We're sitting in a meeting on the terrace of Arkaim palace, for the first time using it for any purpose other than sunbathing and taking off into the sky. Several winged messengers are with us, listening to our conversation to bring the news to the various clan leaders.
During our battle with Chaos-Juzual and Mataku, Arkaim was cleansed of all devils. Kamii and Hestia came out unscathed, but many demons died, and many more are wounded. And near the end of it all, the shockwave from Tokomaha growing gigantic to stop the moon reached this city and blew across it as a massive storm.
Even with the shield array erected by the maids, the earthquake that followed caused a lot of damage to the city. The destruction is even worse than it was after the surprise siege half a year ago right when I returned. Many other cities were most likely devastated much more heavily, and the entirety of the Ogely mountains have been flattened under the God of Growth's feet.
I'd call it good riddance if the only beings that had lived there were the self-mutilating kobold cults. But in reality, many farmers and small towns near the mountains were directly affected. By now, the shockwave must have traveled across most of Ceogath and reached the oceans surrounding the continent. The whole world will get to feel the impact of Chaos-Juzual's actions eventually.
It was a success, but at a significant cost nonetheless. I'm sure that Tokomaha was visible even from the Empire of Terminus. The humans still clinging to their false gods must have had their eyes opened to the fact that the one who came to their help was somebody standing on the side of the demons. I'll have the bards spin an epic about this.
"At this rate, the moon will escape Earth's gravitational field and fly off to never return." Senka, as always, rains on my parade with the hard facts. "By my estimate, it will leave the point of no return in eleven days."
"Did I really push it that hard?" Tokomaha asks sheepishly. She has been glancing at me ever since we returned here as if waiting for me to make good on my earlier promise. Now she's worried that we will have to postpone things because of this new crisis.
"We can take care of the moon later. The bigger issue is the solar storm heading here." The doll girl waves off the problem of Earth's moon drifting away as if it were only a minor inconvenience compared to this one. She points at the sun above, which looks as bright as ever. "It's going to reach us in about four days, although we'll be on the dark side at the time."
In other words, Armeria is the projected place of impact once again. But at least we have a bit more time compared to the previous crisis. I'll have Flann teleport Aurelia, Korenga, Exla, and me to the Rhodos station tomorrow after everybody has rested up. None of the others can survive in space, so I'd rather they don't risk their lives on a space station close to the surface of the sun.
"We need to find Asoko and my children." I glance at Flann, suggesting that this time she has to make sure it's the right person. Who knows how many of those artificial Crawling Chaos creatures Mataku has created, but they will either be in a large group or single individuals meant for scouting. Therefore, finding my twin children should be easier than locating Asoko among all the single ones out there. Aside from the fact that I know where they most likely are either way.
"I believe that Mataku has now done away with the fakes he created." The blonde girl suddenly replies. Her expression doesn't tell me how confident she is in her own statement, but I'm skeptical about the source of her knowledge.
"Did Mithra tell you that?" I remember the father and daughter duo sharing eye contact for a bit before separating. He must have talked to her in a way I couldn't hear, or maybe they even held a long conversation at that moment. I have no idea how the minds and bodies of these servants of the Galactic Crawling Chaos - as I call the owner of the eyes in the sky now - work.
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"Mataku's only concern in creating those was to test how to defeat another of his kind." Flann continues to explain, which gets my attention. Before Sea Witch Rapania succeeded in those experiments for him, he never knew the limits of his own species. Even I still discover new things about me from time to time, such as having the ability to talk in space.
"So, you think he would waste the potential army that could consume the world for him?" I don't trust whatever Mithra might have told his daughter at that moment.
"I do not know his plans. That is merely what my father told me." Neither nodding nor shrugging, the blonde girl leaves me to judge the situation. "But if it is the truth, I will be able to locate Asoko without fail this time."
"Make sure you do." I may sound abrasive talking to Flann like this, but we can't afford to make mistakes that will cost us precious time at this point. "Everybody should take this night to rest. We will take care of everything tomorrow."
I look at Tokomaha to let her know that she's included with that everybody. She may have ingenious control over the Imagination Engine, but she's visibly tired after her titanic feat. We still have plenty of opportunities to do it through the night once everything is settled. The same goes for Svanhild, whose charms I discovered once again today.
"That's it for this meeting. Bring the news to the clan leaders as quickly as you can." Standing up from my seat, I gesture at the messengers. They bow to me silently before taking off into the sky.
Walking away from my position at the table, I signal that the meeting is adjourned. The attending court officials begin to leave the terrace and walk toward the door where Rewera lowers her head to see them off.
I turn to Flann with a neutral expression to avoid tipping off anybody else that I have business with her later. She doesn't show any indication that she understood, but I won't say anything more. Then I round the table and walk over to Senka before lifting her off her feet. Hugging her to my chest, I begin to head toward the door myself.
"What's wrong?" She asks, having the presence of mind to do so through telepathy. Under other circumstances, she would have complained about being pressed into my breasts, but she understands that I'm troubled right now.
I notice Kamii watching me from the corner of my eyes, but pretend not to see her. She must know that something is on my mind; for being a kuudere, she is well-attuned to the emotions of those around her. The same appears to be true for Rolan, but he doesn't think that he has the right to counsel me.
"We're in the endgame now." I reply to the doll girl's question while heading for the door, but cry out in surprise when she pinches my side. "W-what are you doing?!"
"That's forbidden!" She speaks out loud, causing everybody to stare at us in surprise. I don't know what she's talking about, but it's been a while since she got angry over something I said. Must have something to do with her idea that we're in a world of fiction rather than reality. As I explained to her before, this is my reality, so nothing changes whether Senka's worldview is real or a figment of her paranoid imagination.
Excusing myself from everybody, I go toward the door that the court officials have already left through. As I walk past Rewera, I give her the look when I want her to splurge on the meal for both my girls and the Maid Corps. They have earned it after their work today.
The maid leader looks surprised when my exit tells her that I won't be joining them. But she bows in compliance nonetheless and gestures for the maid standing in one of the corners of the terrace to deliver my order. Then she motions to follow me, but I raise a hand to let her know that I won't be needing her services after this. She bows to show that she understood once again.
I walk through the corridors of the castle and make my way to the astrology tower. Even though I was ready to talk to Senka earlier, I've decided to wait until we reach our destination. Once there, I'll have Flann join us as well.