Vex trailed the boy through Gleam, stepping from one shadow to another. It was a fairly pointless exercise, but after the pain it had taken to get into the city, he couldn’t resist observing the meddling Karma Cultivator’s protégé.
Part of him wanted to end the boy there and then, but his survival instincts were strong enough to realize how much of a mistake that would be. Eliminating him would take considerable effort, and Vex would have to take extra care to ensure the karma of the boy’s death didn’t fall on him. Karma was powerful, but it wasn’t all-seeing.
The more he watched the boy, the more annoyed Vex grew. There was nothing special about him. Vex tripped a large, heavily muscled cultivator with a tiny tendril of dark water as the boy passed by him, curious to see how the boy would handle the conflict.
The man cursed and spun, grabbing Chance by the shoulder. Despite his size, the movement was slow and heavy-handed. Vex could tell the boy saw it coming, but he did nothing to stop it.
“I’m sorry, mister. Is everything okay?” Chance asked.
“You tripped me.”
“Did I? I’m sorry. I was caught up in my thoughts. I didn’t mean to cause you any inconvenience. Are you okay?”
“What? I – yeah. Of course I’m fine,” the man snapped, the wind dropping from his sails. “Watch where you’re going.”
“I’ll make sure to pay more attention. Sorry for the bother.”
“It doesn’t matter anymore,” the man said, trudging away.
Vex shook his head. Taking blame for something he hadn’t even done without an instant of hesitation. The kid was a coward. He just couldn’t see what the Karma Cultivator saw in him. In the end, it didn’t matter. The boy would be dealt with – but not before Bella.
A tingle ran down Vex’s spine. He bared his teeth, a tiny flicker of white in the darkness. Nobody stole from him and got away with it. Bella had already lived several stolen months. It was time for him to reclaim them.
He dismissed his cloak of shadows and prepared to step from the alley. A cold hand fell on his shoulder, and a stillness passed over Vex. A powerful chill washed down his back, making his hair stand on end in a way that it hadn’t in hundreds of years.
“You,” Vex snarled, batting the hand away and spinning around. He already knew who it was – nobody else had snuck up on him in recent years.
Yamish floated in the alley before him, streamers of black and golden light twisting around his arms. The Karma Cultivator cocked his head to the side.
“I believe you were instructed to keep your distance from my student.”
“You don’t own the city,” Vex said. “And you’re just a will fragment. If you interfere, I’ll crush you. This isn’t the same as the last time we met.”
Yamish’s lips parted in a grin, revealing pointed teeth. “Perhaps. And then you would be struck down by my true self for the great Karma you would incur upon killing me. A true body in exchange for a clone. A fair trade, I think.”
Black water roiled at Vex’s feet. It bubbled up around him, the watery tendrils ripping through the stone around them and leaving jagged furrows behind. Yamish watched idly, completely unperturbed by the other man’s tantrum.
“Very well. I’ll leave the boy alone,” Vex said. “He’s worthless. But I will not be denied what I have already paid for. The girl is mine.”
He turned, moving to walk out of the alley. The world spun around Vex, and he found himself standing to face Yamish once again.
“We have not finished our conversation,” Yamish said, interlacing his fingers. “Sit down.”
“I’ll do nothing–”
Stone rose up behind Vex. It formed into a solid, straight backed chair and slapped into the back of his legs. Bands of golden light snapped shut around his arms and legs, yanking him down into the seat.
“That was not a request,” Yamish said, floating lower so he was still at eye-level with Vex. “You seem to misunderstand our situation.”
“I misunderstand nothing. You are protecting your student. Intent to act is not punishable, as I haven’t done anything yet. Even your Karma agrees with that,” Vex spat. “I won’t touch the boy, so there’s nothing more for us to discuss. If you continue to restrain me, I will be well within my rights to defend myself. Your true self would then incur negative Karma if he sought me out.”
The bands vanished, freeing Vex’s limbs. He stood, brushing himself off and smirking. “An enjoyable talk, Karma Cultivator. We won’t meet again.”
Stone lurched, wrapping around his body and slamming him back into the chair. Yamish’s eyebrows rose.
“Stunning. You appear to be restrained, but I am afraid I lack any ability to control stone. Who could have done that?”
Vex snarled. Black water raced up the stone, digging into it and shearing the material away. But, as fast as it cut, more stone rose to block his Essence. He narrowed his eyes and extended his senses into the rock, tracing whoever was controlling it.
An unfathomable amount of Essence drove into his mind, throwing him back into his body with enough force to send blood spraying from his nose. Vex gasped at the unexpected attack.
“What is that?”
“The city,” Yamish replied. His words grew darker as the bands of black light from his left hand extended, binding around themselves in the air and attaching to Vex’s chest. “And that question did not come free, as it was of great importance. You have established debt to me.”
Vex froze. “Only for a single question.”
Yamish cocked an eyebrow. “An avalanche begins with a small shift. Now, I believe we were talking. The city appears to wish that you remain here and complete our conversation.”
“You’re trying to tell me the city has an awareness?” Vex asked. He caught himself immediately and continued before Yamish could answer. “That was rhetorical, you bastard. Don’t answer that. If you want to have a conversation, drop the Karma requirements for what we discuss.”
“Gladly. We may speak freely.”
“Fine. What do you want?”
Yamish splayed his fingers out. “You seem to have an interest in my student and the mortals he lives with. As such, this concerns me. Explain.”
“Why should I tell you my personal business? I’ve already promised to keep away from your student.”
“Which you did once before, and you already failed,” Yamish observed. He leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “If you do not speak, then there is no conversation. And, if there is no conversation, then we are enemies. You do not want that.”
Vex matched Yamish’s gaze for several seconds. Then he grunted. “My only real target is Bella. She owes me a life-debt, and she betrayed me. As such, I will be collecting it.”
“You mean to kill your student?”
“She is my student no longer. I will be reclaiming the power I wasted on her,” Vex replied with a shrug. “It was her who established the deal. There is no room for anyone to object. She promised her life to me. It is mine to collect.”
Yamish crossed his hands again. “So it seems. What great power does this girl possess, so that you would come here yourself simply to reclaim it?”
Vex grunted. Yamish cocked his head to the side.
“She does not have one, does she? The girl is a normal cultivator. You came to kill here purely because she slighted you.”
“And if I did? Those who dare stand against me deserve nothing more. I would show no mercy to anyone that dares disrespect my strength.”
“I think,” Yamish said, placing a finger on his chin, “that you are a pathetic man. Any cultivator who would stoop low enough to crush out a tiny spark just because it has irked them is no cultivator in my eyes. You are a bitter, sallow sack of flesh.”
“Is this how you typically converse?” Vex drawled. “Because I don’t believe it to be very productive. I was unaware that Karma Cultivators enjoy spending their time forcing others to listen to worthless insults.”
“No insults. I only speak the truth,” Yamish said. “But, if the girl has a life debt, it would indeed establish bad Karma if I interfered.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page. Release me, then. Our business is over.”
“Unfortunately,” Yamish continued, ignoring Vex completely, “I have taken more of a liking to my student than you seem to believe. He would be upset if you killed the girl without giving her a fair chance.”
Vex blinked. “What? Are you asking me to spare her because you… don’t want the boy to be sad? And you think I’ll just do as you ask? How arrogant are you?”
“Infinitely so,” Yamish replied. “But I did not say spare. I do not care nearly that much. I simply require a fighting chance.”
“There is no universe in which she could survive a fight against me,” Vex said. “It is impossible for her to have a chance.”
“I see,” Yamish said. “Very well. Enjoy your time in gleam.”
Yamish turned, floating toward the dark end of the alleyway. The stone bindings covering Vex didn’t budge.
“You haven’t released me,” Vex said.
“I was not the one holding you captive,” Yamish reminded. “You will have to take your complaint up with the city. Unfortunately for you, I believe it likes the boy far more than I. You might be here for a few dozen years. It has a nigh endless source of Essence.”
Vex’s eyes widened. “Wait!”
Yamish turned to look back at Vex. “Yes? I was under the impression you no longer wanted to speak.”
“You’re a bastard. What do you want from me?”
“Want? I want for nothing. The universe delivers unto me all of my desires before I know them,” Yamish said. “And you are the instrument of my next movement in this game. You will aid me in my goals. In doing so, you may find that your own are also accomplished.”
Vex spat on the ground. “Frilly words do little to hide that you’re asking me to do your bidding. Do you truly believe you can hold me here if I do not wish to be held? Karma be damned, I am no mere pawn. Push me farther, and I’ll kill you, Karma be damned.”
“Your words would be more intimidating if you were not bound in rock.”
“I am allowing myself to be held for the time being,” Vex growled. “Do not confuse my desire to avoid a massive fight with complacency.”
Yamish smiled. “I confuse nothing, even if you overestimate your abilities. For the time being, I believe our goals may line up. If this is the case, as I previously mentioned, we may both be able to achieve what we desire. Of course, you have no obligation to hear me out. Just be aware that I guard my investments very closely. Misstep, and we will have a true problem. Our cordial conversation is over. If you wish to treat with me, then say such.”
The stone covering Vex released him. Water rushed up to catch him, righting the man before he could fall. It slipped up through his pant legs and vanished. Vex glowered at Yamish.
“Speak,” Vex said, crossing his arms. “I will hear you out.”