Chương 5: A clash of paths

Kite stopped in the middle of the long bridge and gawked, gazing out over rainbows cast by the light breaking through falling water and the valley below filled with mist. Said mist was created by a magnificent waterfall, which sprung from the top of a slanted cliff peak and fell hundreds of meters into the valley below. Multiple colorful arcs could be seen in the dancing lights, and the falling waters gave off a rumbling which echoed in the valley like the grumbling of a great water dragon.

He didn't know if the spectacle was magical or natural in origin, but it was magnificent nonetheless. The area around Starberry peak had plenty of streams and brooks. However, most of them weren't wide enough that you couldn't clear them with a running leap. This was, by far, the most water Kite had seen in one place, and the forces involved staggered his imagination. The bridge further compounded the experience. It was a living rope bridge, made out of a multitude of entwined vines in an intricate weave.

Barely swinging in the wind, Kite thought it looked sturdy enough for wagon traffic, while still sporting living leaves and flowers along its whole length. There was not doubt that magic had shaped it, but it seemed to have grown into a permanent fixture of its own during what Kite suspected to be decades since its construction. He was broken out of his reverie as Uncle Walker waved him along.

"I think I saw the manifestation down around that side of the river" he half-shouted while pointing to where the cliffs of the river valley met the ground. There was only a couple of meters wide stretch of earth and stone that wasn't submerged, following the raging stream. Kite gulped as he saw the drop of about thirty meters down to where his uncle pointed.

"How are we going to climb that? Kite asked, while trying to mask the nervous tension in his voice. He wanted to trust his own abilities, but the dizzying height made it a more daunting task.

"How indeed? What would you propose, little Kite?" Walker replied, turning this into yet another learning opportunity. Kite eagerly took the opportunity to lose himself in the more logical parts of his mind. He tried to assess the slick rock face, the amount of rope they carried and the landscape around them.

"My first option would be to look for an easier way downstream. The slope seems to become more gentle in that direction or-" he gestured to the trees at the top of the nearby cliffs "-our ropes, if tied together might get us all the way down. Or at least close enough that my body can handle both the fall and return journey." He stopped there, looking at Uncle Walker expectantly.

The older man chuckled and reached up to ruffle the youngster's dark hair, which made Kite realize that he was as tall as Uncle Walker nowadays even though their difference in experience and long time together as mentor and student had him thinking that Uncle Walker would probably always feel like a giant to him.

"You choosing caution as your first approach when unhurried gives you credit, little Kite. Your aunties will be pleased that I haven't ingrained too many bad habits in you yet. Courage and action have both their time and merit, but out here in the Autumn Lands you usually get to survive up to those brave, glorious moments if you exercise caution foremost," Walker chuckles before continuing.

"This time however, your uncle can offer you a more expeditious path," he finished, proceeding to conjure a reddish-green vine which looped around his arms several time before giving the other end to Kite who did the same. Kite had seen Uncle Walker use that particular essence power multiple times, as his conjured vines had let them cross many smaller streams, and even a modest crevasse, with ease during their journey.

And he was under the distinct impression that the vine wouldn't reach all the way to the bottom, even if Uncle Walker extended it to its maximum length. He was about to voice that concern as Uncle Walker gave him a wink and said: "Don't tell your aunties about this" before he slung his arm around the younger man's waist and used his bronze-rank strength to make a big leap which easily carried them over the living railing of the bridge and had them falling toward the misty depths.

Kite couldn't help it as a scream broke from his lips, his stomach lurching and heart hammering in his chest. Suddenly, the world lurched again as their descent slowed and became controlled and sedate. Kite looked sideways at his uncle who had a satisfied smile as he demonstrated a, to Kite, yet unseen essence power. Uncle Walker had conjured a leaf, but on a scale beyond anything Kite had seen. Its stem was more like the trunk of a small tree before it split off into two massive green petals opposite each other.

Walker held onto the stem with one arm, with the foot on the same side firmly planted against the slightly curved bottom. His other arm still held Kite firmly as they sailed downward in a controlled glide. Kite's scream had faded away entirely at this point, and he let his jaw hang open in amazement as they sailed through the prismatic mist. This felt like a proper adventure, and Kite couldn't help to reminisce on how far he had come in these last few months. The future of his dreams was happening, right now.

The time leading up to Kite semi-voluntarily leaping of a bridge toward the base of a waterfall had been spent with his continued training around his home. He and Uncle Walker had needed to go further and further afield to find more, and more varieties of, monsters. This had led up to one fateful evening, about ten days after his encounter with the gyrmling brute. As Kite, his aunties and Uncle Walker sat around the dinner table there was a mood in the air Kite found hard to place.

He had practiced his aura perception every day together with Auntie Crow, who was by far the most proficient aura-wielder in the household, but his beginner's skills weren't up to the task of shedding light on the situation. Eventually, it was Auntie Dove who broached the topic that seemed to have the adults in a thoughtful mood.

"Dearie, we-" she gestured to the rest of the adults "- have been talking lately. About you and your progress. You've been working so hard and we've all seen it. And we think that it might be time for you to go with Uncle Walker on a longer trip to Gilded." Kite had heard quite a bit about the largest city in the region, which lit a flame of excitement in his chest.

"Really? I can go? You think I'm ready?" he asked, finding it hard to curtail his excitement.

"We do," answered Uncle Walker.

"Your path is a complex one, not easy to master. Which means that you will probably need a more complex environment and challenges to really make it yours. Gilded, and the Adventure Society, is probably the best place to make that happen."

"If you want to, that is," Auntie Dove continued.

"Dearie… I hope you know that you may stay here with us forever if that is what you want and that we would never drive you away. But after what you've shown us these past months; growth, drive and that spark we've seen in so many others in the past… We think you need this," she finished, Auntie Crow only nodding her assent.

It was obvious to everyone that his aunties, Dove through her sincere words and Crow through her stoic silence, found that the prospect of Kite leaving for an indeterminate amount of time quite painful. It tugged on Kite's heart and added weight to it. Part of him felt like refusing at that moment. To focus on protecting the village and area. To be a stable pillar of the community. To stay. But that would be living for someone else, at least in part.

As he came into his abilities, Kite's imagination and dreams had only grown in scope. He'd heard and read about so many fantastic things, and wondered what lay beyond them. And what lay beyond the horizon on his path. Kite reached out to each of his aunties and took their hands. His simple "Thank you" was answer enough. He would live for himself, striding along his path and carried by the strength of their bond and all new bonds to come. He would return when he could, and send his thoughts when he could not.

To Kite, home was both a place and people. And even when one's path took them far afield, to the highest heavens or the deepest abyss, he silently vowed for it to somehow always return home. The following days were filled with preparations and nostalgia. Old memories and reminiscence combined with advice and admonishment for the future. As he and Uncle Walker began their trek south toward Gilded, he left with many gifts.

Two small dimensional bags contained all the necessary supplies, including a book on magic rituals and defensive arrays and a veritable wagonload of different alchemical concoctions for all purposes. And the gift of a home where he would always be welcomed back. The minute of gliding it took them to reach the riverbank was overall a pleasant one through the shimmering prismatic mist.

However it also meant that, by the time they landed, they were as wet as Kite had ever been without actually submerging himself in water. Their skin was covered by a thin sheet of moisture, as were their armor and clothes. This didn't bother Kite, however. He had a wide grin as he looked to his uncle for directions. The roar of the waterfall and the stream was even greater down at the riverbank, so Uncle Walker gestured a bit downstream and they set off.

The bank was mostly rock and gravel, with sparse bushes and other plant life which thrived in the constantly wet environment. After a few minutes, they spotted what had to be the result of the magical manifestation Uncle Walker had pointed out earlier. Along the cliffside, another small stream of water trickled down.

One would barely notice it from afar in all the misty vapor of the waterfall, but up close Kite could even see how the small but constant flow had began to dig its own groove into the rock of the riverbank, with a deeper indentation where the water landed before running down to join the rapids of the river. In that groove lay a stone which definitely wasn't a part of the bedrock in the area. It had a much lighter, bluish tone than the surrounding rock, and a more clear cut shape than nature usually provided.

Its surface looked to have been smooth once, but one could see a myriad of grooves and uneven indentations on it, as if hundreds of small rivers had carved their way along its surface. While most magical manifestations, a result of the ambient mana gathering in certain spots, took the shape of monsters, it was also common enough for them to take another of the shapes which solidified magic would assume in nature. And the awakening stone that lay in the small pool was one of those most sought after.

"You were right, Uncle!" Kite exclaimed happily as he strode forward to pick up the stone. He didn't notice Uncle Walker not answering, instead looking up along the cliff a bit further downstream with a raised eyebrow, and j ust as Kite was about to pick up the stone, he was interrupted. Stolen story; please report.

"Halt! Halt, in the name of justice!" Kite looked up in surprise. First, he couldn't see the source of the voice, but a moment later a figure leapt down from the cliffside some meters further downstream. It was a young man around Kite's age. He was slightly taller than Kite with a distinctly reddish tint to his long black hair which seemed to come from some kind of dye.

Clad in what looked like fine robes of red, gold and white, he landed with a wobble from what looked like a leap from a bit higher than one should attempt. As he strode closer, with head raised high and a slight sneer, Kite could see that the robe's gaudy design and color made them look to be of a better quality than they actually were. The young man stopped about five meters away before giving Kite and Uncle Walker a quick once-over, seemingly judging them wanting, before continuing in a high-strung voice.

"Step away, commoners. These lands are under the protection of the Victorious Sunset Sect, and thus this treasure belongs to me. I am Brilliant Bloom of Providence, initiate of the sect and third son of the Providence family. I claim these rights." Kite thought that the young man would probably be very pretty if he didn't scowl as much. While his clothes tried to look like more than they were, his red jade hairpin with matching earrings did look valuable.

Most of all, he had an iron rank aura, and while Kite was no master of the spirit he thought that the man's control was quite adequate. As he had rarely met people looking as rich or high-strung as the young man before him, Kite was struggling internally to find the right level of deference among his lessons from his aunties. Luckily, Uncle Walker came to his rescue, bowed slightly with hands cupped before speaking.

"Young Master Providence. My name is Brave Walker of Paths and this is my student, Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune. We were also on the way toward this treasure as we saw its manifestation from afar." While Walker was polite, he didn't show much deference to the younger man. Kite thought he would ask him later as to why, since the young man did look important. In response Young Master Providence seemed to take in his Uncle and his higher rank a bit more thoroughly before he replied.

"Well, Senior, mistakes can be made by anyone. I will show forgiveness for this oversi-."

"Mistakes can indeed happen to anyone, Young Master," Walker interrupted, still smiling.

"I suspect you are tired from this long trek into the wilderness, if you've forgotten something so important as the decree made by the Queen of Jade and Sky."

"But-""Please let a senior remind you that the decree states that any manifestation of power, wherever they may appear, shall fall to the individual who first happens across them. Neither city nor sect may lay claim simply by virtue of territory." Young master Providence seemed to grow more flustered.

"But-""The decree has been in effect for about seven hundred years now, which should make it an integral part of each sects inter-""BUT I SAW IT FIRST!" the young man shouted with a slightly whiny tone, not being able to restrain himself any more after the multiple interruptions. Both Walker and Kite grew silent as the man stood likewise after his outburst, and Kite thought he could perceive a slight flush of embarrassment beneath the white face powder that the young master wore.

Uncle Walker cleared his throat, and Kite thought that he could detect a certain glimmer of mischief in the eyes of his mentor.

"Well young master, it would seem like that is a claim that could likewise be made by my student here, with neither of you being able to present definitive proof. How could we even determine an outcome?" Young Master Providence seemed like he wanted to object at first, but suddenly changed as his manners became more smiling and benevolent.

"Why Senior, I believe you are right. May I then propose that we solve this as honorable men? A clash of paths would seem like a reasonable way to settle this to everybody's satisfaction," he said, smile growing.

"An excellent suggestion. Young master shows both honor and reason," praised Uncle Walker.

"May I have the honor of presiding over the clash?"

"It would be an honor if Senior could bear witness, but I expect complete neutrality even if my opponent is your student."

"My neutrality is assured, Young Master. Everyone needs to defend their own path, because in the end it is ours and ours alone to walk." Kite stood listening to the exchange with a sinking feeling. A clash of paths was a duel to settle differences between two opposing parties with certain terms determined beforehand. His mentor had described the clash and its rules to him many times.

The clash could only be issued to one of similar rank, and was otherwise a one-on-one fight until either party surrendered, or was killed. Killing was frowned upon but not unheard of, which was the reason that a clash needed to be supervised by a third party who would be ready to step in if tempers flared too hot.

During the fight, one could use all powers and permanent items available, but it was prohibited to use temporary, consumable items as this would skew the clash in the favor of one's wallet rather than one's path. During his many lessons, Uncle Walker had reminded him that this rule evened the playing field only in theory as the richer combatant probably would have an advantage in other equipment and probably training as well.

"Young Kite, do you accept Young Master Providence's challenge to a clash of paths, where this awakening stone is the price to the victor?" Asked Uncle Walker. His voice was deeper and more formal than before, but Kite could still see the twinkle in his eyes. Did his uncle believe he could win? After a short hesitation Kite nodded and answered.

"I, Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune, will stand by my path in face of this adversary."

"And I, Brilliant Bloom of Providence, will also stand by my path in face of this tra- I mean adversary." Uncle Walker let his gaze remain at the young initiate for a few meaningful seconds before continuing, guiding the pair to stand opposite each other roughly ten meters apart. Kite knew that this range would increase if the participants were of higher rank.

"Ready yourselves to defend your paths. Fight with honor, and may you both walk away stronger for it." He lifted his hand. Kite got into a combat stance, neither defensive nor aggressive. He wore his wooden armor and could feel it spread a warm tingle through his body from his feet which were in contact with the ground. His opponent stood wholly relaxed, still with an expectant smile. Uncle Walker's hand fell, and Kite's first fight against an unknown essence user began.

Brilliant Bloom of Providence saw the trash outcast that was his opponent enter a fighting stance. He'd expected more fear visible in the aura of this commoner, but some apparently did not know their betters.

"Oh well, it's not like he would amount to much either way," he thought to himself.

"An outcast like him could never build a proper foundation for his path, especially not comparable to an initiate of the Victorious Sunset Sect. I would do him a favor to simply show him what the heavens look like and how he can never achieve it. He will thank me down the line, for tempering his expectations." He began to channel mana into his most powerful skill, received from his light essence. As he began raising both his hands, he saw a small vortex manifest over the outcast's right shoulder.

The moment after, he felt a surprisingly powerful tug at his mana, before it began to leave his body. Not in a raging torrent, but definitely in a pace that wouldn't be sustainable in the long run.

"No matter," Young Master Providence thought to himself as he activated a second ability to increase the power of his next attack at a greatly increased mana cost.

"This fight will be a short one". As he continued raising his hand, a pillar of searing light started shining up from him, reaching well past ten meters into the air. Brilliant Bloom of Providence smiled as he felt the raging power, and couldn't help to indulge himself in some frivolity as he seemingly grasped the core of the radiant pillar and began to bring it down like a great blade. As the great concentration of light descended, he shouted: "Sky-cleaving Heavenly Divide!!!"

, and his grin grew just a bit more as his opponent's eyes widened in surprise before striding forward.

"I pity you," he thought as the trash ran straight towards him instead of dodging. With a final heave of both physical and spiritual might, the pillar accelerated during the last part of the swing towards an earth-shattering conclusion. His opponent was entirely obscured from view in the last instant of the attack, but Young Master Providence could barely make out a halberd appearing from thin air in an upward swing before the light would consume his opponent.

As expected, a shattering sound followed, but just as Brilliant Bloom of Providence's mind realized that the sound was more along the lines of an ephemeral mirror shattering rather than the sundering of the earth and stone, it was too late. Even more mana was forcibly drawn out of him as, to his horror, the pillar of light simply dissipated while bringing neither destruction nor victory. Through the remnants of the spectacular special attack strode his opponent.

His mind still reeling, it took a second for the young master to snap back and realize that the fight was still going on. That he had not won. In a fight between essence users, even as low as iron rank, one second of inactivity can be very costly indeed. Before the fog lifted from his mind, the trash- "His name was Kite something" -had stepped up to him, grabbed the voluminous front of his robe and struck his face with a gauntleted fist. Once-twice-thrice in quick succession.

As the world blurred, Brilliant Bloom of Providence felt himself falling as a tiny fragment of his dazed mind wandered idly where the halberd had disappeared to. As the young master went limp and sagged, Kite froze and remained standing there while still clutching the front of his opponent's robe. He looked at the semi-unconscious young man, then gently lowered him to the ground before looking at Uncle Walker with a question in his eyes.

His heart had been hammering in his chest, but as danger loomed it had calmed down slightly, tempered by the last months of intense hunting. Kite had to admit to himself that his opponent's attack had been impressive, intimidating even. His first instinct had been to run, but he had remembered one particular advice from Auntie Crow, given to him during one of their many sessions of strategizing and planning.

"After all we've seen for you during these few months, little Kite, I believe you might have a clear advantage when fighting other essence users. While the cost of that most annoying counter of yours seems to scale with the intensity of the attack you negate, you should still be far less drained than your opponent. As long as you are facing someone of the same rank, you need to trust that it will see you through even if what's coming toward you might seem overwhelming."

This advice, combined with the months of practice he had been through, helped him snap out of feeling small. Instead, he felt decisive. That decisiveness had paid off as the spectacular attack had shattered before him, his Pattern-Shattering Counter leading to the quick and rather straightforward conclusion of the duel. Walker looked surprised as well at the quick resolution of the fight, but shrugged and walked up to join Kite standing next to the prone form of the young master.

He bent down and gently splashed some water over the powdered face, and after a short while he received a response as the man came up spluttering.

"Young Master Providence. I believe that the clash of paths has been concluded. You displayed great power, and I imagine that you both have learned something from this encounter to further temper your paths," stated Uncle Walker, voice still formal. The young man stumbled to his feet, still swaying a bit as his indignation seemed to reach new heights as he stumbled about while trying to stay on his feet.

He tried gesticulating angrily, which made keeping his balance even more challenging on the wet stones of the riverbank.

"Cheating! That had to be cheating. This was a farce, a trap! Who put you up for this? Was it the Descending Star Sect? You will suffer for this treachery, you and all your co-conspirators. I swear tha-" His accusatory diatribe was interrupted by Uncle Walker, suddenly lunging forward towards him. While the motion was sudden, it was not one of aggression but rather intervention, Walker being the only one present who had managed to detect the bronze-ranked aura which had stealthily crept closer to them in the water.

"Watch out!" came the shouted warning of the older man. Too late.