Following the same path back out of the annihilation strip came with the increased difficulty at the front. Seemingly random bursts of conflicting light and darkness continued to mar the landscape, but eventually John was back in the Deadlands proper, atop the Prism Underfields. There, the light element was only a background headache, as it had to first rise up from underground where it originated.

John found himself exhausted. He couldn’t imagine going in and out of that area for days on end, or even worse remaining there constantly. Even with his cultivation, it didn’t seem like it would be enough.

Nik, on the other hand, seemed relatively intact for his time there. When John felt him stirring, he backed away so that the lad would be able to channel spiritual energy to himself without interference.

It wasn’t clear if Nik recognized what was going on around him at first. Instead, he was reacting instinctively to replenish what he had lost. As he did so, John could feel within him three totems. The first two were light element, of course. The last… felt almost like nothing at all. But it was certainly real, and that meant the young man had stepped into the Soul Expansion Phase.

Once he had replenished himself somewhat, Nik gained a greater awareness of his surroundings- including John and Crystin. “Um. Hello, sir. I did not expect to see you here.” He looked around, finding no one else.

“I’d like to think our relationship with the Combining Luster Sect is mostly positive, and I intend to keep it that way. Congratulations on your breakthrough, by the way.”

“Uh… thank you,” Nik inclined his head. “I presume you are responsible for retrieving me?”

“Your sect thought you were dead. They weren’t far off. You broke through, but if you’d remained there unconscious…” John shook his head. “Chances are you’d be broken down like everything else there.”

“I had hoped…” Nik shook his head. “Clearly, I overestimated myself.”

“Why did a promising young man like yourself do such a thing?” John asked. “Surely, you could have made do with more… conventional training.”

“Well, in the Prismatic Chambers I… saw the power of mixed light and darkness. I wanted to be able to control it.” Those words rang true, but the way Nik wouldn’t look at John indicated they were incomplete.

“Would’ve been a shame if you died to this,” John said. “My daughter wouldn’t have been happy.”

“Why not?” Nik frowned. “We have traditionally… not gotten along.”

“Yeah, she might have tried to kill you,” John shrugged, “But she wouldn’t have persisted in that if she didn’t have strong feelings about the situation. You see, at this moment my daughter is also on the threshold of Soul Expansion. I’m sure you were aware of that, though. After all, you managed to work together to get out of a bad situation in the Prismatic Chambers. You didn’t stay around so I could thank you, by the way. So thanks. The Tenebach Clan owes you for that.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but she also helped me survive. So I think we are close to even…” Nik kept his eyes down.

“That’s good, because I have a favor I need to ask of you. I need you to come visit the Tenebach clan.” John held up his hand, “And before you protest, I promise I won’t let my daughter kill or otherwise harm you. Not that she probably could, at this moment.”

“What do you need me for, sir?”

“I need you to come to a party,” John explained. “We’ve been hosting notable individuals from all sorts of places, and you certainly fit.”

“I’m not sure-”

“Surviving a month in and around the annihilation strip? Breaking through to Soul Expansion at your age? That’s something worth praising. I was barely beginning my cultivation journey at your age.” Admittedly, that was because the original Fortkran had screwed things up so badly, but Nik was still a frontrunner in that way. “Hmm, you don’t happen to be a reincarnation of some great master, are you?”

Nik’s confused reaction told him everything he needed. “No sir. I’m just… me.”

“Probably for the best,” John said. “Anyway, we’ll let you rest for a few days and then we’ll be off.”

“But I haven’t yet-”

John didn’t let the young man continue his protests. He was already walking away to clear things with Nik’s sect.

Crystin, following after him, had a comment. “You didn’t tell him what the purpose of the parties was.”

John shrugged, “I didn’t want to scare him off. And I’d prefer to see organic reactions.”

-----

Each day that passed increased Melanthina’s annoyance. Her cultivation was at a deadlock- likely until the blessing ceremony which still had no definite date. That, on top of the endless hunt for suitors, was wearing down on her. Sure, she’d technically asked for it. But finding anyone good was so… difficult.

If Ursel wasn’t around occasionally, she didn’t know if she could put up with it. There wasn’t really anyone else she felt comfortable voicing her frustrations with. “I think I might have begun my search too early,” Melanthina said. “Because of… because I was thinking about the future of the clan. But now, calling it off early would look bad for the clan.” Melanthina sighed, then grimaced. “I’ll have to bring it up with father when he returns…”

“I guess. Still nobody you like?”

“Everyone is so…” Melanthina shook her head. “Not good enough.”

“I don’t know if I fully understand your standards yet,” Ursel said. “And since I’m not really planning to get married or anything…” she shrugged. “Explain. Who’s the best here, this time?”

“Hmmn…” Melanthina reconsidered the options. “If I had to pick someone, I suppose it would be Gordan.”

“Gordan what?” Ursel asked.

“I think that’s it,” Melanthina shook her head. “That fellow, from the Supreme Slate Sect.”

“Oh, him.”

“Something wrong?” Melanthina asked.

“Nah. He just challenged me to a spar.”

“You are both earth cultivators. It could prove enlightening.”

“Maybe. Though I’m currently busy figuring out this challenge from Master Renato. I’m almost there. Anyway, about Gordan. What are his traits, positive and negative?”

“Hmm. He’s from a good sect. Muscular, but not overly bulky. A talented cultivator.”

“And the bad stuff?” Ursel asked.

“Well…” Melanthina shook her head. “I doubt he’s as multi-talented as people say.”

“Couldn’t you just try to find out? Like, ask if he really can drum?”

“His very steps are rhythmic. I have no doubt he would manage that one.”

Ursel looked at her sister. “Earth should be compatible as well…” she drew out the word. “So is it his status? He wasn’t born to anyone famous, but he’s likely to have a high position in the sect.”

“So you do know about him,” Melanthina said.

“I had to know about who I might be fighting. I just… didn’t ever learn his name. So, your actual objections are…?”

“I don’t know, I just don’t like him.” Melanthina frowned. “I mean, I don’t particularly dislike him. Logically he should be a good choice but I don’t find myself thinking about him unless he is specifically called to attention.”

“Unlike someone else?” Ursel prodded.

“Hmm?” Melanthina responded vaguely.

“I was just wondering if there was someone specific you were thinking about, often.” Ursel continued. No response. “Like, someone with a three letter name and the light element.” At that moment, Ursel only meant to tease her sister. But Melanthina didn’t react at all. Ursel followed her gaze, only to find the individual in question standing awkwardly at the entrance. “Wow. He’s got great timing.”

With her sister unresponsive, Ursel watched her reactions to Nik moving from place to place in the party. Though she was almost slack jawed, Melanthina was also focused. Her expression was mostly neutral as he walked around, trying to find some conversation to join. Pensive, when he briefly joined Gordan. Sharp, when he encountered a group of women. And then almost horrified as he began to walk towards them.

Nik bowed deeply to the two sisters. “Melanthina Tenebach. Ursel of the Amber Heart. I appreciate the invitation to your event. Though I will admit I am not terribly social… and I find myself surprised at the lack of certain groups friendly to the Tenebach clan.”

Melanthina managed to compose herself quickly. “Nik. I had not expected you to be here. As for these missing groups… I wonder which you had in mind?”

“I understand that you are allies with the Golden Tomb Guardians, the Milanovic clan, and the Kauhane clan. Few if any of which are in attendance.”

“That’s because,” Ursel grinned. “They’re not elementally compatible with Melanthina. And the main purpose of these events is to find her a proper suitor.”

“... What?” Nik’s face looked appropriately shocked.

“Well you see…” Melanthina tried to explain. “In a few years I will… I mean, obviously to continue the clan I will eventually be wed. I don’t know who invited you- not that I’m implying disciples of the Combining Luster Sect aren’t welcome- but uh. Umm. That is the main purpose.”

“I see you made it over here already,” the head of the Tenebach Clan appeared out of nowhere next to his daughters and Nik. “Good. I wanted to talk to the two of you regarding that incident in the Prismatic Chambers. I was hoping we could have a discussion on the conflicting elements of light and darkness, and how it ties into cultivation. Perhaps even my own, should my cultivation manage to progress beyond the next phase.”

Ursel looked at her father, who looked back at her. John grinned. Melanthina and Nik were still awkwardly staring at each other, until Melanthina finally managed to say something. “Yes. Cultivation. That would be,” Melanthina only managed to get out words in short bursts, “Wonderful. To speak about. I am certain.”

“Good,” John nodded. “Come, let us sit and talk. I am especially interested in how the two of you managed to work together in the darkness tunnels, culminating in you passing through mixed light and darkness.”

Nik spoke first. “Well. Um. Because of previous conflicts, I trained to resist darkness. So I was more or less barely sustaining myself…”

John nodded, “What about that woman who was with you. Zoubida?’

“Where’d you hear about-” Melanthina cut herself off. “I mean, I did see he was with someone else for a time, which I mentioned to someone,” she glared at Ursel, who was looking anywhere but back at her. “What did happen with her?”

Nik shrugged, “I don’t know. She was clinging to me for support, holding me back. You honestly saw most of it.” He cleared his throat, looking back to John. “Anyway, after I encountered your daughter, she helped minimize the effects of the surrounding darkness on my own element. That allowed me to more effectively maintain the reserves I had left, and we split the dangers based on who was most effective against certain forms. My light element was good for destroying bodiless spirits, whereas a pure darkness cultivator would have had to wear them down one bit at a time until they dissolved.”

“I see, I see,” John nodded, “About this part where she staved off the darkness. How was that accomplished?”

Melanthina answered first. “Nothing complicated. I just redirected the energy.”

“Is that so, all of the darkness energy in a wide area suffused with it? I certainly know your talent, but that sounds exhausting.”

“It was,” Melanthina admitted. “Which was we… increased our proximity to minimize the strain.”

“And how did you handle rest?” John asked.

“We watched over each other consecutively,” Melanthina supplied.

“Reasonable. Had the two of you fully let down your guard, you might have had problems.” John could have prodded them more about the ‘proximity’, but as much as he loved making his daughter squirm, he did want to actually determine their compatibility. Not just push them together- or apart- based on his own maneuvering. “What about passing through to the light chambers?”

Nik answered that. “It was an area of great danger. It required significant coordination… but we did not think we could afford to spend the time backtracking.”

“Coordinating light and darkness must have taken great focus, and skill. Even so, it was no doubt very dangerous,” John emphasized. “Maintaining anything of the sort for the long term would have been quite risky.”

Melanthina nodded slowly. “We were lucky to encounter our clan’s allies not too long after venturing into the light chambers. Nik shielded me from the environment until then.”

John nodded. “It is not a secret that my cultivation involves various elements, and ultimately I intend for a full cycle- though whether I actually reach such a thing is quite uncertain. Even so, as my cultivation is mainly focused around darkness, attaining a compatible light totem will be the sticking point. Melanthina previously asked me about it. For her, I shared the idea of the ultraviolet- a light that is not quite light. On the other hand, perhaps greater power could be mine if I were to bind something like your most recent totem, Nik. One based around controlling the destructive overlap of light and darkness.”

John wished he could actually read minds, instead of just the blatantly displayed emotions of young people. With the two having been called out for both looking into combined light and darkness totems, he wondered what would happen. Hopefully, they would produce results atypical of combining the two opposite elements. Or at least he hoped that they could get along as somewhat friendly rivals, keeping ties with the Combining Luster Sect.