Chương 118: Warmth and potential

"Ah, my errant little deputy has come back to me! I was almost worried that you had absconded with that lady-love of yours," branch director Jarvan said cheerfully as he sat down in one of the couches in his office, pouring a glass of a strong, deep purple liquor for his friend.

"So, has your little vacation been relaxing? Spent a lot of quality time with our dear ice queen?"

"You know that a gentleman never divulges such details, and you never having bothered to try and hide them tells one a lot of your character, Jarvan," Rupert retorted dryly, even though the amusement was clear in his voice.

"Bah, you know Fantina is way worse than I am. She mostly seems to treat stories from our bedchamber as examples to use in teaching the ways of her goddess."

"You are kidding no one if you try to hide the fact that you are flattered by it."

"Well, being set up as an example of fertile prowess does have its charm, I'll admit," Jarvan said, chuckling.

"But I digress. It is truly good to have you back, my friend. Adelaide has done a good job in covering for you, but I think that she is eager to give back the mantle. She is working towards becoming an active adventurer in the future, after all, not to get deeper into administration."

"With the salary and benefits you offered, she'll be there sooner than expected," Rupert agreed before changing the subject.

"But as to your original question, things went well. It was good to spend more time with Dew. Extended time, for once. So you can expect me to ask for leave more often in the future," Rupert said, he himself also chuckling as Jarvan's smile turned crooked.

"How have things been here, in my absence?"

"Surprisingly calm, but that is mostly due to the city lord truly clamping down on the civil side of things. As the only remaining sect in the area, the Victorious Sunset sect seems to have risen to the occasion. Not a few of the former members of the Descending Star sect have found their way into its ranks, and those who haven't left the area or the adventuring life are mostly working hard to prove that they won't be trouble."

"And I assume that Kite and his group have dealt with those that did choose to become just that; trouble?"

"I will say it again, that boy and his companions have been a good investment in trust. They have so far taken care of everyone we've managed to track down, and him being so good at taking them alive has allowed us to extract a lot of information on where to find the rest. The city lord isn't even complaining that we keep handing them over for the court to handle, as it helps solidify his position."

"Good, good," Rupert agreed.

"And the family?"

"Numerous, and fortunately well," Jarvan said, his smile a bit weary but also quite proud.

"Noel even came of age three weeks ago."

"Oh, how nice. Which essences did he decide upon?"

"Water, plant and sword, for the lotus confluence. I swear, of all my little ones, that boy is the one who has gone the most native," Jarvan said with a helpless sigh.

"If he comes home one day with a Hua-Xi name, I won't be surprised in the least."

"Hehe, young Noel always did seem to enjoy these lands. Has he left to join one of the family teams yet?"

"No, he didn't want to, at least not yet. But fortunately, a local option did spring up lately that lets me sleep at night knowing that he at least won't try to throw himself out into the Autumn lands all on his own like some local legend."

"Oh? So he…?"

"That's right! My little Noel is the latest addition to the budding Autumn Wanderer's guild. I paid Kite for the essences, of course, so Noel isn't beholden to them. But he can get training and some actual good local role models, and they are pretty generous with iron-rankers earning their stones as long as you actually strive to work within the guild tenets."

"Which makes things a lot cheaper for you in the long run," Rupert pointed out.

"And that, my friend, is the famous win-win situation," Jarvan agreed.

"Not having to save up for all his stones set me way ahead in the budget, which is good now that Jeanne is due to come of age within the year." The pair continued their reunion, going through various developments within the Adventure Society, the meeting lasting well over two hours.

"Well, I see that I will have plenty of work to get to, and there is no time like the present," Rupert said eventually, rising from his couch.

"It is fortunate that silver-rank does provide its share of stamina."

"Indeed," Jarvan agreed, falling in step beside Rupert on their way to the exit.

"And as I said, my friend, it is good to have you back. And while I am glad to hear that you and mistress Dew have been well, I also sympathize. Being away from our loved ones is never easy."

"Thank you, Jarvan. On both accounts," Rupert said as they started walking through the corridors of the Adventure Society administration building.

"Oh, and before I forget again; sect leader Dew sends her fondest regards."

"Heaven's curse us, it's making more!" Dragonfly shouted while furiously chopping and carving her way through the numerous enemies surrounding the group. Said enemies looked like thin straw-men made from fresh, green grass and more were constantly manifesting from the surrounding plains. Her frustration came from the fact that what she and the rest of her group were currently carving through were not individual monsters, but more like conjured appendages of their actual enemy.

Called a Verdurous Warlord, it was a three meter humanoid looking like a much more life-like rendition of a plated suit of armor made from the same kind of green grass as its 'minions'. While the grass plains that began to be more common way south of Gilded had long since seen their green color fade as winter was soon upon them, the land for a hundred meters around the silver-ranked monster was as green and lush as during the height of summer.

"This is glorious!" Will shouted in retort, acting like a one-man phalanx as he conjured spears with ever-growing vigor to ward off the charging grass soldiers.

"We need to take the general's head, the decisive factor in any good rendition of battle!"

"The question of how to advance remains, Serene said from where she calmly stood in the middle of their little formation, auras and spells making themselves known as she scanned their surroundings.

"It seems to know our intent, and the index did say that it was individually on the weaker side if one could get to it.

"I- I could try to use my staff to detonate Gate of Nihility again-" Kite barely had the time to voice the idea before he was interrupted by the answer of his companions.

"Kite, no!"

"That would be most unwise!"

"Dear gods, don't!"

"It was just a suggestion," he answered meekly while using Eternal Quartz to disperse yet another cluster of the grass soldiers.

"Then we need another plan, because this is not going to work forever." As if aiming to prove his statement true, a trio of what looked like grass-giants manifested next to the monster 'general', wielding long blades of grass the group knew to be wickedly sharp." Dissolve the patterns of power!" Kite's dispelling wave rippled across the verdant battleground, dissolving some of the grass soldiers affected while making others unstable.

The higher-ranked opponent meant that Kite's dispel wasn't always up to the task of nullifying all of them, but it tended to at least stun and delay that which it could not negate completely. This stopped the charge of the large trio, leaving them open for a counter-charge from the group which tore them apart in short order, Dragonfly and her flames being the decisive factor.

"I guess we have to do it the hard way; step by step," Kite noted once they found themselves wading through the opposition.

"Truly, like the stories! Friends at our side and accompanied by hymns of glory! Onwards!" Will shouted, leading the effort alongside Dragonfly. Even the two of them fully charged up did not leave the battle an easy one, the group fighting forwards step by grueling step as they left a trail of scorched earth and scattered spears behind them.

What eventually allowed them to do a decisive final push was when Tempered Soul Resonance, Kite's evolved racial ability, had finally worn down the rank disparity of the silver-ranked monster, and therefore also all of its 'soldiers' as they were naught but appendages of the monster. When that extra layer of advantages and damage reduction finally faded, it was as if a dam broke, Serene utilizing her most powerful wind spell to launch them all towards their true foe.

"Be swept away by the hammer of the hurricane!"

"Lancer's Judgement Delivered!"

"Kyyyyyyyyaaaaaaahhh!" The whole trail of spears left in their wake shot towards their foe while Dragonfly spun like the descending disc of the sun. Kite followed through with an empowered Void-Sunders-Firmament, and Serene even took the opportunity to channel her dirge. The combined burst of violence tore through attempts to raise walls of grass and rows of shieldbearers, leaving their foe so damaged that the rest of the fight was a foregone conclusion.

Dragonfly fell down to sprawl on the scorched ground almost immediately after the last stalk of animated grass had stopped twitching, embers of the surrounding area drawn towards her to replenish.

"Another silver-ranked one has fallen before our might!" Will exclaimed happily. Kite's smile did mirror his friend's, and he couldn't help but to enjoy the view of the late autumn sun above as they sat there in their own little verdant patch of land, albeit a little scorched and battle-torn, basking in victory.

"We will probably have to range further and further for the contracts if we want to continue pushing ourselves," he eventually said, his friends nodding along. They all knew that the push towards silver wouldn't be a fast one, even after the surge had given them a good boost through parts of bronze rank.

"But I will repeat myself in that I don't want you to hold yourselves back for my sake if you want to leave for greener pastures," he continued, Dragonfly snickering at the pun.

"The guild is still in its infancy, and we have the contract from Jarvan as well as the new addition to the family on my part. I still feel that I have too much left to do in Gilded, even if the sparser number of silver-manifestations will mean that it will take longer for us."

"We all agreed, Kite. It is time to let it go," Dragonfly called from her prone position.

"We're all better off doing this together, at least until you feel ready to leave for your little 'solo adventure'."

"Careful, Dragonfly. Calling the jade-sky gate 'little' is just inviting the queen's wrath upon you," Will chided.

"But I agree, as I did before. Besides, I am sure that my father would cause trouble if I tried leaving too early."

"And both master Walker and Master Force took their time," Serene noted.

"Some songs should not be rushed, however much one might wish to reach the crescendo. It should be according to one's own path, in harmony with one's life."

"I- thank you. While I knew, it feels good to hear it again," Kite said, feeling the warmth of connection in his chest. He rose to his feet, looking at his companions.

"Then onwards, I suppose. To the heavens, and beyond. At our own pace."

"She's… so small," Kite said with wonder.

"You were too, when Walker brought you to our doorstep," Crow noted at his side. He was currently leaning forward to look into the cylindrical container where a small baby was serenely suspended in the viscous liquid within. While Kite was no expert on the matter, from the steady feel of the little aura and the kicks and twirls the little one performed, he assumed that it would not be too long until she would be brought out into the world. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve.

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"How much longer will it be? Until she can be… born?" he asked the other person present in the room. Fantina LanCaire, Jarvan's wife and priestess of Fertility, bent forward and laid her hand against the glass as if trying to sense something.

"About a month and two weeks longer. The goddess is proud of this one's growth. She will be strong and lively," the priestess stated with calm surety. Gilded's local church of Fertility was not the largest due to the city's rural location, but it still had the small complex needed to help new life grow in its birthing vats. Kite had been excited when Auntie Crow, who had been visiting the city on other business, had asked if he wanted to come see his little sister-to-be.

"But from the looks of it, you already are," he thought, reaching out to put a finger to the glass. The growing baby did not react to his actions in the slightest, content to live in its own little bubble of warmth. Straightening again, he looked to Crow at his side.

"She's beautiful, auntie. And it looks like she'll have your hair." Small tufts of dark strands could be seen through the liquid, and Fantina nodded in confirmation.

"She will be a beautiful little celestine, that is for sure. Have you thought of a name yet?"

"We are still working through the exact wordings, we do have a theme to follow, even if it'll leave you the odd one out, little Kite," Crow noted.

"She will be called Raven."

"At least I am still named after something airborne, so close enough," Kite said with a smile, noting that Crow looked a bit relieved next to him. Even after their talk at the revelation of the little one's existence, he still sometimes felt their worry that he would feel left out or excluded. Their care was heartwarming, but in the end, unnecessary. After their conversation and him venting his worries, Kite felt nothing but happy for what was to come. He looked back to the little life growing in the vat.

"Well, little Raven, I will do my very best to don the mantle of your brother. Just you wait."

"Kite, I am so very, utterly disappointed in you," Will once more exclaimed in between the collisions between his practice spear and Kite's staff. The pair had worked themselves up to a breakneck pace, stepping back and forth almost like a dance while their weapons became the rhythm to which they moved. With his spear, Will had a slight advantage in range and striking power while the balance of the plain staff gave Kite an advantage in speed and defense.

"Sometimes one just has to face the facts, my friend. Even a spear has to be left behind at times."

"Lies! The spear is perfection, and you are a fool to not see it. I thought I had taught you well, but I was gravely mistaken."

"I just haven't found myself using it at all lately, my staff being more powerful and more often useful when the reach is required."

"So get a better spear, instead of speaking heresy like this!"

"And dilute my training even further? You know that I still need to find a teacher, if only a temporary one, to learn more of the shield." Their argument had to be temporarily dropped as Will intensified his assault, thrusting forward with great speed over and over again.

He drove Kite backwards, both ends of the other man's staff working hard to deflect until Kite suddenly planted his feet and swayed to the side, narrowly avoiding the blunted spearhead before grabbing the shaft with one hand and swinging his staff with the other. Will responded by swiftly leaning backwards to duck beneath the swing while simultaneously kicking up with one foot to rip the shaft from Kite's grip.

He let go with his other hand, the weapon spinning a full circle in the air as Will continued the motion to roll backward, rising just in time to catch the spear in a ready position. Both men stopped to regard each other, Kite eventually breaking the silence.

"That… that was most impressively done," he admitted, a bit envious of the elf's natural grace.

"I- Yes, but you did the right thing. I overextended," Will admitted, before turning to Kite with hope in his eyes.

"Please tell me that all this talk of not using your spear was just a taunt to get me worked up?"

"Alas, no, my friend," Kite admitted.

"But it is not like I am abandoning the spear as a weapon permanently, just that Whistling Visitor has mostly been languishing in my void sheath for so long now. I had hoped to practice using it more from Glint's back, but I simply haven't found the time so far." Will still looked displeased, but at least a bit mollified.

"Then I suppose I can only hope for that ability of yours to make you something grand, turning your head from these foolish ideas once and for all." The two young men went to sit down at the seating area, the inner garden of Will's part of the palace kept nice and vibrant even as winter was in full swing outside. While the two bronze-rankers could easily endure the chill, it was still a lot more comfortable to spar within the temperate area.

At the beginning, they spent some time evaluating their spar and giving pointers, but Kite eventually found his way to a topic that he had been meaning to broach.

"Will, have you thought more about what you want to do? In the future? As a silver-ranker, you could be quite important here, but it also opens up the wider world. Remember when Instructor Concente told us of places such as Rimaros? Over there, silver rank seems to be the bare minimum level of acting independently, anything less not being seen as a 'true adventurer'. He had expected a quick answer from his friend, but got a complicated look in return.

"I… actually talked with my father about this not so long ago. He told me that silver rank would mean more responsibility, but that it would be up to me to choose where that responsibility will lay. While they will always have use of me here, I am also free to leave, even though doing so will be without further support from the family." Noticing Kite's concerned look, he quickly added.

"They are not cutting me off or shutting me out; I am welcome home anytime and for any reason. But father was clear that, should I choose that path, the responsibility will be to myself and my path; to prove that I can continue the climb towards the heavens on my own."

"Have you chosen anything then?" Kite said, believing himself knowing the answer already.

"Of course. The Saint of Spears cannot grow in the confines of a greenhouse. I would say that traveling far and wide to temper myself is the only path forward which I can take and still respect myself."

"Then my predictions were quite on the mark," Kite said with a smile.

"I would have been mightily surprised if you had suddenly declared your intentions to stay, have a marriage arranged and put your spear aside in favor of the pen and accounting book."

"At least a pen can be made to look like a spear from the right perspective," Will mused, the pair laughing a bit as the elf made some pretend moves of jabbing out with an imaginary pen.

"But if I may ask, do you have any such ambitions? Of romance and companionship? I know Dragonfly still teases you about it, and while you are a lot more knowledgeable in those matters now, I can still see that it isn't just a simple matter to you."

"Honestly, my friend, I spent most of my life expecting just that; an arranged marriage. It made me put such dreams to the side. Even now with options for the future opening up, I still have trouble seeing myself married to anything else than the spear and my path. The rest simply doen't seem to have the same appeal." Kite nodded along to Will's words, before a smile eventually crept upon his lips. He tried to hide it, but Will had already noticed it.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, my base-born friend, that was not nothing. What commoner-jibe did your mind conjure this time?"

"It was mostly my inner Dragonfly who lived a life of her own."

"Well, out with it."

"Alright, alright," Kite said, hands raised placatingly.

"I just thought that we would need to start our grand search for the most beautiful spear in the world, so that my friend's heart can finally know peace." Will regarded him for a while, but instead of the flat look Kite had expected, he got a nod.

"Well, my friend. That sounds like a worthy quest. I'll be in your care, then." Watching from afar, Kite could see the much older woman bow with respect to the elf, the pair just having finished what would be their final lesson for now. Under the tutelage of Chalk of Words turned Truth, the hardy local had quickly gotten much more proficient in basic formations and arrays, and even more so in their upkeep and maintenance.

From what Walker had told him, the former sect disciple had held up her end of the contract with the guild to the letter, coming by at the appointed time to teach the iron-ranker. As Stream left to practice more on her own, Kite approached the other bronze-ranker, bowing politely in greeting.

"Thank you for your service. I have heard nothing but praise of your efforts, and hope that you will find the agreed-upon reward satisfactory."

"I assure you that I do not mean this in a derogatory way, but this is bound to be the awakening stone which I have earned the easiest," the elf rune-caster replied as she bowed in return.

"My younger cousin will be most pleased. With the fall of the sect, she has been very worried about her path towards the future. While I have tried to counsel patience, such is the heart of most of the young ones her age. That made Sweet Stream a pleasant change, her age giving both wisdom and patience. I was surprised at her presence at first, but I can see why she was given the offer to join the guild."

"Speaking of offers, ours still stand. As you have probably seen in the contribution system, earning more stones for your family should be very doable."

"I have, but my answer will have to remain the same," Chalk said with a shake of her head.

"My family is still planning to leave Gilded for Convergence, in hopes of finding better opportunities there for all of them. While your little guild is novel and pleasant, I would not have them leave for unknown territories without following to add the strength of my path to theirs."

"While it is our loss, I can understand," Kite said.

"Any idea if Gold feels the same? `""I would have thought it best to ask him?" Chalk asked, a bit amused as she seemed to expect Kite's answer.

"Well, he isn't exactly the one to mince words," Kite admitted.

"And he's also still up at the Seventh Peak to practice combat technique with the rest of the guild members. Especially Noel seems to have started idolizing him quite a lot."

"I can assure you that he does not tell me much either, but if he wanted to leave he simply would. I would recommend just to keep offering him tasks. He doesn't have the same familiar ties as I do in these parts, not since the sect fell and local political ties fell into shambles, so the sense of community might do him good."

"I will keep that in mind. Thank you, Chalk of Words turned Truth. I hope that the heavens will treat both you and your family well in the future," Kite said, bowing once more in way of farewell.

"The same to you, Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune. If I had to be defeated by someone, I will freely admit that I am glad that it was by you, Pathbreaker. Picking up the pieces afterwards has given me quite the opportunity to review some life choices." Kite focused his utmost to keep very, very still, aura retracted and barely breathing.

"I did it! It worked!" he attempted to speak using only his eyes, Auntie Dove tearing up while Auntie Crow just gave him an indulgent smile for his 'achievement'. His bronze rank hearing could clearly make out the little snoozes of the baby he held in his arms, eyes closed and small hands closed into tiny fists as she slept. Auspicious Winter Raven was now pushing through her third month since being broken out of the vat, and had, as predicted, inherited Crow's onyx hair and eyes.

Had she been awake, she would probably be looking at Kite with that concerned stare which his aunties said was the standard face he had made at that age as well.

"You dare to breathe, you know," Crow said softly.

"She doesn't startle as easily anymore." Kite only nodded, still not daring to move or speak, basking in the warmth of the tiny thing. Eventually, he dared a half-whisper.

"She's grown so much since last time," he said, suddenly understanding the old cliché of grownups always noting his growth when he was younger.

"There are few things better than the growth of children to forcefully remind us of the passage of time," Crow agreed sagely. Kite had not met many babies during his life, at least none that he had been close to. Once he came of age to actually remember things, he had not really felt much interest towards those born in Starberry peak while he grew up; all caught up in a child's life and ambitions.

"It's good to see that you can relax more while holding her," Crow continued.

"While fragile in some ways, they are surprisingly sturdy. But it never hurts for us of higher rank to take care. Me and Dove need to be extra careful, as silver rank does mean that our weight is greater too from the condensed bodies.

"After looking forward to it for so long, someone came along and stole the show. I sometimes forget that I am actually a silver-ranker now," Dove confessed.

"The rest of us have noticed, dear. You are utterly radiant, if I may say so." Crow said, even reaching out and touching her wife's hand, proving that blushing was something which the rank advancement had yet to remove.

"Well, I said it before and it is worth repeating; she is perfect," Kite said, looking down at the little snoozing baby who had started making some small smacking noises with her little lips. Kite did feel some small fluctuations in her aura, which was apparently enough for Raven's mothers to act.

"I will start preparing the nutritional infusion," Dove said, rising to go into the kitchen.

"Better to leave it to the alchemist, even if potions aren't her specialty," Crow mused.

"Here, Kite, let me take her." Numerous strands of Crow's dark hair grew and shaped itself into something not unlike a hammock, Raven barely seeming to notice as the animated strands carried her up in the air to gently swing next to her mother. Not long after, she was happily slurping from a bottle with some kind of soft tip, content as could be.

"While your sister is quite the showstopper, I would still like to know how you have been, little Kite." Crow asked, making Kite remember that he had barely taken the time to enter the house before he had rushed to say hello to the little one. He took off his enchanted traveler's hat a bit sheepishly, putting it to the side. By now, Glint had awoken from her nap and had floated out to receive her customary attention from Kite's aunties.

While she had been a bit miffed in the beginning when Raven started stealing part of the attention, the small carp had soon found herself forced to accept her new reality.

"I am well, thank you," Kite answered.

"As Will had some family business, we decided to take two weeks off from contracts. There has been some excitement, to be sure, especially some of the contracts we undertook for the branch director. One of them turned out to be a wasp essence user who also had the corrupt essence, with a swarm he nourished inside-" Kite began, but halted himself. There were very unpleasant images which came to mind regarding that particular hunt which he would prefer not to have others even imagine.

"Suffice to say, it feels even more important to rid our lands of such people these days," he finished, looking at the sleeping baby.

"And also to give as much power as possible to those we hold dear." Apparently understanding his meaning, Crow smiled.

"While it is nice of you to think ahead, Kite, the age when she will be able to absorb essences is far, far off. Better let her actually become someone before you start planning out her essences. Because now, she is mostly just a bundle of warmth and potential."

"I- of course, auntie. It's just easy to get carried away," Kite answered, accepting the light chastisement as he turned to Raven, speaking with a soft voice.

"And besides, little sister, there is so much for both you and your brother to do before then. So much to see, many strong monsters to defeat, so many things to learn and bad people to hunt down. As you hear, I will be quite busy, but I will visit you as often as I can. That, your big brother promises."