Getting the prisoners out was the easy part. Sneak in while the enemies' backs were turned and
cut them loose without using qi. The captured centurions were lightly guarded, while Kalki ascended. And very much willing to get out of here, while holding their ears. Zeno's first assumption of someone being a demonic tunist were thrown out after a short conversation through standard legionary hand signs. Normally they would not have the time to establish this much, but this cultivator was a disciple of the most honourable school of lazy does it and was trying his hardest to sing, Zeno guessed. His screeching could surely be heard even in the deepest parts of the Fort.
One centurion specialising in expendable arrays was even willing to give Zeno an array. It clearly does not work, but the man had more life changing processes on his mind, with all the blood dripping from his nose.
In between the signing of the group in the distance the disciple continued his screeching without remorse or thought for tact, Zeno thought morosely.
Before the fight, Zeno reminded himself of what he knew. His enemy, Prakash, is a telekinetic with a childish streak and by the looks of it doesn't take us seriously. To our disadvantage he's guarding the only (intended) exit out of this, qi draining glass in the windows letting little light from the sun shine through. The acknowledgement tasted bitter in Zeno's mouth.
He also thought that we cannot let him notice the scorpions digging an escape tunnel to the maintenance corridors and soon changing the echo so even Prakash can discern the difference. Knowing this, Zeno's purpose is clear, to distract the child.
With great effort Zeno forces as much qi as possible into the broken stone carved array, while the horrible screeching continues in the background.
As Zeno steps out of the shadow of the cell, Prakash finally stops screeching, stepping right.
With arms splayed wide and an easy grin he advances leisurely towards Zeno. "Well, it seems a very colourful rat escaped its cage." A rock embeds itself in the window between the two combatants.
"I am more of a mountain rabbit." Zeno rebuked with an even tone. Hollering and laughter greet the divinator's declaration, while Prakash takes the time to dramatically lean on a wall, seemingly ignoring the devil mere meters away.
"Ooh, you are going to be amusing." Despite his good demeanour, a ring of various weapons starts to float around him. "Come back to the jail and take that slab of rusted metal away, now!" A force of qi swirl around him, to hold up the weapons. The crack in the windows begins to get wider.
As Zeno sidesteps the first jab at him, aimed to intimidate him rather than truly harm. "With that screeching of yours I am amazed that our glass can withstand it." Zeno grins.
Annoyed, Prakash rebukes. "As if you would know talent, devil." In the small confines of the hall, the swirling weapons of Prakash now focus on truly harming Zeno, sparking qi when blade meets ground or wall. Zeno parries and dodges all the while, a lazy smile forming on his lips with every blade not wounding him and small cuts healing before the eyes of Prakash.
With time Zeno learns of the patterns employed by Prakash. Two swipes are either followed by a precise cut or a hammer blow from above. The small number of weapons and little room, helping Zeno anticipate where to dodge next.
In the same timeframe Prakash clearly grows annoyed at Zeno.
Zeno's answer to Prakash's order "Die already, devil!" is another
cut, which Prakash Blocks with a swipe.
The growing childish anger of Prakash was obvious with every swipe dodged by Zeno. "Why would anyone want to follow your orders anyway? You are clearly just Kalki's guard dog! Bark!" The streams cut the air faster with every missed strike, a frenzied river of blades.
"At least the crafter lady could do more than bark!" an unused left hand showing the still healing burns on Zeno. The flesh deforms in strange ways to the visual displeasure of Prakash.
"Disgusting! He's my brother, not my
master! his screech makes the windows wobble. Meanwhile Zeno is forced to reorient himself and step back out of striking range to gather himself.
Betting on a hammer blow from above, Zeno dodges under the stream of weapons to cut the token. That plan is foiled by Prakash sidestepping towards the cracked window. The momentum of Zeno's cut forces chunks of rocks loose, which Prakash quickly adds to his arsenal. The forming projectile hail flowing faster and sparking even more on every surface. The cracked windows behind Prakash break under the strain, the following explosion ripping Zeno and Prakash from their positions.
The flows of weapons continue to assail Zeno with a battle cry of "Die!" as they land on the rubble that were the walls of the fort. This time more weapons find their purchase on Zeno under the weight of a King. Only the wider arcs of the projectiles, his enemies temper and Zeno's new mantra to ward off some Dao effects allow the dancer to avoid the worst.
In between dodging doom by a thousand cuts Zeno could not help but think that at least the charred hair of Prakash fits his personality now. There's nothing left to be saved.
The situation changes quickly, as Amaranth kicks Zeno out of the way of a backstabbing hail while draining away much of the Qi from the projectiles. The unprepared rocks chunks falling high towards the Sun.
Chucking another hail towards the glowing Amaranth, Prakash exclaims. "Now this is better, dance for me!" not all the weapons returned this time.
Behind the fallen rock a discordant battle cry of "Diediediedie!" demands the combatants attention. Sand turns into stone and their crash from on high forces Prakash to sink into the sand. Glass steadies his feet, while rooting him. The onslaught countered by hundreds of blades.
"Ha did you really think that wo- '' not letting their opponent get any breath the World shudders under Amaranth's might.
His will and passion expressed in the burning fist, shatters Prakash's veil of weapons. Maria and her Twin flying off into the distance, their shadows stretching far under the dim light of the Sun. The shadows swirl.
A Reserve dagger quickly plucked by Prakash, never Hits its mark, as a sudden saber from behind forces Prakash to dodge.
Prismatic light enveloping Prakash slows him down enough for Zeno to
try cutting. His saber comes nearer than before, but it's not enough. A rock rushes over to Prakash, which he uses as leverage to
leap to the side, prepared to send an attack just as he moves away, but then Prakash sees something, and his eyes widen. The feeling of Dao-Might permeating the air soon winks out like a doused candle. Soon after, he crushes his token and vanishes in a burst of golden light.
With a moment to breathe and the fight seemingly over they meet up again to walk back.
The twins holler everyone's frustration into the winds. "That fucker didn't die!"
"But we cooked the dog at least!" a jubilant Lyssa answered as they trudged towards their base Camp.
"WE didn't even destroy the Token." A morose Zeno corrected.
A deep voice beside them asserts. "WE survived and the hunters Left. Nothing else matters in the trials. "
With frustrated sighs and/or nods all around they marched onwards.
---
As Zeno stands in the entrance of the tent, Gaius is ready to greet him back, puffing all the while.
"So you made it back..." Gaius sighs in relief, the remainder of the day's tension finally leaving his body. "I tried to find you after we won, but you weren't in the rubble. We must have passed by each other." He turned and spat some blood into a handkerchief. "Sorry. Tongue's still growing back. Probably shouldn't smoke until it's done." Despite his words, Gaius made no move to put down his cigarette.
A moment of silence passed between the two men, neither sure what to say in the aftermath of all that fighting. "You look like shit, Senior." Gaius eventually interjected. "But then, so do I." He gestured to his limply hanging arm and gave a smile with several missing or broken teeth.
Accepting the comment as his own shoulders slumped, Zeno continued. "Was it the result of an explosion or someone just throwing fire at you?" While they sat down on what furniture was available, Appendix made some tea and handed them to anyone who wished for some refreshment.
"Either way, the fort blew up in the fight with Prakash and the only thing we hurt was his mop of hair and his pride. Nothing the ass can't grow back, unfortunately. Please tell me it went better with the others. Did we at least banish Kalki or whoever you helped to fight properly?" Zeno pleaded.
"We won't know exactly what happened until Wei Feng's out of the medical tent, and that's a way's off." Gaius turned to said tent. It was overflowing, with so many surgeries being conducted within that the lesser treatments were outside in the open air. "He's still in critical condition; he was mostly bone by the time things were over, and his guts were hanging out. Even for The Phoenix, that's quite bad…"
He took another drag, drawing on the slightly memories of what happened to him. "I was fighting the honor guard at first, and in an open plain like this I took out several pretty fast. Then I saw Xiao Yingzi chained to the ground and saved her with my Earth-Gliding. One thing led to another, I laid my hands on a Six-Pillar Foundation expert, and the only reason I can walk right now is she only had a few seconds to spare for me." He gazed off into the middle distance, humbled by that glance of how far the path went. "That's how I lost my tongue - she hit me so hard I bit it off."
"Did you not want to stop smoking until it grew back?" Zeno asks, an eyebrow arched.
Gaius quietly scowled for a moment, annoyed at having been caught. But Zeno was a superior officer… he regretfully put out the cigarette and tried to ignore Zeno's smug look. Wanting to at least put something in his mouth to distract from the painful squirming of his healing tongue, he chewed some medicinal herbs instead.
Taking the momentum Zeno says."At least Wei Feng will get the medical attention he needs. Let's hope he'll make it." With another sip of tea taken he continues. "On better news. The prisoners in Fort Deadsand escaped successfully and should make it to another holdout for the little medical attention they need."
"That's good, at least." Gaius opened the flap and looked, seeing the prisoners joining the camp. "Because we're not quite out of this yet. The Trial's still going on, and we've got a whole lot of Clansmen who can't fight right now. We'll need to stay here for a couple more weeks."
Zeno nods. "That's true. I'll get on divinating the next qi surge, so we won't starve to death and can move in time then." Taking another sip he explains. "According to Abel'er Fort Deadsand is only a temporary fort we maintain in times when its flows allow us to man it. Since this is the trials I would not put it beyond Heaven to shorten this qi surge and starve us. We should probably move sooner than later, though."
"Mm." Gaius nodded grimly. "Then… maybe in a week. It'll be a hard march for those who are worst off but they should make it if we pace ourselves. We can disperse once we reach northern Hua land, get back to the usual routine of these damned things." Gaius stopped at that, contemplating something. Zeno meanwhile gets another cup.
"It feels strange, to pull off something this big and just… go back to business as usual. I suppose time never stops flowing no matter how important an event is. Every day is as long as every other." He limps out of the tent, looking upon the assembled soldiers. Zeno followed closely behind him. Almost everyone was wounded, some badly, but there was some ephemeral quality visible in each and everyone, some spark that would normally be snuffed out in this year. "We won't be famous like the Thirteen." Gaius laughed. "Not nearly as many people saw this. Still, no matter what happens, the fact that we were here, that we did this… no one can take that from us."
"You can say that again, friend. Strange is a good word for it, I believe. You know, I didn't think so many people would heed my call in the first place. I thought the Clan's mentality would be keeping them away from something so obviously manipulated by Heaven, but I am happy in a strange way to be proven wrong. We weren't the Thirteen and with this I feel, none of us that survived will ever be considered under their shadows of fame. We chartered our own paths, and thanks to Wei Feng in particular, succeeded in what we set out to do."
Giving the cup to Appendix, Zeno asks one last question to Gaius beside him. "Do you think we'll be able to carry the momentum of our path we built today?"
Gaius rubs his chin, pondering that statement. "I'd like to think so. Even if only to a few people, we've proved that we won't lie down and be their treasure vault anymore. As to what response that might provoke… that I can't know." He put his hands on his hips. "Although this might be cold to say… I won't regret what we did. Not even if they try to burn us to the ground next time. This week, we proved that we're warriors, not animals."
Zeno merely nods at the truth of the statement, the tranquil silence between them all that needs to be told.
After a time Amaranth approaches the tent, Zeno still standing before it, clearly elsewhere with his thoughts, a slowly painted map being filled out, under his glowing gaze. He waves at him a bit to get his attention, but soon realizes that Zeno isn't focusing on his surroundings at the moment. Finally, Amaranth decides to speak.
"So, Zeno Angelus, was it? I hear that you're the one to look for if a person needs information, right? Or at least, it seems like you're a solid diviner to me. Getting warnings about things as far as another Sea sounds like a feat I've never heard any other diviner in Core, forget Foundation, to manage to accomplish."
"Wha-" Zeno backs away. Loud guffawing starting behind Zeno, the tea spilling in the sand. "Eh, yes. I am Centurion Angelus, Senior." A glare to his side stops the mocking laughter.
Straightening up, he says. "I am a good diviner, yes, but not to the level most legionnaires would love to claim, heh." Zeno shakes his head at the thought of their claims. "Heaven tipped the scale, because Kalki offended it. Simple as that."
"Heaven, favoring one of us Golden Devils over one of the Fifth Sea? I have to admit, that's a bit of an odd thought, and if I hadn't seen the lightnings sent down at Kalki today, I might have had a hard time believing it. But I have, so it's just one more thing to take into account, I suppose." Finally, he shakes his head as if to clear it of something. "But, that's enough of that. It's just good to see that Wei Feng managed to send him back in short order. The power of that Dao…" Amaranth shudders. "If he managed to get into the greater swathes of the Fifth Sea push, there'd have been a whole lot more deaths than there were, that's for sure. Not just from the emanations themselves, but also from those wretched invaders getting strengthened in the process. It was almost like those four were getting pushed over the crest of a wave, if the wave served solely to raise them up instead of crushing them over."
Zeno nods at that. "I got a similar feeling from that. Mind you the telekinetic we faced, Prakash, was a handful even without the boost by his brother Kalki. Everything he did, everything he was, simply became more for lack of a better term. He reacted faster, his precision with his weapons got better and I am pretty sure without that boost your punch should have at least made some damage. With the boost everything we did seemed to just glance off, somehow. Very frustrating." A bunch of kicked sand flies into the air.
"Anyway I am happy this went so well, to be honest. This could have gone so much worse. If the crafter lady had some stuff to entrap us we would have been done for, as only one horror scenario that could be painted." This gives Zeno pause. "It certainly showed how easy it was to lose everything with that. Not just our lives. A victory here could have wiped out the work of the last century, if not even more." his eyes looking upon his saber, while he thinks.
"Hm...Senior. I know that may be forward, but do you know what legacy you will leave behind?" Zenos eyes wander from his sword to Amaranth's face.
Amaranth's face, despite being a cultivator near the end of his lifespan, surprisingly enough still looked like he was in the prime of his life for a mortal. Given that cultivators tended to rapidly age as they approached their final years, this was undoubtedly due to the use of a technique. Even so, his bronze skin carried the characteristic tarnished patina of an elderly Golden Devil. There were parts where untarnished bronze still showed through, obviously the work of long effort scrubbing it clean, but the vast majority still was covered in tones of green and grey. That was rather odd, because Zeno could've sworn that he had seen Amaranth's face completely clear when he had first seen him, but he supposed that the patina piled on faster than he had thought.
"Legacy, huh." Amaranth looks a bit distant, for a few moments, but comes back to himself and straightens up. "Well, to be honest-"
"To be honest, what, senior?" Zeno's voice and posture indicating his full attention.
Amaranth looks like he's about to say something, but stops himself. Then, he continues. "I know I've tried my best to not show it, but to you, my age must seem as clear as day, so I'll get to the point. I've been thinking about what would happen if I'll fail the tribulation that stands in front of me. Failing and dying honestly scares me less than if I fail and survive. This'll be my one-hundred and ninety-sixth year, you see." Zeno nods.
Amaranth continues unabated. At this point, his chin is on his hands, eyes flitting from place to place in clear worry. "Even if the Heavens don't claim my life through the sky, the earth will take my corpse within a few years, maybe even a few months. You know, maybe it's a bit arrogant of me. I'm still at the Twelfth Heavenstage at this age, and even though I feel that the Thirteenth is at the very next step, waiting that bit longer when time is rushing out behind me, only to face a tribulation that's even greater than the one that I'd otherwise face, it's just— maybe that's why it hasn't come yet. Maybe that's why I haven't gotten there. And now, I don't know if I should be planning for a death that's more likely to occur than not, or if that would just make these doubts worsen even further when they shouldn't. So, when I say I've been thinking about legacy, that's really all I've been doing. Thinking. I haven't taken
any steps—"
Zeno holds up both his hands. "Peace, friend. You do not have to convince me about the righteousness of your way." Amaranth finally notices the position he's in, and hurriedly moves back into an attempt at looking relaxed.
"Your story is scarily similar to that of my own father Georgios decades ago. He too faced certain death by old age and feared to not make it in time. Admittedly, he had the advantage of my mother, whose information network spied a particular dream trial she could accompany him within… He made it in time, advancing quickly afterwards with his bottleneck washed away. The price for that we pay even now, his body and soul lost to the liminal and serving under the dreaming Mount Tai." Zeno takes a moment to gauge the reaction of his listener.
Amaranth looks shocked. "Wait, that can happen? I don't know much about how the world of dreams works, but the Heavens can seize you in your entirety over there? That's horrifying."
Zenos eyes narrow. "It is. The power we attain in our journey always has a price, especially the kind my father bargained for in his trials. Ours may be made more by our own hard work, but make no mistake nothing exists alone." Zeno pauses, so Amaranth can have a moment to think.
"It should not be of concern to you anyway. You have every intention to face your tribulation head on, no? Zeno asks.
"Honestly, I didn't even know you could avoid a tribulation in that manner, but given the costs… No, that's certainly not a path I would take. Serving the heavens for eternity is far worse than mere death, and to be honest, I'm not sure the Heavens would be that kind to someone seeking to avoid the Five-Elements Tribulation. I'll face it head on. No matter my worries, that's the only path." Amaranth's face firms with resolve. Then, looking like he remembered something, he continues. "Though, is there anything that you know that could help increase my chances of success? I'd be foolish to not take any advantage I could before going through the process, after all. I hear that the wrath of the Heavens is lessened the higher you go, but that's about the limit of my own knowledge of the matter regarding the effect of the site chosen. That's actually what I came to ask you in the first place, by the way."
Zeno rubs his chin and contemplates the matter. "The information I have is secondhand, gleaned from many nights of talking with legionnaires in her legion and reading her official essay on the board, but I think I can at least give some insights."
Three fingers raised he continues." The first thing you need to be aware of is the horrendous cost in spirit stones your cultivation will consume after your ascent." Pointing with his other finger to the second finger he says. "Secondly, Your tribulation, as it is unorthodox in nature, is bound to destroy large swathes of territory and in the case of Callista made these lands even workable by farmers, small as it was. The last part is the most important. Where do you want to perform this tribulation? Not just, because you consider it optimal. All the people I have heard talk about it in the legion say the personal significance, like the Feng Shui, is important." With his points made, Zenos lowers his arms, waiting for Amaranth to consider this matter. His comrade is already pacing up and down as he talks to no one in particular.
"I expected the tribulation to be destructive, yeah. The tribulations of the Golden Devils tend to be that way. What was it, eight-parts killing intent to two-parts vital force for the 'standard' type? And that's before whatever that enhancement does to the thing. Though, her tribulation made the land fertile? That's pretty remarkable, though I suppose with what I've heard of her Dao, that makes sense. The Heavens challenge your Dao at the moment of a tribulation, to crack it, to find imperfections. In her case, the imposition of the existing world over her own, the world from before the Turtle Child died. I'm unsure if whatever countermeasure the Heavens would pull against my Dao would be as kind to the surroundings, though. That being said, if a place of significance is needed, then the sacrifice must be made to push through. But what place? That'll require thought."
Zeno stands beside the pacing Amaranth, a cup of tea for him in his hand. "Would you care for some after, well this? You certainly can't voice a plan with a dry throat."
Amaranth gratefully takes the cup, and takes a deep sip. "Thanks, Zeno. I needed that." A solemn grin is his only response as Zeno waits for Amaranth to collect himself.
After a few minutes, where he tilted his head to the side and stroked his beard, he nods once. Zeno noting his words on vellum, the tea handed over to Appendix in a quiet moment. "I think I have a place in mind. If there was ever a place that was fundamental to the birth of my Dao, it would have to be in that spiritual oasis, where over a century ago, I tested myself against thousands of toads and learned of their nature that echoed mine in some ways. There was a specific type of toad, actually, the Thunder Toad, that attempted to consume tribulation lightning at the Ninth Heavenstage in an attempt to forge their first pillar. Most died, of course, but it gave me an idea." Then, he frowned. "Though, that place lies flat on the desert basin. I'd have to use some sort of ramp, or tower, to make it a non-suicidal endeavor, but from what I heard, the tribulation might lay waste to such a contraption in the middle of the ordeal."
"Wouldn't it also make the surrounding spirit beasts wary of engaging you, with all the heavenly lightning gathered?" Zeno suggests, noting the Thunder Toad Basin.
"Ah, I see, perhaps there's been a misunderstanding. See, my relationship with the toads of that region, while certainly nostalgic, isn't amiable at all. If it made those toads more wary of me, frankly I'd consider it a bonus."
"So just another obstacle, huh." Zeno says.
Amaranth visibly considered that for a moment. "Not a bad description, yeah. Though, if I'm not mistaken, the Foundation-level Toads in the region that may seek to go after me after I'm weakened from the tribulation shouldn't be of the level to be too much of a threat, if the strength of the Single Pillar shows true as it did earlier today with that Kalki. I could even call it a bit of a morning snack— though perhaps I'm underestimating how badly I'll be beaten up in the process. Actually, nevermind that, you have a fair point."
Zeno says. "That sounds like you need Dao Guardians and some kind of artifact to ward off Heavenly empowered toads."
Amaranth, about to respond until he heard the last part of what Zeno said, comes to a stop and looks at Zeno with an intensity that he didn't have until now. "Heavenly empowered.. toads, you say? That sounds— surprisingly plausible. Incredibly plausible, actually. If the tools are already present, why not use them? Or at least, that certainly seems like the ethos they've taken with the Trials. Toad-men…" Amaranth continues to mutter to himself. "Did that Thousand-Tongued Toad doom me by telling me that story, or was it inevitable all along?"
Zeno cuts in. "Divination is not deterministic I think, and it constantly fluctuates. You know, the archives tell of so many individuals wielding the laws. It gets complicated fast and that is under the System of Heaven influencing us. So it most likely was not some kind of prophecy intended for you, but you just fit the role." his uncertain , but steady voice underlining how complicated that topic is.
"Divination wouldn't, sure, but curses of Fate are another breed entirely. Though, it seemed peaceful enough, so perhaps that's just my paranoia talking. Anyways, you mentioned getting Dao Guardians and artifacts? That's probably a wise move. I hear that you can rent the services of a Centurion for a hefty sum of contribution points, though I don't know anyone who would be willing to deal with something on this scale. I guess I"ll have to search around." Amaranth glances at Zeno one more time, and appears to be thinking hard about something. "By any chance, would you mind?"
Zeno steps back, shocked. "To be your Dao Guardian!? Would I as an Orthodox cultivator even make a difference? Not that I am not grateful, but… you know."
Amaranth laughed, which was rather unlike the somber attitude he was showing earlier. "No, I'm not asking you to strike at my tribulation directly. That'd just be foolish, the Heavens send down more power in response to interference. What I meant was that after my tribulation, I'm almost certainly going to be severely injured or unconscious, very possibly both. I'll be ripe pickings for whatever Toad decides that I'd be a nice meal to have after I've been fattened up by my ascension, so I'll need a protector to prevent that from happening." But then, Amaranth's face changed. "Though, considering the scale of the thing, even staying close enough to be able to protect me when Heaven's judgement has ended might invite collateral damage. Hm. Though, you'd think it'd be weakened from the distance, so it shouldn't be too much of an issue. Probably, at least."
Zeno rubs his chin, thinking deeply about this. After he's done he straightens his back, as every legionnaire learns for a salute and his eyes gaze directly at Amaranth. "I will do it, but I would use these circumstances for some poetic justice if you will. I would try to empower my fathers saber with Heavenly Lightning as its whetstone. Would my help still be acceptable, with you knowing this?"
"Absolutely! First of all, I should thank you for deciding to help me at all. I was just a bit overenthusiastic earlier, so apologies, that slipped my mind. Taking advantage of the tribulation in any shape and form would honestly be completely fine just for that, but taking advantage of it in a manner to deal justice to the heavens who have stolen your father from you— as a Golden Devil, I can only commend you for the idea. I hope you can take that saber and plunge it into the Heavens themselves for their sins." Amaranth catches himself miming thrusting a saber into the air, and sheepishly laughs. "Ah, that's my enthusiasm again. Essentially, go for it." A grin appears on Zenos face at that statement.
"Nice! that sounds like the beginning of a plan!" Zeno offers Amaranth his right swordhand.
With a smile on his face, Amaranth clasps Zeno's hand and shakes it. "Indeed. With Prakash and the Trials, we were the ones who reacted. We'll decide where the fight is next!"
AN: It was fun to work with everyone of you and it really helped against my writing bottleneck!
@Humbaba ,
@ReaderOfFate
words: 5396
