It was amazing how rapidly the Little Alliance grew with just a short century of minimal conflict after they settled in properly. That didn’t an no conflict. That was a bit of an excessive ask for a smallish group still on the border with the Exalted Quadrant. They just weren’t directly in the path to the most desirable parts of the Chaotic Congloration anymore, so people were less motivated to co for them. Of course, there were still groups who were outraged by the fact that they colluded with void ants.
The problem those people ran into was of course that they had void ants. Said void ants were quite happy to fight for themselves and their allies, and extrely good at killing cultivators. Even more so now that they had miniscule ships to carry battle squads onto enemy ships, usually without being noticed. The miniaturization efforts were actually improving their standard ships as well, as they had been able to reduce the size of certain components without reducing efficiency. Alternatively, they kept them the sa size but had greater power.
If they had more rapid access to the core alliance’s techs, they might have made even faster progress.
But they had reasons to remain where they were. It had partially been a matter of logistics first. Moving people from a myriad of planets was already hell. Just getting them to the border was a feat that had taken over a century. Following that with moving every single individual to the lower realms or through it would have been excessive. And Runa had discovered a reason for their reluctance.
Ultimately, they were tied to their ho to so extent. It wasn’t necessarily a specific world, but this little region, sandwiched between the Chaotic Congloration and the Exalted Quadrant… it was ho, and for cultivators that was more than nostalgia. That didn’t an they had to be crazy and remain in the most vulnerable position where they might be attacked by both sides. Moving to the border was a good choice.
Especially because apparently they might be able to call upon the aid of the strongest cultivator in the lower realms. Runa’s interactions with Anton were pretty much nonexistent- a few communication groups they were both connected to and little more. Velvet, however, had spoken about him at length. She spoke of his great deeds of strength… but also how he was responsible for her transformation from a ‘great fool’ into a flourishing mber of the Order of One Hundred Stars.
She hadn’t already been a decent person. Then again, so few cultivators were decent people now. Most of them seed to be in the Scarlet Alliance. For all the talk of certain sects about being ‘righteous’, there were very few that actually acted that way.
Of course, the border conflict had hardly been connected to such concepts anyway. It was just war.
Runa was glad that Velvet had been assigned to the Little Alliance for as long as she had- but now the ti was up. Temporarily, hopefully. Velvet had co to her to explain that she was being called upon to train spies for the core alliance. She might personally get involved in missions afterwards.
“You seem to be in a better state now,” Runa comnted. “I’m certain you will flourish.”
Velvet shrugged. “I can at least teach. And Zazil’s rise to Domination has validated so of my thoughts on cultivation.”
“Oh? Should I expect you to be Domination when you return?”
Velvet shook her head. “I wouldn’t go that far. It’s always possible, but I feel like I can personally afford to wait a few centuries. And I will return long before that, for more than brief visits.”
“Good. Take care of Misi while you’re there.”
The formation focused twin was taking an opportunity to study with Catarina directly. He had been excited about the prospect for so ti. Now that the roundabout trip was being made, he would be going at the sa ti as Velvet.
“That I can’t promise,” Velvet grinned. “Catarina and those around her rarely end up threatened with great harm, but if they do it’s their own fault. Whatever his specific plans are, I’m sure it’s a surprising field of formations. And that bears so risk. He’s not going to be anywhere near any battles, though.”
Unless the core alliance got attacked. Though in that case, there would be far more to worry about than a single friend. Misi wasn’t the type to recklessly charge to the forefront of a battlefield either. It simply wasn't the correct place for him to be most of the ti. Especially not when he could be augnting formations.
As for what he was going to study? That was simple. Or at least, stating the topic was easy. Misi wanted to determine if it was feasible to cross the width of the Exalted Quadrant to connect the Little Alliance to the rest of things, even if only a small section. In fact, that might be better- as it would be easier to keep secret if it covered just a small area that ships rarely passed through.
An impossible project. But they’d already done a few of those, so given another century or two, who could say? The success of a single layer of the spatial sectioning in the core Scarlet Alliance made it more likely. Misi and Juli had long grown attached to their new surroundings, the people that made up the forrly Chaotic Congloration aligned group. It was clear to everyone that dangers would grow stronger in the future- and they wanted to take every option to find solutions.
If they had a warning of more than a year, they could potentially transport a Domination cultivator through the lower realms the long way… but things weren’t always going to be that telegraphed. Besides, if they had so much warning they could actually get Anton more easily. And they were so close across the border that he would actually be more dangerous than most of the Domination cultivators- since few foes could do anything but endure his hail of arrows.
In a situation where he didn’t have to consider his own defense in the slightest, Anton had the greatest offense of any of their allies. Furthermore, he was actually able to exploit the upper realms’ rejection of his energy to cause even more damage, as long as he didn’t have to go deeper.
-----
There was little risk to be had, traveling through the friendly lower realms. Runa knew that they would be safe on their journey. She was more worried about herself, or alternatively what Velvet would get up to after she helped people train. Because she could easily get herself involved in a dangerous mission spying deep in enemy space. She was still the best, even if they were trying to raise as many people as they could to a similar standard.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
At least Durff was still around- because he was useful. They’d long since perfected their void ore mining techniques, so he wasn’t needed there. But he was helpful, and his true purpose was as a warrior. They could always use another strong Augntation cultivator. He was one of the rare individuals whose battle prowess consistently outperford expectations.
As a cultivator, it would take years before Runa truly began to miss her friend’s presence. The long lifespan and ntal training combined made even small sorrows more tolerable. It was unreasonable to expect friends to be around all the ti, and it was also unfair to other friends to focus too much on one. Aside from Durff, the twins had grown close to her. She’d also managed to connect with other leaders of their little alliance, like Tessouat. And of course so of the void ants, like Crossed Antennae.
What Runa hadn’t been expecting was to get an exchange trip, probably launched about the sa ti from the other direction. She did notice a particularly odd energy signature once one of the inter-realm ships was approaching, but she wasn’t prepared for it to speak to her.
At first, there was just a burst of energy swirling around her- nothing more than a gentle breeze, but reaching a good few hundred kiloters from the starport. Then, she heard words. “Hi!” The voice was… fake. Synthesized, maybe, but Runa hadn’t heard a synthesized voice that was so inhuman except when they were first testing out miniaturized tech for the void ants. Everything else had been far more advanced than that upon their first connection to it. “I’m Bear Hug!”
Oh. “Hello,” Runa replied. She knew of Bear Hug. She just hadn’t anticipated their arrival. Weren’t people supposed to be warned about these sorts of things? There were protocols to follow, especially about talking to important people.
Actually, that was quite refreshing. Without any introductions, Bear Hug had just imdiately reached out and spoken to her. It was kind of audacious, but also… charming.
“It’s weird how passing through the lower realms feels even though I’m also there,” Bear Hug comnted.
“Uh… right. I imagine so…?”
“It was like I had to do the opposite of the thing with Second Gift. Do you know Second Gift? I think it’s a pretty cool planet. I can get you pictures if you want. Oh wait, those will take a long ti to show up. I can describe it if you want?”
“I don’t think I need that,” Runa said. “May I ask why you are here?”
“You may!”
It took her a few monts to realize. “... Why are you here?”
“... Oh, I can’t say that from here. It’s secret.”
She supposed she’d better go hear the secret up close then. “How about we et in a sealed room?”
“I love seals! Both kinds. This would be more obvious if you spoke a non-sound language.”
Normally, Runa wouldn’t have ascribed the word ‘adorable’ to a plant. Or a plantlike creature. Sotis there were small and vaguely cute plants, she supposed, but Bear Hug was not small. Their mannerisms, however, were very interesting to see. Human affectations causing them to form a humanoid shape… until they didn’t feel like it and collapsed into a puddle- which always stayed well contained.
“Velvet says hi!”
Runa blinked. “Oh. Is that the secret? Did you pass each other on the way?”
“I don’t know,” Bear Hug admitted. “I an, it’s not the secret. Let ask about the other thing.” A few monts. “She says we must have, though our routes could have been ‘pretty far apart’.”
“I… see?” Runa tilted her head. “Did you an you were rembering that?”
Bear Hug made a thinking form. It was… very useful. She could read subtle human body language, but without the normal features the exaggerated motions were a great replacent. “I definitely don’t. Because I don’t rember it. I was just talking to Velvet. Oh! This is the secret part.”
“I know she’s a spymaster,” Runa said. “But not everything she does is secret.”
“Really?” Bear Hug tilted their whole body to the side- nearly upside down. “I guess that makes sense, because people aren’t supposed to tell secrets. Don’t tell secrets, okay?”
“Okay.”
“But you can talk to about this secret, because I already know it.”
“Which secret do you an?”
“The one where I’m talking to you! And Velvet. Oh, right! I have a ssage for you.”
Bear Hug used a fairly normal looking tablet- rather slowly- and soon Runa received a notification of her own. She supposed it wasn’t rude to look at it, given the circumstances. It was fairly short, but explained a lot of things.
“Oh,” Runa said. Velvet had referenced sothing like this, but she hadn’t thought it ant… this. “You’re talking to Velvet right now?”
“We’re standing next to each other silently. But we could. I think maybe that’s what you ant, though.”
“Right,” Runa agreed. She was aware of Bear Hug, and their language not natively being spoken. She actually thought she was observing it in front of her right now, with certain movents of energy. “Tell Velvet hi for as well.”
“Okay. I did that.” Bear Hug paused for a mont. “Oh no! I think I’m a recursion now! I heard those are bad. Am I going to stop existing?”
“What?” Runa asked.
“She said to say hi to you again. And then you’ll say to do it again. And-”
“I’m sure it’s just for fun. We would stop eventually.”
“Oh. Okay.” Bear Hug looked around- quite obviously extending their energy far distances. “This is a nice planet. Do you have any good lakes you can recomnd?”
“I do,” Runa said.
Sohow, she was already less lonely. Even if she couldn’t hear Velvet’s voice or see her face, knowing that she still was, for certain, was sohow big.
And Bear Hug was funny.
Juli appeared outside the room, nearly screeching to a stop as she zood up. Her knock was rather perfunctory “Hi! I’m here to study entangled cultivation particles!”
Bear Hug looked around. “You an ?”
“Seems like it.”
“Oh. My na is Bear Hug. I’m already being studied, though.”
“I can provide fish for any lake you want.”
“I could be studied more.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)