When Sitora said to allow things to settle, what she might have actually meant was to wait for Venera of the Fourth Peak to challenge Morana of the Third Peak. Even upon taking an injury, there was only so long an island master could go without accepting challenges, especially from other island masters.

From what John understood, the system was not set up so that the positions would frequently change hands, but Venera seemed to have been waiting for an opportunity and had a challenge properly available.

Having lost a hand entirely through her own fault, Morana couldn’t say it was unfair. Indeed, as far as her injuries could heal she was healthy by the end of the week. But her hand was never coming back. John had made certain of that, unless she came across some sort of miracle to regrow it. Not impossible for cultivators, perhaps, but such things couldn’t be secured in a short period of time.

John descended to observe the match. He was formally able to move as he wished between the islands, with the exception of the First Peak where he’d have one official visit. It would have still been dangerous to move to the Third Peak alone, as Morana might have wished for vengeance. But with the challenge happening, people from every peak came to watch- even a few from the First Peak. Not the Island Master, however.

The battle was… disappointing. With her primary hand gone, Morana’s combat prowess dropped significantly. Clearly she had kept in practice with her off hand, but that was most likely intended for if she sustained a minor injury. She wouldn’t have anticipated losing it entirely and surviving.

The loss of even a small amount of power could vastly shift a battle. Even Morana’s energy efficiency with her off hand was diminished, as she was clearly used to channeling her spiritual energy a certain way. Indeed, the missing hand meant that the meridians within were gone as well, throwing off her internal energy circulation and even her habitual defenses.

Each piece on its own might not have been enough. But together? Venera deflected the first of Morana’s war darts easily with her hooked polearm, charging forward to catch her just after she threw her second, narrowly avoided.

Morana attempted to fly away, but the hem of her clothes were caught by Venera’s hook and she was slammed disgracefully into the platform. They were durable enough to hold together, because they also served as armor. Most likely Morana’s timing had been based on the speed at which she could throw with her right hand, and that tiny instant had cost her dearly.

She tried to thrust a war dart towards Venera, but she was currently at the worst possible range for her weapons. Too close to safely throw, too far to actually reach her challenger. She only barely managed to deflect the incoming polearm, but she got a gash on her forearm. Furthermore, she didn’t make it all the way to her feet.

Venera didn’t let up, the weight of earth carrying her weapon downward with great force, battering Morana until the Third Peak island master collapsed. The formations protected her from the final blow.

The new Third Peak island master stood victorious. Venera was not so careless as to let down her guard, most likely being aware of Morana’s earlier treachery. Either Morana didn’t have it in her, or she knew better. John being a continental might have been a good enough excuse if she’d been successful, but attacking another member of the Sky Islands would likely be far more disastrous for her.

She’d also have to expect it to work. Venera wasn’t being subtle about her continued readiness, unlike myself. Venera flew down and landed in front of the crowds watching. “The assessments for those who wish to remain part of the Third Peak will begin tomorrow.”

That was that. John didn’t fully understand the system, but he assumed that some combination of likely loyalty and talent were required for the residents of the various peaks. That seemed apt to cause trouble when the Island Masters changed, but perhaps that was why it was not supposed to happen frequently.

-----

Every time he fought or trained, John felt the same feeling as when he’d had his proper battle with Sitora. It was a sense of enlightenment and power. Yet he held off, for he still had a plan.

John was pleased to see Viriato and the others making great strides. At least, as much as could be expected in a week of training. Viriato had much to learn about both dominant elements in the area. Ayhan had both earth and air totems already, with Lir not yet having an earth totem. But they could still learn everything that was taught, and Lir would be attuning to an earth totem when she reached the Consolidated Soul Phase, completing the cycle of core elements.

Viriato was in an odd state, and he had yet to make a decision about what sort of totem he would reach for, should he reach the Ascending Soul Phase. That was less of a guarantee than the others reaching the Consolidated Soul Phase. Even so, it had to be considered. Either way, fighting against experts wielding the two elements he didn’t have would prove valuable. The Six Elements Crossroads had plenty of air and earth cultivators, but once disciples attuned to two elements they were usually gunning for all four core elements.

John sparred against Sitora and the disciples of the Second Peak. Unlike the trial, the lack of serious consequences meant he simply would not gain as much value. Even so, Sitora guided him in her own way. Her insights into her two elements were much deeper than his own- though it would have been worrying if they were not. John had to split his attention between five… all six elements, really. Though he was still only barely functional with light.

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

-----

No specific guidance had been provided to John by Sitora with regards to what sorts of techniques Abritt of the First Peak would use. He could of course surmise many things. All of the Island Masters used earth and air, and he could feel the same elements were part of the woman, even from a distance. While individual fighting styles varied, they had an overall theme to them.

Sitora saw him off with a few polite words. Everything that needed to be said had already happened. John knew that he was going to lose. But certainly, the experience should be valuable. While there was some sort of vendetta against him, Sitora seemed confident that John wouldn’t be killed. He agreed, though he would be watching out for more than just that. If necessary, he would shamefully throw himself out of the arena.

There was some risk for Viriato, Lir, and Ayhan but even so they chose to ascend with him. They could only observe the battle as his attendants, but he hoped they would learn something as well.

When they landed on the First Peak, nobody came out of the ostentatious gates to greet them, though they were properly escorted inside after they approached.

“A challenger is here, Island Master,” they announced as he reached a sort of throne room, much like the others. John was unwilling to crane his neck, but he also didn’t keep his head down as he looked up at the Island Master.

She was old. Perhaps more than Sitora, even. She had the look of centuries, and her aura stood powerful at the forty-third rank, the late Ascending Soul Phase. Just one rank above Sitora, but a very significant one.

John felt her gaze bear down on him. The pressure of it was almost like an attack, and he felt his disciples tremble slightly even as they were on the periphery. Even so, he stood firm without reacting.

“We shall meet at the arena,” the woman declared. It seemed she had nothing more to say, as the guards gestured John and the others out.

She clearly wasn’t happy. Perhaps she might not have cared about her minion on the Third Peak, but she would be annoyed at her plans being disrupted regardless. In some ways, her lack of words infused with vitriol made John more concerned. But he was a fairly decent judge of intention, as he had to be as despite his lack of taste for politics he still had to participate.

Abritt would wish to embarrass him. So his main goal would be to avoid such an end to the best of his ability. Obviously he would lose the match, but that alone wouldn’t mean much. She was two stages ahead of him, after all.

He took note of those in the surroundings. There were more than a few individuals in the late Consolidated Soul Phase that he felt were on the verge of the Ascending Soul Phase. Perhaps if one of them had advanced, John wouldn’t even be given the honor of facing the Island Master. Then again, they would have had to be sure to beat him. It would be embarrassing for the First Peak otherwise, to misjudge him and for the Island Master to have to face him after a loss on their part.

Not that he intended to embarrass them. That was impossible, except so far as Abritt’s ego might be inflated. Perhaps not losing horrendously would be sufficient to bring her down a peg. But that was his only aim- he had no intention of provoking such a powerful cultivator. He was here to take part in their traditions, and as much as he felt disdain for continentals… he didn’t really care.

Abritt flew out of her throne room when he was nearly to the arena. Upon the issuance of the challenge, the arena had been activated and the disciples had begun to make their way over. Those who were further followed behind John and his disciples.

Viriato picked out a position in the front row, on one of the ends. As his disciples it was appropriate… and John suspected that it was one of the best positions to flee, if that should become necessary. Just because he thought he knew how things would go didn’t mean that caution wasn’t warranted.

Abritt landed ahead of him, on one of the very few platforms in the arena. A mere four of them swirled around, rising and falling and otherwise traversing to all points of the arena.

John flew up. The air was slightly thinner here, the flight marginally more difficult than the initial ascent from sea level- except for the fact that it was far shorter. Instead of many kilometers, it was barely twenty meters. The arena of course had no floor, its boundaries made clear by transparent formations.

The start of the match was called. Immediately, John flicked a throwing dagger enhanced with fire and earth. The moment before it reached Abritt, a tornado erupted around her.

While it was technically a small cyclone, it did fill most of the arena with high winds. And it wasn’t an instantaneous gust, meant to blow one attack off course. Indeed, Abritt kept a neutral expression that indicated she could keep the whirlwind forever. She stepped off her platform, floating towards John at a leisurely pace.

Half a dozen throwing daggers later, John was certain that he could not touch her with one. He was also certain that she could have returned his attacks at high speed, and simply chose not to. John wondered why, since defeating him with one of his own weapons would have been quite shameful.

Then he realized. She reached the center of the arena and simply stopped. Winds buffeted at John, threatening to tear him away from his platform.

She intended to defeat him without launching an attack. John understood that now… and he couldn’t really say that he thought she would need to.

Her winds wrapped around him, but he was reminded of the past. Training on Cyclone Island, with Kusuma. It was a shame she had perished, both because of her ability and because he enjoyed her as a person.

Each time the winds ripped him off of his perch, Kusuma had made him get back up, taking his stance once more. Now, John knew that if he was wrested away from his perch he would be tossed out of the arena.

Frankly, Abritt had enough strength for that. Though she was currently battering him with a constant wind, John knew that one good gust could bring him down. So he extended roots, and prepared himself. He had at least one thing he wanted to do before being defeated, but he wanted her to show more of her hand first. Or at least try.