Chương 307: A most timely development

"Ametrine. What is it, my love?" It was by the greatest of efforts that Ametrine managed to not flinch at the sudden question as she had, for once, allowed herself to become lost in her worries while thinking that her King was too deep in his meditation to notice her. That she hadn't noticed the shift in his aura was just all the more proof of how much she had slipped up, something which had not happened often in the last two decades.

"I… Apologies, my King," she replied, looking pensively out the window of the king's chambers in the palace at the lights of the capital shimmering below, complementing the stars above in the night sky.

"I am merely pondering the kingdom. Your words from before - carrying your worries - have caught up to me, as more of my sources confirm that things have kept escalating. There are even talks of a gold-ranker being slain."

"What? Who?"

"That I have not managed to confirm. As you can imagine, few of the sects would willingly acknowledge such a loss of strength publicly. But it is also a loss for the kingdom as a whole. I wanted this kingdom to grow strong. To be a place where warriors will constantly be pushed and tested against one another to reach for the heavens. Where none should be able to tread the path of the greenhouse flower, everyone needing to excel in one way or another to thrive.

But now I find myself worried that what I thought was a positive development has started to lose focus."

"It has been long since I saw you worry so, my love," the King replied, walking over and putting his warm, heavy hands on Ametrine's shoulders as he too gazed out over the city.

"The last time I can remember was before my clash that claimed this throne. You had worked so hard to cover our plans from every direction, to help me reach that point even through the pit of vipers that was the court back then. Is this another one of our more momentous occasions perhaps? Where we will need to act to prove our paths and goals before the heavens, together as we have for so long?" Ametrine treated herself to actually leaning into his touch, resting her back against his chest where they stood.

It felt nice to be embraced, bringing memories of times that were in some ways much more dangerous and in others so much simpler. Now, the grand undertaking was soon to be finished, although with much less stable foundations than intended. She had thought they would have a few more years before Altessia pushed up the schedule. And now? A month? That was too little to work with. Too little time. And yet Ametrine would have to make do. She had before, after all. And she had an idea.

She just had to sell it well enough, as her King was instrumental for its completion.

"Perhaps, my King," she eventually agreed.

"My mind is aflutter with plans and angles. I have some concepts in the works but…"

"You know I will support you, my love. As you have supported me through all these years."

"Even when I ask for something that might seem impossible?"

"What is impossible for the likes of us? Did we not manage to carve our way here? Through all those old families with their schemes and advantages?"

"Then… a tournament."

"A tournament? The Grand Proving is still years off–""Exactly," Ametrine said.

"And given the strife borne from it, we would need another angle. A time of tempering for everyone. As many as the capital can hold. And not just the silvers either. The gold-rankers of the kingdom would be needed as well; one grand clash of actual honor and tempering, one that could bring all of the mighty of this kingdom together. To collectively show the heavens the heart of Hua-Xi. A tournament with you at its head, giving the finalists a chance to face off against you outside the normal clash for the throne.

Tempering, pure and unchecked." The King had gone silent at her words, and Ametrine was about to speak again when he turned her around to look at him.

"Why, love, why would you ever think me opposed to an idea such as this?" the King asked, his eyes sparkling with excitement that was rarely shown these days.

"To use my blade as an example to bring the warriors of this kingdom together. To find tempering again outside the clashes for the throne? A marvelous idea worthy of Hua-Xi. We–""It would have to be held a month from now." Ametrine's words caused the King to sputter, excitement giving away to shocked disbelief.

"A month? my love, I– How–""I know, my King. Hence why I spoke of the impossible. But given what has happened, I fear that any longer might risk things deteriorating too far. And for that, my King, you have my deepest apologies. I should have kept a more thorough vigil. I should have seen this coming. I should have done my part so that I would not have to thrust such an impossibility on you.

I–" This time though, it was the King's turn to interrupt her by putting a finger to her painted lips, and inwardly Ametrine smiled as she saw the look in his eyes. Success.

"This is something truly important to you, no?"

"Yes."

"And thus for our way towards the heavens."

"Yes."

"Then…" the King said, a gleam of determination in his eyes.

"We shall make it happen. It might cost me most of the favors and such owed by various people of the court. I know that you always have your reasons, my love, secretive as they might be at times. And so far you have never led us astray. Let my sword and the authority it has brought me do the heavy lifting now. And rushed or not, the prospect of properly testing my blade again is a wonderful prospect. Let us make this new tournament another staple of Hua-Xi and its soul."

"Interesting…" Kite murmured to himself as he returned the greatsword in front of him to a resting guard, the blade of which looked to be wrought from glowing blue liquid that somehow retained an edge even though it remained fluid.

"It does seem to have interesting properties in how one can shift the blade at will, but perhaps not the pure potency I was looking for. Please make sure that the notes properly convey my appreciation for the craft though."

"Of course, dear," Auntie Crow replied where she calmly sat and took notes as she helped Kite inspect some new possible additions that had become available now that Gleam had started stocking the Benevolent Jade Queen's Armory. Once he got the slip of paper handed him by a strand of animated hair, Kite tied it around the handle before returning it to the golden armoire that stood by the side of one of the sparring yards of his compound.

"Here is the other slip you asked for as well," Auntie Crow said, handing Kite a longer one. It took him but a glance to note that its contents were exactly what he had looked for, as he took out a long time companion of his that it was time to say farewell to.

"You may not have been forged specifically for me and my path, but our meeting was serendipitous enough anyway," Kite said to the half-glimpsed blade of The Veiled One's Decree. Now as a gold-ranker, the obfuscation effect was not nearly as fuzzy, revealing a single-edged sword of some translucent glass that was only somewhat blurry at the edges.

The growth item was capped out at silver, and as Kite had no idea of the identity of the original creator or if they would be both willing and able to help it reach the next rank, sending it to Gleam as a bit of inspiration had felt like his best recourse. After depositing the blade as well, Kite was just about to reach into the armoire once more when he felt a gold-ranked aura suddenly announce itself outside their compound.

Or rather, himself, as it did not take long for their visitor to arrive after Kite had sent out his own aura pulse that gave permission to enter.

"High Priest Venerable Owl," Kite greeted, a bit surprised as he bowed while Auntie Crow did the same at his side, albeit deeper as was only proper from a silver towards a gold-ranker.

"Welcome. Blessed be Lady Knowledge and her servants."

"Thank you, Kite. And greetings, Mistress Crow," the leonid replied with a nod of his magnificent mane towards Kite's auntie.

"I apologize for the sudden intrusion, but Branch Director Temren has called you to a gathering in Convergence, and given the somewhat urgent matter of her request, I offered my services to portal you in directly."

"Oh?" Kite said, concern growing in his chest at the man's tone.

"Then let us not tarry. I shall be in your care. Auntie, please tell my wife where I have gone."

"Of course, dear. And thank you for your kind words, High Priest. We shall have to extend better hospitality to you should you visit again in the future," Crow replied, sharing a glance with Kite before the two gold-rankers made for the gate, Glint joining Kite as a small carp as they reached the gates where the leonid's portal waited outside.

A few more steps had Kite striding directly into the inner domain of Knowledge's temple in Convergence, the portal apparently having been conjured just outside the inner domain of the deity, and inside their usual meeting room a few familiar faces awaited.

"Kite. Good," Anasta Temren replied from where she stood leaning over a few documents on the table, Walker at her side while both Soul and Obsidian Crow each sat in meditation on opposite sides of the room.

"Director," Kite greeted, the serious air causing his words to be more direct than pleasant.

"What is the matter? I trust that you have received the report of our recent success by now?"

"I did, and that was most well done. Taking on a slightly older gold-ranker can always be a challenge, but it would seem that task group Gauntlet's reputation and training is indeed well-deserved. Your willingness for patience and keeping back your debut as a local gold-ranker allowed us to remove a key piece from the board of our opponents," Anasta said, shooting him a small but strained smile.

"I am not sure, but I suspect that it caused quite a stir among our targets as they have to know just how much that will shift the balance. Enough that things have started changing rapidly in the capital. Too rapidly for my taste." To punctuate her statement, Anasta unfurled one of the scrolls on the table before sliding it towards Kite. There, announced in fine calligraphy alongside plenty of artwork depicting warriors embroiled in combat, was an invitation to a tournament.

"The Heart of Hua-Xi, a tournament witnessed by the heavens," Kite read aloud while his gold-ranked mind quickly processed the rest of the message.

"All of the sects are invited, and it seems like this part especially calls out the gold-rankers to come and prove themselves… What? The King will participate too? In just one month? This… This is madness."

"And quite odd," Anasta agreed.

"During my tenure here, I have been unable to miss your peoples fondness of clashing and testing yourself against one another. And while I will not speak my mind in regards to my personal feelings on the subject, I will note that you have always seemed to take events like these with the utmost seriousness. Proper preparations, making sure that people know about it far in advance so that they can start working on their skills with a goal in mind, and so on.

Never have I seen such an impulsive event, especially not when called by the King himself and his court. Something is off, hence this meeting."

"I… see…" Kite said, mind spinning as he tried to deduce all the possible implications.

"Has the guild received a similar invitation?" Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

"No," Soul replied from where she sat meditating.

"I heard some lower ranked guild members talking about rumors yesterday when they should have been practicing their footwork more diligently, but this is the first time I have heard confirmation."

"Indeed, little Kite. We did not even receive notice," Walker confirmed.

"The invitation does only seem to mention the sects. Which is odd, as I was under the impression that his Majesty the King had acknowledged the guild and our power, especially after Soul's more public ascension to gold."

"Another oddity to add into the mix. A mix that is starting to smell rather foul to me," Anasta confirmed.

"Any possible guidance or advice you or the honored goddess have on the matter, high priest?" Kite asked Venerable Owl, who had so far remained but a silent observer.

"My apologies, but no," the leonid replied.

"There are many things which my Lady would like to tell us mortals everyday and in every moment, but she is alas bound to have us make our own choices. Especially when times are turbulent, because each action on her part might risk consequences greater than we could bear. She does wish for me to convey one thing to you all though; to trust the knowledge you have gathered and the instincts provided by the sum of all that information. She believes that you have the capacity to act wisely."

"This is the very same message the honored high priest gave as reply to me back at the capital," Anasta said.

"And while it indeed does not convey an actual plan of action, knowing that the goddess is confident in our judgment is somewhat reassuring."

"And as the honored Knowledge is ever a sly one - only meant as a compliment, of course, lady of wisdom - it does tell us something even though the words themselves do not," Walker mused.

"That we have what we need to make good decisions. And given what the branch director here is saying, I'd say we'd better prepare ourselves to act in some way or another sooner rather than later. Because my gut also tells me that something is off here."

"Could it really be happening now?" Kite mused with quite a lot of trepidation.

"Their bid to establish the divine domain? I thought we would have more time…"

"That was probably also what the priestess you helped me take down assumed," Obsidian Crow remarked, sliding through the shadows to appear next to them standing around the table.

"While we can work with estimates, reality rarely aligns itself so well with our hopes and expectations. Not readying ourselves for the worst would be foolish. And remember, if they have been forced to act with haste, then they too feel pressured."

"It might indeed be so," Anasta sighed, seeming both tense and a bit relieved at the same time.

"Then are we in agreement? To prepare for the culmination of our planning over these last few years?"

"The guild will stand ready," Walker replied.

"A month isn't much, but it should be enough to gather most of those who have volunteered to help when the time comes."

"And my clan will honor the contract, " Obsidian Crow followed.

"It might be time to retake our property atop the Heavenly Stairway too." This left Kite and Soul, who - to nobody's surprise - both nodded their assent.

"Should there be a reckoning, there will be opportunity for tempering," Soul remarked.

"And I did make my stance clear on this kingdom. It needs to find its way back to the path towards the pinnacle."

"This is what I have strived for for quite some time now," Kite agreed.

"Time to make my mark and realize some of my own ambitions for this kingdom, however foolhardy it might feel to make such a claim. Which leaves me with… quite a lot to do and prepare. As well as with a question; assuming that our suspicions prove true, how did the agents of Discord manage to hold such sway over forces in the court? Enough for the King himself to sign off on such an event? Just how high up in the hierarchy do the followers of strife have control?"

"That should be one of the first things to investigate, however challenging that might be," Anasta agreed.

"King of the Pure Firmament has ostensibly been quite lax in his rule, but hasn't openly made decisions I would associate with a servant of Discord. But if he hides such an allegiance… We shall have to see what we can do to unravel it. The first step will be getting you who are part of the vanguard into the capital though. Given the influx of sect warriors, it shouldn't be too hard, though we shall have to make sure that your arrival isn't public knowledge.

As you lack the formal invitations, some of the more aggressive parties might take it as them having free reign to accost you. And given how there is plenty of aggression to go around these days with all the open conflicts over territory among the sects? I would not be the least surprised."

"The clan and I should be able to make arrangements for that," Obsidian Crow added.

"And the guild has managed to secure their own transportation too, no? You have managed to foster not one but two portal-users if I recall correctly."

"Indeed," Walker confirmed.

"We may be wanderers at heart, but this calls for some more expediency. And as for other preparations… Will you be able to finish yours, little Kite? They are the most far-flung and scattered of them all."

"I shall have to try, but I will need help from you, Director, to make sure that I can have Mistress Riz on retainer for a few weeks. Or someone equivalent, but as she knows most if not all of the locations I need to frequent, she would be the optimal choice."

"Well," Venerable Owl replied in Anasta's stead with a light cough.

"As it happened, my church did make a contract with that particular courier for these upcoming few weeks. And given the severity of this task, the least we can do would be to cede the contract to you instead, seeing as how we cannot provide more direct help…" Kite could only stare in disbelief at the priest while Anasta only shook her head with a rueful smile.

He had only surface knowledge of the intricate and often ineffable system of checks and balances that seemed to be in place between the gods and how they could act inside their purviews, and what had just happened was distinct proof that those lines were terribly blurry at times. Still, one should never look a gift heidel in the mouths.

"While I'd hate to be an inconvenience to whoever had intended to use her services, the matter is sensitive enough for me to have to bear the shame and accept," Kite replied somberly, earning himself an approving look from the high priest as he played into the obvious charade while Anasta only rolled her eyes slightly.

"So… This might be it then? The beginning of the end of this conflict, for better or for worse?" His question had the mood shift to reflect the gravity of Kite's words, with Obsidian Crow answering.

"It might be. It might not. We might arrive at the capital and find nothing despite our preparations. Or we might indeed have a chance at the heart of their operation. I would say it is worth the wager for such an elusive target."

"Be prepared for the worst and adapt to the actual path before our eyes," Walker agreed.

"We can choose our approach so as to not lose too much should this be a false lead," Anasta said.

"But yes, it is indeed decided. Now, let us adjourn. It's time to set things into motion, as our enemies are no doubt doing themselves. Let us hope we can do more than just inconvenience them."

"With just shy of a month left until The Heart of Hua-Xi Tournament, I believe it is time for a proper report," Altessia Sessante said, looking to both Ametrine and Might of Inner Calamity where they sat in the meeting hall.

Given the busy state of things now that so many plans and preparations had been set in motion, it was only the three gold-rankers that were present, Cala's absence clearly felt in the balance of auras which they had become used to over the years since the Grand Proving, though the hard domineering edge to Altessia's aura since her pupil's demise had further aggravated the shift.

"I have made sure to pick up what contacts have still been available from after Black Wood Mask's untimely demise," Ametrine replied to the implied question in Altessia's statement.

"The planted agents inside the sects of the heartlands know to stand ready, though I have left the methods of their involvement up to them as they have better knowledge of the–""That isn't good enough," Altessia interrupted.

"We need to know their plans and approve. If some are too lacking in fervor to Discord's cause or too cowardly to act decisively, we might risk not having the gathered momentum of strife that we need to light the divine spark once the ritual starts. Get confirmation from them and present them to me for review."

"What? That kind of interference might risk more of them shying away from the cause if they start fearing exposure," Ametrine protested.

"They know the actual dynamics and pressure points in the bonds and karma around them. We–""We, Sister, have more experience in the ways of Discord than all of them combined," Altessia interrupted, this time using her aura to silence Ametrine rather forcefully.

"What could irons, bronzes or even silvers know that we could not? We know the overall plan and what is needed. Make sure they know it."

"Sister, I don't believe you are thinking clearly on the matter–""Oh, I am quite lucid, I assure you," Altessia replied, voice lowering dangerously.

"I was skeptical of these looser reigns when I arrived, but as you locals seemed to be getting results I was also convinced to leave them as they were. But now, thanks to lacking information and structure, we have been forced to strain our plans to the limits. A mistake I will not allow to be repeated." Before the past few years, Ametrine would have assumed that the domineering words of the foreigner might have gotten a rise out of Might of Inner Calamity, but the sect leader remained quiet if tense.

This was probably the result of the sparring sessions he and Altessia had gone through over the years, sessions which Ametrine had not witnessed personally but whose results spoke volumes given the man's sudden lack of dominance. Seeing that she could do little to challenge Altessia at that moment, Ametrine eventually nodded her head in acquiescence.

She could hopefully choose her wording carefully enough in the missives that the damage wouldn't be too great once the normally very independent operatives started feeling constrained. And Altessia wasn't wrong about the importance of the project.

"That matter aside–," their first among equals continued once she had made sure that her decision would be enacted, "-you did well in securing the unknowing support of the King in this matter, Ametrine. The tournament is an excellent pretense to gather as many parties as possible, and our head ritualists have even been able to work the structure into the divine working to somewhat compensate for the weaknesses caused by the need for haste. Does the King suspect anything?"

"He knows that I have plans within plans, but that has always been our way and as such he trusts me to see to the betterment of our place inside this kingdom and to provide us opportunities for power," Ametrine replied.

"He was even most enthusiastic about his own potential participation."

"Good. It might not be in the way he believes, but the opportunities for him to test his blade should be ample in the coming of Discord's divine garden upon this world," Altessia said, turning to Might of Inner Calamity.

"And how is the state of our other allies?"

"Tolerable," the huge man grunted, even though he seemed to find the prospect of said allies to be something rather distasteful.

"I have informed them of their roles in the time to come, though I had to be more… forceful… in my approach with some of them. Destruction's madmen aren't exactly the best at staying in line, but their lack of any local gold-ranker assures at least some restraint."

"Their roles are peripheral in most cases anyway, acting as distractions and reserves in case some of the local sects diverge from the paths we have set out for them."

"And the guild?" Ametrine asked, feeling the mood tense up once more, but she pressed on "They have proven to have more power than expected and a willingness to use it. If they connect us to the tournament, they will surely try to interfere in one way or another."

"Our rapidly increased time frame should alleviate much of the risk they pose, especially with the dissent and increased dislike we have sown among the sects. Not as much as we would have liked in the north and far south, but it should be enough to keep them and their two golds from causing too much damage. Still, ignoring the possibility would be a fool's errand. We should make contingencies for their potential arrival.

Notify some of the northernmost sects where we still hold sway that they should make sure to cause some trouble for the guild. And perhaps even set some bait and false leads here in the capital. It is even a matter where that King of yours, Ametrine, might prove useful once more." It was just as Anasta Temren settled into her meditation and was drifting off into the calm recesses of her mind that her senses registered it; a slight shift in the air of the otherwise placid room.

Ever so mundane yet also so very out of place. That was also all Anasta needed to act. Only her middle and index fingers moved, snipping together as she severed the distance between her and one corner of the room up near the ceiling. As soon as she appeared, several quick gestures filled the room below with more severing cuts that carefully avoided all of the neatly arranged bookshelves and furniture while turning the empty space into a severing hazard that could cut most people in the world to ribbons.

Or at least it had seemed to be empty, because the clang of the spell impacting rattling metal soon followed from seemingly nothing, a rattling Anasta recognized.

"Bold or foolhardy, Bright Day?" she called before dismissing her spells with the wave of a hand as a figure blurred into visibility mid-jump from where it had made a gracious, dance-like leap to avoid being cut up. Bright Day - or rather, Dancer on the Broken River - touched down on the floor in a soundless landing, barely seeming to touch the floorboards beneath, so light was her step as she regarded Anasta through that eerie mask of smoky glass that covered her face when she wished to remain unseen.

"A failure on my part," River replied, and Anasta was surprised to see that she actually removed the mask even though it strictly wasn't needed, which revealed what Anasta had already guessed, given how close River had managed to get to her before Anasta sensed her.

"Gold rank," she said with a pleased smile. Very pleased even, as the implications started running through her head. The new realm of power made River look all the more eerie with her symmetrical, ritual scars and hair so white that it was almost translucent; like a wraith from the distant past come to haunt the present.

"Eks Moses knew the hunting grounds. He was… a capable teacher," the other woman said, her voice still as flat as ever even though Anasta thought she heard a slight twinge to River's tone at the mention of the other gold-ranker. Respect? Fear? Pure exhaustion? River was as hard to read as always, but Anasta was at least sure of one thing. She could work with this most timely development.