The Heavens Shall Fall

The girl who entered the Red Leaf wore a golden sash, and when Siu's mind registered it for real, in that brief moment, his hand remained mid-momentum in flipping a page of The Three Valley Incident. Quickly recovering, he closed the book and straightened up, sending a mental warning to Arya and Marly to behave at once. Watching her, the way she looked around, the girl would have looked almost casual, if not for the color of her sash. As for the robes she wore, they were cut neater than his own and more tailored to her body, allowing much greater freedom of movement. She was tall, with sun-kissed skin, and with dark hair pulled into a high ponytail. She stepped inside smiling, and took one slow look around the Red Leaf with surprisingly warm eyes... Then her gaze landed on Siu, and her smile flickered when, for a short moment, her eyes dipped toward the book in his hands.

What was that about? He almost asked it, then she smiled again, exhuding an easy and friendly aura, reminding Siu about what he had read in the manual. Was this real now... Or was she faking it? Nah, why would she fake it?

“Good morning,” she said, breaking the silence. “Is Senior Quillian in?”

"Yes, he should be," Siu pushed away the book, then stood a little straighter behind the counter. “But he is probably still asleep. I can help if it’s something simple.”

“That so?” Her smile remained still. “Then you must be a new helper... It was time he took in someone; it's annoying to have his shop closed when I need it.”

“For now, I'm only a temporary helper,” Siu answered. “Depends on whether I survive Senior Quillian’s standards for the rest of the month.”

“Ah, true, that did whittle away most of your predecessors.” She nodded gravely, but her eyes remained grinning, “Then my condolences. His standards have killed more confidence than actual fights.”

Arya, listening to her until then, lifted her head and sniffed, while Marly, from the top shelf where she had been watching, leaned forward, doing the same. Naturally, the golden-sashed girl noticed both of them instantly.

“Oh,” she said, and this time the smile became much more genuine. “So the rumors were true, that Senior Quillian allowed pets into his store. I didn't believe it at first, because their paws and fur could ruin the cleanness he harps about all the time.”

"They are clean and listen to me perfectly well. They aren't 'just animals' as most people think." Siu’s brows moved slightly while answering her.

"Mutual contract has that advantage." Her gaze moved from Arya to Marly, then back to Arya again. “Right?”

Siu grew a touch more cautious, but not cold after being read like that. Naturally, it wasn’t a secret, but he did not expect to be known amongst the inner disciples... Or not this quickly or this well, considering how many people were present. Who was she...?

“Mutual contracts,” he nodded, not denying it, "Yes."

"Huh," The girl gave a low whistle. “Seriously? Two of them? That’s ridiculous for an outer.”

“I’ve heard that a few times.” He muttered, his brows furrowing even more, because he did not mention he got them while being an outer disciple.

“I bet you have.” She took a step closer, then stopped before getting too close to the counter, holding a hand up slightly as if approaching skittish animals. “May I?”

Arya immediately sat upright, her tail curling around her paws in a defensive style.

“I am not some common fox to be approached and get a petting without foreplay,” Arya replied, scoffing, "If she wants to touch, she needs to offer something!"

"Oh?" Marly chirped at once. “Do we require offerings? Make her give us food! Breakfast was... eh!”

“You aren't wenches; stop it.” Siu looked at them sternly before Arya could cause more trouble.

“Yeah, but you would let others touch your bitches freely, Master?” Arya shot back, stunning Siu for a moment.

"Language..." he moaned, knowing full well that Arya meant females, but it somehow came out differently as he began rubbing his temple. “Sorry..." He glanced at the waiting core disciple with one eye closed. "They are discussing terms.”

To his surprise, the girl laughed, and it was loud, bright, and completely unrestrained for half a breath before she caught herself and glanced between the two beasts.

“I'll take it as a no, then,” she said, lowering her hand quickly. "Oh well, maybe next time." She stepped fully towards the counter now, "Hello. I am Kyrae.”

“She smells strong,” Arya said cautiously, sniffing again as Kyrae stood so close to her now, "And wrong."

“She is a core disciple; naturally, she has to be strong,” Siu replied at once, and he could somewhat feel it too. She was close to how he felt when facing an Elder who had shown their powers for a brief moment.

“She smells stronger than that!” Marly slowly climbed down from her shelf, curious but cautious, keeping her distance. “She smells like someone who would chase us... Brr!”

"Hmm..." Kyrae tilted her head, squinting at the two. “They’re talking about me, aren’t they?”

“Yes.”

“I do hope they are all good and nice things, hm?”

“Complicated.” Siu muttered, afraid that Kyrae would feel that he was lying, "They are afraid of Senior's aura."

“Ah.” Kyrae looked defeated rather than offended. “I can understand why... That is one of my curses!" She moaned in a hurt voice, "I love fluffy animals, but they usually have the worst opinions about me, because they feel I'm some kind of predator, even if I come prepared with their favorite food.”

“You have beasts?” Siu asked, the furrowing of his brows somewhat loosening.

"I wish!" Her face changed again, and although she still smiled, there was a tragic resignation in it now. “Sadly, no. I'd love to have beasts. I truly do. Majestic creatures, loyal companions, all that beautiful stuff. Unfortunately, beasts do not love me, since an early age."

"That can't be only because of Senior's aura, can it?" Siu looked between them, then at Kyrae.

“Well," She said, stepping past his question, making Siu think it was definitely related to her affinity, not just to her strength, "It means every beast I have ever tried to befriend either ignored me, fled, bit me, or tried to assert dominance in ways that were frankly... insulting. So I had to teach them their place.”

"I'm sorry to hear that." Siu said in the end, still trying to read her, "And before I forget, my name is Siu; she is Arya, and she is Marly."

“I will remember that.” She nodded and leaned her hip lightly against the side of the counter, looking over them. “Are you freshly promoted? The way you looked at me when I entered told it all. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, Senior Kyrae.” Siu nodded, a bit taken aback, but he wasn't surprised she could read everything so well.

“Ugh.” Her face twisted suddenly. “Senior Kyrae sounds terrible... I'm not THAT old; I'm just past, khm, so, I'm still young. Just Kyrae is fine.” Siu hesitated to call her like that at once, which she noticed and rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. Use Senior if you must. New inner disciples and their survival instincts...” She tapped the golden sash at her waist. “I know, this thing makes people stiff, and true, if others heard you call me by my name only, they would start asking questions.”

“And I would feel even more uncomfortable,” Siu muttered, making her chortle.

For a few seconds, they fell silent while Siu watched as Kyrae’s eyes wandered over the counter, the ledger, the shelves, then once more to the book under Siu’s hand. The Three Valley Incident was mostly covered now, but not entirely, and he had a feeling she knew exactly what that book was... Or was it his mind trying to find any connection why she was here and talking to him so lightly? Somehow, everything felt manufactured, and he couldn't tell why he felt it was like that at all.

“What brought you to the Red Leaf?” Siu asked, breaking the silence.

“Books.”

“This is a bookshop... So... Yes?”

“Cheeky.” She chuckled.

“Is there... A specific book?” He tried again, trying to maintain a calm tone.

“Maybe.” She looked around again. “Maybe I was curious about the new helper with two mutual contracts. Maybe I wanted to see if Senior Quillian had procured the book I was asking him about a few months ago... Maybe I was bored.”

“Which one is true?” Siu asked, now being sure she was reading his thoughts well and that he was also right about this surprise visit.

“All of them.”

"..."

"So," Kyrae’s gaze returned to Arya and Marly, ignoring his suspicious stare. “How did you manage it?”

“The contracts?”

“Yep. Mutual contracts aren’t exactly common. Two is...” She gestured vaguely. “A lot for someone who is not on the Paragon list.”

“It wasn’t planned that way from the start.” He answered honestly, “I met Arya first, then Marly. Things happened, we helped each other, and I ended up with the two of them.”

“That’s an annoyingly vague answer, but I get it; we have yet to know each other.”

“It’s a long story, Senior.” Siu tried, but he wished he didn't, seeing her smile.

“I do like long stories!” She chuckled as she scanned him from top to bottom, “Well, having a room, two beasts, the Red Leaf as a foothold. That’s better than many manage after months, and how long have you been here? A week? Two weeks?”

“I had help,” Siu answered simply, getting a shiver to run down his spine because it felt as if Kyrae was actually stalking him to know so much of him. Wait... If she knew this much, and being a core disciple, this could mean that one of the Elders, who was certainly her Master, could have sent her here to establish contact with him. Was this... recruitment?

“Knowing when to accept help is a very important skill.” She nodded seriously.

"Senior," Siu studied her for a moment. “You sound like you came here to give me... advice?”

“Do I?” Her eyes brightened with mischief. “Maybe... Well, it's not like I'm your Senior Sister, and you do not look like you need a helping hand anymore either.”

Now he was even more confident in his assessment... She was most likely sent here by an Elder to make the first contact. It was obvious... But which Elder? Not that he would accept any offers right now, because becoming a core disciple in a few weeks would send such ripples through the sect that they may break him. However, before he could think too deeply on it, the door opened again, and the figure who appeared was a surprise again, but a welcome one. It was Seloryn Veyra.

She carried herself as elegantly as always, her flute tucked into place, now wearing a hair ornament shaped like a curved note, holding her bangs to the left side, away from her eyes. Her expression was relaxed when she entered, the easy smile of someone visiting a friend, but when she saw Kyrae, it fell from her face with a crash. Even her steps and movements stopped. Recovering quickly, her posture straightened, and she hurriedly cupped her hands, bowing.

“Senior Kyrae,” Seloryn said, only peeking at her when she came out of the blow.

"Mhm." Kyrae turned, looking genuinely curious for a heartbeat, examining her before humming to herself and cupping her hands back casually. “Disciple Veyra, yes?”

“Yes,” Seloryn answered in a hurry. “Seloryn Veyra. Paragon rank eighty-eight.”

“Yes, yes!” Kyrae snapped her fingers, smiling. “I remember fully now. You have... Sound affinity, use your flute as a weapon, and you beat Disciple Harlan off the list last year.”

"Y-yes." Seloryn’s mouth twitched a little, being identified in such a way. “I did.”

“That was a good fight. He was getting annoying, so you did well. He didn't deserve the spot on the list anyway, as his act was befouling the name of Paragon.”

“Um... Thank you?”

Feeling a bit lost, Siu looked between them, and he could tell that Kyrae didn’t know Seloryn personally, but Seloryn definitely knew Kyrae.

“Master," Arya muttered, "The flute-woman is nervous.”

“I noticed, and please, call her by name.”

"Big Sis is right," Marly also whispered, “That Kyrae woman is... hiding something nasty!”

“Probably linked to her affinity, but stop saying it! It is evident her eyes are much more experienced than ours put together, and can read what you are thinking of.”

As if looking for help, Seloryn’s eyes flicked to Siu, before back to Kyrae, knowing that in this situation, Siu would be unable to do anything.

“I didn’t expect to find you here, Senior,” Seloryn said in the end, making sure she stepped out of the way if she was about to leave.

"Why not?" Kyrae shrugged. “I came for books.”

“Of course,” Seloryn answered without hesitation, now almost sweating, her right hand subconsciously gripping the flute in her sash.

Yet, despite everything, Kyrae seemed either unaware of the tension her presence caused or uninterested in acknowledging it at all. She looked between Seloryn and Siu, then smiled in a way that made her seem playful, even winking at Siu.

“Well,” she began, “I didn’t mean to interrupt, as I didn't know you were expecting someone. Maybe I will come back later!” She chuckled, turning towards Seloryn, "Worry not, I like them older than younger."

“I was not aware that Siu has become popular so quickly,” Seloryn said without being able to hold herself back, going a bit white in the face, realizing her words slipped out.

“Has he?” Kyrae looked amused, measuring Seloryn with a new look, “Well, it is a good way to excavate someone's talents. It is for sure better than being ignored.”

“That depends on who notices me." Siu joined the conversation, letting his thoughts escape his mouth, too.

“True.” Kyrae’s grin widened, glancing at him over her shoulder. “But being noticed by useful people is never bad. Well then!” She clapped her hands, "I’ll come again when Senior Quillian is up and about. Bye, Siu, and... Disciple Veyra.” She nodded towards her. "It was a pleasure."

“Likewise, Senior Kyrae.” She bowed again, and a moment later, the golden-sashed disciple stepped out of the store, leaving the two of them behind.

It took a few seconds to pass before Seloryn turned very slowly toward Siu, her mouth agape, gasping for air.

“What,” she asked, her voice audibly shaking. Then it turned into a squealing, surprised excitement that was threatening to blow, alongside a good amount of pure fear, “What was Senior Kyrae doing here?!”

"Beats me." Siu looked at the door, finally blinking his eyes and gazing at Seloryn, who was trembling from head to toe. Was she... scared of her, or a fan of hers? “I think,” he said carefully, “she came to check on either me or Arya and Marly.”

"On you...?" Seloryn stared at him, beginning to think hard, squinting at him. "If it was indeed the fact, then that means that someone very powerful within the sect had set eyes on you, Siu."

"Is that good or bad?" He moaned, rubbing his face.

"Depends on your future achievements," She inhaled deeply, calming herself down, "Tsk... I didn't imagine you would be scouted so early... And let me guess, you have no idea who she was, yes?"

"Not much, besides being a core disciple, and that she is on the Paragon list, going by the thing you two talked about."

"Not only on the list," Seloryn said sternly, walking up to the table, placing both hands on it and leaning in, gazing into Siu's eyes. Yes... he was sure now. She was totally fangirling in that moment. "Senior Kyrae has been hogging the Number One position for the past eight years. Ninety-nine wins... zero losses!"