AA. 172

“I thought she just wanted to sleep with you.” Selia laughed. “Who could’ve thought that hot alien warrior lady wants to have your babies?”

“It's not funny,” Nil said. “Just weird.”

“What are you talking about? It’s hilarious. Can you imagine me as a concubine? What does that entail? Am I like a servant or soldier you get to take to bed when the esteemed wife is busy or has stately matters to attend to?”

Nil shrugged. “I don’t know how things work in her world, and honestly, it was too uncomfortable a discussion to get the details.” He frowned. “Are you telling me you’d be comfortable being a concubine?”

“Hell no!” Selia adopted a sassy demeanor, clicking fingers and speaking nasally. “Simone Maria Rios, don’t share. You is my man! Girl better step off.” It was a bad attempt at whatever impression she was attempting—Nil couldn’t tell—and both failed to contain their laughter. “I’m serious, though. You’re mine. No concubine. No harem. Nothing.”

“I prefer monogamy, too,” Nil said. 

It was the middle of the night, and there was no one around. They sat on top of the central pillar of Trafalgar Square, enjoying the cold breeze and basking in the moon’s raised. A recent green bill forced the city to dim the tourist attraction’s lights after one in the morning. The couple had no trouble balancing on the sloped top. They didn’t hold on to each other for support or balance but just because it was comfortable. The moment felt perfect, and Nil mustered the courage to speak words he hadn’t spoken since Aisha.

“Your work with the Weave had me concerned. Don’t get me wrong. I trust you. But spy work involves so much seduction and sleeping with the enemy—”

“The Weave is mostly women, and they respect their spiders. I was asked as soon as I started whether I was comfortable with such work. It was a no. Honey pot schemes? Sure. But nothing more. They knew I was taken and respected it.”

“I’m glad.” Nil smiled. “I love you.”

Selia’s eyes widened. When she first opened her mouth, no words came out. Her hold around Nil tightened, and they kissed. Warmth pulsed through Nil, and it felt like a monstrous weight had slid off his shoulders.

“I love you, too,” Selia said when the caress finally ended. Her voice was so soft that when she continued, mortal ears would struggle to hear them. She sounded flustered, and her voice quivered. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to say that, but I wasn’t sure when or how. I know it’s just words, but—”

“You don’t have to explain,” Nil said. He suspected as much but didn’t need confirmation of whether she had uttered the words before or been with anyone in the same way. “I get it. Ashe Fall helped highlight how much this means to me. No hot warrior woman, promises of wealth and power can change my mind or tempt me.”

“Should we go home? I’d really like to go home.”

“I’d like that too.”

The couple moved with urgency. Nil leaped from the fifty-something-meter pillar, still carrying Selia. Absorb ate the fall trauma. Silver Realm Might and Finesse meant he would’ve felt nothing, but it was a nice moment, and he didn’t want to drop Selia accidentally. They raced to the hoverbike illegally parked just off the square when a trio of dark figures approached. Two emitted energy signatures that put them at least in Silver Realm while Nil felt nothing from the last. 

Selia’s skin prickled, and she momentarily looked like a cat with its hackles up. Her eyes darted between the shadowed trio and the hoverbike. If Finesse had not enhanced their vision, the group would’ve perfectly blended into the darkness. Working against Symbiotech and getting Cleansing tickets had made them targets to nefarious parties, but there weren’t many who would actively move against popular Bronze Realmers somewhere as public as Trafalgar Square where CCTV was ever-present. 

“Godpuncher and Specter! What a coincidence!” Adrian Wildshape Wilson walked into the light, followed by Ten-Ton Lucy and a man Nil recognized from a Cleansing-ticket tournament. He had defeated Zora. “We were just talking about you.”

“Hi, Nil.” Lucy waved, smiling sweetly. “Congratulations on the Cleansing ticket. Lily and I put a fair bit of money on your win. Thank you for coming through.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Mr Wilson.” Selia nodded, still on guard. “This is unexpected.”

“We had a late dinner and strategy meeting in the London Eye,” Adrian said. “Given the ridiculous rate at which you’ve been progressing, we have no clue of how to go about countering you.”

“Isn’t that counter-intuitive?” Nil said. “Our first priority should be eliminating the Scourge. Then comes our world victory. The primary objective is the resources and power it will bring to our world, is it not?”

“I can’t tell whether you’re just naive or that good an actor,” said Olaf. The Scandinavian was a terrifying mage, commanding earth and fire. His spells had a volcanic aesthetic. Zora’s weapons had failed to penetrate his defense or block his lava. “Seriously. You’re putting it on, right?”

“Hush, now,” Lucy scolded. “There’s no need to be rude. He’s right. We should work together to start with and save our fight for the end.”

“That’s what the teams from lots of other successful worlds plan to do and have historically done. I don’t see why we can’t do the same—”

“It would make sense if we all trusted and worked together,” Adrian said. He remained his usual charming self but there was a powerful firmness about him. It was a type of authority Nil knew better to contradict. He couldn’t help himself and studied the trio with Energy Instinct. Adrian was a cultivator, just like Lucy. “Unfortunately, we’re far too divided as we are now. Cooperation is still a fantasy until we learn to emulate the Control Worlds, unify the world, and rule as one. Share the Forge’s resources and help consolidate the Summoned’s rule over the short-sighted civilian government so we can hasten our approach toward ascension. Maybe then cooperation will be on the table.”

“That’s not up to us, though, is it?” Selia asked, defiance creeping into her tone. “I think the Nexus and Control Worlds realize that we aren’t ready to use the magic and power safely. There are far too many who want to use their resources to wage war and wrestle control from civilians instead of guiding them to rise together.”

“Not if we Summoned act as one on equal footing and come together, sharing power and resources,” Adrian insisted. “Do you really think civilian governments are ready to cooperate? Profit and control take priority. Not cooperation. Just look at the recent bills parliament passed and the terms the UN is trying to have all nations agree to. They want us chained and controlled like dogs or segregated from society, living in isolated cities. We might as well be gods compared to them. We’ve seen what’s out there, fought it, and will live far longer than the terrified geriatrics holding the reins.” Adrian shook his head, sighing. “You’re just far too young and idealistic. We live in a complicated world where black and white have far too many shades. Gray is necessary to ascend.”

“You know it's true,” Lucy stated. “Why else would you go to Death Gauntlet to take out the likes of Pietro. We need a Summoned coalition and powerful leaders that know what it takes to lead.”

“And that’s you, is it?” Selia demanded.

“I understand what you’re saying,” Nil stated. “But it's not the right way to do things. I’m not saying it wouldn’t work, but no Control World seems to have gotten where they are with tyranny. Do you think the civilian populace will be cooperative, sympathetic, or happy about any of it?”

“Does it matter? Adrian asked matter-of-factly. “Of course, they won’t like it at first. But after a generation or two, they’ll get used to the new societal structure and accept whatever utopia we present.” Adrian paused, smiling and waving at a group of drunks passing by. They cheered, chanting his name. “Keep them entertained. Give them comfort and luxuries unheard of. Just make life better. Eventually, no one will care who is in power. Only progress and prosperity will be of significance.”

Neither Nil nor Selia argued further. Debating in public amongst passing drunks wasn’t a good look. The last thing anyone wanted was a recording of the conversation or an image of the meeting to get out. Gossip blogs and channels would have a field day. The couple politely bid them goodbye, mounted the hoverbike, and departed. Lucy and Adrian maintained their cheerful expressions. Now that Nil saw the pair side by side, he saw a slight familial resemblance—or so he thought. Bunty’s theory almost felt plausible.

The chance encounter and conversation ruined the evening’s romantic mood. Selia clung to Nil as the Garuda Systems hoverbike sped back to the Forge, mumbling angrily in Spanish. The phrase ‘don’t meet your heroes’ felt truer whenever he encountered Adrian Wildshape Wilson. Even when he was polite and friendly and did not speak about his political agenda, Nil almost always left with a bad taste in his mouth. The charm had started to feel saccharine and weaponized.

The journey back was swift. A Metropolitan Police checkpoint stopped them, but they were fascinated mainly by the hoverbike and wanted a closer look. The constables were friendly and recognized the couple. Nil complied with photo requests, but Selia was short with them and declined. None of them seemed to mind and primarily complimented Nil on his performance during the Hunt. They wished the pair good luck with the Cleansing and goodnight. One even said she was rooting for Nil’s group over the Wilson Luduses team before releasing the pair.

It was close to three in the morning when they returned home. 

“I don’t get how people worship that man,” Selia said once they were in the privacy of the suite. “I love Shawn, but his unwillingness to see how much of a bastard and megalomaniac Adrian is pisses me off to no end. The apology and nonsense about him slipping through the cracks is so fucking fake.”

“It’s frustrating. Shawn is distrustful and careful with everyone, but it's almost like he has blinders on with Adrian. Or he’s just willing to overlook the faults. There is little we can do about it besides getting stronger. The Nexus doesn’t like Adrian’s way of doing things either. As long as they’re around, I’m sure Adrian’s vision won’t come true.” 

“You really think so?”

Nil nodded. “He can’t do jack without the right tech or magic, after all. Taking over the government isn’t enough. A monarchal rule is necessary for the kind of transition Adrian wants. His spiel might paint a picture of a unity or coalition of Summoned, but people like him aren’t satisfied unless they have control. If Adrian were to do anything drastic, he’d set off a chain reaction, and all other powerful Summoned would try to create their own little fiefdoms. The world would fall into chaos, and that’s counterintuitive.”

“And what do you want to do about it?” Selia asked.

“That’ll have to wait until we have the strength and influence to do something about it,” Nil answered. “For the time being, we follow the Nexus’s guidance and do what’s best for our world. My priority is you and my family first, the good of all second. If things start falling apart and I see that we can’t do anything about it, I’d much rather move all of us to somewhere like Ashe Fall than risk things here.”

“I suppose we better buckle down, get more time-dilation quests, and keep ascending.” Selia sighed. “If we’re lucky, Adrian and other bastards like him won’t get Platinum Ascension Tokens any time soon.”

Nil didn’t say as much, but he worried Platinum Ascension Tokens weren’t enough to deter the likes of Adrian. People from cultivation worlds ascended without their assistance. Given enough time, quests into magic-rich worlds, and opportune arena events, Adrian would reach Platinum Realm in the near future. Once he became the most powerful person on the planet, there would be no stopping him.