Ah Le had scored a victory with her first village. Not so much of a victory that she would let her first brother dictate the terms at the next location, a win nonetheless.

The two-pack mule scouts stayed back with the village, trying to help them with their exit plan. It was decided that since they would be moving in a caravan, the two third realm cultivators would be their advance guard and the strength behind their movement. Already carts and wagons were getting hitched up and huts were coming down to uproot dozens of families.

“We’ve got two choices here. The Heaven’s Mountain Sect is not that far from here and we can go there first before we go to the next village, of which there are two possible,” She said.

The elders of the clan had been kind enough to lend them a map of the area which Ki No had been put in charge.

“We could hit all three they are close enough together. In two hours we could run from one to another, if this map is to be believed, then it is only twenty miles from here to the Heaven’s Mountain School.”

Ki No had been arguing his point for a day and a half while the two scouts helped load up carts for the long journey. They planned to double back and hopefully have the other town's caravan in the same direction. This was all supposing that everything went to plan, which of course it never did.

“We could get bogged down in their political scheming.”

“Aye, that could happen brother. Nothing changes, we do need to alert them that this village is on the move. Elder Fa Za would want to know this, and Elder Jessica would want us t pass on the news. They are at least by his words, neutral at worst with our Sect.”

The last three of the huts were set to go down with the dawn, as most had been packed overnight.

You don’t wake a sleeping auntie, they’d been told, and mindful of the path of the exploding sandal, the scouts hadn’t pressed the issue. But now, with nothing left for them to do, they needed to make a decision.

“If we go to the Heaven’s Mountain Sect, at least they might have some good tea.”

“Brother, you are speaking my language. That was all you had to say.”

***

They did not in fact have any tea. As a matter of fact, the entire Sect was closed for some internal matter.

“What do you mean, we can’t speak with anyone?” Ki No was incredulous. This second realm student was blocking their way.

“The Elders are in conference right now. You can leave your petition and it will be heard in due time,” The green-robed man said.

He still had a thick mop of hair, probably a sign that he wasn’t taking his cultivation too seriously.

The siblings sighed in stereo.

“You realize that we’re both fourth realm senior disciples from the Cold Steel Sect, correct?”

The green-robed man, tugged at his long poofy moustache as a bead of sweat dripped across his brow. Here, it was always a bit warmer than the Cold Steel Sect. The twins took a second to let it sink in how much of an idiot the man was being.

“This one is very sorry, but the Za clan has made it clear that..”

“The Za clan? We carry a message for Elder Fa Za himself, it is true, right brother?”

Ki No nodded vigorously.

“Even if so, this one is under strict orders to not let anyone through,” the Heaven’s Mountain disciple said.

“Listen here,” Ki No said, in his best diplomatic posture, “There is a divine beast, tall as a mountain making its way in this general direction. We are tracking its movements and it will show up far sooner than anyone would like.”

The disciple gulped.

“The Divine beast decimated our Sect. Our new elder made us scout out a certain area because of a disturbance and the divine beast is on the move again. We pray that it doesn’t come this way and destroy your way of life, but,” Ah Le let the sentence hang in the air.

In the immortal words of Elder Jessica they were going into what she called the “good cop, bad cop shtick”. Ki No flashed her the gesture, which meant that it was time to try it.

“We can do this the easy way,” Ki No said, pulling out his short spear and then leaning on it menacingly, “Or the hard way.”

“Trust us, that we would prefer to do this the easy way,” Ah Le said, her voice suddenly silky smooth.

She’d wanted to be the bad cop this time and he’d beaten her to the punch.

“You’ve got a nice Sect here. It would be a shame if something happened to it,” Ki No said, leaning in.

Elder Jessica had them practice this one once as a joke. It had taken a few tries to get with a straight face, but they had done it.

The now pale disciple looked very conflicted. Ah Le smiled.

“Now, you’re thinking, this can’t happen. It’s unreal. These two are just trying to sneak in and scout out my Sect. That is where you are wrong. We might be scouts, but we are only here to advise and pass along the message. Trust that we will leave as soon as the message is received.”

The disciple nodded.

“Allow this one a moment to confer with his superiors,” he said, tugging on his gi.

He walked to a small guard door by the large ornate gated entrance to the Sect.

Everywhere, banners in green flew as if today was some sort of feast day. Ah Le recalled seeing such streaming flags as a child and watching in amazement.

“Well, that… is something. Let’s see what he comes up with, brother.”

***

“You’re telling me that someone from the cold Steel Sect is here to speak with elder Fa Za?”

The lone disciple nodded.

“I don’t know what you think that we would say to that. Obviously, the elder is a bit busy,” The broom-wielding servant said, “What with his parent's sudden arrival and all. He was in a mood already.”

“You’re going to have to speak with your superiors, right?”

His green robes, once pristine for the arrival ceremony, were now terribly muddy and covered in rock dust. It wasn’t a far journey but when an ice-cold cultivator explained in detail what could happen to the ‘nice sect he had there’, he dropped the pretense. What good would it be to serve a school that had been ground into dust?

The broom-wielding fourth realm cultivator sighed.

“It would be a shame for them to actually receive bad news late, wouldn’t it?”

The green-robed disciple did a double-take.

“Just please do it.”

He was ready to beg, but without a word, the man with the broom disappeared.

***

“Elder, it appears that there are two cultivators from the Cold Steel Sect here who dearly wish to meet with you. Something about bad news, as I take it?”

Fa Za sighed internally. He was wearing his finest robes, as once again mother had decided that today would be the perfect day to bring potential wife after potential wife in front of him. In all, she’d invited twelve potential matches from across the Sect’s main body.

He sighed again because none of the women could hold a candle to the women of the cold Steel Sect. After the third woman put on a performance, he actually missed the scheming plots of the aunties. At least they were fun when they plotted.

Fa Za sipped some tea and tried to stop the fourth potential wife as his mother Ling Za extolled her virtues.

“She is a wonderful cultivator, unequaled with the sword. She would prove to be a most able companion, Fa Fa,” she said, using her pet name for him.

Usually, when someone used a pet name for him, he would punch them through a mountain, but with his mother… well he dreaded to say no to her.

“What do you mean I can’t speak with any of them, mother?” He said, eyeing the servant with the broom, “Also this might be important. Do you mind if I step outside for a brief respite?”

Ling Za gave him a look that said that if he didn’t return with tea it would be on his head.

He gulped and moving as carefully as possible, he ducked out of the room. The woman performing a long sword kata didn’t even blink. She had probably been made aware of his eccentricities.

It wasn’t him that she performed for anyway.

“Explain yourself,” he said to the servant.

***

“Ah Le and Ki No, Elder. Scouts from the Cold Steel Sect,” The green-robed disciple said.

He smiled, and leapt to the door in one jump, landing nearly as gracefully as he could. Instantly he felt the two fourth realm cultivators. He remembered them, the two that had advanced quickly using his demon spear. Unfortunately, they didn’t have it with them.

That was fine. He didn’t need it, it was just nice to have.

“We heard that you might have some good tea, so we decided to stop in,” Ki No said, trying to break the tension.

Fa Za smiled.

“Elder Fa Za, we made inroads with the village of Blessing. After we stopped in, they agreed to pick up and move. We need to speak about the other villages, if we may.”

As soon as he’d perked up he remembered the divine beast. A slow-moving catastrophe did tend to make one changes one’s priority.

“I spoke to the elders of Stone Fish.”

Ki No blanked at him.

“The village to the north of here,” Ah Le said, hitting her brother in the ribs, “How did they take it?”

For a long second, Fa Za inhaled, trying to think of the words to say, until he realized that he’s been silent for nearly a full minute.

“That good, eh?” She said.

He nodded.

“Oh well, we’ll speak with them, I have a way with people,” Ki no said.

“You most certainly do not,” His sister jabbed back.

Fa Za watched as two fully grown warriors pretended to have a slap fight. And he realized that he was jealous of what they had.

“Well, that leaves my Sect here and the other village nearby,” he said weakly.

The fake face slaps that they were giving each other stopped as they noticed him looking. He gestured for them to continue, but they stopped.

Suddenly serious, the two brought out a large map of the area. Behind him, an impatient cultivator swept dust from the cleanest pathway he’d ever seen. Fa Za crinkled his brow at the fourth realm servant, then gestured for him to join the two.

“Perhaps, this one can help as well? I must attend to my family obligations but…” Fa Za nodded up at the cultivator.

“Ko,” The servant said.

“Perhaps disciple Ko could come along with you and if possible report his findings. He will not be a burden.”

The face that Ko made told Fa Za that he was used to being sent on these types of missions. At least his mother hadn’t changed much in that respect.

Ko made a show of brushing the nonexistent dirt off his shoulders.

“As the clan commands, but know that Elder Ling Za will request my presence later today.”

“Then, I suggest you run fast.”