-Grief is the Price, Part 9-

Static crackled from somewhere deep within the array of aethertech devices sitting in front of me. Wires were sprawled across the table, and a dark display screen sat as the centerpiece.

The popping noise that was growing louder suddenly ceased. A second after it stilled, the static was replaced by a series of beeps.

BEEP. BEEP. BEEP.

Brrrr-Kshhh-Krr-Krr-Brr-Prrrt-Skreeeeeee-Krr-Krr!

I covered my ears, flinching at a banshee-like wail of high-pitched whines that the devices began emitting.

"By the Goddesses, what is that terrible noise?"

Reeeee-Waaah-Brrrr-Krr-Skreeeee-Krr-Prrr!

My voice was drowned out by the fluctuating tone.

An elven woman approached. I assumed she was a technician or artificer of some kind based on her utility uniform and tool belt—filled with contraptions Lira and Rias used when tinkering.

She appeared unfazed by the awful sounds coming from the equipment and started adjusting knobs on a set of small metal boxes.

The shrieking calmed after she plugged a blue cable between two of them.

"—and that should do it." She muttered quietly.

The dark display came to life, flickering through a rainbow of colors before coming into focus.

It showed a moving image of a blue-haired elven man sitting behind what looked like my desk in the office at Tolin. He leaned forward, reaching out with his hand, and the image grew closer after a few shaky movements.

"Oh, it's Dell. Can he see us? Dell, do you hear me?" I asked, still massaging my ears.

"I can, Your Majesty. I'm relieved to see you well. The sparse information we'd received since operations began had us on edge here."

"I've gotten some limited reports from your end as well. Hopefully, the artificers have hammered out the communications aethernet for good this time. All things good in Tolin? I know we've sprung this meeting on you pretty quickly."

The fact that our artificers had fought to get proper links between Tolin and our ever-marching forward bases wasn't new.

Now that we had finally established a temporary command post in Axio, one might think the issue would've been solved. But instead, the increased distance and muddying of signals used by existing Renaultian and Maarin aethernets made it all the more difficult.

"All quiet on the southern front. I reviewed the draft sent over earlier; should be fine. There is one thing I wanted to put forward, however."

Adellin shuffled papers and familiar baubles on the desk, uncovering a white sphere.

"Oh yeah, I remember that thing." I muttered.

He held up the Orb of Infrastructure we'd found for the city of Tolin.

"With a functional aetherflux network, we should be able to make use of the orb's pairing abilities. Have you recovered the orb for Axio?"

Hmm. Have we? Do you recall anything, Ruin?

YEAH. KINDA. THE RENAULTIAN'S ORB WAS FOUND EARLY IN THE PALACE BY A SEEKER TEAM, AND THE VANIXIAN REPUBLIC'S ORB WAS RECOVERED IN THE HIDDEN PALACE ALONGSIDE MOTHER.

Ah. I guess I was too focused on finding mother that I missed that part… What about the Maarin orb?

NO IDEA.

Gotcha.

"We have two of the three." I told Dell, "Unless someone from the Maarin side coughs up their orb, I imagine we're outta luck on that one."

"…of three? Oh, right. Three individual bodies operating one city."

Adellin paused to scribble something down.

"That shouldn't be a problem. Actually, having an extra on hand may make things easier in case reclamation efforts in Ingmont go awry and we can't find an orb. Reprogramming the orbs shouldn't be an issue for the artificers that accompanied Matriarch Aisling."

"Okaaay…" I drawled out, "What are we gonna use them for, though?"

Dell rubbed at his forehead, and I thought I heard him mutter something under his breath, sounding like, '—over this a half-dozen times already…'

I could feel the stares from my attendants, guards, and the people assisting me.

"Aside from the myriad of details they can give about the city?" He sighed, "Having them synced together will allow us share information faster and without limiting reports."

COME ON. EVEN I KNEW THAT, AND I'M LESS INTERESTED IN THIS AETHERTECH NONSENSE THAN YOU.

I coughed.

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"Of course, that's what I… Ah, who am I kidding. Dell, I hate this stuff. Sorry, but could you just figure it all out with my commanders? Julius pissed me off recently, so make him suffer through it."

"…"

Dell remained quiet.

"Did this thing stop working? Dell?"

"I am still here, Your Majesty."

"Oh. Did you hear what I said?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will contact Commander Adaemus, and we'll work through reprogramming, syncing, and utilizing the orbs."

"Great, just say that next time."

"Indeed. Now, what was it that you needed to call about so urgently?"

Oh yeah, I called him.

"I've just gained ownership of a dense collection of coup d'état conspirator identities. I'm thinking of conducting an accelerated slate cleaning for the former republic nobles. Before the imperial order is given out."

Adellin closed his eyes in thought, "How extensive is the collection?"

"It covers the entirety of the Maarins and heavily implicates suspected insiders from our side."

"It would certainly make things go smoother if the risk of opposition were contained before we take to the masses. Nothing is worse than a civilian population that fights against subjection."

"I thought the same." I nodded, "Clipping the nobles that could grow dissent before they have the chance."

"What do you need from me? There seems very little I could do. I'm over six-hundred kilometers away."

I looked at the people around the room and decided it would be best to have the least amount of listeners for this conversation.

The technicians and attendants were escorted out, leaving just me and my guards.

"I need cause. You're a history buff, so what kinds of past cases could I invoke to ratify the executions of Vanixian nobles? There are a few mednobles, and even two archnoble families. I have little qualms about putting down the Renaultian side—even the Maarins—but I'm not sure folks around here will take kindly to me destroying former imperial noble houses for simply incriminating or shoddy evidence."

"Must you kill them immediately? Why not hold them until their guilt is determined?"

"Our city district is in ruins, and any evidence is long destroyed. The only thing we can present in a court is hearsay—not that I even want to bring these bastards before a council of magistrates."

"If the evidence is gone, then how do you have some in your hands?" He asked, leaned forward.

"It's from a Maarin. The Seekers confirmed its validity to a high degree, and I can affirm some info on the Renaultians is one-hundred percent authentic."

"Alright, but that takes me back to my question. Why do they need to be killed now?"

My gaze trailed over to my guards, and a pang of guilt hit me in the chest.

"Because I can't stand the thought of them spending even a minute longer thinking that they got away with it. All the suffering; the murders. The Republics may have been the best option to save humanity at the time, but not anymore."

I clenched my fists.

"I am the Empress. Whatever that birthright may have been once, it means more now. I am more. Closer to the heavens; more determined."

MORE DANGEROUS.

I ignored Ruin's commentary.

"And I need more. Power, authority, divinity, whatever is available, I'll take it. Leaving the traitors alive lets them undermine me. They'll spread their shit anywhere it'll stick. So, I decided to cleanse the filth. It's time for a purge."

"Move on from the dust of the past~" Hailey teased, "Join the present, lest you be buried under it~"

I was being harassed.

Even though I invited my companions and top leaders to a meeting to discuss something important, that was not the current focus shared by those attending.

Hikita had shared the details about finding her attendants, and apparently the way I delivered my exit was over the top.

Thanks, Ponos. Not gonna trust your vibes in the near future.

I gave Hailey a pleading look, and she settled down in her chair with a laugh.

"We're all here, so I think I'll start." I clapped my hands, calling everyone's attention.

Across from us sat the leaders from all the major powers I commanded:

The Church of Consecrated Light, with Primarch Karina at the helm and her band of exarchs, like Anathalo.

Crimson Seekers—and their two special divisions—led by Luke and Hanna; supported by Abigail Garrett and Ren Baker.

The Order of the Scarlet Wing, a bit bloated now with the inclusion of the Aestori Astral Knights, co-commanded by Julius and Aisling; with their adjutants Varla and Tatsuko.

The Waystriders, who were splintered into many Specter teams but recognized Mei as the de facto leader.

The Astral Mages, under Lady Sara as the Archmagus.

And finally, the heart of a new imperial vassal state. The Principality of Rena, to be controlled by Princess Hikita Renaire de la'Rena.

There were a few branch groups that included liberated forces, but I excluded them on purpose. Only the trusty few that had been with me since our journey started before taking Tolin and the allies I gathered since were here.

When everyone had settled in, I started, "In the early hours of tomorrow morning, members of the Seekers will be capturing the targets on this list. It includes some rogue Maarins and the last of the Renaultian holdouts, but notably it includes some Vanixian Republic nobles."

Copies of the list I was holding were passed around.

"Thanks to the efforts of House Feniks, we've uncovered the rot festering within our own home. I plan to tear it out tomorrow, along with the nobles from the other two republics."

Most of my companions were at least tracking my goings-on, so this didn't come as a surprise. Hailey and I talked, and I made some concessions to rein myself in.

Those who were less trustworthy, but still in my good graces—like Arklen of House Feniks—would receive a very short advance notice when things got underway.

"Any nobles whose guilt we aren't sure of will be given a choice of swearing fealty or death by hanging. If they are truly loyal to the Imperial House, then after binding themselves to the Orb of Infrastructure there will be no change and they will be released—Yes?"

Julius had his hand raised, "What exactly is this 'binding'?"

"Great question. I met with Adellin earlier, and he informed me that there is a background function for the Orb that the ruler can access. It binds to the runic interface we use and determines a person's true allegiance. So, if we bind their runes to the orb and it tells us that they aren't considered allies to the former Empire or the Vanixian Republic—which I will soon have privileges for after you hammer things out with Adellin, thanks for volunteering—then they are enemies, and will be removed."

Julius blinked as I unloaded a mouthful at him.

"Huh, wait, what was that part—"

"Moving on!" I declared, "Aside from Julius, who has some work to do, the rest of you should get your agendas in order so we can proceed with the purge tomorrow. If you need anything from me, now's the time to bring it up."

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