The ball attendants had a couple of hours to prepare. The women, in particular, had to change their gowns and redo makeup and hair. It was a symbol of status to be able to present themselves with a fresh appearance between the awards ceremony and the ball.
Robert had none of these concerns. He sat in his bedroom with his pets. Not Minotaurs as they weren't pets in anyone's mind but Caroline's. As he idly stroked Poochline and Freddy's fur, he closed his eyes and dove into his Ethercosm.
His abilities jumped in proficiency greatly in the weeks since they started preparing for the tournament. It was the combination of his evolving ability to manipulate essence and the copious amounts of it he stole from the Gurglocks. Robert understood more about his affinities and what they could do. And his body was able to channel more essence with better precision.
Far from the center of his soul, he watched the two stars, one brighter than the other but the difference shrunk day by day as he kept pushing himself. Around the stars, the tiny dots of his abilities were like planets. And moving on the outskirts of everything was his 120-point artificial satellite. He hadn't tested it yet. According to the instructions Titania gave him, he should wait a few more days. Though he was eager to find out how much he could take from the satellite without burning a hole in his soul, he waited.
Since that fateful day at the ATA when he became an Archhuman and met Mickey, Robert had lived for more than seventy years in the liminal void. Added to his physical age, he was a hundred years old already. A human's lifetime. Mortal human, at least. He didn't feel like that. The time he spent in the liminal void was dull and boring, repetitive. It all blurred together in his mind.
But that time tempered his mind. In less than two years, he would start to use his artificial core. A week for the humans stuck to reality. That would also mark the moment the brooch stuck to his lapel would finish transferring its power to him. He would gain the Force affinity and add a plethora of spells to his repertoire.
The reason he picked this affinity was simple. While the discussion raged without a settlement about whether Earth or Water was the best affinity for physical defense (with Amanda holding the real answer: "both together"), Force was the best affinity for magical defense, hands down. From spells like mage armor, that coated the caster in a force field not unlike but weaker than the late Mr. Shayver's talent, to Wall of Force that created an impenetrable barrier, to the other abilities in between, Force was versatile beyond compare. Better yet, it could protect others.
And it had moderate offense too. Magic Missile, or Force Bolt, as the spell was known, could strike enemies mid-range and even acquire homing abilities. Force javelin created a spear to impale one's enemies, harder than most metals. And the Resilient Sphere, to both protect and trap creatures and objects.
Force constructs, as they were generally known, were the mainstream branch of Force magic. They were almost transparent but their outline could be seen if one was perceptive enough.
But Force could do much more. Telekinesis, the power to move objects from afar. Direct manipulation of kinetic energy. Conjure massive hands to slap one's opponents senseless or crush them as if grabbed by a giant. And even semi-autonomous constructs, like a shield-shaped plane of force that automatically blocked attacks.
One particular Force expert had this spell that could conjure a pack of transparent wolves to attack his enemies. Or swords of force that could attack on their own, requiring only a mental command to point at the target.
The only weakness of the Force was that it lacked any tempering until the third star. One shared with more ethereal affinities like Wind and Light.
He adjusted the brooch on his lapel and tapped his canine friends to let him climb off the bed. Cotton and Coal hovered off his shoulders as he stood.
"I'm sorry I can't take any of you with me. But next week we will have a recess to rest after the madness of the tournament," he said to the four bundles of fur and excitement.
He checked that each of his pets and his roommate had everything they needed, then went to the living room.
One of the minotaurs was practicing with the viola stuck underneath his chin inside a sound isolation ward. The second, also inside a sound isolation ward, had a gigantic bass Robert had ordered for him and was plucking the strings, eyes closed, vibing happily. And the third was hearing classical music on his earphones, moving his hands like a conductor.
They were well-fed and had no other needs than to express their art.
Robert left his agitated apartment and went to pick up his partner.
*
*
It wasn't a date,
Robert lied to himself.
As her bodyguard, classmate, and partner in war and genocide, he was duty-bound to pick up Amanda at the female dorm. As he entered the lobby of Amanda's building, he saw and was seen by several girls who were waiting for their escorts or just transportation. Their eyes devoured each inch of Robert's persona. Judging by the reaction, they both recognized him and liked what they saw. None made any moves, though.
He heard whispers of "he's taken" and "lucky girl". Robert was courteous whenever one of the ladies made eye contact with him but he was also steadfast in his progress. He meant business and had little time to socialize.
"I have arrived. Are you ready?" he sent via telepathy.
It required a bit more Essence to reach her but he had plenty to spare and wasn't expecting to fight tonight. Not with the Academy in an extreme state of alertness due to the Empress' presence. No number of terrorist groups would love to get a shot at being annihilated by the Imperial Knights, even though in their delusional minds, they could assassinate the Empress. No. If anything of that magnitude happened, he fully expected Serendipity to reach stage 5 in one go (the maximum was four and it required a special step).
"Sure. The door is unlocked," Amanda replied.
He opened the door and forgot to breathe. Amanda wore a light blue sleeveless gown tight around the torso opening into a fluttering skirt at hip height. The torso part had transparent fabric revealing some skin on the sides and back. Precious stones and teardrop diamonds were embroidered into the outer layer, forming an elegant pattern reminding him of growing plants. Her hair was meticulously arranged, with a jeweled tiara that snaked over and around the bun like a vine. A platinum necklace with emeralds and diamonds decorated the open decolletage. Her earrings matched the necklace with leaves and circles resembling a clambering plant.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The hem of her dress reached just above her ankles, showing her slender feet clad in a high-heel shoe in the same style as her dress. She didn't wear gloves or rings, exposing a lot of skin. She had a shawl matching the veil over her skirt she could put over her shoulders to both hide some skin and keep her warm.
Her makeup was delicate and discreet but it highlighted her green eyes and well-drawn lips. She went for an air of lightness and innocence, which matched her young age perfectly. She might be a rare orchid you couldn't touch else it would wilt.
Robert had to cycle his jade mind tempering to keep himself from whistling or howling like a wolf as in some of the ancient cartoons of two hundred years ago. Because if he didn't keep his wits about him, he might fall for her in that very instant. He couldn't peel his eyes off of her.
He found himself nodding when she asked him if he liked what he saw. Amanda giggled, raising a hand to her mouth. Her eyes seemed to sparkle. On second notice, they were sparkling, some sort of glamour over them. As she laughed, the stones on her dress shifted slightly as if they were leaves swaying on the wind. The movement was almost imperceptible.
"Shall we go?" She asked.
Robert drew in a long breath and seemed lost for a moment. Then he snapped back and offered his arm. She took it and they walked down the stairs. He could smell her perfume, subtle and ephemeral. He wondered who had the power to turn into a fairy. Jade mind's crystallization was moving forward at a rapid pace.
*
*
The women in the lobby couldn't help but stare at the most important couple of the evening. Their reaction ranged from admiration to open hostility to envy to defeat. But they couldn't take their eyes off of them. They seemed to be so perfect together, every movement each made flowing in perfect harmony and synchronicity with the other. The way he climbed a step down before her and shifted his posture slightly to help her follow him, leading but still going at her pace.
The two were comfortable with each other's presence and merged into each other's personal space in a way these girls couldn't act even after sharing intimacy with their partners.
The ones displaying open aggression or who expressed negative feelings in their faces or body language got a brief but fierce glare from Robert. A silent statement that he wouldn't allow such behavior around his partner and any attempts at escalation would be met with severe prejudice. They remembered how he obliterated Phillip Shayver and the emotion in his voice when he jumped to rescue his princess. Unwilling to suffer a similar fate, these girls looked away or just fled the scene.
Amanda had her head in the clouds. Her rational mind couldn't calculate the factorial of three even if her life depended on that. And she couldn't care less. She was drunk on the moment, on the attention the mundane act of climbing down a flight of stairs gathered just because of how they dressed and presented themselves. She was ecstatic just from holding Robert's arm, from being this close to him, from watching as he fulminated every bitch in this room.
Yes! These envious cunts should all know this Academy had room for only one power couple and this couple was Robert and her. She had to focus on keeping her face friendly and radiant. Because she wanted to smirk victoriously and gloat over her lessers. To establish dominance and put herself as the top chicken in this hen house. To be the one who pecked all the others.
To keep herself from giving in to those primal feelings and dark thoughts, she squeezed Robert's arm, feeling the taut muscles underneath the living jacket. That suit was worth every penny of the three-quarters of a million dollars she paid for it.
In a gesture of goodwill and magnanimity, Amanda met the eyes of the girls who displayed admiration and excitement at the sight of Robert and her and made them aware that she accepted their existence as acceptable. They were welcome to her clique, her entourage, and her fan club. All should worship her but she knew that every person had their own thought process. Swaying hearts to pay homage to her beauty and power was a slow process. She was even willing to forgive the bitches who scowled at her in her moment of triumph.
"Amanda, you are being scary," Robert warned through telepathy.
"What?" She asked for clarification.
"You are gloating," he explained. "Most girls here didn't notice it but I can tell. Are you gloating in your head?"
"Do you want to read it?" She teased.
"I'd never," he killed that line of conversation. "But I'm watching your face and eyes. They became scary in a few moments."
"Yes," she admitted. "I am gloating. I am daydreaming of ruling over the girls and getting drunk on their admiration and even their envy."
"Okay," Robert said. "Just don't go trampling over them. Rule with a kind heart and a soft hand."
Amanda laughed on their telepathic link. "Oh, Robert. You know nothing about ruling. Queens with kind hearts and soft hands find themselves either cheated on, beheaded, poisoned, or sent to a monastery earlier than they should."
"Try not to crush the other girls too much, then?" He compromised.
"I won't promise anything."
Robert knew she was only joking. Or at least he thought he knew. These girls were sugar, spice, and all things nice only on the surface. Each of them was as eager to rip the others apart as any group of male students. The only difference was the weapons. And right now, Amanda had each of the others at gunpoint.
*
*
He felt relieved that Amanda had returned to her normal self once they left the dorm. They walked the short distance to the convention center slowly, enjoying each other's company. He caught himself wishing he could extend this walk forever, to grasp the magic of the moment and crystallize it forever. He glanced at the lady he was escorting and found her glamoured eyes shining onto his.
Unable to resist, Robert used his primary talent. The night lost its colors and the stars vanished from the firmament as they entered the liminal void.
"Robert!" Amanda shouted in surprise. "What are you doing?"
He made a quarter-turn with his body and grabbed her left hand in his right hand. He slid his left hand around the small of her back, feeling each thread of her dress and the soft body underneath it.
Without taking his eyes off of her, he pulled her closer.
"I am stealing the first dance," he said. "For the next twenty-three days."
They wouldn't grow tired in the liminal void. And Robert didn't believe he would grow bored of her company.
Amanda found her corset too tight. She couldn't breathe even though she didn't need to breathe in the liminal void. Her head spun, and her mind swam as she considered all the possibilities. Her heart beat fast enough for the both of them since Robert didn't have a heartbeat anymore. She wanted to keep close to him and the prospect of dancing with him, just the two of them for more than three weeks seemed like a dream.
And they danced. Just the two of them, in perfect harmony.
But they didn't remain alone for long.
Amanda had no idea how long they were dancing when she saw they weren't alone but it wasn't enough. She saw a couple of anthropomorphic cartoon mice, bodies black like midnight, with big round ears atop their heads and friendly faces. The gentleman wearing red shorts with two buttons, white gloves, and brown shoes. The lady wore a red bloomer skirt with white dots, low-heel shoes, a large bow in front, and a bow hat with a daisy.
The couple of obvious spirits danced along with them for a while before Robert noticed them.
"Mickey! Minnie!" He called, excited and happy.
"Te-he, hey Robert! Long time no see! Golly, you surely look handsome!" The male mouse spirit, Mickey, said with a squeaky voice.
"Oh, good evening, Robert. Amanda," The female, Minnie, replied. "A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Samson! I'm Minnie, and this is Mickey."
The names finally made sense to her. Mickey and Minnie were popular cartoons back before the rift cataclysm. But she couldn't believe it. Two spirits, here in the liminal void. And spirits capable of manifesting outside the Netherecho.
"Robert, do you know them?" She asked with notes of fear in her voice. Spirits could be very, very dangerous if they decided to attack.
"Yes, they are my friends. Back before I met you at the Mollusk Passage, Mickey was basically my roommate in the park. And Minnie, we rescued her from that cultist that impersonated Marcus. The one that definitely got away."
Amanda felt betrayed. "You never told me you had a spirit as a roommate!"
"With reason," Robert said seriously as he stopped dancing. "What would you do if you knew I were friends with a unique spirit? Or two? What would Titania do if she learned of their existence?"
Amanda froze. Her rational mind finally broke the charm it had under ever since Robert opened her apartment door. Robert cared for these spirits. They weren't just Ether constructs that could grant any Archhuman that managed to subdue and capture them a huge boost in power. Priceless commodities that could spark a war...
OH.
Fuck.