The band began playing and Claudette’s father moved smoothly through the small groups, addressing every one of note. He met Kyl MacDuul, Tyune, and Moonlight Blade with the same warm smile and boisterous laugh.

She tried not to display how anxious it made her to see them talking. Next to her, Neshamah laid a hand on her arm. “Don’t let it bother you. If nothing else, these small talks are definitely meaningless. Your father wouldn’t just leave things to chance.”

“Yes, I know,” Claudette replied in a tight voice. Then she spared a glance for Yust, who simply glowered toward Moonlight Blade, not even bothering to hide his antagonism. Claudette’s anxiety was such that she almost snapped at him to stop, but she also knew that it didn’t matter. In a way, being here was a slow-release relief.

Soon, the pretenses would be laid bare.

After a suitable amount of time had passed, the Don rolled himself forward into the middle of the party and gathered the attention to himself. His speech began with a rousing flourish. Claudette folded her arms across her chest and listened to him wax poetic about how the structure of the System had prodded him on to greatness, always demanding more.

With the System’s help, the Don had discovered he could be more. And for that, he would be forever grateful.

The numerous and diverse figures, many which even Claudette didn’t recognize, listened silently to the monologue. They gathered in a loose circle, giving the Don their full attention while the workers made minute adjustments to some cleverly hidden mirrors, directly a spot-like type effect toward the Don. His smile was wide and his eyes were sharp in the center of that illumination.

He was a talented orator, grabbing the attention of these figures. But at the same time, it was slightly more complicated than that. Everyone gave him this moment; no matter their previous history, because pushing a Skill to a thousand was not a casual thing, let alone accomplishing this milestone three times.

“...I bet I can guess what all of you are wondering,” The Don looked around with glittering eyes. “What three Skills have reached a Mille? Well, since you all have so politely gathered in my honor, I see no harm and allowing you to peer behind my magnificent curtain and view my admirable clockwork.”

A strange hush fell over the crowd. Even Claudette stood a little bit straighter. After her shock at the revelation came wariness. Revealing which Skills had grown was not a usual part of these celebrations. And considering her father, he would not give something without cause.

The attendees knew it too. Their eyes became somewhat harsh; everyone understood the influence that the Don could wield when you owed him even the slightest favor. Yet no one spoke out against him. Because while they feared the consequences of his influence, they couldn’t help but be curious. They wished to understand what sort of foe Don Beigon would be.

“The first of my Mille milestones was Unilateral Bargain. After using it so much, that one has continued to grow… haha, I’d ask you to guess how high the Level has become, but I almost think no one will believe me, even if I tell you…” The Don looked teasingly around at the room, which regarded him stoically. No one needed to be informed about his ability to wield favors like daggers.

He raised a hand to his head and sighed, a victimized innocent. “So let’s dispense with that waste of time. The second Mille was Audacious Declaration. You know, about a hundred years ago, when my dearest Claudette was born-” He moved his hand and reached out toward her, as though to stroke her cheek from a distance. She forced herself not to recoil. “-I swore to myself that I would reach a third Mille. And look! Just like that, I’ve arrived.”

A few people clapped politely. Claudette flushed.

“As for my final Mille, it came from a relatively new Skill: Ruinous Determination. This Skill is the most unusual of the three, but I’ve found,” Her father’s expression shifted and his eyes locked onto Claudette. “...that this Skill fits my personality more closely than any of the others. Sometimes, all it takes is one particular Skill to change your entire outlook. To change your entire life to fit a new plan for the future.

“Anyway, I have one last announcement to reveal before I allow you to head outside and enjoy the enthusiastic nighttime hospitality of the people of Alymian.” The Don’s grin widened and something built in the air around him. Claudette’s hair stood on end, wondering if this would be the moment that started sealing her fate. After licking his lips, he continued. “Today, let it be known that I, Don Raphael Beigon, will soon challenge-”

RUMMMBBBBLLLLLLEEEEE

A booming thunderstrike landed on the beach outside of the tiki bar with enough force that the bamboo supports shook and rattled beneath their feet. Several of the guests swayed and a few collapsed, unused to dealing with sudden shifts around their bodies without Stats. From the tight press of her father’s lips, Claudette knew that this interruption hadn’t been expected by the host. Her expression brightened. Based on the continued crackle of electricity she could hear, someone must have forced their way through the legions of Alymian’s guardians. Certainly not the 11th hour yet Randidly, but you are cutting it fucking close…!

She went to the open side of the building to look, only a step keeping her ahead of the other curious attendees. But her expression quickly fell. It was not Randidly Ghosthound who had arrived so theatrically, in the middle of Don Beigon’s speech. Which was, perhaps, the best for their chance of keeping Claudette out of the hands of the people who wished to own her.

Two figures walked forward, unphased by the transition to Alymian. And considering the dense network of electricity running across their bodies, they likely retained a significant portion of their Stats even here. The one on the left was the familiar bear-faced Commandant Wick, his uniform impeccably impressed. The figure on the right wore a golden mask across her face, bearing only the faintest hints of features. But with her cascading waterfall of crimson hair and the suffocating aura that she released, there was only one person who that could be-

Actus Suprem Devick looked around at the gathering then tilted her head to the side. Her voice cracked with a broken heart. “Don, did you start the party without me? After refusing for so long to send me an invite that also appears to have been marked with the wrong time, considering the current state of the evening. Haaah…. How could you?”

“Actus Suprem, there must be some sort of misunderstanding.” Her father rolled forward with consternation and guilt washing across his features. Even if the interlude was unexpected, Claudette supposed he was happy enough to play this central role. “How horrible. The invitation you received told you the party started only now?”

The new autocrat of the orthodox Nexus waved her hand. The air around it shimmered, as though so pressurized it was about to explode. “Well, now or then, who can say? But still, it’s almost like none of you even thought about me before you started partaking in the festivities! Even though I’ve finally been recognized for all of my toils for the Nexus, to think my closest friends would just allow me to slip their mind…”

Claudette felt some of the other guests around her stiffen at both Devick’s tone and her reference to them as their closest friends, but even these powerful figures kept their silence. After her brutal and decisive actions to seize control of Military High Command, none dared underestimate this woman and her hair that appeared stained from soaking in blood. For the truly powerful, it was not worth it to figure out where amongst them she would truly sit, in terms of power.

Devick claimed only a small corner which they were happy to leave to her.

Even her father acquiesced to Devick’s arrogant posturing. “How tragic. Considering the many demands on your time, I simply assumed that the implacable tide of duty carried you away from me for one more night. Oh, how joyous it is that you have arrived. Because the two main events have yet to begin! So please, if you would join us…”

“I accept your apology,” Actus Suprem Devick said in a cutesy voice. Her father didn’t correct her as she and Wick walked into the bar and helped themselves to some refreshments. Devick demanded that Wick use his hands to hold a curtain aloft in front of her, so she could remove her mask and eat without being seen.

“Ahem,” Her father coughed into his hand after a few minutes had passed and about half of the party, those with ties to the orthodox establishments arrayed themselves around the Actus Suprem. Once more the mirrors created the illusion that the sun shined solely on the Don. “As I was saying earlier, I have an announcement. For those of you that are paying attention, you would be right to suspect that it is an Audacious Declaration! Made more powerful by the wonderful attendees that are here to honor me. Now, without further adieu… Sometimes soon, I will challenge the Path to the P-”

RUUUUUUMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLEEEEEEE!

Once more, a meteoric force impacted the beach outside the tiki bar. The building shook. Sand erupted outward while snakes of electricity skittered across the surrounding ground. The group, which had just turned back to focus their attention on the Don, was once more pulled back toward what was happening outside.

“Someone arrived even later than I did?” Claudette heard Actus Suprem Devick mutter, a queer mixture of delight and fury warring in her tone that sent shivers down her back. Even that woman’s words contained an aggressive power.

Claudette looked out at the beach and couldn’t decide whether it was relief or horror that she felt. This time, the man she had waiting for had arrived. Randidly slowly stood, looking around cautiously at the beach, the setting sun, the bamboo tiki bar, and the crowd of people watching him. His face wrinkled in confusion as he looked around. He clearly wasn’t ready to be viewed as a spectacle like this.

Claudette was writing him a quick, explanatory message when a strong voice cut out through the stunned silence. “You insolent whelp. How much dishonor do you need to bring to me before you are satisfied?”

Commandant Wick, his arms folded behind his back, walked down onto the sandy beach. His face burned with displeasure as he stalked down the bamboo stairwell toward Randidly. “You make a nuisance of yourself in front of your superiors. Have you forgotten the last lesson that I endeavored to teach you? Should I break another one of your subordinates so it sticks? Perhaps this time, the process will go more smoothly if I do it right in front of you.”

For the first few seconds after his arrival, Randidly’s face seemed clouded by confusion and exhaustion. His dark hair was messy, even as little bits of static discharge jumped across his head. His eyes were clouded. That clouded gaze shifted to the Commandant as he walked down to the beach, and Claudette could almost see the words register in his mind and suddenly his eyes ignited.

Pressure. That’s what Claudette felt from Randidly Ghosthound. Not the presence of an image or the power of physical stats, but an expansion of his self, so that he seemed to be leaning against the whole of the beach, pressing it beneath the whole of him.

Even the Commandant stiffened in front of that wild viciousness. “What? Do you have something to say?”

“Commandant please, let’s be civil.” Devick’s voice was breezy as she sauntered forward. Her eyes were bright as she examined Randidly. “You… you must be Randidly Ghosthound. I’ve heard-”

“Devick?” Randidly blurted out, his shock briefly overtaking his fury as he looked at the masked woman.

The entire gathering jolted slightly at the strangely intimate address. Even the Actus Suprem seemed to be taken aback by Randidly’s tone. Her golden masked face tilted to the side. “You… know me? Ah. You went to the Mountain and caused a ruckus. So- Heh, and I sense two very familiar presences around your back. Ahh…. How nostalgic. Randidly Ghosthound, you are truly everything I’ve heard and so much more, hehehe.”

She waved her fingers at him. Then Devick shrugged. “However… it would be inappropriate, for me to interfere in a little quarrel between two subordinates, yes? Oh, Mr. Ghosthound, I’m little Wick’s boss, so don’t worry about holding back. Fight to your heart’s content. I’ll accept the result, no matter which of you wins.”

Randidly was still confused as his gaze flicked to the ornate mask and headdress that Devick wore and then back to Commandant Wick, but once more that all-consuming fury rose within him, washing away his hesitation. But then, with a great effort of will, he tore his gaze away from Wick. He looked toward Claudette and met her eyes.

She watched him assert control and corral his emotions. Then he walked past Wick and Devick without acknowledging them. In order to not make things worse for Claudette, Randidly bit down his pride and desire for revenge and turned away.

Unfortunately, the two people Randidly dealt with were not so easily handled.

“Punk. Don’t you dare ignore me,” Wick stepped in his path. “What was her name again? Helen? Perhaps the two of you had a shallower connection than I thought. Wouldn’t she be hurt by how quickly you’ve forgotten the lesson she died to teach you?”

“You!” Spectral flames gushed across Randidly’s body with enough force that Claudette felt Wick waver. She could feel the sudden power that Randidly manifested like a slap in the face, even across the intervening distance. Beyond that, his emotions rose like a tidal wave and drowned out everything else on the beach.

He seemed only a moment away from lashing out, from crumbling beneath his fury and giving in to the violent impulses. Then, slightly at first but with growing determination, Randidly wrestled his own fury back.

A small smile played across Claudette’s face as she watched it.. Then she sent him a message. Randidly, you don’t need to do this for me. If anything, my father would be somewhat pleased if you beat the shit out of Commandant Wick.

So don’t hold back. Give them a taste of what we, the younger generation, have to say for the plans they’ve made without consulting us.