The Heavens Shall Fall

As the group hurried back to the Red Leaf, nothing appeared unusual. Siu made sure to listen to see if he could hear Quillian's yells from inside the shop, but heard nothing. Still, he slowed down right before the door, not entering at first, and Seloryn nearly walked into him when he did so, looking at him questioningly.

“What?” She asked.

“I don’t sense him.”

“Did you expect to?”

“No... Well...”

“Then why stop?” She shrugged, rolling her eyes, as they pushed the door open.

Inside, Quillian sat behind the counter, an open book in one hand, looking up at them questioningly.

"What are you doing already being back here? Forgot something?" He asked, as Vael also appeared from the shelves, apparently here to visit, just missing them.

"Oh, I was just looking for you, lucky me."

“Is he here?” Siu asked, looking around, confusing the two.

“Is who here?” Both of them asked, now curious, because Seloryn entered behind him, also scanning the shelves.

“Orzimar.” They answered in unison, while Arya was sniffing the air and Marly immediately hopped onto the top of the nearby shelf, scurrying around, searching.

"Why would he be?" Quillian asked, grimacing a little.

"We were told he is waiting for us," Siu answered with growing annoyance, which in turn made Quillian's answer become snappier, too.

“I believe I would notice if that nuisance entered my shop!”

"No, you wouldn't," A voice from the shelves directly behind Vael answered, as everyone froze, realizing it wasn't them who said it.

Hearing the familiar tone, Quillian’s eyes shifted sideways, very slowly, seeing how Orzimar now occupied the previously empty space between two shelves, holding a thick, dark-bound book open in both hands. He wore the same simple robes as before, his long black hair tied loosely behind his head.

“Huh. This one is inaccurate,” he said, breaking the silence, and at that, Quillian shot to his feet like he was a youngster.

“How long have you been standing there?”

"A while." Orzimar looked up from the book, smiling. "I came just the moment those two left."

“And you have been in my shop the entire time?” Quillian huffed, almost having a stroke, while Siu felt that it was going to be either his worst or best moment in the future to get to know someone like this eccentric elder.

“Anyway," Orzimar said, putting the book back in place, "You should correct the section concerning the early layering efforts of the Hollow Song. You see, the network near the northern peak was not designed to support the water channels coming from the mountain; it was the other way around. The channels were diverted later to boost the formations there, thus the healing effects of the water there.”

"..." Quillian’s face darkened while listening, not answering at all. “Put that down.”

“It is still wrong, and I already put it down.” He smiled, raising his empty hand.

“Put it down anyway.”

For a moment, Orzimar was genuinely confused, but then he just chuckled and began miming as if he were closing the book carefully, then placing it on the shelf.

“So you were invisible?” Arya asked, walking closer to Orzimar and squinting at him. “Really invisible? How?”

“Not in the way you are imagining it.” He smiled, shaking his head.

Naturally, at Orzimar’s level, concealment no longer meant hiding behind an object or just suppressing your aura. It wasn't even a spell that worked with bending light around yourself. He could simply stand in the middle of a room, and those beneath him simply would not recognize his existence. There was nothing tricky about it; it was simply the vast difference in their cultivation levels, causing their eyes to pass over him and their senses to fail to perceive his existence until he made a conscious effort to notify them of his presence. It made people of his level have to make an effort to be seen by those below the Second Circle, rather than making any effort to go unseen.

“Can we get to business?" Seloryn asked, wary of the young-looking old man, "You answered our message... So I guess you have an offer?”

“What will it cost?” Siu added the last part without thinking, and now everyone was looking at the smiling Orzimar.

“I came to discuss that.” He nodded, gazing at Siu. "So, you intend to build a palace or something, and learned that you can't just go about it randomly."

“We want to start small.” Siu interrupted, feeling a long speech coming.

“You should, because otherwise, you may bite off more than you can chew. Yes, this is also true for you two." Orzimar answered while he shot a quick glance at Arya and Marly.

"So," Seloryn leaned forward. “What would you recommend?”

"This," Orzimar stated, placing one finger against the counter, and a small formation appeared right under it, from which liquid glass began spreading everywhere.

It flowed across the counter, forming different constructions. A broad, rectangular building appeared first, standing two levels high and centered on an open inner courtyard. It was textured, most likely with wooden walls supporting the sloping roofs with wide eaves and upward-curving corners. Tall arched windows broke the heavier parts, while covered galleries ran along the outer walls on more slender-looking pillars. The front entrance at the bridge leading into it looked like two red-colored pillars, with twin beams connecting them, the top one slightly arched. As for the main building, two low wings extended from it, creating a shallow embrace around the approach. Behind it, a small garden and a walkway led toward the stream, hidden by bushes, trees, and flowerbeds.

"Oh..." Arya leaned closer, examining the detailed work. “Pretty.”

"..." Seloryn said nothing at first; it was just her eyes moving across the projected building, studying it, sometimes twitching an eye. “It looks like a noble estate,” she said eventually. “But the roofs and galleries are built like an old sect palace... Is this how it was for you? Do you want us to rebuild it?”

“Oh, no," Orzimar said, shaking his head, "We had a nine-level pagoda, with each level corresponding to how strong you were. You are different; I wouldn't impose our ways onto you. I simply read your suggestions and came up with something that would satisfy you all and also give space for later additions."

"..." Siu studied it, holding back his words because he was suspecting that Orzimar followed them all the way to the Nine Hanging Bells and then back here. Otherwise, how did he read the list? He himself only read it this morning when Seloryn handed it over! He was clearly playing with them, but he wasn't going to expose that and anger him.

And he also liked the design.

"Here, for example," Orzimar said in the meantime as he touched the projection again and additional buildings emerged gradually.

First, a training court emerged from the flowing glass, enclosed by long viewing galleries. Then an eastern residential wing overlooking the stream emerged, followed by a separate beast courtyard with multiple entrances and reinforced paddocks. It was then followed by a library pavilion connected to the main building by a covered bridge with meditation halls farther back, each separated by small gardens and formation-etched walls. He wasn't done, as more and more things appeared: guest quarters came next, with workshops... and a heart-shaped... house? He was just making fun of him now, Siu was sure, yet Arya was already giggling and grinning happily. Orzimar ignored the clear, accusatory look Siu gave him as he continued the expansion, and each addition fit the original building as though it had always been there.

"Looks... Expensive." Vael spoke up in the end, but nobody dared to ask how much it would cost. Orzimar then snapped his fingers, and the main building began gently blinking in a golden light.

“For now, you only need one main hall." He explained, "A kitchen and pantry behind it; your storage can go beneath, but not deep enough to disturb the formation. To make your group work, I suggest two administrative rooms, two general rooms that can serve as lodging or offices until you build specialized spaces.”

"And the courtyard?" Seloryn began taking notes while asking, "All those decorations and whatnot? Gardens? Is that a greenhouse? We don't even have an alchemist!"

“You don't have one yet. So..." he answered, gazing at her. "Leave it as open ground for now. Decoration should be the last, or, make it yourselves. You would be surprised how much it helps in advancement if you find a hobby like that.”

“Okay, all is nice and well, but what about the spatial formation?” Siu asked, "How are we to use it? Now that you are here, I need to ask this, because when we first got there, it was just a normal parcel, not what you made it into."

“You weren't synced up with it, and the formation was made to stay dormant,” Orzimar answered simply. "With it reactivated, your sashes will be your entry keys; you need to do nothing. You only need to update your Warden's main tablet if something changes. That's why you will need a gate first: it will help keep the whole thing together. Then the formation will remain active permanently, and those with permission can enter your land. It would work like every other such place that is separated from the public. If you can see it, you can enter it. The only difference is that it would be you who make the rules about who to let in."

"Why are you offering this to us?" Seloryn asked.

“I have spent a considerable amount of time away from the sect," He answered simply. “When one remains in seclusion for too long, things start to... become abstract. Losing yourself to it can disconnect you from reality, and that is a dangerous line we all walk. So, this helps me ground myself once again...” As he spoke, he looked back at the projected headquarters. “The Hollow Song continued growing while I was occupied with my own path, and now that I'm out, I would like to see what it has become before I retreat again.”

“You want to study us?” Siu asked, suddenly feeling both surprised and weirded out.

“Among other things.” He chuckled, and while the Reclusive Elder’s expression remained youthful and chatty as Siu watched him, there was something tired behind his eyes.

"We have gone off the rails again!" Vael spoke up suddenly, making everyone look at him. "Price. Senior... What do you want from us for your help?"

“Easy," Orzimar clapped, his smile widening, "You will do some missions for old me.”

"Naturally..." Quillian sighed, while Seloryn and Siu exchanged a quick glance.

“What kind of missions?” she asked carefully.

“One I will choose now and then.”

“That is not enough information.” Siu said firmly, "We can't just do your bidding; that's just as bad as being in some kind of debt... I'm not going to do that."

“You will have to," Orzimar said without hesitation, "Or you will play nomad, and only erect tents on your new land." Then he softened his voice again, "Don't worry, I'm training you, not sending you to be my henchmen. My grudges are long settled, and those whom I had issues with either are dead or in seclusion, like I was."

“That means nothing...” Quillian muttered, rubbing his face even harder, feeling just as stressed as the others.

"Can I be honest?" Siu asked, looking into his eyes, and after Orzimar nodded, he said what he was thinking, "I don't like you," he declared firmly as he pointed toward the plans. “We can spend months trying to persuade another elder to take responsibility for this Gemstone Terrace, assuming one even agrees. Then we pay them a price we cannot afford for a survey you have already completed, and I can tell that whatever decision someone else would make, you would come and override it. You already decided everything for us; you are just presenting it as a fake choice. We don't have a choice; we either accept your offer or do nothing. I had grown up around people like you, and... I detest it.”

"But...?" Orzimar asked, still smiling, while everyone was looking back and forth between them.

“The Spirit Wardens will benefit from it if you keep to your word. So..." Siu said as he exhaled, then straightened his back. "We will accept the mission as payment for now. But nobody will be forced to participate if they consider it unreasonable.”

“And if too many refuse?” Orzimar asked, raising one brow.

“I go with whoever agrees, and if nobody does, I go alone.”

"Not alone!" Arya raised a hand at once, while Marly also landed on Siu's head, with one paw in the air.

"Heh," Seloryn watched him for several seconds before nudging him, "And with me."

"And," Vael said, but then grimaced, "Haaah... I can't go..."

"Fine by me," Orzimar said, looking between them, his eyes flashing, "Don't worry, you will realize I'm not what you think I am. You will receive the full mission details soon enough. You can review it, make your decision then. If the Spirit Wardens formally accept and complete it, I will build the main building with the gate for you. Then, every future addition will be locked behind a little quest of mine.”

“You...” Quillian muttered, becoming just as brave as Siu, to speak his mind, "You are seeing this nothing but as a game, aren't you?"

“Life is a game.” He answered simply, "And the Hollow Song only has a place for winners."