Less than a full day after Theo had returned to Norro Yorthin, he found himself racing back out of the city in their sleigh. The damage to the back hadn't even been fully repaired yet, though it worked with his gravitational fields helping. There'd been time to get Fiyu to the Blacksilver healers, since that was essential, and time to unload their cargo, since the House had insisted. But there was absolutely none to rest or recover, much less to adjust back to the normal pace of his schedule.

Instead, they needed to rush back to the quarry to take part in House Teal's contest. It felt a bit petty compared to the expedition into Ichil and Fiyu nearly losing her life, but the three hours in the quarry couldn't be replaced with any other three hours. So off they went.

Two months. It felt like another lifetime, but the fact was he had just under two months until the duel.

"Do you think I could ascend to Ruler?" Nauda asked the question abruptly while they were still on their way and he glanced at her in surprise.

"You might be able to force it, but I wouldn't suggest trying this soon." He tried to meet her gaze and she refused, though they both knew what she was thinking. "I'm not sure either of us could have defended Fiyu as a Ruler. The higher tiers are much better at surviving themselves than helping others."

"Maybe that's how it usually is." For a while Nauda didn't say anything else, then shook her head sharply in the way that always sent her hair shifting. "It doesn't matter now. I think I feel confident about the whirlwind this time, so if I can do well enough, then we'll talk about options for me to ascend. Deal?"

"Deal, but I'd just suggest something similar to what I did for Fiyu."

When they arrived beside the quarry, almost too late for the beginning of the competition, there was no one sinister waiting for them. Just a normal crowd of first tiers and Archcrafters, hoping for whatever the prize was. They leapt out practically before the sleigh had stopped moving, and Lady Baryara frowned disapprovingly, but it seemed they had arrived in time.

"I will not repeat any instructions, but the rules will apply to all, tardy or not." She sniffed and then looked over the rest of the crowd. "There is little more to be said. 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 sublime skull from the fabled direstorm, directly from the vaults of House Teal."

"That actually sounds like it might fit." Nauda tossed her staff from hand to hand and shifted her weight. "I'll help you gather those gems for a while, but support me when I make my attempt."

There was no need to for her to ask: after what they had been through in Ichil, working together was a foregone conclusion. Theo actually had more tornadogems than he needed for his current design, though he intended to collect more just in case. Overall, he was mostly interested in seeing how well he could dodge the rocks with his new speed.

"Begin!" The instant Lady Baryara started the contest, Theo and Nauda sprinted for the side and skidded down the slope.

Moving at his full speed and with Nauda beside him, Theo reached the bottom without hitting a single rock. That part had been easy, but he wasn't so confident with the central whirlwind. Nauda moved in first, spinning her staff freely and batting aside everything that came her way. She seemed a bit more confident striking rocks she couldn't see clearly, perhaps due to all the time straining her senses in Ichil.

For his part, he was just concerned with raw speed. Yet as he stepped into the whirlwind, he was surprised that the rocks no longer seemed to be moving as quickly because his perceptions had changed. That was the real danger of higher tier soulcrafters: not raw power, but a massive increase in functional speed.

Just as he started to adjust to his dodging, he noticed several others coming down the side of the quarry. Many were struck and fell, but one man swept down at a confident pace. At least, he thought it was a man: they wore loose clothes, a hood, and a mask that covered the lower half of their face. He would have thought they were trying too hard to look mysterious if not for something off about them, though he couldn't put his finger on what.

The mystery figure crossed the bottom of the quarry in the flash and started up the other side, and that was when Theo got worried: they didn't seem to be having any more trouble in the more intense winds. Nauda noticed too and ran to get ahead of them, so Theo decided to do his part and dropped several gravitational fields on their competitor.

Though the figure stumbled, a bolt of cantae crackled back at him. Theo's eyes widened as he saw it shoot toward him in an irregular line, leaping unevenly in a way he'd never seen before. He managed to dodge, despite the bolt flickering back in his direction at the last moment.

Nauda pulled ahead, but the figure released another bolt after her. She dodged, even with it fired at her back... and the bolt leapt backward to strike her legs. As she winced and skidded partway down the mountain, the hooded figure pushed past her.

If they'd wanted to, that bolt could have been much more destructive, since he suspected the mystery competitor might be a Ruler hiding their strength. When he tried to examine their soulhome, he saw only spiritual static. Throwing aside such concerns, Theo decided to try a riskier trick and used reverse gravitational fields.

As the figure fell upward, one of their legs stretched downward and grabbed a rock underneath. While Theo was taken aback, suddenly realizing that this figure was something that only pretended to be humanoid, it twisted its upper body all the way around and shot a much larger bolt of spasmodic cantae at him. By the time he'd dodged, the figure had escaped his field and was racing Nauda for the top.

Theo headed after them, taking a few hits from rocks because he was more interested in seeing the results than in a bit more training. He made his way through the vortex to the clearer area, unsure what he'd find.

The hooded figure extended a hand wordlessly to Lady Baryara, who handed him the skull. That accomplished, it rotated unnaturally stiffly and returned to the quarry, passing through just as easily as before. Nauda leaned on her hands and knees, catching her breath. She was soon awarded a sack of money by Lady Baryara and didn't look happy about it. Theo kept his head down so that he wouldn't be declared third place and waited for her.

It took longer than he expected before Nauda slid down to join him with a strange expression on her face. "I guess I should have pulled back, but I thought I could pass him at the end. He ran oddly, but his last sprint was even faster than mine."

"Did you get any information about him?" Theo asked. He hadn't noticed anything off about the running style, but that might make sense if his suspicions were true.

"If you mean with my telescope, he completely blocked it somehow. The only thing I heard with the official was that he represents the House of the Lost. This is the first time I've seen them take much of a role in anything in the city."

"They're supposed to be one of the main powers." Theo stared after the hooded figure for a moment, then turned back to the whirlwind. "Help me grab some tornadogems if you can."

Nauda took her frustration out on them, snagging the golden stones out of the vortex one after another. Theo spent his time dodging, pleased at how it had become easier, right up until the point that Lady Baryara descended beside them, wrapped in a dark green aura.

"Just what are you doing?" she demanded. Theo immediate slid back down the central slope and gave her a polite bow.

"As you can see, I'm struggling to dodge the stones. I saw that those gems were related to the speed of the tornado, so I thought that perhaps I could lower the speed. Is that not permitted? Forgive me if I have assumed too much of the generosity of House Teal."

"Hmph." She glared down like she didn't believe him, but in the end turned away. "Do as you will, but you cannot have past winners assist you. Be gone, girl."

As Nauda reluctantly left, Theo just returned to his dodging. It still wasn't easy, and he knew that Esaire would be even faster. Still...

Theo's hand shot out and he snagged one of the gems from the storm. The sharp edges bit into his palm, but he tightened his fingers around it and smiled.