Kassius was not pleased. In the Crimson Archives, he circled Echo like a disapproving shark. "You bond too freely. You dilute your sovereignty. This… mechanic. What does she offer your blood? Nothing!"
"She offers stability. Perspective. And her own strength," Echo countered.
"Strength?" Kassius spat. "She is a creature of wires and data! The blood is life! It is primal! You muddy your gift with these… attachments."
"My bonds are my strength," Echo said, his voice firm, his blood responding to his will, glowing faintly crimson in the dim light. "They are not a weakness. They are the reason I fight. They make my command fiercer, because I have something to protect."
Kassius stopped, his old eyes narrowing. Then, unexpectedly, he chuckled, a dry, rasping sound. "Perhaps. Perhaps the old ways are too rigid. The war changes. The Sovereign must adapt." He pointed a bony finger. "But do not forget the core truth: in the end, when all others fall, it is your blood that must hold the line. Now, show me your control. The Architect's ichor sample has arrived. Let us see if you can command the blood of a dead god."
The lesson began, but Echo left with a new thought: even Kassius was beginning to see that his path was different.
His harem was not a distraction. It was his foundation. And it was growing stronger.