The Heavens Shall Fall

"Before we do anything, we will test you." Merra’s gaze moved to Arya and Marly while speaking, “You have two mutual contracts, and I can see they are healthy, well-kept, but mutual contracts with intelligent beasts are not the same as a binding contract. Not to mention, you are not going to be the contract holder. These beasts are not companions like yours, and you wouldn't have a personally linked contract to them. Yet you will still have to use your, heh, experience to keep the creature in line. They are smarter than regular animals, yes, and they can understand commands, perceive complex moods, and fundamental instructions. Honestly, some can read intent better than disciples can, but they are not people. They do not reason like we do. Or like your fox and squirrel. If you panic, they will for sure panic, or worse, they will go rogue if you mishandle them.”

“Like any other animal,” Siu said calmly.

"..." Merra almost twitched her eyes, clearly ready to argue because she just told him they were more than animals... but she held back in the end. "Enough talk. Bortan, you are coming as witness."

"Yes." He nodded, watching as Merra stepped out from behind the counter.

“You need a beast-pulled cart, and we have several creatures suitable for cargo routes like yours. I will show you a few options, and you will choose one that seems sympathetic.”

“Sympathetic?” Seloryn repeated, amused as they began following her, but Merra refused to answer. She only threw her a look, deeming that Seloryn was not even worthy to speak to, with no beasts accompanying her.

They left the open-sided mission building and moved deeper into the Companions' territory, along a wide path that was bordered by a fence that was a head taller than any of them. The further they walked, the more Siu realized that the Companions had their own little valley, separated from the rest of the sect by some kind of spatial spell. There were countless paths leading to different enclosures, with multiple feeding stations placed regularly along them. Some fences were physical, others were nothing but lines of softly glowing stones, clearly formation-based barriers. The more he looked, the more he realized they were not only there to block the animals from getting out, but also controlled the weather. Actually changed it, because several habitats had different climates within them: one was visibly warm and damp, one dry and windy, one cold enough that he saw the frost spreading across the ground as the last rays of sunlight were disappearing.

They eventually reached a large stable yard built beside a long, low structure with three separate wings. The yard itself was open, with packed earth and an entrance wide enough for several carts to pass in and out side by side. A few of them indeed stood under a roofed section nearby, and he could see flatbed variants standing there: one with a cage, one empty, and even one that looked like a luxurious coach.

“In here we have three well-trained, experienced beasts,” Merra said as they entered. “For your mission, any one of them could work. If you manage to resonate with one properly, and I judge that you can control it without endangering the cargo or yourself, I will reduce the rental price by half.”

"By half?" Siu blinked his eyes, as that surprised him. He was expecting a challenge, but not a prize at the end.

"Huh?" Seloryn’s brows rose, too, sensing the strangeness of it. “That is generous.”

“I can recognize a newbie,” Merra said, throwing a look at Siu, “And... If he is as good as his contracts suggest, I am curious to see. That should be enough of an incentive to make him take this seriously. And... If he is not that good, he pays full price or finds another solution. You can rent beasts at your destination, too.”

"I don't need incentives to give my all to a task," Siu looked at her for a moment, then added, "But I will not say no to it either."

“You are very calm for someone being challenged,” Merra whispered, still measuring him.

“I'm used to it." He answered simply, "This type of bullying is... soft."

Bortan winced at that, while Merra paused for a moment, slightly squinting, ignoring how Seloryn laughed out, exchanging glances with Marly and Arya who were sniggering just the same.

“Ah,” Bortan stepped forward. “Let's get to the beasts then!”

“Bring out the first option,” Merra said, apparently agreeing with him, nodding and watching as Bortan walked toward the left stable wing and opened a wide gate. A few moments later, he led out a horse-like beast from within it, or at least, horse-like was the first thought that came to Siu's mind.

It stood taller than any mortal horse he had ever seen, with a thick neck and powerful shoulders. The four sturdy legs it had were ending in wide, dark hooves. As for its coat, it was ash-gray, but dark stripes ran along its sides, and it had a short mane, stiff as brush bristles. Lastly, two blunt horns curved backward from its brow, and every time it breathed out, a faint puff of mist escaped its nostrils, reminding him of the Icecrown Stag for a moment.

“This is a Mistback Horsegoat,” Merra introduced it quickly. “Reliable, relatively strong. It is slow to anger, but builds trust just as slowly. It has good endurance for long treks, especially on rocky surfaces. It could pull heavy cargo for days, and most importantly, it does not like sharp sounds.”

Seloryn touched her flute, sensing that Merra had chosen it just because of her. The Mistback looked at Siu with large, dark eyes in the meantime. It did not seem hostile, but neither did it care much that he existed. When Bortan handed the lead rope toward Siu, the beast lowered its head and began sniffing the ground instead.

“Boring,” Arya commented at once.

“Better than him trying to kick us to death,” Siu answered through the bond.

“That is why it's boring.”

"Master is right, Big Sis," Marly said as her nose twitched. “And... It smells like wet grass and old blankets.”

"Stinky." Arya agreed, although Siu knew Marly had the opposite opinion about it.

Ignoring the two, Siu stepped closer slowly, letting the beast watch him as he did so. It flicked an ear but did not move away, not even when he extended one hand, palm down, though it was not yet touching its short fur. Finally, seeing him stop his hand a little bit away, the beast raised its head, sniffed at it... Then sneezed, right into his hand.

"Ew! Ew, ew, ew!" Arya made a strangled sound while Marly fell sideways on his shoulder, shaking, but only because she was trying not to burst out laughing.

"Khm..." Bortan coughed loudly, trying and failing to hide his laugh, too, "I don't think this will do..." He added, while Merra’s expression remained stern, but even she had to turn her face a little. However, unlike the others, her chortle felt gleeful.

"Yeah..." Siu stared at his wet palm, crouched down, and wiped it into the grass. “I take it that was not good.”

“No,” Merra said after a deep breath. “That was at best categorized as mild disinterest.”

“Mild?” Seloryn snorted, not expecting an answer, but she did get one this time around.

“If it disliked you, it would have turned around and started kicking.”

“Wonderful.” Siu and Seloryn said at once.

And with that, the Mistback was led away, looking as if nothing important had happened in its entire life.

“Second option,” Merra said, as Bortan brought out the next creature.

The animal was low, or at least, shorter than the horse. It was still broad, but lizard-like, though calling it a lizard felt, well, inadequate. It had six legs, each thick and clawed, with a long body covered in dark green scales, highlighted in brown. A ridge of flat plates ran down its back, and its head was wide, heart-shaped, with yellowed eyes that watched everything, moving independently. Its tail dragged behind it, heavy enough to leave a groove in the dirt.

“This is a Clawstep Mauler,” Merra said, and the name was anything but what any of them expected for a beast designated to draw carriages. “It has excellent strength, and it is very stable on uneven roads. Not the fastest, but consistent. It also has good defensive instincts, alerting you to ambushes early.”

“Downsides?” Siu asked, still gazing at the creature whose eyes were independently scanning Marly and Arya.

“Stubborn. If it decides a road you took is dangerous, uncomfortable, or simply bad, it will stop. Hates anything cold and will go into hibernation if the temperature falls too low. Don't try to ride it at night.” Then she snapped her finger, as if remembering something, "And it claws if you anger it."

"Don't worry, this one hasn't done that in twenty years," Bortan added solemnly. “And the last time it did, it was justified.”

"Great..." Siu muttered as he studied the creature.

Even with its weird face and eyes, he could tell it was smart, but not in a human way, more like a creature that understood its own importance and was ready to exploit it.

"Ugh..." Arya leaned forward, sniffing, "No. This is a big no, Master. Let's take the allergic horse."

Still, giving it a try, Siu approached carefully, and the Clawstep lowered its head a fraction, clearly as a warning, because its mouth opened with a hissing noise. Siu stopped at once, while Merra watched closely, her arms remaining folded. Siu tried extending his essence slightly, thinking he might use the sensing method he had begun studying to prod the creature. Apparently, it was the bad choice, because the Clawstep's eyes narrowed at once, both of them snapping forward to stare Siu, while its tail slapped against the ground, kicking up dust.

"Okay," Siu withdrew his essence at once and stepped back. “That one won’t work.”

"No, it did not." Merra’s expression didn't change, but listening to her voice, Siu could feel a sneer hiding somewhere on her face. “Let's try the last one, shall we?”

After leading it away, this time, Bortan did not go in a third time; instead, he whistled toward the open yard behind the stable, where several fences separated a lush, grassy enclosure. Something answered with a sharp, chirping call at once, and a few seconds later, a tall bird-like beast trotted into view with a handler jogging behind it, trying to look like he was leading it rather than the other way around.

"Oh boy..." Siu’s first thought was that it would be the most stubborn one, just so he would fail and get Merra gleefully give him a fourth beast that would be perfectly fine for an amateur like him. He could certainly feel that was her plan from the start.

As for the last creature, when it finally stopped, it stood almost as tall as his chest at the back, but much taller when it raised its body and neck to its full height. Its entire being was covered in feathers, golden-brown along the back and cream-colored under the belly. The legs were long, powerful, and scaled like the Clawstep's body was, ending in three thick toes tipped with sharp, black claws. Its wings were too small for flight at this size, but large enough to spread it out for balance if it needed so. Its head had a curved beak, bright amber eyes, and a crest of red feathers at the top that clearly moved with its mood, currently forming multiple question marks about why it was called over.

“This,” Merra said, “is a Redcrown Runner.” Then, the bird snapped its beak once, making it sound like two wooden sticks banged together, acting as if agreeing with the introduction. “Fastest of the three,” she continued, unbothered. “It has good stamina, pulls lighter carts quickly, and with the right harness, can manage medium loads without issue. For your mission, one Redcrest with a padded two-axle cargo cart would be enough if you do not overload the supplies or ask it to sprint.”

“Downside?” Siu asked again, without looking at her.

“Very temperamental. Vain and easily offended. This one especially likes confident handlers and hates hesitation and timidity. However... going overboard also makes it attack its challenger. If it thinks you are beneath it, it will ignore you at best, gut you at worst for dishonoring its pride.”

"..." Siu unceremoniously threw a glance at Merra by then, but she remained unfazed.

At the same time, the Recrown looked at Arya... and everyone could tell that the air changed at once. Of course, Siu felt it before he understood it. Suddenly, Arya stood taller on his head, her tail lifting, her ears facing forward, as her mismatched eyes began to gleam in the arriving twilight. Even Marly changed, her paws gripping his robe as she stared at the bird with an unusually sharp attention.

Finally, the Redcrown's head tilted to the right, and it made a low rattling sound. Arya, without waiting for it to finish, answered with a fox-like chirp that Siu had never heard from her before. Seeing how Marly puffed herself up, too, which would have looked more impressive if she were larger than she actually was, he was unable to remain silent anymore.

“What are you two doing?” He asked because the things he was feeling through their bond were clearly aggressive and dominating.

“Showing our position!” Arya answered without her usual joking tone. “Don’t lower your head, Master. She is a haughty one!”

Naturally, the Redcrown was not at a human level of intelligence like Arya and Marly; however, it clearly understood the hierarchy it was seeing. Suddenly, through Arya, Siu felt his blood stir; then Arya flicked her tail, just as the bird's red feathers also rose higher, standing up on the top of its head like exclamation marks. Siu’s essence moved without any conscious command at once, aligning with Arya in that moment, as his affinity reacted next. A moment later, he had copied Arya’s light, shining in her eyes, appearing in Siu's too. Looking at them, the Redcrown's eyes began blinking rapidly, moving between them, and Siu felt that it was searching for the need to know who led and who followed in their pack. Maybe even thinking about becoming their pack leader but... Then, the feeling vanished almost immediately, and the big bird stopped rattling as its amber eyes locked onto Siu.

"...?" Merra’s posture shifted when it happened, and even Bortan went very still when Siu stepped forward. He walked forward as if he had every right to stand there, feeling taller than the bird, while Arya remained tall on his head and Marly mirrored her sister's stance on his shoulder. “Careful,” Merra warned him, almost moving forward too.

Siu heard her, but ignored the woman as he stopped an arm’s length from the Redcrown as its head slowly lowered. In answer, Siu lifted his hand and placed it lightly against the side of its neck, stroking its feathers, and the Redcrown actually shivered once, as Siu's palm was covered with his essence. When he let it go, the bird slowly folded its legs and lowered its body until its chest nearly touched the ground, showing that it was willing to let him climb on top if he wanted, nudging Siu's head with its beak, almost purring.

Seeing it happen, Bortan sucked in a breath, and Merra’s eyes narrowed so much that her pupils were barely visible.

"Now that's..." Arya made a satisfied sound, nodding, “A good bird.”

"Yes!" Marly nodded. “It knows Master is big.”

“Am I?”

“Neya would agree.” Arya chortled, making Siu roll his eyes.

The Redcrown remained lowered for two more deep breaths before standing again, shaking its feathers out proudly, as if the entire thing had been its own idea, clearly showing off before Siu.

“Interesting,” Seloryn murmured, glancing back and forth between them, finally looking at Merra with a triumphant smile.

“That’s one way to put it,” Bortan said, grinning, but the rest of his words were held back as Merra said nothing.

"I think we will take this one," Siu smiled too, as he turned toward her.

For a moment, Merra only looked at him, and it was clear that she had expected him to fail. She had not expected the Redcrown to lower itself, as if it had just recognized an established handler at all... This should have been out of the question! More than that, it was still strutting around, fanning its fathers, wanting to make Siu look at it. What the...?

"..." Merra turned to Siu fully in the end. “What did you do?”

“Trade secret.”

"..." Her expression hardened at once, “That is an inadequate answer.”

“You will have to do with it, though,” Siu said, not breaking eye contact, smiling even more, almost feeling savage in that brief moment. “You are not an Elder, Servant Merra. You cannot make me reveal my methods, as I am an Inner Disciple of the Hollow Song Sect. So, if you have any questions about what I did or how I did it, please file them away in your mind and accept the facts that I am not going to answer any of your questions about my own cultivation. If that is not an adequate response, please do come back with an Elder to interrogate me. Although, if you do, please note, I will only answer the Elder's inquiry and do it in private, under Sect Confidentiality.”

"..." Completely silenced, Merra’s eyes moved to Arya, then Marly, taking multiple deep breaths before speaking, "You used your beasts to establish your position.”

“Half price,” Siu answered simply, still looking at her unblinkingly, and by now, the Redcrown also puffed its feathers up, standing behind Siu, its eyes glaring directly at Merra... and they weren't kind at all.

Unseen to her, Bortan pumped a fist silently behind her, grinning at Siu, while Seloryn was looking away, her shoulders trembling in a muted laughter.

"Half..." Merra muttered, as if she was in pain, "...Price."

"Mhm," Siu let out a breath, smiling, “Thank you.”

“Do not thank me yet. You still need to learn its commands and harness procedure.” Merra pointed toward the carts, speaking in a hurry, “You will take a padded cargo cart, two-axle, covered frame, but not the shock-dampening one. You cannot afford it, and I will not risk it on a newbie's first route.”

"We will take it, though." Seloryn stepped in this time around, sounding super haughty, "We can afford it, and I am already counted as a frequent visitor in the region. As part of the mission, I can fill the navigation role, and you cannot deny our request for sect equipment, Servant Merra."

"..." Merra stared at her coldly, but then continued in a monotone voice. “The deposit is placed separately. If the Redcrown returns injured because of negligence, you pay." He pointed a finger at Siu, then at Seloryn. "If the cart returns damaged because of road conditions, we assess the situation. If we discover that you damaged it because you fought on top of it, crashed it, overloaded it, or let your beasts chew the straps, you pay for the damages.”

"Unfair!" Marly gasped at that, as the woman's eyes moved to her at the end. “Why always me?!”

“Because they see you stuff your mouth full of... stuff,” Arya said with a giggle.

“I am misunderstood... Master! Protect my good name!"

"She never chewed anything she wasn't supposed to," Siu said in a placid voice, making Merra's brows twitch.

“And I wasn’t going to!” She pouted, "Thank you, Master, you are the best!"

In the end, the next hour was spent learning that making a Redcrown Runner kneel was much easier than making it turn left while attached to a cart. The beast, whose name turned out to be Cinna, understood commands well enough, but it had opinions about how quickly those commands should be obeyed. By the time Cinna completed three full circles with the practice cart, turned between two posts, stopped before a marked line, and backed up without trying to run over whoever was in its blind spot, it got really, really dark outside.

“You pass,” Merra said, clearly grimacing, "But there will be hell to pay by the time you get back, I'm sure of that..."

Cinna ruffled its feathers at that, actually taking it as an insult, suddenly looking much more motivated to prove the woman wrong. Ignoring the comments, Siu climbed down from the driver’s bench, feeling more tired than expected. This trip... wasn't going to be easy.

But nothing is, and that is the part of life. As a cultivator, he was ready to take the challenge, and, without saying it out loud, he was actually excited and looking forward to leaving in the morning.