Elder Cultivator

Timothy surveyed the information available, indicating the vast fleets building up around the Scarlet Alliance’s territory. The situation was looking grim… and yet in some ways they had faced worse odds.

The gathering of cultivators began all at once, yet seemed to stretch on forever. After the Exalted Quadrant began to gather on the borders of the Scarlet Alliance, the Trigold Cluster was quick to respond and do the same.

On one side was the Citadel of Exalted Light, the Ponderous Turtle Clan, the Numerological Compact, the Disciples of the Beyond, the Forest of Death, and various other minor sects. With no fewer than two Domination cultivators- plus some potentials- they were in a tight place.

Timothy didn’t want to say the situation looked like it might be the end of them, though he certainly thought it. Verbally, however, he made another comment. “They’re scared. They were dismissive. Annoyed. Maybe a bit concerned about us. Now they’re scared. They’re afraid Catarina and I will develop into something they can’t match.”

“If only we had that time,” Prasad commented. “But there wasn’t much way to avoid this. I might have personally accepted further intrusions, but I can’t say for certain that would have been better.”

“I believe we could defeat the Exalted Quadrant,” Hoyt commented. “After all, even if you are fresh… you two are still Domination cultivators. And we have the homefield advantage. It’s unfortunate one of the rest of us have reached it yet, but it would be stranger if we had so many.”

Timothy was of a similar opinion. Confidence in oneself was important as a cultivator. They likely could defeat the Exalted Quadrant. If that was the end of their worries, then things would be vaguely manageable.

“This won’t be a victory purely on our martial prowess,” he shook his head. “It’s more how we can direct… everything else.”

The borders of the Scarlet Alliance stretched across a distance more than a hundred lightyears wide. The southwest was crawling with fleets that if they pressed forward slightly would find themselves in the central system of Xankeshan. Exposing their core world in such a way was both a risk and a strategic necessity. It would be impossible to properly defend all of their planets, or even half their important systems. The spatial distortion allowed them to concentrate their efforts in one place, yet the enemy could also make use of that by gathering their own forces.

Fortunately the Scarlet Alliance was fully self-sustaining, so if the Exalted Quadrant wanted to host a vast number of cultivators just outside their borders they could simply wait until they ran out of supplies… or got bored. But it was the others waiting on their borders that both compounded the situation and provided opportunities.

The Trigold Cluster was at war in the Scarlet Midfields, and that hadn’t just stopped because the Exalted Quadrant had taken offense to the Alliance policing their own borders. Or rather, the fact that they were enemies hadn’t faded. The war was at a ceasefire, but not of any official sort. Instead, they were waiting like vultures to pick at the aftermath, gathered mainly to the southeast.

Various sects were involved, including those with which they had former conflicts. The remnants of the Imbued Fragments and Broad-Eyed Harvesters, the Silver Fang, and the Fearsome Menagerie. It could only be assumed that Yann, the Fearsome Menagerie’s Domination cultivator, was present. Koronis was, as well as the Creeping Fire Sect. It was difficult to say exactly what her intentions were, as the Scarlet Alliance had ended up in a decidedly neutral position with regards to her.

Then there were the Guardians of the Veiled Brilliance, and separately the Distant Shadow Sect. Even if she was part of the Trigold Cluster, Ratna was probably on the side of the Scarlet Alliance- or at least against the Exalted Quadrant. They had to hope, at least, because they couldn’t afford more Domination cultivators.

Yet there was one. Probably. The Swirling Swarm seemed to have thought it would be a fun idea to join the war. Given that there had been no prior interactions with the Scarlet Alliance in any form, there didn’t seem to be any other reason for their presence. Perhaps they owed a favor to another faction. They might have taken offense to the insinuations that the Scarlet Alliance colluded with void ants. Whatever it was, it was a bit difficult to ask for the reasons.

Both great powers gathering against them at such a rapid pace hadn’t given the Scarlet Alliance much time to maneuver. A few years wasn’t really much as far as cultivators were concerned. They would have expected some more halfhearted attacks first, but as the war had made its way north through the midfields they were inevitably drawn into it. Now, they seemed like the prime target.

Nobody felt particularly comforted by the buildup of fleets on their northern side. With the great powers already accounted for, there was only one possibility remaining- Everheart. While there was hope that he might be there to cause chaos among the great powers, it was equally likely he was just waiting to salvage whatever he could. All attempts to contact those fleets had been rejected.

They’d had plans for Shelach. One Domination cultivator, acting more or less alone. Now, they might still be able to make use of those. There was a significant chance that he was lurking among the fleets, somewhere.

From the perspective in the upper realms, things seemed pointless, the Scarlet Alliance isolated. But they were not quite as alone as they seemed.

-----

Anton’s vacation had been too short, before he’d been called back to the frontlines. The lower realms were supposed to have several more centuries of peace, before the tides of the world shifted and the upper realms found it more convenient to invade. It seemed like there might be nothing that they could do, but it was actually the Shining Cooperative that made the first move, inviting together a council of the different powers in the lower realms.

Kybele was the first individual Anton recognized. Captain of the Astral Spear, though the ship itself had been greatly transformed over the centuries. Usually, he stayed out of diplomatic efforts, especially with their peaceful allies, so Anton only knew a few others personally.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Ravil of the Righteous Inscription Sect introduced their plans succinctly. “Enemies are gathering in the upper realms. They seek to destroy the Scarlet Alliance, and in turn cut off the future of anyone ascending from the lower realms. This lack of choice in path will be… greatly troubling for future development of all of us. But we have a plan.”

“I am interested in hearing it,” Anton said. “I’ve had little in the way of useful plans myself, and I can attack over the border… a certain distance.”

“That should still remain of use to us,” Ravil said. “We have a method to replicate the effects of a shift in the tides.”

“Really?” Devon asked. “Why haven’t we heard of this before?”

Kybele answered that one. “Because it would merely open up the lower realms to further attacks. And it is merely theoretical.”

“Correct,” Ravil said. “I suppose I mean to say, we have a method that might reproduce that effect on a small scale. Many of you should recall that two cycles ago came early? We studied that phenomenon. Never replicated it, because it would have been far too obvious and dangerous if it worked. And expensive. At best, we can create a localized form. A few ‘rivers’, if you will. We won’t be able to direct them, but we might be able to predict their path.”

“I see,” Anton commented. “Normally, powerful cultivators are able to feel a coming shift in the tides. That was true even of the shorter cycle. Yet you claim it was artificial?”

“A slow buildup would be more efficient,” Ravil said. “With the costs spread out over the Trigold Cluster as a whole, it was likely deemed acceptable. Perhaps the Exalted Quadrant shared in the burden, though we have no evidence of that.”

“Can this be accomplished in a short time?” Anishka questioned. “We likely have less than a year. The assault could have already begun.”

Ravil frowned. “This is why we called everyone quickly. We must try, if it is to be done. We will need the Lower Realms Alliance and Shining Cooperative, as well as the Adamant Federation and Free Planet Guardians. Most likely, we can only target the Trigold Cluster given our placement. But we never had hopes of invading the whole of the upper realms, anyway. If we could but pull away the Fearsome Menagerie, we might shift the course of the war. Alternatively…” he took a deep breath. “We consign ourselves to the lower realms for eternity. We build up our defenses. The upper realms will likely concentrate their forces for future assaults, so defeating them will not be a guarantee even if we continue our growth.”

“I think we need little convincing to act,” Anton said. “If you can actually accomplish this. But I must insist that you allow us to send void ants.” The Great Queen would never shut up if he didn’t.

Ravil nodded slowly. “We intend to open up the pathway for any fleets to pass through. Whatever your alliance deems appropriate should be your contribution.”

Tor, of the Free Planet Guardians, took the opportunity to speak. “A bold move. But not more bold than the upper realms trying to dominate everything. We’re about ready for some proper revenge. However, we don’t intend to sacrifice ourselves.”

“The intent is only to draw them away,” Ravil explained. “A raid, if you will. After all, we must know our own limitations. Even those beyond Life Transformation will be weakened in the upper realms. We can’t know precisely how much until we try.”

-----

Runa sat with Misi and Juli as they explained the situation to her. Fearsome Mandibles immediately began to sign angrily. “I will bite out the eyes of the cowardly Exalted Ones!”

“It’s pretty much impossible to get to them,” Juli pointed out. “At least, the ones we know of. However… if the Chaotic Conglomeration attacks the western Exalted Quadrant it might be possible to sway the war. Somehow.”

“There’s no way,” Runa said. “I certainly wouldn’t be able to convince them to do that. And I doubt most would be interested in working with void ants, no offense. We’re more or less isolated here.”

“That’s where another factor comes in,” Misi explained. “Human greed. You know how Everheart constantly manages to draw people to his ‘tombs’?”

“Yeah. Screw that guy,” Runa said. “No treasure is worth that much.”

“Not everyone agrees. So…” Misi shrugged. “We tell everyone that the Exalted Quadrant has killed Everheart, and has moved on to attack somewhere else. His treasures will be ripe for the taking- without his traps. Just spread out in the Exalted Quadrant.”

“The only problem with that,” Runa pointed out, “Is that he’s not dead. He’s part of the nebulous threat around the Alliance, right?”

“I know that,” Misi said. “And so do the rest of us here. But how many people ten or twenty lightyears further know that, do you think? The Alliance has special communications to reach this far. Those with spies in the Exalted Quadrant aren’t getting rapid or thorough updates on that front. Here are the things we know: Korin is dead, and we have been taking the Soul Piercer’s treasures. Exaggeration and speculation about what those further in might have should be sufficient.”

“Hmm. Will we not act ourselves?”

“The thing is, Runa, we like you,” Juli commented. “And the rest of this little region on the border. Which is why we’re not asking you to die for us. But the rest of the Chaotic Conglomeration? We don’t know them.”

“So you’re asking me to convince my allies to go die for you,” Runa said.

“Not at all. If they were your allies, we’d have seen them on the frontlines… ever.” Juli shrugged. “They’re just people under the same banner.”

“... I wish I had something to say to counter that,” Runa muttered. “But you have a good point. I still don’t know how to do that.”

“That’s fine,” Misi commented. “The two of us know what sorts of treasures Everheart had previously.”

“That informs what he might have now.”

“It’s some of everything, of course,” the first twin explained. “But the more details we have, the more people believe we saw it. You just have to convince them you want to take them first… and then unfortunately find yourself slowed down and unable to get there in time.”

“We’ll certainly have to fight,” Juli said. “But we really don’t want to be first. If you want, we can come up with a number of missives to have accidentally intercepted by some greedy factions.”

“I suppose it doesn’t hurt to try,” Runa said. “I kind of wish we could directly help, though.” It was difficult having a friend that spent most of her time hundreds of lightyears distant. And the Scarlet Alliance had helped the growth of this particular segment of the Chaotic Conglomeration to a great degree- and she didn’t just mean her and her father reaching Augmentation. With the Domination cultivators off at war, it would be strange to not try to take advantage. Even if there weren’t friends on the other end.

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