Chương 326: And perhaps even beyond

While the arrays had once more been strengthened and the site cleaned up somewhat, what had once been the tower-like throne room of Heavenward was still little better than a cobbled-together ruin kept intact by magic. Even so, Kite found it surprisingly poetic that Soul had still insisted on using the site for her coronation; a broken kingdom forging ahead in a broken chamber, plain enough that even the most reality-averse among them could not deny what had taken place there.

The crater where the King had lain when Kite had delivered that final strike still remained, even if the body had long since been removed, while the old throne and its stair-like dais that had dominated part of the room had not survived.

Even so, a new and impressive wooden throne had been produced in short order and now stood pristine amidst the rubble close to where Soul stood waiting while all the prominent essence-users of the kingdom stood around her like a common crowd, many even having made themselves comfortable atop the floating pieces of debris that still remained.

Kite had always found Soul an impressive-looking woman, her celestine beauty only heightened by how she held herself; every part of her body a weapon, should she will it to be so. Even on this day of her coronation, she still wore garb more martial than ceremonial, though some insistent tailor apparently had managed to at least attach a decorative short cape and traditional tassels to complement Soul's form-fitted outfit.

Said tailor had done an amazing job in creating the garments of ivory silk with some accentuating gold here and there that let the celestine's amethyst hair and eyes truly spark. Kite could feel the simmering discontent in many of the auras present, but the gaze of the woman standing next to Soul readily kept them all in line.

"Excellent. A sufficient gathering of those with the power to rule is present," said Verse of Conquest, Hua-Xi's ranking priestess of Dominion. The dark-haired gold-ranked human woman clad in robes worthy of any royal was neither tall nor physically imposing, yet the god's presence lay heavily enough in her domineering aura to rob anyone with common sense of the notion that this was someone they could tread upon.

That was why Kite had been surprised to hear that Dominion had - while neutral in action - encouraged Discord's plans for Hua-Xi and the actions of their agents. The divine truly were not beings easy to understand.

"And yet, this is a moment to submit for most of you, as is ever the way of the world. Through prowess, a new Queen of this land has been chosen. She bears the touch of Warrior, her throne earned through deed and strength. In Dominion's name, this is something I will officiate and thus mark with the blessing of the ruler of rulers." She turned to Soul, the celestine looking focused yet at ease, seeming unbothered by the many gazes and auras trained upon her as the priestess continued.

"In accordance with tradition, you have been given the choice of the form of the symbol of your claim," the woman said, a wave of her hand producing a ring of golden metal which she held out in the palm of her hand.

"Unlike the hair ornament of your predecessor, your choice was a ring so that anyone challenging your prowess would have the symbol of your strength branded into their flesh. The enchantments are complete, and it is ready for use. Now, seize it, and claim your right!" In one fluid motion, Soul reached out and took the ring, playing along with Dominion's rituals even though Kite suspected she was truly rather disinterested in these proceedings.

Still, she donned the golden ring, clenching her hand into a fist before her.

"Hua-Xi now has a new Queen, the kingdom turned Queendom until another can seize her place," the priestess intoned, before the divine hints in her aura started intensifying. Further and further they rose until a shape manifested in the air behind her; a tall, imposing man with hair as black as night and clad in dark purple robes trimmed with shining gold while a bejeweled straight blade rested at his hip.

The presence of the god's manifestation had everyone except Soul fall to their knees while the celestine looked up to regard Dominion in all his terrifying splendor." It has not been long that I have had my eyes on you, but your rise in my regard has been as rapid as it has been interesting," the god said, voice echoing painfully even in Kite's ears as his aura pressed down upon all of them." You think to embody this kingdom, and through that shape it into your own image while casting out that which displeases you.

This, in turn, pleases me, even though your ideals seem to remain with brother Warrior. See if you can reach the perfection you envision in the future of your powers, and thus remain impervious to any who would seize what you have claimed. From now on, let you be known as Thousand Forms Unbroken, Queen-Exemplar of the Heavens and Earth."

The words carried a gravitas beyond any mundane proclamation, and Kite could only imagine the same feeling of awe had been present during all previous coronations of Hua-Xi's royalty, as the tradition where only Dominion had the authority to name a King or Queen had been unbroken for as long as their history had been recorded.

Even as the manifestation of the god vanished, it still took a moment for most present to regain their senses, even though Soul - whether through resilience or from having been spared some of the divine pressure - recovered quickly. She turned to regard everyone present in silence for some time, seeming to weigh them all by that internal measure of hers by which Kite assumed that most would be found wanting. Still, like everyone else, he stayed silent.

Tradition dictated that the first decree of a new monarch carried greater importance, as it was viewed as a portent of their coming rule. And eventually, she began.

"I am a warrior. I am a weapon. And one day I will seize the heavens, Warrior as my witness. But this throne needed filling, and as it should be the duty of our monarch to be the example for our kingdom, that is what I will be. Given how many warriors of our Hua-Xi have lost their way and fallen to squabbling and scheming rather than their own betterment, I would say that the need is a dire one." This caused a stir of discontent among part of the crowds, but Soul did not even acknowledge it as she continued.

"However, we can reclaim it. I was told to make a first decree, and so I will. This–" she said, gesturing around the broken throne room, "- will be rebuilt into an arena. My arena. Here, anyone will be able to come for tempering and - should they be deserving - pointers. Anyone can challenge me, not just within the bounds of the Clash for the Throne. I shall not be a Queen languishing on my throne, shielded by gilded words and maneuvering. I need tempering, and I shall provide it in turn.

And this shall not merely be a place of martial strength either. Anyone seeking to hold positions within the governance of Hua-Xi shall have to prove themselves against one another, be they scribe, magistrate or warrior. This is what shall bring us together and make us grow strong; contention for the betterment of ourselves and others, not petty squabbles for resource or fame. We shall be an example for the warriors of both this nation and the wider world.

Therefore, all positions within our government are immediately up for contention. Anyone can seek to prove themselves, be they patriarch or pauper. As long as they are dedicated to themselves and their fellows, the strong and competent will be welcome. This is my first decree as Thousand Forms Unbroken, named Queen-Exemplar of the Heavens and Earth. And this… This shall not be needed."

With her final words, Soul then twisted around in a kick so fast that it echoed like thunder in the somewhat enclosed space as it tore the throne behind her to splinters in a surge of transcendent light. Kite couldn't help but smile to himself at the display, both because Soul stayed so true to herself even as she stepped up into a role more public than she had ever cared for before and because he felt like he could feel some poor woodworker's soul leave their body at the death of the masterfully carved seat.

Around him, he could feel varied emotions from the crowd. A bit of outrage, some uncertainty and quite a lot of horror from gathered officials - the ones who actually ran most of the kingdoms - who now realized that they would have to prove their worth in this sudden change towards meritocracy that had just occurred. But among the people present he also felt a bit of hope and ambition as new possibilities had just opened up; ones that they might not previously have dreamed of.

And seeing that someone needed to take the initiative, he stepped forward as a surge of aura heralded his intent to speak.

"Then may Warrior smile upon the rule of Thousand Forms Unbroken. Let me be the first to issue you a challenge, your Majesty, for a time of your choosing. Because I imagine that you might want to seek new sources of tempering first and foremost."

"I am not nearly done with you, Pathbreaker," Soul retorted before once more looking around the room with her intense gaze.

"But you are correct. The speech is done. I am here. Who shall be first to test your new Queen?"

"Director Temren."

"Kite. Please, come and have a seat." Kite did as instructed, sitting down in front of Anasta in her office. Outside he had a splendid view over the city where rebuilding and patching up the damage caused by the calamity surrounding Discord's ritual was still ongoing.

"Excuse me for not being very available. The last few weeks have been a mess, and not just here in the capital," Anasta continued, seeming tired yet pleased.

"Oh? Finally received word from the continental council?"

"You could say that. Let's say that there are forces who would very much like to come and teach certain parts of the kingdom a lesson for having the audacity to attack a branch director of theirs out of sheer spite. Inflamed and misguided spite, but nonetheless."

"So it's confirmed? Sect Leader Echo wasn't of Discord?"

"No, but we found agents in the upper echelons of the sect. The right person in the right place who knows the right words can warp some people's perceptions of things to a great degree and inflame just the right type of emotion and outrage. The work is still ongoing, but the people from Gauntlet who still remain have been most helpful.

And now that I have successfully managed to stall any more angry foreign gold-rankers from making a trip here and causing this whole mess to flare up again, I believe that the worst has passed."

"I take it that the Adventure Society does not mean to pull out of here then?" Kite asked, receiving a confirmatory nod.

"Indeed. I have always intended for us to stay, and fortunately this new Queen of yours has stirred things up so much that there are plenty of opportunities to further entrench ourselves. The Adventure Society truly is needed here, and her Majesty at least seems inclined to agree."

"You help convey both services to the people and opportunities for tempering for the warriors. Soul has her own ideas of growth, but I would dare claim that the past years of involvement with the guild has made her see the importance of the Society's work," Kite said, feeling a bit wistful as he remembered the celestine from their earliest encounters years back.

"Let us hope it lasts. I have accepted another tenure here, after all."

"Oh? While I am most relieved, I would have thought that you might have grown too weary of this kingdom."

"Believe me, there have been moments," Anasta said, seeming a bit wistful herself as she followed his gaze to look out over Heavenward.

"During my time here I have met obstinacy and pride far beyond common sense, where saving face and how you are perceived becomes more important than actual deeds. While enhanced and inflamed by Discord, I believe that the god found fertile ground here which none of its agents helped cultivate. But… There is also a directness to these lands, the way you seek to temper yourselves and how reflecting upon yourself and your path is ingrained in your culture.

I would even dare say that a Hua-Xian silver-ranker has a better chance than most at reaching gold when counting insight alone, but that your tendency for lone fighting heavily affects those numbers as many won't survive. And there is your tradition of mentorship and how so many of you simply pick up people in need or with potential and help them grow. Yours is a kingdom of nuances, and it seems I have grown rather fond of them."

"The way you are speaking, Director, it sounds like calling it 'our' kingdom might be more apt." This actually had Anasta chuckle a bit, a rare occurrence in all the time Kite had known the woman, but she eventually shook her head.

"While I have certainly gone a bit native, I don't believe this will ever be my true home of homes. But that was never my intention. However, it is a place that I hold dear, and I will keep doing my best to put my finger on the scale to keep it as prosperous as possible. But enough about me. I actually sent word to you for a bit of a report. A request, if you would. Now that most of the guild has left the capital, I assume that you will too? What will you do now, Kite?

With Soul on the throne and Bright Day having disappeared, you are the only guild gold-ranker still accounted for out in the field. Because I assume that the Lady Geller who ascended after the calamity has not decided to stay?"

"That is indeed true, Director. If I understood things correctly, Phiona means to drive the rest of her team hard now so that they can catch up to her at gold rank in time. They left around a week back, as did Serene and the rest of Song's clergy, though we did receive the pleasing news that she herself would soon return to assume the mantle of high priestess of Song here in Hua-Xi. Her family is preparing to move with her, leaving the peace of the mountain cloister.

I honestly did not expect Serene to ever return to Hua-Xi, not after how the north treated her, but circumstance will ever be the trickster-herald of change. As for me and the guild…" Kite said, sitting back a bit in his chair and pondering.

"I believe that the guild will keep following along with its original purpose; to recruit and help give power to people who we believe will help the kingdom rather than themselves. Those with a true tie to the lands. At least the sects have grown a lot more respectful after us raising not one but two gold-rankers as well as the incident at the capital. If we do it with care, we might even be able to expand further.

If we can, we would like to cooperate more with the sects but alas, that prospect remains a distant dream yet. The impact of Discord on our culture will not go away overnight."

"I take it you will remain here then?"

"Indeed, at least for the foreseeable future. Dragonfly and I have plans. Rather numerous plans, actually. We might not come close to Jarvan and Fantina in our ambitions, but we are both in agreement; it is time to start the family we have been putting off for some time."

"Necessity did force your rise to be a fast one, where the stress might even have caused many to stall out completely, so I would also encourage you to take some extended time to actually find peace. Most gold-rankers never seek the vaunted heights of diamond, and even those that do will have to find their peace with how long and arduous that will be.

If progression after the wall of silver is considered glacial, then I am unsure what likeness is the most fitting for this step, especially when insight and understanding can be such fickle things. So take your time and properly center yourself, Kite. You've definitely earned yourself a bit of a respite."

"I shall take that to heart, Director. While I do aim to keep working with Gauntlet and to widen my horizons much more in the future, I do indeed believe that properly building up a foundation in life is the right choice for both me and my path."

"Your mere presence in the north should be deterrent enough for most with ideas to harass the guild at least."

"Hopefully, unless the two gold-ranked sect elders I… apprehended… before the culmination of Discord's plans decide to seek retribution. Things should - Fortune be willing - otherwise remain somewhat peaceful."

"I did mean to ask, how did you manage to contain two golds? Even collared, that should require quite the facility."

"Well, I do have one, at least in a sense. Through the blessings of Fortune, I have a heavily forested astral space occupied by a gold-ranked dryad who was kind enough to look after the collared pair while we dealt with things in the capital. Apparently one of the elders even got along rather well with her."

"I… see. It seems I should make a visit up north," Anasta said, the normally rather unflappable woman showing an actual hint of surprise.

"You would always be welcome, Director," Kite laughed.

"But such a visit might need to be postponed just a bit until I am sure that I have returned from what is planned to be one last little adventure." A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"Oh? And that is?"

"Something I did not know existed until a few weeks ago, and something which I might not even have had access to, had I not been fortunate enough to have a friend in a rather high place."

"And with this final spear essence, that should be the last of them," Kite said, plonking the final cube down atop the table next to the other few weapon-based essences and awakening stones in Uncle Walker's office, only for it to swiftly be snatched from the table by a three-and-a-half year old who thought himself most stealthy.

"Little Hunter, that is quite valuable. Put it back," Walker said, groaning as his response only elicited a giggle from the boy as small feet attempted a rapid flight towards the perceived safety beneath a nearby couch. A few vines shout out of a nearby plant to retrieve him, only to find themselves blocked by a few panes of shimmering barrier that suddenly appeared.

"Do not fret, little Hunter! Big Brother Kite shall keep you safe," Kite said, giggles turning into laughter from beneath the couch.

"I swear, the young these days," Walker sighed, relenting in his retrieval attempts as he knew himself to be outclassed by both the boys he helped raise, just in different ways.

"You were such a calm and orderly boy, Kite. It seems that you saved your mischief for later years."

"Indeed. According to Dragonfly, I have more stored up than anyone realizes behind this earnest and sweet face. Her words, not mine. But in regards to little Hunter here, I do not believe we need fret for the essence. Let him have his treasure for a while. Who knows, it might even be a prophetic choice. We do have it on good authority that the spear is a weapon with untold potential."

"I'm not sure if Sprite would be too keen on Will showing up one day to take him out to vanquish evil, but I take your point," Walker chuckled, leaning back in his chair with a smile.

"Can you believe that we actually did it, Little Kite? Took part in stopping Discord from claiming our homeland? And yet here we are - what? - two months later? Sitting and sorting through more essences than I'd ever thought I see in my lifetime while the guild just keeps on… Well, everything. Life moves. Nothing stopped. Things changed, sure, but it didn't just freeze or anything, not even for such a dramatic event. Life grows. And goes on."

"Perhaps not what we expected when we founded the guild back in Gilded, no," Kite agreed.

"And you've really gone above and beyond, Uncle."

"I had good help and a certain someone who kept generously funneling resources our way to make sure that we could keep growing. Heavens, we should even be able to make a decent showing in those annual tournaments the Queen announced recently."

"Fortune has been kind to me, and so must the kindness be passed on. It felt - and still feels - important, even though I suspect my visits will be fewer over the years. Gods, I do understand why people yearn for portal powers."

"Well, at least Grain is working hard to be able to ferry you around in the future. That boy was a good catch."

"Thank Knowledge for the hint. Without the portals, we couldn't have brought the guild into place like we did. In a way, she is the most terrifying of the gods. To know all? Just imagine what one could do with that." The thought of power and consequences was a sobering one for both of the men, who lapsed into a comfortable silence for a while which was only broken by the happy sounds of a three-year old playing with his prize. With his gold-ranked senses, Kite could feel Walker's contentment.

The roads might still beckon, but not in the same way as before. The heart of the wanderer having at long last truly stilled as he looked to cultivate that which he cared about.

"Well, I believe I should head onward. Glint is no doubt restless to head back to the capital after a trip to the compound so that she can continue that little project of hers. From the blueprints alone, it looks more like a palace in its own right than a residence."

"Oh, I don't doubt it," Walker replied.

"And will you be taking the Queen up on her offer?"

"Indeed. I don't know for how long I will be gone, but from what I was told this one is apparently decidedly different from the others. Less risk and more a question of how much potential you can seize."

"Sounds a lot nicer than the others you'd described. I bet Dragonfly is happy about it, no?"

"Honestly? I am too, Uncle. But given what I have learned, it feels well worth the trip. And there is a certain sense of… completion to it as well."

"So… This is a bit different than the welcome we received the last time we were here," Dragonfly murmured at Kite's side as they entered the royal palace of Hua-Xi. Even though several parts of it had been destroyed beneath the combined strain of Kite's duel with the King, Dragonfly's running battle with the Threefold Guard, and Soul and the priestess's eventual appearance, it was still a magnificent building.

"Indeed. It does help being invited… And knowing the Queen personally too, I suppose," Kite agreed as the pair walked behind a servant. Kite wasn't sure, but there was something about the aura of the young man that stood out. A sense of surety. Perhaps that was the result of Soul's new method of selecting her staff, or perhaps mere happenstance. Fortunately, there was one easy way to find out.

"Excuse me," Kite asked aloud, catching the man's attention.

"Yes, honored Sentinel?" the servant said, stopping and bowing deeply towards them.

"This is merely my curiosity, but… How did you come to hold your position here in the palace?"

"I was fortunate enough to place highly enough in the competitions, honored Sentinel."

"I… see," Kite replied, glancing at Dragonfly while trying to imagine what kind of competitions could be held for more ordinary servants.

"But if it was a competition, I suspect that there was more than mere luck involved."

"I would not want to overstep in any way Sentinel, as your achievements so far eclipse my own. But… Yes. It might also have been that I saw an opportunity. And that I had the means and skills to seize upon it." The feeling in the man's aura couldn't be more clear; pride, satisfaction, drive. It was one Kite recognized, even if the trial in question was very different from his own.

Having gotten his answers and thanked the man, their journey through the palace continued through peaceful gardens starkly contrasted by the sections thoroughly demolished by the magical conflicts. While Kite had not gotten to see much of the grand structure, Dragonfly could point out several scorched sections for which she had been personally responsible. And then they arrived at a closed garden sequestered close to the very center of the palace.

While the closed gates leading in looked mostly ornamental, Kite could see a plethora of concealing and reinforcing arrays that revealed that they were guarding something regarded as rather important. Soul sat in meditation before them, though she occasionally threw a glance towards the nearby hovering servants which caused the poor staff to shuffle back several steps before they started slowly closing in on their now-royal charge once more.

"Pathbreaker. Dragonfly."

"Your Majesty," Kite replied as he made sure to give a bow that was only one of respect towards another warrior rather than the deep one reserved for monarchs, Soul's reaction from his first such attempt clear in his mind. The title was one she had seized and thus one that was proper, but the Queen remained a warrior first and foremost to those with whom she sparred.

"Come. The rest of you, wait outside." Soul's words had the servants back off once more before she turned and touched her Queen's ring to the door to deactivate the arrays. As the wooden doors slid open, they only revealed an opaque barrier that revealed nothing inside, but it proved only a screen to conceal rather than hinder as Soul stepped through, Dragonfly and Kite close on her heels.

The garden continued inside, dominated by a beautiful tree with golden flowers that spread its branches to form a ceiling over almost the whole enclosed space. And beneath that tree rested a circular gate of a kind with which Kite was most familiar.

"I had not thought of it, but it all made perfect sense when you told me," Kite said, walking over to touch the cool metal that was so similar to that of his staff, tattoos and armor. The gate itself looked identical to the others he had seen, but unlike the previous ones, this was overgrown with flowery vines that had the marks of old growth which had been in place for quite some time.

"Where else would one of the rumored gold-ranked gates be but here?"

"There are apparently only two of these creations, and the other is apparently lost somewhere in the south," Soul replied.

"At least that was what the so-called royal scholars told me. At least those that managed to prove competent enough to retain their positions."

"And you are really fine with me entering then?"

"You have the token. You've proven worthy," Soul replied with a casual shrug, truly not seeing the issue.

"I cannot comprehend why previous rulers made sure to keep this one a secret. Probably to use the opportunity to bestow favor and the like. It is a tool of opportunity, nothing more. Especially when it differs from the others so greatly."

"Well, this is it then. Any idea when you will be out?" Dragonfly asked, regarding the gate with some mixed emotions.

"Soul did say two weeks," Kite replied, hugging his wife close.

"A final trial before the next stage in our life."

"I can't wait," Dragonfly replied, the smile evident in her voice.

"So go do your thing now, Husband. Bring out some good stories from inside to share with the rest of us. If our children become anything like us, then I don't believe we can have enough tales in store." Kite stepped up before the gate and brought out the gold token which had been in his care since the last trip into the corrupted gate of Boundary.

He had always received such a token in addition to his other rewards from the gates, but had not had any inkling as to where to use the gold one and had therefore barely thought about it in the years since. That, and due to the fact that not even Kite would have risked entering such a trial when his presence as a gold-ranker had been so vital to their efforts to stop Discord's ambitions. But now? This challenge was a different one, that he already knew.

And yet it felt so wistful, remembering back at iron rank when he had been basically chased into his first gate, breaking into his second at bronze and pursuing the agents of Discord and Builder cultists into the third at silver. Only now, at gold rank did he stand before one of the Queen's trials during calm circumstances, and yet Kite had to take a moment to steady himself.

He turned to look at Dragonfly over his shoulder, nudging her aura with his in a way that silently conveyed his love for her and received a similar nudge in return. Soul gave him a brief nod, already seeming to be planning out their next few bouts. And outside in the city, people lived their lives as normal even while others were rebuilding everything after the calamity.

Kite took in all of those auras and more, trying to absorb as much spiritual contact with other people as he could since it would be days before he would feel it again. He had indeed come far since that first gate, and yet there was still so far left to go as life continued, just without any greatly pressing calamities he was aware of. Then Kite stepped forward, and the world went dark for a moment before he found himself in another place.

With the astral space in his home compound, the sensation of passing between dimensions had become rather commonplace for him, even though the scenery that greeted him was new. In some way, it barely felt as if he had left the palace at all as he had emerged into a finely decorated hall with polished wooden floors and exquisite artwork that would feel at home in any manor or palace. But all of it, from the colors to the materials used, felt as antique as it was exotic.

This was not made in the Hua-Xi of today, but that of centuries past, and given the orb of familiar gray metal that floated before Kite, he felt rather certain of the architect behind it.

"Greetings, trial-taker." The words echoed from within the orb, even if these too sounded older and more venerable than the officiator constructs of Kite's past experiences; like that of a dignified older gentleman.

"Greetings, officiator," Kite replied, giving the construct a small bow.

"Assessing trial-taker status. Threefold previous completions of the Queen's trials. Very good. Very good indeed. This has only occurred twice prior in the history of the gates. It is good to see that Soaring Soul's creations are still in use with such diligence."

"I have been fortunate enough to have prevailed."

"Fortune is only ever a touch upon the scales, trial-taker. Deed and path are what shall let you pass the Queen's trials. At least up until now. This trial is one gifted to those at the pinnacle in Hua-Xi; an opportunity to act as a first step upon this new climb towards the heavens for those competent and honorable enough. Your insightfulness and adaptability are what shall decide what you shall gain from it."

"Indeed, so I have been told," Kite confirmed, nodding towards the lone open set of sliding doors in the room where the gate hovered silently. Only white mist could be seen in the opening, and Kite's aura senses could not press further no matter how much he tried.

"The trial awaits beyond, no? The chance to have my path tested? And this gate is not one that will depart afterwards?"

"This is true, trial-taker, but even as the gate remains, you will never set foot inside here again even should you manage to find another token. The Queen decreed that this gate be made to give each worthy gold-ranker who entered a chance to shore up their foundations and find their own truths once, and once only. Beyond the mist awaits the trials. They will form, and they will test you, and they shall vanish. I shall oversee each and every one and adapt them to fit you once I start learning of you and your path.

But this is not a trial of mortal peril. That is not what one at gold needs to ascend to the heights of diamond. And neither is it one that will have me reforged into a tool to aid you, like those of my siblings who have been bonded to your soul. The insights are the prize, and a trial taker has two weeks to learn what they can. But in your case… You shall have three, in recognition of the honors already bestowed upon you by the Queen of Jade and Sky."

"Three…" Kite murmured. That was a boon, even though he suspected that he would hear no end of it from Dragonfly, who would surely worry quite a lot. It was fortunate that the two of them would have long, long lives together. Plenty of time to make it up to her, and then some.

"Whenever you are ready, trial-taker, state your name or names and step into the gate. May your path prove an interesting one." Kite steadied himself for a short moment before walking up to stand before the misty field. Nothing could be seen in the pale depths, but they were somehow bright and inviting, just like his future. This was an opportunity, and Kite had to admit that he had grown decent at seizing those, even if this was also more of an afterthought to what actually important events awaited him ahead.

"I am Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune." His name, given to him by his aunties - his parents - after they took him in. An unknown child gifted with love and comfort as well as a foundation of essences to build his path. A young adventurer, finding his own way when the wider world called to his curiosity, forging many bonds and facing many foes as he found his way amidst a region drenched in pride and conflict. A young man, kind and earnest to a fault. Somewhat naive, but dedicated. Resolute.

"Then I was named Pathbreaker, in honor of foes vanquished and odds overcome. Many warriors have been subdued before me, their paths broken as their magic is shattered." A time of tumult. The discovery of Discord's influence. The Pathbreaker was the name of the man who faced the arrogant and misled among the sects and found the trail of Discord's machinations. It was he who founded the guild and helped defend it when others tried dragging it down.

And it was he who ventured into the wider world and joined the task group, finding answers about himself, the world at large and the corruption that had been cultivated within his homeland. The Pathbreaker was still kind, but had been forced to learn to harden his heart even while trying to make sure that it was flint that could recede once the time of need passed.

"And after that, I was named Sentinel of the Gates, striding into corruption and the unknown to find answers alongside my friends. My companions. We purged the outside influence trying to convert part of the Queen's legacy for their own ends, together and as one." The hunt and search for Discord's cells and agents. Seizing initiative and putting pressure on the machinations of the god of strife.

It was the name of someone who had dedicated himself to protect not just the gates and the Queen's legacy, but the heart of a kingdom. The Sentinel strode into the capital and behind the scenes of the Grand Proving, fighting what he knew lay beneath the veneer even though it led to complications.

The Sentinel had a budding ambition previously unrecognized growing inside his chest, and only once he was faced with the tyranny of rank and his push towards gold was it one that was finally allowed to bloom after so many years. The Sentinel of the Gates acted, both to protect and to strike down, wielding void and barrier as he forced conflicts to end the way he dictated.

"Finally, I was last named Kingslayer. I fought for the future of this kingdom according to my own ambitions and defeated a man plagued by twisted adoration who still held true to his oaths and principles. It is a name I bear both with pride and some guilt. There is much that could have been different, but circumstances and choices of both my own and others' did not allow for such." A Kingslayer who had not himself claimed the throne, and who was happy not to.

This last name was yet foreign and somewhat burdensome, but he had found that to be the mixed blessing of being known and recognized. The Kingslayer was not ruthless, but relentless, striving towards his goals and wielding his newfound strength for what he believed was right. Perhaps this would not be needed anymore in the days to come, but that was not the way of the world. Gauntlet would call, and complications would always arise. The Kingslayer was willing to take action.

In the silence that followed, Kite also thought of the other names and titles he might be bestowed in the future. Father was the first that came to mind, and that would be relatively soon. Fantina had been most overjoyed when he and Dragonfly had come to her to speak of children. Plenty of them. Grandfather too, hopefully, and perhaps even more venerable titles like those. Living for hundreds of years caused plenty of strange situations when it came to family, and Kite looked forward to taking them all on.

He would probably also be named enemy. Foe. Danger. There would be no end of people viewing him and his as a threat, even with Soul having ascended to the throne. And as Kite intended to wander a lot more outside his homeland, those numbers would grow, he was sure of it. But he did not fear them. He and his path were ready to take them on. Resolute and relentless. And hopefully, there would be plenty to whom he would be known as friend, mentor and teacher.

As Kite learned from the world, he hoped to teach in turn; be it to the stubborn elders of his homeland or new acquaintances. Because while his heart had been hardened, it had not yet grown jagged and firm. There were so many people to meet and new bonds to form, and so much to do.

"Then I bid you to enter the mists, Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune. Pathbreaker. Sentinel of the Gates. Kingslayer," the officiator orb said somberly, its dignified voice filled with gravitas.

"May the Queen's gate witness your path, and may you find insight in the trials to come." Then Kite entered the gate, mist enveloping his form as his tattoos lit up to bring forth the arms of his mantle while gray light enveloped him and brought forth his armor while the sound of a chiming staff echoed faintly among the white vapors.

Kite might have had his fair share of adventures and trials already, but even though a time of calm lay before him, he also knew: Kite had risen far, and his ascent would only continue in time. Rising towards the heavens. And perhaps even beyond.