Chương 49

"No," Rufus said.

"I refuse." The genial expression on the man in front of Rufus tore like wet paper.

"I advise you to rethink that answer. Our Young Master is the nephew of a baron. He's showing immense respect, giving you the opportunity to donate your accomplishments to his cause. And the offer is exceedingly generous-""Ten silver!" Rufus glared at the man.

"I've been working in the labor brigade for a week. Every day, I'm digging, or hauling, or propping up something, rather than training my Archetype. I've been paid more than 10 silver by Peakhold for my laborers! You can tell your Young Master to go-""Watch your tongue, levy." One of the other Conduits snapped. He stepped forward and Rufus felt his nerves rise. But Rufus looked around and marshalled his nerves. They stood in the shadow of Peakhold's walls.

Several guards were nearby; they hadn't bothered a second glance at the discussion, but they would, if things escalated.

"Why should I?" The middle-aged man spat at Rufus's feet.

"Kid, let me teach you something. Respect ain't just something you get for nothin'. I'll give you one chance. Take the money."

"No." Rufus gritted his teeth. The middle-aged man's smile appeared, just as abruptly as it had vanished.

"Fine. Pleasure doing business with you." They left and Rufus growled.

"If I could make it to Tier I- they wouldn't dare treat me like this…" He stomped his way back to their campsite, winding through all the crowded little tent communities, popping up around Peakhold like a patchy beard. Over the past week, more and more Conduits had been pouring into the hold, desperate to be a part of the unusual mass of sponsored Ascensions. Consequences and pollutions be damned. Kirk Albion. Rufus clenched his hands. Even my sleeping arrangements are being crowded out by that asshole.

His bad mood lasted exactly until he saw the light of the fire by his tent. Then it all melted away.

"Clara, you here?" After a shuffling noise, Clara poked her head out of the tent. She grinned at him, then paused to blow a blonde strand off her nose.

"You are late." I'm home, Rufus felt all his tension melting. Out loud, he shrugged.

"I do good work. That takes time." Clara carried out an iron pot.

"And I don't? Fetch some water." She tossed the wooden bucket his way and he caught it with one hand. Rufus made an aggrieved face even as his heart fluttered. No matter how hard he had to work, how could his mood not soar when they were so perfectly in sync? A half-hour water haul had suffocated his cheer; because of the influx of new residents, the line at the well was long. Rufus barely stopped himself from stomping up and throwing down this snide man chattering at the well, keeping the line from moving.

I'm becoming more mature, Rufus grinned to himself as he hurried back, sloshing water out of the full bucket. Yet as he returned to their tents, his steps slowed. He heard Clara's voice. Instantly, Rufus tensed; he recognized that tone.

"No, that's unnecessary."

"What are you talking about? It's no trouble." A deep voice chuckled.

"Hey, haven't I seen you around? At the healer's quarters? What are you doing out here all alone-""Well, I'm not alone," Clara countered. Rufus felt a surge of pride, for just a moment.

"Young Master Albion is joining me for dinner. He should return soon." Rufus didn't even hear the excuses the man made, or the retreating footsteps. He leaned back into the shadow of a nearby tent. His heart had vanished. He was empty. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Clara looked up and smiled when Rufus forced his feet to move.

"Let's start the soup." When you needed protecting, why didn't you use my name? Rufus thought. But he just carried the pot and hung it over the fire.

For the previous month and a half, Kirk Albion spent his mornings practicing with his Larian Saber. With breath hissing through his teeth, with sweat forming little reservoirs along his lower back, his hands tightened on the wrapped hilt. So the movement felt natural as he hauled the weapon up and then brought it crashing down, with the Ancient Bladed Beast howling in his ear. Kirk split a geo in half. The pieces twitched. He released another breath.

Nearby, several Conduit teams offered polite claps before returning to their own battles. Kirk flicked the blade to rid it of the worst of the gore, then released a fast string of syllables. The Ember I Rune formed and shattered, becoming a tight ball of flames. Kirk pointed at the geos skittering up the slope. Go. The explosion finished off one and knocked two over. A blast of frost came from another nearby Conduit, coating their legs. At that point, several melee Conduits surged forward and struck.

The syllables for another Ember I died on Kirk's lips. The coiled energy dissipated. At this point, so many Conduits had joined in the defense that it was almost more work to avoid harming allies. Desperate to contribute, more and more Conduits hefted their weapons and hurried forward. A trusted Troop stood at the rear, recording who landed killing blows. Squabbles even broke out over the corpses. Kirk raised his gaze. In the distance, the mist down the slope continued to roil.

Geos lurked just beyond the indigo layer, vast packs that occasionally spilled over, drawn by the noise. Yet the strangest thing was that indeterminate distance. Usually, staring above the mist, toward what would be the 'center' of this Rift, yielded nothing. Yet now, as Kirk watched, he could see the slightest hint of movement and light. As soon as his eyes caught it, it seemed to vanish.

"Shifts almost over," Sandra Wheedle grunted and sat down on a nearby rock.

"You gonna stay?" Kirk pressed his lips together, watching the discussions over the geo corpse. Alliances emerged and faced off against one another. Gradually, one side backed down in every situation, either bribed or threatened to do so. A certainty burned in Kirk's chest. What happened here wasn't fair. Should he do something about it?

"I guess not," Kirk sighed. Sandra just nodded and joined him on the walk back to the Rift. The woman had taken to checking in on him, arranging to share the same defensive shift. Some part of Kirk wondered why, but bigger issues loomed in his consciousness. Back on Eira, Kirk went to Healer Michaels' quarters and knocked.

"Inside," Clara said. He walked inside and saw a secondary desk had been dragged in for her. She looked up and blinked at him.

"Ah, I thought you were the Healer." Kirk couldn't help but snort.

"The Healer knocks on his own tent?" A ghost of a smirk flitted across Clara's face.

"He knows which of us is in the Administrator's good graces. Besides, with the deadline tomorrow- well, I'll just say this. I never want to become an Administrator. I'd rather die in the Rift."

"Really?" Kirk blinked. Clara sighed and waved a hand.

"No, just sarcasm. Sorry, It's just been a long few weeks."

"It ends tomorrow," Kirk said.

"Once the list is out, we can focus on the preparations."

"I hope so," Clara said.

"But I fear it will only be worse, for a bit. I've been approached a few times this past week. To increase certain individuals' benefits. It was almost perfunctory; they accepted when I refused. But once the list is out? People will be desperate." Kirk absorbed that information.

"Is this really that valuable an opportunity?"

"You'd think the talk of pollution would dissuade them. But half say your family's ritual will prevent it. Plus, it is much cheaper than catalytics. While the energy is spiking? Even if it doesn't create an extra Rune or Manifestation, that will strengthen an Archetype." Clara seemed confused as she looked at Kirk.

"Isn't that why you suggested the idea? Because you wanted to change the way things were usually done?"

"True," Kirk admitted. There was another knock at the door. But again, it wasn't Healer Michaels who came through the tent flap, but a runner. He bowed to Kirk.

"The Administrator wants to see you." Kirk looked at Clara.

"Be careful on your way back. Because it's the last night-""Rufus will come and walk me back." Clara nodded. Kirk strode out of the tent and toward the administrator's building. He found Ranya in her office. There were deep bags under her eyes the color of grave dirt and her hand never stopped tapping her desk. Kirk stopped and frowned at her.

"Are you alright?"

"It will be worth it," Ranya groaned. Then she waved a hand toward a chalkboard hung on the wall.

"We've finalized the selections. Most Tiers were relatively simple, despite our recent arrivals. It's just the Tier I Ascension we wished to talk about.

"There are only four slots." Ranya raised her head and rubbed her knuckles against her closed eyes.

"We are aware of your closeness with Clara and Rufus. Obviously, even if she hadn't earned it, Healer Richards has been campaigning for her to be included. But Rufus- his contributions don't amount to much. He ranks about tenth." Finally, Ranya looked directly at Kirk.

"Would you like for us to include him anyway?"