Darian stood outside of the mound that hid the entrance to Immortal Nova's secret realm, or his secret realm he supposed. He wasn't too comfortable claiming it for himself just yet. While he was now a cultivator, he was a weak one at that, and there was so much he still needed to learn. Only time, effort, and practice could change that. Still, at least he could rely on Astra's guidance for the time being. As part of her duties, she would fill in for Immortal Nova and mentor him throughout the Foundation Establishment stage. After that, he would have to rely on himself.
She told him this after he had cleaned himself up and headed towards the secret realm's exit. She had also taken that opportunity to give him a simple looking necklace, and instructed him on how to bind it. The necklace consisted of a wooden disc strung up on a thin piece of leather. As long as he wore it, no one at the Golden Core stage and below would be able to sense that he was a cultivator.
That would change after he reached the Energy Gathering stage, but that was some time off. It took cultivators years to get through the Foundation Establishment stage, and he didn't see why that would be any different for him. His secret was safe for now. No one would know he was a cultivator unless he wanted them to.
Darian was a cultivator now. Joy coursed through him at this thought. It was a dream come true for him. He stood there in a daze for a little bit, before shaking himself awake and heading towards the nearest human settlement, which was to the northwest of the mound. It was a little village called Hunter's Rest, which sat near the road that ran from the entrance of Silverwood Vale all the way to Mt. Wind Dance. After that, it would be just a simple matter of making his way home. That was assuming his friends didn't find him first. While Astra had said they were in the area searching for him, that didn't mean they would find them or he them. They might not see each other until they all made it back home.
As Darian walked through the Silverwood, he looked at the world through new eyes. Everything was much clearer, more colorful, and more vibrant compared to how it was before. Perhaps it was because he was seeing this area during the day rather than at night, but he doubted it. He had traveled through the Silverwood for much of yesterday, and it hadn't looked like this to him before. It wasn't just his vision either. Sounds, smell, taste, and touch. All of his senses were sharper, crisper, than before. It was as if he had been experiencing the world through a film that had muted everything, and now that film had been removed. In addition, there was his ability to sense spirit energy. It flowed in and around everything, giving everything a new dimension, though it was much weaker out here than it was back in Immortal Nova's secret realm. In there, it felt like he had been swimming in spirit energy. Out here, it was akin to mist.
Thankfully, Astra had taught him the key to the teleportation formation that led to the secret realm. Anyone with a positive connection to Immortal Nova simply needed to circulate spirit energy through their meridians before inserting it into the stone plate containing the formation. After that, the formation would handle the rest.
As he mused, Darian felt something intrude upon his ability to sense spirit energy. It was an…aura, that was the only way he could describe. It exerted a pressure that made him unconformable.
"Darian!" a male voice called out, coming from the same direction as the aura.
Darian looked to the sky, a conflicted expression on his face. While most of him wanted to respond to the voice, a small part of him did not. That small part caused him to hesitate. His relationship and feelings towards the owner of the voice was complex. Envy was a terrible thing, especially when it came to one's friends and loved ones. Still, in the end, that small part of him relented.
"Over here, Lucius!" Darian called out.
"Darian?" Lucius asked. "Don't move! I'm heading towards you right now."
Darian stopped walking and waited for Lucius to arrive. It didn't take long. Darian saw a point of light crash through the tree canopy, breaking any branch foolish enough to get in its way, before it stopped in right front of him. The point of light resolved itself into the form of Lucius Wind Dance, his best friend, standing on top of a flying sword. The uncomfortable aura came from him. Darian guessed it was because he was a cultivator.
Lucius was the beloved scion of Clan Wind Dance, and based on looks alone, Darian could see why. Lucius was tall and lean, with features so fine and beautiful, that men and women both envied him for it. More than a few of each had fallen in love with him too. He wore the simple tunic and trousers favored by the clan, which looked good on his frame. His medium length golden blonde hair resembled a shining halo in the right light. His eyes mirrored the sky at its best, when it was bright and clear and endless. When people pictured what an Immortal looked like, they imagined someone like Lucius.
However, looks alone weren't responsible for his status within Clan Wind Dance. By all standards, Lucius was a genius when it came to cultivation. Like all scions of Clan Wind Dance, he had started training in the Dancing Wind technique at the age of fourteen. It took most people anywhere from a month to a year to open their Heart Aperture. Lucius had opened his in a little over a week, and his progress since then had been nothing short of miraculous. It had taken him five or so years to reach the Energy Gathering stage, when it took most cultivators twice as long to get that far. In the two years since then, his progress hadn't slowed down at all.
Everyone in the clan loved Lucius, and those that didn't pretended they did to save face. There was even talk that he would be chosen to become the next head of Clan Wind Dance. Given all these factors, it would come as no surprise to anyone if someone like Darian, who was ignored and treated with contempt by the clan, hated Lucius. And a part of him did, if he was being honest with himself. At the very least, Darian envied him. Lucius was everything and had everything Darian wanted.
Yet things were not so simple. Despite his popularity and position within the clan, Lucius was a kind and considerate soul. He treated even the lowest of servants with civility and politeness. More than that, in Darian's case at least, he never ignored or mistreated Darian. In fact, he went out of his way to look after him and spend time with him. The two of them had plenty in common, including their love of the clan's library. Of all the people in Clan Wind Dance, aside from Darian's father, Lucius was the only one who hadn't given up on him when it came to cultivation. He even took time out of his own practice to train with Darian, though he could only do this once or twice a month given how busy he was. Darian had come to consider him an older brother, though technically Lucius was his nephew. Darren, Darian's father, had sired Darian later in life. Thus, even though Darian was part of the generation that preceded Lucius', he was the younger one.
Their relationship was complex, at least on Darian's end. He didn't know Lucius' thoughts about it all. He had never asked.
When Lucius landed, his face had been pinched with worry. Somehow, it didn't diminish his handsomeness as it would with most people. His expression turned to one of relief when he spotted Darian.
"I'm glad to see that you're okay," Lucius said, smiling. "I had come by to visit you for a training session, but you weren't home. When Stella said she hadn't seen you since early yesterday morning, Vera and I grew worried, so we came out here to look for you. I'll let her know that you're safe."
Vera River Heart was Darian's other friend. She was his cousin by marriage. Her sister had married into the clan, and Vera had joined her.
"I'm sorry to have worried you," Darian said, returning Lucius' smile. He spread out his arms. "Thank you for your concern. As you can see though, I'm fine."
At that, Lucius examined him and frowned.
"You seem different," he said. "What happened to you last night? And what are you wearing?"
Darian followed his gaze. He still wore the vest, trousers, and black shoes he had gotten from Immortal Nova's secret realm. Rather, he wore a new set in the same style. The other one had been soiled beyond repair by Darian's impurities. He had heard Ellen mention it would be easier just to burn it all.
"Let's walk while we talk," Darian said, gesturing in the direction of Hunter's Rest. "I have an interesting story to tell you."
While he wouldn't tell Lucius the whole truth, that didn't mean he would lie to his friend.
"I can just fly us back to Mt. Wind Dance," Lucius said, raising an eyebrow. "There's no need for us to walk there."
Despite his words, Lucius hopped off his flying sword and stashed it into the holding bag tied to his waist. The bag was a spatial type magic item. It was bigger on the inside than the outside, allowing it to carry more than its exterior suggested. It even reduced the weight of everything inside it, to ease the burden. They were rare, but someone of Lucius' caliber warranted having one. Darian resisted the urge to sigh with envy. He could only dream of getting something like a holding bag.
Actually, now that he thought about it, perhaps he could've gotten one from Immortal Nova's treasury. For a moment, he regretted asking for the necklace that hid his cultivation. Then he shook his head. No, he had made the right choice.
If Lucius found anything odd about Darian's behavior, he didn't mention it. Together, they began walking towards Hunter's Rest.
"I know you can fly us back," Darian said with a grimace. "However, I'd rather not repeat what happened last time."
Flying swords had enough surface space to hold up one person comfortably. Adding another made things cramped. When the two of them had tried it out, Darian ended up falling off. Thankfully, they hadn't been too far off the ground, so he only suffered from a bruised ego.
"I could carry you, if that's what you prefer," Lucius said with a chuckle.
"That would be even worse," Darian said, laughing despite his words.
He imagined what it would look like if he let Lucius carry him home. No matter what position they would use, Darian's dignity would not survive.
"What happened?" Lucius asked, frowning. "You never leave the mountain for more than a day without telling anyone. And where did you get those clothes? I'm surprised you aren't shivering."
That's when Darian realized that there was a chill in the air. Rather, he had noticed it before, but it hadn't bothered him until Lucius mentioned it. A benefit of opening his Heart Aperture. He would have to test things out over the next few days, find the limits of his new physique. That was something for later, however.
"Zayne," Darian said, almost spitting out the word.
He explained what had happened between him and Zayne. When Darian got to the part where had woken up in the Silverwood, beaten and bruised, Lucius put his hand on Darian's arm, stopping them both. While Lucius' hold was gentle, his grip was harder than steel. A reminder that despite his build, Lucius had inhuman strength.
"He's gone too far this time," Lucius growled out. "Come. Let's go to one of the elders. Zayne can't be allowed to get away with this."
Darian shook his head, though Lucius' anger on his behalf warmed his heart.
"It won't do any good. It hasn't before."
"This time it's different. Words are one matter, but laying a hand on you is another. You're the clan head's grandson. Despite your lack of cultivation, he still crossed a line. This time, he'll be punished for sure."
"I'm not like you," Darian snapped, his voice sharper than he had intended. "The clan doesn't care about what happens to me. Reporting him will only make things worse. At most, Zayne will receive a minor punishment. Meanwhile, when the rest of the clan learns of this, I will face even more ridicule for being too weak to defend myself."
When Darian finished speaking, he realized he had almost been shouting towards the end. Lucius didn't respond right away, and a silence fell over the both of them. Darian took a deep breath to help calm himself down.
"I'm sorry," he said. "You didn't deserve that. You're only trying to help."
"No, the fault is mine. I hadn't considered your perspective." He clenched his free hand. "I just hate the idea of him getting away with this."
"So do I, Lucius. So do I."
Anger burned in Darian's heart, alongside anticipation. Unlike before, Darian now had the means to avenge himself. Like him, Zayne was also in the Foundation Establishment stage, though he was further along. If Darian pushed himself, there was a chance that he could catch up to Zayne, and maybe even surpass him. If that happened, Darian would be able to return every insult and injury he had ever received at Zayne's hands, and then some. The Nine Gates of Destruction was a combat focused technique after all. It would take time, but it was possible.
The two resumed walking.
"Maybe I'll have a talk with Zayne myself," Lucius muttered.
Darian gave him a sharp look.
"While I appreciate the sentiment, you can't fight every battle for me. You need to focus on your own cultivation. Besides, you know how the clan's policy on infighting. Challenging him to a duel would be the same as reporting him to an elder."
Conflict was inevitable wherever people congregated, and doubly so for cultivators. While Clan Wind Dance forbade infighting, it couldn't suppress every conflict. Arguments and disagreements were bound to arise. When these disagreements couldn't be resolved any other way, the participants often fought against each in a duel. Whoever won was considered to be in the right. Regardless of the outcome, after the duel was fought, the matter was considered closed. Anyone who violated this was punished. The problem, in Darian's case, was that duels were a public affair.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to challenge him to a duel," Lucius said, a cruel gleam in his eyes. "I just want to have a conversation with him. It seems he needs a lesson in filial loyalty." He shook his head. "Enough about him. Tell me the rest of your story. You said Zayne and his cronies beat you, but you look like you're in perfect health to me."
Darian opened his mouth to continue speaking, but then he sensed another aura approaching. This one exerted an uncomfortable pressure as well, though not as much as Lucius' aura. He guessed this was Vera. Then he frowned. How come he could feel Lucius and Vera's auras, but he hadn't felt Astra's or the snake twins'?
Before he could ponder this further, another point of light descended from the sky and landed in front of Darian and Lucius. It was Vera River Heart, Darian's only other friend in the clan. She also rode a flying sword.
Like most of Clan Wind Dance, Vera was tall and slender, with silky smooth pale skin. Her hair was a rich brown, however, and her eyes were a brilliant green. She was also heartbreakingly beautiful, with features that everyone could not help but admire. More than half of the male members of the clan were infatuated with her because of her beauty, and a fair amount of the female ones as well. Darian was among them, though he knew she didn't return his regard. He had actually gone down to Valeheart to buy a gift for her, since her birthday was coming up. Unfortunately, since Zayne had stolen all of his money, he couldn't accomplish that anymore.
Vera wore an emerald green gown that fluttered in the wind. A part of Darian wondered how she managed to fly without the skirt of her gown flying into her face. The rest of him admired how graceful and elegant she looked.
"Darian!" she said, before jumping down from her flying sword.
She rushed towards him.
"I'm fine, Ve-…"
Darian didn't get to finish his sentence before she smacked him in the chest. Thankfully, she had only used a fraction of her strength, or she would have sent him flying. Instead, he just stumbled back a few steps. Like Lucius, she had also reached the Energy Gathering stage, though it had taken her longer. This still put her ahead of her peers, and she was also considered something of a genius.
"What was that for?" Darian asked, rubbing the spot she had smack. Even with his enhanced physique, it hurt.
"That was for making me worry," Vera said while glaring at him, her hands on her hips. "I was afraid something had happened to you. What were you thinking coming this deep into the Silverwood?"
Darian rolled his eyes, while Lucius snickered.
"I didn't do it on purpose," Darian said in an exasperated voice. "I got lost." He gave her a contrite look. "I am sorry for making you worry, though."
Vera huffed at him again, before her expression softened. She pulled him into a hug, careful not to hold him too tightly. Darian returned her embrace, inhaling her perfume. It smelled like apples.
"Just don't do it again." She said, before pulling back. Darian mourned the loss of her presence. "Why are you here? What happened?" She looked him up and down. "And what are you wearing?"
Darian's lips twitched as he fought a smile. Her words mirrored Lucius' from earlier. While the clothes he now wore differed from his usual attire, they weren't that outrageous. He had grown to like this sort of style. If nothing else, it was something different.
"You came at just the right time," Lucius said. "Darian was just about to explain it to me."
"Oh? Do tell."
Darian restarted his story. Vera also expressed anger at Zayne's actions, and wanted to go to the clan's elders, but Darian talked her down. As for Astra and the secret realm? In the end, he told them both that a friendly cat spirit beast had shown him mercy by providing him shelter, healing his wounds, and giving him new clothes to wear.
"Hmm, that's odd," Lucius said, frowning. "I've never known a spirit beast to act like this."
"It's the truth," Darian said, and it was. It just wasn't the whole truth. "I'm just as surprised as you are. I thought I was going to die when I first saw her."
"I thought there weren't any free spirit beasts in Silverwood Vale," Vera said. "At least, none except the dire monsters."
At that, Darian could only shrug. Astra's appearance had been a surprise to him too.
"There shouldn't be," Lucius said. "This one must be a new arrival. We should report her to the clan elders."
"No!" Darian said in a panicked voice.
Lucius and Vera both turned towards him, surprised looks on their faces. The last thing Darian wanted was for his clan to try and hunt Astra down, either to tame her or to drive her off. Astra was at the Nascent Soul stage. She would slaughter anyone they sent after her. Even the strongest member of their clan, his grandfather, wouldn't stand a chance against her. The only ones who could were Clan Wind Dance's Immortals. However, the only one in the clan who had any kind of contact with them was his grandfather, and that was because he was the head of the clan. They otherwise ignored their descendants, and focused on their own mysterious and inscrutable goals.
That was assuming any of them still lived. Immortals were ageless and powerful, but they could still die. The world was a dangerous place, no matter how strong a person was.
"Why not?" Lucius asked, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "An untamed spirit beast is a threat we can't ignore. The elders need to know about this."
Darian's mind raced as he thought of a reason he could give Lucius and Vera without revealing his cultivation or the existence of the secret realm. Telling them that Astra was a Nascent Soul would just make them panic.
"I don't think she's a threat," Darian said. "If she was, she wouldn't have helped me."
"This is true," Vera said. "I don't know how long this cat spirit beast has been here, but there haven't been any reports of unusual deaths and the like. Perhaps she is friendly."
Despite her words, she looked unsure. After a few moments, Lucius shook his head.
"We can't take that risk. Besides, even if that were true, an untamed spirit beast is a tempting prize. Her mere presence may attract unwanted attention."
Various arguments arose in Darian's mind as he looked for the right one to convince them both to keep Astra's presence a secret. It suddenly came to him in a bolt of inspiration.
"She saved my life," he said. "If she hadn't intervened, I might have already died. Even if a wild animal or dire monster hadn't killed me, the forest itself might have. I owe her for that. Please keep her presence a secret, for my sake if nothing else."
A conflicted expression appeared on Vera's face. She turned towards Lucius. As the person here with the highest status within the clan, it was his decision to make. Lucius looked concerned.
"Are you certain she isn't a threat to us or the mortals under our care?" he asked.
Darian didn't bother pointing out that from Lucius' point of view, he was one of those mortals.
"As certain as I can be about anything in this world," Darian said. "She is not our enemy. If we go after her, that will change."
Several long moments passed, before Lucius sighed.
"Very well, Darian," he said. "As thanks for saving your life, we won't report her to the clan elders." His expression hardened. "However, if I hear reports of her attacking our people, or if she does anything to threaten the clan's interests, I will do what I must."
Darian felt so relieved, that his legs turned to jelly. Somehow, he managed to stay upright.
"Thank you, Lucius," he said. "I couldn't ask for more."
"With that resolved, I think it's best if we head home now," Vera said, looking at the horizon. "It's getting late, and I don't want to miss dinner."
It was indeed late. While it was now late afternoon, it would take a while to walk back to Mt. Wind Dance, even if they used the main road.
"In that case, you go on ahead of me," Darian said. "I'll walk to Hunter's Rest and meet you back at Mt. Wind Dance."
Considering the late hour, he would likely have to spend the night at the little village. That was no problem. The clan maintained way stations all throughout Silverwood Vale. They were for clan members who were traveling and couldn't make it back to Mt. Wind Dance when night fell. While he didn't know the location of most of them, he knew each village and town in Silverwood Vale had one.
"Walk?" Vera said. "No. We just found you again. I'm not letting you out of my sight until we're back home."
"I feel the same," Lucius said. "While Hunter's Rest is close by, the Silverwood is still a dangerous place. It's best if we make it home as soon as possible."
Darian shook his head. With his newfound strength, he wasn't as afraid of wild animals attacking him. Dire monsters were a different story altogether. He couldn't face one of those just yet. If one appeared, he would just run away. Of course, he couldn't tell his friends any of this.
"I'll be fine," he said. "You two head back on your own."
Lucius and Vera shared a glance. Darian felt a whisper of unease. He recognized that look. Whenever it appeared, nothing good happened, usually at his expense.
"Whatever you're planning, stop it," Darian said, taking a step back. "I'll be fine, trust me."
"You take one leg and I'll take the other?" Vera asked.
"He might hit a tree branch on the way up if we do it that way," Lucius said. "I'll carry him, while you clear the way for us."
At that, Darian turned around and started running. Maybe if he made it back to the mound, he could escape. While it might reveal his secret, that was better than being dragged through the sky by his friends.
Alas, it was not to be.
Before Darian could make it more than a few steps, he felt a hand grab his arm. By the time he realized what was happening, he had already been thrown over Lucius' shoulder.
"No! Lucius, I can walk! It's fine, really."
Lucius ignored Darian's pleas and stepped onto his flying sword. A moment later, the two of them were flying through the air. Darian let out a scream, he couldn't help himself.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
Together, they all flew off, with Vera in the lead, clearing the way.
***
Astra, or rather one of Astra's clones, sat on a nearby tree branch and watched as Darian's friends carried him away. His screams faded as the trio flew towards Mt. Wind Dance, turning into little dots from Astra's perspective. She chuckled, and regretted that she didn't have a recording crystal. They were magic items that could record the images and sounds around them when activated, allowing those images and sounds to be replayed at a later date. They were expensive, but it would have been worth it to see Darian's panicked expression whenever she wanted. The little human was too cute. In a way, she was his aunt, and as his aunt, she reserved the right to embarrass him.
"Senior Sister," Astra's clone muttered. "How did you find such a treasure?"
When Senior Sister Nova had asked her to guard a secret realm the former had created in this far flung land and teach the one who would inherit it, Astra had been aghast. Now, however, after seeing Senior Sister's newfound disciple and heir, she understood.
Young Darian was full of surprises. She thought back to what her main body had witnessed when she had looked at Darian's spirit root. Cultivators in general believed only those with a spirit root could cultivate. In a way, they were right. Astra knew better though. Every living being had a spirit root, otherwise they wouldn't be alive. Thus, every living being had the potential to cultivate, though most didn't have the talent, knowledge, or the right luck for it. Even then, hard work and perseverance could make up for a lot.
When it came to talent, the purity of the spirit root mattered the most. Every spirit root had an affinity for each of the four elements: fire, air, water, and earth. For most spirit roots, their affinities were balanced. These were considered impure spirit roots. Having a higher affinity for one or more of the elements created an imbalance. This imbalance determined a cultivator's talent. The higher the affinity towards an element, the "purer" a spirit root, thus the higher the talent. However, a high affinity in one element meant a low affinity in the opposing element. Fire vs Water. Air vs Earth.
Darian had one of the purest fire spirit roots Astra had ever seen, or even heard about. His affinity for fire was so high, he barely had any for water. Even his affinities for air and earth were well below average. When Astra had first seen it, it had taken her several moments to comprehend what she was looking at. No wonder he had opened his Heart Aperture using The Nine Gates of Destruction technique in less than a day. It was a fire cultivation technique, and a top tier one at that. He was perfectly suited for it. No wonder Senior Sister Nova had chosen him as her disciple.
Astra had put on a show earlier for Darian's benefit, following the instructions Senior Sister Nova had left behind. In reality, Darian had been chosen to become Senior Sister Nova's disciple and heir a long time ago. Meeting him in the Silverwood last night had not been a coincidence.
Still, Astra questioned why Senior Sister Nova had wanted her to go through this charade. The elders of the Dawn and Dusk Sect were given great latitude when it came to choosing their personal disciples, especially the Immortals. Even so, most of them were more straightforward about it. Why go through all this trouble? There was something else going on here, but Astra couldn't figure out what. In the end, all she could do was keep an eye on Darian and guide him as best she could. That meant sticking close to him as much as possible. However, she was just a clone. She would let her main handle that part.
"I look forward to seeing what you're capable of, young Darian," Astra's clone said with a chuckle. "It's bound to be interesting, if nothing else."
And in the end, wasn't that what mattered the most?