Lucius flew in the air several hundred feet above the Silverwood, searching the area below him with his mind sense. The sun sank towards the horizon, though it still had a few hours to go. The day was warm, though mundane weather stopped bothering Lucius years ago. The wind whistled in his ears, drowning out all other noise. This high up, the air smelled clean and pure.
The forest stretched out before Lucius, covering most of Silverwood Vale. The Silver River shimmered in the distance, with a multitude of farms and other human settlements built along its banks. Various villages and towns dotted the vale, though most of them sat near the main road that stretched from Valegate to Mt. Wind Dance. The road itself stood out as well. It was paved with cobblestone, and was wide enough for four wagons to travel side by side without touching each other.
Under normal circumstances, Lucius would have found the view breathtaking. He always did, no matter how many times he saw it. Today, however, he just felt frustrated. He had spent the past hour searching this particular area of the Silverwood with nothing to show for it.
While Lucius' mind sense had developed to the point where he could detect the auras of mundane life forms with ease, the Silverwood made it difficult to locate any one single being. The forest teamed with life, from the littlest insect to the mightiest tree. Even when he narrowed down his search for life forms the size of a human, he found nothing. It didn't help that his target's aura was weird. The last time they had seen each other, Lucius noticed that his target's aura had been lesser somehow, more subdued. However, he hadn't thought much of it at the time.
His target, of course, was his friend Darian.
Where was he?
That thought had plagued Lucius ever since his friend had disappeared from Mt. Wind Dance. Darian's servant, Stella, had delivered a message from him, but that had done nothing to reassure Lucius. If anything, it just made him more worried.
"I'm leaving Mt. Wind Dance for a while. I don't know when I'll be back. I know this is sudden, but I promise that I will return when I am ready. You'll definitely be surprised by what you see the next time we meet. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."
Vera had received the same message. Like Lucius, this only made her more worried for Darian. The world was a dangerous place, and as a mortal, their friend was weaker and more fragile compared to them. Darian was also sheltered, and a tad naive at times, though Lucius would never say something like that out loud.
It didn't help that Darian's father, Darren Wind Dance, had disappeared from Mt. Wind Dance as well. While most people hadn't noticed, or cared, about Darian's disappearance, Darren's was another matter altogether. As the Clan Head's son, as well as a cultivator in the Element Collection stage, Clan Wind Dance was a great deal more concerned about Darren. He hadn't recovered from his injuries, and was vulnerable.
It hadn't taken Lucius long to put things together and realize the two disappearances were linked. The clan council had figured this out as well, though this didn't make them any happier. It brought them no closer to finding either Darian or Darren.
Somehow, the two had managed to leave Mt. Wind Dance, and maybe even Silverwood Vale, without anyone noticing their departure.
The only ones who seemed unworried by the whole affair was the Clan Head and Patriarch of Clan Wind Dance, Darin, and his wife, Astoria Hawk Feather. Lucius didn't know if they were putting up a front, or if they really were unconcerned by the disappearance of their son and grandson. It was hard to tell. Though maybe unconcerned was the wrong word for Astoria. She looked angry about the whole affair.
After a few days, the clan council calmed down and moved on. There was little else they could do after all, except keep an eye out. Searching for either Darian or Darren seemed pointless since they didn't even know where to start, at least that's what the council announced to the rest of the clan. It did help that both Darian and Darren had left messages, so at least the two had left under their own power, or so everyone thought.
Lucius wasn't so sure about that. He suspected that Darian's disappearance was linked to the cat spirit beast his friend had met in the Silverwood, the one known as Astra. More than once, he cursed himself for listening to Darian by not reporting the creature's appearance in Silverwood Vale. If he had reported it back then, perhaps things would have turned out differently. He didn't know why he still hadn't, despite what had happened. There was no medicine for regret, however.
Instead, Lucius spent his time searching the area where he had found Darian, all those weeks ago, hoping to find any clues to his friend's whereabouts. Sometimes Vera joined him, and sometimes he searched alone. He had even searched the nearby village of Hunter's Rest a few times. So far, he had found nothing. It didn't help that his training and his duties to the clan occupied most of his time, leaving him less time to search. Today in particular had been a busy one.
After cultivating all morning, Lucius had spent the next few hours sparring with his juniors within the clan and giving them pointers. As the most powerful member of his generation, it was his duty to educate those below him. When he had finished with that, he then focused on the various errands and tasks his father had given him. As an elder of the clan, Dominic Wind Dance was a busy man, and had delegated some of his duties to his son. Lucius, not wanting to disappoint his father, didn't shirk from this.
Only after all that, had Lucius been able to get away from Mt. Wind Dance in order to search for Darian. Despite his frustration, Lucius treasured these excursions. They gave him a chance to get away from it all. The praise, the jealousy, the endless list of tasks that only he could do for some reason. As the acclaimed genius of Clan Wind Dance, Lucius was used to the fawning adoration and bitter envy of his kin. That didn't make it any easier to bear. He even saw the jealousy in Darian's eyes, though his friend tried to hide it.
People also came to him with all of their problems, thinking he could solve them with a wave of his hands. He did his best, but sometimes it wasn't enough. What everyone never seemed to realize was that he didn't know better than any of them. While he was a genius when it came to cultivation, at the end of the day, he was only human. Sometimes it was all he could do to keep his head above the water.
The clan invested a lot in him because of his genius, especially when it came to resources and training, but it also expected a lot out of him in return.
Out here, Lucius didn't have to deal with any of that. There was just him, with his flying sword beneath his feet and the wind in his hair.
When he flew, all of Lucius' earthly troubles fell away. They were still there, but they no longer bothered him. It was at these times that Lucius felt like the dancing wind his clan tried so hard to emulate, free and unrestrained. Returning to Mt. Wind Dance felt like putting on a yoke, one that grew heavier with each passing day.
A selfish part of him wished that he would never find Darian, just so he would always have an excuse to leave Mt. Wind Dance and go flying like this. It was a terrible thought, since he loved Darian like a brother, but his friend's disappearance had been a blessing in disguise. More than once, he was tempted to just fly away and never return.
He didn't do this for two reasons. The first was that he was loyal to the clan. Despite his gripes, he loved his kin and wanted what was best for them. They made it difficult for him sometimes, but that didn't change how he felt. The second was Vera. Without her, he felt like he would've gone insane years ago. She was his refuge. The time they spent together was more precious to him than anything in the world, including flying.
That didn't stop him from daydreaming about taking Vera and flying away from Silverwood Vale, and all the troubles that came with it. At times like this he envied Darian. His friend's lack of cultivation seemed easier to handle than the endless pressure Lucius put up with. It wasn't, he knew this in his head, but it felt like it some days.
Lucius searched for another few minutes, before he sighed and headed back to Mt. Wind Dance. It didn't take him long to reach the mountain, especially at the speeds he flew at. The Dancing Wind technique was wind-based, and wind was the fastest element when it came to flying for obvious reasons.
As he neared the mountain, however, Lucius heard a voice in his head.
"Lucius, come to the council chambers," his father, Dominic, said telepathically.
Lucius sighed once more as the yoke settled on his shoulders. He was starting to regret developing his mind sense as far as he had. One of the advanced applications of it was the ability to communicate with others directly, mind to mind. It had its uses, but it also had its downsides. When his father had found out how far Lucius had come, Dominic had stopped bothering to send messengers when he summoned his son. Instead, he just reached out with his mind.
It was irritating. Lucius felt like another piece of his freedom had been chipped away, and there was nothing he could do to get it back. It was as if chains were slowly wrapping themselves around him.
"Yes, Father," Lucius sent back.
He changed his direction and headed towards the peak of Mt. Wind Dance, or the area just below it. When he landed in front of the council chambers, the nearby servants all stopped what they were doing and bowed to him.
"Greetings, Young Master," they all said at the same time.
Lucius smiled and nodded at them, before heading inside. It was a habit he had picked up from Darian. Most of their kin all but ignored the mortals, but as Darian had pointed out to him, they were still people. They at least deserved some respect and courtesy.
When he reached the council chamber itself, he found Patriarch Darin, Astoria, and his father all waiting for him. This set Lucius on edge. While he had met with the full clan council several times before, he had never met with just these three. His intuition told him that he wouldn't like whatever they had to say to him, and he trusted his intuition. It had helped him more times than he could count.
Clan Head Darin sat at the head of the table, as cool and collected as ever. His wife sat to his right, looking irritated. Lucius wondered if the woman ever smiled. Dominic sat a few chairs down from them, a wide smile on his face. The man practically vibrated with excitement. Lucius' stomach sank at the sight of that smile.
"Greetings, Patriarch," Lucius said, bowing to Darin. He then greeted Astoria and his father. "Elder Astoria. Father."
"Greetings, Nephew Lucius," Darin said. "We have some news for you. Good news, I hope."
"Unlikely," Astoria muttered.
Lucius looked between the three elders in front of him.
"What news?" he asked in a wary tone.
Darin nodded towards Dominic.
"Your father has been negotiating an alliance with Clan Stone Pillar on behalf of our clan," the Patriarch said. "They have clashed with the Pit Viper Sect several times in the past few weeks, and it is only a matter of time before a war breaks out between the two. Clan Stone Pillar seeks our aid in this conflict."
Lucius frowned at this. Both clans were major powers in the Myriad Rivers region, an area of the continent named so for the many rivers that dotted the land. The Silver River was one of them. However, Silverwood Vale and Broken Teeth Hills, Clan Stone Pillar's seat of power, were located at opposite ends of the region. The former in the north, the latter in the south. The distance between them meant that Clan Wind Dance and Clan Stone Pillar often had little to do with each other.
"Why ally with us?" Lucius asked. "Why not ally with any of the neighboring clans or sects?"
Darin nodded in approval at the question.
"Simple. None of Clan Stone Pillar's nearest neighbors are powerful enough to stand up to the Pit Viper Sect. They fear retribution. Of those in the region who do have the power to challenge the Pit Viper Sect, we're the most martial."
Lucius nodded at that. While the Dancing Wind technique had started out as a dancing technique, sword arts and other combat techniques had been integrated into it long ago. All members of Clan Wind Dance were proficient with the sword to one degree or another, all of the clan's cultivators at least.
The other two major powers in the Myriad Rivers region, Clan River Heart and the Gold Weaver Sect, focused on healing and weaving respectively. That wasn't to say that they were weak. The things Clan River Heart could do to the human body were nightmare inducing, as Vera had once demonstrated to him. They were also as proficient with poisons as they were with medicine. As for the Gold Weaver Sect, Lucius had personally seen how their threads could be used to cut a person to ribbons. Even so, in terms of combat power, Clan Wind Dance put them to shame.
"The alliance between our two clans will have two pillars," Darin continued. "The first is a trade agreement. The second is marriage."
"You are to be betrothed to Willow Stone Pillar," Lucius' father cut in, unable to contain himself anymore. "The granddaughter of Clan Stone Pillar's Matriarch."
His words hit Lucius in the gut. He found it difficult to breathe, as if metal bands were wrapped tight around his chest. After everything he had given to the clan, they still ask more of him? He wanted to marry the woman he loved, not some stranger he had never met before. Was that too much to ask? Was that too selfish? Lucius and Vera had already promised themselves to each other, albeit in secret. To agree to this betrothal would be a betrayal of that promise.
"No," Lucius said before he even realized it. "I will not marry this Willow Stone Pillar.
Silence fell over the council chamber. Lucius' father frowned at him. Astoria seemed unsurprised by his declaration. Darin seemed as inscrutable as ever.
"Excuse me?" Lucius' father said. "Would you care to repeat that?"
Lucius took a deep breath. If this had been any other situation, he would have bowed his head and apologized to his father. Hell, in any other situation, he would've never dared to voice any kind of disagreement. Not this time.
"I do not agree to this betrothal," he said, looking his father right in the eyes.
"And why is that?" Astoria asked with a smirk.
Something told Lucius that she already knew the answer.
"I am in love with Vera River Heart," Lucius said anyway. "And she loves me. I intend to marry her, not some stranger from the south."
Dominic pushed away from the table and stood up. He walked towards Lucius, his footsteps slow and deliberate. Lucius knew what was coming, but refused to flinch or back down. Instead, he clenched his fists and stood his ground.
When Dominic reached Lucius, he slapped him. The sound rang out in the council chamber. The blow made Lucius stumble back, but he straightened himself out and faced his father again.
"Impudent boy," Dominic said, his voice cold. "You will do as you're told."
"No," Lucius said. "Father, I have obeyed you in all things. Not this. I can't. Please, don't make me do this. I am begging you. I have never asked you for anything. Please, grant me this one thing."
Dominic snorted.
"You think your selfish desires are more important than the welfare of the clan as a whole? This alliance will bring us great wealth and prosperity. In order to make that happen, your marriage with Willow Stone Pillar is necessary. Do you really want to jeopardize that because of that River Heart girl?"
"It doesn't have to be me!" Lucius yelled, raising his voice to his father for the first time in his life. "Anyone else from the clan would do. It doesn't have to be me." He scoffed and looked away for a moment. "Or maybe it does, so I can be the sacrificial pawn for your glory."
A beat of silence followed his words.
"You dare!" his father roared.
Dominic raised his hand to strike his son again.
"Elder Dominic," Darin said in a steely voice. "Enough. Don't disgrace yourself further."
Lucius' father flushed as he realized that the head of their clan, as well as another elder, had witnessed the exchange between him and Lucius. Dominic bowed towards Darin and Astoria.
"My apologies to you Patriarch Darin and Elder Astoria," he said. "I am ashamed. You should have never had to witness such an unseemly display."
Lucius remained unbowed. After rebelling once, he might as well go all the way. For some reason, neither Darin nor Astoria seemed bothered by this. In fact, Lucius thought he could see the corners of Astoria's lips tilt upward.
"Rise," Darin said to Dominic, before piercing Lucius with his gaze. That wasn't a euphemism. Lucius felt the Patriarch's intent. It was like being stabbed by a sword, one that pierced him to his core. It was only a glimpse, one that lasted for just a moment, but that was enough to make Lucius weak at the knees. "As for you, Nephew Lucius, I will forgive your outburst just this once. However, if you make a habit of it, I will punish you myself. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Patriarch Darin," Lucius said, before bowing. "I apologize." He rose. "I stand by what I said earlier. I will not marry this Willow Stone Pillar. Have someone else do it. It doesn't need to be me."
Dominic opened his mouth to retort, but Darin silenced him with a raised hand. When he was sure Dominic would remain silent, he looked at Lucius again.
"That is not quite true, Nephew Lucius," Darin said. "Willow Stone Pillar is the granddaughter of the Stone Pillar Matriarch. She is also considered a genius by her clan. While her progress is not as fast as yours, it is nothing to scoff at. Clan Stone Pillar will not accept just anyone as her husband." He gestured to Lucius. "You are among the best and brightest of the younger generation. If not you, then who?"
Lucius felt an icy hand grip his heart. It was one thing to defy his father. While Dominic was an elder of the clan, he was the youngest elder, and the weakest. To defy the Patriarch, however, was another matter altogether.
Darin must have sensed Lucius' internal struggle, because his eyes softened just a touch.
"I understand what you're feeling. If it's any consolation, you can still take Vera River Heart as your second wife. While it is not ideal, it is not the worst outcome."
"Yes," Lucius' father said. "If you had been willing to listen, instead of reacting, I would have mentioned that. My son, I love you and want the best for you, but the clan's needs as a whole come before any individual member."
Darin gave Dominic a sidelong glance.
"While I would not phrase it that way, your father is not wrong. The choice is yours, however. No one here will force you to choose one way or another." That last part had been directed at Lucius' father. "Just know that your choice will have consequences for the clan as a whole."
The yoke on Lucius' shoulders grew so heavy, he felt like he would collapse. He was surprised that he could stand up straight, given how heavy it was.
The choice was his? What a joke. It wasn't a choice at all. Either he married Willow Stone Pillar, or the entire alliance between their two clans would be at risk. Lucius was loyal to the clan, even if…even if it cost him the love of his life. Vera would never agree to be anyone's second wife, or mistress. He knew her enough to know that much. She would slap him for even suggesting such a thing.
Lucius grew cold, knowing that his relationship with Vera was coming to an end.
"There is one other candidate," Astoria said. "Or a potential one at least."
Everyone looked at her.
"Astoria," Darin said, a warning in his voice. "Say no more."
Astoria snorted.
"No, husband of mine," she said. "I will not be silent. You said the choice is Nephew Lucius', but how can he make an informed decision if he doesn't know the truth, or at least enough of it?"
Darin and Astoria stared at each. Lucius suspected that the two of them were having a telepathic argument.
"Who?" Lucius asked, feeling as if he were in a daze.
One moment he had been caught in the depths of despair, the next he had been offered a lifeline. The problem was, he didn't know if he could trust it.
"Yes," his father sneered. "Who in our clan comes even close to matching my son's skill and talent?"
Darin and Astoria didn't respond right away. The two continued with their telepathic argument, until Darin looked up, as if beseeching the heavens.
"By the ancestors," he muttered aloud. "You drive me crazy, woman." He shook his head. "Fine. Say what you will. May the consequences fall on your head."
Astoria gave him a triumphant look, before facing Lucius and his father.
"I can't tell you who for now, but I will say that there is someone else within the clan who might be able to satisfy Clan Stone Pillar's requirements. It will depend on how far along he is by the time they arrive."
"What do you mean?" Lucius asked.
"Clan Stone Pillar plans on sending a delegation here some time within the next year," Darin said. "We haven't agreed upon an exact date yet. While Clan Stone Pillar is planning to move against the Pit Viper Sect, they're waiting until they have a decisive advantage before doing so. They want to avoid unnecessary casualties. However, a year is as long as they are willing to wait. This does give us some wriggle room. The purpose of this visit is to finalize the negotiations. It will also give you…" He gave Astoria a sidelong glance. "…or the other candidate, a chance to see if you and Willow Stone Pillar take a liking to each other. Clan Stone Pillar will also see this as a chance to test your worthiness."
Lucius' father scoffed.
"Whoever this mysterious other candidate is, I'm sure my son will easily best him," he boasted. "There is no point in entertaining this farce. Let us just invite the delegation from Clan Stone Pillar now, and be done with it."
"How about this?" Astoria said. "From what I understand, this Willow Stone Pillar is at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. Why don't we wait until she breaks through to the Energy Gathering stage? After all, you wouldn't want an unworthy daughter-in-law, would you, Elder Dominic?"
Dominic paused at this. Lucius could almost see the struggle his father was going through. On the one hand, he wanted Clan Stone Pillar to come here as soon as possible and finalize his son's betrothal. On the other hand, he also wanted a worthy bride for his son. Lucius was in the Energy Gathering stage after all. Shouldn't his bride be the same?
Darin stroked his chin at this suggestion.
"Depending on how fast the girl makes her breakthrough, it could be feasible," he said. "It would bend the time limit Clan Stone Pillar gave us, but it is doable."
At this, Dominic opened his mouth, to voice an objection no doubt, but Darin silenced him with a look.
"Elder Dominic send a message to Clan Stone Pillar that we will meet with them after Willow Stone Pillar has reached the Energy Gathering stage," Darin said. "Tell them it is their way of proving themselves to us. Word it as a challenge." He thought for a moment. "Oh, and mention that we have a few potential candidates to be her husband. Don't single out Lucius."
Lucius' father looked like he had swallowed a lemon.
"Yes, Patriarch," he said, bowing. "If you'll excuse me, I shall go ahead and send that message."
Darin nodded. Without even looking at his son, Dominic left the council chamber. Lucius knew that this would cause trouble for him later on, but he didn't care. He was going to marry Vera, and no one else.
"Take this as an opportunity to train," Darin told Lucius. "Just because you are ahead of your peers, it doesn't mean you should slack. As a cultivator, you must always walk forward on the path to immortality."
"Yes, Patriarch," Lucius said with a bow. "With your leave, I shall head home now. It has been a tiring day."
Darin nodded. Lucius turned to leave. As he did so, he heard Astoria's voice in his head.
"If you don't want to marry Willow Stone Dance," she said telepathically. "I suggest you help train your 'rival' in love when he returns to Mt. Wind Dance." She chuckled. "The further along he is, the better for you. Here's a hint to his identity. He's the person you are least likely to suspect."
Lucius paused in his steps as the meaning of her words hit him. Astoria actually gave him two hints, and he had no doubt that she had done it on purpose. This other candidate wasn't currently at Mt. Wind Dance, and he was someone Lucius wouldn't have suspected. Put together, there was only one person who matched that description.
Lucius left the council chamber with renewed vigor in his steps. He now had another reason to find Darian. The two of them were overdue for a long talk.
***
"That was mean of you," Darin said to his wife. "I thought we agreed to respect Darian's wishes and keep his cultivation a secret."
The two of them had remained sitting in the council chamber. There was no meeting scheduled, and none of the servants would dare disturb them without good reason, so they had some privacy here.
"We agreed to no such thing," Astoria said, scoffing. "We just went along with it, but we never actually said we would keep it secret."
"It was an unspoken agreement then."
Astoria scoffed at that, but she didn't reply. The silence stretched out between them. Darin reached for his wife's hand. During these past two decades, ever since their clan agreed to Immortal Nova's terms, Astoria pulled away from him whenever he reached out to her. This time she did not.
They clasped hands, and Darin enjoyed this simple physical contact with his wife. He had missed her.
"You saw Lucius' eyes when you gave him that choice that wasn't a choice," Astoria said in a quiet voice. "If we had forced him into this marriage, it would've clipped his wings. It might have even developed into an inner demon. I could not, would not, stand by and let that happen. I have had enough of standing on the sidelines."
"So you would rather force our grandson into this marriage?" Darin asked, his voice quiet as well.
Astoria frowned in thought.
"Yes," she said after a moment. "If nothing else, he would handle it better than Lucius would. I think he would even benefit from it." She paused. "I may also want some great-grandchildren in the not so distant future."
Darin chuckled at that.
"So that was your real reason for bringing him up," he teased. "You devious woman."
Astoria smiled at that.
"Can you blame me?" she said. "Darren gave me a grandchild after almost a century, and it took a life threatening injury as well as an Immortal to make that happen."
The two fell silent for a while after this.
"Did we make the right choice, Darin?" Astoria asked. "Not just now, with Lucius, but with Darian. I opposed that woman's plans for him, but instead of being there, I distanced myself. As if that would absolve me of blame."
Darin took a moment before replying.
"I believe I said this before. If I had to make the same choices again, knowing what I know now, I would. Whether or not they were the right choices, that is something I don't know. It'll depend on how Darian reacts when he finds out the truth."
The two of them sat there in silence, holding each other's hand.