"When you came to the Sixth Valley, you did so in search of a place to develop your strength in safety," the Patriarch said . "A place where you could quietly study magic without the constant threat of enemies pursuing you . "
Arran nodded . What the old man said was entirely correct — but then, he'd likely gleaned it from Arran's own memories .
"But when you saved my life, any chance of that was irretrievably lost," the Patriarch continued . "Every Elder in the Valley knows who you are, and before long, your fame will spread to the rest of the Valley . If you remain here, you will never have the quiet you seek — nor the safety . "
Naturally, Arran had already come to this conclusion himself . By breaking through Elder Feng's formation in front of several dozens of Elders and Grandmasters, he had ensured that his face was engraved in the minds of all .
"So what do you suggest?" It was clear that the Patriarch had something in mind . He would not have called Arran otherwise .
"I have a plan," the Patriarch replied . "Or rather, a proposal . But before I continue, Snowcloud should be here as well . She faces the same issue as you, and what I have in mind involves both of you . "
He pulled a small golden bell from his robe and rang it . Although the sound was so soft it was almost inaudible, a white-robed servant appeared in an instant .
"You called, Lord Patriarch?"
"Please fetch Snowcloud," the Patriarch told the man .
"At once, Lord Patriarch . " The servant hurried off immediately .
As Arran waited anxiously for Snowcloud to arrive so he could hear the Patriarch's plans for him, the old man calmly finished his bowl of soup .
Snowcloud entered into the room a short while later . A smile on her face, she gave the Patriarch a small bow . "Grandfather . "
"Good to see you," the Patriarch replied . "Have a seat . " As Snowcloud sat down, he continued, "In saving me, both of you have become targets for my enemies . With the Valley no longer safe for you, I have decided to send you away . "
"Send us away?" Snowcloud's smile disappeared in an instant, and she stared at her grandfather with wide eyes . "Can't you protect us here?"
"I can, of course," the Patriarch replied . "I could take you both as my personal apprentices and have you guarded at all times . You would have myself and the Valley's Elders as your teachers, with enough resources at your disposal to make even Grandmasters go green with envy . It would be a path that would destine both of you to become Elders . "
Arran frowned . What the Patriarch described was everything he wished for, but from the sound of it, it wasn't what the man had in mind for them .
"But your lives would be sheltered ones," the Patriarch continued . "You wouldn't be able to leave the Valley or face real battles, and although your knowledge of magic would be vast, you would lack the experience to temper it . While you would become Elders one day, your power would be unremarkable at best . "
"Then what do you intend for us?" Snowcloud asked .
"Seeing Ghostblade's memories, I was reminded that the path most mages follow is a limited one . In their pursuit of magical power at the expense of all else, they grow blind to their weaknesses . Even I made this mistake . Relying on my strength in magic, I ignored my body, and fell victim to a simple poison . What I intend for you is a path that avoids these pitfalls . "
It was clear in Snowcloud's expression that the answer didn't satisfy her, but after a moment, she let out a sigh of resignation . "What is it you expect us to do?"
"To start, I will send both of you to the Ninth Valley, where none know your identity . You will pose as initiates, the students of a visiting adept . "
"Initiates?!" Snowcloud's voice was thick with outrage .
"You're making us study under an adept?" Arran felt nearly as outraged as Snowcloud sounded . After months under the tutelage of an Elder, he understood well how large the gap between the two was — being taught by a mere adept, he doubted his progress would be even half as fast .
"I think I've done a reasonably good job at teaching you so far," a woman's voice sounded at the back of the room .
Arran quickly turned around, and saw that it was Brightblade . She had entered the room without him noticing, and on seeing his startled expression, she grinned broadly .
"But you're not an adept," Arran said, somewhat redundantly .
"It's only been a few short centuries since I held that rank," Brightblade replied . "Taking on the role once more shouldn't be too difficult . And with me teaching you, there is some small hope of you becoming a proper mage yet . "
The Patriarch scraped his throat, and as the others went silent, he said, "Brightblade will accompany you, as your teacher and protector . With an Elder posing as an adept, I trust you won't find it beneath your dignity to pose as initiates . "
Snowcloud hurriedly shook her head, and Arran could see there was a hint of red on her cheeks .
"Now, with that matter settled, there is something I wish to give you . "
The Patriarch produced two rings, then put them on the table before Snowcloud and Arran . They were exceptionally plain and seemed to be made of iron, and Arran could Sense no magic coming from them .
Seeing their puzzled stares, the Patriarch explained, "These are void rings . They are much like void bags, except when you retrieve items, they will appear directly in your hand — a rather useful quality when fighting or gambling . Inside these rings, you will find the supplies I have prepared for you . Go ahead and bind them . "
Arran did as the Patriarch said, and when he saw the ring's contents, he had to stop himself from gasping in awe . The space it contained held tens of thousands of Essence Crystals, along with numerous scrolls, memory amulets, and various objects he did not recognize .
Yet where Arran could barely contain his excitement, Snowcloud spoke glumly, "There's dragon meat in here . "
"A gracious gift from Elder Naran," the Patriarch said . "You will also find a Body Refinement technique he devised with the help of your mutual acquaintance in the Redpeak Mountains . While it won't be as effective as the Dragon's Ruin, it should allow you to gain a great deal of strength over the next few years . "
"But…" Snowcloud glum tone turned to horror . "Using that will interfere with my magic!"
"It will slow your progress," the Patriarch confirmed . "Which is a small price to pay for the benefits you'll receive . "
Before Snowcloud could object any further, he continued, "Among the supplies, you will also find amulets, one for each of you . I created them recently, but you should find them quite useful . You can use them to unleash a steady assault of unbound Essence upon yourself, which will allow you to build a resistance against magic . "
Arran frowned . What the Patriarch described sounded exactly like what he had done in Uvar, and with the Patriarch having seen his memories, he understood that wasn't a coincidence .
"This…" A complex expression appeared on Snowcloud's face . "You want me to follow Ghostblade's path?"
"No," the old man said . "I want you to combine the two and forge a new path . I want you — both of you — to become equally formidable in magic and physical combat . I want you to avoid the weaknesses other mages have, but without losing their strengths . "
"You want me to abandon the True Path . " Astonishment was clear in Snowcloud's eyes when she said the words, as if she only now understood the magnitude of what her grandfather was suggesting .
"The True Path is just one of many roads to power," the Patriarch said . "And although it has served us well, it is no longer enough . The Iron Mountain's betrayal was just the latest in a long line of disasters, and with every passing year, the Society grows weaker and more divided . You have seen the evidence of that with your own eyes, this past year . "
"But why us?" Snowcloud asked, looking bewildered . "If a new path is needed, why not have an Elder search for it?"
"Naturally, we have done that," the Patriarch replied . "I wouldn't place the fate of the Society in the hands of a novice — not even one who shares my blood . There are many Elders searching for ways to improve our strength, and perhaps some of them will succeed . But you are both young enough that your path hasn't yet been set, and I would be a fool to waste that opportunity . "
"So we're an experiment?" Arran gave the Patriarch a flat stare .
"In a sense," the old man said . "But one that I firmly believe will benefit you both . "
"If it's an experiment, what if it fails?" Arran asked . Firm belief or not, the old man's words hardly inspired confidence .
"Then you will have wasted a few years traveling down the wrong path . " The Patriarch shrugged . "At your age, there will be plenty of time to reverse course . But even without my suggestion, would you give up your endeavors in Body Refinement to focus solely on magic?"
Arran sighed, knowing very well that he wouldn't . "Very well . I'll go . "
The Patriarch nodded, then turned to Snowcloud . "And you?"
She took longer in answering, but finally, after a look at Arran, she said, "All right . "
"Excellent," the Patriarch said . "You will depart a week from now . "
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