Mark let time speed up gradually after he got a few kilometers away.

Quark rapidly figured out what was happening and he buzzed in Mark's ears and then matched Mark's time, asking, "Sir! I have just reviewed my logs! Would you like me to open a call to Walaria? Your call with Blackthorn was dropped."

"I'm thinking, Quark," Mark said, as he flew in normal time, flexing his body to normalcy with a Union of Good/Bad.

He turned as he flew, watching a fireball scour up from the settlement, along his path toward the east. It was pretty bad down there, but there were no weaklings in the city. A small bomb going off in Mark's backyard wouldn't kill a single person. It probably wouldn't even get past the property walls, or blow out the windows at all. Isoko was absolutely fine. Eliot and Sally had been elsewhere, so they were fine, too.

Mark decided, "I'm going to head to Earth for a while. The guys can come when they want to… Actually. Call up Addavein."

"I would like to remind you that I do not have Addavein's number, but… Just like last time—" Quark sighed. "—desiring to talk to him is enough for him to recognize that you want to call. He is calling right now. Shall I answer?"

"Yes. Thank you, Quark."

"Mark!" Addavein's voice said in Mark's ears. "You put on such a good showing! Congrats on all of that. What prompts the call?"

"Yadda yadda 'dangerously incomplete' scanning result for body, tried to make an appointment with Blackthorn, almost got got by the Force Archmage twins, Buckler and Lancer, and a third person, female, wearing a white mask and white webweave and weaving illusions of air and vectors and a feeling of you, in the air all around me. But I slipped it, and now I'm calling you." Mark said, "Currently flying about 5 kilometers east of the settlement, in the sky, asking for a portal to your location, or just to talk about whatever the shit is going on."

"… Huh. So, immediate concerns: I cannot port you to me, because I'm on Daihoon, too. Are you safe right now?"

"Safe enough. Still moving." Mark asked, "So you didn't just try to port me to you? Just to be sure."

"I did not. Ports don't work that way. That reminds me: I have been spying on you and I have a list of things that you have seen or things people have told you that are wrong or incorrect."

"… of course," Mark whispered.

"Quite," Addavein continued, "But I'll keep it to one item, for now, since you're in trouble: Goofy tried to tell you that there was a demon city in Okuana, way back when. Most people learn that and they think there's a gate from there to Arakino on the moon. That is not how that works. Don't go into Okuana looking for a gate; it never works out."

"… You know? I was thinking that when he told me about that."

"Everyone thinks that when they hear about the demon city under Okuana. That fact causes no end of problems, so we always tell people that portals don't work that way, but people still go searching. Anyway. I'm on Daihoon right now. I cannot port you to me. Other concerns: I'm sorry it took you experiencing this event to think of me, to help you with your issues. But politics are politics and you're stepping into the big ones right now, so I am not offended." Addavein added, "I am, however, offended that you would go to Blackthorn on this. No one wants Planty stepping back into the game, Mark. You know how people talk about 'demon kings' sometimes? Planty is a demon king… or queen. Whatever. Just below the level of Thrashtalon with influence, and higher in certain circles. Don't go poking that nest."

"… Did not know that, okay. Heard and understood— They're chasing me into the sky, now," Mark said, watching two black-robed figures flow into the sky over the settlement, headed Mark's way. Quark enlarged them in Mark's view. "About 5 kilometers away. Got any tips for them?"

"Fly fast enough that they can't catch you. Don't engage. Nothing will be gained by engaging." Addavein said, "Worst case is you have to kill them but then you have to fight their demons, and that can get bad. So don't!"

Mark flew faster. "That's why I ran, first. So, uh… What were you saying? Sorry."

"Don't get involved in demon politics," Addavein said, "Back to your dangerously unstable Body. Blackthorn probably recommended a spell to pulse prismatic mana at you. He can do that. Not many can. You don't have to go through him, though. Make a trip to Endless Daihoon and kill a kaiju and get to its heart, while in Endless Daihoon, and you can harvest prismatic mana that way. No need to go through anyone else. It's super dangerous, of course. You might even be able to summon a kaiju of your own and harvest its heart that way, but I truly don't know about that. That idea is just so esoteric that I doubt anyone has ever done it before, and certainly not in my lifetime.

"Going to an archmage with an intact demon is still the safer course, but that requires you to trust in the demon, through the workings of the archmage, to interface with your Binding and help guide it to a new form.

"It's easier, and more chaotic, and also potentially more powerful, to go through the Endless Daihoon kaiju-harvesting option. You might end up weird, though. Additional prismatic mana added to a person always causes big, big changes. To tell you some deep, deep secrets: That's how they used to make a person into a royal, and to make a royal even stronger.

"They'd make a person put an Alteration into their Binding, and then have them go kill a kaiju in Daihoon, harvest its heart, and then suddenly the person gains a full and complete additional Skill. Three Skills is the absolute limit, though. Trying to gain a Fourth Skill is just a waste of prismatic mana. A literal waste; it splashes off." Addavein finished with, "So how does that sound? Endless Daihoon is pretty fun when you're strong. Might want to go there by yourself, though. Leave your friends behind— Oh! Isoko wants Wind Shaper, right? Bring her with you and give her some prismatic mana. She'd get something special, for sure."

Mark flew fast, listening intently, the depth of Addavein's knowledge causing Mark to reevaluate the world in some pretty fundamental ways. Prismatic mana from Endless Daihoon, to mint royals? Neat! Mark also looked behind himself, though, as Lancer and Buckler flew faster and faster.

Lancer had shot out a pillar of force toward Mark, but it did not reach him; it was just a testing spear.

Mark's rotors were currently ripping through air and causing shockwaves. Lancer and Buckler were moving a little bit faster with every moment. They'd eventually catch up, and that initial lance of force was probably to lull Mark into a false sense of security, but Mark would absolutely outlast them if this was an endurance race…

Unless the archmages got ITLKR involved, and they started teleporting in front of Mark. But if that happened then Mark would know that Walaria was involved in this, and that would just be a gross violation of trust. Then, this whole charade of being a member of the settlement would just be over.

Time for other tactics.

Mark swept himself into a flying pillbox with a rotor in front, to kill the sound of air all around him, and to give Quark some space to work some hands to turn the adamantium invisible. As Quark threw sigils, Mark gradually faded from view.

Lancer and Buckler kept coming.

Addavein asked, "Do you want to go to Endless Daihoon? I'd like to come with you— ehhh… For the second outing. Not the first one. You should go there yourself, alone, first, to see how bad it is."

Mark said, "I'd like to talk about my Binding first. Can you help with some basic questions?"

"Sure! I saw you turn adamantium in the feeds. That's all I know. High quality work, there! Most people die, but you did not. I imagine Incorruptible is the only reason you're actually alive, though. Congrats anyway! What did you do to yourself, exactly? Or in general terms. General terms are better. I don't want you thinking I'm spying, and our conversation is absolutely being listened to."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"… Uh…" Mark was fine with being listened to, he supposed. Mark said, "I called out to you in the moment of near-death, surrounded by goblins and the Green, and then you appeared in my Binding, beside a golden flow of glitter in the rainbow dark Dreaming. You pointed and I understood, and then I put a waterwheel in my soul. I took some parts of Protect and Incorruptible body, and some parts of Union, and some adamantium, and put it into a cell-like structure that spreads everywhere and changes all incoming mana into my mana, and my body." Mark added, "I don't care for subterfuge right now, so I'm talking openly. So what the fuck was all of that that you did? To help?"

Silence.

Addavein softly said, "I'm not sure what entity you encountered in the Dreaming, but it wasn't me, Mark. I had nothing to do with your current adjustment at all… no wonder you didn't want to call me. Uh… That was not me."

… Mark turned his flight toward the north, aiming for Endless Daihoon's North Crossing, saying, "Well that's disturbing. Can you, uh, find out who it might have been— Sorry. That's a crazy question. But do you know?"

"Well… The Dreaming is a big topic and the place is full of demons, so probably either some… Was it dragon-shaped? You're sure about that?"

"Yes."

"With golden sparkles?"

"No, they were separate. I thought it was Freyala again."

Mark flew forward in his private 'jet' and the landscape ripped past, below. Buckler and Lancer were not behind him anymore, but Quark had eyes out, looking for anything and everything that was out of place. Mark adjusted the direction to the right, just so that anyone tracking with drones or whatever couldn't easily guess his location.

Addavein said, "I don't know. I have guesses! I don't actually know, though. What I do know is that when a person is close to death, the walls between them and the Dreaming vanish and their Binding is exposed to the Dreaming. Used to be there were gods in the dreaming. The Dreaming itself used to be a god. Way, way before my time. Sometimes people claim to see the Dark, like it's an entity that exists. They claim it is a dragon, or a bird, or a person with a staff. Mostly those people are just dreaming.

"In a much more reasonable theory, it could just be our talzarki connection, manifesting… Yes, actually. Yes. That seems more reasonable." Addavein chuckled. "How about that! That's neat. I wonder if I have a shadow of you around here in my soul somewhere. I'm not about to put myself into a near-death experience, but if I ever end up that way, then I hope you help me… too… Huh."

Addavein had spoken seriously about the Dreaming, but then he turned lighthearted, and then almost… curious?

Mark asked, "What's up?"

"Just… thinking. Hmm. No worries there. Nothing concerning you!" Addavein asked, "Will you be going to Endless Daihoon?"

… Mark let that topic go, he supposed, and said, "Yeah. I think I will."

"Good luck! You can't die that easily with an adamantine body, but you still could! Oh! And send a message to Blackthorn and tell him 'no thanks'. Don't give Planty an excuse to get back into the game."

"Heard and understood. Thanks, Addavein."

"Anytime, bro!"

~click~

Mark called up Isoko next, saying, "He—"

"What the FUCK! Are you okay?!"

"Long story short, I'm headed to Endless Daihoon for a while—"

"Not without me no the fuck you aren't! Turn around and come pick me up! And then you can talk about whatever the fuck that was. This fucking white-webweave bitch tried to illusion me to get away!"

Mark smiled a little—

"Sally and Eliot will want to come to Endless Daihoon, too, and absolutely Derek, and I don't know how it happened but that girl, Adriana or whatever, will probably want to come too. The Mithril Kinetic. Eliot wants her as a builder in the big castle. Maybe Julia and Barba Sacredcut, too."

"Andria?" Mark asked, naming the girl's name, and trying to comprehend the new pile of events landing in his lap. "Wait wait… That's some fucking fast plan-making."

"Well you weren't here for a few days and we all talked about it, so it's done. Endless Daihoon is a bit of a different destination than we all had in mind, but we're going. I ain't sticking around here right now, not after the umpteenth assassination attempt in as many fucking weeks. MY GODS, Mark." Isoko said to herself as much as Mark, "That fucking white bitch got away, fucking… fuck."

Mark shook his head. "It's Endless Daihoon! I'm not even sure I can keep myself safe. And I'm only going for one thing and I'll be back when my Binding is settled."

Isoko was adamant, "No new adventures without the team!"

Mark tried to talk her out of it, but she was insistent, and Mark sort of lost the will to say 'no'.

Another call was coming through, anyway.

Walaria.

"Fine fine!" Mark said, "I got another call. Pick you up somewhere. Make a plan. I'm running. Bye!"

"Soon!" Isoko said, and then she ended the call.

Quark said, "Should I dismiss Walaria's call? I answered but… I could dismiss her."

"… No," Mark said, "Put her through." A small chime, and then, with a voice full of stoic trepidation, Mark answered, "Hello, Walaria."

Second Princess Walaria said, "You have a month leave. Please take it and vanish for a while, so I can do some house cleaning. In the future, I give you permission to execute anyone who tries to pull this shit with you ever again, Mark."

~click~

"… Well okay then." Mark sighed, and then Mark added, "Please, Quark, send Yoro a full transcript of all of that stuff, and your own observations on the matters at hand, from when the archmage twins showed up and the white woman in the webweave."

"Sure! But… What happened back there?"

"Ah. Okay. It went like this…"

Soon, Quark had sent off a message and Mark got another call.

"Hello, Aurora," Mark said, as he laid back in his flying invisible pillbox.

"Hey, Mark," Aurora said. "So Buckler and Lancer are out of the settlement. I hope you come back, when you can. The house will remain protected, as much as mortals can manage."

"... I hope I come back too, Aurora. You can keep the metal I left behind."

"Already handed it over to Marigold."

"Ah, well… Thank you." Mark asked, "What happened to the archmage twins?"

"Same thing that happened to them last time they got involved in someone else's plots. They're censured to the capital, doing rote demonwork."

"Who started it? Where did the orders come from?"

"No idea. We're looking into it. Walaria is pissed, and I am, too. I'm sorry I couldn't make a safe enough settlement— I'm really… really fucking trying here, Mark." Aurora said, "Please, please come back when you can."

"... I will, Aurora."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.