Chapter 57: Raiders

Chapter 57: Raiders

Sakura

The next day as the sun past noon, I had finished cultivating at the center of the first Gold mountain circle. It was an odd experience, since it didnt involve a mountain. But the chie formation Sect Leader Wu Zin and the other core sect members had crafted to replace the three circles was a unique experience.

The chie and mana was intense and dense, while the air was virtually non-existent. Learning to express my chie and mana to create oxygen within my own body was terrifying at first. But my need for Oxygen was also far less than it had been.

I hadnt even noticed the thin air at the top of the bell tower. But there was a fundamental difference between thin, and non-existent.

When Rayce teased me about not instantly conquering the first ring, Sky bit him with his paralytic. He slept in my room, watched over by King and Sky, as I cycled chie, and learned the technique.

This morning, as Rayce woke and cleared the fog from Skys paralytic, I began to map the newly mastered technique onto a recently cleansed meridian in between my lunges.

Your snake bit me, Rayce complained as he splashed water from my kitchen onto his face. I missed my party's third attempt at the Gold Lord yesterday.

I, Sky, did not enjoy the way you were speaking to my mistress. Sky said out loud. His command of the imperial common tongue was growing stronger. And he had picked up speaking out loud from King.

I agree with Sky. I said as I fought off a smirk, and tried to focus on mapping the new technique. I had never successfully mapped something manually before, and starting with a technique had proven far more difficult then I had anticipated. You must have needed the sleep brother. Your tongue was sharper than normal.

I felt his glare more then saw it. Needed the sleep, my foot. He grumbled as he finished drying his face and adjusted his gear. Over the last year or so Rayce had become more adept at using heavy armor and more traditional warrior fighting forms. His energy projection, Ability and Technique use, were focused around mid range and close in attacks, with some minor focus on healing and cleansing arts.

In short, Rayce had started down the path of a front line military leader. At the age of 16, he looked fearsome even in his slightly disheveled state, as he adjusted his armored plates and checked his weapons for maintenance needs.

Besides, I said, as I felt the last portions of the technique attach themselves to the meridian, and then the line of will from my mind, to my danchan, and then out to the meridian in question connected and thrummed as if someone had plucked a cord. I shook my head at the heady experience. Besides, Rex needed to get to know Sky.

Rex woofed happily from where he and Sky were wrestling in the corner. King had yet to wake up and still slumbered on his raised heat lamp warmed platform.

Yeah I suppose. Rayce sounded groggy as he came to sit next to me. Finished? I nodded. Good feeling isnt it? He smiled slightly.

I nodded again. Is removing one equally as . . . painful?

Eh, for some it is. But I've never experienced it as painful. Effort sure, but no more so than cleansing a meridian for the first time anyway. Same process, just with the construct youve created on the meridian. Replacing an ability is easier. You can use either chie, or mana, to remove its opposite. But a technique takes extra time. And from what I've read, the longer it's there, the harder it is to cleanse. Which is why a lot of people just leave old ones alone until they find a way to either add to them, or merge another meridian with it. To evolve it into something more useful. But that seems like a waste to me. It's as Gamera always said . . .

A proper foundation makes things easier later on.

Or something like that. Rayce smiled lazily as he watched Rex chew softly on Skys tail, as Sky wrapped the pup's body in a constricting hug.

What are you doing, Sky? Youre not a constrictor. I asked.

I, Sky, am allowing this beast to get to know my scent, while I practice learning.

And what is it youre learning, snake? Rayce asked, a small twinge of concern entering his voice and expression.

A cousin I met three floors down is at the Jade rank. I, Sky, am not the greatest on this walking mountain. And so I must learn from my betters.

He must be talking about Kaylas constrictor boa. That thing is mean spirited, and barely listens to her. Rayce explained. Shes Peak Gold, but that bowa is too proud I think.

Yes . . . older cousin is proud. Too proud. I, Sky, seek to unseat him as Greatest. Sky explained, as he put a small amount of mana into his rock like scales. Rex stopped his chewing and turned his head around to look sky in the eye.

A low warning growl filled the room.

Fine. Sky said sullenly as he released whatever Ability he was attempting to learn. Rex woofed happily and went back to gnawing gently on Skys tail.

You know, the second and third rings are combat related. And you can take a group with you. If you like, my group can come with you, conquer the rungs again, and then take on the Gold Lord together if you want?

Have you ever beaten him? I asked.

Oh no. I suspect I wont until I reach low Jade. Or perhaps even Knight.

Really?

Yeah. He and his spouse are far, far different from the Silver Lords. They hold nothing back. Ever. But theyre fair combatants. The silver would try to trick you, to lewer you to get close by blacketing the outer portion of their floor with beam attacks, before clubbing you with their staff wen you try to get close and avoid the danger. Or tricking you into walking directly into a trap as they stand in front of it. Theyre trying to teach you to be clever and aware of your surroundings in a fight. The Gold lords can only be conquered with power. Or so they say.

I was surprised. My experience with Silver had been a lot different then what Rayce had described. Though looking back on it, I could see how it could have been like that, had the Silver Lord not been enraged by Skys presence and taken it out on my team and I.

I think I might need to try for the Silver Tower again. At least once more, before I go for gold.

Really?

Yes. Im concerned I did not actually learn the lessons I was meant to learn. I explained my reasoning to him, and my experience in the bell tower. When I was done, he sighed and nodded.

Sounds like that silver was acting more like Gold does, and that you won because he broke the rules. A technical win. I nodded. I think youre right. Might be good to try against silver again a few more times. But be quick, we only have another day or two before we get to the randevu. Once we do, well be moving quickly.

Do you know where you and I will be stationed?

Rayce nodded. Right at the front, with Raif. Apparently the Elves are distracted. Some kind of conflict with the human kingdom on their western frontier is brewing again. Minor skirmishes and clashes are all my friends have mentioned. Something about a war from half a decade ago that is reigniting again.

That . . . does not sound good. Will we be leaving the Empire to enter a war zone?

No. Well be skirting the Elves' northern frontier. The fighting seems to be on their farthest western side.

And father and mother? I asked, concerned.

Theyll be with the second and third caravan.

Each caravan would consist of different types of Kame. One of the eldest generation like Gamera, and several smaller but still powerful Kame. They would also include one of the three fortress Kames that once protected our southern border. All of the Kame would be moving at a breakneck speed for such massive creatures, with cultivators and magicians casting spells of haste and pathfinding to ease the way. With those in mind, each caravan's trek should only take a day or so across the open terrain between the forrest and the base of the southern edge of the mountan range.

The second caravan would be launched approximately a week after the first, giving armed combat patrols that would keep the road clear between the groups time to deal with armed resistance, and any traps that might have been laid by the elves.

It was a decent plan. But one that left a lot of opportunity for disaster.

Come on, let's at least get you to the second rung this morning. Then you can go try the tower again.

***

I killed the golden ox as it bellowed in pain, ending its suffering. King had burned its side with hot ash, while Sky burned it from the inside with his venomous bite. It hadnt even gotten within five feet of me, before it was on the ground panting, bellowing in agony.

Thank you for your sacrifice. I said, as I began butchering the corpse under the careful guidance of Rayce and his friends.

The work was bloody, particularly given my inexperience harvesting this creature. But, in the end, I stood with a nearly whole hide and strips of meat that would spur my cultivation for the next several weeks.

I gave the boys the bones for their crafting. Thank you,

Yes thank you Lady Sakura

Rayces friends bowed slightly, awkwardly. Technically they werent required to bow, standing outside of polite society as they did being foreign students. But the gesture was meant as a respectful one, so I returned it in kind.

We were nearly over where the two would meet when King spoke into my mind.

My turn. Fight bravely Sakura.

A moment later red and green light erupted out of my soul vault, and a turtle the size of several buses stacked on top of one another, King's full size, plummeted towards the earth. His shell lit lava bright, as burning wooden armor grew around him. Granting King extra protection for the fight to come.

Conveniently, he would fall directly in front of the Naga.

Time to see what my new shell can do!

Be careful, and fight with that teacher, not alone! I shouted through our link before he was too far away to clearly communicate with.

Together they would stand a chance of at least fending the beast off until more powerful members of the core sect could arrive to finish it off.

Do not worry about King. He is a King after all. We have our own prey to hunt. Sky hissed into my mind. I shook myself and refocused. He was right. There were other threats to deal with.

***

The elves broke up into small two person teams. One person holding what looked like a heavy package of some kind, and the other bearing cold steel in the open air.

They have not spotted me, yet they scurry for a burrow.

Theyre not trying to escape. They have a plan. Probably to cause havoc or damage to Manao in some way. Manao was already at risk of being unable to make the trek out of the empire. If the elves succeeded they would be taking a powerful ally of my familys out of action, and put the entire caravan strategy at risk of failure. We needed every powerful Kame we could get. Manao was one of them.

We have to get all of them. I said in response.

Then let's start with the closest. I felt a wicked gleam cross through our connection, as Sky banked and then dived. Ill get the one with the weapons, you get the other before it can escape.

Wind first whistled, then howled in my ears as we began to fall at a rapid rate. Then suddenly Sky turned, and I found we were mere hand spans from the ground as we glided along on wind currents he controlled.

Fangs extended, Skys body shrank as he came down on his prey. His fangs landed square on the elvish neck sinking deep, and bowling the man over.

I was thrown directly at the second elf. This one a woman carrying the package. We impacted as I clumsily pulled at my daggers while flying through the air, and we were both sent sprawling in a clumsy flailing of limbs and legs.

She screamed, as an audible pop filled the air. When I finally stopped rolling, I got to my knees and found her laying in the grass, one arm broken and bent in an unnatural while the other still gripped the package. Up this close I could tell it was some kind of bag, and under the magically enhanced sack cloth, writhed something eldritch.

I stood on shaky knees, and pulled both daggers. It was the work of a thought to coat them in what I had started calling my Serpent's Bite technique and venom began dripping sizzling against the grass.

Terror filled the skinny woman's eyes, and for a moment I hesitated. Id taken a human life before. But only once, and it had been under strange circumstances in my third year in the sect. I dont even remember most of the fight really. The drugs I had been fed, had addled my mind.

But now? Now I was faced with the reality of it. I expected to feel something other than piteous disgust. Something other then rage at the knowledge this, thing, had come to harm my friends, fellow students, and that its kind was out to kill my family and people. But, weather for good or ill . . . I did not.

That realization stunned me for a moment, and in that hesitation the elf woman began pulling at the strings of her bag. She said something venomous, filled with bile and hatred for me and my kin. But I didnt speak her language.

I cant understand you. I said in Imperial, about the woman only spat more hate filled nonsense at me. I shook my head. Youre not even Steel. I wonder if youre some kind of criminal, used as fodder. Or a low caste slave of some kind? Do elves make slaves among themselves? I asked, but the woman just glared and spat even more hate at me. I told you already, I cant speak your language.

Perhaps that was for the best.

I darted forward, and brought both daggers down cutting through her neck, and shattering her spinal cord behind. The venum ate away her flesh in a matter of moments, severing her head from her body.

Her limbs went limp, and the drawstring of the bag was kept tightly shut.

I didnt so much as look at it, before I stood, and cast a quick Fire spell. Incinerating the bag, and whatever had been inside. There was a brief moment of, something, scratching in agony.

A few moments later, Sky reappeared. His body bloated from his latest meal.

Not even a Silver, he sent into my mind, annoyed at the smallness of hsi meal despite his swollen belly. A moment later he was back inside my Spirit Vault. Go, there is more prey to find, more food to eat.

With the wind at my back, I began to stalk the bamboo laden forest for more elves.

***

Three.

I was able to personally kill three elvish Peak Iron cultivators, before reinforcements arrived to help track and suppress the rest.

Kings Belows of rage were a warning bell and beacon. Three core sect members came charging in to help. One, a Knight in his full resplendent glory, massive warhammer and armor as thick as my palm is wide ended the Naga threat. Not that there was much work on that front needed. King and the knight teacher had done the lions share of effort.

Another core sect disciple stood on a disk of glass high in the sky and sent arrows of lightning charging down, burning the wicker basket and all of the other elvish designed mechanisms off Manaos shell like a wildfire cleansing a dried plain in a drought year.

While the third ran through the woods, blade singing so loudly it nearly drowned out the screams of terror his unleashed aura caused among the lesser elvish cultivators. He was the one who found me standing over another sack of writhing, things, ready to burn them to ash again.

Deciple Sakura, are you injured?

No Master Yi. i bowed respectfully, and gestured twoards the sack. I was about to cleanse this.

Wise. But wait one moment.

I ablidged, and we waited until a comment as bright as the moon in its full glory streaked through the sky, and decended upon us.

Sect Head

Jadrin. Sakura, Wu Zin nodded first to the sword wielding warrior, and then to me. Well done. Thank you for securing one for my inspection Jadrin. The sect head reached down and plucked the writhing sack off the ground. A moment later he had it open and was peering inside. After only a moment's consideration he closed it, and set the bag on fire.

The bag and its contents incinerated in a the fraction of a heartbeat, as silver starlight concentrated and turned the bag to ash. Wood Mites. Jadrin hissed through his teeth. Just so.

Master? What are Wood Mites? I asked, taking the obvious question bait. Older people with lots of power and wisdom liked it when youth asked questions. It was one of the few perks of getting old. At least, that was the case back on Earth. Here, age came with many, many perks. And much more power.

Theyre a powerful parasite. They can eat through anything, but prefer dense Iron wood. But theyd eat through a kames shell just the same if given nothing else to eat as larva. Those were larva, and they were all starving. Thankfully, we got all but one of the bags before they opened.

Jadrin frowned. How bad is it?

Wu Zin waived the concern away. Not so bad as it could have been. A single mite larva go through. Thankfully, Yelda got to the infection fast, and suspended the parasite in a time bubble. Theyre working at prying it free before the bubble collapses. I have faith in their efforts. Jadrin nodded. Now, as for you young woman. You sounded the alarm, and met one of the invasion forces with a counter attack. Quiet admirable.

Thank you master Wu Zin, but the praise is too much. I bowed respectfully to both of the men again.

Nonsense. Youre observant, and took swift action to mitigate the damage this fodder could have created. He kicked the corpse of the elven man I had slain. Im just glad they didnt try to use our own people against us this time.

Agreed, Jadrin said, as he finished cleaning and then sheathing his sword. I dont know how many more times I can kill a screaming, crying man whose being compelled by a ghist or curse.

Is that common? I asked, knowing the answer before the words were even out of my mouth.

Wu Zin smiled sadly. Come, Sakura. Your mother is waiting for you. I fear your time with the sect is over, at least for now. We were not the only attack. In fact, the reason this one was so weak, was because we were still far away from their forests, and the other Kame bore the brunt of the raiders wrath. Your family needs you at this time. I am sure your mother will be pleased to hear of your progress.

I went along behind him, trying not to think of Rayces face, terrorized and fearful as his body betrayed him into doing something against his will. The shivers I felt were not from the knowledge I would soon be riding on my mothers snow eagle, made of ice and winters chill.