Aryther
The Citadel

 

The shuttle streaked into the sky, creating sonic booms as it converged toward the northern continent. It stopped over the lake region, it was as big as the state of Texas; inside it, archipelagos of islands of different size ranging from the biggest caribbean ones on Earth. At thirty kilometers in the sky, there was no sign of any structure on the shore that could be detected.

Nikola watched his instruments showing him everything happening so far. The lake was teeming with life; Aryther, as Elissa called it, looked beautiful under the rays of Bellatrix. 

“I am still not seeing anything.” Nikola had a worried tone in his voice.

“Let’s continue to the exact position she told us to go in the file.” Lyla shrugged.

So they continued to fly over the south shore of the big lake, when they reached it, their instruments detected a spatial distortion in the air. It reminded Nikola of one of those fancy portals that Malicia uses; Lyla decelerated and they slowly entered at a crawl in the portal. Once they were on the other side, there was a Palace the same size as the Forbidden City in China.

That palace was massive and shining with opalescent colors; in the middle of the structure, a tower was being built. With a quick scan to the structural integrity and foundations, Nikola understood that it would put most skyscrapers on Earth to shame.

“How is this girl financing this?” Nikola said as he took detailed scans of the entire Citadel.

A good number of people could live there, a population of servants and caterers, soldiers and courtiers. The palace even extended beyond the walls, clearly some change had been done to the place; his inner architect understood that the walls had been designed to be inner ones. 

It had been barely two weeks since Elissa had contacted them, and now she had this much built? The scientist understood that magic was literally a way for magic users to bend physics over their knee and spank it; but as he analyzed the structure being built, he saw how there were no tools needed, no nails, no concrete, no nothing. The seams between each stone block were fused with earth magic.

*Dwarves are like machines. There were no other races able to build at such speed.* Nikola thought in awe.

Lyla slapped Nikola behind his helmet, making him look at her with a bout of irritation. “Don’t be an idiot, Nikobear! She told us that she can create any materials with some kind of magic matter converter!”

Nikola stiffened at that, he had thought it a myth; a beautiful lie told to alchemists when he read about the stories about it in his growing magical library. “You mean the philosopher’s stone? I thought she was joking!”

Lyla rolled her eyes. “Don’t be an idiot! It’s real, the archive from sanctum speaks of it’s fabrication.”

Nikola could scarcely believe that something so convenient could exist. “But-”

“No but!” His spouse slapped behind his helmet again.

“Argh.”

Nikola was pouting, he decided to stop doubting that such a cheaty artifact would be found by a teenager with machiavellian plans; and he asked himself an important question: Who would use such a powerful object without abuses? He already imagined what he could do with such a means to synthesize wonderful unknown materials that would make his tinkering and enchanting better.

Way behind the palace in construction, a familiar circular stretch of stone with a big red ‘H’ could be seen; it was bigger than the one they had in the fortress of New York.

“I suppose that this big helipad is for us to land on?” Lyla decelerated her shuttle some more and put the transport perpendicular to the building at the side of the helipad.

“It's a rush job, but still adequate.” Nikola shrugged.

They landed the shuttle with a 'Thunk' and waited for the pressure inside it to normalize to the atmosphere from outside. Already, outside, guards surrounding another group of four people appeared; it was Elissa in a regal black dress with silver armor pieces consisting of a breastplate acting like a corset, gauntlets, skirts and greaves. Around her, the same dark elf girl he had seen in a bikini and Dawn, Elissa's girlfriend. Cassandra held onto her big sister's hand, she wore a red dress with black boots, on her head a little crown shining gold set with sapphires could be seen.

The instruments showed Nikola that the pressure was normalized, he stood from his copilot seat, smoothed out his lab coat and pushed a button on the panel near the door leading to the cockpit. It opened and now Nikola could see his passengers, all wearing bodysuits with darkened helmets and visors.

"Everyone, we finally arrived on the planet. If you could please follow me outside? We are about to get off the shuttle."

Most of them nodded and undid their security harnesses. Some looked uncertain, the voyage hadn't been easy for them and they needed to come to terms with the fact that what they knew couldn't apply to this new world they were now on. Those travelers were moving now through terra incognita; but Nikola smiled confidently at them, reassuring some of them, it allowed the remaining paralyzed travelers to nod and undo their seatbelt.

Nikola was the first one out of the shuttle as it finished depressurizing inside the passenger compartment. The mechanical ramp deployed and the inventor slowly went down it, slowly adjusting to the different gravity, his armor compensating for the weight. Nikola looked up and watched as a procession came toward the craft and landing pad; he immediately recognized Elissa, Cassandra, Dawn and her new entourage. They were all surrounded by silver armored dark elves armed with spears and magic.

The inventor sighed, he wasn’t keen on playing political games with the girl he had watched growing up, but he had no choice, she going to take him under her wings and Earth needed a safe harbor from which they could take on the Vadwaur, he had plan to use scout the systems under the damned lizards' rule to discover where they had taken the one billion humans still missing. The Phantasians so far had become their only hope to ever be safe; but Nikola realized that this safety would come with an annexation; but he was willing to chance it.

Nikola stood tall on the helipad, still in his armor, he took off his helmet and placed it under his right arm, behind him, Lyla walked down the ramp, checked her CLO on the gauntlet of her armor. She jumped up and down and took off her helmet as well, the older woman had a gigawatt smile pasted on her face.

“The air is so fresh!” Lyla breathed in loudly as she arrived at Nikola’s side.

The inventor looked at his own CLO and read his instruments. “High levels of mana in the air detected, we are basically swimming in it.”

Lyla turned her head toward the coming procession and saw that the guards stopped around the platform of the helipad and Elissa and Cassandra walked toward them. “The little ones are here, Nikobear.” The brunette patted her husband’s pauldron.

Cassandra who looked like a little sun-elf basically flew at Lyla who caught her in the air, her armor compensating for the impact of their bodies’ colliding together.

“Aunty Lyla!” The little redhead shouted and kissed the older woman on the cheeks.

“Cassie!” Lyla kept turning and dancing with the young princess in her arms making her frilly red dress fly and wave in the breeze. 

When the woman ceased moving and flitting around she looked at Cassie in the eyes and the girl simply said, “Welcome!” Lyla giggled and kissed Cassandra's forehead.

Elissa stopped before Nikola and greeted him. “Lord Tesla.” She presented him her hand.

Nikola elegantly bowed and took Elissa's hand to kiss it, then he looked up into her emerald eyes. “Your Imperial Majesty.”

Elissa rolled her eyes and hugged Nikola by pulling him into her embrace. “For now call me Queen Elissa, huh you didn’t come alone.” The platinum blonde looked behind the Tesla, at least 10 people in blue spacesuits.

Nikola looked between Elissa and the spacesuited people, and gave a little laugh as he said, “I had to bring those people with me, they were really concerned for some people that you have taken under your care.”

Elissa's smile froze. “Oh, Hel…” It seemed that she was seeing where this was going. She looked at Nikola with panic.“Are they…?”

Nikola grinned at her. “Your friends’ parents, yes.” He liked the shocked expression upon her face.

All the spacesuited figures took off their helmets and Elissa was confronted by a lot of concerned parents glaring at her.

“Hel.” Elissa smiled nervously.

 

---

 

Boreal Palace
Storm Queen’s study
30 minutes later

Maria Kisaragi looked as her daughter entered the richly decorated study. She looked around, seeing all the new faces, behind her the children appeared, they all filed in and closed the door. Maria refocused on her daughter who had finally noticed her presence and looked at her with shock.

“Mom?!” Maria’s daughter squeaked.

She was beautiful in her purple and black dress, silver stars shone in the fabric of the cloth as light struck the dress. The petite brunette walked toward her wayward daughter and stopped as she was directly in her personal space and said with finality, “You are grounded.”

For a moment there was fear on Dawn's face, then she narrowed her eyes and she smiled at Maria tauntingly as she put her fists on her hips. “I don't think so.”

Maria raised an eyebrow at Dawn's defiance. *Where was this new confidence of hers coming from?* 

“Since when are you being this disobedient?” Maria said with a voice adopting a dangerous tone.

The children behind her closed ranks putting Dawn behind them in defense. The parents at Maria’s side didn't like how they suddenly acted. They were too cohesive, as if they had gone through much together. Maria understood that it was going to be difficult to get through to them.

Cough. “Please everyone, you'll have the occasion to speak and reprimand your children later, now we are in need of an explanation from the main instigator.” Nikola Tesla raised his hands and interrupted the argument everyone was starting.

Everyone turned and looked at the blonde seated behind a shiny white desk with a blue desk cover, figurines of dragons and birds decorated it; Elissa was holding on some sort of silver stamp in the effigy of a white dragon with sapphire eyes, reminiscent of the serpentine body of a asian dragon.

“Yes, Miss Von Braun, what have you to say for yourself?” Maria squinted at the young woman who was the cause of all this.

She had taught Dawn to be assertive and seductive with the target of her affection, and now Maria regretted it. Her daughter was passionate and in love, two things that led her to give up everything and elope with some girl she had spoken about but never met. Maria didn't know Elissa and now she regretted not doing so before. Maybe she would have stopped this problem from happening at all if she had a measure of the girl. All she knew was Elissa was talented in magic and sheltered by her mother.

But who Maria had before her was a rather different young woman, confident to the extreme and armed with a cold gaze that would chill the hardiest people. She had the eyes of a killer, the kind that had seen rivers of blood flowing. The kind of young woman who never had to feel sick at the sight of what she’d done, or came to like it too much. Maria became worried.

The girl’s magical aura engulfed the study room, the air temperature suddenly dropped twenty degrees. “You'll refer to me as Queen Elissa.”

Maria knew a power play when she saw it, it was typical from mages with too much power; the problem was that the girl was powerful, more powerful than even her husband, hell any magical user she had come across so far.

An attractive blonde woman with striking electric glowing blue eyes reacted badly to the display not knowing what was actually happening. Ellen Spark if Maria recalled correctly. Her daughter gasped and tried to walk up to her and stop her. In vain, the woman rolled her shoulder and made her daughter let go of her. She struck the white wooden desk and shouted, “Who do think you are, you jumped up-”

Elissa raised a hand and then Ellen Spark was silenced. She continued speaking until she realized that no sound came out of her throat, she held onto it and tried to say something. Maria looked at the girl who smiled and trained a cold gaze onto them, making everyone suddenly wary of her.

“You are concerned parents, and you have come all this way to get your children back, I find it commendable and a truly touching show of love; however, this is my realm, you are here at my sufferance, and I won’t let anyone disrespect me.” She sniffed haughtily and added, “Bloody American.”

Maria remembered that Elissa was originally from France, she could understand the partial culture clash, but it seemed that there was something more to it. Curious she turned to the other teenager behind her and saw that they looked worried and… torn. It seemed that there were variables that she didn’t know in play; she narrowed her eyes when she saw her own daughter laughing.

Cough. Everyone turned to Nikola who placed himself between the parents and Elissa. “She’s right you know, don’t take that tone with her. She’s the Queen of this realm, imagine that you are talking to the President when you speak to her.”

A black man as tall as Donovan and with similar facial traits was the first to speak. “Wait, really? But she’s…” He looked at the blonde young woman.

Maria shook her head, how could they not see how dangerous the girl was? *Ah, all they see is a pretty and attractive blonde teenage girl, not the killer she clearly is.*

“Age matters not in my case. What does is power, wisdom and maturity.” The Queen stood up and looked at each of the parents of her friends. “So, now that we have made you aware of your respective positions, I wish to convey my sincerest apologies for my actions. I should have discussed with you about taking your children, it wasn’t done on a whim. I had a good reason.”

Maria understood that it was the only token excuse that they would get from her; Elissa Von Braun seemed prideful, yet reasonable. But Maria didn’t fall into the trap of thinking that was genuine as she noticed the impish glint in Elissa’s eyes. She had been raising a daughter for sixteen years and saw through her.

The men around her seemed to fall for that obvious manipulation, while the women glared at her. Shawn, Donovan’s father asked, “What is it?”

Elissa walked around her desk and sat against it, facing the angry parents. “I asked for help and my friends decided to extend their hands to me. It’s as simple as that.”

Maria clenched her fist, just like she expected, the girl was unrepentant; she didn't feel sorry for the anguish she caused for all those weeks. Footsteps from behind Maria were heard and she turned to see Daniella Spark take her mother’s hands and speak to her. “Mom, what she says is the truth…”

Ellen looked at her daughter, she was in silver and blue armor, she looked like some futuristic knight. “Danny, why are you risking your future like this? I thought you wanted to become a hero?”

Daniella answered smoothly with a proud smile. “And that’s what I am going to be, after all, being a hero on Earth or Svartalfheim? It doesn’t matter. People need me here too.”

That wasn’t encouraging, Maria saw that the teenagers behind Danny nodded at the argument. The parents and Maria realized that their kids had already made up their minds.

Ellen panicked, turned to Elissa and glared at her, then went back to speaking to her daughter. “But in your letter you said that she was powerful, what does she need from you?”

There was a hurt expression on Daniella’s face and Ellen understood that she’d gone goofed and flinched at her own words.

Daniella crossed her arms and stepped back from Ellen. “Isn’t it obvious? Elissa needed faithful retainers.”

“Precisely.” Elissa said out loud for everyone to hear with a grin splitting her face.

Daniella held her hand before her mother and showed her a signet ring on her index finger; a shield with lightning bolts were engraved on it. “I was made a Marchioness by Elissa. Mom, I have lands, a noble title and people I have to manage to develop a town while at the same time training to become as powerful as I can. I swore an oath, that I will defend my new people and uphold the laws and ideals of the Aryther Queendom.”

Ellen stepped forward and held onto her daughters shoulders, looking into her eyes. "Danny you are too young to make such decisions, you-"

Daniella took the hands of her mother and forced her to step back. Ellen visibly struggled with her daughter being stronger than her. "As you can see, mom. Elissa made me stronger than I would have been on Earth. None of you can imagine how big the things we do here are. I will not go back unless it's what Elissa wants."

Maria looked at Daniella and understood that there was no way she'd go back to Earth. Tesla had told them that Elissa was building a colony on a new planet and the kids were giving her a hand; the parents had believed that they had been lured to impromptu vacations or something such. She looked at each of them and noticed their luxurious clothes, jewelry and general demeanor… *I seem to have underestimated the situation.*

Elissa laughed at Daniella. "Tough luck, I'm not letting you go, you are my best friend."

Danny chuckled and said to Ellen, “See?” Then she hugged her mother. “Mom, why don't you join me instead…? I need... help.”

Maria was impressed, her gaze fell on Elissa who controlled her facial expression, however, her eyes gave away the cunning light in them. The girl was playing them like a cello. Maria looked on as Ellen wavered; she didn't know what her profession was, but she couldn't just give up everything she was doing… 

"I…" Ellen began to stutter, she was wavering, but before she could make any refusal she was interrupted by a loud clapping coming from Elissa. “Okay, that's enough, Danny. This is too big a decision and we have become bad hosts. Why don't we all calm down and go to refresh ourselves? Guys, you should take your parents to your rooms and have a talk.”

Maria could feel that the atmosphere was charged with anger and resentment. Tesla placed himself at Elissa’s side and spoke to everyone, showing a reassuring smile to defuse the situation. “What a good idea! Tempers are flaring after all this travel in the Subdina and the realization that your kids are safe and before you. Maybe before taking any decisions and saying things you might all regret we need to calm down first.” 

The inventor turned to the young Queen. “Queen Elissa would you be amenable in giving us time for the real serious discussions?”

“Two days.” She answered him and showed him two fingers, then she continued speaking, “Meanwhile I will start the preparation for the upcoming event.”

Maria was the first to ask.“Which is?”

With a devilish grin, Elissa looked at Dawn, then at Maria. “Oh, my wedding with Dawn of course.”

Silence filled the room as everyone who wasn't Tesla or the teens looked simply shocked. 

“WHAT?!” Maria shouted, her shock and anger making her magic flare into the room. 

Maria turned to her daughter who avoided looking at her in the eyes. She was going to kill Dawn.

 

---

 

Aurora wing
Dawn’s apartment
10 minutes later

Dawn opened the heavy ironwood doors to her apartments with a wave of her hand, the living wards recognizing her mana signature. She could hear the footfalls of her mother who was behind her, following her with a cold expression etched on her face. Dawn kept feeling a chill down her back each time she turned to look at Maria.

The theme of her bed chambers was definitely oriental. The floor paneling was made of white silver wood and enchanted to be non flammable, the furniture was made by the Dwarven artisans of clan Kennesaw, it was a mix of precious metal and white wood, the curtains, draperies and tapestries were purple colored. There were low shelves filled with books everywhere, some glowed into her mage sight. The inside was illuminated by a big skylight in the roof, a silver chandelier with purple cut crystals hung under it. In the middle of the room, a tree with glowing pink leaves and white flowers was planted and gave off light. 

Dawn watched as Maria looked around her, there was a look of wonder on her face that had melted the cold expression she wore earlier. The space mage led her mother to the sofa and made her sit. With a wave, she conjured a tea set, hot tea and mame daifuku on a silver platter on the low table between them. The two Kisaragi looked at each other but didn't speak. Maria used a telekinetic spell to grab the tea-pot and poured tea in a cup and made it float into her waiting hands, Dawn mimicked her.

They tasted the green tea, and after a moment nodded in sync in approval. They looked up and Maria was the first to talk. “Marriage, really?”

Dawn's brown eyes narrowed at the mocking tone her mother used. “I love Elissa.”

Maria sipped on her tea again, and put the cup back on its saucer, then her eyes became hard as she said, “You two are too young.”

Dawn shrugged, ignoring her mother’s concerns. “Even so, our meeting was fate.” Dawn firmly believed that. All her delving in the study of soul magic and the information left in the elven deity, Nodicea's religious text pertaining to it. The dark elves had a way to be sure that souls had the same wavelength before tying the knot. 

Of course, her mother didn't think so. “What idiocy are you spouting?” She cocked an eyebrow at her daughter, her face showing a disbelieving expression.

With a serious face, Dawn said, “I speak of divine meddling and prophecy, mom.”

Dawn already knew her mother’s beliefs; even though she was raised in a magical family she only believed in taking charge of your life, that you couldn’t leave anything to fate. But by meeting Dark Hekate, Dawn had proof the reverse was possible, that with Gods, entities and other beings roaming and able to influence the world that humans had less control than they thought. They still had free will at least.

Maria scowled and put her tea cup and saucer on the table before saying, “Please don't believe in that nonsense. True prophecy is…”

Dawn interrupted the rant her mother was building up into. “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

Maria gave Dawn the look. “Hamlet? Really, Dawn? I knew you were getting obsessed with that Elissa girl, but this is going too far.” 

The space mage chuckled at that, her mother was a highly educated person. She was an enchantress and worked at home, building ward schemes for the magical security company of her too hard working father. Kaito Kisaragi, a man exiled from the main branch of the famous Kisaragi clan for falling in love with a gaijin magical user. They had married young and Maria couldn’t conceive children easily; Dawn’s birth was considered a miracle by her parents after magical and mundane physicians had deemed her sterile. *Now that I think about it… They were having problems lately.* Dawn thought that her mother was projecting her situation on her, that she was going too fast...

Dawn sighed heavily, uncrossed her legs and leaned forward. “This is not infatuation speaking, nor is Elissa an obsession. I know myself, I know Elissa. This is what I want.”

Maria looked at her baby girl, understanding that anything she would say would be like hammering against a brick wall. She looked down, thinking of any arguments she could give to change her daughter’s mind, but came up with nothing.

Dawn interrupted her thread of thought by asking abruptly and directly, “Mom, I wanted to ask you… are you sterile?”

Maria froze and suddenly looked hurt; Dawn regretted asking immediately even though she already knew. “I don’t see how it relates to your situation, Dawn.” Maria said with a confrontational tone.

Dawn wasn't even phased by the sudden hostility. “It’s a yes then, I understand why I am a single child. I have a theory but… mom, are you willing to make an oath?” The young woman continued to say with care in a voice to sooth her mother’s ruffled ego.

Maria calmed down and closed her eyes to think. Then after a moment she reopened her eyes and inquired, "You have information that I don't?"

This had tormented Dawn for a while, that she may not be her parent's daughter, a cuckoo that was placed in her mother's womb. "Mom, I am not a miracle... I was made aware that I am in fact part of a set." Dawn said with a brittle tone.

Maria saw the distress of her daughter and quickly raised a hand. “I swear on my magic that anything Dawn Kisaragi, my heir will tell me, I will never reveal.” The flash of mana acknowledging the oath nearly blinded her, she needed to adjust to how she used magic in this new environment. 

The space mage beamed a radiant smile at her mother. “Thank you.” And then Dawn put a diamond shaped white crystal on the table and slid it toward Maria. “This is a memory crystal, you can consult the information inside by injecting your mana into it.”

Maria did just as she was told, trusting her daughter even if she was being rebellious now. The woman’s eyes glazed over as she projected her awareness into the crystal and saw the memory of Dawn meeting Dark Hekate and being explained that she was basically magic Jesus. 

“A meddling deity.” Maria said coldly as she exited her trance and put the crystal on the table; Dawn noticed how she looked furious.

Dawn looked down at her hands that she was wringing, a nervous tick Maria was aware she had when she was afraid of something. “Yes. I guess that the fact that you were originally destined to be childless, and that she used you as a pawn, an incubator.”

Maria finally understood why Dawn was being distant and cold to her; she expected rejection from this revelation. The enchantress was not going to lie, that level of violation made her feel completely dirty; however, Dawn wasn’t the instigator. She stood up and walked up to her daughter and sat at her side, and put an arm around her shoulder. “It doesn't matter, you are Dawn Kisaragi, my daughter, my miracle. You were born of love and sorely wanted.”

“Mom…” Dawn hugged her mother tightly, but not too much, she didn’t want to break her in two because of her super strength.

Dawn loosened her hug, Maria looking into her eyes and smiling. “You are just like me at your age, speeding head first into a relationship… not with just one, but two girls? Are you trying to one up me?” She said to break up the tense atmosphere with levity.

She succeeded as Dawn blushed furiously and shouted an indignous, “Mom!?”

Maria breathed out, looked at the windows showing the sky and the boundless lake in the horizon, lost in thought; then after reaching a decision, her gaze settled back on Dawn. “I know you won't back down from this… wedding thing. But at least I need to know that these Elissa and Dicinna girls are right for you?”

Dawn’s face lit up with happiness as she saw that her mother was maybe getting to accept her position. “They are, though I have just started knowing Dicinna, but the nature of our bond pushes us together and to complete it. There's a risk of us going crazy if we don't.”

“Ah.” Maria understood now that there were factors that pushed for this union.

“Yes, ah.” Dawn said a tired smile.

 

---

 

Guest quarters
Sitting room
At the same time

Ellen Sparks couldn’t believe those kids. When they showed up in expensive clothes and seemingly different, the heroine knew that there was something going on with them. When Danny had held her she had felt how strong her daughter had become, her bio-electrical field dwarfing hers. It was as if the girl was her own cold fusion reactor. 

As the heroine Battletech, Ellen Sparks used her electrokinetic powers to power a suit of power armor that gave her an edge on most super-powered people, the suit amplified her powers. Her daughter, Daniella, didn't need any technological assistance as she triggered into power with a more potent electrokinetic gift than Ellen.

Her Daniella had been steadily getting stronger since she met that Elissa girl who had maneuvered her into finally studying. A miracle for the better; before, Danny was interested only in fighting and fashion. As she prowled back and forth, Ellen asked herself what more changes happened while she wasn't looking? It seemed that it was for her to find out.

"Why don't you sit down, Mrs Sparks?" Shawn, Donovan’s dad said with annoyance lacing his tone.

Ellen stopped moving and turned her head toward him, he was seated with his wife on the rightmost pink sofa. "I am far too unnerved, sorry."

"It’s understandable." Sherrel, his wife acquiesced, she was worried as well that her son might not want to come back. She was a pretty petite woman with cafe-au-lait skin and short dark hair.

"Ellen sit down, you will wear out and make holes in the expensive carpet!" Shouted Harleen, Erika's mother and her friend. A strong looking woman with coppery red hair and a muscular body causing Shawn to wonder if she spent all her time in a gym.

"Okay, okay…"

"This place is so strange, did you see all those dark elven and dwarf maids in the castle’s corridor?" Emilia's mother, Diane, asked the group. 

She was the same height as her daughter and had the same model-like body; it was normal as she was a first generation superhuman. She was used to normal women avoiding her because she gave them body complex, but with the recent surge of the 'get well campaign' from Tesla industries it had lessened. She was happy to be here as she made friends with some of the gathered parents. Nate, Jamie's father was at her side, a bit blinded by all the power gathered in the room; as a sensor he was used to it, but most of the people here were in the big leagues and it showed.

"This is a magical planet, everything is strange. Even the cookies and tea they gave us, look." Caroline's mother, Jiana, said with a starstruck expression. Everything was different to her, the color of the sky, the purple colored flora and the animal people she had spotted in the Citadel. Just like her daughter she was blonde and athletic and the blue skinsuit she wore showed it. She had enhanced senses, a power that made her a good investigator.

"It's good though." Her husband, Tony, added as he popped a cookie in his mouth and took another. He was blonde as well, tall and with a swimmer's build, but he shined with his presence, a result of his power that made him a good orator and impossible to forget. His super power was enhanced charisma.

Ellen sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment then clapped and said, "Okay people, we need to talk."

"The kids?" Shawn guessed as he leaned on the sofa and he sat on and let his wife partake in the tea that magically refilled in her cup.

Ellen snorted and crossed her arms as she looked at Shawn. "Who else?"

The man got up and shouted, "Everything!" He coughed and calmed down. "I mean look, I don't think they will listen to us at this point. That Elissa girl has them wrapped around her fingers."

Everyone in the sitting room realized how right he was, the girl treated her friends well and was also an apt manipulator who knew how to foster loyalty. Most of the mothers present had a bad feeling about what would happen if they forced the return of their children. Danny had already given them the score.

"Ellen… are you thinking of accepting your daughter's offer?" Harleen asked the heroine. Her blue eyes were boring into her friend’s in question. 

After a moment, Ellen answered, "I am. Danny has always wanted to change the world and do something good with her powers… but there's little to do on Earth. And here she is helping one of her friends create a nation." The heroine walked to Harleen's sofa and sat heavily.

"In the end it all depends on our wishes for our kids versus theirs." Sherrel added. She had seen her son, he seemed happy here, totally different from how he behaved himself at home; she couldn't blame him with his brother playing thug and bringing his 'homework' home. Sherrel really liked the calm atmosphere of this place, maybe they would stay too.

Ellen nodded, a decisive expression etching onto her face. "I think I will be staying."

"Why?" Jiana had thought that they would force the issue like she planned; there was no way that she would let her daughter be a world away from her!

Tony coughed, and when he had the attention of everyone began to speak. "I dunno if you noticed but it seems this planet has some kind of teleportation and portal technology and knowing Tesla he will link Earth soon enough. It's going to be possible to commute."

They all looked at each other, some with surprised expressions and others gave Tony an angry glare. But the fact that they could commute changed everything and their apprehension about leaving their kids here.

Ellen smiled and threw a thumbs up at Tony who smiled at her with sparkling white teeth. The blonde man continued to speak, "I think we need to sit down with the kids and speak with them individually and not make plans for them. Everyone involved should have their say."

Shawn intoned loudly to everyone, "He isn't wrong."

 

---

 

3 hours later

 

Elissa observed each of the players with a dispassionate gaze while Dawn led the conference between her earthling friends. Dicinna was at her side and reading a translated Phantasian treatise on magic written by a Mittelt Snow, an Archmage from two hundred years ago. She had started her magical education and amused herself with throwing elementally aligned light mana missiles at targets in the training field behind the palace after she got out of her awakening pod.

The long table made out of heavy marble had everyone around it and the girls were arguing about what they should do about their parents and their recently attained rank and positions. Jamie was a daddy's girl and didn't want to bring trouble to him and thought about leaving, but fortunately Emilia stopped her by telling her about the portals to Earth about to open soon. Portals that would only be available through Queen’s Rise and some other location of her choice, something defensible; Elissa's HUD showed her the map of the Moon continent and its coast. A set of big islands interested her, big enough to found another agrarian community.

The sudden availability of the Tesla satellite network made Elissa's intelligence gathering even more efficient and she could see things happening all over her domain. She was already incorporating plans to put important areas on her continent under her rule and the extermination of fish folks and goblins was made a priority.

“-lissa!”

Elissa had more support structures than current troops in the budding military of Aryther, she wasn't thrilled to have to rely on adventurers and mercenaries to pacify the wild lands she owned that still had minor monsters roaming, they needed to cull or control those. There was also the economy that worried her, she needed to-

“Elissa!” Dawn’s voice startled the young Queen.

“Yes?” Elissa took her eyes off her augmented reality interface.

Each of the faces looking back at her sported different expressions. Some were showing concern and others some anger at the situation. Elissa didn’t blame any of them, their parents had crossed light years to find them and bring them back, that showed love and frightened them a lot; even Elissa was scared that Malicia was lurking on her planet now, depending on how long it would take her to recover.

Dawn scowled at the blonde. “You were not listening.”

Elissa smiled brightly. “I was, but whatever you discuss now doesn’t matter. You parents are all going to agree to let you stay.” She looked at Jamie and Emilia in particular, as she watched the scrying window in the sitting room and how the parents had decided to withhold judgment for now.

Caroline, who was usually the more silent member of their fellowship, was the first to voice her doubts. “What makes you so sure about that?”

Elissa turned her gaze toward the white and green robed girl and gave her a patronizing smile. “Well, after the wedding there will be a portal in Queen’s Rise that connects to Earth. You’ll be able to commute all you want.” Elissa opened her hand as she told them the news.

Jamie and Emilia were not surprised at all and grinned at Elissa who grinned back at them.

“And it’s now that you are telling us?!” Shouted a furious Danny.

Elissa waved her hand in dismissal. “It’s supposed to be secret, I didn’t want it to leak out.”

“But we are…” Danny began to say.

Elissa’s gaze speared the other poor blonde. “You are my friends, but there are things that I can’t tell you. Oaths that I cannot break, this is a dangerous world outside those walls, don’t let the pretty fantasy-like landscape fool you. I only trust you, some elves, dwarves; I killed many to attain this position I am currently in, and some of the dark elves under my sway would surely plot to wrench it from my hands every step of the way.”

Dicinna lifted her head from her book. “Listen to her, dark elves are dangerous. Anyone not related to Aryther shouldn’t be trusted.”

“But you are one!” Danny said shrilly as she stood up from her seat, pointing an accusing finger at Dicinna.

Elissa’s elf simply tilted her head, looking at Danny impassively. “I am a High-Elf now, your argument is invalid.”

The young queen’s laugh rang into the room, Dawn and the others laughed at poor Danny; it wasn’t that what Dicinna said was funny, but how she said it that was comical. The white haired high-elf didn’t understand why they were laughing and simply watched them.

“Everyone, please calm down.” Dawn augmented her voice with magic.

After everyone calmed down and the leftover tittering stopped, Elissa tried to be clear with her friends. “Don’t trust elves who are not affiliated with me, is it so hard to understand such simple advice?”

The blonde looked at each of them in the eyes, there was a clear chill in the air; making everyone be on their toes, Elissa could be a right bitch when she didn’t like something and she was trying to impress upon them the danger they were in. Not everything could be punched permanently, politics was a more dangerous game.

“No.”

“Huh.”

“Okay.”

Elissa was glad that everyone was able to accept her advice at face value, even if she had used a bit of intimidation. She hoped not to find one of her friends either poisoned or with a dagger in their back, her anger would be cataclysmic if it ever happened. So them being able to protect themselves was even more important. *Maybe I should accelerate their magical education?*

The atmosphere lightened just as suddenly as it had turned chilly when Elissa smiled at them. “Great, now let’s talk about what we are going to do about your parents, guys.”

Everyone was still getting their bearings from Elissa’s swift mood changing antics. But Dawn was used to it and was the first to answer her lover. “Why not let them have a tour of the place?”

Jamie stood up. “That’s actually a good idea!”

That was how the plan to make their parents relent and let them stay was enacted by having them see the wonders of Aryther and by scheming with Nikola Tesla about giving them jobs to make everyone happy. Elissa had a carnivorous smile on her face as she began to plan with everyone.

 

---

 

Queen’s Rise
2 days later

 

It had not been easy, but Elissa was finally on top of things. Planning a royal wedding could feel pretty overwhelming at times. While Elissa could have hired bevies of professionals to help manage her own wedding plans, there were plenty of reasons why she opted to take on the majority of the responsibilities. The simple reason was that she didn’t trust anyone on this planet beside her friends and direct subjects and allies.

ZHAER and Sanctum helped with organizing it. And organization was key to keeping everything on track when you were faced with decisions, lists, deadlines, and everyday life to deal with. The first step was making sure to give yourself plenty of time for wedding planning. Normally, a longer timeline would be better, a year if possible. But Elissa didn’t have the leisure of time, Hekate had clearly implied it.

The wedding budget was allocated one percent of the royal treasury. Treasury that had recently grown thanks to Elissa’s raid on Alfheim, since then, she thanked Hekate every night for having put the gullible and haughty sun elves on her way; after creating Dragonfall she had made a dent in her reserves. A fourth of her fortune has been spent on land development.

Still it took two days to complete everything, install the decorations, hire the cooks, gather the soldiers and guards to keep order in Queen’s Rise. Aeruirn was in charge of sending invitations to everyone who was anyone. With the planting of the World Tree’s sapling, it was guaranteed that clans and royals from other cities would come.

Meanwhile, Dawn, who was in charge of keeping the parents occupied, was touring the Queendom, Nirnyarh and Cynlenor, the places that were the most visited on the planet. With Elissa's dark elven spies and soldiers surrounding them, they were completely safe while visiting. Svartalfheim wasn’t modernized yet, and it needed a constant stream of new technology and magical knowledge being fed to the dwarves for manufacture for the life in Aryther to become as comfortable as on Earth.

Nikola Tesla was already hard at work after his ennoblement, he had dropped a colonial level fabricator on his new lands and had started creating an outpost in the mountainous region to the north of Aryther, Elissa had put him in charge of starting mines for the crown. 

Now, she was relaxing after an intense session of filing paperwork, with nothing to do. She looked outside her office's windows. There was a gigantic pillar spearing to the enchanted ceiling of the cave where Queen’s Rise was and the fake cloudy sky was reflecting the weather from the surface, though the sun peeked out from time to time.

"Almost done and I will be able to tour the city." Elissa could still roam the city in safety, though her guard details and the spies following her around were supposed to keep her safe without making themselves seen. 

As she stamped her denial seal on the last stack of paper about making more bridges to cross the river separating the cities’ industrial and administrative side, the young queen leaned in relief into her comfortable furred chair.

“Done!” Elissa placed the magical stamp in its box and raised her arms in victory in the air.

The young queen heard a familiar laugh and looked at the door, she hadn’t noticed that it was open and that her aide, Aeruirn was there. “Your Majesty?” The dark elf asked with a raised eyebrow.

Not caring for propriety, Elissa stood up and said proudly. “Ruirn, I am done!” Her black dress fluttered as she moved out from behind her desk and walked toward the dark elf.

Aeruirn elegantly nodded her head. “Excellent, now we can go to the royal accountant.”

Elissa stopped walking, almost tripping and said with mock distress, “Nooooo!”

With a bell like laugh, Aeruirn confessed, “It was a joke.” She bowed slightly.

Elissa glared at her, crossing her arms under her ample chest. “I hate you.”

Aeruirn answered with certainty, “No, you don’t.”

People that Elissa didn’t like tended to get dead around her, it was easy to guess. The young queen’s shoulders sagged from being seen through so easily. “Well… fine, I don’t.” Her subordinates tended to not fear her as Elissa was caring and friendly with them, it was hard to not like her.

Aeruirn gazed at Elissa’s get up, took the clipboard under her arm and looked at the schedule of her Queen. “You really need to go to the fitting of your dress, your Majesty. The Dwarven Tailors are becoming anxious that you want to dismiss them.”

“Ah, yes I will. My favorite tailor shouldn’t be left waiting.” Elissa looked at the exquisite starfield dress she was wearing, it was black and the pattern on it was of a starry sky. She had made the young tailor who had created it her personal dressmaker. An illustrious position that had overwhelmed the young dwarf lady.

Elissa who had been cooped up for too long relished to be free. She put on a longing expression. “Can I visit the city after that?”

The young queen could see on Aeruirn’s face that she wanted to say no, that their schedule was paramount but she caved under the pleading eyes of her queen. “I guess… some allowance could be made, your Majesty.”

Elissa advanced and took one of Aeruirn’s hand. “Excellent, Aeruirn! You are the best.”

The dark elf averted her gaze, the smile of the young queen was too dazzling. “Your primary handmaidens are of a different opinion.”

The smile Elissa sported thinned and she made the dark elf look at her by capturing her chin with a hand. “Don’t mind them, Ruirn; so far, you are an awesome handmaiden.”

The handmaiden nodded. She hadn’t expected that working for the one responsible for the death of her mother would be so... different. Aeruirn expected humiliation, and knowing the tastes of Queen Elissa for women, thought that she would be made a concubine and repeatedly taken; other dark elven clans would have done it, to show Aeruirn her place. Instead she was treated with respect and friendship, she actually felt fulfilled in the employ of her new mistress. Though she couldn’t call the torture she was going through at the hands of Fenirael and Reinatiel training.

Aeruirn realized Elissa hadn’t yet taken her hands off her arms. This lingering contact between them had worried her lately.

Elissa’s serious tone broke her from her musings. “By the way, have you already gone to the awakening chambers?”

The queen let go of her arm and Aeruirn answered, “My turn is in two days, my Queen. I still don’t know if it’s a good idea.”

Aeruirn waited for a rebuke, or a slap… just like her mother would give her for questioning her. She was still on her guard around Elissa, expecting all her kindness to melt like snow under the sun; however, what she got was a hand caressing her left cheek. “You’ll see, and you’ll thank me after it happens.”

“We shall see…” Aeruirn stepped back from her. “I never aspired to becoming a Chosen. But your Majesty… can I be frank with you?”

Elissa waved at her. “I like when you speak your mind, Ruirn. You are my handmaiden, not my slave.”

At that, Aeruirn smiled. Indeed she hadn’t been treated as a slave at all. “I know, thank you. I want to be sure that you know what you are doing, about creating an army of Chosen…”

“My original world is full of them, everyone is a Chosen.” Dismissed her concerned.

Aeruirn flinched at Elissa’s tone. “But some dark elves can’t be trusted-”

Elissa chuckled, interrupting her handmaiden. “There’s a reason why my family has stayed in power for five thousands years.”

“And it is…?” Aeruirn asked in frustration. 

She couldn’t believe Elissa could be this careless.

“You’ll see when we have our first rebellion.” Elissa said cryptically. She clapped and said with a cheery laugh, “Now it’s time to go to the fitting, follow me.”

The young queen caught Aeruirn’s arm and pulled her toward the door. The dark elf didn’t know what to think about what was said but she let herself be swept up in Elissa’s rhythm.

 

---

North Pole of Svartalfheim
Snow Elves Fort
Dungeon

 

Achilles sighed as he was once again hearing the girls bickering from the cell on the other side of his own. Belle was screaming at Brianna for not resisting the elves that had imprisoned them. He did hear Ishtar trying to calm them down, but to no avail. Achilles was still in his armor, but they had taken his helmet, his long hair was widely flowing around him as he kept pacing at super speed in his cell.

He knew he could escape and take the girls, but the conditions outside wouldn’t allow them to flee for long. So he surrendered, hoping that they could straighten this misunderstanding. So Achilles waited, waited for someone important to appear.

Anyway, he was seeing a net difference in his abilities right now as his body breathed in the cosmic energy field of the planet. The ache that he had learned to ignore slowly dissipated and he relaxed, leaning on the ratty cot that he had been provided in his cell. His mana core was filling at an exponential rate and his body filled with strength. As Achilles looked at the drab grey ceiling, he lifted his arm and took off his gauntlet. His naked forearm began to slightly glow as he consciously absorbed cosmic energy into his body.

Achilles understood why Elissa wanted to stay on this planet, it was as good as being back on Phantasia. *She must have also thought about Cassandra who was born on a cosmic starved planet and brought her here for health reasons. Malicia should have anticipated their needs much earlier.*

“Achilles!” That was Belle’s voice.

“Hey Chill!” This time it was Brie’s voice.

He stood up and placed himself against the enchanted bars of his cell and shouted, “Girls?!”

“Ah he heard us.”

“There’s some woman here who wants to interrogate us!” Belle hollered.

*Why would they go to them first? I am the leader of this expedition.* Achilles asked himself. But he had no idea at the time that most societies on Svartalfheim were matriarchal and that women were considered the leaders or soldiers in a group such as his.

“Tell her nothing, but to come to me!” Achilles shouted.

He hoped that the elves would listen, but just as he thought that, a tall hooded elf with pale white skin and blue eyes arrived before him. She wore an elegant and tasteful woolen grey coat lined with white fur over her dress. She lowered her hood and Achilles saw the face of a beautiful elven woman; silver hair and eyes, an athletic body brimming with femininity and pouty pale pink lips.

“Greetings, I am Matriarch Aila of clan Keldi.” She bowed her head slightly.

Achilles stepped back from the enchanted bars and bowed as well, and looked at the elven woman in the eyes. “Greetings… I am Achilles Mikos.”

For an instant there was silence while the two of them observed each other before Aila decided to speak, “Your… three consorts…”

Achilles shook his head. “I will stop you there, only one of them is destined to be my partner…”

*Why did everyone assume that I was with the three of them?* He thought. The speedster snorted in derision, this wasn’t the first time this had happened since the girls had been teamed up with him. Lyla Tesla and Malicia were fond of insinuating the same.

The beautiful elf frowned at him, then a sly smile appeared on her face. “Is that so?”

Aila acted as if she knew something he didn’t. He wasn’t in the mood to play games, so he shrugged and nodded, “Yes.”

She tilted her head, smiled and nodded back. Then her facial expression turned serious. “Let’s start the inquisition, Sir Mikos. Why did you enter our territory?”

The speedster flinched at her cold tone, this wasn’t the first time that he had felt like that; Elissa acted the same when she let her snowness take over. They always went cold and downright cruel when they let their elemental attunement sway their decisions.

Achilles sighed and decided to go with the truth. “We came through a portal, our goal is mainly to retrieve one of my family members. She’s sixteen springs and has chosen to live here because of health reasons.”

Aila nodded. “That isn't all, why did she leave?”

“Well… she had a slight disagreement with her mother.” Achilles said with a chuckle and a mocking tone that showed that he didn't think anything good about said mother.

Aila smirked, already understanding what type of situation Achilles was embroiled in. “Oh let me guess, a really controlling woman who had lied to her or some such?”

Achilles looked completely taken aback by how fast this elven woman had guessed the type of woman Malicia was. "How?" He asked, he hoped she wasn't psychic or anything of the sort.

The snow elf gave Achilles a knowing smile. "We have similar things happening in our society. You can't imagine the number of warriors, male and female, changing cities and forts to avoid that exact problem."

Achilles frowned, those kinds of incidents often happened in the army back home, runaway nobles or renowned young people from respected families left to make their own fortune. It was difficult to do if you wanted to become a royal guard as you would need connections and recommendations to even enter the qualifiers and test for such a position. And runaway nobles were barred from any leadership postings. Achilles looked up and nodded at Aila. "It must be difficult to have people with such backgrounds."

Aila looked at him patronizingly. "Actually, it's the reverse, their similar situations help reinforce cohesion in our warrior bands."

*Great cultural differences…* Achilles remembered that he was on an alien planet. "Oh, now that I think about it, it could definitely help. I didn't often run into similar situations in the-" He stopped himself from giving too much away when he noticed the subtle attempt from Aila to fish for information. He realized that she was good, she had put him at ease and more eager to answer questions and give more information about himself.

Achilles snorted. "Forget it. Matriarch Keldi is there any way that we could be released?"

The snow elf put her hands in the warm sleeves of her woolen dress. She smiled as he dodged the questions. Then her face showed a more severe expression. "You were caught trespassing in our lands and you felled the creature that was destined to be a test for the heiress of clan Diem. Those are not crimes per se to us, annoyances at best as we reasonably surmised that you didn't know due to your extraplanar origins, the matriarch council’s consensus is that you'll be tried and at best you'll need to offer recompense."

Achilles visibly relaxed at her reassurances, but there was also the question about how much time this would take. When they had entered this fort, the girls and him were surprised by how big it was, but there couldn't be that many snow elves out there. “And when is that?”

Aila took on a sad face that warned Achilles that she had bad news for him. “I am afraid that you and your ‘partners’ will have to wait for at least a month, Sir Mikos.”

At super speed Achilles came to glue himself to the bars and shouted in a panicked voice, “Wait! Why?! We can’t…”

Aila stepped back from him, not anticipating such a display but she quickly steadied her beating heart. “I am sorry for inconveniencing you but…”

“At least tell me why!” Achilles demanded. He had a mission -self-imposed of course- but he couldn't allow himself to fail! Not again!

The Matriarch understood by the burst of speed that Achilles had just shown her that he let himself be caught, and by the way the Mithril bars of his cells were distorted by his hands that he was somehow humoring their people and he could have slaughtered all the warriors that had surrounded him two days ago. 

Sigh. “Very well, Sir Mikos.”

Aila let her arms fall alongside her body as she explained, “The Enclaves’ Matriarchs have all been invited to a most momentous event in the entire realm. Everyone is scrambling to prepare to leave as it was not anticipated at all. Now the royal clans and administrators are all busy and that is why you’ll have to accept our hospitality for longer than intended.”

The speedster nodded as he looked into the snow elf’s eyes for any obfuscation or lies. “Oh. This event, is it something grave, like a war or a tournament?”

Aila shook her head. “Grave? No, it is the royal wedding of the new ruler of the Queendom of Aryther, Lady Elissa Shaera Snow Phantasia Dragonfang and her Fiancée Space Mage Dawn of House Kisaragi, a human same as you. What a coincidence.” The Matriarch looked down as she wondered why a sun elf was marrying a human.

When she looked up, the human male before her had his mouth open in an 'O' that would be comical if she couldn't feel his aura stilling and how his soft gaze sharpened and focused on her instantly. She wanted to step back again, the man was clearly more dangerous that he'd let on, but she was a Matriarch of clan Keldi and couldn't show weakness.

With a smooth and silky voice, Achilles spoke, “Matriarch Keldi… if I told you that the person that I am looking for is the ruler of Aryther, would you believe me?”

 

---

 

Keldi clan compound

 

Achilles put his armor in the enchanted trunk Aila had lent his party, and closed the lid once he was done. He had replaced his armor with the silken white shirt with snow crystals embroidered on the collar, the black breeches and the solid enchanted boots he now wore. He looked around himself and appreciated the rather rusticly decorated apartment he was given. Snow elves seemed to live in spartan conditions, with not much furniture beside a bed, a closet, a desk, shelves full of books and furred sofas to receive guests. Achilles had slept in worse conditions when he was on campaigns, but what bothered him was that Matriarch Keldi had put him in the same room as the girls.

There was only one bed and he dreaded the fight that would come from discussing who would sleep on it and in which position and order. The bed's mattress could accommodate them all though. Achilles still resolved himself to sleeping on the sofa and doing the gentlemanly thing of leaving the bed to the girls. If they let him…

He had noticed how Brie had been eyeing Belle and Ishtar after all, with an interested eye… Or was he reading too much into it? Achilles sped to the nearest shelf and took a book. As he looked at the title of the grey colored book, he read 'Winter Worms, how to find them and kill them'. Achilles replaced it on the shelf and took another, 'The meat eater's guide to wilderness skills and survival, polar edition' and with interest opened and leafed through it. Achilles nodded and walked at super speed to the sofa where he began to speed read to add the skills and information to his already vast knowledge.

He finished the book in just five minutes, the book had given him enough information on the geography and mores of the Snow Elves' society.

Clack. Achilles turned his head, seeing the door open and the girls entering the room; they all wore white woolen dresses lined with fur, reminding him of what Matriarch Keldi wore. Each of them was individually beautiful, but put together made Achilles’ jaw hang.

“Howdy Achilles?” Belle took on a provocative pose that made her out to be from a fashion magazine.

Brianna made a little spin and smiled at her fiance. “Chill?” She expected to have his opinion about the Elven dress.

Ishtar looked embarrassed, so she kept silent. “...” But she still looked at Achilles with an awkward smile.

The speedster raised his hands and gave them a double thumbs up, his eyes lingering on each of them. “Girls you are all beautiful, though why the dress?” Achilles inquired as he put his book at his side on the sofa.

Brianna twirled, emitted a giggle and said, “Thanks Chill, Matriarch Keldi told us to put these on, they are gifts.”

Achilles’ smile melted to be replaced by an expression of concern; he cast a detection spell, one of the only ones he knew how to use and nothing pinged in his psychic senses. Then his eyes turned to the girls who had noticed his shift in demeanor. “Girls… you know, this is a magic realm, right?”

Ishtar was the first of them to speak. “Did... we do something wrong?”

Achilles shook his head. “I just want you to be more wary, some people could gift you items or artifacts that could be used to force you into slavery or something akin to a contract.”

If living with Malicia, a true dark aligned sorceress taught him anything, it was that it was important to have a healthy paranoia. Innocuous objects had become the bane of the most powerful warriors or magic practitioners. A dress was easy to enchant and curse by stitching runes schemes into the cloth. He started to explain this to the girl who looked downright scared by what he said.

“Oh.” Ishtar looked at her white snow elf dress. “Are these dresses…?”

Achilles stood and cast detection and analysis spells at high speed, the results came up negative. He stood before the girls and sighed in relief. “No they aren’t, no curses on them, only climate control and durability enchantments on them. You are lucky, our hosts seem to not want to anger the new Queen.”

Ishtar crossed her arms and scowled at Achilles. “The girl can’t be that dangerous…” The heroine kept doubting how dangerous this retrieval mission was, she had seen the files and videos concerning Elissa’s way of fighting, the girl over relied on her cryokinesis and strength, from what Ishtar had seen, she was still stronger than her.

Brianna focused her blue eyes on the other heroine. “Ishtar, really? The Elves just told us how she took over half the continent, something that they couldn't even do for millenia…”

Ishtar avoided looking in either of Achilles and Brianna eyes with a pout. “I’m just saying.”

Achilles walked up to her and placed a hand on her left shoulder, looking deep into her eyes. “You shouldn’t meet with Elissa with that attitude… she has the same temper as Malicia, she doesn’t suffer fools.”

The woman bristled at that, that horned demoness was a merciless bitch… “I thought she was all sweet and…” Ishtar whispered.

Belle heard her and tried to dissuade her from thinking like that. She might not survive the experience. “Ishtar, Eli is a really good girl, but if you cross her -and she will know if you don’t like her- she’s a terrible foe to have, there’s a reason Cassandra doesn’t walk all over her.”

“Another one of your nieces?” Ishtar inquired with a frown as she stared at Achilles who nodded.

But it was Belle who answered her as she shook her head as if she was chasing bad memories. “Yeah, the innocent devilish one.”

The four began to discuss what they were going to do when they confronted Elissa until late, they got their dinner served in the room and a messenger told them that they would all be leaving for Cynlenor tomorrow, a city state that was thought to be a crossroads and hub for merchants wishing to do business and adventurers who wanted to explore Svartalfheim. Then came the time Achilles dreaded, the girls had gone silent as he took a pillow and bed cover and went zipping by them to sit on the sofa.

"Achilles, what are you doing?" Brianna looked at him with wide eyes.

Achilles froze and looked at her. "Making my bed of course?"

Belle’s laugh rang into the room, and she turned to Ishtar, and said, "Pay up, I told you he would try to do that."

Ishtar glared at Achilles with a disappointed expression. "Tssk." She showed her CLO and transferred the money, then her eyes narrowed when she noticed on her AR HUD that there were bars for the signal of her device, she began to try to get on the internet but it still didn't work.

Belle grinned. "20 bucks on my CLO, thank you Ishtar."

Brianna took off the first layer of her elven dress and under it was a white muslin like short garment reminding Achilles of a nightie with the texture of silk. With a sensual smile tugging at her lips, Brianna said, "Achilles, come to sleep with us."

Achilles stammered as Belle and Ishtar mimicked Brianna. There was an intensity in the girls eyes that rooted him in place. "No… I'm good." He averted his eyes from them but it was clear he still wanted to look.

Brianna walked up to him and tore the bedsheets out his hands, put a hand on his chin and lifted his head to make him look at her. "I insist."

Sighing heavily, Achilles knew when he was beat. "Very well."

"That’s a good Chill." Brianna patted his cheek.

Brianna's hand slid from his cheek to his right arm and she pulled him toward her, they slowly walked toward the bed. The other girls followed him, and once he was horizontal on the comfortable bed, Achilles noticed the girl watching him like huntresses having spotted their prey. Brianna and Belle, helped Achilles out of his clothes. As he found himself naked as the day he was born, the speedster found himself stared at.

The man blushed as they all focused on his erection that he attempted to hide. "G-girls wha-what's happening to you?" He stuttered embarrassingly.

The women looked at each other and smiled, Brianna climbed on the bed, prowled toward him on all fours until she straddled him. As she looked him into the eyes, she said, "We have come to an agreement."

Belle and Ishtar climbed on the bed as well and sat on either side of him. Achilles gulped. "Which is…?" The speedster asked, they had surrounded him and were now holding onto him.

Brianna leaned forward and whispered with a voice full of desire in his ear, "That we will share you."

Achilles slumped, sighed and looked at each of the women. He had been afraid to answer Belle and Ishtar's feelings because he didn't want to ruin it with Brianna. *But if they are fine with it… who am I to tell them no? And collectives are pretty normal on Phantasia. However, do I have the stamina to keep them all happy?*

Brianna kissed him hungrily and the other girls touched him; Achilles lost himself in pleasure that night and once again, lamented the fact that he had no say in the situation. *My life is strange.*

 

---

 

Dragonfall
1 day later

Achilles couldn't believe that they were finally here. It had taken a day to arrive before those icy blue walls that hit Achilles with nostalgia as he remembered the walls of Storm Advent, the capital of the empire. Their travel outside the Snow elf city state had been difficult and had distracted him from what happened the previous night. He had sex with each of the girls and they had been enthusiastic in their love making, enough to make him sore. But the good kind of soreness that made you glad to be alive.

The problem was that after that they had gotten to talk. Belle and Ishtar had confessed their feelings for him and bared their hearts, Brianna had been clear that she wanted them in the relationship and that the ball was in his camp and that he had better not drop it.

So he did the same, and told them that he liked them as well but as he didn't want to ruin their work relationship and betray Brianna he had attempted to stay friendly and treat them like students of his, but in vain as Belle, Brianna and Ishtar were tenacious. The girls had then told him they would find a way to make it work. It was while they went through a snowstorm and an underground city that Achilles mused about his situation. Their travel felt like a blur, but as Achilles looked up, his eyes found Dragonfang tower. It was a tall glimmering spire, filled with the power of the nexus it was built on. It reminded Achilles of the towers of the Dwermer capital city. A Phantasian skyship was docked at the tower, it looked ancient; Achilles had no idea how Elissa had obtained it.

"This is beautiful." Achilles heard Brianna say from behind him.

Ishtar who was holding onto his arm looked at the kilometers long shining blue walls. "How long did it take to build?"

That was a good question, Achilles thought; Elissa had been on Svartalfheim for only three months… and she already accomplished so much. All the things she did required money, political capital and networking. "Well, at least the girl's got style." He mumbled as the queue to enter Dragonfall moved.

Brianna gasped when she finally saw the tower. "Why does it look like a metallic version of Sauron's tower?!"

Achilles cocked his head to the left and watched the tower. Now that Achilles looked at it the Dragonfang tower sure looked like Barad-dûr in the movies.

Belle, on the other side of Achilles pointed her finger at the sign they just passed. "Is that sign written in English and saying Welcome to Mordor?"

Hands slamming onto his face in a facepalm, Achilles lamented, "Oh great, these people have no idea that they are being trolled by Elissa."

Belle laughed throatily at that. The trip was all fun for them until they entered through the gates, the local custom authorities were pretty brutal. They went through everything they owned and their weapons were confiscated until they passed an interrogation that hadn’t tarried because they were accompanying the snow elf delegation.

They were then ushered to Dragonfang tower that was frankly a bustling place and crawling with guards in silverish armor that reminded Achilles of the armor the royal guards in the palace of Storm Advent wore, their weapons were also clearly magitek. The floors were covered in vertical plants with crystal flower blossom in perpetual flowering that were used to hide the ward scheme of each floor, the walls and stairs were carved in motifs patterned after depictions of historical events from Phantasia, the dark elven empire and from all the races that seemed call Svartalfheim home.

The snow elves were the first to enter the middle floor where the throne room of the Storm Queen was located. Achilles and his girls wore hooded cloaks and accompanied Matriarch Keldi. The giant room contained at least two hundred people. Achilles looked around, everything reminded him of his true home, the blue carpet covering the entire floor, the courtesans and supplicants, the royal guards hidden behind the pillars under notice-me-not charms and the gaudy decoration that consisted of white and blue crystals with potted plants with crystals flowers.

As he looked up, Achilles noticed an animated fresco on the ceiling framed by silvery metal that looked like Mithril. The fresco depicted Elissa fighting hordes of monsters, slaying a dragon, conquering and destroying a goblin city with her Dwarven and Elven companions. Matriarch Keldi stopped before a beautiful dark elf maiden who looked important and wore what Achilles knew was a Phantasian symbol of power of the Queen's own. Someone totally loyal to the Snow line. It was a golden snowflake crossed by two swords with the personal rune of the Elder Goddess Dark Hekate.

With his powerful hearing Achilles heard the handmaiden introduce herself as Aeruirn Belveth and she asked for what they wanted to offer or ask from the crown.

"We wish an audience with the Storm Queen, we seem to have collected some of her people who are looking for her." Aila Keldi turned toward the group of four and waved at them gracefully. The handmaiden looked their way and narrowed her eyes.

"I see, I shall inform Queen Elissa." The handmaiden bowed her head slightly and left.

Matriarch Keldi walked back to them and waited on the side. Brianna put a hand on Achilles' left arm and asked, "Your niece will receive us, right?"

The speedster looked at the big familiar throne reminding him of the one from Game of Swords. Elissa was espousing her Phantasian heritage with the one from Gaea. He found it strange and didn't know what to expect from her, but there was a constant in Phantasian culture that he knew the best since he was born eighty years ago. "There's a chance of her picking a fight with us at first." Achilles announced to the three women.

Ishtar was shocked and stood before him with a frown. "Achilles, what do you mean?"

Laughing nervously, the speedster clarified, "It's almost tradition with my people at this point. She will either try to intimidate us or fight us. Because she knows we are here for her."

Ishtar looked at the number of guards in silver armor in the room, the obvious ones and the hidden ones that she had noticed because she knew how to spot stealth spells from Achilles teachings. "We will lose then." She said with a put upon expression.

Achilles shook his head. "The goal was never to win, Ishtar."

Brianna was the one to answer him. "You Phantasians are crazy..."

Laughing, the speedster hugged both Ishtar and Brianna and said, "Nothing bad will happen, I'm her favorite uncle."

The sound of a gong rang in the room and everyone gradually went silent. Achilles guessed that some kind of factions had already formed in the court proceedings as he saw the dark elves on the right side and the exotic species of humanoid on the other, the supplicants were further down the room just like the Keldi clan was. Some people -mainly dark elves- showed clear disdain for the snow elves, and Achilles couldn't help but think, *Racism? Even here? How quaint.*

Achilles watched as Elissa in an black and silver Asian inspired combat dress appeared from a secret door that gave him the impression that she could walk through the silvery walls of the throne room. The speedster imagined that Elissa and her retinue could, she was a Snow after all, she must be in control of the pocket realm the spire was built in.

The pretty elven woman from earlier appeared near Elissa, bowed and was given permission to approach and said something to her, then Elissa looked at the snow elf delegation and nodded to the handmaiden.

"Her Majesty Storm Queen Elissa Shaera Snow Phantasia Dragonfang has agreed to give the snow elves of the land of the north an audience. Please approach."

Matriarch Keldi and her peers slowly walked up on the carpeted dais leading to the throne. With their dresses billowing and swishing as they walked down the four Matriarchs stopped seven meters from Elissa’s throne. They curtsied slightly, as etiquette dictated as they were not subjects of Aryther. "Your Majesty, we are the Matriarchy of the Northern land, we wish to congratulate you on your impending nuptials."

"We thank you, Matriarch Keldi." Elissa slightly bowed her head and smiled as she looked at the white haired elves in furred dresses.

They observed each other for five seconds and Elissa focused on Aila as she understood that she was the group's leader. "My handmaiden told me that you have come with some of my compatriots." The young queen narrowed her eyes. "Is that true?"

"We have brought them for you, your Majesty, as we want to ascertain the truth." Aila turned to Achilles' party and signaled them to approach.

Without hesitating the speedster came forward, followed by Ishtar, Belle and Brianna and stopped behind the Matriarchs. Some of them bowed awkwardly, while Achilles put a knee on the ground and bowed his hooded head.

Matriarch Keldi turned to Elissa and started to speak again with a calm tone. "They portalled into our lands and slayed an ice drake as they came. We apprehended them and when we mentioned you they said that they knew you."

The affable smile Elissa sported and the atmosphere in the room froze, the throne covered itself in ice and the young queen’s eyes shone like emerald gems. She stood up and slowly descended the dais of her throne and walked toward the Matriarchs who understood what she planned to do and scattered on the side. Elissa moved to the four and stopped before Achilles and with a mellifluous and hypnotic voice said, "Lower your hoods."

Belle and Brianna obeyed, Ishtar was reluctant, but followed their lead while Achilles slowly took it off but still didn't look into her eyes. Elissa’s presence was similar to someone he had served under and he didn't want to do anything that would elicit her ire.

"Look at me." She ordered.

He did and smiled awkwardly at her, only to be shown a neutral expression that told him that Elissa wasn't happy to see him. Golden light shone in Elissa’s hand as a gold spear appeared and she seized it.

"You look so much like her…" Achilles whispered as he saw the carbon copy of his Empress before him.

 

---

 

Throne room

Elissa summoned Gungnir into her right hand and unleashed her battle aura, covering the entire throne room with her mana, she saw a lot of people fall on their knees because of the pressure from her unleashed power. Elissa slammed the butt of her spear in the ground, the high quality carpet fortunately cushioned the sound that rang throughout the entire room.

"Achilles Mikos." Elissa announced the name of her uncle, when she had seen Belle, Ishtar and his fiancé, Brianna; Elissa knew who was kneeling at her feet.

"Your Imperial Highness." Achilles bowed his head lower.

Around them, no one said anything, more and more of the foreign royal clan guests reacted to how Achilles addressed Elissa and realizing that the Storm Queen’s background might be more formidable than expected. Whispers and low level conversations erupted as the drama unfolded.

Elissa didn't sigh or facepalm like she wanted to, as she didn't wish to show weakness. Her gaze focused on Achilles’ lowered head as she frostilly demanded, "Did the Queen of the Faerie Dells send you?"

Achilles seemed to know he was in trouble as he finally looked at her and almost stumbled back when his eyes met Elissa’s. "No, I have come of my own volition to retrieve you, Elissa."

Behind her, Elissa heard Aeruirn gasp at the breach of protocol Achilles just committed. Elissa didn't care, the man before her had changed her nappies, guarded her until she reached the tender age of fourteen and taught her how to fight, he could call her whatever he wanted and to show how much she didn't care, Elissa also broke protocol.

A bell like laugh escaped from Elissa’s throat, arcs of lightning gathered at the head Gungnir’s blade and jewel. "Do you realise how impossible the task you have given yourself is, uncle?" Elissa said as she looked at Achilles.

The man’s blue eyes focused on Elissa, a black aura slowly wrapped around him. "Nothing is impossible, my niece and I must try, we have a destiny to fulfill."

Elissa gave him a predatory smile and tightened her hold on her spear. "Then come, uncle, I'll show you why you should never defy a Snow."

Achilles smiled back and stood up, his arm stretched before him and in a flash of purple light his own weapon was summoned into his hand. “Oh, I know what you Snow are like.”

A blue barrier surrounded them, and slowly grew outward from them, pushing the gallery around them against the walls only to stop at the pillars supporting the room. Elissa's grip firmed on the shaft of Gungnir, her circlet turning into a Valkyrie helmet. She twirled her spear and entered a combat stance as her battle aura surrounded her body.

Achilles sped toward her with tremendous alacrity and with a shockwave their spears collided making the two Phantasians recoil and slide back two meters. The speedster looked at the young woman with wide eyes; he remembered when she could barely fight him off three years ago, or see him move.

“You have become stronger.” Achilles said as he deftly manipulated his spear in his hand, the weapon blurred before him and stopped with a woosh of air, blade first, pointed at Elissa.

The young Queen grinned and answered, “You have become slower, old man.”

Eyes flashing, Achilles said between his teeth, “Impertinent little…”

Elissa walked calmly toward him. “My turn.” Until Achilles saw her move at super speed and deflected three stabs of the golden spear and moved to the side to avoid being kicked against the blue barrier protecting people from their fight.

Achilles was... impressed if he was honest, he remembered how Elissa could barely move at the speed of sound when she was thirteen; now she was mimicking his powers and technique with her battle aura, the prized technique of the Snow called Inshek. Elissa's strikes were like the storm, the golden spear moved fluidly and struck like thunder; Achilles avoided being hit by the shockwaves and vibrations that his niece produced, he waited for the moment where she would make a mistake and ignored the obvious openings that Elissa let appear in her guard to lure him in. Achilles simply responded to her assault with more speed, steadily ramping up.

To the courtesans and people in the throne room, all they saw were flashes of golden and purple light clashing together and the Storm Queen and her supposed uncle moving at godly speeds. They had heard of what the Storm Queen was capable of through hearsay and testimony, but seeing her fight was terrifying for some and awe inspiring for others.

It was when the golden spear started to rotate on itself and gained an impossible torque that Achilles struck. He avoided the piercing blow and punched Elissa hard enough to make her turn her cheek. Behind him, Elissa's spear embedded itself into the magical barrier. Achilles tried to push his advantage and punch her again to lay her on the floor but was surprised when the young woman barely moved. Elissa let go of her weapon and caught Achilles’ fist.

“Have you always been this physically weak?” Elissa said as she tightened her grip on her uncle’s fist.

For the first time since he arrived on Svartalfheim, Achilles experienced pain, he could hear the bones in his hand crack. The speedster groaned, Elissa was stronger than he remembered. It was at that moment that he finally realized that she was no longer the young girl who followed him everywhere like a baby duck. Her time on Svartalfheim had changed her, he recognized the edge he saw in her eyes and the way she moved decisively. Elissa had killed people, how many? He didn't know, but she reminded him of what a Snow could do, they were ruthless, cunning and not bothered by dirtying their hands.

“I am not the only one who has been affected by our stay on Gaea.” Elissa tightened the screw further, forcing Achilles onto his knees.

Achilles thought the same, Gaea had weakened them. His body was in flux as it tried to acclimatize again to a diet of steady cosmic energy and mana. As Elissa looked into his eyes, seeing that he realized that he did become weaker. She let go of Achilles’ fist and kicked his chest, making him fall onto his back; Elissa summoned her spear back into her hand and pointed its blade at her uncle’s neck. “Do you feel it? The cosmic energy running through you, me, everywhere…”

Elissa breathed and golden threads of energy were siphoned by her battle aura. From the spears blade against his carotid, Achilles could feel the cosmic energy, his body absorbed it, turned it into sustenance and filled his muscles and flesh. “I do.”

“I have never felt this alive before coming to this world. I always thought that there was something wrong with me, something lacking; It was like an itch I couldn’t scratch. But since coming here I feel whole, stronger, faster, smarter.” Elissa spoke with reverence and animation, the cold mask she had put on to fight him melted off her face to show joy and fulfillment.

“It’s…” Achilles tried to tell her that he understood that it was what it meant to be an ancient human, to be a child of mana and the universe. But the joyful emotions on Elissa’s face drained to become cold and unfeeling yet again.

The young queen asked him, “Why didn’t you fight?”

Achilles didn't understand what she meant. “Elissa?”

“Why didn’t you find a planet like this one instead of…” Elissa loathed Earth, now that she knew what she was missing she understood that that planet was a death trap for her people.

Achilles finally understood, she was right. If the conditions on Earth were so bad why didn't they move to somewhere like Alfheim or Asgard? He had even offered to scout those planets for them but Malicia had argued against it and told both him and his brother that Gaea was home for now.

The speedster looked at Elissa and started to say, “Malicia, she said-”

Elissa’s eyes flashed in anger. “Malicia this, Malicia that! Who did you pledge yourself to, Achilles Mikos? The Snow Imperial family or the Faerie Dells?”

Achilles was left shocked by what the girl was saying. But it only took him one second to think about his answer. “I am forever loyal to the Imperial Snow family.”

“Good.” Elissa said as she smiled at him beatifically and then proceeded to kick his head. Achilles instantly lost consciousness and was bleeding from his left temple.

Elissa stored her spear back in her storage ring, dismissed the barrier and called for Aeruirn who was at her side in a second. “Bring him, under guard, to the royal hospital.”

“Yes, your Majesty.” Aeruirn signaled to some royal guards to come help her while Elissa walked back to her throne.

Achilles' team followed Aeruirn and the royal guards who levitated him out of the throne room. Elissa had plans for them later so she allowed them to follow. Elissa sat on her throne and crossed her legs as she watched everyone get back into position. She saw fear and awe on the faces her gaze fell upon, it seemed that she had well and truly cowed any future dissenters for now.

Elissa smiled, and checked another thing she did well on her list. Her personal power was still growing, as well as her military and she knew that sooner rather than later one of the Elven free cities would want a fight. A fight that she intended to finish as viciously as possible. Everyone waited with baited breath for Elissa to say something, anything.

This was why she didn’t start with nonsensical platitudes. “Sorry for that spectacle everyone, as you can see we have some private things to attend to, but before that I wish to reward the Snow Elves who brought my uncle with them.”

The snow elf delegation was suddenly put upon and dreaded the repercussion of Achilles’ actions on them. The Matriarchs looked at each other, their faces showing uncertainty and fear. Matriarch Keldi in particular looked shocked and afraid. Elissa waved at them to come forward and said, “Don’t be afraid, I am a magnanimous Queen.”

They obeyed and walked forward, stopping only five meters from the throne. Matriarch Keldi attempted to apologize, “Your Majesty, my peers and I are…”

Elissa cut her off with a glare. “I am not going to punish you, but to reward you. Matriarch Keldi, you have done much for the crown. You see, I love my uncle and you helped him find me, it’s better than having him roam Svartalfheim and finding trouble. Achilles is a very troublesome man.” The young Queen smiled at the Matriarch.

Aila Keldi smiled back, she was well aware of the man’s proclivities after having met him in his cell. "I agree with you, your Majesty." The snow elf bowed her head slightly.

Elissa and Aila looked at each other for a moment before the young Queen asked with an interested tone, "Tell me about your people, Matriarch Keldi."