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7th of April 1953 – Illos, Sayre Manor

His eyes creaked open and turned towards the light that filtered through the blinds. He closed his eyes again and rode out the drowsiness that came with his re-entry into consciousness.

He reopened them several minutes later and turned towards his left and smiled.

Her hair obscured her face somewhat, her chest rose silently, slowly, minutely as she laid there next to him in his bed. He would never tire of seeing her like that, to see her at rest so comfortably by him.

His hand rose and he carefully brushed aside her hair from her face, an act that stirred her a little but he reached out soothingly in their bond and she returned back to stillness with a faint hint of content creeping through their bond which made his smile wider with fondness.

She'd been back here for a few days now, longer than she'd been back for over a year, and he'd missed it. More than he realised.

They would see each other on average just a few times a week, often it was her who travelled to Illos through one of the early versions of the Gates that was paired in Slytherin Manor, but that was hardly enough.

It was a slight problem, one that should soon fade away with their progress with Magical Britain.

The time of Illos isolation may still be needed for a couple of years longer but with Magical Britain's fall into her grip, it should make it easier for them to see each other.

He looked away from her and towards the ceiling.

Reality around him faded away in a cloudy mist before his consciousness stood within an enclosed empty space. Slowly, hundreds of threads of Time began to take form within his perception. They inverted and expanded and shrunk, each of the threads resembling endless tesseracts that collapsed and expanded into each other.

He had taken to manifest Seeing Time differently than just the threads of possibilities on its own, an outcome that had been needed when he learnt that it was possible to see thousands of possibilities and further into time. He did not have the skill of the Monk to see these thousands of possibilities at once though in time perhaps that would change.

During his conscious state, when he looked, he limited the depth and number of possibilities to at most a few dozen probable possibilities, and overlaid them onto reality that gave him nuances of the immediate future that he might have missed when he was looking ahead in Time with much greater detail and distance.

In this space, his consciousness was unbound from Time itself, a Living Observer of time who could read possibilities without Time passing in reality, a quirk of consciousness that he'd discovered…one of many things he and Emily were discovering about the nature of consciousness…

He allowed his consciousness to expand a little further, feeling and touching this space of consciousness. Dimensions of a point in space were defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify that particular point and in a three dimensional universe…this was defined with three coordinates…length, width and height.

And in this space of consciousness, he existed in more than just three dimensions.

Not-quite-four dimensions but closer than any other mage would likely get for centuries or millennia to come.

The only thing he knew for certain that actually existed in four dimensions were Time Sands, the sands within the Time Turners, which were paradoxical and existed in different time frames and at the same time whilst also existing in the current now.

A physical impossibility in physical reality – and within his space of consciousness – for humanity, no matter how in tune he was with magic.

He grabbed one of the threads and the possibility unfurled itself before him. Time moved like a physical dimension, days, months, years moved along the axis and his consciousness moved along with it.

He watched as Illos grew and more buildings rise like weeds sprouting from earth and at the same watched people grow older, grow taller.

He turned his attention towards the north and he watched Emily's plan unravel as Britain was brought under her party's control. He saw her becoming an ever present presence in the lives of the Britons as Headmistress, as their leader and their champion.

He saw Illos' arrival and impact at the world stage and the subsequent plotting against him and his people by the men in black and the man in black and red.

He saw himself back in Britain, next to her as she addressed the crowd, the gleaming sword shining in the noon light, one step closer to the creation of their civilisation.

He turned his gaze south east of England's shores, past the sea and saw the embers grow into a fire as rhetoric grew and men flocked towards the Raven and threatened to swallow Europe once more in shadows.

He pushed and pushed, years became decades and he watched as gleaming silver eggs pushed through the atmosphere and into the Void, all following the larger one into the massive blue disk that tore through the Void and swallowed them all whole.

He pulled himself back, back to where he started and decades became years and years became months and soon enough he was back out of the possibility, the probable possibility that had the most number of the same events in the dozens of other possibilities.

He took himself out of this space of consciousness and returned to the physical reality, the ceiling once more coming into view and he let out a long drawn sigh.

The further he looked, the more unstable it became…like stones cast in lakes, the surface was never settled and the future was always in motion, always subject to minor perturbations that could wipe out the probability of that future into little more than nothingness.

The way he looked, now, was to see if they were still on the path of the likely future if they stuck to the plan and it seemed like it still was. But…he would be vigilant.

As always.

He felt her stir and he turned to her. She would soon awaken and decided to help her along.

His hand crept under the fabric of the duvet and glided onto her thigh under her silk nightgown. Her skin was soft, somehow softer than the silk that wrapped itself around her.

She moaned softly and her lips parts into a soundless o as his hand sought out her heat. "Morning" he said softly as her eyes parted open and her deep sea blue eyes showing arousal was a pleasurable sight.

"Your hand has seemed to have wandered." She murmured, her lips curling upwards as she spoke.

"They do tend to have a mind of their own." He said conversationally as he played with her nub with gentle swirls of his thumb as his finger in and out of her, feeling, pressing against her lightly ribbed walls.

She let of a soft laugh, a sound that was music to his ears as he turned to her completely and she allowed easier access as she shifted as well, their gaze never breaking.

Her hand went to his member whilst her other hand moved to his chest, her fingers tracing along his chest. "It seems like my own have a similar disposition." She said with a teasing lilt in her voice.

He smiled widely as he moved his head closer to hers and kissed her slowly and she pressed against his lips, her lips opening as their tongues danced, each second that passed caused their passion to grow bolder, fiercer and before he knew it they were naked and he on top of her, her hands roamed across his back and her fingers dug trenches into his skin.

Their kiss halted, stilled as her lips parted let out a silent gasp as he entered her, the feeling of being inside her again felt as great as it did the first time.

"Atticus…" she moaned out in his mouth, his bottom lip still pressed against hers as her mouth remained open in slow ecstasy whilst he moved in and out slowly.

She kissed him softly before he moved to kiss her neck, his thrusting picking up speed and her legs wrapped around him as he moved with purpose. Her faint moans grew in volume and her hands constricted around him almost akin to a vice, not unlike a boa constricting its prey.

Their bond grew wider, their feelings melting into one as their lowered their mental shields and he felt her climb into orgasm growing nearer and nearer.

He moved quicker and quicker, his member coated with her flowing liquids, and he grabbed her legs that had been wrapped around him and moved them against his chest, her ankles hanging off of his shoulders as he moved onto his knees and gripped onto her hips as he pulled her in, her arse off the bed.

Her moans became louder, higher, turning to cries of exultation, and he felt her climb turn into a crescendo of an orgasm that almost triggered his own but he held firm, withholding his own orgasm with the barest, flimsiest of control.

Until she sat up and wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled him in between her legs, his member somehow never exiting, their lips locked onto each other as she writhed below him, moving her hips in a counter to his thrusts and he gasped and he stilled, his member expanded and he spilled into her and he bucked with each throb of his member like a stuttering motor before he collapsed onto her, the sheens of sweat that thinly coating them merged in between their naked bodies.

His eyes closed and he was still inside her, riding out the wave of exhaustion that hit him as he rested on top of her, her breasts two soft pillows that he enjoyed being on. He rumbled slightly when he felt her soft hands trail across his back in loving gentle motions and the waves of content and bliss streamed across their bond from her.

It was minutes later, when his soft member popped out, that he got off of her and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her softly on the cheek and her hand softly circled against his arm.

He could die happily in this moment as he stared into her eyes.

From the look on her face, he imagined she must be thinking the same.

It was an odd thing…love.

Years had passed since he first fell in love with her and while that searing passion he felt for her faded somewhat, their love had only deepened just as this bond of theirs deepened.

With her, he never felt unbound from time.

He often tried to avoid seeing their futures together as he didn't want to ruin what they had. Uncertainty and disorder within their relationship was important though sometimes he saw more than he probably should have.

Only snaps of their future together, really, not like the kind of reels of futures he'd seen of their enemies and their allies.

Still…

Sometimes he saw something he really ought not to and sometimes it was harder not to fixate on them especially when he knew how easily possibilities changed that far out.

His hand rose and fell on her rose tinted cheek and he moved the strands of her hair behind her ear. His thumb remained on her cheek and he gently circled his thumb on her cheek, an act that was filled with the tenderness and love he felt for her.

She smiled softly as she felt this from him through their bond and she closed her eyes for a moment, feelings of love and soothing contentedness eking out into his side of the bond.

He wondered if it would look odd to others…to see two people who for all of their crimes and deaths they caused had it in them to be so caring, so loving to one another.

Perhaps it did, likely it didn't, he mused internally.

After all, even the worst of humans, may they be emperors or peasants, were never just one thing or another.

He felt her hand moved downward even as her eyes remained closed.

Her thumb rubbed at the eye of his sensitive member and he let of a soft groan as she turned and gripped it, jerking it slightly until the last trickles of his seed rose to the top. Her eyes opened as her thumb picked up the last globule of his seed and she looked at him before she licked her thumb, an act that was beginning to harden him again.

She must have felt his bout of arousal as she took to glance at his member before she met his gaze again, hints of amusement clear to see in her deep blue eyes.

"As much I'd like to spend day and night with you as we did most of yesterday, we should probably take a little break." She said with a glimmer of fond exasperation in her eyes before she turned the other way off of the bed and stood up.

"How little of a break?" Atticus said with a ghost of a smile as he got up as well though it was with a put on tone.

She looked over her shoulder as she conjured a towel "Let's just say not until well after I meet with Sandra." She gave him a mild glare "Somehow I feel a little sore despite all of the rituals"

He laughed gently "That was definitely from last night. You always get a bit like that afterwards." He said with a smile in his voice, fond memories entering the front of his mind. "You like it that way anyway"

Her glare deepened but there was no heat in it "Perhaps." She said a little snippily before her glare changed into a look he knew instinctively he wasn't going to like "Though maybe we shouldn't do it that way again." She said as she walked towards the bathroom.

"Let's not be so hasty" Atticus said a little quicker than he wanted as she entered the bathroom. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, shadows of a wicked smile on her face was apparent as she closed the door.

He watched her close the door, leaving him there without an answer though he knew she was probably more serious than he wanted to believe. "I might have gotten us banned, my friend." Atticus said a little glumly as he looked at his best friend since birth.

About an hour and half, they sat and ate their breakfast.

"Should be interesting at the Council of Representatives today" Atticus mused as he finished his bite.

"The talks about petitioning the High Council for the allowance of more magical creatures out of the habitats and into Illos proper?" she asked and he nodded.

She hummed for a moment "I can see why it might turn interesting. I'm not sure why we never considered it beyond the magical creatures in the Solarian Sea."

The Solarian Sea was the large body of water that fed all throughout Illos.

"Because we were more interested in preserving the dangerous and endangered species than anything else." Atticus said before he drank of his water.

He turned to her "It'll pass quite easily. Beyond a few birds and magical insects that are beneficial to the lifecycle of nature here on Illos, it can do with greater wildlife. We have the forests and mountains for it."

"Does it happen?" she asked curiously.

"Yes. I have Seen more magical life eventually. It does vary in terms of scale." He said with a frown. He'd seen Abraxans, Pegasi that were more easily to determine in the reels of Illos. Sometimes they weren't there until years had passed and other times quite a bit later. He rarely spent that much time looking into details of things like that, not when there more important events and people that he needed to See.

"Time and variety of magical creatures?" she asked curiously and he nodded.

She considered it for a moment before she peered at him with a suggestive glint in her eyes. "It may be worth improving our skill with seeing magical frequencies and work on manipulating them."

He was silent for a few seconds "In order to communicate with magical creatures at the fundamental level?" he asked intrigued.

Magicals operated in a different frequency within the magical field than other magical beings and creatures. It was why they could not use their forms of magic, only simulate them like how they simulated dragon fire spells or lightning which were very often weaker and more draining magically than it was for the respective animals.

Though he could see the magical frequencies in which these animals operated, he never tried to manipulate these frequencies into something useful.

The most he ever did with manipulation of frequencies ever since he could see the individuals strands of magic of all things, was to touch and resonate with the magic around him.

She nodded slightly before she took a sip of her water. "Magicals and near-humans are attuned to a different frequency band than other magical creatures as we both know but with our ability to see the full breadth of magic – or in my case most" she said a little sour.

He taught her how to open her field of perception, something that came much easier after her final magical maturity, through guiding her in the use of Nature Magic and opening herself up to the magic of the universe which then allowed her to form a somewhat similar perception to his though it lacked depth and scope of what he saw.

She could perceive the currents of magic, if she focused, but it was shallow, like treading into centimetres of water compared to his lake deep perception. She also couldn't feel a connection to the universe like he did and he was sure that was because of his Hyper-Percipience.

Thankfully what he taught her was enough for her to see most of the magical frequencies within the magical field – neurophysical energy spectrum.

She continued "We should be able to manipulate these magical frequencies somehow to allow us to communicate with some of the more dangerous animals."

He sat back in his chair, thinking.

His eyes snapped towards her and he saw her eyes looking at him expectantly.

`You think you can create magical languages like parseltongue through this?` he hissed out to her.

Her eyes shone triumphantly and she nodded.

`There is no physical evidence that these Naga ever existed.` she hissed with pursed lips `I think it is more likely that they were humans that might have been able to skin change half way than they were truly a combination of serpents and humans`

`Moira's catalogue doesn't have them listed?` he asked curiously. He had never bothered looking into the Naga or any other mythological magical beings like them.

That was more her interest. She liked creating new lifeforms and experimenting with life though he knew it was because she was looking to replicate how the Atlanteans managed to use Higher Forms of Magic to create life from concepts to further her own progression into elemental magic.

Within the Atlantean records there were only methods of creating magical beings through rituals but what they noticeably lacked was how they created beings like Thestrals who were representatives of Death.

`No they don't.` she hissed in a sibilant scowl before she visibly shook away that thought `Which is why I think it's not some divine language` a small amount of amusement crept out of her `As much as I'd like to believe that – but rather a form of high level manipulation of magical frequencies done through observation of serpents.`

`That would mean others through history might have this same ability to see magic on all frequencies` Atticus pointed out.

`Not necessarily. Did you not manipulate magical energies through a spell freezing ward and the creation of prism crystals that isolated individual frequencies of magic?` she pointed out to him.

`It's a hard sell to think and suggest mages thousands of years ago might have done something similar` he said to her sceptically.

`Perhaps` she acceded "Nevertheless, we both know ancient mages were rather more capable than most will ever believe." She said in Latin.

He inclined his in agreement. Their trips around the world searching out ruins and tombs had clarified that quite clearly.

"I'm for it. I'll set up a project for it." He told her and she smiled pleased at him.

He checked the time and took one last bite and walked up to Emily. He kissed her on the cheek.

"I'll see you at the testing facility after" he said as he stepped away and she gave him a small smile before she nodded and he turned to walk away.

-Break-

7th of April 1953 – Main Tower, Illos

With an impassive look on his face, he watched as the Veela leader entered his office.

He'd already Seen what would be discussed, what she'd say, what he'd say.

Mirages of the future had played out before him, still played out before him as a dozen possibilities unfurled all at the same time.

In meetings like this, those of little importance, he liked to actively use his Sight this way to see what path led to the better outcome, at least in the short term.

"My Lord" the Veela matriarch, Teodora Georgieva said with a dip of the head as she stopped several metres from his desk, her long silvery hair swaying almost with the same grace she walked with.

She was a pureblooded Veela, if there was such a thing, with the same kind of deep blue eyes her race was known for and the same ethereal beauty that women would kill for.

Had he not known she was at least sixty years of age, he would not think of her older than twenty five.

He nodded at her "Please take a seat."

She took the seat and sat down. Her eyes wandered, just as they did when she stepped into the office though this time it was centred on the accessories on the desk.

Trinkets and little wooden figurines that sat at the edge of the desk in a slight clutter. He liked to levitate them when he was busy reading or working, splitting his awareness whilst he stretched out his magic.

"Unexpected?" Atticus asked, drawing back her attention as he glanced at the figurines before returning his gaze at her and she smiled beautifully.

"Yes" she said with a heavy accent. Whilst most newcomers were proficient with Latin thanks to the Lingua Latin potion, they still carried their native accents.

"I had expected more…order" she said with a smile, the kind of smiles that could melt even the hardest of men's hearts even with her allure restrained.

"Sometimes a little disorder is needed." Atticus said with a long glance at the clutter before reaching back to meet her gaze "It makes life a little more interesting."

"Of course, my Lord" Teodora said with a nod as her smile widened "I can understand such thinking better than most. A little disorder in our lives is just right for it allows for new and unexpected things to happen that enrich lives." She said with a hint of something more in her tone.

Atticus felt a hint of amusement at the tentative probing in her words but he had long decided to avoid that conversational thread. It was for her own good really.

"Chancellor Saunders informed me of your interest to seek permission to invite more of your allies to Illos." Atticus directed the conversation to why they were here.

Teodora was a little startled but she recovered and nodded carefully "Yes. These past three months have been…good for my people. Illos has been more than any of us could have expected."

Atticus sat back in his chair, his gaze unblinking as he stared at the woman impassively. She was artfully understating how good Illos has been for her people considering where they hailed from.

For the Veela in Bulgaria and those in the Soviet Union, the situation was not good.

The Russian influence in Bulgaria was keenly felt in both magical and muggle parts of the country especially in the Eastern part of the country where Russian magical influence was highest…and unfortunately it was also the region where most of the Veela population was in.

Post war Soviet Union was a harsher and more restrictive place to many of the magical beings that resided within it and within its sphere of influence mirroring much of attitudes of Central and some Western magical societies towards non-human beings.

The war against Grindelwald had cost the Russians and their allies deeply, almost halving the magical population and with such trauma, many of the people who had fought against them or had chosen not to fight, like the Veela had chosen, had suffered the consequences of their actions…or inactions.

It also didn't help that the Russian magicals were siding with the Soviet Union more than the Statute allowed.

Stalin had known about magic since the beginning of the second world war and after the success of Stalingrad, Stalin had somehow managed to convince several Russian leaders of the merits of Communism…or at least some elements of the doctrine.

Quite the legacy Stalin was leaving behind in his death.

In truth, the opportunity had never been more open for such radical shifts in ideology for the Russian magical society…something that started with the extermination of the Magical Romanovs during the Revolution and that was only put into freefall during the Grindelwald war as most of the influential nobles were wiped out by Grindelwald's forces…or by the man himself.

In the absence of traditional leadership of the nobility, the most powerful amongst the surviving Russians rose to prominence in the vacuum left behind as leaders of the war effort against Grindelwald.

Whilst several of them had nobility in their heritage, they had not been in power and as such used the opportunity to carve out their own power not based on nobility but on the popularity their deeds warranted them and later used Communism to solidify their control of Russian society without having to share power with the surviving noble families.

With the Russians taking elements of the communist ideology to bosom, also came with the intolerance towards many of the magical creatures that were considered as toxic to the new ideological values of the new burgeoning 'Eastern European' society that extended to far and wide in much of Eastern Europe especially since the Veela and the Sirens were considered to be synonymous with 'noble excesses' and 'aristocratic deviancy'.

Which was opportunistic as it played on long held perceptions of these two magical races and helped further along the burgeoning Eastern European 'us versus them' mentality that grew after the Russians swept in and took advantage of the neighbouring ruined societies that were left in the wake of Grindelwald's war to bring them closer to their sphere of influence and thinking.

The nobility had succumbed to Russian pressure as that was seen more favourable than the possibility of ICW occupation.

And as a way to bind all of these peoples to the Russian leadership, they took advantage and deepened an 'Eastern European' mentality and unfortunately, magical races like Veela and Sirens were not considered human let alone Eastern European.

A consequence of something the Veela themselves had propagated rather unhelpfully with their acts. The Veela, before the start of the 20th century had largely enjoyed a privileged existence amongst the nobility of Europe.

For centuries, they'd used their beauty and their allure to craft out this place within the higher echelons of society, obtaining protection from persecution whilst at the same time propagating their population with added protection of the same nobles who tended to be the fathers of their children.

Something that began to end at the turn of the century as unrest and uncertainty began to inflame Europe with the emergence of greater numbers of half bloods and squibborns who brought in ideas and sought more freedoms within Magical society in line with more equal muggle Europe which was only driven further into a simmering cauldron by the emergence of radical rhetoric like that of Grindelwald or that of the ever present but growing pureblood supremacy ideology which captured the attentions of disgruntled nobles and disaffected masses in sweeping motions.

As always throughout history, magical or not, times of uncertainty and anger tended to be very difficult for those of minority ethnicities or in the case of the Veelas, race.

There had always been a black market within Europe, one that was riddled with dark mages and scum of the earth but it was only during this turn of the century that the Veela had begun to be exploited at much greater rates as they lost the protections that they so enjoyed for centuries prior.

And despite the end of the war and the ICW influence, it had only grown worse before his Guards went in and eliminated most of the worst offenders that dealt with trafficking or with sexual slavery yet it did not deal with the underlying social and institutional discrimination that the Veela experienced in much of Eastern and Central Europe even if they were 'protected' under the law.

The ICW, to give them credit, was trying to address this issue but by forcing equality onto the Ministries and populace, it was not working and seemed to instead backfire.

Their high handedness and their lack of understanding was doing more harm in post-war Europe than it was bringing stability and whilst he was pleased that it was making it easier for them to push along this unrest into an engulfing inferno, he was…displeased the effect it was having on the non-human populations of the magical world.

For that, he bore responsibility.

Just as he bore responsibility for the rise in death tolls of squibs and the worsening of conditions in most European nations for squibborns.

He was uncertain if this would have happened anyway without his presence or influencing of Europe, if this state of growing intolerance was always going to happen despite him and his actions and he would never know the truth of it.

He could not See into alternative timelines…into what might have been. Those roads were closed and Time, despite him being able to see Time as more something that happens all at once and its coordinates, a living flow that had a sense of itself, he could not see coordinates of something that was wiped out of existence in this universe.

He did not know if this state of Europe would have remained had Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald in 1945, after two more years of war and destruction and loss that could have taken greater toll on people and cause them to be more accepting of peace and unity of all, for all.

Perhaps Dumbledore's willingness to work within existing frameworks and turning them malleable to his desires and will might have made the ICW's endeavours in Europe more successful with influential individuals in Europe weary and careful in the face of a Light Archmage who was intolerant of dark magic and had the backing of the ICW.

In the end, it did not matter on what ifs he'd never satisfyingly bring to a conclusion, even for someone like him who lived and breathed in air made out of what ifs.

Only what they could do to take advantage of these circumstances that he helped speed along.

After all…disasters paved the way for future growth.

"I am pleased to heard that" Atticus said as he placed his hands on the desk, his eyes boring into her "We have put in considerable efforts in accommodating your people in Illos and so far your people have integrated well."

Teodora nodded "It had been a challenge at first" she admitted "even with the introduction we were granted."

He inclined head slightly in agreement. "It's something that most groups find at first but once they find their chosen field or work, they tend to find things much easier."

Thanks to the increase of population, there was a growing market within Illos for consumer products that weren't covered by one of the Offices, one that was increasing the economy of the world-ship which the Veela had seamlessly integrated into, especially with their expertise in Charms and Enchantment.

An economy that likely remain limited but one he set on actively growing. Most magical societies had the potential to be post-scarcity societies, Illos more than any other but he was careful not to let it happen any time soon.

An interconnected economy was important to bind all of the magical societies together in the future and only long after when no one considered themselves as anything other than Illosian did he want to consider setting in the motions of a true post-scarcity society.

Whilst most of the amenities and health could be taken care of by magic or by the basic food, ingredients and health care package that all citizens had a right to, for now there was still a need for more leisurely and bespoke products which he encouraged as a way to inspire more independent industries and markets to form.

Amongst them was the growing gaming and media markets based on magi-tech that he had 'sold' and encouraged to take form. The games market was popular with the youngest of Illos, especially with the way they could interact with the story of the games themselves and within the media, films were growing ever more popular with The Maiden in the Tower being the largest hit so far and one that had a Veela emerge as a star actress.

Teodora smiled "Quite." Her smile fell off "Which is why I humbly request of you, my Lord, that I be granted the permission to seek out my colony's allies and granted leave to offer them a place here."

Atticus remained silent and she visibly grew more uncomfortable.

Teodora continued, this time more guarded "Before we came here, we informed our allies that we were seeking to find a new home given the…volatility of our homeland" she said carefully and quickly continued when she saw no further reaction from him "We did not tell them where we were headed – not that we knew anyway – just that we were leaving."

After some time passed, Atticus spoke up "And do you think they are right for Illos?"

She looked slightly confused. "What do you mean?"

"Do you know why you were invited?" Atticus asked of her.

Her eyes widened and she understood "Because one of your people vouched for us."

"That and because we made sure that such vouching was not made erroneously." Atticus leaned forward, his expression hard "We do not invite anyone without carefully considering the impact on our current citizens and the harmony we are building and we will continue to do so for a long time to come."

She looked upset for a moment "But they wouldn't cause disharmony" she protested.

Atticus hummed "And how certain are you of that? If I were to suddenly allow several thousand Veela into Illos…" Atticus trailed off as he looked at her with a long look and hard eyes.

"Do you not think it would cause friction within the population?"

She looked offended before she schooled her expression and looked at him with hints of anger in her eyes "My Lord." She said, her voice calm yet lost all of its warmth.

"I had not taken you for someone who held people against their heritage." She said calmly though it was clearly it was forced.

Atticus remained impassive under the accusation "I do not care for blood or for heritage. What I do care for is Illos. It is my responsibility to ensure that it remains healthy and that also includes considerations that are uncomfortable to broach." Atticus leaned back in his chair intently studying the Veela matriarch before him.

"For a person who should intimately know about emotions and irrationality along with fact that you are a leader, you are missing the fundamental truth of what the consequences of thousands of beautiful women coming to a nation with only fifteen thousand people would be. Especially when half that population are still children."

As ridiculous as it sounded, that was the main crux of this situation.

She frowned before she understood and raised her hand, her bracelet shining "Isn't that why we're made to wear these out in public?" she asked.

"A way to alleviate the uneasy people, mostly of the feminine variety" Teodora said with a hint of sardonic amusement in her voice before she grew serious again "that we aren't here to ensnare their precious men?"

"People might wish to believe that however that is not the case. Your allure is a form of compulsion magic and pheromones and though it is inherent to you, it is against the law to use against others" Atticus said and he raised his hand stopping her from speaking and he continued

"Nevertheless the requirements of the bracelets were not demanded in a slight against your people but rather because existing laws that protect the minds and liberty of citizens. Your admission into Illos had already been made once we determined the characteristics of your colony and their leader." Atticus entwined his hands as he continued, slightly leaned forward.

"You were determined to be open minded and willing to integrate into Illosian society and it is for those reasons you are here today. The acceptance you have seen here in Illos is because everyone knew you were coming and in their trust of our judgment, they invited you into their lives as future citizens of our country." Atticus paused for a moment as his eyes bored down into her own.

"And that is despite of what most people know of your people however wrong that is. As a people, you have gained, unfairly perhaps, a reputation that speaks of carnal and hedonistic nature." Atticus said with thinned lips and she visibly looked upset at this characterisation but she met his gaze proudly.

"We are a passionate race and our nature does make us more comfortable with the natural way of existence" She said with a proud gleam in her eyes "But it does not sum us up." She leaned forward her eyes blazing with blue flames dancing in her eyes.

"And if we were to believe what people think to be true all the time then we should be believing you to be the destroyer of the magical world no?" she said with a tone of innocence that amused him though he didn't show as his expression remained hard.

She leaned back in her chair, her eyes doused. "I only wish to extend the same kind of peace and acceptance my colony and I have received here to the rest of my people." She said, this time more subdued and he let her speak.

"I know that most of my people in our native lands will have to move sooner or later. Some have already moved to France but even there we're still viewed as something as other and compared to the acceptance we have found here…" she looked to the side, towards the city as she trailed off.

He let the silence settle in for a few moments before he spoke up.

"It does not sum you up. I agree." Atticus said calmly and she turned to him. "And it is also the opinion of many Illosians now who were once warier of you than they have been of others."

He glanced at her bracelet "That has helped them to see you as you are not as what your race is perceived to be of course and in time, once your colony has exercised complete control over their allure, it will not be needed. After all, the Mind Arts are taught here in Illos and only the use of it against unwilling individuals is illegal and I see your allure to be in the same category." He returned his gaze to hers.

"Which brings me back to the main point. With such a low population, for now, immigration to Illos needs to be managed carefully especially when so many different people from different backgrounds are only just beginning to learn how to live together. To bring so many of your people to Illos now would only create tensions that are unneeded and would reverse some of the headway we've made towards acceptance of others that different."

She seemed to accept his reasoning more now that he explained, even she was still upset.

"That said" Atticus said, breaking her out of whatever thoughts she was having.

"I will inform Habe to begin the proceedings of inviting one other Veela colony to Illos. You may put forth a list of your allies and we will consider them first." He told her and she looked very pleased at that.

Mother magic…she really was devastatingly beautiful even if she was older than his mother.

His Sight really didn't capture everything perfectly.

He wondered if it was simply genetic or if it was a combination of magic and genetics actively working together to play a role in her race. It was never clear what the origins of Veela was.

"It will not happen for many months however" he warned her as he banished those thoughts away. "We already have several groups of people set to arrive in the next year or so."

"I understand my Lord." She said happily with a bow of the head.

Before she got up and left, he spoke up "Before you leave…I have something that I wish to run by you." he said and recaptured her attentions as she looked at him inquisitively.

He continued as he leaned forward, a hidden gleam in his eyes "Are there those amongst you who are unable to bear children but wish to be mothers to orphans?" he asked and her eyes widened before she considered it thoughtfully.

It was an hour later that he left and went towards the Magical Innovation and Technology centre. He received bows and nods as he walked through the centre and after he verified his identity through a series of identifying wards and charms, he was allowed entry at 7S Testing Facility.

As he stepped through the large testing facility, he saw an old man visibly berating one of the others in front of the large black metal ring by a round control console.

"No, no, NO!" an old voice barked out harshly as he waved his hand furiously "What did I tell you last time?! Always check your work! Last time, you could have blown us apart! Do you want something like that to happen?!"

Atticus cleared his throat and the old man swivelled around with an angry growl before his eyes widened.

"My Lord!" the old man said with a deep bow, an act that the younger man followed.

"Mr Woodman." Atticus said calmly whilst he looked at the Gate-Ring.

It was about five and a half metres in diameter and was made out of black Adamantium alloy with diamond wardstones lining up on the face of the ring in three concentric circles closer to the rim of the inner diameter. The space between the outside edge of the larger diamond ring on the face and the outer diameter had seven Runes with hundreds of miniature runic schemes connecting the seven larger Runes, runes that he was intimately familiar with…after all…

They were part of the Illosian Runic Language he created with Emily.

"What's this I hear about something else blowing up?" he asked calmly as he returned gaze at the old man. Woodman had been a curious and fortuitous accident. Scrimgeour had unknowingly led him to the man not long after the war.

He'd always intended to figure out a way to create portals that didn't use slipspace as the principle dimension but rather through manipulation of magic, neurophysical magic, effectively a better way of Vanishing Cabinets and portkeys.

It turned that he didn't need to work as much on it when Woodman had already done the legwork when Woodman uncovered the principles behind Vanishing Cabinets in much greater detail than he himself had done.

With the work he'd done with Rowena, with regards to Dimensions and their existence, they'd improved on Woodman's Principles of Space Layers.

The man scowled as he looked at the younger man.

"This…" The old man growled before he visibly controlled himself "He was being negligent again" He gave the young man a scathing look "He seems intent on replicating grave mistakes like the time he got the Coherence Rune wrong within the sympathetically linked runic schemes."

Yes…that could have been bad. He'd asked Woodman to double check the runes prior to shipping the second Ring out when he'd seen that probable outcome.

The younger man looked defensive as he spoke up "That had nothing to do with this! I already checked the schemes thrice before you asked! You just want me to use your insane checking method all the time" The young man threw up his hands in exasperation "All because of that one error and it's not even my fault – not entirely! The Coherence Rune is very similar to the Transference Rune! Why would anyone want to do that, I don't know, I don't even know where these Runes are from! They're so...different to every Runic Language I know or heard about! Getting use to these Runes does take time, you know!" he said with a scowl to his mentor.

"You haven't told him?" Atticus asked with Woodman with a curious look.

Woodman only shrugged "My Lord, I didn't see the point."

The younger man looked confused "I don't understand."

Woodman sighed "Lord Sayre created this Runic Language." He said pointedly.

The younger man looked extremely surprised before he stared at Atticus with wide eyes "You created your own Runic Language?" he asked with quiet awe in his voice "I didn't even know you could do that without it needing taking a long time to manifest into the magic of the world which is almost impossible as it requires a language to be effectively dead."

Most people believed that Runes worked like that.

It was close but not quite right. Runes were able to do what they did because a metaphysical manifestation that stemmed from the collected understanding of what each rune meant and this manifestation was within the magical field that permeated the universe.

It wasn't quite the time to make that known however. Perhaps not ever, he mused. It was after all very dangerous information to let out.

"I did. And this falls under the Gate Non-Disclosure Agreement." Atticus said plainly and the man recollected himself.

"Of course sir – I mean my Lord." The man said with a stammer. "Also I didn't mean what I said your Runes sir, I-I mean my Lord" the young man stammered out quickly.

Woodman sighed long-sufferingly.

Atticus looked at Woodman with a look on his face "What happened to the other guy?" before he glanced at the younger man who looked quite nervous. There had been three of them last time he visited. He tended to let Woodman manage the project on his own and just See into its progress from time to time.

Woodman, the graduate from SIMS and this young man who was more of an apprentice than anything else. He was rather young too, likely less than twenty. From what he did know, he was quite the prodigy himself and age was hardly indicative of skill and talent…even if he seemed to be rather negligent at times.

Woodman looked at Atticus with a contrite look "He quit."

Atticus knew that of course but it was a bit too good to pass up, he thought a little amused though his expression didn't change.

Woodman was rather difficult to work with. It was why his team always only consisted of at most three individuals – well only some part of it. He wanted there to be as few people possible who knew the workings of the Ring. As much as he could have done it himself, he needed others to have great accomplishments to their names.

It was why people knew the Gate Network was being worked on by Woodman.

People needed things to surpass or strive to achieve. What was the point if you had someone do it all for you?

"I see." He said as he looked at the younger man who looked quite uncomfortable.

"He's at least capable" Woodman said almost grudgingly before he scowled again "Just a bit of a ditz when it comes to certain things. Like checking your work!" he said with a growl as he glared at the young man.

'Capable' meant brilliant for Woodman.

"Don't take his words too personal" Atticus said to the young man calmly "Woodman's nature can be simply characterised as rude. It's just how he speaks and acts. If you stick around a little longer, you'll learn enough to make it worthwhile." He said to the young man who calmed and seemed to think it over.

He did mean it. Woodman was prodigy with Runes and could think in an unorthodox way. Before he managed to convince the old man, the man would have just been lost to history without anyone even noticing before dying full of bitterness towards the world and the Department of Mysteries for forcing him to stop his research.

He would be more than happy to have another like him…though with a better temperament if possible.

Atticus returned his attentions towards the Gate-Ring "Are you ready to test it?" he asked.

"Yes my Lord" Woodman said and Atticus drew closer to the Ring.

He placed his hand on the ring, feeling the Runes that etched into it.

"The last minute check was a system check…on both rings." Woodman said with a scowl in his voice and he could just see him glaring at the young man again even if he wasn't looking.

"But it seems like both rings are functioning at optimum levels and I believe the time is right to test it." Woodman said and Atticus stepped back several metres.

"Then, by all means…begin." Atticus said to Woodman who bowed his head and turned on his heels and quickly walked towards the control console.

The old man placed his hand onto the control console and it thrummed with a dim light as the Runic symbols lit up. Everything was connected through magic…the console to the Rings and the controller, in this instance Woodman, to the console itself.

It was a security measure, to connect magical signatures and the presence of magic itself within the controller, that he'd ensure was installed in consoles.

The doors to the testing facility opened up and they all turned to see who it was.

"Are we late?" Emily asked with a raised eyebrow as she strode forward in her graceful gait with Sandra next to her.

"Just in time" Atticus said with a faint smile.

Woodman turned and bowed his head to the ladies "My Lady, Chancellor" Woodman said and the young man followed suit before returning his attentions to the console. He pressed his fingers into the console

"The Gates are initialised." Woodman said to the room and Runes on the Gate began to flare.

The outer diamond ring began to glow, then the middle diamond ring before the last diamond ring glowed and large Runes blinked in a sequence and in an instant, the sight of the back of the testing facility in the middle of the Gate disappeared and was replaced by the sight of grey earth, mottled with craters and boot stamps that seemed to have a timelessness to them yet that was not what drew their attention no…

In the horizon and high above, there was the natural black that loomed over this grey earth, a black night sky dotted with billions of stars that seemed to shine more brilliantly there than they ever did here and at the very centre of this horizon, where all the stars seemed to gravitate around, was a pale blue orb that had strings and clots of white on its surface, a sight that never not succeeded causing something in him to stir.

"Beautiful" the young man said with awe.

Sandra stepped forward, her eyes shining with wonder "It works. It really works." She said with delight as she clasped her hands.

Woodman scoffed before he tried to mask it with a cough "Of course it, Chancellor. It was never in question." He said plainly though it was not hard to miss the glimmer of pride in his voice.

"What are the measurements?" Atticus asked Woodman who turned and looked at the readings on the console.

"Ward integrity is at optimum. Atmospheric pressure is Cradle Normal, consistency of the air within the Ward Bubble is standard." Woodman informed.

"Good." Atticus said as he approached the gate, closer than anyone else had.

The principles of Space Layers – the principles that the inventors of the Vanishing Cabinets had unknowingly and without understanding worked with – provided the grounding theories as to why they were able to shorten distances using magic.

Apparition, portkeys, Vanishing Cabinets and other such techniques all bent space to allow for shorter journeys from one set of coordinates to another.

Apparition worked through puncturing a hole in the fabric of conventional space in the form of a micro wormhole with magic as the facilitator – and protector as the individual is wrapped through a field of magic – before exiting in another location by using magic to contract three dimensional space to be directly opposite to the original coordinates instead of the tens or hundreds of miles that might be between the points in space in conventional space.

Portkeys were a similar concept though more stable.

Vanishing Cabinets worked in that simple principle but it was more permanent.

Where portkeys and apparition temporarily punctured holes in the fabric of conventional space, for vanishing cabinets, two points were anchored together in conventional space through the use of runic schemes and sympathetically links that tied two objects together.

This was done through the semi-permanent hole made in Shunspace, one of a number of alternate dimensions that was layered on top of this universe.

Atticus stepped a little closer to the Gate when the younger man spoke up "my Lord! We haven't tested it yet!" he tried.

Atticus turned to him "The principles have not changed." He told the young man. "The principles have been tested and verified for over three years. This Gate" he said as he waved at the Ring "Is merely a new structure with streamlined Runes that were designed to take into account the theorems that govern this universe." Along with increasing the power of the Gate-Rings.

The Vanishing Cabinets he'd used during the war had susceptible to Britain's War Wards which disrupted the links between the paired cabinets.

Power and magical capacity had been found to be the issue. This new structure overcame that along with the magical power demands over distances such as this…and much further.

That was why he and Emily used the lesser versions of this Gate to travel between Sayre and Slytherin Manor.

In truth, they overbuilt the gate in front of him. From what they were able to tell, this Gate should be able to stay stable for well over forty nine light years.

Woodman did not know it but he had alternative purpose for this overbuild. This method of transportation of matter also opened up the transportation of energy.

Transference of energy would be virtually instantaneous across light years and the first thing that came into mind was harvesting solar energy from stars for the purpose of converting said energy into Neurophysical Energy – magic – and feed it Mithril Seeds.

Seeds that would aid him in future projects for 'just-in-case' purposes.

Emily walked up to him and stood by him, she gave him an inquisitive look which he only responded with assurance through their bond. She nodded her understanding as she stepped forward and passed through the Gate.

Sandra gasped sharply and he heard Woodman murmur but Emily turned out fine as she stepped onto the moon's lesser gravity. She turned around and gave him a look before she said something though he could hear nothing.

As part of the safety mechanisms, there was several shields built into the Gate that separated any chance of the two different locations interacting beyond the admission of light.

The hole – portal – itself only had a cross section of less than half a millimetre.

He stepped through and without even feeling anything he was out at the other side.

He withheld a wince as he felt the world around him. It was several magnitudes lesser than even the most inhospitable region on Earth.

"Success." He said to her as he looked around before glancing back through the ring and saw them staring at them.

He was tempted to wave at them but that felt like it was contrary to his mask.

He turned saw her walking towards the edge of the bubble. He went after her.

As he stood by her, he saw her gaze at the Earth "Will we ever see our own world like we see her?" she asked him, uncharacteristically morose, hallmarks of some aspects of his character rubbing off on her.

Still, he understood her very well as he turned his attentions fully to their homeworld.

"I like to think so." He said to her. She knew he'd seen what their likely new homeworld was going to be and its life capable moons. She hadn't asked to see it, not yet and he hadn't looked at it beyond a glimpse of what might be.

It was a distant future, for now, one that was growing closer but distant nonetheless.

"Hmm." She said in a noncommittal hum before she looked at him, her expression serious and the moment gone.

"At least we now have a way to link the worlds together without needing interstellar travel." She said with a glint in her eyes.

He smiled at her. "Yes." He said as he turned around, still just them two on the surface of the moon "That will make things much easier in the long run."

Until things settled during the havoc of Exodus, they wanted to limit travel until the proper structures were in place. It would also aid in strengthening Illos' authority over the others.

A small grin grew on his face as his eyes sparked with mischief. "You know…We could also build another Gate for Europa."

Her eyes shone with interest. She might not say it but he knew it had been her most favourite place to have visited.

Inwardly, his grin widened even more.

Something she would share with a certain old Japanese man not too long from now.

-Break-

8th April 1953 – Illos, Sayre Manor

Emily POV

She sat at the bottom of the pool, her long dark hair swayed in the near faint flow of water that only she and very few magical creatures could hope to sense.

She raised her hand and bent her fingers in a lotus like stance. The water grew uneasy and then tumultuous as it began to spiral at the centre of her palm, a small sphere of water that was moving differently compared to the larger body of water yet neither affected the other, the later body of water remained that same faint gentle flow in comparison to the small eddy that was storming in her hand.

With a mere thought, it changed to a perfect sphere of ice before she changed it again into a ball of superheated gas before cycling it into all three different states again and again until she grew bored of it.

Her abilities with the water element was still growing though it was slower than it had been before. Her hand began to change, her pale white skin made way for translucence, the skin and flesh and bones melted away like candle wax under a fire though it remained somewhat stable even as it rippled slightly like the water surrounding her.

She stared at her hand. It wasn't easy, to obtain this level of success of semi-liquid state. It was an alien concept, one that required abstract thinking to a degree that would have made those monks in Tibet pleased with her.

Her week long experimentation with Grindelwald's body had yielded more than a few results, most of which were discarded for being too corruptive but the most promising result had been the underlying theory she developed of infusing the body with magic to the point that the body itself acted like a magical core.

Grindelwald's body had remained highly magical despite the absence of his soul and mind, an impossibility that broke the trifecta of body, soul and mind that made active magic possible, yet he managed to succeed with the necromantic black magic that forced the magic and life force of others into his body.

If it was possible to accomplish such a feat with black magic, then it was possible to accomplish it without it. She stared at her hand.

She was a water elemental, a powerful one. At present she was using her magic to alter the properties of her hand to that of water, a feat that she only had partial success in yet it also confirmed her theory that it was possible to alter her existence without the need of rituals or alchemy.

Her experiments of creating new forms of life using the texts of Atlantis and the Grindelwald experiments, had been to develop a greater understanding of the nature of existence…of life, of magic, of sapience.

She'd created several new magical creatures using both magical and non-magical animals and she'd gotten some result with the creation of life using golems and non animal materials that culminated in those flying failures…all for the purpose of understanding it all better and…

She'd not gotten as far as she'd like.

Oh, she'd gotten a far better understanding in the key components that made life possible from a magical perspective but she needed more.

The Atlanteans had been capable of creating magical creatures that represented concepts

The concept of life, death and rebirth in the form of Phoenixes.

The concept of nature's fury in Thunderbirds.

The concept of purity in Unicorns.

Yet she could not find the evidence in all of the Atlantean archives of how they managed to achieve it which was a bitter point for her.

Her eyes focused on her hand and her hand became more diffuse yet she still saw the underlining structure of a hand.

She was unable to be water, to be the physical representation of water, the life giver, the life taker, the element that could exist in more than one state.

She focused firmly on regaining solidity and her hand began to turn back into normal. She felt the familiar sting of numbness that accompanied in the few seconds after she regained solidity and she clenched her hand a few times before it returned back to normal.

It was frustrating to see that she'd reached a plateau, a glass ceiling she was unable to break through no matter how often she tried.

She knew she could reach further heights.

That had been evidenced when she began to manifest and fine tune certain abilities…namely the ability to sense and manipulate water at a molecular level and use it to augment or heal herself.

She could harden her skin to diamond hard ice with just a thought and she could draw out moisture out of any living being with increasing ease.

The results on Grindelwald's corpse had shown it was possible to alter one's body greater than what previously had been recorded and all of this was merely proof.

And…the fact the Atlanteans had been able to conceptualise concepts into reality was proof enough of what the critical component was that would allow her to gain total mastery of her element without needing to resort to rituals…

Consciousness.

It was all connected, magic, consciousness, existence and reality. As magicals they perceived greater, understood far more and it was their consciousness that linked all of it together.

She would get there, eventually.

Even if it took a hundred years.

The water around her began to swirl around her and she lifted off the floor of the pool even as she sat, the warmer currents of the swirling water carrying her back to the surface.

She breached the surface of the water and she clung onto the edge of the pool, her eyes gazing out from the spectacular view before her and her lips twisted as she stared out at Illos before her.

The rolling green hills and the beautiful city that loomed above them was satisfying to see, to see the slow culmination of their obsession of building the greatest civilisation to ever exist beginning to take firmer hold.

She felt the familiar feeling of love through their bond that transcended time and space as she felt him approaching through her magic.

"What is swimming in that mind of yours?" she heard and she glanced lazily to the left from where she felt him draw nearer.

"Conquest, domination, subjugation." She replied lazily "The usual." She said with a slow smirk on her face as she turned to him.

He was dressed in simple silken shirt and trousers in the style of Losi, the growing fashionable style that was becoming synonymous with Illos.

"Ah" he said in a musing tone, as he arrived and sat on the floor by the edge of the pool and he leaned back onto his arms. "The trifecta. Of course." He said with an easy smile as he looked at her before looking back at the city.

"Nearly everyone will be there today." Atticus said after a moment as he continued to stare out at the city.

"Seems right." She said with a hum as she peered at her with inspecting eyes "It was the longest mission so far?" Part of that mission had been to place the Gate and wards surrounding it.

He turned towards her and with a smile nodded "Yes. The third mission and the longest. Only half a day in transit each way whilst they spent over a week on Luna itself. They spent a few days recovering from that trip though they'll make a show of it by descending down into the Stadium."

They were intending on letting Illos develop its own form of spaceflight with only the mathematics and physics being 'unfolded' as time went by. Through this way, they intended on develop true mage-tech, a symbiosis of science and magic without the need for the kind of computing systems and restrictiveness of technology that would require artificial intelligence in the centuries to come.

Magic was intuitive, it responded to their will and desires and with the evidence of Magi-Comp, a crystalline based computer that ran entirely on magic, it was indicative this was a developmental tree they could continue on without problems.

Alice would be the only Artificial Intelligence in their Empire.

"When will Mars happen?" she asked genuinely curious. She hadn't gone to the Red Planet during their trips to space. Compared to Saturn and her rings, to Jupiter and standing on the surface of Europa with Jupiter looming in all of its full glory…

It seemed pedestrian.

"Likely around the summer time. They'll be building the third iteration of the Vessel during that time. Mostly to improve the dampening effects within the Vessel when travelling at maximum speeds." Atticus explained to her.

"You haven't given them your Artificial Gravity & Force Dampening Runic Matrices?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, a slow smirk growing on her face.

"They have no need for it." He said dismissively and her smirk grew wider though she didn't comment on it. He just didn't want to share everything, even if it was obsolete.

"Considering that they'd applied existing runic schemes – and improved on it – they'll arrive at this conclusion without my aid." He finished.

"Of course." She said with a hint of amusement in her tone. He gave her a mild but exasperated smile before he outstretched his legs as he sat by her whilst she remained in the pool.

They fell into an easy silence, basking in each other's presence as they had done for the past few days. It was a luxury, for now, to be able to spend as much time together as they had done, and it was a luxury that they unfortunately would need to keep sacrificing until their plans culminated to a stage where they no longer had to be personally present to manage situations.

"Received word from Sassa – we've been invited by Viktor Nowak to come visit the Nikita Borough." Atticus said after a while, glancing at her from the corner of his eyes.

Her eyes narrowed at the familiarity of the name until she recalled who he was "The infamous Polish rebel that kept the fight going on his own despite being hunted by Grindelwald's forces, including for a time Vinda Rosier herself?"

"The very same" Atticus confirmed.

After a few moments of consideration, she asked "How have they settled anyway?"

"They have settled in well…all things considered. The introductory package and the Lingua Latin potion has been a major help in easing them into Illos." He paused for a few seconds "Though they have been noticeably less willing to integrate like the other tribes and squib parents from around the world have been."

"Perhaps we need to break up their numbers more evenly through the city?" she posed. She hadn't been here in the past few months when the migration had been happening.

"We already split the four thousand into five different groups with four of the groups being meshed with six different boroughs that were settled by new settlers and existing citizens.

The way things worked out, Nikita Borough just so happened to have a greater concentration of the same culture than others. It won't be an issue for too long but for the moment, it's something to be carefully managed" he finished.

"Hence the invitation by Nowak?" she mused aloud and he nodded slightly.

"Yes. He wants to discuss some of the finer points that are causing issues with their integration…namely the highly patriarchal culture of theirs and lingering effects of the inherited societal prejudice against the Veela which of course doesn't mesh all that well with the more egalitarian norms here in Illos."

Her eyes turned flinty though she kept her expression neutral "They agreed to integrate with the rules of Illos months before they decided to join. To cause problems now…" her voice trailed, implication clear in her voice.

"Nowak knows that too and it is an invitation that is meant to alleviate some of the concerns that has been raised by more than a few people. He seeks to reassure us about their commitment to meld into Illosian society and that in time – and they will – the uneasiness will fade away."

She nodded. "Good." As much as she wanted to make them submit without question, more…diplomatic nuance was needed when it came to enforcing their will here in Illos and in the centuries to come. It was better to build up the strength of their soft power now so that the brutal reaction had more meaning later.

She halted in her thoughts for a moment, peering at him "Is there anything in particular that might end up being of interest to us when we visit?"

He shook his head "No. After we speak with them and tour the borough, there is little else that happens there before the ceremony." He met her gaze "We'll need to blatantly use magic in a way that makes some of the stauncher and stubborn amongst their numbers remind them that our strength and reputation is not overblown."

She smiled. Application of soft power through displays of strength.

"Where is Nikita Borough?" she asked.

His lips curled up "In the second ring."

Her lips twisted into a thin smile as she raised her hand and a thin strand of water sprouted out from the pool and formed into a bridge into her hand.

"It's definitely what will convince the more resisting patriarchs of accepting the new way of things." Atticus said with an amused smile.

Her smile grew into a smirk as she banished the water into the pool.

"Will it be just us?"

"No. Sassa will be there too." He confirmed.

"I'm surprised we're needed at all." Emily said musingly.

"You know Sassa." Atticus said with a shrug "She gets people to agree through trickery and manipulation that is well hidden in her actions. The problem is, her warm nature and genuine desire to help even if it's through trickery and so on doesn't work so well with a people who value displays of strength more than they do kindness." Atticus said to her.

She nodded agreeably though it was a shame that Sassa was unable to deal with this entirely.

They met Sassa during their tour of Africa in '47 and they had grown to appreciate the woman enough that she had been chosen to be the Cultural and Social Director of Illos.

She was partially responsible for the successful integration of newcomers, an important responsibility for anyone.

Both herself and Atticus wanted to add a layer of separation in the running of Illos but still ensure they were ever present in every decision that was made, even if it was not so obvious at first sight. The Council of Representatives was part of that though all of the responsibility of settlement and population was kept with them and the High Council.

"Sassa believes, rightly, that seeing us breathe and use magic like its nothing will only ensure they see us as their leaders, not such as just leaders of Illos. As a patriarchal society, they follow strength and though they respect my reputation for my actions in the war and the aid we have given them during their trying times after the war, we have not 'earned' their loyalty, not completely." He turned to her, his gaze meeting hers.

"And with your own displays of magic done so casually, it will only cause their respect and loyalty to grow for you organically in your own right…not just as my wife but as my equal."

Her smile turned warm as their gazes met and she reached out to his hand. She gripped it tightly for a moment before she released it and looked back at the city.

One of the problems of being away so often and only visiting fleetingly was that it caused a disconnect to what was being built here.

Not just from the place but the people as well. Alleviating her unspoken concerns in this manner was just like him.

Her smile fell off as she realised again how short their time together would be. He picked up on her soured mood.

"Do you have to leave in three days' time?" he asked her, despite the fact that both of them knew he'd known the answer to that long before they were having this conversation.

"I must." She stated as her lips tightened, disliking the situation yet in a way she was pleased with it as Britain was and is to be her own accomplishment in totality.

"We both know that Magical Britain is at a critical juncture at present. My...foreswearing of my titles and privileges was expected by most of the Lords and Ladies but not in the public manner it had been done nor so early."

"Yes." Atticus said with a sigh as he looked back onto the city. "Your presence even now is missed and it's causing havoc amongst the populace, noble and common alike back in Britain."

Her stunt back in Britain backed several of the more mercenary Lords into a corner.

Whilst most of them hated the idea of their nobility being held against them, by muggles of all things, many of them hoped that the Aurors would be able to deal with the muggle incursion quick enough that it wouldn't be an issue but with what she did in her press conference…it made sure the public would latch onto the idea with eager hands.

Whilst the situation with the muggles was sensitive enough that it could escalate, she knew that things would eventually settle back into a certain norm once Potter set the stage for them to erase their existence from the minds of the muggles again.

And during that time and in the aftermath, her grip would be tighter on the political landscape especially on the Traditionalists and their families. They would be left no option but to follow her and the Progressives were too discombobulated to be any meaningful threat in the immediate interim.

Destroying Merlin's Enchantments of the Wizengamot had provided her the opening she needed to take complete control.

And doing so through the most violent and shocking of ways ensured the newly Heads of Houses were vulnerable and more willing to bend to her which she exacerbated with the fear and hate of the muggles.

The practicalities of the necessity to destroy the Enchantments aside, namely to remove the binding magic towards that muggle woman and the protections the enchantments offered the nobility, it had also been necessary to destroy the Enchantments at a psychological level.

Merlin's Enchantments had given the perception that the nobility had the right to rule Magical Britain and it had been something that all of Magical Britain had accepted. It was a truth that none dared or thought to question for centuries even by Dark Lords who often sought support of the nobility instead of upending the entire system.

For how could they question the nobility's right to rule when their greatest hero, the man they worshipped nearly as a deity, had granted that right to those families in the first place?

Something she and Atticus had been whittling away at for nearly a decade, mostly through subtlety and his charade that stuck in their minds but also through their puppet terrorist groups.

The muggles and the puppets had served their purpose perfectly and now she almost had a free path towards driving out the overwhelming influence of the Noble Houses from the Ministry and in their place Ouroboros under her orders would come and fill in their gap and effectively make Magical Britain into a One Party State…

With the public's full support.

And when the time was right…

She smiled inwardly and her eyes gleamed as the image of a legendary sword flashed across her mind.

"Do I need go back sooner?" she asked him. He shook his head

"No. Two more days is fine enough." He told her.

They fell into a bout of silence.

"We could always dump them on a planet and wash our hands off of them." Atticus said with a hum in his voice.

Her lips twitched "If only it was so easy."

It wouldn't be a lie to say that it was hard to see the point of all of their scheming and their dismantling of ancient societies that caused more trouble than it was worth…not when they could easily continue to increase their population through other means however…

They needed to rule all of the magical world and they would do so.

And unfortunately, that meant creatively dealing with some of the ancient institutions that were unlikely to fully go away.

And as much as they were breaking the current world order, and the people themselves, the strong would need to be approached in a different way.

"Unfortunately the Assembly of Lords is an important originator for our future plans here in Illos when the time comes to integrate Magical Britain, Ireland and several other nations into Illos." She said calmly.

"Yes they will. The Council of Lords is an inevitability." He said with a distant look in his eyes.

He'd told her – and shown her – more than a few possibilities decades down the line, near the time of Exodus, and in the more stable distant possibilities, there were four tiers of Governance.

The Council of Representatives, the Council of Lords, the Council of Magical Races and the High Council.

She did not expect the current system to change too much with the addition of the Council of Lords, only an added further step between the High Council and the Council of Representatives where the Lords would functionally be who 'approve' the legislative changes the Council of Representatives put forth within certain scope.

Yet that was not the purpose for the Council of Lords.

It was to be a controlled way to allow certain individuals to rise to the top of the social hierarchy without influencing the rest of society too much and upend all that they were building…and to provide a counterbalance to Council of Representatives.

"It is in our nature." Emily said simply.

It was in their nature to desire power. To use it, to cause deliberate change to the conditions of the world in way that brought it more in line to your desires and needs.

Equality was a lie.

It could never be true when there were those who were greater than others, in magic, in personality and in knowledge which augmented magic in several ways, and when she and her husband were greater than them all.

The Council of Representatives would only shift towards that inclination…of powerful mages being elected into power to represent their immediate community.

They were already coalescing into groups that had aligned political, social and economic values and it would not be long before powerful mages would become leaders of these groups.

Illos' ideals of equality were idealistic and it was necessary in order to build the institutions and the social values that promoted equal opportunity. Social values they were instilling into their citizens were centred on progress, meritocracy and duty, a trifecta of responsibility that would stabilise an inherently unstable species.

But in time…there would be erosion of these values.

Perhaps not to a great degree but enough that made it necessary to plan for such eventualities.

And though they built Illos' constitution and its legal framework in a way that made great accumulation of power impossible, there were still the natural accumulation of power that would threaten the social order in unacceptable ways.

It was an inevitability, an inevitability they consciously chose to make with the way they were building Illos…a place of progress and great magical advancement…a place that allowed greater opportunity and knowledge of magic…to power and allow those who were capable of it to rise to fulfil their potential.

It was obvious why Ministries around the world limited knowledge and practices so as to prevent powerful mages from upending the system they built but it was part of the reason why Dark Lords and Dark Ladies continued to rise and accumulate followers.

They would do better.

Even if they were permitting the opportunity for conflict and rivalry all while encouraging the existence of more High Sorcerers and even…

Archmages.

A headache for anyone, including her and Atticus yet it was also something that could not be avoided…nor should it be avoided.

At the start of the Grindelwald war, there had only been four known Archmages.

Gellert Grindelwald, Albus Dumbledore, Bosede Khari and Xavier Charleston.

Each of them were capable of dominating groups of mages and each of them held, at one point or another, great influence in whatever societies they were from.

Power begot power.

And the truth was…they had been only the acknowledged Archmages.

There were far more Archmages hidden away from the Magical World or had not cared to advertise their capabilities, something they had come to understand during their trips around the world.

They had found the proof in India with that parselmouth monk who killed himself and they found further proof in Japan, Namibia, Uganda and in Chile…

It was a far more frequent occurrence than people realised and with the opportunities to expand in your skill and magic present here in Illos

The number of Archmages may well end up in the double figures once Illos reached several million in population size and that was something that needed to be dealt with.

Muggles did not have this problem.

Power beyond material things for them did not exist. Wealth, inherited or not, was what provided them with the power they needed to alter their circumstances to their desires.

For magicals…

Power was within their fingertips.

People were animals, no matter how 'civilized' they were. It was an inherent flaw in their genetic makeup, in their species. Like animals, people strove for the optimum favourable conditions and achieve their maximal feeling of power.

They would abhor their obstruction to power, the hindrance this obstruction would cause them from achieving this maximal state of power and they would act accordingly…

Through politics, through conflict and through violence.

Atticus and herself were merely an example of such an eventuality.

As were Grindelwald, Dumbledore and many others throughout history.

Power demanded more power in whatever way they chose and none with power would tolerate obstructions…just as she and Atticus did not tolerate it.

They had eliminated such obstruction to their power with the deaths of Grindelwald, Dumbledore…the Elder Blacks…and would eliminate many more in future.

Illos and their empire was theirs but she knew very well how others may wish to take it and whilst she relished the opportunity to eradicate such fools with prejudice, it was better to simply ensure such possibilities never took root in the first place.

Illos itself wasn't the only place they'd need to ensure they kept control of the scale of conflicts between groups or individuals. It was better to manage people's ambitions and actions than it was to stop it entirely.

It was a fruitless endeavour anyway, to suppress the natural inclinations of their kind.

Still, they weren't idle and they were already beginning with the framework of the Office of Far Sight where divination and this project of Atticus' would use to ensure such problematic revolutionaries would be eliminated whilst ambitious but not revolutionary individuals would be allowed to exist.

The Council of Lords would provide a pathway to a level of power for these kinds of individuals where they'd contend with others for influence and power within a contained environment.

A Council that would consist of the most powerful mages in the Realm by virtue of their power, their intellect, accomplishments and…their loyalty to the Realm, to her and Atticus which would be enforced by oaths…

Or they would die.

A concentration of powerful mages congregating was a risk, that was certain but they would manage it easily enough even if the traitors managed to find wriggle room in the Oath.

The institutional framework they were building would minimise the discontent level of the citizenry to zero ensuring populist routes to power would be impossible.

That and ensuring that certain families that were known for producing powerful mages every few generations were favoured would allow them a loyal spine within the Council of Lords that would keep them too disorganised and in conflict to pose too much of a risk.

The Blacks were one of these kinds of families and they had the current opportunity to…groom the family into a loyal cadre of followers who would become one of their stalwart vassals for centuries to come.

Her eyes glinted at the thought of the proud man raging in whatever hellhole he resided within the Domain, helpless, unable to do nothing but watch as the woman who killed him, a woman he called a half blood whore, made his proud and ancient House as little more than a servant House.

She banished away that momentary vindictive thought as she refocused.

Of course, the Council of Lords would not be hereditary – it would spit in the face of what they were promoting and she quite liked the idea of families that had grown fat and prideful on unearned wealth and worthless heritage made to work to improve themselves magically – but they would ensure there was a careful balance in the Council.

Influential families would be given a bias to gain a seat on the Council but the pathway to the Council would remain open to those who did not have as great a family history of power or influence but were able to meet the criteria of magical power and more anyway.

All of this was aimed in removing these people from greater political power amongst the public they might have found otherwise in the Council of Representatives whilst still making them part of the political structure by giving them authority and responsibility of what to allow to pass into law…

And at the same time pit the Council of Representatives and the Council of Lords in a political chess match in a contained environment that satiated the need for conflict within both political structures of the State whilst also making these individuals jostle against each other for influence and domination over others.

She understood human nature better than anyone. Permitting the space for conflict allowed for greater stability than an enforced peace.

It was inherent in them all, this need for conflict, of having more than the other, of seeking to uplift oneself even at the cost of others…

And she would allow such conflict to exist…to flourish.

Conflict and the desire for power was a part of them and not even evolution into different branches of humanity could eradicate that from their existence.

And as much as Atticus once wished for there to be true equality, it was only a dream that could never exist, not when power was tangible and real.

"As living beings, yes it is in our nature." He leaned back and laid on his back, his hands behind his head as he stared at the sky.

"It's funny…in a morbid way. The way we are. I wonder how much of us is evolution and how much is them." Atticus said with an introspective frown.

"Not that it matters, in the end." Emily said with a hum in her voice.

Since Atticus managed to shut out the entity within the Domain, he'd seen more and more glimpses of the past…and communicated to by ancient shades of beings, more shards than shades in truth, some of the nature of existence in the universe.

Thankfully he's learnt to filter out the Domain to a certain kind of experiences and interactions from the Domain which had been at the same time useful and worrying.

The Ancient Humans had kept excellent records that dated back to their Reconstruction Era, the Era that lead them to move far away from Forerunner territory many hundreds of thousands of years ago.

Yet some things Atticus heard…or was shown…did not line up with records.

Given the sense that the Domain was more alive than not…a domain of magic of a kind they were not sure how it worked, yet, Atticus was under the impression that the Domain had a will of its own…or acted on the will of the entity that once plagued Atticus.

What that meant was they could not rely on the Domain's veracity though they planned for the worst. With what Atticus had shown her of the state of existence…

They could not afford not to plan for it even if it proved to be false.

"No…I suppose it doesn't." He said and she saw the slight tightening of the jaws.

"All that matters is that we won't be losing to them." Emily said

'Not like the others had' she thought to herself with a cruel glint in her eye.

He turned his head towards her, a small smile on his face and it was one that spoke of quiet confidence. They had a long way to go but together…

With their people at their backs…

Well, all things came to end, even to those who seemed to have no end.

He blew out a small sigh "I suppose this Council will at least prevent things from getting too boring in the interim."

Her lips curled. Ah yes…she could imagine it being fascinating. The political backstabbing, the quest for dominance amongst the Lords and amongst the Representatives…

Yes…it'll be entertaining, that was certain.

"Certainly…especially when we'll have to put down a few overreaching individuals to drive the point of keeping their plots and schemes to a certain level." She said with a glint in her eyes.

He looked at her with a hint of amusement "We do have the Illosian Guards for that."

"As if I'd bother to deal with those kind of weaklings that the guards can deal with." She said with a roll of her eyes.

The Illosian Guards were all Sorcerer level mages that made up of the military, police and investigative branches of the State…all of which was under their direct authority.

They had been initially made up from vassals directly sworn to Atticus but now they were made up of some of the strongest magicals in Illos, sworn directly to loyalty and obedience to her and Atticus as Heads of State.

The military was essential to any endeavour to a coup and it could not be successful if they did not have the support of the military. History taught enough lessons to drive that point into anyone with even a modicum of sense.

Eventually they were aiming to enlist loyal Archmages into the Illosian Guards and that would cement the stability of the state considerably.

One of the ways they were hoping to achieve that was through the new vassal families that would stem from new magicals.

"I wouldn't count out the opposition the guards can deal with." Atticus said with a laugh in his voice as his smile curled with hints of pride creeping through his bond.

"Our best can outfight Chavez and his lieutenants handily." He said to her.

"He's hardly that impressive in the first place." Emily said with a scoff "Just a middling Sorcerer. Parkinson himself can defeat him and Parkinson hasn't cast an offensive spell in over a decade."

Chavez was a dark wizard that was now in his 'fourth term' as Minister in Argentina. He and his lieutenants had ruled in the country – and had significant influence across South America – for almost thirty years.

It was not completely uncommon for there to be 'dynasties' like this and whenever they ended, it would result in a brief but intense conflict to 'succeed' the previous ruler.

Only Brazil, Colombia and Chile resembled Western Ministries and that was only because of the strong native influence that was retained after the Statute Wars where communities coalesced into quasi democratic governance with the Spanish and Portuguese magical settlers.

One thing they all had in common was that almost all of South America disliked the ICW, especially amongst the native magical population, because of the Statute Wars and it would make their two sided approach of getting them under their banner easier over the course of the next half century.

Atticus laughed "The man could outduel even the elites amongst the guards even if he hasn't duelled for a decade."

Parkinson was impressive, truth be told though his talents was far higher in the more clandestine arts. Despite Rockwood's intelligence and skill to secret out information, he was still miles away from approaching Parkinson's ability to lay entire networks of information.

It was with his aid that they were getting more personal information from the isolated magical nations which they weren't able to obtain through the Ancient Satellites.

She was interrupted from her response to Atticus as a message popped up on Atticus' silver circlet bracelet.

He read it with a contemplative look on his face. "It seems like we're ready to progress with the Restoration Project." he told her as he glanced at her.

Her eyes widened before they narrowed calculatingly "The trials have succeeded?"

He hummed for a few moments before he answered as he sat up back "The trials so far are looking successful, yes. As you know, all eight candidates have past their one month point and their magic is growing stronger. Alice has now conclusively noted no regression and their bodies have grown accustomed to the magic."

Her eyes gleamed at that "And their rate of growth?" she asked with intense curiosity.

He stretched out before he turned to her, an expression of mild disappointment adorned "Weak. Which is what we expected. They might end up reaching a point where it will not grow any further sooner than we originally anticipated." He paused for a second

"It seems that their magical core severely atrophied in the decades since they were born. Without active use, it seems like there was no need for growth causing their magical growth to be that of an average fourteen year old." He finished.

She considered that for a few moments. So they were unlikely to be much use.

"The younger squibs might see better results, the younger the better in fact, than the adults." Atticus continued

"Because of their magical maturities." She stated and he nodded.

"Hmm." Which would be their next stage in their testing.

"Possible impact on their progeny?" she asked musingly though her expression was serious.

"Non-existing. They'll be magical." He confirmed with a hint of amusement in his tone "The samples they've provided suggest that there is no long term impact on their bloodlines."

"So we can still vassalise any squibs turned magical." She said with a smile growing on her face.

"Yes. Whether or not they'll be stronger or weaker than the average magical is unknown but we will have a large pool of oath bound subjects in the future."

"At least the Clan children have proven their success." She said after a moment, her gaze meeting his "Sixty eight potential High Sorcerers with a potential Archmage?" she said with calculating eyes.

"Not all of them will reach their potential." Atticus warned lightly "But yes, it seems we got lucky with the orphaned squibborns. Or perhaps it was the way we fostering those children in the Clan structure along with the schooling that is raising their potential."

"We'll figure out the reason behind the success eventually." She said as she lifted herself up from the pool. Whilst most of the children were capable of some forms of wandless magic, not many of them had the potential to become adept at wandless magic. Just as like what hey were seeing at the Pandrosion Institute were many students had begun at a later age than the children that were effectively raised from birth in Illos.

Either you had the potential from birth or you did not.

"Will many of them join the Illosian Guards?"

"A fourth of them are likely to do so." He confirmed. "The rest will join the Offices."

She looked down at him with inspecting eyes "And the potential Archmage?"

He looked up at her, his expression relaxed "He'll be my apprentice."

A flicker of surprise cut across her face before she narrowed her gaze. "You didn't say anything before."

"I hadn't decided."

She raised her eyebrow "You already knew what you were going to do."

"But I hadn't decided." Atticus said as he got up "It was a likely possibility but not the only possibility. To have said it then meant that I made my choice then."

She waved her hand around her and a soft silken dress formed around her naked form. "Very well." She said conceding the point "Why did you decide? I know you like teaching but teaching someone to become a powerful Archmage…" she said trailing off as their gazes met.

"Beyond simply ensuring the Archmage is loyal to us?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes…beyond the obvious." She drawled.

His lips twitched before he shook his head clear and met her gaze. "Because I have Seen the kind of man he will become." Atticus' lip pursed as he paused for a moment.

"A man who will be as loyal as Dayton and just as steadfast to us…something that is not even contingent on me training him and someone who will shine as an example to many future subjects of ours."

Her eyes widened ever so slightly.

The way he spoke about training this Archmage…

"You already consider him something of a friend." She simply stated, her eyes boring into him. One of Atticus' fatal flaws, even now, was to create unnecessary bonds with people were beneath them.

He could be as ruthless as any, the killing of Dorea's sister Cassiopeia was proof enough but he still earnestly cared about others beyond those who should naturally be closest to him.

It was a double edged sword that made many loyal enough that they'd die for him but it also made him weaker than he should be. It was an edge that he often struggled to stay on top off and not slip into making a fatal mistake like he once did with Nymera.

For all his Sight. they both knew that his Sight was not perfect even now. Their constant adjustments of their plans was proof of that.

Atticus' lips twisted slightly "Hard not to with all that I have Seen. But I do not see him as a friend truly but rather as a protégé." His violet green eyes shown slightly as his lips twisted into a mild smirk

"It's not as if I will be the only one with a protégé at some point or another."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. He'd refused to tell her who she was meant to be, only that she'd know when she'd met the girl.

"I'll wring it out of you someday." She said with a glint in her eye.

He looked at her unconcerned, his smirk widening into a smile "Maybe." He said with a hint of teasing in his tone.

She rolled her eyes at his playfulness as she returned to the subject at hand "Will you teach him the fundamentals behind the Higher Magicks?" she asked, this time more serious.

Atticus' smile dropped and his eyes hardened "No." he said resolutely "Such things we cannot teach…no matter how much we trust our protégés."

She nodded pleased. She did not believe she'd ever trust anyone to teach some of the things she and Atticus had discovered and were still discovering about magic and more.

Archmages had always been special…to the point they were considered to be vehicles of destiny but what they were discovering was that they had the potential to be so much more.

Atticus had already been capable of bending ambient magic to his will with his family's trait but it was not something that was restrained to him.

It was easier for him yes and he could do it with greater effect, but it could be learnt, at least to a certain degree for most and for Archmages…

Stories of Zeus, Odin, Poseidon, Hera and many more elemental mages were likely inspired by those who touched that potential that was within them.

Once Archmages reached such a state, their consciousness was capable of bending reality just as much their own personal magic was capable of it though with greater effect.

They'd theorised it might be part of how these Precursors might have been able to do what they were believed to be capable of…these beings that managed to find a perfect symbiosis between magic and consciousness resulting in reality being shaped in accordance to their desires and will.

"Still, I will teach him more than enough to make him formidable." Atticus said with a fond tone in his voice.

"You really have a high regard for him."

She had an idea of who the boy who'd grown into this man would be.

"I do…I will." He said to her, their gazes meeting "He'll be a hero to the people with his exploits and character." Atticus said with a shake of the head

She looked at him intensely "Heroes are overrated. Heroes have risen and fallen throughout for millennia and they've never built anything lasting."

Atticus smiled as he crossed the distance and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand. "I agree. Our path as leaders of our kind is better than the fleeting adoration of the masses. I would not alter our destiny nor my past if given the choice. I am happy with my lot in life." He said in a warm tone and she felt the truth of it in his magic.

"Still…with him, I will be able to impart some of our knowledge and he'll flourish for it. He'll become one of our greatest champions in the process too."

Impart knowledge…

Yes…he saw this potential Archmage as more than just a protégé.

Her eyes narrowed slightly but she said nothing. She often didn't comment on the more…personal side of what he Saw. Of the paths they were going to take.

Of when they might end up having a child.

He told he avoided looking too far ahead of their future together but she often wondered if he just said that too alleviate her concerns and misgivings…

Yet, if he was Seeing this protégé as something more, what did that mean for them?

Was he thinking of this archmage as a surrogate child because he didn't see a child in their future?

She touched his hand on her cheek "How long do we have until we have to leave?" she asked, changing the subject and ignoring the pesky thoughts in her mind.

"About an hour" he confirmed, picking up on the change of subject.

She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips before she stepped back "I will see you then" she said as she twisted on her heel.

Hours later…

The meeting with Viktor Nowak and his people had been rather uninteresting even if she sensed their wonderment at their capabilities. She wasn't sure if she preferred the quiet awe over the fearful awe she so often inspired in her associates in Britain but nevertheless, Nowak's people were set back onto the path of merging within Illosian society.

They had little choice of course…given the nature of their exit out of Eastern Europe.

The main reason why they'd offered aid after the war in the first place was that they had refused to barter with the Russians who'd come in and offered to 'help'. With their refusal came of course them being ostracised from larger society and no help had been received either by them or by the ICW who didn't wish to interfere.

Soon enough they entered a skymobile towards to the Stadium where they were accompanied by Sassa Habe

"It's funny" Sassa said musingly as they travelled within a skymobile, mostly for their companion's benefit.

Emily turned to her with an inquisitive look.

"My brother." Sassa said before she expanded "He would have been in disbelief before being excited by the accomplishments of the crew of Conatum Caeleste"

"He did have the choice to come" Atticus said pointedly, his expression mildly amused. They'd met Sassa's family during their trip in Africa and her brother, Ghezo, was certainly a character. Somehow the man had managed to rope Atticus into an escapade with a Nundu deep in the Congo Rainforests.

She was rather pleased he decided not to come.

Sassa inclined her head "That is true." Her lips widened into a broad smile "I will make sure to remind him of that when the time is right" she said with mischief in her eyes.

"It'll be probably longer than you think." Atticus said to her "Whilst we may 'open up' to the world, we definitely won't be sharing our secrets for a lot longer than that."

"I know" Sassa said, a lot more serious now "Though I believe it is possible for the Benin Ministry to join this partnership you're beginning."

"Really?" Emily said "The impression we got from all of the Volun chiefs was that they and the Ministry were isolationist from the wider magical world."

Sassa Habe's people part of the Volun shaman tribe, she herself was descendant of a powerful clan of that tribe of mages. They were amongst some of the most influential tribes in Africa whose voice carried significant weight within the Benin Ministry.

Bosedi Khari, the last remaining acknowledged Archmage of the previous generation, a two hundred year old Archmage who practically sang with magic, was part of this Volun tribe.

Sassa Habe's nephew was likely set to become Khari's successor and the boy definitely had the potential to become an Archmage.

It was rather curious that there would be another Archmage within the same tribe so soon after the previous one and at the time they had it confirmed that it wasn't too uncommon for there to be a successor of great power to come before the death of the predecessor.

It hadn't been a phenomenon they witnessed around the world but perhaps that was because of the unique circumstances of the Volun Shamans who rivalled the ancient Greeks mages and remnant Persian mages in the age of their society.

Their school of magic was a lot more attuned to the magic of the world in comparison to the Western school. With the impressive lineage these Shamans held and views on magic, it seemed like it was an ideal soup of circumstances that allowed their small community to spit out Archmages every three or four generations at a time.

"I do think you may know this…Benin's relationship with the ICW has never been good." Sassa said with a frown. "Our ancestors before the Statute had an amiable relationship with the non-magicals in our homelands. The Statute was only agreed to after it seemed likely that war would only cause us to have at most a pyrrhic victory…for a time."

"We had to stand by and watch much of our homeland change – the people and the lands themselves – without us having much say outside of our own little corner and where before magic was seen as a gift it is now seen as a sign of devilry." Sassa said with a sad glint in her eyes as she looked at her and Atticus "Not all of it is the ICW's fault, of course but they are seen as part of the problem." Sassa paused for a second.

"I do not think it will be hard to convince them to join us, not once they see it'll benefit them more especially after they see what we could do."

Emily looked at her calculatingly "And of course that is if they're given a greater voice in the new organisation?" she asked and Sassa only smiled before she nodded.

"Naturally." Sassa said with a widening smile.

"Naturally" Emily said with a drawl as her lips curled up. Outside of a few nations within the ICW, the opinions of other Ministries were rarely of particular value in the magical world. The higher the population, the greater the voice and the more the ICW catered to you. With Europe as the continent with the highest population, most of the focus tended to be there.

Sassa wasn't shy to her remaining allegiances to her homeland. It was why they preferred to take in more uprooted people or downtrodden groups of people. Still, Sassa's allegiance to her homeland did not trump over Illos though that was largely more because it was in her nature.

She tended to look out for the best interest of everyone. Somehow.

"After we finalise our agreements with the Japanese and after we've begun with the Americans, we can approach the Beninese." Atticus said after a few moments.

Sassa smiled as she dipped her head in acceptance.

They arrived at the stadium and soon enough they arrived in their box seats. It wasn't long after that eyes were glued to the sky as an object began to grow larger and a silhouette of a ship became obvious.

The humming sounds of the ship lessened as it began its descend down towards the centre of the stadium. It was sleek, its gloss silver body glistened in the light of the Orbs in such a way it made the ship seem like it was a radiant golden sliver of the Sun itself.

Her eyes wondered and looked at her immediate surroundings. She was surrounded by most of the High Council and a few other individuals that were invited in the premium box that was reserved for her and Atticus.

Atticus stood by her side as he looked up onto the ship with a triumphant glint in his eyes and an expression that took her back to the early days with the way he looked so much like his father in this moment.

It reminded her of the look Markus Sayre had on his face in the moment Atticus received his second Mastery at the Charms Guild in Alexandria, the proud look of a father that could not be contained.

He no doubt could feel her gaze on him, he turned and met her gaze, the triumphant glint fading but a glint of contentedness replaced it as his face softened ever so slightly and the corner of his lips up ticked.

She returned it slightly before she broke off the gaze and looked back at the slowly declining ship. It was done in a purposeful spectacle, to draw out the moment for the crowd in the half filled stadium that bore nearly everyone in Illos.

She knew the psychology well, the importance of binding the growing population of Illos, to each other, to a purpose…that there was something greater than themselves.

"Look Pandora, the pretty ship is coming down!" Professor Agoralos said excitedly to her infant daughter that was held tightly to her chest with one arm as she pointed towards the ship with the other.

The infant gurgled as she stared at the glowing ship before she lost interest and looked into the direction of the rising hubbub of the crowd as an infant was oft to do when something noisier grabbed its attention.

"It's quieter than I thought it'd be." Emily said quietly, in a way that only Atticus could hear.

Atticus softly chuckled "She, Emily…she." He said with a mild look in his face. "Focus on the child's clothing." He said to her and she glanced at the gurgling child.

She focused and the world become a spectrum of colours before she once more refocused onto the clothing of the infant.

"Calming charms." She said with a hum.

"Yes, I doubt otherwise little Pandora would have kept quiet." Atticus said and before she responded, the ship landed and took their attention.

The crowd rose in thunderous applause as the Crew of Conatum Caeleste lowered out of the ship and stepped onto the podium, waving gently towards the crowds as they walk. The crowd were now on their feet in the Tonitrua Stadium, a large colosseum esque stadium that stood at the edge of Celestis City.

Atticus stepped forward and stood by the rim of guards rails of the private box seats.

She walked towards him and with a little flick of her fingers, she cast a privacy ward around them as she brushed her arm against his.

"They're more excited than I expected." Emily mused after a moments of silence, her eyes wondering towards the rousing crowds.

"The impact of the Holo Cam can't be understated" Atticus said in response as he clapped lightly as the crew neared towards Overseer Laset "Watching the journey that was streamed twenty hours a day was an experience that many had invested in, especially when they were out walking on top of the moon."

"The fact that these were people 'just like them' also factors into it" she said in a humming tone.

"Yes." He said with a light incline of the head as he glanced at her before he looked back at the crew who stood by the announcer. "To give them inspiration that any of them could do it if they dedicated themselves. That you and I could do it was one thing but to see others do the same?"

Yes…that would change their perspective. She and Atticus were seen as they were, above them but to see those like them? It would only solidify in them that it was a true possibility.

It 'leaked' in December that their Lord and Lady visited the Void and Luna when they were still in school and it had caused a storm of interest amongst the populace.

The Observatory at one of the peaks of Mount Celestis was one of the most visited places in Illos as it was capable of zooming into distant stars and capable of capturing silhouettes of the planets that orbited those stars.

For the populace to then learn that they could visit one of those planetary bodies they had only had the luxury of seeing through a lens, big or small, well…

The Office of Space been commissioned by Atticus within days after the citizens requesting them to do so, it's prerogative being to explore the Void and develop the magical and scientific means to do it.

They knew where to start when Atticus gifted them the same magical ship they used to dispose of Grindelwald's body and taught them the magic and the scientific principles he used to create it. Walter Bishop, the Director of Magical Innovation and Technology had lead the Office for the first two missions before he handed it over to Overseer Laset who oversaw the third mission to Luna – and the deposit of the Gate which was a secret for now.

"In a way, it exceeded my expectations, the interest that our people have shown." Atticus continued as his hands went back his back, his eyes intently on the scenes before him.

Her eyes looked around "The foundation is happening faster than we anticipated." She agreed as her eyes continued to search around.

Illos was more than anyone who arrived could have expected…to the point it almost made it seem like it was a dream.

The trifecta of social values…progress, meritocracy and duty were still only something that people wanted to believe in…not something that they believed in.

It was too new…too different to what magical society was known for and whilst they were carefully balancing the population between those who were raised with Illosian values and those who were coming to know those values, it still meant things were too fragile for it to take complete hold.

Oh many cherished Illos, it was a veritable haven in comparison to any other society, but it was more greed than it than it was anything.

The subjects that had come with Atticus were further along and the children who grew up in Illos knew no different but ultimately they needed to do more for a national identity to take hold, for a national purpose to be absorbed in their core being.

And it would be done through the creation of the story of Illos bounding everyone to something greater than themselves. Beyond simple loyalty to her and Atticus…

No…

It would be done through forging a united purpose towards destiny.

Overseer Laset spoke for a little while before the crew had been granted the opportunity to speak before Atticus flew down towards them.

He glided down towards the podium and as he landed, the crew and Overseer bowed towards him. The crowd quieted down to a hush as Atticus turned towards the crowd as he stood by the crew.

"Firstly, I want to congratulate the hardworking individuals within the Office of Space, the Overseer and the crew of Conatum Caeleste on a successful mission" Atticus said with his voice amplified in the stadium. The crowd gave a loud applause to his words.

The crowd settled as Atticus began to speak again "Yet, I must reserve a special moment for these seven crewmembers. Men and women who braved the uncertainty of the Void and faced their fear of the unknown with a strength that exemplifies what it means to be Illosian."

The crowd murmured slightly as Atticus turned to face the crew "And it is that why I am proud to award these pioneering men and women with the first ever Illosian Medals of Excellence for their bravery and commitment to Illos' values for progress and duty."

The crowd gasped at Atticus' words and murmurs rang around the stadium.

Atticus raised his hand and seven medallions began to float in a circle before they flew to each individual.

The crew thanked Atticus and she could see clearly the delighted faces at the honour they received and most of the crew held onto their medals tightly.

Atticus turned his gaze to towards the crowd which hushed again as he began to speak.

A smile grew slowly on her face as her eyes flickered across, her keen eyes watching the lower stands of the crowd with rapt attention even as Atticus spoke.

Human psychology was simple. For all of the institutions they were creating, one fundamental aspect about their kind was that the people followed the strong

There was a reason why they, and even the muggles, venerated kings like King Arthur even if he was a failure whom led to the destruction of his Kingdom.

A King…

A King was responsible for creating the right order…a manifestation of the divine ordering principles of the universe. A creation of a kind of energy, a King's energy.

The same kind of energy that Atticus was manifesting now, the same energy that was inspiring passion in their subjects with his inner authority that speaks to the bottom and centre of their souls.

She sees it in their faces, the onset of deep stirrings of passion that is slowly taking root in them as he acknowledges the worth of the crew of the ship and she sees his words opening up a craving within them, one that was primal and called upon the deepest parts within them.

"…yet we cannot forget where we started. How far we have come yet how far we must yet go." Atticus said as the crowd hushed at the tone of his voice.

"Many of you are outcasts in the magical world" Atticus continued, all eyes on him as he stood powerfully at the centre of the podium.

"Some of you were outcasts for your blood status or abilities with magic, others because it was deemed acceptable for you to be taken advantage of and the rest were left to wither and die by the ruling powers of the magical world." Atticus said, his voice rising and it caused murmurs to spring within the crowd.

"Yet!" Atticus said as he raised his hand, his hand forming into a fist until his index finger remained outstretched.

"You took a chance." Atticus' voice was lower but it was as if he stood right next to them. "A chance that was clouded by uncertainty yet you took it nonetheless by coming to Illos…a place you had knew nothing about, not even its name but you chose to come anyway because of the faith you bore me and what I had promised you." Atticus' voice picked up steam.

"I promised you prosperity and opportunities in such grandness that would make kings and emperors weep at their poverty in comparison to you."

"I told you I cared not for what bloodline you hailed from, if your magic was strong or if it was weak or not there at all, I only cared for your faith and your fidelity to me and my wife and to Illos itself and I told you that you would receive our faith and our fidelity in return!"

The stadium was deafening as they all stood silent but keenly focused on Atticus.

"And it has been a union that has had us grow leaps and bounds again and again and now…" Atticus trailed off as he stood imperiously, drawing in the attention of the crowd like moths to a flame "Here we stand, only five years later and as a nation, we have sailed through the Void and have stood on the Moon itself."

"For this is no accomplishment of only individuals but it is the accomplishment, the culmination of a peoples dream and purpose to strive for greatness and bringing the maxim 'we can do it for there is nothing we cannot do' into reality."

He turned around and gestured towards the crew.

"Alaric Studmore, a half blood from Wales and who only completed his OWLS at Hogwarts before he worked for half a decade as an extra hand at one of the hedge farms." Atticus said as he gestured towards the man clad in the thin spacesuit.

"Yet here he stands, only a decade later, having achieved the equivalent of a Mastery in Charms and having stood on the moon itself!" Atticus said loudly.

"This is a tale of success that is seen amongst all of the crew, that is seen all throughout our home, my people." Atticus said, his eyes roving across the crowd.

"We have magic within us, an unwavering companion that has stood with us since time immemorial and we must only believe we can do the impossible for nothing is impossible for those who are Illosian!" Atticus' voice was all encompassing, his voice permeating throughout the stadium.

The crowd were beginning to be roused at his words.

"We have risen above the foolish divisions that plague the magical world and we are rising to overcome the challenges the universe has set us. We have sailed through the Void and we have set our boots on the Moon." Atticus' voice picked up strength and the crowd responded to his energy.

"We will soon have our boots on Mars and climb atop Mount Olympus. We will gaze upon Saturn and we will walk on Jupiter's moons." Atticus said, his words sounding more like proclamations to the people who rose to their feet once more and shouted back words of agreement.

"We will learn with each step we take, we will understand more the further we can see and we will know how to use the universe's secrets for the greatness of Illos." The crowd were now incited by his words and their rapturous looks were impossible to miss.

"Our Stories were once singular but now our destiny is shared. We will craft the greatest fable known to the universe, my fellow Illosians, my brethren in magic. With each step we take, from one world to another, we draw nearer to our destiny of greatness."

"That is my new promise to you, my people! Have faith in Emily and I and our stories will never end!" Atticus said triumphantly as his arms climbed up.

"May Magic Light Our Way" Atticus thundered out.

"May Magic Light Our Way!" The crowd thundered back, belief etched on their faces as their words grew into a chant, into a mantra.

Her smile grew shadows of predation.

A King was always heard but a great King…?

A Great King could speak to their very souls.