Chương 183: Stay safe on your lonely path

Soul was frustrated. In the arena beneath them, the Pathbreaker fought a rather interesting clash against the sect leader of the Mirrored Mountain sect. The man's path combined what looked like a pleasantly surprising degree of cunning in utilizing the toxins, flames and reflective properties of his defenses. The swathes of flames combined with either the flexible sword whip or powerful claws which together formed a comprehensive whole that Soul had to acknowledge as decent.

Clear thought and care had gone into the style as a whole.

"Of the three local sect leaders, Bright Shining Stride is clearly the most skilled," she noted silently to herself.

"Not that it will change his fate, but at least they both get a good tempering out of it." And hence her frustrations. There was the Pathbreaker, living her desired best life while she had to stand here and square off against agitated sect elders in the odd and very much tense situation that had just been handled.

While the masked pair, their illusions promptly ripped apart by the Pathbreaker's ministrations, hadn't been much of a fight, Soul did see the damage they could have wrought in a short, bloody surprise attack among the core-using irons and bronzes who had previously occupied the part of the stands where they were currently gathered. While the weaklings had retreated, all of the sect's remaining silvers were menacingly surrounding Soul, Dragonfly, Little Crow and what was probably most of Wander's bodies.

One of their grand elders was currently repeating his shouted demands of them handing over the prisoners and standing down, only to be continuously deflected by Little Crow dancing verbal circles around him. This was further enabled by the elders apparently knowing enough of the capital and the more powerful actors therein to recognize the significance of Crow's family.

"At least that infuriating smile is good for something," Soul thought, tuning out whatever mess that someone had tried to pin on them, instead focusing on the duel again.

"The sect leader seems to have caught on that not everything is as it seems. It does take experience to notice the touch of that subtle blade," she mused, seeing that the older man had started pushing harder, apparently no longer as confident in the previous battle of attrition.

The sect leader's sword-whip once more tried to sneak around Kite's guard, but the younger man was apparently confident in changing up his strategies as well, catching the almost hit on a deviously small barrier at the very end of the exotic weapon's odd trajectory.

"Which should be followed by- but instead overpowered through-" Soul thought, trying to keep mental notes of her predictions and to give the Pathbreaker any needed pointers after this was done.

"He really should push harder though, and continue with that directness he has been working on, or-" A heavy clawed strike broke through Kite's armor in a solid blow, the noxious energies hinting at the nature of the venomous special attack. This did not come without cost, however, as the sect leader had chosen to accept a heavy dispelling strike from Kite's staff to get close enough.

"Might have looked like a worthwhile trade, but quite the gamble. And while Warrior can reward taking risks to secure victory, it is more often the consistent strike that will fell its foe. The echoes from that staff alone-" More of the mana-draining blue cracks appeared just as Soul predicted, but she was surprised as Kite had let the rest of the attack keep its physical nature.

Still, she was pleased to see him mix things up a bit more, as the stopping power and staggering effects of such a strike was something one ignored at one's peril. The blow did cause Sect Leader Bright to stagger slightly, the sand of the arena thrown wide by the combatant's powerful, clashing blows.

"Or maybe this will be the beginning of the end?" As if to finish her thought, Kite had apparently chosen to follow up this time. And follow up properly. His staff once more appeared in his hands as he began a proper, powerful swing, the strike further improved by that empowering special ability Soul knew he possessed.

The chiming rings at the head of the combat staff seemed to almost glow and crackle with hungry blue energies as Kite had apparently chosen to empower his mana-draining attack, a potential finisher if there ever was one this late in a battle against another essence-user.

"Still, rather telegraphed. Has he accounted for the mirror essence properly?" Soul thought, the enhanced cognitive processing of her Unparallelled Mind special ability passively increasing that part of her spirit attribute to a level where her internal monologue could stay ahead of the actions of the combatant. The sect leader did indeed activate what Soul assumed was one of the more potent mirror-based defenses that was common to the essence.

With a shout of defiance, a reflective disc appeared to intercept the attack, and from the odd depth and sense one got from gazing into its shimmering surface, it was clear that this particular mirror could handle concepts far beyond mere light. Soul suspected that it might have started out as a simple, if potent, power to reflect a spell or attack back to its origin, and that its silver rank would just add more strength and versatility to the reflection.

A trump card to turn another's trump card into an advantage, which was most potent in a duel.

"But I see that the Pathbreaker did indeed think ahead. Well fought, Sect Leader Bright. You did not embarrass yourself before Warrior this day." Because while the empowered strike had been initiated, the tattoo's of Kite's mantle had also flickered briefly, one of the spectral arms appearing for a brief second in a blur as something only half-seen also struck. It was a projected attack at very close range, the thrust carried the short distance through Kite's intent in but a moment.

But the timing of that moment proved to be a most important one, because the subtle projected attack impacted the mirroring surface of the sect leader's power just a blink before the actual head of Kite's staff did. The barrier shattered instantly, multiplying and reflecting the strike back at Kite too fast for even Soul to properly follow. But unfortunately for the sect leader, a pinprick carrying a normal mana-draining attack was not enough to turn the metaphorical tables, no matter his intentions.

This meant that Kite briefly had to suffer some of his own mana-draining medicine, but Soul suspected that it felt like a small price to pay to see the slight look of surprise register in the eyes of the older man before the staff, crackling with Kite's most potent mana-draining attack, struck him. At first, though, a less perceptive observer might suspect that something had gone wrong as the staff simply passed through Sect Leader Bright in a blue arc, Kite even stepping past him as he finished his strike.

But as Bright Shining Stride did not move afterwards, just standing still for one confused moment, any such misconceptions would surely have been shattered. Bright blue cracks suddenly burst all across his form from the point of 'impact', seeming to dig deep into the man's core. Then they flashed again, and a third time, like an ominous echo from the past returning to haunt him.

"Victory goes to the Pathbreaker and the Autumn Wanderer's guild," Orichalcum Fist declared even before the sect leader's unconscious form had the time to reach the sands below, the man's state clearly recognizable in his destabilized aura. While Soul wasn't surprised, having found the outcome the most probable one, it was clear that many of the sect members weren't as perceptive.

"Or maybe just lacking the skill to actually judge things properly," Soul thought, the words of the nearby grand elder bringing her back to the actual confrontation at hand.

"-will ask you to stand down, Master Crow. No matter the duel, we cannot-""Oh, but dear Grand Elder, I believe that the duel did indeed just settle things nicely," Little Crow interrupted with his usual cheer.

"After all, your sect is now honor bound not to hinder, hamper or interfere with us in the guild, barring any further undue or uncouth actions from our part, that is." The smiling man hadn't kept his voice silent either, his words sowing both confusion and outrage among those listening in, but the Grand Elder still looked as if she would protest further, so the celestine quickly continued.

"However, in the spirit of truth and the upcoming seven years of harmonious coexistence, we will gladly leave one of the captives with you, for you to get to the bottom of things on your end until that meeting at the temple of Truth which adopted brother Kite suggested."

"Now just hol-""Because surely, the Mirrored Mountain sect also wishes to find the truth beyond such a delicate situation, rather than jumping to conclusions and acting on base impulses? Surely, the sects of the heartlands would be most impressed to hear of your justice-seeking spirits in this matter upon my return." Soul had never been to the capital, but knowing what she did of the heartland sects having had a hand in bringing the guild to the locals' attention, she doubted that the matter would be simple.

All of them would probably indeed praise any open display of honor, to keep face and try to vouch for the integrity of their own institutions in the public eye, all while gnashing their teeth at the failure of their little intervention beneath the surface. Soul doubted that this was the last they had heard in the matter, but given her role in their plans for the future, she honestly wouldn't have it any other way.

"But you, on the other hand -," she thought, looking at the two captive silvers being kept in check by Wander, their bodies broken enough to be kept in check for now, even though Wander had to continuously nibble the woman of the pair whose regeneration was a lot more potent.

"- your little attempt here bodes of something more directed, not just as simple as siccing the dogs on a small matter. Although, Warrior be praised, at least it will be up to others to actually figure out why that is," Soul thought with a slight smile as she started eyeing each and every silver present, making sure that the challenge and superiority were clear in gaze and aura both.

"Because I will be too busy tempering my path towards the heavens." Haze of Bright Evenings, priest of Discord, had a steadily growing feeling that things weren't going the way he hoped. At first, his escape from the sect had gone well, Haze using a side passage along with a slow-fall artifact he praised himself to have procured, and it had led to him swiftly finding himself in the wooded hills beneath the mountains upon which the Mirrored Mountain sect had been constructed.

Scaring away a few iron-ranked monsters with his bronze aura had been a trifle, and he had even taken the time to put an arrow through a hapless rat who had been staring at him from a nearby bush, the normal-ranked vermin unaffected by his aura. But then Haze had seen another rat. And then another. And for each one he killed, the ominous sensation in his stomach grew with each seemingly identical rodent that showed up to look at him with those dark, beady eyes.

"By the gods, just leave me alone!" he eventually snarled as he turned around a cliff only to find another rat sitting atop a boulder in the open straight ahead of him. Conjuring his bow, Haze even let one of his few special attacks channel into the arrow, a discordant attack granted through the essence of his deity which would curse the victim's body to go out of alignment with itself, causing gruesome damage over time.

It might have been a waste of mana, but- Instead of outright dying like the rest had, the rat simply did a little flip over the arrow in flight faster than what should have been possible. Even worse, its tail snaked down while still airborne and snatched the projectile from the air, somehow both stopping its momentum and managing to land in the same perching position afterwards, arrow held behind its back.

"While I'm as ready to sacrifice a body or five as the next girl, that particular shot looked a bit nasty~," it then proceeded to squeak in a tiny singsong voice. Haze wasn't even surprised at the words, not after that little display of casual power. And especially not after just having sensed the silver-ranked aura which had suddenly started to emanate from the rodent.

"I- I- beg your forgiveness, oh great mistress. Your mastery of stealth and cunning were too great, and I knew not upon whom I fired," Haze quickly started, throwing himself on the grow in supplication while inwardly cursing his luck. He had been worried enough to stumble upon a silver-ranked monster, and now had instead gone and agitated an actual essence user who might just have been curious. Overwhelming regret and flattery was usually the way to go there.

"Hmm, is that so~?" the rat retorted, small voice suddenly most imperious as it straightened upon its perch.

"And how will you, lowly one, make up for your most inconveniencing transgression~?"

"I am but a lowly bronze-ranker, oh great mistress. Surely there is little I can provide you at this time, but name a prize and I shall aim to fulfill it to the best of my capabilities. At the very least, if you would only tell me your name, I could forever sing your praises and extoll your virtues to the world!" While Haze was feeling most frustrated over this holdup, wanting to get as far as possible from the sect as he could, he shoved those emotions down deep.

Neither his nor his fellow clergy's mission could be continued upon if he was dead, after all, and Haze had high hopes of being welcomed further into the fold and gain further insights into their grand design after him successfully infiltrating the three mercenary silvers into the sect as commanded.

"Oh, that does sound good. I've always wanted to hear my praises being sung. Why don't you give me a little demonstration~?"

"N-now, mistress?"

"Yes, yes, now~."

"But mistress-""You might want to get to it soon. Quickly. Please~?"

"Wha-" Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

"Pretty plea- oh, darnit. She's here. Sorry, little priest. I thought I could have some fun, but it looks like my part of the deal is done now. Thanks for the nice words, though! I'll remember them~!" During her urgings, the previous imperious demeanor had gradually slipped, her little paws gesturing more urgently to Haze to do as she asked, leaving him most confused as to what was going on as the rat then just waved at him and leapt down from the boulder and out of sight.

"What in the name of the most vaunted one-" was all Haze had time to murmur, before the first chain wound itself around his throat. Bright Shining Stride, leader of the Mirrored Mountain sect, did his very best to remain composed as the glow of the ritual circle didn't shift one bit, and therefore indicated no falsehoods, as each of the silver-rankers from that heaven-cursed guild gave their testimonies in regards to the attempted slaughter of the sect's junior elders.

"Had our accursed elders dared to act sooner, any truths behind it would have mattered little, lost in the conflict that would have followed; a conflict where the sect, as the aggrieved party, would face few if any questions if they came down hard and fast on the guild before such trifle things as the actual truth would have made themselves known," he thought sourly, seeing the lost opportunity for what it was, but also letting it go.

His aunt, the previous sect leader, had taught Bright better than to cling to tools no longer available, as that would help neither him nor the sect.

"No, we will need to focus on the future instead, and how we can act to salvage our standing and face in the years to come while within the bounds of that blasted agreement," he inwardly seethed, even though he kept his exterior stern but polite as he thanked the priest of Truth for their assistance in this matter, and for helping them bring the truth to light.

While this didn't help explain the actual origin of what had turned out to be not two, but three silvers - one of them found dead in one of the communal eateries - it was at least clear that the guild hadn't been behind them. And in a frustratingly public, official statement at that. Giving only the briefest and most curt of acknowledgements to the outcast, no-name guildmaster, Bright then quickly gathered up his own entourage and left Truth's temple.

Only once they were properly off the temple grounds and had emerged out onto Convergence's bustling streets did grand elder Far sidle up to him, the runic's presence a question in and of itself. Bright chose to acknowledge the unspoken words, activating the privacy screen of his sect medallion before giving his command.

"Speak, grand elder."

"Sect Leader," the grand elder began tentatively.

"While we don't want to question neither the gods nor you on this matter, I can already say with certainty that this will not be welcome news. The outrage is already running strong, from the most lowly initiate to the most vaunted of elders. What is the plan going forward? What can we tell them, to show them that Mirrored Mountain will seek to right this slight to our name and honor?" Part of Bright just wanted to snap at Far, to berate him and blame him and the rest of the sect for this failing.

But Bright also knew the runic man to be a deeply rooted pragmatic, and that such a question from him came from a place of necessity, not passion and doubt. So instead of rage of his own, Bright Shining Stride's answer was calm and composed.

"That, grand elder, will indeed be the question. The terms of our agreement will not lend themselves to bending, lest we face the dissatisfaction of more than one clergy and risk an even greater loss of face. But while I generally curse Gossamer March of Morning and her Luminous Cloud weaklings, I will give her praise in one regard; that they did leave one venue of attack open to us."

"The duels, sect leader?" Grand Elder Far asked, catching his superior's meaning.

"But will that be enough?"

"That is for the future to show us, but it has potential in that we can allow each and every one of our disgruntled members and elders to go and deliver their challenges; to personally strike back. If they succeed, they bring much needed glory back to us even if the results of such duels won't be much more than mere resources changing hands. And if they fail, they have only themselves to blame, not us. But it is worth remembering that we are many while they are few.

If we can bring enough challenges to their doorstep, we should be able to exhaust them and their guild both; to drown them in that tempering which they claim to seek."

"That… would indeed be a wise course forward, sect leader. The heavens truly blessed us when you took your position," Grand Elder Far said, giving Bright a deep nod of respect.

"If it is not too presumptuous of me, may I also give a humble suggestion, Sect Leader?"

"Go ahead, Grand Elder."

"Well, I thought that it might be prudent to make use of the other sects in this regard. While they are no equal to the might of Mirrored Mountain, they should at least be good chaff with which to tire out the opposition if our attempts could find some manner of coordination? Only a temporary one, of course." Bright regarded the grand elder for a moment, mulling over his suggestion before answering.

"An unconventional approach, Grand elder, but in these unconventional circumstances, I will approve it. You have my blessing to make arrangements and reach out to the rest. I am sure that they would be happy to lean against our strength in the matter."

"I thank you for the confidence, Sect Leader. It shall be done," Far said with an approving smile.

"It might take longer, but it will at least be a step towards salvaging some of what was stolen from us by those traitors. After all, no institution has champions with the will and fortitude to fight in clashes beyond counting, no?"

"-and then Dragonfly just went: 'Well, elder, it looks like I am hotter than you in both body and spirit," and the woman was like: 'Noo, how can my steaming looks and path having been trounced by such a mayfly? Perhaps I was indeed too weighed down by my enormous pair of~ -""Wander! That was not what I said!" Dragonfly protested furiously, trying and failing to slap a hand over the woman's mouth as her target just fell apart into a pile of rats who, without pause, continued the retelling in a squeaky choir.

"But you have to admit that your foe did sport some most impressive attributes," Little Crow chimed in, thrusting another cup into Dragonfly's hands to forestall any more futile attempts at rat-wrangling.

"Glorious mountain peaks, indeed. Enough of those in the world, and the heavens would already be within reach."

"Bah! Men!" Dragonfly grumbled, taking a deep drink.

"And women! I'd like to point out that even I was thoroughly impressed~," the now reformed Wander added, causing Dragonfly to make grumbling bubbles in her beverage. Kite sat back, watching the spectacle with a smile and deep sense of contentment. While there had been celebrations after each of their victories, actually managing to conquer all of the three sects to bind them into the oath of non-interference wasn't something which he had taken for granted.

Especially Mirrored Mountain was called the most powerful sect of the area for good reason, and Kite had needed to consume more than one of Auntie Dove's pills to deal with the lingering toxins and flames after their bout.

Still, to see the results and everyone gathered beneath the starry late summer skies outside the guildhall, with Wander, Dragonfly and Little Crow regaling anyone within earshot with stories from their exploits, Glint holding court like an imperious, dignified queen with all the gathered familiars of the guild members present while Soul had already once more taken to drilling her little group of devouts in order to correct their many perceived shortcomings.

While Kite felt that there were faces he dearly would have wished were part of the festive crowds, from his aunties to Will and Serene, it was still a sight to behold.

"A lesser for your thoughts, little Kite?" Walker asked as he and Braid came to join Kite where they sat, Walker causing another set of chairs formed of winding vines to grow from the ground below to provide seating.

"Just grateful, uncle. I have many to give thanks to after these trying months, both mundane and divine," he said, raising his cup to each of the two.

"Speaking of, I might as well begin with you, Braid. Once more, your expertise came to the rescue. River is questioning the last one as we speak, and we wouldn't have been able to locate the hidden priests in time without you. Truly, you have my thanks and my respect," Kite finished, giving a seated bow to the cloth-wrapped man.

"A worthwhile endeavor, Kite," Braid answered, his masked features and voice hinting at a smile.

"And not just a local one either. While there has been some dissatisfaction among the branch directors at our little… cooperation with the aforementioned priestess, the results and confirmation of the hidden clergy's presence has been enough to forestall any other response for now. But I do believe that there is a tacit understanding to leave her presence out of any reports prepared for the higher-ups outside the country.

It is a lot easier to have rigid principles when your perspective is far removed from where the action is."

"It does indeed get rather complicated up close," Kite agreed with a helpless shake of his head.

"I saw it many times during my time training with Gauntlet, and it has held true for most of my career. Let us at least hope that our efforts can bring some more brighter nuances into the complicated tapestry of this kingdom and-" Kite's words were interrupted by a not-so-subtle whisper from just beneath Braid's chair, the attempted covert question failing spectacularly on any attempt at subtlety.

"Braid. Braaaaaid! Have you told them yet~"? One of Wander's bodies said, theatrically peeking out from beneath one of the leaves sprouting from the conjured piece of furniture. Given the woman's actual skills at stealth, it was most obvious that they were all indeed supposed to notice.

"No, Wander, I haven't. As you probably know, because I suspect that you are listening in to each and every conversation here," the cloth-wrapped main said with a suffering sigh.

"But with you already having so smoothly inserted yourself into our conversation, why don't you go ahead?"

"Why thank you, Braid, for the most spontaneous and genuine offer. Really, I'm touched~," Wander retorted as she quickly made her way onto the table to stand before Kite and Walker on her hind legs, front paws tucked formally behind her back. The little vest and cloak which Braid had made for her, able to split into equal copies on all her bodies should she wish for it, it was easy to imagine Wander to be some kind of small herald or seneschal.

"Pray tell, good Wander. What tidings do you bring?" Walker urged with a chuckle.

"Well, given what transpired here and all the opportunities that seem to abound around your little guild, me and Braid have decided to take you up on your most kind offer of membership. You may now give appropriate praise and adulations~," she said, raising her little nose as high into the air as possible.

"Truly?" Kite asked, looking to Braid who nodded in confirmation.

"It won't hamper our work, and the conditions of membership you offered were most generous," the weaver elaborated.

"While your initial plan of connecting the north still holds great merit, I believe it safe to say that the venture has garnered more attention than you might have suspected, and that you will need other skill sets to keep things going. I actually have some ideas on that which I'd like to discuss further with the both of you."

"Well, it seems that my gratitude to the both of you will be what reaches the heavens way before I do," Kite exclaimed happily, bowing to each of them in turn.

"While the guildmaster will have final say, I dare believe that a proper welcome is also in order."

"Bah, as if I'd protest," Walker interjected, also bowing to each of the new additions to their cause.

"Master Braid, Mistress Wander, the Autumn Wanderer's Guild is truly blessed by your presence." The group spent another half hour discussing more pleasant topics, the more business-end of things able to wait until the coming days when the consequences of the splash the guild had just made in the metaphorical pond.

It was in the middle of that conversation that Wander gave a show of her actual skills in subterfuge, as another of her bodies was suddenly seated at Kite's left shoulder, neither him nor anyone else around the table having noticed its approach.

"Kite, the crazy girl is done. I believe she wishes to speak with you~."

"I see. Where?"

"Behind the dormitory. Darkest corner with the gloomiest lighting. I know, no one's surprised~." Telling the others of his errand, Kite let them continue their festivities as he made his way around the newest building of the guild's local compound, made to provide simple but comfortable housing for members who wished for it. While Wander had somewhat exaggerated River's choice of location, Kite had to give it to the rat; she knew how to paint a picture.

"Annoying one," the priestess greeted once Kite drew closer, all but invisible to his aura senses.

"I take it that you are finished?" Kite asked, ignoring her continued use of the moniker she had assigned him all that time ago in iron rank. His question was bordering on the rhetorical though, as the slumped, collared bronze-ranker at the priestess' feet was clear indication.

"I am. This one gave a bit more than the others."

"Oh?"

"As we suspected, he was part in organizing the three silvers that the myriad one and I intercepted. They were a measure sent from his higher ups, with his role only being in allowing them access to the sect and assisting in their planned escape," River explained, her voice carrying its usual flat tone.

"And I did get proper confirmation that they were sent in part to specifically target your guild and its efforts, as well as enough bits and pieces to say with some surety that you and your guild was indeed the intended target all along for those who incited the sects to act. I should not need to explain all the implications of this."

"No… No, it is clear. Those that we seek have definitely noticed our actions. And given the origin of the response, we are probably only on the outskirts of their web of influence."

"Yes. The heartlands will have more answers for me."

"And a lot more dangers. We could not just repeat this feat with their sects and other similar organizations, should they come for us."

"They won't, or at least it's highly unlikely," River retorted, waving Kite's concern aside.

"The vaunted sects of the heartlands wouldn't be caught dead to be publicly seen caring so much about whatever happens here at the outskirts. And that will be their downfall. Whether it is now or in a hundred years, I will make my way to the heart of this matter eventually."

"That is important information indeed, then. You have upheld your end of our bargain, Dancer on the Broken River. And while our past differences are unresolved, at least know that you have my thanks for your participation, however mutual our benefit has been in the matter."

"A reasonable sentiment. We have struck a small blow to them here, annoying one, but the task ahead is still a long one. I hope that you are as diligent in punishing them in any of your future endeavors." With that, River gave Kite a curt nod before turning to leave, having already leapt onto the nearby wall and passed halfway out through the privacy arrays when Kite - after a moment of consideration - called out to her again.

"While our paths in general do not align, I will extend you the offer to seek me out again in this matter, should you find reason for us to once more act in unison. The Adventure Society seems to at least be content in ignoring your presence for now, and should you keep from making any transgressions to their sensibilities, I believe that the guild can accommodate similar cooperation. Unless such an arrangement would go against yours or your deity's sensibilities, that is?"

River did stop at his words, her almost translucent hair hiding her face as he spoke as she was still turned away from him. A few seconds of silence lingered between them, and when River eventually answered, Kite was surprised to hear a hint of something complicated in her otherwise terse demeanor.

"That would be… acceptable. To me. As for Pain, he…" she said, pausing.

"He tends to approve. Farewell." After that, she completed her step, passing through the arrays of the guild as she disappeared out into the city beyond.

"Fortune, I hope I won't come to regret that. Even though I believe that it was the right choice," Kite mused to himself as he turned to go back towards the festivities after a slight detour to deposit the unconscious priest somewhere that could contain him for a few hours.

"Well, it's not like she left me a way of contacting her either. I suppose we'll just have to let the heavens dictate when we next meet, Dancer on the Broken River. Stay safe on your lonely path."