Chương 220: Quite a show

"Fortune be with you, Mistress Riz," Kite called in farewell before he entered the portal she was proudly presenting to him. With a step, he left Heavenward behind and emerged in front of a low, sprawling wooden building located atop a hill with a scenic view over the surrounding farmland.

The establishment sported a carved utilitarian sign which read 'The Diving Kingfisher - Waystation and brewery', and as he took in his surroundings, where a settlement was visible in the distance just far enough away that many an ordinary traveler would consider staying for a pint, a meal or even a night's rest before undertaking the final stretch towards the city.

"Trust Riz to have a bar or an eatery as her memorized locations for her portals," he chuckled to himself after powering through the slight wave of nausea which often accompanied the dimensional travel. But while the distance might have been enough to make normal-rankers pause, Kite instead set off immediately after giving a polite bow to a quite surprised elderly man who sat outside the waystation in the spring sun, pint now forgotten halfway up to his mouth.

If he wasn't mistaken, the settlement in the distance should be Dawncast; a spectacular name for a quite ordinary farming town that might be considered a city only if the viewer was feeling particularly generous or had a distinct lack of anything with which to compare. Seeing how it was built mostly along a soft slope facing eastward though, Kite could at least understand the reason behind the name.

And given that he felt Glint's presence from that direction with a lot more clarity than back in Heavenward, the message waiting for him at the capital's branch was still up to date. Fortunately for Kite though, he wasn't limited to the road meandering up the slope to swerve between rice patios and farmhouses. With a leap, he instead stepped up into the air and set off at a comfortable run which left a trail of fading, shimmering panes of force in his wake as he cut across - or rather above - the landscape.

This let him easily reach Dawncast's city wall in short order, but Kite did not try to scale the wall and risk any magical defenses therein. The settlement was still located in a region where silver-ranked manifestations were quite common, after all, and even though it looked quite rural in most other ways Kite knew that Dawncast wouldn't still be here if it didn't possess at least some deterrents.

The absolute majority of adventurers he saw around wore robes from some of the local sects, and there seemed to be at least four of them present in the area given the different colors he saw represented on the different cliques moving along the streets. None of them paid any notice to Kite though, and it was only when he overheard one particular exchange that he stopped to actually listen.

"- and how dare you of the Fated Severance show yourselves here. Given how you speak in the face of tradition, I'm surprised that the king himself hasn't come and cast down your sect!" The speaker was a tall woman wearing the robes of the Golden Song sect, and Kite could see several others on the street nodding along with her words. This included some very obvious - and enthusiastic - followers of her, all wearing the same colors but less elaborate sect medallions.

The one she had addressed was a lone man wearing robes of pale blue and white. Kite could feel the indignant ripple in his aura as he obviously tried, and succeeded, to keep his calm in the face of the insult. Instead he straightened and, raising his chin, replied in a measured tone.

"And given that you are not beyond petty insults in the streets, it only stands to show that you yourselves have abandoned honor and decorum. If any of you wish to deliver an actual challenge, then I will gladly clash with either of you here and now. Otherwise I would ask the heavens to take mercy on your lack of honor, and be on my way."

From his posture it was obvious that he would more than welcome any actual challenger, and for a tense moment Kite was wondering if the four silvers would try to jump him then and there.

"Should I intercede?" he thought to himself, but in the end it proved unnecessary. The crowd from the Golden Song sect eventually turned and walked the other way, shooting vicious glances and muttering vague threats. Kite was actually quite surprised that he was left unaccosted, and after a moment of deliberation he called out to the man who had once again started walking.

"Honored disciple?" The man turned to regard him and, apparently finding no threat or insult in Kite's posture, lowered his guard somewhat.

"Yes, outcast?" he replied, tone polite if a bit dismissive." I saw that... exchange... you had with the students of the Golden Song sect. As a new arrival to the area, my knowledge of the local sects is understandably lacking. During my travels so far, I have so far only heard good things and praise of the Fated Severance sect, and one of your number even tutored me for a time. Why would they cast such slander upon your prestigious organization?"

In response to his words, the other silver-ranker did straighten a bit with obvious pride and seem much more amicable to Kite's request when he got to the end of his question.

"Well, I can hardly blame you then for not knowing the particulars. It is out of jealousy, you see. Ever since our great sect leader returned and assumed her position, she has been dominating their so-called elders and champions in each and every inter-sect tournament and clash. We, her students, have fully started striving to follow her example in all things.

And while I myself will profess to having had some doubts about some of her teachings in the beginning, sect leader Frost among Morning Dew has made some compelling arguments and examples of what one can find if one starts shedding certain notions and distractions to instead more fully dedicate oneself to one's path. Those cretins from the Golden Song back there knew that neither of them would stand a chance against me in an actual, officiated clash. As such, they tried to provoke me. A bait I did not take."

"That was indeed most temperate of you, Inner Disciple," Kite replied, feigning a bit more awe than he actually felt.

"One must focus on one's path with utmost care if one is to reach to heavens", the disciple answered confidently.

"But say, outcast, if you were indeed trained by one of ours, then you should seek out our sect. There is always room to try out and see if you're worthy to join our numbers. If they saw potential in you, I'm sure the elders will as well. Who knows, even the sect leader might take notice, heavens be willing." With that he turned and continued on his way, leaving Kite behind with a thoughtful look.

"You know," he murmured to himself.

"I just might. Heavens allow I find the time, that is. But first things first. It's time to reconvene with people most dear to me." Having a bound familiar proved ever helpful as Kite kept navigating the streets of Dawncast. His bond with Glint was now clear enough that he could feel his familiar's current mood with ease.

And given how the carp-turned-dragon currently seemed to be enjoying a rich, meaty taste quite a lot while outwardly trying to feign disinterest, he suspected he was about to interrupt their dinner. Not long after, Kite found an inn with an adjoining restaurant that seemed to be his destination. And one quick, if toned down, pulse of his aura got results with equal speed.

"Kite!" he heard a shout from inside, and a moment later caught Dragonfly in his arms as she easily cleared the patio outside and those eating there in a single jump. The hug had its usual intensity, but the kiss he received a moment later still felt delightfully exhilarating even after over two months since their... talk.

"I've missed you too, dear one," Kite replied, resting his forehead against hers for a moment before letting her down to the ground.

"Well I'm glad to hear that, because honestly, you haven't missed much anyway of contracts while you were gone," Dragonfly sighed.

"Just the usual fare then?"

"Yep, with a side-serving of some sect disciples trying some of their usual posturing."

"Could that perhaps be members of the Golden Song sect?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Let's call it a fortuitous encounter," Kite replied, taking her hand as he let her escort him into the dining area to join up with the others. River was absent of course, but Glint, Will and Laevyeth called out their own greetings as Kite approached. Even Sprite joined in, having grown a lot more comfortable around the rest during their extended stay out in the field together.

"And so, our merry band is back to full strength," Will said as Kite received his own bowl of the meat stew that seems to be today's special. Given that the food was of silver rank, it did indicate that the place had its own share of contacts to secure the high grade ingredients.

"How was your journey? Did you dispatch evil and right wrongdoings wherever you went?"

"In a way, assuming that stopping a sacrificial ritual arranged by Destruction's zealots counts," Kite replied.

"Hopefully, the would-be sacrifices will get the help that they'll probably need after such an ordeal."

"You know, my Lord, -" Laevyeth said thoughtfully from where she sat quite close to her wielder, aura thoroughly withdrawn to not draw any undue attention.

"- the more I heareth of this task group, the more I believe that the two of us should perhaps consider making an application if the future is kind enough to allow it. It doth sound like something that would resonate with our spirits. A shame that I was too out of sorts to truly appreciate it upon the time of my rescue."

"Perhaps you are right, my Lady." Will replied, as unbothered by her most close proximity as he had ever been since the day of their first meeting.

"With us among their ranks, the darkness hiding in the corners of this world would be brought into glorious light and purified by my heavenly shaft. No, our heavenly shaft!"

"Not that I want to interrupt your glorious planning of the future, but how have things been with our... Other... Companion?" Kite asked.

"That one hasn't made an appearance since your departure. Just as well too," Will replied.

"Still I don't think she's left," Dragonfly continued.

"She's just probably off chasing some kind of lead or doing other- well, whatever unpleasant things she undoubtedly does in her free time. Probably killing bugs really slowly or something."

"Well she has her part to play, and we have ours," Kite said.

"Taking on all these contracts sure doesn't hurt though, neither our paths nor our purses. Fortune be willing though, we'll have word of something more substantial soon enough.

"Well done, I say well done young mistress!" Worth as Lucid Charity, patriarch and master of one of Boundary's most affluent houses called joyfully from his seat at the high table as Verses Sung Twice briefly passed through the main hall of their family compound where a feast to celebrate their victory was in full swing." Fortune truly smiled upon us when you happened upon our humble city, and even more so at my family when you chose to take up our offer of residence in exchange for acting as our champion.

Truly, with you at our fore, our seat as Boundary's most prominent family remains safe and sound. And your showing today... My, I have never seen an opponent so confounded and thoroughly outwitted! Tell me, young one, where have you trained?

It would be a dream for any house of Boundary to send our scions to study beneath such a master." Verses stopped and gave her host a courteous bow in response, blonde hair with a hint of peach falling to frame her face, before she replied.

"Thank you, gracious host. Your patronage will indeed make great things possible. As for my master, I will have to disappoint you though. They are a person of great skill and power who ever values their privacy."

"Oh, no worries, no worries," master Charity replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"A warrior of your caliber is allowed plenty of secrets, especially if they deliver such victories to us. Come, won't you join us? Have a drink, and let us truly extend our appreciation."

"Thank you, patriarch, but I have been neglecting my companions today, and would like to remedy that as well as to center myself and probably meditate upon today's clash. I must ever be ready, after all. Because it is as you said; great things await at the horizon." The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

The silver-ranked man - a core-user like the rest of most gathered - looked as if he was about to protest, but didn't get the chance as Verses turned and left through a side door. Any remnants of a smile fell from her lips as soon as he was out of sight and felt that her aura was retracted enough to be safe from their spiritual scrutiny, and Verses crossed a lovingly kept sprawling garden to reach the wing of the compound where her 'companions' resided.

"Back from entertaining the locals?" a black-scaled draconian asked from where he was sprawling in a comfortable lounger.

"Surely it doesn't take too much to impress them, given that they reside in the middle of nowhere. But still, to be that enamored with you, Verses? Truly the bar is set low."

"If you cared to listen to our god, Sunless, then you would know to appreciate the locals and their constant squabbling over ' possession' of the gate," Verses replied, her voice carrying a clear chill. Sunless Fang did not seem to take offense by her demeanor, the draconian instead just shooting her a toothy grin full of fangs.

"And yet the scale is just too small, dear sister priestess. I will ever crave something greater with which to honor Discord and give sustenance to their garden."

"While Lord Discord ever praises my attention to details, you brute. Are our 'allies' finished with their preparations soon? The sooner we can enter the gate and perform our task, the sooner I will be free to pursue work of actual importance to our cause."

"Why, dear Verses, this is our cause. The council has decreed it so, no matter what your dear porcelain mask claims. So be a good little collaborator, and go check on the others, would you?" Inwardly, Verses bristled at the draconian's barbs, although not from any personal emotional attachment to her superior on the council.

She often appreciated porcelain mask's leng-term patience and attention to the pieces of the puzzle, even though she too had begun to wonder if the woman had perhaps failed one time too many times and should be replaced. But even so, Verses did acquiesce to Sunless' request as it gave her reason to be rid of his presence. In a suite of rooms further inside the building, she found them; the Builder's cultists. There were four of them, compared to the six essence-users which Verses and Sunless led.

And even after weeks of covert travel together, Verses still found their presences unsettling. Their auras were just so... sterile. Unique and distinct, yes, but more like the individual parts of a machine rather than vibrant life and power ascending. Outwardly though, they looked just like any other people. But from brief encounters with monsters during their travels, Verses knew that much more hid beneath the surface.

Their leader, Jin, didn't look up from the angular metallic disc which he had been meticulously inscribing with some kind of miniscule script ever since their arrival in the city as she approached. But as Verses had learned to spot the tiny mechanical beetles that constantly seem to hide in his vicinity and through which he could obviously see, she did not question his lack of reaction"How fares your preparations?

Your earlier promises have already fallen short," she demanded, trying to find a balance between her actual derision and the semblance of politeness which she should ostensibly extend to them.

"Tonight," he replied with his usual lack of care for her tone or other social phenomena while brushing a strand of his long, metallic black hair away from his face. Verses thought she could see hints of miniscule sparks of lightning crackling between the strands.

"And you are sure of this?" she pressed.

"Priestess, I am a humble silver-ranked servant who will be handling the subversion of a diamond-ranked creation. It is by the vast knowledge of the Builder alone that I may even attempt this feat. Had this gate not been based on principles stemming from our great one, then I would have been too inadequate a vessel to even channel with them. So I suggest that you yourself channel patience, and trust that we will do our part. After all, it is you and yours who are pushing for this collaboration.

The Builder's greater plans are not in any way depending on this venture or its success. This world and your gods are but a speck to him in his infinite potential." Verses had to once more bite back a retort at the heresy, but this time she did so more out of pragmatism. Because it was indeed true that the balance of power between their organizations was not in Discord's favor, at least not on a global scale. And even less so on a cosmic one.

"Then we shall prepare to move tonight," she replied.

"And you are certain that all of your colleagues will act in concert?" Jin asked, taking verses a bit by surprise as he rarely asked follow-up questions beyond the immediate subject.

"I still cannot fathom how servants of a being embodying strife and contentiousness can ever accomplish something productive. The Builder teaches us unity and reforges us into a singular whole, unified in purpose."

"Discord is present in all things, cultist," Verses retorted, some vitriol leaking through this time as you turned to leave.

"It does divide, but it also gives birth to strength through conflict. There are no monoliths where people are concerned. Only the illusion of one. But fear not. In this case, it is our foes who will be scattered and left in turmoil."

"No, just local criminals. Hmm, nope, not those either. And what have we here? Oh? Eehh, no. Just an orgy. What about this then? Hmm... Political intrigue... Plans to assassinate the matriarch... End to their feud- nope, not that either~."

"If anyone ever critiques you for being lazy, Wander, then remind me to chastise them most thoroughly," Braid remarked from where he sat taking notes beside her. Or at least one part of her. The lone rat in their room was currently marching back and forth on the table, front paws behind its back and seeming to look about at things visible only to it. At his words though, the rat turned and looked at Braid with an almost affronted expression.

"Wha- you- you take that back! I am plenty lazy! The very embodiment of sloth! Why even as we speak, I have at least a dozen bodies who're just lazing around, and doing nothing productive whatsoever~!" Wander replied indignantly.

"And yet I hadn't even procured us a room - hard as it might have been at this hour - before you had already spread out over half the city."

"Bah! A quarter, at most. And besides, this might just be another false lead. You know how hard these people are to detect, with those aura masks and all~."

"If anyone can sniff them out, Wander, it will be you. I have known no other investigator who is as good at knowing the difference between a group ritual to Lust and a covert ceremony of Corruption at a mere glance."

"It's all in the hips, Braid. Got to look out for those hips. Oh, and Lust's people are always doing that thing where they're-" The rat cut off mid-sentence though, and Braid rose to his feet as he felt her aura shift from leisurely vigilance to acute awareness.

"What?" he asked, knowing his companion well enough to know that Wander would not react like this to just anything.

"One of my bodies just got killed~", she replied, voice a bit forlorn.

"Were you discovered? As in they knew you for an essence-user?"

"Hmm, I don't think so. But it was killed-killed, Braid. As in; I did not destroy it to avoid notice. It was taken out~."

"By?"

"Just a moment, I've soon got another few dozen eyes on the place. Aaaand there. Oh. Ooooooh! Sneaky spiders. Or beetles? Well, mechanical insects. Actually got the drop on me. But you don't kill They who Wander twice. Oh no you don't- Crap, they got me again~!" The rat at the table turned up to regard Braid even while he sensed her other bodies that were present in the room scuttling out through all those nooks and openings which only rats seemed to be able to find.

"Nope, that confirms it. They're on to me. But just who are they? Those beetles felt weird. Properly weird. A bit like me, many parts of a single whole, but weeeeeird. They're holed up in some really nice place near the center of the town and- oh wait! They're moving now. I must have really spooked them. Let's see... One- two- five- Braid, there's ten of them! One of them - from now on known as dour guy - seems to be controlling the beetles. Or is he the beetles? Well, they're heading north either way.

Doesn't seem to care too much if they're noticed either. But with that many silvers in a place like this, I'm not surprised~."

"Shall I move out to support you?"

"Nah, there's ten of them, Braid. Take notes. I will give you anything I see. This will probably cost some bodies, but given how incredibly suspicious they're acting, I'd say it's worth it. Now let's hope that Kite and the others got our message we sent before we headed north~."

"Fortune be willing. But they would probably still be at least two days behind us. You know how long those messages take."

"Oh, Fortune better step up her game then. Because if we're actually going to tangle with this bunch, I'd say we need plenty of backup. Even if I'm doing pretty well in the plenty department already~." Verses Sung Twice did not care for subtlety as she ran alongside Sunless and the others, trusting in the field of murk that the draconian was creating in order to screen them from any cursory observer. And probably from most dedicated ones as well.

"What will you need once we're there?" she asked Jin as the lead cultist matched her pace even as his hands had partially dissolved into bits of metal moving in alien patterns almost like a conductor in front of his orchestra as he took more active control of his swarm.

"Take down any of the local guards and give us a few minutes. With the blessing of the great one, the disc is at least finished." In that, Verses could only agree even though she thanked another power for how events had turned out. She had already gotten the report of the Builder's cultists having finished when Jin had barged into the room where she and Sunless had sat making plans and told them that they were soon to be discovered and had to initiate the plan right away.

Not even Sunless Fang had seen fit to argue when the otherwise uncaring cultist had acted with such decisiveness. And as they had passed along the streets, Verses thought that she had spotted the source of his agitation. Boundary definitely did not have that many rats, which all seemed to be trying - and often succeeding - to track their movement. Fortunately for them though, being discovered now was insignificant.

As long as the cultist's disc worked and they made it into the gate, they should have all the time in the world to enact the rest of their plans. It was not long until, up ahead, a walled-off dome north of the city came into view. From their brief stay, Verses had learned that it was called Boundary's Opportunity, or just the opportunity. Why the locals made such a fuss over one of the former queen's gates, Verses had no idea. And honestly cared little.

But to her it was fortunate that they had spent so many years clashing over control of the opportunity and who may choose to enter, while in practice, barely anyone ever did. Verses had heard, of course, of the dangers these gates posed, and she honestly found it a good homage to Discord in how much was dedicated to keep others from a prize they didn't even want to use just because the thought of someone else using it and actually succeeding was too unbearable.

"No guards seems to be present," Sunless called from up ahead.

"They will come once we trigger the array," Verses replied. Given their discovery, they had chosen to forego dismantling the defenses; an array meant to stall and alert the current holders off the array's control stone. Said stone was often the requested prize in the duels between the champions of Boundary's more affluent families, as holding it meant control over the gate.

"I look forward to it," Sunless replied with a grin.

"Then as we agreed, the show is yours, dear allies." The cultists did not protest, even though most seemed to dislike the draconian's often flippant attitude. Jin needed onl y to gesture at one of his subordinates for her to take position in front of the gate set the into the wall. The woman ostensibly looked like an elf, but that illusion was well and thoroughly shattered when her face seemed to split and open like the tiles of a puzzle box slid to the sides.

Within there was a single huge crystalline lens that started glowing before firing a neat and precise beam of green force against the doors. The protective array became visible the moment said beam was about to reach the pair of doors, and while no alarms were audible, no one with access to the control stone would be unaware of the intrusion. But given the speed with which the beam seemed to carve through the magical defenses, they would have to react mighty quick indeed.

"Great Discord," Verses thought in prayer to her deity.

"Witness us plant a new seed in your growing garden. No matter our internal strife, our homage to you, we will see this through for our grand undertaking."

"- and now I think that one of them is using some kind of eye beam - or is it coming from her mouth? - to get through the doors. It's hard to see though, as that damnable murk is still around. Good thing I got plenty of perspective to work with~," Wander said, small rodent eyes vacant. Next to her, Braid's pen was a blur as he took meticulous notes of her every word.

"Still no sign of the locals?" he asked during a brief pause.

"No, not yet. Perhaps they've- wait, there they are! And they're in quite a hurry too. Still only three of them though. Not sure what they will be able to accomplish~."

"Well, keep your eyes and ears open anyway. Their interference might provide some hint of what our mysterious group's objective is."

"Oh don't worry, I've got plenty of those. Let's see... They're approaching. And... There! They noticed the number of other silvers present. Sure put some hesitancy in their step. They're whispering. One's turning around to go back. Perhaps for reinforcement? One of the others is really checking out her butt as she's leaving. You did note that part too, didn't you? Very important~."

"Wander..."

"All right, all right. I must say though, I understand him. Fertility was really kind to that one. Like, well and truly generous. That girth… That curvature… Oh, and the slightest of bounce too. Wow! You see a lot of impressive silvers, but some sure stand out. ~""Wander."

"Well nothing much is happening, so I thought expanding our view of the situation was at least some way to pass the time. Oh, but now one of them is approaching. Tall human man. Very handsome. And polite too, seeing that he wasn't the one checking out the aforementioned butt. Now he's calling out... Aaand- oh, one from the other side is actually answering. Handsome guy is really giving them an earful.

Not respecting the order of things, and how the other houses will surely band together to see them punished for trying to sidestep tradition. The other one though... Oooo, a draconian. Black scales. Very sinister. He's not impressed, neither in posture or spirit. Wow, he sure is sassy though. He'll be sassy guy from now on. But wait, handsome guy is challenging sassy guy. Oh, and sassy guy is actually taking it up. Aaaaw, and he's asking about me.

Handsome guy seems really confused, so I guess that's was answer enough. And now Sassy guy is getting ready to fight, conjuring a- Wait, what kind of weapon is that? It looks like a sickle and a chain had a weird lovechild during a threesome with a flail… Well, Braid, it seems like I'll get quite a show tonight~."