Miria awoke to the ruffling sounds of someone close to her, her sight blurry as the room smelled of some minty essence. She blinked rapidly, finding her head cool, compared to the blazing inferno that had blossomed to life the moment she had been struck down by the aura of the Highlord.

  It had felt like a predator clamping its jaws around her throat and biting down with raw force. Her body had shut down completely and her mind felt like it had shattered even as her spirit screamed in agony. The last thing she had seen was Tunde standing in the distance, facing down the tier 4 and tier 5 Highlord Kugan.

  Her eyes snapped open at that, sitting up as she felt dizzy.

  “Miria!” Ani’s voice came so close to her, holding her before she tumbled off the side of the bed.

  “You can’t get up that quickly!; your body is too weak for that” she chided timidly.

  Miria winced, grabbing her head as she groaned. The light from outside the window pierced her eyes roughly even as she clenched them tightly, groaning as she swallowed painfully.

  “Tunde” she croaked.

  “He’s well, you’ve been asleep for close to two days now” Ani replied.

  Miria gestured at the windows, Ani closing them as darkness permeated the room. She felt the stabbing pain in her eyes recede as she blinked tearily, feeling the dizziness reduce. The girl handed her a cup of water, Miria draining it with a grateful sigh of relief and pleasure. Her throat felt like rough sand and she hadn’t even realized it till she was draining another cup.

  Panting softly, she watched as Ani stared at her with concern.

  “How do you feel now?” she asked.

  Miria was about to reply when her stomach growled.

  “Right, food” Ani whispered chidingly to herself, springing off the bed and dashing out of the room.

  It felt like her insides were feasting on themselves, perhaps that was the cause of her dizziness. Miria lay back on the bed with a sigh, her mind rushing through the entire line of events that had taken place in a rush. She was now a lord, two affinities, she possessed a core of her own now.

  Those were words of joy, she had advanced, and then she had experienced hell in its purest of forms. Just the thought of what they had seen out there almost caused her to retch, grateful for her stomach to be empty. The lifeless eyes, the broken bodies and the gore field strongholds.

  While she had no love for the bandits of the wastelands, even they did not deserve that sort of cruel fate. Her core sat within her, filled to the brim with her concept, a perfect blend of shadow and ink Ethra. She could feel its power coursing through her Ethra lines and she found herself smiling.

  She was no longer weak, not by a long mile, and yet the memory of what the Highlord had simply done to her with a mere look had the smile on her face being wiped away.

  Ani entered the room along with two maids who seemed surprised at the closed windows for a second before dropping the large bowls of food on the bed next to her and retreating as well. Miria grabbed the latch of one window, opening it a bit as sunlight filtered in just a little.

  Her initial reaction to the light had reduced and she could see the contents of the bowl. Surprise on her face at the rich soup filled with all sorts of meat and a bowl of brown rice to the side.

  “We have brown rice now?” she asked hoarsely.

  Ani nodded enthusiastically.

  “The master of the imperial clan brought along so many resources that Lady Ryka has turned the entirety of the fields outside the settlement into a farming plantation” Ani said with a bright smile.

  Miia though froze, Ani realizing what she said.

  “a master?” she asked.

  Ani nodded.

  “Yes, where to start from” she replied thoughtfully.

  “I’d advise when we left,” Miria said with a slight smile.

  “No branch clan came, it was the master of the main clan, the Highlord’s sister along with a sizeable force of the imperial army and three members of the great clans themselves” Ani started.

  Miria found each word coming out of Ani’s mouth sounding more ludicrous by the second. A master at the border of the empire, not only that; but members of the four great clans along with the imperial army?.

  Ani continued.

  “Apparently Highlord Varis informed the imperial clan that we required even more supplies. Ethereon, elixirs, pills, food and raw seeds to plant, we got them all”

  Miria was busy digging into the food, pleasantly surprised to feel the vitality Ethra infused in the food soothing her body.

  “we’ve barely gotten through the ship of the baron” Miria noted.

  “Yes, but it means that we won’t need an alchemist for the foreseeable future” Ani replied with a bright smile.

  Her optimism was infectious, but Miria knew better than to think all those were given for free. She had spent some time close to the central plains of the empire and knew better than to think that such a hefty number of resources were bestowed upon them out of the goodness of the empire’s cold dead heart.

  “What did they ask in return?” she asked.

  “What?” Ani asked, confused.

  Miria sighed.

  “nevermind” she replied, she would find out from Lady Ryka.

  “You were almost dead you know,” Ani said, her voice trembling as Miria paused, glancing at her.

  Your body was cold and your eyes lifeless, it was only the mercy of the Highlord who somehow kept you alive till we got back to black rock” she continued.

  Mia was unsure of what to do, dropping the food as she held Ani’s hands, the girl clenching it tight, unwilling to let go.

  “When Sera landed at our gates screaming Tunde’s name, the Highlord had the swan up in the air in the next few minutes, everyone of importance onboard as we raced in the direction he pointed to, the master at his side” she continued.

  “We weren’t sure what we were staring at, I wasn’t to be honest, till I saw you lying there on the ground, Tunde over you, eyes alight as he cut down those…things that surrounded you both” she whispered.

  “Corespawns” Miria replied calmly, Ani nodding.

  “Yes, Corespawns” she sniffled.

  “And even when we brought you back, the Highlord said the aura attack might have dangerous consequences, that you might not be the same again”

  Miria smiled.

  “I look fine to me though, don’t you think?” she asked as Ani gave a slight chuckle.

  “There’s no way I’m dying and leaving you all alone, understand?” she added as the timid girl nodded gently.

  It was somewhat encouraging to find out that she hadn’t lost that innocence of hers, but Miria wondered just for how long?. They separated as Ani wiped her eyes, sniffling.

  “Tunde was here a few hours ago, everyone was. He came to check up on you before departing, saying something about training with the Highlord for the upcoming duel” she said.

  Miria raised her eyebrow.

  “Duel?” she asked as Ani bobbed her head.

  “Yes, to decide if we’ll become a lesser sect of the empire” she replied.

  Miria closed her eyes as she exhaled.

  “Where is Lady Ryka?” she asked gently.

  ******************************

  It had taken her a short while to finish her meal and assure Ani that she was alright. Grabbing her void ring and her weapon that had been cleaned, no doubt by Ani and headed out. The first place she headed for was Lady Ryka’s office, stopping short of the large wall that now separated the stronghold from the large growing districts around it.

  She frowned, staring at the guards that lined the walls who patrolled. Tapping on her blade strapped to her side for a few seconds before deciding to sneak her way into the stronghold. She paused at the thought, wondering why she’d need to do so before just shrugging. It was the need to test herself against the guards she could sense were lords as well.

  The shadows they cast were long and as she attempted to activate her technique; she felt a hand on her shoulder that caused her to pause.

  “If you’re about to attempt what I suspect you’re about to attempt, then I’d suggest you stop,” the male voice said as she found Harun at her side.

  A soft smile was on his face as he hugged her, Miria suddenly aware of the eyes of the guards on them.

  “Those bastards have some of the quickest reflexes and aura scanning ability I’ve ever seen before” he whispered in her ear before they separated.

  “It is good to see you again!” he said aloud.

  “Now please, come, lady Ryka has been waiting for you!” he added as he held her hand and dragged her close.

  Together they covered the remaining distance to the wall, the two guards in front of the door training their eyes on them.

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  “HALT!” they both said, aura lacing their voice.

  Miria almost found her hand drifting to her blade subconsciously, the aura triggering the memory of Kugan even as she clamped it down, a forced smile on her face.

  “Greetings, you know me, she’s also an elder of the settlement,” Harun said with a forced grin.

  The guard on the left snorted; as if the sound of a lord being an elder sounded so ludicrous. The right turned his gaze on her, eyeing her.

  “We haven’t seen her here before,” he said, his voice like steel.

  Miria noticed the way his fingers clenched around his pole blade as he stared hard at her.

  “that’s because she was one of the lords that we rescued outside the walls of the settlement” Harun found himself saying with gritted teeth.

  Miria narrowed her gaze at the guard who stared at her disdainfully.

  “Oh, you,” he said.

  “Oh me what?” she bit back as Harun clenched her hands.

  “Now, let’s not antagonize one of the nice imperial guards who bravely risked themselves to come save you,” he said.

  The guard glanced at him.

  “at least he knows to respect your betters, you on the other hand, if you weren’t so uncouth and weak, wouldn’t have placed the esteemed Highlord and master at risk to come save you” he said.

  Miria began to cycle her Ethra, the guard leering at her when Harun sighed, stepping forward and bowing at the guard. Miria froze, both guards confused.

  “I apologize” he started.

  “Clearly, we rankers of the wastelands cannot compare to the esteemed rankers of the lightning army of the empire. We do not have access to the best elixirs or cultivation manuals or even fighting techniques and styles as you all have”

  The guards looked uncomfortable now, the one on the right clearing his throat as he frowned, aware of the gazes of the guards atop the walls being drawn to them now.

  “there’s no need to do all that,” he said carefully, clearing his throat again.

  “Thank you, esteemed lord!” Harun said with a cheerful smile before the guard on the left opened the doors.

  As Harun bowed again, Miria saw the cold hard frozen anger in his eyes as compared to the fake smile on his face and said nothing as both passed through the doors. They made their way with quick steps towards the stronghold itself in silence.

  The two guards also at the doors of the stronghold opened it without a word, the both of them passing through into the familiar hallways of the building.

  “You shouldn’t have done that,” she said calmly.

  Harun gave no reply for a few seconds before speaking.

  “Ever since they arrived, it’s like we’ve been back under the rule of the Verdan clan again,” he said.

  “From the imperial siblings to the heirs of the great clan to even the army rankers. They all like to remind us of just how weak and uncivilized we are as compared to them” he replied with clenched fists.

  Miria glanced back at the closed doors as Harun continued.

  “They make us wear these now,” he said, removing a thin metal medallion hanging on his chest with a piece of rope.

  “Wooden carved ones for the ordinary citizens and metal for us, to signify our place within the hierarchy so far as they are here” he added.

  Miria noticed the wooden medallions being worn by the people who lined up to obtain things from the requisition hall where elder Wren would no doubt be.

  “In our own home?” Miria said with disgust.

  Harun shrugged.

  “They own black rock,” he simply said as they began climbing the steps to the second floor where Lady Ryka’s quarters lay.

  The door to her abode remained the same, Miria grateful that at least no major changes had come to that. Harun opened it after a short knock, the both of them entering to see the lady seated with Draven, Isolde, Giselle and Lady Ming.

  Surprised looks etched on their faces as they saw her, Giselle was the first to get up, hugging her tightly.

  “Thank the hegemons you’re fine” she said audibly.

  “Miria, you’re a sight for sore eyes” Draven proclaimed as Isolde hugged her next.

  She bowed her head at Elder Ming and Ryka, the both of them beaming smiles at her.

  “Well, this solves your aura problems,” Ming said.

  Miria’s eyes strayed to the box curiously, aware of the crest of the imperial clan on it.

  “what’s that?” she asked calmly.

  “Either our salvation or debt” Ryka replied.

  “Is this related to the duels?” she asked as Ryka nodded,

  “No doubt Ani filled you in” Ryka replied.

  “I want in” Miria found herself blurting out.

  The room paused as they stared at her curiously.

  “You just got back from that experience out there,” Giselle said calmly.

  “No,” Miria said as she frowned.

  “I see what you’re about to do, but no. Tunde never lied, the things I saw out there” she continued as she shuddered.

  “We will need to be at our best for what will come” she finished.

  Lady Ming stared at her before glancing at Ryka who nodded.

  “Very well, we’ll need to take it up with the imperial sibling but fine, two lords to our advantage then” Ryka replied.

  “We need you to shroud this room with your aura,” Ming said softly.

  Miria was seemingly puzzled as to why but complied all the same, her aura spreading out, encompassing the entire room. It was like the sun had vanished, pure darkness covered the room, so much so that Harun whistled.

  “This is what lords can do?” he asked in awe.

  “No, just shadow affinity specialists, isn’t that right Miria?” Ming asked.

  They could see each other, and the chest in front of them somehow. Perhaps it was due to Miria's affinity, but she gazed at the elder who seemed to look into her.

  “Where did you get the affinity crystal from anyways?” Isolde asked her.

  “Tunde, he gave it to me” she replied.

  “Probably from one of the lords that attacked him during your run to the baron” Ryka suggested.

  Miria noticed elder Ming’s eyes still on her as she spoke.

  “He got in from one of the assassins who attacked him, some shadow assassin of some sort” she explained.

  Lady Ming said nothing after, simply nodding as all their gazes went to the chest.

  “We petitioned the Highlord for help through Tunde, and he gave us this…. chest,” Ryka said.

  “What do we owe for this?” Miria asked, dreading the answer.

  “Our very lives it would seem” Ryka replied.

  Miria sighed.

  “We originally gathered all the coin we had; and offered it to him, but apparently the Highlord would rather stake his reputation on us than collect our measly funds” she added.

  “He really thinks we can do it, defeat heirs of the great clans?” Miria asked.

  Ming chuckled as she shook her head.

  “No, in fact, I won’t be surprised if this was just some sort of amusement for them to pass the time with till the king attacks” she answered.

  Miria frowned.

  “Well then, we’ll just have to prove them wrong” she replied as Ryka opened the box.

  It was a vault chest, that much Miria could see as Ryka tapped the crest that acted as a latch and the box opened up. Within it, arranged in smooth rows were books, crystals and pills., the raw energy pouring from the chest had her aura trembling heavily.

  Lady Ming abruptly closed the chest as all eyes fell on her, a look of concentration on her face.

  “I should have said this earlier, but I’ll say it now as a form of warning” she started.

  “Affinity crystals are…tricky, they are sources of power, true, but they can also change you” she added.

  “Change you?” Giselle asked cautiously.

  Ming nodded, glancing at Miria.

  “Have you felt different since when you absorbed the shadow affinity crystal?” she asked.

  Miria blinked at her, shaking her head.

  “Not really, nothing except the strength of becoming a lord,” she said.

  “Maybe, we’ll see with time” she replied before gazing at the rest.

  “But I want you to realize that you need to have a sense of yourself, hold on to it. lord stage is called the true point of cultivation by the general world, but it is also the point where your ego begins to shape itself and hence your personalities” she explained.

  “If you don’t have a strong sense of self, you will find yourself bending to the whims of your concept. It’s like how blood affinity users suddenly find themselves as warmongering cultivators that if not handled properly become disasters” Ming finished.

  “Well, that was scary,” Draven said as the rest chuckled.

  “Thank you, elder Ming, we’ll hold on to your words carefully” she replied.

  The elder relaxed back on her chair as Ryka opened the chest again, grabbing the first affinity crystal. The air around them suddenly felt like deadly edges, the sharpness ringing out as Ryka spoke.

  “Blade affinity Ethra” she whispered.

  She handed it over to Harun who looked like he was obtaining a priceless heirloom, and it could be. He immediately placed it inside his void ring for good measure, the silver and white crystal taking along with it the pressure of the blade in the air.

  Draven shuddered; Isolde rubbed his arm soothingly. Below it was what looked like a book, the image of a man painted in ink holding a blade in hand and what looked like swirling water around him.

  “The ebbing tide blade manual” Ryka read out as her eyes widened.

  The gravity of what she held in her hand settled on them.

  “Is that an entire sword cultivation technique manual?” Ming said, surprise in her voice.

  Prized possessions of sects and cans, manuals were the culmination of their knowledge of their sect or clan’s fighting style, and the Highlord has simply given them one.

  “The drifting sea sect” Ming muttered as she stared at the name written in smaller but legible writing beneath it.

  “you’ve heard of them?” Ryka asked.

  “no” Ming replied, shaking her head.

  “But if he’s giving us the manual that would no doubt contain the imbuement, projection and dominion techniques as well as the concept cultivation methods of the said sect, then it can only mean there will be no political ramifications if it gets out that someone is using said cultivation art,” Ming said.

  “Meaning the sect is no more” Ryka whispered carefully, as if afraid someone outside of their gathering would hear those words.

  Ming reclined again on the chair.

  “Well, this is as much a boon as it is a warning to us, the words crystal clear” she added.

  “don’t fail” Miria said as the elder nodded.

  Ryka handed over the manual to Harun who collected it with reverence, hand firm but gentle on it as he sent it into his void ring as well. With the realization of just what lay within the chest now, Ryka set to it with fervour.

  Two Ethra affinity crystals filled with a perfect blend of water and blade affinities that elder Ming remarked were mid-grade and quite expensive also went into the possession of a more than overwhelmed Harun.

  The next was Isolde who got a blade affinity crystal as well, along with a manual and two Ethra affinity crystals filled with a blend of air and blade crystals as well. On and on, it went for the core members of the gathering, even Draven a well. As they got to the bottom of the chest, Ryka’s hands going through the spatial ripple, she brought out a black manual, the entire room’s gaze on it.

  It only had two sentences written on its body, Miria staring at it as if entranced.

  “The twilight sword technique, the Shadai clan” she read out.

  “This clan I know of,” Ming said gravely.

  They turned to her as she stared at the book, hesitation in her gaze.

  “a long time ago, mostly just a footnote in the history scrolls somewhere within the knowledge halls of the capital itself lays the story of the first attempt of a clan at removing the Talahan family from power” she started.

  “The Shadai clan had been one of the most influential clans at the start of the empire itself, amassing such wealth that they were the great clan, or so the books said”

  “What happened?” Draven asked as Isolde smacked him scoldingly.

  “Apparently, the patriarch of the clan then had the bright idea to depose the current emperor and patriarch, colluding with four other clans to do so. It would have succeeded, except the four clans decided to throw their lots in with the patriarch of the imperial clan, exposing the Shadai clan” Ming said.

  “It had been a bloodbath, the entire clan wiped out so thoroughly that only the higher echelons of the clans that betrayed them are aware of them along with a few knowledge holders like I am”

  “Is it safe to speak about it like this?” Ryka asked with concern.

  Ming waved her hand.

  “I’m hundreds of thousands of miles from the central plains not to talk of the capital itself, it doesn’t matter what happened nearly four hundred years ago here” she replied.

  “Why would he give us this then?” Giselle asked, eyes on Miria who stared at the manual.

  “Within it would no doubt either be the mid-grade techniques of the clan, something the enemies of the empire would no doubt covet,” Ming said.

  “Those clans, do they still exist now?” Isolde asked.

  Ming blinked at her.

  “of course, we now know them as the four great clans” she replied.

  That weight settled on the room as Miria spoke.

  “it’s a challenge,” she said as all eyes turned to her, Ming nodding appreciatively.

  “And are you going to take it?” she asked.

  “Someone explain for us ignorant people,” Harun said.

  “If the heirs of the clans around focused during their lessons, they would no doubt recognize the technique if she uses it” Ming said.

  “But it makes no sense, she doesn’t use blade affinity,” Giselle said.

  Ming shrugged.

  “Doesn’t matter, she could imitate it to the best of her abilities, it’s the technique that matters” she replied.

  “He wants to know if you’ll be participating in the duel,” Ryka said with a realization.

  “Once again he’s one step ahead of us,” Draven said with a frown.

  “Indeed, along with three shadow and blade affinity crystals as well as a sealed note,” Ryka said as she drew them out.

  Words were scribbled on the exterior of the note.

  “Should you decide to participate, break the seal”

  “That doesn’t sound ominous at all,” Isolde said with a sigh.

  “Before you accept, think of what this means” Ming cautioned.

  “Not only would the great clans be aware, but they would send people after you, a silent target would be painted on your back. You may be relatively safe here, but should you step foot outside black rock you must continually look over your shoulders” she finished.

  Miria stared at the items in the arms of Lady Ryka, the suddenness of what happened still weighed on her. She had barely settled as a lord, now she would have access to the cultivation art of an entire clan. It seemed too good to be true, and yet, here it was, she sighed, taking the note as she broke the seal.

  They watched it dissolve into ink and scribble itself on the note.

  “Come see me”

  Draven chuckled.

  “Ominous enough for you now?” he said to Isolde.

  Miria frowned.