Leon steeled himself for his party the best way he knew how: by spending almost the entire day locked in a meditation chamber, with none for company his own thoughts. He sank his consciousness down into his soul realm, and once he woke up in his Mind Palace, he took to the sky and left it behind, choosing to spend his time out in the mountains that surrounded the vale of his Mind Palace.

He’d built up much of the island in the past five years. Of course, he’d added little in the way of civilization—he saw little point in it, given the lack of other life in his soul realm—and so had packed the thousands and thousands of square miles he had access to with as many forests and mountains as he could. Countless peaks rose up from his island floating in the Mists of Chaos, most with a carpet of green between them that rose up to brush their metaphorical ankles.

Such a place, even for as long as Leon had lived with it, still felt eerie. It was beautiful in his own mind, standing as a showcase of raw, primal nature, but it was still empty of life. There were no wolves howling in the distance, no birds, no buzzing insects, no cries of distant fauna to break up the shallow breeze that had finally started to blow within his soul realm.

Leon enjoyed such total silence, of course, but when he was flying above a range of mountains in his soul realm, he often wished he could hear the true sounds of nature that might remind him of home.

Before his birthday party, however, silence was what he sought, and was what he found. He parked himself on the peak of the largest mountain within a hundred miles of his Mind Palace, sat down, and stared out into the distance. He wasn’t looking at anything in particular, choosing to instead simply exist and let his thoughts come as they chose. He spent so much of his time rushing from project to project—practicing his blacksmithing, studying the arts of enchanting, seeing to his Heaven’s Eye duties, training, monitoring his retinue’s training, and spending time with his family—that he rarely allowed himself the time to just sit down and not do anything.

It was a rare treat.

He figured that his soul realm guests knew that his time in the mountains was private, and so never bothered him. Even the Thunderbird, despite their frequent training sessions, rarely approached him on those few occasions that he went out and lost himself in thought.

This time, however, seemed an exception, as a couple of hours after Leon sat down and started to relax, he heard the fluttering of wings in the wind, and then the Thunderbird was there with him, standing right next to him in her human form, staring out at the gray mist that surrounded his soul realm. There she stood, silent and motionless, for minutes.

Finally, she asked, “Ready for this, Leon?” Her tone was quiet and motherly, and as she asked her question, she took a seat on the rocky mountain peak right next to him.

“If you’re talking about the party, then I’m as ready as I’ll ever be,” Leon responded calmly. He almost surprised himself with his serenity; he’d thought that with Justin attending, he’d be more out of sorts. However, Valeria had promised that Justin would stay out of the way, for the most part, and Leon had many other people there to occupy his time. Anastasios and the Grand Druid, he was sure, would demand much of his attention, and aside from them, Penelope and the Director himself were coming. Cristina, Asiya, and several more of Cristina’s knightesses were also coming, along with Narses the White, Emilie, Jordan, and a host of other Heaven’s Eye dignitaries and local bureaucrats.

‘Looks like Elise is going to get what she was after,’ Leon thought as a smile crept across his face. ‘The party of the century…’

“And after?” the Thunderbird inquired.

“Take it as it comes,” Leon responded. “Not much demanding my attention.”

The Thunderbird clicked her tongue, then turned her head toward him, prompting him to tear his eyes away from the distance and do likewise.

“There is something that I’ve been hoping you would do…” she whispered. “Back in the north, beyond those frozen mountains, sealed deep in the ravine…”

Leon’s expression froze on his face as he breathed, “Iron Needle…”

The Thunderbird nodded. “A Universe Fragment, waiting to be claimed. Or so I sensed, anyway. Once that controls the element of lightning in its totality. All that can be compressed into ‘lightning magic’ is within the Iron Needle.”

“You almost make it sound like the Needle is the source of lightning magic.”

“It isn’t,” the Thunderbird replied. “It’s simply an artifact of such staggering power that it, along with the Storm Diamond, paved my road to divinity. I found the Iron Needle first, when I wasn’t much stronger than you. You should go and try to reclaim it for the Clan.”

“Such an artifact would prove quite the boon,” Leon said, “but how dangerous is this? Something so powerful I can’t imagine is easy to claim…”

“Correct. But it’s a matter of will, and that, I believe, you have enough of to press your claim.”

Leon chuckled softly and asked, “Are you sure it’s even down there? Seems strange to me that so powerful a thing hasn’t been claimed by anything else.”

“They aren’t sentient outright,” the Thunderbird explained, as she’d done for him before, “but they have wills of their own. They claim their bearers as much as their bearers claim them. If a Universe Fragment doesn’t want you, then nothing you can do will force it to be yours. For the Iron Needle, none but I could claim it. It has never served anyone but my descendants. It hasn’t been that long, relatively speaking, since it was last held by one of our Clan, but I believe that the same will hold true now. Find that Iron Needle and make it yours.”

Leon made eye contact with the Thunderbird and gravely nodded. “If you think it’s time, then I’ll trust your judgment. I’ll head north soon after this party. I might be gone for a while, though, and will have to get my affairs in order.”

The Thunderbird nodded in turn, and then they both fell silent for a while.

After a while, Leon stood up, the time rapidly approaching for him to return to the waking world. He bid his Ancestor adieu and made his way back to his Mind Palace with her assurance that she would be watching. He wasn’t sure if he was comforted or disturbed at such a blatant statement, though his discomfort he thought was the point if the Thunderbird’s provocative parting smile was anything to go by.

However, before sitting back down in his throne, he made his way over to Nestor’s table. He still had some time, there was no real need to rush.

“Nestor,” Leon said, curiously looking at the ruby containing Nestor’s magic body, still secure on its stand. Nearby, and ever present, was the journal of one of Jason Keraunos’ vassals that Leon had taken from the transformation cave in the Serpentine Isles. Its locking enchantments, devised by Nestor, were apparently so good that even now, more than fifteen years later, Nestor had yet to crack his own work.

“Leon,” Nestor said in greeting. “Have you some business with me?”

“Nothing in particular,” Leon replied. “Just felt like chatting for a few minutes.”

From not too far away, Xaphan called out, “More like procrastinating! Little Leon is too nervous to go out and show his face!”

“With a face like that,” Nestor added, joining in on the fun, “who can blame him?”

Leon sighed, wondering just what he was expecting, coming over here. Pushing through the mockery, he kept his expression stoic and neutral, and said, “So those armored weapon platforms performed quite well.”

“Mm, yes, those,” Nestor growled.

“You disagree?”

“I don’t like the name they were given,” Nestor replied, sounding as if he were forcing the words out through clenched teeth. “Takes away from the awe and majesty that such weapons ought to command.”

“Such is how things go, sometimes,” Leon stated, his tone resigned. He didn’t like ‘MALL’, either, but what was done, was done. The name had stuck.

“Their performance was satisfactory, then?” Nestor asked.

“As I just said: yes, they were.”

“Then your engineers aren’t useless. I would’ve thought it would have taken them centuries to miniaturize the enchantments needed for such an armored platform.”

“It’s a complicated machine,” Leon admitted. “Just building one of the damn things cost more than two hundred million silvers, but I’d say every coin was well-spent. They moved quickly, their weapons fired successfully, and their crews were quite grateful for the armor.”

Nestor sighed. “It’s good to have mobile weapon platforms. Hopefully, they prove more convenient than simply mounting the Lightning Lances to war beasts.”

“That might be more convenient,” Leon conceded, “but so is not relying on war beasts. I think a foot or two of enchanted steel armor plating might be better than whatever natural defenses a war beast might have. And if any war beast can surpass that, then they’re going to cost quite a bit more than two hundred million silvers, I think.”

“As you say,” Nestor replied. “Is there something you need, boy? Or did you just come over here to talk about your weapons project?”

“Suppose I just wanted to talk, dead man, nothing more. Thought crossed my mind that I might be too harsh on you. Wondered if you ever wanted to move into a more mobile body.”

Nestor was silent for a long moment, and when that moment was over, he said with disbelief dripping from his tone, “You were thinking that? Really?”

“An errant thought,” Leon admitted, “but a serious one. I’ll never forget your attempting stealing of my body, Nestor, but in the past few years, you’ve done me good service… even if your attitude has been less than stellar, but that’s understandable. However, I’m in a forgiving mood. Or at least, a more conciliatory mood. I’ve said it before that crimes committed against me are easy to forgive; those committed against those I love are less so. I’d like to forgive you, Nestor, but I wonder about your intentions.”

“If I get a body, then we can be allies,” Nestor hurriedly stated. “No matter what, I’m loyal to our Clan. However, my body is dead and gone, rotted to dust. You are the only hope for our Clan’s revival. Putting me in a more ambulatory body would be… desirable, and I would redouble my efforts to get us back to the Nexus, where we can really start to rebuild the Clan!”

Leon smiled, having few reasons to doubt him. And yet, getting Nestor a body was a risk and a sign of trust that he wasn’t sure he had in the man. But a sign of trust that Leon was a little more willing to give now than he was just a few years ago.

“Our Clan used slaves, dead man,” Leon gravely stated. “I’ve vowed not to continue that tradition. But I’d be a hypocrite if I continue to hold you in the state you’re in, wouldn’t I?”

“I’m not sure I’m the one to judge in this case,” Nestor muttered.

A moment later, Xaphan shouted, “He is! Hypocrite!”

Leon waved at the demon but paid him no other heed.

“So, Nestor. How about it? A body?”

“Would I remain in here?” Nestor asked.

“No. I’d want you out in the world where you can continue your work better. And where you won’t have such ready access to my soul realm.”

“Understandable,” Nestor murmured. Left unsaid was anything about Nestor running, whether punishment or otherwise. Leon didn’t think he needed to go into long, detailed descriptions about punishments if Nestor acted against him, or abandoned him, or anything like that. If this was going to be a sign of trust, then Leon was going to show that trust.

“We’ll need a body, then,” Leon said.

“I’d suggest purchasing an orphan or something of that nature, but I don’t think you’d go for that, would you?”

“No,” Leon contemptuously spat.

“Then did you have some other body in mind?” Nestor asked, his tone starting to sound more apprehensive.

Leon glanced at the golems that could be seen in his soul realm: the two work golems he’d taken from the small manufactory beneath an Occularan villa, and the librarian golems that were working in his soul realm’s vault, keeping all of his stored items secure and organized.

As his eyes swept back to Nestor’s ruby, he could practically hear the dead man’s teeth grinding.

“If…” Nestor growled, “… that is… the only option… then fine.”

Leon smiled and said, “Then we’ll discuss it more later. For now, I suppose I have a party to get to, don’t I?”

Nestor grunted unhappily, and Leon returned to his throne, and then a moment later, to his physical body.

—

Leon stood outside of his home, dressed in a mostly-blue ensemble, trimmed in silver. At his side was his family: Elise, Valeria, Maia, and Anzu, all dressed in resplendent outfits of their own, though Maia and Anzu seemed largely indifferent to what they were wearing. If anything, they seemed almost aggrieved that they had to be here, playing host as the party guests arrived.

For the most part, the first group of guests to arrive certainly didn’t warrant their concern, as far as Leon cared. These guests were chosen by Elise simply due to their connections within Heaven’s Eye. Political invites, meant to give opportunities for them to curry favor with Leon and his family.

It was almost an hour before the more personal guests started to arrive, the first being a person of high stature—though not in the land they currently resided in.

She came in accompanied by a small convoy, five carriages in all and surrounded by a dozen knightesses, each one wearing armor and bearing weapons personally forged and enchanted by Leon, sold at cost. This was Princess Cristina’s entourage, and the arms of the Bull Kingdom were prominently displayed on her carriage.

Elise and Valeria, Leon could tell, grew more and more excited with every second as the entourage approached, and as the carriages filed into his front courtyard, Elise left their group to give the Princess a more personal welcome.

The Princess herself was the first out of her carriage, and she’d changed a fair amount in the past fifteen years. She seemed a little taller, the independence of her posting having given her more confidence. She had a greater command of magic, likely helping in that regard, too—she radiated the aura of a fifth-tier mage, to Leon’s surprise. He hadn’t seen her in almost two years, though she still swung around ever few months or so to spend some time with Elise and Valeria. Judging from her aura, Leon guessed that her bloodline had somehow become awakened, though how, he wasn’t sure.

Following her came Asiya, and she tightly embraced both Elise and Valeria after energetically hopping down from her carriage. She, too, was much stronger than when Leon had last seen her, with a strong fifth-tier aura emanating from her, too.

As they were ushered inside, Elise and Valeria had to fight to stay back at the entrance, but stay they did, and only a minute or so later, as the Princess’ carriages were led to a place to wait for her to leave the party, a small group of chariots arrived, with Narses the White’s personal golden chariot leading the way.

The Chief of Security leaped down his chariot before it even came to a halt, shouting, “Leon! Marvelous to see you again! Thank you for your invitation, my friend!”

Leon went down to greet his technical equal in Heaven’s Eye, with the rest of the man’s family—including Sofia—disembarking their own chariots behind Narses. The way that Narses greeted him, Leon felt like he wasn’t holding that deep a grudge for Anna’s killing of Narses the Black, and Leon let out a tiny breath that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

After Narses came Emilie, who greeted her Leon and her daughter with love, along with Jordan, her first husband and Elise’s father, who did the same.

Following them came the most important groups: Penelope and the Director, followed by the twin Imperial processions with Anastasios and the Grand Druid, both riding in the same carriage so as to not to step on each other’s toes by going first or last. Greeting them all left Leon feeling quite drained, having repeated the same thanks for their attendance and what not for seemingly a thousand times by then. And with them came a handful of younger nobles from their realms, none of them stronger than the sixth-tier or seemingly older than maybe thirty. Leon guessed that they were some of their most promising young talents, brought here to schmooze and cavort with him, Heaven’s Eye, and their counterparts from the other Empire.

Notably, Leon realized that Cassandra was not among them, and he wasn’t sure if he should feel relieved or depressed over it. The heckling that the Grand Druid gave him over her absence certainly pushed him towards the former, but he couldn’t help but be just a little sad he wouldn’t get another spar with the crimson-eyed Imperial Princess this day. The Grand Druid was cryptic about why she didn’t come, but Leon read only bait in that refusal—the Grand Druid wanted him to come and ask about the Princess, she wasn’t going to give that information up freely.

Once Leon finally got their groups inside—they’d seemed almost willing to just have the party in his front courtyard the way they were acting—he prepared to head back inside, too. However, one last guest arrived, accompanied by no entourages, riding in no chariot or carriage, and wearing no gold or fancy enchanted jewelry.

Eirene arrived, Anna’s lady, whom Leon and Elise had hired as a private beastmaster just a couple days before. Anna was already inside, having had to arrive early given her status as one of Leon’s retainers. Eirene, however, apparently had to take some extra time to get ready, and had flown over with one of Leon’s latest flight belts, skimming just over the road to keep in compliance with anti-flying regulations of the Ilian Empire.

Leon greeted her warmly, ushering her inside. Once that was over, he glanced at Valeria, a wordless question in his look.

“He’s here,” Valeria whispered back to him, and Leon nodded.

Justin was there, too, but by mutual tacit agreement, he hadn’t arrived by the front courtyard, but rather had been brought in by the servant’s entrance around the south side of the estate. Leon hadn’t yet greeted him, nor was he in a rush to do so. He had many other guests to glad-hand with, and he wasn’t going to carve out too much time for the man.

So, with all of their important guests now inside, Leon and his family entered the villa, Maia looking like she hardly cared, though her eyes were sharper and more attentive than her body language suggested; Elise practically bounced inside, solidly in her element; Valeria was completely stoic, showing not even a hint of emotion; and Leon wore a welcoming smile that he’d had to practice a little bit over the past couple of days.

None of them saw the man floating above the estate, nor would they have even if they looked up. He was completely invisible, undetectable even by the most delicate and discerning enchantments Leon might’ve thrown together.

“A party, huh?” he whispered to himself. “Looks like fun… My invitation must’ve gotten lost in the mail, I’m sure…”

He slowly drifted down toward Leon’s villa, no one within aware of his arrival.