Chapter 2 #3
She snorted but couldn’t hide the oddly pleased look in her eyes.
As if, as much as she wanted him at least slightly humbled after finding herself duty-bound to teach what she feared would be an arrogant novice who thought a single night’s luck and fortune’s momentary favor somehow made him a young master in his own right, it still pleased her to show the class that she hadn’t been forced to favor fools with no talent at all.
“Good. Your responsibility for the rest of this semester includes keeping that crane in perfect shape as well as learning the art of folding one, yourself.”
Alex’s eyes widened at that, not having expected origami to become part of his curriculum, but he was wise enough to keep his thoughts to himself.
“Now put that away and focus on replenishing your reserves for the rest of the session. We will talk once class is adjourned.”
Alex nodded before making his way to the nearby pagoda covered in a Qi gathering formation to do just that, enjoying the feel of the cool breeze and the warm sun as his body greedily drank the rich streams of spiritual energy that were absolutely nothing compared to the monstrous super cable shrieking about his singularity of a soul…
but it was invigorating to his physical body and helped him to achieve a state of calm serenity, as meditation always had before.
He smiled as he heard more than one student worrying about compressing enough spiritual potency to ascend to the next rank as a Bronze.
At least that wouldn’t be a problem for him.
He had power in absolute spades. An entire continent’s worth of obscene power that he shuddered to think about too closely.
Instead, he simply kept the one personal truth he knew above all others close to heart.
Skill mastery and expanding himself in new directions was what he needed now to truly find harmony and ascend.
Power he had in spades. What he needed now was control.
And whether it took months or decades, so long as he focused on bettering himself, he knew he would continue to ascend the ranks, and probably far faster than anyone lacking imperial blood had a right to hope or expect.
Of course, there was the one path forward that led to shockingly fast growth, at least for him, but if he were honest with himself, he was happy to leave the Path of Peril for at least a few halcyon summer days.
And if those days could turn into peaceful years of tranquility, he was increasingly certain he wouldn’t say no to that either.
“Alex, what’s wrong?”
Linnea’s gentle note of concern pulled him out of his meditative trance.
“What?” he asked, coming back to himself, rubbing away stinging grit from his eyes.
“You’re crying.”
Alex found himself smiling, feeling curiously happy, for all that the bittersweet ache in his chest throbbed still.
“After the dream I had last night…” He shrugged and sighed, now gazing out at the beautiful caldera, rich with its bounty of hope and life, blessed with a clear blue lake at its heart. Water enough to support an entire desert city.
“I guess I’m still haunted by the past, even if a part of me dearly wants to savor this life, right here and now, lest I pine endlessly for what I can never have again.”
Linnea all but glowed with a beautiful smile, knowing that she herself played a precious role in his life now and was, quite unexpectedly, wise enough to say nothing at all.
Alex couldn’t help smirking, because clearly his friend had invested her points quite well.
“All right, are you fully refreshed? Good. I assume you now know to always be prepared for anything, after last night’s adventures?”
Alex turned to Sulia, who now calmly addressed him as the last of her students left their practice area. If anyone thought it at all odd that she was conversing quietly with him and not them, they were wise enough to turn around and keep such thoughts and speculations to themselves.
He gave a firm nod. “Always, but what—”
She shook her head. “Don’t interrupt, aspirant. Just come. We have to be at the Western Rift by dinner’s bell.”
Much to his surprise, she handed both him and a pleased-looking Linnea leaf pouches filled with figs, dates, cashews, and almonds, munching the contents of one herself. His ambivalent instructor frowned thoughtfully at him. “Don’t you have a rather impressive fangtian ji at your disposal?”
Alex nodded. “In my storage pouch, along with my armor. Is everything—”
Sulia gave a curt shake of her head. “No, Alex. Things won’t truly be all right until the Western Rift is clear.”
Linnea paled at that. “But Sulia… I mean, Revered Lady Instructor Sulia…”
“Sulia is fine while we delve, child.” She gave Alex a halfhearted glare. “But seeing as you’re now my student, Lady Sulia is how you will refer to me, aspirant.”
Alex dipped his head. “It will be as you say, Lady Sulia.”
Linnea nodded. “Okay, but, um… the Western Rift is filled with really nasty, really ambushy Shadow Cats, and even if it was fun playing the hero and risking our lives on the roll of Fate’s dice last night…” She flashed an anxious smile. “I was kind of hoping I could take it easy for like… ever?”
This earned a snort. “You say that, yet I see the fire in your eyes, Linnea. Admit it. You’re every bit as exhilarated as you are afraid.”
Linnea flushed and nodded. “Okay, maybe. But still…” She squeezed Alex’s hand. “You know.”
“I have four children. Of course I know. So best we get this handled now and ensure that we have absolutely no problems to worry about, later. Because it will be all the harder to push yourself, when motherhood takes center stage in your life. And the stronger our foundation within the caldera…”
“The more prepared we are for trouble from beyond our city walls,” said none other than Te Chang himself, striding over to greet his wife with clasped hands and foreheads touching, Sulia’s stern features melting into a look of such tenderness and love that Alex felt an ache in his chest. A feeling that soon turned into awe when he saw all the august personages awaiting them by the rift.
Alex immediately flowed into a kowtow, joined by Linnea.
“Your Grace, this one is honored by your presence!” he instinctively said, after catching sight of not just the surviving members of last night’s party, everyone save poor Instructor Rah, who had been butchered by Tan Yi’s lackeys, but Prince Quiang himself and Schweng Fa, headmaster of the entire academy.