Choice

Selia looked up as they passed through the gates of Consequence, the capital city of the Twilight Melody Sect. It was a large city, obviously expanded recently. The outer walls didn’t match what was further in the center. The entrance was made out of wood, in a traditional sect style, wooden pagodas lined the cobbled stone streets while wooden posts loomed above with braziers hung from them. It was a cheaper material, especially here where the territories were mostly forests. Banners flying the colors of the sect hung from tall flagpoles, black and violet, some with trims of gold.

The people watched them go by, some bowed, but not that many.

“You see daughter,” Kerial brought his hexi mount near hers. The tall legged and horned beast whined as he pulled the reins. “They don’t even give us the respect we deserve.”

“Niece,” Erdania corrected him from her other side.

Kerial grimaced but didn’t respond to her, instead he leaned closer to Selia. “They don’t understand what Sects are meant to be. They need to be led by someone who is deserving of leadership.”

“We’ve been over this already, the answer is no,” Selia told him.

“I know that you are fond of that their Sect Head, but can’t you see that he is failing his people. All people in the sects have a responsibility dau—niece. Honor and obligation.”

No matter how many times she tried to explain it, he just wouldn’t see it. He didn’t understand what obligation really meant, to him it was all about power and rule. “He isn’t failing anyone. Their sect is…” She knew that they had issues, that there was a lack of unity in their sect, that they had taken in too many, too fast. They were struggling to feed everyone. It looked like weakness, so she did understand where Kerial was coming from. But… Ryun was here, and she was confident that she could just talk to him, make him see and perhaps help him change things. She didn’t need to rule the sect to do that.

“The sect. What sect?” Kerial asked. “They let Classers, the Third Iteration, settle in their lands! It undermines everything that sects stand for!”

Selia didn’t understand, she had some concerns too, but she also knew the Third Iteration more than he did. And she knew that things weren’t that simple.

“Enough,” Selia said, raising her voice. “There will be no more talk of this.”

“Leading a sect means following the voice of your people,” Kerial added after a few seconds. “Sometimes, you have no choice but to act for the good of all.”

Before she could retort, he kicked his mount and moved away.

“You shouldn’t let him say those things,” Erdania added once he was far enough away. “His words matter to people because he is your blood, and when you don’t lead, they look at others who do.”

“I am no one’s leader,” Selia said. “They followed us here because they didn’t want to submit when Zenshuen fell. I don’t want to be a Sect Head, I already failed once.”

“That was not your fault, and you know it,” Erdania told her.

Selia shrugged, it didn’t matter in the end, it was how she felt. What did matter was that Kerial had been spreading things that she didn’t agree with. A part of her wanted to stop him, but that would mean actually leading again, and that was something that she didn’t want. She was stuck in this place, somewhere in between, where people looked up at her and expected her leadership, and her not doing anything. She had to talk with Ryun, he had hinted at some things but didn’t want to elaborate the last time they met.

She could feel that he was in the city, so she hoped that he would meet with them all and finally bring all of these talks of Selia taking over the Sect to an end.

They reached the second row of walls, the tall stone rising above them. It did not mesh well with the style surrounding it. The cold stone was imposing, but not in a way that a sect builds. Once they passed through she saw the stone buildings rising around them, all in a style that was closer to the Classer factions in the core than anything else. There was no separation for families, no room for individual expression, or at least it was not intended to have it—she did see some, painted walls and banners hanging from windows. It was obvious that these additions weren’t intended to be there. She knew that this city was once part of a sect that the Twilight Melody conquered, built by a peak Heavenly Cultivator stuck in his inspiration. There was a sense of desire here, of need to be great but no real substance of greatness. It was changing at least, she could see new buildings being raised more in line with what sects value.

They reached the hill in the center of the city, the walls surrounding a palace. It was obviously built with intent to impress, but it fell short of the great works of the sects. It was… mundane, a failed attempt at evoking fear and respect. She saw the others around her notice it as well. Reki kept his eye in front while the others gossiped and spoke insults that they thought weren’t loud enough to be heard. Kerial stood next to two of the older warriors from Zenshuen, both Immortal, neither was from a main family but they had been respected. She could already see that her words had fallen on deaf ears.

They were going to do something stupid, and she was going to let them. They wanted to use her name and her power to get what they want. They didn’t listen when she denied them. Kerial was overstepping and she could admit that she was too deeply stuck in the past to do more than verbally rebut him. Erdania would’ve done a lot more if only Selia asked. But… she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She felt Ryun inside the building, and she knew him enough to know how he would react. Sometimes it was easier to do… nothing. Let someone else do what she couldn’t bring herself to do. It was time that they all learned the consequence of their actions.

They were met by a Sect Leader of the Twilight Melody Sect, one called Embesh, a farmer. She could tell by the tone of Kerial’s voice when they were greeted that he considered that an insult. Their entire party was then led to the throne room, a dozen of them, Selia, Erdania, Kerial, Reki, and a few of their strongest warriors. Kerial had made sure to pick all of the other Immortals that they had.

Once they entered the throne room, Selia paused, surprised twice over. First the room was filled with people, most were from the Twilight Melody Sect, but there near the end of the room at the steps of the throne she spotted the Third Iteration people. Karya Ornn and her husband Ender, the others she didn’t recognize but she could see the family resemblance. There were a dozen of them, just as much as there were her people.

The second thing that surprised her was the throne. Anrosh sat on it, wearing an elaborate robe of violet and black trimmed with gold. On one side stood Narya Ornn, wearing her armor and holding her spear in hand. There was no sign of Anatalien Far Solla or Ryun. Selia could tell that he was in the room, but her sense wasn’t as precise this close. She couldn’t tell if it was just her failing or if he was actively hiding from her.

Regardless, it seemed like he hadn’t revealed himself to the sect yet. She wondered what he was planning.

They were led forward, to stand on the opposite side of the room from the Ornns. Them on the left side of the room and her people on the right. She and the rest of her people bowed before the throne and Anrosh, showing their respect, then moved to stand to the side. She glanced at the Ornn family and studied them for a moment. She could still see the effects of the past on them. They had suffered, lost their Empire, and ran across the world to come here. She knew that of the thousands that came with them, only a few were warriors. Most of their strongest had died on the march, or on the walls before. The Ornns had lost their children, their family. People that have come with them were mostly the young, and those who didn’t or couldn’t fight.

Compared to Zenshuen, most of the people that had followed Selia were warriors, some crafters. But everyone in Zenshuen knew how to fight.

Anrosh raised her hand, and the room quieted down. Selia studied her now, noticing that there was something different about her. Her deep red skin was covered in white patterns that resembled Ryun’s cracks, only hers didn’t release any mist. An upgrade to her True Body? Selia wondered—Anrosh probably advanced her second Path. But also… she couldn’t feel anything from her, no Qi or her core. That surprised her, the woman’s control hadn’t been anything special before. Though, with Anatalien as a mentor she probably learned. It was a good thing, hiding your intentions and power from an enemy was important.

Anrosh looked around the room, and then she spoke.

“Welcome, guests,” she said slowly. “I am glad that you accepted my invitation. There are many things that I wish to discuss with you.”

Selia listened in silence, wondering where she was going with it and what their plan was.

“Both of your people,” Anrosh looked at Selia and then at the Ornns. “Have come to our Sect in need, and have been accepted as guests. We’ve opened our territories to you, gave you land where you could stay in relative safety. We’ve made available to you, the resources of our sect, resources that both of you have taken full advantage of.” She leaned forward in her throne, her eyes passing over them all. “And then you’ve gone beyond that, breaking the guest rights.”

“What?” Selia closed her eyes as she heard Kerial yell out. The indignity in his voice, the offense. She had always known that he looked down on the Twilight Melody Sect but she hadn’t anticipated him showing so much disrespect in public. “You dare accuse us of breaking guest rights?” He took a step forward.

Selia was about to take a step forward to speak when someone grabbed her hand. She turned her head and saw a man wearing a hood over his head. She recognized Ryun and his cloak that masked his appearance. Before she could say anything, Anrosh continued.

“Have you not?” She asked, her tone even and calm. “The Ornn family has taken territories outside of our borders, the same as you have. That might not break the guest rights in principle, it does in the spirit,” she turned and glanced at Karya and Ender Ornn. “You’ve grown crops, to sustain yourself, but also to sell to other sects. Earning from our land without paying anything to us. I understand, you don’t know much about the sects so you at least could be forgiven.”

Then, she turned to look back at Selia, her eyes passed her and Ryun for just a moment, and then turned to Kerial who was standing closer to the throne’s steps. “But you… you understand what it is that you were doing. You built a city on our territory, spurning the shelter we gave you. You cleared our forests and killed our monsters, all without asking permission for it first.”

“Shelter? You gave us hovels and called it shelters. We are part of Zenshuen! It was an insult! To think—”

“—Not Zenshuen anymore, you lost your home and came to us for shelter,” Anrosh interrupted him. “Did you think that you could just insult us to our face, spurn our good will and break rules just because you once were a part of a Great Sect?”

“You…” Kerial was visibly trying to contain his anger. “Where is your Sect Head? Where is Anatalien Far Solla, I will not be insulted by a child like you!”

“I am a Sect Leader of Twilight Melody Sect, I am in charge of all things related to the Sect, I lead it,” Anrosh stressed. “I am who you will deal with. And I would urge you to keep your tongue still, before you say something that won’t be able to take back.”

Selia knew that would infuriate Kerial, but before he could say anything Anrosh raised her hand, almost as if she was dismissing him. Then she raised her voice.

“I have called you here to give you a choice. This will not continue, you will not exploit the good will of the Twilight Melody Sect, you have broken the rules of guests, and as such will either leave our territories to survive on your own, or,” she made eye contact with Selia, then turned to look at the Ornns. “Or, you will join the Twilight Melody Sect. Accept our rule and be brought in as two new families of the sect.”

Selia blinked, she… hadn’t expected that, but… She wondered why it wasn’t Ryun who was saying this, why he wasn’t here. Why Anatalien wasn’t here. It would come a lot better from them. This almost invited—

Kerial placed his foot on the first step, glaring up at the throne.

“You dare insult us like this? You are a child, you are weak. We know that you’ve left the sect to search for the people taken prisoner by another sect. And here you are, returned without your people, who would want to be part of a sect led by someone who couldn’t even promise their own people safety?” Kerial asked, this time looking back at the throne room, at Selia and their people, at the Twilight Melody people behind him. She could see that his words were… heard.

He knew more than he had told her. She closed her eyes as she realized, Kerial had spies in the Twilight Melody Sect. He had done more than she had believed. And she knew that Ryun was back, that he had been back for a while now. Oh, you poor idiots—they didn’t know. She saw Kerial look at her with a grin of someone who thought that he was going to win, but he didn’t know.

“Look here at someone who is fit to lead! Selia Ha Jhan, my daughter, the Spear of Sorrow. We came here, followed her because she can protect us, she has the power to keep danger away,” he looked back at the Twilight Melody Sects people. “She doesn’t want to lead you, she is much too honorable to take a sect from someone she respects, but where is your Sect Head? He died because of his weakness, abandoned you for decades in the hands of this,” he waved back at Anrosh. “Ignorant child. A raised Immortal, who almost fell in battle to a handful of undead, who had to be saved by a legend returned from the dead! Who failed to retrieve people taken from your lands. Who can barely feed you! Who knows not when to show respect to her betters.”

He turned back and glared at Anrosh.

“Your… daughter,” Anrosh started. “Doesn’t stand next to you, she doesn’t speak for herself, should they all just believe your words?”

“She doesn’t need to,” Kerial raised his head. “She shouldn’t sully her hands with trash like you, I am enough. You are unworthy of the titles you hold, you are unworthy of the throne you sit upon, you are not worthy to lead. I Kerial Elhan, Red Rain, I challenge you to a duel.”

Selia took a step forward, but the hooded man stepped in front of her.

“He is going to kill her,” Selia told him. “If you won’t let me, you need to stop this yourself.”

Ryun just smiled. “You don’t know as much as you think you do.”

Selia wanted to say more, but then Anrosh stood and responded.

“I accept,” she said calmly. “To the arena,” she waved her hands and everyone moved back letting her walk pass, leading the way.