Divine Beast Ascension

Zelsh was smiling beside the young cultivator. “Is there anything else you need to pass over before I take you two to Iron Town?”

“Yes,” Ryssel spoke up. Together, the father and son duo took out a frosted mantle each. “Though Rykard didn’t have time to make two frosted mantles, I managed to throw one together during the allotted time. So this gives you five mantles in total, enough for your team, correct?”

Glad to see that, Zelsh accepted the mantles and stored them away. “I’ll gift them to the team after I get back from Iron Town. Anything else?”

Rykard eccentrically shook his head. “Nope. Take us away so we can start making that gear for everyone in Iron Town. I’m especially excited to meet this secret king.”

“Meeting you in person, I’m sure you and he will get along great,” laughed Zelsh, standing up. “He’s a long-time friend of mine. And you two are sure to hit it off.”

“Perfect!”

.....

Rykard hurried to his feet while his father politely stood up. They both bowed to Oli before the silent formation was dropped and Zelsh escorted the masked men away.

Everyone else had questions about the masked men but Oli just said they were craftsmen hired by Zelsh, and that everyone would see what Zelsh had ordered upon his return. Otherwise, Oli just returned to his ice bath training. Even when Zelsh got back and divvied out the frosted mantles to everyone on loan for the competition, Oli just kept training.

That was how Oli spent his time. For days, Oli would sit in the ice baths with two cores in hand, absorbing their essence at an abnormal rate.

Eventually, two more suns passed and the day of the new moon auction arrived. Oli had decided to sleep in his bed the night before, in order to help him wake up early and have a normal day without any training on his mind. At the breakfast table he was joined by Fulkar. By then, both Oli and Fulkar were beyond acclimated to the weather of Avalanche City. Even if they had to step outside of the weather formation, they were fairly confident they could last a decent while without any shelter.

To Oli’s surprise, everyone else apart from Zelsh also came to join Oli and Fulkar for breakfast extra early in the morning. But Oli only greeted them and didn’t ask why. He didn’t need to ask because Freele brought up the subject. “So, you two are going to the new moon auction?”

Nodding, Oli smiled back at her. “Yeah, we’re going to check it out.”

“Mind if we tag along?” Freele asked on behalf of everyone.

Oli sighed, “Well, no, I don’t mind... However... We can go together but we won’t be able to sit together.”

“Why’s that?” Trenk asked with a curious stare.

Freele questioned, “You don’t want to be seen with us? But aren’t we a team?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you as a team,” Oli answered before they could say anything else, “it’s that I’m uncertain of what’s going to happen. For all I know, we’ll see the day’s catalog and decide we don’t want anything. And even if there’s something I want... that doesn’t necessarily mean I want all of you knowing what I’ve purchased.”

“But Fulkar will know, won’t he?” retorted Trantor, giving Oli a hint of a sly smile.

Oli nodded and stated, “True, but that’s different. He and I have reached a certain agreement. But I don’t think I can make such an arrangement with any of you, apart from Yeter.”

“What?!”

“Why?”

“YES!” In the midst of depressing sighs and rebuttals, Yeter pumped a hoof into his chest to celebrate joining the auction party.

Trantor kept quiet, putting a hand on Trenk’s shoulder to stop him from shouting. But Freele continued, “Well, can’t you at least tell us what the arrangement would be before assuming that we can’t meet your demands?”

“Sadly, no.” Oli was frank and to the point. “Thanks to Fulkar, I already know the statuses that you hold within your families among other things. That’s why there’s no merit to giving up the terms of Fulkar’s and my arrangement.”

Freele was about to say something more but Trantor stopped her. The table was silent for a second before Trantor smiled again. “Well... What about Trenk? Can’t he possibly join you? He’s the freest person among us three as far as familial status goes. There’s no way to include him?”

Oli glanced at Fulkar, who shrugged with an indefinite expression.

“... It’s just an auction. Is it really that big of a deal to you three?” Oli asked.

Trantor replied, “Yes and no. The auction isn’t that big of a deal to me. But I don’t want there to be any breaks in the team’s trust. And such a rift might develop without some sort of resolution.”

Tapping the table, Oli took a moment to think. “...Let me put it this way. There’s a difference between not trusting someone, and not being able to tell someone. Do you understand what I’m getting at?”

Trantor nodded. “Of course. Such is basic politics. So, what you mean is that none of us are in an appropriate political position to learn of the agreement between you and Fulkar?”

“Yes.”

Trenk and Freele kept quiet as Trantor started to at least pull back some of the layers of secrecy and learn the root cause of the decision.

“... May you and I speak in private?”

Both surprised and impressed by the question, Oli nodded and took out a silent formation ring to create a barrier around him and Fulkar. Oli then waved for Trantor to walk over and join them.

Smiling to his brother and wife, Trantor commented, “Don’t worry. It’s just that political talk is always best spoken in private. If I’m able, I want to at least figure out what’s so special about this agreement. And how Oliver, the supposed lone, nomad cultivator, can sway Fulkar to his side.”