Even if they properly worked together, Tauno was uncertain if he and the hairy beast he was fighting could beat this assassin. The Harmonious Citadel’s saints preferred to conceal their names for the narrative that they were eternal and limitless, and the dagger saint was secretive even before she secured her position. Thus, Tauno really didn’t know her name. But the description had been accurate enough for him to determine it was her, and not some other Augmentation dagger wielder from the Harmonious Citadel.
Which was good, because if there was an extra one of them, Tauno worried about the prospects of the Scarlet Alliance. Then again, if the Harmonious Citadel could actually crush them, they would have done so decades before.
But instead of worrying about that, Tauno realized he should be considering how to stay alive. Poisons wrestled in his guts, one turning his blood into jelly and hopefully keeping much of the other contained. He dodged away from his yaklike opponent that would still be quite happy to spear him. The open terrain around was a danger, allowing his enemies to come from every direction.
With a few quick movements, Tauno dashed towards higher cliffs. He was unable to detect the dagger saint following him, though he presumed she did. The beast he had been fighting was too stubborn to give up. Which was exactly the sort of thing he liked in his opponents.
It charged towards him, and he ducked out of the way as best he could. The wide horns gouged out a huge chunk of the cliff as the creature stopped itself and slashed towards him. He’d hoped for it to run face first into the cliff, but unfortunately it wasn’t that easy.
At least he had one side that was protected, so he only had to watch somewhere around a hundred and eighty degrees around him. Plus above and below.
A single redirected snowflake tipped him off to an incoming attack, and he managed to sway back, the dagger merely slicing into his scale and hide armor and not penetrating deeper. He couldn’t afford more poison or bleeding wounds, so even if it took a bit more energy to achieve those results, that was what he had to do.
He continued to circle around, counterattacking when he could but as often as possible getting the beast between him and the dagger saint. Its senses were top notch, so it could pick her out even as she tried to sneak past. She was fast, but even so it had to tire her out to avoid swiping horns while countering with her daggers. The compact beast continued to charge with intent to trample either of them. Once or twice it hit the cliffs, but the cliff always got the worst part of the equation. Stone was gouged out, earth trembling. And the beast wasn’t stupid enough to actually hit its head, so it minded not at all.
Tauno threw a few scavenged talons, using them like darts. He didn’t expect to cause any serious damage, but he hoped he at least delayed the dagger saint’s approach as he drew the ire of the beast once more. Then it charged him, energy extending beyond its horns and digging up masses of snow, dirt, and stone.
Tauno dove forward under the creature’s legs, twisting his body sideways. No doubt it never expected anything to intentionally get into trampling position, so it wasn’t prepared to adjust its stride. Then it crashed into the cliff.
The glint of a dagger came at the same time as the crashing cliff. Tauno swiped with his spear while rolling to stab a fang where he thought a foot must be. His movements prevented his throat from being cut, instead earning him a gash along a cheek. But any intended follow-ups were discarded with the desire to escape the collapsing cliff face. It would likely cause little actual damage to the dagger saint, but as Tauno was buried beneath it, he knew he could have taken advantage of the lack of mobility.
He was quite happy that the beast seemed to find the collapsing cliff as an attack, and it continued to tear it apart with its horns, turning the temporary hazards into a longer term landslide.
During that time, Tauno churned through the sludge of blood and poison in his guts. He then happily took advantage of the creature’s distraction to strike with his spear, finishing off the exhausted creature. He half expected the dagger saint to strike then… but it seemed she might have withdrawn. A shame, but he had two very sharp horns and some excellent hide to make something out of.
If he was not wrong, he had survived a bout with the dagger saint… which was good enough for him. Great, in fact, given that he was here for training. With new equipment and some experience, he thought he might end up ahead. Assuming the poison didn’t have too many long term consequences.
-----
For the first time in over a decade, Anton was back on Ceretos. Passing through the less populated but nonetheless settled outer planets, he finally reached his first home. It was good to be back. He had many people he wanted to speak to in person, instead of impersonally through communicators.
And it was a place to rest. Too many things weighed down on his mind. People he wished to help, others he was uncertain if he should interfere with. Matters of the twin planets, In’istra, Aipra, and Poriza were jostling around in his head. That was all without wondering about Ekict, though that wasn’t his responsibility anymore. And he preferred to keep it like that. He was no longer bound to their star, and he felt that an appropriate end.
Before he announced his presence, he sought out familiar presences. Lev, in the ever expanding domain of the Grasping Willows- the Grandfather Willow itself several times the width it had been when Anton first laid eyes upon it. Annelie, within the Palace of Fire and Ice. Treloar, of the Worthy Shore Society. Many others from both continents. Anton wasn’t quickly able to find Nthanda, because her energy was quite restrained… but he assumed she was around somewhere. Devon seemed to be visiting Paradise.
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Finally, at the Order… he found Vincent. Through their connection, had the man already realized his return? Perhaps that was the case. Regardless, Anton approached closer to the planet. He carried a token that would grant him access through the barrier- and while certain individuals might not know of his return, someone would. It was unfortunate that the comings and going had to be watched, but Anton found it preferable than letting in dangers. And he seldom had any reasons to make his arrival private.
Anton descended through the atmosphere, towards a familiar mountain. Moments later, he landed next to Vincent.
“Sect Head,” Vincent and those engaged in conversation with him greeted him at the same time.
Anton nodded and smiled. “Good to see you, Vincent.” He greeted the others by name as well- he would have newcomers to memorize, but he could easily keep track of the hundreds of individuals in Life Transformation. For others, he might know little but a name and face- but he had only grown more determined to keep up with that since the war with Ekict. “If you will excuse us, I need to speak to elder Vincent about something.”
The disciples swiftly left, of course. It wasn’t quite an order, but they also weren’t engaged in anything important enough to delay.
“What do you need?” Vincent asked.
“Come, let us retreat to the offices,” Anton said. “I would prefer privacy.”
“Is it something dangerous?” Vincent asked.
“Don’t worry,” Anton shook his head. “It is nothing like that. But I don’t want to announce it to everyone immediately.”
Anton’s private rooms were modest, at least compared to the luxury he could have had as the head of one of the most powerful sects on the planet- or in the whole of the lower realms, most likely. Not that they were meager, but they were lacking in some of the ostentation certain individuals preferred. Instead, they were somewhat practical. Fine materials were used not just for beauty, but for durability. Left alone, the bookshelves and the books upon them would last centuries at minimum.
Anton sat behind the desk, gesturing for Vincent to sit across from him. “So…” Anton said. “I have been gone for some time.”
“As one would expect of someone in your position,” Vincent said. “Do not worry, we are able to handle the affairs here without you. The elders are all very competent.”
“Indeed,” Anton said. “Which is why I think that it should be this way longer term.”
“Are you planning to leave again immediately?” Vincent asked.
“Not quite,” Anton said. “But that’s not the matter at hand. The sect does not need me.” Anton held up a hand, “Of course, I don’t mean to imply the sect does not want me. I understand that I am appreciated. But, if it came down to it and I was away, you would be required to make the decision as acting sect head. So we might as well make that official.”
“... What?” Vincent asked.
“It’s not so strange. Don’t think of this as me giving up my position. In fact, if you look at it from a certain angle… I may even be elevating my own status. You will be promoted to the local sect head. Meanwhile, I will be establishing more branches of the sect. You are already aware of In’istra, of course.”
“... I will be?” Vincent looked astonished. “Me?”
“Of course. There is none more respected among us, and you are our only other Assimilation cultivator. You already fulfill the duties.” There were more than a few potentials who might reach Assimilation soon. There had been a glut of cultivators around Anton’s training group, along with numerous ascension cultivators in the following one hundred and fifty years. But as far as Assimilation cultivators went, Vincent was the lone example. After all, ascension was generally preferred- and potentially easier, though nobody had ever experienced both so they could only do inexact comparisons.
“I simply hadn’t thought about it much,” Vincent admitted.
“Good. I prefer you to act as you would already. The only thing that should change is your title,” Anton said. “Perhaps you will have more people who wish to speak to you, but those who are important would have already accepted you. And should people need me… I do not intend to abandon our alliance. I will simply be more difficult to access, as people must have grown used to recently.”
“When do you plan to announce it?” Vincent asked.
“That would be up to you. Whenever is convenient. We can discuss the schedule. But before that, tell me of our new disciples.” Most likely they could spend several hours simply going over names and dates, but Anton didn’t mind that. He was already itching to tell Vincent more details about disciples on In’istra. And his thoughts on recruiting people elsewhere. There were so many places, but they didn’t necessarily need to follow the same cultivation path.
Though if Anton could be a little biased, he thought the One Hundred Stars was one of the best methods available, suitable for a wide variety of individuals.
The discussion at some point drifted to the war in the upper realms- it was unfortunate how little they could do to help, but Anton believed in those who were there. “I’d love to meet my latest grandson up there,” Anton said. He could keep track of how many generations removed certain individuals were, but he saw little point in adding extra words into conversation. “Apparently Chidi is more like his namesake than his parents ever expected.”
“I would love to speak with Prospero as well,” Vincent sighed. “But the divide between realms doesn’t make that easy.”
“Yet it also keeps us safe… sometimes, at least.” Anton said. “Once we have fully established powers friendly to us, perhaps that might change. But it will be a slow process. But regardless of distance, we can still be connected in hearts and minds.”