At the same time the party was going on at Cassandra Island, the Time Pentarch was relaxing in Technographia.
He was in Dynasty Richinaria, standing alone at the very top of the tallest building he could reach. The lights of Richinaria Island spread out beneath him. From up there, it all looked calm but he knew better. He could not sleep. He had tried, too. That had been the annoying part.
So instead of lying in bed and pretending rest would come to him, he had ended up here at the top of the building, letting the underground night air hit his face while he watched the city he had helped preserve. His mind was not still.
White angel feathers drifted down beside him. He did not need to turn immediately to know who had arrived. A moment later, someone sat down beside him.
She did not say anything right away. She just settled next to him on the edge of the roof. The wind lifted a few strands of her white curly hair and brushed her feathers gently. For a while they just sat there in silence, watching the world below them breathe.
Then she tilted her head slightly and asked,
"You're nervous about tomorrow, aren't you?"
Vastarael gave a tired little exhale and leaned back on one hand.
"Yeah."
"That bad?"
"Richinaria is already set. The people here are prepared. They'll be fighting alongside the Technographia natives against the Krepsunas. I came here to help them and to initiate the plan."
He kept looking ahead while he spoke.
"I told you the plan already, but it's still going to take decades before it's actually accomplished."
Anamorsia let out a small sigh and leaned her weight back too, crossing one leg over the other.
"You really do enjoy making things difficult for yourself. So how exactly are you so calm about the time issue? Ninety-nine days is still ninety-nine days, even if you keep talking like it's some tiny inconvenience."
"The Epoch Cycles' time period runs differently compared to regular time. It might be ninety-nine days to us, but I'm sure only seconds have passed in the real world. That's what makes this perfect. If the cycle's time flow is that distorted, then the plan can actually work the way it needs to."
She let that sit for a moment, then shook her head with a long, suffering sigh.
"You really do make yourself suffer."
"You say that like it's new."
"It should be new. You should have learned from your mistakes already."
"Yeah, well, here we are. You know I'm giving you the temporary role of Dynasty Monarchess, right?"
That got her attention immediately.
"What?"
"Asenane has something to do on her own and she won't be there to represent the Dynasty as Monarchess. So you're taking her place."
Anamorsia stared at him for a second, then actually laughed once.
"You say that like I'm just borrowing a coat."
"That's basically what it is."
"No, it absolutely is not."
"Yes, it absolutely is."
She crossed her arms and leaned back with a glare that was far too familiar to him.
"You really think I should just step in and run Richinaria while you disappear into whatever catastrophe you've cooked up this time?"
"Not disappear. I'll just relocate into suffering."
"That's not better."
"It's more honest."
Anamorsia groaned and dropped her head back, looking up at the sky like she was asking the heavens why she had been born into this family.
"You are unbelievable."
"And yet, here you are."
"That is because I'm unfortunately related to you."
He smiled a little at that, then got more serious again because he knew what she was really worried about. She was not just reacting to the title. She was reacting to what it meant.
"When I was in the First Epoch Cycle and our parents left, I underwent Forced Ascension. I became a Sixth Enlightenment Divine thanks to my vow with the world and them. I got powerful even though I didn't even have a Pinnacle Tether."
He did not interrupt her. He knew exactly where this was going.
"I took over the Dynasty until you returned and it was hard. Really hard. I couldn't rule it well. I almost made the global economy collapse."
That last part came out with such deadpan misery that it almost made him laugh, but he kept it together. She looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"If you didn't come back on time, what makes you think I won't ruin everything?"
Vastarael gave her a long, flat look.
"Because we're not in Spheraphase anymore."
That made her pause.
"Back then, you were thrown into the middle of a world that was still actively being strangled by its own structure. Everything was fragile. Everything was connected to everything else. One bad move could wreck half a civilization. This isn't that. And more importantly, you're not the same person anymore."
That made her go quiet.
"You're my blood sister. We came from the same mother. You're as powerful as I am in your own way. You're special too."
She looked at him for a second, saying nothing, and he knew she was listening properly now.
"You're the first Aeterium who has wings. I don't have them."
That got the tiniest, most offended little huff out of her.
"Wow. That is your argument? That I have wings and you don't?"
"Yes."
"That's not fair."
"It is if you're me. Do you know I can't fly and neither can our half siblings?"
She rolled her eyes so hard it was almost theatrical, and that was exactly the reaction he wanted. She was easier to persuade when she was irritated. It kept her from overthinking herself into a corner.
"You've got Hydroborn and Aeterium capabilities from our parents. I do too. You can use the Plenituse Technique just like I can, even if you can't use the four forms of it the way I can."
"That still sounds like you're bragging."
"I am."
She gave him a flat stare, but she was listening.
"You're also a good mage and a perfect Supreme Commander. In the decades that follow, you're the only one strong enough to do this. Only you, Milliania, Phaenora, Asenane, my youngest daughter Valeria, my two students and Natas know about this plan. And out of all of us, only you are capable enough of handling Richinaria in my absence."
Anamorsia looked at the city for a while. When she finally spoke again, her voice was quieter.
"You really trust me that much?"
He glanced at her, then gave the answer without even needing to think about it.
"Yes."
She let out a long breath through her nose and looked half annoyed, half moved, which was basically her default emotional state whenever he was sincere around her.
"You're insane."
"Not the first time I've heard that."
"I almost collapsed the economy."
"You also saved the Dynasty."
"That is not the same thing."
"It is when you're part of the Aeterium family."
She stared at him for a moment, then sighed in a way that made it very clear she hated how much sense he was making.
"You really are determined to make me accept this."
"I am."
"And if I mess it up?"
"Then I'll come back and fix it."
"That's not a comforting answer considering what you're about to do."
"Then don't mess up."
Anamorsia muttered something under her breath that sounded suspiciously like an insult, but it was too quiet to make out. Then she shut her eyes for a moment and exhaled. When she opened them again, she looked at him with that same tired, affectionate frustration only siblings could carry so naturally.
"I'll try my best. I promise."
Vastarael smiled at her then.
"That's all I'm asking."
Down below, Richinaria kept glowing. The city stayed ready. The people stayed prepared. Tomorrow was still coming. The Krepsunas were still coming. The plan was still ugly and long and expensive in ways no one could pretend not to see.
But for this one moment, at the top of the building with angel feathers in the wind and battle waiting for them, Vastarael had his sister beside him.
That made the night a little less heavy.