Infinite Realm: Monsters & Legends

Chapter 299: Anrosh

ONE YEAR AGO

Anrosh stood on the open field, her shield on her left hand, and her long sword stabbed into the ground with her right hand leaned on the hilt. The snow was falling lightly around them, the ground covered in a sheet of white. A territory of winter, a poor choice of a meeting place by their guests. The arrogance of the sects, she understood. They believed that forcing her to pull back here, in a place that was symbolically related to her power, it would mean something. A victory and gain of face.

It was frankly insulting, they hadnt even bothered to send spies, to learn more about Twilight Melody Sect, more about Anrosh. But she had grown used to it over the years. Many sects were fleeing the core, and the constant war there, trying to establish other territories in the Frontier. Taking over other sects and the infrastructure that was already in place was logical. And in most cases, it did work, the mid and large sized sects that were coming in from the core easily conquered the smaller sects in their way. The Twilight Melody Sect though, was different. They had fought off attempts like this one a few times over the last few years, but somehow there was always someone who thought that they would be different.

Anrosh kept her eyes forward, but she wasnt really looking. Her Meditative Mind allowed her to be in a state of mind where she focused on the tasks that were important for her position as the Sect Leader and acting Sect Head. Their guests were late on purpose, trying to rile them up. It didnt matter to Anrosh, time passed quickly with her mind.

She saw them coming, her mind registering it while she didnt react. They were a group of six, more than Anrosh had brought. She came with Lesamitrius and Veroone of their Sect Commandersshe had expected this sect to try and bully. Her numbers illustrated a point, their lack of fear. She was sure that they would see it as weakness, but the way an event was perceived didnt matter at the start of it, what mattered was how it ended and how it was remembered. Anrosh had learned a lot about navigating the sect politics.

Finally, she focused her eyes on the figures in front of her. Six warriors, all dressed in armor with fur pieces added as an extra protection from the cold. Anroshs armor looked bare in comparison, though the cold didnt bother her at all, in fact, it made her stronger.

She didnt move, didnt react at all to their arrival, she just stared at them, waiting for them to make the first move.

She saw them glare at her, their leadera human with dark skinwas giving her a look that she knew very well. It was a matter of will, of patience, she wasnt going to be the first to speak. They were here on her sufferance, even if they thought otherwise.

She saw their patience running out, it always did with people like them.

Tali had been right. Anrosh had forgotten how ordinary people worked. She had spent so much time living surrounded by giants, by titans who eclipsed everyone around them. She used to think that she was weak, now she understood that she was not, she had only compared herself to true monsters.

Lets not waste time, the man said. Kiau the Leader of the Wailing Mist Sects advanced scouting force was tall, but not as tall as Anrosh was. Your Sect Head is absent, you are a Frontier Sect you cannot dream to match our forces. Surrender and we will accept some of your command structure into ours.

Such arrogance was no longer surprising to her. Sects were fleeing the core, fleeing war, and they believed that the Frontier was a place that could be easily tamed. Once, perhaps that wouldve been the case. Now, though The Wailing Mist Sect was powerful, one of the upper tier sects, but it was obvious that they hadnt done any real information gathering aside from the most superficial probes. Knowing that Ryun was gone was not a big news, it had been years. Anrosh had long given up on her worry, she knew that he still lived because the Sect Interface told her he was, how he was doing, well She had to hope for the best, but she had a sect to lead.

No, these people were so arrogant that they didnt even try to learn more about the Twilight Melody Sect. If they had, they wouldve heard a story from a few years ago, of a battle against a necromancer and his undead, of the sky breaking apart.

In the end though, knowing about Tali didnt matter. Anrosh was here alone, and she understood her place in the hierarchy of power. These people were strong, if one looked at the average of the entire Core, they were above it. But when one talked about hundreds of billions, how many of them were immortal? Not a large percentage, no. Kiau was Immortal, and he was one hundred and twenty years old. He followed a combat Path, The Path of the Wailing Mistas was the name of their sect. But he was nothing out of the ordinary, he was just another immortal stuck in that Realm. He was distantly related to the main family in charge of the sect, and was sent here ahead of their population to prepare the way. He was to make sure that they had a place to settle. Territories, cities, food and water. He wasnt going to get any of that though.

Anrosh was not strong enough to walk side by side with the giants, she was not someone who could shake the entire world. But for this? Yes, she was strong enough.

No, Anrosh replied.

Kiaus eyes narrowed at her, two gauntlets appeared on his hands. I dont think that you understand what disrespecting me means.

Please, you are not even worth my disrespect, she saw his nostrils flare, his fingers tighten, the five warriors behind him tensed. Lesamitrius and Vero didnt react at all. Anrosh pulled out her swordKagehimeout of the ground and placed it resting against her shoulder. The blue metal of her Frost Mountain Shield reflected the dim sun, and she felt the air around it cool even more. Lets do this, I dont have time to waste.

I dont know if you are brave or stupid, Kiau said.

Anrosh rolled her eyes. You know how this goes, the two of us fight, I win and you go back to your people. I am sure that you will not prove honorable enough to have it end there, but, well When you send someone stronger we will just have to deal with them too.

That angered them all, Kiau didnt respond, but she saw him getting ready, she already was.

Her Defensive Stance was active and she moved as soon as he did. She stepped forward as he flashed across the distance and swung. She anticipated his movements, moved her Qi and used {Arctic Onslaught}. Then she raised her shield. |Frost Block| caught his gauntlet, a blast of mist and a wailing sound splashed against it as ice spread across the shield and dampened the attack. She winced as the wailing ruptured one of her eardrums, his other fist was coming for her face. With [Deflect] she twisted and pushed it away from her with her shield, she finished her spin, raising her sword and then brought it down. Fighters Strike improved her attack, it came faster than the man expected, and she saw his movements before he made them. Her attack passed through his attempts to block, and Kagehime smashed on top of his collar bone. His armor, bent, and she heard his collar bone crack, heard him scream.

She took a step and bashed him with her shield. The passive effect, the Weight of an Iceberg, amplified the force and sent him tumbling across the ground to land next to his warriors, unconscious.

They had their weapons out and ready, Anrosh dismissed Kagehim and stored her shield in her ring.

Well, thats that then, she turned around and started walking. After two steps she glanced over her shoulder. Let your people know thatYou know what? I doubt that they will listen.

* * *

So, you think that that was cool or something?

Anrosh winced as her newly healed and slightly sensitive hearing caught the loud voice. She couldve taken a healing potion, but when you were a Sect Leader you thought about everything. From the fact that resources were finite and there was never enough of them, to the fact that your healers needed practice, no matter how easy to heal the injury was.

She was sitting in her office, not at her table of course, Tali had occupied her seat. Instead, she sat on the couch, and tried very hard not to yell at her for messing up the organization of the papers on her table.

It was pretty cool, honored one, Lesamitrius whispered.

Tali gave him a withering glare that made the poor boy wilt. Spare me your opinion child, you still havent earned the right to voice it.

Anrosh cleared her throat. I apologize Anatalien, if I am lacking, I am of course always willing to hear your advice.

Tali turned her eyes back at Anrosh. You couldve ended that fight before he even hit you. You rely too much on your Defense Stances anticipation. You knew enough about that mans fighting style to know what his opening move was going to be. You shouldve ended the fight before it started. Now, they will go back, and they will tell their leaders what happened. You did not come out looking strong out of that. He managed to injure you. They will simply send someone stronger next time.

Anrosh bowed her head. Of course, Anatalien was right. She was Anrosh owed everything to her. She was what was keeping the Sect together, and Anrosh was well aware of the fact that if she wanted to, she could take over the sect. It still surprised Anrosh that Antalien had that much loyalty, toward Ryun. Still, having someone like her, a Ranker that was so old, and so powerful, a Cultivator of the highest caliber, be a part of their sect was nothing short of miraculous.

She could rule, but instead she spent her days training the children or meditating. Recovering, still. She wasnt quite yet fully healed, though that hardly mattered at all. There wasnt anyone powerful enough on the entire Frontier to threaten her.

Ill do better, Anrosh said. She had tried very hard to accept her lessons. Especially since she still remembered the old Tali, the one that had been the slave who hadnt seen anything of real worth in Anrosh. Things had changed once Tali had regained her power, she had taken Anrosh almost under her wings, teaching her how to rule and how to navigate the sect politics better.

Youll do better? Tali asked. You are lucky that you have the opportunity to learn, that you have me here and that your mistakes dont matter. If I wasnt here you

I know, I know, Anrosh interrupted her.

Do you really? Tali asked.

I do, Anrosh answered.

Fine then, Tali said and stood up from behind the table. The next person that will come will be their Sect Head. You are strong Anrosh, but you are not that type of strong.

Will you..?

Yes, I will slap the upstart down. Tali said and Anrosh sighed in relief. Look at me Anrosh.

She raised her head and met Talis eyes. You understand what your mistake was? You remember what I taught you?

Anrosh nodded her head. Perceived power mattered more than real power.

By letting them see her bleed, see one of their weaker warriors injure her, she had revealed something. She had pulled back the shroud of mystery and power. She was stronger than him, she knew that, she couldve stopped him before he managed to injure her, because she had taken the time and effort to learn about him. She sent spies, she bought information, she prepared. She knew all that he could do. She was stronger, but not that much stronger. Yet, if she had defeated him cleanly and overwhelmingly, without their people being able to realize how strong she was Then the sect would have reservations, it would have doubts, they wouldnt know what Twilight Melody could do.

True, they still didnt. They were idiots who were so arrogant that they hadnt even bothered to learn about the Twilight Melody Sect. If they had, they wouldve known that members of what remained of Zenshuen Sect were guests here. And they wouldve known about Tali.

She felt sorry for them, Tali was going to slaughter them if they showed her the same disrespect that they had shown to Anrosh. But, ultimately that was on Anrosh too. If she had been better She knew her worth, she knew her strength. She just needed more time to master her power, to learn how to use it effectively.

She knew that having Tali was a gift beyond what she deserved.

Try to remember that lesson next time this happens, Tali told her as she left the room.

Anrosh noticed Lesamitrius look after her with barely contained look of awe on his face. Even after all these years, she still had the same effect on him.

So cool, he whispered.

Anrosh sighed. She missed Ryun. He was insane, but he at least didnt care for all this politics.

Her attendant entered the room hastily. Sect Leader, she said quickly. One of our scouting groups had returned, we have a problem.

Anrosh closed her eyes. Another problem, of course there was. She followed after her attendant, hoping that that whatever the problem was she could deal with it herself. She didnt know how much longer Tali was going to tolerate her failing by just a hairbreadth.