Chapter 140: Champion, Chapter 70: Fireworks

Zurai

First, sorry for this chapter going up late. I was sick over the weekend and it wrecked my sleep schedule.

Second, a sincere thank you to those who donated to Doctors Without Borders over the course of the last week. Games Done Quick raised over $2.9 million for them, and my readers were a part of that. It makes me proud and happy. If you donated, but haven't sent me a message yet, please do so when you get the chance. My writing time is pretty well spoken for this month, but I plan to get started on the commissions in August.

Aidan

The Realms

Fourthday, 2nd week of the 11th month, Age of the Chosen 1

Late Morning

Caellach Macht, Mistvale Highlands

With Eldrid and Aoife pointing fingers at each other, Aidan's life grew more complicated. Neither could provide any evidence for their antagonism. With both women bound to him—Aoife by her collar and Eldrid by his overexuberant use of Language of Origin—there was little Aidan could do but keep an open mind. He wanted to trust them but had to admit that both had inconsistencies and oddities in their stories and actions.

Instead, Aidan funneled his energy into preparing for the upcoming Summit. A message arrived from Termondoon alerting him to the imminent arrival of Chief Searlas, and harpy and centaur scouts reported contact with a party nearing the city from the Ebon Bone-Kin. Both would arrive within a day.

The impromptu festival celebrating the Snow-Water Riders' arrival received official sanction. Aidan declared the week a permanent holiday to commemorate the first regional diplomatic talks in living memory. He wanted his visitors to see the city and its people at their happiest. You never got a second chance at a first impression, after all.

Aidan also worked with Ailis to fine-tune his presentation. After the usual magic lessons every morning, Aidan and select members of his Council talked politics over lunch. Gerwyn's experiences as a trader provided a wealth of insight into Ebon Bone-Kin, Snow-Water Rider, and Ash Shroud Sisterhood culture. Aidan also grilled Sunnild on the Sisterhood and Aoife on the Mist Stalkers.

The latter was less informative than Aidan liked. Aoife professed to be from a small village, and once the slaver captured her, she spent most of her time in Searlas's mansion. She knew Searlas himself very well and was happy to dish out secrets and advice, but she was vaguer on the life of the commonfolk. That suited Aidan's immediate needs but did nothing to assuage the suspicions he had about her.

Aside from planning, Aidan made one additional important preparation. The day after he met with Eldrid, Ailis's guidance on creating his own spell bore fruit.

Blade of Burning Wrath: Fire Magic and Air Magic, level 50.

Using intense heat in a localized vacuum, this spell forms a blade of plasma to strike at the caster's enemies. It can be wielded using the Swords skill or left to act independently at a range of up to 33 yards. In either case, the sword deals 75 fire damage per hit and bypasses half of the target's fire resistance.

Cost: 150 Concentration. Duration: Concentration. Casting time: 1 second. Cooldown: 5 seconds.

Aidan wasn't so sure about the name, but he didn't get to choose that part. The keys to the spell were twofold. First, it worked through fire resistance unless the target went all the way up to 200%. More important, however, was its low cooldown and ability to attack a target without Aidan's direct control. Also, it looked like a lightsaber blade without a hilt, although the vacuum containing the plasma prevented it from making the iconic sounds.

There were some quirks to the spell as well. Linking it to the Swords skill meant that all of Aidan's perks there applied whenever he controlled it directly. With time, that would provide an additional scaling factor that his other spells didn't have. Aidan also didn't have to direct each sword against the same target or even designate targets at all. Left to their own devices, each Burning Blade would seek out and attack something that Aidan considered an enemy.

Their ability to bypass fire resistance also applied to objects. Just like lightsabers, they cut through nonmagical materials like butter. While they resembled swords, anyone trying to parry or block a Burning Blade would have an unpleasant surprise. Dodging was the only useful defense against them.

It wasn't perfect, of course. Critically, its range was limited to the average of Aidan's skill in Air and Fire Magic. That meant that if Karsarrym took off flying, Blade of Burning Wrath wouldn't be able to reach. The independent action portion of the spell had weaknesses, too. If Aidan was unaware of a foe or unaware that they were an enemy, the swords wouldn't react to their presence.

A canny opponent could also exploit their maximum range. Unfortunately, the Burning Blades weren't intelligent by any stretch of the imagination. Each sword would attack an enemy until it killed or drove off its target. If an enemy re-entered its attack range afterward, it would not redirect its attention until its current target died or got too far away.

Still, it was a defining spell. Aidan could keep five Burning Blades active while maintaining his summons and buffs with Crown of the Exalted. That made it his best single-target damage option by a long shot. Phoenixfire Conflagration was far better against large numbers of enemies, and Phoenix Pyre was a near-unbeatable trump card. Still, Blade of Burning Wrath was their superior within its specialty.

"I do have one question," Aidan said to Ailis after testing his new ace in the hole. "Both Blade of Burning Wrath and Phoenixfire Conflagration should be too high level for me to cast as I understand things." Ailis cocked her head at him. "They're both listed as dual-school level 50 spells, but I only have that much skill with Fire Magic."

"Oh, to have your problems, apprentice. You are both correct and incorrect. As with most other things, multi-school spells operate under different criteria. In this case, you only need to have the listed level with a single listed school." The Druid shrugged. "Perhaps it is in acknowledgment that the spell's power depends on the average of each school involved? I doubt anyone but the Gods know for sure."

"Hmm." Aidan tapped his lip. "Does Burning Blade still count as a level 50 Air Magic spell, then? That would make it and Phoenixfire Conflagration great for training up their secondary schools."

Ailis's lips twisted into a wry smile. "As I said, I wish I had your problems. Yes, as you say, they make for excellent training aids. If you switch to using your new spells for practice, you should find Air Magic and Vivimancy advancing at a rapid pace. Of course, they'll provide less Fire Magic experience than dedicated spells, but even you won't hit Master before you face the dragon." She poked Aidan in the chest for emphasis. He caught her hand and gave it a soft squeeze.

"I'll switch my training over then. We don't have much time, but I might be able to get Vivimancy to Journeyman. I wouldn't mind a more powerful healing spell before we set out."

Ailis stepped up to Aidan and rested her head on his shoulder. "I wish you would let others take the risks."

"I'm sorry. I can't leave this to other people." Aidan wrapped his arms around his lover. "Even setting aside the image of sending people off to die while I stay safe at home, I’m one of two people we know can hurt the dragon."

Ailis turned her head and sought out Aidan's lips for a tender kiss. "I know," she said with a sigh, "but I don't like seeing you face danger any more than Brighid does."

"Duty is heavier than a mountain, after all."

"Do not quote platitudes at me, apprentice." Ailis slapped Aidan's chest without any real strength.

"Yes, dear."

Aidan

The last of the delegates arrived two days later. Chief Searlas arrived an hour before noon with a dozen bodyguards and his elven concubine. A few hours later, a Starchaser patrol escorted six wolven into the city from the north. Aidan was on hand to greet both parties. He played the gracious host, getting them settled in the houses he set aside for their use and inviting them to a celebration that night.

The plan was to let the delegations mingle in a relaxed setting first. Then, the next day, the serious politics would start. Aidan was under no illusion that this would be easy. Aside from the Snow-Water Riders, none of the tribes in the area had a history of cooperation. The saving grace was that the Mist Stalker-Starchaser war was the most recent among this group by far. With that conflict more or less patched over, there were at least fewer mines to trigger.

Aidan dressed in his finest clothes, a red jacket embroidered with fiery birds in silver thread over a plain white silk shirt and black trousers. Each of his lovers wore similarly fancy clothing in colors complementing their eyes.

Ailis was dressed in something Aidan hadn't yet seen in the Realms. Upon her torso was a blouse of shimmering cerulean silk embroidered with silver phoenixes to match Aidan's. That wasn't the only clothing she wore, however. A deep blue caparison covered her back and legs. Rather than heraldry like a horse might bear back on Earth, Ailis's garment had an intricate Celtic-style geometric pattern woven into the material in a shade only a fraction darker than the base fabric. The effect was subtle at a distance and mesmerizing up close.

Sunnild wore a long dark gray dress cut conservatively in the front but open from her neck to her rear in the back. Her wings covered much of the revealed skin, but Aidan knew from "helping" Sunnild try it on that the view was tantalizing—and that she couldn't wear any underwear beneath it. According to Siwan, who made all of the group's clothes, the whole thing was Sunnild's idea from the start. Aidan couldn't keep a smile from his face at the confidence Sunnild was showing.

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Not to be outdone, Aoife wore a white-and-gold dress that was even more daring than Sunnild's. The top of the outfit was attached to her collar with loops of golden thread. It encircled her neck, then opened into an extended diamond shape down her front from her sternum to a bare inch above where her pubes would be if she had any. The window's widest point lay at her waist, revealing her cleavage, the bottom swells of her breasts, and her belly. Aidan was sure that if she moved too fast, she'd show a nipple. The rear of the dress wasn't quite as racy, but another diamond centered on her tail showed a considerable amount of that cleavage as well.

To Aidan's amusement, despite wearing by far the least clothing of any of his lovers, Brighid came off looking pure compared to Sunnild and Aoife.

She had on a forest green keyhole blouse in a style similar to her mother's, complete with the same silver phoenix embroidery. A brand new choker of interlocking viridian jade circles backed by silk clung to her neck. Now on an emerald chain, Aidan's hand-forged tag dangled down into her cleavage, revealed by the keyhole.

When Aidan and company arrived at the festival grounds, the party was already underway. They heard the lilting strains of drum, flute, and fiddle long before their arrival. Some enterprising soul was roasting whole Nairn Tuskers over a low flame, and that scent carried almost as far as the music. As they drew closer, they could make out the sight of centaurs, catfolk, and harpies mingling, chatting, drinking, and even dancing together.

There were no hard boundaries where the city ended and the celebration began. People wandered around the fringes by themselves, in pairs, and in small groups. As they got closer, the crowds grew denser. Their bodyguards kept the space around them clear of drunken citizens, but progress slowed as more and more people came up to greet and cheer Aidan on. One inebriated teenage centaur started a chant of, "Phoe-nix-King! Phoe-nix-King!" that spread throughout the crowd.

Giving in to the inevitable, Aidan raised his hands and gestured for silence. It took a minute for the message to percolate through the crowd. Once he could hear himself think, Aidan raised his voice and exclaimed, "Good evening, everyone!" A raucous cheer greeted him in return. He waited for the crowd to simmer down again, then continued. "It warms my heart to see you all so happy tonight. Even more so to see you happy together!"

Another cheer rose from the masses. "I will not keep you long." A trick he'd learned from a Southern-born friend—it was easier to get out of a conversation if you acted like it was you imposing on the other party instead of the other way around.

"There is much to celebrate tonight! For the first time in living memory, five tribes gather together in one place—and not one drop of blood spilled between them! I see Starchasers wearing jewelry carved from Mist Stalker jade." Technically true, since that was the source of Brighid's new choker.

"Ash Shroud Sisters sharing meals with Snow-Water Riders. Up on the stage, is that a Mist Stalker, a Starchaser, and an Ash Shroud Sister all playing the same song together? A song that they can't have taught each other in such a short time." Less true, but it made for good press.

Aidan waved his hands to indicate the celebration. "This is my vision! This is what comes when we appreciate our similarities instead of dwelling on our differences. This is what happens when we love our neighbors!"

Turning to Sunnild, he stretched his hand out to her. She blushed, then stepped forward. Taking his hand, she held it to her belly, then rose to kiss him before nestling her head against Aidan's chest. "Speaking of loving our neighbors, I have an announcement to make." The crowd quieted for a brief moment. Then, a buzz of anticipation grew among the onlookers as they realized what Aidan intended to say.

"Many of you know Sunnild. Her sweet disposition brightens all of our days. Tonight, you have another reason to love her as I do. It brings us immense pleasure to announce that Sunnild will give birth to my first child." The crowd roared its approval. Their cheers battered at Aidan, so loud were they. He held his free hand up for quiet again. This time, it took several minutes before anyone could hear him speak.

"Although she is the first, she will not be the last. I have made no secret of the fact that I have several lovers. The Brighaid demands that we give our love to all who willingly receive it. To that end, I have four questions to ask." This he had not discussed with his lovers ahead of time. The expended Paragon Points were a little painful, but he had a renewable source if needed.

Aidan turned to face Brighid. Reaching into his jacket, he pulled out a golden ring set with an emerald. Presenting it to his Soulmate, he asked, "Brighid Fireheart, you are the love of my life, the flame of my heart. I would be lost without you. Will you marry me?"

Brighid's eyes went wide. She froze, staring at Aidan, ignoring the deafening, exultant cries from the bystanders. Then she bolted forward, sweeping Aidan up in her arms. "Yes," she sobbed. "Yes, yes."

Once she set him down, Aidan slid the ring onto Brighid's finger. Once he came up for air from the resultant kiss, he faced Sunnild. Her gray eyes swam with unshed tears, but a brilliant smile stretched across her face. "Sunnild, you stormed into my life unexpectedly, but I fell in love with you that very first night. You are the mother of my firstborn child and the light that guides my path. Will you marry me?"

No longer withheld, tears tumbled down Sunnild's cheeks. Even as close as he stood to her, Aidan couldn't hear her reply through the celebration around them, but the searing kiss she laid on him left no doubt. He placed a second ring, identical except for the gray chalcedony, on her finger.

Aidan turned once more, this time to face Ailis. True to character, his Chancellor controlled her expression. "Ailis Silverhair," he said. "Our relationship has not always been as friendly as it is now. We overcame that together, each of us becoming better for it. Without your keen wit and wisdom, I would not be where I am today. I release you from your Oath of Vassalage. Will you—" he cut off as Ailis seized him by the shoulders and crushed him to her chest.

"Damn you," she shouted in his ear to be heard over the cheers. "Do you know when the last time I cried in public is?"

"Is that a yes?"

Ailis wrenched him around and mashed her lips to his. Piercing whistles rose from the onlookers as she pressed against Aidan, unleashing her passion on him, her hands tangled in his hair. When she finally released him, she held out her hand for his sapphire ring.

Taking a deep breath, Aidan shifted his focus to Aoife. This would be far harder than the others. Indeed, rather than the teary-eyed joy shown by Brighid and Sunnild or the reserved mask worn by Ailis, Aoife's face reflected uncertainty. Aidan took a deep breath, then spoke.

"Aoife. It would be premature to ask you the same question I asked Brighid, Sunnild, and Ailis. There is an unfulfilled promise between us that must be resolved before you could answer me."

Aidan's heart warred with his head. Somehow, he'd fallen in love with her. Whatever the reason for his unguarded heart, he couldn't deny his feelings. He knew that she felt the same way. Even if he hadn't received messages about their relationship or completed a Quest that told him, he could feel her emotions through the collar.

At the same time, Aidan had to acknowledge that there was a barrier between them. Neither of them had complete trust in the other. Aoife still bore the scars of her enslavement inside and out. Aidan could sometimes feel a dreadful feeling of anticipation from her as if she was just waiting for him to reveal his true villainy.

On the other hand, Aoife's mercurial moods unsettled Aidan. She seemed to change her personality at a whim, going from steamy sexpot to efficient maid to uncannily professional spy at a moment's notice. Part of him wondered which was the real her, even as the rest of him knew that they all were. Eldrid's accusation, weak as it was, also found fertile soil in the dark recesses of his mind. He couldn't deny that Aoife seemed both more and less than what she should be.

Refocusing his attention on the woman in question, Aidan continued speaking. "Nonetheless, I have something to ask you tonight. Aoife, your unflinching spirit and bravery in the face of impossible horrors inspires me. I love you just as much as I love the others. Will you consent to wear my ring as a token of the promise I made you the night we met and as a further commitment to revisit this conversation once I fulfill my oath?"

For a moment, Aidan thought Aoife would use Mist Shroud to vanish. He could feel the emotions roiling within her, too dense and tangled to pick apart with the limited bandwidth provided by the collar. Golden eyes stared up at him, searching his face for answers he didn't know the questions to. The moment dragged on for long enough that the crowd began to grow restless. Aidan regretted putting Aoife on the spot, but just as he opened his mouth to salvage the situation, she relaxed and spoke.

"Yes, Aidan, I will." She held a trembling hand out to him. Aidan took her hand in his, squeezing it for reassurance, then slid a ring adorned with a citrine stone onto her index finger. Not an engagement or marriage, but still a statement. Aoife looked down at the ring, then back up at him. Tears came to her at last, and Aidan felt tremulous happiness overtake the other emotions within her. She flowed forward and wrapped her arms around Aidan, burying her head against his chest.

The crowd roared its approval once more. Above them, Aidan's passion elementals spiraled, spun, and danced in the night sky.

Zurai

Aidan's current status screen:

Brighid's current status screen:

Sunnild's current status screen:

Pronunciation Guide (infinitesimal spoiler warning, names only without any details)

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