Ascendant

The King's Guard saw to the surrendered Cinderheart disciples. There were a few dozen of them in total, and it seemed every one of them would be brought back to the capital for questioning.

An elder of late years huddled beneath the shade of a brick wall, reduced to rubble in all the commotion. He had short hair and a long bloody scar down his back. The old man shivered as he gripped his arms tight enough to hurt, and tears gathered on his eyelids.

He was the 4th stage elder that Sir Hunt had battled. His cultivation had been crippled, and his life spared. Lucian couldn't help his eyes lingering on the man for a few seconds as he felt an empathetic sorrow. No-one could remain calm after the loss of their cultivation. It was a life's dedication and for many, the reason for their long existence, something to pursue above all else.

Shaking his head, he moved on, ignoring the elder and the dozens of disciples who seemed to cope better, given the chance to live.

Takis' eyes did not linger on any of them, but Lucian could tell he had not taken the situation lightly.

The cavalry of the King's Guard were rearranging themselves in formation and counting their losses. Far more disciples had died than soldiers, but they did not come out of the battle without losses.

There were too few horses now for every soldier, even with the spares that had been brought, and so the King's Guard were split into cavalry and infantry, and took different formations to suit their new circumstances.

David and Captain Stone approached he and Takis, leading two chargers each.

"Travels back will be slow, especially with this lot." Hugh Stone gestured to the many captives. "We'll acquire more horses when we reach Brandesh, but I say we'll be on the road a while before Karnath."

Brandesh was the nearest town to the Cinderheart sect, while Karnath was the capital city they had rode from.

"Have your men do one more sweep of the sect. Break whatever may serve as cover, and root out any survivors hiding in the rubble. Once they're done, we'll set out."

Takis ordered as Captain Stone saluted and handed the reins of one of the chargers to Lucian, before heading off to give the order.

David handed Takis the reins to his reserve charger, and all the men pulled themselves astride their mounts.

"I don't think any remain." Lucian said. "It is not easy to hide from my senses when I'm actively searching. Not without me knowing something is wrong."

"It's better to be safe. I doubt Count Glaider had any imminent intent in taking over the sect, but either way, I want as much time to question that elder as possible before Glaider covers his own ass."

Riding out through the northern gate of the Cinderheart sect, the three including David made their way to the front of the King's Guard formation where they waited for Captain Stone to report anything found by his men.

When he did return and reported nothing, the large procession of now 248 King's Guard set off, returning north to Brandesh where they collected carriages, carts, pack animals, and servants left in their first passing, and continued on towards the capital of Karnath.

Takis and Lucian sat alone in one carriage, with David and Sir Hunt in another. While balancing a filled wine glass against the bumpy ride of the carriage, Takis looked his new shadow in the eye and spoke.

"So." he started. "What do you know of Ascendance?"

"Not much past what we are all taught in the estate. I know it is essentially the evolution of animal to monster, though under a different name. I know that it only happens when a meta taps out his potential in attributes."

"When a metahuman taps out their 'species' potential." Takis corrected. "The potential of an individual may be restricted by their species, but they are not one and the same. At least as far as Flux is concerned."

Lucian nodded and waited silently for the Prince to continue, but the man paused for a long while to consider his words.

"I am not an expert" Was the first thing he said.

"I only know what I've been taught by another."

"Eudes Clarke?" Lucian interrupted.

"Yes. Eudes took me in as his disciple as early as 7. I have learnt a great deal from him, but I wouldn't dare claim to know it all.

"Lets start with this," his eyes met Lucian's and he paused to gauge any reaction.

"Eudes Clarke is an Outsider."

Lucian was not as shocked as he thought he should be. His eyes widened slightly, but something in the back of his mind almost murmured a wordless "knew it", as if he had already guessed it without realizing.

"He is the Outsider that descended three centuries ago to gift knowledge of cultivation to the Demia Kingdom."

"The centuries?" Lucian's voice rose and this time he truly was surprised!

"But he looks…

"Say what you will about a cultivator's age being deceptive, but how can he be three hundred years old?"

"Is it that surprising? The 1st through 4th stages increase ones lifespan by decades, it is just that the 5th and beyond are exponentially more effective at it. Besides, he is an Incarnant, who knows how long they live."

Lucian settled quickly, as he latched onto a crucial piece of information.

"Incarnant?"

Takis sighed. "This is why i'm not good at explaining things. Let me find where to begin first."

Again the man paused for a few moments, a look of consternation on his face.

"So… Ascendants. Your right in what you said earlier, they are basically evolved humans. But most of them were never human. I mean, their Primogens would have been human at one point."

Seeing a questioning look on Lucian's face, Takis stopped and backed up his story a little further to explain.

"A Primogen is the first ancestor of an ascendant race. Primogens were all human once, or animals if you extend the use of the word to them, but underwent evolution, or ascendance to become something else. Their children were never human, but born ascendants.

"Anyway, Incarnants are a race of Ascendants. That is what Master has claimed to be. He says the Great Guardian of Toubia is something called an Angel, while the High Patron of Nalduri is a Cyclops.

"I am not an outsider. My situation would make me a Primogen as I spoke of earlier."

Lucian considered everything the prince had said and organised it in his mind.

'So humans that evolve become ascendant primogens, the first ancestors of a new race. Takis is a Primogen, while Eudes is an outsider and an ascendent, one of the Incarnant race.

"Then…" He started. "What did you become? If you don't mind me asking."

Takis gave a confused smile and threw up his arms in a shrug, still careful not to spill the wine in his glass.

"I don't know exactly. I've scoured the legends and folk lore of our world, and Eudes has tried to recall similar myths from beyond, but while there are plenty of things similar, none fit perfectly.

"For now, I've taken to calling myself a Dryanoth. Nothing more than a combination of some similar beings in myth" Takis snorted in spite of himself. "But, I suppose one name is as good as the next."

"Your form" Lucian started. "It was different before, when you fought. Is that unique to you?"

"The shape I take is, as for the act of transforming? I don't know how common it is but Master said a great deal of Ascendants, and almost all Priomogens can take… can take human form."

The words caught in his throat and resounded with a distinction that Lucian did not miss.

'Take human form.'

"I see."

Calls echoed from outside the carriage that they were stopping to rest, and Lucian decided to ask more later. Takis seemed awkward as he spoke on the matter, as if he were still trying to work it out himself, and Lucian was in no rush to learn every detail.

"Lucian. I can speak of this to you because you are my shadow. But it must never leave your lips around another. The world at large has little exposure to even the idea of ascendants and my position is precarious. Now is the time for secrecy."

"I understand Prince Takis. Trust me."

With that, Lucian exited the stopped carriage and stretched.