Book 1 - Lesson 24: "Misunderstandings can be both help and hinder"

Kallik, Ulagan, and Ganbaatar stood in a small circle as Gan told his story from the beginning. He left out no details, from the Beast Lord’s progeny to his rescue by the Akh’lut pup and even Yutu’s strange array. That last bit was particularly interesting to Kallik, and the Grassreader had glanced over at the unconscious man when Gan mentioned it.

Zaya had stayed by Yutu’s side since Kallik had treated him. The young man looked far better than before and was regaining some of his color. Gan felt a small pinch in his heart as he watched Zaya humming a soft tune while she changed Yutu’s bandages. It wasn’t like he was jealous
 Ok, maybe a little
 But that was to be expected. After all, Zaya and Yutu were Oathbound.

No one could remember how the oaths started, yet they had been an inseparable part of the Wandering Cities’ culture for longer than anyone living could remember, even before coming to the Radiant Sea. The oath wasn’t some frivolous thing; it was a seal upon the soul and bound to people closer than blood. Some cities even considered an oath as binding as a marriage, and oaths between large clans and families were important to gaining allies. Though oathtakers seldom married their bound one. That was typically frowned on for several reasons.

The oaths even came with several benefits to both parties. An oathtaker could always tell where their bound were, within a certain distance, and their cultivation could even help prop each other up. Some of the deeper bonds could feel what the other was feeling or thinking in some vague way. Gan’s heart had nearly broken when he’d heard they would take the oath. He knew even if he ever won Zolzaya’s heart, the bond she and Yutu shared wouldn’t be something he could encroach on.

In retrospect, he should have seen it coming. Zaya had always been like an older sister to the timid young man. She was always the first to encourage him and the first to defend him against the naysayers. Gan himself never would have noticed Yutu’s enormous talent had it not been for his interest in Zolzaya. She’d been the first to see the diamond in the sand.

All he could do was accept it and try to ensure their bond was just as strong and important, even if it wasn’t sealed with soul magic.

Ulagan’s voice broke Gan from his ruminations and brought him back to the present. The stoic Guardian was a man of few words, but Gan had learned to listen when he spoke.

“So what are our options, then? The prairies are still infested with the Beast Lord’s army, even if they’re scattered. Do we go deeper, hope we cross paths with one of the larger cities, and pray they can spread the word? Or could we head for the edges and try to contact the sects?”

Gan frowned. Hoping to find a city was a gamble, even if most gathered around the various Earth Shrines to prepare for the Abditus Apex month. If they missed them or met a village or small town that couldn’t fight off the Beast Lord, they could kill hundreds by mistake.

The sects were just as much of a gamble, if differently. Due to the chaotic nature of the Spirit energy in the Radiant Sea, the power of higher-level Cultivators and Mages was greatly suppressed. But that same chaos gave rise to powerful and valuable treasures rarely found elsewhere. Thus, the sects surrounding the Radiant Sea often used the prairies as training and hunting grounds for their most promising disciples.

This naturally created some tension between sects and the Wandering Cities. It was civil on the surface, with plenty of trade and even some natives joining this or that sect. That said, most of the sects wouldn’t hesitate to wring the Cities dry of everything they had if given a chance. If they went running to a sect, they might find help, but they might also be ignored, causing them to waste time looking for someone else. At worst, they might be ransomed or be offered help at rates that would bankrupt the village.

Neither option was perfect, though Gan was leaning towards the latter. While they couldn’t ask the Lord Protector to help more than it already had, its mere presence might make the sects think twice about trying to cheat them. If nothing else, the Akh’lut pup would add weight to their words. Gan felt somewhat ashamed of using his saviors in such a way, but there was far more at risk here than his pride and honor. He’d do so even if he had to kowtow for 100 days at their feet to get them to agree.

Kallik shook her head. Her eyes drifted toward the Lord Protector and the Akh’lut pup as she spoke.

“Neither. We make our way to the Earth Shrine.”

Ulagan and Ganbaatar jumped, eyes wide as they tried to argue.

“But Ma’am—!”

“Grassreader, we can’t—!”

Kallik cut them both off with a raised hand before speaking.

“I know your concerns. If we head towards the Earth Shrine in the middle of convergence, we risk dragging far more people into this, but we don’t have many options. If the Beast Lord’s injuries are as severe as Ganbaatar has said, he’s unlikely to attack again in the short term. The sects are an option, but—”

She glanced at Gan, who turned his face away before continuing.

“They’ll be preparing for the Darkest Night as well. It’s unlikely they have the time or will to help in any meaningful way.”

Her gaze turned to the mysterious Spirit Beast playing fetch with the Akh’lut pup like it was a common hound.

“With the
 Lord Protector’s help, we should be able to make it or at least catch up to the village in time. Such a large gathering should greatly disway the Beast Lord from further attacks, at least until the end of Abditus, when the Cities split again. There is also one more reason for heading toward the Earth Shrine
.”

Ulagan followed her gaze, his eyes narrowing as he asked.

“
 You think the Akh’lut will show? The Jadewalker’s Earth Shrine isn’t the largest or strongest. I’d think they’d much prefer their own.”

Kallik nodded. The Earth Shrines were among the few safe places in the Radiant Sea during the Darkest Night. Most Spirit beasts preferred to hibernate deep underground, but the Akh’lut, devoted followers of the Earth Prima as they were, constructed the shrines as places of safety and gathering to wait out the longest, coldest night of the year. The Akh’lut rarely visited the shrines the Cities were allowed to use, as their own were far superior.

Kallik answered, her voice firm.

“I do. The Akh’lut are extremely protective of their young, more so the unawaked. To see one uncompanioned
 there are few scenarios I can imagine such a thing. They’ll likely have someone at every shrine, listening for any clues. They most certainly wouldn’t allow an unknown entity to guard them, no matter how powerful they appeared.”

Ulagan shifted his eyes from the pup to the Lord Protector. His frown deepened as he asked.

“You don’t think
”

Kallik shook her head.

“No. Not likely. While it’s hard to imagine a threat, inside the prairies or out, that could threaten an Akh’lut hunting party, if our savior was the culprit, it’s unlikely the young pup would be so
 amiable to its presence if it had. She has not fully awakened, but the child is close. They are likely only a few months from maturing. Given Gan’s description of events and the pup’s behavior, I feel there’s a far more likely culprit.”

It was Gan’s turn to frown, and as he did, his hands clenched tight, shaking.

“Kusanagi
”

Kallik nodded.

“Correct. That would also suggest he is far more powerful and dangerous than the last time he appeared. Regardless of the risk, the Akh’lut and the Wandering Cities must be informed. I can’t say how the Lord Protector plays into all of this, but my guess is that the creature isn’t a native. It likely stumbled into the pup after wandering into the Radiant Sea. I can’t say why it helped her or you, but sometimes fate is strange like that. Surely you both have realized it by now?”

Ulagan stared, deep in thought, before speaking.

“It’s clearly awakened. The level of intelligence and skill it’s shown are beyond what you’d expect from just a smart Spirit beast. Yet
 not once has it introduced itself or communicated in anything but gestures. And the way it constantly examines things, as if seeing them for the first time. Nor have I ever heard of any Spirit beast even remotely similar to this, even in the surrounding lands. Given all that, plus its prodigious strength
 could it be a
”

Kallik nodded, grinning ear to ear.

“Yes. I believe we may have stumbled on a new Progenitor.”

=================================

Elder Yu Xiurong, Elder of the Origin Sect’s developmental branch, did her best to suppress the slight shaking of her hand as she spitted on the fragrant [Icebane Tea]. Its soothing warmth flooded her spirit and eased the tension in the small room. The man across the table set down his cup and nodded in approval. The attending servant almost sighed in relief but caught themself.

It was understandable; if even Xiurong, a Flood Dragon [Soul Fusion] Cultivator, and more than halfway through the greater [Earthly Transcendent] realm, was feeling the pressure, it had to be much worse on the weaker servants. Not that the man across from her was stronger. In fact, he was several steps weaker, being only at the upper end of [Spiritual Awakening]. Not that such a thing mattered in this place to these people.

The man sighed, then leaned back, smiling as he ran his fingers through the long, distinctive black and white hair. Xiurong involuntary shuttered, and only the gentle tap of Elder Song’s foot on her own calmed her down. She knew the man across from the table was playing with her. It was all part of the power game between factions. Yet Xiurong could still feel the man’s bloodline poking and prodding at her for weakness.

After all, his people were said to descend from the only known race to naturally prey on Dragons. Not that they didn’t return the favor every so often.

The man sat straight and lowered his gaze to the two Elders across from him before speaking cheerfully.

“Thank you for the tea! I’m always impressed by the quality the Origin sect can source. It’s so very hard to get anything worthwhile in this area. The Radiant Sea might be a treasure trove, but more fragile Spirit plants like teas don’t do well here.”

Elder Song smiled back, though neither man’s eyes held any genuine warmth as he responded.

“Of course! Only the best for our esteemed hosts. Think of it as an apology, Huntmaster Tuguslar, for the
 misunderstanding. I grew this blend myself. I’ll be sure you leave with a fresh block.”

Elder Song nodded to the tense young servant. The young man darted out the door, eager to fulfill the unspoken request
 and escape the Huntmaster’s lingering gaze. When the door closed, and the three were alone, Tuguslar turned his attention to the small box before him.

He pulled out a small shard of black glass, meticulously cut to emphasize the swirling lights deep within. He stared at it for a silent moment before placing it back in the box and speaking.

“Beautiful, aren’t they? I’ll be sure to let the tribe and the Earth Temple know who gifted them such exquisite treasures—”.

Elder Xiurong mentally tsked. Sure, he would. And, of course, he’d be sure to tell them how so very ‘difficult‘ it had been. Of all the people the Akh’lut could send to them, why did it have to be this man? Xiurong could only shove down her grievances as the man continued.

“—It’s a shame you lost the Fallen Star itself, though. Were it not for the current situation, I’m sure we would have lots of
 fun, seeing who could track the thief down.”

The man’s smile grew far wider than should have been possible, showing off rows of razor-sharp teeth. Such a display was intentional, of course. The Akh’lut were one of the few powers that could operate freely inside the Radiant Sea, and some more
 predatory elements in their people like to remind others of that fact.

After all, not only were the Akh’lut talented Cultivators in their own right, but every single one was also a powerful Esper. More specifically, they had a natural talent for shape-shifting that put most other chimeric races to shame. While they always kept the distinctive black and white markings of their natural form, a mature Akh’lut warrior was a force to be reckoned with that could regularly go toe to toe with beings several smaller steps above them. Some could even fight those of greater steps and come out even.

And that was outside the Radiant Sea.

Despite the vast wealth found here, there had yet to be a serious challenge to the Akh’lut’s claim in centuries.

Elder Xiurong frowned, though she kept her voice calm.

“If the Akh’lut aren’t here for the Fallen Star, why have you come?”

Tuguslar’s smile dropped, though his voice still held a playful teasing that grated at Xiurong’s nerves. He nodded and wagged a finger.

“Ah! Now that’s the question, isn’t it? Unfortunately, I have come bearing some terrible news. High Priestess Metis and the rest of her party... were found murdered only recently.”

A loud crack echoed through the small room as the chair handle Elder Xiurong had been grasping shattered into fragments. Her brow furrowed, and her lips twitched as she tried to speak, but no words came out. Only Elder Song’s gentle hand on her own brought her back out of the swirling storm that had erupted in her mind.

In an instant, the chaos on her face receded, and her expression went still, like the calm surface of a lake.

Xiurong didn’t miss the sparkle in the hateful man’s eyes as Elder Song turned to him to speak.

“I
 am sorry to hear that. We greatly enjoyed High Priestess Metis’ visits and her efforts at brokering the agreements between the Origin sect and the Akh’lut. Though I’m curious why this news merits your personal visit, Huntsmaster. You can’t think we had something to do with this tragedy?”

Tuguslar leaned back in his chair and shrugged.

“I’ll admit, some of the more
 conservative tribe members have brought up the idea—”

Xiurong shot to her feet, her Spirit energy swirling in dark patterns, no longer bothering to hide her fury. Metis had been
 maybe not a friend, not quite yet, but Xiurong had spent days, weeks even with the woman, as they discussed various topics. The Priestess had been kind and patient in a way few could afford to be in this cold, hard world. She’d been one of the few people Xiurong felt she might one day call a genuine friend. To insinuate that—.

Tuguslar held up a hand to stop her, his own Spirit energy clashing against her own.

“Now, now, no need for that. I said idea. None are taking the possibility seriously
 yet.”

Elder Song pulled Xiurong down and wedged his own Spirit energy between the two clashing forces. Neither missed the implied threat in the Huntmaster’s words.

Elder Song asked.

“So why would the Akh’lut come to us?”

Tuguslar sighed as he answered.

“The High Priestess was on her way to visit your compound when her [Soul Flame] was extinguished. Very close, in fact
 to where the Fallen Star fell.”

Elder Song and Xiurong leaned back, wide-eyed. After a moment, Elder Song whispered.

“Do the Akh’lut think
 that the Star thief had something to do with the murder?”

Tuguslar leaned forward, his eyes hard and voice serious for the first time since the meeting started.

“That’s the prevailing theory. Fallen Stars are always powerful and dangerous items. It would make sense that some lucky fool decided they wanted to test their new toy. That being said, there’s a more serious issue.”

Elder Song raised a brow. What could be more serious than a rogue psychopath with a dangerous weapon? Tuguslar continued.

“
 The High Priestess’s daughter was with her at the time
 and the child has gone missing.”

Xiurong slumped in her chair, her heart sinking at the thought of the mischievous, happy pup that had accompanied her mother during most of their visits. She couldn’t even be angry at the adorable thing, even after she’d chewed one of Xiurong’s most expensive robes to shreds (itself an impressive feat).

Elder Song’s frown deepened as he asked.

“Was she
”

Tuguslar shook her head.

“No. Her [Soul Flame] still burns. Something is interfering with the tracking seal, though. We’re not sure if she’s wandering alone or
.”

He let the sentence hang in the air. Elder Song sighed; great, so not only were they looking at a murder, but a potential hostage situation as well.

Before either Elder could say anything more, Tuguslar stood and clapped his hands. All the gravitas had left when he spoke, and the cheery voice returned.

“Well, now! That’s all I had to report! The Akh’lut would appreciate it if the Origin sect cooperated with this investigation. I’m sure it will go a long way to ensure our mutual relationship remains as friendly for many years to come.”

With that, he downed the rest of his tea and made his way to the door.

The door shut behind him with a silent thud, leaving the two Elders in silent contemplation.

After a long moment, Xiurong took a deep, ragged breath, then fell into Wu Song’s arms, her tears flowing freely. Wu Song said nothing, only held the young woman tight and stared toward something beyond the room’s walls. As he did, his eyes grew firm, and his grip tightened.