Within the night-cast forest, three figures approached the site of the man-made 'call from the heavens' that left a permanent tattoo on their souls. As they grew closer, the memory of that day left them thrilled, scared, and enlightened. The thought of the man who so casually created that stirring scene drew dread and regret into their hearts. The figures softened their footsteps as they breached the tree line, not allowing a single sound to escape so as not to alert their targets.
"Do you sense them?" Ouro voiced using his qi to mentally communicate to Andre, who was in the lead position, his eyes scanning the dark forest.
"…I sense the sect emblem hasn't moved from the water-filled crater." He zealously clutched his own emblem, constantly supplying qi to resonate with other similar emblems.
"We need to be on our utmost guard once we arrive. Even wounded, he can easily wipe us out," Illia said, pushing forward in a prowling position towards the direction Andre pointed, making all the damp dirt and grass sully her typically immaculate white uniform.
"Do you really think he would harm us? If he wanted to, he would have back at the guest quarters," Ouro muttered, drawn back by his sister's remark.
"If we go after him… he'll come after us. Tell me, brother… does that seem more in line with his personality?" She side-glanced in his direction to see him waver in inner turmoil.
"He would… It would be like him to choose the easy method over capitulating to others." Ouro's fingers clawed into the ground in frustration, knowing all too well how unattached to the world his friend was, but also as his mentor who saw the world in unconventional ways while being the most naive.
The three surrounded the periphery of the crater to ambush the target while cutting off directions of escape. A decadence of silence prevailed in the clearing, surrounded by boulders, leaving an illusory sense of an imagined graveyard. The air was thick with tension, and the faint rustling of leaves added to the tension felt. Ouro and Andre quelled their heavy breathing as they tensed their muscles, awaiting Illia's command to attack. Ouro's heart pounded with determination to finish this awkward situation. Andre's grip tightened on his emblem, his thoughts focused on bringing Sophia back.
"NOW!" Three streaks of dust and gravel carved into the earth as they drew their swords in reverse, with ropes in the other hand to capture Soloman and Sophia, hoping to reduce harming them further. The sound of metal slicing through the air was followed by the thud of feet hitting the ground. Precise. Calculated.
"OW!" Ouro keeled over in pain as Illia's strike slammed into his shoulder. He gritted his teeth, trying to push through the pain.
"Agh!" Andre grabbed the back of his head, pulsating in pain from Illia's attack. He stumbled, his eyes dilating.
"ACK!" Illia turned blue as the spirit-inlaid rope ensnared her neck, leaving her coughing when she broke free.
The three lay wasted from friendly fire, writhing in pain. Once they finally recovered, the atmosphere was awkward, each of them avoiding eye contact, embarrassed by their missteps.
"Where are they?" Illia asked in a scratchy voice as she massaged her throat. The three started checking the surroundings for clues, their movements cautious and deliberate.
"Here." Andre picked up a silver emblem of a sword cutting sky clouds, showcasing it to the others.
"That's Sophia's emblem. Did she accidentally drop it?" Ouro recognized the unique emblem that was hers alone.
"Maybe she remembered the tracking feature in the inscription?" Andre surmised with a look of concern.
"Pshh~ Doubtful. She's smart only in the way of the sword. She falls asleep in every lecture besides Soloman's. He must have figured out how we knew about them leaving and could possibly track them." Illia walked over with a miffed look as she accurately guessed the actions of her friend of ten years.
"The better question is why they would come back here? Did you hear anything on your end, Andre?" Illia poked her head over the edge of the blackened water crater, confused by Soloman's priorities.
"I don't know either, or we would have beaten them here first." He shook his head in defeat.
"…So~ what do we do now? Go back to the sect?" Ouro was hesitant to ask the question that lingered in everyone's mind.
"No." Illia straightened her back and turned to Ouro with a look of conviction.
"If we go back now, the sect would have no choice but to label her as a traitor and Soloman as a rogue and a thief. Our priority now is to understand why they would come here and leave." Illia gazed in the direction of her sect, simulating every possible action to correct this mishap.
"I agree with Illia, Ouro. What we have to do now is figure out why they would make this place their first stop and where they would go next." Andre responded frantically compared to Illia's calm demeanor. A fervent passion encroached on his face as he gripped Sophia's emblem, nearly bending the jade.
"There's nothing here but rocks and a stinky well filled with dead beast's-"
"Cores can float, like I said." Soloman tossed a core in the air as the wagon traveled down the whistling bamboo road away from the Iron Tortoise Sect. The rhythmic creaking of the wagon wheels and the cool morning air provided a stark contrast to the dire encounter of conflict.
"I am surprised that no one knew of this before. Stop moving your leg, please." Sophia tried to bandage the wound on his leg but couldn't stabilize herself on the rickety wagon. She pushed bandages into the wound to stop the bleeding while simultaneously using her qi to erase Illia's sword qi to quicken the healing process.
"Thanks, Sophy. I found out by accident myself too, back in the village when I first visited. In all the months inside your sect teaching, I never knew that this sword qi can stop people from ever healing. Strange stuff. Can you do that as well?" He lifted his leg in the air to let her wrap the wound as he appreciated the smell of morning dew permeating the cold air, with the sun cresting over the hill making bands of gold cut through the shadows.
"I can, even more effortlessly than her. However, for cultivators at our level to fully unleash sword qi that inhibits healing like this, we first have to understand the essence of the sword and strike with enough conviction to ensure what is cut stays cut." Sophia answered in her usual stoic manner, unaware of the slight smile on her lips. She finished the first aid and rested her head in her palm as she gazed at the empty road behind them with contentment.
"Oh~" Soloman felt a pang of guilt seeing her smile in appreciation of her friend's achievement but unable to celebrate alongside her. The weight of their decisions hung heavily in the air, unspoken but palpable.
"She must have really wanted you to stay back at the sect, huh? Do you want to go back before things become…weird?"
"No, I shall grow alongside you, and she will go her own path. Swords can cut many things but friendships not so easily." A charming smile broke as she turned towards Soloman, her raven black ponytail swaying in the subtle breeze. "By the way, where is this third person you mentioned in your room?"
"You'll see them soon enough. Once we get somewhere without a bunch of eyes around, I'll introduce you." Soloman looked ahead as the wagon crested a hill, revealing a small city below. The dawn light touched the tiled rooftops and wooden buildings, while the distant sound of a temple bell echoed softly. The city began to stir awake, its modest pagodas and watchtowers becoming visible against the brightening sky.
{I can't wait to get some fresh air and feel the grass under my feet!} Priscilla started jumping around with her arms cheering happily as the moment of her gaining a physical form was soon approaching.
[I'll keep my promise, don't worry. And you have a companion to talk to as well.] Soloman had a fatherly smile on his face as he watched her bounce around.
_______________________________________________________________________
"Thanks for the ride on such short notice, Chief Gerben." Soloman hopped off the wagon as they passed through the awakening city gates, testing his freshly bandaged leg. Sophia landed gracefully behind him, taking in the surroundings. Shop doors creaked open, children collected water from various wells, and other citizens began their daily chores. The once quiet city slowly became clamorous.
"Think nothing of it, dear Soloman. This is nothing compared to the help you gave us with the drakes and providing enough food for the coming winter." Chief Gerben waved his hands dismissively. "And if that paper about crops works, trade will bloom like never before, so much that even sect cultivators would not neglect us again. It is I and my village who are thankful."
Chief Gerben placed his straw hat over his heart as he expressed his gratitude before heading back through the gates, mindful not to ask their reasons for knocking on his door in the cold night. Soloman waved goodbye, as Sophia gave a slight bow as he departed.
"They're good people. What do you think of the city, Sophy?" Soloman asked, turning his head to look at the main street as the people went about their day, chimney smoke billowing out.
"It is as busy as the capital in the morning. Where do you want to go first?"
"Let's find an inn or lounge so we can rest up properly and meet up with our third party member." He pointed at a wooden sign depicting a bed with a mug and fork.
"Very well, I am eager to see this member you keep referring to. How did you plan this meet-up in advance?" Sophia took the lead, weaving through the bustling street. As she opened the door to the building Soloman had pointed out, he approached the counter where a young boy was manning it.
"I didn't plan in advance; everything was too spontaneous for me to do so. One room for three nights, please." The little boy hopped off his stool and walked into the kitchen area behind the counter, where breakfast was being prepared for the current loungers. The smell of cooking meat and herbs filled the reception area, making everyone's stomachs rumble. When the boy returned, he climbed back onto the stool, tossed the key on the counter, and raised three fingers.
"Three silver?" The boy shakes his head in response.
"Three bronze?" The boy nods his head with a beaming smile. The sight is so precious that Sophia can't help but pat his head, making him squirm bashfully.
"Thank you kindly." Soloman also rustles his hair and goes up the stairs, looking for the room matching the number on his key. Sophia waves at the boy one last time before following behind.
"Here we are, m'lady." Soloman opened the door in butler fashion, allowing Sophia to enter first.
"I like it…but it's not like you," she said, perusing the interior with a playful glimmer in her eyes. The room was simple, with a single bed, a dresser, and a window overlooking the cityscape.
"I must protest that accusation, madam. I am a gentleman in every sense of the word." He gesticulated flamboyantly after closing the door behind them, his exaggerated movements contrasting with the room's simplicity.
"Stop it." She rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Whatever. Close the shutters; it's about to get very bright in a second." Soloman pulled the coarse blanket off the bed and laid it flat on the floor as Sophia closed the shutters. The room dimmed, the only light now coming from the cracks in the wooden walls. He then dumped the contents of his bag, revealing trinkets and spirit beast cores into a water pan left in the room for cleaning oneself.
"What are you going to do?" She kneeled on the opposite side of him, her confusion evident as she watched him arrange the items.
"About to summon our partner in crime… have you heard about the 'Prevailing Sky Library' before?" He looked up from the blanket to see Sophia crossing her arms in thought, her brow furrowed.
"I believe so. It's rumored to be a secret library within our sect, only available to a few elders."
"What about tool spirits?" A mischievous glint gleamed in his eyes, his tone suggesting he was about to reveal something significant.
"Just that they are very rare. Why?" She cocked an eyebrow at this unusual questioning given their current situation, her curiosity piqued.
"You're about to meet her." He placed his hands in the water-filled pan with the beast cores bobbing around, the water rippling from his movements.
[Get ready!]
{Roger~!} Priscilla gave a quick jovial salute and quickly became surrounded by a dark red ether from the orbs being drained.
Sophia, watching him slam his hands in the pan with such vigor, found the situation unusual and kind of cute given his usual behavior. She continued observing him, waiting for his typical 'pulled the rug from under you' grandeur event to happen in unexpected ways.
Her eyes slightly widened as the fist-sized cores slowly shrank and small threads of dark red energy wrapped around his arms, leading to the back of his neck. The room's dim light made the red energy glow ominously, casting eerie shadows on the walls. The air felt charged, almost electric, as if something powerful was about to happen.
{This is good… how many more are left?} Priscilla's hair started lifting in the air from the overwhelming energy coursing through her avatar. Her visage slowly became less translucent as more power was pumped into her. The sensation was painfully uncomfortable, having to filter polluted energy from the cores while maintaining the constant flow of energy supplied to her from her main body in the dragon vein.
[About twenty, what do you need?] Soloman understood the urgency, seeing her playful face contort to one of incomparable stress and pain.
{Tell Sophia to lift the cores in the middle of the room…So I can…not explode you from the inside~! Point your arms at it.} She spoke through her teeth, afraid she'd scream horrifically.
"Sophy, quickly lift the cores in the air and close your eyes. NOW!" Soloman's voice was sharp with urgency. Sophia, shocked by his tone, clumsily used her qi to lift everything in the room. Soloman shot his arms forward at the cluster of cores hovering in the air.
[I got it! Go!]
The room, which had been glowing an ominous red hue, quickly turned blindingly bright. The shutters rattled violently in unison with the convulsion of energy. The air smelled acrid, like burning metal, and a crackling sound filled the room, reminiscent of a roaring fire. Resplendent crepuscular rays exploded from within the cluster, turning everything black and white in stark contrast.
Sophia slammed her eyes shut at Soloman's warning and used her qi to shield the room from the impending explosion, preventing harm to the people in the building and on the street. The vibrations grew more intense, shaking the very foundation of the room and causing both of them to collapse under the pressure. The intensity continued to shake their bones and rattle their vision, as their muscles strained with their skin prickled from the energy stabbing into it.
Moments after the light dimmed, a molten mass of plasma hovered over the now ragged blanket. The air was thick with residual energy, making it hard to breathe. Soloman and Sophia slowly staggered to their feet, their bodies aching from the strain. They saw a pale blue, pulsating glowing orb hovering chest-high in the air, casting an eerie light around the room. They exchanged bewildered glances, their faces reflecting a mix of awe and confusion.
"Is this how summonings usually work for a tool spirit?" Sophia slowly walked around the orb, trying to capture this event in her memory. Her legs felt weak and having to use her sword as cane for support.
"I don't know." Soloman mimicked Sophia's actions, his eyes never leaving the orb. His felt weakened from having to keep his stance throughout the process.
"Priscilla?" He softly asked the orb, afraid of somehow damaging this fragile appearance.
{Here…need time…give blood…want…be human.} she weakly responded, asking for help.
"It can talk?!" Sophia's poker face shattered upon hearing a little girl's voice from the sphere. Her eyes widened in shock, having to take a step back, trying to process what she had just heard. "Why blood? Only rituals known from ancient dynasties would use that as a catalyst."
"Hold on." Soloman looked at his wrapped leg and proceeded to remove the bloodied bandage. His face was set in determination, ignoring the pain as bright red blood started running down his leg. Catching the blood in the water pan, he poured it over the orb.
{More…need…} Her voice slowly faded.
Sophia hesitated, her mind racing. The request was unusual and dangerous, but seeing Soloman's resolve, she drew her blade and cut her forearm over the orb. "Here, you've lost enough as it is." Sophia drew her blade and cut her forearm over the orb.
Blood from both of them entered the orb without spilling a drop on the blanket. Both turned pale from exsanguination. Finally, the orb settled down on the floor, inactive.
"What now?"
"… Let's get something to eat." The two walked out of the room, leaving the orb to finish whatever process it needed. Soloman went down the stairs, expecting the owner to demand an explanation, but to his surprise, the lobby area seemed unaffected by the disturbance. The patrons continued eating their breakfast as if nothing had happened.
"You really are something, Sophy." He couldn't help but admire her ability to react appropriately in that explosive situation.
"Of course."
"Little boy, two meals, please." Sophia casually brushed off Soloman's praise, her attention eagerly shifting to the boy. The boy blushed happily at the return of the pretty lady and scampered back into the kitchen, eager to fulfill her request. Seconds later, a burly chef carried out two hefty plates to their table, much to Sophia's dismay.
"Let's dig in." Soloman grabbed the wooden spoon and fork, preparing to devour every morsel.
"Indeed… and I think this is the perfect time for this." She elegantly cut her hearty meal into sizable portions as she stared directly into his eyes.
"For what?"
"How… did you become… as you are?"