Abyssal Road Trip

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

Sharing tea and conversation with Livia had been a pleasant change from her meditations upon the pain within her past lives. When another Master’s servant delivered a scroll with matters that needed discussion, Amdirlain left her to the monastery’s business and headed for the training arena. Temporary wooden stands provided ten tiers of seating around a raised stone platform thirty metres across, with the sparring area marked five metres inside the edge. Picking the stairs that let her out at the top row, Amdirlain silently sat to watch the proceedings.

Just over a hundred humans in their late teens to early twenties sat around the lower tiers, each attired in the grey and black trimmed silks typical of the Monastery’s students. Though some audience members hadn’t acquired a Class, everyone had a Ki Pool developed to some degree.

Their attention had been directed to a pair of middle-aged monks demonstrating a martial art that, to Amdirlain, appeared to be a mix of Judo and Aikido, with a variety of locks, holds, and throws. The presentation occurred under the direction of a grizzly white-haired Master whose bushy eyebrows looked like a pair of furry caterpillars had planted themselves on his face. The pair took turns showing the art’s techniques and counters. Two young Persian-looking men glanced back at Amdirlain curiously when she took a spot in the middle of an empty tier at the top of the stand behind them. While one was clean-shaven, the other had a scraggly goatee.

Grim satisfaction and frustration rose in the Master’s theme, and he fixed his faded blue-grey gaze on the distracted students. “The demonstration of techniques is on the arena floor.”

The goatee-adorned student’s reflex gesture towards Amdirlain proved to be his undoing. “Come here, Novice Ibrahim. You will aid Senior Mubeen in showing the class what happens when they don’t know the counter to his technique.”

Amdirlain heard the chosen victim suppress a groan, but he didn’t delay in heading to the arena floor.

The instructor’s gaze shifted to Amdirlain. “Do you have a purpose here, young Elf?”

Rising, Amdirlain bowed respectfully to the Master. “I told Master Livia I’d help with any healing here in my free time, Master. I tried to enter quietly since a lesson was in progress.”

“I didn’t know there was a new student healer, one so new as to not even be properly attired, I might add,” said the master.

Though the silken dark green clothing created by the shadow vines was a similar style to the students, their differences were glaring, and Amdirlain smiled apologetically.

“Speak to me afterwards, and I’ll provide a class schedule for the upcoming season to see what aligns with your lessons.”

“Apologies, Master, my lesson schedule is still being determined. Master Livia’s attention was called away by another Master and she directed me here to assist if needed,” replied Amdirlain. Putting her hands to her sides, she bowed again.

The master grunted in satisfaction at her polite response and pointed at a seat near the front. “Best sit down here in case the novice falls wrong.”

Amdirlain kept her pace to a young elf’s and descended the stairs one at a time. While none of the other students glanced over their shoulders, their eyes followed her curiously while she approached the arena floor.

“I assume you don’t use Universal Life,” said the master, his tone doubtful when Amdirlain had taken the position he’d pointed to on the front tier. “What spells or blessings-”

“Sorry to interrupt, Master, but I use Ki for healing,” replied Amdirlain. “However, I still have much to learn, so I’m here to study.”

The master’s bushy eyebrows lifted, and he grunted in pleased surprise. “An elven practitioner, this is an interesting day. Let us resume the demonstrations, Senior.”

Ibrahim spent the next twenty minutes more often in mid-air or on the ground than on his feet, but he appeared to have learned to fall correctly at some point during his training. Though nothing got broken, he suffered multiple deep bruises, so Amdirlain decided to take pity on him when the chime for the session’s end sounded. She stepped forward and held out a hand as he hopped down from the arena’s platform with a pained wince. When he nodded in appreciation, she carefully grasped his upper arm so the light of her Ki wouldn’t be noticeable. It only took her a brief activation of Universal Life to wash all injuries and many aged scars away.

Letting out a groan of relief, Ibrahim blinked in surprise. “My thanks, healer.”

“Am,” supplied Amdirlain.

Ibrahim nodded politely. “My thanks, Healer Am.”

“All these techniques Senior Mubeen and Novice Ibrahim have demonstrated for us are from the East Wind’s Kingdom. As you’ve seen, it allows many ways to throw and pin an opponent to remove the threat they place on you or one you’re protecting quicker than dispatching them might require. Speak to one of my seniors if you want to study it further.”

Is this part of masters looking to attract students interested in the same areas of the martial arts?

As the other students departed, a few glanced curiously at Amdirlain, but none came inappropriately close or stopped to engage in conversation.

“I should ask a person’s name before I assume things, especially with a youthful-looking Elf,” muttered the instructor once the others were out of earshot.

Shrugging, Amdirlain fixed him with a smile. “What is your name, Master?”

“Master Payam, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Am,” replied Payam. “Master Livia mentioned your presence a few days ago but said you’d departed on another errand. Having heard nothing further, I didn’t suspect you returned for lessons, let alone as a healer. The tales I’d heard from Master Cyrus had me believe you were more the combative type.”

“I’m that as well, but I want to develop Universal Life, and it has far to go,” clarified Amdirlain.

Master Payam’s forehead furrowed so expressively that it made his eyebrows look like they were crawling. “Does it? I heard you were proficient in it and several other Ki powers.”

“Proficiency for some just means I’m getting started. It’s in the Senior Master Rank, but I seek to get it into Grand Master and beyond.”

“I’ve no class for the next hour. Shall we get to know each other?” asked Master Payam, and he stepped towards the arena’s platform.

There was no malice, only curiosity in the man’s theme, and Amdirlain’s polite smile turned to delight. “That sounds perfect, Master Payam. Might I put an illusion in place so we don’t attract interest? I’m trying to be discrete.”

When Master Payam gave his assent, Amdirlain put a concealment barrier around the arena to make it seem unoccupied and quiet between classes.

When they faced off from each other, Amdirlain deliberately bowed and purposefully took her gaze from him. The master huffed in disapproval but didn’t attack. Amdirlain lifted her head and showed her eyes were closed, and Payam’s reprimand died on his lips.

“You trust a blind fighting style?” asked Master Payam.

Amdirlain smiled confidently. “I’m never blind to what is around me. I’d appreciate you helping me practise using senses other than sight, Master.”

Burning music rushed through Payam, and his form sheathed itself in flames that smoothly transitioned into the appearance of ancient Mongolian armour, and beneath it rose a layer of metal concealed from sight by the fire.

His Ki State holds layers of fire and metal simultaneously. Did he need to activate it separately? I wonder what the limits are in exchange for the flexibility.

Amdirlain infused Spatial Mana into her Ki State, and a shimmering aura of glass-like feathers rose from her flesh to sit atop her clothing. Its appearance earned a happy grunt from Payam, and he struck with a lightning-fast jab. Shifting her weight, Amdirlain swayed fractionally out of the way, her hands casually relaxed at her sides. His jab became a grab; in response, her sway increased, and Amdirlain turned with the motion. A hand rose and brushed his wrist further offline, and with his attention high, she spun low with a kick scything towards his ankles. His graceful knee-lift brought his toes just above the line of the attack, and he stomped with brutal force towards her thigh. Amdirlain continued her sweeping movement rolling out of the way, a spray of shards showering them both when Payam’s attack shattered the platform’s finely fitted stonework. As she turned her momentum into a spinning kick towards his chest, a melody arose within Amdirlain’s dancing motions and repaired the stones. At that moment, Payam’s kick became a knee strike that intercepted her attack, and they both rebounded.

Payam flowed close, launched a flurry of strikes that Amdirlain wove between, and used his attacks as props for her dancing evasions. Her fingertips briefly touched his wrist or hand to deflect the attacks and made it seem like he was a dancer spinning his partner around. Each deflection pushed him increasingly further off-balance, and with each attempt at correction he made, Amdirlain sent him further the other way. As he extended his stance, Amdirlain flowed beside him, hooked his moving ankle upwards with her toes and sent an elbow towards his face. Caught between a two-prong attack, Payam collapsed backwards and drunkenly rolled across the stone to smoothly flow to his feet. He found Amdirlain already following him in the seemingly much smaller space with a fast-flowing grace that hounded him, and it was his turn to spin about the platform, desperately evading her kicks and strikes. While his erratic movements were unpredictable for most, Amdirlain read him perfectly through every muscle contraction and used his evasions to herd him to the arena’s edge. On the verge of being pushed out, he committed and let his armour take the brunt of a blow. The impact’s shockwave was a thunderclap within the modest arena that rattled the wooden stands and set them swaying.

Payam grabbed her withdrawing fist and found himself pulled into a lifting elbow strike that hammered into his chest. Though his armour prevented bones from breaking, it didn’t stop the strength in it from sending him across the arena’s boundary line.

As his back foot touched the platform lip, Payam caught his balance and bowed. “Lady Am.”

“Master Payam,” replied Amdirlain, returning the gesture.

“Perhaps next time we should find a bigger arena,” said Payam warily.

Amdirlain nodded. “I wasn’t sure if you’d worry about limiting our conversation to the marked lines.”

“I stepped within the circle. It would be dishonourable to change the implicit rules I offered for our conversation because the match took an unexpected turn,” said Payam.

Amdirlain motioned towards the circle behind her. “We could go again. Best out of five?”

“Seven,” countered Payam primly. “It seems my old body might need time to warm up, you danced gracefully.”

“Seven,” agreed Amdirlain with a grin.

“How did you repair the platform so smoothly?” enquired Payam, nodding to where his kick had shattered stones. “You undid the damage almost before the shards had landed, yet I sensed no Mana.”

“I have a few tricks many can’t perceive,” hedged Amdirlain.

“The psionic abilities?” questioned Payam.

Amdirlain blinked innocently. “Psionic? Who, me?”

“Try not to break me into too many pieces. Judge Po would mock my foolishness,” said Payam as they faced off against each other in the circle’s centre.

“Make sure you give Livia permission to summon me if I’m on the receiving end,” replied Amdirlain, aware the old Master had no Wizard Class she recognised among his theme.

With Payam now wary of being herded out of the circle, the second exchange better balanced Payam’s experience and refined skills against Amdirlain’s ability to read his intentions and her own physical capabilities. Eventually, Payam stopped and declared a draw as the chime sounded for the next class.

“Thank you for your instruction, Master Payam,” said Amdirlain.

“Thank you for allowing this one to get to know you,” replied Payam cheerfully. “Will you be staying for the next lesson?”

Amdirlain tilted her head curiously. “I can, though I’m sure you’re more than able to heal your students.”

Payam’s smile held a grandfatherly warmth that contrasted his earlier stern demeanour. “Who am I to deny an august ally of the monastery her practice?”

“I don’t know what you mean, Master Payam. I’m merely here to practise healing at present,” replied Amdirlain innocently.

“And in another room?” questioned Payam sceptically.

“That time and place might be a completely different matter,” agreed Amdirlain.

“I’ll let you sit at the back in future classes. I know you could be by their side instantly if needed,” said Payam.

“They would find I have plenty of time to move to their side and tend them. Do you prefer me to sit higher in the stands and provide a distraction for students?” asked Amdirlain. “Then you get to scold them after all.”

“A pretty female in a room distracts only those who can’t control themselves,” replied Payam, and he gave a satisfied nod. “Then I can teach that distractions have consequences while they can still survive them.”

Amdirlain returned to her original spot high in the stands, and the following two classes provided Payam with a mix of students with different seniorities to view the demonstrations.

The day’s lessons were drawing to a close when Amdirlain heard her friends and Silpar come back through the Portal and teleport to the boundary of the monastery’s grounds. Though the concealments she set around Silpar’s nature hadn’t ended, she refreshed them as the group started up the road.

When Isa dropped onto the bench beside Amdirlain, Ilya sat on the other side to bookend her. Amdirlain hurriedly placed concealments that she had to expand when Klipyl appeared on the next lower tier of the stands. Though she’d adopted a dusky Taurë Elf form with bluish-green hair and sapphire-hued eyes, her only attire was the white ribbon that clung to her curves.

“In the end, you were rude and took the toys away,” laughed Isa.

“Yeah, so completely rude, but never mind. There are a lot of big-arse monsters about, so we had target practice all the same,” said Ilya. “Though Isa found other ways to get into trouble.”

Amdirlain looked at Isa, who nodded happily. “What did you get up to?”

“She taught them how to play knucklebones,” said Ilya.

“And I taught them losing was perfectly fine,” added Klipyl, and she sat on the bench in front of Amdirlain and leaned her head back against Amdirlain’s knees to look up at her. “I mean by example, not beating them at the games. Isa kept thrashing my arse, and not in a fun way.”

Do the three of them think it’s a sleepover and I need comforting? Sarah and Silpar are at Livia’s manor, giving her an update, and I’m so not a sticky beak.

“Hey, get your own lover,” huffed Ilya good-naturedly.

Klipyl gave a mock pout and waved towards the ongoing exchange of points. “Why should I stop at one? I’m sure there are lots of vigorous ones around here.”

“I’ll have to ensure you get some soundproof accommodations then,” said Amdirlain.

The growl of pleasure rumbled along Klipyl’s spine and vibrated against Amdirlain’s knees. “Ever since you reached inside me, you’ve been so good to me.”

“You did what to her, miss?” gasped Isa. “Have you been withholding gossip?”

“She reached deep inside and tugged hard, and I got so hot,” breathed Klipyl, her eyes glowing with excitement.

Amdirlain rolled her eyes and restrained herself from messing up Klipyl’s hair. “Shards.”

“Oh, now I understand,” said Isa. “Kli’s into deep penetrations.”

Klipyl giggled mischievously and stroked a hand along her thigh. “Oh, yes.”

“I can’t take you two anywhere,” groaned Amdirlain.

Isa smiled smugly. “I’m pretty sure Kli proved you can get inside her.”

Amdirlain kept a straight face and turned to Ilya. “Afternoon, Ilya. How are you doing?”

“Isa shared some of those songs you performed, so I know you’re no fainting flower,” said Ilya. “They don’t get any less incorrigible if you ignore them.”

“I can live in hope,” sighed Amdirlain dramatically.

“That’s not fair. Don’t ignore me,” sniffed Klipyl, and she spun around on the bench to face Amdirlain. “Some others in Ebusuku’s service are divided because while you started the ball rolling, Ebusuku’s done much of the work. You know, in keeping everyone organised and things moving for your projects. Some of us consider that our loyalty should lie with you, as Ebusuku wouldn’t have had anything to keep moving.”

“It’s understandable,” agreed Amdirlain. “I hope it doesn’t cause friction in the Domain.”

Klipyl waved the notion away. “It is always someone’s choice how they feel, and regardless of who they feel is the primary person, the goals are the same. I just thought you should know that many of them want to come to work for you when you clear away this Fallen state.”

“I don’t know when that will be,” cautioned Amdirlain.

“One thing celestials have in common is no matter their role, time can stretch on without reflecting in a growth in their capabilities,” replied Klipyl. “When you’re free, we’ll help you with whatever comes next.”

“Thank you, Klipyl, but Ebusuku needs help in the meantime,” said Amdirlain.

“She’s got Celestial armies that are growing and training, so I wouldn’t worry about that,” reassured Klipyl. “Though many of them haven’t teamed up with one of you three, so they don’t increase in strength as fast.”

Amdirlain groaned. “Isa’s been busy with the Lómë, and Sarah has kept me company.”

“It was a helpful advantage when there were only a few of them, but they’ve got a lot of battle-worthy celestials now,” said Isa. “Many of the ones that got the leg up are working with Sage on the battlelines against Orcus.”

The thought of stealing their advantage left a sour taste in Amdirlain’s mouth, and she groaned in dissatisfaction. “Orcus has a lead on troops. They need something to counter that, and if Sage already has the ones capable of quickly growing to match, he can’t expand the battle fronts.”

“Are you running off again?” asked Isa.

“No, I’m going to stage boss event fights on demi-planes,” laughed Amdirlain. “I’m becoming a GM to go with my current calling of dungeon master.”

Isa huffed. “What does that stand for?”

Amdirlain continued to chuckle. “Game master, one with the power to cause mob spawns just like in an MMO.”

Groaning, Isa lightly swatted her. “Really? You’re such a geek.”

Klipyl grunted in confusion and looked between Isa and Amdirlain. “Do one of you want to provide a more meaningful explanation for us locals?”

Amdirlain held back a groan, thinking of all the times she’d tried to explain the attraction of MMOs to a non-gamer.

Yes, I spend eight hours at work on a computer and spend another four plus some nights when I get home on my computer for fun.

“You were happy to come to fight the frost giants. How do you think others would feel about taking on an entity for the chance to improve their skills and levels? Not something that would feel pain, but dangerous to them if they mess it up,” explained Amdirlain.

Klipyl sat upright, her eyes gleaming with excitement. “Like hunting the elementals threatening miners near Duskstone?”

“I could arrange for massive elementals, but I was more thinking of constructs,” advised Amdirlain.

“Oh, constructs can be fun,” cheered Klipyl. “But we already have the ones in your tower.”

Amdirlain grinned. “I was thinking of more formidable constructs, but I’ll need to check to see how dangerous I can make them.”

Could I set them up so someone could control them, like the ones in the maze? Would they still reward people with experience?

“You’ve got this cheerful look on your face,” noted Isa. “Would you care to share your thoughts? Or was it something creepy that was giving you happy vibes?”

“I don’t know if it would count as creepy,” hedged Amdirlain.

Ilya snorted. “If you don’t know if it counts as creepy or not, I’m going to go with it does.”

Lifting an eyebrow, Amdirlain frowned. “Why do you say that?”

“You’ve survived in the strangest of places. If it falls outside events you know about, my vote is on creepy,” clarified Ilya.

“It’s not that I don’t know about it, as I’ve faced something similar before, but it's what’s involved in duplicating them,” said Amdirlain, and she hesitated, unsure if she should explain the involvement of the Aspect of Law.

“Faced what before?” prompted Isa.

“They’re constructs that allow someone to control them remotely, making them far more dangerous. Their materials limited what strength of classes they could emulate,” explained Amdirlain, partly wishing she’d stuck around longer to delve into the music of their internal workings.

“Who exactly was controlling these constructs?” asked Ilya. “And where did you fight them?”

“They were guardians in the Maze,” explained Amdirlain, and at Ilya’s frown, she continued. “They objected to me killing predatory beings that had devolved back to their baser instincts. I’m not talking about a natural hunting cat spirit worshipped by tribes, but ones that delighted in cruelty and acts of sadism. Each time I executed one, some constructs would appear in waves to drive me back to my chamber.”

“I remember you saying you fought things in the Maze, but you didn’t go into details when I was about,” said Ilya.

Isa clicked her tongue thoughtfully. “The ones controlled by the Aspect of Law?”

"Yes," said Amdirlain. “There are things to work out. I inserted the song of a Fighter Class into the ones at my first training tower at Nolmar, but this would require a greater effort, and my Resonance Power was still developing when I last fought the ones in the maze.”

“I guess you were there for more conversations than I was,” allowed Ilya.

“I think Amdirlain mentioned it when you were present, but all the surrounding stone was a distraction,” said Isa, and she leaned into Amdirlain to reach past and pat Ilya’s shoulder.

“Why didn’t you just sit next to her?” asked Amdirlain, and she reappeared on the other side of Ilya and nudged her.

“She thought it would stop you from running away. I’m not sure why she believed that when you can Teleport,” laughed Ilya. Lightly grasping Isa’s hand, she winked and drew her in.

“Isa said it’s rude to ditch a conversation you’re in the middle of,” stated Klipyl. “I followed the logic. What’s the problem with making the tougher constructs? I mean, you make other stuff pretty easily?”

“She didn’t catch all the aspects of their themes, so we’ll have to figure it out and experiment,” hummed Isa as she cuddled up to Ilya. “Could Sarah set up psi crystals to help drive them? Then we’ve got reproducible combat droids.”

“Thinking about complex constructs, there is someone who I should likely take Livia to go see, and they might help me out,” said Amdirlain.

“Who?”

“Custodian. They’re an aspect of Protection that looks after objects in a concealed location for the Titan,” replied Amdirlain. “After the lesson finishes, we’ll see Livia and sort things out.”

There are also a bunch of Eldritch prison keys whose timer I’ll need to check to see if any require urgent repair.

“You’ll say their name but not Law’s?” queried Iya.

Amdirlain sighed. “It’s messy.”

“Oh, Ori fucked them,” declared Klipyl.

“Yes,” admitted Amdirlain.

“Ohhhh,” chorused Isa and Ilya.

“Really?” drawled Amdirlain.

Isa smiled. “You didn’t even blush. You’ve certainly improved.”