Leon didn’t expect too much from the Hesperidic Apples during this harvest. Most of his people had ascended to their current tiers relatively recently, meaning it would be a while before they ascended again.

This time, however, he was surprised. Not only did Anshu—who’d returned from contacting his smuggler subordinates—ascend to the eighth-tier, but Anna did as well. The star of the day, however, was Cassandra, who reached the ninth-tier after eating hers. Judging by how her aura shifted, Red was also close to ascending to the ninth-tier, needing perhaps only one more apple to do so.

So, Leon gave her that apple, and he had two new ninth-tier equivalent beings in his retinue. However, that left him with only three apples with which to play the game of power. Fortunately, he didn’t have to share any with the Grand Druid or the Lord Protector as he gave them apple seeds rather than the apples themselves. After some thought, however, he gave an apple to Penelope. The Director was still hesitant about ascending to the tenth-tier and provoking Imperial attention, but his daughter was still only eighth-tier and had fewer such worries.

As it was, Leon wore a broad smile after the apples were eaten and power was gained. He sensed a serious increase in the size of his soul realm, too, and he knew that his training regimen for the next few months would be taken entirely by stabilizing and expanding the actual land within his soul realm.

But as encouraging as these results were, Leon didn’t allow himself to linger on them too much. He still had a little bit of work to do in Occulara and then he had to return to Kataigida. He’d remained in contact with his allies and knew that they were holding the fort, but the Thunderer had left the Bison Tribe and returned to Stormhollow, accompanied by several Bison elders. No one thought that was a good thing, and all were encouraging his rapid return.

So, Leon resolved to stay at home for only one more day after the apple harvest. With Talal and the Director taking care of business in Heaven’s Eye, Elise running their home, and the Grand Druid and Lord Protector still solidly on his side, Leon was ready to head back and finish his business.

His only real concern was the Sunlit Emperor. He felt confident enough to leave him to the other tenth-tier mages and the Director, but he honestly couldn’t predict what the man was going to do. At the very least, his people had continued their attempts to reclaim the Sword, even as the Ilian and Evergolden forces only put in token efforts to not draw attention.

The Keeper had proven himself violent and hostile; Leon hoped that Sunlit wouldn’t show himself cut of similar cloth.

Putting those problems out of his mind, Leon focused his last full day at home on two things: studying the Iron Needle and talking to the retainer that concerned him the most: Anna.

—

“How are you doing?” Leon asked as he and Anna sat down in a private room.

“Not a lot of preamble there, Leon,” Anna said with a mostly-sarcastic smile.

“I have a lot to do and not a lot of time for small talk,” Leon replied. “Apologies if I seem a bit curt, I’ll make as much time as needed for you, should you need it.”

“That’s sweet,” she said. “To answer your initial question, I’m doing well enough. Eirene’s gods-sent. She’s helped me more than I really want to talk about in this past year. I… It’s good that we’re talking like this because I have to apologize to you.”

“What for?”

“For… Casimir. I… shouldn’t have killed him. I know that got you in some trouble with Narses and the man had surrendered and killing him was wrong and—”

“Slow down,” Leon quickly interjected. “We’re not in a race, I’ll listen to however much or little you want to say, without judgment.”

Anna gave him a grateful smile. “I just… I don’t want to cause you any trouble. You took me and my sister in years ago, and while Helen has held her own, I can’t help but feel like I’ve only caused you trouble…”

“Believe me, you haven’t me nearly as much trouble as I’ve caused myself,” Leon said with a self-deprecating smile. “Have I ever told you how I almost ruined a peace delegation between a Kingdom and a Tribe of stone giants? Next to that, what have you done? Not much I’d say.” Leon spoke with a playful tone by the time he was done, Anna seemed a little more relaxed and even wore a tight, toothless smile.

“I’m… thank you, Leon,” she said as he finished. “You’ve been more accommodating than anyone else would’ve. I know I may not have much to offer, but… if you’ll have room for me, I would consider it an honor and a privilege to serve you as my King.”

The sudden declaration had Leon reeling slightly and it took him a moment to respond. He had to switch from less formal boss-talking-to-employee mode and go into his much more nascent King-talking-to-retainer mode.

“Your confidence in me brings me no small amount of joy,” he gravely said, treating the matter with all the seriousness be believed it warranted. “I would happily accept you now, as I did all those years ago. Though you may not believe it, I value your skills greatly, and you’re a valued member of my retinue. I understand your actions with Casimir and hold no grudge. I trust that any more of my enemies, especially since I doubt many will have such a personal connection to you, won’t suffer the same fate.”

“Of course not!” Anna quickly stated. “As I said, killing Casimir was a mistake—”

“Don’t think too much more on it,” Leon said with a quick wave of his hand. “What’s done is done. This is enough for me. Let’s look now to the future. And speaking of, are you feeling fit enough to head south with the rest of us?”

Anna blinked in surprise, then quickly nodded. “Absolutely!” she said. “Ladon’s grown a little, and Nidar and Astar are bigger, too! Big enough to maybe even be combat-ready! There’s just the problem of making sure they can reach the island…”

“That… shouldn’t be too difficult,” Leon said as he cocked his head in thought. “My flight suit enchantments are much more advanced than they used to be. Plus, we now have a ninth-tier wyvern who can carry more than her own weight, I’d say.”

“She won’t be happy about that…”

“Leave her to me. For now, get whatever you need ready to head out.”

“Right!” Anna almost sprang to her feet right then and there but paused a moment. “Leon…? Would it be alright if… Eirene came with, too? I don’t mean she has to accompany us everywhere, but she’s… been very helpful with my war beasts…”

Leon thought about it for a moment. Anna’s girlfriend was a little on the weak side compared to his retinue, but he was confident the Jaguars could house and defend her easily. Getting her to Kataigida was more of a concern to him than what might happen once there. The Veins of Vigilance and the Argonaut Sea were both large bodies of water not easily crossed by weaker mages, let alone his desire with everything going on to avoid Sunlit territory on their return journey, which would add a couple of days and thousands of miles at least to their return trip.

But… he supposed it was doable. Eirene had been training hard in the months since she’d been hired by his household, and sixth-tier had power that couldn’t just be ignored even at his level. He was almost tempted to offer her one of the Hesperidic Apples he still had spare, but he kept those in reserve just in case.

‘Better to use them on allies or to win over potential allies.’

“So long as she’s able to keep up, it won’t be a problem,” Leon said.

“She won’t slow us down!” Anna insisted. “I’ll go—I mean, I need to—I have… I just… thank you!”

With hardly another word, Anna darted out of the room, to Leon’s amusement. He kept his seat for another couple of minutes, watching Anna practically sprint through his halls back to the stable where Eirene was helping her tend to the war beasts. After some exchanged words, Leon noted that Eirene looked excited enough, though hardly jumping for joy as much as Anna pretty much had been.

With a sigh, he got to his feet and started making his way to his workshop. He had only one more full day left in Occulara, and he wanted to use as much of that time experimenting with Adamant and the Iron Needle as he could.

—

Leaving Occulara was a somewhat more emotional departure than it had been the previous time. This time, after all, Elise, Helen, Tikos, and Nestor were the only ones left behind. Anna, Cassandra, and Eirene were joining Leon’s group, along with Anna’s war beasts. The villa would hardly be deserted, but without most of Leon’s retinue, it would be quite empty.

Still, as Elise put it, they had plenty of practice at saying goodbye, and Leon had made sure to lavish his fire-haired wife with all the attention she could get the night before, ensuring that she didn’t feel abandoned. Cassandra wasn’t too thrilled at being left to her own devices when she’d have rathered Leon visit her bed as well, but she understood.

If he hadn’t been before, Leon felt that her attitude alone would’ve convinced him not to take any more wives. Ideally, they’d all end up immortal together, but time still waited for no one and there were only so many hours in the day to spend with loved ones.

Leon simply counted himself lucky that, while a little sulky, Cassandra wasn’t actually upset by his decision regarding how to spend his final night, and when the entire party met up the following morning, she was in good spirits.

They didn’t leave immediately but instead took close to an hour to make sure that they could fly with Anna’s war beasts reasonably well and that Eirene was not only equipped but taught how to use some invisibility equipment that Leon had thrown together for her the day before. She wouldn’t be armored, but she’d at least not be seen and be able to track the others since Leon wanted them all flying as invisibly as possible.

Doing so with Anna’s war beasts was a little more complicated. Her two wyverns, Nidar and Astar, hadn’t yet developed human intelligence, but Red—grudgingly—agreed to shepherd them. They were to be the only three of the group flying visible to the naked eye, though they’d be doing so at great altitude such that even powerful mages wouldn’t see them unless they were actively searching for them.

What she was less willing to do was to carry Ladon on her back. Leon had, since the days of the expedition to the Prota Forest, rigged up flight equipment for the large beast, and had in the years since refined that gear further, but the snapper was still a slow and cumbersome beast. Anna would have to ride on it to make sure it stayed in the air and kept up with the group.

When they finally took to the skies, it came as almost a relief. Leon knew that planning and practicing were one thing, but doing was another. Fortunately, there weren’t any mistakes or mishaps, especially since both the Lord Protector and Grand Druid came out to see them off—sans any other mages from their respective Empires, thankfully.

Though he still didn’t quite trust their motives, Leon almost surprised himself with the realization that he didn’t hate the idea of leaving the Sunlit Emperor to them and the Director. They’d been around long enough that Leon found himself beginning to trust their actions, at least, and that they’d continue to help him defend his home. His offer for them to accompany him to the Nexus, likewise, he found he didn’t regret either, made in haste though it was.

And so it was that he and his group ascended invisible—mostly—into the sky, and then turned southwest. They were to curve around the Sunlit Empire, then venture out above the Pegasi States over the Veins of Vigilance, meet up with the ship that would be waiting for them, and then finally return to Kataigida.

And this time, Leon knew, he’d only be leaving the island again in disgrace, or with a crown upon his head.

—

“Your Majesty,” Exallos Aetos said with a low bow as Leon and his party disembarked from the ship and onto the dock in Raimondas.

His bow was mirrored in the massive party he had with him to welcome Leon back to the capital of the Screaming Eagles. The Jaguars were there, too, including the Jaguar of the West himself, as well as Cloud-Runner and Rain-Dancer of the Heart-Stabbing Hawks. All of them bowed; all of them spoke traditional words of fealty.

Leon had to admit that, though the flight back was long and boring, leaving him rather mentally tired, the sight of so many people bowing to him was invigorating. It felt like he was truly, finally doing as his Ancestor had bid him and begun to rebuild his Clan.

It wasn’t enough, of course, so while he reveled in the feeling, he was quick to wave them all up.

“It’s good to be back,” he said with a broad smile. “Now, let’s waste no more time. What have I missed since we last spoke?”

He’d kept in regular contact with his allies on the island—the only times he brought his party to a stop along their flight for any real duration was once a day so that he could check in with the Jaguar on the island’s events.

“It’s been… worrying,” Exallos replied as a grave look replaced his more deferential attitude. “Shall we talk somewhere more private?”

Leon nodded, and with the rest of his retainers and allies, they made their way to the gathering hall, Leon pausing only to pay his respects to the Tribal Totem—though this time he refrained from flying around it ten times.

Once he and his retainers were upon the dais and the Eagles, Hawks, and Jaguars were on the benches, he asked again, “Something happened in the day since I last spoke with any of you. What was it?”

“The Thunderer has remained relatively passive since winning over the Bison Tribe,” Exallos replied with a scowl. Leon could understand his disappointment well enough; it was made official just a few days ago, but the Bison Tribe had put forward a powerful statement of support for the Thunderer and his government. Leon could visit them, but the chances of winning them over to his side at this point were slim at best.

He had to focus now on the Lions, Harts, and Ravens, and if he lost even a single one of them, his cause would be in serious trouble. With six Tribes, and especially the Lions among them, then his military potential would at least rival the Thunderer’s, with his four Tribes and central army.

Losing even one of the three remaining Tribes wouldn’t guarantee his loss, but he could easily see it dooming his cause, depending on the Tribe.

“His passivity has changed?” Leon asked.

“Elders from the Tigers, Ji Spiders, and Booming Brown Bears also made their declarations of support,” the Jaguar intoned from further down the hall. “Lines are being drawn and it’s clear that they want the Lions, Ravens-of-Hail-Hall, and Ancestral Harts to know that they have more support than we do. They’re putting pressure on our fellow Tribes to move in the direction the wind appears to be blowing—to the Thunderer, in other words.”

“But the Thunderer isn’t only doing that,” Exallos added. “He departed from Stormhollow last night on course for Raichaiti.”

Leon knew Raichaiti to be the capital of the Lion Tribe.

“Then we don’t have much time, do we?” Leon said as he hopped down from the dais. “I will make my way there now.”

“Without any rest?” one of the Eagle elders asked.

Leon simply replied, “No.”

He’d left the Thunderer on his own for long enough. While he didn’t regret heading home to shore up his alliances and see to the Hesperidic Apple harvest, he did lament that it practically ceded the initiative to the Thunderer. He needed to get it back.

“There is one more thing, Your Majesty,” the Jaguar gravely stated, bringing Leon to a halt just a few steps from the dais. “The Booming Brown Bears continue to gather on our border. A messenger was sent to Raikos indicating that they want to meet with our Tribal council. And you.”

Leon scowled. “Do we know what they want?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” another Eagle elder practically roared. “They want war!”

“If they want war, then that’s what they’ll have!” a Jaguar Chief responded.

“If they try, they’ll be pushed back across the river with ease!” another Jaguar shouted. “If they challenge us, they will come to regret it!”

Many of the other elders in the room began to murmur and stamp their feet in agreement, but before they could descend too fully into warmongering, Leon shouted loudly enough to silence the entire hall, “ENOUGH!”

His command was followed swiftly enough that he couldn’t help but stand a little straighter and glare around the room with more confidence.

“If they attack, then we will respond,” he said to the hall much more quietly than he’d commanded their silence. “We will not attack first! Nor will we provoke them to attack! I want the Ten Tribes to remain united!” He paused and looked to all the Eagles, remembering what they’d told him when he first arrived on the island. “Is peace not a duty borne by all of us?”

Some angry mutterings began, but they were fewer in number than before. For those that still muttered, the Jaguar spoke for them all when he replied, “Unity is only achieved when all parties agree, Your Majesty. Our hand may be forced, and with the way they’ve been building up their army on our border, it’s looking more and more likely that it will be. And there are some who might consider a pre-emptive attack wise.”

“It’s only wise against one’s enemies,” Leon retorted. “Right now, on paper at least, the Booming Brown Bears are our allies. And again, if that is to change, it will be they who change it. I won’t condone any attacks on the Bears while the Lions, Harts, and Ravens remain undecided! Defend your territories as best as you can, but I would be King of a united realm, not one torn apart by internecine conflict!”

“And if our allied Tribe wishes not to submit willingly?” the Jaguar asked, a look of deadly seriousness on his face.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Leon replied. “But I won’t rule anything out. Whatever happens, we’ll be ready. But we will not be the side actively pushing disunity!”

Silence fell upon the hall for a few moments before Exallos quietly said, “We all hope you’re right, Your Majesty.”

Leon glanced back at him, and when no follow-up came, he simply said, “Good. Now, while I expect all measures to be taken to ensure we’re defended against any potential hostilities, I will be making for Raichaiti. Who will join me?”

Naturally, all of Leon’s retainers, including Eirene and Cassandra, fell in behind him. At the same time, the Jaguar stepped forward, indicating he’d join Leon, as did Cloud-Runner and Rain-Dancer. Exallos indicated that he’d return to Raikos to coordinate defense with Nikolaos, but Ipatameni, one of the other three ninth-tier mages in the Eagle Tribe, would join him, along with a delegation of other Eagle elders and Chiefs.

And so, Leon left Raimondas less than an hour after arriving, bound for Lion territory. And the Thunderer had a head start.