Kite had noted, with some satisfaction, that his spirit attribute had slowly but steadily climbed upward towards new levels during the months since he awakened all the powers of his void essence. His best measure for it was the duration at which he could keep his active perception power active without feeling the dizziness and the beginnings of a slight headache. What had earlier been short flashes was now pulses of several seconds, which left Kite with a decent overview of the battle in the clearing even as he was currently pursuing the iron-ranked cultist he had engaged.
All around them were the red-to-gold foliage of the autumn lands, bathed in the early morning light, but the artificial clearing quickly became a mess of churned, scorched or otherwise ravaged earth as powerful leaps, spectacular attacks and area-warping spells were employed all over. Ducking under a stray projectile which came at him from the side, Kite once more struck at his opponent, this time bringing forth his spear. The thrust traveled the distance in a blink, carried by Kite’s intent, grazing the thigh of the running cultist who desperately attempted to create some distance.
Contrary to the more eclectic adventurers, the cultists were all wearing robes or capes of a blood red color over armor and other equipment, which was helpful in the chaos of battle as the two sides became easily distinguishable. Kite had to halt briefly in his pursuit as one of the enemy bronze-rankers leapt by, still covered in the swarm of rats which was Wander, and Kite could see with some fascination that the rats seemed to replenish their numbers through vampiric special attacks.
“Does Wander have the blood essence?” He thought to himself as he continued his pursuit. With his new racial gift evolution, he didn’t need to move too far from Serene to continue threatening his target. The man had turned against Kite, chanting a spell he could not make out over the din of the conflict. He did see the web of scarlet threads which shot towards him, unfurling as it flew through the air and giving off a ravenous feeling.
Fortunately, Kite had already thoroughly ingrained a steady confidence in his path over the year-and-a-half he had spent tempering it since his day of awakening. He waited until it was almost upon him, before slashing upward with the spear still in his hands, Pattern-shattering counter unraveling the engulfing effect of the spell. The motion had barely been completed when the spear disappeared, the haft of his combat staff taking his place as he brought it down with a slight chiming from the lone ring at its top.
Once more, his intent made the attack strike true even as his opponent was some meters away, and with it came destructive spatial tears as Void-Sunders-Firmament ravaged his target’s body, then did so again as the weaker echo struck. His opponent was brought low, but Kite could see two self-healing effects activating through his magical perception. In the earlier stages of this kind of battle, not affording the luxury of attempting capture, Kite chose the grim alternative as he replaced the staff with his greatsword, the heavy blade severing his opponent’s head even at a distance.
Trusting that an iron-ranker wouldn’t survive decapitation, Kite instead turned to the other cultist which had been sneaking up towards his back. He had observed her progress through his all-round vision, and was just about to turn and engage the assassin when she herself was killed by a sneak attack, made by a storm of razor leaves and followed by a green, curved blade which descended from above.
Its wielder became visible from behind the falling foe a moment later, but Kite already knew who it was as the cool winds of relief washed through him. Uncle Walker, wearing his usual forester’s cloak and a stupid grin on his face, looked right at him while his cloud of leaves spread out to harass the targets around him. He looked a lot like his usual self, not at all like someone who had spent over a week alone in the woods. But Kite supposed that Walker always did that, and that this was probably his most natural look.
While knowing in the back of his mind that it was a rather stupid move in their current situation, Kite couldn’t stop himself from stepping forward and wrapping his uncle in a fierce hug.
“There, there, little Kite.” his uncle chuckled. “Did you truly think this old growth would be brought low so easily?”
As he hugged his uncle, even as the battle raged around them, Kite felt the absence of Walker’s left arm which had previously been hidden by his cloak.
“I’m alright, Kite, although it was a bit closer than I would have liked. I’ll have it regrown when there’s time.” he explained in response to Kite’s concerned look.
“Ward!” was Kite’s first response as a barrier sprang up to intercept the blazing red projectile which an opportunistic cultist had fired towards them, before he continued. “It- it’s good to see you uncle. The heavens have been kind. But- “Ward!” - we should maybe continue this later.”
“You’re as wise as your uncle, little Kite.” Walker grinned as they separated. “This old man will have to do his part, after all!”
As one, they returned to battle.
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Having had the advantage of ambushing their enemies, the fight in the clearing had already been going solidly in the adventurer’s favor. With the addition of another bronze-ranker, the rest of the combat was over quickly. Fortune had favored them enough that, while there were several wounded adventurers, none of their number had died, although two of the iron-rankers from the other group would need a lot of rest and attention by a healer.
Grim had already opened a portal to let the wounded return directly to the spires while the others were searching the camp, grabbing dimensional bags and anything they could find.
“We should be swift and leave soon. I believe that this was one of the most peripheral groups, but I sensed a silver-ranked aura among the enemies a few days ago. We do not want to be here if someone noticed or they managed to send a warning of some kind.” Walker urged them.
Braid took extra care to copy the ritual circle which was partly drawn on the ground onto a page in a notebook before they collectively made sure to properly ruin the circle to not let their enemies consolidate the position and simply continue. He let the rest do the more brutish work, and after finishing the transcription of the diagram he instead started laying down long streamers of cloth around the clearing. Arcane symbols were embroidered along their lengths, and as the circle was completed and some adjustments made, Braid used some kind of ability to stabilize the ambient mana around them while performing the ritual chant.
Through his magical perception, Kite could see hints of the magical traces left by any fight become blurred and hard to make out. He reflected how fast he had gotten used to seeing the magical spectra intertwined with the rest of the world.
“What was that ritual?” he asked the man while helping him gather up the lengths of cloth.
“Oh, that? It was a quick ritual to disperse most lingering magical traces and remnants of aura. To make it harder for our foes, should they try to track us.” Braid answered. “Your auntie’s work helped me build my foundation in both formations and rituals, as my medium is well suited for both. The modular cloth ritual circles are good to use as a solution on the fly when there isn’t as much time to work out something more tailored, if you forgive the pun.”
Kite was thoroughly impressed, as what he knew about rituals told him the hours of work and testing which must have gone into the creation of such tools.
They were done a few minutes later, and quickly took their time to throw the enemy corpses through Grim’s portal as well. Since the beginning of the conflict, each contract had clauses to not leave enemy corpses behind if possible without further significant risk, as to not provide the church of Undeath with the chance to ‘repurpose’ them.
After that, they quickly left along with Walker who had refused the opportunity to use the portal himself.
“A few days won’t do any difference for this,” he had said while gesturing to his lost arm, “And you will need someone to cover our physical trail as well when we retreat. It would be a shame for our ritualist to have gone through all the trouble only for them to look down and follow our trail. My ability to guide you all and let you pass without trace might have already hit silver, but that isn’t a reason not to use it.”
The results, while familiar to Kite and his group, still always filled Kite with a bit of pride as uncle Walker led them through the woods like ghosts, no signs of their passing left behind. At least none Kite or the rest of the group could perceive. With him as a steady presence, each step felt like it took them further for less effort expended.
That first night, as they made camp a goodly way away from the ambush site, Kite sat down next to his uncle who was seated leaning against the trunk of a tree. The small, well hidden camp was bustling with whispered activity. Many were meditating, eating or drinking, while Braid was pouring over the ritual diagrams and documents found among the bags ‘liberated’ from their foes. Wander was taking the lead in extracting items from the bags, a sight straight out of a fairy tale as the swarm of rats worked in tandem to bring forth and sort items into different piles.
“It is a true relief to see you well, uncle. Or at least as well as one could expect from the circumstances of our parting. The thought of losing you was almost unbearable.” he said, handing a cup of steaming tea to Walker.
“It is a relief to be well, little Kite. The escape was not easy, but your cunning and daring old uncle showed them that they could not pin down a man of these forests, at least not as long as he has something worth sacrificing for.” his uncle answered, putting a fond hand on Kite’s shoulder while accepting the cup with a conjured vine. “And I did have divinity on my side too. Here, it is time I returned this. If the result is to be believed, its blessing was most helpful.”
While the vine lifted the cup to his mouth for a sip, Walker returned the token of Fortune to Kite. “Your aunties named you well. You truly are the bringer of fortune.”
Kite said a silent prayer of thanks to the goddess. He didn’t think that carrying the token in and of itself made any difference, at least not in the typical magical sense, but it had felt right to give it to Walker in the same way it felt right to have it returned.
They remained seated there for a time in companionable silence, as they had done many times before in their small apartment, relishing in the sense of familiarity and companionship. It was Kite who broke the silence again after a while.
“Uncle, I… did things I am not proud of.”
“Oh?”
“Back at the base camp, more sect disciples sought me out. It wasn’t for me or something I had done in the end, but for politics. I was just thought of as a convenient stepping stone for their ambitions.
And I fell for their taunts, and fought in anger. I hurt my opponent not to defeat him, but to use him as a tool to try out my latest ability. In the moment, it felt good. Like he deserved it. But after, when he lay there, I… It was wrong, uncle.”
“I must admit, Kite, that I am surprised to hear this. This is not like you. What could they taunt you with to get such a rise out of you?”
Kite was silent for a moment, obviously ashamed. “It… they insulted you. Called you worthless trash for ‘dying’. And it got to me, even though I already knew that it wasn’t true, that you were alive. But it got to me. I was so tired, and they were acting so ignorant. Like they didn’t care in the least for all you’ve done for these lands. And for me. Like that you didn’t matter. Which made- ah!”
His confession was interrupted as Walker had reached out and flicked his nose. The gesture brought a flood of memories of all the times he had performed that gesture during their many hours spent training during his childhood. It had been the standard way of uncle Walker to remind Kite that he had done something reckless or foolish, wasn’t listening properly or had lost his focus and needed to find it again.
“Little Kite, what have I told you about fighting in anger?” he asked, voice slightly reprimanding.
“That it is like handing your opponent a blade to hurt you with.” Kite said, abashedly. But he had to admit that the familiar experience and someone actually reprimanding him a bit felt not quite liberating.
“I have taught you that, yes. And what did I teach you about making mistakes?”
“That… that they are an integral part of all growth, as long as we reflect on them.”
“Good lad. I hear you made a mistake, Kite. And yes, they were acting like dishonorable fools not worth what comes out the other end of a heidel. But on the other hand, your old uncle doesn't want to matter to them. So next time, do not worry. I do what I do because I feel that it is a thing worth doing. Important. But mistakes are part of life, and fortunately you even came out on top from this one. At least in the short term.” Walker said, chuckling at Kite’s sour face at the implication of consequences down the line.
“Then why did you flick my nose, if the mistake wasn’t too bad?” Kite asked.
“Because, dear student, you need to center yourself and stop getting in your own way. The next time it happens, because there will be a next time, try and remember the words of your old uncle a bit sooner. Because they are ever wise and worthy of praise.” he finished with a roguish wink.
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“I bow before my uncle's eternal sagacity.” Kite said with a mock incline of his head.
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Rupert was standing over the map, geared for battle. If he was to believe the emerging patterns, he would need it soon enough.
“- and so far there have been enemy silver-rankers pushing against our positions in multiple places, albeit in a different deployment than before. Early estimates are that most, if not all of them, might be deployed within the day. So far there has mostly been their forces curtailing ours and vice versa, attrition rather than decisiveness. Even so, the church of Undeath is expending minions at a higher rate than expected, so we can assume they are fishing for some gains.” one of his aides finished while others were busy calibrating the map to adjust for new battlefield conditions.
“So they want us busy. We’ll see if we cannot manage to use it against them. Ready-” Rupert began, but was interrupted as his aura senses picked up another of his aides running for the command room, urgency clear in his iron-rank aura.
“Deputy director! We have scouts reporting back with prioritized intel!” the young man shouted as he entered the room seconds later, pushing a scroll into Rupert’s waiting hand.
The mental agility of silver rank once more showed its benefits as it took him only seconds to read the words and digest their meaning.
“And the rest, along with Braid, are returning on foot?” Rupert asked the man.
“Yes, deputy director, at least according to the wounded we received through the portal. They also sent all enemy corpses along for analysis and disposal.”
“Good.” he said before turning back to the room and raising his voice, the growling quality increasing to catch everyone's attention. “New orders! I want a defensive plan to be formed which can free up resources and strike teams for search-and-destroy contracts. If early estimates are to be believed, our enemies are preparing something out in those forests that they do not want us finding out about. Something we must strive to make sure isn’t left to just be completed at their leisure.
If no more silver-rankers have shown up in the upcoming six hours, we shall deploy our remaining to these strike teams as our foes might hold some back as well.”
“Yes, deputy director!” the aides and staff responded before resuming their duties.
Rupert didn’t know exactly which gods to thank for this development, but went with War and Fortune as they felt closest to the matter. He didn’t care if it was mere happenstance that he got this news now rather than later, but it gave them something very important; a target. Or many targets, from what the report estimated
The fallen sect’s counterattack had robbed their forces of initiative, the enemy also having a sort of home-ground advantage. Now, they could retake that initiative as long as they were willing to make a bit of a gamble. But no conflict was entirely without such gambles, and Rupert thought his metaphorical hand of cards was pretty well stacked.
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Grand elder White was a bit frustrated at recent developments. While he had remained in his position in the upper reaches of the sect’s hierarchy, the cavalcade of challenges between the grand elders and elders had been a tiring debacle which had forced him to make new plans on many of the fronts as some of his ‘allies’ had gained enough influence to force a change of deployment.
This had included his own position in the theater of war, as both the leaders of their forces from the Red table and church of Undeath had been assigned to stay behind their lines and oversee the preparations of the grand summoning circles and deployment of their most powerful undead. There was still plenty of contention left among the different factions, but at least that would be put aside in the upcoming conflict as they could focus their efforts in a glorious battle where they spread lord Pain’s purview.
While it had been irksome to have been influenced by outside forces in any matter as it went contrary to his path of dominance, White had to admit that it had turned out to be an excellent opportunity for self-tempering.
He was currently engaging one of the grand elders from the Victorious Sunset sect, the woman who had killed one of the twins. While their lessers battled around them, both forces gave the silver-rankers a rather wide berth where their flickering movements and devastating attacks would mean fewer accidental casualties for their own side.
One of White’s chains was whipping around him so fast that it was basically a solid spherical barrier, the links deflecting the many arrows fired against him from the golden lyre-bow of his foe. She was both mobile, graceful and cunning, but White thought that he had at least seen through the first layers of her path.
He let two of his chains extend before him in a sweep, links almost singing as they scythed through several trees. But not his opponent, elusive and hard to pin down even for him. His hand suddenly whipped up, a spray of blood coating his face as the arrowhead pierced his palm before being brought to a halt. It had appeared from nowhere, as if phasing into existence just before him. But White knew that wasn’t the case.
While his opponent’s bow was dangerous, it was but a tool. A vessel to deliver the effects of the real source behind her power, which White had deemed to be her glowing, golden eye. He was still in the process of figuring out the specifics while they fought, but he somehow got the feeling that perception was brought into an entirely new realm for this woman.
He wasn’t even completely certain he could take her down, not unless he was willing to take a lot of risks. But as that wasn’t his orders anyway, grand elder White decided to instead enjoy the experience. It was rare to get a thorough workout such as this.
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When Kite finally arrived back at the stronghold of the adventure society along with the group, they found it a lot more sparsely populated than when they had left. The few adventurers they saw frequenting the few establishments in the small settlement which weren’t related to logistics all looked a bit weary or wounded, often both.
“Excuse me, senior. May I ask you where everyone has gone off to?” Kite asked a bronze-ranker who sat at a table close to the small ‘street’ they were walking along as they made their way back to the tower. Her brightly lacquered armor had the color chipped in many places as well as dents and rents, many of the colorful tassels which decorated it having been lost in whatever struggle she had returned from.
“You’ve just returned then? Must have been away for a few days. The deviants started a strong push just two days ago, and almost everyone is deployed near the front. The fighting is fierce but not enough to be anything decisive, but at this rate we might wear them down. Too slow for my taste though.” she finished, taking a sip from her glass. “I’ll go back as soon as two of our iron-rankers have been patched up.”
Kite rejoined his companions after bowing in gratitude to the woman. “It sounds like we’ll be redeployed soon enough.” he said, summarizing what he had been told.
“Understandable. From what we saw at the ambush-site, they probably want to hide and protect the summoning circles until they are ready to do something decisive. As long as I can resupply and retrieve some extra pills, I should be good to leave whenever the contract calls us.” Walker stated with a nod. At Kite’s incredulous gaze, he continued. “Don’t look at me like that, little Kite. Unless we have a silver-ranked healer around, which I am quite sure that we do not, this arm isn’t being regrown anytime soon. And I would go stir crazy just waiting around here for a few days when you are out there. Let this old man do some good to balance out our karma for all the worrying I put you through.”
“Uncle, there is and can never be any bad karma between us, at least never according to me. You have done more than I could ever expect or.-” Kite began his protest before noticing his uncle’s smirk.
“Earnest to a fault, little Kite. It still suits you. I remember you showing it even when you were but a toddler, all serious in your affections and statements.” Walker stated with a gleam in his eye and a fond hand on the younger man’s shoulder.
Kite was thankful that they had arrived at their destination by then, passing in through the main gates of the stone spire, or this might have risked devolving into his uncle regaling their companions with tales from Kite’s childhood. Even though he didn’t really lament many details, he still couldn’t manage to shake the feeling of embarrassment he seemed to share with all young adults when their elders started reminiscing.
They were soon met by a functionary who came running over to them, the rest of the stone hall being almost entirely devoid of people.
“Scouting team? Please come with me for a debriefing. Expect another war contract soon, as we are currently deploying nearly all of our assets.” the man told them without much preamble.
What followed was a quick checking of facts and their status, the most focus given to Walker’s reports of the enemy movements he had been observing during his travel eastward as well as Braid’s further analysis of the arcane materials he had studied.
“-so if I understand it correctly, the theory about grand summonings being prepared is still the most likely, probably fueled by blood sacrifice, on multiple sites a few days out into the western woodlands. And that they will likely deploy concealment measures and be defended?”
“That is correct. I have not been able to glean anything about the scale, but I would assume it to be as extensive an undertaking as our enemies can muster.” Braid said, more strictly professional than during his interactions with Kite.
So far, Kite had never seen him without the layers of fabric covering him from head to toe. While he was certainly curious, it was not a subject he intended to pry into. Braid wasn’t the first essence-user he had met who had certain quirks. Kite thought a bit what his own were, and more what they would become. Assuming he survived.
The functionary nodded at Braid’s words. “I shall send them along with the supplementary report. You have done very well, and the deputy director himself has let it be known that this will reflect very positively in your contribution to this war. Expect a new contract in a few hours, as you will each be assessed for where you are needed the most.” he finished before hurrying off.
“Well.” Walker stated in the silence which followed. “I don’t know about you younglings, but I for one will aim for some rest. It sounds like we have some hectic days ahead of us.”
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“Thanks, Kite.” Dragonfly said as their palms separated and they let the meditative aura technique they had been practicing dissolve. “It felt better to have some company today, with everything that’s going on.”
“Your mere presence is a boon, dear Dragonfly, a balm for a weary soul.” he replied, sprinkling in a bit more over-the-top poetic earnestness which made her giggle.
The pair was currently sitting facing each other on the floor of Kite’s small room, although cell might be a better word for the simple stone rooms assigned to returning adventurers for short periods of time. While this was not the time or the place for the physical parts of their practicing, she was still a comforting presence in a spiritual sense, one Kite realized he should have gone looking for earlier when frustration and distress still gnawed at his core.
“So, are those your winnings?” she asked, pointing at a small wooden box which Kite had yet to pack away into a dimensional bag. He had been given it when he asked a functionary about his assigned quarters, having been left for safekeeping with the personnel of the adventure society.
Kite sighed as he looked at it. “Yes, it is. Although looking at it still gives me less than pleasant feelings, like the taste of something vile in my mouth which hasn't yet faded.
Dragonfly gave him a long look, then gave him a hug. “It is okay to get angry Kite, at least sometimes. And it is okay to be ashamed too. Better to focus on what you actually want to do going forward. Consider this hug my way of flicking your nose.” she said before releasing him. “What are you going to do with them?”
Kite reached over and opened the lid before showing her the content. The six-by-six inch cube of the essence was clear crystal, but the insides were filled with lines of color that showed some kind of avian motif no matter from which angle one viewed it. The two awakening stones rested beside it, one which looked to be filled with falling rain frozen in time while the other had a relief of a nose in its center.
“Are… what even are these?” Dragonfly asked, turning the essence around.
“From what I’ve gathered from the magic society index, it should be the bird essence along with the awakening stones of rain and nose. All common and some of the cheapest.” Kite said, smiling slightly at the concepts made manifests.
“You can’t blame them for splurging on you at least.” Dragonfly chuckled. “But you didn’t answer my question earlier. What will you do with them?”
“Sell them, I guess? Not sure if the branch director would want these for his children. But on the other hand, no essences or stones are inherently bad if you discount the restricted ones. Just look at instructor Whisper with the paper and ink essences.”
Dragonfly looked to be lost in thoughts, and Kite patiently waited for her to gather what threads she seemed to be searching for.
“What if… you didn’t sell them?” she asked after a while, continuing at Kite’s unspoken urging. “You said that many in the sects use these for influence? To pay for favors, service and so on from those who have yet to complete their sets?”
“That’s right. Apparently, there is even a certain status among some of the sects if you earn at least a few of your stones while in their service, rather than arriving with all powers awakened. At least from what mistress Dew once told me.” Kite said, sending a thought to his newest mentor. They hadn’t had the chance to speak since they were deployed, but he hoped she was doing well.
“Well, couldn’t you do the same? But a bit- I don’t know… Better? Nicer?”
“You mean I should sponsor followers? That feels a bit presumptuous.” Kite started to object, before falling silent as he saw that she wasn’t finished.
“Not like them, at least not exactly. But what if you could use them to make a difference for others? Like investing in people you liked or thought would do good? If it will be as you think, they will probably keep coming after you for a while, so why not get something out of it that will benefit more people? But you will always need money, so it might be a stupid idea...” she finished, trailing off in uncertainty.
“No… No it is not.” Kite said as he thought it over. The idea felt nice, worthwhile. “It definitely warrants some further consideration. Thank you, Dragonfly. I will hang on to these treasures. Your wisdom is as profound as your beauty is radiant.”
“Feel free to continue the praise.” she said in mock haughtiness, even though she always blushed slightly at his antics.
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In the end, the wait had the same paradoxal quality as waiting usually had, time passing both slow and fast at the same time. Even though it had only been a few hours, Kite still felt refreshed as they had once more gathered down in the hall at the spire’s base.
“We will once more be deployed as part of a ranging effort to find and disrupt as many of these ritual sites as possible. Normally there are only a few iron-rankers part of those teams, and we have been specifically requested to join by Braid.” Grim stated to the group, before turning to Kite. “You seem to have been the reason for that request, so I assume it has something to do with what you and he were practicing?”
Kite felt a bit surprised by the revelation, but the thought of once more joining the competent bronze-rankers was a bit thrilling. He did wonder if Braid’s academic curiosity hadn’t gotten the better of him this time around though.
“It was approved on one condition; that Walker remain a separate part of the group for further scouting. You iron-rankers might be a liability in terms of retreat, but as long as I remain the only bronze-ranker in the group my portals made the option palatable to the leadership. But I will urge you all to exercise caution, as I suspect this will be even more perilous than our raids against the outposts further inside enemy territory.”
Kite was just about to object to once more being separated from uncle Walker when the man in question interrupted his protests.
“Do not fret, Kite. I will still be with you. It is only in the case of a retreat that I will make my own way back while you portal. And as you should know by now, I am quite hard to catch around these parts.”
Kite, mollified by Walker’s words, raised no more issues with the contracts and neither did the rest. Auras tempered by a bit of experience and projecting resolve, the group once more headed out. To war.