The complete absence of light lasted only for a few monts. It seed as if the sun could no longer reach Mirrored Sun Valley. Even the spiritual energy that had been under the control of Etaine seed to have disappeared, but it didn't last.
The light first beca visible from a single angle, though the one who could see it most likely didn't process its presence. It ca all at once, the external power burning through the sect head's spiritual energy and disintegrating her. Then others, consecutively yet all at once, were the focus of the beam. The power of their own sect turned against them, though they should have been in control.
When everything was over, John stood tall and proud. A few of the weaker foes- the Soul Expansion Phase and beneath- remained standing… though only for a few monts. He turned, his eyes settling on Rukiye, who had been at risk monts before.
He had now displayed his true destructive potential in front of her. Perhaps she was thinking that might be how her mother died. She was certainly afraid… but of who?
It should be Etaine, but it could also be John. It wasn't unreasonable for it to be both. No, John thought it to be the most reasonable thing in the world. After all, he was afraid of himself sotis. That was why he wanted soone to judge him.
John didn't want to draw too close, but… "Are you alright?" he couldn't help but express concern for his disciple- and potentially future killer.
Rukiye blinked a few tis, then covered her eyes with her forearm. "You'll need to teach how to do that eye thing."
John smiled slightly. "It will take a bit. First, you need to control light elent."
Rukiye frowned. "Doesn't that an I have to reach the Exalted Soul Phase?"
John shook his head. She should be able to feel the exaggerated motion with her spiritual energy, even if she couldn't see at the mont. "No. You should be able to control any form of spiritual energy far before then. Actually, with your current control of darkness you're not far off. It will be a bit more difficult, though, so you might want to try so other advanced body tempering first."
"Like what?"
"Diamond Body is good," John comnted. "My daughter was a big fan. She even stole the materials from so she could do it."
"Your daughter… she's the Eclipse Terror?" Rukiye asked.
John shrugged, "That sounds more like lanthina. Ursel is my other daughter. An earth cultivator."
Rukiye turned her head towards Renato. "The Steel Apocalypse?"
"That certainly sounds like sothing people might call her."
"I think she shared the sa style as elder Renato, so it must be," Rukiye comnted. Her senses road around, seemingly unable to believe the battle was over. "Is that… everything?"
"The rest of these people were smart enough not to attack us," John comnted. "Though now I have to find soone to talk to…"
He simply grabbed the current strongest. An older woman who was 'only' in the Consolidated Soul Phase. During the current surge in cultivation, it didn't seem that impressive.
"You're the temporary leader," John declared. Then he pulled out a prepared scroll. "Here are the basic terms. Make sure to follow them."
Of course, he would have to stay and make sure they actually understood what was expected. Viriato would want to see if they had anything they wanted to trade for as well.
-----
Rukiye was quiet during the following days. Contemplative. John continued her lessons, but she didn't ask many questions even when she should have. He took his own notes to remind her later.
After about a week, when they were moving through a far more comfortable light elent region, Rukiye made so bread to share. Her cooking options were quite limited by available local ingredients and her own knowledge. It seed bread was new to her, because it wasn't very good. But John wouldn't say that.
"Did you forget the poison?" he teased.
"They don't even have any here," Rukiye said. "This place is boring."
"But it does have a lot of light elent to practice with," John said. "It will be good for your eyes… later. But first-"
"I have to eat more rocks."
John grinned. "Diamond Defense won't train itself."
Actually, she was the one who decided she had to eat the materials John provided. Realistically, she just needed to break them down with her spiritual energy, which she should be able to do with the required materials held in her palms. But John was fairly certain her thod wouldn't hurt, and it was funny.
-----
John observed the area in front of him, full of swirling black flas. "How does this area even function?" he asked.
"Poorly, it seems," Renato comnted. "It's only one step more stable than the Annihilation Strip, and nobody sensible trains there."
"I'll let Nik know what you think of him," John comnted.
"You've spent more ti there."
John shrugged.
Air, fire, and darkness elents. Not an allied cycle or even a core cycle. An uneven trio of elents. Caelnon could have learned much from this region. He was unbalanced in a less effective way.
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The region was known as the Blackfla Basin. It was a near constant whirlwind of chaos. John had to admit it was a bit weak, though. All of the spiritual energy was being used to sustain the unique features, so while it was dangerous it didn't have much spiritual energy left that most people could absorb. The place was nearly lifeless, but not quite.
It was kind of pretty in a way. Like deserts could be, in the right circumstances. Not sowhere he would want to live, but John was probably one of the people best suited to do so if it for so reason beca necessary.
He turned to his friend. "Do you think I'm a fool-"
"Yes," Renato answered imdiately.
"Harsh."
"That's what friends are for. It sounded like you had specific questions, though."
John nodded. "Yes. Do you think I'm a fool for choosing a single individual over everyone else?"
"Depends on who you an. But if it's Rukiye…" Renato shrugged. "Maybe you just wanted to be a dad again. But in a way that wouldn't result in annoying succession issues."
"I'm trying to go for the esteed master vibe," John comnted.
"You shouldn't spoil her then."
"I don't!" John protested.
"I've seen you gathering ingredients for burgers."
"... It's my best dish," John said. "And you like to eat them too. It's annoying how hard it is to get the right components, though. They don't work with just any at, cheese, and vegetables."
"Don't forget sauces."
"Exactly," John said. Then he pondered. "Should I act like a father? It's a bit awkward, considering…"
"Statistically, soone else probably killed Rukiye's mother."
"Depends on how you look at it," John tilted his head. "I likely have the highest kill count in our alliance."
Renato nodded. "I'm glad you're not the type that actually keeps track. That's never good. It's for psychos and people who are too burdened by what they've done."
"I am letting her try to kill ," John said. "I can't say I'm too far off from the latter."
"Well, speaking reasonably about it helps believe you're doing alright," Renato said. "You'll just have to take my word that you'll be fine. Mostly fine. You should probably just tell her when you can sense the poison and just not eat it."
"But then she'll learn!" John said. "If I just eat it, it keeps her guessing."
Renato snorted. "Yeah, I guess so. Isn't it still unpleasant?"
"When I think of it as training… not really," John said. "I give my body enough ti to recover. If a real situation cos along, I'll be more prepared."
"Good, I guess." Renato paused for a few monts. "Have you thought about what you'll do if she actually hurts soone else?"
John watched the black flas twirl through the basin below. "I really don't like to. But I also believe she won't. She's a good kid. If she actually thought she might kill … I'm not sure she'd do anything."
"Don't bet your life on it. Even if the chance is small… you're worth too much," Renato said. "If you die now, the world will break."
"No pressure, huh."
"Pressure is good for you," Renato said. "It will turn useless coal into diamonds. But seriously, you are important so you need to hold it together. This doesn't really count Rukiye, because it will be a century or two before she really has a chance. If ever."
"I think she's pretty talented," John comnted. "And I'd like to think I'm a decent teacher."
"Well, to catch you she'll need to be a genius with the world's best teacher."
"Maybe I can get a mug," John said. Then he had to explain why that was funny.
-----
Long after their departure from Mirrored Sun Valley, Rukiye ca to speak with John about the topic. At so point, he'd asked her so questions about the battle- though he'd let her take ti to think. So were simple- about the techniques the sect used.
"External energy gathering seems powerful," Rukiye comnted. "But risky. As you showed, it can be taken over and used against you."
"Yes," John agreed. "Though I'm probably one of the few exceptions."
Rukiye shook her head. "Any decent fire or light cultivator could have caused them great trouble, I think. So of those around us were using the power of that artificial sun as well."
John nodded. "To so extent. Now then, the next question. You rember?"
"Yes. Did their thods seem justified?" she paused. "Putting aside personal grievances, I think taking any advantage necessary given the difference in strength was required. Attacking without warning and forcing you to protect… weaker targets were both tactically sound."
"A well thought out position," John said. "But that presus that we were destined to battle. We weren't," John said. "And Etaine overestimated her own strength, losing everything for it."
In that place, she was likely stronger than most Ascending Soul Phase cultivators in combat… but that still put her beneath an Exalted Soul Phase cultivator. Even when forced to inefficiently defend Rukiye, John was still superior. After all, he'd grown yet stronger after the defeat of the Triptych. Even if he couldn't see any future foe requiring such strength, John would continue to grow. Maybe he could use his power for sothing better than battle, at so point. That would be nice.
"Did she… did my mother overestimate herself?"
"She was likely left without any good choices," John comnted. "The Triptych rely saw the rest of the world as enemies, ant to be conquered. They didn't seem to think about why they would do it. Those who followed them shared in their loss."
The 'reason' was power, obviously. But when the end ca, would they have turned on each other? How soon?
John also wondered if Aldara might turn against him. He hadn't been very good to her in her new life. He didn't find that possibility to be one worth considering, though. Even if she only had remnants of love from a forr life, practicality would temper her actions. And while ruling an entire planet might seem more enticing than rely half a planet, she wouldn't be lacking anything if she restrained herself.
If John didn't have friends… maybe he would be paranoid enough to need to seize complete control of everything. But he did have friends. Family. Disciples, including one that wanted to kill him. Everything a person could need… though not quite everything he might want.
But what John wanted he couldn't have. Matayal was dead, even if Aldara lived. Likewise, so were Astrid and others he once knew and loved. Steve and Yustina were the latest- but Kusuma Mulyani, John's grandfather and other family… and everyone he knew from Earth- all were gone.
People died, including Rukiye's mother. Presumably, other family she wasn't as attached to as well. John hoped that maybe, he could make such deaths happen a little bit less often… though at present he was mostly just picking who died. Even if people attacked him first, if he never approached their region they wouldn't have the chance. Fools brave enough to co to him in his own territory were already long dead.
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