"You must be joking," Darian said.
He stood next to Lucius. They were at the training courtyard in front of the main hall. Clan Wind Dance's younger generation sparred and traded pointers with each other. A few took breaks to cool down and refresh themselves. More than a few eyes were on the pair of them, even among those that sparred. Those people usually ended up losing. Darian could feel the jealousy and envy being directed his way. While no one had said anything, he knew that people weren't happy that he kept monopolizing Lucius' time.
"I am not," Lucius said, wearing a cheerful smile on his face. "If you want me to spar with you, you must help me with my duties. At this time of the day, I guide and mentor my juniors. The sooner you help with that, the more time I'll have for you." He gestured to the people training. "Besides, it will do you good. Helping others improve is also a good way to identify flaws within ourselves and improve as well."
Darian narrowed his eyes at Lucius.
"I thought you had more time to spare these days, ever since the argument you had with your father."
"Yes, I do. That spare time, however, is all for Vera now."
"Tsk." Darian shook his head. "I almost wish you two weren't together. You keep spending all your time with each other. It's disgustingly saccharine."
"Too bad. Now, are you going to help or not?"
Darian sighed with resignation.
"Fine, I'll do it. Tell me who to help. Keep in mind that I'm barely in the mid Foundation Establishment stage."
Lucius pointed to a group of their kin who looked like they had just started on their path to cultivation. They had maybe a year of experience at most.
"Looks like Junior Sister Clarissa is by herself. I want you to help her for today."
Darian grumbled as he walked over to them. Today had not gone as he expected it would.
After his conversation with…Stella, Darian felt the urge to indulge in violence. He felt that punching something, or someone, would help him sort through the mess of emotions inside him. If nothing else, he would feel better afterwards. Thankfully, he was part of a cultivation clan, one that focused on combat arts, in addition to music and dance. Sparring was a part of daily life here.
It was such a beautiful day for it too, with clear blue skies and mild winds. Given Mt. Wind Dance's natural beauty, the weather was downright idyllic.
Darian met up with his friends at his father's immortal cave for a cultivation session. The meditation, plus going through the stances of the Fist of the Mortal Flame, helped ease the turmoil in his heart. That didn't mean he was any closer to figuring things out regarding his family, but he felt less agitated about it.
Vera had come through for him, and gave him a bottle of the solution she had mentioned last time. It cleaned up the black gunk with ease. Given how much of the stuff Darian had to deal with, he almost cried in gratitude.
After that, Darian had asked if either one of them would like to spar. Vera couldn't, since she had to finish making arrangements with her sister. It turned out that Vera had a lot of duties at the clinic, and she needed to find people to cover for her.
Lynda, her sister, supported her in this, since Vera had explained why she needed to leave. The chance to visit a secret realm saturated with spirit energy was nothing to scoff at.
Lucius, on the other hand, agreed to spar, if Darian promised him one small favor. Like a fool, Darian agreed before asking what the favor was. That was how he found himself among a large number of his kin again, something he managed to avoid yesterday. Really now, the sooner Darian and his friends left Mt. Wind Dance, the better.
A part of Darian wondered if he was not a social person, or if he was just that way with his kin.
Darian approached the girl Lucius had pointed out to him. She was the only member of his kin who didn't have a sparring partner or a senior to trade pointers with. He recognized her as the young girl who had been with Zayne the day they had fought with each other. The girl looked a little sad as she practiced the movements of the Dancing Wind technique.
Darian waited until she finished a set before speaking up. That way, he didn't disrupt her progress. While he had been reluctant to participate in group training, that didn't mean he would do a poor job of it. It also gave him a chance to observe her.
She was adequate. Her form, while serviceable, lacked something, however. There was something wrong with it, though he couldn't quite put his finger on what.
At her age, Darian had been better at performing the Dancing Wind; the outer form of it at least. He had no experience with the actual cultivation part. The reason why was because he had obsessively practiced the Dancing Wind, desperate to prove his worth to himself and his clan. He wouldn't disparage Junior Sister Clarissa, however. She was putting in the work, and had the right spirit.
"Junior Sister Clarissa?" he asked when she finished.
The girl flinched at the sound of his voice, and turned towards him with a look of mild panic in her eyes. She had trouble meeting his eyes.
"Se-Senior Brother Darian," she said, giving him a slight bow. "How may I help you?"
He nodded towards her.
"Lucius asked me to help you today. I may not be as useful as someone who actually practices the Dancing Wind technique, but I should know enough to give you some advice."
At this, Junior Sister Clarissa's eyes widened.
"Oh. Um. I'm fine, Senior Brother Darian," she said. "There is no need for you to help me. I am used to practicing on my own."
Darian frowned at that.
"Why?" He looked over the rest of the courtyard. "Isn't the point of these group training sessions to help and guide each other?"
Half the courtyard had been set up with wooden dummies for solo practice, but that was for people who wanted to do combat training on their own time.
Junior Sister Clarissa looked down at the ground and mumbled something. Even with his hearing, Darian couldn't understand her.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" Darian asked. "I didn't hear you."
Junior Sister Clarissa glanced up at him. Her face was beet red.
"I…I'm usually too shy to ask the others for help," she said, fidgeting. "And whenever someone offers, I freeze up until they move along. At this point, the others have all given up on helping me. The only one who helps me on a regular basis is Senior Brother Zayne. There is Senior Brother Lucius as well, but he is usually too busy with everyone else."
Darian's mood, which hadn't been high to begin with, plummeted at the mention of Zayne.
"Zayne," he said, his voice flat. "I see."
"Yes. He is so nice and kind to me, and he is good at teaching. He always manages to explain things to me in a way I can understand."
Darian scoffed.
"I find that hard to believe," he said. "In my experience, the man is a colossal ass who deserves multiple beatings."
At that, Junior Sister Clarissa stood up straight and glared right at Darian.
"Don't talk about Senior Brother Zayne that way!" she said, raising her voice. "He is a good man! You just haven't seen his good side."
She spoke loud enough to draw attention from the others. A few stopped what they were doing and stared at her. When Junior Sister Clarissa noticed this, she flushed with embarrassment and stared at the ground.
"I should go," she mumbled.
"Wait!" Darian put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her.
She flinched, and Darian immediately let go.
"I apologize, I didn't mean to offend you," he said. "Zayne is a sore topic for me. I'm sure he is good to you, but he has never been that way with me."
For a moment, Darian thought she wouldn't accept his apology. In the end, however, she nodded and faced him again. She looked wary of him, however.
"Now then," Darian said, clearing his throat. "I noticed that there was something…off about your movements when you performed the Dancing Wind."
Junior Sister Clarissa nodded while frowning.
"I know. I'm missing something. No matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get it right. Senior Brother Zayne showed me how to do it, which helped, but I'm still lacking."
At least she was aware of the problem. That would make things easier on his end.
"Go through the movements again. Maybe I can spot the problem."
Darian gave her some space so she could go perform the Dancing Wind without interruption. After watching her a second time, he figured out what he thought was the problem. He had her go through it a third time, just to be sure.
"I see the problem now," he said as Junior Sister Clarissa took a small break.
"You do?" she asked, hopeful.
"Your movements are too awkward. This wouldn't be as much of a problem for most members of Clan Wind Dance, but for those like us, it won't do." He gestured to his own body. "We don't fit the mold."
It was true. Members of Clan Wind Dance tended towards tall and lean bodies. Darian was shorter and bulkier. Junior Clarissa was even shorter than him, and was petite. It wouldn't be off to call her doll-like. Their bodies weren't as suited to the Dancing Wind technique. Darian had solved that problem by making minute adjustments to the movements of the dance, until it had fit him better. Perhaps he could do the same for Junior Sister Clarissa.
"I want you to go through the movements of the Dancing Wind as slowly as possible," Darian said. "While you do so, I will make small adjustments to your form."
Junior Sister Clarissa frowned at this.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? I'm following the Dancing Wind technique as it is shown in the scrolls, and how my instructors taught me."
Darian nodded.
"Yes. Your body isn't suited to the movements as they are described. I had the same problem, back when I was trying to cultivate with the Dancing Wind technique. A futile endeavor, it turned out." He gave her a wry smile. "If it doesn't work out, we can try something else."
While she still looked unsure, Junior Sister Clarissa nodded her assent. She took the first form. That's when Darian realized the problem with this method.
"I'm, uh, I'm going to need to put my hands on you," he said, cringing a little. "Will that be all right? If not, I can get one of our female kin to help."
"Do you have lascivious intentions?" she asked him.
Given her age, Darian was a little surprised that she knew what that word meant.
"No, I do not."
"Then it's fine."
With that, Darian began to adjust Junior Sister Clarissa's form as she went through the movements of the Dancing Wind technique. It was a slow process, and they had to pause several times, but they persevered. It wasn't as awkward as Darian had feared it would be. He had no interest in her, and she felt the same. That made it easier on the both of them.
When they were done, Darian had her go through the movements at the intended speed, using the new adjustments. He frowned when she finished. She was better now, but still off.
"You're still too awkward," Darian said, pinching his chin.
"I'm sorry I'm not perfect," she snapped at him. "I'm trying my best!"
Junior Sister Clarissa realized what she had done and blanched.
"I-I'm sorry!"
Darian smiled and waved it off.
"It's fine," he said. "You're frustrated. I understand how you feel. Trust me, I do."
At least Junior Sister Clarissa had talent with the Dancing Wind, unlike him. Nor was her spirit root blocked. She wouldn't have to put up with the disappointment of hitting an insurmountable wall. Even if his spirit root hadn't been blocked, Darian wouldn't have been much good at the Dancing Wind. According to Auntie Astra, he was not suited towards any kind of technique aside from fire type ones.
That had been on purpose, Darian assumed.
"No, you are still my senior and you are trying to help me," Junior Sister Clarissa said. "The problem lies with me. I'm not a genius like Senior Brother Lucius. My talent for cultivation is average at best."
Darian was about to respond that talent didn't matter as much, but then shut his mouth. He was the last person who had the right to say something like that to her. His talent for The Nine Gates of Destruction was ridiculously high. That was something he could no longer deny, not even to himself. Not to mention, he had a lot of resources to help with his cultivation, as well as a Nascent Soul cultivator to guide him.
In terms of advantages, Darian had several working in his favor.
Junior Sister Clarissa had what was available to the average member of Clan Wind Dance. This made Darian even more determined to help her along. He had been blessed, so the least he could do was pay it forward a little.
"There has to be something we can do to help you," Darian muttered.
He went through the list of things that had helped him, things that didn't involve resources or talent. No, that wouldn't work. He doubted that sparring or intense physical training akin to torture would help Junior Sister Clarissa at this point in time. Unlike the sword variant, at its core, the Dancing Wind technique wasn't a combat technique. It was, well, a dancing technique.
Wait a moment…
"Music," Darian blurted out.
"Wh-What?" Junior Sister Clarissa said. "Music? What music?"
Darian grinned at her.
"What's a dance without music to accompany it? Maybe if you practice while listening to music, you'll overcome this current hurdle."
Junior Sister Clarissa stared at him.
"I suppose that might help," she said. "Are you going to play for me?"
At this, Darian scratched his cheek with one finger.
"I don't know how to sing or play any instruments," he admitted.
Once again, Junior Sister Clarissa stared at him.
"How?" she asked in an incredulous tone. "You're a Wind Dance!"
As a clan whose signature cultivation technique was a dance, Clan Wind Dance had a strong musical tradition. Most, if not all, members knew how to sing, or played at least one instrument. The harp was the most common one, though there were others as well.
Darian was the exception to this. Part of it had been a lack of opportunity. He had never been taught, or invited to any social gatherings. Children weren't allowed to participate in these gatherings, and this included anyone too young to cultivate. By the time Darian grew old enough, his supposed lack of cultivation became public knowledge, and he became a social pariah.
Part of it had been Darian's focus on trying to cultivate. He hadn't bothered to learn how to sing or play an instrument. He had practiced the Dancing Wind technique to the exclusion of almost everything else.
"I'm not a typical Wind Dance," Darian said. "Let's see if we can find anyone to help us."
He looked around. All the others were focused on their own practice. Even the ones who were taking breaks would only do so for a short while. He frowned. This was a problem.
'Young Master,' Elliot's voice said in his head. 'I can play music for Cultivator Clarissa.'
Darian started and then stared at Elliot. He had forgotten about the snake man. Guilt ate at him. Earlier that morning, he had put on the stone snake bracelet without giving it much thought. He was a poor Young Master to his servants.
"You can?" Darian asked aloud, holding his arm up so Elliot was in front of him. "What kind of instruments can you play?"
'All kinds,' Elliot said, sounding smug. 'When we first arrived in Silverwood Vale, I began practicing the harp. While my skill is still lacking, I should suffice for your purposes.'
"Thank you, Elliot. I appreciate it." He grimaced. "And I'm sorry for ignoring you for much of our time here."
Elliot chuckled.
'Think nothing of it, Young Master. It's fine. I'm supposed to remain unnoticed and in the background. Our time here has actually been beneficial for me. Since no one has attacked you, I have spent much of my time meditating and cultivating.'
Junior Sister Clarissa looked at Darian like he was crazy.
"Are you talking to that bracelet?" she asked.
Oh, right. She only heard Darian's side of the conversation.
"Yes. Don't worry, everything will be made clear soon. Stay right here, I need to find a harp."
With that, Darian headed towards Lucius. While he could have asked their other kin, he decided not to bother. Lucius was right there. Why not ask him?
Lucius was in the middle of instructing another junior. Well, not a junior to Darian. The young man looked to be the same age as him, and was at mid Foundation Establishment stage as well. An equal.
Darian waited until there was a lull in the conversation.
"Lucius," he said. "I need your help with something."
The junior shot Darian an ugly look. Lucius, however, had already turned towards him, so he didn't notice it.
"What did you need, Darian?" Lucius asked. "Are you having trouble helping Junior Sister Clarissa?"
"A little," Darian said. "I have an idea that might work, but I need a harp. Do you have one?"
Darian knew that Lucius could play the harp, as well as several different instruments, though he hadn't heard him play in a while. They had been too busy these past few…Ancestors, had it been a year since the last time he had heard Lucius play? They needed to rectify that.
"No," Lucius said with a frown. "Is your need urgent? Or can it wait until later?"
Before Darian could respond, the junior who Lucius had been helping spoke up.
"I brought my harp with me, Senior Brother Lucius," the young man said. "I can lend it to…Brother Darian."
Darian could tell that the young man had wanted to call him Junior Brother, but dared not do so. He resisted the urge to smirk.
"Yes, you and I are at equal level," Darian said to the young man.
"Thank you, Junior Brother Colin," Lucius said. "I would much appreciate that."
At this, Brother Colin beamed. Darian saw an opportunity to both thank the young man, and get back at Lucius. Brother Colin went to his things, and returned soon after with a rather beautiful harp. It was made from polished wood and trimmed with gold.
"Please, take care of it," Brother Colin said, handing the harp over to Darian. "It took me ages to save up enough to commission this."
"I will, Brother Colin. Thank you," Darian said, before looking at Lucius. "Lucius, Brother Colin has proven himself dedicated and well-prepared. You should reward him for his diligence. Some extra time guiding him should be enough."
Lucius narrowed his eyes at him, while Darian just smirked in response. Brother Colin, on the other hand, looked at Lucius with a pleading expression.
"You make a good point, Darian," Lucius said, his eyes promising retribution. "I shall."
Joy lit up Brother Colin's face, as if someone had handed him a great gift. Darian left them and returned to Junior Sister Clarissa, who looked a bit anxious.
"I have returned with a harp!" Darian announced triumphantly.
His voice caught the attention of others nearby, and he heard snickering. Junior Sister Clarissa looked even more anxious after that.
"I thought you said that you didn't know how to play," she said, looking around.
"I don't, but I have someone here who can play," Darian held up the stone snake bracelet. "Elliot, reveal yourself." He thought for a moment. "Please keep your aura in check. There's no need to cause a panic."
'I doubt that will do much good, Young Master,' Elliot sent to him via telepathy. 'I shall try, however.'
With that, the stone snake that was Elliot turned into flesh and blood. The snake unraveled himself, growing larger as he did so. Junior Sister Clarissa stepped back in surprise. Elliot kept growing in size, before taking on his human form. Tall, skinny, with pale skin and black hair. He wore his usual outfit of an embroidered robe. Given the snake man's androgynous features, one could be forgiven for mistaking him for a woman. The only clues that he was a spirit beast were his snake eyes, and the small scales covering his skin.
"Junior Sister Clarissa, this is my retainer, Elliot," Darian said. "Elliot, this is my junior sister, Clarissa Wind Dance."
Elliot gave her a bow.
"Greetings to you, Cultivator Clarissa," Elliot said. "It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of one of Young Master Darian's kin."
Darian raised an eyebrow at Elliot. He was laying it on thick. Then he glanced at Junior Sister Clarissa and understood why. She was leaning away from Elliot, her eyes wide with fear.
"Sp-Spirit beast," she said. "He's a spirit beast."
Oh, right. Most people saw spirit beasts as dangerous monsters, and for good reason. A lot of them were. However, Darian had been around Astra and the snake twins long enough that the idea of a friendly spirit beast wasn't foreign to him. Most people weren't like him, though.
"It's fine, Junior Sister Clarissa," Darian said. "He's my retainer. He won't hurt you."
Junior Sister Clarissa glanced at him, and swallowed. It wasn't the best reaction, but it was better than her running away and screaming. They had already attracted enough attention as it was. While most of their kin hadn't noticed Darian bringing Elliot out, a lot of them had noticed Elliot afterward. Many were backing away from the snake man, and while none had panicked yet, they were starting to cause a commotion. Whispers and murmuring ran rampant.
"That's a spirit beast?"
"Here? How?"
"What if he's dangerous?"
Darian looked around and realized that he may have made a mistake.
"Huh," he said. "I didn't think this through."
"No, Young Master," Elliot said. "Still, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Better for it to happen in a somewhat friendly manner, to avoid unnecessary conflict."
The commotion drew the attention of those further away, and Darian noticed Lucius heading in their direction.
"Anyway," Darian said, hoping to mitigate any negative consequences. "Elliot here will play the harp for you, Junior Sister Clarissa."
She looked at him like he had lost his mind.
"Senior Brother Darian!" she said, trying to keep her voice down and failing. "Are you crazy? He's a spirit beast!"
"Yes, he is," Darian said, frowning. "He is my retainer, as I said. I would appreciate it if you didn't talk about him as if he weren't there. That's very rude."
At that moment, Lucius arrived. All eyes turned towards him. The group he had been training trailed behind him like a flock of ducklings. Like the others, they saw Elliot and reacted with fear and confusion.
"What's going on here?" he demanded.
"Oh good," Darian said. "You're here." He gestured to Elliot. "Lucius, this is Elliot. He's one of the retainers I told you about. Elliot, this is Lucius."
Elliot bowed to Lucius.
"I am pleased to meet you, Cultivator Lucius," he said. "Please, call me Elliot. Any friend of the Young Master is a friend of mine."
In that moment, Darian had never wanted to embrace the snake man more. Lucius looked at Elliot, looked at Darian, and let out a chagrined sigh.
"We'll talk about this later, Darian," he said, a pained expression on his face. He turned back to Elliot and nodded. "Greetings to you as well…Elliot. It's nice to finally meet you face to face. Darian has told me a lot about you. All good things, I assure you."
"I'm gratified to hear that."
The calm way Lucius spoke, and his relaxed body language, did more to reassure the crowd around them than any amount of Darian's words ever could. Everyone still looked uneasy, especially the younger members, but no one panicked. It helped that Elliot kept his aura in check, and made no threatening movements or gestures.
Darian made a mental note to be more careful the next time he introduced his spirit beast companions to someone.
"Now that the introductions are out of the way," Lucius said, pitching his voice for everyone to hear. "Let's all get back to training."
With that, he started to corral the crowd away from Darian, Elliot, and Junior Sister Clarissa. Before he did, however, he gave Darian a pointed look. They were definitely going to talk about this later, those eyes said. Darian gave an apologetic look in response.
Everyone returned to their training, albeit with great reluctance. Darian and the other two were left alone once again. However, that didn't stop the stares and the whispers. Junior Sister Clarissa looked like she wanted to sink into the ground. Darian put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry about that," he said. "I didn't think my actions through."
She swallowed before answering.
"It's…fine," she said, before looking at Elliot. "I apologize for my rudeness earlier…Cultivator Elliot?" She glanced at Darian, who nodded. "It's nice to meet you."
"Thank you," Elliot said, giving her a smile.
That helped Junior Sister Clarissa calm down. Or maybe it was Elliot's face that did the trick. The snake man was pretty.
Darian handed Elliot the harp.
"What sort of tune shall I play, Young Master?" the snake man asked.
Darian thought it over.
"The goal of the Dancing Wind technique is to become free of earthly constraints. I think a joyful tune would be best here. Your sister is right, after all. Cultivation doesn't have to be serious all the time. It can be fun."
At that, Elliot gave him a mirthful smile.
"I'm glad to see that Ellen is a positive influence on you, Young Master," he said. "Very well, I shall play a joyful tune. Start dancing whenever you are ready, Cultivator Clarissa."
Darian and Elliot backed away to give her room. Junior Sister Clarissa was still nervous, but she took up the first pose of the Dancing Wind. Once she took position, Elliot began playing. Darian didn't recognize the tune, but the music made him think of windswept grassy hills underneath a clear blue sky, with the sun shining brilliantly from up above. Hell, it made him want to dance.
After listening to the music for a time, Junior Sister Clarissa began to dance. At first her movements were as awkward as before. In fact, it could be said that her movements were even more awkward. However, Darian noticed the moment when it clicked for her, when Junior Sister Clarissa lost herself in the rhythm.
Her movements went from awkward, to graceful and elegant. She danced without a care in the world. There was just her and the music, there was nothing else. Darian could almost feel the joy this brought her. It was a beautiful performance, and he wasn't the only one who thought so. Others noticed Junior Sister Clarissa, and stopped to watch.
The music reached a crescendo and ended just as Junior Sister Clarissa took the last pose. She remained that way for several seconds, before she gave Darian a bright smile.
"It worked!" she said, rushing over to him. She grabbed his arms and shook him. "I never felt that way before while performing the Dancing Wind technique. At first, it felt the same as it always did, but then I surrendered to the music. I stopped thinking about my every move, and just danced. It was…" She sucked in a breath. "…it was the best feeling in the world. All my fears and worries just fell away. Thank you, Senior Brother Darian!"
With that, she hugged him. This caught him off guard, and he had no time to respond before she let him go and hugged Elliot.
"Thank you as well, Cultivator Elliot!"
It was at that moment that Junior Sister Clarissa realized what she had done and pulled away, her cheeks flushed red.
"Oh, I am so sorry, Cultivator Elliot," she said. "I didn't mean to be so familiar."
"It's all right, Cultivator Clarissa," he said. "It is gratifying to see that someone of my humble skill could inspire you."
"Humble? You were amazing!"
"She has a point, Elliot," Darian said. "You play better than many Wind Dances I've listened to over the years."
Elliot glanced at him.
"I…Thank you, Young Master, and you as well, Cultivator Clarissa."
Darian glanced over at the people who had stopped to watch Junior Sister Clarissa dance. When they noticed him watching them, they returned to their own training. That didn't stop the murmuring, however. Darian had a feeling that many of his kin would try listening to music while they cultivated and trained from now on.
They continued in this vein for the rest of the training session, with Junior Sister Clarissa dancing to Elliot's playing. As he watched her training, Darian wondered if music would help with his cultivation and training. It was worth a try at least.
Once they were all finished for the day, everyone dispersed as they all went to go about their chores and duties. Darian had a feeling that many of them would cultivate again when they were free.
Junior Sister Clarissa gave Darian one last hug before she left. Afterwards, he returned the harp to Brother Colin.
Soon, the only ones left in the training courtyard were Darian, Elliot, and Lucius.
"If I had known what you had planned to do, I would have discouraged you, Darian," Lucius said, shaking his head.
"Are you talking about Elliot?" Darian asked. "I'm sorry, Lucius. I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean to make your job more difficult."
"No, not that." Lucius paused. "Okay, that too. What were you thinking, bringing a spirit beast onto Mt. Wind Dance without letting anyone know? We have a protocol for this sort of thing, to avoid unnecessary conflict. If you had told me, we could have found a better way to go about this. The sentries are going to be upset with you."
Darian winced. Yeah, he had made a mistake big time.
"In my defense, the formations protecting Mt. Wind Dance let Elliot in without a problem," he said, before looking at the snake man. "Don't worry, Elliot. I won't let the sentries do anything to you."
"I appreciate that, Young Master."
"You should be worried more about what the sentries will do to you, Darian," Lucius said, glaring at him. "At the very least, look forward to a very long, and very pointed, lecture."
Darian's heart sank at that.
"It's not too late to run away, is it?" he asked.
"Ha. They'd catch you before you made it off the mountain."
Darian sighed. He then thought back on Lucius' words.
"Wait, if that wasn't what you wanted to discourage me from doing, what was it then? Having Elliot play the harp for Junior Sister Clarissa?"
"Yes," Lucius said. "You weren't the first person to think of music as an aid to cultivation and training. The clan has known about it for a while. However, the prevailing attitude is that we, the seniors, are supposed to let our juniors figure it out for themselves. If they hadn't by the time they made it to the Energy Gathering stage, someone would pull them in for a private talk."
"Why?" Darian asked, confused. "If it helps them cultivate, why not let them know as soon as possible?"
"It has a greater effect if they figure it out on their own." He leaned in closer, staring Darian right in the eyes. "Also, playing music for a Wind Dance as they cultivate or train is considered an intimate act. It is reserved for those close to the cultivator."
Lucius leaned in closer, radiating annoyance. Darian had to lean back to avoid their faces touching.
"Close friends. Partners. Spouses. Those sorts of relationships."
He leaned in even closer, forcing Darian to bend over backwards. Thankfully, he had excellent balance, so he didn't fall over.
"I now have to find every single person who was here today, and any friends they tell about this, and explain the particulars to them. Congratulations, Darian. Your actions have forced me to discuss intimacy with all of my juniors. I hope you're happy with yourself."
"You let it happen," Darian said. "You were right there when Brother Colin gave me the harp."
"Yes, because I didn't think you were going to do it in front of everyone. I thought you would go somewhere private."
At that, Darian gave him a baffled look.
"Why would you think that? I didn't know about any of this until you told me just now."
Lucius closed his eyes and sighed, before opening them again. He stepped away from Darian.
"It doesn't matter. Just don't do it again." He sighed. "What does matter is that the time I had allotted for our sparring session is no longer available."
Darian's face fell. Aw, he had been looking forward to fighting his friend.
"Now you understand the problem." He glanced towards the upper areas of Mt. Wind Dance. "Not that it would have made a difference. You would have been busy anyway."
Darian followed his gaze and saw Holden, his grandmother's familiar, flying towards him. However, Holden was bigger than Darian had ever remembered seeing the hawk. His wingspan was massive, and his talons looked big enough to grab a full grown man and carry him away. His grandmother rode on Holden's back. She looked angry.
"Darian!" she called out, her voice pitched to carry over to him. "We need to talk!"
Lucius backed away.
"Oh no," Darian whispered.
Elliot turned into a snake and wrapped himself around Darian's right wrist again.
'Prepare yourself, Young Master,' he said in Darian's mind.
Prepare…? Darian understood what his servant meant a second before Holden swooped down and grabbed Darian in one of his claws. The hawk then carried him off. Darian let out a scream as Holden flew towards the upper areas of Mt. Wind Dance.
***
Astra wailed as she watched the hawk spirit beast carry Darian away.
"Oh, don't worry," Sword Immortal Darian said. "Astoria won't hurt him that much. The boy just needs to learn that he can't keep acting with impunity, like bringing a spirit beast onto Mt. Wind Dance without telling anyone." He gestured to the hawk, who was a large dot in the distance. "At worst, she'll give him a slap on the wrist."
The two of them stood atop the main hall. They hadn't watched the entirety of the training session. Astra had been busy communicating with her clones back at the secret realm, arranging a surprise for Darian and his friends. Sword Immortal Darian had been doing whatever it was he did during his free time.
They had met by coincidence when they both decided to check up on their charges. Darian for Astra, and Clarissa for Sword Immortal Darian. They had both witnessed Darian come up with the idea to use music to help Clarissa.
In that moment, Astra had felt great despair.
"It's not that," she said, still wailing.
"Then what is it?" Sword Immortal Darian asked, confused.
Astra didn't answer right away. It took her several moments to compose herself.
"I know Darian," she said. "He's going to include music into his training, I just know it. He might even start dancing again."
Her wailing grew louder.
"And that's a bad thing?" Sword Immortal Darian asked.
"Yes!"
To that, Sword Immortal Darian had no response. He watched as Astra collapsed into a crying heap, letting the rest of the world know of her pain and sorrow.