Inside the halls of the Blue Spring Sect, Elder Fu massaged his temples as he read a scroll. The source of the elders migraine sat on the ground, back straight in front of him.
"Osmal.. The Red Sky Pavilion has made some dangerous claims. They are accusing us of stealing a valuable scroll from them. If the scroll is not returned, there will be consequences," Elder Fu said.
Osmal smoothed his robes, giving the elder an innocent smile.
"I have no idea what you are talking about, Elder Fu." He paused, reaching into his sleeve. "On a completely unrelated note, I recently acquired this technique for your perusal," Osmal said, tossing it over.
Elder Fu caught the scroll. He slowly unfurled it, his lips curling up into a smile.
"A copy of the smoldering flame technique," the older man coughed, quickly tucking the scroll beneath his robes." I see why they are in such a tizzy. It's a shame I found nothing in my investigation," Elder Fu replied.
Osmal nodded sagely. These old coots were all the same. All it took was a little bribery, and they would sweep any misdeeds under the rug.
Elder Fu dismissed him with a wave. Osmal was more than a bit anxious to get on his way.
Stepping from Elder Fu's cave, he took a deep breath. Ahh the crisp mountain was quite nice, too bad it took forever to walk up the stairs. The privilege of status in the sect, with those higher up allowed to build manors, or caves higher up the mountain.
Elder Fu was near the top of the pecking order, an inner elder one step below the grand matron.
Osmal was near the bottom, the ley lines much weaker there. He was reluctant to descend, but Elder Fu would not be so considerate if Osmal started cultivating right outside his manor.
That miser would throw him off the mountain, something not even a practitioner would survive.
As he descended towards the lowest level, Osmal couldn't help but run his fingers over the parchment hidden in his sleeves. It was quite risky to give a fake to the elder, but Osmal couldn't afford to give up such a valuable technique. Those at the bottom needed to keep their ill gotten gains to rise to the top.
He grinned as he finally reached his humble abode, a small cave. As he entered, he brushed his fingers along the wall, his fingers resting on a small rock.
The cave lit up, glowing in his mind's eye. Wispy strands of power connected from one wall to the other, like a spiderweb that criss crossed the entrance.
Most of the strands were torn, letting him know that someone had entered while he was away. Osmal walked inside the cave.
The small chest at the end of his bed was upended, most of his things tossed across the floor.
He sighed. So much for the so-called Iron web technique. More like useless web technique. He set about collecting his meagre things. Whoever had broken in, must have been pissed. His copper coffee mug he had purchased from a wandering caravan was smashed with a heel print, and his chest at the end of his bed had its lid broken in half.
They even broke his bedframe. What kind of asshole would do something like that? Osmal pretended to be angry, which wasn't hard, as he cleaned up. After nearly an hour, there was a soft shift in the cave.
He let out a deep sigh of relief. Was that Elder Fu spying on him? Hopefully not. That would mean that Miser had already discovered he had been given a fake. That would really be a pain in the ass. Pissing off the elders was never a good thing.
The fact he was being spied on so soon after his meeting with Elder Fu meant Osmal was going to be in for it. The man wouldn't report him to the Red Sky Pavilion. There was a lot of internal conflict, but no sect member worth their robes would snitch on one of their own to outsiders, and even more so, a rival sect.
No, Elder Fu would find other ways to punish him for the slight. There was going to be a reckoning, but Osmal wasn't too worried. The sect operated by the law of the jungle, but there were still rules to the madness.
Even an elder couldn't just wantonly murder a member without just cause. The Grand Matron wouldn't allow it. But then again, Osmal was all too aware that no rule was set in stone.
For example, if you snuck into the Red Sky Sect and stole a valuable technique from one of their members, it was completely within the rules. In fact, it was encouraged. Stealing from anyone and everyone outside the sect was fair game, with one caveat. Stealing from 'allies' like the Red Sky Sect was frowned upon.
The Blue Springs Sect would turn on him quicker than a rabid wolf turns on a juicy rabbit if he had been caught. Their current alliance was strictly temporary, in preparation for the beast tide.
Once the beast tide was dealt with, they would go back to their usual competition for land and resources.
With all of his meager belongings dealt with, Osmal sat on his bed, and gently pulled the scroll from his sleeve.
Inside were his ill gotten gains. The Manuel for the smoldering phoenix technique. Everything from the stances, breathing techniques, to energy flow to use it.
Osmal grinned. If he mastered this, he could unleash a phoenix with a simple punch to obliterate his enemies. It would be a perfect complement to his fist beats sword technique.
It had been well worth the risk. It was perfect timing for the oncoming beast tide. The elders claimed it was an incredible opportunity, but for the vast majority of the sect members, it was a good way to die.. Only the survivors could reap the rewards of such a thing.
Over a few drinks, Osmal had talked with one of the veterans of the last tide. Fields of corpses, big and small, thousands of monsters and people dead..
Like an unstoppable tide, the hoard would spill down from the mountains, killing all that got in their path. To make things worse, the tide would grow, the leader of the pack forcing the tyrants of the jungle to submit and follow or be killed.
It wasn't something their sect alone could handle. Their Sect only had around two hundred official members in total, with five elders, and a grand Matron.
That didn't count the cities and towns under their control, from which they took new members. Only those with adequate talent could become full members.
The Red Sky Sect had similar strength. Even combined, it was going to be rough to fend off the hoards. To say they lacked teamwork and brotherhood was an understatement. Years of robbery, assassinations, and blackmail would do that.
The bordering kingdoms and empire would send forces to the mountains to divert the tide, but they were even less trusted.
Osmal chuckled at the thought as he tucked the scroll back up his sleeves. They had good reason to be suspicious.
If Osmal were them, he wouldn't trust the sects either. After all, the sects didn't have any problem with robbing and backstabbing their so-called allies even during beast tides.
It was a sentiment the kingdom's soldiers reciprocated at every opportunity. Osmal stood, dusting himself off. One last look over his mostly clean cave, he frowned. After feeling the presence of someone spying, he didn't feel comfortable at all. It was better to be safe.
He left his cave, and descended to the bottom of the mountain, entering the forest. Light on his feet, he made good time. He knew of a quiet glade a few hours out that should be private.
The sect swept these forests regularly for monsters, but that didn't mean he could relax his guard.
He arrived at the glade sometime later, peeking from the trees. No one was in sight, the chirp of birds, and clatter of insects filling the air.
Ignoring the biting of insects, he waited, carefully hidden as he watched for movement. Where was she?
He thought she might not come when a familiar bird call filled the air.
It sounded like a chickadee, though slightly of tune. Osmal returned the sound a few seconds later.
Scanning for threats, he hesitantly stood from cover, scanning the clearing for threats as he advanced.
In tandem, another figure stepped from cover.
Despite the heat, she wore a cloak, one that masked the Red Sky robes underneath.
"Did you get it?" She asked, eyes darting about the clearing for threats.
Osmal tugged a separate scroll from his other sleeve.
He tossed it and she deftly snatched it from the air. Looking suspicious, she unfurled the scroll.
After a few seconds, she frowned.
"This is a fake,"
Osmal shrugged helplessly. "Whoops, must have given you the wrong one,"
Taking the real scroll out, he tossed it over
With a scowl, she snatched it from the air. Giving it a thorough once over.
Osmal gave her a curious look.
"It will take quite a skilled alchemist to brew that poison," Osmal said..
"Won't be a problem," Ash said dismissively.
He raised an eyebrow. If she were this confident, then maybe….
"Do you have anything for sale?" Osmal asked.
"How much do you have on you?" She countered.
"I have ten crowns," Osmal lied smoothly.
"That's a shame, I would have sold you an elixir of stone for twenty crowns," she said.
Osmal winced like it pained him.
"I can do twelve, but that will bankrupt me. I will be penniless," Osmal said.
"Seventeen," she countered.
"Oh come on, that's highway robbery and you know it. I can do fifteen but that's everything I have," Osmal said.
She sighed dejectedly, like it pained her. "Fine, I can do fifteen," She grumbled.
Osmal pulled a pouch from his robes, tossing it over. She peered inside, taking out a crown and eying it suspiciously.
Nodding in satisfaction, she retrieved the elixir of stone, tossing it over.
Osmal frowned at the vial, sloshing the liquid around. It looked weird. He unstoppered the vial and scowled.
"This is just dirty water!" Osmal stammered.
She smiled innocently.
"Oops, must have given you the wrong vial," she said.
With a flick of her wrist, she pulled out the real deal, tossing it over.
He deftly caught it, using his mind's eye to verify it was legitimate. After a few seconds he smiled.
"As always, a pleasure doing business with you Ash. Same time next month?" Osmal asked..
"Sadly, not. I will be otherwise occupied," Ash replied.
"The tide?" he asked.
"Yes, it's going to get rather busy soon," she said.
"I see. Well, best of luck to you," Osmal said.
"You as well. Try not to die, I hear this tide is going to be a rough one," Ash said.
He nodded, tucking away his spoils.