Hold over Myriad of Worlds

Days later, the situation deteriorated to the point that a permanent defense line had to be established at the foot of the mountain. I was in charge of a small group of shrine guards and refugees that manned it, fighting off waves of demons appearing ever more often.

-"Do not falter! Keep the line!"

I stood with a sword in front of the line, killing as many enemies as I could. Corpses were already piled up around me, making it difficult to find stable footing.

-"Reinforcements are already on their way!"

With every swing of my sword, a demon would be killed, but no matter how many of them would die, more quickly flooded to replace losses. Losses of our forces were growing rapidly as exhausted defenders started falling to the demons. I continued to fight, keeping monsters from ascending the mountain.

An hour later, Saiguu arrived with reinforcements, but by then, only I remained, fighting against the demons. We were able to push the monsters back and start to clear the battlefield.

-"Check for wounded. Bring bodies back of fallen for burial. When everyone is accounted for, burn the demons' remains."

-"Yes!"

-"Yue."

-"Saiguu? I have to help to rebuild the defense line."

-"Yue, how long can we hold on?"

-"As long as we have to."-I started working with the reinforcements to rebuild the defense line.

-"Yae wanted you to return."

-"Too dangerous. I have to be here in care of attack."

-"You haven't returned for over a week."

-"Tell her that I'm sorry."

-"Sigh."

An hour later, the defense line was repaired, and all killed were taken for burial. Only I and Saiguu remained here. She was in deep thought, looking troubled.

-"What are you thinking about so deeply?"

-"Thinking about what I should do."

-"Don't leave regrets."

-"Sigh. You may be right."

-"You should return."

-"Next night, I'll organize soldiers to allow you a night of rest."

-"I'll thank you in advance then."

She returned to the shrine while I remained on the watch. When she disappeared from the view, Yae showed herself next to me.

-"She made her decision."

-"Yes."

-"I wonder if she will try to convince me with free fried tofu this time."

-"I think you would buy it again."

-"Probably true. I still can't forget the tofu you made. I would sell myself into slavery for an unlimited amount of those."

-"I'll remember that."

-"I have to go back, or she will look for me."

Yae then disappeared, rushing back to the summit.

As Saiguu promised, I was able to return to the shrine the next night. The three of us sat together and drank sake Saiguu prepared. I played a little music, and Yae told some stories while Saiguu listened to us and drank.

-"Yae, you should go to sleep... No, you are already sleeping. Saiguu, what sake is this? I never drunk something as strong."

-"Divine sake."

-"You..."

-"Oh? You know about the meaning of exchanging divine sake, especially between Kitsune."

-"Ugh."

-"I apologize for doing it. I feel sorry for Yae. But as you said. I won't leave any regrets."

-"..."

-"Are you angry?"

-"Yes. Who wouldn't be when you effectively performed a marriage ceremony between us?"

-"Haha, don't be hunged up on minor details."

-"Sigh."

-"Well, it's already too late to take it back."

-"I'll never hear the end of that."

-"Don't worry. We might not be able to see each other ever again, so keep this night a secret."

What happened next is better to be left unsaid. I woke up the next morning, my head on Yae's lap. She was stroking my head while scrutinizing me with an amused look.

-"Should I say congratulations or scream cheater?"

-"Sigh, don't get me started."

-"Well, this time, it was Saiguu's fault, so I'll cut you some slack. But tell me, with your strength, shouldn't it be easy to not be affected by the sake and aphrodisiac later?"

-"I could do this, but when she performed the ceremony, she gave me her orb."

-"Hoshi no Tama?!"

-"Yes. If I were to not complete the ceremony, she would never change her status from slave to me."

-"She put all on one card."

-"You can believe that I'm not happy for being put in such a place. Sigh."

-"Haha, It's rare to see you so defeated. Only a fox can trick another fox."

-"I'll go and save her, later bring her to the rest of the family. I'll leave how to solve this matter to you. Just don't cross my bottom line."

-"Don't worry, go and bring her back."

Leaving the shrine, I looked up into the sunny sky. There were no more dark clouds there. All miasma disappeared, and the roars of demons also quietened down. Knowing that my plan had succeded, I started dispersing the dream, leaving only part where Saiguu was.

Moving near her, I could see her recovering the remaining memories that were sealed by me before. The long years of solitude in all-consuming darkness before death.

Seeing her smile even in the face of such dramatic scenes, I sighed and shook my head. I sat in front of her, waiting for her to wake up. Soon, the entire dream disappeared, and Yae appeared next to me.

-"So quick?"

-"She didn't need my help. Those almost three months must have affected her more than I expected."

-"Heh, this sounds almost like boasting about your wooing skills."

-"..."

Yae sat next to me, looking at her mentor.

-"Will she be all right?"

-"Yes. She is about to wake up."

-"I'm already awake."

-"Remember everything?"

-"Yes. Sorry for being so pathetic during our first meeting."

-"What you went through would break anyone."

-"Thanks. For everything."

-"You ready to return to living?"

-"Yes. Lead the way."

Waking up back in my workshop, I checked if something had happened during the five days it took to save Saiguu. Seeing the stack of documents waiting for me, I knew what was waiting for me.

-"Now, can you explain to me who did I marry?"

-"Yae, can you take Saiguu around and explain to Astraea what happened?"

-"Ok. Saiguu, should I call you sister now?"

-"Why not."

After the two Kitsune left, I teleported to my office to start catching up on my work. Sometime later, Astraea and Ninggunag visited me. After explaining the details of what had happened in the dream, they made me add evening playing zither and drinking to our family's daily routine as a form of apology.

The next day, Makoto visited me, thanking me for reviving all her companions. I already heard that all three of them joined Duty to help in Hold. Saiguu specifically decided to work at the Ministry of Culture. She took charge of the worship of Nature.

The next few days in Hold passed rather unevenly. I worked most of the day, moving between my office and laboratories. At the same time, back on Runeterra, I just finished my tour of Demacia with the girls and was about to go back when the guards stopped us.

-"Stop! How dare you filthy mages walk the white streets of Demacia!"

-"Sigh. It was so close."

-"You thought that trobules would avoid us, Yue?"

-"I truly believed in that, Tomoe."

-"Can I kill them?"

-"Calm down, Kiyohime."

During our talk, the knights surrounded us, pointing their swords.

-"Surrender and stand the trial!"

-"Leave."

-"Surrender!"

-"Sigh. Who will do it?"

-"Leave them to me."

-"Again, don't kill them."

-"Yes, yes."

Kiyohime stepped forward and brought out her fan, tapping her palm with it. She then opened it with a snap, manifesting her serpent Battle Spirit around us. An overpowering aura appeared along with it, knocking most of the soldiers out.

-"My beloved told you to leave, yet you dare to stay. And calling him filth... Unforgivable!"

Hugging Kiyohime, who entered her yandere state, to calm her down, I looked at Jingliu to take care of the situation. She had Jeanne heal the unconscious soldiers while waiting for reinforcements that their captain called.

A few minutes later, three men and two women approached us, being on guard the whole time. The man at the center had an aura of a ruler, and all five of them were clearly seasoned warriors.

-"Speak, who are you?!"

-"We are just travelers who were pestered by your people."

-"Why would my knight attack you?"

-"They shouted something about filthy mages."

-"Are you mages?"

-"Not exactly."

-"You better speak clearly."

-"Tsk. Jeanne, stop trying to accommodate them. It's unbecoming."

-"Nian, Yue asked us not to cause more problems."

-"I'm aware, but I can't stand that man looking at us from above like that."

-"Watch your mouth, girl. You stand before a King."

-"Heh, mere young dragon dare to speak like that before us?"

Nian let out some of her aura, her draconic eyes looking into the dragon woman, suppressing her by sheer advantage in bloodline purity. Seeing that the situation was getting worse, I shot a look to Ling, who bonked Nian on the head.

-"Stop it."

-"Tsk."

-"Sorry for her. Having seen Noxus and Demacia, she is keen to blow off some steam."

-"Are you dragons?"

-"Some of us. This matter was started by your soldiers. Nothing happened to them, and so we will leave."

-"Sadly, it's impossible. You have to answer our questions."

-"Sigh. Can't we truly avoid confrontation?"

Suddenly, a powerful aura appeared in the sky, quickly falling where we were. A winged woman stopped between us and Demacia's party.

-"Stop, King of Demacia."

-"Protector!?"

-"Those people are not your enemies."

She turned and looked at us, and after finding me in the midst, she landed in front of me and bowed politely in greeting.

-"I greet The Immortal Fire."

-"I'm not her."

-"But her power lives in you, making you her Aspect."

-"You are mistaken. Feng, can you explain?"

Feng appeared by my side, as I called her here because she was free in Hold.

-"I haven't seen you in some time, Child of Mihira."

-"This... You must be the human form of The Immortal Fire. I greet you."

-"Where is your sister? You always were inseparable."

-"..."

-"Oh my. It seems that there is a story behind this silence."

-"Excuse me, Protector."

We looked at the Demacian king, who now lost his overbearing aura form before.

-"Speak."

-"Can you tell who we encountered?"

-"This man."-She signaled at me.-"Is the person responsible for the matter of Shadow Isles, the contractor of Celestial, The Immortal Fire."

The silence followed, broken only by Feng.

-"Your name was Kayle, right? I'm now known as Feng, so call me that."

-"Yes."

-"Can you tell me why you showed here?"

-"To see the person responsible for cleansing the Isles."

-"You came to judge him?"

-"Yes. But my power does not work on him."

⌊ Who dares to judge death?~⌉

-"You are too weak to judge me."

-"It would appear so."

-"You seem unconvinced."

-"I never meet being that could not be judged, as if good and evil don't exist in you."

-"Young Kayle, Yue can't be measured by those, as he is part of nature."

-"A part of nature? But even Spirits can be judged."

-"But not True Spirits."

⌊ Heh, the bird speak right.⌉

-"How about we move from the middle of the street? I believe there are better places to talk."

-"Please, come with me."

Following the King of Demacia, we entered the castle and sat down in one of the rooms. After quick introductions, we continued our talk.

-"So your mother sent you here, Kayle?"

-"Yes, Lady Feng. She told me that finding him would allow me to understand my power better."

-"I don't know how to help you. While I have some knowledge in concepts such as Karma, I don't pursue Justice."

-"Yue, I believe her mother wants Kayle to gain experience."

-"Can you take care of her?"

-"I don't mind, but will you allow her to follow me?"

-"I don't mind, just watch over her."

-"Ok."-Feng looked at Kayle-"What about your sister?"

-"Mother wanted me to find her."

-"Yue, can you locate her?"

I nodded and performed a quick Divination.

-"She is nearby in forests at the border of Demacia."

-"I'll look for her."

-"Wait, Kayle, you better stay here. From what I understand, your parting was not on good terms. I'll bring her here while you speak with Jarvan, as he seems eager to talk with you."

-"Good."

As Feng left the room, it was now Demacians turn to speak.

-"I apologize for my soldiers. We are now in a rather complicated situation because of rebellion."

-"I don't mind. Just keep in mind that magic is a tool, like a sword. It's the wielder, not the tool itself, that is wrong."

-"I'm well aware, but traditions are hard to change."

-"You seem to have some questions. Ask them."

-"Are you some kind of ruler?"

-"Why do you think so?"

-"You have a similar aura as my father."

-"I'm, but not from here."

-"Hmm..."

-"Those who follow you are all powerful warriors. I would truly like to try my mettle against them."-Spoke a Demacian human woman named Fiora.

-"I think we can try something later, but with your strength, don't expect to win."

-"This is why I want to fight. Weaker foes won't help me grow."

-"I don't mind looking at some fight during our talk. How about moving to the training arena?"

-"Let's go."

We walked a short walk to the arena and sat on tribunes.

-"So, who wants to fight?"-Fiora asked, looking at us.

-"Me."-Ch'en stood and walked to the field.

-"It's rare to fight a dragon. It's my honor."

-"I'm not a dragon, but Lung."

-"I never heard of such race."

Ch'en nodded and took her swords, getting ready to start. Two of them didn't need a signal to start, rushing at each other when both were ready.

At first, Ch'en kept a defensive posture, trying to get a grip on Fiora's abilities. Under continuous attacks of Fiora rapier, she was able to stand her ground.

-"Impressive! Few could stand under my attacks."

-"Not as strong as Jingliu, fast as Sakura, or tricky as Cellinia."

Ch'en decided to become her offense, unleashing her sword style known as Chi Xiao. Her two swords started moving even faster than Fiora before, bushing her step back with every attack.

The Ch'en attack continued until her sword landed on Fiora's shoulder. She stopped her attack before it could injure the duelist, but the loss was a loss.

-"I admit, you are strong."

-"You are also not bad. You lost because of your stiff style. Try fighting some unorthodox fighters."

-"That may be so. I always considered such styles unhonorable."

-"Honor is not how you fight, but why."

-"I'll remember those words."

Two of them returned, but Fiora was still intending to fight. This time, Tomoe was one to come forward. She used her naginata this time, as bow would not fare well against Fiora.

Two of them had a much more equal fight. Fiora was able to leave some wounds on Tomoe, receiving some burns in exchange. In the end, they decided on a tie, as none wanted to unleash stronger techniques.

During the fights, Fang returned with Kayle's sister Morgana, who now looked at her sister, raising the tension. Kayle also locked eyes with her, not shying away from the challenge.

Knowing what would take place next, I asked Feng to take care of them while I reinforced the area to not break under the strength of two aspects. A few minutes later, two winged women floated in the arena, ready to solve their differences.