"Out you go, kiddos~" Elder Sima ushered the twins out the door so fast that they didn't even realize they were back out in the sun. "We elders have things to discuss."
The doors slammed loudly behind Elias, Eryn, and the disciples that were kicked out with them. Just milliseconds after the Grand Hall was cleared of the younger generation, a muffled frenzy of shouts erupted behind the doors, unnerving them all.
"I say we fight first!" an elder shouted. "Show them we're not afraid!"
"No, you old geezer," an elderly female's voice interrupted. "Are you planning to send all our children out there to die? The others aren't in a very good condition either. With the amount of time bought, I say we launch a sneak attack on the next group sent to ambush the Blue Feather Sect!"
A deeper voice cleared his throat, saying, "I agree with Elder Su. We should do the-"
"Shut your trap, Elder Chen!" the first voice hollered. "I don't want to hear your dumb*ss telling me what to do!"
"Stop cursing!" another complained.
"Hey, but what about the dragons?!?" a new voice added. "What do we do?"
The room was silent for a few moments, and just as the younger generation thought it was over, the elders began screaming at each other again. Except this time was louder and was rich with colorful profanities. It was as if their sophisticated selves and polite mannerisms were only put for the show for the sake of the disciples, which were dropped the moment they were no longer in their presence.
"Go **** yourself, you *%€]92)@$(!/\|=+]*! My dead grandfather can come up with a better idea than that *****#^* ^#+%*$ brain of yours!"
"How about you #*+!\£~7*#+ and eat &($*^#!"
"Oh yeah? You can $&@^* **#*>£\• and p*ss off in the slums! You female dog!"
"Hey, I'm a man! Watch your language!"
"I mean...You dog!"
"Ah, yes. That's better. Now how about you #+%+ **^#?!! and listen to what I need to say?"
"No! You two shut the *%#$ up and listen to the First Elder!"
"Aren't the children still outside? They can hear us-"
"ZERO f&$%@ GIVEN! Now shut up!"
Elias blinked at the wooden doors that stood between them and the raging elders inside. He turned around and stared cluelessly at the equally flabbergasted disciples. "I- I thought it was a rule in the sects that- that cursing is prohibited?"
Azure scratched his head sheepishly and kicked lightly at the cobblestones beneath his feet. "Hahaha...uhh, it's-"
A loud rap of a fan being flicked open cut through his words, and they all glanced up at the black-haired man with the unnaturally narrowed eyes. With his noticeably grander insignia and presence, he stood out like a leader within the group of first disciples.
"Leave the elders be," he said mildly. The white and black folds of his sturdy wooden fan shook back and forth as he studied the twins carefully through his nearly closed eyes.
After a few silent moments, he snapped his fan shut with a sharp flick of his wrist and nodded his head. "Welcome," he said. He gave a quick but polite bow, his right arm placed across his chest. "I am Cyrus, Mystic Sky Sect's First Seated Disciple," he introduced with a light smile on his face. "We'll be working together closely in the future."
A silent 'o' formed on Elias' lips, as he was intrigued by Cyrus' fancy title. If he remembered correctly, then this man was Elder Sima's eldest disciple, and the girl that stood next to him was the second disciple.
The girl looked slightly more sophisticated than the rest, her silver-blue robes neat and straight. She smiled warmly as she caught Elias' gaze and dipped her chin in greeting.
She reminded him a lot of his own sister, Eryn. He cast a side-glance at Eryn and couldn't help but notice their awfully similar posture and mannerisms. The two girls said nothing, each casting looks of curiosity at the other in silence.
"Well now..." Cyrus turned around a gave one of his fellow disciples a tap on the shoulder with the tip of his fan. "As disciples, we shouldn't linger around, wasting time while the elders discuss, right? We should get going with our tasks."
"Make sure the others aren't slacking off during their patrol shifts," he instructed as he stared dead-forward at nothing in particular. "Reports from our spies need to be read, supplies still need to be delivered...someone needs to check on our recruit scouts. Get moving, everyone."
An echo of "yes, First Senior Brother" went around the little group before the whole lot of them dispersed into different directions, shouting orders amongst themselves.
Only the twins and Elder Sima's four disciples remained.
The girl that stood next to Cyrus turned around, her back facing towards them. "I shall review the welfare reports from the other sects," she announced. Then she stood there patiently, as if she were waiting for something to happen.
Lance suddenly straightened, his expression turning bright. "Ah, yes!" he exclaimed, flaunting his ever-growing charisma. He swept his golden bangs to the side and skipped towards his senior sister. "I shall assist my pretty sister while she works!"
The girl let out a breath of content before the two of them disappeared across the little stone bridge.
This left Azure to stare at Cyrus, rocking back and forth on his heels in anticipation. "Senior Brother?" he asked.
Elias darted his eyes between them, unsure if they were supposed to be doing something too. He pointed at himself and said, "What about us?" There seemed to be a lot going on, they couldn't just stand around and do nothing to help, right?
Cyrus tapped the tip of his fan against his chin thoughtfully, shifting his gaze between the twins and his junior brother. After a quick moment, a small smile formed on his lips, and he turned to leave.
He waved them along, beckoning for all three of them to follow.
They did, waiting expectantly to see what he had in store for them.
Cyrus snapped open his fan as he led them deeper into the maze of pavilions and courtyards towards the complete opposite area from where they were in the sect. "Elder Su's suggestion was to pose a sneak attack on the incoming enemies when they reach the Blue Feather Sect," he began.
Elias raised his eyebrows, amazed.
That suggestion was overheard by the disciples after Elder Sima had already kicked them out of the hall, and the elders still seemed to fight amongst each other about their next move. Was Cyrus planning to take action without consent from his master or the others?
Cyrus smiled as he caught Elias' expression. "Yes," he said as if he'd just read his thoughts. "As the First Seated Disciple of the sect, I have much more authority than you think, especially in a time like this," he explained. "The elders may not make quick decisions, but that rowdy bunch wouldn't oppose even if I take such action."
Elias and Eryn stared at him, at loss for words.
Azure grinned and put up an 'okay' sign. "Don't worry!" he reassured. "My senior brother is a trustworthy man! If he has a plan, then it will definitely be a good one."
Elias felt more convinced with Azure's affirmation and nodded. "Then with just four of us, you want us to come up with something?"
The First Disciple waved his fan in his face and said, "Exactly. You are the ones the Grandmaster Feng had picked, no? We should work together, come up with something more than just a simple ambush. We need to think ahead."
He turned and looked Elias in the eye. "You and your sister were present at the last attack in the Infernal Spirit Sect. If I am not wrong, you were the ones that singlehandedly obliterated their force of thirty-or-so men," he suddenly added. "Is that true?"
The twins nodded, a bit awkwardly.
Azure's eyes widened in shock as if he couldn't believe what he just heard. "What, what?!" he sputtered. He pointed at Elias and Eryn, his eyes darting rapidly between them. "You did that? You're the dragons?"
Elias scratched the side of his head, embarrassed. "Er...yeah? I thought you knew?" he said.
The older boy gawked at him with his jaw dropped, his mental system seeming to malfunction. He said a few inaudible words underneath his breath, staring at them with a renewed interest in his eyes.
Cyrus stopped in front of the main entrance to a smaller pavilion and pushed open the doors, ignoring his junior brother's questionable nonsense. "Some of the elders and disciples have devised a few strategies and blueprints, I want to hear your opinions."
Elias blinked. Opinions? He didn't have a lot of those... "Why? We'll just follow along with your sect's plans. I'm not much of a planner, let alone war tactics," he ventured.
Cyrus shook his head. "No. That's not right. We need everyone's opinions here, and as important figures during this war, we need your input so that things can go more smoothly. So tell me, how many enemies each do you think you can take down on your own?"