“I have answered your summons, my king,” Ametrine Dreams wreathed in Silk announced with a deep bow, accompanied by a slight tinkling from the many small decorative hairpins and gems in her shimmering bismuth hair.

  King of the Pure Firmament, monarch of Hua-Xi, sent the rest of his personal servants away with a glance and a pulse of his gold-ranked aura even as the more experienced among them had already started making their subtle withdrawals at the celestine woman’s arrival. Soon enough, the pair were alone in the king’s personal suite of rooms, with Ametrine approaching the king where he sat cross-legged at a low table.

  They were currently at the very topmost floor of the palace; a masterpiece of carved and lacquered woods furnished with all manner of luxuries for one to partake of while one could gaze down on Heavenward and its surrounding lands no matter which way one looked.

  But even though the peak of the palace was also visible from most places in the city, it was also one of the buildings most thoroughly covered with defensive arrays of all kinds; from barriers shielding it from actual attack to layered defenses against espionage in all of its forms. As such, neither of the gold-rankers needed to mind their words as they would in most other settings.

  “Ametrine. How are the investigations faring?”

  “Progressing, my king, albeit slowly. The Valors have either become a lot better at hiding their dealings, or have found some kind of allies or retainers for that purpose. My wisps and I will need to be careful. Still, we aren’t the only ones trying to glean the truth behind how Breath of Valor acquired the artifact. Many of your rivals and other interested parties are doing the same, and my wisps are currently keeping them under watch as well.”

  What Ametrine couldn’t share was that there was another layer to the investigations which she was currently pursuing, one with a lot more personal risk for her and her position. Still, the preliminary hints had started to confirm her suspicions that another one from her own clergy was involved.

  “I see. We need to keep a watchful gaze then, so that this won’t set a precedent for other attempts. Our traditions regarding the clash for the throne is one of the cornerstones of this kingdom, and I will not see it spoiled and debased to some kind of race to procure the most powerful, forbidden trinket,” the king said with a deep frown. “Had Breath of Valor's path proven superior to mine, the throne would have been his. That is the way, and as such it will remain.”

  Ametrine didn’t comment, instead simply sitting down next to her king as wisps of shimmering smoke helped make sure to arrange her flowing robes properly and keep them from wrinkling. Unlike herself, her king and blade was indeed dedicated to the traditions and strength of Hua-Xi. It was part of what made him such a good blade in the battle she had been waging ever since she first saw that the throne of the country may indeed be within their reach. It was part of what she admired in him as well; an adamant dedication to his path and its role in shaping the kingdom around them.

  “And what a beautiful garden this kingdom will become,” Ametrine thought, while reaching out and fondly caressing the king’s left arm, still hidden within a voluminous sleeve, as she eventually spoke. “What about you, my king? How is your recovery progressing?”

  “Slowly.”

  The lone word did contain its hint of disdain as the king raised the arm in question to reveal the still recovering stump. Only a few shards and patches of the the glassed flesh remained, and there was indeed easily noticeable progress. But for a gold-ranker, recovering a lost arm with the help of healers should have been a matter of an hour or two, not two days.

  “The healers have confirmed that whatever the artifact was, it somehow interacted with the magic making up my body and caused it to somehow destroy itself; matrix and all. Thus, the recovery feels glacial even with the help of my own path. Still, had my Mirrored Blade not been able to turn as much of it as it had, it would be worse. And my path of mirrors did make sure that the fate Breath of Valor suffered is a lot more… encompassing.”

  “Which only proves how close your path is to touching the heavens, my king. “

  “And that there are still plenty of dangers left on the climb towards the heavens. It feels like all this time holding courts has made me complacent, which is something that must not be allowed to happen. As such, I believe that it is time for me to start making the occasional hunt again. My path needs to stay sharp and focused.”

  “I… see,” Ametrine said, her mind set abuzz by the consequences of the king’s plans. Him being away from the capital more would no doubt complicate things. More room for their foes to scheme, and more opportunities for the very same foes to perhaps make even more similar attempts. “May I then make a most humble wish of you, your majesty?”

  She could see him setting his jaw as he turned to look at her, defenses to any of her protests already at his lips. Ametrine would need to moderate her words carefully.

  “While you reaching the heavens is already a foregone conclusion, my king, I simply wanted to beg you to give the matter some more time. Let me and my wisps get a thorough grasp of the situation and know that no similar or worse attempts on your person are in the workings. The Valors are only one family among many, after all. And that isn’t even touching upon the foreign powers. What if other parties, uncaring of our traditions and way of life, were to make such an underhanded attempt with even more potent means? Please, my dear king, let me at least do what I can to make sure that you can remain focused on your rise and your rise alone.”

  To her relief, the man didn’t protest right away. As this was a clear sign that he was listening, Ametrine said no more, confident in her knowledge of his heart and mind both. While King of the Pure Firmament was not necessarily adverse to advice, he was still a proud traditionalist. In Ametrine’s experience, it was always best to let them feel that any changes to their plans was their own idea and decision.

  “There is merit to your words,” the king eventually agreed, nodding to himself. “While I will start planning for the future excursion, you are right in that the attempt during the clash might just be a precursor. By solidifying our foundations here in court again, I will need to have fewer concerns. Still, I can’t help but feel nostalgic at the thought of you portaling us out for hunts again. Our meeting at mere bronze rank feels so long ago now,” he finished, reaching out to caress Ametrine’s cheek.

  She leaned into the touch, relieved that any abrupt changes to her own plans seemed to be averted, at least for now.

  “And this will let me get to the bottom of who among my so-called peers have had their hand in this,” Ametrine thought in the quiet moment the pair shared, the king seeming lost in fond memories. “I will not let everything we have worked on for so long be ousted now that we are nearing the final stretch of our preparation. Just a bit more than a decade left now.”

  As the doors to the sect leader’s chambers behind them closed with a soft click, the awkward silence that had reigned during the whole walk back to the sect - their passage hidden by a potent privacy screen to avoid the worst of the possible rumors arising from Kite being seen next to Ardent Horizon Seeker - only seemed all the more deafening.

  The chambers in question were as neat and austere as the man who resided in them. While the polished black floors and wooden furniture were no doubt of the finest make, the lack of decoration, curios and the like caused it to lack the homely feeling which Kite had always enjoyed in Jarvan’s office back in Gilded. The only things that stood out in the sect leader’s chambers were a single, neatly arranged bookshelf and the even deeper patch of darkness on the floor that looked to be some kind of meditation space.

  While every inch the powerful gold-ranker in most regards, it seemed that Ardent Horizon Seeker might be even more at a loss than Kite as to what to do in this situation. And that was even taking into account that Kite himself had no idea which level of decorum that was expected of him. As the silence dragged on, the older man just seeming a bit at a loss, Kite still decided that some kind of initiative was better than none.

  “If I may ask, honored Sect Leader, what is that circle made of? Is that… void quintessence?” Kite asked, his voice feeling loud and odd in the otherwise silent space as he indicated the disk of absolute darkness that he had assumed was used for meditation.

  Before the man could answer, Sage also decided to insert itself into the conversation. Kite had let the familiar float around freely during the day in an attempt to keep the astral gatherer somewhat appeased after the change of plans that further delayed its unslakable thirst for calligraphy and similar art. Given his current circumstances, he had then completely forgotten to absorb the familiar again upon their arrival to the sect.

  “Nothingness

  Absence

  Void

  Origin”

  “You are indeed correct,” the older man noted while giving Sage an assessing look. “As your familiar confirmed, it is in part constructed of fused void quintessence to further help with my meditations.”

  “Oh? Given the expense, I would assume that it does provide great benefit?” Kite asked, hanging onto the risen topic.

  “It does, at least for those with the mindset. But we are touching upon things which you do not yet need to concern yourself with, young silver,” the sect leader noted. This wasn’t the first time in his life that Kite had stumbled upon people turning most vague in regards to the matter of reaching gold rank, and from the sect leader specifically addressing Kite with his current rank, he thought that it was a likely reason for the secrecy.

  “Of course, Sect Leader,” Kite confirmed, which led to Ardent Horizon Seeker giving him another complicated look. But this time, the metaphorical ice at least somewhat broken, the awkwardness did not get the opportunity to return.

  “If you do not mind, call me Ardent. At least in private like this. Given our… shared history, it honestly feels rather odd with too much formality even though I will not claim to know you. And from what Obsidian Crow told me you seem to be at least a bit clued in to the events some twenty four years ago,” he said, a distinct twinge of tiredness creeping into his voice at the mention of the past. “I will admit that I thought it surely a jest or happenstance at first; that the heavens were toying with me. And yet, with you standing before me, any attempts at denial would be foolish beyond reason.”

  Seeing that the topic had finally been thoroughly broached, Kite felt the tension in the room shift a bit. It was lighter, if still tinged with a great deal of uncertainty. But there was at least a gesture that was easy to replicate.

  “Then please, call me Kite,” he said. “It was the name my aunties - my adopted mothers, that is - gave me. Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune.”

  “So I have heard. An auspicious name, but not too grandiose. Given your circumstances, I can see the symbolism, “ Ardent said, before hesitating once again as if pondering whether to ask his next question or not. The look was still starkly at odds with the power most gold-rankers exuded, although Kite had to admit that he hadn’t met many, and none in a setting leaning towards the informal. And once again, it was Sage that came to the rescue.

  “Hesitation

  Power

  At odds?

  Fascinating”

  Not caring the slightest for personal space, the astral gatherer had slowly floated up very, very close to the side of Ardent’s head, as if it wanted to drink in every detail of this fascinating phenomenon.

  “Sage, that is quite rude. Either look around politely, or I will have to subsume you until we leave,” Kite interjected, giving the familiar a stern look accompanied by a sharp poke of his spirit.

  “Boring

  Lost opportunity

  Sensitive…”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  The familiar somehow managed to emote said words in a grumpy way as it floated off to find something else to occupy its attention.

  “I’m sorry about that. Sage is… rather alien, especially in what catches its fancy. Who knew that an astral gatherer would be so fond of calligraphy,” Kite apologized with a helpless look. Fortunately, it looked like the gold-ranker hadn’t taken offence. On the contrary, even.

  “While I am unfamiliar with the creature, it does say something about my countenance that even it could pick up on my ponderings and hesitations. Somehow, its ‘words’ were most astute,” the man said with a slight smile and a shake of his head. “In an attempt to better myself, I shall try to forge on instead.”

  With this, Ardent returned his full attention to Kite, the intense blue eyes meeting Kite’s own gold-flecked ones. “Our karma has so far remained severed, Kite. It was part of the deal made way back then. As we wrote in the letter, both me and Tranquil knew that our actions were selfish, most of all to you. You owe me nothing, and I can demand nothing of you, at least not by merit of bond or familiarity. As such, I was unsure whether to even ask this question of you; of the karmic implications and how it is further complicated by our rank. But while he can put his metaphorical beak where it doesn’t belong more often than not, I do believe that Obsidian Crow had a point in something he told me of karma and bonds. So I would like to ask you, Kite… Would you mind telling me about yourself? Of your life? Bonds? Of where you grew up, of how you earned the name Pathbreaker?”

  Taking a moment to center himself, the older man continued. “I have already foresworn any rights to know of it, and will gladly pay a price should you wish for one to maintain balance. This is only out of my own want to know what became of our selfish actions back then. To know what became of it. Of you. Because I have wondered. Many, many times.”

  The silence was back in place between them, with the metaphorical ball thoroughly on Kite’s side of the court. But this time, the response came both easy and natural.

  “Now that is a request that I’d be glad to grant you,” Kite said with a smile that he hoped was as calming as he meant it, given that the other man seemed to be caught in a tangle of his own making; wants and formalities, emotions and duties once more at war inside him. “And I believe that we can leave the thoughts of karma to the outside world for a time. People deserve closure. But it might be a lengthy tale. Where would you like me to start?”

  “From the beginning, please, if that isn’t too much trouble,” Ardent Horizon Seeker requested as he sat down then and there in the middle of the floor, and the reason for the lack of chairs in the room was soon revealed as the man comfortably floated up on his aura as he assumed a cross legged position.

  “Then I will do my best,” Kite replied, trying to mimic the move and at least half-succeeding, even if the levitation of a silver-ranker was a far cry from the aura feat currently demonstrated by the gold. “While the first parts will only be a retelling, I have been told that it all began on a clear, crisp night up in the Autumn Lands, where one can find a village named Starberry Peak…”

  “I know that you are longing for the peace and quiet of home, dear, but I would say that staying a few more days so that Kite can have a few more talks with the sect leader is time well spent. Some closure for them both.”

  Dove stopped in her previously unconscious pacing, giving her wife a withering look that soon softened to a sigh.

  “I know, love. I know… It’s just… He’s a gold-ranker. What if he suddenly decides to lay some kind of claim to our little Kite? It’s not like we or Kite could stop him. Or what if some rivals catch wind of it, and try to use our boy in their politics? Or-”

  During the rant which followed, Crow had slowly and meticulously started putting her many engraving tools back into their casings as well as carefully laying aside the formation plate which she had currently been working on. She then silently strode over to her fretting wife, reached out and put a gentle finger on Dove’s lips.

  “Dearie, I will ever love you for your passion and concern for those dear to you. But in this case, believe that we can do little but rest easy and trust in Kite’s choices. From what he’s told us, Ardent Horizon Seeker has acted with nothing but respect and a care for propriety that seems to be bordering on the ridiculous.”

  Her words and touch had caused Dove to relax slightly, and the taller woman did giggle a bit at Crow’s last statement.

  “He’s even worse than you. By far.”

  Her giggles resumed at seeing Crow’s arched eyebrow, tension continuing to bleed off of her, and the celestine took that opportunity to continue.

  “As I was about to say, the Sect Leader’s actions so far indicates no foul play, and while I can’t promise that the clan would go to war over any sleights against Kite’s person, I will remind you that they do take hospitality quite seriously. And with their skill set, they can cause quite a lot of trouble, should they decide to.”

  “You’re… right, dear.”

  “As I often am.”

  “Oh hush you. Anyway, I will try to collect myself. Little Raven is quite thoroughly enjoying herself too. It's almost like this place was built to allow a toddler to explore hidden nooks and crannies to their heart’s contents. All those little passages and crawlspaces…”

  “Well, it is. Fosters instincts that can become the foundation for stealth training in the future.”

  “What?! Love, our daughter will not be an assassin in the future-”

  “I know, love. And they do too. But seeing Kite’s path, there is more than a slim chance that adventure might call to her. And much like with the enchanted marbles, the play now won’t be a detriment, no matter her future path. It does sound that you need something to take your mind off things. Come, let’s go take a relaxing walk in through the greenhouses. These last few days will be over before you know it.”

  King of the Pure Firmament sat straight-backed upon the very peak of the dais at the end of his throne room, long and stair-like steps curving off to either side to form platforms which seated favored retainers, advisors or - in one case - the courtesan of the reigning monarch’s harem who was currently the most in favor. Ametrine sat there in all her splendor, as she had done during his whole reign without fail, and King’s heart still stirred at the sight of her perfection; shimmering bismuth hair framing her sharp features while metallic eyes of the same hue held amazing perception and wit.

  There were few things she did not notice, and ever fewer that could escape her investigations given time. He was well aware that while his path was the deciding factor when he took the throne all those years ago, reaching the social and political position for his challenge to be taken seriously would have been so, so much harder without her.

  “If possible at all,” King thought, before schooling his spirit to make sure that none of the fond and lustful feelings that welled up inside him spilled out into his aura. Breath of Valor was approaching after all, and a sentence was to be carried out. The young man still showed some traces of the injuries inflicted by that foul artifact during the tournament even though most of the traces were hidden beneath his massive armor. Only those in the know would note that his right arm and leg moved just a little out of balance with the rest, the young master probably using his powers of metal manipulation to move the armor to assist the motions. Still, King could not cast aspersions on the man in that regard, because even with the healers at his disposal his left arm felt a bit sluggish and slow as it was in the final stages of recovery.

  Unlike the last time Breath of Valor stood before him, the younger man now stood alone without the company or obvious support of family. Given what everyone knew of the punishment, he was dressed and geared for travel, and said punishment was something that King had thought of long and hard in the days since their clash. He was rather pleased with the potential of the one he had decided upon.

  “Breath of Valor.”

  King’s first words silenced the whispering court, the arrays of the room further amplifying his voice to just the right degree.

  “You have invoked the traditions to declare your challenge for the throne, and have pitted your path against mine for the right to rule. And failed.”

  King let his words sink in, pausing for gravitas. The whispers sprung up again even as Breath of Valor remained stoic and straight-backed.

  “Even with the assistance of artifacts that bordered on the line of what a clash would allow, my path defeated yours and proved my right to rule. Such are our traditions, and in accordance with them, your punishment will be exile accompanied by a task. Only when said task is completed will you be allowed to return and take your place within your family once more. You will undertake this task alone, carrying only the equipment you wield and what supplies you alone can carry in a single spatial bag.”

  Even though everyone already knew of the terms, the whispering in the room still grew; speculations flying wildly as to which task the king would appoint to his fallen challenger. King decided to not leave them waiting for too long.

  “As such, I appoint this task to you; you will go into the world beyond and there you will find the horn of a Kirin-”

  A susurrus of gasps echoed through the court at the mention of the mythical creatures. Born at gold rank, they were the stuff of legends. And King wasn’t even finished.

  “When you do, you will find a master crafter to shape the horn into an artifact of purity and healing; a tool of protection and restoration in balance to the object of destruction that you brought to bear against me. When you present me, or any ruler that would follow me, with this object, your task will be complete and you will be allowed to rejoin your family and be restored to a position of honor. Only thus will karma be severed, and Hua-Xi have grown stronger still.”

  The whisperings were now a steady murmur, but King ignored it. Instead, he let his gaze rest upon Breath of Valor, where he only received a small nod in return before the younger gold-ranker turned and strode towards the exit. No matter his success or not, King would have won something and remain more secure in his position. If Valor failed, either through being unable to complete the task within his lifetime or simply abandoning it for a life elsewhere, one of the rival factions had lost a gold-ranker. Raising one through conflict and the proper tempering took decades of investments for a family, and the Valors had already lost much by their failed gambit. And should the young man succeed with this most difficult task, which would no doubt take at least two decades if not more, the King would receive a powerful artifact to further solidify his position.

  Even in success, Valor would also have lost something; his position in society. Being removed from the goings on of the capital for decades was not something one just rebuilt in a night. Things moved on, and even with the personal power the younger gold-ranker would no doubt possess at that time, he would be out of touch with everything and everyone except his closest family. While it was definitely possible to recover, the young master wouldn’t be in a position to challenge King again soon. If ever. Such was the price of trying to grasp the heavens, and being found wanting.

  “-and as such, understanding the void at a glance is simple, yet actually comprehending it is impossible due to its nature. Comprehension of the nothing will in the end become nothing, each thought and reflection gone. Yet for each try and attempt, each new reflection and insight gained, we still grow stronger and closer to it.”

  Ardent Horizon Seeker sat floating in the air opposite Kite, with the young man seated in meditation above the dark disc that of void quintessence, trying to take in his words while identifying the odd sensations that were coursing through his body and spirit both.

  Kite had spent a few hours a day during his slightly extended stay of the capital, the pair exchanging stories. While he had been doing the dragon’s share of the talking, Kite had also gotten a lot more comprehensive picture of the circumstances of him coming into being.

  Between the different topics of inquiry were also sessions of learning and instruction like their current one. Kite was unsure if it was some unconscious urge of Ardent’s to maintain balance between them, some habit of instructing or simply the drive to share a deep-seated interest and topic of study, but falling a bit more into the mentor-mentee-dynamic had done a lot to dispel the awkwardness between them. And from those few glimpses alone, Kite was not missing the opportunities for what they were. Ardent Horizon Seeker was a scholar, but more one of the spirit and comprehension rather than theoretical knowledge, and their few sessions - spontaneous as they had been - had already done more for his aura control than he thought possible in such a short time.

  “Good, from the feel of your spirit I can sense that you have reached an acceptable mental state. Try to keep that while I will try and expand upon your question,” the older man instructed, his teacher’s voice growing a bit more somber as they approached Kite’s topic of inquiry.

  “Tranquil Divide was… an inspiration. Dedicated and kind, her honor was not just something to be twisted at will in order to justify her actions. And she was a genius in battle as well, utilizing her shields and barriers with wit and deceptive versatility. Our paths first crossed during a duel in one of the regular inter-sect tournaments, and my dear brethren and sisters at the time would never let me live down how obvious the spark was between us that moment. Our love came easily, and it remains one of my most cherished memories.”

  Even though the start of Ardent’s telling was mostly sweet details of unexpected love, one particular word caused Kite to wobble in place where he floated as he realized the implications.

  “Was?”

  The lone word held a clear question, and Ardent could only nod slowly in confirmation, his words carrying what seemed like a bone-deep weariness.

  “Yes. Tranquil Divide was slain.”

  “That… was more than the Crows knew. They thought that she was among those that escaped.” Kite said sadly. The storied woman was no more than a tale to him, but the thought still sent a pang of sadness through him as any chance of having the same kind of talks with her - to show that the legacy of her bond with Ardent still lived and thrived - was snuffed out.

  “It is honestly more than most know, and I would appreciate it if you did not spread the knowledge further than the Tengu’s clan. As for the escaping remnants of the Crystal Pinnacle sect, they were ostensibly let go. But my predecessor was not content with leaving any of our enemies alive, even though their sect would never recover. It was only later that I learned of the elders she gathered and how they hunted down all they could find, abandoning honor even further as the erstwhile sect leader used her path of gold to snuff out that of silvers. Tranquil Divide was among those slain.”

  “Oh…” was all that Kite could manage in response.

  “Our sect was already stained after the war, our honor sullied with each ‘necessity’ that was committed. But I will admit that it was when I heard of this last act of cruelty that my own spark of ambition was lit. And I will also admit that I might not have held back in the slightest when delivering the finishing blow in my duel for the position of sect leader. It will remain a stain upon my own actions, but it is a stain that I still bear with satisfaction. Even though Tranquil Divide deserved so much more than to be avenged.”

  A moment of silence followed, both men caught up in their own thoughts for a time before Ardent decided to continue. “Still, your question was of the woman which I loved. And while you deserved to know of her end, I still have more than one story of moments most beautiful and amusing. If you would still like to know of them?”

  “It would be an honor.”

  Ardent actually gave a slight smile at the earnestness of Kite’s response, settling down a bit where he floated as he began.

  “Have you ever encountered a monster called a miasma ooze? No? Well, Tranquil Divide hadn’t either, which did make our hunt together a most amusing one. It began when-”