The Heavens Shall Fall

By the time the sun had risen high enough for every disciple to be awake and aware, another bombshell news had been dropped onto their heads. Talks were just about to die down, revolving around Siu's injury and loss in a spar that felt more like a duel, when they learned about Bren challenging him. They were about to talk about the implications behind it, the whys and hows, guessing what his answer would be, when they had to realize that his answer was already posted next to it.

The challenge has been accepted.

"No way..." Someone muttered, standing before the board inside the Mission Hall, reading up on the news and also browsing through something to do.

He was not the only one who reacted that way; of course, many others said the same thing, happy that they were not in his shoes. Those who had been here for years now, or even longer, remembering when Bren Tarr joined, when he rose through the ranks and established his Stone Ward... They felt like Siu had no chance against him, not even if he was healthy. The simple fact that one person was here for years and the other only for one? No way... That was the most used sentence for that day, as they constantly repeated it.

Yet, the way seemed to keep heading forward, because after Siu's acceptance began to reach everyone, the news came that the duel's date had already been set by Bren. Two days later at that! So soon? That was a telling sign of what this really was... Stone Ward was ready to eliminate the leader of the newly emerging Spirit Wardens, capitalizing on their weakness. Even if they thought it was a rat-like move, a despicable attack, nobody could actually fault Bren for it. A cultivator had to grab every chance.

As for the Spirit Wardens? The looser 'members,' who were there in name only, hoping to leech a beast off Siu, had already quit. Then, those who were a bit more involved but not that sure about staying also left, shrinking the Spirit Wardens' number by more than half.

"Finally!" Echoed a yell inside the Wardnes' tower, and Siu raised an eyebrow, recognizing that voice.

"Tian?" He walked down, looking at him with raised brows.

"You know how hard it is to catch you?! Slippery bastard! I have been trying to see you since your loss, but I thought you were in recovery. Then, when I want to visit you, you always disappear. Why did you..." But then he stopped himself at once, squinting at him. Looking around, he quickly scanned the tower's ground floor, which was pretty much empty, and now only Neya, Varren, and Kira were there.

"They know." Siu chuckled, realizing that Tian had already seen through his fakery.

"Fucker! Oh... You... Tsk!" He snorted, crossing his arms, "I should have known..."

"Were you... worried?" Neya asked, covering her mouth to hide her happy smile, realizing that no matter how harsh and antagonistic Tian usually is toward Siu, he was... a true friend.

"No." He lied at once, throwing a gaze at Neya, "I was upset that some stonebrain dick would beat him instead of me. I was already pretty upset that he lost to someone like her. But I see now. You didn't."

"Hey!" Kira yelled abruptly, standing up as tall as she could, realizing she was almost as tall as Tian, "Twerp! Wanna go? I will bash your face in!"

"Try me." Tian grinned, cracking his knuckles, "Anyway... Then I shouldn't... meddle in it. Haaaah... Relax!" He raised a hand before Siu could speak, "I won't tell the others."

"Thanks." Siu said with a nod, but then a curious question popped into his mind, "Speaking of them... What was their reaction?"

"Kae'Lin wanted to step in," Tian said with a shrug, "But Cal'Fia shot everyone down. She is preparing us to step in when or if Bren goes after your Wardens as a whole. I think she wants to absorb your group in the name of protecting you all from Bren."

"Hah!" Rinmei suddenly exhaled loudly, coming down from behind Siu, "Typical. Wolves are wolves after all."

"Opportunities are opportunities," Siu said with a shrug, not really bothered by it, "At least she's still ready to help, but we can't blame her for not risking her own people over ours."

"..." The others said nothing, while Tian just kept looking at him, shaking his head, "How certain are you?"

"100%"

"Quick answer," He grunted, still looking into his eyes, "Tsk... Slow down a bit... I'm getting exhausted here, trying to play catch-up..."

"Sorry," He chuckled, not breaking eye contact, "I can't."

...

.....

.......

A day before the duel's appointed date, news was released that their official duel would be overseen by an Elder. It wasn't named who it was, but the announcement came from the sect itself, so it was as sure as sunrise happening from the east.

"The second time," someone muttered while walking with his friend, heading towards the kitchens, glancing towards the Spirit Wardens' tower. "This is the second duel that this Siu guy is having, which is refereed by an Elder. What the hell is up with him?"

"Maybe he has an Elder as a parent."

"Maybe," someone else chimed in, "but if he wins this, too, despite his health..."

"Yeah, no." The first voice continued, "No chance for that."

"We'll see... We will see."

By early afternoon of the duel's day, the grounds where it would happen had already begun to fill with people. It wasn’t subtle like the spar, and it wasn't crowded like the duel against Nue... It was twice as packed, in fact. Almost all of the outer disciples now gathered there in tightly packed clusters, some standing, others sitting along the outer ridges of the stone arena, on the ground, making bets between each other.

“You think he’ll show?”

“He already accepted, so he has to. If not, the Elders may punish him.”

“That doesn’t mean he’ll be able to fight.”

“Maybe he will give up the moment it starts.”

“That’s worse than being punched in the face and falling over.”

Their voices blended together, rising and falling constantly, while some spoke with curiosity, others with excitement, and more than a few with apparent glee. People loved seeing others who had more than they did fall. It was strangely satisfying, and it was a nature that was hard to weed out in humans. Naturally, beside unaffiliated disciples, the two big groups had their own people there too, sitting together, be it Stone Ward members or Ember Circle hunters. They were easier to spot than any other smaller associations or the remaining Wardens.

What everyone was happy about was that at least they sat far apart to avoid any brawls breaking out... walled off from each other by dozens of unaffiliated disciples. Among them, near the back, seated where the view was clear and unobstructed, there sat Toban and Lorean, resting one leg over the other, her posture probably the most relaxed amongst everyone else.

"Do you want to make a bet?" She asked, smiling at Toban.

"I'm not betting and neither should you." He shot her a look, "You know well why."

"I'm just joking!" She giggled, shrugging a little because no matter how much she liked that Toban was business-oriented and acting like a proper teacher to her, she missed the feeling of flirting and seeing the other party fall for some sweet smiles. Dropping silent again, her gaze drifted slowly across the crowd, marking the positions of important people, noting their faces, and observing their reactions. "I didn't expect so many of them to be against Siu..." She spoke after a minute or so, "Interesting."

"His fame came to him too quickly." Toban answered, steepling his fingers and resting his chin on them, "It is natural to be like this... Hated for success. That's why I stayed mostly irrelevant."

“Busy day,” someone muttered nearby, making both of them jump, and to surprise someone like Toban, it was something that Lorean didn't see until that moment.

"Seniors!" He exclaimed, standing up, and cupping his hands, drawing some gazes upon himself, and then unto the visitor... visitors.

It was two inner disciples, Dui and Seloryn Veyra, wearing their silver sashes across their uniforms, who sat down next to him, ignoring the gazes of many of the others.

"Toban... right?" Veyra asked, smiling at him, "I heard you passed the test already? Why aren't you wearing your sash? You know it's against the rules to mask your position within the disciples."

"I haven't gotten it yet." He smiled, making Lorean take a double-take... this meant that Toban was already an Inner Disciple?! Why didn't he say anything?! "I should move up soon, though." Toban continued, "I simply asked for a few days of delay, to get everything in order before leaving the outers behind."

"The Elders love organized people like you," Dui said with a grunt, throwing him a very unfriendly gaze.

"Don't worry, Senior," he answered Dui with a smile, "I am not going to aim for your position. I had had enough of being an outer."

"You...!"

"Dui," Veyra snorted with a laugh, silencing him, before looking around, "So... I heard that Siu had been injured. How true it is? There are conflicting rumors going around about him in our circles."

"Nobody knows." Toban answered before Lorean could say anything, taking control of the situation, "But we will see."

"Ah." Veyra hummed with an understanding smile, not actually believing his words for a moment, "I see. This ought to be fun, then!"

As they gathered there, at the edge of the arena, near the designated entrance, a small disturbance rippled through the gathered crowd

“He’s here!”

The words passed from one group to another, carried quickly, but it wasn't Siu; instead, it was Bren Tarr who entered the arena without any haste in his steps. As he did so, there was no announcement, no fanfare accompanying him; he simply strode in, already in a training gown. He stopped right in the middle, crossed his arms, and stood there like a statue, eyes fixed on the entrance, waiting for his opponent. Among the Stone Ward people, as soon as their boss arrived, they quickly quieted down, trying to present a disciplined, ordered group... A pillar of the outer disciples' associations. But, most of them were feeling way too smug about it, prime example being Chalvert, who couldn't help but smirk, his expression gleeful because Siu was yet to be seen at all.

Minutes passed after Bren's arrival... Yet... Nothing. Some people thought that Siu may not even show up, but, just as those thoughts were about to be put into words, Siu walked into the ring, also wearing a training uniform, followed by Arya and Marly, walking at his sides.

“That’s him?”

“He doesn’t look injured.”

“Look closer.”

“…”

"Ah, I can see... time his breathing, it's uneven!"

"Yeah, yeah. I see it now... But? Beasts? That's why he accepted the duel? That's... a bit much, no?"

"What will those two tiny ones do against Bren? Please!"

Apparently, there was a thought in Bren's head, too, running along the same lines. His beasts... He forgot about that... He never faced anyone who had one, but... It was a duel between him and Siu, no? He didn't challenge his creatures! Looking at the two, the tiny black fox was growling at him, and... as for the squirrel, that one looked a bit more scared. Before he could say anything, though, a new presence entered the field, suppressing everyone, including the disciples, including Dui and Veyra, too.

Looking towards its source, an older man stepped forward, his robes marked with the Sect's insignia and a shoulder cape, carrying the symbol of a bird... one that Siu didn't recognize.

"Which one is that?” Lorean asked in a whisper, but it wasn't Toban who answered her; it was Veyra.

“That's Elder Faliah.”

“Faliah?” She repeated, looking at her.

"He is a respected one, don't worry. A bit... uptight, but impartial, even if he is overseeing the outers' contribution to the sect as a whole." She said, gazing towards the Wardens' group, smiling to herself, noticing how none of their core members looked nervous, "If he referees this duel, it will be up to the rules. He is a stickler for those, you see..."

"He looks different than Elder Thane, who judged the previous duel," Lorean added, making Dui snort and speak before Veyra could.

"Elder Thane is a warrior first and a junior, junior, junior, junior, to Elder Faliah. When Elder Thane was an outer like you lot, Faliah was already an Elder. See his cape? That's a sign of contribution. He has his own symbol, his own title, meaning that he is not just an Elder."

"He is still an Elder." Veyra added, throwing a glance at Dui, "He is not a High Elder, just an Elder who has been rewarded for his contribution. If someone at his age isn't wearing his cape... I would be embarrassed!"

"Sssh!" Dui hissed, paling a little, "You don't want to let him hear that!"

Not that Elder Faliah would pay them any attention, as his focus was on the two duelists.

"Elder," Bren started after they greeted him with cupped hands, "The beasts—" But he didn't get further than that.

"Tamed beasts are the strength of the cultivator," he spoke, his voice a bit higher-pitched than Siu had expected it. "Are you two ready?" He asked, taking it as the issue was solved, and Bren had all of what he wanted to say stuck in his throat.

"Yes," Siu answered first, bowing towards him, before looking at Bren, exhaling, keeping up the look of someone who was injured. Yet... he also noticed the sudden, faint glint in Elder Faliah's old eyes, his raisin-looking skin further creasing as his lips curled into a shadow of a smile while watching him.

"Yes..." Bren nodded, refocusing himself, glaring at Siu and his two beasts...

No matter. He would crush them as well. He may even kill them... that would be... a sure way to break the man before him, once and for all.

"Well then!" The Elder said, raising his voice, and stepped backward, extending a hand, "Let's settle the issue between you two, once and for all. We are of the same sect, so let this match be the resolution for you two, no matter its outcome." and as his voice faded, his hand fell, starting the duel between Stone Ward and the Spirit Wardens.