Rising Kite - A story from the world of HWFWM

Kite was currently very thankful for his bronze-ranked body, whose strength and endurance was closing in on silver rank. During his childhood, he could remember his legs burning and feeling exhausted only from trekking up the stone path to Starberry peak. As he was currently striding upwards straight into the sky of the miniature world that was the queen’s challenge, his goal a floating platform a thousand meters up in the sky, he could just imagine making such a climb during normal rank.

“Even though a normal-ranker would not be able to conjure their own stairs,” Kite thought, looking down at the small squares of almost translucent force which appeared beneath his feet every time he put it down, creating a personal stairway to the heavens. At least the literal heavens, but he felt that the evolved ability would help his path greatly.

And its current function would be what he needed to actually allow him to face the skies’ ruler in its own domain, with Glint being unable to float that high into the air. While the cost of the new ability was ongoing, he would be able to keep it up for hours when outside of combat, and probably the same while fighting as long as there was an enemy to drain of mana. While he hadn’t been able to test it yet, Kite suspected that the ability’s light drain on his resources meant that it would be transportation for him and him alone.

While the climb wasn't entirely effortless, it did not distract Kite from the amazing view which was spreading out beneath him. He had seen all of the different territories before, but as he had spent the last three months traveling between each of them while testing himself and gathering quintessence, he felt a distinct connection to each one that hadn’t been there when first entering the gate. Having been there, fought there and bled there made it all seem so much more significant.

“It’s actually quite sad for this to all go away once the challenge is over,” he said aloud to the officiator orb that hovered next to him. “It is such a wondrous place. Had it been stable, there would probably be sects waging war to control it and use it as a training ground.”

“It was always meant to be a transient place, trial-taker; a small world manifesting near our own only to vanish after a few days. But the queen, in her vast power and great wisdom, created the means to harness them and make sure that they could leave something more behind. A foundation of growth for those confident enough in their paths.”

“Would it not have been better to stabilize it for longer and allow people to leave? Victory or death will undeniably lead to fewer attempting the challenges,” Kite noted, knowing that the high death-rate of the gates was the sole reason why they could remain in place for so long. One’s path needed to be self-sufficient enough to even attempt it.

“The strongest, most hardiest flowers need adversity to grow, trial-taker, not a greenhouse. The real threat of death will be what makes a person strive to the very peak of their capabilities.”

While Kite did not necessarily agree with the philosophy, he did not put it into words. For one, his last debate with the orb had caused it to have some kind of malfunction, and he did not want to risk it again.

Second, one of the many low-hanging clouds in the sky had gradually drifted closer as he climbed, moving just a little bit out of sync with the surrounding haze. Kite walked on, trying to not give off any sign that he had noticed.

“Well, officiator, I will cast no aspersions on you in that regard. This trial has been one true test, driving me to my limits,” he said, mentally sliding into his combat meditation. “And I believe that the last chance to do so is about to announce itself.”

As if it wanted to prove Kite right, the cloud behind him suddenly vanished.

“Ward!”

The twin barriers of Heaven-and-Void warding appeared behind him, one layered behind the other as Kite turned, already swinging his staff. The cloud appeared again just a few meters away, which took less than the blink of an eye to cross for the silver-ranked ambusher. A tendril lashed out from the cloud, cracking the first barrier and damaging the next as frozen spikes immediately started shooting out from within the roiling mass of white.

Kite had already caught a glimpse of the majestic beast beneath during their last encounter, and knew a lot more of what to expect this time. And most of all, he could now stand in the skies to meet it.

His own counterattack impacted, the creature trying to sway out of the way from the projected attack but failing due to the close proximity. Disrupting Strike and Chakra Implosion connected, partially dispelling the cloud cover and showing the scaled dragon-bird beneath. As the new stunning effect of Chakra Implosion caused it to twitch, Kite even got the opportunity to strike again, Carmine Sunrise carrying Void-Sunders-Firmament.

The spatial tears carved some damage into the ruler before it managed to disengage, and Kite’s attempt at pursuit was hindered by another barrage of ice spikes, which he realized must be the icy feathers of the beast. They splintered across a freshly conjured ward, chips of ice tumbling towards the ground below. Kite managed to project another attack towards it, but the monster juked to the side and vanished, the cloud becoming almost invisible against the sky.

Three heartbeats later, it struck again, appearing to one side. A more significant chunk of ice was forming in front of the cloud. Realizing what was about to happen, Kite’s shield appeared on his arm even as Eternal Quartz dropped into his hand. The chunk suddenly cracked violently, sending a spray of jagged ice towards Kite all at once; a clustered burst as opposed to the streaming barrages from before. The shards of ice collided with the expanding fan of quartz as Kite’s sword matched the conjured ice of his foe.

There was a loud smattering as projectiles met, creating a chaotic mess of ricochets and tumbling debris. Smaller chips of ice still sprayed over Kite, but his counter had done its job to deny most of the powerful burst. Then another chunk of ice formed above the cloud, repeating the process. This time, the attack met the barrier of Heavenglass protector even as Kite’s made a quick thrust towards his foe with the Veiled One’s Decree.

The veiled attack was noticed too late, and it too drained more mana and stunned the ruler enough to allow Kite to move. He circled around and slightly upwards, small squares of force appearing beneath his feet to carry him around the skies. Without the combat meditation, Kite assumed that he would have felt more vertigo, but his mind stayed clear as the combatants circled one another. The flying monster moved with a lot more grace and flexibility through the air, sometimes making literal laps around Kite while pelting him with projectiles and the occasional snapping strike.

Kite, on the other hand, stayed defensive. Each time the ruler’s attacks impacted his defenses, more of Spiritual Retribution’s affliction was stacked upon it, further lowering its impact. And each of Kite’s strikes did not only drain its mana while damaging its body, but also whittled away at the rank disparity little by little.

Compared to the first time Kite had faced this particular foe, ambushed and reeling, the calm he now felt was almost eerie.

“Spending three months battling silver-rankers and their minions seems to have been tempering indeed,” part of his mind idly thought while the pair exchanged attacks. Once more, the Veiled One’s Decree proved its usefulness as it allowed more attacks to land, robbing the ruler of vital resources and momentum both.

Apparently not satisfied with the current predicament, the ruler of the skies channeled more mana. Larger clusters of ice spikes started to form all around Kite, turning the skies into a field of expanding death. From his earlier experience, he knew what would happen next. And this time he knew how he wanted to deal with it.

“Dissolve the patterns of power!”

Just as his dispelling wave left him, Kite also activated the speed-enchantments of his boots, sprinting across the air in the ripple’s wake. Wherever the dispelling wave hit, the conjured ice dissolved. And Kite had been bold in his choice of direction.

Even as the field of icy spikes exploded behind him, Kite leapt towards the ruler, having made a straight charge towards the monster while leaving destruction in his wake. He felt his back being pelted with ice shards, some stinging slightly while most were harmlessly deflected by his armor.

Mid-leap, Sage flew in front of Kite and unleashed a pair of blue beams straight into the cloud, the disrupting force carving holes through the flowing cover, a projected staff-swing impacting just after. Chakra Implosion once more provided a brief window of opportunity as the ruler was once more stunned, and Kite’s leap took him just far enough to land squarely on the cloud. Carmine Sunrise plunged downward, Void-Sunders-Firmament doing wonders for cutting through the sudden resistance beneath before the rending damage shook the creature.

It gave off an actual cry this time, a screeching like a dozen lyres being mangled by frenzied cats. Another detonating chunk of ice formed next to Kite, but a casual backhand supported by disrupting strike gave him yet another opportunity. The thing bucked and shuddered beneath him before suddenly disappearing from view once more. Up close, Kite could see the faint shimmering of the magical cloaking effect, but not seeing the creature made it that much harder to stay atop it as it suddenly shot out from beneath him.

Kite felt himself falling for but half a meter before a panel of force appeared beneath him, allowing him to swiftly bounce to his feet and sprint in the general direction where he had felt the ruler moving. It soon appeared again, streams of ice shards flowing towards Kite, who in turn just ran onwards. Twin wards appeared in front of him, projectiles crackling like the sound of breaking glass as they broke upon Kite’s ward.

A few more exchanged attacks, and the ruler disappeared again. And again. And again. The ice field appeared once more to the same effect. And the next time the shrouded ruler appeared, it did so just as Kite’s projected attacks impacted it, Void-Sunders-Firmament carving yet another series of grooves into the clouds.

“I… can predict it. At least somewhat,” Kite thought in slight disbelief. Answering its moves and taking the higher physical prowess into account felt like it had become second nature now after the series of grueling duels with more powerful opponents, and Kite now felt that he was closing in on their realm of possibilities.

“My path will not be cracked by the world, but tempered by it.”

Even as the part of his mantra passed through his mind, the ruler had apparently had enough and decided to prove to Kite that it would not remain predictable for long. A burst of aura heralded the cloud cover blowing outwards, Unyielding making sure that he was not sent tumbling too far away.

A pair of shimmering wings spread outwards, catching the white light above into myriad little pinpricks of shifting facets. The ruler of the skies unraveled its long body, blue scales resplendent. The beaked head at the end of a long, supple neck seemed to glare defiantly at Kite as it opened its beak and shrieked. Meanwhile, the scattered clouds coalesced again, but not into a covering shroud. Instead, the white mist formed a huge circle hovering behind the back of the monster, not unlike how Sage usually hovered behind Kite.

And from the rise in its aura, Kite could discern that the ruler was done hiding. Which fit him perfectly.

“My name is Kite Flown in on Winds of Fortune, and I thank you for assisting in tempering my path!”

His words seemed to be swallowed by the expanse of the skies, but it had felt good to state them nonetheless, as if in tribute to the trial as a whole. Because even as the ruler of the skies unveiled its power, shifting from subtle ambusher to a majestic onslaught of icy death which came at him like a wall, Kite had to admit that the prideful side of him reared its head once more. Because even in the face of the new onslaught, the very air itself seeming to gather to tear him to pieces with the ruler towering above him, Kite felt that he would win.

Officiator number thirty-three hovered in the empty air, its expansive consciousness focused on the trial-taker as he strode through the air, stepping on small shards of force to carry him aloft while he used the barriers of his path to barrel through the ice storm of the ruler of the sky domain. All of it, from the trial-taker’s motions to his mana fluctuations to the shifting in his aura; all of it was taken in and recorded. This was both part of the grand purpose, the very purpose for which the officiator existed, as well as to help evaluate the outcome of the trial itself.

“Begin compilation of possible options based on available concepts.” The command went through the officiator’s ‘mind’ faster than any mortal thought, yet it still took time as the possibilities were simply so many. This trial-taker had surely taken his time, gathering almost all of the available concepts of the trial. The officiator had even factored in the remains of the sky-ruler, because based on the accumulated observations so far during the trial and the trial-taker following the projected curve of growth that had been established, the officiator felt sure enough of the outcome of this battle that it might as well save itself the time.

“It is a shame that this is not a silver-ranked trial. A final, spectacular tribulation based on his performance would have been most appropriate,” it thought, almost lamenting the insufficient ambient magic and difficulty in balancing such a foe to the frail physique of a bronze-ranker. Almost. Lamenting what could not be was a mortal frivolity, after all.

Thirty-Three had to grudgingly admit to being a bit impressed. The trial-taker was in some ways rough around the edges. His style of fighting seemed to be a project still underway, his equipment was varied and looked almost mismatched and his path lacked some offensive options that the officiator would have thought necessary to perform as well as he had.

But the young human had fought his way through the trial like the very epitome of his resolute essence, leaning into the growing strengths of his path as he adapted. Thirty-Three had thought that the trial would end at several points, but the human had still managed to persevere through both skill, adaptability and, most of all, patience. The trial-taker had studied, learned, retreated and retried, his defensive options allowing him to disengage at times.

Thirty-three also had to admit that this particular trial-taker’s path made designing appropriate challenges a different prospect. While he would struggle more against pure physical specimens, other more complex foes would be picked apart with surprising ease as the powers of his negation confluence removed their advantages. Thirty-three was well versed in the index of available essences, but the statistics clearly labeled the negation confluence as rare. Rare enough that it had barely been factored into the design. Another point of data which the officiator would make sure was included in its report with the departing gate.

Because from what it saw in the distance, its own physical form would be drastically changed in the near future. The trial-taker’s staff was aglow with the more recently acquired enhancement, which had so far always meant that a conflict was drawing close to its conclusion.

Thirty-three looked at the spectacle in the distance, the pale light from above reflected in the plentiful ice-based attacks which the sky-ruler launched at its foe. It looked as if the trial-taker was fighting amidst a rain of rainbow sparks, as if he was proving himself towards the golden heavens and the tribulations they rained down upon him. Ever since its reboot, Thirty-three had gotten more comfortable with the metaphors and symbolism. It might be a mortal frivolity, but the idioms had grown on the officiator.

Seeing that it was indeed soon time, Thirty-three began hovering towards the trial taker. The great beam of refracted light which was the ruler’s most powerful attack had just been swallowed by a dark gate, and the officiator could feel the ruler’s imminent demise.

It did not fear what was to come. To eventually change and become part of a trial-taker’s path was its purpose, and a fine one at that. But Thirty-three did allow itself a moment of bittersweet satisfaction as it spread its senses through the world it had created.

“It was an acceptable trial. And fine work,” the construct mumbled to itself as a strike from the trial-taker sent ripples through the air around it, leaving the ruler falling dead towards the ground. “Even if speaking such a sentiment out loud will ever remain a mortal frivolity.”

Kite sat back and just existed for a moment. All around him was empty air, the miniature world that he had just conquered spreading out beneath him where he sat on a pane of force. He felt how things could change over the course of three months. What had begun in dreadful defeat now ended in triumph. The sky-ruler had been both spectacular and magnificent, its rain of ice a constant pressure. And it had also been one of the few rulers where Kite had not been forced to use Immortality. He would not stretch so far to call the fight easy, but ‘under control’ would be a more apt description. And a proof of Kite’s growth.

“A ruler slain, a prize claimed,” the officiator intoned from Kite’s side as he sat looking at the long feather made of ice which the ruler had left behind.

Kite had been thankful that he had thought to create a platform with leyline warding as the corpse of his foe plummeted to the ground, because going all the way down after making this climb would just have been embarrassing.

“Trial-taker, there are currently no rulers left within the trial. All of them have broken before your path, and you stand victorious. Would you like to return to the gate platform?”

“I… I would,” Kite sighed, feeling both weary and immensely satisfied. “But once up there, I would also like some time to recuperate, if that is allowed. Because if the end of the trial is similar to the last one, I will need all the strength I can muster.”

“That is acceptable, trial-taker. Ready yourself for transportation.”

The view disappeared, only to be replaced by the hazy skies beneath the platform upon which the gate rested. It was the same as when Kite had left it, completely free from dust and debris. Over the edge, the territories below were now barely visible, and he gave them one last look before going back towards the center of the platform.

Even though part of Kite wanted to continue right away, anticipation burning hot within his chest, he still took a few hours to properly rest and meditate, recovery pills aiding in bringing him back to peak condition.

“Officiator, may I ask a question?” Kite asked from where he sat meditating.

“You may, trial-taker.”

“When I entered, you said that there would be additional difficulty added due to me having cleared an earlier gate. May I ask what changes were made?”

The officiator seemed to ponder his question for a while, but eventually gave an answer.

“All of the rulers and monsters below were provided with a bit more magic in order to increase their complexity. Overall, I would estimate between a ten to thirteen percent increase in overall capabilities.”

“I… see…” Kite said, having expected something a little bit more spectacular. Not that he complained though, having just cleared said trial.

“As you seem to be in acceptable physical and spiritual condition, would you like to proceed towards the end of the trial, where you will make your choices and receive my verdict?”

Looking around one last time, idly stroking the fins of Glint who floated nearby, Kite turned back to the officiator. “I would.”

“Understood, trial-taker,” the officiator acknowledged. Then, a moment later, Kite felt a familiar pulse as the world around him seemed to rumble in its very foundations, the officiator’s voice rising to echo across the whole trial space.

“Accessing gate matrix.

Realm reconfiguration initiated.

Power flow opened. Designation; Stairway to heaven.

Initiating the final forging - rank: Bronze”

Far below, the landscape seemed to ripple and shift while rainbow smoke started drifting up from a multitude of places beneath. Colors bled away and the haze below thickened until nothing more could be seen beneath it. It felt like the world was shrinking in upon Kite, but this time he felt a lot calmer than the time he had experienced the process during iron rank.

On the platform, a dais rose from beneath the hovering gate as the construct settled down upon it, and two more platforms rose; a pedestal in the very center of the round foundation beneath them and another wider one opposite the gate. Around the platform, the white light seemed to gradually dim, and the haze pushed in closer and closer, until there was only a cylinder of clear air around the gate platform.

The officiator hovered over to the central pedestal and settled down, the action throwing Kite back to him taking farewell of Third. But the words spoken were different this time. Because he had choices to make.

“Trial-taker, you have successfully gathered the concepts of the world, enough to let this trial empower your path. Present the quintessence which you have chosen.”

The orb’s voice was now entirely formal, with a certain ring of authority to it. Kite stepped forth, kneeling before the pedestal as he produced the six hundred pieces of quintessence he had chosen for the purpose; three hundred pieces of myriad quintessence, a hundred and fifty pieces of adept quintessence and a final hundred and fifty of echo quintessence.

“State the purpose of your choices. Why do you feel that these concepts are worthy of becoming part of your path?”

“My path needs to be able to do more than it is currently capable of; to assist more people and to strike out at more enemies. I need to become the eye of the storm, to reach out and lend a hand to any and all around me, be it a hand offered in assistance or a fist raised to strike.

As such, I have chosen the myriad quintessence to symbolize the multitude of actions I will need to undertake in order to realize this dream and the adept quintessence to provide the skill and potential for growth needed to truly take my path to the heavens and beyond. And finally, the echo quintessence, with the hope that my actions will echo across any situation where I may find myself. And as an homage to the prize I received at the end of my last challenge.

These are my choices for you to judge.”

Kite had already spoken with the officiator orb at length about these choices, but the tone of its voice gave a great gravitas to him stating his purpose once more. Part of Kite still wondered if it would have been better to go with some other combination, such as vast and potent, in order to almost surely get some kind of area effect. But after much deliberation, he had grudgingly come to the conclusion that it would mean trying to spread himself too thin.

He wanted to widen his path, true, but that meant trying to allow his strengths to grow in complexity and scope, not tack on something external which did not mesh with what he already did well. Hence, myriad had felt the most appropriate, with adept and echo in support. Now, Kite could only pray that the officiator judged him worthy.

“Well spoken, trial-taker. And which three remnants of this trial’s rulers do you wish to add to your path?”

This choice had been a lot harder, as each of the rulers’ treasures was more complex, their concepts more mixed up and nuanced. He had only confirmed his final choices the evening before, as he felt that it was unlikely that the ruler of the sky would resonate any better with the goals he had in mind.

Kite produced three items; a ball of twitching antennae and chitinous legs, a shard of blue crystal thrumming with relentless momentum and a shifting orb of sand, forming and reforming in perpetual motion. They came from the ruler of the metal hive, the blue giant on the grand plateau and the ruler of the shifting desert.

“Why have you chosen these, trial-taker?”

“Of all the rulers, I believe that these ones best resonate with the concepts I have chosen; multifarious in purpose and relentless in application. I hope that they may further strengthen and shape my path in my climb towards the heavens.”

The ball of antennae and the shifting ball of sand had been the easiest choices. Kite hoped that the first would lean into his expanded awareness somehow, and that the other would contribute its adaptability. It had been the third treasure that had kept him thinking and rethinking, the choice standing between the crystal from the blue giant and the heart of emptiness. The void-aspected treasure was tempting, and might merge well with those aspects of Kite’s own path. But there was still the part of Kite which longed for something more external; to better act in the outside world rather than absorbing it.

Be it aspects of might, time or momentum, either one would be a welcome contribution. So the crystal shard of the giant had become his third choice, which also somewhat soothed the part of him which still chafed at passing over the vast or potent quintessences.

“Your choice has been noted, your reasons remembered,” the officiator stated. “Are there any additional treasures which you want to add to this collection?”

“I do,” Kite said, producing two more items. From his discussions with the orb, he had confirmed that the additional treasures would only add to the potency of the potential reward rather than add more concepts in and of themselves. But they would help shape the concepts that were already being added into the mix.

“I have chosen the Marble of the Unified Mind and the Clash of the Horizon.” As he spoke, he laid the multi-faceted orb and the pair of swords locked in conflict next to the other treasures around the officiator orb. “This is done in the hope that they may further bring expansive awareness and the potential to retain balance and equanimity in any situation in which I may find myself.”

“Your choices have been noted, and your reasons once more recorded,” the officiator said. “Do you stand by these choices?”

“I do.”

“Then there is a final question for you to ponder; an option given as reward for testing your path on both iron and bronze rank.

As you may have surmised from prior experiences, we shall soon begin the final forging where this physical vessel will gain new purpose and become part of your path. And this time, you have a choice; one of freedom or permanence.”

“Would you please provide a bit more explanation?” Kite asked, mind abuzz as he tried to interpret the alternatives.

“With freedom comes versatility; an object set free can accomplish more but will ever remain a separate thing. And with permanence comes reliability; to never again be separated from this part of your path, its power always available at your beck and call.”

Hearing the alternatives, Kite took some time to think. The officiator did not seem to be in a hurry, so he let the minutes pass as he reflected. And reached a conclusion.

“I will choose permanence,” he eventually said, feeling secure in his choice. “Walking a path such as mine and where I hope to take it, reliability will be key to mastery. The tool always in use will have the most potential in a life that may stretch towards eternity.” In his mind, he added; “And it would be a heaven-sent blessing to not have to worry about losing a priceless artifact in the heat of adventure.”

“Your choice is noted, trial-taker. Assume your position on the dais, and prepare yourself to receive your verdict.”

Taking a deep breath, Kite sat down in a meditative pose, steadying his mind as he awaited the result of these months of tribulations.

“Trial-taker. You walk a path of negation, one that strips your foes of their strength while retaining your own. You are a resolute force of attrition, using unconventional means to bring your opponents low through ways they do not expect and therefore cannot counter. The void makes your mere presence a constant drain on those who stand before you, and your barriers turn said presence into something implacable.

But there are ways in which your path falls short. When faced with overwhelming numbers or pure durability, you need to use other means than your path to compensate, even if that can be a hollow strength. And you are the bulwark, not the cavalry; the battle will revolve around you, not the other way around.

Yet even with this defensive path, you adapt and conquer, turning weakness into possibility and your foes’ very essence into strength. And you take great care in reflecting on your path, choosing the tool best suited rather than the one most spectacular.

Therefore, I declare your choice of concepts a wise one; one of which the Queen of Jade and Sky would approve. Through her endless generosity and skill, this trial will strive to make your wishes into reality.”

As the orb spoke, the gate behind it started to emit a gradually increasing glow; a glow which Kite knew would soon shoot toward him like the strike of an enormous hammer, his soul the anvil.

But before the gathering energies had reached their climax, the officiator spoke one last time.

“This is the end of duty for officiator Thirty-three. For what it’s worth, trial-taker, it feels suitable to have this vessel become part of your path. The design is finalized, and the final forging can begin. During the trial, you have often leaned on metaphors and symbols, trial-taker. And while they remain mortal frivolity, I will stoop to using one of those which you have used the most.”

The glow from the gate was almost blinding at that moment, the air thrumming with barely contained power.

“You often said that you wanted to lend a hand to your allies in need. So, in that regard, I thought it fitting to make sure to include an increase in profusion.”

As the officiator’s words registered, Kite’s eyes widened in bewilderment. And a bit of concern.

“Wha-”

Then, like the hammer raised above the waiting anvil, the gate gave off a loud, low thrumming which shook the platform as its energy was released. And the final forging began.