The fight is over and the decision made through both battle and voting. A Duelling democracy? A Riotous Republic? Whatever this strange system is it needs a name. The leaders actually have to fight each other over decisions and sending out armies to invade goes against the rules.

We return to the Grand Council meeting to discuss further matters, and now more than ever I have to ask Arduelle about her magic.

“How are you spending this much mana on teleportation?” I ask her as we settle down in our seats. The room is essentially a large oval with layers of seats around the outside, and a stage in the centre for whatever speakers are acting at the moment. This seems to be a favourite cultural design for such group meeting rooms in this world.

“Oh, that?” She asks me. “You’re familiar with mana vortexes, yes? Naturally forming masses of mana that burst into existence from nothingness?

“Eventually, at a stage well past your current capacity, you’ll need to consume and contain mana vortexes within yourself. I gain mana simply through existing, and I need to spend it properly, or else I’ll grow too dense.”

“I swear you’ve said something about wasting mana on me at some point before…” I say, turning a suspicious eye towards her.

“While small sums of mana are nigh on worthless to me, to you it’s quite valuable.” She says, standing tall and self-importantly while the rest of the important figures look up to her. “It’s a waste to feed a mouse the crumbs from a royal feast, no?”

“Really…?” I sigh, and she chuckles. “You really ought to keep up your more formal façade young woman, why do you think I arranged all this for you.”

“For the entertainment of watching me suffer?” I ask.

“That’s only half the reason.” She says, walking way with a smile on her face.

I reach down to take a seat at the back rows, but Malea is insistent and pulls me down to the front instead. To say we have our own section would be an overstatement of titanic proportions, rather we’re wedged between the two major factions that run this underworld civilisation.

Both groups are still gathering, and the leaders are taking their time with some business or another, so I take a moment to peek at the Skills and information of the highest powers of the land. Excluding the god-like existences of the dungeons, of course. They don’t have Skills, they’re just that good.

First of all, I’ll see what that bear-man had. He seems to be one of the more influential members of the republic faction.

What I notice first is a whole assortment of Skills to do with strengthening his muscles and strikes, nothing interesting, what with how differently shaped he is to us, but there might be something to learn from it if my experts look into it. The refinement of mana flows through active muscle groups and all that junk.

The next thing to catch my eye is his ability to transform himself into any of a dozen different shapes and forms. I called him a bear-man but he’s more like a chimera, and at least a few of these forms are rather pathetic looking, while others are far more terrifying. It’s concerning that he can disguise himself so well.

I almost feel like I’m giving myself spoilers about things that I should be learning in some boss fight at the end of this quest line. Spoilers that I’ll more than happily make use of no less, and I’m sure that my ability to steal Skills will leek sooner or later.

His transformation ability is rather strange, he warps his flesh into entirely a new shape, and his entire mana form has to reshape itself around him. No, that’s not quite right. The mana form is the first thing to warp.

Part of this Skill comes from his adaptions, which I’m not willing to copy, but it still seems interesting. Maybe there’s something I can learn from this to help with extending my mana from beyond my body without making me feel like I’m forging my own tumours.

Beyond that there’s rather little going on with him. Nothing spectacular at least. It’s more that he’s refined everything that makes him strong and has dedicated himself to the few concepts and areas where he is at his best, while covering for a few limited weaknesses, all without spreading himself too thin. He must live a boring life to have this focused of a Skill base when he’s lived for who knows how long.

The arachne queen on the other hand has much, much, more going on. To the point where her secrets are being hidden with the classic technique of hiding trees in the forest. Suspicions lead me to a few thread Skills that, at first glance seem to be about sewing, but are in fact quite cruel techniques for stringing a person’s body up like a marionette and moving them to your will.

She’s also managed to flavour her thread attacks with various elements through magic training, there are more than I can count without wasting a whole night on the task. Her traps take up a massive portion of the list that comes after, then she’s got Skills to make or stitch clothes back together right beside a cruel technique that can fill a persons body with thread before tearing them apart. That particular Skill has an incredibly interesting mana flow associated with it, allowing the thread to tear through flesh and bypass many common defences of someone with equal power.

Sufficed to say we have now a rich bounty of Skills and abilities but I’m not sure how long it will take to look through them, and I’m sure that most of the stolen abilities aren’t going to be particularly suitable to me or mine. I don’t know many people who use threads to fight, and I’m not ready to give away our secret to Malea.

I could use this for blackmail material, but I think I’ll save that idea for after they come to me. Soon enough people will realise that I can steal Skills and when they do, these two will probably have an interest in keeping their private information private.

“Why did you dive in front of me?” Malea asks from her seat beside me. The rest of the council is still sorting out their own nonsense.

“Was that bad? Undignified?” I ask.

“It was pointless, as I’m sure you well understand.” She says. “Was there some political advantage to it? Did you think that the show of self-sacrifice would affirm my position in your favour? This alliance is not one where we are to perform such silly acts as that.”

“Yes, yes, I get it you’re embarrassed.” I say, with a chuckle. “There’s nothing to be so self-conscious about.”

“Were you really just out to touch her?” Malea asks, raising a brow. “We all know you as a degenerate, but to go so far just to get a touch of the queen is truly something else.”

“What can I say?” I reply with a shrug. It’s not like she’s wrong, except in principle, and correcting her would only lead her to coming to assumptions I’d rather lead her away from.

“You are aware that those tag Skills you use on everyone are easily removed for those of us powerful enough that it matters.” Malea says thoughtfully. “So it couldn’t be that, unless you really are a fool. Is it that?”

“Why should I say anything?” I ask, “It’s not like that’s how our alliance works, is it?”

“No, but I’m certainly going to press regardless.” She says, “If anyone else get’s something on you then it might unsettle our deal.”

“Not like it’s much of a deal in the first place. You’re still free to do pretty much anything you like. You’re helping me where you please, all on the promise that should I grow tired of being Empress you’ll get the throne. Yet, you’re still trying your best to be a pain in the ass.”

“Of course, any good ally should be sending spies into your city while planning to destabilise your powerbase. Otherwise, such a person is too incompetent to even consider as an ally.” She leans her head to the side and thinks a moment. “That would mean that you’re not much of an ally either, more like a seat warmer. Please do keep my place warm for me, I’ll take over as soon as you’re ready.”

“And you’ll be sending people in to stir up trouble until then?”

“Not just me either.” She replies with a smirk and a chuckle. “If you were smarter, you’d be preparing, but… oh, you don’t know how to, do you? Do you want my help?”

“I’m fine, thanks.” I reply waiting for everything to settle down. Malea might be a bothersome person, but at least she’s honest. Or if she’s a liar it just means that she’s not going to send spies and agents to destabilise my city, which is even better still.

The Grand Council gathers to properly sit once more, the rest of the gathered nobles and councillors all taking their seats one by one.

“The first resolution has passed.” Arduelle announces. “Empress Kyra and any agents working in her name are excluded from hunting or exploring in any caverns outside of those directly under her jurisdiction.”

I’m going to have to figure out a solution for my limited hunting grounds. I can always try and have the decision upturned if I ever feel up to winning a brawl of equal scale to what I just lost, but that’s going to be an uphill battle.

This certainly is of a different nature to my past conflicts, the fact that violence is only part of the equation really bothers me more than it should. We’re playing under this unnatural little game all because Arduelle wants it, she is the one with all the power in this relationship and as much as I’m trying to get used to it, I still do hate it.

“Are there any other matters to bring up before the council?” The god-like being asks, looking over us with the same authority as a farmer looking over his herd. Our very lives are decided by her, our own choices permitted only because she doesn’t want to step in and overrule us when she certainly could.

A few councillors bring up issues that don’t particularly bother me. Rules for the exploitation of caverns that I’m already banned from being the highlight. Interestingly, rather than taking the matter to a brawl each and every time, the two sides discuss the topic for a good while before coming to a compromise, whereupon most involved vote in favour and those against bow out, knowing that they’ve lost.

Malea explains the details of things that illude me, relationships between factions, primarily. Apparently, while there are many parts of this inner world where conflict of various forms is stirring between the monarchy and the republic, there are other leaders that maintain smaller alliances and friendships from across the table. I’m sure there’s more going on under the surface, but it’s interesting to see it playing out before me.

My stomach churns and my head spins trying to take it all in. I feel very much the alien who doesn’t belong, and no one but Malea makes any serious effort to bridge the gap between us. I’m a violent person, who’s gained power through violent means, but many of these people inherited their role, or were even voted in.

They still have the raw power to ensure the safety of their people, but there’s certainly a significant difference between myself and them. Something that’s now starting to weigh on me a little heavier than before.

Through Malea’s explanations I’ve learnt a thing or two about the dynamics here. First up is the simplest power dynamic involved.

The Lords of the caverns. This title, isn’t entirely accurate to their roles, they’re somewhat closer to a religious leader for present and violent god. A representative of a greater will, so to speak. Their role is to ensure that the basic rules given by Arduelle and Frey are followed appropriately, and apart from that they get to make the ruling on whether a cavern has been conquered, and who is currently in power. They only take control of the day to day operations and issues when a cavern is lacking a formal ruler.

Then there is the Arch monarchy. This faction is led by a Queen at the moment, and she doesn’t seem ready to give up her throne any time soon. The individual caverns, meanwhile, are ruled by either a noble or a royal who have full power over the peoples and resources within, overseen by the queen and the lords representing the dungeons. It’s all fairly basic from there, essentially, they’re all little dictatorships, not unlike my own.

The republic gets a little trickier. It’s a democracy of sorts but largely corrupt, with all sorts of bribes, assassinations, and voter manipulation. This information is coming from someone on the Arch monarchy side, so the accuracy is somewhat questionable. The bear-man who I stole the abilities from, is the current reigning president and has been for more than a little while.

After a few more issues are brought up, Ardulle takes the stage again with one final topic.

“Remember, we’re currently gathering teaching staff for the academy that we’re building down here and taking votes on naming it. For now, you will supply and identify teachers and topics that you want to be added to the facility, and in five months we’ll start voting on topics to be accepted and teaching staff to be hired.”

Great, I have to fight tooth and nail for everything that I want to get out of this? If I want to get anything at all I’m going to have to get much stronger, recklessly quick.

Malea smiles over at me for some reason, but I try to ignore her as the council is closed and we’re returned to our home caverns. Arduelle is setting up proper teleportation arrays, because apparently, she’s rich as all the heavens, but for now she’s just tossing us about at her own leisure which she seems to be enjoying for now.

Flashing back into existence in my throne room, one of June’s growing groupies is here to lead me up to Nel and the rest of my lovers, who are relaxing together by a fireside. There’s no real fire burning in there, but some sort of fancy enchantment that releases a soothing warmth that fills the room.

“So, how do I explain this…” I begin.

“We were watching.” Nel says, quieting me with a dark glare. “That was all very… messy.”

“Sorry about all the violence, but that really wasn’t on me this time.” I say. “I had to fight.”

“You did, and it’s not your fault.” Nel says, “But I’m still upset at seeing you torn apart limb from limb. Just as I’m sure that it hurt you too.” She lets out a heavy sigh and relaxes a little. “Come here, sit down and unwind. You’ve had a long day, but there is still class to attend shortly, and you need some rest.”

I suspect that she’s making the offer partly because she herself wants an excuse to hold me. I understand though, if I saw her going through what I just did…

“I… okay.” I sit down by her side and snuggle in close. She accepts me, and rests her head against me. Vii, Eshya, and Adler come by to sit closer discussing something between them.

“So, we have a lot to do, huh?” I say, running my fingers over my hands. I see the ephemeral scars and bloody cuts covering me even with the healing done, they reside like ghosts haunting me.

“Most certainly.” Nel agrees.

“I have to get stronger.”

“We need to gain allies”

Nel and I speak at the same time but with completely different thoughts.

“See, I’m not the only one!” Eshya says to Vii and Adler who give both her and I a rather exasperated look.

“Kyra, you lifted some seriously important information from both leaders, and they can’t just kill you to get rid of it.” Vii says slowly. “I don’t know everything about politics and all this stuff, but isn’t that something we can maybe use?”

“I guess?” I shrug. “Maybe I should talk to some of those people I took from Earth. I’ve got a few on sociology and stuff, right? They probably know politics?”

“Some of Red’s acquaintances could help you, but first you have a class to get to.” Nel says firmly. “You still have a few minutes, now sit down and rest, or I will find some ropes that you can’t break and tie you up. You need to rest.” She says the last while intoning the words very forcefully in her sharp language.

“Ah, okay. I’ll do that.” I back down and sit back in the chair as Nel wraps her arm around my waist and holds me tight. I run through the Skills in my mind, too energised to just sit here doing nothing.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stats and Skills

~Mana Form:

Current mana density: 3,094 / 60,892 units

Current mana volume: 1,538 / 30,266 shards

Mana volume at crystallisation density (Max. mana volume):

Kyra: 30,266 shards

Kyra’s armour: 20,777 shards

Kyra’s throne: 1,109,298 shards

~Forms

Mana Canon

-Annihilation Heart (Adapted)

-Blood Fuel (20,000 mana shards)

-Bone Magic Storage (40,000 mana shards)

-Nail Shifters (50,000 mana shards)

Dancer

-Flash Nerves (8,000 mana shards)

-Quick Perception Mind (Adapted)

-Burst Reflex Muscles (35,000 mana shards)

-Layered space Muscles (80,000 mana shards)

Turtle

-Rebinding Tissue (Adapted)

-Catalyst Sweat Glands (140,000 mana shards)

-Repulsive Skin (80,000 mana shards)

-Prehensile hair (10,000 mana shards)

-Fatty Tissue Blood Storage (100,000 mana shards)

Investigator

-Wide eyes (5,000 mana shards)

-Wide ears (5,000 mana shards)

-Sharp nose (5,000 mana shards)

Misc.

-Clean bowels (Adapted)

~Favourited Skills:

-Tag and Film

-Trapping

-Stealth

-Mana surge movement

-Annihilation defence

-Annihilation flame burst

-Annihilation net

-Eyes of an Empire