by Sarah Lin
Theo hopped to his feet, fresh in the real world even if spiritually exhausted. "Then I assume you either think I need a break, or you have a new opportunity."
"The latter. Come on, Fiyu is already waiting in the sleigh."
By now the Blacksilver complex had become quite familiar, though he didn't feel any real sense of comfort from it. Nauda was moving everywhere faster these days, feeling the new strength of her second floor. He'd even noted the start of a pyramid atop her roof, though he judged that premature. That said, he trusted her judgment enough that he was highly curious about what she had found.
They soon reached one of the outer courtyards, where Fiyu sat patiently in the middle seat of the sleigh. When she spotted them, she smiled, and continued beaming as they climbed in. "Hello, Theo. Nauda believes that she has found a local challenge that will be beneficial to all of us."
"So she told me, but what is it?"
She didn't answer right away, instead easing the sleigh out the main gate and beginning to slide through the city. Norro Yorthin had laws about flying too high, but the streets themselves were rather orderly, with different lanes for different types of vehicles. They floated over the heads of most, the sleigh's downward force only producing a slight wind. Once they were en route, which he noted might take them out of the city, Nauda turned back toward them.
"Every month, one of the lesser Houses conducts a contest in a quarry outside the city. I think the competition generates cantae for their mining operations, but they motivate people to come by giving rewards to the winners." Nauda grinned and began ticking off her fingers. "First, House Blacksilver will give us a small amount of money for winning. Second, the award always includes some money. Third, there's a different unique prize every month. And finally, the contest itself is supposed to be a speed challenge."
"It sounds like you've thought this through." His own thoughts immediately led to an obvious question. "Is it based on teams, or can we each win the competition a different time?"
"Individuals. I don't know how stiff the competition will be, but I thought we should at least try. Since each person can only win a prize once, I think we have a shot."
Based on those details, the idea did seem promising. Since the rewards would be won or lost in a short period of time, it was certainly an efficient method, which made Theo more curious how effective it would be as training. That, he would probably just have to determine by seeing the actual contest.
They left by the western gate, which didn't have nearly as much of an outer city as the southern region near the gate to Tatian. A road of durable stone sliced out into the wasteland, likely to another city lost in the dust storms, but Nauda quickly took them away from it, northwest to a region where mining was obviously in evidence.
Huge pits gouged deep into the ground on both sides, but where most had workers going about their labor, one in particular had a teal flag and a cluster of soulcrafters around it. No doubt their destination. They stopped their sleigh alongside several chariots, and while Theo locked down the controls, Nauda hopped out to speak to the officials.
They stayed at the edge of the crowd of soulcrafters for Fiyu's comfort, so he just looked over the group and the mining pit itself. Most of those he saw were first tier soulcrafters, though a few had reached Archcrafter. The sides of the quarry declined gradually, their walls remarkably smooth - worn by wind, he thought. Strangely, a section in the middle of the quarry hadn't been worn down at all, instead a steep peak in the center that made the entire pit a ring. Something gleamed at the top of the platform in the center, so that must be their destination.
"Everyone, attend to me!" An official in teal robes called for silence, then somberly tucked her hands into her sleeves to address them. "I am Lady Baryara of House Teal. We have again decided to open our treasure vaults to the seekers of other Houses. If you have merit, you could well be rewarded in today's challenge. Each contestant may only receive one gift from House Teal before departing the challenge, to allow others to enjoy our magnanimity."
She went on with a similar level of pomp, so Theo began tuning out the exact words. Instead he examined the mine more carefully, trying to determine how the challenge itself would work. He noted that there were metal spheres placed throughout the exterior slope, designed to absorb cantae. Though he tried to feel for any dangerous sublime materials that could make this a trap, he thought they would simply absorb the atmospheric cantae used in the contest.
Honestly, it was a bit pathetic for a House to need to generate cantae like this. The quantity they'd gain, subtracting the expense of running the contest, would be trivial if they had able Authority-tier soulcrafters, much less a Stronghold. That didn't mean he wouldn't take advantage of it, though, so he listened in when the official moved on to the rules.
"In a moment, the tornado will be kindled and will rage for three hours. Your goal will be to descend this side of the quarry, then climb the center - as always, vehicles, flight, or leaping over the chasm are not allowed. Anyone who reaches the top of the summit will receive the esteem of House Teal, but the first three will receive additional compensation, and the first to scale the summit will be awarded this month's prize: a grand historical chariot from House Teal."
Lady Baryara gestured to one of the chariots beside the quarry and Theo barely gave it a glance. He had no direct need for it, and if they were giving it away like this, it couldn't be too valuable. What interested him most was the contest itself, and fortunately, it began before any more speeches.
A powerful source of cantae surged from the central mountain and wind began to circulate throughout the quarry. It was unremarkable at first, but the cantae urged it faster and faster. Rocks began to lift into the air and spin in a vast vortex, and then glimmering yellow stones were released, joining the others as citrine streaks.
"No one will be given assistance until the three hours are complete," Lady Baryara said. "Begin!"
Chapter 19
Theo crouched at the edge of the slope, peering into the whirlwind. The vortex was contained within the quarry, but it tore into the surrounding rocks and the earth below, no doubt serving a function for the quarry itself. There were a huge number of rocks traveling at considerable speed, so anyone who ventured below risked being battered to death. It did seem that the bottom of the quarry was clearer, perhaps to reduce casualties.
The House Teal official had leapt over the vortex to the central pillar, but the rest of them needed to venture into the whirlwind. One soulcrafter leapt forward with more confidence than skill, almost immediately taking a rock to the shoulder. He lost his footing and tumbled down the side, the whirlwind pulling him partway around the quarry before he hit the bottom and lay still.
Others ventured down more slowly, apparently veterans of the challenge. Some tried to use shields, but the broad surfaces caught too much wind and many tumbled down. One Archcrafter generated a spherical barrier around a small group and they advanced carefully.
"I suppose just throwing yourself down the side is one option," Nauda said. "But I thought that you would be more interested in trying to dodge all these rocks."
"Yeah, that will be a bit of a challenge." Theo rolled his shoulders and resolved to set aside his gravitational abilities for the speed he'd need in the duel.
Fiyu knelt down beside the edge, her body tense, then carefully sat cross-legged. "I will remain here. The number of gems and rocks and grains of sand is... very high. If I could expand my senses to encompass all of them, I could easily reach the other side, but to feel everything will be a great challenge."
"Then you're right where you need to be. The reward isn't anything special, so our actual goal is to use their whirlwind as free training. We might as well get started."
He and Nauda began edging down the side, bracing themselves against the intensifying wind. Theo could easily track the streaking gems, but the dark rocks were harder to make out. Several steps in, he needed to start dodging them, already requiring his ful
l attention even before they reached the most intense speeds nearer the center.
What Nauda intended to get out of the contest was obvious: she spun her staff expertly, knocking aside every stone that came her way. As they pushed deeper into the quarry, a few of them made it past her staff, but they glanced off her body, leaving a mark but no blood. Clearly she intended to test her durability as well.
Though Theo could easily have reached the bottom by keeping her windward of him, that would defeat the purpose. Instead he tried to dodge on his own, the footwork difficult on the smooth slope down. Soon enough, some of the rocks began to clip him, some striking hard enough that he was afraid they'd bruise. He tried to snatch one of the gems out of the air, but it was too fast, even being able to anticipate them.
A rock hit the side of his head out of nowhere and Theo dropped, sliding down the remaining distance to the bottom. He groaned and rubbed the injury, sitting up only slightly. Here at the bottom, the wind was still intense, but most of the rocks had been flung higher, so it was moderately safe. Many of the other soulcrafters were catching their breath or lying still before they ventured toward the even more intense central pillar.
That had confirmed that he definitely wasn't fast enough - the rocks moved much slower than he'd expected Esaire to attack. The problem wasn't his instincts, which he thought were still sharp enough, but his raw speed. Fueled by their soulhomes, soulcrafters could move impossibly fast. As an Archcrafter he was already superhuman by Earth standards, but compared to someone with highly developed speed chambers, he'd be moving in slow motion.
"You okay?" Nauda slid down the side by him, shouting to be heard over the wind. He got up to walk closer to her.
"Not really injured, just frustrated." He glanced toward the central spire. "Are you going to try going up?"
"I'm not sure I'm good enough, but I won't improve unless I test myself." Nauda stepped away from him and headed inward, though she had to start deflecting rocks almost as soon as she set foot on the central slope of the quarry.
For his part, Theo tested his gravity in a small field around himself, mostly out of curiosity. It couldn't affect the wind itself, but it definitely had an effect on how easily the whirlwind picked up the rocks. If his goal had been to get to the top as fast as possible, he would have used that, but instead he set to work and began soulcrafting.
One of his side chambers on the second floor would be dedicated purely to speed, though it lacked sublime materials. Inspired by the wind around him, Theo began carving a pattern of a rushing orbit. Gravity was highly tied to speed, for example using a slingshot technique around a source of mass. Perhaps he could capture some of that...
Before he could do much, Nauda slid back down the side, bleeding from her lip but smiling. When she got close, she gestured toward the slope. "Nobody has made it up yet! I know the prize isn't much, but I think we should at least try, just to see how difficult it is."
That was reasonable enough, so he joined her. This time he helped a little, slightly increasing their gravity so the wind tore at them less fiercely. Nauda soon adjusted to her new weight, making it easier for her to climb the side while still deflecting rocks.
He stayed on the other side of her, his eyes struggling to track the projectiles. Those that got past her whipped at him at terrible speed, but he could occasionally dodge if he really threw himself into it. Without Nauda, he wouldn't have had a chance... for now. Once he'd soulcrafted a proper speed chamber, he thought this intensity might be a fairer challenge.
They struggled their way up, passing a few others who tumbled back down. At the end they needed to make a break for it, rushing up the final ascent on all fours, then suddenly the whirlwind abated. A few rocks swirled lazily near the top, but the whirlwind was no obstacle with the summit only a few times his height above them.
Of course, there were other obstacles: an Archcrafter stood on the slope before the summit, carefully watching the progress of someone below. When a different soulcrafter also got free of the worst of the whirlwind, the Archcrafter promptly hurled the rock at them, knocking them back down. They then returned to watching someone else struggling at the base.
"That Archcrafter could win at any time," Nauda said, "so is he... protecting someone else?"
"Maybe," Theo said, "but my guess is that he's a hired guard. Somebody with more money than skill brought a mercenary to keep anyone else from winning. If they're the one at the bottom there, they don't have what it takes on their own."
The Archcrafter glowered toward them, hefting a rock menacingly, but Nauda raised her hands and shook her head. He looked suspicious, but didn't throw anything at them. They caught their breath at the top, finally free of the dust, and prepared to head back down into the storm.
While he nursed a few bruises, Theo looked across, just to be sure Fiyu was alright. She still sat cross-legged, and when he raised an arm she waved back.
Because he was looking outside the quarry, he saw the crimson chariot descend near the starting point. Fiyu looked surprised and pulled back, but it wasn't an attack: Tythes slouched out of the vehicle. He took a final drink and then threw his cup aside before swaggering directly into the whirlwind.
"Is it even allowed for an Authority to do this?" Nauda asked the air. "What's the point?"
Given the unstable way Tythes walked, Theo wondered if he would adopt some sort of drunken fist style, but it was nothing of the sort. Instead he moved his body the bare minimum necessary to dodge each rock that spun his way. He didn't even look at them, just walked straight down the side untouched, yawning along the way... drawing in dust and coughing, though that didn't slow him down.
In a few seconds he was across the bottom and walking up the steep slope in the center, as easily as if ambling down the street. The Archcrafter mercenary hesitated, squinting down and seeing only Tythes's obscured soulhome. If he had any sense, he'd realize that Tythes was more powerful than everyone else in the quarry combined, but with Tythes approaching so quickly, he panicked and hurled a rock.
Tythes raised a hand lazily, raw cantae curling out and seizing both the rock and the Archcrafter. He threw them over his shoulder into the whirlwind without a second glance and continued marching up the side. Nauda glowered, but Theo grabbed her shoulder and urged her back. Not that he thought she'd attack, just to get them further away from Tythes in case he decided to target everyone in his path.
"You... you can't be here." The official from House Teal left her place at the summit to intercept him, though Lady Baryara didn't dare stand directly in his path. "You've already won this competition. You won when you were ten years old. Please stop coming back."
"But I want that... thing." Tythes stopped, glancing back to the other side. "Uh, a chariot? Yeah, I want that."
"Lord Tythes, the rules need to be followed. We can't stop you from taking the reward by force, but our master would be furious."
"If I leave the chariot here, will you declare me a victor and call me a good boy?"
Lady Baryara stared at him, unsure how to take that. Apparently growing bored, Tythes turned away from her... directly toward them. Theo braced himself to be thrown into the whirlwind, but the Authority simply ambled in their direction with a curious expression, smiling at Nauda.
"Didn't expect to see you here. They're telling me that I can't win, so do you want to?"
"I only reached this point with assistance." Nauda nodded toward Theo, which he didn't appreciate, but Tythes didn't even bother to look at him. "I will not be satisfied until I can pass through the whirlwind as easily as you did, without being struck."
"Ugh, hard workers. You are the absolute worst." Tythes promptly flopped over onto his face and then simply... slid down the side of the slope and lay at the bottom. Everyone stared down at him for a while, but he didn't appear inclined to move again.
Eventually Nauda shook her head and began moving around the side, ignoring Lady Baryara. "Let's stay away from him, but I want to go down again. I
think I can do better, I just need to get used to the speed."
"That's a good strategy," Theo said, "but can you capture me one of those gemstones? They seem to move faster than the rest and I'm curious how it works."
She nodded absentmindedly before throwing herself back into the whirlwind. Sliding down was easier than climbing, so Theo just dodged as best he could and suffered the few injuries. This body still felt a bit slow - perhaps he needed to develop muscle memory to match his old instincts. That would only make sense if his physical brain wasn't the same as his mind or soul... the distraction let a rock strike his head and he focused again.
When they reached the bottom, Nauda simply thrust her staff upward, binding one of the gemstones in place. She grunted and took a step back, as if pitting herself against the whirlwind, but then easily pulled it down and tossed it to him. While she returned to train, Theo examined it carefully.
Even with the wind howling around him, he heard a second wind from the yellow gemstone, especially when he brought it close to his ear. It seemed to hum with the wind itself, and he realized that it must be one of the sublime materials that accelerated the wind. If it generated such an intense wind in the real world, it was likely not as valuable for a soulhome, but the cantae wasn't bad.
They didn't attempt to reach the top again, just using the full three hours to test themselves. Fortunately, Tythes didn't cause any other problems and seemed to have disappeared, so they made good progress. After some soulcrafting, Theo could endure the lower parts of the quarry without being hit by the stones, though the most intense part of the whirlwind was still far too fast for him.