After a small trek through the city, the two unlikely companions made their way back to the obelisk. The journey was uneventful and mostly quiet, with the small exceptions being Alex’s explanation of what awaited Jane inside the outpost. An hour later, Alex and Jane were finally standing before the towering black structure.

“You remember what I told you, right?” Alex asked the nervous-looking Jane.

“Yeah.” Jane answered, “The first time I enter the obelisk, I’ll go through the induction.”

“And?” Alex asked expectantly, awaiting Jane’s answer.

“And I shouldn’t interrupt the induction officer even if I already know the general gist of the situation. The faster he’s done with the explanation, the faster I can ask other questions, and get some headstart on others.” Jane recounted Alex’s words back to him.

“Good, I’ll be waiting on the other side. It’s going to take a couple of seconds for me, and an hour or two for you. If they notice something, just tell them you met a chatty cultivator on the way here. Don’t mention me or what happened.” Alex added.

“Why? I mean, I’ll do it, but I want to know why.” Jane replied.

“Better safe than sorry. I’ll explain everything once we’re inside. I know this is weird, but I’m asking you to trust me now.” Alex answered her.

Jane was calm when faced with Alex’s words. Inside her head, she already vowed to follow him wherever he went, and if some secrecy was what it took, she would do it. Pursing her lips, she simply nodded with intent in reply and touched the obelisk, immediately vanishing.

Sighing, Alex took out his mask from the duffel bag he wore strapped around his shoulder and donned it, took a deep breath, and touched the metallic surface of the obelisk as well.

An instant later, his surroundings changed to the familiar grey stone platform in the centre of the outpost. Looking around himself, he started to count in his mind.

“One, two, three, four…nine” Alex counted in his head.

When Alex reached the count of nine, Jane appeared right in front of him with a slightly thoughtful expression. Once their eyes met, he saw slight confusion emerging on her face.

“It’s me, don’t worry,” Alex said reassuringly.

“Yeah, no, it’s fine. I totally forgot you were wearing that mask when we met. Why didn’t you wear it outside?” Jane asked Alex.

“I didn’t think it would help with approaching you,” Alex answered truthfully, and then held up two of his fingers close together. “You were this close to a total breakdown when I met you, and I didn’t want you to associate the mask with what happened that night.”

“So, you were thinking about how to approach me, huh?” Jane asked with a smirk on her face as she wiggled her eyebrows.

“Don’t get cheeky with me. I know a defence mechanism when I see one; been there, done that.” Alex answered in the same beat.

As soon as his words left him, Alex saw the way his words irked Jane when her face turned sullen. Immediately, he scrambled to find a way to mend the issue.

“Fine, yes, I was thinking about how to approach you,” Alex said in a gasp.

Once he gave in to Jane’s proverbial demand, her face immediately dropped the sullen look and started shining with a lustre.

“You’re incorrigible. You know that, right?” Alex commented in exasperation.

“I do. Didn’t stop you from approaching me though, did it?” Jane teased Alex a bit more.

“Ugh. Just, let’s go.” Alex said in a groan as he started walking towards the administration outpost, Jane following in his footsteps.

Alex’s condition after the fight was, in a simple word, ragged. No real wounds aside from a couple of cuts and scratches, but his Divine Breath reserves were low. While his outer robe was currently enveloped around Jane, his black shirt and boots he received upon initiation into the Legion were destroyed during his fight, leaving him wearing only a pair of black pants and the gauntlets on his arms. As they walked, the random people scurrying about the outpost parted to make way when they saw Alex’s battle-torn look, ominous mask, and the intent in his barefoot step.

A short walk later and the two finally arrived in front of the administration tent. Lifting the entrance cloth, Alex motioned Jane towards the entrance, telling her to enter. As soon as she entered, he followed suit.

Once inside, Alex quickly made his way towards one of the clerks that weren’t busy assisting someone else. Once Alex entered the official’s line of sight, the other immediately addressed him.

“How might I assist you today, Neophyte?” the raven-haired male in front of him asked.

“I need to speak with one of your officers,” Alex replied, deciding to not waste time on useless chit-chat.

“Name and affiliation.” the male official asked.

“Whose?” Alex replied, instantly regretting it.

“Both?” the male asked unsurely.

“It seems for all the good the Divine Breath provides, the universe still suffers from bureaucracy.” Alex thought to himself with a sigh.

“Legionnaire Farwalker, Nightmare Legion, asking for Pahan, Myriad Visions Sect,” Alex replied in one breath.

Once the clerk heard Alex’s Path-name, something in his attitude changed, as he became more servile.

“Ugh, I…don’t know if we have someone like that around here?” he replied.

“You do, he was my induction officer as well as the one who issued my mission.” Alex decided to reassure the clerk of Pahan’s existence.

“Ugh, just a second, let me ask around.” the male said as he took off in a hurried step in search of Pahan, or someone who might know him, leaving Alex alone with Jane.

Seconds turned to minutes as Alex and Jane simply stood side by side and watched the poor official drifting from one of his colleagues to the other, trying his best.

“Tell me honestly, we’re fucked, aren’t we?” Jane asked while blankly staring at the official’s back as he nearly tripped himself while walking away.

“We can only hope they fight better than they organize themselves,” Alex replied in a sour tone.

“Oh, grant us some slack, mighty warrior.” a familiar, sarcastic voice spoke from behind Alex and Jane.

Turning around, Alex saw Pahan’s familiar look accompanied by his perpetual smirk. Not allowing Alex a word, he continued speaking.

“Next time you come around here looking for me, ask for Practitioner Highgaze; that’s my Path-name,” Pahan explained.

“Now then, Legionnaire Farwalker, how can I help you?” Pahan asked.

“You can just call me Alex when we’re alone. I’m also sorry for what happened before and I hope we can move past it.” Alex spoke the words he prepared on his way to the outpost.

The expression on Pahan’s face didn’t change. What did change though, was the glint in his eye as understanding of what was transpiring dawned on him, and the smile on his face widened.

“Of course. How may I help you, Alex, and…?” Pahan asked once again, turning towards Jane.

“Jane,” she answered monotonously.

“Very well then. Do tell me what I can do for you.” Pahan asked.

“First of all, Jane is a new arrival, so she needs a Darkstone. And while you send someone for the Darkstone, I have an interesting story for you.” Alex replied.

Hearing Alex’s cryptic tone, Pahan turned towards the bumbling raven-haired cultivator that was still looking for him around the main hall.

“Volsa! Come over here!” Pahan screamed across the hall.

Hearing his name, the raven-haired Volsa made his way to the talking trio in a hurry, gasping for air as he reached them.

“Volsa, I assume you are acquainted with Legionnaire Farwalker?” Pahan asked.

“Yes, Officer Highgaze!” Volsa replied in a hurry.

“Good, the next time he comes around, notify me. Now, go to storage and bring a clean Darkstone for our new arrival.” Pahan ordered Volsa while pointing at Jane.

“Yes, sir!” Volsa replied, scurrying off to complete his task.

“Now, what was that about a story?” Pahan asked, turning his attention completely towards Alex.

In the next ten minutes, Alex recounted his story. From his encounter with Jane, her encounter with the dead duo, culminating with their mortal showdown in the heart of the city. A few things, Alex decided to leave unmentioned; mainly that the cause of the fight was the devious plan concocted by Jane, as well as the fact that technically, Alex was the instigator of the fight. Once he was done, he took out two Darkstones from his pocket and handed them to Pahan.

“Hmm, from your description, it seems the two were recruits of the Tyrant Saber Clan,” Pahan remarked passively.

“That’s it? That’s all you have to say?” Alex asked with slight incredulity in his voice.

“I understand your ire, but there’s no way we can thoroughly screen everyone who joins a faction. And while the Alliance might be the designated ‘good guy’ in this story, I assure you, there is no lack of scoundrels in our ranks. You should hear what the Demonic Path factions call us.” Pahan explained with a pained expression.

“So, there’s really nothing that can be done about this?” Alex asked with expectation.

“Well, if you were part of the Alliance, you could theoretically make a claim, and the Tyrant Saber Clan would have to compensate you for the behaviour of their members. The Legion is…well, kind of a grey area, which means they could press a claim against the Legion for the death of their members. Recruits from uplifted worlds are a luxury for many factions, after all.” Pahan explained further.

“So, what, I’m getting sued?” Alex asked, his tiredness seeping through his voice.

“I sincerely doubt it. The Tyrant Saber clan is one of the lesser factions. They don’t even own a homeworld. They wouldn’t dare to say even the first letter of the word ‘compensation’ when faced with the Legion, so you shouldn’t have to worry about anything. Just, don’t go screaming around about this incident and it should be fine. If someone from their Clan comes inquiring about the two, I’ll take care of it.” Pahan replied.

“And why, exactly, would you go so far for me?” Alex asked suspiciously.

“Well, firstly, it’s not that hard for me to silence a third-rate faction like the Tyrant Saber, and secondly? You really don’t seem to understand what it means to be a member of the Nightmare Legion. Let’s just say I want to cultivate a friendly relationship with a promising Legionnaire. Call it an investment, if you will.” Pahan finished his sentence with a friendly smile.

Usually, Alex would be apprehensive of someone trying to use him, but Pahan seemed to go about it in a rather open way, which clearly implied this would be a give and take relationship rather than a one-way street. Factoring the new universal order, as well as the new life Alex stepped into, he wasn’t averse to friendly, even if based on profit, relationships. This is why Alex simply nodded in reply. Coincidentally, it was right then that Volsa finally returned with Jane’s Darkstone. Handing it to her with both hands, he took a step back and bowed before Alex and Pahan, and took his leave.

“What’s his deal?” Alex asked, looking at the retreating Volsa, “When I first addressed him, he wasn’t that amenable.”

“He heard your Path-name. I assume Elder Bellum already mentioned them, seeing as you have one. Young Volsa there is the great-great-great, a couple more greats, nephew of an Elder from a prime faction. While the two of you are both at the Mortal Step Stage, he was sheltered his whole life, and so, didn’t have a chance to prove himself. Anyone with a Path-name is considered a ‘true’ cultivator. That comes with some perks, especially from the younger generations.” Pahan gladly explained.

“You people really take this seriously, don’t you? What is stopping him to just lie and take up a Path-name?” Alex asked.

“First of all, it’s us people now. Second of all, this is one of the oldest traditions passed down from time immemorial. A Path-name can only be taken in the presence of an Elder, and no matter whose great-nephew or son you are, this is one of the few things where there are no shortcuts. A cultivator caught with an unearned Path-name is shunned by all the factions, Orthodox, Demonic, and Unaffiliated all the same.” Pahan answered.

“Weird,” Alex added in a neutral tone.

“What about the extermination task?” Pahan asked, changing the topic.

“Well, I was too drained to continue with the hunt, and I decided it would be more prudent to come back to the outpost to recover before heading out again. Why, is there a deadline?” Alex asked.

“Not per se. While the request does not have a deadline, you can’t pick up another one until you either finish your current one or give up on it. Most new arrivals avoid big requests like yours, since, during the time they are completing the request, their points trickle down daily with no way to replenish them. You might not notice it, but not all factions are as tight-knit as the Legion. Their recruits pay contribution points for everything; food, lodging, techniques, equipment, guidance, etc.” Pahan said.

“So, want to cash in right now, or hunt all fifty beasts first?” Pahan added.

“I’m not in a rush,” Alex replied.

“Okay, just come and find me when you’re done. Maybe we’ll get a drink.” Pahan spoke.

With that said, Pahan took his leave while waving his hand at Alex and Jane in an overly dramatic manner, leaving the two once again on their own.

“So, what now?” Jane asked.

“We find you a faction. I already have one in mind.” Alex replied.

“The Crimson Blaze Sisterhood should be a good place for her, I could ask Sarah and Claire to look after her too.” Alex thought to himself.

“What a coincidence, I also have one in mind,” Jane added whimsically.

This took Alex by surprise. Jane was inside the outpost for less than half an hour, and already she had a preferred faction she wanted to join.

“Perhaps the induction officer advised her, or let her in on some information. Oh, well, it’s her choice in the end.” Alex mused.

“Which one?” Alex asked with curiosity in his voice.

“The Nightmare Legion,” Jane replied in the same beat, the whimsy from her face gone, replaced with a serious look.

“You’re not going to stop me, or convince me to choose something else, are you?” Jane asked.

“You’re a big girl, you can decide for yourself. Though, there are two problems with your choice; first, the Elder that recruited me is busy until the end of the month, and second, I don’t know if you’re eligible to join.” Alex explained.

“What do you mean, you don’t know?” Jane asked with confusion.

“That’s exactly what I meant. It was the Legion that scouted me.” Alex tried explaining.

“Still doesn’t make any sense,” Jane added.

“Well, remember I said I can see negative emotions? I can only see them when they’re flaring up in the present. This is all speculation, but I think the Elder can see deeper into someone’s emotions, even the ones hidden under the surface, which is how he makes his choice regarding recruits.” Alex explained his conjecture.

“I see. So, with the Elder unavailable, I can’t even know if I could join?” Jane asked, dispirited.

“In a nutshell,” Alex added.

“Could you, I don’t know, ask for me?” Jane asked expectantly.

“I could,” Alex replied in a serious tone.

“And will you?” Jane added.

“Let me ask you this, and I want you to answer honestly. Are you serious about joining the Legion? If you’re doing it out of some misguided sense of debt, don’t. I’ll help you join some other faction, and that will be that. The Legion’s Trial could kill you, or worse. I know, because it almost killed me.” Alex asked in the same serious tone.

“I…don’t have anybody else. I’m an orphan, I was never really close with anybody due to this,” Jane said, pointing to the scar across her nose. “And you might think that I’m doing this because I have some sense of debt, which, don’t get me wrong, I do, but that’s not all. I saw the way you fought those two, that power. If the Legion is where you found that power, that’s where I want to go, for my own sake as well.” Jane said, full of resolve in her voice.

Taking a moment to look at Jane, marvelling at her resolve, Alex finally spoke.

“Okay, I will help you,” Alex said, finally dropping the serious face in favour of a smile.

Jane’s face blossomed with a charming smile as she jumped on Alex in a hug. Caught by surprise, Alex caught Jane and effortlessly held her until she decided to let go.

“Thank you, really,” Jane said in a whisper-like fashion.

“I hope you’ll be able to thank me later for this,” Alex added, fully knowing the dangers of the Legion’s Trial.

Having said that, he exited the administration tent, Jane by his side. As soon as the two left the tent, they were back amidst the sea of colourful tents. Walking side-by-side, the people once again parted before the two of them, more so for Alex rather than Jane, but still. Curiosity gnawing at Jane’s mind, she spoke.

“So, where to now?” Jane asked.

Taking a look at the energized Jane, Alex raised his hand and pointed towards a giant, pure-white tent a slight distance away as he cleared his throat before speaking.

“The Healer’s Guild,” Alex said.

“First, we have to patch you up. Besides, I need to catch up with some friends,” he added with a smirk.