The Aether God: Chapter 20 - Boreas Frostbane
The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north;
it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.
Frostbane Sect Sanctuary
The storm over the Great Valley quickly grew and began to rage. As the sky was darkened by ominous clouds, they began to swirl ominously. Lightning danced across the horizon, illuminating the Great Valley in fleeting bursts of brilliance, while thunder erupted like the angered roars of Infernal Titans. Through the window of his magnificent sanctuary, the Sectmaster of the Frostbane Sect gazed outward with an air of quiet contemplation. He had a cold expression, but his gaze was one more akin to worry. He seemed at this moment to be a troubled man, despite being a figure of legendary stature.
“Might I ask what troubles you, sectmaster?”
A truly gentle utterance could be heard. It came from the mouth of Boreas’s butler. He was standing patiently near the center of the sanctuary in a black robe.
Although he heard it, Boreas simply continued gazing out the window. After a few moments he spoke.
“I feel that my heart is struggling quite a bit, Sebastian.”
Boreas remained still for a while, before looking over. He gave Sebastian a self-aware yet reassuring smile. A wry chuckle was exhaled from his nostrils as he turned back to the window. His melodramatic gaze continued for a few moments before he once again began to speak.
“There’s a part of me that is content with the state of all things. Yet, I feel conflicted as though between two forces that I can’t yet fathom.”
Sebastian closed his eyes for a few moments, considering a number of possible words to ease Boreas’s mind. Before he could think of anything though, Boreas spoke up for a third time.
“Pay it no mind at all.” Boreas chuckled.
“These are just the squabbles of an old man… Would you perhaps attend to Iris for a little while?”
“Of course, sectmaster.”
Soon after the gentle voice faded, the sound of a door closing could be heard. Once again, the only sounds that could be heard were those of the storm…
Boreas walked over to his throne, sitting down to ponder once again.
“I’m really starting to play the part of Roland from The Fallen Sectmaster. I’ve been spending too much time moping about in this manner, haven’t I?"
As Boreas was sitting in his lonesome, the door of the sanctuary creaked, opening a bit. Boreas lifted his eyes, watching as the door closed afterward, as if by itself. Boreas tilted his head, and his expression immediately changed. He drew a humorous grin and started to clap.
“Wonderful!”
After a few moments of clapping, Cerulean’s form materialized in the center of the room. Boreas stopped clapping as soon as his eyes met the enormous red-brown stain on Cerulean’s robes. Cerulean, though, smiled reassuringly.
“There’s no need to worry, my wounds have fully healed now… I wanted to thank you for the Egwu Fur. I will make good use of it.”
Boreas smiled. “It’s nothing at all… Now I hope you’ll forgive me, but I hardly know where to begin. I’m most intrigued by you, as are all the other sects… Forgive me again, but might I ask your name?”
“Thank you for asking.. It’s Cerulean, and my age is also true. I was born and raised here in the valley.”
Boreas was evidently taken aback, but continued anyways. “I see… Is there somewhere you’d like to begin? I have so many questions… Might I answer any you have for me, first?”
“I like this guy!” Cerulean cleared his throat.
“I… don’t really have any off the top of my head… I just felt you to be trustworthy. There are a lot of things I’d like to speak about, but of course you understand the awkward circumstances.” While Cerulean was indeed the greater mastermind in the room, he was far behind artistry-wise. This meeting was quite an enormous risk. Though Boreas did not yet perceive abyssal techniques, He would still be able to crush Cerulean if hostilities broke out. Any of his area-of-effect arts would easily obliterate an invisible Cerulean.
Boreas nodded. “Of course… To be quite honest, I’ve felt myself becoming more open-minded in my old age. Furthermore I have found the loyalties of my mind adrift… I know little of your intentions as of now, but do not sense malice within your actions, er, what I’m assuming have been your actions.” A number of wild occurrences had already taken place within the valley, and Cerulean’s appearance here practically confirmed his part within all of them.
Cerulean gave a resigned smile. “Your assumptions are correct. To match your honesty, I’ll confide that while I don’t contain much malice within me, I am quite intent upon changing this valley greatly. It has been my home for a long time and I would dread leaving it in its current state…”
Boreas tilted his head, smiling. He had been pondering the state of the valley for a while up to this point. The more he pondered, the more empathy he felt for its residents. He was remorseful over many actions taken by the Legendary Sects throughout his lifetime. He was also among the few that knew the full extent of every atrocity they had committed. Though the details were hidden from the public, Boreas knew better. Much of this grieved Boreas.
“I suspect now that your intentions won’t bother me. However, I can’t necessarily say the same for my own sect. My stature as sect master has come under scrutiny by most of the elders. To collude with you in any matters contrarian to the sects would be courting a most gruesome death… The other sects are also after your life… or will be soon. My own best interest would dictate that I murder you here in cold blood… But I haven’t the heart for such a deed any longer…”
Cerulean stood with a relatively blank expression, waiting for Boreas to finish his monologue. Cerulean could tell that Boreas was indeed a very wise and introspective man, despite clearly being quite troubled at the moment.
“There comes an age for all things. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning. I remember such a time. After this phase, perhaps Boreas will be a powerful force for justice within the valley…” Cerulean pondered for a moment, but Boreas finally continued.
“I give you my word that I will at least keep all that you share here a secret. I will even make a pact if you so desire. Please let us share our minds without airs nor veils. How tiring it is to talk in such a manner.”
“Marvelous, hah! I couldn’t ask for anything better! Now ask away to your hearts content.”
Cerulean was relieved. His luck up to this point was astounding. All of his work was going ahead exceedingly well. This was one of the final large steps he would be taking until the Caladrius School Duels. The stage was almost set! He would be a free bird until the season of intemperance. After the duels, things would be getting much more tricky. Even though the Peers of the Abyss would be pretending to not use Ether, the results would not fly by without a thought. The Void Element, or some understanding of its nature would almost certainly spread, and the Legendary Sects would begin seriously looking into things. He was relatively confident that his identity could be kept a secret until the Interscholastic Duels, but he was becoming less and less confident of all else. Boreas began.
“Now… What are your intentions toward the Great Valley, and does it in any particular way include the Seven Legendary Sects?” Boreas donned a more serious expression.
……………………
Cerulean and Boreas discussed matters over the course of an hour. At one point they made a pact with one another when the details became serious. Cerulean spent much of his time discussing his plans not to destroy the sects, but to level the playing field. He also shared superficial details about his methodology in the trades - how he cornered the market. Boreas received a true glimpse of Cerulean’s depth of knowledge… It was too vast. Inexplicably vast.
“I still have no idea what this boy is… could he be…?”
Boreas began to share a useful bit of information
“Regarding your friends in the guild halls, you ought to be a bit worried. While the other sectmasters have begun shutting me out of certain meetings, I still know them all well. They are being patient, but their patience will be wearing thin - soon. Saving Latia definitely gave you a time buffer, but once the other sects stop humoring Aurelius, they will return their eyes to their own marketplaces. I would give it two months. Do not underestimate them. Your friends could all die over the course of a single night. Forgive me for being unable to provide you with specific plans.”
Hearing this, Cerulean was quite taken aback. He knew that the Legendary Sects wouldn’t shy away from lethal force, but to massacre three guilds?
“I will begin making some countermeasures… I tasked the Elson Twins with creating a network of spies. I’ll inform them that the Frostbane Sect is trustworthy.”
Boreas smiled gratefully. Cerulean's plans for the valley were putting his heart at ease. But he felt deep down that these plans would not come to fruition without the shedding of blood.
“Might I ask… how many lives do you think your vision is worth?”
“Truly a wise question. He must be developing an affinity.” Cerulean looked out the window, taking on a bit of a melodramatic gaze himself. He spoke.
“I see no good in ending lives. Rather, I hope that all the sects will behold in their hearts what is just for the valley. I will make my plan clear to each and every one of them when the time comes, and give them a clear choice. To deny that which they know is just is to court death.”
Boreas narrowed his eyes. Despite agreeing with Cerulean, he couldn’t help feeling that such a statement was self-righteous - especially coming from the mouth of a child. “Please forgive my indignation... But by what authority do you claim to behold that which is just?”
Cerulean smiled, and turned his head toward Boreas.
“Do you know a single person that would knowingly murder an innocent person and truly believe it to be a just action?”
Boreas shook his head, “I cannot say I know of such a person.”
Cerulean smiled again. “You may not know this, but within the Ethereal Spark of each human, there are two colliding forces separate from those of the elements. They exist in regards to The Moral Law, predetermined by the heavens. From birth, that law exists within our hearts and minds, even those of the etherless.”
Boreas stood up without even realizing he was doing so. This information was perhaps what he was desperately searching for over the past few years. “Please explain.”
“For cultivators, the two forces remain dormant early in their lives. They become more apparent with both age and ethereal density. The period leading up to this - one I’m sure you are solely aware of in this valley - is referred to as the period of discernment… Once one passes this stage, The forces will leave their spark and merge with their Ether. Through their thoughts and actions, they will be able to control the balance of these forces.”
These words resonated with Boreas. They pierced his core. While he was still confused, he inexplicably knew that these words were true. He was beginning to feel that Ether was not something to be controlled. Rather, it seemed to have a will of its own.
“You may have heard the proverb, to whom great power is given, much responsibility is expected. When these forces enter your Subjugated Ether, you must bring them to a balance, and you must not allow the scale of their conflict to grow. To allow either of the forces too great an upper hand is to literally end your own life. You will die…”
Cerulean donned something of a sour expression. This matter had caused more strife in his other life than all other matters combined. Nothing had cost him more.
Despite the inauspicious gravity of the conversation. Boreas was somewhat relieved. He finally was beginning to understand the cause of his pseudo-emotional turmoil. “What are these forces… Why do they cause death, and how?”
Cerulean sighed. He was finally done with the melodramatic portion of the conversation. He spoke.
“What have you heard about Sacred and Demonic Artifacts?”
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