Carius walked next to Atlas, just a step behind Chen Sui, they were left unguarded, for the most part. This was as perfect time as any, Carius had been trying to communicate to Atlas with great vigor in his face and hand signals.

He was anxious, his heart beating out of his chest. He, Cao, Lui and the other children had gone through great trouble to get him in this position in only a week. They had had to steal, kill, plot and scheme despicable acts. They destroyed lives just to get this one chance. Carius pulled apart his robes with folds within folds and revealed the absolute supercharged military grade explosive he had converted it to. They even had a hostage they could take advantage of. With an ambush from Atlas they could do it. They had to. Or else it would be too late.

“Atlas.” Chen Sui spoke as they approached the west side of his home. Carius’s ears twitched, his blood froze. Dread filled the pits of his stomach. “I hear that on earth a situation has come to light. All around the world people are tuning in to hear about the little cripple. Argea the Cultivator, her incredible abilities, and her status as a Survivor from an otherworlder attack. That is how they are passing it around.” Carius’ mind shattered. It did not compute.

“I heard some servants speaking of it. I know Argea. She is a very strong girl. While she did not get physically crippled by the attack, it did hurt her. It is only for the better anyway. If she can catch the world’s attention and stop the army from being so trusting, and delay them, that’s enough.”

“But Atlas? Aren’t you being way too trusting as well? Do you not know what I means?” Chen Sui entered his homed, passed through and came to the inner courtyard, he dropped his shirt and turned around, in a combat ready stance, eyes piercing at Carius and Atlas both.

“I know, of course I do. And yet here I am, asking you to let this go. Let Carius return to the Moonlight Troupe, or back home on earth and find our family. Let me stay here and call Ancient Ju back, so I can persuade her. If we don’t work from both sides, even if Argea succeeds it won’t matter, if they can force normal men and women to die in their trials, those like the citizens of Borsi who depend on the protection of the Eternal Pavilion and the resources of the Eternal City to function.”

“Wait, Atlas.” Carius interjected. Chen Sui inched forward, his muscles tense. “I know this is not the time… But, is there something I don’t know about the conflict with the Crystal Palace and the Spring Sage. Why is Argea there? Why not Xanthip, she would never let, what is essentially her daughter, go to a world congress meeting halfway across the world, right in the middle of the enemy’s heart!” Carius doubts grew as he spoke. A premonition sunk into his blood, his very DNA knew it. He turned to Chen Sui.

“From what I heard.” Chen Sui answered. “There was a counter attack of a special strike force to retake their home, by the Laertis Clan alone. An explosion tens of kilotons big, however much that is, apparently left the compound a charred mess of black snow and cinder.

{BAM!} A slap cut across Atlas’ cheek. Both he and Chen Sui stood in sock. Atlas staggered backwards as blood oozed from his broken skin, gathered slowly at the surface of his cheek.

“You, Atlas, have truly gone crazy. This astounds me… My own nephew, friend, and brother, had almost turned tailcoat. Knowing this, and not acting out. You have betrayed the Laertis Family, your only family.”

“Betrayal!? I’ve been trying to built a rapport. We need a different solution than just cutting off communications. What about the Chasm people! The Lost children! Should we just leave them to rot?!” Atlas held his cheek, he shouted back, incredulous. “Can we just continue living on earth, completely ignoring the Eternal Pavilions? Or the knowledge and help the people here can offer us? Do you know how many deaths will happen as normal people go against Nature?!”

“You keep your tone down when speaking to an elder, young man, or have you even forgotten the basic manners the clan taught you? You are an irresponsible child. You refuse to kill to save your people, your choice. You lose your status as heir and run away, your choice, you decide to not return at the time of your clan’s most dire need… Your choice. You take on another set of responsibilities on a whim! You dump them on me as you take on another responsibility to save the Earth, and fail! And now you want to save not only the earth but the Eternal city as well!? You have got to be the most egotistical, irresponsible, petulant little child I have ever seen grow out of the mighty Laertis Clan.”

“And now I won’t stop there, because I have two very good comparisons for you to understand. I gave up on my dreams, on my passion, on my talent and dove back into a world I hate to pay back my Clan and my people for all they’ve done. HE!” Carius pointed at Chen Sui, his face red, his neck bulging. “Has to deal with a drunkard failure of a father that mocks his dreams, and even his sexuality while he does nothing but lament the past, yet he still stays here, taking on the role of Heir to the best of his abilities, swallowing his anger and disappointment for his has a duty! With his Clan!”

Carius’ breath was rugged. His heart was torn. “I’m sorry I slapped you Atlas. I’m leaving.” Carius eyes looked to the ground. He pushed past Atlas, and with a wave form Chen Sui’s hand no one was to stop him from leaving.

Atlas could not move. He could barely think. Chen Sui did not relax his combat stance. “That was interesting. Yet I don’t hold you in less regard after hearing of your atrocious neglect. Everyone takes a different path in life. Carius was probably expecting something else from you. But I can see your heart and mind were never so tied to your clan from the very beginning. You have a different quest to follow.”

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“You’re probably right. It’s been right in my face for four, going on five years now. I only love four people in that clan. But, you know. It hurts. To know that other see you as a monster, and you hadn’t even noticed. What am I supposed to do with this?”

“It matters not, to me at least, you figure it out on your own. Carius has only shed some light on your real self. So, let us fight, no holds barred this time. If you come out of this victorious. I Shall let you go.”

“I might just escape you know.” Atlas said, knowing that he could do so if he wanted.

“Not if you don’t want your little Moonlight Troupe to be exposed and chased down sold to slavery and tortured to death, you won’t.”

“You wouldn’t do that.” Atlas said as he picked up the wooden spear Chen Sui threw at him.

“Maybe I wouldn’t but who knows what that old geezer will do, when he finds out the location of their base.”

“You’re right. I’ll beat you to a pulp and then get out. If I win, you talk Ancient Ju into stopping the conflict that will arise. The top echelons of my world will not go along with the plan Argea supports. I just hope she comes out -!” Atlas' eyes focused ahead as a sharp blast of Qi pierced straight for his throat.

He snapped his head to the side, a small nick on his cheek.

“No more talk. We fight.” Chen Sui tightened his lips to a line, his brows pressed folds into his forehead. He rushed into action first. A furor of dirt knocked up behind him as he brought his spear right at Atlas’ neck

{PAM!}

The two wooden poles connected. A clear clasp stood alone in the silent courtyard.

Atlas brought his hands forward, he twisted Chen Sui’s pole down until the young man pulled it out, forced to step back. But Atlas dove in. Two quick shuffles forward and he was too close. He brought a jab forward, smashing Chen Sui in the nose, his head clocked back.

Yet Atlas pulled back at the last second, a cut scored on the webbing of his knuckles. Both men distanced from each other, blood stained the dirt near both of them.

Atlas spun the spear on his side. Twirling closer to Chen Sui. His spear lunched from behind him with terrific force. Chen Sui predicted the move and ducked below the flying spear, a confused smile frozen on his face when the spear stopped short, held at its end by Atlas’ claw like grip. With a kick, soft dirt flew into Chen Sui’s eyes and Atlas charged in, he jumped over Sui’s sweeping blow, flew high in the air, and silently cut through it. His speed just slow enough to not rustle any wind.

Chen Sui could not dodge that, he could use nearly none of his senses to see the attack coming. Instead he purely guessed. He raised his spear in his hands only for it to parry Atlas’ flying attack.

Still, before Atlas dropped to the ground he curled his body in, and drop kicked at Chen Sui, the spear splintered into two as his shin collapsed on it. He landed and rolled aside, dodging a well aimed kick to the head, now that Chen Sui could once again see. Sui thumped the sole of his extended foot to the ground and twisted his waist. Half the broken spear pole rocketed straight for Atlas, who pushed himself off the ground at the last second, a large gash spreading across his torso, first only revealing skin, only to then unleash a stream of blood.

But Atlas grabbed onto the broken piece of wood as it flew by and with a few toes on the ground spun. He snapped it right back at twice the speed. His feet already springing into action as he followed the projectile. Chen Sui parried it aside, he pulled his legs together and jumped back, flipping, keeping his eyes on Atlas.

He saw him sooner than he had expected, right below him Atlas slid on the slick mud, from sweat and blood. Pushing with his hands he sent a straight double kick at Chen Sui’s face. He took it on his guard. Yet he flew high into the air. He spun, centered himself and fell down on Atlas. He fell legs first, bicycle kicks aiming to dissuade any attacks.

But maybe just to stupefy him Atlas did not make any move. He simple stepped back, half a step, waited a moment, took a breath, and then attacked. With no choice but to follow gravity’s will Chen Sui landed to the ground, his muscles tensed, his knees buckled and for a split second he was immobile.

“Don’t Move!” He screamed at the guards ready to pounce. This was his most exemplary defeat yet. The spear tip grew in his eyes till it became a mountain growing past him towering over his existence. He waited with bated breath for the strike to come. Yet it was only a faint prick right between his eyes and the gust of wind that signaled the end of the fight.

Chen Sui’s eyes watched as Atlas pulled back his spear and exhaled steam from his lungs. His turbulent heart slowed, rested. His eyes were clear. In silence Atlas caressed his pained cheek with the tips of his fingers. With every brush a rush of memories and thoughts pinged in his mind.

“I have not been able to best you once. If it was any other man he would have had his will broken.” Chen Sui bowed his head in respect to his opponent. Younger, ignoble, from a world without Qi and at a cultivation much lower, yet stronger in pure martial skill without a doubt. “If only you managed to develop a killing intent, you could probably stop all those paupers from doing harm to your people. But you’re naive still. You have much yet to see.”

“The haunting spasms of that dying boy, my mistake, my indecision. They will become the foundation upon which this city will be built anew. As a place where the two worlds will converge. The most important city to have ever existed. Speak with the Ancient, rally your clan. Help start this meeting on the right foot, stop the schemes.” Atlas said, he turned and walked off, hands empty. He did not expect an answer, or even the support he asked, after all it was only a training spar over which the two young men had wagered.

He was let go without any troubles. Descending the thousand stories was left to his own means, something which Atlas appreciated, he still needed to deliberate, on his regrets, his behavior. He had to meet with the children of the Moonlight troupe.

But as Atlas had steeled himself to continue on the path he had started, other factions were also moving. Carius had exited the Eternal City, uncertain anger evaporating to nostalgic love, and then a profound loneliness. He smelt the rot, the ash, he felt the acid rain on his body and saw the torn up forest. He knew what it truly meant, that their grounds were turned to cinders. Regret, regret, and more regret. Carius screamed.