Standing beside the man he had once killed, Lindon considered the path he walked, regrets he carried, and the confusing nature of, for the lack of a better descriptor, time travel.
Lindon understood why Eithan had set up his conflict with Jai Long as he had, for that set up, life and death of Sandviper Kral had been a catalyst, useful to start something, but almost entirely irrelevant after serving its purpose. When Lindon had killed Kral, the killing strike had been fuelled by fear, desperation and rage. And Lindon had not entirely believed he could even kill a 'Gold'.
Lindon did not feel guilt for killing Kral, after all, the man had left Lindon behind his back because he had been sure he killed Lindon, but he regretted the death, as he had regretted the most of the deaths he caused, directly or indirectly. Because more than anyone in Cradle, it is Lindon who knew what death felt like, and how grateful he felt, every second of every day, for the second chance at life Suriel had given him.
Lindon wondered whether Kral would try to talk to him, try to subtly interrogate him, as he had tried unsuccessfully before, but the other man did no such thing and Lindon did not attempt to start a conversation either. He is glad that Lindon did not kill Kral this time around, but other than that he holds no particular interest in the man.
Even Jai Long is not that much of an interest to Lindon, but Jai Chen is another thing entirely, Lindon holds certain fondness for the woman she became, and he had eventually remembered why she had seemed so familiar when he had first met her, in that other life. She was Fated to be his wife, if the direction of his life had not been so drastically altered. Even if he had no romantic feelings for her, then or now, Jai Chen was founding member of his sect and someone who had the same fire, same drive he did, treated as a cripple for most of her life, Lindon felt she suffered more than he did, all his life, he had nothing, but she had everything at her fingertips, but lost it all. He shared some of her pain.
And her 'Fingerling', the natural spirit that has somehow 'gestated' in her broken madra system is another point of interest for Lindon. Last time around Lindon had not seen her progress on her Path as much as he wished, he would rectify that if he can.
After several long minutes Jai Long exited his sister's cabin and Lindon could read relief and joy in the other man's posture even if Jai Long had his face covered in that red scripted strips of his.
Jai Long marched up to Lindon and bowed deep and said, "Wei Shi Lindon, you have my gratitude."
Lindon answered seriously and sincerely, "It is accepted. I am happy I could help."
Jai Long straightened from his bow, and said, "I will not doubt your word or your intentions, not after what you have done for my sister. So I ask, what is the suggestion you said you would make?"
Lindon answered with a smile, "Join the Skysworn, their half yearly recruitment drives should be coming up in next month or two. It is the answer to your troubles with the Jai clan, be upfront about the circumstances of you and your sister's exile. If you get in, you will be the Emperor's own, your sister will have a safe home in their floating fortress, the Stormrock, you will be beyond the reach of Jai Underlord. Your advancement will be funded by the Skysworn, based on the merit you earn. Lay down your need for vengeance, however righteous it might be. That is my advice, it is up to you to decide what Path you walk."
Before Jai Long could say something in answer to Lindon's advice, the door of Jai Chen's cabin opened and Jai Chen herself walked out, with hardship, but she did an admirable effort in concealing it, she is small girl, pale, with dark eyes and hair, nearly the same age as Lindon, at least physically.
Jai Chen neared Lindon and gave the deepest bow he had received in this life and in a voice choked with emotion, and tears streaming down her cheeks, said, "Thank you. You gave me my life back."
Feeling a bit uncomfortable in the face of genuine gratitude, Lindon defaulted back to his manners, he gave a shallow bow and said softly, "Miss Jai Chen, it is my pleasure. And I understand, I truly do, someone gave me my life back, once. Your gratitude is appreciated."
"Is there something I can do for you? To repay even a portion of what you have done for me?", Jai Chen asked, seriously.
Lindon was almost tempted, to ask her to encourage her brother to join the Skysworn, but he rejected the thought, Lindon's casual interest is not a good enough reason to dictate someone's life, he gave his advice, and it is good advice, given after much thought and given with good will. It is up to them to decide.
"No repayment necessary, Miss Jai Chen. Consider it a gift, given with no expectation of reciprocation, I insist", Lindon answered honestly and Little Blue chimed in her own agreement. Jai Chen smiled at Little Blue as though understanding what she said, perhaps she did, Jai Chen is bonded to a natural spirit of her own, even if she does not know it yet.
Lindon turned towards Jai Long and asked, "I would like to go back to the Ruins. I am sure your friend, Kral, will keep me company. Please, enjoy the time with your family."
With that Lindon walked back to the Ruins. Kral signalled for some of his clansmen to join him, and they formed a loose ring around Lindon and they looked less like warriors guarding a prisoner and more like honour guard, which is just as well. Once Lindon might have been flustered, at the Sandvipers probing looks, but that time was long past.
Lindon and Orthos reached the Ruins and instead of going in through the main entrance or opening a new one like he did when leaving the Ruins, they just climbed the pyramidal structure of the Ruins, they came across some dreadbeasts and sacred beasts, but they were few and Sandvipers led by Kral were eager to destroy them. At the very peak of the Ruins Orthos plopped down, Lindon drew lightly on his Blackflame core to resist Orthos's own Blackflame madra and leaned against Orthos. The Sandvipers made a loose ring below them, but they kept enough distance to not overhear their conversation and Lindon dismissed them from his mind.
"Eithan would have loved to have seen what you did inside", Orthos rumbled softly.
Lindon chuckled as he answered, "He would have, I was channelling him after all. He would have given that grin of his, gave me some mocking compliments and tutted about my hair or my dress."
Orthos chuckled, Little Blue joined them with her laugh of tiny bells ringing.
Orthos sobered after a moment, Lindon could feel his worry through their bond, and Orthos said softly, "I hope he is well."
Lindon pushed aside his own doubts and answered confidently, "He is Eithan, he is fine, trust me."
The silence lasted another few moments and Orthos broke it by saying sorrowfully, "Sorry about Gesha. I know you love her like a grandmother."
"Ah, it is no matter, there is no time or opportunity to cultivate that relationship right now. I will come get her when I am Underlord", Lindon answered, ignoring the spike of pain.
I just hope she is still alive by then, how ever much I speed up my advancement, Underlord is still years away, Lindon thought. Gesha did become a Grandmother to Lindon, a life time ago, that old woman has a heart softer than she is ever willing to admit. Once, he had taken her to the Heavens with him, alongside most of her immediate family. Alongside his sister, mother and father, Gesha is his only other loved one who would not remember the life that had been. Mercy probably has it a lot worse, she got a heart so big and love so vast.
Lindon shook away his depressing thoughts and just cycled. The sooner he regains his power, the faster he will have his loved ones back.
Three days came and went, with the exception of taking breaks to eat and see to his bodily necessities, Lindon and Orthos remained on the very top of the Transcendent Ruins and cycled. Lindon's blackflame core is going to need another two months of dedicated work to reach Highgold, his pure madra core is at the threshold of Lowgold, Lindon would need to Consume another fifty remnants to push past that threshold, which would be hard to come by while he was in Skysworn captivity. He was almost tempted to do the Consuming and brute force the advancement, but he refrained for two reasons, he no longer has the Ancestor's Spear and he is not willing to reveal his hunger core to anyone in the Desolate Wilds, mostly for the sake of sacred artists here.
If Desolate Wilds sacred artists witnessed it is possible to safely use hunger madra and grow rapidly in strength, they would try it themselves, and that is going to result in a lot of dead sacred artists, even with Lindon's experience and honed will, it takes considerable effort to suppress the impulses induced by hunger madra. From the moment Lindon took hunger madra into one of his cores, Lindon kept a portion of his focus dedicated to keep that hunger madra in check.
Even Dreadgod cultists who know the dangers of hunger madra better than almost anyone, have abysmal success rates in controlling hunger madra. Best to let the Desolate Wilds factions continue to believe it is impossible to use hunger madra safely.
And Lindon advanced to Jade in his hunger core the day before the party led by Jai Long reached the Soulsmith workshop. He would keep it at Jade until he reached the very threshold of Highgold in his other cores.
On the early morning of the fourth day since Lindon exited the Transcendent Ruins, the Skysworn cloudship landed before the Ruins, in a space the Five Factions Alliance specifically cleared for them. They are a day early, thought Lindon. And sedately climbed down the from the top of the Ruins with light jumps.
Even before the Skysworn disembarked their cloudship, Lindon's spiritual sense brushed against them and his eyesight improved by his advancement caught familiar silhouettes.
Bai Rou and Renfei, it seems Fate does have a sense of humour, with that wry thought, Lindon came to stand a bit separate from the leaders of the Five Factions Alliance, waiting for the Skysworn.
Lindon felt the moment Renfei locked in on Orthos's spirit, and Bai Rou's attention shifted to Orthos and Lindon immediately. To seal the deal, Lindon drew upon his blackflame core, his eyes warmed and his lips curved into a half a smile for a moment, then Lindon let the blackflame madra go.
Bai Rou and Renfei bounded towards Lindon and Orthos, with their madra cycling, no doubt they were on the edge of unleashing their Striker techniques.
They stopped at two yards from Lindon and Orthos. Lindon spoke calmly, with head bowed over his pressed together fists, "Apologies, I am Wei Shi Lindon, I follow the Path of the Blackflame, I request you take me into custody. And if it is not too much trouble I ask you give my bonded partner, Orthos, a ride back to Serpent's Grave."
The expressions of pure confusion and stunned amazement on Bai Rou and Renfei's faces would remain with Lindon a long time, and fuel an occasional chuckle.
As befits experienced Skysworn, Bai Rou and Renfei quickly shook off their stupor and Renfei produced halfsilver manacles from a sealed compartment in her armor. And they finally thought to do a deep scan of his madra system, they found two of his cores, but they failed to penetrate the pure madra veil he wrapped tight over his hunger core, it would take someone in Lord realm to pierce that veil.
Lindon took a step towards them and thrust out his hands, and Renfei fastened the manacles tightly on his wrists, shrugging off the discomfort of his spirit for having so much halfsilver so close, Lindon said, "Thank you. Now about that lift for my bonded partner?"
Renfei gritted her teeth and Bai Rou's glower deepened, and Renfei answered, "We know of the Arelius turtle, he will be coming with us too."
Lindon pressed his manacled fists together in a sacred valley salute, and said, "Gratitude!"
The Skysworn and leaders of the Five Factions Alliance looked at Lindon with slightly widened eyes as Lindon started to walk towards the Skysworn cloudship without prompting.
The next few months are going to be very boring, with that thought Lindon boarded the Skysworn cloudship.