Rising Kite - A story from the world of HWFWM

As the slight tingle of a headache started making itself known, a symptom which should be almost impossible for a silver-ranker to experience under any other circumstance, Kite sighed and let his hand fall from the seed. Like every time before, the huge thing beneath the astral space had hungrily devoured everything Kite was willing to give. Even with his much more expansive mana pool, he still found the feeling akin to filling up a lake with only a bucket.

“I suppose that this will try my patience for - what? - years? Decades?” Kite mused aloud, with nothing but the purple stone walls and the slight glow from the pinpricks dotting the seed to hear his ponderings. “What are you hiding?” he continued, rapping the thing with his knuckles. “I have always had a good feeling about you. But maybe that is just youthful fancy? Something which my descendants will try and sweep under the rug as a rash act of impulse? Surely, our elder - may he rest in peace - did not base the location of our ancestral family compound on a mere wim and a ‘good feeling’?”

As neither Glint nor Sage were present to appreciate his wry sarcasm, Kite could only smile and chuckle to himself, shaking his head as he left.

The astral space was much like before; a separate space of purple sand which dampened one’s senses. Even Kite’s ascended ones did not reach that much further than they had at bronze rank, but other than the occasional iron and bronze manifestation, the astral space was calm.

Eventually, he passed through the aperture, still not having grown entirely used to the feeling of temperature, humidity and general magical levels suddenly shifting from one step to the next. The uniform light of the astral space gave way to a stone tunnel, now lit by rows of glow stones set into the walls at intervals. Following the trail of illumination, Kite soon reached another new addition; a wooden gate covering the mouth of the tunnel.

Walking through the passage, Kite had already heard the small thuds of tiny hands slapping the gate repeatedly. Thus, he took extra care to disengage the magical protections of the gate and open the heavy wooden door very carefully. The small assailant tried to waddle out of the way, only somewhat succeeding as she eventually plopped onto her butt.

“Sorry, little sister. Did I keep you waiting?” Kite asked the toddler, onyx eyes looking reproachfully at him from where she sat. A moment later, a glob of water formed around her and lifted the little celestine into the air. Auspicious Winter Raven, Kite’s younger sister, took all of this with equanimity as she only held out her arms towards Kite in somber silence.

Settling the little one in his arms, Kite nodded gratefully to the glittering, beautiful carp who had come zooming up behind the toddler.

“Thank you, little beauty. It seems even your lustrous company wasn’t enough to distract her today. But you remain an ever diligent babysitter.”

Glint preened at the praise, even though Kite could feel a little bit of exasperation from the carp. Glint loved to keep Raven company, but even a silver-ranked being could have trouble keeping up with the silent little child’s impulses.

The little group began walking along the now stone-laden path which led down into the construction site that was well on its way to becoming a proper home. Where there had only been lines on a blueprint three months ago, a sprawling estate was taking place. The main house was already all but finished, but there were still plenty of empty stone foundations dotting the landscape, hinting of future projects.

His aunties had been the ones taking the lead in the actual design, and Kite could only smile as the main housing complex so strongly resembled the style of his childhood home; a building of wood which had more an organic feel to its structuring rather than the fanciful, immaculate estates of the more prominent families of Bastion. There were plenty of nooks and crannies, inner gardens and smaller additional floors rising from the building’s roof, and Kite could just imagine his childhood self running across the tiles of said roofs to find his favorite spots.

Admiring the progress, Kite took the opportunity to pay his respects as he drew near to a bronze-ranked elven woman who stood directing a small crew of workers. Her fine clothes might have led one to think that she was merely overseeing, but Kite knew that couldn’t be further from the truth.

“Mistress architect, I remain impressed by your progress. Having stepped out for a while has let me see what you have accomplished in a mere two months with so much more clarity.”

“Ah, honored patron. Your words humble me,” the architect, Quick Quill, responded. “By the grace of the heavens, things have progressed smoothly. And, if I may say so, you are paying for Bastion’s best. It would be a terrible stain on our reputation if we hadn’t gotten at least this far”

While she spoke, Kite could still see that she was channeling her magic, wood splitting into planks almost as if they had always been meant to grow that way. Off in the distance, a stone shaper and his assistants worked on more of the foundations and other such constructions, and Kite knew that there were plenty of magically talented tailors and carpenters still at work in the city with his family’s commissions.

“I suppose that the privilege of comparable wealth is making itself known to me,” Kite thought. Not everyone would have the coin to so readily hire this amount of magical crafters. But three silver-rankers could earn quite a lot even without the lineage of a prominent family to fall back upon.

He gave some more praise to the craftswoman and her crew before entering the main house. Throughout all this, Raven had sat quietly as she was prone to do. Kite knew that she could speak a few words, but seemed to remain convinced that poking and a good stare would get things done just as easily.

“Come, my little chicklets. The tea is almost done!” auntie Dove called from further into the house as they entered, having sensed their auras as they approached.

As promised, the arrivals soon found themselves seated next to the alchemist at a low table, Kite enjoying the scent and taste of the brew. A quirk of silver-ranked was that he could now enjoy the beverage scalding hot, his body requiring much higher temperatures to actually be harmed. Many blends were even said to only unleash their full potential that way.

“As always, auntie, you spoil me with the finest beverages. Both Raven and I will forever be spoiled rotten by having a herbalist and alchemist brewing for us,” Kite praised, the words having their usual effect.

“Oh, little Kite, we truly raised you to be such a nice young man,” Dove chuckled, as easily swayed by the flattery as she had always been. “I believe that Crow, Raven and I are only glad that you’ve stayed a few days this time. You’re sure that you have to go back today?”

“Indeed I am, auntie, even if it isn’t lack of good company which drives me back to the city,” Kite said, patting Raven’s head where she still sat in his lap, eating a steamed bun. “But I also want to spend some more time with Dragonfly and sort out what business I can before it is time to head to the capital.”

“Ah, yes. That task group. I should have known that Jarvan’s attention would spell trouble,” auntie Dove grumbled. “Do not get me wrong, little Kite. I’m very proud that you have been selected as a candidate. I just wish that it didn’t have to spirit you so far away. And just as we are getting the compound done too.”

“Then there will be all the more for me to come home to, auntie dearest,” Kite said, reaching out to pat the woman’s hand. “But I will miss you all, as I always do.”

In his lap, Raven paused from her eating to look up at Kite, somber gaze demanding.

“And I will, of course, miss you too. But your big brother won’t be gone for more than a few months. Even less if I fail to meet the standards of the Task Group. Being accepted for admission is one thing. Actually making it into the group is another, if the directors are to be believed.”

Raven seemed mollified as a spectral hand manifested and patted her on the head while Kite took another sip of his tea.

“Well, I hope that whatever you have the Relentless family make you will help keeping you safe,” Dove said. “That’s what you are picking up in the city, no?”

“That, and a couple of other errands,” Kite said, counting off on the fingers of one hand. “Vista will probably want a spar, and I have some more cores to give - sorry, invest - to Peony. I haven’t checked in on Brook for a while, and it would be good to meet up with Bloom too. I have some things to discuss with him as Noel should arrive from Gilded any day now. Then there are some orders waiting for me at the trade pavilion, a meeting with the carpenters who are doing the delivery and, finally, seeing if I can’t find Braid and Wander before coming back here.” As the fingers of his own free hand had proven insufficient for the task, one of the spectral ones from his mantle had picked up the slack.

Dove couldn’t help but giggle in response. “Well, little Kite, you sure keep busy. A lot of people tend to settle down at silver rank, you know. Will there even be any opportunities to spend that time with Dragonfly?”

“She’s been out doing contracts until today, if everything went well. I’ll ask her to see if she wants to tag along. And besides, we always have the evenings and nights to-” he began, but froze as he realized that his mouth had run ahead of his thoughts.

There was a moment of silence before auntie Dove, true to form, blushed a deep crimson, the physical reaction apparently ingrained enough into her being to subsist even at silver rank. Kite suspected that he too had flushed a bit.

“Well, little Kite- I- ehm, I mean we- Your auntie and I that is- it’s good to hear that you’re not- ehm- I mean- Keeping company is always good and-”

What followed was Dove gradually descending into flustered murmurings, as she was always prone to do when more intimate affairs became the topic. Kite was just about to try and move the conversation forwards when his auntie actually managed to compose herself enough to form something coherent in the shape of an actual question.

“But are you happy, Kite? With the way things are between you?”

Kite was a bit surprised at the question, and took a moment to ponder it. His and Dragonfly’s kind of quasi-relationship had been going on for quite some time now. They spent a lot of time together, talking and enjoying each other’s company. Many hours had been spent in more intimate ways, sometimes practicing the aura techniques which had been the start of their deepened connection, but mostly it was just that; finding pleasure and comfort in one another.

“I believe that I am,” Kite said after thinking it through. “We have actually talked about it every now and then over the years. Since opening up, Dragonfly has been very keen on honesty. In truth, it’s quite refreshing. To have someone regularly ask how you are and how you feel about things, and being able to give an earnest and honest response. I think that she sometimes worries that she’s been leading me on though, even though we have always been clear so far.

The lives we want to lead don't feel like stationary ones, hers even less than mine. Me being admitted to try out for the task group. Will spending some time abroad. Serene working closely with the church. They’re just more evidence that none of us are settling down right now. Dragonfly is also looking for more, she just hasn't found it yet.”

“But in the future then?” Dove pressed. “Where do you see the two of you?”

“Honestly, auntie, I don’t know. Maybe we will have gone our separate ways if things change? Or maybe we will both want something more stationary, settling down? Or maybe we’ll be doing just what we are now; finding care, comfort and happiness in each others’ company when we can? Just a bit over four years ago, I could hardly have imagined where I would be today. And just from the little time I have spent as a silver ranker, it feels that even more possibilities are opening up. “

He gave auntie Dove a helpless look. “I’m sorry if I can’t give you more than speculation, auntie. Life has simply proved to be… Well, a lot.”

Dove leaned back in her seat, giving a rueful shake of her head. She did smile though, and Kite could sense that her aura was a bit relieved. “Well, little Kite, it seems like you have really thought this through. The both of you. I suppose that your auntie cannot fault you for that.

It’s just a bit hard to imagine for me. When me and Crow got together…” she said wistfully, blushing at the memory. “I’m not sure I could bear being away from her for so long, even less now. I suppose that it proves that Crow’s saying has its merits.”

“The number of correct paths in life is always higher than the number of hearts attempting to find them,” Kite said, knowing exactly which proverb she was thinking of.

Dove giggled again at his interpretation of auntie Crow, her precise, controlled manner of speech unmistakable.

“As long as you keep taking care of each other, Kite, I hope that the two of you will continue to find comfort in one another for as long as your paths are meant to intersect. Because you are right in regards to the future,” Dove said, looking at Raven who had nodded off to sleep in Kite’s lap. ”There can always be new wonders waiting for you around the next bend, Fortune be willing.”

As he walked through the reception area of the adventure society campus in Bastion, Kite’s attention was grabbed by two things at the same time. One was that a clerk which he recognized had noticed him and was trying to get his attention. The other was that there was something akin to a comet, its tail a mass of pink curls, which was about to impact him in a mere moment as she had sailed over the thin crowd through an enhanced leap.

Turning, the arms of Kite’s mantle appeared as he caught the assault-grade hug in a six-armed embrace of his own while noting with some chagrin that the impact was great enough for his Unyielding ability to cause some cracks to spread in the wood floor.

“Sorry, Felicity!” Kite called out apologetically to the functionary who was closing in on his and Dragonfly’s reunion. “Please deduct the repair cost from my next contract.”

Winter Morning Felicity, functionary of Bastion’s adventure society branch and now fiancée to Brilliant Bloom, looked at the cracks in the floor and smirked. She was a human woman maybe a year or two younger than Kite, with a cheerful look almost always coloring her features.

“You wouldn’t be the first over-eager adventurers here, Kite. The branch actually makes sure to hire at least one would-be wood-shaper as part of the administrative staff. The amount of practice they get is more than you’d think, although I would be happy if more of the wear and tear was from happy reunions rather than entitled people stomping their feet or otherwise trying for a show of force.”

“And besides, it was probably my fault,” Dragonfly admitted as Kite set her down. “I might have overdone it a bit. It’s too easy to want to show off in these parts where there are a lot less silver-rankers around.”

“I will have to take your word for it,” Felicity shot back with a jealous look. “While being iron is more than most in my position could hope for at my age, knowing the two of you just shows that the heavens are even further up than I could have imagined. Besides, I’m still not sure how we’ll ever be able to balance out the karma between us, Kite. While the light essence was absolutely perfect, I still don’t think Bloom has gotten over being gifted it as an engagement present.”

“I have it on good authority that prosperity is best invested into what changes you hope to see in the world around you. And your union most certainly qualifies in my book,” Kite said with a smile. “Bloom has come quite far from the young master I met near that stream. Is it true that Dobrazza has taken a liking to him too?”

“While nothing official, she most certainly has,” Felicity said, beaming with pride. “He’s even gone along on contracts hand-picked for him by Azure Devil, her right-hand man.”

“And you’re sure that you won’t be joining him? Taking down monsters and baddies is quite rewarding.” Dragonfly chimed in.

“Oh, heavens no. I am more than happy to leave that to my husband-to-be. My career within the adventure society itself is plenty exciting. You should just know of the internal politicking. Such fun!”

One might have taken Felicity’s words for sarcasm, had both her cheerful face and exuberant aura not supported the truth of it.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Kite said, inwardly shuddering at the thought.

“Oh, I actually forgot,” Felicity exclaimed, handing over a scroll bearing the seal of the adventure society’s own courier system. “This message for you arrived just yesterday. That’s why I made sure to come over when I saw you.”

Kite looked it over. The scroll was plain, the stock model used for such communications. On the stamps, he could see that it originated from the adventure society branch in Boundary, a city far to the west. Unfurling it, he read its rather brief content.

Pathbreaker

I left the sect as things weren’t working out anymore.

It’s probably best if you keep your wits about you if you’re near Convergence, because I left the way a proper warrior would.

Found a new place to keep improving in Boundary. So you know where to find me if you want some actual training.

Soul

He showed it to Dragonfly as well, who chuckled.

“I’m most curious what ‘leaving the way a proper warrior would’ means. Probably not with tea and nostalgic talks of times past.”

“From what little I know of Soul, I would imagine that she left many a shattered pride in her wake,” Kite said, agreeing. He took some time to dictate a response, confirming that he had received her message and that he would visit, albeit some time after his return from going abroad.

With the letter finished, he turned to Dragonfly. “Well, my ardent Dragonfly, do you wish to accompany me?”

“That depends, where are you going? Because I do not find meeting with carpenters that exciting.”

“As I surmised,” Kite replied, chuckling. “No, I am going to the most honorable and affluent Relentless family. Because I have gotten word that a certain weapon they had commissioned for me has now finally been delivered.”

Dragonfly only needed to hear the word ‘weapon’ to grab Kite by the hand, dragging him off towards the doors even before he had the time to finish his sentence.

“And thus, the karma between the Relentless family and you, Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune, is finally severed,” Vista intoned formally as he slid the long box across the table toward Kite. At Kite’s raised eyebrow, the young master chuckled. “You should know by now that my family, as most others of our station, take karmic debts very seriously. Our reputation and face are integral for our prosperity, and our elders have lamented that you did not immediately claim what was owed you. And then, when you actually made the request, grumbled that it was so specific.”

“Then you have my apologies. I did not aim to inconvenience you too much-” Kite began, but Vista waved the comment away.

“You can never satisfy the elders, Kite. Everything we young ones do is either too much or too little. It is never what they would have done, had they still possessed the momentum and ambition. From what I hear from my fellow scions, this holds true no matter the family. I pray every day that I will keep my perspective as I grow older.”

“Well, if the enchantments are indeed as the notes say, then I will let it be known far and wide that the Relentless family settle their debts and then some,” Kite said, looking down at the contents of the box. “This is perfect.”

“Take it from a fellow warrior; when choosing your equipment, you shouldn’t settle for anything that doesn’t resonate fully with your path.”

“While I can share part of the sentiment, I would also like to point out that most adventurers, who are already quite privileged, would not be able to put it into practice,” Kite shot back.

“Then they just lack the proper drive,” Vista deflected. “Still, this one should resonate with yours quite well. But I will note that it was not an actual commission, as my family simply couldn’t find a smith within our net of contacts who could make it. Fortunately, a fortuitous find at an auction in the capital let us secure this antique. I made the winning bid myself. It is a rather niche piece too, so Fortune smiled on both of us as I got it for a good price.”

“You’ve been to Heavenward, then?” Kite asked, while he slid the box over to Dragonfly who also peered curiously at the contents.

“Indeed. Father took me there on a trip last month. He has always meant to take me once I reached silver.”

“Then… would you mind telling me about it?

“Not at all. It is a grand place, truly,” Vista said, getting a forlorn look in his eyes. “The architecture is magnificent, and there are so many people there. Silver-rankers are a lot more common too, and I even met a gold ranker; an acquaintance of my father. It feels like there is nothing which you can’t get there as long as you have the coins or connections. And the hunting possibilities, Kite… You wouldn’t believe it. Silver-ranked manifestations are common enough even for a visitor like me to find contracts with ease.”

“Sounds quite grand,” Kite agreed. Convergence and Orchard had both been cities larger than Bastion, so he did his best to imagine even more buildings, people and splendor. “Anything I should be expecting then? Or be wary of?”

“Oh?” Vista said, snapping out of his reverie. “You're going?”

“If all goes well, I depart in two weeks,” Kite confirmed. “It will only be a short stay, until the adventure society’s portal courier arrives.”

“Now this sounds like something which you have neglected to mention,” Vista noted.” Please, do share why an outcast from the northern territories would be called there by the society? No offense meant, of course.”

As it wasn’t a secret, Kite told Vista the broad strokes of his invitation to apply for Task Group Gauntlet. This left the young master sitting back in his chair, a thoughtful look.

“Well, Kite, I would be lying if I said that it didn’t fit you and your most annoying path. But if you’re going to the capital, I would keep this particular purpose close to heart. The tensions between the three peak sects are at an all-time high, but that is nothing compared to the animosity towards any attempt by the adventure society to impact the Hua-Xi ‘way of life’, as they say.

You being a silver-ranker should at least protect you from most who would gladly drag a newcomer into their own conflicts and vendettas, but saying that you are aiming to work directly for the adventure society might have some act against you just to sabotage the work of the organization itself.”

“I… see. I had heard that things were tense, but I didn’t imagine it to be that bad.”

“As long as you keep as low profile as possible and go about your errands, there should be little trouble. Silver-rankers aren’t immediately people of note there as they are up here, and as I said, the three sects are mostly at each other's throats as they wrestle for glory and resources. I would definitely recommend going to their trade pavilion though. The adventure society brings in impressive things as an incentive to keep working within the bounds of their rules.

But speaking of impressive things,” Vista said, eyes venturing back to the box which still lay open on the table. “Wouldn’t you say that a little spar would be an excellent way of giving your recent addition a proper test?”

“In that, I definitely agree with the young master,” Dragonfly added, chiming into the conversation for the first time.

Looking at each of his eager companions, Kite sighed with a smile.

“Now, how could the Pathbreaker say no to that?”

While Vista was every inch a young master of a prominent family, he was also probably the most active adventurer in the city when it came to monster slaying. This meant that he had plenty of goodwill with the local branch, enough so that when the young master came looking for a spot in a private sparring arena, he and his company did not have to wait long.

“This feels rather nostalgic,” Kite noted, looking around the familiar room. “I don’t know how many spars against you I’ve lost in this very hall.”

“And yet I still remember the first one with intense clarity,” Vista shot back from where he took the proper position. “It’s starting to feel a little cramped these days though, but for our purpose here today, it should be satisfactory.”

The young master reached into his dimensional space and pulled out a pair of curved falchions, finely crafted spares for those times when conjured weapons wouldn’t be advisable. Such as when facing Kite, as he had been taught that first time the pair had crossed swords.

“We’ll see if we can make this bout as memorable as the first then,” Kite noted, as three mana-hungry vortices appeared behind and above him. Sage manifested as well, the familiar’s expanded silver rank form almost wide enough to touch the spiritual maelstroms.

“Begin!” Dragonfly called from the sidelines, projecting a gout of flame up into the air as a spectacular starting signal.

Vista moved instantly, sending sword-waves of differing elements and properties toward Kite, all the while keeping a measured stance with a foot touching the floor at all times to avoid the tactic his foe had used their very first time.

“Is the young master truly afraid to take to the air?” Kite called, absorbing the attacks on barriers or sidestepping the different projectiles while he was inwardly trying to get a grasp on his latest addition to his arsenal. He knew that Vista could fly since silver rank, an advancement of his slow-fall power.

“And make sure that my mana disappears all the faster?” Vista shot back, skillfully weaving the sword waves into unpredictable patterns to further strain Kite’s defenses. “But come now, Pathbreaker. Time to show off what my family so painstakingly sought out for you, no?”

“As the young master wishes,” Kite said, smiling as he had finally gotten the right ‘feel’ for the enchantments and what was to come next.

A moment later, the tattoos of Kite’s mantle lit up as the four additional arms of the sage asura manifested. Even while appearing, each limb was already in motion, and each limb was wielding the latest addition to Kite’s collection. Or rather, its ‘descendants’.

WWJS:

Matra, Mother of the Bladed Brood

Sword

Silver rank - Legendary

[Effect] When deposited into a wielder’s dimensional storage, the wielder may pay a cost of low mana to manifest a descendant of Matra in an empty hand. The descendants are identical to Matra in most ways, with the exception that they are magical conjurations and that they may not use any activated effects of the enhancements. A descendant blade will disappear if it leaves contact with the wielder for a few seconds, or if it gets too far away.

[Effect] Increases the effects of any special attack channeled through Matra or its descendants.

[Effect] Increases the duration of any afflictions delivered through Matra or its descendants.

[Effect] Each time a descendant blade is used to channel a special attack, Matra gains an instance of [Matriarch’s Legacy]. The wielder may pay mana to activate this enchantment consuming all instances of [Matriarch’s Legacy] to unleash an area attack of sword echoes. Cost and effect increases with the number of instances gathered, to a maximum of very high mana.

All of the weapons which appeared in Kite’s many hands were identical; a short sword whose edge curved in a distinct wave pattern as it tapered off to a thinner point at the tip. Vista had called the weapon a kris, and told Kite that it apparently had some kind of cultural significance far back in the history of lands to the south.

Six swords moved as one, slicing through elemental projectiles with the help of Pattern-Shattering Counter while other attacks were projected in a return volley toward the nimble young master.

“I still claim that those arms of yours are pure cheating!” Vista called as he felt the mana-drain and ever so slight transcendent damage from Kite’s counterattacks, now much more numerous than ever before.

“And yet you found such a perfect blade to complement them,” Kite retorted as the pair continued to exchange attacks at range; Vista’s sword waves screaming through the air while Kite’s slashes and stabs crossed the distance more discreetly, simply appearing at the point of intent. “Or rather, blades. One, yet many. Beautiful enchantments.”

“Well, I thought that you’d need something short and thrust-focused, else those arms are going to limit each other’s movements too much!” Apparently finding that range was not going to give him any advantages, Vista closed in as a blur. His twin falchions danced and feinted, unleashing whirlwind strikes whenever they could. Having fought Kite many times, the young master had become quite apt in baiting out Kite’s dispelling counters and saving his strength for when he wouldn’t just lose more than he’d bargained for. But that had been before the latest jade-sky gate and Kite’s mantle.

The minutes of ensuing melee was furious, but for the first time since his initial clash when he could take the young master Relentless by surprise, Kite found himself steadily gaining an advantage. His training with Soul and time spent trying to master the complex enchanted tattoos showed itself time and time again, attacks and counters layered with a pair of barriers to create a true hazard for Vista to contend with.

“No staff? Are you going easy on me, Pathbreaker?” Vista quipped, even though a slight bit of strain was leaking through to color his beautiful face.

“I thought that - ward! - a blade such as this deserved proper time and respect before trying to mix things up. You don’t approve? I am sure that I can find a moment to bring them out.”

“I seem to have spoken in haste then,” Vista said, backpedaling as he was forced to disengage when three attacks trailing the darkness of the void erupted at his position, the projected thrusts erupting in chaotic spatial tears.

Kite did not let up, continuing to harass the young master further to back him up towards the wall. Vista was a canny foe though, and managed to slip through the tightening web Kite attempted to weave around him. But as he emerged from a speed-boosted sprint in the middle of the arena, the swordsman relaxed his stance, signaling an end to the spar.

“Well, I do agree that finding this antique was most fortunate for you,” Vista acknowledged, saluting Kite before stowing his blades.

“It is a gift I will cherish. Silver rank is a long one, after all, and this will ensure that I will never find myself with empty hands unless I wish for it,” Kite said, bowing respectfully. “Thank you, Vista, to both you and your family.”

“Our karma is indeed severed, but I would be a liar if I claimed that this bout was only about your new weapon, Kite,” Vista said, tone somber. “They say that silver rank is when a path truly shows its worth, and from our exchange here today, it is clear to me that I will continue to struggle in any duel between us. Both your powers, equipment and skill has grown beyond what I had expected of a former no-name outcast from the Autumn Lands.”

“You humble me, Vista,” Kite responded. “But I have yet to meet someone of your skill and talent with the blade.”

“Then that will be another revelation within the capital, should you witness some of the sect students there,” Vista said, shaking his head. “Should you enter the dueling arenas, you will find plenty of opportunities for tempering. But while I still take pride in my swordsmanship, I meant my path as a whole. After all, I am first and foremost a hunter and slayer of monsters. Give me a horde of them any day, and I will thrive better than ever. But give me wily essence-users with too many arms for their own good…” The young master smiled wryly. “It’s a good thing that dueling is only one part of the Grand Proving.”

“I would say that the world benefits more from monster hunters than duelists though. So the people of these lands probably thank the gods ever so often that the Whirlwind Warrior roams the wilderness around them.” Kite remarked.

“That’s damn right! Monster hunters will ever remain the best!” Dragonfly called to the pair as she joined them. She had gradually started getting over her initial flustered reaction to Vista, and Kite was glad to see her join in more. She sidled up to Kite as the trio left the sparring arena, bumping her hip into his. “But I will admit that these defenders-turned-duelists do have their uses. At times. Once in a blue moon. And, Fortune be praised, that this particular one isn’t too bad to be around either.”