E-book 8: Chapter 19: The Pull of Glory

Someday later, Victor lay on his again, one arm behind his head on the pillow and the opposite outstretched, cradling Valla. She lay on her aspect, taking a look at him, and after a number of minutes of silence, reached over and commenced to hint little circles on his chest. Her fingertip felt cool to his sizzling Quinametzin flesh, and he cherished it. Whereas he luxuriated within the consideration, Valla softly requested, “You realize why I used to be upset, why I’m nonetheless upset, proper?”

Victor inhaled deeply by means of his nostril. “I suppose ‘trigger I used to be impulsive and didn’t ask you about promoting the home.”

“You guess?” The finger stopped transferring, urgent into his breastbone.

“No, Valla, I do know. I additionally know that’s not the one factor that acquired you pissed at me. I shouldn’t have freaked out within the restaurant after I noticed you. I shouldn’t have, however,” Victor turned barely so he might look down into her good eye, “I fear about a number of issues, and I’m not good at explaining what I’m feeling.”

“So strive. Simply inform me what was going by means of your thoughts.” Her finger began transferring, gently tracing the define of his pectoral muscle.

“If I say it, you’re going to assume I’m an excellent larger asshole. It’s a sense I’m not happy with.”

“No matter form of asshole you might be, nevertheless large you might be,” she chuckled, “I nonetheless love you. So?”

Victor’s thoughts raced, and he questioned if he needs to be trustworthy. It wasn’t that he wished to cover his emotions from Valla, however on this case, he actually thought his emotions made him seem to be a prick. “Even when I do know my ideas make me appear, I don’t know, immodest? Stuffed with myself? Insecure?” Valla’s thumb joined her finger, and he or she squeezed his pores and skin between the 2—a transparent risk of a depraved, incoming pinch. “Simple! Simple,” he laughed. “Let me collect my ideas.”

“Simply say what you’re feeling. Don’t spend time twisting phrases to cover the reality!”

“Actually? Nicely, get able to be pissed once more.” Victor took a deep breath, then started letting his ideas fall out of his mouth in a rush, “If you had been telling me how you bought damage, I couldn’t cease occupied with how I needed I’d been there, that I might have killed that pinché boss. After all, that made me take into consideration the way you and Lesh had been nearly my stage, so why was I so positive? I’m positive, although, which makes me sound like a immodest asshole, however, shit, Valla, I’ve overwhelmed a number of tier eights and nines without delay.”

Valla was quiet, and he or she launched his flesh and began to withdraw her hand, so Victor rushed to attempt to clarify, “It’s not that I used to be sitting there considering you guys are weak or something. I used to be worrying about the way you may not have the ability to catch as much as me. Ever. It’s not nearly ranges, it’s about . . . shit, I don’t know. My bloodline? My Class? The goddamn freakish synergy of every little thing that makes me into some form of monster. What in case you get bored with attempting? What in case you resolve it’s not value it? What if we develop additional and additional aside? I hated being away from you for just some days, however actually, it seems like there’s extra time aside than collectively in our future.”

“Oh, Victor,” Valla sighed, flopping over onto her again with a huff and a faintly metallic rustle of feathers. “Do you assume I solely wish to acquire ranges and power to ‘catch up’ to you?” The blunt query drove dwelling the purpose so clearly that Victor, as traditional, felt like an fool.

“No. I suppose not. However, even so, Valla, what about,” he reached out and gently touched the scar on her brow, simply above her bandage, “the remainder of it. What about me getting pulled into increasingly conditions the place you’d be in danger in case you had been with me? What about me, throughout my downtime, sitting round lacking you ‘trigger you’re doing all of your factor?”

“Nicely, what did Lesh let you know?”

The query appeared to come back out of left discipline, stunning Victor and placing him much more off stability. “Huh?”

“You sat on the desk for some time after I walked out. My listening to’s inferior to yours, however I heard your voices. What did you inform him?” One thing advised Victor she’d heard far more than she was letting on. She’d been sitting proper outdoors the window, in any case. Was that why she’d made the peace overture after her nap? Had she heard him come across the reality of his self-centered concern?

“Nicely, he principally advised me that I needs to be completely satisfied for the time I’ve. I needs to be completely satisfied for what I can grasp and cease attempting to regulate what I can’t.” He sighed. “I don’t bear in mind the precise phrases.”

“So?” Valla turned towards him once more, reaching to softly scrape her nails by means of the tough, quick stubble on his jawline. “Aren’t you happier having grasped this second?”

“Yeah. After all. I don’t like feeling such as you’re indignant or that I’ve messed issues up. I simply additionally want I might rely on some stability in our future collectively—”

“Victor!” She spoke sharply, however her lips and eyes smiled as she leaned nearer, urgent her brow in opposition to his. “The one method that may occur is that if we each resolve we’re content material with what we’ve got, if we each cease going out and risking ourselves. We’d should resolve we don’t want extra ranges, extra information, or extra power. We’d should admit that we’re okay with an enormous portion of the inhabitants being stronger than us and having energy over us. Even when we returned to Fanwath, we’d want to fret in regards to the subsequent risk that may come by means of a gateway. May you do this?”

His voice was quiet and somewhat thick with emotion when he ultimately responded, “No.”

Valla smiled and leaned shut, kissing him softly. “I’ve to admit that I used to be feeling an analogous method. It’s why I acquired upset about the home. For a tiny second, after we first moved in there, I might image a life with you, making a house collectively. I’m not saying we gained’t do this. I’m not saying it’s unattainable, however I feel after I realized you bought the home, I acknowledged the fantasy for what it was. So, let’s do our greatest. Let’s discover methods to enhance whereas spending as a lot time collectively as attainable. Let’s strive to not be irritated with one another and spoil our treasured time with fights.”

“All proper.” He moved his hand to the aspect of her face, gently stroking her cheek together with his thumb. “You realize, it’s not bought but. I might inform the realtor to cease attempting—”

“No. You made the best determination. A house isn’t the best place to tie up our cash proper now. Moreover, if we wish to spend time in a spot that’s really ours, we are able to go to dwelling.” Victor smiled on the phrases; having a spot to think about as dwelling was good, and the Free Marches match properly. She grasped his hand, halting his light exploration of her harm. “Don’t fear in regards to the scar. I’ll eat the racial development elixir I earned within the dungeon. If it’s not sufficient to restore my eye, I’ll use the regeneration tonic I saved.”

“I’m not nervous. I don’t give a shit what number of scars you could have!” Victor growled, his voice gaining some quantity and a little bit of a rumble. “You’re essentially the most stunning girl within the universe. Any scars you get solely make issues somewhat fairer for the opposite goddesses on the market.”

That introduced a giggle burbling out of Valla’s throat, and he or she bounded atop him, her wings spreading broad. “Did you simply name me a goddess?”

“Clearly—” Victor began to say, however then a knock on the door interrupted his additional efforts to earn her good favor. “What?” he barked, extra harshly than he meant.

A muffled voice got here by means of the door, “Victor, sir, Lord Dar would meet with you. He awaits you within the library.”

“Shit,” Victor sighed. “I hope I’m not in bother. I wrote within the rattling Farscribe guide like he requested—”

Dar brandished his finger once more. “Veil walker is a common time period for many who’ve accomplished their check of metal and moved into their lustrous veil.” He paused for a second, letting his phrases sink in. “Now, to the purpose: I advised you we have to discover you extra hearts from worthy foes. On Ruhn, wars are determined by battles between two kingdoms’ champions. The fools pressuring my distant granddaughter gained’t be worthy hearts for you, however after you’ve vanquished them, you’ll champion my granddaughter as she begins a battle of succession. You and she’s going to conquer Ruhn.”

“Significantly? When? How lengthy will that take? Why wo—”

Dar held up a hand. “Victor! Such panic from a titan? Calm your self and assume. There are greater than 100 kingdoms on Ruhn. Of these, twenty-two are formidable and can have champions that may really check your mettle. If you face the seven nice homes, you’ll earn hearts that may make the one from the behemoth appear a mere snack! After all, these champions will doubtless all be metal seekers, so that you’ll have your work lower out for you.”

Victor opened his mouth to answer, however Dar pressed on, “There are a number of methods to achieve uncooked energy for the standard cultivator—vanquish foes for his or her Power, domesticate Power from different sources, and enhance one’s species or bloodline. You might have one other technique that does all three and extra!”

Dar’s ardour broke by means of to Victor, and he nodded, his eyes narrowing as he scowled in willpower. Dar was proper. He gained a number of Power from each coronary heart he consumed, typically improved his bloodline, and sometimes gained traits from his enemies. Even his breath Core got here from consuming a coronary heart. “Are the fights at all times to the dying?”

“All the time. It’s meant to discourage battle.”

“So, I’ve to win 100 duels?”

“As soon as the battle of succession has begun, different kingdoms will doubtless seize the chance to take away enemies, declare weaker neighbors, and even unite in mutual protection. Many could kneel to my granddaughter, accepting her declare.”

Victor’s scowl deepened. He wished to have an thought of what he was up in opposition to. “What number of? Will I’ve to win fifty? Twenty?”

“There’s no telling. The final champion to steer a claimant to the imperial throne gained sixty-four duels.”

Victor shook his head, baffled by the unusual customized. “In order that’s all it takes? One champion kills one other, and so they lose their kingdom?”

“Not fairly. Wars of succession are far more sophisticated. You may be coping with shifting alliances, useful resource administration, and political intrigue. A kingdom just isn’t required to simply accept a duel, and may they refuse, my granddaughter might want to coerce them. That’s what has been taking place to her. Her hostile neighbors have been placing stress on her in myriad methods—chopping off meals provides, severing communication with the higher empire, destroying sources, assassinating members of her courtroom, and even kidnapping civilians.”

“How have you learnt she hasn’t fallen?”

“As a result of I used a treasure to scry her this morning. Her present champion but lives; she’s near breaking, however her neighbors really feel no hurry; they slowly bleed her of sources and know she’ll be compelled to simply accept the problem ultimately. A 12 months or ten is nothing for individuals who rely their lives in centuries.”

Victor sighed and reached as much as run his fingers by means of his quick, stiff hair as if he might stimulate his mind by pulling on it. “You mentioned her neighbors are weaklings. Now you say they rely their lives in centuries.”

“Few folks push a lot previous the center of the iron ranks. Why would they? They really feel not the pull of glory! The competitors for sources turns into lethal, the grind of cultivation turns into an all-consuming obsession, and the tempo of progress turns into glacial.” He snorted softly, amused by some personal thought, as he eyed Victor knowingly. “For many. However, reaching stage thirty or fifty drastically extends a pure life, sure? So, most individuals in worlds like Ruhn will acquire ranges whereas it’s straightforward or entertaining after which fall again into fairly mundane lives, having fun with the features they’ve amassed for a whole lot or 1000’s of years.”

Victor slowly nodded, reducing his arms to the arms of his chair as he considered that. His notion of the worlds he’d visited was badly skewed; he was at all times looking for to advance, so he encountered different folks on that path, whether or not or not it’s in arenas, on monster hunts, in wars, and even in dungeons. Nonetheless, he encountered seemingly mundane folks every day—servants, officers, retailers, and numerous folks on the road about whom he knew nothing. Instantly, Valla’s level that he and he or she would want to agree that they had been content material earlier than having actual, high quality time collectively took on a brand new mild.

The reality was, Dar was out of contact. Victor knew that it wasn’t simply individuals who now not discovered gaining ranges “straightforward or entertaining” who stopped. He knew that life wasn’t truthful and that on many worlds, possibly most of them, the folks with energy actively labored to maintain others from buying it. All he needed to do was bear in mind the Wagon Wheel and the Greatbone Mine to cement that time in his thoughts.

He turned his consideration again to the subject of their assembly. “So your granddaughter must drive the opposite kingdoms to simply accept her challenges earlier than I’ll have to struggle?”

“That’s proper. She may have your assist with a few of her methods, however, for essentially the most half, you’ll stay in her courtroom, coaching and making your self out there for duels. If a kingdom bends the knee to her fairly than having their champion duel you, you’ll obtain a portion of the tribute they pay—a tariff in your formidable intimidation worth. I’ll instruct my granddaughter to demand development gadgets as fee in your providers.”

“How lengthy?”

“Earlier than I ship you? Two to 6 months, I’d say. There’s the matter of your schooling—etiquette, the legal guidelines of succession on Ruhn, and a few common information about development. Greater than that, I wish to get you began on strategies of coaching that you could follow whereas away.”

“And my companions?” Victor already felt like he knew the reply earlier than Dar shook his head.

“They have to stay right here. I’ll prolong my hospitality to every of them; I do know their security is essential to you and gained’t have you ever distracted with fear. Moreover, I fairly like Lam, and I’m desirous to see how she advances. I can see you formulating an objection, particularly with regard to your woman love, however Victor, she’s going to languish on Ruhn. There aren’t simply accessible dungeons, and as soon as it begins, the battle will flip the countryside perilous with lurking assassins and saboteurs. She’d have to remain at courtroom and watch as you grew ever extra highly effective, successful duel after duel. No, I feel it greatest you allow her right here together with your dragon-blood good friend.”

Victor felt that earlier dread, that chilly, laborious grip on his coronary heart, slide again into place. Had he someway felt this coming? Had he identified Dar can be sending him locations for God is aware of how lengthy? He should have suspected it on some unconscious stage. “Shouldn’t she have the choice?”

“Sure. Speak to her. Clarify that Ruhn is 4 jumps away through a System Stone and that after I show you how to make the journey, you’ll use the Spirit Airplane—a way unavailable to anybody with no sufficiently sturdy spirit Core.” Dar pushed his chair again and stood. “Go now. I’ve issues to rearrange.” He scowled at Victor, however the slight tilt of an eyebrow made it clear he wasn’t actually upset. “Major amongst them, I have to negotiate with the Sojourn Council in an try and launch you out of your debt of three duties.”

“In order that I can go away?”

“Precisely. Now, take pleasure in a while with your mates. Come daybreak, we are going to construct your cultivation chamber and start your coaching in earnest.”