Abyssal Road Trip

Amdirlain's PoV - Outlands

The thick forest they appeared within comprised silver-barked oak trees, their canopy rustling under a strong wind's whims.

"Do you think Rana's Goddess will take you up on your offer?" enquired Silpar.

Amdirlain shrugged. "I don't know. Danu would have invested a lot of effort to get an Avatar onto the world and in a state it could remain. She might consider it better for her followers to remain present."

The forest around them came alive with Danu's presence when Amdirlain's use of her name attracted the Goddess' attention.

"True, not a decision to rush then," said Silpar, and he shifted nervously. "You so casually draw the attention of deities."

"I've got nothing to hide from her. If she waits a few years, the offer might deliver a better result," laughed Amdirlain. "Hopefully, I'll be able to study the environment she's maintaining for a time before putting anything in place to reinforce it."

As Silpar's claws extended a fraction, his head swayed from side to side, giving Amdirlain the impression of a hunting lizard. "Do you believe she'd rush you?"

"Not so much rush, but I've dealt with enough people that would wait and then want things done to their timeline," replied Amdirlain. "Isa's concerned about me hitting Moloch's forces. Does the cloister have any particular foes I could push my skills against?"

That earned a firm nod, and Silpar's lips curling back slightly. "There are several demon lords in particular that look to harass our members; one of them you might remember."

"Oh?"

Silpar's tongue tasted the air briefly.

Amdirlain smiled. "You know you give yourself away. You can stand still for days, and then when you don't like things, you twitch your claws or your tongue."

"I'm sure you have your own share of habits," said Silpar blandly. "You should know that mortals find it disconcerting if you don't display physical tells while they're conversing with you."

Amdirlain nodded. "I'll keep that in mind, but hopefully, I don’t lose mine. Though you're evading the subject: what Demon Lord gives the cloister the most trouble?"

"The Eldest's companion who fell from the path," replied Silpar, and he twitched a claw towards the nearest tree. "Besides, in the Outlands, where are we?"

Alright, he'd prefer not to talk about it at present. Another old Solar-turned-Demon Lord isn’t who I want to tackle right now.

"A small matter I needed to check up on before we go near the monastery Master Cyrus is working on," replied Amdirlain. "I heard the woodland spirits tell the local Dryad grove they have visitors. So if they don't decide to ignore us, we should see one or two of them shortly."

I can gauge my increased Charisma on them and see if I have it under control.

"How far away are they?" asked Silpar.

"About eighty kilometres that way," Amdirlain said, and she pointed behind Silpar. "Not that I hear the words themselves it's a sense of the energy in the conversation, and my Power understands the meaning. I listened for the dryads' themes, so it was easy to detect amidst everything else."

Silpar went utterly still for the briefest of instants before he slowly blinked. "And if you hadn't been listening for their theme?"

"I can tell where there are other woodland spirits, but not all the details of what they're up to," replied Amdirlain.

"At her peak strength, one of my Goddess' avatars would know everything around her for maybe fifteen kilometres. Double that if it involved one of her worshippers," stated Silpar. "You know the general details of everything inside that sphere?"

Amdirlain nodded sharply.

Two whose themes Amdirlain hadn't detected within Resonance's reach appeared nearby, and two honey-eyed dryads stepped from separate oak trees and looked over Amdirlain and Silpar. Their themes were distinctive, and Amdirlain hadn't heard either at her last meeting with the dryads. Their skin possessed a tea-green hue, shot through with golden veins all over their bodies, and distinctive azure-blue hair. Who they were didn't require a guess and, although Livia had said the children she had helped the dryads conceive could move far from their trees, Amdirlain couldn't hear a link within either.

"You appear as the one the groves' elder described. Are you the Elf called Am?"

The second tilted her head and looked Amdirlain over. "And who gave all the grove's members energy?"

[Name: Canna

Species: Unbound Dryad

Class: Ranger / Priest

Level: 5 / 5 / 5

Health: 165

Defence: 24

Faith: 32

Mana: 130

Melee Attack Power: 18

Combat Skills: Daggers [J] (1), Various blessings and racial abilities.

Details: Look what you did, young lady! Having provided your Ki to help her mother attempt to fertilise a seed sprout, the Dryad offspring isn't bound to a tree after reaching maturity. Despite their ability to connect to all the trees in the groves' territory, they are treated like normal dryads. They all entered Danu's service six years ago. Don't little dryads grow up so fast?]

Her sister, Leuciphia, had similar details, with a snide aside from Gideon about unneeded paternity tests.

"Canna and Leuciphia, it is most unexpected to see you. Where are your sisters?"

"They've gone travelling," replied Leuciphia.

"She didn't answer our questions," noted Canna. ”How do you know our names? We didn’t tell them to the ones at Xaos.”

"Shouldn't you be travelling with weapons at least?" asked Amdirlain. "Even if you are close enough to home to arrive in a single step."

A golden resin flowed from Canna's hands and formed into razor-sharp blades. "I have weapons when I need them."

"Be polite, Canna," instructed Leuciphia. "Who's the monster with you? He's a different lizard than mother described and smells of charred bones."

Amdirlain detected neither stress nor deference in their responses to her Charisma and held back a smile of relief. "He's called Silpar. Not a monster, just different from yourselves. You got here rather quickly."

"We asked the spirits to watch out for you and to let us know. We were far away, but they reached us quicker than the winds," reported Leuciphia.

"What were you looking to talk to me about?"

Canna spun her daggers about and tossed them between her hands. "To find out why we're different from our mothers."

"I provided your mothers with refined life energy to help in your sprouting," replied Amdirlain. "I'd imagine that is the cause."

"Can others provide such life energy?" asked Leuciphia.

Amdirlain shook her head. “Not my golden Ki, and I don’t know if another’s Ki will have the same effect.”

"Ahh," breathed Leuciphia. "Very well then, that is unfortunate. Would you help our mother have more sproutings? The forest is vast, and we who can travel its breadth are few."

"Your mothers were in uncomfortable need, and none had come near their groves in decades," replied Amdirlain. "Your unusual state was unintentional, but your normal offspring will inherit it from you as best I can tell."

Canna's daggers melted back into her skin, and she clapped her hands. "Then our mothers were right to use you for our sproutings. Goodbye, strange one."

With that, Canna touched the tree behind her and vanished into it.

"My grove cousin doesn't like fleshlings," sighed Leuciphia. "Our mothers were hoping you'd visit again, perhaps even making a habit of it."

"Is one of them trying for a new sprout?" asked Amdirlain.

"Maybe," hedged Leuciphia, her glance shooting off in the grove's direction. "What will you give me to answer your question?"

"You're looking to trade me for information? After you told me already what your grove members seek?"

The sultry smile from Leuciphia added a sudden heat to her gaze. "I'm sure we can determine an agreeable trade."

What exactly did I unleash into the realm?

"I'm good, thanks," demurred Amdirlain.

Leuciphia's smile didn't dim. "I'm still sure we can make you better."

"You need to work on your technique," advised Amdirlain.

Her smile turned into a pout before Leuciphia touched the tree beside her and vanished.

After a prolonged moment of silence, Silpar erupted in a hissing fit of laughter.

"Thanks," drawled Amdirlain.

"At least your growth in Charisma didn’t beguile them," snorted Silpar. "Isn't that a good thing? Did it hurt your feelings to be used to bring about a new life?"

"I didn't get used. It was a trade for them to stop trying to charm Goxashru and others for a time," refuted Amdirlain.

Silpar snickered. "No, of course not."

"It only took thirty points of Ki for the six of them. It wasn't a massive effort," grumbled Amdirlain.

"Over in a moment. I hear such things can be common among mortals," consoled Silpar.

"You've been listening to Sarah far too much," huffed Amdirlain, and she sent a request for information to Livia.

"You dislike the implication that they used you?" asked Silpar.

Amdirlain cracked her neck from side to side. "It wouldn't have been the first time. Let me find out where Master Cyrus’ monastery is located and see if I can gain a starting point for what Monk classes to unlock."

Silpar's lips twitched upwards. "Not a matter that you just want to leave to Analysis?"

Amdirlain wrinkled her nose. "You need to have a starting place to ask, and it gives no results if I try an open enquiry for Monk Prestige classes."

"You don't have the details from peeking at his Profile?" asked Silpar.

"No, his Prestige classes were all related to being an Immortal," replied Amdirlain, scrubbing her hand bashfully across the side of her neck.

Silpar smiled fully, revealing a mouth full of fanged teeth. "And you didn't prepare the options in advance?"

Amdirlain huffed in frustration. "Gilorn's shortcut cut down my planning time, okay?"

"At least I’m not dealing with one who considers themselves infallible," continued Silpar.

"No," grumbled Amdirlain. "I've never claimed to be perfect. I'll listen if you can give me a reason for a particular approach. However, I expect people to explain their reasons for something, not just tell me 'that's how things are done'."

"Even when presented logically, what is sufficient justification for one isn't always enough for another," argued Silpar.

"I try to be reasonable," replied Amdirlain. "Shall we spar for a bit while we wait for Livia's response?"

"Obstacles could add to the challenge. Harming a tree or shrub counts as injuring an ally," proposed Silpar.

Amdirlain grinned, and her mithril blades appeared in her hand. Silpar's initial strikes herded her towards uneven ground around the base of a giant oak, and Amdirlain teleported behind him.

Silpar spun just in time to block her attack. "Loopholes."

Amdirlain shifted position again, and Silpar returned the favour. Their sparring became a flurry of strikes and teleporting among the trees as each sought to find an opening. Hours later, the pair's exertions had stripped leaves from branches with the sheer speed of strikes. With an innocent smile, Amdirlain restored all the leaves she'd been responsible for damaging.

"So many points against you," sighed Amdirlain before she restored the rest of the shrubs.

"Are you going to look at the Message Orb that arrived?" asked Silpar, motioning to the Mana orb hovering by her shoulder.

"I've already checked the contents. With your permission, I'll also put concealments around your nature before we head off," said Amdirlain.

Silpar nodded and transformed his ashen flesh into the same humanoid Lizardfolk he'd used to hide his form each time they'd required disguises.

When Amdirlain had the concealment around their Fallen state and auras, she relocated them to the edge of the monastery's wards. The image Livia had sent made it seem that they'd taken over a hill, but Amdirlain found herself standing on a road at the foot of a mountain just short of five kilometres in height. Unexpectedly, all the residents had the background theme of Vehtë within their melodies. Shockingly, Amdirlain found they’d entered a Domain, and the Deity at its source was present on the mountain. Amdirlain stopped herself from cursing and took in the view.

At the mountain base, rows of rice paddocks had been established and flooded from a nearby river. The lower terraces had been cut out but left empty except for some storehouses and mills, with only markers showing where construction was planned. Halfway up the slope, construction work was underway on buildings, from small abodes to fancy manors; each manor had a dedicated training hall within its walls. Those sprawling structures had distorted Amdirlain's initial perspective of the image Livia provided, as she hadn't expected such expansive structures.

A wall encircled the mountain two kilometres below the summit. Within, completed buildings stopped a half-kilometre from the untouched broad peak. Their construction was uniform in material, grey stone with red ceramic tiles and lacquered wood forming the door and window frames. While consistently palace-like, with elaborate decorations in red and gold and expansive windows, the buildings' sizes and shapes varied.

Amdirlain grunted when she made out the scenes on painted silk screens. Though she recognised some scenes from what little she knew of Chinese folklore, those were in the minority. She didn’t even have enough information to know if the scenes originated from Cyrus' previous realm or this one. A dozen larger training halls contained portals through which she could hear Xaos' harmony.

Eldritch runes won’t be hiding from me now, not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing yet.

Should I return and check the areas between those two contaminated sites for sigils? Perhaps an issue for another day. The question now is what is going on here? Aside from the Domain itself, I thought they were building it to have a dedicated training place for the troops.

I expected this to be different when they spoke of a monastery; it's more like a mountainside palace with teaching halls and servants' quarters. They've got portals near a number of the training halls in the upper area that exit near Xaos. I'll have to ask about their arrangement with the nature deities who control it. Or need I?

Ignoring the question for now, Amdirlain studied the buildings. Besides the portals, she could sense wards that involved both Mana and Ki. Numerous men and women were busy training in martial and mystical arts with no separation by gender.

The distinction between servants from students seemed to be the presence of a white jade pendant the size of her thumb infused with their Ki. The copper pendants the servants wore had been bound to the wards with Ki that held Livia's theme. Resonance-Lord showed her the eastern dragon motif set into each copper pendant, and her new ability to make out engravings sent ice up her spine.

Though she could sense where Livia, Cyrus, and Kadaklan were located on the heights, she opted to behave herself and not test the Domain's restrictions. Following the road they'd arrived on, Amdirlain and Silpar joined the line of people loaded with baskets filled with freshly harvested rice trudging up the slope. The workers and students wore similar grey hues trimmed with black, but where the workers wore cotton, the students wore silk that shed stains and dirt.

The line of workers proceeded into a storehouse on the first terrace and, out of curiosity, Amdirlain shifted her attention to the offloading and processing of the baskets. While the workers received a chit for each basket, the students presented their pendants to the warehouse's supervisor, and Amdirlain sensed an interaction similar to a memory crystal. A quick brush against a student's mind found the pendant's purpose beyond recognition by the monastery's wards.

Students earn contribution points for chores carried out or goods produced. They can redeem them for goods and services from the masters: manuals, personal training time, clothing, potions, and other things made by support members. Gail mentioned the Adventurers' Guild started using contribution points to access items and the hunting grounds she had set up; I didn’t ask her who suggested them.

When they reached the first of the finished buildings, they passed servants wearing cotton clothing of a finer weave, and their copper pendants had a different motif: a tiger mid-leap. They passed labourers, servants, and students throughout their climb up the steepening road. All looked them over, but it was attention driven by curiosity rather than the magnetic attraction Amdirlain had endured in the past. Non-Human visitors were few but not unknown, and Amdirlain caught some images from senior students that seemed like they'd stood watch on Xaos’ ramparts.

Do they take on tasks for Xaos besides guarding or teaching? I’ll ask Livia after I find out what happened.

At a gate in the inner wall, a pair of guards in the same layered Persian-style clothing Master Cyrus favoured took one look at them and directed them to a grey-haired man reading behind a desk nearby. While not possessing Immortal Spirit, Amdirlain could hear multiple Monk classes within his melody.

"An aligned sect token or letter of recommendation is required to study with the masters here," said the man, not sparing a glance when their shadows covered his desk.

Amdirlain bowed and gave the official a polite smile. "I'm here to see Master Cyrus or Livia. I'm not looking to enrol."

The owner of the Domain appeared at the Gate; the aura of authority sheathed across Livia's snow-white skin radiating a divine sheen. "It's alright, Master Khiabani, I'll tend to my visitors."

Hence, the place's owner didn't keep us out.

Though unsurprised by the Mantle in place around Livia, Amdirlain still frowned at her in concern. "What did you do to yourself, young lady?"

Despite having met Livia previously, Silpar stepped back.

"Móðir, why don't you come with me," laughed Livia. "You should know that other people's choices aren't ours."

"Those bloody things should come with warning labels and a chance to decline," grumbled Amdirlain. "This sounds new, but I didn't stick my nose in further. How recent is this change?"

"I acquired the Mantle last week. Your recollection of what it was like let me figure out how to establish a Domain," replied Livia, and stepping forward, she hugged Amdirlain.

Holding her gently, Amdirlain was aware of the deity-boosted strength in her daughter's frame. "No pseudo-power state, it settled on you so quickly?"

"It's a bit of a tale," replied Livia. "Most people don't take my appearance as casually as you. Coupled with a bit of a tussle, some tribes decided I was a deity. Let's walk up, and we'll have some refreshments."

Why did she set up a Domain here? With the school inside it, what about her petitioners later?

"It's the civilised thing to do, right?" quipped Amdirlain.

Livia smiled, her amusement lighting the facets in her blue crystal gaze. "It's not only the civilised thing to do. It's so we don’t lose touch. I let Kadaklan know you'd messaged, and if he hadn't been busy teaching alchemy, he'd have rushed to greet you. He’ll join us as soon as the lesson is over."

"It'll be good to catch up with him," said Amdirlain, and she tilted her head toward Kadaklan's lecture hall.

Livia led them on a roundabout route to her manor higher on the slope, pointing out the housing that belonged to masters of various styles and disciplines along the way. One secure building was the tip of a structure that burrowed into the slope with various Ki-infused treasures sealed within. Another hall had disciples coming and going, exchanging products for contribution points. Amdirlain shook her head at how many elements felt like something from one of the many cultivation novels she’d read.

Let’s hope I don’t run into someone else that needs to learn I’m not left-handed.

Like the other manors, Livia's home was made from grey stone, red ceramic tiles, and lacquered wood. Its layout was slightly different in that it had a sizeable sparring hall and, at the back, a series of smaller rooms for study and entertaining, the last of which looked out into an open training square. They'd been furnished with a strange mixture of Chinese, Persian, Norse, and Roman elements, but the overall effect balanced each other. Silkscreens stood supported by lacquered wooden frames decorated with Norse knots, while shelves kept Persian vases or Roman statuettes.

They found Cyrus there with the shutters wide open to allow in the breeze and a pot boiling on an enchanted hot plate. He rose, greeted Amdirlain and Silpar with a bow, and motioned for them to choose seats around a central table. The round table was made of nearly black wood with a colourful elaborate mosaic set into its top, sealed flat beneath a transparent resin.

Amdirlain looked over the painted silk screens that provided a false inner wall around the room. "Pretty fancy place you've started to set up here. I'll admit, it's not what I pictured."

"What did you picture?" asked Livia as she lifted the roiling water from the heat and retrieved a tea set from the shelf.

"Something more along the lines of the Shaolin Monastery," offered Amdirlain.

Cyrus stroked his chin, the gesture doing nothing to hide his smile. "A very distinguished centre of learning, but that site is more within the purview of The North Wind and follows his standards."

"Fine, you've got me. Aside from pictures of Tibetan monasteries, the Shaolin Monastery is the only one I've seen any images of, and they're very different," said Amdirlain as she heard Kadaklan appear at the front door and immediately being ushered in by a servant. "Though sightseeing isn't the main purpose of my visit."

Livia placed the tea set at the table's end and sat beside Cyrus. "You only have to ask. Whatever help we can give is yours. Come through Kadaklan, we’re in the back."

“Handy knowing what’s around you, isn’t it?” asked Amdirlain.

Livia nodded. “It has its benefits.”

Cyrus was reaching for the tea set when Kadaklan appeared in the doorway, a bright flame of flamboyant clothing after the greys and browns Amdirlain had seen over the mountainside. Within his youthful Human form, the phoenix’s silver gaze flared at seeing Amdirlain. She caught the scent of various herbs and alchemical brews from his red and yellow robes, though no stains showed on the cloth.

"Are you sure Am didn't come simply to see the fancy nest the White Tiger wanted his people to make?" asked Kadaklan. "Then, of course, Livia took it over, and the fuss started, but the storm has yet to reach its full strength."

"Monastery," corrected Cyrus. "And it wasn't just the White Tiger that gave orders for its creation. The Jade Emperor was involved, so we can’t discount that he might have foreseen a possibility."

“Then our newest Goddess went and seized it,” teased Kadaklan.

"I didn’t seize it. It's simply my home as well," said Livia. "It makes the monastery more secure, so why can't I have my Domain cover it?"

Kadaklan laughed, swept alongside the table, and scooped up an empty cup as he passed the tray. He opened a bottle he drew from a storage device and filled the cup with a familiar brew. As he placed it before her, Amdirlain inhaled the sharp ginger odour.

"Ginger beer. It matches Sarah's memory, but it could be my bias after tasting so many test batches," said Kadaklan with a grin, deliberately ignoring Cyrus’ pointed look.

Memories of home and her father’s projects teased at Amdirlain briefly, and a bittersweet smile curved her lips. "I didn't bring you any gifts."

Kadaklan noted the lack of darkening in her gaze and nodded with satisfaction, though his playful tone didn’t change. "I'll sell you some. Then it's not a gift, just a test sample from a brewer."

Amdirlain took a sip and returned his nod. "It's great. Thank you, Kadaklan."

"Your flesh smells too new. Do I want to know what you've been doing lately?" asked Kadaklan.

"As a healer, you'd be appalled," admitted Amdirlain. "Kadaklan, this is Silpar, my mentor on the Redemption's Path."

Kadaklan looked Silpar over appraisingly. "I sense you've been indulging in her self-conflagrations as well. Am has her sigil to excuse her. What's your need?"

"To be there to guard her back through anything she can endure," replied Silpar.

"Good," declared Kadaklan. "Though remember, she wasn't originally a Celestial and can use a bit of fun occasionally despite her unhealthy obsession with work and pain."

"Change back to a Catfolk so I can tug your ear easier," grumbled Amdirlain.

Kadaklan grinned. "You could stay here and teach for a few years. We've got students as young as ten here. You always had a soft spot for children."

"I'm here after advice about gaining a stronger, evolved Monk Class. Gideon's still only offering me Sora Master and Warrior Monk, plus some others I've seen previously."

Cyrus hummed thoughtfully. "Likely because you need to develop your Ki powers further. Have you evolved any of them?"

"No," huffed Amdirlain.

"Just as well you're not a sect member. We’ve got a set schedule of contribution points to read the texts or for private lessons," noted Cyrus.

"Master Cyrus giving away the sect's secrets to an outsider—I'm shocked," quipped Kadaklan. "There are rules against such things. We set the contribution points up to ensure that all strive in sanctioned fashions on behalf of the monastery."

"What would you suggest, Master Kadaklan?" asked Cyrus with the slightest shake of his head.

"Am is going to have to sit still for a bit and earn them through the application of physical labour or her Monk abilities, not through singing," said Kadaklan. “We don’t want the rich and influential thinking they can just buy influence or favour with us.”

Silpar snorted. "She can hear your library. No doubt she could duplicate it."

"Such texts contain misleading instructions that require one familiar with the ability to walk a student past the traps left in place," explained Kadaklan, as a playful smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.

"Unless the person has an ability like Analysis to tell where the problems are," said Amdirlain. "Though the question would be how many contribution points would Ki attuned to all the affinities be worth?"

Livia sighed in frustration. "Kadaklan, stop playing games. Móðir, when is the last time you rested?"

"I spent most of the last year meditating," replied Amdirlain.

Shaking his head, Silpar frowned. "Meditation while laying in enchanted boxes being battered and ravaged by different energies doesn't count as restful to me."

"Can I get a week from you?" pleaded Livia. "Consider it a down payment on the centuries I requested."

"Livia, I’m worried about you owning a Mantle. I want to ensure you’re safe from it, so I’m not going anywhere until you’ve got a plan to move forward from being consumed by the false deity state it provides," countered Amdirlain.

Kadaklan laughed, the warm amusement ringing the air.

"What's so amusing?" asked Amdirlain.

"You're always rushing into danger to help a child. Now you're going to have to stand still instead," replied Kadaklan. "Though I'll place bets that your plan will eventually involve you doing a bunch of extra work you hadn't intended to do."

"It might just be work I'd intended in a different place," replied Amdirlain. "Livia, why don't you tell us about this world you're connected with? Silpar wanted me to learn how those on the Redemption's Path work to improve the lives of mortals. Is the world advanced enough to stop us from accessing it without being summoned?"

"No, it's only got primitive tribes," advised Livia. "That's how I made an impression. I destroyed a pack of frost giants that had gathered up some tribes and had been eating them alive one by one. They deliberately made a drawn-up show of the process to evoke more fear."

"How did you end up finding them?" asked Silpar.

"Where would you like me to begin?"

Amdirlain frowned contemplatively. "Why not start with how you found your way to their world?"