The Heavens Shall Fall

It was early in the morning as Arya kept walking beside Siu, already in a bad mood, rubbing both eyes with her fists.

“Why did this evil fox-boy choose sunrise?” She complained for the fifth time already, "Should have been better if we came at night..."

“Probably because he believed he could handle you better like this,” Siu answered, being serious about it.

“I hate foxes.”

“What?” Siu asked, stumbling, and almost throwing off the sleeping Marly from his head. "You ARE one!"

“No?” She answered, tilting her head, blinking her mismatched eyes. "I have hands, legs, and massive boing-boings. I am NOT a fox."

"By that logic," Quillian interjected too, "Toban isn't either."

"Hmph!" She scoffed, not wanting to argue; she knew it was useless, as they wouldn't get it anyway. Nobody would.

Watching her fall silent, Quillian chuckled as they approached the central section surrounding the Nine Hanging Bells. The group did not have to search for Toban, because he was already there. Siu spotted him leaning against the railing beside the massive steps, watching the crowd, and picked him out at once, just as they first met. Right when Siu was being put into his debt for a healing bath. Suddenly, Siu felt like it was just like that again, only both of them now wore a silver sash.

Just like before, Toban's hair was neatly combed back, and his clothes were good without screaming that they were expensive. He just looked like an ordinary Inner Disciple waiting for someone.

“There you are.” He smiled when Siu and the others got close enough to hear him.

“Toban.” Siu nodded, slowly cupping his hands.

“It has been a while.” He said, returning the gesture.

“Not long enough,” Arya whispered, but Toban just kept his smile, glancing at her.

“Congratulations on reaching your human stage, Arya. I'm glad that the healing bath in the past made sure you wouldn't have any issues when approaching this important stage of your life.”

"..." Arya’s eyes narrowed as she listened, deciding it was best to remain silent, as her actual instincts made her afraid of Toban. He was scarier than her mother ever was... Which was a massive feat to reach for a fox-boy... She just didn't know where he was hiding his ears and tail. “Flat-butt fox.” She still muttered in the end.

Toban paused after hearing that, his smile faltering for a moment, but he managed to catch himself in time. Instead of taking it to heart, he turned toward Quillian next, slowly bowing.

“Senior Quillian, I presume.”

"Oh?" Quillian’s eyebrows rose. “You presume?”

“I prefer it this way when I have to introduce myself to people I know of, but they don't know me.”

“Hm... You will be a frightening Elder if you manage to break through.”

"Thank you," Toban cupped his hands, his smile growing, “It is a pleasure.”

“Well?" Siu asked, crossing his arms, "You said we need to talk.”

“We do.” Toban nodded at him, looking unhurried. “But I have not eaten breakfast yet, and I guess you neither. Am I correct?”

"Yes," Siu stared at him, putting a hand on Arya's shoulder to stop her from saying anything.

"Breakfast? Food... where?" Marly asked, waking up to the magic word, trying to open her eyes.

“My treat,” Toban added, his eyes moving to the top of Siu's head as the little squirrel's eyes popped open at once.

“I guess you already have a place in mind?”

"You do know me," Toban chuckled while pointing down one of the adjoining roads. “Come. There is a nice place nearby.”

“Fine,” Siu said with a sigh while Arya immediately stepped after Toban, so Siu caught the back of her robe. “Weren’t you against this meeting?” He asked through their bond.

“I still am, but he knows we need food to fight properly. So it is a win-win, Master; we can bankrupt him!”

Siu decided it was best to just let things happen and followed Toban to the establishment that turned out to be pretty ordinary. It was simply a little bakery, with a covered wooden veranda overlooking one of the side streets. Most of its customers were disciples grabbing something before going on their way, and its menu consisted predominantly of tea, coffee, small baked breads, stuffed pastries, and a few simple breakfast dishes. Toban chose a table at the far end of the veranda, not at all private but far enough away from the coming and going of disciples.

“Order whatever you like,” Toban said, and although Arya looked suspicious, Marly and her indeed began looking over the offerings, picking out the sweet-sounding ones.

Only after the food arrived and Siu took a sip from his coffee did Toban seem ready to start talking again.

“How have you been?”

Siu stared at him for a moment, because he did not expect that question to even come up.

“You know already.”

“Those are reports, Siu; I'm asking you directly.”

"Hah..." He shrugged, taking another sip. "I'm pretty well, to be honest. I enjoy my days, and things look like they are on the right track for me."

"Mhm," Toban sipped his coffee, too, nodding, “Good to hear. Also, congratulations on the property, by the way.”

"Why am I not surprised?" Siu set his cup down without feeling angry, leaning over a little to take a sweet bun from the plate before Arya. “How much do you actually know?”

"Considering everything," Toban hummed, tapping the edge of his cup, “I'm aware that you now own the Gemstone Terrace. If you ever think of renaming it, I suggest something more appropriate for you. I don't know who owned it before, though, or how you got it. I tried finding it out, but all my efforts were blocked... However, the fact that you got it, and that it disappeared from view and any kind of plotting, tells me enough that someone high in the Hollow Song is involved. Probably a High Elder.” He looked toward Siu while explaining, smiling, "How close am I?"

“Head on,” Siu said without hesitation, making Toban's smile grow.

"So there are still things I'm wrong about." He muttered, "Don't forget my work... I know how to read people."

"..." Quillian simply looked at the boy and had barely spoken since sitting down, just drinking his tea, watching.

“You dislike me, Senior?” Toban asked, turning towards him, knowing well when someone was trying to read him like a book.

“I don't know yet.”

“I am not much of a fighter, Senior, so... Please don't frighten me with your aura.”

“Liar.” Quillian snorted, and Toban just laughed, turning back towards Siu.

“I said not much of one... However, we are still cultivators.”

"So," Siu took another sip. “Are we finally getting somewhere?”

“Yes.” Toban straightened up as he placed his cup down. “I want to join the Spirit Wardens.”

"Excuse me?" Siu blurted it out, almost spilling his coffee everywhere, while Arya froze with half a pastry in her mouth. The only one who remained mobile was Marly, stuffing more food into her mouth and watching Toban with unblinking eyes.

“No,” Arya said, the food falling out of her mouth and landing on the table. "No!"

“I'm serious," Toban continued, only looking at Siu, "I want to join the Spirit Wardens.”

“I heard that part.” He raised a hand, rubbing the insides of his ear. "I just don't believe you."

"I understand." Toban nodded, emptying his cup, moistening his lips. “Well, I have several reasons.”

“I know that; I just want you to start spilling them, without me having to drag them out one by one.”

“Sorry," Toban chuckled, "It is a habit I picked up. So! First, I believe your association has excellent prospects. Second, the membership-style you had set up provides a useful mask to hide behind for me. For why I'm there. Three... Paragons. You have several unusually capable disciples under your group already, a growing outer branch that ought to send up some talents in the future, and now ownership of one of the strangest association properties in the sect that can simply disappear. Do I need to continue?”

"You know way too much; I just don't know how." Siu’s fingers stopped circling around his cup as he listened to him.

“That's my secret.” He smiled back at him, not explaining more. "And I have to be there, because the moment the news spreads, it will be... Exciting."

"I bet," Arya muttered, making Toban simply nod at her.

“Also, I have resources the Wardens will find useful.”

“Information,” Siu said at once, while Toban just tilted his head mysteriously.

“Among other things. Yes, that is my main source of power, but I can also provide you with influence. If I am close to you, I will gain more of it, and you will also have easier access to it. Think of it as a beneficial, um, symbiotic relationship."

"Yuck!" Arya grimaced, acting as if she had bitten into something bad, but clearly, it was aimed at Toban.

“I do not want a leadership position.” Toban added before Siu could say anything else, "You don't have to be worried, as I won't fight for any voting authority beyond whatever your ordinary membership structure grants. I just want to be a simple, paying member, so you also get money out of me.”

“That is not as easy with you, like, ever.” Siu chuckled, shaking his head. "When you offer something this generous, it means you gain more than you give away. Go on, list everything you want!"

“I do not intend to attend every mission. Honestly... none at all. Also, I do not intend to socialize much.”

"Master," Arya leaned towards Siu, without suppressing her voice, “I like this membership. Let's take his money...”

“She is right; you can take my money." Toban said at once, "I am willing to pay a special, slightly higher membership rate, considering I won't directly contribute to the Wardens through missions. However... I want access to the Gemstone Terrace once it becomes functional.”

“So this is because of our future headquarters..." Siu whispered, becoming serious, "For what?”

“Isn't it obvious?" He asked, "It is a private location.”

“You probably have twelve hidden holes nobody knows about.” Arya snorted, making Toban chuckle.

“Not twelve.”

"..."

"..."

“But neither of them is like your future place. And... I want somewhere that does not belong to Golden Scroll. You see, once I arrived here, I began building another network that is very much similar to the old one. I did what you did, in fact. It was... expensive, but I prepared well and managed to start up my business without delays.”

Siu almost laughed, hearing that, as he expected nothing less of him. He wasn't even a fox... more like a snake, but that may have been a bit too insulting, so he would never bring it up.

“And nobody knows you run it,” Siu said in the end.

“Some people know I am involved in brokerage." Toban nodded, refilling his cup. "That is unavoidable, but yes, nobody knows I am the leader of Golden Scroll, besides you, of course.”

"Indeed... You will be a frightening Elder," Quillian shook his head once again, "I bet some are keeping an eye on you already."

"They do," Toban explained with a somewhat annoyed voice. "I was already visited by a disciplinary elder because I managed to bribe one of their disciples. They did not like that, so the girl got kicked off their ranks and I was told not to try to do that again."

"Hah!" Arya laughed, but Toban just continued.

"I argued that it only helps them weed out the corruptible ones, so..." He glanced at Arya, slowly grinning, "They allowed me to keep trying. Although, I do have a woman after me now... But don't worry. I can handle her; it won't be a problem for you, promise."

"You are a devil fox..." She grunted, shaking her head.

“It is how it works," He chuckled, "I am also aware that there are other brokers like me out there, and I have already suffered some attacks. However, I was ready... Because if one branch is compromised, it should not reveal the rest, keeping me safe. However, I need the greatest protection...”

“Our sealed new land,” Siu said, finishing it for him.

“Yes. Joining now is believable, if anyone bothers looking us up." Toban went on, before Siu could organize his thoughts, "I knew you before; we worked together, so it is not weird at all. Also... I am an information broker, a damn good one, and an association like yours benefits from having me around.”

"Let's say we take you in," Siu muttered, the rest of his coffee going cold by now, "What else would you need? I hope it wouldn't be like I'm finding you requesting things one after the other."

“Only when things change, and new rules are added. As for myself, I only want a room, a small space. I don't need a private room, that could create rumors, but I do need a secure storage room. Somewhere I can keep records and occasionally disappear when I do not want to be found. Best if it's only known to a few, like you and... well... Nobody else.”

“You want our headquarters as your hideout... You have some cheek to ask for it.” Siu moaned, rubbing his face.

“I know, but I must ask for it.” He said it without embarrassment. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and I always take those."

Falling silent, Siu looked down at his coffee, and his first instinct was to say: absolutely not. Yes, Toban was useful, but Toban was also Toban. There was no universe in which allowing him access to the Wardens’ private headquarters did not create risks. With him around? When future members would talk there, and mission plans would be discussed? Personal weaknesses? Cultivation details? Hells, what about their relationships? Money? Contracts? Whatever else? The entire reason they wanted a private headquarters was to stop squeezing important conversations into Joren’s teahouse or Quillian’s common room. Putting an information broker inside that privacy sounded insane.

But then another thought appeared. An information broker who was contractually tied to them... An instant access one... Siu looked up at him, asking in a strict voice.

“What do we get in return?”

"Oh," Toban smiled, sensing they were now talking about terms, “The higher membership contribution I already mentioned and direct access to Golden Scroll. Naturally, at discounted rates.”

“How discounted? 1%?”

“We negotiate based on the information." He chuckled, "Don't worry, I am not going to sell you the location of a lost goat at the same percentage as the private habits of a Paragon. Everything is always contextual, so I can't just give you a flat rate.”

“...”

"Of course," Toban leaned closer now, not wanting to leave it on a sour note. “There is more. When the Spirit Wardens accept a mission, I can prepare an information package for it. If you give me enough time, that is. I would also provide urgent warnings without charging you if I learn of something directly threatening the Wardens. After all, I wouldn't want to lose the place, would I?”

"That is all nice," Quillian placed his empty cup down. “But there is an obvious problem, boy.”

"Yes?" Toban turned toward him. “Please instruct me, Senior.”

“You make your livelihood selling what other people do not want to be known. So... You want to live inside a building filled with people whose secrets will become more valuable as they grow.” The old man said, speaking of what was Siu worried about. "And you expect them to trust you? Really?”

“No, no, no, no.” He raised his hands at once. "I don't need any of you to trust me. I am not naive enough to expect something like that! I know that will never happen because of my profession. I can only prove my loyalty with my actions; that's all. I keep to my agreements; that is my word, and that is my swear."

“Master?” Arya asked, seeing Siu fall silent and look at Toban unblinkingly. He was lost in thought, a thousand ideas running through his mind in a flash.

"I have a stipulation." Siu tapped one finger against the table in the end. "You won't like it, but if you say no to it, the talks are over."

"I'm all ears." Toban nodded, suddenly just as serious.

“You can never sell Warden secrets. Anything you learn because you're a member and from another member is something you can't pass on, not without explicit permission from me and me alone. This includes knowledge from before you joined. Any future details you gain through us will fall under the same rules. If someone requests information about us, you report it to me, and we can make a deal about what you can relay back.”

"Hm..." Toban’s fingers began tapping against his cup, going over his stipulations, suddenly asking a question Siu hadn't thought about. “What if another Warden asks me to investigate a fellow member?”

“Then that becomes association business,” Siu answered after a brief pause. "You can handle it, but if it endangers the Wardens, you report it to me."

“I see...”

“I'm not done," Siu continued, begining to count on his fingers, "Information about us, you cannot sell it, cannot trade it for favors, cannot gift it, cannot tell an agent of yours to sell it, cannot arrange for someone else to discover it, cannot exchange it for favors, cannot anonymously leak it and cannot use Golden Scroll in any way shape or form to circulate it.”

"I almost feel hurt," Toban muttered, shaking his head, watching Siu almost run out of fingers while Arya watched her Master with a proud look and shining mismatched eyes.

“One more thing," Siu kept speaking, his eyes sharpening, "We aren't taking your word just because you say so. We will go and make an actual sect-recognized confidentiality contract.”

"..." Toban remained silent, maybe for the first time, but then he still nodded. “Fine.”

“And the penalty won't be money.” Siu raised a finger, now smiling. “If you intentionally break the confidentiality agreement, you enter an indefinite, complete, and uncontested servitude under me.”

The table became silent at once, while Arya's mouth fell open. Hearing him, Quillian looked at Siu with a flash in his eyes, clearly approving of his way of thinking. As for Toban, he stared at him without flinching, a bit surprised, but as the two kept looking into each other's eyes, they both felt the other's seriousness.

"Haaah..." Toban leaned back in the end, being the first one to blink, admitting defeat. "I accept. We can call this..." He suddenly chuckled, "Karma. We are now squared."

"Heh," Siu chortled, crossing his arms, "Now that you put it like that... yeah. Yeah, we are."