- Location
- Somewhere.
Somebody write this omake. I would, but I don't know enough about the thing we're referencing here.
Threads Of Destiny(Eastern Fantasy, Sequel to Forge of Destiny)
- Thread starter yrsillar
- Start date
- Original Users' Choice!
Voted best in category in the Users' Choice awards.
I think we talked about Ace Combat/this before. No Omake from that sadly
- Location
- Somewhere.
Bad news, vote's over, good news, you won.
Are you referring to the Mid-year Conference bonus chapter? Keeping track of all this side lore is pretty bothersome.
- Location
- At the end of the world
Let's see if I can predict the nature of trap correctly. Think it's going to be teleport trap. From what we saw from cloud folk they're really good at movement techs. It's logical to assume that they have some methods of large scale teleportation for their own troops. Also we know that cloudheads love to bait imperials into following them. If I were cloud officer in charge of trap, I'd try to bait assault group into closing in for a little bit and then teleport them to a real trap. I guess they want prisoners too so it wouldn't be an instant death trap, but more like their own ambush group. This way even Elder wouldn't be able to help in time. As a bonus even if(when) we finish with ambush group we will be far from Sect in enemy territory. Stealth scouting, intelligence gathering, worldbuilding, group chemistry. This variant seems almost perfect to me.
Of course there is a lot of other possibilities: it could be a site with a spirit friendly to cloudheads, or maybe there would be a lot more reinforcements and they will try to smash our south group... but I can't think of anything that would be even closely as exiting as teleport trap.
Of course there is a lot of other possibilities: it could be a site with a spirit friendly to cloudheads, or maybe there would be a lot more reinforcements and they will try to smash our south group... but I can't think of anything that would be even closely as exiting as teleport trap.
- Location
- The Star Kingdom of Manticore
- Location
- The United States
- Pronouns
- He/They
It's a Meta-Trap. The trap is that there is no trap and it's just a straightforward assault and extraction which will make us sloppy in the future.
"Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer"
Since reading Jiao's interlude, I've been thinking about the nature of sovereignty, and how Ling Qi's Loneliness and desire for connection can be reconciled with the absolute conceptual separation of high tier cultivators. Emperor An "discarded all personal bonds" when he ascended, but is that really necessary in every case? My understanding of Great Spirits / White cultivators is that they are worlds unto themselves, rarely interacting unless forced to. And when they do interact with the material world, it tends to result in great disasters.
But in LQ's case, wouldn't that contradict her Way?
My hope is that the nature of high-tier cultivation / sovereignty can be more flexible than the examples we already see.
My vision of an Indigo / Prism / White LQ domain would be one that can reach through another cultivator's sovereignty (with sufficient Bond level) and coordinate or confederate their sovereign domains. What would be more awesome and powerful than a White cultivator? Two White cultivators, boosted by LQ's domain.
Narratively, it might look like this in some far-out AU:
- LQ helps Sun Shao and Bai Fuxi reconcile their conflicting Ways by Negotiating a path between Family and Vengeance and Duty and Fealty.
- Noticing increasing tensions between factions in the Imperial court, LQ is brought on to bridge the divide between the pressing demand for Justice and desire for stability and convention. Given Emperor An's Way, this could involve LQ acting as an intermediary and Negotiating the meaning of An's "Justice".
- Way out there: LQ integrates a Barbarian kingdom / a whole new province with the Empire (thus avoiding war) using her spiritual / Domain bullshit.
I write Negotiate with a capital N because it involves way more than Art-enhanced diplomacy. I imagine that typically when two sovereignties meet head on three outcomes occur: they clash, one pays their respects, or they pretty much ignore each other. LQ would enable other options, which would be a huge advantage for the Empire.
tl;dr I think future LQ will be the embodiment of the UN, except with a lot more firepower.
But in LQ's case, wouldn't that contradict her Way?
My hope is that the nature of high-tier cultivation / sovereignty can be more flexible than the examples we already see.
My vision of an Indigo / Prism / White LQ domain would be one that can reach through another cultivator's sovereignty (with sufficient Bond level) and coordinate or confederate their sovereign domains. What would be more awesome and powerful than a White cultivator? Two White cultivators, boosted by LQ's domain.
Narratively, it might look like this in some far-out AU:
- LQ helps Sun Shao and Bai Fuxi reconcile their conflicting Ways by Negotiating a path between Family and Vengeance and Duty and Fealty.
- Noticing increasing tensions between factions in the Imperial court, LQ is brought on to bridge the divide between the pressing demand for Justice and desire for stability and convention. Given Emperor An's Way, this could involve LQ acting as an intermediary and Negotiating the meaning of An's "Justice".
- Way out there: LQ integrates a Barbarian kingdom / a whole new province with the Empire (thus avoiding war) using her spiritual / Domain bullshit.
I write Negotiate with a capital N because it involves way more than Art-enhanced diplomacy. I imagine that typically when two sovereignties meet head on three outcomes occur: they clash, one pays their respects, or they pretty much ignore each other. LQ would enable other options, which would be a huge advantage for the Empire.
tl;dr I think future LQ will be the embodiment of the UN, except with a lot more firepower.
Emperor An has ascended and therefore is no longer the emperor. The Empress is the girl shown in the interlude.
Turn 10: Arc 1-3
"Are your thoughts running similar to mine, Lady Cai?" Ling Qi asked quietly.
"I believe so. The main force?" Cai Renxiang murmured. For their purposes, one choice was the clear superior. Remaining on the perimeter to perform captures was all well and good, but if they could prevent tribesmen from escaping the caldera in the first place, that was much better.
Ling Qi nodded her assent.
"We will participate in the assault," Cai Renxiang said, speaking over the murmurs of the other disciples as they discussed the matter.
Diao Gen smiled. "Of course, Lady Cai.
"It will please me to have your participation," Guan Zhi added evenly. Ling Qi met the older girl's eyes, and received a small nod of acknowledgement.
Soon other disciples followed suit, announcing their decisions. Liao Zhu would join the perimeter, and Ruan Shen the assault. The other disciples split in favor of the assault. Of the third realms present, the assault would have twenty eight, including them, and the perimeter twenty three.
"Now that those matters are settled, let us move to the next part of the briefing," Diao Gen continued smoothly as the last disciple made their decision. While it has not been possible to divine certainties of the enemy composition, certain matters have become clear."
"This meeting or ritual involves more than just the northernmost tribes," Guan Zhi said gravely.
Diao Gen crossed his arms, giving his peer an unreadable look. "Quite. Thus far, this conflict has, so far as we have determined, involved only a confederation of the tribes whose traditional routes take them through or near the borders established in the wake of Ogodei."
"It is a common misconception to imagine the Cloud tribes as a homogenous group," Guan Zhi said bluntly. "This is false, imperial cartographers have measured that the whole of the Wall spans a region as large as the Emerald Seas itself, and larger still if one is to count the foothills where the mountains give way to the lands of ice."
"There are, in these mountains, more than a hundred tribes with which we have had very little contact," Diao Gen, said,drumming his fingers on his elbow. "And many dozens more of whom we are aware, but have so far disdained this conflict. However, we have divined unprecedented movements among these more distant tribes. While the barbarians great gathering at Star's Throne peak this past year is a known factor, a sort of primitive diplomatic moot which occurs once every decade, Sect observers were becoming concerned at the Tribes strange movements and mergers of more southerly tribes in its wake, even before the current war began."
"It is known that before this storm bloomed and made reconnaissance difficult, that members of uninvolved tribes were beginning to move in this direction, if only in small numbers," Guan Zhi said.
"You suspect alliance and confederation," Cai renxiang observed.
"Just so, lady Cai," Diao Gen said. "Although, given the lack of presence from true chieftains, it is unlikely that matters are so advanced yet."
So this was also meant to discredit the efforts of the tribes at war with them then, by crushing it early, the Empire would dissuade other tribes from joining the cause.
Still, something about that logic niggled at her.
"It's kinda arrogant and high handed isn't it?" Sixiang observed. "What if these other tribes just get mad instead of scared?"
Well, even if they did, the Empire was the stronger party, Ling Qi thought. In the end, they weren't disorganized in the same way they had been for Ogodei. The Duchess was here, and even if there was some internal conflict, the rest of the Empire would be behind her. She wouldn't refuse external aid repeatedly, the way the Hui had.
...A lot more people would die though.
However, Ling Qi did not speak. She had learned a lot about etiquette and nobles over the course of the year. She had learned more about what was expected by imperial cultivators. She knew that saying such things would only brand her a coward.
She shot a sidelong look at Cai Renxiang, and saw the hints of a frown on the girls face. Were her thoughts wandering in the same direction, Ling Qi wondered.
The rest of the briefing was spent on simpler matters, discussing the terrain and the movements of the units in the field. Ling Qi had a better understanding of such things now than she had only a few months ago. By the very nature of their target, they would not be able to bring large numbers to bear without alerting them. Since she was on the assault team, she would be taking the lead to get them eyes on the caldera itself, in conjunction with a young man on communications duty, and the layered stealth empowering techniques of the half dozen scouting disciples with them.
It would be her who relayed to Guan Zhi and Cai Renxiang the information on where to place their opening strike. It was a dangerous position, since it would take time to bring the rest of the forces up, but Ling Qi was confident in herself and her spirits, even against stronger opponents, she expected that they could hold out for a short time at least.
Once the briefing was done, there was only organizing for the move. The pouring rain outside had not stopped, and indeed, would not stop for the entire trip. It would slow them down a good deal. Not because of the rain itself, but because it was known that Cloud Tribe shamans could use falling rain a medium for perception arts, and so they would have to move slowly, and use decoy marchers to confuse things.
Elder Yongrui was not the subtle sort, and Elder Jiao was busy.
The trip took nearly half a day under those conditions. Ling Qi did not have much time to speak with anyone. Together with Liao Zhu, she was kept circling the perimeter, observing their surroundings and reporting back so that the decoy marches and such could be adjusted and the main groups route could be planned to avoid the scattered tribesmen who rode through the storm.
Finally though, Earthwound Peak came into view, towering overhead. The mountain was an ugly, lopsided thing of black stone. The caldera was a deep and shadowed thing, as if something tremendous had struck obliquely, shearing off the peak and digging a massive chasm in its side that left one part of the rim looming high and jagged over the smoother lower rim.
Even here at it's base, the Cloud tribes presence was not obvious. Whatever shamans were responsible for the storm, they were not here.
Elder Yongrui had departed their group long before they reached this point to avoid detection, flying high above the clouds, higher even than all but the strongest Cloud tribesman could stand. Diao Gen and the perimeter group had split off, circling wide around to the south.
"Do you believe yourself prepared, Ling Qi?" Cai Renxiang asked as they approached the departure point, the forward part of the assault group was hidden in a shallow cave, while the main body waited in a river valley some kilometers back. The moment the signal was given, they would go loud, discarding stealth to move in at top speed, reducing the distance to a matter of a minute or two at most, barring interference.
"I think so," Ling Qi said. She had been preparing for such missions for awhile now. She smiled wistfully. "I am the wind thief after all."
Cai Renxiang raised an eyebrow, as if asking for an explanation. Ling Qi didn't give one. The heiress shook her head. "...I suppose it is enough that you are confident."
"Lady Cai's belief in this one is an honor," Ling Qi said dryly.
"Failure is forbidden," the heiress bore an unamused expression. "Do not betray my confidence."
Ling Qi hummed, not worried by the ominous words. She could feel the thread of emotion weaving through that mechanical statement. Hidden from the other disciples warming up for their part in the assault. "Naturally, am I not your left hand?"
"Indeed," Cai Renxiang said, perfectly serious. "I look forward to your success."
"And I look forward to not being on the business end of my Lady's techniques for once," Ling Qi said lightly.
Cai Renxiang smiled faintly, turning away without a word.
Ling Qi breathed out, turning her attention inward as she strode toward the mouth of the cave. 'Everyone Ready?' she thought.
"Zhengui is ready, we trained hard." her little brother said, determination coloring his voice.
"Yeah, Big Sis always wins, why should this be any different," Hanyi sniffed.
"Well that's a little much, but I have your back," Sixiang said.
There was nothing else to be said then.
When Ling Qi left the camp to soar up the slope of the mountain, it was as a shadow and a breeze. Rain filtered through her, as if she were not there. Light bent from her, reflecting back nothing to the eye of the beholder, and in the realm of spirit, her passage caused not a ripple.
And that was before she activated the Zephyr's Mocking Escape and Breeze in the Vault techniques. With them, she was no more than the wind between the raindrops, not even a shadow upon the black stone of the mountain. Behind her eyes, she could feel the determination of the communication disciple, observing through her.
She flitted over the rim of the caldera, right beneath the hooves of the warriors who guarded it, and saw into the caldera below. Flitting round the rim were more than a hundred second realms, and a scattering of early green riders overseeing them, six in all by her count.
Descending further, the first thing she noticed was that in the twenty one people below, there were three obvious groups. And there was a cyan cultivator among them.
As she wound down into the shadows, ever so careful to avoid the idle notice of the higher realm cultivator for long enough to make her report and trigger the attack. Swiftly, she grew close enough to make out the guttural speech of the Tribesman.
"Why then, should the people of the sky trust in one sort of lowlander over another?" Said the mightiest among them. The tribesman was of average height, but perched on the back of a massive eagle with dark blue and pale white feathers. Wisps of cloud and rain mist trailed from the bird's folded wings. He wore armor of bone and scale, and his beast glared balefully down at the rest of the other groups. His mask however, drew her attention. It was a thing of iridescent crystal, gleaming with prismatic light, she felt her eyes recoil from it. It sent a shudder through her, even as it left her eyes burning as saltwater had been splashed in her face.
"...Starstone," the communication disciple murmured. "Ogodei was said to use it in his arrows. It's properties in inducing rapid entropy in qi constructs are well recorded, but for a mere fourth realm to be using such a large piece is…"
With him were ten warriors, the weakest five were a step below her in cultivation. Three matched her, and two were a step above.
"We have said many times that our allies are different, if you-" another, younger barbarian spoke up, his voice hot and irritated. She recognized him, surprisingly enough. She remembered the ozone crackle of lighting, and the taunting song that had almost baited her into chase. There on his red maned horse was the Barbarian singer she had faced in the village. He wore a mask of painted bone, and thick armor of leather and metal studs.
He was silenced as one of his companions raised a clawed hand. Beside him was a shishigui. It was unusual for it's kind, standing straight without the usual hunch. Because of that it towered over the singer, more than two meters tall. It's spindly body was armored in gleaming blue black chitin, like a carapace of a beetle, an impression only made stronger by the pronged horn that rose from it's helm. The creature was at the seventh stage of the third realm.
"The people of Y'lith'kai have common purpose with the people of the sky," the thing spoke, it's high pitched voice ill matched to the bass growls of the Cloud Tribe tongue. "As you are of the sky, we are of the depths. Never do our peoples need to be at cross purpose, unlike the plunderers, who contaminate, break and steal."
There were two other shishigui with him, hunched and crouching as was more common, they were only second Appraisal stage. The four barbarians with them were a step higher, and their mounts entered uneasily beneath the gaze of the other tribes raptors.
The last group was the smallest, with only two people. One was an unassuming barbarian, mounted upon a winged horse with pale blue fur, and feathered wings as white as a cloud. He wore heavy furs in place of armor, and his mask was a thing of glittering ice, and he was a sixth stage third realm.
Beside him was a strange, pale woman, she was tall, taller than any of the men present, excepting the shishigui speaker. Her hair was a pale yellow shade, like faded gold, and worn in a thick braid gathered around her throat. Her features were odd and foreign, the shape of her grey eyes strange. She wore a dress of pale blue and white. It was made of fur like the other barbarians, but seemed oddly well cut and… elegant, for lack of a better word, almost like imperial tailor work.
Ling Qi felt uncomfortable looking at her. The woman felt familiar despite her clear foreignness. She felt like a cold winters night, fierce and independent, like a more aggressive Zeqing. She was peak third realm. As she watched, the woman leaned in to whisper to the man.
"The White Sky confederation sees no value in treating with demons," the man said. Several of the warriors among the first group shot him disgusted looks. "If our brothers in the north are so desperate the Sky Palace Koliada will welcome them. More hands will only make work proceed faster."
The cyan cultivator glowered at the pair before turning back to the others. "The Twelve Star confederation agrees to an extent. Your strike was foolish.It is too soon, even if you succeeded. Great Khan Galidan is still organizing his strength, and while the First is acclimated the Third and Seventh are not yet ready for war."
"We do not ask your assistance without gifts," the Shishigui barked. "We, the deep people, know what sleeps here."
"...If you have desecrated the cradle of the Twelfth, you will regret it," the more powerful cultivator grumbled.
"We know you seek the fallen stars, son of the skies," The Shishigui growled. It clapped it's hands, and the air shimmered. The center of the caldera shook with a weighty thump as a lump of prismatic stone more than ten meters wide rose from the earth as if it were water. "My people are of the deep earth. We can deliver your stars."
Ling Qi stared at the lump of star stone despite the burning in her eyes as the communications disciple in her head babbled incoherently. The very air around the thing warped, and the stone beneath it began to flow and melt into iridescent ooze, as the bonds of qi began to distort and decay. She could feel the energies in the stone, potent beyond anything else in the caldera, yet sleeping.
The communications disciples voice cut off, replaced by Guan Zhi's.
"Secondary objective. Secure the starstone object," her voice was curt.
Ling Qi pulled her eyes away from the thing as she circled the room as a breeze. Right, what was one more objective? She had listened for as long as she could, some of the techniques empowering her were beginning to run out. She needed to choose targets for Guan Zhi and Cai Renxiang.
AN: For this vote you will be assigning cultivators to targets
[] The White Sky confederation representatives
[] The Shishigui representatives
[] The Twelve Stars confederation representatives
Your assets are Cai Renxiang and Guan Zhi to assign a target vote thusly
[][Guan Zhi] The Twelve Stars confederation representatives.
You may assign both to one target. In addition to the above vote, you must vote for Ling Qi's goal post attack. You will be joined by your allies very shortly regardless.
[] Weaken or eliminate the forces on the rim before empowerment can begin
[] Securing the Starstone
[] Target White Sky
[] Target Shishigui
[] Target Twelve Stars
Please vote by plan
"I believe so. The main force?" Cai Renxiang murmured. For their purposes, one choice was the clear superior. Remaining on the perimeter to perform captures was all well and good, but if they could prevent tribesmen from escaping the caldera in the first place, that was much better.
Ling Qi nodded her assent.
"We will participate in the assault," Cai Renxiang said, speaking over the murmurs of the other disciples as they discussed the matter.
Diao Gen smiled. "Of course, Lady Cai.
"It will please me to have your participation," Guan Zhi added evenly. Ling Qi met the older girl's eyes, and received a small nod of acknowledgement.
Soon other disciples followed suit, announcing their decisions. Liao Zhu would join the perimeter, and Ruan Shen the assault. The other disciples split in favor of the assault. Of the third realms present, the assault would have twenty eight, including them, and the perimeter twenty three.
"Now that those matters are settled, let us move to the next part of the briefing," Diao Gen continued smoothly as the last disciple made their decision. While it has not been possible to divine certainties of the enemy composition, certain matters have become clear."
"This meeting or ritual involves more than just the northernmost tribes," Guan Zhi said gravely.
Diao Gen crossed his arms, giving his peer an unreadable look. "Quite. Thus far, this conflict has, so far as we have determined, involved only a confederation of the tribes whose traditional routes take them through or near the borders established in the wake of Ogodei."
"It is a common misconception to imagine the Cloud tribes as a homogenous group," Guan Zhi said bluntly. "This is false, imperial cartographers have measured that the whole of the Wall spans a region as large as the Emerald Seas itself, and larger still if one is to count the foothills where the mountains give way to the lands of ice."
"There are, in these mountains, more than a hundred tribes with which we have had very little contact," Diao Gen, said,drumming his fingers on his elbow. "And many dozens more of whom we are aware, but have so far disdained this conflict. However, we have divined unprecedented movements among these more distant tribes. While the barbarians great gathering at Star's Throne peak this past year is a known factor, a sort of primitive diplomatic moot which occurs once every decade, Sect observers were becoming concerned at the Tribes strange movements and mergers of more southerly tribes in its wake, even before the current war began."
"It is known that before this storm bloomed and made reconnaissance difficult, that members of uninvolved tribes were beginning to move in this direction, if only in small numbers," Guan Zhi said.
"You suspect alliance and confederation," Cai renxiang observed.
"Just so, lady Cai," Diao Gen said. "Although, given the lack of presence from true chieftains, it is unlikely that matters are so advanced yet."
So this was also meant to discredit the efforts of the tribes at war with them then, by crushing it early, the Empire would dissuade other tribes from joining the cause.
Still, something about that logic niggled at her.
"It's kinda arrogant and high handed isn't it?" Sixiang observed. "What if these other tribes just get mad instead of scared?"
Well, even if they did, the Empire was the stronger party, Ling Qi thought. In the end, they weren't disorganized in the same way they had been for Ogodei. The Duchess was here, and even if there was some internal conflict, the rest of the Empire would be behind her. She wouldn't refuse external aid repeatedly, the way the Hui had.
...A lot more people would die though.
However, Ling Qi did not speak. She had learned a lot about etiquette and nobles over the course of the year. She had learned more about what was expected by imperial cultivators. She knew that saying such things would only brand her a coward.
She shot a sidelong look at Cai Renxiang, and saw the hints of a frown on the girls face. Were her thoughts wandering in the same direction, Ling Qi wondered.
***
The rest of the briefing was spent on simpler matters, discussing the terrain and the movements of the units in the field. Ling Qi had a better understanding of such things now than she had only a few months ago. By the very nature of their target, they would not be able to bring large numbers to bear without alerting them. Since she was on the assault team, she would be taking the lead to get them eyes on the caldera itself, in conjunction with a young man on communications duty, and the layered stealth empowering techniques of the half dozen scouting disciples with them.
It would be her who relayed to Guan Zhi and Cai Renxiang the information on where to place their opening strike. It was a dangerous position, since it would take time to bring the rest of the forces up, but Ling Qi was confident in herself and her spirits, even against stronger opponents, she expected that they could hold out for a short time at least.
Once the briefing was done, there was only organizing for the move. The pouring rain outside had not stopped, and indeed, would not stop for the entire trip. It would slow them down a good deal. Not because of the rain itself, but because it was known that Cloud Tribe shamans could use falling rain a medium for perception arts, and so they would have to move slowly, and use decoy marchers to confuse things.
Elder Yongrui was not the subtle sort, and Elder Jiao was busy.
The trip took nearly half a day under those conditions. Ling Qi did not have much time to speak with anyone. Together with Liao Zhu, she was kept circling the perimeter, observing their surroundings and reporting back so that the decoy marches and such could be adjusted and the main groups route could be planned to avoid the scattered tribesmen who rode through the storm.
Finally though, Earthwound Peak came into view, towering overhead. The mountain was an ugly, lopsided thing of black stone. The caldera was a deep and shadowed thing, as if something tremendous had struck obliquely, shearing off the peak and digging a massive chasm in its side that left one part of the rim looming high and jagged over the smoother lower rim.
Even here at it's base, the Cloud tribes presence was not obvious. Whatever shamans were responsible for the storm, they were not here.
Elder Yongrui had departed their group long before they reached this point to avoid detection, flying high above the clouds, higher even than all but the strongest Cloud tribesman could stand. Diao Gen and the perimeter group had split off, circling wide around to the south.
"Do you believe yourself prepared, Ling Qi?" Cai Renxiang asked as they approached the departure point, the forward part of the assault group was hidden in a shallow cave, while the main body waited in a river valley some kilometers back. The moment the signal was given, they would go loud, discarding stealth to move in at top speed, reducing the distance to a matter of a minute or two at most, barring interference.
"I think so," Ling Qi said. She had been preparing for such missions for awhile now. She smiled wistfully. "I am the wind thief after all."
Cai Renxiang raised an eyebrow, as if asking for an explanation. Ling Qi didn't give one. The heiress shook her head. "...I suppose it is enough that you are confident."
"Lady Cai's belief in this one is an honor," Ling Qi said dryly.
"Failure is forbidden," the heiress bore an unamused expression. "Do not betray my confidence."
Ling Qi hummed, not worried by the ominous words. She could feel the thread of emotion weaving through that mechanical statement. Hidden from the other disciples warming up for their part in the assault. "Naturally, am I not your left hand?"
"Indeed," Cai Renxiang said, perfectly serious. "I look forward to your success."
"And I look forward to not being on the business end of my Lady's techniques for once," Ling Qi said lightly.
Cai Renxiang smiled faintly, turning away without a word.
Ling Qi breathed out, turning her attention inward as she strode toward the mouth of the cave. 'Everyone Ready?' she thought.
"Zhengui is ready, we trained hard." her little brother said, determination coloring his voice.
"Yeah, Big Sis always wins, why should this be any different," Hanyi sniffed.
"Well that's a little much, but I have your back," Sixiang said.
There was nothing else to be said then.
When Ling Qi left the camp to soar up the slope of the mountain, it was as a shadow and a breeze. Rain filtered through her, as if she were not there. Light bent from her, reflecting back nothing to the eye of the beholder, and in the realm of spirit, her passage caused not a ripple.
And that was before she activated the Zephyr's Mocking Escape and Breeze in the Vault techniques. With them, she was no more than the wind between the raindrops, not even a shadow upon the black stone of the mountain. Behind her eyes, she could feel the determination of the communication disciple, observing through her.
She flitted over the rim of the caldera, right beneath the hooves of the warriors who guarded it, and saw into the caldera below. Flitting round the rim were more than a hundred second realms, and a scattering of early green riders overseeing them, six in all by her count.
Descending further, the first thing she noticed was that in the twenty one people below, there were three obvious groups. And there was a cyan cultivator among them.
As she wound down into the shadows, ever so careful to avoid the idle notice of the higher realm cultivator for long enough to make her report and trigger the attack. Swiftly, she grew close enough to make out the guttural speech of the Tribesman.
"Why then, should the people of the sky trust in one sort of lowlander over another?" Said the mightiest among them. The tribesman was of average height, but perched on the back of a massive eagle with dark blue and pale white feathers. Wisps of cloud and rain mist trailed from the bird's folded wings. He wore armor of bone and scale, and his beast glared balefully down at the rest of the other groups. His mask however, drew her attention. It was a thing of iridescent crystal, gleaming with prismatic light, she felt her eyes recoil from it. It sent a shudder through her, even as it left her eyes burning as saltwater had been splashed in her face.
"...Starstone," the communication disciple murmured. "Ogodei was said to use it in his arrows. It's properties in inducing rapid entropy in qi constructs are well recorded, but for a mere fourth realm to be using such a large piece is…"
With him were ten warriors, the weakest five were a step below her in cultivation. Three matched her, and two were a step above.
"We have said many times that our allies are different, if you-" another, younger barbarian spoke up, his voice hot and irritated. She recognized him, surprisingly enough. She remembered the ozone crackle of lighting, and the taunting song that had almost baited her into chase. There on his red maned horse was the Barbarian singer she had faced in the village. He wore a mask of painted bone, and thick armor of leather and metal studs.
He was silenced as one of his companions raised a clawed hand. Beside him was a shishigui. It was unusual for it's kind, standing straight without the usual hunch. Because of that it towered over the singer, more than two meters tall. It's spindly body was armored in gleaming blue black chitin, like a carapace of a beetle, an impression only made stronger by the pronged horn that rose from it's helm. The creature was at the seventh stage of the third realm.
"The people of Y'lith'kai have common purpose with the people of the sky," the thing spoke, it's high pitched voice ill matched to the bass growls of the Cloud Tribe tongue. "As you are of the sky, we are of the depths. Never do our peoples need to be at cross purpose, unlike the plunderers, who contaminate, break and steal."
There were two other shishigui with him, hunched and crouching as was more common, they were only second Appraisal stage. The four barbarians with them were a step higher, and their mounts entered uneasily beneath the gaze of the other tribes raptors.
The last group was the smallest, with only two people. One was an unassuming barbarian, mounted upon a winged horse with pale blue fur, and feathered wings as white as a cloud. He wore heavy furs in place of armor, and his mask was a thing of glittering ice, and he was a sixth stage third realm.
Beside him was a strange, pale woman, she was tall, taller than any of the men present, excepting the shishigui speaker. Her hair was a pale yellow shade, like faded gold, and worn in a thick braid gathered around her throat. Her features were odd and foreign, the shape of her grey eyes strange. She wore a dress of pale blue and white. It was made of fur like the other barbarians, but seemed oddly well cut and… elegant, for lack of a better word, almost like imperial tailor work.
Ling Qi felt uncomfortable looking at her. The woman felt familiar despite her clear foreignness. She felt like a cold winters night, fierce and independent, like a more aggressive Zeqing. She was peak third realm. As she watched, the woman leaned in to whisper to the man.
"The White Sky confederation sees no value in treating with demons," the man said. Several of the warriors among the first group shot him disgusted looks. "If our brothers in the north are so desperate the Sky Palace Koliada will welcome them. More hands will only make work proceed faster."
The cyan cultivator glowered at the pair before turning back to the others. "The Twelve Star confederation agrees to an extent. Your strike was foolish.It is too soon, even if you succeeded. Great Khan Galidan is still organizing his strength, and while the First is acclimated the Third and Seventh are not yet ready for war."
"We do not ask your assistance without gifts," the Shishigui barked. "We, the deep people, know what sleeps here."
"...If you have desecrated the cradle of the Twelfth, you will regret it," the more powerful cultivator grumbled.
"We know you seek the fallen stars, son of the skies," The Shishigui growled. It clapped it's hands, and the air shimmered. The center of the caldera shook with a weighty thump as a lump of prismatic stone more than ten meters wide rose from the earth as if it were water. "My people are of the deep earth. We can deliver your stars."
Ling Qi stared at the lump of star stone despite the burning in her eyes as the communications disciple in her head babbled incoherently. The very air around the thing warped, and the stone beneath it began to flow and melt into iridescent ooze, as the bonds of qi began to distort and decay. She could feel the energies in the stone, potent beyond anything else in the caldera, yet sleeping.
The communications disciples voice cut off, replaced by Guan Zhi's.
"Secondary objective. Secure the starstone object," her voice was curt.
Ling Qi pulled her eyes away from the thing as she circled the room as a breeze. Right, what was one more objective? She had listened for as long as she could, some of the techniques empowering her were beginning to run out. She needed to choose targets for Guan Zhi and Cai Renxiang.
AN: For this vote you will be assigning cultivators to targets
[] The White Sky confederation representatives
[] The Shishigui representatives
[] The Twelve Stars confederation representatives
Your assets are Cai Renxiang and Guan Zhi to assign a target vote thusly
[][Guan Zhi] The Twelve Stars confederation representatives.
You may assign both to one target. In addition to the above vote, you must vote for Ling Qi's goal post attack. You will be joined by your allies very shortly regardless.
[] Weaken or eliminate the forces on the rim before empowerment can begin
[] Securing the Starstone
[] Target White Sky
[] Target Shishigui
[] Target Twelve Stars
Please vote by plan
Last edited:
- Location
- New Brunswick, NJ
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Very possibly. I think it's quite likely that the highest ranks of cultivation are forever locked out to Ling Qi.
The highest ranks of cultivation are fundamentally solitary and separated from other entities of similar degree. Purity of concept means uniqueness.
The Shishigui can clearly manipulate the Starstone to an extent, and are likely a highly valuable asset as a diplomat given its command over language
Killing or capturing them gives a huge angle for potential pluses in mapping them out for Jiao to get at and abuse thoroughly for later planning
That it can recognize and speak Cloud Barbarian language means it's a cultural Rossetta Stone
Killing or capturing them gives a huge angle for potential pluses in mapping them out for Jiao to get at and abuse thoroughly for later planning
That it can recognize and speak Cloud Barbarian language means it's a cultural Rossetta Stone
- Location
- Who Knows
NOoooooooo.........
......I am placated.................
Anyway, jokes aside, I'm leaning towards personally prioritizing the theft??? Other people (more in the know) can hash out the assignment roles lol
In a way it is a trap. If we target everyone here equally like normal imperial idiots then we'll unite them against us. You'll note that of the three groups only one actually thinks we in particular are the problem, that is the guy who brought Shishigui to the meeting. The Twelve Stars sees us and the Shishigui as equally bad, and the White Sky are apparently happily carrying out some sort of construction project and don't give a damn about any of this.
So, we need to not provoke the groups who currently have no interest in fighting us.
Last edited:
On the other hand it is highly likely that Ling Qi would ascend as part of the Moon which is doing some funny business with those rules already.
- Location
- New Brunswick, NJ
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
This is lovely descriptive prose.
Something about her makes me think she wants to build a snowman.
Anyway, I feel like we want to focus fire the shishigui faction? They're the ones with the Bardbarian who fought us before. White Sky confederation isn't sold, Twelve Stars doesn't like us but doesn't want to war with us yet. If we make it clear that we do recognize the difference between their factions that the opening of the update talked about, and only have a bone to pick right now with the fuckers who attacked us, I think things will go best.
So currently I'm thinking:
[][Cai Renxiang] The Shishigui representatives
[][Guan Zhi] The Shishigui representatives
[] Weaken or eliminate the forces on the rim before empowerment can begin
Last edited:
White Sky might back off given their reticence and potentially Hanyis presence
So hitting the Shishigui and Twelve Stars seems the best bet
Renxiang assists with Shishigui
Ling Qi should assist with that
Starstone might be important or might not but if the other groups are too distracted they wont be able to do anything with it
So hitting the Shishigui and Twelve Stars seems the best bet
Renxiang assists with Shishigui
Ling Qi should assist with that
Starstone might be important or might not but if the other groups are too distracted they wont be able to do anything with it
NoxOfUmbra
Shadow of the night
- Location
- Colombia, South América
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
Do we have not!Mongols to the South with their Ghengis preparing for war?
They've already agreed to lend their support, Pickle
The Elder would be an out of context problem, but the Cyan will absolutely will step in against us given Bardbarian and the tacit agreement they have with the strike.
Last edited:
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Lol, Qi being a weirdo.
Welp, that is going to be a problem.
Yo our Cloud Rival is here!
Interesting piece of loot there.
This is quite the vote. Feels obvious that Guan Zhi needs to counter the cyan.
- Location
- Leeds
Just like my right hand. Who was famously successful.
Thanks Sixiang. Complimnts
Did we start this war by accident?
- Location
- New Brunswick, NJ
- Pronouns
- He/Him/His
I used the word "yet" and so did they, Chron.