Zac froze for a moment as those scenes from years ago played through his mind: Leandra's gigantic robot body tearing through the fabric of space to appear on Earth. Of her fishing a horrified Thea out of the waters to use her as a lightning rod for Kenzie's failed tribulation. A pained smile appeared on his face.
"Yeah... I'm sorry about that. No, I'm sorry about everything."
From the side, Esmeralda whispered from her perch atop Draugr Zac's head, "Your mom?"
"It's complicated," Zac whispered back as he moved further away from his human half. "I need some privacy here."
It wasn't really a big deal if Esmeralda learned his mother belonged to a fallen Technocrat dynasty. Esmeralda knew pretty much all his secrets except his connection to Karz and Laondio, and him being a descendant of a Technocrat was small potatoes in comparison. Not to mention, Zac suspected she already knew. After all, she was friends with Sendor, who'd easily sussed out his origins. Nevertheless, the following conversation was something that should be held in private.
Thea said, "You don't look too surprised to see me. Did Vilari tell you about me?"
"She did. I arrived in Anima Court a few days ago, and she brought me up to speed. I've been looking for you since," Zac said.
"Looking for me? I put everything you needed to know in the letter," Thea said, looking a little skittish.
"I haven't read it yet," Zac admitted.
"You and saving letters," Thea scoffed, shaking her head.
It was so familiar. Her appearance, her tone, her mannerisms. It brought back another flood of memories of those quiet moments during the three peaceful years that followed the Technocrat Mystic Realm. Back when he thought the worst was behind him and that they'd have a century of steady growth before the Assimilation. Zac often yearned for those simpler times. And at this moment, in this place, he couldn't stop present and past from blurring. Zac's control slipped, causing his facial muscles to start twitching erratically.
"What's wrong?" Thea asked with alarm.
"Sorry, new head," Zac sighed as he kneaded his twitching cheeks. "Still not used to it."
"New head? What happened with the old one?" Thea asked, confused.
"Accidentally blew it up," Zac said, waving vaguely in the direction where the massive scar once stood.
"I should have figured that was you now that you're here," Thea said, looking Zac up and down. "Well, it looks good. You look good."
"Thank you. As do you," Zac said, "I—"
"You—"
Both stopped, looking at each other.
"This is so awkward," Thea said with a strained laugh.
Zac slowly exhaled and took out a set of chairs.
"I need to—" Thea said, and Zac raised his hand.
"Hunt Buddhists? They're all dead," he said.
Thea slowly nodded and sat down. Neither spoke for twenty seconds until Thea broke the silence. "Do I have a grave?"
Zac blinked in surprise before nodding. "Back in your family's manor."
"Do you visit?"
"Sometimes... I usually sit in the pergola instead."
"That's better, I think," Thea nodded. "Your mother. Did you know?"
"Some of it. I found out she was a Technocrat during the integration. There were some clues back in my home in Greenworth," Zac admitted. "But I thought she was gone from our lives. That she'd abandoned her mortal family and left Earth."
"Why would someone like that appear on Earth to begin with?" Thea said with a hint of complaint.
"Leandra belongs to an ancient family, a very powerful one. Well, they were. They went up against the System and lost. The whole clan was purged, with only Leandra surviving," Zac said. "She was grievously wounded, and a lot of people were eyeing her clan's heritage.
"To protect herself, her body enacted some form of emergency protocol. She sealed her strength and memories to focus on recovery. I think it also helped her from scans and divination. It was during this time she met Dad and started a family. As for why she came to Earth... Our planet was once a hidden research base of theirs."
"That Mystic Realm?"
"It was abandoned long ago. Someone else moved in much later and tried to restart the research," Zac explained.
"Figures," Thea said.
"I never told you because I didn't want to drag you into our family's mess. I just wanted to forget all about her," Zac said.
"Kenzie didn't agree. All those experiments... Her hidden labs," Thea said.
"It was a common argument between us. Kenzie wanted to find her. I think part of the reason she tinkered with forbidden technology was that she wanted to prove herself 'worthy,' as if that's a thing. I wanted us to hide until we were stronger. I even installed blockers around our planet in hopes it would keep us safe from her," Zac said, morosely shaking his head. "In the end, what we wanted didn't matter."
"I know what you want to ask, but I'm afraid I can't help you. I spent two weeks in a cultivation vat before she dropped me off on an unintegrated continent," Thea said. "I never saw Kenzie after that day, and your mother didn't say where they were going next."
"It's okay. I've found some clues on my end," Zac said.
"She's very powerful. At least an Autarch," Thea warned.
"I know. I'm not strong enough to save Kenzie yet. I'm working on it," Zac said.
The silence settled once more before Thea laughed with a rueful smile. "It's funny. She said that abandoning me in that meat grinder was my reward. That killing me was a valuable motivational tool for you two, and she needed to reciprocate. I even think the vat she stuck me in was an extremely valuable tonic to help with the awakening of my bloodline."
"I know the feeling. That day, she handed me a bunch of money before cutting ties with me. To balance out the scales, so to speak," Zac said with a sour taste in his mouth. "And again, I'm really sorry about all this."
"You aren't responsible for her actions. Besides, who knows what she would have done if I weren't there to take the fall? She might have destroyed Port Atwood instead," Thea said. "All things considered, things worked out quite well for me. I suffered some setbacks on the Goldblade Continent, but those experiences helped sharpen my blade. It gave me the freedom to pursue my Dao."
"Your mother said a lot of nonsense when she left me, but I think she was right about a few things," Thea continued. "I felt trapped back home, staying on that island. In your shadow."
Zac sighed. "I know."
"It's not your fault. You never did anything wrong. It's just stressful to be a Dao Companion who can't walk in step with your partner," Thea said. "You need to figure that out with your black-eyed girlfriend."
"You knew?" Zac grimaced.
"Of course I did. Woman's intuition. Also, Amanthi mentioned it a while back," Thea said.
"You're right, this is awkward," Zac muttered, scratching the back of his head.
"Relax. It's been decades. I'd be more worried if you were still pining for me," Thea laughed. "And don't worry. Two Dao Companions is nothing. Your mom mentioned she'd gone through a few dozen."
"She what?" Zac blurted, his image of a zealot solely focused on her clan's undertaking taking a critical hit.
"That's what she said at least," Thea said before giving him an inscrutable look with her piercing blue eyes. "Do you think we'd still be together if things didn't go down as they did?"
Zac was somewhat surprised that he felt no turmoil over the implicit meaning in her words. Some sorrow for what once was, but mostly relief. And Thea was right. They were not together just because she'd emerged from the dead. Some things were better left in the past.
"If we'd still be together? Who knows?" Zac said, though he knew the answer in his heart.
"Still not much of a liar," Thea smiled as she looked up at the shimmering sky. "We were the same back then. Traumatized, isolated because of our strength and the expectations placed upon us. We needed someone to lean on as we processed all that bloodshed, the madness that was thrown in our laps."
"That didn't make those years a lie," Zac pointed out.
"I know that. I still think of that pergola sometimes," Thea said.
"It's still there. You can see it when you come back," Zac said, adding after a small pause, "Are you coming back?"
Between Vilari's descriptions and what he'd seen so far, Zac believed he already knew the answer. Therefore, he felt no surprise when Thea lightly shook her head.
"No. That day, Thea Marshall died, and I have no intention of resurrecting her. Please let my family keep their peace," Thea said.
"Is it because of the Sangha?" Zac asked.
"That's part of it. I've completely fallen out with those baldies. I managed to kill a few of them, both outside and in here," Thea said. "Any lingering attachment to my old life is a weakness for them to exploit."
"If not Earth, then where are you planning on going? You're not thinking of becoming a wandering cultivator, are you?"
"Before the trial, my plan was to return to the Goldblade Continent. While dangerous, it was much more prosperous than Zecia. They had an unbroken chain of Divine Monarchs holding the fort, and it was slated to be integrated soon. It would have provided a good stage for me to prepare myself for Monarchy," Thea said.
"And now?"
"I lost my ride," Thea shrugged. "More importantly, I want to stay here."
"Here where?" Zac said with confusion.
"How can I be content with returning to a C-grade continent after what I've witnessed here? After what I've experienced? If I want to pursue the Terminus and become strong enough to achieve my dreams, this is where I need to be," Thea said as she looked around.
Zac could definitely see what she meant, and in some ways, he was the same. While he wasn't planning on cutting ties with Earth like Thea, his homeworld had already been relegated to something like a vacation home in his heart. Stopping by occasionally to rest was fine, but it couldn't provide him the environment he needed to pursue his Dao.
Still, the way Thea was going about things was a surprise. "You're saying you want to become a true disciple of Anima Court?"
"If they'll have me. If not, there'll be other factions who need new blood," Thea said. "They'll need some helpers to catch them up to speed. They've been sealed in this dream for quite some time."
"You're actually considering becoming a member of the Limitless Empire?" Zac said with disbelief.
"Why not? Tell me who's a better option for me? They're exceedingly powerful without sacrificing their moral compass. From what I've seen, they're a true orthodox, upright faction. You've seen what they accomplished without the System's help, when Earthly Taint made cultivation much harder. Aren't you curious what they'll achieve if they rejoin the current Multiverse?" Thea asked with glowing eyes. "Don't at least a part of you want to be part of that?"
"That's..." Zac didn't know what to say. Of course he had thought about it.
Who wouldn't? The scenes during Transformation Dock's worship ceremony were still imprinted in his brain. The majesty of the Left Imperial Palace floating in the sky, protecting its citizens from the barbarians at the gate. It was not just the power they held, either, but the quality of the people. The Limitless Empire was a fresh wind after dealing with the selfish rot of Zecia's top factions. If the Zecia Alliance had a tenth of the unity and drive of the Empire's citizens, then the Kan'Tanu Cult would have been crushed without a shadow of a doubt.
"Not to mention, their enemy is my enemy. If I join the Empire, I might actually get to invade the Sangha's holy land," Thea added.
"But they're not real," Zac said.
"For now," Thea said, pressing on upon seeing Zac was about to continue. "I have faith in them. They've planned this out to a tee, and they've been working toward this for so long. These people built the System. What does tricking the Heavens count for?"
"Tricking the Heavens? What they're trying to achieve breaks all convention. It should be impossible," Zac said. "Supremacies have to be careful when resurrecting a single low-grade cultivator, and they're trying to bring out a whole civilization."
"That only makes it more exciting. Everyone will want to join the Empire after they've succeeded and established themselves. Will it be my turn at that point?"
"Fine," Zac said. "I guess that even if the Empire fails, someone will claim this continent. And it's going to take a whole lot of people to fill up after the spatial seal lifts."
"Exactly," Thea nodded.
"I would put in a good word, but I did just almost blow up the court," Zac joked.
"Don't remind me," Thea snorted. "You almost hit me, you know."
"I hear the Court Mistress teleported everyone before they could be hit," Zac said with an awkward smile.
"Just what was... Never mind. I have enough on my plate as is," Thea shook her head. "Tell me how the people back home are doing. I heard that Ogras is back, but I didn't see Billy during the war. Is he okay?"
"Billy?" Zac said, laughing upon recalling his old companion. "He should be fine. He got out before Zecia went crazy. Turns out he's got some powerful ancestors too, and it didn't seem like they wanted anything to do with the Fifth Pillar. He really missed you."
"He's a sweetheart," Thea smiled before leaning over curiously. "What ancestors?"
"The Titans," Zac said.
"That sounds about right," Thea said. "It's good that he didn't get dragged into this messy trial."
With the most important topics covered, the two shifted to lighter subjects. They shared some tidbits of their experiences over the past decades and their journey through the trial. It allowed the two to settle in and get reacquainted with each other's presence. In the blink of an eye, more than two hours had passed.
It was bittersweet, both familiar and foreign. The love was still there, though years of being apart had changed it. Now, it was more like reuniting with an old friend.
One part in Thea's story gave Zac a start. It was actually Blessed Fate, the shifty little fatty that he met inside the Orom, who had picked up Thea from the Goldblade Continent. A surge of anger erupted upon hearing the name. Not only had he tried turning him into a zombie by providing the tempered [Boundless Vajra Sublimation], he'd actually dared to use his karmic connection to Thea for his own gain.
"I'll pay him back for all his 'help' one day. I'll feel bad I don't get involved with his attempt at reincarnation," Zac said through gritted teeth.
"Well, you're off to a better start leveling the field after your little stunt here," Thea said. "I can't believe you took out Sakra's mortal seeds. That's the king of Devas. He's the ruler of one of the Four Seas, a real bigshot."
"He is?" Zac said with surprise. "Is he the same guy as the one causing trouble here? I don't think his mortal seeds snuck in with us newcomers."
"I'm not sure. I read some scriptures while traveling with the baldies. I got the feeling that all the leaders of the Paradise and Four Seas were undying existences," Thea said. "In fact, they might not even be of this Era."
Zac took the news in stride. He had already met his fair share of undying existences, and he'd heard snippets corroborating that theory more than once. Part of him even suspected that the "sleeping Buddha" might be one of the Ancient Arcana, or at least a similar being from one of the first Eras.
"Do you know why they'd want to convert a dead soul like the Daynight Dreamer?" Zac asked.
"I have some ideas," Thea said, glancing at the sky. Twilight was about to arrive. "Let's talk on the way. I have a feeling that tonight's fae eruption might get a bit chaotic. We shouldn't stay in the forest for it."
"Maybe you could clue me into your grand plan while you're at it. I have a few bones to pick with the Sangha myself, and I wouldn't mind throwing a wrench in their plans."
Thea gave a teasing look as they set out for Soulwrest Chapter. "Sacred Insight probably has a chill running up his spine right now."