The members of the Burning Delta were tense. John understood completely, as it hadn’t been long since the end of the war. Furthermore, they knew that one of the strongest people on the planet was going to show her face. Even with John there to balance her out, it was reasonable for them to be nervous. They were capable of causing significant collateral damage that the other couldn’t feasibly stop without absorbing every bit of every attack.

  They shouldn’t be fighting, though. Everything indicated that things were going well- scouts reported only Aldara and the much weaker diplomatic members with her. They weren’t weak, but they were within the Consolidated Soul Phase or early Ascending Soul Phase instead of mid or late. Not the greatest threat she could bring.

  John wanted to trust her. Whatever part of Matayal was within her at least seemed to have good intentions, but more than a few things had happened to make him doubt whether that was possible. Erea’s death meant nothing to him, as John didn’t really know the details of who was responsible for previous negotiations failing. But they couldn’t afford to continue the war- so they had to try trust once more.

  He could feel her coming from a very long distance away. Aldara was powerful and easily recognizable. Familiar too, in an uncanny way. Like meeting someone with the same face or voice as a loved one, but missing key features.

  Though John hadn’t experienced even a couple hours of interaction with Aldara. They’d fought, briefly spoken, and then departed. Their second meeting had been shorter because they skipped the part where they tried to kill each other.

  He felt her approach somewhat before he sensed other factors approaching. Complications. Water, earth, and darkness. They hadn’t been invited, but John couldn’t exactly tell them not to come. They weren’t weak, or little kids. The triplets were on pace to arrive just slightly before Aldara. He wondered if they had adjusted their pace to maximize their chances.

  John didn’t say anything as they arrived. He just continued to monitor Aldara’s approach. Their presence didn’t seem to have deterred the incoming ship, which maintained the same velocity.

  When the ship arrived, John was waiting with Zdislava. It would be rude to simply ignore the sect where everything was taking place, after all. Not that John thought she would be petty about it if he didn’t, which was part of the reason he chose this place. It was the closest place to the continent that wasn’t inside their borders, and also the outsiders he trusted most.

  Zdislava bowed politely, far enough to show respect but not subordination to the empress. “Welcome to the Burning Delta, Empress Aldara. And greetings to you, chosen envoy.”

  “Her name is Fermina,” Aldara commented, a bit brusquely. Her eyes were scanning between John and the triplets. “Perhaps you can become acquainted while I… endeavor to speak with others.”

  John had the feeling she was now more used to commanding people. Even her request was much like that, though it wasn’t strange for someone in such a prominent position.

  “We can provide our best chambers for your meeting,” Zdislava said.

  “I will meet wherever it pleases the sect head of the Six Elements Crossroads.” John wondered if she felt awkward using his name. Especially without a title like Emperor.

  John waved his arm. “Come, let us speak.”

  The triplets naturally joined them. It was awkwardness all around as they walked at a fairly normal pace across the island the Burning Delta made their home. It wasn’t even close to a human walking pace, but John still wished they could have been faster. But then they were awkwardly in a room instead.

  Finally, Aldara broke the silence. “I don’t believe we have been properly introduced. I am Aldara… and I once lived as Matayal. You there are…” It didn’t seem that she was unaware of them, just that she didn’t know quite how to say it.

  Melanthina found the words first. “We were born to Fortkran Tenebach and Matayal Brandle. But you know that.”

  “Yes. I don’t remember nearly as much as perhaps I should… but family stood strongly in my mind.” She turned to Ursel. “I did not recognize your presence as quickly as I ought to have, and I apologize.”

  Ursel crossed her arms. “You destroyed my armor.”

  “So I did. It was magnificent, yet you have come up with something perhaps more suited for yourself. Regardless, I will happily repay any losses.”

  Ursel just grunted.

  Tirto decided to interpret. “That means she accepts your apology.” It was clear that he was searching Aldara for signs of his mother. John wondered if he found more or less of her than he himself. “What do you remember?” he asked.

  Aldara thought for a few moments. “Regions. Elements. Full cycle cultivation.” John felt her spiritual energy stir as she spoke. “Despair. Anger. But also… happier things. Perhaps I went too far in trying to get them back.”

  It was difficult for John to read her facial expressions… yet that was in some ways much like Matayal. At least for a while she had kept her emotions close. Over time, John had come to feel her more through her spiritual energy, but he also became familiar with some of her more subtle facial expressions.

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  Aldara had a different face, and it had been so long. So, so long. John couldn’t really tell if she maintained any of that, and he had no desire to let their spiritual energy mingle. Even if it would likely be extremely beneficial for his own cultivation. They’d both advanced during battle. In a way, it was a perfect harmony. But Aldara was responsible for too much pain- both direct and widespread. Whether through lack of care or failure to keep her empire in order, it had all led to far more death and pain than it should have.

  John was not without his own faults. Perhaps he could have encountered her earlier… but he had no reason to believe it would have been a beneficial meeting. She’d had too much battle power surrounding her, so even if he wasn’t afraid of her personally he would have had to run. If she was anyone else. But he didn’t know, and neither did she. Not really. Perhaps she could have made her intentions more clear.

  The best thing John could say was that she hadn’t personally killed anyone she had known before. No, even Aldara was a victim of unfortunate circumstances. Misunderstandings layers atop deceptions.

  John engaged in a bit of meaningless smalltalk just to fill time, before he finally came up with a properly formed question. Matayal would have preferred a direct inquiry, and Aldara didn’t seem entirely separated from that. “How many people were involved in perpetuating the war?”

  Aldara turned her head upward, indicating she was taking time to think. “Too many worked against me. I was blind to their manipulations. Fermina has the current reports. We will send you the final version when we complete the purge.”

  “You’re not done?” John raised an eyebrow. “It seems like your personal involvement could greatly speed things along.”

  “It has,” Aldara nodded. “But I needed to speak to you. And there were many tangled webs of ambition. Some were tied to extracontinental forces.”

  That was interesting. John almost volunteered information about their recent troubles in that regard. However, he didn’t quite trust her.

  Strange how much that shifted over only a short time. But John knew there were limits.

  He could forgive her for everything else except the death of Astrid. It would be impossible for him to ignore. Especially since Astrid was the one who accepted that she must inevitably be compared to Matayal, but still didn’t give up on him. Now John had in his head two images of women he loved. Perhaps those memories were amplified beyond their true qualities, but regardless Matayal and Astrid had meant the world to him.

  Aldara wasn’t Matayal. And if John had been fully able to believe that, things would have been better. Enough things were different that it would have been crazy to say she was Matayal… but enough things were the same that perhaps it would have also been stranger to say that she wasn’t.

  If only she had retained more of her memories. John didn’t think he’d forgotten anything of substance upon his Transmigration- he had a full memory of people around him that he couldn’t go back to. Certainly dead now, from age if nothing else. Even if he could have returned to them, he might not have been the same person- and how could they accept someone long dead? There was no room for that.

  “You truly remember so little?” John asked finally.

  Aldara nodded. “I understand that one of our companions remembered more. And it seems that transmigrators often maintain better memories than reincarnators.”

  “Really?” John asked.

  “Yes. I have studied the phenomenon among my own continent. It is possible there are Transmigrators that remember nothing- but that would essentially make them a new soul. However, those from other worlds seem to retain a high sense of self, if they can be confirmed at all.”

  “Worlds?” John asked. “I haven’t confirmed others except from one.”

  “Your own,” Aldara said. “They would be easiest to contact subtly. However, I have made my search quite public. I know of several dozen reincarnated or transmigrated individuals within my domain. Most of great talent.”

  "Is that some sort of requirement?" John asked. Then he stopped himself. He was becoming too interested, and he didn’t like that. “Perhaps we should meet later, with others I know.”

  “I have many matters to attend to,” Aldara said. “So it might be a short time. A year, perhaps?”

  A year was short now? John supposed it was. He was over a century old in body, and decades older in mind. “If we properly remain in contact, we can arrange for something.”

  “Good.” Aldara stood. She swept her gaze over the triplets. “I would speak with the rest of you further in the future. But I do believe my continued presence wouldn’t be advantageous at the moment.”

  John agreed. As he grew interested in the conversation, something inside of him rejected positive thoughts. Regardless of whether he should feel that way, he did. And he could easily find himself starting a battle- or worse. He didn’t want to say something hurtful if there really was some of Matayal within Aldara.

  The triplets all agreed in some form- at least to hear about further meetings. They hadn’t spoken much, but this was their first time interacting with Aldara. Except for Ursel.

  After Aldara took her leave, John asked them what they thought. “Do you recognize anything? I have my own biases.”

  “It feels like her,” Ursel commented. “I think… I might have noticed when we fought. But maybe that’s just wishful thinking that I had good insight.”

  Tirto nodded. “Her water element, if nothing else, is quite familiar. Would it bother you if I attempted to meet with her again?”

  It would. But just because it would bother him didn’t mean that was the correct feeling. “Just don’t trust too quickly. We aren’t more than a few moments from war in either direction.” He didn’t want to risk harm to his family. His children, at least, he knew were the genuine article. But they should be allowed to make their own judgment about their mother, such as she was.

  Melanthing was the last to comment. “She’s very different. Yet how could she not be, with so much time spent apart? At the very least, I think further nonviolent interactions are the right choice for our people.”

  Which meant John probably shouldn’t be the one most involved. On the other hand, they had only tried to kill each other once. Aldara’s memories seemed to have strengthened slightly upon reaching the Exalted Soul Phase, but that could have simply been John’s conjecture.

  Regardless, he still found himself hostile to her. If there had to be a reason, it would be because he was scared. But not of her overpowering him or trying to kill him.