The Heavens Shall Fall

The first thing Siu noticed after stepping out of Grand Elder Yan’s abode was that the world looked and felt exactly the same as before, which made him feel relieved. If he had started noticing differences or anything weird, he would have been sure that something was really broken inside him. And... That would have been hard to find and fix when even he didn't understand himself yet, as the last few weeks had proved it.

Which was what bothered him the most.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had expected something to come out of this whole ordeal. A secret revelation, or anything, especially after apparently all the sect elders had examined him, along with someone from the Great Fours, even his own Sect Master... But nothing? They found... nothing? He wasn't that weird... Or special... Was he? Was finding nothing the weird thing in the first place, no? He would even take another round of questioning, now that he was able to move around again, than this uncertainty. Maybe even a sudden meeting with the Sect Master, because if Grand Elder Yan and the Sect Master himself did not know what his affinity was, then surely that was the kind of thing that needed more attention, no? After all, he had been told he was an anomaly, which was not exactly the kind of word one used for a normal disciple who could then be tossed back into his daily routine without another thought. What were they even thinking? Or playing at?

When Elder Yan said he could now leave, she led him out of her hut, and the door closed behind him, leaving Grand Elder Yan inside. Feeling a bit stupefied, Siu was left standing alone on a mountain path now, holding a small pouch of medicine in one hand and a folded instruction slip in the other, explaining when and how to take it, and was told to... go back and continue his training.

“Really…?" He asked out loud, but there was no answer. "That’s it?” he muttered again, as the words came out more annoyed than he expected.

Not even his Old Man was this cryptic, yet he believed in the past that he was the most unreliable person at times! Refusing to share secrets, always giving the excuse that those will come in time... At least he gave a reason. Thinking about it, he turned his head slightly, looking back at the wooden hut, though calling it a hut now felt ridiculous. That was a Grand Elder's home, after all. Shrugging, realizing he was being childish, knowing that if they didn't tell him something, it had to be for a good reason. He had learned that in the past, because when his Old Man had his reasons to stay silent about some issues, they later proved valid, mostly about requiring Siu to reach a certain age before he could start to understand the fine details behind the answers to his unanswered questions. So, he exhaled loudly, letting his frustration go, and began walking at once. After his mind had calmed down, he blinked, and when he opened his eyes again, the path before him was just a path, and looking back, he could not see the hut anymore. He stood there for a moment longer, waiting a little before finally descending the mountain.

“Well,” he exhaled slowly, trying not to sound as chafed as before, “back to being an outer disciple.”

The walk down was humbling, which made him hiss a little. His legs worked, but not well enough yet. He could feel that they had the strength to take him from one place to the other, but it was still draining. The potion and tea had helped, and the medicine Elder Yan gave him was probably worth more than anything he owned, as far as his guesses had reached, but it didn’t change the simple fact that his body had been emptied in a way that training could not compare to. He had been beaten before, broken both by Elder Thane and Bren, thrown to the ground until his bones cracked, but those injuries were simple compared to what he was feeling now. They hurt, then healed, and afterward he was stronger.

"Injuries like this are no joke..." He muttered, furrowing his brows, "I will have to be prepared if I ever run into a Void-cultivator in the future. No wonder they became one of the Four Greats... Tsk." Talking and walking revealed another problem: even with his breathing technique, using it felt steady but... It was still shallow. When he reached a steeper portion of the path, he had to stop and rest against a tree, which annoyed him so much that he nearly laughed. “Great,” he groaned in the end, “Almost killed by two girls, then defeated by a hill... Ugh...”

He closed his eyes for a moment and tried to reach for Arya and Marly again to lighten his mood, and this time the connection came back to life at once.

“MASTER!”

The shout exploded in his mind with so much force that he flinched physically, nearly slipping on the damp path.

“Master, Master, Master! You’re there! You’re there! You’re out! You’re awake-awake!”

“Marly, stop screaming, you’re hurting his head!”

“You’re screaming too!”

“I am screaming less than you!”

Siu leaned against the tree, closing his eyes tighter as their voices crashed into him, unable to differentiate between them as the two were overlapping way too heavily.

“Slow down, slow down! Yes, I’m out,” he answered, doing his best to make his thoughts cut through their constant yelling. “And I’m fine, you can stop the screams.”

“You are not fine!” Arya snapped at him immediately. “You feel like a chewed piece of meat that had dung-taste and got spat out!”

“That’s a very specific insult. Thank you very much, Arya.”

“She is right, Master...” Marly muttered, making Siu growl, “Anyway!" She continued, "We’re coming! Neya is coming too! Don’t move!”

“I’m already walking down, plus, you don't know where I am.”

“Don’t move!” Arya repeated, "And yes, we do know! We can feel it!"

“I just said—”

“Master,” Arya cut him off, her tone suddenly very much bossy, “do not move.”

Siu stopped, just because of the way she spoke to him. There were many times he ignored Arya when she was being dramatic, greedy, lazy, or simply foul-mouthed... but... This time...? The worry coming through their bond was real and sober, and it made him realize just how bad the week must have been for them.

"Okay, okay, so be it," He said with a smile and stayed where he was.

With a shrug, he slid down until he was sitting against the tree, looking out through the foliage at the now visible sect grounds below. The outer disciple area looked peaceful from here, like a little world unto itself. He could see little trails of smoke rising from kitchens and some private residences, how the training fields were active, and how people moved along all those paths... Life was going on as if nothing had happened. And really, it was indeed nothing in the grand scheme of things. It made him think about who he was, really... a nobody. Thinking about that didn't make him angry; instead, a kind of realization hit him, just as when he watched the Icecrown Stag's body being pulled into the grounds.

“Siu!” A voice called out to him before he could think more, and soon, he saw Neya hurry up to him, moving so quickly that she almost overshot the bend he was sitting at.

Then, the moment she saw him on the grass, her face changed several times, going through different shades, filled with relief, then returning to worry about why he was not standing, and growing even more worried when she noticed how pale he still was. Yet, before she could speak again, a black-and-white blur shot past her, headbutting Siu as Arya crashed into him. Marly came a second later, landing on him from above, divebombing his head, too, then crawling up around his neck, sniffing him frantically.

“You stink!” Arya also said, her voice muffled inside his robes, also going on a sniffing attack spree, her wet nose touching against his skin, making him flinch and squirm.

“Is this how you two greet me? Calling me smelly?” He asked out loud, moaning, having two new lumps on his head.

“This is not herbs... or medicine...” Arya mumbled, "Ew... this is something yucky! I don't like its smell."

“Whatever it is, it works.” Siu shrugged, patting their head, "So bear with me, okay?"

"I don't smell it." Neya reached him then, hearing him speak, and she dropped to her knees before him, her hands hovering for a moment just above his body, not knowing where to touch because she seemed afraid he might break if she chose the wrong spot.

"Oh come on," Siu smiled at her, "No hugs?"

Her voice cracked as she tried to answer, and she just hugged him, immediately kissing him, squashing the two beasts between them, not that they were complaining.

"Oh? That works, no?" Arya said suddenly, "Master, your heart finally sounds healthy! Hm, hm, you need hip twisting, huh? Neya should do it a lot then."

"Wouldn't that drain him?" Marly asked, confused, "Isn't it that Master filles her and not in reverse? Will Master be on the bottom now?"

"Marly, stop being ruined by Arya," Siu shot a glare at them while still in the middle of kissing Neya, "Shut up, both of ya."

It was then he heard more footsteps, and when they separated, he saw Rinmei come first among the new arrivals, moving quickly up the path. Behind her came Varren and Kira, followed by several Wardens who had clearly abandoned whatever they were doing the moment they saw Neya and the beasts rush away, already knowing what that meant. As he looked, he saw that more people were catching up behind them, and then more after that, until the path began filling with people. What... the... hell?

“Siu!” Kira called out, slowing down when she saw him sitting there, and began grinning. “Damn it… You really look awful. But already in the panties of your girl, eh? Then it's not a big deal, which is good.”

“Um, ah... Enough of that!” Neya blushed immediately, but didn't move out of his lap.

"It's good to see you back, Senior!" Varren added as he stood a few steps behind Kira, looking like he didn’t know whether to bow, apologize for whatever weird reason, maybe throw him a salute, or start crying. In the end, he simply cupped his hands and lowered his head. “Everyone was worried...”

“Sorry about that, Varren.”

"Okay, okay, we should not make a scene right here! I don't even remember seeing this route ever before, so it has to be the one revealed only when it's needed. Best if we clear off before an Elder gets angry about us getting rowdy here!" Rinmei stopped right in front of everyone, arms crossed, looking back at the crowd. "Make way and some of you, come, help Siu up!"

"I can walk." He protested at once.

“You’re not walking back alone.” She turned back to him, "Come on! Are you all deaf?"

Soon, he was, although not lifted up as if he were still unconscious; he was still surrounded by others and helped walk back to the sect proper. That was when the others began speaking, all at once, no longer afraid of disturbing an elder. Questions overlapped before he could answer even one, as everyone began asking about what really happened. Some asked if he remembered anything, wanting to know who really took care of him, because they were told nothing. Someone asked if the Sect Master had examined him, which made the entire group suddenly go quiet for half a breath before erupting in even more questions. Realizing that the elders didn't share anything with them made his situation... a bit troubled. He didn't know how much he should say. What was he allowed to say? Apparently, the elders were leaving it up to him, probably watching how he would handle it. Will he posture around now? Will he tell everyone he was... unique? Feeling a bit put off by the questions, in the end, Siu answered little, using the excuse of being pretty much unconscious for the duration of the whole ordeal. He didn't even mention the fact that it was Grand Elder Yan who nursed him, because that was already too... ridiculous.

What also surprised him was how good it felt to be back and to listen to their noise, no matter how loud they were becoming; it was all warming him up. It made him feel better faster than drinking a potion. He had spent years alone, traveling on foot from his old home to here before entering the sect. Then he had spent his first months here acting on his Old Man's teaching, determined to make the most of his preparations for a head start. Then, all the things he had laid out for himself in his head dissolved one by one as event after event kept happening without warning, sometimes throwing curveballs at him, like ending up as the one who had to establish a disciple association. Yet now, surrounded by so many people, ready to help him... It was… nice. He realized he really, really liked it a lot. Apparently, Toban was right. He should really thank him for helping him out with this and allowing him to experience this. It was much, much better than in his old... sect. This was how it always should be, he realized.

Then one of the newer Wardens spoke, as if to remind him that it can't always be like this.

“Senior Siu,” the boy said, his voice tense but full of conviction, ready to reassure his leader, “don’t worry. Everyone knows what those two did... We won’t let anyone like that near you again.”

As he said that, the crowd went quiet in an instant, many of them nodding, while Siu turned his head slowly toward him, a bit confused.

“Those two?”

"Yeah," the boy swallowed, while another Warden beside him nodded fiercely.

“Milli and Nilli,” she said. “They were hiding something monstrous in them! No wonder they were fooling around with so many others. Trying to keep it hidden...! We all heard it by now... Void-affinity… brr! No wonder they always acted so strangely. It shows how strong you were, Senior, to withstand their rampant... um... sucking!”

"They should have sucked properly," Arya suddenly added, rolling her eyes, "At least Master could have enjoyed being weakened then."

While listening to Arya, he scanned the crowd, feeling how Neya’s hands tightened around his fingers, how Rinmei’s face went cold, but kept silent, not wanting to say what she was thinking of... Then he looked at the others. The feeling he picked up on didn't come from everyone... but he noticed it in enough of them. It was a mix of fear, revulsion, maybe a pinch of righteous anger, born of misunderstandings, of not being told all the details, filling in the gaps themselves. The twins were gone, without being able to explain anything, and their memory was already changing in people’s minds, becoming freaks and, well, dangerous villains.

“Don’t,” Siu said suddenly, looking around everyone, watching the crowd go quiet.

“Senior?” Someone asked.

“Don’t talk about them like that.” He said clearly, as the silence grew uncomfortable, and the first boy frowned slightly, confused more than not.

“But… they almost killed you.”

“They didn’t mean to,” Siu answered at once.

“They still did it!” someone else blurted out, then stepped back, trying to disappear, but as Siu's eyes locked onto him, he gulped, continuing. “Senior, forgive me, but… they nearly drained you to death. Everyone heard, and I even saw you as they brought you back! You looked like... You were a corpse...”

“I know.” He shrugged, smiling.

“Then how can you...?”

“Because having an affinity, even if it's like theirs, is not a crime,” Siu said, forcing his voice to remain steady and calm. “What happened was an accident. A dangerous one, of course, a terrifying one, believe me! But still an accident. They didn't know, and even if they did know, I would have still wanted to spar and help them, because it's just an affinity. We are cultivators, after all, and we all have our own, and we can't change that fact. We can only change how we use it.”

Rinmei said nothing, but he saw her eyes soften a lot for a moment. Moving his gaze around, he noticed that Kira’s face was complicated, while Varren looked troubled, as if he wanted to agree. Still, some part of him wasn't so sure about it, probably remembering Chalvert and the way serving under him felt draining just as much. Neya, however, was looking straight at him, and although her face was still pale from worry, her eyes were peaceful, as she nodded at him.

“With respect, Senior… Void is not like other affinities.” One of the older-looking wardens had spoken up just then.

“I know.” Siu shrugged, turning towards him.

“It consumes life, I had read of it, and the Obsidian Moon took them because that is where they belong. The Black Moon is an old omen, Senior, and when it appears, people always die! And...” But he said no more, afraid to do so, for multiple reasons.

“It is where they can learn how to use it,” Siu said simply, “And that alone doesn’t mean you get to treat them like monsters.”

“We are only angry for you.” He muttered, but kept looking at him, which made Siu exhale with a half-smile.

"Thank you, but..." He shook his head, "I'm not angry at them, I know them. They weren't doing it to hurt me; it just happened in the middle of a spar. Honestly, it went down in a snap, as far as I can recall."

“Senior Siu is way too kind,” someone murmured, hearing him say that.

“He almost died and still speaks for them…” another voice added.

“That is why he is different,” a third interjected.

“They don’t deserve it, but…”

"Please..." Siu closed his eyes, catching the voices, “That is not what I said.”

But the murmurs did not stop, and now he suddenly understood why Elder Yan had said what she said. Haaah...

"Siu," Neya leaned closer, her voice low enough only he could hear. “They’re scared, so don't get worked up about it. We all know the twins didn't mean it!”

“I know, I know... Haaah...” He shrugged again, shaking his head, "Let's get back to the tower. I'd like to tell you all what actually happened," he whispered back, and soon, they were all moving towards the Wardens' home.