Chương 261: To not only sow, but also reap

The ground shuddered from the transferred impact as Soul's lightning-fast kick met Kite's raised staff, followed by a series of rapid strikes meant to bludgeon through his defenses as they had often done in the past. But this time, new panes of barriers came floating in from all around them to take the place of the ones that cracked.

One of the squares of solid magic even sped up to crash into Soul's side hard enough to force the celestine to shift her balance and abort the assault, but Kite's attempted counter afterwards was countered in turn as his opponent's shift turned into a blur of motion as a low sweeping kick suddenly impacted his leg in a flash of transcendent light.

"Curses. And here I thought my guard was starting to be encompassing enough," Kite swore, the pair resetting after the first proper hit as they had done for the least hour as part of their practice.

"No defense is perfect, Pathbreaker. But you have come a long way in how you are starting to realize that and instead turn your protection into an attack. It was a good move with that barrier. Warrior approves," Soul replied matter-of-factly.

"And your movements are as adaptable as ever," Kite replied.

"I could see your varying boons turn on and off like that, leaving even me struggling to keep them down."

"Upon the path to perfection, complacency means stagnation. And you remain one of the best opponents to force me to evolve in that regard, Pathbreaker. To become the onslaught is not always about moving forward, but in making sure that my momentum can shift enough to never be completely halted."

"I did promise to spar with you more before the Proving, and with spring upon us already it will be time before we know it," Kite replied, smiling at what was probably one of Soul's own insights in her process of pushing towards gold rank.

"Do you believe that you are ready?"

"It is not about the results, but the tempering. It will be an opportunity to prove my dedication before Warrior. But I will be as ready as I can be, unless the venerable Gleam delivers her creation before the summer."

"And have you thought more on the other matter? With the scribes?"

"... I have. And I shall accept it, even though it is a sacrifice of time that I could have spent on tempering."

"Well, for what it's worth, the guild thanks you for it," Kite said, giving Soul a bow of gratitude that only earned him a roll of her eyes in return.

"Turning your styles into skill books for our members will be of great help to them."

"Bah, hollow knowledge. You will have to command them to at least come here to solidify their foundations after partaking of Warrior's gifts through such… means."

"Oh we shall definitely make that a very pointed suggestion," Kite agreed.

"I'll tell Uncle Walker to contact a scribe with the proper path. Thank you again, Soul. This will be yet another stone in a stronger foundation for the guild." They fought a few more bouts in the light of the spring sun while other members of the guild occasionally gathered around the edges of Soul's arena to watch. The blessed of Warrior came out ahead in the end, but Kite took some pride in the fact that it wasn't by much.

"Thank you for your assistance in tempering my path," the two echoed in unison as they bowed towards one another to formally end the clashing, and Kite was surprised that Soul fell in beside him when he made to take his leave.

"What is the word from the capital? How are the preparations for the Proving proceeding?"

"From what I gathered the last time I was there, things are proceeding as planned as the trial grounds are raised on the fields outside the city where the first few rounds of the dueling tournament will be held along with the other competitions not part of the Proving itself," Kite explained.

"The scale is impressive, and that's even taking into account that the finals will be held in the main arena of the city while the monster waves will be taking place inside the mirage arena."

"Our kingdom is a nation of warriors, so it is only fitting that this is a celebration we give proper deference towards," Soul said, nodding as if it was a given.

"And in regards to your tasks?"

"There are a lot of people flooding into the city already, given all the visiting sects and champions from varied cities. Space is at a premium, which will only make our work that much more challenging," Kite said.

"And I don't like the tension I've felt there as of late. Some rivalry is to be expected, but I fear that Discord and their agents might already have been hard at work while we've been running around making strikes against most leads that Little Crow and his family have been able to scrounge up. Even you will have to be careful, Soul. Keep your heart steady and your mind clear so as to not get swept up and away."

"Was that ever in question, Pathbreaker? I always do." Sensing the trio of auras inside one of the guild's living quarters, Kite gently pulsed his own to announce his arrival. This caused all three of the iron-ranked spirits inside to startle, with one in particular then transitioning into shame and slight panic as Kite entered.

"Greetings, you three," he said while adding to the slightly crowded feeling of the room that Grain and Scythe still rented from the guild. Scythe was seated at the small table along with Fawn, the elf herbalist-turned-adventurer who was for all intents and purposes part of a team with the two brothers even though they were yet to be registered as such with the Adventure Society.

Their position in the room was also why neither of them managed to stop their third and final member from rolling out of his bed and - in spite of his very much not yet healed injuries - throwing himself into a kowtow on the floor.

"SeniorbrothermydeepestapologiesIwon'tevertakesuchariskagainwiththeinvestmentyou'vemadeinme-" Words came out in a torrent faster than Kite had expected, given the amount of pain he could feel that Grain was in. But it was also by that point that Scythe had managed to react.

"You idiot! You're only risking that investment even more by rolling around on the floor like that in your condition!" the younger brother growled as he started to bodily drag Grain back into the bed while at the same time trying to do so gently so as to not further aggravate his brother's condition.

"Peace, both of you. And Grain, please listen to your brother," Kite said calmly but sternly while using his aura to knock Grain out of his rising panic. Some shuffling around and a few much belated hisses of pain later, the budding portal-user was seated on his bed while propped up by a few pillows.

As Kite stood there, with none of the trio truly willing to meet his eyes, he also reflected on the oddity of towering like a stern parent over people who were in actuality around his own age while the difference in power and experience somehow added a decade to his own.

"I- I'm sorry, Senior Brother. It was my fault. I should-" Scythe eventually began, but Kite silenced him with a more gentle nudge of aura this time.

"As I said, peace. I did not come here to lord over you. Honestly, I just stopped by to say my farewells before we leave for the capital, and it was by mere happenstance that hallmaster Spring mentioned your little misadventure," he said, looking at the three.

"But I am willing to listen, if you want to tell me what happened."

"I…" Grain began, shoulders drooping.

"I was stupid, Senior Brother. We were baiting a pack of meadow stalkers and I saw this perfect opportunity for a Rune Trap that would be able to take most of them - if not all - out in one fell swoop. Except that when I charged forward, they proved just how far they could leap. If Scythe hadn't been close enough…"

"But if I had been fast enough this wouldn't have happened either," Scythe grumbled.

"My earth wall could have protected you if I hadn't been too busy yelling at you to come back." Fawn didn't say anything as the pair continued, shy as she tended to be in his presence, but both her posture and aura spoke volumes of what she thought of her own shortcomings.

"I see," Kite eventually said as the brothers' analysis started meandering in circles.

"It sounds like you've gotten your first real pushback from your lives as adventurers."

"I don't know about that, Senior Brother, I feel that other contracts and hunts have been plenty challenging," Grain protested, Kite smiling in turn.

"Oh I don't doubt it. But given your paths, I would assume that this might be the first time when you've really lost control of the situation, no? When your minds start scrambling for what to do, and powers start being thrown in left and right? The first time it felt like one among you came close to dying?" Somber silence and the occasional nod was his only reply, but from their auras he could tell that all of the three iron-rankers were also thoughtful as they digested his words.

"It sounds like that was an important lesson then, driving home the fact that some contracts will not go as planned," Kite continued.

"With a power such as mine, that is all about control, I can certainly relate to the experience of when things get out of hand. I might have to tell you about a certain silver-ranked fungal monster in the future, but that is a story for another day. You did do something right though, no? Because you are still with us, Grain. Slightly mauled, but here."

"Well, that earth attack of Scythe is very good at shoving things away. The stalker was suddenly ripped from atop me as if flung by a hurricane. Then Fawn's roots got hold of the rest before they could drag me off. And I did manage to set off that Rune Trap…" Grain ventured, the others nodding.

"So it seems that your training did not entirely abandon you either," Kite agreed.

"Well done, then. All of you. Please let this lesson linger in the back of your mind in the future, however shameful or painful the memory might be. It's what will help you do it even better the next time. As for the guild's investment… Please, Grain, do not strive to put more weight upon yourself in that regard than the contract between us. I would imagine that you, of all people, are the one most invested of all when it comes to keeping on living long enough to grow into these powers.

We let you choose your own path for a reason," he finished, giving the man some time to let his words sink in.

"But as it looks like you're in good company here, with Fawn's magic seeming hard at work to help speed along your regeneration, I believe it is time to take my leave. We are leaving for the Grand Proving now, so it will probably be a few weeks at least until I see you again. Take care, all of you. And may your paths take you to the heavens and beyond." It was with some satisfaction that Kite noted that the auras of the three were much brighter when he departed than when he had arrived.

"- and as such, Mistress, with the arrival of the small delegation from the Autumn Wanderer's guild, word from our agents is that most of the major pieces are in place." Black Wood Mask nodded in confirmation to the report where she sat surrounded by beautifully sculpted trees and bushes, accompanied by the pleasant burbling of water running down a miniature waterfall and the gentle plucked notes of an enchanted guzheng.

The small garden was completely walled off and sequestered from the rest of the capital, with more concealment arrays than a small fortress to help keep its location hidden from prying eyes and magical means. And with someone as competent as Obsidian Crow Unseen on Skies of Night present in the city and actively looking, Black Wood Mask had her work cut out for her as she worked almost constantly to have her spreading domain of shifting light disrupt the frustrating man's webs of shadow.

That was why, unlike her two counterparts in the council, Black Wood Mask had no public role or other persona in Heavenward, letting her fully dedicate herself to managing the cause of Discord behind the scenes. And that was also why she was the one personally leading their operation during the upcoming Grand Proving. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Good," she replied after a moment of thinking as plans upon plans flickered through her mind to find the appropriate one for this situation.

"Contact our allies in the service of Deceit and have them prod one of the outer sects in the direction of the guild. We want to include them in the tensions, and whether they can handle themselves or are forced to back off are both results we can work with in the greater scheme of things.

In the end, they are expected to be of only middling utility in this endeavor and then mostly as a catalyst, so send this off to some of our lesser operatives," Black Wood Mask finished before turning her hidden features to look directly at her subordinate.

"I want you, Fallen, to personally oversee the next step in regards to the Fated Severance sect. Their chosen, Petal Pressed to Singing Steel, is rumored to be a contender for the top brackets in the dueling section. As she is less of a known quantity, we should be able to use it to make an attempt at her life more plausible and sow more suspicions as to which of the other contenders are behind it while also forcing their sect leader to be more vigilant and therefore prone to distrust.

I trust that I've trained you well enough to choose your own methods and call upon the needed assets?"

"Of course, Mistress," Steps Marked in Fallen Fate replied, bowing to his teacher and master in Discord's cause.

"For the grand project, I will see it done."

"Make sure that you do. I've impressed upon all of you the importance of this event, and while I disagree to some extent I can't be seen to be actively ignoring the decision of the council to step up the pace. Go now, and sow the seeds of Discord. I have other messengers waiting."

"It shall be done, Mistress," Fallen replied, bowing once more before taking his leave, and Black Wood Mask took a moment to appreciate the asset she had nurtured. Fallen's easy smile and handsome features made him mesh well into most social situations even though he still had not quite managed to quell the intensity in his eyes, born from an intense desire to change the world around him into Discord's image, where his deadly talents would reign even more supreme.

But as a carrier of both the death and corrupt essences, Black Wood Mask had also made sure that the aura mask gifted to him was of the highest quality, because while the restricted essences bound him more thoroughly to their cause in the shadows, they would also be beacons to the self-righteous and misguided who would interfere. Knowing Fallen's skills, it was also easy for her to turn her mind to the next report and series of orders that waited.

The Grand Proving was soon upon them, and the church of Discord did intend to not only sow, but also reap.

"Ah, finally some time to relax~," Wander sighed as she threw herself - for once in human form and completely in one place - atop a nearby couch that was one among many in the sprawling central space of the erected pavilion belonging to the Autumn Wanderer's guild. Walls and ceiling of dark green, enchanted silk surrounded them on all sides, but any kind of murk or gloom was completely dispelled by the numerous floating glow stones easily sustained by the rich magic of the kingdom's heartlands.

"We've just arrived, Wander, so it is beyond me why you would feel the need to relax in the first place," Braid noted as he emerged from one of the many adjoining rooms of the grand tent, where each of their party had their own compartment for some privacy.

"You could make yourself useful and grab a storage crate to start putting out some more furniture. We might not have the unfolding manors of some of the sects, but that doesn't mean that we can't live in comfort."

"And miss my only chance to actually take it easy during this whole Proving-affair? No, thank you. This relaxation is one taken out in advance as I'll be spending the next couple of weeks literally spread out all over this place. And with so many essence-users around, I'll even have to be focused for the most of it~."

While his expression was hidden beneath the inscribed mask which the weaver always wore, it would be clear to anyone watching that a long-suffering roll of his eyes was his only response before turning back to his task.

"Kite, would you mind passing me some more etherite? Yes, that sparkly one. Thank you," Braid said, catching a sizable chunk of raw metal which Kite tossed to him from a pile, the runic starting to hum happily while he fed the glittering ore into the odd loom that was now constantly floating at his side.

The materials simply disappeared into the hollow, spherical framework before being spooled out the other side as glittering thread which Braid immediately caught with his magic and started to incorporate into the arrays covering the tent walls that he was currently working on.

"That truly is a work of art…" Kite noted, still amazed at the ease with which the artifact could turn a seemingly incompatible material into thread as long as Braid supplied the mana, visualization and - at times - the right quintessence.

"Oh, I know. Mistress Gleam is a wonderful existence indeed. To make such a treasure. Really, Kite, feel free to invite me to join in more daring adventures in the future if this is the result," Braid replied happily.

"It can work with seemingly everything!"

"It's true! I even volunteered some of my bodies to test it out!" Wander called from her prone position on the couch before proudly brandishing a roll of thread above her.

"Look! Me-thread!"

"I… see…" was all that Kite could reply while unable to mentally let go of those particularly disturbing images or the seemingly soft, brown thread in Wander's hand.

"But if that works, I wonder if other more abstract concepts can be used? Could it break down my barriers?"

"That's an excellent suggestion! Let's-" Braid began, but was interrupted by a spiritual nudge from Dragonfly who was working nearby.

"Less experimenting and more working on those arrays, please," Kite's wife called over her shoulder.

"I won't really be able to relax until those privacy formations are up and running. So many auras around us, and some are barely trying to conceal their prying." This had the rest of the group return to their tasks a bit more diligently, and soon enough they were all gathered outside their pavilion and inspecting their work.

"So, this will be our home for the next few weeks?" Amica Steiner asked as she regarded the most impressively enchanted pavilion.

"Beats most places I've stayed in during my life, and with quite the margin."

"Well, it might not be too much compared to this …" Braid muttered while gesturing around them.

"But I am proud of it nonetheless." Upon their arrival in the capital, the group had soon been quite aware of a stark change in the area east of the city. What had previously been a stretch of land conspicuously empty of farmsteads or the like had proven to be a space reserved for the very purpose of housing all of the guest delegations during the Grand Proving, and when Kite and the others arrived it had already been turned into a hodgepodge new district of the capital.

Pavilions like their own stood next to glorious unfoldable townhouses, manors and the like in an eclectic mix that was only dwarfed by the variety among the people currently inhabiting them. While not everyone were essence-users, the concentration was still among the highest Kite had ever sensed in one place, which led to a silent cacophony of auras even though most had theirs under control, like the inevitable susurrus when many people gathered no matter how quiet they tried to be.

Some of the larger accommodations clearly flew the banners of their sects, but others instead belonged to the champions of the cities around the kingdom, such as Vista who had set up his own pavilion next to the guild's.

The two delegations from the north had been assigned spots at the very edge of the area, and while some might have seen that as a slight, Kite and his companions were honestly grateful as it let them more easily keep watch over their surroundings, especially due to the fact that most of their number weren't there to participate in the Proving itself.

"I for one find our base camp an excellent place to stay," Kite complimented, clapping the shoulder of the weaver who had been responsible for both its construction and the defensive arrays woven or embroidered into the cloth itself.

"Come, everyone. It is high time that we gathered inside. We have much to discuss once our benefactor arrives." Anasta Temren liked to think that she knew adventurers, having been one and worked among them for most of her life. They tended to be a varied collection of people too, even in a place like Hua-Xi with its cultural idiosyncrasies.

That was why she couldn't help but inwardly smile at the view that greeted her as she appeared just outside the majestic green pavilion of the Autumn Wanderer's guild and quickly stepped inside in a blur of speed. Inside, the tent had a sprawling common room with plenty of brought in furniture, and the people lounging inside were definitely adventurers in their prime.

Kite himself had grown a bit more worldly with each year spent taking on contracts for task group Gauntlet as he picked up a few mannerisms and traditions from his many temporary teammates. There was also a slight intensity that had been kindled in the otherwise earnest and kind young man, and Anasta thought she recognized it for what it was: ambition.

Not the unbridled, ruthless kind though, but the kind where he seemed to have realized that some of his dreams were within his grasp and that he had also mustered the courage to make the attempt. Next to him, his wife and long-time companion sat snuggled up to his side while instructing an elf teenager in a rather advanced balancing act meant to teach coordination.

Anasta had never met Dragonfly, but the descriptions did her justice both in looks and the feel of her spirit as she helped mold her student into another future adventurer.

Along with Triumph of Indomitable Will and his outworlder companion, and Brave Walker of Paths - the guildmaster being present to give a modicum of face to his members - Dragonfly felt much like a more traditional Hua-Xi warrior and adventurer, but the good kind that Anasta had come to lean on in her dealings in the kingdom; the kind that saw people and responsibility first and personal pride second. This was actually in opposition to Soul, the guild's actual contender for the dueling part of the Grand Proving.

From the reports, the amethyst-haired celestine seemed like just another local all caught up in her own martial pursuits, but Anasta had gotten some firsthand reports of her skill and seeming dedication to the guild from some of her personal subordinates who had traveled north to test themselves against this blessed of Warrior whose reputation seemed to spread just a little bit wider each year.

Then there was the odd duo of They Who Wander and Braid Spun from Honesty, of which Anasta had heard reports of a competence at odds at the current scene where the whimsical swarm-shifter was currently bothering her companion from multiple angles at once while he tried to focus on somehow spinning thread from a glowing crystal which was helpfully held in place by a floating ball of water manipulated by Glint, Kite's familiar.

Only one among those gathered stood out, managing to give off the feeling of skulking in the corner even in the mostly merry and relaxed setting. Dancer on the Broken River was decidedly not an adventurer, but even a cursory inspection of the scarred woman's aura let Anasta confirm that the strength of her spirit was not just some misconception of Kite's. Anasta just hoped that neither of them would come to regret the effort spent in allowing the acolyte of Pain to be there.

To her surprise, the woman also reacted to her presence quite swiftly even though Anasta had thought herself quite subtle, which led to the gold-ranker carefully announcing her presence the moment after stepping in and having taken in the scene.

"Oh? Director Temren! Welcome! Please, have a seat!" Walker called as he quickly rose to his feet to offer Anasta his chair, the spirits of everyone present having startled slightly at the sudden appearance as they readied themselves for an altercation before the lack of actual danger caught up to them.

"No need, guildmaster, but thank you anyway," Anasta replied, looking around the room again.

"Aren't we missing two people?" As if arranged by some deity with a sense for the humorously appropriate, Little Crow and Amica Steiner chose that exact moment to emerge from one of the separate partitions as parts of the array opened to let them pass along with the silken flap serving as door.

"Well? Did you-" Amica began before noting Anasta's presence, who in turn noticed varied reactions of amusement and embarrassment from the rest of those gathered.

"Oh! Director! Welcome!" she called, having met Anasta before during her year-long stay in Hua-Xi as she took part in some other contracts regarding the movements and preparations of their foes.

"Excellent timing too! Did you perhaps sense anything from our part of the pavilion just now upon entering?"

"I… did not. At least not without direct probing. It was impeccably shielded for its rank," Anasta noted, confused by the question.

"Well, that's the verdict then. Braid's privacy arrays are top notch. We really gave them a run too, didn't we?" Amica continued, throwing the grinning Little Crow a wink. While this only served to increase the exasperation of most present, Braid in turn seemed most pleased by the verdict as Anasta caught on to what she was supposed to - or not supposed to - have noticed, and thus corrected her image of the group. Still adventurers, but also young ones. With all the pros and cons that entailed.

"If we are all here then, we might begin our first briefing for the weeks to come. There have been plenty of developments, and we have some we would like your team to focus on. It-" Anasta didn't come further though before something else decided to interrupt her, this time as a group of auras could be felt approaching the pavilion from the outside. Six essence-users, giving off a sense Anasta recognized all too well.

Kite apparently did so too once the others also reached out with their spirits even while somewhat shielded from the outside, the young man sighing audibly while giving a helpless shake of his head.

"Already? Heavens, I thought we'd have more time…" The auras outside stopped just outside the guild's assigned lot before deciding to enter without waiting for a welcome, and a clear female voice could soon be heard calling from outside the pavilion.

"The chosen contenders from the Thousand Echoes sect are present! Come out, outcasts. Face us so that we may judge your worthiness ourselves!" Around the room, a few spirit coins changed hands between some of the parties, with many being picked up by quite pleased rats.

"I told you we wouldn't even last through the briefing!" Wander squeaked happily as she collected her winnings.

"You know what they say; listen all to the rat most sagacious, as she will lead you to earnings most salacious~."

"Nobody says that…" Dragonfly groaned while she rose alongside Kite, the latter seeming a bit resigned.

"My apologies, Director. Could we bother you to wait for a moment while we handle this interruption?" Anasta nodded her agreement, and the pair turned for the exit, with Kite murmuring one last thing before exiting.

"Gods, this brings me back…"