Skyfire Avenue

by Stayrr

Skyfire Avenue is a street that is 2048 meters long. There are 168 stores here, and each of the store owners is an extremely powerful adept. The Avenue does not permit any vehicles or any robots to pass through it, much less mecha. Even the patrolling police must move about on foot. This is because this is a street for pedestrians, a lane for nobles, hidden away within this high te

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Chapter 51: Fresh Meat

Bang! Tang Mi's fists viciously pounded the control board of the simulator, her face twisted in to a mask of rage.

She'd changed her account , chosen a saber-mecha, all to satisfy an urge. Lots of people did it, and they called them landmines; if you stepped on one, you're in for a bad time.

There have been those who have suggested action against this kind of behavior, adding a real-name system to DreamNet. This would ensure each Id number had only one account, but until now the DeamNet management authority hasn't approved. This was something that would affect all three Alliances. It wouldn't be an easy change.

Tang Mi definitely didn't expect to be the one stepping on a landmine. That Nooblet guy, who was he? He's a bastard is what he is, an outright bastard!

had never been in a situation like this. She thought about the replay, about how he'd chopped her up in to tiny cube-sized pieces, and she just wanted to disappear in to a hole somewhere.

Tang Mi

"Who! Who! Who!" Tang Mi screamed at the screen, alone in the virtual cockpit. She knew at the very least it was someone from the school, else they wouldn't have been able to enter the sim training yard. You could only get here by using one of the school's special simulators.

But the school was huge, how would she be able to find this Nooblet?

Tang Mi took a slow, deep breath to even her temper.

She could not suffer the presence of this enemy. He needed to be destroyed.

Her arm raised, and in the space of a moment her communicator was ringing a number.

"Little Mi, what's up?" A man's voice, simple and sincere, sputtered from the communicator.

Tang Mi audibly ground her teeth as she spoke. "I don't care where you are, or what you're doing. Find a simulator and log in to DreamNet immediately. Find me in the university novice arena. There's someone we need to humiliate."

"Huh?" Surprise was evident in the man's tone. "The novice arena? Tang Mi, you're playing the landmine again, aren't you. I told you before not to bother with that boring garbage. Why don't you listen. And what? You run in to another landmine that gave you a spanking?" The man knew almost immediately what had happened from Tang Mi's voice alone.

"Are you coming or not?!" she screeched.

"You wouldn't be that way right?" The man's voice sounded more surprised as the conversation continued. "Spend all your time by the river and you're bound to get wet. Go cool down. I'm in the middle of something."

"Tang Xiao, your little sister was just turned to scrap metal by someone using the Brunois Assault. If you don't come in here right no and avenge me, you'll wish you were dead. I'll tell Qianlin all about how you wet the bed until you were ten, and you wont have a ghost of a chance with her. You have an opportunity now that her engagement has broken off. I may not have much to offer to help get you two together, but at a word from me you'll die alone! HAHAHAHA!"

"… give me three minutes." The voice had suddenly turned serious. The communicator went silent, and Tang Mi re-entered DreamNet.

Just you wait Nooblet. If I can't beat you, then I'll call someone who can! Tang Xiao's a Master-Ranked mecha pilot and he'll deal with you. You can bet your ass!

Bang!

ζ

Lan Jue expertly stabbed his titanium blade through the brain box of his ninth opponent, bringing the match to an end.

That's number nine! One more and it's off to the intermediate arena.

If A-Cheng and them knew I was in here messing with newbies they'd have to pick their jaws up from the floor. Lan Jue's face twisted in a strange smile. Man being a landmine was fun! Hah! It's been a long time since I've seriously trained in a mecha. Next time I come in here I'll have to do it with a higher level account. This novice area hardly even counts as a warm-up. But it's good practice for skills and mind-hand coordination. Give me a month and I'll be back at peak ability.

In the last three years he'd undergone almost no effort towards cultivation or training. His Discipline may still raise of it's own accord, but he'd hardly practiced mecha operation. A lot of his skill was already deeply ingrained in his muscle memory, but he'd still grown somewhat rusty.

Tenth fight, begin.

A light flashed from somewhere, and he appeared once more in a fresh arena. Once more his opponent was a saber-mecha, unfitted and fresh. It was the same as all the others, only that one fight with the Brunois assault had stirred him at all.

Fresh Meat. The name flickered above the saber-mecha's head.

The guy must be shameless, Lan Jue thought. A smile touched his lips. Shamelessness was good. It meant they had a good mentality.

"You're that landmine, eh?" The voice that echoed across the field was honest, simple, and carried in it a sort of quiet magnetism.

This was the first time since beginning that someone had spoken to him with the intention of holding a conversation. Lan Jue did not reply.

"You want to be a landmine, you better be prepared for the consequences. You've been bullying my little sister, and that means I'm going to have to chop you in to little pieces!" Fresh Meat's Saber-Mecha strode forward, cross-stepped, then turned a full circle to stop with it's shield across it's chest and the titanium allow sword pointed towards the heavens.

"Not bad eh?" His adversary's voice was had a fair measure of pride.

The guy really is shameless, Lan Jue thought.

"You didn't answer so I assume you agree. Time for your betters to get started." As he spoke, his mecha suddenly picked up speed, racing headlong towards Nooblet in a straight line.

Lan Jue narrowed his eyes, his curiosity clear. The guy had superior control over his mecha. There was no wasted movement, no wasted speed. He certainly liked to talk nonsense, but he had some skill.

"Ah hey buddy, by the way something interesting happened today," Fresh Meat said as the distance closed between him and Lan Jue.

Lan Jue rasied a brow. Wasn't he here for revenge? What did he hear that could have anything to do with me?

Fresh Meat continued. "We had a guy in class today who really needed to fart. Definitely a fart. Then she came upon an excellent idea; she'd fart, and clap her hands at the same time to hide the sound. She reeled back and clapped… and just as everyone turned their head to look at her, she let 'er rip!"

"Pfft!" Lan Jue couldn't help but snort a laugh. At that moment the magnificent glint of a blade filled his vision, blinding him to the figure racing towards him and any means of escape. Lost in that split-second glare, Fresh Meat's leg shot out and viciously connected with Nooblet's mechanical groin.

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Chapter 52: Outrage and Oscillation

Lan Jue was caught off guard. He did not expect Fresh Meat to go through an entire tyrade before his assault. He couldn't help but laugh at the story, and in that split second he'd let his guard down.

Fresh Meat's attacks were instantaneous and vicious. Even with his abilities, controlling this factory-level mecha under this sort of assault was proving difficult.

The tips of his toes raised, and suddenly he was shooting backwards. In the same moment the blade in his hands was cutting an arc, barely managing to deflect Fresh Meat's own weapon. His right leg raised to meet his enemy's kick and push it aside.

"Some good reaction time buddy!" Fresh Meat's voice sounded fullof praise.

"I'll poke your eyes out," he shouted, and suddenly his mechanical legs were shooting out to entwine Nooblet's.

Nooblet was unstable, his hurried retreat causing him to stagger. He couldn't avoid being caught by his adversary's trip. The body of Fresh Meat's mecha then twisted with the agility of a monkey, in attempts to bring Nooblet to the ground.

Jiujitsu! Fresh Meat had learned to incorporate jiujitsu in to his mecha fighting techniques.

"You know though I've come across some bad luck myself lately," Fresh Meat continued through the grapple. "I'd gone to the cafeteria for some grub yesterday and there in my food was a piece of pork covered in hair. I though to myself, man this school's cafeteria really doesn't care for cleanliness. So then I carefully pulled the hairs out one by one, cleaned it off and popped in my mouth. And goddamnit, wouldn't you know, it was a piece of ginger!"

Where someone present to see Lan Jue's face in the sim pod, they would have discovered the look of disgust on his face.

Nooblet's mecha had been pinned to the ground by Fresh Meat, their legs wrapped together. It appeared Fresh Meats pointless stories were giving him a definite advantage. Even with Lan Jue's many experiences on the battlefield, this was the first time he'd come across an opponent like… this.

Taking advantage of the situation, Fresh Meat extricated himself from the grapple and plopped his metallic girth directly on to Nooblet's back. He then proceeded to lock up Nooblet's sword arm with his hands.

"Heh! Whada ya think buddy, cool story right?" Fresh Meat sounded exceptionally proud of himself. Or maybe you're not convinced. Tell you what, if not you go ahead and hit me. Go on, hit me! Hehehe!"

"Don't think you've won just yet," Lan Jue growled.

"Eh?" Fresh Meat sounded surprised. "Won? Oh don't worry, I wont let you off so easy – I just don't want you to hurt your mecha! That way DreamNet can't interrupt us while we continue our little chat."

Suddenly Fresh Meat felt Nooblet's mecha shaking beneath him. It was of no great intensity, but quite sudden. More, surprising, however, wasn't the shaking itself – but the fact that it had unexpectedly loosened his grip!

"No… !" Fresh Meat yelled. Nooblet twisted and, in a way Fresh Meat couldn't even determine, suddenly he was the one entangled. For with a metal-crunching blow Nooblet threw him to the floor, and pinned him there.

"Oscillation! You're using oscillation!" Fresh Meat was too shocked to even attempt a counter.

Oscillation, he'd been attempting to train in that for ages!

Fresh Meat was indeed Tang Mi's older brother, Tang Xiao. He was well known, one of the best students in the mecha combat division. Already a Sovereign-Level First Class pilot, and one of the top ten in the entire combat department.

Once one was evaluated as a Sovereign-Level mecha pilot they were immediately conferred the title of Lieutenant by any state in the three Alliances.

The graduation requirement for even National Scholar pilots was only Second Class. Sovereign-Level Second Class pilots were often called upon to command mecha squadrons of ten suits.

But even with all these ranking and expectations – Sovereign-Level, First Class, top ten – Tang Xiao still wasn't capable of executing the Oscillation technique.

The Brunois Assault was a show move, worth little in actual combat. But Oscillation, that was a close combat maneuver that was highly prized. It was fair to say it was that level of ability every pilot dreamt of.

In truth Oscillation was something even the lowest Third-Rank pilots trained, but even Sovereign-Ranked pilots… maybe even God-Ranked pilots couldn't master it. It took a certain level of talent not everyone possessed.

The technique knows as Oscillation caused the entire mecha to begin vibrating at high-frequency. The result was traumatic injury to the opponent, or to extricate oneself from difficult grapples. Brain waves are important in mecha manipulation, but Oscillation – that required an unfathomable speed of hand!

Modern mechas required both brain wave and manual control to operate, but oscillation was another matter. It required the pilot to execute a series of perfectly timed, high-frequency movements – all in an instant. Needless to say, this required exceptional dexterity. Repetitive motions, performed again and again in as short a time as possible. That was oscillation.

All three alliances have attempted to solve the oscillation problem through technological pursuit, employing exhaustive studies and experimentation. The problem persisted, however, that oscillation produced by these means was far and away less flexible than that which was performed by the pilot. It was also expensive, both fiscally and in terms of energy use.

It went without saying that Nooblet's basic saber-mech didn't possess this sort of high technology. The only explanation was that it was the pilot's own skill.

When they tout speed of hand as a requirement of oscillation, what they mean is that the effective control of the mecha must top three hundred. That is to say, a pilot must execute at least three hundred flawless moves in a minute before oscillation can be achieved.

Tang Xiao new he himself could reach the three hundred mark but only rarely and with great effort. He could only manage around a hundred and eighty efficiently.

Nooblet pressed a clenched fist against Fresh Meat's head. "Go on then, keep talking," he snarled.

Fresh Meat bubbled excitedly. "How did you learn to oscillate?! H-how fast are your hands? How old are you? Do you teach or study here? Can you teach me? You must be a teacher, right? There aren't any students here capable of oscillating."

"Teach you?" A sadistic grin spread against Lan Jue's features. "Sure, I can teach you. Where are you?"

Fresh Meat's joy was almost overwhelming. "I'm in the research department. Just tell me where to be and I'll go to you!"

"There's a small lawn behind the electives building. I'll be waiting for you there. Be there in ten minutes, or I'm gone." Lan Jue's voice came soft and even.

"Right, yes! I'll be right there!" Tang Xiao was clearly ecstatic, how could he not be. He'd never known anyone who could oscillate. Whoever this person was, he must have recently arrived.

"But before you go, let's give you some more first hand oscillation experience…" The first pressed against Fresh Meat's head became a blur, and in an instant buried itself in the mecha's head.

Crunch!

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Chapter 53: Lose Weight!

The lawn behind the Electives Teaching Building wasn't anything magnificent. It lay in the shadow of the building before it, so nutrition was a limited resource for the sparse grass.

It was afternoon, and the elective courses have already finished. As a result the lawn was particularly peaceful.

Lan Jue stood with his hands behind his back. He was straight-backed, in a three-piece suit devoid of any wrinkles. His antique bicycle was set not far to the side.

His features were calm, serene, as though he were a garden statue set amongst the shade.

Suddenly, an odd smile replaced his stoic façade.

"Ah! Professor, here you are! I've arrived!" Tang Xiao breathlessly trotted towards him, excitement clearly written on his face.

Slowly Lan Jue turned to find an overweight man huffing headily as he bore down on him. His flight suit stretched valiantly against his girth. Lan Jue quietly wondered whether he could actually fit in a mecha cockpit.

Tang Xiao was tallish at one hundred and eighty centimeters, with a waist of similar diameter. His fat jiggled as he jogged closer. With his short hair, small eyes, and pudgy features he was really rather adorable. As for his facial features… well, everyone looks more or less the same under a certain layer of fat.

"Introductions," Lan Jue said in frigid tones in lieu of greeting.

"Oh.. ok. Em, go ahead." Tang Xiao grew silent, respectfully waiting for Lan Jue to continue.

Lan Jue's face fell in embarrassment for this young man. "I want you to introduce yourself!"

"Ah!" Tang Xiao's pudgy face jiggled. He hurried to speak. "A misunderstanding, professor. J-just a misunderstanding! My name is Tang Xiao, and I'm a third year national scholar in the mecha combat division. Sovereign-Rank second class. Reporting for duty!"

"Tang Xiao?" Lan Jue rolled the name around on his tongue, and walked a circuit around the young pilot. "How much to you weigh?"

"What… ? F-five hundred and fifteen pounds," Tang Xiao replied with pride.

"Talent level?"

"Sixth-Level. Professor, my Discipline is very honed, only… if you'd like to know what it is I must first ask you to show me some identification." Tang Xiao laughed nervously, his little pig eyes shinning.

"Fine," Lan Jue replied. He produced the letter of appointment the Dean had sent him.

"Etiquette? Associate Professor?" He looked slack-jawed at the letter, then back up at Lan Jue. "Professor. You're… this is a joke right? What does an etiquette professor even teach…"

Lan Jue gave a small, private smile. "Common sense. Your Discipline?"

Tang Xiao spoke up. "Metalmorphosis. I make the surface of my body change in to an incomparably tough metal. Great, right!"

Lan Jue's face hardened. "At this weight, it isn't just your Discipline – the added weight increases the efficacy, doesn't it."

At this, Tang Xiao's face lit up. "Professor, you really are the kind of master capable of Oscillation! I see it now. That's exactly the reason for my weight. An eighth-level talent taught me this."

But the revelation only caused the corners of Lan Jue's mouth to slink in to a frown. "The guy who said so was messing with you. If you want to improve, increase your metalmorphosis, you'll need to increase your weight tenfold. But then, how will you even walk? Will you become a shield? Moreover, if your Discipline continues to evolve to eighth-level you'll be able to change to titanium – and how heavy is that? What the hell is the point of so much weight then?"

"You think," Tang Xiao whispered, "You think I could become and eighth-level Talent?"

Lan Jue lifted a hand to pat his forehead. "There weren't any Adepts in your family before you, were there."

The youth earnestly nodded his head. "That's right. My family is in politics."

"That figures," Lan Jue muttered. "But we'll save that for another time. Let's talk about the matter at hand first."

"What matter?" Tang Xiao listened raptly as Lan Jue spoke, terribly excited at the prospect that his natural abilities could improve. It was the first time he'd heard it was possible.

Lan Jue gave him a flat look. "Aren't you here to study Oscillation?"

"Absolutely!" Tang Xiao nearly leapt for joy.

Lan Jue began. "This is no problem, I'm sure we can get you where you want to be. A short period of special training and you'll have the ability to Oscillate. However, you are definitely too overweight. So much so that it impacts your hand speed, coordination and kinesthetics. It stifles the development of your abilities. And so, the very first thing you need to do is lose weight. Until it no longer effects your Talent. Improve your coordination, then cultivate your Discipline."

"Right, right, so tell me what I should do?" Hearing Lan Jue's plan for success, Tang Xiao's face was aglow with excitement.

"Your current weight has already far outstripped the line for morbid obesity, you've huge stores of fat. But fat is simply a form of energy for the body. You can't just directly lose the weight – that will cause loose skin and marks, and thus the effect of your metalmorphosis. So, at the same time as we extract this excess energy from your body, we must also increase muscle mass and improve the condition of your skin, it's elasticity and so forth. This will also increase your body's sensitivity. After a while, when your in better shape and your body's back to normal, then you can learn to Oscillate."

Tang Xiao took note of Lan Jue's serious expression. "Professor," he pleaded, "but how?"

After a moment's hesitation, Lan Jue responded. "I actually do know a method that can speed the process up. But, it's painful. Would you be able to handle it?"

"No problem," Tang Xiao immediately responded, nodding emphatically. "A little pain is nothing! Real men can take it, bring it on." His mind was flooded with dreams of Talent cultivation, and a longing to learn the secrets of Oscillation.

Lan Jue looked impressed. "Not bad. Worthy of my disciple. We can achieve this by me patting your body. It will hurt, and you can tell me when you can bear no more. You must also control your Discipline and keep it from emerging, else all the effort will be wasted."

"Alright, so when do we start professor?"

Lan Jue's eyes flashed. "No time like the present. Are you ready to begin?"

"Ready!" Tang Xiao squared his shoulders and puffed out his chest. Resolution was etched clearly on his face.

Crack! A streak of brown leather whipped across his face.

"Gaah!" Tang Xiao screeched. But the sound was quickly lost with the thunderous sonance of a thousand blows.

Crack-crack-snap-crack-snap…

"Ah, Professor! AH! It hurts.. !"

"Stay resolute! We're extracting all that extra energy!" Lan Jue shouted.

To make you humble, make you strong, I must beat weakness out of you!

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Chapter 54: The General's Memoirs

"The teacher's first lesson; be grim, be fierce, be forged in blood, improve my motivation and endurance to pain. Only then will my power grow."

Memoirs of the Metal Fox, Army General Tang Xiao

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Lan Jue threw a leg over his bicycle, preparing to return to the simulation warehouse when he ran in to another familiar face.

"Professor Lan! Lookin' good!" His teased pink mohican hair all a-quiver, Jin Tao's excited voice cut off Lan Jue's escape. He'd come looking for his sister, but upon hearing the screams chanced upon the scene on the lawn.

The brakes squealed as Lan Jue brought his bicycle to a stop and dismounted. "Hm?" He turned his eyes on to Jin Tao.

The young man failed to notice the odd light in Lan Jue's eyes. He pressed on excitedly. "I saw the whole thing, you beating on Fatty Tang. The guy's a bully, you don't know how many times he's bugged innocent people like me. I stole a lollipop from him once when I'd just enrolled in college. Man that was satisfying…"

Lan Jue fixed Jin Tao with a hard gaze. "What's this about beating someone? You think you understand? I was trying to teach Tang Xiao how to better cultivate his abilities."

Jin Tao looked confused. "Cultivate?"

"Mmh." Lan Jue nodded solemnly. "Your classmate Tang Xiao has a very special Discipline. With the proper stimulation of his abilities his powers could advance quite quickly. The process is painful, but if successful he could become far more powerful than he is now."

Suddenly Jin Tao's eyes shone as though they were stars. "Really? Can my Discipline evolve too? My own Talent is only First-Level. At first I wanted to learn your method of beating Fatty Tang, but if you could evolve my own genetic abilities that would be great! You know today I almost got promoted to intermediate in the sim area. Who knew I'd come across that Nooblet guy, must have been a Sovereign-Rank pilot. I was seckilled* like a chump. If my Talent were stronger, I'd definitely be able to handle my mecha better, too. Hey man, help me out too."

"What's your Discipline," Lan Jue asked softly.

Jin Tao's lips curved in a smile. "Metamorphosis. I can turn in to a dog! Only… a very weak dog. You think my talent has room to grow?"

"Of course," Lan Jue responded flatly.

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"The teacher's first lesson; be grim, be fierce, be forged in blood, improve my motivation and endurance to pain. Only then will my power grow. Even were I Snoopy, he said, he could make me in to a Tibetan Mastiff."

Memoirs of the Frenzied Lion Mastiff, Army General Jin Tao

ζ

"Where are you?" Zhou Qianlin had sent off Tang Mi, who'd had a peculiar look in her eye. She stood now in the door of the simulation department's third classroom. She spoke through her communicator to someone.

"Look to your left. The handsome guy in the blue suit, about fifty meters away," Lan Jue responded jokingly.

Zhou Qianlin turned her head to look, and spotted Lan Jue leaning idly against the wall. He waved at her.

The faintest hint of a smile threatened to break her serious expression. "I don't see any handsome guys, but I see an old man. Go, keep about three hundred meters between you and me.

"No problem." Contrary to what she expected, Lan Jue made no fuss.

In truth Lan Jue stood somewhat in awe. Zhou Qianlin wore her flight suit, and – as they are wont to do – it outlined her slender figure perfectly.

She didn't have the exaggerated legs of Tang Mi. The combination of her legs and body lay right in the golden ratio. Her long black hair was tied up to reveal her pale neck. The suit strained against her chest, round and supple. The pleasant curve tapered down to a slender waist, not an ounce of flab. Sky-blue eyes like translucent gemstones looked right back at him.

And it wasn't only him who noticed. Everyone who entered, everyone in the class, man or woman, had their eyes drawn to her like a magnet.

That was the kind of beauty Qianlin was in her flight suit.

Lan Jue wandered outside. His mind hummed with the memories of that time when Qianlin rested in his arms, Thor tearing through the heavens under his control.

Zhou Qianlin exited soon after, her alluring body now covered with a long coat. The hood was raised over her head, and she exited with her eyes towards the floor. The shadows concealed her face.

"Your family wont send a car for you?" Lan Jue looked towards her in curiosity.

She looked up. "It's no concern of yours. Just do your job."

"So do I send you home," he asked helplessly.

Qianlin shook her head. "Take me to Grace Hospital."

It was a name he wasn't familiar with. "You don't feel well?" Suddenly, though, it was as though a shock rocked through him. Wide eyed and slack jawed he looked at her. "You're not… you don't have a…"

Zhou Qianlin's face flew through a rage of confusion, shock, then went red with embarrassment. "You wish! Stop talking nonsense and hurry up." She shoved him towards his bike as she spoke.

Lan Jue was possessed of a very keen level of perception, and notice Zhou Qianlin's heart rate increase to at least double.

But seeing her reaction, it was unlikely it was as he thought. He secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Lan Jue pulled himself on his bicycle, and looked towards Zhou Qianlin. "How are we going? Do you have a way to get there?"

Zhou Qianlin dropped her face, hiding it from Lan Jue. "Don't you?" She pointed at the frame on the back of the bicycle.

Lan Jue blinked at her. "You, miss money bags, agreeing to sit on the back of a bicycle?"

She raised her head, casting him a withering glance. "I have never been a 'moneybags'." She sat herself on the protruding frame of the bicycle.

Lan Jue began to peddle, and Qianlin suddenly found herself groping for the seat below her.

The two figures peddled in to the distance, lit by the golden rays of the setting sun. They cast a long shadow.

They continued in perfect silence for ten minutes before Lan Jue slowed and pulled his bicycle to a stop at the side of the road.

"Why are you stopping?" Zhou Qianlin spoke up suddenly, as though she had been lost in her own memories.

Lan Jue looked back at her abashedly. "I don't know the way."

A grin tugged at the corners of Qianlin's mouth. "Keep going straight, then turn right at the third junction. I'll tell you what to do next when we get there."

"Got it," Lan Jue replied. He resumed peddling forward.

"Oh, by the way…" Lan Jue suddenly spoke up.

"Hm?"

"You're so heavy."

A pair of pale slender fingers deftly reached forth to lay upon his waist. They found a bit of flesh, gingerly held it betwixt them… and twisted a hundred and eighty degrees.

"AHH!"

The bike veered left and right, and suddenly that pale hand reached out in a panic to wrap about the injured waist…

*'Seckill' is a gaming term in which a player manages to defeat their rival in a manner of seconds.

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Chapter 55: Little Elf Girl

"You're telling me you're my older brother…" Tang Mi looked at Tang Xiao's swollen face pig-like face in surprise.

Tang Xiao winced. "Have a little compassion, why don't you."

"You want me to be compassionate?" Tang Mi spat. "I called you over to deal with that Nooblet, and instead you're calling me on the communicator to come and save you. What are you doing letting someone beat you in your pig face anyway?"

Tang Xiao stuck out his chest and, choking back the pain in his body, spoke with pride. "You don't understand. I'm cultivating my powers. You'll understand later!"

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"You don't understand!" Jin Tao said to a visibly panicked Jin Yan.

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"If you tell anyone about what we're doing here, you can forget about cultivation. And don't bother coming to find me," Lan Jue warned.

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Lan Jue found it hard to imagine how this hospital had become so run-down. It was a shabby stone building of simple construction, with decorative iron bolted to the wood-framed windows. It had to be among the oldest architectural styles on Planet Skyfire.

A distinctly modern crucifix's green neon glow flickered over the large door. The twinkling green glow radiated around the cross like a halo, sometimes there and sometimes not. Even from a good distance you could still make it out.

Lan Jue brought his bicycle to a stop. "You're sure this is the place?"

Zhou Qianlin answered by dismounting from the backseat of the bike and wordlessly making her way in to the hospital.

He pulled his bike to the side and entered after her. After all, it was his duty as her body guard.

The scent of disinfectant fluid swirled around him as he entered the hospital. This sort of low-cost cleaning method was rarely seen in the three alliances anymore.

All the facilities he passed look exceedingly worn-out, with the exception of the odd doctor or nurse's coverall.

Despite this, however, the hospital was host to many patients. Without exception each was clad in simple clothing, some as worn as the building they stood in.

It was a poor district hospital. Lan Jue knew this even before stepping foot inside, because Grace Hospital was located right in the middle of Skyfire's most famous ghetto.

What he couldn't understand is why Zhou Qianlin would want to come to a place like this. Looking at her lithe figure moving in front of him, It was clear she was familiar with the place.

Zhou Qianlin didn't pause, continuing on in to the heart of the hospital. She proceeded until passing through a simple wooden door.

They stepped in to a small, pleasant flower garden, no more than two hundred square meters. The vegetation within wasn't anything particularly special or rare, but they were vibrant and well tended. Vibrant green filled the eyes, and the fresh smell was invigorating. Twenty or so elderly patients sat or stood among the flora.

As Zhou Qianlin entered, every pair of yellowed, rheumy eyes drew towards her. Their faces lit up, their wrinkles deepening as each adopted a smile.

"Linlin!"* A wrinkled woman in grey clothing smiled at Zhou Qianlin and weakly waved her hand.

Zhou Qianlin hurried to the woman's side, a radiant smile blossoming upon her face.

"Granny Meng! Why are you sitting on this stone bench with no cushion. You mustn't let your legs get cold." Zhou Qianlin knelt before the elderly woman and took her hand, a look of mild admonishment on her face.

Grenny Meng chuckled. "It's fine, it's fine. The weather today isn't bad. I'm not cold at all. Here, I got this special for you. Eat it quick while it's fresh." As she spoke her trembling hands fumbled for her pocket, extracting an apple from within. She passed it to Zhou Qianlin.

The skin of the apple was already distinctly shriveled, but the smile on Zhou Qianlin's face was wide and genuine. "Thank you Granny Meng. Oh, it smells lovely," she said as she took it in her hands.

She ignored the shriveled and dusty exterior of the apple and took a big bite.

The other elderly occupants of the garden had begun to gather around.

"Little Linlin, come here to granddad. Here, I brought you some bread."

"Don't bother with that bread. Here, Linlin, this is some tea my grandson brought me. I knew you were coming today so I brewed you a cup, still warm. Here have a sip, wet your whistle."

"Linlin, I brought you this…"

Almost every one of the twenty-something patients presented something to Zhou Qianlin. She took each item in turn, praising the giver and looking upon each item as though it were precious.

Lan Jue stood not far off, silently looking on. He keenly felt the warmth and friendliness of the older patients as Zhou Qianlin ate their gifts and gave them hugs in return.

Why? What relationship do they have to her? What is this place?

A quavering, aged voice interrupted his thoughts. "Did you come with Linlin young man?"

Lan Jue turned his head and spotted an old man clad in an old green army coat, clutching a walking cane in his hands. He looked back at Lan Jue in curiosity.

"Yes. Greetings," Lan Jue politely responded. "Pardon me sir, but what is this place?"

The old man's eyes softened visibly. "This is Grace Hospital Retirement Home, serving the slums here. Linlin comes here once a week to volunteer. She's our little elf – we say that when she comes it's like our own festival."

Zhou Qianlin pulled her hair up with practiced hands and tied it with a simple piece of cloth. He didn't notice when in her hands suddenly appeared a pair of nail clippers. One by one she knelt before them, and one by one careful clipped their nails. Concentration filled her eyes, and from beginning to end her face held a gentle smile. In between she'd speak a few sentences to her charges, which would invariable cause their faces to light up in smiles.

"Young man, come have a cup of water if you'd prefer not to talk." The old man from before offered a mottled tea cup, filled with steaming clear water.

"Thank you very much." Lan Jue hurriedly took the cup and brought it to his lips.

The old man began to chuckle, but the phlegm is his throat set him to coughing. "It's my turn to get my nails clipped, eh!" He turned towards Zhou Qianlin with a youthful vigor.

This green-eyed girl, smiling as she works… she really is the garden's little elf. A flawless, perfect little elf.

*In China, repeating the last part of a person's name is a cutesy nickname denoting familiarity.

Granny and granddad are used to denote a close relationship with an elder person – not necessarily blood relation.

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Chapter 56: Kindness Should be Preserved

"Excuse me a moment everyone, I'm going to get some water and wash your feet. Please come in one by one." Zhou Qianlin turned and motioned Lan Jue over. It was the first time she'd acknowledged him in the half hour they'd been there.

Lan Jue was still surprised with the scene, but managed to make his way towards her.

As he did, he felt all eyes on him.

"Ey, Linlin, is this your boyfriend hm?" Granny Meng's eyes lit up mischievously with this new piece of potential gossip.

Zhou Qianlin's face grew red, and she quickly shook her head. "Not at all, he's a friend of mine." She spoke then to Lan Jue. "Come and help me with the water."

She gripped his sleeve and pulled him away through another door on the opposite side of the garden.

They found themselves in a long corridor beset on each side with scores of doors, a number above each one.

"What are you yanking me for," Lan Jue inquired as he was pulled along.

"They all care a lot for me. If I didn't pull you away you'd never have escaped," she responded. "With you to help me today getting the water should go faster."

As they spoke she pulled him in to a simple room. A wooden chair and a steel frame with hangers affixed to the ceiling were it's only adornments.

"Usually they use this room to give the patients injections." She offered the simple explanation as they moved towards the water heater in the back. A washbasin had been set beside it.

Zhou Qianlin took up the basin and began pouring the hot water in to it. "The cold water pipe is outside. Go bring some in so we can adjust the temperature."

"Why are you cleaning these people's feet anyway," Lan Jue asked with genuine curiosity.

"They're old and have trouble stooping down," she responded without hesitation. "And washing their feet with warm water helps with circulation."

The basin had filled during their exchange, and she carefully placed it onto the ground. She removed her backpack and put it to the side.

Standing over her, Lan Jue could clearly make out the contents of her backpack as she opened it to rifle through.

There was no make-up, accessories or playthings as you might expect; only books, and two bags – one big, and one small.

First she removed the small back and replaced the nail-clippers she'd used earlier. Besides those, there was also a pair of scissors and hair clippers.

She then opened the larger bag. Lan Jue peered in, and couldn't help but lift his brows and interject.

"What are all the orange peels for?"

Zhou Qianlin smiled, and her response was filled with no small measure of pride. "Don't you know? Using orange peels in the water not only helps with circulation, but can also clear the cuticles, softened the skin of the feet, and guard them from cracking."

"You're a homeopath, too," Lan Jue muttered in wonder.

The smile on Zhou Qianlin's face widened. "Go get the water."

"Right," he said, and turned to do so.

The first batch consisted of four elderly patients. They entered orderly and took their seats. When Lan Jue returned, their eyes immediately fell upon him, curiosity plain on their faces.

"Hey son, who are you anyway?"

"You really aren't Linlin's boyfriend?"

"Hey kiddo, you're a handsome fella but ya still aren't a match for our Linlin. Keep at it eh!"

"You mess with our girl and you'll have to answer to me!"

Lan Jue felt overwhelmed with the questions, but he keenly felt how much these people cared for Zhou Qianlin.

With Lan Jue's help, four orange-peel infused basins of warm water were quickly produced. Each were placed before the patients before their shoes and socks were carefully removed and their feet placed inside.

Her motions were practiced, fluid from beginning to end. Each of the retirees beamed down at her as she worked, appreciation and enjoyment filling their pale yellowed eyes.

"Do you usually come by yourself," Lan Jue asked as he helped her pour the water.

"Xiao Mi usually comes with me," she said. "Today she had something to do, otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to come. This is probably the first time you've done something like this, huh. You aren't accustomed to it."

Lan Jue nodded in confirmation.

"Well today we'll be using up some of your time," she continued. "They'll be warming their feet for about twenty minutes each. Until they begin to sweat a little is best."

"Why do you do this?"

Zhou Qianlin gave him a strange look. "No real reason! These people need looking after, so here I am. I'm happy when I'm with them. I lost my grandparents in the war, but here I have many grandparents to share my time with. They have so many experiences, I love hearing them talk about their lives. If my studies weren't so busy I'd be here more often."

"Oh."

Soak, wash, wipe. And so it continued.

For two hours it proceeded, washing the feet of every tenant, but Zhou Qianlin did not waste the time. As they left she would also gather their laundry, bringing it in to the washroom to rinse and dry.

It was night by the time they left Grace Hospital Retirement Home. Lan Jue stood at the door, holding Zhou Qianlin's bag as she placed her hands on her head and stretched. Her supple figure beneath the dim lamplight was a sight to behold.

Lan Jue shouldered her back and began to push his bicycle. "Tired?"

"No, I'm used to it. Are you? You got the hang of it pretty quickly, and they seemed to like you. I hadn't suspected the great nobility would be able to handle this sort of work, hehe." Zhou Qianlin's smile had flowered significantly. Except for the very beginning, Lan Jue had stood at her side and helped for the whole two hours, his fine three-piece suit becoming hopelessly wrinkled in the process.

He smiled. "Helping the elderly is showing respect. It something we all must do."

"Time to go home," Zhou Qianlin said.

Lan Jue patted the bike's back seat before straddling it himself. Zhou Qianlin sat upon it as though she'd done it a hundred times before, and immediately wrapped an arm around his waist.

As the bike began to creep forward Lan Jue spoke over his shoulder. "How long have you been coming here?"

"More than two years."

"Are you doing anything tomorrow night?"

Zhou Qianlin's response was guarded. "Why?"

"A friend of mine invited me to a meal, and I can bring someone along. Would you like to come?"

A flash of surprise passed though Zhou Qianlin's pretty eyes. But something else lay deeper still.

"Why would you invite me to go eat with you?"

Lan Jue smiled. "Kindness should be preserved."

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Chapter 57: The Mundus Crystal

"Hey fella come here. We have the results of the stone's inspection."

"Excellent."

Situated in the Skyfire Underground, the library stood as it always had. The Keeper sat upon his rattan deck chair with his fingers playing over the clay teapot in his hands. He looked at ease.

Lan Jue had come directly from his jewelry store after sending Zhou Qianlin to the base of her mountain-top home. It had been a full day, one that had filled him with a sense of contentment, and now that he'd heard from the Keeper he was beginning to think today was indeed his lucky day.

"What was the result?" Lan Jue stuffed his hands in his pockets and moved to the Keeper's side.

The Keeper shut his eyes for a moment. "I'll start simply by saying that if you found the vein this come from, you'd make an unimaginable fortune."

"Oh?" Lan Jue's eyes lit up. "What did you discover?" For the Keeper to even start with this sort of evaluation, he must have found something significant.

The Keeper continued. "I wont go through the entire analytical process, you wouldn't understand anyway."

Lan Jue smiled as his elderly counterpart went on. "As for the results, we did discover that were this ore to be refined, it would create a particularly special crystal. The crystal's capabilities would be immense, and beyond that it would be possessed of a truly astonishing peculiarity in energy transformation."

"Simply put, energies injected in to the stone will have its impurities extracted, releasing only energy in it's purest form. I call it Mundus Energy. If you were to incorporate it with some sort of procedural structure, you could create an astounding energy purification system. And the mundus energy it exudes could be used in any form of modern scientific pursuit."

"What about conversion speed and power grade," Lan Jue inquired.

"Conversion is exceptionally fast," the old man responded. "You could charge a tenth-class mecha from empty to full in ten minutes. I went through my databanks, and no power gem like this has ever been recorded. It is quintuple the capabilities of the closest equivalent gem. It had to be recorded, so I called it the Mundus Crystal. Were we able to find a suitable means to develop this, it would catapult human science and technology in to a new era."

Even Lan Jue's trademark composure was shaken following the Keeper's explanation. It took all he had not to gape like a moron.

"However," The Keeper proceeded despite Lan Jue's stupefaction, "make no mistake that this Mundus Energy isn't without it's dangers. Converting energy at it's quickest rate gradually causes the gem to weaken. Through my experimentations I've determined that were this stone of yours refined in to a Mundus Crystal it would enervate a top-level mecha three times before being irreparably damaged, and rendered useless. As a result I thought it cannot be classified as an A-level stone – a C at best, though of course a very special C. The analysis shows it's stored energies aren't any different from a normal A-ranked stone. It has no capability of self-repair or other function – simply it's one special quality."

Lan Jue was not disappointed by the Keeper's designation of C-rank. On the contrary the fire in his eyes only grew as the old scientist went on. He had no shortage of stones to compress energy, strengthen attack or harden defenses. But this stone, with it's ability to restore energy so quickly, was something altogether different, something he needed.

"Another interesting aspect we uncovered, however, is the energy it produces is pure enough that even our Disciplines can absorb and assimilate it. This caused my original C assessment to be upgraded to a B. Regrettably the sheer enormity of it's energy output means only seventh-degree Talents or higher would be capable of using it. Otherwise it would likely be A-ranked."

"I've already submitted the results and the name to the Power Gem research association. I hope you don't have any objections?" The Keeper looked at Lan Jue.

"None," Lan Jue replied. A history making power gem with a name they patented, certainly it would be beneficial to him. Once it became known to the populace everyone would want to mine it for themselves. They'd be bound by the rules of the patent, and would need his authorization. It was a policy adopted by all of the great alliances to incentivize exploration and public benefit. And with the Keeper's help, the whole process was sure to go off without a hitch.

"You'd better hurry and find the vein, then. When you do you'll be a rich man. I'll be fine with thirty percent of the final sales." The Keeper had sat up at this point, his eyes glimmering.

Eeeeeeeee–! At that moment the harsh resonance of an alarm blasted through Skyfire Underground.

"Hm?" Lan Jue and the Keeper shared startled expressions.

It was an alarm rarely heard, a red alert indicating a conflict the Skyfire Enforcement Team couldn't handle. It meant the Skyfiire Council itself had to intervene, requiring at least one member to make their presence felt.

It was the responsibility of a Council member to drop what they were doing immediately and tend to the problem.

"I'll check it out," Lan Jue growled. There was a flash of electricity, and suddenly the Keeper was standing alone.

ζ

A blazing halo of crimson fire stormed around Mika, but it was a fire devoid of heat. The Zeus' Jewelry Store of Skyfire Underground rose behind her.

Beside her stood a dozen officers of the Enforcement Team. Several more in uniform lay scattered on the ground.

Opposite them stood six figures. Five were clad in silver leather, their faces concealed with hoods. They appeared to be lead by a man in similar uniform, though his was gold.

"Hand over the ore. We'll pay ten times your asking price. We have no interest in causing trouble in Skyfire Avenue, but if you continue to deny us I can't promise we'll remain so polite." The rumbling voice of a silver-clad assailant wafted towards the others.

The ridicule on Mika's face was clearly apparent. "The nerve! You dare to cause trouble on Skyfire, in our shop. If you want the stone you'll have to deal with me."

A chilling voice hissed from beneath the golden hood. "If that is the case, then this establishment holds nothing of interest to us."

"This toad's halitosis is making my eyes water." Lan Jue's lackadaisical voice matched his easy stance, having appeared without notice. He placed a hand upon Mika's shoulder, and immediately her roiling fires extinguished.

"Boss." A look of pleasant surprise dawned on Mika's features. She grinned as she greeted him. "What are you doing here. It's nothing I can't handle."

Lan Jue sighed. "How could I not! When a tiger sleeps too long others forget he has claws."

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Chapter 58: Phantom of Lightning

Lan Jue's appearance caused the gathered Enforcers to heave a quiet sigh of relief. Outsiders may not know have known of his status, but they certainly did. One of the eighteen Council members, newest of their ranks, but in a short time capable of rising to great heights. It was a poignant display of ability.

"Jewelry Master," the Enforcers respectfully greeted.

"You're the owner of this establishment?" The golden hooded man's voice sounded almost metallic, strange and tinny.

"That I am!" Lan Jue appeared at ease, a lopsided smile on his face. He turned then to the Enforcers. "Take the wounded for treatment. I'll handle things from here."

"Right away." From among the gathered Enforcers a few stepped forward to gather the injured. The remainder waited respectfully behind the Jewelry Master, awaiting his orders.

"Relinquish the stone from the other day, and we'll leave immediately." The golden man's voice was as cold as ice.

Lan Jue shook his head. "I'm afraid that's impossible. You've hurt my people. To leave now would be running away from the consequences. As for the stone, it's already turned to dust." As he spoke the final sentence he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret in his chest.

He hadn't lied, for in fact the stone had been reduced to powder. Such was the result of the Keeper's experimentations, in finding the stone's limitations.

"What did you say?" The golden man took a menacing step forward. It was a small motion, but one that spoke volumes. A step that spoke murder. Though no face was visible, the man's homicidal intentions were palpable as he faced Lan Jue.

To enter Skyfire one had to possess awakened Talent. In the face of this man's dark aura, everyone present – be they Enforcer or onlooker – allowed their Disciplines to exude forth.

Standing beside Lan Jue, Mika's brows raised at the scene. She made a motion as though to engage, but was cut off by her employer.

As ever, Lan Jue's face only betrayed that signature indifference. His right hand lifted, slowly and purposefully, to snap his fingers. At once an azure photosphere appeared floating in the air. But it did not rush towards the golden man, instead floating to about a meter before Lan Jue before bursting in to oblivion.

At the sight of the explosion a pale red flame hung in the air. Stranger than that, however, is the fact that the flame raced towards the golden man as though it had a life of it's own. At was as if an invisible cloud of gasoline had ignited in the air, and the flame was racing back to it's source in the golden man.

The murderous aura suffocating the area dispersed almost immediately, like the fires had burned it away. The golden man howled and retreated a step, his right hand raised and flailing to shield himself. A sanguine light cut through the link the fire had established.

"Phantom of lightning, who are you!" The golden man lifted his head, revealing the contours of his face. Unfortunately, it was further hidden by a golden mask, but a pair of light-blue eyes were visible. The pupils dilated, then began to stretch vertically, emitting a palpable field of fear.

Still Lan Jue held his lazy smile. "I see you are of the Moonfiend Empress. Each of you shall leave a finger, and five million in medical expenses. Then you may go."

"Now that you know our identity, you should understand the Way of the Moonfiend Pirates. Give us Oliver and the stone, or we'll hunt you until death even if you are phantom of lightning!"

As the name of the Moonfiend Pirates hung in the air, nearly all the onlookers took a collective step backwards. The crowd that had surrounded Zeus' Jewelry Store had suddenly grown thinner. No small number of lookers wordlessly dropped their heads and fled.

Flippantly, Lan Jue responded. "You came today of your own accord, am I right?"

The golden man was taken aback, but responded harsher than before. "I'll ask for the last time, give up the stone!"

A sigh fell from Lan Jue's lips. "Disasters from the heavens can be forgiven and avoided, but the sins of man must have consequences. Even were it the Moonfiend Empress herself standing before me, she'd lose more than a finger in payment. Do you believe even you, relying on your ninth-level Talent, can afford to cause trouble on Skyfire Avenue?

At this he turned to a spot in the gathered masses and nodded. "Wine Master, if you would indulge me. These gentlemen are subordinates of someone I know. I intend to exact payment."

"Very well," responded a deep voice. Though it came from a great distance, it was as clearly heard as though it had come from right beside him.

Suddenly, the sky grew dark. Skyfire Underground's controlled climate never saw such shifts, but in this moment the entirety of the avenue was plunged in to darkness. On that dark canvas suddenly bloomed a great purple light, spreading like an enormous halo.

For an instant it was as though the whole of Skyfire Avenue warped violently, and just as quickly all was bright was more, back to as it was. All except for Lan Jue and the hooded assailants, who had vanished.

"Back to your duties," a harsh voice commanded. A silver-clad woman had appeared from nowhere, and stood before the Enforcers barking commands.

She was tall, slim, and symmetrical. Beautiful, with silver hair cut at her ears. Her eyes bore the same metallic shine, and a shimmering aura of energy surrounded her lithe frame.

"Yes, Captain." The gathered Enforcers snapped to attention before slinking sheepishly in to the crowd.

Adepts native to Skyfire knew to retreat with the appearance of the silver-clad woman. To them seeing her was like facing a nightmare. Those who were not familiar still stood, mouth agape in wonder and fear at the strange singularity they had witnessed.

"You think you can react any slower?" Mika stared sardonically at the young woman.

The silver woman shot her a hard look. "I was topside."

Mika's lips curled. "Well you can head out. It looks like things have been handled."

She shook her head in response. "I'll wait for the Jewelry Master's return. This needs an explanation."

Mika raised a brow. "You expect an explanation from our boss?"

"I do," came her response, without hesitation.

Mika's eyes shown devilishly. It was as though a fire was alive in their depths. "And who are you?"

The silver woman lifted her hands to pull down the hood of her trench coat. Those shimmering silver eyes then grew transparent and dark, like dual whirlpools of tarnished silver swirling in their sockets. Fearlessly she stared back at Mika. "I am the Vice Captain of the Skyfire Avenue Enforcement Team. I have the authority to monitor all of the shops here."

Mika snorted irreverently, and her body grew covered in ominous hyacinth flames. The overpowering scent of gunpowder arose suddenly between the two great beauties.

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Chapter 59: The Moonfiend Empress

"Alright, alright sister. If miss An Liu wants to wait then she can wait." The pretty voice came from behind, and Lin Guoguo's slender figure approached to block Mika's approach.

Her body was enveloped in a faint pink aura, making her appear strange and ethereal. Blanketed in this rose light and exuding her trademark sweetness she was like a faerie. Mika's angry red flames seems to shrinking the face of Lin Guoguo's presence.

"Enough!" Mika huffed, causing the flames around her to leap higher. "Let's go then. If someone wants to sit and look after the mutt on our doorstep then let them."

Lin Guoguo gave An Liu an apologetic look. "I'm very sorry miss An Liu. Mika really does have an awful temper. You shouldn't take it personally."

An Liu's features remained hard and cold, but she nodded her head and moved to the side of Zeus' Jewelry Store to wait.

Lin Guoguo then turned to follow Mika inside.

"Mika, why is it you get so mad every time you run in to miss An Liu? Didn't the boss tell you to avoid using your power as much as possible?" Lin Guoguo stood at Mika's side and spoke no higher than a whisper.

Mika grunted. "It's nothing, just looking at that b*tchy face makes me angry. You shouldn't bother with her either, she's no good."

ζ

It was a white world. The sky, the ground – everything was washed white. It made everything flat and two dimensional, difficult to judge distance.

Confusion was clear in the eyes of the golden hooded man and his six silver-clad cohorts.

None had any clue where they were.

As moonfiend pirates, on their own planet they were the judges and executioners, masters of life and death. As a result they had grown overbearing, arrogant, proud.

This was particularly true for the golden man. He felt, as a ninth-level Adept, he was above the common rabble and their rules. There was very little in his world that could cause him fear. It was this fearlessness that sent him to Skyfire Avenue despite it's reputation.

Lan Jue stood as he did before, hands stuffed in to the pocket of his jeans. Though now there was a clear dissatisfaction in his eyes.

He lifted his hand and punched a string of numbers in to the communicator strapped to his wrist. Soon after the connection stuttered to life.

Beep, beep

"Eh? What are you doing calling me? I thought you'd died ages ago." The voice that wafted through the communicator was soft and quiet.

"Your subordinates wanted to tear my shop down," Lan Jue responded. "I thought I should let you know."

"Huh? You've opened a shop, where are you? This poor woman has been looking for you for three years with no luck, so imagine my surprise to hear you're a shopkeeper. What do you sell?" The woman on the other end sounded as though she'd woken up, her previously lazy intonations becoming clear and sweet. Surprise was also clear in her voice.

Lan Jue spoke to his wrist. "I was no longer interested in my old life. I just wanted things to be nice and quiet, so I opened a place on Skyfire Avenue. As for the other matter, you should speak with your people." He removed the communicator from his wrist and handed it to the golden man.

"Empress." The man spoke in to the item with trepidation.

"Which one is this?" The sweet and gentle woman's voice had changed again, this time bearing a chill that cut to the bone.

"I'm Gao Yong." A bitterness crept in to the golden man's mouth.

"What happened," The woman known as the Empress asked.

Gao Yong dare not slight his mistress, and so briefly recounted the circumstances.

"Alright, very good." Despite the words, the Moonfiend Empress' voice had grown markedly chillier.

"Empress, that stone is very important. We suspect it holds enormous energy, an energy that hasn't been tapped in to." The golden man hurriedly tried to offer his explanation.

"And this is your reason for leading men in to Skyfire Avenue?"

Gao Yong was silent, as if he knew what was to come.

"Give the communicator back to that guy," the Empress snapped.

Gao Yong lifted his head to look at Lan Lue, who was standing calmly to the side as though nothing had happened. The golden man took a deep breath and, with a dark glint in his eye, took a step forward to stand before Lan Jue. He handed him the communicator.

"Would you like to handle this, or should I?" Lan Jue asked indifferently.

The Empress' sweet voice once more rang from the communicator. "I really never would have imagined in these three years you'd have run off to Skyfire Avenue. It is, in fact, quite a nice place. Thank you, I'll deal with it."

The corner of Lan Jue' mouth curled in to a smile. "I see you've finally grown a little conscientious."

The Empress laughed. "I know you feel for me, you don't want to weaken my organization."

"Gao Yong," she barked.

The golden man lifted his head and looked directly at the communicator in Lan Jue's hand.

"In accordance with his wishes you all will cut off one finger and pay him what he asked. Then you'll get your asses back here. You'll forget this whole issue with the stone ever happened."

Gao Yong stood in stunned silence. Although in his heart he knew it was coming, he almost couldn't believe it coming from his Empress' mouth. This was the Moonfiend Empress, destroyer of cities! Arbiter of life and death, with a heart of stone who would shatter any opponent who dared defy her like an uncaring bolt of thunder. Yet in the face of this man before him, she orders a senior general to injure himself. It was beyond belief.

"Gao Yong!" The Empress' powerful voice burst out.

"I refuse!" he blurted out, his voice full of indignation. Yes, he refused, how could he possibly be convinced to do otherwise.

"Empress, I've done no wrong. I've done nothing but what's best for the Moonfiend Pirates. How could you treat me like this? You don't fear disappointing my brothers?" Gao Yong shouted angrily at the communicator in Lan Jue's hand.

The Empress was silent.

Lan Jue sighed once more. "Some people are so stupid there isn't any medicine in the universe that can save them. Empress, let me help you teach them a lesson."

The Moonfiend Empress sighed as well. "What's your status on the Avenue?"

"Councilman," Lan Jue replied.

"Then I appreciate you taking the trouble," she said. "Keep that one alive, but the others I leave up to you. If they continue to cause you trouble then deal with the lot."

Lan Jue smiled. "So be it. I'll speak with you later." He hung up.

His eyes rose to fix upon Gao Yong. "You refuse to submit?"

Gao Yong glared daggers back at him. "Why should I submit?"

"Very well then. I'll give you all a chance," Lan Jue said. "Beat me, and you all can leave Skyfire Avenue unmolested."

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Chapter 60: Gravity Manipulation

Gao Yong's eyes veritably filled with evil intent. It exuded from his every pore, filling the air though it could not be physically seen.

The place they found themselves in, this world of white, was simple and bleak but did not effect the abilities of the Adepts that inhabited it.

Gao Yong wasn't stupid, he knew that trying to escape from this place with his henchmen would be futile. The legends of Skyfire Avenue were true, he knew, and likely greater than he even expected. As for the young man before him he'd learned from listening to his exchange with the Empress that he was a Skyfire Councilman, and a ninth-level Talent.

But so was he! What was the difference? How had he gained such favor from the Empress? Gao Yong had never heard such mild and sweet words from his mistress, she who was so noble, beautiful and powerful. This guy before him, what was it he had?

He was angry and indignant, yes, but beneath that swam a current of jealousy!

His right foot took a step forward, and a terrifying rumble exuded from Gao Yong's position. Around them, the color of the entire planet began to change.

Lan Jue very slightly lifted an eyebrow. "Gravity manipulation."

He felt as though his body had become lead. Gravity tore at him, trying to crush him to the ground.

Gravity manipulation, certainly a powerful Discipline. Cultivated to it's highest levels, it could effect even the smallest hair. One could make themselves light as a feather, and increase the effects of gravity a thousand-fold on their enemies. It was a powerful ability, even were you to fight single-handed against a mecha.

At Gao Yong's motion the six silver men behind him also began to move.

They crossed their legs and sat, a mighty fluctuation of energy pouring forth from their bodies.

And as the undulating powers of the six mingled with Gao Yong's own energies, they began to blend in to one.

The golden man's skin began to blacken. It was stark against the white backdrop of the world around them, and made him look like he had been infused with ink.

At that, even Lan Jue couldn't help his feelings from being written clearly on his face.

"Gravity overlay… your power expanding so long as you're near your people," Lan Jue observed with surprise.

"That's right." Gao Yong's pride was clear in his voice. "Though none of them exceed a six-level Talent, they have been with me for years. Their similar abilities when supplementing mine empower my Discipline from a third degree ninth-level to a fifth degree or higher. To beat me in the midst of my brothers will require no less than three top-level Talents."

"No wonder you so blatantly entered Skyfire Avenue," Lan Jue stated.

Gao Yong continued in his cold metallic voice. "Regardless of your ninth level Talent, under my powers of gravity you'll find even moving to be difficult, much less to endure with gravity compressing you. You would be crushed and broken by my power of gravity before you even knew who did it to you."

Lan Jue heaved yet another sigh. "Yup, that is indeed the power you hold."

"Then let me see what powers you hold," Gao Yong stated cruelly, "Lest I reduce you to dust."

"I know you're thinking, deep in your heart, why your Great Empress would speak to a man such as me in such a polite fashion," Lan Jue said. "Am I right?"

Gao Yong paused, causing his manipulation of the gravity force around them to change. Not weaker, but stronger still.

The area around Lan Jue had began to warp perceptibly.

"Then I'll tell you." Lan Jue smirked, as though the crushing field of gravity around him had no effect. "It's because she's scared of me!"

His allegations were punctuated with a dazzling blue light, bursting forth from his body.

The pale white world was as paper, and the field of gravity stains of ink. Lan Jue was the brush, sweeping through the ink to add an azure hue.

A violent peel of thunder arose, and the light encompassing Lan Jue became a great globe of roiling lightning.

The black field of increase gravity fled broke against the sudden burst of power and fled from around the Jewelry Master. Then, in an instant, he appeared before Gao Yong as though he'd been there all along.

He broke out of my control? He was a master of battlefield control, an adept of domination. This sort of situation was precisely the kind he feared the most. It meant not only was this man more powerful, but that he also had the specific ability to obliterate his power of manipulation.

The world grew bright, and once more Lan Jue soundlessly vanished. He reappeared, but not beside Gao Yong. Instead he stood behind the golden man's silvery compatriots.

Six twisting bolts of lightning reached out like snakes, striking at the six hooded figures. The six-level Talents groaned in unison, then fell to the floor.

Gao Yong felt his gravity manipulation weaken considerably with the loss of their amplification. In that moment he dared not turn to see what had happened.

In a flash the world was afire in blue light, then Lan Jue appeared once more. The Phantom of Lightning was hunched beside the fallen bodies of his henchmen.

"Gao Yong, had you chosen to accept from the onset I wouldn't have had anything further to say to you. Due to my words your Empress has offered some good advice. These last few years I've grown, and my heart isn't as it once was." As he spoke, Lan Jue slowly lifted up the right hand of one of the downed henchmen. Deftly, he severed a finger.

"You… !" Gao Yong felt his chest tighten. Gravity around him shifted, and in the space of a moment he was beside Lan Jue. He launched a fist at the phantom of lightning, surrounding it with the weight of seven times normal gravity. He knew if he could land even one punch, he'd tear the bastard asunder.

But his fist merely tore through the air. Lan Jue was already beside the second subordinate, exacting the due punishment.

Since attaining the ninth rank of his talent, Gao Yong had never felt so humiliated. He roared at his shame, at Lan Jue, and launched himself forward.

But Lan Jue only stood. His eyes fixed upon the golden man, and flashed an ethereal blue.

Two beams of light radiated from those unsettling blue eyes.

The white world became blue. A deep, royal blue from heaven to earth. It was no forest of lightning, but a sea. An ocean of all-consuming electricity.

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Chapter 61: Professional Ethics

"Here." Lan Jue handed a strip of golden cloth to An Liu.

The silver woman tenderly opened the cloth to discover seven fingers and a check inside.

"Did you pay as well?" An Liu looked pointedly at Lan Jue.

"I can, but you'd have to pay me back," he responded, beaming a smile at her.

"Fine." An Liu grunted, her eyes softening somewhat.

Lan Jue went on. "Show these gentlemen out of Skyfire Avenue. Make sure they aren't allowed back in."

She nodded once again, straightening her posture before offering a formal bow. "I will be submitting a report concerning this dereliction of duty, and will await punishment."

Lan Jue lifted his hand, wanting to pat her shoulder. But his hand stopped in the air when he saw her eyes. "It's fine, don't be so grave. Off you go, you're busy." He dropped his hand, turned, and made his way in to the jewelry store.

Ting ting ting!

"Welcome back boss," Lin Guoguo greeted pleasantly.

"Clever Guoguo. Where's Mika?" he asked.

"Mm," Lin Guoguo grunted. "She's over there sulking."

Lan Jue chuckled and made his way behind the counter to spy Mika. He gave her a smile. "If you keep getting angry during working hours I'm going to have to dock your pay!"

Mika lifted her head to glare at Lan Jue. "When have you ever given us a paycheck?"

"Eh…" Lan Jue rubbed his nose defensively. "I actually don't know how much the store makes… but what's mine is yours!"

Mika's eyes adopted a lascivious glint. "Is that true for people, too?"

"Certainly not!" Lan Jue straightened with feigned indignation. "I'm a man of high moral integrity!"

"Pfft!" The sound didn't just come from Mika.

Lan Jue rubbed his face. "Right, don't be mad. You know why I didn't let you get involved."

Mika frowned, her voice carrying distinct hints of a pout. "To bully me."

Lan Jue gave her a wry smirk. "Your power is simply too dangerous. If you lose control think of what it'd do to the Avenue. Don't you like it here?"

Mika shot to her feet. "What do you think. Here!" She threw a memory stick at Lan Jue.

"The location of the power stone deposit?"

"Mm." Mika nodded her head.

"You two shouldn't always be so secretive! I get jealous!" Lin Guoguo pressed closer, her pink lip jutting forth.

Mika giggled, throwing her arms around Lin Guoguo and pecking her on the mouth. Lin Guoguo's face grew red, her eyes widening in surprise. She gave Mika a chastising look.

"I didn't see anything. I'm leaving." Lan Jue covered his eyes with one hand, and pinched his nose with the other for fear his nose would start bleeding*. He turned quickly and left.

"Coward," Mika mumbled.

"Miikaaa!" Lin Guoguo's furious voice rang through the store, causing Mika to jump.

"Fine, fine! I wont make you reciprocate." She quickly dodged around the corner, out of Guoguo's reach.

"You stole my first kiss!"

"Nonsense. Didn't you take advantage of him while he slept, kissing him after saving you that one time?"

"How did you know!"

"I was only pretending to sleep!" Mika said around a devilish smile.

"Mika! I'll kill you!"

ζ

Early in the morning, after washing her face and teeth, Zhou Qianlin began her morning run.

Most were still in the grip of dreams at this time of day. She loved her morning runs; they swept away the sleep from her body, got her blood circulating, so she had spirit for the rest of the day.

However, compared with her usual demeanor, her mind was racing faster than her body.

He was an electives teacher, so he needn't come for class every day. She'd forgotten to ask yesterday what his schedule was.

She hadn't thought the guy would so readily help her look after her elderly friends.

At the memory she couldn't help her pretty face from adopting a small smile.

"What are you thinking about, that's making you smile like a little fox." The voice suddenly arose from behind her, making her jump. She turned her head and spotted someone set not far off, arms crossed over his chest.

"You, what are you doing here?" The mountain was home to many of the most rich and notable. The security was supposed to be impeccable.

Lan Jue spoke up. "You know, if this mountain is so hard to get on to, how am I supposed to protect you?" He swept his eyes over her figure as he spoke.

She wore a plain white jumpsuit, and a similarly pale handkerchief pulling her fine black hair in to a ponytail. She wore no make-up, allowing her natural beauty to shine forth.

Zhou Qianlin frowned. "You know this over-inflated ego of yours is terribly unattractive. You don't think I'll call security?"

Lan Jue looked shocked. "You wouldn't. I'm taking you out to dinner tonight, I deserve some slack."

"Hmph!" Zhou Qianlin was highly amused by his apparent trepidation. But she quickly recovered. "Go on. Why'd you come out here so early in the morning."

Lan Jue chuckled. "I'm a bodyguard aren't I? Of course I'm here to send you to school."

Zhou Qianlin responded, "I find it hard to believe you."

"It's true," he said. "I don't have any classes, so I wont be going to the campus. I have something else to take care of. But I figured I'd come early to send you there. I'll come back tonight to bring you out to dinner. We can take my bike like yesterday."

Zhou Qianlin stared at him openmouthed. "Well look at you, being responsible!"

Lan Jue stuck his chin out proudly. "It's called 'professional ethics'!"

"Well then wait for a little while. Let me change then we'll go."

"No hurry. I imagine you haven't eaten breakfast yet. Eat, then we'll leave. I'll wait for you here." Lan Jue smiled at her.

"Alright," she responded, then turned and ran back towards her home.

Bai Xiao watched her daughter bounce in to the room. It was strange, she thought. "What's got you in such a good mood, Linlin?"

"Am I happy?" Zhou Qianlin replied.

"It's been a while since I've seen that smile from my daughter, like a thousand lilies blooming," came her response.

Her face grew red, and she stuck her tongue out at her mother. "Oh really?"

Bai Xiao nodded earnestly.

"Is breakfast ready, mom?" Zhou Qianlin quickly attempted to change the subject.

"Yup. You got back early this morning. Your father just got up."

Zhou Qianlin giggled. "Alright, I'll go eat firs then!"

"Sure. Qianlin, do you want the car to send you today?"

Zhou Qianlin gave her mother a helpless look. "Mom, why do you ask the same questions every day. Our house and car all belong to the Eastern Alliance. They aren't ours for personal use! I'll send myself to school." She spoke over her shoulder as she made her way to the dining room.

Watching her daughter's retreating figure Bai Xiao couldn't help but smile. "Little minx, you're so pretty! Your mother doesn't feel safe! Although… never mind. So long as you're happy. Maybe the breaking of that marriage contract was a good thing."

*A common anime trope, seeing something sexy or exciting causes the viewing character to suffer explosive nose bleeds.

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Chapter 62: Spirit Caller Power Gem

The early morning was a little cold, but fresh and clear.

Lan Jue pedaled his antique bicycle, leisurely meandering towards the university campus. Zhou Qianlin sat behind, smiling prettily. She would, on occasion, pull funny faces at his back.

"What are you going to do today?" she asked casually.

"It's a secret."

"Fine then." Zhou Qianlin huffed. "By the way, how often are your classes?"

"Two days a week," he replied.

"So few? That's intentional, right? You make a terribly incompetent bodyguard." She muttered in malcontent.

"I've done some looking around," he said. "The campus looks relatively safe. Besides, I can't usually leave Skyfire Avenue. If you need something I'm a call away."

As he spoke he managed the bicycle with one hand and reached back with the other to hand Zhou Qianlin something.

Zhou Qianlin reflexively reached up and took it.

In her hand was a pendant of some white metal, inlaid with an occidental topaz. It was simple and delicate.

"What's this," she said crankily.

"It's a power gem. Called a Spirit Caller. C-Ranked. Two gems are linked together, and when worn share their thoughts with the person on the other end. The link can't be broken or interrupted. I've already linked it with another, and it should work anywhere on the planet. So long as we're both on Planet Skyfire, all you need to do is infuse it with your will and you'll link up with me.

"So this is a Spirit Caller power gem." Zhou Qianlin turned the pendant around in her hand, staring at it appraisingly.

"You know about them?" He sounded surprised.

Zhou Qianlin nodded. "I've heard of them. Even though they're ranked as a C, their rarity and function makes them no less valuable than your average B-ranked power gem."

Lan Jue chuckled. "Are you impressed?"

"Nope. Standard for a bodyguard." Her tones were matter-of-fact, but she didn't hesitate to slip it around her neck. The pendant was cold, she could feel it through her clothing. It drew a small shudder from her and he thought that the pendant had just been in Lan Jue's hand caused her to blush.

"If that's what you think then throw it away!" Lan Jue growled. He pressed hard against the pedals and the bike shot forward.

ζ

Five hundred meters from the NEU.

Zhou Qianlin's sleek hair swung as it was caught by the wind. She called towards Lan Jue. "I'm off!"

"Mmhm. I'll be here to pick you up tonight." Lan Jue was still in a poor mood.

She gave him a cunning grin. "Bodyguard, if you aren't afraid I'll make you lose face, I'll just wear my school uniform to attend your dinner." A fair, clear laugh tumbled from her lips as she turned and made her way towards the university.

Lan Jue stared at her back, slack-jawed. "Am I bodyguard or a baby-sitter? I must have been having a stroke yesterday, why else did I invite her to dinner. Now I'm responsible for how she dresses? Ugh! Let me go get you a bikini, see if you dare wear it!"

By the time he'd ridden his bicycle back to Skyfire Avenue, the day was in full swing. Beams of radiant sunlight beamed down upon the street. The fine buildings were blanketing in the golden glow of the sun.

He went directly to Zeus' Jewelry Shop. As he entered and the melodious doorbell sounded, four pairs of pretty eyes turned towards him.

Today it wasn't just Ke'er and Xiuxiu who manned the store, but Lin Guoguo and Mika were in attendance as well.

Each of the four beauties had their difference, but at this moment they stood in one line, a team in fine black skirts. Lan Jue stared back at each of them in silence.

Mika, with her flowing red hair, pink eyes and black-framed glasses.

Lin Guoguo, adorable with her short green hair and pale green eyes.

The elegantly beautiful black hair and eyes of Xiuxiu.

Finally, the cute and vivacious Ke'er, her short blue hair matching her deep blue eyes.

Four gorgeous women, four styles of hair, four fine pairs of eyes. Each looked beautiful and refined in the work uniform, the sort of beauty that could make a man shudder.

Where each to turn around, they'd reveal the golden lightning bolts sewn in to their skirts.

"Hey boss!" All four, with hands folded before their skirted waists, bowed as he entered. The sudden inundation of bosom shot his blood-pressure in to the red.

"Eh…" Lan Jue took a frightened step back. "Whaaat's going on here?"

The four women rose in unison. Ke'er spoke first. "Nothing! This is how we're supposed to act, isn't it?" She giggled prettily.

Lan Jue rolled his eyes. "You all never show any respect, and suddenly this? There must be a reason, so go on spit it out."

Each young woman smiled devilishly at the accusation. Lin Guoguo covered her mouth, speaking in quiet tones. "Boss knows us well. Really it's nothing, just… if you're planning to go somewhere we'd like to come along. It's be so long since we've traveled to any other planet."

"Knock it off," Lan Jue muttered helplessly. "You guys get three holidays a year. Where do you want to go that you can't get to?"

It was Mika's turn. "How is that the same? We go by ourselves, or the boss takes us out to play. Boss, I was the one that found the mineral vein for the power gems. If anyone should go along it should be me."

"I wanna go too!" Ke'er's pretty face was scrunched in discontent.

Lin Guoguo batted her big, pretty eyes at Lan Jue. "Boss, you should do what you like," her pretty voice whispered. "If you don't want to bring Guoguo, that's fine." Her eyes had grown watery as they trained on him.

Only Xiuxiu stood quietly, smiling at Lan Jue. But her eyes alone spoke volumes.

Lan Jue shook his head. "I knew it. Wolves in sheeps clothing, all of you."

Mika snickered, and bounded to Lan Jue's side. She pulled at his wrist. "Boss, you've been different lately. More energetic. We just want to help that grow! Come on, taking us along will only make you look better – we're all pretty girls!"

Lan Jue looked defeated. "Alright, alright. First we'll research the location of the mineral deposit. If we really go, then we'll all go. I guess it has been a long time since I've taken you all out."

"That's right, Zeus' Amazons left the mercenary world years ago. We're afraid people will have forgotten about us! Even to the point people even dare come in our shop to cause trouble. Hyaa!" Ke'er jabbed her tiny fists fiercely through the air.

Lan Jue motioned with a flourish. "Shut the doors. To the back room, let's see what's going on with this mundus ore vein."

"As you wish, boss!" The four women called in chorus, excitement filling their sweet voices.

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Chapter 63: Shattered Starfields

"Boss, according to the information from the man called Oliver, I've narrowed the location of the Mundus vein to somewhere in this region." Mika pushed her glasses further up on her nose, lending her a distinctly intellectual appearance.

A curtain of pale yellow light appeared before Lan Jue and the four women. The orb it created was alive with twinkling lights – a star map.

"It must be there. The Shattered Starfields." Lan Jue narrowed his brow.

The Shattered Starfields. It was a place Zeus and his Four Amazons were intimately familiar with.

It was situated in the very center of humanity's three Great Alliances. By size alone it was larger than any one of the Alliances. It effectively cut off each from the other, requiring a wormhole to circumnavigate.

The interior was riddled with asteroid belts, each of them unstable. They moved without rhyme or reason. What's more, strange planets resided within. The Three they were called, nestled within the depths of the belts themselves.

But there was more than these three planets and their belts, of course. A multitude of smaller planets could also be found. They were also unsafe and unstable, damaged from repeatedly passing through the shifting asteroid belts.

It was this instability, and the very real danger of destruction that ensured no large-scale airship ever dared sail through.

It was also why the Shattered Starfields had become a pirate's playground. Larger ships were unable to pass, but smaller ships could traverse without incident owing to their increased maneuverability and the experience of their pilots. The three large planets hidden amidst the asteroid curtains were all hearth and home to pirates.

Pirate clans both large and small dominated the area. The smallest counted barely a hundred strong, while the largest could be separated in to several divisions. The largest were housed on the three main planets, but the smaller ones also were home to smaller pirate clans. The more stable the planet, obviously, the more powerful the clan it was home to.

The Moonfiend Pirates were the first among the buccaneers. Their Moonfiend Empress was also known among them as the greatest of the Pirate Kings. Her strength and reputation is what allowed for those like Gao Yong to give in to their arrogance, and attempt to assault Skyfire Avenue.

Lan Jue looked upon three planets Mika had narrowed their search too. His face grew darker still. "If we want to go to any of those, we'll have to visit the Three first to resupply. They also keep moving, so we'll need to find a specific bearing to get to them. We'll need accurate starmaps from the Three to proceed.

Mika nodded. "Of course. So to find the Mundus vein we'll need supplies and maps from the Three, then we can get started. In my estimation the collision from the asteroid belts, and the friction it causes, would lead to the creation of all sorts of material. We should find a sizable vein."

Xiuxiu's apprehensive voice chimed in. "Even assuming we find it, extracting it will be no small problem. After all the starfields are pirate territory."

Lan Jue's pensive expression shifted, and he smiled. "It will indeed, but we'll have some help there. The Keeper and I have entered in to arrangement, sharing the proceeds. He's sure to lend some aid."

"That old scientist?" Lin Guoguo sounded taken aback.

Lan Jue nodded. "We're all denizens of the Avenue, aren't we? It would be rude not to share."

Ke'er stuck out her lower lip in defiance. "We don't need Skyfire Avenue's protection anyway."

Lan Jue only smiled, but Xiuxiu gave her a reprimanding poke.

Lin Guoguo went on. "Boss, give the word. When are we heading out?"

Lan Jue shut off the projector and turned to face the four girls. "Are we really all going? We're leaving no one to keep shop?"

The women each looked at one another, but it was Xiuxiu who eventually dropped her head and spoke. "I can stay, boss."

Mika wrapped her arm around Xiuxiu's shoulder. "Stop being such a goodie-goodie already. It makes it hard to tease you."

Ke'er spoke up. "Don't tease sister Xiuxiu!"

Lin Guoguo winked an eye. "We have to pass out of the alliance, three million kilometers from the planet before we can jump through a wormhole and passed the alliance defenders. Then we'll have to jump again through the collapsing wormhole. Then we'll be in range of the Shattered Starfield. We'll need seven days to get there, then considering travel within the system and a return flight, we're looking at twenty-five days to a month so long as we don't run in to any problems. Closing the shop for a month isn't so long."

"That's right!" Ke'er vigorously nodded her head.

"Fine," Lan Jue said. "Start preparing. Since we're all leaving, we'll leave as early as we can. Tomorrow morning."

The women each looked at each other, their pretty eyes filled with excitement. "Thank you boss," the spoke in unison.

Mika: "I'll make sure we stick to the plan."

Lin Guoguo: "I'll prepare the airship."

Ke'er: "I'll be responsible for supplies."

Xiuxiu: "I've got the equipment and resource assignment."

Seeing the girls so excited caused Lan Jue's smile to grow brighter. "This is all on us. Our own mission. We'll call it Operation Crystal Incursion."

"Yeah," the girls answered together. It was like they'd all changed, a fire roiling in the depths of their pretty eyes.

Yes! Zeus' Amazons. Three years of waiting, three years of silence. The sleeping giant was finally awakening. How could they not be excited? It was as though the universe had suddenly opened up before them.

They each had the urge to shout it towards the heavens. Zeus is back!

ζ

It was afternoon, and already the sunlight wasn't as dazzling as it had been in the morning. The sun had begun it's trek to the horizon, and below it studies had begun to end for the day in the National Eastern University. Zhou Qianlin and Tang Mi were making their way from the campus.

"Where are you heading to tonight anyway, Qianlin? Why aren't you leaving with me?" Tang Mi asked in curiosity.

"I'm going to the beautician with mother," Qianlin answered. "She's coming to pick me up. You can go ahead and head out first."

Tang Mi continued suspiciously. "Skin like yours and you're still going to a beautician? If that's the case what am I supposed to do? Anyway, I'll head out then. I don't know what my brother's been up to either. Yesterday he let someone beat him to a pulp, and today he didn't even bother to come to school. I'll go home and look for him."

"Alright, I'll see you later."

Zhou Qianlin began walking. Five hundred meters later she saw a familiar antique bicycle.

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Chapter 64: Hera?

"Let's go!" Zhou Qianlin had become a natural sitting on the back seat of the bicycle. Lan Jue pushed the bike forward off the tip of his toes.

Lan Jue was garbed in simple attire; blue jeans, white leisure shoes and a white shirt. Simple and stylish.

Sitting behind him, Zhou Qianlin asked, "How long have you been waiting?"

"Only a little bit," he replied.

"When's your second class?"

"Actually there won't be a second class for a little while," Lan Jue said. "I was actually just going to tell you, I'm afraid I'm going to have to play hookie for a little while."

"Huh?" Zhou Qianlin shot a confused gaze at his back.

He continued. "There's a matter I have to deal with. I was just at the teaching affairs office asking for leave."

For a moment she was speechless, but eventually found her voice. "You have one class, then ask for leave? Aren't you afraid the school will dismiss you?"

Lan Jue smiled bitterly at the road before him. "They wouldn't go so far as to dismiss me. But the Dean Wu's face certainly wasn't pretty."

Zhou Qianlin chuckled. "Director Wu's face is usually like that. But if you're just going to leave like that what about your bodyguard responsibilities?"

"This is also something I wanted to ask you about. What do you think? This is a very important matter, something I have to handle in person. I have to head out to another planet so it'll be a while."

A tremor of anxiety thrilled through Zhou Qianlin's eyes. "How long?"

"If there aren't any troubles, about a month," he said.

Zhou Qianlin fell silent.

Lan Jue didn't speak either, and the atmosphere became somber.

"I'm sorry! I really am a person of my word, but I really do have something that I must deal with. We'll just add the time to my service. However long I'm gone, we'll add that much time. And I'll find someone else to look after you during this time. You definitely wont be in any danger."

Zhou Qianlin shook her head. "I don't need anyone else to look after me. We'll just postpone the time."

"Hey, since when did you become so pliable?" Lan Jue was quite surprised at the change.

She huffed at him. "I'm not in the mood to haggle with you. But I need your guarantee, whatever you're doing can't interfere with your teaching qualifications. Otherwise doing your job is going to become much harder."

"Not a problem," he said without hesitation.

With the atmosphere once more light-hearted they continued, but a touch of anxiety still lingered in Zhou Qianlin's beautiful jade-green eyes. On the occasions her eyes landed upon Lan Jue, their depths grew even more complicated.

It didn't matter how strong Lan Jue's genetic talent was, he couldn't see the changes in those beautiful eyes.

The trip to Skyfire Avenue from the school wasn't a short one. The sky had already grown dark by the time they arrived.

Lan Jue dismounted the bike just outside of the Avenue. Even though the bike was man-powered, it was stilled considered machinery and thus was banned from use in Skyfire Avenue. But it could be pushed in, since it was – after all – an antique.

As a councilman, he also had the authority to bring 'normal' people in without incident.

Passing along the brick-lined, elegant simplicity of the Avenue caused Zhou Qianlin to swing her eyes every which way in curiosity.

"They're beautiful." She couldn't help the tones of amazement in her voice.

Lan Jue's face betrayed a small smile. "The pride of Skyfire Avenue."

"It's deserved. What are we eating tonight?"

"First we've got to change clothes," Lan Jue said.

She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, wide-eyed. "You really prepared clothes for me?"

"That's how reliable I am!"

Zhou Qianlin snorted a sarcastic laugh. "You're such a sweetheart."

"If you'd give me back those clothes I lent you that night, it'd be even better," Lan Jue probed.

Zhou Qianlin raised her pretty brows. "Those are my sisters, not yours! Can you wear them? If you can fit then I'll give it back."

Lan Jue's mouth curled in to a frown. "Forget I said anything…"

The whole of Skyfire Avenue stretched two thousand and eighty meters. It wasn't long before the sapphire door of Zeus' Jewelry Shop appeared before them.

"Compared to the other places, your shop is hideous." Zhou Qianlin sneered at the door.

"Just missing a little of that rustic charm," he said helplessly.

Ding ding ding! The bells above the door heralded their entrance.

"Hello and welco-" came Ke'er's fair voice in greeting, though the final word caught in her throat as her eyes fell upon them. They grew large in disbelief.

"What is it, Ke'er?" Xiuxiu stopped tidying to look up at the sound of Ke'er's strange voice. In an instant she, too, was as stupefied as her co-worker. For a moment her pretty face looked like she had a stroke. She looked almost frightened.

"H-hera?" Ke'er and Xiuxiu called out, almost on top of one another. Their disbelief was so strong that they feared even speaking her name might make her disappear.

Lan Jue and Zhou Qianlin stood shoulder to shoulder. His voice raised slightly as he spoke. "Finally it isn't just me who thinks that. Let me introduce you, this is Zhou Qianlin. Hera's little sister. They're just very similar. Qianlin, these two are my work partners, Xiuxiu and Ke'er."

Zhou Qianlin gave them both a shy smile. "Hello."

The two women still hadn't totally recovered. They exchanged glances, still unsure of what stood before them.

"You.. you really aren't Hera?" Ke'er asked.

Zhou Qianlin gave a small laugh. "I'm Zhou Qianlin. A student at National Eastern University."

Ke'er pat her chest. When she spoke a tinge of fear still lingered. "Oh that scared me! I was going to say, how could Hera survive standing on an exploding planet!"

"Ke'er!" Xiuxiu caught Lan Jue's dark expression, hurrying to shut her up.

Ke'er instantly became aware of her mistake, wincing and sticking out her tongue in embarrassment. "Hi, miss Zhou, please come in."

Lan Jue huffed a small sigh and helplessly shook his head. "Xiuxiu, please bring miss Zhou to the back. I've already prepared some clothes for her. Please have her change. I've invited her to eat at the Gourmet's tonight."

"Right away." Xiuxiu dropped her head respectfully, motioning for Zhou Qianlin to follow.

Zhou Qianlin followed on her heels. Watching her leave, Ke'er then quickly jumped to Lan Jue's side. She put on her gossip voice. "Boss! Miss Zhou really isn't Hera? She's really her sister?"

Lan Jue forced a smile. "What do you think? If she were Hera, I'd be happier than anyone. Unfortunately that's not the case."

Ke'er leaned in, speaking cryptically. "You've been so different lately boss. You've been in a better mood. It's because of her, isn't it?"

"Eh?" Lan Jue's eye's narrowed at her.

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Chapter 65: The Gourmet's Boutique

Elegant dinner jacket, knee-length white skirt, all the same hue, all masterfully made. Her pretty face was lined with silken black hair, and her blue eyes – the color of the sea – twinkled radiantly. She was like a painting, beautiful and moving.

"Not bad." Lan Jue nodded his head approvingly.

Zhou Qianlin's face grew red. No young woman could resist pretty clothing. "Thank you."

"You're young. It wouldn't do to accessories with jewelry that's too fancy. A simple necklace will suffice." Lan Jue smiled softly.

She shook her head. "I'm not interested in any jewelry."

"Jewelry is a woman's best companion. Wearing jewelry isn't about displaying wealth or luxury, but to set off your own natural beauty. Your clothes are cut with a v-neck. It's not deep, but it requires a necklace. It'll show off your complexion, and even further improve the disposition you exude."

"I guess I'll wear one then." Zhou Qianlin fumbled through her bag to produce a small pouch. She opened it and produced the Soul Speaker gem Lan Jue had given her earlier.

Lan Jue looked surprised. "I'd actually prepared you a nice sapphire necklace."

"No need, I'll wear this," she insisted."

"Alright then."

"Help me put it on."

"Lan Jue took up the necklace and positioned himself behind Zhou Qianlin. He slipped the necklace around her throat and fastened it.

It was simple, unadorned, with no fine metals or ornamenting gemstones. The soul speaker gem itself emitted a gentle yellow light, but it did not clash. It added the final touch, highlighting Zhou Qianlin's pure and simple temperament.

"Let's go." Lan Jue offered his right arm, and Zhou Qianlin responded by slipping her hand around his elbow. They pushed the door open and stepped out.

ζ

"I really had no idea Hera had a little sister," Ke'er was saying. She turned her head when Xiuxiu offered no response.

Xiuxiu's frail form, stooped over the counter, jerked suddenly.

"Xiuxiu, what's wrong?" Ke'er hastened to her side.

"I'm fine," she responded, though her voice was hoarse.

Realization came over Ke'er suddenly as she looked at her co-worker. "You're worried about the boss and miss Zhou. She isn't Hera! Don't think too much."

Xiuxiu gently shook her head, sitting a little straighter. She rubbed away a tear that had begun to creep down her face. But it didn't hide her reddening eyes.

"But she looks exactly like her."

Ke'er spoke softly to her. "But that doesn't make her Hera. Think about it. Her voice, her mood, her mannerisms all are different. Not to mention younger. But I don't know why the boss found her."

Xiuxiu shook her head sheepishly. "I'm sorry Ke'er. I think too much."

"Ke'er wrapped her arms around Xiuxiu and gave her a hug. She sighed as she continued. "Xiuxiu, I've actually been wanting to tell you… when the boss looks at us, every time you can see how much he cares!"

Xiuxiu lifted her head, and that normally tender light in her eyes was undercut by a current of determination.

ζ

If one were trying to find the most unimpressive structure on Skyfire Avenue, the old Chinese-style shop with it's carved purple door would probably be it.

It couldn't accurately be described as a shop. Only a minority of Skyfire's residents understood that this particular building held the greatest delicacies on the planet. It was, after all, the Gourmet's personal boutique, not open to the public.

The store here on the Avenue and it's sister in Skyfire Underground were as alike as apples to oysters. While this one was small and narrow, the Undergrounds was no less expansive than the Keeper's pharmacy – and that place served nearly all the Adepts who visited Skyfire. This place was simply used for the Gourmet to entertain friends.

Lan Jue pulled open the door and motioned for Zhou Qianlin to enter.

As Qianlin entered she was immediately met with a distinct fragrance. It wasn't pungent, but unique. It almost filled her up.

A long, simple wooden table stretched the length of the room, and at it's sides sat five people. As she made her way inside, every pair of eyes turned to fall upon her.

Zhou Qianlin felt like a pauper beneath their gaze, but each rose politely to greet her. They all nodded and spoke kind, respectful greetings.

Lan Jue had entered at that point, and stood at her side. "When there's good food you all certainly don't waste any time! Introductions, this is my friend Zhou Qianlin."

"Hello everyone," she greeted with a small smile, nodding to those gathered.

Lan Jue pointed to the one furthest from them, dressed meticulously with the head of silver hair. "This is our Wine Master, who manages the Gothic Winery on the Avenue."

"Nice to meet you," she said again politely.

"Welcome, beautiful lady." The Wine Master stepped forward, and in accordance with noble custom bent to kiss her hand.

Lan Jue continued, indicating a tall and stocky man in his forties. He rose a good head taller than Lan Jue, and his white shirt was stretched taught over his stalwart frame. His face was craggy, his skin tanned bronze, covered with a finely sculpted beard.

"This is our Mechanist. We also call him the Blacksmith."

"Hello," she said gracefully.

The Blacksmith bubbled with laughter. "This is the first time the Jewelry Master has brought someone along, welcome!" He did not move forward, but instead gave her an amicable nod.

"This is our Coffee Master."

"And our Tailor." Lan Jue indicated the other woman present besides Zhou Qianlin.

The Tailor was herself a beautiful woman, of medium build with long brown hair. She was clad in a simple white blouse with the sleeves rolled to her arms and a tight black skirt.

Upon introductions her eyes grew bright. "Qianlin, you really are gorgeous. I simply have make you some clothes."

Zhou Qianlin laughed prettily. "Thank you very much, miss Tailor."

"Please sit," Lan Jue said, pulling free a chair for her.

Zhou Qianlin hesitated. "But there's one other you haven't introduced."

"That one doesn't need an introduction," Lan Jue said casually, "so as to save us all his blathering."

"Jewelry Master! My best friend!" An agitated voice bubbled up from across the table, a pale man with indignant expression. His voice was muffled from the lollipop stuck between his lips.

He stood and made his way towards Zhou Qianlin, his expression changing to adopt a wide smile. He began speaking fast enough to make Zhou Qianlin dizzy. "Hello there pretty lady, I am the universally popular and wisest among us. You an call me: the Accountant! Do you have a boyfriend? It's can't be this Jewelry Master right? Don't be fooled by his finery, inside he's all rubbish. A normal plebian. But me, I'm the young one with all the potential!"

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Chapter 66: The Bluefin Tuna

"Slow it down, there's no hurry," Zhou Qianlin said good-naturedly.

"Shut up, or I'll beat the crap out of you!" The Mechanist's growling voice thrummed through the room as he shook his large fist under the Accountant's nose.

"Only cowards resort to violence!" The accountant shot back.

"Call me a coward and you'll regret it. All I know is, you keep running your mouth and I'll crush you to paste, then scrape you out the door!" The Mechanist's harsh voice threatened.

The Accountant's face paled. "B-bowing to superior physical might is the wise decision. I'll tolerate it, for now!"

Zhou Qianlin struggled to stifle her laughter at seeing this strange man. He was a bit of a clown.

The argument was punctuated with the rise of the back curtain. The Gourmet appeared bearing a large tray, upon which were perched eight delicate square-shaped plates. Each bore a large seaweed roll, though their contents were unclear.

"Here comes the delicious food! What is it? What is it?" The Accountant nearly jumped for joy.

"Shut up!"

The Gourmet placed the platter atop the table. "Our appetizer is a minced handroll. Help yourselves. Made from the left-over pieces while I was carving the Bluefin, wrapped in seaweed. There is no seasoning, just the delicious original flavors of meat itself combined with the faint additions of the wrap. One for everyone." As he spoke he took up one for himself. One bite, two, and then it was finished. Afterwards his eyes fell upon Zhou Qianlin, and he smiled amicably.

"This is the Gourmet," Lan Jue introduced.

"Hello, thank you for hosting this lovely dinner," she said, turning towards him.

The Gourmet chuckled. "No need to be so polite. Welcome, welcome, please eat. "He motioned for her to choose a wrap, then turned and left.

The Accountant was first to reach out for a wrap, but his hand was slapped away by the Mechanist.

"What now?! I can't use food to plug up my mouth, isn't that what you want?" The Accountant fumed.

The Mechanist pointed towards the Wine Master, who had stood and walked off to the side. He stopped by a box.

Lan Jue's eyes grew bright, and rose to his feet as he followed the Wine Master with his gaze.

The silver metallic box opened, and from within a faint white wisp of air emanated forth.

"Sherry," Lan Jue stated, a grin plastered on his face.

Zhou Qianlin gave Lan Jue a curious expression. "How do you know that's sherry?"

"Temperature and grade," he said. "Different types of alcohol each have specific suitable temperatures at which to drink them. For red wine, that's fifteen degrees. The incubator wouldn't have released steam like you saw at that temperature. White wine, on the other hand, is best at five degrees. Which of course would produce that sort of steam. Champaign is often enjoyed at a similar temperature, but it wouldn't be suitable for this meal, clearly. And so, it must be sherry. It's only white wine that can cause the natural flavors of seafood to blossom forth."

The Wine Master first produced eight glasses from within the box, followed by a bottle of wine. It was significantly larger than an average bottle – roughly three liters. However, Lan Jue's face dropped when he spotted the label. "A common blend."

The Wine Master shot him a withering glance. "For Bluefin Tuna, cold and dry sherry is best. What would you prefer?"

Lan Jue smirked. "It's fine. And quite the bottle. It should be of adequate quality."

The Wine Master gave the bottle a gentle push, and it slid towards Lan Jue. He tossed him a bottle opener.

Lan Jue skillfully opened the bottle, and lifted it up. He placed his thumb in the punt and wrapped his fingers around the base before moving to the Wine Master's side and pouring him a few fingers.

The Wine Master picked up the glass and gave it a swirl before bringing it to his nose. He inhaled deeply, took a sip, and in the midst of appreciating it's aftertaste gave Lan Jue a small nod. "It's a relatively ordinary village wine, but of fine status. The advantages of a larger bottle."

"A large bottle can be that good?" The Accountant asked.

The Wine Master cast him a dismissive glance. "The wine is wasted on you."

The Accountant glowered dubiously, but dared not say anything before the Wine Master.

Lan Jue laughed in spite of himself. "In a larger bottle the total volume is much higher. When preserved it retains it's flavor for longer. If we assume the average bottle is about seven hundred and fifty milliliters, which could be stored for around thirty years, then a one point five liter should last over forty. This three liter can last even longer. In regards to taste, since it's all the same wine in higher volume, it can stand longer exposure to oxygen. The taste will change over time. And so, higher volume bottles of wine are held in higher esteem, and are of higher quality. This is particularly true of older wines."

As he spoke he'd arrived before the Tailor. He poured her approximately two fingers before moving to Zhou Qianlin, then the Wine Master, Mechanist, Coffee Master, Accountant and himself.

His method of pouring looked simple, but followed the rules of etiquette; women first, followed by seniority.

Zhou Qianline swirled the wine in her glass, and the faint scent of the sherry wafted up to fill her nostrils. She took a small sip, and was immediately swept up in the sweet burn as it slipped passed her throat. She felt it tingle through her whole body. Her pretty eyes sparkled.

A pink meat filled the wraps, not something that appeared terrible attractive to eat. There was no distinct scent, either. Zhou Qianlin turned her head to look at Lan Jue. It was her first time trying something like this.

Lan Jue smiled at her. "Go on and try it. We only get this opportunity about once a year."

The Accountant couldn't help but interject. "Jewelry Master, what's so nice about this particular fish? This is also my first time partaking."

The Coffee Master rolled his eyes. "Letting you worm your way in was a mistake. But for the sake of our two beautiful guests I'll educate you."

"Bluefin Tuna live in the deep ocean, and are considered mature when they reach fifty pounds. In truth, freshly pulled from the water they aren't at their best. Five days on ice is the sweet spot. It gives it time to release it's amino acids. After five days of acid discharge is when they reach the highest point of deliciousness – which is the point we're at right now. As for the richest part of the tuna, that would be the area around it's belly. Made in to a paste, as it is in the wraps, it isn't as ambrosial as the belly, but it certainly is still something special to eat."

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Chapter 67: Gluttonous Feast

The flavor! It was the first thing that filled Zhou Qianlin's mind as she popped the roll in to her mouth. She couldn't imagine how she'd never had something so delicious before. She took a quick sip of that sweet and spicy wine, which elevated the flavor to even greater heights.

For a long moment Zhou Qianlin tried to contain herself, but soon couldn't help but lean towards Lan Jue. "Amazing," she said in quiet tones.

"The best is yet to come," he whispered in her ear.

His breath in her ear caused her pretty face to redden ever so slightly. She moved away.

Not long after the wraps had been finished, the second course arrived. Everyone was provided a small copper pot with an alcohol burner in it's base to heat the plate. Within the 'hot pot' simmered a simple kelp soup.

Next were provided several plates, upon which were long strips of fish. They were of a slightly darker hue than those used in the wraps.

"Mid-abdominal meat. Place the strips in the water. After it's boiled and the meat turns white, then it's ready to be eaten. But don't let it sit too long." The Gourmet sat to join his guests. Lan Jue poured him a glass of wine.

He then turned to Zhou Qianlin. "Also part of the fish belly, but not as rich. You can eat it raw or boiled. For balance we don't want the oily sensation from eating it raw, so we'll have it b oiled."

After providing each of the diners with a helping of sauce, the Gourmet took a sip of the sherry. He shot the Wine Master a quick glance.

The Wine mastered responded with cool indifference. "Don't give me that look. There are too many people." More people meant more wine would be consumed. And for each bottle enjoyed that was one less bottle in store. This was especially poignant for his rarer stock.

The soups began to boil, and the fish was placed inside. In only a few short moments pink became white and the fish was extricated from the hot water to be eaten. It was smeared with a vinegar-based sauce, enhanced with secret ingredients before bites were taken. The outside was boiled white while the depths remained red, like frosted hawthorn cakes.

The meat didn't have the flavor of the upper abdominal slices from before, but when paired with the sauce it's taste was almost beyond compare.

Side dishes of pickled vegetables were then scattered across the table to be paired with the meal.

The hot pots were cleared away and slices of fish sashimi were prepared, from all parts of the fish. Light pink, light red, deep red – they were brought out in waves, in pieces large and small. It was presented with horse radish and wasabi, and everyone lapsed in to silence as they enjoyed the food.

The fifty-two pound fish was truly too much to finish despite there being eight of them. However, the Gourmet had already accounted for this, and planned to bring the remainders down to the Underground for when he entertained other distinguished guests.

"The final course. Fried fish head and neck." The Gourmet returned with a massive platter, atop of which was the head and neck of the tuna roasted to a golden hue. He set it before the watchful eyes of the guests.

The face itself was ferocious, and compared to what had come before looked a sight less appetizing.

"It certainly doesn't look very good. Does it really taste alright?" The Accountant eyes the platter, unconvinced.

But no sooner had he asked than two of the other guests had already tucked in. Two pairs of old Chinese-style chopsticks had plucked clear the eyes, and returned only a moment later to begin plucking away at what meat remained.

"Wow, the face even." The Accountant still eyed the fish head with uncertainty. On the other hand he knew the others to be accomplished foodies, especially the first two to partake – Jewelry Master Lan Jue and the usually restrained Wine Master. With the evidence presented to him, the head had to be delicious.

The others were also quick to move, and it took only s short time for the head to be reduced to nearly nothing.

Zhou Qianlin watched Lan Jue as his fingers shot out like lightning to snap up the fish, and even though her taste buds were still full of the taste of the dish from earlier she trusted Lan Jue's judgement.

"Fish eyes, they clear vision and nourish the eyes. Make it like crystal. Have some." Lan Jue placed the eye he plucked free upon Zhou Qianlin's plate.

Her face scrunched in to a look of distaste, and she pushed the small morsel back unto his plate. "You go ahead."

Lan Jue gave her a flat look. "You aren't scared are you?" The eye was passed back like a ping-pong ball.

Zhou Qianlin's face grew red, but she said nothing.

"Alright, try this then." He exchanged the eye for a bit of face meat.

The Gourmet chuckled to the side. "Gluttons know what good food is. The average person wouldn't be interested in trying fish head or neck. It's usually greedy chefs who safe that part for themselves. Bluefish Tuna, as a deep sea fish, doesn't have a lot of meat in it's face. Instead it's composed of colloid, the tastiest part. Best of the best.

Sure enough, as the morsel slipped past her lips Zhou Qianlin was overcome with the mingling pungent flavors of the meat and the distinct texture of the colloid. The explosion of taste would forever be branded in to her memory.

The Accountant had begun to participate, but was unable to procure much for himself. His strength and dexterity were a far sight less capable than the others around the table. It was a failing of his genetics that, though he was not considered slow, his natural abilities were less in comparison. Compared with the fact that the Mechanist kept shoving him out of the way, this left the Accountant with only the crispy brown skin of the fish left to enjoy. The skin was delicious in it's own right, but did not have any of the colloid the others were reveling in.

The wondrous feast came to it's conclusion, and though there was bitterness evident in the Accountant's eyes, no one paid him any mind.

"Thank you, Gourmet. I'm going to head out." The Tailor stood, nodded politely towards the Gourmet and turned to leave. She paused, however, to face Zhou Qianlin. "Qianlin, please remind Lan Jue to bring you by my shop sometime. You have an excellent figure, you need a set of fine garments to match. I'll be thinking on it, and when you come by we'll take your measurements."

"I'll send you off." The Coffee Master stood and joined the Tailor at her side. She shot him a disparaging glance but said nothing. She said her farewells and left.

Lan Jue also stood. "It's our time to leave as well." There was no need for him to offer thanks, his relationship with the Gourmet didn't require it.

"If you come across any particularly tasty morsels in your travels, you keep me in mind," their host said.

"Hm?" Lan Jue blinked, giving the Gourmet a suspicious glance. "How'd you know I was going on a trip?"

The Gourmet rounded on the Accountant. "With this one's big mouth hanging around, how could I not know?"

Lan Jue's features darkened as he looked at the Accountant, making the man shiver.

"You dared to spy on my business?"

"Eh… J-jewely Master, listen. It wasn't on purpose. I just sort of chanced upon the information. I just know that you and those pretty workers of your are up to something unconventional, hehe, n-no idea what you want to do exactly!"

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Chapter 68: The End?

To Zhou Qianlin, Lan Jue appeared passive and gentle. He did not react to the Accountant's malfeasance. However, as they turned to leave the Gourmet's small apartment a tendril of lightning snaked soundlessly along the ground under the Accountant's feet. Every hair on is body stood on end.

"This wont happen again. Otherwise, I'll throw you out of the Avenue myself." The Wine Master had also stood, staring daggers at the offender as he spoke. He left on Lan Jue's heels.

The Accountant opened his mouth, and a tendril of smoke slithered from between his lips. The muscles of his face twitched uncontrollably. "You have to believe me, I was just having some fun! I didn't mean anything by it."

The Mechanist reached out and grabbed the Accountant by the throat. "It's because I believe you that I want to beat you even worse."

The Gourmet interjected gently. "Were it not be a waste of my food, I'd beat you myself until you threw it all back up. You better think up some way to make it up to the Jewelry Master."

The sky had grown dark in the interim. The Avenue was lit only by the lights of the shops that lined it's sides, and though not bright it added to the rustic charm of the Avenue's antique construction.

Lan Jue walked in silence, Zhou Qianlin a step behind.

"Are you angry?"

Lan Jue shook his head. "The guy's just that way, he didn't do it to hurt me specifically. It's not really worth getting angry with him over. I'm just thinking of other things."

"Oh?" Zhou Qianlin watched him carefully.

Lan Jue stopped and turned to face Zhou Qianlin. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

"What?" Her confusion only grew.

"You're so like her that in my mind, at certain times I forget you aren't. It's wrong, Hera is the only one in my heart. You aren't her replica, not her replacement. And so, I apologize. In the future I'll be only your bodyguard. After these three years, when my contract ends, we'll part ways and have no more contact."

Lan Jue's voice was distant, detached. As he spoke, even he himself felt he probably went too far.

But he had no choice. Ke'er's words had woken him up. Had Zhou Qianlin not begun to replace Hera, at least in his mind, would he have agreed to three years as a bodyguard? Would he have become an instructor at a university? And he even brought her to the Avenue, to participate in this special meal. All of this together meant only one thing; she had begun to mean something to him.

The wondrous flavors of the meal still dominated his taste buds, but in spite of their valiant efforts he couldn't shake these thoughts. Zhou Qianlin wasn't his Hera. His Hera was gone. Logic told him he mustn't continue, else one day Zhou Qianlin replace Hera as his most beloved.

It was best to deal with something like this in the beginning. The longer he let it be, the harder it would become to do the right thing.

So he had no recourse but to speak up.

Zhou Qianlin looked at him, speechless. There was no change in the expression of her pretty face. But her eyes couldn't conceal everything, and the secrets were hidden there.

She gave him a long, piercing stare. Her deep green eyes were deep, as though capable of drinking his soul in to their depths. Under that heavy gaze, Lan Jue's heart couldn't help but skip a beat. He felt the pang in his chest, though it was not solely from her look.

"Qianlin, you're a nice girl. I know what I said hurt you, but…"

"Fine." She replied softly.

She followed that with a burst of pretty, tintinnabular laughter.

"Are…" Lan Jue looked at her, dumbfounded. "Are you alright?"

Zhou Qianlin shook her head. "You men. You think all women under the sky just love you. Surely you don't think I felt something for you?"

Zhou Qianlin's hard gaze kept him pinned. "If you think I like you, or you're afraid I'll like you sometime in the future, then you have nothing to worry about. You took my body, which means I'll have to remember you for the rest of my life, but when I do it will be in regret. You said it, you're just my bodyguard and nothing more. I've never thought of you as anything more. Don't think of yourself as someone special, got it? This dinner was nice, now send me home."

The words still hung in the air as she turned to leave, a small smile on her face.

Lan Jue stood in place, frozen for a good few seconds. Eventually he began to follow.

Her face was calm, revealing nothing. But deep in her eyes lived something strange, fluctuating. There was gratification, regret, pain, and something unexplainable that flowed within her.

The entire way back to her mountaintop home was spent in silence.

"Alright, here's fine." Zhou Qianlin stopped and smiled towards Lan Jue as she spoke.

"Right," he said, nodding his head.

"You're heading out tomorrow, be careful. Oh, by the way, so you don't misunderstand let me make this clear. I do not care for you, I say this so that you make sure to come back ready to act effectively as my bodyguard."

"I will." He nodded again.

"Goodbye." She waved a hand, and left without saying anything else.

Lan Jue watched her leave, unmoving. After a moment he snorted, and strode away.

He cast the experience away as though it were nothing. Still, for reasons he didn't understand, a dull ache still remained in his chest.

Zhou Qianlin went directly to her room and sat on the bed. Her face betrayed no emotion, but after a good while a bitterness crept in, and tears began to flow uncontrollably from the corner of her eyes. She made no sound, and the tears rolled down her smooth, white skin unhindered.

ζ

Skyfire Avenue was as silent as ever. At night there never were very many stragglers on the street. The darkness had grown, but Lan Jue's mood had improved as he moved down the chilly street.

"Come to me," a deep voice intruded in his ear. He jumped slightly from the unexpected sound, then turned towards the Gothic Winery.

"You aren't calling me here to apologize on behalf the Accountant, are you?" Lan Jue sat beside the Wine Master, smirking.

The Wine Master's face betrayed a rare smile. "Your current mood isn't due to what he did. There's no reason to bother with him. The guy is a clown. No, it's because of the girl you brought tonight. Am I right?"

Lan Jue looked at his old friend. "It's done."

The Wine Master gave a wry chuckle. "If it's done you don't need to tell me so. You're an adult. I'm not your father."

Lan Jue's face grew hard. "Why'd you call me here."

The Wine Master smiled. "Blind taste check. Let's see if you're still as sharp as you used to be."

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Chapter 69: The Legend of the Gods of Wine

A taste test, obviously, was determining the type and quality of an alcohol by taste alone, without the benefit of seeing it's bottle or label.

"Taste test? Great!" Lan Jue smiled. "Just don't give me anything too nasty. If it's too bad I wont be able to stomach it."

The Wine Master chuckled and extricated a bottle from the wine cabinet at their side. He placed it before Lan Jue. The bottle was without adornment, covered in a thin layer of dust. The only hint to it's contents was it's deep red color.

A bottle opener was produced and the bottle was opened. Two glasses were spread before him, within which the Wine Master poured a small amount from the bottle.

Lan Jue didn't immediately reach for the wine, instead taking a sip of plain water from a separate glass. He then took up the wine and passed it under his nose. He swirled the contents, breathing deeply.

In a flash Lan Jue's expression underwent a tremendous change. Shock, appreciation and disbelief flitted across his features.

"This… this is…"

He lifted the glass higher and peered at it through the light, checking it's opacity.

It wasn't the ruby shine of your average red wine. Instead it appeared almost turbid. But despite the unconventional appearance, Lan Jue's gaping expression managed, "Burgundy Domaine de la Romanee-Conti?"

The Wine Master was silent, simply sitting there with a smile.

It wasn't long ago Lan Jue had nearly given the Wine Master a stroke by drinking one of his 'celestial elixirs', a Romanee-Conti. A masterwork of red wine. The pride of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti. Abbreviated as DRC, it was a wine-producing area in Burgundy, ancient France. It was home to the best ever made, from one of the most famous and storied manufacturers.

It was unique, and required only a sniff from Lan Jue to determine it's nature.

"Try it," the Wine Master said, motioning for him to take a sip. He took up his own for emphasis.

Lan Jue took a large sip, holding the liquid in his mouth. In the brief moment on his tongue the high-grade flavors of the wine burst free, rich and aromatic. The spectacular taste filled every corner of his mouth, and although it didn't have the heavenly flavor of the Romanee-Conti from earlier it remained an astounding experience for any wine connoisseur.

The lingering tastes stayed with Lan Jue for a long moment. Finally he found his voice. "Excellent vintage. Only the people of ancient Burgundy could make something with this sort of flavor. Flowery, fruity, plum… enduring and excellent. From the tip of the tongue to it's base and back again, the texture is wonderful no matter where it lands. The tannins are smooth – not silky like Romanee-Conti but not far off."

"So, in your estimation, what are we enjoying?" The Wine master inquired.

Lan Jue answered without hesitation. "DRC La Tache, or possibly Grands Echezeaux. As for the year, I'd say 2012 Former Era, about."

The Wine Master burst in to peels of laughter.

"Wrong!"

"Wrong?" Lan Jue blinked, stunned. "Was it the wine that's wrong or the year? There's no way it can be anything else! DRC wines are very rare and I've had very little, so I suppose there's the chance I'm wrong. Perhaps it's a Richebourg, or a St. Vivant? It's not a St. Vivant is it? St vivant isn't as good as this is…"

"Wrong, wrong, all wrong." The Wine Master sat smugly before him. He took another sip of his wine, appreciation plain on his face.

"Wine Master, it's no fun if you play tricks on me." Lan Jue was fairly certain of his abilities.

The Wine Master leaned closer. "How many ranks of Burgundy exist?"

"Four," Lan Jue replied. "The Lowest is called AOC, Appelation d'Origine Controlee. Then there is communal, or village-level. Next are premier cru, and finally grand cru. These are the DRC level wines. Romanee-Conti is chief among the grand cru, king of wines."

"What you just tasted, was village wine," the older gentlemen said indifferently.

"What?" Lan Jue rose to his feet, nearly knocking over his chair. Such was the surprise he felt from the Wine Master's revelation.

"Impossible, how can a simple communal wine possess the taste of a DRC? Like a Romanee-Conti? Wine Master, you know very well that wine is my most important hobby. You mustn't tease me about these things."

The Wine Master only laughed. "We had the same reaction, you and I, when I had it first. My first sip of this wine I was completely taken aback. More shocked even than you. It must be a trick, I thought. However, later when the truth was revealed to me, I knew I wasn't wrong in my original estimation. Nor was there are trickery. Because, the village wine in your hand indeed should be that good. It is a communal wine, but if I tell you it's name you will understand how it is like it is."

"The average connoisseur knows Romanee-Conti as the king of wines, but ancient France had three 'Gods of Wine.' Did you know that?"

"You mean the three burgundy wine masters of the time, the ones honored as the Gods of Wine?"

The Wine Master nodded his head in affirmation. "The three gods of wine as recognized by the world were Aubert de Villain of DRC; former co-owner of the DRC Lalou Bize-Leroy; and independent vintner Henri Jayer."

"Aubert de Villain is credited with the creation of DRC's dominance, the most famous of which is the Romanee-Conti. His masterpiece. He was fully deserving of his status as one of the Three Masters, and further displayed that with his excellent management capabilities."

"Mrs. Lalou Bize-Leroy was originally co-owner of the DRC domain. However, eventually creative differences on how the vineyards should be managed brought her in to conflict with Aubert. She was eventually elbowed out of the board of directors and became an independent vintner, of the Domaine Leroy. She made it one of the most sought-after wines in the world, and thus also grew to be successful. So goes the story. She was also instrumental in creating new biological brewing methods with Aubert."

"Finally we come to Henri Jayer, whose name is mentioned least among the Three Masters. However, in the world of wines he is held highest of all. Should his name be mentioned within any auction, you can be assured the item will be it's biggest draw. If it is said that the Romanee-Conti is the King of Wines, then Henri's three top wines are the King of Kings. Stranger still, his crowning achievement was not a grand cru, instead being a premier cru. The Cros Parantoux. A name difficult to pronounce, and impossible to match."

Lan Jue took another look at the unlabeled wine set before him. "You can't mean this is a wine created by one of the Three Masters," he nearly whispered.

The Wine Master stood, chuckling. "That's exactly what I mean. This is a village wine, but the man who made it was the best of the very best. One of only several hundred bottles made per year when the master, Henri Jayer, enjoyed success as the God of Wine."

*This information is mostly true, with some bias. You can learn about the 'three gods of wine' by looking their names up in Wikipedia. If you'd like to learn more about Burgundy classifications, famous vineyards and naming practices, you can check out this excellent resource here: http//wine-knowledge/burg-classifications. It's a good start on the basics of wine appreciation.

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Chapter 70: Possibilities

Shock! At the last words of the Wine Master Lan Jue felt the surprise vibrate to his very core. He stared slack-jawed.

For an avid lover of wine to have this opportunity – to taste a wine actually created by one of the Three Gods of Wine – it didn't matter what the 'rank' of it was, it filled him with something almost unspeakable. He was happier even than that day he'd had the Romanee-Conti.

In the former era, bottles of Romanee-Conti were produced in the thousands per year. Products of the Master Henri Jayer, however, only numbered in the hundreds regardless of classification! It was an experience that could not be measured with any amount of money.

"Thank you," Lan Jue stated, simply and earnestly.

The Wine Master smiled contentedly. "Come, drink."

"I don't really want to."

"It's already opened," the Wine Master insisted. "It'll spoil otherwise. It has to be finished as soon as possible."

"Actually, I meant I'd rather take it home and enjoy it carefully," Lan Jue said. "What do you think?"

The bottle had done it's job. Before discovering it was the product of Henri Jayer, he knew only that it was a village wine from 1997. It's low classification didn't detract, however, from those wondrous tastes that had nearly caused him to forget his troubles.

"So go on then, what do you want me to do?" Lan Jue finished the last drop from his glass and, setting it down, stared pointedly at the Wine Master.

"You're that sure I want something from you?"

Lan Jue's eyes narrowed, similar to his expression the first time he'd sipped the exquisite wine. "It can't be easy to part with a wine from one of the great masters. If you were really that generous I'd be truly happy."

The Wine Master laughed. "You always talk about how stingy I am. But how could a miser suddenly be so generous? So in fact you guess correctly, there is a request I'd like to make of you. The Clairvoyant has discovered that someone from a nearby planet is attempted to acquire another bottle from one of the Three Masters. I'd like to go see for myself, and present them with a gift. In the three alliances there are only a select few who possess such exemplary wines. I hope that through these discoveries we can uncover the secrets of these masters, and bring their gifts back to modern man."

Lan Jue's eyes widened and grew bright. "Truly?"

The Wine Master nodded. "Wine isn't just my hobby, it's my only hobby. This isn't something I'd joke about."

"Two questions," Lan Jue began. "First, you've had wine like this the whole time and you've never shared before?! And second, you actually take advantage of the Clairvoyan'ts powers to find wine?"

The Wine Master gave him a hard stare. "What are you trying to say?"

Lan Jue broke in to a peel of laughter, shooting his old friend a big thumbs-up. "Good on you!"

The two men exchanged a look, before starting to howl in laughter.

"So you agree?" The Wine Master asked again, recovering from his guffaws.

Lan Jue shrugged. "With your powers, you still need my help?"

"The Clairvoyant's divinations were somehow cut short near the end of his vision," the Wine Master said. "You should understand what this means. 'A wise man doesn't stand beneath a collapsing wall'1 , and more than that how could you enjoy the fruits if you don't do the labor?"

Lan Jue sighed. "Fine, what can I say. This Henri Jayer has fed my wine addiction, this will be my reciprocation. But, it'll have to wait. I have to head to the Shattered Starfields. I'll be gone about a month, when I get back we'll discuss where to go from there."

"Not a problem." The Wine Master smiled. "I'm in no hurry. I still have some in stock."

"I'm off!" Lan Jue rose, waving his head.

ζ

A shadow swept passed, and a dozen seconds later rolling thunder followed. It was a McKelly p12 high altitude verti-car. Only a car like that could reach such break-neck speeds.

"Mika, slow down! I'm getting car-sick…" Lin Guoguo's face was pained, and she had a white-knuckle grip on the car's grip handle.

Lan Jue sat in the back middle seat of the car as it roared along. Xiuxiu and Lin Guoguo sat on either side of him. In front, Mika sat behind the wheel, peering through red hair and black-rimmed glasses while Ke'er cheered her on in the passenger's seat.

Mika's driving style was anything but conservative as she was squeezing every drop of horsepower from the car. She'd broken the sound barrier long ago.

"Fine, fine. Weak. The boss didn't say anything…" Mika grumbled.

"I just lost my lunch," Lan Jue said lazily, leaning against the seatback.

Xiuxiu giggled. Ke'er turned back to look at Lan Jue at stuck out her tongue.

Mika huffed. "We'll be there shortly. Hold on." The car suddenly took a handsome drift to the side before suddenly losing altitude. Instruments inside helped regulate the weightlessness of gravity, but that didn't stop their stomach from jumping in to their throat.

Lin Guoguo screamed, followed shortly by Xiuxiu.

Ten seconds later the car was pulling steadily up to the public airship hangar of Planet Skyfire.

Beep, beep, beep! A harsh alarm filled the interior. Several uniformed guards suddenly gathered round. An electronic voice joined them: "Speed violation, classification; severe. Please exit the vehicle immediately, and submit to an inspection."

The McKelly p12 high-altitude verti-car's doors folded open like a pair of butterfly wings. The four gorgeous women stepped out in tandem: Fiery Mika, Blue-haired Ke'er, Xiuxiu the raven-haired beauty and green-bobbed Guoguo.

The four all wore their jet-black, close fitting flight suits. The contours of their slender figures were outlined perfectly, every curve and valley. Though they were wearing helmets you could almost hear the guardsmen take a collective gulp as their heads figuratively exploded.

"Is there a problem, handsome gentlemen?" Mika swept her flirtatious gaze from one officer to the other.

"M-miss, you broke the speed limit," one officer stuttered.

"Oh, I'm sooo sorry! Can you be a dear and watch the car for us? We have some… business." Mika waved a delicate hand at them, turned, and strode off. The three women at her heels followed her lead.

Lan Jue stood in their midst, a distinct swagger to his gait.

A few moments later, watching them leave, one of the officers came to his senses.

"We're wearing helmets. How would she know if we were handsome?"

1. The phrase here means a wise man has the ability to recognize and protect himself from potentially dangerous situations. Also, when finding oneself in a dangerous situation, having the ability to extricate oneself quickly.

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Chapter 71: Zeus-1

The public-use section of Planet Skyfire's Airship compound was separated in to several sectors. They included the normal docking area, long-distance vessels, and the VIP hangars.

Only the VIP hangar had individualized docks and warehouses, but it was reflected in the price – one they had to pay monthly. Further, one had to hire their own security.

Lan Jue and his beauties had parked the p12 beside the VIP hangar, one of the reason why the guards hadn't dared trouble them too much about the speeding.

The standard color of the airship had been painted over in a brilliant sapphire blue, all but for the alloy door which retained it's original silver finish. Above the door was something almost like a sculpture; a deep blue bolt of lightning jutting out to point the way. It was registered to Zeus' Jewelry Shop specifically, for use in transporting particularly rare goods.

Lan Jue sauntered in to the hangar in his khaki windbreaker, followed by his ladies in single file. He walked lazy by, stopping to lean against one of the metallic walls and stuff his hands in the pocket of his windbreaker. He pulled a cigar from some hidden breast pocket and stuffed it in his mouth, leaving it unlit.

Several deep-blue robots of various kinds bustled around the hangar, engaged in various activities. No human workers were seen. Everything appeared to be done by machine.

What occurred in these hangars was private, and he wished to keep it so. As a result no human employee possessed the qualifications he required. The interior of the hangar, thus, was a world of silver and blue with the occasional flash of a spark. The effort and result of a mechanized workforce.

Three ships were anchored within, all of similar size. The exteriors all looked exactly the same – all a luminous sapphire blue – with no outward emblem, marking or number.

The ships were seventy meters in length, and fifty meters port to starboard. The wings, slim and streamlined, swept back against the hull. Five engines sat dormant; two affixed to each wing, and one enormous one on the tail. It was, simply, a work of art.

Xiuxiu made her way to one of the silver platforms and pressed a button. In response a screen and keyboard jutted forth. Long slender finger like flower stems flew over the keys. The sound of her steadily beating fingers fluttered through the hanger, and streams of data flew across the monitor screen like a waterfall.

"Zeus-1 Power Systems online. Weapons systems online. Hull integrity: 100%. Flight status approved, and ready for boarding. Boss, ready when you are."

Lan Jue looked over the powerful, sleek frame of the ship, making no effort to hide the pride in his eyes. He nodded his head, and softly his voice issued forth. "Let's do it!"

Xiuxiu's fingers tapped at the keyboard, and the closest handful of robots lurched in to motion. They retreated from the area as a boarding ramp slowly extended. The robot workers stood diligently to one side in ranks, as the interior of the ship awoke.

Zeus-1 became bathed in light. It's brilliant sapphire sheen was illuminated from head to tail. It looked for all the world like a great bird shaking itself from slumber.

The others didn't wait for Lan Jue, who still leaned against the wall with the cigar in his mouth. Mika, Ke'er and Guoguo each made their way to the ship. Xiuxiu finished with the computer and joined Lan Jue as he made his way towards the ramp.

The engines of Zeus-1 began to rev up, thrumming as air passed through the intake. The gusts from the jets sent air swirling through the hangar. Lan Jue's windbreaker flapped in response.

Xiuxiu could see the side of her employer's face from where she stood. There was a melancholy in his eyes, and his hair was in a mess. However, he'd taken care not to appear too sloppy. The collar of his windbreaker was pulled up to conceal his neck, but it looked more like it was there to conceal something deeper.

Xiuxiu pursed her lips, but said nothing. She strode to Lan Jue's side and boarded with him.

The bridge stretched three hundred meters, and the world without was visible through the light-blue window set at the front. The four beauties each took up positions while Lan Jue sat in the roomy captain's chair behind them. Cigar still firmly set between his lips, Lan Jue dropped his head to stare at the armrests. Regret remained in the depths of those eyes.

It had been a long while since he'd flown in Zeus-1. Ordinarily it was just the girls, and even then they were usually busy at the store.

He felt strangely separate from the place now. He turned to view the seat at his side, empty.

"Hera…" It was a name he said often, but one that never failed to bring a flash of sadness fluttering through his eyes.

But in the next instant it wasn't Hera that flashes through his mind, but someone who looked just like her. That impish, dimpled grin hung in his memory.

"Energy fluctuations normal, hangar bay open," Lin Guoguo said through her headset.

"Runway clear, we've got the go ahead from the tower," Ke'er followed.

"Power, defense, mechanical and weapons systems checks all green. Good to go," Xiuxiu reported.

Mika nodded. "Zeus-1 ready and waiting. Light her up!"

A rumble arose from the engines as they spooled up, and the cabin's lights brightened while the hull shook from motion.

Lan Jue plucked the cigar from his mouth and placed it in his coat pocket. "Take us out. Destination, the Shattered Starfields."

Zeus-1 slowly pulled from the hangar like a sapphire spectre. It turned left onto the runway.

A pale blue light issued from the four roaring engines on the ship's wings. A moment later, the intense fires expanded forth and Zeus-1 issued a deep roar. They shot forward, the engines leaving swirls of steam and fire behind them.

Three hundred meters later Zeus-1 rose from the ground like a great, blue, majestic bird. The main engine on the tail came to life, and a moment later they'd torn through the sound barrier. They vanished in to the sky.

Somewhere on the other side of the strip an attendant gaped at the condensation trail where the ship had been. "Wow, that was fast! Whose ship was that?"

"I think it belongs to the jewelry shop."

"Good money in jewels."

"Yeah, lucky bastard!"

"They really were going too fast though. Did you catch the model?"

"Nope, fuzzy. It really had some speed on it."

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Chapter 72: The Voyage

"Zeus-1 has broken atmosphere, we're space-bound. Accelerating!" Mika's voice echoed through the bridge.

"Maintain speed," Lan Jue ordered.

"We'll be arriving at the wormhole in seven minutes, and will proceed to jump to the alliance border."

In the vastness of the universe Zeus-1 was but a spec. But it was it's speed, not it's size that protected it from military radar. It was simply too fast for them to get a lock.

If any of them knew the materials used to make the ship, or the sheer amount of energy gems that powered it, they'd be speechless.

The entirety of Zeus-1 was comprised like a gem. The blue coat on it's exterior wasn't to dazzle the eyes, but was actually created from a power gem called an indigo keystone. It was mixed with other items to give it texture. It served both to insulate the ship and aid in power distribution.

The primary reason most airships had their speed capped was from heat restrictions. Air friction from going that fast caused the hull to heat up to extreme temperatures, getting worse the faster you went. Zeus-1, with it's coat of indigo keystone, didn't have this problem. It was, in fact, capable of faster-than-light travel.

The result of it's excellent power transference was the ability to use the natural radiation and x-rays of the universe to charge itself. When designing the ship, the concept was so long as you could see space, the thing would fly.

The coat had required a hundred kilos of indigo keystone to produce, which itself was a c-ranked gem. A hundred kilos would buy five ships the size of his own.

And it was only the most ordinary aspect of Zeus-1's construction.

"We've reached the wormhole. Shields active. Commencing interstellar jump." As Mika spoke, a series of photoshields enveloped each of the passengers.

Zeus-1 shook, and in the space of an instant the area around them began to warp grotesquely. An envelope of white light expanded from the ship to surround it.

Energy shields have always been an important staple of modern ship assembly, prized for their ability not only to protect in combat scenarios, but more importantly for protection against hazardous flying conditions.

Now, under the protection of the shields, Zeus-1's flight became steady once again. Outside, the shield was alive with bolts of multicolored light.

In what felt like a few seconds, and yet like a century, the ship shuddered and once more the skies outside became the comforting blackness of the universe.

"We've exited the wormhole. Nearing the boundary of the Eastern Alliance." Mika's voice crackled through the headsets.

Lin Guoguo's voice was next. "Intelligence reports state that the Twelfth Galactic Battalion of the Eastern Alliance is currently patrolling the Shattered Starfield border. Reliance on East Lake Bastion for zone control. We'll approach under cover of an asteroid on it's left flank. Then, when we approach the wormhole we'll burn towards it."

"Calculate delta-v," Lan Jue ordered.

Silence, then Ke'er piped in. "Near-SOL1."

"Ensure safety parameters, then go SOL."

"Yes, boss. Three days 'till jump point," she replied.

Lan Jue couldn't help but smile. "Alright ladies, go take a rest. Put her on auto-pilot. We jump in three days."

The photoshields lifted one by one, and Lan Jue unfastened his safety harness to stand.

The serious expressions upon the women's faces melted away and they stood, with the exception of Ke'er who was setting the auto-pilot.

Lin Guoguo giggled. "It's nice with the boss here, we get to experience SOL travel!"

Mika smiled, draping herself around her companion's shoulders. She muttered something in her ear, which instantly turned Guoguo's face red. "Bah! Stop talking nonsense!"

Mika gave a deep, throaty laugh.

Lan Jue's hearing was excellent, and despite Mika's low tones he'd heard it all. When these girls got worked up, their topics could be worse than any man…

"I'm off for a nap," Lan Jue stated ,stretching.

ζ

CRACK!

A red lash struck forth like a viper, landing on Gao Yong's body. The skin where the whip landed split, and a deep red rivulet of blood seeped forth.

Gao Yong grit his teeth, not daring to make a sound.

A woman in a long black dress was situated before him, her long hair pulled in to a bun on the top of her head. She looked to be in her twenties, with skin like snow and strange carnation-tinted eyes. They shone like crystal, with pupils red as the blood they looked upon. A beautiful, cunning demon woman.

She was tall, slender, standing at one hundred and eighty centimeters. Her black high-heels made her taller even than the towering Gao Yong.

"Do you know how stupid you are," the woman hissed.

"You're majesty, I just…"

CRACK!

Another welt grew red and angry across his skin.

The Moonfiend Empress continued in her cold, malevolent voice. "Worse than how stupid you are, is the fact that you don't REALIZE your own stupidity. If he weren't a friend of mine, you'd NEVER have left Skyfire Avenue."

Gao Yong was as intractable as ever, the welts had done nothing to rid him of that.

"That guy's strong, but no stronger than you your majesty. He's just managed to restrain me, otherwise, I'd have…"

The Empress snorted disdainfully. "You think you're a match for him, hm? I'll tell you honestly, if he wanted to crush me he could. With little effort."

"Huh?" Now he truly was astonished. "You're Majesty, you.. you're serious?"

She glared chillingly at him as she spoke. "In the whole of our universe, of the organizations with the power to destroy our entire pirate clan, Skyfire Avenue is ranked above them all. There are no less than three who live there with the ability to utterly destroy me. You have no concept of their capabilities. You wouldn't, since they so rarely decide to act. But the one you met? He's different – he doesn't care. If he were to become angry, the whole of the Starfields would shake."

"Who is he?"

The Empress stared at him with hard, cold eyes. "Three years ago, do you remember why the greatest pirate clan was destroyed?"

Gao Yong's eyes grew wide with realization. He thought back to the power he'd felt, and a chill struck to his very core.

"You mean, he was…"

1. SOL – speed of light

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Chapter 73: SOL Jump

The East Lake Bastion didn't look entirely unlike a Big Mac, floating silently through the expansive blackness of the universe. Military vessels frequently came and went from it's docking port.

Space bastions had become a staple of the modern military, going so far as to be a fair indication of an organization's strength.

The Northern Alliance possessed the most, numbering twelve, with the Western and Eastern bastions numbering only five each. Both the Eastern and Western alliances perpetually sought to increase their number, in order to compete with the North.

The East Lake outpost vessel was the weakest of the Alliance, and was primarily responsible for policing the wormhole to the Shattered Starfields. It facilitated long-term patrol of the area through offering reinforcements and soldier quarters. However, it only quartered two battalions, and thus wasn't the most powerful bastion the East possessed. It's primary function was to stem the tide of piracy from the Shattered Starfields.

The constitution of the starfield was complicated, to the point where larger vessels couldn't safely navigate through it. With the added threat of pirates familiar with the territory, few dared venture through the wormhole in the first place. The three alliances had once attempted to eliminate the pirate threat in a joint effort, but had only managed to strike at their outlying forces. Their main force wasn't even touched. But the existence of piracy in the Shattered Starfields also had a political component, making the pirates useful in their own way.

"Three minutes until SOL jump point. Prepping for jump." Lin Guoguo's enticing voice echoed through the bridge.

The universe outside of the ship's hull had already begun to change from dark to light. In addition to the indigo keystone's protective coating, survey scramblers installed in Zeus-1 also protected it from radar, making it entirely invisible to anything but the naked eye.

"Current velocity is twenty times SOS1, preparing for light speed," Ke'er said.

Xiuxiu was next. "Main engine spooled. Shields jump ready."

"Weapon systems ready," Mika added.

"One hundred and sixty seconds to jump point. Sub-light a hundred seconds following."

Lan Jue sat at his chair, looking over the bridge. His hands gripped two metal spheres which had risen from the seat's armrests. The lethargic expression that usually covered his face was gone, replaced with a look of concentration.

It was a tense moment, hence his concentration. In this age of space exploration, it was entirely impossible for any single person to stand against the armed forces. The main barrage of one of these bastions was capable of obliterating a planet.

Of course it was not their aim to be disintegrated. Even the smallest mistake could spell disaster. All of the military warships possessed SOL capabilities, so if they were discovered it became a race to the wormhole.

Zeus-1's bulk already made sub-light travel a veritable miracle. SOL required more than just the ship's own capabilities.

"Commencing jump in; ten, nine, eight, seven…"

"…six, five, four…"

"… three, two, one. Jump!"

The pale light surrounding Zeus-1 suddenly became unbearable to behold, a blazing cocoon. All five engines blazed at full power, making the ship look like a giant, flaming bird. The burst of light grew brighter still as Zeus-1 reached full velocity.

The sudden burst of speed caused the entirety of the ship to shake violently. The outer shields had gone from pale red to a deep crimson as they protected the ship from being torn apart.

"Energy levels normal, acceleration normal."

Zeus-1 arced a graceful line across the back of the East Lake Military Bastion.

But reaching full power, the ship was no longer hidden from the outpost's scanners. An alarm sounded, harshly shrieking through space.

"Warning: unidentified aircraft. You have entered East Lake Bastion airspace. Stop immediately, or we will be forced to fire upon you." The electronic warning was clear, but Lan Jue and the four women proceeded as though they hadn't heard.

Three patrolling ships from nearby had already reacted to the threat. They'd positioned themselves to cut off Zeus-1's trajectory.

"Thirty seconds until sub-light. Distance calculated, judged safe," Ke'er assured.

"Eastern Alliance White Tiger-class battle cruiser readying main weapons." Xiuxiu was checking her instruments.

The words caused the atmosphere of the bridge to grow tense.

"Ten seconds until weapon fires, and twenty-three seconds until the first White Tiger intercepts our vessel. We can maneuver, but we can't evade their weapon's lock."

Lan Jue's face was as solemn as before, but there remained a distinct sense of calm.

"First Whit Tiger has fired a salvo," Ke'er said, her voice having risen in apprehension.

From the port window a small white beam of light could be spied.

Any unknown vessel that refused a check was treated like a pirate by the patrolling military. It accountant for the speed of the battle cruiser's response.

"Impact in twenty seconds!"

"Fifteen seconds to impact!"

"Ten seconds!"

"Firing auxiliary boosters!" Lan Jue's voice rang through the bridge. In the same instant his eyes changed to an ominous azure blue. And in the next moment, his entire body followed suit.

His body vanished in a sea of lightning, the thunderous blast only contained by the protective shield that had been dropped to defend the passengers from outside harm. It served to contain the frightening fluctuations of power.

The top of Zeus-1 suddenly revealed an odd electric glow. From within the center of the main engine, a smaller jet protruded – fitted with a diamond-cut violet power gem. Suddenly, a dazzling blue streamer erupted from it's depths, swallowing the main engine's burn into itself.

Zeus-1 shook violently, and in that instant it was as though everything simply stopped. The main engine's flames became a luminous crystal blue, followed then by the other four.

The reddened shields surrounding the ship grew darker until they were an unsettling shade of maroon. The illusion of stillness dissolved, and the ship launched forward. They were instantly moving at sub-light speeds, but it wouldn't be long before they pushed it even farther.

A beam of white light roared behind them, tearing through nothing but the vast nothing of the universe. The White Tiger battle cruisers looked on as Zeus-1 became an incorporeal blue light, and vanished. They had no option but to turn back to their outpost, stunned and defeated.

"Woo, go boss!" Ke'er, Guoguo and Mika cheered almost on top of each other. Even the significantly more modest Xiuxiu sat there with a grin on her face.

Ke'er sighed. "It's great having the boss around. No need for weapons, makes things easier on them. Ten seconds to the wormhole."

"Battle cruisers have abandoned pursuit," Lin Guoguo added.

The tearing bolts of power racing across Lan Jue's body slowly began to recede, and in response the ship began to slow back to sub-light. A grin curled the corners of his mouth.

"Jump complete."

1. Speed of sound

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Chapter 74: The Shattered Starfields

Once entering the wormhole, the concept of speed ceased to exist. Once more they were in a space of varying lights and warped visuals like they had been during the light jump. Zeus-1's five engines had returned to quietly emitting their fiery red glow.

Lan Jue sat slumped against the back of the captain's chair, fighting to keep his exhaustion from being obvious in his half-lidded eyes.

It was a rarity among adepts to use one's powers to manipulate a ship's jump capabilities due to it's risks and requirements. Even Lan Jue couldn't rely solely on his own discipline to achieve what he did.

Aside from Lan Jue's considerable power, the power gem fitted in Zeus-1 is what had ultimately granted it the explosive velocity that got them to light speed. His discipline had been channeled through a Core Power Gem fitted to the engines, which had served to greatly amplify output. It was a rare, special a-ranked gem – one whose value was equivalent to a five-hundred meter military cruiser.

Clearly, nearly every aspect of the ship's system's had been improved beyond it's original construction.

A shudder passed through the ship as it exited the wormhole. Once again, the black expanse of space spread out before them.

"Maintain sub-light. We'll be arriving at the Shattered Starfields in three days," Ke'er reported.

Xiuxiu was next. "Energy recovery normal. Beginning energy conservation speed control."

"Expanding radar scope, effective range increased to spot incoming threats," Mika reported.

No action was wasted, and no task botched. The four women worked impeccably, with the tacit understanding that this ship – which would usually require around fifteen people to effectively operate – had to be managed with just them.

At this point forward, Zeus-1 had successfully left the scope of the Eastern Alliance's control. They found themselves now in the expansive outer limits of the Shattered Starfields. What this meant for them, was that they could encounter a pirate force at any moment.

Lan Jue closed his eyes. The area around him flickered occasionally with pale threads of electricity. Sitting there looking majestic and at rest, a pale blue light glowed indistinctly in the center of his chest.

Two days later.

Zeus-1 soared easily through space at stable speed, it's wings wide. Ahead, there appeared an indistinct undulation of light and darkness.

The Shattered Starfields were vast, and their interior possessed some seventy-plus stars scattered throughout. They filled the starfields with light, heat and energy in spades.

The numerous planets unfortunate enough to populate the area were constantly subjected to meteor strikes. Some were so battered that they broke apart, eventually becoming scores of asteroids themselves. It was only the smaller planets that survived, hidden away within the center sectors of the starfields. Paired with the high amounts of radiation emitted from it's numerous stars meant the Shattered Starfields was one of the most inhospitable places in the universe. It was no wonder that time and again the three Alliances have abandoned it to piracy.

So it was that this had become a pirate's utopia. The inhospitable environments have proven to be their greatest defense. And the three planets dominating the interior, those were the havens of all manner of scum and degenerate. Criminals from each of the alliances often found themselves stuck here.

"Entering Shattered Starfields peripheral galaxy,"Ke'er reported.

"Excellent." Mika's eyes flashed dangerously. Her excitement was clear even in the way she flipped her hair.

Lin Guoguo shot her a glance. "You're always so violent, Mika. How do you expect to get married?"

Mika huffed dismissively. "And why should every woman get married? Isn't it just as an accessory to some man? I don't want to marry – there's nothing appealing about a man. Oh, 'cept the boss."

Lan Jue had just come up from the cabin as she spoke the last sentence. He gave her a stern look. "Mika, do you need a spanking? You dare say I'm not a man?"

Mika chortled. "You said it, not me. I'm complimenting you!"

Lan Jue frowned, muttering as he walked to the window at the fore of the control room.

"It's been a long time since I've been here. I wonder if it's still as chaotic as it's always been."

Xiuxiu spoke towards Lan Jue. "We're heading towards SS-31, right? Should we also do some looking around for the shop?"

It was true that the Shattered Starfields were a dangerous and unstable place, but it was also a fine market for many special power gems that were mined in the region. Only, the safety concerns made any business consortium hesitant to set up shop.

Lan Jue nodded. "We'll deal with the business at hand, first. If everything goes well we'll make the trip and see what we can find. The bigger the take, the bigger the split."

Beep.

The sound came from within the ship, soft and not unappealing. But the sound instantly caused Lan Jue and his four companions' faces to grow serious.

Zeus-1 was their baby, manufactured to the last detail by them. As such they were intimately familiar with each aspect of the ship. That sound was the sound of the sleeping cabin's door opening. But all five of the ship's intended passengers were gathered on the bridge. So, that door had no business opening.

Lan Jue's eyes grew cold and hard as he turned to investigate.

Mika had already reacted, crouching like a leopardess ready to strike. The fire grew visible behind her eyes.

"What a great sleep! It's been a long time since I've had such a deep sleep. It's nice not having to worry about the date or time." The voice echoed through the halls, quick and appreciative in tone.

At the sound of the voice Lan Jue's expression changed from hard to confused. And then downright murderous.

Mika had curled herself in to a pounce position, then shot forth. A few moments later a shrill yell filled the air. "Ah! N-not so hard! It's a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding!"

Mika came storming back in, dragging someone behind her. Their clothes had clearly suffered burns.

"Jewelry Master, you have to save me!" The yells continued, but they'd grown weak and faint.

"Accountant," Lan Jue growled, glaring at the stow-away. "I'm going to need an explanation, otherwise I'm flushing you out the air lock. I wonder how long you'd last."

"No, no don't!" The Accountant coward pitifully, half-asleep and entirely frightened.

The women all looked shocked, Mika among them. How someone could inadvertently stumble aboard Zeus-1 and fall into Deep Sleep while totally evading their security checks and processes was simply baffling. It wasn't just inconceivable, it was deeply shameful.

Like Lan Jue each of them had been around the proverbial block, but his was certainly a first.

"J-jewelry Master… don't be angry. The Keeper asked me to come. I-I'm his spokesman. You wanted his cooperation, right? The Keeper'd ask me to tell you before, but I'd forgotten. Ah! Miss, don't hit me, let me finish! Listen, ok, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been so curious, but I found your hangar. A-and I know my curiosity should have ended there but I started fiddling with the controls. A-and my curiosity got away from me, and I know I shouldn't have but I got on the ship. But, the ship, it's planner – genius! Really just amazing construction. All of these power gems, it's just luxurious! Jewelry Master, you've really got some bank account!"

Lan Jue's face changed by degrees, eventually dropping his hard stare for a small grin his two new disciples from the NEU were intimately familiar with.

"Mika, you can't maim him. Otherwise…"

A wicked smile slowly spread across Mika's face.

1. The three primary planets of the Shattered Starfields – the three that are within the belts and pirate havens – will be called SS-1/2/3 in subsequent translations.

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Chapter 75: Pirates?

By the time the Accountant was once again brought before Lan Jue, his face was so swollen as to be almost unrecognizable. Mika threw him atop one of the chairs before taking up her own, stony-faced.

"Right, now we can have a conversation. What did the Keeper send you here to do," Lan Jue asked, settling himself beside the battered Accountant.

The Accountant responded, his words muffled and muddled from the beating. "Jewelry Master… treating me this way… it's inhuman!"

"Mika." Lan Jue looked towards the fiery woman.

"No! No wait, I'm sorry, I was wrong." The Accountant stared wide-eyed at Lan Jue, terror clear in their depths.

Lan Jue turned his eyes back to the cowed man.

"The Keeper gave me some equipment, to help locate and mine gem deposits."

Lan Jue looked skeptical. "What's your relationship with the Keeper?"

"Ehm… I can't say."

"Mika!"

"Alright… alright… I-I'm his only grandson."

Lan Jue blinked, taken aback. He knew for a fact that the only way the Accountant could have entered Skyfire Avenue as a resident was to undergo a series of stringent evaluations. There were no shortcuts.

"You're the Keeper's grandson." His face said he didn't believe it.

The Accountant's anger flared. "What's wrong with me being his grandson?! You think it's a blessing being part of his family? Ever since I was small the old man has been brainwashing me with floods of useless data. Trying to fill me with his knowledge and ideas. From when I was three to twenty-three, I only had four hours of sleep a night. Then, to Skyfire Avenue for the evaluations. You want to know why I talk so much? Because I wasn't able to share my thoughts at all for twenty years! You don't know how much I loved the outside world, but I couldn't leave the geriatrics side. I'm twenty four, and still a virgin. How pathetic is that!"

Lan Jue spoke now in considerably droll tones. "And that's why you snuck on my ship?"

"Eh…" the Accountant stuttered. "Jewelry Master, I know you aren't one to stoop to pettiness. Let's not fuss about it. I've always been a little hyperactive, since I was small. Sometimes I can't help myself. I see something interesting and I want to study and look and examine…"

Lan Jue waved his hand, cutting him off. He didn't have the time to listen to the Accountant talk all day.

"Seeing as you're part of the Keeper's family, I wont bother with you any more this time. But in return you have to go through the sip's systems and patch up their loopholes, so that next time no one – not even you – can sneak on board. Then we'll be square."

"No problem. O-only, how can you prove I wont be able to get back in?" The Accountant's eyes shone with curiosity.

Lan Jue laughed. "Let me tell you a secret. See these four ladies? One of them is psychic. If I want to know anything at all about you, it's as easy as asking a question. Take a guess… which one do you think it is?"

"Psychic?" The Accountant's heart rate shot up. As the Keeper's son he absolutely knew about the Psychic Discipline. And how horrifying it could be.

Regardless of the type of psychic ability, congenitally derived Psychic Discipline begins at no less than the seventh-level of Talent, with plenty of potential for growth. The Accountant hadn't imagined Lan Jue commanded such a companion.

His eyes fluttered back and forth from Mika, Lin Guoguo, Ke'er and Xiuxiu. He'd already been acquainted with Mika's fiery temperament. And with her degree of power, she was a downright Dragon Lady. It couldn't be her, then, and thus must be one of the other three. But which one?

His own Talent was fairly useful in a fight, so combat didn't frighten him too badly. But a psychic, those types were capable of controlling your mind in the blink of an eye. No amount of intelligence could protect you.

"Mika, from now on you're in charge of the Accountant. Get him a computer, and make him prove his worth."

Mika turned her face to shoot the Accountant a charming smile. "As you command, boss."

The Accountant's face grew sour at the prospect of being stuck with his tortures, and the pain in his body occasionally still caused him to twitch. Mika had left quite the impression on him.

"Boss, radar's picked up a gunboat-class ship bearing down on us. Wait, no… three of them. Two on the original's flanks."

"Pirates? A-are they pirates? Is there going to be a fight?" The Accountant asked excitedly.

"Shut up!" Mika spat at him.

Ships in the tree alliances were broken in a class system. From high to low, they were; Bastions, Sovereign-Class Base Ships, Capital Warships, Expedition Battleships, common battleships, and gunboats. After those were carriers and mechas.

Generally speaking gunboats weren't fitted for long-range expeditions, they needed to resupply at depot vessels. Any fleet required a range of ships to function effectively.

Zeus-1 was also, technically, a gunship, but compared to it's unfitted cousins they were like night and day. It had no specialized mecha compartment, and could only house a crew of about ten. Regular gunboats, on the other hand, usually flew with a small mecha combat group. It was the best load-out for stellar assault missions.

"Signal the boats, affirm their identities." Lan Jue said softly. He made no move to return to the captains chair.

"Approaching gunships have refused signal," Ke'er reported.

"Purpose unclear. Their speed has increased and their gun ports are opened," Lin Guoguo followed.

"We're getting demands to surrender," Ke'er said.

Lan Jue chuckled. "Surrender? Ladies, which one of you would like the honors?"

"Oh! Me!" Other than Xiuxiu, the other three ladies all scrambled to speak at once.

The Accountant just watched the scene, speechless.

The three girls, each with a sharp look in their eyes, stared at one another for a moment before raising high their right hands. Together, they called out: "Odd One Out!"1

The three women each shot their hands out, Mika and Ke'er palms down, and Lin Guoguo with her hand facing up.

"Hah! I win," Guoguo called out excitedly. She immediately typed something out on the keyboard before her. A silver helmet descended from the roof of the cabin to settle on her head.

"The enemy's main battery is charged and ready. Estimated time to fire, ten seconds." Ke'er was watching her control panel as the information streamed past.

"Ten seconds is enough," Lin Guoguo affirmed. She'd quickly become all business. From the three meter tall conical bow of the ship, a firing tower slowly issued forth. A golden power gem was affixed to the tower's apex.

1. This is actually called 'Black/White Match' in Chinese, and is played by shooting your hand out either palm up or palm down. The odd one out is the winner.

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Chapter 76: The Psychic Tide

"Eight seconds!"

"Turning off the shields!" Xiuxiu shouted at her monitor.

The Accountant whimpered in terror. "W-why are we dropping the shields?! Even if it's just a gunboat, it's main cannon is enough to obliterate us!"

"Shut up!" Mika lifted a hand and slapped the sniveling man in the back of his head. It caused the Accountant to lurch forward and smack his head on the monitor situated in front of him.

"Six seconds!"

"Five… four… three… two… one. Enemy main cannon fired!"

In the distance, the three enemy ships shuddered as giant beams of light suddenly burst forth from their weapons.

The Accountant lifted his head from the screen just in time to witness the deadly fireworks.

As he watched, the blast from the two ships to either side actually fired inward, while the middle ship's attack plowed in to the enemy on it's left flank.

A blazing corona of light and fire filled the distance between ships. Each had their shields active, so this didn't destroy them, but the display was enough to have the Accountant sitting there, mouth agape in wonderment.

"Mind control… my god! You've fitted this thing with a psionic amplifier. Jewelry Master, you're a lunatic!"

Lan Jue had spoken true, one of his amazons was indeed a psionicist; Lin Guoguo, the Psychic Tide!

In this moment Lin Guoguo's eyes had become entirely gold, with her psychic discipline channeling through the silver helmet. Anyone unlucky enough to be captured in her gaze would feel their consciousness slipping away in to their depths. Not only was her power tremendous and terrifying, but she exerted an incredible amount of control.

She'd employed the amplifier to directly control the enemy ships, a type of combat that – it went without saying – was highly unusual. Of course controlling the small ships was one thing, where it a battleship with many aspects and sections the difficulty of taking control would double.

Simultaneous control of three gunboats with the power of an amplifier. The Accountant's quick calculations determined she must at least possess a level eight psionic Talent. It was horrifying. After all, psionic powers have always been hailed as wondrous abilities. An eight level psychic could match favorably against nearly any other first-degree, ninth level Talent.

The shields of the three ships sputtered and failed. Once more the guns fired, and once more the sky was filled with blossoming halos of light and fire. The explosive force issued a roaring shockwave, which diffused harmlessly in to the universe.

"Combat is finished. Enemy destroyed. Searching for depots or battleships," Ke'er said.

Beside her Lin Guoguo had already removed the helmet, and the gold tint to her eyes slowly receded. She turned her head to give Lan Jue a prideful grin.

Lan Jue gave her a thumbs up. "Beautifully done. Your powers are increasing."

Guoguo's grin became a triumphant smirk. It was clear the scenario didn't take too much out of her.

The Accountant slowly lifted his hand to shut his open mouth. He swept his eyes back towards Lan Jue. "Jewelry Master… are all the council members as strong as you are?"

Lan Jue peered down on him. "You haven't seen power," he responded softly.

The Accountant's mouth twitched as though he wished to say more, but he felt the malicious gaze of Mika and immediately thought better of it. Instead, he kept his thoughts to himself:

Such poise, so cool! Oh when will I be able to command four beautiful women such as these. It would be like heaven on earth!

"I've located a depot ship attempting to escape. Should we take it's stores?" A pot-bellied depot-ship appeared on the main screen. It was clear the dusty thing was scrambling to flee.

"There's nothing of use in that trashy thing. Mika."

"Understood, boss." A smile lit her face as her fingers tapped away at the keyboard before her. A series of gun barrels slowly rose from the wings of Zeus-1. They quickly shot forward to catch up with the fleeing ship.

Glimmering beams of blue light shot through space, arcing through the darkness before hitting their mark. The depot's shields could not compare with those of the combat ships. In addition, though Zeus-1 had fired it's auxiliary cannons, even those were like death's sickle. They swept through shield and hell effortlessly.

Boom!

By the time Zeus-1 passed by, a few thousand meters away, the ship had been reduced to twisted slag.

Three gunboats and a depot ship, your common pirate unit. Destroyed in less than ten minutes.

The Accountant rubbed his cheeks, trying to free himself from his perpetually surprised expression. He tried to concentrate of the screen in front of him. His understanding of the ship he'd snuck in to was woefully lacking. It had the fighting power of a battleship, the speed of a capital ship, and the maneuverability of a common airship. There was simply too much to learn.

"Engage stealth, adopt pirate markings. Full speed to the Shattered Starfields. Port, thirty-five degrees," Lan Jue commanded.

Zeus-1's coating quietly adopted a grayish hue. Near the stern there slowly emerged the image of a blood moon. The ship's engines grew bright, and Zeus-1 began to tilt.

One hour later.

A battleship and it's six gunboat entourage surveyed the wreckage floating in space before them. A hefty, bald man fumed with rage on the battleship's bridge.

A floating asteroid, an indistinct planet, rays of light flowing through it's cracks. It was a fair visual representation of the starfields.

Here, no matter what classification of capital ship you possessed you couldn't navigate safely. Only battleships or lesser crafts could manage the treks. Even then, only explicit knowledge of the area and an experienced captain could make it safely. And all of this in the face of a pirate unit attack…

ζ

The pirates of the Shattered Starfields relied on outside plunder, merchants straying from the borders of the Three Alliances. Otherwise, the area was relatively quiet.

You of course couldn't exclude the occasional treasure hunter or adventurer scouring the starfields for prizes, trying to prove themselves.

The Accountant sat within Zeus-1, glued to the screen like a man possessed as he scoured the specs of the ship, thinking, the streams of data reflected in his eyes.

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Chapter 77: Planet of the Moonfiend

Lan Jue's brows narrowed, and the expression on his face grew dark.

Once they'd adopted the colors, emblem and countersigns of the local pirates they'd encountered no further troubles. Zeus-1 deftly maneuvered between the racing asteroids as they hurtled through the dangerous region.

However, after three days, the small planet that was their objective still hadn't revealed itself.

Here, everything but the stars and a few select planets moved in irregular orbits. Asteroids, planets, moons – everything changed. As a result, whether you were pirate or pioneer, you always needed the latest star maps to find your destination. And to find them, you needed to visit one of the steadily orbiting giants – except that they were pirate havens.

"We need to make our way to Moonfiend. It looks like we'll need to get ourselves an updated star map," Lan Jue commanded.

"Yes, boss."

Planet Moonfied, largest of the static planets residing in the Shattered Starfields. It's name had changed more times than anyone could remember. Perpetually in flux, the planet changed ownership whenever there was a power adjustment in the region. Whatever pirate clan emerged as the largest, took the planet for their own and invariable gave it their own name. The planet itself remained as it always had, regardless of name – quietly orbiting around Beelzebub, the Starfield's largest star situated at it's heart.

A day on Moonfiend was thirty-six hours; a year, four hundred and twenty eight days. Significantly different than Planet Skyfire, to be sure. But the climate was suitable, and it had three times the surface area of Skyfire.

The Shattered Starfields had three stable-orbit planets hidden within the shifting bands of asteroids. Moonfiend, while the largest, was only one. The other two were known as Nefarius and Diablus. Their names never changed.

Looking down upon Moonfiend from the vacuum of space, it was difficult to imagine it was home to a ruthless pirate clan. Fifty percent of it's surface was a clear, crystal blue. The remainder was verdant green landscapes.

Zeus-1 slowly made it's way to the massive docking port and came to a stop. After a few moments, Lan Jue exited, cigar chomped between his teeth and hands stuffed in the pockets of his windbreaker. Mika, Lin Guoguo and Ke'er were at his heels.

The Accountant had chosen to remain behind, immersed as he was with his work on the ship's systems. Xiuxiu stayed as commanding officer in Lan Jue's absence.

"So where we going, boss," Mika asked.

The three women had already changed clothes, and no longer sported the revealing flight suits. Mika had chosen a white blouse, black coat and a black short skirt. Paired with her black-rimmed glasses, high heels and fiery red hair she looked like an intimidating business woman. Or a sexy secretary.

Ke'er had slipped in to a pair of white suit pants, peach high heels and a white jacket. She looked erudite with her pantsuit and bob-cut blue hair.

Lin Guoguo was dressed similarly to her sister amazon, changing out the pants for a long skirt. As they trailed behind Lan Jue away from the hangar they were the focus of many a wandering eye. Although it was a pirate haven, none dared to approach the women despite their beauty. After all, women were pirates, too.

The Moonfiend pirate clan had been in control of the planet for ten years. They were now well established as the rulers of the area. The result was actually a planet enjoying prosperity and safety. Of course, there were always the seedier parts of town, but those were generally easy to recognize and avoid. The Moonfiends had put a great deal of effort in to establishing a sense of order and propriety. This was in part due to their secret trade deals with the three alliances, which afforded them both the strength to fight off contenders and the funds to keep their populace content.

"It's been a long time since I've seen Little Yue," Lan Jue said, "We'll visit her first and see if we can't procure a star map."

Mika swept her eyes over to Lan Jue, but said nothing. Lin Guoguo took a step closer and giggled. "Boss, so arrogant! Waltzing directly up to the Moonfiend Empress!"

Ke'er nodded her head and huffed in serious tones. "Don't worry boss, we'll protect you."

"He grinned. "What, you think she could take me in a fight?"

Ke'er gave him a sideways glance. "I was talking about your chastity."

Lan Jue tripped on his own feet and almost topped to the ground. The three women behind him erupted in laughter.

"These girls…! I oughta fire them… fire them, I say!" Lan Jue's face was red, either from anger or shame. It was hard to determine the root cause.

Mika squared her shoulders, her voice clear and righteous. "Boss, we're only doing what's best for you. The fact that the Empress has coveted you for some time isn't lost on us."

Lan Jue rolled his eyes. "Get a car."

Mika huffed in response. "So ashamed he's gone all pissy. Fine, getting a car."

ζ

The Moonfiend Palace. Where the Moonfiend Pirates handled their affairs, and home to the Moonfiend Empress.

The Palace area was like a small city. It was shaped like a crescent moon. The sole city on the entire planet, and as hard as it was to believe that was the simple fact. It was, in all actuality, the fifth largest city by acreage, even compared to the cities in the alliances.

Overhead, scores of verti-cars shuttled back and forth among the skyscrapers.

Lin Guoguo whistled appreciably. "Crescent City's sure changed. Just a few years and it's like any modern metropolis. The Empress really is something."

Mika scowled. "I don't see how. Too much power and expansion, and the three alliances wont have any choice but to come cracking down on them. What this is, is suicide."

Lan Jue narrowed his eyes at her words. "Little Yue's always been a prideful one, never wanting to back down. I think you're right, I should say something to her."

It would be troublesome for the three alliances to come after the pirates, true. However, only the foolish and prideful forget the sheer number of Adepts the Alliances commanded. If it came down to it, if the three alliances decided the pirates had to go, it wouldn't take much for them to make it a reality.

An hour's time in a verti-car got them within sight of the Palace. It was like an ancient city, with white parapets and a spindly white tower in it's center. It was there the Empress called home.

As the verti-car reached the border of the Crescent City, it was compelled to come to a stop. It make it's way to ground and delivered it's passengers. Here, only mag-lev cars were permitted. Veri-cars, mechas and others like them were banned from use.

"Present your com's code for scanning." A man in a cyan hood blocked further passage.

Lan Jue produced a silver card in response. As the guard held his scanner up to the piece of metal a light issued forth and ran over it's length. Moments later, a sharp beep, beep, beep rang from it.

"Coms code expired!" The Cyan-hooded man lifted his head, and the look in his eyes grew hard. The light and angle finally conspired to reveal his face, a hodge-podge thing half composed of metal. His right eye, itself some mechanical construction, glowed a menacing red.

In the blink of an eye a dozen more hooded men appeared. They brandished their weapons at the small group.

"Expired?" Lan Jue looked at the card in his hand as though he were confused. After all, Zeus-1's coms code had been fine – but, this was a card for the Crescent City.

Eventually his face betrayed a bitter smile, and he could only shake his head. "I guess it's been too long since I've been out."

"Hands above your head, and get on the ground! Any resistance will be met with lethal force!" The humming laser rifles were leveled at Lan Jue and his cohorts.

Mika, Lin Guoguo and Ke'er moved like a trio of lionesses, pulling Lan Jue in their midst to face the guns themselves.

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Chapter 78: The Moonfiend Palace

"Drop your weapons, put your hands on your head, and get on the ground!"

The sound of weapons clattering to the floor followed, before every one of the cyan-hooded men netted their fingers atop their head and dropped to their knees. Denizens of the city who chanced by all invariably stared dumbstruck, unable to comprehend what was happening.

"Just can't help yourself, can you Guoguo," Lan Jue muttered helplessly.

"And who said they could point guns at my boss!" Lin Guoguo gave him a resentful look.

Ke'er snickered. "Guoguo did well! She was only just faster than us."

He peered dejected towards the city interior. "Originally I'd hoped we could avoid this much noise."

The ear-piercing notes of an alarm sounded, and from the apex of the palace gates gun muzzles rose up. From the outer sectors of the city several verti-cars were already making their way towards them.

Ke'er's elegant brows shot up, but before she could make a move she felt Lan Jue's hand on her shoulder. In the next moment an electric cloud arose, surrounding the three women and himself. By the time it dissipated, the area they once occupied was empty.

It was only a matter of seconds before the pirate patrol cars arrived at the scene. By the time they did, the kneeling guards had began to come back to their senses, but to a man had no idea what had happened. It didn't matter, as there was no trace of Lan Jue or his amazons to prove they were ever there.

Somewhere else, twisted tendrils of multicolored light swept overhead. Ke'er spoke to the small group that had appeared there. "Boss, your electro-portation is better than it's ever been! Haven't you been cripplingly depressed for three years?"

Lin Guoguo gave her a reprimanding poke, while Mika struggled valiantly to hide a wry chuckle. "That's our Ke'er, as frank and honest as you can get."

Lan Jue gently slapped Mika on the back of her head. "Yeah, because you never talk too much."

Mika stuck her tongue out at him. "Picking favorites!"

As the afterglow of the electro-portation faded they found themselves before the gate of the old city.

"And who are you?" The clearly confused voice of a silver-hooded guard wafted towards them. him and his partner glared at the four figures that suddenly appeared before them in a cloud of sparks and color.

Lan Jue lifted his head, and a burst of blue light filled the area. The silver hooded men collapsed. "Little Yue, if you would." As he spoke, the sound was taken up by a strange blue light, which floated off in to the distance.

Lightning was, obviously, light. Through proper implementation and reception it was a better mode of sound transmission than a megaphone.

A great cry like the call of a bird rose from the palace interior, and in the moments following a golden figure appeared before them.

"Who are you?"

She was a golden-robed girl, no older than eighteen or nineteen. She struck a strangely imposing figure, with her arms stretched out at her sides. But it wasn't her stance that was surprising – instead it was the pair of wings extending from her back. They splayed out behind her, surrounded by a soothing white light. An ancient-looking bronze sword was clutched in her right hand. Despite her appearance, she exuded no sense of impending force or violence.

Lan Jue looked at the young woman, engrossed. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure. You've probably joined the clan in just these last few years. What's your Discipline?"

"Enough!" The girl's voice was hard, and cold. The bronze sword clutched in her hand sprung in to motion. In the same instant the white light around her wings grew brighter, and began congealing around them. As the blade moved it, too, glowed with an incandescent white light. A distinct sense of holy righteousness swept over them. Great fluctuations of power burst out towards Lan Jue and his companions.

"Angelism. Acquired, not congenital? Something you've inherited from the Pontiff's Castle, I imagine." Lan Jue watched the young woman carefully.

She paused, taken aback, but the hesitation was quickly overtaken by a murderous look in her eyes. She rose to the tips of her toes, and in the space of an instant flashed towards Lan Jue. Her blade stretched out like a piercing white light, ready to separate his head from his body.

"Halt, Luo Shang!" The queenly command rang forth, but was unfortunately a second too late. That violent light had already reached Lan Jue.

"Stop!" Lin Guoguo's voice arose, cold as ice. Her viridian green eyes had became as gold as the girl's robes.

The young woman's body shook visibly. She stopped in mid air, while in the same moment a fiery blaze erupted from beside Lan Jue. The wall of flame was like a shield, stopping the girl from advancing further.

White and red light collided. Nothing could penetrate the ensuing flash. The girl in gold had already retreated, and hovered in the air with wings splayed wide.

A figure descend from above, clad in a flowing black dress. She was lithe, and her long black hair flowed freely behind her like a living shadow, falling to her calves. Her skin was white as cream. In fact, it was only her pale red eyes that bore any color. As she floated to the ground, she became the focus of everyone's attention.

Scores of silver-hooded men began to pour from the palace gates as the red-eyed woman made her entrance. Among them, two men in gold arrived to stand beside the young woman. One, upon seeing Lan Jue, flinched visibly. Terror fluttered through his eyes.

"Empress." The girl turned towards the woman and called to her respectfully.

"Luo Shang, I'll handle this." Her voice was hard, her expression worse, and she exuded a palpable sensation of majesty. With her presence alone, the area around them seemed stifled in her aura.

"As you command." She fell back to stand behind her queen. She took up position beside her two golden-robed compatriots.

The woman in black began to slowly, tantalizingly make her way towards Lan Jue. Each step increased the oppressive sense of her aura, filling the air until it was hard to breathe.

She stopped five meters before him.

In the next instant her icy expression melted away like frost before the spring sun. What emerged beneath the chill was an attractive smile. She gave him a light rebuke. "What are you doing here, bullying people?"

Lan Jue gave an apologetic laugh. "It's been a long time, Little Yue. I didn't want it to be like this. Unfortunately, the coms code you gave me for the Crescent City has expired."

The empress began to walk towards Lan Jue once again, continuing to grumble coquettishly. "It has been a long time, and not so much as a word." As she spoke her hand rose, and rested on Lan Jue's arm. Were the elite members of the pirate clan in attendance not already looking on in stunned silence, they would be now. Their noble and majestic Empress, reduced to a flirtatious child?

"Not so close." Mika thrust herself between them, face to face with the empress.

"Mika… still so hateful," the woman cooed, her brows wrinkling.

Mika pushed her black-rimmed glasses higher on hr nose, and lightly shook her head. The motion caused her red hair – previously pulled to a bun atop her head – to tumble down past her shoulders. As they hair came down, it began to change, becoming a garnet red from the root down.

A palpable, horrific power arose and swept forth like a tide. The silver-hooded regimens could not stop themselves from retreating a step in apprehension. It was a monstrous aura that was no less throttling than the Empress' own.

Such was the power of one of Zeus' Amazons: Mika, the Stygian Succubus!

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Chapter 79: The Daughter of Satan

Long, flowing locks of maroon hair were complimented by a pair of sinister blood-red eyes. Flames arose, as dark as the fires of hell – and among this, that terrible suffocating aura! The entirety of the area grew bleak and dim.

This was Mika – the Stygian Succubus.

"The Dark Tower. This is Satan's stink?" The young woman who'd moments before retreated at her mistress' behest drew closer once again. The wings splayed behind her reacted to the scene, glowing with a dim white light. It pulsed and shook when confronted with Mika's devilish aura.

The Moonfiend Empress looked on with narrowed brows, and a golden light shimmered behind her eyes. Her own presence – previously majestic and overbearing – changed. She grew bright, and exuded a sense of unfiltered holiness.

"Mika… are you sure you want to square off against me?"

The Succubus snorted derisively. "If you dare approach my boss again, I'll tear your palace to the ground."

"Alright, Mika… relax." Lan Jue lifted his red hand and placed it soothingly atop Mika's shoulder. The dancing, ethereal flames that surrounded her began to snake up his arm like a cancer.

Mika gasped, startled. The murderous light in her eyes and the flaming color of her hair gradually dissolved back to normal. The sense that had crawled over the area – that demonic oppression – also dissipated in to nothing.

The Empress bore a clearly displeased expression, and glared daggers at Lan Jue. "You fool. You come all this way, suffer all the pitfalls and bring three jealous little girls with you. It bores me. Enter, if you must." As she spoke, she lazily turned that curvaceous form back towards the palace. She began to walk in, swaying tantalizingly as she did. It was enough to drive any man to do irrational things.

The lapping flames surrounding Lan Jue's hand grew small and vanished. He patted Mika's shoulder once more comfortingly.

Mika dropped her head a few degrees. "I'm sorry, boss," she said sheepishly. "I saw the Pontiff's lackey and… I couldn't help myself."

Lan Jue adopted a serious tone. "Over the last several years you've done wonders keeping that darkness at bay. Don't let all that effort go to waste."

"Yes boss," she said dutifully. There was no further trace of that unrestrained evil from moments before.

Lin Guoguo and Ke'er were at her side, then. Each took up one of her hands in comfort.

Lin Guoguo leaned in. "Sister, there wasn't any need for that," she whispered to her. "You have me and Ke'er here. Together we can protect the boss just fine."

Ke'er nodded her head in agreement. "That's right! Sis, don't give in to your impulses. I remember what you were like before, violent and unpredictable."

Lan Jue shot them a bitter smile. "Last I checked I still have hands and legs, ladies. I'm perfectly capable of handling myself. Let's go." He rubbed his nose and made for the palace entrance.

Luo Sang looked on as the four left, walking towards the palace. She watched carefully as Mika followed her boss. Her sharp, clear eyes never left the Succubus' form, even after she disappeared through the gates.

"Such potent evil," she muttered to herself. "How could it be? Even in the core of the Dark Tower there were only a few who could possess such pure vileness. Could she be close to that wicked Satan? Who on earth is she? And how is it she came to be that man's servant?"

"Luo Shang." The voice arose from beside her, and shook her from her reverie.

"Hm?" She raised her head, looking towards the golden-robed man at her side.

"There are some things that don't bear looking in to," he warned. "There is no benefit for you – only risk. All I can tell you, is even as dangerous as that woman is – her master is worse."

Luo Shang looked to where they had vanished in to the palace. Who was he?

ζ

The palace had no elevator or means of transport. The only way up was the ancient stony stairway, which the four ascended with the Empress in the lead. Eventually, they arrived at the pinnacle of the castle.

Here, there was no entourage of silver-hooded men. There were no guards or servants. Only the Empress and her guests.

The highest point wasn't large, and after pushing open the wooden door there was revealed an area of only about two hundred square meters.

The floor was covered in a pure white shag carpet. Situated around the floor was antique furniture. On the walls, the eyes of countless portraits followed them as they entered.

Mika shuddered under their gaze, and the slightest hint of red light flickered behind her eyelids.

"Mika," Lan Jue warned.

Mika gritted her teeth, and pushed her black-rimmed glasses higher on her nose. Her eyes cleared.

Lan Jue looked towards the Empress. "It's been so long since you left the Pontiff's employ, little Yue. Why do you still hang this gaudy things?"

Their host spoke softly in response. "Once mustn't forget where they came from. They may have lost faith in me, but my belief in the Lord hasn't changed. If it hadn't been for that belief, after so many years I'm sure I'd have fallen to corruption."

Lan Jue's brows wrinkled. "And what of that girl, Luo Shang? Unless I'm mistaken she's an acquired Talent, newer generation. And her Angelism is an Archangel, no less. How'd she get here? Aren't you afraid the Pontiff's Castle will come looking for trouble? I wouldn't be surprised if they already know you're here."

The Empress' tone took on a dark note of violence and disdain. "If they dared leave their lofty towers, there'd be little chance of returning to them. As a matter of fact, even if you hadn't told me about their true selves – awakened me to their real intentions – I'd likely still have broken free of their control. But that is what it is. I watched Luo Shang grow up, and convinced her to join me. That's the gist of it. The Pontiff's Castle has no idea. You should know that my control over this place is absolute. You're the first person to have seen her and lived to talk about it."

"Hmph." Mika snorted angrily.

The Empress shot her a look. "And what are you grunting about? I left the Pontiff's Castle at this man's request – didn't you do the same from the Dark Tower? You and I certainly aren't alike – you are Satan's daughter, heir to the Dark Tower. And still you turned your back on him and left. If the Dark Tower were to ever find him, I can only imagine the trouble. You don't understand how enraged the tower was the day you left. But I am curious how you all managed to hide all traces of yourselves for so long. And controlling that evil nature of yours so well."

"None of your business," Mika spat.

Four eyes met, challenging, and again that dangerous fire welled up behind Mika's eyes.

Helplessly, Lan Jue interjected. "Alright, you two don't need to go toe-to-toe every time you meet, ok? You may have very differing beliefs but neither of you are what you used to be."

The Empress rolled her eyes at Lan Jue, but even that action bore a distinctly flirtatious undertone.

"So what is it you want me from this time? There's obviously something or you wouldn't have bothered. You coward."

Lan Jue continued as though he hadn't heard the insult. "I need the most recent star maps of the Shattered Starfields. Name your price."

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Chapter 80: Class of the Seven Stars

"You're here for that power gem, yes? It seems as though you've finally discovered what it does. So you tell me, what price do you think I should ask for?" The Empress smiled wolfishly at Lan Jue, a telling light in her eyes.

"Aren't we the greedy one," Lan Jue muttered.

The Empress simply laughed, swaying back towards her guests. "Aww, who says I'm greedy? You just want a star map? It's yours."

As she spoke she lifted her right hand. Empty, a light shone in her palm – dimly at first, but growing until it encompassed the appendage. When it receded she bore a silver disk, which she handed to Lan Jue.

Lan Jue made no shows of courtesy, taking up the disk and handing it to Ke'er, who stood at his side.

"Thanks. I owe you a favor. We'll be on our way." Saying his piece, he turned and began to make his way from the white chamber. He had no intention to linger any longer than he had to.

"Stop right there!" The Empress' charming voice interrupted.

Lan Jue paused, and turned to see that her face had grown agitated.

"Unconscionable. Business is concluded and you simply run off!" She sounded resentful.

"Hey," Ke'er began, her face sour, "watch what you say. Our boss is a decent person, no one's taking advantage here."

The Empress' expression darkened. "Don't give me that, little girl. Somehow I imagine you all wish he wasn't so decent. Zeus' Amazons… would any of you claim not to harbor an interest? You know he only pretends not to notice."

It was Lan Jue's face that darkened this time. "Ke'er, give her the maps back. We're leaving."

Ke'er stood stunned. Lin Guoguo and Mika were similarly stupefied, their faces adopting strange expressions. They knew their boss well. This time, he really was angry.

The Empress herself was taken aback, but she made no move to take the disk in Ke'er's hand. Her eyes reddened at the edges, and as she spoke a lump grew in her throat. "So you protect them, then. Tell it true, Zeus – if I submitted, would you take me under your control as well? Would I become your fifth servant!"

Lan Jue's brows raised, and he sighed as softness returned to his eyes. "Little Yue, you know that's impossible. With a character like yours how could you not? Even then, my protection can only extend so far."

The Moonfiend Empress hung her head. "I know. Your three years of seclusion wasn't just because of Hera. It was to benefit the three girls with you as well. Did you know that, Mika? I really do envy you all – to have a man like him as your guardian. Sometimes the hard and harsh Lord of his castle, and sometimes the kind-hearted angel. Go then, I'm done speaking with you."

Mika, Guoguo and Ke'er each turned their eyes to Lan Jue.

Lan Jue smiled indifferently, like nothing had happened. "We're off." The words still hung in the air as he turned to leave.

It was at this moment a figure appeared, hurriedly rising from the floors below. It was the golden-hooded man from before, who'd warned off Luo Shang – revealed now as Gao Yong.

"Your Majesty. They've sent another."

The Empress had regained her noble façade in the space of an instant, and was once again the majestic leader of the Moonfiend pirates. "Show them to the reception room. I'll be there shortly."

Gao Yong took a quick look at Lan Jue and his followers before continuing. "Your Majesty, this purpose this time is… I'm afraid we can't put them off any longer."

The Empress sniffed dismissively. "They'll wait until hell freezes over if I want them to. But fine, I'll see to them."

Ke'er fiddled with the disk in her hand and muttered, mostly to herself. "I knew this thing wouldn't be so easy to get."

Lan Jue chuckled. "It's for the best, actually. Now I won't need to worry about it later."

Turning back he spied the look on the Empress' Face. "So, what's the problem, Little Yue?"

But she had grown obstinate, and waved him away with her hand. "It doesn't concern you. Go on."

Lan Jue turned then to Gao Yong. "Maybe you'll be more forthcoming."

Gao Yong looked to his mistress, then back to Lan Jue with uncertainty dancing in his eyes. He responded quietly. "Mister Lan, it's the Purgatory pirate clan. We don't know how they've gained power so quickly… they want to redistribute the territories. They plan to use the ancient pirate way –"

"A duel." Lan Jue said.

Gao Yong only nodded.

"What manner of dual," he followed.

Gao Yong answered. "Three bouts of adepts. Four for mechas. Seven contests all together, first to four wins. Here we call this 'Clash of the Seven Stars'.

"I'm surprised," Lan Jue said. "With the Moonfiend's strength I'd assume you wouldn't have such problems."

Gao Yong's smile was a bitter one. "Originally our power was absolute, but recently Purgatory has sent for several particularly powerful individuals to bolster their ranks. We suspect they were poached from the Three Alliances, brought over with six battleships. Before the clan was already not too far off in power to us, but now the gap has closed considerably."

Lan Jue looked back towards the Empress. "Little Yue, this is something I can help you with. Call it your price, debts settled. Not just for the star map – understand?"

She looked quietly at Lan Jue for a long moment. The emotions in her eyes were numerous and complicated, but controlled. Eventually she spoke. "Up to you."

Ke'er frowned at the proceedings. "Boss let's just go. It's like you're begging to help her. What are we still doing here?"

Lan Jue did not answer, speaking instead to Gao Yong. "When does the Clash begin?"

"If it were up to them, in three days," Gao Yong replied. "If Mister Lan agrees to help, we'll respond accordingly."

Lan Jue nodded. "So be it. In three days we'll return to Moonfiend. In the interim we have our own business to attend to. Wait for our return, then we'll fight in the name of the Moonfiend Pirates."

Gao Yong's face was elated. "Many thanks, Mister Lan!" Since learning of Lan Jue's identity, Gao Yong had grown ever more grateful for Lan Jue's decorum and restraint that day on the Avenue.

He made his way from the castle, a small smile ever present as a shadow on his handsome face. His three amazons followed behind.

"Boss!" Mika called.

Lan Jue paid her no mind, despite the fact they walked shoulder to shoulder. He arm pressed against her for just a moment.

She said nothing further, and walked along with him in silence. Quietly, she tapped a few buttons in to the communicator on her wrist.

As the four left, Lan Jue said not a word. The verti-car they'd hired waited patiently not far off, ready to depart.

"A moment, Zeus." The exclamatory voice broke the silence of their trek.

Lan Jue stopped in his tracks, and his features changed, dropping that small smile. Quietly he addressed the voice. "Are you going to force me to kill someone?"

"It looks like my estimates were correct. If I let you leave today, I'm afraid you wont be coming back. The Empress remains as affectionate for you as ever, and though I don't know what she insinuated, it looks like you understood."

A large figure was slowly making their way towards them from afar. Reality almost appeared to swirl and bend around them. The various peddlers and pedestrians on the street all quietly vanished. It was clearly felt by Lan Jue's three protectors that it was as though they'd entered another reality entirely.

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Chapter 81: The Pontiff's Castle

The imposing figure drew ever closer, and with each step their features became clearer. At least two meters tall, and clad in plate armor reminiscent of the ancient Middle Ages. In their left hand, a shield. A sword in their right.

With each step their imposing aura became stronger. It was as though they were the center of the universe, the master of this reality.

Lan Jue's face was calm as he greeted him. "It's been a long time, Raphael."

"Indeed. A long time, Zeus. We've been looking for you for… ages." Raphael's incessant march towards Lan Jue never ceased. Strangely, despite his heavy plate armor, he made not a sound as he trekked towards the small group.

Mika had already undergone a change; her eyes narrow, the red in their depths growing darker with each passing moment. "The Archangel of Healing… Raphael, of the Pontiff's Castle."

Lan Jue turned then to face Mika, and placed his hands gently upon her shoulders. "Mika, promise me. Unless there is absolutely no other choice, do not use your abilities. Understand?"

She looked in to his eyes in silence, and moister began to collect at the corner of her eyes. "Boss…"

He gently ran a hand through her hair. "You call me boss, it's my job to protect you. Trust me."

Mika took a deep breath, and straightened her shoulders. "Right!" The red that had crept through her eyes had dissolved.

"Zeus. Really, there's no reason it has to be like this. If you want to leave there are none among us who will stop you. All we want is the Stygian Succubus. It was never our intention to feud with you. Give her to us, and you may leave. The Pontiff's Castle will even owe you a favor."

Lan Jue laughed, almost as though the exchange brought him joy. "Raphael, you keep calling me Zeus. So you know the kind of person I am."

"But you're no real supreme being." This sentence came from another voice, clear and melodious. Another towering figure appeared, this one not in armors but an impeccably clean white robe. Long golden hair flowed to his back, with sapphire blue eyes set in a handsome face. He looked regal, elegant, like an artist.

Lan Jue gave them a lopsided smile. "We're all old friends. I figured with Raphael around you'd show up. Gabriel, you haven't changed a bit."

Gabriel gave him a small smile in return. "Oh? And how would you describe me?"

"Cheap," Lan Jue said without hesitation.

Gabriel's features grew rigid, but he quickly recovered. "Ah Zeus, all you have is words? I am curious, though, how you knew it was a trap. In return I'll tell you how we set it up."

Lan Jue spoke, appearing almost bored. "Your trap was flawless, actually. But, you shouldn't have sent that little angel my way. I know what kind of person Little Yue is, as well as I know her relationship with your lot. But I also know her heart – and she wouldn't let any one of your number near her. Unless I'm mistaken, you likely offered something she dare not refuse in return for setting this up. This Clash of the Seven Stars was your doing, a snare you knew I'd have to walk in to."

Gabriel sighed. "You really are a special breed. In this instant you really do seem like the real Zeus. Even now you still seek to protect your Little Yue. You've got the one right, but there was also Gao Yong. But those aren't even the most important. What made it in the end was Yue seeing the look in your eyes. We'd originally thought you'd been fooled, but she noticed how you spoke to Gao Yong; relaxed, at ease. So we decided we'd settle this today."

"Of course, you can still choose to leave. All you have to do is agree to leave the Succubus to us. You can take the others and go," Raphael added sincerely.

Lan Jue leisurely pulled his cigar from his breast pocket, producing with it a cigar cutter from his windbreaker. He clipped the end, and spoke over his shoulder to Mika. "Let me get a light."

Mika smirked. She pressed thumb and forefinger together, and with a snap a flame appeared hovering before Lan Jue's face.

Lan Jue leaned forward and drew upon the cigar, sucking the flames in to it. The pungent aromas of the fine cigar began to fill the area.

"Who else, hm? Come on out. In this Holy Light it's hard to pinpoint your exact locations. Just the two of you isn't enough for what you want, I think."

He looked around with an expression of boredom, his mood almost dismissive. But there was a clear arrogance in his mannerisms.

"So you wish to be our enemy, Zeus?" A magnetic, rumbling voice filled the air. The voice changed something in Lan Jue. His arrogance slipped, and a quiet dignity crept in to his eyes.

A fiery red figure gradually appeared between Gabriel and Raphael. He walked towards them at an average, leisurely pace, but his presence flooded the area with radiant light with each step closer.

Mika's face blanched. "Michael – the Angel of War!"

Lan Jue gave a throaty laugh, and took a long drag of his cigar. The plume of smoke slowly extricated itself from his lips. "You all think so highly of me! Three of the Pontiff's Seven Archangels. Anyone else?"

Michael was covered in a set of fiery red armor. Brilliant and divine his features, however, were as hard as carved stone. A great cloak of crimson flowed at his back, and he wore no helmet which permitted his golden hair to shimmer brilliantly in the holy light.

"Uriel. He's at your airship. You must know the Blade-Maiden is no match for him," Michael said matter-of-factly.

"So just you four then," Lan Jue asked.

Michael continued. "The Succubus is an important matter to us. She will inherit the Dark Tower."

Lan Jue looked towards Gabriel. "You found me after what I did on Skyfire I imagine. Then you discovered I was on the Avenue. Then, after the conflict with Gao Yong and the pirates, you figured I'd come to the Shattered Starfields. And so here you plan to end things. Am I right?"

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Chapter 82: Ascension

Gabriel fixed Lan Jue with his eyes. "Zeus, I'll stress again – we don't want to be enemies."

Lan Jue laughed softly in response. "But I already am, aren't I. I really don't have a choice, and neither do you. The only thing left to say can be said through power. If you want to take Mika, you've got one road – and that's over my dead body."

Michael's response was calm. "If that's the case, there's nothing more to say. Gabriel, you handle these. Zeus is mine."

Brilliant pillars of light erupted from the three angels. Their pure white wings splayed out to magnificent lengths. Each bore six wondrous wings. Each were Six-Winged Seraphim!

An Angelism resulting in a six-winged seraph meant they were at least a ninth-level Talent, seventh ranked. And Michael, the Angel of War, lead the Seven Archangels as a ninth-level ninth-ranked master. He'd attained the peak of cultivation.

Gabriel, the Messenger of Death was ninth-level, eighth-ranked. Raphael, the Angel of Healing, ninth-level seventh-ranked.

Great beams of golden-red light shot manically from Michael's back. "Zeus, the widely renowned. I've long awaited this battle."

Lan jue lazily puffed on his cigar. "You've thought about this, Michael? You know me, you know I don't let a slight go unpunished. Let this be the end, for if I leave here alive, the Pontiff's Castle will never know another day of peace."

Michael's eyes flashed dangerously. "Still you threaten me."

Lan Jue's response was cool, collected. "I'm telling you what will happen. If I die here, you'll create some scene to confuse any who come to investigate. But if I don't, if I walk out of here, you know what the consequences will be. If you didn't, you'd have come for me long ago on Skyfire Avenue."

Michael huffed. "Since when did Zeus resort to talking to solve his problems?"

Lan Jue laughed, though it was an expression that never reached his eyes. "You know? I actually want to stamp my cigar out on that irritating face of yours. Unfortunately it's a method that doesn't fit with my noble decorum. But it sure would make me happy."

"Guoguo, Ke'er. Protect Mika. Leave these three to me!" As he spoke, he took a single stride forward to meet his assailants.

In the space of that single step, the lackadaisical and indifferent Lan Jue underwent a dramatic change.

A golden mask appeared from nowhere, covering his features. In the same instant there appeared a brilliant golden cape. His hair grew long, like spun gold. Once more he appeared as he did that day on the mountain top, 'rescuing' Zhou Qianlin from her marriage.

This man wasn't Lan Jue. In this moment, he truly was – Zeus!

But the angels didn't look on in stillness. In those few moments they, too, were in motion.

A dazzling flash of golden red like the rising sun burst in to bloom before Zeus' face. The explosion released an incomparable blast of light and heat.

The holy fire reflected off of Zeus' golden mask. His right hand short forth, and a terrible blast of blue light erupted towards his adversaries. It charged forth like a spear, piercing to the depths of that golden orb of light and fire.

Terrible bursts of energy issued from the point of contact. The electric energies cast forth by Zeus seemed to devour the orb. With the air still crackling from the power of the impact, he took another step forward. Surrounded by the remnants of their opening salvo, his approach seemed even more menacing.

The Messenger of Death deftly avoided the blast, floating effortlessly in the air as though he were taking a leisurely stroll. Suddenly, a holy light expanded from his body, pure and brilliant, and raced towards the three women. The chorus of angels rang from it's depths.

Mika hadn't moved from her original spot. Her red hair hung lose, framing her pretty face. With head slightly bent, she stood still and silent – as though the events of the world around her didn't exist.

Lin Guoguo strode forward until she stood between Gabriel and Mika. Her right hand was pressed against her forehead, and a sharp golden light flashed from her eyes. Behind her appeared a golden faceless figure, surrounded by a blazing ring of light. In the blink of an eye the halo burst in to innumerable golden bolts, which launched themselves violently towards the assaulting angel.

The aura around Gabriel shifted perceptibly, created a black void between them. Guoguo's arrows of light fired harmlessly within and vanished.

It wasn't a second later that reality ruptured between them, and from the depths of the tear a great azure hand swiped at Gabriel's halo of light. The attack landed to the side, succeeding in tearing it asunder.

"I said leave the three to me," Zeus' roaring voice thundered forth.

Boooom! Earsplitting peels of thunder rang through the heavens. Threading bolts of blue lightning became encased in golden light, and furiously detonated from between Zeus and the Angel of War.

The fiery red figure of Michael staggered out.

Another step forward, and Zeus reached his hand in to a void in space. When he retracted it, a great spear of golden lightning writhes in his grip. He jabbed the weapon towards the red angel.

The air shimmered and parted like water before the tip of Zeus' spear. Michael grunted and, exposed from the assault, staggered back a few steps.

Zeus wasted no time. The opening allowed him to turn his golden spear of lightning to Gabriel.

Suddenly, dual beams of holy light descended form on high, encasing Michael and Gabriel. The light served as a shield, divine intervention, which also caused the energies pouring from their bodies to become enhanced.

"Let the skies open!" Zeus' penetrating roars resounded around them.

At his call a terrible boom of thunder followed, and the air above them became riddled with scores of golden fissures.

The white shield of light before Gabriel split like paper in the face of Zeus' golden spear. The crackling bolt veritably screamed as it made for his face.

Gabriel's eyes grew wide, and his face paled in terror. Instinctively he drew his six wings before him like a barrier, and his body became consumed in blessed white light.

A shrill cry filled the air as the blinding light receded. Gabriel's body fell from the shell of brilliance, collapsing to the floor. Two of his six wings had been horribly mangled. Golden rivers of blood sputtered from the angel's mouth.

"Ascension… ?" The Angel of Healing, Raphael, was struck dumb as he watched the scene.

Slowly, Zeus turned to look at Raphael. Slowly, his right hand lifted to point to the roiling, shattered skies.

"The heavens shall splinter!"

The world grew bright as day. With Zeus at it's center, scores of searing golden lightning erupted from the skies to obliterate everything they fell upon. In the face of this abominable tempest, even the three great angels of the Pontiff's Castle had to devote all of their power to self preservation.

The heavens indeed fractured, in from the blue skies and white clouds there radiated forth a great beam of light.

"Hmph!" The grunt was cold and angry. Michael, Angel of War, stood unmoved, his six wings keeping him aloft.

Each beat of his great wings radiated powerful, holy light. The shimmering glow spread across his pure white wings until they, too, shone gold with power.

As the last feather of his wings absorbed the golden glow, they split apart. Twelve glorious wings beat furiously at Michael's back. But more than that, behind the mighty warrior a shimmering ethereal figure with twelve wings of it's own hovered.

The true angel had emerged. Adventus.

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Read Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 83 – The Variable online free - Light Novel Full

Chapter 83 – The Variable

Twelve powerful wings beat against the air, and Michael vanished from view. The respite was short lived, though, for he appeared moments later high above them. Thus extricated from Zeus' line of attack, he made a charge for the three women.

Raphael rushed to Gabriel's side, and laid his hands upon him. Gentle white light emanated from the contact and began to heal the fallen angel's broken body. Raphael's browse knitted as he worked. "Zeus… it's a fitting name. Resolute, unwavering. To use his Ascension from the onset. His level of cultivation is comparable to our own, despite the fact we've lived for more than a hundred years. But it isn't true mastery. He draws too much from himself, and I doubt he'll be able to hold it for long."

Gabriel's face was pale and pained. He coughed speckles of golden blood. "It's a… powerful Ascension. And his judgment is impeccable. He didn't hesitate to draw so much energy to command the battlefield. The Thunder Discipline is worthy of being called the most explosive of powers. He even forced … Michael to employ Adventus. He is… also an arrogant one. In his Adventus form, Michael can also break the barrier into tenth level. Enough even to rival his Majesty the Pontiff's un-enhanced abilities. And Zeus, drained as he is, will have no chance to run."

The golden light surrounding Zeus flickered, and began to fade by degrees. Golden hair, golden mask, golden robes… each of them melted away like rippling water until they vanished. Lan Jue hadn't employed any gems or enhancements – this was his own innate power. However, he could only maintain this ultimate form for ten seconds before it ran it's course.

His face was pale, and blood had begun to collect at the corner of his lips. But his eyes retained that calm attentiveness.

"Boss! Let me," Ke'er shouted resolutely. Undulating waves of light shimmered in her eyes.

Lan Jue turned to look at her, and something in his expression stopped any further debate.

Mika remained still, silent, with head bowed. Lin Guoguo stood dutifully by her side, fists raised and eyes flashing gold.

"Xiuxiu, do you copy.. Xiuxiu!" Lan Jue growled in to his communicator. Only static responded.

The signal had been blocked.

ζ

"Wa-hah! Tell me how awesome I am! The Jewelry Master asked, and I have delivered! I'm nothing short of a genius. Now, there's absolutely nothing that can crack your protections. The only way someone's breaking in is if they can survive a blast from Zeus-1's main cannons." The Accountant practically wriggled in his seat with self-pride.

Xiuxiu sat a small distance away, but acted as though she hadn't heard. Her hands supported her pink cheeks as she stared towards the city through the porthole, preoccupied with her own thoughts.

"Man, I am something else!" The Accountant continued to toot his own proverbial horn.

Thrumm! Suddenly, a shudder ran through Zeus-1

Xiuxiu was drawn from her silent contemplation to stare quickly at the screen before her.

"Eh? What's with this interference signal. It's so strong… it's like our communications array has just broken off!" The Accountant scratched his head, muttering indistinctly to himself.

Xiuxiu spoke up. "Something not right. The boss must have run in to some trouble."

The young woman's classical, even temperament grew sharp in the space of an instant. Though it would take exceptional perception, someone looking close enough would discover the pupils of her big eyes had elongated like dual razors.

A shadow covered her screen, and a figure appeared.

He was a graceful man, elegant, but the smile upon his face held a dangerous quality. He was tall, stood straight, and from his back extended six magnificent white wings which slowly undulated to keep him aloft.

"Salutations," he spoke through the screen. "Unless I'm mistaken, the only one of Zeus' amazons remaining on the ship is the Asura Blade-Maiden. I, am called Uriel. I'm unsure whether you've heard of me, but I'd ask you not do anything… rash. You are currently surrounded by four battleships, and four more stand by in orbit. What I need you to do, is simply remain calm and quiet, until matters are settled. I am loathe to act violently towards a woman, as any gentleman worth his salt can attest. And so, Blade-Maiden, remain just as you are and things will remain copacetic."

A hard glint shone in Xiuxiu's eyes, but her face remained calm and betrayed nothing.

"The Cherubim Uriel, of the Pontiff's Castle? What are you doing all the way out here? What's happened? What in the world did the Jewelry Master do now?! Why would the Castle send people to come after him?" The Accountant sputtered question after question, staring worriedly at Xiuxiu.

Xiuxiu lowly turned her head to look at him. "We're likely trapped. The whole thing probably was – even from the day we got that gem from the hooded man on the Avenue. The others are certainly in danger – but between Mika and the boss' power, they can hold their own for the time being. Luckily he doesn't know you're on board. After all, neither did we. Uriel's made his calculations based on all the information he has. You, are the variable."

"I'm going to get out and draw the Cherubim away. Its your job to find a way to get this ship out of here and provide support for Lan Jue and the others. Understand?"

The Accountant stuttered. "B-b-but what about you?"

"Don't worry about me," Xiuxiu responded casually. "Help the boss, and he'll come for me."

"But –"

Xiuxiu interrupted before he could finish his thought. "No time for 'buts'. If you want to live you need to get out of here, and do as I say. You're already as familiar with this ship as any of us. You're going to have to do this. Just remember, I can't hold him off for long."

With her final command issued, Xiuxiu turned and left without hesitation.

He watched her back as she left and said nothing. Contrary to his nature the Accountant sat silent, deep in thought.

Uriel hung in the air by virtue of his six beating wings, a hundred meters before the bow of Zeus-1. That diabolical smile never left his lips.

However, he didn't remain alone outside for long. As he looked on, the ship's hatch opened to reveal a figure silhouetted by the ship's interior light.

Black flight suit, black hair, and black eyes met his gaze. Xiuxiu exited the ship atop a small personal aircraft that made it's way towards Uriel.

The Angel laughed. "I'd certainly heard Zeus commanded four beautiful maidservants. Today I find truth to the rumors. The Asura Blade-Maiden, I presume."

Xiuxiu's response was curt. "Did you lackies of the castle figure you can assault my boss without consequences?"

Uriel's dark grin grew wider. The taint of sinister schemes lived in that smile. "With all of you dead, there wont be any consequences. No one will know what happened to you. After all, this is the Shattered Starfields."

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Chapter 84: The Asura Blade-Maiden

"Fine," Xiuxiu responded coolly. "I hadn't thought the boss' actions would bring you lot. It's good, really – it make things more interesting."

Uriel tilted his head, and looked at her with a hint of curiosity in his dark eyes. "And you aren't the least bit afraid?"

Xiuxiu shot him an impish grin. "Why should I be afraid? Do you honestly think you and your people can defeat my boss?"

Uriel's laugh was deep, and sinister. "It appears you aren't interested in standing idly by. But I'd advise you against taking any reckless actions. As far as I can recall, the Amazons were Talents ranging from eight-level, to ninth-level first-rank. Simply put, that isn't enough to stop us."

Xiuxiu looked at him earnestly. "Data, words on a paper. How can you really know unless you find out for yourself? Am I right?"

Her dark eyes shone like lacquer. A flash – but not black, white like a terrible heat. It was quickly followed by a sudden and violent burst of power, and a curtain of light erupting from behind her.

It coalesced in to a shimmering white sword, and a thunderous sound like tearing filled the air as it solidified. Uriel felt himself stiffen in response, and from his wings there emitted a gentle golden glow which shielded him from the worst of the ensuing blast.

"Impressive – worthy of being called Zeus' right-hand. Quite the powerful aura! I'm going to assume your Discipline lies in the domain of piercing. It's a rare thing to find someone who's cultivate this sort of power to the eighth level." As casual as when he first appeared, Uriel lazily motioned with a finger. Tendrils of golden light, thin as spider silk, slowly slithered from his body. They had no rhyme or reason, nor did they stretch towards Xiuxiu. Instead they blossomed like groping fingers, like threads of fishing net.

The undulating blade on Xiuxiu's back slowly manifested itself, growing until it stretched a meter and a half in length. Decorative designs etched themselves upon the blade, and a crimson fuller 1 stretched down to the impossibly sharp tip.

The light emanating from Xiuxiu's eyes shone brighter, yet her form began to grow hazy and indistinct. She faded until, surprisingly, the blade swallowed her in to itself.

The great blade shuddered, and swelled a hundred-fold 2. Now an enormous, blazing sword of light, it carved a deadly path towards the net of golden tendrils.

The grating sounds of impact arose as blade met spindles. A great tear appeared in the net, and with a sharpness that threatened to tear reality at the seams, it continued it's dangerous arc directly towards Uriel.

""Ninth-level, then?" Uriel looked at the dancing blade in mild surprise. According to his research, the Blade-Maiden should have been the weakest of Zeus' Amazons – no higher than eighth-rank. Simply following at Zeus' side had apparently caused her to increase in strength and ability.

As he watched, he realized also that it wasn't just the data that had been wrong. In these last few years, the Blade-Maiden had crossed an Adepts most important threshold, advancing from eighth, to ninth level. Moreover, it almost seemed as though she were holding back.

Lost in his thoughts and under assault from the living blade, he hardly noticed when Zeus-1 shuddered in to motion. Without any indication of the engines spooling, the ship immediately began to rotate. It was quick, small, only fifteen degrees or so – but it was enough to catch Uriel off guard.

Autopilot?

Not far away, the deafening roar of engines arose. As the air whipped violently around them, the sensation of compression from the engines sputtering to life was nearly crushing. Uriel's threats had not been empty, for now four great battleships were rumbling to life. Slowly each began to rise in to the air. High overhead, only partly visible through the clouds were revealed several more enormous figures. A classic dragnet.

The great blade paused for but a moment in midair, but only long enough for it's edge to adopt a golden glow. It struck anew at the embattled angel.

In the face of the great blade, even Uriel had no choice but to retreat. A radiating white light arose to shield him.

Sword never met shield, but the guard pulsed with power regardless. Uriel had grown angry, and with a growl his great wings unfurled, launching him above the Blade-Maiden. His figured dipped, aiming a vicious punch towards the living weapon.

Boom! Zeus-1 moved anew, this time it's five massive engines firing all at once. In a space of time that should have been impossible, the engines roared to full power, and the thin white light of it's shields buzzed over the ship's length.

But the ship didn't lift off as expected. The roaring engines this close to ground screamed like banshees as the ship lurched backward.

Zeus-1 had maneuvered back, slamming directly in to a building situated behind it as weapon blasts from the battleships overhead rained down. The resulting impact razed the obstacle and left the ship with a clear path of escape. By virtue of it's speed and shields it was able to complete the motion. Almost instantly the ship launched up a thousand meters, then rose abruptly towards the skies.

Crack! Countless streams of white light shot forth from Uriel's extended fist, followed by a dizzying hum.

Xiuxiu had appeared again in the air between them, the great blade situated at her side. Streaks of blood covered her nose and mouth, but her battered face still looks delighted. Finally realization dawned on Uriel's face.

"There was another on board." Uriel's face was dark with rage. In his time as Cherubim, never had he been so deceived. He found it difficult to keep his emotions hidden.

Xiuxiu only laughed. "You think I'd tell you?"

Uriel opened his fist and reached out to grab Xiuxiu. Once more numerous threads extended in to a web, enveloping the Blade-Maiden in their depths.

Xiuxiu grunted, reaching up to pull a necklace from around her throat.

It was a thin thing, unadorned and not visibly special in any way. The pendant, however, drew the eye. It was a small golden sword, that shimmered with it's own internal light.

She held the pendant gently between her fingers and, her eyes growing soft, she called forth: "Asura!"

A piercing golden light flared from the small sword. As it receded, an inky void appeared before Xiuxiu, and from it's depths arose an colossal figure.

White, with two seven meter blades affixed to it's back. A massive mecha, which when it arrived blinded the eyes with scores of dazzling prismatic rays. Uriel's net shattered harmlessly under the strain.

From the mecha's chest a light shot forth to embrace Xiuxiu. As the light dissolved, so did the Blade-Maiden. What remained was the mecha. It's eyes shone as it came to life.

Asura stretched thirteen meters – not tall by ordinary mecha standards. However a nearly indescribable, palpable sense of dread accompanied it's arrival. Scores of tiny black fissures appeared in the air around it, growing larger and more numerous as the mecha's power flooded the surroundings.

1. The indented part in the center of the blade that – contrary to their secondary name 'blood gutters' – is actually to make the sword lighter, not promote the flow of blood.

2. A five hundred foot sword is ludicrous, but that's the translation, so that's what ya got

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Chapter 85: Asura

The arrival of Asura sent Urial reeling. Sometime during his staggering retreat, he'd produced a golden cross with a yellow gem which he clutched in his hands.

A golden light shimmered to life around him, crackling with power. It served to ward against the sudden and vicious slice from Asura's dual blades.

The highest level Talents certainly possessed the ability to contend with mechas on their own – but that was against your average pilot. If the enemy was of a power comparable to one's own, that was another matter entirely.

And of course, an adept was at their strongest when they were in their mecha. The white mecha he faced now, Asura, was piloted by the one he knew as the Blade-Maiden. Xiuxiu, one of Zeus' amazons. A strong adept, in her own mecha.

The suit was large, and constructed to look like your perfect human physique. It bore no superfluous parts, no needless weaponry – only that pair of monstrous swords. As he looked on appreciably, said weapons were already gripped in the mecha's hands. With a burst of speed it rushed forward, directly towards that golden shield – the only thing protecting Uriel from it's deadly blades. They lashed out in savage chops. Where they slashed the air, great arcs of white energy in the shape of a crucifix charged forth.

The shell cracked, great gashes appearing where the attack had landed. Beams of golden light spilled out, and as the shell shattered away a second giant figure was revealed.

Yellow, streamlined, with six great extended wings. The latter clearly indicated what it was – an Angelic mecha of the Pontiff's Castle – a Seraph, with Uriel at it's helm. 1

The Cherubim mecha 2 stretched eighteen meters high, with shimmering spar minerals affixed to the center of it's chest. The heart of the crystal pulsated as though a tempest roiled in it's depths. A great shield was poised before it, blocking Asura's blades from finding their mark.

Crack! Sparks of energy paired with a shock wave as the two indomitable powers collided, swirling around them like a storm.

Asura pivoted effortlessly around the raised defense, as lithe and mobile as any human. It moved like a white shadow, spinning about and tearing the air with it's blades. The weapons rained blow after blow upon the Cherubim, interweaving until it seemed like it was a dozen swords he faced now.

Within the Cherubim's cockpit, Uriel's face had curdled. His fingers danced over the control panels like raindrops. Golden light still burned in his eyes. The mecha's shield seemed to move slowly, but was always just where it needed to be to block the ceaseless assault from Asura.

Each impact set the world ablaze in hard light, and deafened the ear with harsh cracks.

ζ

Zeus-1's sudden take-off had set the battleships in to disarray. They were ten times heavier than the sapphire gunboat. Though they bore superior weaponry, they simply didn't have the maneuvering capabilities of their prey.

Theoretically eight battleships would be more than enough for an effective dragnet against a single gunboat. But there are always exceptions.

Zeus-1 had risen, twisted and launched quicker than they were able to react. In the end it launched directly skyward like a rocket.

The battleships already in flight hadn't wasted any time in utilizing their tracking systems to get a lock on the fleeing ship. However, as they scrambled to take action, their quarry did something a ship of it's class simply shouldn't have been able to do; it tumbled through three complete horizontal rolls, shut off it's engines, and began to plummet towards the earth in free-fall.

The result was the same across all ships – the lock was lost.

As the ship floundered, screaming towards the earth for impact, the engine on it's left wing sputtered to life. Zeus-1 was wrenched forward, twisting back around.

The undulating maneuvers gave the gunboat enough stability to spool up it's primary engine and fire in to the distance. By then the great blasts fired from the battleship's cannons were already way off their intended mark and crashed to ground ineffectually.

"What the hell kind of ship is that!" One of the battleship's captains, a man in his forties, looked on slack-jawed and wide-eyed as Zeus-1 slowly vanished in to the distance.

"WOO! Now that was satisfying!" The Accountant was practically devoured by his seat, strapped tight by the safety harness. That didn't stop his fingers from pounding away at the keyboard in front of him, though. Odd flashes of data slithered across his eyes, eyes that had a strangely manic expression. The tail engine continued to accelerate, and Zeus-1 shot ahead like a bolt of lightning.

ζ

Xiuxiu watched Zeus-1's retreat, her red lips pressed tightly together. In the next instant she was back on the offensive, lashing out at Uriel through Asura, at one with the mecha's electronic brain to have it dance around the field of battle like quicksilver.

Rage was etched clearly on Uriel's face. Against Xiuxiu alone his power was enough to overwhelm her. But now, with Asura, the danger to him had grown considerably. He clearly recognized several avenues to gain the upper hand in their battle, but he had to know Asura would use any means necessary to fight back. She had the will, and he wasn't keen on destroying his own mecha to achieve this victory.

He'd let Zeus-1 escape! Though they'd blocked nearly all of Moonfiend's electronic signals, Zeus-1 appeared to be on track to breaking atmosphere. With the speed and control he'd just seen, he wasn't sure the safeguards they had in place would be enough. It wouldn't be long before word got back to Skyfire, and then the Castle would certainly be at risk of retaliation from the Avenue. They'd learned already Zeus was on their inner council – ignorance would not be an effective excuse.

It can't happen like this. I need to get to that ship and disable it. Uriel was resolute – he'd get to his airship, and chase that gunboat down.

Cherubim descended until one foot made contact with the ground. It crouched, and with it's six great wings splayed out like knife-blades, it launched itself at Asura.

Xiuxiu's mecha slid to the side and parried, the steel in it's left hand rebounded off of the enemy's wings. The lithe figure darted backwards. As the weight of the deflection spun it around, Asura pointed it's blade forward and launched ahead. Mecha and weapon blurred in to one, a whirling cone aimed at the Cherubim's heart.

Behind the controls of a mecha, Xiuxiu was no less capable than the angel she faced.

But before the final blow could land, Uriel's Cherubim straightened. It's six great wings expanded farther still – until they exploded out from it's back. What was six solid wings now became a hail of golden arrows, heading straight for Asura.

1. The translation states that the Cherubim Uriel's title is synonymous with the title of it's mecha – Seraphim. I believe this is an author mistake as the two are separate classes of angels. Cherubim are the second class of angels, whilst Seraphim attend directly to God in catholic canonical works. If that's the case than Uriel, an archangel (the highest order of the seraphim), is misnamed. Still, as that's the way it's written that's the way I'll translate it – just be aware that Cherubim is Uriel's title, not status.

2. Again, he's used the names Seraphim and Cherubim interchangeably.

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Chapter 86: The Duel

Lan Jue floated in silence, suspended in the air. Wordlessly he stared at the glimmering figure similarly suspended before him – Michael, the Twelve-Winged Angel of War.

"Hand over the devil and you can still leave." Michael addressed his opponent calmly. Red-gold flames smoldered from his eyes, and he hovered over them like a demi-god above the masses.

Lan Jue's expression was flat and uncaring. "From where I stand, it looks like only one of us will be breathing by the end of the day. As that's the case, let's settle this like gentlemen – with a gentlemanly challenge."

Michael's heart rate quickened. He knew he had the upper hand, and knew the man he faced was several degrees inferior in Talent. However in spite of those facts he also felt something inexplicable, something undefined that inspired fear to grow within him.

"You're sure you want this, Zeus?" Michael asked in his growling voice.

Lan Jue only nodded in response.

Michael's ears pricked up, as though he'd heard something. A subtle change came over his expression. "Very well. I accept your challenge. But this doesn't have to result in death. It is my wish that concession end combat; if you succeed, you may leave unhindered, but if you lose the demon stays with us and you may go."

Lin Guoguo and Ke'er both looked on in wonderment. Michael's conditions were uncharacteristically generous.

Lan Jue smiled knowingly. "So it looks like Uriel wasn't able to keep Xiuxiu contained, am I right? Hypocrite."

Michael's flaming eyes glared down at them. "Make your choice, Zeus."

I don't agree," came the replied. "I am the master of my destiny. It is I who will be your challenger, Michael." Through the chaos her head had remained bent, her powers contained, but now Mika lifted her piercing gaze to the angel.

"Mika!" Lan Jue hissed.

"Boss, I'm sorry. I can't let you keep bearing responsibility for me. You've already sacrificed, suffered too much. There's no way I can pay you back. Originally I'd planned to follow you forever, but I bring nothing but trouble. You don't belong to me, I can't continue to be so selfish. If something were to happen to you because of me… I'd suffer the pain from that for the rest of my life." Glistening teardrops, reflecting the shimmering red light form her eyes trickled down her cheeks.

Lan Jue gently shook his head. "I couldn't protect her on that day, and I lost the most important person in my life. If I fail to protect you today, and live to dwell on it, it would be a fate worse than death. You say you'd suffer pain, would you wish that on me?"

"No, no, no! That isn't what I mean, boss!" Mika vigorously shook her head, scattering her glittering tears in all directions. The world before her eyes grew indistinct from the water welling up within them.

Lan Jue moved to her side, and took her up in an embrace.

"It's alright Mika. Be calm." He gently stroked her fiery red hair, and before she realized what was happening his finger brushed against the collar around her neck.

Lan Jue turned, handing Mika's incapacitated form to Lin Guoguo.

The Psychic Tide said nothing. She moved forward to take her friend from him. Ke'er reached out to grip Lan Jue's arm.

"Remember boss, your life isn't just important to you. What happens affects all of us. If something really does happen, it isn't just Mika whose life will be ruined. Zeus' Amazons and Zeus, live together or die together."

A pang ran through Lan Jue's heart, and with warmth in his eyes he ruffled her head of blue hair. He turned once more, fixing his gaze on Michael.

"Come on then, Michael. It's time to decide the victory. If I win, I won't kill you. But if you do, you better make sure the job is finished."

Lan Jue raised his right hand to the heavens, and they in turn grew dark and ominous. Countless tendrils of lightning snaked by overhead in a cloudless sky.

Michael's eyes hardened in resolution. He, too, raised his right hand, and a pillar of flame lept to life in his palm. A great sword of light and fire appeared from the pyre's depths.

It was then two more figured made their presence known; Gabriel, the Messenger of Death, and the Angel of Healing Raphael.

Gabriel was still pale, weak, but the wings upon his back had been repaired.

The Archangels of the Pontiff's Castle shared a special connection, one which allowed them to know intrinsically what the others encountered. Despite just re-entering the fray, they knew precisely what was about to occur. They stopped a short distance away, silent and watchful.

With a flourish of Lan Jue's hand, it begun. Great, searing columns of lightning crashed down from on high towards Michael's position.

Not a moment later radiant flames burst from around Michael's body. The holy fires expanded like a sun, and the lightning it came in to contact with harmlessly dissipated in to nothing. Not a single bolt managed to find it's mark.

Michael's growling voice boomed through the thunder. "You should know this has no effect on me, Zeus. These powers I command – powers of a ninth-level ninth-ranked master of cultivation – I can maintain for half an hour at the least. You have already spent your energies, and cannot call your Ascension. You simply have no chance."

"A load of nonsense," Lan Jue spat back at him. He vanished, only to appear suddenly directly before the angel. He hand lashed out, and gripped within was a whip of crackling lightning. Thunder roared as the whip snaked towards his adversary.

Michael's divine sword – a simple weapon of no ornamentation – lashed out to meet it.

Lan Jue immediately felt something indescribable. The blade seemed to be drawing him in; not just his powers, but it was as though his very soul was fighting not to be drawn in to the sword's depths.

A booming chorus of holy sermon filled his ears. Darkness clouded his vision.

Deaf and blind, his flailing whip could not find it's mark. However, with the slightest motion of his left hand the whip fractured in to a score of sizzling lightning bolts and raced back towards him.

A deafening screech tore through the air. Michael struggled to maintain position as a vacuum threatened to suck him in. Lan Jue had in that moment vanished from sight. The Adventus Michael lost his hold.

Great peels of thunder roared before the angel, as behind him there appeared an azure figure. An enormous hand raced towards him, reaching with tearing fingers for his twelve golden wings.

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Chapter 87: The Second Discipline

Boom!

Blinding flashes of electric light preceded Michael's inelegant tumble forward as the disembodied hand found it's mark. But as the strike landed a plume of golden fire issued forth from the splayed wings to fall over Lan Jue.

As the fierce flames consumed him, a flash overtook Lan Jue's body and he vanished. He reappeared in the air a short distance away, covered in golden flame. Little by little they died away as lightning crackled around him.

Michael had already recovered by the time Lan Jue reappeared, and the snaking bolts of lightning that had been coiling around him were burned away by the holy fires. Shock and confusion were behind those flaming eyes.

"That speed…"

No ordinary Discipline had produced that speed, or else he wouldn't have lost the Adventus hold. It was as though Lan Jue simply tore apart space to appear elsewhere, folded reality. Whatever it was, it didn't fall under the domain of Thunder Discipline.

Lan Jue glared icicles at Michael, as his arms raised slowly on either side of his body. Slowly the violet bolts of lightning around him vanished, but with each passing second his body grew more and more luminous. He shown with a glaring, white-hot splendor.

In all of the Three Alliances there existed ten Great Paragons, absolute masters of their Talent. They were possessed of a power so great, so terrible, that they were known to be capable of facing down warships by themselves. Both Lan Jue's Ascension and Michael's Adventus temporarily pushed them to the boundaries of a Paragon. Others of the Archengels weren't capable of reaching such a level.

But Michael, at the cusp of Paragon himself, was stunned as he watched Lan Jue. He had underestimated him, this man who he knew not to be greater than a seventh-rank. It was a mistake that lost him his edge. And he wasn't even employing his supreme form!

Michael beat his twelve marvelous wings, launching him forward. His holy blade stretched forth towards Lan Jue as the air around the angel shimmered with ghostly shadows. As he drew closer, the shadows became great whirling tornadoes of holy light that filled the skies, threatening to devour Lan Jue.

A mocking sneer turned the Jewelry Master's lips. The white light encapsulating him pulsed, expanding tremendously as the tornadoes of holy energy fell upon him. He melted in to a pillar of light, shooting up in to the air. Despite the number and ferocity of Michael's blasts of energy, none could compete with Lan Jue's speed and he escaped unscathed.

The skies above were washed in white light. A single peal of thunder washed over them as a streak of lightning plunged from above.

CRACK! Michael's body flashed white, and lightning coiled around him like a hungry serpent thrusting him backward.

He toppled back with another figure, awash in rose-gold light. Lan Jue. None but Michael had been able to see where the attack had come from.

The Angel's wings began to fade from sight. The dancing fires surrounding Lan Jue slowly started to extinguish. Both figures plummeted towards the ground in free fall.

They didn't manage to gain some semblance of control until they were a hundred meters from the rapidly approaching ground. Lan jue stabilized, stopping the descent and casting free the golden fires that had surrounded him. Michael, too, recovered. Embraced by an orb of holy light, the electric tendrils that had sent him falling crackled in to nothingness.

Lan Jue looked silently at his enemy, his features cold and calm. Michael looked back, dark and imposing.

"The speed of light. So, it's not just thunder you command, but also electricity. 1 It's no wonder, then, that you were capable of achieving your supreme form. That you were such an illustrious figure in the mercenary world. In truth your power is no less than mine. Thunder and lightning. They complement each other – and that's how you've reached ninth-level, ninth-rank."

Lan Jue listened as Michael ruminated on the situation, and offered words of his own in a calm, quiet voice. "I was interested in finding out just how long you could hold the Adventus. Your form's specialty isn't speed, but overcoming fortifications and disadvantages."

Michael's face was hard and mean. "So this was all part of your plan. Right down to using your Ascension. All to get me to employ Adventus. I imagine it didn't even drain you all that much, if you drew on both your Disciplines. All you had to do was endure… wait until my Adventus was spent. Then you'd have your victory, am I right?"

A smile finally crept on to Lan Jue's face. "Life's easier when you don't have to explain everything."

"Worthy of the name Zeus," Michael stated. His face had once more adopted a calm mask. "As smart as you are powerful. Good… very good. A man can only use the supreme form once in a period. Now it looks like you have the upper hand. But our fight isn't over."

As he spoke the undulating rays of red and gold diminished until they were no more. His majestic wings were once again that pure, unblemished white of origin.

Lan Jue's eyes flashed and, without hesitation, his vanished once again in a column of light.

Michael raised his right hand. Thereupon there rested a golden bracelet, bearing a golden angel charm.

The sky thundered, and lightning flashed. But this time no bolts of electricity assaulted Michael. His shield of light remained intact. The world behind the hovering angel grew dark as a black hole quietly rent reality asunder and opened. From within emerged a colossal figure, glimmering golden red. The white light that had warded him from harm shone bright, glowing from the center of the massive figure's chest.

Lan Jue appeared once again, looking down upon Michael with a biting glare. "The Angel of War – a fine mecha. Very fine." He responded by lifting his left hand, looking towards the ring on his little finger.

1. So here, my head exploded. All throughout the former chapters Lan Jue has been using lightning. His moniker – Zeus – was the gold of lightning. Thunder is simply the sound that accompanies it. Here, however, the author reveals to us that his Discipline was in fact thunder, which makes no sense, while his second discipline is in fact lightning/electricity. Sooo… yeah, dunno what to do with that there.

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Chapter 88: Thor Joins the Fray

The ring was forged of a silvery material. It's top half was relatively wider than it's base, giving it an almost trapezoidal configuration. The surface was inlaid in a leopard print pattern of crushed diamond and sapphire. The very center was inset with a vibrant triangular green gemstone.

As Lan Jue looked upon it, the gem shone with a quiet power. It wasn't unlike the glowing force living in his eyes. He flourished with his left hand, calling forth a blue bolt of lightning which lit the sky.

The air between them split. The fissure grew as two great hands reached out from within and tore it further. The mammoth figure that emerged moved majestically to Lan Jue's side.

"Thor!" A booming voice ripped through the area with the mecha's arrival.

It wasn't solely by virtue of Zeus' Discipline that he was able to dominate the mercenary world. It was likely more due to his status as a God-Ranked pilot.

By Michael's estimation, even his Adventus would be no match for the combined might and speed of Zeus' powers. Thus had he chosen to drop the transformation and conserve energy, instead calling forth his Angel of War. In this way he could minimize Lan Jue's speed advantage. However, this didn't mean that Lan Jue would be an easy foe to defeat.

The angel of War was covered from head to foot in a golden red alloy. It's expansive wings were embossed with threads of crimson. The six appendages rose and fell as the twenty-one meter monstrosity hovered in the air. In all, it looked like a an ancient, angelic knight dressed for combat.

Zeus, on the other hand, looked as though it was carved from a single massive piece of sapphire. It's entire length and breadth shimmered like a jewel. It rose twenty-three meters, stretched eight meters across, and stood tall and slender like a bolt of blue lightning. It's shoulders where adorned with tri-layered armor; the top-most layer was large and tapered upward in to a point, the middle layer was smooth and slid beneath, and the final layer was mostly hidden beneath, pressed against the mechanical arm.

Thor's peculiar construction and polished, gem-like appearance made it appear more a work of art than an instrument of war. The navy-blue coloring refracted the light around it. Where the armor drew to spikes or corners, certain angles almost made it look purple. As bolts of lightning raced overhead, they flashed off of the mecha's armor and added to it's ominous appearance. As it's chest plate closed, and Lan Jue took up position in the cockpit, a dazzling azure corona of light issued forth from it.

Ke'er and Lin Guoguo looked on with a burning fanaticism in their eyes. "Thor… Thor," they chanted, louder with each call.

Thor, the great beast of thunder, under Zeus' command.

Two magnificent mechas, two tremendous Adepts, stood suspended in the air in a stand-off. The Angel of War reached slowly behind it's back, producing a blazing sword of light gripped tightly in it's mechanized hand.

When employing a top-level mecha in combat, there was really only one avenue available to achieve victory in a situation as this. Because these machines were practically immune to laser weapons and even cannon fire, close-range combat was almost required. A top-level mecha was defensive, fast, and legendary in their close-quarters capabilities. As a result almost all of them were just that – close range fighters. In the end, though it came down to the skill of the particular pilot.

Zeus responded to the Angel of War's actions with it's own. Two giant hands stretched out, their palms glowing. Soon they were filled with a thirty-meter long, double-edged lance. The weapon was shaped like a bolt of lightning, and glowed with a gentle blue light.

The Angel's wings spread in a smooth movement, and with a single thrust sent the mecha rocketing forward. In no time it came upon Thor. The sword of light tore through the air, leaving behind it a radiating trail of golden-red light. It's sinister arc looked set to behead the sapphire colossus.

A mecha's construction naturally included a bevy of power gems. These gems, paired with the abilities of the pilot that controlled it resulted in the aggregate power of a single mecha. The quality of the gems also played a significant role. The result was that a suit's combat prowess and the Discipline cultivation of the one who commanded it were inexorably connected.

Thor swayed to the side, out of the blade's path. In the same motion it's spear lashed out. Contrary to expectations, however, the spear didn't seek to block the golden sword's path. Instead it swept around and knocked it aside at the flat of the blade.

Ting! Sparks flew at the weapons collided, the piercing ring a result of their clash.

Gabriel, Raphael, Ke'er and Lin Guoguo scrambled back out of harm's way. Two mechas of this caliber were known to destroy everything in a large area during the course of their battles – more than your average Adept, to be sure.

The Angel of War struggled visibly from the counter. The slight motion had set it off balance. Thor took advantage of the opening. Electric power raced over it's form, as it dropped it's shoulder and rushed in for a body-slam.

The Angel of War didn't even attempt the dodge. To do so would have increased it's unfavorable position. Instead it swept out it's arm, aiming the spike jutting from it's elbow directly with Thor's shoulder. A dangerous red light extended forward from it.

A millisecond before collision Thor shifted ever so slightly. It was just enough to avoid the spike and it's curious red light. The collision that followed was tooth-rattling.

Crash!

The Angel of War was launched back from the impact. Thor hung in the air like it had rammed an iron wall. The Angel had also managed to land a strike. The sword's thrash had set the sky afire, and a shock wave of energy raced from between them. Thor's shoulder plate had crumpled. A spike from the Angel of War's couter 1 was missing. The giant machine buzzed with electric energies as arcing bolts snaked over it.

"Oscillation!" The Messenger of Death hissed under his breath.

"Michael's in dire straights. He'd oscillated in that last second to avoid Michael's defensive strike. Zeus really has that level of control…"

Thor's robotic eyes shone. It's massive arm lifted and with a mechanic creak threw the spear towards the Angel of War. It cut through the air, becoming a sizzling bolt of lightning. Thor was right behind it, catching up with the weapon just before thrusting it towards it's enemy's chest.

The golden mecha abruptly lifted it's hand, in attempts to deflect the spear with it's sword. The two weapons tore through the air at each other – the spear of lightning pointed directly at the Angel's cockpit, and the sword of light racing to deflect.

No man – not even one as powerful as Michael – could survive a direct blow from a mecha's weapon. Especially not Thor's.

The Angel of War's arm hung in the air, it's blazing sword still. Just a moment too slow, a fraction of a second. Thor's spear found it's mark. The terrible screech of shredding metal combined with eruptions of light as the attack tore through the Angel's chest.

But, unexpectedly, a powerful aura of light surrounded the impaled machine. The light heralded an immense magnetic attraction, which shot out to cover Thor. It was locked in place. Zeus had no means of retreat.

1. The piece of armor that covers a knight's elbow

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Chapter 89: Vacuums and Positron Cannons

The moment of impact, Michael understood completely that there was a clear discrepancy between he and Zeus in mecha control.

Michael had vastly more experience with mechas than Lan Jue. He had spend his life around them, changed by them. Now, he was over a hundred years old. When he'd reached the age of sixty he'd begun vigorously cultivating his powers, searching for ways to prolong his life. In short, he was well past his 'prime' physically. Mecha manipulation not only required skill and intelligence, reflexes were also important. In this, he was clearly inferior to Lan Jue.

But he was the Angel of War for a reason, celebrated for his combat abilities, and first of the Castle's Seraph.

He'd had a revelation during their relatively short exchange. Thor was simply too fast – though he had the benefit of experience, the longer the battle raged the more difficult it would be for him to emerge victorious. His golden Angel was difficult to injure, but it was only prolonging the inevitable. The more he fell behind Thor, the more dangerous his predicament became. He had to do something drastic.

Michael's sluggish defense was deliberate. Thor's spear had indeed run the Angel through, but instead of pinning Michael to the back of the cockpit it had merely struck his shoulder. The electric energies coursing through it had paralyzed him, but it didn't prevent Michael from employing his own Discipline.

Michael sat bleeding in the mangled Angel's cockpit, his body alive with orange flame that filled the cockpit. The maroon power gems situated in the mecha's head, knees, elbows and stomach drank it up – the source of the powerful vacuum.

The gems were called Abyssal Flame gems. When injected with power, they produced a flame, but contrary to normal fire they created a potent vacuum in their area of effect. The increase in fuel and oxygen made the fires burn at a frightening temperature. Your average alloy couldn't stand the heat for long.

These gems were the exclusive property of the Pontiff's Castle. They went to enormous lengths to protect and procure them, even going so far as to sacrifice capital ships. They were considered A-ranked gems.

Even the most cutting edge of mechas couldn't support installation of an S-ranked gem. They were simply too powerful to be safe – the machinery couldn't support them. A-ranked gems were overall a better call. When linked with others they even approached the power of a single S-gem.

The burning flames that encircled Michael were known as the Fires of Sacrifice. They empowered his holy fires to even greater heights. No one had ever escaped the powers of the Abyssal Fire gems, and with his sacrifice they became that much stronger.

The drawback to employing such powerful abilities was considerable. Each moment drained his fundamental vitality, worse even than the drain from his Adventus. The golden Angel of War was also affected, as the gems wreaked havoc on the mecha itself. It would cost a fortune to repair the machine – if he got the chance.

But Michael was resolute, assured in his decision. A decision born of fear – fear of what Zeus could do in the future.

A man with two disciplines, congenital and powerful. If he were allowed to cultivate his powers, to master them, he would be the most powerful Adept in history. This was something the Pontiff's Castle… in fact, the entire Western Alliance couldn't allow.

For this reason he'd lit the fires of sacrifice. His heart had already hardened; to his own death, and the death of his enemy.

Crrrrunch. The two gigantic mechas pressed violently against each other. Thor trembled visibly, but this time the Oscillation did nothing for him. In fact, under the intense pressure, the mecha had become plainly more sluggish.

Undulating bolts of electricity raced along the length of Thor's armor creating a shield. It served to temporarily withstand the heat of the abyssal flames. But with the added power of the sacrificial fires from Michael, the heat proved too much. As the mecha's shields began to fail, Lan Jue sat fuming in the dark cockpit.

"Michaaaeeell!"

ζ

The white columns of light served as an effective cage to reign in Asura. No space existed for even the slightest motion. Despite this, the Cherubim Uriel sat in glowering at the scene from his cockpit.

A giant gash marred the mechas surface from shoulder to abdomen. It was deep enough to reveal the cabin he sat in now.

He'd misjudged Asura's capabilities, so much so that it almost cost him his mecha and his life. The large cut that nearly split him in two punctuated the fact. Even though he'd come out victorious, his victory had cost him more than it cost Xiuxiu.

Asura was an inferior machine to his Cherubim, but her sheer attacking force meant that his victory had come at a great price. It would take a minimum of three months to repair, and even then the Cherubim would never be the same.

"Have you found Zeus' ship? Did it attempt to break atmosphere?" Uriel spoke in to his communicator.

"Master Cherubim, no ships have attempted to leave Moonfiend's atmosphere. The ship was fitted with a superior cloaking device. We've found no sign of it."

Uriel growled at the voice crackling through his communicator. "Keep up surveillance. Moonfiend and all it's satellites. If anything tries to break through, you shoot it down."

"Yes, sir!"

"Hm!" A deep grunt tickled at Uriel's ear. He shot his eyes around, but neither he nor his mecha were able to determine the origin of the strange, hoary voice.

It became considerably more disconcerting when the lights went out. All the space between he and Asura went dark, and the columns of light seemed to slither away like they were being swallowed up.

His fingers jabbed at the controls of his mecha, running an external diagnostic. The results caused his eyes to grow wide.

"A vacuum singularity?" Somehow, in the space between he and Asura, a powerful vacuum had spontaneously arisen. It wasn't unlike the void of space, but did not continue to expand.

"Positron cannon!" The aged voice returned, stronger than before.

His reaction was swift, and without hesitation. A hissing noise filled the air, and Uriel immediately dropped his control over Asura and bolted wildly in to the distance like a meteor.

A beam of blinding light lanced through the spot he'd just vacated. In it's wake all manner of reconnaissance and radar equipment shut off.

"Singularity… positron cannon… that was the Arcane Magnate! It was really him!" Uriel flew in retreat as fast as his Angel could manage. His face was pale from fear.

The Arcane Magnate – one of the Great Paragons! And more, in the top three of their order in terms of simple destructive power.

How did the Arcane Magnate come to be here? Uriel couldn't shake the confusion muddling his brain. A battleship's shields couldn't survive a blast from a positron charge, much less a mecha. It was a weapon employed by capital ships. Capital ships, and the Magnate – a man who could discharge positron charges with his body alone. A man who could fold space to attack from anywhere.

The same was true for the singularity.

But there were no energy fluctuations – just light? His heart skipped a beat, and his features once more turned dark.

"No… I've been tricked."

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Chapter 90: Electro-Squall, Thor's Starfall

The abyssal flames burned, consuming Thor's shields for every moment they licked at it's surface. The overwhelming heat of the fires had begun to turn the mecha's sapphire blue exterior to a pale red.

Michael's face was grim. Those self-same fires were devouring him in the same way he hoped they were destroying Zeus. He could already hear the frame of his Angel of War groaning, growing weak as the alloys softened. But where he was slowly being melted to slag, the situation was rapidly worsening for Thor.

The red of it's surface had darkened to an angry maroon as it's shields began to fail. However, despite the heat Thor had yet to display any signs of melting. Whatever alloy it was composed of was valiantly resisting destruction. The cockpit of the great mecha was similarly protected by virtue of a thin, pale shield.

The area around them had become indistinct. The air rippled like waves of water, making anyone outside the area of effect unable to clearly distinguish what was happening within. They could only feel the fires as they burned.

Lin Guoguo looked at Ke'er, who in turn looked back. They did not exchange any words, but they didn't need to. Their concern was clear as day on their faces.

Guoguo gritted her teeth, the gold in her eyes shimmering dangerously. Mika began to stir to consciousness in her arms.

Mika shook the confusion from her muddled head. Once clarity returned she shot to her feet. The quick motion startled Lin Guoguo, and as she pulled at Mika she almost feel from the air. At the eight level, an Adept could rely on their Discipline for flight. One's speed and control was reliant on their particular set of abilities.

"Mika…" Lin Guoguo whispered towards her.

"What do we do?" Ke'er looked at the two questioningly.

Mika had a hard look in her eyes. "We wait, and watch. The boss' discipline may not be a match for Michael, but we know how strong Thor is. If it's too much for him we'll engage the knights ourselves. Even if it means our death."

Ke'er nodded resolutely. She leaned close, whispering softly in to Mika's ear.

Mika's body trembled at the words. "No! You…"

Ke'er shot her an impish smile. "You said it yourself – you'd give everything to save the boss, to pay him back for what he's done. If you're willing to go to such lengths, how can we not also? Not to mention in this situation, my discipline would be the right move. Right now, I'd be more effective than you would."

Contrary to expectations Mika wasn't angry with Ke'er's estimation. Instead, she opened her arms wide and embraced her sister in a tight hug. "You're a wonderful person. I'll try not to fight so much with you in the future."

Lin Guo gently bit her lower lip. "The boss will win, he has to! Because he's ours!"

The words weren't a few seconds past her lips when the two mecha burst in to an eruption of white light. As the light-warping waves of heat dissipated, and the fires burned out, no trace of them remained.

"That's…" The Messenger of Death and the Angel of healing stared at the empty space. The light was similar to one they'd seem before, emanating from Lan Jue. Only this time is encapsulated Thor, and Zeus along with it.

In the ensuing silence seven twinkling lights appeared. They shone like diamonds, flaring with white light. They descended in the shape of the Big Dipper. Seven glimmering stars falling from the heavens.

"The Big Dipper… ? That's… !" Gabriel and Raphael nearly mirrored each others' scowls. The constellation was not one native to the Scattered Starfields. Whatever these lights were, they weren't what they pretended to be.

"Thor's Starfall! It's the boss!" Lin Guoguo called out.

Boom, boom, boom. Boom boom, boom boom! Seven thunderous blasts, one on top of the other. It almost sounded like one continued blast, but in the distance seven distinct mushroom clouds roiled towards the atmosphere. It's distinct shape was maintained through the display.

The lights began to move again, interweaving as they raced across the sky. The blasts continued as though the entire world were tearing at the seams.

"Electro-squall, Thor's Starfall!" Mika, Ke'er and Lin Guoguo shouted towards the lights. Pride and surprise lit their eyes.

Incandescent light, no less dazzling than the sun, lit half of Moonfiend in it's glow.

ζ

The Moonfiend Empress stood at her balcony, squinting in to the distance as the blinding lights arose. Tears stung her eyes, fuzzy from the stabbing light. She covered her mouth as the scene unfolded, attempting to quell her sobs.

ζ

Blinding rays of light shot past, filtering through the porthole. Xiuxiu shot up from her seat, belting a triumphant yell.

The Accountant watched also, slack-jawed. "By the… it's like grandpa's positron cannon! Ah Jewelry Master – so full of secrets."

ζ

The awesome display continued for half a minute before slowly beginning to fade. High above a white outline of lightning refused to vanish, but eventually it too began to die away revealing the two massive figures within it.

"Michael!" Gabriel and Raphael raced towards the hovering figures. But before they could get far, their advance was cut off.

Mika stood before them, her eyes blazing a deep crimson. Behind her hovered an indistinct figure exuding a suffocating ferocity.

Lin Guoguo hovered peacefully with hands pressed before her chest. Her eyes were shut, and her body was encased in a golden aura. She almost looked like a statue cast in gold.

Ke'er soared before the other two, arms outstretched. Fierce winds whirled around her. With her short cut blue hair flitting in every direction she had a distinctly pixie-like demeanor. A blue light arose from the center of her chest. It strengthened and expanded until it overcame even Mika's murderous aura.

The pulsating waves of energy radiating from the three women threatened to swallow the two angels by virtue of their fury alone.

Even thirty minutes before this moment, neither Gabriel nor Raphael would have been these women could content with them, even together. But now, seeing the pure destructive capabilities of Thor, they didn't dare make any further assumptions. Who knew what kind of disciples the madman Zeus would dare to create.

And now, with this blue-haired girl's aura blotting out the world around them, their fear and uncertainty grew. Stronger even than the vicious aura of the Stygian Succubus – they genuinely feared for their lives.

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