Chương 253: A good day for storytelling

"Fortune be praised, boys! I don't know how you got them here, but it's already paying off just with the locals coming to get a closer look at the silver-rankers," Grain and Scythe's father called happily as he clapped a hand on each of his son's shoulders in the kitchen where parts of the extended family were hard at work in preparing food and drink.

"Dad! They're silver-rankers. For all we know, they can hear us even from the common room," Grain hissed in return, abashed. His protests fell on deaf ears, however, his father only chuckling.

"Sure, but I don't think the mighty would take offense at a hard-working local businessman taking pride in said business going well. They seemed like amicable folk too, helping your brother drag this decidedly indoor wheeled chair down from that blasted hill." The memory of being carried along on a floating disk of force - chair and all - still remained vivid in Grain's mind, enough so that he almost missed that the stir-fry in front of him was on the verge of burning.

"Bah! Your head is still in the clouds. Here, let me take over," his father said, his reproach only half-hearted.

"You two go serve them. You've met them already, and people always like a familiar face." With that, Grain and Scythe found themselves each carrying a tray of drinks and snacks as they started making their way out into the common room of their inn; an oblong hall with plenty of low tables and pillows for their guests to sit upon.

As rumor spread quickly around town, it was already filled to capacity, with most unabashedly gawking at the group of adventurers; the man called Kite and his intended named Dragonfly along with a younger elven girl who had introduced herself as the woman's student. And, the one garnering the most attention, the dragon who now sat in humanoid form clad in robes that seemed to be made out of gemstones.

"Ah, Grain. Scythe," Kite greeted them as they approached.

"I was indeed pleased to hear that my dear Glint here wasn't obstructing your business. She does love to show off," he finished, confirming Grain's suspicions of their sharp hearing.

"Oh we are most grateful, Master Kite," Scythe confirmed as he started putting bowls of snacks and condiments out on the table.

"These were prepared specially for you by our dear grandmother, as the opportunity to work with silver-ranked ingredients was enough for her to don the apron again. We hope you will enjoy them."

"I am quite sure we will," Kite replied, smiling as he saw his companions dig in.

"Please be sure to send her my regards. Life as an adventurer does have its perks, but often means traveling far. Every lovingly prepared meal is a godsend." The two men left the adventurers to their meal after some polite chatting, Grain sighing as the door to the taproom closed behind them again.

"While I won't deny our guest's lives are hard-earned, I do envy them. I'd travel to the other side of the world and back in a heartbeat," he said softly, his brother nodding along.

"Does sound like quite the life," Scythe agreed, before lightly cuffing Grain's head.

"But you know what father says; Success isn't about what could be, but doing the best with what you got. And right now, we got an inn to keep afloat."

"So, do you think…?" Dragonfly asked, nodding towards the door where the kitchens laid beyond, pausing as Kite had a forlorn look in his eyes.

"Sorry, I was just focusing on picking out their words again over the din," he said to his intended, squeezing her hand carefully with his own, the now only partially crystallized appendage creaking slightly as it had started to slowly regain functionality.

"I can't be sure just yet, but I'd not rule out one of those young men being the one which Clarity hinted about. The timing with mine and Walker's discussion of a person for the portal essences was simply too perfect to be a coincidence."

"But how could she know they'd be on that hill? From what they told us while walking down from there, it's a popular spot."

"While I don't think Knowledge can see into the future, I would wager that she makes fiendishly good predictions. And as we're not in a hurry, I thought we could stay a day or two and ask around. Grain does seem to have quite the pent-up wanderlust in him while still remaining loyal and kind to his family. A good start, I would say. But come, let us eat. And hope that those two will forgive us for some light spying into their lives."

"What? The innkeeper's boys? Well, young Scythe does work hard. A shame he didn't try apprenticing under one of the smiths or carpenters, as he's good with his hands. A bit more hotheaded, but nothing too much. You know how young men are. Poor Grain though. Such a lively boy, even after the accident. A barrel tipped over on him, you see. Hasn't walked since. Makes good food though, even if I hear his father grumbling about his head being stuck in the clouds.

Which, if you forgive this old Uncle for straying, reminds me a bit about myself in my younger days-""Scythe's just too busy looking after that brother of his to even look the way of others. I swear that's why the lad is still unmarried. Shame, he would be such a good match to my niece. Almost wish that the innkeeper would have sent the lame one off to join one of the churches instead. Knowledge or Merchant would surely take him in, as he at least seems to have a good head on his shoulders.

I know one of my grandchildren fancied him for a time, but I put the end to that. Can't go for a man who you'll have to cart around everywhere. She sure did pout, but now that she's all grown and with a family of her own she's too busy to look back at what-ifs."

"Big Brother Grain is nice. He lets me ride his chair with him. Mommy and daddy won't let me get one for myself, which is unfair. Scythe is more boring, shooing us away if he thinks we're too loud."

"Brother? What is it?" Grain asked as he saw the puzzled and slightly worried look on Scythe who had just entered the family's private living area. Outside, the light had long since faded from the sky and their father could single-handedly take care of serving drinks to the last few stragglers before closing.

"Grain," Scythe began, tone grave.

"What did you do?"

"What did I do about what?"

"With the adventurers. What did you do? Did you do anything to offend them?" Scythe pressed.

"W-what? No! No? I don't think so," Grain replied, worry creeping into his own voice.

"What makes you think that? They've been perfectly civil, even kind, for the day-and-a-half they've been staying here."

"Well, according to Uncle Fisher they've been asking around about the two of us. Specifically," Scythe said.

"Auntie Bauble confirmed it too, and while she can be a real shrew she's not prone to lying."

"Oh… Oh. That might be bad," Grain agreed.

"I don't know what I did though. I don't think I've said anything offensive. Both Master Kite and Mistress Dragonfly have asked me questions a few times, so I answered truthfully as they would know I'm lying anyway if I didn't."

"What? What questions?"

"Nothing much. About my views on life. Dreams. Plans. But that was just them humoring me with some small-talk."

"Well, we still have to do something. Apologize, perhaps? They have been nice so far, but you've heard how some people from the sects can become if they think themselves slighted. Perhaps it's that? Anyway, we have to make this right so that the family doesn't suffer for it. We-" A knock on the nearby door had the two men freeze mid-conversation before looking at one another. Their father wouldn't knock on his own door, so it had to be one of the guests. But what if it was…?

But seeing as they couldn't just do nothing, Scythe went over and slid the door open, revealing Kite standing outside.

"My apologies for the intrusion at this late hour," the silver-ranker said, before raising his hand placatingly towards the two other men who had frozen again.

"And I assure you that I bear the two of you no ill will. Would the two of you allow me in for a conversation? I believe that some more apologies, some further questions and perhaps even an offer will be in order." Kite honestly felt bad as he sensed the lingering nervousness and fear in the two men after they had gotten seated around a low table in the family's living room, giving him a bit of perspective.

Having been a silver-ranker for a few years, he'd apparently gotten used to rarely encountering people with more personal power than him, so the emotions of the normal-rankers served as a reminder of how life had been before. So Kite resolved to make an effort to dispel their fears as soon as possible.

"First off, let me apologize for taking some liberties in regards to the two of you. We have indeed been asking around after you, and your conversation just now was proof that investigation and covert information gathering are not the strong suit of either me or my intended," he started off, before adding.

"Oh, and as you may have surmised I might also have listened to you more than once, made possible by your inn - while a very nice establishment - lacking the magical infrastructure to prevent it. This was not done out of malice or ill-intent however, but rather the opposite."

"W-we will of course not fault Master for doing what he felt best," Grain replied, though Kite could sense the slight sense of violation in having been overheard that the man pushed down.

"Us silver-rankers tend not to do so often, as it is regarded quite gauche to pry too deeply into the auras and lives of those of lower rank, but as I said; this time I had a reason," Kite continued, deciding to jump straight into the heart of the matter.

"Have the two of you heard of the Autumn Wanderer's guild?"

"I… yes, Master. Only vaguely though," Scythe replied, mind working to connect this with their current situation.

"An organization for the outcasts and others outside the sects, no? I think we might even have had a few members pass through town on some kind of courier contract."

"True. The guild means to be a focal point for essence-users and adventurers in Hua-Xi that want the connection of an organisation without the total dedication required from joining a sect. Our main focus has been taking on the far-flung, routine and less appreciated contracts in order to help smaller towns and villages achieve more stability.

Along with the Guild Master, I am one of the founders of this guild, and we keep on the lookout for potential members; people with a clear connection to these lands and with the mindset to use their newly born paths to help cement this stability. And the reason that me and my companions strayed beyond the normal social conventions in regards to the two of you is that I would like to extend the two of you an offer to join us, should you wish to and find the conditions acceptable."

While the two men had sat attentively during Kite's introductory explanation of the guild and its purpose, his last statement was the true kicker of the conversation, leaving both of them stunned as they processed what Kite had said.

"But… Master," Grain began.

"Wh-what could we possibly do for a guild like yours? We're just a pair of innkeeper's sons, and me?" he said, gesturing to his listless legs.

"I'm not fit to be any kind of courier, unable to even leave the house without assistance."

"While the guild is always on the lookout for connections and people who might help our members out when on contract, this offer I wanted to extend to you is honestly a bit more extensive than that, as well as carrying some expectations," Kite said, continuing on to explain the standard offer which the guild extended to certain candidates with essences and membership in exchange for sticking with the guild for at least ten years and a piece of one's earnings.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"- and in this case, I want to go one step further in regards to you, Grain of Summer. The original offer remains, but we came to this town in particular upon the advice of the Goddess Knowledge, as she hinted we might find a candidate here for a particular set of essences we've recently procured at great expense."

Reaching into one of his satchels, Kite then produced three essences which he lay on the table: the blue-glowing magic essence, the script-filled rune essence whose symbols seemed to slowly shift and morph, and the almost nauseatingly changing depths of the dimension essence, filled with odd angles and sometimes impossible perspectives.

"I don't know how familiar you are with the fundamentals of essence magic, but these three should result in the so-called gate confluence," Kite explained.

"It is the hope of the guild that this will lead to a portal-user, in time being able to bridge great distances all over the kingdom. But as this investment has been costly beyond anything we've procured before, we wanted to find a candidate that fits; a local with enough wanderlust to take to the life this kind of magic would lead to yet loyal and dutiful enough to stay true to the contract which the guild has attached to these essences. Because that would not last ten years, but fifty."

This led to another stunned silence, Grain and Scythe clearly needing a moment to take it all in as Kite sat back while keeping part of his perception on the auras of the two men. The want he felt from both as they looked at the cubes was only to be expected as essences were the stuff that changed lives forever, but Kite was more on the lookout for it turning into other, more malicious and deceptive concepts.

But from what he could read, none of those darker hues colored the auras of the two, giving credence to the assessments of the townsfolk with whom he and Dragonfly had inquired.

"And you would offer this… to me?" Grain asked eventually, excitement and hope blossoming inside him as the previous turmoil of emotion started settling down.

"From what I've learned of you, yes," Kite confirmed.

"It seems that such duties would be a good fit for you, whether you would go the way of monster cores or not. But as I said, it is quite the commitment to swear away fifty years of your life. It will be nothing like indentured servitude, and you would still have the freedom our other members do in almost all respects outside of some priority contracts where portals would be required. But it would still restrict you to staying inside the country for around double the time you have already lived."

"Master Kite, I have never left my home town and never expected to. I… can I accept now? Please?" Grain almost begged before Scythe laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Brother, this… We should talk to mother and father first."

"But-""The inn, Grain. We can't just up and abandon it. Even if this offer is beyond generous, we also have a duty to them." The older brother deflated a bit at the words, but eventually - and very, very reluctantly - nodded.

"He's… Scythe is right," Grain said, before giving Kite another pleading look.

"But please, Master, know that I would embrace this with all that I am. You will not regret this."

"Honestly, I would have required the two of you to think this through for a while before giving your final answers," Kite said, nodding to Scythe.

"Power is all well and good, but you taking your family and duties into consideration speaks well for your character. As I said, Scythe, the guild's normal offer extends to you too. While I won't force it upon you, I would hope to provide you with essences and training leading to the path of a guardian and protector so that you can stay by Grain's side and keep him safe. Both for his own sake and for the guild's investment. It is not my intention to sound callous, but rather simply my attempts to be forthright."

From the feeling he got from Scythe, this was something that seemed to resonate with him, but the younger brother kept a lid on those feelings as he nodded.

"Thank you, Master Kite. It is an offer beyond generous. When would you like our reply?"

"There is no hurry," Kite said, rising from his seat.

"Sunvalley was always meant to be but a stop on our way towards the Fated Severance sect where I am to visit an old Master of mine whom I have not seen for some years now. We expect to stay there for a few days before heading back. Hopefully that will give you some time to consider. Thank you for hearing me out, and I do apologize again for the intrusion. From now on, neither my companion nor I will listen in on you."

With that, Kite left the two thoughtful men to ponder his offer, obligation and excitement warring in their spirits before he retracted his aura senses, finally giving the pair some deserved privacy.

"Do you think they will take the offer?" Dragonfly asked Kite as they saw Sunvalley disappear in the distance through the window of the ship before a torrent of rain washed over it and blurred the outside view.

"They both want to, that is for sure. But they also value their family quite a lot," Kite replied, thoughtful.

"But I do think that they will. Even part of an adventurer's income should be enough to compensate for the loss of their able hands."

"I just can't believe they even need to think about it. Your offer was beyond generous, Senior Brother. To not take it would be both foolish and offensive," Sprite exclaimed, no longer able to keep the slight sense of outrage bottled up.

"Choices are not always a matter of rationality, Sprite. Most would agree that gaining essences, even for the commitment we ask, would be worth almost anything. At least until they have actual people and relationships affected by that choice. Emotions shape us and affect us a lot through life, as they will shape you once you embark on your path," Kite said, patient with the early teenager's simplistic view of things.

"It is honestly a mark in their favor that they both were willing to think things through, no matter how tempting it was. Especially for Grain, whose legs should recover once he ascends to iron rank."

"What? They will?" Sprite asked, wide-eyed.

"As long as he wasn't born that way, I believe that such injuries tend to be fixed, yes," Dragonfly confirmed.

"And one of those we asked did mention an accident that left him paralyzed. This does remind me that we've been slacking off a bit in regards to your magical theory, my dear student," she added with a sweet smile, almost looking disappointed when Sprite only perked up at the mention and nodded severely rather than groan and protest like Dragonfly herself was prone to. With Glint's speed and lack of care for the rain, it only took around four more hours of flying before the group finally reached their goal.

While it was still hazy in the distance due to the downpour, there was no doubt that the massive compound which topped the nearby series of hills was the Fated Severance sect.

"It's almost like a city unto itself," Dragonfly said from beside Kite where she looked out the window.

"At least compared to the sects up north." Kite could only agree, seeing that the sect had not one but several walled sections surrounded by even more sprawling districts and farmland, giving the impression of a contained little piece of society with food, amenities and security guaranteed all in one place. As air traffic was close to nonexistent, Glint soon landed outside the city perimeter for the group to make the final stretch on foot while the familiar used her powers of water control to keep the rain away.

Entering the more urban areas, they encountered more and more people similarly protected from the weather through the use of magic and not long after that they also found their presence challenged for the first time.

"Visitors! Halt, in the name of the sect!" a bronze-ranked woman called, marching over with a younger iron-ranker in tow. They both wore robes in pale teal, color matching those of the pennants which currently hung limp from the roofs of buildings in the downpour.

"I am Disciple Luminous Reflection, on duty as one of the city wardens today. Please state your name and reason for visit, honored silver-rankers," she said, bowing politely along with her hanger-on. While Kite could sense a slight tension in her aura due to confronting the two of them even with the rank disparity, that was secondary to the bronze-ranker's sense of security on her home turf.

Either way, she had also been polite in her directness, and Kite saw no reason not to reciprocate as he made a bow of his own in return.

"Greetings, Disciple. I am called Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune, known as the Pathbreaker and Sentinel of the Gates. My companions are named Dragonfly upon Sun's Reflection and Little Sun Sprite. We have traveled here from further north, seeking to visit my former mentor who currently resides here within your sect."

"I see," the disciple replied, seeming to have expected something along those lines.

"Then tell me who you wish to meet and their current station, and I should be able to provide you with directions."

"Of course. Her name is Frost Among Morning Dew, and last I heard she was the leader of your honored sect," Kite replied, his words shattering the slight sense of boredom which had crept into the woman's aura after having deduced their purpose.

"Wha- I mean- I see. Then please follow me to one of the inner gates. The sect leader is a busy woman and we will of course have to send word and verify that she finds you worthy of her time," the disciple said, holding up a finger.

"Fair warning; should it turn out that you have lied about this connection to the honored sect leader, I am sure that you will soon know her displeasure."

"Understood, Disciple. Lead the way," Kite replied, his confidence seeming to convince the disciple that he was at least serious in his request. The group soon found themselves under scrutiny by more warriors of the sect next to a gate in one of the walls, the looks of the two silver-rankers steady but at least not hostile while a runner was sent into the sect proper to convey a message of their arrival.

"At least Mistress Dew seems to remain here with the sect," Dragonfly remarked as she sidled up to Kite beneath the cover of the gate, and was about to say more when one of the guards broke in.

"That is Sect Leader Dew to you, outcast," the leonid woman standing guard replied tersely, her aura sharpening even though she did not go on the spiritual offensive.

"Well, that was how she was known back when we last saw her," Dragonfly replied.

"We shall simply have to ask her preferred means of address once we meet her." The leonid looked like she wanted to protest or perhaps even confront the shorter woman, but settled for an angry, silent glare while waiting in silence. The response fortunately wasn't overly long in coming, as the air suddenly chilled when a huge icicle rose like a stalagmite from the ground at the side of the gate.

"Please send the new arrivals through to wait in my personal gardens," a voice echoed from the icy conjuration, Mistress Dew's icy tones carrying a distinct tone of pleased surprise. Accompanying the message, a gold-ranked aura unfurled from somewhere deeper within the heart of the sect compound. While it was a gentle pressure, its power was still quite distinct as it honed in on Kite, Dragonfly, Glint and Sprite to touch upon each of them.

"Welcome, my erstwhile student. And the rest of you as well. You sure took your time. I was almost starting to think that you had forgotten about me." Unsurprisingly, the personal gardens of Frost Among Morning Dew had a distinct theme, with flowers and plants sporting colors ranging from white to blue to sparkling translucency or shimmering silver. Surrounded by the palatial structure that was the heart of the sect compound, it was a small bastion of calm amid the otherwise bustling activity of the place.

"Heavens, the sects down here are indeed on another scale," Dragonfly said once they had seated themselves while a trio of junior elders - very attentive to their needs now that their bond to the sect leader had been so thoroughly confirmed - served them drinks and refreshments.

"We are proud to find ourselves one of the most expansive sects in the kingdom," one of them said proudly upon hearing the comment.

"While there is no denying their quality, even the sects of the capital fail to surpass us when it comes to numbers. And with a gold-ranker once again at our head, the future of the Fated Severance sect looks to be a bright one indeed!"

"How nice to hear that my junior elders have such faith in the direction I have chosen for this organization," another voice called, causing the junior elders to instantly turn and bow deeply towards where a familiar figure had entered the garden, while calling out respectful greetings.

Frost Among Morning Dew had always been an exotic figure with her silver hair and lips painted blue, and that was only heightened by her ascension to gold rank as her features had further sharpened into something that held both conventional beauty as well as a distinct sense of danger. However, in contrast to this her eyes - having looked at the world with a sharp chill in the past - had now thawed somewhat.

There was still power and ambition in them, true, but it did not carry the same guarded intensity that Kite had been accustomed to during his time as her student back during iron and early bronze rank.

"Mistress Dew!" Kite called in return, joining in with the bowing.

"Or would you prefer Honored Sect Leader?"

"Mistress will do, Kite. It brings a nice touch of nostalgia from simpler times," Dew replied as she joined them on the small patio where they had been seated while the junior elders all excused themselves.

"Good to see you too, Dragonfly. And you, little Glint, surely have come into your own too. While your exterior and spirit certainly have changed, I can still feel that beautiful little carp in your aura. That leaves this child as the only unknown to me," she finished, regarding Sprite who sat frozen beneath the attention of the powerful woman.

"My apologies, Mistress. This is Little Sun Sprite, my student since just over a year ago," Dragonfly explained.

"Keeping up the traditions of the north then, I see," Dew noted with clear approval.

"You are a fortunate one then, child. I hope you go to great lengths to show your teacher the gratitude she is due."

"O-of course, Mistress," Sprite stuttered, bowing again.

"I will never be able to balance the karmic debt I owe Teacher."

"Which shouldn't be needed in the first place, Sprite," Dragonfly said with slight exasperation, wanting - but not quite daring - to glare at the gold-ranker.

"You're doing fine."

"Well, your arrival is fortunate too, as I have been most curious about some rumors which I have heard as of late," Dew said as she sat back to regard them all.

"Not only has the guild managed to rebuff the attentions of three sects, but it has now found itself given an opportunity in the Grand Proving with a certain Pathbreaker being mentioned more than once. Please, Kite, humor your old teacher. Tell me what you have been up to in the years gone by."

"Only if I may request the same from you, Mistress," Kite replied.

"Rupert has hinted at developments here in the south, but we have not been able to see the deputy director that often to get more than that."

"A reasonable exchange then," Dew agreed, looking to the skies above where rain still poured down onto the barrier that protected the inner sect compound from the elements.

"It seems like a good day for some storytelling anyway."