THEOS

Luke watched Other-Luke walk away with an inscrutable expression, before shaking his head slightly, and heading back towards a worried looking Al.

His thoughts churned and his mind replayed the conversation over and over with every step he took. He had expected to run into other cultivators eventually, and frankly, it would have been weirder not to run into some. Nevertheless, he hadn’t expected it to happen minutes after he re-entered civilization.

It would have been nice to have some more time to figure stuff out, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’m running low on potions and I have no talismans, and on top of that I still have no real idea how to make either of those by myself. If I can set things up so we’re at least somewhat friendly, they might let me buy some off of them. Maybe I can even join them. I doubt that they’ll be too different from the Society.

Besides, other than me popping up out of nowhere, they have no reason to be suspicious or believe that I’m guilty of anything, and if I play my cards right, I can probably come up with something that will get them off my back about my origins. If they even bother asking. Which they will.

Still, it’s not like cultivators showing up out of nowhere is rare, and Theos doesn’t seem to have much in the way of legal documents. I doubt they’d bother to check if I told them that I was raised way out in the wild, and only came to town when the person raising me died. Hell, I could even say my dad’s a Hero, and he sent me here for experience. That’s basically what Spiros and them are doing anyhow.

No, that would be stupid, claiming a relationship with a Hero is bound to raise questions. Maybe a random cultivator? Hmm. Arke is still around too, whatever excuse I come up with, it’ll need to be something that won’t stand out to her as well.

He gripped the handle of his sword as he felt a headache coming on.

It’s fine. I have a few hours to get my story straight, and I will.

“Everything fine with ya? The pair of you looked awful tense for a bit.” Said Al.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. He just didn’t expect me to be here.”

“Hah, I thought he was telling you to keep yer mouth shut or something.”

“Well he did remind me not to tell people anything important.” Luke shrugged. “So I guess you’re right.”

“Nah lad, word round town is he’s quite taken with the alley cats.” Al grinned and winked at him. “ Pays ‘em well too, so they’ve taken to fighting over who gets him.”

“He’s… paying cats?” Luke turned to him. “Why would he do that?”

Al looked at Luke oddly. “No he’s been… ahh, it’s no fun if I have to explain it to ya. Forget it.” He started marching away. “House is this way.”

Alley cats? Oh… OHH. Interesting.

Luke followed after him.

Al’s house was exactly how Luke envisioned it. A smallish one-story building made of brick, and not too far from the river. A big square chimney jutted out from its roof, with tastefully painted wooden accents arrayed around the window of the door, giving it a rather homely feel.

Chickens roamed freely around his well manicured lawn, kept in place by a waist high picket fence that encircled his surprisingly large property. Al gently prodded one away from the entrance, and let Luke inside.

I guess with this world being as big as it is, real estate is pretty cheap.

“Blasted chickens. Zoe likes keeping the little shits around for the eggs, but she complains for days every time one of em ruins her garden.”

“That's unfortunate.” Luke grinned at him.

“I still love er.” He grinned at Luke, before leading him inside a moment later, chuckling softly. “Zoe,” He shouted, “I’ve got a guest!”

“I’m right here, no need to shout.” An elderly woman emerged from behind another room.

“Well yer hearings been going, so I have to, don’t I?” He grumbled under his breath.

She gave her husband the stink eye, before turning to Luke. Her eyes, for the briefest moment, dancing over his robes, before meeting his own. Seemingly unsurprised. “And who might you be, dear?”

“I’m Luke, ma’am. Al, uh, invited me over for dinner.”

“Well aren’t you a sweet one, you just go on and call me Zoe dear.” She shuffled around their dining table. “You boys must be starving, I’ll get the food ready. I put some water out back, if you two want to freshen up.”

“Alright, come on Luke. She makes it sound like a request, but what she really means, is yer stinking up my house, and I need ya to stop, or else.” Al pulled him aside.

Two hours later and a belly absolutely stuffed with food later, Luke waved goodbye to the couple, and walked onto the street.

No wonder Al is as fat as he is. That lady can cook, and she knows it.

“Well, if it isn’t the rogue.” A familiar voice called out in the dark. Other-Luke stepped out from behind the street.

“Hey.” Luke waved at him. “I was just about to come to you. You didn’t have to stalk me.”

“It’s not like I wanted to. Anyway, let’s go. I waited for you to finish your food, and I would rather be over and done with all this.” He started walking down the street, expecting Luke to follow after him.

Hesitating briefly, he did just that.

“What’s the Rising Sun like?” Luke asked.

“You want to join?”

“I’m not opposed to it.”

“It’s not impossible, I suppose. How’d you end up by yourself anyway? You look too young to have fled a mine, so what is it? Why’d you leave your Sect and come here?”

“Why are you so sure I fled from my Sect?”

“It’s not like there are many other options now are there? You have the robes, you have a sword, you know about talismans. Clearly you’re not a mortal who figured out how to cultivate. Most of them keep their mouths shut, and don’t strut around in the open. You also mentioned knowing the rules. The only way you’d know them is if you had been told them, ain’t that so?”

“Hmm.” Luke hummed. I can work with this. The mines are supposed to be brutal, so it’s not a surprise that people would escape from them. I’m too young, but maybe…

“I didn’t escape from anywhere. My dad was a member of some Sect. A different island from what he told me. He taught me how.”

“I’m guessing that’s his sword you have on your hip then?”

“It is.”

“Where have you been all this time?”

“Up the river.”

Other-Luke looked at him flatly. “Where did you really live?”

“Up the river?” Luke said again, trying not to panic.

What’s so weird about living up the river?

“That’s impossible. The Cyclops kills every human that trespasses in her territory.”

“What?” Luke asked, suddenly feeling a cold chill down his back.

A Cyclops?

“The Cyclops. Sophia the Big. She came to the Sylcra a hundred years ago and fought Lord Cysicus to a standstill. After fighting for ten days, they agreed to split the island in half until one became strong enough to kill the other. Until then, the east side of the island would belong to her, and the west side would belong to the Emperor.” Other-Luke explained, while looking at Luke incredulously. “Nothing? Everybody knows that! Even the mortals know about it. It’s why they’ve been so pissy about us being here. They think we’ll make her angry or something.”

“I didn’t know that, and I guess my dad didn’t either, but now that you mention it, I always thought it was weird that no one lived there. It seemed like perfectly good land.”

“I can’t believe you're not dead.”

“Maybe I – We weren’t deep enough in her territory for her to care?”

He shook his head. “Maybe, I wouldn’t know, no ones stupid enough to challenge someone who could fight the Emperor to a standstill. The Elder’s that were there, said that the clouds parted and earth shook the entire time they were battling.”

“That strong, huh?” Luke asked, as they walked out of the town’s gates.

“Mhm. You ever wonder what it would be like to be that powerful?” He asked suddenly. “So strong that you can just pick an island and decide that it’s yours.” He sighed, looking at the sky. “What I wouldn’t give to be that strong.”

I don’t think being strong enough to take over an island is strong at all. Not when I’ve seen entire worlds be destroyed. Or when people like Arke can just show up, and do whatever they please.

“Not really. The only thing I want is to be strong enough to decide my own fate.”

Other-Luke looked at him oddly. “Can’t you already do that?”

“No.” Luke shook his head. “Not until I become a god.”

“HAHAHAH.” Other-Luke slapped him on his back. “You dream big for a guy who can’t even make his own talismans.”

“And you laugh a lot for a guy who needs to pay to have sex.” Luke snapped back.

Other-Luke stopped in his tracks. “How’d you know?”

“The whole town knows, friend. You really thought they wouldn’t pay attention to a cultivator? I noticed them staring the second I walked in, and people talk.”

“HAH.” A loud laugh resounded through the clearing, and a woman in red robes descended from the sky. Landing softly on the ground before them.

“Nel? What are you doing here?” Other-Luke asked the woman.

“You were taking way too long, and I thought something might have happened to you.”

“I told you I’d be fine!”

“You were meeting a rogue, I thought he might be dangerous. Besides, you're my baby brother, I worry.” She blurred forward and ruffled his hair.

“Then why did you send me in the first place?”

“I didn’t want to go. Now what’s this about you paying for sex?”

“Uhh. He’s just joking. You’re just joking right?” He glared at Luke.

“I think that this is between you two.” Luke scratched the back of his head.

How long has she been following us? The entire time?

Nel smirked at Other-Luke. “I’ll have to talk to Mom about this.”

“No you don’t! And you!” He pointed at Luke. “Why’d you have to tell her?”

“I didn’t know! Sorry.” Luke lifted his hands in surrender.

“That’s enough.” Nel interrupted them, and fixed her eyes on Luke. “Is what you said true?”

“Yes.”

“And you want to join the Rising Sun?”

Luke nodded.

“Okay, you’re in.”

“Just like that?” Luke asked skeptically.

“Well we have to put you in the registar, but as an Elder, I can bring whoever I want into the Sect.”

I guess it’s not a surprise. Nefkha did basically the same thing.

“When you were in the East, did you notice any sheep?” She asked.

“No. It’s all just grass, and these big bull-like things out there. Some rabbits and stuff too I guess.”

“Hmm. So you really weren’t lying. You didn’t kill any of them did you?” She looked at him intently.

“I tried a few times, but they were too fast.”

She sighed in relief. “Good. Those bulls aren't bulls. They’re the Cyclops's sheep. If you’re ever stupid enough to go back there, never kill one. Sophia’s killed off every predator on her half of the island, and made room for her flock to graze. So long as you don’t kill her sheep, she’ll let anyone who tresspasses do as they want. Most of the time.”

What the fuck? Really, what the fuck? Was I really that close to dying? A bead of sweat rolled down his face.

“I don’t think I’m ever going to go back, but thank you.”

“Smart lad. It's getting rather late. I’ll fly us back to camp.”

“No thanks, I’ll walk.” Other-Luke stomped off.

“Bye.” Nel waved at him as she watched him go. “I’m still telling mom Lukeus.”

Lukeus? Whatever. “I think I’ll walk t–”

Nel lifted her hand in the air, interrupting him, and looked back at the town in the distance. Frowning, Luke followed her gaze.

“What are you looki–” Luke trailed off,

The ground shook. Dust rose in the sky. The world became silent. Then the screaming began.