7 The Stone of Xaltas

"Do you know what makes the Veiled different from the other branches? Let me educate you, one cannot simply choose to be in the Veiled, one cannot train to be in the Veiled, you must be chosen. The difference is that the qualities to become an agent in this organization can only be optimized not given. Agents of Veiled aren't built, they're born."

~ Carmen Verite, Former Director of the Veiled

Meanwhile, that same day…

Kouki

I want nothing more than to leave this place, this stupid school, the stupid order of the Wisps, everything. All I want is to have her. But of course instead of my closest approximation of paradise itself, I'm here dealing with Shadow Walkers, an enemy we've fought three separate wars against yet have failed to exterminate. That fight is the definition of insanity itself. So why am I here? Principle. Noches decided to set me up to kill the rest of the Adamantite clan because she wanted my signature on her dirty deeds. A mistake that will, in due time, cost her her life. The only thing keeping me from retrieving her head at this exact moment is that finding her has been somewhere between super hard and omega hard. That means I need to lean into my skill set of good old fashioned espionage.

A meditative position, a calm mind, the desire of freedom and voila. I'm projecting my spirit. One thing I can't say about the Veiled is that they don't teach neat tricks. Flying straight up, my spirit phases through the dorm I'm currently occupying. First things first, let's see what the Grand Councilwoman is up to. I have to be careful with my spirit. Even though my presence is nearly non-existent while I'm in this form, if someone's spirit sense is tuned well enough and they know what they're looking for, astral forms can still be detected. Peeking into her chambers, I realize someone beat me here. Ah. It's just Kareasa.

" My lady, you summoned me?" The Grand Councilwoman slowly shuffles through the files on her desk until she sees the right one.

"It's going to be a busy day, Kareasa. We have much to discuss. First, did my son leave and who did he take with him?" Kareasa reaches into her pocket pulling out a pocket watch. It projects an image of Bones and a boy walking.

"Yes, he's already gone and it appears he has chosen a student to accompany him. The boy's name is Daimyon." That answer did not please either woman.

"He's taking a student with him?"*sigh* "I don't know why I even give him options. He will be held responsible if anything goes wrong. Next order of business, how are the negotiations going with Krista?" Kareasa lowers her head. That's the universal language of "it's going nowhere" because power hungry warmongers don't just give up their power, especially when those resources are the only thing keeping their head on their shoulders.

"My lady, she won't budge and the threat of death--" The Grand Councilwoman interjects.

"Guaranteed promise of death, you mean."

"Well...yes. The point is, we'll need to deal with Kouki sooner rather than later. We need the Veiled back under our thumb if we're going to track down the Shadow Walkers." The Grand Councilwoman puts her glasses down and rubs her temples. I know I'm putting her in a difficult position, but it has to be this way. Noches' plans aren't going to stop with autonomy for the Veiled and it's not entirely out of the question that she is or would work with the Shadow Walkers. Trust me when I say that's a disaster no one wants.

"While that may be the case, any situation where Krista Noches is still holding the position of Director of the Veiled is unacceptable. I disagree with Kouki that taking this fight public is worth the potential consequences; however, his premise is sound. Krista Noches cannot be trusted and, if unchecked, will eventually try to take over the entire order. It's not even out of the question that she won't cross the line entirely and work with the Shadow Walkers. Kouki can at times act as a blunt instrument, but he's also right more than almost anybody I've ever met; prophecy itself doesn't match his intuition."

"So, my lady...What should we do?"

"For now, continue negotiations. As far as Kouki goes he may be inevitable but that doesn't mean we can't delay him. More than anything he's vulnerable to his own priorities. Summon Rice to my chambers and send file 2491 to Kouki's room. That should move Krista down on his list long enough for us to resolve this." Recalling my astral form back to my body I'm just in time to stop Kareasa from knocking on my door.

"If you knock on that door it will be the last thing you do." I can tell because of my spirit sense her hand is only a centimeter away from the door.

"Well someone is snippy today. I have a file for you."

"Yes. I suspect it's from the Grand Councilwoman looking to buy herself some more time." She slips the file under the door and begins to walk away.

"That's quite perceptive of you. You seem to be under the impression that we don't have more direct methods to contain you. I assure you that you are mistaken." That brings a smirk to my face.

"Save your assurances for someone who doesn't know the limitations of the Order intimately. But thanks for the file though." I'm halfway through the first page as Kareasa makes her third step. Everything I do is calculated, including coming here and asking permission instead of just starting the fight. Now let's see if it's going to pay off. The information I scan through has a common theme: how to reconstitute a spirit. Jackpot! The Grand Councilwoman knows what she's doing. I'll finally be able to fulfill an old promise. Xi, I can finally bring you back.

Chase

I'm in the library again. This is becoming a habit. It's not a bad one though since there's so much here. Any subject I want I can find a book about it here. Although, all the studying I've been doing doesn't seem to have helped my naturalism much. There are bigger concerns though. For one, I'm friends with one of the Sacred Six, a fledgling one that doesn't seem to have any control or access to her abilities. Still, that's so amazing. What would really help is if they would let me get into the old stuff in the back: the ancient tomes. There's probably all kinds of forbidden knowledge, artifacts, maps and even arcana spells that could cause cataclysms. But who knows what it takes to get permission. Right on cue as I have the thought, someone walks straight past me to the back of the library. The guy isn't tall but I can tell he's a physical powerhouse under that incredible three-piece suit he's wearing. He has some kind of aura that's disorienting to look at.

"You there. Stop looking before you pass out." He can tell I'm looking? Most people can't see my eyes past my hair.

"How did you know?" He turns directly to me and is in my face faster than my ability to perceive movement. Then he grins.

"You've developed spirit sight. See, my suits are warded with arcana spells and other tricks. In order to perceive them at all you need a rare level of attunement, at least for a novice to arcana. Hence spirit sight, the ability to visually perceive arcana." I'm sure my expression is complete bewilderment at this point but he's still going, analyzing me point by point.

"Ah, books on the Sacred Six and these aren't even all from the same section. This library is built specifically for those with spirit sense. See, the books are marked with arcana that're imbued with words and impressions. So someone like us can think of a subject and our natural instincts would intuitively guide us to books on that subject matter." Now he's just talking past me. "Hmm, you didn't know? Well now you do. You're a bit physically frail by comparison to some and I'd say you're definitely still novice level in terms of your naturalism. Even still…." At this point his curiosity has my curiosity

"Who are you?" I ask. He raises his eyebrows as if the answer is self-evident.

"My name is Kouki Kanshiki, but my codename is the Tether." I've heard of him. The Veiled are supposed to keep low profiles and never be known as even existing, but the Tether? The Tether is the loudest kind of quiet that could ever exist. Like putting a silencer on a rocket launcher kind of loud. Just the fact that he's a part of the Order has to be a secret of the highest classification. My face must have done something weird because he definitely reacted.

"Yeah, it's supposed to be a big secret but I have a feeling that you can keep a few. Everything about you screams trustworthy to me. A bit of advice? Develop your own powers before trying to help develop Kiyonna's." He knows about her? "Yeah, I know about her." He starts walking away. I can't let him, this might be my best opportunity to learn. I want to be stronger to help my friends.

"Wait. I've been here a year and I don't think I'm getting it. My whole class was able to move to the next level. Meanwhile, I can barely draw arcana. My friends just got here and we're not that far apart. You say I should focus on my own powers but how? How do I get stronger?"

That stops him in his tracks. He looks straight at me, no...through me, as if he can see my spirit itself. Actually, it's entirely possible that he can do exactly that.

"Get out of your own way. I can see your insecurity and your shyness. You're a thinker and that's not inherently a bad thing. But it means that you make simple things way too complicated. If you want to draw better then all you need to do is remember that for us, drawing arcana is breathing. There's no gimmick or trick to help you breathe. You just do it. naturalists have three branches they can use to develop power. First is their body. Through physical training we can be quite formidable. Second is their spirit. Through meditation you can hone your spirit sense and learn to control individual facets of it. Then there's naturalism and…well that's not going to be your specialty." I lower my head. If the Tether doesn't think I'll be a good naturalist then there's no hope.

"Don't lower your head. My naturalism isn't all that exceptional. Or at least it wasn't. What makes me as powerful as I am is balance. That's the real key, combining these pillars will make you infinitely stronger than someone who only trains one. I'll tell you what: if you lift the stone of Xaltas in the training area, I'll train you personally." The stone of Xaltas? That stone is a small mountain named after the Spiritualist of Strength. How can I possibly lift it? Why would he give me an impossible task by dangling training in front of me?

"But that's impossible. That stone has never been lifted." That amused him.

"You're wrong. It's not easy to lift but it has definitely been lifted. That is my condition. Fulfill it or don't, it's up to you. But I've told you the fundamental 'how' now you just have to apply it." With those last words he left. He somehow disappears even while I'm looking straight at him.

"Don't you even want to know my name?" His laughter reverberates through the room

"I know exactly who you are. You're the first kid to lift the stone of Xaltas in 15 years."

End ~