Chapter 13: Two Saviors

“Stop!” Annabelle shouted as she stalked down the alleyway, Jasmina and Trevias among those trailing behind her.

Arcane mentally clicked her tongue. It was unexpected for this pampered princess to enter the lower district. She had also not expected any kind of policing force to be active in this area by the blatant criminality of its inhabitants, so to say she had not been prepared to be disturbed was putting it mildly. While she had not wanted to kill any of those around her, a show of strength would have easily gained their respect and perhaps a bit of information on the situation of this world. Also, testing the blade would have provided additional witnesses for the power she wielded.

But now none of that was to be. Like shadows the robed cultivators melted away from the scene, disappearing before anyone could notice, while the mundanes started trembling and bowing repeatedly.

“Begging your pardon, ma’am.” “Sorry to disturb.” “Please forgive us.”

Their litany of groveling words grated on Arcane’s mind. Wondering if she should just kill them anyway she sheathed her sword reluctantly and started walking towards Annabelle and her posse, then straight past them.

“Some thanks would be appropriate, I think.” Annabelle said, walking beside Arcane after a single glare at the hastily fleeing elfbeasts.

“Thereby reinforcing negative behavior? I don’t think so.” Arcane muttered, shaking her head. “Was my abrupt departure not clear enough? Go away.”

“Oh, that’s what that was? I thought a child just got lost in her first big city.” Annabelle replied, mimicking Arcane’s gesture. “Such a troublesome child too.”

Arcane stopped and glared at the princess, who smiled back. Letting the silence stretch, they both met the other’s eyes before Arcane grimaced and turned away.

“I want you to come with me to meet my father.” Annabelle said after they started walking.

“I know.” Arcane replied, taking out another apple and nibbling on it. Sweet, she noted, without any hint of sourness. The bitterness of rot was gone too, leaving the fruit suitably delectable for Arcane to continue eating it. Tiny, delicate nibbles slowly carved their way into the side of the large red fruit.

“Excellent. Come with me then.” Annabelle said, clapping her hands and turning to leave the lower district. Trevias and Jasmina seemed to sigh with relief until Annabelle noticed Arcane was not following and turned back. “This way.” She ordered, grabbing Arcane’s hand and trying to pull her.

Arcane resisted, deftly extracting her hand and backing away. “I’m just fine.” She said, still nibbling on her apple.

“No, this is not fine. You need to come with me to Lord Jeffers, so I can get a caravan set up to the Rose Kingdom.” Annabelle insisted, going behind Arcane and pushing her towards the upper district.

“Don’t want to.” Arcane repeated, stepping to the side and letting Annabelle go right past her.

“Seriously? I just save you from being assaulted and robbed. You can’t stay down here.” Annabelle declared with a disgusted look around at the district.

“I was fine.” Arcane said, internally rolling her eyes. She wasn’t sure why she was continuing this nonsense conversation, as she was well aware the Rose princess would not let her do whatever she liked. The arrogance of cultivators was always the same, wasn’t it?

“Yeah, the first time. What about the next, and the next, and the next after that? How long can you last before you’re out of power?” Annabelle asked, shaking her head.

‘Forever’ Arcane replied mentally, knowing her regeneration far surpassed her capacity, but out loud she said instead “Long enough.”

“You might be fine with that but I’m not. Come on, we’re going to the castle.” Annabelle imperiously ordered, picking Arcane up easily and carrying her like a sack of potatoes.

Hanging her head, Arcane simply went with it. Getting free from being carried required harming the carrier most of the time, especially if they were determined, and she wasn’t willing to go quite that far for the sake of dignity. Also, she honestly didn’t mind the humiliating position that led to Jasmina and Trevias staring at her and hiding laughs. She technically did have, all things considered, a child’s body.

Arcane was tossed into a carriage when they reached the upper district and then flanked by Jasmina and Annabelle, the pair almost crushing her between themselves. Unable to move anything but her head, Arcane tossed that back and stared up at the ceiling, reminiscing on why she hated cultivators so much.

A young girl runs through an alleyway, occasionally looking back and taunting the rough looking teenagers following her. While they are all in their late teens and early twenties, with obviously dyed hair and numerous piercings of many metallic compounds. The girl herself is Arcane, around age 8, laughing gaily and wearing a set of tights under a loose blouse and skirt, all in significantly darker colors than she usually wore. Even her trademark cyan hair is hidden under a black cap, leaving her looking relatively normal except her bright eyes and doll-like features.

“Get back here, you brat!” One of the teens shouts, shaking his fist.

“Of course not!” Arcane laughs, jumping onto a metal box and starting to climb up a set of pipes leading to the building top.

“Shut up. She ain’t stopping.” Another teen pushes past the first, grabbing the lower rung of a hanging ladder and starting to climb.

“Tch. I’m going to mess her up once I get my hands on her.” The first growls, climbing after his friend. Three more follow, all ascending almost as quickly as Arcane, who smiles back at them once she reaches the halfway point.

“I just remembered something.” She calls as they go faster to reach her. “There’s nowhere to run on the roof, is there?”

The teens look up at her, then at each other. Is she an idiot, they think to themselves. Then their eyes widen as Arcane pushes herself off the pipes and backflips through the air while falling past them. Slowing herself with a convenient rope, she started gaily laughing and running back out of the alley.

“Blazes!” One of the teens curses, sliding down the pipes and starting after her, his friends not far behind. Arcane’s ringing laughter guides them until they get her back in sight, calmly walking through a crowded street.

Arcane looks back at them and smiles, walking just as slowly as everyone else while crossing the street. The teenagers also moderate their pace, walking along while staring at her out of the corner of their eyes. They strike up a conversation while keeping a watch on Arcane, all of them patiently walking along so as not to raise suspicion.

“Kids these days…” One comments.

“No lack of guts, to be sure. Brains, on the other hand…” Another replies, shaking his head.

“Maybe it’s the food they’re being fed. Not enough milk or something.” The teen who pushed the other raises his voice while deliberately staring at Arcane’s chest. Arcanes smile falters and she frowns at him for a second before quickening her pace a bit.

The teens copy her, still talking.

“It’s a damn shame how many of them are getting in unfortunate accidents.” A teen shakes his head, looking towards a hospital in the distance.

“Damn shame.” Another agrees, nodding along.

“If only they were more careful about what they messed with.” The first teen says with a fake smile towards Arcane.

“More careful.” The last two chorus, shaking their heads identically.

“Then they wouldn’t get in trouble, and could grow up happy.” The teen who looked at the hospital replies.

“Ah, well. They get themselves into it, and I’m not one to deny people the fruit of their labors.” The first teen says back, his eyes boring into Arcane’s back.

“No, we really shouldn’t do that.” His conversation partner agrees, the other three nodding as well.

“It’s just not fair to judge people based on their age, is it boys?” The first teen, apparently the leader, continues.

“No it ain’t.” They chorus, shaking their heads.

“Therefore, we should really give them a talking to.” The leader says again, turning abruptly and crossing a street to come to the same corner as Arcane, who is stuck waiting for the light. The five surround her in a half circle and patiently wait right behind her.

“After all, it’s better to learn a lesson early than late.” The leader says right behind her ear, leaning down to whisper. “Ain’t it, brat?”

Arcane jumps forward as the light changed that instant, walking along with the five teens trailing right behind her. Seeing a chance, she suddenly changes directions and dashes off into another alleyway.

Pounding steps let her know the teens all followed her, the six of them racing along the twisting streets and climbing over the piled metal scrap that filled them. Skipping along, Arcane starts laughing again as if having a grand time, despite the threatening sounds shouted behind her.

“The hell are you laughing, brat?” A teen shouts after her, throwing a rusty metal pole over her head.

“You all!” She calls back, ducking and rolling to avoid another projectile.

“You mental, brat!?” Another shouts, swinging his arms for more speed.

“Save your breath and get her!” The leader orders, breathing heavily himself.

Arcane whirls around a corner and runs smack into a wall. Temporarily stunned, she looks up at the solid obstacle and sees a barrier of force she is sure was not there before.

“Kukuku.” Chuckling evilly, the five teenage boys surround her and cross their arms. The leader steps forward and grabs her arm, twisting it to force her to her knees.

“Ow ow ow ow ow!” Arcane cries, struggling in his grip.

“Shut it, brat. You’re going to pay for disrespecting us, you know.” The leader says, squeezing even tighter.

“Huh? For what?” Arcane asks, her face a picture of innocence.

“Playing dumb, are you?” The leader growls, twisting harder and making Arcane hiss in pain. “You grew a flower on my bike!”

“Eh?” Arcane exclaims. “But it looks cute that way?”

The other teens chuckle but stop at a glare from the leader. “I don’t like cute, brat.” He says in a condescending tone. “So now I’m going to make your arm cute… in a cast.”

The leader reaches for her arm with his other hand, slowly moving as if trying to scare Arcane, but his hand is suddenly grabbed and pulled sharply to the side.

“Five people bullying a little girl? Do you not have any pride?” a new voice says, coming from a young boy with brilliant golden hair and a supremely handsome face. He is about the same age as Arcane, or perhaps a bit older, and is glaring angrily around at the five teens who seem shocked at his interference.

“What are you doing, kid?” One asks finally.

“Stopping injustice.” The boy replies, pulling the leader away from Arcane with practiced motions. “Let go of her.”

“The hell?” the leader asks, rubbing his hand and stumbling backwards. “Get out of here, kid. This doesn’t concern you.”

“Anywhere there is wrong being done is my place.” The boy says, spreading his legs and raising his fists.

Arcane stares at the boy, pushing herself to her feet with a growl. Throwing the cap off her head she shakes her hair and says angrily. “I didn’t ask for your help. I had this all under control.”

“You shut up, brat.” a teen says, glaring angrily at the boy and raising his own fists. “You want a fight, then I’ll give you one.” he challenges.

“Bring it, novice.” The golden boy answers, stepping forward.

The teen charges and swings wildly, his fists trying to make contact with whatever he can and occasional kicks thrown in as a surprise. The golden boy elegantly dodges all of them, spinning gently around the blows and diverting the rest with slight movements.

“This your best?” He asks in a high but composed voice, steadily driving the much larger teen into a corner. “Pathetic.”

At that taunt the teen gets angry and surrounds himself in an aura of power. “I didn’t want to use this against a child,” He declares, “But I’m a cultivator of the second divide.” His next fist breaks the speed of sound, heading straight for the golden boys face. There is a solid sound of flesh hitting flesh, and the teen smiles at his perceived victory.

“What a surprise.” The golden boy’s voice comes from behind the fist, which is slowly pushed to the side to reveal his untouched face and the fist held tightly in his palm. A similar aura of power surrounds his entire body in a glowing golden radiance. “I’m one too. I’ve already passed the fourth divide, though.”

The teens eyes widen and he tries to pull his fist back. But the golden boy won’t allow it, pulling the larger boy in easily and delivering a single punch to the stomach to knock him unconscious.

The other four teens growl and release auras of power as well, most about equal to the unconscious teen and the leader a bit above. All are much weaker than the golden boy, who smiles and shakes his head.

“Three going for the second divide and one just past it, against I who’s overcome the fourth? You are fools indeed.” He smiles and reduces his aura of power. “But at least it shows courage. Come on!”

Growling, the teens rush in. The golden boy is merely on par with them in terms of power and speed, but his technique is leagues better and while none of their blows hit, every one of his do. After several minutes the teens are panting and covered in bruises while the golden boy is smiling and glowing just as radiantly as when they started.

“That’s enough for now. I hope you’ve learned your lesson.” The golden boy says, making his aura vanish and waving the teens away. Unhappily, with several backwards glares, they pick up their unconscious friend and withdraw.

The golden boy smiles happily and turns to Arcane, bowing elegantly and staring at her hair. “My lady, I am pleased to make your acquaintance. What lovely hair you have.”

“Go to hell.” Arcane growls, clearly unhappy. “You spoiled everything.”

“Ah, but fair maiden, you may not like it but you are clearly too weak to fight against men like that. Better to leave it to cultivators such as I.” The boy says, shaking his head with a gentle smile and running his hand over her hair. Arcane slaps him away, but his hand simply grasps her own and brings it to his lips. “My name is Guanjun of the path of battles. I hope it rings as music in your ears.”

An explosion sounds and Guanjun is sent flying, his golden hair covered with dust as he slams into a building. Arcane smiles where she stands with her hand outstretched.

“Oh, so you’re one of the cultivation champions. That makes you fair game, right?” Arcane says, smiling evilly.

“Ack, ack.” Guanjun coughs as he pushes himself out of the pile of rubble. “Fair game?” He asks uncertainly, hesitation appearing in his flirtatious manner.

“I’m Arcane, of Magia.” Arcane says, imitating his bow sarcastically. “And I am plenty strong enough to fight whoever I want. I just like playing with them first, so long as no one interrupts and ruins my fun. Now who do we know that could have done something like that?...” Arcane pretends to think, tapping her finger against her chin. “Ah! I remembered!”

Another explosion of force throws Guanjun into the air where he manages to catch himself and slowly float down on invisible wings of force.

“Arcane of Magia…” Guanjun mutters softly, his flirtatious demeanor replaced by a seriousness he didn’t even show to the teens before. An aura of power surrounds him in its full intensity, crushing the rubble around him and trying to force Arcane to her knees. “I never imagined I’d meet one of the other champions here.”

“Nor did I, but it seems we both have no luck.” Arcane shrugs.

“No luck? My darling Arcane, it is instead that we have all the luck in the world! No adults, no guardians, no stupid rules… let us simply fight to our heart’s content.” Guanjun smiles broadly, opening his arms with glee.

“Oh, right.” Arcane grumbles. “A battle maniac. Of course.”

“Battle maniac? Maniac? That’s too rude, darling. I am a battle lover! A battle connoisseur! A battle aficionado! I am not merely manic about battles; they are my entire life!” Guanjun proclaims, jumping forward with a drawn back fist.

Arcane merely glances to the side and he is once more launched into the air by a spontaneous explosion, then tossed about by countless consecutive blasts. Rolling her bright cyan eyes at the joyous laughter of Guanjun as his clothes are torn to pieces and his golden aura is repeatedly cracked, she mumbles under her breath the single word “Freak.”

“EEE!” Guanjun shouts, predicting and punching the next explosion to send himself shooting towards the ground. Arcane idly increases gravity as he falls and lets him punch a hole in the concrete street, shaking her head again. Guanjun struggles out a bit later, sweating heavily and bleeding slightly from countless small wounds. Even so, he is grinning even more broadly than when they started.

“AWESOME!!! This gravity is perfect for training!” he exclaims, swinging his arms several times to test it. Annoyed, Arcane doubles the gravity and sends him crashing to his knees, where he continues to struggle to stand and fight.

“Seriously?” She mutters as he succeeds, his face strained with the exertion but still sensing overwhelming joy coming from him.

“YEEESSS!!!! KEEP IT COMING!!” Guanjun screams, taking a heavy step forward and swinging his fist to send a blast of power at Arcane, though it slams into the ground long before it reaches her.

“I would ask if you yield but I can guess the answer.” Arcane says, raising an eyebrow with her arms crossed. “So try this on for size.”

At her words a hammer of force falls on Guanjun and slams him into the ground, followed by several more driving him deeper and deeper into another crater in the concrete. Waving her hand and generating force to blow the dust away, she steps forward and looks into the deep crater before cancelling the increased gravity.

“Probably shouldn’t kill him…” She mutters as she steps away.

“You haven’t yet!” Guanjun’s voice calls from behind her, an explosion of dust and rubble causing her to stumble forward before whirling around and holding up her hand to block the coming kick.

Guanjun’s dropped heel is stopped dead in her palm, his eyes widening as she pushes him off and lets her hand drop. He stumbles slightly as he lands just in front of her, staring at the lowering hand.

“How’d you do that?” He asks, still covered in a rapidly regenerating golden aura.

“I drained all the energy and force in your foot and left it with zero momentum.” Arcane answers, glaring at him. “I was sure I hit you enough to knock you out, at minimum.”

“Yep!” Guanjun replies happily. “That was awesome, by the way.”

“Not answering the question.” Arcane reprimands, warily circling the deep crater in the concrete. Guanjun copied her on the opposite side, keeping the distance the same.

“Sorry. You knocked me out, but I activated my bloodline and reincarnated myself once or twice… or a lot.” He says with a grimace. “You’re really, really strong.”

“Bloodline?... Oh. Demigod.” Arcane answers her own question, shaking her head. “I shouldn’t honestly be surprised.”

“You figured that out quick. Yep, my mother married god and had me as a virgin birth. The church keeps saying I should be a saint, but you know… You can’t fight as a saint.” Guanjun explains, clenching his fist and sending a wave of power at her, crushing everything it passes in the air.

Arcane deflects it with a finger, letting the power slam a nearby building and send it tumbling to the ground. The ground around them shakes as they continue to circle, waiting for an opening.

“I see.” Arcane says, nodding at the explanation before while comprehending it. “I’m pretty sure you made the right choice. Saints are much tamer than you are… Though maybe it would have taught you prudence.”

“Like you can talk.” Guanjun replies with a laugh, jumping over a protruding spike of earth and tripping on the collapsing ground before stabilizing himself by floating. “You’re even more ridiculous than me.”

Arcane rolls her eyes and then collapses the space around Guanjun, the numerous blades tearing his skin but not much more. Growling in pain he releases a nova of power to drive her magic back.

“You’re still playing with me, aren’t you?” Guanjun comments suddenly, stopping in midair.

“Yep.” Arcane replies evenly, falling backwards into a suddenly appearing seat. “How’d you tell?”

“You suck at acting.” Guanjun explains.

“I see.” Arcane notes. “Well, what are you going to do about it?”

“While I’d like to go harder and force you to actually try, I’ve been going all out.” Guanjun shrugs. “For now I’m just not strong enough to actually challenge you.”

Arcane nods, leaning back and closing her eyes. “Yep. Surprisingly mature, that.”

Guanjun chuckles. “Nah, it would have been mature if I noticed immediately. I knew you were supposed to be the strongest but I fought anyway. So now I’m pretty sure I’ve broken half my bones and am barely holding myself together by pure will.”

Arcane opens an eye and points it at him. “More than half.” She corrects.

Guanjun laughs and sits down with difficulty on the shattered concrete. “Anyway, I’m Guanjun, the Martial Hero. Ranked 1 of the path of battles. Nice to meet you, Arcane. And sorry for spoiling your fun.”

“No problem.” Arcane replies, waving her hand idly. “We’re going to have company soon.”

“Yeah, probably my elders.” Guanjun says with a grunt. “We did create a bit of a mess.”

“Guanjun!” An elderly voice filled with power sounds around the courtyard, causing both the children to grimace. An old man surrounded by power flies in, followed by several more similar in age and aura. “What have you been doing?!” The first man stares around at the ruined buildings and street.

“Fighting, Grand elder.” Guanjun replies, shaking his head. “Isn’t that obvious.”

“Who were you fighting that you thought this much was needed? Where do we need to send the compensation?” The grand elder complains, while the rest start cleaning up the rubble and searching for bodies. The grand elder then turns to Arcane. “Young lady, I would ask that you not encourage the young master to such extremes in your defense. He causes problems too often without your charms.”

Arcane squints at the grand elder and rolls her eyes. Noticing this, the grand elder explodes. “How dare you, you slut? First seducing the young master, now disrespecting me! I will have your family destroyed for this insult! Give me your name and affiliation this instant, you skirt flapping-Urgh!”

The grand elder is cut off by an immense and terrible force slamming him into the ground, his screams vanishing as he shoots deep into the earth. Satisfied, Arcane stops glaring at the hole and goes back to laying down, letting the tunnel close up and fall down onto the old man.

Guanjun looks sadly after his grand elder, shaking his head. “She was the one I was fighting, senior.” He says, clasping his hands and bowing as if in prayer.

The others look at Arcane in surprise and finally notice Guanjun is not moving. Swarming over, they pick him up gently with panicked motions.

“Young master! You’re wounded!” one cries.

“You know, elder.” Guanjun says irritably. “I am eminently aware of my current condition.”

“But… But…” The elder cries, glancing at Arcane. “How did she…?”

“I’m Arcane of Magia.” Arcane says simply.

The elders all fall silent. They glance at each other and confirm their strength, before shaking their heads and returning to the task of cleaning up the devastated area.

“Damn…” Guanjun mutters as he sits down next to the relaxing Arcane. “Six elders cultivating to the eight divide and the grand elder who passed the ninth some time ago, and you still win. I never had a chance, did I?”

“I’m evaluated above the tenth divide.” Arcane points out. “If not higher.”

“Magic is such a cheat.” Guanjun complains, flexing his muscles. “I have to work to get stronger and you were just born with immense talent.”

“And yet for some reason these fools think their path is best.” Arcane notes.

“We can’t say anything for sure yet. Cultivation may yet win out; time will tell.” Guanjun corrects her, smiling his challenge. Arcane rolls her eyes.

“Battle junkies the lot of you.” She complains.

“WHO DARES!!!!” A screaming voice explodes from underground, a human sized hole opening up as the Grand Elder bursts into the air. “I WILL END YOU!!!”

The Grand elder searches about in the sky, streams of energy shattering the clouds and revealing the floating ice of Niflheim far above. He continues to scream insults while those below watch him with dumbfounded expressions. “WHOEVER YOU ARE COME OUT!! COWARDLY HIDING, I WILL DESTROY THIS GIRL IF YOU DON’T SHOW YOURSELF!!!”

“Uh, Grand Elder.” Guanjun raises his voice towards the furious old man in the sky.

“Shut up, Guanjun. I need to punish whoever attacked me. Give me that girl to threaten him with.” The Grand elder says, holding out his hand.

“... About that…” Guanjun replies, looking every which way but at Arcane or the elder.

Arcane took matters into her own hands after a second, a flash of power severing the grand elder’s arm and causing it to fall bleeding to the ground.

The Grand elder burst out in rage. “I WILL KILL THIS GIRL!!!” He screamed at the sky, diving down and grabbing his arm (reattaching it on the way) before slamming his fist towards Arcane, who blocked with a finger. “Wha…?”

“I can take that as intent to kill, right?” Arcane asks idly, as an immense orb of pure energy appears above her head. “Because I really, really want to.”

The grand elder’s eyes open wide as he is slammed into the ground and squeezed by terrible forces. Arcane’s magic dominates the space around him and crushes the air out of his lungs. Coughing blood, he struggles to raise his head against the immense gravity and pressure.

Guanjun watches from the side and shakes his head. “As I was saying Grand Elder, this is who I was fighting.” Guanjun explains while the old man is still being mercilessly crushed. “Arcane of Magia, another champion.”

“Uuuuhhh” The Grand Elder chokes out, his eyes frantically searching for an escape.

“Hi! What was it you called me, a slut? Yeah, I don’t really appreciate that.” Arcane grins, squeezing even harder and causing blood to flow out of the Grand Elder's mouth. “Look, you really coughed out blood!”

“Um, Arcane, could you not kill him?” Guanjun asks, pitying the futilely struggling grand elder. “I’m sure he’s sorry for calling you that by now… And if not he’ll be dead before he is.”

“... You’re not making a very persuasive argument.” Arcane points out, raising her eyebrow. “But whatever.” She waves her hand and dismisses the crushing force.

Coughing, the Grand Elder struggles to sit up and rubs his throat. “Ack, Ack… I thank you, lady Arcane. Ahem… I did not realize you were an esteemed magus.”

“Yeah, you never can.” Arcane says sarcastically. “Maybe stop judging books by their covers, or something.”

“Cultivation is not used to expecting hidden powers.” Guanjun comments from the side.

“Cultivation isn’t the only power.” Arcane spits back.

“We know. By the way why are you even here?” Guanjun asks suddenly.

“Hm… Oh hellfire. I’m late.” Arcane jumps up, looking at her watch and sprinting away down the alley. Jumping into the air she is accompanied by several sonic booms as she accelerates away from the dumbfounded cultivators.

Guanjun shakes his head and reaches out to pull the grand elder up.

“She’s tough, right?” He says jokingly.

The Grand elder nods blankly while staring into the distance. “Very much so. You have your work cut out for you.”

Arcane, hearing them still despite moving rapidly away, shakes her head. “As if he can ever catch up to me.” She mutters to herself, slowing when she enters the airspace of a giant palace and descending to meet Dawn and Flame who are waiting angrily for her there.

Arcane let her head fall forward again after her memory finished, the carriage shaking as it traveled the muddy streets. She had not been lost in memory very long; Trevias was still climbing into the seat on the other side. Facing the trio of females, he sat down and closed the door behind him, deftly maneuvering himself even as the carriage moved.

“We’ll meet lord Jeffers at his manor. I assume that is acceptable, princess.” Trevias said when he was seated.

“It is most acceptable.” Annabelle said, nodding happily.

“Very well then.” Trevias replied, sitting straight as Annabelle and Jasmina relaxed. The two women seemed to prefer the carriage’s motions to those of the ship, happily chatting over Arcane’s head.

“Your highness, thank you for getting us home.” Jasmina said.

“No, no, it was not all my doing.” Annabelle countered, nodding at Arcane.

“Ah, yes, thank you too miss Arcane.” Jasmina added.

Arcane said nothing while Trevias moved his gaze to her, curious. “Did this girl help you escape?” He asked.

“She played a part.” Annabelle equivocated.

“It’s amazing what children can do when they set their minds to it.” Jasmina continued in a similarly patronizing tone.

“That’s very impressive. You show some talent, girl.” Trevias said, his gaze appraising.

‘You have no idea.’ Arcane said mentally. The path of magic was also called the path of talent, after all. No cultivator confident that power was linked to time would be able to evaluate her properly. Just like Guanjun had commented long ago, it was a bit of a cheat that gave its power based not on hard work or merit, but the circumstances of one’s birth.

Ignoring the annoying cultivators who refused constantly to even guess at the power she held, Arcane leaned to the side and let her mind wander into a semi-sleep state, ignoring all around her.