Arcturus ran a hand through his hair as Angela watched him, waiting patiently for him to find the words to his question.

"Okay. Inquisitors. Walk me through that concept, if you could?"

“Of course." She said with an amused look. "The Inquisitors of the Church of Eternal Light, the righteous enforcers of the Twelve, are a staple of the Empire and have been since its earliest years.” She stopped and raised an eyebrow at him as he reacted to the information. “I can see the surprise on your face. You really had no idea?”

“Of course not!” He said in a shocked voice. “What sort of backwards nutcracker organisation actually creates an inquisition!?”

“Nutcracker…?” Angela asked in confusion.

“It’s a joke, forget it.” Arcturus said with a shake of his head. “Back to the point, I can't believe there are actually Inquisitors. I didn’t realise the ‘Holy’ part of the Empire was that big of a deal. I thought it was more of a loosely associated title.”

“No, not at all.” Angela said, voice serious once more. “You should be aware of this, it could save your life. Mocking or demeaning the Church within the Empire’s borders can result in a one-way trip to the executioner’s block, even for a Nephilim. Maybe if you were powerful enough, you could get away with it, but — and no offense here kid — you seem about as intimidating as a baby deer.”

“Plenty of people seemed ready to run from me in the streets...” Arcturus grumbled.

“Yes, that’s because you look like you’re from Archon stock. Mundanes won’t want to risk an encounter with you if they can help it, especially since you probably looked so odd and perhaps even a little desperate. A desperate Archon is disturbing. Besides, most people are too scared of being pulled into a House War.”

Perception Check successful!

Insight Gained: Imperial Society! Your background in political science on Earth and remarkable level of ingenuity have allowed you to gather a more solid comprehension of Imperial society, granting you awareness of its feudal aristocratic structure and religion-backed authority. Reminiscent of Augustan Rome, you now have a functional understanding of Aquilan society in its most basic form!

“Okay, there’s a lot to unpack there.” Arcturus said after a moment, leaning back against the workbench next to the forge and frowning. “What exactly are Archons, Angela? I thought they were just another word for Nobilis Imperia, or some sort of sect within their ranks.”

“You’re right and you’re wrong.” She replied thoughtfully, seeming to weigh her words. “All Archons are considered Nobilis Imperia, but not all Nobilis Imperia can be Archons. It takes a certain level of Aetheric ability and a lot of natural warrior instinct to become an Archon.”

“So, even regular people can become Archons?”

“You mean common citizens and residents? Yes. If a child is born with the aptitude and the Aetheric talent, they can ascend to join the ranks of the Empire’s Archons. It’s usually the start of a new, extremely minor house in the Nobilis Imperia — though few of those lineages ever last more than a handful of generations. Baseborn people don’t often have the guile or wits to survive highborn society, even if they’re capable of becoming Archons. Rising to that level alone is not a guarantee of solvency, especially not if they anger the wrong House.”

“I’m guessing that’s where a House War comes in.” Arcturus said with a grimace.

“Quite so.” Angela said in a voice that had slowly become more formal. “Archons are still rare enough that they’re extremely valuable in most Houses, and if it comes down to a House War, the larger number of Archons almost always guarantees a crushing victory. Even two extra Archons can be the difference between triumph and defeat. Only the Great Houses and High Houses have enough Archons to where House Wars are almost unheard of, mainly because of the level of destruction that kind of conflict would unleash.”

“Great Houses and High Houses?” Arcturus asked, feeling as if he were back in class, but fully aware the information could be crucial. “I studied Political Science on Earth. I’m guessing they’re some form of special upper class within the upper class?”

“Yes.” Angela said with a pleased smile. “The major cities within an Imperial Dominion are controlled by a coterie of High Houses, with one family officially ruling the dominion itself as a Great House.”

“How are they selected?”

“The lineage is hereditary, and the only way it can be challenged is if one of the High Houses contests the incumbent King during his week-long coronation.”

“Hold on.” Arcturus said. “King? So each dominion is a nation unto itself?”

“That’s right.” Angela said with a nod. “The Kings rule each Imperial Dominion, and are the sworn vassals of the Emperor, who holds the secondary title of High King. The Emperor himself derives his authority from the gods, whose Cardinals and Avatars ensure the purity of the Empire is maintained.”

Perception Check successful!

“What a convoluted system…” Arcturus responded with a mutter, before suddenly realizing another implication. “Wait, that means that the Emperor can also be challenged?”

“Now you’re getting it.” Angela said with a grin. “Specifically, the Imperial Crown-Prince can be challenged for the Throne during the full month of his coronation. Until the Luminous Cardinals and Herald of Radiance, with the gods’ blessing, place the Crown of Light on the new Emperor and validate his reign; anyone can challenge for the Throne.”

“That’s insanity...” He said in disbelief. “How has this Empire persisted? This all sounds like a recipe for anarchy and disaster.”

Yes, insulting her entire way of life is definitely going to ingratiate you.

Angela frowned at his depredations but didn’t offer recrimination when she answered. “The Empire was founded on principles of service and strength, by the will of the gods. A challenge can only be made if the challenger can prove they believe that the national interest is better served by a change of power. Of course this can be anything from moral objections to simply believe the reigning King or Emperor to be too weak.”

“So strength of arms is imperative to the national interest?”

“Absolutely.” Angela said without hesitation. “The Empire possesses the single greatest military force on the planet. Without strength, that power can’t be properly harnessed.”

“So any idiot that’s talented in killing and happens to have the right bloodline can become Emperor?” Arcturus asked, feeling more and more dubious about the sanity of the Empire’s citizenry by the minute.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

“Don’t be reductive,” she chided him with a frown. “You can’t become an Archon without proving yourself intellectually capable, and it’s unheard of for the Emperor to not be an Archon. The simple reality of that means that our rulers are always strong in mind and body both.”

“You never mentioned female rulers.” Arcturus said after a moment’s consideration. “Why?”

“The Empire is patrilineal. Women can’t inherit Houses or rule dominions, let alone become Emperor.” She laughed as his expression shifted to one of disapproval. “It isn’t about capability. Women are just as capable of being Archons as men, it’s simply that they serve a different role. From the Emperor all the way down to the local Lord, the men of the Empire’s ruling class are its leaders politically and militarily, but it’s the women that handle the actual administration of the Empire. Taxes, infrastructure, social programs, education, medicine, public affairs… Women run the Empire, men just dictate its direction.”

“That seems… Well, not fair. But definitely not as horrible as I imagined.” Arcturus murmured thoughtfully, swallowing the last of his hot chocolate as he pondered what he’d been told. He’d originally feared he’d somehow teleported into some horrible Victorian wish-fulfilment male fantasy. What he was hearing was much more palatable. “Though doesn’t that mean that women can’t fight with the men?”

“The Legions and Imperial Guard are completely open to both sexes, don’t fret.” She winked at him as he gave her a mildly embarrassed smile. “Besides, most women that want to make a real impact become Valkyries, assuming they have the ability to do so.”

“I’ve heard that name before. What are they?”

“The Inquisition’s enforcers. Paladins will defend the Church and its assets, and may even serve as bodyguards and escorts to important enough functionaries, diplomats, or clergy." She grinned. "It’s the Valkyries, though, that are charged with enacting the will of the Church’s Inquisition.”

“I’m guessing that I’ll want to avoid them for a while.”

“That’s probably wise.” Angela agreed with a knowing laugh.

Arturus stared thoughtfully into his cup. “You’ve given me a lot to consider, and I feel like we barely scratched the surface. I suppose the last question I have is whether or not there’s any kind of democratic system at play here, or is it strictly an aristocracy that’s in charge?”

As an American, there was a part of Arcturus that just couldn’t accept an entirely hegemonic, caste-based system of governance. He understood why it was successful, but the patriot in him wanted to wave the stars and stripes and raise hell.

“The Senatus Imperialis and Senatus Dominius are both elected democratically. It’s how mundanes are granted the right to self-governance. Any laws or amendments they propose and vote in favour of have to be approved by the Emperor or Kings, depending on if it’s the Imperial Senate or Dominion Senate, but there usually isn’t much of an issue there.”

She looked back to her prior project and collected her strange tool again before continuing. “Senators understand that the balance of power requires mutual respect, and they’ll never waste time with a law or amendment that they know would be unacceptable.”

“Well, that’s something I suppose.” Arcturus allowed. “And you’re obviously allowed to bear arms, which is a plus. I take it that applies to everyone including mundanes — which I assume is the common way of referring to people without notable aetheric capability.”

“Yes on both accounts,” Angela said with a laugh, “you sound like a scholar.”

“No, just a proud American.” Arcturus said instead, smiling to himself as he did.

“A what?”

“Don’t worry about it.” He reassured her, knowing she wouldn’t press him. In the silence that followed, his attention was drawn back to the forge. He could feel… something… emanating from it, as if something was off about it. He set his mug down on the workbench beside him in order to free up both hands and got closer to the forge, inspecting it once again. He wasn’t about to bother Angela with strange hunches, but perhaps if he could simply find the right method of interacting with it, he could figure out what it was that kept needling at his senses.

Yes let’s mess with the mysterious magical device. What could possibly go wrong?

Arcturus clicked his tongue in annoyance and frowned as he explored the runes along the forge again, more cautiously this time. His eyes picked out the shapes and forms of the elegant sigils as he gazed along the length of the metal, noting that they seemed to form a perfect ring around what was the centre mass of the object. There was what appeared to be some sort of repeating pattern in the circle, one that Arcturus couldn’t quite make out. He could almost feel some sort of lack or emptiness in the forge, as if some part of it was incomplete.

Like it was missing part of itself, as mad as it sounded even to his own mind.

You’re definitely insane. I exist, don’t I?

Careful not to accidentally catalyze anything, Arcturus focused on where he vaguely perceived the void in the forge’s existence to be and drew on his aether, directing it carefully towards the crevasse of nothingness that he just intrinsically knew shouldn’t have been there. His brows furrowed as he drew more deeply on his aether to push it towards where his instincts told him it had to go, filling the void in the forge with careful precision, until it finally filled up… and the interior erupted with light.

Arcana Check successful!

Arcturus staggered backwards as the circle of runes lit up with crackling white energy, blending into a solid circle that seemed to absorb all the metal within itself — and reveal a paradoxically silent white flame in an otherwise empty cavernous interior, the heart of the fire a black core that seemed to suck in radiance towards it. He heard Angela’s angry, and surprised exclamation behind him as he stared at the forge in bewilderment.

Congratulations! [Enchanting] (Active, Level 1) Unlocked! Your preternatural ability to send the aetheric composition of things has manifested into the ability to perform rudimentary enchantment! You’re very Lucky, in fact, that you managed to succeed in what should have been an impossible task for an amateur! Once again you changed Fate by your mere presence, but don’t let it go to your head.

Congratulations! [Enchanting (Runic Materials)] Unlocked!

Congratulations! [Aethersmithing] (Active, Level 1) Unlocked! Your strange and limitless potential for odd talents manifests once again, allowing you to activate a Runic Forge you really have no business being able to operate! What are the odds that you have a talent so rare it’s considered a prodigious gift? Whatever they may be, it appears that you once again defied all expectations to achieve something amazing. Great going, you overachieving abomination!

Congratulations! [Aethersmithing (Infusion)] Unlocked!

Congratulations! [Aethersmithing (Diffusion)] Unlocked!

Arcturus turned to Angela as she rushed to the forge, her hands hovering just above it as the faint hints of magic filled the air around her, buoyed by her evident casting of spells to investigate and ascertain the solvency of her most precious and integral item. He immediately felt guilt and shame start to seep through him as he really considered what he’d done, recklessly messing with the livelihood of the woman that had shown him the only real kindness he’d experienced since coming to Terra.

Arcturus opened his mouth to apologise, but cut off when Angela whirled on him, her look of fury fading in the face of almost girlish amazement.

“What did you do? I’ve never seen magic this potent! The forge is barely able to contain that flame, and the energy just seems to be constantly renewing itself! I may never need to restart it again. That Aether… It’s so pure, like it’s water straight from the stream. How did you do that?”

“I don’t really know.” Arcturus said in a mildly flustered tone, happy he didn’t seem to have destroyed her entire life in one fell swoop. “I just felt this sort of… need to fix it, and then that happened. It was like the thing was broken, and I just put in the missing piece.”

“Gods be good. Who are you, kid?”

That’s when he realised he had never given her his name, in spite of everything. “Arcturus.” He said after a moment of hesitation, his gaze apologetic. “Arcturus Valoura. I’m sorry for not introducing myself earlier, I know it was rude. I just didn’t think…” He trailed off when he saw Angela was staring at him, and this time there was a mix of disbelief and fear on her features when she spoke.

“You’re supposed to be dead!”

Which, of course, was the cue for everything to go to hell.