Chapter 158: Chapter 227 – The First Wing

After Bryn stretched her wings a little bit, she stood up from his lap and Asterios accepted her hand to do the same. They smiled at each other softly and turned towards the mechanical chasm as he returned to her the breastplate he had stored earlier.

“I see that you are curious about this place,” Bryn said, recapturing Ast’s attention. “I don’t know as much about it as my scholar friend but we are inside one of the major service shafts. Similar to the arena you fought in, the entire ARK has many mechanical elements and sections.”

“I figured it was like that.” Asterios nodded while looking around. “All these cogs and pistons must be very important.”

“While the Heart is the most important part keeping us in the air, all these moving parts are connected to it. Besides a few things, a lot of maintenance is automated so that even if the knowledge on how to operate and properly take care of the ARKs is lost, they can still function properly. These flying fortresses are our only hope of surviving the end of the world as many call it,” she continued, following his gaze.

“It’s extremely fascinating and depressing at the same time. I can’t help but admire the craft while also feeling bad because it was possible to achieve only under such unfortunate circumstances.” He shook his head.

“That’s just how it works. Necessity is the mother of invention. We should be glad that things worked out in the end. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t be able to be here or admire this fine craftsmanship and ingenuity.” Bryn placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Right. Instead of wasting time worrying about the past, we should focus on making the future better. And what is better than reclaiming one of the most iconic structures your race is aware of.” Asterios turned to her and smiled.

“I think that getting rid of all the monsters once and for good would fit that category.” She did the same. “But, killing off a decent batch of them and taking the Spire back isn’t that far down on the list.”

“Let’s put some effort into crossing it out from it, then.” He chuckled softly and they both turned away from the edge.

Giving one last glance to all the metal and mechanical marvels all around them, they headed towards the stairs that had led them to this hidden place. The water still ran down the steps so they had to be careful not to slip. Thankfully, the corridor was pretty narrow so they were able to support themselves on the walls.

Reaching the top, Bryn found the switch on their side and the secret entrance opened once more. She quickly jumped outside and Asterios soon followed her. The front of the faucet returned to its dormant state right after they left the passage, turning back into a neat piece of artistic architecture. Without knowing that it was just a facade, no one would be able to find out its real purpose.

Asterios and Bryn shared a nod and they soared into the air together. As they passed over various buildings and open parts of the flying city, they could still spot the lively, enthusiastic movements of the valkyrjas down on the ground. It looked like the news was still being spread after about two hours. From what they could see, people were getting quite excited about it, which wasn’t that surprising considering the topic.

Thanks to that, nobody stopped them on their way to their residence and they landed on the open balcony without any interruptions. Asterios dematerialized his wings and they walked inside, finding Miria and Grea by one of the coffee tables in the living room on the first floor. The panthergirl noticed them first and she immediately jumped up.

“Master! Bryn! Welcome back!” Miria beamed a beautiful smile at them and jogged closer, stopping in front of their Valkyrie friend. “How are you feeling? I’m glad to see that you are doing better now.”

Bryn showed a warm expression in response. “Thank you for worrying about me. I’m alright now. A moment of rest with Master by my side allowed me to calm down the chaos that was my thoughts.”

“Yeah. He can have that effect on people.” Grea snickered while moving closer too. “Words or actions?”

A faint flush surfaced on Bryn’s cheeks as the frisky demon lady kept wagging her eyebrows at them. Asterios sighed quietly and bonked her on the head, making Miria giggle. A pretty smile showed up on Bryn’s lips too and Grea pumped her fist, making it clear that evoking it was her goal from the very beginning.

“I appreciate you trying to improve Bryn’s mood with your usual jokes but you could try to tone the implicative ones a little bit. I hate to be the one to break it to you but most people don’t choose to jump on a cock to deal with their sadness or tough situation as their first choice,” Asterios said.

“They haven’t even tried, then.” Grea huffed, crossing her arms under her perky chest. “There’s nothing better than getting dicked in to make you forget about all the heavy shit. Especially when it’s done by such a handsome cookie.”

“Enough.” He chuckled and shook his head.

“It’s alright,” Bryn said. “I don’t mind. And while I can’t speak for that method personally, just talking with you, Master, is a great way to relax and… lose track of time.”

“Just talk, huh?” Grea clicked her tongue. “Damn, I’m getting back to the very end of the queue.”

“What?” Asterios smiled in confusion.

“Nothing!” Miria giggled nervously and jumped in front of him. “Are you hungry, Master? Selene, Tina, and Silvia are preparing a dessert right now!”

He raised a curious brow at her but decided not to pry any further. Miria’s expression told him everything he needed to know. She had never been able to lie with a straight face. Just this much was proving to be hard for her as there certainly was something she and the others would rather not have Asterios know.

Since they didn’t have anything else to do, they all moved to the kitchen and joined the trio who were cooking up a snack for everyone. It looked like Selene was guiding the other two through the process of preparing some simple but deliciously fragrant treat from her hometown. Silvia’s fire and Tina’s water helped them finish much quicker and they were soon done. 

The dish turned out to be some sort of custard pudding of white color with a cerulean glaze which looked unbelievably cute and tasty. They had made enough for everyone to satisfy their taste buds and all of them consumed at least two portions each, with Miria devouring five. For their first time preparing it, the treat had turned out pretty much perfect. Bryn thanked them wholeheartedly, easily figuring out that it was their attempt at cheering her up too.

After they finished eating, they shared a bath to fully get themselves cleaned from all the evidence of their activities during the last, extremely eventful day. Bryn joined them out of her own volition, without Grea or anyone else trying to rope her into it, and they spent some quality time together while either getting cared for by Asterios or banding up to care after him too. While the bath wasn’t as huge as the chambers in Selene’s mansion, they had lots of fun nevertheless.

Naturally, Bryn wanted to split for the night and return to the room she had previously used, but Miria and Grea kept urging her to stay with them, promising that they wouldn’t do anything improper. Their words felt genuine and Bryn finally agreed. She tried to respectfully leave some space between her and Asterios but the girls all squeezed around her and they ended up in a pile of hugs, with her squished into his back. Realizing that he had intentionally turned around to make it less embarrassing and more comfortable for her, she hugged him gently and dozed off alongside everyone with a warm smile on her lips as she rested her forehead against Ast’s shoulder.

In the morning, they wrapped up their toiletries and breakfast quite quickly and headed out for the central castle. Bryn didn’t want to delay things anymore and they moved out to have a talk with the Council about their plan and the next steps. It was important to find out the Council’s stance on those after the tournament.

Moving through the familiar corridors, they reached the gate leading into the circular meeting chamber and walked inside. The usual Council members were already there, minus one person. Bryn glanced around over everyone and sighed softly, knowing well that Rota wouldn’t be found amongst them any longer.

“Since it looks like we are all here, let us begin with the most important part,” Hilda broke the slightly awkward silence first, locking onto Bryn. “We have already investigated Rota’s disgraceful actions deeply enough and decided on her punishment. Naturally, she will lose her seat in the Council and be banned from re-applying for twenty-five years. Other than that, we decided to add five years of maintenance duty in the Heart’s core chamber as her disciplinary sentence. Do you have anything against our suggestion?”

Bryn’s eyes widened slightly and she took a deep breath to compose herself. “You have to make sure that she wears all the necessary equipment and that it’s properly maintained and replaced regularly. I can’t deny the things she has done, but she will definitely feel deep guilt because of them. Taking care of the core area is a hazardous duty dangerous for one’s health. We can’t be sure that she doesn’t intentionally overlook some of the safety measures as her own way of repenting for her sins.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, Bryn,” Eir joined in. “We will have someone keep an eye on her at all times. We know that she is your friend and it’s not our intention to hurt her or you.”

“I know. I’m aware of the code and the rules related to the punitive actions.” Bryn nodded calmly. “As someone who has abstained from participating in this trial, I have no say in this regard anyway. I just ask you to be careful. It would be detrimental to us if we lost such a bright mind, even if she strayed off the path a little.”

“That’s why we also wanted to grant you permission to visit her once a month. Your presence will definitely keep Rota from descending into the depressing depths of her mind,” Kara added. “I understand that it might be hard to meet with her after everything, but if you ever bring yourself to do so, there will be that option.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that.” Bryn showed a soft smile at her. “Is there anything else regarding this case that we need to discuss?”

No one raised any points or suggestions as everyone looked at each other.

“I believe we can now move onto another quite crucial topic,” Hilda spoke first once more.

“The vacant seat in the Council?” some other member that Ast’s group didn’t know the name of asked.

Hilda scoffed to the side. “That’s child’s play in comparison to it. No, we need to discuss what is going to happen now that the entire ARK does nothing but psyche themselves up on Bryn’s quite big speech.”

“Were you not convinced?” Bryn asked, raising a brow at them. “And I don’t mean by my speech, but by the final battle. Do you still think that we are departing on a suicide mission?”

Some murmurs broke out amongst the participants in this meeting but no one seemed to show any signs of speaking up against her. No one except for a single person.

“I would have to be blind to deny the power your companions hold, but there are still too many unknowns and uncertainty regarding Tyr’s Aegis,” Hilda replied. “I’m still against this operation. It’s too risky and dangerous.”

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Bryn turned to look straight at her. “Thank you, Hilda.”

The rude valkyrja frowned. “For what?”

“After the recent events, I happened to realize a few things. I appreciate you worrying about me, even if your way of doing it comes out as slightly rough. I apologize for taking this long to say those words.”

“I have no idea what the hell you are talking about,” Hilda sneered and crossed her arms under her chest, looking to the side.

Bryn smiled softly to herself. “In any way, to eliminate that uncertainty, we will visit Brage and get in touch with the scholars there to find out as much about the Spire as we can. I have a good relationship with a person in a decently high position. I’m certain that they will be willing to help our cause. If we don’t learn anything certain about Tyr’s Aegis in a week, we will abandon my plan. What do you say about this?”

“Are you really going to do so?” Eir asked with some concern.

“You should know that I don’t make empty promises,” Bryn replied. “Neither do I lie lightly about significant things such as this one.”

“How would that work, then?” Hilda squinted at her.

“Since everyone is already fired up about this, I think we should start hosting more organized training and practice in the arena. It will be a good way to take their minds off the thought about the operation while also serving as preparation before it if we end up following up with the plan. I will let you know about the results of our research and we will either announce the beginning of the campaign or its cancellation. Naturally, I will take responsibility for both cases myself,” Bryn explained.

“When are you departing?” Eir inquired.

“As soon as possible. Preferably, right after this meeting. The Power Division took a moment to finish. I don’t think you need me for the other disciplines. I apologize for the sudden chaos that my words caused but it was the best moment to reach the most people. We can announce that the mobilization and training start after the War Games wrap up. That should calm things down a bit and even increase the competitive spirit in some participants.”

“I don’t think there’s anything we say that will change your mind at this point,” Kara said with a heavy sigh. “We will have to free one of our precious transporters.”

“No, you won’t. We can just fly.” Bryn shook her head.

“What? With so many wingless people? How?” Hilda didn’t hide her shock.

“It would be only me and Master.” Bryn pointed at the two of them. “The others can just wait here and join us through the gates. I should also be able to use them to quickly travel here and back as long as the majority of us stay in that location. They are also able to open those to our master freely.”

“That still doesn’t eliminate the issue of the distance and getting there first,” Hilda continued. “Even the delivery corps train their stamina for most of their life to be able to travel between ARKs without having to stop on the surface to rest. You shouldn’t get overconfident in your own ability.”

“I’m not. Master will have no issue flying the entire way to the nearest ARK without losing his pace. I’m different from the past too, but even if I turn out not to be strong enough to handle it, Master will surely use his techniques to rejuvenate my strength and revitalize my body. Right, Master?” Bryn turned to Asterios with a dazzling smile.

Asterios nodded confidently. “Of course. And even if we would really have to stop for an emergency, I’m sure that your and Selene’s barriers would be more than enough to protect us from anything.”

She showed a fair blush and nodded back at him before turning towards the other Council members again.

“Therefore, we won’t have to bother the delivery corps or take away any of the incredibly important transporters. Does anyone have any other concerns?” She scanned the chamber with her gaze.

Another brief silence answered them and she nodded to herself.

“Perfect. I’ll leave everything in your hands, then. I hope that the War Games will conclude without any major issues. We will be in touch.”

“There’s one more thing.” Kara stopped Bryn before she turned around and started leaving. “We decided to give you this.”

The woman tossed something over the table and Bryn caught the palm-sized item with ease. Her eyes widened to the brim almost instantly and her gaze shot back to the other woman.

“Since you are most likely going to have to negotiate or convince the other ARKs to help you, we think that being our official representative will make things a little easier,” Kara continued.

“Are you sure about that? Everyone?” Bryn looked every single member straight in the eyes, finishing at Hilda.

“Just take it and don’t embarrass us.” The mean valkyrja scoffed.

Bryn fought down the insistent smile forcing itself on her lips and made a respectful bow towards the Council. Turning around, she headed out of the chamber, followed by Asterios and the others. They walked in silence for a moment until they found themselves more or less alone.

“Thank you for leaving everything to me, everyone,” Bryn said, taking a glance at Asterios and the girls. “I appreciate you letting me be the one to speak for us all.”

“It’s nothing. We are guests here so it’s only right for us to speak when asked.” Tina showed a sweet smile.

“What is that thing you got at the end? It felt significant.” Miria tilted her head curiously, trying to peek into Bryn’s hand.

The Valkyrie opened her palm and showed everyone a golden depiction of a beautiful wing. An engraving of a pretty sigil was present on its surface, filled with a silver alloy. It looked like a fancy badge or a token.

“This thing basically represents an ARK as a whole. Every single ARK has one and the carved sigil we see here is a symbol associated with Tyr. For someone to hold onto it means that the entire Council of that ARK has chosen to give them their full support. With this, my words and actions can be taken as the stance of our entire community. I have the power to make decisions in the name of Tyr,” Bryn explained.

“That does sound important.” Tina nodded to herself.

“There’s one more meaning to these. There are twelve of them, as many as there are ARKs in the air. They are called Twelve Wings of the Sky Queen. Each badge also serves as a vote toward the holder becoming the Sky Queen. When the time to elect the next Sky Queen comes, the person with the most tokens is chosen for that position. At the same time, if someone collects all twelve at any moment, they have the right to take the throne for themselves no matter the current situation,” their Valkyrie friend continued.

“So, in simple words, you need to gain the recognition of all twelve ARKs to become the Sky Queen and you have just received the first one, right?” Silvia summed things up.

“That is correct. I did not expect to ever hold even onto a single wing, though.” Bryn chuckled softly.

Asterios placed a hand on her shoulder. “It’s not that surprising, honestly. You’ve shown on numerous occasions that you are more than capable. I bet that at least Odin will give you their vote after we reclaim the Descending Spire for them. Perhaps we’ll get one more in Brage too.”

“Are we going to make Bryn into the Sky Queen?” Miria bounced cheerfully. “That sounds like fun!”

Bryn cleared her throat while taming down the delicate blush that started plaguing her face. “First, we have other things to focus on. We shouldn’t waste time and reach the sky port before it gets dark. Flying during the night isn’t a problem but establishing the course before departing is safer while the sun is still up.”

“Let’s get moving, then. We can talk on the way there.” Asterios smiled at her and they headed out of the central castle.

 

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