Heaven Split

Kira was currently running towards the weapons shop. As he had close to sixty thousand credits, he could now afford a weapon. He had already recovered from yesterday’s small battle; hence he no longer delayed and went to the smithy.

As he entered Jangala Armaments, the clanking noise from outside, became subdued, and he saw once again, Luxa standing at the desk. Since it was early in the morning, no one had arrived at the shop to buy any weapons. Most people disliked window shopping early in the morning after all.

Luxa was keeping her head low, an exasperated look, as she was being berated by a man who looked similar to her.

The man looked at Kira in annoyance, but turned to leave. He heard his faint voice being sent to Luxa “Just make sure to not dream yourself to sorrow. She is never coming back.”

Luxa was clutching at her necklace, her eyes closed. Her face showed faint sorrow on it, she then immediately brightened up, as she had noticed Kira standing in front of her.

Kira smiled at her “Senior Luxa, I have met your friend Koi. I was pleased by her character and have decided to only sell to her from now on.” he had noticed her sorrow, and decided he would try to make her smile.

Luxa gave a smile, and nodded “I am pleased I could help.” she then said teasingly “Well, what can I do for the mighty spear of Jangala?”

He raised an eyebrow at her, not knowing what to make of that title. Seeing2 his confusion, she said in disbelief “Your new title? Have you been living under a rock for the past week? Do you not listen to the radio?”

He had noticed the radio on Miu’s bike. But she never seemed to turn it on. The transmission crystal was always turned off. He also had no interest in any entertainment.

He said as a matter of fact “I have no senior Luxa.”

In a sarcastic voice “Of course. An exalted immortal such as yourself, would not have time to drop down to us mortals.” she waved it off, her face turning excited “Then you probably don’t know. Allot of people in the city know you now. I listened in for the new event. They said you ran with such resolve; you forgot to stop at the end of your flight. Odin has a new spear, is what they said, this time, one that does not break. They said you destroyed ten buildings before your charge ended.”

A bit surprised “That is misleading. I was reckless, and paid for it by crashing through a building. It was not as heroic as you make it sound”

“Stop being modest. You are basically spoken in the same breath as Gungnir. Do not try to fool me.” she was adamant in believing what she had heard.

He shook his head and sighed. “I have come to buy a weapon. I would like your advice on how to pick. I have seen many weapons in the catalogue, but I felt nothing special from any of them.” Kira was a bit overwhelmed by having to make this choice.

Luxa nodded seriously, “You are right. Your choice needs to be final. You won't get another windfall in racing for another year. The prize pool is only offered as a prize, once a year. The rest, the house takes it all, so you won't be getting easy money from now on.”

“Don't worry. When someone is serious about buying, they are allowed to browse physically. You can't choose based on an image.”

She then called the man who looked similar to her. He was middle aged, and had brown hair, unlike Luxa’s blonde.

He thought this was weird, since he had not seen any other blonde hair on this planet. Perhaps Luxa’s parents were from off world.

“I am Nuwodor. Have you decided on what kind of weapon you would buy?” he seemed neither happy nor upset at having to serve Kira.

Kira shook his head and frowned “I have not. In fact, I would appreciate if the manager gives me some advice” cupping his fist with his right hand.

The manager relaxed and took Kira trough a room in the back.

Kira sensed passing through some kind of psionic film, as he moved into the basement of the shop. The clanking noise grew sharper, but soon subsided completely as they entered a large room.

An immense armory appeared in front of them. As it was underground, the lighting was all done by crystals. The warm light they emanated, made the weapons who were all stored in racks, shine brightly.

A rainbow of colors, weapons of all sizes and shapes. Kira was a bit surprised at how defenseless it all looked. He decided to not act rashly, as the film he had senses as he went deeper into the building, triggered his senses. Who knew what kind of defenses and precautions the owners had set up.

“The weapons are all laid out base on type. The spear rack, the sword rack, the one-sided blade and so on. There is also the uncommon section.” pointing towards a massive rack of weapons that were unorthodox and seemed to just be piled on top of each other, carelessly.

Kira went close to that one, and saw a weapon he had not expected to see. A scythe.

The scythe was two meters in length, and it a two-sided blade, over one meter in length. It was made from wooden with purple lines criss crossing it. It also had a long chain attached to it.

He could feel how vicious such a weapon would be. Able to attack from a distance, while not being weak in proximity. However, he felt such a weapon would not suit him.

He went to look at the swords, and despite all of them, giving him confidence in how he would fare with them, he still had the feeling he could not control them properly.

The sword seemed to flow like water, while he crashed like thunder. Although the sword could stab, he more so charged his opponent. He had not fought many times, but he knew he would not like a style that would have him run around his opponent trying to wear him down.

“Despite my calm disposition, it seems a sword, is not a good fit for me.”

He moved passed the sabers, since they seemed too similar to swords. The only difference seemed to be in the recklessness they exuded.

As he came in front of the spear rack, he stopped to analyze and have a feel for the weapons. He turned towards the manager “Would it be possible to hold one in my hand.”

The manager nodded “Yes it allowed. Do try not to use psionic energy as you test the weapon. It will trigger the alarms.” cautioning the customer, while at the same time warning him to not cause trouble. What an experienced manager.

He picked up the simplest looking spear, as he only wanted to test the weapon, not the metal.

He spun it around him casually, causing a gust of wind to form inside the large room.

Luxa had followed them, and had not said anything up to this point. She had been quietly observing them with sparkling eyes. She gazed mesmerized at Kira. How he spun around with the weapon, how easily he thrusted and swept with the spear.

Kira grabbed the spear underneath his right arm. He spread his legs shoulder width apart, and grunted as he stabbed forward.

The air snaped. Pa!

He could feel the ground underneath his legs being reinforced by something, otherwise he would have broken the tiles on the floor.

He nodded his head. “This is it. I feel I can work with such a weapon.”

He then turned towards the manager “I have sixty thousand credits. Show me what I can afford.”

The manager then turned towards the rack, explaining the different spears he had that fit his budget. The proportion he could access were enough for him to get dizzy. Allot of buyers were small time cultivators. The collection of weapons here, being only for the Mortal Adept rank.

Kira asked out of curiosity “How much would a weapon for a rank 1 cultivator cost?”

The manager pondered how he should respond and said after much deliberation “It is not that easy when you reach the Immortal Ascendancy realm. You cannot just buy a weapon and expect to be a match for your burning soul. The weapon must be a part of you. And the base of the weapon, is the one you buy at the Mortal Adept rank. So, I suggest you pick a high-quality material. Picking an unsuitable base for your life’s partner, would lead a cultivator to ruin further on his path. That kind of a weapon would be called an Immortal Weapon. Forging such a weapon would require expenses up in the tens of millions.”

Kira was shocked by such a revelation. He had made some calculations, and knew that he would need to hunt for decades if he wanted to reach such exorbitant amounts. It was something not possible in practice.

As he looked down at the spears in front of him, he was faced with a dilemma. He had two spears as candidates for a weapon. One was a cheaper version and the shaft was made from black purple wood. It was a special wood found only on Jangala. The tip was in arrow shape, heavy in weight, one which would lodge inside his opponent once it was there. Such a weapon required him to close the battle in one hit. Obviously, he could pull out the spear, but the weapon had a style of combat to it. He could not ignore it, and do as he please. It would not harmonize with the weapon itself.

Kira did not know why he felt this. This seemed strange, if one thought logically about it. It was after all, just a weapon. But coupled with what the manager had said, that this would be a base for his Immortal Weapon, he thought such thought should not be discounted. Even if they may seem unreasonable.

The other spear, introduced by the manager as “tougher then battlestar plating,” had shuttle tip, one which would require multiple thrust and an agile type of combat. A style which was more flowing then crashing. A weapon which would puncture his opponent a hundred times, wearing him down over time. Again, this feeling cropped up as he took the spear in his hand. Despite the spear being made of metal, it was light and soft to the touch.

The metal spear was of higher quality material, but he felt the wooden spear would fit with his character much better.

“You should pick what your heart wants!” Luxa’s voice shattered the silence. She trembled as she spoke, seemingly afraid to voice her thoughts.

“Silence! Why are you down here, and not doing your job!” the man angered at her courage. He seemed incensed by what she had done, his face turning red from anger.

Luxa trembled at his words, and took a step back with her face in the ground.

Kira smiled gently as he pondered over what she had said.

He gestured towards the manager and said calmly and with a steady tone “She is my friend. I invited her to give me advice.”

The man turned angry at Kira “What could a mere mortal know about immortal affairs.”

The light of understanding passed through his eyes. He had sensed her reluctance at him calling her senior. He had thought it was because she was young, but it would seem the reason was because she simply was not an ability user.

Kira’s face turned grave “Although I, Kira, have not lived for long, I do not see the heart of an immortal, transcend the realm of a mortal one. Since my heart is on the same level as hers, why should she not give advice to me? Why would I let pride, stop me from listening to my own heart.”

“Childish! As the centuries will pile on, you’ll no longer entertain such youthful drivel.”

Kira nodded “Perhaps. I do not see the future. But if climbing the heavens, requires me to lose my heart, what use would I have for them?”

He then turned to Luxa, who no longer trembled. She gasped slightly; the words this young man had said to her father. A Burning Soul powerhouse. Someone who she could only bow down to, and not dare to even question.

She once more clutched at her necklace. Memories flooded her mind, of that woman that spoke similar nonsense to him. How she was equal to even mortals, despite being able to split mountains.

With a domineering tone he said “Thank you Luxa. Hahaha! To think that I almost entertained the thought, of not following my heart.” he shook his head “I barely just started on this road, and I was already prepared to abandon all that I unlearned.”

He then swiftly grabbed the wooden spear, afraid it might take flight and leave.

woosh woosh woosh

Spinning with it, swirling it around him, he closed his eyes. With elation in his movements, he performed a spear dance, spinning and sweeping; thrusting and stabbing; all done in a chaotic manner.

His movements had no center, followed no rhythm, each and every move done all according to how he felt, and how he observed his path to be.

He did not think of how he should move, he only moved as the spear guided him. He had never in his life, handled a weapon. But his body enhanced beyond mortal comprehension, instinctively knew how to handle the weapon. His arms trying to blend with the spear, in a bid to make it part of them.

His moves turned faster, making Luxa widen her eyes. There was some reluctance to close her eyes to the wind pressure. She struggled to keep them open. He looked so free. Would she ever be so free?

As he kept moving, a gentle smile formed on his face. He danced among the weapon racks, making the weapons clank as they hit each other. It looked as if they were cheering for him.

As she kept watching him, he appeared more and more unfettered, as if nothing in the world mattered, no his moves, not this world, not even him.

Of course he does not feel as I do. He does not care about anything. He does not care for others. He does not care about the world. Someone like him, would act this way even if he wasn’t an immortal. Their opinions? If you eliminate the root, how can a branch still make you scared?

The more she watched him, the calmer her thought current became. The more she saw, the less she knew. The more she observed, the better her flow.

The manager noticed the psionic energy in the air and became incensed. “You think if you belong to the Empress, I can't throw you out! Enough! Get out!” pointing towards the door.

CLANG!

As he finished his movement, the weapons shaft crashed into the ground. The room transferred the noise throughout the building.

“Not without this weapon.” shaking his head gently.

Luxa had a calm smile on her face, even as her father screamed again at her, she only nodded gently and left.

The manager seemed to have calmed down, and his professional smile presented itself again.

Kira wondered why he had calmed down so fast. Was it because of the weight of the Empress, or was it something else. Since he was under Mira now, he had no qualms about riding her fame to safety.

He did not think she would mind him using it as a small deterrent against an angry shop manager. He felt so good about the weapon. Just before, as he was immersed in dancing with the spear, he had felt a strange connection forming with the weapon. He would not call it emotional attachment, but it felt similar. More holistic. Something he only felt, not understood. Even though he had not used psionic energy, the spear dance felt immortal and unfettered. He would not give this spear away. The manager would have to fight him for it.

Thankfully, it did not come that. As he paid the manager the sum of credits, he was once again left poor. With this weapon, and by studying the scroll he got from Mira, he hoped he could hunt in more dangerous terrain.

He was planning to go on a long hunting expedition. One which would require him to stay away from the city for an extended period of time. He wanted to test himself against nature and all it had to offer. Not just beats.

If he could go faster than the speed of sound, he could outrun most powerful predators in a long run. Most beasts, were only dangerous in short pursuits.

He nodded at Luxa, seeing as her mood had settled, he would pay her a visit before he left for the hunting trip. He would want to treat Miu to a big meal just before he left. He would see her at the restaurant.

Kira headed home in a rush. Today, Mira would try to catch the deviated cultivator. He would try to study the scroll until the final moment. Mira said she did not allow it, be he asked Miu to take him with her when she followed Mira. She had agreed to it. He would stay out of their way, but he wanted to see how someone as powerful as Mira fought.

He arrived in his room. And sat cross legged as he pulled out the scroll from his backpack.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

It was made from brown metallic sheet, unadorned and simple. As he opened it, he saw it was not written in the usual letters of the world, but some old scrip which he did not recognize. There was different symbol, all made up of combined straight lines.

He placed his hand onto the scroll, and sent his soul perception into it.

His perception got pulled in, and his awareness jumped into a white world of nothing but light.

After what felt to be an eternity, he slowly formed a body, and after even more time passed, solid earth, had appeared beneath his feet.

A blue sky and white clouds blinked into his eyes, and in between the sky and grassy earth, stood a man with blonde long hair and steadfast demeanor.

That was all he could see about him. He could not sense anything else other than a vague feeling about how he looked. Only his blonde hair fluttering in the wind seemed clear.

“Before one understands his lightning, one must first understand himself.”

An ethereal transmission, unknown in nature.

The man began to perform a series of movements with his hands and legs. Quickly switching positions and flowing like water among rocks.

He would strike with a fist or a kick, only abruptly so, his movements that of a mortal. His hits were not fast, nor could they shake the earth, but Kira could feel a flow to them, one so pure he could not completely feel.

Kira closed his eyes and started moving in tandem with the golden silhouette. Flowing. Crashing. He did not bother checking if he was copying correctly. He only moved.

Just like he had done with the spear dance, and just like he had done when racing, except this time, he no, longer felt his movements.

He allowed himself to be carried, trying to perceive his soul and the way it moved.

Gently opening his eyes, he was standing face to face with the silhouette, which nodded, and lifted its arm high in the air.

Kiri kiri kiri kiri

As lightning snaked around his arm, Kira’s senses saw the way lightning flowed around it. He also lifted his arm and lightning did the same for him.

He could sense the lightning being pulled into his body, and following the path he had allowed them to take the first time.

“Don't tell the lightning where to flow, let it crash wherever it please.”

After doing a dozen revolution around his body, the voice continued. “Let it cover your arm, just as it coats your soul.”

He saw the lightning snakes turn into a glove of lightning covering his arm. He struck with the arm, hand forming blade.

Kira tried to emulate his movements, but the lightning did not flow properly. It was messy around his arm, unlike the silhouette’s calm and gentle flow.

Knock knock

He felt a light knocking on his soul, making him open his eyes out of meditation. He realized it was Miu outside the door.

He looked out the window; it was already night.

“Cmon. She already left.” not waiting for him to respond, sensing he had already woken up from his meditation, she picked him up under the arm, and jumped out the window.

“I sense trouble. So I am going to go fast. It's another alchemical lab, about ten kilometers from here.” she let herself fall gently toward the ground.

As her leg touched the ground, she tensed her muscles, and Kira could feel the whole street behind her, tightening up, as if something had squeezed it, making it have a feel as if it compacted itself.

The next moment, all he felt was, a deafening thundering noise, and all his bones creaking from the wind pressure.

He opened his eyes, and looked back at the street, rapidly becoming smaller and smaller in his vision. He saw no cracks in the street at all. By the time he computed all of it, they were already a kilometer away, thundering through the air.

He did not know she was doing it, but Miu was flying. It took them less than two minutes to get to where they were going, and Kira felt she could have been somewhat faster, had she not carried him with her.

A bright light flashed before his eyes, a dozen seconds later followed by a booming sound.

“Tsk. We are running late. That is the second lab, this is not looking good.” Miu sounded a bit concerned at the idea of losing another alchemical facility.

Kira knew that most of the revenue of Mira’s empire, came from alchemical labs. She also only had a handful of them trough out the entire city. The insurance she paid, only covered one lab. The other one would have to come out of her pocket.

As they got closer to the explosion, they could see collapsed buildings everywhere, and the damage extended even further then the blast. Buildings over a half a kilometer away, having had their windows shattered. Kira could hear people weeping and screaming, despair and sorrow filling the air.

The ceiling of leaves dropping down its embers, apparent tears for those who died.

As he kept listening to the people who wept and cried in hopelessness, he could feel something with his soul. It was not compassion or any other attachment that filled him, but something scratching at his soul. Tha despair they felt with their souls, could be felt trough space. The psionic energy attached to this space, catching a revolting feel, being twisted by the emotions of these mortals.

Miu dropped Kira a couple hundred meters from the center of the explosion, and swiftly went after Mira.

Ten buildings were completely destroyed in the center, further ones were a ruin, piles of rubble. Kira got on top of a building and saw Mira stand in front of a man who was bloody and kneeling on the ground.

His clothes were all in tatters and he was panting heavily. Even exhausted, Kira could still feel a chaotic flow to his energy.

Mira seemed calm but she had a puzzled expression. “Who are you. Why don’t I sense a burning soul from you?”

“AGHHHHHH!”

The man roared wildly and tried punching Mira head on.

SLAP!

Kira only saw the man's head splatter in the air, as Mira pulled her hand back.

His body fell down like a sack of meat, blood flowing out of the stump that once held a head.

Miu sent energy to her hand, boiling away all remnant of blood on her hand.

Miu had already appeared by her side when a loud thundering noise was transmitted through the air.

A dozen meters away from them, a tall man, two meters in height, appeared crashing into the ground.

“Second one this year. Yamato will not be pleased that you can't maintain order.” he had a black cultivator robe, and one could tell he had a body filled with muscles and overflowing with power. He had a cruel smile on his face, apparent joy at Mira’s plight.

Although Mira was not short, she looked like a dwarf compared to him.

Her face turned stone cold and she hissed at him “Arnt you courting death?”

“You think me so easily killed!” He thundered at her and he began revolving his psionic energy.

The soul pressure emanating from him, crashed into Kira who stood in the distance. Kira's legs crashed into the ground feeling him to his knees. Even though his body no longer worked on air, his nails dug at the concrete of the building, he could not breath.

He gasped for air, fear creeping into his soul. What is happening? I am going to suffocate?

The lifted his head to glance at the people among the ruble and saw they had fallen to the ground, blood seeping out of their mouths. Weeping could be heard no longer.

Around Mira and her opponent, the air boiled, and Kira could feel his face burn, even hundreds of meters away. When he looked up, he saw the sky in flames.

Shuaaa!

The sound of the ceiling catching fire horrifying him. They can do such damage, only by staring at each other. What would happen if they started fighting.

Mira grinded her teeth, and said in a low voice “So you have finally reached the peak.”

“HAHAHA! That’s right! Do you still dare talk back to me?” he venomously threw the words at her, hoping they could stab her dead.

“Hahaha! Power is useless in front of technique! You think a common beast found in a forest, could possibly hold a candle to me!? MIRA!?”

Mira had a twisted expression. All her words contained hundreds of years of arrogance and insurmountable pride. Kira could feel the mockery she threw at the man, simply by feeling the air.

“LET'S FIND OUT YOU MORTAL WHORE! HAGH!”

As he began punching towards Mira, before he even had time to send psionic energy into his move. A man appeared in between Mira and the tall cultivator.

The black cultivator stopped, cold sweat forming on his head as soon as he saw who was in front of him. A bit of blood seeped out of his mouth, his momentum crashing into himself, before having time to disperse trough his move.

The cultivator, had suffered a small loss, at the mere sighting of the person who had appeared in front of him.

The pressure emanated by Mira and him, dissipating like dust in the wind, being blown away as if the spring wind had arrived.

Kira finally could breathe again. Huffing he got up, and looked to see what had happened. Who could stop the two enraged lions from killing each other.

A hoarse old voice sounded out in everyone soul.

“I thought I made myself clear when you arrived on this planet. I would cut down anyone who fought planet side.” his tone turning incensed “Am I, Yamato, someone who lies?”

“No Lord Yamato.” both people bowed towards a bald old man. He had a long beard, reaching down to his knees. It was braided with purple rope, and he had a simple white cloth jacket, hanging onto his shoulders. The coat was long reaching down to the ground, open, showing bare chest underneath it.

He had thin eyes, and if one did not look careful, they almost seemed eternally closed.

Although he appeared as if he could not see anything, Kira felt the old man could sense everything about him. His every breath, His every thought, the specks of dust on his clothes.

As soon as the old man blinked into existence, he had locked onto everything for miles around.

“Go to Babylon if you want to fight. If I have to exit seclusion again for such a reason, I am expelling you off world.”

“Understood Lord Yamato.” the cultivators responded with a steady voice, not daring to utter a word of protest.

A sound of someone crashing into the ground was heard.

Akane quickly reached Lord Yamato’s side, holding a long, sheathed sword, handing it to him. “Lord Yamato forgot his sword” showing just as much respect as Mira and the cultivator. She then assumed a position one step behind the old man.

“I don’t need my sword to teach children a lesson in restraint.” his horse voice not hiding the disregard for the strength of those around him.

He grabbed the sheathed sword from Akane and glanced slightly towards Kira. A moment later he had disappeared, just as he appeared.

“Furya. I’ll make you pay for interfering with my business.” she growled in a low tone at him, the fighting spirit not having been dissipated at all because of what had just happened.

“Hmph! Just be careful to not get your remaining labs destroyed.” leaving after saying this last sentence.

Mira looked in reluctance at Furya leave, turning towards Akane and asking “A deviated cultivator without a burning soul, as strong as a peak rank 1.”

Akane frowned her old face, “I have reports of other such incidents. A strong power, with a weak soul. I don’t know what is going on. Moreover, they are not completely without reason. They can communicate to some extent, even reasoned to in a slight measure. I assume Furya implicated one such cultivator, and had him sent on you.”

Mira nodded, Akane’s words sounding just right.

“You need to be careful. The yearly meeting is almost upon us. They will definitely sense your weakness” looking around at Mira’s destroyed lab “and will try to swallow a piece of your flesh.”

Mira nodded and moved to Kira’s side. She looked down at him and smiled “How was it? Pretty powerful, eh?”

Kira looked around at the destruction, the boiled dead on the ground, the smoke in the air. The ceiling had stopped burning, but the edges still burned, making it seem as if a fire cercle had appeared in the sky.

Starlight peeked through the smoke screen occasionally.

He then looked at the charred concrete where they had stood. It looked as if a balrog had appeared and flared its flames in anger.

He said calmly “I should not have come. I could have died just looking at you fight. At least now, I know not to interfere in such events.”

She heard his somewhat regretful tone and smiled even harder “Well I have a hundred and twenty years ahead of you. I would be ashamed If I could not even stir some fear inside you.”

She then picked him up, and shuttled through the air, appearing at the Silent Mirror faster than he could blink.

He barely had time to count the time. Three seconds. In three seconds, Mira had leaped ten kilometers.

He did not believe she was physically moving through the air, since even if Mira could survive such a thing, he would turn to ash along the way.

Her unknown means of movement, striking awe into his soul.

“Did you pick a weapon?”

They were in her room, she was already in her arm chair, while he was in front of her desk, staring at her with a look of surprise. When did she even drop me.

“Yes. I choose the one which I sensed most suited me.”

“Really? What type of weapon.” she asked with some anticipation. A weapon would basically decide what kind of approach a cultivator took to combat. This was related to one's identity. She was curious about what kind of person he was.

He smiled joyously and said in excitement “It is a spear!”

Her smile faded instantly “Do you think you'll always have someone to hoist you on their shoulders? Who will you hire for such a job, do you even have the money, to hire me as babysitter?” her annoyance shocking him.

Should she not be happy I chose a weapon so suited for my soul?

“But this weapon suits me the most. Was I supposed to picked something other than the that, which suited me best?”

Seeing the shock in his eyes she laughed “You... don’t really understand what I'm getting at. The way you charge forward, always at the expense of your body, picking a spear would only enforce that.”

Sigh “Whatever. I guess it cannot be helped. If you were not suited for a spear, you would not be charging head first so much. I am disappointed in myself for actually hoping you'd pick a safe weapon.”

“Since you had patience for managing, I had hoped to gain another good business leader besides Ayi, but it seemed I'll have another animal like Miu.” accepting fate with a tired smile.

At that moment, Miu had jumped on the balcony, and entered through the glass wall.

She did not seem bothered by Mira’s words, and just nonchalantly laid on the couch. She did not seem interested in talking at the moment.

Kira was interested about the world beyond Jangala. No that he had seen a piece of heaven, he wanted to know more about it. How much powerful could a cultivator get. What was out there in the sector.

“Mira, could you tell me what Babylon is?” his curiosity getting the better of him.

Her eyes turned sharp, and she said in a wishful voice “Heaven. But for immortals. You know how the kings of Albion teach of heaven and the Church of Psion teaches of salvation? Well, those are for mortals. But for Immortals?” showing a fanatical gaze “That’s Babylonia.”

Her excitement infected her, and he could not help but ask “Are there people stronger than you there? Are there many of them?”

She burst out laughing so hard, her armchair almost broke. “Me?!” she shook her head regretfully “I had to run away to this remote village. If I was strong enough to stand tall in Babylonia, would I even care about money?”

Her gaze turned icy and she said in a low voice “Remember this, Kira. In this world, there are two types of Immortals. True Immortals, and fake trash. Like me like that Furya.” she shook her head in reluctance “On this baren rock, only Lord Yamato can be called an Immortal. All the others are just children playing in the sand. Frogs who don’t even know they're in a well, let alone see the hole above them.”

Kira was shocked. She could boil the sky by merely revolving her energy. How could she not have the right to be called an Immortal. What kind of strength would one need, to receive the title of Immortal?

He once again could not help but ask. This time with awe and shock “Then, how much more powerful is Lord Yamato, compared to you?”

“Hahaha! Take me and Furya, multiply us by five, and then you’ve reached Lord Yamato. “

She looked at Kira in awe, gesticulating wildly with her hands “In such a fight, I would need to die five times, before defeating him.”

She sighed and waved him off “You should not bother looking so high. Your neck might hurt. Focus on what is in front of you, or you’ll never reach my spot, let alone dream of becoming a Pillar like Lord Yamato.”

She then thought of one final word of advice she ought to give him.

“Listen to me carefully, don’t rely too much on raw cultivation. Your technique? That’s what is important. My overall cultivation base might actually be stronger than Lord Yamato’s, but in ten move he could defeat me. Comprehend the soul, and comprehend psionic space. In your case, I would also focus on my lightning comprehension. It is ten times harder to become Lord Yamato, than it is to surpass his realm. There are many stories of trash, suddenly surpassing balrogs, grabbing the heavens and dragging it down to earth.” she smirked at him “Are you sure you can do such a thing, dedicate yourself to sensing the flow of the universe? It's not something a blockhead, who only jumps into danger can do”

Her words awoke in him the hunger he had felt already for a couple of times, a hunger to fight and test himself. He grinned and his face twisted “How about I try?”

….....................................................................................................................................................................

Sitting on the armchair, aloof and uncaring, she shuffled the cards as if shuffling for the millionth time would help her change the future.

She gazed at Miu who was laying on the couch, arm over her face. She noticed her clenched fist and tight muscles, wondering why she was so tense. The situation with Furya had passed. Although she had no idea how he had gotten his hands on such a disposable psionic bomb, she was not too worried about it.

“I already did a reading, at least in the near future, there will be no conflict in our lives. You saw the sleeping dragon, right?” she tried reassuring Miu.

Miu clenched her mouth hard, threatening to shatter her teeth. “Thats not it, big sis. That guy, he got stronger. Will I still be of use to you now?” a slight unwillingness to say those words became apparent to Mira. She realized how much this affected Miu and laughed lightly.

“You really think you won't be of use to me when you reach the next rank? Ten times as powerful! That’s what you will get.” she continued in an exasperated tone “Yes. He did get stronger. But so what? I can still beat him, and with you by my side?” she clenched her fist so fast it boomed the air “I will tear him apart. Think about it Miu. Who on this tiny planet, thinks of investing in a high-ranking transmuter?”

Miu had already gotten up, and watched Mira lift her up with only a few words. Without waiting for Miu to answer, Mira continued. “No one! They won't see it coming. All the investments I've forgone, the ships I did not buy? The off-world resources I did not contract? All of it so I could get you to rank 2.”

She then slumped back into her chair, looking teasingly at Miu “Plus you know, if you get your hands on a battlestar, won't you be stronger than big sis?” pretending to be sad “Will you still want your big sis then?”

Miu burst out laughing, none of the previous anxiety still present in her soul “You are right big sis.” making a confident face and smiling at Mira, saying with a serious expression “I know you are joking big sis, but know this.” she then pointed with her thumb to her chest “Even if I ever get a battlestar, I won't take to the skies without big sis.”

Mira smiled with her usual mischievous expression, but deep inside she was touched by what Miu had said, waving her off.

“Big sis, I want to ask about Kira.” she sounded a bit hesitant ask to her “Why do you take care of Kira? I mean it’s not like you have wasted many resources, but I saw you pledge you'd leave with him. That would have meant you would leave everything you built here. I would follow you but, why would you leave?” her confusion instilled into every word.

“We already have what we need.” she then shook her head, blinking in front of the glass wall, saying regretfully “This planet. It has made my soul stale. There is no challenge, there is no energy in this place. Perhaps for others there is. You saw Furya. But for me? It is stale. I would have left all the businesses to Lord Yamato, to do as he pleased with them.”

She turned back to look at Miu, and for the first time ever, she saw Mira with sadness in her eyes “It’s been fifty years. All this time and not even a single movement has my soul had. Although I still have time, I'm scared when I look back at the passing of the years.” shaking her head wistfully.

She cleared her throat when she realized, she had shown a small part of her soul to Miu. She had to keep appearances after all. “Plus. He reminds me of someone. He even spouts the same nonsense.” she scoffed “Can you believe he told me he will stay with me, as long as his heart is here? What the hell does that mean?” she shook her head in annoyance.

“Who does he remind you of?” Miu’s curiosity having no bounds, she could not help but ask.

“Why would I tell you that? Now go on, you still have a little bit till you have stabilized fully. Do not forget about that sleeping dragon. We don’t want to be caught off-guard. And you need to be rank 2 before the annual report. That way, these ants will stop biting at us. Go! Stop bothering me.”

Miu laughed at her and left, her usual demeanor having been restored by Mira’s encouragement.

Mira was left alone in her office, once again slumping into her armchair, shuffling the cards eternally. She frowned in vexation. Miu’s question and her thoughts, had reminded her of that person. She threw the cards on the table, not out of desire to predict, but out of pure irritation.

“I love you, but I can love you even from a thousand light years. I love you, but I don’t have to be with you to love you. You are annoyed at me, but I don’t need your permission to love you. So annoying. Ptui!” she spit on the floor, moments later being annoyed by her saliva as well, flicking her hand, burning the spit on the floor.

“Whatever. He probably doesn’t even remember me anymore. He stayed while I ran. Does not matter.” she sighed and relaxed her muscles of the tension.

In exasperation she uttered “I found someone else just like him. This one even more insane! A spear! You are not Odin! And he did not even wield a spear. AGH! How vexing!”