Chapter 105: The Truth of Gleam


    They descended the mountain, finding nothing waiting for them on the way down. Despite all themotion that the crystal had caused, the mountain waspletely empty. Chance and Be didnt question their good luck and kept a steady pace. Day stretched on and turned to night, casting the world in a silver glow.


    Should we try to camp for the night? Chance asked as they walked. I think we could probably just push on and reach the transport portal.


    Thats probably the best move, Be said. "I dont think time is our friend, and well have time to rest once we get out of here. I did also just get to sit around cultivating for quite some time, so Im refreshed. Youre the one that was awake. Are you going to be okay?


    Yeah, I wont have any problems. Ive been using a lot of Essence to keep my third eye open and scanning for Karmic threads, though. If we get into a big fight, I might not be quite as useful as I normally am.


    Be chewed her lower lip. Okay. Its still better to know if weve got enemiesing. Ill make up the ck, and Ocie can help too.


    A rock in front of them trembled. Be drew for her Essence, then let her hands drop.


    Ocie also needs a better way tomunicate than shaking rocks around.


    Well work on it, Chance promised, hiding a smile.


    The shadows stretched longer, keeping thempany as they walked. In the distance, Chance could hear the sounds ofbat and muted sts of Essence. He asionally saw a sh light up the sky, but none of thebat seemed to be happening near them.


    Without any interruptions, he and Be made good time. By the time the moon was heading back toward its resting spot beneath the horizon and the suns rays had just barely started to begin turning the sky a muted purplish orange, they had started up the hills toward the ruins surrounding the exit portal.


    Channce and Be slowed as they passed through them, their guards raised. They clearly hadnt been the first ones to the ruins. The signs of battle littered the ground and walls. Chance brushed a hand across arge, scorched boulder. He rubbed the ash between his fingers.


    Probably not worth checking the area out for anything worth taking, Chance said. We should just get out of here. Im pretty sure anything wed actually want would be long gone.


    Agreed, Be said, keeping her voice low so it wouldnt echo through the ruins. I can see the pir of light for the exit portal, so were close. If theres somebody waiting to ambush us, theyll either be right at the portal or pretty close to it.


    Chance nodded. Im watching for Karmic threads. Nothing so far. Im honestly kind of surprised. I would have thought


    He froze, jerking a hand up to grab Bes shoulder as a flicker of a glowing thread caught his eye. It was so thin that he barely noticed it, but now that his eyes were on it, he could just barely make out some of the other threads between the stone walls of the ruin.


    Found one, Chance whispered. Could be more. Hard to tell because of all the walls in the way.


    Well, cant say we werent expecting it, Be said. Whats the strategy? We need them to activate the portal.


    Ask politely? Chance offered.


    Be nced at him out of the corner of her eyes. Seriously?


    Maybe theyll be nice. We might need to do a bit of coercing, though. Anyone waiting around at the exit probably isnt too strong, right? The strong people would be out hunting.


    Be inclined her head slightly. Thats a fair point. But anyone waiting around probably also isnt going to be the friendliest of sorts.


    Thats where the persuasiones in, Chance said, his smile growing a few degrees colder. Ocie, want to help?


    Rubble rose up from the ground, pulling away from the cracked ruins and forming into Ocies craggy form. Stone melted together, forming into a surprisingly urate golem  Ocie was getting a lot better at making herself look humanoid. It didnt even have any ring issues this time, though her eyes were still spaced much too far apart and her nose was at an angle that Chance had never seen a nose take.


    Do you want me to kill them? Ocie asked.


    No, Chance said quickly. Not unless we have to. I dont want to kill when we can avoid it. Besdies, we need someone to activate the exit portal.


    Keep them alive, then, Ocie said. Understood. I will engage.


    Chance and Be exchanged a nce.


    Should we at least <em>try </em>to talk first? Chance asked.


    Be sighed. Youre not going to be happy unless we do, are you?


    Chance grinned.


    Fine. Ocie, can you get in position and then wait until they inevitably attack Chance? Then we can start fighting afterward.


    Ocie nodded. She turned and slipped into the stone building, passing straight through it and vanishing. Chance watched the rock where shed been standing, then grunted.


    Thats damn useful. Wish I could do that.


    Seriously? The guy that controls fate itself is jealous he cant walk through some rocks?


    Its not fate, its luck, Chance corrected. And Im not sure if I can control luck or just influence it.


    Technicalities. Get moving and try to talk to the people that are clearly waiting in ambush so we can get this started with already. Im looking forward to a night of rest in an actual bed again.


    They continued forward, and Be reinforced herself with her Essence once more. Chance did the same, calling on the golden mist and letting it wreath his feet as he walked. Trying to work things out peacefully was one thing, but he didnt want to catch an arrow to the throat because he was trying to be nice.


    The ruins made arge ring around the portal runes in the center of the cluster of mountains, and it didnt take long for Chance and Be to work their way through the rubble and arrive at the edge of the hills.


    Below them, the teleportation circle waited. The beam of faint blue light rising up from it was so close that Chance could probably have touched it if he wanted to, and all the threads of Karma ran down into the remains of an overgrown house near the circle.


    Chance nodded down to it. Over there.


    Conspicuous, Be said dryly. Right next to the circle. They werent really taking any chances, were they? Better make sure you dont step on the circle on the way over there. I dont know how quickly it activates, but Id hate to find out we just getunched back to the Dancing Cloud Sect and the waiting Shikari the moment you touch it.


    Probably best to be safe, Chance agreed. They made their way around the top of the hills, keeping to the ruins to help obscure themselves as they grew closer to the house. When they were behind it, they started down the steep hill.


    Chance stepped blindly, not even looking where he was going. His luck guided his steps, making sure they allnded on solid ground. Be did her best to copy his movements, but she had to move a little slower to avoid tripping.


    Vines covered the back of the house, saving them from having to worry about if anyone was watching them through the window.


    When Chance reached the house, he pressed his ear to the thin stone and listened, trying to hear if anyone was moving around behind it. There was only silence. Be arrived beside him a momentter and raised an eyebrow.


    Chance shook his head, and the two crept toward the front, stopping just before the remains of the doorway. He gathered his Essence at his Gate, pulling deeply on it to make sure whoever was waiting beyond it didnt get the jump on him, then stepped out.


    Hello, Chance said, raising a hand in greeting and stering what he hoped was aforting expression on his face. I dont meant to interrupt you, but


    The words died on his lips.


    Oh, Chance said. Didnt expect to see you here.


    Cant say I felt the same, Jade replied, looking up at him from the chair she was sitting in. She had her massive sword buried in the ground beside her and was resting a hand on the hilt. I knew you wereing.


    Did you? Chance asked, ncing around in search of any other threads of Karma. He couldnt see any.


    <em>Is Jade alone again? Or is Shae somehow hiding himself?</em>


    Your <em>friend </em>told me youd being. Jade pushed herself out of the chair and Chance tensed, but she didnt go for the sword. What kind ofpany do you keep, Chance?


    Lin hes his own person, Chance said. I dont keep hispany. I dont think he gives people much of a choice when he decides to do something, actually. You know, now that I think about it, Ive been running into a lot of people like that recently. Kind of annoying.


    What are you talking about? Jade asked. Chance opened his mouth and she shook her head. Never mind. It doesnt matter.


    I dont suppose youd be willing to talk things out? Chance asked. The Shikari are after Be and me for crimes we didntmit. Well, we kind of did. They attacked us first, though.


    Chance asked the question more out of obligation than actually expecting it to go anywhere. Hed seen Jades face in the vision within Lins Karmic threads. Shed watched Lin brutalize her mentor. If she hadnt thought he was a monster then, there was almost no chance that


    Im standing here, arent I? Jade asked.


    Chance blinked. What?


    Im telling you to talk. Jade crossed her arms. Lin told me youd probably end uping this way, and I want answers. He said you could give them to me.


    Chance stared at her in disbelief. You mean talking it out is actually going to work for once?


    Why do you sound so surprised?


    Well, it usually ends with someone trying to kill me, Chance replied, rubbing his chin. You nning to do that?


    Depends on how the talk goes.


    Well, thats pretty reasonable. Be, you want toe out? Ocie as well. We might as well all sit down.


    The rock behind Jade rippled and Ocie stepped out. Jade leapt back, going for her sword, but Ocie just raised several chairs from the ground and sat down in one  or rather, on top of one. The back of the chair intersected perfectly with her body.


    Be stepped out from behind the house, her skin crystalline. She sent a suspicious look at Jade.


    Are you sure about this, Chance? Shes a Shikari.


    If shes willing to talk, we might as well, Chance said. He nced back at the portal. Although this does mean we cant exactly use her for the n.


    We can just wait for someone else to show up, Ocie said. I will keep watch. You three can talk.


    Ocie sank into the ground and vanished, taking her chair with her. Jade stared at the ground, then swallowed heavily.


    What was that?


    Better keep the questions more to the topic at hand, Chance said, walking up to one of the chairs. He sat down. Jade considered the chair beside her for a moment, then slowly lowered herself into it. Be was thest to sit, and she still didnt make any moves to release her Essence.


    Chance kept his own at hand, though he let it pull back a little so it wasnt quite so apparent.


    Okay, Chance said. What do you want to know?


    The Shikari. I want to know why theyre after you, Jade said, clenching her fists. Somethings going on, and I want to know what. Theyre acting strange.


    Its a pretty long story. Chance rubbed his chin. To his surprise, it was Be that stepped in.


    Its because of a cultivator by the name of Vex. If youre willing to speak, then well let you know whats actually happening in Gleam.