Abyssal Road Trip

Amdirlain’s PoV - Outlands - Outpost of the Monastery of the Western Reaches

Amdirlain headed to the sparring area and motioned for the other students to face the door. “You don’t need to watch us, as you’ll have an illusion presenting the moves to practise. Consider it good practise for concentration.”

Everyone wants me to stretch my capabilities so I can take the initiative and devise an approach.

Lightly touching each student’s mind, she created a mental illusion of her standing before them. She felt them start in surprise, and each heard the same reassurance, but the instructions varied by the student’s proficiency.

“Were you kidding when you said you wanted me to kill you?”

“Try your best,” said Amdirlain. “Meanwhile, I’ll avoid your blade while educating the others.”

Jinfeng’s draw created a blur of silver in a diagonal slash, but a subtle fade leant Amdirlain just below its arc. As Jinfeng moved to follow her, Amdirlain’s palm drifted along the blade’s flat, guiding it away even as she spun into Jinfeng’s reach. Amdirlain’s fingertip dabbed against her throat on the way past instead of what could have been a crushed larynx. Jinfeng spun on her heel and responded with dozens of short, lightning thrusts, but none even found cloth. Through the mental connections that Amdirlain maintained with all the students, she used Harmony to find the right balance between achievable and challenging; as fatigue grew, she lessened their opponents but didn’t allow them to relax fully. When the chimes for the breakfast session finally rang, many slumped from exhaustion. For those who dropped their guard completely, their opponents delivered a ‘lethal’ blow, and Amdirlain provided a disapproving huff.

[Harmony [G] (40->41)

Muse’s Insight [S] (115->116)]

“When an opponent is nearby, you should never relax until you’re sure the danger has passed.”

The senior students got to their feet and bowed to Amdirlain in apology, leading the others to follow their example.

“It’s not me you owe an apology to, but yourself. Learn to do better and stay alive. Remember that even an otherwise honourable opponent might lash out in anger at a loss when your guard lowers,” chided Amdirlain. “Stay ready.”

With the long day ahead, she walked down the line and used Universal Life to wash away fatigue and heal strained muscles. As they recovered, the enchantments whisked the sweat from their clothing. By the time she was done, Amdirlain had also updated their memory crystals with the details of the latest session.

“You’re now dismissed to eat,” advised Amdirlain. “Anyone who wants their crystal opened for others to view, I’ll do so now. Otherwise, feel free to talk to me after any future session.”

When no one stepped forward, she motioned them towards the stairs. “The food trays are in the same places. I’ll see you next time Master Lu approves of you accompanying her.”

A few approached her to adjust the crystals, but most merely headed for the stairs, talking among themselves. Dareios moved alongside some of the senior students and asked them if they’d share insights into their study of Ki while eating. They freely agreed and welcomed Dareios to join them without even a single acquisitive note from those he’d approached.

After they’d all moved off, Jinfeng bowed to Amdirlain. “Was there an issue with any of them I missed?”

“Not at all, but I don’t want them to assume that, having come once, you’ll always bring them,” replied Amdirlain. “Whatever criteria you use for selection remains for you to decide. I know you’ve been dealing with others wishing to come along.”

“I’d wondered if you had said that because of their complacent behaviour,” admitted Jinfeng.

“I doubt I’ll need to repeat that warning,” said Amdirlain. “Better for them to learn that lesson now instead of when the danger is real.”

With the others starting on their breakfast, Amdirlain moved further along the viewing platform to where Gilorn waited.

“I’ve got time before the morning session,” said Amdirlain as she landed beside Gilorn.

Gilorn emitted a cheerful sound. “There is no point in a second short session of harp practice. Why don’t you sit and let’s see if I can expand your knowledge further? I haven’t had time to ask questions about some topics yet.”

Amdirlain sat near Gilorn, and an illusion of a solar system hovered over the table, with a notation floating beside each planet displaying its molecular composition. “Given the mass of the fifth planet and the proximity of its neighbours’ orbits...”

As Gilorn rattled off the scenario’s details, Amdirlain’s mind churned through the songs involved and made a composition appear between them.

The breakfast session almost ended when a minor alteration within the themes across the mountainside grabbed Amdirlain’s attention. A sump of energy stirred as Sarah’s Ki began to rotate between chakras. A moment later, Sarah’s theme subtly changed, and Amdirlain used Analysis on the Class as it settled into place.

[Shùshì Artificer:

Attribute Adjustments:

+8 Health per Level

+3 Intelligence per Level

+3 Willpower per Level

+4 Free Attribute Points every four levels above Level 22

+2 Defence per Level

+2 Magic per Level

+8 Mana per Level

+8 Ki per Level

Increased frequency of major insights into Artificer and Ki powers and skills.

Requirements:

Artificer or Tao Enchanter combined into at least two Prestige classes.

Inscribe or Embed Ki evolved at least once at Grandmaster rank

Details: These crafters blend standard Tao and Artificer techniques to create living enchantments that can use Ki, which their attuned wielder provides.

Note: She’s the first non-Eastern Dragon to take this Class. First Livia and now Sarah, their philosophies aren’t all you’d like them to be.]

And I needed you to tell me that? Sarah is learning a Class that uses Ki. Why? Is she seeking Immortal Spirit, or is it for another purpose?

[Embed:

The principal ability of a Tao Enchanter allows them to place a configuration of Ki energies within a prepared object.]

Sarah will have versatile creation options between her Psionic, Ki, and Mana powers. I’ve seen her create objects involving Psionic techniques and Mana. It’ll be interesting if she can blend all three.

With how I change the intended Mana within spells, what other options for flowing between power sources could I tap into?

“That’s interesting,” murmured Gilorn. “It seems you’ve inspired Sarah to investigate the use of Ki.”

“I hope it’s for the right reasons,” sighed Amdirlain, scrubbing her fingers through her hair.

“There is no guilt or stress within her song,” noted Gilorn. “But I know you can hear that if you set your concerns aside and don’t let them overshadow what they hear.”

“Are you calling me on my bullshit?”

“Yes, your Móðir is telling you that you’re being a naughty girl and reading into things,” Gilorn tinkled merrily. “Goodness, that is quite an amusing image.”

“Glad to know I’m amusing someone,” snorted Amdirlain.

Gilorn shifted down octaves and thrummed out bass notes. “Have you picked up how harps help as yet? Or recovered the memory?”

“The energy is like the solid back wall of an amphitheatre,” replied Amdirlain. “Not True Song itself. I figured that out while playing the scales, not from any memory.”

“Good,” hummed Gilorn. “It seems you’re going to have visitors soon.”

“They left Kadaklan behind,” noted Amdirlain, and she settled to wait.

The pair entered the training hall, and Sarah led the way to Amdirlain, who was focused on the changes in Sarah’s song. Among the robust vitality of Sarah’s life force, slow currents were now cycling between her throat, heart, and solar plexus chakras.

As she settled onto the platform, Sarah regarded Amdirlain’s intensity with concern. “Hey, sweetie.”

“Hey, beastie,” quipped Amdirlain. “Did you pick that Class because of me?”

“It caught your attention among all the noise?” asked Sarah, and she leaned closer and put an arm around Amdirlain’s shoulder.

With Isa following Sarah in for a landing, Amdirlain kept her nod casual but took Sarah’s hand.

“I heard your Ki moving, and then you immediately picked Shùshì Artificer,” noted Amdirlain.

A smirk twisted Sarah’s lips, but her gaze softened. “Do you think Gideon made it for me? I was attempting to unlock the Tao Enchanter Class. Still, it has some interesting possibilities and should take some worry off our plates.”

Did she take the Class because of me?

Isa giggled and slid into the chair across from them. “Look at you two getting all PDA.”

I don’t want to change the subject, Isa. Should I push the subject back or let it slide until Isa is gone?

“Only as far as Am’s comfortable,” replied Sarah. “I still move too fast.”

“Sorry,” sighed Amdirlain.

Sarah planted a finger on her lips, and her gaze softened. “You’ve nothing to be sorry for, my love. I’m the one that got in your personal space. I picked up enough from your scent to know I’d pushed too far. Thank you for being open like that with me.”

The flush that darkened Amdirlain’s face had Isa squirming happily in her seat.

“Do you mind?” asked Sarah.

“I have no impulse control,” admitted Isa. “That you two are finally together gets me all gooey inside.”

“Maybe I should have left you in Ilya’s care,” huffed Sarah.

Isa shrugged. “She’s having fun restructuring the processes around documentation in the monastery. All the discussions Ilya’s been having about it makes me want to go into someone’s office and throw all their paperwork in the air.”

No, I need to address it, not second guess Sarah.

“Will you tell me why you took the Class later?” asked Amdirlain.

“Oops,” Isa said. “I’m the third wheel.”

“Luck’s got its hooks into you at present,” noted Amdirlain. “I’m not grumpy at you for that, okay?”

Isa nodded. “Sorry, I had an impulse to be here.”

“I noticed the connection,” conceded Amdirlain. “What does it feel like to you?”

Isa shrugged. “It just felt like I should be here.”

“You assumed it was about Sarah?”

Isa fidgeted for a bit, only to finally give a helpless shrug. “Maybe.”

I’ll deal with Isa first and then listen to Sarah about why she thinks it will take any worry off my plate.

“I need to talk to you about something, so maybe that’s why Luck sent you my way,” advised Amdirlain. “Though their timing could have been a lot better. Can you tell me about Rainith? She seems cut off.”

“I’ve tried to speak with her, but she seems reluctant to exchange more than polite greetings,” replied Isa. “Luck can create opportunities when something is possible, but she shuts me down cold.”

“She finds Gail too erratic,” offered Amdirlain, and she sought a diplomatic phrasing.

Isa’s high-pitched giggle ran through octaves inaudible to humans and got her a glare from Sarah. “Please stop that.”

“What?”

“Ilya finds you laughing that way adorable, but she’s not here,” stated Sarah. “I can hear all of it, and it makes me want to grind my teeth. It’s like nails on a blackboard, so can you just laugh normally?”

“That’s just because you’re not a fan of butterflies changing weather patterns,” laughed Isa.

Sarah shook her head. “If you can’t remember the full quote, don’t use it.”

“I can remember it, but misquoting it is more fun,” replied Isa. “And it provided evidence of Rainith’s issue without saying a thing.”

“She can hear your song well enough to know your personalities would clash, so she doesn’t try,” stated Amdirlain.

Isa tapped the side of her nose. “Got it in one.”

“She can’t hear mine to know we’ll work well,” objected Amdirlain.

“Some things are so obvious even a blind man can see them,” said Isa. “Do you want to bet whether you’d be able to teach her fine?”

Sarah shifted slightly next to Amdirlain.

Before she could say anything, Amdirlain got in first. “I know who she was in her last life.”

“That doesn’t matter. I know you wouldn’t hold that against a child no matter who she was,” stated Isa.

“I had to deal with jealousy from listening to her Soul,” cautioned Amdirlain, and Sarah rested a hand reassuringly on hers.

Isa leaned forward. “Given you didn’t offer a name, I could hazard a guess. The question still remains: would you hold that against her when she can’t remember it?”

“Not intentionally,” sighed Amdirlain. “But I know what will likely come next.”

“What’s that?” asked Isa innocently, exaggeratedly fluttering her eyelids.

“She’ll want me to sing at her adult ceremony and awaken her memories,” stated Amdirlain. “What if I awaken ones that let her know why I hated her for so long?”

“Maybe you need to trust yourself more,” offered Isa.

Amdirlain ground her teeth and leaned forward, digging the nails of her free hand into her thigh. “It wasn’t just for one life that my Soul contains jealousy towards her, Isa.”

“Trust yourself,” replied Isa. “Maybe instead of eating that pain, you need to learn to let it go, burn it for fuel or something. Cyrus is teaching you a Ki Blast technique to do just that, isn’t he?”

“I likely have to get it higher before I start doing that, but fine, I’ll teach her when she’s older,” huffed Amdirlain. “The rest of you have to figure out someone to teach her singing fundamentals, and I want you to take more time to sing creation songs in the Lómë forest.”

“It’s their homeland,” protested Isa.

“You’re putting the later training on me, but I want something in return instead of more being added. Yes, it’s the Lómë homeland, but it’s shared by Anar children who don’t hear people singing in the higher registers. While it’s Rainith I know about now, there are bound to be others before long,” insisted Amdirlain.

“Oh! That’s what you mean by cut-off. I thought you meant socially,” groaned Isa. “Okay, I’ll sing something every time I’m there. Do you have anything you need lots of made?”

“They need more than that, Isa. I need you to go there regularly and sing so they know they’re not defective,” insisted Amdirlain. “I can provide you a list so you can pick random items to create.”

Isa sighed and nodded reluctantly. “That might be the best way to stop me from getting bored.”

“Then you’re going to get a very long list,” grumbled Amdirlain.

“How long of a list are you going to give me?”

“It’ll be long enough that if you randomly sing a few items a day, they’ll hear new songs for a few thousand years,” replied Amdirlain.

“AM!” squealed Isa.

“Don’t Am me, Isa,” grumbled Amdirlain. “I don’t have time to handle educating them. Time to step up to the plate and do more than handle play time with the little kids. You need to give the older kids the best lucky break they’ll ever have.”

“But!”

“No buts,” declared Amdirlain, leaning forward in her seat. “I need you to handle this piece with everything else I have going on.”

“Or?”

Or I’ll ensure you get a Mantle involving Skill alone and remove Luck’s influence from you.

Amdirlain snorted. “Please, like you aren’t going to help kids. There is no ‘or’. I need help with this issue as I don’t have time, and missing out on hearing their side of True Song properly used isn’t good for the children. I know you don't want that to happen.”

“You felt you needed to be here,” chuffed Sarah. “Maybe Luck wanted to see what Am would come up with.”

“Thanks,” drawled Isa.

Amdirlain put a chunk of songs for objects using Anar True Song into a memory crystal and tossed it gently to Isa, who caught it by reflex.

“Three and a quarter million songs,” protested Isa after she examined the crystal.

“I even numbered them for you to help with the random number generation,” noted Amdirlain, winking mischievously at Isa to soften the mood.

“But...” protested Isa.

“At least one object a day. At least,” repeated Amdirlain. “And that’s not performing a song once. I mean, perform at least one song enough that all the children can appreciate the music.”

Isa frowned and tilted her head. “You’re putting me on permanent child-minding duty? They live throughout the forest on different family schedules. There isn’t likely to be an opportunity for a significant portion of them to hear the songs in a few hours.”

“If you want to minimise the time, maybe you need to figure out a way,” rejoined Amdirlain. “Care to make a wager?”

“Oh?”

“I can get my Perception to evolve before you make it a third of the way through that list,” said Amdirlain, raising her hand as Isa went to jump in. “You can’t just sing one of each song. You must listen to the children’s melodies and ensure they can appreciate them.”

Isa grinned. “You can be Captain Oblivious. If you win the wager, what do you get?”

“You help the children learn True Song until there is a functional Anar Choir again,” pronounced Amdirlain.

“That is a very long-term project,” objected Isa.

“One that will take Luck and Skill,” countered Amdirlain. “The key facets of your worship of Luck isn’t pure Luck after all.”

“If I agree to that, you agree to what I win if I beat you to the finish line,” stated Isa.

“If I don’t like it, I’m just going to propose a different bet,” added Amdirlain.

Isa smirked. “You turn me back into an Anar.”

Amdirlain spluttered. “Why? How would I do that?”

“Don’t tell me you don’t think you could do it,” stated Isa. “Given you turned a half-Succubus into a pure Fae, I’d bet you could right now. Since this bet will probably take years, it would be a sure thing.”

“Why?”

“There are lots of reasons, but as a Celestial, well, at times, I feel distanced from life,” sighed Isa. “Then, on top of that, celestials are basically high servants for their ideals. I want to be more than a servant.”

“You could become a Deity,” countered Amdirlain.

“Huh?” grunted Isa.

Amdirlain rolled her eyes. “Have you never considered that?”

Isa shuddered. “No!”

“It would be safer than me changing your Celestial essence into an Anar,” insisted Amdirlain.

“But you doing that is possible,” interjected Gilorn.

“Is there a song for that?” asked Amdirlain, looking at her sideways.

Gilorn hummed. “No, of course not. There were only eight million Anar, and they came from clean souls. However, I know several compositions that would support it, especially since her essence currently supports the ability to use True Song. If she didn’t have that ability, it would be a non-starter unless you consider an Anar that couldn’t use True Song to still be an Anar.”

Like I’m considering doing to those exiled Lómë?

Isa motioned to Gilorn. “See, I trust the expert in the house.”

“Would you do it, Gilorn?” asked Amdirlain.

“It would be best if you did. You’d better understand the parts of her essence that would need to come along,” rebuffed Gilorn. “I’ll ensure you’re strong enough to do it confidently.”

Would Erwarth or the others want to be Lómë again?

“Did you ever figure out how you caused Erwarth to regain her capacity for True Song?” asked Amdirlain.

“We only came up with non-reproducible theories,” said Isa. “We tried with the others, but our purification songs didn’t reinitialise their ability to hear True Song.”

“Any exploration of that might be a starting point for our other discussion,” proposed Gilorn. “But I’d remind you that neither Anar nor Lómë were supposed to worship a Deity.”

“Concepts are fine,” grumbled Isa.

“Erwarth doesn’t serve a Concept, nor do the other former Lómë succubi who were changed into solars,” argued Gilorn.

Amdirlain motioned for Gilorn to stop. “Yet the Titan allowed, even facilitated, their transformation instead of reclaiming their souls to his forge.”

“Oh.”

“You’ve heard a lot, but I’m sure they’ve not talked about that recently,” said Amdirlain. “They didn’t have a peaceful conversation, and Erwarth realised how much danger they’d been in after I told her the truth of myself.”

Gilorn hummed thoughtfully. “Since the Titan allowed it, who am I to question the situation?“

Isa rose and slipped around the table to hug them before giving Amdirlain a wink. “I’ll go hassle Roher, and you better get busy pushing your Perception.”

With that, she was gone, and Sarah started to laugh. Amdirlain heard her reappear near Ilya and stir her into motion.

“What’s so funny?”

Sarah shrugged. “I can think of many outrageous things Isa could have wagered instead. Also, despite being a Priestess of Luck, she is betting against you when hard work is involved.”

“Luck doesn’t always favour her,” reminded Amdirlain. “It uses her to seed the odds of events happening for others. It might have led her here while my attention was still focused on providing the most fortunate outcome for the kids.”

“True,” snorted Sarah, trying not to laugh.

“What’s your intention about learning to use Ki?” asked Amdirlain.

“Isa interrupted you, but you let it slide?” questioned Sarah.

“No point snapping at her when I can hear the influence of Luck touching her,” replied Amdirlain.

“Are you worried about me being tied to the Jade Court?”

“That is one element I’m concerned about,” admitted Amdirlain, waving towards the training hall entry. “I still know so little about them, despite their help. Cyrus used the name of the Kyton’s Great Mother freely, but they didn’t even know of her role in Hell.”

“It might not even matter if he’d known. She is being true to the being she became,” offered Sarah. “They all seem to treat their eastern demons carefully and work to hold them back from humanity, but they see even Hell as having a place in the cycle of life. There are some factors personal to me you’ve likely not considered.”

I should have trusted Sarah had reasons.

Amdirlain relaxed.

“You were told what’s required for you to become a Primordial and be able to evolve, and I thought I’d see if I can do the same,” stated Sarah.

“Would you lead me through your thought process?” asked Amdirlain.

“The principal one is that the Shen are a type of Primordial since they’re able to come to the Material Plane relatively freely,” stated Sarah. “If I can walk this route to Immortality, I’ll keep pursuing it until we’re together on equal footing.”

“What did Kadaklan say?” asked Amdirlain. “I mean, Yngvarr had issues obtaining Immortal Spirit.”

“First off, Yngvarr’s reason was to be with Alfarr, which caused them trouble. I want to be with you, but I also want to stand beside you through the strength I gain for myself, not merely through what you give me. Kadaklan said that a person’s reasons for seeking immortality aren’t important, rather if they can be true to themselves,” stated Sarah. “You’re many things, Amdirlain, but I will not take a path I think is wrong for me to be with you. I could have looked to become an Outsider and obtained Immortality that way, but I’m not a bottom. To be together and not have it rub me raw in the long run, I need strength of my own to stand on.”

“They’re restricted to the Jade Court’s traditional lands, and those are all on one world,” cautioned Amdirlain.

“Hence, I plan to expand my options to channel energies like you are,” clarified Sarah. “Dragon vitality should combine well with Ki plus arcane energies, which I have so far tapped into using variations of Artificer. But on top of that, I thought I’d double down on the arcane energies and become a Wizard. I’ve gained psionics through both my species and my Shaper Class, along with my Prestige classes, but I’ll take Psion to expand the scope of my abilities there instead of an evolved Shaper option. A focused combat Class to round things out and keep progressing in my ability to mess up foes physically.”

“You’re broadening the foundation of your classes,” noted Amdirlain.

Sarah nodded and winked. “Indeed I am, not that my focus was too narrow before but I’m adding classes that multiply my strength. My initial Prestige Class combined Fighter, Dominator, Artificer, and Hunter; those gave me a broad base covering combat, social, crafting and survival. The Combat, Psionic, and Artificer variants I took with my other Prestige Classes have potentially narrowed my foundations, so I want to widen them out again by going back to more fundamental options, except for Dragon Knight. I can see the need for at least an evolved combat class to smack my enemies’ faces in.”

“A knight in shining scales,” quipped Amdirlain before giving the slightest of frowns. “You don’t have any affinities yet.”

“Do you think a lady I know might be able to help me with that?” smirked Sarah.

“Potentially, but it will cost you,” said Amdirlain, holding in her grin.

“Oh?” Sarah laughed.

“Klipyl advises people about developing intimacy, so we’re going to her together,” said Amdirlain, tapping Sarah on the nose. “Even if I’m not brave enough to follow all of the advice she’s likely to give.”

Sarah’s eyes widened. “You don’t believe in letting the grass grow under your feet, do you?”

“You know me better than that,” snorted Amdirlain. “Don’t fill your lunch break today because I’ll send her a Message to talk to us then.”

“Do I get some time to relax with you now?”

“We’ve got until Kadaklan gets here,” replied Amdirlain.

I need to open some gaps in my schedule.

“That sounds good,” Sarah sighed, wrapping both arms around her.

“Would you tell me what drew you to that Class?” asked Amdirlain. She relaxed against Sarah and kept an open mind as she listened.