After adding sparring to the mix, Darian approached his training with a vigor he hadn't felt before. It was as if he had added fuel to an already lit fire. In the mornings he cultivated and meditated, while in the afternoons he sparred with either Elliot or Ellen, with the latter more often than not. He had even tried sparring with Astra once, though that hadn't ended well. She grew too eager during the match, and had difficulty controlling her strength. After their one and final sparring session, Darian needed a medicine pill to heal the many injuries Astra had inflicted upon him. He stuck with the snake twins after that.
After that first sparring match, Ellen no longer played around. She approached the sparring sessions with the same seriousness that Darian did. To his surprise, she was quite a good teacher. When she wasn't teasing him, she had a more nurturing air about her. Outside of their training sessions, however, she continued to tease him. Her teasing had even taken on a more suggestive nature. Some might have called it flirting, though Darian didn't believe it for a second.
Fighting Elliot was a much different experience than fighting his sister. In their first match, the snake spirit beast managed to put Darian into a rather painful lock, one that the latter couldn't get out of, no matter how hard he tried. Elliot had even used the same amount of strength that Darian did, something Astra had confirmed. He just used leverage to his advantage. Darian pitied anyone who fought Elliot for real. Even when just sparring, those locks and grapples of his were a nightmare to deal with.
The more Darian sparred and trained, the higher his comprehension of The Nine Gates of Destruction technique grew. As time passed, his movements became less stiff and awkward, and more fluid and natural. Using the stances of the Fists of the Mortal Flame started to become second nature to Darian. He ingrained them into his muscle memory. As a result, his cultivation speed more than doubled. That increased the pain he felt as he refined his meridians, but it was more than worth it in his eyes.
As Ellen had said, there was joy in cultivation. He still found it to be a serious endeavor, but that didn't mean he couldn't have fun at the same time. And he was having fun, despite the pain and suffering he endured.
After another three weeks, Darian estimated that he was about two thirds of the way through refining his meridians, maybe even three quarters. That was when Astra decided to add a new type of training. She called it "Will Strengthening" and "Learning to Resist Intent". Darian called it torture.
It turned out that after reaching a certain level of power, cultivators could project their intent. Darian wasn't sure if this was an effect of the aura everyone had, or a way for cultivators to use their will, but he knew it had a tangible effect. Even with a mere look, cultivators could affect the world around them. Thankfully, it was possible for Darian to learn how to resist this intent and strengthen his willpower. The problem was that in order to do so, he needed to subject himself to that very same intent.
Astra had started the training by hitting him with her intent. When she had released her aura, back on Mt. Wind Dance, he thought it had been intense. He had been wrong. Astra's intent was much, much worse. It felt like flames had surrounded and filled him, inside and out, burning his entire being. At the same time, sharp claws tore at him and shredded him.
The first time Darian had felt it, he passed out. That was normal, from what the others had told him, given the difference in power between Astra and him. It still irked Darian that he had lasted less than a moment, but he used that as motivation to keep training. The others joined in as well, subjecting Darian to their various intents, including Darian's father.
While Darren's injury restricted him from most cultivation activities, using his intent was not one of them. Darian had actually felt a bit of it before, back when he had first asked his father for help. Darren's intent felt like a sharp and swift blade. It was weaker than Astra's, but still stronger than what Darian could withstand. He ended up collapsing, though he managed to stay conscious. That was an achievement at least.
Elliot's intent felt like being squeezed in a vice, making Darian feel like he would suffocate. That was also when Darian felt Elliot's aura for the first time. It was impossible to project one's intent and conceal one's aura at the same time. Elliot was powerful, but not as powerful as Darren. Darian guessed that he was in the Core Shaping stage, which was the one after the Energy Gathering stage and before the Element Collection stage.
Ellen was in the same stage, though at a higher level. Darian couldn't tell how much higher, however. Either the difference between them was slight enough that it was difficult to detect, or his mind sense wasn't developed enough. As for Ellen's intent, it felt…uncomfortable. If Elliot's was a vice that held Darian in its grip, then Ellen's felt like a cold serpent slithering all over his body. It chilled him, training his warmth and vitality.
"There are as many intents as there are cultivators and the techniques they practice," Astra told him when he had asked. "Each one is unique, though they can be grouped into broad categories. Your father, for example, has sword intent. I have claw intent and fire intent, and so on."
Darian wondered what his intent would feel like, once he reached the right level of power. Fire and fist intent? That would make sense. It would be some time before he grew powerful enough for it to matter.
Time marched on, and spring started to give way to summer. The days lengthened and grew warmer, at least they did for the outside world. The weather and temperature in the secret realm remained consistent. Rain, wind, thunder. None of it mattered. They all could see the weather, but it had no physical effect on them. Below a certain point, it all just stopped. It might as well have been an illusion. As Astra had said, when Darian had first entered the secret realm, everything outside of a certain radius of the stone plateau was an image.
One day, after a grueling day of training, Darian sat at the edge of the stone plateau, near the back of the estate. Given his newfound agility, he wasn't afraid of falling off. Clouds swirled beneath his dangling feet as he watched as the sun set. It painted the sky red and pink and orange. It was a beautiful sight, one that filled him with joy. He needed it.
Today had been an Astra Intent day. Because she was so powerful, Astra limited Darian's exposure to her intent to just once a week. Those days were difficult to endure, to say the least. They did have a positive effect on him, at least. He could now last several moments before passing out, instead of less than one. Progress.
"May I join you, Young Master?" Darian heard Elliot say.
He looked back to find the snake spirit beast standing a few feet away, holding a bottle of wine in one hand, and two glasses in another. Darian gestured for him to sit down. Elliot did so.
"Immortal wine?" Elliot asked after he sat, holding up the bottle.
Darian hadn't heard of immortal wine before, but he guessed it was a special type of wine for cultivators. He could feel a small amount of spirit energy within the bottle, or rather in the wine it contained.
"I haven't had any before," Darian said. "Is it any good?"
Elliot grinned.
"Yes, it is, Young Master," he said. "You are in for a treat. This is from my personal stash. A gift from Master Nova. She always has the best wine."
That surprised Darian.
"If it's a gift from Immortal Nova, are you sure about sharing it with me?"
"Of course, Young Master. I wouldn't have offered otherwise."
"In that case, I would love some."
As Elliot poured each of them a glass of wine, Darian wondered what brought all this on. When they weren't training together, the two of them didn't spend much time with each other. Darian didn't get the sense that Elliot disliked him, but neither were they close.
Ellen, on the other hand, was another matter altogether. Darian wasn't sure what to make of the woman, other than she frustrated him.
After he was done pouring, Elliot handed one of the glasses to Darian. A fragrance reached his nose. It smelled like spring, when the world awakened after the long sleep brought on by winter. Flowers bloomed, birds sang with joy, and life blossomed. It smelled like the beginning of something new and wonderful.
After some hesitation, Darian took a sip. The wine tasted like it smelled, only the effect was more pronounced. It tasted like…The only thing Darian could think of was that the wine tasted like the first day of spring. Ironic, since he was drinking it near spring's end. He found no trace of alcohol. A small amount of spirit energy entered his body, accompanied by a steady warmth.
"I've never tasted anything like this before," Darian said, staring at the glass in his hand. "It's delicious."
"As I said, Master Nova always has the best wine," Elliot said, taking a sip of his own. "This is from a batch called 'Spring's Dawn.' Be careful, however. This is strong stuff. A single sip is enough to get a mortal drunk." He glanced at Darian. "For you, it would only take a single glass."
Darian looked at his glass. Elliot had only filled it halfway. Whatever the snake spirit beast had planned, if anything, it didn't involve getting Darian drunk. He took another sip of wine. More spirit energy and more warmth filled his body.
The two of them sat in comfortable silence as they drank their wine. Darian made sure to savor each sip. He wasn't sure when he would be able to enjoy something like this again. A part of him wanted to ask for more, but he refrained. He wouldn't be greedy. That said, perhaps he would have to find his own source of immortal wine. How rare was it?
As they drank and watched the sun set, Darian waited for Elliot to tell him why he sought him out. He assumed there was a specific reason.
"Young Master," Elliot said after a few minutes. "I owe you an apology."
That caught Darian off guard.
"For what?" he blurted out in surprise.
Elliot grimaced at this.
"For having disloyal thoughts," he said.
Darian stared at him.
"Disloyal thoughts? Are you planning on betraying me?"
Elliot shook his head.
"Never, Young Master. It's…" He paused. "I did you a disservice, Young Master. When Master Nova first told us that you were to be her disciple and heir, I didn't think much of you. You were a scion of some small clan located in this backwater part of the world. My opinion of you only lowered when it turned out that you couldn't cultivate. Still, I obeyed Master Nova's words. She chose you, and who was I to argue with her?"
Darian had questions. Darian had a lot of questions. Elliot's words contradicted a lot of what he knew, or assumed, but he held his peace for now. He wasn't going to interrupt. He would hear what the snake spirit beast had to say.
"My opinion didn't improve when we actually met," Elliot continued. "I liked you well enough, Young Master, but I did not think you were worthy. I expected you to fail whatever tests Master Nova had left behind, before Guardian Astra sent you on your way. Except you didn't. In less than a day you opened your Heart Aperture. That showed me that you were special."
Darian shook his head.
"I'm not special," he said. "I'm far behind everyone else in my generation. Some of my clan's younger members might be ahead of me as well. It's all I can do to try and catch up."
He would catch up, it was just a matter of time. The question was, how long would it take? As little time as possible was the ideal answer.
"You really believe that, don't you, Young Master?" Elliot asked.
"It's because it's true," Darian said with a shrug.
It was true. He wasn't special. To think otherwise would be the height of arrogance. He was just making up for lost time.
Elliot looked like he was about to say something, but then shook his head.
"If nothing else," he said instead. "You work hard, Young Master. I've known disciples in the Dawn and Dusk Sect who don't train half as much as you. If nothing else, be proud of that."
Darian shrugged again.
"Ever since I was a child, I always wanted to be a cultivator," he said, looking up at the sky. The sun had almost completely disappeared behind the horizon at this point. It had grown dark enough that the stars started to make their presence known. "Not because it was expected of me, though it was, but because that was who I was, who I wanted to be, who I chose to be. It was as if I were born to defy the heavens and walk the path towards immortality, as ironic as that might sound."
Darian stopped when he realized just how inane his words were. He had never told anyone this before. Not his friends, not his father, no one. He looked at the glass in his hands. It was empty. He must've finished it without realizing. No wonder his tongue was so loose. He made a mental note to never drink immortal wine around Ellen.
"I see," Elliot said. "Perhaps that is why Master Nova chose you as her disciple, Young Master. She told me something similar once, a long time ago, back when my sister and I first met her."
"How long ago was this?" Darian asked, curious. He still didn't know much about Master Nova, Astra, or the snake twins.
"Almost two centuries, I believe," Elliot said, frowning in concentration. "Give or take a decade. My sister and I had arrived at the Dawn and Dusk Sect to participate in their entrance exam. However, before we could even register, one of the other applicants insulted me. Ellen took offense, and it devolved into a brawl. You haven't seen it yet, but my sister has quite the temper when people insult or injure those she cares about."
Darian listened with rapt attention as he caught a glimpse to a side of his servants previously unknown to him. The fact that they were over two centuries old was a surprise, but not unexpected. Cultivators did have long lifespans after all.
"Unfortunately, this disqualified us from that year's exam," Elliot continued, grinning at the memory. "Ellen was so incensed, I feared she would end up fighting the exam's proctors. That's when Master Nova intervened. She said she liked our spirit, so she decided to take us on as her Honorary Disciples. That would mean we wouldn't be disciples of the sect, but we wouldn't be outsiders either. We would be something in between, akin to retainers. Ellen and I accepted. That night, Master Nova asked us why we wanted to cultivate. We answered, and then she told us why she was a cultivator. Your answer reminded me of hers."
Elliot drained his glass dry.
"To get back to my original point, Young Master, I apologize. Both for doubting Master Nova's words, and for doubting you."
"I see," Darian said, studying his empty glass. "I accept on one condition. Tell me the truth. Your words implied that Immortal Nova chose me as her disciple and heir long ago. Yet, when I first met you, your sister, and Auntie Astra, I was given the impression that I was just a candidate to become Immortal Nova's heir."
Elliot poured himself another glass.
"That was a charade," he said. "You were chosen shortly after you were born, and we've kept watch over you since then. Ellen and I were told to play along. Whether or not Guardian Astra came up with it on her own, or if she was following Master Nova's instructions, I don't know. You would have to ask her."
"I see," Darian said again.
He wasn't sure what to think about that. If Astra had deceived him once, who was to say that she wouldn't deceive him again? What if she was still deceiving him? He didn't want to think she had been playing him for a fool this entire time, but doubt took root in his heart. What if she had? He shook his head. It was pointless to speculate. He would confront her himself and get to the bottom of this.
There was a question that he wanted answered above all others, however. Why him? Why had Immortal Nova chosen him as her disciple? From what he gathered, the Dawn and Dusk Sect was far from Silverwood Vale. Why come all the way here for a disciple? Wouldn't it have made more sense to pick someone closer to home, so to speak? Perhaps Astra knew.
"I'm curious," Darian said, mostly to distract himself from these thoughts. "What did your sister think about me when she first heard that I was Immortal Nova's disciple? From the way she teases me, I assume it was similar to yours." He grimaced. "I will have to ask her to stop with the flirting though. People might get the wrong idea and think she genuinely has feelings for me."
Elliot had an odd look on his face as Darian said this. He then shook his head and patted Darian's shoulder.
"I will leave my sister to tell you herself, Young Master," he said, with just a touch of pity. "I will say this preemptively, I approve."
Darian raised an eyebrow at this.
"Of me telling her to stop flirting with me? I should hope so. No brother likes to see that sort of thing, or so I've heard."
Elliot just patted him on the shoulder again.
***
After leaving Elliot, who remained sitting at the edge of the stone plateau, Darian went to find Astra. He found her in one of the estate's sitting rooms, playing chess with his father. The two of them studied the board with looks of intense concentration on their faces. Darian was by no means an expert at the game, but it looked like the two were evenly matched.
A second Astra, one of her clones, sat on the sidelines, watching the game.
"What if you-…?" Spectator Astra started to say, but Chess Astra shook her head.
"No, that won't work."
Darian knocked on the doorway to announce his presence, though he was sure the others already knew he was there.
"Astra," he said. "We need to talk."
Both Chess Astra and Spectator Astra glared at him. The latter raised one of her paws and unsheathed her claws.
"Are you in need of another lesson in manners, young Darian?" Spectator Astra said.
Darian met the glares without flinching.
"We need to talk," he repeated, his tone firm.
The Astras must've sensed that he was being serious, because the glares died down and Spectator Astra sheathed her claws again.
"I'll go," she said to her counterpart. "You keep playing."
Chess Astra nodded. Darian's father, still focused on the game, hadn't seemed to have noticed his son.
Darian led Astra, or one of her clones at least, to his bedroom. It was the only place where they were guaranteed to have a private conversation. Once they arrived, he faced her and crossed his arms. Astra hovered in the air in front of him.
"You lied to me," Darian said, deciding to cut to the chase.
Astra raised an eyebrow at him.
"About what, young Darian?"
"You said, or at least implied, that I was just a candidate to become Immortal Nova's heir. I know this isn't the case. I was always the heir." He glared at her. "Why the act? Why did you lie to me?"
Astra didn't even have the decency to look ashamed.
"Tsk. I see that one of the twins has been talking. Which one was it? Elliot? No, I would guess Ellen. She likes you more."
Darian slashed the air with his hand.
"This conversation is between you and me. Leave them out of this."
This caused Astra to look him up and down.
"Well, look at you. Someone grew a spine. If I knew that this is what it took, I would have told you the truth weeks ago. Or maybe it was me bringing up the twins." She leered at him. "Was it because of Ellen? I know she's shown her interest in you. Is it reciprocated?"
"You're deflecting," Darian said. "Tell me the truth."
Astra's expression grew serious.
"Or what, exactly?," she said in a mocking tone. "How exactly are you going to make me talk? You don't have the strength to force me to do anything. Try again in a few centuries, and maybe I'll think about it."
Astra started to turn away.
"I shouldn't have to, but if we're going to play it this way, then fine," Darian said. "I may not have the strength, but Master Nova does. Tell me what is going on, or I walk. Maybe then you can explain to Master Nova how you lost her chosen disciple."
Astra paused, before facing him once again. The shadows in the room seemed to deepen as she unleashed her intent. She didn't release it at full strength, otherwise Darian would've already been on the floor, but it was still enough to make his knees go weak. He had a hard time breathing.
"You don't want to threaten me, little Darian," Astra said, her voice low and menacing. The sound of it sent chills down his spine. He felt invisible claws scraping against his skin. "Otherwise, I might do something you'll regret."
So he was little Darian now. He must've really angered her. It was moments like this that reminded him of just how dangerous Astra was. His heart beat against his chest like a drum, but he pushed forward. He would get the truth. Is this what it felt like to play with fire?
"Or what, exactly?" he said, repeating her words from earlier. "You'll punish me? I already have to endure facing the intent of people more powerful than me on a daily basis."
Astra stalked towards him. Her eyes had narrowed to slits. She grew in size, and her presence loomed over him. It felt like she filled the entire room. Her face was inches from his.
"That's training," she said to him. "It pales in comparison to all the things I can do to you. I am a cat, after all, and we like to play with our prey." She looked him in the eyes. "More importantly, do you really think you can leave this place unless I allow it? If I wanted to, I could keep you here until Senior Sister Nova decides to show up. That could take years. By that point, I'll have turned you into a proper disciple, well-mannered and obedient."
Darian almost backed down at that. Almost. If it had been even just a week ago, he might have. However, Astra's "Will Strengthening" paid off, as ironic as that was considering the situation. He faced her head on. He needed to know the truth if he was going to trust Astra. If that didn't happen, then he didn't know if could stay here.
"I'll destroy my cultivation," he said.
That caught Astra off guard.
"You wouldn't," she said. "You're bluffing. Being a cultivator is what you've always wanted. You live for it."
"Do I look like I'm bluffing to you?"
Astra stared at him, and he felt her mind sense brush up against him.
"You're serious," she said, surprised. "You would cripple yourself, you would risk death, over this."
"I need to know if I can trust you. You've lied to me once already. I need to know the truth."
Silence followed his words. The tension in the room was so thick, Darian felt it pressing against his skin. Or maybe that was Astra's intent. Regardless, his nerves were so taut, they were ready to snap.
"Oh, you're so cute when you get serious like this," Astra gushed.
Thrown for a loop, Darian could only gape as she shrank to her usual size and cupped his cheeks in her paws. The tension in the room dissipated, as if it had never been there.
"Look at you, threatening to use extreme measures to accomplish your goals." She rubbed her cheek against his. "Senior Sister Nova would be so proud if she could see you now."
One moment Astra was staring at him the way a cat stared at a mouse, the next she was fussing over him like a doting aunt. Darian needed a moment to adjust to the change.
"I'm confused," he said. "Weren't we in the middle of an argument?"
Astra pulled her head back and snorted.
"Please, I'm your Auntie. As if I would ever seriously threaten you. That was just a test. You passed, by the way."
Darian sagged in relief, before annoyance surged up and he grabbed Astra.
"What is with all these damn tests of yours?" he said, shaking her.
Astra endured the shaking with considerable patience. She didn't even look like she wanted to claw him.
"That is a part of my responsibilities," she said. "I'm supposed to test you, to push your boundaries. It's a part of your training."
Darian sighed, before letting go of Astra. She remained where she was, floating in the air. He walked over to his bed and sat down. The events of the day had caught up to him, and he felt exhausted.
"Why did you trick me?" he asked, sounding as tired as he felt. "Why the lies?"
Astra walked over and brushed against his cheek. Her warmth felt nice.
"They were a part of the instructions Senior Sister Nova left for me," she said. "I don't know why she wanted it done that way, but she did. I was supposed to make contact with you some time after you reached eighteen years of age, go through that bit of theater, and then bring you here. When I saw you wandering the Silverwood on your own, I knew I had found my chance."
Darian snorted.
"So it wasn't a coincidence that we met that night?"
"No, it was not. It was always going to happen, sooner or later."
Darian fell silent for a moment.
"And there were no more lies after that?" he asked.
Astra perched herself on his shoulder.
"There were no more lies after that," she said. "I have kept things from you, yes, but I haven't lied to you since then."
A weight lifted from Darian's shoulders, one he hadn't known he was carrying. The thought of Astra deceiving him had bothered him more than he realized. He really was starting to see her as family.
"Why me?" Darian gestured to everything around him. "If Master Nova had chosen me long ago, then that means that she did all this, went through all this effort, for my sake. This secret realm, the twins, you. Why? I'm nothing special."
"I don't know the full answer," Astra said. "But I think I know a part of it. Senior Sister Nova had left our sect decades ago to search for a suitable successor for The Nine Gates of Destruction. Fate must've smiled on her, because she found you. Your spirit root is one of the purest fire spirit roots I have ever seen. It's so pure, that if you had tried to practice a technique of a different element, you would have been slower than average. You are the equivalent of a rare natural treasure. That's why your progress in The Nine Gates of Destruction is so fast. You were born to be a fire cultivator."
Darian scoffed at her words, but otherwise didn't respond. The idea that he was something special, that he was a lucky find for anyone, wasn't something he could easily accept. It clashed with everything he had heard, and believed about himself, these past several years.
"Master Nova must really be lucky then," Darian said. "Otherwise my spirit root wouldn't have been blocked. If that had been the case, I would've already been practicing the Dancing Wind technique for four years by this point."
After he spoke those words, a horrible thought occurred to Darian.
No.
That wasn't possible.
She wouldn't, would she?
Darian wasn't sure. He had never met the woman himself, but the others spoke of her with fondness. Astra looked up to her. That must mean something, right? Master Nova wouldn't do something that horrible, especially to a baby. Right?
Astra didn't respond to his words.
"Auntie," Darian said. "When you unblocked my spirit root, you said that it is usually a result of deliberate tampering rather than chance or happenstance. You even asked me if I had been cursed as a baby."
"I did," Astra said in a neutral tone.
"Did…Did Master Nova block my spirit root?"
Astra didn't reply for a long while. The silence stretched on to the point where Darian didn't think she would answer him.
"I don't know," she said. "The thought occurred to me. Senior Sister Nova can, and has, resorted to extreme measures to achieve her goals, if she deemed the goal worthy enough at least. Whether or not she did in your case, I do not know."
Darian closed his eyes and clenched his jaw as he realized that everything he had endured until he had met Astra had been the result of something deliberately done to him, rather than fate. All the insults and the mockery, the isolation and solitude, the pain and suffering. All of it could be laid at the feet of the woman he now considered his master.
Or not.
The uncertainty of it meant he didn't know how to feel. It was possible that Master Nova had done it to him, likely even, but he didn't know. Cultivators had done worse for less. He hovered at the border between anger and betrayal on one side, and gratitude and relief on the other.
He hated it.
"Young Darian-…" Astra started to say, but Darian cut her off.
"I'd like some time alone, Auntie," he said, opening his eyes again. "Please."
She brushed against his cheek one last time before leaping off his shoulder.
"Regardless of the truth," Astra said before leaving the room. "I will still teach you, even if you decide to no longer be Senior Sister Nova's disciple. It is the least I can do. If nothing else, to do otherwise would be a waste of your potential."
After that, she left. When she was gone, Darian flopped back onto his bed. It had been a long, tiring day. Right now, he just wanted to sleep. Everything else could wait until tomorrow.