In the cloud palace, Jason had an almost empty room where the walls were magic whiteboards made of cloud stuff. He and Clive had spent the better part of a week using the space to try and decipher the basics of the messenger astral magic, building a foundation for further study. As a result, the walls were covered in sigils, diagrams and notes. The one piece of furniture was a large table piled high with books, notes and scrolls taken from the messenger’s study. It also held a selection of thin rods that produced various colours like whiteboard markers.

The pair stood in front of a particular section of wall as an exhausted Clive passed his finger over a sequence of sigils comprising a long, linear diagram.

“I don’t understand how you made this leap,” he said.

“It works, trust me,” Jason said.

“I do trust you. I just don’t see how you got to this from where we were.”

“Okay,” Jason said, pointing at a diagram right before the section Clive was indicating. “Here we have our transitional forces complete and give the process impetus.”

“Yes, that makes sense,” Clive agreed, then pointed to the section after the diagram he had a problem with. “But how does that process end up here?”

“It’s about the inherent nature of the astral energy,” Jason said. “The raw magic without any physical reality to influence it. It doesn’t just move directly like water following the easiest course. It kind of undulates.”

“Undulates?”

“Yeah. It’s kind of…”

Jason held about his arms and waved them about slowly while waggling his fingers.

“…like that.”

“Very helpful,” Clive lied. “Look, Jason, it’s great that you have this instinctive sense of dimensional forces, but we have to use it as a guide, not a shortcut.”

“Isn’t using it as a shortcut kind of what it’s for?”

“No,” Clive said. “If we keep taking shortcuts, we’ll eventually reach a point where we can’t move forward anymore.”

He pointed at the section in question again.

“Take this,” Clive said. “I trust that you’re right in that this is how it works. We should test it, but whatever your astral sense is, it’s always been accurate when it comes to the behaviour of dimensional forces. But it doesn’t show us how or why. But if we just accept that something works a certain way then, yes we’ll be able to move forward. But what happens when we need to draw on the same principles but they operate differently? In some way that your astral intuition can’t guide us through? We dead-end because we don’t understand the underlying theory.”

“So, it’s like maths. If we look up the answer in the back of the book, we won’t know how to solve it if it comes up again.”

“Yes, if I’m following you correctly,” Clive said. “I suspect our educations were quite different. Now that I think about it, a comparison of different approaches could be very enlightening. Let me grab a notebook real quick and—”

“Clive…”

“Sorry,” Clive said. “I know, on task. Look, your intuition with astral magic is going to save us immense amounts of time. It means that, in cases like this, we’ll know the answer and can work backwards to figure out how it works. But we need to do that, or we’ll reach the point where it becomes impossible to understand the next step because we’ve undermined our foundational knowledge.”

“I know,” Jason groaned. “This is why I didn’t want to learn astral magic from you in the first place. What I want from a magical alternate reality is adventure and exciting new culinary experiences, not diligent study.”

“You need to do this, Jason. I can help you, now and hopefully then, but you’re the one that has to complete the bridge between worlds. It does have to be you, right?”

“Yeah,” Jason confirmed. “I already used the device the World-Phoenix made to establish it on the other side. Now the device is gone, and we have to do it the hard way. Either that or half-done work has to be torn down so someone else can build a new one from scratch. Dawn implied that doing it that way would not be great for the people living on the worlds in question.”

“Why does it have to be you? Now that we’re getting into the mechanics of it, can you explain why someone else can’t finish the job?”

“The device I used to build half the bridge already was designed in such a way that I’m intrinsically linked to the construction. I’m linked to the bridge, even half finished, much as I am to my cloud flask or my dimensional realms back on Earth. Anyone else trying to mess with it would get nowhere, at best. At worst? Massive backlash.”

“Why was the device designed that way?” Clive asked. “I mean, we’ve both been studying otherworldly advanced astral magic for years now and I at least have a basic idea of how this bridge is meant to operate.”

“You do?”

“Yes. It’s the difference between drawing a picture of a bridge and drawing an architectural plan you could build one from, but I have a sense of the basic concepts. Enough that I don’t see any need or reason to bind the creation to the creator. Maybe I’m missing something in the complexities we’ve yet to decipher. Gods know there are enough of those.”

“I don’t know either,” Jason said. “I did ask Dawn why the device worked that way. She said that she asked the World-Phoenix to build it that way but refused to explain why.”

Clive let out a frustrated sigh and ran his hands over his face, feeling the stubble.

“Let’s take a break,” he said. “Shower and shave, maybe a nice cup of tea. Nothing is better for study than a fresh mind, after all.”

“You won’t get any argument from me.”

Not long thereafter, they were having tea on the cloud palace balcony. Still situated on a plateau clifftop, they enjoyed the vista spanning out to the ocean.

“I wasn’t so sure about situating us this far from Yaresh,” Clive said. “But a week of uninterrupted investigation of the messenger’s study and its contents have been extremely welcome.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Jason warned him. “I suspect we’re about to get news.”

Moments later, Allayeth swooped in on a flying device that looked like a cloud.

“I love those,” Jason said, nodding at the cloud construct.

“Your’s is rather more impressive,” Allayeth said, her gaze panning over the clifftop palace.

“It’s not bad,” Jason acknowledged. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“The messengers have sent word that the device will be delivered to the city tomorrow afternoon. Final preparations for the expedition are being readied, but the Adventure Society wants the device thoroughly examined before the operation begins. And they want the region’s top expert in otherworldy magic to do it.”

“Clive is the region’s top expert in magic from outside Pallimustus,” Jason said.

“Yes,” Allayeth agreed. “We would appreciate you travelling to the city by early tomorrow afternoon at the latest. Earlier, if you wish to be present for the handing-over of the device.”

“I don’t imagine the Magic Society were happy about the decision to give Clive first look.”

“They were not,” Allayeth told him. “The director of the Yaresh branch came to protest in person, and was quite aggressive about it.”

“What happened?” Jason asked.

“It turns out that aggression is not the correct approach to take with this particular Continental Council representative. I wasn’t privy to the meeting but the director left in different clothes than he came in with and the lamp from that office was missing. The Magic Society then withdrew their protest over handing the device directly to you, although they’ve also filed a grievance with their own Continental Council.”

“A lamp went missing?” Clive asked.

“Representative Xenoria requested a replacement after the meeting. It was his office. He did not disclose where it went.”

“There are only so many places it could have gone,” Clive mused. “The Magic Society director is gold rank, so he could survive having it—”

“Best not to speculate,” Jason cut him off.

“Mr Standish,” Allayeth said. “If you’ll forgive me for being impolite, would you allow me to have a private conversation with Mr Asano?”

“Of course,” Clive said. “Jason, I’ll go give the orb’s outer shell another check before we hand it over to Emir’s friend. Make sure we didn’t miss anything.”

“Clive,” Jason said, “You’ve scooped out everything there is to be found in there.”

“We can never be sure, Jason. Hidden dimensional pockets, secret document compartments built into the shell itself. We’re talking about a diamond-rank messenger’s knowledge stash. We can never be confident we got it all.”

“I’m convinced,” Jason said. “Go have fun.”

“It’s not about fun, Jason.”

“Uh-huh.”

Clive didn’t bother trying to get the last word on Jason and left Jason on the balcony and Allayeth floating outside.

“You’d best come in,” Jason told her and she floated down the balcony. Her cloud dissipated and was drawn into her belt buckle. She claimed Clive’s vacated seat and Jason pulled an extra cup from his inventory, filling it from the teapot.

“If the device is delivered by another group of messenger servants, the Adventure Society has agreed to hand them over to you,” she said without preamble.

“Alright,” he said with a nod.

“That’s your only reaction?”

“I guess the new Continental Council rep is proving as good as his word so far. If he keeps this up, I might even remember how optimism works.”

She frowned and he gave her a gentle smile, not one of his habitual half-smirks.

“What were you expecting?” he asked.

“I think you know the answer to that.”

“If you want judgement for killing those people, you’ve come to the wrong place.”

“Why would I want that?”

“I don’t know. Why would you?”

She scowled and sipped at her tea. Her eyebrows rose.

“This is excellent.”

“It’s one of the Mistrun teas from Clive’s hometown. There’s a river, the Mistrun, which is sourced from an astral space. The water is infused with life and water magic. It produces a mist that fills the valley it runs through. The valley is gorgeous, and the tea they grow there… well, you’re tasting it for yourself.”

She took another sip, closing her eyes and savouring it.

“I’ve killed a lot of people,” she said, leaving her eyes closed. “Not so many by diamond-rank standards, as I’ve always focused on monsters. But by any other standard, I’m drenched in blood.”

“I’ve also killed more than I’d like,” Jason said. “Not to your degree, I imagine, but enough that adding to the number doesn’t make a difference anymore. Not to what it does to me.”

“Exactly,” Allayeth said, opening her eyes and looking at Jason. “It shouldn’t matter that I killed those people. I’ve killed more and for worse reasons. But it keeps playing on my mind, and the only difference is you. What you said. You’ve done me a disservice.”

“I disagree, but I understand how you would feel that way.”

“You think you know better than me?”

“No.”

“Killing those people was right.”

“I can see why you would feel that way too. Plenty would agree with you. Maybe even most. My thoughts on that issue are settled and I think you know that, which leaves the question of who you came out here to convince. I think you know that too.”

“I don’t like being ill at ease over this.”

“Of course you don’t. But perhaps you should be thankful for it?”

“Thankful?”

Her aura radiated anger and Jason reinforced the aura of his cloud palace to contain it. He didn’t want it to impact the other people in the palace, or to advertise Allayeth’s momentary loss of control.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“I understand. I once had a nightmare that unleashed the darker corners of my aura with my family nearby. One of the ugly steps that led them away from me.”

Allayeth nodded.

“The nightmares never really go, do they?”

“I hope not. For the same reason I want to be ill at ease when it comes to killing. When I first came to this world, I arrogantly proclaimed that I would be the morally superior adventurer. No killing.”

“And how long did that last?”

“Not long at all. Of course, I was a fool. Killing monsters quickly became killing people. And once I started, it became dismissively easy. To this day I’m still trying to find balance. I still feel that urge. I see people being foolish or selfish or just plain greedy and hurting others in the process. Sometimes a lot. It would be so easy to remove them from the equation.”

“Sometimes it’s necessary.”

“Sure. But when we choose to make that decision, we make ourselves judge and executioner. And that makes me wonder, is my judgement better than the people I’m judging? I used to think so, and I have been wrong about that so many times. The truth is, sometimes I’m the greedy, selfish fool getting people hurt. I’m too self-centred, I know that. I get people hurt when I don’t think about consequences or refuse to listen to other perspectives. But change is hard. Sometimes it feels like any progress I make goes out the window the moment things get crazy, and things get crazy a lot for me.”

“There is a responsibility that comes with the power at my level. You feel that more than most of your rank, I think, and it will only get worse as your power grows. Most diamond-rankers isolate themselves from that responsibility. Hiding away from the world or leaving it behind entirely. I think, for many of them, it’s just cowardice.”

“It’s not an easy choice,” Jason said. “Abdicate the responsibility or accept that sometimes, you’re going to be wrong about decisions that affect so many people. Whole worlds, even.”

Allayeth gave Jason a searching look and he felt her searching his aura more than was strictly polite.

“You’re not being hypothetical, are you?” she asked. “You really are one of us.”

“You said you felt ill at ease,” Jason said, not answering her question. “I try to cultivate that in myself, now. I want to be uncomfortable when I kill or make equally sweeping decisions for others. If I can find another way, I will.”

“It wasn’t for you to impose your values onto me.”

“No, it wasn’t. When I gave you my high-handed monologue, I was sharing my perspective. You don’t have to agree, or even listen, but there aren’t a lot of people that understand the positions we find ourselves in. The choices we have to make. I think that we should learn from one another as best we can. It’s been my experience that other people help light the way. I can’t speak for you, but when left alone, I start getting things wrong. Long enough, they start getting very wrong. I imagine you’re a lot better than me, in this regard. You’re not as young as I am. You have more experience. And Charist, I guess.”

Allayeth let out a wincing chortle.

“I would never have a conversation like this with Charist. That is a man entirely comfortable with his own judgement. The best I can do is try and ameliorate the damage.”

Jason refilled their cups and they both sipped at them.

“Well,” Allayeth said, “the next bundle of traitors will be subject to your judgement. You’ve got your wish and they’ll be handed over to you. These are the ones delivering the device, if that’s how the messengers do it this time. The ones being rounded up in the city will be subjected to extensive interrogation while you are away on the expedition. They may let you have them once you return.”

“That’s reasonable.”

“Have you figured out what you’re going to do with them if you aren’t going to execute them outright?”

“It may come to that; I’ve never denied it. I have put some thought into how to rehabilitate them, though. I have some broad ideas, but can only try and see how it goes. When the time comes, would you like to be there? To see if I succeed or fail?”

“To gloat or be proven wrong? Neither appeals.”

“Sometimes what’s best for us is neither pleasant nor easy. That’s true for both of us, whichever way it goes.”

“I still don’t want to forgive the people who betrayed us to the messengers.”

“I know. And I understand.”

“Well, stop it.”

“I’m sorry? You want me to stop being understanding?”

“Yes. I didn’t come here to have you sympathise with me. You disagreed with me and it’s gotten into my head. I came here to clarify my feelings so I can stop dwelling on it. I can’t argue it out if you keep telling empathising with my position.”

“I can see how that would be frustrating.”

She gave him a pointed glare.

“Sorry,” he said, fighting down an impish grin. “Look, Allayeth, I said I wouldn’t judge you and I won’t.”

She sipped at her tea.

“I’m not like you, Jason,” Allayeth said. “My adventuring career wasn’t special. I wasn’t special. I wasn’t exceptional or famous. I was in a top guild, but you wouldn’t pick me out of that guild over anyone else. I didn’t have outrageous encounters or make enemies of cosmic entities. I’ve always been comfortable with who and what I was. And what I wasn’t, which seems to be the hard part for people. It’s why I think diamond-rank came so easily for me. So many of my peers were striving to be great while I never expected to be. I accepted myself as I am, and that was the key, I think. Reaching diamond, and doing so relatively young, was the only thing about me that was impressive.”

“You may not know yourself as well as you think,” Jason told her. “You are special, and not because you’re diamond-rank; you’re diamond-rank because you’re special. I wish I could be that at peace. I’m always concerned with the person I’m turning into, one way or another. It’s why I think about this so much. I envy your settled sense of self.”

They sat in silence for a while until Jason had to refill their cups again.

“This is truly excellent,” she said. “Would you do something for me?”

“What’s that?”

“Tell me about your time in the other world. That’s where you made the really big choices, didn’t you? Without people like me to stifle you. I’d like to hear about that.”

He sipped at his tea while he gathered his thoughts.

“Alright,” he said. “But I’d like you to tell me something in return.”

“And what’s that?”

“You mentioned the difficulty of reaching diamond-rank. No one has told me how that works yet. Or even getting to gold-rank, for that matter. For all those extraordinary encounters and cosmic enemies you mentioned, I’m still a silver-ranker. I know there are changes for how to advance into and through gold-rank, but people haven’t even told me that much yet.”

Allayeth blinked in surprise, then burst out laughing.

“Are you laughing at me?” Jason asked with an affronted look.

“I’m sorry,” she said, not looking at all sorry. “That shouldn’t be laughing, but seeing you act like your actual rank is hilarious to me.”

“Is the diamond-ranker having fun at the expense of the lowly silver-ranker, Lady Allayeth?”

“Don’t begrudge me a little fun, Jason; it’s the privilege of rank. And call me Ally.”