Chapter 474: Ragged, Rushing Wings

(Cognosticon here. Normal chapters this week, but next week we'll need to shift the schedule. No reduction in chapter rate, just a change in posting.)

The wind kept tearing against his face, and even though Kai's skin was completely immune to it, he still felt like was wearing him down. Given all the ways he'd enhanced his body, his eyes didn't water and his lips didn't chap, yet he just felt exhausted rushing across the Southern Reach.

Unfortunately, though his early victories had wiped out the majority of the cultivators, they had finally found an effective strategy. They would flare their qi in one location, then vanish before he could arrive. The problem was that the burst of qi might not be a decoy, and they had actually killed several people in brutal attacks. It seemed as though they were coordinating across the distances, some of them serving as distractions while others attacked.

They hadn't killed very many dryads, though. It seemed like they'd abandoned their mission in favor of survival.

He didn't think even they were bloodthirsty enough to kill for no reason, so they had to be working toward some goal. Could it be as simple as wearing him down? Kai would have bet on himself against any of the Earth Souls even in this exhausted state... but not Grandpa Wan Fei.

Thought of the patriarch and the young master distracted Kai as he flew. Was he just being naive, even trying to get through to the old man? So far Grandpa Wan Fei hadn't been part of these coordinated attacks, but if people died due to Kai's decision...

At least the Frontier elites were supposed to send someone soon, to help fight and to negotiate a way back to Cloudspire. Kai pushed himself harder, forgoing sleep in order to limit the enemy until he could reach that point. Another burst of qi appeared in the distance and he grimaced, increasing his speed to chase it down, just in case this one was real.

At least Thunderbird's Wings was growing. Kai chuckled humorlessly to himself and pushed onward.

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..

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Usually Kai just blitzed through Razorfall City, past the guards who had long since grown used to his crazed flight, in order to pick up information. When someone flagged him down and told him that Raghi Tonjin had recovered, he spent several seconds staring, trying to understand the good news. Didn't seem right that it should be good news instead of another disaster.

Somehow he managed to make it to Juray's home in the human district of the city, where he found Raghi set up in bed with Juray tending to him. It seemed like he was more than recovered, thanks to his Physique, but Juray was insistent.

Kai felt a strange stab of nostalgia at the scene... once Juray had been like that with him. He didn't want her specifically, and he was glad to see the two of them happy, but he longed for that same comfort. If only Zae Zin Nim and Omilaena were here... he brushed aside weary emotions and stepped inside.

"Glad to see you're looking better," Kai said. "You took a beating."

"Was hoping I could break through to D rank," Raghi mumbled.

"D rank Physique is a beast here on Deadwaste. Given some time, I could probably come up with something for you... everything really is a lot easier on the other continents."

"Come sit down," Juray said, gesturing to a chair on the opposite side of the bed. "Raghi has been wanting to talk to you."

"We never got a chance," Kai said as he dropped down into the chair. "So you came south with Juray?"

"I actually couldn't, at first, but the elites gave me permission later," he said. "Seems they want to test improving some Goralian Classes with southern materials."

"That's always been the ideal," Juray added, "but usually an unattainable one. This time, though... I think I've been making some real progress."

"And I get to serve as test subject. I'm not complaining, at least after you stopped making those lime-flavored potions."

Both of them laughed and Kai found himself smiling along with them even though he didn't know the reference. Yes, this was what he needed, even though he was still missing those closest to him...

"What about Lofgan?" Kai asked.

"Oh, he's still at the Frontier wall," Raghi told him. "Going into serious training with the elites, and trying to awaken an elemental power. Actually, that's been-"

They were all interrupted by the flaring light of one of the mana communicators. Juray snatched it off the table, irritated at first, then let out a sigh. When she turned to Kai to share the news of another attack, he already knew what to expect. He couldn't even get a few moments to rest.

"We'll have to talk later," he said on the way out. "There's just no time."

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..

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When the Frontier elites finally sent someone, it wasn't the backup he'd hoped. If it had been one of those he'd known, like Sheiri Kagskan, she could have handled the movements in the Southern Reaches and helped eliminate the remaining cultivators. Then he could have finally got some rest.

Instead they had sent one of their allies, an Earth Union man named Gorndron of Granitecrest. He had roughly 400 Power, but he wasn't clearly superior to the Earth Souls. It was kind of funny that both used the word "earth" - or maybe Kai was just so exhausted that anything seemed funny to him. In any case, Gorndron seemed to be more of a coordinator than a fighter, despite his strength.

"We can get you more teleportation mechanisms," Gorndron told him, "but I warn you, they're rough. You don't look up to a trip across the continent."

"But if I was fully recovered," Kai said, "and you focused all your resources on it, could you teleport me back to Cloudspire?"

"Not possible. The oceans are just too wide, and the chaotic energy interferes. Maybe this fellow on Cloudspire could do it, but that's beyond us."

It was a disappointment, but he'd gotten used to disappointment. Kai took a deep breath and tried to force his sluggish thoughts to engage... how long had it been since he'd slept? He'd trust Razz and Juray to handle the logistics of setting up future plans, so all he needed to do was convince the Frontier elites that this was worth investing in.

"What I'm hearing is that you could teleport me around Deadwaste."

Gorndron regarded him skeptically. "If you had a good argument for it. Even teleporting around a nation is uncommon, and going across the continent is costly."

"This isn't just about me, we can help each other." Kai rubbed his knuckles into his eyes and managed to refocus. "Do you have any serious monster problems that are causing trouble even for the elites? I could help you with those and we could help each other."

"There are always monster problems, son."

"Talk to the others, get some kind of list. Listen, as soon as I take care of this, I'm going to need to talk to people. Someone in Krysal and... the Wind Union. I'm not at my best right now, but trust me, this will be worth it for you. Irun is doing better thanks to me, right?"

"Thanks to one of your allies," Gorndron said evenly, "who I believe isn't here right now."

"And I can't get her if you don't help!" Kai realized he was snapping and pulled back. "Sorry, I'm exhausted. But trust me, talk to the people I've worked with before and they'll vouch for me. I can figure this out, I just need support..."

"Don't think I'm not sympathetic." Gorndron shook his head. "Look, I'll arrange everything. Don't get yourself killed before then, alright?"

Kai didn't even have the energy to give a proper reply to that. He stumbled out, driven only by Behemoth's Heart, and tried to consider what else he needed to do. Razz had been implying that there was some sort of problem with the Goralian Merchants Guild, and he wanted to help, but there were just so many higher priorities...

Before he even got back to the guild, he felt another surge of qi. Kai groaned and shot into the sky.

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..

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How long had he been awake now? Kai had no idea, and even the daytime sky was starting to look dark to him, a bizarre undulating color that was neither light nor shadow. He'd come damn close to one of the cultivators though, very nearly killing the woman before she used a short range teleport. Since then they had been more cautious as they realized that serving as a decoy could get them killed.

No new deaths, but still no appearance from Grandpa Wan Fei. If he actually managed to get the young idiot back to Cloudspire, would the patriarch ignore Deadwaste, or would he send even more forces to take revenge? There was no way to know, but Kai had to prepare just in case.

When he stopped by the guild to check messages, it seemed like it was actually night because there weren't many people around. Kai was about to leave when he saw Juray motioning for him urgently. He hastened after her, only to be led to an empty room.

"I don't like seeing you like this," she said quietly. "Can't you rest, just for a moment?"

"You don't understand." His words slurred more than he wanted to admit, but he pushed on. "Zin Nim and Omi are still on Cloudspire... they're outnumbered... they could already be... they need support."

"Kai, slow down and think. It's been weeks, and it will be weeks more before you get back to them. You have to trust them to take care of themselves. If they can't, then it's already too late. You aren't helping anyone by pushing yourself this hard."

"But... I..."

"Can you honestly tell me that one night will make a difference for any of this?"

"I..." All at once he sighed so heavily he seemed to exhale his soul. "You're right. I just..."

"Sleep, Kai. You need the rest." Juray coaxed him onto a cot and handed him a potion. He couldn't tell if had any effect on his soul, but the old taste was soothing and he drifted away...

Briefly, then he shot upright. It seemed like it had been no time at all, though by the light it was mid-morning.

Yet in that time, he'd recovered more than he'd expected. Beyond the restoration of his energy, his mind no longer felt like it was struggling through a swamp. Instead... well, it was more like he cut through swamps in his monstrous form. Kai burst out the door, ignoring the startled workers, and went to find Juray. She wasn't far away in her office and looked up at him in concern.

"Shouldn't you still be resting?"

"No, you were right, but I did that." Kai leaned against her desk, grinning. "Go get Razz and whats-his-name. I have a new idea."