smile appeared on Tsarra’s face, steadily changing her expression from neutral to eagerness.

“That is why I offer you citizenship, a title of nobility and a place as my minister of trade. What say you?” Elissa finished to say.

Danny didn’t like how Elissa had to speak, she took longer than usual to get to the point. However, she understood that being Queen asked for a degree of showmanship, Elissa would have been a top actress on Earth. She was simply beautiful and confident, Danny and her friends envied her on many levels.

Rynlar, looking a little lost, turned his head to Tsarra who nodded to him and then his gaze fell back on  the Storm Queen. “I… your Majesty, I accept. Still I don’t think I am worthy of this gesture.”

Elissa snorted, Danny did the same. The man was one of the richest merchants on Alfheim and was hailed to be a compulsive workaholic and honorable. This degree of work ethic and honesty made him successful. Illusius’ royal family dropped the ball when they alienated him; the elf was sure to be given resources to do his own brand of magic. Elissa was sure to make her Queendom powerful and rich beyond her dreams.

Laughing, Elissa dismissed Rynlar’s worries with a hand. “Work to your utmost abilities, you’d not be before me if you weren’t deserving of mine attention.”

Rynlar looked touched by this, he put himself on a knee, red aura spreading around his body. Tsarra gasped as well as every elf and magic user. Danny tilted her head, she didn’t understand why the elf had manifested his magical aura. Her fledgling skills and knowledge hadn’t prepared her for the following scene at all.

Tsarra’s father intoned loudly, “I, Rynlar Olaneiros, pledge myself and my family and promise by my honor and my magic to be loyal to Aryther and its royal line, to devote myself without deception or forethought. Further, I vow to promote and uphold the rights and basic principles of Aryther and to solemnly and faithfully follow the edicts of its laws. I take this pledge freely, without coercion or expectation of reward, sworn by my will and my magic.”

His magic flashed around him and the room. Elissa’s smile looked as if it could light the entire western seaboard of the USA. She unsheathed her sword and descended the steps of the dais, walking to the elf. She put the glowing blue blade on each side of his shoulder and said, “I name thee, Duke Olaneiros.”

At that, Rynlar fainted.

 

---

 

Court was back on track after Lady Tsarra’s father was evacuated on a stretcher. When his emotions had gotten the better of him, the man had fainted, he didn’t know it yet but it would become the talk of the day. However, no one had anticipated that Rynlar would be given such a high rank. Normally a Duke or Duchess rank was given to a member of the royal family, everyone in the room felt that there was something they were missing. The Storm Queen wasn’t someone who handed out ranks without thinking about it.

That’s what Kiomdra Zerloth thought as she looked at Shaera, her daughter in law. She had a vulpine and scary smile plastered on her face as she looked at Ocima who had noticed and kept squirming under her gaze. *There’s something we are all missing.*

Some people thought that Shaera was a brute and that she was unsubtle, Kiomdra just thought that she was lazy and terrifyingly smart; that she was only using her brain when brute force would be detrimental in reaching her goal. The girl could outwit her elders and ensnare them in her plans as easy as breathing. Kiomdra asked herself what kind of demon raised such a girl?

She was jealous that such a successful elf maiden wasn’t born of her loins, however, it didn’t matter! Her favorite daughter married into royalty. And as usual the glory ran down upon her by proxy, she even got rewarded for it. Shaera Dragonfang was a generous daughter in law, giving her lands and the title of Duchess in her Queendom making her the hottest topic in Cynlenor.

The royal family of her underground city state had even invited her to discuss her affiliation; they were polite about it, but frightened in some ways, she felt. They had good reason to, the power Shaera wielded was simply terrifying…

At some point, Kiomdra guessed that those elves would want to join her under the sun and the abundant natural energy flowing more easily on the surface. Thafnoris was the first city to have joined Aryther, not without blood but now people were happier.

THUMP. The Storm Queen slammed the point of her sheathed sword on the marble dais and everyone ceased to speak aloud and focused on her. “Now let's get back to business. We call for Daniella Spark to come before us.”

“Eep!” Kiomdra heard the loud little cry coming from one of the humans Shaera brought back from Midgard. 

Powerful humans, blessed by whatever gods that weren't aligned with the goddess Nodicea or the state sponsored religion of Aryther, the cult of Hekate. To Kiomdra their association was sketchy.

The blonde haired human walked up toward the throne, all eyes on her; the silver and black armor marking her as one of the Queen’s guild members. From the spies Kiomdra had bribed with unfamiliar difficulties, she knew that this particular young human woman was similar in abilities to Shaera, but weaker. *Maybe it was those similarities that brought them together?*

With the Sisterhood guild half composed of blessed ones, the Queen was in an unassailable position. Kiomdra pitied the fool who tried to do something in Aryther.

Daniella stopped four meters before the throne, bowed slightly with a fist on her breast. Shaera smiled at her friend.

Shaera looked on fondly at Daniella who seemed self-conscious and embarrassed. The girl was clearly not used to being under the spotlight. “Daniella Spark, my friend, my second in command. You are one of the first people to become my friend, we met as rivals, a rivalry forged in competition. You have helped us without expectations of reward when we were lost or in doubt. When I asked you for help you let go of everything and followed me to Svartalfheim. This should not go unrewarded, or we would not be able to live with ourselves.”

Standing up, Shaera descended the stairs of the dais, coat billowing in an unfelt breeze and placed herself before Daniella. “As the ruler of Aryther, I must defend the lives of the innocent across it, and though I am fit to the task I cannot do it alone. Daniella we need you, and you must be given a title, money and lands to be able to help me so. But before that, I have only one question to ask you, do you swear to guard Aryther?”

She asked this loudly, everyone could hear her; the nobles, matriarchs and dwarves were not used to this kind of ruler, bold, honorable and powerful. They were used to deceit, betrayal and corruption. Some thought Shaera to be a fool, someone begging to be backstabbed. However, they didn’t understand that she could completely ignore schemes and conspiracies because in the face of ultimate power, they meant nothing.

Daniella’s emotions were clear to see, she felt honored, happy and put upon at the same time; maybe she was also getting afraid, afraid of not being worthy of her friend’s trust. Then her expression cleared, no longer indecisive and she kneeled while shouting for all to hear, “I so swear!”

Shaera unsheathed Gram. The sword emitted a clear lyrical sound. “And do you swear to preserve the peace?”

“I so swear!” Daniella affirmed a second time.

Her gaze intense, Shaera asked one last time, “Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself to the royal line and only to the good of the realm?”

Daniella’s honest eyes made even Kiomdra tremble. “I so swear!” She shouted.

*What are those humans? Completely different from us. She’s young and completely… untouched by politics, not yet jaded by the games of the nobles, matriarchs or merchants.* To Kiomdra the idealism and honor that Shaera and her friends acted with was strange. Someone with this much power and will was bound to change things a lot.

Kiomdra looked at the dejected and angry nobles and matriarchs who chose to come to court. *Some people disliked change, nevertheless, they couldn’t run from it; they could fight it. But it will come whether they want it or not. Aryther is the future and if there’s something I know from living as long as I have, it’s that you cannot stop the future.*

Shaera’s blade touched each side of her shoulders, “Then on this day, I, Elissa Shaera Snow Phantasia Dragonfang, Queen of Aryther, proclaim that from this day forth, thou shalt be known as Marchioness Daniella Spark.”

The young human woman stood up after Shaera sheathed her sword, smiling at her with a big grin. The Storm Queen put a hand on the other blonde’s pauldron and then left to go sit on her throne. All Kiomdra could think at this was that, *At least, this one didn’t faint.*

 

---

 

The next day…
Morning
Elissa’s study

 

Elissa was looking out the bay windows separating her study from the veranda attached to the outside of the tower. The roofed, open-air gallery had so many potted plants decorating it that it wasn’t funny. They were mainly plants from the underground city of Thafnoris, they glowed under the moonlight; it was beautiful and a gift from Alais Sharan.

Leaning in her cushioned chair that she had stolen from the Jarl of Iron Fang, Elissa began to think about yesterday. After she ennobled Danny, just like they had rehearsed the others all accepted Knight ranks under her. Brunhilda’s dwarven band chose to not have noble ranks, preferring the comfort of the Sisterhood guild. So Elissa made it sponsored by the crown making Brunhilda and the others happy to not have crushing responsibilities.

Putting her hands on the desk, Elissa thought about what she should be doing. Training like her life depended on it, amassing enough forces to be able to get back to Phantasia and annihilate the Demon Fist army. But first soldiers depended upon structure, a country. So the development of Aryther was important, however, she felt guilty about thinking of throwing the elves at the demons.

That was why she was thinking of turning most of them into high elves, starting with General Grejeon.

Knock. Knock.

Elissa looked at the ornate white door with a snowflake engraved on it in silver. “Enter.”

The door opened and Ilyrana Grejeon entered, then closed the door. Her armor, embossed with a saber-toothed cat, shimmered in golden flecks of light each time the sun’s ray hit it, giving her some kind of aura. Ilyrana’s red hair was styled in a severe and martial style, her face a mask of neutrality as she looked on at Elissa.

Her footsteps slowly echoed in the study as she walked to Elissa’s marble desk; there was almost nothing in the study, Elissa was gearing up into filling it out with furniture and shelves for the books she commissioned from Asgard and Alfheim, Nikola Tesla would also be there soon bearing the gift of a complete library.

Ilyrana bowed slightly and gave Elissa a military salute with a hand on her breast; she quickly settled and stood straight waiting for Elissa to speak.

“Good morning General.” Elissa nodded at the dark elf.

“Greetings, your Majesty.” Ilyrana nodded back.

Elissa waved at her. “Please, take a seat we have so much to talk about.”

There was an awkward silence for one minute as the two women looked at each other. Elissa thought that she was being silly to be nervous about revealing her secrets and situation to this dark elf. But she couldn’t keep her people in the dark, they needed to prepare.

Staring straight in the general’s eyes, Elissa began to say, “What I have to say is important. You have proven yourself loyal and dedicated to your new station and responsibilities, you are the supreme general of Aryther but you cannot do your job with blinders on. I must inform you of everything pertaining to my homeworld.”

“I am all ears.” Ilyrana’s ears moved.

Elissa leaned in her seat in shock. “Did you just… joke?”

There was barely a smile on her face, but Ilyrana was definitely smiling. It was the first time that she had seen her do so. Her general was serious, martial and competent, but she had never seen any hint of other emotions on her face or through her synesthesia abilities, that was how well Ilyrana Grejeon controlled herself.

“Hum ok, wow… as I was saying. General, my home planet is called Phantasia.” And she began to tell her about everything, her forced exile on Midgard, her magical education and awakening to her power, then even more learning. Then how her mother had lied to her and she got to discover it after almost dying battling a dragoness, conquering her lands and her projects for the future.

“So as you see can General, I have a plan and your people are a pivotal element in it.” Elissa linked her fingers on the desk and stared expectantly at the general.

The general was no longer smiling. “You are not an elf?”

Elissa smiled at her and cancelled the effects of the amulet of semblance. Her skin became paler, losing the luster of white gold, the points of her ears rounded and her face became less sharp. Ilyrana’s eyes widened and she stood from her seat, the chair screeched as she pushed it backward.

Different expressions flashed on Ilyrana’s face, surprise, doubt, betrayal, anger. The general even put a hand on her short sword before stopping herself and then truly looking at Elissa, then forced herself to calm down. The general sat on her chair and began to think.

Ilyrana sighed loudly. “It doesn’t matter.”

“That I am not an elf?” One of Elissa’s perfectly manicured eyebrows rose.

It took ten seconds for Ilyrana to formulate an answer. Her tone was direct and concise. “You are the one who brought my people back under the sun. Natural energy flows back into our bodies and we are getting reports of people who were ill getting their feet under them and getting healthy. Farming and industrial capacity have tripled. It doesn’t matter to me anymore, you are my Queen and I swore an oath.”

Feeling relieved, Elissa nodded. “I see. General?”

“Your Majesty.” The general sat straight in her chair, putting herself somewhat at attention.

The young Queen smiled predatorily at Ilyrana who felt as if a dragon was staring at her and that she was crunchy and covered in Naatu.

‘If I told you that I could make you a blessed one, would you want to become one?” The Queen asked her loyal retainer.

 

---

 

Three hours later…
Aboard the Weatherlight
Conference Room

 

Delegate Vyntron was a proud member of the Raccoonkin, he was thirty cycles old, had tawny and black fur, well manicured claws; an excellent hunter and acquirer, he had two mates and a gaggle of younglings who made his life difficult. He was an honorable Raccoon, as much as their kind could be and gave back to their tribes.

But everything changed when the sky split and the dangerous monsters like the Wyverns, Trolls and Lesser Goblin disappeared. They had prayed to the great Acquirer, their god. Their shaman received a vision telling them to go meet the Storm Caller and Wyrm Killer or they would die, their tribe would be annihilated.

Vyntron had been chosen by the High-Chief to represent his people to the Storm Caller. They finally found the lands of the Storm Caller after meeting the Lutrinian race that had become a client tribe. It had been strange to see them hunt with undergrounder weapons and clothed in the same quality armor.

Their scouts had nothing but praise for the Storm Caller, she had freed them from slavery, fed them their oppressors and given them a place at her side. Still, Vyntron’s people were wary. As he looked at the sun haired female in silver and white armor, he understood why no one wanted to insult or resist her. When she had looked at him, he had felt as if a predator had discovered him. She kept looking at him and was about to come to him and snap him up to eat him. He was sure of it.

Thankfully, the honorable and beautiful red haired elf, Lady T’sarra saved him by catching the Storm Caller and holding her back while he placed himself behind the other delegates. Having smelled blood, the other delegates placed him face to face with the Storm Caller. Vyntron looked hatefully at the Dryad Chief-Delegate, Aldoris was looking at him smugly; he was aware of the animosity between their two races, but he had never thought that it ran this deep.

The Apis Delegates ignored him, preferring to bask in the attention of the Storm Caller, they, just like him, had attracted her attention, but in a different way. They spoke about farming, change in their society created by their dependence on contracting elven enclaves for their unaffiliated men to reproduce. Apis were a cross between bees and humanoids, they had the power of flight, to manipulate their pheromones and magic; they were fierce warriors, crafters and caretakers.

“I am impressed by your knowledge of agriculture, your Majesty.” Arlen, a pink haired Apis complimented the Storm Caller.

She wore robes made of white Arachne silk, her wings well in evidence behind her back, they moved with her mood.

The Storm Caller sipped on her beverage, ‘benevolent tyrant’ was written on her mug in elvish. Vyntron shook his head, *She’s not even bothering to pretend to hide her style of ruling.*

Putting the mug on the wooden table, the Storm Caller said, “This is the basic knowledge that all rulers should possess, I cannot not know how my farmers and labourers work. I must be aware of their difficulties to be able to settle any disputes or problems.”

Vyntron found himself agreeing with her. Even his tribal chief helped into planting and harvesting, he knew what to do to repair their teepees or produce their weapons. “Well said.”

The sun haired elf smiled at Vyntron and he found himself wanting to praise her more, however, he shook his head. He was not used to having this many charismatic people in one room. The Raccoonkin’s tail flicked with annoyance, he didn’t want to admire the tyrant.

The Storm Caller’s eyes refocused on Delegate Arlen after staring briefly at Vyntron who became nervous as he noticed the sun haired female’s hand twitch. “What do you know of magic, Delegate Arlen?”

The two Apis looked at each other, then at the Storm Caller. “Only what the elves have shared with us, your Majesty.”

The sun haired female snorted disdainfully. “That is unfortunate, the elves on this planet have lost so much and are still in the dark ages compared to my home planet.”

The dryads and Vyntron kept silent as the Storm Caller insulted the elves and by association the Apis.

“That sounds rather demeaning…” the chief-delegate squinted at the Storm Caller.

Smiling with compassion, -Or was it pity in her eyes?- the sun haired female raised a hand. “That wasn’t my intention, Delegate Arlen.”

“You are spitting on our culture!” The other Apis delegate at Arlene’s side shouted.

This Apis was younger and had green hair; she acted like one of the impetuous young Raccoonkin in Vyntron’s litter.

When they were silenced, the Storm Caller put her hands on the table. Vyntron was watching her move with a grace and elegance that attracted his eyes; he didn’t understand why it happened, they were not even the same species.

The Storm Caller’s tone went from soothing to passionate. “I am spitting on the stagnation that you have been subjected to by proxy. The Dark Elves hide from those facts, but their neighbors on Alfheim live on the surface, fat and happy. They prospered so much that they almost don’t know what war and survival are.”

She waved her hand as she continued, “You should be thriving, have taken back the planet two thousand years ago after consolidating your power and annihilating the monster horde.”

Vyntron felt the humming coming from the engine become lighter and his sense of equilibrium informed him that they had stopped moving.

The Storm Caller felt it too and stopped talking. “Let’s shelve this discussion for later, we have arrived at Angelfall.”

As the Storm Caller and her handmaiden exited the room, Vyntron was the first to flee the table. The Dryad and Apis delegates followed him; taking the left and right wooden corridors they quickly arrived on the main deck. The view around the ship opened on a lake bordered by deep woods and the ruins of some city.

Further down, a quarry with a well travelled road was linked to the ruins. Vyntron jumped and landed on the rail looking down at this place, it was vaguely familiar. “Where is this?”

Vyntron looked behind him and saw the dryads tremble, there was fear in their scent. He looked at the Apis, they were more stoic but their antennas showed overwise as they wagged from left to right frantically.

The Storm Caller came to place herself at Vyntron’s side and looked at him with a smile that could only be described as evil. “You must know about Gobuta?”

Vyntron had heard of it, the lesser goblins had amassed and created a village that simply grew out of proportion when they have been raiding in the Under Dark with impunity by taking their females. The elves had finally pushed them back to the surface and condemned the entrance they used. It was a dangerous and fortified place if you were not a goblin. They survived thanks to hunting and goblin engineering.

The Raccoonkin nodded his furry head. “The Lesser Goblin city? Yes.”

The Storm Caller leaned against the rail, a predatory smile blossoming on her face. “You are looking at it’s remains.”

“...What?” Vyntron turned his head and looked at the ruins. They were bleached white.

It was as if a goddess had punched into the city, there was a crater in the middle of it that was slowly filling with water from the river feeding the lake. All around the houses and walls were either gray or black from some kind of fire that must have licked them.

She mock glared at Vyntron. “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

The Storm Caller’s hand twitched again, and Vyntron felt that he was about to be grabbed by her, so he stepped away from her slowly.

The Dryad delegate stepped forward. “How did you do it? Even the nearest military alliance between our races and the elves couldn’t break them!”

Not even looking at her, the Storm Caller was now looking at the ruins. “It was easy. It’s crazy how much air superiority can change everything.”

*She is so terrible…* Vyntron began to understand why the Shaman sent him, if they didn’t find a way to appease the Storm Caller, their races would be annihilated, their villages razed.

But he also saw the disadvantages; The complete loss of their way of life. It was a hard pill to swallow and Vyntron glared at the Storm Caller. The wind made his adorned feathers fly as he saw the same realization etched on the faces of all the other delegates.

“ZHAER teleport me and the delegates to the city.” The Storm Caller said out loud.

Momentarily blinded by the light that suddenly surrounded him, Vyntron’s eyes took a lot of time to adjust to a tolerable level of luminosity. When he opened his eyes again, it was to a stone altar with disgusting and dried lesser goblin blood on it, he would recognize that stench anywhere. Behind him the dryads gasped in shock.

As he turned to look at her, the chief-delegate of the dryads, Aldoris was now barely standing up. Something was interfering with all of the plant women. “Why did you bring us here? This is a prime nexus!”

Vyntron staggered, the Storm Caller just revealed a strategic emplacement of her country. The Apis looked all around them for details to report to their queen without a doubt. Vyntron was aware of how deceptive Dryads and Apis were, they always respected contracts, pacts or treaties but they always tested their limits.

He looked at the Storm Caller and from the way she moved, he saw how martially she held herself. They would get eliminated really fast if they resorted to their usual plays. The Storm Caller stared at the dirty altar and suddenly it was encased into ice; it began to crumble into particles of ice thanks to wind magic. There was nothing left of the altar anymore.

She turned toward them, not even realizing that this display of power and control scared them. She hadn’t even used an incantation. “This is an opportunity and I want you to be witnesses to the legitimacy of my Queendom. But first, let’s wait for my wives and companions.”

She looked at the sky and everyone followed suit. Another skyship, this one white with golden trim appeared slowly drifting through the sky.

 

---

 

Elissa felt smug as she noticed the expressions of the delegates. She had carefully engineered this trip to shock and awe the three races into submission. Everything she did had been staged to get them to react to her with either horror or adoration. However, it seemed that everyone was firmly stuck on their fear setting.

As the skyship hovered down, a ramp slowly slid from one of the access ports. It looked like metal stairs, but strangely decorated with vines and flowers. Elissa hated its design, it was completely silly! She was happy to have given it to Danny.

Speaking of Danny, the Marquess Spark slowly descended the stairs. She wore her Sisterhood armor with a blue cloak with golden trim, her coat of arms was that of a storm cloud with a lightning bolt. Other people would have thought that this should be the symbol of the Storm Queen but the Queen chose to stick with the snowflake of the Snow Phantasia family.

Behind her, Dawn and Dicinna followed in their respective armors and cloaks of black and silver. Someone had suggested giving them crowns, but it was shot down as Dawn wasn’t yet married and Dicinna didn’t care one bit. Dawn teleported to Elissa and hugged her, giving her chaste kiss.

“Hey.”

“Hey.” Elissa answered, her voice full of love and other things to come.

Dawn was simply beautiful. Elissa had liked her with long hair, but her short hairstyle agreed more with her new physical changes. Her awakening to superhumanity made her stronger, faster, taller and curvier. Her powers were also even deadlier thanks to a boost to her intelligence and spatial awareness.

It made the young Queen jealous somewhat; Elissa had always had problems with the knowledge of how to link two locations together via careful rips in reality — both for the purposes of tactical travel and attack redirection. She wanted her magic to be as elegant as Dawn’s, who made it look easy.

“Did you bring the guests?” Elissa ignored the delegates to pay attention to her fiancée.

Dawn sighed, her shoulders simply sagging. “Yes… they kept whining about the food and the available seats.”

The space mage turned to the skyship watching as Queen Vanhyld, Kiomdra and the royals from Cynlenor descended. They were followed by other ambassadors from other city states from the Under Dark.

Elissa looked at them like a hawk. “Don’t worry, what happens next will shut them up.”

A portal opened and Dicinna appeared through it; her ability was a tad slower than Dawn’s. She wrapped her arms around Elissa and kissed her cheek from behind. For ten seconds, Elissa permitted herself to let herself go in her elf’s embrace, then she stood straight back up.

“My love.” Dicinna’s sultry voice rang in Elissa’s pointy ear.

The young Queen placed her gauntlets on Dicinna’s bracer in affection. “Cinna, you are awfully cuddly right now.” It was said playfully, with the underlying feelings of mischief coming through.

Dicinna kissed Elissa’s neck and whispered, “Wouldn’t you be? I am counting the days until we are all bonded in matrimony and that I can have my way with you two.”

Dawn observed them, her face hidden by the black hood of her enchanted cloak. Then turned to the opposite direction; she deftly ignored the presence of the delegates and watched as all the guards disembarked from the skyship. They were all unloading the tents and chairs for their guests to be sheltered from the sun.

The space mage then turned to Dicinna flirting with Elissa, not caring about having an audience. “Sometimes, Dicinna you sound like a real pervert.”

Elissa flinched at the harsh and derisive tone employed by her fiancée, she donned her mask of professionalism and stood away from the randy dark elf. “Be patient Cinna. We have business to conduct.”

Dicinna scowled at that, her crystarium armor began to glow as the influx of mana from her body rose. She was angry, but she took time to calm herself. Elissa and Dawn looked at her with worry.

She sighed and said, “Very well, but hear me soon I shall cash in what has been denied to me for too long.”

A red portal opened and the dark elf turned heel and entered it; leaving the two alone to go somewhere else to cool off.

Dawn smiled. “Eli, Dicinna is horny.”

Elissa giggled, her armor glimmering as she moved in the center of the nexus. Dawn followed her. “It’s been weeks since I married her, and she was expecting a lot of fun in our first night as a married couple.”

Dawn felt guilty at that revelation, Dicinna was frustrated and despondent. She knew that Elissa was waiting for her and in doing so, denying the dark elf. Nevertheless, this situation would fix itself once Dawn joined them in matrimony.

Elissa gasped as she saw the core guest group walking toward them. “Quick, Queen Vanhyld is coming, stand straight, don’t giggle and do as I do!”

Queen Vanhyld came accompanied by Brunhilda and a mini Brunhilda with red hair. It was Skadi, the second princess, she was younger by twenty years compared to the first dwarf Princess. She wore a red dress with unicorns embroidered in golden threads. Elissa wanted to pat her head instantly. Then there was the male dwarf on the other side of queen Vanhyld who strongly resembles King Etrin, but he was blonde, with kinder eyes and shorter beard; he wore copper colored armor with a feline monster’s face engraved on his breastplate.

Prince Sigurd wasn’t the same fool as his father, he had his own political faction; actually composed of miners and adventurers from career schools. The prince had the heart of the people.

“Ah, Queen Elissa; Princess Consort Dawn. The women I wanted to see.” Vanhyld held her hands to Elissa who sank on her knee and hugged the dwarven Queen and kissed her on each cheek.

The prince and younger princess were surprised by the gesture; they knew that Elissa and their mother were close but not that close. Brunhilda smiled, holding her sister by her shoulders, she almost went to do the same with the storm Queen. Sigurd continued to observe the woman who thwarted his father again and again.

“How are you, Princess Dawn?” Vanhyld turned to the black armored space mage.

Dawn reddened prettily and coughed before saying, “Huh, we aren’t married yet Queen Vanhyld.”

Waving her away, the dwarven queen answered her with, “Ah pishposh! It’s going to happen in a week. Don’t put yourself down, dear.”

Elissa nodded. “She’s right, Dawn. You are already considered my wife.”

Dawn and Dicinna were already keyed to the wards of the realm and had administrator access. In the case of Elissa not being available they could take charge.

“Elissa…” Dawn saw that she couldn’t escape and pouted cutely.

It made the dwarven Queen laugh, she slapped the two girls thighs.“We will talk later, you have those stuck ups from Cynlenor to welcome.”

After the dwarven delegation left, two dark elves followed, a woman clothed in cyan enchanted robes with pale blonde hair similar to Elissa’s and a man with dark hair who looked like a young bookish mage, his robes weren’t as fancy as his companion’s. He had kind violet eyes, and a curious expression. 

“Queen Dragonfang, we salute you.” They said in sync.

Elissa’s face was lit up by an amiable smile. “You must be Queen Safra and Prince Consort Nir. Greetings.”

They slightly nodded at each other in sync. Elissa put herself in an at rest posture with her hands behind her back and Dawn placed herself at her side. The two couples stared at each other, judging, evaluating, looking for weaknesses. The dark elves found none; they only found power.

Queen Safra was the first to speak. “We have come to bear witness to this event, the chief seer of Nodicea’s church told us that we must not miss today, that we would regret it.”

Elissa’s eyes squinted, then after some long seconds, she snorted. “Urgh, prophecies, I hate them.”

The two royals smiled at her.

“They are an acquired taste.” Prince consort Nir slightly nodded.

Elissa shrugged, waving her hand toward the crew installing the tents. “I welcome you. Please, just wait a moment, the tents are going to be ready soon; then the ceremony will begin.”

 

---

 

It didn’t take much time for everything to be ready for the ceremony, in ten minutes the dwarf crew and the mage knights had erected the tents. After everyone was served food and exchanged pleasantries it was finally time to move on to the main event of the day: the planting.

Elissa walked toward the center of the nexus that was being tended by her handmaidens. Fenirael, Reinatiel and Aeruirn busied themselves carving runes into the stone circle after having purified and consecrated it to Hekate. The black soil all around the circle that had been imbibed with gore and blood had returned to normal and a bit of greenery had grown.

The goblin shamans had soiled the land with abyss magic by their daily summoning of demons and Underworlders. Fortunately, Reinatiel had performed multiple cleansings to rid the land of this taint; the demon priestess was preparing one last ritual to completely rid Angelfall of the negativity that had been building up in this Nexus.

Dawn, Reinatiel and Elissa created a circle and reinforced the magical working with their mana core and spiritual senses.

The light that surged from the nexus was blindingly bright. It persisted for over a minute until it diffused in the atmosphere and created an Aurora of golden colors. Reinatiel then informed everyone that the soil was finally ready to receive the seed of the world tree.

All the guests stopped moving when they heard what was going to happen. It mattered more for the elves present; World Trees were ancient, massive trees connected to the fabric of the universe and tied to the cosmic forces of nature-energy and mana. Through it, they blessed the elves with many gifts such as immortality, beauty or stronger gifts in magic manipulation.

Sorcerers were more likely to be born when a planet was blessed by a World Tree. Elissa took the seed that was as big as a soccer ball from her spatial ring. The seed’s shell looked like a golden walnut with a gold leaf growing out of it. It kept sucking in the ambient natural energy and the mana in the atmosphere.

Dicinna appeared from one of her portals with Narsenelyn the earth bender who had her pickaxe on her shoulder and wore her black overall and solid boots. With a stiff upper lip like expression on her face, the dwarf stared at everyone in the tents that stayed well away from the staging ground.

She shrugged and struck the ground with her pickaxe and began to dig into it. With the help of her magic, the dwarf dug a ten meter deep hole in thirty minutes, Elissa then threw the golden seed into it after injecting an ungodly amount of her own mana into it to take possession of it.

It left her almost exhausted, but she was filled up with Dawn’s mana through the circle formed previously. Elissa sighed with relief, looked at her girlfriend and sent her a thankful smile, Dawn answered it with a thumbs up. Narsenelyn filled the hole she had dug instantly with her magic and then left toward the tents.

“Let’s go, the tree will sprout at any moment.”

The ground shook as they left toward the tents, Elissa raised a magic shield to protect the guests who stepped back at the casual chantless magic being displayed. Just at that instant, a wooden trunk jutted out of the ground, at first it was one meter tall, then three, and it kept growing until it became ten meters tall, numerous branches grew from the trunk and green leaves burgeoned out of them slowly.

A green and blue aura surrounded the tree in a maelstrom of energy, it was dangerous as wild mana kept being siphoned from the atmosphere. Elissa felt the realm struggling to accommodate the World Tree sapling. Having no choice she resolved to procure the ambient wild magic from other parts of her territory; this tree was hungry for sustenance and Elissa hadn’t anticipated that.

It took thirty minutes for Elissa to stabilize the situation and to fill the tree with sufficient nature energy and mana; she had noticed that it was the same as when she caused artificial awakenings in elves and humans, the body and spirit needed different sorts of balanced energies.

Once the tree was filled, it expelled the surplus energy into the atmosphere and around itself; suddenly the mana in the area was thicker than it had ever been. The elves’ skin began to glow white as their own physiology began to absorb the energies of the tree. Elissa noticed that it did the same even for her, as she looked at her glowing hands, she dismissed her magical shield and took the brunt of the tree’s energy trying to choke her full of its blessings.

She felt herself becoming healthier, stronger, her mana reserves becoming bolstered. “Hekate, no wonder they guarded that seed so jealously.”

Ocima and Dicinna looked at each other as they glowed with the same intensity, they were aware of the changes to their physiology that were being made. It was as if long dead instincts they were not aware of had now made themselves known. Their hearing sharpened even more, their other senses likewise; it alarmed them but it quickly normalized as if their body knew how to handle the load of such a surprising amount of information from their environment.

Even the dwarves felt a difference, more like an attunement to the very earth they were standing on. Before they could be at ease and revel in this feeling, Elissa smiled and weaved an overpowered Create Pocket Dimension spell and enclosed the Angelfall region to contain the changes and protect the World Tree sapling.

She  could already feel a great number of magical creatures and monsters converging on this area. Elissa snorted, there was no way she would let her recently acquired world tree become beast property!

“Queen Elissa! How… how did you get that?”

“Do you have any idea how this tree will change everything?”

“The monsters are going to be attracted by this sapling we should…”

And on and on the guests continued to shoot behind her back while she enclosed the entire region in a pocket dimension. When she was done she sent out her psychic senses outside by using remote viewing. Monsters of all breeds were now amassing at the edge of the dimensional borders, thankfully, Elissa caught that fact early enough.

“Silence! I am busy denying them entry.” Elissa’s voice snapped.

They all fell silent, not wanting to distract the storm Queen while she was busy saving their lives. As for Elissa, she hadn’t anticipated that the monsters would attack all of a sudden. Fortunately, the packs of monsters were not the sapient kind like the Fishfolks she had met at the start of her journey; these were the rabbles that infested the forests and plains and judged unimportant by the security wards of her realm.

Magical beasts such as direwolves, murder squirrels or rock birds converged on Angelfall. Elissa harrumphed, not at all worried. “Fenirael, contact general Grejeon. I will break the monster packs with the tower, and she must finish off the rest.” Elissa commanded through her familiar bond while strengthening her hold on the pocket dimension.

“Understood.” The warrior demoness sent back, erasing her presence and doing as she was commanded.

Elissa felt tired, she had barely recovered from her exertion from helping that damned tree grow. She was so occupied with her task that she didn’t notice Dawn and Ocima leading the guests from the tents to Danny’s skyship.

Five hundred kilometers away, In Dragonfall; Dragonfang tower’s wards activated, a particular cluster of runes came to life, feeding mana to the tower. Once the magical energy was thus gathered a ball of lightning and force appeared at the tip of the tower between the channelling antennas.

The tower began using the information from the remote viewing spell to locate the targets and finally fired.

All around the pocket dimension around the World Tree the hastily formed packs of dire wolves came under fire, the flocks of rock birds scattered under the bombardment. It gave enough time for the guests to evacuate into the air aboard Danny’s skyship. It was at this time that the companies of mage knights, archers and hunters took care of the remaining rables.

“If there is something I learned on Earth, it’s that the American way is effective. Bombard them until they give up.”

Elissa walked up to the tree, it was like she advanced in a sea of molasses. The density of the mana was such that it even became difficult to breath; it made Elissa pause and think, *It could become an excellent training exercise for high mana environments. But before that I must secure the area. I can’t let monsters roam in my territory and try to take advantage of the World Tree. If I do, they will become stronger and more numerous, magic beasts are cheaters like that. Just give them time and mana and they swamp you. Now I understand how the dark elven empire fell.*

Though as she sat, she began to methodically bombard the other monster packs. Elissa kept her psychic senses trained on general Grejeon who was in the field, fighting with her troops. She looked dashing in her golden armor, cleaving direwolves or giant boars with her great sword.

The young Queen was proud of the fact that she had turned her general into a high elf. But an awakening at Ilyrana’s age would have been dangerous; her body wasn’t as soft and malleable as one of a child or teenager. There was a reason that humans, elves or dwarves awakened to super physiology young.

That is why Elissa had decided to cheat and reverse the aging of the 480 year old general. Reversing the telomere degradation of the elf was strangely more complicated than giving her super physiology. Her general had more centuries in her now; Elissa had turned her into a 180 year old, at peak maturity for an elf.

Ilyrana was giving instructions as a wave of blue gelatinous slime rolled over toward the troops. Elissa saw her command the fire attuned mage company who inflicted a flame strike spell simultaneously. The slimy wave wilted, shrivelling and literally evaporated. The heavier troops were locked in combat with saber-toothed feline monsters and the long necked lizards reminding Elissa of Velociraptors.

Elissa frowned, she looked at the horizon with her psychic senses, a second wave of monsters was about to attack. She decided to take the gloves off and to channel her most powerful storm spells to finish them off before they met with her troops. As she deliberated which spell to use, elementally aligned animals passed overhead; they were comparable to Reinatiel and Fenirael’s familiars, those she let pass, it would be good for the tree to have a good ecosystem.

Finally, she decided to use the spell she created called Lightning Fury, it would destroy everything in sight and at this point she didn’t care. She had used the same spell when she was pursued by a beast tide and it had scared even the dwarves. Elissa was curious of how a tower boosted Lightning Fury spell looked like.

Dragonfang tower siphoned more wild mana out of the atmosphere, facilitating the creation of storm clouds. It spooked the monsters, some of them fled, others were too stupid to notice.

It was too late, the spell was named aptly. The landscape containing the monster packs  detonated just like a nuclear explosion and fortunately for the Aryther troops, Elissa had thrown down a hastily-layered magical and kinetic barrier over them. Five minutes later, when Elissa cleared the dust in the air, giant craters were visible. They dotted the landscape and began to get filled by the nearby lake and rivers.

*Note to self: don’t use custom spells of mass destruction with Dragonfang tower.* The destruction unleashed had shocked and horrified her.

Curiosity killed the cat was the saying that came to mind with Elissa’s actions. She shrugged after a while and decided to recall her troops, with remote viewing she saw the mage knights tending to the wounded, the mage loaded the dead in their spatial rings and the archers recalled their arrows. 

Ilyrana was now ordering everyone to load the monster carcasses for dismantling, it wouldn’t do to waste such resources after all.

“Time to get back on the Weatherlight, General. I took care of the remnant forces, mission accomplished.” Elissa sent via the security wards of the realm.

The dark elf general flinched visibly and looked around her, Elissa’s voice had become audible only to her through the air current and aether surrounding the area.

Ilyrana planted her great sword into the ground before her, sighed heavily and her voice took on a reproachful tone as she said, “Your Majesty… why didn’t you leave more for us?”

“What?” Elissa was shocked.

The general continued and plaintively aired her thoughts. “Do you have any idea how boring it is to train everyday and nothing of note happens? My men have resorted to becoming adventurers in their off time!”

*Wow okay, I didn’t think that nuking thousands of monsters would get me reprimanded.* Elissa chuckled.

Mid tirade, Elissa interrupted the general with, “Calm down, general. Sooner or later I will find something for you to target.”

For the second time, Elissa saw Ilyrana Grejeon smile and it kept surprising her. 

“You promise?” The dark elf asked impishly. 

*How bored are they in Aryther?* Elissa promised herself to check later.

“Yes, yes I promise.” Elissa said as she stood up and dimension doored to the Weatherlight.

Hmph. “I shall hold you to it.”

She turned heel and signaled everyone to enter the pocket dimension. Elissa was already on her captain chair when the troops embarked. As the skyship gained speed, Elissa couldn’t forget the fear and awe she had seen on the faces of her royal guests and the other delegates; while she looked at the darkened sky, full of storm clouds, the young queen smiled evilly.

 

---

 

18th day of the 3rd month of the Aryther Queendom Calendar
September the 14th, 2018
Dragon Fang Tower

 

It was finally time! Elissa was about to upgrade Dawn, Dicinna, Tsarra and Ocima. After the events of the planting, the royals and delegates from the other races and underground city states left in a hurry. The only people who stayed were the dwarven royals and those from Cynlenor.

They were surely going to report what happened in detail and describe the destruction that Elissa had unleashed. In the tower, people had been jumpy since then, afraid to anger her as if she was a ticking time bomb. After court sessions, Elissa had been busy planning for the upgrades of her friends and two partners, putting behind her the worries and fears of the fretful elves who were now unable to look her in the eyes.

The Cosmic energy reactor and the wild mana collector were primed, the vats had been cleaned and the conductive solution was loaded. Elissa was waiting for her four guinea pi- subjects. She mentally listed the enhancements that she wanted her friends to have, for this she had taken a sample of her own DNA and isolated the genes that were responsible for super strength, regeneration, enhanced intelligence and toughness; of course speed was a given, and part of the basic package.

It had been fun for Elissa to see what made ancient humans tick.

She understood now why her family seemed to be on top for the last ten thousand years, her genome was packed with power and it scared her. She had even realized that there was no way that it was natural. The Snow Phantasia bloodline had been engineered and she had a clear idea of who had been messing with it. 

*Mother Hekate plays the long games…*

Shrugging, Elissa stopped thinking about it, as there was nothing she could do about it. She was there after all. Looking into the vat room, Elissa checked everything one last time; not wanting to be surprised by any sort of unforeseen problem. She consulted the wards, the stretchers and the team of healers were ready to take care of the Princess Consorts and the two Ducal heirs.

Through her enhanced senses, Elissa heard the door of the laboratory open, she stopped what she was doing and walked out of the vats room.

“Elissa, are you here?” Dawn’s familiar voice rang in the room.

The young Queen in her lab coat and healer uniform appeared before the group. “Girls you are late!”

Dawn and the rest wore the plain white hospital gowns that Elissa had given them the previous day. Tsarra looked embarrassed and avoided her gaze.

“Sorry, Tsarra was having cold feet.” Ocima had her arm around the sun elf’s shoulder.

Dicinna looked at her sister with a knowing smile; she had finally made her move on Tsarra last night and the prim and proper sun elf was finally aware of their bond. Though, Ocima and Tsarra were more discreet about it than Elissa and her two bonded.

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Now, girls! Take off your shoes! Chop chop.”

“Who died and made you Queen?” Dawn quipped.

Elissa snorted, kissed Dawn’s cheek and said, “A lot of monsters and people. C’mon stop being sassy.” As she pulled the space mage toward one of the crystal tubes, Elissa began to calibrate the changes she wanted made to her asian girlfriend.

As she helped Dawn into the tube, she forwarded the changes to Sanctum and ZHAER who flagged several errors and edited the gene map. The build they sent back was more geared toward speed, stamina and enhanced intelligence and they kept the boost to super strength constant. Elissa was happy that the two magical constructs were there to correct her.

Dawn didn’t even panic when the crystal tube closed, she trusted Elissa implicitly. Dicinna wanted to be babied so she waited for Elissa to come help her. The platinum blonde rolled her eyes and placed the dark elf into the tube.

With a mischievous grin, Dicinna caught Elissa by the lapel of her lab coat and kissed her. Without too much resistance, Elissa parted her lips and they lost themselves into the kiss for one minute.

Cough. “Sisters, it’s not the time!” Ocima shouted.

Elissa and Dicinna stopped, smiled at each other, smooshed one last time and she closed the crystal tube. Dicinna was still smiling tauntingly at her while Elissa playfully scowled; combing her hair with her hands, she turned to the two other elves who had reddened from head to toe. “Ah, sorry sorry. I forget she has that effect on me sometimes.”

“I trust that you can get in your own tube yourself? Or do you want a kiss too?” Elissa cocked her head and put a hand on her hip.

“No we are good thanks!” Ocima said as she placed herself before Tsarra who grinned at the dark elf’s reaction.

*Too easy.*

Tsarra and Ocima were quickly loaded into crystal tubes, Elissa activated the Quintessence machine. The Cosmic energy reactor thrummed and the tower siphoned wild mana from the atmosphere. Fortunately, Dragonfang tower was sufficiently high to not be affected by the World Tree absorbing the ambient mana. The viscous blue conduction liquid filled the tubes from the bottom and the girls panicked a little, but then noticed that they could breath calmed down.

Until the two types of energy to start their ascension were introduced at the same time. The girls convulsed, and their bodies glowed with different colored inner light. The reawakening process began and seemed to continue longer than the previous instances.

“Just as planned.” Elissa cackled.

 

---

 

September the 20th, 2018
Orion Constellation
Bellatrix Star System
240 light-years from Earth
Orbiting Svartalfheim

 

Lyla Tesla gazed down at the planet, it was five times the size of Earth, it was blue for its oceans, but the vegetation and fauna they could scan was mainly in shades of purple and pink color as opposed to Earth’s green; there were even colors that had no names. Lyla mainly thought that it was because of the star Bellatrix’ coloration, a spectral type B2 III.

The gravity of Svartalfheim was stronger as well, and there were wild mana storms at the poles of the planets that even Nikola’s instruments couldn’t make heads or tails of. A typhoon was rampaging over the mega continent in the southern hemisphere, destroying large tracts of forest and changing the landscape.

Everything was silent on the observation deck, Lyla was sitting on the bench observing Svartalfheim. The observation deck sat near the aft section of the Subdina and gave a panoramic view via a single large window. There were various benches and tables in the room for people to sit and observe space ahead.

“How can anyone survive on this planet?” Lyla asked herself as she looked through her HUD at the numerous species of mana altered animals tearing each other apart.

There were ruins disseminated all over the planet, signs that a civilization had once prospered here. However, nature had reclaimed the lands and covered the structures; the powerful scanners of the Subdina were actively searching for Elissa’s colony.

“Moje srce (My heart) this is where you were.” A really familiar masculine whispered in Lyla’s ear.

She found herself suddenly hugged from behind. Hands sliding down her bodysuit, groping her, first on the breasts and sliding down on her waist, then her hips. Having recognized the familiar scent of her favorite person, the technomancer didn’t elbow the person behind her and simply said, “Nikobear.”

Lyla leaned into the hug, placing her hands on Nikola’s who held her abdomen. Nikola stood there with her, looking at the influx of data he took from her own HUD, slowly analyzing it. After Elissa gave them schematics for a modern planar drive, Lyla and Nikola realized that the human race was no longer boxed in by the Vadwaur race who had interdicted their solar system with their blockade fleet.

Suddenly all the projects Nikola and Lyla had put on hold because of this situation have been activated. The Subdina or Destiny in English was one those shelved projects that had become rather important now, with a length of 747 meters and a width of 518 meters; the Subdina was the biggest ship Tesla industries had ever built.

The Subdina itself was relatively flat and triangular in shape; the left and right sides were markedly concave, while the aft portion of the ship was convexly rounded. The ship was very long and became narrower towards the bow. The surface of the ship was riddled with hidden ports covering everything from defensive laser systems to a large number triple-barreled weapon turrets. It was mainly an exploration and colony ship; but it wasn’t defenseless.

Nikola and Lyla Tesla had lived through the invasion of Earth and would never think that traveling space was without danger; if the Vadwaur race was there, what over warlike species were out there?

As she pondered over that, Lyla was taken out of her train of thought by Nikola’s voice. “We are still looking for Elissa’s territory, we have found some dimensional disturbances all over the upper north continent. That might be where we need to look.”

Lyla giggled. “She’s well hidden.”

It was logical that Elissa would resort to emulating her adoptive mother and created her own pocket dimension. *But one spanning an entire continent? Does the girl feel she must one up even her mother?*

Nikola groaned. “What did you expect from someone raised by Malicia?”

Lyla didn’t have to answer, she just kept silent and went back to watching the planet slowly turning on itself. Through her HUD, the technomancer had a perfect view of what was happening on the surface, though she couldn’t view anything past the equator.

“We need more coverage around the planet, the northern hemisphere is covered but we have no eyes on the southern one.” Lyla said aloud, she moved her hand toward the transparent metal separating her from space.

A hologram of the planet manifested on its surface and showed the data collected by the satellites in separate windows. Lyla poked at points arounds the planet, the highlighted points were orbits.

“Launch more level two satellites.” Lyla ordered subvocally.

Ten circular capsules were launched from the ship thanks to the electromagnetic launchers on the broadsides of the Subdina. Lyla and Nikola followed their trajectories thanks to their long-range scanners, two minutes later the first satellites were ejected from the capsules and adjusted themselves in their orbits with their ion based thrusters powered by solar power collectors.

“Do you think Elissa will notice that she has a signal on her phone?” Lyla made a childish giggle.

Tesla put his chin on his wife’s head. “I think her ship will tell her.”

“Once all the satellites are online we will call her.”

Three hours later, they had a perfect view of everything going down on Svartalfheim. It was a wild and cruel world with a certain beauty; Lyla sort of understood the goal Elissa gave herself, she wanted to take this planet and uplift its people and use them to take back her planet. An easy guess, a plan reminding Lyla of what Malicia was doing on Earth within her own pocket dimension.

*Those Von Braun women have a one track mind.* Lyla thought as she strapped herself in the combat shuttle.

She would have preferred to go to the surface in her personal Starfighter… but Nikola had vetoed that idea, telling her that it would send the wrong message. The technomancer began her preflight check in the cockpit. Her hands glided over the flight instruments and the navicomputer.

Aloud she spoke to the deployment officer while activating her communicator. “Life support, all green.”

On the holographic window projected by the dashboard, the icons passed from green to blue. Lyla pushed a button in the hard light hologram and reported, “Ion accelerator chamber engaged.”

There was an almost undetectable thrum that Lyla felt under her, she let her mind relax as the familiar vibrations of the shuttle coming alive lulled her.

She pushed more levers and buttons that were on the cockpit’s ceiling; the thruster controls and scanners. “All thrusters are responsive, Forward scanners are online.”

“What about the forward laser cannons?” Nikola came to sit in the co-pilot seat at Lyla’s side.

He wore his usual white power armor with a lab coat, the coat had been enchanted with an antique spell called havresac, able to turn his coat into something akin to a spatial ring and store a lot of items and tools. He had done so with his weapon and linked it to a summoning matrix linked to his portable computer in his gauntlet.

Lyla smiled at her husband, “All green.”

Nikola nodded, his helmet closed, obscuring his face to Lyla. “The shuttle is ready for launch, but we need to contact Elissa. She told us that she has defenses in place and an unannounced arrival could get us shot down with a well placed spell.”

“No, we wouldn’t like that!” The woman said giggling.

[Disengaging the docking clamp.] The computer informed them.

The technomancer followed up by punching a glowing blue button. [Antigravity drive online.] Lyla felt the shuttle lurch forward.

The shuttle was then catapulted by the mass driver it was loaded on and in seconds they were flying free in space. Streaking down toward the planet, Lyla quickly activated the autopilot and entered the command to place the combat shuttle into low orbit around Svartalfheim.

“Computer, call imperial Princess Elissa.” Nikola ordered smoothly.

Tesla pressed the app’s icon on his holographic screen, it was one specialized for visio-conference calls to take advantage of the level one communication satellites deployed before the level two survey ones were launched earlier.

Lyla looked mock disapprovingly at him. “You know she doesn’t like being called princess.”

“Tough luck, that’s her real title.” Nikola made the movement that indicated that he rolled his eyes, Lyla, who couldn’t see his face because of his helmet, guessed. The man was already unconsciously calibrating the weapon console.

Lyla asked herself again if her husband’s intelligence wasn’t due to some super power affecting him, her Nikobear had been around for a long time and helped to develop technology and uplift humanity. She wouldn’t want to live in a world where Nikola wasn’t there to make it better for everyone, politicians all over the world respected him and trusted him. There was no pollution, no over consumption thanks to the discreet social engineering he was practicing on the unconscious masses; he injected wealth into the economy by mining resources from the kuiper belt, and no one realized what he was doing.

That was one of the things that made Lyla love him even more, Nikola was a troll as the teenagers of today called that type of person.

Calling… Connection...

On the screen, Elissa’s face appeared, she wore a silver circlet set with diamonds and sapphires. A blue and purple gem was braided into a thick braid; the expression on her face showed how shocked she was. “Uncle Nik? Aunty? How?”

“Hello young lady.” Nikola nodded.

Lyla was imagining him already smiling at the girl; as for her, she was already wearing her impish grin and waved at the young queen. “We have finally arrived!”

A bright and beautiful smile blossomed on Elissa’s face as she looked terribly happy. “That’s amazing! You are just in time for my wedding with Dawn!”

Nikola didn’t even flinch when he heard that his perceived niece was marrying yet another girl. This time, it might be inconvenient for them due to the passengers aboard the Subdina, but he took it in stride.

“Phew, we finished the planar drives just in time then.” Lyla sighed in relief and wiped imaginary sweat from her forehead.

“Big sis! My cellphone has signal!” Someone shouted in the background.

Then the camera flickered as something seemed to hit Elissa who put on a contrite smile. “Excuse me.”

The camera was pointed away from Elissa’s face, and the Tesla’s were gifted with the view of an impressive hanging veranda with alien flowers of all colors that were glowing and a white haired dark elf beauty in a bikini sunning herself on a chaise longue. Lyla, slapped the back of Nikola’s head who was staring too intently.  He took on a submissive posture at Lyla glaring at him.

“I know Cassie! Aunt Lyla and Uncle Nik have arrived!” They heard Elissa say loudly.

The cute and eager voice of Cassandra answered, “Really!? Are you speaking with them?”

There was a light scuffle in the background, Lyla guessed that the two girls must be fighting to take control of the cellphone.

Cassandra won as her cute and chubby face appeared on the screen. “Hi!”

Lyla was the first to react. “Cassie, we are glad to see that you are okay!”

Nikola’s helmet retracted and his face was finally visible, his hair was in disarray because of it, making Cassandra laugh at him. “Little dove, we are coming with a lot of things for you!”

The little girl’s expression became even more cheery. “Sweets?”

Nikola nodded. “Among other things.”

Lyla remembered how costly the Von Braun’s girls’ diet could become, they could eat the equivalent of an open buffet. Their super physiology was even more advanced than that of Earth’s supers; indigestion and cavities were unknown to them. They could eat like normal humans, who would invite them to eat, but they would quickly be out of house and home if they did.

“Beautiful dresses?” Cassandra added with excitement, she was literally jittery as if she had inhaled a jar of sugar.

Contrarily to Elissa who was more into practical Fashion, Cassandra was a little girl who loved looking good and pretty. Lyla had spoiled the girl, treating her more like a doll than a child. Malicia hadn’t minded at the time that Cassandra had received that much attention from a family friend. But now she expected dresses, shoes and accessories every time Lyla visited.

“You’ll see.” Lyla interjected.

“Okay, Cassie, give me back my phone.” Elissa said in the background.

“But I want to talk to Aunty!” The little girl whined, she did her usual puppy dog eyes that would make the most hardened people give into her.

Lyla became even more impressed with Elissa whose voice became stern and commanding; usually she was unable to resist her little sister who walked all over her. “Give me back my phone. Aunt Lyla is coming, you'll see her soon.”

The little girl deflated, the sinking of her shoulder and her kicked puppy like expression made it hard to not feel pity for her. 

“Okay.” She sniffed with false tears.

Lyla had become wise of Cassandra’s manipulation long ago; the little girl wasn’t Malicia’s child for nothing. The Von Braun girls were able to immediately seize opportunities presenting themselves to them. Her husband was an unwitting victim to them, Malicia was the most blatant one. Lyla had learned to appreciate the woman, but her schemes and manipulation made building a friendship with her difficult.

Fortunately for Lyla, Elissa and Cassandra could be saved from such antisocial behavior and still not see everyone like chess pieces and tools.

“Ah, don’t be too hard on the little dove, Elissa.” Nikola had a disapproving expression on his face.

*Oh poor Nik, Cassandra would eat you for breakfast.* Lyla laughed internally.

Elissa and Lyla exchanged a knowing smile at Nikola’s behavior, as he didn’t understand how he was manipulated by the young girl. “I am not, she just needs a firm hand to take hold of her... So, are you coming down soon?”

The conversation finally segued into a more serious topic; Nikola combed his hair back with a hand and absently said, “We made a survey of the planet, and were looking for you and that Queendom of yours. We noticed dimensional fluctuations coming from the northernmost region of the planet.”

Elissa’s face became thoughtful. “Hmm, your instruments are sharp enough to discover a hidden pocket dimension, interesting. I will send you the coordinates of Aryther you’ll be able to land there. As we agreed, I allotted you the north mountainous territories bordering the lake.”

As she spoke, they received data that was instantly beamed from somewhere on the planet. That was scary in some way, this connection had completely bypassed their firewall and planted information on their navicomputer. Lyla and Nikola looked at each other, one with deep worry, and the other shrugged helplessly.

Elissa didn’t even realize what she was doing to scare them and simply waited for them to answer.

Nikola was the first to answer after scratching his head nervously. “We will send a seed ship to collect resources and the nano-factory to begin building Tesla city.”

Elissa didn’t seem to know what a seed ship was, but she nonchalantly smiled and nodded. “Indeed, thanks for doing this uncle Nik. Oh, I plan to ennoble you two. You better prepare something formal to put on. Word of advice, don’t trust dark elves who aren’t my direct subjects or in-laws. You can trust the dwarves in my territories, but they are kind of backwards, they will try to make you teach them about your tech, don’t. At least not without my Express permission.”

The tone that Elissa employed didn’t seem to show that her advice was one, it was a veiled command. Elissa was also telling them subtly to be on their best behavior and that she was in charge here, not them.

Nikola stiffened and sarcastically answered, “Is there anything else, your Majesty?”

With a regal nod, Elissa answered back, “That will be all, Lord Tesla.”

Then as if to break the formality of the situation, the young woman took on a different expression; one of vulnerability and longing. “Hey, please come down quickly, I missed you two, okay?”

Lyla took on a determined expression, disengaged the autopilot, pushed the lever of the control for the rear thrusters and stepped on the pedal under her right boot to gain more speed. “Coming down quick, darling!”

The Teslas began their entry into the planet’s atmosphere.