Chương 92: Winds of Fortune, indeed…

"He has made good progress." Kite noted to Peony where the two of them stood watching Sun finish off the small group of iron-ranked wood elementals. Two had already been destroyed, powerful arrows from a dark iron bow all but blowing them to splinters, while the two that was left was currently being ripped apart by the monkey warrior as Sun acrobatically dodged and weaved, striking out with clawed hands or, more often, feet while shooting the occasional point-blank arrow into the limber monsters.

Just a few seconds later, Peony's husband closed out the small skirmish by reaching out with a hand toward one of the monsters and his long, flexible tail towards the other, a hard yank with his now mighty strength sending the pair of elementals tumbling into one another. A mere moment after the collision, Sun had already leapt upwards and back, launching a single arrow while airborne.

Through his magical perception, Kite could see the larger amount of mana infused into the shot, which detonated into a growing ball of iron spikes, impaling the tangled monsters and ending them.

"He truly has," Peony agreed, having the same admiring look as she always had when she watched her husband.

"Seeing his progress makes part of me regret using cores. But on the other hand, when would I have time to actually craft something?"

"Oh, do not sell yourself short, dear business partner. I have seen your improvements as well, even after the Gellers departure," Kite noted, nudging Peony with his elbow.

"People choose different paths, creating a diverse world. And your craft has truly grown in leaps and bounds."

"I must admit that it still feels a bit unreal to have been able to expand the business so. And even to actually be able to start paying out your share," Peony said, brushing a magenta strand of hair back in place.

"Which Kite knows that I will continue insisting on to the day I die," Sun called as he returned to the pair.

"They are yours for the looting, love," he said to Peony, nodding towards the monster corpses before giving her a quick peck on the cheek as the crafter moved off.

"Well, I am happy both for your success and the funds," Kite said to the man, who still wore his transfigured form, iron bracers and all. As his abilities were ranking up, Sun's combat form was only becoming more ferocious, the lean monkey warrior showing both grace and strength.

"The road to the heavens is long. And costly."

"Even more so if you continue to insist on giving out treasures rather than selling them," Sun noted, before quickly adding; "Not that I am in any way ungrateful."

"Ah, the ever-lasting battle between the want of the heart and the stark reality of the coin purse," Kite said ruefully.

"Yet seeing you makes me quite happy with the investments so far. And speaking of treasure, Sage is signaling a potential manifestation nearby. Maybe we will be lucky." It was a rather short walk over to the otherwise nondescript location among the forests outside of Bastion, where Kite gave his mental assent for Sage to initiate the transfer of mana. But as the rainbow vortex started manifesting, it quickly became clear that it was something far larger than quintessence, awakening stone or essence.

"It seems that we were indeed lucky, as Sun will get another opportunity to practice." Kite noted, backing off as the monsters started taking shape. Some kind of arachnids, from the look of it.

"Winds of Fortune, indeed…" was all they heard Sun mutter, as he went to work once more.

"Another cheer for Bastion's newly minted bronze-ranker!" Kite exclaimed, the other two women around the table joining him as they toasted to Brilliant Bloom. The former young master tried to look stoic, but a small blush had started creeping onto his cheeks nonetheless, only intensifying when Felicity snuggled up close to him, a little bit into her cups already.

Brilliant Bloom was a year younger than Kite, and while he had absorbed his essences a little bit earlier, sect politics and his decision to set out on his own had meant that Kite had him beat to bronze-rank by quite the margin. Still, the former young master seemed to try and channel that into more of a good-natured competitive spirit, naming himself Kite's self-declared rival. As such, Kite found it only fitting to arrange a little celebration for the young man's achievement.

Brook, due to her friendship with both Kite and Felicity, had been invited as well, and the four young adults sat on a pair of blankets in one of Bastion's public parks, enjoying drinks and refreshments as they had listened to Bloom regale him with the tales of his latest contracts.

"Well, it was but a small matter," the flustered Bloom said, trying to wave the matter away.

"But this does mean that you will indeed have to watch your back, Kite, as I am closing the distance every day!"

"Then it is fortunate that I have eyes in the back of my head, at least figuratively," Kite retorted in good-naturedly.

"What will the prodigious Brilliant Bloom do now that he has ascended so far into the world?"

"Why, work towards silver rank of course. The heavens are still far away, after all. Or has the illustrious company that you have been keeping these last few months made you blind to their heights?" As if to make his point, Bloom gestured to the skies with his cup.

"Oh, I assure that my time spent with the Gellers have only made me realize even more as to how far I have yet to go," Kite lamented theatrically.

"But still, while the way is long, it is quite alright to enjoy the trip, wouldn't you say?" he finished, nodding towards Felicity, who giggled. At his words, the young man harrumphed, but he still hugged the young woman closer to his side.

"I suppose our choice of company may indeed let us reach greater heights, and fight through more than we thought possible, if only to see them again."

"Aaaaaawww, Bloom." Felicity squealed, happily placing a wet kiss on his cheek, causing the young man to blush again. Bloom loudly cleared his throat, changing the subject while battling his embarrassed expression.

"But as to your question, more contracts. By the time my pace starts to slow down here, Felicity's contract with the local branch should be done. Then we can go wherever we want. While there is a bit of a competition for contracts, I believe that a patient approach will still see me through."

"And now that you are bronze rank, it means that we can have proper, no-holds-barred sparring sessions." Kite also commented a bit off-handedly, causing the young man to swallow a bit nervously.

"Well- Of course- but you see… Ah, yes, equipment. I need to properly equip myself for bronze rank first. And while I have some funds, pieces worthy of consideration cost their fair share," Bloom said, a bit too quickly. His words made something click in Kite's head, and he remained silent, regarding the young man with a thoughtful expression.

"W-what?" Bloom eventually asked. Nodding to himself as if reaching a conclusion, Kite spoke.

"Well, as you seem to be in need of both equipment and work, your senior brother here might have an idea to help out his junior. There is a family of crafters I would like to introduce you to." As his mana pool had mostly emptied, Kite sighed and opened his eyes. The huge seed in front of him looked the same as before, only Sage's vague sense indicating that any change had been made at all, if only the most miniscule.

"It seems like this will be a project most long term." Kite said, speaking aloud even though neither Sage or Glint could directly reply.

"Insufficient Disappointment" Kite only gave a flat look to the manifested shapes of changing symbols and their rather unhelpful message, before shaking his head with a smile.

"I do not know what will come of this, but I must admit that my curiosity is only rising." A while later, Kite made his way out of the submerged tunnels, Glint carrying him quickly through the empty astral space as the purple landscape zoomed by below. The constant wind and shifting sands meant that the traces of the ambush and battles within had been swiftly hidden away, the astral space remaining as alien as when Kite had first entered along with Vista and the Gellers.

Outside the aperture, he quickly found his way to where Peony and Sun waited, the pair having made their camp close by while they waited.

"So, no more progress?" Peony asked as Kite drew close.

"As minimal as ever," Kite said with a shrug.

"Once more, thank you for humoring me and choosing this route with the contracts."

"I must admit that we are all curious to see what will come of it," Sun said, just having finished putting up the pair's tent, complete with the soundproofing enchantments which Kite had gifted them after the pair had, on one occasion, forgot that he as a bronze-ranker had quite good hearing.

"As am I. It still feels… significant, in some weird way," Kite noted.

"But still, we are quite a ways off both in regards to whatever is being completed and me actually being able to make a bid for the land of the area. Vista has promised to help, but I would be most surprised if it did not also require a hefty amount of coins."

"At least you already have our contribution in that regard, being the business partner to Bastion's most up and coming artificer." Peony added, settling down beside her husband next to the heating lamp.

"Which means that you'll have to come by every once in a while to collect your share."

"Oh, you need not money to entice me to visit. Had we not been friends, I would still have been drawn in just for your craftsmanship," Kite said honestly.

"But as things are… You can trust me to darken your doorstep as often as possible. A frequency which will only increase as we grow in power. I can imagine that Glint will be quite swift at silver rank."

"We will hold you to that, then," Peony said, with a smile.

"And we will miss you, too. Do you know what kind of contract the branch director of Gilded had in mind for you?"

"No, his message was rather vague. But knowing him, I am confident it will either be something very interesting, or just an excuse to get me back so that he can try and get me to sell him a couple more essences," Kite said with a laugh. The day Kite made to leave Bastion and return to Gilded was the first day where the hints of summer were truly felt in the air, the winds which came in from the ocean hinting at a bit of warmth.

Drizzling rain and overcast skies were replaced with fluffy white clouds dotting the blue expanse of the sky, the sun on full, radiant display. Up at the Adventure Society campus, its rays still reached into the office of the branch director, where Kite was currently seated, he and Dobrazza being the only ones in the room.

"Well, Jarvan did not overstate your resourcefulness when he sent you his recommendation. And now he is suddenly yanking you back. No tact, that one," the branch director said with a dramatic pout.

"And there is so much to do here now too. At least Braid and Wander are staying for a while longer."

"From what they have told me, the whole affair between the great families and other economic powerhouses of the city, I am afraid my particular talents would be of little help," Kite said with a smile.

"Oh, don't sell yourself short, my pretty little bronze-ranker. Don't think me unaware of all those little pretty things flapping around above the rooftops. You seem to have a habit of making ripples, if only indirectly. Still, I am not one to complain. I even heard one of the priests of Merchant praising the initiative as preserving a bit of the market in these turbulent times."

"One is only wise to try and keep the gods happy with one's actions. At least the gods who have a chance to approve, as I believe that Undeath might not be as happy with me. Nor Pain, for that matter." Kite noted. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"True, true. And they say that the best adventurers shouldn't be too afraid to make a bit of a splash, but I must say that as branch director, I find myself quite partial to your more subtle way of handling things."

"I aim to please." Kite replied, with a theatrical bow.

"But I also remain truly grateful for the opportunities here, branch director, and I am sure to return as often as possible."

"Now that does please me as well," Dobrazza purred.

"But speaking of pleasing, I trust that the compensation for your little entanglement with mistress Wither was satisfactory?"

"Oh, most satisfactory indeed," Kite quickly agreed, the truth of the matter showing in his aura. As his little misadventure had been properly sorted out, Kite had received quite the generous compensation from the Adventure Society for being instrumental, if only a bit accidentally, in blowing open an investigation which had taken up a lot of their resources for a long time.

Together with the reward from the entourage-contract, Kite now had way more money than he would have imagined himself to ever possess at his current rank. But as he had plans for said funds, most would remain in secure storage with the Adventure Society.

"Excellent. Then I can only wish you good luck, and hope that you will still think fondly enough of our little city in the future to return," Dobrazza said, ending their little impromptu meeting.

"Let us just say that not every little bronze-ranker receives such personal attention from the local branch directors," she finished with a wink.

"The same to you, director," Kite said, rising to leave.

"And thank you again. I hope that our paths will cross again in the future." As the door clicked shut behind the departing Kite, Dobrazza once more sat down, giving the closed doors a thoughtful smile.

"Well, Jarvan, it seems like you have an eye for talent. Let us see if the continental council thinks the same, should he manage to reach silver rank." When Kite exited the Adventure Society administration building, Brook was still waiting along with Glint, still in the process of thoroughly saying farewell to the little fish, who was in turn ecstatic of all the attention showered upon her.

"Thank you for waiting. I am sorry for the delay," he said as he approached, trying to etch the image of his friend and familiar happily frolicking in the sunlight into his memory. At his words, he could feel Brook's aura surge in a bit of elation at his arrival before turning a bit downcast. It was a lot more stable than back when she had just awakened the aura power, proof of her practicing the basic meditations he had taught her, but still projected quite a lot of her emotions on its surface.

"It is no trouble." Brook said as the trio started to make their way toward the city gate, walking along the avenue of the First Step.

"But I must admit that my heart urges my steps to slow down even as we speak."

"I know the feeling," Kite said, looking up at the early summer sky.

"Even though I will see you again in the future, my heart never seems to master the art of farewells."

"At least we can do it properly this time. Meeting you here has made the past seem both rather close and infinitely far away. But I like the feeling that a piece of my childhood can appear at any moment," Brook said pensively.

"The sage has grown ever wiser." Kite noted, with a smile.

"And I would say that you will not want for company in my absence- sorry, our absence," he quickly corrected himself after Glint, taking offense at not being included, had squirted a thin ray of conjured water at him.

"I suppose not," Brook said, looking up at Nudge, the familiar sitting perched in her auburn locks as if it intended to make a nest there. Scripture was flying high above them, blue feathers shimmering in the sunlight.

"But still, an important person's absence will not so easily be filled by others, no matter how dear they may be." At her words, Kite stopped and looked at her.

"Thank you, Brook. That means a lot. And I share the sentiment." Silence reigned between them for a short while, but not as awkward as it might have been back then, just after their unexpected reunion.

"I… I have a gift for you. Or meant to, but it is not done yet. So I guess that you will have to make sure to return and receive it soon," Brook said with a small smile, before she started rummaging through the satchel at her side.

"Oh, and I have something for Sage as well." At her words, Kite manifested the familiar, who was bobbing expectantly as Brook produced a book. She opened it and showed the beautiful calligraphy within, slowly turning pages just the way Sage liked it while the mass of floating symbols seemed to almost absently drift closer as if it looked to simply merge with the book."

Jubilation Gratitude Gratitude Gratitude Gratitude-" Both Kite and Brook couldn't help but laugh a bit as the familiar continued emoting its joy, Brook having to go through almost half the book before Kite, deciding that to be enough for now, took the gift and closed it gently.

"I would say thank you on its behalf, but I believe that Sage made itself quite clear." he said with a smile, turning to the familiar.

"I promise that you can look at it more when we make camp tonight." Sage remained still for a while, and Kite could almost see its symbols about to coalesce into some concept of defiance when the familiar seemed to regain control, only bobbing slightly up and down before returning to Kite's aura.

"Huh, progress," Kite thought, before turning back to Brook.

"It looks like this is farewell then, Still Brook in Blooming. Or at least for now. This humble vagabond will soon come traipsing into your life once more, so I swear."

"Then I will hold you to that, dear vagabond," Brook said, with a smile.

"Return and show me what you have learned, and I will aim to do the same. Take care, Kite." The two exchanged a short embrace before going their separate ways, both waving to one another until Brook finally turned a corner, disappearing from view. Turning, Kite called to the other person who was now approaching; "Thank you for your patience."

"Oh, it is no trouble," Vista answered, closing the remaining distance. Kite had felt him announce himself with his aura earlier, but the young master had kept a respectful distance during Kite's and Brook's farewells. Vista was accompanied by a small group of family retainers, as well as his solemn leonid bodyguard, Kinthara, who only nodded curtly to Kite.

He felt like it was a small show of respect that she stayed behind with the retainers, either trusting Kite enough with her charge or her own ability to intercede before any potential danger could befall her master.

"Probably the latter," Kite thought as he spoke.

"Are you going out or returning?"

"Returning. With Crescent gone, there is one less adventurer around to really cull those contracts. The Whirlwind Warrior will prove that he can easily pick up the slack."

"Oh, I have no doubt," Kite said.

"From what I heard, most all of the Wither family's assets had been extracted, only the mistress herself being captured after the little… escapade…"

"Indeed. While it would be fitting for all of them to be properly investigated, I find myself hoping that Crescent was not involved in all of the schemes going on. While we had our differences, she did good adventuring work for the people of Bastion," Vista said.

"And you will be sorely missed too, even if you and the Gellers swiped some opportunities from me." The final statement was said in obvious good nature.

"Well, with all your growth, I am not worried that your pace will be hampered. And thank you, Vista. I have learned a lot from our time together."

"As have I. While Phiona's teachings might have been the most obvious, I will admit that it was surprisingly helpful to gain perspective from you and Rachel as well. And your path did give me some valuable pointers too," Vista finished, the last part a bit louder, which set the small crowds who had noticed their exchange bustling with murmured conversation.

"Was that really necessary?" Kite asked with a slight suffering look.

"Oh, I believe that the instigator of 'Kite's refuge' deserves some more acknowledgement. And in that regard, I also have something for you," Vista said, handing a box over to Kite.

"Call it a 'settlement' from my family. When given some time and seeing some preliminary results from your initiative, the elders seem to be a bit concerned that you haven't been compensated enough, and that such a lapse might reflect poorly on any potential relationship they might hope to have with you in the future. Summarized, I think they see a bit of potential in you, and want to stay on your good side. And I helped in picking out what it would be," the young master explained at Kite's questioning look.

Opening the box, Kite at first had a bit of trouble in identifying the object, but with some explanation from Vista, it finally clicked. What had at first just looked like a series of fine, rose-gold chains actually turned out to be a small harness, sized rather closely to a certain fish of his acquaintance. But with the beautiful craftsmanship, it looked more like some kind of decoration rather than its surprisingly utilitarian use.

"I thought that your familiar deserved some more embellishment and, due to foreseeing you traveling around a lot more together, I thought that something similar to what Whimmy is wearing might be the most fitting. Although I had the craftsman go with something different in regards to shape, as a collar like Whimmy's would have just looked a bit odd," Vista clarified, idly scratching one of the three heads.

"Vista, thank you," Kite said, clearly seeing the thought put into the item's design.

"You sure have a grasp on what Glint would like." His carp apparently agreed, as she was already tracing glimmering circles around the pair.

"Who does not like beautiful things?" Vista asked with a satisfied look.

"In addition to the usual size-changing and self-repair, its enchantments mostly aim to facilitate long-distance travel with gradually increasing speed for the familiar who wears it. It also grants increased recovery, and a small reserve of health which is released as an emergency. All to ease your travels and make you, as Glint's master, able to worry a bit less in dangerous situations. If it was possible, I would have had Whimmy wearing three of them, but alas I am left to fret."

"Then please convey my gratitude to your family. The thoughtful gesture will not be forgotten." Kite said, bowing gratefully before helping Glint into her new adornment. The rose-gold color went splendidly with her shimmering scales, the fine links draping down from her back and around some of her fins.

"Oh, I will make sure," Vista promised.

"Take care, Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune. May we meet again soon, and compare the strength of our paths."

"That is a promise, Relentless Storms hiding Beautiful Vistas," Kite said with earnestness. Taking one last look around the view of Bastion while trying to ignore the gawking crowds, Kite then turned to Glint.

"What do you say, little beauty? Shall we make our departure?" he asked. In response, the small carp grew, resplendent scales catching the sunlight as her larger and more elongated form showed her off in full splendor, veil-like shimmering fins gently swaying in the air. As promised, the harness adjusted in size, growing to fit Glint's body as she readied herself for travel. Leaping onto her back, Kite bowed once more to Vista.

"Until next time, my friend."

"May your path take you to the heavens, and beyond," the young master answered, giving a polite nod as Kite turned, water already cascading forth beneath Glint as the familiar started to accelerate, leaving a fine trail like mist in her wake. As she picked up speed, rising slowly to cruise just above the treetops, Kite could already appreciate the speed enchantment of the harness, the world opening up just a little bit more. But for now, Kite was returning to his roots, as Gilded once more beckoned.

Men and women groaned, strung up along thin chains all over the inside of a dilapidated building in the slum of Convergence, rotten wood laying splintered all over the room of what had once been an old brothel. Outside there was only silence and the darkened city, whatever people that might have been nearby knowing better than to try and get a glimpse of what was happening.

"I will ask you again; are you absolutely sure that some returned northward?" Dancer on the Broken River asked one of the women before her, the woman's sultry hunger from before replaced with her barely keeping from shivering in fear.

"Some of these pleasure-scum even proclaim to like pain, until they are shown even a fragment of its true nature. Pathetic," she thought, as she waited for her most recent captive to speak.

"I- I am sure. They said that they wanted to rebuild. But from their looks, I think they knew something. Maybe some stash hidden away?" the bronze-ranker managed to wheeze, even as the ministrations of lord Pain was flowing through her. As it was in line with her previous answers, as well as other snippets that River had been able to gather, she deemed it to be good enough.

"Then that will have to be acceptable," River said, voice flat as she activated her finisher without even a moment of forewarning. Barbs sprang out all along the chains, the pain barely having time to register before all of the links covering the room like some chaotic spiderweb suddenly contracted and started rushing back towards River to be reabsorbed. Some had time to scream, but most did not, the only sound emitted being the thunks and thuds of body parts hitting the floor.

Sensing no incoming reinforcement in the immediate vicinity through her aura senses, River took a few moments to gather up what belongings that was practical to carry, mainly a bundle of dimensional pouches. Resources were sparse, after all, especially to those not working under the wing of the Adventure Society.

Then, she returned out into the night, her speed allowing her to nimbly run up the wall and start making her way across a few rooftops, her almost translucent white hair the only part of her which reflected the light of the moon. In the distance, River thought that she felt eyes upon her from a lone silhouette almost completely unnoticeable where it stood on the tip of a high spire.

While its eyes carried a hint of power and warning, River felt little concern; she had already paid her dues to The Lover and made this strike sanctioned by the regent of Convergence's underworld. The tithe had even been but a small one, as the group following the path of pleasure had apparently skirted the silver-ranker's patience already.

"So, back north once more," River thought to herself.

"I wonder if I will find it the same? At least it will not find me having stagnated." After all, she needed power. While what she had gathered so far was merely scraps of the truth behind the attempted return of the Unbreakable Chains sect, those scraps indicated someone or something very powerful.

"But when I finally catch up to her, she will lament the day when she decided to make me one of her playthings." Memories revisited every day once more played over her mind, flashes of that shadowy silhouette being there. Until the moment of their need, when she was not. And that distinct feeling River had got that the sect leader had been smiling.

If she had to hunt down her former so-called allies to get closer to her goal, to some kind of answer as to what truly happened those many months ago, Dancer on the Broken River would definitely not be one to lose any sleep over it.