Divine Apostasy Book 7 - Chapter 70/71

Chapter 71 (during my third revision I expanded a scene enough earlier in the book that it created another chapter, pushing 70 to 71)

Mountains quickly shrank to bamboo covered foothills which stretched to the ocean, and the barely visible Masters’ Village. The sun hovered across from the class, the lateness of the day creating yellow and orange streaks through the patches of clouds.

Ruwen and Sift remained still, as the rest of Rung Four moved toward the Founders as a group.

“Why does everything need to be so high?” Ruwen whispered to Sift.

“The view, of course,” Sift replied.

Ruwen pressed his back against the cliff face of the mountain behind them. A small amphitheater carved out of the mountainside provided a view that didn’t look awful.

On the left side of the auditorium, the Quartermaster stood in the doorway of a vault, the stone door half open. He handed Padda eight new uniforms and Madda eight black belts tied together in a bundle, and the pair quickly strode to the Founders.

The rest of the Adepts stood arranged in their Rungs. They had already received their black belts, new Bamboo Viper Clan tattoos, attire, and relic tokens.

“Rung Four,” Dusk said. “Few in the Bamboo Viper Clan can match the suffering you’ve endured. Recognizing this, and to preserve the sacrifices each of you made in service to protecting your world, the Quartermaster used the last of the One from Many spell thread when stitching these belts’ enchantment.”

“You know the cost of war,” Thorn said. “The schools you create upon your return will produce fighters capable of turning the tide. But danger is a constant companion, and death is inevitable.”

“The One from Many enchantment on these belts,” Mist said. “Will help preserve your sacrifices. The thread binds all of you together, and when one of you dies, their skills and strengths will pass to the remaining members.”

“In this way,” Dusk said. “You continue to aid your cause, even after you depart the living Realm.”

“That is powerful magic,” Tarot said from Sift’s shoulder.

Sift jumped and tried to grab Tarot, but the Misfortune Golem rose upward on his floating deck of cards.

Ruwen looked up at the golem. “Where have you been?”

“Hanging out with Shelly,” Tarot said.

Sift pointed at the golem. “Where’s my turtle?”

“Master of the Bamboo Viper Steps, Prythus, approach for recognition,” Thorn said.

Ruwen slapped Sift’s shoulder. “Do this later. Let’s enjoy the ceremony.”

Sift glared at Tarot, who appeared unfazed by the look, and Ruwen shook his head.

“I misjudged,” Tarot whispered. “Bad luck. Go figure.”

Ruwen tried to ignore the comment, but his curiosity won as usual. He glanced up at Tarot and whispered. “First, thank you for saving my life.”

The golem nodded at Ruwen.

“Second, what did you misjudge?”

Tarot sighed. “The timing.”

“The timing of what?”

“Your outcome.”

“Master of the Bamboo Viper Steps, Nymthus, approach for recognition,” Mist said.

Ruwen didn’t want to miss any more of Rung Four’s ceremony, and he refocused on the presentation. He would get to the bottom of Tarot’s comment after they finished here.

“I wonder what my belt will do?” Sift whispered.

Ruwen continued watching the ceremony but whispered back. “Your dad told Prythus all black belts contain five slots of dimensional storage. I know how full yours is.”

“Ha-ha, Stasher. Spoken like a true hoarder.”

Warm happiness spread outward from Ruwen’s chest at seeing all Rung Four advance to Master. He had worked with them the entire time here and felt gratified about the difference he’d made. Because of his training, the quality of the fighters they produced back home would increase greatly. He had made a difference to them, and that felt great.

“Master of the Bamboo Viper Steps, Sift, approach for recognition,” Thorn said.

Sift pushed off the rock wall and strode forward, trying to act normal, but joy radiated from him like a blazing fire. Sift said he didn’t care about any of this, and Ruwen believed him. But Ruwen also knew Sift had wanted the title that matched his skills, and now he did. Well, almost. Sift could test for Grandmaster tomorrow if he wanted. Assuming there was even a test for that.

Madda and Padda beamed in pleasure and Sift smiled at them. Thorn, and then Mist, pressed their forearms to Sift’s, altering his mark from the one he’d received as a Novice. Now it marked him as a Master on two Grandmaster paths. Thorn and Mist presented Sift with his black belt, uniform, and relic token. Then, in just a few seconds, he stood next to Ruwen again.

Sift held out his arm and turned it back and forth. At one angle, it had a slightly larger snake than the normal Master mark and smaller bamboo. As Sift progressed down the Viper Grandmaster path, those size differences would increase. The other angle had the larger bamboo and smaller viper of the Bamboo Grandmaster path.

“That is burnt,” Ruwen said.

Sift grinned. “Yeah, I love it. Thanks.”

Everyone’s mark had changed, most to the balanced Master one, but Ruwen guessed Echo had also received a Grandmaster marking from Thorn.

“The Bamboo Viper Clan is honored to welcome you as Masters,” Dusk said. “Before we celebrate, however, we wish to award a Grandmaster belt. Normally, this occurs in a more dramatic ceremony, but this audience feels more appropriate. Grandmaster of the Bamboo Viper Steps, Ruwen, approach for recognition.”

Ruwen strode forward and as he passed the Adepts, they bowed. No, not Adepts, Masters.

In school, Ruwen had avoided attention. His Intelligence had made him a target for bullying and being recognized like this would always make the harassment worse. Luckily, his shy nature made remaining unnoticed natural. Despite the vast differences between the pre-Ascendancy Ruwen and his current state, attention still made him anxious.

At some point Ruwen’s advancement would make him a god, and attention might become impossible to avoid. Transitioning into a deity didn’t fit with the mental picture he had of himself. Gods had always been statues in the temple or invisible beings you cursed after stubbing your toe.

Some gods, like Izac in Malth, made themselves visible, but Uru had remained hidden from her people, causing some to doubt she existed or cared any more. Maybe if Ruwen had grown up in Malth, he’d feel different, but he liked Uru’s way better. Attention was the last thing he desired.

Ruwen reached the Founders and bowed. They returned it, holding theirs for three seconds.

Dusk stood up straight and addressed the group. “As Masters of the Bamboo Viper Clan you have earned knowledge of our secrets. One such secret we will discuss now. Sister Thorn, how coil the vipers?”

Thorn slowly studied the group and responded. “In a nest, Sister.”

Dusk nodded and turned to her right. “Sister Mist, how stands the bamboo?”

Mist examined everyone present before speaking. “In a grove, Sister.”

Dusk faced the new Masters. “In the nest, among the grove, I call this conclave of Masters.”

White soul magic spread out from the Founders, creating a bubble around them all, and Ruwen guessed, hid them from any eavesdroppers or onlookers.

Dusk held up Ruwen’s black belt. It didn’t have any colored thread at the ends like the other Grandmasters’ belts. “You all witnessed what happened today and know that Ruwen has earned those stripes and more. Why then is his belt bare?” She held up one end of her belt. “For that matter, why is mine?”

The Masters remained silent, knowing Dusk would reveal the answer to something all of them had noticed.

Dusk continued. “A lifetime of dedication has earned you the title Master. This is the pinnacle of the Bamboo Viper Steps. Some have more than one life to offer, and the Steps can provide an even deeper understanding of the mysteries. These few will journey on the Grandmaster path, either Bamboo or Viper. But there is another Grandmaster path, and it contains the original Steps, born in shadow. The first six trials taught you the exquisite balance between the Bamboo and Viper Steps. You learned how they complement each other.”

Dusk paused, and instead of addressing the Masters, she locked eyes with Ruwen, as if she spoke to him personally. “One of the many lessons of the seventh trial is the balance between light and shadow, not only in ourselves, but in the world around us. We created the original Steps to bring balance to power. A way to fight back against the mighty. A way to right wrongs. Three deeply unbalanced sisters stepped into the shadows. From that desperate act, new friendships formed as we learned the secret knowledge the Shadow Steps now hold.”

The Prime Shadow Warden, standing behind Dusk in the cave of the last trial, had spoken Ruwen’s name and summoned him to the seventh trial. The secret knowledge Dusk spoke of probably included whatever Shadow Realm magic had powered that trial. He quickly checked his Realm count to see if he’d crossed into the Shadow Realm during the trial, but he hadn’t, as his count remained at four.

Dusk turned her attention back to the Masters. “Our new friends had taught us balance, and we used that knowledge to create the Bamboo Viper Steps, taking inspiration from our childhood home. The Steps took hundreds of years to perfect, but one thing never changed. At their heart rested the hidden Shadow Steps.”

Dusk locked eyes with Ruwen. “The Shadow Grandmaster wears the belt of a Master. Not only to hide the fact of the Shadow Step’s existence, but to honor the Bamboo Viper Steps and the duty they perform. A Shadow Grandmaster, with the power they hold, must see past the world. They must see the mysteries, the patterns, the secrets of the Universe. Knowledge, Wisdom, and Enlightenment must be constant companions. The Shadow Grandmaster lives in two Realms, and their shadows do not fear the light. This existence gives them the ultimate balancing power. They are god killers.”

Dusk blinked as if pulling herself from the past and focused on the Masters again. “Few possess this knowledge, and those that do are beings of great power. Why then reveal our brother’s path to you?”

Dusk swallowed hard and emotion made her cheeks flush. “The revelations of this day lay heavy on my mind. Only now do I understand the power of connections and the importance of a burden. Telling you so much of the Shadow Clan history creates a connection between us. A shared responsibility that strengthens us.” Dusk refocused on Ruwen. “Knowing Ruwen’s secret creates a bond with him. A responsibility. A burden. Keeping it will strengthen you.”

Dusk held up the black belt. “Ruwen Starfield, in acknowledgement of the balance and understanding you possess, in recognition of your displayed mastery of the Bamboo Viper Steps, we welcome you as a rank ten Grandmaster of the Bamboo and Viper Steps. In addition, the Shadow Clan has judged your shadow worthy of the darkness.”

Ruwen bowed deeply, and Dusk placed the belt in his open hands. When he stood, she pulled the cotton of her sleeve upward, revealing her normal looking Master mark. As he watched, the bamboo and viper in the mark faded as a swirling darkness moved through the bamboo.

Dusk held out her arm and Ruwen grasped it, their marks touching. His forearm burned, but the pain disappeared a heartbeat later. She released him and he studied his new mark.

Ruwen’s novice mark he’d carried since that day long ago in the Black Pyramid had changed from the single stalk of bamboo with a plain viper around it into a grove of bamboo, with a detailed viper coiled among the stalks, mouth open and fangs bared.

“Think of your shadow,” Dusk whispered.

Ruwen thought of his shadow, locked away in this very mark, and the design became fuzzy like fog had appeared.

“With a thought,” Dusk whispered. “You can alter your mark from this, a rank zero Shadow Grandmaster, to any rank from zero to ten for Bamboo or Viper Grandmaster, all the way down to the novice mark Padda and Madda gave you in the beginning. This allows you to pass the appropriate mark to any Sijun you teach.”

Ruwen bowed to Dusk, altering his mark to that of a Master, just as she wore.

As Ruwen stood, Dusk locked eyes with him.

“Not all shadows…” Dusk whispered.

“Fear the light,” Ruwen finished.

Dusk bowed, and Ruwen’s chest warmed. He’d done it. Navigated himself and Sift out of the storm that had surrounded them. This trial had resulted in amazing success not only for himself, but for everyone here. It made him proud, and he allowed himself something he never did enough: a moment of pleasure.