Standing before the Elders, Hana gave them a full debrief next to the other disciples who were hunting. They gave her credit for saving their lives. Hana was more than anxious, there were terrible stares from the Council and mumbling that circulated as she spoke.
In the end, they chose to refute the idea that the spider was under someone's control. It was banned as a topic of discussion, marked classified by the Sect. Secrets were something none of them would share willingly, to do so would create calamity, they could even be killed for sharing information that was particularly sensitive. The problem with secrets is how easily they breed suspicion, questions and dissent. Hana wondered why the topic was being pushed aside but she was also unwilling to use her identity to find out.
The Elders dismissed the hunter group and held Hana for further questions. They wanted to know more about her reasoning, why she interfered and why it took so long for her to do so. The questions got intense.
Elder Antsani pushed his belly roll to the side and bend down over the ledge, it brought his face into the light. "Hana Maker. Do you know why we've held you here?" He paused for a second, waved his hand and continued. "We have you here because there is something strange with you. Rather than poke and prod, we've decided to give you a chance to explain yourself, your power and what you understand about the Devils of this world."
The other members of the Council had hushed discussions, whispering among themselves they found the answer they wanted and formed a question. They all nodded and whispered to Elder Antsani, having heard their question, he waited for Hana to answer.
"My origins? Have you not already put me before a truther? What sort of bullshit, and it is bullshit.. so let me say it again, what sort of bullshit is this? I saved those disciples using the knowledge my teachers from this school have taught me. How dare you. Bring me to the Patriarch, You are beneath me in this argument." Hana was prepared to go all the way to defend herself, 'Secrets come out. Don't let him bully you.'
"Say that again child and I'll tear the flesh from your bones, we are the Elders of the Sect.. treat us as such or bare the consequences." Elder Antsani pressured her and then asked the question. "Tell us why you were in the forest, at an exact time to be there. Maybe you just wanted to be seen as a savior? Was the creature in fact controlled by you? You can already control creatures, its not far fetched that you control others we don't yet know about. Was this the result of your experiments outside of the Sect?"
"Why, why would I even bother explaining to someone who thinks they have it all figure out already? You show no respect and deserve less than I've already given. I spoke to your truthers, is that not good enough?" Hana had never been so offended in her life,
The Doors flung open.
A Dark figure and an Icy presence filled the air, everyone was frozen in place. Everyone except for Hana. "Who dares bully my disciple?" A brush of frost slapped across the faces of everyone again and knocked them down freezing their lower halves in awkward positions. "You know my name? I am a grand Elder of this Sect, am I not? Why disrespect me? Don't I deserve some sort of consideration or is it that I rarely come to such trivial matters and they are trivial.
"I AM LU SHA!" More Ice developed across the floor.
"Never touch my disciple again," Lu Sha kicked Elder Antsani free of the Ice, he skid across the floor.
"You dare assault a member of the Council, in front of them!?" Elder Antsani grew by three sizes, his legs trembled for a second and then he launched himself at Lu Sha.
"Trash." Lu Sha spat and froze the air around him.
Hana stood in place, her breathe clung to the air in front of her, crystallizing. 'Master is strong..'
Elder Antsani twisted his body, rotating as he flew forward with his claws outstretched. 'Trample the Earth!' Screaming in his mind as he performed the secret technique, he was sure that he could break through the Icy defense.
Lu Sha spread his wings, a black fire enveloped the space outside of the Ice. It started to burn everyone present, Hana included. She circulated her energy and put a barrier up. 'This is a little much.'
Hana's thoughts betrayed her, she had been seen through in an instant. "Child! Do not interfere or I will no longer by your Master!" Lu Sha saw her flinching and stopped her from entering the battle.
Hana stood there motionless. Spreading her power out, she covered the Other Council Members but left them contained in the Ice.
Lu Sha turned his attention back to Antsani. "I will show you what Roadkill really looks like, you swine. You don't deserve to be an Elder if there is nothing behind your ears." A spike appeared overhead, it grew in size. One meter, ten meters, twenty. It pierced the roof and rubble came down. Guards started to become spooked and alarms rang throughout the Sect.
"For your crimes against the sect, I sentence you to hell!" Lu Sha spun a transportation formation into the air and inundated it with crystals to power it's reaction. He spit fire essence onto the formation and it started to glow an eerie red and run in reverse. The whole process was flawless and without hesitation. "SO! Antsani.. After all your words, you won't back down and leave my disciple alone? Fine.. Enjoy your time in Hell!" Before Elder Antsani could speak, he was thrown through the portal.
Hana watched everyone's expression turn from hate to grimace.
"Grandmaster Lu Sha, you've gone too far! Elder Antsani was relaying the questions from all of us!" Elder Pickroa felt the restraints around her release and started to chide the Grandmaster for his actions.
"SILENCE!" Grandmaster Lu Sha's voice rang out in echoes. "Your precious Elder has a chance to live, I sent him to Tower City. I will personally deal with him later, however if I hear another word about making threats toward my Disciple again.. I will have you all answer with blood." He grabbed Hana's arm and vanished from the room.
"Guards, get in here and clean this up. When you're done, have someone investigate the Grandmaster's whereabouts and recent actions." Elder Pickroa was glad that the Grandmaster hadn't taken the liberty of exterminating them all for their insubordination but she was still very upset about how the matter itself was handled. 'Just who the #### is that girl?'
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Miles away, inside of the Rift.
Lu Sha stopped and released Hana. "Your pets, they've all hatched. Today, you must deal with them. Don't forget that they have to eat. For your actions during my battle, today I will forgive them but if it happens ever again, I will not be a kind Master any longer." Lu Sha started to channel and created a barrier on the inside of the portal, even if someone wanted to come in they would be immediately blocked and sent back out.
Hana saw the many different colored glows from the newly hatched mole creatures. They were all standing upright, staring. "Okay.. everyone come get some essence!" 'Well, at least feeding them is easy.' Hana brought down one of the elemental condenser tubs and started it up. A pool of pink liquefied soul energy began to fill the basin.
'Dizzy.' Hana stopped the pool and bottled the essence. 'Lets use something else, this one doesn't seem like I should be using it in a confined space.' Hana brought down the Cosmic Essence and Lightning Tubs, When they started up, there was a brief moment where all noise vanished.
Star power started to swirl from the dimensional plane and funnel into the tub. The great swirl was slow and brooding. Beside it, the Lightning tub crackled and boomed. The Energies gathered together at the top but slowly filtered down into two distinct funnels. Hana placed a ring in each of the basins at the bottom of the tub at the center of the formations. Using her own body, she forced her hand into each of the pools as the energy was being drawn in.
A tingling came over her, she could feel the elemental energies flowing into her and being absorbed. "I wonder what would happen if I bathed in them?" 'Master has gone, I am the only one here...' Hana left the two tubs running and flew to the far island, away from the moles.
They all had seen what Hana had done and repeated her actions. One by one, they self-baptized themselves with the Essence. It covered their bodies, some chose to flop around in the basins themselves but always they were chased out by the group. They were developing a hierarchy, wild beasts always had a pecking order but wild beasts also didn't use their hands.
Hana set up the Elemental Water Tub and then got undressed. It was her first time, immersing herself under the pool's top later, she dunked her head under and blew bubbles. 'Ahh, this feels good. So good.' Laying there in the tub, she curled up. It was a little cold in the cauldron. 'I should get this hotter.' Hana used the black and white flames from her wings to light some kindling beneath the tub.
A few minutes had passed but there was no change in the temperature. Hana sighed, "It must be the material.. Dammit." Hana kicked the edge of the tub and tipped it over. 'Ahh.. shit, my bath.'
Elemental Water Essence splashed down onto the ground and something amazing happened.
Bloodgrass, it grew from every direction and produced flowers. "Is this an ability?" Hana got covered quickly and looked around, the moles were still fiddling with the two cauldrons. "Why is bloodgrass growing here and in the darkness?" She thought back to the days of studying in the Library. 'Bloodgrass only grows in ancient battlefields that have been soaked with tens of thousands of souls.'
Hana cut down the grass a few times and stored a lot of it away. 'I can't believe I just found bloodgrass, and so much of it.' There was a request on the Bulletin board in Zao City's main square, the alchemy department was willing to trade almost anything high quality or rare materials.
The Moles were intelligent and slowly became interested in what Hana was doing, watching from a distance, observing and learning, they imitated her and kicked over the cauldrons. Essence spilled onto the ground. There was a strange effect when the two essences met, an Etheral storm cloud swept the moles away, blasting them across the platform and sent the two cauldrons flying.
Hana caught the cauldrons and set them down. "What the hell?" She was pissed, 'That was dangerous!' "You... You bad, Bad moles!" Scolding them, each of the moles shook their heads and sulked. 'is it really like this?'
Hana channeled her abilities, circulating them as instructed for a few hours. When she was done, she started her training until it was time for bed. There was bound to be problems during class the tomorrow, Hana wasn't sure what to expect.
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