The following day passed in a similar way to the one before. I trained with my aunt and Amaya, working specifically on their meridian networks. While I had worked on my cultivation with Yume last night, I still didn't have enough qi to force Amaya's meridian open. I was on the verge of breaking through to the next realm, but I wasn't quite there yet.

  After our cultivation practice, my aunt left us again, mumbling something about stubborn old men on the council. For the rest of the day, Amaya and I split our time between weapons practice and playing games. I was perhaps the only person who could read Amaya well enough to consistently win at old maid—something that irritated her tremendously, but never stopped her from asking for a rematch.

  The sparring and Amaya's tutelage had helped me achieve some growth in my martial skills as well.

  Your skill with the Katana has increased to 3

  Your skill with the Wakizashi has increased to 3

  Your skill with dual wielding has increased to 2

  After a fun and beneficial day with my childhood friend, I went back to the Astral. I had plans to push further with my territory.

  "The blade should be about sixty-five centimeters, one sided, and slightly curved. The handle should be close to thirty centimeters." I gestured with my hands as I tried to explain a katana to Trinket.

  "Hold still!" Ash complained as she struggled to secure a leather bracer to my left arm.

  We were all standing at the Tether, waiting for the cool down to complete so that I could use it to connect to a new shard. I wasn't sure how the connection to the Feywild shard would change, but we would find out shortly.

  Trinket was nodding along as she worked to check my pauldrons. "It sounds like an interesting pair of swords. Although, most Na'dar—the formal name for high goblins—don't like to try fighting with two weapons at once. It often just complicates things for the fighter."

  Yume, who had already finished with the right bracer and was now watching the others with her arms crossed, spoke up. "For an average warrior, that would be mostly true. It takes a great deal of practice to make two weapons a practical choice. However, the daisho—as this particular pairing of swords is called—are a little different in their intended use."

  Yume's explanation continued for a few minutes, describing the different ways that the daisho could be used, and how the lengths of a short and long blade complimented each other. She also explained, somewhat haughtily, that the limitations of common human or goblin warriors couldn't be applied to cultivators to begin with.

  "That's exactly why I'm interested in having a pair made," I added, "The spear is effective for fighting from a distance, especially against beasts and monsters, but I want something for fighting up close." I gave Yume an appraising look. "I didn't realize you were so knowledgeable about swords Yume. We should get a set made for you as well if you like them so much." I gave her a genuine smile, picturing how magnificent she would look with two burning blades in her hands.

  Her expression grew thoughtful, one ear canted to the side. "I think I might like that. It's not unusual for kitsune to wield weapons, and I've always loved stories about gallant samurai using their swords to protect their ideals." She blushed a little and looked to the side. "I… may have grown a little carried away as a child. I wasn't able to turn into a fox form, so the thought of being able to fight another way was enticing."

  "Awww! A young warrior Yume must have been so adorable!" Ash cried as she lunged forward to glomp onto Yume. I smiled at the kitsune's predicament as she tried to pry her friend off. I thought about joining in the fun, but was interrupted when the ground started to subtly shake.

  My attention was immediately pulled to the portal that was my tether, as it began to glow golden like a building under construction. I watched as it began to clone and split itself, reminding me of cell division during mitosis. The ground beneath me seemed to lengthen and expand, creating room for the new structure. The second portal slowly began to change its shape as it moved away.

  When it was done my tether portal stood before me, once again a nebulous swirl of images inside. To the side several meters away now stood an archway made of marble, looking far more permanent. Through it, I could see a short set of floating stairs leading down through a swirling tunnel of fog to the Fey shard below.

  The girls and I stood staring for several seconds before I broke the silence with a clap of my hands. The girls all jumped, and I had to stifle a chuckle before speaking. "Well, that was interesting. I guess it's time to see what else is out there."

  "Hopefully not more corruption." Yume muttered as she followed me to the tether controls.

  "Or sneaky spirits lookin' to possess poor Cai again." Ash added, earning a playful swat from Yume.

  "I just hope I don't have to shave foreign energy off my soul again." I shivered, and all three women around me gave me horrified looks. "What? It's true. That was one experience I would happily leave behind forever."

  Ash snorted. "Way to bring down the mood. I hate rememberin' what happened last time." She demonstrated her distress with a shiver of her own, wrapping her arms around herself.

  "Sorry, sorry. It's fine, I'm sure nothing like that will happen again." I said, wrapping an arm around her as I reached for the controls with my other hand. She laid her head on my shoulder before I added. "Probably."

  She scowled but watched as I triggered the tether. The image in the arch changed to something closely resembling a starscape, with floating islands drifting by like asteroids.

  I used the intuitive controls to select a landmass to focus on. As the image got closer, I had to suppress a shudder. It was a barren wasteland of sand and emptiness. I was about to dismiss the image right away, but had a sudden idea. Activating my Eyes of Wisdom, I examined the shard to see if I could learn anything.

  Unexplored Shard

  Aether Level: 1

  Terrain: Barren Waste

  Apparent Threat Level: Red

  Inhabitants: Unknown

  Size: Tiny

  "Hmm." I rubbed my chin as I examined the information. It was fairly straightforward, except perhaps the threat level. As with the information I gained from scanning people, the threat level followed the intensity of light in the visible spectrum. Red had the lowest photon energy, and was therefore the least threatening. It was slightly counter intuitive for red to be non-threatening, but at least it was easy to remember that threat level followed the colors of the rainbow.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Yume poked me in the ribs with an elbow. When I looked at her, she wore a concerned expression. "You can't actually be considering this shard as an option." Her ears were drooped and her tails were moving in an agitated pattern.

  "What? I thought it looked rather cozy." I joked. The kitsune narrowed her eyes at me, not enjoying the game. I chuckled and pulled her closer, giving her a brief kiss on her head. "No, I'm not considering it. I was just testing a theory."

  I explained what I had learned using my Eyes of Wisdom, then spent over an hour examining random shards. Most of them were of no interest; either too small or too low on aether to be valuable. Several others were too inhospitable or dangerous to consider.

  One even looked to be a mountain with a giant snake wrapped around it. I passed by that one quickly. I was in no mood to start Ragnar?k with a Jormungandr wannabe.

  Trinket left us after a while, deciding that she would be more useful in her workshop. I could understand her sentiment. After searching through dozens of shards, I was feeling a little restless myself.

  For a moment I wondered if I had gotten lucky with the fey shard. In a sense I knew that I had. Meeting Ash and Yume could be considered nothing less than good fortune. When I remembered what I had faced however, and the many times I had nearly died, I realized that there was plenty of bad luck as well. I had faced something that shouldn't have been possible at my starting level. I wasn't sure how strong most of the other spire lords were starting out, but I doubted many could have handled the corrupt shard. I certainly couldn't have done it alone.

  After a great deal of searching, we finally narrowed down our options. There were two potential shards that might be promising. The first one was a safer choice, but with less to gain.

  Unexplored Shard

  Aether Level: 2

  Terrain: Alpine Forest

  Apparent Threat Level: Green

  Inhabitants: Mixed Beasts

  Size: Small

  It was tempting to grab something that would be quick and easy, but I was hesitant. While I did get some aether production from the fey shard itself, I got a lot more as of a result of its intelligent inhabitants. I wasn't sure the creatures of a beast shard would be worth my time. In addition, I had gained the most through my alliances with the inhabitants of my first shard.

  The other shard I was looking at offered more danger, but also more reward.

  Unexplored Shard

  Aether Level: 3

  Terrain: Subtropical Forest

  Apparent Threat Level: Blue

  Inhabitants: Yokai/Mixed

  Size: Medium

  The size of the shard was appealing, as was the fact that it would have intelligent inhabitants. I would gain a lot if I could gain control of the shard. The down side of intelligent inhabitants was that I would need to recruit them or conquer them.

  I wasn't completely opposed to conquest, depending on the nature of my opponents. Putting down murderers and slavers, for example, wouldn't bother me. However, If they were peaceful, I would simply have to release the shard and look elsewhere. It would be a gamble either way.

  The threat level was blue, which meant I would need to be clever if I were to come into conflict with any of the dangers there. The danger, whatever it was, would be stronger than me on a basic level, though I knew well that a person was more than the sum of their parts. I also had Ash and Yume on my side, so it would hopefully give me an edge.

  I explained my dilemma to the girls, and after some debate, we decided to go for the larger shard. I knew that I wouldn't get very far with my goals if I played it safe. I activated the tether and waited for the yokai shard to be pulled into position. It was time to take another risk.

  ****

  As I stepped through the portal with Yume and Ash by my side, the familiar sensation of increased pressure from denser aether settled in. The air changed, turning colder with a damp, earthy scent that reminded me of the forests I had hiked through just days ago in Kyoto.

  The sun hung lower here, casting long shadows across the terrain, and I could feel the weight of a different time in the air. Back in my domain, it had been mid-afternoon, but here, the sky was streaked with hues of orange and pink, signaling the start of twilight. I wondered if the time difference would synchronize if I managed to claim this shard.

  Yume tilted her head, her fox ears twitching as she took in the surroundings. She smiled softly, a look of quiet satisfaction crossing her face. "This place feels... familiar," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "The trees, the air—like the home I knew as a kit."

  I nodded in agreement. The forest around us was certainly similar to the mountainside near Kyoto, the same kind of cedars and pines towering overhead, their branches swaying in a gentle breeze. The terrain sloped gently upward, though it was difficult to tell if it would be a continuing trend. A faint mist lingered at the edge of the forest, shrouding the higher elevations in mystery.

  Ash, however, was less interested in the serenity of the place. Her wings vibrated excitedly as she stood beside me, her violet eyes darting back and forth. "Somewhere new! This is so excitin'!" She took off suddenly, shrinking down and zipping toward a cluster of trees before stopping short, her head jerking back as she examined something in the underbrush.

  "Ash!" I called out, raising a hand to beckon her back. "Stay close! We don’t know what’s here yet."

  She pouted but returned, her hands crossed behind her back like a scolded child. "Fine, if you say so Cai. It's just… This is the first time I ever left the Feywild! I can't wait to see everythin'!"

  Yume chuckled, her tails flicking playfully. "Patience, Ash. We’ll explore, but we must be cautious first."

  Still pouting, Ash nodded and flew over to land on my shoulder. It felt good to have her there, somehow reassuring. She must have felt my contentedness over the bond, because she smiled and gave me a peck on the cheek before we set off down an animal trail.

  The woods were alive with the whispers of the wild, each step echoing softly against the damp earth. The air here was thicker, heavier, carrying the scent of aged pine and moss that clung to every surface. The trees, towering and ancient, stretched toward the sky, their gnarled branches clawing at the flickering remnants of daylight filtering through the canopy above. Every step I took felt deliberate, as if I were trespassing on a place that didn’t often see outsiders.

  Yume walked beside me, her fox ears twitching with every sound—snapping twigs, rustling leaves, the distant call of an unseen bird. Her eyes stayed sharp, darting between the shadows. Her posture appeared relaxed but every inch of her alert. She was a hunter, and this place, for all its beauty, was her kind of wilderness. Every so often, she’d pause, her head tilting sharply to one side, as if catching something too faint for me to notice. Her tails swept behind her, a steady rhythm that betrayed her calm focus.

  Ash, perched on my shoulder, leaned in close, her breath warm against my ear. “This place is beautiful, Cai. Spooky, but beautiful” she whispered, though she sounded more exhilarated than nervous. Her wings fluttered slightly, sending a faint breeze through the stillness.

  I readjusted my grip on my spear, my eyes scanning the trees. “Beautiful is often the most dangerous camouflage there is,” I murmured back. “Stay sharp.”

  Yume’s gaze flicked toward me, a faint smirk playing at the corner of her lips. “Wise advice, Cai. Good thing for you, you have two of the most beautiful and dangerous people in the Astral here with you.” She joked in a soft voice.

  I could only nod in agreement.

  The forest seemed to hum with life, every sound amplified in the twilight hush. The farther we walked, the more I felt it—this place was teeming with energy, alive in a way that resonated with the faint hum of aether in the air.

  Yume, ever the predator, moved through it all like she owned it, her senses drinking in every detail. The kitsune stopped suddenly, all her focus directed to a point farther ahead. I stopped beside her, straining my ears to see if I could hear what she did. It was faint, but there was a distant sound of someone calling for help.

  I glanced at Yume, remembering the time I got suckered into a trap by a call for help. I also remembered Trinket. If Ash and I hadn't stepped in, she would have died, and the fight to win the shard would have been much more difficult without her inventions.

  I sighed to myself. I had already committed to taking risks. It was time to follow through.