Chapter 22 #2
Alex forced his smile to stay firmly in place.
Because as much as he would have absolutely loved it if she had ranked up her plant-based magic so closely aligned to the cultivation element of Wood, he knew that was for his benefit as much as whatever future good it might be for the caldera fields below this city, or wherever she chose to call home.
“But don’t worry, I naturally got two ranks in my Herbam Control skill, with all the algae I grew on the ice.
They even evolved into lichens and ferns.
Though those will perish as soon as the greenhouse effect my battle sisters are performing comes to an end.
But I’ll level up Wood next time, I swear! ”
He blinked, sensing her sudden worry, realizing she could sense his mixed feelings.
“No, you made the right call,” he said, making himself believe it, to both Rachel’s and Linnea’s relief. “Nothing says survival like quick reflexes, being able to process what’s going on around you, and reacting in time. And Vitality is extremely beneficial for any number of reasons.”
“We get to live so much longer, especially when Alex eats away our Waste Qi!” Linnea enthused, and Alex pretended he didn’t sense Lao Tie’s surprised stare.
“It’s also good if you have unfortunate, um…
mutations. Higher Vitality allows for ideal allele expression so healthy protein synthesis waxes ascendant!
So your brain is happy and your mood is super stable! ”
Rachel blinked at that. “Um, I sort of… No, I don’t understand a word you said.” Her cheeks flushed. “I think our commune kind of forgot a lot of, um… lore. Grandfather didn’t worry too much about those parts of our culture not related to farming,” she whispered.
Linnea’s expression grew somber. “That’s unfortunate,” she softly said. “Our lore masters are the only real connection we have to what came before.”
She then gave Rachel a comforting hug. “It’s all right. I’ll teach you! Once we get out of this delve. Hopefully alive, I mean.”
Rachel’s eyes lit up. “Would you? I would love that! So what exactly are, um… alleles?”
“Are you ready to continue our expedition, Alex?”
Alex grimaced and nodded Lao Tie’s way. “Yes. And thank you for waiting so patiently while I, um… consolidated my gains.”
“Of course!” Lao Tie said. “Who would I be to fault you when I was doing much the same?” His gentle smile took on an animated light.
“Now come. If my understanding of the terrain is correct, then we have only a short ways to go before we encounter the frozen maze, and beyond that is the ice lake saturated with the essence of cold where true serpentine beasts are said to dwell. And that, my friends, is where we shall forge a legend of our own.”
“Even after we nearly got killed by this oversized ice drake?” Ya Ling said with a smirk, patting the massive scaled behemoth Alex was eager to put into storage but really didn’t want to reveal that capability just yet.
Kuaisu smirked as Lao Tie momentarily paled.
“She has a point, Captain. Considering how close a battle this was, relatively close to our exit point, how much more perilous would the predators be, near that legendary lake no one’s dared to approach for years?
Or if they did approach it, they’re long dead now. ”
Wu Xien frowned, clearly not pleased that one of their own was questioning their leader, yet Lao Tie just gave an agreeable nod.
“A fair question, battle sister, and the answer is simple.” His gentle features turned hard and cold as the howling winds now circled them once more, near instantly freezing all the ferns to brittle statues of ice that shattered in the howling winds.
“Because if we are to have any hope of saving our home, that is where we must go.” He then turned to nod at Alex and Ya Ling both.
“And with two masters of Wind and two of Fire,” he said, smiling Linnea’s way, “I have high hopes that if we’re careful and prudent, we will be able to take out lone wyrms just as we did this one.
Any one of which could serve as the key to saving Wanshi and going down in the city annuls as heroes for all time. ”
“Ooh, goody! Me and Alex would love to be heroes for all time. Right, Alex?”
Alex couldn’t help but grin at Linnea’s words, for she could sense his hunger for glory—even if, a heartbeat later, her widened eyes made it clear she understood his hesitation as well. And regret.
“So, we’ll have to leave, then?”
“Of course. If the Fox’s tales are to have happy endings, then his disciple must always leave before the final act. Always.”
“Even now, with the gods all gone?”
Alex flashed a sad smile. “If you really believed that, you’d dare to say their names, instead of using metaphors like fox and moon goddess.
But no. Don’t actually say their names. The point is, I’d like to think they’re far more forgiving of lands they choose to ignore.
In fact, I think an extremely fragile truce is going on right now where I sort of don’t exist, so long as I avoid certain paths.
But I’m still not selfish enough to stick around when I start making waves.
Especially if happy endings are all but certain, just so long as I swallow my stupid pride and leave.
” He shook his head angrily. “Even if things should be okay, even if I were all but promised that it was all right if I actually lived life to the fullest, I’m still not stupid enough to stick around.
Not when leaving could so easily prevent… things I’d really like to prevent.”
“But you’re going to make sure Wanshi is safe, right?”
Alex nodded. “Just like Liushi.”
“Which you totally saved!”
Alex shrugged. “I’d like to think so, anyway.”
“Oh, you totally did! Saved the city and stopped the explosion and faded away into myth and legend. Just like in all the tales where you’re allowed to live and we’re allowed to have happy endings!” Her brows furrowed. “But, um… never in the ones where you stick around.”
Alex sighed. “I know,” he said, feeling a bitter ache in his chest. “With the tiny, tiny bit I’m starting to remember… the only time I was ever safe, or happy, was when I made damned sure that I didn’t stick out.”
“But when you did stick out, your best stories were when you rode off into the sunset!”
“Exactly.”
“So that’s why we should start a caravan together!”
Alex snorted. “Or I just need to find a fresh city with a well-stocked academy where no one knows me at all.”
Linnea’s eyes twinkled. “Like you’d really have a chance to just study and cultivate for years on end, without your master’s wiles getting you into trouble before a single season passes!”
Alex laughed. “A guy can hope, can’t he?”
She smiled, gently taking his hand. “Yes, Alex. A girl can certainly hope.”
Alex smiled with pride for a shivering Rachel, who continued doing her best to hone her craft as they traversed the endless terrain of frozen ice, powdery snow, and howling winds, leaving rings of ice algae in their wake as she alternated between being carried by Alex or helped along by Linnea, who warmed her with a gentle touch even as she forced Rachel to keep pace, assuring that this was an excellent way to squeeze one final point of Vitality before she boosted it naturally so high that it would all feel almost effortless, though Alex privately thought that Linnea might just be getting a tiny bit jealous that Rachel seemed all too comfortable being carried in his arms, and he couldn’t blame her for getting involved.
Far better Linnea treat Rachel as a little sister she was eager to force-bloom, and not like a rival where jealousy could create a rift or regrets where absolutely none was needed.
Then they all came to an abrupt stop when Ya Ling hissed and raised her clenched fist.