The Silver Tiger’s Ritual Chamber had not existed before the naval battle. It had once been one of the storage spaces and was practically a box. Now, several runescript lines had been etched around the chamber and connected to the Chaos ship’s powerful Animus Engines and there were dozens of crystal screens hooked up to the bridge.

Mum was settled on a rather comfortable divan chair, on her belly, half naked, while Da kneaded her back with aromatic oils. Even while they were up to their shenanigans, Animus mandalas glowed from Sadeen as she powered the inscriptions responsible for the formation. The Silver Tiger was not a warship at all, even though it fielded Plasma Carronades, tiger cubs, and other weapons, as well as Protective Shields and Spheres. However, it was a versatile piece of Animatech. Mum revealed to Yuriko that the Tiger was actually older than its outer appearance made it seem. It was a mutable artefact vessel that had been built up over generations, worked on by both the Progenitor and the Empress.

As such, it had the capabilities to interface with the Imperial Legions’ most important weapon. The ability to impose Order from Chaos.

Both of her parents looked up at her entrance, and their gazes turned sharp when they beheld Devotee. But Mum abruptly grinned and said, “More toys for you, my child?”

Yuriko coughed uncomfortably, but oddly enough, Devotee only grinned and curtsied to the couple.

“Devotee of the Radiant Fire brought critical news,” Yuriko said, “that the Telurian Duke isn’t even in the Waypoint, the Court. He’s already in Rumiga attempting to claim the planar core.”

“How accurate is your intelligence?” Mum asked while frowning. She pushed herself up, inadvertently giving everyone at the door a glimpse of her pert bosom before robes slid around her chest, preserving her modesty…er, if Mum really had any.

The casual act briefly stunned Devotee, as well as the other Mishalas behind her, but the Chaos Lord, bound to Yuriko’s Mien, managed to clear her mind easily, “I was once a Baron, then a Viscount of the Telurian before I was defeated and bound by my master. I snuck back into the Forge and found it mostly empty of the higher nobles. The process of casting nameless continues without ceasing, but there is no one to oversee.”

“Destroying that heinous place is still worthwhile,” Sadeen said.

“But if you lose the plane…”

“It will not happen so easily.” Sadeen smirked. “Think you that we are its only protectors? Rumiga may be a frontier plane, but the Progenitor and the Verdant Empress will not let go of their possessions so easily.” Mum frowned. “Still, it would be wise not to ignore the possibilities. There is more?”

“Yes.” Devotee glanced at Yuriko. She nodded for the Chaos Lord to continue. “I know of hidden paths that can sneak into the Waypoint, or into Rumiga. I cannot bring more than a handful, but it should bypass this blockade.”

Sadeen’s eyebrows rose. “And the Asheron Court knows not these paths?”

Devotee grinned with confidence. “The paths are lit by my flames, and only when I was assimilated that I now hold one of the key ingredients to make it possible.”

“I see.” Sadeen nodded her thanks. “We will confer with the Legion on how best to proceed. I’m sure you’re tired, Yuri. Bring your pet with you to rest and refresh. I will call you when Legate Segawa is ready to talk.”

“Alright.” Yuriko sighed. She wasn’t all that happy with how Mum talked about Devotee, but she didn’t quibble at this time. Devotee didn’t even react to the term.

They took their leave, with Desire following behind Yuriko. The two Chaos Lords jostled each other, and hissed whispers that Yuriko oddly couldn’t hear. Devotee continued to look smug, but then, her expressions grew thoughtful instead.

“...old master used to be a man before turning into a girl?”

“Yes. I…”

But the voices grew soft enough and blocked Yuriko’s Anima perception. Besides, she didn’t really mean to eavesdrop…hmmm, did she ever tone down her perception when others spoke privately? She might have ignored their words, but she realised that she did hear them, and some part of her remembered.

Blushing lightly, she shook her head and determined if she should curtail her perceptions, at least if she was in a nonthreatening space. Not entirely, perhaps, but closer to her body? With the way her Anima expanded, there would come a time when she’d be able to encompass an entire plane, just like her first Incarnation.

However, by the time they reached Yuriko’s room, a shocking change happened. Devotee…became a man. Her…his voice deepened, though not by much really. Hips slimmed down, bosom disappeared entirely, and his muscles grew more prominent.

“Why?” Yuriko choked out.

Devotee grinned. “Just felt like it!”

Shaking her head, Yuriko sighed. Devotee’s countenance and attitude didn’t change much, but now that he was a man, there was no way she’d let him stay in her room!

“But!” Devotee protested before he got kicked out. Yuriko noticed Desire’s sly grin, and shook her head.

“Can he turn back?” She asked Desire. Her first Chaos Lord shrugged. “After a while, maybe. Devotee’s body had remained in flux because it had just been reformed. This was also the first time he spent any time with his new master.”

“Oh.”

Anyway, Yuriko went out of her room, found Devotee sulking against the bulkhead, and brought him to the canteen. He gladly ate the pancakes the chef made, with berries and cream, before he muttered, “Next time I die, I’ll turn back.”

Yuriko said. “You don’t look unpleasant.”

“Oh? Alright.”

“Well, go rest and recuperate, I don’t know when the Legate will call us, so be ready.”

“Yes, master!”

__________

Danika Lorn couldn’t help but look forward to the fight. The Chaos Baron they spotted was a slender figure, nearly gaunt, had red eyes, and had four disproportionately thick arms. A brawler.

The team reeled back in surprise, but team leader Kale recovered quickly enough to shout, “Attack!”

Danika surged towards the nameless. There were roughly five of them in front of her, while the Chaos Lord had another five on the other side. They were outnumbered, and they honestly should have retreated, but she wanted to fight.

Her Animus activated her Facet techniques, as well as a little special something that made her just a little bit tougher than usual. Her battle gauntlets glimmered with Empowered Strike and the nameless’ Protective Field crumpled against her blow. Her fist continued past it, slammed into the thing’s face, and caved it in.

Danika smirked in joy, barely registering Krystal yelling, “No! To the river!”

She noticed when Kale engaged the Chaos Baron, however. The young man’s greatsword swept downwards and let loose a flying blade of wind. One of the baron’s arms slammed sideways, catching the windblade by the side and dispersing it easily. The lower arms simply folded across its torso arrogantly while the inhuman face stared down at them impassively.

Danika ducked and spun underneath a nameless’ horizontal swing, avoiding the hammerhead from striking her temple. She swept her foot against a fragile ankle, but the thing was made of sterner stuff than the first one. Her leg bounced back, though not without making the nameless hop in pain.

The quality of the creatures varied greatly. Some of them were barely stronger than Wanderers, which Danika had been able to kill even back when she was an Apprentice, while others were nearly as strong as barons. Those ones always stood out from their fellows in one way or another though, and with this batch, none of them possessed that intrinsic quality.

Danika jumped up and delivered an uppercut, managing to catch the fellow’s chin. Its mandibular bone shattered and probably sent fragments all the way up its skull too. It collapsed bonelessly, though the limbs twitched every now and then.

These creatures were always humanoid in shape, and actually, looked mostly human except for that weird feel that always marked a Chaos dweller. She had wondered what they were, and there had been many guesses of their origin. This type of Wyldling had never appeared before the Haveenian war.

Many speculated that they were the rare chevalier Wyldlings who were at the midpoint between Hunters and barons, they were too numerous for that.

Speculations dropped off when word arrived from Yuriko, who’d infiltrated the Federation in an attempt to stem their numbers.

The nameless were sacrificed humans. How could those foul cretins stoop so low? Danika’s rage always simmered just under the surface, and whenever she saw the creatures, she was determined to liberate them with death. It was the only thing they could do.

Attempts had been made to capture and reverse the process of their transformation, conducted by the 29th Pia’Vasi’s people. Nameless were made from blending two to ten humans in some sick process, and done in haste. The results of their findings was that the Anima’s were melded sloppily, and there were fractures along the joints. But that practically made it impossible to save them.

Forcefully parting the Anima always killed the creatures, and they were ferocious enough to never surrender. So, only death could liberate them. The fact that there were remnants of their Animas meant that the Threads of Fate could still sort them into their reincarnations. Hopefully.

Kale dueled with the Chaos baron, but the monster seemed to be toying with him. He only used one hand, nay, one finger, to deflect the greatsword, and no matter what he tried to pull, the creature seemed one step ahead of him.

But then, glimmers of flame rushed at the baron, who jerked and jumped away. The conflagration motes exploded, but the baron’s Protective Field blocked the flames. Then, Rorke Dinia shield rushed the baron and managed to knock him back just enough to give Kale an opening to retreat.

Oh, she should go, too!

Thud!

With her mind wandering all over the place, one of the other nameless slammed a cudgel over her head. Which then promptly broke in two while Danika glanced at the creature in annoyance. She punched it in the chest, caved it in, and flung herself back.

Her Facets all increased her natural defenses. Her skull was tougher than jadeite, and her skin stronger than copper. It ate up a lot of lumens, but the something special she had made it all that much stronger.

Plasma bolts rained down on the nameless, while Kale swept windblades at the baron. Rorke kept his shield ready to block, while the Chaos Lord finally got serious.

He unfolded his lower arm pair and flung himself at the fleeing duo. Well, Danika was right beside them, and she almost got hit by the baron’s assault which flung red fissures in the air. Rorke interposed, but as soon as the red claws struck his shield, the thing split apart, leaving the man with nothing but his gauntlets.

More motes of flame slammed into the baron, but the creature simply waved them off.

They were clearly outmatched, but it wasn’t that surprising. Danika’s mind was strangely calm, as though she was ready to face whatever the Threads could throw at her. But the Chaos baron was now alone, with every other weak nameless dead.

Rorke leapt and pushed Kale aside, taking a massive slash to his back. His armour was torn, and Danika could see bone sticking out of his wounds.

“Brother!” Kale howled and charged directly at the threat, while Danika and Zeyn tried a flanking attack. Zeyn’s weapon carved surprisingly into the baron’s Field with little resistance, and nearly dismembered a wrist. He got a boot to the sternum for his troubles, and he flew almost to the river banks.

Daniko threw a right straight, and one of the baron’s hands caught her fist. He pivoted and flung her around, and she wound up slamming into Zeyn as he tried to get up.

Mikel kept throwing flames and embers, but nothing seemed to work.

And then, Krystal somehow managed to shoot a plasma bolt that somehow struck a nerve, or something, since the baron howled even louder as he staggered back.

Martin Walker, one of the local militiamen, shot his Plasma Caster, and managed to blind the baron momentarily. And it was at that point that tentacles flung from the river, grabbed all ten of them by the waist, and dragged them into the depths.