“I chased the stench of bandits all over these woods, taking my time to cultivate properly for the first time in many years,” Feng explained with a heavy voice as the campfire crackled. “At first I thought I was seeing signs where there were none. As my energy returned, I thought my mind was perhaps leaving me, but my common sense has been turned on its head. I am sure of what I saw.”
“The limited information I was able to acquire from the bandits we recently encountered confirmed as much, in addition to providing your potential location,” Lena added. “An evil form of cultivation has polluted the culture of these lands.”
“Evil cultivation?” Micro asked. “What makes it evil? Isn’t it the same energy?”
“Perhaps you are correct, but the implications of this, at least for the inhabitants of this fragile world, are rather unpleasant,” Feng continued. “The bandits did not come into such cultivation methods by chance. They did not happen to stumble upon a dungeon and succeed in the mastery of Core Cards by sheer luck. They have been led by forces beyond our comprehension.”
“What forces?” Micro asked.
“Well, the forces I speak of may actually be less mysterious to one with your unique perspective,” Feng said to Micro with a wry smile, but he closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “I’m sure you will find the details of our dilemma beneath you, even boring, but please do try to understand what I say next…”
“I will,” Micro said with a nervous laugh. “I will try, I mean…”
“As you know, there are magicians in this land who have created a hidden society, but they have not stopped at summoning monsters and heroes. No…” Feng shook his head, looking more tired with every moment he dwelled on the matter. “They have passed along terrifying teachings to the mortal bandits of these woods. Who knows where else these teachings have spread?!”
“Master Feng, I can carry on if you are too—” Lena said with concern, but Feng held up his hand to stop her.
“No, I am obliged by rule of honour to recount what I have come to understand about this world,” Feng explained. “The magicians which we have foolishly ignored and underestimated, believing them to be nought but feeble minded fools misguided by some spectre of the night, are in fact a well established cult, and their reach is vast.”
“Magicians are bad,” Micro replied with a questioning look. “Okay, I got that part.”
“The bandits spoke mostly of destroying the world, finding pleasure in the suffering of others, and other such detestable nonsense,” Feng continued. “But among the leaders I fought, many spoke of finding salvation in the Cult of Nora.”
“Oh man…” Micro sighed. “Nora is a bandit now?”
“It would appear that the goddess called Nora has an interest in turning the wretched souls of this world into the mechanism of its destruction,” Feng said. “I have never encountered a sect whose goal was not to empower themselves in some way, even those who seek power through conquest. But those who follow this Cult of Nora are interested in nothing but destruction. It is their pleasure to add to the suffering of this world.”
“Why are you worried about the world though?” Micro asked. “You’re strong enough to take care of the bandit problem. And there are other cultivators who can help you, right?”
“Without context, a single monster or powerful opponent is nothing when weighed against the flow of time. All conflicts are resolved as a matter of course. Such is a rule of nature itself,” Feng answered as though he were reciting a page from a manual he had memorized. “The most powerful cultivators in this world have made it a tradition not to interfere in secular affairs, preferring to allow nature to run its course. But the will of a god is a force with which nature alone cannot compete.”
“Nora said she wanted to help magicians beat cultivators, or something like that…” Micro replied. “But they’re not doing a very good job for the most part, are they?”
“The last immortal to impose their will on this world sought to improve our cultivation,” Feng said, his voice falling to a whisper. “How lucky we were at that time, when one considers what else may have found us…!”
“He made the dungeons and Core Cards!” Micro said, excited to be on the same page as Feng. “After that one guy did the energy thing, and there was that war, and something about—”
“Precisely!” Feng praised Micro before he could ramble further, then continued quickly. “The power of an immortal is unfathomable. And I mean that in the most literal sense. We call them immortals, gods, divine beings… But we do not understand their power. They may alter the course of fate at their whim. As easily as I may wave my hand, they may create or destroy worlds.”
“Wow…” Micro nodded slowly. “That sounds… bad…?”
“And now, one known as a god, for whatever reason…” Feng said quietly, as if afraid to be heard. “Such a being wishes for our destruction.”
“That’s why she sent me, and that other lady…” Micro said. “And the heroes and monsters…”
“That’s right,” Feng replied.
“But if she is so strong, why did she send me?” Micro asked. “Why does she need help?”
“I do not understand why the goddess called Nora would utilize otherworldly souls to destroy the cultivators of this world. Perhaps I could never understand,” Feng said. “But I care more to stop it than to understand it.”
“The empire in its entirety is shaken by the growing culture of magicians who deviate from the traditional path to power in the name of a goddess,” Lena added. “Though most who would call themselves magicians are insignificant fools with mundane interests, unknown threats have begun to appear in every corner of imperial society.”
“That’s why you were looking for me with Azar,” Micro recalled. “I really don’t get it…”
“Are my words unclear?” Feng asked sincerely.
“I just don’t get why everybody fights so much,” Micro said. “I know people can answer that question, but it still seems like such a giant waste of time to me.”
“What simpler means of coexisting could there be?” Lena rolled her eyes. “To grow stronger, we all must challenge ourselves and each other.”
“What’s the point of getting so strong that you can destroy a world?” Micro asked. “Just go for a drive if you have that much free time…”
Lena looked frustrated for a moment, but she restrained her urge to rebuke Micro and thought on his words for a while. She looked up at the night sky through the trees. A purple flash of lightning drew her attention for a moment, and she sighed. Feng seemed surprised by the way she held back, but eventually she spoke with resolve.
“For what you lack in awareness, you have repeatedly made up for in good fortune. Perhaps fortune is not the correct word… You often appear to create your own luck, after all,” Lena said. “Your methods shock and confuse me, but the results of your efforts are undeniable.”
“Thanks, Lena…” Micro smiled. “But why—”
“Please continue to carve your own path through this world,” Lena continued. “You are now strong enough to lead disciples of your own. Knowledge of your cultivation practices may also be of use to the cultivators of the empire one day. If we succeed in emulating your traditions…”
“Wait, what do you—” Micro asked, confused by her solemn tone.
“I would have liked to walk your path a little longer, but I believe I have found an answer now,” Lena said, looking to Feng. “It is time.”
“What answer? What question?”
“I doubted my purpose, as the disciple of a disgraced sect, as a tool of the empire, and as a cultivator,” Lena replied with a bright look in her eyes. “But I see what I must do.”
“I am of the same mind,” Feng said with a tired smile. “The threat is too great, and we have waited too long.”
“We shall journey to the empire’s capital with what we have learned,” Lena said. “The petty politics of my sect feel like a distant memory now.”
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
“Oh, that’s a shame,” Micro replied. “But if you have somewhere important to be, I understand. Is there anything I can help you with? The end of the world sounds pretty serious…”
“Our first challenge will be to reach the ears of the palace…” Feng said with an anxious tone. “There is little precedent for residents of these lands calling upon the forces of the empire.”
“Continue to grow stronger, Master Micro,” Lena said, her tone more stern than encouraging. “The road ahead is long, and your path is your own. I will do what I can to help strengthen the empire against this evil. The investigation has been largely fruitless until now, but the threat is much larger than they could imagine.”
“Those old generals would never imagine a deity empowering enemies of cultivators to such an extent. It will be difficult to convince them,” Feng said with a frown. “Ah… this will take diplomacy…”
“In any case, Master Micro,” Lena continued as the fire between them began to burn low. “We must leave you, for now.”
“Yeah, you sound really busy,” Micro replied. “Thanks for all your help so far. And tell Azar I said hello…”
“I shall carry your sentiments with me, Master Micro,” Lena said with a deep bow, and held the crystal Micro had given her tightly in her hand. “I have benefited greatly from our time together.”
“Oh, here!” Micro said happily, fetching several more crystals from his storage. “Take some extra. You too, Feng!”
“Take care, Micro…” Feng accepted the gift casually at first, but he became speechless as the nature of the objects in his hands became clear. He looked to Lena as if to confirm that he wasn’t mistaken, and she grinned back at him. “We will honour you with our efforts!”
“Thanks, guys,” Micro said, smiling back at them. “Just try and stay safe until our paths cross again!”
~
When morning came, Lena and Feng announced their departure to Kolt, Kira, and Arbur. Kolt looked conflicted, and Kira struggled to hold back her tears as she said goodbye. Lena left them with a long list of cultivation techniques to practice in her absence, warning them that she would know whether or not they practiced diligently the next time they met.
Micro asked Arbur to train with the children while he and Blue continued to clear the road, and their peaceful journey through the forest continued. Blue’s truck needed small repairs occasionally, but she continued to drive it roughly while clearing trees. After several more weeks of winter passed, and the snow grew heavier, Micro wasn’t surprised to hear the familiar sound of Blue laughing victoriously in the distance.
“You lose again, tool!” Blue shouted at Micro, having reached the edge of the forest ahead of him. “You’re buying me so much of that mountain fried beef later! Let’s find more sects with food too!”
“We should head straight to Kel’s sect, or I’ll lose track of what I owe you!” Micro laughed back.
Micro eventually cleared his half of the forest path, meeting Blue at the edge of a snowy field. Arbur and the children appeared behind Micro as he smiled at the snowy plains. The beautiful scene was made surreal by the green and purple flashes of light that continued in the morning sky.
“Wow…” Kira said with a warm smile as she set foot in the deep snow.
“What, did you forget what snow looked like?” Kolt teased her, but she continued to smile.
“It just feels like it’s been so long since I saw it,” she replied as a feeling of calmness filled her. “I wondered if I’d ever see this much sky again too…”
“It does feel good to get out of the forest after a long walk,” Arbur agreed. “Those woods have a way of getting to you after a while…”
Micro was happy to hear that his friends were feeling better, but the odd lights in the sky were becoming more frequent. A particularly bright flash of purple light caught Micro’s attention, and a shiver climbed up his spine. He thought he sensed chaos energy for a moment, but he couldn’t be certain.
“Is that normal?” Micro asked Arbur, pointing at the sky. “It’s getting brighter, isn’t it?”
“There may be powerful cultivators doing battle somewhere in the heavens,” Arbur replied. “It is a common enough sight. Now, what is our destination, master?”
“Oh, alright. Well, I still want to extend the road to the western edge of these woods, but there’s something I want to see first,” Micro replied. “We’ll get there pretty quickly if we go straight from here.”
“Understood, Master Micro,” Arbur said with a bow. With both hands, he quickly pushed the children’s heads down, looking at them anxiously. “Your sect leader made a declaration. Acknowledge his words.”
“Ah, yes. Yes, master!” Kira quickly joined Arbur with her hands in front of her.
“Oh—okay, master…” Kolt added awkwardly.
“Ah, don’t worry about that, Arbur,” Micro said, waving his hand with a sigh. “Just follow me if you don’t have anywhere else to be.”
“Yes, master!” Arbur said, repeating his gesture.
“Alright…” Micro shrugged, the turned his attention to the plains ahead of him. “Oh, let’s practice something my friend taught me.”
“What might that be?” Arbur asked.
“Fill up your legs with energy like this…” Micro explained, channelling energy steadily to his legs. “Can you do that yet? Take your time with—”
“I’ll try!” Kira was the first to reply, and soon the three disciples were concentrating.
“Hey, farm tool!” Blue called out. “Check this out!”
“Be careful—” Micro mumbled as he turned to see Blue drifting in circles, kicking up clouds of snow. “Never mind…”
~
Arbur was the first to channel a stable current of energy to his legs, having had plenty of experience with such techniques. Kira followed soon after, excited to jump around with her newfound strength. With Trill’s assistance, Kolt eventually succeeded in strengthening his legs. Some of Lena’s teaching had prepared them for the technique, and Micro enjoyed their excitement.
They ran for hours, until the sun had risen high in the sky the following day, poking out on occasion from behind the clouds which continued to coat the world below in a fluffy layer of snow. Although their pace was inconsistent, the children soon enjoyed running faster than they could have previously imagined possible. Micro wished he could see their delighted faces, but he was concentrating fully on the uneven ground. The snow hid many rocks and holes, and it wasn’t long after they started running when Micro fell flat on his face, followed quickly by Kolt and Kira, who had been running closely behind him.
“Ha!” Blue laughed as she drove by.
“Are you alright, master?!” Arbur asked, having jumped safely over them.
“Yes…” Micro answered. The three of them were covered in snow, but he was pleased to see the fine robes they wore were waterproof. He worried about Arbur, who only wore looted bandits’ clothing over his old tattered serpent sect robes.
CRACK
“Woah!” Micro shielded his eyes as a purple flash of lightning suddenly filled his vision. Through his fingers, he saw the blue and white sky had turned completely purple.
“Get down!” Arbur shouted, but Micro and the children were already half buried in snow.
BOOM
A deafening impact shook the snowy ground, preventing Micro from finding his balance. As he fell back to the ground by the startled children, another impact rattled him. He heard the muffled voice of Blue approaching.
“Trill!” Blue screamed. “The boys!”
“Got it,” Trill replied, and flew out of Kolt’s pocket. He flew in front of Kolt and Arbur, grabbed the two by their sleeves, and pulled them forward as hard as he could. They all flew several meters in the blink of an eye. Trill grimaced as his energy quickly depleted.
“Micro, the girl!” Blue shouted to Micro next.
Without time to think, Micro grabbed Kira’s arm with his left hand. Blue landed on his shoulder, and he immediately felt the uncomfortable sensation of being pulled through space.
BOOM
Blue teleported the three of them away from the place they had fallen, and he looked back to see a ball of purple fire hit the ground. The heat turned the snow to steam, burning his skin despite the Core Cards which made his skin tougher than iron.
Kolt gasped as the heat of the fire caught up with him. Kira screamed and buried her face in her sleeve. Micro tried to raise a shield of energy, but the explosions made it impossible for him to concentrate. He felt helpless.
“More incoming!” Blue shouted.
“Woah—” In a daze, Micro looked up and saw even more fireballs descending on the planes. He wished for a place to hide, and his brain began to search for an answer.
“A dungeon…!” Micro mumbled, unable to hear his own voice.
“What?!” Blue shouted.
“There was a dungeon…!” Micro wheezed. He was disoriented by the explosions, but he remembered the general direction of the dungeon he had seen once before. Kel had prevented him from jumping into it, but it seemed like a safe place to hide now. “Over there…!”
“I see two, I think!” Blue reported as the explosions continued. She frowned as she scanned the horizon with glowing eyes. “It’s blurry!”
“Whichever is closest!” Micro shouted back.
“Got it!” Blue nodded, and pointed ahead.
A green light flashed in the sky, and Micro forced himself to his feet. He picked Kira up in both arms, and glanced to his right to see Trill dragging Kolt and Arbur through the air in the direction Blue was pointing.
“How far?!” Micro shouted. The snow beneath his feet became a swamp of slush and mud as he ran. Micro focused on reaching the dungeon as the heat of the fires around him became unbearable.
“There!” Blue shouted as they came over a small hill. The steam obscured their vision, but he could feel the energy of a dungeon ahead.
Micro vaguely recalled the shape of a feather in the amber portal which he had stumbled upon before, though it wasn’t quite visible yet. He began to consider a means of protecting Kolt and Kira from the pressure of the dungeon once they entered. A simple shield may be enough, but the Turtle Art may be necessary. Kel had been wary of the dungeon, but he didn’t seem scared of it, so it couldn’t have been too dangerous. Micro was optimistic that he wouldn’t be separated from the children as they entered. They were only steps away from the dungeon, and Kolt and Arbur were no longer conscious, their bodies both covered in terrible burns. Kira continued to scream as the fires closed in on them. Micro was ready to jump, but he saw Blue hovering in front of him, not moving.
“What’s wrong—” Micro shouted, but he saw the worried look on her face. He looked down, and knew the reason for her hesitation.
“Uh-oh…” Blue mumbled with a wry smile.
“That’s red…” Micro said with a blank expression.
BOOM
Another fireball hit the ground ahead of them. Micro looked up at Blue. She looked back, and shook her head.
“We don’t move, we die, boss!” Trill shouted.
“Oh no…” Micro looked down at Kira, and his feet began to move before he could think. Blue followed with a shrug, accompanied by Trill, who was still doing his best not to drop Arbur and Kolt.
As the steam around them turned to smoke and sparks, there was no time to hesitate. Blue looked content, though her usual playful smile was absent. Micro braced himself for the sensation he had grown familiar with, as his vision was filled with the red glow of the ruby level dungeon portal. But he felt nothing at all.
