“Do you agree to the deal?” Rieren asked. “My decision and my intention is final.”

“What will you do if I am disinclined to enact such a deal?” Avathene asked back.

“I will go to the Ordorian clan and claim my rewards for the services I provided, and from that, I will use their Enlightenment Locale.”

The Clanmistress laughed. A tinkling little sound that had no doubt set the hearts of many ablaze before. She had to stop soon to cough into her hands, however, before excusing herself. “It seems your determination cannot be stopped. Very well, then. I agree to your stipulation.”

“Just like that?” Kalvia asked.

“Just like that.”

Rieren nodded a little in gratitude and got to her feet. “I see no reason that I should tarry. Can we begin this very moment?”

Avathene laughed again. “You give the impression of one vast of age yet still holding desperately onto their childhood.”

Rieren flushed. “That is not an answer to my question, Clanmistress.”

“Of course. We will need some time. I cannot simply let you wander however you wish across the Stannerig lands, I’m afraid. So give me an hour or two before I can set things in order, and then you can be on your way.”

Bureaucracy. Rieren had never understood it. She didn’t argue, though. It was obvious she would make no further headway. Besides, it would give her some time to talk with the others, so it was likely for the best that it would be some time before she set out.

Kalvia stood up abruptly. She didn’t look at anyone. “I think I need some time to decide.”

“Of course, my lady,” Avathene said. “Take your time.”

With a hasty nod, she walked past them all without a backward glance. Rieren decided not to start pondering what was going through the mind of the Emperor’s heir.

Avathene left them as well to take care of business, likely performing the tasks she needed to do to prepare the Stannerig grounds for Rieren’s use. The Clanmistress’s movement was slow and careful. Perhaps she was afraid of falling while she was unassisted, though she refused any help from anyone there.

Rieren appreciated it. Despite Avathene’s condition—which Rieren still didn’t know the details of besides the fact that it was a result of a failed advancement—she was being efficient and granting Rieren and her friends some privacy.

“So,” Amalyse said once their host was gone. Her voice was testy. “We don’t matter?”

Rollo shook in his seat with laughter that he was trying failing to keep to himself. Amalyse hurled him a venomous look before punching him hard on the shoulder. That only made him laugh more.

Rieren had to smile too. Those two really had grown familiar with each other.

“It is not that you do not matter, Amalyse,” Rieren said by way of reconciliation. “In truth, none of us do in our current forms.”

Amalyse pressed a hand down on the table. “We all do. Silk is right. Every little bit helps. Just because some people have their head in the clouds doesn’t make it any less true.”

Rollo laughed louder. “She’s not wrong, you know. Some of the rumours have you turning into an insane storm cloud and unleashing your rainy wrath.”

Rieren had to admit that was somewhat amusing. Though since it was Rollo stating it, that made it far less so. “I was simply trying to help the best I could. And I was rather successful, if I do say so myself.”

With a low growl, Amalyse rose off her chair and walked over to the windows, staring into the darkness outside. It seemed she was more upset than Rieren had thought.

Rieren rose to follow, but as she did so, Batcat jumped off her head and landed on the table. It started picking through the fruit, sniffing and biting and licking before reaching Rollo’s plate. He was watching the cat curiously. A moment’s hesitation later, he offered the kitten a grape from his plate, which Batcat accepted graciously and began munching on.

Smiling, Rieren left them to their food and joined her friend.

“Am I disturbing you?” she asked.

Amalyse grunted. “You’ve always been disturbing, it’s nothing new.”

“You know what I mean.”

Amalyse sighed. “Do you really think we’re worthless? That we won’t be able to make any difference at all?” She glared at Rieren. “Or is it your way of trying to keep me safe by discouraging me and sending me back to mother?”

“When I said I would support your decision no matter what it was, I meant it, Amalyse.”

“Or is it that now you have new friends, new people to keep you company, so you don’t need the likes of me around anymore?”

Rieren stared at her. For a stricken second, Amalyse stared back resolutely. Then she sighed again, rubbed her hand over her face, and looked away.

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “That came out wrong.”

Rieren was silent for a moment, before shaking her head. “No, I need to apologize as well. I shouldn’t be so blithe about your capabilities, and I shouldn’t be so self-centered about my own goals.”

“Your goals are achievable, though. You have already saved people, made an enormous difference. I on the other hand…”

Rieren could buoy Amalyse up, could tell her friend that her contribution was meaningful. But then, she would be lying. The truth was that for cultivators, an apocalypse that demanded their immediate attention made for poor circumstances for growth.

Sure, the weaker ones could deal with the weaker dangers. The E-Grade and D-Grade Abyssals would be a waste of time and energy for the more powerful cultivators, who could then focus on the more powerful C-Grade and higher monsters. But that was a position suited for guards. For the everyday people who had just received a system and a way to fight.

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For the scions of important clans, it was almost demeaning in a way to have to continue fighting weaker monsters while others claimed the kills and rewards for more powerful ones.

Rieren recognized it was rooted in privilege. It was a way of thinking born from the hierarchical structure of classes inherent to her world. Something she had been sick of in the past timeline, that had motivated her to not care so much about letting it all burn down on her path to freedom.

Yet, it was still in place now, wasn’t it? A few had made significant upwards progress through the layers of their society—such as Gorint Malloh for instance, curse the bastard for being an example of the benefits of granting everyone a system. But many had not.

Rieren’s face soured. Those Avatars were killing and capturing the people who were supposed to have led the upheaval of society. Who should have torn down the cage it was all stuck in.

Strange, wasn’t it. Rieren had thought the pride and incompetence of the former Clanmasters causing the impending doom of the Shatterlands would have mobilized the people to wrest control for themselves and enact a new form of governance. A rebellion, almost.

Then the Avatars swung in and took care of it. Meanwhile, the Clanmasters themselves had been replaced by those who could better handle the current situation.

Rieren wasn’t particularly concerned. Her priority was the Shatterlands’ survival. They couldn’t take away the system from others. Once peace arrived, people would find a way to rise above their supposed lots in life.

“Perhaps,” Rieren said. “Instead of thinking what you can contribute, you may want to think of what you can achieve.”

Amalyse raised an eyebrow. “You mean be a little selfish?”

“We are cultivators, Amalyse. Being selfish runs in our spiritual blood.”

“This is not untrue. Hmmm….”

She got lost in thought. Rieren turned back to see Rollo now throwing grapes at Batcat, who was jumping all over the table to catch them.

“I think I’ve decided what I want to reply to mother and the rest of the clan,” Amalyse said.

“Oh?” Rieren asked. “What is it?”

“I wish to remain here and continue fighting.”

Rieren smiled. “I have a feeling she will not take it well.”

Amalyse snorted. “Oh, she’ll be furious. That’s part of my motivation. But also, I think I have opportunities here besides simply contributing to the Shatterlands’ defence. Imagine how far I can boost the name of the Arraihos if I help save not one but two Archnoble clans. Imagine if it became known that I assisted the future Empress herself in her time of need.”

Rieren nodded. There were more potential drawbacks to all of that, but ultimately, it was Amalyse’s decision to do what she thought best.

“And it will allow you to escape your mother’s clutches for a while longer,” Rieren said with a knowing smile.

Amalyse laughed. “You have me all figured out, don’t you?”

“Perks of knowing you for far too long.”

Amalyse threw an arm around Rieren’s shoulder and pulled her in for a sideways embrace. Rieren ended up being too squeezed to even consider returning it. It was hard enough just to breathe. She managed to hammer Amalyse’s back as her breath ran out, and she was thankfully let go soon enough.

“If you two are done,” Rollo said from behind where Batcat was now trying to eat his hair. “Can you tell your little beastie to keep away from my hair? I spent a while combing and brushing today.”

Rieren laughed, then headed over to pick up the little kitten. She placed it securely on her head again. Now that it’d had its fill of the food there, it was no longer interested in the platters of fruit.

“And what of you, Rollo?” she asked. “What will you be telling the Karlosyne clan?”

“Why do I need to tell it to you?” he asked back.

“Well, keep it to yourself then. But know that the time to make a decision is quickly running out.”

“I’ve already made my decision.”

Oh. So he wasn’t telling just because of… spite? Some sort of display of arrogance she didn’t even understand?

Rieren shook her head. “What do you even intend to do here in truth, Rollo? Do you even know that?”

“How else would I have come to my decision?”

“By figuring out what spites your clan the most and doing exactly that?”

His face twisted and he looked away. Rieren had guessed right. Folend had meant more to Rollo than he himself would ever have admitted, and he blamed his companion’s death on his clan. Now, he was punishing his clan with his rebelliousness.

Not exactly the brightest of motivations, but who was Rieren to care.

Amalyse laughed at seeing him turn his face away. “You look like someone just found out where you secretly stash your biscuits so that no one else can eat them.”

“Shut up,” Rollo said, though without much heat.

Rieren was actually enjoying the pleasant company of her former fellow disciples. They were in similar transitory boats. Stuck between places and while some of them might have a greater vision of where they wanted to end up, nothing was a guarantee yet.

But the little meeting didn’t last long. Avathene returned soon, proclaiming that Rieren could now leave.

“Are you ready?” the Clanmistress asked. “Or would you like some days to rest first?”

“I am fine,” Rieren said. She looked around at Amalyse and Rollo in silent farewell. Temporary farewell. If Rollo ended up staying, which he very well might, considering where his motivations lay. “Lead the way, Clanmistress.”

“No final words or goodbyes?”

“We will all be meeting again soon enough,” Rieren said.

Amalyse smiled at her. “We will. And may fortune favour your steps, Rieren.”

Rollo muttered something along the same lines.

The Clanmistress clapped her hand. “Excellent. Then let us get going.”

With one last departing look, Rieren followed Avathene out of the meeting room. She didn’t ask after Kalvia. For now, her focus needed to lie entirely on her final Enlightenment. But as they walked through the clan’s main building, Rieren couldn’t keep her curiosity about other matters to herself for long.

“Why did you go to such lengths to bring us all together, Clanmistress?” Rieren asked. “Were you depending solely on the fact that we would all convince each other to remain here?”

Avathene’s eyes were sharp when she glanced at Rieren. “Oh, you suspect me of nefarious deeds?”

“I am simply curious about your motivations, Clanmistress. I mean no disrespect.”

“I have, actually, been rather nefarious. Where do you think I’ve been while I’ve been away from you all?”

Rieren frowned. The only other person missing from their meeting was Kalvia. The Clanmistress had left not soon after. “Was getting the grounds ready for my perusal just an excuse, then?”

“No, not at all, unfortunately. The bureaucracy never leaves so easily. But you do not need to worry. I have done nothing that you might object to.”

“You make assumptions.”

“I think I make correct ones.”

They arrived at the back of the building, where a cobbled path led them higher upslope. No one else accompanied them. It was unexpected for Avathene to trust Rieren as much as to come this far all by herself.

“This is as far as I intend to accompany you,” Avathene said.

Before them stretched out darkness. The night had claimed the higher slopes of the mountain, though Rieren could make out the woods and the slim paths between them.

“Can you tell me how far up is the Enlightenment Locale, Clanmistress?” Rieren knew she would have to put her faith in Avathene. “And how many have made the climb?”

“You do not know already?”

Ah, Avathene had her there. “I do. But I am curious if there are others using it as well.”

“Ah, none I’m afraid. Not for a long while.”

“None?”

“No. We have had a slight complication with a new Anachron at the peak, and no one knows what to do about it.”

“…you didn’t bother mentioning this before?”

Avathene shrugged delicately. “I didn’t want to dissuade you. Though, I believe the Ordorian clan is suffering similarly, so it wouldn’t have mattered.”

“What is the problem with this Anachron?”

Rieren was rather curious and surprised. An Anachron so close to an Archnoble clan’s residence should have been wiped out with barely any thought. Unless it was rather powerful, which she doubted. She would have felt the presence of a very powerful Anachron even at this distance.

“The Anachron is… immortal,” Avathene said.

“Immortal?” Rieren asked.

Another little shrug. “It cannot be killed easily. We have tried. I attempted myself too. It simply reforms. You will see. I do not think it will be able to harm you overmuch, if the rumours hold to the truth.”

Rieren wasn’t certain what to make of it, but she nodded and forged on. If there was an Anachron blocking her path, that was only for the better. She could gain another Beast Core that could raise Batcat’s power.

With a final farewell for Clanmistress Avathene, she headed out.