Elder Cultivator

With painstaking slowness, fine lines were carved into the surface of the rock. Runes formed one at a time, developing into a fabulous tapestry coating the surface. It sparkled with perfection, the energy in the area bending to its whims. Then Catarina smashed it, exploding it into powder.

“Your attempts not going well?” Timothy asked, walking in from nearby.

“This technique is garbage and I hate it,” Catarina said.

“Difficult to learn?”

“I’m pretty sure I’ve been bamboozled,” Catarina frowned. “None of it works.”

“So?” Timothy shrugged, “Probably takes more practice. How long did it take Everheart to learn it?”

“... I don’t know,” Catarina admitted.

“You were probably meant to not understand it at all,” Timothy said, “But then you at least understood the idea. Everheart answered questions you had, right?”

“Yeah but… I thought I understood, but I don’t.”

“Same here,” Timothy said. He drew her into a hug. “Sometimes, it just takes longer. What are you in a hurry for?”

“Grandpa needs our help,” Catarina sighed, “And the continents.”

Timothy nodded slowly, “Let’s say we discount the part where Anton just won a war, and they do need us to help. What can we do? And when do we have to be ready by?”

“I don’t know and… something like a century…”

“Or two,” Timothy pat her on the head. “We’ve only cultivated for one, and we’re already here. Don’t let your distorted view of time take you over. We have time. We need time. It’s more valuable to us than people twice our age. Or more.”

“... I wish I could hear his voice,” Catarina said.

“That sounds like a nearly impossible project,” Timothy said. “Transmitting voice between worlds? It will have to keep a recording of it, of course. The time restrictions make that a requirement. I look forward to it.”

Catarina was still technically leaned against him, but she was no longer really there. Instead, Timothy knew she was off in her own world… thinking about formations and how they might accomplish what she wanted. Though it was hardly different from what she had just been doing, a different task could provide the much-needed distraction. And maybe he’d be able to convince her to work in a proper laboratory environment instead of out in a field. They were still on Gaoliv, after all.

Some time later- Timothy didn’t bother keeping track of whether it was minutes or hours- Catarina straightened herself, pulling out of his grasp. “This would be easier if there were more of me.”

“Yeah,” Timothy nodded, grinning, “I suppose so. But there’s only one like you.”

“There could be more, though,” Catarina said, her face serious.

“No.” Timothy said the word not as a denial of the possibility, but more along the lines of an order- or at least guidance. “That’s a bad idea.”

“But what if-”

“Projections capable of the necessary level of thought wouldn’t be safe,” Timothy reminded her. “Or ethical.”

“I guess,” Catarina said. “Maybe if they were proper extensions of me, somehow?”

“Is that really the first thing you should be working on?” Timothy asked.

“What else is there…?” Catarina tilted her head. “Oh, we still have a bunch of swords to refit.”

“I don’t need another one,” Timothy pointed out. “So one for you. We could sell the others, but some might prefer they still had the markings of the Harmonious Citadel.”

“What about Chikere?”

“She’d definitely want them to be obvious. So that people would come attack her.”

“I just meant we should try to get in contact with her. And maybe sell or give her the swords, I suppose.”

“That’s in the wrong direction, though. Alva said it wasn’t far from Harmonious Citadel territory.”

“That is a bit uncomfortable. For her, and Vari.” Catarina looked off into the distance, “Speaking of which, they messed her up pretty badly, huh?”

“She seems happy, at least,” Timothy said. “I’m not sure if that’s better, though.”

-----

“What do you mean we’re not going back?” Vari complained.

“I already told you. I don’t want to be inducted into a cult.”

“It’s not a cult!” Vari said. “Well, I mean, it is kind of a religious organization, but it’s different.”

“How is it different?” Alva asked. “They draw you in and then entrap you in a cycle where you can’t leave.”

“That’s not true.”

“Isn’t it?” Alva raised an eyebrow.

“We left.”

“We escaped,” Alva corrected. “And they’re probably going to send people to kill us.”

“Don’t be silly. They only send the inquisitors after heretics. And I’m not…” Vari’s face turned pale. “Did you turn me into a heretic?”

“Relax,” Alva said. “They might just assume we’re dead. We did land on Everheart’s Tomb after all.”

“It’s hard to believe someone like that died,” Vari said.

“Yeah,” Alva nodded.

“He seemed like he was very powerful.”

“Yeah,” Alva agreed. “Wait, was? You think he’s dead?”

“Isn’t that what tombs are for?”

“... I don’t think you know anything about Everheart.”

“Yes,” Vari agreed. “Except what I learned from visiting. And maybe I heard some things about him before that? None of it was very nice though.”

“Yeah,” Alva continued to nod. “Everyone agrees on that. Listen, I’ll have you know this isn’t his first Tomb. By a long shot.”

“Really?” Vari frowned, “But you just ascended. I haven’t heard of any others, how could you?”

Alva was already keeping their conversation private with her energy, but she made doubly sure. “That’s because he’s originally from our world,” Alva said.

“Everheart is from a lower world?” Vari’s eyes widened. “That’s impossible!”

“Why?” Alva asked. “Because places like the Harmonious Citadel hog all the resources so it’s difficult for anyone else to cultivate?”

“They need those to award to the most talented prospects,” Vari said. There was obviously more, but Alva interrupted.

“Let me guess… all of them are friends or family of the saints?”

“Of course not. Favored disciples are chosen from among the entire Harmonious Citadel. Most people never even get to meet a saint.”

“Don’t need to meet them to bribe them,” Alva said. “Anyway, back to the other thing. Everheart put dozens of those things in our world. Smaller, of course. A bit less deadly, probably. But it’s definitely him. And he doesn’t have the issue of resources and backing because he steals from… everyone, I’m pretty sure. People hate that guy.”

“Even you?” Vari asked. “Despite him being a powerful figure from your world?”

“Who cares if he was strong? He’s still an asshole. And that’s all people will remember him for.” Alva frowned deeply. “Say, you know about devotion, right?”

“To some extent,” Vari said. “I wasn’t aware that people could see it…”

“Is there like, an opposite of that?”

“I don’t think so,” Vari tilted her head, “Wouldn’t that just mean people not devoted to others would drain energy from them? That’s… even as great as the saints are, there are many more people not under their shelter.”

“I was just wondering if there’s like… hate-votion,” Alva shrugged. “Because that seems like exactly the sort of thing Everheart would get a lot of mileage from.”

“I understand that some people don’t like him,” Vari said. “But is he really that bad?”

“I’m pretty sure he’s one of the top enemies of everyone who has ever interacted with him. Including your Harmonious Citadel. He definitely stole a statue of their previous spear saint and then you guys covered it up to hide the shame.”

“That doesn’t- ugh, I don’t think I’ll be able to convince you of that. But are you sure people hate Everheart?”

“Why don’t you just ask?” Alva waved around her, to the city of Shoumond where they were staying. “Lots of people passing through here. You’ll get plenty of opinions.”

“Maybe I will,” Vari nodded.

-----

A day later, Vari returned to talk with Alva. “Are you sure Everheart is just one person? He seems to have been very… busy.”

“No,” Alva said.

“But he was! It takes a lot of effort to anger both the Trigold Cluster and the Exalted Quadrant. They’re quite distant from each other! It would take years just to interact with both.”

“I meant no to the first thing. He might be multiple people,” Alva shrugged, “Though in that case, very consistent. I think he’s just an overachiever.”

“... I asked about the spear saint,” Vari said, her head hanging down. “People said… that she died. And was replaced by the current one.”

“That’s how lines of succession work,” Alva pointed out.

“But I never heard about it!” Vari complained. “Maybe people here are wrong? They don’t know anything firsthand.”

“Neither do you,” Alva said. “... Want to take a look at some cultivation techniques?”

“Why?” Vari asked. “The Holy Harmony Technique is at the top of all techniques.”

“Let’s say it is,” Alva nodded. “It’s still good to study others, observe their strengths and flaws. Trust me, I know this. I did reach Ascension- Integration, after all.”

“It would be foolish of me to turn down the cultivation advice of a senior. Even though you look so young, your cultivation surpasses mine.”

“Yeah well,” Alva shrugged, “I am like a hundred and twenty.”

Vari choked slightly. “B-b-b-b-but t-that’s… younger than me! And I’m still far from Integration…”

Alva shrugged, “Then you won’t want to hear about all my friends. And my wolf.”

-----

“We need to go back,” Catarina said to everyone but Vari, gathered together. “Maybe not right away, but…” she pulled out the formation plate found in the strange ruins. “This is connected somehow. There are mysteries beneath Everheart’s Tomb. I’ve gone over what I found from the Great Hall. No doubt other locations of interest have something similar. The Labyrinth… I admit I was too focused to check, but there should be more. Though making it too obvious might be an issue. We should wait… at least a year or two,” Catarina shrugged.

“I wish we could establish a foothold here,” Hoyt said, “But we’re lacking in numbers, and resources to some extent. Integration isn’t bad, but against a planet-sized sect with hundreds of Life Transformation cultivators, it hardly matters.”

“Unless they have to come to us,” Catarina said. “Though I will admit it would require significant expenditures to create a worthy defensive formation. Which is probably a bit ambitious for our first years here. Why don’t we… do something else? Like look for Fuzz.”

“Thanks, but…” Alva shook her head. “It’s kind of vague. We don’t even have any leads.”

“We can just take missions to gain influence with different sects,” Hoyt said. “Bringing us to different locales, perhaps on someone else’s budget. Then we have Catarina do her thing, and worst case scenario we familiarize ourselves with the area and gain a foothold.”

Alva nodded slowly. “It’s just… crazy to go from being at the top, to just one of many.”

“I think our rise to power made us quite fortunate. We did not linger long, building up terrible habits. It would be good to get in contact with further allies. Kseniya has ascended. Though spending all our time meeting up with allies might be inefficient, learning enough about the upper realms so that people can come to us with minimal risk…” Hoyt shrugged. “We chose to continue on and we find ourselves here. I fully believe we can do whatever we set our mind to. With time, and help.”

-----

Several years passed, slipping through Anton’s grasp like wind. Though if he truly wanted to, he could stop the wind now, at least to some extent. Time was something he had no control over, though in truth he didn’t want it to stand still. The world only meant things when something happened, and remaining static was just… meaningless. People were meant to be born, to grow, and even to die when their time came.

As far as dying went, Anton was glad that there weren’t too many extras. The peace with the Exalted Archipelago had properly lasted, instead of collapsing after a year or two like he had feared. While the glut of people ascending from the Order of One Hundred Stars had thinned somewhat, Ceretos still had people ascending regularly. Catarina had invested in keeping people in contact, though some of the methods were more primitive than what the Order used internally.

They still had no contact with some of their former friends. Chikere and Vandale, for example, were difficult to contact. News about them came thirdhand, but the fact that it existed at least indicated they were alive. And that other people weren’t, but the Harmonious Citadel was not particularly favored by those Anton knew. And Anton was pretty sure that some of the devotion he was receiving came from some strange girl he’d never met that was having a very difficult time learning a more complete view of the world.

Anton held a smile on his face. Every communication was another letter from family telling him about their lives. That was how the world was meant to be, people striking out on their own but never forgetting where they came from. Anton just hoped he could give as many people as possible that sort of opportunity.