Most of what Idalia needed was easy to get, if not commonly available in the city for whatever reason. Some herbs spoiled quickly and had little value, so nobody would bother to collect them and couldnt keep a store of them. The lungs and spleen of a certain rare elk was technically more difficult to obtain, but Devon also had the help of Marvelous Rabbit Mountains Elder Paula. She was able to sense the creature from a great distance, and went bounding off after it at a speed Devon could not keep up with, despite being in Life Transformation himself. Though what else was he to expect for a sect that focused on their legs so much?
It didnt take long to collect all but one piece of what they needed- though of course the final ingredient was the most important one. Water from the Azure Springs, fifteen hundred kilometers away through several regions, one of which was desert. But that was fine- it was just a long trip, though at the speeds Life Transformation cultivators perhaps not even that long. The problem was that the waters lost a significant portion of their potency after a day. Optimally they would have taken Anton to the springs, but transporting him through monster infested wilderness didnt seem like the best move at the moment.
The time for trip there was hard to measure given that they did not take a direct route, but it was clear they would have to hurry on the way back. But first they needed to get some of the water. That seemed to be a fairly simple task, but obviously it wasnt just humans that liked water with high levels of easily digestible natural energy. Beasts did too, and often very strange ones. The particular beasts that controlled the springs changed frequently, so they couldnt be certain what they would face until they arrived.
Devon was surprised there wasnt anything visible in the area, until he could sense the water. Looks like theres some sort of snakes in there, he said. Or maybe eels? But they certainly feel more like snakes. So we just kill them and take what we need? Or maybe distract them?
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Elder Paula frowned, Im not sure I would like to fight them in the water, and more importantly it could be tainted by blood. Yet if we dont draw all of them out, its risky to collect anything with the fragile vessels.
Devon nodded. They had some containers that would help keep the potency of the waters for somewhat longer, but they werent much stronger than glass. Either of them might be able to protect the containers from a sudden attack by the snakes, but if they broke any, they had that many fewer. This wasnt a situation where they needed just a few drops, every bit they could bring back was better. What are there, thirty of those things? Devon said. We should lure them out and fight them. Or if they dont lure, Ill just yank them out, chains began to form around him, and though they would usually have spikes in this case he restrained himself to avoid blood in the water.
If they come up on land, Ill squash them if I can or boot them far away. Lets get ready, Paula said.
Technically they werent in a rush at this exact moment, since the potency of the spring wouldnt fade until they gathered the liquid, but there was also no reason to delay. Antons condition wasnt good, so moving along quickly was best regardless.
Devon stopped after forming a dozen long chains. He could have more, but that would require them to be shorter or he would have reduced control over them. He just wanted to be able to snatch a few snakes out of the wide spring, and either they completely retreated and gave them an opportunity to snatch the water and go, or he could grab a few.
It was perhaps ironic that his chains moved through the water like a snake with the intention to grab snakes, but the chains spread out towards the snakes. Some bit at the unexpected intruders, some pulled away, and others were a bit slow for either and found themselves suddenly yanked to the shore as a chain tightened around them.
Everything made sense until the first couple was up on shore. Paula crushed the spine of one under her heel while it was still restrained, but the other twisted to bite at Devon at which point its head split apart into five separate stalks. Devon leapt back in surprise, but he had the presence of mind to extend solidify the links of his chain holding that snake in place, preventing it from reaching him. Each of the five heads seemed to have fangs, and Devon really didnt want to have to figure out how bad the venom would be. He tightened his chain around the middle of the creature- though it was almost as wide as his torso- finally overcoming its natural energy defenses and crushing it.
The good news was that the rest of the snakes easily left the springs after that- the bad news was that they seemed intent on killing the two. That turned the battle into a frantic melee where Devon was keeping track of anywhere between ten and a hundred sets of fangs at any point, using his chains to fend off or entangle as many snakes as he could at once.
Paula used her leaping abilities to get out of reach to more optimal positions, while also crushing whatever she landed on under her heels. When snakes sprang at her, she would often kick beneath them and send them flying hundreds of meters away if she couldnt find a killing blow, allowing some breathing room for the pair.
Eventually the last of the snakes was killed or chased away, leaving them with the task of transporting as much of the spring water as they could store with them. That should be the easy part probably.
-----
Given the limited options for who might be from the Order of One Hundred Stars that he didnt already know about, it wasnt terribly surprising to find Bohdana Matousek. They had attempted to send Matousek with options for communicating, but they hadnt worked. Until this moment, Hoyt wasnt sure if Matousek had died or what.
Good to see you made it, Hoyt. Matousek paused for a second, Your grandfather would be proud of your accomplishments.
Thank you, Hoyt said. But I have some questions. Like why you are here among the Dark Ring?
Why wouldnt I be? Matousek asked.
Their reputation is not particularly stellar, Hoyt pointed out. I heard some things from Catarina and Timothy before ascending
That worked out? Matousek asked, Good. And you were able to communicate. Unfortunately none of mine worked even when I was away from the Dark Ring.
You were able to leave? Hoyt asked.
Of course. Im not a captive, though I could understand why you would be hesitant. They are quite secretive about their location.
Its just a rock in the middle of nothing, Hoyt said, I dont see whats so special about it.
Matousek grinned, Its not just a rock in the middle of nothing. Its many rocks. Spread all throughout asteroid belts in the systems controlled by their greatest enemy, the Harmonious Citadel. What do you know about them?
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Not much. They have some strict rules for those who join them, but are generally seen positively.
And they work very hard at that, Matousek pointed out. Admittedly, an organization of that size is bound to occasionally do some good by wiping out bandits and problematic sects, but thats not for the sake of helping anyone but securing their own position. They control a few dozen systems around here, and are extending their reach into more all the time. As practices go, theyre just a cult in the sense of the word that theyre a religious organization, though I would say that the negative connotations are also correct.
So, what, they worship their sect leader as a god?
Theyre ever so slightly more humble than that, though they do deem their highest ranking members at saints, Matousek said. Perhaps they would claim to be gods, but they dont have a Domination cultivator. When it is known there is a higher ranking of power, its rather difficult to claim you are actually the most supreme though they do a good job of lording over others as they are.
That certainly sounds bad, Hoyt admitted, But who told you this? The Dark Ring.
Of course, Matousek said, But I have also seen it for myself. Slipping on or off a world is not the most difficult thing though Ive certainly spent more time around smugglers than I would have thought. And while the Harmonious Citadel cant exactly be blamed for acting the same way as other cultivators- gathering all the power into their own hands- Ive come to be quite against the methods they do it by. Did you know some of their worlds house billions of individuals? Yet those who can cultivate are much fewer. People cant even leave to seek their fortunes elsewhere, though thats not necessarily their fault. Interplanetary and intersystem travel are not that easy. Though also easier than I would have expected. For cultivators like us, its not much more difficult than an average person getting passage across a great sea.
Why cant people cultivate? Oh right, no natural energy, Hoyt immediately answered himself. Or not much?
Not as much, certainly. Ascension energy is better and higher quality but also more risky. Beginning the journey is difficult, and the path is much more variable here than on our world.
Alright, Hoyt said. So the Harmonious Citadel is not that great. But what about the Dark Ring? Are they good?
They at least intend to allow people freedom. I think it would be good for you to join along with them. Theyre not a sect so much as a collective. But if you dont wish to, I can vouch for you, and we can drop you off somewhere safe. Or safeish. Matousek shrugged, At your cultivation level, youll have the eyes of the powerful on you, but you also have decent strength to protect yourself from them. I heard about your fight.
You didnt watch?
I was at another location, Matousek said. It was en-route, since they contacted me to tell me someone of my sect had arrived.
About that why was I out here? Isnt it natural to arrive on the surface of a world after ascension?
Thats true, but just like some sects focus the pull to their own cultivators and worlds, the Dark Ring has taken steps to bring people away from the Harmonious Citadels planets. Usually that means shunting them to neighboring systems, but sometimes they end up out here, and they bring them in.
Seems risky, Hoyt said. Though I dont know if the Harmonious Citadel has any connection to the lower realms?
Not the same way as we saw on Ceretos. Thats more of a rarity, even for large groups like the Trigold Cluster and the Exalted Quadrant. Since individual worlds are so rarely available for interaction, long term relationships rarely happen. Though with communication methods
Speaking of which, Hoyt said. I dont think any of mine have been working. Im not exactly sure how long its been but I should have been able to reach Catarina and Timothy at least.
Ah, thats a feature of this place and others like it. It requires special methods to send anything in and out, and without sufficient power it doesnt work. Plus the inconspicuous locations truly out in the middle of nothing and you have a secret that actually lasts.
And they kill the wrong people who find out.
Thats true as well, Matousek answered, But youll find that there arent really that many people ascending even from the various lower realms, and fewer that end up here. Most are just happy to be taken into the fold of something larger.
And you? Hoyt asked.
I think its worthwhile. They might not be able to back us up in the way we wish, but I havent found their practices objectionable. We cant exactly rely on just those of us from the Order- or Ceretos.
Not yet, perhaps, Hoyt admitted. Though there are a surprising number of us.
Good. Take some time to think about joining up, and let me know when youve decided. Either way Id like you to get me in contact with some of the others after that, so Ill be taking you out of the system.
Anything else? Hoyt asked.
Try to get in more sparring. Fighting with just ascension energy is a big change to get used to. Two decades and Im still not fully confident.
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