Chương 79: Path of Power and Violence

Jürgen knelt mostly concealed behind the trunk of a tree, having a good view over the stretch of beach where the local lad fought something that looked like a giant clam, between one and three serpentine head flicking out at times to bite at him while it sometimes tried other mirages such as obscuring mist.

"Is that the lass who Rain wants to have her little chat with?" he asked Rana who sat perched above him in the tree, the spider legs growing from her back easily keeping her suspended between the thinner branches.

"Yeah, although it feels a bit overkill sending us all for a girl with just the one essence, even if her precious little boy there is a bronze-ranker. You think that it's part of the show of force that she mentioned? To show that her precious patrons mean business?" she replied with a shrug.

"We still get our pay. As such, we should not complain if the task is too easy." Little Moon commented where he hovered just behind Jürgen.

"But you know your roles. I will grab her. Rana, make sure that she's properly restrained as we take her back. Jürgen, make sure that he doesn't get too enthusiastic in following us."

"Moon, just because you're ex-adventurer doesn't mean that you get to order the rest of us around." Jürgen growled, turning to look at the only local in their little trio.

"You're just as desperate for the coins as the rest of us."

"If the two of you were capable of the intricate process of basic strategy, I would be most happy to stand back." came Little Moon's response.

"But you outlander simpletons would have gotten yourself killed long ago if not for me." Jürgen felt his rage bubbling up again.

"I've had it with your-" he began, but feeling Rana's aura press against his helped to quell the rising emotion.

"Don't let him get to you. You know he's still just got his knickers in a bunch because he was named 'Little Moon'." Rana countered.

"You barbarians would not understand the sublime meaning behind names if it slapped you in the face." Moon hissed.

"But I did not expect anything less. I still propose said plan. It is the only vaguely intelligent one." Jürgen was about to protest out of pure contrarianism, but Rana once more stepped in.

"Fine, little moon boy, but go ahead or our little suitor here will soon have finished with the monster. What even was that beam? Looked potent."

"Then it is good that he has wasted it on the monster." Little Moon said, winds gathering around him.

"But yes, we shall go. Heavens witness my path." he finished before suddenly accelerating in a burst of speed, a trail of torn leaves and sand whipping in his wake as he flew off towards their target.

"I hope he falls and breaks something. His neck, preferably." Jürgen grumbled, but still started loping off after him, his powerful frame making his strides eat up the distance as rocky protrusions sporting colorful coral started growing from his back and shoulders. Rana only laughed as she joined him, spider legs carrying her nimbly over the sand leaving her body hanging between them.

"I would love to see his face as he realizes how much he has fucked up in bringing his little girlfriend out here. Rain almost threw a fit on how good the opportunity it presented." he thought idly, and was just considering where to conjure his coral wall when Moon was closing in on the girl. She had turned around at the sensation of their auras; a pretty little thing. Looked like the bookish type too.

"Young miss, we will have to insi-" Moon started calling loudly as he was closing the last distance, the girl just starting to step away with wide, frightened eyes. But the words were abruptly cut short as the wind magician suddenly collided head first with a cage of force which appeared from nowhere to completely enclose the girl, the brutal collision even causing cracks to spread from on the magical barrier.

"Aw shi-" Jürgen shouted, before quickly casting the spell he'd been pondering." Break upon the reefs!" A rocky wall covered in the same kind of colorful coral as his body rose from the ground between the approaching group and the bronze-ranker, stretching across most of the width of the beach and cutting off line of sight to the potential danger of the adventurer.

But neither he nor Rana had time to get much closer as a small gleaming fish had wriggled free from the girl's arms to face them from behind the barrier. Huge globs of water suddenly manifested, catching both Jürgen and Rana in one each, their feet leaving the sand as they were forcefully suspended. While his coral essence had already provided an essence gift to breathe underwater, Jürgen saw Rana panic as her arachnid legs were flailing wildly within her sphere, gasping for air.

Activating one of his essence powers, he conjured a pair of heavy, barnacle-covered chains which wound up his arms. One of them was sent towards the coral wall to anchor itself around the protrusions while the other managed to fight through the water of both watery spheres to wind itself around Rana's waist. Jürgen heaved with all of his strength, the water pulling at his every motion, but managed to drag himself hand over hand to escape the entrapping liquid.

He had just planted his feet next to a thoroughly stunned Little Moon and began trying to drag Rana out of her restraints when he felt the aura closing in, shoving theirs aside like an impenetrable bulwark which was somehow about to move on them.

"Moon, move-" The shout had just escaped his lips when part of the raised wall of coral exploded inward toward them. For a moment, his connection to the power had given Jürgen the impression of an object impacting the wall before somehow proving to be unstoppable; as if the motion would not be denied. And as the adventurer came into view through the breach, a colorful fan in hand and carried by swirling stormwinds, all present could see the steel in his gaze.

"Now letsh- letsh not-" Little Moon began, just having stumbled to his feet when the young man swung his arm as a staff appeared from nowhere mid-swing while still a few meters away from the trio. A split second later, Moon doubled over and was thrown off his feet to tumble further away on the sand, blood trailing as some dark ripples had done quite a number on his torso. While the man's bronze-rank physique should be able to recover, he would have to be especially resilient to just rise from that in an instant.

"Bloody storage powers." Jürgen thought as he finally managed to pull a sputtering and coughing Rana free from the water before he spoke to the young man.

"Hey kid, it's nothing personal. We're just here since somebody wants a little chat with your girl over there. They have sworn that it will be nice and polite, and then you'll have her back. Don't make us rough you up in front of her, okay? Take it from an old hand." Jürgen tried sounding as amicable as possible, happy to take a few seconds for one of his defensive boons to gather as he remained stationary.

All the while, both him and Rana had tried leveling their auras at the young adventurer, but had made no headway against the solid spiritual wall.

"At least he hasn't pushed back either. Must be all he can do to hang on." Jürgen thought as the lad spoke.

"Consider your invitation declined. Leave now, and you will do so unharmed." The young man's words were surprisingly soft to carry such steel, the sentiment reflected in his eyes.

"Lad, I'm trying to be reasonable here. Just-" Jürgen began, but was interrupted." Dissolve the patterns of power." The spell chant was quick and clipped, nothing in the young man's aura hinting at his intent. And the rippling wave was faster, flowing over both Jürgen and Rana, both swearing as three of their gathered boons and active abilities were washed away like scribbles in the sand before the tide.

Jürgen had been in enough brawls to at least not be caught entirely on the back foot, charging in with arms wide in an attempt to grapple as both his coral cover and chains had been dispelled for the moment. It was always so satisfying to watch these little pretty boys and their fancy tricks fall to pieces beneath a good old clinch. At his side, Rana was still sputtering but already weaving and preparing to launch one of her webs, the shining threads dripping poison.

Before he could close the distance, lacking charging powers, the painted fan was suddenly back in the man's hand, sweeping out toward them and unleashing a potent gust. Jürgen's mass and momentum, coral already regrowing across him, meant that he was merely halted by the winds, but Rana's frail frame was not so lucky as she was sent tumbling back across the sands with a frustrated screech.

His momentum lost, Jürgen instead opted to reconjure his chains, swinging the thick and heavy links down in a dual overhead strike to crush or at least force the man to dodge. However, his foe did neither, instead flicking the light fan up to meet the descending chains even as a curved saber with an elaborate handguard appeared in his other hand, sheath staying floating in the air.

Jürgen was struck by two sensations simultaneously as his chains just broke apart upon contact with the fan, dragging even more mana with them. At the same time, his instincts screamed of impending danger even though a few meters still separated them. As said instincts had let him come as far as he had, Jürgen took a half-step back threw up an arm now partially covered in coral, a faint ripple soon slicing through the air and into the interposed appendage.

A slash like a dark rift carved through the layer of coral and drew blood beneath, Jürgen barely having time to register the pain before it rose in intensity as a decent chunk of his lower arm blew up, the detonation of force originating from within the wound itself.

Normally, he would have trusted the powers of his flesh essence to take care of such an injury, but something was wrong with the wound, as if there was a void left within which greedily drank in the life force his body tried to channel towards the injury. Not an insatiable one, but more than a mere nuisance.

"Fuck!" Jürgen shouted, swinging his other arm and launching a cluster of coral shrapnel at the adventurer whose feet remained firmly planted in front of the force cage and already in the process of making another swing with his staff. He could barely make out a mumbled " Ward" as a semi translucent barrier appeared to protect his torso and head, coral projectiles glancing the armor of the younger man's legs as another one of those weird ranged striked impacted Jürgen.

The blunt force was surprisingly potent, causing him to grit his teeth in further frustration as his renewed layer of coral and then defensive boon winked out, even becoming unavailable for a while. And through all of this, Jürgen had lost a surprising amount of mana. One might even call it a cause for concern.

Realizing that this exchange could not continue as it was, he took as step backward as if preparing a measured retreat in the hope of keeping the adventurer's attention on him as Rana, finally back in the fray after taking her sweet time, finally made her move. As usual, their rough strategy was for Jürgen to go in and make a mess while giving better than he was getting while Rana set her prey up for defeat.

While this particular exchange had not gone as well as he'd hoped, this was usually when things went bad for their opponents. Jumping in from the side, propelled by her spider's legs, she launched a sticky unfurling web toward their foe, the weave quickly growing to the size which would require a proper movement skill to dodge. Something the man was either unwilling or unable to do. Once more, his response was counterattacking rather than dodging, the dangerous curved sword appearing again.

"Careful, that one is-!" Jürgen's warning came too late, Rana shrieking in pain as a mean wound was torn in her left thigh, chunks of muscle and blood bursting from the limb. But at the same time, her web struck her target. And mostly slid off. A few quick motions had it drooping off the young man, and even while the coating of poison seemed to affect him, the restraining effect did not.

"Rana, don't!" he called, knowing what might come next.

"The fucker is gonna pay!" she snarled, before chanting: " Climactic fury of the tempest; grand bolt!"

"You always do this." Jürgen helplessly thought.

"If you can't catch them, you grow too impatient." He could only watch as her most potent spell, costing a lot of mana and being what she usually reserved for when their foe was all restrained and nicely stationary, caused the ambient mana to churn as a tingling sensation spread over Jürgen's body, as he was already moving in to follow up on her rather bold response. The bolt of lightning erupting from a sphere which had been growing between her hands was always impressive, wide as a hand and devastatingly potent.

A moment later, when the thunder registered to his ears, it had already struck. Rana was currently flying backwards, scorched and sizzling as the young adventurer snapped his fan shut. Only belatedly did the events catch up with Jürgen, the adventurer's fan just reflecting the potent lightning right back at Rana, the woman taken completely by surprise. Just afterwards, a blue beam erupted from the man's back, coming from a collection of floating symbols previously unseen from where Jürgen had stood.

But the beam was not aimed at him, and neither at the singed woman who had just come to a violent stop against Jürgen's wall of corals. Following the trajectory of the attack, Jürgen saw Little Moon wobbling unsteadily, barely able to retain control of his flight as he was speeding away for all that he was worth over the speeding sands, the beam apparently having clipped him.

"Traitor scum!" he called angrily at the fleeing man, but did not stop his momentum. Because he was just about to finally reach the brat. Taking a projected sword slice to his side, grimacing through the pain but not letting the wound slow him down, Jürgen aimed to tackle the man straight into the force wall behind him.

As a last ditch effort, the man brought out a spear which he set against the charging attack, but another hail of coral shrapnel from up close forced the adventurer to ditch the weapon in favor of a barrier. Then they collided, and Jürgen found his mind questioning the rules of the world as the smaller and lighter man was not driven back.

There was definitely an impact as their bodies crashed together, sand thrown away from the man's feet in a small shockwave, but the adventurer stood firm as he surprisingly deftly guided part of Jürgen's momentum to pass him by. This meant that it was instead Jürgen who found himself colliding with the wall, although not particularly violently.

And he had still managed to grip the man's arm, initiating the grapple while the annoying feeling of draining mana intensified when his body became pressed against the barrier. Even as his coral armor once more fell away to a dispelling force as the younger man shoved a knee up into the side of his thigh, Jürgen still pressed through, grabbing the man in a bear hug as he started activating another one of his powers.

This caused even more coral to start sprouting from his body, but unlikethe variety of colors of the first, these growths were all blood red and wickedly sharp.

"See grunt boy? You should have listened." Jürgen grinned down at the smaller man as he focused on keeping his grip on the young man even as purchase seemed a lot harder to find than usual. All the while, the green armor was groaning and scraping against the pressure of growing coral. Jürgen did also pick up a faint humming, looking down to see the adventurer looking straight up at him.

"As- should- you." the adventurer grunted. A moment later, something seemed to harden in his eyes. And a pair of bracers clicked together. Kite breathed heavily as the man fell limp, then slid off him. The process was made rather painful as the conjured coral took a short moment to begin dissolving, meaning that he felt the sharp growths slide out of the few places where they had managed to penetrate his armor.

The corpse, now missing its head and part of the collarbones, left as a wide smear of blood, flesh and brain matter on the force wall behind which quickly started running down the barrier to gather in gory puddles beneath and revealing Brook's terrified gaze through the barrier. She had fallen down and pressed herself to the opposite wall in an attempt to clamber as far away from the struggle as possible, body and aura shaking violently.

"Please stay where you are. I will make sure that there is nothing else around." he told her, trying to envelop her in his aura like Serene had practiced with him. It seemed to have some effect, as Brook collected herself enough to nod.

"Good. Glint, thank you for protecting her. Please stay with her a bit longer." Rising while keeping part of his attention at the swiftly retreating trail of sand that was the man with the air powers, Kite surveyed the carnage. It had gone so quickly. One moment, he had just been about to finish off the monster, and the next the trio of essence users had come charging out.

"Thank you Guardian, for the power to protect her even from afar." he thought in silent prayer. The big outlander that had grappled him, at least what remained of the man, lay in a heap where he had fallen. Had he been silver rank, he might have recovered from such a wound with the right essences. But his bronze rank had not been enough to take the maximum charge from the Twofold Toll of Bells straight in his face, Kite expending quite a bit of mana to charge the bracers and keeping the force wall behind intact.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. But the woman with the webs and the lightning was still alive, but knocked out cold from the massive bolt of lightning that Kite had deflected.

"Useful tool indeed." he thought as he went over, producing a suppression collar which he clipped around her neck.

"Wha- what are you doing?" Brook called to him as he dragged the woman's limp body closer.

"She's still alive, so we will bring her in for questions. Someone sent them to take you away, and I mean to find out who. The collar will keep her manageable."

"Are- aren't those illegal?" she asked him, looking at the plain metal band.

"No, just restricted. And the director of Gilded's branch apparently thought me dependable enough to use them responsibly." Kite said, remembering Jarvan just waving him off when he tried returning the item after the war.

"I have a feeling you'll be using plenty of those in the future, so better keep it on hand." the blonde man had said with his usual easygoing grin before moving on to other matters. By now, the wall of coral had started dissolving, revealing the empty beach except for the carcass of the clamdragon. It had been by Fortune's providence that Kite could use one of his empowered attacks to finish it off as he started running toward Brook.

Having it join in and complicate such a battle further had not been a pleasant thought. Having finished a sweep of the surroundings, he returned to Brook who was still seated behind the barriers.

"It should be safe to return now. I will release the barrier and then we will ride on Glint. Is that alright with the lady sage?"

"I-" Brook stammered before jumping slightly when the walls dissolved.

"Yes. Please. But what about her?" she asked, pointing at the unconscious woman.

"Don't worry. I have a way to bring her as well." Kite said with a crooked smile, not quite reaching his eyes as he still felt the fear rolling off Brook. It subsided a little bit over time as she sat in front of him on Glint's back, the sun peeking forth from behind the cloud covering to cast a pleasant light over an otherwise silent journey.

It was in that fashion they made their way back to the city, Glint keeping a measured pace as she floated not too far from the sandy ground, the unconscious woman leaving a furrow from where she was being dragged behind the familiar by a rope around her ankles.

"Out! Out, you worthless waste of skin!" Rain shouted after the already fleeing form of Little Moon, as she started pacing back and forth in the alley even before the man had rounded the corner.

"Curses. The heavens rain curses upon me." she groaned, punching a nearby wall and leaving cracks in the wood panel.

"How can I- How could they even-" she stuttered, but halted her thoughts as an angry shout from within the house reached her ears, the angry owner on his way to storm out and see what the ruckus was about. Rain swiftly blurred and disappeared, as if having dissolved into falling raindrops, her concealing powers giving her the sense of security she had grown to love about them.

Moving unseen of the normal-ranked man who stormed into the alley a few seconds later, seeing his confused glares and angry mutterings as he stormed back inside. It all returned just a little feeling of control to her. Rain turned and jumped up on a nearby wooden wall then up to the rooftops, her steps light enough for her to step on water without disturbing the surface.

"I need to tell the young master. This can be salvaged. He will surely know how. The other two should at least have perished, and they had nothing on them to indicate their allegiance. A setback. Just a setback." she murmured to herself, making her way down towards the lower steps. Stoic Boar would soon get a report which would put a damper on his day.

"See, I told you that you should have brought us along." Rachel exclaimed where they sat in the common room of the Gellers' suite.

"Then they would probably have withdrawn. We might have sensed them anyway, but I think little would have come of it." Phiona said.

"Now, with one of them turned into the Adventure Society for questioning, it should not be long before we know all worth knowing from her. Using the right alchemy on a bronze-ranker won't even be that expensive. The question is, student, what would you aim to do with the information, should you learn of who hired them?" Leaning his head back over the backrest of the couch, Kite sighed as his head swam with thought.

"I-" he began, but faltered again.

"I need to think." he eventually said, Phiona nodding at him as the two Gellers fell silent.

"At least have a pastry while you're thinking. The jam inside was so good!" Rachel said, throwing the sweet little tart to him. Even Kite's jumbled mind had to agree with her; it was good. And his senses distracting him did help a little. Having finished most of it, feeding the rest to an overjoyed Glint, Kite sat up and looked to Phiona.

"I need to know who it is first. If they're too affluent, I will need to be careful. Maybe get help from Wander and Braid in investigating why this all came to pass."

"And if they're not? Not influential enough to prove a threat to you?" Phiona pressed.

"To us!" Rachel added.

"Don't think I won't help you if you want to melt some doors, Kite. Ruining a date like that… Just who do they think they are?" she grumbled. Sending her a grateful smile, he nodded.

"I might consider it, but the wisest thing would probably remain the same. Investigate and learn. And take precautions. Brook is at the Magic Society campus now, where she should be safe enough for the moment. But if they are after her, I need to make sure that no trouble finds her in the long run." Phiona looked at him for a little longer before nodding.

"Good, you remain sensible. We should go up to the campus this afternoon. From what you describe, a core-using non-adventurer shouldn't hold up too long under proper questions."

"We?" Kite asked"Of course. As Rachel said, if more decisive action is needed, I will accompany you as well. Sometimes her acid is a bit too slow at breaking down said doors."

"Come in." came the soft call from behind the simple door. Kite entered to find Brook sitting in a worn armchair, a book in hand. The rest of the chamber held only a bed and a desk with an accompanying wooden chair, one of the inner courtyards of the Magic Society campus visible through the small window. Closing the door behind him, Kite was left standing a bit awkwardly near the entrance, neither saying anything.

"Cozy." was the only word his mind found, the mental floundering finding refuge in simple observations.

"It's worn but… I like it." Brook answered, giving him a wan smile.

"And cheap, for when I need to stay in the city for a few days. Please, have a seat." She gestured at the other chair, Kite taking up the offer and sitting down in front of her.

"I-""How-" Both having spoken at the same time, she gestured for him to continue.

"How… How are you?" It was a simple question, but Kite found that he did not want to complicate it more than that. Her aura was a lot calmer than before, but even if he had possessed Serene's sharp aura senses, he still would not have wanted to bring them to bear on her. He wanted to hear her words.

"It feels a bit surreal at the moment. I know that you fight monsters for a living. That it is normal to you. And from afar, it was even a bit exciting. But then- then they-" her words caught, but taking a deep breath, she managed to regain her composure.

"I had barely time to notice them when your barriers came up. And the rest is still a blur. You all move so quickly. A flash of lightning. And the blood. It's like I don't want to think about it. Kite, I- I was so afraid." she shivered, falling silent. So far, he had only nodded along with her, speaking up once she fell silent.

"Yes, it… It can be a lot. Especially when its people. There are a lot of things that I saw during the war that would have terrified me when I was younger. A lot of them did in the present as well. But having fought so many monsters and people, it helped me find something within myself. I don't know exactly what to call it; a- a perspective, or a state of mind. It is like absolute focus, leaving certain impressions to be processed later.

Meditation helps with that, and I can guide you through some later if you want. But Brook, I am sorry. That you got to see a lot more than planned during the outing. And that your association with me seems to have brought trouble to you. So much for people not caring about outcasts." he finished with a rueful shake of his head.

"I think I saw what you are describing. It wasn't obvious from afar. But up close… It was as if that kind calm in your eyes had gone away. Replaced by something hard and unyielding. I understand that it was- no is- needed. But seeing you like that… It just does not mesh with the Kite from my memories. Even if you are obviously still kind and caring." she finished, smiling a bit more warmly.

"It is ever the dichotomy of the adventuring life. So much excitement mixed in with such abject brutality."

"Do you ever regret it? Joining the Adventure Society? Killing like that?" Her question was one that Kite had reflected upon from time to time, the answer coming easy.

"In the end? No. While there are certainly things I regret; choices and outcomes, attempting to forge my path has shown me a lot. Both of the world and of myself. And what I can become. I'll admit that it is quite the heady feeling; to imagine how far I can push myself and what difference I can make in the moment I choose to make the attempt." After regarding him for a while, Brook shook her head with a sigh, a slight smile still present.

"Still the same earnest boy I fancied so much. I hope that your path of power and violence won't erase him somewhere along the way."

"People keep telling me that. I hope so too." Kite replied, before lapsing into silence. While it still felt a bit fragile, some of the awkwardness had at least been dispersed.

"Still, I believe that this particular matter will soon be laid to rest." He eventually said.

"The Adventure Society was rather swift in extracting some information from our one captive, and from what she told them of the one that escaped, he is very unlikely to cause trouble in the future, probably having left the city already."

"So you know who was behind them? And what they wanted?" Brook asked, sitting up straighter.

"Yes. A young master of a local crafting family under the patronage of one of the more affluent ones. He has been rather persistent in courting the Gellers in the hopes of doing business, but to think he would stoop to such tactics…" Kite shook his head.

"Phiona sent him a message inviting him for a meeting as soon as we got the information. I will go join them now, but I'll return as soon as I have more news."

"I- It." Brook floundered a bit, but eventually nodded.

"Thank you, Kite. I will remain here or down in the stacks. And thank you for taking the time to come here now as well."

"Always, fair sage." Kite said with a smile, waving goodbye as he closed the door behind him. A peek at her aura revealed slightly less turmoil, but also other currents he did not look at further. It was something she had to work on resolving, even if he would help in any way he could. Stoic Boar did not deem this day as good. Rather disastrous, even.

It had started well enough, with an inspection of the latest creations of the family's blacksmiths, where Boar had been able to take his time speaking with the different crafters, doling out praise and encouragement where he could. But arriving back at his study, quite a bit later than planned, the young master had been greeted by two things; a shame-faced retainer and a most succinct invitation from mistress Phiona Geller.

Rain remained very silent as she walked at his side and slightly behind him in the gloom of early evening, along with another of his family guards. Boar did not expect to be in danger, but it never hurt to be cautious when dealing with adventurers.

"As I said before-" Boar said as they were drawing close to the Stormbringer's Perch, "- the goal here is to minimize any potential damage. Anything that can be done to keep retribution from our heads and the Geller family at least not hostile to us is worth sacrificing almost anything for." he finished, his leveled gaze conveying to Rain that 'almost anything' might just as well include her.

Entering the establishment, the group were quickly led to the same private dining room where their previous meeting had taken place, Boar making sure to let the owner know that he would foot the bill for any food and refreshments. A change from last time was the seating arrangements; the young man and student of mistress Geller now sitting in the middle of the two ladies.

"Ah, mistress Gellers. Adventurer Kite. I came as soon as I received your invitation, elated that we could sort out this matter as soon as possible." Boar said, sitting down.

"Young master Stoic." Phiona Geller greeted him, showing only the same cold facade as during their previous meeting.

"As Kite is the aggrieved party here, it is he who will be conducting this little discussion. But I will make one thing very clear; my student here has my full support. Our full support. Keep that in consideration." Boar's mouth went a bit dry at her words, causing him to lick his lips before answering.

"Certainly, mistress Geller. It will remain etched into my mind." he said, before turning to Kite.

"Adventurer Kite-""Just Kite will do, for sake of expediency." Kite said, face neutral and aura inscrutable, Boar not daring to try and dive deeper at the risk of offending the three. While it gave this Kite great face that he was allowed to conduct this meeting, Boar still had little doubts as to where the true power in the room lay.

"Most gracious of you, Kite. On behalf of my family, allow me to extend the deepest and most pained apologies for the happenings today. I assure you that the regretful event was a result of a most grievous misunderstanding between me and my retainer."

"Please, explain." Kite said, gaze never leaving Boar.

"I merely wanted to discern if we could be of assistance to you, in the hopes of facilitating a better overall relationship, but my choice of words unfortunately seems to have been too vague and full of nuance to my retainer here. As she is of quite common stock, I hope that you won't fault her too much for it." This caused Kite to glance at Rain, who sat at Boar's side with eyes downcast. He scrutinized the woman for a while, before turning back to Boar.

"Tell me, young master Stoic; what do you know of my background?"

"N- not much. I had hoped to find out more soon, leaving my retainer here to sort out the details. It would-""Then I will share one piece of information with you." Kite interrupted.

"I was raised in a village in the northern Autumn lands. A few dozen families. And while I know that part of my upbringing was very privileged under those circumstances, I would ask you; of which stock am I?" Swearing inwardly, Boar chastised himself.

"He is an outcast after all. You should have realized that going with separating yourself from Rain would be a mistake." he thought, keeping his smiling facade.

"Ah, I see now that I misspoke. Still, the misunderstanding remains, as my retainer here assumed that I wanted a more forceful solution, one I assure you was never my intention."

"Yet because of it, one man is dead and a woman sits imprisoned. And my companion remains deeply shaken by the event. You will have to excuse me, young master, for considering that the results outweigh whatever intent you might have had." Boar expected a press of aura to accompany the words, but the young man kept his solid and controlled even as there was an obvious undercurrent of anger to his word.

"Rana lives?" Rain suddenly asked, looking up at Kite. Boar was about to silence her, but held his words as Kite acknowledged her words with a nod.

"She does. Fortune showed her favor in that it was me that you sent her against. There are many whose paths or temperaments would not be as inclined towards mercy. But her fate will be determined by the city authorities." Rain nodded, a complex expression on her face before once more averting her eyes. Boar was not sure, but he got the feeling that Kite had approved of something in her mannerisms as the young adventurer once more looked at him.

"A friend once taught me that the master is in the end responsible for the actions of their retainers, as they are the ones who have chosen them and whose words they are carrying out. Tell me, Stoic Boar, do you intend to offer recompense for the slight against my companion and me?"

"Ah, naturally. It would not do to see the honor of the Stoics in question." Boar tried assuring him, ignoring the raised eyebrows of the red-haired mistress Geller- Rachel, was her name -as he pushed on.

"I sincerely hope that we shall be able to come to some kind of agreement. It would be most unfortunate should this affect our potential future dealings. But I must plead with you to show mercy towards my poor retainer. Should you wish to have me hand her over, I will, but she has served me well before and should not suffer overly for something that, as you say, is my responsibility. What would best allow us to smooth out this wrinkle on our karma? Funds? Or maybe equipment?

Our smiths and artisans are second to none? Or maybe employment for you or your companion?" Kite stared at him in silence, before smiling slightly for the first time during their meeting.

"In that, young master Stoic, I already have a proposal."

"That was exhausting." Kite sighed as he plopped down in one of the couches. They were back in the Gellers' suite once more, Rachel still carting the last batch of snacks she had been able to procure on the young master's expense.

"You performed your part admirably, student." Phiona noted.

"We might still make a stern negotiator of you."

"Only because of your instruction, teacher." Kite said from where he lay, trying to bow from his prone position, not even his bronze-rank physique allowing the motion to be called anything close to graceful.

"Thank you, Phiona. Truly. You have taught me so much more than I could ever demand or expect from our contract." The blonde Geller just rolled her eyes at his words while Rachel giggled.

"Yeah, Nona, it was a good idea to use his aura to mask his emotions. You might not be the best at spiritual assault, Kite, but your aura defense is still crazy strong."

"Indeed." Phiona agreed.

"But are you sure about your recompense, Kite? I do believe that the young master was quite relieved as he left."

"Then that is all good. From my earlier experience, your opponent leaving with a sense of possibility will at least give a chance of future benefits. One leaving bitter leaves little room for anything but retribution." Kite said, trying to sound as sagely as possible.

"Another of your famous Auntie Crow's proverbs?" Rachel asked as she sat down opposite him.

"You do not trust me to come up with my own wisdom?" he asked her, an eyebrow raised.

"Then look into my soul and glean the truth." The final retort only earned him a pout and a thrown piece of candied ginger deftly caught by Glint who darted out from her bottle at the opportunity.

"Still, it was pretty nicely done to leverage the hint of our family leaving the matter to rest, should he agree, especially after Nona's little introduction. But you chose nothing for yourself? Only the favor owed?" Kite sat up, reaching for another treat.

"As for the others… It just felt right to directly compensate those who had actually been harmed, in interest or spirit, by his actions. As my auntie often says; a favor owed carries almost infinite potential."