“I’m surprised he asked to come with us when we leave in the Bastion of Tomorrow,” Seena said as she walked with Hiral and Yanily toward where Gauto waited.

  “I’m more surprised his whole party wanted to come,” Hiral said. “For Gauto, flying around in a giant, brass castle, going to exotic surface locations in search of Tomorrow’s hidden research laboratories is like a dream vacation. Good luck trying to keep him from coming. The rest of his party though…? I would’ve thought they’d want to stay here and get experience and trial rewards.”

  “They’re getting close to C-Rank,” Yanily said. “Depending on where we go—even if it’s just Ascender’s Tower—there are dungeons there for them to run too. And to do that from the safety of the Bastion? It’s a good deal for them.”

  “Gauto’s been rubbing off on the others a bit, as well,” Hiral said. “At least one of them shares a similar passion for discovery and research. The rest are starting to come around as well, from what he’s told me.”

  “Them plus the party of siege-engineers who asked to come and man the Bastion’s cannons is going to make the castle a bit crowded,” Yanily said.

  “From the look of who’s with Gauto, I suspect he’s going to ask to make it even more crowded,” Hiral said.

  “I think Wule said the castle had enough room for three raid groups—plus some live-in, support staff—if we really wanted,” Seena said. “Not that the Trust would let that many people leave all at once. Where we’re going is not safe.”

  “No,” Hiral agreed. “But I can’t complain about having an actual Academic or two with us for when we find those Black Gates. If punching them doesn’t close them up, we’re going to need other options.” He looked at Yanily. “Not the stabbing kind, either.”

  “Hey, that’s Seeyela’s go-to option, not mine,” Yanily said. “Usually. Sometimes. Not in this case.”

  Seena just punched the spearman in the arm, but that was the end of the time they had to chat, as they reached Gauto and the Bonder in black armor beside him.

  “Hey Gauto,” Hiral said. “Need something?”

  “What, I can’t just come over and chat with my best friend in the whole world?” Gauto said smoothly.

  “Yup, definitely wants something,” Hiral said.

  “Bah, don’t be like that,” Gauto said. “But, since you brought it up, I think you know Milich and his companion Reech?” The Academic’s hand gestured first to the Bonder in heavy, black armor—with his helmet tucked under his arm—then to the hawk on his shoulder.

  “We do,” Hiral said, looking at the man they’d first met standing outside the building his raid party had gotten for completing the Mechanized quest. After they’d defeated the monstrous 0M3G4 W34P0N. Milich had been the first member of the Cradle’s explorers to get one of the Mecha-Armor advanced classes—and the PIRSA armor that came with it—though nearly two dozen more had gotten the option since then. “How’s the class working out for you?” he asked the Bonder.

  “Good, good,” Milich said with a nod. “Took some getting used to—relying on the armor and my abilities to come through it—as well as the way it upgrades itself. Engrams instead of skills, it calls them. All a bit different, but I won’t bore you with the details.”

  “They’re not boring,” Gauto said immediately. “They’re fascinating.”

  “I’m sure they are,” Hiral said. “Just like I’m sure you’re about to say we’ll have plenty of time to talk about them if Milich and his group come with us when we leave.”

  “You catch on quick,” Gauto said. “What do you say?”

  “Why?” Seena asked.

  “We had to turn down her fan group,” Yanily said, one hand beside his mouth like he was hiding his words from Seena, even though he spoke at his normal volume.

  Gauto blushed slightly for a second. “Are… they coming? Can… they?”

  “He has a bit of a crush on Seenatic-number-three,” Hiral said, mimicking Yanily’s gesture, but aiming his comment at Seena.

  “Seenatic?” she asked.

  “Short for Seena-fanatic,” Hiral said. “And, yes, before you asked, they numbered themselves based on when they joined the group. It’s a whole thing.”

  “And number-three has the biggest…” Gauto coughed. “Bookshelves. The biggest bookshelves you’ve ever seen. She’s an Academic, and she was in some of my classes…”

  “He’s been carrying this torch since we were kids,” Hiral explained. “But, sorry, she—and her party—aren’t coming.”

  “Is it a room thing?” Gauto asked. “Milich and his group aren’t really needed if…”

  “Hey!” Milich said at the sudden betrayal.

  “It’s not a room thing,” Seena answered. “Their reasons for coming weren’t the right ones.”

  “Which leads to the question,” Yanily said, looking at Milich. “What’s your reason?”

  “Same as Redd’s,” Milich said, referring to the party leader of the siege engineers.

  “We’re listening,” Seena said.

  “Our PIRSAs—our armor,” Milich started, tapping himself on his plated chest. “They have a lot in common with the Bastion of Tomorrow. And, more importantly, with the 4LPH4-W34P0N that’s going with it.”

  As he spoke, the entire group turned to look at where the carriage-sized, brass, cat-like construct prowled the edge of the floating island the Bastion lay on. Like it sensed their attention, the head turned in their direction, mechanical eyes twisting and focusing on them, before the beast continued its patrol.

  “We believe our armor can learn from the guardian,” Milich continued. “Hopefully helping us get to our next advanced classes.”

  “You know, I’ve been wondering,” Yanily said. “Your armor isn’t brass. Do you really think hanging around the alpha-weapon is going to help you out?”

  “None of Tomorrow’s constructs are actually brass,” Gauto said. “They may look like it, and we do all call it Tomorrow’s brass, but that isn’t technically what the material is.”

  “What is it?” Hiral asked.

  “No idea,” Gauto said.

  “Then how do you know it isn’t brass?” Yanily said.

  “We… don’t know what it is, but we do know what it isn’t,” Gauto said. “Brass. It isn’t brass.”

  “It’s the same material as Milich’s PIRSA?” Hiral said with a chuckle at his friends. Dealing with Yanily took practice.

  “Yes,” Milich said. “Though our PIRSAs are more advanced.”

  “Is that why they’re black?” Yanily asked.

  “Nah, the color is just because it makes them look more badass,” Milich said, and Yanily nodded like the explanation made perfect sense.

  Hiral looked at Gauto for a real answer.

  “Milich is only half-joking,” Gauto said.

  “I wasn’t joking at all.”

  Gauto looked—just for a moment—like he very much regretted bringing the Bonder over to talk to the others. “The black pigment to the armor—though it’s very close in composition to the rest of Tomorrow’s brass—is for two reasons. One, yes, according to the documentation, is because Tomorrow believed the ‘image’ of the armor would be better in black. Edgier, is the terminology she used.”

  “She’d get along with Hiral,” Seena said, thumbing at Hiral’s black Coat of Amin Thett, though most of it was still glowing white from his pseudo-aspect.

  “What’s the second reason?” Hiral said.

  “The technology that makes it more advanced,” Gauto said. “We haven’t figured it all out—we just don’t have the tools or knowledge to really study it yet—but as far as we can tell, this was Tomorrow’s version of a PIM. An almost entirely exterior PIM. I say almost, because it does implant certain components into its bearer to allow faster connections and response times. As well as facilitating usage of the abilities—engrams—and the suit’s various functions.”

  “Huh,” Hiral said. “Any idea if she made it before or after Benza made the PIMP?”

  “No,” Gauto said. “But, here’s where it gets kind of interesting… we don’t think the PIRSA’s have a PIMP equivalent. Or, they didn’t before they were linked up to the PIMP through Milich’s PIM.”

  “After I got my PIRSA,” Milich said. “I got a bunch of notifications telling me how my armor was being integrated with my PIM. Then some other people got their armor, and we all got more notifications along the same lines. It’s all part of my status window now, and we get engram rewards from completing trials.”

  “Like my runes… and the Undead,” Hiral said. “The PIMP is adding new components to itself as they come in contact with active PIMs.”

  “Exactly!” Gauto said. “I knew you’d get it. Such a waste you’re out punching things when you could be making a real difference in the lab with me.”

  “He’s been kind of making a difference out with us,” Yanily pointed out.

  Gauto paused like he was thinking about that, then finally gave a—grudging—nod of agreement.

  “Interesting as that all is,” Seena said. “None of it really explains why Milich and his group should come with us. You said something about Alfy?”

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  “Alfy…?” Gauto asked.

  “She named the 4LPH4 W45P0N,” Hiral explained.

  “It was too long to say every time,” Seena countered.

  “Luckily,” Li’l Ur piped up. “My Mistress has an inspired naming sense, compared to… others.” His little lich eyes made it clear exactly who he was talking about.

  “I wouldn’t call it inspired,” Hiral said, until Seena’s eyes joined her lich’s. “I would call it… intuitive. A natural, perfect fit. I’m surprised Alfy doesn’t come up when we use View on him, frankly.”

  “Just, stop,” Seena said, putting her arm around his waist and snuggling up against him. “Back to Alfy. What do you want with him?” The question was directed at Milich.

  “Our PIRSAs,” Milich said. “Even though they’re connected to the PIMP and our PIMs, they’re still Tomorrow’s creations. The Al… Alfy… is kind of like their big brother. They can learn from him. Her?”

  “Him,” Seena said confidently.

  “Did you check?” Yanily asked, his head snapping around toward the party leader.

  “Did I…?” Seena started. “No! Just go spend some time with him. You’ll tell. Definitely a him.”

  “Remember I mentioned the PIRSA’s didn’t have their own version of a PIMP?” Gauto asked Hiral, waiting for a nod before he continued. “One of the reasons we think that worked, is because each suit seems to have its own intelligence.”

  “They’re alive?” Hiral said.

  “Not… strictly speaking,” Gauto said. “The intelligence they have is far more… artificial. And young. Immature. Some of the documentation Tomorrow left in the building you brought back from the trial suggests the intelligences will grow—individually—to better be able to protect their occupants.”

  “It’s part of how the armor will evolve,” Milich said. “They’ll learn more about us, which in turn will lead to our next advanced classes as the PIRSA grows to better suit us.”

  “Nice pun,” Yanily said quietly.

  “I thought so,” Milich replied.

  “And you think,” Hiral continued his conversation with Gauto. “Being around Alfy—another of Tomorrow’s constructs—will help the suits learn?”

  “One of her most advanced constructs,” Gauto said. “Next to the PIRSAs. But, since it already seems to have its own fully-fledged intelligence, there is an opportunity there. And, since the Bastion has room, and Milich and his group have reached C-Rank, it makes sense to bring them with us.”

  “You don’t need to stay close to the building here in the Cradle?” Seena asked. “The one that built your PIRSA.”

  Milich shook his head. “Now that the suits are built, they are completely self-sufficient.”

  “What if it needs repairs?” Hiral said. “Gets damaged. Who can fix it?”

  “The suit repairs itself,” Gauto said. “It’s really quite amazing. Using energy and almost any kind of raw material—from dirt to trees to metals—the PIRSA converts it into the same material it’s made from. The process isn’t exactly fast, and the quality of the raw material makes a large difference, but the suit can seemingly rebuild itself entirely if need be.”

  “The same process is also how we get new additions to our armor,” Milich added. “When you guys met me on the day I got my PIRSA, I got that crossbow at the same time. Remember?”

  Hiral didn’t even have to think about it, and nodded.

  “Since then, I’ve added a pistol—like the two you have,” he pointed at Hiral’s RHCs, “and a mortar launcher.”

  “A… what-launcher?” Hiral said.

  “Easier to show you,” Milich said. The next second, the metal of his left shoulder began to flow like liquid, and grow into a tube angled up at forty-five degrees.

  Actually, to Hiral’s Atn, it wasn’t a liquid. More like a swarm of tiny, tiny, individual metal fragments held together by a kind of invisible field. Was the whole PIRSA actually built like that…?

  Gauto was right, it was fascinating.

  No sooner had Hiral thought that, then whatever Milich was doing finished.

  “This little guy launches C-Rank explosives,” Milich said proudly. “Better than any fireball or…” he trailed off at the look on Seena’s face. The Bonder licked his suddenly dry lips. “Maybe not better than any fireball, but a reasonable alternative…?”

  “You can grow your own weapons?” Yanily said, saving the poor man from digging himself any deeper.

  “With the right engram, yes,” Milich said, eyes darting back and forth to Seena.

  From the way she squeezed Hiral, she didn’t really care about the comment, but was having fun tormenting the poor guy.

  “And engrams are just skills?” Hiral said.

  “Basically,” Gauto said. “It’s a little more involved than that, but the explanation will do for now. Being around Alfy should let their PIRSAs create better engrams, allowing them to get stronger. Not to mention letting them complete dungeons outside of Tomorrow’s purview. This will give the suits experiences she didn’t design, also giving them more room to grow.”

  “What do you think?” Seena said to Hiral. “You’re the raid leader, after all.”

  “You’re aware of what we’re looking to do?” Hiral asked Milich. “You and your group? While we don’t know exactly where we need to go, even we may not be strong enough yet to deal with what we find there.”

  “We know how dangerous it will be,” Milich said. “All the more reason we should go with you. We may only be C-Rank now, but we’re strong for our Rank, and we’ll keep getting stronger. If you need support…”

  “At C-Rank, they could do three of the Ascender’s Tower dungeons,” Yanily said. “Right up to the Plateau of Three or Four Valleys. Good experience there.”

  “And,” Hiral said. “I am pretty curios to see what these PIRSAs can do. The Mecha-Armors we fought were powerful. Having some of those on our side…”

  “Sounds like you made your decision,” Seena said.

  “Yeah,” Hiral said, looking at Milich. “You and your party are welcome to join us. We’ll probably be leaving in the next day or two. Will you be ready to go?”

  “We’re ready to leave now, if need be,” Milich said, a smile on his face. “Thank you for letting us come. You won’t regret it.”

  “I know I won’t,” Hiral said. “I guess that means we have two D-Rank groups and a C-Rank group joining us now.”

  “We’re almost C-Rank,” Gauto said. “So is Redd’s group. If we can run through Ascender’s Tower as well, that should get us there.”

  “Sounds like we have a plan, then,” Hiral said. “And a slightly-less-empty castle.”

  “You might want to up that straight to ‘crowded’,” Ilrolik said, striding into the training yard at a pace only a massive Shaper could achieve while still walking. Though technically ‘an old woman’, progressing to A-Rank—or maybe the adventures along the way—had restored years to her appearance. And muscles to her chiseled body. She didn’t have the same, sheer mass Loan did, but her tattoos and Meridian Lines glowed on her skin like still-burning embers, and she possessed a deadly grace for her size.

  “Somebody else ask you to come along with us?” Hiral asked the party leader.

  “Kind of,” Ilrolik said. “I only caught the end of what you were saying here, but I just got out of a meeting with the Trust. They want to send two more groups with us.”

  “Two more?” Hiral said. “Seriously? Who?”

  “First is a support group. Crafters, and the like. They aren’t a dungeon running group, and they range from D-through-B-Rank. Trust thinks they can help make and maintain equipment for us along the way. More importantly, they can be on the lookout for any sort of natural resources that could be useful to the greater cause.”

  “The greater cause?” Yanily said.

  “Dad is thinking about what happens after we close the Black Gates,” Hiral said. “When it’s time to start taking back our world.”

  “Exactly,” Ilrolik said. “That man doesn’t know how to slow down once he gets started. Out of all the council members I’ve known over the years, that father of yours was the best at quietly doing what he needed to without drawing any attention to himself. He rarely spoke at meetings, and when he did, it was to say something was done.

  “Now? Here? With Olimpas and the rest of the politicking gone? He’s a little scary, in a good way. The rest of the Trust—and Grandmother—are looking to him more and more as a first among equals.”

  Hiral frowned at the mention of Olimpas, the councilman who’d turned out to secretly be a Shaper—and the man who’d ordered Hiral’s death the first time he’d had been on the surface. Along with capturing and torturing Seeyela’s whole group.

  After Olimpas had stolen the Urn of Ur’Thul and delivered it to Vorinal, it’d almost led to a disaster. The Fallen had not only used the Urn to empower the Infesting process of Olimpas—making the man High-A-Rank—but also to transfer his own mind and power into an Unnamed. Oh, and to create an army of Unnamed in his image. Literally.

  Hiral and the rest of his raid group had barely come out on top of those battles, even with the improved evolutions they’d gotten at A-Rank. But, they had come out on top. Olimpas was dead—chased all the way back to Fallen Reach by Ilrolik and her group in the process. Vorinal, the Fallen, was dead. At Hiral’s hands. With a little help from Caleon’s soul-eating mirror, and the Soul Rendition Scroll of Colos Hiral wore at his waist. The Infested-turned-ally from the Tower of Dynamic Trials had only awoken the once so far, but it had been the perfect time.

  Through it all, they’d ‘won’ the battle for the Cradle of Tomorrow, and the Bastion of Tomorrow they’d soon be flying away in. It actually hadn’t taken long to figure out how to get the flying island-slash-castle out of the Cradle—magic, as it turned out—but they’d still needed time to get ready. To heal from their injuries.

  To spend some time with his sisters.

  That was almost coming to an end now, though, and if the Trust was talking to Ilrolik about sending other groups as well, it was even sooner than he thought. Mind back on the present, Hiral focused on Ilrolik’s last words about Elezad.

  “He can’t like that,” Hiral said, knowing his father. Other than with his kids, the man had no interest being the center of attention.

  “Oh, he doesn’t,” Ilrolik said. “And he’s doing well to not encourage it. Too bad he’s just too damn good at his job.” The big Shaper laughed at that, then shook her head. “All the more reason I’m glad to be heading out and getting involved in things a bit more directly. Being right in the action is a lot more fun than just planning it.”

  “Speaking of heading out,” Seena said. “You said two groups would be joining us. Who is the second one?”

  “Ebidi’s group,” Ilrolik said, referring back to the Shaper—and his party—sometimes responsible for doing the council’s ‘dirty work’. Including helping Olimpas take the Urn of Ur’Thul from where the party had sealed it in the remains of the Palace of Creeping Death. Still, despite being part of that questionable action—and the logical reason they had for it—Ebidi and his under-sized five-man team had gone above and beyond during their time in the Cradle.

  While Hiral and his group had been rushing toward the enemy faction’s fortress, Ebidi’s party had held down the fort. Literally. With most of the groups out competing in trials against the Infested and Possessed, Ebidi had led the defense against the repeated Beast Waves that had come. Like Tomorrow had planned it that way, as soon as the competition got started in full directly between the factions, Beast Wave after Beast Wave had crashed against the walls of the fort.

  That might have also started happening at the enemy faction’s fort… if it hadn’t blown up so soon after the versus-battle started.

  All in all, Ebidi and his group would be an excellent addition to any expedition.

  “Aren’t they going to be missed here?” Seena asked a very good question.

  “Same thing I asked,” Ilrolik said. “But, with things under control here, Elezad thinks they can be spared. And, when it comes to adapting to new situation and thinking on the fly, the group excels at it. Like the support group, their main mission won’t be closing the Gates. They’re looking for places to set up outposts. Enemies—not the flying, invisible kind—we might have to deal with. Allies we can make along the way.”

  “To let us focus on the Black Gates and the Raze,” Hiral said.

  “Ideally on stopping them, yes,” Ilrolik said.

  “Did they find a sixth?” Yanily asked.

  Ilrolik chuckled. “And a seventh.”

  “A Bonder?” Hiral guessed.

  “One we know,” Ilrolik said. “And her bunny companion.”

  “You’re kidding,” Seena said. “Polis and Bun-Bun joined with Ebidi? I thought she had a group already.”

  “Seems the rest of the people she was partied with are stuck in C-Rank for the moment,” Ilrolik said with a shrug.

  “Does Romin know?” Hiral asked. Their party’s tank and Polis were friends since childhood, and a bit of an item more recently.

  “Once it was decided, I came to tell you, and Ebidi went to tell his party,” Ilrolik said. “If Romin doesn’t know yet, he’ll find out very soon.”

  “I’m sure he’ll be fine with it,” Seena said, gently elbowing Hiral. “It hasn’t been bad for us. Even has certain benefits.”

  “He’s worried about protecting her,” Hiral said. “Hopefully it doesn’t distract him.”

  “Do you worry about protecting me?” Seena asked.

  “Of course I do, just like you do me,” Hiral said immediately. “Difference is, you can burn down an entire mountain with a look. Polis isn’t quite up to the same level as you.”

  “She might be, after spending some time around you,” Ilrolik said.

  Hiral opened his mouth to respond, but his sister calling his name drew his attention away.

  “Nat?” he said, looking over at where his sister stood with her arms crossed and that look on her face.

  “You said you came here to spend time with us,” Nat said. “Can you come over and explain what Loan is trying to tell us. It doesn’t make sense!”

  “Coming!” he said with a wave, before turning back to the others. “As you can see, I’m needed, before something happens to Loan.”

  “Don’t you mean before something happens to your sisters?” Ilrolik said.

  “You clearly don’t know his sisters well,” Gauto said.

  “If they’re anything like their brother, I can guess,” Ilrolik said.

  “They’re far more reasonable,” Gauto said.

  “Hey!” Hiral said.

  “I’m not wrong.”

  “… you’re not.”

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