HILPOAPOLIS celebrated. And it mourned those who sacrificed to bring that celebration. Those important events served, in addition, as a means to bide time while the Ushabti – who had done their part to link all the relays in the tombs – the Palace of Progress and OPUI agents worked with the beacon to create a gate through which the war party of the Divine Siblings could depart; and while that party gathered their hands, resources and dead. Among the various feasts, parades, g

 “What did we tell you?” Vanessa said to the Spawn generals. “Knocked those doofuses out in a day,” Anna said. “We didn't even have to fudge the scores,” Bates said. “Not that we would,” Axy said, giving Bates a hard pat on the back. “You are correct,” General Amiccin said, bearing a begrudging expression. “It did brighten spirits, if for a day,” Nadalia commented. “But we have no time to dwell on that victory,” General Cateora said,

 “What’s the count?” Lauren questioned Hanno. “Out of the two-thousand and eight-hundred some we had up, three-hundred dead,” Hanno said, getting off his horse. “That’s much more than I would have liked,” Lauren said, teeth hard together. “Those horse-fucking, hawk-laying skates got a fair many of the riders out during the charge,” Hanno said, taking off his helmet, “but the most numbers came after the big fight started.” “We should’ve shored

 Forty Desert and Plains Territories cavalry, twenty-four Sharpshooters, sixty Bureau cavalry, twenty Bureau motorcyclists, eighty Spawn equites, thirty Spawn cataphracts, twenty Ushabti riders, eighteen Amazons, sixty Grecinman horseriders, twelve Grecinman knights, six Liggiwitharūs knights and ten Guard-Knights rode north-northeast, accompanied by ferriers, hostlery, artillery and reserve foot soldiers. The Siblings rode with them, and an unusual smattering of officers came along, too.

 Lauren had to admit that it was a neat trick, even after the fourth go-around. Maricica had made good on Alba’s vague instruction, and Lauren, Ume and Su soon found themselves placed conspicuously on some table. Lauren had figured that they yet remained in the capital, for there is a difference between “inconvenient” and “painful”. It had taken about ten minutes to confirm that fact, which came in the form of the passing of a python-esque Elementalist by that table. Since th

Lauren and her siblings stood among the epicenter of the Palace of Progress’ local work. Tools whirred. Consoles blinked. Machines hummed. Hands crafted. Progress happened. A smattering supply of native materials lay dispersed throughout the zone, treasure to the explorative minds of the Palace of Progress. Vanessa was very interested in all the goings-on. The eight siblings walked up to a wide communal workbench, made of an alloy frame, plastic surfaces and neon wiring. Harland and Su stood a

 “It’s obviously a trap,” Lauren said. “No shit,” Vanessa said. “They’ve been camped on the other side of the mountains for weeks, and suddenly, they want a meeting,” Lauren said. She gestured at Jeannie. “How did they phrase it again?” “I don’t speak whatever dialect that is, but the message amounted to all nine of you going to the top of the tallest mountain in the range and bringing some of your ‘home skillets’,” Agent Jeannie said. Many

 “Why didn’t you tell us she had fucking moon laser powers?” Lauren asked. “We did not know she was capable of such a thing,” General Cateora said. “If any of the legions had encountered it, we would have been informed by now,” General Amiccin said, placing her hand on her chest. “Do you think we would send our people against such devastation without preparation?” “There are a few reasons that you would,” Bates replied. “How dare you!” General A

 At HILPOAPOLIS’ port, the Hushed Bride was preparing for launch. Along with a half-dozen other ships, the pride and joy of Captain Theresah would be joining the rest of the fleet, Melody and her unit of Mermaids and Aquakin and the legions under the command of Outrider General Vbrociv. Lauren stood on the dock alongside Theresah, Nadalia, May and Ume. Instead of her usual flowing shirt and long skirt, May was wearing a white shirt with puffy sleeves, trousers striped brown and white like

 “Look, what use do you have for it?” Lauren asked. “You clearly aren’t using it. In fact, I’m willing to bet you aren’t allowed to use it, so give it to us. What’s the harm?” “You have asked for far too much of us, already,” General Amiccin responded. Lauren had managed to coerce the substitutive governess of the empire into talking with her alone in the military offices. They were discussing the means of inter-realm travel that Hilpoaen had used to invade the

 The divine host were preparing to move out to join the battlefields alongside their empirical allies, and Lauren and her siblings were preparing to make their visit east to the base of Aniśa. Adjustments had been made to the established troop arrangements. Lielkie and the Dragons would be joining the Giants and Thaunon against Ābadir’s forces. Hellen’s band, the Smokelatch volunteers, P.E. Stilence’s group, the Ni’Cailin Family and Mor’s mercenaries were to march ahead of the m

 “With Nfru out of the way, there are six fronts, now, is that correct?” Lauren asked the empire’s generals. “That is correct,” General Cateora answered. “Where is the weakest line?” Bates asked. “That would be against the warlord Ābadir,” one of the Spawn generals said, pointing at point northeast of HILPOAPOLIS on a map. “His movements are unceasing, and his army is dense.” “He is making his return with extreme aggression,” the one-handed gen

 The Divine Siblings and their cohort of leaders strode towards the building in which the empire’s remaining generals met to create strategy and order. While it suited the grandness of HILPOAPOLIS, it was pragmatic in its design; fantastic but not flamboyant. The structure was tall enough to fit those up to Ginny’s height, as it had been built with the Outrider Generals in mind, one of whose likeness she possessed. However, Charoita and Lielkie were too tall, so they would be fitted wit

 Lauren took herself out of her own stomach after much thinking. She stood once again in front of that grand view of the city of HILPOAPOLIS, and she found herself alone. She glanced over her shoulder at the three revelatory statues. Taking a deep breath, Lauren circled the regal residence until she reached the path leading down the hill, which she promptly descended. The Spawn guards were at their standing positions, no longer kneeling. Upon making her way back into the city, Lauren strode

 “I… I don’t understand,” Nadalia said, staring up at the statue of Giselle. Terrica looked to the side, down at the ground. Lauren grimaced. “That is my mother,” Nadalia said, face wavering. “Between the Grand Sorceress and that other woman.” “And she has wings,” Strea said, taking off her bycocket, face as shocked as the rest of Lauren’s friends, save one. “Why is she there?” Nadalia questioned. “Why… why… why…?” Terrica ra

 Alongside two cohorts of the southernmost outrider legions (of which only a fraction the Siblings’ army had seen at the old border), the Divine Siblings’ army rode through a sclerophyllous forest. The Siblings, as always, strode at the point with their pets, and General Cateora kept near them. She did not fly as expected, but trekked on her legs. The two hosts travelled on a road cut through the forest, and they had been on the road for a full day. It had been two days since the Sphinx

 “Sixteen dead, fifty-three wounded, ten unconscious, four missing,” Nadalia reported to the Siblings. A cleanup process was in effect around the oasis. Casualties from both sides were being carried away, and the Elementalists’ encampment was being scrounged for supplies and data. The vanguard would reunite with the rear unit within the next hour, and the recombined forces would join the new camp which was to be set up five miles southeast from the oasis, just past the edge of th

 The Siblings headed north with Ash’s twenty-six mages (twenty-seven, including herself), Rita and the eighteen other Amazons, eighty guards of the Core Realm including Acting Captain Hanno, forty soldiers of the Liggiwitharūs Holds, Copallixtli and her elite guards (sans their dragons), Matron Foa and Rauð and ten more Winter Knights and Hellen’s group of fighters, along with Nadalia, Terrica and Melody, all as the Siblings’ main battle force for the upcoming obstacle. Alongside th

 “Lazy, arrogant and gluttonous,” Lauren said, beginning the morning command meeting. “I’m sure we’ve all dealt with plenty of those types,” Circe said, taking a sip of black coffee. She received numerous agreements. “We didn’t get a chance to judge their abilities,” Lauren continued. “Combat abilities, at least. They can use magic, elemental magic, but they were using it for fashion.” “Figures,” Su said, adding plenty of sugar cubes from her ow

 On the morning following the day of their arrival in the Coarse Realm, the first meeting of action occurred in a specialized command tent. Utilizing spacial enchantments and Y-axis compatibility fields, the larger acting commanders were able to fit inside along their smaller peers. Folding tables and chairs, collapsable desks, lightweight benches, freestanding counters, pegboards, dry erase boards, bulletin boards, holographic displays, computers, terminals, data pads, tape recorders, blan

 From a calm haze, the divine host marched into a new realm, and they found themselves among tombs. Wind lightly whipped sand up from the ground into Lauren’s face from atop her steed, and she made a small smile. The war party’s arrival point into the Coarse Realm landed them in the transitory lands between a desert and a semi-arid region. Their guide was no longer present, returned to the afterlife of her wander. Lauren glanced at her friends, her siblings and her knight. Nadalia