For the first time in a while, John felt calm. He was not without remaining worries, but being welcomed to the Second Peak by Sitora promised at least a time of safety. If she wished him harm, she would have already done whatever she pleased.

So far in the Sky Islands, it was only the Third Peak that had caused his life to be truly imperiled. That was a matter now dealt with, though John imagined that he wasn’t truly at the end of his troubles. He still found no reason for the Third Peak to have quarreled with him to begin with, and if Sitora and the Second Peak were not intending him any trouble that left only one remaining option. The First Peak. Or perhaps he was being paranoid, and she was simply that disdainful of ‘continentals’. Then again, John couldn’t think of a reason anyone from the First Peak would dislike him either.

John and his disciples shared a suite between the four of them. One thing the Sky Islands lacked was space, but the quarters were not cramped. Indeed, the various rooms took great advantage of verticality, rising towers and even lower rooms seemingly carved out of the island itself.

“You all fought well,” John congratulated the other three as they sat together around a table of refreshments the Second Peak had brought them.

“Nothing compared to yourself,” Viriato said.

John smiled. “Don’t be too humble. I noticed the way you combined elements with great skill. And the two of you clashed successfully with an opponent several ranks above you,” John said to Ayhan and Lir.

“Perhaps,” Ayhan said. “But it was just within the Soul Expansion Phase. There is a greater difference between ranks in the Ascending Soul Phase, sect head. That you defeated Morana as you did was astounding.”

John shook his head. “All of us were outmatched in cultivation ranks, and we won together. We all deserve praise just as much as any other. So, congratulations. I think even in normal circumstances, very few Soul Expansion Phase cultivators are meant to reach the Second Peak.”

Lir nodded, then her face grimaced. “If that woman hadn’t been so horrid, we wouldn’t have had to go through that.”

John shrugged. “Indeed. But now that we are victorious, we can only be glad for the challenge.”

“That woman deserves death for what she did,” Viriato grimaced.

“Don’t speak nonsense,” John said, a slight smile behind his eyes. “Death would have been too kind, for one of such foul disposition betraying what I assume should be a sacred rite.”

Viriato grimaced. “They’ll stitch her hand back on soon enough. A few months’ setback in her cultivation, maybe a year.”

“I do believe it would take quite a lot of stitches,” John said. “And quite a lot of chasing around after ash.”

Viriato blinked. “I… did not realize. I was focused on the remaining man, and only saw her arm briefly. How did you… manage that?”

John looked around, assuming that anything he said would be overheard. However, it wasn’t much of a secret. “The formation is tuned to the elements they are used to. At best, it expects any sort of pair. Besides, they’re only meant to bolster a cultivator’s own defenses, not completely prevent attacks on their own. Though perhaps the unfair partitioning of the formations distorted their effectiveness as well.”

Viriato frowned. “So by focusing them too much on themselves, it didn’t work?”

John shrugged. “That part is a guess. They might have also been momentarily drained from the ‘deathblow’ she took moments before.” The only thing John was certain of was that Sitora hadn’t interfered.

Viriato just pondered for a few moments. “She’s going to bear a grudge.”

“So what?” John shook his head. “We beat her before, and now she’s down a hand because of her own foolishness. Easy enough to overcome.”

They moved on to discussion of insights they had gained during the battle, though they were still absorbing the experiences. John had the feeling he was close to a breakthrough himself, and he might advance to the thirty-eighth rank soon enough. It was just the second step in the Ascending Soul Phase, but after only a couple years he found it rather quick. Still, insights were a bigger issue for him than quantity of spiritual energy. The cycle of elements in his dantian grew quickly and powerfully when given regular encouragement.

-----

The next day, John was invited to visit Sitora. He was unsurprised to find her rooms to be opulent, but there was an aesthetic about them that he couldn’t quite place. It simply didn’t fit with the rest of the Sky Islands.

He found her sitting at a table. She was sipping tea, and gestured for him to sit. John did so, pulling up his own chair while trying not to scrape the floor. There was silence for a few moments. Finally, John spoke. “I must thank you for your assistance.”

She shook her head. “No need. I was merely preserving the honor of the Peaks.”

Strange. John had expected her to ask for a favor of some sort. He would have been obligated to accept, if she kept it reasonable. Yet he didn’t exactly feel kindness from her.

“Guards,” Sitora said. “Ward off prying ears.” John felt the various hidden guards shift their positions. Their stealth skills were decent, but without Darkness among them their existence was fairly obvious to him. Blending their elements with the natural surroundings was of little use when he could distinguish small flaws. “You are not surprised,” Sitora said.

“Though I doubt it necessary with someone like me, I still suspected that you should always have an honor guard.”

Her eyes burrowed into him. “You sensed them. I am aware we are lacking in some areas.” She set down her tea cup. Something about its form spoke to him. “Have a sip,” she said.

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He did, taking the handle of his own cup. He wasn’t raised for proper manners with such things, but he handled it delicately as well as he remembered. He hadn’t done this in forever. Odd, because he’d certainly had tea with visitors.

“John Miller,” Sitora’s voice cut through the air, stirring up old memories. “An amusing name.”

“I think it rather plain, myself,” John responded, though for some reason he delayed a moment. Then he realized. The surroundings. The teacups. Even the language she had spoken a moment before.

“Thou speak well. Did the one known as Deirdre teach you?”

“Is that the most likely option?” John asked.

“A new name and an unusual style.” She swapped back to the local language, instead of English. “But your style was odd when you were called Fortkran Tenebach.”

John hadn’t been trying to hide it. He wouldn't have used his English name at all if that was a concern. He especially hadn’t been planning to conceal it from Sitora, since he believed she already knew or at least had heavy suspicions. “I am well aware. But it made sense to me.” John sipped his tea. “Is it appropriate to call you Alva?”

“It is a name long separated from myself,” Sitora said. “But a true one nonetheless. It seems I should have paid more attention to Deidre, unsurprised as she was at the possibility of other Transmigrators. How curious. Even more so, that we speak the same language.”

“One would presume Earth has a connection to this realm,” John said. “Though that would leave quite a lot of room for other languages.”

“Indeed?” Sitora asked. “Has English not been spread far and wide by trade winds?”

“Many people speak it,” John said. “But not all in the same way.”

John was glad they weren’t speaking in English currently, as somewhere around two hundred years made it difficult for both of them to communicate.

She sipped her tea from a distinctly western style teacup. “Indeed. Tell me, why did you come here?”

“To the Sky Islands?” John asked. “To see you.”

“For what purpose?”

“To form a connection as neighbors. I wish for things to be different than… than they were.”

She stared at him. “How odd.”

“I think if I word it differently, you won’t think so. I wish to establish clear boundaries between enemies and allies. And the Sky Islands were the next closest location.”

“I see,” Sitora said. “And if we are neither?”

“Then we continentals need to know that,” John said.

She smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Amusing. But… I will admit you come bearing surprising power.”

“I’m not the only one, you know,” John said. “In the Ascending Soul Phase.”

Sitora tilted her head. “Indeed? But I was just among you less than two decades ago.”

Frankly, John was surprised the Sky Islands only had four… four and one hand short. But one of them in the mid Ascending Soul Phase and one just barely in the late Ascending Soul Phase was still a significant factor. “That’s what happens when you get invaded. People become quite motivated. Not the same as if you can sit safely in your high peaks.”

“Is that a threat?”

“It shouldn’t need to be,” John said. “Indeed, you know this place would be difficult to attack. But should you descend uninvited once more… you might find the reactions of the locals somewhat more significant.”

“So you want us to cower here?”

“No,” John shook his head. “I mean to invite you to take a look at the world, and realize that just drifting along may not be the optimal future for the Sky Islands. I recognize your power, of course, and we would be quite pleased to have you work with us.”

“And who are we? Yourself and Deirdre, plus your sects?”

“All of us continentals,” John said. Technically, the whole continent wasn’t yet part of the alliance. Some were reluctant members, mostly giving lip service. They likely wouldn’t fight if called upon, unless they were the ones imperiled. Even so, the majority of the strength was actually united.

“Truly? I am surprised. You seemed so… disorganized. Now there is a sudden change.”

“Twenty years can be more than you might think,” John said. It hadn’t even quite been that long, but that wasn’t the point. “If you paid more attention, you could have seen the developments.”

“Perhaps so.” She paused for a few moments. “Do you intend to continue challenging the peaks?”

“Unless you have some reason I should not. Can I expect the proper traditions to be followed involving safety?”

It bothered him that Sitora had to think for a moment. “It should not be an issue.”

“Then I will continue challenging. I should very much like to challenge the First Peak.”

“You speak as if you have defeated me already. You think you can?” Sitora smiled a predatory grin.

“A good question,” John said. Ultimately, he still didn’t believe himself close enough. If he properly reached the thirty-eighth rank… then she would still be five ranks ahead of him. Most likely, he would lose. “But I don’t necessarily have to win to ascend, do I? I just need to show I am worthy. That, at least, I am confident in.”

“And your disciples?” Sitora asked.

“They will continue to challenge, of course. Should they lose, I think they will still be able to garner valuable insights. That is what the Peaks and challenges are for, are they not?”

“Certainly,” Sitora said. “A proper Island Master is dedicated to such goals.”

Which meant some Island Masters did not think that way. John wondered if that only referenced Morana. He had not yet encountered the final Island Master, of course. He only knew the basics. Her name was Abritt. The fact that all five Island Masters were currently female had briefly surprised John, but it wasn’t that statistically improbable. And based on what he had heard, it really was just a coincidence of timing. The positions didn’t change all that often, but over a century or so they seemed to shuffle quite a bit with growth in power… and deaths.

He figured it was safer not to ask directly. Instead, John asked what he could expect if he should reach the First Peak.

“Defeat,” Sitora said simply. “Abritt is someone you cannot overcome. And there is nowhere higher to ascend.”

John shrugged. “Even so, I can put on my best display. I wouldn’t want to embarrass the continentals.”

After that, Sitora asked a few questions about Earth. John didn’t really have any secrets from Earth, so sharing what he knew wasn’t a problem. Nor did he come with vast knowledge of technologies that would somehow advance people- if that was the case, he would have already done so. The best he’d gotten was encouraging various forms of long distance communication… and more unusual cultivation, like his own. Anyone with some insight could have seen the potential value in each.