As Maxine escorted Emily to the space port with grandma Victoria, she felt dumbfounded at how quickly the Alliance decided on when and where the war between the Kavros and the Divine Marks clans would take place. What had left her so surprised was that it had only taken them twenty minutes to decide on it. If she didn't know any better, she would've believed that they had planned for this very set of events. However Maxine had seen Boreas place a communication disk on his lap just before going into a meditative state and watched as the communication disk lit up like a rainbow a moment later.

Grandma Victoria had explained that Boreas was talking to them with spiritual sense. It would expedite the discussion since using this method would be thousands of times faster than it would by speaking orally. It made sense to her why they did it that way since cultivators could think far faster than they could speak.

Regardless, at least she knew how much longer she had before her clone had to be sent off to go fight. Which was in three days and that was if they wanted going to make it to the conflict planet at the assigned time.

Thankfully the planet they chose was devoid of intelligent life. The only problem was that the beasts would be just as big of a threat as the combatants from the Divine Marks clan. The few gold stage beasts that were on that planet were exclusively aquatic.

"Do you want me to pass any messages on to Claudia or Silky?" Emily asked. That question pulled Maxine out of her own thoughts.

"No, I have that mostly covered. I left a few of my constructs in their shadows before leaving. Although I have to speak through one of my ravens to talk to mom. I'm afraid that she would have a heart attack if I were to try using spiritual sense to talk to her," Maxine said. Although, I wish I hadn't told Silky that she could talk to me through my ravens. Ever since she found out, she has been bugging me to let her come visit.

"Really? Your ravens can talk?" Emily asked.

"Yeah, it's not that hard actually. Ravens can mimic human speech with a bit of training," Maxine said, "All I had to do was modify them to have my voice."

"That's incredible," Emily said in awe.

"It's not that incredible. My dragon is way more amazing. It can breath fire, fly and act as a distraction if I need to flee. I can also use it as my mount," Maxine bragged.

"How did you manage to make it? Earth doesn't have any winged dragons and the only thing that comes close is that dragon that Guan fought," Emily said and she seemed to get suspicious as she continued, "In fact, besides the color and size, they look almost identical."

"Because that dragon is the creature I modeled mine after. Guan scanned it for me with his spiritual sense and sent all of it's physilogical data to me. It took me awhile to absorb it all without roasting my brain," Maxine answered, "And trust me, it was not easy to scale that big boy down to a more manageable size. Although, I have no idea why it changed colors."

Emily's eyes started to sparkle before she asked, "Can I go for a ride on it during my next visit?"

"Of course," Maxine said, but added via spiritual sense, [I can arrange for that to happen a day or two after you get back to Earth and take you for a short flight. Although I won't be able to give you a ride on Earth. I don't want to scare the hell out of people with dragon sightings. God knows how people will react to it.]

"I look forward to it," Emily said with a smile.

"Just be warned, I havn't had time to fashion a saddle for it yet, so we will have to go bareback," Maxine finished her sentence at a very inopportune time as Patrick and the rest of ambassador Sutton's group got within hearing range. A chorus of snickering followed from everyone of them with the exception of the good ambassador. God damn those juvenile assholes.

"And what will you guys be doing bareback?" Patrick asked with obvious amusement.

Before Maxine could say anything, Emily answered, "Going for ride on her dragon."

"Oh? I heard she had one of those. I was wondering why she hadn't brough that beastie out to play during our sparing matches?" Patrick asked.

"It would have made the arena quite crowded and it would have caused a lot of damage," Maxine said honestly, "It's almost the size of a school bus afterall." If I brought it out, it wouldn't have been sparring. It would have been a one-sided beat down in my favor.

"Oh, that's disappointing. I would've loved to fight a dragon," Patrick answered cheerfully.

"You're joking right? I can hardly keep up with my dragon. It would've demolished you," Maxine answered.

"You're probably right, but still it would've been interesting to fight it," Patrick answered with casually, "By the way, where do you keep that thing? I didn't see any stable big enough to housed it while I have been here."

"Because it isn't. I have it roam around the planet with my wolves," Maxine lied.

"Oh, so that's what you do with them. I thought you just stored them in that place within your shadow," Patrick answered. Shut the fuck up! I don't want anyone to know about that place!

"So, what are you guys going to do once you get back to Earth?" Maxine asked to change the subject.

"Act as bodyguards, hunt essence beasts for materials and train up the new recruits for my guild," Patrick said. Did he just say guild? When did that happen? Neither Silky or Emily have said anything to me about it.

"You have a guild?" Maxine asked with curiosity.

"Yeah, it's kind of like your school. The only difference is that I stuck around to lead them," Patrick said.

"You know why I had to leave," Maxine said, "Meagan should have at the very least told you that much."

"Yes, she told me your version of it," Patrick answered. Oh god damn it. Please, don't tell me he is trying to pick a fight with me.

"It's the truth," Maxine asserted.

"Fine, I won't argue with you," Patrick said casually.

Maxine shrugged and continued walking towards the spaceport with everyone. Along the way, she felt uncomfortable as several men from within her clan kept looking at her with gazes full of curiosity. She had no idea why they were doing that since they had walked through the city many times in the past. She made a mental note to find out the reason for their stares later.

Once at the spaceport, Maxine gave Emily a hug and a short and loving kiss. "I'm really going to miss you," Maxine said softly into Emily's ear before parting from her embrace.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"I will too and you be careful. I don't want you taking any unnecessary risks during that stupid war," Emily said.

"I can't promise that, but I will try," Maxine said. I really wish I could promise that to Emily, but I know that there will be situations where my new friends will be in deep shit. And I will need to bail them out.

"You never change," Emily sighed and she noticed the impatient looks of the others, "I need to get going now. Take care of yourself."

"I will and you have a safe trip," Maxine said and Emily nodded as she joined the others while ambassador Sutton was finishing up his farewells to grandma Victoria.

A few moments passed before their whole group headed up the ramp into the same space ship that they arrived on. The ramp closed and the ship began to hum as it slowly rose off the ground. Maxine could only watch as the ship ascended into the sky. She kept standing and looking at the sky after it had turned into a speck in the sky and disappeared.

"I would say something comforting, but you and I both know that you could visit her any time you wanted," Grandma Victoria said.

"True," Maxine replied and they both stood in silence once more.

Grandma Victoria broke that silence again by asking a question, "Are you absolutely certain that you want to participate in the war with the Divine Marks clan?" That was random.

"Yes, I'm sure," Maxine answered, "Why do you keep asking me that anyways?" Grandma had asked her that six times so far since yesterday. It was bothering her a great dea to be asked that so much.

"You saw those young men looking at you right?" Grandma Victoria asked and Maxine nodded her head, "Well, they were curious as to whom you were going to pair up with. After a life and death battle, it's common for young men and women to feel ... How do I put this?..."

"So they are hoping that my instincts to reproduce will be so high that I won't be able to think straight, right?" Maxine said it for grandma Victoria.

"Yes, that is one way of putting it," grandma Victoria answered, "I don't want you being taken advantage of in such a situation."

"Grandma, let me put this as honestly as I can. I have no sexual interest in men, at all," Maxine stated, "In fact, the only way they could get me to do anything of that nature is if they drugged me. If that happens, I don't care who they are. I WILL kill them in the most painful way that I can imagine afterwards."

"That's if I don't get my hands on them first," grandma Victoria growled, "That sort of thing is completely prohibited within our clan especially during war time."

"I know. I memorized all of the clan's rules," Maxine said, "So, are there any restrictions as to what kind of weaponry or constructs that I can bring to this war?"

"Not that I can think of," grandma Victoria said, "Almost any form of attack or information gathering is allowed. The only things that are truely prohibited by the Alliance's rules during wars are rape or the execution of prisoners." Oh, thank god. I was going to ask about those two things. I wouldn't want to experience rape even if it's through my clone and I really don't want to loose my clone if I have to surrender.

"So, I could use poison, like Guan, if I wanted to?" Maxine asked.

"No, but dousing the edge of a blade with a debilitating poison is allowed as are the natural venoms found on the claws of your battle form," grandma Victoria said. Well that rule makes a hell of a lot of sense. A skilled poisoner could wipe out a large portion of the enemy's forces with a single poisonous cloud. Hell, even Earth, has rules everyone must follow during a war like no using nukes, chemical or biological weapons. It's not surprising that the Alliance has rules to conflicts as well.

"That's good to know. I would hate to be tried for a war crime," Maxine said.

"Indeed. Just be sure to bring your dragon construct with you. I can imagine that it will cause severe losses to the Divine Marks clan's forces," grandma Victoria said while smiling.

"That it will and I will have about one hundred of my shadow wolves join in the hunt as well," Maxine said with a vicious smile.

"Good, those constructs of yours will definitely give our clan an advantage, but not a very big one I'm afraid. There will be tens of thousands of combatants for our side and theirs," grandma Victoria said, "Now there is one other thing that I need to tell you. Boreas wants to talk to you."

"Really? What for?" Maxine asked.

"No idea. I only know that he wants to," grandma Victoria said.

"Alright. Any idea where he is right now?" Maxine asked.

"No, but he will come find us once we get back home," grandma Victoria said as she beckoned Maxine to follow her.

It didn't take long for them to return back to the mansion and Maxine saw that Boreas was waiting for them just inside. He quickly walked up to Maxine and took her hand before putting a particularly ugly dark grey ring on her index finger. Maxine looked at it and to Boreas as she gave him a curious look.

"It's to protect your chastity by giving anyone that tries to violate you a very unpleasant experience involving fire and lightning," Boreas explained and Maxine gave him a dubious look, "Even though, there are rules against rape, but not everyone follows those rules. And observers can be bribed to look the other way as well. It's a sad, but cruel, truth and I don't want it to happen to you." Maxine felt her heart softened a bit towards Boreas. He is looking out for me. I guess he isn't such a bad grandpa afterall. Although I am not sure why he even bothered. Doesn't he know that I can literately transfer my clone to the base camp with a thought? I thought that would be something grandma would have told him. No point in telling him now. It would be too easy for someone to listen in to our conversation.

"Thank you, Boreas," Maxine said warmly. She had been very tempted to call him grandpa just this one time, but it still didn't feel right to do that just yet.

"You're welcome, Maxine," Boreas said just as warmly back, "Is there anything you need or want to know before I return to my duties?"

"Not right now," Maxine said and remembered something, "Oh! Silky wanted to come visit for the day. Is that okay?"

"Oh? Is that your adopted daughter? She's an arachne, right?" Boreas asked as a small smile appeared on his lips. He was clearly hopeful that Silky would call him great grandpa.

"Yes, she is on both counts and she has been anxious about meeting her auntie and great grandparents for the past two years," Maxine said, "So can she come for a visit?"

"Yes, of course she can, but she must be restricted to the mansion's grounds while she is here," grandma Victoria said happily without giving Boreas an opportunity to refuse. I didn't expect grandma to be the one to say yes. She has never voiced any feelings for Silky in the past.

"Thanks and I already anticipated that, grandma," Maxine said.

"Good. Now go see your sister. She will be excited to see Silky," grandma Victoria said and added via spiritual sense in one quick burst, [I will be along shortly to see your sweet little girl.]

Maxine nodded before she headed towards Orianna's room. She had wanted to bring over Silky while Emily was there, but the chances that ambassador Sutton would have said something were too high. She didn't want anyone to know that she could travel between planets in an instant with little effort.

Once in Orianna's room, Maxine saw Orianna and Madam Neshan were in the process of playing a game of chess. "Hey, Orianna. Are you ready to meet Silky?" Maxine asked after closing the door behind her.

"Yes, I would love to meet my adopted neice!" Orianna said happily.

"Okay, I will bring her over now," Maxine said as she opened a portal straight to Silky's room and sent a mental signal to Silky for her to come through. Thankfully, Maxine had run this by her mother already. She was just happy to have a break from Silky's enormous appetite that was burning a hole through her finances.

Silky came through the portal in her humaniod form and Maxine gave her a good look. The first thing Maxine noticed was that Silky had gotten taller to the point that the top of her head was level with Maxine's shoulders. Silky was wearing a simple yellow dress and Maxine was pleased to see that Silky had let her hair grow out to about halfway down her back. However Maxine was a bit curious about what was in the pink backpack strapped to Silky's back.

Silky took a moment to look around the room and her eyes found Orianna before anyone else. In the next moment, Silky leapt at Orianna with her arms spread wide while she happily yelled, "Auntie!" Well, I see Silky still likes to hug tackle people and it's a good thing she held back on her hug tackle. Orianna has only recently formed an essence core. She couldn't take it if Silky used her full strength. Orianna laughed loudly as she got tackled out of her chair by Silky and Madam Neshan revealed a happy smile.

Maxine watched Silky rub her face against Orianna's neck for a few second before she asked, "Where's my hug?"

Silky laughed happily as she got off of Orianna and leapt through the air to hug tackle Maxine while shouting happily, "Mama!" Maxine laughed happily as she allowed Silky to knock her down to the floor.

"I missed you, mama," Silky said softly while laying on top of Maxine.

"I missed you too, Silky," Maxine said as she brushed Silky's hair, "Now let's get off the floor so you can tell me how your last two months have been." They got up and Maxine brought a couple chairs around to sit down on so that they could talk until grandma Victoria arrived.