So fluctuation of energy woke Erin in the middle of the night. That was not sothing she was used to, as her life had been relatively peaceful. She still found it difficult to believe she was the head of a sect, but that was how things were now. In truth the position mainly involved managent rather than leadership, keeping things organized and people content with limitations.
Things were peaceful, so what had awoken her? She didnt feel anyone fighting. Yet she wouldnt wake up for nothing either. There was sothing strange that she couldnt place.
Or perhaps she simply had a nightmare. Her senses had scanned all around the island, finding no problems among the sect or the guests. Not that there were many of the latter at the mont- with a war going on, fewer people were passing through on ships. Speaking of ships, when she pushed her senses further she sensed it.
After finding the first ship, her senses soon picked out the next. Then one more, further around Paradise. In total, there were seven spread out evenly, starting towards either shoulder and going around the sides with one in the rear.
Paradise was still drifting along casually, apparently unconcerned. But why would he be? He never reacted to humans except the invaders, and had grown quite used to them.
Erin had to do sothing. She couldnt tell what was happening, but there were subtle fluctuations of energy from the small fleet. If they were guests they would have simply landed, there were attendants on hand at all hours of the day.
Miklav! Erin directed her voice to extend to the vice head. She didnt bother focusing it so that her words wouldnt spread. Soon enough people would hear, and if nothing was happening shed simply feel silly. If there was a real problem, waking as many people as possible quickly was important. Gather everyone you can. Theres so sort of attack or similar. Go to the left, and make sure to include our guests. This is a neutral zone, Im sure they wont be pleased if it cos under attack.
What is it? a reply ca from Miklav.
Youll be able to spot them. Ships in formation around Paradise. If they approach peacefully we can handle them as normal, but the way theyre lingering
Understood.
Erin began gathering people as well, heading over to the right side of Paradise. Proper nautical terminology would perhaps call the left and right port and starboard, but Paradise wasnt a ship. He was a turtle.
When she arrived at the guest houses, she found a group from Marvelous Rabbit Mountain waiting for her. An old woman lead them. Island Head, what is the cause of all this commotion?
She simply raised her arm towards the nearest ship. Sothing abnormal. Either guests who sohow dont know how this works or enemies.
I find it difficult to imagine anyone from the continents is unaware of the protocol here, not if traveling by ship. The old woman turned off towards the ship. I think I can sense sothing there, in front of the ship.
Ah, yes. Well, that settles it, Erin nodded as she felt a turtle attached to the ship. This is an attack of so sort. The Ponderous Turtle Clan has so gall, coming here.
Though she said that, there wasnt much she had that could back up her words. They had only a few Life Transformation cultivators, counting the guests no more than ten. What could they do against an attack? Even the closest ship had five.
The fluctuations in energy beca more obvious. Theyre unleashing a technique! Help to counter it! Erin didnt know exactly what she needed to do, but she called upon her own energy, and the energy of Paradise, trying to sever the line of connection they were forming. The group from Marvelous Rabbit Mountain and the other Island Tenders lent a hand, but the attack was epheral and difficult to tie down. It wasnt like blocking a fireball or sothing simple.
Around the island, there were six more strands eting in the middle like a strange net. Miklav was trying to fight one off, with less success than Erin.
Erin tried to stop the final strand from properly connecting, but with a sudden shove she and the others were bowled over, and the connection ford. Dozens of additional lines webbed between the seven connections, and the effect collapsed over the island, binding it. The ships began to move in closer, the web tightening.
Then a flipper slowly rose out of the water, between the front two pairs of ships. It seed to take forever, even though it was moving with quite so speed. A torrent of water poured off of it, not quite completing its journey before the flippers slamd down. Instead of creating great waves, the flippers sunk into the water and created a great vacuum. Along with a tug of energy, it pulled water inward.
There was a sudden tide of monuntal force that pulled the two ships together. At the sa ti, the tail in the rear flipped upward. It was far enough away for it to be hazy in Erins senses, but she could see it when it rose above the height of the thirteen hills- the shell of Paradise.
It wasnt just the front two ships on either side that were pulled into the sudden void in the ocean, but also the ones by Paradises rear feet, the back corners of the formation. The water rushed for a few monts, ships being pulled down and then the water crashed.
Over the next several minutes the surface of the water stilled, but Erin could feel sothing further happening underneath. Even if she hadnt been specifically attuned to the natural energy around Paradise, it was quite obvious to anyone how the power flowed from its back and middle down its sides. After a few minutes the water stilled, and the ocean returned to its vaguely calm state but with no ships.
Except the ones anchored in the small docks, technically atop Paradises shell. Either Paradise avoided causing turmoil around himself- which was quite possible- or he had intentionally avoided what they constructed. It didnt matter either way. It was clear that Paradise had made known his opinion about whatever they had been trying to do. Controlling Paradise, most likely.
Then there was another disturbance of energy. Theres sothing happening at the head, Erin said. Co along.
She stomped rather quickly as she moved. As far as she was aware, she hadnt been able to do anything. It was clear that Paradise didnt need defending, but shed thought that maybe she could do sothing. Clearly, she needed more work. If she could just tap into more of the sea of energy Paradise kept as long as he didnt mind. Because if she angered him, there was nothing she or any of the others could do about his response.
Erin had been worried there might be survivors congregating. If Paradise had left so alive, they might be strong enough to take out the Island Tenders. But it was clearly not humans that remained there. Instead, it was a handful of turtles. Six, to be exact. That would be all of them, except the one by the tail who had been flung who knows where.
Paradise had raised his head out of the water as the turtles- which would have been quite impressive at five to ten ters in length anywhere else- circled around below. They seed to want sothing from Paradise, but after a short few monts he simply lowered his head, snorting into the water. This raised waves sent the turtles scattering, but clearly didnt cause them much actual harm. So of them lingered nearby regardless, but a few more snorts and they gave up.
Well. At least Erin could now report on the result of the attack. She had communication plates for so groups on either continent, and shed warned of sothing that looked like an attack to both. Now she could report and let them know that the Ponderous Turtle clan was down sothing like thirty or more of their best. Though maybe theyd find a way to swim back to shore sowhere, if they hadnt been killed by that swirling energy under the surface.
A trail of floating flotsam from the ships began to surface, indicating that it had been more than just the weight of water that would have crashed down on them. Normal ships might have fallen apart, but these had been reinforced by powerful formations. And now they were junk.
-----
Anton was ecstatic to hear the news from Paradise. More victories than losses were happening for the continents, but few had been big. From their estimates of the Ponderous Turtle Clans power, however, the attack on Paradise might have been pretty much everything they had left. That was also a significant chunk of the forces arrayed against them, and the fastest ships.
Further intel gained during the war indicated that it would be around five percent of the enemys forces, with the Ponderous Turtle clan being one of a couple dozen larger groups in the Exalted Archipelago. So still remained out of the war, and it was hoped that they would not change their minds.
Anton couldnt do anything about that at the mont, though. Or much of anything. There were still lingering traces of poison inside him, and whenever he recovered a bit of natural energy it flared up. In small amounts it wasnt harmful, but if he tried to gather quickly it felt a bit dangerous. He was slowly recovering, though, and he estimated the poison should be completely gone within a month.
Not being able to fight was frustrating, though it wasnt because people needed him. In fact, it was because they didnt. An uncomfortable blow to Antons newfound inspiration. What point was there in being the guardian of everything if nobody needed him?
Of course, the inner turmoil settled itself rather quickly once he got around to straightforwardly asking himself such questions. There was no point at all, and it would be the very best possible outco. If everything was just fine without him? He could die happy.
It just wasnt going to be yet. His health was decent and he had so decades left in him. Even if this particular war ended without further need for his assistance, there were threats further beyond.
There was sothing about being truly empty of energy that Anton found peaceful. He had taken a wagon back to the sect, away from the more dangerous battlegrounds. He didnt want anyone getting hurt trying to defend him.
For the last week hed been working the ground with just his body. It brought back so many years of mories, but there was more to it. He could still sense the energy around him now, if passively. Perhaps hed had the slightest inkling of it before he beca a cultivator, from the sense of peace he had working the land. Or maybe that was him projecting his current feelings. Either way, he enjoyed the feeling of the sun beating down on him and the wind cooling him off. Sweat and dirt and plain old normal muscle aches.
But above it all he felt the flow of the world, the inevitable tides of everything that would inevitably open up the world for invasion by outsiders once more. And it wasnt even all that far away, by cultivator standards. He had consulted with others, and they agreed that it seed likely to be a shorter cycle this ti. Yet it wouldnt be quick. A couple centuries, which was enough for at least a pair of long generations of cultivators- children growing up to beco masters and raising disciples of their own.
Anton hoped the current pointless war settled down soon enough. Neither side would co out ahead with more fighting, and instead they would simply have dead bodies. Recovering from another large loss would set both back for far too long. Anton hoped the Exalted Archipelago would see that, but communication with them was still minimal.
Maybe that should be his goal, when he recovered. Even if peace was offered, the continents would be totally justified in wanting so sort of retaliation. He would even support it, as long as it wasnt too excessive. And if he was sent as a diplomat to the Exalted Archipelago and they killed him, what would the world lose? Just him. And though he certainly valued himself to so extent, it was better him than those he loved- or anyone with a long future. Hed have to bring up the idea soon, so that people could have ti to properly process it.
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