Chapter 467
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Chapter 467
On a small island of little relevance whatsoever, two old men were having a staredown. Ones eyes burned like the fires of the sun, a bow dangling in front of him. The other stood with his back straight like a mountain, appearing unconcerned about the possibility of battle.
Who are you and what are you doing here? Anton asked the other man.
Everhearts eyes flicked over the mans bow. He didnt have an arrow to draw, but perhaps he didnt need one. Even so, it would take him a moment to draw. They were less than a hundred meters apart, so he could reach it and snatch it away in an instant. The only problem was the mans cultivation was not as expected, so he couldnt predict him as precisely. Im just a peaceful traveler. I saw no signs that this island was claimed and thought to rest here.
You should know thats not what I meant. I dont care about something trivial like this island. Who are you, and why have you come to Ceretos? Anton could tell the man was strong. He was not terribly familiar with the Augmentation stage, but the man had to have reached that point. There was a great power but something else as well. He wasnt quite as solid as he made himself out to be.
How aggressive. Everheart wondered if that was out of fear or confidence. The first shot landing at his feet was clearly a warning, but did this man want to fight? Eveheart would gladly take him up on it any other day or rather some day he was in his best condition. I live here, Everheart replied. Or I did, at least. I thought to come back to visit. As for my name its Everheart. He tensed his muscles, ready for any reaction. Perhaps youve heard of me.
Its a fairly safe assumption that most people have, Anton replied. Word is the same even in the upper realms. But Im curious as to why you would return here now. You may call me Anton. Antons eyes focused on the top of the mans head. I must admit, I didnt know how I expected you to look, but I thought it would be different.
Everheart felt his gaze. His initial reaction was instinct. Yeah? Well maybe your hair would fall out too if you had the entire upper realms after you! That was already too much. Everheart was supposed to be the one who provoked action from people. He was supposed to be in disguise, but the journey and then the whole thing with his turtle had kind of disrupted that. How to spin this Why dont you see how you are when you have to face off against a hundred angry sects by yourself, hmm?
It would never happen, Anton countered. Because I have friends. Anton could see he was getting under the mans skin. In a way, he had the advantage from having met him before, but not the other way around. And much less refined stages of Everheart as well. I have taken upon myself the task of protecting Ceretos from dangers. That could include you or those after you. So, explain your intentions.
The distance between the two closed in an instant. Everhearts hand was on the bow immediately, making the forming arrow of energy pointless. But instead of wrestling it away, he paused. Everheart told himself it had nothing to do with the several dozen additional bows that had appeared around him at every angle, but he did have to give them a slight consideration. Ugh, he hated revealing anything. Im not comfortable explaining with weapons drawn.
And Im not comfortable speaking with you hiding your own. So lets get started with the talking before I have to kill you.
Even if you could, Everheart drew out the word. Which you cant. Id drag you down to hell with me.
I might as well go doing something worthwhile. Antons energy sharpened, twisting in strange patterns. I imagine youre subject to the same restrictions on ascended individuals as everyone else.
You punk! Thats my own technique, you think you can use it against me?
You think I cant? Anton asked. Normally, he didnt draw upon energies until he needed them, but he found there was something particularly effective about one sort. He should at least be able to greatly injure Everheart with the Spectral Energy. Im quite prepared to die. Whether I go with you or you with me matters not.
Everheart whistled as he saw a shimmering image behind Anton, a genuine enthusiasm creeping into his voice. Oh damn, is that Fleeting Youth? How is it? Its good, right? He almost wanted to reach out to touch the energy, but he had the feeling his old bones would disintegrate if he did so. That explains why someone like you is here. You cant ascend. So what did you do instead?
We call it assimilation, Anton said. The name was minimal information and the rest was a reminder he was not alone.
There are more like you? Everheart said. Now I have to know. If he was correct, this Anton should only have recently left Life Transformation. In that case his fingers tightened around the bow, snapping the shaft. It hadnt been a bluff that he knew how to deal with anti-ascension techniques but neither was it entirely truthful. Dozens of arrows streaked through the air towards him at the same time, blocking him from chasing after the retreating archer.
This wouldnt be good for his internal injuries, but his curiosity was too much. He did slam a totem carved with complex formations down between them as he dodged the beginning of the hail of arrows. It drew in the spectral arrows that he really didnt want to have to deal with. Then he began to toss formation flags in all directions, while with another hand he twirled a staff around himself to deflect the incoming arrows. They came from pretty much every conceivable direction, but Everheart had fought more than this many archers at once.
Normally they stopped shooting though. Wasnt this the maximum burst Anton could sustain? He would tire himself out in a mere few minutes. All Everheart had to do was wait. And maybe he would have, if it wasnt getting hotter. Some arrows were made of fire, others moved unbearably fast. Sealing off the island wouldnt do much good if the archer didnt try to run and didnt need reinforcements. Everheart now recognized what his eyes really looked like. Hed seen stars, and those eyes werent just representative of it.
Anton was crouched some distance away, but kept close to eye level. Im going to say this now Paradise isnt anyones anything now.
Are you sure? Everheart asked. What about that woman and little settlement on his back?
Theyre just companions, Anton said.
... Weird. Why would they live on something they couldnt control? It didnt make any sense. Anyway, I dont intend to cause further ruckus here. Honest.
I believe you, Anton said. Which is probably a mistake, given we know a good deal of your history here. But let me ask something else. Why did you make your Tombs?
Because it was fun, Everheart shrugged. I love to mess with people.
Obviously, Anton agreed. But Im surprised. There wasnt anything more than that? It seemed like it would be simply for him to claim some sort of loftier objective, like Anton surmised. At least in part.
What else would there be?
Tempering the next generation, Anton said.
Well, sure, Everheart shrugged, As much as all adversity. Seems you know something about it.
Your Tombs were less lethal than they could have been.
Well, yeah, Everheart said. All of my actual enemies I tried to trash as thoroughly as possible before I left. Everyone else? Who cares.
I was on the moon, Anton said. One of your projections and I even had a fairly explicit conversation about the invasion. You were clearly concerned about it. Why?
Because this is my home! Everheart said with more passion than intended. It was his home, and hed certainly held onto that strongly for a while, but that had faded over the centuries he was away. So why? Oh right. The memories that were currently splitting apart his head. And this Anton was in several of them. Huh. We talked a few times already.
How do you know that? Anton asked suspiciously.
Well, I chose to recover the memories of my projections.
Ah, Anton said. So that was what that one was. Forcing memories onto you.
Tch. If he wasnt so thrown off by all the memories and his injuries he would be much better at deception. Its not really like that. I was just expecting it at a different moment.
I absolutely believe you, Anton said in a way that Everheart couldnt have believed was sincere even if he was four years old. Now then, we need to talk about how were going to keep Ceretos safe.
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Chapter 467
On a small island of little relevance whatsoever, two old men were having a staredown. Ones eyes burned like the fires of the sun, a bow dangling in front of him. The other stood with his back straight like a mountain, appearing unconcerned about the possibility of battle.
Who are you and what are you doing here? Anton asked the other man.
Everhearts eyes flicked over the mans bow. He didnt have an arrow to draw, but perhaps he didnt need one. Even so, it would take him a moment to draw. They were less than a hundred meters apart, so he could reach it and snatch it away in an instant. The only problem was the mans cultivation was not as expected, so he couldnt predict him as precisely. Im just a peaceful traveler. I saw no signs that this island was claimed and thought to rest here.
You should know thats not what I meant. I dont care about something trivial like this island. Who are you, and why have you come to Ceretos? Anton could tell the man was strong. He was not terribly familiar with the Augmentation stage, but the man had to have reached that point. There was a great power but something else as well. He wasnt quite as solid as he made himself out to be.
How aggressive. Everheart wondered if that was out of fear or confidence. The first shot landing at his feet was clearly a warning, but did this man want to fight? Eveheart would gladly take him up on it any other day or rather some day he was in his best condition. I live here, Everheart replied. Or I did, at least. I thought to come back to visit. As for my name its Everheart. He tensed his muscles, ready for any reaction. Perhaps youve heard of me.
Its a fairly safe assumption that most people have, Anton replied. Word is the same even in the upper realms. But Im curious as to why you would return here now. You may call me Anton. Antons eyes focused on the top of the mans head. I must admit, I didnt know how I expected you to look, but I thought it would be different.
Everheart felt his gaze. His initial reaction was instinct. Yeah? Well maybe your hair would fall out too if you had the entire upper realms after you! That was already too much. Everheart was supposed to be the one who provoked action from people. He was supposed to be in disguise, but the journey and then the whole thing with his turtle had kind of disrupted that. How to spin this Why dont you see how you are when you have to face off against a hundred angry sects by yourself, hmm?
It would never happen, Anton countered. Because I have friends. Anton could see he was getting under the mans skin. In a way, he had the advantage from having met him before, but not the other way around. And much less refined stages of Everheart as well. I have taken upon myself the task of protecting Ceretos from dangers. That could include you or those after you. So, explain your intentions.
The distance between the two closed in an instant. Everhearts hand was on the bow immediately, making the forming arrow of energy pointless. But instead of wrestling it away, he paused. Everheart told himself it had nothing to do with the several dozen additional bows that had appeared around him at every angle, but he did have to give them a slight consideration. Ugh, he hated revealing anything. Im not comfortable explaining with weapons drawn.
And Im not comfortable speaking with you hiding your own. So lets get started with the talking before I have to kill you.
Even if you could, Everheart drew out the word. Which you cant. Id drag you down to hell with me.
I might as well go doing something worthwhile. Antons energy sharpened, twisting in strange patterns. I imagine youre subject to the same restrictions on ascended individuals as everyone else.
You punk! Thats my own technique, you think you can use it against me?
You think I cant? Anton asked. Normally, he didnt draw upon energies until he needed them, but he found there was something particularly effective about one sort. He should at least be able to greatly injure Everheart with the Spectral Energy. Im quite prepared to die. Whether I go with you or you with me matters not.
Everheart whistled as he saw a shimmering image behind Anton, a genuine enthusiasm creeping into his voice. Oh damn, is that Fleeting Youth? How is it? Its good, right? He almost wanted to reach out to touch the energy, but he had the feeling his old bones would disintegrate if he did so. That explains why someone like you is here. You cant ascend. So what did you do instead?
We call it assimilation, Anton said. The name was minimal information and the rest was a reminder he was not alone.
There are more like you? Everheart said. Now I have to know. If he was correct, this Anton should only have recently left Life Transformation. In that case his fingers tightened around the bow, snapping the shaft. It hadnt been a bluff that he knew how to deal with anti-ascension techniques but neither was it entirely truthful. Dozens of arrows streaked through the air towards him at the same time, blocking him from chasing after the retreating archer.
This wouldnt be good for his internal injuries, but his curiosity was too much. He did slam a totem carved with complex formations down between them as he dodged the beginning of the hail of arrows. It drew in the spectral arrows that he really didnt want to have to deal with. Then he began to toss formation flags in all directions, while with another hand he twirled a staff around himself to deflect the incoming arrows. They came from pretty much every conceivable direction, but Everheart had fought more than this many archers at once.
Normally they stopped shooting though. Wasnt this the maximum burst Anton could sustain? He would tire himself out in a mere few minutes. All Everheart had to do was wait. And maybe he would have, if it wasnt getting hotter. Some arrows were made of fire, others moved unbearably fast. Sealing off the island wouldnt do much good if the archer didnt try to run and didnt need reinforcements. Everheart now recognized what his eyes really looked like. Hed seen stars, and those eyes werent just representative of it.
Anton was crouched some distance away, but kept close to eye level. Im going to say this now Paradise isnt anyones anything now.
Are you sure? Everheart asked. What about that woman and little settlement on his back?
Theyre just companions, Anton said.
... Weird. Why would they live on something they couldnt control? It didnt make any sense. Anyway, I dont intend to cause further ruckus here. Honest.
I believe you, Anton said. Which is probably a mistake, given we know a good deal of your history here. But let me ask something else. Why did you make your Tombs?
Because it was fun, Everheart shrugged. I love to mess with people.
Obviously, Anton agreed. But Im surprised. There wasnt anything more than that? It seemed like it would be simply for him to claim some sort of loftier objective, like Anton surmised. At least in part.
What else would there be?
Tempering the next generation, Anton said.
Well, sure, Everheart shrugged, As much as all adversity. Seems you know something about it.
Your Tombs were less lethal than they could have been.
Well, yeah, Everheart said. All of my actual enemies I tried to trash as thoroughly as possible before I left. Everyone else? Who cares.
I was on the moon, Anton said. One of your projections and I even had a fairly explicit conversation about the invasion. You were clearly concerned about it. Why?
Because this is my home! Everheart said with more passion than intended. It was his home, and hed certainly held onto that strongly for a while, but that had faded over the centuries he was away. So why? Oh right. The memories that were currently splitting apart his head. And this Anton was in several of them. Huh. We talked a few times already.
How do you know that? Anton asked suspiciously.
Well, I chose to recover the memories of my projections.
Ah, Anton said. So that was what that one was. Forcing memories onto you.
Tch. If he wasnt so thrown off by all the memories and his injuries he would be much better at deception. Its not really like that. I was just expecting it at a different moment.
I absolutely believe you, Anton said in a way that Everheart couldnt have believed was sincere even if he was four years old. Now then, we need to talk about how were going to keep Ceretos safe.
Chapter 467On a small island of little relevance whatsoever, two old men were having a staredown. Ones eyes burned like the fires of the sun, a bow dangling in front of him. The other stood with his back straight like a mountain, appearing unconcerned about the possibility of battle.Who are you and what are you doing here? Anton asked the other man.Everhearts eyes flicked over the mans bow. He didnt have an arrow to draw, but perhaps he didnt need one. Even so, it would take him a moment to draw. They were less than a hundred meters apart, so he could reach it and snatch it away in an instant. The only problem was the mans cultivation was not as expected, so he couldnt predict him as precisely. Im just a peaceful traveler. I saw no signs that this island was claimed and thought to rest here.You should know thats not what I meant. I dont care about something trivial like this island. Who are you, and why have you come to Ceretos? Anton could tell the man was strong. He was not terribly familiar with the Augmentation stage, but the man had to have reached that point. There was a great power but something else as well. He wasnt quite as solid as he made himself out to be.How aggressive. Everheart wondered if that was out of fear or confidence. The first shot landing at his feet was clearly a warning, but did this man want to fight? Eveheart would gladly take him up on it any other day or rather some day he was in his best condition. I live here, Everheart replied. Or I did, at least. I thought to come back to visit. As for my name its Everheart. He tensed his muscles, ready for any reaction. Perhaps youve heard of me.Its a fairly safe assumption that most people have, Anton replied. Word is the same even in the upper realms. But Im curious as to why you would return here now. You may call me Anton. Antons eyes focused on the top of the mans head. I must admit, I didnt know how I expected you to look, but I thought it would be different.Everheart felt his gaze. His initial reaction was instinct. Yeah? Well maybe your hair would fall out too if you had the entire upper realms after you! That was already too much. Everheart was supposed to be the one who provoked action from people. He was supposed to be in disguise, but the journey and then the whole thing with his turtle had kind of disrupted that. How to spin this Why dont you see how you are when you have to face off against a hundred angry sects by yourself, hmm?It would never happen, Anton countered. Because I have friends. Anton could see he was getting under the mans skin. In a way, he had the advantage from having met him before, but not the other way around. And much less refined stages of Everheart as well. I have taken upon myself the task of protecting Ceretos from dangers. That could include you or those after you. So, explain your intentions.The distance between the two closed in an instant. Everhearts hand was on the bow immediately, making the forming arrow of energy pointless. But instead of wrestling it away, he paused. Everheart told himself it had nothing to do with the several dozen additional bows that had appeared around him at every angle, but he did have to give them a slight consideration. Ugh, he hated revealing anything. Im not comfortable explaining with weapons drawn.And Im not comfortable speaking with you hiding your own. So lets get started with the talking before I have to kill you.Even if you could, Everheart drew out the word. Which you cant. Id drag you down to hell with me.I might as well go doing something worthwhile. Antons energy sharpened, twisting in strange patterns. I imagine youre subject to the same restrictions on ascended individuals as everyone else.You punk! Thats my own technique, you think you can use it against me?You think I cant? Anton asked. Normally, he didnt draw upon energies until he needed them, but he found there was something particularly effective about one sort. He should at least be able to greatly injure Everheart with the Spectral Energy. Im quite prepared to die. Whether I go with you or you with me matters not.Everheart whistled as he saw a shimmering image behind Anton, a genuine enthusiasm creeping into his voice. Oh damn, is that Fleeting Youth? How is it? Its good, right? He almost wanted to reach out to touch the energy, but he had the feeling his old bones would disintegrate if he did so. That explains why someone like you is here. You cant ascend. So what did you do instead?We call it assimilation, Anton said. The name was minimal information and the rest was a reminder he was not alone.There are more like you? Everheart said. Now I have to know. If he was correct, this Anton should only have recently left Life Transformation. In that case his fingers tightened around the bow, snapping the shaft. It hadnt been a bluff that he knew how to deal with anti-ascension techniques but neither was it entirely truthful. Dozens of arrows streaked through the air towards him at the same time, blocking him from chasing after the retreating archer.This wouldnt be good for his internal injuries, but his curiosity was too much. He did slam a totem carved with complex formations down between them as he dodged the beginning of the hail of arrows. It drew in the spectral arrows that he really didnt want to have to deal with. Then he began to toss formation flags in all directions, while with another hand he twirled a staff around himself to deflect the incoming arrows. They came from pretty much every conceivable direction, but Everheart had fought more than this many archers at once.Normally they stopped shooting though. Wasnt this the maximum burst Anton could sustain? He would tire himself out in a mere few minutes. All Everheart had to do was wait. And maybe he would have, if it wasnt getting hotter. Some arrows were made of fire, others moved unbearably fast. Sealing off the island wouldnt do much good if the archer didnt try to run and didnt need reinforcements. Everheart now recognized what his eyes really looked like. Hed seen stars, and those eyes werent just representative of it.Anton was crouched some distance away, but kept close to eye level. Im going to say this now Paradise isnt anyones anything now.Are you sure? Everheart asked. What about that woman and little settlement on his back?Theyre just companions, Anton said.... Weird. Why would they live on something they couldnt control? It didnt make any sense. Anyway, I dont intend to cause further ruckus here. Honest.I believe you, Anton said. Which is probably a mistake, given we know a good deal of your history here. But let me ask something else. Why did you make your Tombs?Because it was fun, Everheart shrugged. I love to mess with people.Obviously, Anton agreed. But Im surprised. There wasnt anything more than that? It seemed like it would be simply for him to claim some sort of loftier objective, like Anton surmised. At least in part.What else would there be?Tempering the next generation, Anton said.Well, sure, Everheart shrugged, As much as all adversity. Seems you know something about it.Your Tombs were less lethal than they could have been.Well, yeah, Everheart said. All of my actual enemies I tried to trash as thoroughly as possible before I left. Everyone else? Who cares.I was on the moon, Anton said. One of your projections and I even had a fairly explicit conversation about the invasion. You were clearly concerned about it. Why?Because this is my home! Everheart said with more passion than intended. It was his home, and hed certainly held onto that strongly for a while, but that had faded over the centuries he was away. So why? Oh right. The memories that were currently splitting apart his head. And this Anton was in several of them. Huh. We talked a few times already.How do you know that? Anton asked suspiciously.Well, I chose to recover the memories of my projections.Ah, Anton said. So that was what that one was. Forcing memories onto you.Tch. If he wasnt so thrown off by all the memories and his injuries he would be much better at deception. Its not really like that. I was just expecting it at a different moment.I absolutely believe you, Anton said in a way that Everheart couldnt have believed was sincere even if he was four years old. Now then, we need to talk about how were going to keep Ceretos safe.
