Braided Sky
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PftA Book 4 - Chapter 12 - Escalating Threats
🕑 Added 2024-11-01 01:31:12 +0000 UTCThe waiting room outside the Council chambers was nicer than what I expected. It almost looked like the sitting area of a fancy hotel lobby instead of a quasi-governmental space.
A few minutes after we settled in, the door leading from the Council chambers opened and an attractive woman with noticeable physical similarities to Master Kairos entered the waiting room.
She was pale, like my former Master. But instead of platinum blonde hair, hers was pure white and left loose instead of being pulled back. Her eyes were a vibrant lavender, made all the more noticeable by her matching robes.
I immediately noticed the familiar emblem embroidered fancily on the outer garment, marking her as a special Elder of the Epikairos Sect. All of that, plus Master Kairos’s reaction, quickly made the newcomer’s identity clear.
“Anya!” Master Kairos exclaimed with a smile. “Things must be pretty serious if they brought you in.”
“Yes. Well, the sudden change to the Accords rattled them, I think,” Anya replied distractedly before looking at me. Her lips curled as she stepped closer. “I’m Anya Oracle. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
I stood and extended a hand. “I’m Emie Momentia,” I said, stumbling a bit over my new surname. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t make it to your promotion ceremony,” the Fate Mage apologized. “The Council was in session and I tend to spend Council sessions here on Sira since I’m married to one of the councilors and serve as a part-time Advisor due to my affinity.”
“Really?” I asked with wide eyes. “I’m surprised they allow something like that, given your membership in the sect.”
Anya glanced at her brother and grinned before returning her focus to me. “It’s less of a problem than you’d think, considering the oaths I had to make. Though, it’s no secret that I’ll likely shift my focus considerably after Henny ascends.”
Master Kairos groaned at the nickname. “Please, Anya! I asked you not to call me that centuries ago! Why do you insist on embarrassing me? At least call me Kai.” He looked at her pleadingly.
Even after spending some time with the man in an informal setting, it felt odd to see the interaction between the siblings. If he’d still been wearing the disguise, it might have been easier to accept. But with him looking like a prim and proper Patriarch… the dichotomy was a little jarring.
“It’s just a little joke, Kai,” the white-haired woman said glibly before growing more serious. “Something has changed.” She paused. “Or maybe it hasn’t. I’ve never focused on Emie before when looking forward.”
Her lips pursed in thought for a moment before she shook her head. “Regardless, there is a legitimate risk that a Tier Ten assassin might target our newest sect Elder. I’m not sure when it may come since the visions don’t work that way, but I wanted to ensure you were aware of the threat. I got the sense that it would be while Emie is still Tier Eight, so before she reenters the dungeon.”
“Wouldn’t that mark whoever tried as an Offender?” I asked.
The way I read the change, targeting me would be like targeting someone at a lower tier. Even if someone failed, making a genuine attempt (or being directly involved with such) would cause someone to be labeled as an Offender.
Against a Tier Ten Assassin, I wasn’t wholly confident my protections would save me. My newly upgraded [Barrier] should at least work long enough for me to escape, but nothing was guaranteed.
And if something overwhelmed my defenses and broke my life-saving devices before they could activate… well, I’d be screwed unless someone like Master Kairos stepped in and reversed Time.
“It would, but why would a Pinnacle care about something like that?” Anya replied. “They would be strong enough to fight almost anyone who tried to collect a bounty on them, and if things got too bad, they could just ascend. It’s not a common tactic, but there have been plenty of examples throughout history of people waiting until just before they ascended to go on a revenge-fueled murder spree.”
“She exaggerates,” Master Kairos interjected. “It’s only happened a handful of times in the last few millennia.”
“Correction,” Anya said. “It’s only been documented and released to the public a handful of times.”
Before the siblings could discuss the matter further, an aide informed us the Council was ready to see us.
= = =
I exited the Council chamber after Master Kairos with a thoughtful expression. Anya had already left, but that was fine. I had more than enough to think about without trying to get to know someone new.
I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the meeting, but I wasn’t unhappy with the outcome. I didn’t like that a sect war was almost certainly in the future – unless the sect was disbanded. However, I was mollified by the promise that if there was a sect war, only those who wanted to participate after being informed of the reasons behind the war would be involved.
Those who disagreed with the war would be given the opportunity to avoid it by officially and permanently leaving their respective sect. It was a risk for both sides since members could use the opportunity to jump ship under the clause, though they would have to give a reason and submit to a geas or two.
Depending on the Inquisitors’ findings, everyone associated with the sect might be forced to submit to a geas, regardless of their participation in a potential war.
If the sect’s doctrine was found to be significantly changed from what the Council had on record, for example, the sect would be dissolved or declared rogue, and all members would be geased.
Similarly, if the sect’s teachings were found to be significantly different from their stated purpose, the Council, and thus, the system, would no longer recognize them as a legitimate sect.
I had no idea how the Inquisitors would go about determining such a thing, but it probably involved stealth and/or Mind Mages. Investigations had never been something I was very good at. They involved far too much scheming for my tastes.
“Don’t look so upset,” Master Kairos said when we climbed into the vehicle waiting for us outside the building. The inside had been spatially expanded, almost to the point of being excessive. “I didn’t push for a Sect War since I know you dislike being involved in such things.”
“We both know it’s still likely to happen,” I replied with a sigh as I settled into the deep seat. “The likelihood that they will comply with the mandates is almost non-existent. And as soon as the Inquisitors start digging…”
I shook my head. I really didn’t want to get involved with another war.
“Exactly,” Master Kairos said as if I’d made his point for him. “It’s far more likely they’ll be labeled a rogue entity or forcibly disbanded. The only way a war will be fought is if the sect isn’t indoctrinating their members to hate and hunt down non-elven Time Mages. Since we both know they almost certainly are, there is little risk of a war.”
“Then why were you so insistent on it?”
“Politics and payback,” he replied like it was obvious. “Besides, I don’t want anyone to get the idea that the Epikairos Sect is a soft target.”
“Because you’re ascending?”
Master Kairos nodded. “Yes. If you decide to stay, even if you don’t officially take my place, you’ll be a great deterrent for anyone seeking to harm the sect. But if you do join me, I don’t want people to think we’re leaving a weak sect behind.”
“Aren’t there a few Tier Nine Elders?”
“Sure, but the gap between Tier Nine and Tier Ten is huge. And a sect run by someone at Tier Ten will almost always have more clout than a sect run by a Tier Nine. Part of that is because of the exceptions to the Accords. Nobody wants to risk a powerhouse forcing a sect war.”
I looked at him strangely.
Wasn’t that exactly what he’d been indirectly trying to do?
Dismissing the thought, I smiled tightly and said, “You make it sound like you’d rather me remain in the realm when it’s time for you to ascend. I thought your whole goal was to find an ascension companion.”
We’d talked about it several times, but this was the first time he’d actually made more of a case for me to remain in this realm instead of joining him. It made me wonder if the short time we’d spent together had somehow soured him to my presence.
My time in the dungeon had certainly hurt my interpersonal skills, but I didn’t think they were so bad that he’d change his mind about wanting to ascend with me.
“That’s obviously still my preference since ascending alone sounds… lonely. I’d much prefer a companion to share the experience with,” Master Kairos replied with a friendly smile.
“But I already told you,” he continued, “I’m not going to force you. I won’t even pressure you to ascend with me. If you decide to stay, that’s fine. As I just pointed out, there’s a benefit in that as well.”
“Okay,” I said before changing the subject. “So, is this inquisition something we need to wait around for, or can we head to Earth? Or… is that something we should delay due to the new threat?”
“The Assassin?”
I nodded.
Master Kairos’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I’ll need to craft a few things. I wasn’t anticipating a Pinnacle threat. That changes things.” The blonde Time Mage looked out the window for several moments. “We may need to remain in disguise for a while. But even then, people are going to be watching your family.”
“I thought you said they’d be safe,” I said, trying not to sound accusatory as my heart rate increased noticeably.
“They should be,” he replied calmly. “But if we’re dealing with a Pinnacle Assassin who already doesn’t care about violating the Accords…”
“What’s a few more violations?” I said blankly as a sour taste filled my mouth. “How relevant is this threat? Is it something we need to act on? Does my family need to go into some kind of protection program or something?” I asked rapidly.
“It’s…” He stopped himself and huffed lightly. “Let me talk to Anya before we get too caught up in possibilities. I’ll see what I can find out. She’s the one who identified the threat, so she’s the one most likely to have more information. I’ll reach out to her now.”
Master Kairos’s eyes unfocused as he focused on his interface. We made it all the way to the portal hub before he finally spoke again.
“They should be safe. I asked her to check, and nothing indicated they would be targeted specifically. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t be watched or that the Assassin will care about collateral damage,” he added. “It’s obviously easier to target someone at a location they are known to frequent.”
So, I needed to avoid going to their homes.
But depending on what affinities the future Assassin had, would I be safe anywhere without a disguise? Even with a disguise, who’s to say a Pinnacle mage wouldn’t be capable of bypassing enchantments?
I followed Master Kairos out of the vehicle and tried not to glance around nervously. I doubted there was already a threat, but I still found myself grateful for the new Tier Ten [Barrier] talisman that Master Kairos had recently gifted me.
Now, I just needed to upgrade the rest of my defenses.
Comments
David Brims
I understand. Sometimes there is no way out but through, and you just have to write what comes to you. 😅 Thank you for the reply!
Procrastination
When I initially sat down to write this chapter, my plan was to describe the conversation between Emie and the Council. When I actually tried to get the words out... it was far more of a struggle than it should have been. Since I'd covered the Council in the interlude, I decided to shift my approach. Ultimately, Patreon is a draft zero kind of thing. Feedback from patrons helps me to adjust things, especially if several people agree that something should or should not be depicted a certain way. So, I appreciate this kind of feedback a lot. It doesn't mean I'll definitely change it, but I'll certainly consider it.
Kasper Lynderup Jensen
While I somewhat agree, it sounded like the meeting was just them informing her about what we already know, but I guess her ruminations on what was likely going to happen could have been made as a conversation with the council without the chapter being much longer and without repeating information. But I don't know if that actually would have made the chapter better or just different.
David Brims
Hmm. Good chapter, but I do feel that whether or not she cares about it, a meeting with the ruling body of her 'nation' is a defining moment for Emie, and should be directly included in the narrative. It's like documenting someone's life and skipping a meeting they had with their President. For me, it leaves a hole in the story
