THREE HUNDRED THIRTEEN: What Grows Unseen III
Next Chapter: September 10th (approximate)
“Lind…”
“Esh.”
“When I sent Alden off to find his own way in our Rapport, I advised him not to go to Wathe. I said that I didn’t recommend the city for a solo adventure. I don’t want him to encounter any trouble or unpleasant social scenarios on his own. So it was a word of caution, but a soft caution so that he wouldn’t feel unwelcome. It may have been too soft. ”
“I’m not sure even that much caution was necessary. We won’t have anything like the incident with Servin-ith and Bash-nor here,” said Lind. Her hands were sending an embroidery needle through a piece of stretched fabric. Esh’s small house was quiet with only the two of them in it, but children’s toys—evidence of an evening visit from Brim and Droon—cluttered the floor. “From your surprise, I take it he’s ignored your advice and gone to Wathe?”
“No. He hasn’t ignored my advice. He’s not anywhere near the city.” Esh stood up from his spot on the sofa. “I’m teleporting to the observation station over the training fields. Would you like to come?”
“He’s observing the exercises tonight?”
“Not observing.”
Lind’s needle paused.
“And I thought everyone would remember him for his Three-fingered Thief style,” said Esh, going to fetch his boots.
******
******
Bithe had demanded the wegyta rings, and Alden had handed them over without question. The Artonan clipped one of the demon’s wings with them, then sent a ball of compressed dirt that blasted it down to the bottom of the hill.
Not how I’d have done it, thought Alden, on his knees, in a hurry to get a pain relieving bandage and a few of his spare protective plates out of his backpack.
His interface showed him a rip on one shoulder of Bithe’s coat. And blood.
“Alden! How did you get here?” Bithe was still looking far downhill toward where the demon must be, the rings at the ready in front of him.
“I ran.”
Alden kept the kelsithe umbrella over both of them to block some of the wind. Rain had just begun to fall down here too. He tried to show Bithe the large rectangular bandage. “Will this be enough to stop the bleeding? I don’t have many options that work for Artonans. Did you manage to keep your own first aid supplies when the flyer was hit?”
The thunder was jarring here. Sudden and loud despite his ear protection.
“We’ve only got a few things left,” said Bithe. “What bleeding?”
“You’re bleeding. Not really. The interface is showing blood. On your—”
“My shoulder. I see.”
“Will this bandage help?”
“It should.”
“Let me put it on you while you keep pointing the rings down at that thing. Or you can put it on you while I point the rings.”
“You put it—”
“Okay. If something else comes, you shout, and I’ll shield us. I think I’ll shield us. I don’t know what taking a strike from one of those would be like. Did you see how far around it the ground is being damaged? I’ll leave your coat on since getting rid of protection out here is bad. I’ll just…how many shirts do you have on? Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Just hold still.”
Alden was working one-handed because of the kelsithe. He was rushing, too, and that rush kept him from thinking about how awkward it was to get the bandage under the coat and two more layers of clothing, then up to Bithe’s shoulder.
It wasn’t until his interface showed him an image of his own fingers moving through the pretend rip in all the layers of fabric that he took stock of their positions. His backpack was hanging off the kelsithe arm, bumping into Bithe’s chest. Bithe had his good arm with the wegyta bent around the pack to aim downhill. And Alden thought he might have come close to knocking the Artonan over in his haste to get the bandage on before something else happened to either of them.
He’s still upright and he’s focused, so it’s fine.
He slowed down to position the bandage correctly and held it there for a second. It didn’t mold itself to the wound since Bithe wasn’t really hurt, but it looked right.
“That’s better,” said Alden. “Now some protective plates. Will they adhere to your coat? To cover the damaged area?”
“You have more of those too?…Put a couple on the shirt underneath the coat,” said Bithe. “Imagine you’re repairing the torn cloth with them.”
Alden did it, then pulled his hand back.
“Finished. Hello.”
Bithe blinked and turned one eye. It looked at Alden, then up at the kelsithe, then at the backpack. There were thick smears of mud on Bithe’s face. His hair was full of it.
“Hello,” he said.
Alden lowered the umbrella and angled it to shield them both better. The world flashed bright around them. He didn’t even have time to wince in anticipation of the thunder.
“Why did you throw yourself down here?” he asked when it was over. “Are we staying down here? It might be safer than climbing back up to join the others while the storm is going on.”
Getting struck by Divin’s lightning had to be one of the least helpful things they could do.
“No, we should get up to Tilliver’s sculpture,” Bithe said. “Before the mud slides down on top of us. Or before something comes out of the ground down here. We’re safer together, and the storm is deterring a number of—”
“Understood. I’m doing really well on these hills, so I can help you get up there faster.” Alden looked behind them. And up. And up. “I really ran down that? I did. So I can get back up it. But let’s have me do the leg work. Because if you fall, you roll. You roll so hard. I thought you were a goner.”
“‘Goner’ is…a creative way of changing the word ‘gone.’”
Alden only acknowledged the comment with a nod. He was busy figuring out what the fastest way of getting up to the sculpture was. “Backpack…rope…no, let’s wrap you up like a k’rethkan.”
“Like a what?”
“They’re a common food on Artona II. Filling rolled up in a fried shell.”
“I’m familiar with what a k’rethkan is,” said Bithe. “What do they have to do with me?”
“You’ll be the filling,” said Alden. “And the kelsithe will be the shell.”
Water was streaming off the shield. When Bithe leaned back suddenly, he got some in the side of the face before Alden could shift his arm’s position.
“Is this conversation happening?” asked Bithe. “Or did I hit my head hard?”
“No doubt you shook your brain when you threw yourself down here,” said Alden. “But don’t worry about it. I know what I’m talking about. I can carry dirt with the kelsithe, so I can carry you the same way. It’ll be fast. Maybe uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as what you just did to yourself. Ready?”
Bithe’s head moved just enough for Alden to think it was a nod. He unpreserved the umbrella and focused on reshaping the kelsithe.
“It looks like a shovel,” said Bithe, raising his voice as the storm grew even louder.
“That’s part of my process.”
******
There was a little more to it than rolling Bithe up in the kelsithe and preserving it around him. He had recovered enough from his brain-shaking tumble to voice objections and give instructions.
He wanted Alden’s backpack and their comm earrings preserved, and he wanted his own head free of the cocoon made by the kelsithe so he could watch their surroundings.
“Your eyes only point one way,” he said, “so you’ll watch where you’re running, and I’ll watch everything else. If I tell you to put me down, do it immediately so that I can use the wegyta rings.”
Alden had doubts about how much of a lookout anyone could be while he was waving them around on his way up a hill that was practically melting beneath his feet. And leaving just someone’s head exposed to danger felt off. But Bithe asked for it, and it sounded like he had serious concerns about more demons as bad as the birds showing up, so Alden obliged.
He was only now picking up on the details of what the squad had been dealing with since they got separated from him. Too many strong hazard mimics were appearing from where Forduan had been keeping them trapped in the territory that was at their backs. On top of that, there had been demons underground lying in wait to surprise the squads questing in this area.
Which should have been squads full of knights stronger than this group.
All of their skills were exhausted or close to it. Bithe had only tossed the bird demon downhill, instead of killing it, because it was so aggressive that he hoped it might serve as a guard dog down there now that it shouldn’t be able to fly.
“With how luck has fallen on us tonight, the demons who attacked our flyer will come all this way specifically to get us,” he said.
“Maybe not. It was something at the cone-shaped hill that got our flyer, right? Those are ewtwees, and at least one griveck is going to hunt them. She’ll be there by now. She’s strong.”
“How do you know?”
“I met the griveck,” Alden told him.
And then he started his climb, with Bithe looking like a large infant swaddled in the kelsithe. At first, Alden kept holding him out at arm’s length, or even overhead, as he tried to find ways to jog without jostling his passenger.
But then the difficulty of the undertaking made that impossible.
“I’ll be using you as a thing to block wind,” he said. “I need to.”
“Then do so.”
Bithe didn’t say anything else, and Alden appreciated that. It allowed him to focus entirely on the upward push. He was jumping more than running. He’d done a lot of that tonight. His muscles were complaining now. His clothes were wet, and his pants were weighed down with what felt like twenty extra pounds of mud.
He’d slowed, but slowing down didn’t seem to make him much more surefooted. He landed almost knee deep in the hillside once and was afraid he was going to keep sinking.
Without his trait, he didn’t know what it would be like here. With his trait, he managed to jump again, but it was weird. The ground seemed to be solidifying beneath his feet at the moment he pushed off, but it was also dragging at him.
It made him stumble. He almost slapped his entruster against the slope.
I wish I’d been practicing on land with my trait for months now. Real land. Terrain, not city parks and streets.
Not long after that, he jumped to a good looking spot, and in the moment he paused there, he felt the sodden ground sliding around his ankles. He swore in his head and moved, jumping and jumping without looking back to see if it was turning into a serious mudslide, not stopping until his feet found what might be one of the last remaining patches of solid sod he’d have.
By then, he was gasping.
“They’re trying to encourage you,” said Bithe.
“Who?”
“My friends.”
Alden glanced at Bithe’s face, which had been scoured almost clean by the rain since the last time he’d considered it, then uphill. They’d made it more than halfway back to the bird foot sculpture.
A bright blue star was twinkling above one of the toes.
“A spell?” said Alden.
“Just a little one,” said Bithe.
“I love little spells.”
A bolt arced through the clouds. Alden didn’t know if the tingling against his skin was purely his imagination.
How far can electricity travel through mud? Don’t go swimming during a storm—I’ve heard that before, but nobody has ever told me anything about mud.
“Can Divin control where the lightning strikes?”
“No. Not yet.”
Alden let out a laugh that was more like a huff. “Are you okay?” he asked. “That last section was tough, and I wasn’t checking on you at all.”
“I’m fine. You know that if we fall my armor is much more protective than yours, don’t you? So if there’s a choice to be made—”
“Stop trying to get away,” said Alden. “I’ve been running since sunset, and I get here, and then you throw yourself to the demons while I’m waving.”
“I was drawing their attention so that everyone else could escape.”
Alden looked toward the star. It was encouraging.
“I’m going to keep going like we just were,” he said. “I think it’s best. I’m not sure. If I drop you or land your face in the mud, I’m sorry. It’ll be an accident, not a choice. Shout really loud if something’s coming. I don’t know if I’ll hear you otherwise.”
******
******
******
On the deck where she sat watching in comfort, Ryada’s stomach turned to stone, and her blood rushed. She held her breath.
I want to see Alden succeed, she thought. And at the same time, How can they get out of there if he doesn’t succeed?
Bithe is so sweet. How dare he try to sacrifice himself like that?
That’s a clever sculpture, Till. Seth, I’m so glad you could cast your star.
Emban had her bow. She was trying to make herself ready in case they needed her.
Do you see them, Jozz-art’h? Everyone else in that room? Do you see how much they’ve done? All of them.
“Are you watching?” she asked the man behind her.
“I’m watching. I won’t mind sharing Goldbush with newlings like your friends. They’re lively and stubborn.”
Ryada heard what he’d said about Goldbush. Someone his age must be going as a mentor, a commander, or for some special purpose. That would have been worth asking about if he’d mentioned it earlier.
But not now.
“In a way, I died on Thegund.”
Those words from Alden Thorn’s letter came to her mind. Now, he was struggling up a hill toward Ryada’s squad, trying to save Bithe.
She whispered, “He looks…”
******
******
******
The last few leaps were the hardest. Alden’s legs were screaming. Putting everything he had into each jump was mentally taxing, even though he knew the consequences for slipping up would be sliding down a very long way.
The star spell was like a promise. So close now. And he could see faces peering out at him. They were calling words that were probably good words.
You can do it. Just a little farther. It’s warm and dry in here.
Words like that.
He wanted to get there. He was afraid the whole sculpture would break away from the ridge and fall any second, but he wanted to trust it.
We stay together, he thought as he made his knees bend again. We get to the top of the hill.
He’d found them. He was almost to the top of the hill.
And then he was there.
Close enough to dump Bithe into Tilliver’s waiting arms. Close enough to wonder if his own added weight would be too much. The bird foot was made of dirt. They hadn’t counted on him when it was sculpted. What if it collapsed when he entered and took the whole squad down with it?
“Get in here!” Emban demanded, diving halfway out of the foot to extend her hands. “Come in before you fall.”
Alden grabbed for her and let her help him up and into their strange shelter.
There was no rain stinging him. No wind tearing at him. Sitting on the toe felt as solid as sitting on a log.
I made it.
He was almost nose to nose with Emban, and Seth was right behind her. He realized he was breathing hard directly into their faces and turned his head.
“I need a short rest,” he said. “And then I’ll be ready to help you get to the top of the right hill. We’ll find the treat.”
“The only thing I want to find is a bath,” said Bithe.
The others were all nodding and agreeing. Alden thought that agreement was in favor of Bithe’s suggestion instead of his.
“But we’re all together now. Once Divin’s with us. And there’s not much that way.” Alden flicked a finger in the direction he’d come from. “I can show you a route that’s safe enough. There’s just one big thing and a stream you shouldn’t touch and some demon goats. Demon…”
Describing a goat would take too much effort right now.
“Demon small animals that aren’t even that hard for me to kill. So if we wait until you’re strong enough, we can get out of this bad spot by going that way. Then if we run for a while, we’ll eventually get to our hill.”
Emban groaned.
“Or not?” said Alden, looking around.
They looked as tired as he felt. They had reason to be even tireder. Maybe the mission would just be getting out of here without any losses. But to do that they’d still need to cover some more ground.
“I’ll preserve the most vulnerable supplies,” he said. “The wegyta, anything else we don’t want to have listed as chaos damaged. Let’s put those in my backpack, and I’ll hold onto them.”
They started reaching into pockets and taking off jewelry.
I’m glad there’s something I can do to help just by sitting down.
“Does anyone need any bandages?” He spotted his messenger bag in the bottom of the pack. “Or maybe a snack?”
“Food?”
“You have food?”
“I want a snack.”
The sudden spurt of energy in their voices made Alden sorry he’d offered. “Don’t get excited. It’s just…”
They were all looking at him like he was about to pull a turkey out of his bag.
“It’s just a few things that ended up in here over the past couple of days.”
“Don’t tease us with covered plates,” said Tilliver.
“Some nuts and stale bread,” said Alden. Stuart had eaten a lot of what he’d picked up at the pitcherhouse while they were walking around together, but not everything. “Kizzsskizzit…the nice spice that changes flavors. A piece of a crosswater noodle that was boiled this morning. Ceremonial wevvi.”
“You brought ceremonial wevvi?” Seth asked. “To this?”
“It’s in a bottle Esh-erdi said wouldn’t break. It’s not very big.” He’d been trying to take a taste of it and the noodle back to Natalie.
“A feast befitting those who walk the path of highest onus,” said Tilliver, as Alden started pulling the things out of his bag.
“Battlefield snack delivery,” Alden said. “That was always my real quest.”
******
******
******
“He looks alive,” said Ryada-bess. To herself and with a smile. “And like he knows how to live in new skin.”
Tidbits & References:
k'rethkan -- these are the "Artonan eggrolls" Alden is fond of, especially when stuffed with meat petal
“like he knows how to live in new skin” — This is from a poem Ryada-bess stood on at the train station during the Here-to-There, about an animal called a t’tchispa. Alden referred to that poem in the letter he wrote to her. The full poem can be found at the end of 227.
Comments (286)
'So it was a word of caution, but a soft caution so that he wouldn’t feel unwelcome. It may have been too soft. ”' HA '“No. He hasn’t ignored my advice. He’s not anywhere near the city.” Esh stood up from his spot on the sofa. “I’m teleporting to the observation station over the training fields. Would you like to come?” “He’s observing the exercises tonight?” “Not observing.”' >:) '“And I thought everyone would remember him for his Three-fingered Thief style,” said Esh, going to fetch his boots.' Heh -“Alden! How did you get here?” Bithe was still looking far downhill toward where the demon must be, the rings at the ready in front of him. “I ran.”' HAH 'bad. I’ll just…how many shirts do you have on? Don’t worry. I’ve got this. Just hold still.” Alden was working one-handed because of the kelsithe. He was rushing, too, and that rush kept him from thinking about how awkward it was to get the bandage under the coat and two more layers of clothing, then up to Bithe’s shoulder.' Heh '“Finished. Hello.” Bithe blinked and turned one eye. It looked at Alden, then up at the kelsithe, then at the backpack. There were thick smears of mud on Bithe’s face. His hair was full of it. “Hello,” he said.' :) '“Understood. I’m doing really well on these hills, so I can help you get up there faster.” Alden looked behind them. And up. And up. “I really ran down that? I did.' :) 'But let’s have me do the leg work. Because if you fall, you roll. You roll so hard. I thought you were a goner.”' :) ' “Backpack…rope…no, let’s wrap you up like a k’rethkan.” “Like a what?” “They’re a common food on Artona II. Filling rolled up in a fried shell.” “I’m familiar with what a k’rethkan is,” said Bithe. “What do they have to do with me?” “You’ll be the filling,” said Alden. “And the kelsithe will be the shell.”' Heh 'It’ll be fast. Maybe uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as what you just did to yourself. Ready?”' :) '“It looks like a shovel,” said Bithe, raising his voice as the storm grew even louder. “That’s part of my process.”' Hah 'Alden had doubts about how much of a lookout anyone could be while he was waving them around on his way up a hill that was practically melting beneath his feet. And leaving just someone’s head exposed to danger felt off. But Bithe asked for it, and it sounded like he had serious concerns about more demons as bad as the birds showing up, so Alden obliged.' :) 'Bithe had only tossed the bird demon downhill, instead of killing it, because it was so aggressive that he hoped it might serve as a guard dog down there now that it shouldn’t be able to fly.' :D -“Maybe not. It was something at the cone-shaped hill that got our flyer, right? Those are ewtwees, and at least one griveck is going to hunt them. She’ll be there by now. She’s strong.” “How do you know?” “I met the griveck,” Alden told him.' heh >:) '“I’ll be using you as a thing to block wind,” he said. “I need to.” “Then do so.” Bithe didn’t say anything else, and Alden appreciated that.' :) '“A spell?” said Alden. “Just a little one,” said Bithe. “I love little spells.”' :) '“Stop trying to get away,” said Alden. “I’ve been running since sunset, and I get here, and then you throw yourself to the demons while I’m waving.”' Hah '“I’m watching. I won’t mind sharing Goldbush with newlings like your friends. They’re lively and stubborn.”' :) 'Ryada heard what he’d said about Goldbush. Someone his age must be going as a mentor, a commander, or for some special purpose.' This old guy couldn't be the Primary, could he? '“In a way, I died on Thegund.” Those words from Alden Thorn’s letter came to her mind. Now, he was struggling up a hill toward Ryada’s squad, trying to save Bithe. ' :) 'She whispered, “He looks…”' Oh? 'There was no rain stinging him. No wind tearing at him. Sitting on the toe felt as solid as sitting on a log. I made it.' :) '“He looks alive,” said Ryada-bess. To herself and with a smile. “And like he knows how to live in new skin.”' :D Thank you for the chapter >:D
Alden is so cool
The men at Okinawa would've loved this Battle Rabbit.
Woo!
aldens growth makes me tear up
I hope they remember to save something for Divin
Some bananas would have been perfect for the moment
Esh probably took a look at his Tellingbush feed and saw: "Human Avowed volunteers, and becomes first Terran ever at Rapport III Chaos Exercise" Depending on how Artonan social media works, there could be stuff about Alden now, like: Five Weird Things About Humans (#2 Will Shock You!)
"A Number of Facts About Humans One Might Find [Pleasantly Educational]"
I enjoy how well sleyca is able to balance Alden's childhood naivety with the crushing weight of geopolitics
Is it just me or does this almost read like a meet cute? ☺️ “Alden did it, then pulled his hand back. “Finished. Hello.” Bithe blinked and turned one eye. It looked at Alden, then up at the kelsithe, then at the backpack. There were thick smears of mud on Bithe’s face. His hair was full of it. “Hello,” he said. Alden lowered the umbrella and angled it to shield them both better. The world flashed bright around them.“ the hellos kinda giving butterflies
“Don’t tease us with covered plates,” said Tilliver. I’m wondering if this is one of Sleyca’s Artonan sayings or if Tilliver made it up on the spot.
What % of Sleyca's brain do you think is dedicated to Artonan idioms and explanations of why they make sense to Artonans?
> “No. He hasn’t ignored my advice. He’s not anywhere near the city.” Anyone wanna bet who informed Esh? Is Alden making waves? Or did Stu get cold feet and demanded updates.
Probably Stu. He finally returns to class, comforted that Alden has insisted he's being careful in the raport and won't reveal his secrets. Then he gets out of class and Alden has joined a training battle for knights! wtf?
What kind of a character is Hn'tyon Emban-art'h? Bithe calls her "often quite smart". Ryada thinks of her as "glorious with her bow". Stu predicted her joy at Ryada accepting her wish for deepening would "become a long period of fear [...] And anger, if I know her if I know her nature as well as I should" once Ryada finally confessed the yell in her throat.
When Alden first met her, Emban tested him with an unflattering description of the mishnen incident as an opening ("So you’re the alien who [...]"), introduced herself without her hn'tyon title but with her skill name (as if Alden was already of the Rapports), and shared her snack (flatseed candy) with him. Her timing to come take a look at Alden and exchange a few words was suspiciously well-timed to Stu being on the final cast for his keda bean spell - was she giving Stu a deliberate mild distraction to ease his nerves and egg on his desire to finish so he could argue with her (and incidentally successfully impress his new human friend with a successful cast)? If so, she succeeded magnificently, though Stu got her back with bursting the sackfruit all over her beautiful cream knight's coat.
"I would like to create a new skill," says a future human Knight with gleaming eye. "And what would that be?" ask an Artonan and the Mother. "Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers," says the anti-Chaos chaos gremlin. "What?" asks the Artonan, wondering if they've forgotten their Earth languages. "//Holy shit//," says the Mother, having seen all of the human Internet. And that is how there came to be a large number of Knights and Avowed able to combine and separate at will, creating super-conglomerates who can preserve the integrity of something in existence and endure all attacks and cut a moon in half, all with only one central being whose existence is bound into Two Become One Flesh.
At first binding, TBOF only allows for combining with one person for however long your bound authority holds out (and unbound, if you know how to funnel it in). Part of this is because a not insignificant part of the skill, soon separated into mini-ish skill Know Thyself, is making sure each participant retains their original place in existence to come back to, preferably in the same body they started in. This burden is alleviated as Know Thyself becomes incredibly popular among non-TBOF binders, easing the magical drain on TBOF and thus allowing for longer combining with the same amount of authority. And, of course, higher levels of authority allow for more participants and longer combining, and higher level bindings allow for more complex aspects increase the skill's utility, such as the aspect that allows three separate powers entering into TBOF to interact while amalgamated, especially with the proper mindsets.
It has recently become apparent to me that I overlooked Ash’s potentially being a member of the delusion wizard chaser club. Ash has a lot of similarities to Aulia and I completely missed them while raging about his bad teaching habits. Assuming that train of thought has some merit (obsessed with magic, arrogant, dismissive of people beyond their usefulness, etc) kinda curious if people think Ash and Aulia are kindred spirits or more competing runners.
Oh yeah I'm sure Ash is trying to work out Wizardry as well, I would guess as competing runners but who knows.
Honing in on the approximate: The chapter should be out tomorrow!
*sad noises*
so while we're here waiting, can anyone tell me what Ultra Rare means in relation to classes. I've been rereading the chapters when Alden first arrives at intake and Natalie is telling him where all the other classes have their residences - and she says that the Ultra Rares just mix in - and they aren't Uniques because she has already mentioned them.
I am trying to remember. I am thinking it is for classes like Chainer where there are only a very very few. I am not certain we have heard of other Ultra Rares.
Every now and then, I trip across another one of Sleyca's little symmetries, and I have to squint in suspicion at the implications. Kindly senpai who look out for their kouhai: Alden has Rahul, Stu has Ryada Insightful teachers who frequently indulge their inner child: Esh vs. Ash? Ice-princess theme: Everly (literal ice magic superteen) vs. Emban (latest art'h family knight questing forth from the icy north)
Family member who acts a generation younger than their actual age: Lute has Aimee, Stu has Evul Protective teacher with an intimidating introduction: Klein vs. Rel Scholastic prodigy with an implied tragic backstory and a cynical outlook: Boe vs. Joe/Ro
The more I’ve contemplated this chapter, the more ominous the EshLind section feels. At the beginning of this weekend, Zakithee-und’h introduces us to some of the prejudices and attitudes of a portion of the residents of Rapport III. —— “A knight doesn’t like Avowed!” —— Shortly after, Alden shared with Esh his intention to make a home in the Rapports and help fight chaos. And while Esh responds positively, he implies that many Artonans would not do the same. —— “Your words make this night more beautiful, Alden. It’s a great offer. Look at me.” Alden turned his head. Esh-erdi’s smile was warm. “Many things will be hard for you if you go that way.” “I thought so.” —— And in this chapter Esh speaks to Lind of advising Alden to not go to Wathe because he “didn’t want him to encounter any trouble or unpleasant social scenarios.” Immediately followed by the claiming that his words of caution “may have been too soft.” I know many of us want everyone to see Alden as we do. As the hero who’s doing awesome things to save the day and help the team. I suspect the reality may be more fraught. We know the und’h family is not predisposed to look positively towards the human Avowed and others may feel the same. There may be many negative reactions to Alden’s participation in this exercise. Hopefully not enough to outweigh the praise he deserves, but prevalent enough to make their way to Alden’s ears. Alden realizes that this isn’t just training, but that “you’re showing all of those people who you are.” How will Alden respond if his praise-worthy performance, his attempts to prove to himself and others that he belongs here, are met with rejection? Will this be a ripping away of Rapport III’s shade leaves that reveal to Alden all that can be known in harsh light? How would a negative or mixed reaction to Alden here affect Stu as he contemplates his first binding? Would it be the final straw for Stu to realize that looking for confidence from without is no longer worthwhile? That he can build a foundation of sturdy bricks with what he is already holding? —— “When we tell someone we’re going to build something, and they say it’s not possible, we should probably ask ourselves what they actually know about the project before we accept their opinion. Are they just counting the bricks we’re holding without respecting what they’re made of? And are they measuring how far we have left to go without seeing our determination to get there? “This applies to brothers who say a friendship won’t work. And to lots of other things, I’m sure.”
People have prejudices. The Artonan's are people, so they have prejudices. The Artonan's are very similar to humans in lots of ways. Olget was prejudiced against knights with their authority bound. Many wizards see that this is a time of plenty and ease as Stu has told us. Many wizards see the Avowed as servants, and servants are clearly inferior to their masters (downton abbey and other period dramas). Artonan Wizards on the whole probably see themselves as superior to all other races because they are technologically and magically superior and can perceive themselves in the universe (authority sense) naturally. Their society supports that internally with the wizard class being superior to the ordinary class. It would be reasonable for that to extend to their colonial servant species. The knights on the whole are the "good" people who are dedicated to saving the universe and are willing to sacrifice themselves to do that. Only a very few who start down that path commit to it in the end, most fall away. That whole mindset makes then "good" in lots of other ways, and much more approachable, relatable and likeable than typical wizards.
Next chapter predictions in haiku, or otherwise? Jozz who hides himself Faces what Alden mirrors Sina in Stu's friend
Knights who hold the worlds Speak of things newly discovered The rabbit hops again
It's going to be convenient for Esh-erdi to have two threads of attention; he can keep track of Alden in the present while at the same time fast-forwarding through his journey in the exercise... Speaking of being watched, do you think The Informant might find out about there being a human teenager in an Artonan military exercise, and take an interest? It's gossip material for sure, but I doubt Artonans would talk about it where he can reach. Maybe if he spots an anomalous delivery of 50 kgs of pink dye...
Maybe if one of the avowed participants is human ?
"Bithe blinked and turned one eye. It looked at Alden, then up at the kelsithe, then at the backpack." I'm 100% picturing the "monkey puppet side eye gif" that gets used regularly as a response in places that allow memes.
Nice mental image! We have a great meme channel on the discord. The meme channel is what sucked me into that space. ;)
A good approximation day to everyone. This arc has me checking back like in the old days.
Just thought up a theory about the fate of Hannah, idk if anyone else had this idea first, but it’s the first one I’ve thought that aligns with all the info we have: She could be stranded in a sealed off part of the universe, in such a place where her probability of survival remains above the 1% threshold which prompts a ‘presumed dead’ message. The sealing would have been intentional, and probably left behind wizards and possibly knights. And I can see the Artonans keeping this information from earth, because saying that they are losing ground to chaos in some places is bad for morale, and earth is still a new resource world.
I mean, her binding could BE the seal, no?
Oh my, I just noticed… Alden + umbrella + bottomless bag (Bithe, re protective plates: “You have more of those too?”) = Mary Poppins
Hahaha!!! Love this!
For some reason, Alden’s… not sure what to call it - understatement? lack of self aggrandizement? full stories hidden behind just a few words? cracked me up: “Alden! How did you get here?” “I ran.” “I love little spells.” “It looks like a shovel” “That’s part of my process.” “How do you know?” “I met the griveck,” Alden told him.
Uh, did Patreon duplicate my comment when I went in to add more examples? It’s been doing weird things with my comments recently. Not like this, but when I type a response to someone else’s comment, sometimes it pastes my last response to another comment at the beginning of my new response. I hate it when the app finds new ways to be weird.
For some reason, Alden’s… not sure what to call it - understatement? lack of self aggrandizement? full stories hidden behind just a few words? cracked me up: “Alden! How did you get here?” “I ran.” “How do you know?” “I met the griveck,” Alden told him.
As Lesedi once said “Honest but not forthcoming”
Esh didn’t break Alden s contract with Joe because sleyca is saving him for breaking Gorgon’s chains some day !!!
Maybe, but it would be pretty heavy handed as things are now. Besides, if the trend continues, then the one who chained Gorgon might just be convinced to free him with loot.
I wonder if the big "demon" will have exuded enough "Chaos" to make the environment even more hazardous by the time they try to pass by...
I'm certain it will. Alden's safe route isn't so safe anymore!
"Haoyu met Alden’s eyes with a soulful gaze. 'Do you walk through every storm in search of lost travelers?' “'I do,' said Alden. 'This campus is a dangerous place. Someone has to do it.'” (250) Sixty chapters later, we have Alden rocking up with his new kelsithe umbrella to rescue lost traveler Bithe from Divin's storm. (Sleyca, your foreshadowing-!)
"Stuart wore very dark green harem pants and a short coat in the same color with paler green and gold leaves embroidered around the hem and cuffs. The mark that indicated he was a declared was on one shoulder. Alden was in a t-shirt and shorts. "'I went to a ceremony at DawnStep to renew my oaths,' said Stuart." (252) "'What do you think of my choices?' he asked. "He watched the other him smile and straighten as his outfit changed. The tattoo was mostly covered by the sleeve of a dark green knight’s coat. "'How did Stu put it?' she said. "'Yes. To everything I am.'" (303) Mother put future!Alden in Stu's green coat!
This song by the smiths totally matches Stu-arth (especially now that Alden Thorn is his friend and hopefully hoped-for one): “The boy with the thorn in his side Behind the hatred there lies A murderous desire for love How can they look into my eyes And still they don't believe me? How can they hear me say those words And still they don't believe me? And if they don't believe me now Will they ever believe me? … Behind the hatred there lies A plundering desire for love How can they see the love in our eyes And still they don't believe us? And after all this time They don't want to believe us And if they don't believe us now Will they ever believe us?”
“Why do we fall down?” “So we can get back up! Except for Bithe, he just does that sometimes”
Odd re-read question for visibility. Is there an intentional difference between how losing an object is handled vs dropping and reprotecting? Because gym (eg the flinging of Reinhard) makes it clear that he can re-protect without explicit re-entrustment, but there are plenty of references to the opposite as well.
Being entrusted an object is separate from preserving it, so stopping the preservation doesn't negate the entrustment. Losing possession of the object invalidates entrustment, so he has to be given it again. This is largely perception based and has changed over time, but the through line is that as long as the entruster had a sufficiently valid claim to entrust the object and Alden retains possession of it, he can preserve and unpreserve at will.
It's so funny when Alden misses sexual tension. This chapter it is: "He was almost nose to nose with Emban, and Seth was right behind her. He realized he was breathing hard directly into their faces and turned his head." You're Emban, and you have complicated feelings about this alien and a new knight being on your team today. You don't really notice it, because he's an alien avowed and it would be inappropriate, but he's very fit, and clearly cares about people you care about. And you're jealous. You're jealous of how Ryada talks about him. You're in the middle of your training and it's going horribly. Bithe tells you that you were doing a bad job caring about Ryada (you know! You know by now!) and then sacrifices himself. He's not really dying but it's another little horror. And then Alden is there charging after him. You don't see everything because you're getting to the other shelter, but he's climbing up with Bithe. They're going to make it. He's tall, and strong, and saving your teammate, and you feel bad for saying there wasn't anything interesting enough about him. He gets to you and Tilliver takes Bithe, and Alden is just standing there, staring up at the shelter with tired, sad eyes, wobbling on his feet. You grab him and pull him in. He's heavy and so, so warm. You are all so cold and rain drenched but he's putting out so much heat, and he sits down with that glazed look and sweat and heaving breaths and stares straight at you and his breath is so warm. And then he looks away in embarrassment. That's the sexual tension and Alden just felt bad about breathing in Emban's face. There's a whole enemies to ??? arc in Emban's head and Alden is oblivious.
No, no I don't want to invest emotionally in Alden X Emban. The pain from the brutal vicious murder of the Alden X Natalie ship is still too raw!! Also, all the Alden X Stu shippers and the Alden X AroAce fans are going to target us with the combined heat of a thousand suns...
It came to me that helping Bithe as a k'rethkan was the right option to stay in the food delivery theme
This is how the Bearer of all Burritos does it!
Is it possible that items left with Alden degrade slower than items left with the squad because of his authority being more resilient ?
Meaning, if Alden and, say, Emban, were of the same Rank (distance to the Primary), his Authority would degrade chaos either more quickly or more completely?
Alden has one working communicator left, but I guess the others have zero left. So if they can use his, this could be a good opportunity to check in with the rest of the Artonan forces and ask for updates. Assuming they can change the communicator permissions, because IIRC Alden got a limited version...
Yeah, it was mentioned that he can't get those updates, so I would guess he most likely can't call beyond the squad either.
This Arc has parallels with Alden's last coursing run. The one with the floating island. Kon's commentary is similar to Ryada's. Bithe takes the role of Ignazio. Everyone not paying attention to Alden is similar to everyone ignoring Alden's team at first. Even Alden's talk about entrustment before the run is a bit similar to preparing himself for the demon mission. It is really cool how the difficulty slowly ramps up for him, instead of hitting him all at once as usual.
It only occurred to me during this chapter, but the story Supper Supportive has a lot food and food related things in it, doesn't it? It is mostly in the background and rarely story relevant, but it just keeps coming up. Throught the entire story. From alien biology classes on how artonans need regular meals, because they function worse than humans without. To history lessons about starvations in the old days. Ceremonial wevvi and fruit baskets. How Alden and Boe made friends during the Zoo visit over food. Parties involving food. Alden's food restriction. The toxic food on thegund. How the sprinklers he used were made for agriculture and the whole 'berry quest' for Joe. The sensory sharing gum. How he asks the contract if he can eat something new. Some of the most appreciated uses of Alden's skill being food delivery for roommates. Natalie. The contract's hot chocolate. It JUST KEEPS COMING UP. And it is never what one would consider the main focus. I don't dislike it and think it makes sense in retrospect, since we spent so much of our real world time eating. It's just ... Using food as a vehicle for storytelling without making the story about food is both crazy and perfectly logical. I am shocked that I haven't read any other story doing it. I think it is worth appreciating it. But maybe I am imagining things.
I think Natalie’s skill is a big cluebat to how the food is being used, too. Alden’s diner food, Jeffy’s grill, Stu’s wevvi… Thanksgiving… But also I think Alden has food security issues, a lingering trauma from his aunt’s poor parenting skills, so of course he spends a lot of attention noticing food.
This chapter was so delightful! I laughed so much at Alden’s conversation with Bithe~ his confused disbelief at Alden wanting to turn him into an alien burrito!🤣
The Ryden ship gains strength under a fair wind…
It was the letter bro.
Would Mother/Earth Contract allow Alden to teleport to remote places to train? Other knights get teleport prevliges. Is there a good place a few hours drive from Chicago so Boe can meet him?
Love this idea. Could probably request a teleport for Boe too, to some truly remote places on Earth.
YES RYADA YES, THIS TOO SHALL PASS *cue dramatic thunderstorm noises*
The wizard who made the human-compatible kelsithe: Sees the cute ryeh-b't happily using it as Vatha team symbol: *so proud* *hopes everyone is watching* The ryeh-b't turns it into a parachute air scoop: *nods in satisfaction, such elegant versatility!* Now it's a shovel: *Confused pikachu face* A shovel to BURY YOUR ENEMIES: *hesitant thumbs up?* Now it's an umbrella suitable for a heavy storm in chaos: *more confident thumbs up* The ryeh-b't has met back up with the group, looks like he might use the kelsithe to shield a Hn'tyon from a demon, and everyone important is watching: *I'm gonna get promoted to trimeritorious for this* The ryeh-b't looks at a Hn'tyon of the Mother and says "Let’s wrap you up like a burrito”:
Does anyone think Alden's instant mastery of the kesithe is notable to Artonans, or just explained by Sympathy for Magic or otherwise accepted as normal? I'm aware it's a human-specific stripped-down model, but Alden took what, 30 seconds to familiarize and then use in so many ways this arc already? From Ch 311 it looks like this is his bound authority, so may not get called out by Artonans: > He waved his arm through the air a few times, getting a feel for the weapon physically and *with his skill*. If he uses it in MPE or Coursing, he's going to get questions on how a Rabbit became a Meister-Shaper adjunct over the course of a single weekend.
For some reason, I like this sentence: "They had reason to be even tireder."
The way blithe immediately took the wegata rings made me wonder if Alden actually used them correctly on the last chapter lol
How to use weapon correctly: Do not hurt self or bystanders Do not damage weapon itself Accomplish the thing you are intending to do
Great chapter, felt too short but awesome
They always feel too short. Because they aren’t novels, which is what we all wish for.
Just waiting for the Hnyton clippers making a meme video of alden waving at blythe and blythe yeeting himself off the cliff with sad music in the background.
Ooh whatcha say 🎶
Screaming in the Rain (as sung by The Moth Men) Screaming in the rain We're screaming in the rain What a horrible feeling Bithe's bleeding again We've never been fed We'd be better off dead Gone the way of our gear Disappeared in the red Let the stormy clouds chase Winged demons away Let us hide in this foot Till we're good to escape Forget prize or joy They're the dreams of a boy Hope is dead and now we're screaming in the rain (oddly rhythmic Artonan screaming, ewtee laughter, and demonic honking) (brief Divin-zadja solo) I'm bringing in the rain To make attacking us a pain (more rhythmic alien panic noises) TMM: We're screaming Divin: And I'm bringing TMM: In the rain (camera pans out slightly to show Alden approaching, slightly scuffed, in full kit, with a packed lunch and a look toeing the line between judgment and concern) TMM: We're screaming? Divin: And I'm bringing? TMM: In? The rain?
I was reading another story recently and they spoke about dealing with trauma, first they tried to figure out how to act, are they going to quit, fight, what are they going to do. Eventually decided to turn themselves into a knife aimed at cutting away at what traumatized them and it took me reading that to realize that Alden is still deeply traumatized by Thegund despite how well adjusted he seems. He is turning his trauma into purpose and himself into a knife to cut chaos.
Thanks for the insight! :) About Alden and what you wrote: Mother approves. (probably)
I feel a bit giddy imagining Stu rewatching Alden feeding the knights with ceremonial wevvi and bread. :)
Indeed, he will encourage them to put the stale bread into the wevvi…
So my question is ... who tattled to Esh?
Probably Stu ? I think Alden can’t get messages right now on his interface. And Esh is the only one he can trust to look out for him… my guess
Three-fingered Thief style This is more of a tongue twister than I realised when I read it aloud
This chapter is just the WTF finally hitting the fan. I'm SO here for it!
>>> “I thought you were a goner.” >>> “‘Goner’ is…a creative way of changing the word ‘gone.’” So, odds that “I thought you were a goner” is about to enter the Artonan vernacular among knights, possibly in the form of a meme?
Artonglish
I think other comments have sufficiently covered Alden’s Delivery Service™, but I just wanted to mention that poor Vatha Squad immediately animating on the promise of snacks is such a teenager reaction and I love that.
>>> “Backpack…rope…no, let’s wrap you up like a k’rethkan.” >>> “Like a what?” >>> “They’re a common food on Artona II. Filling rolled up in a fried shell.” I laughed out loud! What an interchange. :D
"A k'rethkan!? What is it?" "They’re a common food on Artona II. Filling rolled up in a fried shell. BUT THAT'S NOT IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW! I've got to wrap you up like one and get you up this hill!
"Lind, you know how I told Alden to do whatever he wants, just don't go to the big city? Well... he didn't go to the big city." This Esh and Lind intro gets funnier every time I read it!
Same! Esh is realizing he maaaybe should have given a few more guidelines, but I don't think the possibility of Alden joining knight training was even within 10 feet of his bingo card.
I went back & reread Alden’s letter that Ryada quotes here (ch. 243 - feels like a long time ago). While there’s a lot in there i imagine she related to, one line really hit me after reading her recent flashbacks of her with her team: “Sometimes, I smile even though I’m screaming inside because it’s rarely okay to show your darkness to someone else, and it’s never easy.”
Every time I reread this story something else like that stands out to me. I reread it again this past month, and I had gotten to that section right around the time the previous chapter rolled around and it really stood out to me too.
It's wonderful that Alden is finally beginning to realize his true calling of bringing food to random wizards.
Alden first impressed Esh by delivering him an und'h and hot and cold food. Now he's impressing Vatha squad by delivering them a Bithe, pub food, substantial first meal leftovers, and ceremonial weevi.
I love the start of this chapter. I'm just imagining the vibe being "We left him unsupervised for 10 minutes and he went WHERE???" As people have said, this arc is really showcasing how Alden has grown and I love it.
This really brings home how far behind the Anesidora gyms are. It makes sense, of course, but still, here we see the knights with no gym suits and no special floor getting a much larger scale and more authentic experience than the human superheroes do. Turns out being the most important people for the species and having the personal attention of the original system helps out!
I don't know if i'd go that far, we've only seen gym classes for brand new avowed, The uni classes after 6 years of training could be significantly different. Knights may go to the training field "at level 1" but theyve been training in magic for 15+ years (this squad is 2nd affixation and ~25 earth years old). The rapport training field may have hundreds or thousands of wizards/votaries managing the field to control all of the hazard mimics. Humans don't devote staff to the daily classes to match that kind of effort.
This is shaping up to be my favorite arc yet! It’s Just amazing how giddy I feel when the email rolls around and I am blessed with more soup. I can’t get enough of this!
“But we’re all together now. Once Divin’s with us. And there’s not much that way.” Alden flicked a finger in the direction he’d come from. “I can show you a route that’s safe enough. There’s just one big thing and a stream you shouldn’t touch and some demon goats. Demon…” Describing a goat would take too much effort right now. “Demon small animals that aren’t even that hard for me to kill. So if we wait until you’re strong enough, we can get out of this bad spot by going that way. Then if we run for a while, we’ll eventually get to our hill.” --- Is it just me or did he forget the buried demon that he marked earlier in his list?!
He has yet to determine whether that was a demon. He marked it as a thing he saw, and left it for others to figure out.
TFTC!
So, even though this is only practice, will Boe feel obliged to even the score by rescuing someone? Extra points if from mud during a lightning storm, via burrito?
Boe's deal was: "Be as noble as you choose to be, Alden. Save babies. Save boaters. Save murderers if you want. But every time you stick your own neck out to save a stranger’s, pretend I’m there with you. Pretend we’re getting into it together and we’re facing the exact same amount of struggle and the exact same consequences for failure." -Ch. 89 Alden was only in social danger. Which I don't think counts.
Alis, watching the video (sent to her by Esh) of Alden running miles to rescue the team, thinking of all the commendation doubters: Told ya’ so. Kibby, watching over her shoulder: Best. Avowed. Ever!!!
Kraaaa: oh rly Alis: it's griveck-[untranslatable predator]-[incomprehensible horror], Kraaaa; you the griveck could disintegrate Alden the [untranslatable predator], but he can befriend the [incomprehensible horror] that swallows you whole Kibby: ALDEN COULD BEAT ANYONE AND ANYTHING! ALDEN WILL ONE DAY CAUSE CHAOS TO SWALLOW ITS OWN TAIL UNDER MY COMMAND AS PRIMARY! Kraaaa: (sharpens claws in anticipatory glee of their knock-down drag-out brawl) Alis: please do not kill Alden, I like him. Kibby likes him. she has his contact information and you have hers, so you have his contact information by proxy, so it would be rude to kill him. Kibby, send Kraaaa his contact info. Rrorro: (breathing into a paper bag from all this talk of violence)
Emban is jealous of Ryada’s letter because hers read: “I invite you to a place of warmth and provender, where you may exchange truths with me under the shade of Tilliver’s protection. On top of the muddy stormy chaos goose hill there is a Foot Statue that has brought succor to me. I await you at my table, which is laid with stale bread, angry noodles, and bowls of welcome. Come in truth, and I will answer in truth.” And she’s worried about how Round 2 of the “don’t be shitty to Stu” conversation will go
Alden brought her a rescued Bithe, yesterday's pub food, leftover breakfast, and weevi, and he didn't even climb right into the foot like a sensible person, she had to pull him in herself! I think Alden just landed himself into adopted little cousin category in his own right, not just Stu-adjacent.
I really like this chapter's first moments with Alden and Bithe. It feels cinematic with the two standing a beath apart and physically intertwined to protect each other from different threats while also interacting to make sure the other is safe.
I actually read it more like a scifi-comedy, because of how Alden’s bag was smacking into Bithe, and I heard Alden speaking so fast in my head.
For some reason, despite all that happened this chapter, I keep perseverating on the fact that Alden just gave away Natalie’s tasting menu, including legit knightly wevi. Not. Cool. Of course, if he plays this right, the team will super overcompensate and Natalie will end up with shipping container full of every available Rapport food fit for humans.
Esh will absolutely make sure he goes home with more. Much more.
“Bithe had demanded the wegyta rings.” - I believe they only took these rings in the first place because Alden had them listed. Now the observing knights thought he never should have been given them and now Bithe is demanding them from him. It sounds more like he still sees him as an avowed, a tool, not a team member. I hope that changes. The knights sound like “ we are toast, let’s end this exercise and go home” whereas Alden does not want to give up before they reach their goal. He feeds them and will give them a pep talk to get them going. This will give them cause to think about their mindset. As well as the observing knights sound. I hope Stu will be proud.
Are you really gonna argue that Alden knows what to do with the wegyta better than Bithe does? Alden only learned what a wegyta was for the first time today. And only showed up to this field and its hazards two minutes ago, while the squad has been slogging through it for hours.
Great chapter!
*Cries. Such amazing writing
I feel like for his next Affixation, Alden ought to look to improving his Stamina more; maybe putting 3-4 points into it. He tends to get dropped in situations where he has to run for hours; might as well prepare for it. Maybe get started on Formation, too. Y'know, the Stamina substat that just makes you hard to hurt. As a bonus, I think it's probably a stat that's fairly easy to conceal investing in.
I feel like for the other stats you need to balance them more, like running faster with Speed, you will need to also have more Processing for reaction speed, and Agility for controlling your movement. But you can just sink a bunch of points in Stamina and then you can run for twice as long. I think it even hits diminishing returns early; a good athlete can already run for hours, so Stamina 10 or so is probably all you need to run for a whole day, if you started out well-trained.
Alden thought back to the party. “Does he plan to summon me into battle?” “He was making a mental note of your qualities for later. He’s currently thinking of you as someone who will be useful support staff for Knights in low level chaos fields in the future. An errand runner or medic’s assistant. He plans to reassess your abilities when you’re around thirty.” “Level thirty?” “Years old,” she clarified.
From chapter FIFTY-NINE: Mother, pt. 1
By the time the retelling is done, the snacks will be a full course dinner.
It will be “an entire feast including a 10-pound bird cooked by an S-rank Cook of the Moment, like the one he served to Lind and Esh at what they call the Slaughterhouse”
Silly Bithe, you just got out of a hyper natural mud bath and rain shower deluxe. Why would you need another bath, unless youre trying to take the bathing King title away from Lute.
"You brought hot cocoa? to this?"
It feels short, but thats only because its so dense with meaning. This arc is landing so hard aaaa, I can't wait for the next chapter. Alden Fanclub (Started by Esh and Lind) is about to start recruiting at the observation post!
Typo: Ryada-bess -> Ryada BEST
Human nickname: Betty.
Alden wants to practice using his trait on all terrain so I keep imagining him showing the footage of his running down the mountain of mud to Klein and asking if something like this could be recreated in the gym
Or Waker, as a callback to his last request. "Yeah... OK, we can actually do that one."
Alden showing up expectedly, covered in dirt, delivering meals while an Artonan thinks he’s hallucinating. Seems oddly familiar.
They’re just missing a few dozen mugs of tea.
I feel like the narrative on Alden's inclusion is going to swiftly change to knights commenting how obviously this avowed commended by the quaternary would be such a boon, and if anything feels almost like cheating to add such a player in at the last minute. And Ryada will be side-eyeing everyone thinking bitch you all had written him off the second he got separated from the team.
Given that adding S-rank and higher grivecks was an option, I don’t think they’re gonna consider a lil baby B-rank too much.
Vatha squad: we have learned something important today. Never leave on a quest without emergency snacks!
Snacks DIRECTLY IN POCKETS, not in the bag. Bags can be lost. (Was Joe right all along?!?)
AAAAaaaauuuAAAAuuuugghhhhhh the soup fills my heart but not my belly! If only there were more!
arrrrrg I need the rest of Esh's POV! arrrg
Me. Too.
I do not know how I will make it to the 10th before a new chapter drops. This soup is COOKING AND I NEED MORE! Especially Esh and Lind showing up to give comments
Clips of this will make its way back to Earth.
I keep laughing when I imagine what condition Alden's legs are going to be in during his fitness class in the morning 🤣
Meeting up with Ignacio for a recall rabbit training session. “Why do you look so tired” Alden - trained with knights for a day. Ignacio - “you WHAT”
Thanks for the chapter!
I always find myself reading the latest chapter twice at least- thank you for the chapter! I love how Ryada is seeing how Alden’s overcome his own trauma- definitely the most fitting person to see him and his growth now
Theoretically, couldn't Alden wash and dry people much the same way he does dishes? Preserve a person as being mud and rain free and BOOM! fresh out the bath
Could be a strong possibility with some training. Also hilarious that Alden could potentially fake having other rabbit skills merely by applying bearer in creative ways
Completely off topic, but it occurred to me last night that Alden completely missed a great opportunity to provide himself with cover after they were rescued on Thegund. He's been so intent on hiding his ability to cast spells that he's been hiding that he knows anything about them or has any interest in the hand gestures, but that in itself is suspicious, if you really think about it. Many humans are fascinated by magic, so him showing an interest wouldn't be odd, and he spent 6 months alone with a very young wizard. It would be more odd if he hadn't learned any of her spell gestures! I could see him explaining casually about how he helped her practice them and worked them into games they could play together (like cat's cradle) and that having this elementary school understanding of spell casting made him curious about how the more powerful spells worked. No one would have blinked if he took an interest in the mechanics of casting spells with that background.
And then whoever he tells that to imminently insists he gets tattooed to secrecy. The Grandwitch has been spending millions of dollars and decades worth of time on learning magic. And she hardly has a kindergarten level understanding of it. So I imagine that even the basics are heavily guarded.
That note explaining where to find the quote’s significance at the end of the chapter struck me as exceptionally thoughtful. There are so many stories that use flashbacks so heavily, I really appreciate all of us being given a reference point so that if someone wants to understand the moment more deeply they know where to look for it. It made my heart sing and overflow and I feel was the very last thing that made an already outstanding chapter even more perfect.
I wanted the chapter to end with EshLind's reaction
It really was a blast to the past hearing, “In a way, I died on Thegund.” I forgot how strongly I felt first reading it. Thank you for writing this amazing story, I really enjoyed this chapter!
This kind of fruitful striving in the spirit of his skill seems like the kind of thing to contribute a lot to Alden's authority growth. I doubt he'll suddenly make the new level a double level, but wouldn't that be fun?
@Vital, he's probably grown 2 in his bound, and 4.5 in his free, making the ratio about 0.4 to 1 free/bound now. Interesting to see if he updates Quiet Rabbit, and if so, by how much.
if he really does well here then I think he might get himself on a list to get sent to Goldbush lol Maybe not too difficult, bringing the exhausted knights there some specialized catering services
Not too difficult, running alone through a war zone where enemies may lie in wait and stronger combatants sometimes just disappear, lol. It’s where he’s planning to go, and he can do it, but downplaying it is a little funny.
This exchange was low-key hilarious: “How did you get here?” “I ran.” Little wonder Bithe thought he’d hit his head, that was a dream logic answer.
He looks like a hero.
Seems like a really bad idea to put the wegyta rings, practically the only functioning weapon they have left, into the backpack. Better to have it readily available.
Hopefully he's at least putting it on top for easy access.
Thank you for the wonderful chapter! I am so excited to see Esh and Lind! And so excited for Team Vatha! Alden should definitely not tell the team that he had more food but Stu ate it while strolling. Not something they need to hear right now as they share a single piece of a noodle
“A feast befitting those who walk the path of highest onus,” sounds like the equivalent of me saying "the breakfast of champions" while I eat cold pizza to start my day 🤭
So for Esh to have that conversation, I think that implies that the messages are already flying... Everyone certainly sees Alden now, and someone must have tipped Esh off. So if Stu wasn't getting any updates yet, he almost surely is now!
Stu is accumulating update notifications while he sleeps.
Is Alden going to do laundry the same way he does dishes? I assume a lot of dirt and moisture would be trapped inside the weave of the cloth, but the bulk of it could still slide away, right?
He might not be able to get all the stains out--if he tried he could accidentally remove any dye as well--but in theory it might work. It's also possible that the dirt especially might get trapped in the cloth since it's not an impermeable surface and the weave would freeze in place once Alden preserved it.
> “I ran.” Signature move, activate!
“Lind…” “Esh.” What a nice way to start my morning
Alden is being a good knight, providing food (noodles), drink (wevi) and shelter (umbrella for Blithe) in his own little way.
You're 100% right, Rae. I think the battlefield Avowed are really going to consider Alden as having his stuff together. I think knights could tell stories about this, making Alden legendary.
Tune in next chapter, when Alden pulls out forty pineapples so everyone will remember him.
I have a feeling that this experience is going to give Team Vatha an unusual benchmark for working with avowed...'what do you mean, you have no ceremonial wevvi? You should feel shame!'
“There is a squad in my recent training session who has their long-term human Ryeh-b’t summoned to chaos fields to serve them ceremonial wevvi prepared by the son of the Primary. Until now, I thought that was the most excessively luxurious use of magical resources I would ever see from someone my own age.”
What chapter can I read the letter Alden wrote to Ryada?
243- With a yell
Just how much attention is Esh going to bring to Alden by going to observe?
Depends, is Esh the kind of person to watch the entire Alden replays of his past actions? Cause that likely to turn some eyes.
Did Bithe miss? How is Artonan binocular vision, anyway? I know they have front facing eyes but since they've got split minds, are their eyes good at resolving vision in tandem? I'm wondering if Alden would actually be better at using the rings because Humans hard-wired to be good at judging distance using both eyes.
Bithe did not miss - he cut off its wings and sent it away. Presumably actions thst kept them safe while being less intense usage of the wegyta rings
Esh mentions his word of caution may of been too soft. He didnt want Alden to feel unwelcome. Maybe the training environment isnt a welcoming open place for Alden to be. Baby knights invited him on a whim and so dont really understand who is welcome and who isnt. I worry about Esh being worried.
could be but i think this is just esh on sheer pattern recognition realizing that he took both eyes off of alden and the little shit is probably out there scaling a mountain in a hurricane with an injured knight preserved and slung over one shoulder or something equally perposterous. And remember Esh doesnt know that Mother gave alden the okay to participate. Mother isnt going to hang alden out to dry, but esh doesnt know that. this could be very normal embarrassing for alden and esh knows alden want to carve out his own place adn that embarrassment would hurt a lot. Esh is going to eek eek eek a lot before this is done though.
So Goldbush supervisor is interested in this squad and maybe has a special purpose or mission. To find some missing newlings, perhaps? Is this foreshadowing Alden's first Goldbush assignment?
That would be amazing, but I think if they knew where to look for the missing they’d send in senior knights to rescue them.
I love that conversation between Bithe and Alden at the beginning lol. Bithe - Did I hit my head? Is this conversation actually happening? Alden - "This will be uncomfortable. Not as uncomfortable as what you did to yourself" I'm fuckin dyyyyyyyying
Several mention they think Alden might accidently reveal himself as a knight. I think it is possible, but in a more subtle way. He uses or reacts to Authority in a way that the team notices. Maybe Ryada-bess or Esh notice. I wonder, is that poem and the idea of getting use to new skin in reference to the experience of becoming a knight? Did he drop a hint without realizing it?
He definitely realized it. Or, he understood the risk but wanted to communicate support to Ryada nonetheless
Aldens skill is scary as heck. His entire world and focus becomes his entruster, no thought to anyone else including himself when focused, and it doesn't even seem like he notices the degree of obsession, it changes his thoughts. It feels more moth to a flame (dangerous, blind rush) than future (undisclosed) knight assisting the team he joined. Then again maybe this is a trait of young knights, overly self sacrificing. This is an area he might need to work on. He has mad skills but sure seems like you would want to be carefull and have a high trust level with any entruster.. also TYFC it was great and I can't wait for the next
Stu has also said something about Alden benefiting in some way from the strength of his entruster, and this time that entruster has the ‘moths to a flame’ skill… maybe that has contributed to the tunnel vision?
This is a good reminder that Alden will actually be pretty useful in a Chaos environment, just by holding fragile tech that might otherwise go bad. I mean, probably there are Chaos-resistant tupperware containers, but if those weren't really expensive, Alden would have a couple, right?
I believe that Stu also suggested a little while back that burden of enchantment might be useful in helping maintain equipment inside chaos zones (presumably something like transferring intact enchantments from damaged base items to fresh/undamaged base items).
Alden said it as a joke, but unironically, bringing fresh or even Chef of the Moment food into chaos zones is the sort of thing that I can see having a wildly outsized impact on overall operational effectiveness.
Stu and Alden's first Goldbush mission: chaos zone catering.
It's going to e very funny at the end of this whole process When Alden's profile has like: Certification: Waiting tables Certification: Emergency Medical Assistance in a school Certification: Minor demon slaying Certification: Chaos Zone food delivery
Dragon Rabbit can get it for you. Alden Rabbit can get it TO you.
I feel so good reading this. The lighthearted moment of snack delivery is so cool and such a rabbit thing to do, while also saving Bithe.
Ryada is vicariously living through Alden here. Just like her, he was changed by his experiences and horrified by the changes, only in the end to reinvent himself and be at peace with his new self. Now Alden is living with full confidence and moving towards his future with full determination, and I think Ryada wants him to succeed and to be like him in the future. He is showing her a path forward. I also find it funny that the newbie knights see themselves as veterans, but their fight has left them exhausted and beaten down. They want to give up, to return to their bath and all other comforts - while Alden, legs giving out, having made his way here all on his own, is only thinking about how to make the mission succeed. To Alden, giving up is the last resort. It's what you do when your entruster is safe, or when death is coming straight at you and you have nowhere to go. But you don't give up when you are tired, or when your authority is blown, or your feet are bleeding with every step. You don't stop. There is still a job left to do. To Alden, this is a casual gym session and nowhere close to testing his limits. Giving up never blipped on his radar. Therefore Alden is performing a dual role - one the one hand, is the typical supporter Avowed, providing bandages, food and protecting their equipment. He assists with kills and evacuates knights from unsteady ground. At the same time, he also assumes the role of a semi-leader. He pushes them to not give up. He makes a plan of action and provides intel. Alden has the most experience of them all in crisis, and it shows.
I would like to defend Vatha Squad a little bit. The training of Knights is cyclical, I think we are currently near to the 'softest' point of that cycle. I think in Stu's grandfather's day young Knights would have regularly been pushed far beyond their limits, those who broke, were discarded; those who succeeded were pushed further. Alden has suffered so much more than the Vathas, but no-one wants young Knights to suffer more than they have to right now. Alden's luck (evil author?) has cursed this poor squad with a much harder training exercise than was intended for them, but I don't think their wish to give up here is a failure. The current Knight leadership wants to slowly build up young Knights without breaking them. The path of highest onus will always be hard.
“Lind…” “Esh.” When I saw these two first words of the chapter, I got so excited!!!
i NEED the rest of this POV. sleyca, omitting this is a war crime.
I wonder how Emban feels about Alden now given the panicked discussion she had with Bithe about not sacrificing himself and him just throwing himself down the mountain. In her place, I would be so grateful for Alden saving Bithe.
I hope she feels embarrassed about thinking that he is just into lab work
Enjoying my new Ryada x Alden ship... very comfy here
Ryaden-best
Carrying like a burrito was definitely the best option. I approve.
This is one of the best arcs in a while, and I have a feeling it has plenty of giving left. Thanks for the chapter Sleyca!
This one will go all the way to VIV.
Originally, I was thinking that this team would be absorbed by StuDen, but I suddenly wonder if the StuDen team will only be Alden, Stu, and maybe Yaril in the future and the Bithe/Emban/Ryada etc, team will support them as a separate team that truly understands Alden after this exercise opens their minds and hearts.
Ryada seems reasonably likely to join Stu and Alden, at least for a while, since she's already on leave from Vatha Squad, at least for a while, in accordance with best practices. Looks like Stu+Alden+Ryada+Yaril will likely be our core squad, maybe plus a couple more that we've yet to meet. They could probably work closely with Vatha Squad on a regular basis, though, and have decent synergy with them.
What is Lind hand embroidering? Perhaps some new clothing for Alden with his commendation 🧐?
I loved "Lind's needle paused." as a reaction. I reminded me a little of this scene from Sharpe's Eagle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuQhvoHXcys Notice how at 1:32-34 or so Wellington's pen stops writing in reaction to Simmerson's lie that Lennox panicked. That's a big hint that no, this isn't going to go how Simmerson imagines it will.
I'm so proud of Alden making it safely to back to the top of the mountain with Bithe, his entruster. That was hard work with already very tired muscles and yet he made it. The little blue star spell is sweet and seems like a turning point for this team toward better teamwork which is inclusive of Alden. I do not doubt Alden will be able to get the team to stop thinking in terms of giving up. A word or two from him and suddenly they will be ashamed and then focused on doing their part in a way they never were before.
“‘Goner’ is…a creative way of changing the word ‘gone.’” Bithe language lessons have really become more fragrant since Here To There I! Which is good, because somewhere out there is a art’h with a big stick who would happily teleport right back here for Alden.
Very funny that Alden is getting compliments for his Artonan from Bithe.. how far has that relationship developed...
Nothing restores morale like a good cuppa ceremonial wevvi prepared in field conditions.
More: it's from fruit and Stu prepared it. Alden should offer to take Natalie to a Rapport manybaskets.
Guardian goose! Novel use of pseudo demons.
Alden is showing himself a true Knight, and people are beginning to take notice. Snacks can be better than a story, especially after a hard day, and with his new kelsithe he'll be able to shed a few items to make room for more in his lovely teleporting bag.
Imagine the reputation he's getting after this is over: Ran like a Returning Guardblade down the mountain, fixed the Hn'tyon's armor, ran the Hn'tyon back UP the hill, gathered and rallied the squad, delivered a major weapon, talked the squad into putting all their magitech into his Forgetful Travelers bag, and then pulled out crosswater noodles and ceremonial wevvi? This is going to be a legend. Even the helpful Grivek will have things to say, especially if Alden kills the rest of the hazard mimics she left for him on the squad's way back.
aahhhhh I'm so glad Ryada is happy about this! Alden's badassery knows no bounds, I bet his squadmates are all going "holy shit this guy is actually kinda awesome at this"
I wonder whether there's a tiny Commendation that's just "Rendered Noteworthy Assistance to Junior Knights". I think Alden has a Social Credit section in his Status? Assisting in Knight Training might be a cool addition there. Come to think, this event is also in absence of obligation...
I hope they rescue Divin soon! She's been out there whipping up the weather for a long while.
“Is this conversation happening?” asked Bithe. “Or did I hit my head hard?” Nah, it's just Alden pressured talking and free associating on fast forward, lol.
Vatha squad, this is Dragon Rabbit. You need things. I get them for you.
Radish Rabbit
Like Artonan Daycare- pick them up when they fall down and snacks. Gather round newlings and I will tell you the story of the princess and the klerm
Legit if he busts out story time on the battlefield that will be hilarious
Esh’s quiet exasperation at Alden’s ability to find himself in *situations* is hilarious
With how into it Alden is gettin, and with so many watching including Esh and Lind, im starting to wonder if Alden will get toooo into it and accidentally cast a real spell to "save" the group at some point and out himself here in front of a crowd. It honestly doesn't seem like the worst time or place to do it, despite the agreement with Stu, and ofc it wouldn't truly be on purpose in my hypothetical, more like a knee-jerk reaction he does before his mind catches up. It would be after showin how well suited he is for this sort of stuff, after savin other trainees at his own risk, after doin whatever causes him to use a spell in such a place, and with both Esh and Lind nearby as potential buffers that would surely work to help him when shit hits the fan. I just want the reveal so happen so badly already lmao and it seeeeems like a super exciting time for it to happen and more in his favor than a basic conversation imo.
I think Alden can cast a spell without giving away the fact that he’s a wizard. He would cast using the standard gestures and words of spells and that’s what avowed do. His only customised spell cast is lighting a promise stick. Since he has not been summoned, nobody has access to his profile and he could claim that he has that spell.
Alden's chaos catering: Now with thunder lettuce
Hahaha!!!
What chapter did he give a letter to ryada? I feel like it's been so long that I need to reread to get the emotional impact of him surviving thegund
Two Hundred Forty-Three: With a Yell
I love Alden’s determination here! And the fact that his honest encouragement is likely going to make the rest of the knights push through and succeed, instead of giving up.
His honest encouragement and his timely snack delivery.
I'm scared. it looks like the hard part is mostly over, but with esh and lind coming to watch, and alden being next to bithe and exhausted, I fear we might be heading towards alden accidentally revealing himself while everyone is watching. the story already highlighted how it *should* be easy from here to get out safely, and then started foreshadowing how that may not actually work that way in practice. the pause of the chapter in the middle of ryada saying "he looks alive", which I think was doen to imply that he also looks like a knight. I think here, where eveyone has gotten respect for him, where in skill he is ready but wishes to wait to swear with stu. I think maybe an attack will come at a bithe out of reach, and a triangle-shaped block of force will push it away
Yeah, there is some foreshadowing for sure, but still not sure if reveal will happen. I especially doubt it would be an auriad spell since those take longer and require more intent and focus. I would think it would be something more reactionary like just reaching out with his authority to grab Bithe and preserve at distance
Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu
Perfect Sunday morning blessing. Thank you for today's warm and comforting soup
Ahh, so satisfying. Tasty soup.
Continues to be one my favorite books
Little rabbit Alden, hopping up the mountain. Scooping up the hn'tyons, and wrapping them in a shield :D
🫂
Ahhh, thank you! I'm worried you pushed too hard to get this to us, but it's wonderful. But don't be Ryada, destroying yourself while we enjoy the results of your labor.
TFTC!
Bitherrito is a lot less dignified than what I was imagining he would do lmao
We’ve gotten some hints the knight Ryada is with might be important. Sleyca not giving them a name so far feels intentional. Plus Ryada being too distracted watching her best buds to truly recognize the knight, or ask their name, would be really funny. Especially if it’s a famous or high ranked knight lol. Just imagining the 5th ranked knight watching the event and a newer knight comes in and essentially just hangs out. “Also you should totally Be watching this avowed I met recently”
I am 100% sure Sausage Knight is Esh.
Alden may not be MVP, but he's the heart and soul of every party he's a part of
He definitely is the MVP too. He brought food
Unintended consequence of Alden joining the exercise - inspiring Ryada so much that she gets out of her rut
Not just her it seems either 😊 (Saaski)
Awesome!!!
So nice that Ryada has seen Alden this way, his letter said he understood her, and his actions today showed that she can make it past her current issues and thrive.
I loved this chapter. The beginning with Esh & Lind, the moment at the end with Ryada and every little thing in between. A piece of writing perfection. Thank you!
It was so good to have Alden make it, dump Bithe into Tilliver's arms, be a little too tired to figure out how to climb in himself, and have Emban half yeet herself out into the terrible storm to bodily haul Alden back in with her into safety and refuge. Alden is one of *her* people now. No more of this people falling down the hill to sacrifice themselves without her!
He was not tired! He was doubting himself, unsure whether he belongs with the knights. And then Emban just grabbed him, like of course he should be inside with them, he's part of the team.
What a great feeling to be seen and your efforts recognized!!!! #Studen Arc building!
I love this story, it just makes me so happy
The tenth!!! Observation deck reactions !!!??
Amazing soup, love Esh and Lind.
soup!
A Bithe Burrito!🤣 Loved this chapter.
I really loved this chapter. Alden helping the squad. Esh and Lind! The Ryada bits were my favourite part, it's so nice seeing her perspective in this. Thank you for the wonderful chapter!
So, who tells emban, Alden is taking Bithe and Ryada into his own squad with Stu after declaring?
They are more likely to join this squad i think.
I really thought the older Knight that Ryada was talking to was going to be Esh.
I think he might be the overall commander on Goldbush, someone much higher up than Ryada realized
Thanks for soup!
Thanks for the chapter !
Tyftc. There is never enough
Oh thus chapter felt very sweet. Alden was really in his element. It felt good having Ryada really see him so clearly. And poor Esh not being specific enough
Thanks for the chapter!!! We all know Alden's real calling is delivering food safely. A turkey with a Thanksgiving feast to Matadero, snacks to a chaos battlefield... What's the difference?
Cantaloupe to a worried wizard's face..
Soup! TY!
Lol tyftc
Lind and Esh is here, wonder when will it be Stu’s turn
Meanwhile Stu: *WHAT*
*wriggles in whole-body delighted anticipation*
Angry honking goose-like eagle demon guarding the bottom of their hill sounds like an excellent use of a demon goose! The Romans used to use guard geese over guard dogs - geese are like flying goats, ornery and difficult for people other than their preferred people who give them food offerings to deal with. I love how first Bithe and then everyone else keeps being surprised by what Alden is pulling out of his magic (well, Traveller bag-containing, which is magic) bag. A much-needed bandage, and some protective plates. Snacks! Real food snacks! CEREMONIAL WEEVI???
First
Damn, I’m late