Rising Kite - A story from the world of HWFWM

“Nona?”

“Cousin?”

“Have you thought more on what to do when your contract with Kite is over? You’re somewhere around the halfway mark now, right?”

Phiona sat up straighter in the couch, lowering the book she had been reading, the dusk outside not an impediment to her peak bronze rank perception. “Eighty-nine days left, to be precise.

And as to your question, yes I think so.”

“And?” Rachel prompted, rolling over on her own couch where she lay sprawled, tilting her head to look at her cousin.

“And I think it is time we moved on after this.”

“Really? You’re ready?” the other Geller exclaimed, rising abruptly.

“I am not sure if readiness is an objective state or just a resolution to face whatever comes next at the best of one’s ability.” Phiona said with a wry smile. “But yes, I believe I am. When we have said our farewells and tied up what ends we can, we should find a good place to face the monster surge. Somewhere we won’t be hidden away in bunkers or fortresses, but actually get to contribute.”

“Well, this place does fit that bill.” Rachel ventured, getting a surprised look from Phiona.

“I thought you wanted to leave as soon as possible?”

“I do, but still, wouldn’t it be grand to go out with a final show of force here? Among the exotic foods, and dashing young masters and mistresses fighting to show the world their ‘climb towards the heavens’?”

Phiona gave her cousin a long look, before her gaze flattened. “You just want to watch Vista fight some more.” she said, accusatory. “I thought that you had gotten plenty of that already. I sure have, and the contract isn’t even done.”

“But Nona, have you really looked? When he’s all powered up, all power and speed. And that butt-”

“Cousin, I believe that any butt, no matter how fine you find it, should be the reason for our choice of stay for the surge. And besides, do you even think he’ll leave anything for you?” she finished, the last statement made with a more teasing tone.

“Fine…” Rachel grumbled. “But I wonder if I can make him carve a statue of himself for me to bring home? Like, a real life-like one. Call it a measuring stick for others in the future?”

“Back to the actual point of this conversation-” Phiona said meaningfully, “- I think we should look to head home. See if we can’t find a suitable smaller city and go from there?”

Her words brought Rachel back from her obvious daydreaming, and the red-haired Geller looked to Phiona. “Home. It was quite a long time ago. But I do miss the mountains outside the Godenberg compound. And your aunt might be there for the surge.”

“I thought so too. It might do us - me - some good to see her again. Having been here, shouldering our own responsibilities, choosing our missions and teaching Kite. It has been good. Very good. And I think that things have settled a bit more in the turmoil that has been my mind for the last year.” Phiona looked wistfully out the window, over tiled roofs and the bay of the harbor.

“I think so too Nona.” Rachel said, rising to sit next to her cousin. “And if the opinion of your best and favorite cousin matters, I think that you have done very well for yourself too.” As she spoke, she reached out an arm to hug her cousin, leaning against her side.

“Time will tell. But I hope so.” Phiona agreed. “But there are still a few months left, so we can’t go all soft until then. And I know how you are with goodbyes. Let us make sure to make the best we can of the time that remains.”

“Kite?” Brook said, almost dropping the book she was carrying as he rounded one of the bookshelves down in the stacks. To her, he had suddenly appeared while he had sensed her familiar aura from further away. Kite chided himself for not calling out earlier, instead having just pulsed his aura as a way of announcing his presence.

“Apparently, I have spent too much time with only essence users as company.” he thought before returning his full attention to Brook. “Fair sage, it has been a few days since I saw you last, so I thought that I would once more seek your august presence.” he said, with their usual jargon before his voice softened. “Or would you rather I keep my distance for a while?”

“Oh, no- I mean, sorry! You are most welcome. I was just surprised, that’s all.” she said, making room at the desk next to her and fetching another chair. Kite tried to scrutinize her a bit to see if his presence caused discomfort, but beyond a slight awkwardness he didn’t sense anything out of the ordinary. But out of respect for Brook, he limited his aura senses to the cursory sweep which was well within the boundaries of politeness.

“How have you been then? And how is the family?

“We are fine, overall. Leaf is picking up more shifts with the woodcutters. Apparently you have gone and inspired him to work to afford essences of his own. I’ve tried telling that a woodcutter’s salary won’t cover that even when he still lives at home, but-”

“-but hard work and the right outlook can make any task seem doable.” Kite filled in, finishing the quote often told by Brook’s father. “They are sound words of advice.”

“Just don’t let father hear you say that.” she sighed. “There will be no end to the proverbs otherwise.”

Their conversation kept going like that for a while, Kite telling her a bit about his days of training with the Gellers and the contracts they had undertaken together during the five days since they had openly appeared back in the city. To Kite, the days had been surprisingly normal even though he saw even less of Braid and Wander than usual. From the few scattered conversations he had managed with them, things were apparently picking up quite a lot in the investigation.

In turn, Brook told him a bit of her work and training, and Kite found that they quickly returned to the relaxed dynamic they had often found in one another's company before their last meeting and subsequent end to any potential courting between them. And that made the decision to move forward with his plan an easy one.

“Brook, did I ever tell you what the recompense for the little incident at the beach would be?” he asked her during a lapse in their conversation.

“No, only that you had made a deal for it to be something nice.” she answered, curiosity and suspicion coloring her expression. “You were quite vague and teasing about it too.”

“Well, I hope that the result will make up for my lack of character and decorum then.” Kite said with a laugh, as he produced a cube from his dimensional pouch and put it on the table in front of her. Like all essences, it was a perfect cube with each side being fifteen centimeters. It looked to be made of an opaque white stone with symbols and markings scribbled all over, not entirely unlike those making up the ‘body’ of Sage.

“A knowledge essence felt fitting for the sage.” he said, not being able to help a smile creeping over his face at her speechlessness. “I believe I mentioned that the Stoics really did not want to end up on the Gellers’ bad side.”

“And- but-” Brook said, looking at him, then back at the cube. “But you- I mean I- got that much?”

“As I said; the Gellers can be a scary bunch. You should join me and meet them some day.” he said, before wincing at his choice of words. “I suppose that particular phrasing did not sell the experience very well.”

Brook just looked at him, and he could see a question brewing. An important one. So he gave her some time to find her words.

“So, you’re still giving me this? Even if we aren’t- even if we won’t-”

“Brook, I would have given it to you no matter the outcome. It is your gift, after all. But I wanted to wait until we had figured things out, so as to not let any thoughts of debt or karma influence the decision. And now we have, so I felt that it was overdue.” Kite explained. “And Fortune has apparently seen fit to bless you a bit further, as the knowledge essence was actually just a happy addition. I had planned to give you this all along, once I got to know you again.” he finished, plonking down yet another cube to rest beside the first.

The second one was transparent like the sky, reliefs of different avians showing in its depths no matter which angle one viewed it from. “A bird essence. While not entirely in theme with the others you have, you used to love birds when you were little. And as you are imagining an academic career, just being an essence user should help you a lot too. But I understand if you’d rather sell it and save up for a rune or balance essence, which-”

His words were interrupted by Brook leaning over and hugging him, their sitting positions meaning that her head rested against his collarbone. “Thank you, Kite.” she said, words slightly muffled. “You don’t know-”

“Oh, I think I do.” he said, gently prying her away so that he could look her in the eyes. “Remember how I got mine? Partially from some kind of happenstance and partially from caring people. And they changed my life. So I’ve found that it is really satisfying to be able to do the same for other people that I value. And I do value you, Brook. Not just for what we used to be, but for who you are now. And I have truly enjoyed our time together since our paths happened to cross again, and I will pray to Fortune that they will continue to do so in the years to come.”

He gestured to the two cubes at the table. “And besides, as long as you work to afford the monster cores, we can both grow really old too.”

His words seemed to finally be too much for Brook, who broke down giggling. She continued for a good, long while, having to bend over the table at times to support herself. When it finally subsided, she wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at Kite again. “They say that your first love will change your life forever. Kite, we’re not even lovers anymore. We haven’t been in years. And yet you can’t seem to help yourself and just come here and change my life again.”

“Shall I take that as the fair sage accepting the vain vagabond’s gift?” Kite asked.

“That would be a quite correct assumption, you wandering brute.” Brook shot back.

“Then if the lady don’t mind, I believe that you have a pair of life-changing rituals to get to. If you can find the time to get off work, that is.”

In regards to the latter part, Kite needn’t have worried. The head librarian was apparently quite fond of Brook, and all but threw her from the library when she told him the reason for her requesting a few hours off.

“Go, young one, go, before Fortune shows her more fickle side. This will be quite excellent for your career. Oh, to have a knowledge essence of one’s own.” the elderly bronze-ranker said wistfully as they made their farewells to find a ritual chamber.

“Do I need to buy the materials? I have some funds available. ” Brook asked as they walked, but Kite just shook his head.

“Now, it would not do for me to offer the fair sage such a gift without thinking ahead.” he said, patting his dimensional pouch. “But you might want to bring some spare clothes. I have a little crystal wash left, but there is usually no saving them.”

And so, they once more found themselves in one of the ritual chambers at the magic society campus, the windowless stone room feeling tranquil and calm to Kite’s magical senses. He took his time drawing out the ritual, the process carrying the comfort brought by experience. “May I get to perform this ritual many times in the years to come.” Kite thought to himself as Brook took her place in the center.

“And you are sure that you are fine with these ones? They should become the mystic confluence, which-”

“- will adapt to my other powers and the stones used more than a predetermined theme as would have been the case with other confluences.” Brook finished, giving him a meaningful look of sagacious superiority. “And as to your question; yes. I do not want to wait. This is already more than I could have dreamt of today, and one should not spur the gifts of Fortune, lest she show her fickle side.”

“The words of a sage indeed.” Kite said, handing her the knowledge essence. “Then we shall begin.”

The light of the ritual circle played on the gray stone walls of the chamber as the cube dissolved into what seemed to be a swarm of symbols, buzzing around Brook’s head in a circle before turning inwards and disappearing into her head. Light shone from her, and she shuddered. As she looked around.

“Everything is so bright, and detailed.” Brook said, looking both energized and a bit woozy.

“Try closing your eyes. It will help while it passes, and might help you sense what power might have awakened within you. Although I believe that I already know part of it.” Kite said, feeling Brook’s aura somehow grow more full and defined. It was not iron rank, at least not yet, but Kite would be surprised if her first power awakened wasn’t an aura power.

“It is- something. Something intangible which surrounds me. I do not think I can do much with it actively.” she murmured where she sat.

“Then that confirms it; an aura power. And from what I can feel, I think it increases the spirit attribute of those near you. Just a little bit, but it is definitely helpful.” Kite said, his own magical senses helping him notice the change in his own attributes. “As spirit governs cognitive processing and perception, I believe that you may have quite the career ahead of you, should you wish for it. Who would turn down someone whose mere presence makes other around them think clearer?”

“The magic society is full of talented people, Kite. But thank you, I appreciate the encouragement.” Brook said from where she sat, looking at the world once more with new eyes.

“Then we only have the last one left.” Kite said, handing her the bird essence. “You know what to do with the confluence?” he asked, receiving a nod in response.

“Then, Still Brook in Blooming, welcome to the world of magic.” Kite said, starting up the next ritual.

“Good. Now try and reach out like that again. As if you are taking a breath, letting your lungs expand.”

Brook tried following Kite’s instruction again, still not used to the odd sensation of her aura. Her aura. From her studies, she knew that she had always had one. But suddenly seeing and sensing it was as if a new world had opened up. From where he sat across from her, guiding her through a basic aura-control exercise, she could feel Kite’s aura as well. Even though she could not see it, his aura still carried a certain presence; a solidity she had not known that she had associated with him but which felt completely natural to associate with her childhood friend and once lover.

“Just like that, well done.” Kite said as she once more managed to expand her aura.

“No, project it. It’s called projection.” Brook told herself in her mind, continuing to follow Kite’s instructions even as her mind wandered slightly, sometimes causing her concentration to lapse. Her other two new powers beckoned her, as if they wanted to be explored.

While Brook had heard that ascending a rank came with a certain unpleasantness, having her whole body revolt at the same time had certainly been an experience. But what had come of it was beyond doubts worth it.

Upon absorbing her bird essence, Brook had awakened a summoned familiar power, much to her delight. They had yet to go and see if they could find the required materials in the trade pavilion, having prioritized some basic instruction in aura control. Kite had even promised to sponsor her first ritual. She had tried to protest, but he had gently reminded her that friends should be allowed to help one another out, that the iron-ranked materials were not that great an expense to him and that he was very curious as to what would come of the ritual.

“Besides, the sooner you can get to know one another, the better. Now you’ll always have company.” he had said with a smile, looking towards Sage and Glint who had floated off to inspect an urn on a pedestal lining the corridor they had been walking through.

From her mystic confluence, Brook had awakened what Kite called a special ability. The power in question allowed her to take extra time when casting a spell, in turn lowering its mana cost and any ongoing mana costs for the eventual duration. This would mesh well with her essence gifts, having awakened along with her essences being absorbed.

To Brook’s relief, most of them had been quite non-violent. She had been blessed with the ability to use skill books from her knowledge essence and a greater tendency to awaken spells and rituals from her mystic confluence. Only the one from her bird essence had been a bit worrisome, increasing the attributes of any avian creature summoned through her powers and rituals.

The final surprise had come when Kite had also produced an awakening stone of ink.

“Honestly, most adventurers would dismiss this one, but for an academic such as you I believe it should come in handy.” he had said, guiding her through yet another ritual which ended up giving her a ritual which could be used to copy text and other transcribed information, only needing preparation, time and her mana to function.

“Take another breath and center yourself again.” came Kite’s instruction, snapping Brook back to the present. Looking at Kite, he was giving her a knowing smile. “It is quite a lot to take in, isn’t it? A world you barely dared to hope you would enter, and suddenly you are there.”

Head swimming with abilities and new impressions, Brook could only nod.

“Then why don’t we stop for today? Maybe going home and sharing the news with your family would be a good way to center yourself? Then we can handle the familiar ritual tomorrow, before I leave on a contract with the Gellers.”

They stopped at an intersection, Brook looking up toward the city gate along the wide main avenues before turning back to Kite. There were a lot of emotions roiling around within her, although fortunately not as unpleasant or confusing as they had been during the last months. Swallowing a lump in her throat, Brook resolved to put at least some of them into words.

“Th-thank you Kite. You didn’t have to do this. Many would probably understand if you hadn’t. But the fact remains, that you changed my life today. Thank you feels so paltry, as if the words aren’t enough. But I don’t know how to further convey how grateful I am.” She felt flustered as she spoke there among all the people going about their business on the crowded streets. The crowds now had nuances she had never felt before, her new senses even allowing her to pick out another essence-user somewhere in the distance.

“Well, fortunately you now have another medium of expression.” Kite said, gently nudging her aura with his. “I can feel it, Brook. And thank you for being you. Please put them to good use in following your path.”

Then they went their separate ways after making plans for the following day, the farewell in many ways as ordinary as so many others they had shared, even though the day itself had been one of the most extraordinary Brook had ever lived through.

Kite looked after his childhood friend and once lover, not trying to keep the wide smile in check. “Helping those one cares about sure is a heady feeling indeed.” he said with a slight shake of his head as he turned and walked back towards his inn. “I better watch out so that it doesn’t start going to my head.”

A cloud of golden motes enveloped the whole arena, shimmering with a light of their own as they dulled the senses, leaving Kite feeling as if he was in another world. The effect still being at iron rank took the edge from the impression a bit, but Kite could still appreciate the confusion it could sow amongst one's enemies. Shapes had already started forming, vague outlines moving among the motes of dust as they started surrounding Kite.

“As you can see, senior, this Brilliant Bloom has learned quite a lot from our last spar. You will have to watch your back, else you will find me there catching up to you.” a voice called, muffled by the enveloping cloud.

“Then you will have to show me a bit more than words.” Kite retorted with a smile, assuming a ready stance.

At his words, the shapes dove towards him, each manifesting a bright sword of light, its sharp outlines a contrast to the wielders’ indistinctness. Kite blocked the first with his staff, the second with a barrier and the third with a palm, dispelling force dispersing the sword. The illusions themselves he just let pass, his magical perception helping him distinguish which part of the illusions were made tangible in which moment.

So far, only the blades and sometimes the hands of the silhouettes had been able to impact him, and Kite took advantage of that as he stayed on the defensive. One of his dispelling waves would have been able to reset the ‘stage’, but that was not the purpose of this spar. Instead, Kite fought on, pressing the illusions where he could and starting to project attacks of his own at certain points in the cloud at times when he deemed the pressure to be lacking.

Eventually, these attacks became too much for the former young master, Brilliant Bloom instead choosing an all out offense once Kite had just used his dispelling counter against a half-real illusion. To his credit, there was no shouted attack or that many hints that the massive pillar of light was about to descend on Kite before the shroud of gleaming motes suddenly parted to reveal the attack. Unfortunately for the young man, Kite’s magical perception had forewarned him of what was about to happen. While his dispelling counter was unavailable, Kite instead just used the gathered force from some of the parried strikes saved up to instead make a quick leap to the side, before he shot forward to the now revealed iron-ranker.

As the spectacular special attack struck only the ground, the bout was over as Kite’s hand had stopped just before Bloom’s forehead, index finger lightly touching the spot between his eyes.

“I must say that your training and patience clearly show.” Kite said. “Baiting out my counter before striking was an excellent move, and you are managing the illusions splendidly. Had you used that technique when we first met, I believe that things may have gone differently.”

“Well, my foolishness then was not only limited to matters of battle.” Bloom said with a conflicted expression as his gleaming butterfly familiar came to once more rest on his head. “And besides, Glitz here helps a lot in managing the illusions.”

“Trust me, it will get a lot better at bronze rank.” Kite said encouragingly. “I couldn’t use my expanded vision properly until my spirit attribute ascended. Your style should carry you far now that you soar free. The phantasmagoria confluence is something to behold.”

Kite had been genuinely impressed once introduced to the full array of Bloom’s powers through their occasional sparring, having only seen bits and pieces during their admittedly short earlier encounters. Fighting in the obscuring cloud of light and dust, the young man created semi-real illusions which could swing conjured swords of light or otherwise become more solid as he wished them to.

“But one pointer I would like to give is to consider switching it up here and there to keep your opponents guessing-” Kite began as the pair walked back to their little audience. Felicity, the cute receptionist and nowadays Bloom’s partner sat chatting with Brook, both of the young women taking turns to admire the beautiful heron which stood beside Brook on its long legs, a few elemental runes scattered in pretty patterns along its more prominent feathers.

Kite had been quite amused when Brook’s familiar turned out to be a rune heron, thinking back to his own conflicts with the monster-varieties in the wild. But he had to admit that the dignified avian fit her, somehow exuding wisdom and knowledge, even though its iron-ranked vessel was far smaller than the bronze-ranked specimens Kite had fought.

As they made to go their different ways after some more chatting, Bloom once more bowed to Kite. “Thank you, senior, for trading pointers with me again. And as I said, watch your back! Bronze rank draws near, and then we shall test one another’s strength again!” Even though the words were defiant, they remained good-natured, having Kite smile as he turned back towards his inn and another shorter outing with the Gellers.

“It is nice to see living proof that people are capable of changing.”

As Kite entered the new suite of rooms which Braid and Wander had moved to during their stay in Bastion, Kite could understand why the change had been needed.

Documents lay absolutely everywhere, some in the shape of loose sheets of paper while others were thick ledgers or neat scrolls. The amount he saw here would have covered more than all available surfaces of their previous lodgings, beds included. In the midst of it all, studying a map of the city while glowing threads were moving papers, sometimes affixing them to the wall through the magical thread making a neat little stitch, Braid was fully engrossed in his work. Kite did suspect that at least a sliver of his mind remained available to the general public though, as one of the threads had also opened the door to admit him before he had even had the time to knock.

Potent defensive formations, probably a small array, came to life again as the door closed behind Kite.

“I see that you are busier than ever.” Kite noted, meandering about a little before choosing to remain standing as there were simply nowhere available. “Should I come back later?”

“Heavens no, Kite!” Braid said, turning to him. “I mean, I haven’t even been able to properly thank you! Due to your stumbling around in local politics, we have so many threads to follow which looks very promising. Wander is even out at the moment investigating the most prioritized one.”

“I am glad that the events surrounding me have been able to bring fortune to others at least.” Kite said, his smile slightly strained as he remembered both the surprise silver-ranked monster and his time in the astral space.

“And that astral space was fascinating. I only spent the shortest of time there myself, but I read the reports. Is it true that you found an essence affected by the environment?”

“I did.” Kite said, producing a cube seemingly made of vibrant purple sand and showing it to the masked man. “But the initial assessment by the magic society is that the cosmetic changes are highly unlikely to affect the recipient in any way. Which is a shame, as it might have sold for quite the tidy sum if that had been the case.”

“Oh, it might still. Some view these kinds of odd essences as collectibles. So should you sell it, I recommend that you hold off on that until you can reach an auction in one of the magical metropolises of the world where its odd quality will be properly appreciated.” Braid said as he inspected the essence. “And the color is quite nice. I will make you a proper matching pillow for it to rest on for you, once all of this is done.” he said, gesturing at the plethora of documents scattered around the room.

“Speaking of the investigation, do you think that you will need me some more in the future? With Vista busy today and during the upcoming week due to his mother’s birthday celebration, I believe that my plans are flexible.” It had been quite a while since Kite got to participate in the less delicate field work of the investigation, and he thought that it would be a nice change of pace.

Braid was just about to answer when a squeaking voice interrupted them. “Kite! Great! I heard the last part. Flexible! Even better! You both need to come with me NOW!” the small brown rat which had tumbled in through a diminutive hatch above the rafters shouted at them as she fell and collided with a table, eliciting a soft *thump* as the rat was completely unharmed.

“Wander?” What is the matter? Was there a lead?” Braid asked excitedly.

“Talk while you walk. Or run! Both of you! To the Relentless family’s compound.”

“But Wander, what-”

“They are going to try to kill him, Braid. The young master! Vista! Well, try more directly at least. Vista might be in terrible danger, and you need to get there now!”