After the pretty eventful night for the city management and the other sect disciples, who couldn’t really do anything besides covering in fear or sending their respective elders alerts of help, city lord ordered the work of refurbishment for the northern section of the city. Seasonal workers like roof-cleaners and road-sweepers turned to works like building houses, transporting cement and stones, or some with experience in architecture to replan the fortifications with real masters of the subject.

Of course, Sid did not really care about how the city’s layout looked like for decades since he came over to govern it. The work itself was tiresome, more so stressing and exhausted his mental capacity, which he liked to spend more on cultivation and family. Yet, he now cared, or had to care, for the imminent threat above them would surely pose a great challenge.

The challenge he learned from the so-called Infirmary Nurse was a creature, or a half-forsaken, called Archura. A being beautiful and graceful, with generally black or white hair and long bright robes, that could summon wood and earth spirits and devils, and the amount and strength of these monsters did vary around Qi destruction and Path Finding. When you added that properties to the staggering amount of minions he or she could summon, Sid knew what he faced wasn’t a challenge, but a disaster. And in this disaster, he didn’t want any mishap because of his neglection.

The thing was, neither he nor the measle architects and planners in his city had a feasible solution to the what would be the best order to make somewhat of use of the now empty field. Sid himself had some ideas, respectively being an area to gather and reorganize the military and train some youths, or a place to establish several factories for the new weapon his daughter tried to imitate and half-successfully managed to accomplish.

But, before consulting to people who knew nothing about his thoughts, for now, he chose to take the advice of his most brilliant daughter, not that he has any other daughter or children.

His eyes seemed more sunken than yesterday, dark circles supplemented that exhausted look. He took off the golden chainmail armor back at his bedchamber, the voice it created when walking down the empty hallways did not entertain him much. Rather than that, he wore a simple dress that came down to his knees, with the favorite color of his daughter, purple, and a loose grey pants. Not so fashionable for a lord or noble, even more so for the son of an emperor, but who cared other than him and his family?

So, alongside the thoughts of what to do and when to talk the wizened Cole, he reached in front of his daughter’s room. From the furious sounds of swishing pen and brushing papers, he knew she was on another full-day work. If he were only half as attentive and smart as her, then he would surely have no problem or whatsoever when managing matters like this.

He knocked on the wide oak door twice, then waited for the girl to open the gates. Yet, she didn’t seem to hear him. With a devilish grin, he opened the door fast enough to scare her and rushed in with heavy steps.

‘’Laila, do you know how long I’ve been waiting?’’

‘’Uhh-’’ Laila dropped her pen on the table from shock, slightly waggled and entered into her instant-process mode. Her eyelashes trembled like his sister’s, not visible unless one inspected at will, and the scattered hair on her shoulders reminded him of her mother, again. He tried hard to suppress the impulse to pat her hair, then sighed as she spoke.

‘’Umm, for a few seconds?’’

‘’Then-’’

‘’You knocked twice, or once.’’

‘’Well, okay you win.’’ Although he didn’t know what she won, he felt like he lost some dignity. Why couldn’t he be a rough, harsh father like Cole or Russell? Well, a certain father reminded him of the consequences of being a ruthless one, and surely getting harsh was the first steps to being one like that father. His mood dampened quite a lot from the reminiscence, yet the cheerful cute girl in front of him also swelled up his happiness quite well.

‘’So dad, what is the matter today?’’ He caught up the fact that Laila probed his face, especially the circles and wrinkles around his eyes and cheeks. She offered him a seat right beside hers, next to the table filled with pens, drawings, notes, and so on. As he sat down, Sid felt proud for a moment, then spoke.

‘’You know about yesterday.’’

‘’Yep, mom almost died from a heart attack.’’

‘’Don’t talk so lightly about her health,’’ He sighed, ‘’Well, since we have a pretty big area leftover from all the chaos, I thought I could implement some of your ideas about those cannons and such.’’

Her eyes brightened and her limps trembled. It was moments like this that reminded Sid, his Laila was still a child. Although he treated her more like an adult, since most of her works and researches benefited the city more than him, still giving hard responsibilities as such to her seemed harsh. It pained him a little, but just a little though. He could bear with that much.

‘’Did you find the wood? Do we also have the money to request some helping hands from the Cindersnow city or sect?’’

‘’For the first, we can find a substitute.’’ He started to explain. ‘’Since its declaration time, some woods at the further south, specifically at the foot of the Mountain Of Emperors, saw some changes in nature.’’

‘’How did you inspect them?’’ Laila entered into her full-seriousness mode instantly. ‘’I thought no ordinary man can get near the mountains, even so far as to investigate.’’

‘’Well, we sent Russell and the newcomer to look them up.’’

Laila frowned, and he had a premonition she guessed what was up. Although Sid knew it didn’t matter at this point. If she asked, he would answer with the truth. And if she didn’t ask, well...there was nothing he could do then.

‘’Alright, what was the difference?’’

‘’They absorb the Qi like how humans breathe. Rather than a full revolution to reinforce the internal structure of the body, they release the Qi back and reaffirm the natural Qi around them.’’

‘’Dad, what do you mean by reaffirm? Can you not create random words out of nothing?’’

Sid flashed a bitter smile and hung his head a bit lower. ‘’I mean, there is a natural barrier around every living being that's associated with Qi, right?’’

‘’Yep.’’

‘’These things don’t. Instead of a barrier, they have a force field of some sort that gives back what they’d taken with more potency and purity. So, the air around them gets reaffirmed, and when they breathe again, the same air purifies more and more.’’

‘’Then this means they can support a foreign consciousness inside their body?’’

‘’Well, yeah. We still need to figure out whether we will need a full tree or how long one piece of wood needs to accommodate one, but yes. They can.’’

Laila beamed. Sid wanted to laugh a bit as well, but the girl shoved him out of the chair the same instant. ‘’Well, dad, if it is so then you may go as well.’’

‘’But about the second point-’’

‘’You can do whatever you wish on that. I don’t know how those trade and political things work too, so get over it on your own.’’

‘’Ahem, alright then.’’ Sid stood up and patted her hair to satisfy his wicked desire. ‘’Also, you need to make those things work in two weeks, if not then all will go to waste.’’

‘’Other than that, dad,’’ Laila did not mind his words and spoke with a whisper, ‘’Was it intentional?’’

Sid knew what he feared came. She knew after all. Of course, being the attentive genius she is, there was no way she couldn’t realize his purpose.

‘’Partly, I expected a bigger fish.’’

‘’A bigger fish huh? I think you became too greedy, dad.’’ She smirked, ‘’Well, to use a monster to clear away the burden on supply might not be that bad of an idea.’’

‘’But don’t you fear that the Cindersnow’s people won’t report you?’’

Sid turned to face his daughter, his face grave and somber. He wanted to tell how he felt, how much he was afraid of that possibility, and how much he was ready to give up his right to protect both her and her mother. But, he chose not. He was a fool, and only a fool would say:

‘’When did I fear them?’’

And she knew he was an idiot, even beyond of some normal people in that regard. Yet she still loved him, and he loved his daughter. That was why she did not judge his decision and didn’t say this wasn't the best option. She just smiled, then nodded. This, this simple motion, gave him a relief, and lessened the burden on his shoulders.

‘’Though I don’t quite understand, why didn’t you trap the monster in the barrier and scorched it with that guy’s flames?’’ She inquired about the other matter, ‘’Isn’t it a waste? Surely, he would be better in fine condition rather than wounded.’’

This time, Sid smirked at her daughter. Laila seemed to realize something, then spoke her mind.

‘’You wanted to see his limits?’’

‘’No,’’ He grinned and left the room after sending a bright smile. ‘’Not him, but the other’s.’’ With that, he closed the doors and left his daughter alone, in confusion.

*********

In consideration of the events of the yesterday, the college declared a two-day holiday to both staff and the disciples of the school. Although Ubel had doubts that the choice wasn’t really out of consideration, he did not mind staying idle for a day or two after the frightening night. What he saw was bound to be something he would remember for a long time, if not for a lifetime. And he wasn’t alone in that aspect. An example was his friend, Kowalski, right beside him. Quite possibly, he bore a mental scar as well. His family’s house was infinitely close to the area of destruction and them faring well was a big relief for him. He wondered how his family reacted to the situation since most people he saw stood either shocked or wailed for the losses.

Ubel didn’t know what would Kowalski do if his family passed away like many others.

Well, this did not matter and he was just a moment short of learning his family’s situation he wondered, as Kowalski invited him for lunch. He accepted with pleasure, of course. Homemade meals were something he missed after leaving for the sect, and he felt a subtle longing for the same taste of his grandma’s cooking.

I shouldn’t expect much Ubel told himself many times on the way, but the feeling remained and so did his expectation. I wonder what grandma is doing now. Maybe she was doing well on her own, the vegetables of the small garden should still suffice for another year or so. Her health was bad, very bad, but he didn’t think she would pass away that quick. Since she was a mother who raised both his son and his son’s child without depending on anyone.

A strong-willed woman like her would make an excellent immortal.

Why did I think of that?

The question remained unanswered as they came in front of their destination. It was a simple Tudor house, the roof comprised of tiles and a pair of chimneys, placed a decent width apart to look symmetric, and the rest of the main structure was either timber and brick. It seemed simple and unassuming the remnants of the other buildings a few meters away, it would look quite lovely with other counterparts that stretched all the way to the Claudius’ last stand.

Kowalski didn’t even need to knock or call for anyone as the door opened the moment they arrived. A middle-aged woman, who looked like a midwife with still splendid dark hair greeted them. Contrary to her stature, however, the clothes she wore, a long dress with long sleeves and adorned with a jewel embed belt, contrasted with the small pairs of bracelets and rings on her pair of arms and fingers made her a perfect candidate for a wealthy noble.

Her manners did not indicate as such, though.

‘’Oh is this your friend, dear?’’ She directly inquired and took her son in a warm, death-lock hug. ‘’Welcome, welcome. I heard you helped him a little bit at this and that, I’m so grateful!’’ She approached him with the same opened arms, and he would have gladly returned the embrace back if it wasn’t for the sight of poor Kowalski, struggling to breathe with a reddened face.

‘’Umm, your welcome...I guess?’’ He evaded her move and hid behind Kowalski. Now now, Ubel didn’t think he would ever run away from a hearty welcome. The woman seemed crestfallen for a moment, and her eyes gave Ubel a fright. Still, she recovered in an instant and led them in.

Keeping his distance from her, Ubel inspected the inside and felt a strange, pleasant sensation, like a seasoned veteran of furnishing. One couldn’t help but appreciate the fine location of portraits between small windows and the candlesticks. He wondered why Quan didn’t decorate their residence like this. A feast to the eye should be always welcome.

‘’Oh, these are all my children,’’ A mother’s frightening sixth sense was quick to pick up their interests. Her pace slowed down, though they were almost at the end of the road, and started introducing.

‘’This is my daughter Stacy, she passed away at the age of eight,’’ She said with a bitter smile. Her gaze betrayed more than her face and Ubel felt sorry for the woman.

‘’Then this is my other son, Leo. He also died at the age of eight,’’ Her expression didn’t change and she continued. ‘’This is my second daughter, Ramla. She committed suicide at her eighth birthday.’’

‘’This is my third daughter, Elanora. She got struck by lightning right before her 9th birthday...’’

‘’This is my fourth son, John. He died at the hands of the bandits while he was eight...’’

‘’This...’’

‘’He...’’

‘’...and at last, my seventh daughter Mala.’’

‘’She is?’’

‘’Oh she is fine and well, we celebrated her tenth birthday last month. Quite a rascal, but she is still better than the impish Kowalski.’’ Her expression brightened at the mention of her two alive children, and Ubel didn’t dare to continue such a horrifying conversation. What kind of a disaster fell on their family that thirteen children died at the age of eight? Was there something wrong with eight? Were they cursed? Should he alert Quan?

‘’Well, but this is not important, isn’t it? Since Mala is staying at her friend’s today, there is more for you to eat.’’ After that, she entered into the kitchen. Nothing special, same with their house only there were two more shelves filled with food. Sitting down at the full decorated table, filled with bacon, an interesting choice for lunch, eggs, freshly fried fish, another interesting one, two loaves of bread, white cheese, and olives. There were two more dishes, probably handmade as he didn’t know of them, so he didn’t bother to name them.

‘’Mother, you sit down I’ll take care of it.’’ Kowalski forced her mother to rest and put her on the head-seat. He picked up the steam puffing kettle and three cups for tea and placed them down. While he was busy with preparing the drink, Kowalski’s mother turned to Ubel.

‘’Well dear, how was your day?’’ Ubel felt grateful for a moment since she picked up a non-pressuring and ordinary question to start.

‘’Fine, m’am-’’

‘’Miss Frey, My name is Frey Thothater. Kowalski, don’t tell me you didn’t talk about us to him?’’

‘’Sorry mother, we were just busy with lessons and work and all.’’

‘’At least you could have said my name-oh sorry.’’

‘’Don’t worry, Mrs. Frey.’’ Ubel felt beads of sweat form on his forehead. Was this how all mothers were like? He couldn’t help but fear a bit, although he didn’t know what was wrong with her words.

‘’Well, if it is fine then that’s fine.’’ She smiled and took the bubbling cup of tea from Kowalski. ‘’What do you think of my tea?’’

‘’Delicious-!!’’ Ubel took a gulp and flinched on his chair. Although the taste was brilliant, the heat almost burned his throat. Calming himself down with the glass of water Kowalski gave, he sat upright again. ‘’Are there any special leaves or spice in it? I can taste a slight bitterness amidst the mint.’’

‘’Of course, the leaves are special. They come from the capital Karnival. The plantations for them and farms of vegetables they grow in are pretty high quality.’’

‘’Oh?’’ After Ubel took a bite from the bacon, he couldn’t help but yelp. How was this so tasty? ‘’Are these also?’’

‘’Yes, don’t you know about it? All vegetables and meat come from the Karnival. Of course, the two-star dynasty is the biggest supplier of the food on the continent.’’ Her words trailed off to some matters about how they traded with Karnival and villages at its vicinity, the production, and growth of something something and something something. Really, the knowledge about the center of the continent and its surroundings was actually pretty valuable, since neither Gaobun nor Quan talked about them. In the sect, only disciples who came back from missions knew the deal but they, too, refrained from talking much.

Ubel didn’t know the reason for their attitude and the perplexing difficulty of acquiring that knowledge inside the sect didn’t give a good vibe. But Ubel didn’t want to dampen his mood in a pleasant occasion as such. The taste of those two dishes he didn’t know carried the same traces of his grandmother’s meals, and the joy he felt from that alone was enough to disregard that train of thought.

So their talk continued for a good hour, even after the meal. He helped Kowalski to wash the dishes and tidy up the table, and Miss Frey gave them a plate of dessert as a reward. Their conversation lasted a bit more than fifteen minutes, then all trio in the room almost collapsed on the floor.

A tremor passed through the city, no- the whole world at the same time. The remnants of the leftover buildings and the newly constructed foundations of the houses collapsed once more. In every home and every street, people fell on their knees and faces, and people weaker in constitution even coughed blood.

Mortals and immortals alike did the same thing, and a defiant roar echoed out from the blotting sky. Mountain Of Emperors shook, then a burst of maniac laughter resounded in every corner of the three continents.

‘’GOD! YOUR EYE IS MINE NOW!’’