Chako Blude.

2 Septara, 1492.

08:45.

——

[Druidic Warlock: Domain of the World Seas, Step 1- Seafloor.]

[To claim your dominion over the World Seas, you must first seed its foundation by spreading your essence across the lakes, rivers, and seas of the realms.]

[Artificing Witch: Photic Cosmetic Surgeon, Step 1 - Cosmopolitan Cosmetologist.]

[Begin your career by building, staffing, and debuting your dual-natured cosmetics business throughout the countries of multiple realms, then successfully alter the appearance of your first customers for both business and pleasure.]

[Sorcerous Rogue: Prime Matriarch of the Orcinus Mafia, Step 2 - Landfall.]

[To fully cement the Orcinus Mafia into the Mortal Plane, you must build a chain of legitimate organizations across the surface, employed both by aspirant locals and made members of the Mafia.]

***

"May I join you?"

Turning, I saw quite the large woman standing at the edge of our booth. Her skin was dark. Darker than Amun's, almost like charcoal and covered in a glean I struggled to discern from sweat or moisturizer. The face was dainty, though. Making for quite the contrast from the muscles bulging in her shoulders as she reached for the door in response to my nod. While I agreed, this booth was already at its limits. I already had to get another one once the Amazonians from the 1st joined us. Now, not only was she stepping inside, but Grandmaster Vilignin saw fit to move in behind her.

"Greetings, sisters! I am Kai'sha Rama!" the first woman said, prompting the Grandmaster's needless introduction before she continued. "Only in my realm did I think I would see so many of my sisters and cousin in one place. To think we may see our motherland retaken in our lifetimes, I'm ecstatic!"

"As are we, sister. The Marulean Guild Association has forged an alliance with the Legio Noctis. We hope to see you beside us when the time comes." Grandmaster Vilignin shook her shoulder. Then she turned to me, curiously. "I am curious about you, however. It's rare to see a Gerdian born under the Bodhi Tree's shade. Yet… it seems you were not born with Amazonia's mind."

"No." I calmly shook my head. "I've only been told I'm Gerdian. I was an orphan, you see, adopted by Amun. His Great-Grandmother, however, told me all about Amazonians when she trained us in Nydorden Halls."

"Nydorden? Abbot Eiriol is his great-grandmother?" Grandmaster Vilignin leaned forward in disbelief.

"Yes, child. Now do not shout so loudly. The time for that is during the event. Not before."

"Gerdians were like pirates, right?" I asked, pulling them away from the old crone. "According to legend, they sailed the seas of Amazonia until they dried up, then they sailed the sand seas."

"Correct! Although we nor they did not see them as mere pirates." Kai'sha nodded. "You may not have been born with the culture, but you were born with Amazonia's strength. Though still, you possess aspects of the culture. Your sworn sisters look to be highly specialized, cunning, and ruthless, like every Gerdian I have known. Not to mention you smell of the seas."

"You know other Gerdians?" I perked up.

"Oh, Sis!" she huffed. "The Misty Arbor was founded by Amazonians of every type. From Patreans to Nimbuans like Sir Wolfgang and Lady Mallory, to Gerdians like you. We've even got Atlanteans!"

"Interesting." Came Amun's voice. "The Misty Arbor is on my list of prospective guilds to shadow, you know. What can you tell me about it?"

It was a masterful lie, simply because it contained the truth. The Misty Arbor was indeed on the list of prospective guilds, for the list only had one guild to begin with, and it was shared with only a few other people. But making that information public would be more detrimental than beneficial. Envy and angst would build between the other guilds, reducing their willingness to share information with Amun in the coming days. Not to mention, it would make Kai'sha far more talkative than she already was, which was both a good and a bad thing.

Case in point.

"It's a realm I'm sure you'd love!" She said in a dreamy tone that drew in many ears. "The realm is a lot like Maru, in the sense of it being sheer wildlands interspersed with vast cities. Only, it's five times as vast and exists close to the Steam Line, so the average temperature is about forty-eight degrees and it's dreadfully humid."

"That sounds terrible! Why would you live there?" Eban groaned from the next booth.

"Initially, it was a gift from Polaris for helping them explore the realm. It was mostly barren and dry, but with us primarily being rangers, Polaris figured we were the best option to protect the native beavers in the region."

"Beavers?" Amun perked up.

"Giant Ironwood Beavers." Kai'sha emphatically nodded. "The realm is special 'cause it's at the boundary of Nonus and Vagua. The roots belonging to the two Trees of Life intertwine there, and the mix gives the plants a metallic nature, whereas the animals have rocky compositions. They both inhale steam or humidity, though, not air. The plants to cool themselves off and make a sort of fruity heat sink. The animals use it to defend and attack in addition to cooling themselves. The beavers, though, are different. Since they live in water, they use Ironwood Trees to build colossal dams. For the last millennium, we've protected them and their dams, allowing a great sea to spread across the realm for untold leagues. In the time since, the metallic nature of the plant life inspired an industrial culture in every nation. Now, we're considered the most industrially advanced realm in Nonus. Not as advanced as yours, mind you, but close. I think."

"Sounds dreamy." I smirked.

"We are not without issue, however." She turned to approach Amun with a hopeful glint in her eye. "The dams are at their mechanical limits, and those of us at the Misty Arbor are spread thin. We too have interlopers. Ones demonic in nature. They and the beavers occupy all of our time, yet the Keepers are the city guard as well, a job we've been struggling with as of late. Our country has since fallen to corruption. Our leaders are poisoned with wickedness, and so it is our hope you will join us next year. That is not to say we have everything to gain, however. There are untold billions of Amazonians dreaming of retaking the motherland. And." She grinned. "There is not one draconic shadow cast over our realm. There are two. And they are ancient."

"Oh, Kai'sha, please stop!" Amun chortled, shaking his head in faux defeat. "I can only get so excited!"

***

Etan Za'Darmondiel.

2 Septara, 1492.

0900.

[Bardic Warlock: Abyssal Regent, Step 1 - Discipline.]

[As Regent, your first task is to assign your Commissars and subordinate Darkroom Instructors to each of your God-Emperor's Legions, along with training regimens and daily disciplinary tasks to ensure his standards are maintained forevermore.]

[Sorcerous Monk: Nebulous Lama, Step 1 - Supernova.]

[To shepherd your powers of the nebula into the Mortal Plane, you must develop your monastic temple into a monastic nation centered on your sorcery and recognized by the powers that be, creating a cultural explosion that persists through the eons.]

[Artificing Witch: Dreamscape Psychiatrist, Step 1 - Stellar Staff.]

[Begin your career as an Artificing Witch by creating Dreamscape Libraries for each of the God-Emperor's Legions, filled with the core memories of their leaders and staffed with your nebulous psychiatrists.]

***

While Amun and the others were more interested in the Misty Arbor and this Marulean Mage, the eyes of me and the Darkroom's instructors were expertly scanning the compound for anything we could glean. Especially me, for my domain was that of education. Thus, I could connect with the hearts and minds of the Bodhi Tree's students to learn all they had been through in ways their instructors could only dream.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

To put things simply, they were weak. Doubly so when compared to Class 999. But they were not entirely lacking of skill. Take the first match, for example. It was the one everyone was most looking forward to. The water Djinni by the name of Nova, pitted against the misty tiger of Amun's creation. Naturally, it was specifically evolved to not only be immune to her abilities, but to have an edge over her as well. So too, however, did that apply to their environment. They were in an open field of long grass that swayed like ocean waves in the gray winds. Not even a puddle was found on the ground. Yet the air boasted enough suspended water to fill a large lake, and they both knew it.

Nova reached for it first, gathering it in a sphere between her hands before rushing towards the tiger at great speed. I commended her for the lack of hesitation, though I knew the outcome of such an attack. The tiger simply watched the living geyser approach with a lazy yawn and paid little mind to the attack once it phased through its incorporeal body. Instead, it lazily swiped its tail, creating a temporary gust that stole the air from around Nova.

She began clutching her throat at once, then dropped to her knee before dispersing herself into a cloud of mist that dispersed at all angles, only to be pulled back when the tiger yawned once more, releasing a soft wave that drew the surrounding air and mist into itself. Each proverbial inhale increased its size and dispersed the gray air more and more until, in the end, a comparatively tiny mote of mist remained in the expansive field, overshadowed by a colossal tiger-shaped cloud.

One of its massive paws slammed down on that spot, effortlessly crushing the dirt and mixing it with liquid gushing from under its paw, if but for a second. The steamy serpent that was Nova raced up the incorporeal leg, swiping at it with a needle-thin short sword, to little avail. Therein marked the extent of her abilities. Her adaptability, tenacity, and fighting spirit were commendable. Even then, however, she could not defeat the tiger. Nor could the tiger defeat her, however. Even with the advantage of an air affinity, it could not trump the steam and mist she infused in her frame. Naturally, she was perfectly suited for the 9th Legion, the Lunarians. However, she would also perform well in the 1st, 2nd, or 6th Legion, depending on if she was more inclined to be a war-fighter or a defender of either civilians or nature; unlikely, though, that may have been.

Morris Frasier also showed immense skill. However, that was no surprise, considering Amun trained him in his homeland at Corvus Academy before he awakened his cores. While his training was not as extensive as the Conditor Legionaries or his vassals, he still had more years to refine and perfect the elemental manipulation skills he learned following Amun's departure to the Bodhi Tree. In the time since, he acquired an affinity for Gem magic and rose to the height of his class as a martial fighter. With those things combined, he learned to associate various gems with magical affinities in his spellcraft, then conjured and blended those gems with elemental manipulation or mana bolstering. Rubies with fire, sapphires with water. So on and so on.

All things considered, it gave him great versatility that put him at the top of his class. However, his opponent was Iris' combat drone. A biomechanical mix between a honeybee and a wasp that appeared more like a man with an extra pair of small arms crossed over his blue-banded chest. The skin was charcoal black, yet had a metallic sheen just like the multi-faceted lenses over its helm. It was made to adapt to its opponent's capabilities during combat. As such, the match-up was a lesson in humility for Morris Frasier.

Whereas he could only conjure one gem and thus use one affinity at a time, the Voney Wasp, as it was called, could keep each adaptation to Morris' power. His ruby caused the drone to develop an insulating layer and coolant system to contain its excess heat in its stinger as a heat sink, allowing the blades in its arms to condense the surrounding air and freeze ice over the blades. His sapphire saw the drone coat itself in a water repelling layer and only increased the potency of its ice blades. Then, it countered the attack by diving into the drink and emitting powerful sonic shrieks. And though his rose quartz granted him the means to heal, he fell to the drone all the same.

Given his nature as a battle mage on the route to a Master Class, he was a perfect fit for Ash's Mage Corps in the 1st Legion. Specifically, as the Commander of the as-of-yet inexistent Battle Mage Division; once he got promoted to such a station, at least.

A Sapiavi by the name of Aarok followed Morris. She faced a sky seal from Blude's home world. One of the Mafia's favorite prey. As they were in the water, they were highly maneuverable and speedy in flight. So too was Aarok, yet her arrows could not penetrate the sky seal's blubber. The proper avenue, then, would have been to use the environment to her advantage. To disorient it or destabilize its movement by forcing it into the clouds or through an air current, then either herd it into an obstacle or go in for the grapple, and subsequently, the kill. Instead, she seemed focused on maintaining her distance while remaining either above or behind the seal, bringing the latter to view her as its escaping prey.

While Sapiavi were said to spend days or even weeks in flight, they rarely flew at the speeds required by this fight. Thus, the battle of attrition did not last long. All things considered, she would easily meld with the ranks of the 10th legion, of course, but the operations of the 2nd or 3rd Legions suited her as well. Their duties were more specialized, unlike those of the Sky Skimmers. The 2nd would see her provide air support for their ground forces or take up a role in logistics, while the 3rd would see her fall into a career involving industrial reconnaissance. That said, her kind was known for freedom, so a broad range of operations may serve as her perfect calling. Not to mention, the 10th's Imperator was a Sapiavi as well.

The final two combatants of the day were curious cases. Namely, because Geri and Freki both showed an interest in recruiting them. For Freki, there was Jace Hardy. A Marulean Human with a fire-based affinity. Being a fighter, he was as plain as a human could get. However, the way he used his magic was most interesting. Rather than fight the Charred Coyote from Freki's world, he spread his magic across the environment, filling the air with an inferno and immolating the ground to leave the coyote with no air to burn. Once weakened and cornered, the slaughter was effortless. According to Amun, he walked the path of the Fire Fighter; and he seemed quite intrigued by it.

As for Geri, there was Jennifer Hellas. A Nimbuan from Nonus possessing Hail Magic. While they were known for their superpowered endurance and dexterity, she displayed none of those things. Instead, she used her knowledge of hunting and tracking to emplace trap spells and wards while she maintained a steady rain of hail on the Frigid Fox from Geri's world until she trapped the creature between two ice boulders and went in for the kill without delay, impressing even me.

Given their nature as dungeon crawlers and environmental conservationists, she was a perfect fit for the 6th Legion, just as Jace would be an invaluable asset in protecting the citizenry with the 2nd Legion. But that was only if the twin werewolves did not bite them first.

***

Iris Cole.

2 Septara, 1492.

2114.

[Artificing Witch: Biomechanical Surgeon, Step 1 - Introduction.]

[Begin your career as an Artificing Witch by building the facilities and faculties needed to address an as-of-yet incurable pandemic using the wonders of your creation, sustained to continue providing the service into the future.]

[Sorcerous Warlock: Augmented Technomancer, Step 2 - Nox Integration.]

[To fully integrate your augmented physiology with the darker parts of your sorcery, you must follow the House of Cole's traditions by delving into death and darkness with your predecessors.]

[Clerical Druid: Divine Mother of the Technica Dominion, Step 3 - Technophile Faith.]

[With your druidic sphere of technology formed and operational on the Mortal Plane, you must establish the other half of your growing dominion by creating your house of worship and fully staffing it with augmented ecclesiastics faithful to the Tech Goddess and her Machine Souls.]

[Ranging Wizard: Warp-Tech Scout Sniper, Step 1 - Reconnaissance.]

[Begin scouting operations by installing warp tech across your area of operation and gather intelligence to establish a list of priority kill, capture, and protection targets, then maintain surveillance on them.]

[Bardic Paladin: Planar Tech General, Step 2 - The Game.]

[Prepare your generals for the Great Marulean Crusade by running simulations in the Game between the Legions and Rhar, and reflect those results through adapted training regimes, orders, and requests.]

***

I had to run a deep diagnostic tonight. The struggle to design a mirror to the Grand Hadal Estates and Suites far exceeded my estimations. I must have had a hubris setting I wasn't aware of, because I was stumped. So much so that I enlisted the help of Z'ress, Uncle Ed, and Mr. Doyle.

It was my dad's first proxy who pointed out the obvious. The Grand Hadal Estates served as a foundation for my objective. A machine to be deconstructed to its frame and rebuilt into something befit for Duke's Legion and those like them. With all his blessings, however, Mr. Doyle's mind was still squishy. Still, I saw why the Guild Master recruited his old teacher. Mr. Doyle was easy-going, like him. He was strong and experienced, but rarely showed it and didn't boast about it. And though he could be a bit too dense for my settings, he had a certain charm to him that made him okay.

"Okay, so Geri's their sponsor, and she made them a... pilot's lounge." He said, rolling his hand in response to my correction to his 'sky operator hut' descriptor. "And an inn-"

"And a hangar for vehicle maintenance." Uncle Ed finished. "You want to put your touch on it. Sounds simple enough."

That was the problem exactly. It was too simple. Blude had suites for those down on their luck and luxurious safe houses for the distinguished rogues of the realms, not to mention every legion's rogues. Geri's lodges were for every Skimmer, meant to be pit stops they could use to regroup, rearm, and heal before deploying again. Both were accessible by entering any body of water or cloud. Leaving me with nothing besides gifts for the top Skimmers - the aces. But even then, there was little else to reward the distinguished pilots with besides augmentations to themselves or their vehicles. More than they already had, at least.

"If I may, Matron." Z'ress began, then seemed to cease function until I turned to her. "As stated, Geri has already constructed the Cloud Bay. Thus, I suggest granting rewards for exceptional skill as we would. Not for their prowess in battle, however, but in the care and operation of their equipment. Their Raphew, SCAMS, sky ships, and AVA."

"Machine Souls?" I asked, sharing the contents of one of my newest sorcerous warlock perks. While intended for the March of Progress, I also intended to infuse souls into many more pieces of technology. However...

"The Cloud Ace Badge." Z'ress nodded, stepping forward with a powerful surge of zeal in her eyes. "That shall be what catches our eye - the entry to their elite station and the first step to entering our domain, your faith. Further feats regarding the use of technology shall be their offerings to the creatures of your domain, to be rewarded by those creatures choosing to merge themselves with the technology created by their sponsor, Geri, using the same process we used by your grace."

"Augmented Symbiosis." I nodded, looking over at Duke while the data flowed.

It was perfect.

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