"I still don't understand why you're here," Darian said, exasperated. "I already have Elliot for protection. You didn't need to come here."
Astra, who had shrunk herself so she could lay on his head, yawned.
"Of course I did," she replied. "I was bored and wanted to spend time with my favorite nephew. Isn't that reason enough?"
"Aren't I your only nephew, Auntie?"
At that, Astra snorted.
"No. While I am closest to Senior Sister Nova, she isn't my only sister within the Dawn and Dusk Sect. I have several nephews and nieces. You just happen to be my favorite one."
"Why?" Darian asked in a teasing tone. "Is it because of Master Nova? Or is it because I'm the best looking?"
"No, you narcissistic little brat. It's because you have the best reactions when I bully you."
Darian's expression fell when she said that.
"See? Just like that."
"Elliot, help me out here."
"You are on your own here, Young Master," the snake spirit beast told him telepathically. "I dare not cross Guardian Astra."
Darian huffed and shook his head. The three of them walked along the mountain road, heading towards the main hall for Clan Wind Dance. Well, Darian walked. Elliot remained wrapped around his wrist. Astra had plopped herself on his head when he had left his house that morning and hadn't left her perch. Darian let her be. He was afraid of what would happen if he tried to dislodge her. Given the way she acted most of the time, it was easy to forget that Astra had enough power to turn the entirety of Silverwood Vale into a burning wasteland.
The weather was beautiful today. The sky was bright and clear, an endless blue expanse, free of any clouds. The sun shone upon the world, saturating it with life and light. The sounds of nature sounded like music to Darian's newly enhanced ears.
The only thing that marred it was the dust. It hadn't rained in a while, leaving the ground dry. The movement of people and the wind kicked up the dust, creating small clouds of the stuff. While it wasn't too bad, it still made Darian's nostrils itch.
Still, overall, today was a beautiful day. That did nothing to help Darian's growing dread. To put off the conversation with his friends, he had decided to pick up supplies from the clan's repository. He had a note from his father authorizing him to make purchases using his father's merit points.
Darian also thought to try and trade in the bones of the dire monster he had slain. His leather bag hung from his belt. He knew that was one way for clan members to earn spirit stones or merit points, though he had never done it himself. He wasn't too sure of how that worked. It wouldn't hurt to ask, however.
The problem was, he would have to deal with his kin when he did so. There was always a fair number of people in and around the main hall, especially at this time of the day. Those that weren't cultivating at their own residences, would be training in the courtyard in front of the main hall. Darian expected to face silence at best, and jeers and insults at worst. That was how it always went in the past, when he had made his way to the clan's library.
Even so, Darian squared his shoulders and marched on. He had faced his kin's nonsense before. It was nothing new to him.
The sounds of banter and sparring reached Darian's ears long before he reached the main hall. To his surprise, this had a calming effect on him. If he imagined this as some sort of battle, his nervousness and dread drained away. In fact, he almost looked forward to what would happen. By the time the main hall came into view, Darian was almost impatient to get it over with.
As his ears had told him, there were dozens of his kin training in front of the main hall. He had "seen" them with his mind sense, but it was a different matter to see them with his actual eyes. All of them looked like they belonged to Clan Wind Dance's younger generation. A sliver of envy pierced his heart as he watched them train and practice. They were all trading pointers, helping each other become strong and giving each other encouragement. While he had Astra, his father, and the snake twins, the sight before him illustrated just how much of an outsider he was among his own clan.
It was a bitter pill to swallow.
At first, nobody noticed Darian as he walked along the paved pathway that cut the training courtyard in half. However, it didn't take long before people took notice of him. Darian looked at his clothing and winced. He had grown accustomed to wearing the outfits his Master Nova had left behind for him, which consisted of wearing a red vest, red trousers, and black shoes. However, it made him stand out more than usual. Perhaps he should have worn his old clothes instead.
A voice that he hadn't heard in months called out to him, interrupting his thoughts.
"Darian!"
He felt a rush of wind and turned to find Lucius running towards him. His friend looked happy to see him, which surprised Darian given how their last conversation had ended. Before he could react, Lucius grabbed him and pulled him into a hug. This surprised Darian even further. He couldn't remember the last time Lucius had openly displayed affection like this.
Or maybe it was a kind of punishment, given how hard Lucius squeezed him.
"Lucius, it's good to see you," Darian wheezed out.
Lucius squeezed him harder for a brief moment, before letting go and taking a step back.
"It's good to see you too," he said to Darian, before tapping him on the shoulder. "Where have you been? Vera and I have been worried about you."
"That's a long story," Darian said. "I'll tell you about it later."
"Or you could tell him now and get it over with," Astra said from atop his head. "Honestly, why do you have to make such a big deal out of this?"
Darian didn't reply to her. Given the lack of reaction to her presence, he guessed that he was the only one who could see and hear her right now.
"Where have you been?" Lucius asked. "And what are you wearing? It looks familiar."
He gestured to Darian's clothing.
"As I said, it's a long story. I'll tell you about it later, when we're in a more private setting."
As it was, they were in the middle of the training courtyard, surrounded by dozens of their kin. Everyone was staring at the two of them. None of the stares directed at Darian felt friendly. All this attention made his skin crawl.
"What about you?" he asked Lucius. "You seem more…exuberant than usual. You're usually more reserved than this."
Lucius gave him a small smile.
"I have my own story to tell. I'm currently training and trading pointers, but I'll be free afterwards. We can tell each other our stories then. Vera should be free by that point. She's foraging for medicinal herbs in the Silverwood with her sister right now."
"I can do that," Darian said, nodding. "Listen, Lucius, I'm so-…"
"Well, well. Look who it is," another familiar voice said, interrupting him. This one was far less welcoming. "You should have stayed away from Mt. Wind Dance, Darian."
Darian and Lucius turned to find Zayne striding towards them. He wore his usual sneer. Or was it a smirk? It was hard to tell. Regardless, the expression on Zayne's face was unpleasant. A young girl, no more than fifteen years of age, followed behind him. She looked confused and worried.
"What do you want, Zayne?" Darian asked, standing his ground.
"Darian, listen, Zayne is…" Lucius began to say, but then stopped.
Zayne stopped a few feet away from them both.
"I'm just letting you know that you don't belong here, Darian," he said. "Leaving Mt. Wind Dance was the smartest thing you've done. And returning was the stupidest."
Darian stepped closer to Zayne. Lucius put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him from going further. A crowd gathered around them, as their kin came closer to enjoy the spectacle that was about to unfold.
"Why don't I belong?" Darian asked. "I'm a Wind Dance, just as much as you are. I have a right to be here, just like everyone else here."
"You really must be stupid," Zayne retorted, before barking out a laugh. The obnoxious sound grated on Darian's ear. "Isn't it obvious? You're a mortal, not a cultivator. The only mortals on Mt. Wind Dance are servants, so unless you plan on serving your betters, you should just leave again and stay away this time." He snorted. "It's not like anyone will miss you. I'd bet that no one here even knew you were gone, or cared if they did."
A murmur of agreement ran through the ground. From the corner of Darian's eyes, he noticed more than one person smirking at Zayne's words. He gritted his teeth. It irked him that he had no retort to the last part of Zayne's sentence.
"You're wrong, Junior Brother Zayne" Lucius said, giving Zayne a cold glare. "Vera and I-…"
Darian stopped him with a shake of his head.
"I appreciate your help, Lucius, but let me handle this." Darian glanced back at his friend. "Trust me. I can deal with him."
Lucius gave him a surprised look.
"Bold words coming from you, Darian, considering how many times you've hidden behind Senior Brother Lucius," Zayne said with a snort. "If I had my way, you would've been driven away from Mt. Wind Dance a long time ago."
Darian took another step forward, shrugging off Lucius' hand. The latter resisted for a moment, but then let go with one final squeeze.
"In that case, why don't you do something about it right now?" Darian spread his arms out wide. "I'm right here. Go ahead. Try and drive me away. I dare you."
An excited whispering ran through the crowd around them. Zayne's sneer deepened. If their realms hadn't been as close as they were, Darian would not have goaded him like this. While he might be dense at times, he wasn't suicidal.
"And give you an excuse to run crying to Senior Brother Lucius, or your grandparents? I think not. Your tricks won't work on me."
"No tricks. This is between you and me, Zayne. No one else. I won't go crying off, as you put it. This is me giving you a chance to prove your words, to prove that I don't belong here." Darian scoffed. "Unless you're too scared to try."
Several members of the crowd tittered at this, causing Zayne's face to grow red with anger. The young girl behind him glared at Darian.
"You'll regret saying that," Zayne snarled.
He reached out to grab Darian's vest. Darian intercepted his wrist, and then punched him in the chest. Zayne flew backwards a few feet before landing on his back. Silence fell over the courtyard. It took every bit of Darian's self control not to pounce on Zayne right away and beat him bloody. He wanted to do this right. It would be more satisfying that way.
Zayne coughed a few times, before pushing himself upright with a groan. He stared at Darian in shock.
"I'd apologize for the cheap shot," Darian said with barely contained anger. "But considering everything you've said and done to me, I'm not sorry."
Zayne stared at him for several more moments, before his eyes narrowed.
"You're right," he said, his voice a little hoarse. "That was a cheap shot. Let's settle this the proper way."
He pushed himself to his feet.
"Oh, we will. I've been looking forward to this for a long time, Zayne."
The crowd started murmuring again, this time louder than before. Darian heard surprise and excitement in their voices. Zayne walked over to one of the weapons racks standing along the outskirts of the training courtyard. The crowd parted before him. He picked up a metal practice sword, its blade dull, before walking over to one of the sparring areas.
A hand gripped Darian's shoulder before he could join him.
"Darian, what are you doing?" Lucius asked.
"Remember that note I left for you and Vera?" Darian asked, turning towards his friend. "This is the surprise I mentioned."
Lucius studied him for a long moment. If he was shocked by Darian's words, it didn't show.
"Are you sure about this?"
"Yes, I am."
Darian thought Lucius would argue with him some more, so he was surprised when his friend nodded instead.
"In that case, I'll just say this. Be careful. There is more to Junior Brother Zayne than you think."
At that, Darian snorted.
"I've faced worse."
After dealing with the snake twins and Astra on a regular basis, not to mention killing a dire monster, dealing with Zayne would be simple in comparison.
Lucius just shook his head at this.
"Do what you will." His eyes darkened. "When this is over, you will tell Vera and I everything. We deserve that much at least."
"I will," Darian said with a nod. "I promise."
He removed the leather bag from his belt, as well as Elliot from his wrist, and started to hand both over to Lucius.
"Darian, wait," Astra said. She was still on his head. "Pretend to look through your bag."
While Darian wondered what his auntie was up to, he didn't question her. Instead, he did as she asked. There wasn't anything new in the bag. However, Astra reached down with a paw and, seemingly out of nowhere, produced a pair of fingerless leather gauntlets. She dropped them into Darian's hands.
The gauntlets were made from some kind of red leather reinforced with black metal studs. They emanated a subtle, fiery power. Wait, no. That wasn't leather. Darian took a closer look. Were those scales?
"The Flamebound Gauntlets," Astra said. "I was going to wait until after you returned to the secret realm to give these to you, but since you're going against an armed opponent, I figured now would be a good time. Made from flame dragon hide and blacksteel, they were created specifically for those who practice The Nine Gates of Destruction technique. To prevent theft, I spelled them so they look like ordinary leather gauntlets to everyone else." Astra's voice grew even more smug. "You said you wanted a new magical item, and I have delivered. You can shower me with gratitude now."
Darian stared at the gauntlets.
"Auntie," he muttered in a low voice. "These are too much. They're lethal weapons. Zayne is only using a practice sword. I want to beat him, not kill him."
"Trust me, that won't be a problem. Just don't channel your spirit energy after you bind them to you."
"What's wrong, Darian?" Zayne called out. "How long are you going to keep me waiting? Unless, of course, you've changed your mind. I wouldn't blame you if you did."
The mockery in his voice put lie to his words.
Darian gritted his teeth and put on the gauntlets. He bound them to him, using the method Astra had taught him, which only required a little bit of spirit energy. The fiery power in the gauntlets flared for a brief moment, before dying down again. They adjusted themselves, until they fit his hands perfectly. The flame dragon hide felt warm against his skin, in a comforting way.
Once he was armed, Darian handed the leather bag and Elliot, who looked like a stone bracelet, over to Lucius. His friend accepted them without a word, though Lucius did raise an eyebrow at the gauntlets. Darian shrugged, before joining Zayne in the sparring area. Everyone else had already surrounded it, forming a ring. They parted to let him through.
As he stepped inside, Darian heard the others begin to make bets. Of course, the odds were against him. Zayne was a known quantity, while Darian was not. He wondered if any of them still thought he was mortal. He was still wearing the Necklace of Plain Sight after all. A part of him wondered if he should take it off, but he decided against it. The less his opponent knew about this strength, the better.
Zayne's eyes flickered to the gauntlets, before he let out a mocking little smile. Darian narrowed his eyes.
"Before you two begin," Lucius said, acting as referee. "Let us lay down some rules. This is a bout, not a duel to the death. That means no permanent injuries. Both combatants will fight until one surrenders, or is unable to continue fighting. Is that understood?"
"Fine by me, Lucius," Darian said.
"Yes, Senior Brother Lucius," Zayne said.
Lucius looked between the two of them, before nodding.
"Good. Take your positions."
Zayne took up a stance. It was one of the stances of the Dancing Wind technique, or a variation of it at least. The ones Darian knew hadn't included the use of the sword. A part of him sighed at that. Right now, that knowledge would have been helpful.
Darian took up his own stance. His heart drummed in his chest. Excitement coursed through his veins. The chance to have a fight, a proper fight with even odds, filled Darian with joy. A smile stretched across his lips.
"Begin!" Lucius shouted.
***
The word barely left Lucius' lips before Darian launched himself at Zayne. He went in for a devastating strike, hoping to end the fight in one hit. Zayne, however, dodged with ease. He glided out of the way, as elusive and ephemeral as the wind. The crowd around them let out sounds of surprise and appreciation.
Before Darian could go in for another strike, Zayne lashed out with one of his own. Darian barely had time to block with the gauntlets, stopping the metal practice sword from hitting him in the side. Metal screeched and sparks flew as the blade met the blacksteel studs within the Flamebound Gauntlets.
Darian knocked the blade away, and struck again. Like before, however, Zayne drifted out of the way. He made it seem so effortless, as if he wasn't trying all that hard.
"You're not bad, Darian," Zayne said. "A little rough around the edges, but not terrible."
Darian didn't respond and narrowed his eyes as he realized just how much he had underestimated Zayne's skill. He thought that because Zayne had below average cultivation talent, his skill with the sword would also be low. A dangerous assumption. Darian had fallen into a trap of his own making, one born of his prejudice.
He wouldn't beat Zayne like this, with aggressive and unrelenting strikes. He would just tire himself out trying. The Dancing Wind technique excelled at mobility and evasion. He would need to take a different approach.
Darian adjusted his stance.
"Hmm, you're learning," Zayne said.
Again, Darian didn't respond. Instead, he launched himself at Zayne once more. Like before, Zayne dodged with ease. However, Darian had been on the lookout for that. His attack had been a feint.
Before Zayne finished moving, Darian lashed out with his real attack. He was so sure this one would land, but to his surprise, Zayne managed to interpose the sword between them. Darian's armored fist slammed into the sword, the sound ringing out. The attack did knock Zayne back a step, but he recovered before Darian could take advantage of it.
As they fought, the crowd around them kept up a running commentary.
"How is he doing this?"
"I thought he was mortal."
"Senior Brother Zayne is better with a blade than I realized. I'll have to trade pointers with him later on."
Darian ignored them and focused on his opponent. Zayne just grinned.
"That was a nice warm up," he said. "Now it's my turn."
Zayne went on the offensive, forcing Darian back. He struck with speed and precision, aiming for weaknesses in Darian's defense, weaknesses Darian hadn't known he had. The attacks were swift and relentless. It took all of Darian's skill to evade or block them, and he wasn't always successful. The blade struck him a few times, stinging him. When this was over, Darian knew he would have several bruises and welts.
Even as he learned and firmed up his defense, Zayne's attacks gave Darian no room to breathe. If this continued, he would lose in no time. He needed to break through and attack. The problem was, Zayne had more reach than him. Every time Darian moved to make his own attack, Zayne was already striking out at him, forcing him to defend himself.
Darian studied Zayne, looking for a weakness to exploit. As he did so, he noticed a pattern in Zayne's movements. While the other man kept things from being too predictable, Darian had studied the Dancing Wind technique for several years. He knew its movements by heart. This variant incorporated the sword, but it remained the same technique at its core.
Darian kept an eye out for an opportunity. When one presented itself, he surged forward. Zayne's blade struck him in the arm, hitting him with almost enough force to break his arm. It was a small price to pay. Darian stepped inside Zayne's reach. Before the other man could react, Darian's fist struck him in the abdomen.
Several in the crowd let out gasps of shock and dismay.
"Wings of Wind!"
Darian felt a surge of spirit energy come from Zayne. The spirit energy formed into feathers that coated his body. The man gilded backwards, moving faster than before, robbing Darian's blow of most of its momentum. While the blow had connected, it hadn't done nearly as much damage as Darian had wanted.
The crowd let out a little applause.
"That was close," Zayne said, letting out a sigh of relief.
Darian just glared at him.
"What was that?" he asked, speaking for the first time since their bout began.
"Wings of Wind. It's one of our clan's movement techniques."
Darian gritted his teeth.
"That's cheating."
"Is it? We're cultivators. It's only natural for us to use energy techniques. You're free to use your own, if you have any."
Darian had the Fire Fist technique. The problem was, Astra warned him not to use spirit energy with the Flamebound Gauntlets. They were magical items, and while he didn't know what they did yet, he didn't want to accidentally activate them and risk injuring or killing Zayne.
Darian wanted to pay him back for all the pain he caused, not cripple or kill him.
That left him with one course of action.
Darian took off the gauntlet on his right hand and dropped it on the ground. He called on his spirit energy, what little he had in his body, and flames coated his right hand. While he hadn't mastered the Fire Fist technique yet, he had practiced it quite a bit. Astra had forbidden him from using it during his special training, however, since it would defeat the purpose.
Zayne narrowed his eyes at Darian.
"Well then," he said. "I shall do the same. Let's decide this in one strike."
Darian nodded. Zayne's spirit energy surged up once more, and coated the blade. It became a sharp wind.
The two of them stared at each other for a long moment, before they charged each other, striking at the same time.
"Fire Fist!"
"Severing Wind!"
Fist met sword. Darian could have blocked the blade and won that way, but he didn't want to just win. He wanted to beat Zayne.
There was an explosion as fire met wind, and the spirit energy from two cultivators collided with each other, knocking Darian back several feet. He heard shouts and screams come from the crowd. His right hand exploded with pain. Somehow, he remained standing. His ears rang, and his thoughts became a muddle mess. He shook his head to clear his mind.
Zayne stood not too far from him, looking singed but otherwise none for the worse. His sword, on the other hand, lay on the ground. It had become a blackened, twisted piece of metal. Zayne looked at it with a chagrined expression on his face.
"It looks like this is my loss," he said. "I no longer have a sword, and you still have one good fist. I surrender."
Darian looked at his right hand. It was a mangled mess, though by his standards it wasn't that bad. The training Astra put him through resulted in worse damage. The crowd disagreed, however, because several made sympathetic noises and a few even sounded dismayed.
"This isn't over," Darian snarled, looking back up at Zayne.
He stepped forward, but Lucius moved in his way, blocking his path.
"Move, Lucius."
"No," Lucius said, shaking his head. "Junior Brother Zayne surrendered. You won. Leave it at that."
Darian glared at his friend. It wasn't enough. Years of torment could not be wiped away by just a single fight. He wanted to repay every bit of pain and humiliation he had suffered at Zayne's hands. The insults, the mockery, the beating that one time. All of it.
"Move, or be moved, Lucius," he said. "I won't ask again."
His friend's expression hardened.
"No. Let it go, Darian."
Darian's temper almost exploded out of control. Something pulsed from within him, deep inside his being. It seemed familiar, but Darian didn't remember feeling it before.
"Let it go?" he asked. "Let it go? After everything he put me through? No. He will pay for everything he did to me."
The pulsing grew stronger. It felt like a drumming deep within his soul, as if something was being struck over and over again.
"I understand how you feel," Lucius began, but Darian interrupted him.
"Understand? You understand nothing, Lucius!"
Something within Darian cracked. Heat emanated from the pulse, seeping through the crack. It surged through veins, feeding his anger. Or maybe it fed on his anger. He wasn't sure. All he knew was that rage and heat boiled within him, ready to burst out.
Darian used the Fire Fist technique with his left hand. His spirit energy surged through the remaining Flamebound Gauntlet, channeling the heat burning within him. He lifted his hand, ready to move Lucius out of the way, when Astra appeared in front of him. She had a serious expression on her face.
"Calm yourself, Darian," she said to him. "Your childhood bully isn't worth hurting your friend over."
Astra tapped him on the chest. The heat within him died, and his anger died with it. The crack he felt earlier sealed up, as if it never was. The flames coating his left hand sputtered and faded away. A wave of exhaustion hit Darian. All the aches and pain he managed to ignore until now hit him all at one. It was all he could do not to cry out. Shadows hovered along the edge of his vision. He swayed on his feet, but before he could fall, Lucius reached out and steadied him.
"Darian, what's wrong?" his friend asked, concern written all over his face. "Are you okay?"
Before Darian could reply, a voice rang out.
"What is the meaning of this?"
Darkness consumed Darian as he faded from consciousness.