Only a few days had passed since the friendly battle between the Seishen Kingdom and Blackflame Empire. Kai had spent most of that time trying to find out what his Underlord revelation was, but none of his ideas had worked. He now sat in a cycling position in the tent he had been given by the Empire and cycled, trying to clear his mind and think about why he had chosen to practise the sacred arts. He decided to stop cycling and go for a walk to clear his mind. He stood up and opened his tent, stepping out onto the field. There were hundreds of tents now in the Empire's encampment. Most of the nearby tents here at the perimeter were occupied by other members of the Skysworn. As he left his tent, he met a Skysworn squad composed of Lowgolds and led by a Highgold. "Oh, good evening, Truegold, sir. How can we help?" The Highgold asked.
"I'm just going for a walk to clear my head. You should continue your patrol - no need to worry," Kai replied. They bowed to him and carried on down the path. Kai turned around and closed his tent before circling around it and into the woods beyond.
Joy had been awoken by the voice of her mother, Akura Mercy. Her Monarch had instructed her to come for a meeting in a small clearing near the Blackflame Empire camp. Joy kept her spirit veiled and carefully followed the directions her mother had supplied until she arrived at the designated place. Her mother sat on a log in a simple black and purple sacred artist's robe that was nearly identical to her own. Her hair was bound in a ponytail, as it always was, and - judging by the fact that they had been left alone - her spirit was also carefully veiled. "Come sit. We have much to talk about," Mercy said. Joy sat next to her mother on the log and faced her. "So how is your advancement going?" Mercy asked. Joy knew that this wasn't what the meeting was about, but she would humor her mother.
"Well, I'm struggling to find my revelation and so is everyone else," Joy said.
"I see. Have you tried to follow your fears?" Mercy asked.
"No, we haven't yet." Joy admitted. It seemed like a silly idea to them - why would someone need a trick to figure out such a simple thing as the reason they practiced the sacred arts? So they had decided to try that approach last.
"Don't you know why I gave you that advice? Don't you know what my Underlord revelation was? What about Lindon and Yerin's?" Mercy pressed.
"Eithan told us you followed your fears. That's as much as I know," Joy answered.
"Very well then. I'll tell you about our revelations and then maybe you'll realize how valuable my recommendation is for you all. The Underlord revelation can be uncomfortably personal, so be mindful of who you share these with.
"Yerin realized that she didn't like how much it hurt when people around her died and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She trained in the sacred arts because she wanted to get strong enough that she didn't have to feel that pain anymore. Do you think she has had to experience that since becoming a Monarch? Lindon's revelation was that he trained so he wouldn't be worthless anymore. How valuable is he to his sect and family as a Monarch?
"I was so afraid of my own revelation that I ran away from home rather than advance. My revelation was that I trained in the Sacred Arts so that my mother would be proud of me. The final words she spoke to me before she ascended beyond this world and I took her place as our family's Monarch were 'I'm proud of you'." As she recalled the memory she seemed to shed a tear. Joy hadn't known her grandmother, but from what she'd heard, her grandmother had lived up to the name Malice. Gathering herself, Mercy said, "Now, while there are still many steps on your Path before you reach Monarch, your next step is Underlady. So you should stop wasting time and follow my advice."
Joy nodded, acknowledging her mother's words. She still wondered what the real reason was for being called here. "It's been killing me these past few days since Perseverance told me. You're not going to take me away from my friends are you? to get me to advance?" Joy asked.
"No I am not. I learned how valuable it can be to have the support of your friends pushing you to advance. I am here to tell you that you will be my heir," Mercy said. Joy was instantly overwhelmed by the news. Why had her mother told her now? Would she not be here for long? Was there another reason? The thoughts raced through her mind, when her mother spoke calmly to her, "There are many things about this world that you may not understand right now, but trust I have made this decision knowing that you will be strong, maybe even stronger than me."
"If you are leaving, then what is going to happen with Perseverance and Grace?" Joy asked.
"Perseverance will be the next Sage. Grace is so young she will need both of you to look after her," Mercy said. So wherever Mercy was going, she was leaving her children here. Joy was still trying to process the news when her mother looked left towards the Blackflame Empire camp. "I'm sorry, but I must go. Don't let this news overwhelm you, instead, use it for encouragement." With that abrupt farewell she disappeared into shadows. Joy stayed there thinking of what her mother had said when she heard rustling from the bushes. Joy sensed a poorly-veiled Truegold approaching; she had transformed her staff into a bow and forged an arrow before she saw who it was. Kai walked out the bushes and quickly raised his hands and released his veil when he saw or sensed her technique aimed at him.
"Joy? Am I disturbing you? Did I just walk in on something I shouldn't have?" he asked. Joy let her bow change back into a staff and pulled the madra from the arrow back into her spirit.
"I was just talking with my mother," Joy replied. Kai looked around as if he had somehow failed to notice the Monarch. "You just missed her; she must have sensed you and left," Joy said.
"My apologies if I interrupted, Monarch," Kai said as he bowed slightly to the empty air. He gave a light chuckle at that before walking towards her. As Kai came closer, she noticed something flash in his eyes.
Kai was still a few steps away from Joy when his bloodline power kicked in. In the vision, he saw an arrow flying towards Joy's back. She didn't sense the arrow in time to summon her bloodline armor because it was made of metal and wood rather than forged madra. This seemingly mundane arrow managed to punch through the resistance of Joy's iron body far enough that the head appeared protruding from her front. The vision ended and Kai hoped he would be fast enough.
He used his enforcer technique to leap forward and caught the arrow dead in its tracks. Joy reacted immediately, assuming a fighting stance with her staff and using her bloodline to protect herself. Kai felt foolish for leaving the protection of camp without his armor or sword but he was still strong. He extended his spiritual sense and found two Truegolds, two Highgolds and two Lowgolds in the bushes surrounding them. "Six of them. Nothing that is going to be a challenge for us, except we'll want to take them alive," Kai said.
"I agree, they might have shot an arrow at me but I'm not going to kill a bunch of less advanced opponents," Joy replied. Their ambushers stepped out from the underbrush and moved to flank them. They appeared to be common bandits like those Joy and Kai had encountered many times on missions for the Skysworn. They must have snuck through the portal from the Empire intending to rob the unsuspecting treasure seekers and camp followers.
"We have you surrounded. Give us your valuables and we'll let you live," one bandit said. It was clear, the man didn't recognize them and maybe hadn't noticed their advancement. The Lowgold on the leader's right must have been more observant because she tapped the bandit leader on the arm and whispered in his ear. He then looked back towards Kai clearly staring at his mask before looking towards Joy who was partially covered in the purple crystal armor of the Akuras. The man's face turned a bright red. "Everyone drop your weapons and surrender. If we take this fight we will lose," the man said. Kai sighed in disappointment; he had left his tent and wandered from camp because he wanted to stretch. He was glad he had run into Joy before the bandits or this might have gone much differently.
"Joy, head back to camp and get a squad over here. I'll watch them," Kai whispered to Joy. She started to protest but Kai interrupted her, "Just do it. I'll be fine." She reluctantly agreed and walked backwards, keeping her eye on the enemy for as long as possible. Once she was out of sight, Kai spoke to the enemy, "I don't appreciate you doing what you did back there." The man that Kai now assumed led this group laughed.
"I'm glad you sent the Akura away because now we can defeat you easily!" he shouted. Then all of them charged at him. Kai was about to unleash his anger, when a white glow filled the clearing. All of his enemies' techniques were washed away and he struggled to maintain his own enforcer technique.
"Well, Well, Well. Seems like I have to save you again," said the figure. Kai's older sister, Wei Shi Asuna, stood next to him. Kai stumbled a little. He had trained himself to withstand his siblings' Hollow Domain and could generally keep control of his own madra inside the technique, but Asuna was an Underlord.
"You can.. Release it … Now!" Kai shouted at his sister. She looked down and released the technique. Kai picked himself up and stood next to his sister now towering over her. "Why are you here or awake for that matter?" Kai asked.
"Well, Father wanted to talk to all of us. So I was sent to get you and Keya," Asuna said. Kai chuckled to himself; it seemed today was a day that all the Monarchs would meet with their children. Joy then arrived with Keya, Kang and another squad. The bandits had started to pick themselves up but they were now outnumbered. The other Truegold in the group got up and made a last ditch effort to charge at Kai. Kai could see the silver sword madra building at the edge of the bandit's raised sword. Kai had begun to prepare his enforcer technique when the sword was trapped by one of the six metallic blade-arms that comprised Asuna's gold sign and which could be extended from her back at will.
This arm, however, extended not from Asuna, who was still standing next to Kai, but from a new figure who, like the blade-arms, was the bright red of fresh blood. The figure's blades and the enemy's sword rang with the chime of the Endless Sword and invisible echoes of sword and blood aura sliced towards the Truegold. The Truegold would have been killed if Kai's defender hadn't held back. Instead of the Underlord level attack slicing him into small chunks of meat, the foolish Truegold was left with cuts all over his body, screaming in pain.
Kai was certain this was Asuna's blood shadow; it looked like a less-detailed copy of her formed from red madra. It looked towards Kai and seemed to give the faint impression of a smile before dissolving into essence and merging back with Asuna. Kai was transfixed by the unexpected red color of his sister's eyes, but before he could comment on the change, they faded back to their usual ocean blue. The Skysworn squad looked on in horror and the others just looked shocked. Keya was the first to move but she ran up and hugged her big sister before letting go.
"What was that?" Kai asked Asuna.
"I think that should be obvious," Asuna said. Kai knew it was a blood shadow but how and when had Asuna gotten one?
"When?" Kai asked. Asuna now looked at him nervously.
"The day that you don't like us mentioning," Asuna said. Kai knew what she meant from that and he hated thinking of that day. The day he had been 'adopted.' He still hated the word because this was the only family he knew. His earliest memory was of Yerin picking him up and taking him away on that fateful night. How could he recall anything more? It was fifteen years ago now. Mother had always said that she took him in because he reminded her of herself when the Sage of the Endless sword had adopted her.
"How?" Kai asked.
"That day was the last time the Bleeding Phoenix woke. The Phoenix sent out Blood Shadows to infect and eventually drain strong sacred artists to add their power to its own. Even though I was only five, one of them chose me to be it's host. I was in considerable danger of being consumed by it before Mother arrived to seal it away until I was stronger. Once I reached Truegold, I could start to follow the same steps she did to turn it into a sort of clone of myself. My progress really took off once I hit Underlord," Asuna said. "As for Kou, I don't know why he didn't get one. You and Keya were too young when the Phoenix died."
"Wouldn't the Blood Shadows disappear with the Phoenix?" Kai asked.
"Many that still had their Blood Shadow kept them. I don't know if that was because the lingering power from the Phoenix was so great or because the Shadows' ties to their spirits were too great. Though the Phoenix was finally defeated, there was also an unlucky side to that day. So many were trying to copy Mother during that time that Red Moon Hall had a surge of recruits. Lucky for us, it seems only the strongest can turn their Blood Shadow into a copy of themselves; I've not met any blood clones in all of my encounters fighting Red Moon Hall," Asuna said.
"One final question. Would the blood shadow not want to attack and kill you?" Kai asked.
"Well, yes, it did when we first released it, but it gradually got better as I made it into a closer copy of me. It saw my desires and dreams and it seems it wants to help. Also, I went to study my sword path with the Winter Sage and she helped me keep it in line like a well-trained dog," Asuna said.
"Have you thought about naming it?" Keya asked.
"Not yet. Not sure if I want to, either," Asuna said, which everyone took as a cue to suggest names.
"Red Asuna," Joy offered.
"You could name it Ruby, like Mother's, or maybe Rose?" Keya proposed.
"I know! You can call it Clifford," Kai said. Everyone looked at him confused. "It sounds like something you might name a big red dog, and you just called it a dog," Kai defensively replied. Kang was arguing with Kai about what an absurd name that was for a dog, when Asuna interrupted him.
"If you really want me to name it, I'll name it Rose before we get anymore stupid suggestions." She looked pointedly at Kai. He thought his name suggestion was good. "Anyway, let the Skysworn handle these bandits because Father wants to talk to us," Asuna said. Kai and Keya nodded and then followed Asuna out of the grove.
Asuna led Kai and Keya to a pond that was filled with Sylvan pond sat in a grove similar to the one they had just left. The only difference was the moonlight crept through the trees and reflected off the water. Seated on the side of the pond was Wei Shi Kou and their father, Wei Shi Lindon. Little Blue played in the water with the other Riverseeds. Kai, Keya and Asuna walked down the length of the pond to where their father and brother sat. "Hey, I got the other two. So why do you want us here?" Asuna said.
"I wanted to speak to you about the upcoming tournament and what will be happening after it," Lindon said.
"One of us wins the tournament. Then we go and try to advance," Asuna said bluntly.
"You have the first part correct, but you missed the second part," Lindon said.
"What do you mean?" Kai asked.
[Oh! Oh, can I answer this?] Dross asked as he manifested on Lindon's shoulder raising one hand.
[If Dross is here, I'm coming out too] Skye replied, manifesting herself and resting on Keya's shoulder, legs crossed and sat down.
"Fine. Go ahead, Dross."
Dross spoke quickly and frantically while making gestures with his arms. [The Silent King is awakening. Kou and Keya will be on the battlefield fighting the Silent Servants. Kai and Asuna will be in the tournament. We have plans for all of your advancements. Finally, Lindon and Yerin will soon be ascending. I think I got everything in there,] Dross said as he seemed to take in a big breath after he finished. Asuna, Kai and Keya all looked between each then back at their father who had gone red. Before any of them could argue or ask questions, Lindon spoke.
"I will expand on what Dross just said, so keep your questions until after," Lindon said to them. They all held their protests.
"The Silent King is waking up according to Emeriss. Neither Dross nor I have been able to sense it and we haven't had the time to go look ourselves. Now as for the next part: Kou won't be competing in the tournament so he will be on the battlefield helping protect Akura and Twin star forces along with the Akura Herald. We have a plan for him to reach Herald by then as well. As for Keya, with her remnant arm and Skye's help she will be able to advance much quicker outside the tournament," Lindon said.
"Wait, aren't we restricted on Sages or Heralds?" Asuna asked. Kai hadn't been told much about this agreement but as far as he understood it they were allowed two Monarchs but were not allowed a Herald or Sage. It seemed Uncle Ziel and their Aunt Kelsa were exceptions.
"Well, we are. That is why your mother isn't here right now. She is off speaking to the last Monarch. We need permission to allow Kou to advance to help defend our land and help should the Silent Servants attack."
"Why do you need permission?" Kai asked.
"If we were to let Kou advance now, the other Monarchs might see it as a threat and retaliate against us. We have only had one disagreement with the limit so far, but the other Monarchs allowed it then. It also helps that we and our allies make up four out of ten votes," Lindon said. So that explained it, but Kai knew that dealing with the other Monarchs frequently got complicated. There was likely to be a catch to this, but Kai expected they would figure it out later.
"Kai and Asuna, it is your job to win the tournament. I don't care which one of you wins, but just make sure one of you does. While Kai and Keya are working on advancing to Underlord, Asuna you should work on reaching Overlord and discovering your revelation, but don't advance yet. Kou, if all goes well you will be a Herald soon. Future advancements however, we still have not fully decided, but Kai, Keya and Asuna, one of you will be Monarch, one Sage and the other Herald. You will lead the clan on into the future," Lindon said. He took a moment to blink away the tears from his eyes before continuing, "As to the final part of the plan, Yerin and I have done everything we could in the time we have been allowed to stay on Cradle. Not a day goes by where I regret even a second of it. Wait - I'll save the speech for when it happens. But we must leave Cradle when you guys reach your final advancements to make room for you. I know you will miss us, but we put our full faith into you knowing how strong you will become. Now go into this tournament and win it for us." Lindon said. No one replied. Kai wasn't sure why the others didn't speak, but he suspected it must have been for the same reason as him. They were in shock. They had just been told that their last time seeing their parents would be this tournament.
"I will win the tournament for you," Kai said. Trying to cheer up the mood. It at least got a rise out of his big sister.
"You're not even an Underlord yet," Asuna said. Kai was about to say something when Lindon spoke again.
"Kai and Keya, the Akura Underlords will be sent to challenge you within the coming days. You could advance before then and make the fight easier or you'll have to face them as a Truegold." Lindon said.
"That doesn't seem fair. Aren't the Akura Underlords always some of the strongest?" Keya protested.
"You all are here to practice against strong opponents to improve yourselves. They may be particularly strong but so are you," Lindon said. Kai still didn't think that was fair, their opponents were Underlords, but his father must have some reason for testing them. "If you believe you can advance during the fight and tell them, they have been told not to attack you. However, if you try it and fail, they will carry on attacking," Lindon said. Well, at least they are nice enough to try to let them advance. Excitement over the opportunity to challenge himself gradually replaced his apprehension. No one of their own advancement ever wanted to fight them because they were stronger than most Truegolds, but now they had Underlords wanting to challenge them. "Anyway you guys should go rest up and don't forget to reach Underlord as quickly as possible," Lindon said as he opened a portal under Kai and Keya's feet. They fell through and landed in the same grove that Asuna had picked them up from.
"I hate it when he does that," Kai said. Kai looked towards his sister who stared off into the distance. "You ok?" He asked her.
"I'm fine, still trying to process what he said but let's just focus on getting Underlord for now," Keya said. Kai nodded in agreement. They spent the remainder of the short walk back towards the Blackflame Empire camp in the silence of their own thoughts about the future.