Inside his dreams Grisla was not Grisla—he was Grisla the Undefeated, Grisla the Unstoppable, and… Grisla the Immortal. He saved towns and kings and queens and ladies and whomever caught his interest. Dancing between danger like a leaf on the wind; those who chased him, their corpses were left to bake in the sun. And, at the peak of his accomplishment, he tripped, fell on a boulder and died.

That… was a shitty dream I’ll say.

Despite that, he ached to fall back to slumber. The temperature was right for it, too. When he closed his eyes and reached out with his spiritual sense, his father was gone. Out for his guard’s post. Grisla frowned. Gihren Orlith—reduced to a clan’s gate guard, the cruelty was unreal. He typically avoided wandering near his father’s post and patrols, additionally to help that out his father, despite his illness and health still grasped a step of power as he was reminded of.

“It’s gotten worse.” He whispered to himself. “Putting up a front is… commendable, I guess. But, father, do you ever think of my feelings if I lose you, too?”

Han was right. His father was someone to admire, had he not suffered an incident there would be no telling the strings he could pull for his son’s recovery today. A fate that nobody’ll ever see. It wouldn’t be far-fetched for him to be taken right up to the healers and soulworkers at the Mouthspring Sect. If he kept thinking about it, maybe a second dream of the what-ifs wouldn’t be too bad.

A tendril of light from the ceiling did tell him to stay awake. Rude.

His duties for today are at a minimum, to his relief. Running his father’s errands and a short practice at Elder Jinshi’s; if nothing else goes awry, means he’ll have two hours and the rest of the afternoon to himself. Bubbling with anticipation, he left from the starting line with an extra pop in his step—taking his way to the village center outside of the clan’s walls.

After a time spent purchasing new materials on his father’s list: third-degree swords, a few fletched arrows, a handful of talismans, and three Shade Beast skins it took two trips to haul the load back home. If he had the reserves, it would’ve taken him only one. Another embarrassing reminder of how pitiful his core was. He kept up the verisimilitude in crowded areas but dove for an alley every once and a while to catch his breath. No matter though, it’s done. Lastly was another report back to the field for practice.

To not get tar and feathered he did the work to arrive on time. Everything was as it was like yesterday, before the Elder blew up on them, anyway. The juniors had already divided themselves up to their respective friend groups. But “friend” would be a loose definition. Some of the talented were surrounded by others of a similar level, those with lesser-but-earned status grouped themselves up to classify themselves as the average kids. And those who relished in the supplication of the weak and spineless were the largest groups: Bei Mei’s and one other.

It was laughable for how much they didn’t try to hide it.

Grisla looked around for Han, and, to his notice he couldn’t make him out anywhere. Was he hiding somewhere? Or is he late again, Grisla shuddered to think of the fury Elder Jinshi would hold for that event, if it happens. But it was of no concern to him so shoveling it away in the corner of his mind was painless.

Eventually Elder Jinshi arrived; and as normal nobody had heard or felt his presence. He cut to the point: “Practice what we were doing as of yesterday.” Then fell into a state between sleep and meditation.

It all happened as before, him alone. This time he knew something was strange. Rei Han was nowhere to be found. “Elder,” Grisla said, “may I inquire as to the whereabouts of Rei Han?”

To a small surprise, the Elder had no derisive attitude or comment before his answer. “Rei Han, of the Rei family has taken a leave of absence for this week. Find a new partner."

“Elder, there are no more students left.”

“Well? The answer’s clear isn’t it? Self-study!” He grumbled some more under his breath. Probably prattling on about how rude and brainless the younger generations have become.

Grisla took what he got. Then taking a segment of the field for himself, he weaved through the forms of Earth shatters; Heaven quakes, not as much invested in it as he should’ve, as noticed by his feet running too far from his shoulders, throwing off his balance. Now that the field was busy in their own practice, nobody took a glance of his silly mistake. He stopped, scowling.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

It still hung around him like a bad smell. The more he pretended to not care, the harder the memory of yesterday kicked at his door. Han—a powerful sparring partner, looking no different than a newborn babe in the shadow of Xinrei and his boys. Han, whether he knew it or not, was feeling exactly what Grisla did hours prior. But…

That feeling was something that nobody but himself should have to feel. He shook his head.

Regardless, it’s none of my business. So, what if he gets humbled a bit? Nothing quite wrong with that. I find it addicting to see, in the rare occasions it comes.

But there was nothing elementary such as a bullying from Xinrei. Not A chosen of their clan—THE chosen of their clan. The cards said it clear, if it involved a powerhouse like him… it wasn’t anything simple, and it was a planet’s gap from his concern.

Hell, even his father has no say in it. Still…

Grisla tripped, and from his view he saw a rock coming close to his head; in a deft maneuver he caught his fall. He stared at the rock with background of laughter.

Damnit.

Later on after their dismissal he took himself to no-man’s land—The Upper District—not so much as barred as there was never any good reason to come here, and unless he wanted a strong scolding from an Elder he would detour to any available routes away from here. Bringing his Untalented presence here was like a practice in masochism, his banishment from here was basically an unspoken rule. There was no harm in him being here, actually the spider drowning in their ginseng tea was a bigger threat, but some of the clan regarded him as a bad omen, or a walking curse. Nobody knew exactly why he had an issue with his Juva and because of that it was better to play safe and stop him from spreading… whatever it is that afflicted him, if contagious.

Would be a disgusting liar to say he did not want to be in here. Everything was bigger, larger, and more decadent. This’s where the clan brought their guests to be hosted and persuaded. Opulence first, discussion later. There were some mixed feelings in this place. Just now, to the left of him and a little over the way, a little girl about half his age pointed him out, whispered to her mother, then her mother gave him a nasty glare and hurriedly carried her off to the nearest pavilion.

Their disdain for him intensified the closer he got to the heart of the clan. Unfortunately, the Rei house was located about midway in the interior. It won’t be the first for him to see.

If his family’s home was a rabbit, then the Rei’s is a gracious mustang. Their own personal gate for their property was nearly the size of the clan’s perimeter wall. He almost wanted to gape at how massive it was and wished there could be someone to ask just why that was. Who were they keeping out if the clan’s couldn’t? Such a gross appropriation of funds spoke clear at the differences between him and Han. But that wasn’t what he came for.

As he approached the gate there were two guards— with thick, lion-killing muscle that didn’t conceal themselves well behind their armor. And it seems like they were eager to put it to use again, both immediately staring death at Grisla. Even with their auras restrained, Grisla knew they could only be bested—and matched, by his father. That detail illustrated how simple it would be for them to exterminate him.

Best to play it safe.

Normally, all clan members were welcomed with a greeting, regardless of status. However, they stared at him as if he’d murdered their children. He had to swallow any shred of dignity or pride within this district, or a distasteful otherwise would be in his future.

He bowed. “Grisla Orlith, of the Orlith family has come to pay a visit.”

Robotically, one said: “To whom?”

“Rei Han.”

“Young master Rei has not informed us of your visit.” The other said.

“I came of my own volition.”

The two looked at each other. And together: “You may not enter.”

Grisla didn’t even have a plan for if they refused. He let his mind speak, “Uhh, I just wanted to check on him. He didn’t show up for practice today.”

The effect on them was null. “If young master Rei invites you over,” One of them stretched out the “if” longer than they should, “then this would be different, but until then… leave.”

He shrugged. Least he tried, he figured. No benefit or gain pressing something that he was at odds with anyway. As he made an about-face to where he came, his face pressed into something soft. Two soft somethings. Was he still at home with his pillows? He didn’t have time to think, as his very being screamed at him in self-preservation. The two guards choked his breathing as their power had finally unsheathed itself.

“How dare you! Untalented swine!”

“Step away or die!”

Thrown for a loop, Grisla jumped away from them and prepared himself. If they made way to attack him, his father was still around in this district and would hear his yell. But, he wondered, would he even be able to scream before they killed him? The thought almost chilled him into inaction, bringing him to regret all at once the very idea of coming here in the first place, if he got killed on another’s account, he would truly weep to the heavens.

Someone clapped. “Please, wait a minute. Deyfroth, Santilla.”

Who?

Grisla blinked. He saw the two guards snap back to as if a lightning bolt sprinted up their spine. Grisla had to register that there was one more person besides themselves here. But how? He hadn’t felt nor sense their arrival. Was it an Elder he’d missed? Following their gaze, he had to check his vision once more.

Behind him, was a woman who challenged what he thought he knew of beauty. If he were to be asked, without hesitation he would say Bei Mei was the only female he found unrepentantly pleasing to the eye and that would swing with many others of his gender. But this girl, no, woman—possessed raven colored hair, a stereotypical trait of the Rei family, it was like a cape itself for how it stretched wide and past her neck. With soft eyes and full lips, she had a familiarity to him that he saw somewhere before but Grisla couldn’t say what. But he knew exactly who she was.

Rei Rangwha, a chosen of the Grittus clan.