That story was told by the angle of the scorch marks and the damage on the buildings behind them. Lindon didn’t even need Dross to tell that someone had been using some serious Striker techniques, firing in this direction. They had sliced straight through stone.
“Did you see this from up there?” Lindon asked.
“I assure you, my abilities are significantly reduced compared to normal. You’ll have to take my word for it. Now, what’s your conclusion?”
“Please correct me if I’m mistaken, but it seems to me that someone raided the School from deeper in the valley, stole whatever was in that building, and was discovered either when they were inside the building or shortly outside. Then they pushed their way in this direction in an attempt to escape.”
The attackers had tried to leave Sacred Valley. Interesting that, after getting what they wanted from Heaven’s Glory, they had wanted to escape the valley completely instead of returning home.
“That would be my guess as well,” Eithan agreed. “However, it is a guess. Deduction is not an exact science. It could be that these attackers became enraged and wished to inflict damage on the rest of Heaven’s Glory, not trying to escape.”
“Pardon, but then I would expect more damage to the buildings.” Most were broken in some way, true, but the enemy techniques had clearly been focused onto the barricade. If the attackers had been interested only in inflicting as much pain as possible, they could have launched these destructive techniques in every direction.
Eithan waved a hand. “Certainly. I just think we ought to remember that there are many things we can’t know.”
An alarm horn blared in the distance, and shouts showed that Heaven’s Glory warriors were on their way.
“Now, I wonder…” Eithan began, and Lindon didn’t need him to finish.
Both dashed over to the rubble of the most thoroughly destroyed building visible.
It was actually one house back from the street, and whatever battle had leveled the rainstone had carved visible chunks out of the surrounding homes. This building had been larger than the others, similar to the size Lindon remembered of the Lesser Treasure Hall, but otherwise Lindon could glean almost nothing from its remains.
At this point, it was basically a rectangular pit filled with fragments of a diced building.
“If you already know what’s down there, I would appreciate it if you would tell me,” Lindon said.
Eithan grimaced. “Lots of grimy blankets, some destroyed tools, and a shallow sewer of human waste. I would call it a prison, but those aren’t usually kept twenty feet from the main thoroughfare.”
People. People had been stored here.
Lindon didn’t like the picture that was forming. Someone had attacked Heaven’s Glory from within the valley, taking someone from this prison and leaving the building in ruins, and had then tried to leave. But they’d been forced to retreat.
And it seemed like this person was an exile of the Wei clan. Lindon was beginning to feel sick, and he couldn’t tell if it was his imagination or a premonition.
A Striker technique lanced toward Eithan’s back, a streaking line of golden madra.
Lindon reached out and caught it on his right hand, absorbing the power into his hunger arm. He vented what he couldn’t process, but it was pathetically little.
Eithan dipped his head slightly. “Thank you.”
“Name yourselves!” A furious woman’s shout came from behind them.
Lindon turned to see an old woman with a jade badge leading a contingent of about ten Irons.
[Twelve,] Dross corrected.
Lindon held both his hands over his head. “I apologize for our haste, honored Elder, but we come in peace.”
“Liar!” Elder Rahm shouted from where he stood behind Yerin. “These are enemies of the School!”
“Strikers!” the new Elder commanded.
Five more streaks of light flashed out, all aimed at Yerin.
Lindon felt a spike of alarm and anger. Mercy instantly moved to cover Yerin, and the knot in his heart loosened, but they had still attacked instantly. As far as he knew, they could have killed her.
In a flash, Yerin vanished.
She reappeared next to the Jade woman, blade drawn, its white edge pressed against the elder’s throat.
The Irons behind panicked, staggering back and preparing weapons…but none of them attacked, clearly unwilling to risk the Jade’s life.
Yerin spoke while panting. “Now…would you bet we’re here to talk, or draw blood?”
After another moment, in which she met the eyes of all the Irons, Yerin slid her sword away and back into its sheath.
The elder raised two fingers to her throat, felt no blood, and then lowered her trembling hand. “Guests don’t usually sneak in to capture one of our Jades.”
Lindon took over. “We came to warn you. There is a great disaster on its way. You may have already felt it: earthquakes, spiritual pressure, earth aura behaving strangely.”
The elder gave one cautious nod.
“It is coming to destroy Sacred Valley. We can take you to safety, but you have to leave with us.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What reason do I have to think this isn’t a plot to destroy us?”
“Because we don’t need to plot to destroy you,” Lindon said simply. He kept his spirit wide open, his madra cycling slowly.
After a moment, her spiritual perception extended from her and ran through him in a soul-shivering scan. He allowed it.
Her sense was vague and weak, but she shook when she was finished. He almost didn’t hear her whisper “Gold? All of you?”
Lindon hesitated.
“Sure,” Mercy allowed.
Yerin gave a dry laugh. “You’re short by a long mile.”
“We’re far beyond Golds!” Eithan declared.
Ziel just shook his head.
The Elder looked to all of them in clear confusion, returning to Lindon. He simply said, “Yes.”
Rahm scanned them all, and each time, the shock in his expression grew.
“Forgiveness,” the Jade woman said with a bow. “I was disrespectful. We should find a place to talk where we won’t be on display to every peeping Copper in the school.”
There was indeed a significant crowd staring at them, some close and some far away, with varying degrees of anger or fear.
As he looked around, Lindon caught note of a building he recognized. He pointed. “We can speak in the Lesser Treasure Hall.”
The female elder’s face twisted in confusion. “Forgiveness, but the Treasure Hall is crowded. And I’m sure nothing in there would catch the eye of a Gold.”
“I would feel more comfortable if we were in Elder Rahm’s home,” Lindon explained.
“Elder Rahm oversees all three of our Treasure Halls. At least let me guide you to the Elder Treasure Hall, where we are better equipped to host honored guests such as yourselves.”
Lindon realized he was pinching his void key and lowered his hand. “Let’s start with the Lesser Hall,” he said. “One step at a time.”
6
Lindon remembered the Lesser Treasure Hall of Heaven’s Glory as a wide hall packed with pedestals. Sitting on each pedestal, covered in transparent panes of glass-like Forged madra, were treasures.
As he entered now, years later, the first thing he noticed was how small the place was.
Yerin glanced around at the floor and ceiling. “Got the place all swept and shiny new.” There was no trace of her battle with Rahm, which had destroyed much of the interior before.
Elder Rahm gave a harsh laugh as she dragged him along behind. “Such little damage was simple to repair.”
His colleague entered after the rest of them, following inside only after Mercy, Ziel, and Eithan had joined them. She didn’t bring any guards along with her, though she did position herself near the exit.
When they had all entered, the old woman bowed. “Apologies for the late introduction. I am Grand Elder Emara. I have not held the position for long, so please forgive me if my knowledge is lacking.”