Chương 176: See what your path has brought you

"Senior sister, they went that way!"

"Outcast trash! Think you can outrun disciples of the Mirrored Mountain sect? Initiates, follow in direct pursuit. Disciple Crown and I will take a circuitous route to flank them. Remember what the sect leader said; no killing, but anyone who resists needs to be taught a lesson while we make sure that their little contract fails. We will grind this cursed guild to- aaugh!"

The commanding disciple, an early bronze ranker who led the pursuit of a trio of couriers in the forests northwest of Convergence, had her proud string of commands interrupted as she tripped, falling face first in a wet patch of moss with a loud squelch.

"Senior sister!" Disciple Crown, who had begun his run at her side, started turning to help her up, which in turn only caused him to perform a similarly undignified fall. As bronze-rankers, merely stumbling should have been beneath them, but Crown pretended not to notice his senior's embarrassment as he conjured a cleaver of stone to chop down at the offending root that had tripped him up, only to freeze as his descending weapon barely bit into the gnarled piece of wood.

And now that Crown really thought about it, had that root even been there before?"

"It gladdens me to hear that your sect leader has given you such polite instructions," a gravelly voice said sarcastically from behind them as a man emerged seemingly out of nothing from among a copse of trees. And while his dark hair had a few streaks of gray to them, the rest of his seemingly slightly aged but ruggedly handsome features retained a youthful vigor only available to a body reforged by magic.

The man flicked his wrist and both disciples were suddenly yanked upward by their feet to be left hanging upside down in front of the newcomer, unable to resist the great strength of the roots now binding them. Acting on instinct, Crown started to swing his cleaver towards the man while preparing his Heavenly Rupture, only for a nearby tree to reach out and wind itself around his wrist and stop the attack mid-swing.

"I would advise you to think your next move through a bit more thoroughly, disciple," the newcomer noted.

"We wouldn't want to have any misunderstandings here, now would we?"

"Outcast scum," Crown managed to snarl even as his aura was ground down by the obvious silver-ranker before him, the unpleasant sensation dulling the intended edge in his words.

"We know who you are, guild master. Hurt us, and the fury of the sects will-""Descend upon us with the fury of the heavens, scouring our presence from this proud nation. Or something equally pompous along those lines?" Walker interrupted with a roll of his eyes.

"And yet you, bronze-rankers, talked so casually about hurting my little iron guild members over there. Is striking one rank down really the tune your sect leader wants to set for this little conflict? Because believe me, brat, I'm beginning to think that I should start teaching you all a lesson severe enough for you and your descendants for nine generations to never set foot in a forest again."

"You can harm us, but the sect is vast. Just give us a reason to overwhelm you and actually wipe you from this land," Crown's senior sister spat. Shade of Ochre Dawn was the daughter of one of the sect elders, and had apparently spent enough time around silver-rankers to find her voice even beneath the guild master's grinding aura.

"Oh don't I know it, girl," Walker sighed, turning to her.

"And yet, in all your vastness, you apparently decided that one wasn't enough. But I shall indeed keep things civil here, as I have no more time to waste on you whelps. Just know that your mission here failed, and see what your precious elders think about that." With that, Walker turned and left with the two disciples still held upside down by their feet.

"Then release us, outcast trash!" senior sister Titian called after his retreating form, her indignation overwhelming the common sense to not insult a higher-ranker without one of your own nearby. Walker did stop at her words, looking over his shoulders with a wry smile.

"Wasn't it you who said that anyone who resists needs to be taught a lesson? And in this case, I have even been gracious enough to leave a little moment of tempering for all of you. My roots regenerate rather quickly, you see, but maybe if all of you and your little irons manage to cooperate and really get that teamwork going, you might manage to get down within an hour. Two at the most. Try to find a lesson in this, young disciple." And with that, Walker disappeared into the trunk of a nearby tree.

His senses, spanning vast distances through the network of trees and plants, had already confirmed that his guild members had gotten away. While not all of them were the greatest fighters, most of their essences had been chosen with speed and ease of travel in mind. And as Walker sensed no other pursuers, he chose to return to his scouting. Because the sect girl hadn't lied when she said that the sects outnumbered their little growing guild, and Walker had more of his people to check in on.

"Apparently, this old wanderer's work is never done." Crow couldn't help but stop in the doorway as she entered the living room of their house in the family compound, the messenger's scroll forgotten in her hand as she saw Little Crow entertain Raven through a elaborate game of sleight of hand involving several shiny marbles with different kinds of enchantments to float in the air, keep rolling in a certain direction or other such simple effects.

The toddler was deep in focus as she attempted to catch each marble while her 'uncle' constantly kept subtly adding to the difficulty each time the little girl succeeded.

"I see that the family's games haven't changed much," Crow noted as she entered.

"But that marble blinking in and out of visibility is a new touch since my time. The nostalgia is undeniable, as well as the contrast many would note in one of the kingdom's most famed assassins playing with a little girl like Raven."

"Family is the most precious of gifts, dear cousin. That part of the Tengu's wisdom hasn't changed, and you seem to keep it close to heart even though you've left the fold," Little Crow replied without stopping their little game.

"And yet the Tengu's games were always part of training somehow. Not that I disapprove, but I believe that I have made myself clear that Raven will get to choose her own path in life."

"Of course, dear cousin. I assure you that I have no such intentions with this little moment of merriment. But I did bring the set of marbles as a gift. Properly developing your perceptual and motor skills early never hurts, no matter which way precious little Raven will walk in the future," the smiling man noted, turning to Crow once Raven caught the final little elusive marble that had eluded her for a while.

"But from the feel of your aura upon arrival, I get the sense that you had other matters you wished to discuss?" Crow nodded, still unused to not being the one with the sharpest spiritual senses in the compound. While she knew Kite would probably surpass her in time, she still had many more years of experience to lean on in that regard. But her cousin's senses were sharp and acute to a degree that told her of the smiling man's actual skill. Little Crow was no paper tiger hiding behind his family name and legacy.

"I did indeed," she confirmed, holding out the little scroll for her cousin to read.

"A message from the Adventure Society was just delivered. While its arrival was most fortunate, the contents are troubling. It would seem that Kite and the others have been held up in some kind of trouble near Convergence." Little Crow read as she spoke, nodding to himself all the while.

"Ah, I see. So that's where all that correspondence was going. The sects. Not a bad choice, although they are probably in for a surprise," he mused aloud before seeming to catch himself.

"I'm sorry, cousin. As things stand, I might as well clue you in given that me and Soul will probably be leaving soon. I came to warn Kite of his name coming up quite a lot as forces in the capital started to investigate him closer as well as to spread rumors and bring attention to him and his little project. The guild he has formed, along with the splash he made in the capital, would see a lot of people want to inconvenience him on principle alone."

"And this is part of that? They'd go so far?"

"Never underestimate how far people will go when upholding their so-called principles, cousin. Especially not when Kite and his ventures bruise their prides a bit by merely existing. From that little message of yours, I'm unsure if Kite will need my warnings as he seems to be quite aware. Still, it won't hurt to go and deliver them in person. Maybe even offer my services, if the price is right."

"And you think Soul will go with you? From what Kite and Dragonfly have told me, she doesn't seem to be the kind of person to go for a charitable cause," Crow noted, glancing to towards the bathhouse and their hot springs at the edge of their compound where the celestine was usually found soaking when she wasn't training, often with a fascinated Raven as rapt audience.

"Hah! I believe that you are mistaken, dear cousin," Little Crow said as he led her towards one of the verandas surrounding their house.

"Oh? How so?"

"While I haven't known Soul for very long, her motivations aren't that hard to grasp. So I believe that you might have underestimated just who would view the situation as 'charity'. Or more likely, a blessed opportunity from Warrior himself," the smiling man said as they exited, before cupping his mouth and calling: "Soul, it seems that Kite and his guild is embroiled in some kind of pseudo-war with three sects down near Convergence.

While I get that this may greatly inconvenience you, I would still suggest that-" Crow had to admit that she had expected there to at least be some kind of splash when someone moved out of a bath as quickly as Soul did in that moment, but was proven quite wrong. The amethyst-haired celestine landed soundlessly on the roof of the bathhouse for a fraction of a moment, barely touching down before springing off again while somehow managing to go from stark naked to fully clothed before completing the leap.

"Convergence? Which sects? How fast can you run?" The three questions weren't delivered with any particular speed, but the intensity in Soul's expression and spirit was something else.

"Blessed by Warrior indeed," Crow thought to herself with wry amusement as her cousin showed the message to the battle-mad woman. Raven had noticed the hubbub as well, and came walking out to join them, half hiding behind Crow's robes while she kept staring up at Soul with her somber fascination.

"Then we are off. Thank you for your hospitality," Soul said, the latter delivered mid step as if an afterthought as she set off towards the compound's gates.

"I… just realized that I really should have packed my things before telling her," Little Crow sighed despondently, before turning and bowing more politely to his hostess.

"Thank you, cousin. I hope that we shall return soon. And thank you, little chick," he continued, kneeling in front of Raven and giving her a pat on the head.

"Now be a good little lady and practice with the marbles when I'm gone." Getting a somber nod in return, Little Crow rose back to his feet and looked after the departing Soul.

"I'd best depart. It will be good to see my little adopted brother again. I wonder how he has grown since we last met?" As the door slid shut behind her, Dragonfly gave out a frustrated snarl as she threw a punch toward a nearby support beam. Fortunately, she had the sense to halt the blow a centimeter before it struck the polished wood and blew out a good chunk of the wall, the guildhall not being made to withstand such violence from within.

"Did you fare poorly?" Kite asked with clear concern from across the room where he was tiredly studying the map laid out on the table, his hair a bit ruffled from the rush of air which had followed his lover's restrained punch.

"Nope. We did fine. They backed off as soon as they saw me," Dragonfly growled, choosing a less violent expression of her frustrations as she instead leaned her forehead against the wall, her eyes closed.

"But while on the way back, I met two other groups where one managed to escape unscathed, but the others lost their goods. Gods, Kite, I just want to go out there and start chopping off limbs to teach those cursed cowards a proper lesson."

"I know Dragonfly. I know. But-""But if we do that, the sects will start retaliating in kind and things are already escalating. I know, Kite. I know. I know we can't fight them all and that they would overwhelm us. I know that they outnumber us and that we three silvers can't be everywhere. But it's just…"

"I believe that Amica would have said that 'it sucks'," Kite added, walking over to lean against the wall next to her, his closeness hopefully lending her some sliver of comfort.

"What?

'Sucks'? Why would one say that?" Dragonfly asked, looking up at him.

"I truly cannot fathom, but apparently it means that something is bad. My foreign companions each had rather odd figures of speech, and found mine to be the same."

"Huh. It sucks," Dragonfly said, tasting the word.

"No, still weird. But I can agree with the sentiment though. If only those cowardly elders hadn't started hiding. At least face us and let us clash properly so that we can send you packing back to your sects." Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

"Maybe that's exactly why they don't? It hasn't worked well for the ones who tried. Spending half a year in the sect compound isn't what most had planned, after all."

"I still think that we should have asked for more."

"While I share the feeling, I still counsel caution. It feels like the sects are trying to uphold an odd kind of balance while constantly pushing us to break it so that they can do too. I'm not sure if it is some attempt at keeping face for striking out against such a small organization as ours, or if they have planned something else. Still, half a year is plenty of breathing room, and if we're clever, we might even be able to corner another of their silvers.

Uncle Walker just came back to drop off some more results of his scouting, and he might have found another lead."

"Oh, and it's my turn!"

"That it is, my ardent Dragonfly," Kite said with a wan smile before turning back to the map.

"I just wish that it didn't feel like we're just running around and putting out fires even as the house burns down around us. If their aim was to keep us busy, at least they have succeeded. I have some plans I'd like to enact, and if Braid and Wander get my message and can get here in time, maybe we can start turning things around."

"Does your plan entail a lot of violence against the sects?"

"At least choice parts of them."

"Then count me in."

"I haven't told you the plans yet."

"There's no need," Dragonfly said, standing up on her tiptoes and giving Kite a peck on the cheek.

"You might be a kind man, Kite, but your plans rarely leave me disappointed."

"In the violence-department?"

"You know me so well." Her mind and perception focused to a razor's edge, River slowly and carefully guided one of her conjured chains along the cliff face, the other lengths occupied with anchoring her in place where she hung suspended over the landscape far below.

Another person on another errand might have at least considered enjoying the stunning view over the summer landscape stretching out beneath the cliff upon which the Mirrored Mountain sect had built their sect compound; a multi-layered series of constructions which sprawled across the outside of and between a series of three identical mountain peaks. But River had neither the inclination nor the time for such things. Her questing chain had so far not found anything of note, and thus River made her move.

A spike manifested on the end of the conjured chain before it dug into the cliff face with ease, and River was just about to start making her way toward it and the process of finding another safe spot where to anchor her chain when disaster struck. A minute crack had spread from her new anchor, just a handspan up and to the left. And apparently straight into one of the many, many defensive formations covering the cliff face which River had so far painstakingly managed to avoid.

She did not swear or otherwise make a sound, instead immediately releasing all her conjured chains from the cliff wall and kicking off. But even with her swiftness and decisive action, the subsequent detonation still clipped her and sent River hurtling towards the forest below. Shaking off the stunning effect, she drew her chains in close towards her body, coiling them tight as she readied herself.

Just because a silver-ranker could most often survive terminal velocity rather unscathed didn't mean that she'd enjoy spending precious time picking herself out of a crater. As River passed the treetops, she decided that the moment was right, and nine chains shot out in all directions as they found thick branches to wind themselves around or trunks in which to burrow.

Pain still lanced through her as the lengths went taut around her body where they had wound themselves, but it was nothing River couldn't embrace as her descent was halted before the wound up links started unwinding, spinning her around like a circus acrobat. She let the chains disappear as she touched down lightly on the soft ground beneath, already moving off towards the east before the first falling leaf from her passing could touch the ground.

"Heavens curse it all," she inwardly thought, finally allowing her absolute focus to lapse slightly as there were no signs of either discovery or pursuit, her slight disturbance probably chalked up to some random monster or animal.

"If only these sects were as lax in their defensive arrays as they are in their vigilance." The Mirrored Mountain sect was actually the third sect compound she had attempted to infiltrate, but as with Luminous Cloud and Perfected Step, this too had ended in frustration. But River had known what she had seen and sensed that day when the Pathbreaker had thwarted whatever schemes the sects had tried to enact; an aura mask much like that up in the Descending Star sect.

"The heavens are surely laughing at me though, dangling a potential prize in front of me but keeping it out of reach," she inwardly swore, her frustrations feeling like an old companion by now. Scouting outside had so far not worked, as she had sensed no more of them in the groups which moved to pursue the guild which the annoying one and his companions had apparently built.

River cared little of that in itself, as anything strong enough to make room for itself had the right to remain, but she would still have wished for them to make some more noise; something to really grab the sect's attention and allow her to slip into their compounds.

Entering to find the potential priests and priestesses of Discord, holed up like parasitic cuckoos inside their 'nests', was the next logical step unless she wanted to keep waiting around for what could be months before she happened upon one of the masked clergy on the outside again. It was a secondary plan, but while patience was a virtue, it wasn't always the preferred way. But River knew that she did have another option. One that carried risks of another kind.

An option that she really didn't want to choose, but the one that currently seemed like the only viable one left if she didn't want to return to the simple waiting game once more." Surrendering one's pride and asking for help… There is a special quality to that kind of pain, little one. It is one of my favorites."

"Then is that what you would counsel, Lord?" River asked her deity, his words a familiar scraping against the inside of her skull.

"I counsel nothing in this case, little one. There is pain in waiting, and there is pain in acting. And both courses can take you towards your goal, where you will further my cause either way." River kept mulling over the deity's words for a while as she ran through the forest, but she already knew that she had made up her mind.

It caused both trepidation and shame to well up in her, but River mentally embraced the painful feelings, letting the sensations wash through her as she set her course back towards Convergence. Kite felt a bit despondent as he walked back through the streets of Convergence after just having delivered the latest batch of reports of sect transgressions to the local deputy director of the Adventure Society.

Other members interfering in contracts like this was very, very frowned upon, and as the offenses were repeated, demotions and penalties had started going out left and right. Kite knew that if the branch director herself had been given free reign, she would have kicked all of the offenders out of the society faster than they could blink.

But with the state of local politics, he also knew that doing so might risk setting off a chain of events not unlike that of the Descending Star sect during the last monster surge, with the people of the land being the ones paying the heaviest price.

"What feels just and what feels like the right thing truly isn't as clear cut as one would like." The thought came to him as he spotted Justice's temple in the temple district a few streets over, its straight and rigid architecture dwarfed by the local edifices to Warrior and Dominion. But seeing the houses of the gods did remind Kite that his own visit to sacred grounds was quite overdue.

One detour and a few minutes of walking quickly corrected that, however, as Kite found himself in one of the private alcoves in the local temple of Fortune. As always, entering that particular holy ground gave an odd kind of comfort, like the sense of gazing back on a lifetime of choices and finding them to have been the right ones in the end. And while the gods could hear the thoughts dedicated to them, Kite was never beyond a little good and proper prayer.

"Fortune, once more it feels like I stand upon a precipice, plans falling into place before me while I have yet to take that first step which will set it all into motion. Please watch me with kind eyes as I do so," he murmured, the token of the goddess he was gifted back at iron rank held gently in the palm of one hand.

"Because while I am not its official leader, I will still proudly stand by the guild as something that I have wrought. Seeing it grow, and knowing that it is through the hard work of locals helping shape their home after gaining just a little bit of power… It warms my heart and strengthens my spirit. That is what I, no, what we will continue to defend. It doesn't deserve to have its growth hampered by spite and dishonor. I… hope that you will see my intentions for what they are, and smile upon my endeavors."

As he spoke, Kite did feel himself easily slip a bit into part of the tranquil, reflective state of his daily meditations, the state further enhanced by the atmosphere of the temple. Having felt it before, he wasn't surprised in the slightest that many of the adventurers and warriors among the clergy incorporated prayer even into their combat trances.

But something else also occurred, and while he had felt it before, the sliver of attention from a goddess was something which he never thought that he would get used to." I have heard your words, young one, and they shall be remembered. And if I may offer you a suggestion, I would recommend that you return to your guildhall with haste. There are developments there which you will want to take into account.""

Lady Fortune," Kite said, bowing toward the idol in front of him while his spirit was quivering before even that fragment of the goddess' attention.

"I will heed your counsel. But… if it is not too presumptuous, shall I return with hope or trepidation in my heart?" While Kite knew that the goddess didn't owe him anything, he hoped that a polite question at least wouldn't hurt." Oh, I believe that you will be quite pleased."" Then I humbly thank you for your blessing, goddess."" Have you forgotten, young one, that I am found in the result of the dice that is thrown, not the arbiter of its path?

It is you who, through words and actions, has laid the foundation for this day, as you will for many more. Return to your hall, and see what your path has brought you." And with that, the presence was once more gone, Kite's spirit shuddering both in relief and an odd sense of loss. But he did not tarry, dropping some coins in the bowl of donations on his way out, pulling down the thin masking veil fastened to his wide hat as he once more joined the crowds on Convergence's streets.

"While I do not begrudge Glint some time to relax, flying back there would have been much swifter." He did consider running up into the air and above the rooftops with the help of his powers, but managed to let patience guide his steps as he remained earthbound. No need in announcing his haste to the more perceptive observers of the city, after all.

Thus, it took Kite nearly half an hour to weave through the crowded streets and return, the trip greatly shortened as the temple district was at least on the same side of the river as the guildhall. And as he drew closer, Kite's spirit did indeed start to soar as he felt a proud and very familiar aura from within the guildhall, its power like that of a drawn, gleaming blade raised in readiness.

Its owner had apparently sensed his approach as well, because Kite had barely passed the gates in the low wall surrounding the guildhall when his instincts took over, his mind slipping into the clarity of his combat meditation in an instant.

A fist glowing with transcendent light was barely deflected by a chiming staff of otherworldly metal before the glow shifted, racing across a body in motion to the shin that was about to impact his side, only for it in turn to be met by a spectral arm carrying a chitinous shield. But the kick was in turn just another feint, paving the way for the spinning elbow strike about to connect with his temple, only to meet a thin disc of force the size of a palm which had appeared through a breath and a murmur.

Five more exchanges followed within the span of seconds before a sudden, almost simple looking counterattack caused Kite's assailant to twist, flicker and disengage.

"Pathbreaker. At least all that time spent around other people hasn't made you soft," Soul, blessed of Warrior and seeker of perfection noted as she came to a stop, the taciturn celestine seeming her usual self as her travel cloak fell into place around her form after the earlier blur of motion.

"And it seems that you are staying true to yourself as well, Soul," Kite greeted in turn, his smile genuine even if his surprise at seeing the celestine was quite obvious.

"I thought you were still up in Boundary, fighting in their local disputes and taking more steps on your road to martial perfection."

"I was, but it… became boring," Soul said, the hesitation before the last admittance seeming born from just a hint of embarrassment quickly shoved back beneath her solid veneer.

"S-senior brother Kite? S-should we fetch the guildmaster?" came a stammering voice from the side. The speaker was one among a group of three iron-rankers, and Kite recognized them all as local members of the guild who he had at least met in passing if not more during his stay in Convergence.

"Do not worry, Cedar, this is just Soul's way. She is not an enemy of ours," Kite told the iron-ranker, his hands raised in a calming gesture. While he had barely registered it at the time, Soul's little 'greeting' had interrupted a sparring session between the three irons, who had wisely chosen to not try and interfere with the sudden burst of violence. The short exchange also seemed to cause Soul to take note of their presence, and the celestine directed her intense amethyst gaze toward the man.

"I am not, and with the way you were moving earlier, you should thank Fortune that it wasn't the case," she said, speaking without scorn nor pleasantries.

"You are an essence-user, and Warrior will expect no less than you fighting like you mean it. If you are afraid to use your powers in a spar, it just means that you lack the control and confidence born of said control."

"I… will reflect upon that, senior sist-" the man began, but Soul cut him off.

"Reflection comes after practice. Practice until your mana runs low and your legs shake, then practice some more. Only then will true reflection come," she lectured, before seemingly going back to disregarding the iron's existence as she turned back to Kite.

"Is this really the type of warriors you are bringing into this… guild of yours?"

"Well, they are first and foremost accepted based on their personality and potential," Kite said while covertly gesturing towards the irons that it might be best for them to take their leave, a message that was gratefully accepted.

"Warriors can be forged over time, after all."

"A sentiment that doesn't hold as much water if the sects start breaking down your door," Soul retorted, and Kite had to nod and acquiesce that she had a point.

"I take it that you've heard of our troubles then?" he asked, surprise once more coloring his tone, and some hopefulness slunk into the mix as he continued.

"Is that why you've come?"

"Where there is trouble, there is usually battle. And in battle, we find tempering," Soul replied, her tone hinting it to be obvious even while Kite thought that he could sense the sliver of embarrassment return to her spirit.

"And with nothing else to do, an opportunity to measure myself against not one but three sects? It should at least give me some time to consolidate my strength until I decide on the next step of my path-""Don't let her fool you, little brother Kite!" another voice suddenly added from seemingly nothing before a celestine with onyx hair and a colorful parasol fell into step beside the pair just as they were about to enter the guildhall.

Little Crow looked the same as when Kite had last seen him in Heavenward, his thin eyes and easy smile never fading as he laid an arm around Kite's shoulders, guiding him the rest of the way across the threshold.

"You should have seen how quickly she came running when she got the news. Me too, of course. When you think of it, it's quite poetic actually; A crow and a warrior heard the wind speak of your plight, rushing to your side with all the speed we could muster. And hopefully, we might even be able to provide information and assistance both."